Your Name Is Important at WPI!

Department(s):

Information Technology Services

This message was emailed to the community on January 26, 2024 by Vijay Menta, Vice President and Chief Information Officer:

Dear WPI Community, 

 

We are excited to announce that a new name pronunciation feature has been added to Workday to help us all pronounce each other’s names properly. This new feature, which is similar to one we’ve used to help us pronounce student names at Commencement, allows you to record and phonetically spell your name for others to hear and view in Workday.  

 

Beyond being useful in daily interactions, knowing how to pronounce each other’s names, and addressing each other by name, demonstrates WPI’s shared values of respect, inclusion, and community. It directly supports the university’s strategic goal of “Our Inclusive Community,” aiming to drive more explicit engagement with WPI’s mission and values to advance our campus culture.  

 

The resources below describe how efforts to speak names correctly build community, connect us, and help us better understand each other: 

 

These instructions walk you through the quick process of recording and spelling your name in Workday. (Note: Adding both the recording and phonetic spelling makes it easier for others to search for you in Workday.) You can also display your preferred name; learn how here. As always, contact the IT Service Desk if you need help. 

 

We hope you find the new name pronunciation feature helpful. Stay tuned for further improvements as Information Technology Services continues to look at additional ways to integrate Workday’s name pronunciation information. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Vijay Menta, MS, MBA  
Vice President and Chief Information Officer  
 
Tony Laing, PhD  
Assistant Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging  
 
Gregory Snoddy, EdD 
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs  
 
Bwann Gwann, MBA  
Director for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging