Glossary

ADHE:  Arkansas Department of Higher Education.  ADHE serves as the administrative staff for the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board (AHECB).  The department was originally established as the Commission on Coordinating Higher Education Finance in 1961.  The commission was renamed and reorganized as the Department of Higher Education in 1971.

AHECB:  Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board.  AHECB establishes policies related to higher education in the state of Arkansas.

AHEIS:  Arkansas Higher Education Information System.  This system is maintained by ADHE and contains information about students, staff, and courses from institutions of higher education in the state of Arkansas.

AIR:  Association for Institutional Research. AIR supports higher education professionals in the collection, analysis, interpretation, and communication of data, and the strategic use of information for effective decision making and planning.

ASHE:  Association for the Study of Higher Education. The primary mission of ASHE is to foster scholarly inquiry of the highest standards of excellence for the purpose of increasing knowledge about and the understanding of higher education.

Audit Only:  This refers to students not enrolled in any courses for credit but are rather exclusively enrolled in courses for audit for a given term.

Census Date:  The date/time when enrollment information is captured and stored for reporting purposes for that term.  This is the end of the eleventh day of classes during regular terms and the end of the fifth day during each summer term.

CIP Code:  Classification of Instructional Programs code. CIP is a code system of instructional programs to help with the organization, collection, and reporting of fields of study and program completions. The CIP was originally developed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the United States Department of Education in 1980, and was revised in 1985, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020. The CIP is subdivided in a hierarchical, three-level structure. The highest level is the 2-digit series, followed by the 4-digit series, and the final level is the 6-digit series. For example, “ Agricultural Economics” has the six-digit code 01.0103, which places it in “Agriculture, General” (4 digit CIP of 01.01), and “Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences” (two-digit CIP of 01).

Concurrent Credit Course:  A course for which both high school and college/university credit is awarded to a high school student.

Contact Hour:  A unit of measure that represents an hour of scheduled instruction given to students.  Also referred to as "clock hour".

Course Levels:  the level of instructional offering, based on expected level of student comprehension rather than student levels of those enrolled in the course.  Course levels are classified according to the following categories:

  • Remedial--all instructional offerings below college level provided for students with deficiencies in English, mathematics and reading.
  • Lower--generally freshman and sophomore.
  • Upper--generally junior and senior.
  • Masters-- all hours taken by students formally recognized by the institution as working toward a master's degree and which are applicable to the coursework plans of the student's degree program will be regarded as master's level hours.  In addition, all hours taken by unclassified students who are taking graduate classes but are not formally recognized by the institution as working toward a master's, specialist, or doctoral degree are regarded as master's level hours.
  • Post-Master's Certificate or Specialist or Post-First Professional Certificate / Degree--all hours taken by students formally recognized by the institution as working toward a specialist degree and which are applicable to the coursework plan of the student’s degree program are regarded as specialist level hours.
  • Doctoral - Research/Scholarship--all hours taken by students formally recognized by the institution as working toward a doctoral degree and which are applicable to the coursework plan of the student’s degree program are regarded as doctoral level hours.
  • Doctoral - Professional Practice--all hours taken by students formally recognized by the institution as working toward a first professional degree and which are applicable to the coursework plan of the student’s degree program are regarded as first professional level hours.
  • Concurrent--an endorsed undergraduate general education course listed in ACTS for high school students for which students receive both high school and college credit.  
  • Blended concurrent/AP course--an endorsed undergraduate general education course listed in ACTS taught at a high school for high school students that have been carefully constructed to meet AP requirements and college requirements. Students receive both high school and college credit.
  • Concurrent career-technical education--: an undergraduate career, technical, or vocational course intended for high school students for which students receive both high school and college credit.
  • Doctoral - Other
  • Non-Remedial, non-college level courses: credit courses that do not count toward any credential (certificate or degree) and are not truly a remedial or developmental education course in the subjects of math, English, or reading.

Credit:  Recognition of attendance or performance in an instructional activity (course or program)  that can be applied by a recipient toward the requirements of a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

Credit Course:  Courses for which, upon successful completion, students are given credit that can be applied to meet the requirements for a degree, certificate, or similar academic award at the granting institution.  Additionally, courses that can be transferred to meet requirements for a degree or certificate at another Arkansas institution and developmental courses for which credit equivalency is granted may also apply.

Credit Hour:  A unit of measure representing an hour (50 minutes) of instruction over a 15-week period in a semester or trimester system or a 10-week period in a quarter system.  Credit hours for shorter terms are determined by similar contact hours during the term.  It is applied toward the total number of hours needed for completing the requirements of a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

Current legal residence: a student’s current legal residence in accordance with the Residency Policy of the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board and used as the basis for institutional fee assessment policies.  Current legal residence may differ from geographic origin.

  • In-district (state community colleges only): a student who had legal residence, at the time of admission, within the district of the institution he or she attends.
  • In-state: a student who attends a postsecondary education institution in the state in which he or she had legal residence at the time or original admission.  If the institution also tabulates in-district student data, care should be exercised to avoid double counting; in such a case, this category means out-of-district but in-state.
  • Out-of-district: a student who had legal residence, at the time of admission, outside the district of the institution he or she attends but within the state.
  • Out-of-state: a student who attends a postsecondary education institution outside of the state in which he or she had legal residence at the time of original admission. 

Degree Seeking:  Degree seeking refers to students who have formally declared a major field of study.

Degree/Diploma/Certificate:  An award or title conferred upon an individual for the completion of a program or course of study.  Additionally, an honorary degree/diploma/certificate may be awarded to an individual in recognition of his or her public service and/or distinguished career-related endeavors.  The following mutually exclusive categories are used:

  • Certificate of Proficiency:  (7 - 18 credit hours) The Certificate of Proficiency will be awarded to students who have demonstrated mastery of skills and knowledge against specified performance standards in a specific area or discipline.  The award is granted for programs requiring 7 - 18 undergraduate semester credit hours.  The program of study may be a stand-alone program or part of a technical certificate or associate degree curriculum.  Remedial/developmental education courses must be used for placement purposes only and cannot be used to fulfill certificate requirements.
  • Technical Certificate:  (24 - 42 credit hours) The Technical Certificate is a planned and coherent program of classroom and laboratory/shop work at the collegiate level that recognizes the completion of a specified level of competency in an occupational field.  The program of study may be a standalone program or a part of an associate degree curriculum.  The curriculum must require a demonstration of competency in communications (oral and written) and mathematics, and a mastery of skills and knowledge against specified performance standards in a specific area or discipline.  Remedial/developmental education courses must be used for placement purposes only and cannot be used to fulfill certificate requirements.  The range of credit hours is 24 - 42 undergraduate semester hours.  Exceptions to this range will be allowed when required by accrediting or approval agencies.
  • Associate Degree:  (60 - 72 credit hours)  An Associate Degree is a degree granted upon the completion of a program that requires at least two, but fewer than four academic years of post-secondary education.  It includes a level of general education necessary for growth as a lifelong learner.
  • Advanced Certificate:  (24 - 36 credit hours)  An Advanced Certificate is an award for completion of a program of advanced technical courses in a technical specialty.  It requires an associate degree or higher, and/or national certification in the technical specialty, and/or other specifically defined post-secondary education requirements.
  • Baccalaureate (bachelor's degree):  (120+ credit hours)  A baccalaureate degree is granted upon completion of a program that requires four to five years of full-time college work and carries the title of bachelor.
  • Post-baccalaureate certificate :  (30 credit hours)  A post-baccalaureate certificate requires completion of a program of study requiring 30 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree but does not meet the requirements of a master's degree.
  • Master's Degree:  A master's degree requires at least one, but no more than two, full-time equivalent years of study beyond the bachelor's level.
  • Specialist degree/certificate:   A specialist degree or certificate requires the completion of a program of study beyond the master's degree but does not meet the academic requirements of a doctoral degree.  May be called a post-master's certificate.
  • Doctoral Degree:  A doctoral degree is awarded upon the completion of an educational program at the graduate level which terminates in a doctor's degree.
  • First Professional Degree:  A first professional degree is awarded upon completion of a program which meets all of these criteria:  a) completion of academic requirements to begin practice in the profession; b) at least two years of college work before entering the program; and c) at least six academic years of college work to complete the degree program, including the prior required college work.

Distance Learning:  An option for earning course credit at off-campus locations via cable television, Internet, satellite classes, videotapes, correspondence courses, or other means.

Dual-Enrolled Student:  A student who is enrolled in two or more colleges or universities in a single term; also applies to a high school student who also is enrolled in a college or university where the student is awarded only post-secondary academic credit.

Enrollment:  A student who is counted on a headcount basis as registered on the census date for the reporting term.

Enrollment Status:  A student's current attendance status in a post-secondary education institution.  The following mutually exclusive categories are used:

  • First-time entering undergraduate:  a student entering any college for the first time ever.  For reporting purposes, this category includes students enrolled in the fall term who entered college for the first time in the prior summer term and students who entered with advanced standing and may actually be classified beyond the freshman level at entry.  A student will be reported in this category only once.  This term should not be confused with entering undergraduate transfer student.  High school students should be reported as a first-time entering only after the student has received a high school diploma or its equivalency and has been matriculated by the institution.  Those students who have not yet received a diploma or its equivalency should be reported as such in the enrollment status and student level fields.  Upon graduation from high school, if a student enrolls in summer courses at an institution and transfers to another institution for the fall term of the same calendar year in which the student graduated from high school, the student should be reported as first-time entering at the institution where (s)he enrolls in the fall term.  If the student enrolls in summer at one institution and remains at the institution for the fall, (s)he is reported as a first-time entering in the fall term.
  • Other first-year continuing student:  an undergraduate student who entered a college during a previous reporting period and who is classified as a freshman-level student but not a first-time entering undergraduate.
  • First-time entering undergraduate transfer student:  an undergraduate student entering the institution for the first time with academic credit attempted or earned at another institution (whether or not the credit is accepted by the institution to which the student transfers).  For reporting purposes, this category includes students enrolled in the fall term who first enrolled as transfer students in the prior summer term.
  • First-time entering graduate student:  a student who has been awarded an earned baccalaureate or first professional degree and who is entering any institution classified as a graduate level student for the first-time.  "Graduate student" includes students enrolled at any level of graduate study other than doctoral--master's, specialist,  or post-baccalaureate certificate (see Student Level).  For reporting purposes, this category includes students enrolled int eh fall term who enrolled as graduate students for the first time in the prior summer term.  The student may have been enrolled previously as an undergraduate or first professional student at the reporting institution.
  • First-time entering doctoral student:  a student entering any institution classified for the first time as a first professional or doctoral student.  The student may have been enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at the reporting institution.  For reporting purposes, this category includes student enrolled in the fall term who enrolled as first professional or doctoral students for the first time in the prior summer term.
  • Continuing undergraduate student:  a student previously enrolled as an undergraduate during the previous regular academic term at the reporting institution.
  • Continuing graduate or doctoral student:  a student previously enrolled as a graduate, first professional or doctoral student during the previous regular academic term at the reporting institution.
  • Readmitted undergraduate student:  an undergraduate student that was enrolled as an undergraduate students during a previous academic term, but not for the immediately prior regular academic term.  The student being readmitted may or may not have earned transferrable credit at another institution during the period (s)he was not enrolled at the reporting institution.
  • Unclassified pre-baccalaureate student:  a student enrolled to earn undergraduate credit but not admitted as a degree-seeking student.
  • Unclassified post-baccalaureate student:  a student enrolled to earn undergraduate academic credit who has previously received a baccalaureate degree at the reporting or another institution, but is not admitted as a degree-seeking graduate or undergraduate student.
  • First-time entering graduate transfer student:  A graduate student that was previously enrolled at another institution as a graduate student and has transferred graduate credit to the reporting institution.
  • Readmitted graduate student:  A graduate student that was previously enrolled as a graduate student at the reporting institution, but not in the preceding  regular academic term.
  • High school student:  a student that has not yet received a high school diploma or its equivalency but is enrolled in college-level courses.
  • Undergraduate transfer TRANSIENT student:  A student enrolled for undergraduate credit who has expressed intent to not seek a degree from the reporting institution but only to transfer earned credit to another institution.
  • Unclassified post-baccalaureate graduate student:  a student enrolled to earn graduate academic credit who has previously received a baccalaureate degree at the reporting or another institution, but is not admitted as a degree-seeking graduate or undergraduate student.

Ethnicity and Race:  Ethnicity is self-reported for students who are U.S. citizens, or resident aliens with either permanent residency or refugee status.  Nonresident aliens or resident aliens who do not have permanent residency or refugee status are reported as foreign students.  Reporting categories are based on IPEDS definitions.

  • Nonresident alien
  • Race and ethnicity unknown
  • Hispanic of any race--a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
  • For non-Hispanics only:
    • American Indian or Alaska Native--a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.
    • Asian--a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
    • Black or African American--a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. 
    • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander--a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
    • White--a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
    • Two or more races

Full-time Equivalent (FTE):  Student FTE is a statistic derived from the student semester credit hour (SSCH) production of an institution.  The number of undergraduate FTE students for an academic term is obtained by dividing the total number of undergraduate student semester credit hours by 15.  Graduate FTE students are calculated by dividing the total number of graduate student credit hours for the term by 12.  When computing an annual FTE, the student credit hours for all terms are summed and then divided by 30 for undergraduate courses or 24 for graduate hours.  FTE can also be used as a faculty measure in which case it can be calculated as full-time faculty plus one third of part time faculty or as the addition of the relative percentage appointments of the individual faculty members.

Full-time instructional faculty:  Instruction/research staff employed full-time (as defined by the institution) and whose major regular assignment is instruction, including those with release time for research.  Faculty ranks include:

  • Distinguished Professor
  • University Professor
  • Professor
  • Associate Professor
  • Assistant Professor
  • Instructor
  • Lecturer

Faculty ranks are described in Academic Policy 1435.50.

Geographic origin:  the state or country of a student at the time of original admission to the institution.  This may differ from current legal residence.

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS):  the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has established IPEDS as its core postsecondary education data collection program.  It is a single, comprehensive system that encompasses all identified institutions whose primary purpose is to provide postsecondary education.  IPEDS consists of institutional level data that can be used to describe trends in higher education at the institutional, state and/or national levels.  Postsecondary education is defined within IPEDS as the provision of formal instructional programs the curriculum of which is designed primarily for students who have completed the requirements for a high school diploma or its equivalent.

NACUBO:  National Association of College and University Business Officers. The NACUBO is a membership organization representing more than 1,900 colleges and universities across the country. NACUBO is dedicated to supporting business officers and their essential and expanding role on campus. Through its advocacy efforts, community service and professional development activities, the association aims to advance the economic fortitude, business practices and support so higher education institutions can attain their missions.

Non-credit courses:  Courses, seminars, workshops and other instructional activities or experiences offered by a higher education institution which may not be applied to meet requirements of the institution's formal degree/diploma/certificate programs.  This type of coursework should not be confused with zero-credit academic coursework (e.g., labs associated with science lecture courses.)

Non-degree seeking:  Non-degree seeking refers to students who have not formally declared a major field of study.

Off-campus:  Those courses not fitting the description of "on-campus".

Off-schedule:  Refers to students enrolled in courses for which the first class meeting is after the eleventh class day of the regular fall or spring term (census day) or after the fifth class day of the regular summer term (census day).

On-campus:  Refers to courses taking place in the facilities or on the grounds of an institution.

On-schedule:  refers to students enrolled in courses for which the first class meeting is before or on the eleventh class day of the regular term for the fall or spring semesters (census day).  In the case of summer sessions, it is enrollment in courses for which the first class meeting occurs before or on the fifth class day (census). 

Regular academic term:    Refers to the calendar periods established by an institution for the conduct of educational activities and corresponds to the basic periods of the institution's predominant calendar system.

Residency:  Residency status is determined by the Office of the Registrar based on definitions found in the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees policy statement 520.8, Student Residency Status for Fee Purposes.

SAIR:  Southern Association of Institutional Research. SAIR provides a forum for the dissemination of information and interchange of ideas on problems of common interest in the field of institutional research. In addition, SAIR promotes the continued professional development of individuals engaging in institutional research and fosters the unity and cooperation among persons having interests and activities related to research.

SREB:  Southern Regional Education Board. SREB is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization headquartered in Atlanta. The member states are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. The SREB works with states to improve public education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education. 

SSCH (Student Semester Credit Hour):  Student semester credit hours represent the sum of the product of the number of students enrolled in each course section multiplied by the credit hours awarded per student for the course.

SSCH are assigned to academic departments based on the setup of the class in the student information system. In most cases course ownership is to a particular academic department (e.g. ENGL classes are assigned to the English department). If a class is setup with an interdisciplinary subject, studies subject, or other class not related to a single academic department, the class is given an attribute which causes it to be assigned to the academic department of the instructor. If multiple instructors are teaching, the enrollments and SSCH are divided as evenly as possible among the instructors' departments.

Student level:    Refers to the proportion of total requirements a student has obtained, as of the census date, toward the completion of the degree/diploma, certificate program in which the student is enrolled.  The following mutually exclusive student level categories are used:

  • Unclassified undergraduate--a non-high school student who cannot be classified into one of the lower or upper division categories (i.e., freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) but he or she is enrolled in undergraduate coursework.
  • Freshman--a non-high school student who has completed less than 30 credit hours of college-level undergraduate coursework.
  • Sophomore--a non-high school student who has completed at least 30 but less than 60 credit hours of college-level undergraduate coursework.
  • Junior--a non-high school student who has completed at least 60 but less than 90 credit hours of college-level undergraduate coursework.
  • Senior--a non-high school student who has completed at least 90 credit hours of college-level undergraduate coursework.
  • Master's level--a student who has earned a baccalaureate degree, has been accepted for graduate-level study, and is enrolled in a master's degree program
  • Post-Baccalaureate certificate, Specialist, or First-professional certificate--a student enrolled in a program leading to one of the named certificates or degrees
  • Doctoral - Research/Specialist--a student enrolled in a doctoral program in a research area
  • Doctoral - Other
  • Doctoral - Professional Practice--a student enrolled in professional practice doctoral program (e.g., JD, DNP)
  • Unclassified post-baccalaureate--a student who has previously received a baccalaureate degree and is enrolling in undergraduate coursework
  • Unclassified graduate--a student with a baccalaureate degree enrolled in graduate coursework but not admitted into a graduate degree program
  • High school student, but not a high school senior
  • High school senior

SUG:  Southern University Group. A group of peers consisting of 31 public institutions and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB).

Tenure:  Status of a personnel position, or a person occupying a position or occupation, with respect to permanence of position.

Tenure Track:  Positions that lead to consideration for tenure.