RECORDS
90.75
Revised 5-04
Payroll Services
335-9575
PDF link
REQUESTS
To change a name, submit a completed Request for Change of Name form to Payroll Services.
Obtain blank copies of the form from Payroll Services or from the Payroll Services website at:
Select Name Changes
A letter may be substituted in place of the Request for Change of Name form. The letter must contain all items on the request form, including a statement requesting a name change and the individual's signature.
Proof of Name Change
At the time the form is submitted Payroll staff must verify the name change.
Provide Payroll Services with:
- A court order, or
- A marriage certificate, or
- A dissolution decree, or
- A passport, or
- A birth certificate, or
- At least three of the following documents which show the new name:
Social Security Card
Voter's registration
Driver's license
Automobile registration
One credit cardNOTE: If sending a photocopy of a credit card to Payroll, blank out the number, as only the name is needed.
Immigration Status
If the individual's immigration status code is F1 or J1, he or she must provide Payroll Services with a passport with the correct name for documentation.
Routing Name Change Form
Payroll retains the original and forwards copies to the Registrar's Office and WSU Foundation--Finance and Gift Accounting.
Routing Information
Weekly lists of name changes are printed and distributed to Payroll Services, Registrar's Office, Human Resource Services, Housing and Dining Services, University Receivables, and other central administration offices.
Home departments receive notification of name changes from Human Resource Services.
Away From Pullman
An employee or student may directly mail or fax the completed form and copies of verification documents to Payroll Services.
Payroll Service's fax number is (509) 335-1472.
An employee or student may submit the completed form and verification documents to any non-Pullman WSU unit. The unit forwards the completed form and verification documents to Payroll Services.
RETIRED EMPLOYEES
Retired employees submit name changes through Human Resource Services (HRS). HRS forwards the Request for Name Change form to Payroll.
CODING CONVENTIONS
WSU observes the following coding conventions for names.
Names are entered into the system as follows:
Surname, comma, first name, space, middle name, comma, suffix
Example
BROWN,THOMAS JAMES,JR
Character Limit
The file includes the entire name if the name including spacing does not exceed 32 characters.
If the name exceeds 32 characters, replace the middle name with a middle initial.
If the name still exceeds 32 characters, abbreviate the first name. Retain at least the first and middle initials.
Spaces
Do not put a space between two-part surnames or following the comma.
Examples
MACFADDEN,CHARLES J not MAC FADDEN,CHARLES J VANNICE,JAY W not VAN NICE,JAY W
Apostrophe
Do not code apostrophes within a surname.
Example
OLEARY,JANET J not O'LEARY,JANET J
Period
Do not code a period after an initial, abbreviation, or suffix.
Name Suffix
Limit coding of special suffices to Jr; Sr; or III. Code a comma before the suffix but do not code a period after the suffix.
Examples
NEILL,RON L,JR and NIXON,RICHARD D,III
St. in the Surname
Code all two-part surnames commencing with SAINT, SAINTE or ST as follows:
ST, space, remainder of surname, comma, first name, space, middle name or initial, comma, suffix (if applicable)
Example
ST JOHN,LEE L