The Department of Library and Information Science has developed an Accreditation Steering Committee and five Standards Committees to fully address all aspects of the accreditation process. The membership of each committee reflects our community – alumni, students, adjuncts, employers – in addition to full-time faculty.

Accreditation Committees

All standard committees are chaired by the LIS Department Chair, Dr. Sue Yeon Syn, who has appointed the other committee members . Dr. Syn will work with Dr. Cynthia Sanders (Associate Dean for Assessment, School of Arts and Sciences). 

Standards Committees (SC) for each of the five standards have also been formed and report to the ASC. The SCs membership is comprised of LIS full-time and adjunct faculty, staff, students, alumni, practitioners, and other constituencies, where appropriate. The SC members are charged with the following responsibilities for their assigned Standard: 

  • Analyze the sources of evidence used to demonstrate compliance with the Standards;
  • Review chapter drafts of the Self-Study and provide feedback and input to inform development to the chapters; and
  • Articulate where and how LIS can strengthen, refine, and improve. 
Standard Committee I: Systematic Planning
  • Chair: Dr. Sue Yeon Syn, LIS Associate Professor and Department Chair
  • Members: Dr. John Choy, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs, School of Arts and Sciences; Shachar K. Cavanagh, current LIS student
Standard Committee II: Curriculum
  • Chair: Dr. Sue Yeon Syn, LIS Associate Professor and Department Chair
  • Members: Suzanne Joseph, current LIS student; Madeline Davis, LIS Adjunct Instructor, LIS Alum, and Loudoun County Public Library Schools Librarian

Standard Committee III: Faculty

  • Chair: Dr. Sue Yeon Syn, LIS Associate Professor and Department Chair
  • Members: Jim Gillispie, LIS Adjunct Instructor and Head, Access Services, and GIS and Data Services, Sheridan Libraries, Johns Hopkins University; Dr. Caroline Sherman, Senior Associate Dean and Associate Dean for Faculty

Standard Committee IV: Students

  • Chair: Dr. Sue Yeon Syn, LIS Associate Professor and Department Chair
  • Members: Alexandra Smith, current LIS student; Emily Swain, LIS Alum, and Assistant Branch Manager, Librarian II at Kings Park Library, Fairfax County Public Library

Standard Committee V: Administration, Finances, and Resources

  • Chair: Dr. Sue Yeon Syn, LIS Associate Professor and Department Chair
  • Members: Madeline Reynolds, Associate Dean for Finance and Administration; Stephanie Noel, LIS Adminstrative Staff

External Review Panel Committee Members

Role: Serve in the collegial process of peer review by participating in the site visit, analyzing the Self-Study and sources of evidence, meeting with the program’s constituents, and completing the ERP Report.

  • Chair: Prudence Dalrymple, Teaching Professor, Health Informatics (retired), Drexel University