Accreditation is in the balance for the MLS program at the University of Buffalo, one of the campuses of the State University of New York, according to this story from Bizjournals. The ALA’s “conditional” level of accreditation assigned to the program means the academic program is in “immediate noncompliance” with several areas of the association’s standards, said Karen O’Brien, director of the association’s accreditation office. A story from last Friday detailed UB’s plans for an “interdisciplinary” program in informatics.
UB officials have until Dec. 1 to submit a plan for the removal of the conditional accreditation.
No, really?
From the article:
“Other issues include a planning and evaluation process lacking involvement of students, faculty, employers and alumni”
Is that why they read about the disestablishment of their school in the paper?
Re:No, really?
If the ALA forces UB to make some salutary changes, so much the better. If not, it would not necessarily be the greatest loss to libraryland were the program as it is now to die. Strong standards for admission and especially for graduation ought to be essential, but UB has little for either. I do not suspect, however, that increasing faculty office space will be of much help.