Author Archives: Eddie

California Professional Nutrition Education Training Center at SJSU: A Retrospective Look

Even though in existence since the late 1980s, many often ask, “What is the Cal Pro NET Center?” In simplest terms, it is a yearly grant awarded to the Nutrition, Food Science and Packaging (NuFS/PKG) Department. This grant provides training for K-12 school food service directors throughout California. Funded by the California Department of Education (CDE), it is administered by the San José State University Research Foundation (SJSURF).

In 1989, a professional development task force convened to discuss the need for more formalized training for school food service personnel. The task force, headed by Violet Roefs, California Department of Education and Dr. Lucy McProud former Nutrition, Food Science and Packaging Department Chair, outlined drafts of educational competency courses. The program was named The Project Management Center for Child Nutrition. The following year, the first course Managing Effective Accountability Practices was offered.

In 1992, Julie Dutcher, a former Child Nutrition Consultant was hired as the project director. The budget that year was $25,000 and Dutcher implemented a 30-hour, 2-unit course in teaching methodology integrated with nutrition and food service management lessons. The course, Effective Teaching Strategies proved very successful and the Center was launched.

Over the next three years, the yearly budget was in the $100,000 to $200,000 range and the list of courses grew. The flagship course offered by Cal Pro NET, the Child Nutrition Program Administration (CNPA), also known as the New Director’s Course was introduced at this time. The first session was a 10-hour course held at San José State with about 20 directors. This past summer 2017, three sessions of this course were offered, educating 122 food service directors.

Changes in staff occurred in 1994 when Barbara Gordon took over as contract coordinator and Sherry Norwood started in 1997 as the Child Nutrition Education Specialist. Gordon changed the name to the California Professional Nutrition Education Training Center during this time to reflect the work that was being done to train those in child nutrition. Technology was advancing during this period and teleconferences were offered to school nutrition personnel on Food-Based Menu Planning, Food Safety (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points or HACCP), Communicating with School Officials, and Achieving Financial Goals.

In 1998, Joan Giampaoli became Project Coordinator. Giampaoli continued to update and expand CNPA and Effective Teaching Strategies courses. During the 2000 contract year, Giampaoli and Norwood developed and offered 12 one-day courses throughout the state on the new US Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Sandy Queen served as Project Coordinator from 2001 to 2007. Federal regulations pertaining to school meals and the intent to serve meals that were more nutritious called for increased training. Courses developed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption were introduced while continuing to offer CNPA, Food Safety workshops, and Effective Teaching Strategies. In 2006, the USDA required an annual mandatory training of all school districts and Residential Care Facilities offering school meals. Cal Pro NET was charged with this task to monitor training for over 1,300 agencies.

Today, Linda Sweeney is the coordinator for the grant. Much has changed, but the training center at San José State University has stayed committed to providing the best in training to school service directors. The training center currently offers online training yearly for the annual training and the Summer Food Service Program sponsors. The training center’s website features an Outreach Toolkit to help districts market their meals and promote school meals in a positive light. In 2014, a School Nutrition Program Primer was introduced that gives an overview of all of the requirements and regulations needed to run a successful program as well as resources and links to more information. The program also provides a two-day in-person Financial Management course. Still in operation and more popular than ever is the CNPA or New Director’s course. This course uses both the regulatory expertise of the CDE staff and the practical application from experienced food services directors to teach participants. Over the years, we have trained over one thousand new directors.

The grant has been guided by many dedicated personnel over the past 28 years and grown to provide a valuable service for food service directors throughout the state. The Cal Pro NET Center at SJSU is seen as a valuable resource to school districts throughout the state. Nearly $3.9 million dollars have been provided to the SJSURF from the CDE for professional training throughout the years.

CHAMP Partners with Santa Clara County’s 25th Annual Senior Resource and Wellness Fair

San Jose Staté University’s Center for Healthy Aging in Multicultural Populations (CHAMP) partnered with Santa Clara County’s Department of Adult and Aging Services (DAAS) to host its 25th Annual Senior Resource and Wellness Fair at San José City Hall on Monday, October 16th, 2017. Other partners included San José City’s Department of Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services, and the Santa Clara County Valley Medical Center.

CHAMP coordinated the participation of approximately 60 students who offered their assistance as general volunteers, conducted screenings, and provided health education to attendees. The SJSU schools and departments participating in the annual fair were:

  • Communicative Disorders (cognitive health, screenings, and hearing)
  • Nutrition (education)
  • Occupational Therapy (fall prevention)
  • Recreation Therapy (leisure assessments and biofeedback)
  • Social Work (mood assessment)
  • Timpany Center (physical activity education and services)

An estimated 500 people attended the fair to learn about resources and ways to improve or maintain their mental and physical health. Approximately 50 community agencies participated to offer free health resources and information. Some of the screenings provided at the fair by these agencies were blood pressure, lung capacity, flu shots, and more.

Local agencies from Santa Clara County that were in attendance included Allere In-home Care, Elder Consult Geriatric Medicine, Home Helpers, the YMCA, Alzheimer’s Association, and many more. These organizations provided seniors with information on a variety of topics such as in-home care; assistive devices; mental health services; elder abuse; and assisted living options. The event also included several workshops and demonstrations such as nutritional information, housing rights, Medicare information, and yoga.

“We were pleased that this year’s event had so many elders from diverse ethnicities,” says Dr. Sadhna Diwan, Professor, School of Social Work, Director, Center for Healthy Aging in Multicultural Populations.

“The intergenerational interaction between the seniors and the students was powerful and a delight to observe. We are fortunate to have this partnership with DAAS that enables us to offer these wonderful learning opportunities for both students and seniors.”

Click here to watch the 25th Annual Senior Resource and Wellness Fair video.

CASA Health & Wellness Week: November 13-17, 2017

Join the College of Applied Sciences and Arts in celebrating its first annual, campus-wide, Health and Wellness Week, November 13-17, 2017. This week is designed to spread and increase awareness of healthy lifestyles at San José State University.

Have you heard of Green Mondays? Learn more and participate in exciting cooking demonstrations, Green Tastings and Tabling, and catch the provocative film “What the Health” on Monday, November 13.

Are you tired of ramen and mac & cheese? Attend one of the CHEW Cooking Classes held throughout the week at the Student Wellness Center where you can learn to prepare delicious enchiladas and fajitas. Compete with fellow students, faculty and staff in our fitness challenges held at the Spartan Complex and Yoshihiro Uchida Hall and at the end of the week, enjoy a restorative Meditation Retreat.

Don’t forget to attend the CASA Service Awards and Special Guest Presentation by Ysabel Duron, Founder and Director at Latino Cancer Institute, on Wednesday, November 15. Duron will speak on “22nd Century Medicine: Life Care Not Health Care.”

Use hashtags #SJSUTreatYourselfWell and #CASAHealthWellnessWeek to get reposted on CASA’s social media – SEE YOU THERE!

Click Here to see flyer and schedule of events!

Governor Jerry Brown Signs AB 422 That Grants Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree on 19 CSU Campuses

What started as a pilot program, has now been signed in to law for the CSU system to offer doctoral degrees. The Valley Foundation School of Nursing at San José State University is pleased to announce that Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 422 which grants California State University full authority to offer the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree as of January 1, 2018.

Both Dr. Ruth Rosenblum and Dr. Lori Rodriguez, The Valley Foundation School of Nursing, took a leadership role in the initial planning and implementation of the Northern California Consortium Doctor of Nursing Practice Program. They worked in conjunction with faculty partners at Fresno State School of Nursing to create a highly successful pilot program for DNP students over the past five years. Many faculty members at The Valley Foundation School of Nursing have also contributed to the great success of this program. “Congratulations to all! l feel very proud of what we have been able to accomplish as nursing leaders in the CSU.  Thanks to everyone for your support,” says Dr. Colleen O’Leary-Kelley, Director, Professor, Valley Foundation School of Nursing.

The CSU practice doctorate degree in nursing was first legislated as a pilot project. Now, the CSU DNP degree is fully recognized in legislation as a quality educational program that offers the highest level of scholarship in nursing practice. “We are proud of the graduates of our CSU pilot project,” says Dr. Margaret Brady, Nurse Faculty, CSU Nurse Coordinator.  “They are nursing leaders and engage in quality improvement projects within their practice settings that support optimal healthcare for the citizens of California. Moreover, CSU nursing programs have witnessed an influx of these graduates into CSU faculty positions, and the California Community Colleges are pleased to count them among their Associate Degree in Nursing faculty.”

There are many people who deserve to be thanked for supporting CSU Nursing during the quest for full authority. Special thanks to Dr. Joaquin Arambula who sponsored AB 422. He is truly a physician who knows that quality healthcare is a team effort and values the work of his nursing colleagues. The California Assembly and Senate representatives showed their overwhelming confidence in CSU Nursing by their enthusiastic “yes” votes. A shout out for the people behind the scenes such as Nichole Munoz-Murillo, CSU Senior Legislative Advocate who was instrumental in guiding legislative efforts and meeting with California legislators to educate them about CSU Nursing and the DNP degree. Dr. Chris Mallon, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Academic Programs and Faculty Development, has worked with nursing faculty over the long haul on this project. She met with nursing leaders who first brought the idea to her almost 10 years ago and never wavered in her commitment to secure full authority.

Five CSU Nursing campuses, which includes The Valley Foundation School of Nursing, joined to form two joint programs and launched the Northern and Southern CSU DNP consortia in 2012. These graduates joined the pilot project because they believed in the CSU system and its reputation for excellence in nursing education. Many of these graduates told their stories to legislators who listened. Nursing faculty throughout the CSU system worked to secure letters of support from industry partners and also told their stories as advance practice nurses, nurse administrators and nurse educators.

There are 198 graduates of the first four cohorts in Northern and Southern California. There are currently 24 in the Northern cohort that will graduate in Spring 2018 and 38 in the Northern cohort that will graduate in Spring 2019. “We are thrilled that the legislature and Governor so clearly embrace the importance of the DNP degree to support nursing education and improved health outcomes in the state. We are looking forward to next steps,” says Dr. Ruth Rosenblum DNP, RN, PNP-BC, CNS, Assistant Professor, DNP Program Director-Interim, SJSU’s Valley Foundation School of Nursing.

The Valley Foundation School of Nursing at San José State University was an instrumental part of the pilot project. The vision for nursing education empowers faculty and guides students on the path to what is regarded as the most trusted profession. Congratulations on the successful passage of AB 422.

School of Journalism and Mass Communications Hosts Design Colloquium 4.1

Assistant Professor John Delacruz, Advertising, School of Journalism and Mass Communications (JMC), hosted Design Colloquium 4.1 for the Design Incubation group, Saturday, September 30. Design Incubation is a venue for educators and practitioners of visual communication design to discuss design research and practice. Their aim is to create a community where designers can assess creative work through a lens of scholarly activity and academic review.

“The aim of the Design Incubation group is to foster collaboration, promote development, encourage discourse, cultivate theoretical frameworks, challenge notions, offer criticism, and review processes within the design community,” says Professor Delacruz. “That is why we included designers across experience levels and backgrounds – practicing designers, graduate students, adjunct and tenure-track faculty to distinguished professors.”

In the past, Design Colloquium has primarily been held on the east coast. JMC’s Design Colloquium was the first held on the west coast and brought 30 educators from the fields of advertising and creative design from a wide range of United States institutions. The participants were mainly from the west coast, but some traveled as far as New Jersey and Minnesota. At the Colloquium, Professor Delacruz presented a case study where advertising students worked with the City of San José to create an awareness campaign around the illegal dumping of household items – high impact service learning. Assistant Professor Tina Korani, JMC Media, and Professor Andrea English, Design, also presented at the conference.