Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 16:06:14 -0700 (PDT) From: "James W. Cobble" Subject: Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Classification of Colleges and Universities TO: All Faculty and Staff FROM: James W. Cobble Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate Division Graduate and Research Affairs SUBJECT: Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Classification of Colleges and Universities A number of inquiries have been received with regard to the 1994 Carnegie Foundation's report "Classification of Higher Education" for the 3,600 accredited colleges and universities. There are ten categories of institutions ranging from Community Colleges to Research I Universities in the 1994 report. The following definitions are taken directly from the Chronicle of Higher Education publication of April 6, 1994 on the 1994 report and indicate SDSU's changing position in the hierarchy of classifications. Master's (Comprehensive) Universities and Colleges II These institutions offer a full range of baccalaureate programs and are committed to graduate education through the master's degree. They award 20 or more master's degrees annually in one or more disciplines. Master's (Comprehensive) Universities and Colleges I [SDSU classification in the 1987 report] These institutions offer a full range of baccalaureate programs and are committed to graduate education through the master's degree. They award 40 or more master's degrees annually in three or more disciplines. Doctoral Universities II (1) [SDSU present classification from the 1994 report] In addition to offering a full range of baccalaureate programs, the mission of these institutions includes a commitment to graduate education through the doctorate. They award annually at least 10 doctoral degrees-in three or more disciplines-or 20 or more doctoral degrees in one or more disciplines. [SDSU 's current three-year average is 36/year.] Doctoral Universities I (1) In addition to offering a full range of baccalaureate programs, the mission of these institutions includes a commitment to graduate education through the doctorate. They award at least 40 doctoral degrees annually in five or more disciplines. [It is highly likely that SDSU will meet this criteria by the end of the 1998-99 academic year.] Research Universities II (2) These institutions offer a full range of baccalaureate programs, are committed to graduate education through the doctorate, and give high priority to research. They award 50 or more doctoral degrees each year. In addition, they receive annually between $15.5-million and $40-million in federal support. [SDSU already meets the annual research volume criteria for this classification.(2)] Research Universities I (2) These institutions offer a full range of baccalaureate programs, are committed to graduate education through the doctorate, and give high priority to research. They award 50 or more doctoral degrees each year. In addition, they receive annually $40-million or more in federal support. _____ (1) Degree totals refer to three-year averages and include the Ph.D., Ed.D., Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) and the Doctor of Public Health (Dr.PH). (2) Research volume is calculated as a three-year average from the figures given by National Science Foundation annual survey "Federal Support to Universities, Colleges and Non-profit Institutions," which is limited mostly to science and engineering support. SDSU's three-year average from these surveys for 1989, 1990, and 1991 was $14.1-million. For the years 1994, 1995, and 1996 (the last year data were available) the three-year average was $16.44-million.