History of
the
In the early
1970’s, mathematics faculty from two-year colleges across the state met
annually at the Kentucky Association of Junior Colleges Conference. Mathematics
faculty members felt the need for more time as they found the brief meetings
very helpful. Since they had the largest discipline meeting at KAJC, they
decided to investigate the feasibility of starting a new organization.
Jacqueline Moss, Trudy Cunningham, and Sarah Pendry
attended a national meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
(NCTM) and discussed two-year college organizations with participants from
other states there. Martin Brown attended the national Mathematics at Two-Year
Colleges (MATYC) conference at
On November 2,
1973, at the KACJS Conference, a group of mathematics instructors from across
the state met at
The following
officers were selected at the organizational meeting:
President:
Jacqueline Moss
President-elect: Martin Brown
Secretary-Treasurer: Trudy
Cunningham
Member-at-large: George
Livingston
Member-at-large: Ed
Curtis
Objectives of
KYMATYC as stated in the original constitution were as follows:
1.
1. To establish and maintain
consistency in course content and placement;
2. 2. To share opinions of particular library holdings
and systems of grading;
3. 3. To report the success and/or failure of
innovations;
4. 4. To expose the members to new material
through "hands-on" workshops;
5. 5. To exchange information about available
positions and applicants;
6. 6. To become acquainted with teachers of
mathematics in all two-year colleges in
7. 7. To establish and maintain articulation with
four-year colleges.
KYMATYC held its
first annual meeting in conjunction with the MAA-Kentucky Section in March
1974. Beginning in 1975, the organization began meeting separately at Shakertown in early March. The organization became a
sounding board for issues of interest to faculty from two-year colleges and
four-year colleges in the state.
Faculty
from four-year institutions have contributed greatly to KYMATYC. Carroll Wells of
WKU developed summer graduate courses in mathematics for our members. The
yearly courses were often supported by Summer Teaching Improvement Fellowships
from UKCCS. These provided a means for faculty to improve their credentials as
well as another opportunity to discuss issues with one another. Brauch Fugate, Cliff Swauger, and
Chris Vancil kept KYMATYC informed about course and
curriculum issues at
Dr. Stanley Wall,
then Dean of the Community College System, was a big supporter of KYMATYC in
the early years. He attended the Friday Keynote Speech and dinner during the
first years the group met at Shakertown. Dr. Wall
promised financial support if the organization found itself unable to meet its
financial obligations. However, the meetings were well attended and the
organization was self-supporting from the beginning. George Livingston, one of
the founding members, was the social leader in the early years. He took
personal responsibility for the AfterMath social hour
on Friday night. Sister Ann Frederick Leonard, another founding member, was
instrumental in ensuring that KYMATYC addressed the needs of private as well as
public two-year colleges. She served two terms as secretary/treasurer of the
organization.
One of the early
projects of KYMATYC was a state-wide mathematics contest for two-year college
math students. Catherine Williams, Don Brashear, and Mary Catherine Brown
developed the first such contest. Fred Watkins of
In 1986, KYMATYC
became an American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC)
affiliate, and Sandy Spears was elected the first affiliate delegate to the
AMATYC Delegate Assembly. KYMATYC has since had a strong relationship with
AMATYC. Sandy Spears and Kathy Mowers have served as Regional Vice-Presidents.
Darrell H. Abney served on the AMATYC Standards Committee and also was a Co-PI
on the AMATYC Standards Workshop Project.
In the
1990’s, the organization has encouraged presentations on the appropriate
use of technology and alternate teaching methods. Members and guests made
presentations on the use of computer algebra systems and graphing calculators
in the teaching of mathematics. New efforts like the Math Excel program at
As we approach
our 25th annual meeting, KYMATYC is recognized as a leader among the
educational organizations in
Revised
March 3, 1999
Darrell H.
Abney, Historian
Featured
Speakers through the Years
1976.
Alan Shorb,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Understanding Change –
Implications for Mathematics Teaching
1979.
Conley Powell, University of Tennessee Space
Institute, Mathematics of Interstellar Flight
1980.
Austin French,
1981.
Michael Jacobson,
1987.
1988.
David Roselle,
1989.
Jerry King,
1991.
1992.
Philip Crooke,
1993 Nancy Zumoff,
1994 Kathleen Heid,
1995.
Ruth
Casey,
1995.
1995 Bill Thomas,
1996 Ron Crouch, Director,
1997 Frank Morgan,
1998.
Past Presidents
1973-1974 Jacqueline
Moss
1974-1976 Martin
Brown
1976-1978 Ed
Curtis
1978-1980 Hugh
Duguid
1980-1982 Joe
Jeffries
1982-1984 Powell
Livesay
1984-1986 Bill
Parker
1986-1988 Linda
Mayhew
1988-1990 Carrie
Parker
1990-1991 Lillie
Crowley
1991-1994 Darrell
H. Abney Maysville
CC
1994-1996 Kathy
Mowers
1996-1998 Brita
Dockstader
1998-2000 Dana
T. Calland Maysville
CC
2000-2002 Joseph
Mahoney
2002-2003 Barbara
Lott Maysville
CC (moved to
2003-2006 Gerald
Johnson