Glossary of Terms

Endowment
Accounts established from gifts or administrative decision. Types of endowments are:
  • True
    Must remain permanently intact; principal may not be spent.
  • Quasi-restricted
    Principal and income distribution may be spent for designated purpose.
  • Quasi-unrestricted
    Principal and income distribution may be spent for designated purpose (if specified) or any purpose. Typical funding sources include royalties or unrestricted gifts.
  • Term
    Remains an endowment for a period of time certain.
  • Life Income Fund
    Principal may never be spent. Income distribution is paid to the donor or donor designee, or combination thereof, for the life of the recipients or for a fixed period of time. Thereafter, becomes a True endowment.
English Language Proficiency (ELP) Rating
An assessment of a nonnative teaching assistant’s spoken English proficiency and eligibility for a teaching assistant assignment.
Enrollment limits (maximum or minimum)
The minimum or maximum number of students allowed in a course; the minimum informs when a course may be cancelled and the maximum informs when a course is considered closed to additional enrollments.
Enterprise Financial System (EFS):
Accounting System used at the University of Minnesota. This system serves as the basis for tracking payments to Targeted Group Businesses, Economically Disadvantaged Businesses, Small Businesses, and other business enterprises owned by women, minorities, and people with disabilities.
Environmental Health
The branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health; includes practice of assessing and controlling factors in the environment that can potentially affect health.
Environmental Profile Report
A summary report that describes results of environmental assessments, potential impacts of adverse conditions on human health and the environment, regulatory compliance, and estimated costs of remediation of environmental conditions.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
A condition or state of the workplace. Federal and state statutes guarantee all people the right to apply and be fairly evaluated for job opportunities based on their skills and job qualifications, not based on irrelevant factors such as their race or sex.
Equipment
Physical resources or fixed assets for the University such as: machinery, apparatuses, instruments, etc. Equipment that costs $2,500 or more is considered capital equipment.
Equipment Replacement/Reserve Funds
Plant funds created to aggregate reserves that will be used to purchase equipment.
  • O&M - unrestricted 7401
  • Other unrestricted 7200
  • Restricted (non-sponsored) 7700
Essential Service/Function
Any task, process or application essential to the ability of the University to provide its services or perform its activities safely and effectively. The Unit Administrator, with guidance from DEM, is responsible for determining if a task, application or process is considered essential.
Estimated Life Annuity
The individual's accumulated cash value of funds in the FRP at retirement, converted to a fixed dollar life annuity, using the fixed annuity factor under FRP. Variable accumulations are converted on a fixed basis for this purpose. Prior endowment accumulations are treated as annuities in this calculation.
Evidence of changes in circumstances
A student is able to demonstrate via a transcript that he or she is academically ready to resume work at the University of Minnesota.
Executive Officers
Employees who report directly to the president and who hold the title of senior vice president, vice president, chancellor, associate vice president for internal audit, general counsel, president and chief executive officer of the University of Minnesota Foundation, Associate Vice President for Government Relations, and director of intercollegiate athletics (Twin Cities campus).
Expiration of old credits
Credits that were taken far enough in the student’s past that subject matter has changed; the department may determine that the student must take additional, current coursework in that subject matter. The credits are not removed from the student’s transcript; however, the student cannot count those credits in meeting degree requirements.
Explanation of a grade
The criteria used to formulate a grade, not an automatic change of grade.
Export Administration Regulations (EAR)
Laws relating to the control of certain exports, re-exports, and activities that are administered by the Commerce Department. The EAR contain some blanket restrictions, but also contain a detailed list of  “dual use” items—i.e., materials and technology that have both military uses and significant civilian uses. This is known as the Commerce Control List (CCL). The CCL is organized in ten broad categories; each category includes separate listings of items (equipment and components, test equipment, materials), software and technical information (“technology”) related to the items.
Export Controls
U.S. federal government laws and regulations that require federal agency approval before the export of controlled items, commodities, technology, software or information to restricted foreign countries, persons and entities (including universities). Export controls implement a range of national obligations and interests, such as honoring treaties (e.g., nuclear non-proliferation treaty, conventions on chemical and biological weapons), protecting national security, and combating terrorism. Export controls concern national security, not customs or tariffs. Export controls establish legal prohibitions against exporting certain materials, software or technology without a license. Violators can face lengthy prison sentences, stiff fines and loss of export privileges.
Express written consent
Obtaining written affirmative permission from a person.
Extended Day Travel
Travel that is at least twelve hours in duration and does not require an overnight stay.
External Researcher
Any researcher who is not an employee, credentialed staff member, or an individual affiliated through a formal affiliation agreement with the covered entity or health care component that is the holder of the PHI. External researchers, in addition to meeting HIPAA requirements, must meet Minnesota authorization requirements for the following: activities preparatory to research; research using individual health information of decedents; or when obtaining an IRB alteration of the HIPAA individual authorization requirements.
External Sale
A transaction involving the transfer of funds by a third party to the University which meets all the criteria set forth in (a), (b), and (c):
  1. The funds are in exchange for services performed by the University and any tangible goods produced as a result of such services; use of laboratory equipment; or a license to use information on University-maintained databases.
  2. The transaction is not a Sponsored Project or Gift.
  3. The transaction is consistent with the scope, guiding principles, and criteria set forth in the Board of Regents Policy Direct Sales of Goods and Services.
External Sales Business Manager
Anyone within the Resource Responsibility Center who is responsible for managing finances related to external sales activity.
External Sales Risks
Risks related to external sales can include but are not limited to legal, tax, insurance, federal compliance, accounting, environmental health and safety, and public relations risks. These risks can be at a departmental or institutional level or both. Some examples include:
  • Incurring penalties or fines on unreported and underpaid sales or income tax liabilities.
  • Improper handling of sales (program income) generated from sponsored projects.
  • Allegations of unfair business practices resulting from underpriced products or services.
  • Litigation resulting from copyright, intellectual property, or product liability issues.
  • Discrediting the University name or reputation.
Fabrication
Making up data or results and recording or reporting them.
Facilities and Administration Costs (F&A Costs)
F&A costs are "costs that are incurred for common or joint objectives and, therefore, cannot be identified readily and specifically with a particular sponsored project, an instructional activity, or any other institutional activity." Examples include operation and maintenance expenses, and costs incurred for sponsored projects administration. For more detailed information, see Understanding F&A Costs in appendices. (OMB Circular A-21, F&A costs are synonymous with indirect costs.)