As part of the 2024–25 Program Review process at SUNY Broome, the Homeland Security & Management A.S. program is engaging in a thoughtful, data-informed reflection on its performance. The full data packet provides a comprehensive set of metrics—including admissions funnel data, student demographics, earned credit hours, course outcomes, retention, graduation, and transfer trends. This summary highlights several key indicators that shed light on the program’s effectiveness. By analyzing trends in enrollment, credit hour production, graduation outcomes, and transfer rates, faculty can make informed decisions that advance student success, ensure alignment with institutional priorities, and enhance the program’s readiness for seamless transfer opportunities.
Enrollment Trends
Enrollment in the Homeland Security & Emergency Management A.S. program has experienced a steady decline since its peak in Fall 2018, when the program enrolled 42 full-time (FT) and 8 part-time (PT) students. In the years that followed, both FT and PT enrollments gradually decreased, with FT enrollment dropping to 6 students by Fall 2023. However, there was a modest uptick in Fall 2024, with FT enrollment increasing to 13 students. Despite the overall decline, the program’s recent increase in FT enrollment may indicate early signs of renewed interest. PT enrollment has remained relatively low and stable, ranging from 2 to 6 students across the observed terms. The program is developing action plans as part of the program review process to help to bolster enrollment in the future.
Age Demographic Trends
The age demographic trends for the Homeland Security & Emergency Management A.S. program show a steady decline across both age groups from Fall 2018 to Fall 2024. In Fall 2018, the program enrolled 28 indirect entry students (age 20+) and 22 direct entry students (under 20). Over time, both groups saw declines, with indirect entry students dropping to 6 and direct entry students to 9 by Fall 2024. The most notable dip occurred in Fall 2023, when both groups enrolled just 4 students each. However, Fall 2024 shows a slight rebound, particularly among younger students, suggesting a potential shift in the program’s appeal to traditional-age college students.
Earned Credit Hour Trends
The earned credit hour rate for Homeland Security & Emergency Management A.S. students has consistently exceeded the overall College average across the reviewed years. Beginning at 75.1% in Fall 2018, the program saw a substantial increase to 90.2% in Fall 2021—a 15.1 percentage point gain over three years. Although there was a brief dip to 77.3% in Fall 2020, the program quickly rebounded, reaching 90.1% again by Fall 2023. This marks a 12.8 percentage point increase from the low in Fall 2020 to the most recent term. The strong upward trend for the program highlights effective academic momentum, the robust academic support provided by the program faculty, and a high level of student commitment to course completion.
Course Outcome Trends
DFW Rates
The Homeland Security & Emergency Management A.S. program has consistently achieved lower DFW rates compared to the overall College average (lower is better). In 2023–24, the program’s DFW rate was an impressive 10%, significantly outperforming the College-wide rate of 23.9% by 13.9 percentage points. This remarkable difference continues a multi-year trend of strong academic resilience and course completion among Homeland Security & Emergency Management students.
C or Better Rates
The Homeland Security & Emergency Management A.S. program has also consistently performed at or above the College average in terms of students earning a grade of C or better. In 2018-2019, the program started with a rate of 72.8%, which was 2.0 percentage points higher than the College-wide rate of 70.8%. The program peaked at 82.5% in 2021–22 and reached a new high of 86.3% in 2023–24, 12.7 percentage points higher than the College average of 73.6%. Although there was a temporary dip to 67.0% in 2022–23 (which was 4.9 percentage points lower than the College rate of 71.9% that year), the program rebounded strongly the following year. These trends highlight the program’s continued emphasis on academic support and student success, with particularly strong outcomes in recent years.
Retention Rates
The Homeland Security & Emergency Management A.S. program has shown a strong upward trend in Fall-to-Fall retention, culminating in a 100% retention rate from Fall 2023 to Fall 2024, a significant milestone. After a drop to 42.9% between Fall 2019 and Fall 2020, the program steadily improved, reaching 66.7% in both the Fall 2021–Fall 2022 and Fall 2022–Fall 2023 cycles. The most recent increase represents a 33.3 percentage point gain in just one year and a 57.1 percentage point increase since the program’s lowest point. This dramatic improvement reflects strengthened student persistence, targeted support, strong faculty commitment to student success, and growing student engagement within the program. Additionally, the 2023–24 retention rate stands 44.4 percentage points above the College average of 55.6%, further highlighting the program’s recent success in retaining students.
Graduation Rates
Graduation trends for the Homeland Security & Emergency Management A.S. program have fluctuated over the years, with notable highs and some recent challenges. The program peaked with a 50% 3-year graduation rate for the Fall 2019 cohort, which was 33.0 percentage points higher than the College-wide average of 17%. Earlier cohorts also performed strongly, with 43.5% for Fall 2016 (25.9 percentage points higher than the College rate of 17.6%) and 40% for Fall 2018 (22.6 percentage points higher than the College rate of 17.4%). However, graduation rates have declined, dropping to 37.5% for Fall 2020 (21.0 percentage points higher than the College’s 16.5%) and sharply falling to 0% for the Fall 2021 cohort, marking a 50-percentage point decrease from the program’s highest- performing year. Despite this recent decline, the program has historically maintained graduation rates well above the College average, which remained relatively steady between 15% and 17.6% during this period.
Transfer Rates
The Homeland Security & Emergency Management A.S. program has shown varied transfer outcomes for First-Time, Full-Time students, with several cohorts outperforming the College average. The program reached its highest transfer rate of 75% in Fall 2019, which was 37.5 percentage points higher than the College rate of 37.5%. In Fall 2018, the program achieved a rate of 46.7%, exceeding the College average of 43.6% by 3.1 percentage points. Even in more recent years, the program maintained a competitive standing—33.3% in Fall 2021, just 2.3 percentage points below the College’s 35.6%. These trends reflect periods of strong alignment with transfer pathways and indicate opportunities to reinforce transfer support to sustain or regain earlier success.
These findings from the Homeland Security & Emergency Management Program Review Data Packet reveal key trends in enrollment, academic performance, retention, graduation, and transfer outcomes. While the program shows strong areas, opportunities for growth remain—particularly in graduation and transfer rates. The program Review process supports data-informed reflection, helping faculty strengthen student success and ensure alignment with SUNY Broome’s mission. Faculty are working on taking this data to help develop action plans to address areas of opportunity and to continue to strengthen areas in which the program excels.
Submitted by: Office of Institutional Effectiveness
