As a professor of emergency management, I have mixed emotions regarding the transition from the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) to the National Disaster Emergency Management University (NDEMU).
While I'm supportive of their stated goals, I do not support this name change. They have said they don't intend to seek accreditation or offer degrees, so why are they a university? At a time when higher ed in under near constant attack from many places, now we have to contend with a publicly funded, free to attend, University that doesn't do any of the things a real university does. I think it muddies the waters in ways they didn't need to be.
I was also very disappointed in how the Q&A was handled when they made this announcement at the Higher Ed Symposium. First speaker sure down questions about it and the second speaker took no questions at all.
Todd DeVoe Speaking: I heard that from many of the people that attended. I think this is a source of why people are upset with the change of name, because of lack of input. I get the idea of a "college" like the war colleges or what not. Taking people in the field and giving them a place to study and discuss current issues. We could have done that with the current structure of the Executive Academy and the Vanguard programs.
While I'm supportive of their stated goals, I do not support this name change. They have said they don't intend to seek accreditation or offer degrees, so why are they a university? At a time when higher ed in under near constant attack from many places, now we have to contend with a publicly funded, free to attend, University that doesn't do any of the things a real university does. I think it muddies the waters in ways they didn't need to be.
This is Todd DeVoe speaking: I agree with you, that is part of why I am so conflicted with the change.
I was also very disappointed in how the Q&A was handled when they made this announcement at the Higher Ed Symposium. First speaker sure down questions about it and the second speaker took no questions at all.
Todd DeVoe Speaking: I heard that from many of the people that attended. I think this is a source of why people are upset with the change of name, because of lack of input. I get the idea of a "college" like the war colleges or what not. Taking people in the field and giving them a place to study and discuss current issues. We could have done that with the current structure of the Executive Academy and the Vanguard programs.