Wyo. Code R. 057-0001-1
Effective Date: 05/29/2012 to 09/07/2012
Rule Type: Expired Emergency Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 057.0001.1.05292012
Emergency rules are no longer in effect 120 days after filing with the Secretary of State.
Wyoming Statutes 21-18-201 through 21-18-225.
This chapter provides definitions utilized in Commission Rules which are not provided in statute.
This section provides definitions related to the Community College Commission (Commission).
(a) “AICPA standards” means the generally accepted auditing standards promulgated by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
(b) “Accreditation” means the process by a national or regional organization to grant public recognition of a program or college, indicating that it meets established standards of quality, as determined through initial and periodic self-study and peer evaluation.
(c) “Administration Computing System” (ACS) means the system that the Commission has purchased for the community colleges and itself, allowing for the following electronic processes to occur at each institution: student services, human resources, financial services, and data reporting. Through this system, the colleges have the capability to do their own analytics and send the resulting data, as well as raw data, to the Commission. Commission staff then utilizes the data received from the colleges within its own system to build reports for entities such as the legislature.
(d) “Adult Basic Education” (ABE) means all instructional and instructional-related activities provided to anyone above the age of compulsory attendance as defined by W.S. 21-4-102, to assist adults in obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary for employment, self-sufficiency, parenting, and improved quality of life. This includes but is not limited to basic literacy, English literacy, citizenship, family literacy, and high school equivalency.
(e) “Annualized Full-Time Equivalence” (AFTE) means the sum of the number of credit full-time equivalent students for the summer, fall, and spring semesters (final report), divided by two.
(f) “Annual report” means the report required by W.S. 9-2-1014.
(g) “Associate of Applied Science” (AAS) means a terminal, two-year degree designed for students planning to enter the workplace upon degree completion. This degree enables a completer to transfer to a baccalaureate of applied science degree program and includes occupation-specific technical coursework.
(h) “Associate of Arts” (AA) means a two-year degree designed for students majoring in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and related disciplines. This degree prepares the student for transfer to a baccalaureate degree program and includes substantial coursework in the humanities, social sciences, arts and liberal arts.
(i) “Associate of Science” (AS) means a two-year degree designed for students majoring in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, business and other related disciplines. This degree prepares the student for transfer to a baccalaureate degree program and includes substantial coursework in mathematics, natural sciences, engineering, business and/or other related disciplines.
(j) “Auxiliary enterprises” means those entities that furnish goods or services to students, faculty or staff and charge a fee directly related, although not necessarily equal, to the cost of goods or services. Colleges will strive to operate their auxiliary enterprises in a self-supporting manner.
(k) “Board of Cooperative Educational Services” (BOCES) means an entity as described in W.S. 21-20-101 through 111.
“Capital Construction” (CapCon) means:
(i) Capital Improvements and Capital Assets
(A) Acquisition of land, or a legal interest in land, in conjunction with the construction of a structure.
(B) Acquisition of existing structures, or legal interests in structures, in conjunction with an approved construction project.
(ii) Pre-Construction
(A) Activities related to designing a structure, including planning; architectural design; authorizing, issuing, carrying or repaying interim or permanent financing; research; land use and environmental impact studies; energy analyses; life-cycle cost studies; acquisition of permits or licenses; printing and publishing legal notices; and other required services.
(B) Activities related to grounds development.
(iii) Construction
(A) Acquisition and assembly of required building materials.
(B) Acquisition and installation of machinery or equipment (mechanical systems), including utilities, cabling, wiring, racks and furnishings or materials that will become an integral part of a structure, and any instructional or scientific equipment.
(C) Purchase of services of contractors, architects, engineers, construction managers, and other consultants to manage and/or supervise the execution of a construction project.
(D) Procurement and placement of authorized Fixtures, Furniture and Equipment.
(E) Procurement and placement of authorized technology, computer, audio-visual and communication equipment and services.
(iv) Post-Construction
(A) Commissioning, grand opening, and issuance of certificate of occupancy.
(m) 'Census date” means the official date for reporting enrollment data and shall be the date immediately following the twelve percent (12%) completion date of the instructional period. For open entry/exit courses, the census date shall be fifteen (15) working days after the student initiates the course.
“CIP code” means the U.S. Department of Education’s classification of postsecondary programs.
(o) 'Concurrent enrollment course” means a college course section taught by high school faculty who have been approved as community college adjunct faculty and who are teaching said course as part of their duties as a school district employee. As such, these college courses simultaneously satisfy high school graduation requirements. These courses have been approved by the community college as having equivalent course content, learning objectives and work assignments as an existing college course. Course content and learning objectives are equivalent to the related community college course as determined and defined by community college faculty.
(p) 'Cost of attendance” means an estimate of the student’s educational expenses for the period of enrollment and includes tuition and fees, room and board, books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and if applicable, dependant care and costs related to disability.
(q) 'Course completion” or “completion” means a measure expressed as the percentage of enrollees who earned a grade of C or better out of all non-audit enrollees on or after the census date. More specifically, the numerator of the percentage calculation includes student course enrollments completed with grades of A, B, C, S and P. The denominator of the percentage calculation includes student course enrollments completed with grades of A, B, C, S, P, D, F, U, W and WI; student course enrollments completed with a grade of Incomplete are excluded from the denominator of the percentage calculation. This definition of completion is consistent with the National Community College Benchmark Project’s definition of enrollee success rate.
(r) 'Credit certificate' means a title conferred upon a student by a community college district upon completion of a coherent list of academic credit courses, which is less than the requirement for an associate degree.
(s) 'Credit courses' means those courses that recognize the attendance and/or performance in an instructional activity (course or program) that can be applied by a recipient to requirements for a degree, diploma or certificate.
(t) 'Credit diploma' means any title granted to a student by a community college district upon completion of a list of academic credit courses, which is less than either an associate degree or a credit certificate.
(u) 'Credit hour' means the unit by which course work is measured as defined by the Higher Learning Commission's Credit Hour Policy No 3.10(a).
(v) 'Degree' means a title conferred on a student by a district on completion of a defined academic program of study approved by the local board of trustees and the Commission.
(w) 'Discontinued program' means an instructional program that a community college has officially closed to new students and is unable to offer again until the Commission reapproves it.
(x) 'Distance learning' means the student and faculty member are separated by time or space.
(y) 'Dual enrollment credit' means credit given to qualified high school students who complete college level courses for which the community college hires and pays the instructor and in which the school district agrees to allow high school graduation credit.
(z) 'Duplicated headcount' means that within a survey or polling exercise of numerous programs and/or courses, a student may be counted more than once. See also 'Unduplicated headcount.'
(aa) 'FAFSA' means Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
(bb) 'Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act' (FERPA), (20 U.S.C. 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99 and any future amendments) means the federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
(cc) 'Federal financial assistance' means aid provided to students by the federal government in the form of grants, loans, or work-study programs.
(dd) 'Fees' means the amount charged by an individual college to cover costs including, but not limited to, specific courses and/or programs and general services. The fee assessments must be approved by the respective college prior to being published and charged.
(ee) 'Financial aid officer' means the employee of the University of Wyoming or of the community colleges designated as such.
(ff) “Financial institution” means any banking corporation or institution engaged primarily in lending or investing funds and authorized to do business in the state.
(gg) “General Educational Development” (GED) means the high school equivalency certificate obtained by passing all components of a national exam prepared by the accredited organization recognized by the Commission.
(hh) “Hybrid course” means a course which integrates distance learning and face-to-face modes to provide student access to instruction and learning.
(ii) “Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System” (IPEDS) means the web-based data collection system used for annual institution-level data collections, as required by the U.S. Department of Education.
(jj) “Levels of instruction” means college credit courses that are based on a course’s description of class size, required equipment and instructional methods necessary to successfully educate students. The level a course is assigned has been approved by the Commission, committees and councils outlined in the WCCC Policy on Consultation.
(i) Level One: Students are guided by an instructor through course material via classroom lecture, limited field trips, multimedia, text book reading, written assignments, and one-on-one tutorial. Students rely on the instructor to lead the class and assign appropriate homework, as well as tests, based on class lecture.
(ii) Level Two: Students engage in hands-on techniques in a laboratory setting that are critical for obtaining course knowledge. Students must work somewhat independently while in class to learn and demonstrate skills. Courses are supplemented but not solely based on lecture, textbook reading, field trips, writing assignments and the use of multimedia. This level also incorporates courses that have enrollment limitations.
(iii) Level Three: Students engage in courses that are highly technical or require significant ancillary equipment. These courses incorporate all methods of instruction with the primary emphasis of instruction centering on equipment: viewing, demonstrations and hands-on experiences. Level three shall also incorporate courses that have enrollment limitations.
(kk) “Long-term program” means programs that are anticipated to be continually offered. These long-term programs have gone through rigorous multi-level approval processes.
(ll) “Management Information System” (MIS) means an organized method of providing information related to past, present, and projected operations. MIS supports the planning and operational functions of an organization by furnishing uniform, timely information to assist in the decision-making process.
(mm) “National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) standards” means the generally accepted accounting standards promulgated by the National Association of College and University Business Officers and adopted by the community colleges.
(nn) “Non-credit course” means all courses that are not defined as a credit course.
(oo) “Official Custodian” of public records for the Commission means the executive director.
(pp) “Optional Mills” means a board-approved levy of up to one (1) additional mill for the regular support and operation of the college permitted by W.S. 21-18-303(b), a voter-approved levy of up to five (5) mills for specific purpose expenditures permitted by W.S. 21-18-311(f), or a board-approved levy of up to one-half (1/2) mill to maintain programs offered by a participating Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) permitted by W.S. 21-20-109(a).
(qq) “Pilot programs” means programs that have an abbreviated implementation process to meet the immediate educational needs of the community, business sector, or academic mission of the college.
(rr) “Program” means an ordered sequence of instructional coursework that upon completion leads to a community college district conferring an associate degree, conferring a credit certificate, granting a credit diploma, or granting any non-credit title.
(ss) “Total and permanent disability” means the inability to work and earn money because of an injury or illness that is expected to continue indefinitely or result in death.
(tt) “Tuition” means the rate established by the Commission to be charged by a college for enrollment in credit courses.
(uu) “Tuition cap” means a policy to limit the number of credits for which tuition is assessed within a given semester.
(vv) “Unduplicated headcount” means that within a survey or polling exercise of numerous programs and/or courses, a student shall be counted only once. See “Duplicated headcount.”
(ww) “Unmet need” means the student’s total cost of attendance minus the effective family contribution (as determined by the FAFSA process) and all aid available to the student including grants, work study programs, scholarships, or any other public or private financial aid provided to the student.
(xx) “Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education” (WICHE) is a regional, nonprofit organization. Membership includes 15 western states that work to improve access to higher education and ensure student success.
(yy) “Western Undergraduate Exchange” (WUE) is a regional tuition-reciprocity agreement that enables students from WICHE states to enroll in participating two- and four-year public institutions at 150 percent of the enrolling institution’s resident tuition rate.
This section provides definitions related to the Wyoming Investment in Nursing Program.
(a) “ADN” means a nurse who has completed an Associate’s (2-year) Degree and is eligible to take the licensure exam for registered nursing.
(b) 'Approved higher education institution' means one of the seven Wyoming community colleges, the University of Wyoming, an institution included in the WICHE, or a distance nursing education program at a university that is regionally accredited.
(c) 'BSN' means Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing.
(d) 'Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)' means a nurse aide, certified by the WY State Board of Nursing.
(e) 'Licensure examination' means the test required for the WY State Board of Nursing to grant an individual a license to practice nursing.
(f) 'Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)' means a Practical Nurse who has completed a certificate program and passed the practical nurse licensure exam as required by the WY State Board of Nursing.
(g) 'Nursing program' means a series of courses leading to an LPN certificate or an ADN degree provided through a Wyoming community college; or a BSN degree or a Master's degree provided through the University of Wyoming; or, in the case of a candidate for a doctoral degree, provided through an institution offering the required nursing education courses under contract with the WICHE, or in a distance nursing education program provided through a university that is regionally accredited.
(h) 'Practical Nurse' (PN) means a nurse who has completed a certificate program.
(i) 'Qualified work' means employment in Wyoming as an LPN or RN who practices nursing or a nurse educator who teaches at a nurse education program at a Wyoming community college or the University of Wyoming.
(j) 'Registered Nurse (RN)' means a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a regionally accredited university or college, has passed the state examination for licensure, and has been registered and licensed to practice by the WY State Board of Nursing.
(k) 'Unencumbered license' means a permit to practice nursing without restrictions imposed by the WY State Board of Nursing.
This section provides definitions related to the Wyoming Teacher Shortage Loan Repayment Program.
(a) 'Qualified work' means teaching at least fifty percent (50%) of working hours as a teacher in a Wyoming public school in a qualified area as designated in W.S. 21-7-601.