Students need computer science knowledge to thrive in this modern age. It’s unavoidable. To facilitate its students’ success, Hillsdale should expand its existing computer science program to offer a major.

Presently, the computer science minor is under the supervision of Thomas Treloar, who is also chairman of the mathematics department.

According to Treloar, the computer science program currently acts as a supplementary study for science, math, and economics majors.

“I’d love to see a computer science major come to campus,” Treloar said.

Computer science expertise will soon be a must-have as mainstream industries expand to include complex artificial intelligence and predictive programs. It’s already embedded in business, security, politics, and many other industries.

The market for specialized computer science jobs expanded by 26% in the 2022-23 fiscal year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

 “I think the industry is booming,” said Oliver Serang, the new assistant professor of computer science. “It is fundamentally one of those areas that if you’re good at it, we live in a time that it’s a gold rush.”

The computer science industry is already saturated with competition, but barriers to entry will only become higher if Hillsdale students aren’t able to take advantage of the learning curve now or in the near future.

Computer-based programs can give valuable outputs, but these outputs are contingent upon the factors deemed “relevant” by those who are inputting the data, the programmers.

Many of the latest innovative technologies have been made by left-leaning organizations. ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Snapchat’s My AI have all had well-documented political biases programmed into them by those who built them. 

New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco — all overwhelmingly liberal cities — have the highest concentration of computer science degrees awarded, according to Data USA. 

These programmers, marketers, and software engineers can suppress or promote political and social agendas using their superior knowledge of computer science. 

As a conservative school, Hillsdale College could train knowledgeable and classically educated computer science majors who enter the technology industry and rebalance the system. At present, students can only comment on the pervasive issues without the technical ability to affect change against the prevailing ideology. 

Creating a comprehensive major, however, requires a lot of logistical planning, according to Treloar. One of the main obstacles is the shortage of faculty. 

“Any program we start in our department, we want it to be excellent,” Treloar said. “We don’t want to overextend ourselves to where we can’t support what we’re trying to set up.”This semester, Serang and associate professor of computer science John Seiffert are each teaching three courses with about 10 students in each class, Treloar said.

Serang compared his vision of Hillsdale’s computer science program to a Michelin star restaurant.

“Even if someone works in a really tiny restaurant, you can still get a Michelin star if you immerse yourself in whatever cuisine you’re making,” Serang said. “What we should do most is to do a great job to get our Michelin star.”

Aside from all the societal applications of Hillsdale students majoring in computer science, the subject itself is worth an in-depth exploration. Computer science has both abstract and utilitarian applications. It is a separate field of study, rich with potential to advance knowledge and edify the mind.

The future is computer science. Students should have the option to equip themselves with a major that will prepare them for it.

 

Malia Thibado is a junior studying international studies in business and foreign language.