[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 87 (Monday, May 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24615-24616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-9783]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Extend a Current Information
Collection
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments.
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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), and as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, the National Science Foundation
(NSF) is inviting the general public or other Federal agencies to
comment on this proposed continuing information collection. The
National Science Foundation (NSF) will publish periodic summaries of
the proposed projects.
Comments: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the Foundation, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Foundation's estimate
of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (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
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by July 7, 2008
to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date will be
considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to address below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports
Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,
Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone (703) 292-7556; or send
e-mail to [email protected]. Individuals who use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., eastern
time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title of Collection: Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates
in Science and Engineering.
OMB Approval Number: 3145-0062.
Expiration Date of Approval: July 31, 2008.
Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend an information
collection for three years.
1. Abstract
The Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and
Engineering (GSS) is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and
the National Institutes of Health. The GSS originated in 1966 and has
been conducted annually since 1972. The GSS is a census of all
departments in science, engineering and health fields within academic
institutions with post-baccalaureate programs in the United States. The
total number of respondents surveyed in 2006, the last year for which
complete response rate data are available, was 12,321 departments
located in 707 schools (reporting units) at 586 degree-granting
institutions. The GSS is the only national survey that collects
information on the characteristics of graduate enrollment for specific
science, engineering and health disciplines at the department level. It
collects information on race/ethnicity, citizenship, gender, sources of
support, mechanisms of support, and enrollment status for graduate
students; and gender, citizenship and sources of support for
postdoctorates. It also collects counts by gender of other non-faculty
research staff with doctorates.
The National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as subsequently
amended, includes a statutory charge to ``* * *provide a central
clearinghouse for the collection, interpretation, and analysis of data
on scientific and engineering resources, and to provide a source of
information for policy formulation by other agencies of the Federal
Government.'' The GSS is designed to comply with these mandates by
providing information on the characteristics of academic graduate
enrollment and postdoctoral components in science, engineering and
health fields.
The GSS (along with other academic sector surveys from both NSF and
the National Center of Education Statistics) is one of the inputs into
the WebCASPAR data system. Among other uses, this NSF on-line database
is used by NSF to review changing enrollment levels to assess the
effects of NSF initiatives, to track student support patterns and to
analyze participation in S&E fields by targeted groups for all
disciplines or for selected disciplines and for selected groups of
institutions.
The Foundation also uses the GSS information to prepare
congressionally mandated reports such as Women, Minorities and Persons
with Disabilities in Science and Engineering and Science and
Engineering Indicators. A public use file is also made available on the
world-wide Web.
Data are obtained primarily by Web survey (with paper worksheets
made available upon request) and starts each fall in mid-October. The
data are solicited under the authority of the National Science
Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. All information will be used for
statistical purposes only. Participation in the survey is voluntary.
2. Expected Respondents
The GSS is census of all eligible academic institutions in the U.S.
with post-baccalaureate programs in science, engineering and health
fields and their related departments. The response rate is calculated
on the number of departments that respond to the survey.
3. Estimate of Burden
The initial GSS data request is sent to the designated respondent
(School Coordinator) at each academic institution in the fall. The
School Coordinator may complete or delegate all or part of forms 811
(listing of eligible departments, programs, research centers and health
care facilities) and 812 (data collection form). In all cases, the
School Coordinator is responsible for the Form 811. Usually, the School
Coordinator delegates the Form 812 to departmental respondents. The
amount of time it takes to provide the information on Forms 811 and 812
varies dramatically and depends to a large degree on the extent to
which the school's records are centrally stored and computerized.
The 2007 GSS asked the School Coordinators to provide an estimate
of the time spent in filling out Form 811 and the department
respondents to estimate the time spent completing Form 812. The School
Coordinators estimated the burden for completing Form 811 as 4.13 hours
per school and the department respondents estimated 2.07 hours per
department for completing Form 812. Using the 2007 estimates for the
time required for the two forms and using the current 2007 number of
schools (700) and departments (12,671) and assuming the same response
rates as 2006 (96% for the schools and 97% for the departments), the
total estimated respondent burden of the GSS would be 28,217 hours
annually, for a total of
[[Page 24616]]
84,652 hours over the 3-year clearance period.
Dated: April 30, 2008.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. E8-9783 Filed 5-2-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P