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Topic: Talent development and management

Blog Post
March 28, 2024

New Report on Self-Censorship and Public University Libraries

In the Fall of 2023, Ithaka S+R reached out to 15 library leaders at public research universities throughout the United States and asked them to speak about their current experiences regarding censorship, self-censorship, and academic freedom. Today, we are publishing our anonymized findings from these semi-structured interviews. What is Really Happening in Public University Libraries? Over the last several years, K-12 education and public libraries have been the subject of major political conflicts regarding the educational materials and literature they…
Research Report
March 28, 2024

Censorship and Academic Freedom in the Public University Library

Research libraries are expected to provide and preserve collections in support of their institutions’ research and teaching priorities and to support long-term access to cultural, historical, and scientific works. In today’s polarized political environment, both libraries and universities have been at the heart of controversy. In this project, we examine some of the impacts of this polarization at public research university libraries.
Past Event
January 23, 2024

Project Management

Lyrasis Workshop

In this two-part live Lyrasis workshop, Ithaka S+R’s Oya Rieger will help attendees understand the basic processes and the lifecycle of project management, create and follow a work plan, manage personnel and team dynamics, and more. Project management is an essential skill set to achieve specific objectives, whether you are overseeing or participating in an initiative. Project management knowledge even applies to everyday work life, as we are often constrained to a finite timeline and budget and must work within…
Blog Post
December 7, 2023

How Can Universities Create AI Tools for their Communities?

An Interview with the Creators of UC San Diego’s TritonGPT

Following the commercial release of tools like ChatGPT, it has become clear that generative AI technology will have a marked impact on higher education. In the midst of widespread discussions on how generative AI can best be leveraged in teaching and research contexts, universities are exploring how they can provide secure access to this technology for faculty, staff, and students. In our recent blog post on university custom AI platforms, we highlighted three institutions—the University of Michigan, Harvard University,…
Issue Brief
June 8, 2023

Living Wages

Art Museum Leaders Confront Persistent Staff Compensation Challenges

Movements for pay equity, including raising minimum wages and increasing pay transparency, have been building momentum in grassroots and policy arenas across the United States. As a result, museums, like many employers, face mounting pressure to better align their compensation practices with their diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments. Ithaka S+R’s research has found that the majority of art museum directors view pay equity as a high priority at their organization and are finding attracting and retaining diverse and talented staff…
Past Event
May 16, 2023

Careers for PhDs: Consulting

On May 16 at 4:15-5:30 pm ET, Dylan Ruediger will speak on a Syracuse University panel on the nature of consultant work, the kinds of jobs available in the sector, and how to mobilize your PhD skillset to join a consultancy or start your own. Dylan will share his experience as Ithaka S+R program manager in conversation with Laura Payne-Bourcy. The event is sponsored by the Central New York Humanities Corridor from an award by the Mellon Foundation.
Past Event
May 17, 2023

Navigating the Academic Career Ladder

Ensuring Credit and Recognition for your Contributions

On Wednesday, May 17 at 1 pm ET, Dylan Ruediger will join a panel of experts to provide practical guidance on navigating the complex world of academic credit. The webinar, hosted by Frontiers, will provide an engaging conversation on how to highlight your relevant experiences, track your achievements, and get the recognition you deserve in a research career. Steve Howell will share practical tips on how to get promoted in academia, Dylan Ruediger will provide context on the broader academic…
Blog Post
May 4, 2023

2022 Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey Dashboard

Last year, Ithaka S+R, in partnership with the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD), the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), and with funding from the Mellon Foundation, was able to launch the third cycle of the Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey. Filling out this survey can be time intensive, as rather than survey staff directly, we ask that museums submit data that has been recorded in their human resources system. This requires museum directors or their designee to fill…
Past Event
May 9, 2023

Stanford Humanists At Large Fellows Visit Ithaka S+R

On May 9 at 1:00 – 4:00 pm ET, fellows from Stanford University’s Humanists at Large (HAL) program will visit the ITHAKA office to learn more about Ithaka S+R’s work and meet staff. The visit will open with a panel discussion with PhD-holding S+R staff Dylan Ruediger, James Ward, and Colette Johnson, moderated by Daniel Braun to introduce audience members to the organization and the career paths of staff. In the afternoon, Daniel Braun will lead a workshop offering…
Blog Post
April 18, 2023

Assessing the Racial Diversity of Librarians

How racially diverse is the librarian profession, and how can we begin to assess that diversity? Those are the two key questions at the heart of two companion issue briefs we are publishing today.  The first issue brief, co-authored by both of us, focuses on the methodological implications of trying to measure the racial demographic trends of the profession in the absence of systematic benchmarking beyond US Census data reported through the Bureau of Labor…
Issue Brief
April 18, 2023

Changing the Racial Demographics of Librarians

Librarianship has a racial diversity representation problem. Black, Indigenous, and people of color have been underrepresented in the field for decades, and despite the momentum and initiatives in support of diversifying the profession, the numbers appear to not have changed meaningfully. The data tell a consistent and compelling story: the library profession remains overwhelmingly white. Part of the problem stems from the fact that demographic information about the profession is not measured and reported in a consistent manner.
Issue Brief
April 18, 2023

By Any Measure

The Racial Demographics of Librarians

The things that get measured by an organization are a tell for what matters to the organization. Librarianship has been grappling with an underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) librarians for decades, and while libraries have developed a plethora of recruitment initiatives, the numbers appear to have not changed meaningfully, remaining static over the decades. A contributing factor may be that demographic information about the profession is not routinely measured and reported.
Blog Post
April 11, 2023

US Faculty Survey Updates

2021 Data Now Available and Looking Ahead to 2024

For over 20 years Ithaka S+R has tracked teaching and research trends through a national survey of faculty. Today we are excited to share several updates about the program. Working with our data Last year we published the findings from the US Faculty Survey and in parallel we have been working with the incredible staff at ICPSR to ensure that the associated data is made openly available at the highest level of quality for current and future use. The…
Research Report
March 30, 2023

US Library Survey 2022

Navigating the New Normal

Since 2010, Ithaka S+R has conducted the Library Survey on a triennial basis with the overarching goal of tracking the perspectives, priorities, and leadership strategies of library deans and directors at four-year academic institutions. This study is designed to provide library and other higher education leadership with a high-level overview of the topics that are at the forefront of library leaders as they conceptualize the role, strategic alignment, and value proposition of academic libraries on campuses.
Past Event
March 21, 2023

“Alt-Ac” Careers for Humanities PhDs

On Tuesday, March 21 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET, Steve Pokornowski and Kurtis Tanaka will participate in a roundtable discussion hosted by the University of Michigan Library on “alt-ac” careers for humanities PhDs. The panel will discuss the opportunities and challenges of pursuing careers off of the tenure track and the changing professional landscape of academia, reflecting on their own experiences. Speakers include Hannah Alpert-Abrams, Sara Cohen, Patricia Hswe, Stephanie Rosen, Katina Rogers, and Jim McGrath. Learn more about…
Past Event
May 21, 2023

Highlights from the 2022 Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey

Session at the 2023 American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting

Ithaka S+R’s Liam Sweeney, Deirdre Harkins, and Joanna Dressel will present a session at the American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting on highlights from the Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey, published in November 2022. Learn about results from the survey and the latest data and findings on demographics of art museum staff across the US. The session is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 21 at  9:10 – 9:35 am MDT.
Past Event
May 21, 2023

Living Wages in the Museum Field: Signs of a Crisis on the Horizon

Session at the 2023 American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting

On Sunday, May 21 at 8:40 – 9:05 am MDT at the 2023 American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting, Ithaka S+R’s Liam Sweeney, Deirdre Harkins, and Joanna Dressel will present a session on signs of a crisis on the horizon for the museum field, drawing insights from the Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey, published in November 2022.
Past Event
March 29, 2023

Navigating Non-Linear Career Paths

On March 29 at 12 pm PT, Ithaka S+R Director of Strategy and Operations Colette Johnson will speak on an installment of the Versatile PhD’s Career Pathways series, on “Navigating Non-Linear Career Paths.” The virtual event will feature discussion on how professionals outside of the academy create and maintain networks, move between roles and industries, and tolerate the uncertainty that accompanies all of the above, offering advice for PhDs interested in alternative career paths. Learn more and register for…
Blog Post
February 9, 2023

Is a Fellowship Right for You?

Since launching in 2018, ITHAKA has served over 30 fellows from across the nation and with a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds. Fellows at ITHAKA have the opportunity to work with one of ITHAKA’s services: Ithaka S+R, Reveal Digital, JSTOR Daily, or JSTOR Labs. Designed with the needs of early career researchers in mind, ITHAKA’s fellowship program offers an opportunity to focus on professional development through an immersive experience working with ITHAKA mentors and staff. In…
Blog Post
February 7, 2023

The Great Resignation and Higher Education Employees

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US labor market has undergone dramatic ups and downs, with employment numbers dropping off a cliff in Spring 2020 and climbing back towards pre-pandemic levels in fits and starts since the vaccines became widely available. Over the past several months employers and employees have been navigating the complex repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic: return-to-office vs. work-from-home debates, continuing social reckonings following the murder of George Floyd, rising inflation, and the looming possibility…