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A University Public Service Survey, The (de) Evolution of a Project
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| Presenter(s):
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| Joel Nadler,
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale,
jnadler@siu.edu
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| Meghan Lowery,
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale,
meghanlowery@gmail.com
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| Nicholas G Hoffman,
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale,
nghoff@siu.edu
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| Gargi Bhattacharya,
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale,
gargi@siu.edu
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| Abstract:
Applied Research Consultants (ARC), a graduate student-run consulting firm, was contacted by the Office of the President at a Midwestern university to conduct a system-wide public service census of all students, faculty, and staff across multiple campuses. Project goals were to collect data from every individual affiliated with the university, to assess personal hours of community service by sub-group, and to assess personal dollar amounts donated by those sub-groups. The objective was to provide an accurate quantifiable picture of the university’s impact on the surrounding community for the purpose of lobbying. The public service project went from being a small simple quantitative survey using a census to a complex qualitative survey sent only to upper administration. The focus of the presentation is on the evolution of a project once the initial idea meets with political reality. The danger of politically-driven alterations reducing a project’s viable use will also be addressed.
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Digging Up Dirt: Addressing Accuracy and Feasibility Standards and Accountability in Grant Projects Two Decades Past
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| Presenter(s):
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| Tanya C Franke,
Oklahoma State University,
tanya.franke@okstate.edu
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| K Jill Rucker,
Oklahoma State University,
jill.rucker@okstate.edu
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| Sheyenne Krysher,
Oklahoma State University,
sheyenne.krysher@okstate.edu
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| Kathleen D Kelsey,
Oklahoma State University,
kathleen.kelsey@okstate.edu
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| Abstract:
This evaluation digs deep up to 25 years into past funded projects from a state agency to unveil project impact on beneficiaries, their families, and service providers and to determine sustainability of projects post funding. In order to evaluate accountability of the organizations who executed projects, addressing the accuracy and feasibility standards was critical. Adventurous challenges included locating contacts who implemented the projects. Through content analysis and investigation of projects, the graduate student evaluation team and their mentor was successful in identifying and documenting valid contacts familiar with the projects implemented by their organizations. Evaluators used initial phone interviews to establish contacts and followed up with a mailed survey. This paper explores how the graduate student evaluation team and mentor addressed accuracy and feasibility standards in order to save over 50% of the initial cost of the evaluation of grant projects from nearly two decades past.
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