SLIS - Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives
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Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives
The School has focused on creating a clear statment of its Vision, Mission and Goals to guide its decision in curriculum development, faculty searches, and student evaluation. This document was first developed in 1994, and was most recently revised and approved by the faculty in May of 2006.
VISION STATEMENT:
The ability to generate, access, and use information and leverage knowledge has become the key factor in personal, social, and economic growth. The expanding global information society is encouraging the free flow of information; and the impact of rapidly changing information and communications technologies is reshaping our personal, educational, and social activities, our organizational and political practices, and our local, national, and international institutions. The impact of these changes on all types of organizations and on the professionals who manage them is unprecedented. Roles, responsibilities, and career opportunities for professionals who can function as creative information resource managers; act as guides, navigators and interpreters for users; and produce customized, value-added services and products for diverse clienteles are expanding. These professionals will play an increasingly vital role in empowering individuals, organizations, and communities to maximize the benefits of the information age.
The University of Oklahoma School of Library and Information Studies educates professionals qualified to meet the challenges of the knowledge society. Through a forward-looking curriculum and diverse learning environments, the School provides future professionals with an understanding of interdisciplinary conceptual foundations. The School prepares graduates who have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to function effectively and ethically in transnational knowledge societies, to respond creatively to change, and to assume positions of leadership in the knowledge professions.
MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission of the School of Library and Information Studies is to provide excellence in education for information and other knowledge professionals, preparing them to take leadership roles in a multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual, highly technological, global knowledge-based society; to engage in research and creative activities that generate new knowledge and applications for improved practice and that foster interdisciplinary approaches to solutions of information problems; and to provide leadership through ethical public and professional service to meet the complex information needs of an increasingly diverse society.
GOALS:
The School's goals and objectives focus on the three areas of education, research and service.Education:
A. Goal: Educate students at the graduate professional and postgraduate levels to provide information services and products to a multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual, and global society.
- Support within required components of the graduate programs the theories, principles, and practices that form the foundation of library and information studies and knowledge management and their relationship to other fields.
- Offer students a variety of elective courses to allow a concentration within a clearly defined set of aspects of library and information studies and knowledge management.
- Teach interpretation, evaluation, and promotion of information and knowledge resources, technologies, and services within a multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual, and global context.
- Provide student advising that promotes informed program choice.
- Promote through course work and by example professional attitudes regarding scholarship, professional ethics, intellectual freedom, and access to information in a diverse democratic society.
- Encourage participation in professional activities and organizations at School, university, state, national, and international levels.
- Promote professional development through student involvement in School planning and governance.
- Introduce the theories, principles, techniques, and application of research within all components of the curriculum.
- Cooperate with other academic units in the sponsorship of specialized educational programs terminating in dual degrees.
- Deliver courses to students throughout the state.
- Model the use of information technology in instruction.
- Solicit input and feedback from practitioners on knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed by student
B. Goal: Provide a broadly based liberal arts education at the undergraduate level that will prepare students for careers in any organizational setting in the increasingly information rich and information based global society.
- Support within the required components of the degree program the theories, principles, and practices that form the foundation of information studies.
- Provide access to appropriate electives that enrich the foundational components of the degree.
- Prepare students to work in information intensive environments by enabling them to analyze and process information needs.
- Provide student advising that enables timely degree completion.
- Promote through course work understanding of and respect for information ethics, intellectual property, and other related issues in the knowledge society.
- Model the use of information technology in instruction.
- Solicit input and feedback from diverse constituencies on knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed by students at the undergraduate degree level.
C. Goal: Provide a variety of continuing education opportunities in the information field.
- Provide credit and non-credit experiences through workshops, short courses, and conferences and through cooperation with other providers.
- Provide an individualized 6th-year certificate program through which information professionals may upgrade and update their professional education and skill
Research:
Goal: Participate in and promote research, research programs, and creative activities.
- Perform and direct research and other creative activities.
- Apply and direct the application of methods by which library and information science research is critically evaluated and utilized.
- Publish and disseminate findings of research and creative work.
- Engage in interdisciplinary research approaches to the solution of information problems.
Service
A. Goal: Provide leadership, consultation, and guidance to the professional/information communities.
- Participate actively in professional activities and organizations at all levels
- Respond to the unique needs of information professionals through consultation and facilitation.
- Assist alumni in their professional development through such activities as placement, advisement, communication, and support of an alumni association.
- Provide specialized assistance to development of information services for Oklahoma's minority populations, especially Native Americans.
B. Goal: Contribute to the University governance by participation in those departmental, college, and University bodies that engage in policy making and operational activities that further the mission and governance of the University.
- Facilitate faculty participation in School decision making and to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of established governance structures.
- Pursue actively opportunities for service through election or appointment of faculty to College of Arts and Sciences governance bodies.
- Pursue actively opportunities for service through election or appointment of faculty to University-wide governance bodies.
- Participate as appropriate in the policy structures of closely related units in the University.
C. Goal: Articulate the profession’s values to society as a whole.
- Speak on ethics, censorship, societal priorities, and participation in the democratic process.
The School's student goals and objectives for the Master of Library and Information Studies program focus on the three areas of information provision, research, and professional service.
A. Goal: Function effectively in the provision of information services and products to a multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual, and global society.
Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to:
- Interpret, evaluate, and promote the theories, principles, and practices that form the foundation of library and information science.
- Interpret, evaluate and promote the use of information resources, technologies and services.
- Demonstrate professional attitudes regarding scholarship, professional ethics, intellectual freedom, and access to information in a democratic society.
- Design and implement information products and services that respond effectively to changes in an increasingly multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual, and global society.
- Demonstrate competency in communication, leadership, and management skills.
B. Goal: Participate in and promote research, research programs, and creative activities.
Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to:
- State the methods by which the literature of library and information science may be critically evaluated and utilized.
- Apply basic principles and techniques of research methodologies appropriate for library and information science.
- Incorporate research methodologies and findings from other fields in the conduct of research to solve information problems.
C. Goal: Provide leadership, consultation, and guidance to the professional and information communities.
Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to:
- Participate actively in programs for information professionals.
- Participate in programs of continuing education.
- Contribute through speaking, writing, and collaboration.
- Assume leadership roles within their professional communities.
The School's student goals and objectives for the Master of Science in Knowledge Management program focus on the three areas of information provision, research, and professional service.
A. Goal: Function effectively in a complex knowledge environment and be able to provide information and knowledge services and products to a multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual, and global society.
Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to:
- Interpret, evaluate, and promote the theories, principles, and practices that form the foundation of knowledge management.
- Interpret, evaluate and promote the use of information and knowledge resources, technologies and services.
- Demonstrate professional attitudes regarding scholarship, professional ethics, intellectual freedom and access to information and knowledge management in a democratic society.
- Design and implement information and knowledge products and services that respond effectively to changes in an increasingly multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual, and global society.
- Demonstrate competency in communication, leadership, and management skills.
B. Goal: Participate in and promote research, research programs, and creative activities.
Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to:
- State the methods by which the literature of knowledge management may be critically evaluated and utilized.
- Apply basic principles and techniques of research methodologies appropriate for knowledge management.
- Incorporate research methodologies and findings from other fields in the conduct of research to solve knowledge management problems.
C. Goal: Provide leadership, consultation, and guidance to the professional and information communities.
Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to:
- Participate actively in programs for information and knowledge professionals.
- Participate in programs of continuing education.
- Contribute through speaking, writing, and collaboration.
- Assume leadership roles in creating knowledge-sharing cultural environments within organizations.
The School’s student goal and objectives for the Bachelor of Arts in Information Studies program focus on intermediation between information, information systems, and information users.
Goal: Facilitate linkages between information technology workers and information users in a global society
Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to:
- Understand the global context of information systems in culture and society.
- Explore and analyze information needs within various organizational contexts.
- Develop appropriate and effective approaches to satisfying information needs of diverse organizations.
- Enable use of information needed for individual and organizational success.
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Revised by the faculty April 1, 1994.
Revised by the faculty August 26, 1994.
Revised by the faculty August 30, 1996.
Revised by the faculty September 26, 1997.
Revised by the faculty August 21, 1998; approved September 4, 1998.
Revised by the faculty August 19, 1999; approved September 3, 1999.
Revised and approved by the faculty October 3 and 9, 2003 and April 2, 2004.
Revised and approved by the faculty May 12, 2006.