In this Edition: Welcome from the Director New Website New Faculty Members Facilities Update Student Spotlight Texas Peace Officer Tuition Exemption Degree Programs Director s Welcome The Bi-Monthly Newsletter of the Center for Security Studies September 2011 Once again, I want to welcome you to Angelo State University s Center for Security Studies (CSS)! Since our previous newsletter in July, we have made a great deal of progress on several fronts. Our five new degree programs (bachelor s in cultural competence and security studies; bachelor s in cultural fluency and security studies, which adds a language proficiency requirement to the previous degree; master s in security studies; bachelor s in border security studies; and master s in border security studies) went active this month, with our professors teaching 27 courses to approximately 225 students. Just as important was the ASU Curriculum Committee s unanimous approval of the updated versions of these five degree programs, which will make them readily available to all interested parties beyond the original Air Forcefocused audience, and of the bachelor s and master s degrees in intelligence, security studies and analysis. All of the universally accessible and new programs will be online, and then in hybrid status, beginning in August of 2012. We re also building the initial outlines of a master s in strategic thought and leadership to assist leaders from all walks of life hone their abilities to think, act, advise and lead within a strategic-cognitive context that helps them understand, minimize the effects of, and even take advantage of nonlinearity and complexity in our world. This degree plan will go active in August of 2013, pending all the required approvals and accreditation. Finally, we re adding a new cyber and space security track within our border security programs (and as workload permits, within our culture and security and intelligence degrees), a vital addition that will help students think about why keeping these domains safe for American use is so crucial to our national security. Perhaps our biggest news this summer is the permanent move of ASU s criminal justice program into the Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice, which also houses the CSS s academic programs. We re thrilled to have Dr. Randy Hicks, Dr. Won-Jae Lee and Monica Koenigsberg on our team. The cross-flow and interaction among our three programs, especially border security and criminal justice, will make our degree programs even more useful to students. We ve already taken the necessary steps to make the B.A., B.S. and M.S. in criminal justice programs even stronger by positioning them for Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) accreditation, and organizing them into tracks that will allow students to focus heavily on the areas in which they plan to pursue employment after graduation. As the criminal justice team joined us, the entire department team moved into the College of Business, an outstanding match through which our faculty can work with their business counterparts to determine how to bring together educational initiatives that combine topics such as culture, policy-making, and economic and energy security. Member, Texas Tech University System Our complementary initiatives and partnerships are advancing rapidly. For the second time, we hosted the Air Force Advanced Analysis Course for 28 of the Air Force s best intelligence analysts in July. We continue to build a firm partnership with our Air Force counterparts as we seek to develop an agreement that will give graduates of the officers intelligence course credits toward our master s programs. Finally, we ve begun working with an outstanding consulting company to develop summer short courses in national security studies, intelligence analysis and cyber security, all scheduled to begin in the summer of 2012. Contact Us: Angelo State University Center for Security Studies ASU Station # 10922 San Angelo, TX 76909 (325) 486-6682 css@angelo.edu www.angelo.edu/css The CSS continues to take the concept and reality of security studies scholarship to a new level. I invite you to join the team to further your professional and scholarly development, to engage deeply with the many challenges facing our country and, in the process, to help make it safer and more prosperous. Robert S. Ehlers Jr., Ph.D. Director New Website Live Due to the addition of the criminal justice degrees to our department, our website has changed. The website now represents all degrees in cultural competence and security studies, border security and criminal justice, as well as initiatives related to the Center for Security Studies. Check out our new website at: http://www.angelo.edu/dept/security_studies_criminal_justice/.
Welcome New Faculty Members Dr. John Blumentritt Dr. John Blumentritt is an assistant professor in the ASU Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice. He earned his B.S. in biology from ASU and his M.S. from Michigan State University. He then completed three additional master s degrees related to strategy development and national security from the U.S. Naval War College, School of Advanced Airpower Studies and Air War College. He earned his Ph.D. in 2009 from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, where his dissertation compared senior political and military leadership during the post-cold War environment. Before retiring as a colonel from the U.S. Air Force in 2011, Blumentritt piloted aircraft worldwide and worked as a strategist at the Pentagon. He also served as an assistant professor of aerospace operations while leading a 100-person military strategic studies team at the U.S. Air Force Academy. A life-long ASU advocate, he participated in the ASU Alumni Leadership Summit in 2001, and was recognized as the Alumni Association s 2005 Distinguished ROTC Alumnus. In 2009, he served as an executive member of the ASU Alumni Advisory Council for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. He joined the ASU faculty in August of 2011. Dr. Anthony Celso Associate Professor Dr. Anthony Celso, who is starting at ASU as an associate professor in the Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice, is an internationally recognized scholar. Since earning his Ph.D. at Ohio State in 1989, he has worked at Mount Union College, the University of Central Florida and for the last 15 years at Valley Forge Military Academy, where he received numerous teaching and graduates awards. Celso is the author of 10 peer-reviewed publications and a Washington Times editorial. He is a specialist in Islamic terrorism and Mediterranean and Middle East Politics, and will develop and teach Middle East classes at Angelo State. Last September, he organized a workshop on Islamic Terrorism in Spain for a University of Tubingen, Germany, conference on home-grown radicalism. He is currently engaged in a research effort looking at the future evolution of Al Qaeda in the post- 9/11 world. He has been married to his wife, Alicia, for over 21 years. He joined the ASU faculty in August of 2011. Dr. Jeffrey Dailey Dr. Jeffrey Dailey is an assistant professor in the ASU Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice. He earned his B.A. in physics and a B.S. in computer science from Florida Atlantic University, an M.A. in criminal justice from Eastern Kentucky University and his doctorate in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University in 2002. Dailey worked for Raytheon for 11 years as a subcontractor to the Department of Defense, assigned primarily to Army and Air Force intelligence units in the continental U.S., and overseas as an intelligence analyst. His assignments included three years stationed in Germany and three years at the National Security Agency (NSA) in Ft. Meade, Md., as well as stints at Key West Naval Air Station and in Washington, D.C. Dailey joins the border security program after teaching criminal justice at Eastern Kentucky University and Texas A&M. His canine friend and companion, Molly, is rumored to rule the house. Dailey joined the ASU faculty in August of 2011.
New Faculty Members Continued... Mr. Mark Pullin Lecturer Mr. Mark Pullin earned his B.S. in criminal justice from the University of Houston-Victoria and his M.S. in criminal justice from the College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University. He continued his education at the College of Criminal Justice, where he will soon complete his doctorate in criminal justice with a dual emphasis in criminal justice administration and legal aspects. Pullin worked in his family s marketing and advertising business for two decades while gaining valuable experience with governmental agencies through project management across the country. This experience coincided with his academic path of criminal justice administration, working with police and correctional agencies through research endeavors and completing internal agency projects to further policy development. He joined the ASU faculty in August of 2011. Dr. William Taylor Dr. William A. Taylor is an assistant professor of security studies in the ASU Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy with honors and distinction, he participated in the Navy s highly selective Voluntary Graduate Education Program, where he earned an M.A. in history from the University of Maryland. While serving on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, he completed an M.A. in security studies at Georgetown University, also graduating with honors. In 2010, he earned his Ph.D. in history from George Washington University. He specializes in security studies, military history, strategic thought and defense policy. In addition to his academic credentials, Taylor also served as an officer in the Marine Corps for over six years, holding posts in III Marine Expeditionary Force, Expeditionary Force Development Center and Marine Corps Combat Development Command. He joined the ASU faculty in July of 2011. Facilities Update Instructional Language Laboratory (Academic Building) The new state-of-the-art Language Laboratory is complete! Dualscreen projectors provide students with a more immersive learning environment, and videoconferencing cameras allow faculty and students the capability to connect with other language resources worldwide. Innovative new mobile student desks can be configured individually or can be moved to separate the students into working groups, transforming the area into a robust, active-learning laboratory for today s language students. Outside the classroom in the hallway of the Academic Building, a new world clock and video monitor have been installed, bringing students real-time updates and information from around the world. The modern classroom furniture and technology has been installed in the Language Lab. This completes the renovation. New Faculty Offices ASU is currently repurposing the former OneCard Office on the second floor of the Hardeman Building to house the Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice s new faculty members. Demolition work is complete, and five rooms are being reconfigured into two hard-walled offices and six separate partitioned offices. Once completed, this area will allow the faculty a common work environment rather than being scattered across campus. The estimated completion date is mid-october.
Student Spotlight Ryan Smith, U.S. Border Patrol Agent U.S. Border Patrol Agent Ryan Smith standing in front of a helicopter that he pilots as an air interdiction agent. Ryan Smith started the Master of Science in border security program this fall. He joined the U.S. Border Patrol in 1998 and was stationed in Sierra Blanca, Texas. In 2002, he began working to earn his commercial pilot s license with an Instrument rating, with the hopes that he would be transferred into the aircraft program within the Border Patrol. In 2005, he was promoted to the position of supervisory border patrol agent. In 2007, he began the Pilot Trainee Program in the Office of Air and Marine. Upon completion of the training, he was appointed to his current position of air interdiction agent. Smith flies a Cessna 206 airplane and an AS350 Astar helicopter. As an agent in Alpine, he primarily supports the Border Patrol agents of the Marfa sector and also supports other federal, state and local agencies when called upon. In his position, Smith is responsible for the safe execution of daily flight operations along the U.S.-Mexico border. His position requires that he be able to think quickly and use sound judgment in critical situations. Smith attended Angelo State University from 1994-96, but ultimately received his Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Sul Ross State University in 1998, graduating magna cum laude. He said that he chose ASU to continue his education because of the quality of education that is provided here. Being a former ASU student, he saw first-hand the amount of time and effort required to succeed, and considers it an honor to be able to earn a degree from ASU. When he decided that he should pursue his master s degree, he first looked to ASU for options and was surprised to find the new border security program. Given his current position and career goals, the degree was a natural fit for him. Smith comes with the highest of recommendations for the program. One of his mentors stated that Smith is hard working, dedicated, mission-oriented, driven, motivated and a self-starter and that his eagerness and desire to enroll in the Master of Science in border security curriculum only exemplifies his dedication to duty and willingness to serve the United States of America. From the program, Smith hopes to gain a better understanding of all areas of border security, not just what he deals with on a daily basis. He believes that the knowledge he gains from the program will make him more competitive in his field and benefit him in future positions. He also hopes that the degree will help him to become a more experienced and knowledgeable leader in his field. The Center for Security Studies would like to welcome Agent Smith and our other students to the inaugural semester of the new programs. With this high caliber of students, we are sure that the programs will be a great success and serve a great purpose. Texas Peace Officer Tuition and Lab Fee Exemption Program Beginning in the fall of 2011, the State of Texas is offering a tuition and laboratory fee exemption to Texas peace officers seeking an undergraduate degree in a field related to law enforcement or criminal justice. Students enrolled in the following programs at ASU may be eligible for the exemption: Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Bachelor of Border Security An eligible student is a person who: Is employed as a peace officer by Texas or by a political subdivision of Texas; and Enrolls in an undergraduate program (certificate, associate or baccalaureate); and Enrolls in a criminal justice or law enforcement-related degree program at the institution; and Is making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree as determined by the institution s financial aid policy; and Applied for the exemption at least one week before the last date of the institution s regular registration period for the applicable semester or other term; and Has not previously attempted 30 or more semester credit hours beyond the degree plan at any Texas public institution of higher education while classified as a resident student (TEC Section 61.0595 (a)). For more information on the program, please visit the College for All Texans website at http://www.collegeforalltexans.com/apps/financialaid/tofa2.cfm?id=589.
Degree Programs 100 percent online Eight-week courses Bachelor of Cultural Competence and Security Studies The Bachelor of Cultural Competence and Security Studies (B.C.C.S.S.) degree is meant to increase students global cultural competency and knowledge of national security issues. The courses will increase the students critical thinking and analytic skills in strategic culture, foreign policy and international security studies. This degree is offered completely online. Bachelor of Cultural Fluency and Security Studies The degree requirements for the Bachelor of Cultural Fluency and Security Studies (B.C.F.S.S.) are the same as the requirements for the B.C.C.S.S. To be admitted into the B.C.F.S.S., students must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English by scoring a 2+ on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale on the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) exam or Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT). Students may satisfy language proficiency in other ways as approved by the ASU Department of English and Modern Languages. This degree is offered completely online. Bachelor of Border Security The Bachelor of Border Security (B.B.S.) increases students awareness and understanding of current issues in border security within the wider realm of homeland security. The courses will increase the students critical thinking and analytic skills across the diverse fields of criminal justice, criminology, emergency management and associated legal issues. The degree offers three specializations to choose from: crime and border security, terrorism and counterterrorism, and border security law. This degree is offered completely online. Master of Security Studies The Master of Security Studies (M.S.S.) is a distinctive degree addressing the growing need of improving the cross-cultural and security competence of U.S. military, intelligence, diplomatic and non-governmental specialists with recognized bachelor s degrees in related subjects, such as political science, history, security studies, economics and international relations. The M.S.S. is also open to all those with bachelor s degrees in security issues or a related field who want to improve their cultural, regional, negotiation and security abilities in our complex world. To increase flexibility, the program has both a thesis and a non-thesis option. This degree is offered completely online. Master of Science in Border Security The Master of Science (M.S.) in border security is an online degree addressing the growing needs of homeland security and law enforcement personnel who face an ever-changing world of transnational crime and terrorism. It incorporates theoretical and practical studies of the key fields of critical infrastructure, intelligence, terrorism, counter-terrorism, law and associated constitutional issues, and emergency management as they are applicable to the field of homeland security, and specifically those concerns associated with border issues. The M.S. in border security degree is open to all those with bachelor s degrees, and is especially appropriate to those holding degrees in related subjects, such as criminal justice, law enforcement, emergency management and criminology. The program consists of 15 semester hours of core courses, 18 hours of electives and a three-semester-hour capstone course to tie together all aspects of the program.