ICON and other UI platforms now allow students to change their preferred names and pronouns on both a limited and broad scale.
By Grace Lynn Keller
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Students may now enter their preferred names and pronouns for University of Iowa administration to see on MyUI accounts. Students’ preferred names and pronouns will also appear on the publicly visible directory.
The changes, which took place at the beginning of the semester, not only allow students to make updates to their preferred names and pronouns, also select how widely those preferred changes appear throughout UI systems. The two options for students are limited use and broad use, which differ in the number of places preferred names and pronouns will appear throughout UI systems.
Limited use shows preferred names and pronouns on MAUI, Canvas, and ICON for instructors to see, as well as students’ ePersonnel files if they are employed by the university.
Broad use shows preferred names and pronouns on a wider scale, including all limited-use areas in addition to the online directory, the names that accompanies students’ university email, university ID cards, and any other department or campus systems unless they require standard names.
UI Vice President for Student Life Melissa Shivers said the new features allow the university to be more inclusive not only for students but also faculty and staff.
“The University of Iowa is enhancing inclusivity for all members of our community by introducing and expanding options for individuals to use a preferred name in UI systems,” Shivers said in an email to The Daily Iowan.
Shivers also gave credit to the hard work of the Records System Subcommittee of the UI Trans Inclusivity Task Force for making the changes possible.
P.J. Carlson, the secretary of Spectrum at UI, said officials are happy with how easy the process is.
“In the past, it’s been harder to change your name,” Carlson said. “It’s very refreshing and encouraging.”
Carlson also noted how hard it was, previous to the change, to explain to others they went by a different name from what was in the system.
“For someone who’s going through the process of changing their name, it can be hard to hear someone call you by your birth name,” Carlson said.
Sean Finn, the president of UI Trans Alliance, said he is glad students are now allowed to specify their preferred names and pronouns online.
“People who go by names that aren’t on their birth certificates benefit from this,” he said.