UNL offers students, faculty and staff the opportunity to store a chosen name, as well as pronouns, in university systems. The following table offers you information on where your personal information is stored, how it is shared, and how you can manage it.
Username and Email Address
Every account has a base-level MyUNL user name and email address. These generally do not change for the life of the account, but in case of legal name changes, an Account Rename process can be initiated by filling out a form. This is displayed in the public Directory.
Primary Email
Students are assigned official huskers.unl.edu email addresses. Faculty and staff are assigned unl.edu email addresses. Faculty and staff email addresses are displayed in the public Directory.
Chosen Name
Students can maintain their chosen name by entering it in MyRED under the "Profile" tab. Faculty and staff can maintain this information in Firefly, under "Employee Self-Service>About Me." Chosen name will be shared in the public Directory.
Image Avatars
You can provide an image to be used in your account login and in Directory by logging in to the Edit Avatar interface on Directory.
Data Sources
Directory sources most information for faculty and staff from the SAP system. Contact your HR administrator for updates or corrections. Students can maintain contact information in MyRED, under "Profile>My Information."
Opting Out
Students can opt out of any presence in the public Directory or in other related public data sources by completing the MyRED Directory Opt-Out form. Faculty and staff, contact your HR administrator.
Personal Information Policies
Executive Memorandum 40 (Policy on Chosen Name and Gender Identity)
Frequently Asked Questions
Disclosing Your Personal Information
FERPA protects students’ data. Legal sex, gender identity and pronouns are not considered directory information and will not be disclosed to parties outside the University system. Students may grant guest access to their student account information to another person; however, legal sex is not viewable by guests. However, students should note that parents or guardians may access this information if they have their students' login credentials, and the student account is not protected by two-factor authentication.
UNL will provide the legal sex when required except where gender identity is needed by regulation, or the approval of gender identity has been granted. The data elements for legal sex are Male [M], Female [F], Intersex and/or Nonbinary [X].
Gender identity data is only available to a limited number of staff. All others seeking aggregate or individual data must submit a request for student information to the University Registrar and to the campus Compliance Office for employee information.
What is Legal Sex?
Legal sex is a person’s sex as currently indicated on a birth certificate, passport or other official document. It may differ from one’s gender identity and/or sex assigned at birth.
How Do I Change My Legal Sex?
To change the legal sex data element, students can submit legal documentation to the Office of the University Registrar; employees should contact their HR administrator. Legal documentation may include a Driver’s License, copy of a Certification of Sex Reassignment DMV form, a Birth Certificate or Passport with your identified sex. Employees should see their Human Resources administrator.
What is Chosen Name? What is Legal Name?
While students, faculty, and staff are required to provide their full legal name at the time of admission or hiring, they can indicate how they would like to be addressed within the campus community regardless of their legal name. Therefore, if the use of an individual’s chosen name is not for the purposes of misrepresentation or falsification, it will be accommodated for campus use and documents except where the use of the individual’s legal name is required for University business or legal need.
The legal name is the name that appears on an individual’s passport, driver’s license, birth certificate, or U.S. Social Security Card. Students, faculty, and staff are required to provide their full legal name at the time of admission or hiring.
How Do I Change My Chosen Name?
Students may designate a chosen first name, middle name, and last name within the campus dashboard. Instructions can be found here.
Faculty and staff may designate a chosen first name and last name within Firefly, the employee self-service portal. No legal documentation is required to make a change to the chosen name.
Where Will My Chosen Name Display?
Instances in which Chosen Names may be displayed include, but are subject to change and not limited to:
- Class Rosters
- Grade Rosters
- Degree Audit
- Learning Management Systems
- University on-line Searches/Directories (generally these directories are available to the public)
- Official University Email Name and Address
- Honors and Awards eg: Dean’s and Chancellor’s List, Certificates
Campus/University ID Cards (Front) - Human Resources, Student Information, and Business Systems, where applicable
- Where Legal Name is Not Required
How Do I Change My Legal Name?
Students: to change the legal name on your academic records, submit required documentation to the Office of the University Registrar. Required documentation may include certificate of marriage, court order or decree, driver’s license, passport/visa, or any other official government document.
Employees: to change the legal name on your employment records, see your Human Resources administrator.
Where Will My Legal Name Display?
Instances in which legal name will be used include, but are subject to change and not limited to:
- Official and Unofficial Transcripts
- Student Clearinghouse
- IRS Documentation (e.g., 1098-T, W2, 1095C)
- Scholarship and Financial Aid Processing
- Student Consolidated Bill
- Campus/University ID Cards (Back)
- Human Resources Data (e.g., Payroll Records, Insurance Data, I-9)
- Requests for Directory Information from Third Parties
- Data Transmitted to Governmental Agencies or Servicing Agencies
- When Required by Law
When Will Changes I Make Be Available in Other Systems?
Please allow 24 hours for personal information changes to be available in downstream systems.
I'm a Retiree, How Do I Update My Information?
As a retiree, if you have no current HR representative, you should contact the Benefits Office.