MAA Science Policy Committee Report

Higher Education, Employment & Workforce

The CBMS2000 report on undergraduate programs in the mathematical sciences is now available at http://www.ams.org/cbms/. The report presents longitudinal data on mathematical sciences enrollments, majors, curriculum, and faculty. In addition, the CBMS2000 report studies the spread of calculus reform, distance learning, dual enrollments, the mathematical education of pre-service K-8 teachers, and the educational background of faculty teaching undergraduate statistics. Mathematics departments in two- and four-year colleges and universities will receive copies of the report, and individuals may purchase hard copies from the American Mathematical Society, or may down-load the report from the web site above.

The CBMS2000 Survey (Preliminary Report, based on a presentation at the San Diego Meeting, January 2002). Publication target date is April 2002.

1. Undergraduate Fall Enrollments increased 11 percent to their 1990 level. But this increase was, proportionately in the First Two Years. Although enrollments in advanced courses were up 6 percent and statistics course enrollments saw double-digit increases
2. The number of bachelors degrees, awarded through mathematics departments and statistics departments, continues to decline. The proportion of these degrees awarded to women increased from the last survey, five years ago.
3. There has been a major shift from permanent tenured and and tenure track faculty, to full time faculty who are neither tenured nor tenure-eligible, and part-time faculty. Meanwhile, the percentage of enrollment taught by graduate students declined.
4. The percentage of women among all full-time faculty in mathematics departments grew from 21% in 1995 to 25% in 2000, and now is essentially the same as the percentage of women among PhD recipients between 1995 and 2000.
5. There is a growing disparity between doctoral and BA-only mathematics departments in the range and scope of upper division mathematics courses. There have always been such disparities, but current trends suggest that attention needs to be given to the phenomenon of, to steal a phrase, two national mathematics BA degrees, separate and unequal.
6. In relation to the recent CBMS report, The Mathematical Education of Teachers, the CBMS Survey 2000 is consistent with the conclusion that requirements for prospective high school teachers is pretty well understood by mathematics department. However, the requirements for pre-service K-8 teachers are less will understood.
7. Dual enrollment is needs attention as does smoothness of implementation. For example, state mandates for transfer of credit can conflict with individual college requirements.

[Source: D & V Lutzer memo to SPC for meeting in San Diego, Jan 2002]

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