COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN LAND TENSURE CENTER, 211(D) GRANT ON LAND TENSURE AND RELATED INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. TEAM REPORT (SEPTEMBER 23-24, 1974)

THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT IS TO STRENGTHEN WISCONSIN"S COMPETENCY IN LAND TENURE AND RELATED INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. EVALUATION IS BASED ON DISCUSSIONS HELD BETWEEN THE AID REVIEW TEAM AND UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS AND FACULTY ON SEPT 23-24, 1974. EVALUATORS CONSIDER THAT LTC WORK FOR THE GRANT PERIOD HAS BEEN CONSISTENT WITH GRANT OBJECTIVES. LTC COURSES FULFILL IMPORTANT TRAINING NEEDS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. NEVETHELESS, THERE IS A LACK OF FOCUS BY THE LTC IN ITS RESEARCH PROGRAM, PERHAPS DUE TO VAGUENESS OF GRANT OBJECTIVES, AND THAT LTC IS TOO RELUCTANT TO DRAW GENERALIZATION FROM RESEARCH. LTC PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH HAS EXPANDED IN SOCIOLOGY, POLITICAL SCIENCE, AND HISTORY, BUT HAS PROBABLY DECREASED IN ANALYTICAL AND AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS. PARTICULARLY LACKING IS A STAFF CADRE WITH RIGOROUS RESEARCH ANALYSIS ORIENTATION IN THE LATTER DISCIPLINES. LIBRARY ACTIVITIES APPEAR TO BE WELL-FOCUSED AND RESPONSIVE TO LDC AND DONOR NEEDS, ESPECIALLY IN ITEMS NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH NORMAL LIBRARY CHANNELS: UNPUBLISHED MATERIALS, MONOGRAPHS, REPORTS, LAWS, ETC. ALSO HELPFUL ARE THE EXTENSIVE MAILING LIST AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC SERIES. CONTINUED ASSISTANCE BY AID IS RECOMMENDED, BASED ON A CONTINUING ASSESSMENT OF PROJECTED DEMANDED FOR SPECIFIC MONITORING OF LAND TENURE ACTIVITIES AND FOR CONSULTING SERVICES. ANALYTICAL RESEARCH ACTIVITY SHOULD BE BETTER DEFINED. ENROLLMENT SHOULD BE KEPT TO A MINIMUM IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY AND SCOPE REQUIRED FOR ACCEPTANCE IN THE UNIVERSITY"S PHD PROGRAM. THE TEAM RECOMMENDS THAT AID CLARIFY ITS LAND TENURE POLICY, ASSISTED BY LTC, AND THAT LTC LINKAGES, INTRAUNIVERSITY AND WITH OTHER ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, BE PROMOTED AND STRENGTHENED. A 2-YEAR EXTENSION OF THE LTC GRANT IS RECOMMENDED TO SUPPORT FIELD MISSIONS AND LTC-RELATED ACTIVITY IN AGRARIAN AND LAND REFORM, PROVIDED THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF WICSONSIN DEVELOPS A UNIFIED RESEARCH STRATEGY.