Lived Name and Gender/Gender Identity

Ensuring that every person has university-issued identification documents and displays of personal identification information that recognize their lived name and gender/gender identity, regardless of whether they have legally changed their name or gender marker, is critically important to assuring equity and dignity for all in the learning, working and residential environments on campus. These procedures provide a consistent lived name and lived gender/gender identity experience across university systems and use of one's lived name and gender/gender identity wherever a legal name or legal gender is not absolutely necessary for legal, regulatory or reporting purposes.

This procedure also provides guidance on the collection and reporting of gender/gender identity, lived name and sexual orientation.

This Operating Procedure applies to all members of the University community, including, without limitation, individuals who are faculty, staff, students, contractors, consultants, temporary employees, and affiliates of the University.

For additional definitions please see the Guidance document

Gender/Gender Identity: The gender(s)/gender identity, if any, a person identifies with. An individual's gender is their gender identity, which can be the same or different from their legal gender.

Information Systems: A system that collects, stores, and processes data.

Primary Information Systems: An information system that collects, stores and processes the initial source of data.

Downstream Information Systems: An information system that receives data from the primary information system.

Legal Gender: A gender appearing on a government-issued document.

Legal Name: A name appearing on a government-issued document.

Lived Name: A self-chosen or personal and/or preferred professional name used instead of a legal name.

Preferred Name: See “Lived Name.” The term “preferred name” still appears in campus systems where the field name cannot be changed to “lived name.” Use of the term “lived name” is encouraged to avoid the perception that respecting someone’s lived name is optional.

Indicating a Lived Name and Gender/Gender Identity

Any individual in an existing academic or professional relationship with the University of Vermont is permitted to amend their UVM records to reflect their lived name and gender/gender identity at any time in all settings and situations that do not require a person’s legal name or gender/gender identity.

Offices should avoid passing on the cost of updating records, issuing new identification cards, etc., to persons wishing to change their gender/gender identity and/or lived name. 

To indicate a lived name visit: https://account.uvm.edu/directory.

Lived Name and Gender Identity Designations in University Systems and Forms

The University will provide, multiple, equally recognized gender/gender identity options on university-issued documents, forms (whether physical or hard copy) and IT systems, following the recommended language for expanded options as detailed in the Guidance for Collecting and Reporting Demographic Data on Sexual Orientation, Gender, and Lived Name document. Systems that cannot accommodate the full range of expanded options must contact Enterprise Application Services (EAS) to discuss an exception. This is done by emailing the UVMCIO@uvm.edu.   

All primary information systems, and any downstream systems which require the use of legal name, must provide the option for individuals to indicate a lived name in addition to a legal name. 

When a lived name is indicated, downstream systems shall not pull or receive legal name from primary IT resources unless access to legal name is required to perform a function for which the downstream system is used.

The gender/gender identity selected by an individual must be used within the University of Vermont system in all settings and situations that do not require use of legal gender. 

Collection and Storage of Gender Information

Collection of gender information must always come with an explanation, e.g. “This information is being collected for…” See Guidance for details.

The legal names and genders of university students, employees, alumni and affiliates, if different than the individual’s lived name or gender/gender identity, must be safeguarded against unauthorized access and improper disclosure, and must not be published on documents or displayed in information systems that do not require a person’s legal name or gender. 

Guidance as to how gender-related demographic information should be collected and stored, and subsequently reported to federal agencies, is provided in the Guidance document.

Use of Legal Name and Legal Gender

Examples of documents or systems that may require use of legal name and/or legal gender include:

• Billing and Financial Aid documents (i.e. FAFSA)
• Transcripts
• Federal immigration documents
• Payroll and employment verification documents (e.g. I-9, W-2, W-4)
• Teacher certifications

Offices that need access to these documents or systems may have access to legal name and gender information. Staff in these offices must abide by data privacy rules and must be trained in the use of lived and legal names and genders Requests for legal name/gender are reviewed by the Executive Director of OIRA.

Training will be provided on an as-needed basis as determined by the Approval Authority or the Responsible Official. The ETS Knowledge Base article on Lived Name and Pronouns provides related information.

Questions concerning the daily operational interpretation of this UOP should be directed to the following: