Bridges Program Directors Meeting
July 8-11, 2004
Denver, CO
Part I
Introduction to Bridges for New Program Staff
July 8-9, 2004
Experienced Bridges program directors served as faculty for a one-day course for new program directors and coordinators. Faculty identified pitfalls and suggested solutions, identified resources, and shared their own experiences. Below are brief summaries of the sessions.
The Grand View of Bridges
Irene Anne Eckstrand
Consisting of 27 largely independent institutes and centers, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has both an intramural research program and an extramural grants program. All applications for extramural funding, including those for Bridges, are reviewed through a two-tier review process consisting of an expert or peer review for merit and a review by the Institute’s national advisory council. Following review, Institute staff make funding decisions.
Bridges to the Future currently funds 105 programs involving over 1,500 students. Across the board, the transfer rate for students hovers at about 60 percent.
NIH has a stake in training a diverse community of research scientists who can carry out the complex research of the future and ensure that this research finds its way to improving the health and well-being of the public. There is a pool of students in community colleges and master’s programs who can contribute significantly toward this goal. A broader range of students can and do benefit from other program activities such as faculty training, course development and articulation, and development of mentoring and advising programs.
Bridges to the Future focuses on two measures of success:
- Student transfer from first to second tier institution
- Student graduation from the second tier institution
However, it is also clear that there is no such thing as a model program. Each program has unique qualities and goals, and each is structured a bit differently.
Introduction to the Program Directors Organization
Robert Kaman and Thomas Landefeld
The Program Directors Organization (PDO) is an independent organization of Bridges program directors and coordinators. The PDO supports the goals of Bridges in a variety of ways such as collecting data and information, preparing reports, and addressing issues that can best be addressed directly by program staff. This year, the PDO provided NIGMS with data and a report on the implications of having programs only at the first tier institution.
The PDO meets twice yearly at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students and at the annual Bridges Program meeting.
This year’s officers are:
- President, Robert Kaman
- President-Elect, Thomas Landefeld
- Secretary, Susan Henly
- Treasurer, Gyula Ficsor
Everything That Could Possibly Go Wrong!
Marigold Linton and Cynthia Rose Holland
Not getting funded is the first thing that can go wrong; but even funded grants can face challenges. Most new program directors deal with unexpected problems that force major rethinking during the first year of the grant. Drs. Linton and Holland urged new program staff to be patient and optimistic; the second year is typically better.
Examples of things that can go wrong include:
- Loss of a major partner, either an institution or an institutional coordinator. See the loss as an opportunity to build new collaborations and begin now to cultivate a network of relationships to support the program.
- There are too many or too few students. This may require rethinking how you recruit and select students. It may require broadening the scope of the program to include new departments, or you may need to refine your mission.
- There’s too much or too little money at the end of the year. This is common to new programs, and the solution is to monitor your spending rate very carefully and keep activities on track. Make friends with your grants office staff and budget staff. They will keep you on track. Learn the rules and timelines for paperwork.
- Evaluation is too hard. You will need to embrace evaluation as a program tool, so provide training for all the staff and be scrupulous about data collection.
- You can’t remember everything. Nobody can, so write everything down. Keep records of students’ activities, faculty and student evaluations, any scientific products, and planning documents. These will be useful when you prepare your renewal and do your evaluations.
- Students seem to disappear. Keep in constant contact with them, even after they have left the program. Try to have contact information of a relative who will always know where the student is.
- Students are struggling for a variety of personal reasons. Be involved, and involve other people in the students’ lives. The impact of involvement of parents, children, and partners can be significant.
Finally, the most important nugget of advice is to network with other Bridges to the Future program directors and coordinators.
Recruitment, Retention, and Tracking
Clara Wu
Many people have found that the most productive way to recruit new students is to network with the faculty, guidance counselors, registrar, and other students. Make sure that people know the acceptance standards.
There are key activities that may improve the retention rate:
- Hold an orientation meeting to introduce the program and its expectations
- Match the research activities with the student’s level of knowledge
- Research should encourage real experience, provide a friendly advisor and role model, and give guidance about future directions
- Take great care in selecting coordinators to ensure that they are dedicated and understand the program
- Regularly hold seminars for the students to report their work -- this is good experience for the speaker and audience, especially if students participate in evaluating each others’ work
- Hold an Alumni Day at which returning alumni can interact with current students
- Offer a variety of activities and experiences.
How you track students may be idiosyncratic. The Office of Institutional Research may be a valuable ally, and there may be institutional databases from which you can obtain information. You will always need to verify information by contacting the students personally.
Evaluation
Linda Tunstad and Glenn Kuehn
All programs must have a formative and summative evaluation. Goals describe the major aims of the program, and objectives are the means to determine if you are accomplishing the goal. Goals are the endpoints, and objectives are the means to the end. Activities are what you do to achieve each objective.
Goals must be:
- For your own program
- Reasonable and attainable
- Clearly stated
- Not a restatement of national goals
- Used carefully in the text of your materials
Objectives must be:
- Measurable or documentable
- Reasonable and attainable
- Qualitative or quantitative
- Specific regarding the timeframe
- Used carefully in your materials
Use formative and summative evaluations carefully. Formative evaluations are measures that allow for mid-stream corrections and improvements. Summative evaluations describe whether the goals of the program were met. Formative evaluations provide information as a program takes shape, allowing the program director to monitor progress, improve programs, refine activities, and clarify strengths and weaknesses. Summative evaluations sums up the impact of the program and usually refers to baseline or comparison data.
Institutional Perspective
Marigold Linton and Victor Rocha
Bridges is an institutional program, and it is important to consider a variety of organizational issues early on. It is also useful to recognize that different institutions may have different perspectives on significant issues.
Among the items that the program will need to address are the following:
- Which institution should house the program?
- Where should Bridges be housed within the institution?
- Where are there links with other programs on the campus?
- How can you demonstrate the value of the program to the administration? (You may be able to promote Bridges as a great outreach activity, or as a way to align the program with the institutional mission, obtain data for accreditation, and benefit other grants)
- What is the training plan at each institution?
- What is the evaluation plan from the institution’s perspective?
- How can you obtain faculty cooperation and support?
- What are institutional financial issues with respect to Bridges?
Introduction to Grants Management
Antoinette Holland, Ilene Glassman, and Kimberly Wheat
Grants management staff:
- Provide technical assistance to grantees and program staff
- Ensure that NIH grants follow good business and financial practices and comply with laws, regulations, and policies
- Ensure that grants are properly awarded and managed
Bridges to the Future is a Federal program, and accepting funds means accepting certain responsibilities and obligations. Laws passed by Congress and signed by the President establish goals and a framework for government agencies’ operations. Laws are implemented through a number of administrative regulations which may be written by the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the National Institutes of Health.
The NIH Grants Policy Statement is based on the laws and regulations that govern NIH and provides guidance on NIH awards. The policy statement is revised frequently, so it is worth checking the latest version when you want to make a request. Better yet, check with your program director or grants manager.
Specific programs, like Bridges to the Future, may have special requirements which are explained in the program announcement and may be included in the terms and conditions on your award statement.
Remember that you are responsible for knowing Bridges policies, specifically the Terms and Conditions on your Notice of Grant Award.
The NIH Payment Management System makes it possible for institutions to draw down grant funds electronically. Institutions with NIH grants can apply for access and will receive a PMS password and instructions on using the SMARTLINK system. Grantees will be able to draw down actual disbursements as well as submit specific reports such as the PSC 272 Federal Cash Transaction Report and the FSR 269 Financial Status Report. More information, including training and frequently asked questions, is available from the NIH Division of Payment Management at http://www.dpm.psc.gov/Default.aspx.
Advanced Grants Management Workshop
Kim Wheat, Ilene Glassman, and Toni Holland
The eRA Commons is the Web interface where NIH and grantees conduct administrative business electronically. It is rapidly becoming the means for submitting progress reports, financial status reports, and just-in-time information. eRA registration allows institutions to:
- View pending and awarded applications
- View and access priority scores and summary statements
- Link to the Notice of Grant Award and other documents
- Submit just-in-time information
- View NIH staff contacts for each application
- Link to study section rosters and meeting dates
A demonstration facility is available on the eRA Web site.
Non-competing progress reports (T5’s) should be submitted annually on Form PHS-2590 form, which is available on the NIH Web site at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/2590/2590.htm. Bridges grantees can now use the abbreviated Streamlined Noncompeting Award Process (SNAP), which is due to NIH 60 days prior to the beginning of the project period. Instructions for filling out the PHS-2590 are available at http://nigms.nih.gov/minority.
Financial status reports are also due annually within 90 days following the end of a budget period. The process is quicker and more reliable if done electronically. As many program directors have discovered, a late FSR can delay an award.
No-cost extensions can extend the final budget period for 12 months; however, no additional funds are provided and no new students may enter the program.
Bridges program directors need to know that their grants do not have automatic carryover. Program directors should track expenditures, plan ahead for special needs, and have a plan to use surplus funds.
Other policies are available in the Bridges Policy Statement, available on the NIGMS Web site.
PART II
Bridges Program Meeting
July 9-11, 2004
The Bridges program directors and coordinators met for 1-1/2 days to share information and plan for the future. The first evening provided information on the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) and new directions for Bridges. The first full day was given over to a series of structured conversations to identify the strengths of Bridges and how it can reach its potential. The third day gave participants a chance to see how applications are reviewed.
Undergraduate Scholarship Program
Marc Horowitz
The NIH UGSP offers competitive scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research. The program offers:
- Scholarship support
- Paid research training at NIH during the summer
- Paid employment and training at NIH after graduation
The NIH UGSP will pay up to $20,000 per academic year in tuition, educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses to scholarship recipients. Scholarships are awarded for 1 year and can be renewed up to 4 years.
For each full or partial scholarship year, scholars are committed to two NIH service obligations. The obligations themselves are benefits of the UGSP—providing invaluable research training and experience at NIH.
- 10-week summer laboratory experience. After each year of scholarship support, scholars will train for 10 weeks as paid summer research employees in NIH research laboratories. This employment occurs after the receipt of the scholarship award. Each scholar will be assigned to an NIH researcher and an NIH postdoctoral fellow, who will serve as mentors. Scholars will also attend formal seminars and participate in a variety of programs.
- Employment at NIH after graduation. After graduation, scholars will continue their training as full-time employees in NIH research laboratories. Scholars must serve 1 year of full-time employment for each year of scholarship.
NIH Undergraduate Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis to students who show a commitment to pursuing careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research. The following are the basic requirements:
- U.S. citizen, national, or qualified non-citizen
- Enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time student for the 2005-2006 academic year at an accredited, 4-year undergraduate institution
- From a disadvantaged background – disadvantaged background means that the scholar’s financial aid office has certified him or her as having “exceptional financial need”
- 3.5 GPA or higher (on a 4.0 scale) or within the top 5 percent of the scholar’s class
NIH encourages students to apply online at http://ugsp.info.nih.gov. In addition to the online application, this Web site contains detailed information on the UGSP as well as downloadable application forms.
How to Build a Bridge While You’re Crossing It
Irene Anne Eckstrand
There are many changes ahead for the Bridges to the Future program.
- A new program director – Dr. Eckstrand will be leaving Bridges to take on other responsibilities in NIGMS. The Institute will be hiring a new staff person to direct the Bridges program.
- Program scope – In the future, Bridges will focus on creating a diverse scientific research community. In keeping with the larger mission, it is likely that a new Bridges program will include a component for the second-tier institutions and changes in budget and time.
- E*STAR – Data in the E*STAR database are inadequate to do useful analyses to study the impact of Bridges. Despite efforts to use the data, we have to admit that this has not been a successful experiment. Program directors no longer need to enter student or institutional data into E*STAR, although their responsibility to track and keep records of students has not changed.
Creating the Future
Lynn Priddy and Richard McGee
Bridges meeting attendees participated in a process for capturing and synthesizing participants’ knowledge about what is essential to the success of Bridges. The goals were to create:
- A clearer sense of mission among participants
- A set of specific recommendations and activities, including decisions on priority, who will commit to doing them, and a timeline for implementation
- A decision on how we will report back on our progress
- Substantive and meaningful input into the Bridges to the Future program announcement to be re-issued in 2005
The program was divided into four conversations to engage participants in a sequence of discussions to draw out, capture, and synthesize participants’ knowledge. The discussion was rich with ideas and practical suggestions, and a short report can capture only a few items, not necessarily even the most important ones. Indeed, the importance of a suggestion depends considerably on local circumstances.
Conversation One: What matters most to making Bridges programs successful?
- Student development and preparedness
- Research participation
- Strong role models and guidance
- Careful recruitment and selection of students
- Development of educational programs across institutions
- Visionary leaders, faculty, and staff
- Development of a committed community
Conversation Two: What are the strengths of the Bridges program?
Strengths identified by the participants:
- Supportive, structured, consistent environment
- High expectations for students and faculty
- Excellent mentors who love science
- Well-designed courses
- Elimination of obstacles (time, financial)
- Long-term goals for students
Students are succeeding when they:
- Give back to other students
- Become independent in the lab; show initiative
- Anticipate and prepare for the next steps in their programs
- Become independent learners and show a drive to learn
Good practices at the first-tier institution include:
- Active and effective counseling
- Faculty mentoring
- Honest and insightful letters of recommendation
- Realistic academic preparation
- Collaboration among the faculty
- Exposing students to other cultures
- Facilitating the transfer process, including helping students obtain financial aid
Good practices at the second-tier institution include:
- Willingness to accept students into the community
- Peer and faculty mentoring
- Personal attention by a faculty member for each student
- Preparing students for the next step
- Formal orientation for the students
- Summer research or workshops
- Enrichment programs (GRE preparation, responsible conduct, presentation skills, etc.)
- Lab rotations that include a diversity of experiences
Good practices for faculty in undergraduate programs include:
- Regularly discussing students’ progress, identifying where help is needed, and providing help
- Advising and mentoring students
- Active and persistent recruiting
- Active and persistent efforts to address barriers to students’ success
- Continuous evaluation of activities and practices
- Serving on or attending advisory meetings
- Encouraging administration support
Good practices for graduate faculty include:
- Modeling and encouraging interactions with the scientific community
- Identifying professional roles, finding mentors
- High expectations
- Expectations of active research and professional development
- Expecting faculty from both institutions to serve on dissertation committees
- Creating independent students
Good institutional practices include:
- Spearheading negotiations of inter-institutional agreements
- Providing funding for housing, social activities, tuition, books, and other expenses
- Institutionalizing scholarships or fellowships for successful Bridge students
- Recognizing leadership (positions, titles, offices)
- Integration of Bridges with other programs
- Support of conferencing and teleconferencing facilities
- Flexibility, encouragement of innovation
Conversation Three: What proposals and priorities would make a significant difference to Bridges programs?
Examples of suggestions include:
- Create a Bridges Portal Web Site with links to all programs, grants and policy information, and student opportunities as a way to provide efficient, effective sharing of collective wisdom and practices
- Provide a wider range of support services for students, including social and mental health services, wellness programs, child care, housing, and enrichment activities
- Increase the use of technology to overcome geographic barriers
- Increase outreach into the community
- Encourage Bridges programs to incorporate research in a variety of fields, including human behavior and social sciences
- Broaden the scope of Bridge programs to include K-12 outreach
- Improve the linkages among MORE Division programs and with other training programs to provide students and faculty with the best information on financial and educational options
- Create materials on biomedical careers aimed at the minority communities
- Expand the student pool eligible for Bridges, e.g., disadvantaged students
Conversation Four: What ideas can you take home to improve your program now?
Below is an abbreviated list of ideas that Bridges program directors plan to implement locally. Many do not require additional funding; others require non-Bridges funding; some involve institutional or faculty commitment or a change in the way institutions interact.
- Coordinate with the other Bridges program nearby; identify and interact with their students
- Hold a meeting with R01 investigators to discuss minority supplements
- Develop a program for Bridges students to share their experiences with local high school students
- Develop a set of activities that include students’ families
- Involve Bridges students in community projects so that everybody sees the benefits of science
- Record interviews with alumni, both for recordkeeping and to use in recruiting.
- Add Web links to more scholarship/fellowship opportunities
- Recruit research mentors by creating a “Bridges Student Portfolio” embedded on the program’s Web site and in a brochure – send the portfolio to nearby researchers and invite them to a reception to meet the students
- Focus on academic preparedness, in part by involving researchers, postdocs, and graduate students at the partner institution
- Strengthen students’ preparedness by adding more mathematics to the curriculum
- Establish joint research activities among the faculty at the partner institutions
- Institute a bi-weekly teleconference with a Bridges alumnus
- Develop a library of materials on financial support and help students follow through
- Improve the communications with the Admissions Office, Budget Office, and Office of Institutional Research
- Start collecting data for the next grant proposal
- Add fun, social activities for students and their families.
- Meet with the president, dean, and department chair to discuss the value of the program to the college.
- Set up a travel grant to bring alumni back to pass on their enthusiasm to students.
- Establish regular meeting times with Bridges coordinators.
- Establish a supplemental instruction program
- Establish “Bridges Learning Communities” at the 4-year institution.
- Reorganize the way funds are managed and disbursed.
- Provide more career advice and counseling.
- And many more!
Mock Peer Review
Cathleen Cooper
Dr. Cooper, the Scientific Review Administrator for Bridges, ran a mock review meeting using experienced Bridge reviewers and fictitious applications. The purpose was to show how experts view and analyze applications.
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