[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29782-29783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10315]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.
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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the
following information collection requirement to OMB for review and
clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13.
This is the second notice; the first notice was published at 70 FR
10416 and no comments were received. Comments regarding (a) whether the
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the agency, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of
burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection
of information on those who are to respond, including through the use
of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology should be addressed to: Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for National Science
Foundation, 725-17th Street, NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and
to Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230
or send e-mail to [email protected]. Comments regarding these
information collections are best assured of having their full effect if
received within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the
submission(s) may be obtained by calling 703-292-7556.
NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless
the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such persons are not required to
respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title of Collection: Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates
in Science and Engineering.
OMB Approval Number: 3145-0062.
Proposed Project
Graduate students in science, engineering, and health-related
fields in U.S. colleges and universities, by source and mechanism of
support and by demographic characteristics. An electronic/mail survey,
the Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and
engineering originated in 1966 and has been conducted annually since
1972. The survey is the academic graduate enrollment component of the
NSF statistical program that seeks to ``provide a central clearinghouse
for the collection, interpretation, and analysis of data on the
availability of, and the current and projected need for, scientific and
technical resources in the United States, and to provide a source of
information for policy formulation by other agencies of the Federal
government'' as mandated in the National Science Foundation Act of
1950.
The proposed project will continue the current survey cycle for
three years. The annual Fall surveys for 2005 through 2007 will survey
the universe of 712 reporting units (schools) at 592 graduate degree-
granting institutions. There are 12, 262 departments at these schools
that offer accredited graduate programs in science, engineering or
health. The survey has provided continuity of statistics on graduate
school enrollment and support for graduate students in all science &
engineering (S&E) and health fields, with separate data requested on
demographic characteristics (race/ethnicity and gender by full-time and
part-time enrollment status). Statistics from the survey are published
in NSF's annual publication series Graduate Students and Postdoctorates
in Science and Engineering, in NSF publications Science and Engineering
Indicators, Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science
and Engineering, and are available electronically on the World Wide
Web.
The survey will be sent primarily to the administrators at the
Institutional Research Offices. To minimize burden, NSF instituted a
Web-based survey in 1998 through which institutions can enter data
directly or upload preformatted files. The Web-based survey includes a
complete program for editing and trend checking and allows institutions
to receive their previous year's data for comparison. Respondents will
be encouraged to participate in this Web-based survey should they so
wish. Traditional paper questionnaires will also be available, with
editing and trend checking performed as part of the survey processing.
In the currently
[[Page 29783]]
ongoing Fall 2004 GSS survey, preliminary data indicate that 95% of the
institutions are submitting the data on the Web-based data collection
system. During the 2003 GSS survey cycle, 87% of the institutions used
the Web-based data collection system.
The Fall 2003 GSS achieved a total response rate of 99.4 percent
for institutions and 99.0 percent for departments. Response rates are
not yet available for the currently ongoing Fall 2004 survey.
Estimate of Burden:
Respondents: Individuals.
Estimated Number of Responses: 12,262.
Estimated Total Annual burden on Respondents: 39,235 hours.
Frequency of Responses: Annually.
Dated: May 19, 2005.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 05-10315 Filed 5-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M