The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has announced plans to consolidate its School of Data Science and Society (SDSS) and the historic School of Information and Library Science (SILS) into a new, single school dedicated to artificial intelligence. The decision, revealed to faculty just a day before a public announcement, has generated significant concern among students and staff regarding the lack of transparency and the future of the nearly century-old SILS.
Key Takeaways
- UNC will merge the School of Information and Library Science (SILS) and the School of Data Science and Society (SDSS).
- The new, consolidated school will focus on artificial intelligence.
- Stanley Ahalt, current dean of SDSS, will lead the new school.
- Faculty and students at SILS have expressed concerns about a lack of consultation and the potential marginalization of their programs.
- The university states the change will not be implemented before the end of the 2025-26 academic year.
University Announces Consolidation Plan
The University of North Carolina administration officially announced the consolidation in a campus-wide email on Thursday afternoon. The message, sent by Chancellor Lee Roberts and Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Jim Dean, outlined the plan to combine the two distinct schools.
According to the email, the merger aims to leverage the unique strengths of both programs. "Both SILS and SDSS bring distinct strengths and areas of excellence to Carolina — technical expertise, humanistic inquiry and a deep understanding of the societal implications of emerging technologies," Roberts and Dean wrote. They stated the new school will enhance research, encourage interdisciplinary work, and address modern challenges.
The university has launched a Q&A webpage to address initial questions, which indicates that a formal timeline is still under development. However, administrators do not foresee any major changes taking effect before the conclusion of the 2025-26 academic year.
A Tale of Two Schools
The two schools involved in the merger have vastly different histories. SILS was established in 1931 as the UNC School of Library Science and has a 93-year legacy with multiple nationally ranked graduate programs. In contrast, SDSS was launched just two years ago, in 2022, as part of a university-wide focus on data science.
New Leadership and Structure Confirmed
The leadership for the new, yet-to-be-named school has already been determined. Stanley Ahalt, the current dean of the newer School of Data Science and Society, will serve as the inaugural dean. This appointment has fueled concerns among the SILS community about the direction and priorities of the consolidated entity.
The current dean of SILS, whose name is Bardzell, has been appointed to a new role as Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer and Vice Provost for AI for the university. This move places him in a university-wide strategic position rather than a leadership role within the new school.
Concerns Over SILS' Future Role
An untenured faculty member from SILS, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of professional reprisal, expressed concern that the new administrative structure will essentially be an extension of SDSS. This faculty member suggested that the leadership and staff from SILS will be relegated to secondary positions.
"Those deans, associate deans and staff members who currently work at SILS, a nearly 100-year old institution, with multiple nationally ranked programs, will suddenly be relegated to secondary roles," the faculty member stated.
They added that while the university mentioned the possibility of an open application process for administrative roles, many in the SILS meeting felt a competitive hiring process was unlikely.
Faculty and Students Voice Frustration Over Announcement
The method of the announcement has been a primary source of frustration. SILS faculty were informed of the merger in an "all-school meeting" on Wednesday, just 24 hours before the public email was sent. Students were not officially invited, but some learned of the meeting and attended.
Paxton Martin, a second-year student in the Masters in Library Science program, attended the meeting after seeing a Canvas announcement. Martin reported that faculty and staff present were deeply worried about what they described as a potential "hostile takeover" due to the significant difference in resources between the two schools.
"The fact that they are being told this information and the only reassurance that they get is that, ‘Oh, you're not being fired, but you know, the title of your position may change, and you may be forced to be teaching different content,’ I think that’s extremely disrespectful," Martin said.
Timeline and Implementation
- Official Announcement: Thursday, via campus-wide email.
- Implementation Period: No changes expected before the end of the 2025-26 academic year.
- Operational Goal: An anonymous faculty source stated the new school aims to be operational by July 1, 2026.
Students Excluded From Key Meeting
As news of the merger spread through a school-wide GroupMe chat during the meeting, other students attempted to join. Summer Stevens, another masters student, said she and a group of 15 to 20 others tried to enter the meeting room after hearing the news.
According to Stevens, the SILS dean asked the newly arrived students to leave, stating he would be happy to talk with them at a later time. "I think that was really concerning the way that it was handled, and that students were literally kicked out of the meeting," Stevens commented.
Abigail Allred, president of the Information and Library Science Student Association, learned about the consolidation through the group chat. She expressed frustration over the lack of student and faculty input, noting that the SILS dean had previously emphasized his desire to engage with the student body.
Concerns for Degree Integrity and Program Identity
The anonymous SILS faculty member voiced strong criticism of the decision-making process, comparing the lack of transparency to the controversial creation of UNC’s School of Civic Life and Leadership. They argued the merger was being pushed by Chancellor Roberts without a clear vision.
"The students who have entered the program with the expectation that they are getting a degree from a highly ranked one-hundred year old institution, and are now told that they’re going to be getting a degree from a department in an ill-conceived 'School of AI' are feeling, rightfully, betrayed," they wrote.
This sentiment is echoed by students. Allred mentioned that some first-year masters students are already discussing whether they should transfer out of the program. "I want to graduate with a Master's in Library Science from UNC Chapel Hill's School of Information and Library Science," she said, highlighting the value students place on the school's long-standing reputation.
In response to the growing concerns, the SILS administration scheduled a meeting for students to ask questions on Thursday afternoon. The Information and Library Science Student Association is also planning its own emergency meeting to discuss the merger's implications.
