[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 37590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14843]
[[Page 37590]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the following
information collection requirement to OMB for review and clearance
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. This is
the second notice for public comment; the first was published in the
Federal Register at 77 FR 74516 and no comments were received. NSF is
forwarding the proposed renewal submission to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of
this second notice. The full submission may be found at: http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
Comments: Comments regarding (a) whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be
collected; or (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 should
be addressed to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB,
Attention: Desk Officer for National Science Foundation, 725-17th
Street NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and to Suzanne H.
Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201
Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230 or send email to
[email protected]. Comments regarding these information collections are
best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of
this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by
calling 703-292-7556. Individuals who use a telecommunications device
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service
(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year (including federal holidays).
Title: Program Evaluation of the Scholarships in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) Program
OMB Approval Number: 3145-NEW
Overview of this information collection:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is supporting an evaluation
of the Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (S-STEM) Program, which operates within NSF's Division of
Undergraduate Education. The evaluation will include surveys of
principal investigators, surveys of a sample of S-STEM scholarship
recipients, and focus groups and interviews with project personnel and
students during site visits to S-STEM awardee institutions. The S-STEM
Program awards grants to a geographically diverse set of two- and four-
year institutions of higher education (IHEs) that then provide
scholarships for academically talented students, in science and
engineering disciplines, who have demonstrated financial need. The
institutions also provide resources and support services to assist
students in becoming and/or remaining engaged in science and
engineering through to the successful attainment of associate,
baccalaureate, or graduate-level degrees. Funding for the S-STEM
Program comes from H-1B VISAs, funding which was reauthorized in FY
2005 through Public Law 108-447. NSF is committed to providing
stakeholders with information regarding the expenditures of taxpayer
funds. The evaluation of the S-STEM Program will explore the
strategies, practices, and characteristics of the implementation of
exemplary S-STEM awardees; investigate S-STEM Program outcomes related
to awarding scholarships to talented STEM students with demonstrated
financial need; and investigate institutional-related outcomes of S-
STEM grantees. If NSF cannot collect information from S-STEM
participants, NSF will have no other means to consistently document the
outcomes, strategies, and experiences related to the program.
Consult With Other Agencies & the Public
NSF has not consulted with other agencies. However, the contractor
conducting the evaluation has gathered information from an external
evaluation group of subject matter experts on the study design and data
collection plan. A request for public comments will be solicited
through announcement of data collection in the Federal Register.
Background
The evaluation will involve data from extant sources, web surveys
and site visits. OMB approval is being sought for the new data that
will be collected for the study. Primary data sources will include web
surveys of S-STEM Program Principal Investigators (PIs) and S-STEM
scholarship recipients and in-depth interviews or focus groups with a
series of respondents during site visits to a subset of awardee
institutions.
Respondents: Individuals (Principal Investigators, S-STEM
scholarship recipients, other campus officials involved in the S-STEM
program).
Number of Respondents: 8,907
Average Time per Response: 24 minutes
Burden on the Public: 3,563 total hours
Dated: June 18, 2013.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2013-14843 Filed 6-20-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P