This fall, the UC Davis Office of the University Registrar completed the transition of its student records to comply with the University of California Gender Recognition and Lived Name Policy, which allows students to indicate both a lived name and gender designation.

According to University Registrar Brian Hodge, the registrar’s office partnered with Information and Educational Technology (IET) teams beginning in January to update the department’s technology platforms. The transition ensures accurate gender and lived names are collected, displayed and utilized in all campus interactions.

Once a student provides a lived name, this name must be used in all communications and IT systems. Access to a student’s legal name is highly restricted.

“It is important to remember when working with students that the name one sees in the system may not be the same as the student’s legal name,” Hodge advised. “This is important, especially if there is a third-party present in the conversation with the student. The other party may not be aware that the student has a lived name. On such occasions, it is best to take the lead from the student, or third-party, using the name they mention.”

The transition is just one part of the UC Davis Gender Recognition and Lived Name Initiative, which leads the implementation across all UC Davis communities by June 30, 2024. This initiative reaffirms the university’s commitment to digital inclusion and belonging, and advances IET’s strategic goal to ensure that technology platforms reflect the diversity of identities of our community. Learn more about the project and upcoming timelines.