In Rutgers Debate, Students Voiced Opposition to Name Change

-- Library Journal, 04/06/2009

• School name changes from SCILS to SCI
• LIS Department chair defends change
• Will acronym be awkward?

Adding to the concern expressed by Rutgers LIS alumni before the name of their school was changed last week, the Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA) issued a statement of opposition, citing multiple reasons:

The Rutgers School of Communication, Information, and Library Studies (SCILS) has recently submitted a proposal to rename itself the School of Communication and Information (SCI).

Exclusionary and Problematic Process

Students, alumni, the public, and the state’s library leaders and organizations were excluded from discussions of the proposed name change. In addition, a formal letter from Dean Schement incorrectly claimed support from several individuals and organizations.

Unclear Benefits

Those who support the name change have not provided any evidence in support of the claim that a new name would bring additional funding or recognition to the school. In light of the substantial investment this change represents, a responsible decision to proceed cannot be made without proof that the proposed gains exceed the projected losses.

Loss of Recognition

SCILS is a recognized name associated with excellence in the library field. The loss of the term “library” confuses that recognition, fails to identify the unique attributes of the librarian profession, and reduces the school’s visibility to prospective students.

Loss of Support

Rutgers alumni, from both LIS and other programs of study, are appalled by the name change and their exclusion from the process. Many are pledging to withdraw current and future support from the school. NJLA has passed a formal resolution against the proposed change, and other organizations may follow suit. 253 individuals, many of whom are students, have joined a group in protest of the measure. Finally, libraries are currently in a serious battle for state-mandated funding and this measure creates the appearance of a lack of support in this critical time.

Unnecessary Expenditures

A name change will require new signage, new stationery, and numerous technological changes to web sites and servers. In difficult economic times, asking the people of New Jersey to fund these unnecessary expenses is unjustifiable.

Defense from the LIS chair
On the student-run blog SCILS or SCI, Claire McInerney, associate professor, department chair, Library and Information Science Department, responded last month to student and alumni concerns. “A word of clarification. Our Library and Information Science program/degree is strong and becoming stronger,” she wrote. 

“We are adding faculty and courses all the time. The ALA accredited Library and Information Science program will remain with that name even if the school name changes. And—of course—we will continue to offer our various library degrees, including school/library media and the degree we have offered for many years—MLIS.”

McInerney pointed to the bigger picture, echoing Dean Jorge Schement: “Please be aware that our school contains several departments -- communication, journalism and media studies, library and information science—and we offer many programs—in public relations, advertising, broadcast journalism, library science, digital libraries, information technology and informatics. All of these programs can not appear in the name of the school, but communication and information are threads that bind us together along with the values of free speech and intellectual freedom.” 

Student unconvinced, warns about acronym
Siobhan McCarthy, a student at SCILS, responded on the blog: “I personally do not see how the removal of "Library Studies" from the name of our school will give the impression to the rest of academia that we are becoming more encompassing as a school. I feel that instead, it is almost an insult to the MLIS students because although we make up about 25% of the school, we're no longer worthy of being included in the title. If the name were being completely changed, perhaps my reaction might be different—but this is just truncating the existing name to remove our field (and the subfields within.)”

McCarthy also suggested that there might be a problem with the new acronym: “I also think that most people will pronounce it "Sigh", not "Sky" as is reportedly hoped for—I certainly did when I first saw it written (and still do, because that is how that particular group of letters is pronounced the majority of the time in the English language.) Isn't that a marketing risk? To have an acronym which may imply ambivalence or negativity?”

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