NCJ Number
54795
Journal
Evaluation and Program Planning Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: (1978) Pages: 177-186
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
TO STUDY THE UTILITY OF A JURY TRIAL APPROACH TO PROGRAM EVALUATION, PROCEDURES USED TO DETERMINE DOCTORAL CANDIDACY IN A GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK WERE ASSESSED BY A STUDENT-FACULTY PANEL.
Abstract
UNTIL 6 YEARS PRIOR TO THE TRIAL, STUDENTS AT THE BUFFALO CAMPUS GRADUATE PROGRAM IN CLINICAL AND COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY TOOK A TRADITIONAL 2-DAY ESSAY EXAMINATION. HOWEVER, IN 1970, THE PROGRAM ADOPTED A PLAN REQUIRING TWO LENGTHY REVIEW PAPERS AND AN ORIGINAL PIECE OF RESEARCH, WITH STUDENTS SELECTING THE TOPICS AND COMMITTEES OF THEIR CHOICE. CONTROVERSIAL FEATURES OF THE PROGRAM WERE DEADLINES, STUDENT SELECTION OF COMMITTEES, AND APPARENT LOSS OF FACULTY CONTROL OVER THE BREADTH OF TRAINING. STUDENT-FACULTY CONFRONTATIONS LED TO A JURY TRIAL EVALUATION BY A 10-MEMBER PANEL SELECTED FROM THE RANKS OF THE FACULTY AND GRADUATE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY. THE JURY UPHELD THE PROGRAM ON MOST COUNTS, AND THE TRIAL ITSELF, WHILE TIME CONSUMING, PROVED ITS POTENTIAL FOR PRESENTING A DRAMATIC PICTURE OF THE PROGRAM THROUGH TESTIMONY. THE JURY WAS ABLE TO ARRIVE AT CLEAR DECISIONS ON QUESTIONS PUT TO IT, WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE. DECISIONMAKERS ACCEPTED SOME OF THE JURY'S CONCLUSIONS, AND SUBJECTIVE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT MANY OF THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES WHICH LED TO THE USE OF THE TRIAL FORMAT WERE RESOLVED AS A RESULT OF THE PROCEDURE. A POSTTRIAL EVALUATION REVEALED LIMITATIONS, SUCH AS EVIDENCE WHICH WAS NOT PRESENTED AT THE TRIAL. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE EXPERIENCE PROVED USEFUL FOR THE PURPOSES OF INTERDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION, PROVIDING A NEW VANTAGE POINT ON THE EVALUATION PROBLEM. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (KBL)