March 09, 2016
Rowan University launched a preferred name policy Tuesday to allow students and faculty to choose a name based on their gender preference.
According to NJ.com, the policy's goal is to guarantee that individuals associated with the school are addressed by the name that "affirms, reflects, and/or expresses their gender, culture, and/or other aspects of their social identity in the classroom and to conduct general business.” Officials said that under the policy, Rowan University faculty and staff will be expected to respect an individual's request.
Aside from simply referring to individuals by their chosen names, the college will also update its technology systems to reflect the name on students' and staff members' IDs, email accounts and more.
The preferred name change will include preferred nicknames, NJ.com reports.
The policy change will start with students and will be open to employees by the end of the year. The college policy will not affect legal names or documents that require use of legal names, the report notes.
Rowan also established all-gender restrooms on campus in 2014 and is one of a handful of New Jersey universities offering its students a health care coverage plan that includes gender identity disorder needs.
Read the full report at NJ.com.
