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The Urban College of Boston (UCB) is requesting Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program funding from the U.S.Department of Agriculture to create the Urban College of Boston Food Sciences Capacity-Building Poject. The Project has two major objectives. The first objective is to increase the capacity of UCB by developing a higher education progrma in the food sciences. UCB will 1) develop and offer a twenty-one credit certificate program in Health, Nutrition, and Food Safety, and 2) will develop an accredited Associate of Arts Degree in Food Sciences, UCB's first program of study in the hard sciences. Adjunct faculty will be recruited from well-respected Food Sciences and nutrition programs at Tufts University, University of Massachusetts -- Boston, and Simmons College. Articulation agreements will be developed with appropriate four year schools. The second major objective of the project is to produce graduates capable of either entering or advancing within the nation's Food Sciences and nutrition workforce, thereby enhancing the field with educated,capable individuals. Fifty studetns will earn the Health, Nutrition, and Food Safety Certificate during the granting period, and another 25 will do so in each semester thereafter. The Health, Nutrition and Food Safety Certiciate is intended to address the needs of low- and middle-income students in Greater Boston. UCB students who acquire this certification can find employment in child care centers, schools, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and many other settings, working directly under a chef or as a team member in a larger organization. UCB graduates will be well positioned for further training that can lead to the National Restaurant Association's Foodservice Mangament Professional credential or work as a ServSafe Food Safety Instructor or ServSafe Food Safety Proctor.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The lack of educational equity for low-income students and other underrepresented groups. Other nutrition programs offered are largely out of the financial reach of the 22.3% Bostonians who are below the federal poverty level. There is a lack in this areas of an interdisciplinary higher education program that combines health, nutrition and food safety. This project will provide educational opportunities to low-income, minority students so they are qualified to work in many areas of the nutrition and food industries and will be poised to continue their educaton at four-year colleges. Their presence will bolster the number of Hispanics in academia, some of whom will go on to leadership positions in the field. <P>
APPROACH: Urban College of Boston will create its first program in the hard sciences, offering a new Certificate Program in January 2008 and developing an Associate Degree Program by 2009. This will result in an increase UCB's capacity significantly by introducing an interdisciplinary program of study in the hard sciences. Two cohorts of 25 student will be enrolled by 2008 and will receive the Certificate in 2009. The Academic Dean will be responsible for the development of the curriculum and implementation of the project. A half-time project coordinator will manage the day-to-day operations. Three food sciences faculty, all experts in their field, will be hired. In addition, a part-time student advisor, a food science professional who is familiar with the food service industry and relevant employment opportunities in the Greater Boston area will also be employed. New faculty will assist the Academic Dean in the development of four new courses for the Health, Nutrition and Food Safety Certifiate Program: Health and Safety, Food Safety, Human Nutrition, and Health and Life Fitness. UCB library resources will be substantially enhanced by the purchase of additonal books, periodicals, audio-visual materials and subscriptions fo on-line databases. The Dean of Enrollment Services will target: 1)new students who wish to advance their careers, 2)new students who wish to pursue an Associate or Bachelor degree in a relevant discipline, and 3) current UCB students. Recruitment of two cohorts will be done by targeting current and former studnets. All candidates will be assessed using Accuplacer (a writing competency tool) and Learning-Styles assessment. Each student will receive approximately two hours of perosnal tutorials during each course. Upon the development of the new courses and related materials, a petition will be filed with the MA Board of Higher Education requesting approval to offer the new degree program. Following approval by the MA Board of Higher Education, UCB will submit an application for accreditation of the Associate of Arts in Food Sciences Degree Program.