New College Housing Questionnaire Plan

The Census Bureau plans to conduct additional research under OMB generic clearance for questionnaire pretesting research (OMB number 0607-0725). We plan to conduct a respondent debriefing to test the New College Housing Questionnaire. This research will pretest a survey intended to update the MAF between decennial census years in a cost-effective manner, specifically obtaining information about new college dormitories and fraternity/sorority houses.

From December 2010 through February 2011, staff from Demographic Statistical Methods Division will conduct a total of 210 PAPI telephone interviews and respondent debriefings with housing office employees. Staff will call a selection of 70 small, medium, and large colleges and universities across the U.S. A small college is defined as fewer than 5,000 students; a medium college is defined as between 5,000 and 15,000 students; a large college is defined as greater than 15,000 students. The main purpose of this pretest is to determine an average call time; however, we would also like to see if growth is more prevalent in the small, medium, or large college categories.

Staff will call the pre-identified college or university employee and conduct an interview using the enclosed questionnaire. At the end of the questionnaire the interviewer will administer respondent debriefing questions that are aimed to determine whether the respondent understood and was able to answer the survey questions. The respondent debriefing questions are incorporated in the enclosed new college dormitory questionnaire.

Interviewers will make up to five callbacks to complete each interview. A phone message with a phone number will be left for respondents to use if they wish to complete the survey.

Respondents will be informed that participation is voluntary and that the information they provide will be kept confidential, and only be used for research purposes. Respondents will not receive any monetary incentive for participating in this research.

The estimated time for completion of each interview is ten minutes. Thus, the total estimated burden time for this research is 35 hours.

The contact person for questions regarding data collection and statistical aspects of the design of this research is:

Arielle Gerstein

Redesign Statistical Methods Branch

Demographic Statistical Methods Division

4600 Silver Hill Rd

U.S. Census Bureau

Washington, D.C. 20233

(301) 763-7823

arielle.gerstein@census.gov