Change Last Name on Canvas Account

[KatieS2]

I changed my last name with my university,  but they said they cannot make changes to my Canvas account. They told me to contact Canvas.  Who can I contact/ or how do I make changes in order to take care of this issue?

[Hildi_Pardo]

Hi @KatieS2 - I'm not sure why they would say that (??).  If you have a legal name change, and your information system feeds user names to Canvas, they should be able to either automatically have it update (maybe during a syncing of system) or a Canvas Admin would be able to change it.      But if may depend on how they are hosted, or if it's a free version of Canvas, or something.     If the University has Canvas as its LMS, they should be able to help you.  

[sjones11]

The University's Canvas Admin should be able to make the name change if it isn't done automatically by being linked to their directory services.  It would not be something Canvas / Instructure does.  I do this all the time for teachers who get married and want to change their name.

[paul_fynn · Accepted solution]

Hi @KatieS2 , depending in which country or jurisdiction you are in there may be a legal requirement for the institution to allow you to nominate an alternative name or update to a married name, or in some countries or HE systems they may be required to keep an earlier name.

This is a live topic due to the number of students who seek to progress identity transition in their move to HE, and don't wish their former identity to be known. It is also relevant where a student has external issues that means they require a nom de plume.

As @sjones11  andper @Hildi_Pardo, identify, this is within the technological gift of the Canvas Administrator, however it is also a regulatory issue for the institution.

This should be a fairly routine request that your local student services team can help with - there should be a process - if you get pushback your student union may be able to support.

Good luck