Western Iowa Tech recognizes that faculty, staff, and students may wish to identify themselves by a name other than their legal name. As a college focused on inclusivity and respect, our goal is to build an affirming campus environment where community members can be called and identified by the name they choose. Therefore, Western Iowa Tech has adopted a policy where members of our college community use a chosen name where possible in the course of their interactions.

Chosen Name Process

  • New or reapplying students may select a chosen name and personal pronouns during the application process. 
  • Current students and employees can select a chosen name and personal pronouns by editing profile preferences in MyWIT self- service: colss-prod.ec.witcc.edu/Student/UserProfile

Guidelines

  • Students may declare a chosen name for their First, Middle, and Last Name.
  • Students may not declare a chosen name for an inappropriate purpose, including, but not limited to misrepresentation, attempts to avoid legal obligations, or use of derogatory terms.
  • legal name will be used for official documents including but not limited to official transcripts, financial aid documentation, billing, international student status, employment documentation, and payroll.

Policy

Western Iowa Tech recognizes that faculty, staff, and students may wish to identify themselves by a name other than their legal name. We are happy to make this change. For this reason, the College will enable the WIT community to use a chosen name where possible in the course of their interactions. These may include, but are not limited to, community members who use their middle name instead of their first name, who are international, whose marital status has changed, who use nicknames, and/or individuals who use a name that affirms their gender identity. Our goal is to build an affirming campus environment where community members can be called and identified by the name they choose.

Individuals may also indicate their personal pronouns which will be included on course rosters and in the student database. 

Where possible, the person will be addressed by chosen name and personal pronouns. chosen name will appear in communications with WIT. This may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • my.witcc.edu email address
  • Canvas Learning Management System
  • Identification/Name badge
  • Class rosters

It is the policy of Western Iowa Tech that students, faculty and staff may use names other than their legal name to identify themselves, regardless of whether they have legally changed their name, except where their legal names are required by law, such as federal and state documentation.

Other forms of communication or processes which may still require the use of legal name includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Official transcripts
  • Financial aid
  • State and federal reporting
  • Student accounts and student billing
  • Immigration documents
  • National Student Clearinghouse

Limitations: The use of a chosen name cannot be for misrepresentation or for illegal purposes. At WITCC, we welcome and embrace the creativity and individualism of our community. However, we do reserve the right to reject inappropriate requests such as offensive or derogatory language. As well, name changes may not be used to avoid legal obligations or for illegal purposes.