PROGRAM REVIEW CULINARY INSTITUTE OF VANCOUVER ISLAND

Transcription

1 PROGRAM REVIEW CULINARY INSTITUTE OF VANCOUVER ISLAND FACULTY OF TRADES AND APPLIED TECHNOLOGY EXTERNAL REVIEW PANEL REPORT Respectfully submitted to Dr. David Witty Vice-President, Academic Vancouver Island University By Bernard Casavant, CCC, Executive Chef, Manteo Resort Waterfront Hotel & Villas David Mincey, Owner, Camille s Restaurant, Victoria Stephen Burr, Chair, Hospitality Management Programs, Vancouver Island University November 2011

2 CONTENTS CULINARY INSTITUTE OF VANCOUVER ISLAND EXTERNAL REVIEW PANEL REPORT... 1 INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY... 1 RECOMMENDATIONS... 4 SUMMARY... 6 FINAL WORDS... 7

3 CULINARY INSTITUTE OF VANCOUVER ISLAND EXTERNAL REVIEW PANEL REPORT INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY The external review team greatly appreciates the cooperation from Vancouver Island University (VIU) staff and students as well as the open access provided to the team during the visit. As well the reviewers wish to compliment the Culinary and Baking faculty for their support and candor during our visit. The external reviewers met at Vancouver Island University on September 22-23, Prior to arriving at VIU, the external reviewers read two detailed reports: The Self Study Report prepared by Chef Debbie Shore, acting on behalf of the Culinary and Baking faculty in her capacity as Chair of the Program Review Steering Committee and The Culinary Program Data and Analysis Report, compiled by both the Office of Education Planning and the Culinary Arts Program Review Committee. The team met with several individuals and groups over the course of the two day visit, including Fred MacDonald, Dean of Trades and Applied Technology and Glynis Steen, Associate Dean Chef Debbie Shore, Program Review Chair Chef Craig Rogers, Culinary Arts, Chair Sharon Davidson, co-operative education coordinator, Culinary Arts Martin Barnett, Faculty and Chair, Baking program Students from Culinary and Baking programs Melanie Cousins and Leslie Peterson from Registration Services Video conference with Powell River staff- Arlette Raaen, Chris Gray, Marielle Benson Meetings at Cowichan campus included Maria Lauridsen and Chef Allan Aikman Faculty (permanent and temporary) teaching in both programs This report presents the external team s observations and conclusions based on the two reports as well as the information presented to the team during the site visit. 1

4 Mission and Goals All of the students have clearly outlined learning objectives, and state that they fully understand and are aware of such. The overall feeling of the students interviewed was that they are given ample opportunities to volunteer and be involved in various celebrations and activities throughout the year. To a lesser extent they felt the opportunity to be involved with community events were offered. Through this brief interview session, the students were very positive that they are receiving the education consistent with program standards. Program Structure, Curriculum and Delivery The program structure and delivery is consistent with the industry requirements for young cooks entering the hospitality industry. On a day to day basis they are exposed to the challenges of producing high quality food on a strict time line. Of the students interviewed, the majority expressed a high level of satisfaction for having the Chef instructors working hands on with them. Several of the students mentioned that the instructors are the reason that they are so motivated in the program. They foster a caring, productive environment and are very willing to share their knowledge with the students, at the same time being receptive to the many requests from the students. From the Chef Instructors' point of view, it was extremely obvious that there is a huge disconnect with the ITA and the Professional Cook (PC) challenge process. It is not understood by the instructors, and they also have not been given any information pertaining to the final exams for the PC challenge assessments. Consequently there is an obvious negative over tone when discussing this particular training program. Also noted while interviewing the students, there is a palpable disconnect between Bakery students and Culinary students, which seems very strange. They expressed an interest in having more mutually beneficial activities together. Student Enrolment and Outcomes During discussion with the enrollment director and program admissions clerk, it was apparent that there is a certain amount proprietary attitude towards the panel. There could be a broader recruit base especially for the culinary arts diploma. They felt that the reach of the recruitment process was fine, with success having been achieved in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. The general consensus is that the students are retained in the industry or related fields although there are no statistics available to support this feeling. 2

5 Student Experience and Learning Environment The students interviewed were of the opinion that their educational experience is of a high calibre and the morale of the students was very good. They consistently expressed pride in the school and the facilities. They described the instructors as extremely dedicated and enthusiastic. An area of discussion was that of production versus learning. It was felt that at times the emphasis was too heavily weighted towards production and looming deadlines, rather than quality teaching and learning time. Faculty Experience The faculty and staff appear to have a passive, calm approach to describing their work environment. Extreme frustration is very evident regarding their interactions with ITA and the lack of information, despite numerous requests by current and past Program Chair. Sarcastic comments and tone are evident when discussing this very frustrating topic. Another important topic was that of production versus teaching. The overtone of this discussion revolved around funding, budgets and the uncertainty of being in control of their programs. The impact of this on the instructor morale is obvious, having a negative effect on their personnel pride in the facility. Comments were made regarding the fact that instructors are now working more at counseling and coaching the students who are away from home for the first time. On the topic of professional development the instructors felt that there is not the sufficient budgets or time allocated for this activity. Program Resources The number and qualifications of the faculty and staff appear to be sufficient to support the program and to adequately teach the students. The physical plant needs some serious investment. The kitchen equipment, Dining Room and Cafeteria are very old and outdated. The space is tight to effectively supervise and observe students as they work. There may be safety issues with the number of students working and moving about the kitchens. The only exception is the demonstration kitchen which is an excellent and noteworthy facility. Another potential strain in the kitchen spaces is that it is also used as a production kitchen by foodservices cooks; with their work significantly supported by the students of the culinary programs. Often the need for production outweighs the program learning requirements. At some moments, it appears that production usurps learning. 3

6 RECOMMENDATIONS Consideration of Culinary Institute at Vancouver Island (CIVI) Brand and Activities The CIVI brand and activities need to be better marketed through a cohesive plan. There is a solid opportunity to create an awareness of a West Coast Culinary School. It would attract students from across Canada. The culinary program has attractive linkage to industry properties, to a wide variety of agricultural and wine producers; and finally the culinary student have a unique opportunity at VIU to achieve a degree. There seems to be limited communication and group activities of the Institute faculty. There needs to be regular (annual) meetings of the group to team build, discuss common problems and share best teaching practices. There was no apparent evidence of this occurring. Consequently, we were not certain that all three programs were equal. An in-depth discussion must be held to decide whether Vancouver Island University wants to be in the business of culinary teaching. Too much of this review was spent on the discussion of producing food to gain revenue rather than teaching and instructing the students. Faculty commented that the production challenges can take away from theory or lab activities. It also may limit the possibility of field trips or allow time for guest speakers and chefs. Nanaimo Professional development (PD) budgets for the instructors are a very important area, as all instructors mentioned that they would appreciate and benefit greatly from further education and team building programs, which are currently nonexistent. Some chefs indicated that they did not understand the motivators of the current students, so this is most definitely a PD opportunity. Discussion to be held on why there is out sourcing of food outlets (Subway, Coffee Outlet) without any financial return to the Culinary program. Additionally, are there any opportunities for integrated training programs? Bakery Students require a designated change room immediately. In-house marketing: there were comments that occasionally VIU staff and students using the cafeteria food services do not understand the learning aspect of the cafeteria. Signage or activities bring awareness to the cafeteria consumers that it is also a teaching space would be valuable. 4

7 Recruiting and marketing: To remain competitive in the marketplace, a concept must be developed that has a face in the industry and have consistent targeted approach. Cowichan The new campus is fantastic, very progressive and modern. The food facility is currently leased out, but has huge potential as a training facility. The high school cooking program is strange as it has an adult education program in a high school setting. During the campus visit there were no students active in the kitchen, nor were we introduced to the newly hired high school cooking instructor. The outsourcing of the campus cafeteria does not appear to be successful. Other than a modern facility, the quality of product and service does not seem to match other service values of VIU. Recommendations Move the cooking program to the new campus, complete with a Restaurant, Catering program to generate further revenue. The Cowichan area is hotbed for farming and wineries. The campus learning and activities should better reflect its communities. There does not appear to be any VIU student services available at the High School location. Do the Cowichan culinary students feel they are taking a post-secondary program or a High School program? Powell River The video conference with Powell River was informative. It also highlighted limited interaction between the Powell River and Nanaimo culinary programs. Operating in high school setting seems to poise problems between the VIU learner and less mature high school student. The high school kitchen is a very distracting environment and makes for a difficult teaching space; however the faculty seem to be working successfully. Overall Recommendation The Self Study is a very comprehensive document. It very thoughtfully describes the current state and situation of the Culinary programs at Vancouver Island University. We direct the CIVI faculty and administrators to review the recommendations that the Self Study identified. The Self Study has a comprehensive and appropriate list to improve the programs and their learning environment which consequently will improve the students' learning. 5

8 SUMMARY Strengths The Nanaimo campus has historically been the hub of culinary education on Vancouver Island. It still boasts a fine reputation among industry professionals and graduates are looked at very positively in job interviews. The teaching staff are well respected and strongly committed to providing a solid education. Support staff in the culinary program seem equally focused and proud of the program. While the physical environment is aging, it nonetheless provides a very accurate simulation of real-world cooking and baking kitchens. That the cafeteria food is prepared by the students each day must be seen as strength as is their ability to work in a more formal dining room setting. Weaknesses and Emerging Concerns We have cited a need to modernize the kitchens and dining room already in this report but it must be stressed again. In the coming years this will become a serious handicap as CIVI competes for students with other, more up-to-date culinary institutions. The lack of recent cooking experience among the instructors also must be addressed. It is imperative that they be given the opportunity to improve their skills and bring new, fresh ideas back to the curriculum. The emphasis on production for resale in the culinary program is a concern. While this does effectively simulate the stresses in a real kitchen, it does so at the expense of valuable teaching moments. In the rush to get food out on time instructors have little opportunity to demonstrate techniques, sometimes repeatedly, until a student 'gets it'. The two satellite campuses are struggling with inadequate facilities for the job they are being asked to do. Students pay the same tuition in Cowichan or Powell River, yet the experiences they receive at the Nanaimo campus seem vastly enriched. Integration of learning opportunities and communications between the three campuses must be improved. There is very little interaction with the surrounding community yet the school is located near the heart of the Island's food production area. More local food on the menu and in the student's hands would be a start. Field trips to farms, wineries, abattoirs, fisheries and wild foragers should be an integral part of the learning experience. The local food movement is well reflected on the menus of many Island restaurants and hotels. Any graduate who is not conversant in these ingredients would be at a great disadvantage. While the campuses are located near to aboriginal lands and communities there is no mention of native foods or traditional methods of preparation in the curriculum. As there are a number of students of native ancestry, especially at the Cowichan campus, including something from the First Nations heritage would be a great idea on many levels. 6

9 Opportunities The new Cowichan campus provides a great opportunity and an example of how a 21 st century learning institution might look. Serious thought must be given to relocating the culinary program here and providing the students with a true working kitchen and modern dining room to operate. If handled properly it could be a draw not just among the student body but a standout dining facility in the entire Cowichan Valley. The cafeteria at the Nanaimo campus has been cited above as both a strength and a weakness. It is also a huge opportunity. If the revenue generated by the cafeteria sales remained within the culinary program it could help pay for repairs and replacement of aging equipment and for upgrades to many of the facilities so desperately in need. In addition, operating the cafeteria in a more business-like way would provide a huge learning opportunity for the students, particularly those in their second year. They could learn food costing, menu design and pricing, ordering and stock control not in a classroom but in a real world environment where their decisions affect how many lunches get sold that day and how much revenue the program brings in. Lastly, the reputation of CIVI provides a huge opportunity to attract guest instructors. It is a great way to add to the student's overall learning experience and would be an effective means of providing specific training in those areas of the culinary world that the current faculty is not conversant in. FINAL WORDS The faculty of CIVI is to be commended for positively, effectively and successfully preparing students for careers in the culinary industry. The current students passion for their learning and the career potential is a strong indication of the high quality instruction. CIVI has developed a reputation of considering innovated programming, such as the White Spot apprenticeship; and willingness to partner with other on-campus departments and members in the community. CIVI needs to better harness and focus that entrepreneurial spirit to continue to keep a solid foundation in the culinary arts programming. 7