In a rare article about the Computer Science and Engineering basement 'dungeon' full of computer-science labs, the UCSD Guardian newspaper on Nov. 13 ran a feature story about the experience of students who "slave away on CSE homework, a life-draining task." The scary language, however, segues into a more upbeat reckoning. "The basement can be a daunting place," writes Dominic Spencer. "It is an integral part of the culture within the CSE department, and diverse students come together there to collaborate and succeed."
In addition to students, the reporter interviewed CSE undergraduate advisor Viera Kair, who has advised CSE students for the past 13 years. “We do encourage our students to spend as much time in the labs as possible because the collaborative nature of the work they are doing is really helping and contributing to their success," Kair told the campus newspaper. "The CSE students are very helpful and, if you work on your assignment in the lab and you get stuck, there is always gonna be someone who is jumping in to help you and explain things to you.”
In a walk-through, the visiting writer notes that as the labs get closer to the exit, "they get progressively harder. Lower division gives way to upper division as the lab room numbers rise, and the material gets more dense and complex. The deeper you go into the dungeon, the harder the challenges and the more experience there is to be gained."
Students who start out fearful at the long rows of computers and students transfixed in front of them tend to become more comfortable in time. "Initially, I was very intimidated by the CSE basement and I avoided going down there at all costs," recalled computer-science and math junior Nicole Ekiss."Now I am quite comfortable in the basement... It's definitely a really good place to focus and get your work done."
Advisor Kair (at left) notes that the number of undergraduate students in CSE majors has trippled in the past three or four years, and the number of master's student has also gone up sharply in that time period. She admits that it can be difficult to get into the much-in-demand major, but she and her colleagues organize multiple sessions each quarter to coach students on strategies for applying and educating them on the process to follow. "It's really hard, but it's possible and it's really up to the individual student how much [hard work] they want to invest" in the process, explained Kair. Meanwhile, she adds, "success in the CSE department can be found in the lab -- a collaborative, focused and hardworking environment. The CSE dungeon is not only the dark and scary place of nightmares past, but the bright and collaborative place of a success-driven present."