University wide Collaborative Projects for 1998-99 and 1999-2000

College/Unit Projects for 1998-99 and 1999-2000

Class & Community Connections (Study-Service Connections)

Project Director: Sam Lutrin, Student Affairs

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $15,536 and 1999-00 $0

Class & Community Connections is a service-learning program that engages students in community-based experiences directly related to material covered in General Education courses. Class & Community Connections is first and foremost designed to promote student learning and does so in at least the following three domains:

• Academic/Cognitive Skills
• Life Skills
• Community Understanding and Civic Responsibility

A focus on General Education courses insures that students from all majors can have a service-learning opportunity. During 1998-99, participating courses were: Writing: Argumentation (ENGL 215); Professional Writing: Argumentation and Reports (ENGL 218); The Economics of Poverty, Discrimination and Immigration (ECON 303); Personal Health: A Multicultural Approach (KINE 255); and Leisure Education and Lifestyle Management (REC 100).

Class & Community Connections provides students with opportunities to explore ideas in the "real world" and to experiment with taking on new roles. Such experiences are not only appealing to many but they also introduce the students to skills needed for field-based learning and give them an opportunity to take advantage of a more "hands on" learning style. These service-learners also expanded their knowledge of community organizations and issues.

Over 500 students in thirteen sections of five General Education courses participated in service-learning during 1998-99. Service-learners provided more than 4,000 hours of assistance to 21 community nonprofit organizations.

Supplemental Instruction for High Risk Classes

Project Directors: Armando Pezo-Silva, Student Academic Services, Roxy Peck, College of Science and Mathematics, and Bill Sydnor, Academic Skills Center

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $48,889 and 1999-00 $0

The purpose of Supplemental Instruction (SI) is to:

• Detect barrier classes -- defined as entry-level, undergraduate classes with greater than 20% Ds or Fs annually -- and
• Provide structured learning experiences to amplify the lecture content. This is accomplished by hiring and training qualified peer leaders who hold sessions twice weekly throughout the quarter.

Participation in SI is voluntary: students who elect to enroll earn one unit of baccalaureate credit based on attendance and participation. Supplemental Instruction focuses on Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Statistics, and Soil Science courses.

Results of Academic Year 1998-99:

• 1,310 (41%) of the student population enrolled in lecture classes with an SI component participated in SI -- an increase of 10% over last year.
• 81% earned passing grades, compared to 69% who chose not to join a discussion group.
• 98% of the students surveyed said they would recommend SI to a friend.
• 78% would take SI again if classes were available. Student comments were very positive.
• 89% of the professors surveyed felt SI was a valuable adjunct to their lecture class.

Math Workshop Program

Project Directors: Susan Sparling and Armando Pezo-Silva, Student Academic Services, and Roxy Peck, College of Science and Mathematics

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $80,680 and 1999-00 $0

The Math Workshop Program focuses on algebra, pre-calculus, and calculus, and offers weekly interactive math lab workshops of three to four hours for one unit of academic credit.

Educational quality renewal and enhancement -- During the 1998-99 year, 630 students enrolled in Math Workshops adjunct to designated sections of classes in Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters. Approximately 40% of students in the designated math sections also enrolled in the workshop. A total of 52 workshops were offered, 35 of which were funded by the Cal Poly Plan. More than half of the students enrolled in the Math Workshop Program were first year students.

On an survey given at the end of Fall 1998 workshop participants indicated that the math workshops were helpful to their learning of mathematics and that the workshops were supportive of their educational quality enhancement.

Rendering, Animation & Modeling Lab (RAML)

Project Directors: K. Richard Zweifel, College of Architecture and Environmental Design, and Eric Johnson, College of Liberal Arts

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $28,696 and 1999-00 $0

RAML is a jointly administered facility between the College of Arch & Env Design and Art & Design. In a collaborative experimental class offered since 1997, student teams create computer animations using the latest in 3-D modeling and animation software. Third year funding will significantly improve the RAML's infrastructure and continue funding for software and technical support.

Teaching Factory

Project Directors: Sema Alptekin, Reza Pouraghabagher and Luis Rabelo, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering, and Patricia McQuaid, College of Business

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $0 and 1999-00 $37,000

The Teaching Factory project is a collaboration between the College of Engineering and the College of Business. One area of knowledge that the traditional business student may lack is that of a strong technological understanding of the manufacturing industry. On the other hand, while engineering students spend a large portion of their curriculum on designing products, they would not know much about cost accounting. The collaboration of both colleges should serve to help bridge this gap and would provide business students with a stronger background related to manufacturing technology. The Teaching Factory project would also help prepare those business students planning to obtain technical management positions, by gaining greater technological understanding. It would also benefit engineering students applying for this same type of position, by providing them with greater business skills. Several new software packages will be acquired as part of the project. This software will be involved in the Accounting Information System aspect to the Teaching Factory. As products are designed and manufactured by engineering students, an accounting information system will be developed by the business students. This system would be used to track production costs and deal with inventory concerns, as well as to address accounts payable and receivable issues.

The Teaching Factory elements are linked via communication networks to the existing facilities including the metal removal, casting, rapid prototyping and electronic manufacturing laboratories at Cal Poly. Students use the equipment in the Teaching Factory to develop industrial products from concept to design to the manufacture of the product. They gain practical knowledge in product design, preparation of production plans, execution of production orders, and monitoring operations. The overall objectives of the Teaching Factory are:

• To graduate better professionals by providing leading edge concepts in modern manufacturing, enabling them to effectively compete in today's industry to enhance the current curriculum that will focus on modern manufacturing concepts
• To demonstrate viable solutions to the dynamics of the technological challenges across the entire integrated business enterprise
• To transfer technology and information from and to partner companies as well as local companies, with students activities, team projects and senior projects as the primary vehicle

The Teaching Factory makes use of state-of-the-art industrial grade production equipment, computer hardware, and software.

Semiconducting Polymer Electronics

Project Directors: David Braun, Electrical Engineering; Kevin Kingsbury, Chemistry; Mark Cooper, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering; Linda Vanasupa, Materials Engineering; and Ronald Brown, Physics

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $24,462 and 1999-00 $7,804

This two year project allowed us to create a facility for students to make and to characterize semiconducting polymer devices. The first year of Cal Poly Plan funding supported creation of a Polymer Electronics Test Station. The second year of the project has directly benefited students of chemistry, electrical engineering, computer engineering, materials engineering, and mechanical engineering. During the second year of the project, we implemented the Test Station and course modules in more courses, revising the equipment and the lesson plans as required based on student feedback. This project has completed all of the tasks indicated in the original proposal. Most tasks benefited from the assistance of students from a variety of disciplines. The tangible deliverables include custom lab equipment and course materials. The Test Station is composed of equipment purchased by the Cal Poly Plan, matching equipment provided by the EE Department, and custom software developed by students. Another exciting deliverable is the first semiconducting polymer synthesized at Cal Poly.

Biotechnology in the Classroom Center

Project Directors: Peter Jankay, Biological Sciences; John Phillips, Crop Science; and David Hannings, Environmental Horticulture Sciences

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $10,000 and 1999-00 $20,200

Cal Poly Plan funds are being used to partially fund equipment to establish a modular and mobile multidisciplinary undergraduate biotechnology laboratory (UBL). $10,000 of the $30,000 Cal Poly Plan two-year award purchased a Gel Doc 2000. This piece of equipment has already seen considerable use, primarily in laboratory courses (Introductory Biology, Plant Biotechnology, and Cell Biology), and by undergraduates conducting research.

Project directors were encouraged to seek extramural funding. This led to an NSF (CCLI) grant proposal which was subsequently funded. The Biological Sciences Department will receive $312,000 from the NSF grant in addition to the Cal Poly Plan money.

Both the Cal Poly Plan and the NSF funded projects seek to improve undergraduate education by facilitating the incorporation of biotechnological applications to undergraduate laboratory classrooms in diverse disciplines such as agriculture, biology, and biochemistry.

To this end, we are developing an infrastructure consisting of four parts that should be completed by the end of this academic year. First, there is a highly efficient mobile equipment laboratory that makes equipment readily available to simultaneous users anywhere on campus. Second, UBL develops course specific laboratory exercises for faculty. Third, UBL trains faculty on the use of equipment employed in the developed exercises. The fourth major component is a stationary laboratory staffed by undergraduate student technicians that is used for exercise development, training of faculty, and training of undergraduate students engaging in independent study like senior projects. The stationary laboratory also provided biotech equipment for undergraduate student research. Prior to UBL, no class in CAGR gave undergraduate students hands-on experiences with biotech applications involving DNA. UBL has enabled the scope of undergraduate student research to include biotechnology. Since virtually every discipline and industry that works with living organisms makes use of biotech applications, it is expected that a number of undergraduate courses in CAGR an CoSAM will be making use of UBL's services to incorporate biotech applications.

Cal Poly Library of Online Media Resources for Students and Faculty

Project Directors: Paul Adalian, Judy Swanson and Mark Stengel, Kennedy Library; and Bob Clover, Information Technology Services

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $33,872 and 1999-00 $26,372

The project has made important strides in three areas:

1. Development of a model for collaborative work among faculty, students and Library staff;
2. Acquisition of digital content; and
3. Development of user aids to finding and using digital media.

The students of Professor John Battenburg who participated in the American Phonetic Alphabet project enhanced their learning of linguistics by applying it immediately to the creation of digital content which is available not only to class members, but to the larger world. This project will continue to involve students as other languages are added, and it will serve as a model for future collaborative projects developing digital content.

The expected outcomes of the Online Media Resource Library project are to provide both faculty and students in the College of Liberal Arts with a permanent library of media materials and instructions for effective use of media materials in teaching, studying, and learning. This has been enhanced to include utilizing the technical expertise of librarians to assist faculty members in incorporating the use of new media into their instruction. To that end, we have been:

• Refining and expanding on the use of the Digital Toolbox.
• Authoring database driven web applications that create web sites that are uniquely designed in collaboration with various College of Liberal Arts faculty.
• Exploring the use of Macromedia Flash as a teaching tool.
• Building a library of non-print media (movies, images, sounds, etc.) that meets the needs of a specific faculty member, as well as being freely available (through browsing and/or searching from the web) by all members of the Cal Poly community.

Geographic Information System (GIS): Enhanced Access and Supplementary Instruction

Project Directors: Sariya Talip Clay, Kennedy Library; Walt Bremer, College of Architecture & Environmental Design; and V.L. Holland, College of Science and Mathematics

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $14,800 and 1999-00 $6,780

AY 1999-2000 was the second year of the 2-year Cal Poly Plan project: Geographic Information System (GIS): Enhanced Access and Supplementary Instruction. Following are the goals of the proposal and what has been accomplished since AY 1998-1999:

• Expand access to GIS data, applications and technology in the Library. Two GIS workstations have been available in the Kennedy Library Reference area since February 1999. Procedures for using the workstations have been implemented, and two student assistants created sample projects, user manuals, and handouts.
• Supplement instruction in ArcView, a desktop GIS.
• Stress and the interdisciplinary capabilities of GIS.


• Increase awareness of GIS applications to students in a wide variety of subject areas.
• Encourage the use of GIS in relevant courses and projects throughout the curriculum.

In review, substantial progress has been made in implementing the goals of this project. Specifically, the project has met Cal Poly Plan goals and investment priorities by:

• Providing advanced computer technology (hardware and software) to support instruction.
• Expanding student access to GIS workstations.
• Providing online access to GIS data both in the Library and through the World Wide Web.
• Expanding course scheduling by supplementing GIS instruction to meet student needs.
• Incorporating information technology into teaching-learning.
• Preparing graduates with state-of-the-art knowledge and competencies needed for life and work in the 21st century.
• Expanding and enhancing library support services for students.

Student Advising

Project Directors: To be named

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $0 and 1999-00 $85,000

Project pending. Undergoing further development.

Follow the links below to each College or Unit Project Year End Report:

College of Agriculture
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Orfalea College of Business
College of Engineering
College of Liberal Arts
College of Science and Mathematics
University Center for Teacher Education
Student Affairs Division

College of Agriculture Multi-Disciplinary GIS Teaching and Project Lab

Project Directors: Brian Dietterick, Natural Resources Management

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $39,000 and 1999-00 $39,000

Phase One in the development of the CAGR GIS Lab was available for classes by Spring Quarter 1999. Two existing labs, 11-304 and 08-004, were renovated and equipped with 16 and 24 workstations, respectively.

The original two-year Cal Poly Plan award of $76,600 has contributed to the completion of Phase two in the development of the GIS Lab complex. Additional funding was also secured from a number of sources.

Over the past eighteen months since the Lab opened, it has become evident that many benefits are being realized and educational quality enhanced. There has been an increase in the number of sections offered of the introductory course, Applications of GIS in Natural Resources. At least two sections of the course are offered every quarter. Two new GIS courses were developed as a result of the capabilities of the Lab. The course, FNR 460, Advanced GIS Applications in Natural Resources, was offered Winter Quarter and included students from three different majors. The second course, FNR 464, Advanced GIS Project, was offered Spring Quarter 2000. A number of other classes have been incorporating GIS or other sophisticated technologies and utilized the lab to do so. Another significant benefit has been the number of open lab hours offered and the usage observed in the lab during these times. At least twenty-five hours per week are now available in the 304 Lab for open lab times. During these open times, students often work on GIS projects for GIS courses, but more surprisingly, students are frequently observed preparing GIS maps for other courses projects. Student comments reaffirm that the accessibility of a high-end GIS lab is greatly appreciated and has afforded them an opportunity to increase their knowledge of GIS.

Digital Demonstration Station

Project Directors: William Siembieda, City and Regional Planning Department

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $0 and 1999-00 $17,480

The digital Demonstration is up and running. As proposed, the station is used primarily in beginning design/graphics course in the department. The instructor of this course sequence states it gives him much greatly flexibility in materials presentation, less time writing on the chalkboard, and greater ability to utilize computer programs in instruction. He simply thinks it improves his instruction. Teaching visual communications with a multi-purpose tool like the station is a big advance over the one-on-one approach. The station also is being used in middle and upper division courses for instruction. The station also is used for web access.

Small-Scale Testing System

Project Director: Vicki Vance May, Architectural Engineering Department

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $7,900 and 1999-00 $0

A small-scale testing system, the Autograph 1000, was purchased with Cal Poly Plan funds for use in undergraduate Architectural Engineering laboratory courses. The testing system is a portable bench-top testing system weighing less than 40 pounds designed for safe and easy use by students and faculty.

The testing system has been used to run experiments for a Mechanics of Structural Members Laboratory course (ARCE 223). Approximately 50 undergraduate Architectural Engineering students have used the system during the past year. The students enjoy using the testing, and the additional hands-on experimentation seems to have enhanced their understanding of structural behavior.

Design Prototyping System

Project Directors: Thomas Fowler IV, Architecture Department

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $7,100 and 1999-00 $8,100

The Design Prototyping System (DPS) was established to enable Architecture students to have access to computer tools for allowing seamless integration of digital modeling during the process of designing architectural space. The major components of this DPS system, the three-dimensional (3-D) scanner and the 3-D printer, provide students with increased flexibility for pursuing the integration of digital modeling with physical modeling in the earliest stages of design. During Fall 1999 and Winter 2000 DPS equipment was successfully installed, tested, and procedures for students' use documented. In Spring 2000 the DPS equipment was integrated into courses. Students were excited to see the 3-D physical printouts of their digital model files. These printed out models provided a great deal of insight into the students' design projects, since they were able to physically see what they could not see digitally. Students commented that it helped their design process in being able to print out their digital file while they were still in the early stages of design and then continue the design process on a physical version of the same model.

Undergraduate Integrated Core Curriculum

Project Director: Doug Cerf, College of Business

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $26,800 and 1999-00 $0

The Undergraduate Integrated Business Core Program re-engineered the mode of delivery of the six functional core courses required of undergraduate business students (BUS 342, BUS 346, BUS 371, BUS 387, BUS 391, and BUS 404). Instead of six separate courses this program presents one integrated program. This program features team-taught integrated sessions (approximately 50% of class time), student projects with heavy team work, case study evaluation, discussion and testing, writing assignments, and oral project presentations.

Seven faculty delivered, and seventy five students successfully completed the second offering of the undergraduate integrated core program during the 1998-1999 academic year. The size of the program doubled from the first year (1997-1998). The Dean and the faculty of the College of Business support continuation of the program with 80 students during the 1999-2000 academic year.

The conceptual nature of this program is transferable to other programs in the university which include a set of integrated core courses.

Our slogan for the program is: "It is more than a class, it is (an) experience," an experience that College of Business students will remember long after they graduate. This program more closely replicates the business work environment than the typical single classroom setting.

Accounting Curriculum Revision and MS Program Development

Project Director: William Boynton, College of Business

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $0 and 1999-00 $26,800

The Accounting Curriculum Revision and MS Program Development project has resulted in three concentrations and the creation of the Masters Program. Course development and revisions for the undergraduate concentrations are on target to be completed by Spring 2001. The Masters in Accounting Program has received all campus approvals and is currently awaiting the Trustees' approval. The new Enterprise and Information Systems concentrations will better prepare undergraduate students who wish to pursue careers directly in industry. These two concentrations offer students more flexibility to tailor their curriculum to meet their career objectives. The flexibility should also enhance progress towards degree for these students. The new Masters Program will satisfy the State Board of Accountancy's proposed educational requirements.

Wireless Communications

Project Director: Martin Kaliski, Electrical Engineering

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $17,000 and 1999-00 $21,000

The goals of the Wireless Communication project involved the development of a lecture and laboratory course in wireless communications. Highlights of the first year include the following:

• Ongoing involvement as a university partner in Global Wireless Education Consortium (GWEC).
• A short course in wireless communications offered on the Cal Poly campus.
• Continued involvement in the program by visiting professors and industry experts.
• The planned acquisition of specialized laboratory equipment and modules for our communications laboratories from Emona Technology

Highlights of the second year of this project included the following:

• Renewed involvement as a university partner in Global Wireless Education Consortium (GWEC).
• The visit of Professor George O'Clock of Minnesota State University, Mankato, during Winter and Spring Quarters as a lecturer.
• The continued involvement of Dr. Fred DePiero, Lockheed Endowed Professor.
• The acquisition of specialized laboratory equipment and modules for our communications laboratories from Emona Technology, and the acquisition of specialized printed circuit board fabrication equipment from T-Tech, Inc.
• The involvement of key, non-GWEC, companies in this venture, such as Agilent Technologies.
• The positioning of the Remote Technologies Group as a source of project support and implementation to wireless companies.
• A new technical collaboration with Anritsu was established, with anticipated support for lab courses EE 353, EE 445, EE 456, EE 502, as well as the new wireless courses.

Continued Funding for Environmental Protection Engineering Laboratory (EPEL)

Project Director: Jeffrey Sczechowski, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $5,000 and 1999-00 $0

Instructional Technology and Equipment

Virtual Factory

Project Director: Sema Alptekin, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $8,200 and 1999-00 $0

A Virtual Factory is being developed by the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department of Cal Poly. It will provide a mirror image of a real manufacturing system by utilizing computer hardware and several software packages.

The overall objectives of the Virtual Factory are:

• To provide hands-on system design and simulation capabilities to our students in a modern computer laboratory environment.
• To graduate better professionals by providing leading edge concepts in manufacturing system design and simulation to effectively compete in today's industry.
• To share technology and information with partner and local companies, by using students activities, team projects and senior projects as the primary vehicle.

This is an ongoing project, but accomplishments to date include:

• Development of a computer laboratory for the use of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering students.
• Support for graduate level research to develop the framework for further research on Virtual Factory and the Teaching Factory.
• Development of web pages documenting the project.
• Initiation of several team projects to transfer technology and information from partner companies to the Virtual Factory.
• Donation of an Enterprise Resource Planning package by Epicor/Dataworks Vista to be used in the development of the Virtual Factory (valued at $24,200).

Enhance Lab & Simulation Lab

Project Director: Lanny Griffin, Materials Engineering

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $0 and 1999-00 $23,200 (pending)

Biomedical Engineering has been identified by the industrial guidance committee of the College of Engineering at Cal Poly as a critical emerging technology that should be developed in response to the growing industrial needs at national and international levels. As a result, laboratory space in the Advanced Technology Laboratories (ATL) has been allotted to the newly formed, interdisciplinary course of study in bioengineering. The use of computational models in these courses, and others like them, will enhance the educational experience of students, by exposing them to a broad-range of models applicable to their discipline. As students actually work with computer models, their understanding increases, and they develop their own ideas about how to enhance the models, and foster the growth of their own analytical prowess.

Integration of Computerized Wind Tunnel Testing Facilities and Instrumentation

Project Director: Jin Tso, Aerospace Engineering

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $17,000 and 1999-00 $3,000

Cal Poly Plan funding has been used to purchase a PC-controllable SQUARD D ALTIVAR 66 AC Motor Drive. This is a key step in achieving computerization of the wind tunnel testing facilities and instrumentation in Aerodynamics Laboratory and integrate them into a single LabView centered wind tunnel testing system.

This lab is a place where Aerospace Engineering faculty and students can test complicated designs of aircraft and space vehicles with ease and accuracy. By computerizing wind tunnel speed control and testing instruments and by integrating them into a single PC system, Aerospace Engineering students will be trained in a modern wind tunnel testing environment as exists at NASA and industry.

At a time when the State is establishing the California Spaceport Authority to foster fast growth of the aerospace industry, a modern computerized laboratory with all testing facilities and instrumentation integrated into a single computer system will be a big plus for Aero. students. This CPP project is definitely enhancing the quality and productivity of the aerodynamics program, the value of the courseware, and accountability to stakeholders, including the State and the Central Coast, the latter of which is rapidly becoming a leading commercial space center in the nation.

The skills learned will immediately benefit the students in their year-long aircraft and spacecraft design courses when models are built to test design concepts and aerodynamics performance. Each student trained in the Aerodynamics Lab will definitely have the knowledge and skills to benefit their careers and the aerospace industry.

Visiting Artist Lecture Series

Project Director: Michael Miller, Art & Design

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $7,500 and 1999-00 $7,500

The Visual Artist Guest Lecture Series was successful in its first year of operation because it brought seven internationally known artists to our campus and opened students to concepts and methods in contemporary art. Students were able to benefit from the expertise of each speaker through slide lectures, video projections, individual critiques, and workshops conducted by the speakers. By bringing in new perspectives, students were intellectually challenged and given concrete examples of innovative pathways in art and design, which they can apply to their individual design problems.

One of the primary goals of this program was to give students an intimate and expanded knowledge of art ideas and techniques. This was achieved by carefully selecting each speaker for our program based on their talent, communicative skills, and resumes. Our assessment surveys on six of the speakers indicated that students recognized the quality and growth each speaker contributed to the discipline of Art and Design.

Quality enhancement occurred by each participant in the 1998-99 series:

• Richard Moss, Monday, October 5, 1998, 7:30 PM, Performing Arts Center, Room 124.
• Jerome Witkin, Sunday, November 1, 1998, 6:30 PM, Bldg. 03 Rotunda, Room 213.
• Jay Musler, Thursday, January 14, 1999, 7:00 PM, Performing Arts Center, Room 124.
• Keith Sklar, Thursday, February 4, 1999, 7:00 PM, Performing Arts Center, Room 124.
• Matt Heckert, Friday, February 5, 1999, 7:00 PM, Performing Arts Center, Room 124.
• Lisa Bloomfield, Thursday, March 4, 1999, 7:00 PM, Dexter Bldg. 53, Room 227.
• Dinh Le', Friday, April 23, 1999, 7:00 PM, Performing Arts Center, Room 124.

In its second year of operation, six internationally known artists were introduced to our campus and students and local members of the community were exposed to each speaker's knowledge and expertise. Students were able to benefit from the range of ideas and technical skills of each speaker through slide lectures, video projections, individual critiques, and workshops conducted by the speakers. By bringing in new perspectives about art and culture, students were intellectually challenged and given concrete examples of innovative pathways in art and design, which they can apply to their individual design problems. Each speaker demonstrated an acute awareness of critical thinking and practice in their research and artwork that can be applied across disciplines. An assessment survey of students after each speaker shows a high level of enthusiasm among the students for the quality of the speakers and their ability to clearly communicate new ideas, methods, and problem solving. Several of the speakers introduced ideas and technologies that demonstrated the centrality of visual art and design in the field of communication in the 21st Century. Participants in the 1999-2000 Series:

• Nobuho Nagasawa: sculptor and installation artist.
• Phil Borges: documentary photographer.
• William Morris: glass sculptor.
• April Greiman: contemporary graphic designer.
• Ruth Weisberg and Patty Wickman: both artists draw and paint.

Enhancing Teaching and Learning Through the Use of Web and Media Resources

Project Directors: Harold Hellenbrand and Susan Currier, College of Liberal Arts

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $31,000 and 1999-00 $21,000

Cal Poly Plan resources have been devoted to two specific projects to assist CLA students' choice of major and their exploration of careers suited to their interests, aptitudes, and chosen course of study.

CLA Careers Web Site -- The new CLA Careers Web Site is now available to all CLA students, alumni, parents, and any other interested parties by selecting the Careers button on the CLA web site: www.calpoly.edu/~cla/. It offers a wealth of information and some interactive tools for liberal arts students who wish to explore appropriate career opportunities.

CLA Recruiting (and Advising) Brochure -- The purposes of the brochure are two-fold: 1) to attract prospective students to the college's majors, and 2) to help students make informed choices about the CLA majors to which they apply. The CLA Recruiting (and Advising) brochure is meant to provide an efficient overview of the major programs in the college and of some of the career options for each.

During the academic year 1999 to 2000, the College of Liberal Arts augmented funds it received from the Cal Poly Plan to support five CLA faculty members develop electronic course materials for teaching. These materials included Web sites, interactive online components (such as class mailing lists), media collections, PowerPoint presentations, and, in the case of one faculty member, provided a CD-ROM. The funds were used to cover the technological and pedagogical topics in weekly meetings, hands-on training in a computer lab, and further assisted the faculty members with one-on-one training sessions with workshop personnel and student assistants. In addition, funding enabled the CLA to extend teaching with technology through several faculty workshops for College of Liberal Arts faculty, staff and one-on-one work sessions for interested faculty. Participants spent time learning to author instructional Web sites, PowerPoint presentations, and other multimedia teaching tools and to find and convert the media for their sites.

Corporate Connections: A Graphic Communication Program to Introduce Students to Professional Culture and Practices

Project Director: H.J. "Red" Heesch, Graphic Communication Department

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $5,000 and 1999-00 $5,200

During the Winter and Spring 1999 quarters information was acquired regarding all of the computer systems and necessary software. This included research into the software video conferencing system, Microsoft NetMeeting version 2.1 and 3.0, and the latest in computer driven distance systems. Sharing this knowledge with graphic communication companies has opened up new aspects of usage for both educational opportunities for students and business applications (including the possibility of Cal Poly becoming a beta site for a local business). Industry support and interest assists in decisions as to which equipment will provide the greatest instructional "real world" value to the students.

One of the main goals of the Plan was to research a method of reaching out and creating educational and learning opportunities not normally available to the Cal Poly students. Video conferencing was the technology selected as the best possible solution to provide students with the means to be a part of corporate meetings, meet with industry executives and employees, view on-site production facilities, create student-corporate relationships and further hands-on learning experiences. From the past two years of research, the conclusion is that the project has not only met its goals, but has also widened its scope into many more areas that have substantial educational benefits:

• Bringing the classroom/course technology from distant on-site locations.
• Providing the opportunity for students to participate in live interactive discussions and lectures from industry leaders (face-to-face).
• Allowing a range of guest lectures, speakers and topics that would not be available because of the Cal Poly campus location.
• Creating an alternative to field trips, reducing liability issues and time lost.
• Enabling outreach programs direct from the Cal Poly campus to remote sites such as high schools, providing educational opportunities and specific technology topics to inaccessible school districts.
• Demonstrating and marketing the Graphic Communications Department and Cal Ply programs to distant school locations.
• Creating closer partnering relationships with industry.
• Providing employment opportunities through live interviewing.
• Providing industry with the forum to market their career opportunities to graduating students.
• Giving participants the ability to learn from and question presenters in a live real time format.
• Bringing together participants from several distant sites for collaborative projects and learning.

Journalism Media Laboratory

Project Director: Mark Arnold, Journalism Department

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $10,000 and 1999-00 $10,000

The overall goal of the Cal Poly Project for a Journalism Media Laboratory is to improve the facilities of the present media laboratory by providing equipment that allows demonstration of software applications and hardware in a teaching environment. This is to be accomplished in a two-year period by focusing the first year's efforts on obtaining and installing equipment in the lab that would create a teaching station and the second year's efforts on a reconfiguration of the lab along with improvements to the printing capabilities of the lab.

This project created a computer laboratory that enhances journalism students' appreciation for media computing programs, applications and uses. This classroom features a computer teaching station combined with a projection system. Because instructors are able to demonstrate software on the projection system, as opposed to 18 separate tutorial demonstrations, all students see the individual steps needed to produce results. It is anticipated that this facility will have a defined long term effect on our students. Some of the software that is being demonstrated is complex, yet is widely used in the media industry. Because this facility allows for the instruction of these forms of software, we anticipate that our students will have an edge on hiring through already being introduced to the basics of these programs.

Artist-In-Residence Program

Project Director: Clifton Swanson, Music Department

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $7,500 and 1999-00 $7,500

The intent of the Visiting Artists/Residencies project is to enrich the music program through artist residencies. An individual or group was present on campus for two or more days and reached the broadest audience possible through master classes, individual lessons, classroom presentations, seminars, and performances.

The first-year allocation of Cal Poly Plan funds, allowed the presentation of the following individuals:

• Residency of Gordon Getty, guest composer: "I Dwell in Possibility -- A Celebration of Words and Music." Mr. Getty was deemed a highly qualified composer and musician and the program was of great interest to a general audience as well as musicians.
• Vocal Quartet from Chanticleer: This residency included four singers (Ken Fitch, Randall Wong, Scott Whitaker, Thomas Hart) who work together frequently, especially as current or past members of the well-known male chorus, Chanticleer.
• Residency of Dusan Bogdanovich, Guitarist and Composer: The residency included guest lectures, demonstrations, and workshops for music classes and the general audience.
• Eric Schmidt, Composer and Conductor: Eric was a student in the Cal Poly music program in the early 1970's and has since gone on to a major career as a composer for Hollywood films, television, and commercial studios.
• Kevin Stewart, Saxophonist: Member of the San Francisco Saxophone Quartet.
• Jacub Omsky, Cellist: An excellent performer and a tireless teacher and promoter of music.

The second-year allocation of funds allowed the presentation of the following individuals:

• David Friesen, Jazz Master Class & Individual Instruction: This jazz duo, percussion and string bass, provided practical instruction and to gain insight into what's involved in being a jazz musician.
• Cecil Lytle -" Rags to Riches" Piano Recital: This residency was part of Cal Poly's Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday celebration.
• Glenn Price, Band Clinician: Mr. Price, a renowned conductor from Israel, was invited to be the special guest conductor at this year's Wind Band Festival.
• Rafi Primo, Israeli Conductor: Mr. Primo, a renowned conductor from Israel, was invited to be the special guest conductor at this year's Wind Ban Festival
• Louie Goldstein, Visiting Pianist: A visiting professor and pianist from Wake Forest University, in North Carolina, Professor Goldstein met with an academic lecture class (designed primarily for music majors). He also gave a piano recital of John Cage's sonatas and interludes.
• Justin Kolb - "Know the Score: Inspiration and Motivation for Surviving in the Business of Music" Lecture/Piano Recital: Mr. Kolb is a motivational speaker at universities throughout the United States, specializing in what to do with a music degree once a student has graduated.
• Louie Bellson, Percussionist: Mr. Bellson, a world-renowned percussionist, was the guest artist at the Cal Poly University Jazz Band's Jazz Night Concert.

Motivating and Monitoring Use of Peer and Faculty Advising in Psychology and Human Development

Project Directors: Linden Nelson, Psychology and Human Development Department

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $2,000 and 1999-00 $2,000

The purpose of this project is to improve the timeliness and quality of academic advising for students in the Psychology and Child Development majors. The project creates an advising process where students obtain faculty guidance and information about curriculum requirements, departmental policies (e.g. senior project and internship policies), and extracurricular opportunities at an early point tin their academic progress. This project involves a number of interrelated components: an advising sequence including peer and faculty advising, a structured process for peer advising utilizing an advising checklist, individual target dates for completing the advising sequence, monitoring of students' completion of peer and faculty advising, and communications with students to encourage then to begin the advising sequence. When students obtain peer and faculty advising prior to selecting concentrations and enrolling in elective courses, they can be encouraged to make wise decisions about how to effectively pursue their educational goals, enhance their opportunities for future employment, and prepare for admission to graduate programs. There is evidence in this report of progress toward the project's major objective of early advising for students, and there is reason to expect continuing gains in the next year. Several secondary benefits related to the quality of advising have already been achieved:

• The majority of our students participate in a structured peer advising process that introduces them to departmental policies, requirements, and opportunities.
• The department's peer advising program has been strengthened with increased opportunities for peer advisors to practice their helping skills.
• The efficiency and quality of faculty advising has been potentially improved because peer advisors now discuss with students some of the mundane issues that were previously part of faculty advising.

Mobile Technology For Interactive Learning

Project Directors: Debra Valencia-Laver and Ned Schultz, Psychology and Human Development Department

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $0 and 1999-00 $6,000

As a part of the Cal Poly Plan project, Mobile Technology for Interactive Learning has purchased the following equipment for enhanced interactive learning experiences in psychology courses: MacIntosh PowerBook G3/500 computer Epson 740 printer Iomega 250 zip drive Olympus digital camera Superlab PRO software +6-button response box Apollo AV cart and various other peripheral materials (zip disks, cables, storage cases) Several demonstrations are currently being developed for presentation and data collection using this new equipment.

Faculty and students will be able to interact using advanced technology and multimedia for demonstrations, simulations, real-time data collection, and other learning-oriented presentations. By providing students with "hands-on" experiences with scientific equipment, the absence of psychology laboratories at Cal Poly will be partially addressed. Furthermore, the integration of state-of-the-art scientific technology into multiple courses will support student progress towards senior projects involving research, graduate school opportunities, and scientific careers related to psychology.

Child Development Studio Laboratory

Project Director: Robert Blodget, Psychology and Human Development Department

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $4,000 and 1999-00 $0

The Child Development Studio Lab was funded $4,000 to provide removable cartridge drives to 21 computers so that students may store multi-media projects on their own cartridges. This will enable them to work on projects in greater depth since they will be able to store more information and media. Additionally, the large capacity cartridges will make video editing on the lab computers practical. The ability to use video in a practical and efficient manner will add a new dimension to the work a student completes. It will also open the door to observational video studies. Students will be able to visually document research, and add edited video clips to analytical reports.

Equipment Acquisition for the College of Science & Mathematics

Project Director: Philip Bailey, College of Science & Mathematics

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $64,000 and 1999-00 $80,000

Statistics Department: Cal Poly Plan funds were used to purchase a laptop computer and an In Focus projector so that instructors could take this equipment into the classroom and provide students with live demonstrations of statistical software. The equipment was used for the first time toward the end of winter quarter, and extensive use was made throughout the spring quarter. Professors comment that it is much easier to show students how to use a software package by making use of this equipment than with the use of handouts in a standard lecture mode. In addition, there is excellent demonstration software available to illustrate such things as the central limit theorem, the influence of an outlying observation in a regression analysis, and errors in hypothesis testing.

Biological Sciences Department: The Biological Sciences Department used their Cal Poly Plan funds to purchase basic instructional laboratory equipment to increase access to laboratory classes and to enhance the quality of the educational experience in Introductory Biology and Introductory Microbiology. Equipment purchased included Spectronic 20's, a water bath and electronic balances.

Chemistry and Biochemistry Department: Using Cal Poly Plan funds, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry purchased a Hewlett Packard C200 Unixworkstation. This was installed in the Computational Chemistry Laboratory, and has provided students and faculty the opportunity to work with advanced molecular modeling software (provided by the department). The graphics output by the workstation require a lot of "computational horsepower" not previously available to students. Students in various stages of their curriculum have ready access to the Computational Chemistry Lab and the workstation. An upgrade was made to an existing Fourier Transform Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Sectrometer (FTNMR) for Y2K compliance. This was a two year project. With the upgrades the system now has a modern graphical user interface and is much more user-friendly. The FTNMR is used directly by the students as part of their instructional program. With the upgrade more students can perform increasingly complex experiments more quickly than with the old system.

Mathematics Department: Cal Poly Plan funds were combined with department funds to upgrade the computer algebra/calculus system, Mathematica, from version 2 to version 3 in a 35 station computer lab/studio classroom and for 10 department workstations. Students may now use the same version of Mathematica in the lab that many have at home.

Physical Education and Kinesiology Department: During 1998-99 the Physical Education & Kinesiology Department used Cal Poly Plan money to purchase equipment to be utilized in the following classes: KINE 302 (Mechanical Kinesiology), KINE 303 (Physiology of Exercise), KINE 319 (Measurement and Evaluation in Kinesiology), and KINE 402 (Motor Learning and Control). All of these classes are required in the Kinesiology major, and the new equipment improves labs in these courses. The equipment enhanced the quality of the lab experiences in biomechanics, exercise physiology, motor control, electrocardiography, and first aid/CPR. The purchase included surface electrodes for electromyography, a pulse oximeter, a mannequin for teaching cardiopulmonary crises intervention, CPR Prompt Trainer, and a dynamometer.

Physics Department: The Physics Department purchased equipment to update and expand their current lab course offerings in general physics, physical science, earth and the universe, atmospheric physics, and the quantum. Equipment purchased included a digital storage oscilloscope, atmospheric monitoring, and diode lasers. Ten thousand dollars was used to purchase several pieces of equipment for use in the astronomical observatory. A computer controlled 12" Meade telescope, a CCD camera for use with this telescope, and a Helios Solar telescope will be used in several courses and for general observing.

Encouraging Teacher Education Faculty Members to Produce Technology-rich Courses

Project Director: Carol Scheftic, University Center for Teacher Education

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $6,100 and 1999-00 $6,100

The goal of this project is to assist faculty and staff in the University Center for Teacher Education in developing their understanding and use of available technological resources. This will impact Cal Poly Teacher Education students by providing them with classes taught by better-informed faculty applying modern technology-based teaching techniques. This will provide models of appropriate uses of technology-based educational activities for future educators, and give them hands-on experience in the use of technology across their curriculum.

Activities during 1998-99 included development of faculty web sites, development of web-based tutorials (partnering with Computer Science students), development of an introductory collection of on-line student projects to showcase completed projects, and development of document samples to be used as examples by faculty and staff.

Retention Program Coordinator

Project Directors: Sean Banks and Donna Davis, Student Affairs

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $25,800 and 1999-00 $25,800

The goal of the Retention Program was to increase the retention of a specific number of first year students (freshmen and transfer) who fit criteria for being "high risk" for not persisting to a degree at Cal Poly. Project funds were combined with ASI funds allocated for retention and outreach efforts; this resulted in the establishment of the Retention and Outreach Programs Office. The project's goals include ensuring that students in the target group receive academic advising and information regarding other support services. Timely and accurate academic advising has been identified as a critical element in the success of "high risk" first year students. The Retention Program Coordinator identified a target group of 156 students meeting the criteria outlined in the Mission Statement and provided this type of intervention.

Assessment activities for this program include reviewing the academic process of students in the target group on a quarterly basis; maintaining records of those students; and obtaining feedback about the program from a focus group at the end of Spring Quarter. The infrastructure of the Retention and Outreach Programs Office was successfully established and progress was made in achieving the project's goals and objectives. Collaboration took place with a variety of campus departments. These partnerships help students connect with the appropriate academic advisors and other resources in support of their academic goals.

In the second year of funding the Retention Program Coordinator Project continued to support efforts to improve the retention of students in high risk populations. The project proposed that student retention and throughout for this population could be improved with appropriate academic advising, assistance in understanding university policies and procedures, and connections to faculty, staff and other students. By means of academic advising, students are more likely to make appropriate course selections, thus reducing the number of classes taken that do not count towards their degree or classes that have to be repeated. This, in turn, results in a more effective use of campus resources and helps improve the university's ability to meet the demand for public higher education. Priorities and accomplishments for the year included a focus on the following key activities:

• Monitor the progress of students from Retention and Outreach's 1998-1999 target group and providing assistance as needed.
• Monitor the progress of the new freshmen and transfer African and African American students 1999-2000 and identifying strategies to improve retention.
• Oversee the Allensworth Mentoring program co-sponsored by the Black Faculty and Staff Association.

Liberal Arts Living & Learning Program Linked Classes

Project Director: Terry Garrett, Housing and Residential Life

Recommended Budget: 1998-99 $4,200 and 1999-00 $4,200

The Liberal Arts Living and Learning Programs' linked classes are special sections of the classes set aside for College of Liberal Arts majors. These classes were selected as linked courses because they are general education options for all students in the College of Liberal Arts.

There were four linked classes offered during the 1998-1999 academic year:

• Political Science 110 (American & California Government), taught by April Smailes, Fall 1998.
• English 114 (Writing Exposition), taught by Adam Hill, Fall 1998.
• Speech 125 (Critical Thinking), taught by Alan Razee, Winter 1999.
• English 215 (Writing: Argumentation), taught by Mark Roberts, Spring 1999.

94.1% of the students surveyed said they would recommend the special sections to other first year students. Many indicated the community-building factor as one of the best parts of the classes.