Exploring the issue of the lack of RIM programs in academia will, I
believe, require some hard questions.  I offer my list of top ten  for the
consideration of the list.

What is RIM and where does it fit into the structure of the academy.  Is
it a field of engineering that looks at efficient ways of managing
systems?  Does it belong in a school of management or perhaps a school of
public administration?  Is it a stand alone program best placed in a
school of arts or sciences?  Is it something akin to American studies --
with few faculty and courses -- which heavily relies on the courses,
faculty, and literature of other related fields?
How do these individual programs view RIM in relation to their core
studies.  Suppose you interviewed deans at these respective schools what
would they be likely to tell you?
Suppose we have sufficient resources to endow a chair at a major research
university how do you think discussions/negotiations might flow.  How
would you respond to someone who told you that the study of records
management is inconsistent with the mission of a major research university
(that is often the party line provided when such an institution announces
the closure of a library science program).
What is the outline of the RIM body of literature?  Over the last 5 years
what are the top 10 articles that anyone who takes this field seriously
must be familiar.  Where were these articles published?
Academic institutions typically serve two purposes -- teaching and
research.  What does records management research look like?  Note: I would
define research as studies that test the validity of a hypotheses.
Is there RIM research if you exclude archival and library studies?
How would describe a RIM research agenda.  Again note that I am defining
research as studies that test the validity of a hypotheses.
If you were recruiting RIM faculty how would you describe your
requirements?  Is a doctorate degree required.  Would faculty members need
prior experience working in RIM?  Would it matter if their only experience
was as academics or consultants?
Is there a split in career paths of RIM practitioners versus
theoreticians?  Do practitioners have a role in the academy.  It is
interesting to note that a recent study criticized colleges of education
as institutions taught by people who either have never been in a classroom
or have not been in one in decades.
What was RIM like 10 years ago?  What will it be like 10 years into the
future?  Who are the key stakeholders and how are their roles likely to
change?

Dave Gaynon

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