Response to OMB Passback

June 1, 2011

MEMORANDUM

To: Shelly Martinez, OMB

From: Elise Miller, NCES

Through: Kashka Kubzdela, NCES

Re: Response to OMB Passback on IPEDS 2011-2014 Clearance Package (OMB# 1850-0652)

May 26, 2011 Passback from OMB

1. On page 7, SS A, it says that NCES wants to ask all keyholders to report the time burden.  This is a “collection” so does NCES mean that it will add this question to an existing IPEDS IC in year 3 or collect it as a separate IC?  Unless NCES wants to come back for separate clearance, it should include this IC (or IC addition) in some visible way to this package.  If it’s already there, please point out where.

Burden estimates and supporting text were added to collect time reporting estimates in the 2012-13 year.

2. On page 12, SS A, the justification for the change to HR IC is insufficient.  Please add a few sentences.

Additional justification text has been added.

3. SS B, page 1 – how exactly are the 200 non-title iv schools “invited?”  is there a complete list of these that are invited?  From where does that list come?

No comprehensive list of non-Title IV schools exists to our knowledge. It is an open invitation. IPEDS does not solicit their participation but if they contact NCES, we offer it. Typically, institutions become aware of IPEDS through College Navigator. They contact NCES asking how to be included in that website, and we tell them that they must complete all of the IPEDS forms to do so.

June 1, 2011 Passback from OMB

4. We understand that the currently proposed IPEDS changes to the HR Survey do not fully align with the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification.  Please explain why they do not align and what NCES’s plan is to bring them into alignment.  Such an explanation should be added to the SS where the changes to the HR survey are described?

The following text was added to the bottom of page 15 in the SS Part A: “Please note: IPEDS is not currently aligned with the recently revised Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System. Since the 2010 SOC was released, the IPEDS HR survey director has worked with a contractor to develop a crosswalk between IPEDS reporting categories for faculty and staff and the new SOC. NCES also gained input from nine higher education institutions on the proposed alignment. In April 2011, NCES sought and obtained approval from the SOC Policy Committee for its plan to align IPEDS reporting with the 2010 SOC. Institutions have alerted NCES that they will need time to reclassify their employees based on the 2010 SOC. Therefore, we plan to allow the 2011-12 collection year for institutions to make the necessary adjustment to their data systems, and beginning with the 2012-13 data collection year, IPEDS HR reporting will be fully aligned with the 2010 SOC. NCES will submit to OMB their alignment plan and any associated burden estimates in time for OMB approval before the 2012-13 data collection.”