Preferred names on campus cards are a regular occurrence at universities across the country. But for students who are seeking to swap out an existing ID for one that bears their new, preferred name, there’s often a card replacement fee that the student is responsible for paying.
Now, however, a new initiative at the University of Kansas is subsidizing the replacement fee for students wishing to put a preferred name on a new KU ID card. As reported by The University Daily Kansan, the service is being offered and payed for by the university’s Student Senate and the Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity.
Students wishing to take advantage of the service must first go through an application process for the new student ID card, free of charge. Student Senate will reportedly cover the costs of any applicants specifically in the LGBTQ community.
In the application process, individuals are required to explain the need for the new card to Student Senate so as to ensure students are not “abusing it for the wrong purpose.” Students will be required to send a paragraph to the Student Senate detailing their reason for wanting the preferred name and new ID. The application process was outlined on Twitter:
Pleased to announce this new program designed and implemented by Student Senate. Image description available on Facebook. pic.twitter.com/ipxjiBXJDL
— KU Student Senate (@KUSenate) October 8, 2017
KU students students will also have the option to take a new ID photo as part of the process as well, which will used across other university services where student photos are used, including the My KU student account portal.
In order to float the cost of card replacements, Student Senate representatives say that a cut back on office supplies had to be made. The Senate also insists that the money used to cover card replacements will not be taken from funds intended for other student organizations. The replacement cost for lost, stolen or damaged cards at Kansas is $20.
