An optional feature added to CU’s online campus student portals in April 2018 allows students to select the pronoun with which they identify, making the information part of their university record. This new feature debuted as part of University Information Services’ (UIS) work and collaborations with all four CU campuses. 

“We heard from students who wanted the information to be available in places such as class rosters,” Kristi Wold-McCormick, University of Colorado Boulder registrar told CU Boulder Today. “The additional information can help faculty and staff know how to correctly address students in an inclusive way.”

Students can select from the following options in the student portal: she/her/hers; he/him/his; they/them/theirs; ze/zir/zirs; and xe/xer/xers.

UIS helped strategize with CU campuses on how to make this work with different student bodies across all four campuses. The UIS Student IT Services group customized a solution that was more secure than the standard options available, which improved the delivery process and better protects student information.

Rana Silver, the Director of Student Systems for UIS, “technology exists to support a growing, improving human landscape. UIS is happy to be of service in this effort as well as any additional campus inclusivity efforts.”

The pronoun option is the second of four planned student portal enhancements. The first, completed in 2017, allows students to indicate their preferred name in their university record.

These enhancements also include students’ ability to self-select their sexual orientation and gender identity. This protected data will be used only to inform the university on student demographics to assist in providing support and resources for student populations.