Race & Ethnicity Coding Data Issue Documentation

Issue Summary

The UMS collects data on race at the time of application for both students and employees. The categories used for self-identification are in a two-question format based on 1997 guidance from the US Office of the President/Office of Management & Budget (OMB), which were implemented in 2007 by the US Department of Education.

As seen in the table below (pulled from the Student Census reporting table), there are a large number of students with unknown race/ethnicity. Additionally, the American Indian/Alaska Native category is inflated significantly. These issues create difficulties for the UMS as it seeks to become more inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to students and staff from all backgrounds. Assessing progress in these diversity efforts is challenging with the current deficits in our data.

July 2021 Proposal Forum

Resources

Race & Ethnicity Review Proposal

Proposal Forum Presentation Slides presented by Corina Larsen

Proposal Summary

The Race & Ethnicity workgroup has researched methods for encouraging students to self-report their ethnicity. Currently, there are only 5 race categories collected: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or White. Providing additional background categories not only increases the accuracy of reporting, it can also help to create a sense of belonging for a student. By broadening the required, federally-mandated categories for race and ethnicity, the University of Maine System would become an active promoter of inclusiveness.

Background

Currently, there are a large number of students—varying from 3% to 9% by term—with a self-reported ethnicity category of “unknown.” This means they have not chosen a race or ethnic group with which to identify when filling out their application, and that the “unknown” category is not a discreet ethnicity, but a combination of ethnicities for those students who chose not to answer. Additionally, the current five race categories collected are not fully representative of the diversity of our University of Maine System (UMS) community. This creates difficulties for the UMS for reporting purposes, as well as missed opportunities as we actively work to become a more inclusive, diverse, and welcoming institution for students from all backgrounds. In addition, assessing progress in our diversity efforts is challenging with the current deficits in our data.

Solution & Next Steps 

Solution Recommendation

• Incorporate background categories into the Ethnicity tab in MaineStreet
• Update accompanying instructional information
• Utilize the MaineStreet message center to notify students of the option of updating their race & ethnicity in their MaineStreet Student Center during their first year

Next Steps

• Determine background categories
• Test reporting capabilities
• Compose email and explanatory pages to encourage participation self-reporting
• Create auditing procedures
• Research possibility of Phase II for employees

Comments & Questions

• Question regarding if this would change the IPEDS categories or reporting:
  • We would still be asking the legally required questions which IPEDS uses. The only impact that this might have is reducing the number of unknowns reported.
• Question regarding the background categories.  
  • List shown was from the Common App. We can make additional changes, we don’t have to use the Common App list. We could make additional changes (e.g., add Franco American) or any others that are relevant.
  • Ideally would have international coordinators weigh in on final list.
• Tribal membership is a different question---self reports don’t align with the waiver applications. More students self-report as native than are actual tribal members. Important to be able to track membership vs. self-report. 
  • Request for mechanisms we can put into place to make this actual membership data also available in addition to self-reported data.
  • Proxy information–use the tuition waiver table as a proxy
  • This actual vs. self-reported discrepancy is the same for many other institutions across the United States.
  • Comment for regularly published report of Native American Tuition waiver students if this is not difficult

Term 2110 - Fall 2020 All Institutions