Principal investigator web-survey to gauge their interest in participating in the pilot-testing a tracking system for REU site students

Survey of REU Principal Investigators
[This is for those selected for the REU Registration System]
Pilot Test of an REU Electronic Data System

[opening page]

On behalf of the National Science Foundation (NSF), Mathematica Policy Research is pilottesting an electronic system to collect data from students who apply to the Research Experiences
for Undergraduates (REU) Sites program for the 2018 cycle.
We are inviting REU Sites to participate in this pilot test. For your discipline to be selected for
the pilot—and for the pilot to succeed—we need as many REU Sites to participate as possible.
Please volunteer!
The next page describes the pilot study and asks you to respond to 4 short questions to gauge
your interest in participating.
Thank you for considering this invitation.
Click HERE to continue.
About the REU Pilot

[to appear on page 2]

The pilot will test two approaches through which students will provide information when they
apply to REU Sites:
• A “registration system,” which will be a web-based system through which students will
provide basic background information before completing the regular applications to REU
Sites
• A “common application system,” which will enable students to complete their entire
application online (for one or more REU Sites)
By participating in the pilot, you will be helping NSF determine which of these two approaches
will be the most effective, most efficient, and least burdensome for future implementation across
the REU program.
Your discipline is being considered to pilot the REU Registration System.
To participate, you will need to adapt your application procedures as follows:
• Step 1—Before students apply to your REU Site:
You must direct students to the REU Registration System, a website that Mathematica
will provide.
Students will need to access this website to enter basic information about themselves
(such as contact and demographic information) and receive a unique “NSF ID.”
•

Step 2—When students apply to your REU Site:

4

Students will follow the regular application procedures established by your REU Site
except for one change: all applicants must provide you with the NSF ID assigned to
them through the REU Registration System.
•

Step 3—After students apply to your REU Site:
You will enter applicants’ NSF IDs into an administrative page in the REU Registration
System and record application decisions (such as whether applicants were admitted or
rejected) and program attendance (whether admitted applicants actually participated in
your Site’s program).

Advantages of Participation for PIs
•
•
•
•

By testing one of the systems, you will provide feedback that will enable NSF to decide
whether to adopt such a system.
You will be able to use and comment on the data collected and on the system’s analytical
features for producing data reports and conducting analyses.
You will be able to determine whether the system generates less work for you and your
staff than using your usual application process.
You and your staff will receive ongoing technical support from Mathematica’s research
team to use and leverage the system’s analytical features.

Please click HERE to start the survey and indicate whether you are willing to participate in the
pilot.
[to appear on page 3]
Survey
(1)
Are you willing to participate in the pilot test of the REU Registration System for the
2018 cycle (typically, summer 2018) of your REU Site?
Yes
No
[if no, skip to the Thank You page]
[to appear on p. 4]
(2)
When do you anticipate opening and closing applications for your REU site?
I expect to start accepting applications on _ _ (month) _ _ _ _ (year) for 2018.
I expect to stop accepting applications on _ _ (month) _ _ _ _ (year) for 2018.
(3)
If you had an active REU Site last year, approximately how many applications did you
receive?
___________ number of applicants
[to appear on page 5]
(4a) Please provide your contact information as Principal Investigator:
First name: ______________________
Last name:
______________________
Position:
______________________
Institution:
______________________
Email:
______________________
5

Phone:
(xxx) xxx-xxxx
(4b) We will need to contact you or someone else you designate to coordinate participation
in the pilot. Please provide the following information for the person we should contact:
[] Please contact the PI named above
[skip to the last page]
First name: ______________________
Last name:
______________________
Position:
______________________
Institution:
______________________
Email:
______________________
Phone:
(xxx) xxx-xxxx
[to appear on the last page]
Thank you for completing this survey!
If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact the Mathematica research team at
[email protected] or 800-232-8024.

6

Survey of REU Principal Investigators (PIs)
[This is for those selected for the REU Common Application System]
Pilot Test of an REU Electronic Data System

[opening page]

On behalf of the National Science Foundation (NSF), Mathematica Policy Research is pilottesting an electronic system to collect data from students who apply to the Research Experiences
for Undergraduates (REU) Sites program for the 2018 cycle.
We are inviting REU Sites to participate in this pilot test. For your discipline to be selected for
the pilot—and for the pilot to succeed—we need as many REU Sites to participate as possible.
Please volunteer!
The next page describes the pilot study and asks you to respond to 5 short questions to gauge
your interest in participating.
Thank you for considering this invitation.
Click HERE to continue.
About the REU Pilot

[to appear on page 2]

The pilot will test two approaches through which students will provide information when they
apply to REU Sites:
• A “registration system,” which will be a web-based system through which students will
provide basic background information before completing the regular applications to REU
Sites
• A “common application system,” which will enable students to complete their entire
application online (for one or more REU Sites)
By participating in the pilot, you will be helping NSF determine which of these two approaches
will be the most effective, most efficient, and least burdensome for future implementation across
the REU program.
Your discipline is being considered to pilot the REU Common Application System.
To participate, you will need to adapt your application procedures as follows:
•

Before the new application system is launched:
You will be able to review the application system to verify that it meets your needs and,
if necessary, request that it incorporate additional application questions or materials. (The
system is being modeled after existing REU Site applications.)

•

Once the new application system opens in fall 2017:
You will direct students to a website (to be provided by Mathematica) through which
they will complete a full REU Site application.
7

•

After you make admissions decisions:
You will access the same site to record application decisions (such as whether applicants
were admitted or rejected) and program attendance (whether admitted applicants actually
participated in your Site’s program).

•

At any time during the pilot:
You will be able to download applications and generate reports based on application data.

Advantages of Participation for PIs
•

By testing one of the systems, you will provide feedback that will enable NSF to decide
whether to adopt such a system.

•

You will be able to use and comment on the data collected and on the system’s analytical
features for producing data reports and conducting analyses.

•

You will be able to determine whether the system generates less work for you and your
staff than using your usual application process.

•

You and your staff will receive ongoing technical support from Mathematica’s research
team to use and leverage the system’s analytical features.

Please click HERE to start the survey and indicate whether you are willing to participate in the
pilot.

8

[to appear on page 3]
Survey
(1)
Are you willing to participate in the pilot test of the REU Common Application System
for the 2018 cycle (typically, summer 2018) of your REU Site?
Yes
No
[if no, skip to the Thank You page]
[to appear on p. 4]
(2)
When do you anticipate opening and closing applications for your REU site?
I expect to start accepting applications on _ _ (month) _ _ _ _ (year) for 2018.
I expect to stop accepting applications on _ _ (month) _ _ _ _ (year) for 2018.
(3)
If you had an active REU Site last year, approximately how many applications did you
receive?
___________ number of applicants
(4)
Please indicate which of the following you would prefer (for the pilot):
[]
Allowing students to apply to as many REU Sites as they wish
[]
Limiting the number of applications that can be submitted by a student
Please specify the maximum number of applications: _____
[to appear on page 5]
(5a) Please provide your contact information as Principal Investigator:
First name: ______________________
Last name:
______________________
Position:
______________________
Institution:
______________________
Email:
______________________
Phone:
(xxx) xxx-xxxx
(5b) We will need to contact you or someone else you designate to coordinate participation
in the pilot. Please provide the following information for the person we should contact:
[] Please contact the PI named above
[skip to the last page]
First name: ______________________
Last name:
______________________
Position:
______________________
Institution:
______________________
Email:
______________________
Phone:
(xxx) xxx-xxxx
[to appear on the last page]
Thank you for completing this survey!
If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact the Mathematica research team at
[email protected] or 800-232-8024.

9