Planning and Evaluation Core

(This Core is identical for all three Partnering Institutions) The Partnership between the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Tuskegee University (TU), and the University of Alabama at Birmingham O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center (UAB OCCC) presents a distinct opportunity to build on our accomplishments in education of future cancer research scientists and to advance cancer research at all three institutions with a focus on cancer outcomes in the context of a bidirectional engagement with urban and rural communities in Alabama and Georgia. For this U54 Partnership, evaluation is conducted by a team of evaluators representing each partnering institution, who meet monthly to discuss progress, issues, and solutions: Dr. Isabel Scarinci and Ms. Kathryn Maxwell (UAB OCCC), Dr. Desiree Rivers (MSM), and Mr. Lecarde Webb (TU). Although they work together, each is primarily responsible for specific Cores and Shared Resources. This team makes recommendations to be implemented administratively by the Principal Investigators with the advice, guidance, and direction of each institution’s Executive Committee, the Partnership Leadership Committee (PLC), the Internal Advisory Committee (IAC), and the Program Steering Committee (PSC). Each Core, Research Project, and Shared Resource of this Partnership have its own evaluation plan/worksheet outlining the evaluation questions for each specific aim, tasks, data collection tools, the person responsible for each task, and timeline. Process evaluation results are discussed monthly at the PLC meetings, and comprehensive yearly written reports are shared with the IAC and PSC for feedback and guidance. It should be noted that, although each component have its own evaluation plan, an integrated evaluation process will be conducted to synergize all components to achieve the long-term goal of eliminating cancer burden.