The definitions the University uses are those recommended in Equity and General Performance Indicators in Higher Education (Martin 1994). These definitions are being trialled Australia-wide for a three year period and may be slightly modified in the future.

1. Women in Non-traditional Study (WINS)

Women students enrolled in ‘any category such as field of study or type of course for which the percentage of female enrolments is less than 40 per cent’.

Currently these fields of study are Agriculture, Architecture and Building, Business, Administration and Economics, Engineering and Surveying and Science. In relation to ‘type of course’ research degrees have been identified as WINS.

2. People from Non-English Speaking Backgrounds

Those students who were born overseas and arrived in Australia less than 10 years ago, and who speak a language other than English at home.

3. People with Disabilities

Those students who respond positively to the following questions (on the enrolment form):

‘Do you have a disability, impairment or long term medical condition which may affect your studies?’

‘If yes, please indicate the area of impairment:

• hearing
• learning
• mobility
• vision
• medical
• other.’

‘Would you like to receive advice on support services, equipment and facilities which may assist you?’

4. People from Rural and Isolated Areas

Students’ geographic status is determined from postcode of home location and identified as one of three groups, urban, rural and isolated. The 1993 classification of postcodes devised by the Department of Primary Industry and Energy is used to group postcodes into these three categories.

5. People from Socio-economically Disadvantaged Backgrounds (Low SES)

Those whose postcodes of home location fall within the lowest quartile of the population of a given catchment region (national, state or urban), determined by the value of the ABS Index of Education and Occupation (EdOcc).

(The allocation of each postcode in Australia in the 1991 census to each of the SES categories for the national, relevant state and urban ranking is available from the Planning Unit of the University of South Australia.)

6. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Defined through self-identification by a positive response to the following question used to collect the DEETYA student data at enrolment;

‘Are you an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander?’