Students can update the name and pronouns used in CU Boulder online systems by going through the Buff Portal. This page has a step-by-step guide to updating your preferred name, pronouns, gender identity and sexual orientation. 

All of this information, if provided, is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) which means that access to it is restricted to staff who have a legitimate educational interest and have completed student data privacy training. To learn more about FERPA and who can access your information, see the Registrar’s FERPA Information page.

For a step-by-step guide to changing your legal name and gender markers in the state of Colorado, visit our legal name/gender change guide. This page provides information on name changes, guidelines for updating your gender marker in-state and federally, and how your gender change affects Selective Military Service status.

Once your legal name has been changed, follow these instructions to update your legal name across the CU system.

To change your IdentiKey, email oithelp@colorado.edu with your request, your full name, student or employee ID number and a phone number. You can also call the Office of Information Technology (OIT) at 303-735-4357 or set up a ticket in the self-service portal.

Your display name is what shows up after the “from” field in your emails. To change your display name, follow these instructions for the Identikey manager.

Note: To update your display name, you must first enter a preferred name into either SIS (if you are a student) or PeopleSoft (if you are faculty/staff). Instructions for that process are here. It may take up to 48 hours for those changes to show up in the Identikey manager. If you still don’t see the name showing up, contact OIT at oithelp@colorado.edu.

You can get a new Buff OneCard with an updated name and photo free of charge. To change the name on your card, you must first enter a preferred name into either SIS (if you are a student) or PeopleSoft (if you are faculty/staff). 

The Buff OneCard office also allows you to use a new photo of your choosing, which you can submit along with your updated name at boc@colorado.edu. Once your information is processed and confirmed, you can pick up your new card in the Buff OneCard office on the first floor of the C4C, located next to the Weathertech Cafe.