VCU To Offer Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Classes at New College Institute

By Mike Porter and Barry Dorsey

Virginia Commonwealth University and New College Institute in Martinsville today announced a new partnership in which VCU's Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness program will be offered to New College Institute students beginning with the fall 2007 semester.

"Our Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness program is a national leader in higher education. Offering the classes at New College Institute gives us a brand new way to reach students across the Commonwealth," said VCU President Eugene P. Trani. 

Trani, a member of the Board of Directors at New College Institute, participated via video conference in this morning's joint announcement of the partnership.

"We are excited to offer VCU's Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness program here," said Barry Dorsey, executive director of New College Institute.  "It is a quality program with a growing number of majors and a proven track record of success," Dorsey said.

The curriculum for the New College Institute program was developed by Judyth L. Twigg, Ph.D., associate professor and interim director of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, and William Newmann, Ph.D., associate professor and undergraduate program coordinator of homeland security and emergency preparedness at the Wilder School.

"It is a program that replicates what we offer in homeland security and emergency preparedness at VCU along with carefully selected criminal justice and political science classes," Newmann said.   

VCU will hire a fulltime faculty member in Martinsville to manage the program and teach courses.  Other Richmond-based faculty members will teach in Martinsville on a rotating basis.

VCU was the first major research institution in the nation to establish a degree program in homeland security and emergency preparedness. There are currently 137 undergraduate majors in the program.  A master's degree will be offered beginning in the fall 2007 semester.

New College Institute was established by the Virginia General Assembly and began operating July 1, 2006.  NCI's focus is on degree completion at the bachelor's and master's levels for students in Southside Virginia.  For more information, visit www.newcollegeinstitute.org.