Preferred Names: Advancing Inclusivity in Purdue University's Digital Platforms

Names and acts of naming are creative expressions, but they also signify one’s identity, heritage, and personal history. At Purdue University, people may want to use an identification other than their legal names. However, online platforms at Purdue are currently not sufficiently inclusive in accommodating the needs of faculty, staff, and students with preferred names. Purdue has no streamlined system that allows its community members to register their preferred names across digital platforms. Thus, the university’s digital space may be unsafe for those who no longer associate their identities with legal names. The proposed project will survey the need for a more inclusive digital platform at Purdue. Research results will be used in recommending steps to create a more inclusive digital space at Purdue. The Principal Investigator has communicated with the Director of Identity and Access Management at Purdue University’s Systems regarding this project.