For the past three years, DISCS has asked the guidance office to conduct exit interviews of the graduating batch.  They then submit the report to us. The faculty and staff discuss the results and then see how we can answer some of the concerns.

It is easy to separate the valid concerns from the dreams (e.g. they want a Mac lab).  It's less easy to separate what are truly the Department's shortcomings from the shortcomings of the students.

Take for example the complaint that they don't have enough programming and networking.  We offer many electives on programming and some on networking, but few people sign up for them.  For example, we are offering a J2ME class this sem.  There are only 18 people signed up for it. We have a networks elective with only two students. I think the problem here is that students gravitate towards subjects that are "easy" or "fun" and then regret their choices later.  Now, is this the fault of the program for giving them the choice or the fault of the students for choosing unwisely?

Programming in particular is a skill that takes practice.  I've heard students tell me, "Ma'am, I get the concept but I just can't implement it." If that's the case, you haven't gotten it.  To get it, you have to try it. You have to practice, even if there is no assignment or exam hanging over your head.  Think of it as a sport--badminton, basketball, swimming.  If you don't practice, you'll never be good. 

There's another complaint that they don't feel prepared to enter corporate life.  Take it from me: No one does.  I have yet to hear even the brightest among our students say that they are primed to attack the real world.  No one ever feels ready.  So how much of that insecurity is just good old fear of the unknown and how much of it is poor education?

Students complain that we don't have enough printers.  True, we can increase the number of printers, however, this will still not guarantee that a printer will be available when the students need it.  The problem sometimes is that when a student has a deadline at 10:00, he lines up for printing at 9:45.  If there were ten other people ahead of him, he won't get his printout when he wants it.

Some people complained that we lacked competent thesis advisers.  I take issue with that because I was one of them.  The fact is, the thesis groups assigned to me saw me only when it was time to submit the milestones.  Unlike the previous batches who saw me on a regular basis--we had a regular appointment every two weeks--I saw last years kids every six weeks or so, only because I was the thesis coordinator who had to check everyone's work.  Worse yet, most of them to the milestone meetings came empty-handed.  And yes, there were consequences on their grades. 

I admit that the department is imperfect, but our students have to realize that they are imperfect, too.  They must distinguish between the department's failures from their own. Their education is their responsibility as much as it is ours, and if they fail in that responsibility, they should be honest enough to take part of the blame.  I can honestly say that we in the department continually strive to fulfill our responsibilities to our students. Can our students honestly say that they strive to fulfill their responsibilities to themselves?