History of NYSMATYC 1967-2017 (Pdf)
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Page 0 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2 Origin of NYSMATYC .............................................................................................................. 3 Membership History .............................................................................................................. 6 NYSMATYC Executive Board ................................................................................................... 7 Past Presidents .......................................................................................................... 7 Committees .......................................................................................................................... 9 Curriculum Committee ............................................................................................. 10 NYSMATYC Surveys .................................................................................................. 11 Legislative Committee.............................................................................................. 12 Scholarship Committee ............................................................................................ 13 Scholarship History .................................................................................................. 14 Webmaster.............................................................................................................. 16 NYSMATYC Conferences....................................................................................................... 17 Conference Attendance History ................................................................................ 18 Professional Development ................................................................................................... 19 Summer Institute ..................................................................................................... 19 Professional Development Committee ..................................................................... 20 Fall Regional Meetings (Articulation committee) ...................................................... 23 Newsletter .......................................................................................................................... 24 NYSMATYC Mathematics League .......................................................................................... 25 Awards ............................................................................................................................... 27 NYSMATYC Recognitions ...................................................................................................... 29 Constitutional Changes ........................................................................................................ 29 National Organization Movement and Affiliation .................................................................. 31 NYSMATYC Resolutions ....................................................................................................... 33 Appendix I Constitution (June 1967 and April 2005) ....................................................... 34 II Conference Information ............................................................................... 44 III Charter Members of NYSMATYC................................................................... 48 IV Elected Board Officers ................................................................................. 50 V Proclamation by United States Senate .......................................................... 52 VI State of New York Legislative Resolution ...................................................... 53 VII NYSMATYC Anthem (1997) ........................................................................... 54 VIII NYSMATYC Regions ..................................................................................... 55 IX History of regional Conferences ................................................................... 56 X Acknowledgements ..................................................................................... 60 Page 1 The 50th history is dedicated to the Memory of Kate Danforth Who Faithfully Served NYSMATYC We are Forever Grateful For her Wisdom and Guidance Introduction The New York State Mathematics Association of Two-Year Colleges (NYSMATYC) was founded upon the following: • The mission of the New York State Mathematics Association of Two Year Colleges (NYSMATYC) shall be to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics at the two-year college level through professional growth opportunities for its members, to promote and enhance the professional development of its members, and to maintain open communication among mathematics educators at all levels. • To maintain a continual rapport among all the Two-Year Colleges represented in this organization on all matters pertaining to the mathematics education at the Two-Year Colleges. • To continually improve the teaching of mathematics. • To promote and enhance the professional welfare of all members. The purpose of this document is to show the growth of NYSMATYC and to identify many of the activities the organization has undertaken to fulfill the objectives mentioned above. Although the material presented is primarily in summary form, it is hoped that the reader will gain a feeling for the breadth and depth of the involvement of NYSMATYC in the betterment of mathematics education. The history of NYSMATYC is a testimony to the efforts and energy of its members to "get the job done." Many of our members not only have played an important and vital role at the state level, but have also been recognized for their contributions and involvement at the national level, especially in the American Mathematics Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC). Our history clearly demonstrates that our Association is an innovative and viable group dedicated to making mathematics education in New York State a satisfying and rewarding experience for students and faculty. Page 2 Origin of NYSMATYC Prior to 1966 AMTNYS did not have special sessions for the community colleges. However in 1966 they decided to have one session that was devoted to the community college math faculty. It was a session that featured a Cornell professor and he spoke on what CUPM (Committee for Undergraduate Programs in Mathematics) called “MATH 0”. It described what every high school graduate was supposed to know about math. “MATH 0” revealed how little CUPM knew about community college students (especially those who needed remediation in math). Herb Gross specifically remembers raising his hand and when recognized by the speaker, he simply said “Do you realize that what CUPM calls “MATH 0” is what Corning Community College refers to as MATH 950?” Herbs comment triggered a lot of approval from those of who were in the room at the time. Once the session ended those who had been at the session caucused and decided that it would be better served by having a statewide organization where community college math faculty could communicate directly with one another. The mathematical associations in existence in the late sixties were primarily serving the needs of elementary and secondary school teachers of four-year colleges and university personnel. The dramatic growth of two-year colleges during this period clearly justified the formation of a professional association devoted exclusively to the unique problems of teaching mathematics at the two-year college level. The movement to create such an organization in New York State began with a small nucleus of community college mathematics educators led by John Vadney of Fulton-Montgomery Community College. In early 1966, John Vadney organized a group of two-year college mathematics faculty to present a panel discussion at the Sixteenth Annual Meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State (AMTNYS) to be held in Syracuse on May 6-7, 1966. The section meeting was entitled "Mathematics in the Community College." The five panel members were: John Vadney Fulton-Montgomery CC (Moderator) Anthony Behr Queensborough CC Robert Burghardt Rockland CC Deane Goodness Jefferson CC Calvin Lathan Monroe CC Although the main topic of the panel discussion was to be placement of freshmen into mathematics courses, the following excerpts from the letter written by John Vadney to panel members shows the broader problem that would be addressed by the panel: "...As of this time, one thing seems to be shaping up is the question of an organization of two-year schools, devoted exclusively to the problems of the mathematics curriculum. I have talked to other members of the panel..., and most of them think that this might be a good idea .... I would like to hear from you concerning this potential organization, as I would like to be able to offer some concrete suggestions at the time of the meeting." That panel discussion, held in Syracuse on May 6, 1966, clearly marks the birth of NYSMATYC. The movement to create a statewide two-year college mathematics association had begun. In order to continue the discussions regarding a new association with a larger audience, John Vadney made arrangements for a mathematics group meeting to be scheduled at the Annual Two-Year College Page 3 Conference held at the Agricultural and Technical College in Delhi from June 15-17, 1966. Because of the late date of the decision, the mathematics group meeting was listed on the addendum sheet