MINUTES OF THE Faculty Retreat - APRIL 27, 1998 - UBC Gold Club

 

Present: Terry Eastwood [chair], Ann Curry, Mary Sue Stephenson, Ronald Hagler [mid-morning on], Judi Saltman, Mark Jordan, Lynne Lighthall, Richard Hopkins, Luciana Duranti, Charles Dollar

On leave: Sylvia Crooks, Ken Haycock

Morning Meeting of MLIS Faculty

Issue : Need to create tracks/streams for MLIS students to help them select which elective courses would best match their immediate career objectives.
Action : Each MLIS faculty member will give Richard Hopkins a suggested list of courses in their areas of expertise. These will be reviewed, edited, and put into the SLAIS Student Handbook and SLAIS Portfolio.

Issue : Need to broaden the guidelines for LIBR 595: Practicum to enable student pursuit of practicums in non-traditional environments [such as software design companies and records management].
Action : Change wording of the first paragraph of the Field Work Practicum form to read:
"A practicum, normally under the supervision of a professional librarian, is a requirement for graduation. The practicum is typically of two-weeks duration."

Issue : Need to integrate more fully technology into all the MLIS Core courses.
Action : Core faculty will work this summer to meet this need. Specifically LIBR 500 is being reconfigured to focus more on technology issues and techniques.

Issue : Reconfiguration of topic areas in the four Core courses.
Action : Core faculty will develop new Calendar descriptions [note: later in the day Terry Eastwood informed the faculty of the likely elimination of graduate course descriptions from the University Calendar, so this may not be necessary for that purpose. More in-depth descriptions can be created for SLAIS purposes such as the SLAIS Portfolio].

Issue : Names of Core courses.
Action : Recommended names:

LIBR 500: Foundations of Information Technology.
LIBR 510: Foundations of Bibliographic Control.
LIBR 540: Foundations of Information Services.
LIBR 560: Foundations of Information-Based Organizations.

Issue : Cross-listing LIBR 500 and making it part of MAS Core [making optimal use of available faculty resources].
Action : Will be discussed with MAS faculty during afternoon meeting.

Issue : Moving the content of LIBR 570 into the Core.
Action : Determined that the needs of the students are best served by leaving LIBR 570 as a separate required non-Core course.

Issue : The retention of LIBR 598: Graduating Essay as a requirement for the degree.
Action : Recommendation that the requirement be eliminated and the course removed from the Calendar. For students entering their 2 nd year in September advisors will more actively encourage non-essay approaches [such as web page designs, videos, etc.], but will also continue to support the traditional essay format when that is most appropriate to the topic. It's anticipated that most MLIS students entering in September 1998 will elect to change over to the new degree plan requirements once they are approved by Senate, but such students will still be able to do a graduating essay if they choose. For that reason, the LIBR 598 course will need to be retained in the Calendar until all students who might elect to take the course have done so.

Issue : Redesign of courses in the area of Bibliographic Control.
Action : Recommended: 

Major aspects of descriptive cataloguing will be removed from LIBR 510, 511, and 514a and reconfigured into a new course: LIBR 513: Descriptive Cataloguing.
Course number 511 will be used for a new course: LIBR 511: Classification.
Topics course LIBR 514 is retained for future use, but with no approved topics in place [all the existing topics will be subsumed into the new LIBR 513 and LIBR 511].

Issue : Changes needed in MLIS required courses.
Action : Recommended that both LIBR 570: Management of Libraries & Archives and LIBR 590: Research Methods in Libraries & Archives be retained as required courses taken after completion of the Core.

Issue : Changes needed in separately listed [non variable credit] elective LIBR courses.
Action : Recommended:
LIBR 516: Records Management - cross-list with an ARST number.
LIBR 518: Historical Bibliography - eliminate as separately listed course and moved as a topic into LIBR 593: Seminar.
LIBR 519: History of Archival Concepts - no change [cross-listed].
LIBR 520: Collection Management - no change.
LIBR 524: Literature and Other Materials for Young Adults - no change.
LIBR 527: Publishing and the Book Trade - eliminate as separately listed course and moved as a topic into LIBR 569: Current Issues and Trends in Library and Information Science.
LIBR 541: Reference and Information Service II - renamed LIBR 541: Advanced Information Services.
LIBR 550: Systems Analysis & Design of Information Systems - no change.
LIBR 551: Design & Management of Textual Databases - cross list as ARST course. Considerable discussion on course content, in regards to perceived inadequate coverage of broader and theoretical issues related to the topic. Recommended that in the future the course should include these aspects.
LIBR 553: User-Oriented Design of Information Retrieval Systems - eliminate as content has been subsumed into other courses.
LIBR 555: Management of Electronic Records [cross-listed] - no change. Question as to need to retain LIBR 516: Records Management as a prerequisite for MLIS students - this will be discussed with the MAS faculty in the afternoon.
LIBR 578: Planning & Design of Libraries - no change.
LIBR 587: Preservation [cross-listed] - no change.

Issue : Changes needed in variable credit LIBR courses.
Action : Recommended:
LIBR 522: Literature and Other Materials for Children - the following topics retained as approved: 522a: Literature & Materials for Children - Introduction and 522b: Literature & Materials for Children - Contemporary.
LIBR 538: Specialized Literatures - the following topics retained as approved: 538a: Reading & Media Interests of Adults, 538b: Information Resources in the Sciences & Technology, 538d: Legal Bibliography, 538e: Information Resources & Services in Business, and 538f: Information Resources in the Health Sciences.
LIBR 539: Specialized Materials - the following topics retained as approved: 539a: Government Documents, 539b: Multimedia Information Sources, 539e: Archives & Manuscripts. Discussion on whether to leave the Multimedia Materials topic in this course or move it to LIBR 559. Decided to not make change.
LIBR 542: Services for Youth - the following topics retained as approved: 542a: Children, 542b: Young Adults, and 542d: Inner City. Discussion of the implications of the new ARTS enrollment/on-load rules for graduate courses, but this was tabled pending clarification from Terry Eastwood.
LIBR 544: Services for Adults - the following topics retained as approved: 544b: Client Services.
LIBR 545: Services for Groups with Specialized Interests - eliminate course.
LIBR 548: Issues in Reference & Information Services - course renamed 548: Issues in Information Services; current 548a: Issues in Reference & Information Services be moved to LIBR 579e Topics in the Management of Libraries & Archives. Course retained for future use, but with no approved topics.
LIBR 559: Topics in Computer-Based Information Systems - the two currently approved topics will be reconstituted as separately listed courses:
LIBR 556: Networked Information Systems [currently 559a: Internet & Libraries].
LIBR 557: Advanced Information Retrieval [currently 559b: Advanced Information Retrieval].
The course 559 is retained for future use, but with no approved topics.
LIBR 569: Current Issues and Trends in Library and Information Science - the following topics retained as approved: 569a: Educational/Instructional Role, 569f: Special Librarianship. It is recommended that the currently approved topic 569b: Entrepreneurial Librarianship be renamed LIBR 569b: Entrepreneurial Information Consulting.
LIBR 579: Topics in the Management of Libraries and Archives - the following topics retained as approved: 579a: Evaluation of Information Services, 579b: Financial Management, and 579d: Marketing. Currently approved topic 579f: Human Resource Management be reconfigured as separately listed course: LIBR 571: Human Resource Management in Libraries & Archives.
LIBR 591: Topics in Research Methods - course retained for future use, but with no approved topics.
LIBR 592: Directed Research Project - no change.
LIBR 593: Seminar - no change with the approved topic: 593a: Historical Bibliography [previously LIBR 518 Historical Bibliography].
LIBR 594: Directed Study - no change.
LIBR 596: Professional Experience - no change. Faculty advisors take a more formal role in process of approving students for projects [student must obtain signature of advisor].
LIBR 599: Thesis - changed from 12 credits to 9 and made an elective.

Issue : Range of credits [number of times course can be taken] for variable credit LIBR courses.
Action : Change the range from 3/6 to 3/9 for the following LIBR courses.
LIBR 522: Literature and Other Materials for Children.
LIBR 538: Specialized Literatures.
LIBR 539: Specialized Materials.
LIBR 542: Services for Youth.
LIBR 544: Services for Adults.
LIBR 548: Issues in Reference and Information Services [renamed LIBR 548: Issues in Information Services].
LIBR 559: Topics in Computer-Based Information Systems.

Morning Meeting of MAS Faculty

Issue : Sequence of courses in MAS Core.
Action : Following sequence recommended:
Term 1
ARST 510: The Nature of Archival Materials.
ARST 516: Records in Office Systems.
ARST 530: The Juridical Context of Canadian Archives.
Elective.

Term 2
ARST 515: Arrangement and Description of Archival Materials.
ARST 520: Selection and Acquisition of Archival Documents.
ARST 540: Archival Public Services.
ARST 587: Preservation.

Issue : Need for continued requirement of ARST 590: Research in Libraries & Archives.
Action : Change of ARST 590 to an elective.

Issue: Need for archival-centred course in research.
Action : Creation of new required course offered in Term 1 of 2 nd year:
ARST XXX: Archival Research & Scholarship.

Issue : Changes needed in variable credit ARST courses.
Action : Recommended:
ARST 593: Seminar - the following topics retained as approved: 593a: History of Information Technologies; 593b: Standards-Based Archives Automation.

Afternoon Meeting of MLIS and MAS Faculty

Curriculum

Terry Eastwood began by reviewing the recommended changes in the MAS curriculum. He also went over the approximate number of MAS students who have taken "MLIS" cross-listed courses and the approximate number of MLIS students who have taken "MAS" cross-listed courses in recent years. Problems associated with delivery of technology-based courses:

• Discussion of implications of the loss of Peter Simmons and Charles Dollar for the delivery of technology-based SLAIS courses. Terry Eastwood commented that the next faculty member is hired will be "rooted" in one of the two disciplines, although they may well teach courses accessible/relevant to students in both programs. Ronald Hagler commented that it is the increasing practice in American programs to broaden the range of faculty expertise in this area by hiring from cognate disciplines such as Computing Science.
• Course cross-listing:
  • Terry Eastwood introduced the issue of potential problems in establishing new cross listing of courses between the programs. Following discussion, it was decided to continue use of cross listing as appropriate, given that all other alternatives caused SLAIS considerable problems. Recommended for cross listing:
    • LIBR 551: Design & Management of Textual Databases.
    • LIBR 556: Networked Information Systems [currently 559a: Internet & Libraries].
    • LIBR 557: Advanced Information Retrieval [currently 559b: Advanced Information Retrieval].
    • ARST/LIBR 512: Indexing [currently cross-listed - no change].
    • ARST/LIBR 555: Management of Electronic Records [currently cross-listed - no change].
    • ARST/LIBR 570: Management of Libraries and Archives [currently cross-listed - no change].
    • ARST/LIBR 587: Preservation [currently cross-listed - no change].
    • ARST/LIBR 590: Research Methods in Libraries and Archives [currently cross-listed - no change].
  • Creation of new cross-listed Records Management course:
    • Discussed at considerable length, but based on the expressed needs of the MAS curriculum it was agreed that a basic cross-listed course in Records Management isn't feasible.
  • Number of credits students are allowed to take outside their own program or SLAIS:
    • A number of opinions were expressed in this area, ranging from the currently permitted 6 credits outside the program to an unlimited number outside the program, but within SLAIS. Was agreed that students in both programs will be allowed to take an unlimited number of SLAIS courses [that is MAS students can take LIBR courses and MLIS students can take ARST courses], but will continue to be limited to 6 credits outside SLAIS. Discussed whether faculty members should take a more active role in the advising of students, including the completion of advising forms by students. While no formal agreement was reached, the consensus was that this is needed.
  ARST courses eliminated:
  • ARST 551: Access and Retrieval Systems.
  • ARST 519: History of Archival Concepts [cross-listed LIBR course is also eliminated].
  • ARST 598: Graduating Essay is eliminated as a requirement for the degree and from the Calendar as soon as feasible.

ARST courses created:

• ARST XXX: Archival Research & Scholarship.
• ARST XXX: (3/9) d Topics in Archival Automation.
• ARST XXX: (3/9) d Topics in the Management of Records.
• ARST XXX: (3/9) d Topics in the Management of Archival Programs.

 

Changes for the MAS degree requirements:

• ARST 590: Research Methods in Libraries and Archives becomes an elective.
• ARST XXX: Archival Research & Scholarship becomes a required course in the September term of the 2 nd year.
• ARST 599: Thesis changed from 12 credits to 6.

Variable credit courses changed to one-time only 3 credit non-variable credit courses [that is a student can take each course once for 3 credits]:

• LIBR 592: Directed Research Project.
• LIBR 594: Directed Study
• ARST 592: Directed Research Project.
• ARST 594: Directed Study.

Non-Curriculum Agenda Items

Following the completion of curriculum related issues the meeting went on to the Agenda items listed for Tuesday, April 28, 1998.

• Discussion of the implications of the 1998/99 budget and the reduced faculty was deferred until the Marks Meeting on May 4, 1998.
• Terry Eastwood reviewed the appointments of Marti Hale and Robert Bailey. There was considerable discussion of the appointment of Jonathan Jacobsen as a sessional lecturer. It was agreed by faculty that in the future students currently enrolled in a course or a program should not take on significant teaching duties in that course or program, even on the informal basis that was apparently used in LIBR 551 this past term [and will also be the case in the Summer session offering of this course]. Was agreed that graduates should not be hired as sessional faculty until at least one year after graduation. After discussion on other possible individual, Terry Eastwood was asked to pursue the matter with Peter Van Garderen [MAS graduate]. Mary Sue Stephenson and Mark Jordan will work with whoever is hired to teach the course in order to re-configure the content to include more theoretical and broad-based database design issues.
• Terry Eastwood announced the dates of the ALA/COA accreditation process:
  • Draft due: November 23, 1998.
  • Final Report due: February 8, 1999.
  • Team visit: March 22-23, 1999.
• Terry Eastwood asked for faulty input on an email received from Ken Haycock on April 14 regarding SLAIS creating training videos for Canadian librarians. The matter was discussed. Faculty recommends that the matter not be pursued at this time. Such an undertaking isn't feasible in an accreditation year, but might be brought back to the faculty for reconsideration in the future. Was pointed out that SLAIS is currently engaged in working with UBC Multimedia Services on the minority recruitment video and it would be wise to see how this turns out before any other similar activities are considered.
• Terry Eastwood brought the faculty up to date on the search for a new Coordinator of Continuing Education. He is currently discussing this with Pat Haffenden. In terms of fund raising, the faculty agreed that the annual phone-based fund raising activity should continue. Terry was asked to speak to Isabel Pitfield to see if she would be willing to coordinate this again on a one-time basis for a negotiated fee.

Meeting was adjourned at 4:00.

 

Summary of Recommended Changes to MAS and MLIS Curricula

MLIS Only Changes

• Advisory tracks or streams for MLIS students will be created and used in advising.
• Content of Core courses will be reconfigured and the courses renamed:
  • LIBR 500: Foundations of Information Technology.
  • LIBR 510: Foundations of Bibliographic Control.
  • LIBR 540: Foundations of Information Services.
  • LIBR 560: Foundations of Information-Based Organizations.
  • LIBR 595: Practicum is broadened in terms of what types of professionals can serve as supervisors and the length of the practicum.
  • LIBR 599: Thesis changed to nine credits.
  • Non-Core course renamed:
• LIBR 541: Advanced Information Services [currently LIBR 541: Reference and Information Service II].
• Courses eliminated
  • LIBR 518: Historical Bibliography.
  • LIBR 527: Publishing and the Book Trade.
  • LIBR 545: Services for Groups with Specialized Interests [variable credit].
• Non-variable credit LIBR courses created:
  • LIBR 513: Descriptive Cataloguing.
  • IBR 511: Classification.
  • IBR 556: Networked Information Systems [currently 559a: Internet & Libraries].
  • IBR 557: Advanced Information Retrieval [currently 559b: Advanced Information Retrieval].
  • LIBR 571: Human Resource Management in Libraries & Archives [currently LIBR 579f: Human Resource Management].
• Topics retained as approved in LIBR variable credit courses [or previously separate courses reconfigured as variable credit topics]. All other topics must go through the standard approval process before they can be offered:
  • LIBR522a: Literature & Materials for Children - Introduction.
  • LIBR 522b: Literature & Materials for Children - Contemporary.
  • LIBR 538a: Reading & Media Interests of Adults.
  • LIBR 538b: Information Resources in the Sciences & Technology.
  • LIBR538d: Legal Bibliography.
  • LIBR 538e: Information Resources & Services in Business.
  • LIBR538f: Information Resources in the Health Sciences.
  • LIBR 539a: Government Documents.
  • LIBR 539b: Multimedia Information Sources.
  • LIBR 539e: Archives & Manuscripts.
  • LIBR 542a: Children.
  • LIBR 542b: Young Adults.
  • LIBR 542d: Inner City.
  • LIBR 544b: Client Services.
  • LIBR 569a: Educational/Instructional Role.
  • LIBR 569a Publishing and the Book Trade [currently LIBR 527: Publishing and the Book Trade].
  • LIBR 569f: Special Librarianship.
  • LIBR 569b: Entrepreneurial Librarianship [renamed LIBR 569b: Entrepreneurial Information Consulting].
  • LIBR 579a: Evaluation of Information Services.
  • LIBR 579b: Financial Management.
  • LIBR 579d: Marketing.
  • LIBR 579e: Issues in Reference & Information Services [previously LIBR 548a].
  • LIBR 593a: Historical Bibliography [previously LIBR 518: Historical Bibliography].
• Variable credit LIBR courses retained, but with no currently approved topics:
  • LIBR 548: Issues in Reference & Information Services [renamed 548: Issues in Information Services].
  • LIBR 559: Topics in Computer-Based Information Systems.
  • LIBR 591: Topics in Research Methods.
• Maximum number of credits for the following courses changed from 6 to 9:
  • LIBR 522: Literature and Other Materials for Children.
  • LIBR 538: Specialized Literatures.
  • LIBR 539: Specialized Materials.
  • LIBR 542: Services for Youth.
  • LIBR 544: Services for Adults.
  • LIBR 548: Issues in Reference and Information Services [renamed LIBR 548: Issues in Information Services].
  • LIBR 559: Topics in Computer-Based Information Systems.

MAS Only Changes

• Sequence of courses in MAS Core:
• Term 1
  • ARST 510: The Nature of Archival Materials.
  • ARST 516: Records in Office Systems.
  • ARST 530: The Juridical Context of Canadian Archives.
  • Elective.
• Term 2
  • ARST 515: Arrangement and Description of Archival Materials.
  • ARST 520: Selection and Acquisition of Archival Documents.
  • ARST 540: Archival Public Services.
  • ARST 587: Preservation.
• ARST courses eliminated:
  • ARST 551: Access and Retrieval Systems.
  • ARST 519: History of Archival Concepts [cross-listed LIBR course is also eliminated].
  • ARST 598: Graduating Essay is eliminated as a requirement for the degree and from the Calendar as soon as feasible.
  • Topics retained as approved in ARST variable credit courses. All other topics must go through the standard approval process before they can be offered:
  • ARST 593: Seminar - the following topics retained as approved: 593a: History of Information Technologies; 593b: Standards-Based Archives Automation.
• ARST courses created:
  • ARST XXX: Archival Research & Scholarship.
  • ARST XXX: (3/9) d Topics in Archival Automation.
  • ARST XXX: (3/9) d Topics in the Management of Records.
  • ARST XXX: (3/9) d Topics in the Management of Archival Programs.
• Changes in MAS degree requirements:
  • ARST 590: Research Methods in Libraries and Archives will become an elective.
  • ARST XXX: Archival Research & Scholarship will become a required course in the September term of the 2 nd year.
  • ARST 599: Thesis will change from 12 credits to 6.

Changes Effective in Both MAS and MLIS Programs

• Graduating Essay
  • ARST/LIBR 598: Graduating Essay is eliminated as a requirement for the degree and from the Calendar as soon as feasible.
• New cross-listed courses:
  • ARST/LIBR 551: Design & Management of Textual Databases [currently LIBR 551].
  • ARST/LIBR 556: Networked Information Systems [currently 559a: Internet & Libraries].
  • ARST/LIBR 557: Advanced Information Retrieval [currently 559b: Advanced Information Retrieval].
• Number of credits students allowed to take outside their own program and SLAIS:  Students in both programs will be allowed to take an unlimited number of SLAIS courses [that is MAS students can take LIBR courses and MLIS students can take ARST courses], but will continue to be limited to 6 credits outside SLAIS.
• Variable credit courses changed to one-time only 3 credit non-variable credit courses [that is a student can take each course once for 3 credits]:
  • LIBR 592: Directed Research Project.
  • LIBR 594: Directed Study
  • ARST 592: Directed Research Project.
  • ARST 594: Directed Study.

Implications of Proposed Curriculum Changes for Joint MLIS/MAS Program

Since ARST 590: Research Methods in Libraries and Archives will be an elective, and both ARST 587: Preservation and ARST XXX: Archival Research & Scholarship required courses in the MAS program, the following changes are needed:

[current Calendar listing]:

The two master's degrees, M.A.S. and M.L.I.S., taken simultaneously, are awarded on the completion of 81 credits of work approved by the School plus required non-credit studies such as a practicum. Students must complete the following:

• the Core program for the M.L.I.S. and two three-credit LIBR elective courses (24 credits)
• the required courses for the M.A.S. (24 credits)
• the following cross-listed SLAIS courses: ARST/LIBR 512, 555, 570, 587 (12 credits)
• for the student who elects to write a thesis: in one program, a 12-credit thesis, in the other program, three elective courses (21 credits) and
• for the student who elects not to write a thesis: in one program a three-credit graduating paper and three elective courses, in the other program three elective courses (21 credits).

[suggested new Calendar listing]:

• the Core program for the M.L.I.S. and two three-credit LIBR elective courses (24 credits)
• the required courses for the M.A.S. (24 credits)
• the following cross-listed SLAIS courses: ARST/LIBR 512, 555, 570, 590 (15 credits)
• for the student who elects to write a thesis: in one program, a 12-credit thesis, in the other program, three elective courses (21 credits) and
• for the student who elects not to write a thesis: in one program a three-credit graduating paper and three elective courses, in the other program three elective courses (21 credits).

[The problem posed by the thesis carrying different credit value in the two programs was recognized at the meeting, but has not yet been resolved.]