[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 21 (Thursday, January 31, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4762-4763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2416]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Extend and Revise a Current 
Information Collection

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to 
request renewal of this collection. In accordance with the requirement 
of section 3505(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 
L. 104-13), we are providing opportunity for public comment on this 
action. After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF will 
prepare the submission requesting that OMB approve clearance of this 
collection for no longer than 3 years.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by April 1, 
2002, to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.
    For Additional Information or Comments: Contact Suzanne H. 
Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 
Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone 703--
292--7556; or send email 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. You also may obtain a copy 
of the date collection instrument and instructions from Ms. Plimpton.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates 
in Science and Engineering.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-0062.
    Expiration Date of Approval: September 30, 2002.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend with revision an 
information collection for three years.
    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. An electronic/
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 
component 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 2002 through 2006 will 
survey the universe of approximately 725 reporting units at 
approximately 600 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 & engineering (S&E) 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 
Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering, in NSF 
publication Science and Engineering Indicators, Women, Minorities, and 
Persons with Disability in Science and Engineering, and are available 
electronically on the World Wide Web.
    The survey will be sent primarily to the administrators at the 
Institutional Research Offices. To minimize burden, NSF instituted a 
Web-based survey in 1998 through which institutions can enter data 
directly or upload preformatted files. The Web-based survey includes a 
complete program for editing and trend checking and allows institutions 
to receive their previous year's data for comparison. Respondents will 
be encouraged to participate in this Web-based survey should they so 
wish. Traditional paper questionnaires will also be available, with 
editing and trend checking performed as part of the survey processing. 
Overall burden is expected to be reduced from 2002 to 2004 due to 
expanded use by institutions of the Web-based data collection system.
    In Fall 2000, the survey achieved a total response rate of 99.4 
percent for institutions and 99.0 percent for departments.
    Estimate of Burden: Burden estimates are as follows:

[[Page 4763]]



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                                                                   Total number
                                                                        of          Department     Burden hours
                                                                   institutions
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FY 1998.........................................................             722          11,718            1.83
FY 1999.........................................................             720          11,833            2.53
FY 2000.........................................................             717          11,899            2.42
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    Respondents: Individuals.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 11,899 (from the 2000 collection).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 28,796 hours (from 
the 2000 collection).
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.
    Comments: 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; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

    Dated: January 28, 2002.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 02-2416 Filed 1-30-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M