Support for transgender and non-binary people

How to report needs?

In order to simplify and speed up the process, please complete the form below:

Note – please use your university e-mail address to use the form.

In the case of those persons who need to change their e-mail address and inform the lecturers, we will immediately forward your request to the Vice-Dean for Student Affairs at the faculty/teaching unit.

Vice-deans for student affairs and equality plenipotentiaries at faculties have been informed that they will receive requests from you.

Preferred data will be used in classes, but will not appear on formal documents (such as a thesis).

Overlay in the USOS system

In the 2022/23 academic year, a working team appointed by the Vice-Rector for Studies and Education Quality, Prof. Sławomir Żółtek, composed of dr hab. Julia Kubisa (chairman), dr Anna Cybulko (Academic Ombudsman) and Klaudia Pożarycka (USOS expert) prepared a comprehensive project allowing the introduction of an overlay with preferred data covering the record data to USOS and APD (Theses Archive).

This solution is intended to make it easier for transgender and non-binary persons who do not want to use their birth certificate data. It was designed for students and Ph.D. students. Based on the experience of this pilot solution, a tool will be created for persons working at the university.

Due to the lack of systemic solutions at the national level that would enable transpeople to use their preferred data, we have created a system that supports these people at the university level. This is the first comprehensive system solution of this type.

Out of respect for transgender persons, we assume that a trans person’s name is as indicated in their preferred information. This is how we address them in classes, during exams, and this is how they are addressed on the list of graduates.

Transgender persons experience various types of stress and discrimination related to the fact that they cannot live in accordance with their gender identity. We want to make life a little easier for those who need to use preferred data, because every person has the right to study and work in decent conditions.

When entering preferred data, an alias of the email address will be created and the preferred data will appear on attendance lists. This does not mean that the record data is canceled. All documents that go beyond the University of Warsaw, such as a diploma thesis, are published using record data.

At what stage is the project implementation?

The project was approved by the UW Legal Office and went through consultations with the UW Students’ Council and UW Doctoral Students’ Council and the Queer UW scientific circle.

Then it was transferred for IT implementation, which is currently taking place. Of the several systems that comprise the comprehensive USOS system, three are already ready, including APD, which will soon be ready. However, work on the best-known USOSweb is still ongoing. Other universities are also joining the effort to expedite the process. However, this is such a complex undertaking that it will take several more months.

So what should I do if I don’t want to use record data?

Those wishing to use their preferred email address for classes at the University of Warsaw, or those wishing to create an email alias, please complete the form below:

https://forms.gle/7CADEzvPPusx1mfm9

Note – please use your university email address to complete the form.

Additionally, please contact your faculty equality representatives – they will assist you in communicating your preferred email address to instructors to avoid using attendance records with student records.

A list of equality representatives and representatives at faculties/ doctoral schools can be found in the Support section >> Support institutions at the UW.