Preferred First Name and Pronoun Policy
Preferred First Name Requests
Students have a choice of displaying their preferred first name instead of their legal first name, or in addition to their legal first name. Authorized changes to preferred names will be almost immediate in some locations; others may take additional time based on system configurations.
Pronouns
In addition to the preferred first name, students may select a pronoun from the list provided in their directory preferences to be displayed on TheHub and Moodle. Pronouns are viewable to members of the Hampshire community who have a login to the directory. If no pronoun has been selected, "not set" will be displayed. When writing evaluations, faculty use the pronoun entered on the directory.
Read the preferred name and pronoun FAQ
Student Policy on Preferred First Names and Pronouns
Many members of the Hampshire community use names other than their legal names to identify themselves. As long as the use of this different name is not for the purposes of misrepresentation, Hampshire acknowledges that a preferred first name and pronoun may be used wherever possible in the course of a student’s education. The preferred first name is used except where the legal name is required, such as payroll records and student transcripts, health insurance and prescriptions.
Students should give serious consideration to the request to use a preferred first name and/or pronoun, as this choice will be permanently reflected in the narrative portions of the academic transcript. Although students are generally free to determine the preferred name they wish to be known by, inappropriate use of the preferred name policy (including but not limited to avoiding a legal obligation or misrepresentation) may be cause for denying the request. The College reserves the right to remove a preferred name if it is used inappropriately.
Preferred first name requests are entered via the directory. Students have a choice of displaying their preferred first names instead of their legal first names, or in addition to their legal first names. Authorized changes to preferred names will be almost immediate in some locations; others may take additional time based on system configurations.
In addition to the preferred first name, students may select a pronoun from the list provided in their directory preferences to be displayed on TheHub and Moodle. Pronouns are viewable to members of the Hampshire community who have a login to the directory. If no pronoun has been selected "not set" will be displayed. When writing evaluations, faculty use the pronoun entered on the directory.
Changes to a current student's legal name can only be made in the central records office and require supporting documentation. Supporting documentation includes a court order and one of the following: social security card, driver's license, state ID or passport. Students with legal name changes may request that their narrative evaluations be amended to reflect their gender identity. Such amendments can take up to 45 business days to process.
Disclaimer: This policy does not form a contract of any kind and may be modified, changed, altered, or rescinded at the discretion of Hampshire College.