Medgar Evers College Academic University Report Detail ...

Medgar Evers College Academic University Report Detail

June 2021

PART A: ACADEMIC MATTERS

Section AII: Special Actions NONE

Section II: Changes in Generic Degree Requirements NONE

Section III: Changes in Degree Programs

AIII.1 New Minor in Cannabis Studies offered by the Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science

NAME OF PROGRAM PROGRAM TYPE COURSES:

FROM

TO:

No such minor is currently offered MINOR in Cannabis Studies

N/A

Associate Bachelor Concentration Minor

N/A

1. CHM 207: Introduction to the World of Cannabis (introductory survey course)

2. CHM 307: Cannabis Formulation: Pre reqs: CHM201

3. CHM 407 Cannabis Testing: Pre reqs: CHM303 and Cannabis formulations above

4. ENVS 308 Best Practices in Cannabis Environmental Science: Pre reqs: ENVS200

5. CHM 408 Cannabis Chemistry and Pharmacology Pre reqs: CHM303 and BIO201 (or BIO251)

6. CHM 208 Cannabis Social Impacts

7. CHM 308 Cannabis Medicine and Health Professions Pre reqs: BIO201 or BIO251

8. CHM 209 Commercializing Cannabis Science

9. CHM 309 NY Dispensary 101

10. CHM 310 Dispensary Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

11. CHM 409 Cannabis Internship

TOTAL CREDITS:

N/A

STUDENTS SERVED: N/A

12 35-60 students enrolled at initial launch of degree minor

TRACKS: Curriculum ? From cannabis courses approved thus far. 3 degree minor tracks: 12 credits each

? Science 1-Formulation/Testing: Cannabis Formulation CHM307; Cannabis Testing CHM407; and 2 other cannabis courses (one Cannabis CHM2XX AND any other cannabis course)

? Science Commercialization: Commercializing Cannabis Science CHM209; NY Dispensary 101 CHM309; Dispensary Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) CHM310; and 1 other cannabis course

? Social and Health Impacts: Cannabis Social Impacts CHM208; Cannabis Medicine and Health Professions CHM308; Cannabis Chemistry and Pharmacology CHM408; and 1 other cannabis course.

RATIONALE:

In 2021, the unfolding cannabis industry presents a rare and unique phenomenon whereby an explosive emerging industry is not only championed by a state government, but also backed by that state's fiscal budget. Further, very rare is the case that the industry is mandated to set aside budget allocation for a population segment that is the same segment that few campuses, like MEC, cater to. As a professor at MEC for the past 12 years, in spite of social justice being a major facet of the founder's charge for the institution, I cannot recall many major social justice movements spearheaded by MEC on behalf of the community it serves. Yet the students, the community and the campus have been plagued with a plethora of social injustices. In 2021, the cannabis industry presents a unique opportunity to increase the good the campus is already doing. MEC students, faculty and staff can be proud of the university if it acts now as it must. Given MEC's role and founding charge in safeguarding the economically disenfranchised community it serves as well as those adversely impacted by the cannabis industry's history, MEC must and should provide campus and educational leadership in this area. This degree minor is part of a broader program that will contribute to MEC executing its charge in terms of education, economic uplift, and social justice. Approving this minor program is a major step in MEC signaling to those stakeholders its intention to champion real social equity and social justice change.

This minor degree program accomplishes the following:

a. Strengthens existing curriculum by offering a market and industry driven program with built in pipelines for employment: As of Jan 2021, there were 321,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs reported to be supported by legal cannabis in the US. During the COVID19 pandemic, one of the worst periods for economic growth since World War II, that number of FTE jobs represented an astounding 32% yearover-year job growth over the previous year. As the cannabis industry continues its explosive growth, this degree minor, which was cocreated with cannabis industryleaders, is necessary to address the need for specialty skilled and educated workers. In addition to classroom education, this minor program contains built in pipelines for industry related internships, mentorships, experiential learning, and job placement opportunities.

b. Positions MEC to proactively catch the wave (thereby securing first mover/player advantage): One of MEC's expressed mission goals is to "prepare students for leadership roles in a changing world so that they and the College can be energizers or change agents in the community." The emerging cannabis industry presents this changing world. This minor degree program is a necessary step towards education and workforce development for our stakeholders in this changing world. As possibly the first such degree program in NYC, this new and unique program would give MEC a competitive edge in attracting many students in NYC and its surrounding areas.

c. Provides a necessary and critical step to secure industry funding: 1. Cannabis companies will provide us funding only if we have already demonstrated the right levels of readiness. 2. Cannabis companies will not give funding if we cannot deliver for them the persuasion that they need to secure licenses. 3. We cannot help these companies secure their goals unless we create an infrastructure that provides

the companies an outlet to deliver acceptable levels of favorable social equity community impact. 4. We cannot build an infrastructure unless we have a pipeline of workforce trainees 5. We cannot have a pipeline of workforce trainees without a dedicated program of study that equips students with the necessary skill sets. Having a minor degree program as part of a larger social equity program is critically necessary in order to sustain an infrastructure that delivers the type of workforce training that secures cannabis industry funding.

d. Provides a necessary and critical step to secure state funding: Having a cannabis minor is a necessary step to gain portions of the 40 percent of cannabis tax revenues and reinvestment monies set aside by the state for addressing cannabis social and economic disparities.

e. Provides a necessary step towards addressing student and community demand: Many colleges face existential threat in 2021 owing to declining enrollment, retention, attrition, and budget shortfalls and shrinking budgets. This degree program is necessary to address such threats by providing education and training in an area that our stakeholders are demanding.122 people in the MEC campus community weighed in on their desire for cannabis education courses on MEC's campus. 98 percent of respondents indicated a definite or possible interest in taking cannabis courses at MEC. 93.2 percent indicated an interest in enrolling in a cannabis minor on our campus. 77.7 percent of respondents indicated an interest in enrolling in a cannabis major on our campus. Interestingly, a large portion of respondents who were either no longer or not currently enrolled at MEC indicated that they would enroll or reenroll there if the campus offered cannabis education courses.

f. f. Provides timely academic rigor in a degree offering: Cannabis courses in this program's health and science tracks are grounded in basic science and require select prerequisites as General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry; General Biology; Anatomy and Physiology. Cannabis business courses are also grounded in business and entrepreneurship principles that are not only applicable to cannabis but also to other industries.

g. Provides a pathway to attain crucial additional sponsored academic scholarship in an emerging industry: There is a substantial body of scholarly cannabis research in areas such as medicine, chemistry, and business. Nonetheless far more research is needed to fully assess cannabis as a therapeutic potential versus health risk, chemical composition and related bioactivities, environmental impact and mitigation, societal impact, and many other areas important to society. This minor program is an essential component of a larger program that will facilitate interdisciplinary funded faculty, student and industry collaborative research projects and publications.

AIII.2 The following revisions are proposed for the Minor in Urban Education for STEM Majors Effective: Fall 2021

FROM

TO

NAME OF PROGRAM Minor in Urban Education

Minor in Urban Education for STEM Majors

PROGRAM TYPE

Associate Bachelor

Concentration Minor

Associate Bachelor

Concentration Minor

COURSES:

EDUC 102--Introduction to the Learner EDUC 355--Critical Issues in the History of Education EDUC 103--School Community Relations EDUC 200-- History and Foundations of Bilingual General and Bilingual Special Education PA 301--Education Policy

EDUC 102--Introduction to the Learner with Co-Requisite Early Field Experience (EDUC 501)

EDUC 355--Critical Issues in the History of Education OR

PA 301: Education Policy

EDUC 312--Teaching Elementary Reading with Co-Requisite Supervised Field Experience (EDUC 506 Part I)

EDUC 315--Teaching Elementary Math with Co-Requisite

Supervised Field Experience (EDUC 505)

EDUC 317--Teaching Elementary Science with Co-Requisite Supervised Field Experience (EDUC 506 Part II)

TOTAL CREDITS:

12

STUDENTS SERVED: All Students

13-14

RATIONALE: The proposed change is an additional track that will modify the required courses for the currently approved minor in Urban Education to better reflect the pedagogical needs of pre-service STEM teachers. This partnership with the School of Science, Health and Technology and School of Education will provide a new option for Science majors to complete a minor in Urban Education.

All courses are already approved in the School of Education's Curriculum. The additional courses will make the credits for the minor now total 13 credits. Participants in the TIPS program, created to train Biology majors to become STEM teachers will have the added benefit of their tuition beyond financial aid being covered by the program.

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