SPRING/SUMMER 2017 NEWSLETTER
Director's Report It continues to be a year of change for OU SLIS as we make decisions that will help us move forward within the constantly evolving LIS discipline. We are close to completing our strategic planning (details on next page). Our master’s program admissions are soaring, with nearly double the number of admitted students in 2017, 109 compared to 57 in 2016. As noted in this newsletter, we are offering new programs, most notably a Ph.D. program to start in fall 2018. We are also developing several Graduate Certificate programs. Our bachelor’s program is expanding, and this 2016-17 academic year had the largest BAIS graduating class ever, with 16 graduates. We have made changes to the BAIS program to make it an applied information technology and data science degree in which students learn how to use IT and data tools in a user-centered context.
OU’s College of Arts and Sciences released a report of the salaries of 2015-2016 bachelor’s graduates, and our BAIS grads were near the top with a median salary of $57,500. We think this practical, hands-on degree is an excellent choice for students and we plan to grow the program over the next three years, aiming for 200 majors by 2020. Finally, to support this growth and these new programs, we requested permission to hire three new faculty members to start in fall 2018. We want to hire specialists in youth services, Native American and Indigenous information and knowledge, and data science. The coming years will be interesting and challenging as we grow, reshape the school, and continue to provide excellent and current educations to create successful LIS professionals. Susan Burke, interim director
Special Topics Course New in Fall 2017 LIS 5970 Makerspaces: Theory and Practice Kyungwon Koh Students will develop knowledge and skills needed to become successful professionals in Makerspaces. Students will learn theories behind the Maker Movement, hands-on tools and technologies, and issues on the design and implementation of a Makerspace, such as assessing the needs of community and audience, managing a space, facilitating making and learning, and evaluating impact. The course includes site visits for different Makerspaces in Oklahoma.
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