A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Outcomes of Diversity in Higher Education Study.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

18-13-04

System name:
Outcomes of Diversity in Higher Education Study.

Security classification:
None.

System location:

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
This system contains data on the following individuals:

1. Approximately 5500 students who were first-time freshmen in Fall 1998 at 9 four-year institutions of higher education;
2. Approximately 300 faculty who teach freshmen at those institutions; and
3. Approximately 45 administrators of those institutions.

Categories of records in the system:
This system consists of responses to survey instruments and interview protocols. In addition to background and demographic data, the survey instruments include sets of items concerning perception of institutional commitment to diversity, attitudes, campus climate, knowledge of multiple cultures and pedagogy. The opinions of students, faculty and administrators concerning diversity and multiculturalism are also represented.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
20 U.S.C. 6031 (h) (Supp. 1998).

Purpose(s):
The information contained in the system is used for the following purposes:

1. To increase understanding of the effects of diversity in higher education on all students by examining incoming attitudes of first-time freshmen and changes in attitudes and cognitive development concerning issues of diversity and multiculturalism; and
2. to assess pedagogy and student participation, attainment, development, attitudes and knowledge.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses:
The Department of Education (Department) may disclose information contained in a record in this system of records under the routine uses listed in this system of records without the consent of the individual if the disclosure is compatible with the purposes for which the record was collected. These disclosures may be made on a case-by-case basis or, if the Department has complied with the computer matching requirements of the Act, under a computer matching agreement.

1. Contract Disclosure. When OERI intends to contract with a private firm for the purpose of collating, analyzing, aggregating, maintaining, appending, or otherwise refining records in this system, the Director may release relevant records to the contractor. The contractor will be required to maintain safeguards under the Privacy Act of 1974 and under section 406(d)(4) of GEPA (20U.S.C. 1221e-1(d)(4)) with respect to such records.
2. Research Disclosure. Where the Director determines that an individual or organization is qualified to carry out specific research, the Director may disclose information from these systems of records to that researcher solely for the purpose of carrying out that research. The researcher shall be required to maintain Privacy Act of 1974 and 20 U.S.C. 1221e-1(d)(4) safeguards with respect to such records.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system:

Storage:
The research and location files will be stored on separate computer diskettes.

Retrievability:
Aggregate files may be retrieved by title of survey. The location files will be destroyed upon completion of this project as there will be no future need to retrieve an individual record. Only the completed interview protocols will be retained in hard copy by title of individual interviewed at each of the nine institutions.

Safeguards:
The research files and location files cannot be merged in the form maintained and stored since the identification codes on each file are different. They can be related by use of an encryption algorithm known only to a few staff authorized to work with the data files. When in active use for editing, tabulation and analysis, files of information and identifiers will not be kept together unless necessary for data processing. Tapes, discs and questionnaires will be kept in locked files.

Retention and disposal:
The records will be kept for five years after the final survey administration, in spring of 2000. In the spring of 2005, the records will be transferred to the Federal Records Center, where, after 15 years, they will be destroyed.

System manager(s) and address:

Notification procedure:
If you wish to determine whether a record exists regarding you, contact the system manager at the address listed above. Your requests must meet the requirements in the regulations at 34 CFR 5b.5.

Record access procedures:
Same as Notification Procedure.

Contesting record procedures:
If you wish to contest the content of a record, contact the ystem manager. Any requests to amend a record must meet the requirements of 34 CFR 5b.7.

Record source categories:
Information in the records comes from the responses to survey instruments.

Systems exempted from certain provisions of the act:
None.

Additional System Locations

Mathtech, Inc.

6402 Arlington Blvd., Suite 1200, Falls Church, VA 22042-2356.

Mathtech, Inc.

202 Carnegie Center, Suite 111, Princeton, NJ 08540-6239.

Mathtech, Inc.

180 Pembrooke Circle, Phoenixville, PA 19460.