Dec 10, 2014 06:04 PM EST By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

Students at Indiana University Bloomington are able to apply to use a preferred name, rather than a legal name, on their school Identification cards, school officials announced Wednesday.

The change is an effort to support transgender students who go by a different name from their legal name. Over the weekend, staff at University Information Technology Services implemented an upgrade to IU's Student Information System software, which enables the use of preferred names in many systems that could not previously use them.

 "All of our students should feel at home on this campus," Provost and Executive Vice President Lauren Robel said in a statement. "It is powerful and inspirational to see this change arise from students who want to create a welcoming, inclusive environment for their classmates."

The preferred name option is also available to other students who make valid, approved name change requests -- for example, international students who wish to go by an Anglicized name, or students who go by initials or a middle name.

School officials claim students who already have a preferred name in the school's central database can go to card services this week to purchase a new card. Those with a legal name in IU's database who wish to update to a preferred name must enter the new information, wait 24 hours and then go to a card services location on campus for the new ID.

Ethan Jackson, a fourth-year student at the school's Kelley School of Business and a member of Transgender Advocacy Group, said the name on his ID card will finally match the name he's been using and identifying with for years, including on class rosters and other university systems such as OnCourse.

"When we started talking about this about three years ago, we realized that in addition to IT systems across the board, ID cards were a big part of the puzzle," Jackson said, adding that having the support of  student groups and administration helped make the card change happen. "For trans students, having a university ID card with the name they go by makes such a huge difference for them feeling like part of the community."

Barry W. Magee, assistant director of residential life and diversity education at IU's Residential Programs and Services, said the new ID card option adds another layer of support for students while demonstrating IU's inclusiveness to new and prospective students.

"For students coming into [Indiana University Bloomington] through freshman orientation, this is a huge signal that the university cares about you as an individual," Magee said. "We respect you enough to use the name you prefer. To me, this is a benefit for everybody."

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