In producing data sets for the SRA process, one objective was to create a model for programs that is generally representative of student credit hours (SCH) produced and associated revenue and expenses.
As programs filled out templates, they began to report discrepancies in data presented to those programs. In response, our committee began to look at how the data was generated. As we did that, we found issues with the data provided to the campus community. We shared those concerns with the facilitation team and they have worked to revise the financial data sheets, which are being distributed now. A description of each issue and how it was addressed is outlined below.
We want to thank you for your patience with this complex process and the hard work you’ve put into your responses. We have asked the facilitation team to provide you with an additional opportunity to respond to this revised data. If you choose to submit a response, the committee will use this new information while evaluating your program.
Because of the importance of our task, we’re first and foremost committed to allowing you to see, discuss, and respond to this new information. We want to make the most informed decisions possible in this process.
— The SRA Academic Task Force
Below is a list of changes that were made to the SRA data:
- In Sections VII and VIII, the student credit hours (SCH) used for the revenue model were modified to match the data definitions shared on the SRA website – this affects all programs. For these sections the weighted SCH were reported on the original data sheets. Inadvertently the weighted SCH were used to calculate both revenue and costs for programs. In the new data sheets the unweighted SCH are reported and used to calculate revenue for programs while the weighted SCH are still used to calculate costs. For example, this has resulted in increases in the revenue assigned to general education, which therefore reduces the revenue assigned to other programs in that department. This significantly impacted undergraduate, graduate, and general education/service programs and therefore most categories of revenues. This process is explained in more detail in the data descriptions on the SRA website.
- In Sections VII and VIII, departmental and program SCH have been updated to match updated 2021-22 values (reflecting changes due to things like exceptional withdrawals) – this affects many programs but the changes should be small.
- In Sections VII and VIII, Index Two SCH for online accelerated graduate programs (Academic Partnerships – AP) from the summer were inadvertently assigned to summer SCH instead of to the online accelerated programs they should have been part of; this has been rectified – this only affects programs with Index Two credits taken during the summer term.
- In Sections VII and VIII, Index Two online accelerated graduate program (AP) revenue has been revised to match it to Index Two (F015) SCH more completely – this affects most departments with multiple programs with Index Two SCH.
- In Sections VII and VIII, some Index Two SCH remain in programs that don’t match them with the appropriate revenue – this is mostly true of Index Two SCH in general education/service as the revenue is distributed to the core program rather than general education/service program. The task force is going to take this into account.
- The task force is aware that costs associated with online accelerated graduate programs (AP) are allocated across the respective departments (e.g., 50% tuition that is paid from EWU to AP), not limited to those programs in Sections VII and VIII; the task force will take this into account.
- Semester programs with state support (F011) revenue were revised to reflect semester SCH equivalency of 1.5 quarter credits; that change only affects programs that are on semesters.
- Graduate program revenue per SCH was modified to reflect the increased amount of tuition revenue generated by graduate students compared to undergraduate students. The rate was not modified for undergraduate programs.
- Differential tuition for state support (F011) programs is not assigned directly to the programs that charge it – it is included in the overall tuition revenue from which the general revenue per graduate SCH is derived; programs with differential tuition should describe it in their responses.
- No costs were assigned to College in the High School programs in Section VII and VIII. Those costs were distributed across all other programs in that department or school. The task force will take this into account.
- A few individual data issues were rectified; the biggest changes affect Social Work and Physical Therapy.
- These changes may result in changes to assigned quintiles for data points for all programs.
In addition, you may recall that revised DFW (the percentage of students who earned D’s or F’s and withdrew) and bottleneck data were sent to all of you during the initial template completion period. The original numbers inadvertently included grades of 2.0 in the DFW rate calculation. Semester programs will find the revised data in their data sheets.
Providing a Response
We anticipate that providing your responses may be a collaborative process and assigned to the designee(s) of your choosing. We recommend you:
- Share this message with your designee(s),
- Clearly emphasize your expectations for reviewing/approving work before it is submitted, and
- Only submit your response(s) after they have been reviewed and approved.
Once your response has been received, you will not be able to make additional changes. It is important and highly encouraged that you and/or your designee(s) use a working document to draft, edit and review responses.
*If you do not wish to provide a response, please send an email to sra@ewu.edu. This will let the Facilitation Team and Academic Task Force know that you have received the updated information and are choosing to not provide a response.
