Submission for OMB Review: Comment Request

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]

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