Alumni Survey Results
USU CS Department – 2000
Total
Question
Answer
Responses
Are you currently employed?
No
4
Yes
62
Total
66
Degree
Minor
1
MS
19
BS
46
Total
66
Did any of your previous positions rely on skills obtained as part
of your education at
USU?
FALSE
18
TRUE
48
Total
66
Have any of your previous positions been in a computer-related
field?
FALSE
19
TRUE
47
Total
66
Have you earned other degrees since completing this one?
Yes
9
No
57
Total
66
How many different companies have you worked for since your
graduation from
4
5
1
5
>=5
6
3
11
0
17
2
21
Total
65
How many different positions (jobs) have you held since your
graduation from USU?
>=6
3
1
4
5
5
4
7
2
10
3
12
0
18
Total
59
Is your current job in a computer-related field?
No
5
Yes
61
Total
66
Not counting any current employment, have you had any other jobs
since your
graduation from USU?
No
18
Yes
48
Total
66
Plan
Plan B
7
Plan A
10
Not Applicable
49
Total
66
Please rate your overall educational experience at USU
Poor
0
Very Poor
0
Average
3
Very Good
19
Good
38
Total
60
Please rate your overall impression of the USU/CS department
Very Poor
0
Poor
0
Average
10
Good
40
Very Good
10
Total
60
Track
Don't remember
2
Digital Systems
2
Other
5
Science
17
Information Systems
20
Not Applicable
20
Total
66
Were there any faculty members who had particularly positive impact
on your
education?
Nelson Dinerstein
1
Mary Kolesar
1
Heng-Da Change
1
Wendell Pope
1
Dan Watson
3
Nick Flann
4
Rex Hurst
5
Scott Cannon
7
Stephen Allan
7
Greg Jones
9
Vicki Allan
9
Larre Egbert
10
Don Cooley
12
Total
79
What did you do after graduating from USU?
Sought higher degree in
another field
0
Worked part-time
1
Sought higher degree in
CS
2
Worked full-time
63
Total
66
What is your current gross annual salary (round to the nearest
$1,000)?
20,001-30,000
0
60,001-70,000
0
0-20,000
1
30,001-40,000
4
80,001-90,000
4
70,001-80,000
8
40,001-50,000
9
50,001-60,000
11
>90,0000
12
Total
49
What was your starting annual salary for your first job after
graduating from USU?
60,001-70,000
0
>70,001
1
50,001-60,000
3
40,001-50,000
7
30,001-40,000
11
0-20,000
15
20,001-30,000
24
Total
61
Which CS classes, if any, best helped you prepare for your
professional career?
cs577 or cs5200
2
cs1700 series
3
cs470 or cs4700
4
cs260
5
cs626 or cs6200
5
cs2370, cs327 or cs427
6
cs541 or cs542
6
cs410 or cs3100
8
cs527, cs627, cs628, or
cs629, cs5370, cs6370
9
cs517 or cs518
11
cs2200 or cs220
15
cs530 or cs531
20
Total
94
Which CS classes, if any, do you feel were not useful in preparing
you for your
profession?
cs252
0
cs101
2
cs560
3
cs517 or cs518
3
cs251
4
cs410 or cs3100
5
cs327 or cs427
6
cs510
7
Total
30
Which topics were not adequately covered in your degree program?
Projectg Management
3
Operating Systems
4
Networking
4
Total
11
Which topics were over-emphasized?
Compilers
3
Specific Programming
Languages
6
Total
9
Which topics were sufficiently covered in your degree program?
Automata Theory
3
Information Systems
4
Operating Systems
4
Data Structures
5
Compilers
5
Database
7
Computer Graphics
8
Software Engineering
12
Programming and
programming languages
21
Total
69
Responses by Graduating Year and Degree
CS Alumni Survey - 2000
Graduation Year Total Responses MS BS Minor
1954
1
1
1967
1
1
1968
1
1
1970
1
1
1971
2
2
1973
2
2
1974
3
3
1978
1
1
1981
2
2
1982
1
1
1983
2
2
1985
3
3
1986
6 2 4
1987
5
4 1
1988
3 1 2
1989
5
5
1990
2
2
1991
2
2
1992
2 1 1
1994
1
1
1995
3 3
1996
5 4 1
1997
4 2 2
1998
5 3 2
1999
2 2
2000
1 1
Totals:
66 19 46 1
Comments
CS Alumni Survey - 2000
·
when I was there we needed better facilities and
equipment. Offer more classes in using software packets like slosser and using the internet could have used help in
those areas
·
Other than teaching me Pascal and how to approach a problem,
gained little practical knowledge from USU that helped me through my
career. When I attended, everything was
aimed at mainframe programming. Since leaving I have worked on PC's or embedded systems.
Hopefully, USU has changed with the times.
·
More, strong real-world project opportunities up to date database
software and database design -such as object oriented database design-classes
stronger internet and/or practical networking classes.
·
·
II. Courses that concentrate on Internet Specific
technologies. Overall it would be great
if the Shidenh could be exposed as what is happening
in the "real" world of software. Maybe lectures from software
engineers etc.
·
When I started working after graduation I had plenty of
Programming skills but no business skills.
Programmers have to work with people who aren't programmers. The people who excelled in the company where
I work were those who could adapt and learn the skills of business. Teach effective communication skills along
with programming languages.
·
More courses should be offered in the operating systems and
networks areas.
·
Great experience. Some of
my colleagues from other schools had more education about PC assembly
language. It is very valuable to them. I
wish I had that knowledge.
·
Closer ties with EE Dept.
Given a chance for a "Do over", I may have chosen the EE Dept.
"Computer Engineering" degree.
·
Add some course/courses on PC or mac or Unix hardware. That
is, build a PC from scratch and look at trouble shooting of problems etc.
·
Too much Emphasis is placed on "code house" programming-
Not enough on control systems, architecture of control systems, and real world
applications- of sensors motors computer Control vision drive systems etc.
·
Be sensitive to the students needs. Help them- You are NOT any
better than they are... (after they graduate many will
surpass your skills.) if you care about such things
·
I don't know if you offer this, but if would be good for
undergraduates (juniors & seniors) to gain experience working at companies during the "summer" vacation
when not attending classes.
·
You may already offer this, but it might have been useful to have
had a class pertaining to project management where you are the manager of a
software development team dealing with issues like how should the workload be
divided amongst the team members? How do I ensure deadlines will be met? What
can I do as the manager to motivate the team member? Etc.
·
The most difficult hurdle for computer professionals is the
constant changing of the technologies used.
·
The department professors should encourage the other departments
and students to explore the GNU application, Linux, BSD Unix, and similar
tools, because many businesses need them to maximize productivity. It should reduce the use of Windows 9x and NT to a minimmum, because
these have little future.
·
I think I had a good educational experience at USU.
·
Update textbooks & text note, have more cutting-edge
tech. Seminar/course . Let student chat with graduates over Internet
·
Listen carefully to student "class evaluations"
Instructors that have poor reviews don't help your school! If we don't learn
from an instructor, why be there?
·
Based on the tables used in this survey, USU needs to focus on the
management and services required in today's cs
business envirorment.
Consulting, is a skill that needs to be
integrated into the technical skills.
·
Overall the cs dept. curriculum of USU is
great. I learned a
lot. I think it would help if the
courses involved more practical work. (i.e. More lab work, more assignments
that require sitting in front of the computer)
·
The things that it pays to know in the computer field now are OO
modeling, databases, and software engineering methods. I suggest emphasizing these topics,
particularly at the undergraduate level.
·
I would like to have seen more cooperation between the CS Dept and
Engineering Dept. I saw only antagonism between the two departments.
·
A special topics course every term devoted to current Internet
topics with hands on experience.
·
Add SFTW eng to required list of topics covered. (Teaches real
world business environment/eng. discipline) .
·
Some Days I wish I was back in school. I enjoyed my experience
tremendously and all the courses . Though some courses weren't as applicable as
others all were very good with good information
·
At then time, C++ was not taught very much, but it became the
primary programming language I used after graduation. Also, many of the compilers and tools I
used were totally unfamiliar even though they were common and widely used. I think that the primary
tools, technologies, and languages being used by professionals should be a more
integrated part of the curriculum.
·
Things have changed so radically in the last 25 years, it's nearly
impossible to compare. However, judging
from the current list of courses, it appears you're on the right track.
·
USU did a great job when I attended. As I hire college people, the
most frustrating thing I deal with is their desire to do the nozzle dazzle
work. If there is any way to help then learn to expect the ups and downs of
computer workplace assignments I would be most grateful
·
yes , you may be doing this now, but you were not
doing it at the time. Maintains code
that someone else has when you maintain and debug someone else’s code. Thanks for the great experience.
·
My current job is as a unix
system administator Many Universities (including USU)
do not seem to offer many "sys admin" related courses.
·
Be cleaner on time line to finish masters. More familiarity W/ different operating
systems study of current ussues in CS.
·
Recommend you get involved with the software engineering lost at
C.M.U the software capability Master will give new graduates a jump on others
by helping them better understand software development procedure.
·
My experience was so long ago. I'm sure my comments would be
irrelevant. My education did not prepare me for a career in technology. It did,
however get me my first job, which led to my next job…
·
More emphasis on R&D would be better. Less Dependence on
commercial projects
·
I learned nothing about hardware when I was at school. I didn't even know the basic components to a
PC when I graduated
·
I graduated in 1974, I do not know enough
about the program as it is today to make any comments/ suggestions.