EXCERPT FROM OUR PEER REVIEW
(EDA Letter dated December
23, 2002 )
It was the overall consensus of the appraisal team that UMass
CED under your direction and consultation, has more than effectively
performed on an Outstanding level as an EDA University Center .
As a well-managed and performance-based Center, you have effectively
provided technical assistance to the Massachusetts distressed
cities and towns. The Center has been able to do such outstanding
work through the efforts of CED’s Director, Consultant
Advisor, the LARP faculty and graduate interns. We found all
of CED’s clients in agreement that the Center’s contribution
was highly appropriate, and has made a material contribution
to economic development, particularly in western Massachusetts .
The Center’s projects have been cutting- edge, innovative
and pertinent to economic development throughout the state. The
LARP faculty and CED have published top-notch publications and
timely research projects that have been read and used internationally
as well as nationally. As for the Dissemination of Information,
as CED Director and Consultant you have been both been frequently
and repeatedly utilized as moderators, speakers, presenters and
consultants at EDA and other National Economic Development and
Planning conferences. CED has also conducted numerous training
workshops on regional economic development issues, the EDA CEDS
planning process or the preparation of the CEDS document.
The CED Graduate Internships are considered invaluable human
resources, especially for the distressed and rural areas. The
clients described the costs to obtain a student Intern as being
less than one-fifth of what a consultant would charge them. They
described the work performed by the LARP student Interns to be
professional, and the quality of that work has made many repeat
users. The students themselves have appreciated the academic,
financial support and work experience afforded them through CED.
We found that the Center’s EDA grant that supports four
students at $5,000 each a semester has significantly leveraged
so much more. And what a perfect match for CED to now be housed
under the UMass Amherst’ Office of University Outreach
with its Vice-Chancellor being the CED Director.
Engaging and involving the CED Advisory Committee in efforts
to improve the Center’s visibility, and its partnering
efforts with the Massachusetts EDD’s
outside of western Massachusetts , were areas
where it was suggested CED should improve. Those areas have been
addressed as a part of the EDA recommendations. There were no
EDA recommendations described for implementation in CED’s
1994 EDA performance appraisal report. And so overall, CED under
the direction of its dynamic and energetic Director, and the
LARP graduate students were found to be the Center’s greatest
assets. We would also like to mention that CED has an outstanding
administrative support staff, who have been responsive and available
to respond, when the CED Director and consultant are often traveling
throughout the state or out of the country. The appraisal team
surmised that if there was an rating above Outstanding, that
CED would deserve such a rating. We literally found ourselves
exhaustive from being so overwhelmed by how CED has been able
to produce and leverage so much with the EDA grant the Center
receives each year. As an EDA University Center ,
EDA continues to be amazed at how CED as a partner, consistently
leverages our funding in such a substantial and successful way.
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