Proposed Collection; Comment Request; An Evaluation of the National Cancer Institute Science Enrichment Program

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

Proposed Collection; Comment Request; An Evaluation of the

National Cancer Institute Science Enrichment Program

SUMMARY: 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 Cancer Institute

(NCI), the National Institute of Health (NIH) will publish periodic

summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.

PROPOSED COLLECTION: Title: An Evaluation of the NCI Science

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Enrichment Program (SEP). Type of Information Collection Request: New.

Need and Use of Information Collection: This evaluation will assess the

effectiveness of the NCI SEP in meeting its goals of: (1) encouraging

under-represented minority and under-served students who have just

completed ninth grade to select careers in science, mathematics, and/or

research, and (2) broadening and enriching students' science, research,

and sociocultural backgrounds. The program is a five- to six-week

residential program taking place on two university campuses--University

of Kentucky, Lexington and San Diego State University--in summers 1998-

2002. The five-year evaluation is designed as a controlled,

longitudinal study, consisting of the five SEP cohorts and two cohorts

of control group students who do not attend the program. The evaluation

will provide NCI with valuable information regarding specific

components that promote or limit the program's effectiveness, the

extent to which the program has been implemented as planned, how much

the two regional programs vary, and how the program can be improved or

made more effective. NCI will use this information to make decisions

regarding continuation and expansion of the program. Frequency of

Response: Semi-annually. Affected Public: Individuals or households and

Federal Government. Type of Respondents: High School and College

students and parents. The annualized cost to respondents is estimated

at $4,040.00.

The annual reporting burden is as follows:

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Number of Average Annual

Type of respondents Number responses hours hours

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SEP Participants............................................ 342 2 .334 229

Control Group Students...................................... 133 3 .334 156

Parents..................................................... 114 1 .167 19

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Total................................................. ........... ........... ........... 404

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There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs, and/or Maintenance

Cost to report.

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS: Written comments and/or suggestions from the

public and affected agencies are invited on one or more of the

following points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is

necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency,

including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) The

accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed

collection of information, including the validity of the methodology

and assumptions used; (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize

the burden of the collection of information on those who are to

respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic,

mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms

of information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: To request more information on the proposed

project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and

instruments, contact Mr. Frank Jackson, Office of Special Populations

Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health,

Executive Plaza South, Room 320, 6120 Executive Boulevard, Rockville,

MD 20852, or call non-toll-free number (301) 496-8589, or E-mail your

request, including your address to: [email protected]

COMMENTS DUE DATE: Comments regarding this information collection are

best assured of having their full effect if received within 60 days of

this publication.

Dated: June 29, 1998.

Reesa Nichols,

NCI Project Clearance Liaison.

[FR Doc. 98-18130 Filed 7-7-98; 8:45 am]

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