At the AAPT Kissimmee meeting, we heard from several NSF program
officers
who outlined some problems facing two programs at the National Science
Foundation that are critical to the scholarship of many AAPT members. The
program officers could not ask for our support since they are legally
forbidden to lobby. However, the budgetary situation they described was
sufficiently bleak that the AAPT Executive Board felt that all our members
should be made aware of the situation.
AAPT is not a lobbying organization. However, these issues are
critical to the health of physics education. If you feel strongly about
these issues write, email or visit your Congressional representatives in
both the House and the Senate to express your concerns. Congress
interprets
silence as an indication that nobody cares. Ruth Howes has prepared a
letter supporting these programs to be sent to key members of Congress and
that letter is available on the AAPT web site at http://www.aapt.org.
1. The CCLI (Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement Program)
provides funding to develop new materials, adapt and implement them and
disseminate them. It replaced three programs in the Division of
Undergraduate Education: Instructional Laboratory Improvement in which
grants provided equipment if matched 50% by the institution receiving the
grant; Course and Curriculum Development which funded many of the major
new
projects in physics education; and Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement which
disseminated the results of course and curriculum projects. The
administration request for CCLI for FY 2001 is DECREASED by $1.3 million
from FY 2000. The budget line looks like an increase but it is earmarked
for special initiatives, notably digital libraries.
In addition, CCLI has received relatively few proposals in
comparison with the programs it replaced. NSF interprets this to mean
that
nobody is interested in the projects supported. Thus submitting a
proposal
has two benefits: you might get funded and submission indicates interest
in
the program.
We think that funding for CCLI should increased at a rate of $5 million
for
each of the next 5 years. Without excellent training in science for
students at the undergraduate level, our national supply of scientists,
science teachers and scientifically literate policy makers will rapidly
erode.
2. The Advanced Technological Education Program (ATE) supports curriculum
development and program improvement aimed at educating future technicians
at
associate degree granting institutions who are expected to work in
partnership with secondary schools and industry. The program was
originally
initiated in response to Congressional perceptions that the national
economy
would require technicians equipped with the academic skills to be lifelong
learners as well as specific skills needed by industry. The
Administration's request for FY 2001 calls for an increase of $10 million
for ATE. Some of this money may also be earmarked for special projects
but
we cannot determine this from the information in hand.
We support increased funding for ATE in this year during which research
programs are seeing increases in the range of 20% and urge funding
increases
of at least $5 million a year over the next 5 years.