Developing New Collegiate Emergency Management and ...



Developing New Collegiate Emergency Management and Homeland Security Programs

 

 

Dr. Dean Larson

Adjunct Faculty

Emergency Management Certificate Program

Purdue University-Calumet, IN

 

Please see powerpoint for additional information.

 

Purdue is a steel town, and much of the program development came as the result of the integration of the steel plant’s safety officers into the incident management system.  They understood they needed training in managing events-knowledge was the gap.  Their two biggest threats are transportation hazards, because of the major East-West interstate running through town, and plant downsizing.

 

Most of their faculty are fire service officers (and it was a problem getting a non-degree Fire Chief to teach), and safety officers. 

 

Purdue currently offers a certificate, which offers undergraduate credit.  They have approved an A.S. degree, and have considered a B.S. degree. 

 

They currently allow asynchronous starts (students can begin the program with any course), which helps with ensuring numbers even if every course is not offered every semester.  They are considering moving to an on-line format.

 

Marketing is done through the LEPC, the college website, a student chapter of ASSE and their newsletter, coverage in the local media, and word on campus.

 

One issue that their University has is that they are on a border, so to attract out-of-state students, they provide a scholarship to bridge the gap between out-of-state and in-state tuition. 

 

Another problem is that industry is not fond of certificate programs, and usually requires that students be matriculated.  This is mitigated, to some degree, because students have to get pre-approval, and when employers see the subject matter, they generally OK.

 

 

James Richardson

Director

Emergency Management AAS Degree

San Antonio College, TX

 

San Antonio College’s AAS is the only AAS degree in Emergency Management in Texas.  It began in 2000, with the first class in 2003.  The main focus of the program is “hands-on” learning of emergency management basics, with a focus on FEMA Independent Study programs like the Professional Development Series and on learning-through-doing, with a 48-hour capstone internship with an emergency management agency.  The department also offers AAS degrees in Fire Science, Emergency Medical Services, and Forensics/Criminal Justice/Corrections, and Emergency Management is a logical extension (The college would like to break into business continuity planning as well).  Principles of Emergency Management was intended to be the entry-level gateway course, but that has not attracted many students.

 

San Antonio is a “blue-collar” tourist town with a large service industry.  As a result, there is not a culture of advancement.  97% of the college’s students need remediation in math or English.  For example, there is a new Toyota plant which recruits 24 hours a day, and they turn down 70% of applicants.  The largest segment of the target audience is the military, with over 12,000 active duty servicemen in the area. 

 

In most of Texas, emergency management is run by the fire departments. 

Although the fire departments are supportive of the program, they do not have the budgets to send large number of students there.  One strategy that has worked for them is that career fire officers can get credit from emergency management courses toward advanced fire officer ratings, which draws students to the program. 

 

The students are predominantly Hispanic and they range in age from high school to 50-year olds.

 

San Antonio College has developed an articulation agreement with Texas A&M, and is attempting to develop a similar agreement with the University of North Texas.

 

The college is in the process of merging “Homeland Security” into the name in an effort to attract more students.

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