Legal Name and Change of Name
Introduction
The University of Regina is committed to the integrity of its student, alumni, and employment records. This policy outlines the conditions in which a University of Regina student, alumnus, alumna, or employee provides evidence of a change of legal name for the University’s records.
Additionally, the University allows students to use a first and middle name other than their legal name for some processes.
Policy
Legal Name
- Students and employees are required to supply their full legal name when they apply for admission or employment.
- Current students, former students, and employees who change their legal name, or whose registration of a change of name is annulled, must notify the University immediately and provide supporting documentation of the change (see “Supporting Documentation” below).
- Parchments are printed with the full legal name of the graduate, as recorded in the University’s student information system at the time of graduation. In the event of a legal name change or if a correction is required, all students must provide proof of legal name to the Registrar’s Office. Graduate students must also provide proof of legal name directly to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.
- The University may require proof of a legal name change if transcripts from another institution do not match the name provided at the time of application for admission/re-admission.
- Full legal names will be used for the production of tax information, official and unofficial transcripts, confirmation of enrolment, financial aid reporting, the Saskatchewan Graduate Retention Program, IRCC and student visa reporting, contracts (including Residence contracts) and for any payroll and employment records.
- Full legal names will be disclosed to authorized agents working on behalf of the University, including those engaged to collect outstanding financial accounts.
Supporting Documentation
When notifying the University of a change of legal name, supporting documentation must include one or more of the following:
- Birth Certificate (when changing back to a birth name)
- Marriage Certificate
- Legal Change of Name Certificate (as issued by an authorized government agency)
- Court Order for Adoption
- Naturalization Certificate
- Social Insurance Card
- Driver’s License or Enhanced Driver’s License (issued by a Canadian or U.S. jurisdiction)
- Canadian or Foreign Passport
- Canadian Citizenship Card (with photo)
The University reserves the right to request additional supporting documentation.
Former Name
Students and employees may, but are not required to, supply their former name if different from their full legal name when they apply for admission or employment.
Name Change
Students and employees may use a first and middle name that is different from their legal name when they apply for admission or employment. These names will be used for some, but not all, University records and processes which include:
- UR Courses
- UR Self-Service
- Student/staff photo identification
- Class lists
- Admission letters, and
- Other general correspondence.
The University reserves the right to remove or deny, with or without notice, the use of a name that is different from a legal name if:
- it is used for inappropriate purposes including, but not limited to, misrepresentation or attempting to avoid legal obligation;
- it does not comply with any University policy; or
- it is determined (in the University’s sole discretion) to be inappropriate, or if it contains offensive or derogatory language.
Legal names will be used on:
- All official and unofficial transcripts
- Parchments
- Confirmation of enrolment
- Tuition and student awards tax reporting documents
- Employee income tax reporting to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), and
- Record of employment reporting to Service Canada.
Traditional Indigenous Name
Students and employees may use a traditional Indigenous name that is different from their legal name.
Roles and Responsibilities
Human Resources
- Ensures that employee records are input, modified and maintained in accordance with policy. In cases where an employee is a former undergraduate student, a name change will be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for maintenance or modification of the student record. In cases where an employee is a current or former graduate student, a name change will be forwarded to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research for maintenance or modification of the student record.
Registrar's Office
- Ensures that the records of undergraduate students and former undergraduate students are maintained or modified in accordance with policy.
Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
- Ensures that the records of graduate students and former graduate students are maintained or modified in accordance with policy.
Centre for Continuing Education
- Ensures that the records of students and former students are maintained or modified in accordance with policy and that formal name change requests are forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for processing.
UR International
- Ensures that the records of students and former students are maintained or modified in accordance with policy and that formal name change requests are forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for processing.
University Advancement and Communications
- Ensures that the records of alumni are maintained or modified in accordance with policy and that formal name change requests are forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for processing.
Employees/Students
- Ensure that they are submitting a name change within the guidelines of this policy and the Respectful University Policy (GOV-100-015).
- Employees and Students expressly acknowledge and agree that the University has no obligation, duty or liability, in any way whatsoever, respecting the use of either a chosen name or legal name in the course of any communications and activities.
Consequences for Noncompliance
Not providing the University with a full legal name or a change of legal name could potentially result in a mismatch of records, duplicate records, and subsequent problems as a result (issues related to payroll, employment verification, graduation, transcripts, etc.).
Former names are critical in matching current student records with incoming documents in support of an application for admission or re-admission to the University.
Providing a fraudulent name to the University and/or inappropriate use of a name will result in the denial and/or reversal of the request, and could potentially result in academic misconduct or non-academic misconduct discipline, and potential legal consequences.
Processes
Change of Legal Name
Change of Legal Name Form
Notification of change of legal name must be initiated by completing the University of Regina’s Change of Legal Name form (135 KB) 
.
Individuals who are notifying the University of a legal name change by mail must include a certified copy that has been attested by a Guarantor. Do not send original documents by mail.
A Guarantor of a certified copy of a document may include one of the following:
- Lawyer
- Notary Public
- Commissioner for Oaths
- Police Officer
- Minister of Religion
- High School Teacher or Principal
- University/College Professor or Senior Administrator
- Medical Professional
- Professional Accountant (CMA, CGA, CA)
- Professional Engineer
- Mayor
Employee Legal Name Changes
Employees present their completed Change of Legal Name form in person to Human Resources. Employees must bring the appropriate supporting documentation to confirm the legal name change.
Human Resources
Administration-Humanities Building
Room AH 435
University of Regina
Regina, SK S4S 0A2
Phone: 306-585-4163
Undergraduate - Current and Former Students
Current and former Undergraduate students present their completed Change of Legal Name form in person to Registrar’s Office. Individuals must bring the appropriate supporting documentation to confirm the legal name change.
Registrar’s Office
Administration-Humanities Building
Room AH 210
University of Regina
Regina, SK S4S 0A2
Phone: 306-585-4127
Graduate - Current and Former Students
Current and former Graduate students present their completed Change of Legal Name form in person to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. Individuals must bring the appropriate supporting documentation to confirm the legal name change.
Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport
Room CK 227
University of Regina
Regina, SK S4S 0A2
Phone: 306-585-4161
Change of name
An individual may change their first and middle name by completing the Change of Name process in the Update Name and/or Gender option in the Personal Information menu available in UR Self-Service.
Change of name to Traditional Indigenous Name
An individual may change their name by completing the Change of Name process in the Name Change option in the Personal Information menu available in UR Self-Service.