Census Date

The date on which a defined set of data are captured and preserved.

Interpretation / Usage Notes:

While institutional data change continuously throughout the year, there are official and unofficial dates for capturing census data, which are static sets of information used in reporting and analysis. The official census dates correspond to NSHE reporting requirements.

For application and admissions data, the official census is captured at the beginning of the term. For student enrollment data, there are two official census dates for each term: 1)the preliminary enrollment census, which occurs three weeks into the fall and spring terms, is the data source established according to national standards for enrollment reporting. The final enrollment census is captured after grades are posted at the end of the term.

In addition to official census dates, unofficial census data are captured throughout the term. While official census data are generally used for external and trend reporting, unofficial census data may be used for institutional analysis and monitoring.

NOTE: When querying/reporting from enrollment and admissions census datasets, one should always filter for a census date.

Potential Values:

Examples include:
10-SEP-2010 (Fall 2010 official admissions and preliminary enrollment census)
15-DEC-2010 (Fall 2010 official final enrollment)
27-MAY-2011 (Spring 2011 official final enrollment)
05-AUG-2011 (Fall 2011 unofficial admissions and enrollment census)

Source Description: