The due date for submitting NSF’s annual R&D survey is Friday.  The due
date last year was Feb 4, but because the return rate was so low it was
ultimately extended to May 6 as the company conducting the survey
followed up with repeated phone calls and e-mails to non-respondents.
(This background info is provided at
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvyrdexpenditures/).

In recent years, courtesy of the Paperwork Reduction Act, we were told
the survey would take about 24 hours to complete and I found that it
did.  This year with their modified survey known as “HERD,” they project
completion of the survey will take 48 hours.  FORTUNATELY, this year it
is finally acknowledged on the cover to the survey that completion is
“entirely voluntary.”

I can understand the major research universities completing the survey,
but what about predominantly undergraduate institutions with limited
externally-sponsored research operations and insufficient staffing to
voluntarily take on a 48-hour project?  My wish would be for a similar
survey – perhaps conducted bi-annually, but with greater relevance to
PUIs.

What’s the word on HERD, the Higher Education R&D survey?  Is everyone
completing it?

Tom

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