UPDATING PERSONAL INFORMATION

If you need to update the Social Security number Villanova has on file for you, or add a Social Security number to your profile, you will need to submit a completed Name or ID Change form [PDF] and supporting documentation to Office of the Registrar. Acceptable forms of supporting documentation are listed on the request form.

It is the practice of Villanova University that any student, faculty or staff may choose to be identified within the University community with a chosen first name that may differ from the individual's legal first name. We encourage you to review the full version of the Chosen Name Policy. You cannot use a chosen last name.

Individuals who want to use a chosen first name should initiate this process in myNOVA.

A person's chosen first name will appear instead of, or in addition to, the person's legal first name in University-related systems and documents where it is technically feasible and where the use of the legal first name is not required or necessary by University business or any legal need. Some examples of when your legal name is necessary include, but may not be limited to, financial assistance documents, vBill statements, payroll and employment documents and federal immigration documents. In some cases when you provide a chosen first name, it may be necessary to clarify that your chosen first name is different than your legal name. Examples of this include, but are not limited to, official interactions with police, University public safety, and/or other law enforcement officials and verification of medical records.

Villanova University reserves the right to deny or remove any chosen first name for any reason; including, but not limited to, misuse, misrepresentation, attempting to avoid legal obligation, or the use of offensive names, with or without notice. The University reserves the right to change a chosen first name back to the student’s legal name when it is deemed inappropriate. In such an instance, the student will receive an email advising them of the decision to revert the name.

Under Villanova University’s Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) policy, a student's full name (including chosen and legal first names) is identified, along with other items, as directory information and may be disclosed to the public without the student's consent unless the student opts not to permit such disclosure. Case of public disclosure include, but are not limited to, mailings that go to a physical or email address shared with parents/guardians and other family members. To revoke the disclosure of directory information, a student has the option of restricting this access. Please refer to the Confidentiality Request available from the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Adding and/or editing your Chosen First Name

Current students, faculty and staff can add or edit a Chosen First Name via the "Personal Information" page in their myNOVA account:

• Log into myNOVA and enter ‘Personal Information’ in the search box.
• Select "Personal Information" from the resulting task list.
• Once you are in the Personal Information channel, select the "Edit" icon in the "Personal Details" section.
• In the new window, the space for you to enter your chosen first name is located below "Date of Birth."
• Select "Update" once finished.

You may change your chosen name as often as you wish. There is no restriction while you are an actively enrolled student. However, the University strongly encourages the limitation of frequent changes to avoid confusion. Once your enrollment ceases, you will not be able to update your chosen first name settings.

Chosen First Name and Email Display, Global Address List

Twenty-four hours after submitting a Chosen Name update in myNOVA, students display name for their Villanova email address will be updated. This update affects email display name only; it does not change the student’s email address or login ID.  The Global Address List display name (user name on PC and laptops) uses chosen name and changes could take a few days to update here. This update affects email display name only. At this time, student email addresses, login ID and the default zoom system names cannot be changed. Users may customize their own zoom name upon use.   

The University will be developing and implementing a phased approach to the use of personal pronouns and gender identification. All students are welcome to update both information points. To begin, personal pronouns will be used on class lists. Gender Identification is not used at this time.

PERSONAL PRONOUNS

The personal pronouns available to choose from are:

• He/Him/His
• She/Her/Hers
• They/Them/Theirs
• Ze/Zir/Zirs
• She/They
• He/They
• She/Ze
• He/Ze
• Use my name – no pronoun
• Any Pronoun
• My pronouns are not on this list
• Prefer Not to Answer 

GENDER IDENTIFICATION

The gender identifications available to choose from are:

• Agender
• Bigender
• Gender Neutral
• Gender Queer
• Gender Fluid
• Gender Non-Binary
• Gender Non-Conforming
• Man
• Transgender
• Transgender Woman
• Transgender Man
• Two-Spirit
• I Prefer Not to Disclose
• I identify with multiple categories
• Woman
• None of these options apply to me

Please note that indicating a personal pronoun and gender identification is completely optional. Student records will default to no answer if a student chooses not to make a selection, and students are allowed to change any selection, at any time, up until they graduate from Villanova. However, if a student indicates a personal pronoun, this information will be used by Villanova on class lists and salutations.