INFO Strategic Plan
Trends
The following trends will influence the University of Maryland (UMD) College of Information (INFO) in the future:
Foundational Strengths
- The INFO College is one of the most inter- and multidisciplinary units on campus. Our faculty, staff, and students have diverse disciplinary degrees and backgrounds. As a College, we continue to enhance our multidisciplinarity by investing in hiring colleagues with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
- We value and foster an inclusive, diverse environment to support everybody at the INFO College as they strive to reach their full potential.
- We are known for delivering career- and outcome-oriented education that yields high alumni placement rates.
- We actively build and maintain collaborations on and beyond campus.
- Our people are keen and successful at working collaboratively on research, teaching, and other scholarly activities.
- We enjoy a high reputation regionally, nationally, and internationally. We are among the top 10 U.S. INFO Colleges.
- The organizational culture at the INFO College is friendly and supportive. We care about the success and well-being of our people.
- The INFO College has effective and flexible governance policies and strategies that are able to meet the often shifting needs of a rapidly growing institution.
- We offer innovative, high-quality educational programs that are expanded and improved based on the changing and growing needs of the information field.
- We strive to implement a start-up mindset that will be conducive to better agility and innovation.
- We foster strong connections to industry, government, and other partners in our region and the nation.
- People at the INFO College are engaged, enthusiastic, and they strive for excellence in everything we do.
- We have a new and growing undergraduate program that we are building and improving to address the current needs in society and industry.
- INFO is well-known and esteemed for leading research in information ethics, equity, and diversity.
Values
We strive to achieve our mission by embracing and living out our shared values:
Vision
We envision a world where information and technology breaks down barriers and creates exciting new possibilities so that individuals, communities, and organizations can explore their full potential and enjoy an enriched quality of life – a world where information and technology can be fully leveraged to solve real world problems and foster a culture of trust and respect.
Mission
We improve lives and opportunities for people through information. With groundbreaking research and innovative academic programs, we strengthen information institutions, foster responsible information use, increase information reliability, and ensure equitable access to information. We harness data and technology for social, economic, and environmental good. We prepare the next generation of information professionals and thought leaders. We harness information for the benefit of all.
Focus Areas
Through groundbreaking research and through innovative academic programs that are producing the next generation of information professionals, we are supporting:
- Information institutions and infrastructures in an increasingly diverse, interconnected, dynamic and information-rich world
- We develop new systems, tools, standards, policies, and organizations that allow individuals, communities, and institutions to better capture, preserve, organize, access, and utilize information
- We shape and ensure the societal relevance and impact of existing information institutions and organizations, including libraries, archives, and museums by working with and for them to meet the needs of individuals, organizations, and communities – now and in the future
- We develop institutional leaders who will strengthen information institutions and infrastructures in an increasingly diverse, dynamic, complex, and connected world
- Trustworthy and high-quality information in an untrusted world
- We investigate and develop rules, systems, and tools for responsible and respectful computer-driven decision making to ensure trustworthy outcomes for users
- We develop systems for secure information collection, storage, discovery, and acquisition with the goal of promoting trust, use, and collaboration
- We investigate and develop policy and practice for responsible and respectful use of personal and proprietary data in online environments in order to create a safe experience for users
- We develop individual and institutional capacity to assess the value, accuracy, veracity, and utility of information
- We enable the design, production, and management of information platforms and products that provide high levels of utility, trust, and accessibility
- Democratizing discovery
- We empower underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized populations through improved information access, literacy, and tools – providing access to information that directly impacts the quality of life, such as health, employment, education, and public safety
- We utilize innovative design methods, technology, and information systems and interfaces to improve information access for all
- The use of data and technologies for social good
- We design effective artificial intelligence technologies that empower people to augment their own abilities
- We build smart communities equipped with the right information to advance all residents and stakeholders
- We build and leverage technologies to provide immersive, engaging, and continuous life-long learning environments
- We design and enhance effective human use of always-available information infrastructure to collaborate and manage information.
- We partner with organizations to place systems and technology in communities, creating measurable impact
Planning Process
The University of Maryland College of Information (INFO) Strategic Planning Committee was formed by the INFO College Dean Keith Marzullo in June 2018.
- Aug 8, 2018 – The Committee received its charge from the Dean and learned about the strategic planning process and next steps.
- Aug 23–Oct 28 – The Committee formed qualitative research teams tasked with collecting data on industry trends along with perceptions of the college’s strengths, weaknesses, values, mission, and vision. Research to be conducted via interviews and listening sessions with students, alumni, parents, adjunct faculty, research sponsors, employers of alumni, peer units on-campus, peer institutions at large.
- Aug 23 – INFO College faculty and staff, not on the Committee, joined for an afternoon session to share their feedback on the trends and perceptions.
- Oct 29–30 – Based on all collected data, including that of the college’s faculty and staff, the Committee summarized findings around trends, strengths, weaknesses, values, and initiative/focus areas.
- Nov 8 –The Committee refined recommended core values and strategic focus areas for the college.
- Nov 2018–Mar 2019 – A subgroup of the Committee (the Writing Committee) put the recommendations into a document and worked with the Deans to finalize.
Planning Team
Co-chairs: |
---|
Vedat Diker |
Ricky Punzalan |
Facilitator: |
Mitch Owens (consultant) |
Support: |
K. Sarah Ostrach (student) |
Members: |
Tetyana Bezbabna |
Aditya Bhat |
Eun Kyoung Choe |
Dan Christopher |
Emily D’Acquisto |
Niklas Elmqvist |
Ursula Gorham |
Mia Hinckle |
Bill Kules |
Wayne Lutters |
Susan Winter |