Georgia Tech encourages students, faculty and staff to share their Race and Ethnicity. As a federal contracting organization, Georgia Tech must comply with reporting requirements established by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).

Updating your information in OneUSG Connect:
  1. Login to Employee Self-Service in OneUSG Connect
  2. Select "Personal Details" tile
  3. Select "Ethnic Groups" from the menu on the left
  4. Review your current race and ethnicity information and, if necessary, make the appropriate changes
  5. If changes are made, press the “Save” button to complete the process.

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Guidelines

The U.S. Department of Education has guidelines for obtaining and reporting race and ethnicity data for all institutions of higher education. This data, which is required by the federal government, includes a two-part question (as shown below) that addresses ethnicity as well as racial heritage, and allows you to choose more than one category to describe your racial identity.

Question 1.  Ethnicity:  Are you Hispanic/Latino?  Choose only one.

_____Hispanic/Latino

_____Not Hispanic/Latino

Question 2.  Race:  What is your race?  Choose one or more regardless of ethnicity.

____a. American Indian or Alaska Native

____b. Asian

____c. Black or African American

____d. Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander

____e. White

Definitions

Ethnicity Definitions:  

  • Hispanic or Latino: A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish Culture or origin regardless of race. 

Race Definitions:

  • American Indian or Alaska Native: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.
  • Asian: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.

 

  • Black or African American A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
  • White: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

Frequently Asked Questions

Background 

What is the difference between ethnicity and race?

Ethnicity and race often are used interchangeably although such use is incorrect. Ethnicity represents social groups with a shared history, sense of identity, geography, and cultural roots, which may occur despite racial difference. Race represents a population considered distinct based on physical characteristics.

What are the ethnicity/race categories?

There are two categories for data on ethnicity:

  1. Hispanic or Latino or Spanish Origin, and 
  2. Not Hispanic or Latino or Spanish Origin.

There are five categories for data on race:

  1. American Indian or Alaska Native 
  2. Asian 
  3. Black or African American 
  4. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 
  5. White
How are the ethnicity and race categories defined?

See Definitions

Why is the “Hispanic” question separated from the other categories?

Race and Hispanic origin are considered to be two separate and distinct categories by the federal government.

How will this data be used?  Will the race/ethnicity data have any impact on admissions or employment?

Much like the U.S. Census, this data will be reported to the federal government in aggregate form. No names are ever reported. Internally, the information will be used to illustrate the full extent of diversity on campus. The data will have no impact on admissions or employment.

Who is requiring the collection and reporting of ethnicity/race?

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is requiring the data as issued in its 1997 “Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity” (https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg_1997standards). On October 19, 2007, the U.S. Department of Education posted the "Final Guidance on Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data to the U.S. Department of Education" (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-20613.pdf) to implement OMB’s 1997 Standards.

Why do the current ethnicity/race categories exist?

Responding to growing criticism that the 1977 racial and ethnic standards did not reflect the diversity of the nation’s current population, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) initiated a comprehensive review in 1993. The review included: 1) organizing a workshop to address the issues by the National Academy of Science, 2) convening four public hearings, and 3) appointing an Interagency Committee for the Review of Racial and Ethnic Standards, which later developed a research agenda and conducted several research studies. The result of the Committee's efforts was a report describing recommended changes with most of those recommendations being accepted by the OMB it its 1997 Standards.

I am an international student in the United States on a temporary visa?  Should I provide my information and if so, how?

Because you are on a temporary visa, you will be reported to the federal government as “non-resident alien,” regardless of the race or ethnicity you indicate.  However, it’s helpful for the university to know your racial/ethnic identification for purposes of non-federal reporting.

If a person selects more than one race, how are they reported?

If they select the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity they will be reported as Hispanic or Latino regardless of the number of races they select. If they select not Hispanic or Latino and select two or more races they will be reported in the Two or More Races column. However, the Institution must keep all their individual responses.