URGE Demographic Data for the University of Utah College of Mines and Earth Sciences - 2021

This is what was found by University of Utah Pods 1-2-3 on College of Mines and Earth Sciences demographic data (public and internal facing) as well as stated goals for representation, and/or proposals to collect and report demographic data.

• The link to undergraduate and graduate student demographic data for CMES is here: https://www.obia.utah.edu/data-dashboard/enrolled-majors/
  • Demographic information for university staff has been requested from HR.
    • This information is not available through OBIA.
  • Demographic data for university faculty are available upon request.
  • Demographic data are not collected for invited speakers within CMES.
  • The OBIA demographic data need clarification:
    • Only two genders are reported. It is unclear if more data are collected, or if campus members are required to identify as gender binary.
    • The data conflate race and ethnicity. The category of “Two or more races” could represent multiple ethnicities instead of races.
    • If there are no data to represent a racial/ethnic category, that category is not present and can be misleading.
    • OBIA Recommendation: Create an easily accessible report that describes the nature of data collection (e.g., the list of gender identity options).
• CMES has a higher percentage of underrepresented ethnically minoritized students than the U.S. nationwide geoscience demographics (AGI data). 
  • The last several years show a lack of American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students.

• CMES undergraduate student demographics are not representative of the University of Utah or state of Utah.
  • General trends and observations in CMES student data (2011-2020)
    • Undergraduate population: 80% white
    • Graduate population: 60-70% white vs “other”
    • This is likely underestimating % white because it implies that nonresidents and ‘unknowns’ are NOT white. For graduate students, the percentage non-resident alien OR unknown is significant: 30-40%.
    • Gender data for all students is ~60-70% male.

• CMES faculty have few ethnically underrepresented and minoritized people.

• CMES does not have any publicly stated goals to increase the representation from marginalized groups.
  • Suggested goals:
    • Goal 1: Develop publicly stated goals to increase the representation from marginalized groups.
    • Goal 2: Create action plan for recruiting and supporting individuals from marginalized groups.
    • Goal 3: Establish ongoing qualitative and quantitative mechanisms for publicly evaluating progress towards diversifying CMES community (Goals 1 and 2)
• Proposed policy for seminar speakers:
  • CMES is committed to highlighting scientists from minoritized groups for the purpose of increasing diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion within the college. We will increase the representation of our seminar speakers by
    • 1. Inviting at least three speakers, per semester, per department, who belong to underrepresented groups.
    • 2. Collecting and publicly displaying the demographic data of our speakers to hold ourselves accountable to this goal.
    • 3. Soliciting speaker recommendations from attendees to increase the likelihood of highlighting lesser-known scientists. Geology and Geophysics Department and Atmospheric Sciences
  • Department have taken steps towards increasing representation of speakers from underrepresented groups (#1 above).
  • One possible mechanism for increasing and maintaining diversity in seminar speakers would be to move to a college level, rather than department level, speaker series.