Integrated Postsecondary Education
Data System (IPEDS) is a system of surveys designed to collect
basic data from approximately 7,000 Title IV postsecondary
institutions in the United States and other jurisdictions. The
IPEDS provides information on numbers of students enrolled, degrees
completed, other awards earned, dollars expended, staff employed at
postsecondary institutions, and cost and pricing information. The
amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1998, Part C, Sec. 131,
specify the need for the "redesign of relevant data systems to
improve the usefulness and timeliness of the data collected by such
systems." As a consequence, in 2000 IPEDS began to collect data
through a web-based data collection system. The data collection is
now entirely web-based, and is required for those institutions
participating in Title IV federal student aid programs; other
institutions participate on a voluntary basis. IPEDS data are
available to the public through the College Navigator and IPEDS
Data Center websites. This clearance package seeks authorization
from OMB to continue IPEDS data collection through 2014, describes
revisions to the currently approved (2010-11) IPEDS burden
estimates, and includes a number of proposed changes to the data
collection.
There is a significant increase
in estimated annual burden to respondents presented in this package
due to (1) significant revisions to the previous burden estimates
as a result of a new methodology for making estimates, consistent
with advise from GAO; and (2) a set of changes to the data
collection, described in this submission, mostly in the areas of
student financial aid, human resources, and distance education that
will improve on the usefulness to IPEDS data users including
policymakers, researchers, and consumer. The majority of these
changes were suggested by the IPEDS technical review panel and have
been previously posted for public comment from the higher education
community. The majority of the increase in burden is being
considered as an adjustment -although there is a also a small
reduction in burden due to program change. Please note that the
difference in the summary table as it relates to the number of
burden hours attributed to adjustment vs program change is due to
eliminating multiple IC's(30+) and consolidating the IC's into 1 IC
(since they are all the same respondent type). This change resulted
in a one-time distortion of the number of burden hours attributed
to adjustment. This should not be an issue with future
clearances.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.