[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 41 (Thursday, March 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 10416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-4116]


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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 3506(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 May 2, 2005 
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 e-mail 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 data 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: May 31, 2005.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend with revision an 
information collection for three years.
    Proposed Project: Graduation 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 years. The annual Fall surveys for 2005 through 2007 will survey 
the universe of 712 reporting units (schools) at 592 graduate degree-
granting institutions. There are 12,262 departments at these schools 
that offer 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 & 
eningeering (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 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 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. 
In the currently ongoing Fall 2004 GSS survey, preliminary data 
indicate that 95% of the institutions are submitting the data on the 
Web-based data collection system. During the 2003 GSS survey cycle, 87% 
of the institutions used the Web-based data collection system.
    The Fall 2003 GSS achieved a total response rate of 99.4% for 
institutions and 99.0% for departments. Response rates are not yet 
available for the currently ongoing Fall 2004 survey.
    Estimate of Burden:
    Respondents: Individuals.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 12,262.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 35,443 hours.
    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: February 27, 2005.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 05-4116 Filed 3-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M