Senate Bill 2022-06
UNIVERSITY SENATE
UNVERSITY AT ALBANY
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Introduced by Undergraduate Academic Council
Date May 4, 2022
Proposal to Establish a Minor in Machine Learning Informatics
IT IS HEREBY PROPOSED THAT THE FOLLOWING BE ADOPTED
1. That the University Senate approves the attached program proposal as submitted by the
College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity and approved
by the Undergraduate Academic Council
2. That this take effect for the Fall 2022 semester
3. That this proposal be forwarded to President Havidan Rodriguez for approval
CONTENTS: The remainder of this
PDF contains the full program
proposal as submitted to Senate,
consisting of the Course Action Form,
including related correspondence.
University at Albany — State University of New York
Course and Program Action Form Proposal No.
Please check one: [__] Course Proposal X_| Program Proposal
Please mark all that apply:
X | New Cousse Minor Revision of: |__| Number Description
Cross-Listing Title Prerequisites
Shared-Resources Course Credits
Deactivate/Activate Course (boldface & underline as appropriate) Other (specify):
Department: _CEHC Effective Semester, Year: Fall 2022
Course Number Current: New: Credits:
Course Title: Machine Learning Informatics Minor
Course Description to appear in Bulletin:
A minimum of 18 graduation credits as follows: CINF 108, CINF 135, AMAT108, CINF 300, CINF 320, and CINF 438.
statement to be appended to description in Bulletin:
NA.
If SIU is to be designated as the only grading system in the course, check here:
This course is (will be) cross listed with (ie., CAS #44):
This course is (will be) a shared-resources course with (i.e., CAS ###):
of proposal:
This minor draws from the expertise and rich curricular offerings in CEHC. It uses this to create a minor not just in the technical
elements of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML). but the societal importance as well. Students will take courses to
Jeam about not only the creation and deployment of AI/ML systems, but also 1) how they can affect different aspects of society
(e.g., faimess, bias, privacy, explainability), and 2) how these effects should be used in the design, creation, and deployment of
AWUML systems.
Other departments or schools which offer similar or related courses and which have certified that this proposal does not overlap
their offering:
Tf this proposal is for an interdisciplinary program, please indicate the Department where the major/minor will be housed: na.
“Approval
Chair of | "YPE NAME) Chair of Coll r it Date
Stephen Coulthart 3725/22
‘Chair of Departments having crosslisted course(s) [Copy of email Approval Approval
Date Date
Robert Griffin
Chair of Departments having cross listed course(s) [Copy of e-mail Approval Approval
Date Date
Courses Used in the Proposed Minor
Required Courses:
CINF 108
C INF 108 Programming for Problem Solving (3)
Ever thought about a problem and said, "There should be an app for that"? This course provides an
to computer pi using modern programming languages as a way to solve
It focuses on p ing concepts and within the context of solving real
world problems.
CINF 135 (New Course)
C INF 135 Concepts of Artificial Intelligence (3)
An introduction to the technical foundations of artificial intelligence as well as its relevance to, and
implications for modern society. The course will cover the basics of artificial intelligence and
machine learning (AI/ML). This will include hands-on work. The importance of data selection,
handling, etc. will also be covered. In addition, as Al/ML becomes more prevalent, it has
tremendous implications in the world. The course will cover issues of fairness, bias, explainability,
etc., and how these and other issues must be addressed in the design, deployment, and use of
AI/ML systems.
Prerequisites(s): None.
AMAT 108
A MAT 108 Elementary Statistics (3)
Frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability and sampling.
estimation, testing of hypotheses, linear regression, and correlation. Only one of A MAT 108 and B
ITM 220 may be taken for credit. Not open for credit by students who have taken A MAT 308.
Prerequisite(s): three years of high school mathematics.
CINF 300 (Revised Prerequisite)
C INF 300 Probability and Statistics for Data Analytics (3)
Probability and statistical methods applied to the analysis of various kinds of data. Includes
underlying theoretical justification and appropriateness for different models and analyses
Conceptual and implemented approaches to data analysis.
Prerequisite(s): A MAT 108, one of C INF 131 or C INF 135.
CINF 320 (New Course)
C INF 320 Ethical C: in Artificial (3)
Starting as a mere technical and scientific curiosity, artificial intelligence and machine learning
systems have come to take an important and increasing role in people’s lives. This course explores
different aspects of ethical and moral implications of the use of artificial intelligence and machine
learning systems. The range from the of artificial i as a kind of in
technology system with societal consequences, through issues in technical artificial intelligence
such as bias, fairness, and explainability. The course also considers ethical and legal implications.
Prerequisites(s): INF 135.
CINF 438 (New Course)
C EHC 438 Applied Machine Learning (3)
A technically-oriented course in the concepts and implementation of machine leaming systems. It
covers unsupervised and supt . A variety of are as well as
their applicability. The critical importance of data for machine learning is also covered. Student
learning will include extensive implementation exercises and projects.
Prerequisite(s): C INF 300.
University at Albany — State University of New York
Course and Program Action Form Proposal No.
Please check one: 1] Course Proposal | Program Proposal
Please mark all that apply:
New Course Revision of: Number Description
Cross-Listing Title Prerequisites
Shared-Resources Course Credits
Deactivate/Activate Course (boldface & underline as si
appropriate) Other (specify):
De CEHC. Effective Semester, Year: Fall 2022
Course Number Current: CINF 300 New: Credits:
Course Title: Probability and Statistics for Data Analytics
Course Description to appear in Bulletin:
statement to be appended to. iption in Bulletin:
if S/U is to be designated as the only grading system in the course, check
This course is (will be) cross listed with (.e., CAS ###):
This course is (will be) a shared-resources course with (i.e., CAS ###):
Explanation of proposal:
Informatics is adding a new course to their curriculum, CINF 135 Concepts of Artificial
Intelligence. This covers similar statistical and technical material to that in CINF 131
that is used for the prerequisite for CINF 300. Students who have taken the new
course will be appropriately prepared for CINF 300 (once they have taken the
additional prerequisite, AMAT 108).
Other departments or schools which offer similar or related courses and which have certified that this proposal does not
overlap their offering:
NA
If this proposal is for an interdisciplinary program, please indicate the Department where the major/minor will be
housed:
NA
‘Approval
Date
Stephen Coulthart, Ph.D.
04/29/22
Chair of Departmer
e-mail
isted course(s) [Copy of _ Approval
Date
Dean of College
‘Approval
Robert P. Griffin, Ph.D.
Date
04/29/22
Studi
Approval
Date
Monday, April 25, 2022 at 19:29:23 Eastern Daylight Time
Subject: Re: AMAT 108
Date: Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 1:39:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: — Lenart, Cristian
To: Berg, George
George,
Thanks for getting back.
Yes, we are fine with what you proposed. In fact, additional resources will only be needed if, due to the
extra students registering for 108, we need to open an additional section, on top of the ones we have
each semester.
Best,
Cristian
From: Berg, George <gberg@albany.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2022 4:31 PM
To: Lenart, Cristian <clenart@albany.edu>
Subject: Re: AMAT 108
Cristian,
Following up on our earlier discussion. If we stipulated that any additional demand for AMAT 108 arising from
the Al minor were paid for from additional external resources (i.e. Math doesn’t have to cover it themselves),
would that be acceptable? That is, Math would be ok with us including AMAT 108 in the Al minor.
Of course, please let me know if you have any additional questions, concerns, etc.
Thanks!
George
George Berg (he/him/his)
Associate Professor
Program Coordinator for Cybersecurity
Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Development
College of E d Security, and Cybersecurity
University at Albany f ETEC Building | Albany, NY 12222
Department of Computer Science, CEAS
(518) 250-9039 | gberg@albany.edu
heduling: https://gberg.y book.me
From: George Berg <gberg@albany.edu>
Date: Monday, March 28, 2022 at 6:20 PM
Page 1 of 3
To: "Lenart, Cristian" <clenart@albany.edu>
Subject: Re: AMAT 108
Cristian,
Thanks for your reply. I’ve reached out to my College people here in CEHC so we can figure out the resources
angle. I'll be back with a formal reply once | hear how we will proceed.
Best,
George
George Berg (he/him/his)
Associate Professor
Program Coordinator for Cybersecurity
Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Development
College of E yP d Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity
University at Albany | ETEC Building | Albany, NY 12222
Department of Computer Science, CEAS
(518) 250-9039 | gberg@albany.edu
heduling: https: //gberg.y book.me
From: "Lenart, Cristian" <clenart@albany.edu>
Date: Monday, March 28, 2022 at 5:36 PM
To: George Berg <gberg@albany.edu>
Subject: Re: AMAT 108
Hello George and thank you for reaching out to me about this.
Our AMAT 108 is in high demand for various departments/schools. In order to better assess your
request, can you tell me please an estimate for the number of additional students who would enroll in
AMAT 108 as a result?
Generally speaking, we are close to capacity in all 108 sections, so we might need to open another
section. We are stretched in terms of adjuncts, but we can probably do this, as long as it is approved
by the Dean's office; so you might need to consult with Caren Stark.
Best,
Cristian
Cristian Lenart, Professor and Chair
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
University at Albany
www.albany.edu/“lenart
Tel: (518) 442-4605
Page 2 of 3
From: Berg, George <gberg@albany.edu>
Sent: Saturday, March 26, 2022 6:54 PM
To: Lenart, Cristian <clenart@albany.edu>
Subject: AMAT 108
Cristian,
| hope you are well, and the height of the semester is treating you well.
I’m reaching out to you in your role as chair. If the issue I’m raising is properly one | should be taking up with
one of your colleagues, please just let me know.
As you may know, we in CEHC currently have your AMAT 108 course as one of our requirements in our
Informatics B.S. program. We thank you and your colleagues for that. It is very helpful in providing
foundational probability and stats knowledge that our students use as they progress through our curricula.
We are now expanding our technical curriculum. A natural progression from our concentration in Data
Analytics is to expand that into Artificial Intelligence. As part of that effort, we are currently proposing a
Minor in Artificial Intelligence. Similar to our use of AMAT 108 in our Informatics BS, we will use it to give our
students the basis for learning the elementary probability and statistics that they will build on as they prepare
to learn about artificial intelligence and machine learning.
I’m writing to you to let you know of this proposal (copy included), and the proposed use of AMAT 108. We
over here want to check with you and your department that this use of the class is ok. If you have any
questions or concerns, please let me know. I’Il be delighted to address any issues you may foresee.
Best wishes,
George
George Berg (he/him/his)
Associate Professor
Program Coordinator for Cybersecurity
Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Development
College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity
University at Albany | ETEC Building | Albany, NY 12222
Department of Computer Science, CEAS
(518) 250-9039 | gberg@albany.edu
heduling: https: //gberg.y book.me,
Page 3 of 3
As you may know, we in CEHC currently have your AMAT 108 course as one of our requirements in our
Informatics B.S. program. We thank you and your colleagues for that. It is very helpful in providing
foundational probability and stats knowledge that our students use as they progress through our curricula.
We are now expanding our technical curriculum. A natural progression from our concentration in Data
Analytics is to expand that into Artificial Intelligence. As part of that effort, we are currently proposing a
Minor in Artificial Intelligence. Similar to our use of AMAT 108 in our Informatics BS, we will use it to give our
students the basis for learning the elementary probability and statistics that they will build on as they prepare
to learn about artificial intelligence and machine learning.
I’m writing to you to let you know of this proposal (copy included), and the proposed use of AMAT 108. We
over here want to check with you and your department that this use of the class is ok. If you have any
questions or concerns, please let me know. |’Il be delighted to address any issues you may foresee.
Best wishes,
George
George Berg (he/him/his)
Associate Professor
Program Coordinator for Cybersecurity
Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Development
College of E yP d Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity
University at Albany | ETEC Building | Albany, NY 12222
Department of Computer Science, CEAS
(518) 250-9039 | gberg@albany.edu
heduling: https: //gberg.y book.me
Page 2 of 2
UNIVERSITY ATALBANY
NIV State University of New York
g a program proposal please submi
resource implications of the proposal.
Proposal Title: _Machine Learning Informatics Minor.
College or CEHC Department NA
School
Program Director
or Sp George Berg Email aberq@albany.edu
Action Category imi Program Proposal Does this proposal include any space O Yes
© Other (describe) resource implications? Approx. sq. ft. No
needed:
Action Type li New Does the Office of Finanical Aid identify 0 Yes
CO Revision this as a Gainful Employment OONo
C Deactivation Program (GEP)?
O Other (describe)
Brief Description of Proposal: (attach additional pages if necessary)
This minor draws from the expertise and rich curricular offerings in CEHC. It uses this to
create a minor not just in the technical elements of artificial intelligence and machine learning
(AI/ML), but the societal importance as well. Students will take courses to learn about not
only the creation and deployment of Al/ML systems, but also 1) how they can affect different
aspects of society (e.g., fairness, bias, privacy, explainability), and 2) how these effects
should be used in the design, creation, and deployment of Al/ML systems.
The full proposal is attached.
Version 2.0 03/23/18
JFQ UNIVERSITY ATALBANY
MY
State University of New York
Is there an impact on other service units? Please attach documentation that you have consulted with each unit
listed below:
Yes No
im a ITs
oO | University Libraries
o i] Scientific Core Facilities
o Oo Other services (i.e., advisement, parking, facilities, security),
please list:
Is there an impact on other academic programs? Please list all academic departments consulted regarding
impact and attach documentation.
One Mathematics course (AMAT 108) is a requirement for the minor. We have
corresponded with the Department Chair (correspondence attached with the proposal). As
this shows, the department has no problems in principle with the use of the course.
Naturally, if this results in increased enrollments, the University will have to allocate
resources to Mathematics to allow them to offer any additional sections needed. CEHC will
work with the Provosts' Office, CAS, and Mathematics in this case. CEHC already uses
Faculty and Staff (attach additional pages if necessary)
(a) Describe new faculty hiring needed during the next 3 years
(b) Explain how program will be administered for the purposes of admissions, advising, course offerings, etc.
Discuss the available support staff.
(a) The onset and anticipated first few years of the minor will not in all likelihood require
new faculty.
b
ADMISSIONS There is no admissions process for the minor.
ADMINISTRATION: As a minor program, administrative load is minimal. Any questions
that come up from either students or advisement staff across the University can be readily
handled by either the existing CEHC advising staff or the CEHC program administrators.
COURSE OFFERINGS and STAFF: Three of the courses in the minor are extant courses.
One of them is AMAT 108, the status of which is discussed earlier in this form. The
remaining two (CINF 108, CINF 300) are already regularly offered, and are parts of
existing degree programs (e.g., the Informatics BS). The three new courses (CINF 135,
CINF 320, and CINF 438) will be offered in coming semesters to support the new minor.
These courses will also be applicable to other programs (e.g., the Informatics BS). As part
of its ongoing negotiations with the Provost's Office, CEHC will negotiate for resources to
add these courses as appropriate.
Version 2.0 03/23/18
UNIVERSITY ATALBANY
NIV State University of New York
Program Expenses
List all resources that will be engaged specifically as a result of the proposed program (e.g., a new
faculty position or additional library resources). If they represent a continuing cost, new resources
for a given year should be included in the subsequent year(s), with adjustments for inflation or
negotiated compensation
Expenses (in dollars)
A iGulnA ToncA TonlnA ic TA
Program Expense Categories Prior to
Hoy EoD Year 1: Year 2: Year 3: Year 4: Year 5:
(a) Personnel (including
faculty and all others) 0 0 (0) 0 ie} 0
(b) Library 0 0 0 0 0 0
(c) Equipment 0 0 0 0 0 0
(d) Laboratories 0 0 0 0 0 0
(e) Supplies 0 0 0 0 0 0
(f) Capital Expenses 0 0 0 0 0 0
(g) Student stipends or
scholarships 0 i) 0 0 ie} 0
(h) Other (specify): 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sum of Rows Above $0 $o $0 $o $0 $0
ary Notes (add additi pages as
The full proposal is attached.
Version 2.0 03/23/18
JQ UNIVERSITY ATALBANY
MY
State University of New York
APPROVALS ]
| George Berg 3/31/22
Department Chair
Department Chair Date
Robert P. Griffin 04/01/22
Dean
Dean Date
UPPC Chair
UPPC Chair Date
e tis the sponsoring department's responsibility to request and attach all required
documentation and to obtain all required signatures (with the exception of the chair of
UPPC’s) before presenting the documentation.
e Completed forms should be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Education, the Office of
Graduate Education, or both as appropriate.
« When the Chair of UPPC has received the proposal from the appropriate office(s), s/he will notify
you that it has been placed on the UPPC agenda and invite you to attend the meeting.
Version 2.0 03/23/18
