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With the growing diversity of our campuses, many members of Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) use names other than their legal first name to identify themselves for a variety of personal and/or cultural reasons. To this end, CCAC seeks to provide an inclusive and non-discriminatory environment by making it possible for students to use a chosen first name on College records when a legal name is not required.
Current students may add a new chosen first name by accessing the MyCCAC Academic Portal. New students will be requested to identify their chosen first name on their admission application. Chosen first names will be displayed in the following, but not limited to:
- Class rosters and grade list
- CCAC ID card - only if the name change is reflected in class rosters and grade lists prior to the request
- CCAC academic email address
- Online directory listings
- Advisee lists
- Diplomas as applicable by law
- Blackboard, MyCCAC Portal and other software systems
Note: A chosen first name is not a legal name change. Legal name changes will be based on appropriate documentation such as a court order or a federal/state ID. CCAC takes into account its legal requirements surrounding recordkeeping and will not interfere with records where legal names are required. This includes, but is not limited to, financial, medical and law enforcement documents; transcripts; diplomas; W-4 forms; I-9 forms; payroll documents; VISA/immigration documents; personnel files; employment applications and related documents; background check documents; insurance document; etc.
Chosen first names may not be applicable in certain programs due to the requirements of accreditation organizations and clinical sites. Programs including, but not limited to, Nursing and many of the Allied Health majors require the use of the legal name due to the need for background checks, official health records and certification requirements. If a student is majoring in a program where a chosen first name cannot be utilized, they will be advised to consider a legal name change.
This procedure is not intended to encompass arbitrary or repeated name changes and CCAC reserves the right to refuse a chosen first name. Instances that may result in this prohibition include the use of profane words and/or names that may be used for fraudulent purposes.
Inappropriate use of the chosen first name including, but not limited to, misrepresentation or attempting to avoid a legal obligation, may be cause for denying the request and/or rescinding the use of the chosen first name. Individuals may appeal the denial utilizing the Civil Rights Grievance Procedure appeals process.
If a legal name change has occurred, students should submit the change via the Change Name/Address Form to the Registration and Advisement Office at your respective campus.
Members of the CCAC community requesting use of a chosen first name do not need to identify the reason for the name change. Individuals that need assistance with this process may contact the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion or the campus Registration Office.
The intentional or persistent refusal to utilize an individual’s chosen first name, if it has been approved, is a violation of Board of Trustee Policy II.02, the Civil Rights Grievance Procedure and this procedure. Any violations should be immediately reported to the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion and will be processed through the Civil Rights Grievance Procedure.
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