Homeland Security Education @ TAMU

The Integrative Center for Homeland Security has made available a history of the development of the Masters of Science in Homeland Security Policy, Science, Engineering, and Technology. The document provides information about how the idea for the program was conceptualized, how the committees that are currently developing the program have been formed, and the goals and objectives of the program.

To view the document, visit the ICHS website.

Students, staff and faculty who are interested in the masters can also get information through the Homeland Security Masters Program group in Facebook. I will post periodic updates to that group as development of the program progresses. This would be a particularly good venue for students who are interested in applying to the program when it is launched.

David McIntyre, director of the Integrative Center for Homeland Security, was recently elected to the board of directors for the InfraGard National Members Alliance. Dr. McIntyre is chair of the Interim Steering Committee that is working on development of the new masters program in homeland security. More….

I’ve added three additional pages to this blog (top right menu). The Minutes link will take you to a page where I will put copies of minutes from meetings. The Resources page will have links to pertinent sources that we will be referring to as we develop the new program. The Process gives the steps of what we will have to do to get a new program launched and an estimated time line.

I have had a lot of questions regarding some of the documents we are working on for the new intercollegiate masters in homeland security that we are standing up here at TAMU. Hopefully, I can answer some of them here.

There was no formal process (that I am aware of) for doing this until a rule was issued in December of 2006. That rule (15.01.99.M7) apparently requires two proposals–one for the creation and internal approval of the intercollegiate administrative framework for the program and a separate and more extensive proposal for the new degree, which requires both internal and state approval. But that is based on my interpretation of the rule.

The rule states that a group of faculty representing one discipline, but multiple departments or colleges, will come together for the purpose of enhancing research and scholarly activities and overseeing graduate or undergraduate degree programs that do not exist in an academic unit. They must develop a set of bylaws, identify sponsoring departments and colleges who act as advocates during the creation/evaluation process, identify a home department and college where the program will reside administratively, and then submit a proposal for establishing the interdisciplinary program (IDP). The approval of the interdisciplinary degree is a separate process and requires more extensive documentation and approval than establishing the IDP.

The proposal for the IDP administrative framework must contain the rationale for the program, the bylaws, a description of the participating deans and department heads and a budget with justification for the operating costs of the program. Formal approval of the IDP administrative framework is routed through several internal levels up to the Executive Vice President and Provost. What is NOT clear in the rule is whether or not the IDP administrative structure must be approved before the new degree can be created or if they can be done concurrently. My thought would be to do them concurrently to save time.

The rule goes on to say that IDP efforts may include faculty from other Texas A&M System members as outlined in the bylaws. A memorandum of understanding is required between the System member and Texas A&M University.

We have established an interim steering committee composed of members from every college to work on those two proposals. Currently, they are meeting once each month and plan to vote on bylaws in time for the December meeting. Below are sample bylaws I have found online. I have hard copies of several others if anyone wants to take a look at them.

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