a guide to publication style and visual standards at stevenson university

A Guide to

PublicationStyle

andVisual

Standards

A u G u S t 2 0 1 3

table of ContentsIntroduction: Publication Style and Visual Standards .................................................................................... 2

Chapter 1: StyleStevenson University ................................................................................................................................................. 3Academic Matters ...................................................................................................................................................... 3

academic and fiscal years ............................................................................................................................................... 3academic grades ................................................................................................................................................................... 3academic majors ................................................................................................................................................................... 3awards ..........................................................................................................................................................................................3class .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 3course titles ..............................................................................................................................................................................4credit hours .............................................................................................................................................................................. 4degrees, majors, concentrations, tracks, fields .................................................................................................... 4freshman, freshmen ........................................................................................................................................................... 5grade point average ............................................................................................................................................................ 5program ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 semesters .................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

Date, Time, and Numerical Matters ..................................................................................................................... 5months ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 5spelling out numbers ........................................................................................................................................................ 6using numerals ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6years ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7

Grammar and Punctuation ...................................................................................................................................... 7abbreviations and acronyms ........................................................................................................................................ 7addresses (snail mail) ......................................................................................................................................................... 7addresses in running text ................................................................................................................................................ 8ages .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 8ampersand .............................................................................................................................................................................. 8 apostrophe .............................................................................................................................................................................. 8as well as .................................................................................................................................................................................... 8bulleted lists ........................................................................................................................................................................... 8collective nouns ................................................................................................................................................................... 9colon ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 9comma ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 9dash ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 10ellipsis ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 10exclamation point ............................................................................................................................................................ 10hyphen .................................................................................................................................................................................... 11parenthesis .......................................................................................................................................................................... 11period ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 11quotation mark ................................................................................................................................................................. 11semicolon ............................................................................................................................................................................. 11spacing ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 12

Stevenson University ............................................................................................................................................. 12buildings on campus ....................................................................................................................................................... 12campuses ............................................................................................................................................................................... 13Convocation .......................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Commencement ............................................................................................................................................................... 13Founders Day ...................................................................................................................................................................... 13Great Oaks Society ........................................................................................................................................................... 13Homecoming and Family Weekend ....................................................................................................................... 14Honors Program, honors student ............................................................................................................................ 14independent university ................................................................................................................................................. 14

Mustangs ................................................................................................................................................................................. 14Schools ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 14Stevenson University ..................................................................................................................................................... 14SUOne card ............................................................................................................................................................................ 14The John L. Stasiak Academic Center ................................................................................................................... 14The Nick Mueller Society .............................................................................................................................................. 14The Stevenson Fund......................................................................................................................................................... 14

Titles .............................................................................................................................................................................. 15Board of Trustees ................................................................................................................................................................ 15book, play, television, workshop titles .................................................................................................................. 15department titles ............................................................................................................................................................... 15medical titles ......................................................................................................................................................................... 15professional titles and positions ............................................................................................................................... 15Sisters ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 16

Trademarks/Intellectual Property ...................................................................................................................... 16Career ArchitectureSM.......................................................................................................................................................... 16themeline .............................................................................................................................................................................. 16

Web ............................................................................................................................................................................... 16email addresses and URLs ............................................................................................................................................ 16terms .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Miscellaneous Words and Terms ....................................................................................................................... 18

Chapter 4: Social MediaSocial Media Policy .................................................................................................................................................. 21Official Social Media Page Language ............................................................................................................... 22

Chapter 3: PublicationsServices and Procedures ...................................................................................................................................... 23Requesting Publications ....................................................................................................................................... 23Photography for Publications ............................................................................................................................. 23Editing ......................................................................................................................................................................... 23Presentations ............................................................................................................................................................. 24Stationary and Business Cards ........................................................................................................................... 24Bus Ads ......................................................................................................................................................................... 24Using Designers Outside the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications .............................. 24

Chapter 4: Visual IdentityGeneral Guidelines for Logo Usage ................................................................................................................... 25University Logo ........................................................................................................................................................ 25Improper Use of the University Logo ............................................................................................................... 26Athletic Department Logos ................................................................................................................................. 27School Logos ............................................................................................................................................................. 28Career ArchitectureSM Logos ................................................................................................................................... 29The Stevenson Way logo ...................................................................................................................................... 29University Seal .......................................................................................................................................................... 29Internal Logos .......................................................................................................................................................... 30Abbreviated Logos ................................................................................................................................................. 30

Style Guide 2013 | 2 |

Introduction: Publication Style and Visual Standards

As an institution of higher learning, Stevenson University strives for clear, accurate, high-quality and unified publications in order to sustain and support a consistent brand image for all of its diverse constituents.

Adopted initially by the Administrative Council in 2002, the guide is revised annually and offers editorial guidelines, instructions about logo use, and how to produce a publication. It also provides answers to issues that relate solely to Stevenson, such as building names.

Publications and other materials are produced and centralized through the University’s Office of Marketing and Digital Communications. While most projects are produced internally, some projects may be handled externally, all under the project management of the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications. Of note, all external print projects fall under the print management services of the University’s Director of Visual Communications.

Publication style is the way we present ourselves as an organization through written words, whether in print or online. Consistency in writing lets the reader concentrate on the content without being distracted by variations in spelling and punctuation. Having a set editorial style offers a quick answer to what might take more time and research to resolve. The University also endeavors to maintain its voice in its myriad publications, which could best be described as friendly, polished, and professional—please strive to emulate this voice. In academic publications, for example, do not use contractions or exclamation points. In internal communications, language can be a little more informal, but please continue to follow the exclamation mark rule on page 10 of this guide. Throughout this guide, you will find examples of the University’s tone and voice.

Similarly, visual standards convey a coordinated look and style to our audiences. These standards convey a consistent brand image in all publications and communications and also serve to make the work of staff and vendors easier, more cost-effective, and more efficient.

This guide is not intended to be comprehensive. We have addressed some of the most common issues. Much of the material in this book is based on the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual and Webster’s New World Dictionary, Third College Edition. For an individual’s title, degrees, and middle initial, we defer to the current print version of the catalog.

For publication and graphics style issues that are not addressed here, please contact the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications at 443-352-4482.


Stevenson University (official short blurb)

Stevenson University, founded in 1947 as Villa Julie College, has more than 4,200 students pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, and adult accelerated degrees in the classroom and online. The third-largest independent university in Maryland, Stevenson is a national leader in career-focused education.

(Use verbatim if a short description is needed. Contact the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications if a longer description is needed.)

Academic Matters academic and fiscal years Fiscal years use only the year of the final months; academic years show the year of the first and final months. Spell out and lowercase the words. The forms below are acceptable. Choose one and use it consistently.

fiscal year 2009, academic year 2009–2010, academic year 2009–10, academic year ’09–’10, the 2009–10 academic year, the ’09–’10 academic year

Abbreviations are appropriate in charts, in heads, and when the terms are used extensively in running text, giving due consideration to the intended audience. Choose one and use it consistently.

FY04, FYs04–05 (three 12-month periods), FY04 and FY05, AY03–04, AYs04–05 (two years)

academic gradesCapitalize and use italic typeface, e.g., A, B+.

academic majorsLowercase general references, e.g., biology, unless the major itself is a proper noun, e.g., English language and literature.

awards Capitalize the full, correct names; otherwise, lowercase the description.

the Rose Dawson Award for Teaching Excellence (but, the award for outstanding teaching)

Nobel Prize in chemistry, Nobel Peace Prize, Nobel laureate

classLowercase: class meeting, class officers, class reunion (but the Class of 2008, Class Notes). Do not capitalize class years, i.e., freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior.

Chapter 1: Style


course titles Do not use quotes for full, correct course titles. Use initial caps as for a book title: first and last words have initial caps; otherwise, articles, conjunctions, and prepositions, do not—no matter how long they are.

Art and Architecture in Rome (but Roman art and architecture)

Introduction to Operating Systems (but intro to operating systems)

The Great Composers: Lives and Music (but lives and music of the great composers)

The United States from Emancipation through World War II, 1865–1945 (but American history, 1864–1945)

credit hours The preferred term on first occurrence is credit hours, which may be shortened in subsequent reference to credits or hours. Use numerals. (Example: 3 credit hours)

degrees, majors, concentrations, tracks, fieldsA Bachelor of Arts, a bachelor’s degree, a Master of Fine Arts, an M.F.A., a master’s

She has a Bachelor (or Master) of Arts degree in English Literature.

He is getting a master’s in dance. (Note: Not “his” master’s)

She has nearly completed an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering. (M.A., Ph.D., LL.D.)

Honorary degree recipients (non-alumni): Steve Forbes H ’09

If mention of degrees is necessary to establish someone’s credentials, avoid an abbreviation and use instead a phrase such as: John Jones, who has a doctorate in psychology. (Note: not “his” doctorate; not “his” master’s.)

Use abbreviations such as B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. only when the need to identify many individuals by degree on first reference would make the preferred form cumbersome. Use these abbreviations only after a full name—never after just a last name.

When used after a name, an academic abbreviation is offset by commas. Note: For faculty and staff, only list terminal degrees.

Kevin J. Manning, Ph.D., spoke.

Do not precede a name with a courtesy title for an academic degree and follow it with the abbreviation for the degree in the same reference (e.g., not Dr. Sam Jones, Ph.D.).

Uppercase degree if it is the full name. Use an apostrophe in bachelor’s, etc. Always capitalize proper nouns, i.e. “English literature.”

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, chemistry degree, bachelor’s in chemistry, history, English bachelor’s degree, master’s degree


Nursing degrees do not use periods: RN, BSN, MSN

Note: For advanced degrees, there is no comma between multiple degrees, e.g., John Smith ’99 ’04 M.Ed.

freshman, freshmenFreshman is a singular adjective and a singular noun; freshmen is a plural noun.

She is a freshman.

She is one of 850 freshmen who began classes at Stevenson.

She enrolled in freshman classes.

grade point averageSpell out on first reference with (GPA) following it; GPA (no periods) is acceptable on second reference.

programCapitalize only when it is part of a proper name, otherwise lowercase.

the Honors Program

semesters Do not capitalize references to semesters.

the fall semester

She is attending class in the summer session.

He is taking a leave of absence in spring 2012. (OR spring ’12.)

Date, Time, and Numerical MattersmonthsDo not use ordinal indicators (e.g., st, nd, rd, or th) after a number.

Sept. 17, not Sept. 17th

Abbreviate only Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec., and write out March, April, May, June, and July. Do not abbreviate months when they stand alone or with a year alone but no date.

She took her first exam on Sept. 17, but her next exam will not be until February 2013.

Exception: In formal text and invitations, months may be written out, even if with a specific date. When announcing events, include the day of the week.

The dinner will be held on Monday, September 19, at 6 p.m.


spelling out numbers In running text, spell out whole numbers one through nine, both cardinal (e.g., one) and ordinal (e.g., first), and common fractions. Use numerals for the rest, with exceptions as noted.

Nine books, 19 books, three boys, 30 boys, nine innings, 10 innings, first book, ninth book, 30th boy, 10th inning, 15th, 22nd, two-thirds of the voters (but 15/16), 3 1-16, three-by-five inch index cards

beginning a sentence: Spell out numbers even if that introduces inconsistency. If that’s cumbersome, rewrite the sentence.

Four hundred students attended the Commencement ceremony. Sixty-two percent of the people ... Twelve of the 24 credit hours are ... (Note, instead of writing: Five thousand six hundred and fifty-two tickets were issued, revise the sentence. Police issued 5,652 tickets.)

using numerals Use figures for times, measurements, decimals, fractions, percentages, sports scores, ages, and credit hours.

10 ounces, 7.1, 3/4, 8 percent, final score was 6-3, the child was 5 years old, 3 credit hours

comma: Use commas in numbers of one thousand or larger, except for pages, years, addresses, organizational chapters, decimal fractions of less than one, and test scores, e.g., SAT: 1700.

decimal: Do not use a decimal point in large numbers in running text.

He donated $10,000 (not $10,000.00)

inclusive numbers: Use en-dashes or words for inclusive numbers: 5-12, 1590-1610, from 1590 to 1610

large numbers: Use “about” or “approximately” (not “other“) to avoid suggestion of a precise number: about 9,000 people, approximately 10,000 people; use “million” or “billion” instead of series of zeroes; e.g., 3 million people, 4 billion stars.

No.: When the word number is used with a figure to express a ranking, use No. (capitalized).

Stevenson lacrosse had a No. 1 ranking.

percentages: Use numbers when using percentages and do not use the percentage sign: 5 percent, 50 percent.

phone numbers: Use a hyphen after the area code in phone numbers, rather than enclosing it in parentheses: 410-486-7001.

plural numbers: Add an “s” to make numbers plural: nines, sevens, 20s, 240s, 4 1/2s, 1920s.


time: Use figures except for “noon” and “midnight.” Use a colon to separate hours from minutes. Use 10 a.m. rather than 10:00 a.m. Avoid redundancies, such as “1 p.m. this afternoon.” In running text, times are always listed with numerals followed by a.m. or p.m. Whole number times do not require “:00” ; e.g, The concert begins at 8 p.m.; the conference took place at 7:30 p.m. Never use “o’clock” unless part of a direct quote.

units of measurement: Use numerals with abbreviated units of measurements or symbol.

5 mph, 8 mm, 3 1-2”, 36”, $.04, $6 billion, from $6.75 to $8.00, but from $6 to $8 (use zeros after the decimal if other numbers are decimal fractions)

years

3 B.C., or BCE (Before Common Era), C.E. (Common Era), the class of ’02, June 1, 1989, is ... (not, June 1st, 1989, is … or June 1, 1989 is ... [need second comma]), April 1, not April 1st

For centuries, lowercase, spelling out numbers less than 10: the first century, the 20th century. Separate beginnings and ends of time spans by an en-dash in schedules, calendars, lists, and reports but by “to” in articles and stories.

Grammar and Punctuationabbreviations and acronymsAvoid abbreviations and acronyms as much as possible. If an acronym is necessary, write out the name on first use and follow with acronym in parentheses.

Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC)

When abbreviating academic degrees, use periods, e.g., B.A., B.S., M.A. Exception: nursing degrees: RN, BSN.

Use United States as the noun, but U.S. as the adjective.

We live in the United States. The dollar bill is U.S. currency.

addressesPostal address: Spell out state, Avenue, Street, and Boulevard as well as Apartment, North, South, East, West if necessary. Commas between city and state. Use only one space between state and zip code.

Stevenson University 1525 Greenspring Valley Rd. Stevenson, Maryland 21153-0641

Stevenson University 100 Campus Circle Owings Mills, Maryland 21117-7803


addresses in running textList the full name of a city followed by the abbreviated state. State abbreviations in running text differ from ZIP code abbreviations (listed in parentheses below). Use the two-letter Postal Service abbreviations only with full addresses, including ZIP code. State abbreviations should be offset by commas. State abbreviations are:

Ala. (AL), Ariz. (AZ), Ark. (AR), Calif. (CA), Colo. (CO), Conn. (CT), Del. (DE), Fla. (FL), Ga. (GA), Ill. (IL), Ind. (IN), Kan. (KS), Ky. (KY), La. (LA), Md. (MD), Mass. (MA), Mich. (MI), Minn. (MN), Miss. (MS), Mo. (MO), Mont. (MT), Neb. (NE), Nev. (NV), N.H. (NH), N.J. (NJ), N.M. (NM), N.Y. (NY), N.C. (NC), N.D. (ND), Okla. (OK), Ore. (OR), Pa. (PA), R.I. (RI), S.C. (SC), S.D. (SD), Tenn. (TN), Vt. (VT), Va. (VA), Wash. (WA), W.Va. (WV), Wis. (WI), Wyo. (WY)

There are eight states that are not abbreviated in datelines or running text:

Alaska (AK), Idaho (ID), Maine (ME), Texas, (TX), Hawaii (HI), Iowa (IA), Ohio (OH), Utah (UT)

agesUse numerals: “She was 4 years old.” When following a name, separate by a comma, e.g., “John’s children, Louis, 4, and Michael, 2.” When used as an adjective before a noun or as a substitute for a noun, use hyphens, e.g., “He also has a 4-year-old daughter.”

ampersand Use the ampersand when it is part of a company’s formal name. Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. The ampersand should not otherwise be used in place of and.

apostrophebefore class years: ’09 (note position of apostrophe)

following proper names ending with s: Phyllis’ cat, The boss’s office

with possessives: three years’ worth, Phyllis’ book

with the letter s: Add “’s” to singular common nouns unless the next word begins with an s: the boss’ staff.

as well asThis is not preceded by a comma.

bulleted lists Vertical lists, whether bulleted or numbered, should:

• Contain at least three items, preferably, and never just one.• Be used to highlight text or make it more easily accessible. • Have text preceding it, never just a head.

Use the following rules for vertical lists: • End the lead-in text with a colon if it is directly introductory or use appropriate terminal punctuation if it is not

(as in the run-in heads list, below).• Use the initial caps and terminal punctuation for items that are full sentences.


• Avoid initial caps and terminal punctuation for sentence fragments, including the final item.• Make the items grammatically parallel. Begin with the same grammatical construction, such as a verb. • Avoid mixing sentence-fragments and complete sentences in the list. • Avoid bulleted lists within bulleted lists; rewrite as necessary. • Use numbers instead of bullets only when the sequence or the hierarchy of the items matters or when the

items will be referred to (usually in the text) by number.• Do not set off the next-to-last items with “and.”• Alphabetize or put the items in a logical order.• Do not use a colon after the words includes, included, or including unless they are followed by bullets.

Run-in heads for bulleted items should look like those below. Be consistent —use the same style for every entry on the list.

• Information Sessions. One of the greatest strengths of the …or• Graduate and Professional Studies information sessions are known for …

collective nounsNouns that denote a unit take singular verbs and pronouns. Examples of these nouns include class, group, jury, orchestra, and team.

The committee is meeting soon.

colonUse a colon to introduce a formal statement. Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is the start of a complete sentence or a proper noun. Use a colon to introduce a series. Place colons outside quotation marks or parentheses.

There were four requirements: timeliness, accuracy, brevity, and creativity.

The professor said this: There is a 20-page paper due before the semester’s end.

She called her list “Movies to Watch”: Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Notorious …

commaadjective: Use a comma between adjectives if the word “and” works equally well: an active, involved freshman class. Do not use a comma between adjectives if you cannot replace the comma with the word “and”: the old training facility.

clauses: Use a comma to separate clauses only if each clause contains a subject and verb and can stand alone as a sentence: Chip Rouse invites each class to a medieval feast, and she hopes to do so next year. But, Chip Rouse invites each class to a medieval feast and hopes to do so next year.

essential vs. nonessential clauses: An essential clause contains required information and does not need commas. Set off a nonessential clause, one that contains extra information, with commas. Jack’s friend Jill climbed up the hill. (Jack has more than one friend; “Jill” is essential and not set off by commas.) His mother, Jane, waited at home. (He has only one mother; giving her name was not essential.)


serial comma: Use the serial (also known as “Oxford“) comma to separate elements in a series.

The flag is red, white, and blue.

He would nominate Tom, Dick, or Harry.

I had orange juice, toast, and ham and eggs for breakfast.

parenthetical comma: On March 2, 1993, ... in Stevenson, Maryland, there ...

dashem-dash: This long dash is used for parenthetical remarks or abrupt changes of thought, epigraphs, and datelines. Do not include spaces around the dash.

Growth was the watchword, as was the mission of the school—to provide opportunity for students from every circumstance.

en-dash: This short dash is shorter than an em-dash but longer than a hyphen. It is used for continuing or inclusive numbers or words. Do not include spaces around the dash.

2008–2009, Baltimore–Washington region, pages 7-12

ellipsis Treat an ellipsis as a three-letter word, constructed with three periods and a space before and after it: ... Use an ellipsis only to indicate the deletion of one or more words in condensing quotes, texts, and documents. Avoid deletions that would distort the meaning. Do not use an ellipsis to make text sound more dramatic or compelling; instead, use a semi-colon or an em-dash.

Note: If the words that precede an ellipsis constitute a grammatically complete sentence, either in the original or in the condensation, place a period at the end of the last word before the ellipsis. Follow it with a regular space and an ellipsis: I no longer have a strong enough political base. ... exclamation pointUse the mark sparingly —the rule of thumb is only one per piece/communication/screen—to express a high degree of surprise, incredulity, or other strong emotion. AVOID OVERUSE! End mildly exclamatory sentences with a period.

“How wonderful!” she shouted.

Place the mark outside quotation marks when it is not part of the quoted material.

I despised the book chapter, “We Don’t Need No Education”!

Do not use a comma or period after the exclamation point.

“Halt!” said the captain.


hyphenUse a hyphen to avoid ambiguity: She was a true-blue friend.

Never hyphenate words ending in “ly” and adjectives.

the newly elected president.

parenthesis fragment: Place a period outside a closing parenthesis if the material inside is not a sentence (such as this fragment).

sentence: (An independent parenthetical sentence such as this one takes a period before the closing parenthesis.)

phrase: When a phrase is placed in parentheses (this one is an example) it might normally qualify as a complete sentence but is dependent on the surrounding material, do not capitalize the first word or end with a period.

periodIn text, follow a period with only a single space before beginning a new sentence. Computers offer proportional spacing to text, making the former “typewriter” rule of two spaces after a period unnecessary.

quotation mark The period and the comma always go within the quotation marks.

He said he was “shocked and dismayed by the incident.”

“I have no intention of leaving,” she said.

The dash, the semicolon, the question mark, and the exclamation point go within the quotation marks only when they apply to the quoted matter. They are placed outside when they apply to the whole sentence.

Who wrote the magazine article, “How Students Learn Best”?

He asked, “How long will it take?”

Only use quotation marks for comments that can be attributed to someone and always include the attribution.

semicolon Use a semicolon to indicate a greater separation of thought than a comma can convey but less than the separation that a period implies.

link: Semicolons may also be used to connect two closely related sentences, avoiding comma splices or run-on sentences. Use a semicolon when a coordinating conjunction such as “and,” “but,” or “for” is not present.

We set some lofty goals with our Strategic Plan; one year later, we’ve already accomplished a great deal.


series: Semicolons separate the elements of a series when the elements themselves include commas. Do not use semicolons if commas will work.

He has a son, John Smith; three daughters, Jane Smith, Mary Smith and Susan Smith; and a sister, Martha.

spacingPlease use only one space after a period at the end of a sentence. Two spaces, once required for typewritten copy, are no longer used.

Stevenson Universitybuildings on campusLocations are noted in parentheses: Greenspring (GS) , Owings Mills (OM), and Owings Mills North (OMN)

Caves Sports and Wellness Center (OM): Use the formal name at first reference. Additional references may use Caves.

Cuvilly Faculty-Student Exchange (GS): Use the formal name at first reference. Additional references may use Cuvilly.

Dawson Center (GS): Use this name in all references. (Note: The official name of the building is the Rose Dawson Academic Center.)

Garrison Hall (OM): Use the formal name at first reference. Additional references may use Garrison.

Francis X. Pugh Courtroom (OM): Use formal name at first reference. Additional references may use Pugh Courtroom.

Howard S. Brown School of Business and Leadership (OM): Use Brown School of Business and Leadership.

Inscape Theatre (GS): Use formal name. (Note: spelling of theatre)

Knott Hall (GS): Use formal name at first reference. Additional references may use Knott.

Manuszak Center (GS): Use this name in all references. (Note: The official name of the building is the Carolyn Manuszak Student Union.)

Mueller House (GS): Use formal name.

Menning Meditation Center (GS): Use this name in all references. (Note: The official name of the building is the Carol Lee Menning ’69 Community Meditation Center and Labyrinth.)

Mustang Stadium (OM): Use formal name.

Owings Mills Gymnasium (OM): Use formal name.

Ratcliffe Community Center (OM): Use formal name at first reference. Additional references may use Ratcliffe Center. (Note: formerly the Avalon Community Center.)


Rockland Center (OM): Use formal name at first reference. Additional references may use Rockland.

School of Design (OMN): Use formal name.

St. Paul Companies Pavilion (GS): Use formal name.

Villa Julie Administration Building (GS): Use formal name.

Wooded Way (OM): Use formal name. In addition to serving as a residence, the building houses the Office of Career Services at Wooded Way and Learning Beyond.

Residences:Avoid the term “dormitory” or “dorm.” Use “residence” or “residences” or “residence halls” instead. There are 13 residences on the Owings Mills campus:

Belfast HallCromwell HallDulaney HallGreenspring HallHerring Run HallLong Green HallPatapsco HallShawan HallSusquehanna HallWakefield HallWestern Run HallWooded WayWorthington Hall

campusesGreenspring campusOwings Mills campusOwings Mills North campus

ConvocationCapitalize this event name.

CommencementCapitalize this event name.

Founders DayThis day commemorates the first day of classes at Villa Julie College on Oct. 1, 1947.

Great Oaks SocietyUse The Great Oaks Society. Donors are Great Oaks Associates.


Homecoming and Family WeekendFormerly called Villafest, the event brings alumni, students, families, faculty, staff, and friends to campus for activities and events.

Honors Program, honors student

independent universityDo not use “private.”

MustangsThis name is used for all Stevenson athletic teams. Stevenson is a Division III school. The abbreviation “Stangs” is acceptable (note there is no apostrophe used before the “S”).

SchoolsStevenson University has the following six schools: Brown School of Business and Leadership, School of Design, School of Education, School of Graduate and Professional Studies, The School of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of the Sciences. Note: Do not abbreviate the School names in external communications, especially “GPS.”

Stevenson University On first reference, use the complete name. Upon next reference, use Stevenson, SU, or the University. (Note: The capitalization of University differs from AP.)

The University was founded in 1947. SU has a winning men’s lacrosse team.

Use “University” (capitalized) when it is Stevenson-specific.

The University offeres several housing options.

When looking for a university to attend, students consider several options.

SUOne Card

The John L. Stasiak Academic Center “The” is capitalized even when it doesn’t start the sentence.

The Nick Mueller Society Use The Nick Mueller Society. Donors are either Nick Mueller Members or Nick Mueller Associates.

The Stevenson FundThe Stevenson Fund is always capitalized.

Your support of The Stevenson Fund is greatly appreciated.


TitlesBoard of Trustees On first reference, use Stevenson University Board of Trustees. Upon next reference, use the Board of Trustees, the Board, or the Trustees. Capitalize Board Member and Trustee. (Note: The capitalization of Board of Trustees differs from AP.) No apostrophe should be used.

He is a Board Member.

The Trustees met yesterday.

book, play, television, workshop titlesCapitalize the first and last word of the title along with all verbs, nouns, and principal words. Capitalize all prepositions and conjunctions of four or more letters in a title.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Italicize titles of plays, books, artworks, television shows, radio shows, movies, journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, long poems published as books, and gallery and museum exhibitions.

Do not italicize shorter works, such as magazine articles and lectures; use quotation marks. Use quotation marks for song titles, too.

The Bible is capitalized only; do not use quotation marks or italics.

department titles Use lowercase except for words that are proper nouns or adjectives or when “department” is part of the official and formal name.

The Department of Mathematics, the Department of History; mathematics department, history department (but English department)

medical titles On first reference, use John C. Smith, M.D. (Note: periods after M and D, no spaces.) On the next reference, use Dr. Smith or Dr. John Smith. When referring to two or more physicians, it is appropriate to use Drs. John C. Smith and Susan R. Doe on the first reference. When listing physicians, use M.D. after name.

professional titles and positions* Capitalize and spell out titles. (Note: The capitalization of titles differs from AP.)

Kevin J. Manning, President of Stevenson University, spoke. Tracy Bolt, Registrar, went to the meeting. She asked Department Chair Chris Roberts about the event.


After the first reference to a person’s full name, use only the last name unless it is a more informal piece, in which case the person’s first name may be used. Use “Dr.” before a name only when the individual has a medical degree. Do not use Dr. before a faculty member’s name.

Alexander E. Hooke, Ph.D., teaches philosophy. Hooke has worked at Stevenson since 1978. Alex has worked here since 1978.

The operative word for faculty is an “of” before their discipline.

instructor of _______

professor of ________

* For other faculty members and staff member titles, follow the print version of the University’s official catalog.

Sisters On first reference, precede the full name with the title Sister and follow the name with a comma and the denotation (Snd, RSM, etc., if applicable). Subsequently, use Sister followed by the first name. Do not use the abbreviation Sr.

Trademarks/Intellectual PropertyThe University undertakes a formal legal process to obtain certain trade or service marks and must therefore use them correctly in order to protect the marks. The following should be used:

Career ArchitectureSM

Career ArchitectureSM is italicized. It requires the SM the first time it is used in a publication, although it is helpful to use the marks on the front and back pages of publications. (Note: SM is a service mark and indicates an organization’s interest in registering a mark. It should be superscripted.)

themeline The themeline is officially trademarked; the registration mark, ®, needs to appear at the end of it, superscripted.

Imagine your future. Design your career.® is used with the University logo. It is italicized if used on its own.

Webemail addresses and URLsWhen possible, incorporate the address into a sentence or use brackets to enclose a URL or otherwise highlight it. A few considerations: Do not add punctuation to an Internet address. If it is at the end of a sentence, be sure that the period is not part of the address. To break an address into two lines, separate it after a forward slash or before a period. Do not hyphenate and do not underline. Do not insert extra spaces in the address and do not include http:// or www. in a Web address if the address includes those elements.

My email address <[email protected]> received 400 messages and knocked out the server.

stevenson.edu

https://now.stevenson.edu


termsemail: no hyphenation and lowercase but e-business and e-commerce

home page: two words

Internet: capitalize

listserv

login, logon, logoff: one word, but two words in verb form: I log in to my computer.

online: one word, no hyphen

PDF: portable document format, a file format for the Adobe Acrobat reader

Web, the Web

Web page

Web feed

webcam

webcast

webmaster

website: one word (This word has evolved from its original two-word, capitalized status.)

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)


Miscellaneous Words and Termsaffect, effect: Affect, the verb, means “to influence.”

The score will affect the test average.

Effect, the verb, means “to cause.”

He will effect many changes to the system.

Effect, the noun, means “result.”

The effect was striking.

alumna: female, singularalumnae: female, pluralalumni: male, plural; Stevenson University uses the term alumni when referring to its graduates if there is more than one and if at least one is a male. Note: IF gender is unknown, consider using “graduate“ or “graduates.“ alumnus: male, singular

When referencing alumni of the University, follow the name of the individual with an apostrophe and the last two digits of the graduation year: “Dennis Brown ’76 was elected…”

Note: An individual who attended a school, either male or female, may be referred to informally as an “alum”; however, to avoid confusion, the term should be avoided in external publications. Again, “graduate” or “graduates” is a good substitute.

among, between: Use “among” when more than two objects are involved. Use “between” to show a relationship between only two objects.

a.m., p.m.: Use a space between the number and a.m. and p.m. Write a.m. and p.m. with periods, no spaces: 6 a.m., 10 p.m., from 1 to 3 p.m.

and/or: Avoid using because it is redundant: instead, use “entire” or “both” or “or”.

No: He can eat cake and/or pie.

Yes: He can eat either cake or pie.

Yes: He can eat both cake and pie.

born on: “born on Feb. 22” not “born Feb. 22”

business names: no quotation marks

campuswide: no hyphen

coeducational: one word, no hyphen


e.g., i.e.: The expression e.g. means “for example” or “such as.” The expression i.e., means “that is” or “namely.” Both are set off by commas in running text.

Stevenson students have internships in many areas, e.g., graphics and business. Stevenson students have internships in two University departments, i.e., the Office of University Advancement and the Office of Information Technology.

entitle, title: Entitle means having the right to something. Title is the name of a publication, song, etc.

He was entitled to the promotion because he increased efficiency by 40 percent. Her first book, titled Higher Education Makes the Difference, became a bestseller.

everyone, every one, everybody: Everyone and everybody (one word) refer to all people; every one and every body (two words) refer to individual items. Everyone and everybody are singular pronouns: When every is used as an adjective, the noun it modifies takes a singular verb.

Everybody is ready to go. Every one of us is ready for the project.

everyday, every day: Everyday is an adjective; every day is an adverb.

The 3 p.m. thunderstorm was an everyday occurrence in June. She brought her umbrella every day.

fewer, less: Use fewer when referring to items that can be counted. Use less when referring to an uncountable bulk or quantity.

first: Use appropriately in text. Do not use “first-ever.”

Men’s lacrosse team advanced to the NCAA semifinals and achieving SU’s first No. 1 ranking in any sport.

full time, part time: two words, no hyphen unless used as an adjective.

She works full time. She is a full-time teacher.

fundraising, phonathon and nonprofit: one word, no hyphen (Note: This differs from AP.)

health care: Two words, not “healthcare.”

irregardless: Do not use; instead, use the correct term “regardless.”

it’s, its: It’s is a contraction of it and is or it and has.

It’s time to learn this rule.

Its refers to possession.

The University has its style guide.


junior, senior: Abbreviate as Jr. and Sr. only with full names of persons. Do not precede Jr. by a comma. Do not use a comma for III or IV. John C. Smith III. Stevenson exceptions: Charles E. “Ted” Herget, Jr.; Steve Close, Jr.

over, more than: “Over” generally refers to spatial relationships. “More than” refers to quantity and numerals.

The plane flew over the city. More than 20 people attended.

QR code: Short for “quick response,” this digital code can be scanned by a smartphone equipped with a camera and a QR code reader app (most of which are free) to send readers to a designated link, image, or ad. Note: If testing one to make sure it’s readable, try it on both an iPhone and an Android.

semifinals: one word, no hyphen

The: Capitalize only if it is a legal name: the Smithsonian Associates (not The Smithsonian Associates), the University of Baltimore (not The University of Baltimore).

For newspaper names, capitalize “the” if that is the way the publication prefers to be known. Lowercase “the” before newspaper names if a story mentions several papers, some of which use the as part of the name and some of which do not.

For book titles and newspaper names, italicize the entire title, including the first the.

toward: not towards

T-shirt: not t-shirt or tee-shirt

unique: Avoid this overused word; there are few things that are, in fact, unique.


Chapter 2: Social Media

Social Media PolicySocial media are media used through Web- and mobile-based technologies to turn communication into interactive dialogue and engagement, and they have become a staple of social dialogue and action in the new millennium. Websites and user-generated content include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, MySpace, Foursquare, and blogs. Knowing the methods, etiquette, and scale of social media is vital to gaining an understanding of the nuances and repercussions that lie therein.

Contemporary students, faculty, and staff at Stevenson University are expected to follow institution-wide social media uses, limitations, and practices. Social media communication is public and visible, and posting inappropriate texts, pictures, videos, or images could provoke institutional or legal ramifications for the individual or group. The University and its representatives will monitor and follow social media communications to help create a balanced and positive environment.

Examples of items that would be deemed inappropriate for Stevenson’s official pages and websites include: • Personally identifiable material including, but not limited to, full names, government identifiers, email

addresses, physical addresses, or health information of individuals following FERPA guidelines. • Threatening, harassing, or discriminatory posts. • Posts that incite or promote violence or illegal activities. • Material that could be interpreted as containing obscene, offensive, or sexual themes. • Information that reasonably could compromise public safety. • Comments that are off subject or out of context from the original post and to the University.

A current list of official University user-generated and social media websites can be found on the SU Connections page at <stevenson.edu/explore/suconnections.asp>.

Stevenson University students are considered representatives of the institution and are expected to set a favorable example to others outside of the University community. This principle carries over to posts made on non-SU websites or web pages, where students are still responsible for the subject matter and actions that they post publicly. References to individuals, groups, or any other entity, whether in jest or not, reflect upon the University. Accountability and responsibility come with any social media activities. Good judgment and character are values expected of the University and its community members, whether in person or online via social media outlets.


Official Social Media Page Language

Welcome to the Official Stevenson University [NAME OF PAGE] Page.

Engagement Engagement refers to the activity of any party on the social media website. Engagement includes the posting of updates, articles, pictures, videos, comments, likes, or any other action that can be performed on social media websites.

Official Pages Official Pages are pages that the University maintains and manages for the benefit of the user who has liked, subscribed, or joined the social media page.

Official Representatives Official Representatives are defined as users with permission and the ability to modify Official Pages of the institution. These individuals could be staff, faculty, or students.

Unofficial Users Unofficial Users are defined as those individuals who post using their personal social media accounts who are not Official Representatives and do not have permission to post on the University’s behalf.

Stevenson University’s Official Pages will be monitored and managed by Official Representatives of the University. Official Pages will be updated and used as resources and connections to the SU community, both internal and external to campus life. By posting pictures, videos, links, or any other items submitted on Official Pages, individuals consent to allow SU to use that content in the future. Any material posted to the Official Page by Official Representatives can be considered legitimate information. Any information posted by Unofficial Users cannot be considered legitimate and does not constitute a representation of the University. Engagement posted by Unofficial Users on the Official Pages does not represent the ideas, opinions, views, or beliefs of the University. The University’s representatives are not responsible for any information that could be perceived as inappropriate, wrongful, false, hurtful, or illegitimate. Official SU Representatives will remove Engagements of that nature. Policies and procedures of the University are still applicable to any individuals posting on the Official SU Pages as well.

Official Web pages will be listed at this link on Stevenson’s website at <ListUrl.edu>.


Chapter 3: Publications

Services and ProceduresTo promote consistency and show unity in all Stevenson University publications, the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications (443-352-4482) manages all publications.

The University’s graphic designers provide artistic support, and bid out all print jobs to find the most appropriate printers at the best prices. They follow acceptable and legal procurement law practices. Whether designing or managing a printed publication, the designers see all publications from concept to final product. It is the role of the design team to develop a design that will convey your message while reinforcing the University’s established look, brand, and style.

Outside design firms generally charge 15 percent of a job’s costs to serve as a print manager. Stevenson avoids this fee because the designers handle every aspect of a print job, including overseeing press runs, and we are viewed as an in-house agency.

Requesting PublicationsPrint publications require extensive project management to ensure timely bids, production, mail houses, and printer schedules. Complete the Publication Request Form (found on the Marketing and Digital Communications website) and submit it to the AVP, Publications. She/he will follow up with you and set up a meeting if necessary. The most important considerations for your timeline are quantity, mailing needs, audience, and delivery plans. At this time, you may also request copywriting support from the marketing department. Standard turnaround time for printed materials is six weeks from the date you submit your final copy. Copy must be submitted in Word, unformatted, because our design team inputs the copy into the Mac-based InDesign program. Design production cannot begin until your final copy has been received, reviewed, and edited by the AVP, Publications. We will supply a maximum of two drafts for your review for smaller jobs (fliers, invitations, brochures, journal ads, etc.) and three drafts for larger jobs (viewbooks, catalogs, publications, etc.). Any additional drafts required will add time to your project. There is a potential delay on projects if the designers’ workload is already committed to other projects. This will be discussed once the form is received.

Photography for PublicationsAdmissions Office and the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications have photography files. If new photographs are required, it is the department’s responsibility to hire and direct a photographer and cover the costs. The Office of Marketing and Digital Communications has a list of recommended photographers and can help coordinate photography shoots. All photography and artwork used in a publication will be kept on file within the marketing department. Call the Director of Digital Broadcast Media at 443-352-4476.

EditingThe Office of Marketing and Digital Communications provides some editing services to ensure accuracy and consistency. Ultimately, however, it is the department’s responsibility to check facts and dates. A point person will need to sign the approval slip before a project goes to press. If extensive copyediting is required, an outside copyeditor may need to be hired.


PresentationsThe Office of Marketing and Digital Communications has created an official PowerPoint template for individuals, offices, and departments to use for presentations. Contact the office for a copy of the template.

Stationary and Business Cards Letterhead, mailing labels, and envelopes are ordered through the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications. This is usually handled as an annual batched basis. Contact the AVP, Publications with requests. Business Cards are ordered online by your individual office (you need a user log-in). There is one set business card template for everyone and the card cannot be altered. (Select Owings Mills, Greenspring, or Owings Mills North to change the address on the card.) Contact the Assistant to the Vice President, Marketing and Digital Communications at 443-352-4482 with questions. You will need:

Name, Title 1, Title 2, Business Phone, Business Fax, Cell Phone, Email Address

Bus AdsFive of Stevenson’s campus shuttles have frames on the back that hold ads. These ads are controlled and produced by the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications. The target audience is the greater Owings Mills community, who will see the ads in transit. The ads are for events and campaigns that are pertinent to the audience (e.g., School of Graduate and Professional Studies ads for prospective students, cultural and sports events open to the public). If you have an idea for an ad that would be relevant to this audience, please contact the AVP, Publications. If, however, what you are trying to promote is directed toward the Stevenson community (the public is not invited), it is not appropriate for a bus ad.

Using Designers Outside the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications

Materials designed and produced by units other than the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications must adhere to the appropriate elements of the University’s visual identity program and conform to the visual and editorial standards as outlined in this manual. If the piece is being distributed to an external audience (i.e., prospective students, parents, alumni, friends of the University, guests of the university), a final proof should be sent to the AVP, Publications for review to ensure that it meets the aforementioned standards. The AVP, Publications will return the piece (unless it is a large or complicated document) within 24 hours from the time she/he receives it.


Chapter 4: Visual Identity

General Guidelines for Logo UsageOne goal of the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications is to promote one unified and easily identifiable brand. Therefore, use of the informal logo or a departmental logo that uses the University or informal logo with text treatment beneath it, or an organizational logo or identifying mark, is permissible if, and only if, the communication tool within which it appears is solely meant for internal campus use (current students, faculty, and staff ). If the communication tool is intended to target off-campus constituents (prospective students, parents, alumni, friends or guests of the University), the only identity that is permissible is the official Stevenson University logo.

For example, if the SU Chess Club is posting fliers around campus to announce its next meeting, the use of a specific Chess Club identity is acceptable. If, however, the Chess Club is sending a request to the Philadelphia Area Chess Association for it to consider cosponsoring a youth tournament, the Chess Club identity must be omitted and the Stevenson logo must be used.

University LogoIn University publications, the logo must appear on the front or back cover, with the exception of formal invitations. In an effort to keep a consistent visual identity, the logo is used in these PMS colors.

Full Color or Duo Tone (PMS 3305 and Black)

One Color Green (PMS 3305)

One Color Black (Black) White

The University themeline—Imagine your future. Design your career.®—should be used in all publications and linked to the logo whenever possible. The themeline is trademarked and requires the superscripted ® at the end. Any exceptions must be reviewed by the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications.

To download the first logo shown, go to <stevenson.edu/services/mpr/logos.asp>.

Logo colors: PMS 3305; CMYK 92-25-70-68; RGB 0-78-66; HEX 004E42

http://www.stevenson.edu/services/mpr/logos.asp


Improper Use of the University Logo

Independent Creation

Wrong Colors

Wrong Font

Distorted

Low Resolution/Pixelated

STEVENSON

STEVENSON

STEVENSON

STEVENSON


Athletic Department LogosThe primary Stevenson University athletics logo is produced in Stevenson green (PMS 3305) with accents of gray and black. The athletics logo should not replace the University logo in any academic piece, nor should it be used to promote any non-athletic event or activity.

There are also several alternate athletics logos approved for on-campus use. These logos should not replace the University logo in any academic piece. NOTE: It is imperative that the standalone “S” always have the copyright symbol accompanying it (as shown below). Stevenson has legally copyrighted the “S” and it must be used correctly to protect that legal status. Also, it is equally critical to use the “S” as shown: with the motion marks and in the proper color with no type treatment inserted in it. Type treatment can be used below it; please contact the AVP, Publications about having that done or for approval.

Alternate Athletics Logos

Add outdated logos NOT to use

Primary Athletics Logo


School LogosThese are the logos that have been created for each school. They may be used for school-specific pieces, both internally and externally. Please note that each logo incorporates the University’s themeline, Imagine your future. Design your career.® This is important for maintaining the Stevenson brand and is the preferred usage of the school logos. You can use the logo without the themeline but if you do, you cannot replace the themeline with any other language.

Imagine your future. Design your career. ®

H U M A N I T I E S & S O C I A L S C I E N C E ST H E S C H O O L of

School of Education

School of the Sciences

School of Graduate and Professional Studies

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Brown School of Business and Leadership School of Design

School of Graduate and Professional Studies


University SealThe seal’s use is limited to university-wide formal academic functions and publications. It is produced in one of these colors: green (PMS 3305), silver (PMS 877) or gold (PMS 872). To obtain a digital copy of the seal, contact the Office of Marketing and Digital Communications at 443-352-4482.

The Stevenson Way LogoThis logo was developed for Human Resources. It may only be used with permission from the VP, Human Resources.

Career ArchitectureSM LogosThese logos were developed for Career ArchitectureSM. They may only be used with permission from the Office of Career Services and only when Career Architecture is referenced.


Internal LogosTo promote the branding of Stevenson University, departments and groups are discouraged from having separate logos. Multiple logos are often confusing when they proliferate around the campus. Choose a distinctive and recognizable type face (font), rather than an actual logo, and then use the university logo.

Abbreviated LogosThese logos follow University color guidelines and may be used for informal publications.

n i c k m u e l l e r s o c i e t y

a guide to publication style and visual standards at stevenson university

Documents

academic majors

academic matters

academic grades

numerical matters

publication style

table of contentsintroduction

visual standards

stylestevenson university