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The principal goal of the project is to upgrade our instructional laboratories with up-dated equipment to strengthen the enrollment, retention, training and the placement of students in the food and agricultural sciences.<P> Therefore, the specific objectives of this proposal are to: 1) replace non-functional obsolete equipments, 2) enhance the instructional laboratory equipment and supplies, 3) hire and train two teaching assistants from our Master of Science Program to monitor the laboratory daily to facilitate student learning, 4) prepare laboratory manuals on the instructional materials, and 5) improve the chemical and bio-safety of the laboratory for the safety of the students.
Non-Technical Summary: Historical Black Institutions such as Prairie View A&M University are funded primarily by State and Federal dollars which are limited in acquiring new, state-of-the-art instructional equipment to adequately prepare our undergraduate students to advance their careers at the graduate and professional levels. Such limitation has affected the confidence of our students, especially ethnic minority students in pursuing Ph.D. and other professional degrees such as DVM. Those who attempted to pursue post-graduate degrees reported that they had to spend extra time in laboratories compared to the hours spent by students from other institutions, in order to be successful. The insecurity they developed from the limited preparation they received at PVAMU encourages them to seek employment after receiving the Bachelor of Science degree, instead of pursuing graduate programs. <P> Approach: Plan of operation is as follows: Reorganizing the Animal and Agronomy laboratories to accommodate the maximum number of students; removal of the old obsolete equipment, the purchase of replacements, selection of two teaching assistants from our Master of Science Program, upgrading the biosafety capabilities by replacing the chemical safety hood, and preparing the laboratory manual handouts. The proposed program will begin the first semester after the approval of the grant. It is anticipated that full usage of both laboratories will begin the second semester.