麻豆最新出品

Skip to main content

FAQ

General Questions

show/hide all

Why is this project happening?

In 2018, the University established the Gender Queer, Non-Binary and Trans (GQNBT) Task Force, co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost, Student Affairs and Human Resources. The task force was charged with assessing the current landscape at 麻豆最新出品 to identify gaps in policies and resources, and to recommend gender-inclusive strategies to facilitate a more accessible, safer and welcoming campus environment for gender expansive students, faculty and staff at 麻豆最新出品.

Providing the ability for all students, faculty and staff within the University community to enter their display name and pronouns in 麻豆最新出品's Identity Management system () - which will then share that information with a number of other 麻豆最新出品 systems - makes significant headway toward the task force's goal of creating a centralized location for managing one's identity data.

Once I enter a display name and/or pronouns, where will this information show up?

For a detailed list of the systems in which your display name and pronouns will appear, please see the Update Instructions page.

How long do changes take to update in the systems?

Allow at least 24 hours, and up to 72 hours, to see your name and pronoun changes in the relevant systems.

Who can I talk to if I need support or want more information?

I'm getting an error message when I try to log in. What should I do?

If you're getting an error message or having trouble logging in, try . If that doesn't work, contact the IT help desk:

About Names

What is a display name and why would I use it?

Many people use a name that is different than their legal name (e.g., preferred name, nickname, professional name). A display name is designed to allow people to choose which name they would like to be displayed throughout 麻豆最新出品 university systems. For example, William Wildcat (legal name); Willie Wildcat (display name).

What's the difference between the name fields?

  • Legal name is typically your name given at birth and recorded on your birth certificate or the name used to identify you for legal, administrative or official purposes.
  • Display name is your name as you would like it to appear in university systems (if different from your legal name). Members of the 麻豆最新出品 community are encouraged to use display name during interactions with each other. In some 麻豆最新出品 systems, display name is currently referred to as "preferred" name.
  • Professional name is your name as you would like to use it for professional purposes (e.g., publishing). Many staff already use the professional name field. The display name field will now replace the professional name field.

What if I already use a professional or preferred name?

Updating your information in NUValidate replaces the former editing methods that were in CAESAR and myHR. For those who already have professional (HR) or preferred (CAESAR) names, those will be migrated to the new system.

Will my display name include my last name?

You will be able to update your first, middle and last name to a new display name. If you choose to enter a display name, you must provide both the first name and last name fields.

Will anyone still see my legal name?

Because all hiring and payments* in myHR must take place using legal name, due to benefits processing and federal and state tax reporting, your legal name will remain viewable in myHR to authorized school and unit payroll staff, as well as to central Human Resources staff.

Although the legal name field will remain available, your display name is now the default name appearing on the majority of myHR pages. Staff with myHR access should use display name for all interactions with community members.

*Payments processed via myHR include staff and faculty pay; graduate student and undergraduate scholarships; and student, work-study and non-student temporary worker wages.

Do I have to enter a display name?

No, it is not required. University systems will share your primary name from CAESAR or your legal name from myHR if you do not enter a display name.

Can I change or delete my display name?

Yes. To change your display name:
  1. Log into with your NetID.
  2. Click "Edit Online Directory Information."
  3. Enter your information into the Name fields (your display name or your legal/primary name), then "Submit."
Please note: The first and last name fields are required at all times and cannot be left empty or deleted; however, you may remove your display name and replace it with legal/primary name if you wish. Visit the Knowledge Base for more information on , or .

About Pronouns

What are pronouns?

Pronouns are a way for other people to refer to you without using your name (e.g., she/her or they/them).

Why would I list my pronouns, or need to know someone else's pronouns?

The pronouns someone uses do not always align with their gender identity or gender expression, so it's important not to assume someone's pronouns. Someone may use more than one pronoun set (e.g., zir/he) and the pronouns someone uses can change over time. If you're unsure of someone's pronouns, it's best to ask (e.g., "What pronouns do you use?"). Being considerate of others pronouns is a way to foster inclusive learning and working environments.

What are my pronoun options?

You can choose from a drop-down list of 29 pronoun sets, including multi-set pronouns. To access this list and make a selection, please visit and sign in with your NetID and password.
full list of pronouns
Full list of pronouns
ae/aer/aer
any pronouns
ask me
e/em/eir
ey/em/eir
fae/faer/faer
he/él
he/him/his
he/they
it/its/its
je/jer/jers
kye/kyr/kyr
use my name
per/per/pers
she/ella
she/her/hers
she/they
tey/ter/tem
they/ellxs
they/he
they/she
they/she/he
they/them/their
use my initials
ve/ver/vis
we/us/our
xe/xem/xyr
ze/hir/hirs
zie/hir/hir

How was this list of pronouns created?

Staff members from the Women's Center and the Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion compiled an extensive list of pronoun sets based on best practices and current information from academics, organizations and activists across the globe involved in gender inclusive work. That list was shared with key stakeholders across 麻豆最新出品 for feedback and then updated.

Why can't I select more than one option for pronouns?

Currently, 麻豆最新出品 is able to offer the drop-down feature to select one option and we cannot offer a write-in option. We have included some multi-set pronouns in the list for selection (e.g., he/she/they)

What if my pronouns are not in this list?

There are some combinations of pronouns that are not listed due to character limits within pronoun sets. If you use pronouns that are not included in this list, email the Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI) at diversity@northwestern.edu to request to add your pronouns to the system. We will revisit the list periodically to make updates.

Do I have to enter pronouns?

No. You are not required to enter pronouns.

Can I change my pronouns?

Yes. You can change your pronouns at any time or opt out of providing your pronouns altogether. If you are a student and you update your pronouns mid-quarter, we suggest letting your faculty know so they can refresh their class roster.

What is the best way for me to communicate my pronouns to my professors, classmates, and/or colleagues?

You can share your pronouns with others in a variety of ways such as when introducing yourself, in your email signature, or in your Zoom profile. If you are using new pronouns, you can let others know directly - in person or through email, for example. There is no one best way so prioritize whatever feels best to you.

What if I use the wrong pronouns when referring to someone? What should I do?

Correct yourself, maybe offer a small apology (or thanks if you have been corrected) and then move on. For example, "Sam said that she...I'm sorry, they wanted to attend the meeting." This applies whether the person you are referring to is present or not. If someone you are talking to uses the wrong pronouns for another person, correct them. You can simply say something like, "Sam uses they/them pronouns." Correcting our mistakes and helping others correct theirs is important, but can be done simply and quickly. For more information, see our Pronoun Resources guide.

About Gender Identity

What is gender identity?

Gender identity is a person’s sense of their own gender. It can correspond with a person’s assigned sex or be different.   

What are my gender identity options?

There are twelve gender identity options to choose from in NUValidate. You can select as many gender identity options as you’d like. Once you select a gender identity, it will appear in a box below the question. If you select more than one, they will appear in the order in which you select them. If you want to change the order, or clear all of your selections, click the “x” next to each identity to remove it and then re-select them from the drop-down list. Please note that if you select more than two gender identities, not all systems consuming that data will be able to show all of them.  

What if my gender identity is not on this list?

If your gender identity/identities are not included in this list, email the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI) at diversity@northwestern.edu to request to add your gender identity/identities to the system. We will revisit the list annually to make updates.  

Do I have to add my gender identity?

No. You are not required to enter your gender identity. 

Can I change my gender identity?

Yes. You can change your gender identity at any time or opt out of providing your gender altogether.  

If I add my gender identity information, who will see it?

Gender will appear to NetID administrators in NUValidate (about 250 people), all of whom work in IT or IT-adjacent positions. They mostly consist of helpdesk staff and others in more technical roles. This will allow NetID administrators to make a change to the gender identity associated with a person (through their NetID) if requested by a user. Otherwise, this information is available only to each NetID holder.  

Specific Audiences

I'm a faculty member. Will I be automatically notified when someone in my class updates their display name and/or pronouns?

No. Display name and pronouns will appear on your class roster in CAESAR but you will not receive any kind of notification. Consider refreshing your roster throughout the quarter to be aware of any student name or pronoun changes. It can also be helpful to communicate to students that they should feel welcome to let you know if their names or pronouns change at any point in the quarter.

I'm a student. Will my professors know when I've changed my display name and/or entered my pronouns?

Not necessarily. Display names and pronouns will be visible to instructors on their class rosters in CAESAR. If you change your display name or pronouns in the middle of the quarter, for example, your instructors may not be aware of this. In this case, it's best to communicate directly with them, in person or through email.

I was admitted or hired using my legal name. How do I get my display name into my Microsoft 365 and/or G Suite accounts?

Please note: myHR administrators, including the Registrar's Office and Human Resources, cannot set up display names or email aliases for employees or students.
  • For information on .
  • For information on .
  • For information on .

I query data as part of my job. What should I know about reports as a result of these system updates?

  • For CAESAR: To those of you querying this data, you will continue to retrieve student display/preferred names from CAESAR as you always have, they'll just be populated in a new way. Pronouns will appear in two views, NW_PERSDATA_VW (with which you're likely very familiar) and a new one, NW_PRONOUN_VW. NW_PERSDATA_VW will also be updated with preferred/display name.
  • Information For myHR will be here shortly - check back for updates! 
  • Web Service API: Apigee under Identity, "Display Name & Pronouns"

I query data as part of my job. How long will it take for me to receive updates?

Display names and pronouns are stored in NUValidate, which will send to myHR, CAESAR and the Microsoft 365 software (Outlook, Teams, Sharepoint) overnight. In some cases, names and pronouns will require more time to arrive at their final system destination. Therefore, most updates will appear overnight, but some will appear after a few days.

I handle hiring for my unit. What name do I use for an employee who is in the process of being hired? What if NU systems and their email display the wrong name after they are hired?

Please refer to the employee using the name and pronouns with which they have introduced themselves. Submit hiring documents, however, using (only) legal name. Only after hiring can the employee log into and set up their display name, which will flow to downstream systems (such as email and myHR) within a few days.

Because their initial email address will by default use their legal name, after being hired an employee may wish to create a new email that reflects their display name. As with display name, this email alias is created using

Please also see the FAQ "I was admitted or hired using my legal name. How do I get my display name into my Microsoft 365 and/or G Suite accounts?"

I missed the webinars you hosted when these updates came out. Is there a recording available?

Yes! The is now available for everyone with a 麻豆最新出品 account to view.