MSHE Glossary

Between acronyms and higher ed jargon, sometimes navigating all the terms thrown around in class and at internship sites can be hard to keep up with. Here is our cheat sheet of common terms.

CAESAR: CAESAR is the online registration and student records system accessible at www.northwestern.edu/caesar. You can use CAESAR to access your grades, class schedule, account, financial holds, CTECs, etc.

Canvas: Canvas is an online course management system used in classes for uploading assignments, posting readings, and hosting class discussions on the online discussion boards.

Chronicle: or “The Chronicle” refers to the Chronicle of Higher Education, a periodical about higher education that many higher education professionals read daily.

CIC: The mission of the Department of Campus Inclusion and Community (CIC) is to work collaboratively with the university community to cultivate inclusive learning environments through the intentional engagement with difference across and within various identities. CIC is the umbrella department for sub-departments including Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA), Student Enrichment Services (SES), and will include Social Justice Education (SJE) in the future.

COFHE: Pronounced “coe-fee”. The Consortion on Financing Higher Education is an organization of thirty-five highly selective colleges and universities, all of which are committed to meeting the full demonstrated financial need of admitted students. These institutions gather and share data on matters pertaining to access, affordability, and assessment, particularly as they relate to undergraduate education, admissions, financial aid, and the financing of higher education. All data supplied to, compiled by, and shared among the Consortium are subject to strict confidentiality guidelines. Northwestern is a member of COFHE.

CSI: The Center for Student Involvement, located in the Norris Center, oversees 480 student organizations and provides advising and training for the leaders of Northwestern’s student groups. Several MSHE students have interned with CSI.

CTEC: Electronic course evaluations. At the end of each term students are asked to fill out these anonymous course evaluations via CAESAR. Students will be reminded to complete CTECs via email, but instructors often remind students to complete CTECs as well. CTECs are only available to students who have completed CTECs in prior quarters.

CV/Vita/Vitae: This refers to a “curriculum vitae”, a more comprehensive version of a résumé. A CV elaborates on education to a greater degree than a résumé and is expected to include a comprehensive listing of professional history including every term of employment, academic credential, publication, contribution or significant achievement. In certain professions, it may even include samples of the person’s work and may run too many pages.

IFC: The Interfraternity Council is the governing body for all fraternity chapters at Northwestern.

MP: Refers to the Master’s Project, which is also sometimes called the master’s thesis.

MPQ: Master’s project question. Each student’s master’s project is guided by a central research question, which the student articulates and refines throughout the master’s project sequence.

MOOC: A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC; /muːk/) is a free, online, not-for-credit course aimed at unlimited participation and open access. There are a few different MOOC providers, including Coursera (with whom Northwestern is partnered), EdX, and Udacity.

MSHE: Master of Science in Higher Education (Administration and Policy). In CAESAR you will see it listed as MS_HE.

NASPA: National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. The largest student affairs professional organization for student affairs administrators in higher education). Many professional organizations are referred to by their acronyms. See list of professional organizations.

NAFSA: National Association of Foreign Student Advisers

Norris: Northwestern’s version of a student union. The Norris University center has a number of services, including a food court, the campus bookstore, and the wildcard (student ID) office.

NPC: This acronym refers to the National Panhellenic Conference, an umbrella organization for 26 international women’s fraternities and sororities.

NSSE: Pronounced “Nessie” - The National Survey of Student Engagement. NSSE annually collects information at hundreds of four-year colleges and universities about student participation in programs and activities that institutions provide for their learning and personal development. The results provide an estimate of how undergraduates spend their time and what they gain from attending college.

SES: Socioeconomic status. An economic and sociological combined total measure of a person or family’s income family’s economic, educational and social position in relation to others. You’ll most often hear this used in terms of “low SES students” - meaning students from low income families.

SPS: The School of Professional Studies, one of Northwestern’s 12 schools. SPS serves primarily non-traditional, adult students.

SESP: School of Education and Social Policy, where MSHE is housed.

WCAS: Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, the largest of Northwestern’s 12 schools/colleges.

Wildcard: The name for the ID cards held by Northwestern students, faculty and staff. You will need to use your Wildcard to enter the library, to ride the intercampus shuttle and to access a number of other services that are restricted to members of the NU community.