College of Library and Information Science

The College administers a survey, completed by graduates just prior to commencement, in May, August, and December of each year. The answers to seventeen questions about LIS faculty, staff and programs were used by faculty to fine-tune the program. 96.2% of May 1998 graduates would recommend USC's MLIS program to other students.

In 1996, a study on Master of Library and Information Science programs delivered through distance education technologies to South Carolina, West Virginia, and Georgia by the College of Library and Information Science was completed by Gayle Douglas, Assistant Dean of the College. The students involved in this unique tri-state graduate education program are reffered to as the "Fall 1992 cohort," since they all began the thirty-six credit hour MLIS program together.

The Fall 1992 cohort consisted of one hundred eighty-seven (187) students: thirty-eight (38) South Carolina campus students; fourteen (14) South Carolina distant learners; ninety (90) West Virginia distant learners; and forty-five (45) Georgia distant learners. It should be noted that the combined number of distant learners in West Virginia and Georgia more than doubled the number projected in the College's original proposal.

Careful assessment of the progress made by the Fall 1992 cohort as a whole was undertaken in order to report accurately to our colleagues in the University and in library and information science education the results of this venture of delivering an entire MLIS degree program to students in other states through a combination of live interactive broadcasts and on-site instruction. It should be noted that this is the first time in the history of library and information science education that a full MLIS degree program has been offered by an accredited program school in exactly this manner.

There were fairly high rates of withdrawl during the first year on the USC campus and among the West Virginia students. Many of the West Virginia withdrawls may be attributed to economic factors, as the state's economy has been severly depressed for a number of years. The loss of eighteen percent (18%) of the Columbia campus students is puzzling, and follow-up studies of other entering groups will be conducted to determine if this is the norm. If that is the case, strategies for intervention to identify and assist at-risk students must be devised.

The addition of the West Virginia and Georgia distant learners to USC's Master of Library and Information Science program was an important enrichment to the curriculum available through distance education within the borders of South Carolina. Not only could South Carolina students be assured of receiving the entire MLIS degree program via telecommunication within a three year time period, but also the West Virginia and Georgia students built a critical mass of students which allowed the College of Library and Information Science to expand the number of elective courses offered in South Carolina. In all, eight (8) electives were added to the courses normally televised in South Carolina.

The eight courses would not have been available to students in South Carolina without added enrollments provided by their counterparts in West Virginia and Georgia. The cost of offering these electives was covered by the special tuition rate charged the West Virginia and Georgia students, with no additional cost to the state of South Carolina.