Rule 3344-86-02 | Preferred names.
(A) Purpose.
Cleveland state university recognizes that some members of the campus community prefer to use a name other than their legal names - their "preferred name." The university seeks to allow the use of preferred names wherever possible, consistent with the law and the constraints of university systems.
(B) Student use of preferred name.
(1) Students will have the opportunity to provide a preferred name in addition to their legal name.
(2) Students may change their preferred name as often as they wish or remove their preferred name at any time.
(a) The university will make a good faith effort to update documents and systems that are designated to use preferred names in a timely manner. However, changes mid-semester may not be communicated to professors.
(b) It is the responsibility of students using a preferred name to ensure that their professors are able to identify their work for grading purposes.
(c) If a student requests a new ID card to accommodate a change in their preferred name, any charge for the new card will adhere to current viking card office procedures.
(C) Employee use of preferred name.
Employees will have the opportunity to provide a preferred name in addition to their legal name. Employees may change their preferred name as often as they wish. The university will make a good faith effort to update documents and systems that are designated to use preferred names in a timely manner.
(D) Prohibited use of preferred name.
Preferred names shall not be used for the purpose of misrepresentation, to avoid legal obligations, or in any other manner that violates university policy or federal, state or local law. Preferred names may not include symbols or numbers, be unlikely to be approved as legal names (e.g. be obscene or derogatory), or otherwise violate university policy.
(E) Removal of preferred name.
The university reserves the right to remove a preferred name from a student or employee record without notice when it determines that use of the name is prohibited.
(F) Procedures.
The administration of Cleveland state university shall adopt procedures to govern when preferred names can be used and when a legal name is still required. These procedures will be consistent with the principle that preferred names will be allowed to the maximum extent possible as expeditiously as can be implemented.
Supplemental Information