UT Dallas Syllabus For Pa5353.501.08s Taught by Nicolas Valcik (Nvalcik)

PA 5353 – 501: Emergency Management
Program in Public Affairs School of Economic, Spring 2008

Political & Policy Sciences
Nicolas A. Valcik, Ph.D. Office: MP 2.234

972-883-6190 Office Hours: By Appointment
nvalcik@utdallas.edu Course Room: WSTC 1.216
Day and Time of Course: Friday 7:00 P.M. –
9:45 P.M.
Course Prerequisites: None
Course Summary
Since 2001 there has been a large amount of interest in the subject of emergency
management for public organizations due to recent world events (i.e. hurricane Katrina,
9/11 and Indian Ocean Tsunami). However emergency management is not a new concept.
There has been a long history of emergency management in the United States that dates
back to the 1800’s that was developed in response to floods (i.e. Johnston) fires (i.e.
Chicago) and terrorist actions (i.e. The Red Scare in the 1920’s). How an emergency is
responded to by public officials can literally determine life and death outcomes for
citizenry and may provide pivotal in limiting the amount of destruction wrought to
property and infrastructure. This course will require students to learn various theories of
how to respond to emergencies and have the student apply the theories to actual
emergency situations in a case study format to tie in an applied manner for public
organizational response.
Course Description
This course will focus on realistic situations that a manager could very well face in the
workplace. While some situations presented to the students may seem extreme, the case
studies will be representative of a situation that a manager would be required to make a
set of decisions on an issue an implement a solution. The students will be required to
work on case studies (10 of them) presented and offer a viable and realistic solution to the
problems that are in the projects. There will also be a mid term project and a final project
that the students will be expected to complete during the course of study. Students will be
expected to present documents that are coherent to the instructor using proper English
and spellings. Students are expected to actively participate in class, completed assigned
readings before class and have assignments to the instructor by the assigned date. The
instructor will contact students by UT-Dallas email, so students are expected to check
their official email on a regular basis.
Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes
In this course the students will obtain the following objectives to receive a passing grade
for PA 5353.
1. Have an understanding of emergency management for public organizations;
2. Be able to analyze and resolve applied issues in public organizations for emergency
management;
3. Have the ability to communicate effectively resolutions of emergency management

issues to other employees and managers.
Course Conduct
Students will be expected to abide in a professional manner towards the professor and
fellow students. Any student that does not act in a professional manner will be asked to
leave and can receive a zero on a mini project grade for each infraction. Please keep
your laptops and cell phones out of sight and turned off. These devices tend to be
disruptive in a classroom and are not needed for PA 5353.
Required Texts
1. Rodriguez, Havidan, Quarantellli, Enrico L., and Dynes, Russell R., 2006. Handbook
of Disaster Research. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research. ISBN - 10: 0-387-
32331-7. Springer, New York, New York. (RQD = in syllabus)
2. Valcik, Nicolas, 2007. “Emergency Management Case Study” copy packet at The
University of Texas at Dallas Bookstore. (VN = in syllabus)
Recommended Texts
1. Strunk, William Jr., and White, E.B. 1979. Elements of Style. Third Edition. ISBN 0-
02-418190-0, Macmillian Publishing Co., Inc. New York, New York.
Grades
A = 100 – 90 B = 89 – 80 C = 79 – 70 F = below 60
Grade Breakdown
Case Studies - 30% Mid Term Project – 30%

Final Research Project – 30% Participation – 10%
If the student is going to be absent when an assignment is due, the student must
make contact with the instructor prior to when the assignment is due to receive any
potential consideration for a late assignment. Assignments that are turned in late will
be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the instructor to determine if the reason merits
flexibility for acceptance of the assignment. The students will receive a zero for any work
not turned in by the due date that has not been cleared by the instructor. Think about this
clause of the syllabus in terms of what an employer would view your output or effort. It is
highly advised that students meet the deadlines as assigned. The printer ran out of ink or
MS Word was down are not valid reasons.
Remember this is your grade and it is your responsibility to ensure assignments are
turned into the instructor by the assigned date. No one is entitled to a particular grade.
Your grade is determined by your work output.
Case Studies
Each student will be required to work on 10 case studies on selected issues taken from the
case studies provided. These projects should be around two pages each. An example of a
memo is at the end of the syllabus. Please make sure to answer the questions thoroughly.
The solutions to the case study memos should be comprehensive and should
communicate the issue and resolution (or answer) effectively to the instructor.
If it is obvious reading assignments are not being completed a pop quiz may be
substituted in place of any mini project!
Mid Term Research Project
This is a 10 page assignment. You must use a real organization and develop a risk
assessment plan and a disaster recovery plan on one of the following instances: health
epidemic, flood, fire, terrorism or tornado. The first page should describe the organization
and discuss the vulnerabilities that exist in a Homeland Security context (i.e. would
Homeland Security be interested in anything that might occur at a particular workplace).
The next three pages should have a risk assessment on potential vulnerabilities that may
exist with your chosen organization. The other six pages should be used to develop a
disaster recovery plan.
The assignment needs to be well written and your answers need to be supported with
either assigned readings or external support. The questions need to be answered
completely.
Final Research Project
This is a 10 page assignment. The final project will build upon what you have already
completed at the midterm. You must use the same organization that you used for your
midterm project. This time you must develop a mitigation plan to help limit the impact of
an emergency upon your organization. You are encouraged to use innovative and
practical ideas to “fix” any vulnerability that your organization may have.
The assignment needs to be well written and your answers need to be supported with
either assigned readings or external support. The questions need to be answered
completely.
Work Cited
All references should be cited appropriately and preferably in Turabian standards in

accordance with the Public Affairs program.
Academic Integrity
No cheating or plagiarism will be tolerated. Any student that is suspected of cheating or

plagiarism will be turned over to the Dean of Students for disciplinary proceedings in
accordance with UTD’s policies and the Texas Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations,
Part One, Chapter VI, Section 3, Subsection 3.2, Subdivision 3.22.
Calendar of Assignments
Note: This Schedule can change at the Discretion of the Professor
Class 1 – 1/11/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Course Introduction
b) What is a Disaster?
c) A Heuristic Approach to Future Disasters and Crises: New, Old and In-Between Types
Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

Case Study Memo: Group Project VN Chapter 1
Class 2 – 1/18/2008
Discussion Topics
a) This Crisis Approach
b) Methodological Issues
Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapter 3 and 4

Project Assignment: VN Chapter 3 - Assignment #1 Due
Class 3 – 1/25/2008
Discussion Topics
a) The Role of Geographic Information Systems/Remote Systems in Disaster
Management
b) Morbidity and Mortality Associated with Disasters
Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 5 and 6

Project Assignment: VN Chapter 5 -Assignment #2 Due
Class 4– 2/1/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Race, Class, Ethnicity, and Disaster Vulnerability
b) Gender and Disaster: Foundations and Directions

Project Assignment: VN Chapter 6 - Assignment #3 Due
Class 5 – 2/8/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Globalization and Localization: An Economic Approach
b) Local Emergency Management Organizations

Guest Speaker: Allen Barnes, City Manager of Sachse
Project Assignment: VN Chapter 7 Assignment #4 Due
Class 6 – 2/15/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Community Processes: Warning and Evacuation
b) Search and Rescue Activities in Disasters

Project Assignment: Midterm Project Due
Class 7 – 2/22/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Community Processes: Coordination
b) Sustainable Disaster Recovery: Operationalizing An Existing Agenda

Class 8 – 2/29/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Sheltering and Housing Recovery Following Disaster
b) Businesses and Disasters: Vulnerability, Impact, and Recovery

Class 9 – 3/7/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Organizational Adaptation to Disaster
b) Community Innovation and Disasters

Guest Speaker: Dr. David Daniel, President - The University of Texas at
Dallas
Class 10 – 3/14/2008 - Spring Break
Class 11 – 3/21/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Disaster and Development Research and Practice: A Necessary Eclecticism?
b) National Planning and Response: National Systems

Class 12 – 3/28/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Disaster and Crisis Management in Transitional Societies: Commonalities and
Peculiarities
b) Terrorism as Disaster

Class 13 – 4/4/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Recent Developments in U.S. Homeland Security Policies and Their Implications for
the Management of Extreme Events
b) Unwelcome Irritant or Useful Ally? The Mass Media in Emergencies

Class 14 – 4/11/2008
Discussion Topics
a) The Popular Culture of Disaster: Exploring a New Dimension of Disaster Research
b) Remembering: Community Commemoration After Disaster

Class 15 – 4/18/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Research Applications in the Classroom
b) From Research to Praxis: The Relevance of Disaster Research for Emergency
Management
c) Communicating Risk and Uncertainty: Science, Technology, and Disasters at the
Crossroads
Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 27, 28 and 29

Class 16 – 4/25/2008
Discussion Topics
a) Crisis Management in the Twenty-First Century: “Unthinkable” Events in
“Inconceivable” Contexts
b) New Dimensions: The Growth of a Market in Fear
c) Disasters Ever More? Reducing U.S. Vulnerabilities
Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 30, 31 and 32

Class 17 – 5/2/2008
Project Assignment: Final Project Due

Memo
To: Klink, City Manager of Badlands, TX
From: Dr. Hartley, Assistant City Manager of Badlands, TX
Subject: Episode of misconduct by Attila the Hun
Date: 1/16/2007
Case Study: Example
On December 10, 2006 Attila the Hun, Director of Public Safety for the City of
Badlands, TX, pillaged the neighboring City of Alligator, TX with three other deputies
that are employed by the City of Badlands, TX. Besides the issue of pillaging, there are
also issues of Mr. Attila’s inappropriate dress code, intimidation of fellow employees,
sexual harassment and being heavily intoxicated on the job. Mr. Attila has already been
verbally warned and had an official written reprimand for previous rampages on other
cities that have occurred on October, 25, 2006 at the City of Cottonmouth, TX and
November 3, 2006 at the City of Atlas, TX.
In the verbal and written documentation it has been communicated to Mr. Attila
that city policies does not allow for the private raising of funds by ransacking other
municipalities. Not only is the City of Badlands responsible for repayment of funds to
those respective municipalities but the city is also liable for damages and injuries that
were incurred by Mr. Attila when he and the three deputies rode through all three towns
on horseback swinging their swords. The damages to the three municipalities are as
follows:
The City of Alligator, TX - $3,000 of damage, $100,000 appropriated from the local bank
The City of Cottonmouth, TX – 3 people trampled by horses, $200,000 appropriated from
local banks
The City of Atlas, TX – 4 horses stolen from local farms, $300,000 appropriated from
local banks and four people injured by swords
While I appreciate the efforts of Mr. Attila in these lean times of revenue
gathering from local property taxes and fees, I would like to point out that he has violated
several city policies and has been placed on probation one of his previous actions.
Additionally by agreeing to carry out illegal actions, the three deputies should also be
subject to disciplinary action. Mr. Attila’s proactive actions has in fact cost the City of
Badlands valuable funds for reparations to other municipalities, payment to a consultant
to battle bad public relations and payment to defend against civil litigation.
To resolve this issue I recommend that Mr. Attila be terminated along with the
three deputies whenever they are finally found. At this point the criminal justice system
has an all points bulletin to arrest the four city employees. In my opinion the previous
attempts to send Mr. Attila to anger management and retraining have had limited or no
success. In addition I recommend that when you do notify Mr. Attila of his termination
that it be in a neutral conference room with plenty of police officers in the room to give
you added protection. The last person to give Mr. Attila a written reprimand was hit over
the head with a slab of beef and dragged from Mr. Attila’s horse for 100 yards.

UT Dallas Syllabus For Pa5353.501.08s Taught by Nicolas Valcik (Nvalcik)

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PA 5353 – 501: Emergency Management

Program in Public Affairs School of Economic, Spring 2008

Nicolas A. Valcik, Ph.D. Office: MP 2.234

Course Prerequisites: None

1. Have an understanding of emergency management for public organizations;

3. Have the ability to communicate effectively resolutions of emergency management

Case Studies - 30% Mid Term Project – 30%

Final Research Project

All references should be cited appropriately and preferably in Turabian standards in

No cheating or plagiarism will be tolerated. Any student that is suspected of cheating or

Note: This Schedule can change at the Discretion of the Professor

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapter 3 and 4

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 5 and 6

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 7 and 8

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 9 and 10

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 11 and 12

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 13 and 14

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 15 and 16

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 17 and 18

Class 10 – 3/14/2008 - Spring Break

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 19 and 20

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 21 and 22

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 23 and 24

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 25 and 26

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 27, 28 and 29

Reading Assignments Due: RQD Chapters 30, 31 and 32

Project Assignment: Final Project Due

From: Dr. Hartley, Assistant City Manager of Badlands, TX

Subject: Episode of misconduct by Attila the Hun

Case Study: Example

November 3, 2006 at the City of Atlas, TX.

The City of Cottonmouth, TX – 3 people trampled by horses, $200,000 appropriated from

local banks and four people injured by swords

Badlands valuable funds for reparations to other municipalities, payment to a consultant

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