Preferred/Chosen Name Policy

POLICY SUMMARY

A Preferred/Chosen name is a name that you use that is different from your legal name. When you select a Preferred/Chosen name, it will appear instead of your legal name on some institute related records and documents. Your legal name will appear on all other institute records and documents.

Policy

A Preferred/Chosen name is a name that you use that is different from your legal name. Pratt Institute allows you do this by setting a Preferred/Chosen name using an online form. When you select a Preferred/Chosen name, it will appear instead of your legal name on some institute related records and documents. Updated lists of the forms and records available will be kept up-to-date online (see below). Your legal name will appear on all other institute records and documents.

There are many reasons that a person may choose to use a name that is different from their legal name. This policy gives Pratt the ability to accommodate the needs of people in this situation while complying with legal necessities.

WHAT IS PRATT INSTITUTE’S PREFERRED/CHOSEN NAME POLICY?

It is the policy of the Institute to provide all members of our community with the opportunity to use a name that is different from their legal name where possible. In some instances, the Institute is obliged to use a person’s legal name and cannot use a chosen or preferred name. Such instances include but are not limited to: employment and payroll records, health insurance records, billing records, financial aid documents, reimbursements, travel and purchasing authorizations, official transcripts, etc.
Preferred/Chosen names are limited to alphabetical characters, a hyphen (-) and a space. Only one chosen name may be in effect at a time. You may always revert back to using your legal name instead of using a preferred/chosen name.
The Institute reserves the right to remove a Preferred/Chosen name if it is used inappropriately, including but not limited to: names used for the purpose of misrepresentation, names that are disruptive, or names used to attempt to avoid a legal obligation.
Setting a Preferred/Chosen name will not change a person’s legal name in Institute-related systems.

FOR EMPLOYEES

https://eforms.pratt.edu/lincdoc/doc/run/pratt/HR_Chosen_Name

FOR STUDENTS

https://eforms.pratt.edu/lincdoc/doc/run/pratt/Chosen_Name

WHO CAN SET A PREFERRED/CHOSEN NAME?

Anyone can request to have a Preferred/Chosen name added to the Institute Information System. Any person may have only one Preferred/Chosen name at a time.

HOW DO I SET MY PREFERRED/CHOSEN NAME?

You may request a Preferred/Chosen name at any time by submitting either of the forms above. Depending on your Pratt status (employee or student) the form will automatically be routed to the Registrar’s Office or Human Resources for processing. Please allow five (5) working days for the form to be processed and the changes to take effect.

At the current time, the Preferred/Chosen name is limited to appearing in the following locations
(this list will be updated as services are added, changed or removed):