Preferred Name Initiative

EMU recognizes that, as a community, many of its members use names other than their legal names to identify themselves. As long as the use of this preferred name is not for purposes of misrepresentation, EMU acknowledges that a preferred name can and should be used wherever possible in the course of University business and education. EMU also acknowledges that an identifying pronoun may be desired and should be allowed whenever possible.

Accordingly, EMU students may choose to identify themselves in the University's information systems with a preferred name (in addition to a legal name) and/or request an identifying pronoun. Students are not required to select a preferred name; legal names will be used unless a student selects a preferred name. Similarly, students are not required to select an identifying pronoun.

This initiative will be expanded in the future to include additional systems and documents where a preferred name and/or pronoun may be used and to permit EMU employees to select a preferred name and/or pronoun.

Questions? Please email [email protected].