Affirmed/Preferred First Name

Affirmed/Preferred First Name

In 2018 William Paterson University began implementing the use of affirmed/preferred first name, recognizing that individuals use or prefer to be known by a name other than their legal name.

Students and Employees who wish to use an affirmed/preferred first name may now do so by updating their information in the “My Profile” page in WPconnect. After updating in WPconnect it may take a full business day to propagate to the systems that support the affirmed/preferred first name.

Prospective students may provide an affirmed/preferred first name on the admissions application.

Places Where Affirmed/Preferred First Name is Displayed

• WPconnect
• Email Display Name
• Blackboard
• WPconnect Faculty and Advisor Dashboard including the advisee listing
• Banner Query Pad
• Housing Management System
• Banner 9 Self-Service
• Student ID Cards upon request

Places Where Legal First Name is Used and Displayed

Note: The individual’s legal first name will continue to be used for these records, which include but are not limited to the following:

• Admissions records
• Paychecks and tax documents
• Official transcripts
• Financial aid records
• Enrollment verifications
• Medical records
• Employment records
• Law enforcement records
• Third party developed or cloud applications where the vendor has not implemented an affirmed/preferred first name solution

The University reserves the right to deny requests in the following circumstances: The name is intended to misrepresent the person’s identity and/or misappropriate the identity of another person or organization; is an attempt to avoid a legal obligation; is derogatory, obscene or otherwise inappropriate. It is important to note that any affirmed/preferred first name deemed inappropriate will result in the denial of the use of a affirmed/preferred name.