Commission proposes merging comm. depts

By Charles Ratliff
Arizona Daily Wildcat
February 12, 1996

The future of information sciences at the UA now rests in the hands of Provost Paul Sypherd.

A draft of a 105-page report, dated Jan. 26, has been submitted to the provost and recommends that the University of Arizona change to meet the growing demand in the field of communication and information technology by merging certain departments and creating a "program of Communication and Information Sciences."

The Commission on Information and Communication was formed a year ago by Sypherd while the university was considering eliminating the Journalism Department. Management information systems Professor Jay Nunamaker served as the commission's chair, and heads of information-related departments served as members.

Last summer, UA President Manuel Pacheco delayed any recommendations of journalism's elimination until the commission could finish the report.

The commission's report describes how the UA can meet the demands of the 21st century, said Kenneth R. Smith, vice provost for academic planning, who represented the provost's office on the commission.

"What has been proposed here is consistent with the direction information sciences is moving," Smith said.

The report suggests that elements of several units on campus - such as management information systems, journalism, library science, computer engineering, computer science and communications - can be combined to form the new program. The report says these educational elements can be combined to meet the needs of undergraduate students through interdisciplinary study and can trim repetitive courses, saving money.

The program would also meet goals by carrying out the mission of the UA, which is teaching, research and outreach. The report envisions that about 60 doctorate and 250 master's degree students with almost any academic background could be in the program at any one time.

"The Commission on Information and Communication concludes that this CIS vision is not only appropriate, but necessary for the (UA) to survive and thrive in the 21st century," the report states. "The opportunities in this area are so significant, and the timing so critical, that we recommend that the Provost move toward planning how to implement the CIS vision, described in this report, in timely fashion."

Sypherd is out of town and was unable to be reached for comment.

The report does not decide the fate of the Journalism Department. Instead, Smith said, it examined the dynamics of changes occurring in the field of communication sciences.

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