Graduation Year

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.A.

Degree Granting Department

Geography, Environment and Planning

Major Professor

Jennifer Collins, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Graham A.Tobin, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Robin Ersing, Ph.D.

Keywords

Emergency, Hazards, Management, Planning, Risk

Abstract

Student populations at Gulf Coast universities and colleges are subjected to multiple forces working together making them an especially vulnerable sub-group to hazards. Research has suggested that college students represent a segment of the population that hazards research has frequently overlooked and maybe not fully appreciated in university emergency planning. Most prior research has focused on university disaster experiences, highlighting what went wrong, and what should be done but little research focuses on what is actually taking place. The primary intent of this research was to gain better insight into university emergency planning and identify areas universities have neglected with respect to students' wellness. Interviews were conducted with various representatives from university Emergency Management, Student Affairs and Residence Life Offices at universities in the Florida State University System. Universities were found to have neglected concerns pertaining to student involvement, assessment of hazards perceptions, language barriers, mutual-aid agreements, emergency housing plans and personal emergency plans of key personnel. The results from this study will help fill gaps in hazards and emergency management research and provide useful suggestions for improving university emergency planning and areas for future research.

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