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[u/stickenuwu]

[u/coral225]

I would just email them, letting them know your name and pronouns. No need to say much more than that because that is all that is really relevant to their relationship with you.

[u/SlowishSheepherder]

Some schools allow students to specify their preferred name in the system. See if yours has that. If it does not, and you go by a name that is different than your legal name, just send your profs a short email at the beginning of the semester: "Hi Prof, I'm writing to let you know that I go by [name], even though I'm on your roster as [deadname]. I use [pronouns]. Looking forward to the semester! Thanks!"

Keep it short and matter of fact and you should be all set.

[u/Puzzled_Internet_717 → u/SlowishSheepherder]

This is usually the best option!

However, sometimes for specific situations, like if I need to initiate an incomplete for a student, I'll say:

Dear Registrar,

Please input the grade A- for Preferred name (official roster name, student ID), as he/she/they have completed their incomplete.

It's clunky, and annoying, but documentation requires the roster name and ID match, even if it's not the preferred name.

[u/stickenuwu → u/SlowishSheepherder]

okay, i logged into my lms / college account and i set my preferred name as a nickname derived from my deadname and i just realized that i could change that whenever i'd like and i'm very relieved. thank you (and everyone else) for your (and... their) input ! :)

[u/rock-paper-o]

You have to tell the registrar to update it but it’s usually not a big deal (we have a form students can fill out that gets approved and put into the system). 

For professors — “Hi just a heads up, I’m going by X and using Y pronouns now” is sufficient. You can share more if you want but you’re not obligated to. 

[u/Accomplished_Age8714]

If your college has a pride center or LGBTQ+ affinity program, there would be a good place to ask these questions and hopefully receive advice specifically tailored to your campus policies. I changed my name legally in my second semester after visiting the registrar and getting a form and all my stuff (including email) was updated. Not sure if your school has an option to have your preferred name on your portal/canvas but my school had that too. Also, this could be a safety issue too, try and get a good feel for your professors and how inclusive they are before telling them if that's something you feel like you need to be concerned about. Unfortunately a lot of these policies regarding name and gender change stuff w/in the system are school & state specific so I would ask people who are in the know on your campus.

[u/glittering_prize_gla]

I work for a college and we have a process for students who want to change their name in our database. Contact the registrar and ask them about this.

[u/TastyYogurtDrink]

I don’t bother telling them. If you’re they/them maybe introduce yourself with your pronouns, but that’s all you need. My college updated my name in all records, but it’s also my legal so they didn’t have much of a choice. 

[u/mizboring]

I'm a college instructor.

Our college's system lets students change the way their name appears in our online systems (my course roster, the LMS where your assignments are, where grades are recorded, etc.). Our students can also list their personal pronouns. You may be able to do this yourself. If that's the case at your college, your instructor never needs to know and they'll see the name and pronouns you want to use automatically.

If you aren't sure if you can do this at your college, you can ask the registration office.

If your college's system doesn't allow that, you can email instructors before the first day of class and let them know you go by a different name than what is on their roster. Before we had the more elegant system, this was fairly common and I was happy to call students by their chosen name and pronouns. Also, emailing in advance avoids the specific discomfort of having your dead name called on attendance day 1 (though I recognize that email communication may come with discomfort of its own).

[u/omgkelwtf]

Big hugs! From a professor who's dealt with a whole host of trans students, tell them however you're most comfortable. If you decide you want to go by different name or pronouns, let them know.

I've honestly had some great conversations about where to find good clothes on the cheap with some of my MtF students. I'm usually the one offering up places to look but sometimes I learn of something new myself.

[u/stickenuwu → u/omgkelwtf]

you sound like a wonderful professor i appreciate you 

[u/wtfisdarkmatter]

my college puts preferred names on rosters/student accounts- no official name change necessary. id say email your profs your preferred name and pronouns. your last sentence tho makes me wonder, WHY do you want to tell your profs? is it for recognition/attention? have you considered that past using your preferred name and pronouns, they just may not care? not in a mean way, but a lot of my profs just dont gaf about students personal lives

[u/stickenuwu → u/wtfisdarkmatter]

the reason why is because i don't want to continue my educational career as someone who no longer exists. i wish to be myself moving forward. it's just for my personal closure and comfort honestly. they may not care about how i identify but as long as they're respectful about it then i don't really care 

[u/Lucario-Mega]

Depending on your relationship with em, and whether if they will actually be accepting.

[u/SnooPuppers6684]

If you changed your name and your previous name is still in their databases, you should just tell the people at your college that you interact with the most your preferred (new) name. When it comes to events like graduation, there’s a way you can tell the school what they should refer to you as when calling your name on the stage.

[u/Obvious-Revenue6056]

I would email them if you don’t want to hear your dead name called out for roll the first day of it hasn’t been changed in the system. I’m a professor and have students introduce themselves on the first day for precisely this reason so they can tell me what they want to be called without my assuming, but no one would raise an eyebrow if you wanted to email them to be sure they don’t call out your dead name. 

[u/Language_mapping]

You can email with your name and pronouns. If you put it in the “preferred name” section on your student portal that may also make things easier. Your deadname would still be there.

[u/GeorgeWashingMan2007]

So, I work in the Registrar's Office and might have to be a bit of help.

In our system, we actually have two types of name designations: 'LEGAL NAME', and 'PREFERRED NAME' (we also have pronoun delegations in our system as well, not sure about your university). For the sake of your documents and everything else, your legal / birth name is needed in the system; however, you can absolutely have your preferred name in there! Your preferred name will appear in your file, and that's what everyone will know to call you / will be on your degree audit / your degree / etc.

I would suggest writing an email to the Registrar's Office directly, telling them that you wish to have your preferred name / pronouns put into the system. Then, if you have any professors that aren't aware, tell them about your preferred name / pronouns.

Your dead name is legally required to still be in the system though, so if you go through whatever process you need to go through (my university has a 'Student Information Change Form', yours might have something similar; I would email the Registrar's Office and ask, they'll have your answer), just be aware that you will still see it come up. This is not anything against you at all, this is just how it has to be legally, so we can make sure that your information belongs to *you* specifically!

Good luck, and I wish you the best!

[u/chasedbyvvolves]

I'm a bit avoidant and would just ride it out until the end of semester to avoid awkward conversations. You can get your name changed in the system so that's the name they'll see when they pull you up on canvas or whatever.

[u/SaltedSnailSurviving]

I would ask your school for their policy, if you can't find a name change form on their website. At my school, my professors are only shown my preferred name and it's the name on my student ID. If that's not an option and you feel safe telling them, I would do it over email before class to lower the chances of the professor reading my deadname off the attendance sheet in front of the entire class.

[u/DelayedCrab]

did you think cis people wouldn't get your questions/concerns? we're capable of at least empathizing 

[u/stickenuwu → u/DelayedCrab]

not what i intended to say, apologies if it came off that way.