Students will now be able to register under a preferred name.
The Associated Students Inc. Senate passed a resolution Wednesday to allow students to use a preferred name in California State University, Long Beach class roster sheets, Beach Board and student ID cards.
The original intent of the resolution was to shield transgender students from being “outed” when professors or lecturers call their legal names during attendance.
“It is a success for the LGBTIQ+ community on campus,” ASI Sen. James Allen said. “I think it is really going to be a step forward to create a more inclusive campus.”
According to the resolution, the Office of Equity and Diversity is working on a system to ensure that students’ preferred first name would appear in CSULB records.
The preferred name policy will mirror the policy at San Diego State University. Students at SDSU are required to complete a form to change their preferred name, which will allow students to receive a new student ID card.
ASI senate passed another resolution Wednesday to support the adding of a sexual orientation field to a student’s intent to enroll form.
Adding a sexual orientation to the intent to enroll form will allow CSULB to gain “insight into graduation rates, academic success, and the services they utilize…to help the university with retention, and shaping services and opportunities for this demographic,” the resolution states.
Allen said that the passing of the resolutions would also help raise the Campus Pride Index score.
CSULB has a Campus Pride Index is 4 out of 5 stars and is ranked by a national nonprofit of student leaders, faculty and campus groups in order to create a safer, more LGBTIQ+ community.
“This could really help the university start really focusing its programs that make sure it is providing for the LGBTIQ+ community,” Allen said. “Often these students are known for being at risk.”
According to the resolution, “LGBTIQ+ students are at a higher risk for certain challenges that include harassment, homelessness, suicide, mental health problems, sexual health risks, substance abuse and self-injurious behavior.”
CSULB received a score of 2.5 out of 5 stars in the LGBT recruitment and retention efforts category and the added information gathered from tracking the LGBTIQ+ community could raise this score.
California State University, Northridge, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and California State
Polytechnic University, Pomona have adapted a tracking system for LGBTIQ+ students.
