[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