To: Dr. Vincent Boudreau, President of CCNY
CC: Thea Pignataro, Chair of CCNY Math Department
From: Xavier Davis, Freshman Student at CCNY
Date: February 15, 2021
Subject: Addressing the issue with requisite Math Courses
Purpose
The purpose of this memo is to highlight the issues in regard to the Math department’s course scheduling. The inconsistency of the number of courses available before the semester begins makes it harder for students to accommodate their schedules and limits their time for semester preparation.
Overview
I would like to address the issues in regard to the Math department by explaining some of our frustrations with the current ordinances in place. I will also provide possible solutions to these scheduling issues with the goal of hopefully creating a swifter yet more consistent enrollment method for students taking requisite math courses. I would ask for a moment of your time either in person or remotely via Zoom.
Issues with the Miscommunication of the Math Department
City College is home to numerous math courses throughout the entire college that thousands of students sign up for every semester. However, it is quite noticeable that the enrollment process is not as smooth as it could be, and many students have been paying the price because of it. When the start of the semester is right around the corner, many students are often stressing to finalize their classes and order the necessary books and tools needed for them, however, get caught in their tracks when all of a sudden, that class gets canceled. My first thought for a quick student fix to this issue was for the student themselves to not wait until the last minute to enroll in math classes, however it was then that I realized not all the course sections were even available at the time.
Solutions
I recognize that the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many setbacks for CCNY so I have some potential solutions for the course scheduling dilemma that take into account that at the moment we are maintaining social distance. I believe it would be most beneficial to have all math courses available to enroll in a week after the previous semester concludes, so that students aren’t waiting for a better session time to open up 2 weeks before the start of the semester. I would also recommend putting a limit on how close to the start of the semester classes can be cancelled, or at least provide some sort of early warning system informing us if a class is being considered for termination.
The resolutions provided would assist not only students but professors as well when they are prepping for the upcoming semesters.
Follow up
I would love to discuss this more with you either in person or via zoom. If you would like to reach me, you can contact me through the email: [email protected]. Thank you for your time.
Memo Reflection
In this assignment I used a print medium to convey a message to raise awareness of issues to higher directives here at CCNY. With this memo I wish to communicate to my audiences, Vincent Boudreau, the President of CCNY, and Thea Pignataro, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Chair of the Math Department, the current issues with requisite math courses and the enrollment process into those courses. I also seek to provide possible solutions that will make it easier on both student and staff members during these periods. My genre is a memo which is a short piece of writing that is used to give off a straightforward message. I want both of my audiences to read my memo and actually consider enforcing some of my solutions into upcoming semesters. I understand that it may not be an immediate change that can be implemented, however I would like to see actions taking to make it so. The design I am working on is print, which I believe to be the best way to reach these specific audiences because it is likely that the president of CCNY will be busy and not have time at the moment to watch a presentation or some other visual design. My purpose is to raise more awareness to the frustration of many students at the college. I have heard that other students have been reporting similar frustrations in regard to the cancelation of math courses and I am sure that with the right number of requests, we as a community can open the administrations eyes a little more. With this assignment, I have met course learning outcomes such as negotiating my writing goals and audience expectations through my acknowledgement of conventions of genre and medium. I chose this topic mainly because I experienced this myself right before this current Spring semester, for I was prepared to enroll in all my classes in advance so I wouldn’t have to procrastinate a couple weeks before the semesters start. I realized that I had to wait for other math sections to come available because there was only 1 session, I could enroll in at the end of the Fall 2020 semester. The current Math section I am in didn’t open until 2 weeks before the start of the Spring 2021 semester. My group and I all experienced similar issues so it wasn’t difficult to decide to choose this topic. I formulated the stance that requisite math courses are one of the most important courses here at CCNY and there has just been too much inconsistence with class availability.
Audience Profile Sheets
| Reader’s Name: | Vincent Boudreau |
| Reader’s Job Title: | President of The City College of New York |
| Kind of Reader: | Primary Reader |
| Reader’s Level of Education: | Ph.D Cornell University, 1991 |
| Reader’s Professional Experience: | Dean and Founding Director of The Colin L. Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at CCNY |
| Reader’s Job Responsibilities: | Chief Executive and Administrative Officer for the Board of Trustees. Responsible for organization and administration of the college. Involved in making new policies and budget management. |
| Reader’s Personal Characteristics: | Wrote two books on worldwide problems. |
| Reader’s Cultural Background: | White Male |
| Reader’s Attitude Toward the Writer (you): | I would assume that as a student attending his college, he would always want to hear what about the school could be improved. |
| Reader’s Attitude Toward the Position you’re applying to: | I would assume that as a student attending his college, he would always want to gear what about the school could be improved. |
| Reader’s Way of Reading the Document:He will probably read it and work with the board to address this issue if he deems it necessary. | Skim it _X__ Study it Read a portion of it ___ Which portion? Also I have set up my memo in specific stanzas so that he can quickly assess the issue I address along with the solutions I suggest. |
| Reader’s Reading Skill: | He has a Ph.D. so I would assume he has a great reading ability. |
| Reader’s Physical Environment: | He will most likely read this in his office |
| Reader’s Name: | Thea Pignataro |
| Reader’s Job Title: | Chair of the Math Department at CCNY |
| Kind of Reader: | Primary Reader. |
| Reader’s Level of Education: | Ph.D in Mathematical Physics @ Princeton University |
| Reader’s Professional Experience: | Professor of Mathematics at CCNY Director of Master’s Program- Math Department |
| Reader’s Job Responsibilities: | Chair of the Math Department. Her job is to oversee the success of the Department |
| Reader’s Personal Characteristics: | Very Intellectual and knowledgeable. |
| Reader’s Cultural Background: | Unknown |
| Reader’s Attitude Toward the Writer (you): | I am a student in her department; therefore she probably wants to hear what I have to say about improving the Math department. |
| Reader’s Attitude Toward the Position you’re applying to: | She got her PH.D. in Mathematical Physics so I would say he’d be very interested in hearing how to improve the department. |
| Reader’s Way of Reading the Document:She will probably read it herself | Skim it _X__ Study it Read a portion of it ___ Which portion? Modify it and submit it to another reader____ |
| Reader’s Reading Skill: | She has a Ph.D ; therefore, she likely reads pretty well. |
| Reader’s Physical Environment: | Either in her office or during her commute |
