Background and Methodology

Background

The University of Waterloo is a large and diverse community. To support evidence-informed decision-making and advance equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti-racism initiatives, Waterloo collects socio-demographic information about students and employees. Institutional Analysis and Planning (IAP) is facilitating this initiative to refine data collection processes and support the responsible use and interpretation of the data. IAP works collaboratively with a range of partners, including the Campus Support and Accessibility Office; Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Office (EDI-R); Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA); Human Resources; Registrar's Office; and Office of Indigenous Relations (OIR).

Survey development

In 2020, Institutional Analysis and Planning (IAP) established an Advisory Committee comprised of students, faculty, and staff with lived experience and/or expertise in equity and equity data collection to facilitate the development of the University's first Equity Survey and its associated processes. The survey launched in 2021, marking the beginning of the University's equity data collection efforts. More than 13,447 students (26%), and 4,340 employees (46%), participated in the inaugural survey. The results were presented to the University's senior leadership and informed institutional planning, priority setting, and ongoing efforts to advance equity across the institution.

Purpose

The purpose of these data collection efforts is to better understand representation, participation, experiences, and outcomes across the university community and to help inform questions such as:

How does the makeup of Waterloo's community compare with Waterloo Region, Ontario, and Canada?

Are equity-deserving groups participating in Waterloo's programs, services, and opportunities at rates similar to other groups? Where are there gaps and how can they be addressed?

Do some groups experience different barriers, opportunities, or outcomes while learning or working at Waterloo? How can the University improve?

Reporting on Indigenous data

We live and work together on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Data collected on Indigenous peoples belongs to the peoples of those communities. All data related to Indigenous peoples falls under the custody of the University and the stewardship of the Office of Indigenous Relations, and will be reported in consultation with them. Data will be treated according to Indigenous principles, including those described by Fair and Care and the First Nations Principles of OCAP, and data management and confidentiality practices will align with the principle that identity must be protected both individually and collectively. We acknowledge that any reports the University prepares are affected by the influence of the colonial systems in which we are enmeshed. Efforts to mitigate that impact include ongoing training in Indigenous data management, facilitated by the University of Winnipeg and Kishaadigeh: The Manitoba Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research, as well as consultations about reports including Indigenous data with Indigenous Relations.

Methodology

Students

Students

The university application process for all Ontario universities is managed through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC). As part of the OUAC application process, students complete the Equity Applicant Diversity Census which includes a series of questions about their socio-demographics. Applicants are required to complete this information but may choose not to answer individual questions. This census collects information related to:

ethno-racial identity,

gender identity,

sexual identity,

disability, and

religion or spiritual affiliation.

IAP uses the OUAC applicant dataset to identify students who applied to, accepted an offer, and began at least one course at the University of Waterloo in the subsequent term. Equity Applicant Diversity Census data related to these students is used to report socio-demographic data for each applicant year cohort. Where appropriate, socio-demographic information may also be linked with institutional student records to support reporting and analysis related to recruitment, admissions, enrolment, retention, progression, graduation, and student success. All data is de-identified to ensure student confidentiality.

Data collection follows the annual university application cycle, which can differ by program. IAP downloads the data in July of every year for analysis and reporting.

Employees

Employee socio-demographic data is collected through a voluntary self-identification form in Waterloo’s Human Resources administration system, Workday. The form collects information related to:

disability,

gender identity,

sexual identity,

Indigenous identity,

racial identity,

religion or spiritual affiliation, and

Canadian residency status.

Participation is voluntary and employees may choose not to answer any question. Data collection is ongoing and is part of new employee onboarding. Employees have opportunities to review and update their information throughout their career at Waterloo.

Data preparation and reporting

IAP analysts validate, clean, transform, and, where appropriate, recategorize data. To support consistent reporting and interpretation across data sources and reporting periods, standardized reporting categories may be used. Because data are collected through different collection instruments for students and employees, response options may differ. To enhance understanding and facilitate comparison, IAP may consolidate or roll-up response options into common reporting categories. For example, reporting categories may be standardized to align with Statistics Canada classifications for similar population groups.

Privacy and confidentiality

To protect confidentiality and the identity of respondents:

small populations may be grouped, suppressed, or excluded from reporting;

counts may not be displayed in public-facing reports;

some response categories may be removed or combined with other categoirries;

not all intersections of variables are available; and

results may be withheld where there is a risk of re-identification through direct or deductive disclosure.

General notes

Student data notes

Student racial identity data is drawn from the OUAC Equity Applicant Diversity Census and, where appropriate, linked with institutional student records. Percentages are generally calculated using valid responses only and denominators may vary by question. Differences due to rounding may occur. Results should be interpreted cautiously when based on small populations.

Reporting categories

The reporting categories used by the University may differ from the wording or response options presented within the OUAC census. Responses may be combined into broader reporting categories to improve interpretation and protect confidentiality. Note that the precise terms used in reports may differ slightly from the original OUAC response options. The following section provides the reporting categories for each of the Equity Applicant Diversity Census.

Religion or spiritual affiliation (students)

Students may select multiple responses.

OUAC	Student socio-demographic reporting
No religion	No religion
Buddhist	Buddhist
Christian	Christian
Hindu	Hindu
Indigenous	Indigenous
Muslim	Muslim
Jewish	Jewish
Sikh	Sikh
Another religion or spiritual self-identity	Another religion or spiritual identity
Prefer not to answer	Prefer not to answer
Note, the category “Non-Christian religions” includes all categories listed above except “Christian”, “Prefer not to answer” and “No religion”.

Sexual identity (students)

Students may select one response.

OUAC	Student socio-demographic reporting
Asexual	Asexual
Bisexual	Bisexual
Gay	Gay
Straight/Heterosexual	Heterosexual
Lesbian	Lesbian
Pansexual	Pansexual
Queer	Queer
Questioning	Questioning
Two-Spirit	Two-Spirit
Another orientation	Another sexual identity
Prefer not to answer	Prefer not to answer
Note, the category “Queer and non-heteronormative sexual identities” includes all categories listed above except “Straight/Heterosexual” and “Prefer not to answer”.

Gender identity (students)

Students may select one response.

OUAC	Student socio-demographic reporting
Agender	Agender
Transgender Man	Man
Cisgender Man (Male)	Man
Genderqueer/ Gender Non-Binary	Genderqueer/gender non-binary
Transgender Person	Transgender person
Two-Spirit	Two-Spirit
Transgender Woman	Woman
Cisgender Woman (Female)	Woman
Another Identity	Another gender identity
Prefer not to answer	Prefer not to answer
Note, the category “Non-binary, gender-diverse, and transgender” includes all categories listed above except “Woman”, “Man” and “Prefer not to answer”.

Racial identity (students)

Students may select multiple responses.

OUAC	Student socio-demographic reporting
Black (e.g., African, African-Canadian/American, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latinx, etc.)	Black
Southeast Asian (e.g., Cambodian, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese) Chinese (including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) Korean Filipino/a/x Japanese	East and Southeast Asian
Latino/a/x (e.g., Arawak, Argentinian, Belizean, Bolivian, Brazilian, Chilean, Colombian, Costa Rican, Ecuadorian, Guatemalan, Guyanese, Hispanic, Honduran, Maya, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, Paraguayan, Peruvian, Salvadorean,Uruguayan, Venezuelan, etc.)	Latine or Latin American
Multiracial/ethnic (with at least 1 parent in a non-White group above)	Multiracial
North African (e.g., Egyptian, Libyan) Arab West Asian & Middle East (e.g., Afghani, Armenian, Iranian, Iraqi, Israeli, Jordanian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian, Yemeni)	Middle Eastern, West Asian, and North African
South Asian (e.g., Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Sri Lankan, Punjabi) Indo-Caribbean, Indo-African, Indo-Fijian	South Asian
White (e.g., British Isles, French, Western European, Northern European, Eastern European, Southern European, White-Canadian/American/Australian/South African)	White
Caribbean (e.g., Antiguan, Bahamian, Barbadian, Bermudan, Carib, Cuban, Dominican, Grenadian, Guadeloupean, Haitian, Jamaican, Kittitian/Nevisian, Martinican, Montserratian, Puerto Rican, St. Lucian, Trinidadian/Tobagonian,Vincentian/Grenadian, West Indian, etc.)	Another racial identity
North American Indigenous (e.g., First Nations, Inuit, Métis)	Racial identity reporting excludes respondents who identified as Indigenous and are presented in alignment with stewardship guidance from the Office of Indigenous Relations.
Indigenous outside of Canada (e.g., Nahualt, Maya, Quechua, Aymara, Mapuche, etc.)	Racial identity reporting excludes respondents who identified as Indigenous and are presented in alignment with stewardship guidance from the Office of Indigenous Relations.
Oceania (e.g., Australian, New Zealander, Pacific Islands)	Another racial identity
Another ethno-racial identity	Another racial identity
Prefer not to answer	Prefer not to answer
Note, the category “Racialized” includes all categories listed above except “White” and “Prefer not to answer”.

Disability (students)

Students may select multiple responses.

OUAC	Student socio-demographic reporting
No	No
Yes, I have a neurodevelopmental disorder, intellectual, cognitive, and/or learning disability and/or impairment	Neurodevelopmental disorder, intellectual, cognitive, and/or learning disability
Yes, I have a mental health illness or disability	Mental health illness/disability
Yes, I have a physical disability and/or impairment	Physical disability
Yes, I have a sensory disability and/or impairment	Sensory disability
Yes, I have another disability and/or impairment	Another disability
Prefer not to answer	Prefer not to answer

Employee data notes

Employee socio-demographic data is drawn from the Employee Self-Identification Form in Workday. Data collection began in 2023 and continues on an ongoing basis. Data snapshots are taken periodically for reporting purposes. Percentages are generally calculated using valid responses only and denominators may vary by question. Differences due to rounding may occur. Results should be interpreted cautiously when based on small populations.

Reporting categories

IAP analysts validate, transform, and where appropriate, recategorize employee data prior to reporting. This may include:

standardization of response categories,

harmonization of reporting categories,

recoding of open-text responses where appropriate,

grouping of employee and organizational classifications, and

removal of inappropriate or uncodeable responses.

The reporting categories used by the University may differ from the wording or response options presented within the census. Responses may be combined into broader reporting categories to improve interpretation and protect confidentiality. Note that the precise terms used in reports may differ slightly from the original response options. Definitions may vary between reports based on the purpose and audience. The following section provides the reporting categories for each of the equitycensus questions.

Disability (employees)

Disability

Employees may select one response.

Yes

I prefer not to answer

Disability form

Employees may select multiple responses.

Autoimmune disorder (e.g., lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV / AIDS)

Addiction (e.g., alcohol, caffeine, hallucinogens, inhalants, opiods, sedatives, hypnotics and anxiolytics, stimulants, and tobacco)

Blind, low vision or visual impairment (e.g., unable to see or difficulty seeing, retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, etc.)

Cognitive or learning disability (e.g., traumatic brain injury, stroke, concussion; developmental disability; difficulties using symbols or spoken language)

Deaf or hard of hearing (e.g., tinnitus, sensorineural, conductive hearing loss, acoustic neuroma, age-related hearing loss)

Mental health (e.g., depression generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, personality disorders, or additions) “

Mobility (e.g., difficulty moving around, for example, from one office to another or up and down stairs, maintain prolonged sitting or standing, use of mobility device such as cane, crutches, wheelchairs, scooters; includes amputations)

Neurodivergent (e.g., Autism spectrum, Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder, dyslexia, dysgraphia, Tourette's, etc.)

Nervous system condition (e.g., migraine headaches, Parkinson's disease, Multiple sclerosis/MS)

Ongoing Medical condition (e.g., epilepsy, diabetes, Crohn's, cancer)

Speech impairment (unable to speak or difficulty speaking and being understood, e.g., aphasia, apraxia, dysarthria, dysphonia)

Upper extremity limitations (e.g., coordination, dexterity, difficulty using hands or arms, for example, grasping or handling paper towels or using a point-of-sale machine)

Another disability (please specify):

I prefer not to answer

Gender identity (employees)

Employees may select multiple responses.

Agender

Gender non-conforming

Man (includes cis men, trans men, and anyone who identifies as a man)

Non-binary

Questioning

Trans

Two-Spirit

Woman (includes cis women, trans women, and anyone who identifies as a woman)

Another gender identity (please specify):

I prefer not to answer

Note, the category “Non-binary, gender-diverse, and transgender” includes all categories listed above except “Woman”, “Man” and “Prefer not to answer”.

Sexual identity (employees)

Employees may select multiple responses.

Asexual

Bisexual

Gay

Heterosexual/straight

Lesbian

Pansexual

Queer

Questioning

Two-Spirit

Another sexual identity (please specify):

I prefer not to answer

Note, the category “Queer and non-heteronormative sexual identities” includes all categories listed above except “Straight/Heterosexual” and “Prefer not to answer”.

Indigenous identity (employees)

Indigenous identity

Employees may select one response.

Yes, an Indigenous person from Canada (i.e., First Nations [status or non-status], Métis, or Inuit/Inuk)

Yes, an Indigenous person from the continental United States (i.e. an enrolled member or citizen in a federally or state recognized tribe in the United States which includes the 49 contiguous states, including Alaska and excluding Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the other U.S. territories)

Yes, an Indigenous person from outside Canada and continental United States (i.e., Saami, Maori, Ainu, Aymara...)

I prefer not to answer

Indigenous cultural group

Employees may select one response.

First Nations, status or non-status (please specify the name of the First Nation or Indian Band):

Métis

Inuit/Inuk

I prefer not to answer

Métis organization/settlement

Employees may select one response.

Yes, the Métis Nation of Ontario

Yes, the Manitoba Métis Federation

Yes, the Métis Nation Saskatchewan

Yes, Otipemisiwak Métis Government (Métis Nation of Alberta)

Yes, Métis Settlements of Alberta

Yes, the Métis Nation British Columbia

I prefer not to answer

Inuit/Inuk land claims agreement

Employees may select one response.

Yes, Inuvialuit

Yes, Nunavut

Yes, Nunavik

Yes, Nunatsiavut

I prefer not to answer

Racial identity (employees)

Employees may select multiple responses.

Black e.g., African, Afro-Caribbean, Black Canadian, Afro-Latine, African American, or other African descent

Caribbean e.g., Chinese Caribbean, East Asian Caribbean, South Asian Caribbean

East Asian e.g., Chinese, Korean, Japanese, or other East Asian descent

Latine e.g., Latin American, Hispanic descent

Mixed/biracial/multiracial

Middle Eastern or North African e.g., Egyptian, Iraqi, Lebanese, Moroccan, Persian, Turkish, Kurdish, or Arab descent

Pacific Islander e.g., Samoan, Fijian, Tahitian, or other Pacific Island descent

South Asian e.g., Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Indo-Caribbean, or other South Asian descent

Southeast Asian e.g., Filipino, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian, or other Southeast Asian descent

White e.g., British, German, Ukrainian, or other European descent

Another race category (please specify):

I prefer not to answer

Note, the category “Racialized” includes all categories listed above except “White” and “Prefer not to answer”.

Religion and spiritual affiliation (employees)

Employees may select multiple responses.

No religious affiliation

Bahá’í faith

Buddhism

Christianity

Hinduism

Indigenous spirituality

Islam

Jainism

Judaism

Sikhism

Another religion or spiritual affiliation (please specify):

I prefer not to answer

Note, the category “Non-Christian religions” includes all categories listed above except “Christian”, “Prefer not to answer” and “No religion”.

Education (employees)

Employees may select one response.

Did not finish high school

Graduated from high school

Some or completed college or CEGEP

Some university (first degree in progress)

Completed a bachelor’s degree (BA, BSc, etc.)

Completed a master’s degree (MA, MSc, etc.)

Completed a doctoral degree or professional degree (PhD, JD, MD, etc.)

Other (please specify):

I prefer not to answer

First generation (employees)

Employees may select one response.

Yes

Not sure

I prefer not to answer

Residency (employees)

Employees may select one response.

Canadian citizen

Work / study permit holder

Permanent resident

Refugee or refugee claimant

Visitor visa holder

I prefer not to answer

Live in Canada (employees)

Employees may select one response.

I was born in Canada

Less than one year

One year to less than three years

Three years to less than five years

Five years or longer

I prefer not to answer

Background

Survey development

Purpose

Reporting on Indigenous data

Methodology

Students

Employees

Data preparation and reporting

Privacy and confidentiality

General notes

Student data notes

Religion or spiritual affiliation (students)

Sexual identity (students)

Gender identity (students)

Racial identity (students)

Primary t

Disability (students)

Employee data notes

Disability (employees)

Disability

Disability form

Gender identity (employees)

Sexual identity (employees)

Indigenous identity (employees)

Indigenous identity

Indigenous cultural group

Métis organization/settlement

Racial identity (employees)

Religion and spiritual affiliation (employees)

Education (employees)

First generation (employees)

Residency (employees)

Live in Canada (employees)