Why must we report enrollments and IUs as of the census (10th-day) of classes?
State and federal mandated reporting require that we count enrollments and IUs on the census (10th-day) of class each term.
Doesn’t that mean we underreport our enrollments?
During the fall and spring terms, our overall enrollment typically peaks on the 10th day, as it is the last day for undergraduate students to add a full-term course. The drop date is later, so enrollment drops steadily between census (10th day) and the drop date. Some subsets of our courses and/or students may be undercounted because some courses have different registration deadlines. Some graduate students, for example, often are not enrolled by the 10th day because their courses begin later in the term.
Conversely, some students drop courses between the 10th day and the drop date, and some sections are cancelled after the 10th day. In both instances, the students are counted in our 10-day counts, so in these circumstances, it could be said that we are overreporting.
Enrollments change throughout the term. For most of DAIR’s reporting, we follow the state and federal reporting guidelines, which are the census (10th day) of the term.
What is the source of the census (10th-day) student enrollment and credit hour data?
On the census (10th day) of instruction of each term, Decision Support creates a snapshot of the student enrollments. This is the source for DAIR’s external and internal course reporting.
What about courses that meet in the second half of the term?
Second-eight-week courses offered in the fall and spring terms are an exception. For these sections, enrollments are counted on the last day to add courses.
What about summer and winter courses?
Every term has a census, although some are not the 10th day of instruction.
- Summer census is the same day as the deadline for all students to add part of term 1 or S2 courses.
- Winter census is the first day of instruction.
What about independent study courses such as thesis?
Independent study courses are considered to be full-term courses and we count the enrollments on the census (10th day) of class. Unfortunately, many students pick up these courses later in the term, especially if they drop other courses.
What should a department do to get full credit for all of its teaching?
- Ensure all graduate students enroll by the census (10th day) of class.
- Permit undergraduates to add courses late only for hardship reasons.
- If you bulk-enroll students in sections, make sure the enrollments are entered by the census (10th day) of class.
- If a course is second-eight-week, make sure the course is set up correctly in Banner.
What should a faculty member do to get full credit for all of their teaching?
- Do not permit unregistered students to attend class.
- Check rosters on the first day of class to make sure thesis students are registered.
- Check rosters to make sure the correct instructor name is listed.
Why are the enrollments different from the counts on class rosters?
The student enrollment data are reported using a snapshot that is created on the census (10th day) of class. Any subsequent adds and drops do not affect the enrollments and IUs reported.
Class rosters, however, are updated daily and do not use snapshot information.