Equity Data Collection: You’re invited to participate

On June 2 the following email was sent to graduate students

To: Waterloo graduate students

From: James W.E. Rush, vice-president, academic & provost, Jean Becker, senior director, Indigenous initiatives and interim associate vice-president, Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion

Date: June 2, 2021

Subject: Equity Data Collection: You’re invited to participate

• You will receive an invitation to complete an equity survey in mid-June
• Data and summary reports will not include any personally identifying information
• Data will identify equity gaps to better meet the needs of underrepresented and equity-deserving students and employees
• Learn more about the survey through FAQs and a virtual Equity Survey: Ask Us Anything About Data Collection on June 8

In mid-June 2021, we are excited to invite all students and employees to participate in an equity survey. We are gathering this data as part of our commitment to support our equity goals and end systemic racism. This has been an ongoing, collaborative process, and we owe great thanks and gratitude to all who have contributed time and energies to this initiative.

Equity data describes aspects of your personal identity. Collecting this data is a necessary step for us to better understand our community. It will help us identify equity gaps in programs, services, and policies to better meet the needs of underrepresented and equity-deserving students, faculty, and staff

The survey is completely voluntary. We will send you a unique link to complete the survey and invite you to update your information regularly. You have complete control over how much information you choose to share and are free to add or remove information when invited to complete survey updates. The equity data will not include any personally identifying information and data will only appear in summary reports.

If you have questions about the survey, browse the Frequently Asked Questions.

The information you provide will create a complete picture of the makeup of our campus, creating opportunities for positive change now and in the future.

We have been collecting some equity data in recent years, but we need to expand the data we collect. This survey will be asking for more comprehensive voluntary self-identification in the following areas:

• disability
• Indigenous identity
• racial identity
• gender identity
• sexual identity
• religious or spiritual affiliation
• family education background
• Canadian residency status

Creating a more complete data set about the people at Waterloo will help address any areas where we are not serving members of our community. 

This survey is the next step in the work of many groups on campus. The Equity Office and Institutional Analysis & Planning developed the survey instrument through consultation with an Equity Data Advisory Group. This group is made up of students, faculty, and staff with expertise in equity and related data collection. Many members also have lived experience as a member of an under-represented group. In addition, the Equity Office worked with Indigenous representatives, and groups such as the President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART), the Black Faculty Collective, along with student groups and associations, to ensure that they informed how the survey was developed.

Per Policy 55, the University of Waterloo Survey Advisory Committee is providing oversight for the survey. This committee includes the University’s Information Stewards, Privacy Coordinator, Office of Research Ethics, and an expert in survey methodologies.  

Once collected, we will use equity data alongside other data and information to answer the following vital questions:

1. How does the makeup of Waterloo’s community compare to Waterloo Region, Ontario and Canada?
2. Are equity-deserving groups participating in the programs and services that Waterloo offers, and how does their participation compare to other groups and the overall university community? What are the gaps and how can they be addressed?
3. Do some groups experience fewer benefits or more barriers while learning or working at Waterloo, compared with the overall university community? What can be done to improve any gaps?

What’s next?

This equity survey, along with other data and information, will allow Waterloo to monitor progress in achieving strategic goals and evaluate the success of equity-based initiatives. The initial data gathering will begin mid-June and continue into the fall. We expect that our first public status report will be available later this year.

I encourage all you to learn more about the equity survey by browsing the Frequently Asked Questions and attending the virtual Equity Data: Ask Us Anything About Data Collection on June 8 at 10:30am.