[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 53 (Monday, March 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 11065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6303]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Proposed Collection of Information; Comment Request; Proposed
Data Collection Available for Public Comment and Recommendations
Title of Proposed Collection. Assessment of the Minority Research
Centers of Excellence (MRCE) and Research Improvement in Minority
Institutions (RIMI) Programs
In compliance with the requirement of Section 2506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on
proposed data collection projects, the National Science Foundation
(NSF) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. To request
more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the
data collection plans and instruments, call the NSF Clearance Officer
on (703) 306-1243.
Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information on respondents, including
through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Proposed Project: Assessment of the Minority Research Centers of
Excellence (MRCE) and Research Improvement in Minority Institutions
(RIMI) Programs. The MRCE program is designated to increase the number
of minorities in science and engineering by making substantial
resources available to upgrade the research capabilities of the most
research-productive minority institutions. The RIMI program is designed
to strengthen the research capacity of science and engineering
departments at colleges and universities with significant proportions
of minority students.
The objective of this project is to assess how effectively NSF is
enabling the MRCE and RIMI centers/projects to achieve the program
goals of increasing minority participation in science and engineering
and enhancing the contributions of minority institutions to the
nation's scientific and engineering research activities. The study's
focus is on the two programs as a whole rather than on the individual
centers and projects.
The project has three main components:
Review of existing NSF program materials and MRCE annual
reports.
Site visits to each of the eight MRCEs. The purpose of
the site visits is to interview the center directors, other core
faculty, students, and university administrators to better understand
the center's history, dynamics, and achievements, and expectations
regarding future funding.
Mail surveys, using structured questionnaires, of the
following groups:
--MRCE and RIMI directors or principal investigators.
--All other faculty who have received MRCE or RIMI funds.
--All students who have received MRCE or RIMI financial support.
The surveys include all eight current MRCEs and those RIMI projects
that received their initial award after January 1, 1985 (when the award
level increased to it current annual maximum) and that will have
completed at least one full funding cycle by June 1996. The survey
results are intended to provide quantitative, comparable information
about the extent and nature of support respondents have received from
the RIMI/MRCE program, their professional achievements(e.g.,
publications, presentations), experiences, and opinions about the
program.
Burden estimates: 500 respondents; 250 total burden hours.
Send comments to Herman Fleming, Clearance Officer, National
Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 485, Arlington, VA
22230. Written comments should be received within 60 days of
publication.
Dated: March 11, 1996.
Herman G. Fleming,
NSF Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-6303 Filed 3-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M
