Yes, we need to thank Danny for this info, however disturbing. I'm wondering if part of the problem is residency requirements which definitely have pros and cons. When I, after 16 years of practice mainly cataloging or managing cataloging, went off to do my PhD it was possible mainly because of an unusually generous paid leave from my employer. At that point in life I couldn't do the conventional impoverished grad student thing. Even then, I spent years 2-5 of my PhD as an assistant prof, but with terrific collegial and family support. Anyone less fortunate might well not be able to do it. Life does get in the way sometimes.

On the other hand, that year (really two semesters) of residency allowed me to think. I wouldn't have been able to do that sort of cerebral work without a leave from other responsibilities. When we put together our PhD program here at U Wisconsin-Milwaukee we considered an online PhD. We have a very successful online MLIS so we know how to teach online. But we felt, at least to start, that the PhD should be conventionally onsite. A PhD is a collegial degree - in some ways a research apprenticeship. I'm not yet sure how to do that online (tho' I won't say it's not possible).

The one thing that I can say with certainty is that at U Wisconsin-Milwaukee we do have faculty (current and soon to join us) and courses to support doctoral study with a focus on cataloging. Take a look at http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SOIS/academics/doctoral.htm and feel free to contact me if you want to know more.

Hope


Hope A. Olson, Professor and Associate Dean
School of Information Studies
510G Bolton Hall
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI 53201
USA
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SOIS
email [log in to unmask]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Karen Weaver" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 9:05:20 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: Re: [eduCAT] So, who has doctoral students in cataloging?

Daniel: Thank you for asking the question -- !

I would appreciate hearing the results on this too, from my own
experience, and that of other potential and present doctoral students
it is a serious concern on many different levels.

  Lack of faculty who are supportive in these areas = lack of a strong
curricula and future in LIS programs. Being 'marginalized' as you may
know, is a good term to use. The pool of talent exists out there, so there
are other excuses.

All the best,
 Karen

Karen Weaver, MLS
Adjunct Instructor, Cataloging & Classification
The iSchool at Drexel
Philadelphia PA
email: [log in to unmask]

Electronic Resources Statistician
Duquesne University, Gumberg Library
Pittsburgh PA
email: [log in to unmask]