Should the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education split off?

[GRDadof3]

I attended an event at the Secchia Culinary Institute at GRCC a few months ago, and was blown away. Is it time that it left the nest and created its own identity, away from GRCC? Opened up its own campus somewhere downtown with a higher profile?

 

http://cms.grcc.edu/secchiainstitute

[SupercityGR]

 I believe theres an empty building on Lyon kiddi corner to the grcc parking ramp. Give me a couple minutes to look it up 

[joeDowntown]

I've heard that is a really well respected program in the culinary world. You'd think the "Community College" tag would create some drag on enrollment / recruitment from people around the country. But I wonder if GRCC or the Secchia Institute would want to split. 

 

Joe

[SupercityGR]

Found the Building! I can't believe its not student housing with how close it is to grcc. its a good spot of a new school.

[GRDadof3]

I've heard that is a really well respected program in the culinary world. You'd think the "Community College" tag would create some drag on enrollment / recruitment from people around the country. But I wonder if GRCC or the Secchia Institute would want to split. 

 

Joe

 

 

I doubt that GRCC would want to split, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't happen. If they could be self-sustaining I think it's be a great idea. Or still be part of GRCC and move out of that decrepit old concrete bunker they're in now.

 

Like George Brown in downtown Toronto.

 

http://www.contractdesign.com/contract/design/features/Cooking-Up-Fresh-Des-3143.shtml

 

Or maybe move it into the Downtown Market or the Klingman's Building across the street. Or into the Keeler Building! Now there's an idea. Put the Heritage Restaurant in a more accessible ground-floor space.

[arcturus]

The state just passed a long overdue bill allowing community colleges to offer 4 year degrees in certain fields, including culinary arts.

 

http://diverseeducation.com/article/50447/

 

The university fat cats threw a bone out to allow a few other bachelor's (cement technology?) but are understandably wary of cc's cutting in to their turf.  This comes on the heels of a recent report from the Wall Street Journal best summarized by one person who states: '"Everyone today knows someone who went to college and ended up with a career that didn't justify the cost."

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324442304578231922159602676.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read

 

We talk about growth of downtown GR all the time here.  Can you imagine the growth if GRCC were able to expand its bachelor's offerings in light of the economy and changing demographics? To me it's BS that universities are standing in the way of BS degrees at cc's.

[RegalTDP]

I've heard that is a really well respected program in the culinary world. You'd think the "Community College" tag would create some drag on enrollment / recruitment from people around the country. But I wonder if GRCC or the Secchia Institute would want to split. 

 

Joe

 

The thing is, only a select few schools draw nationally, and they're all in cities like New York or Chicago, and people go to them because they want to be part of that established local culinary scene.  The State of Michigan is largely off the radar in the culinary world, unfortunately.  Let's persuade Kristen Kish to come home and start a new restaurant.

 

Community colleges are traditional venues for culinary school, and they enjoy a niche of appeal as being the practical option.  Even most graduates of elite schools, unless they have good connections, usually wind up as minimum wage line cooks, and have to work their way up like everyone else.  Community college graduates may receive the same outcome, except without the crushing student loan to pay off. 

 

So to me, the big question is, what would an independent Secchia Institute charge for tuition?  Because if it ends up $50,000 for an associates degree, like other schools, I'd be skeptical West Michigan could sustain it, and I doubt it'd serve the community well.  Culinary schools, especially all the for-profit chains that have popped up in recent years, have come under fire lately for pumping out graduates with few prospects and burdens of debt.

 

That's just my take, anyway.  But I definitely like the idea that the Secchia Institute should find a standalone facility, and put the Heritage in classier digs.