Progress 09/01/20 to 04/30/25
Outputs
Target Audience:The Target Audiences included: 1. The Faculty Learning Community - This group evolved over the duration of the grant. Two facultybecame critically ill and some stafftransferred to other positions. This is a list of all participating faculty across Cal Poly Humboldt'sthree colleges and their home departments; May Patino (Lecturer) Anthropology, Kristen Rasmussen Vasquez (Lecturer) Anthrolopology, Laura Hahn (Professor Emeritus) Communications, Noah Zerbe (Professor) Politics, Cutcha Risling Baldy (Associate Professor) Native American Studies, Taylor Bloeden (Associate Professor) Applied Health, Christopher Hopper (Professor Emeritus) Applied Health, Susan Edinger Marshall (Professor Emeritus) Forestry, Fire, and Rangeland Management, Rafael Cuevas Uribe (Professor) Fisheries Biology, Fernando Paz (Coordinator) El Centro Academico, and Brenda Perez (Coordinator) El Centro Academico. Faculty members teaching courses included in the Sustainable Food Systems minor were asked to publicize the minor during advising in the semester before their course was being offered. Flyers and information were shared with about 30 to 35 instructors each semester starting in Fall 2023. 2. Sustainable Food System Minors - Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) minors for each semester starting with the Fall of 2022 through Spring 2025 numbered 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 19. There are overlaps in these numbers, but they show an increasing trend. Four students graduated with the SFS minor by Academic Year 23/24 (most recent data available). 3. Students enrolled in ANTH 308, 482, 485 classes - In total, 173 students completed the ANTH 308 Sustainable FoodSytems course(offered Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025). Over two offerings, 23 students completed internships through ANTH 482. Overthree separate offerings, 28 students completed field studies through ANTH 485 Sustainable Food Systems Field Studies. 4. Whole campus and community partners -At our Kitchenistas event in Fall 2024, there were about 60 attendees from the campus and community and six panelists (threelocal, threefrom San Diego area). Field trips (ANTH 485)and internships (ANTH 482*) included visits to the following community locations: Cal Poly Humboldt Food Sovereignty Lab* North Coast Grower'sAssociation* Deep-Seeded Farm Blue Lake Rancheria Food Sovereignty Program* Foodworks Culinary Center Campus Waste/WRRAPprogram Amhydro Cypress Grove Cheese Dick Taylor Chocolate Foggy Bottoms Boys* Hog Island Oyster Co. Sunken Seaweed Big Lagoon School* Earth Equity/Sea Forester* Cal Poly Humboldt Fisheries Biology* El Centro Academico* In a special Spring 2025 field trip course for Biochemistry students (qualified for UC Davis' Food Science and Technology graduate program), we visited: UC Davis Food Science Graduate Group, brewery, pilot plant, food innovation lab, Renewable Energy Anaerobic Digester (READ), Student Farm;Vann Family Foods (almond packing plant); Valley Vision;Yolo County Landfill;Nugget Market;Universityof California Cooperative Extension;and the Center for Land Based Learning. Changes/Problems:The major problems that we had during the period of performance were serious illnesses experienced by our program coordinator (long COVID) and a member of the Faculty Learning Community (cancer diagnosis). Our program coodinator, May Patino, was very well-connected to the Humboldt Food Policy Council and other local groups, so her resignation took a lot of wind out of our sails. While she wasable to shepherd our minor and new course through the Integrated Curriculum Committee process in a virtual environment, COVID made student/community interactions very difficult in the first few years of this grant project. We were lucky to find a local Registered Dietician/Culinary Educator Kristen Rasmussen-Vasquez, who taught half of the ANTH 308 courses and jumped in to design the internship and field studies courses (see:https://rootedfood.com/about). The other ANTH 308 offerings were taught by our dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Jeff Crane, who has a long history with community gardening and urban faming initiatives (see:https://www.humboldt.edu/cahss/jeff-crane). In the spring of 2024, our Kitchenistas event had to be postponed because the campus was closed down at the end of the semester due to protests related to the war in Gaza. We shifted the event to fall 2024 and it was a resounding success. We appreciate the patience and understanding of USDA-NIFA staff in allowing two no-cost extensions to this grant. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Faculty development occured under the leadership of Margarita Otero-Diaz and Rafael Cuevas Uribe in a program titled Creando Conciencia (Creating Consciousness). Three faculty members attended periodic meetings and incorporated what they learned about different teaching and learning styles; Armeda Reitzel(Interpersonal Communication. COMM213, 17 students, spring 2023), James Ordner (Forest and Culture SOC 302, 31 students), and Andrew Stubblefield (Hydrology and Watershed Management WSHD 310, 56 students). This effort was supported by La Comida Nos Une and another USDA-NIFAgrant titled "Echale ganas: Engaging Hispanic Students in Agriculture and Natural Resources at Humboldt State University." Connection with a Community Food System Program: The Kitchenistas In an effort to connect with community groups, the principal personnel from theKitchenistasCommunity Engagement Program presented to a students, faculty and staff on the Cal Poly campus witha 4 hour workshop that also had additional representation from leaders of community food groups. Based at Olivewood Gardens and Learning Centerin southern California, the Kitchenistas program educates children, adults, and families through healthy cooking, environmental education, and leadership development. Their three signature programs include Children's Garden and Nutrition Education Field Trips, Cooking for Salud, and Volunteer and Internship Program, which includes High School Leadership Programs. Topics included nutrition and health, leadership development, public speaking, and overall wellbeing. In an evaluationof Cal Poly Humboldt'sKitchenistasevent in response to the question, "Did the presentation provide any ideas/concepts that may lead you to a career in food systems", 91% of students indicated that they strongly agreed/agreed. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Abraham Navarro wrotean article about the new Sustainable Food Systems minorin Cal Poly Humboldt's Spanish language student newspaper in October 2022 (El Lenador) https://www.ellenadornews.com/2022/10/26/new-minor-unifies-food-and-culture-in-sustainable-food-systems/ La Comida Nos Une hosts a website - https://www.humboldt.edu/la-comida-nos-une The Kitchenistas event in fall 2024 was attended by about 60 campus and community members. A closed-captioned video of the event is posted at the above website. Faculty and students attended two "Farm to Table" events sponsored by local community college - College of the Redwoods. Rafael Cuevas-Uribe distributedSustainable Food System minor fact sheets at the California State FFA Leadership Conference in Sacramento, April 3-5, 2025. A culminating poster seminar for ANTH 482 SustainableFood Systems Internships welcomed the campus and community to see what eleven interns learned in the spring of 2025. A close-out Faculty Learning Community meetingin Cal Poly Humboldt's Food Sovereignty Lab on April 24, 2025 addressedthefuture of food studies at Cal Poly Humboldt. Notably, Professor Renee Byrd attendedto discuss future plans for an Agriculture degree that spans all three colleges as part of our insitution'spolytechnic roll-out. Between the development of this new baccalaureate degree and the creation of the student club (La Comida Nos Une), the future looks bright for Food, Agriculture, Human Science, and Natural Resource (FAHN) degrees at Cal Poly Humboldt. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1: Enhance and expand pathways for entry into food & agriculture careers and graduate programs through curriculum transformation Anthropology 308 Course: A general education coursethat met the Area B General Education requirement (Math and Science category) was developed and approved. This course has been offered fourtimes with enrollments of over 40 students at each offering, 173 total. Sustainable Food Systems Minor: This new minor program was established in 2022 and enrollment in the minor program has risen from 6 students in 2022 to 19 students in 2025. ANTH 485 (field studies) and ANTH 482 (internships).Over two offerings, 23 students completed internships through ANTH 482. Overthree separate offerings, 28 students completed field studies through ANTH 485 Sustainable Food Systems Field Studies. Specialized field trip to UC Davis to expose biochemistry students to Food Science and Technology graduate program in spring 2025. We supported two Latina fisheries graduate students to attend an Aquaculture conference in New Orleans in Spring 2025. Internshiop Survey: At the conclusion of the spring 2024 internship all students indicated (probably yes and definitely yes) that their future career plans include working in an organization that has a food focus. After completing the internship all students reported that their primary interest for continued study was in food production. Students also reported strong knowledge of food systems in the following areas; consumption, preparing food, and food justice. With respect to potential careers the following fields were identified; cooking and food preparation, how food is grown, environmental impact of food production, and how food is processed and distributed. At the conclusion of the spring 2025 internship 76% of students indicated in their exit survey that they intended to seek a career in food systems. One student stated, "I am really interested in community supported ag, I would love to participate in creating access to high quality local food. I think whatever I end up doing I will use the things I have learned through all these food system courses in my career". Exit Survey: A survey was given to all Sustainable Food Systems minors who were graduating in spring 2024. 66% of graduates indicated that the quality of courses in the minor was good/very good. Specific courses identified as being of high quality were HED 231 Basic Nutrition, ESM 355 Principles of Ecological Restoration, and ANTH 308 Sustainable Food Systems. Students reported as they exited the program that they had strong knowledge of growing/producing, preparing food, recycling, and food justice. The three specific career areas that were identified as potential opportunities were food production, food justice, and nutrition. Recruitment of Students to the Minor: Throughout the grant periodthe project has promoted the minor across campus with multiple strategies inlcuding a project website, a brochure, advertising in the campus Spanish language newspaper, and including a broad range of faculty from different disciplines in program events and activites.The spring 2025 internship survey indicated that students from a diverse range of majors enrolled in the internship course including Cell/Molecular Biology, Environmental Resources Engineering, Environmental Studies, Studio Art, Anthropology, Psychology, Fisheries Biology, Masters In Business Administration, and Botany. Goal 2: Deepen Hispanic students' connections to the campus, food systems-related academic programs, and the local food system In the early years of this grant (during COVID), we created the Sustainable Food Systems minor and the new course (ANTH 308 Sustainable Food Systems) though Cal Poly Humboldt's Integrated Curriculum Committee process. In the latter part of this grant'sperformance period (post COVID), and with the hiring of an effective coordinator for the El Centro Academico, we were able to enact more face-to-face activities for students. These activities included an internship course and a field trip course. For enrollment data and lists of community partners, please refer to the Targeted Audience portion of this report. Notably, during the internship course in Spring 2025, there arosea student-led effort to establish a campus clubnamed La Comida Nos Une (Food Unites Us), to exist alongside El Centro Academico. The results of internship experiences were presented during a culminating symposium/poster session open to the campus and community. Field trips connected students with the local community (see Targeted Audience portion of this report for a list of venues). In the fall of 2024, La Comida Nos Une sponsored an event titled "The Kitchenistas." This featured a documentary film by Maryann Beyster, who was accompanied in a discussion panel by Monica Lim and Cynthia Chavez from Olivewood Gardens in National City, CA. An audience of about 60 attendees then heard from Megan Kinney (North Coast Grower's Association), Jessica Conde-Rebholz (U.C.Cooperative Extension), and Brenda Perez (Centro del Pueblo). Aside from student activity in field trips and internships, this program was our best effort at connecting with the community food system. Goal 3: Facilitate collaboration between faculty from all threecolleges to promote the agricultural enterprise across disciplines The Faculty Learning Community (FLC) was responsible for curriculum development and coordination of course offerings in collaboration with departments. Recognizing that curriculum is developed and managed at the department and college levels, the FLC provided support for curriculum innovation that resulted in significant career-related learning for students in all three colleges. The Faculty Learning Community (FLC) Goals were: 1. Promote collegiality and collaboration across the three colleges both within and between academic units in promoting the study of food systems. 2. Encourage innovation by creating an environment in which faculty can investigate, question, explore, and apply new or different curriculum and teaching approaches. 3. Create high impact student learning opportunities in the Food Systems Minor program to support career development for students with coursework and internships. The FLC met sixtimes in each year and led the development of the minor program of study and the Sustainable Food Systems course. It also provided overall support for all project activities including internships, field trips, faculty professional development, and special projects. Goal 4: Increase economic vitality and sustainability of regionalfood system industry It is nearly impossible to quantify increase economic vitality of our regional food system as a direct result of this grant. However, our internsserved companies and farms who have since expanded their efforts. For example, an early "mini-internship" performed in spring 2023 by a rangeland management student characterized the challenges of establishing a local fish market.Since that time, the Humboldt Dockside Market, developed by the North Coast Growers Association and Ashley's Seafood, has announced that it will hold a bi-weekly fish market this summer (2025) at the Madaket Plaza in Eureka, allowing shoppers to purchase locally caught fish directly from commercial fishermen. Several "La Comida" interns worked for the North Coast Grower's Association (non-profit), with its more than 150 member producers. Unfortunately, USDA cut funding in March 2025for the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement (LFS) and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement(LFPA). Nearly $1 million from this program was lost toHumboldt County to distribute locally grown and raised food to food banks, local tribes, and other groups. (Seehttps://lostcoastoutpost.com/2025/mar/17/crushing-blow-usda-cancels-local-food-purchasing-p/)
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience for this reporting period were faculty members participating in the Faculty Learning Community (FLC), faculty members teaching courses included in the Sustainable Food Systems minor, Sustainable Food Systems minors, community members, and our LatinX student assistant. During this reporting period, FLC meetings (2023-2024) were held on: September 8, November 17, January 9m February 16, March 1, March 22, April 5, 19, and 29. In Academic Year 23-24members of the Faculty Learning Community consisted of Taylor Bloeden (Human Nutrition), Rafael Cuevas-Uribe (Fisheries Aquaculture), Fernando Paz (El Centro), Chris Hopper (Kinesiology), Noah Zerbe (Political Science) and Susan Edinger Marshall (Rangeland Resource Science/Wildland Soils). Cutcha Risling Baldy (Native American Studies) was on sabbatical. We also consulted with Jeff Crane (Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences) who taught the first offering of ANTH 308 Sustainable Food Systems. Kristen Rasmussen taught the second offering of ANTH 308 plusformal internship and field trip courses.Through the internships, we continuedconnections and service to the North Coast Grower's Association (farmer's markets and community food distribution), Big LagoonCharter School, and the Daluviwi' Garden at the Blue Lake Rancheria. The field trip courses visited local food producers and manufacturers includingthe Cypress Grove Chevre Gourmet Goat Cheese and the Foggy Bottom Boys Farm.We also met with the College of the Redwoods' secondFarm to Table event on Friday September 22, 2023accompanied by 16 faculty members and students in the minor. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Goal 1 -ANTH 308 will be offered again in Fall 2024 and once we get approval of our no cost extension, we hope to offer the field course and internship program again. Interns were awarded with student stipends. Goal 2 -The no cost extension (NCE) will allow us to reconstitute the Kitchenistas campus/community event in Fall 2024.The no cost extension (NCE) will allow us to collaborate with the Interim (or permanent?) coordinator of El Centroto promote the 1st year transfer/sophomore cohorts. Goal 3 -With the no cost extension, we plan to hold a workshop with instructors of courses included in the Sustainable Food System minor, to share how their curriculum has been transformed. Collaboration will also continue with regular meetings of the Faculty Learning Community (FLC). Goal 4 -The no cost extension (NCE) will allow us to increase collaboration between faculty and community partnerswith sustained ongoing partnerships to support the economic viability of food industries.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1 - "Enhance and expand pathways for entry into food & agriculture careers and graduate programs throughcurriculum transformation" Second year offering ANTH 308 Sustainable Food Systems. Enrollment in Spring 23 was 48 students (Crane), 40 in Spring 24 (room limit) (Rasmussen). Kristin Rasmussen (lecturer) also taught two special topics courses; ANTH 485 Field Studies (14) and Internship (12) directly supported by the grant. Minors increased from 9 in AY22/23 to 14 in AY 23/24. Evaluations are underway for minors and participants in the ANTH 485 classes. Two advertisements in El Lenador (campus Spanish language newspaper) about classes available that count for the Sustainable Food Systems minor. Goal 2 - "Deepen Hispanic students'connectionsto the campus, food systems-related academic programs, and the local food system community" This was partially met through the creation ofinternships(see above). Plans were in place to hold a "La Comida Nos Une Spring Event" on May 3 with a screening of Las Kitchenistas and virtual panel, plus student internship presentations and a local, diverse panel. This event was cancelled when our campus was shut down during a protest and occupation of administrative buildings. Plans to collaborate with campus Latinx Center to increaserecruitment & retention of underrepresented students in FAHN sciences were thwarted in part by the departure of the center's coordinator in Fall 2023. An interim coordinator was designated in spring 2024. Goal 3 - "Facilitatecollaborationbetween facultyfrom all three colleges to promote the agricultural enterprise across disciplines" Curriculum integration and enhancement of content has been limited, with three faculty members completing the "Creando Conciencia" workshop facilitated by Rafael Cuevas-Uribe and Margarita Otero-Diaz. Goal 4 - "Increaseeconomic vitality and sustainabilityof regional food system industry" Very little progress has been made here. Students and faculty attended the 2nd Farm to Table event sponsoredby College of the Redwoods. The no cost extension (NCE) will allow us to increase collaboration between faculty and community partnerswith sustained ongoing partnerships to support the economic viability of food industries.
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience for this reporting period were faculty members participating in the Faculty Learning Community (FLC), faculty members teaching courses included in the Sustainable Food Systems minor, Sustainable Food Systems minors, community members, and our LatinX student assistant. During this reporting period, FLC meetings were held on: January 27, 2023 February 3, 2023 June 1, 2023 August 14, 2023 In Academic Year 22-23members of the Faculty Learning Community consisted of Taylor Bloeden (Human Nutrition), Rafael Cuevas-Uribe (Fisheries Aquaculture), Fernando Paz (El Centro), Chris Hopper (Kinesiology), Noah Zerbe (Political Science) and Susan Edinger Marshall (Rangeland Resource Science/Wildland Soils). Cutcha Risling Baldy (Native American Studies) was on sabbatical. we also consulted with Jeff Crane (Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences) who taught the first offering of ANTH 308 Sustainable Food Systems. We also met with the College of the Redwoods' first Farm to Table event on Friday September 23, 2022 accompanied by Matt Johnson (Wildlife professor), Dev Fields (SFS minor), and A.B. Navarro (reporter for the campus bilingual newspaper, El Lenador). We also made great connections with individuals at the North Coast Grower's Association (farmer's markets and community food distribution), Ashley Seafood, and Humboldt Made. Changes/Problems:Fernando Paz, former director for El Centro Academico, an important cultural center on campus, moved to another position in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This vacuum in leadership has hampered our aspirations to develop a sophomore/transfer cohort. We aspired to start a cooking club, but this must be student initiated. The SFS minors start rather late in their degree progress and we had hoped that they would start the club but this has not materialized. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Creando Conciencia, a workshop for instructors offered by Rafael Cuevas Uribe (Fisheries) and Margarita Otero-Diaz (Enginering) was supported by "La Comida Nos Une" and was intended to emulate the Escala Training that many Cal Poly Humboldt faculty have taken (seehttps://www.escalaeducation.com/). Four faculty members participated for classes such as "Interpersonal Communication" COMM 213, "Forests and Culture" SOC 302, and "Hydrology and Watershed Management" WSHD 310. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Offer ANTH 308 in Spring 2024 with a new lecturer who is a registered dietician. Continue to recruit new Sustainabel Food System minors Offer ANTH 485 - two versions - an internship course and a field trip course, expected to reach about 32 more students combined and connect with community members. Offer student travel to professional meetings.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal #1 - Enhance and expand pathways for entry into food and agriculture careers and graduate programs through curriculum transformation. ANTH 308 Sustainble Food Systems was offered for the first time with an enrollment of 48 students in the spring of 2023. Sustainable Food Systems minors numbered 6 in Fall 2022, 14 in Spring 2023, and 12 in Fall 2023. Goal #2 - Deepen Hispanic students' connections to the campus, food system-related academic programs, and the local food system community. We made progress towards this goal by offering the mini-internships in spring 2023. Goal #3: Facilitate collaboration between faculty from all three colleges to promote the food system across disciplines. See a description of "Creando Conciencia" in the next section. Goal #4: Increase economic vitality and sustainability of regional food systems. No activities or progress to report for this reporting period.
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Faculty Learning Community - during this reporting period, meetings were held on: November 6, 2020 November 13, 2020 December 4, 2020 February 12, 2021 March 5, 2021 March 19, 2021 April 7, 2021 September 14, 2021 - included Enoch Hale from HSU Center for Teaching and Learning October 26, 2021 In Academic Year 20-21 members of the Faculty Learning Community consisted of Taylor Bloeden (Human Nutrition), Rafael Cuevas-Uribe (Fisheries Aquaculture), Laura Hahn (English/Communications), May Patino (Anthropology), Chris Hopper (Kinesiology), and Susan Edinger Marshall (Rangeland Resource Science/soils). For the last two meetings of this reporting period, Kim Perris (Nursing) and Cutch Risling Baldy (Native American Studies) were added. These faculty members were representative of three Humboldt State University colleges and the courses that were proposed as Core courses in the Sustainable Food Systems minor. Campus wide faculty - a website was created to publicize La Comida Nos Une https://comida.humboldt.edu/ Chris Hopper, May Patino, and Susan Edinger Marshall met with Ivy Kusler, manager with Chartwell, a new dining services provider on campus, February 3, 2021. La Comida Admin Team met with Matt Johnson, fellow HSI grantee to discuss coordination, on February 17, 2021 Yurok Tribe - Chris Hopper had an informational meeting with Jim Mcquillen and Taylor Thompson on April 15, 2021 to talk about Sustainable Food Systems HSI grant at HSU. Integrated Curriculum Committee - A proposal to create a Sustainable Food Systems Minor was submitted to this committee on March 22, 2021. Approval is pending. HSU Hispanic Serving Institution Advisory Committee - May Patino attended this meeting on September 3, 2021 and monthly throughout the year Development of "La Comida" informational brochure, Connie Webb, Marcom, Sept. 9, 2021 USDA NIFA Project Director's Meeting (virtual) Susan Edinger Marshall attended Sept. 15-16, 2021 HSU Sponsored Programs Foundation Board - May Patino made a presentation to this group on September 29, 2020 May Patino is the coordinator for the Humboldt Food Policy Council and has kept them apprised of our activities and progress. May Patino participated as a USDA Kika De La Garza scholar in June 21-25, 2021and shared about this NIFA grant. Changes/Problems:COVID prohibited some activities A new Sustainable Food Systems major is anticipated as part of Humboldt State university's transition to California Polytechnic University, Humboldt. Laura Hahn, a member of our Faculty Learning Community, will guide this effort during an anticipated sabbatical (Academic Year 22-23) and we will coordinate closely with her. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Development of the minor has been disseminated through our website and May Patino's communication with the Humboldt Food Policy Council and our meeting with the Yurok Tribe. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Our next few FLC meetings will focus on incorporating discussions of leadership skills, food system careers, and culturally inclusive pedogogies in the core courses.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal#1 - 1 Development of interdisciplinary food systems minor - We have submitted catalog copy and details of the minor to our campus' Integrated Curriculum Committee (ICC). Our core courses for the major include a new class ANTH 308 (Sustainable Food Systems), HED 231 (Human Nutrition), NAS 331 (Indigenous NR Management), ANTH 491 (ePortfolio), and a choice of either RRS 306 (Wildland Resource Principles) or WLDF 309 (Case Studies in Environmental Ethics). Students are then asked to select, with the assistance of an advisor, 6 additional credit hours from clusters of classes with the following themes: Food Stories, Food Business, Food for All, Food and Health, Food Education, Food Justice, Food Production, and Food-Related Science and Engineering. The ICC's decision/acceptance of our proposal is pending. HSU will become California's third California Polytechnic University including a new Sustainable Food Systems. The likely lead faculty member on the new major effort, Laura Hahn, is a member of our Faculty Learning Community (FLC). We will continue to work with the ICC to push the new minor through. We held a Faculty Learning Community meeting on October 26, 2021 to begin the discussion of how to better integrate core courses with each other. Goal #2 - Deepen Hispanic students' connections to the campus, food system-related academic programs, and the local food system community. During COVID, we had little opportunity to make much progress on Goal #2, i.e. partnerships with "El Centro," the Latinx Community on campus. However, we hired two new student assistants, Brenda Martinez (Environmental Science) and Jessica Hernandez (Wildlife) who have a strong history with food activism. Once we have developed a short brochure to complement our website, our outreach will be increased. Currently, our student assistants are compiling existing and potential events and activities which "La Comida" could sponsor or co-sponsor with existing organizations. For example, an Indigenous Food Sovereignty lab has been launched on campus, mostly due to student fundraising efforts in NAS 331 Indigenous NR Management and the leadership of Professor Cutcha Risling Baldy. We have not made progress on other aspects of Goal #2 and are somewhat hampered by not being able to attract students to events with food, due to campus and state COVID policies for safe gatherings. Goal #3: Facilitate collaboration between faculty from all three colleges to promote the food system across disciplines. Progress on this goal (to promote the food system minor) is somewhat contingent on getting the Sustainable Food System Minor through the ICC approval process. Goal #4: Increase economic vitality and sustainability of regional food systems. No activities or progress to report
Publications
|