The Better Data Project

About the Project

Data collection will tell us who is a part of the UVic community. The more people that respond to the questionnaire, the more accurate picture of representation we will have. This data will be used to inform:

• a review of support structures to ensure they respond to the diverse needs of our students and employees;
• strategies to enhance both student and employee recruitment, retention, and advancement;
• evaluation of key institutional plans, including but not limited to the Strategic Plan, the Equity Action Plan and the Indigenous Plan.

Types of data collected

Demographic data is information related to your personal identity. We understand that your identity is personal, complex and constantly shifting. Questions were formed based on community consultation with various campus partners, as well as guidelines from experts in the field of equity and anti-oppression within post-secondary institutions. We ask our campus community to share information across six identity categories:  

• Gender identity;
• Sexual orientation;
• Disability;
• Indigenous identity;
• Racial and/or ethnocultural identity; and
• Religious and/or spiritual identity.

Data collected as part of the Better Data Project is separate from all other data collection at UVic. While this may mean you have provided similar information in other areas (e.g., the student admission application), separating the Better Data questionnaire ensures that your data will not be accessible by any individual unit or used in any other institutional process (e.g., payroll). Find out more about how the data is used.