Data Dictionary
This document contains information about how data is defined, used, and specifies how listed metrics are measured. Data accuracy and consistency are paramount to developing sound information to make decisions, comply with regulations, and maintain high levels of institutional effectiveness. This document is designed for broad campus consumption- it is a one-stop source for detailed information on University practices when reporting data both internally and externally. When applicable, these definitions comply with US Department of Education (IPEDS) and Common Data Set definitions.
__________________
Academic Level
A categorization of post-secondary academic programs based on the award being sought. Bachelor's Degrees are at the Undergraduate level, and Master's degrees are at the Graduate level.
Academic Residency
See Campus
Academic Standing
A designation indicating the student's academic status in relation to good standing, probation, or suspension. See the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress policies in the catalog for more information.
Academic Year
An academic year comprises 3 semesters. Academic year summations of data on enrollment, financial aid, and credit hours start with the Fall term and include the following Spring and Summer semesters (e.g., Fall 2016, Spring 2017, and Summer 2017). Within each semester, Limestone has two terms for students to take courses. These are sometimes known as sub-terms. (see: terms). To comply with federal requirements, academic year summations of data on incoming students and degrees awarded begin with the 2nd half Summer term and include the following Fall, Spring, and 1st half Summer terms (e.g., Summer 2 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, and Summer 1 2017.).
ACT Composite Score
The American College Test (ACT) composite score is an average score based on the four ACT assessment tests (English, Math, Reading, and Science).
ACT Math
The ACT mathematics test score from the same test date as the highest ACT Composite score
ACT Reading
The ACT reading test score from the same test date as the highest ACT Composite score.
ACT Science
The ACT science test score from the same test date as the highest ACT Composite score.
ACT Verbal
The ACT English test score from the same test date as the highest ACT Composite score.
ACT Writing
The optional ACT writing test score, not included in a student’s ACT Composite Score.
Address - Local
The local postal address and associated telephone number, as provided by the student.
Address - Mailing
The mailing postal address and associated telephone number, as provided by the student.
Address - Permanent
The permanent postal address and associated telephone number, as provided by the student.
Admission Decision
Decision made in reference to a submitted application after all application materials (completed application, test scores, transcripts, etc.) are received. Materials required for an actionable decision may differ from program to program.
Admit Type
A classification of categories into which applicants may seek to be admitted or have been admitted, to the institution. Applicants must satisfy differing criteria for admission based on the type of admission sought. The eight Admit Status categories are Freshman, Early Admission, Dual Enrollment/Scholars Academy, Conditional/Special Admit, Transfer, Transient, non-degree seeking, and Graduate student.
Admit Term
The first Academic Term in which a student is enrolled for credit at the institution, regardless of Student Type or Career Level.
Admitted
The status of an Applicant who has satisfied all requirements for admission to the institution and is eligible for enrollment.
Attempted Hours
The total number of credit hours for which a student has registered as of the census day for the specified term.
Aid Package - Financial
Sum of financial awards offered to a student, including scholarships, grants, waivers, and loans.
Aid Year
Fall, Spring and Summer terms of the specified year (Aid Year 2018 is Fall 2018, Spring 2019, and Summer 2019).
Application Date
Date when first application material was entered in JRM.
Applicant/Applied
A person who has submitted an application for admission and satisfied the Application Fee requirement. i.e. an actionable application- ready for an admissions decision.
Associates Degree
An award that requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.
Athlete
A student who participates in an intercollegiate sport sanctioned by the NCAA.
Attribute
A Jenzabar-specific code is used to categorize a course or student. Ex: Corporate Grant students, non-Athletic Activities, Honors Program, etc.
Award Offer Amount
The total amount offered to a student by a specific financial aid fund as part of the total financial aid package awarded to a student. Fund refers to the Financial Aid classification for specific types of monetary aid, including scholarships, grants, waivers, and loans.
Award Paid Amount
The total amount accepted and paid to a student by a specific financial aid fund as part of the total financial aid package awarded to a student. Fund refers to the Financial Aid classification for specific types of monetary aid, including scholarships, grants, waivers, and loans.
Bachelor's Degree
An award that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 120 semester credit-hours of college-level work and satisfaction of all other program requirements.
Campus
Identifies the location where student enrollment and contact hours are generated. For the Gaffney campus, the campus code is designated as "MA", the Online program is designated as “OE,” and the Graduate program is designated as “GD.” These codes are also used as billing classifications.
CEEB Codes
A numbered registry of countries, college majors, colleges, scholarship programs, test centers, and high schools. It is maintained by the College Board and used throughout the United States as an institution, organization, and/or entity identification number. They are interchangeable and identical to SAT Codes.
Census Date
Date within a term or subterm at which the "snapshot" of enrollment, student credit hours (SCH), and other student data are taken. The date immediately follows the last day to add/drop from a course with no grade assignment.
Census – The date official term-based enrollment, retention, and other student data is pulled. This immediately follows the last day to add/drop courses in each term. Database snapshots are created on this day each term, thus ensuring consistency and accuracy over time.
For the fall term, it is the sixth business day of Term 6. Fall main campus, Term 5, and Term 6 are included in this snapshot.
For the spring term, it is the sixth business day of Term 2. Spring main campus, Term 1, and Term 2 are included in this snapshot.
For the summer term, it is the sixth business day of Term 4. Summer main campus, Term 3 and Term 4 are included in this snapshot.
Census snapshots are not exhaustive; additional snapshots may be taken for various purposes.
CHE
The Commission on Higher Education is the coordinating board for higher education in the State of South Carolina. CHE’s mission is to ensure access, affordability, and excellence in higher education for residents of South Carolina (S.C. Code Section 59-103-15).
CIP Code
Classification of Instructional Program code. The Classification of Instructional Programs is a taxonomy established by the U.S. Department of Education to describe academic fields of study. CIP codes are assigned to courses, majors, and academic departments.
Citizenship Status
Categorization of a person's citizenship status (e.g. US Citizen, Non-US Citizen, or Permanent Resident).
Class Level
Refers to the classification of students by year of study completed. For undergraduate students, this classification is based on earned hours (including both hours transferred and hours earned at the institution). At the Undergraduate level, FR=Freshman, SO=Sophomore, JR=Junior, SR=Senior. Graduate-level students are classified based on their program of study, GD=Master's degree student.
Cohort
A specific group of students is established for tracking purposes. Cohorts can be specific to a term or an academic year. The primary cohorts are First-Time in College (FTIC) and First-Time Full-Time (FTFT).
Common Data Set
An annual, voluntary summary of key information about a college or university commonly requested by college guidebooks and rating agencies or used by prospective undergraduate students. The Common Data Set (CDS) was developed as an efficient way to provide students and their families with a source of timely, accurate, and comparable information.
Concentration
An approved set of courses WITHIN A MAJOR that define a specialty area or specific field of study.
Confidential Indicator
Indicator denoting whether the student has instructed the institution not to release his or her directory information.
Conditional Admit
Students who do not meet full admission requirements can be conditionally admitted under special admission criteria. Students conditionally admitted are included in Freshman Cohort and student Retention Rate calculations. https://catalog.limestone.edu/provisional-admissions
Converted Test
See Highest Test Score.
Cost of Attendance
An estimate of the total cost of attending the institution full-time for one year is used in calculating financial aid. Includes tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and personal expenses.
County of Origin
For US Citizens or Resident Aliens, it refers to the county (correlated to the state) in which they resided prior to enrollment at the institution.
Country of Citizenship
Refers to the country in which a person was born, or is naturalized, or acknowledges citizenship.
Country of Origin
Refers to the country in which a person resided prior to enrollment at the institution. For applicants this is derived from the maximum application number for that term that is less than or equal to the matriculation term.
Credit by Examination
Credits earned by degree-seeking students by means of a special examination. See the Credit By Examination policy in the catalog for more information.
Credit Hour
A unit of academic work that includes no less than one 50 minute period of classroom or direct faculty instruction and completion of assignments that typically require 2 to 2.5 hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester (or the equivalent amount of work over a different period of time). Generally is applied toward the total number of credit hours needed for completing a degree or certificate. Federal law defines each credit hour as 750 minutes of instructional contact time or evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency.
Data Owner
The individuals, by virtue of their role, are responsible for ensuring the data and information within a specific domain are appropriately governed. They are generally familiar with the data in an aggregate format.
Data steward
The individuals, by virtue of their role, are accountable for the day-to-day management of the data in their respective domains. They are generally subject matter experts and directly work with the creation, development, and use of their raw domain data daily.
Main Campus
The main campus is in Gaffney, SC. Sometimes referred to as ‘Day Campus’
Main Campus Student
A student attending in-person classes at the main campus. A student is considered a main campus student if they are enrolled in a single main campus course, regardless of how their other courses are delivered.
Deceased Status
Date entered in Jenzabar to denote that an individual is deceased.
Degree
Awarded at the successful completion of a course of study, generally referring to Associate, Bachelor, and Masters levels.
Degree-Seeking Student
A student who is enrolled in a degree-granting program.
Department
Department refers to the unit offering the student's primary academic program. For course assignment and credit hour production summary, Department is the home unit of the instructor of record. Departments are organized into a School.
Dependency Status
As determined on the FAFSA. A dependent student receives financial support from a parent/guardian; an independent student relies solely upon his or her own finances (and, if married, the spouse's).
Directory Information
Directory information is information contained in the education records of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Typically, "directory information" includes information such as name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, and dates of attendance.
Division
Refers to the level of the student, U = Undergraduate, and G = Graduate. See: Student Level
Double Major
A student seeking two majors under the same degree program (e.g. Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science). One degree is awarded, and the second major is noted on the degree.
Dual Degree
Also, Double Degree. Two degrees are awarded to the same student at the same student level. A dual degree requires completion of all major requirements for both degrees. Two separate degrees are awarded to the student.
Dual Enrollment
A program that allows high school students to enroll in college-level courses. Students earn credit toward a postsecondary degree or certificate while enrolled in high school. Limestone also categorizes some dual-enrolled students in its Scholars Academy program, in which students may earn an associate’s degree upon completion of the program while they are also enrolled in high school.
Enrolled
A student is considered enrolled when the student is in a credit-bearing course required as part of any of the institution's curricula. E.g., Enrollment
Ethnicity
See also Race/Ethnicity. Ethnicity is the first part of the two-part classification process mandated by the U.S. Department of Education for collecting information related to an individual's ethnic and racial identity. The Ethnicity code characterizes an individual as either Hispanic or Latino or Not Hispanic or Latino. An individual must be asked—and the institution must report—both Ethnicity and Race.
Expected Family Contribution
A measure of a family's financial strength is calculated from information supplied on the Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) according to a formula established by the U.S. Department of Education. A family's taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits are all considered in the formula.
FAFSA
Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Financial Need
Result of Cost of Attendance minus Expected Family Contribution, as calculated from a student’s FAFSA.
FTFT
A student attending Limestone for the first time at the undergraduate level enrolled in twelve or more credit hours. 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).
FTIC
A student attending Limestone for the first time at the undergraduate level. Includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs, full-time or part-time. 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).
Freshman
A type of Class Level. Undergraduate students who have earned fewer than 30 credit hours locally, in approved transfer credits, and/or credits by examination.
FTE – Full-Time Equivalent
A measurement of students, employees, or faculty, based on summing the Headcount of full-time persons with a percent of full-time for those who are part-time. When calculating the full-time component of FTE, a full-time person counts as 1, even on overload. The part-time component of FTE is calculated by using 1/3 of the Headcount of part-time students/employees. See also: Headcount.
Full-Time Student
Undergraduate students who are attempting 12 or more credit hours in a semester; professional or graduate students who are attempting 6 or more credit hours in a semester.
Gender
Male or Female; cannot be null.
GMAT Test Score
Graduate Management Admissions Test score.
GMAT Mathematics
Graduate Management Mathematics subscore.
GMAT Verbal
Graduate Management Verbal subscore.
GPA
Grade Point Average. A calculated field that takes Grade Points earned (as based on grade A, B, C, D, F) and divides by GPA Hours. Credits accepted in transfer from another institution are excluded from the calculation of GPA.
GPA Hours/Hours Earned In
The hours that count in the calculation of a GPA. The sum of GPA Hours is the denominator in the calculation of the cumulative GPA as defined in here:
|
Passing Grades |
Grade Value |
|
|
A |
4 |
Excellent Achievement |
|
B |
3 |
High Achievement |
|
C |
2 |
Moderate Achievement |
|
D |
1 |
Minimal Achievement |
|
P |
N/A |
Passing |
|
S |
N/A |
Satisfactory |
|
Non-Passing Grades |
(No Credit Awarded) |
|
|
F |
0 |
Failing |
|
W |
N/A |
Withdrew |
|
WP |
N/A |
Withdrew passing |
|
WF |
0 |
Withdrew failing |
|
IP |
N/A |
Work in progress |
|
I |
N/A |
Incomplete |
|
U |
N/A |
Unsatisfactory |
|
AU |
N/A |
Audit |
Grade Points
The points assigned to the grade multiplied by the number of credit hours for the course. The sum of Grade Points is the numerator in the calculation of the GPA.
Graduate
An Academic Level categorizing post-baccalaureate degree programs.
Graduation Date
Date a degree is officially conferred to a graduating student. Usually, it is the last day of the semester. Degrees are conferred three times a year: at the end of Fall, Spring, and Summer Semester.
Graduation Rate
Percent of the First Time in College Freshmen Cohort who are awarded a Bachelor's degree by the end of the Summer Semester of their fourth Academic Year, fifth Academic Year, or sixth Academic Year of study, etc. ("4-year Graduation Rate" and "6-year Graduate Rate” respectively).
GRE Composite Score
Graduate Record Examination Test score
GRE Quantitative
Graduate Record Examination quantitative subscore from the same test date as the highest GRE Composite score.
GRE Verbal
Graduate Record Examination verbal subscore from the same test date as the highest GRE Composite score.
Greek
Indicates whether a student is associated with a Greek Life organization.
Headcount
A count of enrolled persons irrespective of full- or part-time status. See also: FTE.
High School
The institution conferring the secondary school degree, as shown on the student’s final transcript. Required information for persons applying as a First-Time Freshman.
High School GPA
Grade Point Average a student earned in high school.
High School Graduation Date
The date on which a student graduated from high school or received a GED.
High School Rank
The standing of the student in relation to their graduating high school class.
Highest Test Score
Highest ACT Composite score or SAT Total score, as based on the concordance table from the College Board.
Hold
A method for preventing student activity (e.g., registration or transcript printing) until the student has taken the required action.
Honors
An attribute indicating the student is in the Honors College (Term specific).
International Student
See Nonresident Alien.
In-State Student
A student who is a legal resident of the state where he or she attends school.
IPEDS
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System is the post-secondary data collection program of the National Center for Education Statistics, a part of the United States Department of Education. Institutions receiving federal student financial assistance authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(17)) must annually complete the IPEDS data collection process.
Jenzabar
The institution's enterprise-level information system, comprising the student information system, the financial information system, and the human resources information system. Jenzabar is the institution's system of record.
Jenzabar ID
A unique identifier established in Jenzabar to identify the student, faculty, or staff member as a unique individual. See Student ID.
Junior
A type of Class Level. Undergraduate students who have earned 60 or more credit hours and fewer than 90 credit hours.
Learning Community
A group of linked courses designed so students and professors experience a coherent an enriched learning environment. Unique Learning Community codes have been established and are assigned as a student Attribute.
Legacy
A student whose parent or sibling graduated from Limestone prior to their own enrollment.
Major
The academic area of focus of the student. The major is reported using the appropriate code from the Academic Program Inventory of the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. The Academic Program Inventory major code is based upon the six-digit Classification of Instruction Programs (CIP Codes), developed and published by the National Center for Educational Statistics.
Master's Degree
An award that requires the successful completion of a program of study of at least 30 semester credit hours beyond the Bachelor's Degree.
Entrance Term
The first Academic Term in which a student enrolls at an Academic Level (U, G). Often used in conjunction with Entrance Year.
Entrance Year
The first Academic Year in which a student enrolls at an Academic Level (U, G). Often used in conjunction with Entrance Term.
Minor
Secondary discipline or field in which a student is permitted to focus. Distinct and subordinate to an academic major of any enumeration.
Need-based Aid
Financial Aid award, including scholarships, grants, waivers and loans, for which a student must demonstrate financial need to qualify.
Non-Degree Seeking Graduate
A student taking graduate course(s) without a declared major.
Non-Degree Seeking Undergraduate
A student taking undergraduate course(s) without a declared major.
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
Online
Limestone’s educational offering delivered through online technology. This includes satellite campuses. Formerly known as the Evening and/or Online/Evening program.
Online Student
Students taking courses through Limestone’s Online offering.
Part-Time Student
Undergraduate student who is attempting fewer than 12 credit hours in a semester; professional or graduate student who is attempting fewer than 9 credit hours in a semester.
Pell Eligible
Designates students who qualify to receive a Pell Grant as part of their financial aid package. Aid Year specific.
Plan of Study
Course-taking sequence outlined by graduate programs.
Previous Institution
For students at the undergraduate level, this is the most recently attended post-secondary institution; for professional and graduate-level students this is the Bachelor's Degree granting institution.
Program
- An approved course of study leading to a degree (Associate’s, Bachelor's, Master's) or certificate, or resulting in credits that can be applied to one of these awards. Coding syntax used to identify Programs in Jenzabar typically include two code-based elements denoting the degree and major designation. Example: BALBS denotes a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and BSLBS denotes a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies.
- The platform in which a student receives their education at Limestone. The University offers three programs; 1) Main Campus (a.k.a. Day), Online, and Graduate.
- Substitute terms are: program modality, platform, and modality.
Race
See also Race/Ethnicity. Race is the second part of the two-part process mandated by the U.S. Department of Education for collecting information related to an individual's ethnic and racial identity. An individual may select one or more of the following races: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, White. An individual must be asked—and an institution must report—both Ethnicity and Race.
Race/Ethnicity
A classification mandated by the U.S. Department of Education for collecting and reporting information related to an individual's racial and ethnic identity. Individuals must be asked first about their Ethnicity and then about their Race. An institution must report Race/Ethnicity according to the guidelines set forth by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics.
Readmit
Readmitted students have a prior enrollment history at the institution but have not been enrolled recently enough to qualify as "continuing" students; they must apply for readmission to the institution. Students re-enter in the same status as when last enrolled at the institution.
Registration Status
Indicates whether a student is registered for a course, has attempted to register for a course, has previously registered but is not currently registered for a course, or has withdrawn from a course. Ex: C = current, D = dropped, H = history, P = pre-registered, R = readmit.
Residency/Resident
Indicator of the tuition rate assessed for the semester. Students designated as In-State students are considered Residents. Students designated as Out-Of-State students categorized as Non-Resident. Students who would ordinarily be assessed the Out-of-State tuition rate but are instead assessed the In-State rate due to contractual obligations (Common Market, etc.) may be categorized as Resident OR Non-Resident depending on context.
Residency Status
Indicates whether a student is classified as a residential student, an off-campus student, or a commuter student.
Retention Rate
Percent of a student cohort who are enrolled as of the Census Date for the subsequent Fall Semester after excluding students who meet any of the following conditions: deceased, left to serve in the military, left to serve in official church missions, and left to serve in government-related missions (e.g. Peace Corps).
Returning/Continuing
Continuing students are those who enroll after a hiatus of no more than three semesters (excluding summer terms) since their most recent previous term of enrollment.
SAT Combined
The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a test designed to test students' skills of mathematical and verbal reasoning; the combined score is the sum of a student’s mathematics and verbal/critical reasoning scores.
SAT Mathematics
The SAT mathematics test score from the same test date as the highest SAT Total score.
SAT Verbal - Critical Reading
The SAT verbal subtest score from the same test date as the highest SAT Total score.
SAT Writing
The SAT Writing score is an optional component of the SAT; the SAT Writing score recorded is the one from the same test date as the highest SAT combined score.
Satisfactory Academic Progress - Financial Aid
The US Department of Education requirement to monitor the academic progress of students who receive financial aid from federal sources. The progress is measured qualitatively by GPA and quantitatively by attempted vs. earned hours. Requirements are established by the school.
SCH
Student Credit Hours. See also: Credit Hours.
School
For enrollment reports, College refers to the unit offering the student's primary academic program. For course assignment and credit hour production summaries, College is the home unit of the instructor of record. See also: Department.
Senior
A type of Class Level. Undergraduate students who have earned 90 or more credit hours.
Sophomore
A type of Class Level. Undergraduate students who have earned 30 or more credit hours and fewer than 60 credit hours.
State of Origin
For US Citizens or Resident Aliens, it refers to the state in which they resided prior to acceptance to the institution.
Student
An individual registered or enrolled in courses for credit at Limestone University.
Student ID
Unique ID comprised of numeric digits, also called Jenzabar ID.
Student Level
Academic Level is based on the primary curriculum in which the student is enrolled. Acceptable types: U = Undergraduate, G = Graduate. See: Division
Student Population
Refers to the student type in effect for a given term (term specific).
Student-to-faculty Ratio
The ratio of FTE students to FTE instructional staff, i.e., students divided by staff. Students enrolled in 'stand-alone' graduate or professional programs and instructional staff teaching in these programs are excluded from both full-time and part-time counts. 'Stand-alone' graduate or professional programs are those programs such as medicine, law, veterinary, dentistry, social work, or public health, in which faculty teach virtually only graduate-level students (also referred to as 'independent' programs). Each FTE value equals the number of full-time students/staff plus 1/3 the number of part-time students/staff.
Suffix Name
Free form field used to denote suffix abbreviations (Sr, Jr, I, II, III, etc.).
Tax ID/SSN
Social Security Number
Term
Under the Semester Calendar, there are 6 unique terms: Terms 5 & 6 associated with the Fall semester, Terms 1 & 2 associated with the Spring semester, and Terms 3 & 4 associated with the Summer semester. This is labeled “subterm” in Jenzabar.
TOEFL
The standardized test determines an applicant's ability to benefit from instruction in English.
Transfer Hours
Refers to the total number of credit hours a student transfers to the institution, typically from undergraduate institutions.
Transfer Student
A student who last attended another institution at the post-secondary level with a minimum of 12 credit hours transferred to Limestone.
Transient Student
A student who is regularly enrolled at another institution, but who is taking a course(s) at the reporting institution which he/she intends to transfer to his regular institution.
Tuition Waiver
A reduction in, or elimination of, the tuition or fee charges that are to be paid by the student.
Undergraduate GPA
For Graduate Level students, the cumulative Grade Point Average earned at the completion of the Bachelor's Degree.
Unmet Need - Financial
See Financial Need.
Veteran Status
Indicates whether a student is a Veteran or the Dependent of a Veteran.
08/13/2024