Frequently Asked Questions about IRIS
Questions
What is IRIS ?
Description of IRIS
IRIS is an online data visualization and analytics tool that provides information about the University System of Maryland (USM) and its institutions. The data are presented in customizable and downloadable tables and charts. All data are provided by the institutions in accordance to the legislatively mandated reporting requirements by the state of Maryland and the Federal Government. The data are subject to audit for verification of accuracy. IRIS, or the public, interactive interface, is the capstone of an intensive data collection and storage process. It was built from the bottom up to ensure the accuracy, sustainability, and dependability of the data resource. The University System of Maryland offices of Institutional Research and Information Technology Department design, monitor and support this product.
What Types of Data?
The state of Maryland has a robust data collection mandate with commonly accepted and adopted data definitions. A majority of the data collections center around the student experience and are drawn from institutional student information systems. These data include applications, enrollment, end-of-term outcomes, financial aid, degrees, and basic employee information.
Currently, the aggregate data displayed are the same data that has been routinely provided in a series of static Data Journals and routine reports. All data displayed are de-identified with built-in safeguards to prevent individually identifiable information.
All data are provided by the institutions in accordance to the legislatively mandated reporting requirements by the state of Maryland and the Federal Government and are subject to audit for verification of accuracy.
How Often are the Data Updated?
The University System of Maryland and the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) established a collection calendar in which the bulk of the data are submitted three times per year mirroring the enrollment calendar of the tradition student (Fall, Spring, Summer). Because these data adhere to strict data definitions and collection standards. Typically, the enrollment information is "frozen" after the last day of drop/add. At that time, the institutions collect and verify the data accuracy before submitting to USM and MHEC at which times additional edit checks and consistency verification occurs. Once all institutions have submitted accurate data, USM loads and updates IRIS. In short, student information displayed here is updated approximately ten to twelve weeks after the start of a semester.
Who are the USM Institutions?
This site provides aggregate information about the University System of Maryland which combines that aggregate information provided by each USM campus. These campuses include:
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Bowie State University Coppin State University Frostburg State University Salisbury University Towson University University of Baltimore University of Maryland at Baltimore |
University of Maryland at Baltimore County University of Maryland at College Park University of Maryland Eastern Shore University of Maryland Global Campus University of Maryland Center of Environmental Science Universities at Shady Grove* University System of Maryland at Hagerstown* |
*USM Regional Center
Where Can I Find Data Definitions?
The data definitions used at USM are the same data definitions used by the state and federal government. This allows for comparability and uniformity.
https://community.datacookbook.com/institutions/mhec
Who do I contact for help about Data, Information and Analytics?
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USM Information Technology Development |
USM Institutional Research |
Glossary
Academic Rank
Institution's criteria used to classify all faculty with academic rank titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, lecturer or equivalent.
Academic Year
The period of time generally extending from September to June; usually equated to 2 semesters or trimesters, 3 quarters, or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar system.
Adjunct instructional staff
Non-tenure track instructional staff serving in a temporary or auxiliary capacity to teach specific courses on a course-by-course basis.
Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
The adjusted gross income (AGI) received by the student and his/her parents as reported on the FAFSA. Depending upon the student's dependency status, the AGI is either the student if independent or his/her parents if the student is dependent.
Admitted students
Applicants that have been granted an official offer to enroll in a postsecondary institution.
American Indian or Alaskan Native (post-1997 definition)
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.
American Indian or Alaskan Native (pre-1997 definition)
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition
Applicant
An individual who has fulfilled the institution's requirements to be considered for admission (including payment or waiving of the application fee, if any) and who has been notified of one of the following actions: admission, nonadmission, placement on waiting list, or application withdrawn by applicant or institution.
Asian or Pacific Islander
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and Pacific Islands. This includes people from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, American Samoa, India, and Vietnam.
Associate's degree
An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.
Bachelor's degree
An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education) that normally requires at least 4 but not more than 5 years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes all bachelor's degrees conferred in a 5-year cooperative (work-study) program. A cooperative plan provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government; thus, it allows students to combine actual work experience with their college studies. Also includes bachelor's degrees in which the normal 4 years of work are completed in 3 years.
Black or African American
A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Black, non-Hispanic (old definition)
A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa (except those of Hispanic origin).
Certificate
A formal award certifying the satisfactory completion of a postsecondary education program.
CIP code
A six-digit code in the form xx.xxxx that identifies instructional program specialties within educational institutions.
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)
A taxonomic coding scheme for secondary and postsecondary instructional programs. It is intended to facilitate the organization, collection, and reporting of program data using classifications that capture the majority of reportable data. The CIP is the accepted federal government statistical standard on instructional program classifications and is used in a variety of education information surveys and databases.
Cohort
A specific group of students established for tracking purposes.
Collection year
The academic year in which IPEDS data were collected. Most Institutional Characteristics, Human Resources, Fall Enrollment, and Admissions data are collected for the current year; Completions, 12-Month Enrollment, Student Financial Aid, Academic Librariesand Finance data collections cover the prior year. Graduation Rates and Outcome Measures cover cohorts from prior years that completed college by August 31 of the most recent fall.
Completer
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.
Completers within 150% of normal time
Students who completed their program within 150% of the normal (or expected) time for completion.
Cost of Attendance (COA)
This is the budget (e.g., campus based budget) used by your campus to package financial aid. The institution reports COA according to Federal Title IV regulations and includes, in addition to tuition, room and board (on or off campus), books, supplies, transportation and miscellaneous fees.
Credit course
A course that, if successfully completed, can be applied toward the number of courses required for achieving a postsecondary degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award, irrespective of the activity's unit of measurement.
Credit hour
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.
Credit hour activity
The provision of coursework to students which can be measured in terms of credit hours.
Degree
An award conferred by a college, university, or other postsecondary education institution as official recognition for the successful completion of a program of studies.
Degree Sought
The student's most recent status in pursuing a formal award indicating either the level of degree being sought or non-degree seeking.
Degree/certificate-seeking students
Students enrolled in courses for credit who are seeking a degree, certificate, or other formal award. This includes students who: received any type of federal financial aid, regardless of what courses they took at any time; received any state or locally based financial aid with an eligibility requirement that the student be enrolled in a degree, certificate, or transfer-seeking program; or obtained a student visa to study at a U.S. postsecondary institution. High school students also enrolled in postsecondary courses for credit are not considered degree/certificate-seeking.
Distance education
Education that uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or asynchronously. Technologies used for instruction may include the following: Internet; one-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcasts, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite or wireless communication devices; audio conferencing; and video cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if the cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs are used in a course in conjunction with the technologies listed above.
Distance education course
A course in which the instructional content is delivered exclusively via distance education. Requirements for coming to campus for orientation, testing, or academic support services do not exclude a course from being classified as distance education.
Distance education program
A program for which all the required coursework for program completion is able to be completed via distance education courses.
Doctor's degree
The highest award a student can earn for graduate study. The doctor's degree classification includes such degrees as Doctor of Education, Doctor of Juridical Science, Doctor of Public Health, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in any field such as agronomy, food technology, education, engineering, public administration, ophthalmology, or radiology.
Doctor's degree-other
A doctor's degree that does not meet the definition of a doctor's degree - research/scholarship or a doctor's degree - professional practice.
Doctor's degree-professional practice
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 (D.C. or D.C.M.); Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.); Law (J.D.); Medicine (M.D.); Optometry (O.D.); Osteopathic Medicine (D.O); Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); Podiatry (D.P.M., Pod.D., D.P.); or, Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), and others, as designated by the awarding institution.
Doctor's degree-research/scholarship
A Ph.D. 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 Ed.D., D.M.A., D.B.A., D.Sc., D.A., or D.M, and others, as designated by the awarding institution.
Dual credit
A program through which high school students are enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, taught at their high school, that fulfill high school graduation requirements and may earn the student college credits .
Dual enrollment
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.
Entry Term
Term of initial enrollment at institution as a degree-seeking student.
Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
The amount of money the family of a student is expected to contribute toward college expenses. The family includes the student and the student's parents in the case of a dependent student, or the student (and spouse if any) in the case of an independent student.
Faculty
Persons identified by the institution as such and typically those whose initial assignments are made for the purpose of conducting instruction, research or public service as a principal activity (or activities). They may hold academic rank titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, lecturer or the equivalent of any of those academic ranks. Faculty may also include the chancellor/president, provost, vice provosts, deans, directors or the equivalent, as well as associate deans, assistant deans and executive officers of academic departments (chairpersons, heads or the equivalent) if their principal activity is instruction combined with research and/or public service. The designation as "faculty" is separate from the activities to which they may be currently assigned. For example, a newly appointed president of an institution may also be appointed as a faculty member. Graduate, instruction, and research assistants are not included in this category.
Faculty Status
A status designated by the institution according to the institution's policies. "Faculty" may include staff with academic appointments (instruction, research, public service) and other staff members who are appointed as faculty members. The designation "faculty" is separate from the activities to which the staff members are currently assigned. For example, a president, provost, or librarian may also be appointed as a faculty member. For IPEDS reporting, graduate assistants do not have faculty status.
Fall cohort
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. For the Outcome Measures component, all degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who enter an institution during the fall term of a given year must be placed in one of four cohorts: full-time, first-time; part-time, first-time; full-time, non-first-time; and part-time, non-first-time.
Fall term
The part of the academic year that begins between late August and November 1.
Financial aid
Federal Work Study, grants, loans to students (government and/or private), assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, tuition waivers, tuition discounts, employer aid (tuition reimbursement) and other monies (other than from relatives/friends) provided to students to meet expenses. This excludes loans to parents.
First-time student (undergraduate)
A student who has no prior postsecondary experience (except as noted below) attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. This includes students enrolled in academic or occupational programs. It 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 or postsecondary formal award earned before graduation from high school).
First-time, Full-time Fall Undergraduate Cohort
The group of students admitted by the institution that began their post-secondary education in the fall semester immediately following their high school graduation. These are the "traditional" students often used for official reporting on institutional success metrics and college rankings.
First-year student
A student who has completed less than the equivalent of 1 full year of undergraduate work; that is, less than 30 semester hours
Fiscal Year Cohort
The group of all degree seeking students that began at an institution in the fiscal year. This cohort includes the first-time, full-time fall undergraduates as well as spring admits, part-time admits, and transfer students
FTE of students
The full-time equivalent (FTE) of students is a single value providing a meaningful combination of full-time and part-time students based on credit hours activity.
Geographic Origin
The county (for Maryland residents) or state which is the student's permanent residence at the time of application
Graduate Assistants (Other)
An occupational category based on the detailed occupation in the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Manual called "Management Occupations" (SOC code 11-0000), "Business and Financial Operations Occupations" (SOC code 13-0000), "Computer and Mathematical Occupations" (SOC code 15-0000), "Architecture and Engineering Occupations" (SOC code 17-0000), "Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations" (SOC code 19-0000), "Community and Social Service Occupations" (SOC code 21-0000), "Legal Occupations" (SOC code 23-0000), "Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations" (SOC code 27-0000), "Librarians, Curators, and Archivists" (SOC code 25-4000), "Archivists, Curators, and Museum Technicians" (SOC code 25-4010), "Librarians" (SOC code 25-4020), "Library Technicians" (SOC code 25-4030), "Preschool, Primary, Secondary, and Special Education School Teachers" (SOC code 25-2000), "Other Teachers and Instructors" (SOC code 25-3000), "Other Education, Training, and Library Occupations" (SOC code 25-9000) and "Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations" (SOC code 29-0000). For detailed information, refer to the following website: http://www.bls.gov/soc/2010/soc251191.htm.
Graduate Assistants (Research)
An occupational category used to classify graduate assistants whose specific assignments customarily are made for the purpose of conducting research.
Graduate Assistants (Teaching)
An occupational category based on the detailed occupation in the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Manual called "Graduate Assistant - Teaching" (SOC code 25-1191). For detailed information, refer to the following website: http:// www.bls.gov/soc/2010/soc251191.htm.
Graduate student
A student who holds a bachelor's degree or above and is taking courses at the postbaccalaureate level. These students may or may not be enrolled in graduate programs.
Graduation Rate
This graduation rate is calculated as the total number of completers within a period of time divided by the total number of students that began in the cohort.
HEGIS Program Taxonomy (Higher Education General Information Series)
A taxonomic coding scheme for secondary and postsecondary instructional programs. It is intended to facilitate the organization, collection, and reporting of program data using classifications that capture the majority of reportable data. The HEGIS is the accepted State of Maryland (MHEC) standard on instructional program classifications and is used in all state and USM education information surveys and databases. The advantage of HEGIS over CIP is the capacity to identify unique institutional programs classified within the same academic discipline
High School Grade Point Average (HS GPA)
The High School Grade Point Average used by the institution to determine eligibility for admission.
Hispanic/Latino
A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)
The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines an HBCU as: "...any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation." Federal regulations (20 USC 1061 (2)) allow for certain exceptions to the founding date.
In-state student
A student who is a legal resident of the state in which he/she attends school.
In-state tuition
The tuition charged by institutions to those students who meet the state's or institution's residency requirements.
Master's degree
An award that requires the successful completion of a program of study of at least the full-time equivalent of 1 but not more than 2 academic years of work beyond the bachelor's degree. Some of these degrees, such as those in Theology (M.Div., M.H.L./Rav) that were formerly classified as "first-professional", may require more than two full-time equivalent academic years of work.
Math Remedial Assessment
An indicator of whether (1) the student has been assessed in math for remediation and the result of that assessment or (2) took remedial math work and assessment information was not available.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
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.
Out-of-state student
A student who is not a legal resident of the state in which he/she attends school.
Out-of-state tuition
The tuition charged by institutions to those students who do not meet the institution's or state's residency requirements.
Part-time staff (employees)
As determined by the institution. The type of appointment at the snapshot date determines whether an employee is full-time or part-time. The employee's term of contract is not considered in making the determination of full- or part-time.
Part-time student
Undergraduate: A student enrolled for either less than 12 semester or quarter credits, or less than 24 contact hours a week each term. Graduate: A student enrolled for less than 9 semester or quarter credits.
Post-master's certificate
An award that requires completion of an organized program beyond the master's degree, but does not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctor's level.
Postbaccalaureate certificate
An award that requires completion of an organized program of study beyond the bachelor's. It is designed for persons who have completed a baccalaureate degree, but does not meet the requirements of a master's degree.
Principle Occupational Assignment
The principal activity of a staff member as determined by the institution. If an individual participates in two or more activities, the primary activity is normally determined by the amount of time spent in each activity.
Program Taxonomy
The MHEC academic program code for the most recent instructional program area of the student
First two digits are called the major discipline. The first four digits are called the discipline
First two digits are called the major discipline. The first four digits are called the discipline
Race and ethnicity unknown
The category used to report students or employees whose race and ethnicity are not known.
Race/ethnicity
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.
Teacher Candidate
Identifies a degree recipient who has completed an approved teacher education program and is eligible to seek certification to teach.
Tenure
Status of a personnel position with respect to permanence of the position.
Tenure track
Personnel positions that lead to consideration for tenure.
Term GPA
The student's grade point average (as defined by the institution) earned during the collection period in courses for which degree credit has been earned.
Transfer Student
A student identified by the institution as a transer student usually as having experience or prior credit from another post-secondary institution. The student applied and was admitted based on the transfer admissions standards of the institution.
Transfer-in student
A student entering the reporting institution for the first time but known to have previously attended a postsecondary institution at the same level (e.g., undergraduate, graduate). This includes new students enrolled in the fall term who transferred into the institution the prior summer term. The student may transfer with or without credit.
Unclassified student
A student taking courses creditable toward a degree or other formal award who cannot be classified by academic level. For example, this could include a transfer student whose earned credits have not been determined at the time of the fall report.
Undergraduate
A student enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, an associate's degree program, or a vocational or technical program below the baccalaureate.
Unduplicated count
The sum of students enrolled for credit with each student counted only once during the reporting period, regardless of when the student enrolled.
US Citizen
The determination of U.S. Citizen occurs at the campus. It is a binary determination. MHEC and USM combines several types of individuals including U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, resident aliens and other eligible non-citizens into the U.S. Citizen designation. Else the student is considered foreign
White
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
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