BrandThe following entries are notes on style, usage and punctuation specific to VCU.
Recent updates:
- Modified “abbreviations and acronyms” entry (7/12/24)
- Added “health care” entry (7/12/24)
- Added “Ramily” entry (7/12/24)
- Added “UN” words entry (7/12/24)
A-10
VCU is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. A-10 is acceptable on second reference.
Abbreviations and acronyms
An acronym is a word formed from the first letter or letters of a series of words: scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus). An abbreviation is not an acronym.
In general, do not follow a word or phrase with an abbreviation or acronym in parentheses or set off by dashes. If an abbreviation or acronym would not be clear on second reference without this arrangement, do not use it. However, exceptions can be made if including the abbreviation or acronym in parentheses on first use will assist with overall clarity of the written piece.
Example:
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats is more well-known as CRISPR. Readers may not easily make the connection between CRISPR and what it stands for, but spelling it out on each use is cumbersome. This is a case where it may be warranted to include the acronym in parentheses following the phrase on first use.
Academic and administrative titles
Capitalize a formal title immediately preceding a name, but lowercase the title if it follows the name or stands by itself.
Examples:
- Department Chair John Doe
- John Doe, chair of the department
Lowercase professor before a name, but capitalize professor emeritus (male) and professor emerita (female) as a conferred title before a name.
Example:
- Professor Emerita Susan Johnson
Courtesy titles, such as Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss and Dr., are not used — even on first reference.
Academic credentials
Include earned doctoral degrees following a person’s name but not bachelor’s or master’s degrees. Do not use Dr. as a formal title. Use the academic abbreviation for the doctoral degree, set off by commas, following the individual’s name.
Example:
- John Smith, Ph.D.; Annie Wright, M.D. (Note: This is an exception to AP style.)
Addresses
Street addresses and states should be spelled out in return addresses, web signatures and “contact us” sections.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Enterprise Marketing and Communications
912 West Grace Street, 6th Floor
Box 842041
Richmond, Virginia 23284-2041
Phone: (804) 828-1463
Fax: (804) 828-8172
Email: email@vcu.edu
marcom.vcu.edu
For on-campus addresses, the correct ZIP+4 will incorporate 232 plus the campus Box number.
Note also that website: is not used to introduce the URL.
In running copy, use abbreviations if the address includes an actual street number.
Example:
- 827 W. Franklin St., Richmond, Va.
Adviser
Advisor should be used when referring to academic advisors, but adviser for all other uses.
Alums/Alumni
Use alum when referring to an individual or alums when referring to a group who graduated from VCU. Alum and alums are the preferred terms. These gender-neutral terms can also be used for an individual or group who identifies their gender as nonbinary or as existing outside of the binary definitions of man or woman.
Individuals who have received a degree or certificate are considered alums and the term is synonymous with graduate.
Refer to AP Stylebook Online’s Gender Neutral Language guide for more information.
Board of Visitors
Use credentials following names, per AP style, when listing members of the VCU Board of Visitors.
Example:
- John Smith, Ed.D., J.D.
See the full board member listing on the VCU website.
Buildings
Capitalize the names of university structures when using their full titles. For a complete listing of VCU buildings, visit the maps page on the VCU website.
Capitalization
If in doubt, use lowercase rather than capital letters.
Lowercase the names of the classes: graduate, senior, junior, sophomore and freshman.
Lowercase commonwealth when referring to Virginia.
Example:
- VCU is located in the commonwealth of Virginia. State is similarly lowercase in all constructions.
Example:
- She visited the state of Maine last fall.
Capitalize central when paired with Virginia to describe the region.
Example:
- The Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU NICU is the oldest and the newest in Central Virginia as well as the first.
Capitalize city if part of a proper name, an integral part of an official name or a regularly used nickname.
Example:
- Because of its location on the James, Richmond is often called the River City.
Lowercase elsewhere.
Example:
- The city of Richmond plays hosts to numerous festivals in the summer.
Capitalize class when joined with a year.
Example:
- The Class of 2012 announced its gift to the school.
Capitalize commencement when referring to the university’s official ceremonies in May and December.
Example:
- VCU will celebrate 3,000 graduates at its May Commencement.
When a generic term is capitalized as part of an official name, the plural used with another name is lowercase.
Example:
- Broad and Belvidere streets, the schools of Nursing and Dentistry
Commencement
Capitalize commencement when referring to the university’s official ceremonies in May and December. Do not refer to the ceremonies by season (spring, winter).
Example:
- VCU will celebrate 3,000 graduates at its May Commencement.
Company names
Abbreviate company (Co.), corporation (Corp.), incorporated (Inc.) and limited (Ltd.) when part of the name, but do not use a comma before these abbreviations.
Do not use all caps on a company name unless the individual letters are pronounced.
Example:
- UPS delivered the package on Sunday. The office supply closet has a new bag of Bic pens.
If the company’s name or product begins with a lowercase letter (like iPhone or eBay), try to reorder the sentence so that you can capitalize the name as the company usually does. If reordering is impossible, capitalize the first letter and any other letter the company usually capitalizes.
Example:
- The new iPhone comes out July 1. EBay is a great way to sell your attic treasures.
Composition titles
Put quote marks around book titles, movie titles, play titles, song titles, computer game titles, poem titles, titles of lectures and exhibits, works of art and TV program titles. Do not use quotes for newspapers, magazines or journals, or for books that are primarily catalogs of reference material, such as dictionaries and encyclopedias. Names of most websites and apps are capitalized without quotes: Facebook, Instagram. Capitalize principal words in titles, including prepositions and conjunctions of four or more letters.
Course titles
Capitalize the formal names of courses, without quotes.
Example:
- She’s taking history. She’s taking American history. She’s taking History 101.
Coursework
One word in all uses.
Degrees
Use the following abbreviations or full, formal names when referencing the academic degrees available through VCU’s bachelor's, master’s, doctoral, first professional and certificate programs. The term degree is not synonymous with the term program. For a full list of VCU programs and degrees, visit the VCU Bulletin.
- B.A.
- Bachelor of Arts
- B.F.A.
- Bachelor of Fine Arts
- B.I.S.
- Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies
- B.M.
- Bachelor of Music
- B.S.
- Bachelor of Science
- B.S.W.
- Bachelor of Social Work
- D.D.S.
- Doctor of Dental Surgery
- D.N.A.P.
- Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice
- D.P.T.
- Doctor of Physical Therapy
- M.A.
- Master of Arts
- M.Acc.
- Master of Accountancy
- M.A.E.
- Master of Art Education
- M.B.A.
- Master of Business Administration
- M.Bin.
- Master of Bioinformatics
- M.D.
- Doctor of Medicine
- M.Ed.
- Master of Education
- M.Envs.
- Master of Environmental Studies
- M.F.A.
- Master of Fine Arts
- M.H.A.
- Master of Health Administration
- M.I.S.
- Master of Interdisciplinary Studies
- M.M.
- Master of Music
- M.P.A.
- Master of Public Administration
- M.P.H.
- Master of Public Health
- M.P.S.
- Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- M.P.I.
- Master of Product Innovation
- M.S.
- Master of Science
- M.S.C.M.
- Master of Supply Chain Management
- M.S.D.
- Master of Science in Dentistry
- M.S.H.A.
- Master of Science in Health Administration
- M.S.N.A.
- Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia
- M.S.O.T.
- Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
- M.S.W.
- Master of Social Work
- M.T.
- Master of Teaching
- M.Tax.
- Master of Taxation
- M.U.R.P.
- Master of Urban and Regional Planning
- O.T.D.
- Post-professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate
- Pharm.D.
- Doctor of Pharmacy
- Ph.D.
- Doctor of Philosophy
Do not capitalize the names of school or college studies, fields of study, major areas or subjects (except languages) unless a specific course is being referred to.
Example:
- He is studying philosophy and English.
Official, State Council of Higher Education of Virginia-approved degree names must be used when referring to a VCU program of study. Names should reflect the actual degree a student receives. Shortened or unofficial listings are not approved by SCHEV and, therefore, must be avoided to remain in compliance with SCHEV policy. Websites should also be structured so that the approved program of study is easily apparent to visitors, and that subareas are not elevated to appear as approved degree programs.
Examples:
- Incorrect: M.Ed. in school counseling
Correct: M.Ed. in counselor education with a concentration in school counseling - Incorrect: B.S. in business administration
Correct: B.S. in business with a concentration in management/business administration - Incorrect: B.S. in public relations
Correct: B.S. in mass communications with a concentration in public relations
Please refer to the VCU Bulletin for all official, SCHEV-approved program names.
Complete SCHEV guidance can be found at: uploads.provost.vcu.edu/pdfs/schevguidance.pdf
Departments and office names
In copy, department and office names do not use ampersands; write out and. For a full listing of VCU departments, view the A to Z index on the VCU website.
Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
VCU Athletics is acceptable on first reference.
Dr.
Do not use Dr. as a formal title. Use the academic abbreviation for the doctoral degree, set off by commas, following the individual’s name.
Example:
- John Smith, Ph.D.; Annie Wright, M.D. (Note: This is an exception to AP style.)
EEO/AA statement (Title IX)
In compliance with VCU’s equal employment opportunity/affirmative action policy, one of the following statements should be used on print materials (except invitations) for external audiences. For invitations, refer to the special accommodations entry.
Version one (when space is not a consideration):
Virginia Commonwealth University does not discriminate in its admissions, employment, programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin (including ethnicity), age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), parenting status, marital status, political affiliation, veteran status, genetic information (including family medical history), sexual orientation, gender identity or disability or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
For inquiries regarding the university’s non-discrimination policies, contact Equity and Access Services (equity.vcu.edu) at equity@vcu.edu, 804-828-1347, or 1001 Grove Avenue, Box 842549, Richmond, Virginia 23284-2549.
Version two (when space is a consideration):
VCU is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Anyone having questions concerning discrimination or accessibility should contact Equity and Access Services.
Short version: VCU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.
Ads referring to employment opportunities should also include the following statement: Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Refer to VCU’s official nondiscrimination policy for more information.
Freshman, freshmen
Freshman is the singular noun and also is used in adjective form. Freshmen is the plural form. First-year is also acceptable.
Examples:
- Randy is a freshman at VCU.
- Biology 101 is often considered a freshman course.
- The university welcomed incoming freshmen with a party in Monroe Park.
Health care
Two words in all uses, unless the formal name of a program uses healthcare.
LGBTQIA+
Use on first and subsequent references. This is an exception to AP style.
Mascot
The university’s athletic teams are formally called the Rams. When used as an adjective, use the singular form.
Examples:
- Ram spirit is in the air.
- VCU’s mascot is Rodney the Ram.
Ramily
Ramily is preferred, particularly in running text, but RAMily is acceptable. Do not use Ram-ily or RAM-ily.
Residence hall
Use residence hall, not dormitory or dorm, when referencing one of VCU’s residence halls.
Special accommodations
Invitations or fliers, posters, etc., announcing events should include a special accommodations contact phone number or email, or both.
Example:
- For special accommodations, call (804) 828-XXXX or email xxx@vcu.edu.
Student-athlete
Always hyphenate.
Terminal degree
VCU lists terminal degrees after a person’s name; check field of study for terminal degree (e.g., J.D., Ed.D.).
Top
Capitalize top when it is the formal name of a ranking, but lowercase in more casual references.
Examples:
- VCU moved into the top 50 for American public research universities.
- The National Association for Female Executives named the VCU Health System to the 2011 NAFE Top 50 Companies.
Trademarks
VCU does not use register mark, service mark or trademark symbols (®, ™, ©), except on merchandise, but capitalizes the marked text according to AP style.
Underserved, underrepresented
No hyphens.
University Student Commons
The Commons is acceptable on first reference. Do not use Student Commons.
Universitywide, campuswide
No hyphens.
“UN” words
Use UNCOMMON in all caps when referring to VCU’s UNCOMMON brand platform and use “UN” when referring to VCU Health’s “UN” brand platform.
Styling of “UN” words varies depending on medium and usage, but never use Unxxxxxxx (except at start of a sententce/headline) or UNxxxxxxxx.
For media that are more visual in nature, including ads, graphic materials, video supers, posters, postcards and social media graphics, see the “Messaging strategy” section of this website.
For less visual media such as articles and running copy on websites and in emails, use lowercase in headlines and headers unless you need to draw attention to the “UN” word, in which case use all caps for the entire word.
Examples:
- Five ways VCU is uncommon
Five ways VCU is UNCOMMON
For regular body copy or supplementary text, lowercase the “UN” word unless you need to emphasize it, in which case use boldface for the entire word.
Examples:
- Her unconventional approach to teaching has earned national recognition.
- Her unconventional approach to teaching has earned national recognition.
VCU and VCU Health have identified specific sets of “UN” words (and in VCU Health’s case, phrases), for use in alignment with the brand. See below.
University “UN” words:
- Uncommon
- Unstoppable
- Unafraid
- Unequaled
- Unlimited
- Untraditional
- Understanding
- Unconventional
- Unexpected
VCU Health “UN” phrases:
- Uncommon compassion
- Undeniable proof
- Unrelenting hope
- Unbelievable joy
- Unbreakable resolve
- Unwavering dedication
- Unending curiosity
VCU Health “UN” words:
- Uncommon
- Undeniable
- Unrelenting
- Unbelievable
- Unbreakable
- Unwavering
- Unending
VCU Health “UN” companion words (note that these can be mixed and matched with the VCU Health “UN” words):
- Compassion
- Commitment
- Proof
- Hope
- Joy
- Care
- Resolve
- Dedication
URLs
As a best practice, the cleanest, shortest working URL should be used in print pieces, websites and on stationery. Most sites, including vcu.edu addresses, no longer require the www (even if it appears on the landing page). As long as the URL works without www, http:// and https://, they can be removed. However, because some sites do still require these prefixes, the URL should be tested in multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari) before removing any part of the address.
The same rule applies to forward slashes and file extensions, such as /index.html, which appear in the browser bar at the end of a URL but aren’t needed to access the site.
Example:
- https://admissions.vcu.edu/connect/index.html can become admissions.vcu.edu/connect.
If the website is part of a list and some URLs in the list require www and others don’t, include www in all entries for consistency.
For print publications when the URL does not fit entirely on one line, break it into two or more lines without adding a hyphen or other punctuation mark, and carry any punctuation in the URL to the second line.
The URL should always be the last item in a sentence.
Example:
- To make a donation to the school, contact Troy Smith at (804) 555-5555, or make a gift online at support.vcu.edu.
Do not use http:// or https:// in URLs that do not require it.
On websites, use a hyperlink versus spelling out the URL in text.
U.S.
The abbreviation is acceptable as a noun or adjective for United States.
Web, website, webcam, webcast, webmaster
As a shortened form of World Wide Web, web is lowercase. Website, webcam, webcast and webmaster are also lowercase.