[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 251 (Monday, December 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68802-68803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-33042]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Submission for OMB Review: Comment Request
Title of Proposed Collection: National Survey of Recent College
Graduates
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
[[Page 68803]]
Federal Register 51723. No comments were received.
The materials are now being sent to OMB for review. Send any
written comments to Desk Officer, OMB, 3145-0177, OIRA, OPMB,
Washington, DC 20503. Comments should be received by February 8, 1997.
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 to be collected; and (d) ways
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents,
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other
forms of information technology.
Proposed Project
The National Survey of Recent College Graduates (NSRCG), formerly
called the New Entrants Survey, has been conducted biennially since
1974. For the 1997 cycle, bachelor's and master's degree recipients in
science and engineering from the academic years 1994-95 and 1995-96
will be surveyed. The purpose of the study is to provide national
estimates describing the relationship between education and employment
for new science and engineering graduates. The study is one of three
components of the Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System
(SESTAT), formerly called the Scientific and Technical Personnel Data
System (STPDS). In 1997, the NSRCG survey effort will also include a
Follow-up panel survey of graduates that received their degrees between
1991 and 1994, inclusive. The purpose of the Follow-up panel survey is
to create a historical data set on the same individual permitting
longitudinal analysis.
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 National Survey of Recent College Graduates is
designed to comply with these mandates by providing information on the
supply and utilization of newly qualified scientists and engineers.
Collected data will be used to produce estimates of the characteristics
of new graduates entering the science and engineering labor force. They
will also provide necessary input into the SESTAT labor force model,
which produces national estimates of the size and characteristics of
the country's science and engineering population. The Foundation uses
this information to prepare congressionally mandated reports such as
Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering and Science and
Engineering Indicators. A public release file of collected data,
designed to protect respondent confidentiality, will be made available
to researchers on CD-ROM and on the World Wide Web.
To conduct the study, lists of 1994-95 and 1995-96 science and
engineering bachelor's and master's degree recipients will be collected
from a nationally representative sample of 275 institutions awarding
such degrees. The United States Department of Education's Family Policy
Compliance Office has reviewed the study's goals and procedures and
concluded that postsecondary institutions may provide these lists
without violating the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1976
(FERPA). From the collected lists, a sample of approximately 13,500
graduates will be selected for the NSRCG and 14,000 graduates will be
selected for the Follow-up panel survey. The sample design includes
oversampling of minority graduates and varying sampling rates to
represent specific fields of science and engineering. Sample members
will be requested to complete a 30 minute interview conducted by
telephone and/or mail. The survey will be collected in conformance with
the Privacy Act of 1974. Each graduate's participation will be entirely
voluntary. NSF will insure that all information collected will be kept
strictly confidential and will be used only for research or statistical
purposes, analyzing data, and preparing scientific reports and
articles.
The graduate sample size for the NSRCG for two academic years
covered by this survey cycle (1994-95 and 1995-96) is estimated to be
13,500. An unweighted graduate response rate of 85 percent is
anticipated (86 percent was obtained on the previous cycle). The
graduate sample size for the Follow-up panel survey is estimated to be
14,000. An unweighted graduate response rate of 95 percent is
anticipated for the Follow-up panel survey. The amount of time required
to complete the questionnaire is estimated to be 30 minutes for both
the NSRCG and the Follow-up panel survey.
Dated: December 23, 1996.
Herman G. Fleming,
NSF Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-33042 Filed 12-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M