Computer Science 385 Syllabus

Instructor:	Dr. James D. Teresco, Roger Bacon 308, (518) 782-6992
Electronic mail:	jteresco AT siena.edu (best contact method)
Twitter:	`@JTerescoSienaCS`
Office hours:	Monday 2-3:30, Tuesday 1:30-3, Wednesday 2-4, and by appointment
Class URL:	[Link]
Class hour:	Monday, Friday 10:20-11:20, Roger Bacon 302
Lab meetings:	Wednesday 9:10-11:10 or 6:00-8:00 Roger Bacon 302

Communications outside of class will be via email to your Siena College email account. Please check it regularly (multiple times daily during business hours) for class-related messages. You are responsible for being aware of all communications made via email. Class materials will be linked from the course website and our Canvas course.

Substantial changes to this syllabus are not anticipated, but any changes will be announced in class and updated in the online version of the syllabus.

From the course catalog: "This is a course on design and analysis of algorithms. It is organized around algorithm design techniques, including exhaustive search, divide-and-conquer, dynamic programming, greedy algorithms, and backtracking. The mathematical analysis of algorithm complexity is emphasized throughout the course."

Selecting and designing algorithms and data structures is an important step in developing any software system. A skilled computer scientist must make intelligent decisions about alternate techniques, choosing from existing data structures and algorithms or designing his/her own when necessary. To prepare you for this task, you will be exposed to a set of fundamental algorithms and data structures, and you will develop tools for judging the effectiveness of an algorithm. You will learn techniques for designing your own algorithms and data structures to solve new problems, and you will learn to write algorithms and proofs of correctness.

The required text for the course is Introduction to The Design and Analysis of Algorithms, Third Edition (Addison-Wesley, 2012, ISBN 0-13-231681-1) by Anany Levitin. This is available from the Siena Bookstore (and elsewhere). If you buy elsewhere, be sure to get the correct edition.

Other readings will be assigned from freely available sources or proprietary sources accessible through Siena's library.

Everyone is expected to attend class and participate in discussions. There is no formal attendance policy, but a lack of regular attendance is certain to result in lower grades on assignments and exams. Do not expect sympathy if you are struggling but are rarely seen in class and during office hours. Supplemental readings are listed on the lecture and reading schedule. Of course you are encouraged to do the reading, and you will benefit from doing so, but all important topics will be covered in class.

Be prompt, prepared, and ready to focus on the day's topics. You are encouraged to bring laptops, tablets, and smartphones to class. We will make use of them occasionally during lectures. However, please use these devices exclusively to follow along with class materials, to participate in electronic class activities, and/or to take notes. You may bring food or drink to class, as long as you are not a distraction to your classmates or instructor.

The lecture and reading schedule has a link to a web page for each lecture highlighting the day's topics, listing class examples, and upcoming assignment due dates. Notes are also available as PDF files linked from the lecture and reading schedule.

Problem sets will be assigned periodically. The number of points available will vary with the complexity of the assignment. Some sets may be individual work; some will be group work.

Some problem sets will require programming. For programming assignments, you may develop your programs anywhere (computers in the lab, your own PC, etc.) but grading will be done using the Siena College Computer Science systems unless otherwise specified. It is your responsibility to ensure that your program works on the grading platform. Programming assignments will be graded on design, documentation, style, correctness, and efficiency.

Most problem sets will require you to analyze algorithms and data structures, often including formal proofs. Your solutions should be written clearly and concisely. You should rewrite your proofs once you have worked them through once to ensure they are clear and flow well. Problem sets are great preparation for the exams.

Unless otherwise specified, late problem sets may be turned in with a penalty computed as 1.08^h%, where h is the number of hours late. Extensions will only be granted in serious situations. You can find a Java program that prints out a table of the late penalties here. Work turned in after solutions have been made available cannot receive credit.

During our weekly lab meetings, you will work in groups on a set of problems. Only one solution per group will be submitted. If you have a laptop computer, please bring it to lab. In cases when you do not finish all tasks during the lab meeting, your submission is typically due a few days later.

There will be a total of 3 exams: 2 evening exams, plus a final exam during exam week. The regular exams are scheduled for February 21 and March 20. The final exam will be held as scheduled by the Registrar's office. Make-up exams cannot be given except in extreme circumstances. Exams help evaluate how well each student individually has mastered the material, and so of course no collaboration is allowed on exams.

There will also be several in-class or in-lab quizzes, announced a few days in advance. These will take no more than 30 minutes.

Grades for individual assignments and exams are not scaled. Any scaling deemed appropriate will take place at the end of the semester by adjusting the thresholds. The following thresholds may be adjusted downward (thereby raising grades) but will never be adjusted upward.

Breakdown:		Scale:
Problem Sets	20%		A >= 93%	A- >= 90%
Labs	15%	B+ >= 87%	B >= 83%	B- >= 80%
Exam 1	15%	C+ >= 77%	C >= 73%	C- >= 70%
Exam 2	15%	D+ >= 67%	D >= 65%	D- >= 60%
Quizzes	5%		F < 60%
Academic Showcase Project	5%
Final Exam	25%

Note: if your final exam grade is better than the lower of your two regular exams, that exam grade (but not both) will be replaced by your final exam grade.

Every college student should be motivated to attend every class meeting for all the right reasons (e.g., desire for knowledge, getting your money's worth, etc.). You surely understand that regular attendance is essential to your ability to master the course material.

Therefore, there is no formal attendance policy. You are expected to attend regularly, and should contact the instructor about any absences. Absences for which accommodations may be provided include any of the following:

If you must miss a class meeting, you can request that a meeting be live-streamed and/or recorded on Zoom. These options are better than missing the meeting altogether, but are a poor substitute for in-person attendance.

While there is no formal penalty, missing class regularly, frequent tardiness, or being distracted in class (e.g., checking your phone) will be considered a sign that you are not taking the course seriously. Attendance is taken daily, with late arrivals and evidence of distraction or inattention noted as needed. Common sense suggests and experience validates that students who are frequently absent, late, or inattentive do not learn the material, and this is reflected in poor grades. Do not expect compassion when final grades are assigned or extensive extra help if you do not understand a topic that was covered while you were absent without good reason.

You are encouraged to discuss the concepts related to course assignments and exams with your classmates. This is an essential part of a healthy academic environment. However, work submitted for grading must be your own (or the combined work of group members, for group assignments). Any unauthorized copying, collaboration, or use of generative artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT and other platforms that generate text, code, artwork, etc. (except where explicitly permitted on an assignment or exam), is considered a breach of academic integrity and will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty cases are unpleasant and uncomfortable for everyone involved. You are responsible for reading and understanding the College's Academic Integrity Policy and the Computer Science Department's Academic Integrity statement. The minimum penalties for a first violation will include failure (0 grade) for the assignment or exam in question and the filing of an Academic Integrity Violation Accusation Form. A second violation will result in failure of the course and a formal letter describing your misconduct will be sent to the head of the Computer Science Department and the Office of Academic Affairs. Students suspected of violating academic integrity will be referred to the Academic Integrity Committee for final determination.

If there is any doubt about the degree of collaboration allowed or the permitted sources for a particular assignment, please ask for clarification before collaborating or consulting the source. Any such collaborations or sources must be cited properly.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Siena College is committed to ensuring educational access and accommodations for all its registered students.

The Office of Accessibility allocates reasonable academic accommodations to students with documented disabilities. If you need assistance due to a disability, please contact accessibility@siena.edu or drop by Foy Hall 109A to discuss further.

Complaints about services provided or not provided may be brought to the attention of Public Safety at 518-783-2376 or Ms. Lois Goland, JD, Title IX Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Specialist (SSU 235, 518-782-6673).

For any number of reasons, you may become overwhelmed during your time at Siena. It is very common to experience symptoms of anxiety, depression or other mental health conditions. Fortunately, the Counseling Center, located in Foy Hall Room 110, is a resource to help overcome those potential challenges. You can make an appointment by stopping by, calling 518-783-2342, or requesting one online on the Siena Counseling Center webpage. In addition, for urgent matters after 4PM, there is an on-call therapist who may be accessed by calling Public Safety at 518-783-2376.

In our Franciscan community, diversity is an invitation to celebrate the uniqueness of each individual, as well as the cultural differences that enrich us all. In this course, I will do my best to ensure that students from all backgrounds and perspectives will be served equitably. The diversity that students bring to this class will be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful and inclusive of the many identities of students in terms of gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, culture, perspective, and other background characteristics. Your suggestions about how to improve the value of diversity and inclusiveness in this course are encouraged and appreciated.

Students are asked to indicate their preferred pronouns by updating their profile in Canvas. The use of preferred pronouns is important to show respect for students' gender identities, and to recognize and validate students' right to choose their own names and forms of address. Please use preferred pronouns that other students display in oral and written comments to them during class discussions.

In any case of possible bias or sexual misconduct, either in the classroom or anywhere on campus, you are encouraged to file a report online (Search: Siena College Bias Report) or in person with Lois Goland, Sienas Title IX/Title VII Officer, SSU 235, 518-782-6673, lgoland@siena.edu. Any Siena community member, who experiences or observes an incident of bias or misconduct, including faculty, staff and students, can file a report through this system. More information and resources around procedures dealing with sexual misconduct and discrimination and harassment are available online.

Take your text and a copy of the syllabus home with you along with your electronic devices in the event of a college closure. Continue with readings and assignments according to the course schedule; some assignments may be posted on Canvas or sent to you via e-mail. Check your email and Canvas pages for instructions about course delivery, for example, whether the course will be resumed online. If possible, online office hours will be established. Information regarding the status of the Colleges status and 5 reopening schedule may be monitored on the Siena website, www.siena.edu.