Transcript Bridges To the Baccalaureate Program

Bridges To the Baccalaureate
Program
Shiva P. Singh, Ph.D.
Division of Minority Opportunities in Research
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health, USDHHS
April 18, 2008
Outline of Presentation
• Overview of Bridges to the
Baccalaureate Program (PAR-07-411)
• Guidance for Bridges to the
Baccalaureate Program Development
Bridges Program Goals
An institutional program funded by NIGMS
and NCMHD that is designed to increase the
number of community college students from
underrepresented groups and/or health
disparities populations (URMs) who transfer
and complete the baccalaureate degree in
biomedical and behavioral sciences.
The Bridges Program Emphasizes:
Institutional Focus: with impact on Bridges and non-Bridges
students alike so more students transfer from the community
college to the four-year institution.
Partnership of 2-year community colleges with four-year
institutions
“Baccalaureate Readiness” Program with well-integrated
activities that will provide URMs with the necessary academic
preparation and skills to enable their transition and successful
completion of the baccalaureate degree in biomedical/behavioral
sciences.
Clear Expectations and Accountability
Partnership/Consortium
• Purpose: To facilitate a seamless transition of targeted
students from two-year to four-year institutions and their
subsequent graduation with baccalaureate degrees in
biomedical/behavioral sciences
• Up to 4 institutions in the partnership, including the
applicant institution, unless strongly justified otherwise
• An institution may participate in more than one Bridges
partnership if strongly justified by the potential to magnify
the programs’ and institution’s outcomes
Bridges Students
(Students who receive support in the form of salaries/wages)
•
Students from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral
research enterprise of the nation and/or populations disproportionately
affected by health disparities (targeted groups). Nationally, these groups
include, but are not limited to, African Americans, Hispanic Americans,
Native Americans (including Alaska Natives), Natives of the U.S. Pacific
Islands, and/or rural Appalachians.
•
Must be U.S. citizens or non-citizen nationals or permanent residents.
•
Must be matriculated full-time in an associate degree program in
biomedical/behavioral science fields at the partner community college.
Student Selection & Critical Mass
• Student Selection
• Institution’s responsibility to establish student qualifications
• Describe the criteria for selection and retention of Bridges
students into the program
• Critical Mass
• 15-20 Bridges students in the program, each year
• 4 Bridges students from each community college
Program Expectations
 Baseline Data & Goals to Improve
 Effective Partnerships
 Strong Pool of Targeted Students
 Well-integrated Student Development Activities
year-round
 Strong Institutional Commitment
 Sound Evaluation Plan
What Are the Baseline Data
& Measurable Objectives?
Baseline
•
The baseline is a starting point; it serves as a guide to capacity,
and is necessary to gauge the impact of the program. For example,
an increase of 100% on a base of 1 is not nearly as impressive as if
it were on a base of 10.
•
Usually it’s an average data over a 3-5 year period
Measurable Objectives
•
These are brief (and focused) statements of end results –
connected to the long range goal. They can be qualitative and
quantitative, but must be measurable.
•
They are not a means to an end, or a checklist of “to do” list.
•
The activities proposed are the means to achieve your goals and
objectives.
Examples of Baseline Data & Measurable
Objectives
An application proposes to increase the number of community college
students who transfer to four-year institutions in biomedically relevant
sciences
• How many and what percent of its students currently transfer to
four-year institutions in biomedically relevant disciplines?
(baseline)
• What is the proposed number and percentage of students who will
transfer to four-year institutions in biomedically relevant
disciplines during the grant period (measurable objective)
Examples of Baseline Data & Objectives, cont.
Institutional Baseline:
Out of a total of 100 potential transfer students (60%
non-URM and 40% URM), 18 non-URMs (30%) and 8
URMs (20%) actually transfer to 4-year institutions in
biomedically relevant disciplines per year (average data
from 2004-2007).
Institutional Objective:
The URM transfer in biomedically relevant disciplines will
increase from the current rate of 20% to 30% (from an
average of 8 to 12 students per year) by the fourth year
of the grant award.
Examples of Baseline Data & Objectives, cont.
Bridges Baseline on Students Transfer - An average of 5 out of 10 (50%) Bridges
students in the program transferred to a 4-year institution in biomedically relevant
disciplines per year (average data from 2004-2007).
Objective - The transfer of Bridges students from the program to 4-year institutions in
biomedically relevant disciplines will increase from the current rate of 50% to 70% (from
an average of 5 to 7 students per year) by the fourth year of the grant award.
Bridges Baseline on Degree Completion - An average of 2 out of 5 (40%) transferring
Bridges students completed the baccalaureate degree in biomedically relevant disciplines
per year during the previous funding cycle (average data from 2004-2007).
Objective - Bridges students’ baccalaureate degree completion in biomedically relevant
disciplines will increase from the current rate of 40% to about 60% (to 4 graduates per
year) by the fourth year of the grant award.
Goals to Improve the Track Record
• Clearly stated goals, and measurable
objectives relative to the baseline and in
context of NIH expectations
• Must improve on the previous record and
make substantial progress towards
meeting the NIH expectations during the
next 5 years
NIH Expectations
• Institutional
•
Increase in the institutional transfer of targeted students (Bridges & non-Bridges)
to 4-year institutions in biomedically relevant sciences by 50% in five years
• Bridges
•
Increase in the retention and academic preparation of Bridges students as a
result of curricular changes, skills development, and mentored research
experiences, etc.
•
Increase in the transfer of Bridges students to baccalaureate degree programs in
biomedically relevant sciences (70% in five years)
•
Increase in the degree completion of transferring Bridges students (75% in five
years)
BASELINE DATA AND OBJECTIVES
Applicant
Institution/
Unified
Institutional
Program
Partner
Institutions
Great
University
Champion
Community
College
transfer/ # of potential
transfer students)
Valley
Community
College
Star
Community
College
Unified
Institutional
Program
Institutional Transfer
of URMs and nonURMs (# of students who
Institutional
Objectives
on the
Transfer of
URMs
Bridges Transfer (# of Bridges
students who transfer/ total # of
Bridges students in the program) &
Degree Completion (# of Bridges
students who complete the
baccalaureate degree/ # of
transferring Bridges students)
Bridges
Objectives
on the
Transfer &
Degree
Completion
Examples of Developmental Activities
To Move the Institution Forward from Baseline to NIH Expectations
•
Developing community college courses and curricula that are
fully transferable to the baccalaureate institution
•
Four-year institution faculty serving as visiting lecturers at the two-year
institution, or developing joint team-taught courses
•
Introduction of research concepts into the community college
curriculum and/or offering a research skills course to stimulate
students’ interest in science
•
Supplementary instruction in “gate-keeping” courses at the community
college
•
Mentored research experiences for the Bridges students,
including summer research internships
Examples of Developmental Activities, Cont.
• Skills development (e.g., critical thinking, communications skills,
study and time management skills) workshops
• Preparing community college students, through college orientation
classes, etc., for transfer to the 4-year institution
• Peer mentoring and tutoring, and research career seminars
• Advanced or special courses for Bridges faculty (CC) at the partner
4-year institution
• Research education conferences for Bridges faculty (CC)
• Research conferences for 4-year faculty mentors, if accompanying
students making presentations
• Others
Institutional Commitment
Strong commitment to the goals of the proposed
program from all participating institutions, including
commitment to:
• Provide the institutional data on transfer of URMs and nonURMs in biomedically relevant sciences
• Provide data on transfer and degree completion by Bridges
students in biomedically relevant sciences
• Track Bridges students over a ten-year period as they progress
through the pipeline
• Institutionalize some of the Bridges-supported activities
Evaluation
• Purpose: Provide information useful to the
applicant and the partner institutions for
improving the program, and for institutionalizing
the most effective activities supported by the
Bridges program.
• A sound evaluation plan, with timeline, that’s inline with measurable goals and objectives
• Identify the selected evaluator and include
his/her biosketch
Consortium Agreement
• Consortium agreement between the associate and baccalaureate
degree-granting institutions define the participating institutions’
respective roles in administering the Bridges program.
• The application must include a letter from each collaborating
institution signed by the appropriate institutional officials and
program director/program coordinator, acknowledging participation
in the program. These letters must also include the following:
“THE APPROPRIATE PROGRAMMATIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL
OF EACH INSTITUTION INVOLVED IN THIS GRANT APPLICATION ARE AWARE
OF THE NIH CONSORTIUM GRANT POLICY AND ARE PREPARED TO
ESTABLISH THE NECESSARY INTER-INSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT(S)
CONSISTENT WITH THAT POLICY.”
Budget and Years of Support
• The program provides support for student, faculty, and
institutional development activities.
• Budget must be reasonable, well documented, and fully
justified and commensurate with the scope of the
proposed program
• Duration: up to five years
Guidance for Bridges to the
Baccalaureate Program
Development
Develop a Plan
•
Read the FOA and F&Qs
•
Institutional assessment and gather baseline data-how many
transferring/graduating with BS, why not more transferring/graduating? what
can change so more will transfer/graduate?
•
What are the institutional needs?
•
What is your long range goal?
•
What are your goals and measurable objectives?
•
What activities will help your institution achieve these objectives
•
How will you evaluate your program outcomes?
•
Follow all of the instructions in writing the application!!
Application Components/Organization
• Project Summary, & Performance site (s)
• Facilities & other Resources
• Key Persons and their Biographical Sketches
• Budget
• Research Plan:
Application Components/Org., Cont.
Research Plan:
• (Introduction)
• Specific Aims and Measurable Objectives
• Background and Significance: Institutional & student
data; vision and anticipated value
• Preliminary Studies or Progress Report: Specific
Outcome Data & Impact on the Institution
• Research Design & Methods:
Application Components/Org., Cont.
Research Design & Methods:
• PD and Program Faculty
• Developmental Activities:
 The rationale and detailed description
 Who will implement and the timeline
 Possible pitfalls and alternative approaches
• Responsible Conduct of Research
• Evaluation Plan
• Consortium Agreements
Presentation of Data
• Present data in figures, graphs, tables or text
• Place figures, tables, and graphs close to where
they are referred to in the text
• Make all figures, tables, and graphs clearly legible
• Avoid irrelevant information
• Do not use the Appendix to circumvent the page
limitations of the Research Plan
Common Reasons for Failure
• Missing or inadequate baseline data
• Lack of clear and well-defined measurable objectives
• Lack of adequate progress
• Activities poorly related to the objectives
• Poorly developed or missing evaluation plan
• Lack of institutional commitment or support
• Lack of coordination with other institutional programs
aimed at accomplishing similar goals
• “Program-centric” application vs. institutional application
Summary: Bridges “Essentials”
•
Institutional baseline data on enrollment and transfer of URM & non-URM students in biomedically
relevant disciplines
•
Bridges baseline data on the transfer and baccalaureate degree completion of targeted students
•
Clear statement of program goals, specific aims, and measurable objectives relative to the baseline
•
Detailed progress report, if applicable
•
PD/PI, Coordinators, and program faculty with appropriate training and experience
•
Detailed description of developmental activities
•
Sound evaluation plan (see for example, http://oerl.sri.com/ and
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02057/start.htm)
•
A plan for training in responsible conduct of research
•
Evidence of strong institutional commitment
•
Consortium Agreement with “specific language”
•
A well justified budget that is commensurate with the scope of the proposed program
BASELINE DATA AND OBJECTIVES
Applicant
Institution/
Unified
Institutional
Program
Partner
Institutions
Champion
Community
College
Great
University
Valley
Community
College
Star Community
College
Unified
Institutional
Program
Institutional
Transfera
of URMs and
non-URMs
Institutional
Objectivesb on
the Transfer of
URMs
Bridges
Transferc &
Degree
Completiond
Bridges Objectivesb
on the Transfer &
Degree Completion
INSTRUCTIONS
a
Provide the number and percent of URMs and non-URMs who transfer to a 4-year
institution in biomedically relevant sciences from each participating community college.
Usually this is an average data over a 3-5 year period. The institutional transfer is calculated
by the number of students who actually transfer to a 4-year institution in biomedically
relevant sciences divided by the number of potential transfer students. The potential
transfer students may be defined as those undergraduate students in biomedically relevant
sciences who are enrolled in an associate degree program, taking 12 or more credit hours
and have declared an intent to transfer, etc., depending upon the institutional setting.
b
The objectives must be measurable, relative to the current baseline and in context of NIH
expectations (see FOA for details)
c
Provide the number and percent of Bridges students in the program who transferred to a
4-year institution in biomedically relevant sciences during the previous funding cycle. The
transfer is calculated by the number of Bridges students who actually transferred divided by
the total number of Bridges students in the program. Provide the collective data for the
entire program (not the individual partner community college)
d
Provide the number and percent of Bridges students in the program who completed the
baccalaureate degree in biomedically relevant sciences during the previous funding cycle.
The degree completion is calculated by the number of Bridges students who actually
completed the baccalaureate degree divided by the total number of transferring Bridges
students. Provide the collective data for the entire program (not the individual partner
community college)