60 UW Faculty Critical of Current Washington Math

Public Statement by University of Washington Faculty on Math Preparation of Incoming Students

We the undersigned faculty in math, science and engineering at the University of Washington have become increasingly concerned about the declining level of math competency of students entering the university. Many students arrive with poor mastery of essential mathematical skills, such as algebra, manipulation of fractions, trigonometry, and basic mathematical operations. Increasing numbers of students are forced to take math remediation courses after admission to the UW. Over the past decade many of us have lowered the mathematical levels of our courses as math skills have declined. We believe that it is essential that steps be taken to ensure that Washington State students are provided with world-class mathematics standards, curricula, and instruction.

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February 26, 2008
Signed:


Becky Alexander, Assistant Professor of Atmospheric Sci.
Eric G. Adelberger, Professor of Physics
James M. Bardeen, Professor of Physics
Bruce Balick, Professor of Astronomy
Gaetano Borriello, Professor of Computer Science and
Engineering
David G. Boulware, Professor and Chair, Physics
Neil Bruce, Professor of Economics
Aurel Bulgac, Professor of Physics
D.A. Clements, Lecturer, Information School and Extension
Julianne Dalcanton, Professor of Astronomy
Emer Dooley, Professor of Computer Science and
Engineering
Jessica Dunmore, Professor of Physics
Theo Eicher, Professor of Economics
Sam Fain, Professor of Physics
Qiang Fu, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences
Michael H. Gelb, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Karen I. Goldberg, Professor and Lawton Distinguished
Scholar in Chemistry
Wick Haxton, Professor of Physics
Robert Halvorsen, Professor and Chair, Economics
David Hendry, Assistant Professor, The Information School
Paul B. Hopkins, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Chemistry
Werner Kaminsky, Professor of Chemistry
Andreas Karch, Assistant Professor of Physics
Dr. Sarah Keller, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Jirair Kevorkian, Professor Emeritus of Applied Mathematics
Rachel E. Klevit, Professor, Biomolecular Structure Center
Neal Koblitz, Professor of Mathematics
Alvin L. Kwiram, Professor of Chemistry, Past Vice-Provost
for Research
James A. Landay, Associate Professor of Computer Science
and Engineering
Bob Larson, Lecturer, Information School
Tim Larson, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Ed Lazowska, Professor and Past Chair of Computer Science
and Engineering
Dennis Lettenmaier, Professor of Civil Engineering
Cliff Mass, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences
Jeannine S. McCune, Associate Professor of Pharmacy
Forrest Michael, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Gerald A. Miller, Professor of Physics
Wanda Pratt, Associate Professor, Information School and
Biomedical & Health Informatics, School of Medicine
Hong Qian, Professor of Applied Mathematics
Markus B. Raschke, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Peter Rhines, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences
Fred Rieke, Professor of Physics
Charles E. Robertson, Senior Lecturer, emeritus
Haideh Salehi-Esfahani, Senior Lecture of
Economics
Martin Savage, Professor of Physics
Larry Snyder, Computer Science and Engineering
Linda Shapiro, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering
Eric Shea-Brown, Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics
Lan Shi, Assistant Professor of Economics
Michael Stiber, Associate Professor Computing & Software
Systems
Paula Szkody, Professor of Astronomy
Kurt Snover, Professor of Physics, emeritus
Edward A. Stern, Professor of Physics
Derek Storm, Res. Professor of Physics
Robert E. Synovec, Professor of Chemistry and associate chair
for the Graduate Program
Joel Thornton, Assistant Professor of Atmospheric Sciences
George Wallerstein, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy
Dan Weld, Professor, Computer Science and Engineering
Robert Wood, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Sciences
Polle Zellweger, Lecturer, School of Information

For more information contact: Professor Cliff Mass, 206 719-4064, cliffmass@comcast.net