[LM_NET] GEN:I CHALLENGE!/I ACCUSE?

[Bob Hicks <bob.hicks@USD470.COM>]

Again, an administrator said, "Colleges and universities no longer  
assign library research or term papers to undergraduates."

And again I disagreed and responded with my opinion and some not to  
specific anecdotes.  This is what I wish I could have said, "I'm sorry  
but you are wrong.  According to the annual 'KU' or 'K-State' or  
____University or ___College or KALA or ALA study/survey, __% of  
undergraduate courses continue to require research papers. Also, they  
average __pages in length, require a minimum of __sources, and on  
average __of those sources can't be website sources."

WHY couldn't I?  Why couldn't I have really refuted the administrator  
with facts and "hard" evidence?  Is there such a study/survey?  Did I  
it?  If so, could someone please inform me and direct me to the data!   
If no recent study or survey exists, why not?  One would think  some  
library graduate student or college professor or the ALA would have  
considered it important enough to have done it!

Could the administrator's statement be more right than wrong?  Are  
universities, colleges, and ALA afraid that any such published study  
or survey might actually validate a dramatic demise of undergraduate  
research?  College students no longer doing papers or research--good  
PR?  Well-endowed libraries merely computer cafes and book museums?   
Certain stakeholders and the status quo would be embarrassed and their  
influence diminished?   Their funding and budgets might be negatively  
impacted?

I CHALLENGE every University, college, library schools, the ALA, or  
one of its "state" affiliates,  to develop, implement, and proudly  
publish such a survey or study.  Because of the recent technology,  
budgetary pressures, and emphasis on testing and assessments,  
librarians desperately need effective ammunition to defend their  
facilities, themselves and the profession!

Robert Hicks
High School Librarian
Arkansas City, KS 67005
bob.hicks@usd470.com



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