Most sponsors require a report at the end of the project and often at more
frequent intervals, e.g., yearly.  If these reports flow through the
sponsored programs office--if a sponsored programs, officer must sign or
approve them, and keep a copy--they constitute a written record of what has
been accomplished.  The sponsored programs office, however, or any central
adminsitrative office, usually isn't in a good position and/or doesn't have
time to determine the accuracy of these reports.  I think this task is best
entrusted to departments and department chairs--to scholars and scientists
with training appropriate to evaluate the project and who are close to the
work.  The successes and failures of projects then get reflected in annual
reports and similar documents that chairs submit to their bosses.  You have
to trust the faculty and trust academic departments in this matter.

There are a few things that a central admin office can count to judge the
success of a program, like publications; did the PI succeed in renewing the
grant or getting another award? And did the PI spend all the money that was
awarded (large unspent balances may indicate a program is in trouble, but
this by itself is an unreliable indicator).

As for assessing the quality of our services--many years ago our office
surveyed the faculty about our services and got lots of valuable
info--strengths we didn't know we had, flaws we did and didn't recognize.
Since then it's one of thing thing I mean to do each year, but never do.
I'm sure more conscientious offices do it every year.

-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Stumpp [mailto:xxxxxx@CAPITAL.EDU]
Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2003 2:32 PM
To: xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG
Subject: [RESADM-L] Assessment of Services and Funded Projects

Capital University is engaged in a campus wide assessment initiative.
 Do other grants/sponsored project offices have plans to assess the
quality of their services and/or the impact of the projects that are
funded?  By impact I mean: do the finished projects accomplish what was
stated in a proposal?  How do you know?  If academic administration
deals with those issues, does the grants/sponsored project office ever
learn about the assessment via an established procedure, not by hearsay?

Thanks!!

--
Susan Stumpp
Faculty Grants Director
Capital University
2199 E. Main Street
100 Ruff Learning Center
Columbus, Ohio 43209
614.236.6572
614.236.6916 FAX

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