Academic advisement

Plan under which each student is assigned to a faculty member or a trained advisor, who, through regular meetings, helps the student plan and implement immediate and long-term academic and vocational goals. 

Academic Common Market student

A student from another state who has been certified by his or her state to participate in an approved academic program in a Virginia institution.

Academic Program

An academic program is a coherent set of courses leading to a credential (degree, diploma, or certificate) awarded by the institution.

Academic Rank

Categorization of faculty positions, which include tenure/tenure-track and non-tenure-track positions. Tenured and tenure-track positions are usually classified as assistant professor, associate professor and professor; non-tenure-track positions are usually classified as instructor, clinical professor, professor of practice, coordinator, research professor, and adjunct teaching appointments.

Academic Unit

An academic unit is equivalent to a department, division, college, or school.

Academic Year

An academic year usually consists of summer, fall, and spring semesters (in that order). This is based upon federal government definitions.

Accepted

Formally offered admission for the reporting semester or quarter.

ACT Composite Score

The American College Test (ACT) composite score is an average score based on the four ACT assessment tests (English, Math, Reading, Science).

Active duty military

A person on full-time active duty pursuant to military orders in one of the United States services (Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard).

Admitted student

Applicant who is offered admission to a degree-granting program at an institution.

Aid Year

Displays financial aid (academic) year for student.

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. American Indian or Alaska Native (old definition) - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition.

Applicant

An individual who completed the necessary requirements for application for admission to the reporting institution; someone who reached the point where the final decision is made to accept or reject his/her application.

Applicant (first time, first year)

An individual who has fulfilled the institution’s requirements to be considered for admission (including payment or waiving of the application fee, if any) and who has been notified of one of the following actions: admission, nonadmission, placement on waiting list, or application withdrawn (by applicant or institution).

Application Status

The status of the admissions application.

Applied

Completed all necessary requirements for application and reached the point where the final decision is made to accept or reject the application. 

Asian

Asian (new definition) - A non-Hispanic 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.

Assessment

A systematic process of establishing learning outcomes, collecting data in relation to those outcomes, synthesizing the results, and interpreting the results to identify areas of continuous improvement AND to determine if learning outcomes were achieved. This process focuses on student's knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with an experience, so the results are used to improve or enhance learning.

Assessment Measure (Tool)

Tools used to collect information about student learning and performance to determine if an outcome was met and identify continuous improvement efforts (e.g., exams, writing assignments, surveys, focus groups, presentations, etc.).

Assistant Professor

Faculty who meet the following requirements: Earned doctorate from an accredited institution in the instructional discipline or related area (or Master’s degree in the instructional discipline when that Master’s degree is the recognized terminal degree in that instructional discipline); Master’s degree in the instructional discipline or related area plus 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) beyond the Master’s in that instructional discipline or related areas plus appropriate professional experience in the instructional discipline or related area; potential ability in instruction, public service, and research.

Associate degree

An award that normally requires at least two but less than four years of full-time equivalent college work. (CDS)  An award that normally requires at least two but fewer than four years of full-time equivalent college work.  (IPEDS)

Associate Professor

Faculty who meet the following requirements: Earned doctorate or appropriate terminal degree from an accredited institution in the instructional discipline or related area plus five years of appropriate professional experience in the instructional discipline or related area; documented ability in instruction, public service, and research.

Average Net Price

As defined by the federal government, Net Price is the amount that a first-time, full-time, degree-seeing student pays to attend an institution in a single academic year AFTER subtracting scholarships and grants the student receives. Scholarships and grants are forms of financial aid that a student does not have to pay back.

Bachelor's degree

An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education) that normally requires at least four years but not more than five years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes ALL bachelor’s degrees conferred in a five-year cooperative (work-study plan) program. (A cooperative plan provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government; thus, it allows students to combine actual work experience with their college studies.) Also, it includes bachelor’s degrees in which the normal four years of work are completed in three years.

Black or African American Black, non-Hispanic

Black or African American (new definition) - A non-Hispanic person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. Black, non-Hispanic (old definition) - A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa (except those of Hispanic origin).

Books and supplies (costs)

Average cost of books and supplies. Do not include unusual costs for special groups of students (e.g., engineering or art majors), unless they constitute the majority of students at your institution.

Calendar system

The method by which an institution structures most of its courses for the academic year.

Carnegie units

One year of study or the equivalent in a secondary school subject.

Census date

The date when the number of students enrolled in each class and section is counted.  For semester terms, the census date shall be no sooner than the end of the fourteenth calendar day from the beginning of the term. 

CIP Code

Classification of Instructional Program code. Associated with courses and majors. Describes the general content or subject matter of a course or major.

NOTE: Based on a coding system created by the National Center for Education Statistics, to standardize reporting of course and majors nationally. A CIP Code is assigned to both the course and the major.

Class Equivalent

Refers to the student classification at VMI

• First Class: Senior
• Second Class: Junior
• Third Class: Sophomore
• Rat/Fourth Class: Freshman

NOTE: See Student Level definition

Class rank

The relative numerical position of a student in his or her graduating class, calculated by the high school on the basis of grade-point average, whether weighted or unweighted.

Commissioning Cadet

A cadet (graduate) who, after graduation, commissions into one of the branches of the armed forces (military).

Common Data Set (CDS)

Standardized method of compiling and reporting of information by academic institutions. Information presented in the CDS includes: enrollments and degrees conferred, profile of first-year students, statistics and policies on transfers, academic offerings and policies, student life, annual expenses, financial aid, faculty, and class sizes.

Comparator

Term used for benchmarks, historical trends, peer comparisons, or for other bases of comparison.

Concentration

An approved grouping of courses that provides a focus to the students’ time and course selection in a specific area of their major. A concentration is included on a student’s transcript.

Contact hour

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

Continuous Improvement

Efforts made/actions taken by departments, offices, programs, and services to better achieve their mission, goals, objectives, and outcomes based on the findings from assessment and evaluation activities.

Core Curriculum Courses

Courses designed to introduce students to the fundamental knowledge, skills and values essential to the study of academic disciplines.

Cost of Attendance / Student Budgets for Financial Aid

Used for financial aid purposes. A budget developed by student based on cost of attendance components, hours enrolled, length of semester, cost of program and other factors.

Course Level

Level of a course based on the bulletin number. Lower division courses are numbered 100 to 200 and upper division courses are numbered 300 to 499.

Credit

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

Credit Course

A course that, if successfully completed, can be applied toward the number of courses required for achieving a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

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. It is applied toward the total number of hours needed for completing the requirements of a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

Cross-Listed Course

A course with the same subject matter and is taught by two distinct departments and is able to fulfill a major, minor, or program requirement.

Deferred admission

The practice of permitting admitted students to postpone enrollment, usually for a period of one academic term or one year.

Degree

An award conferred by a college, university, or other post-secondary educational institution as official recognition for the successful completion of a program of studies. 

Degree-seeking students

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are recognized by the institution as seeking a degree or formal award. 

Differs by program (calendar system) 

A calendar system classification that is used by institutions that have occupational/vocational programs of varying length. These schools may enroll students at specific times depending on the program desired. For example, a school might offer a two-month program in January, March, May, September, and November; and a three-month program in January, April, and October. 

Diploma

See Postsecondary award or certificate.

Direct Assessment (Measure of Assessment)

An assignment or tool that directly assesses a student's knowledge, skills, or abilities and are generally a course assignment (e.g., exam, quiz, writing assignment, presentation, debate, journaling, etc.).

Domestic student exchange

A program of study eligible to matriculated students at Virginia institutions that allows them to pursue full-time study at another institution within the United States of America, and apply all course work taken at that institution during the official period of student exchange toward their intended degree at their home institution in Virginia. 

Domicile

The present, fixed home of an individual to which he or she returns following temporary absences and at which he or she intends to stay indefinitely.  No individual may have more than one domicile at a time.  Domicile, once established, shall not be affected by mere transient or temporary presence in another jurisdiction.

Double major

Program in which students may complete two undergraduate programs of study simultaneously.

Early action plan

An admission plan that allows students to apply and be notified of an admission decision well in advance of the regular notification dates. If admitted, the candidate is not committed to enroll; the student may reply to the offer under the college’s regular reply policy.

Early admission

A policy under which students who have not completed high school are admitted and enroll full time in college, usually after completion of their junior year.

Early decision plan

A plan that permits students to apply and be notified of an admission decision (and financial aid offer if applicable) well in advance of the regular notification date. Applicants agree to accept an offer of admission and, if admitted, to withdraw their applications from other colleges. There are three possible decisions for early decision applicants: admitted, denied, or not admitted but forwarded for consideration with the regular applicant pool, without prejudice.

Enrolled

Registered for more than zero credit hours on the census date for which a report is completed.

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino or Spanish origin is defined as a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.

Evaluation

A systematic process to ascertain, judge, or measure student's learning and understanding of materials. This also can be used to assert how well a program is performing in relation to their mission, vision, values, goals, and objectives.

Extracurricular activities (as admission factor)

Special consideration in the admissions process given for participation in both school and nonschool-related activities of interest to the college, such as clubs, hobbies, student government, athletics, performing arts, etc. 

Faculty (instruction/research)

Persons whose specific assignments customarily are made for the purpose of conducting instruction, research, or public service as a principal activity (or activities), and who hold academic-rank titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, lecturer, or the equivalent of any of these academic ranks.

FICE code

The Federal Interagency Committee on Education code is six-digit institutional identifier assigned to each higher education (two-year and above) institution by the Federal Interagency Committee on Education. 

First-time enrolled 

Enrolled in the reporting institution for the first time for the reporting semester or quarter. 2) A student who entered with advanced standing due to college credits earned before graduation from high school, regardless of the number of credits earned. 

First-Time Freshman

An individual who is enrolled at a post-secondary school after graduation from high school or the awarding of a GED.

NOTE: The first-time freshmen cohort is determined by taking first time students starting in the summer and continue in the fall term plus first-time students starting in the fall.

Freshman

An institutionally determined academic level typically based on the number of course credit hours a student has completed; the term generally indicates a student in the first year of a bachelor's degree or occupational or technical program. At VMI, this is type of student is referred to as Rat or Fourth Class student.

First-Time, Full-Time, Degree-Seeking Freshman (Freshman Cohort)

A student who has never attended college, who graduated high school during the spring before the fall semester, and who is seeking a college degree. This designator is defined by the federal government and is the method by which the Freshman Cohort is selected and tracked.

Formative Assessment

In this form of assessment, professors or instructors provide feedback to students as they progress throughout a semester or an assignment. For example, a professor scaffolds a writing assignment throughout the semester, providing feedback to students along the way to enhance learning and provide feedback to improve the learning process.

FTE, Annual

A calculation of enrollment based on total credit hours taken by undergraduates and first professionals divided by 30 and added to total graduate credit hours divided by 24. Includes summer term enrollments and all on- and off-campus activity.  Tuition waiver courses (designated by a TYPECRD of "T" on the Course Enrollment Part 2 file) and audited courses (designated by a TYPECRD of "A" or a CRSGRD of "Audit" on the Course Enrollment Part 2 file) are not included as credit hours in FTE calculations.

FTE, Regular Session

A calculation of enrollment based on total credit hours taken by undergraduates and first professionals divided by 30 and added to total graduate credit hours divided by 24. Includes fall and spring semesters only, does not include summer term enrollments. May be broken out by on- and off-campus activity, as required or so designated. Tuition waiver courses (designated by a TYPECRD of "T" on the Course Enrollment Part 2 file) and audited courses (designated by a TYPECRD of "A" or a CRSGRD of "Audit" on the Course Enrollment Part 2 file) are not included as credit hours in FTE calculations.

Full-time student 

An undergraduate or first professional student enrolled for twelve or more credit hours in a semester or quarter, or a graduate student enrolled for nine or more credit hours in a semester or quarter. 

Full-time student (undergraduate) 

A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more contact hours a week each term. 

Full-time-equivalent student (FTE) 

A statistic derived from the student-credit hour productivity of an institution. 

Geographical residence (as admission factor)

Special consideration in the admission process given to students from a particular region, state, or country of residence. 

Grade-point average (academic high school GPA) 

The sum of grade points a student has earned in secondary school divided by the number of courses taken. The most common system of assigning numbers to grades counts four points for an A, three points for a B, two points for a C, one point for a D, and no points for an E or F. Unweighted GPAs assign the same weight to each course. Weighting gives students additional points for their grades in advanced or honors courses. 

GPA, Cumulative

The grade point average calculated on all credit-bearing work attempted at the institution. A calculated field that takes the total quality points earned and divides by the GPA hours. 

GPA, Term

The grade point average calculated on all credit-bearing work attempted at the institution for a given semester or term. A calculated field that takes the total quality points earned and divides by the GPA hours. 

Graduation Date

Date a degree is officially conferred to a graduating student. Usually it is the last day of the semester. VMI confers degrees two times a year: at the end of fall (December), spring (May).

Graduation Rate

First-time, full-time, degree-seeking fall freshmen and summer first-time freshmen (Freshman Cohort) who graduate. The federal government 4-year (100%), 6-year (150%), and 8-year (200%) rates.

NOTE: It should be noted that, in calculating graduation rate, only the freshman cohort is used and transfer students cannot be used.

Headcount student 

A student enrolled for more than zero credit hours in courses offered for degree or certificate credit, or a student who meets the criteria for classification as a remedial student. 

High School Class Size

The size of the student's high school graduating class. Used in calculation of rank in class.

High school diploma or recognized equivalent

A document certifying the successful completion of a prescribed secondary school program of studies, or the attainment of satisfactory scores on the Tests of General Educational Development (GED), or another state-specified examination.

High School Class Size

The grade point average calculated on all credit-bearing work attempted at the institution for a given semester or term. A calculated field that takes the total quality points earned and divides by the GPA hours. 

High School GPA

The High School Grade Point Average a student earned from high school.

High School Percentile

The percentile of the rank in the high school class

High School Rank in Class

The standing of the student in relationship to their graduating high school class. 

Hispanic or Latino/Hispanic 

A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. Hispanic (old definition) - A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. 

Honors program

Any special program for very able students offering the opportunity for educational enrichment, independent study, acceleration, or some combination of these.

Independent study

Academic work chosen or designed by the student with the approval of the department concerned, under an instructor’s supervision, and usually undertaken outside of the regular classroom structure.

Indirect Assessment (Measure of Assessment)

A form of assessment where students reflect on or share feedback about their learning experience in relation to an experience or learning outcome (e.g., survey feedback, course evaluations, focus groups, etc.)

In-state student 

A student whose domicile is the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

In-state tuition 

The tuition charged by institutions to those students who meet the state’s or institution’s residency requirements. 

Institution-specific measures

Institution-specific measures vary by institution and represent unique aspects of the mission that the college or university chose to highlight. Institution-specific measures also provide a richer context for understanding performance on the system-wide measures. For example, some doctoral research institutions have chosen to report national rankings for faculty research awards and honors. Comprehensive and liberal arts colleges with a primary focus on undergraduate education have reported results of student outcomes assessment or special opportunities for study abroad, service learning, or internship experiences. Several institutions have chosen to report on student access to technology. 

Instructional faculty

Instruction/research staff employed full-time as defined by the institution and whose major regular assignment is instruction, including those with released time for research. 

International student

See nonresident alien.

Internship

Any short-term, supervised work experience usually related to a student’s major field, for which the student earns academic credit. The work can be full- or part-time, on- or off-campus, paid or unpaid.

IPEDS

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, often abbreviated IPEDS, is the core postsecondary education data collection program for the National Center for Education Statistics, a part of the United States government. IPEDS has the mandated goal of collecting standardized data from all institutions of higher education that receive federal student financial assistance authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(17)).

Junior 

An institutionally determined academic level typically based on the number of course credit hours a student has completed; the term generally indicates a student in the third year of a bachelor's program. At VMI, this student is referred to as Second Class.

Learning Outcome

A term used in assessment referring to a statement that is measurable and describes the knowledge, skills, or abilities that a student will be able to demonstrate or do after participating in an experience (e.g., academic course, major program, etc.). 

Lower division

Courses (100 and 200 level) that are part of a baccalaureate program, designed to be taken by freshman and sophomore students.

Low-Income Student

Pell-eligible student.

Major

A major indicates a degree awarding program at the Bachelors level. Majors consist of a 30 semester credit hours (SCH) minimum with a maximum of 60 SCH.

Majority Students

Includes all students reported to SCHEV with ethnicity of "Not Hispanic" and race as "White", "Unknown", or "Unreported", and non-resident aliens.

Metric

A form of measure used in assessment, evaluation, and strategic planning to outline the specific criteria that will need to be met to achieve a goal, objective, or outcome. 

Military-Related

Someone who has identified some connection to the military - receiving benefits, awarded discounts, self-identified with attribute.

Minor

A minor is a group of courses in a particular subject or theme that usually complements the main area of study.  

Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders 

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders (new definition) - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. Asian/Pacific Islander (old definition) - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and Pacific Islands. This includes people from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, American Samoa, India, and Vietnam.

Need-Based Assistance

Financial aid based on the federal regulations defined in Title IV. The definition of need-based includes all assistance defined by federal regulations as being for need-based recipients.

Need-based Aid

College-funded or college-administered award from institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student must have financial need to qualify. This includes both institutional and non-institutional student aid (grants, jobs, and loans).

New Freshman

A student with less than 30 earned semester credit hours, including after attendance at the Summer Transition Program (STP). 

NCES

National Center for Educational Statistics.

Non-credit course 

A course or activity having no credit applicable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. (Source IPEDS) 

Non-Need Based Assistance

Financial assistance from sources other than Title IV. Assistance from academic scholarships, and scholarships from private sources, to name a few, are included.

Nonresident alien

A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely.

Operational Outcome

A specific and measurable statement that outlines what a unit, office, department, or program wants to accomplish based on its operational planning, which are generally created based on an organization's strategic plan.

Other degree-seeking undergraduate student 

A student whose enrollment in baccalaureate level courses for credit constitutes half or more of his/her course load. 

Other expenses (costs)  

Include average costs for clothing, laundry, entertainment, medical (if not a required fee), and furnishings.

Other than nine/ten month and eleven/twelve month salary contract 

The contracted teaching period of faculty employed for other than two semesters, three quarters, two trimesters, two 4-month sessions, or 11-12 months, but still considered full-time employees (as defined by the institution). 

Out-of-state student 

A student whose domicile is not the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Out-of-state tuition 

The tuition charged by institutions to those students who do not meet the institution's or state's residency requirements. 

Part-time student (undergraduate)

A student enrolled for fewer than 12 credits per semester or quarter, or fewer than 24 contact hours a week each term. 

Persistence

The number or percentage of students moving from the second year to the third, the third year to the fourth, etc.

NOTE: This term should not be confused with Retention which specifically addresses freshman cohort students who returned to the institution for the second year.

Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma

Includes the following three IPEDS definitions for postsecondary awards, certificates, and diplomas of varying durations and credit/contact hour requirements—

Less Than 1 Academic Year: An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) designed for completion in less than 300 clock hours, or in less than 9 semester or trimester credit hours, or less than 13 quarter credit hours. 

At Least 1 But Less Than 2 Academic Years: An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) designed for completion in at least 300 but less than 900 clock hours, or in at least 9 but less 30 semester or trimester credit hours, or in at least 13 but less than 45 quarter credit hours.

At Least 2 But Less Than 4 Years:  An award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) designed for completion in at least 900 but less than 1,800 clock hours, or in at least 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or in at least 45 but less than 90 quarter credit hours. 

Note:  Beginning in 2020-21, references to academic year equivalencies were removed from all levels of subbaccalaureate certificates.

Private, for-profit institution 

A private institution in which the individual(s) or agency in control receives compensation, other than wages, rent, or other expenses for the assumption of risk. 

Private institution

An educational institution controlled by a private individual(s) or by a nongovernmental agency, usually supported primarily by other than public funds, and operated by other than publicly elected or appointed officials.

Private, non-profit institution

A private institution in which the individual(s) or agency in control receives no compensation, other than wages, rent, or other expenses for the assumption of risk. These include both independent nonprofit schools and those affiliated with a religious organization. 

Professor

Faculty who meet the following requirements:  Earned doctorate or appropriate terminal degree from an accredited institution in the instructional discipline or related areas plus ten years appropriate professional experience in the instructional discipline or related area; documented ability in instruction, public service, and research; documented evidence of a substantial quality of professional productivity, and state, regional or national recognition in the academic discipline.

Program

A combination of courses and related activities organized for the attainment of broad educational objectives described by the institution.

Program Learning Outcomes (or Program Outcome)

Statements that describe the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students will know or be able to do after completing a program. These outcomes primarily focus on what capacity aspects a student will be able to demonstrate after the completion of an academic program.

Program placed

Enrolled in a degree program.

Progression

The number of undergraduate students reaching 30, 60, or 90 credit hours at universities.

Public institution

An educational institution whose programs and activities are operated by publicly elected or appointed school officials, and which is supported primarily by public funds.

Quality Points

The cumulative points used to calculate a student's GPA. Only classes receiving grades A, B, C, D, or F are used in the calculation: A = 4 points, B = 3 points, C = 2 points, D = 1 point, F = 0 points.

Race 

Race is broken out separately from Ethnicity. Indicates a student’s racial origin. The code is designed to provide information in the form the U. S. federal government requires. 

NOTE: Includes American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, White, Two or more races, or unknown.

Re-admitted student 

A student whose return to an institution requires action by an admissions office. 

Regular session

On-campus fall and spring terms.

Rejected

Not offered admission to the institution.

Remedial course

Course work in preparation for lower level courses.  Remedial courses are limited to English composition, reading, mathematics, and English as a second language. 

Remedial services

Instructional courses designed for students deficient in the general competencies necessary for a regular postsecondary curriculum and educational setting.

Remedial student

A student who is enrolled only in remedial courses and who does not have any college credit that can be used to determine another student level.

Required fees

Fixed sum charged to students for items not covered by tuition and required of such a large proportion of all students that the student who does NOT pay is the exception. Do not include application fees or optional fees such as lab fees or parking fees.

Residency/Resident

The legal resident status of the student for the semester. For reporting purposes, a student will be either In State or Out of State.

Resident alien or other eligible non-citizen 

A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who has been admitted as a legal immigrant for the purpose of obtaining permanent resident alien status (and who holds either an alien registration card [Form I-551 or I-151], a Temporary Resident Card [Form I-688], or an Arrival-Departure Record [Form I-94] with a notation that conveys legal immigrant status, such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian).

Retention Rate

A retention rate is the percent of the Freshman Cohort returning for their second year at the institution. The cohort consists of the number of students entering VMI as full-time, first-time, degree-seeking students (See First-Time, Full-Time, Degree-Seeking Students).

NOTE: The number/percent of students who return to the third and fourth year is referred to as Persistence.

Returning/Continuing

Continuing students are students who have previously attended the institution for at least one term in the previous academic year. When a new student is admitted (or readmitted) they are considered 'new' for one term. After the student has completed a term, they are updated in the Student Information System to reflect a student type of C - continuing. 

Room and board (charges) on campus 

Assume double occupancy in institutional housing and 19 meals per week (or maximum meal plan). 

ROTC

Reference to which Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program a cadet participates in, which include:

• ASC (Air  Force Commissioning)
• ASX (Air Force Seeking Commission)
• MCC (Marine Corp Commissioning)
• MCX (Marin e Corps Seeking Commissioning)
• MS (Army ROTC )
• MSC (Army Commissioning)
• MSX (Army Seeking Commissioning)
• NSC (Navy Commissioning)
• NSX (Navy  Seeking Commissioning)

SAT Combined

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a test designed to test students' knowledge of subjects that are necessary for college success: reading, writing, and mathematics. The SAT assesses the critical thinking skills students need for academic success in college. The combined score is determined by adding the score received on the SAT Verbal (Critical Reading) and the SAT Mathematics.

Secondary school record (as admission factor)

Information maintained by the secondary school that may include such things as the student’s high school transcript, class rank, GPA, and teacher and counselor recommendations. 

Semester calendar system

A calendar system that consists of two semesters during the academic year with about 16 weeks for each semester of instruction. There may be an additional summer session.

Senior 

An institutionally determined academic level typically based on the number of course credit hours a student has completed; the term generally indicates a student in the fourth year of a bachelor's program. At VMI, this is a First Class student.

Sophomore 

An institutionally determined academic level typically based on the number of course credit hours a student has completed; the term generally indicates a student in the second year of a bachelor's degree or occupational or technical program. At VMI, this is a Third Class student.

Sponsored program

A research and training development program funded by restricted federal, state, or private grants and contracts.

Student Credit Hours (SCH)

The unit of measurement representing an hour of instruction for a single student per week over a semester.

NOTE: SCH for a student is calculated by summing course credits per student per term. The course SCH is calculated by summing course credits across course, section number, and term times the total number of students. Student SCH is often used in the calculation of FTE.

Student Learning Outcome

A statement that describes and outlines what a student should know or be able to do/demonstrate after completing a unit of study or course.

Student level

The academic level of a student, institutionally determined, and typically based on the number of course credit hours a student has completed.

Student-designed major

A program of study based on individual interests, designed with the assistance of an adviser. 

Students of Color

Includes all students reported to SCHEV with ethnicity of Hispanic and/or specified race categories other than "White", "Unknown", or "Unreported", and excludes non-resident aliens. (Source:' SCHEV Research)

Study abroad

Any arrangement by which a student completes part of the college program studying in another country. Can be at a campus abroad or through a cooperative agreement with some other U.S. college or an institution of another country. (CDS)

A program of study eligible to matriculated students at Virginia institutions that allows them to pursue full-time study at an institution outside of the United States of America, and apply all course work taken at that institution during the official period of student exchange toward their intended degree at their home institution in Virginia.  (SCHEV)

Summative Assessment

A form of assessment where a cumulative assignment (e.g., exam, paper, presentation, etc.) is used at the end of a unit of study or term to assess a student's proficiency and learning achievement in relation to a student learning outcome and/or area of study.

Summer session

A summer session is shorter than a regular semester and not considered part of the academic year. It is not the third term of an institution operating on a trimester system or the fourth term of an institution operating on a quarter calendar system. The institution may have 2 or more sessions occurring in the summer months. Some schools, such as vocational and beauty schools, have year-round classes with no separate summer session.

System-wide measures

System-wide measures include fourteen performance measures focused on operational efficiency and factors associated with academic quality: freshman to sophomore retention rate, number of transfer students enrolled from two-year colleges, class size (below 20 and over 50), percentage of lower-division courses taught by full-time faculty, six-year graduation rate, average time-to-degree, percentage of living alumni who donate annually, classroom and laboratory space utilization, percentage of Education & General funding spent on instruction and academic support, percentage of state management standards met, percentage of professionally accredited programs, debt service-to-expenditure ratio, research and public service expenditures per full time faculty, and total student credit hours taught per full time equivalent faculty. This section of the report contains both current and historical information, and, where available, information on performance of peer institutions.

T & R 

Teaching and research. 

Talent/ability (as admission factor)

Special consideration given to students with demonstrated talent/abilities in areas of interest to the institution (e.g. sports, the arts, languages, etc.). 

Target (for assessment & evaluation)

The expected level of performance or achievement a student (or group of students) should achieve to demonstrate that a student learning or program outcome was met. Overall, represents the success criteria for a goal, objective, or outcome.

Tenure

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

Tenure track

Status of personnel positions that lead to consideration for tenure.

Threshold (for assessment & evaluation)

A minimum score or achievement metric (e.g., percentage of graduates) that determines if a goal, objective, or outcome is met or passed.

Transfer applicant

An individual who has fulfilled the institution’s requirements to be considered for admission (including payment or waiving of the application fee, if any) and who has previously attended another college or university and earned college-level credit.

Transfer student

A student entering the institution for the first time but known to have previously attended a post-secondary institution at the same level (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, first professional). (IPEDS) A student entering the institution for the first time but known to have previously attended a postsecondary institution at the same level (e.g., undergraduate). The student may transfer with or without credit.

Transportation (costs) 

Assume two round trips to student’s hometown per year for students in institutional housing or daily travel to and from your institution for commuter students. 

Trimester calendar system

An academic year consisting of 3 terms of about 15 weeks each.

Tuition

Amount of money charged to students for instructional services. Tuition may be charged per term, per course, or per credit.

Tutoring

May range from one-on-one tutoring in specific subjects to tutoring in an area such as math, reading, or writing. Most tutors are college students; at some colleges, they are specially trained and certified.

Two or more races

A non-Hispanic individual who identifies as more than one race

Unclassified undergraduate student

A student whose enrollment in baccalaureate level courses for credit constitutes half or more of his/her course load.  NOTE: This category is the aggregate of Other Degree-Seeking Undergraduate Students and Non-Degree-Seeking Undergraduate Students.

Undergraduate

A student enrolled in a four- or five-year bachelor’s degree program, an associate degree program, or a vocational or technical program below the baccalaureate.

Undergraduate student in a continuous graduate/first professional program 

A student enrolled in a continuous program (typically, of six or more years) leading to a graduate or first professional degree who is for all other intents and purposes considered to be taking courses at an undergraduate level. 

Under-represented populations, students from

A student meeting any one of these conditions is counted only once as being from an ""under-represented"" population:
a. Non-white US citizens and permanent residents
b. Degree-recipients receiving Pell grants at any time during the five years prior to degree award
c. Non-traditional students: age 25 or older at entry
d. Students from Virginia localities in the lowest quintile of associate and baccalaureate attainment rates
e. First-generation college students
f. Veterans of the US Military.

Unit

A standard of measurement representing hours of academic instruction (e.g., semester credit, quarter credit, contact hour).

Unknown

This category is used ONLY if the student did not select a racial/ethnic designation, AND the postsecondary institution finds it impossible to place the student in one of the aforementioned racial/ethnic categories during established enrollment procedures or in any post-enrollment identification or verification process.

Upper division

Courses (300 and 400 level) that are part of a baccalaureate program, designed to be taken by junior, senior, or fifth-year undergraduate students.

Volunteer work (as admission factor)

Special consideration given to students for activity done on a volunteer basis (e.g., tutoring, hospital care, working with the elderly or disabled) as a service to the community or the public in general.

Wait list

List of students who meet the admission requirements but will only be offered a place in the class if space becomes available.

White/White, non Hispanic

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. White, non-Hispanic (old definition) - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East (except those of Hispanic origin).

Work experience (as admission factor)

Special consideration given to students who have been employed prior to application, whether for relevance to major, demonstration of employment-related skills, or as explanation of student’s academic and extracurricular record.

Yield

The percent of admitted students who enrolled.