TAMIU Annual Report 2022

TAMIU President Dr. Pablo Arenaz (far left), and Dr. Peter Haruna, back, right, TAMIU MPA Program director, join the inaugural class of the 2022 CPM Program. TAMIU CPM PROGRAM HELPING ADVANCE CITY OF LAREDO The continued enhancement of public servants’ skills and knowledge for a dynamically growing community is being addressed with TAMIU’s delivery of a new Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program. The first CPM cohort is composed of 15 City of Laredo department directors and is tightly focused on areas of municipal management and administration. The CPM program is a nationally-accredited program offered by TAMIU’s Master of Public Administration Program through the Office of Continuing Education. It’s the culmination of years of collaboration between Texas State University (TSU), TAMIU, and the City of Laredo, said Dr. Peter Haruna , TAMIU MPA program director. “The CPM program opens doors to practitioners who desire skill and knowledge enhancement without seeking a full-scale graduate degree,” Dr. Haruna explained, “The first cohort will graduate in January 2023. This is a win- win for all of our stakeholders: City of Laredo, TAMIU, Texas State University, and the entire CPM program community.” The program’s seven tracks cover personnel administration, communication, productivity and program evaluation, managing for quality, budgeting and finance, information technology, and a capstone practicum. Program delivery is based mainly on case study analysis and reflections on municipal best practices. Programs like this advance TAMIU’s Strategic Plan by promoting strategic partnerships with the immediate community and other institutions, and also by cost- effectively facilitating skill and knowledge sharing, Haruna noted. “Our special gratitude goes to core CPM program faculty from TAMIU and TSU, who have willingly agreed to participate and deliver the CPM courses,” Haruna said. 28