For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office
Contact: 202-282-8010
WASHINGTON — Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas today participated in the Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC) meeting in Washington, D.C. to highlight the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) commitment to working with the academic community on a wide range of homeland security-related issues. The Council, comprised of prominent university presidents, academic leaders, and interagency partners, advises DHS on issues including campus resilience, cybersecurity, homeland security academic programs, academic research and faculty exchange, student and recent graduate recruitment, and international students.
“In the three years since its establishment, the Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council has made invaluable contributions to the Department,” said Deputy Secretary Mayorkas. “The Council is a key asset to the Department and our efforts to engage with colleges and universities around the country.”
Chaired by University of Missouri Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, the Council has delivered more than 100 recommendations to DHS. Of these recommendations, 82 percent have been fully or partially implemented, resulting in key accomplishments for both the Department and the academic community. This includes improved campus resilience and emergency planning efforts, the Department’s identification of 34 of its key research priorities, increased transparency and engagement on international student issues as well as efforts to provide guidance on homeland security degree programs at U.S. colleges and universities.
The Council’s work surrounding student and recent graduate recruitment has supported DHS’s efforts to strengthen the diversity of its workforce and develop strategic partnerships with Minority Serving Institutions. In support of the Department’s mission, the Council’s recommendations have also led to increased cybersecurity engagement with the academic community and promotion of key cybersecurity initiatives and resources.
For more information on the Council and its work, visit http://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-academic-advisory-council-hsaac on www.dhs.gov.
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