[OK-AIR] Discrepancy between IPEDS and OSRHE definitions for First-time Freshmen and Transfer students

[Karla Oty]

Greetings!

I was wondering if you have any interest in asking the regents to modify their definitions of First-time Freshmen and Transfer students to match the definitions that are used by IPEDS (definitions below).  COI is working on revisions to the Institutional Admission and Retention Policy and I had suggested that it would be great if the state changed their definition to match IPEDS.  Regent's staff indicated that the only feedback they have ever gotten on this is from me so it might be that we are the only institution that struggles with reporting students using the two contradictory definitions.  It is particularly problematic because the UDS files are used for the IPEDS surveys.

If you think it would be worth recommending that the state change their definitions to match IPEDS, would you please either let me or your Vice President of Academic Affairs know.  If you let me know, I'll pass along your responses to my VPAA.

Here is OSRHE's definitions

"First-Time-Entering Student" is a student with six or fewer attempted credit hours, excluding developmental education or pre-college work and excluding credit hours accumulated by concurrently enrolled high school students.
"Transfer Student" is any undergraduate student with greater than six attempted credit hours, excluding developmental education or pre-college work and excluding credit hours accumulated by concurrently enrolled high school students.
Here is IPEDs definitions

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<javascript:openglossary(677)> level<javascript:openglossary(823)>. This includes students enrolled in academic<javascript:openglossary(13)> or occupational <javascript:openglossary(423)> programs<javascript:openglossary(515)>. It also includes students enrolled in the fall term<javascript:openglossary(221)> who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term, and students who entered with advanced standing (college credits<javascript:openglossary(151)> or recognized postsecondary credential earned before graduation from high school).

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 reporting institution the prior summer term. The student may transfer with or without credit<javascript:openglossary(151)>. For systems of coordinated institutions (multi-campus system), students are to be identified as transfer-in students upon entering an institution from another institution within the same coordinated system.


Thanks,

Karla

Karla J. Oty, Ph.D.
Director, Institutional Research, Assessment, and Accountability
Cameron University
2800 W. Gore Blvd
Lawton, OK 73505
(580) 581-2899

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