Beginning this semester, Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College have implemented the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities 1B.1.2 Preferred Name Procedure for faculty, staff, and students. Faculty and staff were notified of this policy in December and a separate email message will be going out to students.
The goal of the Preferred Name procedure is to provide individuals with a way to use their preferred name wherever a legal name is not required.
Students may use their preferred name in the following locations:
- Email account
- Class rosters, advisee list, grade and Last Date of Attendance entry, wait list report and grade change request
- Diploma
- Honors program lists
- Timecards
- Food service card
- Student homepage on D2L and E-services homepage
- Athletic team lists
- On-line directory
- Commencement programs
- Faculty advisee lists
- Alumni office records
- Student ID cards
- Library records
- Student invoices
BSU staff have worked hard to implement this policy as seamlessly as possible. If you notice a discrepancy in how a student’s name is listed, please notify Deb Peterson so that all necessary corrections can be made.
If a student asks where the form can be found, please direct them to this link on the Bemidji State University website: Preferred Name Policy Form. (Policies and procedures can be found on the President’s portion of the BSU website.)
For your information, the student’s legal name must appear on official and unofficial transcripts, paychecks and paystubs, financial aid records, official correspondence from the university, tax forms, federal immigration documents, SEVIS records, I-9s, and international student documentation.