UCI GRLN Policy FAQs
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Lived Names and Nonbinary Gender
Lived/preferred name, is a self-chosen personal and/or professional name that may differ from a person’s legal name
Per the UCI Principles of Community, “UCI is a multicultural community of people from diverse backgrounds. Our activities, programs, classes, workshops, lectures, and everyday interactions are enriched by our acceptance of one another, and we strive to learn from each other in an atmosphere of positive engagement and mutual respect.” A person may choose a lived name/preferred for various reasons. Using a person’s lived/preferred name will foster a respectful and inclusive community.
Lived/preferred name must be used throughout the University of California community in all settings and situations that do not require a legal name.
Additionally, University policy requires staff, faculty, and students to use lived/preferred name, and in most cases prohibits the disclosure of legal name (if different). Failure to use lived name, and/or inappropriate disclosure or use of legal name may result in non-compliance with University privacy, personnel, academic, and student policies, and may result in corrective action.
The University must provide the minimum three equally recognized gender options on university-issued documents and IT resource systems — woman, man, and nonbinary. UCPath and UCI’s applicant tracking systems (TAMS, Recruit) provide the minimum three plus additional options referenced in Option B of Appendix 1, Part II-B of the GRLN Policy.
Nonbinary gender is an umbrella term for genders other than woman or man, including genders with aspects of both or neither. Nonbinary people may identify as agender, genderqueer, gender fluid, Two Spirit, bigender, pangender, gender nonconforming or gender variant or a myriad of similar gender identities. The way a person expresses their gender through clothing, hair, etc. may or may not align to historical cultural standards. At the University of California, we celebrate and support our community in every form of gender identity and gender expression.
Some individuals do not identify as man or woman, and thus the changes will provide an option beyond that traditional binary choice. Until recently, many forms required people to choose one of two options, and that did not allow for gender diversity.
No, this option is available to anyone who wants to choose a name other than what is on official documents, including those who use a preferred name or a name under which that person has published work. Because this policy is not limited to individuals who are transgender or nonbinary, people may also choose to use a shortened name or a name they have chosen after coming to the United States from another country.
Generally, documents that the University provides to the federal government or in conjunction with a person's Social Security Number require the use of a legal name. This may include but is not limited to the following:
- Financial aid documents
- Payroll records
- Medical identification and records
- Federal immigration documents
- Tax forms (e.g., W2, 1095C, 1099)
Policy
Yes, the California Gender Recognition Act (California Senate Bill 179) went into effect January 1, 2019.
The University of California published the Gender Recognition and Lived Name Policy and implementation guidance on November 6, 2020
The state of California passed the Gender Recognition Act (SB179) on October 15, 2017. Although SB179 did not pertain to the UC specifically, the bill contributed to university discussions already taking place about revising procedures and practices to be more gender inclusive, including the 2014 recommendations from the UC Task Force & Implementation Team on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Climate & Inclusion (the LGBT Task Force).
Any individual entering into an academic or professional relationship/affiliation with the University of California, or any person who has an active or prior relationship/affiliation with UCI regardless of the length of time is in the scope of the GRLN policy.
The policy allows individuals to include a self-chosen name for the following: First name, Middle name and/or Last name or Surname.
Yes, this allows students to use lived/preferred names on university documents.
To report noncompliance or harassment concerning the usage of a person’s gender identity or lived name, contact Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity at oeod@uci.edu.
This policy will be reviewed periodically by the Responsible Officer at UCI which is currently the Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Guidance for Units on GRLN
The legal name of university students, employees, alumni, and affiliates, if different than the individual’s lived name, must be kept confidential and must not be published on documents or displayed in IT Resource systems that do not require a person’s legal name. Individual locations and campus units can determine the business need for legal name use.
Individuals changing their gender identity and/or lived name information can visit Gender Inclusive Campus - UCI Office of Inclusive Excellence for more information on how to get their information updated in systems where manual changes need to be made.
Not unless UCI has an established contract with those other agencies or entities where a UCI campus unit has responsibility for ensuring such systems meet UC GRLN policy requirements. The GRLN policy refers only to UC and the operations and records that it controls.
Locations should begin implementation upon the issuance of this policy with the expectation that full implementation be completed by December 31, 2023. In the event that extenuating circumstances hamper full implementation efforts, Chancellors or Directors or their designees may grant limited exceptions so long as requests for delayed implementation can be supported with compelling justification. It is strongly encouraged that those exceptions be reviewed jointly with representatives from the Location’s chief diversity office, LGBTQ resource centers, IT offices, academic affairs, and the Academic Senate.
If a limited exception is granted, the Location must notify Graduate, Undergraduate and Equity Affairs at the Office of the President and include the reason(s) for the exception (i.e., what business need or situation existed that prevented/limited compliance, what alternatives were considered, and why alternatives were not appropriate), plans for the eventual implementation and the date when full implementation will be met.