Glossary of Terms

At Montgomery College, this term generally applies to the Fall, Winter, and Spring terms of a "school year."  For example, AY 2014 would consist of Fall 2013, Winter 2014, and Spring 2014.

American College Testing (ACT) measures educational development and readiness to pursue college-level coursework in English, mathematics, natural science, and social studies. Student performance does not reflect innate ability and is influenced by a student’s educational preparedness.

The American English Language Program (AELP) offers American English for Academic Purposes (AEAP), a multilevel program designed to meet the language and academic cultural-adaptation needs of non-native speakers of American English. Classes in Pre-academic English, American English for Special Purposes (AESP), and courses in basic literacy, are offered through continuing education.

College-level courses taught in high school. Students may take an examination at the completion of the course; acceptable scores allow students to earn college credit toward a degree, certificate, or other formal award.

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.

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.

An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.

Expenses for essentially self-supporting operations of the institution that exist to furnish a service to students, faculty, or staff, and that charge a fee that is directly related to, although not necessarily equal to, the cost of the service. Examples are residence halls, food services, student health services, intercollegiate athletics (only if essentially self-supporting), college unions, college stores, faculty and staff parking, and faculty housing. Includes depreciation related to auxiliary enterprises (if separately assigned by the institution). FASB institutions also charge or allocate interest expense to auxiliary enterprises.

American Association of Community Colleges.

A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Complete College America is a national nonprofit with a single mission: to work with states to significantly increase the number of Americans with quality career certificates or college degrees and to close attainment gaps for traditionally underrepresented populations.

The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), a product and service of the Center for Community College Student Engagement, is a well-established tool that helps institutions focus on good educational practice and identify areas in which they can improve their programs and services for students.

The Common Data Set (CDS) initiative is a collaborative effort among data providers in the higher education community and publishers as represented by the College Board, Peterson's, and U.S. News & World Report. The combined goal of this collaboration is to improve the quality and accuracy of information provided to all involved in a student's transition into higher education, as well as to reduce the reporting burden on data providers.

A six-digit code in the form xx.xxxx that identifies instructional program specialties within educational institutions. The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) provides a taxonomic scheme that supports the accurate tracking and reporting of fields of study and program completions activity. CIP was originally developed by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 1980, with revisions occurring in 1985, 1990, and 2000.

A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.

The group of peer institutions used for comparison purposes within the IPEDS Peer Analysis System (PAS). Comparison groups may be identified by the analyst by name or UnitID, they may be built by using characteristics (variables) from the IPEDS data, or they may be automatically generated by the system. Also referred to as a peer group

A student who receives a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. In order to be considered a completer, the degree/award must actually be conferred.

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.

A unit of measure representing the equivalent of an hour (50 minutes) of instruction per week over the entire term. It is applied toward the total number of credit hours needed for completing the requirements of a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

Students who completed their program within 150% of the normal (or expected) time for completion.

There are different type of data sources according data request. At MC, basically we have real-time data come from Eagle Banner and Archived data from data warehouse(Data Mart). In the Data Mart data, we have Third-Weeks frozen Static data, Once a year generated Annual Data. Mostly these data won't be changed as history records for submitting purpose.

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are recognized by the institution as seeking a degree or other formal award. At the undergraduate level, this is intended to include students enrolled in vocational or occupational programs.

Developmental courses are designed to prepare students for college-level coursework.  Students new to the college are assessed on their English, reading, and mathematics "readiness" and may be required to take developmental courses to remediate weaknesses that would hinder their success in college-level courses. 

A formal document certifying the successful completion of a prescribed program of studies.

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

Provisions of this legislation provide in-county tuition rates for students who are not U.S. citizens but can provide documentation that meets the prescribed criteria in the Act that enables them to attend and pay in-county rates.

A program through which high school students may enroll in college courses while still enrolled in high school. Students are not required to apply for admission to the college in order to participate.

Engineering Workforce Commission monitors engineering job statistics that help universities, corporations, and government set salary, hiring, enrollment, and degree trends in the marketplace. Each year it publishes three major surveys regarded as the most accurate, objective, and timely report about the engineering workforce.

Students coming into the institution for the first time (in the fall term) at the undergraduate level. Includes: students who initially attended the prior summer term and returned again in the fall; all first-time, first-year undergraduate-level students; students transferring into the institution at any undergraduate level for the first time; both full-time and part-time students; and all degree and certificate-seeking as well as non-degree/certificate seeking students.

Those students who may be removed (deleted) from a cohort (or sub- cohort). For the Graduation Rates data collection students maybe removed from a cohort if they left the institution for one of the following reasons: died or were totally and permanently disabled; to serve in the armed forces; to serve with a foreign aid service of the federal government, such as the Peace Corps; or to serve on official church missions.

The group of students entering in the fall term established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates component, this includes all students who enter an institution as full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduate students during the fall term of a given year.

Grants, loans, assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, tuition waivers, tuition discounts, veteran’s benefits, employer aid (tuition reimbursement) and other monies (other than from relatives/friends) provided to students to meet expenses. This includes Title IV subsidized and unsubsidized loans made directly to students.

A student attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. Includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs . Also includes students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school).

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A first-year undergraduate student.

A measurement equal to one student enrolled full time for one academic year. The three mostly used FTE definitions are: A. IPEDS Definition (using instructional activity): The number of FTE students is calculated based on the credit and/or contact hours reported by the institution on the IPEDS Enrollment (EF) component and the institution’s calendar system, as reported on the Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. The following table indicates the level of instructional activity used to convert the credit and/or contact hours reported to an indicator of full-time equivalents (FTE students)

A student attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. Includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs . Also includes students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school).

Those members of the instruction/research staff who are employed full time and whose major regular assignment is instruction, including those with released time for research. Also, includes full-time faculty for whom it is not possible to differentiate between teaching, research and public service because each of these functions is an integral component of his/her regular assignment.

The rate required for disclosure and/or reporting purposes under Student Right-to-Know. This rate is calculated as the total number of completer within 150% of normal time divided by the revised cohort minus any allowable exclusions.

This term normally refers to the tests of General Educational Development (GED), which provide an opportunity to earn a high school credential. The GED program, sponsored by the American Council on Education, enables individuals to demonstrate that they have acquired a level of learning comparable to that of high school graduates.

 

The Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS) system was conducted by the NCES between 1966 and 1985. This system was comprised of several surveys of institutions that were accredited at the college level by an agency recognized by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education. These surveys collected institution-level data on such topics as institutional characteristics, enrollment, degrees conferred, salaries, employees, financial statistics, libraries, and others. HEGIS surveys were sent to approximately 3,400 accredited institutions of higher education

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), conducted by the NCES, began in 1986 and involves annual institution-level data collections. All postsecondary institutions that have a Program Participation Agreement with the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education (throughout IPEDS referred to as "Title IV") are required to report data using a web-based data collection system. IPEDS currently consists of the following components: Institutional Characteristics (IC); 12-month Enrollment (E12);Completions (C); Human Resources (HR)composed of Employees by Assigned Position (EAP), Fall Staff (S),and Salaries (SA); Fall Enrollment (EF); Graduation Rates (GRS); Finance (F); and Student Financial Aid (SFA).

Institute of International Education (IIE) conduct an annual statistical survey of international education exchanged into/out of United States.

Any research, surveys, interviews, focus groups or other data-collecting activities that directly include employees at the College must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB).

A number of state and federal regulations exist to protect privacy and other rights of human subjects, and the College's IRB helps ensure that those requirements and considerations are observed.  Following the procedures here helps to protect human subjects, researchers, and Montgomery College.

A specific group of individuals established for tracking purposes. For the Graduation Rates component of IPEDS, the initial cohort is defined as all students who enter an institution as full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students during either (1) the fall term of a given academic year, or (2) between September 1st and August 31st of the following year.*

The tuition charged by the institution to those students residing in the locality in which they attend school. This may be a lower rate than in-state tuition if offered by the institution.

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

Institutional Review Board (IRB).  A number of state and federal regulations exist to protect privacy and other rights of human subjects in research projects, and the College's IRB helps ensure those requirements and considerations are observed.   Following the procedures here helps to protect human subjects, researchers, and Montgomery College.

A subject of academic study chosen by student as a field of specialization. Also referred as “program”.

Maryland Association of Community Collegenew windows. Founded in 1992, the Association represents all 16 of Maryland's 2-year public higher education institutions.

Maryland Association for Institutional Research  

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in the Institute of Education Sciences, is the statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Education and the primary federal provider of education statistics on the condition of American education.

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

A student enrolled in courses for credit who is not recognized by the institution as seeking a degree or formal award.

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

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.

The amount of time necessary for a student to complete all requirements for a degree or certificate according to the institution's catalog. This is typically 4 years (8 semesters or trimesters, or 12 quarters, excluding summer terms) for a bachelor's degree in a standard term-based institution; 2 years (4 semesters or trimesters, or 6 quarters, excluding summer terms) for an associate's degree in a standard term-based institution; and the various scheduled times for certificate programs.

The date (in the fall) on which an institution must report fall enrollment data to either the state, its board of trustees or governing board, or some other external governing body.

A student enrolled for 11 semester credits or less.

A web-based application designed to enable users to compare one postsecondary institution (of the user’s choice) to a group of institutions (also of the user’s choice), using data collected through the IPEDS surveys. PAS also allows users to download entire data files or subsets of data files and to print copies of the survey instruments populated with data provided by an institution(s).

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV, Part A, Subpart I, as amended.) Provides grant assistance to eligible undergraduate postsecondary students with demonstrated financial need to help meet education expenses.

Formerly known as National Direct Student Loans NDSL), the Perkins Loan program provides low interest loans to eligible postsecondary students (undergraduate, graduate, or professional students) with demonstrated financial need to help meet educational expenses

A set of comprehensive institutional data which spread to a national and international audience via Petersons.com and their 2-year college publications

The provision of a formal instructional program whose curriculum is designed primarily for students who are beyond the compulsory age for high school. This includes programs whose purpose is academic, vocational, and continuing professional education, and excludes avocational and adult basic education programs.

Categories developed in 1997 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that are used to describe groups to which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological origins. The designations are used to categorize U.S. citizens, resident aliens, and other eligible non-citizens. Individuals are asked to first designate ethnicity as: Hispanic or Latino or Not Hispanic or Latino Second, individuals are asked to indicate all races that apply among the following: American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or African American Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander White.

A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States but 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).

A measure of the rate at which students persist in their educational program at an institution, expressed as a percentage. For four-year institutions , this is the percentage of first-time bachelors (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduates from the previous fall who are again enrolled in the current fall. For all other institutions this is the percentage of first-time degree/certificate-seeking students from the previous fall who either re-enrolled or successfully completed their program by the current fall.

Previously known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, this is an examination administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and used to predict the facility with which an individual will progress in learning college-level academic subjects.

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV-B, as amended, Public Law 89-329; 20 USC 1071.) Provides guaranteed loans for educational expenses from eligible lenders to vocational, undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional students at eligible postsecondary institutions.

Tests prepared and administered by an agency that is independent of any postsecondary education institution. Tests provide information about prospective students and their academic qualifications relative to a national sample. Examples are the SAT and the ACT.

State and local monies awarded to the institution under state and local student aid programs, including the state portion of State Student Incentives Grants (SSIG). (Used for reporting Student Financial Aid data)

A person’s permanent address as determined by such evidence as a driver’s license or voter registration. For entering freshmen, state of residence may be the legal state of residence of a parent or guardian.

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.

A summer session is shorter than a regular session and is 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 two 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.

A student who last attended another institution from which credit is acceptable toward the degree or certificate he or she is working on.

The sum of students enrolled for credit with each student counted only once during the reporting period, regardless of when the student enrolled.

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.