SIF23 SCPS Public Safety

Project Manager: Alex Hernandez, School of Continuing and Professional Education

The purpose of this award was to provide support to expand public safety academic programs in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

BoV Approved: September 2016

Project Dates: 10/19/2016 – 10/18/2019

Total Funding: $600,000

Executive Summary

The intention of this award was to hire a non-tenure track Assistant Professor of Practice in Public Safety Administration and Statewide Program Director, who would be responsible for assembling the curriculum and partnerships necessary to begin a Professional Master's degree in Public Safety Administration in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Current Status: Completed

Achievements

Former Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo was hired as the Program Director, curriculum was developed, and SCHEV approval was attained for the program. The Director spent his time building internal and external support for the program, developing the program’s reputation, holding public policing panels and roundtables, designing the program, and assisting with the program proposal submission and approval process to SCHEV. SCPS received approval in March 2020 to change the MPS degree program from hybrid to fully online. SCPS plans to offer the Master of Public Safety (MPS) degree to graduates of the FBI National Academy (FBINA), beginning Summer 2021. A robust sustainability plan has been presented. The SIF Post-award Assessment Committee performed a final review in April of 2020 and determined that this SIF award successfully completed its project goals and produced a significant return on investment.