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Group of Leading Colleges Launch Major Effort to Put The Information Field “On The Map”

Pittsburgh, PA -- August 22, 2007: Ronald L. Larsen, Dean of the School of Information Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and leader of a caucus of 19 leading Information Schools in the United States and Canada, announced today that the “iCaucus” will launch a major branding and marketing communications program, initially facilitated by MBS Associates, through which the participating Universities will raise awareness of the importance of the Information Field to societal advancement.

 “We intend to put a face on the information field that will position it as a “most favored” academic pursuit and elevate its perception as a field of study offering huge promise and potential for both students and organizations that rely heavily upon information and information professionals.   

“Few people realize that information management is key to all disciplines, from aeronautics to zoology.  Information is the basis of knowledge and the foundation for progress. Nothing moves without information, and information schools develop the ability to identify, gather, store, manipulate and apply information effectively,” he said.
Accordingly, the initiative has adopted the theme: Information: The Power to Transform Our World. He explained that the Caucus of information schools is determined to elevate the stature of the information field in the eyes of prospective students, business leaders, employers, funding entities and other constituencies critical to the growth and development of the field. 

 “Information Schools focus on the relationship between information, technology, and people. This is characterized by a commitment to learning, centered on understanding the role of information in all human endeavors,” Larsen added.

He further noted that the deans of the iSchools making up the caucus take it as given that expertise in all forms of information is required for progress in science, business, education, and culture, and accordingly, the existing information degree programs are fundamentally multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. “This expertise includes understanding the uses and users of information, as well as information technologies and their applications,” Larsen explained.

He said the multi-year project will involve creating a “brand” for the field as well as delivering the programs and communications necessary for positioning the information field solidly in the minds of its key audiences.

“As society becomes increasingly sophisticated in its use of information and information technology, and as the technology, itself, advances, demand for information professionals can only increase. We have an extraordinarily strong point of departure for this project.  According to Job Web, Information Sciences and Systems graduates’ starting salaries average more than $47,000. Among the18 fields reported on in 2006, information sciences and systems showed the highest increase for starting salaries among all fields listed,” Larsen said. (See table below)

Members of the iSchool Caucus: