MSU Human Resources >> Ethnicity & Race Category Definitions


Ethnic Categories

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

Race Categories

  • 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. (Not Hispanic or Latino)
  • 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. (Not Hispanic or Latino)
  • Black or African American - A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. (Not Hispanic or Latino)
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. (Not Hispanic or Latino)
  • White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. (Not Hispanic or Latino)
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