Executive Policy 7.302 Executive Policy 7.302

Chosen Name, Pronouns, and Gender Identity

Executive Policy Chapter 7, Student Affairs
Executive Policy EP 7.302, Chosen Name, Pronouns, and Gender Identity
Effective Date:  August 2025
Prior Dates Amended:  August 2016
Responsible Office:  Office of the Vice President for Academic Strategy
Governing Board of Regents Policy RP 1.205, Policy on Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action
Review Date:  August 2028

1. To support students who have a chosen name, such as a Hawaiian name, a name that is concurrent with their gender identity, or a name they prefer to be referred by.


2. To enable a consistent chosen name experience across the University of Hawai‘i system (UH) and use of one’s chosen name wherever legal name is not absolutely necessary, including within specific information systems and processes.


3. The option to use chosen name, pronouns, and gender identity shall be available to all students as long as the use of the chosen name is not for purposes of misrepresentation.

1. Chosen name: The first name that a student chooses to be known by or identifies as in the University of Hawai‘i community that is different from the student’s legal name.


2. Legal name: The name listed as a student’s name of record on official government-issued documents such as birth certificate, passport, social security card, transcript, etc.


3. Legal sex: Also referred to as ‘assigned sex’, is the assignment and classification of people as male, female, intersex, or another sex assigned at birth often based on the physical anatomy at birth and/or karyotyping.


4. Pronouns: How an individual is identified apart from their name and affirms their gender identity, not their assigned or legal sex. Examples of common pronouns include: he/him/his, she/her/hers, and they/them/theirs.


5. Gender identity: A term to describe the gender that an individual identifies with, which may or may not align with their legal/assigned sex. For the purposes of this policy, options shall be consistent with current terminology as vetted by the UH System Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer+ (LGBTQ+) Equality.

1. As an inclusive and diverse university system, UH recognizes that many members of its community use names other than their legal name or name of record to identify themselves. For some students, chosen names and pronouns are an important component of their identity. This policy affirms a commitment to allow students to indicate their chosen first name, pronouns, and gender identity.


1. UH shall permit the use of a chosen name, pronouns, and gender identity by any students who choose to identify themselves within the University’s information systems whenever those systems allow for such designation.


2. Chosen name, pronouns, and gender identity are used solely for UH’s internal activities, systems, processes, and practices. External systems (i.e., newspapers, outside agencies, etc.) are not affected by this policy.


3. It is further understood that chosen name, pronouns, and gender identity may be used in UH communications and reporting. These systems and reports include, but are not limited to class rosters, the learning management system, student information system, student ID cards, and directory listings.


4. As a diploma is a ceremonial document rather than a legal one, students may elect to have their chosen name on their diploma at the time the student applies to graduate.
   
   1. Students may elect to use their chosen name on their diploma and/or the commencement book by completing the procedure at their home campus.
   
   
   2. If students do not indicate the use of chosen name on their diploma and/or the commencement book by the home campus’s deadline to apply, their legal name will be used by default.
   
   
   3. Students should select carefully between their legal and chosen name, keeping in mind that some countries, states, professional programs, and regulatory entities require legal names to be printed on diplomas for identity matching and/or degree verification purposes. Those entities may not accept a diploma with a chosen name as an official document.
   
   
   4. The use of chosen name on a diploma does not replace the process to change a student’s legal name.
   
   
   5. The registrars at the ten campuses are responsible for implementing the procedures necessary for the use of chosen name on diplomas and the commencement book, including informing students of the implications that might arise if the name of the diploma differs from the student’s legal name.


5. Legal name shall be used when necessitated by University business or legal requirement. These documents and processes include, but are not limited to admissions letters, visa documentation, verification of enrollment/degree, student accounts, financial aid, official transcripts, and communications with external authorities.


6. UH departments will commit to utilize chosen name, pronouns, and gender identity in their business practices.


7. This policy is limited to pronouns, gender identity and first names. This policy does not apply to surnames or family names.
 

2. Students may enter a chosen name, pronouns, and/or gender identity using the appropriate form at their home campus.


3. Students with a chosen name would be allowed to change their UH Username as an exception, per the procedures documented at https://www.hawaii.edu/askus/1788


4. Students who wish to change their surname and/or official name of record must submit official documentation (e.g., court order, divorce decree) directly to their campus Registrar’s Office or Admissions and Records Office.


5. UH will display chosen name, pronouns, and gender identity to the UH community where feasible and appropriate and make a good faith effort to update reports, documents and systems.


6. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a student’s name, including chosen name, may be disclosed as “directory information” unless the student restricts disclosure by submitting a request for Non-Disclosure of Directory Information to the Registrar’s Office or Admissions and Records Office at their home campus.


7. UH reserves the right to deny or remove, with or without notice, any chosen name for misuse, including but not limited to fraud, misrepresentation, attempting to avoid legal obligation, or the use of offensive or derogatory names.


1. Should UH determine that a chosen name is in violation of this policy, the University will deny use of the chosen name. UH will notify the student within five (5) working days of its determination.


2. Appeals shall be submitted in writing to the appropriate campus vice chancellor, vice provost, or dean’s office within five (5) working days of the decision. The vice chancellor, vice provost, or dean’s office or designee, shall review the appeal and issue a decision within ten (10) working days of receipt of the appeal. Appeal decisions will be final and binding within UH.

Responsibility for implementation of this policy shall rest with the chancellor/provost of each campus and is further delegated to the campus senior student affairs officer.

Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs
Telephone: (808) 956-9404
Email: avpsa@hawaii.edu

Regents Policy RP1.205 Policy on Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action
Executive Policy EP1.202 Nondiscrimination, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action Policy
Executive Policy EP1.204 Sex  and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy

No Exhibits and Appendices found

    President