1. Ronald L. Larsen Dean & Professor
Welcome to the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Information Sciences
Ronald L. Larsen
Dean & Professor

2. Our Leadership Associate Dean for Student Services
Mary Kay Biagini
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Martin Weiss
SIS Council Chair
Stephen Hirtle

3. Our Degree Programs Undergraduate program in Information Science
Three Masters programs
Library & Information Science (also available online)
Information Science
Telecommunications
Two Ph.D. programs
Library & Information Science
(+ concentration in Archives)
Information Science (+ concentration in Tele)

4. Undergraduate Information Science
Information Systems
enables students to use object-oriented design tools to design, build, implement, and test web-based information systems.
User Centered Design
provides the visual and human-computer interaction skills needed to design and build prototypes of information systems interfaces, as well as to perform usability testing of these systems.
Networks and Security
offers skills needed to design, build and test LANS, WANS, Wireless, Internet and Web-based networks.

5. Graduate Information Science & Technology
Database and Web Systems
Information Security
Cognitive Systems
Human Computer Interaction
Distributed Systems
Geoinformatics
Technology and Society

6. Telecommunications Telecommunications Systems Computer Networks
Policy & Management
Wireless
Security

7. Library & Information Science
Archives & Records Mgmt
Digital Libraries
Preservation Mgmt
Medical Librarianship & Medical Informatics
School Library Certification Program
Services to Children and Young Adults
New tracks under consideration
Academic Libraries
Reference
Policy & Ethics

8. Our Faculty Library & Information Science Information Science
11 tenure-stream (2 open)
3 non-tenure-stream
Information Science
13 tenure-stream
2 non-tenure-stream
Telecommunications
5 tenure-stream

9. Our Federally-funded Research

10. Our Enrollment

11. Declining National Interest in IT

12. Demand for IT Skills

13. Demand for IT Skills, cont’d

14. Demand for Librarians (10-year projections)
Growth of 8,000 new positions projected (5% growth)
2004: 159,000
2014: 167,000
Replacement of 38,000 through retirement
Aggregate projected need: 46,000
Annual production currently ~5,000
Stable demand with little projected growth

15. Evolution of the Disciplines
Information
Science &
Telecomm
Library
Science
Information
Technology
& Society
Technology
Society

16. The “I-School” Domain Information Information Science & Telecomm
Library
Science
Technology
Society
Technology
& Society
Information Science: the augmentation of human intellectual activity through the intimate association of computational extensions to human memory and information processing

17. A Contemporary Example
Identification
Authentication
Provenance
Access control …
Information
Assurance
Information
Cryptography
Steganography
Key management
Intrusion detection …
Confidentiality
Privacy
Integrity
Authorization …
Technology
Society

18. SIS environmental conditions leading to re-organizing
Enrollment instability due to employment uncertainty
Residuals from the dot-com bubble
Offshore outsourcing
Rapid industry changes
Budget pressures
Differing expectations across departments
Teaching (function of enrollment)
Research (function of federal priorities and resources)
Service (function of program needs)
Incentives for faculty
To adapt to changing environment
To respond to demand imbalances across the school

19. Objective: align with Pitt’s goal
A top-25 research university that is actively engaged in defining, in addition to responding to, national research priorities
Helping to discover and channel new research opportunities through interdisciplinary teams
Incubating “signature” research areas

20. Dimensions of the Re-organization
Structure
Reflecting the integrated nature of information-intensive organizations
Governance
Engaging the full strength of faculty in shaping our future
Resources
Investing strategically with a long term view
Culture
Collaboration
Shared responsibility
Mutual accountability

21. The refined structure has…
Research Interest Groups (dynamic) with potential to evolve into Centers (signature)
Degree programs administered by Program Chairs (stable)
Direction guided by representative SIS Council (strategic)
All faculty engaged in programmatic decisions (participatory)
Administration provided by Dean’s Office (routine)
Academic Programs
Faculty
Research Interest Groups

22. Now, we solicit your advice…
Are we responding appropriately to the exogenous pressures affecting us?
How can we sustain our legacy of leadership?
Are there opportunities (or challenges) we are missing (or avoiding) that affect critical issues confronting contemporary society’s increasing dependence on information?

23. Break-out Sessions Future directions for Telecommunications education
How can we assure that our curriculum continues to address the accelerating needs of the profession?
Rebuilding interest, vision, and passion to Information Science
How can we instill in prospective students the transforming power they can exert on society?
Sustaining and enhancing leadership in Library and Information Science
How can we enhance our century-long record of leadership in librarianship and related fields?
Capitalizing on collaboration
How can we expand our capacity for interdisciplinary collaboration, leading to signature centers of excellence?