Glossary/Definitions

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Data Definitions
Accountability Report a process where data-based measures are used to provide information on institutional performance. Accountability Reports, published by the Florida Community Colleges and Technical Center Management and Information System (CCTCMIS), contain fall cohort benchmark measures calculated from data submitted by Florida State Colleges. These reports include prior year high school graduate enrollments, student retention and success, performance indicators for degree graduates who transfer to state universities by college prep and non-college prep, and vocational program placement.
Academic Year  the sequence of three terms—Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Active Student  a student who has enrolled in credit courses at Valencia College within the past 24 months.
Administrative/Executive/Management (EAM)  a personnel category defined by the Florida Accounting Manual which includes persons whose assignments are planning, organizing, and managing the institution or a subdivision within the institution. Officers holding such titles as President, Vice President, Provost, or Department Deans are reported here.
Admitted Student  a student whose application has been reviewed and accepted but may not have already registered for classes at Valencia College.
Advanced & Professional (A & P)  college credit courses and instructional programs designed to provide the first two years of course work for transfer to an upper-division institution.
Advanced Technical Certificate (ATC) an extension of a specific AS degree program that consists of at least nine (9) but less than 45 credits of college-level course work. Students who have already received an AS degree and are seeking a specialized program of study to supplement their associate degree may seek an ATC. Students receive a certificate upon completion of the program.
Alternative Delivery all modes of instruction other than traditional course delivery and may include web-enhanced, hybrid, online, and computer-assisted. The intent of alternative delivery courses is to provide flexibility to students who are attempting to balance work, family and college, and still reach their career and academic goals. Modality.
Application and Admission the process of completing and submitting an application to attend Valencia College. Specific criteria must be met before an applicant is admitted to Valencia College (see page 20 & 21 of Valencia College Catalog).
Applied Student  one who completed Valencia College's application.
Articulation a State Board of Education rule that establishes provisions to facilitate the smooth transition of students through the various levels of Florida’s educational system.
Associate in Arts (AA)  a two-year degree program designed to provide the freshman and sophomore levels of education to students intending to transfer to an upper-division institution.
Associate in Science (AS)  a two-year technical degree program that contains 15-18 credit hours of transferable general education courses. This program is designed to prepare students for employment in a vocational technical career without subsequent upper-division training.
AtD (Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count)  is a multiyear national initiative to help more community college students succeed. The initiative is particularly concerned about student groups that traditionally have faced significant barriers to success, including students of color and low-income students. Achieving the Dream is working to help more students earn certificates or degrees that open the door to better jobs, further education, and greater opportunity. Valencia College's participation in AtD ended in 2009 the knowledge gained and the criteria used during the AtD process is often used for Valencia College's internal reporting.
Bachelor’s Degree Valencia College's bachelor's degree programs require about four years of study, but differ from standard baccalaureate programs. Here, students must first complete an associate degree before they can transfer into the bachelor's degree programs.
Calendar Year  January through December.
Campus Locations (*Associate in Science (AS) Degree programs are composed of general and specialized courses. General education courses are taught at all college locations. Due to the need for equipment, some specialized courses may need to be taken at a specific campus.)
Career Pathways (formerly Tech Prep) students begin Career Pathways in high school focusing on higher academics and technical skills, then link their high school studies with at least two years at an Orange or Osceola county technical school or Valencia College. This can lead to a two-year certificate, associate’s degree, or a four-year college degree. After taking designated technical courses at their high schools, Career Pathways students participate in an assessment and are eligible to receive credit when they enroll at Valencia College. By earning college credit while in high school, students make a smooth transition between high school and college by not duplicating coursework and save time and tuition/book money.
Certificate-Seeking Student a student who fulfilled Valencia College's application and admission requirements and is pursuing programs to prepare him/her for immediate entry into a career in the workforce. Valencia College offers an Advanced Technical Certificate (ATC), Career Certificates, and Technical Certificates.
Cohort a group followed through time, whose members share a significant experience or have one or more similar characteristics (e. g. ALL Valencia College FTIC (first time in college) students, ages 20 through 29, who began Valencia College during Fall 2009).
Cont DE are students enrolled in one or more courses with a Dual Enrollment status code, or their admission status indicated Dual Enroll and they have either a future high school graduation date (i.e., beyond the beginning date of the current term) or have no high school graduation date, and who have a history of coursework taken at Valencia College in a prior term.
Continuing Workforce Education (CWE)  noncredit courses designed for students who are already employed when they enroll at Valencia College and whose primary objective is to enhance specific vocational abilities. These courses are not funded by the State. CWE courses do not earn college credit or postsecondary adult vocational credit. CWE courses are offered at Valencia College’s Criminal Justice Institute and Valencia Enterprises.
CPT (Computerized Placement Test)  the primary entry testing used for placement in English, reading, and mathematics. Subtests include CPT Reading Skills (R), CPT Sentence Skills (W), CPT Arithmetic (M), and CPT Elementary Algebra (A). CPT College Level Math (I) is optional. Appropriate ACT or SAT scores may exempt a student from taking the CPT.
Credit FTE  equals weekly course credit hours multiplied by course total enrollments divided by 30; one course credit hour is defined as 50 minutes of instruction per week. This is a method of funding defined by the State Department of Education.
Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) and Fire Rescue Institute (FRI)  located at 8600 Valencia College Lane, Orlando, Florida. Career Certificate Programs in Criminal Justice and Fire Rescue, and Fire college credit programs are offered at this location. Campus Location.
Day Student  a student enrolled in courses that meet during the day (prior to 5:00 p.m.). Counts are unduplicated during the day; however, students may also be counted as an evening student if they are also enrolled in night courses.
Degree-Seeking Student a student who fulfilled Valencia College's application and admission requirements and is pursuing an associate degree program (AA or AS) or Bachelor’s degree at Valencia College.
DEI (Developmental Education Initiative)  is a national effort to increase the number of students who complete their developmental education courses successfully and move on to college-level courses. Valencia College participation in DEI will end in the summer of 2012; the knowledge gained and the criteria used during the DEI process is often used for Valencia College's internal reporting.
Developmental Education (formerly College Preparatory)  courses intended to bridge the gap between secondary school and college for students with specifically identified deficiencies. The courses are credit earning but may not be applied toward a degree or certificate. These courses are designed to meet the academic needs of educationally disadvantaged students.
Direct Connect an agreement with UCF (University of Central Florida) in which Valencia College students receive guaranteed admission to a bachelor’s degree program, increased opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree on a Valencia College campus, and preferential admission to select bachelor degree programs.
Dual Enrollment an acceleration mechanism by which high school students may simultaneously earn credit toward high school completion and a college degree. Dual enrollment students pay no tuition. Dual enrolled students may attend courses on a Valencia College campus, on a high school campus, or online.
Duplication Unduplicated across campuses - a student is only counted once, depending on where the majority of his/her credits are taken. Duplicated across campuses - a student is counted once per campus where his/her credits are taken.
East Campus located at 701 North Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando, Florida. This campus houses the Performing Arts Center/Black Box Theater and Alumni Association Office. In addition, the following programs are offered on East Campus: AA, and AS* Degree Programs, and Certificate Programs, and Honors Program. Students who apply and maintain their home records on this campus are considered East Campus enrollees. Campus Location.
Educator Preparation Institute (EPI)  Educator Preparation Institute prepares students with a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than education to become classroom teachers in Florida. EPI courses provide institutional credit, are not transferable to an upper-division institution, and do not count toward any degree.
Enrolled Student  a student who registered for one or more courses.
Ethnicity/Race a self-reported classification on Valencia College's application. Students are able to indicate their ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino OR Not Hispanic/Latino) and may choose from one of the following race categories: American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or White.
Evening Student  a student enrolled in courses that meet during evening hours (after 5:00 p.m.). Counts are unduplicated for the evenings; however, students may also be counted as day students if they are also enrolled in day courses.
Face-to-Face/Onsite  a course where all content is delivered in a classroom setting on campus. Modality.
Faculty a personnel category defined by the Florida College System that includes persons whose assignments are for the purpose of conducting instruction.
Fall Term  August to December.
FETPIP (Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program)  this program obtains follow-up data by matching the social security numbers of former students with information housed in various state and federal agencies. The 1989 Florida Legislature established this program as the primary resource for all public education agencies for the collection of graduate and leaver follow-up information.
Financial Aid Year  October 1 through September 30 (Federal Fiscal Year).
Fiscal Year  July 1 through June 30.
Former DE are dual enrolled students as indicated by their admission status field, who have a high school graduation date prior to 95 days before the beginning date of the term.
Foundation Year  April 1 through March 31.
FTAV (First Time at Valencia) Student a new Valencia College student who has attended another institution prior to enrolling at Valencia College.
FTAV DE are students enrolled in one or more courses with a Dual Enrollment status code, or their admission status indicated Dual Enroll, and they have either a future high school graduation date (i.e., beyond the beginning date of the current term) or have no high school graduation date. (Students who appear to have already graduated from high school are not included in the FTAV Dual Enroll or Continuing Dual Enroll categories.) FTAV Dual Enrolls have no history of prior coursework at Valencia College.
FTAV Transfer are FTAV with either transfer credits or transfer admit status. It also includes transients, teacher recertification, continuing, etc.
FTIC (First Time in College) Student a new Valencia College student who has never attended any college prior to enrolling at Valencia College.
Full-Time Student  a student enrolled in 12 or more credit hours in Fall, Spring, or Summer terms.
Gateway Courses high-enrolled courses that are taken by students early in their education at Valencia College; six courses were targeted by the AtD (Achieving the Dream) Initiative. These courses included MAT0018C (Developmental Math I), MAT0028C (Developmental Math II), MAT1033 (Elementary Algebra), MAC1105 (College Algebra), ENC1101 (English Composition I), and POS2041 (U. S. Government I).
GPA (Grade Point Average)  obtained by dividing quality points earned (based on grades) by credits. GPAs range from 0.0 to 4.0. The following GPA types are calculated at Valencia College: Institutional GPA (all course work at Valencia College), Overall GPA (all course work, including transfer and college preparatory), Term GPA (all course work attempted and earned for a given term), and Transfer GPA (all course work from other institutions). For certain reports, the Institutional Research Office also groups GPAs by course, department, college credit, college prep, etc.
Hybrid/Blended Course  a course that blends online and face-to-face delivery. A certain percentage of course instruction is delivered via electronic means and a certain percentage of instruction is conducted face-to-face. (Some hours are spent in the classroom with the rest being completed online.) Modality.
International Student a student who enters the United States on a nonimmigrant visa. Immigrants, refugees, and asylees ARE NOT international students. At Valencia College, International students are referred to as SEVIS and non-SEVIS students depending on Department of Homeland Security reporting requirements. For this report, only SEVIS students are counted (F & J VISA Types)
Lake Nona Campus  12500 Narcoossee Road, Bldg. 400, Orlando, Florida. This Campus houses the Collegiate Academy which includes credit courses in Math, Science, Communications and Social Sciences. This location also offers noncredit Foreign Language courses and is located near Orlando’s Medical City. Campus Location.
Level (Discipline) a Banner term used to categorize courses and programs—credit, continuing workforce education, educator preparation institute, or post secondary adult vocational.
Lifelong Learning (College Credit LLL)  a student enrolled in a non-repeatable college credit course in which the student previously received a grade of A, B, or C. Grade forgiveness may not be used after the second enrollment. Enrollments are not funded by the State of Florida.
Lifelong Learning  noncredit courses that are not in the workforce arena. These courses are not funded by the State, do not belong to a program, and have an ICS code of 13300 (CLAST preparatory courses, study skills, and senior citizen physical education courses are lifelong learning courses). These courses are designed to review and improve a student's competencies. Students do not earn college credit for these courses.
LinC (Learning in Community)  a program of linking two or more courses into one integrated course in which professors from different disciplines tie their courses together around a common theme.
Mean Age the age obtained by computing the arithmetic average of all the Valencia College students' ages.
Median Age the 50th percentile, obtained by creating a list of the ages of all the students in numerical order. The total number of students is divided by 2. The resulting quantity (rounded up to the next integer value if necessary) will be called position X. Starting from either end of the list and counting up or down to X, the middle age is found, corresponding to position X. That is the MEDIAN. For example, if there were 7 students and the list of their ages looked like this: 17 17 18 18 18 19 19, the median would be 18 (the second of the three 18s, in the fourth, or middle, position).
Meet Day M-Monday, T-Tuesday, W-Wednesday, R-Thursday, F-Friday, S-Saturday, U-Sunday. If a course were to meet each day of the week it would display as MTWRFSU.
Meet Time Morning: Course begin time is before 12:00 p.m. Afternoon: Course begin time is from 12:00 p.m. but before 5:00 p.m. Evening: Course begin time is from 5:00 p.m. or later. Online: Course modality (MEDIUM) is online Missing: Course has no begin time and the course is not online.
New Student According to Valencia College's FOE classification, a new student is one who has earned less than 15 college-credit hours at Valencia College.
Non Success grades and rates D, F, I (Incomplete), W (Withdrawal), WP (Withdrawal, Passing), or WF (Withdrawal, Failing).
Noncredit FTE  equals term total course contact hours multiplied by total course enrollments divided by 900; one contact hour is defined as 60 minutes of instruction. This is a method of funding defined by the State Department of Education.
Noninstructional Professional  a personnel category defined by the Florida College System which includes staff members with assignments requiring professional training and are not reported under administrative or faculty. Such titles as Counselor, Coordinator, and Director are reported here.
Online a course where all the content is delivered online using the college approved Course Management System. (All class meetings and coursework occur online. Proctored testing may be required.) Modality.
Online Course  a course where all of the content is delivered online using the college approved Course Management System. (All class meetings and coursework occur online. Proctored testing may be required.) Modality.
Osceola Campus located at 1800 Denn John Lane, Kissimmee, Florida. The following programs are offered on Osceola Campus: AA, and AS* Degree Programs, Certificate Programs, Corporate and Continuing Education, and Honors Program. Campus Location.
Part-Time Student  a student enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours in Fall, Spring, or Summer terms.
PERT (Postsecondary Education Readiness Test)  PERT assesses English, reading, and mathematics skills. Students are exempt from taking the PERT, unless needed as a prerequisite for a specific course, or they provide written documentation for one of Valencia College's approved exceptions (page 52 & 53 of 2011/2012 catalog).
Placement graduates of an AA degree program are considered placed if they are continuing their education in an upper-division institution or serving in the military. Graduates of AS degree programs are placed if they are employed in a related field, are continuing their education, or are serving in the military. Certificate completers are placed if they are employed in a related field or serving in the military.
Post Secondary Adult Vocational (PSAV)  certificate career education, job preparatory courses and programs through which a student receives an adult vocational certificate upon completion of instruction. Students earn vocational credit but not college credit for completion of these courses. PSAV credit does not apply to college credit programs.
Post Secondary Adult Vocational Certificate (PSAV) programs that prepare students for careers directly in the workforce. The programs require prescribed technical credit courses and basic skills proficiency achieved through college-preparatory courses. The only Career Certificate program offered at Valencia College is offered through the Criminal Justice Institute.
Post Secondary Vocational (PSV)  college credit courses that are part of an Associate in Science Degree (AS), Vocational Credit Certificate (PSVC), or an Advanced Technical Certificate (ATC). Select Postsecondary Vocational courses may be used to satisfy elective credit for an Associate in Arts Degree.
Quality Points  the value, ranging from 0 to 4, for grades from A to F for all courses completed, used in determining a grade point average (GPA).
Reporting Year  the sequence of three terms—Summer, Fall, and Spring. State of Florida reporting falls in this category.
Resident County a self-reported county classification completed by students when submitting Valencia College's application. Students with Florida mailing address can choose from the drop-down menu of Florida counties; students with non-Florida mailing addresses should select “Out of State” under county.
Returner are all others who have a history of prior coursework at Valencia College who do not fall in one of the following categories: FTIC, FTIC (Former DE), FTAV Transfer, FTAV DE, Cont DE, Former DE
Secretarial/Clerical  a personnel category defined by the Florida College System that includes persons whose assignments are associated with clerical activities or is specifically of a secretarial nature.
Service/Management  a personnel category defined by the Florida College System which includes persons whose assignments require the performance of duties which provide comfort, convenience, and hygiene to personnel and students or the upkeep and care of buildings, facilities, or grounds. Examples include custodians, groundskeepers, and security personnel.
SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System)  is a web-accessible database used by the Department of Homeland Security to collect, track, and monitor information regarding exchange visitors, international students and scholars who enter the United States on F, M or J visa types. SEVIS is managed by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) within U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Spring Term  January to May.
Success A grade of A, B or C in a course
Success grades and rates A, B, or C. (For some courses, a D constitutes a successful completion of the course; for Valencia College data reporting, a D constitutes an unsuccessful completion of the course.)
Summer Term  May to August.
Supplemental Learning classes that are supported by small group study sessions lead by Supplemental Learning Leaders (former students). These study sessions are regularly scheduled, casual sessions, in which students in the class compare notes, discuss assignments, and develop organizational tools and study skills.
Teaching/Laboratory Assistants  a personnel category defined by the Florida College System that include persons whose assignments require the development of teaching materials (syllabi and visual aids) and the supervision of laboratories.
Technical Vocational Certificate (PSVC)  programs that prepare students for immediate entry into a career in the workforce. Technical Certificate programs require prescribed technical courses, and do require general education courses, for a minimum of 12 college credits. These credits are applicable towards a related AS degree if the student meets degree-seeking requirements.
Technical/Paraprofessional/Skilled Craft  a personnel category defined by the Florida College System that includes persons whose assignments require special manual or technical skills and a thorough knowledge of the processes involved in specific trades. Such positions as computer operator, graphic artist, electricians, carpenters, and typesetters are included here.
Term the academic period for which classes meet. Fall, Spring, and Summer Full terms are approximately 14 weeks each; through Flex Start scheduling, courses are also taught in five, six, eight, and ten week time periods.
Vocational Credit a type of credit assigned to courses or course equivalent learning that is part of an organized and specified vocational degree or certificate program.
Web Enhanced/Facilitated  a course which may use web-based technology to enhance a face-to-face course. The course content uses a Course Management System (CMS) or web pages to post the syllabus and assignments. (All meetings are face-to-face.) Modality.
Weekend/Non Weekend Non-Weekend: Courses offered in any combination of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Weekend:  Courses offered only on Friday or any combination of Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Online: Course modality (MEDIUM) is online. Missing: Course has no meet days and the course is not online.
West Campus located at 1800 South Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida. The following programs are offered on West Campus: AA, and AS* Degree Programs, Certificate Programs, and Honors Program. Beginning Fall 2011, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology (B.S.E.C.E.T Degree), and Radiologic and Imaging Sciences (A.S. to B.S. Degree). Students who apply and maintain their home records on this campus are considered West Campus enrollees. Campus Location.
Winter Park Campus located 850 West Morse Boulevard, Winter Park, Florida. The following programs are offered on Winter Park Campus: Honors Program, Corporate and Continuing Education, AA Degree Programs, Certificate Programs, Teacher Recertification, Weekend College, and Career Assessment & Employability Skills. Campus Location.
Withdrawal Grades and Rates W (Withdrawal), WP (Withdrawal Passing), or WF (Withdrawal Failing). Prior to Fall 2010, Valencia issued grades of WP (Withdrawal Passing) and WF (Withdrawal Failing). A WP is not calculated in the student’s GPA; while a WF is calculated as an F with 0 quality points.