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Definitions
Academic Year
Defined as the fall, spring, and summer sequence of semesters and identified by the second calendar year in the sequence. For example, the sequence fall 2000, and spring and summer 2001 is AY2001 (or AY 01). Note:  an  academic year is equivalent to a  fiscal year in Texas.
Amount Expended for Administrative Costs as a Percent of Operating Budget
The percentage of funds expended for administrative costs as a percent of operating budget. Administrative costs are Institutional Support expenditure items as designated in the institution’s annual financial reports included in the following subcategories:  executive management, fiscal operations, general administration and logistical services, administrative computing support, and public relations/development. (ABEST short definition).
Coordinating Board Reports (CBM Reports)
It is the policy of the office of Planning and Institutional Research to use these numbers to prepare data requests so that numbers can be tracked back to the THECB submissions.
All Texas public higher educational institutions must submit periodic reports to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to fulfill provisions of the Higher Education Coordinating Act of 1965 as amended (codified as Subtitle B, Chapter 61, Texas Education Code, 1971). These reports are used to determine each institution’s state reimbursement funding.
Dollar Amount of External or Sponsored Research Funds (in millions)
The dollar value of funds expended for the conduct of research and development from sources other than appropriated state and local funds. (ABEST short definition).
Ethnicity or Racial/Ethnic Heritage
Ethnicity codes are based on federal and state standards. Categories are White/Other (White-Non Hispanic), African-American (Black-Non Hispanic), Hispanic, Asian American (Asian or Pacific Islander), Native American (American Indian or Alaskan Native), and International. The information is self-reported by the student. Missing data are reported in the  unknown category. International is defined a non-resident alien, a person who is not a citizen of the U.S. and who is in this country on a temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. A resident alien, a non-citizen who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence, is reported in the appropriate racial/ethnic category along with U.S. citizens.
External or Sponsored  Research Funds as a Percent of State Appropriations
Expenditures of external or sponsored research funds represented as a percent of expenditures of state appropriations. (ABEST short definition).
Faculty
Per the Coordinating Board, this includes all faculty (ranked, unranked, and student faculty) regardless of their source of funds or their assignment. This includes research faculty, librarians, administrators with faculty titles, and faculty who may be on leave. Faculty also includes adjunct, special, visiting, emeritus, and lecturer.
Freshman Students
Undergraduate students who have earned fewer than 30 credits.
Gender
Female or male, self-reported. Note: per state guidelines, ‘male’ is used as the default code for students who do not report their gender.
Graduate Students
Master's Students.
Headcount also called 'Enrollment'
A count of students, faculty, and/or staff where each individual is counted once. This is in contrast to the FTE count where an individual may be counted as less than or more than one.
Junior Students
Undergraduate students who have earned more than 59 but fewer than 90 credits.
Minority
‘Minority’ represents the sum of four racial/ethnic heritage categories:  African-American, Hispanic, Asian American, and Native American. However, in some documents, such as the Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR), Asian Americans are not included in minority figures. There are new terminologies that can be used to determine minority status:
Represented Minorities includes Asian Americans
Under-represented Minorities includes African-American, Hispanic, and Native American ethnic categories.
Number of Community College Transfer Students Enrolled
The number of students enrolled in the fall semester who attempted 30 or more semester credit hours in a Texas public community college during the past six years. (ABEST short definition).
Number of Community College Transfer Graduates
The number of baccalaureate level graduates who attempted 30 or more semester credit hours in a Texas public community college during the past six years. (ABEST short definition).
Pass Rate of ExCET Exam
The percentage of the institution’s undergraduate teacher education program graduates attempting the state licensing examination who become certified to teach by the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) either before graduation from the program, or within the twelve months immediately following graduation from the program. (ABEST short definition).
Percent of Baccalaureate Graduates Who Are First Generation College Graduates
Percentage of graduating baccalaureate students whose parents did not graduate from college. Parents are defined only as birth parents, adoptive parents, or legal guardians.
Percent of Full-time, Degree-seeking Transfer Students Who Earn a Baccalaureate Degree within Four Years
The percent of those students classified as full-time, degree-seeking transfer students who transfer into the institution with at least 60 accepted semester credit hours, and earn a baccalaureate degree within four years of their entrance. Full-time is defined as taking 12 semester credit hours. (ABEST short definition).
Percent of Semester Credit Hour Courses Completed
The percent of semester credit hours completed. (ABEST short definition).
Post Baccalaureate (or Postbaccalaureate) Students
Students who have earned an undergraduate degree or higher and (1) are seeking a second baccalaureate degree, (2) are seeking certification, (3) have been conditionally admitted for a graduate degree program pending the successful completion of certain undergraduate prerequisites, or (4) are taking occasional courses with a non-degree objective.
Retention Rate of First-time, Full-time, Degree-seeking Freshmen Students After One Academic Year
Percent of full-time, degree-seeking transfer students who enter in the fall semester with at least 60 accepted semester credit hours, who are still enrolled after one academic year. Full-time is defined as taking 12 semester credit hours. (ABEST short definition).
Semester Credit Hour (SCH)
The semester credit hour is defined as the credit hours assigned to a course. This is generally based on the number of hours the course meets per week. The SCH a course produces is determined by multiplying the enrollment of the course by the credit hours of the course. The SCH of a student is determined by adding the credit hours from all the student’s courses.
Senior Students
Undergraduate students who have earned more than 89 credits.
Sophomore Students
Undergraduate students who have earned more than 29 but fewer than 60 credits.
State Licensure Exam Pass Rate of Engineering Graduates
The percentage of the institution’s undergraduate engineering program graduates attempting the state licensing examination who pass all parts either before graduation from the program, or within the twelve months immediately following graduation or any required internship. (ABEST short definition).
State Licensure Exam Pass Rate of Nursing Graduates
The percentage of the institution’s undergraduate nursing program graduates attempting the state licensing examination who pass all parts either before graduation from the program, or within the twelve months immediately following graduation from the program. (ABEST short definition).
Student Full-Time Equivalency (FTE)
Student full-time equivalency is calculated by dividing the student/course level SCH generated by the appropriate divisor as shown below per Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board guidelines:
Undergraduate FTE:  undergraduate student/course level determined SCH divided by 12 (the number of hours considered as a full-time student). NOTE:  Automated Budget Evaluation System of Texas (ABEST) defines Undergraduate FTE using 15 hours as a full time student.
Master’s FTE:  master’s student/course level determined SCH divided by 9 (the number of hours considered as a full-time student). NOTE: ABEST defines master’s FTE using 12 hours as a full time student.
Tenure Track Faculty
Faculty without tenure holding an appointment/position eligible for tenure as reported to the Coordinating Board.
Tenured Faculty
Faculty who have received tenure as reported to the Coordinating Board.
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB or CB)
In 1965, the 59th Texas Legislature established the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and charged it with the responsibility of coordinating and monitoring colleges and universities in the state of Texas. THECB has broad powers and is directly responsible for the formula process used to make appropriation recommendations to the legislature for higher education.
Undergraduate Students
Degree seeking students who are classified as freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, or post-baccalaureate. Also the sum of lower and upper division undergraduates.
Upper Division Courses
Courses taught at the junior and senior levels.
Upper Division Undergraduate Students
Students who are classified as juniors or seniors.