Date of Record/Census Date

While student information changes continuously throughout the year, static sets of data are used in institutional reporting and analysis.  Official census dates adhere to nationally established reporting standards, and are determined in collaboration with UW System.

The census date (date of record) and CDR submission schedules are centrally available from the Office of Policy Analysis and Research.

At the beginning of the term, the official preliminary census is captured at the end of day on the date of record.  Preliminary data are used to report preliminary enrollment headcount to UW System.  Official census data are captured at the sixth week of instruction and are used for all subsequent official data reporting.

The tables below show time frames for official census dates, as determined in collaboration with UW system, the Office of Admissions, Registrar, and Financial Aid.  To ensure as accurate census data as possible, data audits and edits - a coordinated effort among the Offices of Admissions, Enrollment and Retention, Instructional, Communication & Information Technology, and Institutional Research & Planning - take place during the weeks leading up to each official census date.