Abstract
Usually IS programs are in the College of Business either as a department or in a department with one or more business disciplines. Information Technology is the newest of the computing sciences and is just getting established at some universities. Recently there have been departments, schools, colleges formed that include Information System (IS), Information Technology (IT) and Computer Science (CS). This panel consists of an IS, IT and CS faculty member who will discuss the implications, cultures, advantages and disadvantages of a close association of different computing disciplines. Each of the panelist have experiences with two or more such programs at different states of their respective life cycles and at institutions of different types (Carnegie classification,) situated in diverse geographic locales and in diverse financial circumstances. These differences provide additional influences contributing to formation of our views and opinions. Are there common (not prejudicial) findings? For our students, having several faculty from related fields in adjacent departments, provides both short term proximity/convenience and a longer term hedge against employment setbacks. For faculty this provides a critical mass in their respective sub-disciplines and an opportunity for collaboration, self learning and professional growth. The Georgia Southern University model may prove beneficial to other colleges and universities considering this kind of merger. There are many economy of resource possibilities within this arrangement and some turf disagreements are inevitable. Hopefully, we can serve as both an example of how to consolidate related disciplines and some pitfalls to avoid.
Recommended Citation
MacKinnon, Ron; Butler, Sonny; and Jovanovic, Vladan, "Implications of Closely Associated Computing Sciences Disciplines" (2004). SAIS 2004 Proceedings. 18.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/sais2004/18