San José State Launches the College of Information, Data and Society (IDS)

San José State’s College of Information, Data and Society (IDS) is home to the iSchool and the Department of Applied Data Science.

 San José State University has launched the College of Information, Data and Society (IDS), the first college of its kind in the CSU system. Under the leadership of Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Vincent Del Casino, Jr., IDS is home to the School of Information (iSchool) and the Department of Applied Data Science.  

“We are nationally and globally recognized for shaping the future of the workforce, preparing students for career paths that exist today and those that have yet to be created and all of this is being realized in this new college,” said Del Casino.  

The college, formed last spring, is being led by Interim Dean Michael Meth, who is also the dean of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. This new college also represents a cross-campus strategy to expand access to degrees that crosscut  information and data sciences, and gives SJSU the capacity to enhance its role as a workforce development leader in the fields of information and library science, artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics and ethics, instructional design, and cybersecurity at the undergraduate and graduate levels. SJSU is launching a search for a permanent dean for IDS this fall.

“Putting these programs together into one college is yet another example of SJSU maximizing its resources and innovating to the benefit of our students,” said SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson. “We are at a pivotal moment in the future of information. SJSU intends to lead our students into that future, ensuring they will be well-prepared to meet this moment.”

Vincent Del Casino, Jr. introduces the College of IDS.

The iSchool prepares students for careers as information professionals in diverse areas such as libraries and librarianship, user experience design, digital asset management, information architecture, electronic records management, information governance and digital preservation. 

The Applied Data Science Department offers academic programs to address emerging workforce demands of interdisciplinary talents designing and deploying intelligent solutions to real-world data challenges. 

The debut of IDS comes as SJSU prepares to host the annual Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) convening on campus November 7-8, 2024. PIT-UN is a collaboration among dozens of higher education institutions committed to building the field of public interest technology.

Visit the College of Information, Data and Society website to learn more.