Savannah State University Academic Program Strategic & Operational Plan October 2009 Academic Program: Faculty Leader: Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) Emily Bentley Mission Statement: The HSEM Program prepares students for leadership and careers in homeland security, emergency management, or public policy with broad-based knowledge, skills, and abilities to leverage resources for the protection of lives and property in preparation for and in the occurrence of any type of disaster. Vision Statement: The HSEM Program will be a resource for students aspiring to serve in the critical functions of homeland security and/or emergency management, adapting its to meet the challenges that face our communities so that SSU HSEM graduates set the standard for excellence. Professional Values & Beliefs: Item Critical professional values, assumptions, beliefs for success in completing program functions: 1 Academic integrity 2 Personal responsibility 3 Intellectual rigor 4 Respect 5 Public service 6 Ethical behavior 7 Interdisciplinary approach Positioning Statement: As the first bachelor s degree program in homeland security and emergency management at an HBCU in the nation, the SSU HSEM program is designed to provide a new generation of HSEM professionals with a broad, interdisciplinary foundation that will allow them to function as valuable team members to improve disaster outcomes in the diverse context of HSEM and the communities it serves. Groups Served: The SSU HSEM program serves both traditional and non-traditional undergraduate students with a 125-hour bachelor s degree program and a 15-hour HSEM certificate program. The program offers at least one online and one evening course per semester to serve the needs of working students. Students who have an interest in areas of emergency management or homeland security practice or in policy will benefit from the program. HSEM Program Strategic Plan, 2009-2012 page 1
Competitors: The University System of Georgia is creating an additional emergency management bachelor s degree program at Clayton State University (approved by the USG BOR in 2009). There is no HSEM degree program in South Carolina. While there are multiple bachelor s degree programs in emergency management and others in homeland security in the U.S., the SSU HSEM program is one of only a few that explicitly combine a balanced study of emergency management and homeland security in one program. Functional Tasks: Task Functional Tasks/Regular Activities of Academic Program Who delegated or mandated? 1 Teach all required HSEM courses in each academic year. HSEM program 2 Advise HSEM students. DPSPA 3 Recruit new HSEM students. HSEM program 4 Participate in departmental, CLASS and university committees and activities. VPAA 5 Engage in research that furthers the development of homeland security and/or HSEM program emergency management. 6 Teach political science courses as requested by the chairperson of DPSPA. DPSPA 7 Engage in community service, including serving as a resource to the campus community on homeland security and/or emergency management-related issues. HSEM program Learning Plan: Program Outcomes Overview Throughout the program, students move from knowledge and comprehension to application and analysis both as they progress within courses and as students progress in the. Outcomes are assessed through coursework, pre- and post-tests in select required courses, senior seminar, and portfolios. Program Outcome Introduced In-depth Applied/ mastered Entry-level skills in homeland security and HSEM 1101 HSEM 3250 HSEM 3822 emergency management, including HSEM 3130 understanding of: hazard and risk analysis; HSEM 3260 prevention and hazard mitigation; weatherrelated and other natural disasters; chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive, or public health emergencies; acts of terrorism; planning and incident management fundamentals, and public policy. An understanding of the workings and functions of various levels of American government as well as the governments, institutions and cultures of other countries; the behavior of nation states and subnational actors; and international political, social, military, and economic trends. HSEM 1101, core HSEM 3110 HSEM 3260 HSEM 3130 Evaluated through project/paper project/paper Ability to understand and discuss natural and HSEM 1101 HSEM 3250 HSEM 3130 HSEM Program Strategic Plan, 2009-2012 page 2
human-caused threats to people and property, including potential impacts, challenges, and approaches related to socioeconomic and cultural factors. Oral and written English language communication skills, including the ability to think critically and to develop, organize and present concepts, factual information/data, and analysis. Basic competency in at least one language other than English Ability to analyze policy and synthesize information across key subject areas including: critical infrastructure protection, planning and incident management, interagency coordination, intelligence analysis and sharing, and legal, constitutional, policy, and ethical issues. Ability to conduct research and present in a scholarly form; information literacy including the ability to locate relevant materials using library research and information search technologies. Computer and technology literacy through the ability to identify and use appropriate computer applications. Foreign lang I &II HSEM 3822 HSEM 3140 HSEM 3822 HSEM 3140 Foreign Lang III & IV HSEM 3110 HSEM 3120 HSEM 3130 HSEM electives ; All HSEM courses HSEM 3110 portfolio portfolio tests portfolio, senior HSEM 3822 senior Long Range (Strategic) Planning Goals: Goal Long-Range Strategic Planning Goals: What evidence shows need? 1 Continue to build a strong bachelor s degree program in This is a new program homeland security and emergency management. & so needs to increase majors, continue to refine, & develop faculty. 2 Support SSU HSEM students in succeeding in their professional aspirations. 3 Establish a reputation for the HSEM program regionally & nationally for producing top-quality HSEM professionals. 4 Recruit and retain students who will have a high degree of success in the HSEM program and professions. 5 Increase the professional qualifications and credentials of current and future HSEM faculty. Unit SSU Function: Goal: 1,3,5,7 1 See above. 2,5 2,3,4 See above. 2,5 4 See above. 2,3 3 HSEM is a growing & still evolving profession; faculty who are qualified & 1,4,5,6,7 2, 5 HSEM Program Strategic Plan, 2009-2012 page 3
knowledgeable in the field & who have a doctoral degree are scarce. A M.A. is generally still the terminal degree. Immediate Planning Objectives: Obj. Immediate Planning Objective: Evaluation plan: Unit Function: Unit Goal: 1 Identify and pursue grant funding opportunities Pursue at least two 5 1 per year 2 Explore feasibility of and if appropriate begin development of cable channel HSEM program. a. Gather contacts & process info; feasibility review (by March 2010) b. If feasible, develop program plan & set date for launch (by July 2010) 3 1 3 Form an HSEM Advisory Council composed of community members a. invitation letters (by Dec 2009) b. convene in spring 2010 4 Improve student advising system and capabilities Advising faculty participate in advising training 5 Develop and maintain list of HSEM sites and contacts 6 HSEM faculty will each participate in at least one regional or national HSEM meeting, seeking to speak/present 7 Seek to promote the HSEM program through publishing articles in academic journals or books 8 Create HSEM program recruitment & retention strategy, identifying opportunities, targets, methods, partners & responsibilities 9 Encourage and participate in efforts to improve SSU, CLASS and HSEM web presence to improve program a. Develop list by Nov 2009 b. Assign responsibility for updating annually a. Each HSEM faculty participate in at least one regional or national meeting/year Program will submit at least one article for publication each year a. Assign responsibilities (Nov 2009) b. draft strategy (Feb 2010) c. approve & implement strategy (Mar 2010) Work to revamp & improve SSU & HSEM 7 1 2 2 1,2 2 5,7 3 5 3 2,3 4 3 4 HSEM Program Strategic Plan, 2009-2012 page 4
impression and navigability/user-friendliness 10 Support HSEM faculty in additional education and professional development opportunities 11 Encourage faculty training regarding elearning proficiency, GIS and HSEM technologies web pages (by Jan 2010 & ongoing) a. Annual report on HSEM professional development b. Attract faculty with doctoral degrees in closely related fields a. Annual report on HSEM professional development 1,5,6 5 1 5 Planning Objective Evaluation Details: HSEM faculty will coordinate to assign a faculty lead on each objective. The faculty as a whole will review, no less frequently than quarterly, progress on each objective and status against benchmarks noted above. Implications Across Campus: The HSEM program as of fall 2009 has approximately 35 majors. The program s recruitment strategy will focus on bringing new students to SSU for the program. A few students from other majors may transfer into the program; however, anecdotal information indicates these are not moving from any particular majors. The program seeks to expand its enrollment, which will increase facility and faculty needs over time. However, for the three-year period of this plan, it is believed that current positions and physical plant are sufficient. The program seeks as a long-term goal establishment of a separate HSEM facility to house HSEM courses, faculty offices, and community and professional training and exercise capabilities, including a training room/emergency operations center. List Full-Time Program Faculty: 1. Emily Bentley, J.D., assistant professor and director, HSEM Program 2. Terri Clay, MPA, assistant professor 3. Lyman Monroe, MPA, assistant professor HSEM Program Strategic Plan, 2009-2012 page 5