[Bluestem] MSP Proposal Update

[Bob Howard]

Hi -

It's now been six months since we submitted the BlueSTEM proposal and 
we have no official word, but I thought I would at least pass along 
the unofficial talk I have heard.

Unfortunately, the news isn't encouraging.  Since we've heard nothing 
about a reverse site visit, it's unlikely we are in one of the groups 
slated for funding.  The rumor is that only a very few comprehensives 
will be funded (fewer that five) and that funding decisions once 
again have been entangled in political considerations.  And, there 
seems to be a lot of confusion about the direction of the program 
next year.

If there is a positive side to the work we've put in, it's that we 
have a solid basis for addressing the Dept. of Ed. NCLB funds that 
each state will receive.  Although the guidelines for these grants 
are still being written, my understanding is that a partnership 
between at least one district and one higher education institution 
will be required.  We should definitely look at how we can use these 
funds to build upon the start we've made.  It may be that we can 
maximize our funding by submitting several proposals involving groups 
of partners rather than one single proposal...but we should do 
whatever makes us most competitive.  Perhaps, if ultimately our MSP 
proposal is denied, we can get together in the fall to talk about the 
next steps.

Bob