[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 120 (Monday, June 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 35577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14589]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Request for Comments on the Intent To Discontinue Part 2 of the 
Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities on Computing and 
Networking Capacity

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the intent of the National Center for 
Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) at the National Science 
Foundation (NSF) to discontinue data collection for Part 2 of the 
Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities (Facilities 
Survey) (OMB Clearance Number 3145-0101) on computing and networking 
capacity at academic institutions. This notice is in response to an 
effort by NCSES to assess the value of these data.

DATES: Send your written comments by August 15, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Send your written comments to Mr. John R. Gawalt, Director, 
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National 
Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Room 965, Arlington, VA 22230. 
Send email comments to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John R. Gawalt, Director, National 
Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Science 
Foundation at (703) 292-7776 or email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Data on the academic research infrastructure 
are collected biennially through the NSF's congressionally mandated 
Facilities Survey. The survey originated in 1986 in response to 
Congress's concern about the state of research facilities at the 
nation's colleges and universities. Part 1 of the Facilities Survey 
collects data on the amount, condition, construction, repair, 
renovation, and funding of research facilities. This section, focusing 
largely on research space, will continue. Recognizing the growing use 
of networking and computing capacity (cyberinfrastructure) in 
conducting research, a new set of questions on these topics was added 
to the FY 2003 Facilities Survey and revised for the FY 2005, FY 2007, 
FY 2009, FY 2011 and FY 2013 surveys.
    NCSES has continually reviewed the Part 2 questionnaire in an 
attempt to stay current with the rapidly changing developments in 
academic R&D cyberinfrastructure. Despite these efforts, NCSES believes 
that the survey provides little utility to policymakers, researchers 
and other data users. Field experts and review panels have noted 
several critical shortcomings of Part 2 collections. Rapid advances in 
research cyberinfrastructure make identifying current and valuable 
metrics difficult. This challenge is compounded by the length of the 
data collection and publication cycle, which typically requires 16 
months after the end of the relevant fiscal year. The continual need to 
update metrics combined with time required for production and 
publication reduces the relevancy of the data. In addition, to 
facilitate data collection and ease survey response burden, respondents 
to the Facilities Survey are asked to report only on centrally-
administered cyberinfrastructure capacity. More than 20 of the top 100 
academic research institutions (based on research expenditures) cannot 
report data on their high-performance computing because these resources 
are not centrally-administered. Another 15 or more institutions in the 
top 100 report exceptionally low totals for the same reason. Because so 
many of the top research universities are unable to adequately report 
their total computing and networking capacity, the utility of these 
data are severely undermined. These institution-specific differences 
limit the ability to present national totals and trends as well as the 
ability to compare many leading institutions.
    The NCSES is interested in all comments, especially from government 
policy makers, academic institution respondents, and academic 
researchers that specify concerns related to the discontinuation of 
Part 2 of the Facilities Survey.

    June 17, 2014.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2014-14589 Filed 6-20-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P