This page describes the terms for statistics and charts of college revenue source and percent distribution. [main source:
IPEDS)
Glossary of Terms
Tuition and fees - Revenues from all tuition and fees assessed against students (net of refunds and discounts and allowances) for educational purposes. If tuition or fees are remitted to the state as an offset to the state appropriation, the total of such tuition or fees are deducted from the total state appropriation and added to the total for tuition and fees.
State appropriations are amounts received by the institution through acts of a state legislative body, except grants and contracts and capital appropriations. Funds reported in this category are for meeting current operating expenses, not for specific projects or programs.
Local appropriations, education district taxes, and similar support - Local appropriations are government appropriations made by a governmental entity below the state level. Education district taxes include all tax revenues assessed directly by an institution or on behalf of an institution when the institution will receive the exact amount collected. These revenues also include similar revenues that result from actions of local governments or citizens (such as through a referendum) that result in receipt by the institution of revenues based on collections of other taxes or resources (sales taxes, gambling taxes, etc.)
Government grants and contracts - Revenues from governmental agencies that are for specific research projects, other types of programs , or for general institutional operations (if not government appropriations). Examples are research projects, training programs, student financial assistance, and similar activities for which amounts are received or expenses are reimbursable under the terms of a grant or contract, including amounts to cover both direct and indirect expenses. Includes Pell Grants and reimbursement for costs of administering federal financial aid programs. Grants and contracts should be classified to identify the governmental level - federal, state, or local - funding the grant or contract to the institution; grants and contracts from other sources are classified as nongovernmental grants and contracts. GASB institutions are required to classify in financial reports such grants and contracts as either operating or nonoperating.
- Operating - GASB requires that revenues and expenses be separated between operating and nonoperating. Operating revenues and expenses result from providing goods and services. Operating transactions are incurred in the course of the operating activities of the institution
- Nonoperating - GASB requires that revenues and expenses be separated between operating and nonoperating. Operating revenues and expenses result from providing goods and services. Nonoperating activities are those outside the activities that are part of the operating activities of the institution. Most government appropriations are nonoperating because they are not generated by the operations of the institution. Investment income is nonoperating in most instances because institutions are not engaged in investing as an operating activity. Gifts are defined as nonoperating. Nonexchange transactions generate nonoperating revenues.
Private operating grants and contracts - Revenues from nongovernmental agencies and organizations that are for specific research projects or other types of programs and that are classified as operating revenues. Examples are research projects and similar activities for which amounts are received or expenditures are reimbursable under the terms of a grant or contract.
Gifts, including contributions from affiliated organizations - Revenues from private donors for which no legal consideration is provided; these would be nonexchange transactions as defined in GASB Statement No. 33 Accounting and Financial Reporting for Nonexchange Transactions. Includes all gifts or contributions to the institution except those classified as additions to permanent endowments or capital grants & gifts. Includes gifts from affiliated organizations. Includes the amount of contributed services recognized by the institution. Amounts from capital grants and contracts are not included.
Investment Return - Revenues derived from the institution's investments, including investments of endowment funds. Such income may take the form of interest income, dividend income, rental income or royalty income and includes both realized and unrealized gains and losses.