Chosen/Preferred Name Policy

Policy Name: Chosen/Preferred Name Policy
Policy Number: 01-07-002
Accountable Senior Administrator: Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
Issued: September 30, 2022
Last Updated: June 15, 2022

Policy Statement

New Jersey City University (NJCU) recognizes that members of our campus community – students, faculty, staff, and alumni - may choose/prefer to use a name other than their legal name to identify themselves. Therefore, the university acknowledges that an individual’s chosen/preferred name will be used where possible.

Reason for the Policy

To uphold the university’s commitment to sustaining a welcoming and inclusive campus for all members of our community, NJCU acknowledges that a chosen/preferred name will be used, when possible, unless an individual’s legal name is required by law.

Stakeholders Affected by the Policy

  • Students
  • Faculty
  • Staff
  • Alumni

Definitions

Chosen/Preferred Name - Any name a student, staff member or alumnus chooses other than their legal name.

Policy Text

New Jersey City University (NJCU) recognizes that members of our campus community–students, faculty, staff, and alumni–may choose/prefer to use a name other than their legal name to identify themselves. Therefore, the university acknowledges that an individual’s chosen/preferred name will be used where possible. This policy outlines university guidelines relating to using chosen/preferred names at the university.

To uphold the university’s commitment to sustaining a welcoming and inclusive campus for all members of our community, NJCU acknowledges that a chosen/preferred name will be used, when possible, unless an individual’s legal name is required by law.

Chosen /preferred names appear in the following systems/documentation:

  • GothicNet
  • Blackboard
  • eRezLife
  • Outlook email
  • Faculty grade rosters
  • NJCU Gothic Card
  • Slides used during the commencement ceremony
  • Leadership awards and certificates

The university will continue to expand the use of chosen/preferred names across systems as needed. This list will be updated as adjustments are made. In addition, as the university implements new technology and software, we are committed to ensuring that these systems support the use of chosen/preferred names and will be part of the review process.

In some instances, the university is required to use an individual’s legal name. These instances include but are not limited to the following systems/documentation:

  • Billing
  • Financial Aid Documents
  • Paychecks
  • Benefit Documents
  • Tax forms
  • Immigration Documents
  • Medical records
  • Transcripts
  • Diplomas

Submitting a Request to Use a Chosen/Preferred Name

  • Student requests to use a chosen/preferred name must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar via a “Change of Personal Data” form. Students with questions regarding the process of submitting a chosen/preferred name request can contact the Office of the Registrar at Registrar@njcu.edu.
  • Faculty/staff requests to use a chosen/preferred name must be submitted to the Office of Human Resources via a “Personnel Data Status Change” form. Faculty/staff with questions regarding the process of submitting a chosen/preferred name request can contact the Office of Human Resources at hr@njcu.edu.
  • Alumni requests to use a chosen/preferred name must be submitted to the Office of Human Resources via the “NJCU Alumni Update Form.” Alumni with questions regarding the process of submitting a chosen/preferred name request can contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@njcu.edu.

The university reserves the right to deny requests that violate the NJCU Student Code of Conduct and/or University Employment Standards, Policies, and Regulations.

Procedures

  • Student requests to use a chosen/preferred name must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar via a “Change of Personal Data” form. Students with questions regarding the process of submitting a chosen/preferred name request can contact the Office of the Registrar at Registrar@njcu.edu.
  • Faculty/staff requests to use a chosen/preferred name must be submitted to the Office of Human Resources via a “Personnel Data Status Change” form. Faculty/staff with questions regarding the process of submitting a chosen/preferred name request can contact the Office of Human Resources at hr@njcu.edu.
  • Alumni requests to use a chosen/preferred name must be via the “NJCU Alumni Update Form.” Alumni with questions regarding the process of submitting a chosen/preferred name request can contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@njcu.edu.

Violations

The university reserves the right to deny requests that violate the NJCU Student Code of Conduct and/or University Employment Standards, Policies, and Regulations.

Responsibility

  • Office of the Registrar – will receive and process chosen/preferred name requests from students
  • Office of Human Resources - will receive and process chosen/preferred name requests from faculty and staff
  • Office of Alumni Relations - will receive and process chosen/preferred name requests from alumni