Ala. Admin. Code r. 300-2-2-.04 – Definitions Related To The Implementation Of Act 96-557

(1) General Definitions

(a) Average Annual Graduation Rate: The average number of graduates reported on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) completions survey. A five-year average will be calculated for four-year institutions and a three-year average for two-year institutions.
(b) Designated Reporting Period For Implementation: For four-year institutions, IPEDS completions data from 1991-92 through 1995-96 will be used. For two-year institutions, IPEDS completions data from 1993-94 through 1995-96 will be used.
(c) Viability Standard Annual Graduation Rate: Standard graduation rates based on annual completions reported to IPEDS, double majors and the certification of previously enrolled vocational/technical students who obtained gainful employment as a result of skills earned in the program: Diploma & Certificate Programs (45-90 quarter hours in length), Associate, Baccalaureate, 7.5 graduates per year; Master's, 3.75 graduates per year; Education Specialist, 3 graduates per year; Doctoral, 2.25 graduates per year.

(d) Programs Listed in the Academic Program Inventory as of January 15, 1997: All programs in the academic program inventory will be included with the following exceptions:

1. Any program deletion which occurs on or before the June 6, 1997 Commission meeting.
2. Programs on inactive status as of June 6, 1997.
3. Joint programs approved by the Commission as such and reflected in the Commission's academic program inventory will be removed from the inventory and reflected in a separate report (refer to Commission's operational definition of joint program). Although these programs will be subject to the viability analysis, they will be treated as single programs for purposes of calculating program viability averages. All graduates in all participating institutions will be factored into the total average for the single joint program. These joint programs include: 13.0401 Education Leadership, Ed.D, Ph.D. (UA & UAB); 14.0801 Materials/Metal Eng, Ph.D. (UA & UAB); 26.0101 Biology, MS (AAMU & UAH); 27.0301 Applied Mathematics, Ph.D. (UA, UAB, UAH); 30.9999 Materials Science, Ph.D. (UA, UAB, UAH); 31.0599 Health Education/ Promotion, Ph.D. (UA & UAB); 44.0401 Public Administration, Ph.D. (AU & AUM); and 50.0703 Art History, M.A. (UA & UAB).
4. Formal consortia recognized by the Commission will be removed from the inventory and treated in a separate report (refer to Commission's operational definition of consortium). Although these programs will be subject to the viability analysis, they will be treated as single programs for purposes of calculating program viability averages. All graduates in all participating institutions will be factored into the total average for the consortia. These formal consortia include 26.0607 Marine Biology, BA, BS (Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium); 15.0506 Water & Wastewater Technology Linkage, AAS; and 43.0201 Fire Science Linkage, AAS.

5. New programs approved from 1986 to 1996 and reinstated inactive programs will be excluded from the program viability review based on the following schedule:

Level	Max. Yrs. to Become Fully Productive	Average Required by Act 96-557	Total Years from Date of Implementation
Baccalaureate	5 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Master's	3 Years	5 Years	8 Years
Ed.S.	2 Years	5 Years	7 Years
Doctoral	5 Years	5 Years	10 Years
AAS/AAT/AA/AS	2 Years	3 Years	5 Years
Diploma/Cert.	1-2 Years*	3 Years	4 Years

*Depends on length of the certificate or diploma program.

Note: The Commission staff will evaluate all academic programs approved or reinstated since 1986 and develop a list of expected viability dates based upon implementation dates of the programs. In cases where a Diploma or Certificate has been upgraded to an AAT or AAS degree, the upgrade is not considered a new program approval. Completions at the award level prior to the upgrade will be added to the completions at the new award level for purposes of calculating the program viability averages.

(e) Waiver of Non-Viability of a Program: Formal action taken by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education which permits a program to continue for some defined period of time even though the program does not meet the viability standard annual graduation rate.

(2) Definitions Related to the Certification of Alternate Completions in Two-Year Programs

(a) Reporting Period: There are three reporting periods of the Certification of Alternate Completions: Spring, Summer, Fall 1996; Winter 1997; Spring, Summer, Fall 1995, Winter, 1996; Spring, Summer, Fall 1994, Winter, 1995. Each period is four quarters and includes the Spring Quarter of one academic year and the Summer, Fall, and Winter Quarters of the following academic year. Certification forms are due on October 1, 1997. Each reporting period will be regarded as discrete. If a student leaves a program for the purpose of gainful full-time employment in one reporting period and in a subsequent reporting period returns to school and completes 20 additional quarter hours or 15 additional semester hours of appropriate courses, that student may be counted as a "graduate" in both reporting periods for purposes of program viability.
Note: A sample certification form is filed as an attachment to 300-2-2-.03, “Certification of Previously Enrolled Vocational/Technical Students as Graduates for Purposes of Program Viability.”
(b) Student Who Leaves a Program: A previously enrolled student who meets the definitions of this policy during a defined reporting period and who is not re-admitted to the college in that program during the spring quarter or semester following certification. No student will be counted as a graduate for purposes of program viability if he (or she) is enrolled in the program during the Spring Quarter following the reporting period.
(c) Gainful Employment: New full-time employment (40 hours per week) gained as the result of completing at least 20 quarter hours or 15 semester hours in vocational/technical skills courses in a single academic program listed in the Commission's academic program inventory or existing full-time employment in which the student maintained, retained, or enhanced his/her job skills as a result of completing at least 20 quarter hours or 15 semester hours in vocational/technical skills courses in a single academic program listed in the Commission's academic program inventory.
(d) Same Field of Study as the Program: Program title and CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs Taxonomy) code which are directly linked to a previously enrolled student's position title, position description, and employer. By providing this information on the certification form, the two-year institution is asserting that the full-time employment is in the same field of study as the program. Information is subject to audit by the Commission. If any part of the "Certification for Alternate Completions" form is left blank, the student will not be counted as a graduate for purposes of program viability. The Commission staff will not follow-up with institutions to obtain missing information.
(e) Obtained the Skills in the Program: Previously enrolled student must have completed at least 20 quarter hours or 15 semester hours in skills courses in the same field of study as the program before student is eligible for certification. Courses in general education and/or courses in "related" technical/vocational skills will not count toward this requirement. Information is subject to a transcript audit by Commission to evaluate course numbers, names, and descriptions as compared to the student's employment.

(f) Vocational/Technical Program Eligible to Certify Previously Enrolled Students As Graduates for Purposes of Program Viability: Associate in Applied Science (AAS), Associate in Applied Technology (AAT), and Diploma and Certificate programs (45-90 qh) in the following fields have been defined as the vocational/technical programs eligible to certify previously enrolled students as graduates for purposes of program viability. Note that the list does not include AA or AS transfer programs or programs which train students for specific professions or jobs where state licensure or certification is required to practice.

CIP Code	Program Title
01.0101	Agriculture
01.0301	Agricultural Production
01.0601	Horticulture Services
01.0603	Horticulture, Ornamental
01.0605	Landscape Operations Management
03.0401	Forestry
08.0705	Retail Merchandising
08.0708	Marketing
08.1001	Insurance Marketing
09.9999	Telecommunications
10.0103	Photography & Film
10.0104	Radio & TV Broadcasting
11.0101	Computer Science
12.0402	Barbering
12.0403	Cosmetology
12.0503	Culinary Arts
15.0201	Civil Engineering Technology
15.0303	Electronic Engineering Technology
15.0304	Electro Optics
15.0399	Electrical Engineering Tech.
15.0401	Biomedical Equipment Technology
15.0403	Electromechanical Technology
15.0404	Instrumentation Technology
15.0501	Air Cond/Refrigeration Tech
15.0603	Industrial Engineering Tech
15.0607	Plastics Technology
15.0699	Industrial Production
15.0702	Quality Control Technology
15.0801	Avionics Technology
15.0803	Automotive Technology
15.0805	Mechanical Design Technology
15.0899	Mechanical Engineering Tech
15.0901	Mining Technology
15.1001	Construction Management Tech
15.1101	Engineering Technology
15.9999	Engineering Technology
20.0102	Child Development
20.0201	Child Development
20.0301	Textile Technology
20.0303	Commercial Sewing
20.0401	Food Service Management
20.0404	Food & Nutrition
20.0409	Commercial Food Service
20.0501	Interior Design
20.0599	Floristry
22.0103	Legal Assistant/Paralegal
25.0301	Library Assistant
30.9999	Nuclear Power Instrumentation Tech
31.0101	Recreation/Recreation Leadership
31.0301	Golf Course Management/Leisure Facilities Management/Parks & Recreation Management
41.0205	Nuclear Power Operations Technology
41.0301	Chemical Technology
43.0107	Criminal Justice
43.0202	Fire Science
44.0201	Community Services, General
44.0701	Social Worker Technician
46.0101	Masonry
46.0201	Carpentry
46.0302	Electrical Technology
46.0401	Building Maintenance
46.0499	Building Construction
46.0501	Plumbing
47.0101	Consumer Electronics
47.0102	Electronic Machine Repair
47.0103	Communications Electronics
47.0105	Industrial Electronics Tech
47.0106	Major Appliance Repair
47.0201	Heating & Air Conditioning
47.0303	Industrial Maintenance Tech
47.0408	Watch & Jewelry Repair
47.0603	Automotive Body Repair
47.0604	Auto Mechanics
47.0605	Diesel Mechanics
47.0606	Small Engine Repair
47.0607	Aviation Maintenance Technology
47.0608	Aircraft Mechanics, Powerplant
47.0699	General Aviation Technology
47.9999	Turf Equipment Management
48.0101	Drafting & Design Technology
48.0201	Graphics & Printing
48.0299	Graphics & Printing
48.0303	Upholstery
48.0304	Shoe & Boot Repair
48.0501	Patternmaking Technology
48.0503	Machine Shop Technology
48.0506	Sheet Metal Worker
48.0507	Machine Tool Technology
48.0508	Welding
48.0599	Computer Numerical Control
48.0702	Furniture Refinishing
48.0703	Cabinet Making
49.0102	Flight Technology (Commercial)
49.0107	Aviation Technology (Private)
49.0202	Heavy Equipment Operator
49.9999	Transportation Management
50.0402	Commercial Art/Visual Comm & Comp Graphics
50.9999	Music Industry Communications
51.0801	Medical Assistant
51.1614	Nursing Assistant
51.1801	Optical Technology
52.0101	Management & Supervision/Business & Management, Gen
52.0204	Office Administration
52.0302	Accounting Technology
52.0401	Office Administration/Secretarial Studies
52.0405	Court Reporting
52.0408	Clerical Technology
52.0803	Banking & Finance/Finance Administration
52.0901	Hospitality Services Management
52.0902	Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Management
52.1501	Real Estate
52.9999	Business & Management, Other

Author: Kitty C. Collier

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, 16-5-1, et.seq., and in implementation of Act 96-557.

History: New Rule: Filed August 4, 1997; effective September 8, 1997.