EVALUATION REPORT : AFRICAN - AMERICAN SCHOLARS COUNCIL, INC.

THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH AASC WAS FORMED -- TO PROMOTE CONTACTS AND LINKAGES BETWEEN AMERICAN AND AFRICAN SCHOLARS, UNIVERSITIES, RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, AND PROFESSIONAL GROUPS THAT STIMULATE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH -- WERE PARTIALLY ACHIEVED. HOWEVER, COSTS FOR RESEARCH SUB-GRANTS AND TRAVEL GRANTS EXCEEDED THE VALUE OF RESULTS. STUDIES BY AMERICANS WERE NOT AS VALUABLE FOR AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT AS THOSE PERFORMED BY AFRICANS. NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO JOINT AFRICAN/AMERICAN RESEARCH. THE PROJECT REVIEW/SELECTION PROCESS DURING THE FIRST 3 YEARS OF THE GRANT DID NOT INVOLVE HOST COUNTRIES AND MISSIONS. THE AASC COUNCIL AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS LACKED A MECHANISM FOR SCREENING AND APPROVING RESEARCH PROPOSALS UP TO 1974. THE AASC COUNCIL WAS WEAK IN STUDYING NEW APPROACHES TO SATISFYING AFRICAN NEEDS AND NOT ALL OF THE COUNCIL WAS INVOLVED IN REVIEW. AFTER 1974, REVIEW CRITERIA BEGAN TO INCLUDE 1) CONGRESSIONAL MANDATES, 2) POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOLUTION OF AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS, 3) CLARITY AND COMPLETENESS OF DESIGN, AND 4) HOST COUNTRY INTERESTS AND NEEDS. BETTER OUTCOMES RESULTED FROM WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES ALTHOUGH COMPARABLE OUTCOMES MAY HAVE RESULTED FOR LESS COST HAD ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES BEEN DIFFERENT. THE COUNCIL NEEDS A SYSTEM OF MEMBERSHIP TURNOVER TO PREVENT ORGANIZATIONAL INEFFICIENCY. AID SHOULD EXTEND FUNDING 1 YEAR TO ALLOW FOR COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP OVERHAUL, IMPROVEMENT OF OPERATING PROCEDURES, AND CONSIDERATIONS TOWARD BROADENING THE COUNCIL'S FINANCIAL BASE.