Data Policies & Dictionary
Data management is guided by federal and state law, institutional and regents’ policies, industry best practices and ethical principles. To learn more about the principles followed by Institutional Research and Analytics, visit the Student Success Framework page.
FERPA Policy and Proxy Information
OSU Policies
OSU has established several policies that govern the use and storage of data. Other policies not listed below may address data within specific circumstances. Individual offices may also set standards and requirements as needed.
1-0130 Open Records (PDF)1-0136 Digital Accessibility (PDF)2-0701 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Buckley Amendment) (PDF)3-0322 Electronic Use of Social Security Numbers (PDF)3-0601 Appropriate Use Policy (PDF)3-0602 Data Stewardship: Data Classification Policy, Responsibilities and Guidelines (PDF)3-0604 Information & Resources: Access Control Policy (PDF)3-0605 Information Security: Security Awareness (PDF)
State and Federal Regulations
OSU abides by all applicable state and federal law regarding the use of and storage of data.
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act 1986 (US) 18 USC 1030The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB)Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)Oklahoma Computer Crimes StatutesPayment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI)Sarbanes-Oxley Act
FERPA Policy and Proxy Instructions
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is the federal law that protects
student information. All employees (including student employees) at OSU must follow
the guidelines established by FERPA, and a training and test must be completed and
passed before they are granted access to student data. Students may designate individuals
with whom the university may share their information. These designees are referred to as “proxies.” Visit the Registrar’s Office’s website to learn more about FERPA and to review instructions for students to identify proxies.
Record Retention
Record retention schedules are established by the Oklahoma Archives and Records Commission. These schedules establish the minimum length of time that documents and records must be stored and identifies the acceptable methods of destruction. The OSU Archives reviews all requests for record destruction to determine if the documents should be preserved, retained in the originating department, or destroyed. Confidential student and personnel records are never accepted to the archives. Learn more on the Library’s website.
Individual and aggregated data may be stored longer than the minimum guidelines in order to meet long-term reporting and analytics requirements, as identified by law or university need.
2-0214 Retention of Gradebooks and Records (PDF)3-0190 Records and Documents Retention, Security, and Control
Website Privacy Notice
OSU utilizes many vendors who may collect information from users in order to provide services. Each vendor has
their own Terms of Service, which may include a privacy policy. Please be aware of each of these as there may be differences in expectations and
methods to address grievances.
OSU-owned websites have a Privacy Notice and Terms of Service which you can review at this site.
Data Dictionary
Below is a selection of data-related terminology to help you participate in conversations about data at OSU. Source links can be found at the bottom of this page.
A-C
- Academic Period/Term
Source: IRA
Another word for semester; in OSU’s data, the academic period is six digits, with the first four reflecting the calendar year, and the final two reflecting the semester; the most common are 20 (spring), 40 (summer), and 60 (fall)
- Academic Standing
Source: Modified from University Catalog
Undergraduate students in Good Academic Standing must have a minimum overall retention/graduation GPA of at least 1.70 for their first 30 hours and a 2.0 GPA for all hours following; students who do not meet these criteria may be placed on Academic Notice, Warning, Probation, or Suspension
- Access Custodian
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
An individual responsible for implementing the controls identified and/or specified by this policy and the Data Custodian; appropriate processing, storage, and transmittal protocols of information are under the purview of the Access Custodian
- Accreditation
Source: Modified from US Dept of Education
The goal of accreditation is to ensure that institutions of higher education meet acceptable levels of quality. Accreditation in the United States involves non-governmental entities (accrediting organizations) as well as federal and state government agencies. Accreditation's quality assurance function is one of the three main elements of oversight governing the Higher Education Act's (HEA's) federal student aid programs. In order for students to receive federal student aid from the U.S. Department of Education for postsecondary study, the institution must be accredited by a "nationally recognized" accrediting agency.
Source: University Catalog
Oklahoma State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Programs within the colleges also hold area accreditation.
- Admissions Population (Admission Type)
Source: Modified from University Catalog
Describes the method of application and admission for the student’s current matriculation; reflects the student’s history with OSU and other institutions, and whether or not a degree is being pursued; this is the same field as Admission Type in the Student Profile
Correspondence Only (Z): student enrolled only in Individual Study courses, which do not require admission to the university
Freshman (FR): student who has earned no more than six hours of college level credit after graduation from high school; this excludes credits earned concurrently with high school enrollment and credit earned by examination
Graduate or Prof. New (GN): a graduate or professional student in their first semester at OSU
Graduate or Prof. Readmit (GR): an admitted graduate student who has attended OSU previously, but whose break in continuous enrollment was long enough to require a new application
Non-Degree (ND): student who wishes to enroll in courses without intending to pursue a degree may be permitted to enroll in up to nine credit hours without satisfying admission requirements; may be undergraduate or graduate, but the credit hour limit is applied by person, not level, until the student becomes degree-seeking and the count is reset
Readmit (RA): an admitted undergraduate student who has attended OSU previously, but was not enrolled during the immediate past semester (except the summer session), who has submitted an updated Application for Admission/Scholarship, a current application fee or waiver, and a transcript for any other college or university in which they have enrolled since last attending OSU
Transfer 1 (T1): student who has earned seven to 23 semester hours of college-level credit after graduation from high school from a different institution
Transfer 2 (T2): student who has earned 24 or more semester hours of college-level credit after graduation from high school from a different institution
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- Some reports divide T2 students further for institutional purposes. In these reports, T2 refers to students who have earned 24 or more semester hours, but have not completed a degree. T3 students have completed at least one degree, most often an associate.
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- Age
Source: IRA
Beginning with 2016 data, a student's age is calculated from the day of birth recorded in the census dataset; prior to the Banner conversion, a student's age was calculated from the birth year alone
- Aggregate Data
Source: EdGloss
Refers to numerical or non-numerical information that is (1) collected from multiple sources and/or on multiple measures, variables, or individuals and (2) compiled into data summaries or summary reports, typically for the purposes of public reporting or statistical analysis—i.e., examining trends, making comparisons, or revealing information and insights that would not be observable when data elements are viewed in isolation
- Anonymized Data
Source: IES-SLDS
Data that have been de-identified, and they do not include a re-identification code; in an anonymized data file, the student case numbers in the data records cannot be linked back to the original student record system
- Bad Actors
Source: Hanover; Solink
Bad actors are individuals or groups who attack and invade digital systems with malicious intent. They are cybercriminals that use techniques such as hacking, phishing and other scams for variety of malicious reasons and often for personal gain. They can be motivated by anything from money, politics, or a general harmful objective. They are often called cyber threat actors (CTAs), threat actors, or malicious actors.
- Banner Student Population (Student Type)
Source: IRA
Field which uses application data to determine Student Population value at the time of the report; updated to reflect when a new, transfer or readmit student has changed majors within the term; this is the same field as Student Type in the Student Profile
Variables include:
Continuing/Returning (C): student who was enrolled at OSU the previous semester (does not require summer enrollment)Correspondence Only (Z): student enrolled only in Individual Study courses, which do not require admission to the university
High School (H): high school concurrent student
New First Time (N): new freshman student enrolled in their first semester of college following their high school graduation and new graduate and professional students in their first semester at OSU
Readmit (R): students who have returned to the university after a break in continuous enrollment (does not include summer breaks)
Special (S): includes undergraduate and graduate non-degree-seeking students, Orange Opportunity scholars, and graduate students enrolled in undergraduate courses to meet program prerequisites
Transfer (T): new transfer students who enrolled at OSU after earning at least seven hours of college-level credit after their high school graduation
- Campus
Source: IRA
Stillwater-based reports will indicate several campuses including:
CHS = Center for Health Sciences - Tulsa
NOC = Northern Oklahoma College - Stillwater
ONL = Online
TUL = Tulsa
STW = Stillwater
VM = OSU - Veterinary Medicine
System-based reports will include multiple institutions:
CHS = Center for Health Sciences - Tulsa
LU = Langston University
NEO = Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College - Miami
OKC = OSU Oklahoma City
OKM = OSUIT - Okmulgee
OPS = Oklahoma Panhandle State University
STW/TUL/VM = Oklahoma State University - Main Campus
WAR = Connors State College - Warner
- Census
Source: IRA
A standard method and day to collect snapshot data to establish a population; Census data is needed to create a permanent, static set of data that can be used for comparison over time and for standardized reporting; a census is often taken after the 10th day of class and at the end of each semester
- CIP Codes
Source: NCES
The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) provides a taxonomic scheme that supports the accurate tracking and reporting of fields of study and program completions activity
Source: IRA
Standardized codes used to report statistics for academic programs and majors
- Classification (Class)
Source: Modified from University Catalog
For undergraduates, identifies the number of overall semester credit hours earned: freshman (< 30), sophomore (30-59), junior (60-89), and senior (90+)
Source: IRA
Additional categories may be reflected in this field for IRA reports including special undergraduate, special graduate, master, doctorate, and professional (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine; includes cohort membership: 1st year, 2nd year, etc)
- Cohort
Source: IRA
A distinct population that is tracked over time
A group of students who are admitted together and who enroll in courses in a standardized sequence or schedule
- College
Source: IRA
Within Oklahoma State University, there are several degree- and non-degree granting colleges that organize departments, faculty, and students into distinct administrative units.
Degree-Granting Colleges
Arts & Sciences (AS; CAS)Center for Health Sciences (CG; CHS)
Education and Human Sciences (EH; EHS)
Engineering, Architecture and Technology (EN; CEAT)
Ferguson College of Agriculture (FC; AGRI)
Global Studies and Partnerships (GS; GSP)Professional Studies (PS; PS)
Spears School of Business (SB; SSB)
Veterinary Medicine (VM; CVM)Non-Degree-Granting Colleges
Graduate College (GR; GC)
Honors College (HC; HONR)
University College (UC; UC)(Banner Codes; College Abbreviation)
- College Groups
Source: IRA
Due to the variety of majors housed in some colleges, it can occasionally be useful to divide majors into smaller, related groups. These are common ways of analyzing subpopulations of majors within select colleges.
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- Arts & Sciences
- Arts and Humanities
- Math and Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Interdisciplinary Programs
- Engineering, Architecture and Technology
- Engineering & Architecture
- Engineering Technology
- Education and Human Sciences
- Aviation
- Education
- Human Sciences
- Arts & Sciences
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- Compensation
Source: IRA
Total compensation includes base salary and benefits paid by the University, such as retirement, health insurance, dependent tuition waivers, staff tuition waivers, etc.
- Concurrent Students
Source: University Catalog
A student who is currently enrolled as a high school junior or senior and is interested in earning college coursework during their junior or senior year of high school
- Conditions of Use
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
The restrictions around allowed use of information or data by Data Users or the acceptable circumstances under which Data Users encounter data
- Continuing Student
Source: IRA
A student who was enrolled at OSU the previous semester (does not require summer enrollment)
- Cost of Attendance
Source: SFA
Cost of attendance (COA) is the total, average amount of money it will reasonably cost a student to attend OSU during one school year (fall and spring semesters); Students are grouped in COA categories based on: residency status (in-state or out-of-state tuition), type of academic program (undergraduate, graduate or veterinary medicine), housing status (on/off campus or with parents), and number of hours enrolled; cost of attendance is used to determine eligibility for financial aid awards
- Cowboy Data Round-Up (CDR)
Source: IRA
Data visualization dashboards available to the public as well as the OSU community to view institutional statistics in a responsive environment; allows user to filter data by different variables; access may be restricted based on user role
Learn more and access dashboards at https://ira.okstate.edu/cdr/ - CRM (Customer/Constituent Relationship Management System)
Source: IRA
A software that manages data tied to individuals and allows an organization to send specific communication based on unique characteristics; OSU’s CRM is Slate
D-F
- Dashboard
Source: OK Glossary
A centralized, interactive, and visual display of data used to monitor conditions or facilitate understanding
Source: IRA
The Cowboy Data Round-Up (CDR) is where IRA hosts OSU's dashboards.
- Data
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
Information collections, either electronic (e.g. databases, spreadsheets, email, etc.) or non-electronic (e.g., paper files, publications, hardcopy research, etc.); information or knowledge concerning a particular fact or circumstance, gained via business operations, academic study, communications, research, instruction, or otherwise, within the pursuit of the University’s mission
- Data Analytics
Source: OK Glossary
Interpretation of information in context, typically through use of statistical measures, data models, reports, and dashboards
- Data Archiving
Source: W3C
The set of practices around the storage and monitoring of the state of digital material over the years
- Data Breach
Source: OK Glossary
The loss, theft, or other unauthorized access to data containing sensitive personal information, in electronic or printed form, that results in the potential compromise of the confidentiality or integrity of the data
- Data Classification
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
Refers to the level of sensitivity of data for which OSU is responsible
Confidential/Regulated: data protected specifically by federal, state, or OSU rules and regulations (e.g. FERPA, Gramm-Leach-Bliley, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, U.S Export Controlled information, Board of Regents policies, etc.) and/or data which includes information which requires protection under contractual agreements (e.g., NonDisclosure Agreements, various Memoranda of Understanding, Granting or Funding Agency Agreements, etc.)
Internal: data available for release under appropriate mechanisms in a controlled and lawful manner
Public: data available without requirements for confidentiality, integrity, or availability
- Data Consumer
Source: W3C
A person or group accessing, using, and potentially performing post-processing steps on data
- Data Custodian
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
The authoritative head of the respective College, Division or Department, or a Principal Investigator or Project Director; those who manage and protect data and are responsible for operations relating to the information
- Data Format
Source: W3C
A specific convention for data representation i.e., the way that information is encoded and stored for use in a computer system, possibly constrained by a formal data type or set of standards
- Data Integration
Source: OK Glossary
The process of retrieving data from multiple source systems and combining it in such a way that it can yield consistent, comprehensive, current, and correct information for business reporting and analysis
- Data Literacy
Source: USG modified from health literacy
The degree to which an individual has the capacity to obtain, communicate, process, and understand data and technology information and services in order to make appropriate decisions
- Data Mining
Source: NIST
An analytical process that attempts to find correlations or patterns in large data sets for the purpose of data or knowledge discovery
- Data Owner
Source: ISACA
The individual(s), normally a manager or director, who has responsibility for the integrity, accurate reporting and use of computerized data
- Data Producer
Source: W3C
A person or group responsible for generating and maintaining data
- Data Release
Source: modified from USGS
Data publishing as either raw data or as part of a report or dashboard
- Data Repository
Source: USGS
A centralized place to store and maintain data; this may include archived data
- Data Sharing
Source: USGS
Formal contracts that detail what data are being shared and the appropriate use for the data
- Data Standards
Source: USGS
The guidelines by which data are described and recorded; in order to share, exchange, combine and understand data, data must be standardized to the format as well as the meaning
- Data Steward
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
An individual with the responsibility for coordinating the implementation of policy through the establishment of definitions of the data sets available for access and the development of policies and/or access procedures for those data sets
- Data User
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
An individual, whether authorized or not, who makes use of, accesses, creates, or alters information
- Data Visualization
Source: Tech
The process of displaying data/information in graphical charts, figures and bars
- Data Warehouse
Source: Gartner
A storage architecture designed to hold data extracted from transaction systems, operational data stores and external sources; the warehouse then combines that data in an aggregate, summary form suitable for enterprisewide data analysis and reporting for predefined business needs; contains data arranged into abstracted subject areas with time-variant versions of the same records, with an appropriate level of data grain or detail to make it useful across two or more different types of analyses most often deployed
- Demographics
Source: Modified from MW
The statistical characteristics of people (such as age or race) used especially to identify populations
- Department
Source: IRA
For academic reports, each college is divided into Academic Departments, which manage one or more majors; for Human Resources reports, each division and college are divided into Administrative Departments and are assigned organization codes
- Derived Preferred Name
Source: IRA
A field in IRA reports that selects the student’s Preferred First Name if available, or their First Name if not available to ensure that every entry contains a name, with priority given to the Preferred First Name
- Derived Student Population
Source: IRA
Calculated field which uses application data to determine Student Population value at first of term; used to reflect first of term value even if a new, transfer or readmit student has changed major within the term
Continuing (C): students who were enrolled at OSU the previous semester (does not require summer enrollment)High School (H): high school concurrent students only
New First Time (N): new freshmen enrolled in their first semester of college following their high school graduation and new graduate or professional student in their first semester at OSU
Readmit (R): students who have returned to the university after a break in continuous enrollment (does not include summer breaks)
Readmit with Transfer Work (R-T): students who have returned to the university after a break in continuous enrollment at OSU and who enrolled at another institution during that break (does not include summer breaks)
Special (S): includes undergraduate and graduate non-degree-seeking students, Orange Opportunity scholars, and graduate students enrolled in undergraduate courses to meet program prerequisites
Transfer (T): students who enrolled at OSU after earning at least seven hours of college-level credit after their high school graduation
- DFWI Rate
Source: IRA
The percentage of students in a course who receive a grade of D, F, or I, or who withdrew (W)
- Directory Information
Source: FERPA
Information contained in an education record of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed
- Disclosure
Source: FERPA
To permit access to or the release, transfer, or other communication of personally identifiable information contained in records by any means, including oral, written, or electronic means, to any party except the party identified as the party that provided or created the record
- Division
Source: IRA
Oklahoma State University is divided into six divisions with each report to a Vice President.
Divisions include:
Provost & Academic Affairs
Administration and Finance
Enrollment & Brand Management
Access and Community Impact
Student Affairs
Research - Doctoral Student
Source: IRA
A student who is pursuing a doctoral degree and admitted through the Graduate College (not the College of Veterinary Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine)
- Education Records
Source: FERPA
Those records that are (1) directly related to a student; and (2) maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution
Examples: Class lists, grade rosters, records of advising sessions, grades, financial aid applications
- EFC (Expected Family Contribution)
Source: SFA
An index number used by institutions to determine a student’s eligibility for federal student financial aid and award amount; this number results from information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); the number is calculated according to a formula established by law and considers the student’s family’s taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits
- End User
Source: MW
The ultimate consumer of a finished product
- Engagement
Source: IRA
The degree to which students actively participate in activities and programs on campus outside of the classroom; includes both attitudes and behaviors that reflect a greater level of investment in the educational process on campus
Measured through appointments with academic, career, and tutoring services; check-ins at events and facilities sponsored by the Departments of Wellness, First Year Success, and student organizations; Student Engagement surveys; and more
- Enrolled
Source: IRA
Students who are registered in at least one course for a specific term
- Enterprise Data
Source: USG
Sum of all data collected, created, used, managed, maintained, shared and stored by entities and programs that warrants stewardship by the appropriate data stewards from an enterprise perspective
- ePHI (Electronic Protected Health Information)
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
Health information protected by law; examples include health records, patient treatment information, health insurance billing information, health benefits information
- EPrint
Source: IRA
A repository of scheduled and ad hoc reports that compile data regarding students, human resources, finances, accounts receivable, payroll, and other topics, for all system institutions; file formats are generally PDF, Excel, or CSV
- Ethnicity
Source: IRA
A federal category for classifying students and employees which indicates if the person is Hispanic or Non-Hispanic; this is a separate category from Race; in OSU reports, an ethnicity of Hispanic will be reported in the Race field, which will supersede race selections
- FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
Source: IRA
This is a free application created by the US Department of Education to evaluate a student’s (or their family’s) ability to pay for college; students are assigned an EFC number which is transmitted to all colleges a student indicates, which helps institutions award financial aid
OSU’s school code is 003170
- FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
Source: University Catalog
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA, also known as the Buckley Amendment) was designed to protect the privacy of educational records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their educational records in all offices, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings.
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
Federal law that protects education records. Examples: Class lists, grade rosters, records of advising sessions, grades, financial aid applications
- Financial Aid
Source: SFA
Assistance for students to help pay for college available from federal, state, university and private resources
- Financial Need
Source: FAFSA
The difference between the cost of attendance (COA) at a school and your Expected Family Contribution (EFC); while COA varies from school to school, EFC does not change based on the school the student attends
- First-Generation Student
Source: IRA
A first-generation students comes from a family where neither parent nor guardian attended a college or university
Source: Access and Community Impact
A first-generation students comes from a family where neither parent nor guardian has a four-year degree from a college or university
- First-Time/Full-Time Freshman (FTFT)
Source: IRA
New freshmen attending college for the first time starting in the summer or fall semester who are also enrolled at least 12 hours at OSU during their first fall semester; concurrent enrollment during high school does not count as prior attendance
- Full-Time/Part-Time Students (Time Status)
Source: IRA
During the fall and spring semesters, students enrolled in a minimum number of hours are considered full-time, with a few exceptions:
Undergraduate students: 12 hours
Graduate students with no GTA or GRA position: 9 hours
Graduate students with a GTA or GRA position: 6 hours
Doctoral candidates (doctoral students who have completed their coursework): 2 hours
Professional students (Veterinary Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine): always considered full-time
During their last two semesters, for some purposes such as financial aid, students may be considered full-time with enrollment below the requirements if they are on-track to graduate.
- Full-Time Equivalency (FTE)
Source: IRA
Employees: percentage of 40 hours per week an employee is expected to work in a specific position; 40 hours is considered 100% or 1.0; full-time employees have at least 0.75 FTE
Faculty: percentage of appointment dedicated to a particular task, role, or service
G-I
- GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
European Union regulation that protects personal data of EU or European Economic Area citizens or individual personal data transferred from within to outside the EU and EEA areas. Example: an individual EU citizen’s personal data provided to the University
- GLBA (Gramm-Leach-Bliley/Financial Services Modernization Act)
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
Federal law that protects Bursar or Financial Aid records
- GPA (Grade Point Average)
Source: IRA
Calculated field that assigns a numerical value to the final grade of each credit-bearing course completed by a student and derives an average numerical score based on the total number of completed hours
Retention/Graduation GPA: also known as “overall” or “cumulative” GPA; includes all OSU and transfer coursework by level (excludes grades replacements and 0-credit coursework)
OSU/Insititution GPA: includes only OSU coursework by level (excludes grades replacements and 0-credit coursework)
Transfer GPA: includes only coursework completed at other institutions by level
Midterm GPA: includes only coursework for a specific term that also had a midterm grade submitted (courses with no midterm grade are excluded from the calculation)
Semester GPA: includes only coursework for a specific term
Previous Academic Period GPA: includes only coursework for the previous term
High School Core GPA: includes secondary school coursework in core 15 units according to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions: 4 units of English (Grammar, Composition and Literature); 3 units of Mathematics (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II and above); 3 units of History and Citizenship Skills (Must include 1 unit of American history and 2 units from the subjects of history, Economics, Geography, Government, Civics and/or Non-Western Culture); 3 units lab science (Biology, Chemistry, Physical Sciences, Physics or any lab science certified by school district); and 2 units of other courses selected from any of the sections above or computer science or foreign language
High School Cumulative GPA: includes all coursework completed at the secondary school level
- Graduate Student
Source: IRA
A student who is pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree; these students have generally already received at least a bachelor's degree
“Graduate” may also refer to a student who has received any degree from an institution
- Graduation Rate
Source: IRA
Percentage of first-time students from six-years prior who graduated before the start of their seventh year; only students who were full-time during their first fall semester are included
- Hidden Populations
Source: RisforThursday
In general, hidden populations in higher education are not easily visually identified, do not have a formal space or voice, and may be motivated to remain anonymous. Populations typically fall somewhere on a continuum of hidden through becoming visible, although that determination is time and context specific.
- High School Source
Source: IRA
The high school that awarded a student their diploma
- High Time-Commitment Activity
Source: IRA
A regularly occurring OSU activity that is usually scheduled for at least 10 hours a week, such as Band, Athletics, or Greek Life, that may prevent a student from participating in other scheduled activities
- HIPAA (Health Information Portability and Accountability Act)
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
Federal law that protects certain health information. Examples: Health records, patient treatment information, health insurance billing information, health benefits information
- Human Resources Report Details
College/Division
Source: IRA
For the purposes of reporting within the department of Human Resources, the following organizations are used to comprehensively identify all positions within OSU colleges and divisions:
Academic Affairs
Access and Community Impact
Administration & Finance
Arts & Sciences
Athletics
Board Of Regents
Business Administration
Center For Veterinary Health Sciences
Div Agricultrl Sci & Natural Resrcs
Education & Human Sciences
Engineering, Architectr & Technolgy
Enrollment Mgmt & Mktg
General University
Graduate College
Health Affairs
Library
Research
Student Affairs
System Operations
Campus
Source: IRA
For the purposes of reporting within the department of Human Resources, the following list identifies all campuses within the OSU system:
Connors
Center For Health Sciences
Langston
NEO
Oklahoma City
OSU Institute Of Technology
OSU-STW
Panhandle State
Tulsa
- Information Asset
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
Any University-owned, -leased, -protected, or otherwise authorized information or data
- Information Life Cycle Management (ILM)
Source: Gartner
An approach to data and storage management that recognizes that the value of information changes over time and that it must be managed accordingly; ILM seeks to classify data according to its business value and establish policies to migrate and store data on the appropriate storage tier and, ultimately, remove it altogether
- Information Technology Resources
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
Technology and/or computer resources including, but not limited to, personal computers, workstations, mainframes, mobile devices (laptops, tablets, smart phones, etc.), printing equipment, and all associated peripherals and software, and electronic mail accounts, regardless of whether the resource is used for administration, research, teaching, or other purposes
- Information System
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
Any resource or equipment used for accessing or for controlling access of information assets
- Instructional Method (Course Delivery)
Source: IRA
Identifies the primary method of instruction for the course.
Blended/Hybrid (BH): a combination of face-to-face and online instruction
Computer based/Online (WEB): all instruction and coursework is completed on a computer or other device; online courses may also be identified by course attribute, OUTR
Independent Study (IS): students generally work individually with an instructor to meet the needs of the student's program; course delivery is determined by the instructor; common goals of independent study courses include internships, practicums, specialized readings, and thesis or dissertation hours
Traditional (TRAD): face-to-face instruction
Other terms associated with course delivery include:
Asynchronous: courses do not hold regularly scheduled meetings, but students have frequent deadlines to complete coursework within the term
Synchronous: courses meet with the instructor at regularly scheduled times, whether face-to-face or online
- Involvement
Source: IRA
The degree to which students attend activities and programs on campus outside of the classroom; only considers behaviors, but not attitudes
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System)
Source: NCES
A system of interrelated surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in the federal student financial aid programs
- IRB (Insititutional Review Board)
Source: IRA
Compliance review and approval body regarding research involving human subjects as set forth in the report of the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, entitled Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research, often referred to as the Belmont Report; required by federal regulations
J-L
- Learning Analytics
Source: Siemens
The measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimizing learning and the environments in which it occurs
- Level
Source: IRA
Student classifications may be grouped by degree type as undergraduate (all bachelor’s classifications), graduate (master’s or doctoral), professional (Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine), or non-credit (Orange Opportunity)
M-O
- Master's Student
Source: IRA
A student pursuing a master’s degree
- Military-Affiliated Students (Student Veterans)
Source: IRA
Students who have served in the military or uniformed services, or who are currently serving, or their spouses and dependents; these students can be further identified by specific affiliation category
All students who are verified as having served in the military or uniformed services will have the Military (MIL) attribute. Additional methods for identifying the type of military affiliation are listed below.
Active Duty: identified by Veteran Type Active Duty (A) OR Student Attribute Active Duty Military (ADMI) OR a Military Flag (Y)
Dependents: identified by Veteran Type Chapter 33 Transfer of Eligibility (L) with a blank Veteran Category OR by Veteran Type Chapter 33 (3) or Yellow Ribbon (Y) with a Veteran Category Transfer of Eligibility (Ch. 33 Child/Spouse) (TE)
Dependents/Survivors: identified by Veteran Type Chapter 35 (5)
Reservists: identified by Veteran Type Chapter 1606 (6) or Chapter 1607 (7) with a blank Veteran Category
Uniformed Services: identified by the Military (MIL) attribute only; includes the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Service
Veterans: identified by Veteran Type Chapter 30 (0), Chapter 31(1), Chapter 33 (3), Chapter 34 (4) or Yellow Ribbon (Y) with a blank Veteran Category
Military Affiliation Category Veteran Type Veteran Category Student Attribute Active Military Flag Active Duty A OR ADMI OR Y Dependents L OR
3, Y AND
TEDependents/ Survivors 5 Reservists 6, 7 Uniformed Services MIL only Veterans 0, 1, 3, 4, Y - Minority Status
Source: APLU
Includes reported race/ethnicity of American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; White, Asian, International, Multiracial, and Unknown are considered non-minorities
Source: IRA
Includes all races/ethnicities except White, International, and Unknown
- Need Rank
Source: IRA
A derived value ranging from 0 to 5 based on financial need as determined by the FAFSA. A value of 0 indicates no financial need while a value of 5 indicates significant financial need.
- New First Time
Source: IRA
A new freshman student enrolled in their first semester of college following their high school graduation or a new graduate or professional student in their first semester at OSU
- New Freshman
Source: IRA
A degree-seeking undergraduate student in their first semester at OSU with fewer than seven hours of college credit earned; this does not include hours earned through Advanced Placement or concurrent high school enrollment
- New Transfer
Source: IRA
A degree-seeking undergraduate student in their first semester at OSU with seven or more hours of college credit earned before their first semester at OSU; this does not include hours earned through Advanced Placement or concurrent high school enrollment
- Non-Degree Seeking Student
Source: University Catalog
A student who wishes to enroll in courses without intending to pursue a degree; may be permitted to enroll in up to nine credit hours without satisfying admission requirements
- Non-Traditional Student
Source: NCES
The identification of undergraduate students as “non-traditional” is reliant on the context of the institution and the decision-making needs. Commonly, a student’s age at the time of entry to the university is considered, with those who are 25 or older identified as non-traditional. Other measures may be considered including financial independence, full-time employment, or caregiving responsibilities.
- Online Course
Source: IRA
See Instructional Method
- Open Records
Source: Modified from OSU Policy 1-0130
Records that are available to the public via the Oklahoma Open Records Act (51 O.S. §24A)
Open records are records that are NOT 1) confidential and sealed to public accessibility (such as proprietary information), 2) privileged and non-discoverable, 3) of private interest to individuals, or 4) restricted by state or federal statutes.
- Orientation and Enrollment
Source: IRA
Programming for new undergraduate students prior to the start of their first semester where they learn about campus resources, meet with academic advisors and enroll in classes
- Othot Platform
Source: IRA
A vendor-supported predictive and prescriptive analytics platform for OSU students which provides insights into individual and population factors that influence their likelihood to be retained one year and to graduate within four years
Go to http://ira.okstate.edu/othot to learn more about the implementation of this platform and terms that are specific to it.
P-R
- PCI (Payment Card Industry)
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
Federal law that protects information dealing with debit, credit, prepaid, e-commerce, ATM, and POS cards. Examples: credit card numbers, names and other information used for payment processing
- Persistence
Source: IRA
Refers to a student's continued enrollment status at OSU from one academic period to the next, regardless of entry term or population (i.e. cohort)
- Personal Identifiers
Source: OSU Policy 3-0602
Data items which, when stored or used with other information, can identify a unique individual. Examples: Social Security Numbers, driver’s license numbers and bank account numbers
- PII (Personally Identifiable Information)
Source: FERPA
Information that, alone or in combination, is linked or linkable to a specific student that would allow a reasonable person in the school community, who does not have personal knowledge of the relevant circumstances, to identify the student with reasonable certainty
- Population
Source: IRA
Groups of people with similar or specific characteristics
- Pre-CEAT
Source: IRA
Students admitted between Spring 2019 and Fall 2023 were assigned to the “Pre-CEAT” (PCGS) major and advised by University College Advising if they wanted to pursue a major within the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture but fell below the following criteria:
ACT <24 or MATH ACT < 24 (or the SAT equivalent) or HS Core GPA < 3.5
After implementing universal freshman advising by the Office of Student Success in Summer 2024, student majors were no longer changed based on college criteria. However, many reports and dashboards still utilize a “Pre-CEAT” flag to ensure that this population of students receives appropriate support towards retention and degree completion. - Predictive Modeling
Source: Gartner
A commonly used statistical technique to predict future behavior. Predictive modeling solutions are a form of data-mining technology that works by analyzing historical and current data and generating a model to help predict future outcomes. In predictive modeling, data is collected, a statistical model is formulated, predictions are made, and the model is validated (or revised) as additional data becomes available.
- Privacy
Source: NIST
Assurance that the confidentiality of, and access to, certain information about an entity is protected; the right of a party to maintain control over and confidentiality of information about itself
- Professional Student
Source: IRA
A student who is pursuing a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
- Program
Source: IRA
The combination of degree, major, and college; can also include concentration and option
- Program Number (Curriculum Priority Number)
Source: IRA
Indicates the priority of degree programs for a student; the primary degree is a “1”; a secondary degree or major is a “2” and so on; having a secondary program is not the same as having a “double-major,” which indicates that two majors are included in the same priority program; in reports where only one program/level is reported, the student will be included using only their primary program
- Readmission Student (Readmit)
Source: Modified from University Catalog
An undergraduate student who has attended OSU but was not enrolled during the immediate past semester (not including summer) and who has reapplied for admission for an upcoming semester
A graduate student who has attended OSU but was not enrolled during the immediate past year and who has reapplied for admission for an upcoming semester
- Record
Source: FERPA
Any information recorded in any way, including, but not limited to, handwriting, print, computer media, video or audio tape, film, microfilm, and microfiche
Source: IRA
In reports formatted as spreadsheets, the data contained within a single row
- Reported Race
Source: IRA
Descriptive categories that are established by the federal government: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Multiracial, Unknown, International (Nonresident Alien)
Hispanic: individuals who indicate an ethnicity of Hispanic or Latino are categorized as such in this category regardless of race selections
International (Nonresident Alien): a person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely
Multiracial: students who select more than one race and do not indicate Hispanic or Latino ethnicity; OSU students have been able to select more than one reported race since Fall 2011
- Resident Status (Residency)
Source: IRA
Indicates the geographic origin of a student
Resident (R): a domestic student is categorized as a resident if they were a legal resident of the State of Oklahoma at the time of original admission to OSU
Nonresident (N): a domestic student who was not a legal resident of the State of Oklahoma at the time of original admission to OSU
International (I): a student who is neither a US citizen nor a permanent resident; in certain situations, a small number of International students, such as those graduating from Oklahoma high schools, are considered in-state residents although they will still be reflected in the International category in the Student Profile
- Resident Status (Expanded Residency)
Source: IRA
Indicates the geographic origin of a student based on their high school zip code
Oklahoma Resident: see "Resident" definition under Resident Status (Residency)
North Texas Resident: includes non-resident students, as defined by Resident Status (Residency), who graduated from high schools within zip codes located in the combined statistical area (CSA) code 206, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, which includes core-based statistical areas (CBSA) of Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Athens, Bonham, Corsicana, Gainesville, Granbury, Mineral Wells, Sherman-Denison, and Sulphur Springs, TX; the Durant, OK CBSA is removed from CSA 206 due to its location in Oklahoma
Other Non-Resident: includes non-resident students, as defined by Resident Status (Residency), who did not graduate from high schools included in the North Texas definition
International Student: see "International" definition under Resident Status (Residency)
- Retention
Source: IRA
Refers to the continued enrollment at OSU of students grouped by retention cohorts from one fall semester to the following fall semester, reported by number of years from original entry term
- Retention Cohort
Source: IRA
Distinct group of students identified for reporting purposes that includes either first-time full-time new freshman or new transfer students, grouped by entry term
- Retention Period (documents and data)
Source: IRA
The length of time that a record must be maintained, according to law or policy
- Retention Rate
Source: IPEDS
A measure of the rate at which students persist in their educational program at an institution, expressed as a percentage; for four-year institutions, this is the percentage of first-time bachelor’s degree-seeking undergraduates from the previous fall who are again enrolled in the current fall (OSU also tracks new transfer students)
- Report
Soure: OK Glossary
A static document, table, or visualization that gathers data into one place and presents it visually
- Reverse Transfer
Source: OSU Registrar
Reverse transfer is a process that allows students who have transferred to OSU from a two-year institution to apply their OSU credits toward an associate’s degree from the previous school (if they transferred to OSU before earning an associate’s degree). The combined credit from OSU and the two-year school can enable students to be awarded an associate’s degree from their previous institution while working toward an OSU bachelor’s degree
Source: IRA
Reverse transfer, or any associate’s degree awarded after enrollment at OSU, does not change a student’s admission type within reports
- Rural
Source: USDA ERS
The rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes classify U.S. census tracts using measures of population density, urbanization, and daily commuting. Whole numbers (1–10) delineate metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, and rural commuting areas based on the size and direction of the primary (largest) commuting flows.
Source: IRA
Zip codes that fall into RUCA classifications greater than 4 are reported as "rural" in OSU data. For reference, Stillwater has a value of 4; Oklahoma City and Tulsa have values of 1.
S-U
- Satisfactory Academic Progress
Source: SFA
OSU is required by federal regulations to determine whether a student is progressing toward the degree requirements before dispersing certain types of financial aid; pertains only to eligibility for federal and state assistance, as well as Oklahoma's Promise and Cowboy Covenant; a recipient of an OSU cash or tuition scholarship/tuition waiver, or athletic grant-in-aid must meet the eligibility requirements of the respective program
- Self-Service Analytics
Source: Modified from OK Glossary
A form of report delivery in which end users are enabled and encouraged to perform queries and generate reports on their own with nominal IT support; characterized by simple-to-use tools, dashboards, and use of labeling and semantic layers to make data easier to interpret
- Semester Week
Source: IRA
Numbered weeks of the semester starting on Fridays, with week 0 being Cowboy Welcome (also known as Welcome Week); week 1, first week of class; and week 17; the week after finals; summer and interim semester weeks are not numbered
- Snapshot
Source: IRA
A static copy of data from a particular date and time; useful for comparing data at different points in time for certain or similar populations
- Social Engineering
Source: MW
Social methods (such as phishing) that are used to obtain personal or confidential information which can then be used illicitly
- Special Undergraduate/Graduate Student
Source: IRA
An undergraduate student that is non-degree seeking, including high school students concurrently enrolled at OSU, certificate-seeking students, exchange students who have not earned a bachelor's degree from OSU, and/or Orange Opportunity Scholars
A graduate student that is non-degree seeking, is admitted to the Graduate College, and who may be enrolled in a certificate program
- Student Credit Hours (SCH)
Source: IRA
The total number of enrolled credit hours for all students in a particular population (i.e., all students, all students in department courses, etc.)
- Student-Faculty Ratio
Source: IRA
Calculated based on the U.S. News standard; the formula does not include Vet Med
Formula:
(# of full-time students + 1/3 # of part-time students) / (# of full-time instructional faculty + 1/3 # of part-time instructional faculty + 1/3 # of instructional non-faculty administrators)
- Student Status
Source: IRA
Indicates whether a student is active (AS), cancelled (CA), dismissal (DI), disciplinary suspension (DS), inactive due to graduation (IG), inactive (IS), academic suspension (SU), or withdrawn (WD); only active students may enroll
Source: University Catalog
May refer to classification or other condition to enroll in a specific course
- Student Success Advising Groups
Source: IRA
New first-time students at OSU-Stillwater are advised through the Office of Student Success. They are assigned an advisor within an advising group based primarily on their declared major. Groups are organized following an analysis of student major migration patterns. While advisors may specialize in particular majors within their group, they are broadly trained for all majors within the group. This approach should minimize the need for a student to change advisors within their first year at the university.
- Student Success Analytics
Source: EDUSS
The integration of data-informed practices that consider students and their diverse contexts to influence decisions that affect student experiences and outcomes
- Success
Source: MW
Favorable or desired outcome
Source: IRA
The attainment of one success marker in at least three of the following realms in a given semester: academic achievement, persistence, attainment of learning outcomes, acquisition of skills and competencies, physical and/or mental wellness, and career preparation
- Tenure-Related Terms
Tenure
Source: Policy Statement
A continuous appointment granted following evaluation by the faculty member's academic department, review by appropriate administrators, and approval by the Board of Regents; tenured appointments shall not be terminated except under extraordinary conditions
Tenured & Tenure-Track Faculty
Source: OSU Policy 2-0902
Tenure-track positions recognize that the faculty member has exhibited the potential to grow in an academic career in accordance with the institution's mission and the academic unit's objectives. Annual evaluations provide guidance regarding professional development of the faculty member to peers and administrators charged with judging progress toward promotion and achieving tenure. Position classes are 1771, 1772, and 1773.
Career-Track Faculty
Source: OSU Policy 2-0903
Career track positions will be used to support and enhance instructional, outreach, clinical, and/or extension programs and initiatives. Titles include clinical faculty, extension specialist, professional practice faculty, teaching faculty, and research professor faculty (see policy for details); position classes are 1485, 1487, 3690, 3692, 3693, 4427, 4428, and 6615. The sources of funding are dependent on respective departmental resources.
Temporary Faculty
Source: IRA
Titles include visiting faculty, research professional, lecturer, research associate, teaching associate, and in residence faculty. Position classes are 1488, 1851, 1852, 6121, 6608, and 7256.
- Transfer Instititions
Source: IRA
All institutions of higher education other than OSU attended by a student
- Transfer Student
Source: IRA
A student who enrolled at OSU after earning at least seven hours of college-level credit at another institution after their high school graduation
Transfer 1 (T1): student who has earned seven to 23 semester hours of college-level credit after graduation from high school from a different institution
Transfer 2 (T2): student who has earned 24 or more semester hours of college-level credit after graduation from high school from a different institution
Transfer 3 (T3): some reports divide T2 students further for institutional purposes. In these reports, T2 refers to students who have earned 24 or more semester hours, but have not completed a degree. T3 students have completed at least one degree, most often an associate.
- Type of Aid (Type of Awards)
Source: SFA
Financial aid processed through Scholarships & Financial Aid at OSU
Grants: gift aid that is awarded based on demonstrated financial need; grant awards do not have to be repaid
Loans: funds that are borrowed to help pay for educational expenses; loans must be repaid, usually with interest; awarded after eligibility for grants, scholarships, and Federal Work-Study (FWS) is considered; loans may be need-based and/or non-need-based; the total amount borrowed in all programs combined (including Parent Loans) can't exceed the annual costs as determined by OSU, minus any other aid received. Types of loans include:
-
-
- Health Professions: long-term, low interest rate loan available to students in the College of Veterinary Medicine who are financially needy for educationally-related costs, including, but not limited to, general enrollment fees, tuition, room/board and books
- Graduate Plus: graduate/professional students with good credit can use the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Program to help pay for educationally-related costs, including, but not limited to, general enrollment fees, tuition, room/board, books, and miscellaneous personal expenses; eligibility in this program is not contingent upon financial need; student is responsible for the interest on the loan while in school, but payment can be deferred
- Parent Plus: parents with good credit can use the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan Program to help pay for educationally-related costs, including, but not limited to, general enrollment fees, tuition, room/board, books, and miscellaneous personal expenses; eligibility in this program is not contingent upon financial need
- Private: sometimes called alternative loans; are not part of the federal government guaranteed student loan program, and can be more costly to students
- Student: student borrows money from the government to help finance a college education; can
be used for educationally-related costs, such as, tuition, fees, housing/meals and
books
-
- Federal Direct Subsidized Loan: the government pays the interest on the loan while the student is enrolled in school at least half-time
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: the student is responsible for the interest on the loan while in school, but payment can be deferred
-
-
Scholarships: awarded to students to help pay for college; scholarships do not have to be repaid
Student Employment & Work Study: funds can be earned by working in exchange for wages; earnings do not need to be repaid
Waivers: reductions of the credit hour tuition (not fees) charged to attend OSU; waivers are not cash scholarships
In some reports, types of financial aid are grouped by the following categories.
-
-
- Gift: includes scholarships, grants, and waivers
- Work: includes work study and institutional/student employment
- Self-Help: includes loans and work
-
-
- UDS (Unitized Data System)
Source: modified from OSRHE
Unitary Data System; database managed by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, containing public and private higher education institutional data submissions which are used by the State Regents for state and federal reporting, policy analysis, and decision-making; contains four files: (1) Student Enrollment File, (2) Student Course Enrollment File, (3) Class File, and (4) Professional Staff File
- Undergraduate Student
Source: IRA
A student who is pursuing a bachelor's degree
V-X
- Vendor
Source: Gartner
The last entity in the chain that brands a product and sells it directly to end users or through a channel; a vendor may design and manufacture its own products, assemble complete systems from components produced by others, or procure products from an original equipment or contract manufacturer; a vendor may also provide services, maintenance or non-maintenance for its own products or for other vendors’ products and may also provide services for IT technologies
- Veteranssee Military-Affiliated Students
Y-Z
Sources
- Access and Community Impact = OSU Division of Access and Community Impact
- EdGloss = The Glossary of Education Reform
- EDUSS = EDUCAUSE Framework for Student Success Analytics
- FAFSA = StudentAid.gov Glossary
- FERPA = FERPA from US Government
- FYS = First Year Success
- Gartner = Gartner Glossary
- Hanover = Cybersecurity and Bad Actors: Who's Committing These Crimes?
- IES = Institute for Education Sciences
- IES-SLDS = SLDS Technical Brief
- IPEDS = IPEDS Glossary
- IRA = OSU Institutional Research and Analytics
- ISACA = ISACA Glossary
- MW = Dictionary by Merriam-Webster
- NCES = National Center for Education Statistics
- NIST = NIST Glossary
- OK Glossary = OK Office of Management and Enterprise Services Glossary of Data-Related Terms
- OSRHE = Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
- OSU Policy 1-0130 = OSU Open Records Policy (1-0130)
- OSU Policy 2-0902 = OSU Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Process for Ranked Faculty (2-0902)
- OSU Policy 2-0903 = OSU Non-Tenure Track Faculty Positions Policy (2-0903)
- OSU Policy 3-0602 = OSU Data Stewardship Policy (3-0602)
- OSU Registrar = OSU Office of the Registrar
- Policy Statement = Policy Statement To Govern Appointments, Tenure, Promotions, and Related Matters of the Faculty of Oklahoma State University
- RisforThursday = The R is for Thursday Collective
- SFA = OSU Scholarships & Financial Aid
- Siemens = Siemens 2011 via International Council for Open and Distance Education
- Solink = What Are Bad Actors In Cybersecurity?
- Tech = Techopedia Dictionary
- University Catalog = OSU Academic Catalog
- USDA ERS = United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service
- US Dept of Ed = US Department of Education
- USG = United States Government Glossary of Interagency and Associated Terms
- USGS = US Geological Survey
- W3C = World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Glossary