DMACC's nationwide TSA training program is on indefinite hold
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A TSA training program at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) is unlikely to restart for the spring semester with the federal shutdown ongoing, school officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: The school was one of the few places to offer the courses, helping thousands of TSA screeners across the country earn a Homeland Security certificate over the past decade, DMACC president Rob Denson recently told Iowa PBS.
Driving the news: The TSA halted the program effective July 1, months before the current shutdown, after indicating it lacked the authority to continue funding the program, Jeanie McCarville Kerber, an executive academic dean at DMACC, tells Axios.
- The school reassigned six faculty members while the pause continues and is working with Iowa's congressional delegation to restart it, per Denson.
Catch up quick: DMACC began TSA coursework at Des Moines International Airport in 2011 and moved it online in 2014.
- By 2017, TSA consolidated dozens of contracts and expanded DMACC's footprint to train screeners across much of the country.
- Since 2019, DMACC has handled training for all 50 states, serving roughly 500 TSA employees per term, Denson said on Iowa Press.
Context: The training is not mandatory for TSA employees, but the agency has long recognized its importance, McCarville Kerber said.
What they're saying: U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley has been in touch with the TSA for clarity on the contract and was recently informed that a review of all contracts, including DMACC's, was underway, David Bader, Grassley's press secretary, tells Axios.
- U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn says his office is ready to assist DMACC in reinstating the program, but with a partial government shutdown ongoing, agencies like TSA are unable to fully engage or move forward on many decisions.
- TSA did not respond to Axios' request for comment this week.
What we're watching: If Iowa's delegation can broker a solution that brings the coursework back in time for future semesters.