Correspondence

Communications Protocols

Implementation Evaluation of the ADVANCE Program

Draft E-Mail from NSF to Project Directors

Dear ADVANCE Project Directors:

As you know, NSF has commissioned an evaluation of the ADVANCE Program. As part of this evaluation, the Urban Institute will be conducting a telephone interview with each of you to learn about the implementation of your project. I strongly urge you to extend your assistance and cooperation in this effort. This evaluation will help document the success of the Program and advance knowledge about innovative efforts designed to increase the representation and advance of women in mathematics and science fields in academia.

Sincerely,

Draft E-Mail from Urban Institute to Site Directors

Dear ADVANCE Project Directors:

As you know, the Urban Institute has been contracted by NSF to carry out an implementation evaluation of the ADVANCE Program. Because of your in-depth knowledge of the ADVANCE project at your institution, we would like to interview you about your project’s implementation and activities. A member of our team will be contacting you shortly to arrange for a convenient time to conduct the telephone interview. The interview should take about one hour or so.

Your participation is voluntary and you may end the interview at any time. Please be assured that anything you say will be kept confidential, and will not be attributed to you or your site in our reports to NSF. Also, please note that, pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(b), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number.  The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-XXXX.  Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions.  Please send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:  Reports Clearance Officer, Facilities and Operations Branch, Division of Administrative Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA  22230.

We greatly appreciate your assistance.

Sincerely,

Draft Interview Introduction

Hello, I'm _____________________ from the Urban Institute.

Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in our evaluation of the ADVANCE Program.

The purpose of the implementation evaluation is to document how the program works. Because of your extensive knowledge of your project, we would like to speak to you about your project’s background and activities.

This interview should take approximately one hour. Please be assured that anything you say will be kept confidential, and your name will not be used in our reports to NASA or anyone else.

For convenience, I would like to tape-record our conversation. Do you have any objections?

IF NO OBJECTIONS: thank them, turn on the recorder and say: “Be assured that no one outside of the evaluation team will have access to the tape.”

OTHERWISE, IF OBJECT or HESITATE: I understand and do not mind taking notes during our conversation.

Do you have any questions before we begin?