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THE
STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 |
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TO: |
The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents |
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FROM: |
Johanna Duncan-Poitier |
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COMMITTEE: |
Higher Education and Professional Practice |
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TITLE OF
ITEM: |
Master Plan Amendment: Monroe College, Culinary Arts, Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) |
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DATE OF
SUBMISSION: |
November 19, 2004 |
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PROPOSED
HANDLING: |
Approval (Consent Agenda) |
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RATIONALE FOR
ITEM: |
Master plan amendment is required when an institution offers its first program in a new discipline area |
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STRATEGIC
GOAL: |
Goals 2 and 4 |
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AUTHORIZATION(S): |
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SUMMARY:
Monroe College has requested amendment of its master plan in order to offer an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree program in Culinary Arts at its Bronx main campus and at its New Rochelle branch campus. Master plan amendment is required because this would be the College’s first program in the discipline area of education.
The Department has determined that the proposed program, if approved, would meet the standards for registration set forth in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.
Recommendation: I recommend that the Regents take the following action:
MONROE COLLEGE, Bronx and New Rochelle
Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.),
Culinary Arts
Academic Review
A. Institutional Information. Monroe College was founded in 1933 to prepare students for successful careers in business. The College offers associate and bachelor’s degree programs in such fields as accounting, business management, computer information systems, criminal justice, and hospitality at its Bronx main campus and New Rochelle branch campus. The College is accredited by the Middle States Association Commission on Higher Education. Monroe proposes to offer an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree program in Culinary Arts.
B. Curriculum. The College currently offers an associate degree in Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts. The proposed program will build on and expand the culinary arts concentration in the existing program to a separate degree program. The purpose of the proposed program will be to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for successful employment in a variety of hospitality environments involved with food production and services. The curriculum comprises 30 credits of general education (24 in liberal arts and sciences) and 30 credits in culinary arts including such courses as Baking and Pastry Arts, Vegetarian Cuisine, Chocolates and Confections, and Food and Beverage Management. Operations-based courses will take place in a restaurant setting where the lab components will be taught. In this way, students are immersed in the food service culture while studying the technical aspects of the culinary arts. The curriculum as proposed meets registration standards.
C. Students. There are no special admission requirements for the proposed program. Applicants must have a high school diploma, a high school equivalency diploma, or demonstrate the ability to benefit from a collegiate education. The College projects an enrollment of 60 students at each location in the first year with a maximum of 260 students at each location by the fifth year of offering the program. The enrollment projections are based on labor market estimates, surveys of current students and alumni, and employer surveys. U.S. Department of Labor statistics indicate that an associate degree is preferred, and in many cases required, for entry-level management positions in the food service industry.
Based on data for the fall 2003 term, women represent 64.7 percent of the student population. Fifty-three percent of the student body is Hispanic, 40 percent is Black, 6 percent is Caucasian, and 1 percent is Asian.
D. Faculty. The proposed program will be supported by four full-time and six part-time faculty members in the initial terms. Additional faculty will be recruited and hired as necessary. All Monroe faculty are expected to teach at either or both campus locations as required. Faculty hold credentials that range from those who are professional chefs with associate degrees from the Culinary Institute of America to those who have master’s degrees in hotel administration, hospitality industry, and travel and tourism. Two are doctoral candidates, one at the University of Cincinnati and one at Fordham University.
E. Resources. The College facilities include four complete working kitchens in a multi-floor building that is part of the New Rochelle campus complex. The first floor has three kitchen learning modules. One is for baking and pastry work, and two are multi-purpose learning units. Each learning module consists of 15 work stations. The second floor houses a restaurant dining room, student-run classroom dining room, and full commercial kitchen for advanced student rotations. All dry goods storage, freezer, meat, dairy, and produce lockers are located in the basement and are accessible to all floors via stairs and a freight elevator. This newest addition to the Monroe campus meets all appropriate industry standards as well as requirements to allow access by the disabled.
The library has a collection of approximately 750 volumes to support the Culinary Arts program and also subscribes to several on-line databases. The library is a member of the Westchester Academic Library Directors’ Association (WALDO) consortium made up of over 30 academic libraries. Monroe students and faculty have access to all member library catalogs and may visit and use library resources.
The College operates free scheduled bus service between campuses for students and faculty.
The Department’s financial review found that the College has the resources to operate the new program.
Planning Review
Eleven institutions responded to a canvass of institutions in the New York City and Mid-Hudson regions. Most extended wishes for success, and none indicated any objection to the proposed offering.