Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Submission
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Certification Form (3145-0247)
A. Justification
A.1. Circumstances Requiring the Collection of Data
To enhance the quality of undergraduate STEM education at Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), the National Science Foundation (NSF) established the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), in response to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31) and the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (P.L. 114-329).
The HSI Program supports projects that will 1) develop, implement, and test models for the retention of students advancing from lower-division courses to upper-division STEM coursework, including those transferring from a two-year to a four-year institution; 2) create evidence-based and evidence-generating approaches that increase the graduation rates of students pursuing STEM associate or baccalaureate degrees at HSIs; 3) enhance research that improves understanding of how to build faculty capacity and student opportunities to conduct STEM research or STEM educational research at HSIs through partnerships with other HSIs and organizations (e.g., federal laboratories, research centers, industrial or business organizations, non-profit entities, etc.); and 4) increase knowledge about evidence-based approaches to engage student learning and how to broaden the participation of undergraduate students majoring in STEM disciplines at HSIs.
The HSI Program will accept proposals in three tracks: (1) Planning or Pilot Projects (PPP); (2) Implementation and Evaluation Projects (IEP); and (3) Institutional Transformation Projects (ITP). Please see the Program Announcement (NSF 20-599) (included).
The lead institution submitting a proposal to the HSI Program must certify that they meet the eligibility requirements of an HSI as defined by law in section 502 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a) (http://legcounsel.house.gov/Comps/HEA65_CMD.pdf). Therefore, the HSI Certification Form, signed by the institutional representative, must be included as a supplementary document with the submission of a proposal to the HSI Program.
The HSI Program includes a specific track that provides a funding opportunity for institutions that are new to NSF[5] or are Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs [6]), including community colleges. PUIs are "accredited colleges and universities (including two-year community colleges) that award Associates degrees, Bachelor's degrees, and/or Master's degrees in NSF-supported fields, but have awarded 20 or fewer Ph.D./ D.Sci. degrees in all NSF-supported fields during the combined previous two academic years." PUI definition obtained from https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5518.
Hence there is a need for institutions to provide a self-certification of PUI eligibility for this track. The following language is used:
Certification of PUI Eligibility. A Certification of PUI Eligibility, following the format below and executed by an Authorized Organizational Representative, must be included in PUI requests (Planning or Pilot Projects (PPP) only). A current, signed Certification, included on institutional letterhead, should be scanned and included as a PDF file.
Certification of PUI Eligibility
By submission of this proposal, the institution hereby certifies that the originating and managing institution is an accredited college or university that awards Associates degrees, Bachelor's degrees, and/or Master's degrees in NSF-supported fields, but has awarded 20 or fewer PhD/DSci degrees in all NSF-supported fields during the combined previous two academic years.
Authorized Organizational Representative
Typed Name and Title
Signature
Date
A.2. Purpose and Use of Data
The lead institution submitting a proposal to the HSI Program must be a Hispanic-Serving Institution of higher education as defined by law in section 502 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a) (http://legcounsel.house.gov/Comps/HEA65_CMD.pdf). Thus, the HSI Certification Form will be used to satisfy the eligibility requirement of the HSI Program.
A.3. Use of Automation
Certification forms are submitted electronically as supplementary documents with the submission of proposals via FastLane or via Grants.gov submission tools.
A.4. Efforts to Identify Duplication
No other federal agencies or organization within NSF collects the same data submitted in the HSI Certification Form.
A.5. Small Business Consideration
N/A
A. 6. Consequences of Less Frequent Collection
N/A, because a certification form is only required with the submission of a proposal to the HSI Program.
A.7. Special Circumstances for Collection
N/A
A. 8. Federal Register Notice and Outside Consultation
The agency’s notice, as required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), was published in the Federal Register on April 6, 2021, at 86 FR 17859, and no comments were received.
A. 9. Gifts or Remuneration
N/A
A.10. Confidentiality provided to respondents
Any information provided will be kept within NSF, held by the office responsible for the program.
A. 11. Questions of a Sensitive Nature
No questions of a sensitive nature are used.
A. 12. Estimate of Burden
We anticipate 175 proposals for 2 minutes, which is approximately 6 hours. The burden cost to the respondent is estimated to average $10 per respondent, for an annual total of $1,750.
A. 13. Capital/Startup Costs
N/A
A. 14. Annualized Cost to the Federal Government
The cost to the Federal government is based on the average grade of a program officer, GS 15, spending approximately 15 minutes to check the certification form, for an annual cost of 17.25 per program officer. 175 proposals total approximately 3,019.00 a year.
A. 15. Changes in Burden
There is no change in burden.
A. 16 Publication of Collection
N/A
A. 17 Approval to Not Display OMB Expiration Date
N/A
A. 18 Exception to Item 19 of OMB Form 83-I Certification Statement
N/A
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | Abt Single-Sided Body Template |
| Author | Anderson, Gregory J. |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-07-30 |