University of Rhode Island

Faculty Senate

April 15, 2003

Faculty Senate Curricular Affairs Committee

Four Hundred Fourteenth Report

The Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America

S E C T I O N I

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

ABSTRACT

The Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America was established through a grant of $1,500,000 to the University of Rhode Island Foundation by Mr. Alan Shawn Feinstein. The center is committed to developing solutions to the problem of hunger in Rhode Island and nationwide. Its mission is "to promote education, research, and outreach on the causes and consequences of hunger and the study of policies and programs aimed at alleviating hunger."

The Curricular Affairs Committee voted to recommend approval on a continuing basis of the Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America to be funded by its endowment and external grants. In the remote possibility that additional support is necessary, the CAC recommends that the center be funded at the Class C level (approval Class C would recommend funding of the proposed new program should additional funds be made available to the University.).

BACKGROUND

The Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America was initially established on August 1, 1999 on a temporary basis by M. Beverly Swan, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, under the provisions of section 8.90.21 of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL.

A proposal to grant continuing status to the center was approved by the College of Arts and Sciences (Report Series A No 3 2002 - 2003) and forwarded to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee. It was subsequently referred to the Curricular Affairs Committee, which served as the coordinating and review committee in accordance with section 8.85.17 of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL.

In December 2002, copies of the proposal for the Center were forwarded to the following groups for their review and recommendations: the Council for Research, the Council of Deans and the Joint Educational Policy Committee. In addition, the Budget Office was asked to review the financial implications of the proposal.

On January 15, 2003, the center received unanimous support from the Council of Deans. The Joint Educational Policy Committee voted to endorse the center at their meeting of February 10, 2003. The Council for Research took no action with regard to the proposal.

In the Budget Office review, Budget Director Linda Barrett noted on February 20, that "since the center is funded by an endowment established in the URI Foundation there are no additional funds required from the unrestricted budget."

The Curricular Affairs Committee approved the proposal on March 17, 2003. On April 14, 2003, The CAC voted to recommend approval of the Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America at the Class C level.

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S E C T I O N I I

RECOMMENDATION

The Curricular Affairs Committee has reviewed the proposal and considered all of the comments forwarded to them by the various bodies. On April 14, 2003 they voted to recommend to the Faculty Senate that Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America be approved on a continuing basis. It is now presented to the Faculty Senate for approval at the Class C level -- if internal support beyond the Feinstein Endowment and research grants is required, the center is to be funded only if additional funds are made available to the University. The proposal is in the format required by the Board of Governors for Higher Education.

FEINSTEIN CENTER FOR A HUNGER FREE AMERICA

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Name of Institution: The University of Rhode Island

2. Administrative Unit: College of Arts and Sciences

3. Title of Proposed Organizational Unit: URI Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America

4. Intended Date of Organizational Change: As soon as approved.

5. Intended Location of Organizational Unit: University of Rhode Island, Kingston and Providence Campuses

6. Institutional Review and Approval Process:

	DATE APPROVED
College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee	10/24/02
College of Arts and Sciences	11/7/02
Curricular Affairs Committee	3/17/03
Faculty Senate	5/8/03
President of the University	5/21/03

7. Summary Description of the Proposed Program:

The mission of the URI Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America is as follows: "The Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America is an educational center committed to developing solutions to the problem of hunger in Rhode Island and nationwide. The Center seeks to promote education, research, and outreach on the causes and consequences of hunger and the study of policies and programs aimed at alleviating hunger."

The Center is led by Director, Kathleen Gorman, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology.

The Director meets with an advisory board made up of faculty and staff from throughout the University to advise on implementing the Center's mission as well as individual faculty from a wide range of departments.

Members of the current advisory board are:

Jayne Richmond Dean Libutti

Maureen Moakley Diane Horm-Wingerd

Jerome Schaffran Matt Bodah

Nancy Fey-Yensan Marshall Feldman

Jan Sawyer Wenzel Ed Ferszt

Lynn McKinney Linda Sebelia

Karen McCurdy

8. Statement that no new or additional resources will be required.

The Center is funded by an endowment of $1,500,000 established in the University of Rhode Island Foundation. While it is hoped that the endowment will grow through additional gifts and donations, no new or additional resources will be required.

9. Signature of the President:

_______________________________________

10. Persons to be contacted during the review:

Kathleen S. Gorman

Director

277-5450/874-9089

B. RATIONALE

Hunger in the United States is an increasingly widespread problem affecting approximately 1 out of 10 Americans. The purpose of the Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America is to provide students with an opportunity to engage in applied learning about issues of hunger and poverty facing society. The opportunity for students to engage in academic inquiry and apply their learning to real life situations is a critical element of the educational experience. The Center provides support to government agencies in the form of training, technical assistance, program evaluation and research. The Center provides an opportunity for faculty, students, staff and community members to join together to develop solutions to the social and economic issues leading to hunger in RI. With these goals in mind, the Center is committed to improving the well-being of citizens of Rhode Island and the United States through its programs.

C. INSTITUTIONAL ROLE

The mission of the Center fits well with the University's mission to respond to societal needs through interdisciplinary research and teaching, collaboration with governmental and other agencies, and extensive outreach and service learning opportunities. In general, the Center's programs further the goal of improving the educational experience of all students and the quality of life of all RI residents.

D. INTERINSTITUTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

The Center does not duplicate program offered by other Rhode Island institutions of higher learning but does offer the prospect of involving their faculty as participants and collaborators in the work that it conducts for the state.

E. RESOURCES

All of the resources of the Center derive from its endowment at the University of Rhode Island Foundation. It is presently expected that the principal of $1,500,000 will provide annual funds to operate the Center of approximately $70,000. The endowment, together with projected research support, and other support (from teaching), will fund the Center Director and determine staff and program support.

F. EVALUATION

The Center will be monitored and periodically evaluated by its Director and Advisory Board, by the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, and by the Council of Research as per Section 8.90.30 of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL.