Memo

DATE:  January 16-17, 2003

TO:  Board of Regents

FROM:  Richard A. Crofts, Commissioner

RE:  Carnegie Classification of Campuses

As some of you will remember, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has for many years provided the standard classification of postsecondary institutions. Beginning with the 2000 report, the Foundation based its classifications on a new set of definitions.

Listed below is the classification of our campuses from the 2000 report of the Carnegie Foundation. The definitions of the classification follow the listing.

All five of our Colleges of Technology are classified as Associate's Colleges

Definitions:

Master's I: These institutions typically offer a wide range of baccalaureate programs,

and

They are committed to graduate education through the master's degree. During the period studied, they awarded 40 or more master's degrees per year across three or more disciplines.

Master's II: These institutions typically offer a wide range of baccalaureate programs, and they are committed to graduate education through the master's degree. During the period studied, they awarded 20 or more master's degrees per year.

Doctoral/Research-Intensive: These institutions typically offer a wide range of baccalaureate programs, and they are committed to graduate education through the doctorate. During the period studied, they awarded at least ten doctoral degrees per year across three or more disciplines, or at least 20 doctoral degrees per year overall.

Doctoral/Research-Extensive: These institutions typically offer a wide range of baccalaureate programs, and they are committed to graduate education through the doctorate. During the period studied, they awarded 50 or more doctoral degrees per year across at least 15 disciplines.

Specialized institutions-schools of engineering and technology: These institutions award most of their bachelor's or graduate degrees in technical fields of study.

Baccalaureate colleges-general: These institutions are primarily undergraduate colleges with major emphasis on baccalaureate programs. During the period studied, they awarded less than half of their baccalaureate degrees in liberal arts fields.

The Carnegie classification of a campus is a major and standard indicator of how a campus can be compared to others. Discussion is underway on at least one of our campuses about an initiative to move from one Carnegie classification to another. The initiative has significant fiscal implications.

I believe that the Board of Regents needs to consider whether such an initiative requires Board approval and, if so, what kind of rationale and business plan ought to be submitted.