Gender identity ‘gatekeeper’ removed from UofL HR process

 

Grawemeyer Hall & Oval Entrance at UofL.
Grawemeyer Hall & Oval Entrance at UofL.

During the April 9 Staff Senate meeting, Brian Buford, assistant provost for diversity, announced that UofL has given employees more control over their own data by letting them update their gender identity in the HR system.
 
Previously, an employee would have had to bring legal documents to HR if they wanted to change their gender.
 
“That was the gold standard at one time. Now it is up to people in our campus community to tell us how their gender should be reflected in the system. They can tell us who they are and be believed without unnecessary red tape,” Buford said. “For 99 percent of us on campus, this will never be an issue. But there are people whose gender is more fluid and this is huge. It is an important, incredible sign of inclusion.”
 
The HR system has been updated to reflect this change, and is in the self-service area in ULink. Buford added that this step should help UofL continue to achieve an LGBTQ-friendly designation.
 
“We are the most inclusive school in Kentucky,” he said. “We want to be the most inclusive school in the nation. This is a big step.”