MEMORANDUM

 

 

To:                   Executive Committee Members

 

From:               Suzette Robinson

 

Date:                October 24, 2006

 

Re:                   Deficit Reduction Actions and Plans for Culinary Arts

 

Culinary Arts Program

 

1. Personnel reduction:

The Culinary Arts program restructured its personnel and reduced its workforce by one person in September 2006.

Results: Personnel savings is $2400/month, includes salary and fringe benefits

 

2. Consultants:

Kerwin Higashi from Sodexho conducted a financial review.

Results: In his review, he noted that the percentage of food raw materials was higher than industry average; this could be attributed to the instructional nature of the program as well as commercial efficiencies associated with standard menus. However, when compared with KapCC’s food cost percentages are MCC’s percentages are slightly lower.

 

Stephen Sparks from South Seattle Community College also conferred with culinary faculty from the cc’s. In his report, he states, “One of the worst assumptions that can be made is that, student run operations can operate upon the revenue that is generated. This type of philosophy is predestined to fail.”

 

The program will continue to refine and cut its cost as much as possible, being careful not to jeopardize the program’s American Culinary Federation Foundation accreditation standards.

 

3. Refining of procedures:

The culinary program has refined its procedures for billing and collection of accounts receivable.

Results: Accounts receivables have been reduced by approximately 50%. Payments for catering events are getting paid 50% faster. Purchase orders are being requested for campus events before the event itself.

 

 

 

 

 

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4. Non-credit options:

The culinary program is working with OCET in offering more non-credit classes.

Results: There has been income generation of about $9,000 through non-credit classes. The culinary program is also actively working with other agencies on Maui to provide (for fee) culinary exploration programs to their people. Hui Malama and Seabury Hall are two possible venues for this type of program.

 

5. Internal audit:

An internal audit has been conducted by two business faculty members who offered a number of strategies to assist in the process by which the culinary program does its business.

Results: A number of recommendations have already been instituted, e.g., assigning managers higher security levels to the cash registers than assigned to the cashiers and retaining daily cash register receipts under lock and key until bank statement is received and reconciled.

 

A former administrative services director, now the Director of the University Center, has been tasked with looking at the three programs with deficits—culinary, oral health, and OCET.

Results: The report has not been finalized and information gathering is still occurring. A recent visit to the program coordinator for KapCC’s culinary program resulted in the conclusion that that program faces the same challenges as MauiCC’s culinary program.

 

6. Summer Bridge Program:

In summer 2005 and 2006, the culinary program partnered with Kamehameha Schools, Alu Like, Kuina Project, and Halau A`o to offer high school students the opportunity to study in a college environment. In summer 2006, 16 students participated in the program.

Results: The partners paid the personnel, tuition, van rental, student supplies, kitchen lab fee, and orientation reception, netting the program approximately $4,000 for the culinary program.

 

7. Curriculum remapping:

The Business/Hospitality department chair is working with the culinary arts faculty in remapping its curriculum.

Results: The curriculum remapping was put on hold until after the audit reports were completed as the recommendations may have curricular implications. Initial results point to the need for a sushi class as well as classes in Culinary Research and Development (R&D) to be developed and implemented as experimental classes as soon as possible.

 

 

 

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8. Community/Industry support:

The culinary program continues to create strong relationships with its industry partners. Results: The annual Morrad Food Show highlights the culinary facility and its program while at the same time contributing to the program $5,000 in cash, $3,000 in product credit, and $2,000 worth of products.

 

An annual donation of $3,000 in student scholarships and $3,000 in cash by VIP Foodservice is expected later this year.

 

CULINARY ARTS PLANS

 

1. The Culinary Arts program is about to execute an agreement to publish and market a cookbook from which the program will derive royalties. Agreement has just been finalized.

 

2. There are plans to expand the summer bridge partnerships with Kamahameha School, Alu Like, and other agencies to offer high school students college experience during the summer.

 

3. Discussions are underway with an educational group in Malaysia and China to provide educator training for their teachers here on Maui during the summer.

 

4. A school meal plan tied to the new MCC dormitories is being developed.

 

5. Growth in the Research and Development (R&D) area are being planned. There is even discussion on embedding R&D competencies into the credit program.

 

6. Continued work with the UH Foundation on such activities as the Noble Grape which netted the program about $30,000.