Information Policy and Management

COM 465 Information Technology Use and Collaboration in Distributed Work (3)

Collaborating with partners across space, different time zones, and social-cultural boundaries is today's work experience. This course intends to provide the students with an understanding of the use of information technologies and other communicative practices to sustain collaboration within and between organizations. Through case studies and narratives describing participants' experiences, the course focuses on social, communicative and technological factors that influence collaboration in contemporary organizational settings without clear and specific boundaries.

COM 659 Technology & Contemporary Organizational Life (3)

This course examines today's work experience of participating in "virtual organizations"-that is, organizations whose members are distributed across space, different time zones, and social-cultural boundaries. It relates to some fundamental issues of communicating and organizing through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in virtual work environments. Our general objective in this class is to explore what it means to participate in the social/communicative life of organizations whose boundaries are no longer limited to a building, to a region, to a country, or even to an easily definable community. With this objective in mind, we will organize our discussions around the role of ICTs in today's world of work and investigate the implications of our growing reliance on ICTs for social/communicative action in contemporary organizational life.

CSI 300Z Social Implications of Computing

The ethical and moral implications of using computers to affect the lives of individual and collective members of human society. Material drawn from a variety of topics, including security and privacy in computers, networks, security measures, etc. Also, data banks vs. rights to privacy, intellectual property, open vs. closed software, software piracy, unauthorized access, and other computer crimes. http://www.albany.edu/~goodall/ (Writing Intensive Gen. Ed.)

CSI 583 (INF 523, PAD 523) Fundamentals of Information Management

Consists of two seven-week modules teaching basic skills in information management. Topics include: introduction to programming, data structures, and overview of data base applications. Students may elect up to two additional modules in topics such as UNIX, networking, and software development tools. May not be used for degree credit in Computer Science. Prerequisite: Pad 504 or equivalent.

INF 701 Proseminar in Information Science (4)

The dual nature of information management - using information technology and holdings to manage an organization's tactical and strategic future and managing its information resources. Information resources to support operations, decision-making, and strategic planning within private, public, and not-for-profit organizations. Applied field project at an information intensive organization. Prerequisite: Consent of Ph.D. program director or instructor.

EAPS 630 - Financial and Human Resources in Education (3)

Fundamental concepts of management of financial and human resources, as applied to schools and school districts. Stresses the application of principles of budgeting, human resource deployment, and the utilization of facilities. Topics include planning, budget development and administration recruitment, appointment of staff, and regulations concerning personnel administration.

EAPS 660 Introduction to Educational Management (3)

Organizational planning and decision-making in K-12 and postsecondary levels. Using a systems framework, topics relate to environmental conditions, the description and analysis of basic alternative planning and model, the design of information systems, and mechanisms of control. Students are involved in planning and decision-making projects.

EAPS 670 Analysis for Educational Policy and Leadership (3)

Production and use of analysis to inform educational decisions and policies. Acquaint students with the nature and methods of applied inquiry in education and to help them develop skills for conceptualizing fundamental educational problems, frame problems for analysis, develop recommendations for action, forecast potential consequences of implementing such recommendations.

EAPS 724 - Administrative Planning in Higher Education (3)

Policies to guide growth and development; application of techniques for decision making; use of planning models.

INF 702 Proseminar in Information Theory (4)

Fundamental topics from the core disciplines of information science, including library science, management information systems, and computer science are presented to provide the information science student with the background to appreciate these disciplines and to pursue graduate study in these disciplines. Prerequisite: Consent of Ph.D. program director or instructor.

INF 704 Proseminar in Information Policy (4)

Development and implementation of public policies affecting the flow of information. Focus on policy issues that involve value conflicts among proprietary rights, privacy rights and information access rights. Examination of conflicts from political, economic and sociological points of view. Prerequisite: Consent of Ph.D. program director or instructor.

IST 301 The Information Environment (3)

Introduction to information science. Definitions and properties of information, production, transfer, classification, formatting, evaluation, and use. Role of information organizations including the print and electronic publishing, traditional and digital libraries and archives.

IST 546 Fundamentals of Record Management (3)

Basic concepts and practices of records management in governmental, institutional, and corporate agencies, including those areas of communication, administration and computer technology that relate to the efficient and effective flow of information from its generation to its final disposition. Includes records inventory, active and inactive records control, manual and automated systems, vital records protection, the records center, micrographics technology and applications, and legal and ethical aspects of records management.

IST 547 Electronic Record Management (3)

Topics include problems of defining records and documents in a digital environment, analysis and understanding of the requirements for creating and keeping records digitally, developing information systems that create useable and accessible digital records, and preservation of and access to digital materials. The emphasis is on electronic records created by institutions and organizations. Prerequisite: IST 656 or 546.

IST 560 Information and Public Policy (3)

Analysis and evaluation of public policies affecting the production, dissemination, and access to information generated by or for the federal government. Topics and issues include concepts of intellectual freedom, the public's right to be informed, freedom of information and privacy legislation, policies on dissemination of information in nonprint formats, national security classification, privatizing of government information, issues of equity, and related policy matters.

IST 562 Economics of Information Management (3)

Principles and theory of economics of managing libraries, archives and other information services. Provides students with the tools of cost benefit, regression and applied microeconomic analysis necessary for management of information systems and information services. The library user fee debate, the economics of journal subscription prices and costs and benefits of on-line searching are examined.

IST 601 The Information Environment (3)

The evolving social, political and institutional environments within which information services are and can be organized.

IST 602 Information and Knowledge Organization (3)

An introduction to fundamental concepts and theoretical principles of knowledge, organization models, and techniques used to facilitate access to information resources. The emphasis in this course is on interdisciplinary ideas and concepts.

IST 614 Administration of Information Agencies (3)

Principles and theory of administration. Consideration of planning, organization, budgeting, personnel, standards, inter-institutional cooperation. Recommended: IST 601.

PAD 550 Foundations of Government Information Strategy and Management (4)

Introduces the interaction of policy, management, and information technology in the design, operation, and evaluation of government operations and public services. Relies heavily on case studies to illustrate how these domains play out in multiple settings and across sectors-public, private, and not-for-profit. Prerequisites: PAD 500, PUB 522, and permission of instructor.

PAD 630 Topics in Information Management for Nonprofits (1-4)

This course covers unique issues faced by nonprofit organizations related to emerging technology issues. Students will examine policy, management, and technical requirements related to the development and use of information technology to support nonprofit organizational management. In addition to studying the conceptual underpinnings of information management in the nonprofit sector, participants will be trained in specific technology and management tools to enhance organizational effectiveness.

PAD 637 Social and Organizational Networks in Public Policy, Management, and Service Delivery: Theory, Methods, and Analysis (4)

The concept of “network” has become central to many discussions of public policy, management, and service delivery. Yet the use of the term is rarely backed with strong theoretical and empirical analysis of actual social networks. This course is designed to explore the theoretical underpinnings of the concept “networks,” to introduce the basic methods needed to collect and analyze network data, and to compare findings generated with network methods with standard social and economic analysis.

PAD 650 Building a Case for IT Investments in the Public Sector (4)

This course presents a formal methodology for making IT investment decisions including problem definition, stakeholder analysis, process analysis, best and current practices, technology awareness, and case building. Students will engage in a project with a university or government customer to build a business case for a new IT investment. Prerequisites: PAD 500, PUB 522, or permission of instructor.

PAD 652 Seminar on Information Strategy and Management (1-4)

Leaders from government agencies, nonprofit organizations, private companies, and research organizations discuss their perspectives on the field of information strategy and management. This seminar is intended to be taken in conjunction with PAD 550 or 650. Prerequisites: PAD 500, PUB 522, or permission of instructor.

POS 368 Information Technology and World Politics (3)

Broad overview of the information revolution and its political consequences. Examines the impact of information technologies on diplomacy, global security, the international political economy and international organization with a particular emphasis on the use of administrative information systems and the internet by governments and other public sector organizations. Instructor: R. Koslowski

POS 577 Information Technology, Globalization and Governance (3)

Examines the role of information technology in globalization, democratization, diplomacy, security and international development. Reviews previous episodes of transformative changes in communications to place contemporary changes in a broader historical context and considers theoretical explorations of the relationship between information technologies and global politics. Instructor: R. Koslowski

POS 583 International Law and Organization (3)

This graduate course examines the organization of world politics in the context of globalization. The globalization of economic processes, the information, communication and transportation revolutions have contributed to a major transformation in the circumstances within which world politics takes place. Leaving aside debates over whether or not world politics has been organized around the state for a very long time, the contemporary processes of globalization has called into question the empirical basis of the doctrine of state sovereignty and have thereby challenged the state as a unit of political analysis. Just as traditional international organizations were formed by nation-states, state-centric analysis of international cooperation was the norm. As globalization calls into question the reality of state sovereignty, it also challenges state-centric modes of analyzing international cooperation and conflict. The course begins with an overview of traditional international organizations, such as the United Nations and regional organizations, such as the European Union. The primary focus of the course, however, is international cooperation beyond the confines of formal organizational structures. Emphasis is placed on the development of less formal cooperation such as international regimes, institutions and norms that govern state practices in particular issue areas -- from trade and weapons proliferation to the environment and refugees. In addition to analyzing multilateral cooperation among states to grapple with problems associated with processes of globalization, we will examine transnational factors of governance such as the role of non-state actors such as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and corporations in organizing politics and policy making at a global level. We will consider the politics of backlash against globalization and examine the impact of globalization and transnational forms of global governance on the practice of democracy. Finally, we will examine terrorism and asymmetric warfare of non-state actors as exemplified by the attacks of September 11th and multilateral cooperation to counter terrorism. Instructor: R. Koslowski

SSW 705 Data Driven Systems Change (3)

This course offers to students from multiple disciplines frameworks promoting data driven systems change. Special attention will be given to theoretical and empirical bodies of literature that undergird data driven systems change. Case examples from the health and human services arena and education will be provided, along with opportunities to examine research designs involving complex interventions. Guest speakers will provide relevant and challenging examples. Advanced analytical techniques including econometrics and measurement strategies to address working with limited-dependent and qualitative variables will be presented.

WSS 303 Popular Technology: Advocacy and Activism in an Age of IT (3)

Can technology serve democracy, equity, and human rights? This seminar explores the social, historical, and ethical dimensions of modern technology through the lens of global social movements. Students will be introduced to concepts from science and technology studies (STS) and feminist theory in order to examine attempts by activists, scientists and scholars to democratize science and technology. The course offers hands-on workshops in audio, video and web production, as well as the option of completing a service-learning project with community partner organizations focusing on community health, environmental justice, technology access, independent media, etc. Offered Spring 2007.