SCHOOL OF INFORMATION AND LIBRARY SCIENCE
S E L F - ST U DY
P RO G R A M R E V I E W
AT U N C - C H A P E L H I L L
Submitted by
The School of Information and Library Science
to
Steve Matson, Dean
and
Stephanie Schmitt, Associate Dean for Academics
of
The Graduate School
on
September 17, 2010
Table of Contents
Tables, Charts, and Figures .......................................................................................................................... iii
1. PROGRAM OVERVIEW............................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 MISSION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................... 2
1.1.1 Continuing Themes ...................................................................................................................... 4
1.1.2 Emergent Themes ........................................................................................................................ 5
1.2 NEED AND DEMAND ........................................................................................................................... 6
1.3 INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................ 10
1.4 INTERINSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE .................................................................................................. 11
1.5 PREVIOUS EVALUATIONS .................................................................................................................. 11
2. CURRICULUM .......................................................................................................................................... 14
2.1 GENERAL REMARKS ON CURRICULUM ............................................................................................. 14
2.2 ADVISING........................................................................................................................................... 17
2.3 EVALUATION ..................................................................................................................................... 17
2.4 UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS......................................................................................................... 19
2.4.1 Bachelor of Science in Information Science ............................................................................... 19
2.4.2 Minor in Information Systems ................................................................................................... 22
2.4.3 General Education Courses ........................................................................................................ 23
2.5 GRADUATE PROGRAMS .................................................................................................................... 24
2.5.1 Master of Science in Information Science ................................................................................. 24
2.5.2 Master of Science in Library Science.......................................................................................... 27
2.5.3 Doctor of Philosophy in Information Science ............................................................................ 30
2.5.4 Certificate of Advanced Study in Information and Library Science ........................................... 34
2.5.5 Graduate Minor in Information and Library Science ................................................................. 35
2.6 DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMS AND GRADUATE CERTIFICATES ............................................................. 35
2.6.1 Dual Degrees ............................................................................................................................. 35
2.6.2 Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificates ..................................................................................... 43
3. FACULTY .................................................................................................................................................. 48
3.1 OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE FACULTY.......................................................................................... 48
3.2 FACULTY RESEARCH .......................................................................................................................... 69
3.3 TEACHING.......................................................................................................................................... 80
i
4. STUDENTS ............................................................................................................................................... 87
4.1 APPLICANTS....................................................................................................................................... 87
4.1.1 Recruiting ................................................................................................................................... 87
4.1.2 Admissions ................................................................................................................................. 89
4.2 ENROLLED STUDENTS ....................................................................................................................... 95
4.2.1 Hospitable Environment ............................................................................................................ 95
4.2.2 Student Profile ........................................................................................................................... 97
4.2.3 Student Evaluation ................................................................................................................... 105
4.2.4 Advising .................................................................................................................................... 109
4.2.5 Student Contributions .............................................................................................................. 111
4.3 GRADUATES .................................................................................................................................... 111
5. ADMINISTRATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ....................................................................................................... 113
5.1 LEADERSHIP..................................................................................................................................... 113
5.1.1 Governance and Administration .............................................................................................. 114
5.1.2 Advisory Groups to the Dean ................................................................................................... 115
5.1.3 Committee Structure ............................................................................................................... 116
5.2 ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT ............................................................................................................ 120
5.3 FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT........................................................................................................... 121
5.3.1 Physical Space .......................................................................................................................... 121
5.3.2 Information and Library Science Library .................................................................................. 124
5.3.3 Computing Facilities and Services ............................................................................................ 127
5.4 INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS ..................................................................................................... 130
6. THE FUTURE OF SILS.............................................................................................................................. 133
6.1 OVERVIEW ....................................................................................................................................... 133
6.2 SUBSPECIALTIES .............................................................................................................................. 134
6.3 PROJECTED GROWTH ...................................................................................................................... 138
6.4 CONCLUDING STATEMENT.............................................................................................................. 142
Appendix A. Brief CV’s of Full-Time Faculty .............................................................................................. 143
ii
List of Tables
Table 2.1-1: International Scholars Visiting SILS (2004-2009) .................................................................... 16
Table 2.6-1: Dual Degree Programs ........................................................................................................... 36
Table 2.6-2: Additional Course Requirements for JD and MSIS/MSLS Dual Degree .................................. 40
Table 3.1-1: Full-Time Faculty ................................................................................................................... 49
Table 3.1-2: Part-Time Faculty ................................................................................................................... 52
Table 3.1-3: Teaching Fellows and Doctoral Student Instructors ............................................................... 54
Table 3.1-4: Administrative Assignments 2010-2011 ................................................................................. 56
Table 3.1-5. Teaching Activities, Spring 2005 - Fall 2009 ........................................................................... 60
Table 3.1-6. Teaching Assignments for Required Master’s Courses, Fall 2007 - Spring 2010 .................... 62
Table 3.1-7: Summary Salary Data ............................................................................................................. 66
Table 3.1-8. Age and Gender Distribution of the Faculty, January 2010 ................................................... 66
Table 3.1-9. Gender and Race/Ethnicity of Full-time Faculty, January 2010 .............................................. 68
Table 3.2-1: SILS Faculty Leave Schedule ................................................................................................... 70
Table 3.2-2: Major Research Grants to SILS, 2005-Present ...................................................................... 71
Table 3.2-3: Awards Received by SILS Faculty, 2005-2009 ......................................................................... 74
Table 3.2-4: Frequently Cited Faculty Publications, 1999-2009 ................................................................ 77
Table 3.3-1: Expected Teaching Assignments, 2010-2011 ........................................................................ 81
Table 3.3-2: Alumni Evaluations of the Master’s Paper Experience ......................................................... 84
Table 3.3-3: Alumni Survey (2006): Faculty Are Knowledgeable about Material Presented .................... 84
Table 3.3-4: Student Survey (2008): Satisfaction with Faculty’s General Knowledge of and Currency in the
Field ............................................................................................................................................................ 84
Table 3.3-5: Student Survey (2008): Satisfaction with Faculty’s Ability to Inspire, Motivate, and Challenge
Students ..................................................................................................................................................... 85
Table 3.3-6: Faculty Activity in Advising Master’s and Doctoral Research Activities, Fall 2005 – Spring
2010 ........................................................................................................................................................... 85
Table 4.1-1: Admissions Deadlines for Graduate Programs ....................................................................... 90
Table 4.2-1: Demographic Profile of Undergraduate Students, 2004/2005 – 2008/2009 ......................... 97
Table 4.2-2: Demographic Profile of Graduate Students, 2005-2009 ........................................................ 98
Table 4.2-3: Student Survey: Overall Satisfaction .................................................................................... 109
Table 4.2-4: Student Survey: “Please indicate your satisfaction with the experiences you have had with
your advisor.” ............................................................................................................................................ 110
iii
Table 4.3-1: Sources of Career Advising ................................................................................................... 112
Table 4.3-2: Current Job of 2001-2007 Graduates ................................................................................... 112
Table 5.1-1: Board of Visitors ................................................................................................................... 115
List of Figures
Figure 3.1-1: Faculty Interests .................................................................................................................... 63
Figure 4.1-1 Average GPA of Entering Undergraduate Students ................................................................ 91
Figure 4.1-2 Average SAT Scores of Admitted Undergraduate Students ................................................... 91
Figure 4.1-3 Average Undergraduate GPA of Entering Master’s Students................................................. 92
Figure 4.1-4 Average GRE Scores of Entering Master’s Students ............................................................... 93
Figure 4.1-5 Average Undergraduate GPA of Entering Ph.D. Students ...................................................... 93
Figure 4.1-6 Average GRE Scores of Entering Ph.D. Students .................................................................... 94
Figure 4.2-1 Minority Enrollment: Entering BSIS Students ....................................................................... 100
Figure 4.2-2 Minority Enrollment: Entering MSLS Students ..................................................................... 100
Figure 4.2-3 Minority Enrollment: Entering MSIS Students ...................................................................... 101
Figure 4.2-4 Minority Enrollment: Entering Ph.D. Students ..................................................................... 101
Figure 4.2-5 Gender: Entering BSIS Students............................................................................................ 102
Figure 4.2-6 Gender: Entering MSLS Students .......................................................................................... 102
Figure 4.2-7 Gender: Entering MSIS Students .......................................................................................... 103
Figure 4.2-8 Gender: Entering PhD Students ............................................................................................ 103
Figure 4.2-9 Average Time-to-Degree....................................................................................................... 108
Figure 5.1-1: Organization of SILS Administration ................................................................................... 113
Figure 5.3-1: Number of Volumes in SILS Library ..................................................................................... 126
iv
1. PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Library education began at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1904 when Louis
Round Wilson, University Librarian from 1901-1932, began to offer summer school classes.
Building on this tradition and a Carnegie Corporation foundation grant, the School of Library
Science opened for the 1931-1932 academic year with 29 students and five faculty members.
Susan Gray Akers was the School’s first Dean and the University’s first female Dean. The
School’s library science program was accredited in 1932 and has been accredited continuously
from that time by the now-called Committee on Accreditation of the American Library
Association. The Bachelor of Science in Library Science became a Master of Science in Library
Science in 1951. The School moved into its present Manning Hall location on central campus in
1970.
In 1978 a Doctor of Philosophy in Information and Library Science degree was approved and the
first doctoral degree was conferred in 1980. In 1988, a post-master’s degree, the Certificate of
Advanced Study (CAS) in Information and Library Science, was introduced, the name of the
school was officially changed to the School of Information and Library Science (SILS), and a new
master’s degree program, the Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS), was also
initiated. A minor in information systems was first offered in 1997. In 2001 SILS announced the
introduction of dual master’s degree programs with the Kenan-Flagler Business School and the
School of Public Health; in 2003 dual master’s degree programs began with the School of
Nursing, the Art History Department, and the School of Government. A Bachelor of Science in
Information Science degree was initiated in 2003 along with a Certificate program in
Bioinformatics. In 2004 dual degree programs began with the School of Law, Duke University’s
School of Medicine, and the Department of Public History at North Carolina State University. In
2010, the certificate in health informatics began in cooperation with the School of Medicine,
School of Nursing, and Gillings School of Global Public Health.
Since its beginning 78 years ago, SILS has graduated more than 5,000 information specialists
and librarians and over 80 doctoral graduates who are employed throughout the nation and the
world. Currently SILS enrolls almost 400 students and has 25 full-time faculty members.
In its first ranking of graduate information and library science programs in 1999, the U.S. News
and World Report announced that SILS was tied for number one. A decade later SILS maintains
the same position. The School’s record of research is distinguished. Faculty publish in the
leading information journals and conferences, serve in leadership positions in several
professional societies, and were engaged in over $7.4 million in funding in the 2008-2009 year.
In recent years we have joined with other schools around the globe to define information as a
field of study, and to conceptualize and develop programs that educate information
professionals for the 21st century who can adapt to new technologies and socio-economic
conditions. SILS is an active participant in the I-School movement and hosted the group’s
annual conference in 2008. Thus, the leadership and innovation that earned SILS its
1: Program Overview, page 1
international reputation in the 20th century is being refined and extended and is reflected in
this review and our plans for the decades ahead.
All of our degrees are considered by the present Self-Study: the Bachelor of Science in
Information Science, the Master of Science in Information Science, the Master of Science in
Library Science, the Certificate of Advanced Study, and the Doctor of Philosophy in Information
Science. The nine dual-degree programs are also described and evaluated as are the
undergraduate Minor in Information Systems and the graduate Minor in Information and
Library Science. The Self-Study follows the suggested outline offered by the Graduate School.
1.1 MISSION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES
Mission Statement
The School of Information and Library Science seeks to advance the profession
and practice of librarianship and information science; to prepare students for
careers in the field of information and library science; and to make significant
contributions to the study of information. Faculty members further these goals
by teaching and advisory work; by research and scholarly publishing; and by
service to the school, the university, the state, and the professional community.
The above Mission Statement supports the Mission Statement of the University. The University
Mission Statement leads with a call for the institution to “acquire, discover, preserve,
synthesize and transmit knowledge.” SILS echoes that call in its Mission Statement; it
underscores the importance of its tripartite mission to conduct inquiry through research and
scholarly activity, to teach and advise students, and to serve the state and the university
community. Moreover, SILS’ professional mission is acknowledged in the statement that it
“seeks to advance the profession and practice of librarianship and information science.” The
professional mission of the field furthers the acquisition, preservation, and transmission of
knowledge.
The University Mission Statement asks SILS to “extend knowledge-based services and other
resources of the University to the citizens of North Carolina and their institutions to enhance
the quality of life for all people in the state.” SILS, in turn, asks its faculty, staff, and students to
achieve its information and library science goals in part by rendering service to the state.
Many other elements of the University Mission Statement, along with many important program
goals and objectives, are implicit in and may be derived from the above Mission Statement.
SILS has found it important to explicate much of this in a Faculty Statement on Identity and
Purpose and reaffirms that Statement here.
1: Program Overview, page 2
Faculty Statement on Identity and Purpose. The faculty approved the statement below in
1999, and most recently confirmed its currency in September 2005.
We are here to conduct inquiry devoted to information generation and use; to prepare
reflective, adaptive information professionals for action in the present and the future; and
to transfer to them an uncompromising advocacy for knowledge.
We are, foremost, colleagues with multiple perspectives on information. We are
behavioral and social scientists, archivists, librarians, consultants, information scientists,
computer scientists, educators, counselors, bibliographers, scholars, and researchers.
Through these identities, we share a common mission, working to understand all aspects
of information and librarianship. We study the values of information in human life, how
people construct information as they learn and work, and how the creation,
management, and use of information empowers individuals in organizations,
communities, and societies. (This interdisciplinary perspective is borne out in the many
research collaborations with scholars in other units on the Chapel Hill campus and
beyond; and in the wide range of dual degree and collaborative programs we offer.)
As information technology transforms us, we explore and shape its effects on individuals,
organizations and cultures, guided by questions about the future of knowledge, the
direction of practice, and the value of change. We educate professionals and researchers
to learn, teach, and inquire using both traditional and professional knowledge as well as
innovative tools. We expect our students and ourselves to design and improve systems
that deliver information to diverse users, to evolve with technology, and, in an era of
change, to understand the relationships between human beings and knowledge.
As a faculty, our primary task is to help shape the expanding domain of information. In
research, each of us works to discover new knowledge about information creation,
dissemination, seeking, retrieval, and use, and to share that knowledge with our students
and others. As educators, we are engaged by the challenges of integrating issues of
theory and practice; assuring that themes of society, technology, and law are brought
into the classroom; and assisting students to evaluate their experiences critically as they
interact with information and other people.
We are constantly engaged in building and maintaining bridges of communication with
our students, each other, and our colleagues in other disciplines, here and abroad.
Among the expanding information professions, we strive to promote a collective
conversation for mutual learning, toward understanding the scope of our discipline and
its applications in practice. We nurture a curriculum that promotes the traditional values
of service and scholarship while interpreting those values in the face of social, cultural,
and technological transformations. As leaders in research and the applications of
technology, we define and redefine these changes without sacrificing our rich
continuities with the past.
1: Program Overview, page 3
1.1.1 Continuing Themes
The continuing themes of our program represented below further develop the Mission
Statement and the Faculty Statement on Identity and Purpose.
Integration. We strive to confidently deliver a comprehensive view of the field of information
and library science, whatever an individual student’s program of studies. The core of required
classes for the degree programs and the sharing of individual interests in electives assure that
our graduates have a broad perspective on the field as well as the competencies needed to
perform in the work world and adapt as that world changes. Our curricula depend on faculty
interactions and collaborative processes. The mission and public responsibilities of the school
are aligned with, and responsive to, those of the University. We are integrated with the
institutions, agencies, and corporations of the region through partnerships, internships, and
mutual consultation.
Depth. Our programs are extensive in time and rich in curricular and experiential diversity.
They allow a fabric of course offerings, specialization for students in the second year of study,
independent study, extended relationships between students and mentors, and opportunities
for faculty to teach advanced courses integrating research and teaching interests. The required
master's paper and comprehensive examination, and abundant internship opportunities, assure
the integration of scholarship and practice. Most students attend full time; consequently, the
perspective of a community—including student participation in professional associations and
school governance—evolves as a natural outcome of this immersion.
Quality. The themes of depth and integration are indicators of our abiding commitment to
quality in all aspects of what we do and strive for. We value teaching as a primary component
of scholarship; we regularly discuss classroom practice and research work with equal
engagement. Regular, adjunct, and clinical faculty members are under routine review. Faculty
members are physically and virtually present for their students and typically engaged in critical
interactions as they design student experiences. We emphasize excellence as we advise and
counsel our students -- from the point of first contact through (and sometimes beyond) their
first professional position.
Leadership. All information fields depend on vision and knowledge, and the ability to articulate
both in a critically changing world. Just as our faculty assume leadership in professional
societies (our faculty has four society presidents and several chairs and board members), so our
students are encouraged to assume leadership on campus and in their professional lives after
graduation. Given the quality and intentions of our students, it is particularly incumbent upon
us to address the need for exposure to the values and models of leadership in the field. Our
teaching emphasizes ethics, community, dialogue, and collaboration as means to develop the
integrity and values of leaders. Whenever possible, we invite leaders from the field to present
ideas and experiences to our students. Our two-year program and high number of resident
students allows a culture of student leadership to grow as well.
1: Program Overview, page 4
Collaboration. Most work in our field depends on abilities to acknowledge the expertise and
contributions of others, and to integrate an array of talented contributors into the conduct of
service and inquiry. Our students – most of whom are here full-time, and all of whom are
available for face-to-face meetings – have an extraordinary opportunity to develop
collaborative, cooperative skills. Most of our faculty are practiced in collaboration as well; it is
part of the ethos of this school, and has educative benefit.
We believe that, through integration and immersion, the experience of professional studies in
information and library science at North Carolina is coherent and continuous, imbued with the
best qualities we know as professionals in higher education. We are sensitive to meeting the
expectations of the University and the community, but we are also mindful of the need to
evolve and transform, and to reflect on our choices and directions as we do so.
1.1.2 Emergent Themes
Building on and supplementing these commitments, we have expanded on the values and
trends that drive our programs. A review of the themes listed above has demonstrated that we
now strive to integrate the following themes, reflecting values held by the faculty and
constituents of SILS and the priorities of the university.
Diversity. The need to prepare graduates to be leaders in an increasingly multicultural society,
in which organizational diversity is directly related to organizational performance, requires that
diversity should be represented among the faculty and staff, and in the curricula where
diversity issues are systematically addressed in research, service, and the focus on outreach to
the State. Supported by the research related to the enhanced quality of the learning and
educational processes, based on the range of perspectives represented among a diverse
student and faculty population, the value of diversity will be manifested in faculty recruitment
and in student recruitment in all of the SILS degree programs.
Evidence-based practice. Practice in all the information professions will continue to change as
the possibilities of technology and information evolve, and our programs must above all
prepare adaptive and inquiry-driven professionals. Each student completes a research methods
course and an independent research project leading to the Master’s paper; a deep respect for
empirical evidence pervades the faculty and the School’s curricula.
International Connections. We see the benefit of offering our students and ourselves
opportunities to explore educational models and information institutions beyond the borders
of the United States. We have made clear the multiple connections between SILS and the rest
of the world in other parts of this report. It is likely that these relationships will expand, will
involve more students, and may engage working professionals as well.
Public Engagement in North Carolina. It is clear that, as a university supported by the state and
as the leading institution of information and library science education in North Carolina, our
work must include the community beyond the university itself, and the academic communities
1: Program Overview, page 5
our research efforts involve. We note that there are themes of service emerging with greater
strength in much of the SILS community. Such themes are part of the University of North
Carolina academic community, and certainly an integral part of librarianship and other forms of
information practice. Public engagement always challenges us, but is likely to become a clearer
and more extensive priority in the immediate future.
1.2 NEED AND DEMAND
The needs and demands presented here are divided into the needs for our program and the
needs of our program. We begin with the needs for our program.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “a large number of librarians are likely to retire in
the coming decade”,1 thus creating a growing number of job opportunities for current
graduates. Referring to newly minted MLS graduates, an article in Library Journal reports that,
“despite a difficult economy and tightening budgets, both jobs and salaries rose for 2007
grads.2” These findings indicate a direct need for our Library Science master’s program, the
largest of our several degree programs, as this degree is a requirement for most librarian
positions.
A major advantage of a SILS education is its emphasis on the rapid, transformative changes that
are presently occurring in the field of library science. Accordingly, research and organizational
skills as well as knowledge of databases, all of which were highlighted by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, are developed in our library science curriculum.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also predicts that “jobs for librarians outside traditional settings
will grow the fastest over the decade.” It points out that “many companies are turning to
librarians because of their research and organizational skills and their knowledge of computer
databases and library automation systems. Librarians can review vast amounts of information
and analyze, evaluate, and organize it according to a company’s specific needs. Librarians also
are hired by organizations to set up information on the Internet.”
Because of the ongoing changes to the field, no single, widely agreed upon occupation matches
the academic field of information science. The Bureau of Labor Statistics covers some of what
is understood to be important to an information professional in its computer network, systems,
and database administrator occupations (including Webmasters). These occupations “are
projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations and add 286,600 new jobs
1
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition.
Librarians. Retrieved 9/16/2010 from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm.
2
Maatta, S. (2008, October 15). Jobs and Pay Both Up. Library Journal, 133(17), 30-38. Retrieved September 14,
2009, from Academic Search Premier database.
1: Program Overview, page 6
over the 2008-18 decade”.3 Beyond the needs for systems and database administrators,
information architecture and web design have emerged as growing fields (e.g., the annual
Information Architecture Summits attract 400+ attendees) and our students are defining jobs in
small and large companies and institutions as web architects, ontologists, and social media
strategists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics specifically notes that an information science degree
is appropriate for these occupations. A second category of information science-related
occupations is classified by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as computer systems analysts.
Employment in these occupations is also expected to increase much faster than the average.
The BLS also notes that “employers generally prefer applicants who have at least a bachelor’s
degree; relevant work experience also is very important.”4
We turn now to introduce the needs of the School. Foremost, SILS needs space. We occupy
about two-thirds of the usable space in Manning Hall but are currently beyond capacity. A
recent space study by the UNC facilities department computed our current space needs at
more than 40,000 square feet and we currently occupy only 20,000 square feet. The only
places for faculty to meet are classrooms; there are no non-classroom meeting or gathering
spaces for students, and this is a particular concern for doctoral students. There is no space to
accommodate our expanding portfolio of research projects, and the space currently being
utilized by some research projects is crowded and suffers inadequate ventilation. There is no
space to accommodate the number of visiting scholars that SILS attracts each year. Classroom
renovations are expected to add more pressure on limited space and create disruptions over
the next year or so. The heating and air conditioning systems in Manning are failing and work
unpredictably.
SILS is engaged in planning and fundraising for a new state-of-the-art facility that will support
an expanded school. The economic situation in the state has hampered progress toward a new
building and caused us to consider the alternative of a major renovation of Manning Hall. In
the immediate years ahead, conditions in the state will determine whether we are able to
realize the ambition of a new building or undertake a major renovation. A renovation of
Manning Hall would entail moving out of Manning Hall for about two years, would require
almost as much investment as a new building, and would leave us with enough space for a
decade but not 25+ years. In the next 10 years, we expect to double our student enrollment in
degree programs, add new programs, significantly increase the number of students in
certificate programs, and double the faculty and support staff.
The new building (estimated at just under 210,000 square feet) would provide a state-of-the art
technology infrastructure that can function as both “an experiential living lab” for students,
faculty, and staff and as a demonstration site for emerging technologies and information
services in action. In addition to state of the art classrooms and labs, and adequate office,
3
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition.
Computer scientists and database administrators. Retrieved 9/16/2010 from
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos305.htm.
4
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition.
Computer systems analysts. Retrieved 9/16/2010 from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos287.htm.
1: Program Overview, page 7
meeting, and conference spaces, the new building would house a library and archive of the
future. To support and enhance the anticipated growth in multidisciplinary activities and dataintensive applications requiring significant computation and visualization capabilities, the new
facility would include three collaboratories (one each for library science, information science,
and health informatics). The building is envisioned as a “green” building, leveraging SILS’ more
than 30-year relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Triangle and
will function as a demonstration site for sustainable capital investments. The current planned
site, which has been incorporated into the campus master plan is on the south campus near the
UNC Hospitals and Health Affairs schools, as well as the Kenan-Flagler Business School. While
attractive in many ways, the site is farther from central campus classrooms, labs, and libraries.
The location potentially allows for synergistic opportunities to provide learning resources for
the increasing numbers of students who are being housed on the south campus, and support
developing relationships with programs in Business and Health Affairs.
The alternative of a major renovation of Manning Hall would require us to scale back the selfcontained model of operation by teaching many of our classes in other buildings and moving
portions of our labs, library, and research projects out of Manning Hall. Such a renovation
would require the removal of the entire core facility in order to create a new layout that
optimizes volume and enables SILS to make full use of the renovated space. The advantage of
this alternative is that SILS would retain its location on central campus where other classrooms,
labs, and libraries are proximate. Clearly, there are pros and cons to either solution and we will
work with campus leaders, as well our Board of Visitors and alumni, to address our challenges
for space.
We reiterate the need for a new state-of-the-art building or full renovation to Manning Hall to
house our expanding activities.
While SILS continues to plan for the long term renovation or new building, the space and
capacity constraints within Manning Hall need to be addressed creatively. In the summer of
2010, with support from the Provost’s office, we have improved the appearance of Manning
Hall with paint and carpeting and improved the building’s functionality by reallocating some
space to multiple purposes and acquiring more flexible furniture. Although our resources are
stretched, it may be necessary to rent off-site space for research activities.
The SILS growth plan anticipates an approximate doubling of its student body (from about 400
students to over 800) in the next decade. The enrollment in the Master’s program in Library
Science (MSLS) has seen continued growth in both applicants and admissions. The enrollments
in the Master’s and undergraduate programs in Information Science have leveled off in the past
couple of years, although both represent important long-term growth commitments. We
expect that our new recruiting efforts to attract undergraduate majors will allow us to grow the
major to 100 students in the next five years and maintain stability after that. We expect that
defining the CIO track of our MSIS program and the increasingly active collaborative programs
in health informatics will lead to significant increases in the MSIS enrollment. The doctoral
program has doubled in size over the past 5 years.
1: Program Overview, page 8
One significant factor that negatively affects SILS’ ability to attract students to the program is
limited financial aid, both in terms of stipends and tuition remission. We compete with
institutions like Illinois, Michigan, Syracuse and Washington which can offer substantially more
tuition remissions.
To promote and improve access to SILS programs, with particular attention to African American,
Native American, and Hispanic students, SILS needs an increase in financial aid of $150,000 plus
tuition remission for 15 students.
To attract students with science or business degrees, SILS needs an increase in financial aid of
$100,000 plus tuition remission for 10 students.
To support the increased number of SILS students and the development of recruitment and
placement activities, SILS needs one Recruitment/Placement Director and one additional student
services staff member.
SILS has been successful in attracting and retaining an excellent faculty that has developed
strong research and teaching collaborations with others at UNC and other universities. Recent
budget cuts resulted in the loss of positions, and a rapidly evolving field has created the need
for new specializations and new programs. Faculty retirements have led to faculty gaps in core
courses related to organization of knowledge and management. New specializations include:
archives and digital preservation; academic CIO careers that parallel library director leadership
careers; health information technology and information services; and open source software,
open content, open services and social media and their contribution to economic development.
The rapid growth of the broader information industry and the demands for more proactive
leadership result in a need for a stronger focus on entrepreneurship throughout the SILS
curricula. SILS’ ability to attract both students and resources related to these areas will be
enhanced through recruitment of additional exceptional faculty. The graduates of SILS
programs will be better prepared to address the information and information technologyrelated needs of North Carolina and beyond. Additionally, SILS has greatly expanded its
international activities, forging formal agreements with universities in Europe, the Northern
Africa/Middle East, and Asia. We have participated in exploratory meetings with potential
partners in South Asia, South America, and Africa and expect to develop collaborations in these
areas in the immediate years ahead.
To restore lost positions and support growth in existing program areas, SILS needs one faculty
member specializing in Human Computer Interaction and Social Computing and one specializing
in Information Retrieval, Synthesis, and Analysis.
To support growth in students enrolled in SILS’ new specializations and take advantage of
expanded research and engagement opportunities, SILS will need additional faculty members
specializing in one specializing in Health Informatics, Entrepreneurship and Economic
1: Program Overview, page 9
Development, Open Source Software/Content/Service with an emphasis on CIO and Library
Director leadership, International Programs, and Digital Archives and Preservation.
1.3 INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES
Interdisciplinary activity is abundant at SILS. To meet the challenges of an evolving workplace
and workforce, SILS has partnered with several other schools and programs both within UNCChapel Hill and with North Carolina State University and Duke University to offer a variety of
unique educational opportunities that allow students to pursue two master’s degrees
simultaneously. Currently, we offer nine dual-degree programs and a wide range of
interdisciplinary graduate certificates.
For students who do not choose to make the additional investments of time and money
required by dual-degree programs, the option of taking courses outside of SILS is still there. We
facilitate this by accepting credit hours from other schools toward the degrees we confer.
Several of our faculty members are jointly appointed. Paul Jones has a joint appointment with
both SILS and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He also directs ibiblio.org, a
large contributor-run digital library. Brad Hemminger has a joint appointment with the Carolina
Center for Genome Sciences and has an adjunct appointment with the Department of
Radiology. Javed Mostafa has a joint appointment with the Biomedical Research and Imaging
Center. Several of our courses are cross listed with other departments (e.g., Information
Retrieval and Natural Language Processing are both cross-listed with the computer science
department). Many faculty serve on doctoral committees and as active researchers on projects
outside SILS.
We recognize that research centers and institutions are powerful forces for collaboration and
are engaged with the following: The NC Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute, The
Biomedical Research Imaging Center, The Humanities Advanced Technologies and Information
Institute of The University of Glasgow, The Metadata Research Center, The National Archives
and Records Administration, The NC Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center,
The Renaissance Computing Institute, and The UNC Institute on Aging.
Our faculty also conduct research with faculty outside of the discipline. Greater detail on this
topic can be found in the Faculty section, while a few examples are offered here:
Jane Greenberg is conducting research related to Dryad, a repository designed to
archive data that underlie published findings in evolutionary biology, ecology and
related fields and allow scientists to access and build on each other’s findings. SILS was
one of several recipients of National Science Foundation grants totaling $2.18 million.
The Data Intensive Cyber Environments (DICE) Center supports software systems for
data curation and data preservation to solve the pressing problems of managing and
1: Program Overview, page 10
sharing today’s deluge of digital data. This externally funded Center collaborates with
groups across the UNC system on issues of distributed data management, digital
preservation, data intensive computing, digital library systems, and data curation.
Several outside faculty are associated with this project.
Stephanie Haas is conducting research on managing disease through linking data with
Associate Professor of Epidemiology David Richardson as well as research on medication
reconciliation with faculty from the School of Nursing and the Department of Emergency
Medicine.
Javed Mostafa is collaborating with Professor Ed Hammond at Duke University Medical
School on a Health Informatics Training Program sponsored by HHS.
1.4 INTERINSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Our rank in the latest U.S. News and World Report survey was mentioned above and can be
expounded on here. In addition to tying for first place in the 2009 overall rankings, several of
our specializations were recognized as top-ten. In the Digital Librarianship specialization, we
ranked first; in Health Librarianship, second; in Archives and Preservation, fifth; in Services for
Children and Youth, sixth; and in Information Systems, seventh.
This recognition is further supported by a 2006 study of scholarly productivity by LIS faculty
nationally. 5 This study found that SILS had the fifth most citations of faculty on both per capita
and absolute metrics. It also listed SILS as tied for fourth in Cumulative Rank.
1.5 PREVIOUS EVALUATIONS
The last University evaluation of our program was undertaken in the Fall of 1999. On the
whole, the External Review Panel Report written for that evaluation was very favorable. In the
Report, SILS’ extensive strengths were “summarized as: Quality of the students, faculty and
staff; small size of classes; the School’s reputation; the low cost of tuition and reasonable
financial aid; the location of the School on campus and within a single building; supporting
services, including libraries, hardware, software, and staff support; classroom technology;
opportunities for practical and other work experience; and the length of the program.” 6
5
Adkins, D., & Budd, J. (2006, June). Scholarly productivity of U.S. LIS faculty. Library & Information Science
Research (07408188), 28(3), 374-389. Retrieved September 1, 2009, doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2006.03.021
6
Bates, M. J., Belkin, N. J., Carbo, T., Cronin, J. R., Ford, B. J., Swan-Hill, J. (1999) External Review Panel Report on
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Degrees of Master of Science in Information Science and Master of
Science in Library Science.
1: Program Overview, page 11
The Report also brought attention to areas in need of improvement:
1. “The greatest concern the panel identified is the need to ensure that adequate
resources are provided to support the proposed undergraduate major.”
2. “A clearer identity is need for the MSIS degree.”
3. “The school should take a much more proactive plan for increasing the number of
students and faculty from minority groups.”
4. “Space is inadequate and more space is needed for research, computer labs, and for
informal interaction among the faculty and among students, as well as across
specializations.”
5. “More and better incentives are needed for research. These should include staff
support for grant proposal development, an additional staff member with accounting
experience to help manage grants, and additional space.”
Many of these areas have since been strengthened, while we continue to improve other areas.
A few brief comments on each of these five items may be useful.
The Undergraduate Major. The undergraduate major has not grown to the size needed. It is
likely that insufficient resources have been expended in marketing the program. The current
Undergraduate Committee has taken this on as a top priority this year.
Identity for the MSIS degree. The MSIS degree is gradually attaining greater recognition.
Recent calls for proposals from agencies like the National Science Foundation identify
information science as a major disciplinary emphasis. The I-Schools Consortium is also working
to raise awareness of information science.
Increase in minority presence. Since the report was written, a standing committee to address
diversity issues has been established. The school places great emphasis on the recruitment of a
diverse body of students and faculty and has directed a substantial portion of its financial aid to
encourage the attendance of good students from diverse backgrounds. In 2009-10, we made a
major effort to recruit a minority woman to the program (in collaboration with the computer
science department). Although we were not successful in attracting her, we are resolved to
leverage the UNC targeted hiring program to aggressively recruit talented minority faculty.
Space. Space continues to be inadequate and is an even more critical need today than it was
ten years ago. The faculty and the student body have been growing steadily. Research efforts
have also expanded significantly. Every available space in Manning Hall has been put in service
with the exception of space designated for the Odum Institute with whom we share the
building.
1: Program Overview, page 12
Incentives for research. In 2009, ten years after the suggestion of the need for an additional
staff member to help manage grants, SILS has been able to hire a Contracts and Grants
Manager supported for the most part by F&A funds. In addition, administrative responsibility
for research development within the School has been assigned to a Director Research; Javed
Mostafa is currently serving in that role. Senior staff, notably Boshamer Professor Gary
Marchionini but including most of the senior faculty, have been helpful in encouraging and
supporting junior faculty in grant proposal development. These efforts continue to bolster our
efforts to support our research climate.
1: Program Overview, page 13
2. CURRICULUM
The Curriculum section focuses on the educational goals of each of our degree programs. It
also shows how each degree program’s design meets the goals we have set for it. We will
address each of the criteria laid out in the Curricular Matrix7 offered by The Graduate School,
beginning with our undergraduate programs and progressing through our degrees to the
doctoral level. Because our remarks regarding advising and program review are uniform across
degrees, they will be covered prior to the degree-by-degree discussion, immediately following
some opening remarks. Five-year course enrollment statistics are provided following the
degree by degree discussion.
2.1 GENERAL REMARKS ON CURRICULUM
The main curricular objective is to assure that all graduates of SILS programs develop
knowledge, skills, and abilities in the core competencies of the library and information field.
This objective is supplemented by multiple opportunities to develop deeper knowledge, skills,
and abilities in specialized areas of interest. In accord with our reputation for preparing
professionals to engage in evidence-based practice, the faculty strives to provide our students
with a balance between theoretical and conceptual material and a concern for application to
practice.
SILS faculty encourage students to think independently and constructively challenge
assumptions. Many courses incorporate project-based learning, which allows students to
engage in the full problem solving life cycle including: problem identification, definition, and
specification; generation of viable proposals; and evaluation of the effectiveness of the
solutions proposed.
Several SILS courses8 encourage students to engage in problem-based learning for real clients.
Among these are:
INLS 382: Information Systems Analysis and Design
INLS 397: Information Science Internship
INLS 523: Database Systems I: Introduction to Databases
INLS 525: Electronic Records Management
INLS 558: Principles and Techniques of Storytelling
INLS 582: Systems Analysis
INLS 623: Database Systems II: Intermediate Databases
7
Figure 1: Curricular Matrix. Retrieved September 3, 2009, from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
The Graduate School Website: http://gradschool.unc.edu/policies/program-review/implementation.html.
8
Courses numbered below 400 are intended for undergraduates only. Undergraduate juniors and seniors and
graduate students may take courses numbered 200 through 699. Courses numbered 700 through 999 are intended
only for graduate students; undergraduate students may enroll in them with the permission of the instructor.
2: Curriculum, page 14
INLS 701: Information Retrieval Search Strategies
INLS 718: User Interface Deign
INLS 739: Information Services for Specific Populations
INLS 786: Marketing of Information Services
INLS 795: Professional Field Experience
In addition, we continue to experiment with specialized service learning classes, which bring
together student learning and service to the community.
Faculty incorporate research findings regularly in their classes; there are research components
in most classes and the possibility of independent, directed research activities for credit
through INLS 696: Study in Information and Library Science, and INLS 988: Research in
Information and Library Science. In addition, qualified undergraduate students may complete
an honors thesis, all master’s students are required to complete a master’s paper, and all
doctoral students complete a dissertation. SILS faculty members are active researchers
themselves, allowing them to bring their own research and the research of others into the
classroom. Through student involvement in independent research projects (as paid research
assistants or volunteers), SILS faculty engage students in innovative and creative inquiry.
Students are encouraged to look at the application of research results in practical situations
through course projects, professional field experience, independent studies, and master's
papers and doctoral dissertations. Selected Topics courses provide another vehicle for faculty
and students to examine emerging research topics of interest.
In our field, it is crucial to respond to the needs of a rapidly changing global society. Our
curriculum emphasizes issues of humanity’s interactions with information and technology in
the context of cross-cultural and global society issues from a variety of perspectives, including
courses in the curriculum, short courses abroad, memos of understanding with several
programs in other countries, and UNC’s ties with other universities.
One course, INLS 758: International and Cross-cultural Perspectives for Information
Management, specifically focuses on the roles of information and information institutions in a
global society. International and cross-cultural comparisons are also employed throughout the
curriculum.
For a number of years, SILS has offered short courses in other parts of the world for our
master’s students. These currently include a program with Charles University, in Prague, and a
program with University College London. Past offerings have includes programs at Oxford
University and at Ljubljana University in Slovenia. Each of these programs is two weeks of
intensive study, hosted by the European university partner. A SILS faculty member participates
in the seminars and works with the registered students to develop an individual research paper
related to the topic of the seminar. SILS has also participated in a Circulating International
Program for undergraduate students (2004-2006). A small number of students from each of
three universities, the Royal School of Library and Information Science in Denmark and
Temasek Technical University in Singapore in addition to SILS, came together at one of the
2: Curriculum, page 15
partner universities each fall. In the Fall of 2005, the students from Denmark and Singapore
came to Chapel Hill to interact with SILS students in the classroom and other venues.
In addition, SILS has memos of understanding with several universities, to support international
exchange and study programs for faculty and students. These include Charles University in
Prague, Czech Republic; the Royal School of Library and Information Science in Copenhagen,
Denmark; Ljubljanka University in Slovenia, National University in Singapore, and Zayed
University in the United Arab Emirates. Discussions are currently underway to establish
additional partnerships with universities in Morocco and Dubai. In addition to these SILS
partnerships, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has formal university ties with
approximately 75 international schools and universities9. Through these ties, SILS has a formal
University agreement with the Department of Information Studies, Sheffield University, United
Kingdom.
SILS has also hosted several visiting international scholars in recent years (see the list in Table
2.1-1). Their interactions with faculty and students substantially add to SILS students’
understanding of other cultures.
Table 2.1-1: International Scholars Visiting SILS (2004 – 2009)
Year
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
9
Scholars
Dr. Sinyoung Kim
Dr. Younghee Noh
Dr. Sookyoung Kim
Charles Seger Jakobsen
Jose Ramon Perez Aguera
Dr. Gum-Sokk Hoany
Dr. Qi Hong
Dr. Maria Iturbide
Seth Van Hoolan
Fen Chen
Gema Bueno de la Fuenta
Soon Kim
Dr. Abdallah Metwally
Mari-Carmen Marcos
Dr. Eva Mendez Rodriguez
Gordana Stokic
Alenka Saupel
Lennart Bjorneborn
Guoliang Sui
Berger Larsen
Country of Origin
South Korea
South Korea
South Korea
Denmark
Spain
South Korea
China
Spain
Belgium
China
Spain
South Korea
Egypt
Spain
Spain
Serbia
Slovenia
Denmark
China
Denmark
See the complete list at http://studyabroad.unc.edu/studyabroad.cfm.
2: Curriculum, page 16
Year
2004
Scholars
Irene Kim
Pedero Zapirain Sagaseta
Hanka LandovaAmal
Country of Origin
South Korea
Spain
Czech Republic
2.2 ADVISING
Students, including the undergraduate students, work one-on-one with their faculty advisors
(chosen during the first semester with opportunities for change in subsequent semesters if the
student desires) to develop an appropriate program of studies during their time at SILS. Each
student's program of study is individualized based on a changing appreciation of the field and
its opportunities during the period of study here. In some cases, when the opportunity is new
(a not untypical occurrence in a field such as information and library science, where new job
opportunities arise regularly), faculty and students explore the competency expectations
together and plan a program best fitted to meet them.
2.3 EVALUATION
Curriculum and teaching at SILS are regularly evaluated, to ensure that the curriculum is up to
date and relevant to the education of tomorrow’ information professionals. The standing
committee associated with each program (Undergraduate, Master’s, Research and Doctoral) is
responsible for oversight of the curriculum in that program. Each year they review the
curriculum, with an eye to those new courses that are needed, courses that need to be revised,
and courses that can be dropped. In addition, our program of peer observation is useful in
evaluating the match between the planned curriculum and the courses that are actually taught.
In addition to visiting a class session or two, the peer observation team reviews the course
syllabus, to ensure that it is consistent with the goals for the course adopted by the faculty.
The Educational Policy Statements provided by the American Library Association and its
constituent organizations are available to the faculty and are employed in the process of
curriculum planning and evaluation. These include guidelines, standards, or competencies lists
for specialization in law librarianship, school librarianship, service to children, academic
librarianship, collection development and technical services, medical (health sciences)
librarianship, archives, special librarianship, and young adult services. In addition,
SILS committees use educational objectives produced by the American Society for Information
Science & Technology, the Guidelines for a Graduate Program in Archival Studies from the
Society of American Archivists, curriculum guidelines from the Association for Computing
Machinery (ACM) and the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board, standards of conduct and
the code of ethics from the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP), and
proposed criteria for engineering technology programs produced by the Accreditation Board for
Engineering and Technology (ABET).
2: Curriculum, page 17
Faculty have been following and contributing to discussions at national and international levels
on education for librarianship and other information professions and use these in considering
possible revisions to the curriculum.
A review of the progression of syllabi demonstrates that SILS faculty frequently update course
content and approach, incorporating classic, contemporary, and leading edge materials and a
concern for professional practice in their courses. In addition to changing course content, new
courses are offered experimentally and after a period of trial may become regular offerings
(e.g., the recent addition of INLS 749: Art & Visual Information Management to the curriculum).
Syllabi typically reflect current trends in both society and technology and seek to equip
students as leaders and innovators as well.
Several types of data contribute to our evaluation of the curriculum and teaching at SILS.
Students provide evaluations for each course. These evaluations go to the individual faculty
member and then are considered in periodic faculty reviews. Students and alumni are surveyed
on their overall experience. The results are analyzed and studied by individual faculty,
committee members, and members of ad hoc curriculum review committees. The
comprehensive exam at the end of a student's master’s program provides another feedback
mechanism to the faculty to assess the student's knowledge of major issues and their critical
thinking ability particularly related to the knowledge, skills, abilities, values, and ethical issues
raised in the core courses. Students can offer additional evaluative input in all aspects of the
program through their membership on faculty committees and through the Information and
Library Science Student Association (ILSSA) and other student organizations.
In 2005 SILS established a formal procedure to assess the extent to which graduates of the BSIS,
MSLS, and MSIS degree programs demonstrate specified learning outcomes. This procedure
involves random sampling of papers and examinations. Although efforts to modify and develop
better assessment methods continue in light of methodological issues, SILS has nevertheless
been able to identify problem areas which faculty have discussed and remedied. Overall, the
achievement of the desired outcomes has been very good or sufficient.
In the Fall of 2008 a special Task Force on the Curriculum was developed and charged with
reviewing the first-level core requirements for the undergraduate and master’s degrees. Two
lines of inquiry were pursued – an investigation of topics that are currently covered and of
topics that should be included in core courses. Focus groups of SILS teaching faculty, doctoral
teaching assistants, and adjunct lecturers in five broad subject areas were convened and course
material was examined. The Task Force reported to the faculty in December 2009. In addition
to providing a detailed description of the topics covered across all the core courses, they
recommended the continued use of course coordinators for particular courses or clusters of
courses and that we continue to maintain consistency across sections of the core courses.
We will now assess the curriculum of each of our degrees individually.
2: Curriculum, page 18
2.4 UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
The School offers a BSIS and a minor in information systems. Each of those programs is
discussed here.
2.4.1 Bachelor of Science in Information Science
Goals and Skills. The Information Science Major (BSIS) is designed to prepare graduates for a
variety of careers in the information industry, including databases, geographic information
systems, human-computer interaction, health information systems, information systems in
general, networks, programmer/analyst, Web development, and Web design, as well as for
graduate study.
Requirements. To meet the above goals, students enrolled in the information science major
must complete 10 courses (30 credits), including a prerequisite course, INLS 200. The courses
required for completion of the BSIS are as follows:






INLS 200: Retrieving and Analyzing Information (prerequisite to enrollment, usually
taken in the sophomore year). Viewing information as a social cultural construct, this
course covers the processes used in seeking information by evaluating the quality of the
information retrieval, and synthesizing it into a useful form.
INLS 261: Tools for Information Literacy. This course covers tools and concepts for
information literacy, including multi-platform software use and maintenance,
applications, and networked information systems.
INLS 285: Information Use for Organizational Effectiveness. This course surveys basic
concepts in the way that information, people, and technology interact to influence
organizational effectiveness. Principles of problem solving, teamwork, leadership, and
organizational change/innovation are also treated.
INLS 382: Information Systems Analysis and Design. The analysis of organizational
problems and how information systems can be designed to solve those problems are
taught. Database and interface design principles are applied to the implementation of
information systems.
INLS 523: Database Concepts and Applications. The design and implementation of
database systems are explored, with focus on semantic modeling, relational database
theory, normalization, query construction, and Structured Query Language.
INLS 697: Emerging Topics in Information Science (taken in the senior year).
Contemporary topics of information science, information systems, information
technology, information design, and information management are explored. Students
are also challenged to assess the future impact of new developments in these areas.
In addition to these required courses, each student works with his or her advisor to select a
coherent set of four or more electives that will meet the student's objectives.
2: Curriculum, page 19
The SILS faculty recently decided to consider substituting INLS 101: Foundations of Information
Science, as the gateway course for the BSIS, in place of INLS 200. Due to a moratorium on
course changes over the past few months, this changes has not yet been implemented, but will
probably be in place sometime in 2011.
Honors Program. An honors program is available to BSIS students who have demonstrated
their ability to perform distinguished work. The honors thesis allows exceptional students in
the undergraduate major the opportunity to approach a problem in a substantial and scholarly
way.
Students write an honors thesis on a topic related to information science and defend it before a
faculty committee. They may graduate with honors or highest honors; this designation is
printed on the final transcript and diploma.
Students may apply for the honors program in the spring of their junior year. Admission to the
honors program requires a GPA of 3.5 or better in the major and 3.2 or better overall, and
approval of the Associate Dean for undergraduate programs, who acts as director of the honors
program. Continuation in the honors program requires maintenance of a GPA of 3.5 or better
and completion of INLS 691H: Research Methods in Information Science with a grade of B or
better.
The honors program consists of two courses: INLS 691H and INLS 692H: Honors Thesis in
Information Science. INLS 691H is taken in the fall of the senior year. Assuming satisfactory
completion of INLS 691H, students register for INLS 692H in the spring of their senior year.
Structure of Program. The total number of required course credits may be a good indicator of
the degree of structure. Table III-310 of the Library and Information Science Education
Statistical Report shows that the total credits required for BSIS programs in the ILS field ranges
from 24 to 60 credits. Our 27 credit amount is toward the “less structured” end of the
spectrum. This figure does not reflect our intradepartmental prerequisite course, INLS 200, and
should be adjusted to 30.
However, this statistic simply measures how many credits students are required to fulfill in
order to be granted a degree. A measurement of the number of non-elective courses required
by the program would more closely approximate program structure. An absolute appraisal of
our BSIS on this criterion shows that it has more structure than the above statistic suggests.
Ten courses (30 credits) are required by the program. Of these, six courses (18 credits) are nonelectives. Thus, over half of the required courses are non-elective. This suggests an
intermediate level of structure.
Another feature of the BSIS program is that it places a limit on the number of courses that may
be completed in SILS; only 40 semester hours may be SILS courses. The purpose of this limit is
10
Saye, J. D. (2005). Library and Information Science Education Statistical Report. State College, PA: ALISE.
2: Curriculum, page 20
to encourage the IS students to develop their knowledge in other disciplinary areas, as an
important context for their information work.
Need and Demand. Because of the ongoing changes to the field, no single, widely agreed upon
occupation matches the academic field of information science. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
covers some of what is understood to be important to an information professional in its
computer network, systems, and database administrator occupations. These occupations
“projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations and add 286,600 new jobs
over the 2008-18 decade.” 11 The Bureau of Labor Statistics specifically references an
information science degree as important to this occupational area. The Bureau of Labor
Statistics places Computer Systems Analyst positions in a different occupational group. It is also
expected to increase much faster than the average.12
As indicated by student enrollment levels, the demand for the BSIS has neither matched our
expectations nor the demand for this credential in the labor market. In the Fall 2009 semester,
only 9 students applied to the major, five of whom were admitted. Over the 2007-2008 and
2008-2009 academic years, 52 students applied and 43 were admitted. Yet, according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the BSIS is crucial to an economy in which information is a primary
driver and in which information systems are ubiquitous. In testimony to this, employers such as
Credit Suisse, an international financial services company, have hired a number of members of
the recent graduating class.
The low enrollment figures can be explained in part by the difficulty underclassmen have had in
registering for our introductory and prerequisite course, INLS 200: Retrieving and Analyzing
Information. Historically, this course has seen high demand from seniors and juniors, who
register to fulfill the social science general education requirement, and who have filled the
course before freshman and sophomores have had the chance to register.
To rectify this, we have restricted enrollment for INLS 200 to non-seniors only during the preregistration period. Once pre-registration is over, we will open this course to seniors. We have
also added a new course, INLS 101: Introduction to Information Science, which also meets the
social science general education requirement (and will soon be required as an entry point to
the BSIS program). In addition, we offered a First Year Seminar for the first time this spring and
again this fall; it is INLS 089: Bought, Burned, or Borrowed: Information Ethics and Policy in the
World around Us. First Year Seminars are part of the efforts by the UNC College of Arts and
Sciences to enhance the intellectual climate of the campus. These courses are small, with
fewer than 20 students, and are taught by excellent teachers. The seminars allow students to
work with a professor on a shared intellectual problem and emphasize class discussion and
11
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Computer
Network, Systems, and Database Administrators. Retrieved 9/16/2010 from
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos305.htm.
12
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition,
Computer Systems Analysts. Retrieved 9/16/2010 from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos287.htm.
2: Curriculum, page 21
creative learning. We believe that these curricular adjustments, coupled with stronger
recruiting efforts, will improve enrollment in the IS major.
2.4.2 Minor in Information Systems
Goals and Skills. This degree is designed for undergraduate students who wish to develop
knowledge and skills in the use and design of information systems. It provides students with an
understanding of computing, networking, multimedia, electronic information resources, and
the Internet which can be used to solve problems in a variety of contexts.
Requirements. Students enrolled in the Minor must complete fifteen credit hours, 12 of which
are required courses. These courses are:
 INLS 200: Retrieving and Analyzing Information. Viewing information as a social cultural
construct, this course covers the processes used in seeking information by evaluating
the quality of the information retrieval and synthesizing it into a useful form.
 INLS 261: Tools for Information Literacy. This course covers tools and concepts for
information literacy, including microcomputer software use and maintenance,
microcomputer applications, and networked information systems.
 INLS 382: Information Systems Analysis and Design. The analysis of organizational
problems and how information systems can be designed to solve those problems are
taught. Database and interface design principles are applied to the implementation of
information systems.
 INLS 523: Introduction to Database Concepts and Applications. The design and
implementation of database systems are explored, with focus on semantic modeling,
relational database theory, normalization, query construction, and Structured Query
Language.
The required courses meet the goals of the program as follows. INLS 200 lays the foundation
for an understanding of electronic information resources and the Internet, while INLS 261
grants students practical competency in computing, networking, and multimedia. INLS 382
imparts skills and knowledge in the design of information systems in general, while INLS 523
hones these skills in the particular context of databases. Most of these courses, but especially
INLS 382 and 523, incorporate problem-solving. For instance, INLS 523 asks students to design
a database. This presents students with the problem of understanding both the structure of a
body of information and the potential uses of that information. Solving this type of problem by
successfully designing a database is akin to solving a logic puzzle and is a fitting way to instill
problem-solving skills.
Coursework is the primary mechanism for achieving the goals of the Minor and for determining
how and when they are met. Given the content of our curriculum, if a student completes it in
good standing, he or she will have acquired the intended knowledge and skills. There are
additional mechanisms to ensure that student learning will be satisfactory. First, admission is
competitive and only students who seem to respond to a university-level education are
2: Curriculum, page 22
accepted. Second, once students are enrolled, they are required to maintain a minimum grade
point average of 2.0 in their SILS coursework.
In addition to grading and advising, our course-review process also ensures that students attain
the educational goals we have set for them. These were discussed above.
Need and Demand. Information systems are ubiquitous in today’s white-collar offices. It is a
great advantage to have demonstrated the ability to negotiate them with competence.
However, just as with the BSIS, the demand for the Minor has neither matched expectations
nor the demand for this credential in the labor market. In the Fall 2009 semester, only 8
students were admitted. Over the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 academic years, 28 students
applied and 24 were admitted. Some of these students do go on to complete the BSIS, but this
number still doesn’t fill the demand for well-educated information science graduates.
The initiatives we have taken to improve enrollment for the BSIS – resolving registration
problems, adding a First Year Seminar, and improving program marketing - will all serve the
Minor as well.
2.4.3 General Education Courses
All undergraduate students enter UNC in the General College and only later enter the College of
Arts & Sciences or a professional school. During their first two years, they are expected to
complete a number of General Education requirements.13
Currently, SILS offers only one general education course, INLS 200: Retrieving and Analyzing
Information. This course meets the Social Science requirement. As discussed above, the heavy
demand for this course among upperclassmen seeking to fulfill the Social Science requirement
has placed stress on recruiting for the BSIS and Minor. Because of this, we began offering a
second general education course, INLS 101: Introduction to Information Science, in the Spring
2010 semester. We also offered a First Year Seminar in the spring 2010 semester with the
expectation of continuing such offerings on a regular basis.
INLS 200 differs from courses intended for majors and minors only in that it takes a survey
approach to the content it covers. Instructors are made aware of the fact that this course
meets a general education requirement, and the different instructional strategies this implies,
in conversations and correspondence with prospective instructors prior to employment. Two
faculty members who regularly teach the course, Phillip Edwards and Jeff Pomerantz,
coordinate the section offerings to ensure adherence to course objectives approved by the
faculty.
INLS 101 will soon replace INLS 200 as the basic prerequisite course for entering the BSIS
program. Because it provides a broad overview of the field of information science, it will
13
A full description of the General Education curriculum at UNC is available at
http://www.unc.edu/depts/uc/06overview.html.
2: Curriculum, page 23
provide a more accurate view of the field to those first- and second-year students who
considering the IS major.
2.5 GRADUATE PROGRAMS
The School offers a number of graduate programs. The largest are the two master’s degree
programs (in IS and LS) and the doctoral program. We also offer a Certificate of Advanced Study
and a graduate minor. Each of these programs will be discussed in this section.
2.5.1 Master of Science in Information Science
Goals and Skills. The Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS) degree is designed to
prepare students to contribute to the design, development, and maintenance of information
systems and networks; to provide leadership in the development of new technologies and new
applications relating to the delivery of information to users; and to demonstrate a theoretical
knowledge of information science, including the theory of information storage and retrieval,
systems science, and social, political and ethical implications of information systems.
Within this degree, students are encouraged to develop a specialization. Advising grids
showing required, highly recommended, and recommended courses for a number of career
areas are available on the SILS website. 14 Students may also create their own specialization
through choice of courses in consultation with an advisor. Examples of additional
specializations are: human information behavior, database and information retrieval systems,
networking and Internet technologies, and management of information systems.
Requirements. To meet the above goals, the requirements of the curriculum have been
designed around five functional areas: organization, collection and retrieval, informationrelated behavior, design and evaluation, and management. Elective courses build upon the
required courses in each of these areas and allow students to concentrate their studies. As a
requirement of this program, students must have a basic knowledge of computing using a
variety of software applications. The remainder of the 48 semester-hours of graduate course
work will draw from the school’s course offerings, and as appropriate, from related areas such
as computer science, journalism and mass communication, or business.
More specifically, MSIS students must fulfill three requirements: satisfactory completion of a
comprehensive examination, satisfactory completion of a master’s paper or project (for which 3
semester hours of credit are applied toward graduation), and 48 semester hours of graduatelevel coursework. Half of the 48 total hours are devoted to the following required courses:
 INLS 461: Information Tools. This course covers tools and concepts for information use,
including software use and maintenance, applications, and networked information
systems.
14
For an example, see http://sils.unc.edu/sites/default/files/general/programs/speciallibrariesMSIS.final.pdf. .
2: Curriculum, page 24







INLS 500: Human Information Interaction. The behavioral and cognitive activities of
those who interact with information, with emphasis on the role of information
mediators, are studied. Also covers how information needs are recognized and resolved
as well as the use and dissemination of information.
INLS 509: Information Retrieval. Reviews the study of information retrieval and
question answering techniques, including document classification, retrieval and
evaluation techniques, handling of large data collections, and the use of feedback.
INLS 520: Organization of Information. An introduction to the problems and methods of
organizing information, including information structures, knowledge schemas, data
structures, terminological control, index language functions, and implications for
searching.
INLS 582: Systems Analysis. The analysis of organizational problems and how
information systems can be designed to solve those problems are taught. Database and
interface design principles are applied to the implementation of information systems.
The systems approach to the design and development of information systems is
introduced. Methods and tools for the analysis and modeling of system functionality
(e.g., structured analysis) and data represented in the system (e.g., object-oriented
analysis) are studied.
INLS 585: Management for Information Professionals. An introduction to general
management principles and practices intended for information professionals working in
all types of organizations. Topics include planning, budgeting, organizational theory,
staffing, leadership, organizational change, and decision making.
INLS 780: Research Methods. An introduction to research methods used in information
science. Includes the writing of a research proposal.
INLS 992: Master’s Paper. Provides a culminating experience for master's degree
students, who engage in independent research or project effort and develop a major
paper reporting the research or project under the supervision of a faculty member.
Master’s Paper. A guideline for master’s papers may be found at: http://sils.unc.edu/currentstudents/masters-students/masters-paper/guidelines. These guidelines include information on
choice of a faculty member as advisor, planning the paper, writing the text, the final version of
the paper and abstract, indexing, library maintenance, and submitting the master’s paper
electronically.
The review of the master’s paper is conducted by an advisor whom the student selects based
on mutual interests and the availability of the faculty member to direct the paper/project
during the appropriate semester(s). A first draft of the paper, along with an abstract of no
more than 150 words, is submitted to the advisor who works with the student through
subsequent drafts until a satisfactory research paper or project write-up is completed. The
paper is then submitted to the Graduate School for final review.
Comprehensive Exam. A comprehensive written examination is administered twice a year in
accordance with the Graduate School Calendar. Students applying to take the exam must be
2: Curriculum, page 25
enrolled in or have completed the last term of coursework and be registered in the semester in
which the exam is taken. The exam offers the student the opportunity to display creativity,
organizational skill, and factual knowledge in the fundamental areas of information and library
science. The exam typically provides the student a choice of answering one of two questions
with several sub-parts that may be answered from various perspectives, e.g., a selected
information or library setting or a particular function area. The student is asked to identify
major current issues, problems in need of solution, and the kind of research that might provide
solutions. Future trends should also be identified and discussed.
The comprehensive exam is closed-book and is administered via email by the Graduate Student
Services Manager, under the provisions of the Honor Code. It is to be completed during a
seven-hour period. Exams are presented to faculty members anonymously. Answers are
evaluated by faculty members who are knowledgeable about the type of library or information
activity selected by the student. Notice of success or failure will be given to the student by
letter from the Dean generally within three to four weeks after the exam.
Any exam that receives a less than satisfactory grade (an “L” or an “F”) is read by a second
reader. Students who fail the exam are permitted a second attempt, but may not retake the
exam until the next regularly scheduled exam. Students who receive an “L” are given an oral
exam by a three-member subcommittee appointed by the Dean. Subcommittees are normally
chaired by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and include one faculty member who
graded the original exam and the students’ academic advisor. If the results of the oral exam are
clearly satisfactory, the student will be considered to have passed it. Otherwise, the examining
committee will require that the student undertake some remedial work, require that the
student retake the exam, or fail the student. A student who fails the exam for the second time
may petition to take the exam for a third time.
Structure of Program. On a spectrum from highly structured to unstructured, the MSIS
program has an intermediate level of structure relative to other accredited information and
library science Master’s programs. We base this appraisal on the criterion of required
coursework hours. Table III-1615 of the Library and Information Science Education Statistical
Report shows that the range of required course work hours is 6-48 hours for accredited
master’s programs. Our 24 hours of required coursework represent slightly more structure
than the midpoint of 21 hours.
Need and Demand. Because of the ongoing changes to the field, no single, widely agreed upon
occupation matches the academic field of information science. As noted in the discussion of
the demand for the BSIS, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes the rapid growth of two
occupational groups relevant to this degree: Computer Network, Systems, and Database
15
Saye, J. D. (2005). Library and Information Science Education Statistical Report. State College, PA: ALISE.
2: Curriculum, page 26
Administrators,16 and Computer Systems Analysts.17 While this level of demand will apply to
both the BSIS and MSIS graduates, we would expect that BSIS graduates would be placed in
entry-level positions while MSIS graduates would be placed in supervisory or more specialized
positions.
We believe there is market demand for as many MSIS students as we can educate, but
admission to the MSIS program is competitive. Applicants must have the academic
qualifications, the interest in the field, and the leadership qualities that will allow them to
contribute to the life of the SILS community and to become leaders in their professions. Last
year (for fall 2010 admission), there were 84 applicants, but only 46 (55%) were admitted.
2.5.2 Master of Science in Library Science
Goals and Skills. The Master of Science in Library of Science (MSLS) prepares students for
professional employment in information and library service. The degree is designed to educate
students for work involving the collection, organization, storage, and retrieval of recorded
knowledge for a variety of institutions (e.g., academic, public, school, special) and groups (e.g.,
children, adults, disabled). Analysis and design skills are emphasized in the curriculum through
an evidence-based approach to practice.
Requirements. To meet the above goals, the requirements of the curriculum have been
designed around five functional areas: organization, collection and retrieval, informationrelated behavior, design and evaluation, and management. Elective courses build upon the
required courses in each of these areas. The remainder of graduate coursework draws from
the SILS course offerings, and as appropriate, from related subject fields. Students are
encouraged to develop a program of studies that will support their future career interests.
Specifically, MSLS students must fulfill three requirements: satisfactory completion of a
comprehensive examination, satisfactory completion of a master’s paper or project (for which 3
semester hours of credit are applied toward graduation), and 48 semester hours of graduatelevel coursework. Half of the 48 total hours are devoted to the following required courses:
 INLS 461: Information Tools. This course covers tools and concepts for information use,
including microcomputer software use and maintenance, microcomputer applications,
and networked information systems.
 INLS 500: Human Information Interaction. The behavioral and cognitive activities of
those who interact with information, with emphasis on the role of information
mediators, are studied. Also covers how information needs are recognized and resolved
as well as the use and dissemination of information.
16
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Computer
Network, Systems, and Database Administrators. Retrieved 9/16/2010 from
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos305.htm.
17
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Computer
Systems Analysts. Retrieved 9/16/2010 from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos287.htm.
2: Curriculum, page 27






INLS 501: Information Resources and Services. This course examines the analysis, use,
and evaluation of information and reference systems, services, and tools with attention
to printed and electronic modes of delivery. It provides a foundation in search
techniques for electronic information retrieval, question negotiation, and interviewing.
INLS 513: Resource Selection and Evaluation. The course prepares students for the
identification, provision, and evaluation of resources to meet primary needs of clientele
in different institutional environments.
INLS 521: Organization of Materials. This course introduces the organization of library
materials, covering formal systems for description, access, and subject cataloging
including AACR2, MARC, Dewey Decimal Classification, Library of Congress Classification,
and subject headings.
INLS 585: Management for Information Professionals. An introduction to general
management principles and practices intended for information professionals working in
all types of organizations. Topics include planning, budgeting, organizational theory,
staffing, leadership, organizational change, and decision making.
INLS 780: Research Methods. An introduction to research methods used in information
science. Includes the writing of a research proposal.
INLS 992: Master’s Paper. Provides a culminating experience for master's degree
students, who engage in independent research or project effort and develop a major
paper reporting the research or project under the supervision of a faculty member.
Master’s Paper. Guidelines concerning our master’s papers may be found at:
http://sils.unc.edu/current-students/masters-students/masters-paper/guidelines. These
guidelines include information on choice of a faculty member as advisor, planning the paper,
writing the text, the final version of the paper and abstract, indexing, library maintenance, and
submitting the master’s paper electronically.
The review of the master’s paper is conducted by an advisor whom students select based on
mutual interests and the availability of the faculty member to direct the paper/project during
the appropriate semester(s). A first draft of the paper, along with an abstract of no more than
150 words, is submitted to the advisor who works with the student through subsequent drafts
until a satisfactory research paper or project write-up is completed. The paper is then
submitted to the Graduate School for final review.
Comprehensive Exam. A comprehensive written examination is administered twice a year in
accordance with the Graduate School Calendar. Students applying to take the exam must be
enrolled in or have completed the last term of coursework and be registered in the semester in
which the exam is taken. The exam offers the student the opportunity to display creativity,
organizational skill, and factual knowledge in the fundamental areas of information and library
science. The exam typically provides the student a choice of answering one of two questions
with several sub-parts that may be answered from various perspectives, e.g., a selected
information or library setting or a particular function area. The student is asked to identify
2: Curriculum, page 28
major current issues, problems in need of solution, and the kind of research that might provide
solutions. Future trends should also be identified and discussed.
The comprehensive exam is closed-book and is administered via email by the Graduate Student
Services Manager, under the provisions of the Honor Code. It is to be completed during a
seven-hour period. Exams are presented to faculty members anonymously. Answers are
evaluated by faculty members who are knowledgeable about the type of library or information
activity selected by the student. Notice of success or failure will be given to the student by
letter from the Dean generally within three to four weeks after the exam.
Any exam that receives a less than satisfactory grade (and “L” or an “F”) is read by a second
reader. Students who fail the exam are permitted a second attempt, but may not retake the
exam until the next regularly scheduled exam. Students who receive an “L” are given an oral
exam by a three-member subcommittee appointed by the Dean. Subcommittees are normally
chaired by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and include one faculty member who
graded the original exam and the students’ academic advisor. If the results of the oral exam are
clearly satisfactory, the student will be considered to have passed it. Otherwise, the examining
committee will require that the student undertake some remedial work, require that the
student retake the exam, or fail the student. A student who fails the exam for the second time
may petition to take the exam for a third time.
Structure of Program. On a spectrum from highly structured to unstructured, the MSLS
program has an intermediate level of structure relative to other accredited information and
library science Master’s programs. Table III-1618 of the Library and Information Science
Education Statistical Report shows that required semester hours of course work range from 6 to
48 hours for accredited master’s programs. Our 24 hours of required coursework represent
slightly more structure than the midpoint of 21 hours.
Need and Demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, growth in librarian positions “is
expected to be as fast as the average and job opportunities are expected to be favorable, as a
large number of librarians are likely to retire in the coming decade.”19 This creates a direct
need for our Library Science master’s program, the largest of our several degree programs, as
this degree is a requirement for most librarian positions.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also predicts that “jobs for librarians outside traditional settings
will grow the fastest over the decade.” It points out that “many companies are turning to
librarians because of their research and organizational skills and their knowledge of computer
databases and library automation systems. Librarians can review vast amounts of information
18
Saye, J. D. (2005). Library and Information Science Education Statistical Report. State College, PA: ALISE.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Librarians.
Retrieved 9/16/2010 from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm.
19
2: Curriculum, page 29
and analyze, evaluate, and organize it according to a company’s specific needs. Librarians also
are hired by organizations to set up information on the Internet.”
This economic demand results in a substantial applicant pool. Admission to the MSLS program
is competitive due to the large number of applications that we receive and the limitations in
resources for expansion. Although some applicants are rejected on the basis of their
qualifications, most are denied admission due to lack of space, funding, and faculty. In other
words, the demand for this program has outstripped our ability to meet it. Last year (for fall
2010 admission), for example, there were 304 applicants, the overwhelming majority of which
were qualified, yet there were only 200 students admitted. At least some of this difference
represents an excess demand for our program.
2.5.3 Doctor of Philosophy in Information Science
Goals and Skills. The doctoral program enables creative and energetic students to become
innovative thinkers, researchers, teachers, and leaders in information and library science. The
program achieves this by providing a flexible environment that allows for dynamic and
individualized coordination of student and faculty interests and research.
Requirements. A student is expected to have the following foundation before entering the
program:
 An academic background that incorporates the subject matter of INLS 520 (Organization
of Information), INLS 509 (Information Retrieval) and INLS 500 (Human Information
Interactions).
 A knowledge of research methods that may be met by completing INLS 780 (Research
methods) or a similar survey course of social science research methods.
 A research experience similar to that obtained by completing INLS 992 (Master’s Paper)
or INLS 988 (Research in Information and Library Science).
 Knowledge of computing equivalent to that obtained in INLS 461 (Information Tools).
To meet the above goals, students are typically required to undergo 3 – 5 years of educational
preparation. The process is as follows:
 Initial coursework (which may include “prerequisite” courses such as INLS 500, INLS 509,
or INLS 520)
 18-hour review of progress (to evaluate progress during the first program year)
 Coursework completion and completion of pre-comprehensive requirements
 Comprehensive examination
 Dissertation proposal defense
 Doctoral dissertation research and defense
Coursework. Doctoral study is rooted in a set of core themes and principles of information and
library science but customized to the needs and interests of students and the research
strengths of faculty.
2: Curriculum, page 30
Exceptionally well-prepared students will take a minimum of 36 hours of formal courses,
reading courses, or directed research exclusive of the dissertation. Students who enter with no
graduate background can expect to take additional hours of formal courses, reading courses, or
directed research exclusive of the dissertation.
With faculty advice, the student will choose appropriate graduate courses from those listed in
the SILS catalog and from The Graduate School's catalog. All courses offered for credit toward
the degree must be at the graduate level.
Two required courses for the doctoral degree, INLS 881 and 882 (Research Issues and Questions
I and II), must be taken in consecutive semesters. These courses present a wide range of
research questions and examine multiple methods of investigation used to explore these areas
of research. They are typically completed in the student’s first year in the program.
Doctoral students are also required to take at least six semester hours of statistics including an
introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics, analysis of variance, and computational
techniques. The SILS faculty has approved the following course sequences as satisfying the
statistics requirement of the doctoral program.







Biostatistics: BIOS 550/551 or BIOS 660/661
Economics: ECON 700/770
Education: EDUC 684/784
Political Science: POLI 783/784
Psychology: PSYC 830/831
Sociology: SOCI 708/709
Statistics: STAT 654/655
In addition, six credits of INLS 994 (Doctoral Dissertation) are required by the Graduate School.
It is strongly recommended that students include coursework in theory development, advanced
research methods, and guided research (INLS 988: Research in Information and Library
Science). Students who aspire to a life of teaching, research, and service in an academic
institution are encouraged to complete courses and workshops in college teaching and to take
advantage of teaching opportunities offered to them. These range from guest lecturing in a
class to paid service as a graduate teaching fellow with responsibility for instruction in a
regularly scheduled class.
18-hour Review. Typically held at the end of the first year, this review is conducted by a
committee chaired by the student's advisor and consisting of all faculty who have taught or
interacted substantially with the student. The student prepares a portfolio of papers and
projects completed during the first year as well as a statement of research interests and a selfassessment of progress. The committee assesses the student's mastery of specific subjects, as
well as the student’s ability to identify research opportunities and the means to address the
associated research problems. The student is informed of any deficiencies identified by the
2: Curriculum, page 31
review along with suggested strategies for improvement. A review form is completed by the
advisor summarizing the comments and recommendations and signed by the student. It
becomes a part of the student’s file. Continuation in the program is dependent upon a
satisfactory review. In the case of severe deficiencies a student might be counseled to leave
the doctoral program.
After the 18-hour review, students prepare an annual report to be presented during the spring
semester to the advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies. The report lists papers written
and summarizes coursework completed or in progress, research projects worked on,
conferences attended, presentations made, and grants or awards received or submitted. It also
offers an update of research interests, a self-assessment of progress in the program, and an
outline of plans for the coming academic year. The Director of Graduate Studies prepares a
summary of all the students for discussion at a special executive faculty meeting. Continuation
in the program is dependent upon a satisfactory review by the faculty.
Coursework Completion and Pre-comprehensive Requirements. Normally, full-time students
who enter with a master’s degree in information and library science will complete their
coursework within two or two-and-a-half years. It is considered unsatisfactory progress if a fulltime student has not completed coursework within three years, with no other signs of progress.
Part-time students or students entering without a master’s degree are expected to progress at
a comparable rate, based on their individual circumstances. Before taking the comprehensive
exam, students must:



Submit two papers for publication
Complete all coursework requirements
Develop a comprehensive examination package to be delivered to members of the
comprehensive examination committee. The package will include
o A statement of the student’s research interests
o A literature review covering content areas of theory and research, research
methods, and analytical approaches relevant to the student’s dissertation plans
o A brief dissertation prospectus
Comprehensive Exam. The comprehensive exam has both written and oral components. It is
intended to determine the candidate’s fitness to continue work toward the doctorate and to
challenge the candidate to consider issues that the examination committee considers to be
critical to the candidate’s plan for the dissertation. The examination committee includes the
students’ advisor and four other faculty members, one of which is external to SILS (either from
another department or school at UNC or from another university). The committee prepares the
written examination based on the comprehensive package that has been submitted and
accepted. The written exam consists of five questions administered on five separate days. The
candidate is not permitted to consult any materials during the examination. If, in the judgment
of a majority of the examining committee, the written examination is successful, the oral
examination is given. The oral may cover some or all the areas included in the written
2: Curriculum, page 32
examination. If the committee finds that the student has passed the comprehensive exam,
report forms are completed and submitted to the Graduate School.
Dissertation Proposal. Upon successful completion of the comprehensive examination, the
student with his/her advisor forms a dissertation committee which includes one or two
members from outside the school; a majority of the members must be full members of the
Graduate Faculty. A defense of the proposal is scheduled. When the committee approves the
final form of the proposal, a report of the approved dissertation project is filed with the
Graduate School and the student advances to candidacy.
Doctoral dissertation. Successful completion of a doctoral dissertation represents an original
contribution to knowledge involving the identification and definition of a researchable topic,
the application of an appropriate research methodology, the organization and analysis of data
relevant to the topic under investigation, and a presentation and interpretation of the data that
meets the standards of scholarly work. The dissertation advisor oversees the conduct of the
dissertation research. The student is expected to consult with members of the committee as
necessary throughout the progress of the research.
When the committee agrees that the final draft of the dissertation is defensible, an oral
examination in defense of the dissertation, which is open to the University community, is
scheduled. This is administered by the student's dissertation committee. At least four of the
five members (or five if the committee has six or more members) must be present for the
examination. After a successful defense and the candidate’s completion of any alterations or
corrections, the student submits the dissertation to the Graduate School according to their
standards. A final report is filed with the Graduate School.
Structure of the Program. On a spectrum from highly structured to unstructured, the Ph. D.
program has a low to intermediate level of structure relative to other accredited information
and library science Ph.D. programs. We base this appraisal on the criterion of required (nonelective) coursework hours. Table III-1620 of the Library and Information Science Education
Statistical Report shows that the range of required course work hours is 6-48 hours for Ph. D.
programs. The 12 hours21 of required coursework represents more structure than the lowpoint of 6 hours but less structure than the midpoint of 21 hours.
This degree of structure is appropriate given the aim of a flexible and customizable curriculum.
Sufficient structure exists through strongly recommended coursework and the continuing
guidance from advisors and committee members.
Needs and Demands. Relying again on admission statistics, the Ph.D. program has the highest
level of demand of all of our programs. After a review of the doctoral program in 2009, we
20
Saye, J. D. (2005). Library and Information Science Education Statistical Report. State College, PA: ALISE.
The report lists our program as having 14 hours of required coursework, but we use the current figure of 12
here.
21
2: Curriculum, page 33
adjusted our target goal for the number of entering Ph.D. students slightly downward based on
school resources (primarily available student funding and faculty time). In the Fall of 2009,
from a pool of 66 applications, only 13 students were granted admission and 7 enrolled,
meeting our target.
The School has had good success in placement of doctoral graduates. Graduates from recent
years are now on the faculties at the University of Pittsburgh, Indiana University, Simmons
College, Rutgers University, University of South Carolina, Florida State University, University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and University of Texas Austin, or working in corporations such as
Google and Microsoft.
2.5.4 Certificate of Advanced Study in Information and Library Science
Goals and Skills. The certificate of advanced study (CAS) is a post-master's degree that is
designed for information and library science practitioners who seek a continuing education
program to enhance their professional development. The CAS seeks to provide:
 a systematic updating and upgrading of a working professional's knowledge in
information and library science
 the development of a specialty in a subject discipline or in an information/library
function
 an individual's redirection of a career path or the enrichment and strengthening of
demonstrated capabilities in a career path
The CAS Program is tailored to an individual's previous education, experience, and career
intentions. The post-master's program is distinct from the Ph.D. degree, which prepares
individuals to undertake research.
Requirements. The flexibility of the program is important because prospective students come
from varying backgrounds and have different needs. However, competencies in research
methods, management, and use of information technology are assumed to be a necessary part
of each individual's program. In particular, individuals must demonstrate knowledge of
computing equivalent to that required for the master's degree programs. This requirement
may be satisfied by completing INLS 461: Information Tools. Beyond that, course selections are
tailored to meet individual needs and objectives.
The post-master's program consists of 30 semester hours of coursework selected from the
school's curriculum and from other departments and schools of the University on the basis of
the individual's needs and objectives. The student selects courses in consultation with a faculty
advisor. In order to graduate, students must prepare evaluations of their stated objectives for
the CAS Program, and they must show how coursework taken has accomplished these
objectives. This is presented to a committee of faculty members for discussion and approval.
Needs and Demands. This is not a large program. Typically only one or two applicants are
accepted each year. Acceptance involves ascertaining whether we have the capacity and
2: Curriculum, page 34
interest in supporting the proposed program for an applicant. Those who enter and complete
the program express satisfaction that it has met their needs.
2.5.5 Graduate Minor in Information and Library Science
Goals and Skills. This program is designed for graduate students who wish to develop
knowledge and skills in the field of information and library science. It provides students in
other fields with an opportunity to complement their graduate major.
Requirements. A minor in a master's program consists of at least 9 hours of courses above
those credit hours required for the major. A minor in a Ph.D. program consists of at least 15
hours of courses. None of the proposed coursework is cross-listed in the student's home
department.
Declaration of a minor in information and library science must be authorized by the SILS
Director of Graduate Studies. Declaration of a minor spanning multiple fields including
information and library science must also be approved by the SILS Director of Graduate Studies.
The student, in conjunction with the major advisor, may propose the content of a minor
involving information and library science courses meeting Graduate School requirements. This
proposal should specify how the minor will complement the student’s major. A student
interested in a minor in information and library science should also contact the SILS Director of
Graduate Studies for advising on appropriate courses, given the student's interests.
Needs and Demands. This program is available but not advertised and in the past several
years, few students have applied for it. While it would be attractive to students in other fields
to do a minor in information science, the demands on the faculty would be great and the
perceived value from the university perspective minimal, so the minor program is in abeyance.
In its place we have developed a set of carefully worked out dual degree programs and
graduate certificates.
2.6 DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMS AND GRADUATE CERTIFICATES
SILS currently offers nine dual degree programs, each based on one or both of our master’s
degree programs. In addition, SILS is involved in six interdisciplinary graduate certificate
programs. Each of these programs is described in this section.
2.6.1 Dual Degrees
Goals and Skills. To meet the challenges of an evolving workplace and workforce, SILS has
partnered with several other schools and departments to offer a variety of unique educational
opportunities that allow students to pursue two graduate degrees simultaneously. The goal of
the dual degrees is to maximize learning, minimize course and content overlap, and provide
2: Curriculum, page 35
students with a means to earn two degrees as efficiently as possible while maintaining the
integrity and high standards of each degree.
Requirements. Students must apply to and be admitted to each graduate program separately
and abide by all program requirements of each. SILS recommends that individuals identify their
interest in a dual degree program prior to applying to UNC. In some cases, a student might
enter one program and learn of, or gain interest in, the dual-degree program during the first
year. In such cases, he or she would apply for admission into the other program, informing the
registrar and the coordinator in both programs at the time of application.
University regulations require that students enroll in only one program in any given semester,
so once the student is admitted into both programs independently (and thus, in effect,
admitted into the dual degree program), one of the admissions must be deferred for a
semester or year, depending upon the overall plan. However, he or she may still take courses
in the other school or department during that period. Applicants must confer with the dualdegree coordinators for both programs to arrange for deferred admission and to plan
appropriate and efficient courses of study.
Finally, students may double count up to 20 percent of credits across degrees. For SILS
students this means they can apply three courses (nine credits) from the other degree toward
their MSIS or MSLS degree while also counting these credits toward the other degree. The
University requires all degree requirements for a master’s degree to be completed within five
years. For some dual degree programs, e.g., Law, the two programs may take the full five
years.
Dual Degree Offerings. SILS is involved in nine dual degree programs. Immediately below,
Table 2.6-1 provides an overview of the dual degree programs. This is followed by a brief
discussion of each program.
Table 2.6-1: Dual Degree Programs
Partner Degree
Institution
Granting Partner
Degree
SILS
Degree(s)
Total Credit
Hours
Expected
Program
Length
(Years)
Art History, MA
UNC
MSIS,
MSLS
69
3
UNC
MSIS
91
3
UNC
MSIS,
MSLS
79
3
Business
Administration, MBA
Healthcare
Administration,
MHA
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Partner Degree
Institution
Granting Partner
Degree
SILS
Degree(s)
Total Credit
Hours
Expected
Program
Length
(Years)
Law, JD
UNC
MSIS,
MSLS
113
4
Medicine, MD
Duke
MSIS,
MSLS
48 hours at SILS
+ 3 years at
Duke
5
Nursing, MSN
UNC
MSIS,
MSLS
75
3
UNC
MSIS,
MSLS
84
3
79
3
69
3
Public
Administration,
MPA
Public Health,
MSPH
Public History, MA
UNC
NCSU
MSIS,
MSLS
MSIS,
MSLS
Art History (MSIS/MSLS and MA in Art History). SILS and UNC's Department of Art offer a dual
degree program that will prepare students to take on library and information professional
positions in museums, art libraries, and visual resource centers in cities, colleges, and
universities around the country. The program draws on the shared interests of librarians and
art historians in areas such as the preservation and documentation of works, the management
and development of art collections, and the indexing, abstracting, and classification of these
collections.
Students who enroll in the program can earn either an MSIS or an MSLS degree and an MA in
Art History in 69 credit hours. If taken individually, these degrees would require 84 credit
hours. Efficiencies like this occur when one school accepts the credits of another. In this case,
Methods (Art 850), is a requirement of the Art History curriculum and counts as an elective at
SILS. Two Art History electives may be accepted as elective credit for the MSLS or MSIS degree.
Similarly, Art and Visual Resources Management (INLS 749) is required for the art history
specialization and may be accepted by the Art History program. In addition, one SILS elective
will count toward the MA in Art History.
Dr. Helen Tibbo serves as the Faculty Coordinator of the program for SILS and Pika Ghosh serves
in this role for the Art Department.
Business Administration (MSIS and MBA). In partnership with UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business
School, this dual degree responds to marketplace needs for high-tech managers with wellrounded, leading-edge business skills. This program uniquely prepares information
entrepreneurs of the future and those seeking to take advantage of emerging career
opportunities.
2: Curriculum, page 37
Students who enroll in the program can earn an MSIS degree and an MBA in 91 credit hours.
Individually, these degrees would require a total of 112 credit hours. The required MBA first
year program (the core curriculum) consists of 13 courses and three additional core
requirements. Coursework on Leading & Managing and Marketing taken during this time is
considered to fill the SILS requirement for INLS 585: Management for Information Professionals.
MBA elective courses that may count as SILS electives include coursework in Managerial
Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis, Business Innovation and the Digital Age, Effective
Virtual Teams, Corporate Strategy, Leading Organizational Change, Organizational
Effectiveness, Project Management, Marketing Models and the like. Courses typically are
offered in modules and are usually 1.5 semester hours each. Students may take six of these
courses for the equivalent of 9 semester hours.
SILS courses that may be considered to count as MBA electives include:
Human Information Behavior:
INLS 500: Human Information Interactions
INLS 512: Natural Language Processing
INLS 718: User Interface Design
INLS 818: Seminar in Human Computer Interaction
Database and Information Retrieval:
INLS 525: Electronic Records management
INLS 523: Database systems I
INLS 623: Database systems II
INLS 760: Web Databases
INLS 724: Abstracting and Indexing for Information Retrieval
INLS 802: Seminar in Information Retrieval
Networking and Internet Technologies:
INLS 566: Information Security
INLS 572: Web Development I
INLS 574: Introduction to Local Area Networks
INLS 578: Protocols and Network Management
INLS 672: Web Development II
Four of these 3 semester-hour courses may be counted as electives in the MBA program.
Dr. Deborah Barreau serves as the Faculty Coordinator of the program for SILS and Sherrylyn
Ford Wallace, Director of MBA Admissions, serves as the coordinator for Kenan-Flagler.
Healthcare Administration (MSIS/MSLS and MHA). SILS has teamed with the Department of
Health Policy and Administration at UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health to offer dual
programs of study. The MHA curriculum provides students with the knowledge and skills to
assume a variety of roles in health services management. Because healthcare is on the
frontlines of technological progress and information explosion, its managers frequently and
increasingly depend upon skills cultivated by the MSIS/MSLS curricula.
2: Curriculum, page 38
For the most part, the dual degree student would be required to take the core courses in both
schools. This does not hold for SILS’ management course, INLS 585, and the School of Public
Health’s systems course, HPM 770. Three courses in the Healthcare Administration curricula
cover management topics; namely, Leadership and Management of Health Care organizations
(HPM 730), Healthcare Strategy and Marketing (HPM 725), and Introduction to Health Care
Financial Management (HPM 740). Concerning systems, SILS’ course INLS 582 satisfies the
School of Public Health’s required course, Operations Research for Health Care Systems (HPM
770).
Turning to electives, there are nine credit hours of courses in Healthcare Administration that
count toward MSIS/MSLS total credit requirements. The MHA directed electives would be
approved in advance by a SILS faculty advisor for each dual degree candidate. Currently, Dr.
Joanne Marshall serves this role. Of the SILS courses taken, a maximum of nine credit hours
would be counted toward the MHA degree, in addition to INLS 582. Students may contact
Sherryl Rhodes, Director of Student Services, for advice specific to the School of Public Health.
Law (MSIS/MSLS and JD). In partnership with UNC's School of Law, SILS offers a dual degree in
law and information science. This program explores issues such as public access to information,
ownership of information, an individual's control over personal information, and institutional
information systems. Individuals studying and working in these areas benefit from a deep
understanding of copyright, privacy, and communication law which is grounded in knowledge
of information systems and how they affect users.
A dual degree program in law and library science is also offered. Credentials in both law and
library science create opportunities for employment in law schools, law firms, courts,
government agencies, and corporations. Indeed, larger law firms are increasingly requiring that
their librarians hold both degrees, while law libraries prefer to hire such candidates. These
market forces have become so strong that many students matriculate to SILS with a law degree
and vice versa; the dual degree program is an attractive alternative to completing the two
degrees separately.
This dual degree program can be completed in 113 semester hours, with a minimum of 74
credits drawn from law courses and a minimum of 39 credits from information and library
science courses. All course requirements of the individual degrees must be completed. There
are additional course requirements specific to the dual degree programs. These are listed by
program in Table 2.6-2 below.
2: Curriculum, page 39
Table 2.6-2: Additional Course Requirements for JD and MSIS/MSLS Dual Degree
Course Code Course Title
JD Requirements
LAW 210
Copyright
LAW 265
Intellectual Property Law
LAW 267
Advanced Legal Research
LAW 357
Cyberspace Law
MSIS Requirements
INLS 584
Information Ethics
INLS 795
Supervised Field Experience (at legal institution)
MSLS Requirements
INLS 584
Information Ethics
INLS 707
Government Documents
INLS 708
Law Libraries and Legal Information
INLS 795
Supervised Field Experience (at legal institution)
Up to 12 SILS credits are accepted by the Law School, and up to 9 law credits are accepted by
SILS. These largely overlap with the additional requirements in Table 2.6-2 above. In addition
to these course guidelines, students will have the council of an advisor from each program.
Steven Melamut is the law school’s advisor, and Dr. Ron Bergquist is SILS’ advisor.
Medicine (MSIS/MSLS and MD). Duke University’s School of Medicine requires its third-year
students to participate in scholarly investigations outside the scope of traditional medical
school curricula. Many students enter second degree programs during their scholarly year. The
MSIS program presents medical students with the opportunity to develop facility with
information systems and an understanding of how people use information. Students will
graduate to the vanguard of the evidence-based medicine and clinical informatics movements.
Likewise, doctors with an MSLS will benefit from enhanced resource selection, organization,
and retrieval skills. As health information expands exponentially, completion of the dual degree
program will make graduates key knowledge management resources for their organizations.
Because there is minimal overlap in the course offerings between the schools, students must
meet all credit requirements for each program. However, both schools require a scholarly
research paper. With the approval of the Duke mentor, the SILS Master’s paper fulfills Duke’s
thesis requirement. Mentors are approved by Duke’s Third Year Committee and assigned to
students based on their areas of interest. Efforts are made to pair students entering SILS
programs with faculty focused on informatics or professional librarians at Duke’s Medical
Center Library. Dr. Claudia Gollop serves as SILS’ advisor for this program; Patricia Thibodeau,
Associate Dean for Library Services, Duke University Medical Center Library, coordinates the
program for Duke.
Nursing (MSIS/MSLS and MSN). SILS and UNC's School of Nursing have partnered to offer a
dual degree program. Many of the benefits provided by the dual degree program in medicine
2: Curriculum, page 40
apply here. As medical information proliferates and clinical information technology progresses,
a SILS background becomes increasingly useful to practicing nurses. Synergies also exist for
students who would like to practice in ILS fields with the advantage of the clinical knowledge
and the healthcare perspective of a nurse.
For the most part, the core requirements of each degree program must be fulfilled. However,
two nursing exemptions are permitted. First, Leadership in Health Care Organizations, NURS
871, meets SILS requirement for Management for Information Professionals, INLS 585. Second,
Research for Nursing Practice I and II, NURS 774 & 775, form a more comprehensive research
curriculum than does Research Methods, INLS 780. Because the content of INLS 780 is
subsumed within the nursing courses, dual degree students will not be required to take INLS
780 and will receive 3 credits for NURS 775. Concerning electives, NURS 872 and INLS 785, are
both titled Human Resources Management, and NURS 872 can be counted toward the total
credit requirements at SILS.
Overall, SILS counts up to 12 credits from the School of Nursing. The School of Nursing counts 6
credits from SILS, but this represents SILS credits which are not already included in the nursing
curriculum. Since there are 9 such credits, most dual degree students will have received 15
INLS credits. The brief explanation for this is that the School of Nursing requires its students
have elected a specific curricular track to participate in the dual degree program with SILS,
which requires enrollment in SILS courses. To be more specific, Master’s students at the School
of Nursing enroll in one of six advanced practice areas. Only one, Health Care Systems,
currently participates in the dual degree program. The Health Care Systems advanced practice
area prepares nurses for leadership with health care organizations and itself has five focus
areas. To enroll in the dual degree program with SILS, nursing students must be enrolled in the
Informatics focus area. From this focus area, nursing students must complete 3 of 5 available
SILS courses.
Dr. Barbara Wildemuth serves SILS as the coordinator of this dual degree program and Dr.
Cheryl Jones acts in this capacity at the School of Nursing.
Public Administration (MSIS/MSLS and MPA). The dual degree program offered with UNC's
School of Government is designed to prepare students to deal with the significant information
management issues they will confront in a public sector career by combining the master of
public administration curriculum with graduate studies in information and library science.
The stewardship of public information is a fundamental responsibility in a democratic
society. Public information (e.g., agency records, government publications, datasets) serves as
evidence of governmental activities, decisions, and responsibilities as well as of legal contracts
at the local, county, state, and federal levels. Providing appropriate access to public
information promotes accountability, rights of citizens, effective administration of policy, and
social memory. Archivists, records managers, librarians and other information professionals are
often directly charged with ensuring that public information is accessible and meaningful over
time. However, the distributed nature of both government and modern information systems
2: Curriculum, page 41
places responsibility for the stewardship of public information into the hands of many other
professionals, including those who develop, implement and interpret public policies. Public
officials and public servants must increasingly make and enact decisions related to information
systems; this requires an understanding of the ways in which people, information and
technology can best complement each other. At the same time, information professionals are
increasingly required to engage in policy discussions and processes, in order to carry out their
duties responsibly and effectively; this requires an understanding of the history, principles,
processes and methods of public administration.
SILS counts 3 electives from the School of Government toward its total credit requirement:
Methods for Policy Analysis and Evaluation (PUBA 720), Professional Communications (PUBA
721), and Politics of the Administrative Process (PUBA 722). Likewise, 3 SILS courses are
counted by the School of Government: Human Information Interaction (INLS 500), Information
Retrieval (INLS 509), and Systems Analysis (INLS 582).
Dr. Helen Tibbo serves as the SILS faculty coordinator for this program.
Public Health (MSIS/MSLS and MSPH). In addition to the aforementioned program in
Healthcare Administration at the Gillings School of Public Health, a program leading to a Master
of Science in Public Health is offered. The Healthcare Administration curriculum is more
focused on management, while the MSPH is designed to prepare students for careers in health
policy analysis, planning, development, evaluation, and advocacy at local, state, federal, and
international levels as well as in the private sector. The MSPH degree is particularly appropriate
for individuals interested in pursuing careers in public policy, public advocacy organizations,
consulting research organizations, federal and state government entities, public health
departments, non-governmental organizations, and international health organizations.
Students obtain a comprehensive understanding of the healthcare system, master methods for
the analysis of healthcare policy options, and pursue an area of concentration. In all of these
capacities, public health professionals will benefit from an information and library science
acumen. The ability to manage and manipulate distributed health information will be especially
helpful. SILS will also provide a firm background in informatics which is relevant to the
electronic medical records movement.
SILS will count 9 credits from the School of Public Health, and the School of Public Health will
count 12 SILS credits. However, nearly all of the core requirements of the respective schools
remain in place. INLS 585, Management for Information Professionals, is the only exception.
Since Leadership and Management of Health Care organizations (HPM 730), Healthcare
Strategy and Marketing (HPM 725), and Introduction to Health Care Financial Management
(HPM 740) all relate to management, SILS will honor credits for HPM 730.
Dr. Joanne Marshall of SILS and Sherryl Rhodes, Director of Student Services in the School of
Public Health, serve as coordinators for this dual degree program.
2: Curriculum, page 42
Public History (MSIS/MSLS and MA in Public History). SILS, in conjunction with the
Department of Public History at North Carolina State University, has offered a cooperative
archival program since 2003. Students who enroll in the program can earn either an MSIS or an
MSLS degree and an MA in Public History in 69 credit hours. If taken individually, these degrees
would require 84 credit hours. For example, the following three courses are required for the
MA in Public History but may be accepted as electives for either the MSLS or MSIS degree: HI
586: History and Principles of the Administration of Archives and Manuscripts, HI 587:
Application of the Principles of the Administration of Archives and Manuscripts, and HI 596:
Principles and Practices of Public History. The following two SILS courses required for the
archives specialization may be accepted by the MA in Public History Program: INLS 754: Access,
Outreach, and Public Service in Cultural Heritage Repositories, and INLS 757: Principles and
Practices of Archival Description.
This dual degree program was created in response to demands that archivists, manuscript
curators, and records managers have both historical knowledge and information management
skills.
Dr. Helen Tibbo serves as the Faculty Coordinator of the program for SILS and Dr. David
Zonderman, Associate Department Head for the Department of History at North Carolina State
University, serves as the contact for the program at NSCU.
2.6.2 Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificates
SILS participates in a variety of interdisciplinary graduate certificates. In recent years, the
Graduate School has standardized the structure of graduate certificates. They are only available
to UNC graduate students enrolled in a degree program, and each must require a minimum of
five courses (15 semester hours), of which at least three must be beyond the degree
requirements of the students’ home program. Some of the current certificates were developed
prior to this standardization process, and so vary somewhat in their structure. Each will be
described here.
Certificate in Aging. The home for this certificate is the Institute on Aging, where Dr. Joanne
Marshall holds an appointment as a Senior Research Scientist. The certificate program is
designed for graduate students enrolled at UNC-CH or elsewhere, professionals with graduate
level credentials or the equivalent, and faculty members interested in expanding their
involvement in aging. It is a campus-wide interdisciplinary program drawing on the University's
rich set of resources to offer graduate students, community professionals, and faculty members
gerontological knowledge essential for work in an aging society.
The curriculum includes both knowledge base and skills development, allowing participants to
prepare for either clinical or scholarly work, or both. There is a long list of courses approved for
this certificate (available at http://www.aging.unc.edu/certificate/approved%20courses.pdf). It
includes several SILS courses:
INLS 705: Health Sciences Information
2: Curriculum, page 43
INLS 739: Information Services for Special Populations
INLS 748: Health Sciences Environment
It requires fifteen credit hours of study, and six categories of classes/study must be completed:
 A health course (3 credits)
 A human behavior course (3 credits)
 A policy course (3 credits)
 An approved elective (3 credits)
 A practicum, field instruction, or research project appropriate to the student's
objectives (3 credits/150 hours)
 A monthly seminar over two semesters (no credits)
The practicum, field instruction or research project is a departmentally-approved aging
residency, field practicum, or supervised research project. Current offerings as part of degree
programs may apply, including theses or dissertations. Graduate school students can meet the
requirements through their own programs or through approved course offerings in other
programs. At least one course (in addition to the health course) must be an interdisciplinary
course.
Certificate in Bioinformatics. A certificate of specialization in bioinformatics from SILS is
awarded in conjunction with either the MSLS or MSIS degrees from SILS. While interdisciplinary
in nature, its home is SILS and no other schools or departments participate in its governance.
To earn this certificate, a currently enrolled student must satisfy the following requirements:
 Successful completion of the MSIS or MSLS degree from SILS, requiring 48 hours of
approved graduate coursework.
 Successful completion of a series of required graduate-level courses (38-40 credits).
Most of these courses are already required as part of the master's degree or would
otherwise count for the master's degree.
 Complete a significant project in the area of bioinformatics. This can be satisfied by
either:
o successfully completing a master's project/paper in the area of bioinformatics;
o working on a research project in an academic environment (research rotation,
project course, etc.); or
o acquiring experience in a commercial setting, for instance a summer internship
with a company, or presenting evidence of previous work experience.
Training projects are expected to be about 10 hours per week for one semester or one summer.
Current training program projects include:
 research rotations with UNC faculty members participating in the UNC bioinformatics
curriculum
 internships with the Health Sciences Library
 internships with pharmaceutical companies in the Research Triangle Park
2: Curriculum, page 44
The work to satisfy the project requirement must be approved by the coordinator of the SILS
bioinformatics certificate program, Dr. Brad Hemminger.
Certificate in Interdisciplinary Health Communication. This certificate is truly interdisciplinary,
in the sense that it is hosted jointly by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the
School of Public Health, SILS, and the Department of Psychology. Dr. Barbara Wildemuth serves
as SILS’ representative on the IHC Certificate Committee, which approves all students’ program
plans and certifies completion of the certificate requirements.
The objective of the program is to train students to understand the processes of health
communication and the principles for communicating about health across multiple channels. It
prepares students to use theory-informed health communication strategies in applied practice,
academic and research settings. It supplements students' degree programs with focused
training in one of two tracks:
 Psychological processes — examining how health communication leads people to
change their health behaviors.
 Integrated communication strategies — examining how to create and deliver health
communication messages and interventions through interpersonal communication,
print media and electronic media.
To complete the IHC certificate, students must fulfill the following requirements:
 3 credits in a required course on health communication theory and research (HBHE
825/JOMC 825);
 3 credits in a course from the approved list and outside the student's home
department/school;
 3 credits in another course on the approved list;
 2 credits in the colloquia class for 2 semesters (HBHE 826/JOMC 826); and
 A thesis, master's paper, dissertation, or equivalent on a health communication-related
topic, broadly defined.
For example, a SILS student completing this certificate would take, in addition to the SILS
degree requirements, the required health communication theory/research course, a relevant
elective from one of the other three schools/departments, and two semesters of the
colloquium. In addition, one of the student’s electives at SILS would be clearly related to health
communication and the student’s master’s paper topic would be related to health
communication.
The SILS courses recommended to students from the other participating departments include:
INLS 500: Human Information Interaction
INLS 515: Consumer Health Information
INLS 572: Web Development (with a project related to health communication)
INLS 582: Systems Analysis (with a project related to health communication)
INLS 705: Health Sciences Information
2: Curriculum, page 45
INLS 718: User Interface Design (with a project related to health communication)
Certificate in International Development. This certificate is hosted by the UNC Center for
Global Initiatives. Dr. Barbara Moran serves on its Faculty Steering Committee.
The goals of this Certificate are for students to:
 Step outside of the US perspective when focusing on development. Research and
coursework must therefore have significant international content.
 Foster interdisciplinary approaches to development
 Engage in peer learning, especially through the Spring workshop
The requirements for this certificate program are:
 Enroll in four graduate courses on a topic related to international development and
social change. At least two of these courses must be external to the student's home
department or school and at least one should come from the list of core courses (which
includes INLS 758: International and Cross Cultural Perspectives for Information
Management.
 Participate in a bi-weekly workshop organized each spring by the Center for Global
Initiatives. This workshop is guided by the interests of enrolled students who suggest
readings for discussion and present their own work. There is no grade or credit
associated with this workshop.
 Submit to the Center for Global Initiatives a thesis, dissertation, or major seminar paper
on a topic related to international development and social change. It may be selected
for posting as part of our online Carolina Papers series.
 Demonstrate relevant language skills, international experience, or technical training.
To complete this certificate, a SILS student would develop a plan of study in consultation with
Dr. Moran. The course plan must demonstrate thematic integrity and intellectual coherence.
The student must also apply to the certificate program prior to the beginning of the spring
workshop and submit the master’s paper when completed.
UNC Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program. This certificate program is hosted by the UNC
School of Social Work. The Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program draws upon the expertise
of faculty from the University's Schools of Business, Information and Library Science, Law,
Public Health, Social Work, and Government, and from professionals in public agencies,
foundations, businesses and the nonprofit community.
This program prepares graduate students for leadership roles in North Carolina's rapidly
growing nonprofit sector and provides an in-depth examination of leadership issues within
human services, education, the arts, and other nonprofit organizations.
2: Curriculum, page 46
There is an increasing need for nonprofit leaders who have core competencies in an expanding
number of fields. Students enrolled in UNC's Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program can
expect to learn a variety of competitive skills, including how to:
 Analyze financial statements
 Develop strategic marketing, advocacy and fundraising plans
 Understand 501c3 compliance issues
 Work with and develop a board of directors
 Effectively develop and manage staff
 Work with the media
The Nonprofit Leadership Certificate is awarded to students who have completed a total of 15
credit hours of graduate coursework. There are four required courses:
 Executive Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations (SOWO 884) or Nonprofit Management
(PUBA 756)
 Marketing and Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations (SOWO 883)
 Nonprofit Fiscal Management (PUBA 757/SOWO 885) or Health Care Financial
Management (HPAA 740)
 Nonprofit Law for Non-Lawyers (LAW 213)
In addition, each student must take a 3 semester-hour elective selected from a list of approved
courses offered in the Schools of Social Work, Government, Law, Public Health, Education, or
Business, or the Department of City & Regional Planning.
Certification of School Library Media Coordinators. In addition to the standard certification
program for school library media coordinators offered by SILS as part of the MSLS degree
program, SILS and UNC's School of Education offer online courses designed to meet the
certification requirements for lateral entry prospective and provisionally certified school
librarians. This program is specifically designed for persons who possess a master of library
science degree, but do not have North Carolina school library media certification. Students have
two options for pursuing this program. Through the exploration option, a student may take an
individual course as an “off-campus” student. This option may be especially useful for students
who wish to explore the possibility of becoming a school library media coordinator by taking a
class or two before committing to a full program. Through the tailored program option,
students may apply for the North Carolina certification program and register to take courses
through off-campus credit studies.
To become certified, a student must complete a set of education requirements, a set of library
science requirements, and a set of school library specialized requirements, all described at
http://sils.unc.edu/programs/slmc/prep. Dr. Sandra Hughes-Hassell coordinates this
certification program and works closely with the students to ensure they successfully fulfill all
the necessary requirements.
2: Curriculum, page 47
3. FACULTY
This section introduces the faculty and discusses their research and teaching activities. It will
demonstrate a synergy between faculty teaching, advising, and administrative assignments on
the one hand, and faculty expertise, research, and professional affiliations on the other. It will
also establish the benefits accruing to students from this synergy.
3.1 OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE FACULTY
Introduction. As stated in the school Bylaws, “the Faculty consists of all persons holding
appointments to the ranks of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, lecturer and
instructor.” This section introduces SILS faculty. We begin by introducing full-time faculty, and
proceed through part-time faculty, graduate instructors, and non-tenure track EPA employees.
SILS full-time faculty comprises:
 One Dean/Professor: Gary Marchionini (Boshamer Distinguished Professor).
 Eleven Professors: Jane Greenberg, Stephanie W. Haas, Robert M. Losee, Richard
Marciano, Joanne Gard Marshall (Alumni Distinguished Professor), Reagan Moore,
Barbara B. Moran (Louis Round Wilson Distinguished Professor), Javed Mostafa (joint
appointment with Biomedical Research Imaging Center), Arcot Rajasekar, Helen R. Tibbo
(Alumni Distinguished Professor), and Barbara M. Wildemuth (currently serving as
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs).
 Nine Associate Professors: Deborah Barreau, Claudia Gollop, Lew Hassell (Clinical
Associate Professor), Bradley Hemminger, Sandra Hughes-Hassell, Paul Jones (Clinical
Associate Professor, joint appointment with School of Journalism and Mass
Communication, where he holds tenure), Diane Kelly (Frances Carroll McColl Term
Associate Professor), Jeffrey Pomerantz, and Brian W. Sturm.
 Three Assistant Professors: Ronald Berquist (Clinical Assistant Professor), Christopher
(Cal) Lee, and Ryan Shaw (joining SILS in January 2010).
 One Instructor: Phillip Edwards.
The interests and qualifications of these faculty members are presented in the table below.
3: Faculty, page 48
Table 3.1-1: Full-Time Faculty
Name
Research, Teaching & Advising
Specializations
SILS
Appt.
Doctoral
Degree Field
Doctoral
Institution
Deborah
Barreau
Design, development and use of
information systems;
organizational behavior;
organizational communication;
personal information systems.
Public libraries in North Carolina;
information visualization; visual
language; user-centered design;
public library policy.
Scholarly communication; design
and evaluation of information
services; search strategies;
research methods; information
behavior; digital libraries;
information resources in science
and technology.
Information and reference
services; consumer health
information; health sciences
librarianship; information and
diverse user groups.
Metadata; cataloging/indexing and
classification; semantic web
developments and ontologies; and
visual image indexing.
Natural language processing;
information retrieval; sublanguage
and terminology; genre and
discourse structure.
Database management; systems
analysis and design; Web
development; information
assurance; linguistic philosophy as
applied to IS.
Medical and bio-informatics;
computer-human interfaces;
digital libraries and open archives;
and information visualization.
7/1/02
Library and
Information
Services
University of
Maryland
1/1/10
Information
Science
7/1/08
Information
Science
University of
North
Carolina at
Chapel Hill
University of
Washington
(expected
12/1/10)
7/1/94
Library
Science
University of
Pittsburgh
1/1/99
Information
Science
University of
Pittsburgh
7/1/89
Information
Science
University of
Pittsburgh
1/1/10
Information
Science
Drexel
University
1/1/02
Computer
Science
University of
Utrecht
(Netherlands)
Ron
Bergquist
Phillip
Edwards
Claudia
Gollop
Jane
Greenberg
Stephanie
Haas
Lew Hassell
Bradley
Hemminger
3: Faculty, page 49
Name
Research, Teaching & Advising
Specializations
SILS
Appt.
Doctoral
Degree Field
Doctoral
Institution
Sandra
HughesHassell
Children’s literature; children’s
services; school library media,
7/1/06
Information
and Library
Science
University of
North
Carolina at
Chapel Hill
7/1/99
MFA, Poetry
Warren
Wilson
College
1/1/04
Information
Science
Rutgers
University
7/1/05
Information
Science
Library &
Information
Science
Curriculum
Development
Mathematics
University of
Michigan
University of
Chicago
8/1/08
Computer
Science
University of
Iowa
1/1/99
Public Health
Sciences
University of
Toronto
8/1/08
Physics
University of
California, San
Diego
Paul Jones
information needs and behaviors of
underserved youth, critical race
theory.
Internet issues and applications
including digital libraries;
electronic publishing; online news;
virtual communities; legal and
social issues relating to networked
information and access.
Diane Kelly User modeling; relevance
feedback; personalization;
information-seeking behavior;
experimental design and analysis;
research methods.
Christopher Archives; digital preservation;
(Cal) Lee
electronic records management.
Robert
Information retrieval; information;
Losee
reasoning systems; organizing
information; decision making.
Gary
Information seeking in electronic
Marchionini environments; human-computer
interaction; digital libraries;
information design; information
policy.
Richard
Digital libraries; archives and
Marciano
records management; policy-based
cyberinfrastructure; digital
preservation; digital humanities.
Joanne
Health information needs and
Marshall
services; value and impact of
library and information services;
aging workforce issues;
competencies of library and
information professionals.
Reagan
Rule-based data management;
Moore
data grids; digital libraries;
persistent archives; genealogy.
7/1/86
7/1/98
3: Faculty, page 50
Wayne State
University
Name
Barbara
Moran
Research, Teaching & Advising
Specializations
Academic librarianship;
management of information
agencies; human resources
management; popular materials;
organizational design and
leadership.
Javed
Multimedia information retrieval;
Mostafa
personalization and user modeling;
cyberinfrastructure for research
and learning.
Jeffrey
The integration of digital reference
Pomerantz services into digital and physical
libraries; automation of library
services; classification; information
retrieval.
Arcot
Data grids; digital libraries;
Rajasekar
persistent archives and artificial
intelligence.
Ryan Shaw Organization of information, new
media, and representation of
history.
Brian Sturm Storytelling and folklore; children's
and young adult’s literature and
public library services; children
and technology; bibliotherapy.
Helen Tibbo Archives and records
management; information services
for the humanities; electronic
information retrieval; reference
service.
Barbara
Information-seeking behaviors and
Wildemuth information use; design and
evaluation of information systems;
adoption and use of information.
SILS
Appt.
Doctoral
Degree Field
Doctoral
Institution
7/1/81
Higher
Education/
Library and
Information
Science
University of
Buffalo
8/1/07
Information
Science
University of
Texas at
Austin
7/1/03
Information
Studies
Syracuse
University
8/1/08
Computer
Science
University of
Maryland
1/1/11
Information
Management
& Systems
Library &
Information
Science
University of
California,
Berkeley
Indiana
University
7/1/89
Library &
Information
Science
University of
Maryland
7/1/88
Information
Systems
Design
Drexel
University
1/1/98
Faculty members listed above have been appointed as members of the Graduate Faculty of the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Additional information on faculty members can be
found on the SILS website at http://sils.unc.edu/people/faculty.html. Also, we incorporate
brief versions of their curriculum vitae as Appendix A.
3: Faculty, page 51
In addition to our 25 full-time faculty, several distinguished scholars and practitioners have
appointments in SILS. They include Sarah C. Michalak (University Librarian and Associate
Provost for University Libraries), Donald W. King (Distinguished Research Professor), Brewster
Kahle ( Co-Founder of the Internet Archive and SILS Visiting Scholar), Ann Prentice (Dean
Emeritus, University of Maryland, and SILS Visiting Scholar), and Michael Tiemann (Chief
Technology Office, Red Hat, and SILS Visiting Scholar). These faculty do not currently teach SILS
classes, but are frequent guest lecturers and work with individual students.
Our full-time faculty appointments are augmented by a variety of adjunct instructors. Currently
appointed part-time faculty are listed in Table 3.1-2 below.
Table 3.1-2: Part-Time Faculty
Name
Angela Bardeen
Todd Barlow
Jennifer Bauer
Michel Bezy
Joan Boone
Rob Capra
Jeff Campbell
Scott Childs
Abe Crystal
Evelyn Daniel
Jacqueline Dean
Beth Doyle
Robert Joel Dunn
Position
Social Science Reference
Librarian, UNC-CH
Manager, Solutions Usability
Department, SAS Institute, Inc.
Research Associate, Visual
Resources Curator, Art
Department, UNC-CH
Program Director, IBM
IT Specialist, Business Partner
Technical Enablement, IBM
Post-Doctoral Fellow, Research
Scientist, SILS, UNC-CH
Integrated Library Systems
Administrator, UNC-CH
Asst. Director for Research and
User Services, Law Library, UNCCH
Principal Design Researcher,
MoreBetterLabs
Professor Emeritus, SILS
Manuscripts Processing Librarian,
UNC-CH
Collections Conservator, Duke
University Libraries
Associate Vice Chancellor for
Administrative Systems, UNCGreensboro
3: Faculty, page 52
SILS Course Most Recently Taught
704: Humanities & Social Science
Reference (with Nixon)
490: Usability Engineering
749: Art & Visual Information
Management (with Gendron)
890: Strategic Uses of Digital
Information
560: Programming
818: Seminar in Human-Computer
Interaction
200: Retrieving and Analyzing
Information
708: Law Libraries and Legal
Information
520: Organization of Information
089: Bought, Burned, or
Borrowed: Information Ethics and
Policy in the World Around Us
757: Principles & Practices of
Archival Description
753: Preservation of Library and
Archive Materials
382: Systems Analysis and Design
Name
Alan Forrest
Heather Gendron
Chad Haefele
Joni Keller
Sandra Lyles
Position
Systems Specialist, Computer
Science Department, UNC-CH
Art Librarian, UNC-CH
Emerging Technologies Librarian,
UNC-CH
Applications Specialist,
Information Technical Services,
UNC-CH
Consultant for local school district
Charles B. McNamara Curator of Rare Books, Academic
Affairs Library, UNC-CH
Bill (William) Meyers Principal Software Engineer,
EMC/Data General (Retired)
Anne Morisseau
Associate Director,
Communication & Learning
Solutions, Bristol-Meyers Squibb
Angela Myatt
Information Services Librarian,
Academic Information
Technologies and Libraries,
College of Medicine, University of
Cincinnati
Tommy Nixon
Reference Librarian, Davis
Reference Department, UNC-CH
Ruth Palmquist
Retired (formerly, School of
Information and Library Science,
Dominican University)
Susan RathbunResearch Scientist, Institute on
Grubb
Aging, UNC-CH
Beth Rowe
Associate Librarian, Head of
Documents, UNC-CH
Jacqueline Samples
Continuing & Electronic Resource
Librarian, NC State
Connie Schardt
Education Coordinator, Medical
Center Library, Duke University
Tim Shearer
Coordinator of Web
Development, UNC-CH Libraries
Jacqueline Solis
Reference and Instructional
Services Librarian, UNC-CH
3: Faculty, page 53
SILS Course Most Recently Taught
576: Distributed Systems and
Administration
749: Art & Visual Information
Management (with Bauer)
501: Information Resources and
Services
578: Protocols & Network
Management
795: Supervised Field Experience
(special section for school media
specialists)
857: Seminar in Rare Book
Collections
566: Information Security
701: IR Search Strategies
890: Evidence-Based Medicine
(with Schardt)
704: Humanities & Social Science
Reference (with Bardeen)
500: Human Information
Interactions
780: Research Methods
724: Abstracting & Indexing
521: Organization of Materials I
707: Government Documents
721: Organization of Materials II
(with Stahlberg)
890: Evidence-Based Medicine
(with Myatt)
582: Systems Analysis
501: Information Resources &
Services (with Haefele)
Name
Erin Stahlberg
Matthew Turi
Philip Vandermeer
Michael Van Fossen
Rebecca Vargha
Position
Head, Metadata & Cataloging, NC
State
Reference Librarian, Manuscripts
Department, UNC-CH
Music Librarian and Chief
Administrator, Music Library,
UNC-CH
State/International Documents
Librarian, Academic Affairs
Library, UNC-CH
Librarian, SILS, UNC-CH
SILS Course Most Recently Taught
721: Organization of Materials II
(with Samples)
556: Introduction to Archives and
Records Management
746: Music Librarianship
707: Government Documents
513: Resource Selection and
Evaluation
The teaching faculty also includes graduate teaching fellows (i.e., doctoral students responsible
for particular courses). These instructors have demonstrated excellent progress in their
doctoral studies and have taken a formal pedagogy course at the university. They often have
completed an apprenticeship in teaching with a tenure-track faculty member or have otherwise
received formal training as a teacher or instructor. Teaching fellows from Fall 2009 through
Spring 2010 are listed below with the name and number of the course they have taught or are
now teaching.
Table 3.1-3: Teaching Fellows and Doctoral Student Instructors (Fall 2009-Spring 2010)
Name
Laura Christopherson
Rachael Clemens
Ernie Cox
Lori Eakin
Alice Etim
Carolyn Hank
Dana Hanson- Baldauf
Weimao Ke
Xi Niu
Sanghee Oh
Ericka Patillo
Chirag Shah
Laura Sheble
Yaxiao Song
Kristina Spurgin
Courses
382: Information System Analysis and Design;
582: Systems Analysis
788: User Education;
200: Retrieving and Analyzing Information
461: Information Tools
525: Electronic Records Management
523: Database Systems 1, Introduction to Database
752: Digital Preservation and Access;
500: Human Information Interactions
513: Resource Selection and Evaluation
461: Information Tools
461: Information Tools
461: Information Tools
585: Management for Information Professionals
490: IR Systems
101: Foundations of Information Science
490: PHP Programming
521: Organization of Materials
3: Faculty, page 54
Name
Fred Stutzman
Cassidy Sugimoto
Meredith Weiss
Hollie White
Courses
490: Computer Mediated Communication;
490: Online Social Networks
200: Retrieving and Analyzing Information
585: Management for Information Professionals (both semesters)
520: Organization of Information
The university monitors doctoral student teaching at the graduate level very closely. We file a
Graduate Teaching Assistant Development Program report annually. The 2008/2009 report was
submitted on January 21, 2010.
The university categorizes its academic employees as either EPA (Exempt from Personnel Act)
or SPA (State Personnel Act). EPA full-time faculty or non-faculty can be either tenure-track or
non-tenure track. The latter may have either instructional, administrative, and/or research
responsibilities. SILS has five non-faculty EPA employees. The name, title, and current term of
appointment for these employees are provided below.
 Scott Adams, Director of Information Technology, 7/2006-6/2011
 Aaron Brubaker, Director of Instructional Technology, 3/2008-2/2013
 Tamika McCollough, Director of EPA Libraries, 9/2007-8/2012
 Wanda Monroe, Director of Communications, 2/2007-2/2012
 Stephanie Cole, Director of Development, 7/2010Employees in this category are engaged in administrative or technology efforts.
Committees. Much of the administrative decision making at SILS occurs within committees.
The table below lists standing and ad-hoc committees plus other administrative appointments
and the faculty and staff who have been assigned to them for the 2010-2011 academic year. In
addition to committees SILS also executes administrative duties in Task Forces, which are also
included in the table. To provide a more thorough picture of the administrative responsibilities
of our faculty and staff, we also include their roles as chair, director, liaison, etc. in various
programs and professional associations.
3: Faculty, page 55
Table 3.1-4: Administrative Assignments, 2010-2011
STANDING COMMITTEES
Master’s Committee
Brian Sturm, chair (fall only)
Stephanie Haas, chair (spring only)
Barbara Moran
Ryan Shaw (spring only)
Richard Marciano
MSLS Student- TBA
MSIS Student- TBA
Lara Bailey, ex officio
Rebecca Vargha, ex officio
Barbara Wildemuth, ex officio
Research & Doctoral Committee
Helen Tibbo, Chair
Jane Greenberg
Claudia Gollop
Bob Losee
Arcot (Raja) Rajasekar
PhD Student – Heather Bowden
Scott Adams, ex officio
Stephanie Peterson, ex officio
Barbara Wildemuth, ex officio
Undergraduate Committee
Jeff Pomerantz, Chair
Phillip Edwards
Lew Hassell
Paul Jones
Laura Sheble, PhD Student
Justin Brinegar, BSIS Student
Aaron Brubaker, ex officio
Wanda Monroe, ex officio
Stephanie Peterson, ex officio
Rebecca Vargha, ex officio
Personnel Committee
Joanne Marshall, chair
Reagan Moore
Brad Hemminger
Barbara Wildemuth
Ron Bergquist
Master’s student - TBA
PhD Student – Amy Van Scoy
Diversity Committee
Sandra Hughes-Hassell, Chair
Javed Mostafa
Paul Jones
Alumnus – Linwood Webster
PhD student – Leo Cao
Master’s student –
Wanda Monroe, ex officio
SPECIAL COMMITTEE
Faculty Salary Committee
Full professor – election to be held
Claudia Gollop (thru 12/10)
Cal Lee (thru 12/11)
AD HOC COMMITTEES/TASK FORCES
Search Committee – Faculty
Diane Kelly, chair
Deborah Barreau
Cal Lee
Tamika Barnes
Master’s student – Tyler Dzuba
PhD student – Laura Christopherson
Task Force on Information Organization
Curriculum
Jane Greenberg, Chair
Stephanie Haas
Ryan Shaw
3: Faculty, page 56
Staff Excellence Awards Committee
Barbara Moran, Chair
Javed Mostafa
Past recipient 1
Past recipient 2
PROGRAM DIRECTORS & COORDINATORS
Director of Graduate Studies
Government (MPA): Helen Tibbo
Law: Ron Bergquist
Medicine, Duke: Claudia Gollop
Nursing: Barbara Wildemuth
Public Health: Joanne Marshall
Public History, NCSU: Helen Tibbo
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AND
STUDENT CHAPTER LIAISONS
Barbara Wildemuth
ALISE Liaison
Director of Research
Claudia Gollop
Javed Mostafa
AMLISS Student Chapter Liaison
Director of Undergraduate Programs
Cal Lee
Jeff Pomerantz
ASIS&T Student Chapter Liaison
Director of the Summer School
Barbara Wildemuth
Claudia Gollop
Beta Phi Mu Liaison
Distance Education Steering Committee
Rep.
Deborah Barreau
Claudia Gollop
Doctoral Student Association Liaison
TBA
Director of Health Informatics Programs
Javed Mostafa
ILSSA Liaison
Barbara Moran
International Affairs Coordinators
ISSUE Faculty Liaison
Javed Mostafa, co-coordinator
Barbara Moran, co-coordinator
Deborah Barreau
School Library Media Program Coordinator
SCALA Liaison
Sandra Hughes-Hassell
Claudia Gollop
WISE (Web Info Science Ed.) Coordinator
SCOSAA Student Chapter Liaison
Claudia Gollop
Helen Tibbo
DUAL DEGREE LIAISONS
SLA Student Chapter Liaison
Art History: Helen Tibbo
Business: Deborah Barreau
Rebecca Vargha
3: Faculty, page 57
OTHER APPOINTMENTS
SILS Alumni Association Liaison
University Library Staff Development
Committee
Wanda Monroe
Deborah Barreau
EPA Faculty Liaison
Student Representatives to Faculty
Meetings
Claudia Gollop
PhD student -- Julia Kampov, DSA President
MS student – Tyler Dzuba, ILSSA President
BSIS student – Ashlee Edwards, ISSUE
President
Equal Employment Opportunity Officer
Carolina Academic Library Associates (CaLA)
Steering Committee
Sandra Hughes-Hassell
Faculty Council Representative
Cal Lee, 2008-2010
Barbara Moran
Strengths and Concerns. The information and library science field has been expanding
its domain for the past thirty years as a result of the broader application of principles of
information organization and information technology. As a result, ILS schools often
specialize in certain aspects of the field. At SILS specializations include: Management,
Library Systems, Social Studies of Information, Systems Analysis and Design,
Organization of Information/Information Architecture, Children's Services, Public
Libraries, Database and Information Retrieval Systems, Information Services, Academic
Libraries, Archives/Cultural Institutions, Networking and Internet Technology,
Bio/Health/Med Informatics, and Special Libraries.
In the ILS field, it is always hard to say a school has enough faculty. SILS and every other
ILS program could cover the field more broadly and would benefit from having multiple
faculty members with similar research interests. In many cases the expertise areas that
ILS programs claim are extremely fragile because the school has only one full-time
faculty member teaching and researching in the claimed areas. SILS is very fortunate to
have several areas such as medical informatics, database, archives and records
management, digital libraries, organization of information, and human computer
interaction where there are enough faculty to have secure programs.
In a leading school both depth and breadth are critical. Recent additions to our faculty
have helped SILS to meet both criteria. Sandra Hughes-Hassell leads the School Library
Media Program. This has bolstered school media area just as we experienced Evelyn
Daniel’s retirement. Cal Lee adds depth to our digital archiving specialty and Jeff
Pomerantz, before him, deepened our expertise in reference. Diane Kelly has
strengthened the information retrieval area. Phillip Edwards, provides needed strength
in collections and scholarly communication. This will help SILS maintain strength in
3: Faculty, page 58
areas that David Carr - now retired - has provided in the past. Phillip also offers
additional strength in science information. The three faculty members of the Data
Intensive Cyber Environments (DICE) group complement our faculty in many ways, but
particularly in the more technical aspects of the archives and records management
specialization through their work on iRODS. Reagan Moore also has interests in digital
preservation and genealogical informatics. Richard Marciano brings strength in
humanities information and Arcot Rajasekar brings knowledge of work processes and
adds to our strength in databases. Our newest faculty member, Ryan Shaw, will be
joining us in January 2011, and will help to fill the significant gap in the organization of
information area that we experienced on Jerry Saye’s medical retirement.
Distribution over Ranks. Table 3.1-5 provides information about efforts to improve
teaching as well as teaching load information for each faculty rank over the past five
years. The teaching load section divided into graduate and undergraduate levels and
into amounts of students and courses. Note that data was drawn from spring and fall
semesters only. Also note that number-of-students-taught data for each degree level
were computed by summing the number of students in undergraduate and graduate
courses. In other words, when undergraduate students enrolled in graduate courses –
as was occasionally the case - they were counted as graduate students. Since there
were some undergraduate students who enrolled in graduate level courses, but nearly
zero graduate students who enrolled in our undergraduate classes, the numbers for
undergraduate students taught are slightly deflated, while those for graduate students
taught are slightly inflated. This counting method also introduces a bias – again, of low
magnitude – in distribution of teaching load by rank. There are reasons to expect that,
when undergraduate students enroll in graduate courses, they favor those taught by
higher ranking faculty. First, inasmuch as students evaluate their course options based
on instructor, it is natural to expect that full-time faculty would hold more appeal. More
importantly, the graduate courses that undergraduates tend to enroll in are most often
taught by full-time faculty. These courses include the special topics courses and the
courses required by Master’s programs. Interestingly, because there are far fewer
undergraduates, this bias has a larger impact on the percentages in the undergraduate
distribution than it does on that for graduates. That is, if degree levels were not
approximated by the degree level of courses, the percentages of undergraduate
students taught by full-time faculty would rise by greater magnitudes than the
percentages of graduate students taught by full-time faculty would fall.
3: Faculty, page 59
Table 3.1-5. Teaching Activities, Spring 2005 - Fall 2009
Asst.
Prof.
Instr.
Fixed
Term
FullTime
Fixed
Term
PartTime
Teaching
Asst.
Total
Prof.
Assoc.
Prof.
64
(100%)
5
(8%)
5
(8%)
12
(19%)
2
(3%)
2
(3%)
23
(36%)
15
(23%)
1234
(100%)
28
(2%)
77
(6%)
253
(21%)
67
(5%)
20
(2%)
407
(33%)
382
(31%)
537
(100%)
133
(25%)
111
(21%)
72
(13%)
4
(1%)
19
(4%)
133
(25%)
65
(12%)
5980
(100%)
2387
(40%)
226
(4%)
1458
(24%)
110
(2%)
239
(4%)
238
(4%)
1322
(22%)
20
7
7
6
-----
-----
-----
-----
8
1
0
3
0
0
4
0
9
2
1
4
0
0
2
0
Teaching Load
Number & (%) of
undergraduate
courses
taught/rank
Number & (%)
undergraduate
students
taught/rank
Number & (%) of
graduate courses
taught/rank
Number & (%)
graduate
students
taught/rank
Improvement of Teaching
Number of faculty
active in training
and supervision of
GTAs
Number of faculty
awarded teaching
prizes22
Number of faculty
involved in
teaching-award
selection
committees
Looking at the data from the Teaching Load section of Table 3.1-5, we highlight the fact
that a full 60 percent of graduate courses (and 70 percent of graduate students) were
taught by full-time faculty. Of these ranks, the largest proportion was taught by
professors. While these high rates were not reflected at the undergraduate level, it
should be noted that there are eight times as many students taught at the graduate
versus undergraduate level. This implies that, over all, the number of students taught
by full-time faculty was high. For instance, the amount of all students taught by
professors was about 22 percent.
22
Other teaching prizes include an annual SILS teaching award given to one faculty member and one
adjunct faculty member, the annual ALISE teaching award, and the annual ASIST teaching award.
3: Faculty, page 60
That said, the most apparent lesson is that SILS needs to involve more full-time faculty
in undergraduate teaching. Professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and
instructors teach only 8, 8, 19, and 3 percent of undergraduate courses, respectively (for
a total of 34% of the students). This may be hurting our undergraduate recruitment
effort. In the Spring 2010 semester, SILS introduced a First Year Seminar as part of our
recruitment efforts. In the Fall 2010 semester, this course will be team-taught by our
Dean and a Professor Emeritus, both of whom are recipients of the SILS Outstanding
Teacher Award. In addition, we have introduced INLS 101: Foundations of Information
Science, taught by an Associate Professor. We will continue to strive to have full-time
faculty teach undergraduate courses, particularly those that first introduce students to
information science.
Having acknowledged this, it should be noted the majority of non-full-time faculty
instructors are represented by fixed-term, part-time instructors. SILS holds these
adjunct faculty instructors in high esteem. In most cases, they have impressive
professional and teaching experience (see Table 3.1-2). Since SILS is a professional
school, this is especially important.
While SILS has an obligation to provide teaching experience to doctoral students, we
also recognize an obligation to provide high quality educational experiences to students
in lower degree levels. Therefore, the doctoral students who instruct our courses are
evaluated during live instruction by a full-time faculty member. They are also required
to have taken or be enrolled in a pedagogy course and have often been paired with a
faculty mentor in an apprenticeship. While teaching, they are encouraged to participate
in a 1 semester-hour seminar on teaching practice.
To further examine the instructional strength of Master’s programs we have looked at
whether full-time faculty teach in the core areas of the curriculum. Specifically, we have
measured which of our required courses were taught by full-time faculty and which
were taught by adjunct faculty and teaching fellows over the last three years. Results of
this analysis are presented in Table 3.1-6, where the number in parentheses following
each instructor’s name indicates the number of sections taught by that instructor over
the three-year period. At this point, we are approaching our goal of having two full-time
faculty members familiar with and regularly teaching each required course.
3: Faculty, page 61
Table 3.1-6. Teaching Assignments for Required Master’s Courses, Fall 2007 - Spring
2010
Course Number and Title
Required
461: Information Tools
MSIS,
MSLS
MSIS,
MSLS
500: Human Information
Interactions
Regular and
Clinical Faculty
Bergquist (3)
Barreau (6),
Daniel (1),
Marchionini (2)
Gollop (5),
Pomerantz (3)
501: Information
Resources and Services
MSLS
509: Information Retrieval
513: Resource Selection
and Evaluation
520: Organization of
Information
521: Organization of
Materials I
582: Systems Analysis
MSIS
MSLS
MSIS
Haas (5)
585: Management for
Information Professionals
MSIS,
MSLS
780: Research Methods
MSIS,
MSLS
Griffiths (2),
Moran (2),
Winston (2)
Kelly (6),
Losee (7)
MSIS
Losee (6)
Edwards (5),
Lee (2)
Greenberg (1)
MSLS
Adjunct and Visiting faculty,
Teaching Fellows
Campbell (1), Cox (1), Fenton (6),
Kee (1), Oh (1), West (1)
Hank (2), Palmquist (5), Taylor(1),
Devaney (1), McCollough (1), Nixon
(1), Norberg (1), Sessoms (1),
Sugimoto (1)
Arns (1), Hanson-Baldauf (2), Hill
(1), Orcutt (1), Raschke (1)
Mitchell (2), Rathbun-Grubb (1),
Spurgin (1), White (2)
Rathbun-Grubb (6), Spurgin (5),
Wisser (1)
Campbell(1), Christopherson (1),
Shearer (1)
Leonard (1), Patillo (1), Weiss (2),
Wilkins-Jordan (5)
Palmquist (2)
Especially noteworthy is the marriage of faculty interests with teaching duties. This
becomes evident when the above table is compared with Figure 3.1-1 below. In this
illustration, the field of information and library science is defined as the synergistic
combination of information, people, and tools/technologies. The intersections between
these areas of interest are human information interaction, information organization and
representation, and human computer interaction. In addition, overarching issues
related to management, policy, and ILS education and the contexts of information
institutions are among our research interests.
As shown in the diagram below, each faculty member has a focus for research and
teaching in one or more aspects of information and library science. Fulltime and adjunct
faculty address all aspects of information and library science, but SILS has particular
strengths in areas such as human information interaction, information tools and
technologies, information organization and representation, and several specific contexts
(academic libraries, health sciences, and work with children and youth).
3: Faculty, page 62
Figure 3.1-1: Faculty Interests
Daniel, Marshall, Tibbo
Daniel, Lee,
Marshall, Moran
Education
in ILS
Management
issues
Edwards. Lee, Losee, Marchionini,
Moran, Sturm, Tibbo
HumanInformation
Interaction
Barreau, Edwards, Gollop,
Hemminger, Kelly, King,
Lee, Marchionini,
Pomerantz, Sturm, Tibbo,
Wildemuth
Gollop, HughesHassell, Kelly
Bergquist, Daniel, King,
Lee, Marchionini
Policy
issues
Information
organization,
representation
Information
(content, artifacts)
People
(authors,
info seekers,
readers)
Greenberg, Haas,
Hassell, Lee, Losee,
Rajasekar, Shaw
Tools/
technologies
HumanComputer
Interaction
Greenberg, Haas, Hassell,
Hemminger, Jones, Kelly,
Marciano, Moore, Mostafa,
Pomerantz, Rajasekar
Bergquist, Kelly, Hemminger,
Sturm (children and youth)
Barreau (PIM, news)
Marchionini, Mostafa, Wildemuth
Daniel, Hughes-Hassell (school libraries)
Marshall (health sciences libraries)
Lee, Tibbo (archives) Edwards (scholarly publishing)
Gollop (consumer health information)
Moran (academic libraries) Bergquist (public libraries)
Hemminger, Mostafa (bioinformatics)
Marciano, Moore, Rajasekar (data-intensive computing) Contexts Hemminger, Mostafa, Wildemuth (health informatics)
Faculty contributions to our understanding of human information interactions include
Barreau’s work on interactions within organizational contexts, Edwards’ and King’s
studies of scholarly decision processes relative to where and how they publish and
distribute their work, Gollop’s studies of information seeking and use, Hemminger’s
surveys of the ways scientists seek information, Kelly’s work on implicit and explicit
relevance feedback, Lee’s and Tibbo’s work on archival systems and their users,
Marchionini and Wildemuth’s digital video project, Pomerantz’ work on digital reference
services, and Sturm’s emphasis on storytelling.
Faculty contributions in the study of and teaching about tools and technologies include
Greenberg’s development of metadata creation tools, Haas’ work with natural language
processing (NLP) techniques, Hassell’s work on information security, Hemminger’s work
on information visualization, Jones’ development of an open source repository (ibiblio),
Kelly’s work in information retrieval, Marciano, Moore, and Rajasekar’s work on iRODS,
Pomerantz’ work on digital reference systems, and Mostafa’s investigations of ways of
modeling student interests for use in developing multi-agent classification systems.
3: Faculty, page 63
Faculty contributions to our understanding of information organization and
representation include Greenberg’s work with metadata, Haas’ development of
methods for using natural language processing approaches to information
representation, Hassell’s and Rajasekar’s work in databases, Lee’s interests in the
importance of context for metadata, Losee’s theoretical work in defining information,
and Shaw’s research on representations of temporal aspects of information objects.
Further, faculty research and teaching may focus on particular contexts. Moran’s
longitudinal study of the Bodleian Library, Oxford University complements Bergquist’s
work on the establishment of town libraries in North Carolina. Daniel’s and HughesHassell’s work with school libraries complements Sturm’s interests in children’s and
young adult literature. A number of the faculty are working in areas related to the
health sciences: Hemminger, Mostafa, and Wildemuth in the development of systems
for use in the medical domain, Gollop in consumer health information needs, and
Marshall focusing on health sciences libraries.
The newest faculty acquisitions have strengthened our research and teaching programs
in many ways. The Data Intensive Cyber Environments (DICE) group relocated here in
the fall of 2008 from the University of California, San Diego’s Supercomputer Center.
This large-scale data research team brings expertise in the development of digital data
technologies, including open source software that enables sharing of data in
collaborative research, publication of data in digital libraries, and preservation of data in
persistent archives for use by future generation. Drs. Marciano, Rajasekar and Moore
lead the team. In January 2011, we will be welcoming Ryan Shaw to our faculty. He is
currently completing his dissertation at the University of California, Berkeley, on ways to
represent the event-based context of historical documentation.
Salary. The University has not published a salary scale for faculty. Each starting salary is
a matter of individual negotiation involving the appointee and the Dean, based upon the
current salary range per rank, national salary levels for the field and rank involved, and
funds available in the University budget.
The Dean determines the salaries of SILS faculty. The criteria for salary increases and
the procedure for review of increases are covered by the Faculty Salary Policy. The
policy states that the Dean’s decision on faculty salaries takes into account the following
factors:
 both long- and short-term indicators of merit;
 multiple criteria of merit, including teaching, research, service, and participation
in the life of the School. The Dean’s request for documentation for the annual
review will be made each year, typically during May. Evidence is provided by the
faculty members’ curriculum vitae, annual report, and teaching evaluations;
following the request and due at an appropriate time specified by the Dean.
 attention to actual salary levels, not only percentage amounts of increases;
3: Faculty, page 64


inequities resulting from changing market conditions, inadequate funding,
compression due to disparity between internal rates of increase and competing
offers, and any other inappropriate disparities;
for faculty members who also serve as administrators, excellence in performance
of administrative duties, with regard to the portion of salary not attributable to
regular faculty duties.
A faculty committee consisting of three people, one from each rank of assistant,
associate, and full professor is elected by the faculty with each member serving for a
rotating term of three years. The committee is charged with ensuring that the written
salary policy is on file and available for convenient review by faculty. Normally by
October 1 of each year, the Dean provides the Salary Committee a list of all faculty
members, their salary increases, and percentage increases for the current fiscal year.
The Committee reviews the increases and consults with the Dean about any trends that
do not appear to follow the written salary policy and any perceived inconsistencies, and
then reports to the faculty the results of its review.
Each faculty member is encouraged to discuss on an individual basis with the Dean his/
her progress relating to merit factors. Junior faculty meet with the Dean semi-annually
to discuss performance expectations and goals. All faculty meet with the Dean during
the academic year for an annual review. A portion of the annual review is devoted to
the discussion of progress relating to merit factors. Any faculty member who has a
specific complaint about his/her salary adjustment may follow the University’s grievance
procedure established by the Employee and Management Relations Department of the
Office of Human Resources23.
The table below, taken from the 2008-2009 Salary Committee Report, shows the
average 2007-2008 salaries by the ranks with average increases, percent of increases
and standard deviations. Some faculty are not included due to retirements or
administrative appointments.
23
See http://hr.unc.edu/employee-relations/grievances-formal-appeals/index.htm.
3: Faculty, page 65
Table 3.1-7: Summary Salary Data
Average
Salary
2007-08
Assistant Professor (4)
Averages
Standard Deviations
Associate Professor (7)
Averages
Standard Deviations
Professor (7)
Averages
Standard Deviations
Average
Increase
Average
Salary
2008-09
Average
Percentage
Increase
$74,078
$5,781
$3,257
$1,460
$77,335
$5,156
4.4%
$82,913
$11,004
$2,949
$1,810
$85,863
$10,441
3.6%
$118,737
$29,338
$2,958
$837
$121,694
$30,139
2.5%
In recent years, there have been significant budget concerns in higher education in
North Carolina (and throughout the U.S.). For this reason, no merit raises or cost-ofliving raises have been allowed for state employees for the past two years. Again in
2010, no raises are likely for the coming year.
Expected Retirements. Current faculty members are fairly evenly distributed across the
age spectrum as Table 3.1-8, below, shows. One faculty member is over 65 and 11 more
are 55 or over. Thus, we can expect some retirements over the next decade.
Table 3.1-8. Age and Gender Distribution of the Faculty, January 2010
Age Group
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
Total
Male
2
3
4
6
15
Female
2
2
5
1
10
Total
2
5
6
11
1
25
Based on ages on August 1, 2010.
We replace retired faculty on an as needed basis, and augment the tenure-track faculty
with full-time term appointments as needed. We currently have two such faculty
members: Ron Bergquist and Lew Hassell.
Planning for faculty searches typically takes place each year at the annual planning day
retreat. We seek to balance replacing the expertise of retired faculty with the need for
new subject areas as the field grows and changes. One faculty search was conducted in
2009-2010, resulting in the hiring of Ryan Shaw. Two faculty searches are being
conducted in 2010-2011. They highlight two areas of needed faculty expertise: (1)
3: Faculty, page 66
Human Computer Interaction and Social Computing, with application in areas such as
social media and systems, information search, collaborative search, or end user
education and services; and (2) Information Retrieval, Synthesis and Analysis, with
application to human activities in domains such as legal discovery, intelligence analysis, patent
searching, health informatics, financial informatics, or competitive intelligence.
Diversity. As stated in our document, “Criteria and Procedures for Faculty
Appointments, Reappointments, Promotion, and Tenure”:
The School of Information and Library Science is committed to equality of
opportunity. Concomitant with this is the tradition of fairness to each individual
without prejudice to race, age, sex, creed or national origin. The official policy of
the School of Information and Library Science regarding equal opportunity is
stated in the most recent revision of the Equal Opportunity Plan of the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In addition, SILS specifically stresses the importance of a diverse faculty in its Diversity
Statement. This Statement prompts SILS to “recruit traditionally underrepresented
groups of students, faculty, and staff24.”
The Equal Opportunity Plan of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is
found on the website of the University’s Equal Opportunity/ADA Office (EOO) at:
http://www.unc.edu/depts/eooada/PDF/2008Plan.pdf. This report identifies five
diversity goals for the university -- public commitment, critical masses of
underrepresented populations, diversity training, climate, and research. In the
2008-2009 academic year, SILS embraced all of these goals. Some of the resulting
actions had bearing on faculty diversity. Most notably, SILS took steps toward
recruiting minorities into the faculty ranks. At two conferences, ALISE and
ASIS&T, attending faculty members interviewed two African American women
and one Hispanic male. Unfortunately, budget cuts prevented hiring. SILS is also
proud of Associate Professor Claudia Gollop, who has recently won the 2009
North Carolina Library Association’s (NCLA) Roundtable for Ethnic and Minority
Concerns (REMCo) Roadbuilders' Award in library education. The REMCo
Roadbuilders’ Award recognizes ethnic minority librarians and scholars in library
education, academic librarianship, special librarianship and public librarianship,
who have served as pioneers in librarianship and who also represent a positive
role model in the field.
24
See Student chapter, section 4.2.2, for full Diversity Statement.
3: Faculty, page 67
The racial/gender breakdown of the SILS faculty is given in Table 3.1-9 below.
Table 3.1-9. Gender and Race/Ethnicity of Full-time Faculty, January 2010
Race/Ethnicity
White/Caucasian
Asian-American
African-American
Total
Male
13
2
15
Female
9
1
10
Total
22
2
1
25
In each faculty search we attempt to find the best person possible irrespective of race,
gender, or ethnicity. Not only do we look for excellent teachers and researchers but we
look for individuals of diverse academic training and professional experience in the
information field who can contribute to our wide ranging curriculum. These are always
our first considerations but we advertise each position widely and target publications
and listservs that reach diverse audiences for our job announcements. In each faculty
and staff search we carefully follow the EEO guidelines and obtain EEO approval of the
recruitment plan and the interim and final race/ethnicity statistics.
In 2009, in an attempt to strengthen the diversity composition of the faculty, the
Diversity Committee (a standing committee of the School) has developed a database of
current and prospective faculty members with gender, race, and ethnicity information
to assist us with targeted recruitment. Special opportunities to appoint diverse faculty
offered by the University will assist with our faculty recruiting in the coming year.
Administrative Duties. SILS faculty are engaged in program administration at both SILS
and the University. In addition to the administrative assignments depicted in Table 3.14, examples of the administrative duties of a sample of full-time faculty include the
following:
 Deborah Barreau
o UNC Faculty Council representative, 2005-2008
o Director, Undergraduate Program, 2009-2010
 Claudia Gollop
o WISE Coordinator, 2004-present
o SCALA liaison, 2002-present
o Equal Opportunity Officer, 1996-2008
o Associate Dean, SILS, 2004-2007
o Friday Center (UNC continuing ed) Administrative Board, 2007-2010
 Stephanie Haas
o Chair, Task Force on Curriculum, 2008-2009
 Brad Hemminger
o Faculty Board of Advisors, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center,
2008-present
o Co-Chair, UNC Scholarly Communications Committee, 2006-2008
3: Faculty, page 68






Diane Kelly
o Member, Behavioral IRB, Office of Human Research Ethics, 2005-present
Barbara Moran
o Member, Board of Governors, UNC Press, 1997-present
o Member, International Affairs Advisory Council, 2004-present
o Member, University Copyright Committee, 2001-2007
Javed Mostafa
o Developed several interdisciplinary programs in health informatics
Jeffrey Pomerantz
o Director, Undergraduate Program, 2010-present
o Director, Field Experience Program, 2009-present
o Member, UNC Libraries Advisory Board, 2008-present
o Member, UNC Library Staff Development Committee, 2004-present
Helen Tibbo
o Member, Graduate Council, UNC system, 2006-2011
o Chair, UNC Digital Curation/Institutional Repository Committee, 20052008
o Member, UNC Libraries Institutional Repository Content Task Force,
2008-present
o Developed, with Cal Lee, the Archives and Records Management
Concentration, approved by the Faculty in 2008
Barbara Wildemuth
o Member, Administrative Board, UNC Summer School, 2010-present
o Member, UNC Website Design Advisory Committee, 2008-2010
o Member, Administrative Board, UNC General College, 2008-present
o Participated in the development of the Interdisciplinary Health
Communication Certificate Program (graduate level program, in
collaboration with the School of Public Health, Journalism and Mass
Communication, and the Psychology Department); approved for
implementation in Fall 2007 (2005-2006)
o Member, UNC Faculty Athletics Committee, 2005-2008
3.2 FACULTY RESEARCH
Overview of Goals. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill prides itself on
performing research and service that benefits the citizens of the state and the nation.
At SILS, we share the University's commitment. Our faculty creates new knowledge
through research that emphasizes practical use of information for the public good.
Generating new knowledge in the field of information and library science is a top
priority.
Arrangements. Although the University has no provision for regular sabbatical leaves
for faculty, it does offer some competitive leave programs to which SILS faculty are
3: Faculty, page 69
encouraged to apply. In addition, SILS has its own leave program in which faculty have
agreed to take on extra teaching and administrative loads in order to allow their
colleagues to take leave on a regular basis, typically one semester every seven years.
The University also, in an unfunded mandate, requires that all untenured assistant
professors receive a semester’s leave before tenure review. Table 3.2-1 shows the most
recent leave and the next scheduled leave for full-time faculty. Although leaves are
intended to be equitably distributed, faculty must still apply to the Dean for leave and
specify their research and study plans during that period. A summary report at the end
specifying accomplishments is filed with the Dean.
Table 3.2-1: SILS Faculty Leave Schedule
Faculty Member
Deborah Barreau
Ron Bergquist
Phillip Edwards
Claudia Gollop
Jane Greenberg
Stephanie Haas
Lew Hassell
Bradley Hemminger
Sandra HughesHassell
Paul Jones
Diane Kelly
Christopher Lee
Robert Losee
Gary Marchionini
Richard Marciano
Joanne Marshall
Reagan Moore
Barbara Moran
Javed Mostafa
Arcot Rajasaker
Jeffrey Pomerantz
Ryan Shaw
Brian Sturm
Helen Tibbo
Barbara Wildemuth
Semester of last leave
Spring 2005
Next Anticipated Leave
2013-2014
Spring 2009
Spring 2005
Spring 2010
2016-2017
2011-2012
2017
Fall 2005
2014-2015
2013-2014
Spring 2007
Spring 2009
Spring 1992
Spring 2005
2015
2015-2016
Eligible
Fall 2009
Fall 2007
Spring 2007
Fall 2002
Fall 2009
Fall 2007
2015-2016
2018-2019
2015-2016
2013-2014
2014-2015
2015-2016
2014-2015
No later than 2016
Spring 2010
2016-2017
2014-2015
Grants. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reported a record-breaking rise
in research funding from 2008 to 2010. SILS received $5,850,544 in funding for 2010 as
compared to $1,147,239 in 2008. The increase is based on grant awards representing
many different areas of research and collaborations with other university researchers.
3: Faculty, page 70
SILS' researchers were most successful in gaining funds from government agencies such
as the National Science Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
The major funding sources and grants awarded which include SILS faculty involvement
are summarized in Table 3.2-2 (ordered by project date). The award amounts shown
include the entire amount of each award for the period between 2006 and 2010. Of the
$64,425,908 in awards shown, SILS administered $9,142,493 in grant funds.
Table 3.2-2: Major Research Grants to SILS, 2005-Present
Award Title
Sponsor
Award Amt
SPIROMICS: Genomics and
Informatics Center
Adapting Natural Language
Processing Tools for BioSurveillance
Educating Stewards of Public
Information in the 21st Century
(ESOPI 21)
National Heart Lung
and Blood Institute
National Library of
Medicine
Institute of Museum
and Library Services
$8,192,634
Helping Interdisciplinary Vocabulary
Engineering
Institute of Museum
and Library Services
$334,699
Policy-Driven Repository
Interoperability (PoDRI)
National Network of Libraries of
Medicine (NN/LM)
Library Support Services for EPA and
NIEHS
Institute of Museum
and Library Services
New York University
$492,463
US Environmental
Protection Agency Contracts
Institute of Museum
and Library Services
$1,531,149
Closing the Digital Curation Gap: An
International Collaboration to
Integrate Best Practice, R&D, and
Training in Digital curation
NCDC-iRODS Data Grid Technical
Support
SDCI Data Improvement: Data Grids
for Community Driven Applications
Archival Metrics and User Evaluation
for Governmental Archives
Collaborative Research: Curatorial
Work and Learning in Virtual
Environments
Transition of Care for Adolescent and
Young Adults Survivors of Childhood
Cancer
National Climatic
Data Center
National Science
Foundation - Training
(NSF)
University of
Michigan
National Science
Foundation Research
American Society of
Hematology
3: Faculty, page 71
$145,926
$803,258
$144,142
PI and/or
Personnel
Greenberg
(Collaborator)
Mostafa; Haas
Tibbo (PI);
Lee;
Marchionini;
Marciano;
Monroe
Greenberg
(PI);
Brubaker;
Losee;
Monroe
(Collaborator)
Marciano (PI);
Tibbo; Moore
Marshall
Moran (PI);
Barnes
Project
Dates
2009 2016
2009 2012
2009 2012
2009 2011
2009 2011
2009 2011
2009 2011
$249,623
Tibbo
2009 2011
$25,000
Moore
2009 2010
2009 2010
$2,164,954
$29,504
Moore (PI);
Rajasekar;
Marciano
Tibbo
$74,935
Marchionini
$50,000
Marcial (SILS
PhD student;
Collaborator)
2009 2010
2009 2010
2009 2010
Award Title
Sponsor
Workshop: i-Conference Doctoral
Research Colloquium
Study of Online Collaborative Needs
OF AMICAL Members (Stage 1 Needs assessment)
National Science
Foundation - Training
AMICAL American
International
Consortium of
Academic Libraries
Centers for Disease
Control
North Carolina Public Health
Preparedness Systems Research
Center
Cancer Care Quality Research
Training Program
NARA Transcontinental Persistent
Archive Prototype
Pediatric MS Data Coordination and
Analysis Center (DCAC)
DigCCurr II: Extending an
International Digital Curation
Curriculum to Doctoral Students and
Practitioners
Innovative disease surveillance
methods for the linkage, analysis,
and management of large electronic
data repositories
III-Small: Result Space Support for
Personal and Group Information
Seeking Over
Distributed Custodial Preservation
DCAPE
A digital repository for preservation
and sharing of data underlying
published works in evolutionary
biology
BOT 2.0 - Botany through Web 2.0,
the Memex and Social Learning
e-Legacy: California's Geospatial
Records - Archival Appraisal,
Accessioning, and Preservation
The Temporal Dynamics of Learning
Center project at the University of
California
Workshop:Coordinating EU-US
Digital Library Education
Workshop:Information Seeking
National Cancer
Institute
National Science
Foundation Research
National Multiple
Sclerosis Society
Institute of Museum
and Library Services
Award Amt
$17,176
PI and/or
Personnel
Pomerantz
$6,000
Mostafa
Project
Dates
2009 2010
2009
Haas
(Collaborator)
2008 2013
Marshall
2008 2013
2008 2013
$1,695,189
$308,688
$1,908,129
$2,480,772
$878,634
Moore (PI);
Rajasekar (CoPI)
Mostafa
(Collaborator)
Tibbo (PI);
Lee;
Marchionini;
Greenberg;
Mostafa;
Pomerantz;
Kelly; Monroe
Haas
(Collaborator)
2008 2012
2008 2012
Gillings Innovation
Labs UNC-CH
$564,610
National Science
Foundation Research
National Historical
Publications and
Records Commission
Duke University
$311,716
Marchionini
2008 2011
$257,800
Marciano (PI);
Moore
2008 2011
$178,886
Greenberg
2008 2010
National Science
Foundation Research
National Historical
Publications and
Records Commission
University of
California at San
Diego
National Science
Foundation Research
National Science
$192,290
Greenberg
2008 2010
$137,697
Marciano (PI);
Moore
2008 2010
$88,907
Moore
2008 2010
$26,123
Pomerantz
2008 2010
$49,950
Marchionini
2008 -
3: Faculty, page 72
2008 2011
Award Title
Sponsor
Support Systems (IS3)
Cumberland County Public Library
Planning Grant
Developing and Evaluating a Query
Recommendation Feature to Assist
Users with Online Information
Seeking and Retrieval
Workforce Issues in Library and
Information Science 2 (WILIS 2):
Implementing a Model for Career
Tracking of LIS Graduates
Automatic Metadata Maintenance
for NC Health Info and the Go Local
Initiative
VidArch: Preserving Digital Video
Context
Foundation - Training
County of
Cumberland
OCLC, Online
Computer Library
Center, Inc.
Lifelong Access Libraries 2007
Institute Evaluation & Support
NSF Frontiers in Health Information
Delivery Workshop
A test-bed for personalized, privacypreserving and high quality health
information delivery
Renaissance Computing Institute
(RENCI): A TUCASI Data
Infrastructure and Collaboration
Proposal
National Survey of the Information
Seeking Behavior of Scientists
National Evolutionary Synthesis
Center (NESCent)
Evaluations of Americans for
Libraries Institute
Preserving Access to Our Digital
Future: Building an International
Digital Curation Fellowship Program
Collaborative Research: Curriculum
Development: Digital Libraries
Americans for
Libraries Council
National Science
Foundation - Training
National Science
Foundation Research
Triangle Universities
Center for Advanced
Studies, Inc.
FELLOW:John Macmullen-Information integration using
annotation evidence
NHPRC Electronic Records Research
Fellowships
Visualizing Science & Engineering
Indicators: Transitioning from Print
to a Hybrid World
Library Services and Technology Act
Award Amt
PI and/or
Personnel
$13,000
Marshall
$14,600
Kelly
$667,633
Marshall (PI);
Moran;
Barreau
2007 2011
$40,000
Greenberg
2007 2009
$232,957
2007 2009
$29,998
Marchionini
(PI); Lee;
Tibbo
Marshall
$81,224
Mostafa
$5,831
Mostafa
$365,000
Marciano
2006 2011
Ochiltree Foundation
$160,000
Hemminger
Duke University
$213,764
Greenberg
Americans for
Libraries Council
Institute of Museum
and Library Services
$201,630
Marshall
$609,541
Tibbo
2006 2010
2006 2009
2006 2009
2006 2009
National Science
Foundation Research
National Library of
Medicine
$178,849
Wildemuth
2006 2009
$17,400
Marchionini
2006 2008
National Historical
Publications and
Records Commission
National Science
Foundation Research
State Library of North
$118,773
Tibbo
2006 2008
$59,710
Marchionini
2006 2007
$53,060
Pomerantz
2006 -
Institute of Museum
and Library Services
University of
Maryland at
Baltimore
CACI-ISS Inc.
3: Faculty, page 73
Project
Dates
2009
2008 2009
2008
2007 2009
2007 2009
2007 2008
Award Title
Sponsor
Program Evaluation
Digital Video Representation and
Delivery to Advance Science Learning
Evolutionary Biology
Carolina
National Aeronautics
and Space
Administration
Duke University
CTSA Form 2590 Noncompeting
Renewal
National Center for
Research Resources
Award Amt
PI and/or
Personnel
$24,000
Marchionini
$224,674
Greenberg
(Collaborator)
Mostafa
(Collaborator)
$27,623,361
Project
Dates
2007
2005 2007
2004 2009
2000 2013
Distinctions. SILS faculty have received numerous awards for their leadership, teaching,
and service. Awards presented from 2005 are listed in Table 3.2-3, below.
Table 3.2-3: Awards Received by SILS Faculty, 2005-2009
Faculty Member
Deborah Barreau
Ron Bergquist
Year
2008
2007
2006
2005
Phillip Edwards
2008
2007
Claudia Gollop
2009
2009
Stephanie Haas
Sandra HughesHassell
Paul Jones
2006
2009
2006
2009
2007
2006
2005
Diane Kelly
2009
Award
Outstanding Teacher Award, UNC-CH SILS
Outstanding Teacher Award, UNC-CH SILS
Outstanding Service to the School Award, Doctoral Student
Winner, UNC-CH SILS
Research Fellow, Graduate School of Library and
Information Science, University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
James M. Cretsos Leadership Award, American Society of
Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T) Leadership
Committee
Thomson ISI Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Scholarship,
ASIS&T Information Science Education Committee
North Carolina Library Association’s Roundtable for Ethnic
and Minority Concerns Roadbuilders' Award in library
education
Golden Sneaker Award, UNC Wellness Center Cardiac
Rehabilitation Program
Outstanding Teaching Award, UNC-CH SILS
Outstanding Teaching Award, UNC-CH SILS
Lindbach Teaching Award, Drexel University
Internet Maven Award, TechJournal South
ibiblio's 15th Anniversary recognized by the North Carolina
House of Representatives
Innovation Award, The Knowledge Trust
Laureate Finalist (for ibiblio), The Computerworld Honors
Program
Thomson Reuters Outstanding Information Science
Teacher, ASIS&T
3: Faculty, page 74
Faculty Member
Diane Kelly
Year
2007
2006
Cal Lee
2008
2007
2007
2009
Gary Marchionini
2009
2009
2008
2006
2005
Joanne Marshall
Reagan Moore
20072008
2007
2005
20042005
2008
2006
Barbara Moran
Jeff Pomerantz
2006
2008
2008
Brian Sturm
Helen Tibbo
Barbara
Wildemuth
2006
2009
2006
2009
2008
2005
2009
Award
Outstanding Teacher Award, UNC-CH SILS
Eugene Garfield-ALISE Doctoral Dissertation Award,
Association for Library and Information Science Education
(ALISE)
Second Place, Archiving 2008 Poster Competition
Nomination, Outstanding Teacher Award, UNC-CH SILS
Junior Faculty Development Award, UNC-CH
President, American Society for Information Science &
Technology
Top 100 Best Self-Education Sites for Switching Careers
(Open Video Project), OnlineColleges.net
Outstanding Teacher Award, UNC-CH SILS
Emerald Literati Network Outstanding Paper Award for
Excellence
Contributions in Information Science & Technology Award,
Los Angeles Chapter of ASIS&T
Laureate Finalist (for Open Video Project), The
Computerworld Honors Program
Chair, Medical Library Education Section, Medical Library
Association
Chair, Fourth International Conference on Evidence-based
Library and Information Practice
Honorary Doctor of Letters, McGill University
President, Medical Library Association
J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award, Society of
American Archivists (SAA)
Internet2 IDEA award for innovative software for the
Transcontinental Persistent Archive Prototype
Grantee, Fulbright Specialists Program
Third Place Award, Poster Competition, Joint Conference
on Digital Libraries
Emerald Literati Network Outstanding Paper Award for
Excellence
Junior Faculty Development Award, UNC
Nomination, Teaching Excellence Award, ALISE
Nomination, Teaching Excellence Award, ALISE
Elected, Vice-President/President-Elect, SAA
Second Place, Archiving 2008 Poster Competition
Fellow, SAA
Top 100 Best Self-Education Sites for Switching Careers
(Open Video Project), OnlineColleges.net
3: Faculty, page 75
Faculty Member
Barbara
Wildemuth
Year
2008
2007
2005
Award
Third place prize, Best Poster Competition, ACM/IEEE Joint
Conference on Digital Libraries
Grantee, Fulbright Specialists Program
Laureate Finalist (for Open Video Project), The
Computerworld Honors Program
Research Impact. Additional evidence related to faculty leadership can be gained from
their record of scholarship and from evidence of their impact on the field, each of which
is discussed below. SILS faculty members have extensive publication records.
SILS faculty members publish in a wide array of journals, and many of their scholarly
articles appear in the leading journals identified by ARL library directors, ILS deans, and
the Institute for Scientific Information25.
Citation counts are a classic way of determining the impact of a researcher on the field.
From 1999 to 2005, SILS faculty publications have been cited at least 3,920 times.26 It is
noteworthy that all of the full-time faculty members have been cited. A recent study
examined citations of faculty from SILS27. The 23 scholars who comprised SILS full-time
faculty at the time had a mean citation count of 178.2. The 25th, 50th, and 75th
percentiles were 38, 92, and 250, respectively. The faculty member with the highest
count was cited an impressive 1298 times.
We would also like to highlight those publications that are having the most significant
impact on research in the field of information and library science (based on their
citation rates). Table 3.2-4 lists SILS faculty publications that have been cited at least 20
times between 1999 and 2009. They were authored by 13 different faculty. Of special
note are the works by Reagan Moore, Arcot Rajasekar, Gary Marchionini and Deborah
Barreau, all of which have been cited over 80 times each.
25
Nisonger, T. E., & Davis, C. H. (2005). The perception of library and information science journals by LIS
education deans and ARL library directors: A replication of the Kohl-Davis study. College & Research,
Libraries, 66(4), 341-377.
26
This estimate is conservative, since our current indexing tools do not cover all publications, e.g., books
and book chapters. The citations identified during this analysis were found through searches of the ISI
citation indexes, Scopus, and Googlesearch.
27
Sugimoto, C., Russel, T., Meho, L., Marchionini, G. (2008). MPACT and citation impact: Two sides of the
same scholarly coin? Library & Information Science Research, 30(4), 273-281.
3: Faculty, page 76
Table 3.2-4: Frequently Cited Faculty Publications, 1999-2009
Number of
citations
369
101
97
89
81
73
61
53
50
46
45
40
39
36
34
Publication cited
Marchionini, G. (1995). Information Seeking in Electronic Environments.
New York: Cambridge University Press.
Lin, X., Soergel, D., & Marchionini, G. (1991). A self-organizing semantic
map for information retrieval. Proceedings of 14th International
ACM/SIGIR Conference on research and development in information
retrieval, 262-269.
Baru, C., Moore, R., Rajasekar, A., & Wan, M. (1998). The SDSC storage
resource broker. Proceedings, CASCON.
Marchionini, G. (1989). Information-seeking strategies of novices using a
full-text electronic encyclopedia. Journal of the American Society for
Information Science, 40(1), 54-66. (Winner of ASIST Best JASIST Paper
Award, 1990)
Barreau, D., & Nardi, B. (1995). Finding and reminding: File organization
from the desktop. ACM SIGCHI Bulletin, 27 (July), 39-43.
Marchionini, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1988). Finding facts vs. browsing
knowledge in hypertext systems. IEEE Computer, 21(1), 70-80.
Marshall, J.G. (1992). The impact of the hospital library on clinical decision
making: The Rochester study. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association,
80(2), 169-178.
Marchionini, G. (1988). Hypermedia and learning: Freedom and chaos.
Educational Technology, 28(11), 8-12.
Pisano, E.D., Yaffe, M., Hemminger, B.M., et al. (2000). Current status of
full-field digital mammography. Academic Radiology, 7(4), 266-280.
Ding, W., & Marchionini, G. (1996). A comparative study of web search
service performance. Proceedings of the American Society for Information
Science, 136-142.
Pisano, E.D., Cole, E.B., Major, S., Zong, S., Hemminger, B.M., et al. (2000).
Radiologists’ preferences for digital mammographic display. Radiology,
216(3), 820-830.
Losee, R.M. (1998). Text Retrieval and Filtering: Analytic Models of
Performance. Boston: Kluwer.
Marchionini, G., & Maurer, H. (1995). The roles of digital libraries in
teaching and learning. Communications of the ACM, 38(4), 67-75.
Greene, S., Marchionini, G., Plaisant, C., & Shneiderman, B. (2000).
Previews and overviews in digital libraries: Designing surrogates to support
visual information seeking. Journal of the American Society for Information
Science, 51(4), 380-393.
Haas, S.W., & Grams, E.S. (2000). Readers, authors, and page structure: A
discussion of four questions arising from a content analysis of Web pages.
Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 51(2), 181-192.
3: Faculty, page 77
Number of
citations
32
32
32
32
31
31
31
30
29
29
29
28
28
27
Publication cited
Marchionini, G. (1992). Interfaces for end-user information seeking.
Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 43(2), 156-163.
Marchionini, G., & Crane, G. (1994). Evaluating hypermedia and learning:
Methods and results from the Perseus Project. ACM Transactions on
Information Systems, 12(1), 5-34.
Oard, D.W., & Marchionini, G. (1996). A Conceptual Framework for Text
Filtering. Report CAR-TR-830, CLIS-TR-96-02, CS-TR-3643, & EE-TR-96-25.
University of Maryland. http://hcil.cs.umd.edu/trs/96-10/filter.html.
Kelly, D., & Teevan, J. (2003). Implicit feedback for inferring user
preference: A bibliography. SIGIR Forum, 37(2), 18-28.
Marchionini, G., Dwiggins, S., Katz, A., & Lin, X. (1993). Information seeking
in full-text end-user-oriented search systems: The roles of domain and
search expertise. Library and Information Science Research, 15(1), 35-69.
Spink, A., & Losee, R. M. (1996). Feedback in information retrieval. Annual
Review of Information Science and Technology, 31, 33-78.
Fox, E., & Marchionini, G. (1998). Toward a worldwide digital library.
Communications of the ACM, 41(4), 29-32.
Pisano, E.D., Cole, E.B., Hemminger, B.M., et al. (2000). Image processing
algorithms for digital mammography: A pictorial essay. Radiographics, 20,
1479-1491.
Losee, R. M. (1997). A discipline independent definition of information.
Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 48(3), 254-269.
Nation, D., Plaisant, C., Marchionini, G., & Komlodi, A. (1997). Visualizing
websites using a hierarchical table of contents browser: WebTOC. In
Proceedings of Designing for the Web: Practices and Reflections (3rd
Conference on Human factors and the Web, Denver, June 12, 1997).
http://www.uswest.com/web-conference/proceedings/nation.html
Pisano, E.D., Cole, E.B., Kistner, E.O., Muller, K.E., Hemminger, B.M., et al.
(2002). Interpretation of digital mammograms: A comparison of speed and
accuracy of soft-copy versus printed-film display. Radiology, 223, 483-488.
Rajasekar, A., Wan, M., & Moore, R. (2002). My SRB and SRB: Components
of a data grid. 11th High Performance Distributed Computing Conference
(Edinburgh, Scotland).
Belkin, N. J., Cool, C., Kelly, D., et al. (2001). Iterative exploration, design
and evaluation of support for query reformulation in interactive
information retrieval. Information Processing & Management 37(3), 404434.
Marchionini, G., Plaisant, C., & Komlodi, A. (1998). Interfaces and tools for
the Library of Congress National Digital Library Program. Information
Processing & Management, 34(5), 535-555.
3: Faculty, page 78
Number of
citations
24
24
23
23
22
22
21
21
21
20
20
Publication cited
Barreau, D.K. (1995). Context as a factor in personal information
management systems. Journal of the American Society for Information
Science, 46(5), 327-339.
Komlodi, A., & Marchionini, G. (1998). Key frame preview techniques for
video browsing. Proceedings of ACM DL ’98, 118-125.
Wildemuth, B.M., & Moore, M.E. (1995). End-user search behaviors and
their relationship to search effectiveness. Bulletin of the Medical Library
Association, 83, 294-304.
Marchionini, G., et al. (1997). Content + connectivity = community: Digital
resources for a learning community. Proceedings of ACM DL ‘97, 212-220.
Marchionini, G., & Komlodi, A. (1998). Design of interfaces for information
seeking. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, 33, 89130.
Hert, C.A., Liddy, E.D., Shneiderman, B., & Marchionini, G. (2003).
Supporting statistical electronic table usage by citizens. Communications of
the ACM, 46(1), 52-54.
Rajasekar, A., Wan, M., Moore, R., Schroeder, W., et al. (2003). Storage
resource broker: Managing distributed data in a grid. Computer Society of
India.
Blume, H., & Hemminger, B.M. (1997). Image presentation in digital
radiology: Perspectives on the emerging DICOM display function standard
and its application. Radiographics, 17(3), 769-777.
Dempsey, B., Weiss, D., Jones, P., & Greenberg, J. (2002). Who is an open
source developer? A quantitative profile of a community of open source
Linux developers. Communications of the ACM, 45(2), 67-72.
Ding, W., Marchionini, G., & Soergel, D. (1999). Multimodal surrogates for
video browsing. Proceedings of ACM DL ’99, 85-93.
Shaw, W.M., Wood, J.B., Wood, R.E., & Tibbo, H.R. (1991). The Cystic
Fibrosis Database: A resource for research and education. Library and
Information Science Research, 13(4), 347-366.
Textbook publications. In addition to the impact of their research publications, several
faculty members have written books. The following are the titles published since 2000:




Agosto, D.E. & Hughes-Hassell, S. (2010). Urban teens in the library: Research
and practice. Chicago: American Library Association.
Greenberg, J., & Mendez, E. (2007). Knitting the semantic web. Haworth Press.
Hughes-Hassell, S., & Wheelock, A. (2001). The information-powered school.
Chicago: American Library Association.
Hughes-Hassell, S., & Mancall, J. C. (2005). Collection management for youth:
Responding to the needs of learners. Chicago: American Library Association.
3: Faculty, page 79






Hughes-Hassell, S., & Harada, V. H. (2007). School reform and the school library
media specialist. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Kelly, D. (2009). Methods for evaluating interactive information retrieval systems
with users. Foundations and Trends in Information Retrieval, 3(1-2), 1-224.
(Monograph in series.)
Rajasekar, A., Wan, M., Moore, R., Schroeder, W., Chen, S.-Y., Gilbert, L., Hou,
C.-Y., Lee, C.A., Marciano, R., Tooby, P., de Torcy, A., & Zhu, B. iRODS Primer:
integrated Rule-Oriented Data System. San Rafael, CA: Morgan & Claypool, 2010.
Stripling, B.S., & Hughes-Hassell, S. (2003). Curriculum connections through the
library. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited.
Stueart, R. D., & Moran, B. B. (2007). Library and information center
management. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited.
Wildemuth, B M. (2009). Applications of social research methods to questions in
information and library science. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited.
Software distribution. The DICE group produces policy-based data management
software (iRODS) that is widely distributed in support of data sharing (data grids), data
publication (digital libraries), and data preservation (persistent archives). Production
systems based on the iRODS software include the Carolina Digital Repository (an
institutional repository at UNC-CH), the Texas Digital Library (a regional digital library),
the French National Library, the National Science Foundation iPlant Collaborative
(national data grid), the Australian Research Collaboration Service (national data grid),
the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (international data grid), the Renaissance
Computing Institute (regional data grid), the French National Institute for Nuclear
Physics and Particle Physics (international data grid), the Taiwan National Archives, and
the NARA Transcontinental Persistent Archive Prototype. The iRODS software is being
used within SILS to support a LifeTime Learning Digital Library.
3.3 TEACHING
Course-Load Distribution Policy. In addition to carrying out an active program of
innovative research, faculty members are expected to fulfill their teaching
responsibilities, and to serve their School, University, and professional communities.
Balancing these many obligations is a challenge for each of us and something that is
particularly scrutinized when faculty are reviewed. Most individuals describe their
approach to striking this balance in their personal statements accompanying their
promotion, tenure, and review packets.
Rationale for Distribution Policy. A two-year teaching plan for all faculty aligns with
course frequency requirements. As a general rule all faculty teach at least one required
or highly recommended course (graduate or undergraduate) each year and typically at
least one advanced course in the area of specialization. A full teaching load is two
courses a semester but faculty often have one or two released courses per year due to
3: Faculty, page 80
research grants. The following table shows the expected course assignments for fulltime faculty during the current academic year.
Table 3.3-1: Expected Teaching Assignments, 2010-2011
Faculty Member
Deborah Barreau
Ron Bergquist
Phillip Edwards
Claudia Gollop
Jane Greenberg
Stephanie Haas
Lew Hassell
Bradley Hemminger
Sandra Hughes-Hassell
Paul Jones
Courses Planned
285: Information Use for Organizational Effectiveness (F)
500: Human Information Interactions (S)
881: Research Issues and Questions I (F)
882: Research Issues and Questions II (S)
261: Information Tools (F & S)
461: Information Tools (F & S)
718: User Interface Design
758: International and Cross-Cultural Perspectives (F)
843: Seminar in Public Libraries
200: Retrieving and Analyzing Information (S)
513: Resource Selection and Evaluation (F & S)
703: Science Information (F)
501: Information Resources and Services (F & S)
705: Health Sciences Information (S)
739: Information Services for Special Populations (F)
520: Organization of Information (F)
720: Metadata (F)
890: Seminar in Knowledge Organization (S)
Course release for research
512: Applications of Natural Language Processing (S)
523: Introduction to Database (F)
582: Systems Analysis (F)
Course release for research
523: Introduction to Databases (S)
572: Web Applications I (F & S)
574: Introduction to Local Area Networks (F)
582: Systems Analysis (F & S)
623: Databases II: Intermediate Databases (S)
723: Database Systems III: Advanced Databases (F)
623: Database Systems II: Intermediate Databases (F & S)
706: Bioinformatics Research Review (F & S)
530: Young Adult Literature (F & S)
744: School Libraries (F)
745: Curriculum Issues and the School Librarian (S)
697: Emerging Topics in Information Science (S)
Shared appointment with ibiblio and School of Journalism
and Mass Communication
3: Faculty, page 81
Faculty Member
Diane Kelly
Christopher (Cal) Lee
Robert Losee
Gary Marchionini
Richard Marciano
Joanne Marshall
Reagan Moore
Barbara Moran
Javed Mostafa
Jeffrey Pomerantz
Arcot Rajasekar
Ryan Shaw
Brian Sturm
Helen Tibbo
Courses Planned
101: Foundations for Information Science (F & S)
780: Research Methods (F)
890: Research Design (S)
556: Intro to Archives and Records Management (F)
525: Electronic Records Management (with Marciano, S)
Course release for research
509: Information Retrieval (F & S)
780: Research Methods (F & S)
089: FYS: Bought, Burned, or Borrowed: Information Ethics
and Policy in the World Around Us (F)
Administrative duties
525: Electronic Records Management (with Lee, S)
556: Introduction to Archives and Records Management (S)
890: Digital Humanities (F)
515: Consumer Health Information (F)
554: Cultural Institutions (S)
780: Research Methods (F)
One additional course TBA
490: Genealogy (F)
490: iRODS (with Rajasekar, S)
585: Management for Information Professionals (F)
841: Seminar in Academic Libraries (S)
842: Seminar in Popular Materials for Libraries (S)
523: Introduction to Databases (F)
890: Health Informatics Seminar (F)
890: Seminar in Information Retrieval (S)
Shared appointment with BRIC
200: Retrieving and Analyzing Information (F)
740: Digital Libraries
795: Supervised Field Experience (F & S)
890: Library Assessment (F)
890: Large-scale Databases (F)
890: iRODS (with Moore, S)
520, Organization of Information (S)
Course release, first semester
558: Storytelling (F)
732: Children’s Literature (F)
Administrative leave, Spring 2011
752: Digital Preservation and Access (F)
755: Archival Appraisal (S)
890: Seminar in Digital Curation (F)
Course release for research
3: Faculty, page 82
Faculty Member
Barbara Wildemuth
Courses Planned
691H: Honors Research Methods (F)
887: Seminar in Theory Development S)
889: Seminar in Teaching Practice (F)
Administrative duties
Undergraduate Teaching. Undergraduate teaching is shared across faculty although
some faculty were hired with an understanding that undergraduate teaching and
advising would be part of their load. These faculty include Deborah Barreau, Jeff
Pomerantz, and Phillip Edwards. The School’s policy is that faculty will teach courses in
the area of need and expertise.
Doctoral students occasionally teach undergraduate courses and first level Master’s
courses. This is a part of their preparation for a faculty position. In order to be eligible
for graduate teaching assistant (GTA) positions, students must have completed or be
enrolled in a one-credit pedagogy seminar. Lead faculty review syllabi and assignments
with the GTA. One faculty member observes a class and provides a written evaluation.
A minimum stipend for GTAs is set by the Graduate School and SILS conforms to this
standard.
Evaluating Teaching. In each course at SILS, students evaluate the instructor using two
different approaches. The first is the Carolina Course Evaluation form. This
standardized evaluation form is used throughout UNC, and the results are available to
the instructor shortly after the end of the semester. Results for adjuncts and doctoral
students are also provided to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The second
approach is through a questionnaire developed by the Information and Library Science
Student Association (ILSSA). It consists of a number of open-ended questions and is
effective in providing formative feedback to the instructor. Its results are available to
the instructor immediately after the end of each semester.
While teaching is most often seen as a classroom activity, students at SILS also take
independent study and field experience courses, and all master’s students are required
to work individually with a faculty advisor to complete a master’s paper. In order to
evaluate the teaching associated with this effort, an alumni survey in 2005 asked a
number of questions about the quality of the master’s paper experience and the role of
the faculty advisor in it. These results are summarized in Table 3.3-2.
3: Faculty, page 83
Table 3.3-2: Alumni Evaluations of the Master’s Paper Experience
My master's paper advisor provided assistance in shaping a sound
research question.
My master's paper advisor provided assistance in choosing an
appropriate research method.
My master's paper advisor provided timely and appropriate feedback.
My master's paper was relevant to my career either in terms of topic
studied or methods used.
Did you publish an article or give a public presentation based on your
master's paper?
Mean
s.d.
4.3
0.77
4.2
0.80
4.4
0.73
4.0
0.99
21% yes
Note: The survey items used a five-point scale, 1= strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree.
The spring 2006 alumni survey revealed that 97 percent of SILS graduates believe that
faculty members are knowledgeable about the material they present in class (see Table
3.3-3). Our student survey of December 2008 (designed by the ILS Student Association)
asked respondents to assess satisfaction with the faculty’s general knowledge of and
currency in the field as well as their ability to inspire, motivate, and challenge students.
Table 3.3-4 shows that 95 percent of students were satisfied or very satisfied with
faculty knowledge and currency; further, 73% of those surveyed were satisfied or very
satisfied with the facility’s ability to inspire or challenge students (Table 3.3-5).
Table 3.3-3: Alumni Survey (2006): Faculty Are Knowledgeable about Material
Presented
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
n
139
85
7
0
0
%
60%
37%
3%
0
0
Table 3.3-4: Student Survey (2008): Satisfaction with Faculty’s General Knowledge of
and Currency in the Field
Very Satisfied
Satisfied
Neutral
Dissatisfied
Very Dissatisfied
n
55
78
5
2
0
%
39%
56%
4%
2%
0%
3: Faculty, page 84
Table 3.3-5: Student Survey (2008): Satisfaction with Faculty’s Ability to Inspire,
Motivate, and Challenge Students
Very Satisfied
Satisfied
Neutral
Dissatisfied
Very Dissatisfied
n
27
76
25
11
1
%
19%
54%
18%
8%
1%
Improving Teaching. SILS maintains a peer observation of teaching program as a means
of contributing to the continual improvement of the SILS educational environment. Its
purpose is to help those who teach develop their teaching abilities and by providing
observing faculty members with a broader understanding of the SILS curriculum. The
document, “Guidelines for Peer Observation,” describes the procedure in detail. It is
available at http://ils.unc.edu/committees/documents/. Observations are conducted by
a pair of faculty members, who provide a report to the instructor. Faculty members
select at least one report to include in their reappointment/promotion/tenure review
materials. Reports for adjunct, clinical faculty, and graduate teaching fellows are
provided to the Associate Dean, who uses these reports as necessary for teaching
improvement purposes and in making decisions about future invitations to teach. In
addition to this standard procedure, several instructors have also engaged with the staff
at UNC’s Center for Faculty Excellence to collect mid-semester, formative feedback from
their students.
Advising. In addition to teaching two courses each semester, faculty members also
advise students on programs of study, master’s papers and doctoral dissertations,
independent studies, and field experiences. We believe these activities ideally enrich
and inform each other. Table 3.3-6 below lists the number of master’s papers,
dissertations chaired, and other work with doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows.
Table 3.3-6: Faculty Activity in Advising Master’s and Doctoral Research Activities, Fall
2005-Spring 2010
Faculty Member
Deborah Barreau
Ron Bergquist
Phillip Edwards
Claudia Gollop
Jane Greenberg
Stephanie Haas
Lew Hassell
Bradley Hemminger
# Completed Master’s
Theses/Papers
Chaired/Advised
48
4
2
23
20
12
11
3: Faculty, page 85
# Completed Dissertations
Chaired/Advised
3
1
2
1
Faculty Member
Sandra Hughes-Hassell
Paul Jones
Diane Kelly
Christopher (Cal) Lee
Robert Losee
Gary Marchionini
Richard Marciano
Joanne Marshall
Reagan Moore
Barbara Moran
Javed Mostafa
Jeffrey Pomerantz
Arcot Rajasekar
Ryan Shaw
Brian Sturm
Helen Tibbo
Barbara Wildemuth
# Completed Master’s
Theses/Papers
Chaired/Advised
22
4
21
12
12
17
3
# Completed Dissertations
Chaired/Advised
1
5
1
29
23
1
45
15
19
2
2
3: Faculty, page 86
4. STUDENTS
This section covers our school’s student body. It begins with a treatment of applicants and
admissions, proceeds to examine enrolled students and the procedures relevant to them, and
concludes with an analysis of SILS graduates and our efforts on their behalf. We will rely on
statistical evidence throughout, and we will highlight any trends inherent in the data and
develop explanations as appropriate. The undergraduate and graduate student populations
will be treated individually save in circumstances where findings are collectively applicable.
Overall, this section will demonstrate how we cultivate a diverse and talented student body.
4.1 APPLICANTS
4.1.1 Recruiting
For general recruiting practices, we rely on a Web presence which provides information for
prospective students. This web presence includes SILS material from our former print catalog.
Prospective students may also sign up for This is SILS at UNC at Chapel Hill. Our Director of
Communication provides this periodic email synopsis of school events, news, and notable
achievements of faculty, staff, and students. The Director of Communication also offers
SILS@Carolina, a printed SILS newsletter.
SILS recognizes a need to enroll more minority students. In 2005, an ad hoc diversity
committee was established to explore various means of fostering diversity in terms of both
recruitment and academic and other student experiences. This committee has since moved to
the status of a standing committee by faculty vote. Continuing such minority recruitment
efforts is a priority for SILS.
Undergraduate Program Recruiting. In response to unsatisfactory enrollment figures (see
Curriculum section), SILS has galvanized recruiting efforts for the BSIS. A variety of strategies for
recruiting are already in place (e.g., targeted email to high-performing sophomores, flyers
posted on campus, ads in the student newspaper, and SILS participation in the College’s Majors
Expo). However, these means of recruiting have not been effective enough.
The low enrollment figures can be explained in part by the difficulty underclassmen have had in
registering for our introductory and prerequisite course, INLS 200: Retrieving and Analyzing
Information. Historically, this course has seen high demand from seniors and juniors, who
register to fulfill the social science general education requirement, and who have filled the
course before freshman and sophomores have had the chance to register.
To rectify this, we have restricted enrollment for INLS 200 to non-seniors only during the preregistration period. Once pre-registration is over, we will open this course to seniors. We have
also added a new course, INLS 101: Introduction to Information Science, which also meets the
4: Students, page 87
social science general education requirement. In addition, we offered a First Year Seminar in
spring and fall 2010, INLS 089: Bought, Burned, or Borrowed: Information Ethics and Policy in
the World Around Us. First Year Seminars are part of the efforts by the College of Arts and
Sciences to enhance the intellectual climate of the campus. These small courses are designed
to present first-year students with a taste of the more profound, pressing issues that touch
their subjects. Other departments have successfully used First Year Seminars to recruit majors,
and SILS hopes that some of the students enrolled in this seminar will be inspired to pursue a
major or minor in Information Science when they are eligible to apply.
Curriculum-based recruitment efforts have been coupled with financial ones. In particular, two
Margaret Kalp Merit Scholarships, each worth $1000, will be awarded each semester.
Master’s Programs Recruiting. Due in part to the School’s leading reputation and its
hospitable, residential character, each year the number of students seeking admission far
outweighs the number of students we can accommodate. Even with an ample pool of
applicants, however, it is a challenge to admit students with underrepresented backgrounds,
because our applicant pool does not reflect the diversity of state or national demographics. We
make a determined effort to meet this challenge; our recruiting focuses on qualified minority
applicants and applicants from underrepresented disciplines (e.g., science and engineering,
social sciences, business administration).
SILS faces significant competition on this front. Our state alone hosts five programs preparing
librarians and other information professionals, including two other American Library
Association accredited schools and one in the pre-candidacy stage. Moreover, the only
historically black university with ALA accreditation, North Carolina Central University, is in our
immediate vicinity.
SILS has taken action to expand the demographics of its applicant pool. We have utilized
minority students and alumni to visit schools, to provide information on our degrees, and to
encourage black students to apply for those degrees. SILS also takes advantage of broader
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill minority recruitment programs conducted by the
Graduate School. Graduate School representatives participate in recruitment fairs spread
around the nation where they distribute SILS Master’s program information and provide SILS
with referrals for recruitment purposes. SILS is also an active participant in the National Science
Foundation’s Funded Summer Pre-Graduate Research Experience (SPGRE) program, which
funds a summer research experience for minority students in the sciences and business.
Ph.D. Program Recruiting. Much of the Ph.D. recruitment at SILS revolves around conferences.
Potential applicants are often drawn to the program by their interest in faculty research. In
addition to presenting their own research, our faculty leverages the full networking potential of
conferences by listening to potential applicants deliver presentations. Current Ph.D. students
also contribute to recruiting. Not only do they inspire applicants with their own conference
presentations, they are also able to address recruits from a peer perspective. This is helpful
since many recruits share educational or employment backgrounds.
4: Students, page 88
As is the case with all programs, SILS relies on a web presence for Ph.D. recruiting. The website
encourages potential students to contact us with inquiries related to specific research projects
or faculty members’ research interests. In many cases, these communications lead to tours and
applications.
4.1.2 Admissions
Since admission to SILS is competitive, policies are required to cull the most promising, diverse
body of students from our applicant pools. In general, our policy is to weigh quantitative
measures, such as the SAT or GRE score and GPA, as well as qualitative indicators, including
demographic profile, educational history, work experience, other leadership experience, and
contributions to society. These attributes are discovered through careful reading of applicant
resumes, reference letters, and personal statements.
Undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral applications are reviewed according to standards set by
the Undergraduate Committee, the Master's Committee, and the Research and Doctoral
Committee, respectively. A thorough explanation of policies and procedures pertaining to
specific programs are available as follows:
 BSIS: http://sils.unc.edu/programs/undergraduate/bsis
 Minor: http://sils.unc.edu/programs/undergraduate/isminor
 MSLS: http://sils.unc.edu/programs/graduate/msls
 MSIS: http://sils.unc.edu/programs/graduate/msis
 PhD: http://sils.unc.edu/programs/graduate/phd
 CAS: http://sils.unc.edu/programs/graduate/cas
Some of this information should be emphasized here.
Undergraduate Admissions Policy. For undergraduates, criteria for admission include the
candidate's academic record, work and extracurricular experience, and substantive written
articulation of the role of information in society. Candidates from a variety of disciplinary
backgrounds are sought for the minor, and an applicant’s computer/technology experience is
not a criterion for admission.
Master’s Admissions Policy. In evaluating master’s applicants, we examine the applicant’s GPA
along with transcript(s) to determine strengths and areas of mastery. We also use GRE scores
to assess potential success in graduate work. We want students who are excited, open-minded,
and full of questions they wish to explore, and the personal statement is our primary means of
gauging this. We expect to see questions the applicant wants to answer, areas of specialization
the applicant wishes to pursue, and a beginning knowledge of the field and its issues and
challenges combined with the ways in which our School might help the student delve into those
issues. Resumes are examined for evidence of qualifications and skills based on practical work
experience or exposure to different cultures and perspectives, and we note any awards and
honors applicants have received. We carefully read the three reference letters that applicants
4: Students, page 89
include in their portfolios to see how professors, professional peers, or supervisors assess them
and their potential. We look for distinguishing characteristics and experiences in these letters
that might mark the applicants as future leaders in the field.
Ph.D. Admissions Policy. As for applicants to the Ph.D. program, we rely on the same criteria
as above. However, we do so with the aim of assessing scholarly potential as well as the match
of a candidate's research interests with those of our faculty. The most prominent difference
between the master’s and doctoral policies is the emphasis on the PhD applicants’ research
interests, in contrast to emphasis on MS applicants’ professional goals. In addition, our PhD
admissions policy stipulates that one or more faculty must be willing to assume the advisory
role for the student. In addition, all viable candidates for the doctoral program are interviewed
by several SILS faculty, in person or by phone, prior to admission.
Admissions Procedures. Applicatons to the BSIS and the undergraduate minor are accepted
only at certain times each semester (due March 1 for fall admission and October 1 for spring
admission). We use a rolling admissions procedure for admissions to all of our graduate
programs (shown in Table 4.1-1), but we do not review applications until they are complete.
SILS allows matriculation in the fall, spring, and summer semesters for many programs.
However, we recommend beginning the graduate programs in the fall semester, since that is
when most introductory courses are offered and when most merit-based financial assistance
awards begin. The application deadlines for each the programs are given below.
Table 4.1-1: Admissions Deadlines for Graduate Programs
Semester
Spring
Summer (Sessions I and II)
Fall
Programs
MSIS, MSLS, CAS
MSIS, MSLS
MSIS, MSLS, CAS, PhD
Deadline
October 15
March 15
May 1
(Graduate School Aid
Deadline: Dec. 15;
SILS Aid Deadline: Feb. 1)
Student Academic Ability (GPAs and GREs). SILS seeks to admit only the most qualified
students. Our admissions standards are rigorous, combining a variety of indicators to
determine excellence.
Undergraduate Student Academic Ability. Recently accepted undergraduate students had
GPAs of 2.97 and 3.31 for majors and minors, respectively. GPA and SAT trends over the
previous five years are depicted in Figures 4.1-1 and 4.1-2 below.
While the average GPA of undergraduate minors has risen from below 3.0 to above 3.3 over the
last three academic years, the average GPA of majors remains below the 3.0 threshold. As
discussed above, SILS is putting much effort into improving the quality and quantity of
4: Students, page 90
undergraduate recruitment. With a larger pool of applicants, SILS will be able to select students
with stronger GPAs for the BSIS.
The average SAT scores (critical reading and mathematics sections combined) show a gradual
rise over the last five years. In the 2008-2009 academic year, students admitted as majors and
minors earned scores of 1271 and 1338, respectively. These scores are comparable to the 1303
of the fall 2009 UNC enrolling student profile.28
Figure 4.1-1: Average GPA of Entering Undergraduate Students
4
3.75
3.5
Majors
3.25
Minors
3
2.75
2.5
2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009
Figure 4.1-2: Average SAT Scores of Admitted Undergraduate Students
1600
1500
1400
Majors
1300
Minors
1200
1100
1000
2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009
28
http://admissions.unc.edu/Academics/Class_Profile_and_Rankings/default.html.
4: Students, page 91
Master’s Student Academic Ability. Recently accepted Master’s students had average
undergraduate GPAs of 3.418 and 3.53 for the MSIS and MSLS programs, respectively.
Concerning GRE scores, students entering the MSIS program in 2009 had average verbal and
quantitative scores of 523 and 547, respectively, while MSLS students earned scores of 668 and
645. Trends in these data over the previous five years are depicted in Figures 4.1-3 and 4.1-4.
These graphs show that our Master’s students have excellent undergraduate records and
consistently strong GRE scores. We have found that the GRE quantitative scores for our
entering students have never been as strong as the verbal scores. Low quantitative percentiles
are not necessarily an indication of an inability to handle the quantitative aspects of graduate
work in information and library science. Other evidence, such as grades in math and related
coursework, is often a more useful indicator for SILS admissions committees.
While those students who enroll in the MSIS degree have higher GRE-Q scores than those who
enroll in the MSLS degree, their GRE-V scores are not as strong. One element of strength at
UNC-SILS is that the curricula for the two degrees overlap considerably, so these two types of
students interact frequently and can bring their unique strengths to bolster their fellow
students’ weaknesses. The Master’s Committee – the faculty committee charged with
admissions decisions – will continue to look broadly at indicators regarding both quantitative
and verbal ability to perform graduate level work in information and library science.
Figure 4.1-3: Average Undergraduate GPA of Entering Master’s Students
4
3.75
3.5
MSIS
3.25
MSLS
3
2.75
2.5
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
4: Students, page 92
Figure 4.1-4: Average GRE Scores of Entering Master’s Students
800
750
700
MSIS Verbal
MSIS Quantitative
650
MSLS Verbal
600
MSLS Quantitative
550
500
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Ph.D. Student Academic Ability. Ph.D. students entering in 2009 carried undergraduate GPAs
of 3.487. In the GRE, they earned scores of 638 and 648 in the verbal and quantitative sections,
respectively. Figures 4.1-5 and 4.1-6 show this data in the context of the previous five years.
Although generally strong, average Undergraduate GPAs do not observe the same consistency
as those of Master’s students. This variation can be attributed to the smaller population of
entering Ph.D. students. In any case, less emphasis is placed on GPA by the Research and
Doctoral committee as they make their admissions decisions. Instead, more current
information concerning graduate work and employment experience are considered more
important.
Figure 4.1-5: Average Undergraduate GPA of Entering PhD Students
4
3.75
3.5
3.25
3
2.75
2.5
2005
2006
2007
2008
4: Students, page 93
2009
Figure 4.1-6: Average GRE Scores of Entering PhD Students
800
750
700
Verbal
650
Quantitative
600
550
500
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Financial Aid. All current and prospective students at SILS are considered for financial aid on an
equitable basis with merit as the major criterion for awards. Students routinely receive
information about financial aid opportunities in the admission packet of the School and via the
student listserv. Various forms of aid are available: fellowships, tuition awards, graduate
assistantships, and paid internships with off-campus organizations. In the 2008-2009 academic
year, SILS provided a total of $2,144,116 in financial aid in 234 packages to students. 34 MSLS
students received scholarship and fellowship gifts totaling $92,811; 23 MSIS students received
$56,335; and 7 PhD students received $37,742. SILS was even more generous with
assistantships. 89 MSLS students received packages worth a total of $884,673; 38 MSIS
students received $397,793; and 43 PhD students received $674,758. To promote the BSIS, we
recently offered two $1,000 scholarships to students admitted to this program in spring and fall
2010. Information on some of our assistantships, fellowships, and internships can be found at
http://sils.unc.edu/current-students/financial-information.
Merit awards are distributed through a process taking into account a wide range of
contributions that candidates may make to SLS. This process begins with assessment of an
applicant’s potential eligibility for Graduate School awards and is followed with assessment of
eligibility for SILS awards. Graduate School award nominations must be submitted in January.
Therefore, consideration is limited to those students who have been admitted by midDecember. The SILS awards are made by April 1. They include those funded by endowments,
by SILS operating funds, and the Carolina Academic Library Associate awards, which are made
available through cooperation with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Academic
Affairs Libraries. Consideration is limited to those students who have been admitted by the end
of March, though occasionally an outstanding student who is admitted later may receive an
4: Students, page 94
award offer if a previous offer is declined. All of our merit-based awards begin with the fall
semester. Many students are also able to find ILS-related employment on campus and beyond.
Financial support is also available on a need basis. Needs-based assessment requires students
to submit the FAFSA form to the University. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid
reviews the form and makes determinations with regard to need-based scholarships, student
loans, work-study eligibility, and so on. Several undergraduate students and one or two
graduate students hold work-study assignments at SILS each year.
The bulk of aid to our undergraduate students is issued by the Office of Scholarships and
Student Aid. Undergraduate students enjoy tuition and fees which are among the lowest
nationwide. Under the Carolina Covenant, the full demonstrated need of all admitted students
is met, and eligible students whose income falls below 200% of the Federal poverty line are
promised a debt-free education.
4.2 ENROLLED STUDENTS
4.2.1 Hospitable Environment
The residential character of SILS provides the foundation of our hospitable environment. With
few students commuting, casual participation in weekly events like museum and restaurant
outings comes naturally. Students convene in the “Public Domain” lobby and the Student
Lounge in Manning Hall and in the doctoral student offices for lunch and informal discussion.
There are also more formal means for accommodating students. Chief among these are the
various organizations in which students participate.29 All SILS graduate students are
automatically ILSSA members. The Information and Library Science Student Association
provides a forum for discussion and action relating to school policies and issues and plans social
events and career investigation opportunities. ILSSA informs students and faculty of current
activities and issues. The ILSSA president is a voting participant in School meetings.
Information Science Student Undergraduates Empowered (ISSUE) is the undergraduate
counterpart to ILSSA. ISSUE was founded to promote the education of undergraduate
information science students. The organization fosters communication among undergraduates,
graduate students, staff, and faculty; acclimates undergraduates to the SILS community; builds
public awareness of information science; and represents the interests of undergraduates.
Membership is extended to all undergraduate majors and minors and other undergraduates
taking classes at SILS.
29
For a list of the student organization officers and links to the organizations’ websites, see
http://sils.unc.edu/people/student-orgs.
4: Students, page 95
There is also a Doctoral Students Association (DSA, ). This organization works towards
improving communication among doctoral students, master’s students, and faculty by
participating in SILS governance and sending representatives to most SILS committees. The DSA
President is a voting participant in School meetings.
CheckedOut is the LGBTQ organization of SILS. It provides LGBTQ students and allies with the
opportunity to attend professional and social programs dealing with issues of sexual identity
and diversity in ILS.
Five other associations are student chapters of national professional societies. These are:
 American Library Association (SCALA)
The UNC-Chapel Hill Student Chapter of the American Library Association facilitates and
encourages participation in the ALA and works to increase awareness and use of ALA
resources. It also provides a local forum for exchange of ideas and information about
trends, issues, and opportunities in the profession.
 American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T)
Recognizing the diverse needs of information professionals who collect, store, analyze,
organize, and distribute information, ASIS&T supplies members with the latest research
findings, policies, systems, and techniques for information management, storage, and
retrieval. The student chapter plans tours of local information agencies and sponsors
talks by area professionals.
 Art & Museum Library & Information Student Society (AMLISS),
AMLISS aims to provide students with the opportunity to explore art, museum, and
visual resources librarianship and records management. Through lectures, workshops,
special events and visits to museum and art libraries, AMLISS promotes these areas of
specialization within the field of information and library science and records
management to any interested students.
 Special Libraries Association (SLA)
The UNC-Chapel Hill student chapter of the Special Libraries Association educates and
involves students in special information and library center work environments and
sponsors speakers from the professional community and frequent tours to area special
libraries.
 Society of American Archivists (SCOSAA)
Students with an interest in working in archives, manuscript repositories, or museums
are encouraged to join the student chapter of the Society of American Archivists. The
student chapter organizes field trips, schedules speakers, and explores volunteer and
field experience possibilities.
The President of the ILSSA and the Chair of the DSA or their designees attend all faculty
meetings as representatives of the student body. They have a vote on all issues. Student
representatives serve as voting members on all standing committees as follows:
 Master’s Committee - 1 MSLS and 1 MSIS student
 Personnel Committee - 1 Master’s and 1 Ph.D. student
4: Students, page 96



Research and Doctoral Committee - 1 Ph.D. student
Undergraduate Committee – 1 undergraduate student
Student representatives on ad hoc committees and task forces are determined by the
nature of the charge.
The School's alumni association has as its primary mission fostering positive and productive
relationships between SILS (including students) and its alumni. The association's activities focus
on three areas - communication, recognition of achievement, and financial support. Some of its
activities include sponsoring an annual student mentoring program, reunions at major
professional meetings, and hosting a commencement reception each year. The alumni
association sponsors an annual student award and selects the recipient of the Distinguished
Alumni Award. It provides funds for publications, receptions and awards and encourages
contributions to the funds and endowments that support the School.
Finally, the Epsilon Chapter of Beta Phi Mu, the international information and library science
honorary society, is located at UNC-Chapel Hill. Beta Phi Mu takes its members from the best
of the graduating class of Master’s students and provides recognition and scholarship support
for students.
4.2.2 Student Profile
This section lays out core data on our student body and separates undergraduate from
graduate students in doing so. The table immediately below presents five years of data for our
undergraduate students. Following this is a similar table with data on our graduate students.
Table 4.2-1: Demographic Profile of Undergraduate Students, 2004/2005 – 2008/2009
Academic year
Mean entering GPA
Majors/Minors
Asian
Black
Hispanic
Racial distribution
White
Majors/Minors
Native
American
Other
Gender distribution Female
Majors/Minors
Male
2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009
2.86/3.46
3.00/3.57
3.20/2.97
2.95/3.16
2.97/3.31
2/2
4/1
1/1
17/8
3/1
4/1
0/0
12/4
0/1
4/1
0/0
19/7
5/1
7/0
1/0
13/7
3/2
3/1
1/0
10/10
0/0
0/0
0/0
0/0
0/1
2/1
6/5
20/8
1/1
8/4
12/3
0/0
5/3
18/6
0/1
9/6
17/3
0/1
4/9
13/6
28/13
16/8
17/5
18/6
16/8
3.11/3.43
3.17/3.54
3.02/3.30
3.42/3.33
3.29/3.40
Graduating Students
Number of graduates
Majors/Minors
Mean graduating GPA
Majors/Minors
4: Students, page 97
Undergraduate Student Profile Discussion. For undergraduate students, the mean GPA of
matriculating students has centered on 3.0 but has shown variation. The high variation can be
attributed to the small size of the population. Students entering the Minor tend to have a
higher GPA, but the variation in the mean GPA is higher than for students entering the BSIS.
This again can be attributed to the small size of this population. Unfortunately, there is a
downward trend for all students entering the BSIS. We are seeking to right this with a more
prominent presence at the annual Majors Expo, with increased outreach and marketing efforts,
and by offering two $1,000 scholarships for students entering in the spring 2010 semester. The
predominance of males in undergraduate programs should also be noted. This regrettably
stable trend can be explained by the lower overall rate of participation by women in
information and technology related fields. On the positive side, the undergraduate programs
seem to be an appropriate point at which to recruit racial/ethnic minorities into this field. The
proportion of Black and Hispanic students in the undergraduate programs has ranged from
16%-32% over the past few years (compared with 3%-10% in the graduate programs).
Table 4.2-2: Demographic Profile of Graduate Students: 2005-2009
Academic year
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Mean GRE Score1
Mean entering GPA2
1225
3.492
5
10
2
103
1287
3.383
10
3
1
121
1261
3.513
6
4
2
108
1279
3.382
10
6
2
88
1224
3.478
11
2
5
130
0
1
2
0
1
5
7
4
8
11
92
33
6
91
52
6
79
47
10
79
33
8
121
39
2
13
18
18
19
24
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
114
105
102
120
90
5
4
4
3
5
Racial distribution3
Gender distribution4
International
Students5
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Native
American
Other/Not
Reporting
Female
Male
Resident Alien
Non-resident
Alien
Graduating Students
Academic Year
Number of Master’s Degrees
Awarded (MSLS and MSIS)6
Number of Doctoral Degrees
Awarded6
1 Addition
of verbal and quantitative scores. From Average GRE Scores By Division Reports, Enrolled Verbal and Enrolled
Quantitative Columns. Retrieved at http://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/stats.html
2 From Average GPA by Division Reports, Enrolled GPA column. Retrieved at http://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/stats.html
3 From Ethnicity of New Enrolled Students by Division Reports. Retrieved at http://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/stats.html
4From Gender of New Enrolled Students by Division Report. Retrieved at http://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/stats.html
5Total enrolled students during fall semester. Therefore, this column does not represent entering students. From Datamart
Enrollment Statistics (Census Report). Retrieved at http://regweb.unc.edu/stats/census_data.php
6From Degrees Awarded Statistics. Retrieved at http://regweb.unc.edu/stats/degree_stats.php
4: Students, page 98
Graduate Student Profile Discussion. Turning now to Graduate students, GRE scores show
great variation. This is not the case with GPA scores, which have varied only from 3.38 to 3.51
over the past several years. As discussed elsewhere, minority enrollment levels are not
satisfactory. Finally, the higher proportion of female to male students entering Master’s
programs might be thought to counterbalance the opposite statistic in the undergraduate
programs, but is concentrated in the MSLS program.
Degrees Awarded. The above tables show the number of students receiving degrees for the
past 5 years.
The current number of undergraduate degrees granted has dropped since 2005, and now
seems to have stabilized at about 16-17 per year (plus 6-8 minors per year). Efforts to recruit a
higher number of undergraduate students are described elsewhere.
While overall Master’s degrees remain relatively constant, there has been a noticeable trend
over the past few years of increased MSLS enrollment and decreased MSIS enrollment.
Consequently, the MSIS program is another area of focused recruitment. Since 2002,
applications for and enrollments in the MSIS degree program have been declining as a
consequence of the technology bubble bursting, the off-shoring of IT jobs, and the perceived
loss of job opportunities in this sector. While this decrease has been slow, it is ongoing.
However, we believe the information-related areas of the economy will flourish in the long run
- in line with the Bureau of Labor Statistics report discussed in the Curriculum section – and we
expect an attendant increase in interest for this degree.
Diversity. SILS seeks to include students from all backgrounds and prizes diversity as a means
of inculcating an awareness of different perspectives, experiences, and cultures. On the one
hand, attention to diversity issues reminds us of their subtlety and complexity, and the
potential deceptions of numbers as indicators of success. On the other, because access to
information is a critical aspect of professional opportunity and personal development, it is
particularly incumbent on our school to assure that we contribute to the diverse face of our
field in its service to a changing citizenry. The preceding tables depict minority enrollment in
our programs, and these data are broken down by program in the figures below. These data
have already been discussed as one aspect of the student body profile.
4: Students, page 99
Figure 4.2-1: Minority Enrollment: Entering BSIS Students
8
7
6
Asian
5
Black
4
Hispanic
3
American Indian
2
Other
1
0
2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009
Figure 4.2-2: Minority Enrollment: Entering MSLS Students
9
8
7
6
Asian
5
Black
4
Hispanic
3
American Indian
2
Other/Not Reporting
1
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
4: Students, page 100
Figure 4.2-3: Minority Enrollment: Entering MSIS Students
6
5
4
Asian
Black
3
Hispanic
American Indian
2
Other/Not Reporting
1
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Figure 4.2-4: Minority Enrollment: Entering PhD Students
3.5
3
2.5
Asian
2
Black
Hispanic
1.5
American Indian
1
Other/Not Reporting
0.5
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
One of the main reasons we strive for diversity in our programs is that it instills an appreciation
for different cultures in students and thereby broadens their perspectives. This is best achieved
by representing a variety of demographics in the student body, but traditional educational
means also help. Many of our courses contemplate differences among the diverse user groups
we as information professionals serve. For instance, INLS 739: Information Services for Specific
Populations, explores service, professional, and administrative issues related to information
4: Students, page 101
access by nontraditional information service users. Moreover, core courses highlight the
inclusive values of our profession and the tradition of respect and outreach that characterizes
it. For instance, “Information grounds and the use of need-based services by immigrants in
Queens, New York: A context-based outcome” is one of the readings for INLS 500: Human
Information Interaction.
Statistics concerning the gender diversity of our programs were also presented in Tables 4.2-1
and 4.2-2, and are broken down by program in the following figures.
Figure 4.2-5: Gender: Entering BSIS Students
25
20
15
Female
Male
10
5
0
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
Figure 4.2-6: Gender: Entering MSLS Students
120
100
80
Female
60
Male
40
20
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
4: Students, page 102
Figure 4.2-7: Gender: Entering MSIS Students
30
25
20
Female
15
Male
10
5
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Figure 4.2-8: Gender: Entering PhD Students
12
10
8
Female
6
Male
4
2
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
The field of Information and Library Science has traditionally been dominated by women, and
this remains the case for the MSLS and, to some extent, the Doctoral program. Both the BSIS
and MSIS programs are predominately male. The MSIS program has seen a shift in gender.
Women outnumbered men in 2006; men have predominated ever since. This shift is due both
to a decrease in the number of women seeking the degree and an increase in the number of
men. The decline in the number of women enrolling in the MSIS has continued through 2008,
but the slight increase in 2009 may indicate a new trend.
4: Students, page 103
While racial and gender demographics are vital for measuring the diversity of our student body,
we look to other aspects of a student’s background as well. For instance, we seek a student
body representing a variety of undergraduate experiences. Since 2003, SILS has admitted
students from over 180 different institutions from around the nation and the world. Our
students represent undergraduate majors in over 90 subjects. Just like ethnic and gender
diversity, this wealth of intellectual traditions promotes the appreciation of multiple
perspectives, experiences, and cultures at SILS.
Assistance to Underrepresented Populations. In December 2009, the faculty prepared a new
diversity statement so that it better reflects our understanding of and commitment to diversity.
That statement reads:
In support of the University’s diversity goals and the mission of the School of Information
and Library Science, SILS embraces diversity as an ethical and societal value. We broadly
define diversity to include race, gender, national origin, ethnicity, religion, social class,
age, sexual orientation, and physical and learning ability. As an academic community
committed to preparing our graduates to be leaders in an increasingly multicultural and
global society we strive to:





Ensure inclusive leadership, policies, and practices;
Integrate diversity into the curriculum and research;
Foster a mutually respectful intellectual environment in which diverse
opinions are valued;
Recruit traditionally underrepresented groups of students, faculty, and
staff; and
Participate in outreach to underserved groups in the State.
The statement represents a commitment of resources to the development and maintenance of
an academic environment that is open, representative, reflective, and committed to the
concepts of equity and fairness.
SILS’ commitment to assisting underrepresented populations follows directly from this
statement. That commitment is evidenced in a series of recent actions, only some of which are
mentioned here:
 A grant was submitted to the Institute of Museum and Library Services to recruit and
educate Hispanic librarians to serve North Carolina Hispanic youth and their families.
 In order to expand the recruitment base, recruitment flyers were sent to all community
colleges in North Carolina promoting SILS’ BSIS degree. Also, the Undergraduate
Student Services Manager attended the 2009 Minority Business Expo held at UNC on
September 12, 2009.
 Dr. Claudia Gollop, associate professor at SILS, was named the winner of the 2009 North
Carolina Library Association’s Roundtable for Ethnic and Minority Concerns
Roadbuilders' Award in library education. The Roadbuilders’ Award recognizes ethnic
4: Students, page 104


minority librarians and scholars in library education, academic librarianship, special
librarianship and public librarianship, who have served as pioneers in librarianship and
who also represent a positive role model in the field.
In promotion of diversity education, Drs. James “Kip” Currier and Toni Carbo presented
a diversity roundtable session called “e-Inclusion” on February 9th as part of the
iConference 2009 which was hosted by SILS.
African American author and illustrator Brian Pinkney delivered the SILS sponsored 2009
Susan Steinfirst Lecture at the NC Literary Festival in September 2009. Pinkney holds
one Coretta Scott King Award and three Coretta Scott King Honor Awards.
4.2.3 Student Evaluation
Undergraduate Programs. Grading is the primary means of assessing how and when our goals
for the undergraduate programs are met. Given the content of our curriculum, if a student
completes it in good standing, he or she will have acquired the intended knowledge and skills.
In addition to grading, advising and our course-review processes also ensure that students
attain the educational goals we have set for them. Students provide evaluations for each
course. These go to the individual faculty member and then are produced for periodic faculty
reviews. Students and alumni are surveyed on their overall experience. The results are
analyzed and studied by individual faculty, committee members, and members of ad hoc
curriculum review committees.
As with all our programs, we assess the achievement of the undergraduate programs’ desired
learning outcomes. Graduating students will:
 Understand the many ways in which information can be created, communicated, stored,
and/or transformed, in order to benefit individuals, organizations, and society.
 Possess practical skills for analyzing, processing and managing information and
developing and managing information systems in our knowledge-based society. They
will possess problem solving and decision-making skills, be able to effectively utilize
information tools, and be able to take a leadership role in our information economy.
 Comprehend the value of information and information tools, and their role in society
and the economy.
 Be prepared to evaluate the role of information in a variety of industries, in different
organizational settings, for different populations, and for different purposes.
 Maintain a strong sense of the role of information in society, including historical and
future roles.
The achievement of these learning objectives is assessed through an examination of students’
assignments in several of the core courses. In each case, a sample of student work is collected
and faculty who were not the teachers of the course re-examine that work, rating it on whether
it demonstrates the achievement of the above objectives. The Undergraduate Committee is
responsible for conducting this assessment each year, and reports the results to the faculty for
4: Students, page 105
their consideration. If the results indicate problems in achieving the objectives, curriculum
changes will be proposed.
Master’s Student Evaluation. Consistent with the University grading system for graduate
students, SILS uses the high pass (H), pass (P), low pass (L), fail (F) system to try to focus on
learning rather than traditional grades.
Advisors also have opportunities to evaluate students. As discussed in the section on
curriculum, students are compelled to meet with their advisors prior to registering for
coursework each semester. During these meetings advisors gain a clear picture of the student
progress and can tailor recommended coursework to individual student needs.
Comprehensive exams and the Master’s papers represent further means of assessing student
progress. Because these educational outcomes are not available until the end of a student’s
time at SILS, they cannot be used to recalibrate educational approaches for particular students.
They nevertheless have two functions. First, these outcomes can be used to confirm that a
particular student progressed successfully while at SILS. Second, this retrospective
confirmation of particular student progress can be aggregated, giving an overall picture of the
progress a class has made. Specifically, these data can be used to assess whether the students
in the graduating class have achieved the desired learning outcomes.
The Master’s Committee is responsible for conducting an assessment of students’ achievement
of the two programs’ learning outcomes. The same learning outcomes are in force in both MS
programs. Graduates are to be prepared to:
 Apply critical thinking to a particular challenge that might be experienced in a
professional setting. They will be able to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of
particular solutions, and use concrete examples to clarify the challenge and its possible
solutions.
 Apply standard professional tools to problem definition and solution. They will be aware
of the classic and current tools and technologies available to information professionals,
and will be able to select and apply those tools and technologies to information
problems.
 Apply ideas, theories, and empirical evidence from one context to a problem in another
context in an innovative way. They will be able to demonstrate that key concepts have
been internalized and can be applied appropriately to a novel situation/problem.
 Demonstrate a nuanced understanding of a particular information setting/context,
including the needs of the users; the types of materials being collected; the realities of
budget, management, and organizational structure; the types of challenges faced and
ways to address those challenges; new/current professional and research developments
pertinent to the setting/context; the influences of social and political milieu on the
setting/context; and how quality may be defined and assessed within that
setting/context.
 Express their ideas clearly. They will be able to describe problems/challenges, situations,
and solutions in an understandable way; synthesize ideas from multiple sources, and
4: Students, page 106
engage with those ideas in depth; and develop an argument in a coherent and logical
manner.
As faculty read a student’s comprehensive exam response, s/he rates the extent to which that
response demonstrates the student’s achievement of these objectives. If problems are
identified, the Master’s Committee will recommend changes to the curriculum.
Ph.D. Student Evaluation. The structure of the doctoral program incorporates several formal
procedures for evaluating student progress. Typically held at the end of the first year, the 18hour review is conducted by a committee chaired by the student's advisor and consisting of all
faculty who have taught the student. The committee assesses the student's mastery of specific
subjects, as well as the ability to identify research opportunities and the means to address the
associated research problems. The student is informed of any deficiencies identified by the
review along with suggested strategies for improvement. In the case of severe deficiencies a
student might be counseled to leave the doctoral program.
At the end of each subsequent academic year, the student prepares a statement of progress
and presents it to the advisor and Associate Dean. The statement should include a list of
papers written that year, a summary of coursework completed, a statement of research
interest, reflection on progress in the program, and an outline of plans for the coming academic
year. Continuation in the program is dependent upon a satisfactory review.
Unlike the comprehensive exams required of Master’s students, doctoral comprehensive exams
occur prior to the end of a student’s time at SILS. These exams are administered based upon a
systematic review of the literature relevant to the student's area of research interest. The
student initiates the examination process by submitting the review to his or her faculty adviser.
A faculty examination committee then prepares the written examination. After completing the
written exam, the student takes a follow-up oral examination. It is considered unsatisfactory
progress if a student has not taken the exam one year after completing coursework with no
other signs of progress.
The culminating evaluative experience in a PhD student’s career is the dissertation defense.
Through the written dissertation and the oral defense of it, the student can demonstrate the
successful achievement of the program’s objectives.
Time-to-Degree Trends. Data related to the BSIS students are not considered here, since they
almost universally graduate in four years. Data for the graduate programs are considered; a
sample of programs from 20% of the graduates from each academic year is included in this
analysis. Figure 4.2-9 depicts the average number of fall and spring semesters that pass
between a student’s matriculation and graduation on a given year.
4: Students, page 107
Figure 4.2-9: Average Time-to-Degree
Fall and Spring Semesters
16
14
12
10
8
6
Master's Students
4
Doctoral Students
2
0
Academic Year
The figure shows that, from 2003-2008, Master’s students took, on average, just above 4
semesters and that doctoral students take on average between 10 and 12. This translates to a
little over 2 years for Master’s students and between 5 and 6 years for doctoral students. We
are pleased with our time-to-degree statistics for the Master’s program, but have taken steps
to encourage a speedier progression in the doctoral program.
We have designed our Master’s program to last 2 years. The students who are unable to
receive their degree in this time frame likely have experienced delays in their Master’s paper
research. We address this issue in a required course, Research Methods, in which students are
asked to plan and begin Master’s paper research. As for the time-to-doctoral degree statistics,
we have designed this program to be 3-5 years in length.
Attrition. At registration time each semester, faculty members meet individually with their
advisees. This advising structure is a key means by which SILS identifies potential attrition.
Attrition most often occurs when students are not satisfied with their overall experience. The
table below represents a study of Master’s student satisfaction conducted by the Information
and Library Science Student Association in December 2008. 30
30
From “SILS Student Satisfaction Survey, Initial Report for the 2008-2009 Academic Year.”
4: Students, page 108
Table 4.2-3: Student Survey: Overall Satisfaction
“Based on your experience with faculty, coursework, advisors, and
administration in SILS, please indicate your overall satisfaction with
your experience in this program.”
Very satisfied
Satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Neutral
Somewhat dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
%
29
51
12
4
3
1
0
Most students (80 percent) were either very satisfied or satisfied with their overall experience
at SILS. 12 percent of students somewhat satisfied. Only 4 percent of students were
dissatisfied or very dissatisfied, and only 3 percent were somewhat dissatisfied. The high levels
of satisfaction with the overall SILS experience suggest that attrition will remain low.
4.2.4 Advising
Undergraduate and Master’s students are assigned a faculty advisor when they are admitted.
This assignment is based on the area(s) of interest mentioned on the student’s application. To
avoid overloading any individual faculty member, student preferences are weighed against the
loads of advisors. Students may also change advisors if they feel another faculty member
would better suit their advising needs. As advisors are often called upon to write reference
letters, it is important for students to feel comfortable with their choices.
Advising is somewhat more involved at the doctoral level. An advisor or co-advisors are
assigned to each student upon admission. These faculty members will have participated in the
admissions process and will have expressed an interest in working with the student. The
student’s advisor is the primary person responsible for guiding the student during the first two
years of the program. Near the end of the second year, as the student prepares for
comprehensive exam, an examining committee of five members is formed. The selection of
committee members is based on the student’s plans for the dissertation. These committee
members help to guide the student during the development of the dissertation proposal and
implementation of the dissertation research. It is possible to change the composition of the
committee at any point in the process, but most often the examining committee becomes the
dissertation committee. The student may call upon any member of the committee, or any SILS
faculty member, for advice and guidance during the doctoral program.
Undergraduate and doctoral students, due to their small populations, are not surveyed
regarding their advisory experiences. Survey results are available for Master’s students. Below,
4: Students, page 109
Table 4.2-4 shows the results of a fall 2009 survey of graduating students. 31 It shows that, in
general, students find their advisory experience satisfactory. The high levels of “very satisfied”
responses are noteworthy; more than a third of students chose this response for each category.
Table 4.2-4: Student Survey: “Please indicate your satisfaction with the experiences you have
had with your advisor.”
Question
2007-2008 Results 2008-2009 Results
Number of responses
129
140
Interpersonal support and helpful guidance (e.g., encouragement, sense of being valued)
Very satisfied
35%
39%
Satisfied
30%
29%
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
12%
15%
Dissatisfied
9%
6%
Very dissatisfied
11%
7%
Don’t know/Not applicable
3%
4%
Understanding of what coursework would best help you achieve your professional goals.
Very satisfied
31%
35%
Satisfied
32%
34%
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
18%
14%
Dissatisfied
9%
9%
Very dissatisfied
7%
6%
Don’t know/Not applicable
4%
3%
Availability and accessibility to you.
Very satisfied
41%
40%
Satisfied
28%
31%
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
12%
12%
Dissatisfied
8%
9%
Very dissatisfied
9%
6%
Don’t know/Not applicable
3%
2%
Overall satisfaction with your advisor.
Very satisfied
33%
41%
Satisfied
34%
32%
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
13%
14%
Dissatisfied
9%
8%
Very dissatisfied
9%
5%
Don’t know/Not applicable
2%
1%
31
From “SILS Student Satisfaction Survey, Initial Report for the 2008-2009 Academic Year.”
4: Students, page 110
4.2.5 Student Contributions
SILS provides opportunities for practical experience for students so that they can apply
classroom learning to real-world information problems. Our students devote themselves to
volunteer work, field experiences, internships, assistantships, and fellowships. In doing so, they
provide invaluable service to SILS, UNC, and organizations throughout the Triangle area. To
facilitate this, SILS maintains an informal contact list featuring programs in need of our
students. Announcements of opportunities, both paid and unpaid, are sent to students via the
School’s listservs. Faculty members, especially in their capacity as advisors or field experience
coordinators, often assist students in finding these kinds of opportunities.
Our students have made contributions to academic, public, school, and special libraries, and to
archives, non-profit organizations, and corporations. They are involved in many faculty-student
research collaborations as well. Our undergraduate and Master’s students have worked
alongside doctoral students and faculty on funded research projects. The Open Video project,
the GovStats project, the Electronic Theses and Dissertations project, and the Open Key
project32 serve as prominent examples.
Detailed information on distinguished student and alumni activity can be found in the SILS
quarterly newsletter (http://sils.unc.edu/publications/newsletters).
4.3 GRADUATES
Career Advising. Students at SILS have many different avenues to obtain the career advising
they need to ensure the successful transition from academic to professional life. As Table 4.3-1
shows, over half of the students who responded to the Current Student Survey claimed they
had received career advising at SILS, and much of this advising came from faculty and peers.
Other sources of advising were the University’s Career Services center, the SILS staff, field
experience site supervisors, UNC Librarians, and various colleagues and professional
organizations. While these numbers are largely positive, career advising remains a concern for
a number of students and SILS is actively looking for ways to improve our career placement
services.
32
More information on these and other projects is available at http://sils.unc.edu/research/projects.
4: Students, page 111
Table 4.3-1: Sources of Career Advising
Have you received any career advising while at SILS?
Yes
No
If yes, from whom have you received career advising?
SILS faculty
SILS staff
Peers
UNC Career Services staff
Other
n
%
63
45
58
42
41
7
38
15
23
64
11
59
23
36
Post-Baccalaureate Pursuits. Our undergraduates gain employment in information
architecture, database design and implementation, Web design and implementation, and
networking support and information consulting. Many also pursue graduate degrees, especially
MSLS and MSIS degrees. They find that the concentrations designed by the Undergraduate
Committee allow them to represent themselves to employers as specialists in niche areas. For
instance, the Web Development Concentration provides a good stepping-stone to Web Master
positions.
Employment. SILS graduates maintain high employment placement. Based on the WILIS
survey collected in 2007, 94 percent of the 2001-2007 graduates were employed, and only 2
percent were still seeking employment. As the table below indicates, most graduates have
attained full-time employment, and 50 percent of those with jobs supervise others.
Table 4.3-2: Current Job of 2001-2007 Graduates
Average annual salary
Average number of hours worked per week
Considered full-time
Supervise others
UNC Recent Graduates
n=239
$51,299 (n=231)
40.32, sd 7.88
93%
50%
4: Students, page 112
5. ADMINISTRATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
This section examines SILS from an administrational perspective. It will consider the School’s
leadership and the support of the administrative staff. Descriptions regarding the governance,
administration, and organization of SILS are based primarily on Bylaws, Procedures and Policies
of the School of Information Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This
section also takes up issues with facilities and equipment, the most pressing of which have to
do with our restrictive physical space. Finally, it discusses relationships with other institutions,
both within and outside of UNC Chapel Hill. On the whole, this section will show that SILS
leadership is supported by a lean staff and that future development is constrained by the space
limitations of Manning Hall.
5.1 LEADERSHIP
Overview of Organization. It will be helpful to describe SILS’s organization before discussing
governance and administration. To this end an organization chart is included as Chart 5.1-1.
Figure 5.1-1: Organization of SILS Administration
Provost
SILS Board of Visitors
SILS Administrative Board
Dean’s Assistant
Susan Sylvester
(SPA)
Dean
Gary Marchionini
(EPA)
SILS Library
Standing Committees of the Faculty
Director of Information
Technology
Scott Adams
(EPA)
Assistant Director of
Information Technology
Aaron Brubaker
(EPA)
Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs
Barbara Wildemuth
(EPA)
Business Officer
Tammy Cox
(SPA)
Director of Development
Stephanie Cole
(EPA)
Univ. Prog. Spec.,
HR Manager
Shaundria Williams
(SPA)
Student Services Mgr
Graduate
Lara Bailey
(SPA)
Business Officer, C&G
Kay Lackey
(SPA)
Student Services Mgr.
Undergraduate
Stephanie Peterson
(SPA)
Administrative Support
Associate
Marcia Tauber
(SPA)
Administrative Support
Associate
Vacant
(SPA)
Health Informatics
Coordinator
April Hutchinson
(SPA)
5: Administration Perspective, page 113
Director of
Communications
Wanda Monroe (EPA)
Director of ibiblio
Paul Jones
(EPA)
Director of EPA Libraries
Tamika Barnes
McCollough
(EPA)
Dir. of Health Informatics
Javed Mostafa
(EPA)
The chart shows that the executive officer position is held by the Dean, who reports to the
Provost. The Dean is supported by an executive assistant and is advised by two groups: the SILS
Board of Visitors and the SILS Administrative Board. The Standing Committees of the Faculty are
appointed and charged by the Dean with particular responsibilities; they often advise the Dean
and may also bring actions to School meetings for action by the voting participants in those
meetings. The SILS Library reports directly to the UNC Library system, but the Librarian also
serves as a member of the School. Six Directors report to the Dean: those of Information
Technology, Development, Communications, ibiblio, the EPA Library (managed on contract by
SILS), and the Health Informatics Programs. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the
Business Officer both report to the Dean. The Business Officer oversees the Undergraduate
Student Services Manager, the Graduate Student Services Manager, and two Administrative
Support Associates; the Associate Dean also works closely with these staff. The Business Officer
also oversees the Human Resource Manager, a Contracts and Grants Specialist, and the Health
Informatics Coordinator (who also reports to the Director of the Health Informatics Programs).
5.1.1 Governance and Administration
The style of academic management at UNC at Chapel Hill is intentionally decentralized; much of
the decision-making authority resides with the deans. Thus, the Dean of SILS and other
professional schools exercise substantial authority. This authority is defined in and
circumscribed by various documents, the most central of which is Trustee Policies and
Regulations Governing Academic Tenure33. Specific duties of deans are described in Faculty
Code of University Government34. The University of North Carolina General Administration
(GA), through its policies and reporting requirements, also shapes dean governance. In
addition, the Dean acts in accordance with SILS’ Bylaws, Procedures and Policies35. This
document describes the rights and responsibilities of the Dean, other administrators, faculty,
staff, and students.
The SILS Bylaws, Procedures and Policies grant the Dean responsibility for the overall
functioning of the school as well as ultimate authority within the school over personnel and
financial matters. The Dean appoints faculty, staff and students to committees and makes final
decisions within the school on actions to be taken.
The new Dean, Gary Marchionini, was appointed on April 1, 2010 for a five-year term. Three
former Deans are in residence and continue to make important contributions to SILS. Joanne
Marshall, who served as Dean from 1999-2004, has returned to teaching and research duties
within the School as an Alumni Professor. Barbara Moran served as Dean from 1990 through
1998, and Interim Dean from May 2009 to April 2010. She has just returned to her full-time
duties as Professor. Evelyn Daniel served as Dean from 1985-1990 and has served as Associate
Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor for a two-year period through June 2010 when she
33
Available at: http://www.unc.edu/campus/policies/tenure.html
Available at: http://www.unc.edu/faculty/faccoun/code/
35
Available at: http://ils.unc.edu/committees/documents/Bylaws%20Chapters%201%20thru%207%2020100428.doc.
34
5: Administration Perspective, page 114
retired (though she still serves the School as an adjunct professor). Barbara Wildemuth was
appointed Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, beginning in July 2010. In that role, she is
responsible for course scheduling, student financial aid, facilitating SILS meetings, administering
the academic programs of the school, and representing SILS and the Dean at University and
non-University functions.
5.1.2 Advisory Groups to the Dean
The SILS Dean is advised by the SILS Administrative Board and the SILS Board of Visitors.
Each of the professional schools that report to the Provost has an Administrative Board,
appointed by the Chancellor upon the recommendation of the Dean. The SILS Administrative
Board consists of seven members, four from the School’s faculty, one of whom is the Dean, and
three from faculty of the university outside of the School. The current members of the
Administrative Board are: Phillip Edwards, Sandra Hughes-Hassell, Richard Marciano, and Gary
Marchionini from SILS; Jonathon Q. Morgan, Assistant Professor of Public Administration,
School of Government; David Potenziani, Senior Associate Dean, Gillings School of Global Public
Health; and Jane Brown, Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The board
meets once a semester to review and approve new programs and curricular changes and to
advise the Dean on administrative and educational policy matters.
The SILS Board of Visitors advises the Dean on educational, research, and service programs.
The Board assists SILS by promotion of the school, encouraging the highest quality education,
participating in strategic planning, evaluating SILS’ progress, and assisting in increasing financial
support. The Board of Visitors comprises twenty members and a Chair. Mary Boone, North
Carolina State Librarian, is the current Chair. Members hold prominent positions in libraries
and information businesses in the Triangle area and beyond. Table 5.1-1 below includes all
current board members.
Table 5.1-1: Board of Visitors
Board Member
Mary Boone, Chair
Michel Bézy
Alice Bordsen
Charles M. Brown
George Coe
Charles Coleman, Jr.
Lee Dirks
David Goble
William Graves
Affiliation
North Carolina State Librarian
Program Director, IBM Corporation
State Representative, North Carolina House of Representatives
Director of Libraries, Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg Co.
President, Baker & Taylor Institutional
Managing Director and Senior Strategist, Education and
Medical/Healthcare Practice, SAS Institute
Director of Education & Scholarly Communications, Microsoft
Corporation
State Librarian of South Carolina
Senior Vice President for Academic Strategy, SunGard Higher Education
5: Administration Perspective, page 115
Board Member
Patricia Harris
Marge Hlava
Deborah Jakubs
Robert L. Jordan
Charles Lowry
Peter McCracken
Robert Martin
Robert Molyneux
Dan Morrow
Peyton R. Neal
Marian Parker
Susan Perry
Wayne Pond
Fred Roper
Judith C. Russell
Guy St. Clair
Sarah Snow
Michael Tiemann
David Woodbury
Leo Yakutis
Affiliation
Global Standards and Information Group, National Institute of
Standards and Technology
President, Access Innovations Inc.
University Librarian and Vice Provost for Library Affairs, Duke
University
President and CEO, OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
Executive Director, Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and
Professor Emeritus, College of Information Studies University of
Maryland, College Park
Founder, Serials Solutions Inc.; Co-founder of “Index to Ships in Books”
Web site
Professor Emeritus, School of Library and Information Studies, Texas
Woman's University
Vice President of Business Development at Equinox Software, Inc.
Executive Director Emeritus, Computerworld Honors Program
Law Librarian, Lobbyist and Assistant Professor of Law
Associate Dean for Library and Information Services and Professor of
Law, Wake Forest University School of Law
Senior Advisor , Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Director, Humanities and Human Values, UNC
Dean Emeritus, School of Library and Information Science, University of
South Carolina
Dean of University Libraries, George A. Smathers Libraries at University
of Florida
President and Consultant, SMR International
Co-chair, Carolina First Campaign Committee
Vice President of Open Source Affairs, Red Hat
President, SILS Alumni Association;
Learning Commons Librarian, North Carolina State University Libraries
Executive Action, LLC
5.1.3 Committee Structure
A central component of the administrative and decision-making structure of SILS is its use of
the committee process to aid in administration and policy formulation. The committee system
consists of five committee types: a coordinating committee; standing committees; oversight
committees; ad hoc committees appointed for specific tasks, and the committee of the (whole)
Faculty. The majority of faculty members on standing committees must be tenure track faculty
unless the faculty votes to waive this requirement in a specific case. Terms of appointment are
usually annual, except for ad hoc committees and task forces, which may be appointed at any
time for a specified period of time. Faculty membership on committees rotates so that, over
5: Administration Perspective, page 116
time, each faculty member has an opportunity to serve on each committee. Relevant details of
these committees are offered below.
Coordinating Committee. At SILS, the Coordinating Committee serves as a senior advisory
group to the Dean. The coordinating committee consists of all chairs of the standing
committees and the Associate Dean. Its function is to identify tasks that require coordination
or issues that cross committee boundaries and to provide a sounding board for the Dean on
various matters. The committee is convened by the Dean at least once each semester or as
needed.
Standing Committees. There are five standing committees: Diversity; Master's; Personnel;
Research and Doctoral; and Undergraduate. These committees are normally composed of a
combination of faculty members, staff, students, and alumni. Students serve as voting
members on all standing committees at SILS. They have access to all information available to
committees except personal data about other students, i.e., no student has access to another
student's or prospective student's personal file or answers on examinations. Although the
Dean is technically a member of all committees ex officio, he or she normally attends a
committee meeting only upon the invitation of the chair. No ex officio committee members
have voting rights unless specifically granted by the Dean. The general charges and
composition of each of these committees follow.
Diversity Committee. This committee’s primary responsibility is to serve as the SILS liaison with
the University’s Diversity Committee and the Office of the Associate Provost for Diversity and
Multicultural Affairs. It is charged to document and foster diversity-related accomplishments
within SILS in relation to faculty and staff recruitment and retention, student enrollment,
curricula, research, and relationships with the professional and academic community.
The committee is composed of at least two faculty members, the Director of Communications,
an alumna or alumnus, a doctoral student, a master’s student and an undergraduate student.
Master's Committee. This committee's primary responsibility is to monitor the master's
program, to initiate changes to the program and the parts of the curriculum that support that
program, to study proposals for change submitted by others, and to recommend action to the
faculty. Thus, the committee must assure that the set of courses and experiences offered by
the school for its master's degrees are appropriate and that their catalog descriptions are
accurate. The committee reviews all proposed changes to courses most appropriate to the
master's programs and recommends their approval or disapproval to the faculty in a timely
manner. The committee also has responsibility for the Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS)
program. The committee's responsibility includes examining the master's degrees and CAS
program requirements and recommending proposed changes. The committee assures that the
lists of advising specialties are up-to-date, accurate, and available to students. This committee
also serves as the review committee for applications for admission to the master's and CAS
programs and makes recommendations on admission to the Dean. The committee is further
charged with reviewing the policies for admission to the master's and CAS programs.
5: Administration Perspective, page 117
The Master's Committee is composed of at least three faculty members, an MSIS student, and
an MSLS student. The school's Librarian and Graduate Student Services Manager are ex officio
members of the committee.
Personnel Committee. This committee is charged with reviewing all tenure track faculty
members for reappointment, tenure, and promotion. The committee also reviews all persons
holding adjunct appointments for reappointment and promotion. Its recommendations are
made to the Dean. This committee also reviews policies and procedures on faculty personnel
matters and makes recommendations for changes to the faculty. The committee assigns faculty
for peer observations. The Personnel Committee may be asked to serve as a search committee
for new faculty, sometimes augmented by additional members.
This committee is composed of at least three faculty members and is usually chaired by a full
professor. Preferably, the other members include one assistant professor (untenured) and one
associate professor, a Ph.D. student and a master's student.
Research and Doctoral Committee. This committee has two primary responsibilities: to foster
research at SILS and to oversee the doctoral program.
The committee fosters research by recommending and sometimes arranging colloquia on
research topics, facilitating the development of research proposals, advising the Dean on
faculty support relative to research activities (e.g., travel, research space, etc.), reviewing
applications from visiting scholars, and other matters involving research.
The committee initiates changes in the doctoral program and the parts of the curriculum that
support it, studies proposals for change to the program submitted by others, and recommends
action to the faculty. The committee must assure that the set of courses and experiences
offered by SILS for its doctoral degree are appropriate and that their catalog description is
accurate. The committee reviews all proposed changes to courses most appropriate to the
doctoral program and recommends their approval or disapproval to the faculty in a timely
manner. This committee also reviews applications to the doctoral program and makes
admission recommendations to the Dean.
This committee is also the responsible agent for ensuring that SILS’ practices are in accord with
the university requirements governing the use of human subjects in research. The committee is
further responsible for considering the research activities and developing ways to enhance SILS’
research profile.
This committee is composed of at least three faculty members including the coordinator of the
doctoral program, and a doctoral student representative.
Undergraduate Committee. This committee's primary responsibility is to monitor the
undergraduate program, to initiate changes to the program and the parts of the curriculum that
5: Administration Perspective, page 118
support that program, to study proposals for change submitted by others, and to recommend
action to the faculty. Thus, the committee must assure that the set of courses and experiences
offered by SILS for its undergraduate program are appropriate and that their catalog
descriptions are accurate. The committee is to review all proposed changes at the
undergraduate level and recommend their approval or disapproval to the faculty in a timely
manner.
The faculty members on this committee also comprise the review committee for applications
for admission to the undergraduate program and make recommendations on admission to the
Dean. Additionally, the Undergraduate Committee oversees the publicity and publications
relating to the program.
The Undergraduate Committee is composed of at least three faculty members including the
coordinator of undergraduate programs, and an undergraduate student. The Undergraduate
Student Services Manager and the Director of Communication are ex officio members of the
committee.
Oversight Committees. Oversight committees are elective faculty committees established to
review a particular aspect of school administration. The only current oversight committee is
the Salary Committee.
Salary Committee. This committee ensures that the written salary policy is on file and available
for convenient review by the faculty. Normally by October 1 of each year, the Dean sends the
Salary Committee a list of all faculty members with their salary increases and percentage
increases for the current fiscal year. The committee reviews salary increases and consults with
the Dean about any trends that do not appear to follow the written salary policy and indicates
to the Dean any perceived inconsistencies. The committee appraises the Dean's performance
in implementing salary policies for which she/he has direct administrative responsibility as part
of the regular evaluation of the Dean and reports to the faculty the results of its review.
The faculty elects a committee of three, one from each rank of assistant, associate, and full
professor. Each member serves for three years, and one member is replaced annually. In the
event that a member goes on leave, receives a promotion, or is otherwise unable to finish his or
her term, a special election is held to fill the unexpired term. For all elections, the continuing
members of the committee will call for nominations by the faculty. The two faculty members
receiving the most nominations will be the candidates for the election.
Ad Hoc Committees. Ad hoc committees may be appointed by the Dean for specific tasks or for
issues that require committee deliberation when the issue does not fall under the rule of any
existing committee or when the work involved is too large to add to any existing committee's
responsibilities. The composition of these committees is determined on a case by case basis,
but in most cases they have both faculty and student representatives as members. No ad hoc
committee may exist for more than two years in a row without its charge and members being
reconfirmed.
5: Administration Perspective, page 119
Currently, there are three ad hoc committees at SILS. Committees such as the Search
Committee and Staff Excellence Awards Committee are focused on identifying new faculty and
recognizing staff. In addition, there is a Task Force working to examine and possibly restructure
the SILS curriculum in the area of information organization. Issues like these are typically
handled by ad hoc committees at SILS because, although they recur, they do not require
persistent attention.
Records and Reports. The Dean specifies in his/her annual charge to the committee any
requirement for keeping minutes and other records of its meetings. A formal written report of
the activities of each committee is made to the faculty at the final faculty meetings of the fall
and spring semesters.
5.2 ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Overview of Organization. The administrative leadership, i.e., the Dean and the Associate
Dean, are supported by a lean administrative staff, including the Dean’s Assistant, Susan
Sylvester. The Assistant to the Dean is responsible for assisting the Dean in the performance of
his duties and managing the official files of the school; she also assists with all personnel actions
related to faculty. The remainder of the administrative staff is headed by the Director of
Business Operations, Tammy Cox, who oversees six people: the Human Resources Manager,
the Contracts and Grants Specialist, Graduate and Undergraduate Student Services Managers,
and two Administrative Support Associates. The Director of Business Operations is responsible
for the financial management and records of the school. The Human Resources Manager is
responsible for all faculty, staff, student and temporary employee personnel actions. The
Contracts and Grants Specialist assists faculty in initiating research proposals, maintains
oversight of funded projects and prepares month reconciliation reports for review by the PIs.
The Graduate Student Services Manager handles admissions to graduate programs, course
scheduling, maintaining student records and administering support services for students on a
day-to-day basis. The Undergraduate Student Services Manager handles recruiting and
admissions for the undergraduate programs, administers the merit-based financial aid awards,
coordinates the Field Experience program and provides support services for students on a dayto-day basis. One of the Administrative Support Associates, Marcia Tauber, handles course
evaluations, travel arrangements, syllabi production, among other things. The other
Administrative Support Associate, Liz Crowley (temporary staff), is responsible for updating the
Website, entering and retrieving course information from the Student Information Services
database, and providing support to the Student Services Managers and the administrative
office.
SILS also receives administrative support from its Director of Communications, Wanda Monroe,
and its Director of Development, Stephanie Cole. The primary role of the Director of
Communication is the handling of all external communications of the SILS, using a variety of
media (print, the SILS website, several social media venues, and special events). The primary
5: Administration Perspective, page 120
role of the Director of Development involves establishing and nourishing contacts with alumni
and the donor community.
SILS Information Technology staff is led by Scott Adams, Director of Information Technology,
and Aaron Brubaker, Director for Instructional Technology. Other than a temporary Desktop
Support Specialist, Dennis Allman, the staff is wholly comprised of student assistants. There are
five lab assistants and one part-time student Network Administrator. Together, they function
as the first line of IT support. In reality, though, these students function as IT factotums, with
multifarious duties. Apart from their helpdesk activities, student assistants take part in most of
the IT support needs of the School. They provide desktop installation, maintenance, and
support; server installation, configuration, maintenance and support; peripheral installations
and support; system security configuration and updates; backup and archiving services;;
software licensing, distribution, and maintenance; project programming; classroom upgrades
and maintenance; instructional training and support; and remote connectivity and access
support.
These assistants perform their many duties admirably and receive an educational benefit from
their positions. Over 50 percent of current students report they are “very satisfied” with
current IT staff. However, the volume of help requests they face places major strains on them.
Because student assistants can only serve on a temporary basis, the director and assistant
director of IT invest significant amounts of time training new assistants. Moreover, since SILS
servers and network need to function 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, on-call coverage for
irregularly occurring system problems is an added burden for the IT staff. Furthermore, as we
expand activities, the demand for IT services will increase. During the current year, the
provision of research computing support will be a point of emphasis.
Communications to, from, and between administrative leadership and staff may be described
as follows. The Dean meets on a regular basis with the Associate Dean (weekly), the
administrative Directors (every 3 weeks), with all of the administrative staff (monthly), and on
an as-needed basis at other times. Decisions are made on a consultative basis. Performance
evaluations for administrative staff take place annually according to University and State
policies.
Staff members enthusiastically assist the students and faculty. They frequently serve on
committees and attend School meetings. Many of their ideas for the improvement of services
to students and faculty have been successfully implemented to the advantage of SILS.
5.3 FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
5.3.1 Physical Space
This section will offer an assessment of the physical space SILS occupies in Manning Hall. This
building contains classrooms, laboratory spaces, office, and project areas which together must
5: Administration Perspective, page 121
form an environment supportive of learning, research, and service. Space has been a
problematic issue for SILS for several years. Although resource support of SILS from the
University Administration is generally strong, continuation budgets have declined over the past
years in response to the current recession. As a result, SILS’ resources are now stretched very
thin.
SILS currently operates in one building, Manning Hall, in a central location on the campus of the
university. SILS is the major tenant of the building, occupying the majority of three of the four
floors. The building is shared with the Howard W. Odum Institute for Research in the Social
Sciences which occupies the ground floor and some office space on the first floor.
In the SILS section of Manning Hall, there are currently 22 faculty offices. SILS has 12
administrative office spaces on the first floor of the building including five offices within the
Information and technology resources center. One additional faculty office is located in the
space provided to ibiblio on the second floor of Manning Hall. The SILS space in Manning Hall
also includes four classrooms, and the library and lab within the Information and technology
resources center. Two rooms (303, a former classroom, and a small office in the top level of the
library stacks) are shared office space for PhD students and post-docs.
All together, six classrooms are available in Manning Hall; of those, one large lecture hall (room
209) and one medium-sized classroom (room 307, with 48 seats) are controlled by the
Registrar. SILS has priority for use of room 307, but the remaining time is used for classes from
other departments. The four other classrooms available to SILS in Manning Hall are: room 304
(24 seats), room 208 (32 seats), room 214 (15 seats), and a laboratory classroom (room 117)
with computers at each of 30 stations. The 2008 survey of current students shows that 89
percent report a positive or neutral level of satisfaction with the classroom equipment while 73
percent report a positive or neutral level of satisfaction with the classroom furnishings. The
adequacy of the SILS classrooms for fulfilling their teaching function is also evaluated during
peer observation; one of the criteria for the observation includes noting any constraints
imposed by the physical limitations of the classroom. The large lecture hall (room 209) is under
university control, and as the university becomes more frugal in its use of space, it is seldom
available for our smaller classes. As SILS grows, we will hold more classes that must be
scheduled outside of Manning. During the fall 2010 semester, 9 of our face-to-face classes are
being held outside Manning Hall. It is likely that this need will increase.
A small student lounge containing two microwaves and refrigerator is appreciated and well
used. There is no faculty lounge, although a few days a week room 214 is made available for
faculty and doctoral students lunch and discussion meetings.
The smallest classroom serves as an excellent room for small meetings or seminar classes.
Containing very sophisticated hardware and software and multiple whiteboards, it serves as the
primary meeting room for research groups and committees. However, scheduling meetings in
room 214 is increasingly difficult due to its frequent use as a classroom.
5: Administration Perspective, page 122
Research space for students involved in projects is limited. Some students have desk space in
room 303 or on the fourth or fifth floors of the library stacks. Ventilation and climate control
are problematic for students working in the upper level stacks. The survey of current students
found three of 10 open-ended comments about Manning Hall facilities reflected negatively on
the climate control in public areas. The heating and cooling facilities in Manning are antiquated
and frequently break down.
The fourth floor of the library stacks contains the Interaction Design Laboratory, with a number
of workstations and specialized equipment for investigating human computer interactions. This
area has no windows and poor ventilation. The other faculty research center is located in room
300. The area is accessible only by the stairwells on the front side of the building. This
collective research center has limited desk space for student researchers dedicated to
particular faculty research projects.
Manning Hall’s wiring for electrical power is currently at its maximum capacity and further
expansion of services using electricity is not promising. This becomes noticeable when faculty
and staff use portable space heaters in offices due to problems with heating and cooling
systems in the building, exceeding the power capabilities of the building.
There is no space to accommodate our expanding portfolio of research projects, and the space
currently being utilized by some research projects is crowded and poorly ventilated. We also
lack space to accommodate visiting scholars or postdocs. It is more and more difficult to
schedule meetings. The cramped circumstances of our library are discussed below. In general,
Manning Hall will soon fail to accommodate basic educational objectives, let alone to facilitate
the advances currently taking place in our field.
Our situation with regard to space and physical facilities will only be exacerbated as our field
continues its exciting progress and as the demand for our program grows. Specifically, we will
need more office, classroom, lab, and library space to accommodate staff, faculty, instruction,
and research. We will also need space where novel information systems can be properly
experienced, hands-on, and where research centers and labs can thrive.
SILS needs a new building to house its expanding activities.
While SILS continues to plan for a new building and to raise funds to build and outfit it, the
facilities limitations in Manning Hall need to be addressed creatively. SILS recently renovated
the southwestern portion of the second floor in Manning, converting two smaller
classroom/seminar rooms into three additional faculty offices and one seminar/videoconferencing room. A major renovation took place in 2004 and 2005 and accomplished a
rewiring of the telecommunications infrastructure within Manning. At that time, rooms holding
network equipment were expanded to University requirements and a separate server space
was created for SILS. We have recently begun housing two and even three faculty in larger
offices.
5: Administration Perspective, page 123
Planning for physical resources. Over the next decade, SILS expects to double its student
enrollment in degree programs, add new programs, significantly increase the number of
students in certificate programs, and double faculty and support staff. SILS is engaged in
planning and fundraising for a new, state-of-the-art facility that will support an expanded
school. SILS new building has been integrated into the University’s Campus Master Plan.
The new building is estimated at just under 210,000 square feet and will provide a
contemporary technology infrastructure that can function as both “an experiential living lab”
for students, faculty, and staff and as a demonstration site for emerging technologies and
information services. Thus, our new building must not only accommodate and support the
existing programs and activities, it must also be a building that will allow us to develop and
demonstrate what is to come when people, information, and technology seamlessly interact,
expanding our understanding of the past and propelling our advancements into the future. The
new building will enable SILS to both function and model a 21 st century information
organization. The entire building must be infused with evolving and emerging technologies
while affirming and supporting the ongoing role of the written word and libraries; it must
encourage the involvement of the knowledge communities, social networking, and human use
and interaction; it must be a place where librarians, information scientists, and technologists
can get out from behind the technology to observe and evaluate the behavior of people
searching for and using information.
Specifically, the new SILS building must provide spaces for teaching, research collaboration, and
public engagement. There must be a 21st century library along with archives, labs, and
collaboratories as well as spaces for education, research and public service. We are also
interested in increased involvement with the biomedical and health fields, and we expect
relocating to South Campus will promote this. Our new space must foster our existing research
centers and institutes and provide space for those on the horizon. Our partnerships are
extensive, growing, and have an international reach. Thus, the building must be able to function
as a community hub - both physically and virtually - not only for SILS and the University, but
also for the state, the country, and the world. Finally, the building is envisioned as a green
building, leveraging SILS’ more than 30-year relationship with the Environmental Protection
Agency in the Triangle and functioning as a demonstration site.
The new building for SILS has been added to the University’s Campus Master Plan and a
location on south campus next to the Kenan-Flagler Business School has been approved and
used as a site in preliminary architectural drawings.
5.3.2 Information and Library Science Library
Organizationally, the Information and Library Science Library is a unit of the Academic Affairs
Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is physically located in Manning Hall
in a space it shares with the SILS Computer Lab. Together they comprise the Information and
technology resources center (ITRC). The service model of the ITRC, featuring two separate
staffing lines which share a station, is unique on our campus and has proven very effective.
5: Administration Perspective, page 124
The library’s reading room has seating for 44 people including comfortable tables and chairs for
group projects. There are two public workstations for conducting online searches and the
collection catalog. The library has another public computer terminal dedicated to searching the
library’s catalog. There are a total of three computers for library staff at our reference service
desk. Two are used for circulation tasks and the third is for general staff use.
The library is viewed positively by users. In a survey of students and alumni, high levels of
satisfaction were reported for all areas of the library except its hours.
Library Staff. The UNC University Library funds two full time library staff, student assistants,
and book and journal collections. In addition, it usually hires two to three students from funds
provided by the University Library. One CALA (Carolina Academic Library Associates) student,
who works 20 hours per week, is also funded by the University Library. The Library also has
four work study students who are compensated with federal or state funds. SILS provides
additional student support hours in the summer. Rebecca Vargha, Librarian at SILS and adjunct
faculty, is recent past president of Special Libraries Association.
Library Hours and Circulation. The Information and Library Science Library is open for 83 hours
and 15 minutes per week during the academic year. Although this is the sole area in which
students and alumni reported less-than-high satisfaction, among departmental libraries, it has
the second highest operating hours on campus. This fact combined with budget constraints
support the library’s decision to continue with its current hours of operation.
The borrowers are a diverse group and come to the library from across campus and beyond.
SILS graduate students and undergraduate students represent the largest client base. Other
UNC departments and schools who borrow materials from our collection include the Biology
Department, the Schools of Government, Law, and Education, and other UNC staff and faculty.
Additionally, the library answers reference questions and provides information resources on a
regular basis for librarians and information professionals in North Carolina and other portions
of the United States. This library also houses a children’s literature collection, which attracts a
variety of patrons.
The Library Collection. The collection housed in Manning Hall contains 91,443 volumes (see
Figure 5.3-1 below). The acquisitions book budget for the library is $35,000 per year and is
provided by the University Library. The library is the largest collection of its type in the
Southeast and provides both depth and breadth in the subject areas of information and library
science. As enrollment numbers increase at SILS, students are especially glad to have
convenient access to our substantial collection. The rate of collection growth has been steady;
the average number of books purchased every year is about 800 titles. The collection of
juvenile books is increasing and SILS has been designated the main graphic novel collection on
campus. We have current subscriptions to 1,326 journal titles. The rate of donation of gift
books has increased significantly in the last five years.
5: Administration Perspective, page 125
Figure 5.3-1: Number of Volumes in SILS Library
92,000
91,000
90,000
89,000
88,000
87,000
86,000
85,000
84,000
83,000
82,000
Library
Collection
2000
2002
2004
Due to its dependable book budget, the library has been able to acquire all materials requested
by the SILS Faculty for teaching and research. Materials for continuing education and
professional development of librarians and information specialists at the University and in the
state of North Carolina generally are also acquired. The library purchases all essential and
important works in the ILS field and in the following associated fields (among others):
Artificial Intelligence
Book Arts
Computational Linguistics
Computer Science
Communication and Mass Media
Education
Folklore
Higher Education
Instructional Technology
Linguistics
Management and Administration
Operations Research
Oral History
Organizational Behavior
Popular Culture
Publishing
Research Methods
Technology and Innovation
Sociology
The library also holds SILS dissertations and Master’s papers. The SILS Master’s Papers are
indexed in Library Literature and North Carolina Libraries. This wide distribution translates into
high demand for these unique materials. All the papers from 1999 forward are available in a
digital format.
5: Administration Perspective, page 126
5.3.3 Computing Facilities and Services
Since technological advances directly impact the ILS field, SILS must maintain high standards for
its computing facilities if it is to carry out its educational mission. The following sections
describe the state of computing in four areas: Classroom Computing discusses how our
classrooms promote computing; Academic Computing focuses on our computer lab and the
software resources we make available to our students, Research Computing treats the facilities
available to researchers, and Administrative Computing deals with SILS involvement in
University and School-level computing initiatives.
Classroom Computing. All classrooms in Manning have computers with basic software
connected to overhead video projectors. Connections are provided in each room so that laptop
computers may have their output displayed on the screens. In addition, videoconferencing,
distance education, and webcasting are available in each of the classrooms to bring in outside
practitioners. Mobile video conference stations and smart broads are available for class use.
For a decade now, SILS has required that each of its students have a laptop. This instills core
information professional skills in the student body and creates many opportunities for
technology in the classroom. SILS instruction frequently capitalizes on this, and SILS-controlled
classrooms have been redesigned to accommodate laptops wherever possible. Tablet arm
chairs have been replaced with tables in one classroom and additional tables have been added
to another. Complete wireless 802.11a/b/g and Gigabyte Ethernet connections are available in
every classroom. Indeed, wireless is available in almost every corner of the building with
particular attention to public workspaces. SILS public spaces include the outer computer lab,
the main SILS library workroom, the lobby, and western and southern portions outside of
Manning Hall.
Academic Computing. The 45-seat computer lab, located in the Information and technology
resources center, is equipped with state-of-the-art hardware and software. The lab is divided
into two adjacent areas - a computer classroom and an open-use area.
The computer classroom supports participatory instruction for the many SILS classes that meet
there on a regular basis. Specifically, each of the workstations in the classroom is a Dell
Optiplex. These machines are upgraded every four years. Each computer contains the latest
licensed software. SILS has licenses for numerous software titles with local and remote access.
There are 10 flatbed scanners. The classroom instructor works from an identically equipped
machine. When it is not reserved for SILS classes, the computer classroom is available for
general use.
The 13-seat open use lab is available to SILS students and staff any time the Information and
technology resources center is open. During the semester, its hours are from 8 am-10 pm
weekdays, 11 am-5 pm Saturdays, and 12 noon-10 pm Sundays. The hours of operation are
synchronized with those of SILS Library.
5: Administration Perspective, page 127
The general use area of the lab includes nine OptiPlex machines, four Core 2iMacs,and one
Optiplex 960. The latter two types of machines feature video recording and editing capabilities.
Students are able to print to an HP laser printer or HP color laser printer using their UNC
OneCard. An additional printer is provided for master’s students printing their master’s papers.
Scanners are also available. Auxiliary check-out services in the lab include digital cameras,
multiple digital video recorders, and four laptops.
Room 303 (formerly a small University controlled classroom) has been converted to a Ph.D.
computer lab of nine stations, six of which have computers. Additionally, room 300A has been
converted from a faculty office to a research office with five workstations and seven or more
computers.
Software on SILS public computers generally remains current. Of those students recently
surveyed, only two percent reported a negative opinion of the lab software or hardware, and
none of the alumni reported a negative opinion of the software. We have been able to provide
or fully support most software required for courses; however, growing needs are placing a
greater strain on our trust funds.
SILS students and faculty have access to numerous software titles through licensing
agreements. One agreement provides access to the Microsoft Developer Network, which
grants a license to MS Project, MS Visio, Operating Systems, and MS development tools at no
charge. SILS also offers remote access by partnering in campus projects such as VCL and the ITS
virtual labs by sharing licensed software as a campus resource for much of the software we
own or have a license to. Software titles include Adobe Acrobat Professional, Illustrator,
Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash Professional, Fireworks, MS Access, QSR NVivo, OxygenXML,
and SPSS. The University also licenses a number of software products at no charge to students,
including SecureCRT, and SEP11.
SILS manages two MS Windows file share spaces for students and staff. The storage is provided
by ITS, but SILS IT manages end user support and access to the shared space. In a similar
manner, SILS IT partners with UNC’s Information Technology Services (ITS) in the provision of
Active Directory Services. ITS maintains the servers and top level control of these services, but
SILS maintains all users and devices within the SILS organizational unit. The partnerships in
both these areas have been very successful and allow each group to focus on their strengths of
service.
The computing infrastructure at SILS comprises three Dell R710 hosts running VMware. On this
infrastructure both MS Windows and Redhat Linux servers are being used. The three main
Linux servers are: Ruby, Opal, and Pearl, which are used mostly in courses where web
development and high-end database programs are taught. In total there are about five
terabytes of storage available for use. In addition there are another three to five smaller class
servers providing maintenance, management, and monitoring of the desktop environment
which are only accessible by IT staff. Faculty and staff machines are managed with the same set
of software packages available to students. Faculty and staff machines are regularly backed up
5: Administration Perspective, page 128
onto tape or with a company called Iron Mountain (laptops posed a unique need where it was
more effective to join a newer campus agreement for laptop backups).
Research Computing. SILS IT also supports the desktop and server infrastructure for several
research labs of faculty. Some of these labs are outfitted with specialized hardware and
software specific to the needs of faculty research. Most research servers are provided to
researchers on the VMware infrastructure and they are maintained by SILS IT. SILS IT also
maintains a webserver and database for the NC State Parks (a student research project that
grew into a service partnership with a fellow state agency).
ibiblio.org (formally Sunsite and Metalab) was placed within the SILS umbrella (administratively
and financially) in 2006. Its workspace in Manning 213 was renovated in 2001 to accommodate
ten workstations. ibiblio.org is home to one of the largest "collections of collections" on the
Internet and receives twelve million hits per day. This heavy traffic is supported by
considerable hardware. This hardware was donated by ibiblio.org’s partners AMD and IBM.
ibiblio.org is a prominent exponent of open source software, and uses open source solutions
whenever possible. Accordingly, its servers run on GNU/Linux (mainly Redhat).
The Interaction Design Lab (IDL), located on stack level four of Manning Hall, supports student
and faculty research in human computer interaction, digital libraries, and multimedia
networking. The lab maintains seven to ten stations using MAC G5 for video processing and
Microsoft Windows. The IDL also maintains two separate server class machines to
accommodate their research studies for the Open Video Project.
Concerning the Informatics and Visualization Lab, the majority of equipment and can be found
in room 300, but the some equipment will remain diffused over several shared laboratory
spaces until future renovations to Manning Hall create sufficient research laboratory space.
The Center for Research and Development of Digital Libraries (CRADLE), and the Data Intensive
Cyber Environments (DICE) center support software systems for data curation and data
preservation so that today’s knowledge will be available for future generations. DICE is funded
by external research grants and draws on leading data management technology and a powerful
hardware infrastructure.
Administrative Computing. Central IT controls administrative computing access. As systems
have changed from paper or command line interfaces, SILS IT has played a critical role in
helping staff and faculty gain access to personnel records and financial systems. During this
process, administrative staff has deeply extended their skills in computing knowledge, forcing
SILS IT to expand its service to assist staff in accomplishing tasks not realized before, helping
staff take part in sharing electronic information securely via the web or through the local
Windows network.
Paradoxically as networked information has become more accessible for staff the larger
problem of localizing information and sharing information has become more difficult.
5: Administration Perspective, page 129
Information expectations have grown, creating the need for local information systems to access
data. In many cases each department still works separately, such that alumni databases are
distinct from personnel or academic systems. Locating information in these distinct systems
and providing access for faculty and students is a challenge for our administrative and IT staff.
IT has taken on numerous development projects to fulfill the SILS’ administrative needs. In
recent years they have worked on Web and database development for: a central SILS database,
Association for Library and Information Science Education application processing, master’s
papers, student applications, credit card transactions, and the SILS homepage.
5.4 INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Relationships with Other UNC Programs. Interdisciplinary activity is abundant at SILS. To meet
the challenges of an evolving workplace and workforce, SILS has partnered with several other
schools and programs to offer a variety of unique educational opportunities that allow students
to pursue two master’s degrees simultaneously. Currently, we offer nine dual-degree programs
(two of which are with North Carolina State University or Duke University, and the rest are with
UNC-based programs).
For students who do not choose to make the additional investments of time and money
required by dual-degree programs, the option of taking courses outside of SILS is available. We
facilitate this by accepting credit hours from other academic units approved by the student’s
advisor and the Dean toward the degrees we confer.
Several of our faculty are jointly appointed. Paul Jones has a joint appointment with the School
of Journalism and Mass Communication. Brad Hemminger has a joint appointment with the
Carolina Center for Genome Sciences and has an adjunct appointment with the Department of
Radiology. Javed Mostafa has a joint appointment with the Biomedical Research and Imaging
Center. Many faculty serve on doctoral committees and as active researchers on projects
outside SILS.
We have ties with several research centers and institutions which are based in other UNC
programs or schools, including the Biomedical Research Imaging Center and the UNC Institute
on Aging. We have a particularly close relationship with the Data Intensive Cyber Environments
(DICE) Center, in which the primary researchers are SILS faculty.
Our faculty also conduct research with faculty outside of the discipline. A full-length discussion
of this topic can be found in the Faculty section, while a few examples are offered here:

Jane Greenberg is conducting research related to Dryad, an open-source repository
designed to archive data that underlie published findings in evolutionary biology,
ecology and related fields and allow scientists to access and build on each other’s
5: Administration Perspective, page 130



findings. SILS was one of several recipients of National Science Foundation grants
totaling $2.18 million.
The Data Intensive Cyber Environments (DICE) Center, directed by Reagan Moore,
supports software systems for data curation and data preservation to solve the pressing
problems of managing and sharing today’s deluge of digital data. This externally funded
Center collaborates with groups across the UNC system on issues of distributed data
management, digital preservation, data intensive computing, digital library systems, and
data curation. Several outside faculty are associated with this project.
Stephanie Haas is conducting research on managing disease through linking data with
Associate Professor of Epidemiology David Richardson as well as research on medication
reconciliation with faculty from the School of Nursing and the Department of Emergency
Medicine.
Javed Mostafa is the Director of the Biomedical Informatics Core, a unit within the North
Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences (TraCS) Institute. Current activities of this
Core include the Carolina Data Warehouse – Health, the Biomedical Informatics
Education Initiative, and the Data Management Service Initiative.
Relationships with Outside Programs. SILS has a relationship with the faculty in the Library
Science program at Central Carolina Community College. They are a participant in a SILS library
workforce grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and the director of
the program has participated in meetings of the deans and directors of North Carolina ILS
programs convened by the SILS Dean.
Our ties with research centers and institutes based outside of the University include: The
Humanities Advanced Technologies and Information Institute of The University of Glasgow, The
National Archives and Records Administration, The NC Preparedness and Emergency Response
Research Center, and the Renaissance Computing Institute, a joint venture of UNC, Duke
University and NC State University.
SILS has been actively expanding its international activities. These now include cooperative
agreements in several countries, most recently in Spain and Slovenia. Several additional
agreements are in process with Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, the National University in
Singapore, Universidad de Granada in Spain, and University College London. These agreements
facilitate the movement of both students and faculty in each direction.
Through the development of the Knowledge Trust’s Louis Round Wilson Academy and its Global
Honors Program, SILS has convened a group of global thought leaders interested and
experienced in the digital revolution and the evolution of both knowledge professions and a
knowledge industry, as well as the role of digital knowledge in revitalizing existing industries.
They are committed to helping SILS define the knowledge professional of the future, become a
recognized center for statewide, national and international information policy research and
development, and advising SILS on its future opportunities. This international group of leaders
brings high-level visibility to SILS and is facilitating the development of high-end sponsorship.
5: Administration Perspective, page 131
SILS has been the recipient of funding from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science as
part of an evolving relationship. This is likely to include the development of a Spanish National
Digital Library, and the education and exchange of librarians to complement the Spain/U.S.
teacher program. We anticipate that this relationship will help us recruit more Spanishspeakers to our degree programs and the development of more information services to Spanish
speakers in North Carolina and beyond.
5: Administration Perspective, page 132
6. THE FUTURE OF SILS
In this section, we will share our vision for the future of SILS. This discussion draws on
committee and faculty consensus as expressed in planning sessions. Much of this grew out of
the search for a new dean in the 2008-09 academic year and is influenced by the budget cuts of
2008-2010 that are due to the economic conditions of the state and nation. Sound
expectations should include a retrospective component. By basing the following projections on
the statistics presented in the preceding sections, we give proper grounding in the past to our
vision for the future.
6.1 OVERVIEW
A major shift is underway at SILS. As a top-rated professional school, we have long excelled in
our mission “to advance the profession and practice of librarianship and information science”
and “to prepare students for careers in the field of information and library science.” Recently,
we have redoubled our efforts “to make significant contributions to the study of information.” 36
Over the past few years our research funding has steadily increased. In 2009-10 SILS faculty
garnered $5.8 million in direct funding, SILS administered more than $9 million in funding, and
SILS faculty were involved in collaborative grants on campus that exceeded $55 million beyond
the amounts administered by SILS. We are rapidly complementing our strength in professional
development with a commensurate reputation for funded research.
The advancement of our research program is in part a response to the ongoing revolution in the
field of information and library science. The Internet has recently joined the Library of Congress
as an exemplary collection of information. Both are growing exponentially; each is more
essential than ever. These manifestations of the information revolution were spawned by and
themselves fertilize new ways of conceiving information. Novel paradigms are being
developed, from physics to philosophy, and a swell of I-schools has risen to propel exciting
interdisciplinary work. Over the next decade, SILS will position itself as a leader of this
movement and will do so on the basis of its research.
Taking advantage of our interdisciplinary, collaborative nature, we are focusing our research
efforts in several subspecialties. We discuss these below. Before doing so, though, we should
make it clear that our focus on research will redound to the benefit of our educational mission.
Students can tell when their instructors are engaged with the developments of their fields. Not
only are they just as excited by scholarship as their professors, there are strong educational and
professional benefits to an exposure to an informed, current curriculum.
36
From SILS mission statement: http://sils.unc.edu/about/.
6: The Future of SILS, page 133
6.2 SUBSPECIALTIES
The field of Information and Library Science is interdisciplinary in nature and draws thinkers
from a variety of fields. Our faculty have backgrounds in various natural sciences, social
sciences, education, and the humanities. It is therefore natural that several subspecialties have
evolved within the overall collaborative atmosphere of SILS.
Subspecialties foster synergies across several areas. They typically begin with a core
represented by the research interests of a group of faculty. These faculty are in many cases
prompted by the research challenges of bodies like the National Science Foundation. These
challenges are often accompanied by grants, which nurture subspecialties financially.
Associations and journals particular to subspecialties provide both sources of and audiences for
information. Research centers, like the Metadata Research Center, the Center for Research and
Development of Digital Libraries, ibiblio, and the Interaction Design Laboratory, bring together
faculty, staff, and students in dedicated facilities to pursue the work of a subspecialty. Perhaps
the most important synergy is that which accrues to the benefit of students. A faculty steeped
in the knowledge of a subspecialty brings depth to the core courses at SILS and adds breadth
and currency in the form of special topics courses. Many students are also presented with the
attractive opportunity of assisting with research.
Major Subspecialties. We identify six major subspecialties: Human Information Interaction,
Digital Libraries, Digital Curation, Library Services, Information Structure and Metadata, Health
Informatics, and Social Media. All of these subspecialties draw upon core courses and
principles related to information retrieval, information issues and ethics, and human behavior
and communication. These subspecialties are described as follows.
Human Information Interaction studies the nexus between people and information, sociology
and technology. In the Digital Libraries subspecialty, investigators explore the range of
possibilities for collecting information in electronic media, especially via the Internet. The
closely related subspecialty of Digital Curation studies the organization and retrieval of
materials in digital repositories. In Information Structure and Metadata, researchers take a
more general approach to the organization, classification, and grouping of information. These
phenomena are closely related to library systems used for describing information, which are
studied under the name Metadata. SILS has a strong research program in Health Informatics,
which is concerned with phenomena like data warehouses, electronic medical records and
personal health records. Finally, information-based social environments like blogs, Facebook
and Twitter are studied in the Social Media subspecialty.
The Future of Subspecialties. In order to continue to thrive, subspecialities depend crucially on
a corps of researchers. For instance, SILS recently had a burgeoning subspecialty, Text Mining,
which investigated statistical inference algorithms used for discovering relationships and
patterns in data sets. We can no longer count this as a subspecialty because our primary
researcher, Cathy Blake, has been recruited by a rival, The University of Illinois.
6: The Future of SILS, page 134
There are several lessons that can be drawn from this. First, the fewer the researchers in a
subspecialty, the less enduring it is likely to be. Second, researchers need to feel that their
work is conceived in a nurturing environment. The collaborative, collegial atmosphere at SILS
does much to further intellectual advancements. Increases in funding awards will also help to
nourish subspecialties. In addition, the new building or major renovation of Manning Hall will
add a great deal of appeal to the academic environment of SILS.
The longevity of a subspecialty also depends on how it is defined. This is of particular
importance in a rapidly changing, interdisciplinary field like information and library science. As
a case in point, consider the Social Media subspecialty. Just a few years ago, SILS did not
recognize a Social Media subspecialty. However, researchers were investigating phenomena
under topics like Information and People, Information Contexts, and Information Tools and
Technologies. Since the advent of Facebook, Twitter, and related services, researchers working
under the old headings naturally began to devote significant work to these phenomena. The
high degree of fluidity and historic continuity between subspecialties allowed this and should
therefore be encouraged. Indeed, subspecialties at SILS should not be viewed as rigidly formal.
The subspecialties listed here will evolve with changing research emphases, but research will no
doubt continue to thrive and gain depth in a collection of clusters.
Student Enrollment in Subspecialties. A host of subspecialties are available to SILS students.
Although they share much in common, these curricular subspecialties are not identical to the
research subspecialties listed above. For graduate students, 14 subspecialties (referred to as
specializations) are offered. They differ between the MSIS37 and MSLS.38 For undergraduates,
there are 10 subspecialties (referred to as concentrations).39
In accord with the fluid nature of subspecialties at SILS, specializations and concentrations are
informal and do not require enrollment. Instead, they exist as a means of bringing attention to
affinities between courses and of unifying the advising process. With their advisors, students
are able to consult the elective recommendations for subspecialties and both can feel confident
that each is aware of the relevant course offerings in the given area. Thus, all students with an
interest in, say, Information Retrieval, will be recommended to take INLS 510: Natural Language
Processing.
Certificates of Specialization40 are another avenue by which students can engage in
subspecialties. These require an application and are more formal than specializations and
concentrations. Six certificates are offered, aimed mostly at Master’s students.
Subspecialty Initiatives. There are several subspecialty initiatives underway at SILS. Two
existing subspecialties, Health Informatics and Digital Curation, will be solidified into more
37
Listed at http://sils.unc.edu/programs/graduate/msis/specializations.
Listed at http://sils.unc.edu/programs/graduate/msls/specializations.
39
Listed at http://sils.unc.edu/programs/undergraduate/bsis/curriculum/electives.
40
Described at http://sils.unc.edu/programs/certificates.
38
6: The Future of SILS, page 135
formal degree programs. An existing practice will be developed into a formal program for
academic CIOs. SILS is also embarking on a program to facilitate the education of Middle
Eastern Librarians. We will discuss each initiative in turn.
The rapid pace of advancement in technology and the increased availability of information are
revolutionizing health care systems worldwide. Innovations in technology have created
portable electronic devices, network database applications, and computer software programs,
which are becoming increasingly integrated into health care delivery and available to the public,
persons at risk for various diseases, patients, and health care providers. The potential to
improve health outcomes while lowering costs has created a growing international demand for
technologies that enhance patient and provider decision-making, improve patient care,
advance disease surveillance, automate routine tasks, protect patient safety, increase
communication, and facilitate disease self-management. As an Institute of Medicine (2003)
report concluded, “public health informatics has immense potential not only to improve current
public health practice but to transform present-day capacity” (p. 63).41 Both SILS and the School
of Public Health are keenly aware of the potential in this field and have decided to pool
resources in an interdisciplinary program. Together with the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and
Public Health, an interdisciplinary certificate in health informatics was initiated in 2010 with
SILS as the administrative unit for the program. This program will be the basis for the eventual
development of a Health Information Technology Master’s Degree Program.
SILS is also promoting its subspecialty in Digital Curation to a more formal level. Our cultural
heritage, modern scientific knowledge, and everyday commerce and government depend upon
the preservation of reliable and authentic electronic records and digital objects. While digital
data holds the promise of ubiquitous access, the inherent fragility and evanescence of media
and files, the rapid obsolescence of software and hardware, the need for well-constructed file
systems and metadata, and the intricacies of intellectual property rights place all of these
materials at risk and offer little hope of longevity for information that is not intentionally
preserved. A decade of work in digital preservation and access has resulted in an emerging and
complex life-cycle constellation of strategies, technological approaches, and activities now
termed "digital curation," but little in the way of new education to prepare the first generation
of digital curators to work in trusted digital repositories. To date, most education and training
opportunities focusing on digital preservation and, more recently, curation issues, topics, and
technologies have only come in the form of one- to five-day workshops. Two research projects
at SILS have sought to address this need. DigCCurr I is three-year, collaborative project seeking
to develop an openly accessible, graduate-level curricular framework, course modules, and
experiential and enrichment components and exemplars necessary to prepare students to work
in the 21st century environment of trusted data repositories. DigCCurr II seeks to develop an
international, doctoral-level curriculum and educational network in the management and
preservation of digital materials across their life cycle. DigCCurr I will come to fruition in a
41
Gebbie, K., Rosenstock, L., & Hernandez, L.M. (eds.) (2003). Who will keep the public healthy? Educating public
health professionals for the 21st century. Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Institute of Medicine.
Published by the National Academy Press. http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10542.
6: The Future of SILS, page 136
Certificate of Specialization for Master’s students, while DigCCurr II has yielded a curricular
framework and The Carolina Digital Curation Doctoral Fellowship Program. In 2010 a
certificate program in digital curation was initiated.
Since the introduction of the MSIS degree more than 20 years ago, graduates have assumed
positions in a variety of research and instructional laboratories at UNC and other campuses.
These graduates provide technical and instructional support and over time have assumed
increased levels of responsibilities in their units. Two of our doctoral graduates serve as CIOs
and one of them completed her dissertation on the roles CIOs play in different environments.
Just as our MSLS program has served for more than half a century to educate the future leaders
of libraries around the world, SILS has begun educating professionals who are on a CIO career
path in academic and government settings. We aim to formalize and promote this program of
study. Courses in project management and non-profit economics and policies are needed to
augment our existing curriculum but most of the courses are already in place. What is
especially needed is scholarship support that will enable students to study and do internships
and lab rotations in the best labs on campus. Our current Carolina Library Associates Program
(CaLA) has been enormously successful in attracting exceptional MSLS students from around
the world and we will create a parallel Carolina Technology Associates Program (CaTA) that will
serve as the core for the CIO program.
Finally, SILS will be launching a program for educating librarians and archivists in the Middle
East. This program will meet two main needs. First, there is an urgent need in this region for
institutions that can educate and train librarians and archivists. Second, U.S. ILS instructors –
and their students in turn – now lack the familiarity with the Middle East which is demanded by
this region’s important relationship to our nation. Accordingly, SILS, in conjunction with the
Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations, seeks to establish a
new program, Educating Librarians in the Middle East: Building Bridges for the 21 st Century
(ELIME-21). ELIME-21 will establish ILS programs at the American University in Cairo and Al
Akhawayn University in Morocco. To achieve this objective, SILS will recruit a cohort of
doctoral students into a specialized Ph.D. program that incorporates both coursework about
the Middle East as well as an internship at one of the partner institutions. SILS faculty and
these Ph.D. students will cooperate with an advisory committee and individuals in the partner
institutions to develop plans for Master’s ILS programs modeled on SILS but tailored to local
needs. SILS instructors will then teach the inaugural courses to help launch the programs. In
addition, SILS is in negotiations with Zayed University in the UAE to develop and co-deliver a
Master’s degree program in electronic archives.
Subspecialty Resource Needs. As noted in the introduction, the development of these
specializations will require additional faculty, support staff, scholarship and stipend support for
students, and space to house and deliver these subspecialties.
Five-Year BS/MS Degrees Program. In addition to the mainly graduate subspecialties and
programs above, we are investigating ways to support a five-year BS/MS program that will take
exceptionally well-prepared incoming undergraduates (e.g., those with considerable advanced
6: The Future of SILS, page 137
placement credits) and enroll them in an intensive program to obtain the BSIS and MSIS (or
MSLS) degrees in five rather than six years. Several units on the UNC campus have already
initiated such a program and we have been included in an agreement led by the UNC Computer
Science Department to collaborate with the National University of Singapore on such a 5-year
program. We will seek scholarship funding to support such a program.
6.3 PROJECTED GROWTH
Growth. The SILS growth plan anticipates an approximate doubling of its student body (from
about 400 students to over 800) in the course of the next decade. The enrollment in the MSLS
has seen continued growth in both applicants and admissions. The enrollments in the Master’s
and undergraduate programs in Information Science have leveled off in the past couple of
years. The doctoral program has doubled in size over the past 5 years.
The projected growth in student numbers will be achieved through proactive marketing and
recruitment, increased availability of financial aid, and enhanced program offerings. Particular
attention will be paid to underrepresented groups, including African American, Native
American, and Hispanic students and students with education, science or business
undergraduate degrees. Our intention is to enroll students in the following degree programs
by 2020: 100 undergraduate BSIS students, 300 MSLS and 300 MSIS students and 100 PhD
students.
SILS has also increased its involvement in distance education. It is an active participant in the
WISE (Web-based Information Science Education) consortium, a group of thirteen accredited
ILS programs that have agreed to offer courses and allow their students access to courses
offered through the consortium. Today, SILS offers about 10 courses per year through webbased distance education, with a focus on the school library media program and the health
information area. A study conducted for SILS in 2004 identified a growing market for distance
education in the field but indicated the need for a stronger support infrastructure (especially
staff) to support growth for SILS. There is increased demand for SILS courses to be offered at a
distance (e.g., recent invitation to deliver the MSLS to UNC Asheville). SILS would like to offer
more distance education courses, in more content areas. SILS is also designing a Certificate of
Advanced Study in Leadership and Management, global in scope and participation, using a
combination of on-campus and distance education.
Program Enhancement. There are three major program enhancements that will be discussed
in this section. These focus on research, student enrollment, and a new building, respectively.
The most prominent of our planned enhancements, extending a top research program, was
discussed in the overview of this section, but the fact that SILS is galvanized to seize
preeminence in research bears repeating.
6: The Future of SILS, page 138
Next, SILS is also planning a major expansion of its student body. In particular, SILS expects to
double its student enrollment levels by 2020. This expansion is motivated by several
considerations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities are expected to
be favorable, as a large number of librarians are likely to retire in the coming decade.42 Thus,
there will be demand in the labor market for our credentials. Expansion will also arise due to
increased enrollment in our undergraduate program. Current enrollment levels do not reflect
the value of this degree, and our intensive recruitment efforts will rectify this. In addition to a
burgeoning student body, SILS has recently seen increasing numbers of visiting scholars. As our
international network continues to grow, we expect to have the opportunity to host more
visiting scholars.
Last, SILS is developing plans for a new building or a major renovation of Manning Hall with the
University. SILS growth is curbed by its cramped, shared space in Manning Hall. A new building
would alleviate these concerns and allow our program to meet other planned enhancements.
More space would facilitate an expanded research program at SILS. Currently, lack of
laboratory space for research is choking our research output. Also, with space so tight at
current levels, adding to enrollment would be an impossibility. A new building will be necessary
to accommodate our growing student body. Alternatively, a major renovation of Manning Hall
would enable us to house faculty, seminars, and some research and teaching labs with other
labs and courses housed/held in nearby facilities on campus.
Undergraduate Applicant Pool Improvement. Presently, SILS is most focused on improving its
undergraduate applicant pool’s size and quantity. Since the BSIS was first offered in 2003, the
enrollment figures have not grown as rapidly as we would like. There is strong demand in the
market for this credential and the enrollment statistics likely reflect low awareness among the
student body. Accordingly, marketing efforts in the coming years will be especially keen for the
BSIS program. We have increased our presence at the recent majors fair and offered two
$1000 scholarships. We expect such efforts, combined with the logistical action discussed in
the curriculum section, to improve enrollment for this degree.
Graduate Applicant Pool Improvement. Overall, SILS is satisfied with its graduate applicant
pool. Good publicity from consistently high rankings in such media as U.S. News and World
Report has created a steady tide of talented applicants. There are specific demographics,
however, which SILS recruiting will focus on. Foremost among these are minority populations.
SILS will take advantage of the minority recruitment programs offered by the Graduate School.
We will also encourage our current minority students and alumni to develop a recruiting
network. In addition to developing minority applicant numbers, SILS is also eager to recruit
more graduates from the sciences and business, which are currently underrepresented.
Student Diversity Improvement. The Committee on Diversity – recognizing both the
Chancellor’s initiative on diversity and our own responsibility as a school – sees the need for
42
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Librarians.
Retrieved 9/16/2010 from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm.
6: The Future of SILS, page 139
several steps to be taken in order to move the School forward as a diverse institution that
invites differences. In particular, SILS affirms the following broad principles for diversity:
1. It is important to establish a definition for diversity in the school, and generally describe
guidelines for a diverse student population.
2. It is important to identify themes and ideas in our curriculum where diversity is
systematically addressed.
3. It is important to build a program of outreach to prospective students and North
Carolina libraries, emphasizing the need for a diverse workforce in the information
professions in our state.
4. It is important to fund recruitment initiatives for librarians across the nation and in
North Carolina.
5. It is important to identify financial aid and professional mentoring programs to enhance
diversity in the profession, on the model of the current CaLA program for prospective
academic librarians.
6. It is important to conduct a survey and gathering of North Carolina libraries and
professional librarians to determine situations and needs related to diversity among
libraries in the state and possible ways for the School of Library and Information Science
to respond.
Mentoring and Promotion. Promotions at SILS has been steady but addition of new faculty
members has been slow due to economic exigencies in the state. The result is that the
proportion of higher ranking faculty (professors and associate professors) to lower ranking
faculty (assistant professors and instructors) is too high. Currently, there is only one assistant
professor and one instructor on SILS faculty. Although this top-heavy arrangement lends depth
of experience, it deprives SILS of the infusion of innovation that comes with fresh faculty. We
hope to develop a better balance as senior faculty retire and we add new junior faculty.
Postdoctoral Programs and Faculty Diversity Improvement. In part as a means of rectifying
the ratio of higher to lower ranking faculty, SILS has plans to increase its number of
postdoctoral scholars. SILS now has two postdoctoral scholars: Rob Capra and Kam Woods. It
would be desirable to have a permanent postdoctoral program with lines for two scholars and
to have scholars entering SILS on an alternating basis. This would provide two main benefits.
First, SILS faculty would benefit from a perennial influx of new ideas. Second, it would be an
advantage in hiring to have ongoing relationships with scholars SILS has already vetted.
If SILS had a more robust pipeline of postdoctoral scholars, it might have already secured a
talented new faculty member. SILS is considering using one of these open lines to establish a
postdoctoral program. We are also investigating funding opportunities made available by the
6: The Future of SILS, page 140
Graduate School and the University. The University's Postdoctoral Program for Faculty Diversity
is of particular interest. The Postdoctoral Program for Faculty Diversity places special emphasis
on the recruitment of underrepresented minorities and provides funding support for two years.
If this program is still available it would help SILS both to develop a postdoctoral program and
to improve faculty diversity.
SILS faculty neither reflects its student body nor the population of North Carolina. SILS is
acutely aware of this problem and intends to right it. The three open funding lines are
recognized as an opportunity. The Diversity Committee is working on recruitment and has
developed a list of potential hires. The Committee has emphasized the Hispanic population in
its search. Unfortunately, the Native American population does not present credentialed
candidates. Therefore, SILS has shifted its focus on this population from hiring to admissions.
SILS is also aware of potential funding lines for candidates from underrepresented populations
from the Office for Diversity.
Expected Curricular Changes. A special task force was appointed in 2009 to focus on the core
requirements for both Master’s programs and the undergraduate program. This Curriculum
Task Force was charged with ensuring that all faculty are knowledgeable about the content of
core courses and that this content is appropriate. Accordingly, the Task Force investigated the
distribution of topics throughout core courses. It also reviewed core courses for consistency
among sections of courses, especially where multiple instructors teach the same course, where
adjuncts are assigned as instructors, and where courses are offered online.
During the current year, follow-up curricular work is being undertaken by a Task Force focusing
on the information organization area of the curriculum. Perhaps the most significant curricular
change under discussion involves INLS 520: Organization of Information and 521: Organization
of Materials I. These courses are required for the MSIS and MSLS, respectively, and students in
these programs are not able to choose the course which best fits their interests. This choice
may be available in the future.
In addition, as part of our ongoing development of the curriculum, we have recently added a
new course to our repertoire of offerings in Information Retrieval. INLS 508: Information
Retrieval Systems Design and Implementation was well received as a special topics course and
presents students with the option of a more technically driven Information Retrieval course.
A final initiative is examining the introductory courses related to reference services. In
particular, the content in and the relationship between INLS 501: Information Resources and
Services and INLS 502: User Education, are being investigated. Any suggested changes will be
brought to the Master’s Committee for their consideration and later adoption by the faculty.
6: The Future of SILS, page 141
6.4 CONCLUDING STATEMENT
It is over a century since the beginning of library education at the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, and the School of Information and Library Science is still on a trajectory of
growth. Some 5,000 graduates have founded their careers on credentials from SILS, and many
of them have assumed leadership positions in the field. As information increasingly animates
our society, SILS is primed to expand its research program and to design ever more challenging
educational opportunities for new generations of information professionals.
6: The Future of SILS, page 142
Appendix A. Brief CV’s of Full-Time Faculty