Chosen Name & Sex | Computing and Information Technology Services (CITS)
4 min read
Name definitions
Primary Name
A Primary Name is the legal name that appears on legal documents (i.e. passport, driver’s license, birth or marriage certificate, US Social Security Card, official court order of name change). A legal name is required for certain offices which necessitate its use. These offices may include but are not limited to Bursar, Financial Aid, Human Resources, Student Employment, Payroll, International Student & Scholar Center, and Registrar for items related to financial aid, bill, paycheck, visa, transcript and more. A legal name should be used when completing official forms for the university.
Chosen Name
A Chosen Name is the name a student wishes to be known by in the university community that is different from a student’s legal name. Your Chosen Name will be displayed in COIN as well as on class/grade rosters, and MyCourses. Please note MyCourses rosters default to the Chosen Name. If a Chosen Name is not entered, the Primary Name will be displayed
How to change your name
Primary Name
To update your Primary Name due to a legal name change, please visit the Registrar’s Office located on the first floor of the Foster Administration Building or email [email protected] for assistance. You will be required to provide one legal item of supporting documentation to complete this process. Examples include:
- passport
- driver’s license
- birth or marriage certificate
- US Social Security Card
- official court order of name change
Chosen Name
Students may choose to display a Chosen Name instead of their Primary Name in select university-related systems and documents, provided that the Chosen Name is not being used for the purpose of misrepresentation. Chosen Names that are not administratively possible to implement, including, without limitation, symbols or images, are prohibited. The university reserves the right to remove any Chosen Name without prior notice to the individual due to misuse or abuse of this chosen name policy, including, but not limited to, misrepresentation, attempting to avoid legal obligations, or the use of highly offensive or derogatory names.
Please note that the Primary Name will be used in all university-related systems and documents that require a legal name.
Students seeking to add a Chosen Name should navigate to:
- COIN Self-Service > Left Menu > Personal Information > Names
OR
- COIN Self-Service > Homepage > Personal Information icon > Right Menu > Names
- Click on Edit for Chosen Name.
- Edit name fields as appropriate.
- Click Save in the lower right corner of the page.
Important note: Chosen Name displays at the top of each page in COIN and the Authorized Access pages. This means if you grant parent(s), family members, legal guardian(s) or other designees’ access to COIN, those who have been granted access as well as faculty and staff will see your Chosen Name versus your Primary Name.
Who can view your Chosen Name?
Chosen Name can be used in the following systems and records:
- COIN (including those granted Authorized User Access i.e. parents, legal guardians, or other designees)
- UMass Pass (PDF)
- UMass Dartmouth Email (request alias via IT Help Case and select Access Management from the menu options)
- MyCourses
- Housing
- Library
Primary Name will continue to be used for official university records, including but not limited to the following:
- Legal documents
- University reports
- Student Account Statement (Bills)
- Financial aid and scholarship awards
- Academic advisement reports
- Transcripts
- Enrollment and degree verifications
- Student Employment documents
- Employment and Degree verifications
- Federal and State agency reporting
- Human Resources benefit information
- SEVIS (Immigration status reporting)
- Health records
- Paychecks, W-2s, or other payroll documents
Diplomas
Students wishing to list their Chosen Name on their diploma or certificate MUST enter a Diploma/Certificate Name in COIN. Students may contact [email protected] with any questions pertaining to their diploma or certificate.
Navigate to:
COIN Self-Service > Left Menu > Academics > My Academics > Graduation
OR
COIN Self-Service > Homepage > Academics > My Academics > Graduation
- Expand Graduation
- Click on View Graduation Status.
- Under Student Information, name will display as it will appear on the diploma.
- Edit name by clicking on Diploma/Certificate Name link.
- Click Save at the bottom of the page.
Change of Sex
UMass Dartmouth recognizes that sex is a biological category that uses biological language. In addition to M (Male), F (Female), the marker “X” is available to non-binary, intersex, trans, and gender-nonconforming individuals. Formerly, this category was listed as “gender” in COIN.
To view your Sex:
- Log into COIN Self-Service > Left Menu > Personal Information > Demographic Information
OR
- Log into COIN Self-Service > Homepage > Personal Information icon > Right Menu > Demographic Information
To update your Sex:
If your Sex needs to be updated, contact the Registrar’s Office located on the first floor of the Foster Administration Building or email [email protected] for assistance. Legal documentation is required to update your Sex, such as a driver’s license, passport or legal document with the updated Sex.
Who can view Sex?
Sex will only be displayed to the student and select staff who must perform administrative functions that require access to this information.
