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Establishing an EM Program

Establishing an EM Program. Brenda D. Phillips Oklahoma State University Fire and Emergency Management Program 519 Math Sciences Building Stillwater OK 74078 Brendaphillips@prodigy.net 405-612-4741 cell. Overview of this presentation. Considerations Writing a proposal to the state

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Establishing an EM Program

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  1. Establishing an EM Program Brenda D. Phillips Oklahoma State University Fire and Emergency Management Program 519 Math Sciences Building Stillwater OK 74078 Brendaphillips@prodigy.net 405-612-4741 cell

  2. Overview of this presentation • Considerations • Writing a proposal to the state • Issues for the curriculum • Challenges • The academic-practitioner link • Understanding the faculty role • The “Academy” • Professionalization • Views from within higher education • Views from the field

  3. Writing a proposal to the State • Take 6-12 months minimum. • What are the needs of the state? • Follow the application carefully. • Craft the proposal. • Establish a relationship with key person. • Obtain external review. • Obtain external consultant(s). • Revenue streams versus costs. • Obtain data. • Competitive programs. • Student market. • Job market projections.

  4. What must we have? • For most accrediting bodies, degrees must have: • A body of “disciplinary” knowledge. • Theory and methodology of the discipline. • For practice-oriented degrees, a link to experiential components. • Accountability • Student outcomes assessment procedures.

  5. What do we call “it”? • Program titles, undergraduate level • Emergency • Program titles, graduate level • Emergency = 13 • Disaster = 6 • International perspectives • In Canada, hazard (6), risk (5), disaster (3) • Australia, emergency • UK, disaster, risk, crisis • Istanbul, emergency

  6. Defining emergency management • the management of risk in order to protect life and property through a comprehensive effort that involves non-linear activities tied to mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

  7. The implicit core curriculum • Data sources: • Most commonly occurring chapter titles in available introductory texts. • Undergraduate course titles among institutions with highest enrollments. • Findings: • Emphasis on the public EM.  • The core is activity-based rather than conceptually or theoretically based. • An Americanized view of emergency management. • Assumes an all-hazards approach. • Impact of the National Governor’s Report.

  8. The debate over core competencies • This is a dynamic field. • The work varies by sector. • Many competencies can be addressed by the general education curriculum (basic science, communication et al.) • What are the needs of the state? • What is your niche? • Faculty-student advising is key.

  9. Student outcomes assessment • Mission based • Basic data (from the start): • Demographics • Recruitment • Retention/Attrition • Graduation • Employers • Data (from start to alumni/job status) • Papers, projects, portfolios, exams • Interviews, surveys, focus groups

  10. Delivery mode • Traditional • Distance • Internet • Video, Satellite, Polycom • Correspondence/Independent • Mixed

  11. Challenges: linking academics and practitioners • Well done Indiana! • Get to know each other’s organizational “cultures.” • Respect for the practitioner and their knowledge, valuing their experience. • Grasping the faculty role • Teaching, research, service, practice.

  12. Challenges: the “academy” • Understand that resources are scarce and institutions of higher education are pressed financially. • EM is fairly new, be prepared to explain, justify, convince universities of the academic integrity of the degree. • Turf battles are common, especially over curricula, establishing new programs, interdisciplinary programs. • Where do you put emergency management? • Strong social science influence on knowledge base. • Money will change things.

  13. Professionalization: the bad news • An ongoing battle since 1980s. • No accreditation bodies for academic programs. • Models: public admin, social work • Image problem: • From air raid wardens to ambulance chasers. • Rodney Dangerfield was right.

  14. Professionalization: the good news • Degree increasingly cited in job announcements. • Students are in good jobs, being promoted, in all sectors. • New respect for the field. • Good questions are being raised. • Degree programs are sound and varied.

  15. What we can all do • Follow academic accreditation standards rigorously. • Work with the state (EMA, Commission for Higher Education) • Work together to develop professional organizations, especially with/for higher education. • Share what we know and learn. • Advocate for increasing professionalization including higher education programs.

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