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MIAMI, Fla. (March 9, 2005) - A consortium of intelligence gathering agencies in Washington, D.C., has selected Florida International University to lead in the development of academic programs that will produce well trained and more diverse intelligence analysts.
The grant that the U.S. Intelligence Community awarded to the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Policy and Citizenship Studies at FIU's Center for Transnational and Comparative Studies (TCS), is part of an initiative seeking to diversify the ranks of its different agencies. The U.S. Intelligence Community is a consortium of agencies 14 agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy; the U.S. Coast Guard; CIA; Department of Treasury; FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security, among others.
"What we proposed is not very different from classes already offered here and at every university," said Ralph Clem, TCS's director and a professor of international relations. "It's subjects and skills such as political science, geography, statistical analysis and foreign languages. The program would coordinate all these subjects and add others to produce graduates who are competitive for jobs in Washington, D.C."
The grant gives FIU $750,000 for the 18-month pilot program, which could then be renewed over four years for a total of up to $3 million.
FIU was one of only four universities selected for the pilot phase of the U.S. Intelligence Community Centers of Academic Excellence program. The others were: Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and Clark-Atlanta University, which are participating as a consortium; Tennessee State University, and Trinity College in Washington, D.C.
John F. Stack, Jr., political science professor and director of the Gordon Institute, said the classes will be open to any interested FIU students. Initially the program will offer a certificate, but the goal is to develop a graduate degree. He said it would be similar to programs such as ROTC, or security studies, that many universities offer.
The proposal's details will be presented to the appropriate university bodies by an interim committee that includes Clem, Stack and political science professor Richard Olson.
"This program will be completely transparent and subject to the FIU governance process," Clem said.
Caryn A. Wagner, executive director for U.S. IC Affairs in Washington, D.C., said the program is part of a legislative initiative to diversify the ranks of intelligence analysts. The program's purpose "is to build long-term partnerships with accredited universities that teach academic disciplines aligned with Intelligence Community core mission skills and competencies."
Mark B. Rosenberg, FIU's provost and vice president for academic affairs, added that the new initiative will also provide substantial scholarship funds, which will be awarded on a competitive basis. Those scholarships would support advanced language and other academic training.
"We have shown we can compete nationally for resources that ultimately enhance the value we provide to the nation, the state, and our community," he said. "We have a strong track record of educating students for public service in fields such as nursing, education, public health and the military, and the Centers of Academic Excellence Program will extend this to the national security professions."
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