Thursday, November 14, 2024
With large sections of Florida affected by Hurricane Milton, hosting the annual Florida Two-Year College Mathematics Association (FTYCMA) Conference was no small task for Polk State College. Thanks to a collaborative effort by Mathematics Department faculty, College staff, and administrators, it went on as scheduled and without a hitch.
More than 40 people made their way to the Polk State Lakeland Campus on Oct. 18 and 19. The attendees represented 12 state colleges.
“We’re centrally located, which allows us to attract people from all across the state,” Polk State Mathematics Professor Penny Morris said. “Our Lakeland Campus is a great location for this event.”
Morris is a past president for FTYCMA. Mike Long, a fellow Mathematics Professor, is currently the Vice President of Programs for the all-volunteer nonprofit organization.
“Sometimes faculty members at the same school don’t get to chat for very long,” Long explained. “This was a great opportunity to bring people together and discuss the things that matter for our departments.”
This year’s keynote speaker was Padmanabhan Seshaiyer, Mathematics Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the College of Science at George Mason University in Virginia. His keynote speech was entitled, “Transforming Institutional Practices through Sustainable Program, Pathways and Practices in Data Science.”
“It was great to get a national perspective from him on all he’s seen during his time in education,” said Megan Cavanah, Polk State Director of Academic Affairs for Enrollment and Curriculum Management and a former faculty member of the Mathematics Department. “It was really engaging.”
The event also featured breakout sessions where attendees formed small groups to discuss hot topics and math pathway programs.
“We facilitated an activity where math faculty got to draft their own curriculum,” Cavanah explained. “It was cool to compare in real time. It’s always great to network and hear different ideas.”
“Things happen in Tallahassee that change curriculum and affect us all,” Morris added. “Being able to come together is a way for us to get a better understanding. We try to make sure we’re all on the same page.”
With Hurricane Milton making its way across Florida the week prior, which canceled several days of Polk State operations, the attendance was lower than in past years. Still, Polk State faculty members considered it a success.
“(Polk State President Angela Garcia Falconetti) and (Provost for Academic Affairs and Workforce Education Amy Bratten) presented along with (Dean Bert Rivera-Marchand),” Morris said. “We had great support from the administration. From maintenance to housekeeping to security, everyone did a great job. It was a Polk State community working together to make it happen.”
Selected as the FTYCMA Vice President of Programs in February, Long said the planning for the conference began almost immediately. Duties included making food arrangements, providing hotel options for out-of-town guests, and programming. The format for the conference was proposed and approved in June.
“We had to figure out the math topics that mattered most to faculty across the state to make sure we could generate interest in the conference,” Long said. “The entire Math Department helped out. It started months out and ramped up as the day got closer. Being a past president, Penny was a great help.”
The Polk State faculty noted that Seshaiyer was impressed with the College’s facilities. He flew in the day before the conference and had meetings with both Polk State students and faculty.
“He gave a great presentation to our students where he talked about scholarships and other academic opportunities that would benefit them,” Cavanah noted. “He talked with our faculty and gave us pointers on ways we can adjust and improve our curriculum as we explore new classes and programs.”
Colleges host the FTYCMA conferences on a two-year basis, meaning Polk State will host again in 2025. Long, Professor Kim Hess, and Katie Ragsdale, Instructional Designer, are scheduled to represent Polk State and present at the national American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges Conference in Atlanta this week.
“It’s the one time of year where we can get together as math faculty and share what we’re doing in our departments and at our institutions,” Long said of the conferences. “We lovingly borrow ideas from one another. The idea exchanges at these conferences are invaluable and ultimately help us better serve our students.”
