Quotas: how hetero-identification boards work – 03/16/2024 – Education

Universities’ hetero-identification boards, formed to confirm whether students approved with quotas for blacks are actually black or mixed race, are always based on phenotypic criteria, that is, on the set of observable traits, such as skin color, hair and shape of the mouth and nose.

There are, however, differences in the banking operating models. The analysis can be done via photo and/or videoconference or in-person interviews.

Furthermore, the formation of the panels is different. Among the main public universities in São Paulo, USP and Unicamp, there are undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as professors and staff. Unesp opted for panels without students.

The definition of members is also varied. In the case of USP students, for example, they are nominated by the university’s Coalition of Black Collectives, while at Unicamp, they are summoned by the Executive Directorate of Human Rights based on a list of those who have previously completed a training course.

See below for more information about the USP, Unesp and Unicamp stalls:

USP

Who evaluates:
Two panels, with 5 members each, coordinated by the Dean of Inclusion and Belonging, are divided into verifications

• 1 USP professor elected by peers
• 1 peer-elected official
• 1 undergraduate student nominated by the Coalition of Black Collectives at USP
• 1 postgraduate student nominated by the Coalition of Black Collectives at USP
• 1 representative of civil society who works in the defense of affirmative actions

Type of analysis:
By photography

• At Fuvest: The photos are those sent by candidates when registering, in addition to those taken by inspectors of all students during the test
• Enem and Provão Paulista: photos sent by candidates are used

Parameters for images sent by candidates: be less than 1 year old, be colorful and have good lighting and sharpness conditions, solid background preferably white, with the face and shoulders framed by the camera, among others

How is approval:

• Candidate needs the majority of 5 votes from the panel. If it is not approved, it goes to the other panel, which evaluates it without knowing that it was not previously approved.
• If you are not approved again, you will be called for an interview

What the bank is like:

1. Fuvest candidates have a face-to-face interview

2. Provão Paulista and Enem candidates are interviewed via videoconference

In both cases:

• The candidate must read their self-declaration of racial affiliation; the reading is recorded
• To be approved, a favorable majority of the panel members is required.

Resource:
Analysis panel may or may not request the virtual appearance of the candidate

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Unicamp

Who evaluates:
A panel with 5 members, who need to undergo training and are then selected by the Executive Directorate of Human Rights

• 1 professor, who is the president of the committee
• 1 university technical-administrative employee
• 1 undergraduate student
• 1 postgraduate student
• 1 civil society representative nominated by the black movement

Type of analysis:
By photography

• The images are collected on the day of the entrance exam, taken by employees, in the classroom, with a tablet; Two photos are taken, one from each day of the test
• With the tablet, we seek a standard for the photos in relation to lighting, framing and the absence of filters
• Candidates via Enem or Provão Paulista send their own photos

How is approval:
When the photo analysis is inconclusive, the candidate is invited to a video conference

What the bank is like:

• Via video, the candidate answers the question: “Why did you opt for ethnic-racial quotas?”; the answer, however, is not consideredonly guarantees an exposure time for phenotypic observation
• The interview is recorded and saved for possible appeals

Resource:
The panel evaluates the photos again and watches the recorded video conference again; there is no face-to-face meeting

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Unesp

Who evaluates:
Panels with 3 members each are formed from a group of around 20 people, including permanent staff and guests, coordinated by the Central Commission for Investigating Self-Declarations of Blacks and Browns; There are university professors and staff, selected based on technical criteria and racial and gender diversity

Type of analysis:
By photography

• Photo is sent by the student for registration
• Image must be colorful, current and clear, taken with a white or neutral background, in a well-lit location, among other parameters

How is approval:
It has to be consensual; if the assessment is inconclusive, the candidate is invited to a video conference

What the bank is like:

• Through video, questions are asked such as “Why did you declare yourself black (or brown)?”; “Who is black in your family?”; “Do you use any chemicals on your hair (to straighten it)?” The conversation lasts about 5 minutes
• Responses are taken into account and add up to phenotypic assessment
• If the videoconference is inconclusive, face-to-face banking takes place

Presential interview:
Meeting similar to video conferencing
The bank gives its opinion immediately after verification

Resource:
Candidates can submit an appeal to the Appeals Assessment Committee, in writing, saying why they consider themselves black; This committee is made up of members different from those of the previous panels