Used Name Policy

Kalamazoo Valley Community College - CMOP 3100

1. PURPOSE:
   • To establish a policy under which members of the college community may choose to identify themselves in the college's information systems with a used name in addition to a legal name.
2. POLICY: CMOP 3100 -
   • Kalamazoo Valley Community College recognizes that some students and employees use names other than their legal name to identify themselves. As a diverse and inclusive community, Kalamazoo Valley allows students and employees to use a used first name different than their legal name for certain purposes and records in the course of college business, education, and communication.
     
     The individual's legal name will continue to be used where required by law or college requirements. All student and employee information will continue to be linked to both legal name and used name for the purposes of college records.
3. PROCEDURE: Current
   • Request goes to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI)
     • ODI relays request to VP/Provost and Deans
       • VP/Provost relays request to student's instructors
   PLEASE NOTE:
   • Some systems may require additional steps to complete a name update. Other systems may be added over time.
   • Name changes are subject to review and may take five (5) business days to review.
   • Although each person is free to determine a used name, The college reserves the right to refuse a used name. Instances that may result in this prohibition, include: the use of deemed inappropriate, nonsensical or offensive, names that may be used for fraudulent purposes or misrepresentation, arbitrary or repeated name changes, other situations deemed inappropriate per college policy.
   • A person's legal name must remain on any documents where a legal name is required by federal or state law.
   • Staff with an administrative need (e.g., police, health, financial services, deans' offices, Human Resources or similar) may see both a person's legal and used names. As with other sensitive information, these staff members shall be trained on the implications of this access.
   • Used names with special characters cannot be accepted due to software limitations.
   • A used name can be added or changed one time a year.
   • This policy does not form a contract of any kind and may be modified, changed, altered, or rescinded at the discretion of Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
4. RESPONSIBILITY:
   • The Office of the Diversity and Inclusion, or its designee, has overall and primary responsibility for ensuring that this policy and procedures are properly carried out.