[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 87 (Monday, May 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24615-24616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-9783]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


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

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), and as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) is inviting the general public or other Federal agencies to 
comment on this proposed continuing information collection. The 
National Science Foundation (NSF) will publish periodic summaries of 
the proposed projects.
    Comments: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Foundation, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Foundation'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 those who are to respond, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by July 7, 2008 
to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date will be 
considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to address below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates 
in Science and Engineering.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-0062.
    Expiration Date of Approval: July 31, 2008.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend an information 
collection for three years.

1. Abstract

    The Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and 
Engineering (GSS) is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and 
the National Institutes of Health. The GSS originated in 1966 and has 
been conducted annually since 1972. The GSS is a census of all 
departments in science, engineering and health fields within academic 
institutions with post-baccalaureate programs in the United States. The 
total number of respondents surveyed in 2006, the last year for which 
complete response rate data are available, was 12,321 departments 
located in 707 schools (reporting units) at 586 degree-granting 
institutions. The GSS is the only national survey that collects 
information on the characteristics of graduate enrollment for specific 
science, engineering and health disciplines at the department level. It 
collects information on race/ethnicity, citizenship, gender, sources of 
support, mechanisms of support, and enrollment status for graduate 
students; and gender, citizenship and sources of support for 
postdoctorates. It also collects counts by gender of other non-faculty 
research staff with doctorates.
    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 GSS is designed to comply with these mandates by 
providing information on the characteristics of academic graduate 
enrollment and postdoctoral components in science, engineering and 
health fields.
    The GSS (along with other academic sector surveys from both NSF and 
the National Center of Education Statistics) is one of the inputs into 
the WebCASPAR data system. Among other uses, this NSF on-line database 
is used by NSF to review changing enrollment levels to assess the 
effects of NSF initiatives, to track student support patterns and to 
analyze participation in S&E fields by targeted groups for all 
disciplines or for selected disciplines and for selected groups of 
institutions.
    The Foundation also uses the GSS information to prepare 
congressionally mandated reports such as Women, Minorities and Persons 
with Disabilities in Science and Engineering and Science and 
Engineering Indicators. A public use file is also made available on the 
world-wide Web.
    Data are obtained primarily by Web survey (with paper worksheets 
made available upon request) and starts each fall in mid-October. The 
data are solicited under the authority of the National Science 
Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. All information will be used for 
statistical purposes only. Participation in the survey is voluntary.

2. Expected Respondents

    The GSS is census of all eligible academic institutions in the U.S. 
with post-baccalaureate programs in science, engineering and health 
fields and their related departments. The response rate is calculated 
on the number of departments that respond to the survey.

3. Estimate of Burden

    The initial GSS data request is sent to the designated respondent 
(School Coordinator) at each academic institution in the fall. The 
School Coordinator may complete or delegate all or part of forms 811 
(listing of eligible departments, programs, research centers and health 
care facilities) and 812 (data collection form). In all cases, the 
School Coordinator is responsible for the Form 811. Usually, the School 
Coordinator delegates the Form 812 to departmental respondents. The 
amount of time it takes to provide the information on Forms 811 and 812 
varies dramatically and depends to a large degree on the extent to 
which the school's records are centrally stored and computerized.
    The 2007 GSS asked the School Coordinators to provide an estimate 
of the time spent in filling out Form 811 and the department 
respondents to estimate the time spent completing Form 812. The School 
Coordinators estimated the burden for completing Form 811 as 4.13 hours 
per school and the department respondents estimated 2.07 hours per 
department for completing Form 812. Using the 2007 estimates for the 
time required for the two forms and using the current 2007 number of 
schools (700) and departments (12,671) and assuming the same response 
rates as 2006 (96% for the schools and 97% for the departments), the 
total estimated respondent burden of the GSS would be 28,217 hours 
annually, for a total of

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84,652 hours over the 3-year clearance period.

    Dated: April 30, 2008.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. E8-9783 Filed 5-2-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P