R945-1. Purpose: To outline the policy of the Commissioner’s Office and related procedures by which present and former employees may change the name by which they are identified on official Commissioner’s Office records.

R945-2. References

2.1. Utah Code §53B-1-106 (Appointment of Commissioner’s Staff)

2.2. Policy and Procedures R141, Duties of the Commissioner of Higher Education

R945-3. Policy Guidelines

3.1. Right to Change Name: An individual employee has the right to change his or her name either by order of court or by voluntary action, in accordance with the laws of the State of Utah. However, the Commissioner’s Office reserves the right to refuse to honor a request for a change of name upon Commissioner’s Office records if it has reasonable grounds to believe the request is intended to promote any fraudulent or unlawful purpose.

3.2. Non Liability of Commissioner’s Office: The Commissioner’s Office cannot assume responsibility and is not liable for any adverse consequences to any individual, including any detriment caused by mistakes in recording or providing information, that result from an individual’s action to change that person’s name as it appears upon Commissioner’s Office records.

3.3. Retrospective Record Changes: The Commissioner’s Office cannot undertake physically to change the former name of the person at all places where it appears upon Commissioner’s Office documents or other records, including photographic and electronic records. An application for change of name will therefore be honored only by (1) physical substitution of the new name, as requested, for the former name where it appears upon the primary record of the individual and where it is used to identify or index the individual’s official files or records, and (2) identification of the individual under his or her new name, as requested, upon Commissioner’s Office records and data files initiated or maintained with reference to the individual after the date on which the change of name is implemented.

3.4. Providing Information from Commissioner’s Office Records: In the course of providing personally identifiable information from Commissioner’s Office records to persons lawfully entitled to such information, the Commissioner’s Office cannot undertake to withhold the fact relating to a change of name or to the former name or names by which a particular person may be designated on the records of the Commissioner’s Office.

R945-4. Procedures to effect a change of Name

4.1. Staff Employees: A written, signed, application for a change of name by a present or former staff employee must be submitted to the Personnel Officer. The Personnel Officer will retain in the employee’s files the application for change of name with a notation of the date upon which the change was implemented.

4.2. Forms: Verification of Identity: The Commissioner’s Office will provide forms upon which applications for change of name should be submitted. Each application must be presented in person by the applicant, except where personal presentation is impracticable.

4.3. Reasons for Change of Name: The applicant may, but is not required to, state a reason for the requested change of name, or furnish copies of any court order or other legal documentation in support of the requested change of name. The absence of any stated reason or of any legal documentation does not constitute grounds for refusal of the Commissioner’s Office to implement the application.

Adopted July 19, 1983; amended June 18, 1993.