FAQ: Transfer of the Department of Computer Science from the College of Arts and Sciences to the School of Informatics
In a historic move, the Deans of the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Informatics have reached an agreement that the Department of Computer Science will become part of the School of Informatics effective July 1, 2005. Final approvals for the transfer are anticipated within the next week.
The combined strengths of the two programs will
- Advance Indiana University as a national leader in the development and application of information technology.
- Create new opportunities to design technology that addresses human and social needs and assists in the information and computational needs of the sciences and other information intensive disciplines.
- Create a synergy and an opportunity for growth that benefits everyone.
1. How will the addition of Computer Science to Informatics benefit students and parents?
- Computer science students will benefit because they will develop technical skills in the larger context of a social and human perspective.
- Students will have greater access to a larger faculty and to a wider variety of courses.
- Students considering Indiana University who have an interest in technology will be able to locate and evaluate IU's largest IT program easily.
- The move will be relatively seamless for students in Computer Science as it relates to degree requirements. One exception is the B.A. degree in Computer Science, a liberal arts degree, which will still be awarded by the College.
2. How will the transfer benefit Indiana University?
- Indiana University will be more competitive in recruiting and retaining students with skills in information technology.
- By transferring Computer Science to Informatics the size of the combined unit will become comparable to the size of Purdue's pioneering Computer Science department.
- Researchers around the world have noticed the development and rapid success of the School of Informatics. The addition of Computer Science will add to the School's attractiveness and should help the university as a whole to attract outstanding faculty.
- The transfer will facilitate new research collaborations and place Indiana University in a position to help define the national technology research agenda.
- The transfer allows IU to take advantage of its well-recognized technology infrastructure and leverage our strengths.
3. How will the transfer of Computer Science benefit the State of Indiana?
- It will strengthen Informatics as an economic and intellectual resource for Indiana.
- Employers will benefit by finding an easily identified resource for recruiting technology grads.
- It strengthens Informatics' ability to fulfill its mission to the state of Indiana and its businesses by educating highly skilled IT professionals.
- It demonstrates that Indiana University is becoming a leader in absolute terms in research on the uses and application of Information Technology.
4. Will the research focus or character of Informatics change?
The School of Informatics has three main areas of research focus.
- Human-centered informatics examines the impacts of technology on people and how people interact with information technology.
- Domain-centered informatics aids disciplines like medicine, security, chemistry, and even music that can benefit from information technology. Examples of these include bioinformatics and cybersecurity.
- Informatics' third area of focus — technology-centered informatics — is oriented toward software and hardware. This is the area expected to be most strengthened by the addition of Computer Science.
5. How large will the new School of Informatics be?
In Bloomington, the School of Informatics numbers about 40 faculty, 77 graduate students and 465 undergraduate majors. The Department of Computer Science has 31 faculty, 155 graduate students and 248 undergraduate majors. We anticipate continued growth in enrollment.
6. Will Computer Science physically move?
For the foreseeable future, the Computer Science faculty and staff will remain in their current building, Lindley Hall. We plan some day to have a single building where all Informatics faculty in Bloomington can be together (At the moment, we have faculty at 901 East 10th Street and in Eigenmann Hall.)
7. What makes Informatics different from other technology schools?
- Where other schools excel in engineering, Informatics is building its reputation on human-centered and area-specific informatics. We can now add strong foundations, systems, AI/CogSci, e-science, databases and programming languages provided by Computer Science.
- Some technology schools have grown out of computer science and engineering programs-these are sometimes called C-schools. Other technology schools have grown out of reorganized library and information programs. These are sometimes called I-schools. The IU School of Informatics has not grown out of a reorganization. Now, with the addition of Computer Science after Informatics is already well-established, we could be called an I/C school, where the "I" stands for Informatics.
8. Will there be any changes in size of faculty or staff in either unit?
We anticipate continued growth of Informatics enrollments. In the immediate future, there are no planned changes in the number of faculty or staff in either Computer Science or Informatics.
9. What are the enrollment trends in Informatics?
The School of Informatics has experienced strong growth since its founding in 1999. In Bloomington, the School of Informatics numbers about 77 graduate students and 465 undergraduate majors. We anticipate continued growth in enrollment.
10. Are there any plans for other academic IT units to join Informatics?
No. Indiana University has a number of distinguished "IT programs" in other schools at IUB, but also at IUPUI and IUSB, including Computer Science Departments at IUPUI and IUSB, Computer Technology at IUPUI, the School of Library and Information Science, Computer Information Systems in the Kelly School of Business, the Department of Telecommunications in the College of Arts and Sciences, Instructional Systems Technology in the Education School, etc.. To be specific, there are no plans to move the Computer Science Departments at IUPUI and IUSB into Informatics. The School of Library and Information Science is a nationally recognized program with a distinct identity and purpose within IU's academic mission, and there are no plans for it to merge with Informatics. The newly expanded School of Informatics will continue to work cooperatively in partnerships with other IT programs as it has done in the past.
11. How will it impact Computer Science's reputation to be in an "information school?"
This move will enhance the reputation of the Computer Science department. Where other schools may excel in engineering, Informatics will build its reputation on the human- and domain-centered informatics (like bioinformatics) in collaboration with strong foundations, systems, Artificial Intelligence/Cognitive Science, e-science, databases and programming languages provided by Computer Science. Computer Science will be enhanced by being in such a unique environment.
12. Will the Department of Computer Science continue to have its own Chair and organizational structure?
Yes, the Department will continue to function as it has with a Chair, but instead of reporting to the College of Arts and Sciences, it will now report to the School of Informatics.
13. Will the name of the School change?
There are no plans to change or add to our name.
14. Does Informatics have other departments?
Not formally, but at IUPUI, the New Media Program is a well-developed program with a distinctive faculty and culture within the School.
About Informatics
15. What is Informatics?
Informatics is the bridge between IT and a particular field (cognate). We also study the commonalities, managing large data sets, the use of technology within organizations and society at large. We emphasize problems solving, innovation, communications, and team work along with technical skills/knowledge.
- Unique set of degrees at BS, MS and PhD (just approved) levels:
- Informatics
- Bioinformatics
- Chemical Informatics (Laboratory Informatics)
- New Media
- Health Informatics
- Health Information Administration
- Human Computer Interaction
- Music Informatics
- The Informatics undergrad degree is always linked to a "cognate," e.g. biology, chemistry, fine arts, telecommunications, geography, business, economics, journalism, etc. Some cognates lead to recently recognized disciplines, such as biology leading to bioinformatics. Others lead to well-understood careers perhaps just emerging as disciplines, such as fine arts leading to top quality Web design, animations, and interactive art. The Computer Science cognate adds further technology strength to the human-centered, problem solving curriculum.
- Students can emphasize technology areas such as Cybersecurity, Datamining, Complex Systems, Mathematical Foundations of Information, Social and Organizational informatics
16. Why did Indiana University create Informatics?
There were faculty looking for a way to link their expertise to the information age, and we had a president who was looking for a way to wed the university to the state's economic development. The president positioned IU as a partner in the state's economic development, and envisioned Informatics as an economic and intellectual resource for Indiana. The Legislature came to share this vision and provided substantial new continuing funding.
17. What makes Informatics graduates distinctive?
Graduates have a unique blend of technology skills combined with a liberal arts foundation. They are problem-solvers who understand the broader context for learning and how it applies in the world beyond technology.
18. What opportunities do these graduates have?
Besides financial and professional opportunities, our students see the opportunity to work with IT in ways that are less routine than traditional programming. Sometimes this relates to another interest they have.
One of our students had a cognate in Fine Arts. She mentioned that her parents had wanted her to major in business or Computer Science because she could always find a job, but she was really interested in art. Informatics allowed her to have both and still please her parents.
19. What kinds of jobs do students look for?
Our last year's graduating class reported an average salary of $43,000. Fifty percent (50%) were employed (or continuing their education) at the time of graduation. This later figure compares to an average nationwide of those graduating in May of only 33% employed at the time of graduation.
Job titles our students hold, ranked in order of frequency, include:
- Business Analyst
- Systems Analyst
- IT Specialist/MIS Technician
- Network Application Specialist
- Programmer
- Webmaster/Graphic Designer
- Consultant
- IT Trainer
20. What industries will look for informatics graduates?
Most every industry has a need for informatics graduates because of the pervasiveness of IT. Every study shows that the vast majority of IT jobs are not in the industries that one would traditionally identify with IT.
We have students employed at Gap, Tippman Group, Deloitte Consulting, GE Financial Assurance, Cinergy, AuthorHouse, Kellogg's, Accenture (2), CGI/CACI, Stockamp & Assoc., Cornerstone Communications, Exact Target, Edifice Info. Mgt. systems, Pacific Northwest Laboratories, etc.
21. How will Informatics change the next generation of IT professionals?
The next generation of IT professionals will be much more familiar with the content side of business and with business processes, especially as they relate to the use of IT. They will be more liberally educated and in particular have better communications skills.
22. Will Informatics open up new opportunities?
Yes. The important and influential study The Supply of Information Technology Workers in the United States in 1999 has a useful way of classifying IT workers on a two dimensional grid, with one axis being the degree of knowledge of IT and the second axis being the degree of knowledge of business. We have in effect blown this up to three dimensions by introducing a third axis which has to do not with generic business knowledge, but with knowledge of the specific domains relevant to the business, e.g., chemistry and biology with respect to the pharmaceutical industry.
23. What opportunities do businesses foresee from this kind of education?
In reviewing the comments from the graduates as to what the employers were attracted to, most cited their combination of technical IT skills along with knowledge of the cognate area, but especially appreciated the communications training and opportunity to work on real life projects in a team environment in their capstone course.
24. What kinds of salaries are your students commanding?
Our last year's graduating class reported an average salary of $43,000 and 50% were employed (or continuing their education) at the time of graduation. This latter figure compares to an average nationwide of those graduating in May of only 33% employed at the time of graduation.
Background
Indiana University School of Informatics
The nation's first School of Informatics was founded at Indiana University in 1999 by former president Myles Brand, who established the School as a part of his strategic plan to make Indiana University a leader in absolute terms in the research and application of Information Technology. With the help of the business community and support of key leaders in the legislature, the School twice received permanent state funding.
The Indiana University (IU) School of Informatics has a mission to
- Lead the nation in the development of a successful new curriculum.
- Educate students, especially those from underrepresented groups.
- Encourage interdisciplinary research projects in Informatics.
- Develop synergistic relationships with industry to generate and advance IT research.
The School offers a unique, interdisciplinary curriculum that focuses on developing specialized skills and knowledge of information technology with particular application to a specific field of study or practice. The School offers a variety of undergraduate degrees and specialized Master of Science (M.S.) degrees in bioinformatics, chemical informatics, health informatics, human-computer interaction (HCI), laboratory informatics, and media arts and science. Each degree is an interdisciplinary endeavor that combines course work and field experiences from a traditional subject area or discipline with intensive study of information and technology. The School has 1,400 students and 70 faculty on three IU campuses: Indianapolis, Bloomington, and South Bend. The School recently received trustee approval to offer Informatics degrees on four additional IU campuses. A Ph.D. in Informatics will be offered Fall 2005.
For more information, visit the School's Web sites:
Department of Computer Science
Computer Science was founded in 1969 as a program in the Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences. George Springer was program director. The Department of Computer Science now has 31 faculty, 155 graduate students and 248 undergraduate majors.
The program grew rapidly and formally became a department in 1971 with Frank Prosser serving as the first chair. The department is now a mature unit, having experienced a number of cycles of growth and contraction in enrollments.
The Department of Computer Science offers B.A. and B.S. degrees, a strong departmental honors program, a professional master's program combining the B.S. and M.S. in five years of study, and undergraduate minors in Computer Science and in information technology. The Department also offers a Ph.D.
Computer Science offers a spectrum of courses (labeled A) for students not majoring in Computer Science, ranging from the foundational to the practical.
For more information, visit the Computer Science Web site.
IU College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest of IU's schools, with over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in 176 degree programs. For more information about the College and its diverse degree programs and faculty, see www.indiana.edu/~college.
