Beginning in February 2015, a technology upgrade will change the University of Minnesota’s naming procedure so class rosters include the preferred name of each student enrolled. 

Currently, when a student changes their preferred name in OneStop, the change is recorded in some databases, but not in others. But as the University upgrades its websites during the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program, students’ preferred name changes will be registered on all systems, according to a letter obtained by the Minnesota Daily sent from Associate Vice Provost Sue Van Voorhis to a student group member. 

Students, faculty and staff who prefer to be addressed by a name other than their legal one have struggled with inconsistencies in the University’s naming procedure in the past. A previous Minnesota Daily story reported that transgender students faced special difficulties in getting their preferred name and gender pronouns changed on class rosters.

The decision to update was partially prompted by a Minnesota Student Association resolution drafted in February calling for students’ preferred names to appear on class lists and for University employees to address students by that name, MSA intern and resolution author Abeer Syedah said.

Previously, the University’s software system didn’t always change a students’ preferred name on all systems or on class rosters if they changed it on OneStop, but the new software system will make the name-change process consistent across all systems.

Check back for updates and pick up Wednesday’s Minnesota Daily for the full story.