How to Manage Personal Information

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, Gender Identity, Pronouns

Students can maintain their chosen name, gender identity and pronouns by entering these items 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I change my gender identity and/or pronouns in the campus dashboard, will my parents/guardians find out?

Chosen names will override your given name in campus directories.

Gender identity and/or pronouns will only be available in accounts which are accessed by your student login. Parents and guardians can be granted access to information in MyRED without exposing your personal choices of gender identity and pronouns (MyRED>Profile>Manage Guest Users).

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, gender identity and pronouns are 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 Gender Identity? What is Legal Sex?

Gender identity is the gender with which a person identifies (i.e. whether one uses man, woman, or more individualized terminology to describe oneself). One’s gender identity may or may not differ from one’s legal sex which is assigned at birth based on biological characteristics.

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.

What is the Difference Between Pronouns, Gender Identity and Legal Sex in MyRED?

Pronouns are an optional data element intended to support communications and interactions between individuals on campus.

Gender identity is an optional data element. You can elect to indicate your gender identity in MyRED if you would like, and can change it at any time. It is for internal use only.

Legal sex is a required data field. It is obtained from your initial application for admission and is used for reporting to state and federal agencies.

What Gender Identities are Available to Select in MyRED and Firefly?
  • Agender: a person who does not identify themselves as having a particular gender/gender identity
  • Cisgender Man: a person who was assigned male at birth who identifies as a man
  • Cisgender Woman: a person who was assigned female at birth who identifies as a woman
  • Gender Not Listed: Gender is an evolving social construct. A gender identity not included in the current list can choose this option.
  • Gender Queer: A non-cisgender identity that is like and sometimes used to describe nonbinary identities. Gender queer may be used as an umbrella term for any gender that is not cisgender.
  • Nonbinary/Gender Diverse/Gender Fluid/Gender Queer: a person whose gender identity does not fit the man/woman gender binary.
  • Prefer not to answer: providing your gender/gender identity is optional. If you prefer not to disclose your gender, choose this option.
  • Transgender Man: a person who was assigned female at birth who identifies as a man
  • Transgender Woman: a person who was assigned male at birth who identifies as a woman
How Do I Change My Gender Identity?

Students can enter and edit gender identity under Profile in MyRED. (Instructions). Faculty and staff can edit gender identity under Employee Self Service > About Me. (Instructions)

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 Pronouns Are Available to Select in MyRED?
  • He.him.his: www.mypronouns.org/he-him pronouns most associated with boys and men/masculinity
  • He.they: pronouns associated with trans men and nonbinary or gender queer individuals who identify as trans or nonbinary or gender queer and also as masculine.
  • No pronouns – use my name: responding to this question is optional. If you prefer to use your name, select this option.
  • Prefer not to answer: responding to this question is optional. If the pronouns you want used for you are not listed, or you do not want pronouns used for you, you can choose this option.
  • She.her.hers: www.mypronouns.org/she-her pronouns most associated with girls, women/femininity
  • She.they: pronouns associated with trans women and nonbinary or gender queer individuals who identify as trans or nonbinary or gender queer and also as feminine
  • They.them.theirs: www.mypronouns.org/they-them Pronouns that are considered gender neutral and are also used as a plural pronoun. A person who goes by “they” may identify as a man, a woman, both, neither, or something else entirely.
  • Ze.hir.hirs and Ze,zir.zirs: www.mypronouns.org/ze-hir A gender neutral pronoun. Please note that “ze” is usually pronounced with a long “e” and that “hir” and its forms are usually pronounced like the English word “here.” Instead of ze/hir pronouns, some people go by "ze/zir" pronouns because of the more consistent pronunciation and spelling.
How Do I Change My Pronouns?

Students can enter and edit pronouns under Profile in MyRED. (Instructions. Employees can manage their pronouns in Firefly, under Employee Self-Service>About Me. (Instructions)

Where Will My Pronouns Display?

Instances in which pronouns may be displayed include, but are subject to change and not limited to:

  • Class Rosters
  • Grade Rosters
  • Advising Lists
  • Learning Management Systems
  • Campus Dashboard Profile
  • Degree Audit System
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.