Glossary of Terms

Academic Year

The period of time generally extending from June to May; usually equated to a sequence of three semesters (summer, fall, spring).

Adjusted Full-Time Equivalent Student

The enrollments for the University of Maryland, Baltimore and its funding peers are adjusted to reflect the higher cost of educating first professional students. The AFTES enrollment is weighted to reflect the full instructional cost ratios per full-time equivalent student. Each first professional student is equal to four full-time equivalent students, which is based on a study published in the Journal of Education Finance (Brinkman, Paul T., 1989. "Instructional Costs per Student Credit Hour: Differences by Level of Instruction" Vol. 15 (Summer), pp 34-52). The AFTES enrollment is then calculated by the following formula: AFTES = (full-time undergraduate and graduate students) + (full-time professional students x 4) + 1/3 (part-time undergraduate and graduate students) + (part-time first professional students x 4). Source: MHEC Funding Guidelines Enrollment Data Report, July 2002, page 2.

AFTES

Abbreviation for Adjusted Full-Time Equivalent Student

Assessment

In education, the term assessment refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students.

Bachelor

A degree awarded for satisfactory completion of not less than 120 semester hours, or equivalent hours of college credit representing a planned sequence of learning experience.

Credit Hours

A unit of measure applied toward the total number of hours needed for completing the requirements of a degree, certificate, or other formal award, which represents:
a) a minimum of 15 hours (50 minutes each) of actual class time;
b) a minimum of 30 hours (50 minutes each) of supervised laboratory or studio time;
c) a minimum of 45 hours (50 minutes each) of instructional situations such as practica, internships, and cooperative educational placements;
d) instruction delivered by instructional television (ITV) or other electronic media based on the equivalent outcomes in student learning of (a) above, and may include a combination of telelessons, classroom instruction, student consultation with instructors, and readings.

Degree Seeking

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are recognized by the institution as seeking a degree or other formal award. High school students also enrolled in postsecondary courses for credit are not considered degree/certificate seeking.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

The absence of illegal employment discrimination based on race, class, gender, religion, and nationality, as prohibited by a number of legislative acts and enforced by the courts. EEO laws prohibit specific types of discrimination in certain workplaces. [34] (See also Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Congress established the EEOC in 1965 to enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibiting illegal discrimination in employment. The federal Government's premier civil rights agency is also charged with the enforcement of the Equal Pay Act (EPA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). [35]

First-Professional Degree

No longer used in 2009 and later. A degree that signifies both completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession and a level of professional skill beyond that normally required for a bachelor's degree. UMB confers the following first-professional degrees: medicine (MD); dentistry (DDS); pharmacy (PharmD); and law (JD). Source: National Center for Education Statistics Glossary.

First-Professional Enrollment

No longer used in 2009 and later. The number of students enrolled in a professional school or program requiring at least two years of academic college work for entrance and a total of at least six years for a degree, including both previously required college work and the professional program itself. These programs include dentistry (DDS or DMD), medicine (MD), optometry (OD), osteopathic medicine (DO), pharmacy (DPhar), podiatric medicine (DPM), veterinary medicine (DVM), chiropractic (DC or DCM), law (JD), and theological professions (MDiv or MHL). UMB enrolls students in the following first-professional programs: medicine (MD); dentistry (DDS); pharmacy (PharmD); and law (JD). Source: National Center for Education Statistics Glossary.

Fiscal Year

The State of Maryland and the University System of Maryland report fiscal activity from July 1 through June 30 of the following year, known as a fiscal year. The fiscal year is known by the calendar year in which it ends. Thus, fiscal year 2017 began July 1, 2016, and ended June 30, 2017. Common abbreviations are FY or just "fiscal." Fiscal year enrollment is calculated as the average of the fall and spring enrollment by attendance status and residency for each program. Because it is calculated this way, fiscal year headcount for the entire University or a particular program is not necessary the average of the fall and spring enrollments.

FTES

Abbreviation for Full-Time Equivalent Student.

Full-Time

A student determined by the institution as having a normal academic load in terms of coursework or other activity. Normally, an undergraduate student will be enrolled for 12 or more semester credits (or quarter hours). A graduate student will be enrolled for nine or more semester credits (or quarter hours). A doctoral student is defined by the institution. See UMB's FTES Conversion and Attendance Status Factors

Full-Time Equivalent Student

A representation of the number of students enrolled at an institution, each registered for a full credit hour load. FTES are normally calculated on a fiscal year basis but can be done for an individual term using a different set of UMB's FTES Conversion and Attendance Status Factors.

Graduate Student

A student enrolled in a program of study beyond the bachelor's degree and typically requiring a bachelor's degree for entrance. Generally excluded the First-Professional programs prior to 2009, but includes the Professional Practice Doctorate for 2009 and later.

Harassment

Harassment is a form of illegal discrimination defined as unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, and/or age. Harassment becomes unlawful when 1) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive. Anti-discrimination laws also prohibit harassment against individuals in retaliation for filing a discrimination charge, testifying, or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding, or lawsuit under these laws; or opposing employment practices that they reasonably believe discriminate against individuals, in violation of these laws. [53]

Headcount

A count of the actual number of students enrolled at a particular point in time, usually two weeks after the beginning of each term. The fall term enrollment is the most widely reported and is used as the basis of comparison with other peer institutions. Reporting requirements to MHEC and IPEDS use fall headcount enrollment. The attendance status of each student is determined using a predetermined set of factors applied to the number of credits for which the student is enrolled (with the exception of the School of Graduate Studies).

Institutional Effectiveness

Institutional Effectiveness is the systematic collection, analysis, organization, warehousing, and dissemination of quantitative and qualitative information concerning the characteristics and performance of the University. The goal of an institutional effectiveness program is to provide quality information such that informed decisions and effective planning can be accomplished by University faculty, staff, and administrators.

Masters

An award that requires the successful completion of a program of study of generally one or two full-time equivalent academic years of work beyond the bachelor's degree.

Non-Degree Seeking

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are recognized by the institution as having no intent of seeking a degree or who have not made a declaration of degree intention.

Part-Time

A student who is taking less than the normal academic load for a full-time student. See UMB's FTES Conversion and Attendance Status Factors

Professional Practice Doctorate

A doctor's degree that is conferred upon completion of a program providing the knowledge and skills for the recognition, credential, or license required for professional practice. The degree is awarded after a period of study such that the total time to the degree, including both pre-professional and professional preparation, equals at least six full-time equivalent academic years. Some of these degrees were formerly classified as "first-professional" and may include: chiropractic (DC or DCM); dentistry (DDS or DMD); law (LLB or JD); medicine (MD); optometry (OD); osteopathic medicine (DO); pharmacy (PharmD); podiatry (DPM, PodD, DP); or veterinary medicine (DVM), and others, as designated by the awarding institution. UMB enrolls students in the following first-professional programs: dentistry (DDS); law (JD); medicine (MD); nursing practice (DNP) pharmacy (PharmD); and physical therapy (DPT).

Research & Scholarship Doctorate

A PhD or other doctor's degree that requires advanced work beyond the master's level, including the preparation and defense of a dissertation based on original research, or the planning and execution of an original project demonstrating substantial artistic or scholarly achievement. Some examples of this type of degree may include EdD, DMA, DBA, DSc, DA, DM, and others, as designated by the awarding institution.

Sexual Harassment

A form of illegal sex discrimination, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. [100]

Title IV (of the 1964 Civil Rights Act)

Federal law prohibiting discrimination in education on the basis of race, color, religion, and national origin by public elementary and secondary schools as well as public institutions of higher learning. [102]

Title VI (of the 1964 Civil Rights Act)

Federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance, including educational institutions. If a recipient of federal assistance is found to have discriminated and voluntary compliance cannot be achieved, the federal agency providing the assistance can initiate fund termination proceedings or refer the matter to the Department of Justice for appropriate legal action. [103]

Title VII (of the 1964 Civil Rights Act)

Federal law prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, and national origin. Federal financial assistance is not a factor. Title VII applies to employers with fifteen or more employees, including federal, state, and local governments. It also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations. [104]

Title IX (of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended)

Federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The law covers employees and students; some key issue areas include: recruitment, admissions, and counseling; financial assistance; athletics; sex-based harassment including sexual violence; treatment of pregnant and parenting students; discipline; single-sex education; and employment. Title IX also covers retaliation against any person for opposing an unlawful educational practice or policy or any person who made charges, testified, or participated in any complaint action under Title IX. [105]

Undergraduate Student

A student enrolled in a bachelor's degree program or in a program below the baccalaureate. Includes students taking coursework below a bachelor's degree whether degree seeking or non-degree seeking.