Students at George Brown College can now use their prefered names on official school documents
Students at George Brown College can now use their prefered names on official school documents. Photo: DAVID WALL CC BY 2.0
“Just having even one student frustrated and humiliated in class is too many,” says Vivek Shraya, George Brown’s positive space co-ordinator and human rights advisor, of the new preferred name change form. “Hopefully, this will help eliminate that.”
The diversity, equity and human rights services define a “preferred name” as a name that an individual has chosen for themselves.
For trans* and genderqueer students, their preferred names often do not match their legal names. This mismatch can lead to students having to “out” themselves and correct their professor, which Shraya says “is a negative experience.”
Whether students are new or returning to college, using this streamlined form can help them deal with the stressful task of switching to their preferred name, a task which often adds to their back-to-school jitters.
Although this form was developed to meet the needs of trans* and genderqueer students, it can be accessed and used by any college student. This means that international students who wish to go by an English name can use this form, as can students who wish to reclaim a previously-used name following a rediscovery of their cultural heritage.
Shraya says that in an effort to clarify the preferred name change process, students are required to have a meeting with Debbie Cornwall at student services to submit it.
All of the students’ documentation, including transcripts, students IDs and class lists will reflect their new name. The coordination of the name change process is the reason why this simple form has taken two years to make.
Although this is the pilot year for this form, it will be reviewed after six months to determine its effectiveness in creating a more inclusive atmosphere at the college.
Students interested in changing to their preferred name can make an appointment with Debbie Cornwall by emailing her at dcornwall@georgebrown.ca.
