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    Bharat Mehra, PhD
    Associate Professor
    School of Information Sciences
    University of Tennessee
    # 454 Communications Building, 

    1345 Circle Park Drive
    Knoxville, TN 37996-0341

    Telephone: (865) 974 5917 (O) 
    E-mail: [log in to unmask]
    Homepage: http://www.sis.utk.edu/users/bharat-mehra (cut and paste the URL in your web browser).

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Howdy! Of interest to many of you, here is information about a course I will be teaching in the spring. Feel free to get in touch and I will be happy to address any questions, comments, etc. Best, Dr. M

Diversity is the thread that ties the fabric of the world we live in. We are all part of a diverse workforce and the communities we serve. How can we develop cultural competence and lead our information organizations to respond effectively to the diverse challenges and opportunities that are available to us in the 21st century?

Enroll in INSC 590 (Diversity Leadership in Information Organizations) for the spring to help find answers and shape emerging best practices!

Meeting Time and Place: Synchronous Cyberspace! [Friday 6.30-9.10pm]

Course Credit Hours: 3 Graduate Course Credit Hours

Instructor: Dr. Bharat Mehra

 

Course Description: Developing effective diversity leadership skills to provide inclusive services to underserved populations in varied information organizations. Analyzes management of responsive strategies to develop cultural competence and effective leadership skills in a diverse workforce information environment. Critically evaluates a variety of information responses to ensure equality/equity of representation, access, and information use of diverse stakeholders in a community-centered organizational setting. Students propose a strategic diversity action plan to identify directions of progressive growth and professional practice in a self-selected organization.

 

Value Proposition:

Diversity is recognized as an integral reality of the 21^st century life experience. This course is designed to prepare future information professionals to develop inclusive services to underrepresented populations based on race, ethnicity, color, national origins, gender, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, veteran status, education, income, age, geography, religion, amongst other variables. Students create a Diversity Portfolio analyzing existing responses to diversity in an organization and propose a range of responsive strategies to further cultural competence and effective leadership in the diverse workforce environment. Students critically evaluate a variety of existing information responses (e.g., collections, services, programs, resources, policies, and best practices) to ensure equality/equity of representation, access, and information use of diverse stakeholders in the community-centered organizational setting of choice. Students also develop a strategic diversity action plan for the information organization to identify future directions of progressive growth and professional practice.

 

Prerequisites: None