Appendix 1: Updated Data for
Student Space Measures

There are two issues that have resulted in changes to the student space measure data, which is reported using full-time equivalents (FTEs): service plan guidelines and an updated FTE reporting methodology for the college sector.

A) Service Plan Guidelines

Based on government service plan guidelines to support transparent reporting, the baseline data for performance measures of student spaces have been changed to reflect:

• The most current year of final data (2004/05)
• Actual results achieved in the baseline year, rather than the performance targets for the baseline year

In addition to the service plan guidelines, the Ministry is enhancing reporting transparency by including FTE target data for the most current final data year (2004/05) and subsequent year (2005/06).

B) Updated Method for Reporting College Sector Student FTEs

For many years, the Ministry has used student FTEs as the unit of measurement in several performance measures. Beginning with the 2005/06 fiscal year, an updated method is being implemented for calculating FTEs at colleges, university colleges and institutes (the college sector). This change will mean that the updated baselines, targets and results for FTE measures will no longer be directly comparable with those published in the past. The previous figures will be recalibrated in order to allow the tracking of achievement of targets over time.

Drivers for Change

During the past decade, the delivery models for post-secondary education have changed dramatically. Online and distance learning programs have experienced a significant increase in enrolment and lifelong learning has become a reality. Today’s campus also delivers a wider range of educational programs such as continuing education and cooperative education.

As a result of these changes in post-secondary education, the FTE reporting methodology had become outdated, requiring a new, more appropriate reporting method. The Ministry has developed the updated FTE reporting method in consultation with post-secondary institutions.

Updated Reporting Methodology

A fundamental difference between the previous and updated FTE reporting method is a more comprehensive accounting of instructional delivery at colleges, university colleges and institutes, whereby all educational instruction is included in FTE calculations at the institution level. In the past some instruction, such as continuing education programs, was excluded from FTE calculations. An example of this change:

Previously, the Hospital Unit Clerk program at one institution was considered “base funded” and counted in that institution’s FTEs, but the Hospital Unit Clerk programs at three other institutions were not included.

Additional modifications include changes to program coding to align with other provinces, measuring learning units in either credits or hours, and the introduction of self-normed FTE divisors.³ A self-normed divisor identifies a normal full course load of a program as approved through the institution’s educational approval processes, and expressed in learning units. An example of this change follows:

Previously, 36 full-time students in Dental Assisting at one university college generated 42 FTEs, while 18 full-time students in entry level Carpentry at a college generated 16.2 FTEs. In the updated method, a full-time student in a full-time program for an academic year will generate one FTE, so the 36 full-time students in Dental Assisting will be 36 FTEs and the 18 full-time students in entry level Carpentry will be 18 FTEs.

3	The new methodology is explained in the Student FTE Enrolment Reporting Manual for Institutions in the Post-Secondary Central Data Warehouse, Ministry of Advanced Education.

Comparison of Reporting Methods

To ensure openness and transparency of performance information, the FTE measures presented in this service plan are reproduced below using both the previous and updated methods. Further, in the Ministry’s forthcoming 2005/06 Service Plan Report, FTE data for 2004/05 will also be reported using both the previous and updated methods.

The updated FTE methodology includes an expansion to the scope, as college sector institutions may now count qualifying continuing education and contract training toward their FTE targets (almost half of the institutions were previously reporting their continuing education and contract training). The 2003/04 baseline has been revised to recognize the increased scope, and the 25,000 seats by 2010 have been added on to that updated baseline. The table includes the actual FTE counts in the college sector, as calculated under both the previous and updated methodologies.

The following table highlights the change from:

• 01/02 “target” baseline
• 04/05 Actual results (as reported in the Service Plan Report) — previous reporting methodology

to:

• 04/05 Actual results — Recalibrated using the updated methodology

Impact of College Sector Change in Student FTE Method

A. On Total FTE Targets

Previous Baseline: 2001/02 Target, Previous Method: 154,991

Updated Baseline: 2004/05 Actual, Updated Method: 166,247

B. On Nursing & Allied Health FTE Targets

Previous Baseline: 2001/02 Target, Previous Method: 8,417

Updated Baseline: 2004/05 Actual, Updated Method: 10,111

C. On Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering Targets

Previous Baseline: 2001/02 Target, Previous Method: 4,624

Updated Baseline: 2004/05 Actual, Updated Method: 6,317

D. On Developmental Programs

Previous Baseline: 2003/04 Target, Previous Method: 13,197

Updated Baseline: 2004/05 Actual, Updated Method: 12,096

Notes:
1	2004/05 was the dual reporting year — actual figures are available using both methods. The 2003/04 baseline has been revised to recognize the increased scope resulting from the updated FTE method, and the 25,000 seats by 2010 have been added to that updated baseline. The calculation of the 2009/10 target under the previous and updated methodologies is shown below.
	Previous method:	2003/04 baseline:	160,848 FTEs	Updated Method:	2003/04 baseline:	165,846 FTEs
			+ 25,000 FTEs			+ 25,000 FTEs
		2009/10 target	185,848 FTEs		2009/10 target:	190,846 FTEs
2	The baseline recalibration results in changes to the value of existing FTE, and includes continuing education programs and contract training on a consistent basis.
3	Figures include Industry Training Entry and Upgrading FTEs, but not Apprenticeship FTEs.
4	The updated method will result in a decrease in some program areas such as Nursing and Computer Science if students have already done their elective courses before enrolling in the program.
5	Nursing and Allied Health programs include increased scope resulting from newly identified allied health programs at some institutions.