FRANK H. MATHIS, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798.

	Mathematics for decision making.

Beginning in the Fall of 1995, a select group of approximately 200 freshmen 
entering Baylor University may choose an alternative to the general education 
requirements of the university. This new program known as the Baylor 
Interdisciplinary Core (BIC) offers students a collection of 15 courses spread 
over the four years of undergraduate work. During the second semester of their 
freshman year, BIC students take Mathematics for Decision Making. This course 
was developed and is taught by faculty from the departments of economics, 
sociology, information systems (School of Business) as well as mathematics. 
Students investigate topics that include the theory of voting and social choice,
analysis of data and statistical inference, linear programming and game theory,
and the modeling of population growth. An important tool in the teaching of 
this course is the use of "case studies"  with which we may draw on the 
experiences of many different faculty members and also show students the power 
of the mathematics in a realistic setting.