Form NSF PDP 1 NSF PDP 1 RLAS Questionnaire for Establishments

DRAFT

RLAS Questionnaire for Establishments

This information is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, and the Confidentiality Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002. These laws require that the survey sponsor, the National Science Foundation, treat all information you provided as confidential. The information you provide will be used only for research and statistical purposes by the survey sponsor, their contractors, and collaborating researchers for the purpose of analyzing data and preparing scientific reports and articles. Any information publicly released (such as statistical summaries) will be in the form that does not personally identify you. Your response is voluntary and failure to provide some or all of the requested information will not in any way adversely affect you. Actual time to complete the questionnaire may vary depending on your circumstances but on the average, it will take about 15 minutes. If you have any comments on the time required for this survey, please send them to the National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, 22230, Attention: NSF Reports Clearance Officer.  Pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(b), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number.  The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0174.

Brief Screener to Find the Most Knowledgeable Contact

S1. The National Science Foundation Division of Science Resources Statistics is conducting a study to determine the feasibility of gathering comprehensive postdoc data across academic and nonacademic institutions. This is an important project for NSF because postdocs have become an increasingly large and vital component of the science workforce. Despite their growing presence, there is limited information available about them.

S2. Are you the most knowledgeable person to answer questions about postdocs at [INSTITUTION NAME]?

1 Yes (Go to S3)

2 No (Go to S4)

S3. Specifically, we want to learn about how postdoc positions are defined at [INSTITUTION NAME], what types of systems or databases are used to keep track of information about postdocs, and whether a list of individual postdocs is available.

(GO TO A1)

S4. What office/department do you think can provide answers to questions about postdocs at [INSTITUTION NAME]? (Select all that apply)

1 Postdoc Office

2 Graduate School

3 Office of the Vice President for Research

4 President’s Office

5 International Office

6 Institutional Research Office

7 Information Technology Department/Office

8 Human Resources/Personnel

9 Hiring Lab or Department

10 Educational Programs Office

97 Other (specify)

S5a. [Ask for each department selected in S4] What is the name of a person in that office/department /those offices/departments you can refer me?

_____________________________________ [Don’t Know]

Thank you very much for taking the time to speak to me. We greatly appreciate your assistance.

INSTRUCTION: hang up and start at S1 with the new contact person(s).

Section A. Available Postdoc List

A1. Your institution has been identified as having important information for our study. Do you have postdocs working at [INSTITUTION NAME]?

1 Yes (Go to A2_1)

2 No (Go to A2_2)

A2_1. Which of the following are characteristics of individuals in postdoc positions at [INSTITUTION NAME]?	Yes	No	Don’t Know
A2a. The appointee must hold a Ph.D.	1	2	8
A2a2. [If A2a=No] If the appointee does not need to hold a Ph.D., he or she must have an equivalent doctorate degree, such as an M.D.	1	2	8
A2b. The appointee’s doctorate degree must have been recently awarded.	1	2	8
A2b_1. [If A2b=YES] Within how many years must it have been awarded? _____________________
A2c. The appointee works under a senior scholar.	1	2	8
A2d. The appointee is required to publish research in scholarly journals.	1	2	8
A2e. Their appointment is temporary.	1	2	8
A2f. Their appointment is for a defined period of time.	1	2	8
A2g. Their appointment is primarily for the purpose of training in research.	1	2	8

A2h. Do you have any postdocs who are… (Select all that apply)

1 Clinical researchers?

2 Clinical fellows?

3 Clinical practitioners?

(Go to A3)

A2_2. Thinking about the people at [INSTITUTION NAME] who hold a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate degree, do any of them have the following characteristics?	Yes	No	Don’t Know
[Randomize the items below to minimize context effects.]
A2a_2. Recently awarded doctorate degrees within the last 10 years.	1	2	8
A2b_2. Temporary appointments.	1	2	8
A2c_2. Positions that are for a defined period of time.	1	2	8
A2d_2. Positions that are primarily aimed at training in research.	1	2	8

(If all items in A2a_2 – A2d_2 =No, Go to End2)

(If all items in A2a_2 – A2d_2=Don’t Know, Go to S4 and find another contact).

(If A1=2 and one or more of items in A2a_2 – A2d_2 = Yes, Go to A3)

A3. In the future, if NSF were to conduct a study of people in postdoc positions, would NSF be able to obtain a list of such individuals from [INSTITUTION NAME]?

1 Yes (Go to A4)

2 No (Go to A3a)

8 Don’t know (Go to A3b)

A3a. What factors do you think might prevent [INSTITUTION NAME] from providing such a list? (Select all that apply)

1 A list exists, but no one person has the entire list of postdocs.

2 A list does not exist because there is no consistent definition of postdocs at our institution.

3 A list does not exist because job code/titles for postdocs are used in different ways across the institution.

4 A list does not exist because no one person knows all of the titles that postdocs use at our institution.

5 A list exists, but information about individuals, including postdocs, is confidential.

6 A list exists, but information about individuals, including postdocs, is difficult to access.

7 Other (specify)

(Go to B1)

A3b. What factors do you think might complicate providing such a list?

1 A list exists, but no one person has the entire list of postdocs.

2 A list does not exist because there is no consistent definition of postdocs at our institution.

3 A list does not exist because job code/titles for postdocs are used in different ways across the institution.

4 A list does not exist because no one person knows all of the titles that postdocs use at our institution.

5 A list exists, but information about individuals, including postdocs, is confidential.

6 A list exists, but information about individuals, including postdocs, is difficult to access.

7 Other (specify)

A3c. Which office/department would be able to make a determination of whether NSF could obtain a list of postdocs at [INSTITUTION NAME]?

[Response options will be tailored to the type of list that we are assessing – non-academic and academic.]

1 Postdoc Office

2 Graduate School

3 Office of the Vice President for Research

4 President’s Office

5 International Office

6 Institutional Research Office

7 Information Technology Department/Office

8 Human Resources/Personnel Department

9 Hiring Lab or Department

10 Educational Programs Office

97 Other (specify)

A4. (Ask if A3=1) Would your office/department be able to provide that list of postdocs at [INSTITUTION NAME]?

1 Yes (Go to A4a)

2 No (Go to A6)

A4a. Would the list include contact information for postdocs?

1 Yes

2 No

A5. Is there a specific individual in your office/department that NSF would need to talk with about obtaining a list?

1 Yes (Go to A5a)

2 No (Go to A5b)

A5a. And what is the name and title of that individual? (Go to B1)

A5b. Thank you. NSF may be back in contact with you in the future about a list of postdocs. (Go to B1)

A6. What office/department would NSF need to talk to obtain such a list?

[Response options will be tailored to the type of list that we are assessing – non-academic and academic.]

1 Postdoc Office

2 Graduate School

3 Office of the Vice President for Research

4 President’s Office

5 International Office

6 Institutional Research Office

7 Information Technology Department/Office

8 Human Resources/Personnel Department

9 Hiring Lab or Department

10 Educational Programs Office

97 Other (specify)

Section B. Postdoc Counts

B1. Next, we would like to learn more about postdocs at [INSTITUTION NAME]. Is your office/department responsible for maintaining records about postdocs?

1 Yes (Go to B2)

2 No (Go to B1a)

B1a. What office/department is responsible for maintaining records about postdocs?

[Response options will be tailored to the type of list that we are assessing – non-academic and academic.]

1 Postdoc Office

2 Graduate School

3 Office of the Vice President for Research

4 President’s Office

5 International Office

6 Institutional Research Office

7 Information Technology Department/Office

8 Human Resources/Personnel

9 Hiring Lab or Department

10 Educational Programs Office

97 Other (specify)

98 Don’t Know

(Go to B3)

B2. How often are postdoc records or data files updated? Would you say …?

[Response options will be tailored to the type of list that we are assessing – non-academic and academic.]

1 Daily

2 Weekly

3 Monthly

4 By semester or quarterly

5 Annually

8 Don’t know

B2a. (Ask if B2=4) Is that at the beginning or end of the term?

1. Beginning

2. End

8. Don’t Know

B2b. (Ask if B2=5) In what month is that?

B3. Do you know or could you estimate the number of postdocs at [INSTITUTION NAME]?

1 Yes (Go to B3a)

2 No (Go to B4)

B3a. How many?

B3b. Does this number include all departments/centers within the entire institution?

B4 Can your office/department provide any of the following information?

B4a. Financial information/sources of support for postdocs.

1 Yes (Go to B4b)

2 No (Go to B4a_2)

B4a_2. Who in the institution could provide information about sources of support for postdocs?

(Go to B4b)

B4b. Demographic information about postdocs.

1 Yes (Go to B5)

2 No (Go to B4b_2)

B4b_2. Who in the institution could provide demographic information about postdocs? (Go to B5)

[If B4a=2 Go to B7]

B5. Could your institution provide counts of postdocs by federal and non-federal support separately?

1 Yes (Go to B5a)

2 No (Go to B6)

B5a. Do you know, or could you estimate, the number of postdocs receiving federal support?

1 Yes (Go to B5a1)

2 No (Go to B5a2)

B5a1. How many? (Go to B5b)

B5a2. Who in the institution could provide such information? (Go to B5b)

B5b. Do you know, or could you estimate, the number of postdocs receiving non-federal support?

1 Yes (Go to B5b1)

2 No (Go to B5b2)

B5b1. How many? (Go to B6)

B5b2. Who in the institution could provide such information? (Go to B6)

B6. Does your institution have postdocs on fellowships, traineeships, and research grants?

1 Yes (Go to B6a)

2 No (Go to B7)

B6a. Do you know, or could you estimate, the number of postdocs supported by fellowships?

1 Yes (Go to B6a1)

2 No (Go to B6a2)

B6a1. How many? (Go to B6b)

B6a2. Who in the institution could provide such information? (Go to B6b)

B6b. Do you know, or could you estimate, the number of postdocs on traineeships?

1 Yes (Go to B6b1)

2 No (Go to B6b2)

B6b1. How many? (Go to B6c)

B6b2. Who in the institution could provide such information? (Go to B6c)

B6c. Do you know, or could you estimate, the number of postdocs supported by research grants?

1 Yes (Go to B6c1)

2 No (Go to B6c2)

B6c1. How many? (Go to B7)

B6c2. Who in the institution could provide such information? (Go to B7)

[If B4b=2, Go to B8]

B7. Could your institution provide a count of postdocs by females and males separately?

1 Yes (Go to B7a)

2 No (Go to B7a_2)

B7a. Do you know, or could you estimate, the number of female postdocs?

1 Yes (Go to B7a1)

2 No (Go to B7a2)

B7a1. How many? (Go to B8)

B7a2. Who in the institution could provide such information? (Go to B7_2)

B7_2. Could your institution provide a count of postdocs by race/ethnicity?

1 Yes (Go to B7a_2)

2 No (Go to B7a2_2)

B7a_2. Do you know, or could you estimate, the number of postdocs by race/ethnicity categories?

1 Yes (Go to B8)

2 No (Go to B7a2_2)

B7a2_2. Who in the institution could provide such information? (Go to B8)

B8. Does your institution have postdocs who hold Ph.D. equivalent professional degrees, such as those with medical and veterinary degrees?

1 Yes (Go to B8a)

2 No (Go to B9)

B8a. Do you know, or could you estimate, the number of postdocs with a Ph.D. equivalent professional degree?

1 Yes (Go to B8a1)

2 No (Go to B8a2)

B8a1. How many? (Go to B9)

B8a2. Who in the institution could provide such information? (Go to B9)

B9. Does your institution have postdocs with a Ph.D. or Ph.D. equivalent degree from a foreign institution?

1 Yes (Go to B9a)

2 No (Go to B11)

B9a. Do you know, or could you estimate, the number of postdocs who received their Ph.D. or Ph.D. equivalent degree from a foreign institution?

1 Yes (Go to B9a1)

2 No (Go to B9a2)

B9a1. How many? (Go to B10)

B9a2. Who in the institution could provide such information? (Go to B10)

B10. Could your institution further categorize those with a Ph.D. or Ph.D. equivalent degree from a foreign institution by gender?

1 Yes (Go to B10a)

2 No (Go to B11)

B10a. Do you know, or could you estimate, the number of female postdocs with a Ph.D. or Ph.D. equivalent degree from a foreign institution?

1 Yes (Go to B10a1)

2 No (Go to B10a2)

B10a1. How many? (Go to B11)

B10a2. Who in the institution could provide such information? (Go to B11)

B11. We have found that at times, when institutions are asked to provide an overall postdoc count that some postdocs are not counted. Please indicate which of the following reasons, if any, some postdocs may not be counted at your institution. (Select all that apply)

1 Other titles/positions are commonly used for postdocs.

2 Some postdocs are not paid by or through the institution.

3 Some of our postdocs work at research centers or other locations not included in the database used to provide postdoc counts.

4 Departments/labs define postdoc positions differently.

7 Other (specify)

Section C: Postdoc Policy and Definition

C1. Now we would like you to think about formal policies for postdocs that your institution may have in place. Are there formal policies about postdocs at [INSTITUTION NAME]?

1 Yes (Go to C2)

2 No (Go to D1)

8 Don’t know (Go to D1)

C2. Which of the following topics do such policies address? (Select all that apply)

1 An official or formal definition of a postdoc position

2 Criteria to qualify as a postdoc

3 Acceptance and/or termination of a postdoc

4 Responsibilities

5 Supervision responsibilities/mentoring

6 Training

7 Code of conduct

8 Annual reviews

9 Titles

10 Duration of position

11 Funding

12 Salary

13 Benefits

96 None of the above

97 Other (specify)

C3. Institutions may have formal and informal titles that are associated with postdoc positions. What are the titles used for postdoc positions at your institution? We are interested in all of them.

Section D. Demographics

D1. The next set of questions is specifically about you. Are you...

1 Male

2 Female

D2. What is the highest level of education you have completed?

1 Less than a Bachelor’s degree

2 Bachelor’s degree

3 Master’s degree

4 Professional degree

5 Doctoral degree

D3. Which of the following best describes your position?

[The titles will be tailored to the type of list that we are assessing – non-academic and academic]

1. Academic Advising

2. Accounting/Finance Staff

3. Administrative

4. Administrative Support

5. Assistant/Associate/or Dean

6. Assistant/Associate/or Director of Program

7. Department Head/Chair

8. Human Resources/Personnel

9. Information Technology Staff

10. Professor/Faculty

11. Research Scientist

12. Research Assistant/Associate

13. Department/Lab Director

14. Director of Research

15. Vice President for Research

16. Other (specify)

D4. What are your primary duties? Please list no more than 3 duties.

D5. How many years have you worked in your current position?

D6. How many years have you worked for [INSTITUTION NAME]?

End1. Do you have any other comments or concerns regarding this survey that you would like to share at this time?

End2. Thank you for participating in this survey and assisting us in our research. We appreciate your taking the time out of your busy schedule.

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