The Face of Emergency Management Education: 2007 FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Program Report

1. The Face of Emergency Management Education:2007 FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Program Report Carol L. Cwiak North Dakota State University

2. First and foremost … THANK YOU!

3. Methodology • Eight-page survey instrument sent to all institutions on the FEMA Higher Ed webpage offering emergency management programs • One survey per institution Minard Hall, North Dakota State University, 2007

4. 66 responses – three sweeps • 60% response rate across programs • Covering 100 of the “listed” programs • 121 program classifications reported Institutional Response Rate

5. Programs Surveyed Table 1

6. Program Classifications Reported Table 2

7. Programs –Years in Existence • Range = 0-25 years • More than 74% of all programs in existence for less than 5 years

8. Number of Students Enrolled

9. Program Focus Other: dual sector or non-profit focus

10. Program Purpose Average across programs indicating blend (n=36): 43% Pre-employment 57% Advancement

11. Faculty Representation • Full-time Faculty ~ 28% - none ~ 60% - 1-3 ~ 8% - 4-5 ~ 4% - 6-9 • Part-time Faculty ~ 12% - none ~ 60% - 1-5 ~ 28% - 6-30

12. Faculty Representation • Associated Faculty ~ 53% - none ~ 21% - 1 ~ 10% - 2 ~ 16% - 3+ • Devoted Faculty ~ 33% - none ~ 38% - 1 ~ 12% - 2 ~ 11% - 3 ~ 6% - 5+

13. Faculty Representation

14. New Program Hires • 66% reported their programs did not attempt to hire • 6% attempted to hire, but ultimately did not • 28% did hire new faculty or program staff (n= 18) ~ One 33% ~ Three 11% ~ Two 33% ~ Four + 23%

15. Academic Credentials of New Hires • 53 new hires reported (18 programs) • 41% unspecified beyond status as adjunct • Remainder (n=31) identified as such: ~ Associate Degree 15% ~ Master’s Degree 23% ~ Ph.D. Degree 13% ~ Other 8% J.D. Degree (2) B.S. Degree (1) M.D. Degree (2) A.B.D. (1)

16. Student Gender Representation

17. Student Age Representation Average across programs - within programs segmentation was more evident

18. Student Representation-Traditional vs. Practitioner Average across programs - within programs segmentation was more evident

19. Programs Offering Distance Education

20. Percentage of Offerings Available – Distance Education (n= 41)

21. Enrollment and Graduation Trends

22. External Funding Opportunities (e.g., grants, contracts, etc.)

23. Institutional Support (e.g., stipends to develop courses/materials)

24. Library Resources (e.g., ability to obtain new holdings)

25. Administrative Support (e.g., support attempts to develop and implement new program ideas)

26. Emergency Management Course Utilization

27. FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Courses • Disaster Response Operations & Management (18) • Terrorism & Emergency Management (16) • Business & Industry Crisis Management (14) • Technology & Emergency Management (13) • Homeland Security & Emergency Management (11) • Principles & Practice of Hazard Mitigation (11) • Building Disaster Resilient Communities (10) • Social Dimensions of Disaster (10) • Political & Policy Basis of Emergency Management (9)

28. Additional Products, Activities & Services • Downloadable library of lectures by guest speakers; • Higher education list serv so institutionscan have a dialogue and seek advice re: program development, etc.; • Tabletop exercises; • Video/DVD and support materials; • National media promotion of the degree programs and their role in professionalization; and, • An additional staffer to take some of the pressure off of Dr. Blanchard.

29. The Top Challenges Facing Emergency Management Programs 1. Funding, funding funding! 2. Emergency management’s identity and the academic credibility and professionalism issues tied to it. 3. Recruitment, enrollment and retention issues as it applies to students.

30. The Top Challenges Facing Emergency Management Programs 4. Availability of qualified and competent faculty and staff. 5. Jobs and internships for students. 6. Current and updated educational material. 7. Finding a balance between practitioner and scholarly content.

31. Anticipated Program Changes • Increasing the size of existing programs; • Defining new programs & redefining existing programs; • Adding new course & degree offerings; • Reviews and updates to curriculum; • Going “on-line”; and, • Adding additional faculty with greater diversity of experience.

32. Anticipated Program Changes • Growing competition for students; • Losing the program due to low enrollment; • Limiting course offerings based on lack of students; • Cooperation and collaboration across programs, departments and with government agencies; • Adaptation to emerging issues and concepts; and, • Greater program customization for individual students.

33. Conclusion It behooves us - the emergency management higher education community - to meaningfully address not only the challenges that face our programs, but also to become advocates (and perhaps even stewards) of stability, growth and professionalism within the field. We have a collective responsibility that far exceeds the reach of our individual programs to meaningfully prepare future generations of emergency management professionals. We cannot afford to fail in this endeavor as it is our communities that will suffer.

34. Contact Information Carol L. Cwiak Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Emergency Management North Dakota State University P.O. Box 5075 Fargo, ND 58105 (701) 231-5847 carol.cwiak@ndsu.edu