00100	Oct.24,1971
00200	
00300	To: Graduate Study Committee
00400	
00500	From: John McCarthy
00600	
00700	Subject: Logic Qual
00800	
00900		I understand that it has been proposed that I be chairman
01000	of this qual since Bob Floyd was chairman of the last one.  I accept
01100	this assignment, and accordingly the qual will be like the one
01200	before last, seven hour open book emphasizing mathematical theory of
01300	computation.  The implied suggestion that the chairmanship alternate
01400	is a bad idea if it involves an oscillation of the content of the
01500	qual between that preferred by me (an updated version of the one
01600	before last; this one cannot be updated, because there was no
01700	agreement to change the syllabus) and the style preferred by
01800	Bob, typified by the last qual which I regard as a disaster.
01900	
02000		Rather than this, I would propose to offer two different
02100	quals, one called Mathematical Theory of Computation, and the
02200	other called whatever Bob wants to call it.
02300	
02400		There is no harm in this, because it is not necessary
02500	for the Computer Science Department to have an official line
02600	on what a student must know.  This is confirmed by the fact that
02700	no qual except the systems qual is compulsory.
02800	
02900		A student could take his choice of types of qual.  The
03000	only problem that might arise is that some students might want
03100	to take both perhaps figuring that he would save labor because
03200	of an overlap.  Such an expectation would be mistaken, and I see
03300	no harm in allowing a student to take both, but also would not
03400	object if it were forbidden.
03500	
03600		Because of the confusion that has arisen whereby students
03700	a week before the exam still do not know what it will be like
03800	I would recommend postponing the qual until Spring and splitting
03900	it into two.  I have told some students that the qual will be
04000	like the one before last on the grounds that it was the compromise
04100	reached when both Bob and I were present, but others are apparently
04200	expecting a repeat of last Spring's qual.
04300	
04400		I must admit forseeing this situation last Spring and
04500	not taking action because of other work and hesitation about
04600	making disagreements open and hope that things would work out.
04700	
04800		I am not trying to force anyone's hand and there will
04900	be a qual available on Saturday like the one before last.
05000	
05100		Enclosed is a draft syllabus of the proposed qual in
05200	Mathematical Theory of Computation.