Alabama Administrative Code › Title 300 - ALABAMA COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION › Chapter 300-2-2 - PROGRAM VIABILITY REVIEW › Section 300-2-2-.04 - Definitions Related To The Implementation Of Act 96-557

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(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.