Implementation Plan
| Recommendation | Proposed Follow-up | Responsibility for Leading Follow-up | Timeline for Addressing Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. The department needs to work with senior leadership at the RMC to develop a long-term HR plan to address the department’s anticipated needs and to smooth out the hiring process. | 3 year Dept activity plan being developed; will be engaging new Principal on way forward. | Dept Head | Dec 2023 |
| 2. The process of engaging sessionals needs to be streamlined in order to reduce the administrative burden on the Department. | Faculty claims clerk will be trained to assist with sessional and TA hiring administration. | Dean of Science | May 2023 |
| 3. Sufficient numbers of term or indeterminate professors should be engaged to ensure the delivery of first year courses by more experienced faculty. | Develop a pool of committed term/sessional instructors. Attempt to have term contracts extended to <3 years; discussions for UT teaching positions | Dept Head | May 2024 |
| 4. The department should develop a deliberate approach to recruiting potential students into the BSc Mathematics program. | Spring 2023 results were favourable. | Dept Head |
Yearly; May 2024 |
| 5. The department should implement a similar approach [to the 1st year calculus sequence] to the second year courses as well. | As addressed by the Math Review Committee report, the focus of pedagogical development and resources will remain in first-year calculus, with expected benefits to students in second year as a consequence of better preparation and understanding. | N/A | N/A |
| 6. The department should consider placing students who do poorly on the placement test into a slower-paced pre-Calculus and Calculus class. |
As discussed, this option was fully explored by the Math Review Committee and rejected as unfeasible. |
N/A | N/A |
| 7. The department might consider expanding its active learning approach to its first year classes, by trading coverage of some lecture material for group work at the blackboards. | Encourage faculty to adopt novel teaching approaches. Provide active teaching/learning training in partnership with the Teaching and Learning Support Centre. | Dept Head/Dean | Ongoing |
| 8. UG students reported that the department offered too few math courses in their 4th year. This could be addressed by consolidating some 3rd and 4th year math courses. | The Department could ensure elective courses alternate annually, and that program students are consulted to determine their elective preferences each year. However, as discussed, low enrolment in Mathematics programs is a barrier to offering a larger number of specialized courses. Action responding to this recommendation relies on actions related to recommendations 4 and 9. | Dept Head |
May 2024 Currently no math students in 3rd year therefor there will not be any in 4th year next year. |
| 9. The Department should promote the CORS Diploma. |
Continue development of an undergraduate Analytics stream. Data analytics minor being developed , to be submitted to Syllabus committee by Sept 2023 |
Dept Head | Sep 2023 |
| 10. The department should increase the number of interesting mathematics courses. | As discussed, low enrolment in Mathematics programs is a barrier to offering additional specialized courses. Action responding to this recommendation relies on actions related to recommendations 4 and 9. Some courses have been renamed to attract the student’s attention. | Dept Head | Ongoing |
| 11. The department should organize some "popular math" events at RMC. | Develop creative strategies to increase enrolment. This was tried however with the time constraints on students and profs the attempt was unsuccessful. | Dept Head | May 2024 |
| 12. The department should expand the student assessment that conducted at the beginning of the academic year to a placement test that determines a student's readiness for the calculus sequence. | As discussed, the student assessment was abandoned in lieu of high-school grades and observed progress in the Fundamentals module. | N/A | N/A |
| 13. Improve student success in first year by developing a student-tutoring program. | Develop a Faculty-level credit in mentoring/tutoring. | Dean of Science | Dec 2022 |
| 14. Immediate action is necessary to ensure that all students have online access to a suitable library facility. | As discussed, access to all required Mathematics library resources appears to be satisfied. | N/A | N/A |