Ethno-racial Identity Data Standard

Intended Audience and Contact Information

Contact	Chief Data Officer, Office of the CIO
Intended audience	Internal UBC
UDM Domain	Person Domain
Data Standard ID	DG0063

Purpose

This standard aims to achieve consistency around the data collected for Ethno-racial Identity, and the format in which it is collected and stored in across the University.

Ethno-racial Identity refers to the combined characteristics of a person's race, ethnicity, and the experiences encountered by an individual at UBC.

This standard is derived by UBC and applies to all applications collecting information on Ethno-racial Identity. Exceptions are listed in the Dispensation section.

Standard

Attributes for Ethno-racial Identity

Ethno-racial Identity should be collected using the following attributes collectively:

Attribute	Synonym	Definition
Racial Identity	Race	The concept of ‘race’ is a social construct that was historically created to categorize social groups based on perceived visual physical differences e.g., skin colour, facial features, hair texture, etc. < br/> There is no biological validity for the concept of ‘race’, meaning these physical differences have not been found to have any biological meaning. A person may have a single or multiple racial identity.
Ethnicity	Ethnic Origin, Heritage, Ancestry	A multi-dimensional concept based on a social group’s shared attributes, encompassing such things as geographic origin, language, religion, nationality, cultural traditions, and migration history. A person may have a single or multiple ethnicity.
Racialized Person	Racialization	A person, other than White or Indigenous Peoples, who is adversely impacted by the process of racialization, whereby groups are subjected to adverse differential and/or unequal treatment, contributing to racial discrimination and racism.
Ethno-racial Identity	Ethno-racial background	A person’s combined racial and ethnic characteristics and experiences.

Accepted Values for Ethno-Racial Identity

The following values are accepted values for Ethno-Racial Identity:

Accepted Value	Definition
Black	A person belonging to and originating from the following ethno-racial groups, countries or regions, for example: African, African-Canadian, African-American, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latin American, Afro-Arab.
Central Asian	A person belonging to and originating from the following ethno-racial groups, countries or regions, for example: Kazakhstani, Uzbekistani.
Central/South/Latin American	A person belonging to and originating from the following ethno-racial groups, countries or regions, for example: Honduran, Nicaraguan, Brazilian, Chilean, Colombian, Mexican
East Asian	A person belonging to and originating from the following ethno-racial groups, countries or regions, for example: Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, Sino-Caribbean
Middle Eastern/North African/Southwest Asian	A person belonging to and originating from the following ethno-racial groups, countries or regions, for example: Egypt, Libyan, Moroccan
Oceanic/Pacific Islanders	A person belonging to and originating from the following ethno-racial groups, countries or regions, for example: Māori, Hawaiian, Fijian, Samoan
South Asian	A person belonging to and originating from the following ethno-racial groups, countries or regions, for example: Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Afghani, Indian, Indo-African, Indo-Caribbean
South East Asian	A person belonging to and originating from the following ethno-racial groups, countries or regions, for example: Cambodian, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino
West Asian	A person belonging to and originating from the following ethno-racial groups, countries or regions, for example: Armenian, Azerbaijani, Iraqi, Iranian, Israeli, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Lebanese, Omani, Palestinian, Qatari, Saudi Arabian, Syrian, Turkish, Yemeni
White	A person belonging to and originating from the following ethno-racial groups, countries or regions, for example: European, White-Canadian/American/Australian/South African
Multiracial/ethnic	A person who does not identify with a singular ethno-racial identity.
Prefer to self-identify (please specify)	[open text]
Choose not to disclose	Response for a person who chooses not to disclose.

Accepted Values for Racialized Person

Accepted Data Value	Definition
Yes	A person who identifies as a racialized person.
No	A person who does not identify as a racialized person.
I am not sure	A person who is not sure if they identify as a racialized person.
Choose not to disclose	Response for a person who chooses not to disclose.

Guideline for Data Collection

Data Trustee

For Student Data: Registrar

For Employee (Staff and Faculty) Data: Associate VP, Equity and Inclusion Office

Data Steward

Vancouver Student Data: Deputy Registrar, UBCV

Okanagan Student Data: Deputy Registrar, UBCO

Faculty and Staff Data: Associate VP, Equity and Inclusion Office

Purpose for Collection

In alignment with UBC's commitments to inclusive excellence and anti-racism and in support of numerous strategic initiatives aiming to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion at UBC, data will be used to enable the university to better understand a person's experience at UBC, support inclusion and success, and assess progress of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Equity: Collected data can support the institution to improve its understanding of a person's accessibility to the resources they need to succeed, to improve their UBC journey and to positively enhance their overall experience. Collected information may also signal systemic barriers and inequities where they exist including observation of patterns or trends with respect to recruitment, retention, participation, engagement, learning, performance, success, and support for individuals.
Diversity: Collected data will improve understanding of the nuance and complexity of UBC's diverse community including how it compares with other institutions or communities, and how it changes or needs to change over time. Understanding the different diverse groups will enhance UBC's allocation of resources to ensure equitable treatment and opportunities for all individuals regardless of their identity or background.
Inclusion: Collected data will inform the understanding of the extent to which experiences may differ for people of different identities and backgrounds. This includes the extent to which a person feels welcome, respected, and that they belong.

Process for Collection

This data must be self-declared, and not derived or collected from a third party. An individual can update their response at any time.

To understand the full ethno-racial experience for an individual, analysis of data should be looked through an intersectional lens that includes Race, Ethnic Origin, Racialized Person, Citizenship, and others.

Pre-Approved Data Access in the System of Record

PAIR
EIO
Enrolment Services

Data Access Request Process for All Others

If your department is not listed in the Pre-Approved Data Access section above, a Data Access Request (DAR) is needed. Visit ACCESS UBC DATA for more information and to access a Data Access Request form.

Data can only be shared at an aggregated level. If case-level data is needed, approval must come from the Data Access Committee.

Guideline on Phrasing of Questions in a Survey

Do you identify as a racialized person?
Please indicate which of the following terms best describe your ethno-racial identity. Please check all that apply.

Compliance

The above standard must be complied at every stage of the data lifecycle with the exception of any dispensations (see Dispensation section).

All applications must collect data as recommended in this standard.
Enterprise Data Integration must adopt this standard.

Dispensation

Legacy systems are exempt from this data standard. As systems are replaced, adoption of this standard is required. Examples of legacy systems are:

Student Information System (SIS)

As existing systems change to adopt this standard, the Enterprise Data Governance team needs to be informed.