Computer Science | Grinnell College

CS Department Responsibilities

The computer science faculty actively engage in activities and projects within Grinnell College, the Science Division, the department, and other areas. This page serves as a reference and contact list for many of these activities. Since all faculty are actively engaged in teaching, this page does not include specific activities related to classes, course development, or other aspects of teaching.

Contact the relevant faculty member if you have questions or comments regarding any of these activities.

Contact the department chair if you have questions about the department, organizational matters, or other areas not covered in this listing.

College Level

AI Institute: Fernanda Eliott and Peter-Michael Osera

Committee for the Support of Faculty Scholarship: Charlie Curtsinger

Wall Alumni Service Award: Shawn Ong

Tutorial and First-Year Success: Samuel A. Rebelsky

Advising Working Group: Jerod Weinman

Science Division Level

Science Division Chair: Peter-Michael Osera

General Science Major (CS Liason and Chair): Samuel A. Rebelsky

Department Level

Department Chair: Chair, Jerod Weinman

  • Supervision of departmental assistant(s)
  • Development of faculty-staff teaching assignment
  • Creation of class schedules
  • Faculty recruiting
  • Promotion, tenure, contract renewal reviews
  • Merit reviews
  • Regular meetings with Student Educational Policy Committee (SEPC)
  • Paperwork from Dean’s office
  • Faculty mentoring
  • College catalog entry
  • Review transfer credit requests
  • Budget

Communications Liaison and Web Site Admin: Charlie Curtsinger and Shawn Ong

  • Work on design of Web site.
  • Update Web site.
  • Coordinate with student assistant.
  • Coordinate with Communications department.

Computer Science Museum: Jerod Weinman

  • Rebuild and update catalog.
  • Inventory equipment.
  • Design and update displays.

Computer Science Commons: CS SEPC

  • Make sure there’s water in the coffee pot.
  • Straighten.
  • Wash stray dishes.

Graduate Program Liaison: Shawn Ong and Peter-Michael Osera

  • Serve as a contact point for institutions interested in recruiting at Grinnell.
  • Organize talks.
  • Work with CLS to coordinate travel for recruiting weekends.

Liaison to University of Iowa Cooperative Degree Program: Fernanda Eliott

  • Arrange annual talk. (in conjunction with CS Extras coordinator)
  • Coordinate with UIowa.
  • Serve as resource for interested students.

Pledge of the Computing Professional: Jerod Weinman

  • Interface with national organization.
  • Coordinate ceremony.

Study Away in CS: Jerod Weinman

  • Maintain list of semester study away programs relevant to CS.
  • Maintain list of course equivalents in those programs.
  • Advise students on semester study away options.
  • Coordinate with Study Away Advisers in IGE.
  • Present Semester Study Away opportunities to students during a CS Extra

Supervision of Peer Educators (Mentors, Lab Assistants, Tutors): Sarah Dahlby Albright

  • Train mentors, evening tutors, individual tutors, graders
  • Prepare lists of responsibilities for peer educators
  • Prepare picture list of peer educators
  • Recruit students for peer-educator positions
  • Interview prospective peer educators
  • Work with faculty to assign peer mentors to classes
  • Prepare schedule of evening tutors
  • Assign individual and small-group tutors to students
  • Read and respond to reports from individual tutors, evening tutors, and mentor sessions
  • Gather data on usage of peer educators

Student Groups

Girls Who Code Advisor: Fernanda Eliott

Diversity Initiatives

CPUs (Computing Peers United): Sarah Dahlby Albright and Fernanda Eliott

  • Support student leaders.

Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing: Nicole Eikmeier

  • Gather funding to support student attendance.
  • Advertise program to students and encourage them to seek scholarships.
  • Organize pre-conference session.
  • Mentor students at conference.
  • Organize post-conference session.

Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing: Samuel A. Rebelsky

  • Gather funding to support student attendance.
  • Advertise program to students and encourage them to seek scholarships.
  • Organize pre-conference session.
  • Mentor students at conference.
  • Organize post-conference session.

Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas Women in Computing (MINKWIC): Samuel A. Rebelsky

Social activities

Computer Science Table: Charlie Curtsinger and William Rebelsky

  • Select readings
  • Advertise (coordinate with AA)
  • Lead discussions

Picnic: Zach Susag and Fernanda Eliott

Study Breaks: CS SEPC

Poster Sessions: Charlie Curtsinger

Thursday Extras: Peter-Michael Osera and Shawn Ong

  • Arrange and maintain schedule
  • Work with ASA to advertise

AI Coffee Chat: Fernanda Eliott

Annual Talks

Department Welcome Session: Chair, Jerod Weinman

Preparing for Registration (fall): Chair, Jerod Weinman

Graduate School: Zach Susag and Shawn Ong

Summer Opportunities in CS: Fernanda Eliott

Summer Research at Grinnell (spring): CS Faculty

Major Declaration and Advising (spring): Chair, Jerod Weinman