NORDP 2018 Conference Notes: NORDP Program for External Evaluation of Research Development (PEERD): Perspectives from Evaluators and Institutions Evaluated

NORDP Program for External Evaluation of Research Development (PEERD): Perspectives from Evaluators and Institutions Evaluated

Presenters:

• Jerilyn Hansen, Utah State University
• Susan Carter, Retired, UC Merced
• Kay Tindle, Texas Tech University
• Peggy Sundermeyer, Trinity University

Thanks to our session scribe, Mary Jo Daniel, University of New Mexico!

Key points from the session. We learned:

• PEERD is a new (formalized in 2017) service offered through NORDP that currently has a pool of 8 reviewers.
• PEERD reviews are planned collaboratively by institutional leadership and the PEERD team.
• Review team composition is critical; there needs to be a balance of personalities, skill sets, and experience levels.
• Reviews engage campus leadership, the RD office being reviewed, and faculty groups.
• Reviews result in actionable recommendations.

What did you hear at this presentation that surprised you?

Not a surprise, but a good idea: it’s best to plan for a follow-up meeting to share review recommendations broadly with those who participated in the review (e.g., other administrators, faculty members).

What resources did you discover at this presentation?

• The homepage of NORDP’s PEERD program can be found here: https://www.nordp.org/peerd-consulting-program
• A PEERD review of UC Merced can be found here: https://rds.ucmerced.edu/about-rds/nordp-peer-review-report-rds-uc-merced

What was the most interesting question asked by an audience member, and what was the presenters’ response?

An audience member pointed out that evaluations can be judgment-based/draw from experience, or more data-driven (e.g., use of repeatable protocols). The audience member felt that PEERD appears to emphasize the first, and wanted to know how this was decided upon. The presenters explained that individual campus goals determine the approach taken by the PEERD group. So, if a campus requests an analysis of data, the PEERD group is able to do this.

What else from this session should NORDP members know?

Cost of a PEERD review is dependent on individual campus goals and the design of the review itself, but a “ballpark” figure for the service is between $12K – $18K. The PEERD reviewers are paid a fee and NORDP is paid for its administration of the program.