Union College Style Guide by Union College

Communications Style Guide

Contents

Support resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Stewarding the Union College brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Mission and values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Official logos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Logo formats and usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Logo size/spacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Logo use violations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Departmental identifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Additional Union marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Donor relations marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Typography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Color palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Color models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Union College lock up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Stationery system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Letterhead use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Envelope use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 PowerPoint templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Graphic assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Graphic assets usage examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Photography examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Use of graphic designers and printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Printing policies and procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Web governance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Social media best practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

This guide is a work in progress. Please check the Union College website for the most current version and most up-to-date information: www.union.edu/offices/communications/policies/style-guide/ ÂŠ2019 Union College, Schenectady, New York. All rights reserved. Marks shown in this publication are the property of Union College and may be reproduced with permission.

U N I O N C O L L E G E C O M M U N I C AT I O N S S T Y L E G U I D E

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Support resources

THE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING’s mission is to promote Union’s strategic objectives, foster a culture of communication among internal and external stakeholders and steward the Union brand by showcasing the benefits of a Union education and building connections between the College and its diverse constituents. The Office of Communications & Marketing is part of the broader area of College Relations. The Office has four main priorities: • To elevate Union’s reputation by sharing its stories and promoting its accomplishments to a broad audience, including the media • To strengthen and protect the Union brand through the use of consistent, effective visuals and messaging in the college’s communication vehicles • To ensure that the Union brand is portrayed as successfully in online vehicles (website, social media spaces, etc.) as it is in print • To support internal clients on campus in developing and implementing their own marketing and communications strategies

CONTACT INFORMATION OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING 69 Union Avenue Schenectady, New York 12308 Phone: (518) 388-6131 Fax: (518) 388-6514 Email: ucco@union.edu Web: union.edu/communications

LEADERSHIP

PRINTING

Gail Glover Senior Director of Communications & Marketing (518) 419-1737 gloverg@union.edu

Joyce Chabot Printing Manager (518) 388-6615 chabotj@union.edu WEB

OFFICE HOURS:

Tina Lincer Associate Director of Communications & Marketing (518) 388-6976 lincert@union.edu

Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

GRAPHIC STANDARDS Charlie Casey Senior Editor of Publications (518) 388-6090 caseyc@union.edu

Ken George Director of Web Communications (518) 388-6432 georgek@union.edu SOCIAL MEDIA Christen Gowan Assistant Director of Media Relations and Social Media (518) 388-6748 gowanc@union.edu

EDITORIAL STANDARDS Erin DeMuth Judd Associate Editor of Publications (518) 388-6490 demuthje@union.edu

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Stewarding the Union College Brand

As with any organization, Union’s brand is one of our most important assets. Our brand has been synonymous with an outstanding education for more than two centuries, and we must take care to steward and respect it by portraying it thoughtfully and consistently in all communications that carry the Union College name. This Communications Style Guide is meant to provide standards designed to protect and strengthen the Union brand by ensuring it is represented in a professional and accurate manner both in print and online. Adhering to the guidelines presented on the following pages is essential to ensuring our communications have a consistent “Union look” that will help reinforce our brand and our unique identity. This guide should be followed by any external graphic designer or writer working for the College, as well as by any member of our internal community involved in communicating to Union’s audiences. The Communications Style Guide is published by the Office of Communications & Marketing. The Office reserves the right to request revisions to any communications bearing the Union name that violate the guidelines contained herein. If you have any questions regarding any of the information contained in this guide or items that are not addressed here, please contact the Office of Comunications at ucco@union.edu or (518) 388-6131.

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Mission and values

MISSION STATEMENT: Union College, founded in 1795, is a scholarly community dedicated to shaping the future and understanding the past. Faculty, staff, and administrators welcome diverse and talented students into our community, work closely with them to provide a broad and deep education, and guide them in finding and cultivating their passions. We do this with a wide range of disciplines and interdisciplinary programs in the liberal arts and engineering, as well as academic, athletic, cultural, and social activities, including opportunities to study abroad and to participate in undergraduate research and community service. We develop in our students the analytic and reflective abilities needed to become engaged, innovative, and ethical contributors to an increasingly diverse, global, and technologically complex society.

UNION COLLEGE BELIEVES IN: • • • • • • • • •

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Educating broadly and deeply Sustaining resources Reflecting personal and diverse views Educating mind, body and spirit Asking questions that matter Furthering a history of innovation Contributing to humanity Thinking locally and globally Integrating thought and action

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Official logos

One of the two marks below should be used on every communication from Union College. The exact typography, arrangement and proportion may not be altered in any way, therefore it is critical to use the electronic logo files available at: www.union.edu/offices/communications/policies/style-guide/official-logo/

UNION COLLEGE 1795 LOGO: The Union College 1795 logo is intended to be used as the primary mark to identify the College and should be used in most instances. The logo should only be reproduced in black, garnet (PMS 202) or reversed to white from a dark background. It is not acceptable to reproduce the logo in any other colors.

UNION COLLEGE LOGO: The Union College logo is designed only for applications where the 1795 version can not be used effectively because of size limitations and/or reproduction issues (such as on apparel or specialty items). This logo is also meant to reproduced in black, garnet (PMS 202) or reversed to white from a dark background. It is not acceptable to reproduce the logo in any other colors.

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Logo formats and usage

ARTWORK FILES

LOGO ARTWORK FOR PROFESSIONAL PRINT APPLICATIONS

Color format

AI Adobe Illustrator vector-based artwork/scaleable to any size PMS, CMYK, Black, Reverse Transparent background EPS Vector-based artwork/scaleable to any size PMS, CMYK, Black, Reverse Transparent background TIF Raster artwork, 300 dpi, (do not scale larger than 100%) CMYK, Black White background

LOGO ARTWORK FOR INTERNAL PRINT/ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS

Color format

TIF Raster artwork, 300 dpi, (do not scale larger than 100%) CMYK, Black White background JPG Raster artwork, 300 dpi, (do not scale larger than 100%) CMYK, Black White background PNG Raster artwork, 300 dpi (do not scale larger than 100%) RGB, Black Transparent background BMP Raster artwork, 300 dpi (do not scale larger than 100%) RGB, Black White background LOGO ARTWORK FOR WEB APPLICATIONS Color format JPG Raster artwork, 72 dpi (do not scale larger than 100%) RGB White background GIF Raster artwork, 72 dpi (do not scale larger than 100%) RGB White background PNG Raster artwork, 72 dpi (do not scale larger than 100%) RGB Transparent background

All of these files are avilable for download at: http://www.union.edu/offices/communications/policies/style-guide/official-logo/ If you need any of the raster files above at a larger size than what is available on the website, please contact the Office of Communications.

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Logo size/spacing

MINIMUM SIZE USAGE: In order to maximize legibility on printed materials, especially when using the Union College 1795 logo, the logo may not appear smaller than the sizes illustrated below and should be sized appropriately for each particular use.

1.25” The minimum size for using the Union College 1795 logo in print is 1.25” wide or 120 pixels wide on screen.

.75” The minimum size for using the Union College Logo in print is .75” wide or 72 pixels wide on screen.

CLEAR SPACE: A safe area around the Union College logo must be preserved to allow for maximum legibility. No elements such as typography, other logos or graphics should be placed within the clear space. Placing the logo too close to a cut or folded edge also violates the safe area. Leave clear space around the Union College Logo equivalent to the height of the letter “N” in Union.

There may be some cases that require special sizes or clear space allowances. Examples of these unique applications include, but are not limited to, the Union College lock ups, departmental identifiers and specialty items such as pencils or pens, and very small advertisements. For questions about unique applications, contact the Office of Communications at ucco@union.edu or (518) 388-6131.

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Logo use violations

Consistent and proper usage of the logo is essential to maintaining the integrity of the Union College brand. The official logos may not be altered in any way. Takes steps to ensure that the logo is used correctly by following the information in this guide and ALWAYS using the artwork provided at www.union.edu/offices/communications/ policies/style-guide/ for official Union communications. The following examples illustrate unacceptable usage or variations.

DO NOT change the color of the logo.

DO NOT enlarge JPEG or GIF logo files to get to a desired size. Always reproduce the logo in the highest quality possible.

DO NOT distort, stretch or scale the height or width of the logo disproportionately.

DO NOT turn, rotate or tilt the logo.

Office of Communications DO NOT reproduce the logo in low contrast environments.

DO NOT reproduce the logo on complex backgrounds.

DO NOT combine the College logo with any graphic elements including the atheletics “U” or “Minerva Seal”.

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DO NOT apply graphic effects to the logo. Do not reproduce the logo with a drop shadow. Do not use the logo as a background graphic or watermark.

DO NOT customize the logo by adding individual office or department names. Offical College departmental identifiers are shown on page 8 of this guide.

DO NOT use outdated or past versions of the logo on any communication.

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Departmental identifiers

The development and use of separate logos to represent individual units or programs is prohibited. However, the Union College branding system allows colleges and other major units to utilize a “departmental identifier.” The identifier includes the black version of the Union College 1795 logo in conjunction with a line of type set in garnet Trade Gothic all caps to identify a specific department or program. The minimum acceptable size follows the guidelines for the minumum size of the 1795 logo. There are three acceptable varations for these identifiers: one line horizontal, two lines horizontal (when the MODERN LANGUAGES & LITERATURES DEPARTMENT identifier contains two or more words) and stacked. Requests for artwork for a departmental identifier should be directed to the Office of Communications.

MODERN LANGUAGES & LITERATURES DEPARTMENT

MODERN LANGUAGES & LITERATURES DEPARTMENT MODERN LANGUAGES & LITERATURES DEPARTMENT

MODERN LANGUAGES & LITERATURES DEPARTMENT

MODERN LANGUAGES & LITERATURES DEPARTMENT MODERN LANGUAGES & LITERATURES DEPARTMENT

MODERN LANGUAGES & LITERATURES DEPARTMENT

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Additional Union marks

THE MINERVA SEAL The official seal of the College is reserved for special communications such as degree certificates or diplomas, the President’s Office letterhead, select publications and official College documents. It is not intended to be used on general College communications or in contexts that require the official logo. It is not interchangeable with the official Union College logo and should not be used in close proximity with the official logo. In Oct. 2015, the College’s Board of Trustees approved a change to the motto to add the French word for “sisters.” The new motto reads: Sous les lois de Minerve nous devenons tous frères et sœurs (“Under the laws of Minerva, we all become brothers and sisters”). All use of the official seal should include this text: SOUS LES LOIS DE MINERVE NOUS DEVENONS TOUS FRERES ET SOEURS

THE UNION COLLEGE ATHLETICS LOGO Use for athletics communications, materials and wearables only. These logos are not intended to be used on general College communications or in contexts that require the official logo. They are not interchangeable with the official Union College logo and should not be used in close proximity with the official logo.

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Donor relations marks

F O R U S E O N LY BY C O L L E G E R E L AT I O N S

The Terrace Council is Union’s leadership giving society, and as such honors members of the Union community including, alumni, friends, students, and parents who contribute an annual gift of $2,000 or more.

ÉE CIR LE

A select group of additional marks have been approved for use by the College. These marks are used solely by College Relations to recognize groups of donors for their generous contributions to the College.

Y O C I E T

The Ramée Circle Society recognizes and honors Union alumni and friends who include the College in their estate and financial planning.

Generation U (graduates of the last decade) is a group of students and young alumni who support each other through social connections and networking opportunities and who provide philanthropic support to the institution.

UNION COLLEGE

The Arch giving society honors alumni, friends, and family who have cumulatively contributed and pledged one million dollars or more to the College.

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The President’s Council recognizes important friends of the College who play an active role in programs that further the College’s mission, engage other alumni and friends of Union, and offer philanthropic support to the College to help advance the College’s strategic priorities and strengthen ties to the greater Union community.

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Typography

PRIMARY TYPEFACES:

Minion Regular Minion Italic Minion Semibold Minion Semibold Italic Minion Bold Minion Bold Italic

Trade Gothic Bold No. 2 Trade Gothic Bold Condensed

Minion is a serif typeface that was designed for Adobe Systems in 1990. It provides the Union College brand a contemporary interpretation of classic serif type. Its varying weights and corresponding italics make it ideal for text and headlines.

Trade Gothic Bold No. 2 and Trade Gothic Bold Condensed are sans serif typefaces that have been selected to be used in conjunction with Minion and the Museo families primarily for identifiers, subheads or highlights.

Museo Slab 100 Museo Slab 100 Italic Museo Slab 300 Museo Slab 300 Italic Museo Slab 500 Museo Slab 500 Italic Museo Slab 700 Museo Slab 700 Italic Museo Slab 900 Museo Slab 900 Italic Museo Slab 1000 Museo Slab 1000 Italic

Museo Sans 100 Museo Sans 100 Italic Museo Sans 300 Museo Sans 300 Italic Museo Sans 500 Museo Sans 500 Italic Museo Sans 700 Museo Sans 700 Italic Museo Sans 900 Museo Sans 900 Italic

The Museo Sans and Museo Slab families of typefaces complement Minion and Trade Gothic. They provide a clean and contemporary appeal to emphasize the progressive qualities of the College. The two families offer a wide variety of weights that are ideal for any application from headlines to text and captions.

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Typography

A LT E R N AT E T Y P E FA C E S

Times Roman Regular Times Roman Italic Times Roman Bold Times Roman Bold Italic

Arial Regular Arial Italic Arial Bold Arial Bold Italic

In cases where the primary typefaces are not available, Times Roman and Arial may be substituted. The use of these alternative typefaces should be limited to body copy, general business documents, and electronic media such as PowerPoint presentations, email or e-newsletters and the Web. These alternative typefaces should not take the place of the primary typefaces in marketing communications that are used to build the brand of Union College.

FOR WEB: Arial should be used for Union College Web applications. Please note that the appropriate style templates and fonts for publishing content to www.union.edu are built into the Content Management System (CMS).

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Color palette

PRIMARY PALETTE: The primary Union College color is “garnet.” While it should be used for the Union College logo whenever possible, it need not be the dominant color in communications. Complementing garnet is a primary palette that includes Stone and Light Stone (which are suggestive of the stuccoed architecture across the campus) as well as gray and black. Wherever possible use Pantone® Matching System (PMS or spot) colors for the most accurate color matching. CMYK values have been provided for four color printing. In addition, RGB and HEX values are indicated for screen and Web applications.

GARNET

STONE

LIGHT STONE

GRAY

PMS 202C / 202U C10 M97 Y61 K48 R130 G36 B51 HEX: 822433

PMS 452C / 452U C12 M8 Y35 K22 R179 G179 B140 HEX: b3b38c

40% PMS 452C/U C10 M7 Y17 K0 R228 G226 B210 HEX: e4e2d2

PMS 424C / 424U C30 M22 Y19 K53 R108 G111 B112 HEX: 6C6f70

BLACK

SECONDARY PALETTE: The secondary palette has been developed to be used in conjunction with garnet and the other colors of the primary palette to provide additional color options. They create a fresh and lively combination for charts, graphs and other graphic elements. While the metallic gold is intended to be printed only as a PMS or spot color, the remaining secondary colors are intended to be reproduced solely as CMYK for print applications. RGB and HEX values are indicated for screen and Web applications.

GOLD

NAVY

MEDIUM BLUE

MEDIUM GREEN

ORANGE

C5 M40 Y100 K10 R215 G148 B29 HEX: d7941d

C100 M68 Y7 K50 R0 G50 B98 HEX: 003262

C80 M35 Y16 K10 R37 G126 B165 HEX: 257ea5

C49 M0 Y100 K39 R92 G135 B39 HEX: 5c8727

C0 M51 Y100 K1 R243 G144 B29 HEX: f3901d

PMS 872

LIGHT BLUE

LIGHT GREEN

LIGHT ORANGE

Metallic Gold

C55 M3 Y3 K5 R94 G187 B222 HEX: 5ebbde

C23 M0 Y100 K17 R176 G188 B134 HEX: b0bc22

C0 M35 Y85 K0 R251 G176 B64 HEX; fbb040

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Color models

Many factors can impact accurate color reproduction. In printing applications, these include paper stock, ink coverage, and line screen and for merchandise, the materials and types of inks. Web and other screen applications are a completely different medium that use light to create color. The varying mediums can alter the appearance of these colors, so it is important to use the appropriate color model for your specific application. If in doubt, seek advice from a professional designer or printer.

PANTONEÂŽ (PMS) The Pantone Matching System is a widely used system of color specification. Printers follow specific formulas for mixing ink, providing consistency and accuracy from design to print, and from print to reprint. This is also referred to as spot color.

FOUR COLOR PROCESS (CMYK) Four color process printing involves printing a combination of tints of four ink colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) to create a specific color. CMYK values are used for traditional offset printing as well as digital printing and output from color laser or ink jet printers.

RGB This color model is used for screen applications. The RGB values specify the intensity of red, green, and blue light on a scale of 0 to 255, with 0 (zero) indicating the minimum intensity.

HEXADECIMAL Hexadecimal color formulas consist of 6 alpha and numeric digits to identify a specific color and is used in HTML, CSS and other Web applications.

Please Note: The colors shown on this and other pages within this manual should not be used for color matching. Use the actual color chips or use reference numbers listed below the swatches on page 13 for accurate color matching.

Pantone is a registered trademark of Pantone, Inc.

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Union College lock up

When contact information for the College is shown, one of the following options should be used. The typography, spacing and logo proportion should be used exactly as indicated. While it may not be nececssary to use all lines of information, use only those required and close up the spacing between the remaining lines. The only additional line spacing is as indicated above the web address. Please note that phone numbers should use only dashes and not parentheses in these instances only.

STACKED LOCK UPS These versions can be used on brochures or other printed communications. The examples shown are intended for two-color applications using black and garnet. In one color applications the logo and all type should should be printed either in garnet or black. It is also acceptable to reverse the logo and all type to white when using a dark background. In that instance, Minion Semibold should be substituted for Minion Regular to ensure legibility. Requests for artwork should be directed to the Office of Communications.

UNION COLLEGE 1795 LOGO—PMS 202 GARNET

Scaled 55%

SQUARE— 40% BLACK

Office or Department Name Here Building Name 807 Union Street Schenectady, NY 12308 PHONE: 518-000-0000 FAX: 518-000-0000 w w w. u n i o n . e d u

5 points x 5 points MINION REGULAR—100% BLACK

9 point type on 11 points of leading “PHONE” and “FAX” are set in 6 point type TRADE GOTHIC BOLD NO. 2—100% BLACK

7.5 point type on 14 points of leading Letterspacing = 200

ONE LINE STACKED:

The specifications for the version below are the same as above except that the contact information is set on one line with two spaces, a vertical bar and two spaces separating each level of information

Office or Department Name | Building Name | 807 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12308 |

PHONE:

518-000-0000

FAX: 518-000-0000

w w w. u n i o n . e d u

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Union College lock up

ENVELOPE LOCK UPS These versions are intended primarily for use on envelopes. The examples shown are intended for two-color applications using black and garnet. In one color applications the logo and all type should be printed either in garnet or black. Requests for artwork should be directed to the Office of Communications.

THIS OPTION IS FOR USE ON NO. 10 ENVELOPES

Office or Department Name Here Building Name 807 Union Street Schenectady, NY 12308

UNION COLLEGE 1795 LOGO— PMS 202 GARNET

Scaled 55%

.5PT VERTICAL RULE

MINION REGULAR—100% BLACK

Space between logo and rule and rule and type is one pica on either side

9 point type on 11 points of leading The type should not extend beneath the vertical line. If you need additional space, use the option below.

THIS OPTION IS FOR USE ON SMALLER ENVELOPES, such as A-2, A-6 or A-7s , that do not have the appropriate space as required by the United States Postal Services for the address to sit to the right of the logo.

Office of Communications 807 Union Street Schenectady, NY 12308-3169

UNION COLLEGE LOGO—PMS 202 GARNET

Scaled 55%

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Space between logo and type is one pica from baseline of logo to cap height of type.

MINION REGULAR—100% BLACK

9 point type on 11 points of leading

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Stationery system

The stationery system is the most widely used communications tool, therefore appropriate and consistent use of each component is extremely important to strengthen the Union College brand. To place an order for any of these items, please contact the Union College Print Manager.

Office or Department Name Here Building Name 807 Union Street Schenectady, NY 12308

No. 10 Envelope—9.5” x 4.125”

Office or Department Name | Building Name | 807 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12308 |

PHONE:

518-000-0000

FAX: 518-000-0000

w w w. u n i o n . e d u

Letterhead—8.5” x 11”

Components shown here are 55% of actual size. Each piece is printed in Union College garnet PMS 202 and black on Via 100 percent recycled paper, produced by Mohawk Fine Papers, Inc., using windpower. This stock does not use virgin wood resources, employs pulping methods that are process chlorine-free, and is aligned with the college’s efforts to strive for environmental sustainability.

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Letterhead use

1.75”

January 2, 2014 Recipient 938 Northwest Everett Portland OR 97209 1”

1”

Recipient, Ent porupta spedigenis modit aut is issit hitassu mquamendam lignim dolent ime nimpos sandic te nus nimenih ilitaqu oditiis itatquia solendi que qui autemo odis ditas mi, tessitam esedicto ommodicid molo quis aliquatur, ipis voluptatin conserchil il iur aliciur apitatio ommolup tatemquas quodia voluptat. Sus nonempo rumquis autem et arum que peribusam, volore volum esciunt mo beaquiandit molupta turibera etur? Qui consequam rem eaquo magnist, totatio remporeius et volo di idus pa corum que volorro repudandae venda aliciam quias et as et et modi. Ihicia nam dolute acia qui ditaque quiam latiis re nossi solorest mo tectibus et autemporum untor simus ipsum seque si re natum ipictem faceperferi nullestiae latiiscia qui quia quatentius doles et quam rae provid maximet alicientur, nonetum facest et ducipiet quibus de volut eost, optaquam quo eraesequodit aut quias et poreptatem alit, temporentur, serum fugitiis sitiam et, volore volor miligent. Sinvernam facearum quibus dent odictectum eturenisqui quatur aut molupta volorer natecea issecuptia que occus erum event ratet omniend ellaccum sum volore, tem re que nam. Dolore, que landandi volorep udipit, soluptati quid ut restota spitati to quas ut ullendantor autatum renim int eiusa ipsapicatem que nulpa sit eum sum id molorios ped que plabore mperumet et, assed mo eos qui ullum quae. Nam rae duci ulparit molore quam rem solo temquiam nim harum hil ex es reium volores enihil ini si aborecu lparchil iusam, omnit, adi aut quassimusae velit asim utecea sinullabore nonserepro veligent digent ipiet illuptam rem aut qui odis volupta epelitet sectorpos as eatem nis nem volorei usciistior rem fugitis moluptatis ipis modi a quae ea doluptae verro duciendus nihilig nihillectem fuga. Best regards,

Sender Telephone number E-mail address Office or Department Name | Building Name | 807 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12308 |

PHONE:

518-000-0000

FAX: 518-000-0000

1”

w w w. u n i o n . e d u

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Letterhead use

GENERAL GUIDELINES Use Minion (if available) or Times Roman for text. Top and bottom margins should not be altered. Left and right margins can be modified equally, but should be no less than .5â&#x20AC;?. Do not use photocopied stationery for official correspondence.

ELECTRONIC LETTERHEAD A Microsoft Word template for generic letterhead is available for download from the Union College website. It includes a first page with logo header, address footer, and set margins; and a second page with address footer and set margins. You can attach electronic letters to emails. Do not print and distribute paper copies of the electronic letterhead; official university letterhead should be used for all paper-based correspondence.

DEPARTMENTAL STATIONERY It is important for the integrity of the brand identity that the department name appears only in the typeface, Trade Gothic Bold Condensed. Requests for electronic departmental stationery may be ordered through the Office of Communications.

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Envelope use

Office or Department Name Here Building Name 807 Union Street Schenectady, NY 12308

1”

1.75”

John Smith 123 Main Street Anytown, NY 12345

1”

GENERAL GUIDELINES Use Minion (if available) or Times Roman for text. Margins should not be altered.

ELECTRONIC TEMPLATE A Microsoft Word template for addressing no. 10 envelopes is available for download from the Union College website.

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PowerPoint templates

OPTION 1

These templates can be found at: www.union.edu/offices/communications/policies/style-guide/powerpoint1/

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PowerPoint templates

OPTION 1, CONTINUED

These templates can be found at: www.union.edu/offices/communications/policies/style-guide/powerpoint1/

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PowerPoint templates

OPTION 2

These templates can be found at: www.union.edu/offices/communications/policies/style-guide/powerpoint1/

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PowerPoint templates

OPTION 3

These templates can be found at: www.union.edu/offices/communications/policies/style-guide/powerpoint2/

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PowerPoint templates

OPTION 4

These templates can be found at: www.union.edu/offices/communications/policies/style-guide/powerpoint3/

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Graphic assets

While the guidelines on the previous pages of this publication provide the foundation for the Union College brand, there are some additional graphic assets that uniquely identify Union College and serve to extend and reinforce the College brand. These items are NOT to be used in close proximity to the Union College logo so they appear part of the logo. And their usage is not required. They are provided solely as additional visual devices to enhance Union College communications. Please refer to the examples shown on the following pages for usage examples.

THE NOTT

THE ARCH

Of all the architectural elements on campus, the Nott is clearly the icon of Union College. Requests for artwork should be directed to the Office of Communications.

An element of the Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original campus plan designed by Jospeh RamĂŠe in 1813, the stucco arches on the buildings across campus are another element that clearly identify Union College.

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Graphic assets

ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS

The 1795 seal

The Nott tile

Rectangle with rounded corner(s)

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Graphic assets usage examples

The Union College Club of Boston invites you to its annual

Holiday Party

DATE

Wednesday, December 4, 2013 TIME

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

We welcome you to join us for an evening of fun, food, drinks and good company at the Back Bay Social Club in Boston. Union College friends, family and alumni are encouraged to attend. Space is limited, so please consider registering at your earliest convenience! To register, please visit www.union.edu/alumni or call the Office of Alumni Relations at (518) 388-6168.

LOCATION

Back Bay Social Club 867 Boylston St., Boston, MA $30 per person includes two drinks, hors d’evours, and a holiday raffle! RSVP

Please reply by November 27, 2013

Diverse Perspectives Start Here Since our earliest days, Union College has been an innovator in the movement to support and celebrate the rich spectrum of identities, perspectives and values on college campuses. The very name “Union” comes from our founders’ dedication to inclusion. Today, that tradition continues. Our collective commitment to diversity ensures that a Union education provides the kind of global experiences and cultural opportunities that prepare students for the real world. ahead of our time since 1795

sc henec ta dy

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Photography

Quality photography is crucial to our messaging and brand, especially since Union’s campus imagery is one of our most valued and unique visual assets. Please take care when selecting images for any communications, whether external or internal. An image library of approved, high-resolution Union College imagery is maintained by the Office of Communications & Marketing. Please contact them for assistance with your image needs. Allow at least 48 hours to respond to photo requests. CONSIDER THESE GUIDELINES: • Make sure photography is current. Be aware of changes in style or campus environments that may make the image look dated. • Ensure that you use an accurate and engaging caption whenever appropriate. • Use original Union photography for shots of our campus, students and faculty. (Do not use stock photography.) • Be mindful to represent the diversity across our campus. Look at your photo selections in aggregate to see if they are representative of our campus community. If in doubt, ask the Senior Director of Campus Diversity or a member of the Office of Communications & Marketing to review your selections. • When choosing student images, consider the propriety of clothing worn. Avoid students with strongly branded clothing, non-Union collegiate wear or inappropriate/revealing clothing. • While posed photography such as family photos or photos of alumni classes may be appropriate for specific projects, it should be used sparingly. Likewise, photography that appears “staged” should be avoided. Our goal is to use interesting, compelling imagery which reflects Union’s dynamic environment and engages the audience.

TAKING UNION COLLEGE PHOTOGRAPHY Since photography is such a strong, ever-changing visual asset for Union, it is important that our photographs are taken with a consistent style. When taking photos for use in official college marketing materials or on the Union website, please adhere to the following guidelines. • While close-up portraits are beautiful and engaging, our brand does not rely solely on these types of images. When shooting an event or subject, ensure that wider shots are taken as well. It is also advisable to shoot both horizontally and vertically whenever possible to allow for greater flexibility in using the image. • Ensure that students look engaged and happy. Shots of students who appear bored, tired or disengaged should not be used in any of our materials. • Students and faculty should be dressed neatly and appropriately. • Strive to take campus photos filled with students, faculty and/or visitors. Empty campus spaces, while beautiful, do not convey the warmth and personality of the College. • Consider the lighting of the shot and use it to your advantage. We want our photography to convey warmth and a human element. • Keep the people or activity in the shot as the subject, not the architecture. We strive to show the activity and vibrance of our campus, with the beautiful physical environment as the context or background. • Use head-on angles and straight shots. Do not angle the camera or use fish eye lenses, as these limit the versatility of the photo, and in most cases, are not consistent with the look of our brand.

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Photography examples

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Use of graphic designers and printers

DESIGNERS The Office of Communications & Marketing works regularly with a number of talented graphic designers who are familiar with Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Communications Style Guide and with the Union College brand and is happy to share their contact information. To maintain the visual consistency and quality of our communications, the Office should be consulted before outside graphic designers are hired for a project.

PRINTERS The Union College Print Manager is also part of the Communications & Marketing team and should be consulted about all major printing jobs, especially pieces intended for external distribution. The Print Manager will direct the job to the appropriate resource, whether it is Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s internal copy and printing center or an outside vendor. The College has specific policies regarding the selection process for outside vendors, so it is important that graphic designers and internal project coordinators work closely with the Print Manager throughout the project.

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Printing policies and procedures

Union College spends a significant amount of money each year on printing—not just for official College publications, but also for fliers, posters, invitations, event programs, handbooks, stationery, course materials, and class projects. To support our campus-wide efforts to contain costs wherever possible, we ask you adhere to the following guidelines for all print projects. INTERNAL AUDIENCE For printed pieces intended for internal campus use, please send them to the Copy Center in Reamer. Likewise, if you’re not exactly sure of your printing needs, confer with the Copy Center determine whether they can produce your project. The Copy Center can often print your piece at a lower cost than an outside printer. But in the event they cannot meet your print specifications, they will forward your job to the College’s print manager in the Communications Office. EXTERNAL AUDIENCE For external marketing publications or pieces done by a graphic designer, work directly with the print manager who will solicit bids from external print vendors and select a printer to meet your quality and budget requirements. If the Copy Center is an option for your printing job, you will be referred there. TIMING In either case, please remember that advanced planning is critical when it comes to delivering printed projects on time. The Copy Center needs prior notification to include you in their work schedule, and you should typically plan 1-2 business days for them to produce your job. For external printers, allow more time—typically at least 10 business days, starting from the time the files are delivered by the graphic designer. SUSTAINABILITY Union College is committed to sustainability and the future of our environment. For this reason, all printed pieces issued by the College must be Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and when possible should include the appropriate FSC logo for the materials used. This logo is displayed on products containing wood harvested from sustainable managed forests. Because each member of the FSC has its own certification number, the print vendor will supply and insert the appropriate FSC logo on the printed piece. Since the FSC logo specifications are extremely stringent, it is advisable that you work with the print vendor to determine appropriate placement and size. Always use the logo at the smallest size possible so it does not interfere with the design integrity and objectives of the finished piece.

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Web governance

Our digital presence is the public face of Union College. For many, it is their very first interaction with our institution. We want all of our digital visitors to have a pleasing, easy-to-use experience consistent with the Union brand and values. These guidelines and policies will ensure a consistent level of quality for Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital presence through standard processes, roles, responsibilities and practices. It is important to note all websites that operate publicly on behalf of an official college entity are strategic assets that belong to the College. Departments and offices serve as caretakers of their sites, experts in their content, and stewards of our brand. GUIDING PRINCIPLES All Union digital initiatives are informed by the following three principles: OUR DIGITAL AUDIENCES COME FIRST These include prospective and current students, parents, school counselors, alumni, donors, corporate partners, staff and faculty, and people new to Union. Everything from content to design to allocation of resources, is created with their needs in mind. PUBLIC WEB CONTENT IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE Search engines, like Google, make it possible for anyone at anytime to find content produced on behalf of Union College. While we strive to respect the hundreds of people involved in the development and publication of such materials, we must acknowledge that our visitors will judge Union College as a whole based upon their experiences. OUR DIGITAL PRESENCE WILL BECOME MORE COMPLICATED Public representations were once a single website. Now they can include social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), photos and video, email, apps and various third-party web services. The people maintaining these presences will change, the tools and services we use will change and our visitors will change. What should not change is the expectation that a visitor is interacting with a world-class institution. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES SITE OWNERS Site Owners must be full time staff or faculty members and have ultimate responsibility for the accuracy and management of their site. This is generally the department chair/director unless otherwise designated. Their responsibilities are: 1. Creating content and/or collaborating with the Content Maintainer to do so. 2. Identifying a primary and secondary Content Maintainer(s) for their department. 3. Requesting permission changes for Content Maintainer (both granting and terminating access). 4. Ensuring Content Maintainer complete and remain up-to-date with CMS training and best practices. 5. Ensuring content maintenance is sustained through staff transitions.

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Web governance

CONTENT MAINTAINERS Content Maintainers are responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of their website. Their responsibilities are: 1. Ensuring all content, including text, photo, videos and PDFs, whether posted themselves or with the assistance of other staffers and/or supervised student workers, is in accordance with the governance guidelines, Union’s best practices document and the ITS Acceptable Use Policy. 2. Creating content at the direction of, or in collaboration with, the Site Owner. 3. Completing and remaining up-to-date on CMS training and best practices. 4. Transfer all facets of content maintenance to other staff as part of employment transitions. Content Maintainers should be mindful of the following concepts: • Accessibility—considerations related to content for visitors with disabilities (more info) • Security/privacy—browser warnings (Content Maintainers must attend ITS security awareness sessions) • Responsive content organization—consideration of how content layout appears on multiple devices • Browser testing with regards to Windows/Mac, mobile devices and multiple browsers • Performance/speed optimizations—file size Communications will engage with Content Maintainers on these various concepts by providing guidance and best practices. Content Maintainers are only expected to sustain a general awareness. Communications and ITS will resolve most issues. Content Maintainers are required to be familiar with Union College’s Data Classification Policy that defines what type of information can be stored where. Content Maintainers are expected to demonstrate a willingness to research concepts, skills and solutions and adapt to ongoing changes in technology. OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING The Office of Communications and Marketing is dedicated to the stewardship of the official public digital identity of Union College. Their primary focus is on external presentations related to recruitment, alumni and parent relations. They will strive to ensure the public representations of the college reflect the caliber of Union. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES Information Technology Services (ITS) delivers a wide range of technology resources and support services to further Union College’s institutional mission and goals. Our web focus is the internal Union community, including current students, faculty and staff. We will implement and support the required web infrastructure and maintain current systems and tools in a manner consistent with IT security best practices. OVERSIGHT WEB WORKING GROUP (WWG) To ensure public digital representations reflect the caliber of Union College, the Web Working Group will develop policy, practices and standards for the development and management of all web content, which consists of all visible aspects of the web, including but not limited to: architecture, accessibility, colors and fonts, design, identity standards, navigation, text and images. This group will also develop practices and systems for monitoring the quality and effectiveness of our digital presence, including but not limited to the periodic audit of content and the use of analytics to monitor traffic. Lastly, this group will select technology, including but not limited to a content management system (CMS), and set procedures for the management of such systems to further the goals and operation of our public digital presence.

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Web governance

Chaired by CCO and CIO; membership includes Senior Web Developer (ITS), Director of Web Communications (Communications), Associate Director of Web Communications (Communications), Director of Enrollment and Operations (Admissions). The WWG can be contacted by emailing wwg@union.edu. WEB ADVISORY GROUP (WAG) The role of the Web Advisory Group (WAG) is to offer input and recommendations to the Web Working Group (WWG). Proposed changes to policies and procedures will be presented to the WAG. The WAG will offer perspective from the areas they represent to help inform the work of the WWG. The WAG will also act as a conduit to the various areas they represent and will bring information back to those areas to help keep them informed. Membership will include broad representation from faculty and administration. The WAG can be contacted by emailing wag@union.edu. WEB STEERING COMMITTEE This committee will react to recommendations; make major policy decisions; help identify staffing and resources if/when requested. Consists of the VP College Relations, VP Academic Affairs and VP Admissions, Financial Aid and Enrollment, staffed by CCO and CIO. This group will consult with Senior Staff when necessary. POLICIES QUALITY ASSURANCE Content Maintainers are primarily responsible for content maintenance and quality. Communications & Marketing is empowered to take corrective action on content not adhering to College standards to ensure public digital representations reflect the caliber of Union College. Content Maintainers will be notified when substantial changes (anything beyond simple corrections) are made. Examples • Gross misspellings such as Unoin, reseach, frist, opportunites • Links to unsafe domains will be removed or updated when the correct destination is known • Outdated/incorrect information such as references to Union Graduate College, tuition, programs no longer offered through the College like MAT, freshman will be removed or corrected • Improper logo usage • Issues that limit accessibility (see Accessibility below) PUBLIC DIGITAL CONTENT ADMINISTERED THROUGH UNION COLLEGE OFFICES Offices will provide access or grant permissions with associated vendors to Communications & Marketing so that severe content problems (referenced above) can be corrected as soon as possible. Communications may apply design adjustments consistent with the Union brand. Content Maintainers will be consulted when substantial changes (anything beyond simple corrections) are considered.

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Web governance

PERSONAL PUBLIC DIGITAL CONTENT Websites that utilize the union.edu domain for personal purposes such as faculty, staff, student and course websites are not required to grant access to Communications & Marketing staff. MASS EMAIL Mass emails sent on behalf of a Union College office, program or department using a third party vendor (not Gmail) shall have design templates reviewed by Communications. Organizations engaged with mass emailing should contact Office of Communications & Marketing to arrange a review of example email designs for best practices. CONTACT INFORMATION Contact information must be readily available on sites for visitors to reach someone responsible for the content. QUALITY ASSURANCE REPORTS When possible, reports will be provided to users that cover topics such as links, spelling, accessibility, security, performance and other best practices. Content Maintainers are responsible for resolving errors and false positives (ie potential misspellings) in the Quality Assurance service. These reports must be transitioned to new staff who assume maintenance duties. Site Owners are encouraged to receive copies of any such reports. EDITORIAL OVERSIGHT Institutional websites such as www.union.edu will be held to higher standards. This does not include faculty, staff, student or course websites. The Office of Communications and Marketing strives to provide a consistent look, feel and voice to our external audiences. Content may be edited/altered as needed for clarity, grammar, spelling, usage, and style, as well as to conform with college naming conventions and branding. Any significant alterations will be discussed with the responsible office. SEARCH ENGINES Sites that are out-of-date or abandoned may be â&#x20AC;&#x153;hiddenâ&#x20AC;? from search engines by the direction of the Chief Communications Officer. Site Owners will be notified of this action. SUSTAINED CONTENT MAINTENANCE Content Maintainers are expected to maintain the content within their respective sites. If there is an expected interruption in support for a site due to such things as a staff departure or leave of absence the current Content Maintainer should make arrangements with a colleague to transition maintenance duties (include social media sites in this transition). This ensures that content can remain current. Sites that are abandoned by an office because there is no Content Maintainer transition will become the responsibility of the appropriate Responsibility Center for the College and a corresponding existing Content Maintainer within that Responsibility Center. If an abandoned site cannot be assigned to an existing Content Maintainer the site may need to be unpublished, locked or hidden from search engines. Web Communications will work with the individual in charge of the office or department responsible for the site to resolve the issue. SITES REFERENCED IN UPCOMING PROMOTIONS If a site is referenced in an upcoming promotion (ie mass email) the response time may be as short as 1 day to ensure the promotion timetable remains intact.

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Web governance

ANALYTICS TRACKING When possible, institutional websites should include an analytics tracker(s) as determined by the Web Working Group. This ensures an overall awareness of traffic that can be used to focus quality assurance efforts and resource allocation. Reports will be provided upon request. SECURITY Reasonable efforts must be made to secure any public digital representation of the college. This may include secure (https) connections for authenticating users or collecting sensitive data. Security warnings/errors from browsers should be rectified as soon as possible. ACCESSIBILITY Union College strives to meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA accessibility guidelines with public content representing an official office or department. This is not only an affirmation of Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission and strategic goals but also a legal obligation. Ongoing accessibility scans for most College sites are available. Microsoft Office Documents Due to web accessibility, security and compatibility issues, Word/Office documents should not be posted online. Instead, convert them to accessible PDFs. DATA COLLECTION If a website collects personally identifiable information, it must adhere to the Data Classification Policy and disclose to the visitor the purpose of the collection and how the data will be used. Furthermore, the data cannot be used for any other purposes other than the stated purpose on the website. Secure (https) connections are required for all pages. Ensure these connections are secure through testing on multiple browsers, OSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and mobile devices. THIRD PARTY LINKS, SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS (VENDORS) Links on institutional websites are an endorsement from the College to visitors and search engines. Links to sites that have content quality, security, or accessibility problems may be removed. There are many existing tools to solve problems and improve services that departments and offices want to provide to their constituents. These tools may also come with a variety of problems such as security, accessibility and privacy concerns that could harm the visitor and the College. Before committing to any new service, tool or application offices must contact ITS by emailing the ITS Help Desk at helpdesk@union.edu. This extra step can provide a critical layer of protection for our digital visitors. DOMAINS AND SUBDOMAINS RELATED TO UNION COLLEGE union.edu and unionathletics.com are examples of domains. muse.union.edu and uconnect.union.edu are examples of subdomains New domains or subdomains for public content are not a common practice. Any new requests for public domains or subdomains must be reviewed and approved by the Web Working Group via wwg@union.edu and any domain purchases must be made via ITS.

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Web governance

COPYRIGHTED CONTENT Copyright violation is a serious offense that comes with strict penalties for which the College itself could be held liable. It is your responsibility to ensure that all of your content, including text, images, video and music, complies with all copyright laws. Any content on the Union website that does not comply with the copyright policy will immediately be removed and the content owner will be notified. NONCOMPLIANCE Content Maintainers are responsible for addressing issues related to the aforementioned policies and guidelines. If no attempt is made to address violations within a reasonable timeframe (~2 weeks) Communications will contact Site Owners. Sites ultimately fall under the appropriate Responsibility Center and corresponding VP. REASSIGNMENT OF CONTENT MAINTAINER RESPONSIBILITIES Communications will determine if responsibilities need to be reassigned to another trained staff member and will contact the Site Owner. Examples • Content Maintainer doesn’t demonstrate general technical competency • Errors persist for long periods of time • Content Maintainer requires repeat support for the same issue SITE REMOVAL Sites that are out-of-date or abandoned may be taken down (hidden from public viewing) by the direction of the Chief Communications Officer. Site Owners will be notified of this action if they can be determined.

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Social media best practices

Union College supports the engagement of its students, faculty and staff in the social media space, both individually and as part of their work for the College. To make that experience most beneficial to all involved, the Office of Communications & Marketing offers the following social media best practices and policies. In creating these guidelines, we borrowed from organizations such as SUNY New Paltz and Intel, both of which are lauded for their innovative and progressive use of social media. (IBM has also crafted a comprehensive set of policies and guidelines which you may read online.) If you use social media, or are considering using it, familiarize yourself with the following information. They will almost certainly change over time in response to the ever-evolving social media landscape, so please plan on checking this page again.

CREATING AN OFFICIAL UNION COLLEGE SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE Before you embark on creating a social media presence for your office, program or department, please complete and submit the Online Project Request Form (found on our website) to discuss your needs with our office. Once it has been submitted, we will schedule a meeting with you to discuss your specific objectives and to review various online tools and tactics. In helping you formulate a strategy, we may recommend other resources rather than a new social media account to achieve your stated objectives. Any social media strategy should always include the designation of specific roles and responsibilities as well as benchmarks for measuring and monitoring success.

GENERAL BEST PRACTICES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA BE TRANSPARENT Never masquerade as someone (or something) you are not in social media channels. Avoid anonymity, and if you use social media to promote Union College, always reveal your affiliation with the school. Also, never be shy about acknowledging and correcting your mistakes, which will only earn you more credibility within your social media circle. BE YOURSELF Give users a peek at the “person behind the curtain.” Share your knowledge, interests, and passions. Avoid stiff prose and “marketing spin,” and don’t be afraid of conversational, informal language. When you post a message, visualize a person sitting across the table from you as you talk over a cup of coffee, and adopt that kind of tone. USE YOUR KNOWLEDGE TO BUILD AWARENESS Mine your expertise and skills to generate interest and build awareness. For example, Union College Professor Chad Orzel uses social media vehicles like blogs and Twitter to share his formidable knowledge of physics. THINK BEFORE YOU POST Be yourself, but use common sense. Think twice before posting something that may compromise your privacy, and never post confidential or proprietary information. Be aware that courts may judge certain material as proprietary, copyrighted, defamatory, libelous or obscene. Remember: What you post is archived on the Internet forever, and there is a good chance someone like a prospective employer may one day see it. Perhaps Intel’s Social Media Guidelines put it best: “If it gives you pause, pause.”

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Social media best practices

ENGAGE WITH OTHERS Think of social media as an ongoing conversation. Engage with others on a regular basis. Respond to comments and questions as expeditiously as practical. Take a sincere interest in members of your social media circle and be generous about sharing their contributions. KNOW THE ETIQUETTE Ever get an e-mail written in all uppercase letters and find yourself taken aback? In social media, there are also cultural norms, expectations and conventions that govern user interactions. Failure to observe them may compromise your credibility.

I F Y O U P O S T O N Y O U R O W N B E H A L F. . . DO NOT POST AS UNION COLLEGE Misrepresenting yourself is inconsistent with the social media ethic of transparency, and representing the College without consent violates Union’s code of conduct. Be open about your association with Union College, but avoid visual identifiers and language that may give the misleading impression you speak for the school in an official capacity. A disclaimer is an effective way to clear up any ambiguity. DO TALK ABOUT UNION It’s certainly okay to talk about Union College, its community and its academic mission. If you happen upon a question or inquiry about the school, by all means respond and/or direct the person(s) to an appropriate institutional representative. Refute any misleading or inaccurate information about the school with links to factual materials. Take the high road in response to any provocations. THINK BEFORE FRIENDING Be aware of the potentially awkward position work colleagues, college employees or students may find themselves in after receiving an invitation to join your personal social network. Before accepting or extending such invitations, clearly understand a social network’s privacy controls, etiquette and Union College’s policy governing employee-student conduct. RESPECT COLLEGE PRIVACY, TIME AND PROPERTY Please read Union College’s policies on the use of computer equipment. Use your own time and equipment to post to your personal social networks. Never post confidential, proprietary or work-related information not intended for public consumption.

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Social media best practices

IF YOU POST ON UNION COLLEGE’S BEHALF . . . In addition to the above best practices, please observe the following guidelines: ADHERE TO BRAND AND IDENTITY STANDARDS All Union College-sanctioned social media should feature the appropriate visual identifiers and conform to the school’s branding guidelines. There must be at least one link to an official Union College Web page that contains the appropriate contact information. BE THOUGHTFUL You are officially representing the college, so exercise good judgment before posting your own personal views and responding to provocative posts. And if someone from the media contacts you via social media, please redirect them to the Office of Communications & Marketing. Never use Union-branded social media to endorse a political candidate, service, business, etc. RESPECT PRIVACY (INCLUDING YOUR OWN) Don’t post confidential, proprietary, or work-related information not intended for public consumption, or information that may compromise your privacy or the privacy of a colleague or student. DON’T BE SHY ABOUT GETTING HELP Questions? Concerns? Contact us at: www.union.edu/offices/communications/how-help/web/cms/help-request/

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Writing

CLEAR, CONSISTENT AND EFFECTIVE

Writers and journalists have always relied on editorial style guides to ensure correctness and consistency in a range of matters, from capitalization to spelling. To help keep all Union publications clear, consistent and effective, the Office of Communications and Marketing has compiled this style guide. We use the guidelines listed here in writing and editing all publications, press releases and Web copy. We hope you’ll find our guide a useful source of answers about Union-specific questions as well as general style and usage with regard to abbreviations, acronyms, capitalization, hyphenations, punctuation and spelling. In general, Union’s style guide is based on The Associated Press Stylebook, which is derived from Webster’s New World College Dictionary. In a few cases, we’ve made exceptions. When writing, it’s best to verify your style with the entries in the Union College Editorial Style Guide, the AP Stylebook and Webster’s New World College Dictionary. When writing for academic journals or papers and industry-specific literature, please consult industry sources for the style appropriate in your publications. Topics included on the following pages: • Abbreviations • Academic Ceremonies • Academic Degrees and Honors • Academic Departments and Programs • Acronyms • Administrative Departments and Offices • Alumnus • Athletic Teams • Awards • Building and Place Names • Class Years • Clubs • Composition Titles • Course Names & Numbers • Dates & Times • Names & Titles • Numerals • Organized Entities • Punctuation (including Hyphenation & Spelling) • Seasons • States • Technology • Common Errors For a link to A-Z editorial topics, please visit: www.union.edu/offices/communications/policies/style-guide/writing/ For questions about our styles, please contact the Office of Communications.

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ABBREVIATIONS As a general rule, “when in doubt, spell it out.” It is always better to be clear than to leave the reader wondering what a certain abbreviation means. TITLES/ DEGREES (see also “Academic Degrees and Honors”) Abbreviate the following titles when they precede a name and are written outside direct quotations: Dr., Mr., Mrs., Gov., Lt. Gov., Rep., Sen., and all military titles.

RELIGIOUS TITLES The religious titles of Brother, Sister, Cardinal, Archbishop and Bishop should be spelled out. The title of Reverend should also be spelled out on first reference. On second reference, if used along with the person’s name, Rev. is the preferred style. Reverend should not be abbreviated when used by itself. • Reverend Viki Brooks is the director of religious and spiritual life at Union.

The plural use of these titles is also abbreviated when used before more than one name, such as Drs., Reps., Sens., and Govs.

Following the first reference, religious titles may be used before the person’s name as a courtesy. However, the person’s last name may also be used alone on second reference and thereafter as appropriate.

Spell out these titles when included in a direct quote or when used without a name.

RELATED RULES (regarding Titles/Degrees)

Academic titles such as professor, chair and dean should be spelled out.

The title of Dr. should not be used in conjunction with Ph.D., Ed.D or other academic degrees. Use one or the other. However, academic degrees can be used after the names of individuals who hold religious titles:

Academic degrees should be spelled out on first reference whenever possible, unless the need to identify individuals by degree on first reference would make the preferred form cumbersome. Degrees may be abbreviated thereafter as long as it is clear to the reader what these abbreviations mean. If needed, the abbreviation can be included in parentheses after the degree. However, this should be done on first reference only. • Union College offers a bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree in psychology. • The director of Communications holds a B.A. in this field of study. Most academic degrees include periods after the initials: B.A., M.A., Ph.D. and Ed.D. Honorary degrees are not capitalized: • Award-winning broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters. LEGISLATIVE TITLES See “Titles/Degrees” entry above.

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• Correct: Sister Mary Grace Williams, Ph.D. • Incorrect: Dr. Joe Smith, Ph.D. Academic degrees should be used only once (usually on first reference) in conjunction with the person’s full name. The title of Dr. as well as most religious titles (Sister, Reverend, etc.) may be used on all references as a form of courtesy, but is not required after the first reference. The last name of the person may be used alone on second reference if deemed appropriate. • Reverend Viki Brooks spoke to the crowd. Brooks, the director of religious and spiritual life, discussed recent curriculum changes. When using the title of Dr. in materials for public/media distribution, it is important to identify early on the person’s credentials, i.e. whether he or she is a doctor of medicine or holds a doctoral degree in specific areas of study. Often, including a person’s official occupational title will help to clarify this matter. To further clarify, information about the person’s educational/occupational background can be included where appropriate.

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A B B R E V I A T I O N S , continued UNION COLLEGE Never abbreviate Union College in any reference. Union or the College may be used on second reference. College should always be capitalized when referring to Union College. OTHER ABBREVIATIONS Family Lineage (Junior, Senior) Abbreviate junior (Jr.) and senior (Sr.) only with full names of persons as it refers to that individual’s family lineage. This abbreviation should be preceded by a comma. • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The notation II or 2nd may be used if it is the person’s preference. Note, however, that II and 2nd are not necessarily the equivalent of junior. They are often used by a grandson or nephew. II or 2nd are not preceded by a comma. Saint Abbreviate the word Saint as St. in the names of saints, cities and other geographic locations, with the exception of the founder of the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Saint John Baptist de La Salle. • St. Lawrence Seaway States The names of certain states and the United States are abbreviated with periods in some circumstances. (see “States”) Time (also see “Dates and Times”) Use a.m. and p.m. in conjunction with specific times. Do not capitalize. Do not exclude periods. • Incorrect: Early this a.m., he went to the doctor. • Correct: Early this morning, he went to the doctor. • Correct: At 8:30 a.m., he went to the doctor.

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TV This abbreviation for television is acceptable as an adjective or in such constructions as cable TV. But it generally should not be used as a noun unless part of a quotation. United Nations, U.N. Spell out United Nations when used as a noun. Use the abbreviation U.N. (no spaces) only as an adjective and only when the acronym is understood. Versus Abbreviate as vs. in all uses, except when spelled out as part of a formal title or as part of quoted material. Do not abbreviate Christmas Spell out the word Christmas. Do not use forms of abbreviation such X-mas or Xmas. Cities Spell out names of cities (Los Angeles, not L.A.), unless in direct quotes. For major cities, such as Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, no state is needed.) Countries Spell out the names of countries other than U.S.A. U.S., referring to the United States, may only be used as an adjective. • U.S. currency Days of the Week (also see “Dates and Times”) Capitalize the days of the week. Do not abbreviate them except when used in tables where space limitations exist. Abbreviations to be used for the days of the week are Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., Fri., Sat., and Sun. If additional abbreviation is needed due to space constraints, tabular format may be used where periods are removed and Tues. may be abbreviated further to Tue and Thurs. to Thu to facilitate composition.

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A B B R E V I A T I O N S , continued Geographic Names Do not abbreviate parts of geographic names such as Fort Wayne and South Dakota. However, cities and other geographic locations that include the word Saint may use St. as an abbreviation for this word. (see “Saint” on preceding page.) Months Without Dates/Years Only (see “Dates and Times”) Names of months without a specific date, or with a year alone should be spelled out. When a month is used with a specific date, abbreviate only Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec. Spell out all other months. • March 2011, was a cold month. • March 13, 2011, was a snowy day. Percentages Do not abbreviate the word percent. In scientific, technical and statistical copy, use the symbol %. In all other copy, spell out. Never use pct.

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ACADEMIC CEREMONIES Major College ceremonies, events and named activities are capitalized. • Commencement (do not refer to the June ceremony as graduation) • Convocation (held in September to open the academic year)

But the same words are lowercase when they refer not to one specific event but to such events as general occurrences: • Successful reunions depend on alumni loyalty. • Old-fashioned homecomings are popular.

• Founders Day (note punctuation, held in February) • ReUnion ’11 • Parent and Family Weekend • Springfest

ACADEMIC DEGREES AND HONORS The use of periods within degree abbreviations should be consistent throughout your document or publication. Use an apostrophe in bachelor’s degree and master’s, etc., but there is no possessive in Bachelor of Arts or Master of Science. Note the capitalization.

Some common examples: • Sarah Jeffers worked at a local grocery story while earning her B.A. at Union. • Trevor Jones earned his bachelor’s in chemistry from Union. He also holds a master’s degree from Cornell University.

Use abbreviations (B.A., M.A., Ph.D.) only after a full name (never just the last name).

• Nicole Morrissey holds a Bachelor of Arts from Union College and a Master of Science from the University of Tennessee.

Ph.D.s may also be referred to as “doctorates” or “doctoral degrees.”

Do not capitalize or use italics for honors: • cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude

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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS Capitalize academic departments and programs specific to Union College (Anthropology, Mathematics, the Department of Theater and Dance, International Programs)

Don’t capitalize general initiatives or undertakings like “the undergraduate program,” “the varsity soccer program,” or “the leadership gifts program.”

• Alan Taylor teaches in the Department of Mathematics.

Don’t capitalize the names of disciplines or fields of study (except for countries or languages, which are always capitalized).

• Lara Atkins is the director of International Programs. On second and succeeding references, use “the department,” “the program.” • The department now offers special courses in puppet theater design and performance, stage make-up and stage combat from the Elizabethan period to the present. Use lowercase when referring to a field of study or to a department or program at another institution. (She teaches psychology at Colgate University. Exceptions, of course, include names of languages: English, French, Japanese.) For official names of Union departments and programs, capitalize both the name and the word “department” or “program” (but not the preceding “the”). • the Environmental Studies Program (or environmental studies) • the Department of English (or the English Department) • the Department of Visual Arts (or the Visual Arts Department)

• The chemistry curriculum has rigorous lab requirements. • She’s a history major, with a minor in American studies. Capitalize and put quotation marks around the proper names of courses. • “The Illustrated Organism” is a popular course for art and biology students. Some commonly misnamed units, and their correct names, are: • Minerva Program (formerly Minerva House System) • Minerva Houses (the houses, on second reference) • Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (not Greek Life) • Parents Program (not Parent Program or Parent’s Program) • Women’s and Gender Studies (not Women and Gender Studies) • Yulman Theater (not Theatre) • Ethics Across the Curriculum (upper case A) • Chamber Concert Series

When referring to the department, use lower case. When referring subsequently to “the department” or “the program,” don’t capitalize it. Note: When referring to Union, we make an exception and capitalize “the College.”

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ACRONYMS Acronyms can be useful when a title is long and cumbersome. However, it is essential for the reader to clearly understand what the acronym means. When using acronyms, the name of the group, organization, building, etc., should be spelled out on first reference followed by the acronym in parentheses. The acronym may then be used on second reference and thereafter. • A meeting will be held to recruit volunteers for the College’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ) committee. • The Union College Academy for Lifelong Learning (UCALL) sponsors a variety of programs. • The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) assists local residents each year.

Overall, avoid using too many acronyms at once, and never change or alternate the acronym that is formally used by a group. When possible, use the main identifying noun on second reference and thereafter. Some organizations and government agencies are widely recognized by their initials: CIA, FBI, FAA. However, as a general measure, it is always helpful to spell out these organization names on the first reference to avoid any confusion. In some instances, you may find that the same acronym may be used by another organization (National Endowment for the Arts, National Education Association).

Periods are generally not used, since most acronyms use only the initials of each word. • Academic Opportunity Program (AOP) • Faculty Executive Committee (FEC) • Faculty Review Board (FRB)

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ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES For official names of Union administrative offices and services, capitalize both the name and the word “department” (but not the preceding “the”) on first reference.

If a unit has a well-known abbreviation or short form (HR), it may also be used on second and subsequent references, but avoid overusing acronyms.

• She has an appointment at the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid.

Don’t capitalize general initiatives like “the undergraduate program” or “interdisciplinary studies.”

• Professor Selley recommended he get help at the Writing Center. On second and succeeding references, use “the office,” “the division.” • The office is laying the groundwork for expanded study and internship programs in Africa and South America.

Don’t capitalize the names of disciplines or fields of study (except for countries or languages, which are always capitalized): • The chemistry curriculum is rigorous. • She is an anthropology major, with a minor in American studies.

Do not abbreviate the following offices and departments, except where noted: • Annual Giving • Athletics Department • Becker Career Center (second reference: the Career Center; the center) • Campus Safety • College Relations • Communications and Marketing (not public relations) • Dining Services • Facilities Services (Facilities) • Health Professions Program • Human Resources • International Programs Office • Kenney Community Center (second reference: Kenney Center) • The Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program (2nd reference: the program, or LACS) • Leadership in Medicine program (LIM) • Office of Admissions • Office of Student Affairs (on second reference: Student Affairs) • Writing Center

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ALUMNUS Use “alumnus” when referring to a man. Use “alumna” (plural “alumnae”) when referring to a woman. But use “alumni” when referring to a group that includes all men or both men and women. Avoid the colloquial “alum” or “alumni/ae.”

ATHLETIC TEAMS Teams should be referred to by gender, then team name (both in lowercase). Examples: men’s ice hockey, women’s soccer, men’s basketball, women’s lacrosse. Use “men’s” or “women’s” only when needed. Note that football, baseball, softball and volleyball are not co-ed programs, so gender is redundant. Union College teams are capitalized ONLY when the word “Union” precedes them. • Union Hockey • Union Swimming and Diving • Union Volleyball Use Dutchmen to refer to men’s teams, Dutchwomen to refer to women’s teams. Do not use “Dutch,” “Lady Dutch,” “Flying Dutchmen” or “Fighting Dutchmen.” Union offers 12 intercollegiate sports for men: Baseball, basketball, crew, cross country, football, ice hockey, indoor track and field, lacrosse, outdoor track and field, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis.

All but two programs are NCAA Division III and compete in the Liberty League (a 10-school conference that also includes Clarkson University, Hamilton College, Hobart College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the University of Rochester, St. Lawrence University, Skidmore College, Vassar College and William Smith College. Men’s and women’s ice hockey are NCAA Division I and play in the ECACHL (a 12-school conference that also includes Brown University, Clarkson University, Colgate University, Dartmouth University, Harvard University, Princeton University, Quinnipiac University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, St. Lawrence University and Yale University). Club sports and organizations, which do not compete at the intercollegiate level, are offered through Student Activities. They include men’s and women’s rugby, and cycling.

Union offers 13 intercollegiate sports for women: Basketball, crew, cross country, field hockey, ice hockey, indoor track and field, lacrosse, outdoor track and field, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, volleyball.

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AWARDS Award names are capitalized no matter where they fall in a sentence and should be written out fully on first reference. On second reference, the Frank Bailey (1885) Prize could simply be called the Bailey Prize. “Award” and “prize” are capitalized when the full name is used, but not in shortened versions: • The Minerva Prize goes to a female student whose work best combines the scholarly study of women or gender with activities that enhance the life of women on campus. • The Jenkins award recognizes bibliographical research.

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BUILDING AND PLACE NAMES Following are the names of some campus buildings and places:

• Stanley and Geraldine Levine Wildflower Garden (north of Reamer Campus Center)

• Abbe Hall (College Relations)

• McKean House (Finance)

• Achilles Center (entire building)

• Memorial Chapel

• Frank L. Messa Rink (rink only)

• Memorial Fieldhouse (fieldhouse one word)

• Alumni Gymnasium

• Nott Memorial

• Stanley R. Becker Career Center

– Dyson Hall (first floor)

• Blue Gate (south of President’s House to Union Street)

– Mandeville Gallery (balcony)

– Wikoff Student Gallery (top balcony)

• Brownell Gate (north side of campus near Fero House to Nott Street)

• F. W. Olin Center

• Burns Arts Atrium • Butterfield Hall • Chester Arthur Courtyard (between Reamer and Visual Arts, includes statute of Arthur) • Class of 1884 Gate (Union Avenue opposite Gillespie)

• Payne Gate • Stanley G. Peschel Computer Center • President’s House • Psi Upsilon Flagpole • Murray and Ruth Reamer Campus Center • Robison Herb Garden

• College Park Neighborhood (Seward Place and neighborhood to west)

• Schaffer Library

• Armand V. and Donald S. Feignenbaum Hall (administration, including Office of the President)

• 17 South Lane (Human Resources and Records)

• Grant Hall (Admissions)

• Steinmetz Hall

• Hale House

• Taylor Music Center

• Han’s Groot Kill

• Fred L. Emerson Auditorium (Emerson Auditorium, for short)

• Roger Hull Plaza (paved area west of Schaffer Library)

• Science and Engineering Center • Silliman Hall

• Terrace Wall

• Henle Dance Pavilion

• Viniar Athletic Center

• The Idol

• Peter Irving Wold Center

• Jackson’s Garden (not plural)

• Wicker Wellness Center

• Kappa Alpha Gate (north of Chester Arthur Courtyard)

• Morton and Helen Yulman Theater (not theatre)

• Karp Hall (Humanities)

Note: When citing campus buildings, it’s usually best to give the last name only: Feigenbaum Hall, Reamer Campus Center, Yulman Theater. Exception: F.W. Olin Center (not Olin Center)

• Kenney Community Center • Lamont House • Lippman Hall (Social Sciences)

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B U I L D I N G A N D P L A C E N A M E S , continued Student residences

Minervas

• Davidson House

• Beuth House

• College Park Hall (the former Ramada Inn)

• Breazzano House

• Edwards House

• Golub House

• Fero House

• Green House

• Hickok House

• Messa House

• North College

• Sorum House

• Phi Delta Theta

• Wold House

• Potter House • Raymond House • Richmond House • John Blair Smith House • South College • 1294 Lenox Rd. • Webster House • Wells House • West College

CLASS YEARS When writing the year out fully, capitalize “class.” • The 565 members of the Class of 2011 arrived on campus yesterday.

When using a year with a name, abbreviate year as follows: • Dan Smith ’12 is studying in Japan this term.

CLUBS Use caps to describe Union’s more than 100 student clubs and organizations. • Entrepreneurship Club • Environmental Society • Spanish Club

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On second reference, use “the club,” no caps. • Fifteen members of the Chemistry Club introduced the magic of science to students at Lincoln Elementary School. • The club members enjoyed the students’ enthusiasm for hands-on projects about aerodynamics and air pressure.

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COMPOSITION TITLES Capitalize the principal words, including prepositions and conjunctions for four or more letters. Capitalize an article—the, a, an—or words of fewer than four letters if it the first or last word in a title. Put quotation marks around the following: • Book titles (ex. “The Invisible Gorilla” by Christopher Chabris)

Newspapers, magazines and academic journals should be italicized. • New York Times • Newsweek • Journal of the American Medical Association

• Feature-length film titles • Opera and play titles • Music albums • Works of art • Television and radio programs • Book chapters or other sections of a publication • Papers to be presented • Lectures and speeches • Symposia • Song titles • Poem titles • Video game titles • Topics for seminars or discussions • Art gallery exhibitions • Magazine or newspaper articles

COURSE NAMES AND NUMBERS Use Arabic numerals and capitalize the course of instruction when used with a numeral.

When used together, separate with a colon around the specific name of the course.

• ANT-210: “The Anthropology of Poverty”

• ECE-118: “Introduction to Computer and Logic Design”

Proper names of courses standing alone should be capitalized and placed in quotations. • “Gender and Identity in Contemporary Brazilian Cinema”

When paraphrasing course content without using proper names of courses, do not capitalize or enclose in quotes. • An English major, she is specializing in the works of D.H. Lawrence and his relationship with women.

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DATES AND TIMES Never abbreviate a day of the week (not Wed.) in a full sentence.

When referring to decades, spell them out in words, use numerals preceded by an apostrophe, or use the full numeral.

Always use a number without a suffix:

• For them, the sixties were momentous.

• Sunday, Oct. 1 (not Sunday, Oct. 1st) • Tuesday, Nov. 3 (not Tuesday, Nov. 3rd)

• For them, the ’60s were momentous (no apostrophe after the zero).

• Thursday, Dec. 4 (not Thursday, Dec. 4th)

• The 1980s were a quiet time on campus.

When a month is used with a specific date write it as:

When decades refer to people’s ages rather than calendar years, always use the words:

• The exhibit opens on Jan. 2, 2001. • Months should be written as follows: Jan., Feb., March, April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. When a month is used alone or with a year only, write it out. • It has been a snowy January so far.

• People in their twenties are seeking meaningful global travel experiences. To list a range of dates or times, use either “from” and “to,” or “between” and “and,” or a hyphen. • This fall, registration will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• The Declaration of Independence was signed in July 1776.

• Practice for the Union College break dance club, U Break, will be held between noon and 3 p.m., from April 26 through June 2.

When a month is used with a date only, write it as follows:

• The gallery is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 3-8 p.m.

• On March 3, the Emerson String Quartet will perform in Memorial Chapel. • On Dec. 9, an opening reception will be held for the Mandeville Gallery’s faculty exhibition. Times should be punctuated with periods: “p.m.” and “a.m.” • The concert begins at 11 a.m. and concludes at 1:30 p.m. • Note that 12 o’clock is neither a.m. nor p.m. It is noon or midnight.

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When using a hyphen to indicate a range of years, don’t repeat the “19” or “20.” • His presidency, 2001-03, came after his service as secretary during 1987-97. In ranges of figures with the same measurement, include the measurement term only once, at the end of the range. • Test scores dropped 10-20 percent; my own decreased from 1,030 to 910 points.

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NAMES AND TITLES Use a person’s full name, unless he or she is widely known or prefers a less formal address or nickname.

If citing a professor’s discipline, be sure to indicate the particular field, which may not be the same as the department name:

Avoid courtesy titles, such as Ms. or Mr., except in direct quotes or in obituaries.

• Charles Batson, professor of French, is a member of the Department of Modern Languages and Literature.

Capitalize titles before names, except in the case of a faculty member’s general title (i.e. assistant professor). Use “chair” for both men and women, avoid “chairman” or “chairwoman.”

Like most collective nouns, “faculty” and “staff” are generally used as singular nouns, but common usage allows them to be plural as well:

• President Stephen C. Ainlay spoke at the reception. • Vice President of Admissions, Financial Aid and Enrollment Matt Malatesta appeared on WAMC to discuss new trends in the higher education admissions process. • Director of Admissions Ann Fleming Brown will speak at Monday’s open house. • Many people are involved with sustainability efforts on campus, including assistant professor Jeffrey Corbin.

• Best: Faculty members are devoted to undergraduate teaching, or the faculty is devoted to undergraduate teaching. • Also OK: Faculty are devoted to undergraduate teaching. When citing a title alone, use lowercase: • Charlie Casey said he’d check with the dean regarding the Academic Register.

• The Florence B. Sherwood Professor of Biology Robert Olberg conducts research on dragonflies.

Do not capitalize appositive phrases that describe a person’s role but that aren’t full, formal job titles:

Lowercase titles after names:

• Formal job title: According to Director of Student Activities Matt Milless, Eliza Fussfield did an excellent job of brainstorming new club activities.

• Ann Fleming Brown, director of Admissions, said this year’s incoming class is among the most diverse in College history. • Jeffrey Corbin, assistant professor of biology, is actively involved with sustainability efforts on campus. There are exceptions for endowed, named positions. For these, capitalize all the words in the title on first reference, and afterward use a shortened version with the “chair” or “professor” in lowercase. • Robert Olberg, the Florence B. Sherwood Professor of Biology, does fascinating research on dragonflies. • The Sherwood professor gave a lecture for the public last night.

• Role description: According to student activities head Matt Milless, Eliza Fussfield did an excellent job of brainstorming new club activities. In citing people, use their first and last names on first reference, and their last names only (without any title such as Mr., Ms., Prof., or Dr.) on subsequent reference: • Smith offered Levine and Chen a taste of his apple pie at the Minerva barbecue. When people have the same last name, subsequent references will need to include both their first and last names:

Note: Professors may be appointed to endowed chairs, or may hold endowed chairs, but they cannot be endowed chairs.

• The program featured visiting artists Lucy and John Ives, along with Dance Director Miryam Moutillet. Lucy Ives is the founder of the Children’s Dance Institute in New York City, where John serves as rehearsal director.

Also: It’s usually a chair in a field, but a professor of a field.

Omit the comma before “Jr.” or “Sr.”

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N A M E S A N D T I T L E S , continued When a name ending in “s” is made possessive, add an apostrophe and another “s”: • Palma Catravas’s door is always open. • Exceptions: Moses’ law, Jesus’ teachings, Isis’ temple (no one else) When referring to family members by pluralizing their last name, add “s” or “es” even if the name itself already ends in “s”: • The Joneses donated a new building and created a scholarship, but the Smiths’ gift was unrestricted.

On first reference, alumni should be listed with their class year after their name: • The scholarship went to Amelia Grant ’69, a poet. • The scholarship was awarded to Amelia Grant, Class of 1969. When there are two family members in the same sentence who are alumni, place the class year after the first name. • Armand V. ’42 and Donald S. ’46 Feigenbaum, brothers and innovators

When using “emeritus”—or, for women, “emerita”— place it immediately after “professor,” not after the discipline, and capitalize: • Carl George, Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences, attended the UNITAS ceremony with Twitty Styles, Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences. • Or: Professor Emeriti of Biological Sciences Carl George and Twitty Styles attended the UNITAS ceremony.

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NUMERALS A numeral is a figure, letter, word or group of words expressing a number. ARABIC NUMERALS Arabic numerals use the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 0. Use Arabic forms unless Roman numerals are specifically required. In most cases, numbers 10 and above should be represented numerically. When it is necessary to spell out large numbers, use a hyphen to connect a word ending in “y” to another word; do not use commas or the conjunction and to separate words that are part of the same number: twenty-one; one hundred forty-three; one thousand one hundred fifty-five; one million two hundred seventy-six thousand five hundred eighty-seven. Spell out a numeral at the beginning of a sentence. If it is too awkward to spell it out, rewrite the sentence. One exception to this rule is a numeral that identifies a calendar year. • Five hundred students graduated in the fall. • 1967 was a year that began with a lot of snow. Spell out casual references. • Thanks a million! But a thousand times no! • He walked a quarter of a mile. When referencing proper names, use words or numerals according to an organization’s practice, such as 20th Century Fox.

ROMAN NUMERALS Roman numerals use the letters I, V, X, L, C, D and M. Use Roman numerals for wars and to show personal sequence for animals and people: World War II, King George VI, etc. See Family Lineage under Abbreviations for more information. In Roman numerals, the capital letter I equals 1, V equals 5, X equals 10, L equals 50, C equals 100, D equals 500 and M equals 1,000. Do not use M to mean million as some publications sometimes do. Other numbers are formed from these by adding or subtracting as follows: • The value of a letter following another of the same or greater value is added: III equals 3. • The value of a letter preceding one of greater value is subtracted: IV equals 4. TELEPHONE NUMBERS In all references, use parentheses around the area code. This is based on a format that telephone companies have agreed upon for domestic and international communications. For numbers within the United States, the parentheses around the area code should be followed by a space, the three-digit prefix, a hyphen and then the remaining four digits of the phone number. • (518) 388-6000

For ordinal numbers (first, second, tenth, 1st, 2nd, 10th, etc.), spell out first through ninth when they indicate sequence in time or location such as first base, the First Amendment, or he was first in line. Starting with 10th, use figures.

Since direct telephone numbers are available to reach departments, offices and individual faculty, staff and students at the College, these should be used whenever possible instead of the College’s main telephone number (518) 388-6000 along with the appropriate telephone extension.

Use 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. when the sequence has been assigned in forming names, including geographic, military and political designations such as 1st Ward, 7th Fleet or 1st Sgt.

For internal publications, extensions alone may be used. When extension numbers are given, the word extension may be capitalized and abbreviated when accompanied by the specific number.

For cardinal numbers, in most cases, spell out whole numbers below 10 and use figures for 10 and above.

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• The Senior Director of Communications and Marketing may be reached at Ext. 6285.

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ORGANIZED ENTITIES The full official name of the board and the alumni association is capitalized:

New York state, not New York State

• the Union College Board of Trustees, the Union College Alumni Association

Capitalize the names of official committees or clubs:

But in subsequent references, use the briefer, lowercased version: • the board of trustees, the alumni association The same is true for graduating classes:

• The Academic Affairs Committee • The Interfraternity Council • The Faculty Review Board In subsequent reference, just use “the committee,” “the council” or “the board”

• The Union College Class of 1986, or the class of ’86

Don’t capitalize the “the” preceding names of businesses, groups, etc.:

Likewise with government offices:

• the New York Times, the Metropolitan Opera, the Beatles (except at the beginning of a sentence)

• On first reference call it the New York State Department of Education, but afterward, call it the state education department. As a proper name, the Federal Reserve Bank is capitalized, but general terms like “federal scholarship” or “national offices” or “state championships” are lowercased.

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PUNCTUATION AMPERSAND Spell out the word “and” instead of using the ampersand symbol (&) in running text. Exceptions include phrases such as “R&D” and corporate or institutional names that are generally abbreviated such as AT&T or Texas A&M. Note that there is no space on either side of the ampersand with these initialisms. Use the ampersand when it is part of a company’s formal name, such as Johnson & Johnson, or when the ampersand is part of a composition title, such as U.S. News & World Report.

Note: The apostrophe is not used to denote the plural of a personal name: The Smiths and Campbells left Tuesday. The Joneses left Wednesday. The Edwardses left Thursday. CAPITALIZATION Headings and titles: Capitalize the first and last word and all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs and subordinating conjunctions (although, because, if, when, etc.).

Avoid using an ampersand for College of Arts and Science or other Vanderbilt entities.

Lowercase articles (the, a, an), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor), and prepositions (about, by, in, of, under, toward, through, etc.) regardless of length, unless they are the first or last words.

APOSTROPHE

Lowercase the “to” in infinitives:

When figures are omitted:

• It Is Better to Give.

• The ’20s were a rip-roaring time in American popular culture.

For headlines and subheads on news releases, only the first word and proper nouns should be capitalized.

Note that there is no apostrophe before the “s” when referring to decades.

COLON

When letters are omitted:

The most frequent use of a colon is at the end of a sentence to introduce lists, tabulations, texts, etc.

• It’s a great time to be alive; Don’t step on my blue suede shoes; rock ’n’ roll; gone fishin’. When using plurals of a single letter: • Mind your p’s and q’s. In the introductory class, 15 students earned B’s and 25 earned C’s. Do not use with multiple-letter combinations unless they are abbreviations using periods.

First word after a colon: Capitalize if a proper noun. News Style recommends capitalizing the first word if it is the start of a complete sentence. Non-news Style recommends lowercase in this instance, but capitalizing the first word if the colon is followed by two or more sentences, speech in dialogue or an extract.

• The department awarded many Ph.D.’s last year.

With lists: Do not use a colon to set off a list of single words or simple phrases. Do not use after forms of the verb “to be.” A colon may be used to set off a bulleted list or a list composed of long phrases.

Be sure to use the apostrophe (which looks like a 9) and not the single open quote (which looks like a 6) or the footmark (which is straight, not curly).

• Other topics covered during the fellowship included: distance learning, training teachers to use technology and integrating technology into classrooms in a meaningful way.

• List URLs at the end of news releases. • Everyone in this office must learn the ABCs of media relations.

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P U N C T U A T I O N , continued Emphasis: The colon can be used to add emphasis. • He had only one hobby: eating.

With names: Set off a title with commas but not the designations Jr. or II.

COMMAS

• Hans Mueller, professor of classics, is the chair of the committee.

When using in a series: News Style uses commas to separate elements in a series, but does not put a comma before the conjunction: • The flag is red, white and blue. Put a comma before the concluding conjunction in a series if an integral element of the series requires a conjunction. • I had orange juice, toast, and ham and eggs for breakfast.

• John Smith Jr. and John Doe II are also on the committee. With locations: Use commas to set off the elements in addresses and names of geographical places or political divisions. • The people in Schenectady, N.Y. are friendly. With dates: When month, day, and year are included in a date in running text, use commas before and after the year:

• The School of Engineering, the College of Arts and Science, and Peabody College are involved in the new initiative.

• On March 10, 2011, all candidates were interviewed.

In general, when in doubt, leave it out. Non-news Style recommends using the serial comma (the comma before the conjunction in a series):

• Five candidates were on campus in July 2010 for a series of interviews.

• The flag is red, white, and blue.

DASH (Em-dash)

In compound sentences: Use commas to separate independent clauses of a compound sentence:

The em-dash expresses a pause, an abrupt change in thought or a parenthetical statement; it may be used instead of a colon to precede a list. It separates a word, phrase or clause from the rest of the sentence.

• The group has ambitious plans for expanding the volunteer services they provide, and members are actively recruiting among their peers.

• Some parents started the day with high levels—they hit the ground running—while others had a blunted daytime cortisol level.

Be careful to distinguish between a compound sentence (two or more independent clauses) and a compound predicate (two or more verbs having the same subject). Do not use a comma with a compound predicate. • She attended three meetings that morning and in the afternoon went to class. (The subject of the sample sentence is she and the verbs are attended and went.)

Do not use a comma if only the month and year are mentioned.

• In every sense—educational, philosophical, practical—the partnership works. Spacing, em-dash, News Style: A space should separate a dash from the word preceding and the word following it. • Tumors require supply lines — new blood vessels — to support their growth and spread. Spacing, em-dash, Non-news Style: There should be no space on either side of the dash. • Tumors require supply lines—new blood vessels—to support their growth and spread.

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P U N C T U A T I O N , continued DASH (EN-DASH) In Non-news Style, the en-dash (which is half the length of an em-dash, but longer than a hyphen) is used to indicate a range or route (where it can stand for the word “to”). It may also express a connection between two things of equal weight (standing in for the words and, to, or versus). • Date and time ranges: March–May, 1–2 p.m. • Page ranges: pp. 11–15 • Routes: New York–London flight Two words of equal weight that are associated but shouldn’t be hyphenated: • mother–daughter relationship Compound adjectives in which one of the parts of the compound is made up of more than one word or a hyphenated word: • Civil War–era document, • pre–World War II policy, • North Carolina–Virginia border, • Pulitzer Prize–winning author, • high-priority–high-pressure tasks Note that News Style does not use the en-dash. In the above instances, News Style would use a hyphen instead of an en-dash.

• I ... have trouble ... collecting my thoughts. If the words preceding an ellipsis constitute a grammatically complete sentence, a period should precede the ellipsis: • I had a very good time. ... But I wouldn’t want to go back. Non-news Style recommends inserting space before and after the ellipsis and between each of the three ellipsis points: • I . . . have trouble . . . collecting my thoughts. • I had a very good time. . . . but I wouldn’t want to go back. ESSENTIAL CLAUSES AND NONESSENTIAL CLAUSES An essential (or restrictive) clause is one that is essential to the meaning of the sentence, i.e., it identifies and/or specifies the subject. No comma should be used with an essential clause. A nonessential (or nonrestrictive) clause is not essential to the meaning of the sentence but provides additional information. In general, “that” introduces essential clauses and no comma is used. Use “which” to introduce nonessential clauses, and set off the clause with commas. • Nonessential clause:

Do not combine a preposition with a dash when indicating a range. • Right: The exhibit will be on display from March 2 through April 10. Or: The exhibit will be on display March 2–April 10. • Wrong: The exhibit will be on display from March 2–April 10. ELLIPSIS Three dots (periods) used to indicate a pause or to indicate word(s), sentence(s) or paragraph(s) omitted from quoted material. Spacing, News Style: Ellipses should be preceded and followed by a space:

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The book, which has a red cover, has sold many copies.

• Essential clause:

The book that has a red cover has sold many copies. However, the book that has a blue cover is not selling well.

See also that vs. which. EXCLAMATION POINT: Use sparingly. Never use in a news release. HEADLINE: For news releases, only the first word and proper nouns should be capitalized in headlines and subheads. See also Capitalization and Titles of Works.

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P U N C T U A T I O N , continued HYPHEN Hyphens are used inside words to separate their parts from each other. This includes using the hyphen between the parts of a compound word, where two or more words express a single concept. Compound modifiers: When a compound modifier—two or more words that express a single concept—precedes a noun, use hyphens to link all the words in the compound except the adverb “very” and all adverbs that end in “-ly”: • a full-time job • a know-it-all attitude • a well-known person. • But: federally funded research. With fractions: Use a hyphen when writing out fractions. • The measure requires a two-thirds vote to pass. Suspensive: • He received a 10- to 20-year sentence in prison. The camp is open for 8- to 12-year-old children. With time/date/number spans (News Style): Do not combine a preposition with a hyphen. • Right: The exhibit will be on display from March 2 through April 10. Or: The exhibit will be on display March 2-April 10. • Wrong: The exhibit will be on display from March 2-April 10. Note that Non-news Style uses the en-dash for time/ date/number spans instead of the hyphen. See also dash. LISTS

Generally a comma is sufficient to separate the items listed. Use a semicolon if the items themselves contain commas. Vertical lists, bulleted or numbered: Use a bulleted list if the order of the items is not significant; use a numbered list if the items are to be considered in a particular order. Introduce the list with a grammatically complete sentence followed by a colon. Each entry in the list should begin with a capital letter whether or not the entry is a complete sentence. No period is required at the end of entries unless one or more of the entries is a complete sentence, in which case a period should be used at the end of all the entries. Items in a list should be syntactically similar; for example, each might begin with a verb ending in -ing. • The coaches look for several characteristics when recruiting players: - talent and skill in the sport - sufficient academic preparation - positive attitude If a list completes the sentence that introduces it, then the items begin with lowercase letters. In addition, commas or semicolons are used to separate each item, and the last item ends with a period. • A coach may be interested in recruiting a player if the athlete - displays a solid understanding of the fundamentals of the sport, - has sufficient academic preparation to meet the requirements of Union classes, - maintains a positive attitude.

Run-in lists: For a listing that runs in with text, use either numerals or italic letters within parentheses.

PARENTHESES

• Data are available from three groups: (1) students attending the first session of the conference, (2) presenters for all sessions and (3) conference staff.

• I will leave at noon (if I finish this punctuation guide).

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Place a period outside a closing parenthesis if the material inside is not a sentence:

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P U N C T U A T I O N , continued Place the period inside the closing parenthesis if the material inside is a complete sentence:

Plural nouns not ending in s form the possessive by adding apostrophe + s:

• (This is an independent parenthetical sentence, and therefore the period comes before the closing parenthesis.)

• children’s

PERIOD Primary use of a period is to mark the end of a declarative or imperative sentence. It should be followed by a single space. Periods always go inside quotation marks. See also ellipsis and parentheses. PLURALS Proper nouns: The plural is generally formed by adding -s or -es. This is true for proper names as well. The apostrophe is not used to form the plural of proper nouns: • The Joneses and the Smiths spent two cold Januarys in Schenectady. Letters and numbers: Add -s to form the plural of numbers and capitalized multiple letters used as words: • two IOUs, six YMCAs, the 1960s, the ’20s. Use apostrophe + s to form the plural of lowercase letters used as words, single capitalized letters used as words, and abbreviations with periods: • M.A.’s and Ph.D.’s, x’s and y’s, the three R’s POSSESSIVE Form the possessive of singular nouns by adding apostrophe + s: • teacher’s building’s • child’s • witness’s Plural nouns ending in “s” form the possessive by adding an apostrophe: • teachers’ • buildings’ • witnesses’

• women’s Proper nouns: According to Non-news Style, the rule for singular nouns applies to proper nouns as well, regardless of the ending letter: • Dickens’s novel • Burns’s poetry News Style, however, recommends using only an apostrophe to form possessive for singular proper names ending in -s: • Dickens’ novel Either is correct, but do aim for consistency. When a proper noun is set in italic type, the possessive ending is not set in italic. • Some were surprised by Newsweek’s cover. QUOTATION MARKS Use single quotation marks in news headlines and for quotes within quotes. “Smart” quotes, not “straight” quotes, should be used. Semicolons and colons go outside quotation marks. Periods and commas go inside the closing quotation mark. Quotation marks are used for articles, poems, short stories, songs, lectures, TV and radio programs (but a TV/radio series name is in italic). Quotation marks are not needed for academic course titles. SEMICOLON In series: Use semicolons to separate items in a series when the items use internal commas. A semicolon should be placed before the conjunction in such a series. • Previous winners of the Vanderbilt Prize in Biomed-

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P U N C T U A T I O N , continued ical Science are Ann Graybiel, Walter A. Rosenblith Professor of Neuroscience, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Elizabeth Blackburn, Morris Herzstein Endowed Professor in Biology and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco; and Nancy Andreasen, Andrew H. Woods Chair of Psychiatry, University of Iowa. SPACING Punctuation marks, including periods and colons, should be followed by one space only. THAT VS. WHICH In general, use that to introduce essential clauses, and do not precede that with a comma. Use which to introduce nonessential clauses, and set off the clause with commas. An essential (or restrictive) clause is one that is essential to the meaning of the sentence. A nonessential (or nonrestrictive) clause is not essential to the meaning of the sentence but provides additional information. (See essential clauses and nonessential clauses.)

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SEASONS Do not capitalize winter, spring, summer or fall, unless part of a formal name such as Winter Olympics. Do not capitalize seasons as part of an academic period: spring trimester, spring break, spring 2011

STATES Spell out the names of states when they stand alone in a sentence.

The names of these eight states should not be abbreviated in running text:

• More visually impaired students in New York are receiving special education services this year through Union College.

• Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah.

When using a city and state in a sentence, set off the state with commas. • Jane Smith plans to return to Burlington, N.J., to launch the new program this fall. ABBREVIATING STATE NAMES News Style: Abbreviate the following when they are used with a city:

Do not use postal abbreviations unless giving a mailing address. Non-news Style: It is preferable to spell out state names when they follow the name of a city as well as when they stand alone. Abbreviations may be used in such instances as lists and tables, and postal abbreviations may be used for mailing addresses.

• Ala. Ariz. Ark. Calif. Colo. Conn. Del. Fla. Ga. Ill. Ind. Kan. Ky. La. Md. Mass. Mich. Minn. Miss. Mo. Mont. Neb. Nev. N.H. N.J. N.M. N.Y. N.C. N.D. Okla. Ore. Pa. R.I. S.C. S.D. Tenn. Vt. Va. Wash. W. Va. Wis. Wyo.

TECHNOLOGY The Associated Press recently changed its style on e-mail to email, cell phone to cellphone and smart phone to smartphone to reflect increasingly common usage. It also adopted Kolkata as its style for the Indian city formerly known as Calcutta.

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Use a hyphen with other e-terms: e-book, e-business, e-commerce.

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COMMON ERRORS COMMON GRAMMATICAL, PUNCTUATION & SPELLING ERRORS • Advisor, not adviser • African-American hyphenated; Asian American (no hyphen); Native American (no hyphen) • Alumnus: one male graduate • Alumna: one female graduate • Alumnae: two or more female grads • Alumni: two or more male or mixed-gender grads; avoid “alumnae/i” • alumni association: capitalize only when “Union College” precedes it • B.A., B.S., M.A.: include periods • bachelor’s degree: lowercase • board of trustees: capitalize only when “Union College” precedes it • chair: not chairwoman, chairman, or chairperson • Class of 2008 (not Class of ’08) • Committee: capitalize only in full name, e.g., the Curriculum Committee • course work: two words • emeritus, emerita, emeriti: no italics; directly follows the word “professor” • every day two words unless used as an adjective— e.g., “an everyday event” • first-year student: hyphenated as a compound adjective • freshman: when possible, avoid • Latino, Latina

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