Editorial Style Guide

Introduction

Should titles be capitalized before or after a name? Does an event take place at 6:00 p.m. or 6 p.m.? What is the preferred way to reference the University’s name?

Editorial style guides are used to address common concerns among writers and editors, as well as provide a set of standards for the University when you are unsure how a word or term should be spelled, punctuated or used. These guidelines provide consistency, so readers won’t be distracted from your message by variations in style and to craft messages that reflect CSUCI’s “voice.”

It’s important to remember that the final document, publication, or message – whether digital or in print – should represent the University with the highest professional and academic standards to be clear in meaning and free of errors.

In general, the University follows “The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook” for editorial style; there are, however, several exceptions noted in this Editorial Style Guide, many of them specific to CSUCI or higher education. If not addressed here, additional direction is available from “Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary,” latest edition, or www.merriam-webster.com.  

Academic research papers should always follow the preferred style as specified by faculty, e.g. “Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association,” or “MLA Style Manual.”

For additional assistance or questions, please contact CSUCI’s Marketing & Communications at mar.comm@csuci.edu.

 A-Z References

academic degrees

When formally identifying academic degrees, they should be referenced or abbreviated as follows: ( when desired to include an academic degree on a business card or name tag, the degree may or may not include punctuation depending on allowable character spaces)

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.); Bachelor of Science (B.S.); Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
• Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
• Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.); Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (D.M.D.)
• Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.)
• Master of Arts (M.A.); Master of Education (M.Ed); Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.): Master of Science (M.S.); Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.); Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)
• Registered Nurse (R.N.)

The use of “bachelor’s” or “master’s” is acceptable and always use the possessive. When more than one master’s or bachelor’s degree is being described, the word “degree” should be plural, i.e. “degrees.”

When referring to an “associate” degree, it should not be plural. Preferred style is not to add the word “degree” after an abbreviation of the degree. 

Examples:

• She has an M.A. in chemistry.
• She has a master’s in chemistry.
• She has two master’s degrees in chemistry.

Degrees should not be included in articles or news releases unless relevant to the topic.

academic programs

When referring to general academic work, lowercase areas of study that are not affiliated with CSUCI, except those that are proper nouns or languages.

When identifying a CSUCI faculty member’s specific academic program, always capitalize the academic program (note: this is an exception to the AP Stylebook); however, the word “program” should not be capitalized.

Examples:

• He teaches in the Chemistry program at CSU Channel Islands.
• She’s Chair and Professor of English at CSUCI.
• He’s been a lecturer in CSUCI’s Art program for 10 years.

CSUCI undergraduate (baccalaureate) programs: Anthropology, Applied Physics, Art, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Chicana/o Studies, Communication, Computer Science, Early Childhood Studies, Economics, English: Literature & Writing, Environmental Science & Resource Management, Global Studies, Global Languages & Culture, Health Science, History, Information Technology, Liberal Studies, Mathematics, Nursing, Performing Arts, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.

CSUCI teaching credentials: Administrative Services, Education Specialist Mild/Moderate Level I and II, Multiple Subject with BCLAD, Single Subject: Mathematics, Science, English, and History/Social Studies

CSUCI graduate (post-baccalaureate) programs: Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, Business Administration, Business Administration & Biotechnology (dual degree), Computer Science, Educational Leadership, and Mathematics.

academic terms

Semesters or sessions should be capitalized. Academic terms should include the entire first year, a hyphen, and then the last two digits of the ending of the following year.

Examples:

• That course is only offered in the Fall semester.
• The Spring semester will begin on Jan. 25.
• The Summer session will begin on June 1.
• The 2020-21 academic year will begin Aug. 31.

 academic honors

Do not italicize the words, “magna,” “summa,” “cum laude,” and “with honors.” Honorary degrees are not italicized nor capitalized.

Examples:

• She graduated summa cum laude.
• She was awarded an honorary doctorate.

 academic standing

Identify students first by class and then by academic program. Capitalize the academic program when referring to programs specifically offered at CSUCI. Do not include a projected graduation year for students.

Example:

• John Doe, a junior majoring in Communication.

Accommodation statement

The University’s accommodation statement should be included in materials for events and other in-person campus activities:

The University encourages individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs, events, and activities. If you anticipate needing accommodations or services, or have questions about access, please contact the appropriate office below as soon as possible, preferably at least seven (7) business days prior to the event or activity:

CSUCI students: accommodations@csuci.edu
CSUCI employees or members of the public: hraccommodations@csuci.edu

acronyms

Acronyms/initials may be used on second reference when referring to the University or related entities/areas provided that the formal name is provided on first reference followed by the acronym in parentheses.

“CSUCI” is the University’s acronym/initials. On first reference, use the entire name of the University along with the acronym/initials in parentheses.

Examples:

• Cal State Channel Islands (CSUCI) is Ventura County’s only four-year, public university that places CSUCI students at the center of their educational experience.
• Jane Smith oversees budget requests for Institutionally Related Activities (IRA) and all formal requests may be submitted to IRA each semester.

The use of “CI” may only be used verbally and not digitally or in print. The only exception is for branded University portals, i.e. myCI, CI Records, CI Learn, CIKeys, etc.

Refer to the University Brand Guidelines 2026 for additional information about the University’s preferred name references.

address

The University’s address should be listed as: 1 University Drive, Camarillo, CA 93012-8599.

alumni

Appropriate use of the word includes:

• Alumnus: singular, male graduate
• Alumna: singular, female graduate
• Alumnae: group of female graduates
• Alumni: group of male graduates or male and female graduates

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) statement

The approved ADA statement, which follows below, should be included in all materials relating to employment at the University.

California State University Channel Islands does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to, access to, or operation of its instruction, programs, services, or activities, or in its hiring and employment practices. The University provides reasonable accommodation to facilitate the participation of individuals with legally protected disabilities.

ampersand

When writing sentences always spell the word “and” unless you are identifying a proper name of a CSUCI academic program, division, area or unit.

Examples:

• She earned at CSUCI a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Chemistry.
• Environmental Science & Resource Management
• Housing & Residential Education

Annual Report

Capitalize both words when part of a title and lowercase on second reference.

architectural description

The architectural description of original University buildings is: “Mission-Revival and Spanish Colonial-Revival architecture.”

An exception to this architectural description is the John Spoor Broome Library, which was designed by world-renowned British architect, Lord Norman Foster.

 area codes

Always list area codes with telephone numbers and hyphens, no periods, and without parentheses.

Example: 805-437-8400

assure or ensure

Assure is something you communicate to a person, a group of people, or an animal to remove doubt or anxiety. Assure can only be used with things that are alive; only things that are alive can feel doubt or anxiety.

Example: Mary assured John that she’d come to the party early.

Ensure is something you do to guarantee an event or condition.

Example: To ensure there would be enough food for the party, John ordered twice as much food.

bachelor’s degree (baccalaureate)

If identifying a baccalaureate degree without the academic program, the reference should be lowercase and include an apostrophe. If the academic program is included, upper case is appropriate, without the apostrophe.

Examples:

• She has a bachelor’s degree.
• He earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.

Bell Tower

The Bell Tower is a campus iconic landmark and a central location for classes and student services.

break

The word “break” or “breaks” should be lowercase to identify Fall break, winter break, holiday break, Spring break, or summer break.

California State University Chancellor’s Office

When identifying the formal name, use it in its entirety on first reference. On second/subsequent references, you may use “Chancellor’s Office.”

Examples:

• California State University Chancellor’s Office or CSU Chancellor’s Office.
• The information will be sent to the Chancellor’s Office.

California State University Channel Islands

The official and legal name of the University is: California State University Channel Islands. The University’s name does not include a comma or a hyphen.

Typically, CSU campuses named after a city include a comma; however, our University name reflects a region, our name does not include a comma.

The preferred shortened variation of our name is: Cal State Channel Islands

Refer to “acronyms” to review correct usage of the University’s acronym/initials. Additionally, refer to the University’s Brand Guidelines (2026) for additional information.

campus

Use the word “campus” when informally referencing a building, event or activity being held on the University’s property. Use of the word “campus” can be used on an informal basis when multiple instances of “University” have already been used within content. Refer to use of the word “University” in this Editorial Style Guide. The possessive preference is to omit the additional ‘s’ i.e. campus’.

campuses

Other instructional sites may include the word “campus” in lowercase.

Example: CSUCI’s Goleta campus

campus-wide

Always lowercase and hyphenated.

capstone

Always lowercase and one word.

captions, cutlines

A caption, also known as a cutline, should identify people and events taking place in a photograph, as well as provide additional information to a reader or for an assistive device, which would not interpret the image on its own. Identify individuals in the image ts directionally with commas and clockwise, left to right.

Photographs that contain several individuals can be identified by the group’s name, rather than by identifying each individual, especially if not all individuals can be positively identified.

cellphone, mobile phone, smartphone

Use of the word “cellphone” or “smartphone” is one word.  “Mobile phone” should be two words.

centers, divisions, institutes, and schools

The name of a center, division, institute or school should precede the official or shortened name of the University.

The official naming of a center, division, institute or school, needs to be approved in advance by the respective Provost or Vice President, as well as the President.

Examples:

• Center for Community Engagement
• Division of University Advancement
• Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics

Central Mall

Both words should be capitalized. The Central Mall is located on Los Angeles Avenue between Richard R. Rush Hall and the Bell Tower and bordered on either side by Camarillo and Ventura Streets.

chair, co-chair

Use “chair” not chairman, chairperson or chairwoman. Always use co-chair with a hyphen.

Capitalize the initial letter before a name if part of a formal title. If faculty is chair of an academic program, include “Chair” and their academic title before their name.

Examples:

• Chair of the Foundation Board, John Smith, will attend the event.
• Jane Smith, Chair and Professor of English, has been on campus many years.                      
• Mary Jones is co-chair of the University’s Strategic Plan.

Channel magazine

The University’s magazine is published for students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and the general community. The word “Channel” is always capitalized and if included, “magazine” should be lowercase.

Christmas break

Avoid usage. Instead use winter or holiday break.

 CSUCI Alert

Always capitalize “CSUCI” and “Alert.” CSUCI Alert is the University’s emergency communication  system which sends simultaneous messages via emails, telephones and SMS/text messaging, to CSUCI students, employees, tenants, or University Glen/Anacapa Canyon residents.

class designations

Do not capitalize the class designations of students.

Examples:

• He is a sophomore majoring in English.
• She is part of the new freshman class.
• He’ll be living on campus with other freshmen.

class years

Alumni should be identified with the last two digits of their graduating year, preceded by an apostrophe, and followed by the degree and academic program.

For instances where alumni have two degrees, use an ampersand to separate the degrees. For instances where alumni have more than two degrees, use commas to separate the first degrees in a list and an ampersand to separate the last degrees in a list.

Current students should only be identified with their area of study and not the projected class year of their graduation. 

Examples:

• (student) Jane Smith, Communication
• (alumni) John Doe ‘05 B.A. Communication
• (alumni) John Smith, ‘06 B.S. Business & ‘08 M.S. Computer Science

comma (Oxford or serial comma)

The Oxford/serial comma is a comma placed before the final “and” or “or” before the conjunction in a complex series of 4 or more words. Do not include an Oxford comma before the conjunction in a simple series of 3 or less words.

composition titles

Do not use italics for composition titles. Instead, place quotation marks around composition titles such as book titles, movie titles, opera titles, play titles, poem titles, album and song titles, radio and television program titles, and the titles of lectures, speeches and works of art.

Do not put quotation marks around the Bible and books that are primarily catalogs of reference material including almanacs, directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks and similar publications.

Do not use quotation marks around such software as WordPerfect or Windows.

Examples:

• “The Color Purple”
•  Art Exhibit: “Renderings: Recent Oil Paintings by Kate Martin”
•  “CBS Evening News”

 course names

Capitalize the names of specific courses, but not the common nouns referring to subject areas, unless they are languages.

Examples:

• He enrolled in Political Science 102.
• She enrolled in a political science course.
• He enrolled in an English course.

course work

Always two words.

date, month, year, and time

When a month is included with a date, abbreviate the month as: Jan., Feb., March, April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., or Dec.  Do not abbreviate the month when only the month and year are provided. Do not use superscript with dates. Always use “through” to separate dates that include the days of the week and use a short dash for short dates.

Always use the word “to” to separate times that denote the beginning and end of an event or bridge between the morning and afternoon. Do not use "o'clock" or spell out numbers (exception: formal invitations). Use “midnight” or “noon” rather than 12 a.m. or 12 p.m. Use of the year is generally unnecessary unless announcing a date from a prior or upcoming year at least six months out.

Examples:

• January 2026
• 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 1 through Friday, Dec. 6
• Sept. 2-26

dead week

Avoid usage. Use pre-finals week.

disabled, impaired

If a person’s disability is relevant to the story, ask the source how he or she wishes to be described. Generally, the more sensitive terms are “disabled” or “impaired.”  If the person uses a piece of equipment, such as a wheelchair, it is best to say he or she “uses” it rather than is “confined” to it. For additional guidance, contact Disability Accommodations & Support Services at 805-437-8510.

 doctoral titles

Use “Doctorate” or “doctoral degree” when referencing within a sentence. To identify a person’s academic degree, include a comma after the person’s last name followed by “Ph.D.” or “Ed.D.” on first reference only. Refer to “academic degrees” for other abbreviations.

To avoid confusion, only use “Dr.” when referring to a person who is a physician or medical doctor, except in direct quotes.

Examples:

• Professor John Smith, Ph.D.
• Professor Jane Doe has a doctorate degree in anthropology.
• “Dr. Smith was very helpful in expanding my knowledge about mathematics.”

Dolphins

The University’s mascot is the Dolphin and should be capitalized when specifically referring to the University’s mascot.

Example: Cal State Channel Islands students cheered for the Dolphins during their Lacrosse game.

dorm(s)

Do not use “dorm.” Residence Hall is the preferred term.

EchoCI

The name of the University’s web content management system. Always one word and capitalize the “E” and “CI.”

 Ekho

The University’s Dolphin mascot is named Ekho, spelled with a ‘k,’ and is non-gender specific. Avoid using pronouns such as “him” or “her.”

Example: Ekho attended the grand opening for Gateway Hall, a new building on campus.

 email

Do not hyphenate the word “email.” However, a hyphen should be used with “e-book,” “e-business,” “e-newsletter,” and “e-commerce.” On web pages, email addresses should be embedded in the text to link to a student, faculty or staff member. Lowercase the email address.

Example: jane.smith@csuci.edu

emeritus

A title of honor awarded to select retired administrator or faculty and approved by the University President. Capitalize when used before a name. Other terms are “emerita” (singular, female) and “emeriti” (plural).

Examples:

• Professor Emeritus Jane Smith
• President Emeritus J. Handel Evans

emphasis

If emphasis is needed for specific text, use bold font or underline for those specific words, but do not use both. Do not use all uppercase.

endowed chair

A faculty member whose position was created by external gifts or grants. Always lowercase both words unless used as part of a formal title.

Example: Professor John Smith, Endowed Chair of the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics

Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer

Use the statement below in all publications relating to employment at the University:

California State University Channel Islands is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

events

Describe by day of the week, date, time, and place, in that order.

Example: Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2028, at 9 a.m. at the South Quad.

event titles

Capitalize all words for event titles. Use of an ampersand may be used within titles.

Example: Third Annual Film & Animation Screening

exams

It’s not necessary to use examinations. Also, “finals” can be used when appropriate.

farther, further

“Farther” is a measure of distance. “Further” is a measure of time or degrees.

fax

Always lowercase.

fees, tuition

Use the familiar term “tuition” to refer to the cost of instruction. “Fees” generally refer to other charges such as on-campus housing, dining, health, labs, and technology. Use “Tuition and Fees” or “Total Cost” to refer to the total cost.

finals week

Always lowercase.

fiscal years

Fiscal years should include the complete first year, a hyphen and the last two digits of the  ending year.

Example: Planning has begun for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

fonts

The recommended Microsoft heading/title and text typeface for all official documents associated with CSUCI is Verdana or Georgia. Refer to the University’s Brand Guidelines (2026).   

freshman, freshmen, first-year student

Don’t use “frosh” unless in a headline. “Freshman” can be used either as a singular noun or as an adjective. “Freshmen” should only be used as a plural noun. “First-year student” is also an acceptable term for first-year students.

Examples:

• He is a freshman majoring in English.
• She is a first-year student at the University.
• He’ll be living on campus with other freshmen.

fundraising, fundraiser

Always one word and do not use a hyphen.

grades

When referring to a grade someone received, simply use the letter. When referring collectively to grades, do not use an apostrophe to make plural.

Examples:

• He earned a B on his test.
• She settles only for As and Bs. 

grade point average

Do not hyphenate. On second reference and in headlines, use GPA, not G.P.A.

graduate assistant

On second reference, GA is acceptable.

 group designations

The names of specific racial, linguistic, tribal, religious, and other groupings are capitalized.

Example: Commencement activities pay homage to Chumash traditions.

Hall

Always capitalize when referring to official University building names.

Example: Her office is in Sierra Hall.

headlines

Only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized. Headlines should be active and concise. Well-known abbreviations are acceptable. Use surnames in headlines only if they are familiar with the University, e.g. the President’s surname.

hyperlinks

On webpages, hyperlinks should be embedded into the text. On print materials, hyperlinks should be noted as shown in the example. Be careful not to include unnecessary punctuation marks such as commas when hyperlinking text. You can also create short url’s (refer to “short urls”)

Web/Digital Example: Visit Financial Aid for more information.

Print Example: Visit www.csuci.edu/financialaid

internet

Always lowercase.

instructional sites

Instructional sites not located on the main Camarillo campus should be referenced as follows:

• Channel Islands Boating Center
• Santa Rosa Island Research Station

John Spoor Broome Library

On second reference and in headlines, Broome Library is acceptable. The John Spoor Broome Library was designed by world-renowned architect, Lord Norman Foster.

locations

When referring to locations on campus use “at” for outdoor spaces and “in” for indoor spaces.

Examples:

• Commencement will be held at the South Quad.
• The presentation will be held in Malibu Hall, Room 100

list, bullet points

No periods after listed items unless they are complete sentences. If bullet points are sentence fragments, start with lowercase letters. Except for web copy, end the list with a period.

login, log in

The noun is one word, and the verb is two words. Also, the phrase “log in to” should be written with the “in” and “to” as separate words and not “log into.”

magazine names

Capitalize the initial letters of the name but do not italicize nor place it in quotes. Lowercase “magazine” unless it is part of the publication’s formal title. Check the masthead if in doubt.

Examples:

• Harper’s Magazine
• Newsweek magazine
• Channel magazine

major

When referring to an area of study at CSUCI, the word “major” should be lowercase.

Example: He hopes to major in Biology.

Martin V. Smith Center for Integrative Decision-Making

On second reference and in headlines, “MVS Center for Integrative Decision-Making” or “Smith Center” is acceptable.

master’s degree

It should be lowercase when the academic program has not been identified and should include an apostrophe before the “s.” If the academic program is identified, upper case is appropriate, without the apostrophe.

Examples:

• She has a master’s degree.
• He has a Master of Business Administration

 midterm

One word, no hyphen.

Mission Statement

The official mission statement of the University may be used where appropriate: 

Placing students at the center of the educational experience, California State University Channel Islands provides undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives.

more than

Use “more than” instead of “over.”

myCI

Use the word “myCI” when referencing the single point-of-access. The first two letters should always be lowercase and in italics.

newspapers

Do not use italics or quotes.

Examples:

• Ventura County Star
• Los Angeles Times

news release, news conference

Use the word “news” release or “news” conference in place of “press release” or “press conference.” Modern news media is available in various formats other than just press or printed.

numerals

Spell out the numbers one through nine and use numerals for 10 and up. Use figure-word combination with million, billion or trillion and always use numerals for monetary amounts. For numerals, always use commas to separate thousands and millions. Ages are always provided as a number and should include hyphens if used before a noun or substitutes for a noun.  Always spell out numbers that begin a sentence.

Examples:

• Over three days, eight students were cited for parking violations.
• A $1.5 million grant will benefit all students.
• The University has over 5,000 students enrolled.
• A 40-year-old professor was hired for CSUCI’s Business program.
• The new professor is 40 years old.
• Seventy students attended the lecture.

Office of

The only area of the University that may use “Office of” preceding the area or unit name is Office of the President. All other areas or units may use the word “office” in lowercase after the name of their respective area (note: an exception is the Registrar’s Office).

Example: Contact the Marketing & Communications office for more information.

off campus, off-campus

“Off campus” is a noun. “Off-campus” is an adjective.

Examples:

• He lives off campus.
• They live in an off-campus house.

 online

Always one word and lowercase.

orientation

Lowercase in general uses, capitalize if describing an event.

Examples:

• The first-year students attended Island View Orientation.
• Transfer students are encouraged to attend orientation.

party affiliations

Always capitalized, whether used as a noun or adjective.

Examples:

• He’s a Democrat.
• She’s the Republican candidate.

PDF

All caps and acceptable in all references for Portable Document Format.

percent

Use of the symbol % is allowed with numerals.

Examples:

• Based on the students who attended the event, 75% responded to the survey.
• 75% (when used in financials or tables)

people

When identifying people within articles or publications, use their full name on first reference and their last name on second/subsequent references.  “He” and “she” can also be used as appropriate on subsequent references, as well as noting preferred gender-neutral pronouns such as they, them, theirs.

Exceptions to the above:

• If an article includes two or more people with the same last name, use first names on second/subsequent references. 
• In direct quotes, use the name as referenced by the speaker.
  1. Examples: “John was instrumental in helping to establish scholarships,” said Jane Smith.
  2. “Dr. Smith was extremely helpful and also mentored me,” stated Jane Doe.
• News releases should always use last names on second reference.

philanthropy, philanthropic

Use “philanthropy” as a noun for the act of doing a good deed.  Do not use “philanthropic” as an adjective for a specific event.

photo or video credits

For photographs or video taken by CSUCI staff and provided to news outlets or publications not associated with the University, they should be attributed as: “Courtesy of Cal State Channel Islands.”

portals

Acceptable branding of CSUCI portals/applications can include “CI” such as myCI, CI Records, CI Financials, CI Learn, EchoCI, etc.

President

Capitalize when referring to the University’s President and use his/her full title on first reference.  On second reference use “President.”

Examples:

• Cal State Channel Islands President John Smith attended the event.
• The President welcomed students and their parents.

pre-finals week

Use this reference instead of “dead week.”

program

Always lowercase “program” when identifying areas of study.

Example: The Art program invites students to apply for exhibit space.

pronouns

Identifying a person’s preference for a gender-neutral pronoun should be accommodated as requested by the individual in both digital and print materials. Plural pronouns such as they, them, or their, in most cases, can be reworded to provide clarity to the reader. Use of a gender-neutral pronoun should also be noted as an individual’s preference.

quotation marks, punctuation

A period or comma is always placed within the quotation marks. The dash, the semicolon, the question mark and the exclamation point are placed within the quotation marks when they apply to the quoted material only; place outside when they apply to the entire sentence.

ranking(s)

Follow the same format for numerals. The use of superscript can be used for rankings.

Example: The program is ranked 4^th in the nation and improving from last year’s 12^th place.

resident assistant

On second reference and in headlines, “RA” is acceptable. Plural is “RAs.”

recess

The word “recess” should be used lowercase when identifying Spring recess

Room numbers

List in this format: Bell Tower, Room 2550.

 RSVP

When requesting the favor of a reply, always capitalize “RSVP” and use “to” when responding to a person, or “at” when responding to a web address.

Examples:

• Guests may RSVP to Jane Smith at 805-437-8400.
• Guests may RSVP at www.csuci.edu/event

said, says

In general, “says” is preferred for attribution. “Says” or “said” is a neutral word and allows the reader to focus on the quote. Other words such as “acknowledges,” “claims,” “contends,” and “states,” carry more meaning and can apply bias to a story. Different publications have different guidelines concerning the use of “said” versus “says.” News releases generally use “said.”

semester or session

Always lowercase “semester” or “session.”

Examples:

• Fall semester
• Spring semester
• Summer session 

Santa Rosa Island Research Station (SRIRS)

A research station on Santa Rosa Island is part of the Channel Islands National Park and is administered in partnership with the National Park Service.  The official name of the research station is: Santa Rosa Island Research Station – A California State University Channel Islands Undergraduate Research Campus. “SRIRS” is acceptable on second reference.

sat^hwiwa

The Chumash mountain sat^hwiwa is an iconic landmark overlooking the campus.

semicolon

In general, use the semicolon to indicate a greater separation of thought and information than a comma can convey, but less than the separation a period implies. To clarify a series, use semicolons to separate elements of a series when the items in the series are long or when individual segments contain material that also must be set off by commas. Note that the semicolon is used before the final “and” in such a series.

Example: Professor Smith is survived by his spouse Mary Smith of Ventura; and two daughters, Jane Smith of Oxnard; and Mary Smith of Camarillo.

spacing

Use a single space at the end of a sentence after a period, question mark, or exclamation point.

spokesperson

Use “spokesperson” not “spokesman” or “spokeswoman.” Capitalize before a name if part of a formal title or lowercase if after a name.

Examples:

• Spokesperson Mary Smith clarified the events leading up to the first day of the  Fall semester.
• Mary Smith, spokesperson for CSUCI, provided an update to reporters.

Strategic Plan

Capitalize both words when part of a title and lowercase on second reference.

student identification

In a typical situation, identify student sources by first and last name, class standing, and academic program on first reference. Include age and hometown in news releases or as pertinent to the context of the text. Identify faculty sources by name, academic title, and academic program on first reference.

Examples:

• John Doe, a junior majoring in Business, was named student of the year.
• Jane Smith, 22, from Camarillo, is a senior majoring in Anthropology.
• Jane Doe, Professor of Biology

syllabus

The plural is “syllabi.”

systemwide

Use lowercase and as one word when referring to the CSU systemwide system.

telephone numbers, extensions

Always include the area code and use numerals with hyphens and without parentheses. When identifying University telephone extensions within internal communications abbreviating the word “extension” as “ext.” is acceptable.

Examples:

• 805-437-8400
• ext. 8400

Thanksgiving break

Avoid usage. Use Fall break.

theatre, theater

Use “theatre” except for news releases. Within news releases, follow AP Stylebook, which is “theater” on general reference unless “theatre” is part of a proper noun or formal name.

thesis

The plural is “theses.”

time elements

Use “a.m.” or “p.m.” and do not add an extra period at the end of a sentence ending in “a.m.” or “p.m.” Use “midnight” or “noon” rather than 12 a.m. or 12 p.m.

titles

Institutional titles or academic titles are preferred. Titles should always be capitalized before or after a name (note: this is an exception to the AP Stylebook). If identifying titles for individuals not associated with the University, those titles should be lowercase.

Academic titles include Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, and Lecturer. It is important to be specific when identifying a faculty member by academic rank. When describing the nature of a faculty member’s employment, use of one of four terms is preferred: tenured, tenure track, full-time lecturer, or part-time lecturer.

Institutional titles include: Vice President for, Associate Vice President for, Assistant Vice President for, Senior Executive Director of, Senior Director of, Director of, or Manager of.

Vice Presidents, Associate or Assistant Vice Presidents should include the word “for” within their title.  All other institutional titles should include the word “of” as part of the title.

Examples:

• Jane Smith, Vice President for University Advancement
• Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management John Lopez
• Joe Smith, Senior Executive Director of Faciliites Services

University

Capitalize the word “University” when specifically referring to Cal State Channel Islands or when formally representing the entire University as an educational institution. Otherwise, if referring to any university, the word should be lowercase.

Examples:

• It was a year of historic firsts for our University.
• The key to a successful university is its curriculum.

short urls

Only short url’s should use “go.csuci.edu/xxx” and should include a one- or two-word description after the /

Vice President

Always capitalize both words when they appear before or after a name, and never hyphenate.

Examples:

• Vice President for Student Affairs Jane Smith attended the conference.
• Jane Smith, Vice President for Student Affairs attended the conference.

WSCUC Accreditation

Use the statement below when referring to the University’s accreditation:

California State University Channel Islands is accredited by the Western Association of Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

web

Short form of World Wide Web, always lowercase. It is a service, or set of standards, that enables the publishing of multimedia documents on the internet.

web addresses

Do not use “http://” when listing website addresses, either in print or digitally.

website

One word, lowercase. Also, “webcam,” “webcast,” “webinar,” and “webpage.”

Wi-Fi

The name for wireless networking standards is spelled with two capital letters and a hyphen.

Zip code

Not “Zip Code” or “zip code.”