FAQs for Students: Personal and Privacy Information
Q: How do I change my address? [show]
A: Log into your MyUCSC and select the Personal Information tile. From the left menu choose the information you would like to update.
Q: How do I add or update my CruzAlert phone number and emergency contact information? [show]
A: Students are required to log into CRUZ ID Manager at least once a year to update their emergency contact information. To update your CruzAlert phone number, follow the CruzAlert Instructions. To update your Emergency Contact Information, follow the instructions on the Emergency Contact Information page.
Q: My birthdate/social security number/gender are incorrect. How do I get this fixed? [show]
A: Present official documentation (e.g., driver's license, social security card, passport, etc.) showing the correct information to the Office of the Registrar in person.
Q: How do I change or correct my name in AIS? [show]
A: Submit a Name Change petition to the Office of the Registrar with documentation.
Q: What is a preferred name and when is it used? [show]
A: A preferred name is a name a student wishes to be known by at UCSC that is different from the student's legal name.
Preferred names are visible on the AIS Student Center used by staff and students; on the class roster in MyUCSC; on the grade roster in MyUCSC, in conjunction with the official/legal name, which is used by faculty when submitting evaluations; on the AIS Academic Advisement Report (AAR); on Canvas class rosters; and on the campus directory. The Office of the Registrar makes your preferred name available to other users of student information, but it is up to those other offices to take this information and to make it available in their systems. Therefore, some offices that use student information may draw on legal name rather than preferred name.
Q: What is a legal name and when is it used? [show]
A: A legal name is the name that appears on your birth certificate, passport, U.S. Social Security Card or driver’s license.
Legal name will be used on transcripts and evaluations, diplomas, employment records for student employees, checks and tax forms issued by the university, and financial aid and scholarship documents
Q: How do I specify a preferred name? [show]
A: Log into MyUCSC and select the Personal Information tile. Select Preferred Name from the left side menu. The Office of the Registrar reserves the right to remove a preferred name if it is inappropriate.
You may get an ID card with your preferred name on it by taking a screenshot of your preferred name to ID Card Services.
Q: Can I change my CruzID and/or email address to match my preferred name? [show]
A: Under limited circumstances, you may request that your CruzID be changed. Optionally, you can request an email alias.
Q: How do I get my transcript and diploma with my Preferred Name? [show]
A: Because official/legal name appears on the academic record transcript and diploma, and official/legal name and gender are reflected on evaluations, it is important for students who want to have their name and gender reflected in their official records to complete the legal change of name and gender with the court system.
Q: How do I view or update my gender identity or sexual orientation? [show]
A: Admitted, current, and prior students may specify their gender identity and sexual orientation through MyUCSC by selecting Gender/Sexuality Preferences from the "more links…"menu in the Personal Information section of My Student Center.
Q: Where does my gender or sexual orientation identity appear? [show]
A: At the time of release, gender identity is for aggregate reporting only. Over the next year, the Office of the Registrar will survey students to determine what services and support units should have access to this information. Students will have the ability to opt-in for their data to be sent to these service and support units.
Q: Where does my Preferred Pronoun appear? [show]
A: If you provide a pronoun, your pronoun will be visible to advisers, faculty, and staff in MyUCSC and on class rosters. Your pronoun will also be displayed in the campus directory if you check the "Publish my pronoun in the campus directory" box on the My Pronoun page in MyUCSC. The Registrar also provides your preferred pronoun to other campus users of student information, but it is up to those offices to make your preferred pronoun available in their systems.
Q: What personally-identifiable information may UCSC release without student consent? [show]
A: Please see the UCSC Policy on Privacy of Student Records.
Q: How do I view or update my privacy settings? [show]
A: Students may request non-release of public information through MyUCSC. The NRI remains in effect until the student requests via MyUCSC that it be rescinded. For students with an NRI, no information may be released. The appropriate response to a request for information about a student with an NRI is "We have no information regarding a person by that name." Students with an NRI can elect to release information to Dean's/Honors Lists and Commencement Programs through MyUCSC.
To view or update your privacy settings:
1. Log into MyUCSC and select the Personal Information tile.
2. Select Privacy Settings from the left navigation menu.
3. Your current privacy settings are shown at the bottom of the page. To change your settings, select the Edit Public Information Restrictions button and follow the instructions on the page.
Q: What is a security passphrase? [show]
A: In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), UC Santa Cruz is committed to protecting your education record by limiting disclosure of your personal (non-directory) information.
If you need to contact UCSC by phone or in person about your student record, we will ask you to verify your identity by either showing us your photo ID or by stating your established security passphrase. If you have not set a passphrase, you will be asked to do so before we can disclose any information.
The security passphrase is intended to protect your privacy, so do not use your CruzID Blue or Gold password and do not share your passphrase with anyone. Only share your passphrase verbally when asked to do so by UC Santa Cruz staff or faculty, and do not include it in emails, chats or other written communication. If you want a third party (e.g., a parent or guardian) to have access to your record, you'll need to complete anAuthorization to Release Education Record Information for them.
Q: How do I create a passphrase? [show]
A: Passphrase Guidelines
Your passphrase can be up to 50 alphabetic characters (numbers, symbols and special characters are not accepted), and should be easy to remember but difficult to guess.
To foster a safe and welcoming campus environment, please do not use lewd, intimidating, abusive or threatening language in your passphrase. If you do, UCSC staff have the right to refuse service and refer you to the Office of Student Conduct.
How to Create or Change a Passphrase
1. Log in to MyUCSC.
2. Select the "Set My Security Passphrase" tile on your Student homepage.
3. Follow the instructions on the page to enter or edit your passphrase, and Save.
Revised: 11/03/20
