University Records Regarding Student Identity - UTDPP1115

Policy Statement

The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) is committed to integrating the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion into every level of our organization and operations. UT Dallas expects to be a campus at which students are treated with fairness as they pursue their education.

UT Dallas recognizes that some students may designate an affirmed name, gender identity, and gender pronouns other than their primary/legal name and assigned sex at birth. While accurate information is critical for the University to track and maintain students' university records— including student name, date of birth, and other identification markers—across federal, state, and higher education systems, UT Dallas will ordinarily use a student's affirmed name, gender identity, and affirmed pronouns in university communications and reporting except when required by law. Students are advised that use of affirmed names, gender identity, and affirmed pronouns cannot be used for the purposes of misrepresentation.

The student's affirmed name will appear in the student self-service student information system, grade rosters, eLearning grade rosters, and the front of Comet cards. Students may request the affirmed name on their diploma, commencement program and called during commencement by emailing graduation@utdallas.edu by the name change deadline listed under Graduation/Commencement on the Academic Calendar.

The student's gender identity will appear in the student self-service student information system, class rosters, and for internal data collection and analysis.

Gender identity will be collected separately, and students will be given options that may include male, female, transgender female, transgender male, non-binary, genderqueer, or other, with a limited free entry field.

Students are also able to provide their affirmed pronouns in the student self-service student information system. The affirmed pronouns will appear in the student self-service information system, class rosters, and for university communications. Students will be provided five options for affirmed pronouns: (1) she/her/hers, (2) he/him/his, (3) they/them/theirs, (4) prefer not to answer, and (5) a free text box for students to input additional information.

Faculty, staff, and students are expected to use a student's affirmed name and are encouraged to use their gender identity and affirmed pronouns.

UT Dallas recognizes that for some students, their stated identity at UT Dallas may be ahead or behind their stated identity in other facets of their life. UT Dallas will, to the extent possible, protect the collection of gender identity and affirmed pronoun data. Units must take reasonable steps to maintain the privacy of the affirmed and legal names, gender identities, gender pronouns, and legal sexes of students that are maintained in University records. Only school officials with a legitimate educational interest in knowing the pronouns, gender identity, and legal sex of a student maintained in University records should access, or be provided access to, this information. Only individuals whose work assignments reasonably require access to the pronouns, gender identity, and legal sex of any other University member maintained in University records should access, or be provided access to, this information. In addition, where an University member has indicated a specified name, units should maintain the privacy of the University member's legal name when possible.

The primary/legal name will be used for university business or legal needs. This includes official transcripts, financial aid records, billing/payment records, housing/dorm contracts, employee records, military and veteran's services, and passport names for international students. This also includes reporting to federal and state agencies.

Students who are also employees at the University are advised that the official employee record will still show the primary/legal name and the assigned sex marker. For students who have an affirmed name on the front of their Comet Cards, the legal name will appear on the back of the Comet Card.

Students who have obtained a primary/legal name change may request to have their university records updated to reflect their new name with legal documentation as proof of the name change. Students may complete a "Name Change Request" form at https://www.utdallas.edu/registrar/forms. A copy of the student's driver's license, a marriage certificate, or court order used as proof of the name change must accompany the name change request.

Definitions

Primary/Legal Name
The primary/legal name is the first, middle, and last name of an individual that is recorded on their birth certificate, driver's license, passport, or other legal documents.

Affirmed Name
Students will designate an affirmed name, other than their primary/legal first name, by which the students wish to be identified. This is normally a first name other than their legal first name. UT Dallas reserves the right to refuse an affirmed name if it is used inappropriately or with an intention for misrepresentation.

Gender Markers
Sex at birth is the sex assigned by a doctor at the time of the person's birth. Legal sex is the sex that a person is declared to be according to government records. Gender Identity is one's internal experience of their gender. Many individuals identify their gender primarily with their sex as assigned at birth, which is referred to as cisgender. Other individuals will identify with a sex/gender other than what was assigned to them at birth, which is referred to as transgender. Gender identity can be used as gender markers in place of sex markers. For more information on gender identity, please visit https://gendercenter.utdallas.edu/.

Affirmed Pronouns
Affirmed pronouns are the set of pronouns that an individual prefers that others use in order to reflect that person's gender identity.

Assistance in Requesting Name and Gender Marker Changes and Privacy
Students may contact the Office of the Registrar (records@utdallas.edu) and/or Galerstein Gender Center to obtain information on how to update the affirmed name, gender identity, gender marker, and gender pronouns.

Student Self-Service Information System
This is the University's system that contains student records. Certain fields, such as "preferred name" and "preferred pronouns" will still appear in the system as "preferred" due to the system's infrastructure; these fields will be used for the student's affirmed first names and pronouns.

Responsible University Officer
The University Registrar will be the Responsible University Officer for this policy and will carry out university internal procedures in conjunction with the Galerstein Gender Center, Council for Undergraduate Education, Graduate Council, the Office of the Bursar, the Office of Financial Aid, the International Students and Scholars Office, the Office of Information Technology, Student Affairs, and the Office of Human Resources.