The Stonewall Center provides support, advocacy, and programming for LGBT and allied students, staff, and faculty at UMass Amherst and for the larger Pioneer Valley. We also seek to educate the campus and local community about heterosexism, genderism, and sexual and gender prejudice in order to create a more inclusive and welcoming climate for bisexual, gay, lesbian, queer, and transgender individuals and their allies.
News and Upcoming Events
Now on Twitter at http://twitter.com/stonewallcenter
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Gender-Neutral Housing Offered at UMass Amherst for 2009-10
Students who are transitioning or who do not want to identify a gender and their allies may request gender-free housing on the 2 in 20 floor, the LGBTA living-learning community. If you are a returning or incoming student interested in the gender-free housing option, email the Housing Accommodations Staff at hsngaccom@gw.housing.umass.edu for more information.
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Transgender Students Able to Change Their Names on UMass Records
At the urging of the Stonewall Center, the Registrar's Office is now allowing transgender students at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst who have not legally changed their names to still have their preferred names on public documents, including class rosters and WebCT. There is a link to update your name in the Student Services Center in SPIRE under "Personal Information." Click on the "edit" box to add your preferred name.
Your preferred name will appear on your main Student Center page on SPIRE and on class rosters (SPIRE, Mobius, and WebCT). Grade rosters will have your primary name, but your preferred name will appear immediately afterward in parenthesis -- e.g. George Jorgensen (Christine).
Official University documents (e.g., transcripts, Bursar statements, etc.) will continue to use your primary name, even if you also have a preferred name on file. People Finder and the UMass print directories display only your primary name.
We hope this change will better protect transgender students from being outed online and in the classroom. For more information on the process, see the Names section on the OIT website.
