Frequently Asked Questions
About the Project
Equity and Human Rights (EQHR) oversees the data collection, management, and reporting associated with the project. The work is co-facilitated with multiple campus partners and portfolios.
We collect and analyze confidential self-identification data to:
- Assess progress of on-going equity-related initiatives (e.g., limited or preferential hiring, recruitment initiatives, etc.)
- Inform strategic direction for future equity-related initiatives through identifying trends in campus representation across both student and employee populations
- Adapt and improve upon the support structures on campus so that they are better equipped to meet the needs of UVic community members
- Fulfill equity-related reporting requirements (e.g., to the office of the BC Human Rights for employment related programs)
The Better Data Project collects demographic information – including Indigenous self-identification – to be used for ongoing reporting, evaluation, and implementation of equity initiatives across campus. In contrast, information collected through the proposed ICD process will not be used for reporting and strategic planning purposes, nor will it be cross-referenced with personal data collected through the Better Data Project. For more information about the ICD Process, please visit OVPI’s webpage.
About the questionnaire
The questionnaire asks for UVic community members to self-identify across six distinct identity categories: (1) Gender identity; (2) Sexual orientation; (3) Disability; (4) Indigenous identity; (5) Racial and/or ethnocultural identity; and (6) Religious and/or spiritual identity. The questions within each category are designed to capture the true breadth of diversity across the UVic community while maintaining an ability to report on the data that is collected.
The categories in the questionnaire were developed in consultation with UVic community partners, best practice experts across Canada, and related governing bodies/organizations (e.g., the Office of BC Human Rights Commissioner, Statistics Canada, etc.). In selecting the identity-based language to use, we consult to identify the preferred terminologies in communities as well as consider the terms used for relevant agencies with whom we have reporting relationships.
The six categories are consistent with census data collection and best-practice standards. With that said, we recognize that other aspects of your identity are not captured by the questionnaire (e.g., socioeconomic status or being a care giver). Data collection on more circumstantial aspects of identity is on-going in several areas across UVic and is therefore not included within the Better Data questionnaire.
Each of the six categories has a question designed to allow for disaggregated data collection. As highlighted in the , “Disaggregated data is data that provides sub-categories of information, for example by ethnic group, gender, occupation, or educational status” (p. 8). By collecting information on these important subcategories, we hope to be able to identify inequalities, inequities, and barriers within and between groups.
In some cases, provincial legislation requires that information be collected in a particular space or time and therefore cannot be replaced (this is the case for information collected in the student applicant portal); in cases where it’s possible to make adjustments, the Better Data self-identification questionnaire will replace all former data collection methods (this is the case for the Employment Equity Survey).
Completing your questionnaire
The questionnaire is available to all current UVic employees and students. The questionnaire is linked within your UVic user profile under the ‘Online Tools’ section. The questionnaire can be accessed as of November 1, 2023 and you may amend or delete your responses at any point in time.
Each question includes ‘prefer not to answer’ option some members of the university community may not wish to share such personal information with their employer or school. As you complete the questionnaire, you may choose to answer some questions, while selecting ‘prefer not to answer’ for others. Alternatively, you may choose to use the ‘select all prefer not to answer’ button at the top of the questionnaire; this function will automatically populate all your answers to ‘prefer not to answer’.
We recognize that the spectrum of identity is broad and constantly evolving. The ‘please specify’ fill in the blank options provide an opportunity for community members to share how they choose to identify across each category. This ensures that the collection tool is capturing the true breadth of diversity across UVic rather than pre-assuming identities based on the curated lists. The answers for the ‘please specify’ options will be collated and will help to inform questionnaire updates moving forward.
Your privacy
The University of Victoria collects, uses, discloses and retains personal information only in compliance with the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). The university collects the personal information on this form according to section 26 (c) and (e) of FIPPA.
The information collected in the questionnaire is strictly confidential. It will be in a secure database separate from employee or student records. The data is analyzed by select employees to share and report UVic’s representation numbers in summary with no individuals identified.
The questionnaire responses are confidential but not anonymous. This allows employees and students to update their questionnaire information at any time, allowing us to keep an up-to-date data set. Reporting will be anonymous and aggregated.
The questionnaire data can only be accessed by select continuing employees in Equity and Human Rights to process for reporting and select University Systems employees for maintenance.
Participation in the questionnaire is voluntary. If you choose, you may select the ‘prefer not to answer all questions’ button at the top of the questionnaire. This will automatically fill in all your answers to ‘prefer not to answer’. By completing it this way, it lets us know that you are aware of the questionnaire and helps us identify the percentage of people at UVic that would prefer not to provide this information.
Yes. If your circumstances change, please update your questionnaire responses by opening the questionnaire again.
Data dashboards and data use
Having a better understanding of who is a part of the UVic community allows the institution to be more responsive to the diverse needs of community members through programming, policy, and strategic direction. Baseline representation data is the first step in planning, implementation, and on-going evaluation of equity action. With that said, representation data is one tool of many to use in combination with others.
Yes. Self-identification through the Better Data questionnaire informs the improvement of campus services, highlights trends or gaps in representation across populations, and supports the evaluation of equity-related initiatives across campus (see the project’s Reports page for examples of this work). Self-identification is not a formal declaration process and cannot be used to inform work that is reliant on identity verification or confirmation. For an example of a formal declaration process, check out UVic’s Indigenous Citizenship Declaration policy.
Yes. While reviewing the data shared through the dashboards, it’s important to embrace the complexity of identity. Viewing the data through an intersectional lens provides new and important insight into our campus community. This insight can inform the work of staff and faculty, while providing everyone with a new sense of the diverse communities present on campus.
The project team offers a 'How to use the Better Data dashboards' course that is available to all units on campus. To find out more, contact betterdata@uvic.ca.
More questions?
Contact betterdata@uvic.ca.
If you have feedback on the project or the questionnaire itself, please provide using our .