WITCC 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, WITCC 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

WITCC 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 WITCC. This may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • WITCC email address
  • Canvas Learning Management System
  • Identification/Name badge
  • Class rosters

It is the policy of Western Iowa Tech Community College 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.

FAQs

A chosen name is a First, Middle, and/or Last Name that you may prefer to be called. It differs from your legal name.
No, you do not have to enter a chosen name. This service is for individuals who wish to be known by a name that differs from their legal name. If you typically use your legal name, then you would not select a chosen name.
Log into MyWIT through customer.witcc.edu/Student/UserProfile and add/edit your chosen name or personal pronouns.
chosen names will appear in WITCC email addresses, the Canvas Learning Management System, Identification/Name badges, and class rosters. The College has made and will continue to make a good faith effort to update reports, documents, and systems that are designated to use one's chosen name. This will be a continuing process as technology evolves, advances, and adapts. If you identify a situation where your chosen name does not appear, please reach out to the WITCC Admissions office (admissions@witcc.edu).

You are free to indicate a Chosen First, Middle, and/or Last Name you want to be known by in the WITCC community.

While the College strives to be inclusive, WITCC reserves the right to deny or remove any chosen name for any reason, including but not limited to misuse, misrepresentation, attempting to avoid legal obligation, or the use of offensive names, with or without notice.

Special characters are not accepted due to limitations in the student information system.

Some systems will update immediately, and others may take up to 24 hours. You will receive an email message once the process is completed.

You may remove your chosen name by logging into MyWIT self-service and deleting chosen name from your profile: customer.witcc.edu/Student/UserProfile

All systems should resume the use of your legal name within 24 hours.

Yes, the chosen name may be used instead of legal name on mailings to physical or email addresses that you share with your parents/guardians or in College announcements in local newspapers.
The chosen name will appear on an instructor's class roster within 24 hours. Students adding a chosen name in the middle of the term may wish to address the change through a conversation with their instructor, who may not regularly download a class roster. The Canvas learning management system will update to show chosen name.
Students may reach out to the College Registrar at 712.274.6400 to request a reprint of the diploma. An in-house reprint is free of charge and a formal document will be subject to a fee.
Yes, once you receive an email confirmation of the completed chosen name process, you may visit Admissions to request your updated ID badge.
Yes, the display name associated with your email address has been updated to reflect your chosen name.
No, unlike your legal name, no documentation is required to select or change a chosen name.
If you have a legal name change, you may reach out to the WITCC Admissions Office at admissions@witcc.edu or 712.274.6400 to process the change. You will be required to provide documentation of the change.
No. The chosen name you submitted on the application will carry over to all other available systems at the College.
Chosen Names will appear in WITCC email addresses, the Canvas Learning Management System, identification/name badges, and class rosters. The College has made and will continue to make a good faith effort to update reports, documents, and systems that are designated to use one’s chosen name. This will be a continuing process as technology evolves, advances, and adapts. If you find a situation where your Chosen Name does not appear, please reach out to the WITCC Admissions office (admissions@witcc.edu).