Hi everyone, 

I have been assured by UW administrators that the UW policy regarding requiring legal names on diplomas will be changed this fall quarter! However, that change has not yet happened. It has been a particularly busy start to the academic year, with the return to in-person instruction and verifying vaccine statuses. I know that the registrar and faculty senate have put the wheels in motion around the diploma policy, and I do plan to follow up with them soon. 

I was excited to see this news out of California this week:
"Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation Wednesday...to give students at California public colleges — especially transgender and nonbinary students — the ability to have the names that reflect their gender identities printed on their diplomas. Assembly Bill 245 will ensure diplomas do not 'deadname' or call the graduate by the name they were assigned at birth rather than the name they use." Hopefully, with UW leading the charge, we will soon see similar legislation in Washington!

As I am on the academic job market myself, I am planning to graduate this spring...but I will be incredibly disheartened if I end up not being able to display my diploma without taking whiteout to it. I have heard similar stories from so many other students at UW -- not all trans/nonbinary, but some who are international students or just students who use a nickname. Thank you all, again, for your ongoing support!

Vern