News from the iSchools
Good news in a bad economy: iSchools are hiring faculty
Sept. 30, 2011—In a move that seems contrary to current economic trends, many Information Schools in the U.S. and around the world are actively seeking teaching and research faculty. This surprising hiring trend was revealed in a recent informal survey of deans in the iSchools organization.
President Obama is struggling with his jobs plan, and it’s generally understood that hiring is weak among employers everywhere, including universities. Meanwhile, many state governments are reducing financial support for higher education; the recent high-profile cuts in California are just one example of this nation-wide trend.
And yet, contrary to what this gloomy scenario might lead one to expect, an informal survey of the 32-member iSchools organization has revealed that a significant number of its member-schools are actively seeking teaching and research faculty. At this writing, the iSchools online jobs directory lists more than 36 openings at 15 member institutions, with several schools saying they expect to add more in the coming weeks. These openings range from non-tenured researcher and instructor positions to tenure-track professorships. There’s even an opportunity to apply to become dean of the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA.
Information Field Growing
Most of the deans responding to the informal survey reported that this surge in hiring was directed at increasing the size of their faculty, as opposed to filling vacancies in response to normal attrition. Several stressed that their hiring was due to significant increases in undergraduate and graduate applications.
This increase in Information School applications comes as no surprise, given the degree to which information in the world is expanding. A 2010 article in The Economist titled “Data, data everywhere” states that the amount of digital information in the world increases tenfold every five years. Information Schools teach students how to navigate and utilize this data to meet the needs of people, governments, and businesses. As a result, iSchool graduates are uniquely positioned to fill the personnel and leadership needs in organizations of all sizes—from small nonprofits to large government agencies, from entrepreneurial startups to multinational corporations. It’s no wonder information careers were highlighted in the U.S. News and World Report list of “Best Careers for 2009,” a profile of careers with “strong outlooks and high job satisfaction.”
“The fact that so many member-iSchools are looking to expand the number of their faculty is a tremendously encouraging sign,” said Harry Bruce, dean of the Information School at the University of Washington, and current chair of the iCaucus, governing body of the iSchools organization. “I think more and more students are coming to appreciate the intellectual and financial benefits that a career in the information field can offer. As a result, applications are on the rise, and more faculty are needed.”
The iSchools: preparing for information challenges of the 21st Century
The iSchools organization is a worldwide collective of Information Schools dedicated to advancing the information field, and preparing students to meet the information challenges of the 21st Century. With interdisciplinary programs focused on information technology, library science, informatics, and more, each individual school has its own strengths and specializations. Together, we share a fundamental interest in the relationships between information, people, and technology.
For more information, contact
Clark Heideger, (206) 685-8746