Name Changes and Updating Personal Information

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs considers a student's legal name as the Primary Name, which often is associated with official records and accounts. Generally, offices that work with federal regulations, insurance companies, financial institutions and law enforcement require use of Primary Name.

Primary name appears in many official university systems and records, including, but not limited to:

• Official academic transcripts
• Enrollment and degree verification
• Billing and financial aid records, including COF
• Insurance records (UCCS Health and Wellness Center)
• Housing Contracts
• Lion One Card
• Military and Veterans Services

Update Instructions: Students may update their Primary Name by submitting a completed Personal Information Update Request along with supporting legal documentation, such as driver's license, military ID, birth certificate, or court documentation (marriage license, divorce decree, etc.) that provide proof of the change of name.

As an inclusive university community, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs recognizes that students may wish to be identified by a name other than their Primary (legal) Name.

Students may designate a Preferred Name, which is different from a Primary Name, with the university.  A Preferred Name may be a nickname, middle name, professional name, anglicized name or name more closely associated with a student's gender identity.

Where technically and legally feasible, Preferred Names are displayed in lieu of Primary (legal) Names in university systems and records, and are used to identify students in the classroom and other places on campus. Primary name may be required for official documented business needs (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.

Preferred Names currently appear in the following university systems and records:

• Class Rosters
• Grade Rosters
• Advisee Rosters
• Canvas/Blackboard
• Starfish (Early Alert Tool)
• Webex
• Paw Prints
• Office 365
• Student Center in the myUCCS Portal
• Unofficial Transcripts
• Campus Directory (Student Lookup)

When you apply to graduate, you can set a unique diploma name that will appear on your diploma and in the commencement program.  If a diploma name is not provided or set prior to the deadlines as posted on our Transcript & Diploma Calendar on our transcript page, the Office of the Registrar will use your primary name. 

Please note: The deadlines for the commencement program vary and are much earlier than the deadline for printed diploma orders. It is best to specify a diploma name when applying to graduate prior to the graduation application deadlines (90 days prior to the date of commencement for undergraduates, refer to Graduate School deadlines if a graduate student) to ensure your name is correct in the commencement program. Any questions regarding the commencement program should be directed to commencement@uccs.edu.

Students may choose to identify their preferred personal pronouns through the myUCCS Portal.  Under 'Records and Registration' select 'Access Student Self Services'.  On that page, click on the tile labeled 'Profile'.  Select 'Pronouns' from the menu options.

Where They're Used

Only authorized school officials (e.g., staff, advisors and others with a legitimate educational interest) will have access to your pronoun settings. Plans are underway to display student-provided pronouns in class, grade and advising rosters and systems.

Although UCCS doesn't consider pronouns to be highly sensitive data, we don't classify them as directory information either. Therefore, if a third party contacts UCCS and requests your pronouns, we won't release that information unless you've provided explicit consent for us to do so.

How to Identify Your Pronouns

You may currently select from the following pronoun options:

• she/her/hers
• he/him/his
• they/them/theirs
• ze/hir/hirs
• xe/xer/xers

Help Educate Faculty and Staff

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 UCCS and that the Office of the Registrar can help them locate that information.

For more information about pronoun usage: Pronouns 101.

Students may choose to update personal information (options listed below) by using the 'Profile' tile within the 'Student Center' of the myUCCS student portal.  This information is meant to protect you and your educational record with the university. Refer to the drop downs above for more information about updating personal information and your privacy with the university.

Personal Information/Profile Options:

• Names (preferred, primary/legal)
• Pronouns
• Gender Identity
• Sexual Orientation
• Phone Numbers
• Email Addresses
• Addresses (mailing, etc.)
• Emergency Contact
• FERPA Release
• Security Passphrase
• CU Guest Access
   

How to Update Personal Information:

1. Log in to the myUCCS Portal.
    
2. Under the 'Records and Registration 'drop down select Access Student Self Services.
    
3. From the Student Center select the ‘Profile' tile and choose from the list of options listed below.  You may add, edit or remove the desired information at any time.
    

Name Change Guidelines:

• No documentation is required to submit a Preferred Name. Last names may only be updated through the official Primary Name change process with supporting legal documentation. See the Primary Name information above for instructions on changing a Primary Name.
   
• The university reserves the right to remove any Preferred Name that is deemed to be inappropriate or derogatory. Similarly, Preferred Names may be removed if they are deemed to be misrepresentative with the intent to avoid legal obligations or to confuse one's identity with that of another. Students may be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct for such instances.
   
• Name usage and requirements in systems, business processes, documents, and reports across campus is being reviewed with the intent of continued expanded use of Preferred Names for our various stakeholders, including faculty and staff.
   

The following should be noted regarding Preferred Names/Pronouns:

• Some systems do not receive regular updates from the official student information system and therefore may not be updated on a regular basis, if at all. As the use of Preferred Names at the university continues to evolve, students and others may encounter systems and services where the use of Primary v. Preferred Name and Pronouns are causing issues or yielding discrepant information. Such incidences should be reported to the Office of the Registrar where they can be investigated and updated, where feasible.
   
• Preferred Names provided to one CU campus update the student information system shared across the University of Colorado system. However, institutional policies and business process, as well as use of Preferred Name in ancillary systems and records, may vary from campus to campus.
   
• The timing of a Preferred Name update made by a student may affect which name is published in university publications, directories, etc., as some business processes require data to be pulled several weeks prior to publication or use. Name changes and updates are date/time stamped in the student information system for administrative use and verification.