Update Your Personal Information

How it's used

CU classifies a student's legal name as their primary name, which is associated with official records and accounts. Your primary name appears in official university systems and records, including but not limited to:

• Official academic transcripts
• Enrollment and degree verifications
• Billing and financial aid records
• Health insurance records
• Housing contracts
• Military and veterans services
• Passport names for international students
• Most student screens in Campus Solutions (CU-SIS)

How to change your primary name

Submit a completed Name Change and Record Update Form, along with supporting legal documentation, to the Office of the Registrar. Documented proof of a legal name change, before and after, can include your driver's license, military ID, birth certificate or court documentation that provides proof of the name change.

The following university systems and records require additional steps to update your preferred or primary name.

Email

• Display Name: To change the name displayed in the "from" line of email messages, contact OIT at 303-724-HELP.
• Alias: To request an update to your email alias (the part of your email address before @), contact OIT at 303-724-HELP.
  

Campus Directory (online student lookup):

• The campus directory publishes the display name from the Identity Management system.
  

CU Denver ID badge:

All badges are issued with your primary name. If you've submitted a primary or preferred name change, you may bring your current card to the badging office in the Tivoli Student Union and purchase a replacement card.

Contact the Office of the Registrar for instructions on updating your primary or preferred name for university systems and processes not listed here.

How it's used

You may designate a preferred first and/or middle name with the university, whether that be a nickname, middle name, professional name, anglicized name or name more closely associated with your gender identity. Where technically and legally feasible, preferred names are displayed instead of primary (legal) names in university systems and records, and are used to identify students in the classroom and other places on campus.

After designating a preferred name in UCDAccess, your preferred name automatically appears in the following university systems and records without additional action:

• Class and grade rosters (used by faculty)
• Advisee rosters (used by advisors; this also displays primary name)
• Unofficial transcripts
• Degree audits Student Center in UCDAccess
• Learning management systems (Canvas)
• Housing

Your primary name may be required for official documented business needs (e.g., financial aid, tax forms, health insurance records, etc.). Systems that rely on data stored in enterprise systems should be updated regularly to reflect the most current name information.

How to change your preferred name

No documentation is required to designate a preferred name. Last names may only be updated through the official primary name change process with supporting legal documentation.

• Log in to UCDAccess Student Portal
• Click on Student Center
• Click on All Student Functions
• Choose the Profile icon
• Scroll down and click on Names
• If you don’t see Preferred Name, click on Add Name

The following university systems and records require additional steps to update your preferred or primary name.

Email

Display Name: To change the name displayed in the "from" line of email messages, contact OIT at 303-724-HELP.

Alias: To request an update to your email alias (the part of your email address before @), contact OIT at 303-724-HELP.

Campus Directory (online student lookup): The campus directory publishes the display name from the Identity Management system.

CU Denver ID badge: All badges are issued with your primary name. If you've submitted a primary or preferred name change, you may bring your current card to the badging office in the Tivoli Student Union and purchase a replacement card.

Contact the Office of the Registrar for instructions on updating your primary or preferred name for university systems and processes not listed here.

Note: The university reserves the right to remove any preferred name that is deemed to be inappropriate, derogatory or misrepresentation (e.g., student is attempting to avoid legal obligations or confuse their identity with that of another). Students may be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.

How it's used

This unique name appears on your diploma and in the commencement program. If you do not provide a diploma name when you apply to graduate, the Office of the Registrar will use your primary name instead.

How to set your diploma name

Start filling out your graduation application (see Apply for Graduation for step-by-step instructions). After you confirm your academic information and click Apply for Graduation, you'll have a chance to review your name. To create a diploma name, click Change Name, then Add Name. Once saved, this new name is your diploma name. Click the Approve Diploma Name checkbox and finish applying to graduate.

How to change your diploma name

To change your diploma name after you've submitted your graduation application, submit a completed Name Change and Record Update Form, along with supporting legal documentation, to the Office of the Registrar. Documented proof of a legal name change, before and after, can include your driver's license, military ID, birth certificate or court documentation that provides proof of the name change. To change your diploma name and not your name throughout the system, ONLY check the box next to "Diploma name" on the form. 

Student-identified pronouns appear in class, grade and advising rosters and systems. Only authorized school officials (e.g., staff, advisors and others with a legitimate educational interest) have access to your pronoun settings.

Pronouns are not classified as directory information. Therefore, if a third party contacts CU and requests your pronouns, we won't release that information unless you've provided explicit consent for us to do so.

You may currently select from the following pronoun options:

• she/her/hers
• he/him/his
• they/them/theirs
• ze/zir/zirs
• xe/xer/xers

The pronoun field is optional, and no documentation is required to designate your pronouns. Below are instructions on how to set your pronouns if you so choose.

1. Log in to UCDAccess.
2. Click on Student Center
3. Click on All Student Functions
4. Choose the Profile icon
5. Scroll down and click on Prounouns
6. Click to add your pronouns

Communication and training around the use of pronoun information is evolving on campus. If a faculty or staff member refers to you using incorrect pronouns, it is appropriate to tell them you've provided your pronouns to CU and that the Office of the Registrar can help them locate that information. For more information about pronoun usage, see the CU Denver Women and Gender Center website.

Sex

Sex, also referred to as sex assigned at birth (i.e., male or female), demarcates the physical characteristics of male and female bodies and is typically included on original birth certificates. At CU, this data is requested and/or required for select business processes, including federal and state reporting, administering financial aid and processing international student statuses.

Gender identity

Gender identity reflects one's innermost concept of self as man, woman, blend of both, or neither. In other words, it's how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One's gender identity can be the same or different than their sex assigned at birth. CU recognizes that gender is not limited to, nor always congruent with, the binary categories available in legal sex and gender designations. If desired, you may self-identify as one of the following genders:

• agender/do not gender identify
• cisgender
• gender queer/non-conforming
• man/male
• non-binary
• not listed
• trans female/trans woman
• trans male/trans man
• two spirit
• woman/female

Sexual orientation

Sexual orientation is an inherent or immutable, enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people. CU will use this optional information to better analyze student success and retention data, to advocate for resources, and to provide adequate and appropriate services. If desired, you may self-identify as one of the following sexual orientations:

• asexual and/or aromantic
• bisexual/fluid
• gay
• heterosexual/straight
• lesbian
• not listed
• pansexual
• queer

Campus Usage

The collection and use of gender identity and sexual orientation data at CU is a new and evolving practice. Campus officials are analyzing systems and business processes that currently store and use student's assigned sex to determine appropriate and/or required use.

Please note that some campus departments or programs may ask you to provide sex, gender identity and sexual orientation information separately, because their systems don't interface with the main student system.

While sex (at birth) data is required for compliance with select business processes, it's always optional for you to provide gender identity and sexual orientation information. You may enter, edit or remove this data at any time through your student portal.

Data privacy & security

Sex, gender identity and sexual orientation data, including information about individuals who identify as LGBTQ, is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Access to this information through university systems is restricted to staff who have a legitimate educational interest and have completed student data privacy training.

Campus officials will primarily use this information in aggregate to make informed, data-driven decisions related to strategic resources and student support.

Inquiries and concerns

If you believe your sex, gender identity or sexual orientation information is being accessed or used inappropriately, and/or if you have suggestions for appropriate use, please report your concerns or recommendations to the following CU Denver office(s) as appropriate:

Women & Gender Center (support, training, on-campus resources)

Office of Equity (discrimination and harassment reports)

Office of the Registrar (suggestions or concerns related to data usage)

The gender identity and sexual orientation fields are completely optional, and no documentation is required to designate them.

1. Log in to UCDAccess
2. In your "Student Center", click on "Profile"
3. Scroll down and click on either "Gender Identity" or "Sexual Orientation"
4. Click to add your gender identity or sexual orientation

In an effort to protect student privacy, CU directories may only contain a student's name, email address, class and major field of study. Of the items designated by CU as directory information, only a limited amount of this information is routinely disclosed by CU university officials. The university retains the discretion to refuse disclosure of directory information if it believes such disclosure would be an infringement on student privacy rights.

Phone numbers

Your cell/mobile information is included in the CUAlert Emergency Notification System. Opting out is strongly discouraged, as CUAlert is designed to send timely warnings regarding campus closures, extreme weather and other emergencies straight to your cell/mobile device. Landlines are not included in CUAlert.

Emergency contacts

This information is used in the event the university needs to contact someone on your behalf because you've been involved in or experienced a health or safety emergency. It is not included in the emergency notification system.

During the semester:

1. Log into UCDAccess
2. In your "Student Center", select "Profile"
3. Click on the type of information you want to update: Addresses, Email Addresses, Phone Numbers, or Emergency Contact
4. Follow the steps on the page to add, edit, or delete (if allowed) your existing information

If you don't have access to MyCUInfo, complete the Name Change and Record Update Request Form and return it to the Office of the Registrar.

Personally identifiable information is secured and accessed only by school officials with a legitimate educational interest, per university policy and federal law. CU business offices use your SSN or TIN to match your credentials with state and federal databases to process your financial aid, tuition statements for tax purposes, student employment, College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipend and Selective Service verification, among other things.

Complete the Name Change & Record Update Form and submit it with the required documentation, such as a copy of your Social Security card, to the Office of the Registrar.

Do not email documentation that includes your SSN or TIN; instead fax, mail or deliver the form to the Office of the Registrar.