Students promoted the significance of preferred names and how people identify by participating in Multicultural Affairs' "What's in a Name" campaign.

At Columbia, you are able to manage your personal information and how it's shared. Read on to learn how Columbia interacts with your information and what preferences you can set.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Columbia University strictly follows the privacy regulations outlined in FERPA, which apply to a wide range of privacy-related activities including:

• Management of student records maintained by the University

• Who has access to student records

• For which purposes access to student records is granted

You may restrict access to your academic records, as well as reverse a restriction.

Read more about how your academic records are protected by FERPA

Explore how your information will be used in Columbia's Online Directory

Columbia's Online Directory lists your name, school affiliation and email address. It also provides a Wien Hall mailbox address for those in Morningside Heights campus residence halls, unless otherwise requested. For any questions about your Wien Hall mailbox address, please contact studentmail@columbia.edu. If you wish to withhold your information from the Online Directory, you may fill out a Request to Withhold Directory Info form and send it to the University Registrar.

Read more about your listing in the Columbia Online Directory

Set your Authorized Payer for monthly e-Bills

Federal privacy regulations limit the access of other people, including family members, to your student account. For parents or other parties to be able to view and pay monthly e-Bills, you must set them up as an Authorized Payer.

Read more about how you can set up an Authorized Payer

Indicate your preferred name

Some students may prefer to identify themselves by names other than their legal name. While you must maintain a "legal name" as part of official records, you may provide a Preferred First and/or Middle Name under Columbia's Preferred Name Policy that will be used in many University contexts, including class rosters, the Online Directory and your CUID card. You may request this service via SSOL.

Read more about how you can specify a preferred name

Photo credit: Undergraduate Student Life, Columbia College | Columbia Engineering