Name Changes and Pronoun Designation for Faculty & Staff

Faculty/Staff Name Changes

If you have changed your name legally or would like to add a chosen/preferred name to your record, you can do this in Oracle Cloud under the Personal Information module within the “Me” section of the Navigator. Please reference the quick guide.

For chosen or preferred names, your name in use will appear in many University systems, including the People Finder Directory in parenthesis after your legal name. Please note that your legal name will still show. If you do not want your legal name to display in the People Finder Directory please contact Human Resources.

ID Cards

For students, an undocumented name change (see above) allows first and middle initials and the last name to be shown on the student ID. Please wait for your “undocumented name change” form to be processed through the office of the registrar. Chosen names are not currently allowed on student IDs. For faculty and staff, it will soon be possible to put the preferred name, as set in Oracle Cloud, on your Commodore ID card. An announcement will be made in MyVU once this feature is available.

Email Address Information

VU users use the Identity Page to change their email address. After Logging in, Click menu (3 lines at left side > end-user user tools > add email alias. You can also set your display name under the end-user tools tab.This is not connected to the Oracle preferred name so it does need to be set separately.    You cannot change your VUnetID after enrollment/being hired at Vanderbilt.

Anchor Link

Go to Anchorlink website.
1. Log in to your Anchorlink account.
2. Click on your profile picture twice in order to edit your account.
3. Edit your first name and click save.

Please note: Your chosen or preferred name will show up on all Anchorlink rosters available to the public and most Anchorlink users. However, page managers will have access to the name that is on file through the Registrar’s office in addition to your preferred name.

Receiving Mail

If a student fills out the chosen or preferred name request (details outlined at the top of this page), staff in the mailroom should see their name in the mail receiving system as “Legal First Name (Chosen Name) Legal Last name.” This ensures that students receive official legal mail, as well as mail to their chosen name, more efficiently. As a secondary measure, students can relay any chosen name information to any mail room representative for manual entry into the mail system.

Legal Name Changes

In accordance with Tennessee legislation, T.C.A. 29-8-102, you must be a resident of Davidson County, Tennessee to petition for a name change recognized by the United States government. Forms for an adult name change are available for downloading at Chancery Court Clerk & Master. Please be advised that all blanks must be legibly filled in with accurate information.

Fill out the petition form and the order form under Petition for Name Change of Adult.

DOCUMENTS TO BRING WITH YOU to legally change your name:
1. Completed Petition form and Order form to be presented to a Chancellor.
2. A copy of your birth certificate.
3. Photo identification (such as a driver’s license, passport, or comparable photo identification).
4. Social Security card.
5. $159.50 cash or cashier’s check (no personal check accepted). This fee covers two certified copies of the court order changing your name.

Be Advised:
Name change petitions are heard Monday-Thursday between 8:30 am and 9:00 am. The address is Public Square, Nashville, TN and travel to the 3rd-floor suite 308 (this location is for Davidson County residents only). They encourage you to arrive at 8:10 am to guarantee you are seen that day.

A student who is able to change their name through legal documentation (process above) can present this documentation and a name change form to the Office of the Registrar to ensure that their name in University systems is correct. Graduate students employed at the University should also submit this paperwork to HR for their correct name to be ensured in all employment purposes.

Legal Passport Changes
If and/or when you change your name legally and have a passport you’d like to update, follow this link to find out how: https://travel.state.gov/passport/.

Email Signature Examples

Adding your preferred pronouns in your email signature helps minimize misgendering and is an important strategy towards inclusivity. Below you will find some samples that you may incorporate in your email signature: https://brand.vanderbilt.edu/resources/

How to Set Your Pronouns on Zoom

From the Desktop Application:

1. Open the Zoom application on your desktop and log in
2. Select your profile icon in the top right-hand corner and select “settings” from the drop-down
3. This will open a new window – select “profile” and then “edit my profile”
4. Your profile will appear – under the “profile” tab, select “edit” next to your name
5. To add your pronouns, simply add them to the end of your last name Zoom profile with pronouns highlighted after last name
6. Click “save changes” at the bottom of the page

From the Web:

1. log in at: https://vanderbilt.zoom.us/
2. Your profile will appear – select “edit” next to your name
3. To add your pronouns, simply add them to the end of your last name
4. Click “save changes” at the bottom of the page

From the Zoom Mobile Application:

1. Select “settings” in the bottom right hand corner
2. Select your name and then select “display name”
3. To add your pronouns, simply add them to the end of your last name
4. Click “save changes” in the top right-hand corner