NIU considering certificate in homeland security

by Joe King

The national outcry over the response to Hurricane Katrina has intensified the call for greater professionalism in the field of emergency management, and Northern Illinois University is taking steps to meet that need.

The NIU Homeland Security Task Force, a cross-functional group of faculty drawn from 12 departments across four colleges, is working to create undergraduate- and graduate-level certificates in disaster preparedness and response.

To date, more than 40 classes that potentially could be part of such certificates have been culled from the university's existing course catalogue. The classes cover fields as diverse as political science and industrial technology.

“Emergency planners need to know a little bit about a lot of things and, more importantly, when or where to turn for help in each of those fields when the need arises,” said Professor of Technology Dennis Cesarotti, a member of the task force spearheading the effort.

Cesarotti, who teaches a class in disaster preparedness, brings to the team more than 20 years of experience in that field, having served as a responder, team leader and incident commander at a variety of incidents ranging from floods to anthrax scares. Having watched the response to recent disasters, he is convinced of the need for more professionals in the field.

“Recent experience has demonstrated the critical need for people who have the broad skill set required to advise public and private organizations on the best practices in risk management and on the proper approach to disaster response and recovery,” Cesarotti said. “On our campus we can draw from a wide range of talent that makes us uniquely prepared to produce graduates who can meet that need.”

The NIU task force began working last summer when the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity put out a call for universities across Illinois to create certificates. The federal government also has been encouraging colleges and universities across the country to create programs that will train the next generation of emergency managers needed to serve at every level of government and in the private sector.

Because of the complexity of disaster planning and response, the NIU Homeland Security Task Force is working to create certificates that include a series of tracks, each focusing on a specific set of skills.

Tracks under consideration include manufacturing technology, information technology/communications, health sciences security, biology and life sciences, administration, investigation, enforcement and behavioral and social aspects. As currently envisioned, students pursuing the certificates would be required to take two core courses and then choose four electives from their track.

It likely will take until next fall before a formal certificate will be offered.

However, many of the classes that will be part of such certificates will be offered in the meantime, and interested students might be able to take those classes and apply those credits toward a certificate at a later date. Students are encouraged to discuss such matters with their academic advisers.

While the certificates are not yet approved, NIU President John Peters said he is glad to see the university stepping up efforts in the area of homeland security.

“As a regional university, one of our primary roles is to identify and serve critical needs,” Peters said. “Considering the aftermath of recent natural disasters and the ongoing threat of terrorist attack, I can think of no need more important than this one.”

11-7-05