The Baruch College Faculty Handbook

AMP EVALUATION: REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Last updated on 12/12/05

The CUNY Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, (CUNYLSAMP) in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics requests cross campus team proposals from the CUNY social and behavioral science community to conduct an evaluation of the AMP program, now in its 13th year of systemic operation across the campuses of CUNY.

While the purpose of the evaluation is to study broadly and in detail the CUNY LSAMP systemic model, the final evaluation is also expected to produce a strong evaluation design model that can be utilized to inform the planning for future AMP activities. The evaluation should focus on the evidence of the effectiveness of AMP strategies and on the determination of those academic, social, and professional factors that impact the participation of students in STEM.

The evaluation is expected to focus on both institutional and student outcomes and will require that data be obtained and surveys be conducted involving all level one AMP students, all participating CUNY institutions and national partners, and other students with involvement in major AMP activities, e.g. the course restructuring initiative in calculus and chemistry.

The methods used are expected to include:

· Telephone interviews
· Case studies
· Institutional information and visits
· Student and University Reports and data
· Tracking from the BA to graduate school and the workforce

Surveys are expected to include such student, institutional and workforce information as:

· Demographic data
· Student undergraduate performance
· Baccalaureate and post-Baccalaureate coursework
· Community college role
· 2 year to 4 year college transition
· Degree completion
· Likelihood of entry into graduate work
· Research with faculty
· Internships
· Summer bridge and other supporting programs
· Job applications/acceptances/experiences

It is of paramount importance that the most important developmental factors and their actual role in STEM student success and progress be identified. The evaluation is expected to differentiate between organizational/institutional and individual/student variables and to inform the definition of particular variables which serve as precursors to success in STEM that AMP can impact. Such variables might be identified from among the major AMP activities such as research experiences, summer bridge programs, restructured courses, mentoring, the activity coordinator model, the Bridge to the Doctorate program, scholarships, and tutoring.

Conclusive elements are expected to answer the questions:

· Has CUNY LSAMP met its goals?
· Have CUNY LSAMP students performed as well as other CUNY and national STEM students?
· Do the CUNY LSAMP activities constitute a model with potential for replication?

The proposal must include:

· A timeline for evaluation activities and outcomes, which extend over a two-year period
· Descriptions of evaluation activities to be conducted and the role undergraduate and graduate student researchers will play in the process
· Data collection, reporting and analysis methods
· A description of how the evaluation team would work with institutional research on its own campus and with the Director of the CUNY Office of Institutional Research.
· Campus Site visit schedules

The AMP project directors look forward to using the evaluation activity to incorporate the social and behavioral sciences into the AMP program. Applicants are requested to explain how they will utilize the conduct of the AMP evaluation to incorporate AMP into their social and behavioral sciences programs and research.

While the proposal should focus primarily on how the AMP evaluation will be conducted, it should also address how conducting the AMP evaluation will lead to:

· Increasing the number of minority undergraduate and graduate students in the social sciences
· Increasing the number of minority undergraduate and graduate students who conduct research in the social and behavioral science

Given the university-wide nature of AMP, only proposals from CUNY cross-campus teams which are nominated by an AMP Steering Committee member to apply to work with the AMP project directors on the evaluation will be considered. Such cross- campus teams should include social and behavioral science faculty from both senior and community college. Among them should be a faculty leader who will guide the evaluation team and insure the participation of undergraduate and graduate student research scholars. The nominated social/behavioral teams should have among them faculty who are knowledgeable about CUNY-wide LSAMP activities, LSAMP activities on their own campus and LSAMP activities of cross-campus team partner colleges. They should have demonstrated success in, or the potential to be successful in, producing undergraduate and/or graduate students in the field.

The evaluation should be completed by the end of year four of AMP phase III. The duration of the evaluation is March 15, 2006 to June 30, 2007. Quarterly reports, an interim report at the end of year one, and a final report are expected. The activities are expected to have a broader impact and should lead to an implementation guide for future use by AMP and other similar CUNY STEM programs. Results of the evaluation should be published in AMP newsletters, in social and behavioral science journals and in STEM education journals.

To assist with proposal preparation, the AMP project directors will invite all nominees to an information session, which will include a review of the CUNYLSAMP mission and goals, its operation across the university and its accomplishments to date.

Nominees should submit a proposal, the length and organization of which follows closely National Science Foundation Guidelines. A budget for a maximum of $175K for the entire period of the evaluation and an accompanying justification should be provided within the proposal. Funds will be allocated through the LSAMP grant which has been funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.

Nominations should be submitted (by the Steering Committee member) by February 1, 2006.

Proposals should be submitted by March 17, 2006

Nominations and proposals should be submitted to:

Dr. Neville A. Parker, AMP Project Director
The City College
Marshak, J14
Convent Avenue and 138th Street
New York, NY, 10031

The AMP project directors will review the requests and present their selection for the conduct of the AMP evaluation to the Steering Committee for its approval.

L. Squitieri, 8/2/05, revised, 8/18/05, 9/22/05, 10/17/05, 11/30/05