American University provides equal opportunity for all qualified persons in its educational programs and activities. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, or Vietnam-era veteran status. It conforms with all applicable federal and state non-discrimination laws. This policy of non-discrimination applies to every aspect of the operations and activities of the university generally and includes admissions and employment. 

Below is information related to specific areas on campus and contact information for each. If you have any questions, please contact the Center for Diversity and Inclusion.

If you are a student and plan to live in University housing, we recognize that you may have concerns about your placement. Housing and Residence Life and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion are committed to finding appropriate housing for all students living on campus, and will address individual needs on a case-by-case basis. 

Students who need housing considerations due to gender should complete the Gender-Based Housing Consideration Form on the Center for Diversity and Inclusion’s website. Considerations may include access to affirming bathrooms, roommates, and room type. Please note that for eligible students (uperclass students only), Nebraska Hall apartments allow you to apply with other students for a suite-style apartment that has no gender restrictions. The apartment includes a private bedroom and a shared living space and bathroom. 

 

In 2021, AU's Chosen Name and Gender Identity working group implemented tech changes for on-campus students to input a chosen name and pronouns in Eagle Service that populate in many campus systems, including on faculty rosters. For information on how to complete this process and what systems a chosen name shows up in, please go to our Chosen Name and Gender Identity page. This page also contains information on changing AU usernames and AU One Cards.

Students can select to use their chosen name for their diploma by indicating it in the name field on the application for graduation form.

In order to change your name on your transcripts or employment records, you must legally change your name. After a legal name change is submitted to the Office of the University Registrar, we will change your name on all official documents. If you are an alumnus, you can also request an updated diploma with your current legal name. For both, you will need to fill out the "Personal Data Change Form" located on the forms section of the Registrar's Website.  

To request a name change on material sent out by Alumni and Development, please make a personal request by phone (with sufficient confirmation we are speaking with the subject), online, by email, or in writing. (This includes requests to change gender-specific titles.) Alumni and Development will also change the gender field as requested with the same level of documentation and confirmation as a name change. They respect that any alumnus or donor has the right to be addressed and referred to according to personal preference, regardless of legal status. The prior name will be preserved for reference and look-up purposes. To make this change you may contact any of the Alumni and Development staff. The requested change can also be made online. You will need to show legal documentation of your name change in order to request the change. 

Although your name will be changed on all documents, your prior name will continue to be listed as a previous identity in the university’s database in order to ensure that a search run on your former name will access the correct files. 

Faculty and Staff:  

• Go to the HR/Payroll Connection portion of your my.american.edu account. 
• Go to "Info/Forms"----->"Employee Record Data"----->"Personal Data Change" 
• To change name on records, you'll need to have documentation showing your legal name change To change how your name shows up on the website, there is an option to do this on the form. For information on changing federal documents, please visit NCTE (the National Center for Transgender Equality) website.

Email

When you first set up your e-mail account with the university, you can submit the preferred name that you are currently using,regardless of whether or not you have legally changed your name. If you have already set up your e-mail account, then the Technology Help Desk or the Help Desk Manager can change the name that is used with the e-mail account. You can request this change by contacting the Help Desk. Feel free to copy the Coordinator of LGBTQ Support & Diversity Programs, Anna Morrison, on the email to the Help Desk. 

AU ID Card

We recognize that it is important for your university identification card to reflect your current appearance and name. In order to meet this need, we offer two AU ID Card options:

• If you have legally changed your name and have changed your name with the Registrar's office or Human Resources, you can obtain a new AU ID Card with your chosen name.
• If you have not yet legally changed your name, you may still obtain an AU ID Card with your chosen name. To do so please contact Anna Morrison or a member of CDI to support this adjustment before going to Housing and Dining Programs to receive your ID.

To receive the new AU ID Card, you do not have to identify yourself as transgender. You should be able to obtain a new card with a new photograph. Please note, you need to bring in your old card in order to have this service free of charge.
 

Blackboard

The name that shows up in Blackboard is the name that you have on record with the Registrar's Office or Human Resources. If you would like your chosen name to appear, follow these steps: 

• log in to blackboard. 
• click your name on the top right part of the screen. 
• click on "Settings" then "Personal Information" 
• click on "Edit Personal Information" and change the appropriate box. 

Your chosen name will appear once you log out.

Student Health Insurance 

The Student Health Center is committed to working with transgender students to ensure appropriate and sensitive care. If you are receiving care through the Student Health Center, you can arrange to have your chosen name and pronouns listed on your files and in the Student Health Center computer system.  

For information on the Student Health Insurance plan, please contact the Student Health Center. The Student Health Insurance Plan through the university includes surgical and non-surgical treatment for transgender individuals including office visits, lab test, pharmacy and hormone therapy, and some surgical options. For more information or questions, please contact Edythe Cook in the Student Health Center. Also visit the Student Health Center's LGBT Health Services page.  

For more information on Aetna's Policies regarding Gender-Affirming Surgeries click this link

Faculty/Staff Health Insurance 

For information on AU's Faculty/Staff Health Insurance Plan, please see the Faculty/Staff Benefits Manual on the myBenefits site, accessed through the myAU portal. The Faculty/Staff Health Insurance Plan through the university includes surgical and non-surgical treatment for transgender individuals including office visits, lab test, pharmacy and hormone therapy, and some surgical options. For more information or questions, please consult the Director of Employee Benefits and Communication in HR.  

Additional Information 

For additional information on Trans Health, please visit Trans-Health.com and for a list of surgeons by location, please visit TransBucket.

The university is committed to having safe and accessible campus restroom facilities. We recommend that individuals make choices about restroom usage based on their own level of comfort and their gender identity or expression. We know that many transgender individuals feel safer and more comfortable using single stall restrooms. All single-user restrooms at American University are gender neutral. American University has committed to including single stall restrooms in all future construction at the university. Currently, there are single stall restrooms in most campus buildings. You can find a current list of those restrooms here.