Institutional Research
THE CURIOUS CASE OF
THE UNKNOWN RACE
Teresa Ward
Sr. Research Associate
Charles Gilbreath
Meta Data Administrator
Bethann Northup
Research Analyst II
Institutional Research
About Georgia State
Leading urban doctoral research university
located in Downtown Atlanta
Approximately 30,000 students enrolled in six
different colleges
Ethnicity (Fall 2009)
Number
American Indian or Alaska Native
113
Asian
3,726
Black
9,505
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
93
White
14,242
2 or more races
910
Not reported
1,842
Institutional Research
Why did we need to survey our
students?
Steadily increasing percentage of undergraduate
applicants/students who did not report
race/ethnicity:
Term
Percentage of Non-Reported
Fall 2002
0.58
Fall 2003
4.44
Fall 2004
6.76
Fall 2005
9.41
Fall 2006
12.69
Fall 2007
14.45
Fall 2008
16.67
Fall 2009
18.75
Institutional Research
“Up until last year, we would have about 4%
of the freshmen not reporting their ethnicity.
For Fall 2008, the percentage suddenly
jumped to 17%, and now for Fall 2009, we are
seeing 32% of our freshmen applicants not
reporting.”
Institutional Research
Survey Instrument
Did you identify your ethnicity or race on your
university application form? (Why or why not?)
Did you have concerns that this data, if provided, would
influence your chances of being accepted? (Yes, No)
Educational institutions may be asked to resurvey their
students to collect ethnicity and race information. If you
were to be asked for this information (now that you have
been accepted) would you choose to identify your
ethnicity or race (Yes, No, Why not?)
How do you think colleges and universities use this data
after the admissions process?
Institutional Research
Methodology
Proportional Stratified Random Sample of
undergraduates–Over sampling of “Non-reporters”
Online administration
Spring 2009 administration
Link respondents to internal data sources
Institutional Research
WHO RESPONDED
N = 290 (11.3%)
Gender
Female
Male
Sample
Population
%
59.2
40.8
Ethnicity
Asian
Black
Black Hispanic
Hispanic
American Indian
Multiracial
Not Reported
Other
Pacific Islander/Hawaii
White
White Hispanic
Survey
Respondents
%
63.4
36.6
Sample
Survey
Population Respondents
%
%
2.0
1.7
16.6
11.0
.2
.3
1.0
.3
.2
.0
1.0
1.4
58.5
65.2
2.0
1.7
.2
.3
18.4
17.9
.2
.0
Class
Freshman
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Sample
Population
%
17.1
17.3
21.7
43.8
Survey
Respondents
%
15.2
15.5
22.4
46.9
Institutional Research
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
Atlas.ti (CAQDA)
743 Quotations
67 Codes
3,162 Code Assignments
12,082 Words
Institutional Research
RESULTS
Did you identify your ethnicity or race on your university
application form?
University
Database
Survey N
%
Yes
192 72.2
No
74 27.8
Asian
Black
Yes
N
No
%
N
%
5 100.0
0
.0
24
80.0
6 20.0
Black Hispanic
1 100.0
0
.0
Hispanic
1 100.0
0
.0
American Indian
0
.0
0
.0
Multiracial
2
50.0
YIKES!
Not Reported
113
66.9 56 33.1
Other
3
Pacific
Islander/Hawaii
1 100.0
White
White Hispanic
2 50.0
60.0
42
84.0
0
.0
2 40.0
0
.0
8 16.0
0
.0
Institutional Research
“Because I felt that it was important for Georgia State to
realize its diversity. GSU wouldn’t know about its diversity
if students are not identifying themselves.”
“I chose to identify my race because I was asked on my
application and I am not ashamed of the way God has made
me. I am uniquely made by God and I am proud of that.”
“ Because the school asked me to identify myself, and if
something happened to me I would like for the school to be
able to easily identify me. ”
“I am proud of my ethnicity and race so I do not have a problem
disclosing it on applications.”
“I know how important such data is to the academic system as well as
funding and research opportunities.”
Institutional Research
Yikes!
Most of our “non-reported” group claimed that
they did report ethnicity/race. Possible reasons
for this inconsistency include:
Inaccurate memory on the part of students
Errors in data entry (manual / automated)
Problems with business practice
Institutional Research
“I’m not a color; I’m a person. Race is irrelevant.” (49.1%)
“I chose not to answer because none of the choices fit my ethnicity.
The closet choice would be black or African American but the truth of
the matter is that I am not Black or African American but African.
Black or African American people are Americans that have African
descent. Well I am not American and so I do not belong in that
category. ” (21.8%)
“I did not want my race to be considered during the
admissions Process.” (9.1%)
“I truly feel that dividing people up by some ‘ethnicity or race’ creates
more divisions and possible discrimination.” (9.1%)
“Unfortunately, we are not in a world where you can trust
people with such information.” (7.3%)
Institutional Research
Did you have concerns that this data, if provided, would
influence your chances of being accepted?
A third (33.3%) answered “Yes.”
“On a subconscious level, it might effect an admissions officer’s
choice to decline a minority applicant whose academics are on
the fringe of acceptance.”
“I identify my race because I am a minority and I think that it
could possibly help me in the long run.”
“Because I am not a minority I thought it may hinder it.”
“I believe schools want diversity, so they will ask students for
their race, and accept students accordingly to that information.”
Institutional Research
How do you think colleges and universities use this data after the
admissions process?
Statistics/Demographics (40.6%)
“For statistics for their school. I don’t think they use it for negative purposes.”
“I think it is used as statistical data to see who is applying and to see what
demographics are not being reached or are being over reached.”
Meet Quotas/Affirmative Action (20.7%)
“I don’t know. But I think they use it for the whole affirmative action thing,
which I don’t understand because I think whoever meets the requirements
should get into the school.”
“If I had to guess, I’d say it’s to fulfill government requirements under equal
opportunities acts or something similar. Wide ethnic diversity gives some
sort of university bragging rights or something when they go to university
conventions.”
Institutional Research
Planning and Research (18.0%)
“I think that colleges and universities use race/ethnicity data to compare
the progress and challenges of different races and ethnic groups, and to
come up with solutions to make the campus environment more culturally
inclusive.”
“ I am sure they would tell us that it is used to effectively determine how
they can best cater to the needs of students of all races and ethnicities,
and create a unified, loving, tolerant, community for everyone. I think I’ve
read that in a brochure or something before.”
Demonstrate/Promote Diversity (14.2%)
“I think it is so the schools can make sure that the student population
is diverse and well rounded with many different ethnicities.”
“Hopefully not to ‘weed out’ minorities! Fortunately, diversity is becoming
more and more acceptable and expected in universities.”
Institutional Research
Do Not Know (13.3%)
“I have no idea. I dont understand why this information would
be needed anyway.”
“I’m not sure, and that’s what scares me.”
“I have my suspicions and prefer to not know.”
Funding /Grants (7.8%)
“applications for grants, that sort of thing.”
“I believe they use it for their minority students services and also for
funding.”
Information Not Used (1.0%)
Institutional Research
If you were to be asked for this information
(now that you have been accepted) would you
choose to identify your ethnicity or race?
Of the non-reporters who indicated that they DID
NOT report their race/ethnicity, 64.9 percent
indicated they would NOT identify.
“I would not choose to supply my ethnicity because the university
now has more personal information on me, such as my grades.”
“I do not like the idea of the government trying to classify me; the
reason that they need it for ‘statistical data’ seems to vague as I do
not know what they really use the information for.”
“I am half white half Mexican. On most questionnaires when asked
what your ethnicity is you have a choice of 1)White, Non-Hispanic or
2) hispanic. I can not identify with either, therefore I choose not to
answer that question.”
“It’s unnecessary. How would it help anything by knowing my
race/ethnicity.”
“It shouldn’t matter at all….it’s incredibly sad that in our country
stuff like this is still important. “
Institutional Research
Non-reporters in database
(new classifications)
Non Hispanic Black
Non Hispanic American Indian
Non Hispanic Pacific Islander
Non Hispanic White
Non Hispanic Asian
Hispanic Black
Hispanic Pacific Islander
Hispanic White
Black (Hispanic not indicated)
%
14.3
3.2
.5
42.9
5.3
.5
.5
1.1
2.1
White (Hispanic not indicated) 4.2
BIPWZ
2.1
Other Combinations
3.2
Hispanic
2.6
Not Hispanic
1.1
Did not take the new survey
15.9
Non-reporters who said they did
not report (new classifications)
%
Non Hispanic Black
18.0
Non Hispanic American Indian
2.0
Non Hispanic Pacific Islander
.00
Non Hispanic White
56.0
Non Hispanic Asian
.0
Hispanic Black
.0
Hispanic Pacific Islander
2.0
Hispanic White
0
Black (Hispanic not indicated)
2.0
White (Hispanic not indicated)
BIPWZ
Other Combinations
6.0
8.0
6.0
Institutional Research
Implications
The collection of this data is more complex
than it might appear
Data collection problems corrected
(automated feed of on-line application and
subsequent form processing, data entry error,
incorrect submission by applicant)
Detailed legacy data allowed mapping into
new fields (data warehouse)
Resurvey of students’ ethnicity and race
produced more accurate data
Institutional Research
Implications
Students’ indication of future behavior is not
a reliable predictor
Some will resist providing the data (BIPWZ?)
Concerns about the use of race in decision
not assuaged by language on the application
Multiple race selections more accurate than
“multiracial”
Collecting the students’ own comments shed
more light on their assumptions / concerns
than any list we could have provided
Institutional Research
Implications
Term
Total UGR
Total Nonreported
before resurvey
% Nonreported
before resurvey
Non Reported
using new
race (resurvey)
% Nonreported
after resurvey
Fall 2002
19,682
115
0.58
2,341
11.89
Fall 2003
20,208
897
4.44
2,681
13.27
Fall 2004
19,894
1,344
6.76
2,617
13.15
Fall 2005
18,960
1,785
9.41
2,484
13.1
Fall 2006
19,122
2,426
12.69
2,360
12.34
Fall 2007
19,904
2,876
14.45
2,100
10.55
Fall 2008
20,846
3,474
16.67
1,532
7.35
Fall 2009
22,384
4,197
18.75
1,411
6.3
Institutional Research
Implications
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
Total Non-reported before
re-survey
Total Non-reported after
re-survey
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Fall
2002
Fall
2003
Fall
2004
Fall
2005
Fall
2006
Fall
2007
Fall
2008
Fall
2009
Institutional Research
Teresa Ward, Ph.D. tward@gsu.edu
Charles Gilbreath, M.A. cgilbreath@gsu.edu
Office of Institutional Research
http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwire/
Georgia State University
May, 2010