Carnegie Mellon University recognizes that students may wish to use a name other than their given names as recorded on official university documents. When designated by a student, the university will use a preferred first/given name in all university documents except where use of the official name is required by university business or legal need.

It is understood that the use of a preferred name is not permissible for any purpose of misrepresentation and can be denied at the discretion of university administration.

Preferred Name: First/given name designated by a student in Student Information Online (SIO) by which he or she prefers to be known. Students may not designate a preferred family/last name.

Given Name: Also commonly known as the first name, the university acknowledges that the given name is what is recorded as the official university name.

Family/Last Name: Name officially recorded in university systems and documents; cannot be changed without taking appropriate steps to change one’s name.

Official University Name: First/given name followed by family/last name that is imported from admission data, effectively known as the official university name.

Students who wish to designate a preferred first/given name will do so using Student Information Online (SIO). Under My Info, students will View and Update My Info. Because preferred names are set using SIO, only students with access to SIO can set a preferred name. The Preferred Name field is editable in SIO at any time and the update will be immediately effective. 

To assist faculty and instructors in consistently addressing a student throughout the course of a semester, students are encouraged to add a preferred name prior to the start of a semester.

Once entered in Student Information Online (SIO), the preferred name will be displayed in SIO together with the official first/given name for reference by the individual student of his/her own record and for staff and faculty advisors who have access to the SIO Admin Console.

Once entered by the student in Student Information Online (SIO), the preferred name will be used in the following systems and locations and will be displayed instead of the student’s official university first/given name:

• Academic resources: Class rosters printed by faculty or administrators from the Student Information System (RRD2 screen), Blackboard, Faculty Information Online (FIO) photo rosters
• Unofficial academic record (white print)
• Residential rosters
• University Health Services and Counseling and Psychological Services (preferred and official names will be used for medical records)

The official university first/given name will always be used in the following systems and locations:

• Transcripts
• Official enrollment and degree verifications
• Payroll and payroll systems
• Student billing and the student account invoice (including E-Bills)
• Financial aid processing and financial aid award letters

Future applications of the preferred name currently under development and exploration for application:

• Academic resources: Faculty Information Online (FIO) course rosters, Egrades
• Career Center  
• Library
• Athletics rosters
• Alumni Relations
• Student ID Cards (preferred and official names will be printed on the card)

Note: Future application may vary according to the CMU campus and/or location.

Consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Carnegie Mellon allows for the release of directory information, which includes a student’s preferred name when one is designated in SIO. If a student does not want disclosure of the preferred name to external organizations or persons, she or he can set a directory flag on the student record, which initiates a FERPA restriction. Choosing a FERPA restriction means the University will not list the student in the directory and cannot confirm student status to anyone inquiring about the student record. For more information about FERPA and setting a directory flag/FERPA restriction, see http://www.cmu.edu/hub/ferpa.html or contact the University Registrar’s Office at 412-268-8186.

Changing the preferred name in Student Information Online will not impact the name that displays on a student’s email address.  To select a CMUname that is different from the assigned name, follow the instructions on the Computing Services website CMUname selection rules.

At Carnegie Mellon, there are two distinct places for students to provide or update a preferred name.   These Preferred Name Guidelines for Students highlight the addition of a preferred name via Student Information Online (SIO); changes in SIO currently do not appear in the CMU Directory or Directory Search at http://directory.andrew.cmu.edu/.   Students may elect to designate an additional “name by which this person is known” in the directory by following instructions in the Carnegie Mellon Web Portalunder the Computing tab.    

Adding a preferred name to Student Information Online (SIO) is not the same as a legal name change through the courts system.  A student may be challenged if relying on documents with a preferred first/given name when asked to provide proof of legal name and/or identity for employment or government purposes, such as obtaining a passport. 

Other considerations include the use of both the official first/given name and a preferred first name on various documents used for external purposes. For example, a transcript and verification from the University with the official university name and a letter of reference from a faculty member who knows the student primarily by his/her preferred name may require some clarification when applying for internships, jobs, and/or graduate school. 

The University Registrar’s Office has a name verification document to affirm the official university name and preferred first/given name. To request a verification document, students may visit Student Information Online (SIO), and under My Info, click on Request Verification.