Postsecondary Student 'Termninolog/U S~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~tra~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ iillz% k -1 . 11 i go Is PostsecondaryStudent Terminology A Handbook of Terms and Definitions for Describing Students in Postsecondary Education by John F. Putnam National Center for Education Statistics U.S. Department of Education T. H. Bell Secretary Office of Educational Research and Improvement Dick W. Hays.o Acting Assistant Secretary National Center for Education Statistics Marie D. Eldridge Administrator NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS "The purpose of the Center shall be to collect and disseminate statistics and other data related to education in the United States and in other nations. The Center shall . .. collect, collate, and, from time to time, report full and complete statistics on the, conditions of education in the United States; conduct and publish reports on specialized analyses of the meaning and significance of such statistics; . .. and review and. report on education activities in foreign countries."--Section 406(b) of the General Education Provisions Act, as amended (20 U.S.C. 122 le-1). "The Secretary shall, insofar as practicable, develop standard definitions and terms . .. to be used by all Federal agencies in dealing with education-related information and data acquisition recjuests."--Section 400 A. (d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1221e-1). Drafts of this manuscript were developed by Government Studies and Systems, Inc. under contract No. OEC-0-74-9264 with the National Center for Education Statistics. Jerome Ackerman served as Project Director. FOREWORD This handbook is a resource publication designed to encourage standardization in the use of terms and defini- lions by the numerous agencies, institutions, and organizations which provide, set policy for, support, and/or regu- late postsecondary education. Although recent years have seen several successful attempts to develop term-inology systems for colleg and university students, this handbook reflects the first major effort to organize and consolidate terminology for the full range of postsecondary students, including technical and vocational school students as well as students engaged in various forms of adult education and nontraditional study. Contained in the handbook- are terms and'definitions for data elements and qualifiers. The handbook also con- tains narrative sections designed to facilitate the adoption of the terminology in information systems and to provide guidelines for protecting the confidentiality. of student records. It is anticipated that this handbook will assist planners, administrators, and other docisionmiakers by p roviding a common language which can contribute to a higher quality of data and to more efficient informiation management. Representing the best thinking of scores of persons knowledgeable in the field, the handbook is designed to expand, change, and grow as the field of postsec- ondary education itself embarks on an era of growth and change. * Development of the handbook resulted from a cooperative process. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), through a contract with Government Studies & Systems, inc., coordinated the input of hundreds of persons* directly involved in many aspects of postsecondary education throughout the Nation. An outline of pro- cedures followed in the project-in~cluding mention of specific committees and panels-may be found in appendix L, pages 163-166. While space does not permit the naming of all individuals and organizations contributing to this handbook, major participants are acknowledged on page. iv and in appendix N, pages 169-186. The project's Planning Committee played a particularly significant role in refining project procedures and re- viewing project materials.. This committee was comprised of persons representing the following organizations: Adult Education Association of the U.S.A. American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers American Association of Community and Junior Colleges American Council on Education American Vocational Association Education Commission of the States National Association of Trade and Technical Schools National Center for Education Statistics National Center for Higher Education Management Systems National Vocational Guidance Association Appreciation is expressed to these organizations and their representatives. Marie D. Eldridge Administrator, National Center for Education Statistics March 1981 -iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Grateful acknowledgment is expressed for contributions made to the handbook by representatives of t he following organizations:1 National, Organizations whose members served on project committees and as reviewers: Adult Education Association of the Uflited States of Engineers' Council for Professional Development America National Association for Foreign Student Affairs American Association of Collegiate Registrars and National Association of College and University Admissions Officers Attorneys American Association of Community and Junior National Association of College and University Busi- Colleges ness Officers American Association of State Colleges and Uni- National Association of State Budget Officers versities National Association of State Scholarship Programs American College Personnel Association (APGA) The National Association of State Universities and The American College Testing Program Land-Grant Colleges American Council on Education National Association of Student Financial Aid Ad- American Educational Research Association ministrators American Personnel and Guidance Association National Association of Student Personnel Admin- American Society for Training and Development istrators American Society of Allied Health Professions National Association of Trade and Technical Schools American Vocational Association, Inc. (postsecond- National Center for Higher Education Management ary department) Systems American Vocational Education Research Associa- National Coordinating Council for Vocational Stua- tion (AVA) *dent Organizations The Association for Institutional Research National Council of State Directors of Community Association of American Colleges and Junior Colleges Association of American Universities National Home Study Council Association of Independent Colleges and Schools National Student Association College Entrance.Examination Board National University Extension Association Council of Graduate Schools in the United States National Vocational Guidance Association (APGA) The Council on Postsecondary Accreditation State Higher Education Executive Officers Associa- Education Commission of the States tion Educational Testing Service lThe namies of participating individuals are listed in appendix N. V A vi ~~~POSTSECONDARY STUDENT TERMINOLOGY Federal Agencies that participated in the development and review of project materials: ACTION (education programs) National Science Foundation Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Interior Office: for Civil Rights, HEW Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor Office of Education, HEW Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce Office of General Counsel-Education, HEW Council of Economic Advisors Office of the Assistant Secretary for Education, D~partment of Health, Education, and Welfare HEW * (HEW) Audit Agency Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Employment and Training Administration, Depart- Evaluation, HEW ment of Labor Social and Rehabilitation Service, HEW F airlInfornation Practices Staff, HEW U.S. Civil Service Commission Federal Interagency Committee on Education, HEW U.S.-Department of Agriculture Health Resources Administration, HEW U.S. Department of Defense *Immigration and Naturalization Service Depart- U.S. Department. of Housing and Urban Develop- ment of Justice ment Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, De- U.S. Department 'of State partment of Justice U.S. Energy Research and Development Adminis- National Center for Education Statistics, HEW tration National Institute of Education, HEW Veterans Administration National Institutes of Health, HEW' Organizations and Agencies that provided field test sites: Lincoln Technical School Ohio State Department of Education, Division of Mercy College of Detroit Vocational Education Milwaukee Area Technical College The Ohio State University National Center for Educational Statistics, HEW Pennco Technical School of Electronics Office of the Administrator Philadelphia School of Office Training Division of Multi-Level Statistics Thomas Jefferson University, College of Allied Division of Postsecondary and Vocational Educa- Health Sciences tion Statistics U.S. Office of Education, HEW Adult and Vocational Education Surveys Bureau of Education for, the Handicapped Branch Bureau of Occupational and Adult Education Higher Education Surveys Branch *Bureau of Postsecondary Education New Jersey State Department of Education, Divi- Office of Guaranteed Student Loans sion of Vocational Education Office of Planning, Budgeting, and Evaluation New Jersey State Department of Higher Education The University of Pennsylvania Ocean County (N.J.) Vocational-Technical School Wilfred Academy of Hair and Beauty Culture Ohio Board of Regents CONTENTS. Page FOREWORD ........................... ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.: ................... v Chapter 1 - INTRODUCTION...... Benefits of Standardized Terminology.................. .Some Basic Definitions in Postsecondary Education ........... ... 3 Criteria for Including Information Items in the Handbook............4