It means everything for students to feel comfortable at college, especially right now during a pandemic. At Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, transgender students are told they're cared for -- but they're unable to change their name to their preferred name in the registrar's office without legally changing their name. This means that their dead-name will appear on their email address, class rosters, and ID cards.

Legal name changes are often expensive and many offices that offer the service have long wait times due to the ongoing pandemic. Students have had to deal with having to explain themselves to professors, to look at their dead-name on their email addresses and even their official school ID's. It is embarrassing to have to explain yourself every time, and disheartening for trans students to hear and see their dead-name every time they sign in at an event or buy a snack with their ID.

While it is understandable that legal forms reflect the old name until a legal name change is attained, NSU should allow students to write in a file with their records and use their preferred name on IDs, email addresses, and whatever else they'd like that doesn't imminently affect their legal files. There is no law stating that schools must only use a student's legal name on things such as email addresses, school IDs, or class rosters. NSU should allow students to use their preferred name on their IDs, class rosters, and email addresses. 

Universities should aim to make their students feel comfortable and supported as they move through this confusing and great time in their life. Being continuously dead-named is not a comforting experience. Allow transgender students at Nova Southeastern University to change their name on their personal identifiers such as their email address, school ID, and class rosters.