Preferred First Name

North Carolina A&T State University practices inclusive strategies to ensure employees (faculty, staff, and administrators), and students have opportunities to thrive in a community that supports their identities and aspirations. As such, the University recognizes that employees and students may prefer to use another first name to identify themselves at NC A&T. The preferred first name cannot contain inappropriate or offensive language or be a misrepresentation of the person requesting the use of the preferred first name (See Equal Opportunity University Policy 211, Preferred First Name). 

The preferred first name will appear instead of the legal first name in many university systems and documents as additional systems in the future are identified for preferred first name capabilities. The current systems are as follows: 

STUDENTS 

Students’ preferred first names will appear in the following locations: 

  • Aggie OneCard (identification cards);
  • Blackboard (Learning Management System);
  • Residential Management System (RMS);
  • Aggies Nav/EAB Navigate (Early alert system.

 

EMPLOYEES 

Employees’ preferred first names will appear in the following locations: 

  • Aggie OneCard (identification cards);
  • Blackboard (Learning Management System).

FAQs

A “Preferred First Name” means an alternative to the legal first name requested by an individual to be used on certain University-related records or documents in place of their legal name and is a name by which an individual wish to be known that is different from the individual’s legal name. 

Your legal name will continue to be used on official university records, including but not limited to the following: 

  •  Legal documents and reports produced by the University 
  • Student Account Statement (bills) 
  • Financial Aid and Scholarship documents 
  • Transcripts and diplomas 
  • Enrollment Verifications 
  • Student employment documents 
  • Employment Verifications 
  • Employment documents 
  • Paychecks, W2s, and other payroll documents 
  • Benefits enrollment 

The process to request a preferred first name is as follows: 

  • Students and employees may designate a preferred first name as part of an initial application for admission or employment.  
  • Current students and employees may request the use of a preferred first name by completing and submitting the request form available online.  
  • The University’s Executive Diversity and Inclusion Officer will review preferred first name requests to ensure compliance with the criteria set forth in the Preferred First Name policy.  
  • Individuals will be notified in writing via University email of the approval or denial of a request for the use of a preferred first name. If the request is denied, the notification will include the reason for the denial and contain instructions for requesting an appeal of the denial.  
  • Individuals denied the use of a preferred first name may submit an appeal within 30 calendar days of the denial to the Executive Diversity and Inclusion Officer for review by the Preferred Name Committee.  

Your Preferred First Name will not be approved if it contains inappropriate or offensive language (i.e., profane, derogatory, or derived from hate speech); is otherwise inappropriate, such as for the purpose of misrepresentation, fraud, copyright infringement, or attempting to avoid a legal obligation; does not conform to technical requirements (i.e., includes numbers, symbols, or images); or in any manner violates University policies or federal, state, or local laws or regulations. 

We estimate that once you receive your approved Preferred First name email, the systems should take five business days to process.  

You have seven days to amend your request after receiving the initial email that your name was non-permissible. Upon reviewing the amended request, the Executive Diversity and Inclusion Officer will provide notification of submission of a permissible or non-permissible preferred first name. If found non-permissible on the second review, a third review may be requested in writing of the Preferred First Name Committee. 

Written requests for review must be submitted within 30 days of the denial to: 

Mail: 

Office of Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging 

1020 E. Wendover Avenue, Suite 109 

Greensboro, NC 27405 

Email: 

Diversity-inclusion@ncat.edu 

 

 

 

Content of the written request: 

The written request for review must: 

(1) be dated; 

(2) signed by the student or employee; and 

(3) set forth the reasons for the appeal and desired outcome; 

No. Selecting a Preferred First Name is optional. 

Individuals may choose to remove and discontinue the use of a preferred first name at any time by submitting a written request to the Executive Diversity and Inclusion Officer on this form. 

No. Once you receive your email approval of your preferred first name, you will have thirty days to request your new Aggie OneCard 

Students or employees are asked to start with a dialogue on the use of their preference to be called by their preferred first name. In cases of long-standing relationships, your legal name may be used accidentally based on your relationship. The purpose of the dialogue is not to be confrontational, but informative about your preference. 

If you continue to have the experience, fill out the Bias Incident Form completely and accurately. Issues that involve employees will be reported to their direct supervisor and students will be to the Dean of Students. 

Students or employees that wish to change their name on official legal records must provide appropriate documentation of a legal name change, typically a court order. An individual seeking to obtain a legal name change must follow requirements as set forth by the individual’s state and county of residence. NC A&T cannot change an individual’s legal name.  

The submission of the name change form and legal documentation must be dropped off for processing at the following offices: 

 

For Employees: 

You may pick up a form from the office or fill out the for out and return it to: 

Division of Human Resources  

1020 East Wendover Avenue, Suite 109 

For Students 

You may pick up a form and return it to: 

Office of the Registrar  

107 Dowdy Administration Building