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Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program. FY 2012 Competition Pre-Application Technical Assistance Workshop. Disclaimer.

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Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

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  1. Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program FY 2012 Competition Pre-Application Technical Assistance Workshop

  2. Disclaimer This document is a brief summary of the program regulations and application requirements. Do not rely solely on the information in this document. Please refer to the Notice Inviting Applications and the program regulations published in the Federal Register for additional information, as these are the official documents governing the competition.

  3. How did we get here? • The McNair Program was authorized by Congress in 1987 to commemorate astronaut Ronald E. McNair, who lost his life in the space shuttle Challenger incident in 1985 • The McNair Program awards grants to institutions of higher education to provide disadvantaged college students with effective preparation for doctoral study

  4. McNair Preapplication Workshop Overview • Legislation and Regulations Review • 2012 McNair Competition Highlights • Competitive Preference Priorities • Selection Criteria and PE • Submission Logistics

  5. TRIO Legislation Highlights • Title IV - Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) • Eligible Applicants • 5 Year Grants • Outcome Criteria • New and Revised Definitions • Low-Income Documentation • Required Services and Permissible Services • 10 Technical Assistance Workshops • Rank-Order Funding • Second Review Process for Unsuccessful Applications

  6. FY 2012 McNair Competition Highlights • 3 Competitive Preference Priorities • Required and Permissible Services • Maximum funding levels • Minimum 25 participants per project • Maximum per participant cost of $8,800 • Multiple applications to serve different campuses • Electronic submission via Grants.gov

  7. FY 2012 Competition Award Information • $36,118,554 Million Allotment (est.) • 127 New Grants (est.) • 3,175 Students (est.) • New Grants: $220,000 Maximum Award (25 participants minimum) • Continuing Grants: Level Funding for current number of participants

  8. Competitive Preference Priorities FY 2012

  9. Competitive Preference Priorities • The Department is announcing three competitive preference priorities for this competition. • Additional points (up to 6 points for competitive preference priority 1; up to 4 points for competitive preference priority 2; and up to 4 points for competitive preference priority 3) may be awarded to an application, depending on how well the applicant addresses these priorities. • Important note: An applicant may receive up to 14 total competitive preference priority points by addressing all three priorities.

  10. Competitive Preference Priorities [cont'd.] • Competitive Preference Priority 1 – Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education (up to 6 additional points). • Priority :Projects designed to : • a) Provide students with increased access to STEM coursework (2 pts) • b) Increase the number/proportion of students prepared for advanced study and careers in STEM (2pts) • c) Increase the number of students traditionally underrepresented in STEM in criteria a) and b)(2pts)

  11. Competitive Preference Priorities [cont'd.] • Competitive Preference Priority 2 – Improving Productivity (up to 4 additional points). • Priority:Projects designed to increase efficiency in use of resources while improving outcomes • Projects are encouraged to propose ways to serve the same or increased number of students, decreasing the cost per participant while improving student outcomes

  12. Competitive Preference Priorities [cont'd.] • Competitive Preference Priority 3 – Building Evidence of Effectiveness (up to 4 additional points). • Projects designed to increase the evidence base around practices, strategies, or policies that may help LI/FG students, particularly in STEM fields • Priority :Projects proposing evaluation plans likely to produce evidence for ways to improve outcomes • The relevant outcome(s) is to be measured multiple times before and after treatment • Where feasible, a comparison group is to be measured multiple times as well

  13. McNair Program Regulations • 34 CFR Part 647, amended to implement changes made to the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008 • Final regulations amending 34 CFR Part 647 were published in the FederalRegister on October 26, 2010

  14. Who is Eligible to Apply for a Grant? §647.2 • Institutions of Higher Education • Combinations of Institutions of Higher Education

  15. Who is Eligible to Participate in McNair? §647.3 • Citizenship Status: a participant must be - • (A) • A U.S. citizen or national of the United States; or • A permanent resident of the United States; or • In the United States for other than a temporary purpose and must provide evidence from the Immigration and the Naturalization Service of his or her intent to become a permanent resident; or • A permanent resident of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; or • A resident of the Freely Associated States-the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau.

  16. Who is Eligible to Participate in McNair? [cont’d.] §647.3 • Participants must also be : • (B) • Enrolled in a degree program at an Institution of Higher Education (IHE) • (C) • A low-income individual who is a first-generation college student; or • A member of a group that is underrepresented in graduate education; or • A member of a group that is underrepresented in certain academic disciplines as documented by standard statistical references or other national survey data submitted to and accepted by the Secretary on a case-by-case basis. • (D) • Not enrolled in doctoral level study at an institution of higher education.

  17. McNair Activities and Services (Required) §647.4 • All McNair Projects MUST provide: • Opportunities for research and other scholarly activities • Summer internships • Seminars to prepare students for doctoral study • Tutoring • Academic counseling • Assistance in securing admission and financial assistance for enrollment in graduate programs

  18. McNair Activities and Services (Permissible) §647.4 • McNair projects MAY provide: • Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students • Mentoring programs involving faculty members at institutions of higher education, students, or a combination of faculty members and students • Exposure to cultural events and academic programs not usually available to disadvantaged students • Other activities designed to meet the purpose of the McNair Program

  19. What Definitions Apply?§647.7 • Different Campus • Financial and Economic Literacy • Graduate Center • Groups Underrepresented in Graduate Education • Target Population • Research or Scholarly Activity

  20. How many applications may an applicant submit? §647.10 • A single application unless serving different campuses • A single application unless serving a different population (must be designated by the Secretary)

  21. How does the Secretary decide which new grants to make? §647.20 • Up to 100 points for selection criteria in 647.21 • Up to 15 prior experience points based on past service delivery as specified in 647.22 • PE only for existing McNair project on campus • PE for 3 project years as designated by Secretary • New grants made in rank order • Tie breaker uses equitable geographic distribution of new projects • No new grants to applicants with history of fraudulent activities

  22. What are Allowable Costs?§647.30 • Activities of an academic or scholarly nature • Stipends up to $2,800 for eligible students engaged in research • Tuition, room and board, transportation costs for summer research • Computer hardware, software, and other equipment (if justified)

  23. What are Unallowable Costs?§647.31 • Payment of tuition, stipends, test preparation and fees, or any financial support to staff and students (unless permitted in §647.30) • Construction, renovation, or remodeling

  24. What Other Requirements Must a Grantee Meet? §647.32 • Minimum Number of Students Served • Determine and Document Student Eligibility • Recordkeeping • Student eligibility to participate • Student needs assessment • Services provided to participant • Educational progress made by student during and after participation in the project • Documentation of any services received from another TRIO program or federally funded program serving similar populations

  25. What Other Requirements Must a Grantee Meet? §647.32 [cont'd.] • Submit other reports and information as requested to demonstrate program effectiveness • Designate a project director who has – • authority to conduct the project effectively • appropriate qualifications, experience, skills

  26. What Selection Criteria Does the Secretary Use? §647.21 • Need 16 points • Objectives 9 points • Plan of Operation 44 points • Quality of Personnel 9 points • Adequacy of Resources and Budget 15 points • Evaluation Plan 7 points • Total Points 100

  27. Need for the Project§647.21(a) Maximum Points: 16

  28. Demonstrating Need (16 points) • Provide a clear definition of the target population • Clearly describe the academic, financial, and other problems encountered by students in pursuing post-baccalaureate studies • Provide data to demonstrate the target population’s underrepresentation in graduate education, doctorate degrees conferred, and careers where a doctorate is a prerequisite

  29. Objectives§647.21(b) Maximum Points: 9

  30. Objectives • All FOUR standardized objectives must be addressed in your program narrative • Each objective must contain the achievement rate proposed for your project as indicated on the McNair Profile Sheet • The FOUR standardized objectives MAY NOT be changed or rewritten in any way

  31. Objectives [cont'd.] • All 9 points will be awarded based on whether or not your objectives are ambitious AND attainable based on the information provided for Need, Plan of Operation, and Adequacy of Resources and Budget • Applicants must provide comparative data to show why the percentage that is proposed for each standardized objective is ambitious AND attainable

  32. Objective #1 RESEARCH AND SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES (2 points) ____% of McNair Program participants served during the project year will have completed appropriate research and scholarly activities during the McNair Program academic year. (*McNair Program Academic Year: The McNair Program academic year is the period that most closely aligns with the first 12-month budget period for which this new award will be made. The 2012-13 McNair Program academic year is roughly August/September 2012 through August 2013.)

  33. Objective #2 ENROLLMENT IN GRADUATE PROGRAM (3 points) ____% of McNair Program bachelor’s degree recipients (or equivalent) will be accepted and enrolled in a postbaccalaureate program of study by the fall term of the academic year immediately following the completion of bachelor’s degree (or equivalent).

  34. Objective #3 CONTINUED ENROLLMENT IN GRADUATE STUDY (2 points) ____% of first year graduate students will continue to be enrolled in graduate school at the beginning of the fall term of the next academic year.

  35. Objective #4 DOCTORAL DEGREE ATTAINMENT (2 points) ____% of prior McNair Program participants served will attain a doctoral degree within ten (10) years of the attainment of the bachelor’s degree.

  36. Objectives [cont'd.] • Applicant may provide other objectives; however, other objectives are not requested nor required • Additional project objectives will not be considered or affect scoring

  37. Plan of Operation§647.21(c) Maximum Points: 44

  38. Plan of Operation • Participant selection criteria --Identification, Recruitment, and Selection (4 points) • Needs assessment and monitoring of academic growth (4 points) • Provision of research and scholarly activities (5 points)

  39. Plan of Operation [cont'd.] • Involvement of faculty in research activities (5 points) • Services and activities to prepare students for doctoral study including internships, seminars, etc. (5 points) • Services to enhance entry into postbaccalaureate education (5 points)

  40. Plan of Operation [cont'd.] • Inform institutional community of project’s goals and objectives (3 points) • Administration of project and coordination with other programs with disadvantaged students (8 points) • Follow-up after McNair participation (5 points)

  41. Quality of Key Personnel§647.21(d) Maximum Points: 9

  42. Quality of Key Personnel • Qualifications Required of Project Director • Summarize minimum required qualifications and experience • Do not include resumes or job descriptions • Qualifications Required of Other Staff • Summarize minimum required qualifications and experience • Do not include resumes or job descriptions • Include information for all staff (professional, administrative, clerical, etc.) • Plan for Employment of Qualified Staff • Institution’s affirmative action plan only is not adequate to address this criterion • Include procedures to be used to employ members of groups underrepresented in higher education

  43. Adequacy of Resources and Budget§647.21(e) Maximum Points: 15

  44. Adequacy of Resources and Budget • Clearly describe the proposed allocation of resources in the budget as they relate to your project objectives • Describe how the planned costs and resources are reasonable in relation to the objectives and scope • Detail any commitment of institutional resources (commitment of research faculty, tuition and fee waivers, etc) **Remember: Your Institution WILL BE Held Accountable for Resources Committed

  45. Budget Tips • All NEW projects will receive a maximum of $220,000 for the first year of operation to serve not less than 25 students each year • Current grantees will receive a maximum award equal to the applicant’s award amount for FY 2007, the first year of the previous cycle, to continue to serve at least the same number of participants that was approved for the current project, to the extent that at least 25 participants are served and/or the cost per participant does not exceed $8,800

  46. Budget Tips [cont'd.] Provide a Budget Summary and Budget Narrative for the first year only: • Budget Summary: Provide a specific dollar amount for each appropriate line item in the budget • Budget Narrative: Provide a succinct justification for each line item for which a dollar amount is requested **All Costs Must Be Reasonable in Relation to the Objectives

  47. Evaluation Plan§647.21(f) Maximum Points: 7

  48. Evaluation Plan Your Evaluation Plan should: • Include both qualitative and quantitative evaluation measures • Examine in specific and measurable ways the success of the project in making progress toward achieving its objectives • Include formative and summative evaluations • Provide for description of project outcomes

  49. Evaluation Plan [cont'd.] Your Evaluation Plan should clearly indicate: • Types of data to be collected • When data will be collected • What data collection methods will be used • What instruments will be developed and when • How the data will be analyzed • When reports and outcomes will be available • How the information developed will be used to monitor project progress and to provide accountability information • Who is responsible for making sure information is available in a timely manner and is influencing the ongoing management of the project

  50. Prior Experience§647.22 Maximum Points: 15

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