[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 184 (Friday, September 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 49493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24076]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Collection of Information; Submission for OMB Review: Comment
Request
Title of Proposed Collection: Survey of Graduate Students and
Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering.
In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(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. Such a
notice was published at Federal Register 38228, Dated July 23, 1996. No
public comments were received.
The materials are now being sent to OMB for review, Send any
written comments to Desk Officer: OMB No. 3145-0062, OIRA, Office of
Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503. Comments should be
received by October 18, 1996.
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: Graduate Students in science, engineering, and
health fields in U.S. colleges and universities, by source and
mechanism of support and by demographic characteristics--A 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 components 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 to five years. The annual Fall surveys for 1996 through 2000 will
survey the universe of approximately 725 institutions offering
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 and
engineering 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 Academic Science and Engineering
Graduates, 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 mailed primarily to the administrators at the
Institutional Research Offices. To minimize burden the NSF is exploring
possibilities for using an automatic survey questionnaire (ASQ)
diskette, on which institutions would receive their previous year's
data and a complete program for editing and trend checking. Respondents
will be encouraged to participate in this initiative should they so
wish. Traditional paper questionnaires will also be available, with
edition and tend checking performed as part of the survey processing.
The public response burden is estimated to be one hour and forty-five
minutes per response.
Dated: September 16, 1996.
Herman G. Fleming,
NSF Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-24076 Filed 9-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M
