Admissions and Records

Chosen/Preferred Name, Gender Identity, & Pronouns

Fullerton College is committed to providing an inclusive, supportive, and non-discriminatory learning environment for all students and to ensuring that every student has equal access to educational programs and activities.

Fullerton College recognizes that a student may prefer to use a name other than their legal name and recognizes that a student’s gender identity may not align with the dominant gender construct, including their legal sex.

Therefore, Fullerton College will permit any student who wishes to choose to identify themselves within the district’s information systems with a chosen name in addition to their legal name.

It is further understood that the student’s chosen first name should be used in district communications and reporting, except where the use of the legal name is necessitated by district business or legal requirements.

Gender identity and chosen name may be used on unofficial records and documents maintained by the District, and in situations where a legal sex and legal name are not required by law or District policy.

Student Information Change Form

Chosen name will appear:

  • myGateway/Canvas
  • Class/grade rosters
  • Commencement program
  • Dean’s List
  • Diploma

Legal Name Will Appear:

  • Billing statements
  • Enrollment verification
  • Financial aid documents
  • Immigration documents
  • Medical documents
  • Official and unofficial transcripts
  • Employee Paychecks/W2
  • 1098-T Tuition Statement
  • Student Schedule/Bill
How do I set my chosen first name?

You set your chosen first name by submitting the student information change form to Admissions and Records. Upon submission, your choice of chosen first name will be reviewed and processed by the Admissions and Records office.

What are the guidelines for setting chosen names?

You may designate a first chosen name. Your legal last name (surname) will remain unchanged and will be included in your chosen name.

Fullerton College will use a chosen/preferred name wherever possible. However, chosen name requests will be denied or revoked due to the following: to avoid a legal obligation, fraud, or misrepresentation.

How can I change my gender, gender Identity, and/or personal pronouns?

A student’s internal sense of being masculine, feminine, nonbinary, genderqueer, agender, etc. defines their gender and/or gender identity.   A student’s gender and/or gender identity may be the same as their legal sex (cisgender) or different from their legal sex (transgender, nonbinary, etc.), and their gender and/or gender identity may change over time. 

A student’s personal pronouns are words used for a student in place of their proper name. Some examples include “she/her,” “he/him,” “ze/hir,” “they/them,” or other pronouns. Some students may use specific pronouns, multiple pronouns, or no pronouns.

Gender, gender identities, and personal pronoun changes can be made by completing the student information change form. 

How can I change my legal sex designation?

In the state of California, a legal sex designation includes “female,” “male,” and “nonbinary.”

Legal sex designation changes can be completed by submitting the student information change form.  To change the legal sex, a court order is not required, but legal documentation must be provided.

How do I change or correct my legal name?

Students who wish to change their legal name must supply supporting legal documentation such as court documents, passport, California ID, California driver’s license, and marriage certificate, and complete the Student Information Change Form.

Information for changing a legal name is available through the California Courts website.