Des Moines Register
03/07/06
New ISU criminal justice program questioned
Concerns arise about whether the area of study should really be called a major.
LISA LIVERMORE
REGISTER AMES BUREAU
Ames, Ia. — A new area of study that will offer Iowa State University students
training in criminal justice is inviting fresh questions about whether the
university's interdisciplinary studies major is being used to circumvent the
approval process for new majors.
ISU announced this month it would offer a new criminology and criminal justice
program within the interdisciplinary studies major. It's the first four-year public
university in Iowa to offer a program of this type. The move is expected to
increase enrollment.
Organizers of the criminal justice program at ISU classified it as an
interdisciplinary studies major. That type of major allows students and faculty to
create areas of study that use courses from a variety of academic disciplines and
colleges.
Despite the approval of the interdisciplinary major a decade ago, an ISU faculty
senate committee will examine the interdisciplinary studies issue after spring
break, which is later this month, said Ken Kruempel, an associate professor of
electrical and computer engineering.
"It's just the overall intent of that major and how it's being used," he said.
Most new majors at ISU require several layers of approval, which include the
faculty senate's curriculum committee and end with the state's Board of Regents.
The criminal justice program received approval from the College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences' curriculum committee. The process stopped there because the
program is not being offered as a separate major.
Part of the regular approval process examines the academic reason for the area
of study, the possible job opportunities for future graduates, and whether similar
programs are offered at other state universities.
"Going to interdisciplinary studies was the quickest way to provide a substantive
program to meet student demand," said Matt Delisi, an assistant professor in
the department of sociology who helped spearhead the proposal. He
coordinates the current criminal justice studies minor.
"We don't need to say, 'Is this, in effect, a major,' " he said. "That's what all this
hubbub is about."
Zora Zimmerman, associate dean of the liberal arts college, said the
interdisciplinary studies major allows students to follow a predetermined "track,"
such as classical studies, theater or women's studies, she said. Also, it lets
students design their own major, such as "cultural geography," subject to faculty
approval, she said.
Faculty members said they expect more students to attend ISU in pursuit of a
career in criminal justice.
But the number of entry-level law enforcement jobs in Iowa has declined, and is
expected to drop more, some law enforcement leaders said.
"There may be more students studying criminal justice because of the television
shows or whatever, but, practically speaking, over the last two or three years . . .
the cities and counties were facing some pretty good cuts," said Iowa Law
Enforcement Academy Director Penny Westfall. "Law enforcement is not a
growing industry."
Zimmerman said 310 students are expected to sign up for the new criminology
and criminal justice program in 2007. By the 2008-09 academic year, 350
students are expected to enroll, she said.
At Des Moines Area Community College, the number of students seeking an
associate degree in criminal justice has increased, said Cathy Ockenfels, the
program chairwoman of criminal justice.
"I think there's a great demand for it, especially at the state university level," she
said. "Right now, most of our students end up going to a private college. They
are expensive."
Gregory Palermo, president-elect of the ISU faculty senate, said the effort to
locate new pools of students must be balanced against the health of the
university.
"There is a possibility in which you're saying, 'Aggressively pursue popular
programs,' " he said.
He said the weakness in that approach is that interest in specific programs
comes and goes.
"You've hired people. You've modified curriculums," he said. "You have to begin
to realign yourself."
Still, it's beneficial to have students come to college excited to study a discipline
they enjoy, he said.
Most students prefer to follow an area of study that piques their interest, said
Tessa Berg, an ISU junior.
"Students can weigh for themselves what they want to do with their lives whether you want to be passionate about something or make money," she said.
"A lot of times you can supplement a less practical major with another major."
ISU senior Katie Laumann, who said criminal justice is her minor, said she has
applied to be a police officer with the Ames Police Department. Laumann said
the job would hold her interest and provide good benefits.
She said she would have enrolled in the new area of study if it had been offered
earlier on.
"I'm the type of person who doesn't want to sit at a desk all day," she said. "Ames
pays pretty well. The benefits once you retire are good, too."
Law enforcement reaction:
Loras Jaeger, Ames Police Chief:
"I think it's important we hire people who are educated. I prefer to hire people
with college degrees. It doesn't have to be in criminology, because we're in a
community with persons here in many different occupations in specialized areas."
Steve Bogle, assistant director for the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation:
"I do believe it's a little more complex today and (creates) some need for
specialization in some of those areas. The environment is so dynamic, especially
in cyber crime."