Policies

Chosen Identity Policy

Policy Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to set forth procedures on how employees and students can choose their identity preferences for their first name, pronouns, and gender designation.

Persons Affected

Faculty, Staff, Students

Policy Statement

Farmingdale State College is committed to supporting a diverse, inclusive and welcoming environment for students and employees; and recognizes that chosen name, pronouns and gender designation are an important part of a person’s identity. As such, the College provides students and employees with the opportunity to choose preferences for these three identifying factors. These designations may be changed once an academic year and twice during a student or employee’s tenure at Farmingdale State College.

Chosen Name

Students and employees may elect to use a chosen first name that is different from their legal name. Unless the College system requires the utilization of a legal name, the chosen name will be displayed in lieu of the legal name. The legal name will continue to be used in College systems, business processes, and documents such as reporting, financial aid, transcripts, tax documents, diplomas and certificates, payroll, and other records where use of legal name is required by law or College policy.

The College will display chosen name to the campus community where feasible and appropriate, and make a good faith effort to update reports, documents and systems accordingly. Specifically, the College will display a chosen name in the following areas:

• FSC ID Cards – BOTH Legal and Chosen Name
• Email address
• Email display
• Brightspace
• Class rosters
• Grade rosters
• Advising screens – Degree Audit and other advising systems
• Directory listings (telephone, online, hardcopy)
• Email list server interface
• Campus registration and password expiration reset

Chosen names that are not administratively possible to implement — including symbols or images — are prohibited. The College reserves the right to deny or remove any chosen name without prior notice to the individual due to misuse or abuse of College policies or violation of federal, state or local laws, including but not limited to; misrepresentation, attempting to avoid legal obligations or the use of high offensive or derogatory names.

Pronouns

Employees and students have the option to choose the following pronouns to be displayed in College information systems:

• he, him, his
• she, her, hers
• they, them, theirs

The College will make a good faith effort to display pronouns to the campus community where feasible and appropriate. However, certain systems may not display an individual’s pronouns due to design limitations. Specifically, the College will display pronouns on class rosters and advising screens. Employees and students may also include their pronouns in their email signatures.

Gender Identity

Employee and student records initially reflect the sex identified on admission or employment applications. Students and employees may choose and change a gender designation that will be identified in College information systems separately from their legal sex. Currently the gender designation options include Male, Female and Gender X. These designations exist in addition to the legal sex or sex assigned at birth, which is often required for federal and state agency reporting.

Unlike chosen name and pronouns, sex and gender designations are not generally shared or visible to others. All indicators of sex and gender in records are considered protected data and are restricted from release. In addition, your sex or gender does not appear on official records, such as a transcript. Campus officials may utilize gender designation only when it is required and authorized.

In addition to choosing a gender designation (which requires no additional documentation), employees and students may legally change their sex. Students must use the legal change processes described on the Student Data Change Form and employees must make such requests to Human Resources.

Procedures

Students

1. To choose or change first name, pronouns or gender designation students must complete the Chosen Name, Pronouns and Gender Designation Form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar.
2. Once approved, the request will be processed in the student information system (usually within 48 hours)
3. Requests for a new FSC ID card must be requested in-person at the University Police Department.
4. If a request is denied, the Office of the Registrar will notify the student within 7 business days.
5. To appeal a denied request, students may contact the Student Title IX Coordinator.

Employees

1. To choose or change first name, pronouns or gender designation employees must email their requested changes to Human Resources at hr@farmingdale.edu.
2. Once approved, your request will be processed in the human resources information system, which takes approximately 4-6 weeks.
3. Requests for a new FSC ID card must be requested in-person at the University Police Department.
4. If a request is denied, Human Resources will notify the employee within 7 business days.
5. To appeal a denied request, employees may contact the Affirmative Action Officer.

Definitions

Chosen Name – First name by which a person may wish to be known that differs from their legal name. This may also include “preferred name”.

Legal Name – The name that identifies a person for legal and other purposes. One’s legal name is generally the name given and registered at birth, and which appears on a birth certificate, but may subsequently change.

Pronoun – a third-person pronoun by which an individual wishes to be referred to in order to indicate their gender identity.

Gender Identity – term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth.

Legal Sex - The person's sex as identified on government identification or legal documents.

Related Documents

Chosen First Name, Pronouns and Gender Identity FAQs

Chosen Name, Pronouns and Gender Designation Form

Student Data Change Form

SUNY BOT Resolution on Chosen Name, Pronouns and Gender Identity

Responsible Office

Registrar's Office
Human Resources

Policy History

Approval Date: May 15, 2023