The University Library Services Committee recommends that the following resolution to promote information literacy at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater be adopted by the Faculty Senate.
i. Where as the five areas highlighted in Part III: Mental Activities, Table 11: Freshmen and Senior Responses of the Report of the ad hoc committee examining the results of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE) 11/7/03 <http://acadaff.uww.edu/NSSEreportRevised.doc > suggest areas for improvement of the educational environment at UW-Whitewater,
ii. Whereas the 2004-2008 IT Strategic Plan < http://www.uww.edu/icit//policies/itplan/2004-2008ITStrategicPlan.pdf > stresses supporting active student learning and development through the use of technology, providing enhanced library services for the E-Learning Environment and encouraging awareness and adoption of current trends and innovations in learning and instructional delivery,
iii. Whereas information advances at an ever increasing rate, there is a prevalence of online information, and both play an increasingly important role in the school, work and personal lives of students,
iv. Whereas in order to meet the demands of today’s world and to adapt to changes in technology, individuals must learn sufficient foundational material to enable them to acquire new skills during the their University education and progress toward higher-level mental activities,
v. Whereas information literacy and technological fluency will be among the criteria upon which the state and region will assess the quality of the graduates produced by UW-Whitewater and create life long learners,
vi. It is imperative that every graduate of UW-Whitewater be able to demonstrate information literacy and technological fluency, that is, the ability in both their personal and their professional lives to use the resources available now and to adapt to the rapid and inevitable changes of the future.
vii. Be it resolved that the Faculty Senate recommends that UW-Whitewater make an institution-wide effort to improve the educational environment by adopting the Information Literacy Competencies and Criteria for Academic Libraries in Wisconsin* as created by the Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians, which are designed to foster a deep understanding in students so that they become critical users of information,
viii. Be it further resolved that the Faculty Senate recommends that all UW-Whitewater instructors review their syllabi to ensure that information literacy and technological fluency are integrated to the extent they are appropriate to the course,
ix. Be it furthermore resolved that the Faculty Senate recommends that the LEARN Center include discussion on information literacy in the First Year Program for new faculty and schedule workshops and other activities for all faculty (jointly with Student Affairs where appropriate) addressing WAAL Information Literacy Competencies and Criteria and integration of them into the classroom.
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* Information Literacy Competencies and Criteria for Academic Libraries in Wisconsin < http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/waal/infolit/ilcc.html >
1. Identify and articulate needs which require information solutions.
2. Identify and select appropriate information sources.
3. Formulate and efficiently execute search queries appropriate for the information resource.
4. Interpret and analyze search results and select relevant sources.
5. Locate and retrieve relevant sources in a variety of formats from the global information environment.
6. Critically evaluate the information retrieved.
7. Organize, synthesize, integrate and apply the information.
8. Self-assess the information-seeking processes used.
9. Understand the structure of the information environment and the process by which both scholarly and popular information is produced, organized and disseminated.
10. Understand public policy and the ethical issues affecting the access and use of information.