Writing Style Guide

 

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A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z 

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A

A-State

Most common reference for the Jonesboro campus of Arkansas State University.  This usage is preferred as second reference after the full institution name, rather than the acronym “ASU.”  A-State is represented graphically by the “block A-State” logo.

academic degrees

When using abbreviations to describe the academic degrees a person holds, use: B.A., M.A., D.O., Ph.D., etc. (for a full list of all degrees offered, consult the university website, "Degree programs")

The degrees conferred by A-State are associate, bachelor, master's and doctorate. 

A person receives a doctorate (as a noun) and holds a doctoral (the adjective) degree.

academic departments

Capitalize the formal names of academic departments: Department of Chemistry, Department of English.
Do not capitalize names of academic departments (except language departments) that begin with the subject: chemistry department, English department.

academic majors

Lowercase academic majors except proper nouns: history, East Asian studies, English, international relations.

academic titles

Arkansas State uses Dr. as a courtesy title for a person holding any doctoral degree whether Ph.D., Ed.D. or juris doctorate.  This is used on first reference in articles; with second and subsequent reference, revert to AP Style, usually last name only.

Do not use: “Dr. John Smith, Ph.D.” It is either Dr. John Smith or John Smith, Ph.D.
Do not use double titles: "Chancellor Dr. John Doe“ is never correct.

acronyms

Acronyms are acceptable on first reference only when the acronym is common knowledge such as FBI . Do not use SGA or SAB without first spelling out the Student Government Association or Student Activities Board.

Spell out names on first reference, use acronym on second reference: He received a grant from the National Institutes of Health. The NIH is one of the world’s foremost research centers. Or: He received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

acting, former

Don’t capitalize in a formal name as part of a title. She said acting Dean John Doe would be there. He introduced former A-State President John Doe.

addresses, buildings and facilities

Street addresses for the campus buildings are available online .

adviser, not advisor

Administration, Arkansas State

Dr. Todd Shields	Chancellor (chancellor@AState.edu)	Admin 201
Dr. Calvin White Jr.	Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor (provost@AState.edu)	Admin 202
Dr. Russ Hannah	Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer (rhannah@AState.edu	Admin 222
Dr. Chris Boothman	Vice Chancellor for Distance Education and Technology and Chief Information Officer (cboothman@AState.edu)	Admin 233
Dr. Erika Krennerich Chudy	Vice Chancellor for University Advancement (echudy@AState.edu)	Cooper Alumni Center
Dr. Carlitta Moore	Vice Chancellor, Access and Institutional Engagement (camoore@AState.edu)	Educational Leadership
Jeff Purinton	Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics (jpurinton@astate.edu)	First National Bank Arena
Dr. Martha Spack	Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students (mspack@AState.edu)	Student Union
Todd Clark	Chief Marketing and Communications Officer (tclark@AState.edu)	Admin 103
Dr. Will McLean	Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Relations (wmclean@AState.edu)	Admin 202
Dr. Travis Marsico	Vice Provost for Research, Innovation and discovery and Executive Director of Arkansas Biosciences Institute (tmarsico@AState.edu)	Library 606
Lindsay Burnett	Executive Director of Alumni Relations (lburnett@AState.edu)	Cooper Alumni Center
Dr. Amanda Mohler	President of Faculty Senate (amohler@AState.edu)	Eugene W. Smith Hall
Ian Buchanan	President of Staff Senate (ibuchanan@astate.edu)	Advising Center

African-American

Preferred term for referring to an American black person of African descent.

all-, All- 

In the generic, use all-state, all-district, all-Arkansas, all-American. When used in proper names of teams, capitalize Sun Belt All-Conference, AP All-America, etc.

alma mater

Use lowercase when describing the college one attended.
Uppercase is reserved for the song and is placed in quotes: "Alma Mater."

Alma Mater (song)

The title of the song commonly known as the "Alma Mater," is "Hail to ASU," credited to Dr. H. C. Manor, with text revisions by Dr. Arthur Krida.  Manor and Krida were faculty members.

alumna, alumnae, alumni, alumnus

alumna - singular, female
alumnae - plural, women only
alumni - plural, men only or men and women
alumnus - singular, male
alum - singular, male or female; appropriate only in informal contexts

apartments

Collegiate Park Apartments (for upper level students)

Red Wolf Den Apartments (for upper level students)

Village Apartments (for graduate and non-traditional students, married students and single parents)

A-State Alumni Association

Organization with more than 90,000 former students.  Lifetime membership is called "1924 Sustaining Life Member."

Arch — see Memorial Arch

Arkansas Biosciences Institute at Arkansas State University 

(proper name)

The Arkansas Biosciences Institute (ABI) is an agricultural and medical research consortium dedicated to improving the health of Arkansans. Arkansas State is one of the participating institutions, along with Arkansas Children’s Hospital, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, University of Arkansas, and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Arkansas General Assembly

The proper name of the legislative branch for the state government of Arkansas. (There is no such entity as the Arkansas Legislature.) The General Assembly consists of an upper branch, the Arkansas State Senate (with 35 members), and a lower branch, the Arkansas House of Representatives (with 100 members).

Arkansas State University Heritage Sites (see entry Heritage Sites, Arkansas State)

Arkansas State University System

The Arkansas State University System serves more than 37,000 students as the second-largest higher education system in Arkansas, with campuses in Arkansas cities of Arkadelphia, Beebe, Jonesboro, Mountain Home, Newport and West Memphis.  Additional instructional sites are located in other Arkansas communities. See "Appendix A" for ASU System style guide.

Arkansas'

Singular possessive, proper name.

ASU

See A-State.

ASU Loyalty Song

This is the official name of the song more commonly called the "Fight Song."

ASU-TV (proper name)

award, fellowship, scholarship

Capitalize when used with a formal name. Lowercase when referring to more than one formally named award, scholarship or fellowship.

athletics

A-State is NCAA Division I in the Sun Belt Conference with 16 intercollegiate sports. In football only, A‑State is Bowl Championship Subdivision; BCS on first reference is acceptable.

Athletics Department

Athletic Department is incorrect.

B

baccalaureate

bachelor of arts, bachelor of science

See academic degrees for guidelines.

Black

Not preferred; see entry for African American.

Board of Trustees

Capitalize, use board after first reference. Also, see “Arkansas State University System” style guide (Appendix A) for additional guidance.

Building names, major features, campus landmarks and abbreviations

Always uppercase. (May be abbreviated in campus announcements.)

Administration Building	Houses the Chancellor's Office; administrative offices for Academic Affairs and Research, Finance and Administration, Student Affairs; Global Initiatives; and Marketing and Communications. Opened: 1964     Size: 40,962 Sq.Ft.
Administration Annex	Accounts payable office of the division of Finance and Administration. Opened: 1970     Size: 3,238 Sq.Ft.
Aggie Apartments	Student-occupied apartments northwest of intersection of Aggie Road and Marion Berry Parkway. Acquired: 2015     Size: 40,962 Sq.Ft.
Aggie Circle	Area where the eastern portion of Aggie Road into the campus ends and turns back the opposite direction, including a flag plaza and Tiago, the red wolf statute.
Agriculture Building	Houses the College of Agriculture, including the academic and research programs and the dean's office.
Allison Field	The football field in Centennial Bank Stadium, named by action of the Board of Trustees Dec. 11, 2017
Arkansas Hall	Five-story suite-style residence hall for 350 male students, primarily first-year and overflow upperclassmen. Opened: 1962     Size: 86,575 Sq.Ft.
Arkansas Biosciences Institute	Arkansas Biosciences Institute, a consortium of five institutions, including A-State, conducts research in agriculture and medicine order to improve the health of Arkansans. Opened: 2004     Size: 102,049 Sq.Ft.
Arkansas State University Museum	A-State Museum interprets the history and culture of the Northeast Arkansas region and serves as a vital educational resource to the university community and area schools. Opened: 1933, moved to current space in 1980     Size: 40,962 Sq.Ft.
Aspen Building	One of the buildings in the Village (see Village Apartment entry) designated as International Graduate Living-Learning Community.
Band Auxiliary	Sometimes called percussion annex . . . rehearsal space for instrumental music students. Opened: 1987     Size: 1,214 Sq.Ft.
Baptist Collegiate Ministry	Student center for students affiliated with or interested in the Southern Baptist Church. Opened: 1964     Size: 40,962 Sq.Ft.
Baseball Complex (Tomlinson Stadium/Kell Field and Baseball Administration)	Home for A-State's intercollegiate baseball program; Tomlinson Stadium is named for J.A. "Ike" Tomlinson, former coach, and Kell Field honors George Kell, program benefactor and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer. Opened: 1993     Building Size: 9,949 Sq.Ft.
Bearitage Farms Field Station	Biological sciences research facility, donated by the late Scott House, at the Cross/Poinsett County border. Opened: 2009     Size: 1,339 Sq.Ft.
Beck Center for Veterans	Beck Center for Veterans, established through the generosity of Charlotte and Buddy Beck, assists combat wounded veterans with educational programs and services at A-State and helps these individuals achieve their post-military service goals. Now located in the Administration Annex, just south of the Griffin College of Business.
Bookout Plaza	Campus landscape feature and traffic circle at the south end of the north-south academic quad and flagpoles for the U.S. flag, Arkansas flag and A-State flag.  Named in honor of former State Senator Jerry Bookout.
Bradbury Art Museum	See Fowler Center, Bradbury Art Museum
Neil Griffin College of Business Building	Houses the academic programs and some outreach activities for the Neil Griffin College of Business, including management, marketing, economics, finance, law, computer information technology, accounting and supply chain management. Opened: 1939 (for other purposes)     Size: 53,276 Sq.Ft.
Johnny Cash Boyhood Home	Part of the Arkansas State Heritage Sites program, restored as it appeared when it was the boyhood home of country musician Johnny Cash. Renovated and re-opened with Historic Dyess Administration Building and Dyess Colony Museum, Aug. 16, 2014 Size:       Sq.Ft.
Centennial Bank Athletics Operations Center	Opened in August 2019 at north end of Centennial Bank Stadium.  Named by action of the Board of Trustees, Dec. 11, 2017
Centennial Bank Stadium	Football stadium where Red Wolves compete.  Capacity is 30,406.  Features Johnny Allison Tower. Opened: 1974; Renovated and Expanded: 2015 Size (enclosed spaces): 70,561 Sq.Ft. Official seating capacity: 30,406 (Facility includes 42 loge boxes, 20 suites, a club area covering close to 8,000 square feet, and 344 club seats in its revenue-generating areas.
Center for No-Boundary Thinking	The mission of the CNBT, based in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, is to develop human infrastructure at the frontier of bioinformatics, advanced data science, and artificial intelligence, as part of its broader mission to address research challenges without the boundary of disciplines.  Approved by Board of Trustees, March 6, 2020.
Chancellor’s Residence	Residence for the university chancellor and his family, often used for receptions and special events that build constituent relations. Acquired: 1940     Size: 7,539 Sq.Ft.
Chemical Storage Building	Opened: 1988     Size: 1,025 Sq.Ft.
Chi Omega Fraternity Fountain	A campus landmark west of the Reng Student Union, the Chi Omega Fraternity Fountain was dedicated by the women of Chi Omega on Oct. 16, 2004.
Childhood Development and Research Center I	This a public learning place for play and exploration for children six months through kindergarten age; some financial assistance available for qualified families. Opened: 2007     Size: 13,419 Sq.Ft.
Childhood Development and Research Center II	This a public learning place for play and exploration for children six months through kindergarten age; some financial assistance available for qualified families. Opened: 2015     Size: 15,882 Sq.Ft.
Childhood Services	A community service outreach of the College of Education which provides specialized professional development for educators and staff of licensed youth development facilities statewide. Opened: 2002     Size: 9,572 Sq.Ft.
The Circle	The new public-private partnership graduate residence hall complex on Aggie Road, just west of the Military Science Building.  Named in honor of The Circle, the group of African American faculty and administrators who lived in the area and played prominent roles in efforts to desegregate the university – Dr. Wilbert Gaines, Dr. Mossie Richmond, Dr. C. Calvin Smith and Dr. Herman Strickland – and their wives. Individual buildings are designated as Gaines Hall, Richmond Hall, Smith Hall and Strickland Hall. Opened: fall 2017       Capacity: 178 beds
Collegiate Park	Collegiate Park is comprised of six residential buildings housing 334 students in various room configurations. A centrally located clubhouse features recreational facilities. Opened: 1999     Size: 124,136 Sq.Ft. Clubhouse opened: 2000     Size: 5,039
Communications and Education Building	See Education/Communications Building
Computer Science and Mathematics Building	Houses academic departments for students majoring in mathematics, statistics, computer science and related subjects. Opened: 1936 (for other purposes)     Size: 25,274 Sq.Ft. Renovated: 1986
Convocation Center	See First National Bank Arena
Cooper Alumni Center	Named for alumni benefactors Darrell and Charlotte Pugh Cooper, this center houses facilities of the Arkansas State University Alumni Association. Opened: 2006     Size: 23,501 Sq.Ft.
Delta Center for Economic Development	This center coordinates Arkansas State University’s economic development outreach services and provides a comprehensive approach to serving the businesses, governments, and citizens of Arkansas. Opened: 2009     Size: 28,852 Sq.Ft. Related facility in Industrial Park: 1987    15,068 Sq.Ft.
Dyess Colony Administration Building	Part of the Arkansas State Heritage Sites program. This building was the administrative headquarters for the Depression-era project that gave farm families an opportunity to start anew with a plot of land and a small house. Opened: 1935; Renovated and re-opened with Historic Dyess Colony Museum, Aug. 16, 2014 Size: 6,269 Sq.Ft.
Dyess Colony Visitors Center	Previously the theatre and "pop shop," this prominent feature of Colony Circle has been rebuilt as the Dyess Colony Visitors Center.  This was phase two of the master plan for the Dyess Colony restoration, an Arkansas State University Heritage Sites project. Opened: May 21, 2016
Education and Leadership Studies	Houses department office and faculty offices for Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Special Education. Opened: 1954 (for other purposes)   Size: 27,892 Sq.Ft.
Education and Communications Building	Houses the academic programs and deans' offices for the College of Media and Communication and the College of Education and Behavioral Science. Opened: 1983    Size: 94,800 Sq.Ft.
Ellis House	Named in honor of Dean B. Ellis, who with his family donated the property to the university, Ellis House is in transition with utilization to be announced. Opened: 1966    Size: 7,185 Sq.Ft.
Dean B. Ellis Library	Dean B. Ellis Library, named for benefactor and former mathematics and physics professor Dean B. Ellis, is prominently located in an eight-story building that overlooks the campus quadrangle.  It functions as an educational resource center for the entire university community.  A tower, featuring a bell chime system and clock, tops the library, making it readily visible from a wide area around the Arkansas State University campus.  From ground to the roof peak of the tower is 171.5 feet.  The original building opened in 1964; the expansion and tower were dedicated by the President of the United States in 1995.  The eighth floor has been reconfigured in 2020 and is now designated as Faculty Club Level. Opened: 1994 (as now configured)     Size: 275,544 Sq.Ft. on 8 levels
Environmental Health and Safety	The ERF, in association with the Environmental Sciences Program, offers multidimensional graduate and undergraduate research opportunities, especially interdisciplinary projects, in a multi-user laboratory certified by the US. Environmental Protection Agency. Opened: 1993    Size: 9,572 Sq.Ft.
Engineering/Lab Sciences West	Houses classrooms and laboratories for programs in engineering and sciences. Opened: 1987     Size: 85,844 Sq.Ft.
Equine Center (Garry Meadows Arena)	A 40-acre complex that includes a covered arena named for project benefactor Garry Meadows, along with a 52-stall barn, all amenities, areas for riding instruction and a classroom. Opened: 1999    Arena Size: 49,500 Sq.Ft.; Stall barn: 21,750 Sq.Ft.
Facilities Management	Department that is responsible for the operation and continuous maintenance of the university’s physical facilities, as well as assistance with planning and construction of new resources. Opened: 1994    Size: 108,429 Sq.Ft.
University Farm: Agricultural Teaching and Research Center	Instructional facilities for agricultural programs, along with storage areas, on the east side of the campus.   Calf barn   Opened: 1966    Size: 7,185 Sq.Ft. Classroom building   Opened: 1985    Size: 3,600 Sq.Ft. Exhibition space    Opened: 1986    Size: 11,412 Sq.Ft. Loafing    Opened: 1986    Size: 7,518 Sq.Ft. Feed mill    Opened: 1986    Size: 7,840 Sq.Ft. Greenhouses (2)    Opened: 1992    Size: 6,912 Sq.Ft. Petting Zoo (see Nix entry)   Opened: 1970    Size: 7,344 Sq.Ft. Plant science education   Opened: 1980    Size: 13.970 Sq.Ft. Sheep barn     Opened: 1980    Size: 1,248 Sq.Ft. Swine complex, farrowing    Opened: 2001    Size: 1,254 Sq.Ft. Finishing    Opened: 1980    Size: 1,824 Sq.Ft. Nursery    Opened: 1980    Size: 1,408 Sq.Ft.
Fine Arts Center	Houses academic programs in art and music, along with art gallery and recital hall. Opened: 1966    Size: 62,434 Sq.Ft.
Fine Arts Annex	Art Department facility for instruction in sculpture, ceramics and graphic design. Opened: 1936 (former print shop and journalism)   Size: 14,143 Sq.Ft.
Fine Arts foundry	Area utilized by Art Department. Opened: 1969    Size: 1,266 Sq.Ft.
First National Bank Arena	Features multi-purpose arena, meeting facilities, auditorium, and Athletics Administration offices.  Opened: 1987     Size: 207,507 Sq.Ft.
Football Administration Fieldhouse	Three-story complex in the south end zone of Centennial Bank Stadium includes the Charles Luter Family Academic Success Center, the Bill Templeton Recruiting Room, Larry Lacewell Locker Room, Boe and Myrna Adams Strength And Conditioning Facility, Dr. Tim and Terri Langford Sports Medicine Center, and administrative offices. Opened: 2002    Size: 22,235 Sq.Ft.
Fowler Center	Fowler Center, named for benefactors Wallace and Jama Fowler, is a multi-space center for visual and performing arts, especially music and dramatic arts, with associated reception and dining areas.  Major features include Bradbury Art Museum; Riceland Hall, which seats 970; the drama theatre, which seats 350; the black box theatre; and the Grand Hall, a reception and banquet area. Opened: 2001    Size: 78,770 Sq.Ft.
Fowler Center, Bradbury Art Museum	Contemporary art exhibition space, named for Chucki and Curt Bradbury of Little Rock. Spaces within the 5,200 square-foot museum include: Kays Gallery, endowed in 2016 through a gift from Kays Foundation. Vaughn Gallery, endowed in 2016 through a gift from the estate of Jim and Wanda Lee Vaughn, who were educators, alumni, and longtime supporters of the university. Windgate Gallery, recognizing the support from the Windgate Foundation. Pardew Gallery, recognizing Ambassador James W. Pardew and his wife Mary K. Pardew.
Fowler Center, Drama Theatre	Designed as an intimate space, the 344-seat home for A-State Theatre productions features stepped seating to maximize sight lines and is acoustically designed for spoken performances and presentations.
Fowler Center, Grand Hall	Endowed through a gift by the family of the late Geoffrey Pugh, businessman who operated Jonesboro Appliance Center for many years and was a longtime supporter of A-State athletics, the Grand Hall features an elliptical ceiling with a large light rope chandelier, creating a gathering place unlike any other in the region.
Fowler Center, Riceland Hall	Named in honor of Riceland Foods, Inc., this 970-seat auditorium is acoustically designed for music functions, spoken presentations and public forums, and is home to the endowed “Riceland Distinguished Presentation Series.”
Fowler Center, The Simpson Theatre	Also called an experimental teaching theatre, the Simpson Theatre features a very flexible, functional layout that is determined by the users.  The name, adopted in 2016, recognizes the contributions of Bob and Molly Simpson to the theatre program.
Greek Village	Includes Sorority Row, with five houses, and fraternity houses on the east side of the campus south of Aggie Road and along University Loop. For details on which fraternities and sororities are housed on campus, see the "Fraternities and sororities" entry. Sorority houses were dedicated in fall of 2013.
Health, Physical Education & Sport Sciences Complex (HPESS)	Sports facilities, including pool, classrooms and exercise labs for majors in health, physical education and sport sciences, along with department office. Opened: 1975    Size: 127,965 Sq.Ft.
Honors Living-Learning Community (HLLC)	A four-building residential facility housing 323 students in the Honors College. Opened: 2009    Size: 84,066 Sq.Ft.
Honors Living-Learning Classroom	Classroom adjacent to Honors Living-Learning Community. Opened: 2009    Size: 3,205 Sq.Ft.
Curt Huckaby Field	Home field for A-State rugby, a club sport.  Located in Red Wolves Sports Park off Red Wolf Trail. Named by action of the Board of Trustees on May 13, 2016, in recognition of the program's founder and first coach, Curt Huckaby of Jonesboro.
Humanities and Social Sciences Building	Four-story instructional building, among the five largest in the state, opened in the summer of 2015.  It houses programs in the humanities and social sciences, including criminology, English, heritage studies, history, philosophy, political science, sociology and world languages. Opened: 2015    Size: 137,200 Sq.Ft.
Information Technology Services	Unit that provides internet and computing technology and support services. Opened: 2001    Size: 24,469 Sq.Ft.
Innovation System, A-State	A-State Innovate is located in three different Jonesboro locations: The Garage, at 611 University Loop West, a maker space/collaboration space; The Shop at 5501 Krueger Drive, a machine shop/woodshop that will be located on the ASU-Newport-Jonesboro campus; and The Lab at 504 University Loop West, a research facility and business incubator operated by the Arkansas State University Research and Development Institute (RDI) located in the Arkansas Biosciences Institute (ABI).
International English Studies Building	Houses Office of International Student Services, which supports the international student population, and the English Learning Academy, which offers tutoring and academic assistance with language-related challenges to all undergraduate and graduate international students, along with the English as a Second Language program. Opened: 1954 (as residence hall)    Size: 25,805 Sq.Ft. Renovated for current use, 2011
Johnny Cash Boyhood Home	Highlight of the historic Dyess Colony, an Arkansas State University Heritage Sites project. Opened: 1935    Size: 1,261 Sq.Ft.
Judd Hill Center, home of the ASU System Foundation, Inc.	Judd Hill Center, named for benefactor Judd Hill Foundation, houses ASU Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that receives and administers private gifts in support of educational programs associated with campuses in the ASU System. Opened: 2006    Size: 6,603 Sq.Ft.
Judd Hill Farmers' Market	Sponsored by College of Agriculture and Technology along with other local entities, the Judd Hill Farmers' Markets is named for benefactor Judd Hill Foundation. Located on the east side of the campus, the market provides a place for bringing together buyers and sellers of local produce and other products. It includes an open-air market pavilion and a new building which opened in August 2023. The new building adds indoor spaces, classroom facilities and other amenities to significantly expand the market operations. The name was adopted by Board resolution on March 12, 2021.
Kays Hall	Eleven-story residence hall, built in the mid-1960s, and named for the institution's founding president, V.C. Kays.  Houses first-year students, segregated by gender, with men on south wing and women on north wing of each floor. From the lobby floor to the top of the penthouse level is 122 feet. Opened: 1966    Size: 117,371 Sq.Ft.
Kays House	1930s-era Tudor-style residence of the president of Arkansas State College (pre-university), V.C. Kays and his wife Bertie.  The three-level house, now listed in the National Register of Historic Places, has been renovated and restored as an A-State Heritage Site and for purposes associated with the Governor Mike Beebe Economic Development & Education Institute. Opened: 1930s    Size: 5,337 Sq.Ft.
Laboratory Sciences Center, East Wing	Houses classrooms and laboratories for programs in the life sciences. Opened: 1968    Size: 87,484 Sq.Ft.
Laboratory Sciences Center, West Wing	Houses classrooms and laboratories for programs in the physical sciences. Opened: 1987    Size: 85,844 Sq.Ft.
Lakeport Plantation	Antebellum cotton plantation residence, an Arkansas State University Heritage Sites project in Chicot County. Opened: 1859    Size: 6,835 Sq.Ft. Related Classroom   Opened: 1987    Size: 3,934 Sq.Ft.
Learning Commons	Located on the first floor of the Ellis Library, the Learning Commons provides learning support and assistance for students. Learning specialists from First-Year Experience and the English Department, academic coaches, learning group leaders, and peer tutors assist students who are struggling in their coursework, students who simply lack confidence in their learning skills or performance, as well as academically self-assured students who are processing their understanding of course concepts.  The flexible design of the commons allows study groups to meet in open study areas and have immediate access to staff and all of the resources of the library.
Charles Luter Family Academic Success Center	Located at south end of Centennial Bank Stadium and operated by Department of Athletics. Opened: 1980      Size: 19,325 Sq.Ft.
Memorial Arch	The Memorial Arch on the campus quadrangle at Arkansas State was erected as a class gift by the Training School Class of 1927, 40 years before the institution attained university status, as a symbolic tribute to the students who would follow.  The historic arch and surrounding area were rededicated during A-State’s Centennial in 2009; benches where class time capsules will be placed were added in wide circle.
Lieutenant Colonel Frederick C. Turner Jr. Military Science Building	Formally renamed June 3, 2021, this building houses the Department of Military Science and training facilities. Students in the Reserved Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program are members of the Red Wolf Battalion in the Department of Military Science, which was established in 1936.  Previously known as the National Guard Armory, the building was renamed and changed to university control in 2012 after the National Guard moved to a new facility elsewhere in Jonesboro. A dedication ceremony for the newly renamed building was held Nov. 5, 2021, and retired Lt. Col. Frederick C. Turner Jr. was the honored special guest. Opened: 1956    Size: 53,691 Sq.Ft.
Mohegan	Overlooking the central court of the Carl R. Reng Student Union at Arkansas State University is Mohegan, a statue of a red wolf, placed by the Student Government Association and Student Activities Board as a tribute to A-State’s competitive spirit.  Mohegan is derived from the Cherokee name for wolf; her twin, Rufus, is stationed in the Red WOLF Center. A third red wolf statue, Tiago, is located at Aggie Circle.
Bill and Alice Nix Petting Zoo	Twice-yearly event where children and other visitors may get a close-up look at the animals that are housed at the university farm.
North Parking Deck	Three-level parking deck on north side of campus, adjacent to the Student Union.  The deck accommodates a mix of reserved, metered, and visitor parking.  Opened: 2002     Size: 202,254 Sq.Ft.
Northpark Plaza	Office building housing Parking Services and A-State Online Education Services. Opened: 2004     Size: 8,864 Sq.Ft.
Northpark Quads	Five-building complex accommodating 836 residents in four-bedroom, two-bath suites; a community building with a laundry, kitchen, and meeting rooms is part of the complex. Opened: 2006     Size: 223,520 Sq.Ft.
Northpark Commons	Activity area adjacent to Northpark Quads Opened: 2006     Size: 3,186 Sq.Ft.
Nursing & Health Professions Building	Houses academic programs in nursing, physical therapy, medical imaging and radiation sciences. Opened:  1936 (as a residence hall) Remodeled for educational purposes in 1975 Size: 48,584 Sq.Ft.
PAC Paths	The PAC (Pedestrian and Cyclist) Paths are marked trails on A-State’s roads and multi-use paths through campus.  Designated in spring 2014, the PAC Paths represent 8.1 miles of the campus transportation network and are marked with the “share the road” sharrow symbol.
Pack Place I & II	New public-private partnership undergraduate residential complex on the east side of campus, facing University Loop. Opened: fall 2017      Capacity:  342 beds
Pavilion	Overlooking the campus lake, the Pavilion is a popular location for parties and other casual gatherings for students, staff and faculty. Opened: 1976     Size: 4,363 Sq.Ft.
John V. Phelps and Tom D. Womack Pre-Law Center	An area for students that includes a lounge and a reference and seminar room on the third floor of the Humanities and Social Sciences Building.  Named in honor of prominent attorneys and advocates for higher education John V. Phelps and Tom D. Womack of Jonesboro. Opened: 2017
Red WOLF (Wellness Opportunities and Life Fitness) Center	State-of-the-art recreational facility for intramural sports, fitness classes, nutrition programs, and personal training. Opened: 2010     Size: 115,297 Sq.Ft.
Red Wolf Den	Apartments for upper-level students on north side of campus.  Includes commons area. Opened: 2009     Size: 64,638 Sq.Ft. (commons: 4,153 Sq.Ft.)
Red Wolves Sports Park	Athletics facilities for NCAA track, tennis and soccer; club sports rugby and softball; and intramural softball.  Located on south side of campus.
Carl R. Reng Student Union	Student activities and services, including dining hall, bookstore, meeting spaces, Centennial Hall, auditorium, lounges, food court, admissions, financial aid, career services, Post Office and other facilities are located in this building, which is central to the campus.  Heritage Plaza is the outdoor area to the east. (Portions of the building were built originally as the Carl R. Reng Center in the 1960s). Opened: 2004     Size: 225,363 Sq.Ft.
Residence Life Office and Supply	Support area for Residence Life Opened: 1997     Size: 3,541 Sq.Ft.
Reserve Officers Training Corps Living-Learning Community (ROTC LLC)	Three-story suite-style residential community that houses 50 Reserve Officers’ Training Corp cadets dedicated to improving leadership and unit cohesion. Opened: 2010     Size: 16,458 Sq.Ft.
Donald W. Reynolds Center for Health Sciences	Part of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, the Reynolds Center features state of the art labs and instructional facilities, along with the Speech and Hearing Center. Opened: 2009     Size: 56,045 Sq.Ft.
Riceland Hall	See Fowler Center, Riceland Hall
Rufus	See "Mohegan" entry
Rugby facility	See Huckaby, Curt, Field
St. Bernards-FirstCare	On-campus medical clinic for quick access by students, faculty, staff and community. Opened: 2004
Science, Technology, Education, Mathematics Den Living-Learning Community (STEM Den LLC)	Students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics may elect to live in the STEM Den Community, which has 50 private bedrooms in suite-style arrangement. Opened: 2010     Size: 16,573 Sq.Ft.
Eugene W. Smith Hall	Four-floor classroom, laboratory and office building named in honor of Dr. Eugene W. Smith, the eighth president of Arkansas State University. Opened: 1968 (as Chickasaw Cafeteria)    Size: 62,077 Sq.Ft.
Soccer and Tennis Facility	Building with locker rooms in Red Wolves Sports Park for support of women's NCAA soccer and tennis.  Opened: 2015     Size: 4,047 Sq.Ft.
Sorority Row	Sorority Row is composed of five two-story houses occupied by chapters of national sororities, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Omicron Pi, Chi Omega, Delta Zeta and Zeta Tau Alpha, and housing 20 ladies each. Opened: 2013     Average Size: 8,050 Sq.Ft.
Student Activity Center	Facility with indoor football field for use by various student groups and organizations. Opened: 2015     Size: 77,975 Sq.Ft.
Student Health Center	Offering an array of medical services, the Student Health Center treats minor illnesses and injuries, and provides physical exams, immunizations and health education. Opened: 2004     Size: 6,727 Sq.Ft.
Soccer-Track Complex	Outdoor facilities in the Red Wolves Sports Park for NCAA men's and women's soccer and track program competition. Soccer is played on the track's infield. (This is not to be confused ith intramural track and band practice facility that is just south of Centennial Bank Stadium.) Opened: 2002    Size: 5,172 Sq.Ft.
Tiago	Signifying the formal name of the Mexican state’s main city, Santiago de Queretaro, Tiago was the name  suggested by the students at Campus Queretaro, for the red wolf statue at Aggie Circle, to the Jonesboro-based A-State SGA.
University Hall	This five-story suite-style residence hall accommodates 300 female students. Opened: 1962     Size: 82,400 Sq.Ft.<
University Police Department	The University Police Department protects and serves the campus by enforcing university rules and regulations and federal and state laws, and fosters an atmosphere conducive to education and personal safety. Opened: 1966     Size: 7,109 Sq.Ft.
Village Apartments	The Village apartments include 29 buildings with 191 units for married students, single parents, graduate students, and non-traditional undergraduates who are at least 26 years of age. Building names are species of trees: Alpine, Aspen, Balsa, Birch, Cedar, Cypress, Dogwood, Douglas Fir, Elm, Franklin, Ginkgo, Hickory, Ironwood, Juniper, Katsura, Linden, Magnolia, Ninebark, Oak, Pine, Quince, Raintree, Spruce, Tinne, Umbrella, Virginia, Willow, Yellowwood, Zelcova. Opened: 2002     Size: 182,752 Sq.Ft. total (average of 6,300 Sq. Ft.)
Village Houses	Small houses, designated for married or graduate students, on the east side of campus that were part of a larger group erected in the 1950s.  Most were razed to make way for new undergraduate student housing. Opened: 1950s
Mike Watson Park	Named in memory of Mike Watson, a 1976 graduate and avid A-State fan and tailgater, Mike Watson Park is the tailgating area immediately west of Centennial Bank Stadium. The entryway features the eyes of the Red Wolf, which are illuminated at night.  Watson was a successful businessman who left a portion of his estate to help support A-State Athletics and the Neil Griffin College of Business.
Welcome Center	Formal opening was Aug. 21, 2018.  2400 Aggie Road.  Includes branch of Centennial Bank.
Wesley Foundation	Student center for students affiliated with or interested in the United Methodist Church.
Wilson Counseling Center	The location for student counseling services in a professional and confidential environment. Opened: 1976     Size: 4,151 Sq.Ft.
Wilson Hall	Named in honor of Robert E. Lee Wilson, member of the Board of Trustees from 1917-1933.  As a benefactor of the college in its early development, he provided materials, labor and financial support for various projects, including this building.  Wilson Hall has housed programs in the humanities and social sciences in recent years, but those departments moved out in the summer of 2015.  Renovation was completed in 2016 for use as a new, second site of the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) College of Osteopathic Medicine. Opened: 1932     Size: 86,188 Sq.Ft.   Rededicated: June 2, 2016
Windgate Center for Three-Dimensional Arts	Name approved for new facility built with a grant from Windgate Foundation.  The formal opening and dedication ceemony took place Sept. 13, 2021. Opened: 2021
Wolflife Campus Ministry	Student center for students affiliated with or interested in the Church of Christ.
R.M. "Bob" Wood Sales Leadership Center	Located within the Neil Griffin College of Business, the R.M. "Bob" Wood Sales Leadership Center is dedicated to excellence in sales education, and advancing the personal selling and sales leadership profession.  It is named in memory of R.M. "Bob" Wood, and was created with a major gift from his family.

C

campuses

Use campus or “sister campus” (not “branches”). 

The Arkansas State University System has six campuses: Henderson (in Arkadelphia), ASU-Beebe, A-State (in Jonesboro), ASU-Mountain Home, ASU-Newport, and ASU Mid-South (in West Memphis) and five instructional sites: ASU-Beebe at Heber Springs, ASU-Beebe at Searcy, ASU-Beebe at Little Rock Air Force Base, ASU-Newport at Jonesboro, ASU-Newport at Marked Tree, and Arkansas State Campus Queretaro in Mexico (See entry for more details on Campus Queretaro).

If needed for clarity, specify the campus to which the information refers, such as Arkansas State University-Newport on first reference, then ASU-Newport for second reference. Otherwise, stay with Arkansas State University.  For more detailed guidance, consult Appendix A for Arkansas State University System style guide.

campus-wide

Preferred adjective is campus-wide, as in “The campus-wide event will be observed Thursday.”  However, “Campus wide, the idea is popular."

Campus Queretaro

Established as an instructional site for Arkansas State University, A-State Campus Queretaro is located in the Mexican state of Queretaro outside of the state capital of Queretaro City near the international airport for the region.  It is the first American-style residential campus located in Mexico, and is a public-private partnership of Arkansas State University and the Mexican corporation identified as ASUCQ, A.C.  On first reference, spell out Arkansas State Campus Queretaro, with A-State Campus Queretaro or A-State CQ as second references to the educational operations and campus location.  ASUCQ is only allowed to reference the partner corporation that owns and maintains the physical plant of the campus.  As such, only in limited instances that specifically refer to this Mexican foundation should that term be used.  All other references should be the A-State CQ.  A-State CQ is an instructional site of Arkansas State; it is not a separate campus of the ASU System and should not be referred to as ASU-Q or ASUQ. For more information, go to AState.mx.

Carnegie Classification

At the beginning of 2019, Arkansas State University's Carnegie classification was elevated to "Doctoral Universities, High Research Activity," R2, based upon current level of a minimum of $5 million in research the past two years. Previously A-State was “Master's/regional," M1 classification.

Chancellor

The chief executive of each campus in the Arkansas State University System is the chancellor.  The president is chief executive officer of the Arkansas State University System.

college, academic colleges at A-State

As of the 2023-24 academic year, the colleges through which degrees are granted are:

• College of Agriculture
• Neil Griffin College of Business
• College of Engineering and Computer Science
• College of Liberal Arts and Communication
• College of Education and Behavioral Science
• College of Nursing and Health Professions
• Beck College of Sciences and Mathematics
• University College

Honors College provides a more rigorous program of study, but does not grant degrees.

The Department of Military Science is not a college but is usually listed with the units which offer degree programs.  Students can obtain a minor in military science.

(official) colors

Scarlet and black (not red and black)

Commencement

Fall Commencement is in December, Spring Commencement is in May, and Summer Commencement is in August.

D

dates

Always list dates with day of the week first, followed by a comma then month and day with comma and/or period. Use as follows:
Faculty honors will be Tuesday, June 11, in Fowler Center.
The Faculty Reception will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 5.
Note: See days of week and months of the year for correct style.

days of the week

Always spell out and never abbreviate any of the seven days of the week.

Dean’s List or Chancellor’s List

Uppercase in all uses: She is on the Dean’s List.

Dean B. Ellis Library

Use Dean B. Ellis Library on first reference, use library on second reference. Or, the library lawn.
Ellis Library is acceptable for clarity.

degrees

See academic degrees.

degrees with distinction

Lowercase: cum laude, magna cum laude , and summa cum laude.

department

See academic departments .

Disaster Preparedness Education, Regional Center for

The Regional Center for Disaster Preparedness Education, based in the College of Nursing and Health Professions, is an official regional training center recognized by the American Medical Association and National Disaster Life Support Foundation.

Distinguished Professorships, Chairs and Deans (by College)

College of Agriculture: R. E. Lee Wilson Chair in Agricultural Business Samuel S. Lipscomb Professorship in Agriculture

Neil Griffin College of Business:  McAdams-Frierson Chair in Bank Management  H.B. Foster Bowdon Chair in Accounting Neil Griffin Dean of Business Neil Griffin Professorship in Entrepreneurship  HCJ CPAs & Advisors/Louis and Ann Schaaf Professorship of Accounting Charles and Kay Luter Professorship in Finance Charles and Kay Luter Professorship in Strategic Management McAdams-Frierson Professorship in Bank Management R. M. "Bob" Wood Professorship in Sales Leadership

College of Education and Behavioral Science: Vaughn Professorship in Education and Behavioral Science

College of Engineering and Computer Science:  Beck Professorship in Mechanical Engineering Henry E. & Verbeth D. Coe Professorship in Engineering

College of Liberal Arts and Communication: Vaughn Professorship in Liberal Arts and Communication

College of Nursing and Health Professions: Assisi Endowed Professorship in Nursing (ASU Mid-South) Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Nursing Professorship

Beck College of Sciences and Mathematics: Beck Professorship in Chemistry Vaughn Professorship in Science and Mathematics

doctoral, doctorate

See academic degrees or academic titles.

dorm, dormitory

Do not use; use residence hall.

E

Equine Center (see "Building and Facility Names" for complete names)

Email (AP says no hyphen needed)

Environmental Sciences Ph.D. Program (proper name)

F

Facility names (see "Building and Facility Names")

Faculty Senate (proper name)

fall semester

See semester.

Fight Song 

See entry "ASU Loyalty Song."

First-year, first-time

Use the compound adjective “first-year,” rather than “freshman," to refer to students who are arriving at A-State for their inaugural year.  Examples include: first-year residence hall, the First-Year Experience program, first-year scholarships.  Increasingly students arrive with concurrent credit hours from high school that make them academically sophomore (or second-year) students.  Many programs are directed at these first-time, first-year students, and for clarity, do not use the term “freshman.”.

Fowler Center

In most cases, it is Fowler Center – not "The" or "the Fowler Center." Never use “performing arts” as part of title. Fowler Center contains: (proper names)

• Bradbury Art Museum
• Grand Hall
• The A-State Theatre
• Riceland Hall
• The Simpson Theatre

The Fowler Center Series, ticketed professional performances, includes some presentations that are designated part of the Riceland Distinguished Presentation Series .  The Delta National Small Prints Exhibition is an annual event in the Bradbury Art Museum.

fraternities, sororities

The full, formal name should be used on first reference: Tau Kappa Epsilon . Abbreviations are acceptable on second reference, but avoid nicknames like Pike.

In reference to a fraternity’s or sorority’s building, the word house should be capitalized when it follows the name of the organization: Tau Kappa Epsilon House; fraternity house .

Greek-letter fraternities and sororities that are chapters of national organizations, with their campus charter date and nickname, are listed here; if the group has a house on campus, that is noted:

Fraternities:

• Alpha Gamma Rho, 1973 (AGR), house on Aggie Road near university farm
• Alpha Phi Alpha, 1973 (Alpha)
• Alpha Tau Omega, 1967 (ATO)
• Iota Phi Theta, 2010 (Iota)
• Kappa Alpha, 1967 (KA), house on University Loop
• Kappa Alpha Psi, 1975 (Kappa)
• Kappa Sigma, 2014 (Kappa Sig)
• Lambda Chi Alpha, 1959 (Lambda Chi), house on University Loop.
• Omega Psi Phi, 1973 (Omega or "Ques")
• Phi Beta Sigma, 1979 (Sigma)
• Phi Delta Theta, 2021 (Phi Delt)
• Pi Kappa Alpha, 1948 (Pike), house on University Loop
• Sigma Chi, 1987 (Sigma Chi), house on University Loop
• Tau Kappa Epsilon, 1949, recolonized 2016 (Teke)

Sororities:

• Alpha Gamma Delta, 1948 (Alpha Gam), house on Aggie Road
• Alpha Kappa Alpha, 1973 (AKA)
• Alpha Omicron Pi, 1949 (AOPi), house on Aggie Road
• Chi Omega, 1961 (Chi O), house on Aggie Road
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, 2021 (Delta)
• Delta Zeta, 1991 (DZ), house on Aggie Road
• Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, chapter colonized 2021 (SIA)
• Sigma Gamma Rho, 1999 (SGRho)
• Zeta Phi Beta, 1986 (Zeta)
• Zeta Tau Alpha, 1968, recolonized 2012 (Zeta), house on Aggie Road

Fight Song

Although it is commonly known as the "fight song," the name is "ASU Loyalty Song," credited to George L. "Pop" Hodge.

Freshman, freshmen

The plural form of the noun is freshmen.  However, as an adjective, freshman is always correct.

fund raising (n.), fund-raising (adj.), fund-raiser (n.)

Follow the examples:
Fund raising is difficult.
They planned a fund-raising campaign.
A fund-raiser was hired.

G

grade point average

Use GPA on second reference, but do not use periods in the abbreviation.

Greek letter social organizations (see fraternities, sororities entry)

H

Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center

A program of Arkansas State, the center is the family home of Ernest Hemingway’s second wife, Pauline Pfeiffer. Also located on the grounds is a barn-studio where Hemingway penned portions of one of his most famous novels, “A Farewell to Arms.”

The Matilda and Karl Pfeiffer Foundation Museum opened in May 2004 across the street from Hemingway-Pfeiffer. Although related historically, it is not an Arkansas State University program.

Heritage Sites, Arkansas State

The Arkansas State University Heritage Sites Office develops and operates historic properties of regional and national significance in the Arkansas Delta. These sites provide educational resources for formal and informal learning, including serving as living laboratories for students in the university’s Heritage Studies Ph.D. program. In addition, they serve as economic catalysts in communities where they are located by attracting heritage tourists from around the country. 

A-State Heritage Sites also serves as an administrative agent for Arkansas Delta Byways, the official non-profit regional tourism promotion association serving 15 counties in the Arkansas Delta. These include Arkansas, Chicot, Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Desha, Drew, Greene, Lee, Mississippi, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett and St. Francis counties.

A-State Heritage Sites has been instrumental in developing and promoting two National Scenic Byways that traverse this region: the Crowley’s Ridge Parkway and the Arkansas segment of the 10-state Great River Road, which runs along both sides of the Mississippi River, from its headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to the Gulf of Mexico.

See separate entries for the following:

• Historic Dyess Colony and Boyhood Home of Johnny Cash at Dyess, Mississippi County
• Historic V.C. Kays House
• Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center at Piggott, Clay County
• Lakeport Plantation near Lake Village, Chicot County
• Rohwer Japanese American Relocation Center, at Rohwer, Desha County
• Southern Tenant Farmers Museum at Tyronza, Poinsett County

Heritage Studies Ph.D. Program (proper name) 

Historic Dyess Colony:  Boyhood Home of Johnny Cash (A-State Heritage Site)

A program of A-State’s Arkansas Heritage Sites since 2009, the Historic Dyess Colony:  Boyhood Home of Johnny Cash is under restoration at present. The complex includes the Dyess Administration Building, a Theatre/Community Shell and the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home. Working with the community, Arkansas Heritage Sites' goal is to make this site an international tourism destination. (Note: Note: the town’s name is pronounced “dice” not “dye-ess.”)

Historic V.C. Kays House (A-State Heritage Site)

1930s-era Tudor-style residence of the president of Arkansas State College (pre-university), V.C. Kays and his wife Bertie.  The three-level house, now listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is being renovated for purposes associated with the Governor Mike Beebe Economic Development & Education Institute and A-State Heritage Sites.

Honors College

Student selected to participate in the Honors College enjoy a place to live, a place to learn, and a place to belong, with emphasis on exceptional opportunities for academic and social enrichment.

Howl

See "Mascot" entry.

I

interim

Lowercase in all cases. An interim job title in academia is a position to which a person is appointed between the times an incumbent to a position steps down until a new person is hired to fill that position permanently.

K

KASU (proper name)

KASU is the oldest non-commercial radio station in Arkansas.  KASU-FM is not correct.  KASU, 91.9 FM, is acceptable.

Kays House (see Historic V.C. Kays House)

L

Lakeport Plantation (A-State Heritage Site)

A program of A-State’s Arkansas Heritage Sites, Lakeport Plantation is the only remaining Arkansas antebellum plantation home on the Mississippi River. Built in 1859 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, the Greek Revival structure was gifted to Arkansas State University in 2001 by the Sam Epstein Angel family. After a five-year restoration period, the museum opened to the public.

library

(see Dean B. Ellis Library)

Lecture~Concert Series

A yearly series of performances and guest lectures on the Jonesboro campus.

Lettermen’s Club  is the proper name for the booster organization (not Letterman’s).

M

majors

See academic majors .

mascot

Red Wolves is the nickname for athletic teams. Howl and Scarlet are spirit characters. Howl was introduced at a football game on Sept. 6, 2008.

Memorial Arch

The Memorial Arch is the official name of the iconic historic arch located on the Jonesboro campus. In their will, the members of the Training School Class of 1927 referred to the arch by that name for the concrete structure they had gifted to the institution as a tribute to those who would follow them. Other references to arch or historic arch are lowercase.

months

Abbreviate only Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec. 
The other months are not abbreviated.

N

Nursing and Health Professions, College of

The college facilities include the Nursing and Health Professions Building, the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Health Sciences, and portions of Eugene W. Smith Hall (See "buildings" for details)

NYIT

New York Institute of Technology’s College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University is the medical school that opened in a renovated Wilson Hall in the fall of 2016.  On second reference, it may be called NYITCOM at A-State.  However, if reference is to the main campus at Old Westbury, Long Island, second reference would be simply NYIT.  The COM is a second instructional location of the main NYIT campus.  Do not use branch campus, per guidelines from COCA (the national accrediting agency).  Never refer to COM as belonging to A-State; the COM is co-located with A-State facilities, but it is NYIT's academic unit.  The NYIT editorial style manual also is available here .

O

off-campus (adj.), off campus (adv.)

Hyphenate when used as an adjective: The university is looking at off-campus housing as an option.
Write two words, without hyphenation when used as an adverb: The student moved off campus.
Guidelines are the same for on-campus and on campus .

office

Capitalize when part of a proper name: She submitted her story to the Office of Communications
Use lowercase in all other uses : He visited the dean’s office.

Online Degree programs

A-State Online, known for being convenient, affordable, and valuable, allows a student to achieve educational goals on the individual's schedule. One of the oldest online degree programs in Arkansas, the degrees earned through A-State Online are identical to those earned by the more than 80,000 alumni of Arkansas State University.  A complete list of online degrees offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels is available at: http://www.AState.edu/info/academics/degrees/index.dot?s=online-only

osteopathic medical school (see NYIT entry)

osteopathic medicine, doctor of

Use D.O. to abbreviate doctor of osteopathy.  See the NYIT entry. The NYIT editorial style manual also is available here .

P

p.m. and a.m., not PM or AM

see times

postbaccalaureate

One word. However, the preference is to state the name of the postbaccalaureate degree.

police

(See entry for University Police)

president

Capitalize president only as a formal title before a name: ASU System President Chuck Welch. Capitalize president in its various forms when part of the formal title of an event, such as: The President’s Reception will be held in the Cooper Center.  Do not capitalize president in general usage or second reference, such as: The president directs the planning process.
See titles of people.

professor

Basic academic ranks are four, in this order: instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor.
Capitalize these titles as a formal title before a name. Assistant Professor Joe Fred is teaching that class.
Lowercase in all other cases: Jane Doe, associate professor of art, has many students.

Professorships, endowed

see Distinguished Professorships

Publication titles

Publications, such as newspapers, magazines, and academic journals, are capitalized and italicized.  "The Herald reported on the theft of Newsweek magazines, then The Jonesboro Sun reprinted the story."  However, in web usage and other contexts, university publication titles should be italicized, such as Inside A-State .

R

residence hall

Not dorm or dormitory.

residence hall and apartment names

Always uppercase and never abbreviated.

• Arkansas Hall
• The Circle
• Collegiate Park
• Honors Living-Learning Community
• Kays Hall
• Northpark Quads
• Red Wolf Den
• ROTC Living-Learning Community
• Sorority Row
• STEM Den Living-Learning Community
• University Hall

Carl R. Reng Student Union

Formerly called the Reng Center.  This includes the combined original Reng facility and newer Student Union.  Additional style references will be added for specific spaces.  See also, Student Union.

Rohwer Japanese American Relocation Center (A-State Heritage Site)

Some 8,000 Japanese Americans were interned at Rohwer (Desha County) during World War II. Audio exhibits on site and a museum at McGehee preserve their memories.  Today all that remains of the once 500-acre relocation camp is the Rohwer Memorial Cemetery, where many Japanese Americans interned at the camp were laid to rest, and a tall smokestack, where the camp’s hospital used to stand.  Two large monuments also are located in the cemetery, honoring all those who died while interned there, as well the young men from the camp who gave their lives fighting for the U.S. in World War II.

S

Scarlet

See "Mascot" entry

seasons

Lowercase, unless part of a formal name: summer, spring, Winter Olympics, ASU Spring Fling

semesters

Lowercase: spring semester, fall semester, first summer semester, second summer semester

senior citizens

Usually reserved for those 65 and older. Avoid using seniors, because of possible confusion with the student classification.

sharrow

A "share the road arrow" recognized by federal and other highway standards as a road marking to indicate usage of a road by bicycles and other vehicles.

social media

See "website and social media" entry

sororities

See fraternities, sororities .

Southern Tenant Farmers Museum (A-State Heritage Site)

A program of A-State’s Arkansas Heritage Sites, the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum in Tyronza, Ark., is the birthplace of the Southern Tenant Farmers Union. Located in the historic H.L. Mitchell-Clay East building, the restoration of the dry cleaning business, filling station and the adjacent Tyronza Bank was completed in 2006. The Citizens of Tyronza gave the museum complex to Arkansas State University in 2000.

spring semester

See semesters .

staff

Usually considered singular unit (comprised of many people): The staff has reviewed the president's document .

Staff Senate (proper name)

State abbreviations

Use abbreviations previously used by Associated Press (do not spell out in full as AP now does and do not use U.S. Postal Service two-letter abbreviations). While not a complete list, Arkansas and nearby states would be abbreviated as indicated: Ark. (Arkansas), Ala. (Alabama), Ill. (Illinois), Miss. (Mississippi), Mo. (Missouri), Kan. (Kansas), Ky. (Kentucky), La. (Louisiana), Okla. (Oklahoma), and Tenn. (Tennessee). Note: Texas, Iowa, Ohio are not abbreviated.

Streets and Roads (major)

• A Street
• Aggie Road
• Alumni Boulevard
• Caraway Road
• Honors Avenue
• Johnson Avenue
• Marion Berry Parkway
• Olympic Drive
• Red Wolf Blvd.
• Red Wolf Trail
• University Loop East and University Loop West

Student Activities Board

All uppercase. May use abbreviation, SAB , after first reference.

Student Government Association

All uppercase. May use abbreviation, SGA , after first reference.

Student Union

See also, Carl R. Reng Student Union.

Student Union Auditorium

This is a sufficient reference for this space.  However, in communications to off-campus audiences, it is appropriate to call it the Auditorium in the Carl R. Reng Student Union.

summer semester

See semesters .

T

theater, theatre

The Arkansas State University Theatre uses theatre in references: The Theatre in Fowler Center, the Department of Theatre, etc.
Note: See Fowler Center.

time, references to

use: 7-9 a.m., 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., 8:30 a.m. until noon, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
DO NOT USE THESE: 7:00 until 9:00 AM, 8:30 AM until 12:00 PM
lowercase with periods - a.m. or p.m. ; never use 12:00 PM or 12:00 AM, it is  noon or midnight ; never use 10:00 AM, it is 10 a.m. or 10 – 11 a.m.; the same is with references to p.m.
i.e. The meeting is 7-9 p.m. Do not use: The meeting is 7:00 – 9:00 PM tonight or the meeting is at 7:00 tonight. 
When listing times along with dates -- always list the time first. Use as follows:
The event will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9, in Riceland Hall.

titles of events

Capitalize, in quotation marks, the full, formal titles of workshops, conferences, seminars, speeches, art exhibitions, and similar events: A workshop titled "Technology in the Classroom" will be held on Wednesday.

titles of people

The general rule is to only capitalize a person’s title when you list it before the person’s name. When the title comes after the name (preferred), the title should be lowercase.  If the title includes an organizational unit, that portion is capitalized; a function is not capitalized.
Dean Kathy Cole or Dr. Kathy Cole, dean of the College of Business or Gina Bowman, director of media relations.

titles of works

Treat words like "the" and "magazine" as part of the title (capping, italicizing, including in quotes, as appropriate) only when so treated by the publication in question; check the masthead to be sure.

Italicize:

• book titles
• play and film titles
• television or radio series titles
• art exhibition titles
• titles of paintings and other artworks
• titles of operas and other long musical compositions

Use quotation marks to set off the titles of shorter works:

• academic papers and presentations
• short stories, magazine or newspaper articles, poems
• individual episodes of television or radio series
• songs and short musical compositions
• lectures, speeches and presentations

traditions 

Campus traditions include:

• Convocation of Scholars, April
• R.E. Lee Wilson Award, April
• Faculty Honors Convocation, April
• Delta Symposium, April 
• Agribusiness Conference, February
• Delta National Small Prints Exhibition, January
• Lecture-Concert Series 
• Order of the Pack, at start of football season
• Wolves Up
• Scarlet Victory Lighting of Ellis Library tower
• Red Wolf Walk
• Rubbing the nose of Mohegan, the red wolf statue
• Homecoming Celebration, fall semester
• Golden Anniversary Reunion (50-year class)
• Homecoming bonfire 
• Centennial time capsules
• Midnight breakfast on Study Day (dead day)
• Johnny Cash Heritage Festival, October
• Staff Senate Picnic, May
• Thanksgiving dinner, November
• Christmas tree ornament series

trustees

Capitalize Board of Trustees, but not trustee, unless it comes before a person’s name as a formal title.

U

United States (n.), U.S. (adj.)

University Police

It is University Police Department, abbreviated UPD on second reference), not ASU Police, not A-State Police, or Police Department.

university

Capitalize only as part of a formal name.
Lowercase when referring to A-State as "the university."

University Honors Scholarship

It is the highest institutional award a student can achieve at Arkansas State. Selection is based on a competitive process with ACT/SAT scores and grade point average.

V

vice chancellor, vice president

Each campus has one or more vice chancellors who report to the chancellor of that campus.  Those individuals who have responsibilities at the A-State System level and report to the system president are vice presidents.

W

website and social media

The goal of our online presence is to make Arkansas State a university that is easy to locate and with which to interact.  For the growing impact of search engines, having a unique identifier is important.  At the start of the internet era, Arkansas State took the domain name of “astate” as Arizona State claimed “asu.”  While we recognize that within the Arkansas State family we always will be ASU, in a global world it becomes important to emphasize the difference between us and our similarly named western colleague.

To be consistent with the guidelines for A-State, we ask that when referring to our main university website that we write AState.edu.  This is in prose or in design work.

According to the Associated Press Stylebook: “Website addresses are also known as Uniform Resource Locators, or URLs. Follow the spelling and capitalization of the website owner.” (our emphasis added).  As we have now expressed as the website owner that AState.edu is our form of spelling and capitalization, we ask that media as well as our university community utilize our style.

Since URLs and most social media services do not recognize a dash, do not add a dash as this will cause end users to be unable to locate the address (A-State.edu is NOT correct).  While capitalization will not matter to browsers, we also do not allow astAte.edu, ASTATE.EDU, ASTATE.edu or AState.EDU.

In variation from AP style, all website addresses in prose or design will not utilize “http://” or “www.”  These are legacy items from a time where they were necessary to locate the URL, and we want to put the focus on the location of our institution.  This is also for brevity.  Consider that “http://www.” is as many characters (11) as the domain level name of “AState.edu” (11).

For purposes of visual clarity, all social media should include similar constructions.  Since the majority of online services are not case sensitive, making our handles, hashtags and unique identifiers easier to read will increase the ability of our followers to remember us and differentiate from similar names.

• Facebook.com/ArkansasState
• Twitter.com/ArkansasState
• Instagram.com/ArkansasState
• Vimeo.com/ArkansasState
• YouTube.com/ArkansasState

The ability to help “visual search” is particularly apparent in longer social labels and those for individuals.

• Twitter.com/CoachSCaldwell
• Facebook.com/BlakeAnderson

When written in prose, the social network’s preferred name and capitalization is followed by a slash and our designation.

When expressed visually, the preference is for the icon logo of the service followed by a slash and our designation.

As an institution, our default hash tag is:  #AState

All advertising and marketing materials for the university include social media references to promote our social media accounts.

weekdays

Spell out days of the week. Do NOT abbreviate.

winter semester

Do not use.  See semesters.

R.M. “Bob” Wood Sales Leadership Center

Center in the Neil Griffin College of Business.

Y

year

There is rarely a need to use the year in campus publication texts, as long as the document is dated. (One exception would be those instances where several events that encompass both the current year and the next year are listed.)

 

APPENDIX A

Arkansas State University System Style Guide

The Arkansas State University System Style Guide is incorporated here in full.  Questions about the ASU System Style Guide may be directed to the Vice President for Strategic Communications.

• Arkansas State University System should be used on first reference, then ASU System on second and subsequent references. "A-State System” is incorrect.

• Arkansas State University Board of Trustees on first reference, then board or trustees on second and subsequent reference. “A-State Board of Trustees” is incorrect. It's a system board and not a Jonesboro campus board.

• Arkansas State University, A-State, Arkansas State and the Red Wolves mascot refer ONLY to the Jonesboro university campus. Neither the system nor the two-year colleges use the A-State or Arkansas State name or logo. Use Arkansas State University on first reference, then A-State or Arkansas State on second and subsequent references. “ASU” and “ASU-Jonesboro” are no longer used to refer to the Jonesboro university campus except informally or in state government reporting (e.g. ADHE).

• When written in prose or headlines, capitalize the “A” and “S” with a hyphen for A-State. Do not use “AState”, “Astate,” “stAte,” or “ASTATE” for this type of second reference. Only when social media or other computer applications do not allow for a hyphen is “AState” the acceptable alternative. Again, please note the capital “A” and “S”.

• Use Arkansas State University-Beebe, Arkansas State University-Mountain Home, Arkansas State University-Newport or Arkansas State University Mid-South on first reference, then ASU-Beebe, ASU-Mountain Home, ASU-Newport or ASU Mid-South on second and subsequent references. ASUN, ASUB, ASUMH and ASU Mid-South are acceptable for headlines. Again, Arkansas State University-Jonesboro and ASU-Jonesboro are not correct usage.

• The Arkansas State University System includes Arkansas State University, in Jonesboro; five two-year institutions: ASU-Beebe, ASU-Newport, ASU-Mountain Home, ASU Mid-South, in West Memphis, and ASU Three Rivers, in Malvern; Arkansas State University Campus Queretaro in the State of Queretaro, Mexico; and the newest addition, Henderson State University, a four-year institution in Arkadelphia. ASU-Beebe also has campuses in Heber Springs and Searcy and an instructional site at Little Rock Air Force Base. ASU-Newport also has campuses in Jonesboro and Marked Tree.

• The following are subsidiary campus names along with second reference options:

   -- We no longer use ASU-Heber Springs, ASU-Searcy or ASU-Little Rock Air Force Base to refer to ASU-Beebe affiliated campuses. Apply names of those campuses using this style: Arkansas State University-Beebe at Heber Springs on first reference, then ASU-Beebe at Heber Springs on second and subsequent references. Also, use Arkansas State University-Beebe Online and then ASU-Beebe Online to refer to online classes and enrollment.

  -- For Arkansas State University-Newport campuses in Jonesboro and Marked Tree, use Arkansas State University-Newport at Jonesboro or Arkansas State University-Newport at Marked Tree on first reference. On second reference, acceptable uses are ASU-Newport at Jonesboro, ASU-Newport at Marked Tree, ASUN at Jonesboro and ASUN at Marked Tree.

  -- Use Arkansas State University Campus Queretaro for the campus in Mexico. Use A-State Campus Queretaro or A-State CQ on second and subsequent references. ASU-Queretaro, ASUCQ and ASUQ are not acceptable uses. In Mexico only, the style is Arkansas State University Campus Querétaro, México.

  -- For guidance on references to New York Institute of Technology at A-State, see the NYIT entry in the A-State Style Guide.

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