Report on the comprehensive review of the Cornell University 211(D) grant on tropical soils

EVALUATION WAS CONDUCTED AT CORNELL THROUGH PERSONAL INTERCHANGES WITH FACULTY. THE TEAM DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS NO GENERALLY RECOGNIZED DEFINITION OF "CULTURAL SYSTEMS OF TROPICAL SOIL", EITHER IN AID OR AT CORNELL. AS A RESULT CORNELL FOCUSED ON THE STUDY OF "VARIOUS "SYSTEMS" OF TROPICAL SOILS. FOR THIS AND OTHER REASONS, IT IS NOTED THAT THE AMOUNT OF INCREASED SUBSTANCE CAPACITY RESULTING FROM THE GRANT IS DIFFICULT TO MEASURE. THE INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE AND CAPACITY AT CORNELL IS TO BE FOUND IN THE SUM OF ITS FACULTY'S KNOWLEDGE, QUALITY OF STUDENTS, AND RESEARCH EFFORTS, NOT IN ANY SYSTEMATIC NEW BODY OF THOUGHT. CORNELL HAS DEVELOPED LINKAGES WITH OTHER UNIVERSITIES WITH MUTUAL INTERESTS (NORTH CAROLINA ST AND HAWAII), AND HAS ESTABLISHED EXTENSIVE PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS WITH INTL RESEARCH CENTERS. DIRECT LDC UTILIZATION OF CORNELL'S CAPACITY WAS NOT A MAJOR FOCUS OF THE PROGRAM, HOWEVER, ONE NOTED EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT IN LDC CAPACITY BUILDING HAS BEEN AT LOS BANOS IN THE PHILIPPINES. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT AN EXTENSION OF THE PRESENT GRANT WAS NOT WARRANTED. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE FOLLOWING BE OBTAINED FROM CORNELL: 1)A SUMMARY STATEMENT OF THE STATE OF THE FIELD OF TROPICAL SOILS AS ADVANCED OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS; 2)A STATEMENT OF PROGRESS ON AN INVENTORY OF MATERIAL AND DOCUMENTS, AND ON REGULAR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CONSORTIUM AND OTHER CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN THIS FIELD, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THESE MIGHT BE DEVELOPED; 3)A STATEMENT OF MAJOR RESEARCH THRUSTS THAT SEEM ESSENTIAL FOR LDC'S. AUTHORS RECOMMENDED THAT THE FOLLOWING BE INCLUDED IN FUTURE 211(D) GRANTS: 1)CLEAR MUTUALLY UNDERSTOOD DEFINITION OF THE PRODUCT EXPECTED; 2)A REQUIREMENT AT THE END OF THE GRANT FOR A SUMMARY BY THE GRANTEE OF THE SUBSTANTIVE ADVANCEMENT OF THE STATE OF THE ART; 3)REGULAR REVIEWS; 4)GREATER INVOLVEMENT OF MORE FACULTY & STUDENTS AT GRANTEE UNIV IN DISCUSSIONS WITH AID.