Standard IV. Students
IV.2 Current, accurate, and easily accessible information on the school and its program is available to students and the general public. This information includes announcements of program goals and objectives, descriptions of curricula, information on faculty, admission requirements, availability of financial aid, criteria for evaluating student performance, assistance with placement, and other policies and procedures. The school demonstrates that it has procedures to support these policies.
The School produces brochures for each of the degree programs to be used in the recruitment of students. They focus on providing a “big picture” view of the school and the program, inviting prospective students to visit the Web sites for more specificity and the most current information. The MLIS program brochures are in the Appendix PRO 2 and can be found at on the iSchool Web sites here
and here.
The School maintains numerous Web sites, dedicated to outreach to potential students and to providing pertinent and coherent programs of study for current students. The content for these sites is updated on an as-needed basis, providing the most current information available. The main site, www.ischool.pitt.edu, is intended for use primarily by prospective students and information is categorized by the degree program of interest. This site was completely redesigned in 2007, utilizing the design services of the University Marketing and Communications Group. The site allows visitors to explore the school, the concept of an iSchool, the degree programs, and career options in the Information Professions. In addition, the University has many Web-based resources addressing the policies and procedures for graduate study. There are two primary sites: http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/ and http://www.bulletins.pitt.edu/graduate/index.html. The graduate studies site is updated regularly and the bulletins are completely reviewed and revised on an annual basis.
The School also hosts and maintains another, internal, site, which offers more comprehensive coverage of programs of study, policies and procedures, and School information. This internal site also provides an archive of prior programs of study, policies and procedures to facilitate institutional memory.
The MLIS program goals are articulated here. These are presented from the perspective of the student and outline the knowledge, abilities, and attitudes to be attained by graduates of the degree program.
The programs of study are described in full on the School Web sites, which allows students to explore the admissions requirements, the course of study, specializations, course descriptions, financial support opportunities and procedures, and potential career opportunities in the field. Of particular relevance to this report, the MLIS degree program details can be found at http://www.ischool.pitt.edu/lis/degrees/mlis-program.php.
The University and School policies pertinent to graduate study are presented on the School’s internal website at http://wwwint.sis.pitt.edu/~sisint/policies/index.html. The details of policies and procedures specific to the MLIS program are hosted at http://wwwint.sis.pitt.edu/~sisint/academics/lis/index.html. As noted above, the grading policies are also articulated on that page.
The School expressly addresses evaluation of students with the official grading policies, which are located at http://wwwint.sis.pitt.edu/~sisint/policies/index.html. In addition, faculty may have specific grading policies and evaluation guidelines in the syllabi for individual courses (syllabi for current courses are in Appendix CUR 1).
The School also has a presence on several social media sites – LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter – to assist in informing students about deadlines, activities, and School news.
The iSchool and the University of Pittsburgh provide programming and support services to assist undergraduate and Master’s students in their job searches. The School hosts numerous professional development workshops and events throughout the year, including sessions on fundraising for future librarians, research discussions, movie and games nights, and visits to cultural or outdoor attractions. A complete list of professional development learning opportunities at the iSchool is included in the Appendix SCH 9: there are usually between 5-10 such events each term. The School’s events typically draw 10-20 students to each event. In addition, the School presents an alumni-hosted Professional Development Day in the spring. iSchool alumni and representatives from Pitt’s Career Development Office offer sessions on improving resumes, presentation skills, interviewing capabilities, and networking. This session also offers mock interview opportunities. Alumni also offer resume review and mock telephone interview opportunities on demand – a cadre of dedicated alumni volunteer to interact with students on an as-needed basis to review resumes and practice interviewing skills. The alumni-hosted event is designed to benefit all iSchool students. In 2013, 17 MLIS students registered for the event, up from 9 in 2012 and 12 in 2011.
At Pitt’s Office of Career Development and Placement Assistance (CDPA), career consultants help students to develop the tools they need to conduct an effective internship or job search: career planning, creating effective resumes or portfolios, and effective interviewing techniques. CDPA’s staff also comprises employment development specialists, who work to connect businesses and organizations with those iSchool students actively seeking jobs or internships. Pitt’s Career Network provides iSchool students with an opportunity to interact with people who have experience in the many professions that are associated with the Information Sciences. This is a network of alumni who help students to improve their career prospects. Pitt’s FutureLinks is an online database of job postings exclusive to Pitt students and alumni. More information about this office and the many services it provides to students may be found at http://www.studentaffairs.pitt.edu/cdpa/about.
Student difficulties are addressed on a case-by-case basis. If comfortable, students first discuss any problems with their instructor or advisor. They may then bring the problem to the attention of the Program Chair or the Manager of Student Services. If necessary, the Dean will be called upon to address the situation.