Cultural Competence Curriculum Initiative Center for Puerto Rican Studies U.S. Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)

Disclaimer

Agenda FIPSE’s One Year (Planning) Grant Why the Initiative? Goals First Year Program Examples of Current Activities Today’s Conference After the Conference As Easy as 1,2,3 …

FIPSE’s One Year (Planning) Grant Grant awarded under the Special Focus Competitions “Graduate Programs at Institutions of Higher Education Serving Hispanic Americans” Under this priority, the U.S Department of Education supports innovative efforts to expand graduate-level academic offerings at colleges that enroll a significant number of Hispanic American students. Hunter’s initiative supports experiential learning, student recruitment and support networks, and cultural competency curriculum to prepare all graduate students to work with Puerto Rican, Latino and other communities of color.

Why the Initiative? Cultural competence is a valued set of skills in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world. Cultural competence involves a developmental process occurring at individual, organizational and systems levels. Cultural competence enables professionals to work effectively across people, places, and situations.

Goals The initiative supports Hunter faculty and students to acquire cultural knowledge, value diversity, and learn to facilitate and manage the dynamics of difference. The initiative focuses on graduate level preparation of all professionals serving Puerto Rican and other Latino communities, whether in education, social work, public health, urban planning, or nursing.

First Year Program Complete a comprehensive review of the research and clinical literature on cultural competence as found in the areas of social work, public health, education and urban planning. Partnership-building within the Hunter community, along with field-based professionals, practitioners and other stakeholders in community institutions and organizations. Development of courses and competency-based curriculum, identification of best practices and case studies, and promoting a learning community among faculty, students and field-based practitioners (mentors). Supporting graduate students’ academic development, interpersonal engagement and commitment to service learning and community-based internships.

Examples of Current Activities An annotated bibliography of close to 800 entries. Review of the literature in public health. A graduate-level course on culture, identities and social change. A survey of students’ interests and preferences. Survey of the inclusion of cultural competence content in graduate syllabi. Workshops and other student seminars. Faculty meetings (public health, urban planning).

Today’s Conference The overall goal of the conference is to answer the following basic questions: How do we currently address matters relating to cultural competence at Hunter College? What is the place of cultural competence in the curricular and co- curricular offerings at Hunter? How can we best implement any new or different offerings? How can we help our students thrive and lead in a changing and interconnected world?

After the Conference Prepare Conference Proceedings Report Identify school and programs needs in this area Development of curriculum, courses, seminars, etc. Engagement of faculty and students who are interested in participating in the initiative Defining long-term goals Preparation of application for years 2 to 4

As Easy as 1,2,3 … 1. Keynote Speaker: Dr. J. Emilio Carrillo 2. Stakeholders’ Roundtables for each school or program. 3. Deans and Provost’s discussion of the roundtables’ recommendations.