Students and employees who wish to specify a chosen first name, pronouns, and/or gender identity, will find instructions below. Students and employees who need to make a legal name change should view the Legal Name Change webpage for additional information. 

Contact Information

Bridget Bell
Instructor, English
bellb@durhamtech.edu
919-536-7200, ext. 8013

As a champion for equity, Durham Tech embraces the diversity and uniqueness of the students, employees, and communities we serve. The College recognizes the importance of supporting students and employees who wish to communicate an essential part of their identity by using their chosen first name.

Chosen First Name Changes

A chosen first name may be any of the following:

  • A middle name;
  • A variation of a first name instead of a legal first name;
  • A frequently used nickname;
  • A first name that an individual is in the process of legally changing; or
  • A first name that aligns with an individual’s gender identity or expression.

Chosen first names may not include symbols, punctuation marks, or numbers, with the exception of apostrophes, periods, and hyphens.

How to Specify a Chosen Name

Students who wish to use a chosen first name are encouraged to specify their name prior to the start of a semester/term and should immediately notify all impacted parties (e.g., instructors and advisors) of their wish to be addressed by their chosen first name. It is the responsibility of students using a chosen name to ensure that instructors can identify their work for grading and other academic purposes. Employees who wish to use a chosen first name are encouraged to specify their name as soon as possible and should immediately notify their supervisors and other impacted parties.

Students and employees can specify their chosen first name online by completing the steps outlined below:

  1. Log into Self-Service with your Durham Tech login information
  2. Choose “User Options” in the navigation bar
  3. Select “User Profile” in the drop-down menu
  4. Choose “Edit Personal Identity” below your current account info
  5. In the “Chosen Name” field, type your chosen first name.
  6. Choose save.

Upon completion of these steps, the chosen first name will display in the following Durham Tech systems:

  • Self-Service
  • Student Email
  • Canvas – The College cannot guarantee that chosen first names will populate to all systems linked from Canvas (e.g. publisher platforms, third-party tools).
  • Class Rosters
  • Outlook (employee email)
  • Office 365

Note:

  • It may take at least 24 hours for a chosen first name to appear in Durham Tech’s systems.
  • Students who need assistance specifying their chosen name can contact Admissions, Registration, and Records (admissions@durhamtech.edu). Employees who need assistance should contact Human Resources (humanresources@durhamtech.edu).
  • A legal name must be used in certain legal documents. View the Legal Name Change webpage for additional information.

How to Specify Pronouns and/or Gender Identity

Two systems – Self-Service and Canvas – allow users to specify pronouns and/or gender identity.

In Self-Service:

  1. Log into Self-Service with your student/employee login
  2. Choose “User Options” in the navigation bar
  3. Select “User Profile” in the drop-down menu
  4. Choose “Edit Personal Identity” below your current account info
    • For pronouns: Click on the drop-down menu under “Preferred Pronoun.” Select your pronouns.
    • For gender identity: Click on the drop-down menu under “Gender Identity.” Select your gender identity.
  5. Choose save.

Note: Pronouns and gender identity entered in Self-Service will appear only in Self-Service.

In Canvas: 

See How do I select personal pronouns in Canvas?

College Identification Cards 

Students who need to replace their Durham Tech identification card because of a name change (legal or non-legal) should bring their cards to the Campus Police and Public Safety office (Building 8, Main Campus). No replacement fee will be charged if proof of the name change is provided. 

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