The development of the covid-19 pandemic has highlighted some latent problems of the organization in our University: the checks of incoming cards have become increasingly frequent in certain periods and the lack of a recognition photo on the card has proved to be a great disadvantage, especially for those who are embarking on a gender transition path.
In fact, for several years, through the Single Guarantee Committee (CUG), we have been carrying out the revision of the “Careers Alias” protocol, created to provide all students with guarantees of respect, dignity and privacy. It is a bureaucratic profile valid only within the university, which allows the student in question to replace his personal name with a name consistent with that of the gender in which he recognizes himself. This project was born to make up for the slowness of the official registry change by the Italian state, since these procedures are on average very slow and complicated.
However, the lack of a photo on the card forces all students to present their identity card in parallel: this can cause uncomfortable situations when the name and identity on the identity card differ from the certified identity within the University.
To solve this problem, the CUG is carrying out the proposal that provides for the addition of a photo of recognition on the university card.
We then interviewed Filiberto Canino, representative of the CUG, to explain the specifics of the proposal:
How would it be possible to replace 47k badges?
The proposal that we carry out as a Single Guarantee Committee does not provide for the replacement of the card of all the students of the Polytechnic, this operation would be very expensive and difficult to put into practice.
Therefore we ask that only the cards belonging to the students who have adhered to the “Alias Careers” protocol be replaced. The change would still be effective for the cards of all students starting from the first print after the approval of the proposal, so every future student will receive the PoliCard with the photo.
Could the fact that the PoliMi card is also a credit card be a problem?
Other universities adopt the same type of card, issued by the same bank, and includes the photo in the lower right corner of the back of the card.
In the past, the Politecnico di Milano also provided the badges with the photo, at the time attached during registration in passport photo format and sent by post… It is not clear to us when the decision was made not to print the photo on the card anymore but we assume that this change occurred, in fact, when the cards also became a payment card.
Without a doubt, managing the flow of paper photos would have been complicated but since each student, to date, is required to upload their own recognition photo on the Online Services, we believe it is easier to realize this proposal.
Will students be able to use the card for recognition outside the university?
No, the PoliCard is an internal document of the Politecnico and cannot be admitted as an identification document outside the university’s competence.
A career student alias, to date, what name does he find on his card?
The “Careers Alias” protocol currently in force does not mention the cards, so the students who adhere to the protocol have the same card as everyone, with the personal name printed on it (and not the name chosen)
On Friday, November 12, 2021, the Student Council unanimously expressed a favorable opinion on this proposal, in the hope that unanimous support from students can speed up the procedures.
We now await updates on the feasibility study from the relevant office.
Stay tuned!
