Updating User Identity and Account Information

Overview

See below for information regarding updating your user identity and account information.

Detail

Preferred/Chosen Name 

Students, faculty, and staff can refer to themselves by a “preferred/chosen name” other than their legal given or first and/or middle name. A preferred/chosen name can be used in the course of University business and education. Only your first and/or middle name may be replaced by a preferred/chosen name; your last/family name must remain the same as the full legal last name in the University records system.

There may be circumstances in which a preferred/chosen name cannot be used, such as:

• when the use of the legal name is required by University business or legal need.
• when University information systems, databases, and processes require the display of the legal name.

Where there are educational, employment, security or other interests, such as government or legal requirements, you should be prepared to disclose your legal name to university officials.

Your preferred/chosen name displays in the following systems:

• Student Information System (PeopleSoft)
  Note: Your given/legal first name may continue to appear on some pages in PeopleSoft. For more guidance for students, please refer to the Office of the Registrar’s website. For a list of pages where an instructor or staff member’s preferred/chosen name displays, please see the “PeopleSoft Preferred/Chosen Name Page List for Faculty and Staff.
• Find People (find.pitt.edu)
• Learning Management System (Canvas)
• Pitt Email (Outlook)
  Note: If your Preferred/Chosen Name does not display in Pitt Email (Outlook) within 48 hours, contact the Technology Help Desk for assistance at 412 624-HELP [4357].

Students: For additional information, please refer to the Preferred/Chosen Name Guidance from the Office of the University Registrar.

Personal Gender Pronouns

Students, faculty, and staff may specify their personal gender pronouns (such as they/them, she/her, or he/him) for display in the following University systems:

• University's Learning Management System (Canvas)
• Find People (find.pitt.edu)
• NameCoach

There are currently two separate places where use can specify their pronouns*:

Both systems operate independently, so changing your pronouns in one will not affect the pronouns you have specified in the other.

*Development to accommodate personal gender pronouns in University systems is ongoing, and Accounts Self-Service will eventually become the single, authoritative source for personal gender pronouns at the University.

Pronouns at Pitt: A Timeline

• August 2020: The University launches NameCoach, providing the option to specify personal gender pronouns and display them on the "NameCoach Roster" page in Canvas.
• January 2021: Availability to specify your personal gender pronouns directly within Canvas. Pronouns display on commonly used pages such as Inbox, Discussions, User Navigation Menu, User Profile, and User Settings.
• June 2021: Pronouns can now be specified in Accounts Self-Service (accounts.pitt.edu), which replaces the option to specify pronouns directly within Canvas. Pronouns set at Accounts Self-Service display in Canvas by default, with the option to display your pronouns in the University’s online directory, find.pitt.edu.
• Future plans: Accounts Self-Service will become the single, authoritative source for pronouns at Pitt, replacing the pronoun feature in NameCoach. Pronouns set at Accounts Self-Service will propagate to additional University systems that have pronoun integration capabilities.

Display Name

Display Names only appear in Pitt Email (Outlook). They are primarily used to update the names of conference rooms and other resources. Display Names were also used in the past to update the names of individuals in Pitt Email (Outlook) before the Preferred/Chosen Name option became available. If you set your Display Name in the past, it will override your Preferred/Chosen Name in Pitt Email (Outlook).

Nickname

You can use a nickname in order to identify yourself with a name you are known by.

Once your nickname has been changed, it will only be reflected in Find People at The University of Pittsburgh (find.pitt.edu).

An example might include “Alex” for the formal first name of “Alexander”.

Change your Campus Office Number, Campus Mailing Address, Listed Phone Numbers, or Office Location

If you want to change your campus mailing address for physical mail, you must contact your department’s personnel administrator. 

You can add additional phone numbers (Fax, Cell, and Pager) as well as a physical office location that is different from your mailing location.

Your campus office number, campus mailing address for physical mail, phone number(s) and physical office location (if provided) will be published to all University of Pittsburgh directory services.

Advertised Email

You can change the advertised email address for your account.

An advertised email address is displayed when someone searches for you on Find People (find.pitt.edu).

Email Alias

An alias is simply an additional email address that people can use to send email messages to you at Pitt.

You can add an email alias to your My Pitt Email address to personalize it. Setting an email alias will not change how you receive your University email. All email—whether it is sent to your email alias or to your official University email address—will be delivered to the same place you read it today.

Students, faculty, and staff can add up to two email aliases at My Pitt.

Change Your Microsoft 365 Photo
For Teams, Office account, etc.

If you'd like to change the picture that appears in Teams (or any other product tied to your Microsoft 365 account) you can follow the below instructions. This will change the picture on all products, since it's changing the picture on your Microsoft account.