University Style Guide

It's best to avoid using acronyms whenever possible, and never use them on first reference. They are often "in-house" jargon when used on campus. Consider audience. If you must use acronyms, write the full name and then the acronym, such as the Society for Really Cute Puppies, or SRCP. Do not put the acronym in parentheses or set off by dashes after the name of the organization. If an abbreviation or acronym is not clear on the second reference, do not use it. Before using an abbreviation or acronym for a company, title, etc., double check the AP Stylebook. Try looking up either the acronym or the company name or check under the abbreviations and acronyms entry.

Parking for the disabled should be referred to as accessible parking. Handicapped parking is no longer considered appropriate terminology.

Formal names of degrees are capitalized: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts or Master of Science, Doctor of Philosophy, etc. Shortened degree names are lowercased and use an apostrophe in bachelor’s degree, a master’s, etc., but there is no possessive in associate degree, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts or Master of Science. Avoid using abbreviations such as B.A. or M.A. Capitalize only when referring to the official name of the degree. The degree field is not capitalized unless it is the formal name of the degree: Master of Architecture, Master of Business Administration, Master of Agribusiness, but Master of Arts in teaching, Bachelor of Science in business administration, etc.

Examples:

1. bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications; master’s degree in education
2. Bachelor of Arts in journalism and mass communications; Master of Science in special education
3. an associate degree
4. She earned her doctorate.
5. five master’s degree programs

Academic titles should be capitalized when they precede a name, but lowercased elsewhere. Spell out formal titles such as chancellor. In general, use professor as a title. Avoid using Ph.D. unless necessary to establish credentials and do not use professor and Ph.D. together.

Examples:

1. Kansas State University President Richard Linton will attend the event.
2. Richard Linton, president of Kansas State University, will attend the event.
3. The university president will attend the event.
4. The university recognized Tom Jones, professor of biology, for his accomplishments.
5. The university recognized Professor Tom Jones for his accomplishments.
6. Tom Jones, Ph.D., led the study.

When writing addresses, spell out street, avenue and boulevard only when part of a formal street name without a number: Pennsylvania Avenue. Use the abbreviations St., Ave. and Blvd. only with a numbered address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. All similar words like alley, drive, road, terrace, place, etc., are always spelled out. It's easier to remember what words get abbreviations because they spell STAB. Use figures when writing numbers in an address but spell out and capitalize First through Ninth when used as street names. See addresses in the AP Stylebook.

Use the singular form when referring to the admission process. Use the plural form when referring to the university office.

Example: The Office of Recruitment and Admissions helps students with the admission process.

Both adviser and advisor are acceptable. AP style uses adviser, but K-State Advisor Forum.

Use Aggieville in all references. The ‘Ville is acceptable in headlines and direct quotes. It is the oldest shopping center of its kind in Kansas. The first business opened in 1889 on the edge of the Kansas State Agricultural College. Now it has about 100 businesses in a four-city-block area.

Second reference: Ahearn or the field house. Field house is written as two words when used with Ahearn and when used as a common noun, but some field houses at other universities are spelled as one word. Ahearn seats 5,000, with no seating on the track. The building is named for Mike Ahearn, basketball coach from 1906 to 1911 and director of athletics from 1930 to 1947. The last intercollegiate basketball game took place there in 1988.

Same in all references. All Faiths Chapel is in the same building as Danforth Chapel and is dedicated to students who died in World War II and the Korean War. All Faiths Chapel was dedicated in 1956 and seats just fewer than 500 people. In 1961, a 40-rank pipe organ was installed.

Second reference: open house, although Open House is acceptable for publications. When using the general term open house, lowercase it. The event takes place each spring and provides prospective students, families and the community with information on K-State’s majors, campus clubs and colleges.

Always lowercase. K-State’s alma mater was written by H.W. Jones, class of 1888. The lyrics are:

I know a spot that I love full well
’Tis not in forest nor yet in dell,
Ever it holds me with magic spell,
I think of thee, alma mater.
K-S-U, we’ll carry thy banner high,
K-S-U, long, long may thy colors fly.
Loyal to thee, thy children shall swell the cry.
Hail, hail, hail, alma mater.

Identify K-State graduates by the last two digits of their class years with an apostrophe before the year.

Example: Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86 is president and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association.

alumnus – masculine, feminine or gender inclusive
alumni – male, female or gender-inclusive plural
alum – Do not use

Alumna, alumnae and alumnx may be used on request.

Use lowercase with periods and no spaces. Avoid redundancies such as 6 p.m. tonight. If a.m. or p.m. occurs at the end of a sentence, use only one period at the end.

It is preferred that and be spelled out. The ampersand — & — should only be used if part of the college or company's formal name: College of Architecture, Planning & Design or Procter & Gamble. The ampersand should not otherwise be used in place of and, except for some accepted abbreviations: B&B, R&B.

Second reference: the school. Use journalism school if it could be confused with another entity. The school is in Kedzie Hall. The school was formerly the journalism department, but became a school named for A.Q. Miller after his son, Carl, donated $1 million in 1988.

Use on second reference. See Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art.

Not Big Twelve or Big XII.

Second reference: the stadium. Wagner Field is in the stadium. The stadium was originally named KSU Stadium, but was renamed in honor of legendary head football coach Bill Snyder by a proclamation of the Kansas Board of Regents on Nov. 16, 2005. A $65 million renovation more than doubled the size of the Vanier Family Football Complex, enclosed the stadium, added 1,000 sets behind the north end zone and added video boards to the northeast and northwest corners in 2016.

A biosafety level is used to designate and regulate laboratory work with microorganisms. There are four biosafety levels. Hyphenate the name of each level: biosafety level-1, biosafety level-2, biosafety level-3 and biosafety level-4. These can be abbreviated to BSL-1, BSL-2, BSL-3 and BSL-4. Kansas State University’s Biosecurity Research Institute is a biosafety level-3 facility. The National Bio and Agro-defense Facility will be a biosafety level-4 facility.

Second reference: the institute or BRI. The design and construction of the institute meets criteria for biosafety level-3, or BSL-3, and biosafety level-3 Agriculture, or BSL-3Ag. Research at the institute helps to ensure a safe food supply and to prevent major economic losses to the agriculture and food industries. It is in Pat Roberts Hall.

Second reference: Bosco Plaza. Bosco Plaza is north of the K-State Student Union and offers 90,000 square feet of space to meet. It was completed in November 2000 and is named for Pat Bosco, vice president for student life and dean of students.

Second reference: Bramlage. It seats 13,500 people for basketball games and slightly more for concerts, depending on stage setup. It opened in 1988 and was funded by a major gift from alumnus Fred Bramlage of Junction City, student fees and other gifts from alumni and friends.

Capitalize the full names of academic halls on campus: Anderson Hall, Bluemont Hall, Calvin Hall. Second reference: the hall or Anderson/Bluemont/Calvin in some cases. Residence halls should NOT be referred to as dorms. NOTE: Business Building, Leadership Studies Building, Kansas State University Foundation Building, Jardine Apartments.

Business Building on all references. (But note: College of Business Administration, not College of Business.)

When using campus, specify if it is the Manhattan campus, the Olathe campus or the Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus campus in Salina. When referring to all of Kansas State University, use university not campus. See university.

Examples:

1. The speaker is visiting the Manhattan campus on Thursday.
2. The university will celebrate Earth Day with a week of activities.

Use Wildcats on first reference. ’Cats should be written with the apostrophe tail going to the left. The possessive is ’Cats’ as in: The ’Cats’ uniforms are purple and white.

When using the proper name of a center capitalize it. When using only the general term center or using center as a second reference, lowercase it.

Examples: Johnson Cancer Research Center, Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship

See more university centers and institutes.

Second reference: Rec Complex. Rec is acceptable only in headlines and should be capitalized. The original Rec Complex was 96,000 square feet and was dedicated in April of 1985 in honor of Chester E. Peters, former vice president for student affairs. The Rec Complex received the Facility of Distinction award from the National Intramural/Recreational Sports Association in April 1996 after renovations added 77,000 square feet to the facility. The Rec Complex is undergoing expansion and renovation.

Do not capitalize class unless it begins a sentence.

Capitalize the official names of classes and courses to follow AP style, but do not capitalize a general reference to a field of study. Do not use quotation marks. In general, the course number is not needed.

Examples:

1. She teaches the Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry course.
2. Her schedule includes a biochemistry course.

When using the proper name of a college, capitalize it. When using only the general term college or using college as a second reference, lowercase it.

Examples:

1. The College of Agriculture consists of nine departments.
2. The college consists of nine departments.
3. The university's colleges of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine are housed in multiple buildings on campus.

Second reference: the college. The college's administrative offices are in Waters Hall and it has classroom and lab space in Throckmorton, Umberger, Waters, Weber, Call and Shellenberger halls and Waters Annex. The college also has teaching, research and demonstration facilities north of Kimball Avenue. The college includes the departments of agricultural economics; agronomy; animal sciences and industry; communications and agricultural education; entomology; grain science and industry; horticulture, forestry and recreation resources; and plant pathology.

Second reference: the college or APDesign. The college is in the Seaton Complex and is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, environmental design school with accredited professional programs in architecture, interior architecture & product design, landscape architecture, regional & community planning and community development. The college includes the departments of architecture; interior architecture & product design; landscape architecture and regional & community planning; and community development. The college also includes the Paul Weigel Library and Chang Gallery..

Second reference: the college. The college is in Calvin Hall and contains more than 20 departments. It has the largest enrollment of any Kansas State University college and offers approximately 85 percent of all freshmen courses and 65 percent of all credits taught. The college encompasses studies in the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities and fine arts.

The college includes the departments of aerospace studies; art; biochemistry and molecular biophysics; biology; chemistry; economics; English; geography and geospatial sciences; geology; history; mathematics; military science; modern languages; philosophy; physics; political science; psychological sciences; social transformation studies, sociology, anthropology and social work; and statistics.

The college includes the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication as well as the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. The college also includes the Johnson Cancer Research Center and the Chapman Center for Rural Studies as well as academic programs in integrated computer science; interdisciplinary majors; international and area studies; and primary texts.

Second reference: the college. The college is in the College of Business Administration building and includes the departments of accounting, finance, management and marketing. It also includes the Business Ethics Education Initiative, the Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship, the Ethics and Responsible Citizenship Initiative, the Diversity Initiative, the Globalization Initiative, the K-State Center for Economic Education, the Integrated Investment Management Initiative and the National Strategic Selling Institute.

Second reference: the college. The college is in Bluemont Hall and includes the departments of curriculum and instruction; educational leadership; and special education, counseling and student affairs. It also includes the Center for Intercultural and Multilingual Advocacy, the Center for Rural and Small Schools, the Center for Science Education, the Center for Social Studies Education and the Midwest Equity Assistance Center.

First reference: Carl R. Ice College of Engineering.

Secondary references: the college or the College of Engineering.

Second reference: the college. The college is in Justin Hall and focuses on subject areas related to family systems, child development, aging, dietetics, fashion and interior design, hospitality management, and outreach through K-State Research and Extension. The college includes the departments of interior design and fashion studies; hospitality management and dietetics; human nutrition; and kinesiology. It also includes the School of Family Studies and Human Services and programs in gerontology, family and consumer sciences education, and general human ecology studies.

Second reference: the college. The college is on the Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus and includes the departments of aviation; integrated studies; and unmanned aircraft systems.

Second reference: the college. Do not refer to it as the School of Veterinary Medicine or vet school. It is in the Veterinary Medicine Complex, which includes three buildings: Coles Hall, Mosier Hall and Trotter Hall. The college includes the departments of anatomy and physiology, clinical sciences, and diagnostic medicine and pathobiology. It also includes the Veterinary Health Center and the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

When including dates in a news release, it should be time day, date, place. Follow this style when dealing with all events, including those happening within seven days.

Example: The event is at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 9, in the K-State Student Union.

See academic degree.

Department names, in general should be lowercased unless it contains a proper noun. On second reference: the department. Capitalize only in formal cases on first reference when used with full university name. Consider the audience when referring to Kansas State University departments. See academic departments in the AP Stylebook.

Examples:

1. the department of history or the history department.
2. the department of English or the English department.
3. the Kansas State University Department of Agronomy.
4. the agronomy department.

Named departments

On first reference, use the full name with capitalization: Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering. On second reference, the department, the department of chemical engineering or the chemical engineering department.

Second reference: the community. The Derby Community consists of Ford, Haymaker, Moore and West residence halls and the Derby Dining Center. The community was built in 1965 and was named for Grace E. Derby, reference librarian for 40 years.

Second reference: Derby. The facility serves as a dining center for the Derby Community of Ford, Haymaker, Moore and West residence halls. It was built in 1965 and named for Grace E. Derby, reference librarian for 40 years. The facility is commonly referred to as The Derb, but avoid using the term in writing.

In general, do not use Dr. before a name of someone who has a Ph.D. or other doctoral degree. To establish someone’s credentials, the preferred form is to use a phrase. Avoid using Ph.D. unless necessary to establish credentials.

It is acceptable to use Dr. on first reference as a formal title before the name of a physician or an external individual who is a doctor of dental surgery, doctor of medicine, doctor of optometry or doctor of osteopathic medicine. For K-State faculty and staff members, place credentials after the name if they must be included. The use of Dr.is acceptable in quotes even when referring to K-State faculty and staff members.

Examples:

1. Susie Smith, professor of chemistry
2. John Doe, who has a doctorate in biology
3. Lisa Johnson, DVM,

Use residence hall. In general, avoid using dormitory or dorm, but they are acceptable in direct quotes.

Place emeritus after a formal title. Emerita may be used if it is the professor's preference.

Examples:

1. Dolores Takemoto, professor emeritus of biochemistry and molecular biophysics
2. Retired and emeritus K-State employees retain access to their email accounts.

Second reference: the complex. It includes four buildings: Engineering Hall, Durland Hall, Fiedler Hall and Rathbone Hall.

The complex is a four-phase building program for the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering and extends over the old football practice field. It features solar glass walls that reflect 85 percent of solar heat during the middle of the year. Completed in 1976 at a cost of more than $3 million, Durland Hall was the first phase in the complex. It is named for Dean Emeritus Merrill A. Durland, a 1918 K-State honors graduate who taught at K-State for 30 years before becoming dean of the School of Engineering and Architecture and director of the Engineering Experiment Station.

It was followed by the completion of phase two in 1982, which was renamed in 1997 to honor of Donald Rathbone, dean of engineering from 1973 to 1997. Fiedler Hall, the third phase of the complex, was completed in 2000 and was named in honor of George Fiedler, a 1925 and 1934 K-State graduate who earned a place in the K-State Engineering Hall of Fame. A phase four expansion opened in fall 2015 and added 107,000 square feet of instructional, research and office space.

Second reference: the lab. The U.S. Agency for International Development provided $5 million for 5 years to develop wheat varieties that are resilient to the warming effects of climate change in India and Pakistan. Jesse Poland, assistant professor of plant pathology, is the project director. The team includes Kansas State University, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, or CIMMYT, and Cornell University.

Feed the Future is the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative.

Second reference: the lab. It is also known as the Sorghum and Millet Innovation Lab. The U.S. Agency for International Development provided $13.7 million for 5 years to advance the science of sorghum and pearl millet in Ethiopia, Senegal and Niger. Kansas State University is the managing entity for the grant. Timothy Dalton, associate professor of agricultural economics, is the project director. The project office is in 148 Waters Hall.

Feed the Future is the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative.

Second reference: the lab. The U.S. Agency for International Development provided $8.5 million for 5 years to reduce postharvest losses and food waste for grain and oil seeds; tuberous root crops; and peanut and legumes in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana and Guatemala. Dirk Maier, head of the grain science and industry department and director of the International Grains Program, and Polamreddy Venkataramana Reddy are project directors. It’s headquartered at the International Grains Program Conference Center on Kimball Avenue.

Feed the Future is the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative.

It is the Office of Student Financial Assistance, not the Office of Financial Aid.

In general, financial aid is a federal program, while financial assistance is a term that involves federal financial aid, scholarships, work study and other programs.

Capitalize when preceding name: First Lady Sally Linton. Sally Linton, first lady of Kansas State University. President Richard and First Lady Sally Linton take photos with graduates each semester.

Second reference: the institute. The institute facilitates training of traditional and nontraditional undergraduate and graduate students; supports basic and applied research initiatives; and provides technical and scientific information to consumers, the food industry, and governmental agencies. The institute includes faculty from departments in the colleges of Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, Engineering, Human Ecology, and Arts and Sciences.

Second reference: the field. The field is part of Tointon Family Stadium. The field was named for Frank Myers, former coach of K-State's baseball team.

Friends organizations, such as the Friends of the Beach Museum of Art and Friends of McCain are treated as singular entities.

Example: The Friends of the Beach Museum of Art raises funds.

See Kansas State University Global Campus.

Second reference: the initiative. Capitalize Global Food Systems when referring to the university's initiative to address the world challenge of feeding a growing population. Lowercase when referring to global food systems in general.

Examples:

1. Through the Global Food Systems initiative, Kansas State University is maintaining the U.S. food system as the most competitive in the world.
2. She talked about global food systems during her presentation.

Second reference: the school. The school is in Eisenhower Hall and offers more than 100 master's and doctoral degree programs. The school enrolls more than 4,500 graduate students.

Second reference: the complex. Five buildings will make up the K-State Grain Science and Industry Complex. Facilities in the complex include the Bioprocessing and Industrial Value-Added Program building, the International Grains Program Conference Center, the Hal Ross Flour Mill and the O.H. Kruse Feed Technology Innovation Center, which is scheduled for completion in fall 2013. Still to be built on the site is a grain science teaching and research building, which will house the Bakery Science and Management Program. The K-State Grain Science and Industry Complex sits on 16 acres on Kimball Avenue in Manhattan, Kansas.

Do not capitalize unless referring to persons from the nation of Greece or a member of a Greek fraternity or sorority. Capitalize in reference to Greek Week or the Office of Greek Affairs.

Second reference: Hale. Hale is the main library in the K-State system and was dedicated in 1997 after a multiyear renovation and expansion project of the original campus library building, Farrell Library. One of the major goals of the new library was to assimilate the old and the new structures, architecturally and aesthetically. With that in mind, the construction encased and expanded the west, south and east sides of the previous library, while leaving the original 1927 building exposed to preserve its historic significance. The library was named for Joe and Joyce Hale, donors to the renovation project.

Handicapped parking is no longer considered appropriate terminology. See accessible parking.

Second reference: the gate. It frames the campus entrance at the corner of Anderson and Manhattan avenues. It was completed in 1990 as a memorial to Scott N. and Anna V. Hanson Higinbotham. A bequest in the will of Anna Higinbotham provided construction funds with the stipulation that the design originate from a student competition. Students from the College of Architecture and Design submitted drawings to the competition and the winner was Marcia K. Bascom.

Second reference: Farrell Library. Farrell Library was the first dedicated university library building and is now incorporated as part of Hale Library. Named on Oct. 5, 1955, for Francis David Farrell, the university’s eighth president from 1925 to 1943, it was completed in 1927, making it the first building on campus devoted solely to housing the library. A second addition to the southwest was completed in 1970. Farrell was renamed Hale Library on Oct. 5, 1997; however, the extreme northern part of the library, including the north tower, still retains the name Historic Farrell Library.

Second reference: Stone House. Stone House is near North Manhattan Avenue and houses the K-State Police Department.

One word.

Capitalize when referring to the Kansas State University Homecoming Week. When using the general term homecoming, lowercase it.

Second reference: the council. The Interfraternity Council is the student governing council for fraternities at Kansas State University.

Second reference: Jardine. Jardine is home to nearly 1,500 residents from more than 50 countries. Jardine has more than 700 apartments with 60 floor plans. The original apartments date to 1957. In 1966 the apartments were named Jardine Terrace in honor of William M. Jardine, the university’s seventh president. A major redevelopment project began in summer 2005. The project involves building new housing options — including townhouses and apartments — for students. Other additions in the project include a bakery, restaurant and sports lounge.

Second reference: Board of Regents. The Board of Regents is a nine-member body that governs Kansas’ six public universities and supervises educational programs at 19 community colleges, five technical colleges, six technical schools and a municipal university.

Second reference: the corridor. The corridor is the region that stretches from Manhattan, Kan., to Columbia, Mo. The corridor is a hub for animal health and contains one-third of the world’s marketplace for animal health companies and more than 13,000 employees.

K-State on second reference. Never Kansas State or KSU unless it’s in the formal name, such as the KSU Foundation.

Second reference: KSU Foundation or the foundation. It is in the Kansas State University Foundation Building in the Kansas State University Office Park. The foundation was established in 1944 as the official fundraising arm of Kansas State University and formerly was known as the endowment association. The mission of the foundation is "to secure and prudently manage private gifts in support of Kansas State University."

Second reference: the gardens. The gardens are a plural noun. They are a privately funded project developed and maintained by the Department of Horticulture, Forestry and Recreation Resources. When completed, the gardens will be 19-acres.

Example: The Kansas State University Gardens are a popular choice for wedding day events.

Second reference: the conservatory. The conservatory is in the Kansas State University Gardens. It was built in 1907 with Victorian-style architecture as a plant museum and many exotic plants still exist today.

Second reference: Global Campus or K-State Global Campus. K-State Global Campus, one of Kansas State University’s four campuses, serves as the administrative arm providing opportunities for individuals to learn online, develop professionally and connect globally. Global Campus has distance students across the U.S. and also fosters international connections and partnerships. Offices are in College Court Building at 1615 Anderson Ave.

For marketing online programs, see K-State Online.

The Kansas State University Marching Band is also known as the Pride of Wildcat Land. Second reference: marching band, band or the Pride. Include a phrase to describe the marching band.

Example: The Kansas State University Marching Band, also known as the Pride of Wildcat Land, performed at the event.

Second reference: the K-State Office Park. The K-State Office Park will include four buildings that total 240,00 square feet and sit on a 14-acre tract of land at the corner of Kimball and Denison avenues, adjacent to the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility and the Grain Science and Industry Complex. The first building was completed in October 2015 and houses the Kansas State University Foundation and leased office space for corporate partners. Construction began on the second building in June 2017 and will be complete in August 2018.

Second reference: K-State Olathe. K-State Olathe is one of the university's four campuses and includes the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health, the Urban Water Institute, SmartVet and other industry and academic partners. The campus’s flagship building is the International Animal Health and Food Safety Institute, part of the Kansas Bioscience Park. The street address for K-State Olathe is 22201 W. Innovation Drive, Olathe, Kan., 66061. The campus is on 38 acres in Johnson County, just east of Kansas Highway 7 on College Boulevard.

Second reference: K-State Police. The department is in the Hoeflin Stone House.

First reference: Kansas State University Salina (preferred) or Kansas State University Aerospace and Technology Campus.

Second reference: K-State Salina (preferred) or K-State Aerospace and Technology Campus or the campus.

Kansas State University Salina is one of Kansas State University’s four campuses. This campus focuses around the student experience and career readiness and emphasizes innovative learning, real-world experiences and industry connections in the aerospace and engineering technology industries to ensure students are ready for the next step after graduation.

Second reference: the diagnostic laboratory or the laboratory. The diagnostic laboratory offers a complete range of diagnostic services for all species, but primarily focuses on food-producing animals. It is a regional source for animal testing and diagnoses and a national center for rabies testing. It is at the north entrance of Trotter Hall as part of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Second Reference: Konza Prairie. The Konza Prairie Biological Station is a tallgrass prairie ecological research site jointly owned by the university and The Nature Conservancy. It is managed by the Division of Biology. The Konza Prairie, founded in 1971, spans about 8,600 acres and is 10 miles south of campus, just off Interstate 70. The Konza Prairie hosts about 130 registered research projects from nearly 150 scientists, and it has been one of the National Science Foundation’s Long-Term Ecological Research, or LTER, sites since 1980.

Second reference: the program. The program is a comprehensive ecological research, education and outreach program centered on one of the most productive grasslands in North America – the tallgrass prairie. The program was one of the first six site-based LTER programs funded by the National Science Foundation in 1980 to support research on long-term ecological phenomena. The program focuses on fire, grazing and climatic variability as three critical and interactive drivers that affect ecological pattern and process in grasslands worldwide.

Second reference: the community. The Kramer Community includes Marlatt, Goodnow and Wefald residence halls and the Kramer Dining Center. The complex was built in 1960 and is named for Martha Kramer, professor of foods and nutrition. Kramer served at the university for 30 years. Wefald Hall is the newest addition and was built in 2016.

Second reference: Kramer. The facility serves as a dining center for the Kramer Community of Goodnow, Marlatt and Wefald residence halls. Kramer contains nearly 60,000 square feet of state-of-the-art kitchen, serving, dining and retail space designed to serve a student population of 1,850.

See Kansas State University

Capitalize the first letter of each word and spell out on first reference. Second reference: alumni association or the association.

Second reference: the building. This building holds offices and storage for the gardens maintenance crews.

Second reference: the Libraries. The Libraries includes the main library, Hale Library and five branch libraries: Fiedler Engineering Library, Math/Physics Library, Kansas State Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus Library, Veterinary Medical Library, and Weigel Library of Architecture, Planning and Design. The Libraries maintains approximately three million volumes and employs approximately 100 staff. Significant research collections include cookery, the consumer movement, military history, biosecurity and food safety, grain science and milling, prairie studies and children’s literature. The Libraries began in 1863 when the property of Bluemont Central College became Kansas State Agricultural College. From that building, the collected materials were moved four times to various buildings across campus. In 1926, construction began on a building north of Anderson Hall with the purpose of housing only the Libraries’ collections. The library was opened the summer of 1927. After growing to incorporate or include various branch libraries over the years, the official name became K-State Libraries during the 2000s.

K-State Online is used to reference online learning opportunities at the university, especially when marketing to prospective and current students. This is intended to reinforce our online offerings as an extension of the core university brand and to aid with search engine optimization efforts.

Kansas State University Global Campus serves as the administrative arm behind K-State Online.

Note: Some may remember when the university’s learning management system was called K-State Online. That system has since been replaced by Canvas and should be referred to as such.

Avoid using extension alone because it does not encompass the scope of the organization in Kansas. Don't capitalize the term when it is used generically. She is an extension specialist. Preferred: She is a human nutrition specialist with K-State Research and Extension. Administrative offices are in Umberger and Waters halls.

View the K-State Research and Extension Style Guide.

Second reference: the Union. (Omit K-State Student Union when referring to a part of the Union: 206 Union, Union art gallery.) The Union opened in 1956 after students voted two decades earlier to pay $5 per semester to cover construction costs. Expansions in 1963 and 1970 added another 100,000 square feet. Students again voted in 1995 to pay $11.4 million for a five-year project including building renovation and expansion. The project also involved construction of the adjacent Bosco Student Plaza, named for Pat Bosco, vice president for student life and dean of students.

Italicize K-Stater.

Second reference: Lafene or the center. The original Lafene Health Center was built on campus in 1960 offering outpatient care and referral services for K-State students. It has since expanded its services and moved to Mercy Regional Health Center on Sunset Avenue.

Second reference: the building. At 36,000 square feet, this $11 million project was completed in December 2009. Eco-friendliness is central to the building’s design and construction, which was funded entirely by private donors. Home to the Staley School of Leadership, this building features a lecture hall, classrooms, a student services center, a resource library, study areas, a coffeehouse and office space for faculty and staff. The building is believed to be the first to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, gold certification among higher education institutions in Kansas.

A person stands on a podium and behind a lectern.

In most cases, this word is unnecessary. Instead of The store is located in Aggieville, write, The store is in Aggieville.

The L.P. Recreational Area includes the tennis courts, outdoor handball/racquetball courts and rental area, playfields, fitness cluster, jogging area and the Chester E. Peters Recreation Complex. The term Rec Complex is a functional name used by the Department of Recreational Services and may be used on second reference for the main building.

Lowercase majors, disciplines, programs, specializations or concentrations of study.

Examples:

1. She studies physics.
2. She is studying sociology with a concentration in gender, women, and sexuality studies.

Second reference: Beach Museum of Art. The Beach Museum of Art features art from across Kansas and the Midwest as well as the university’s permanent art collection of more than 6,500 pieces. It opened in October 1996 and was named for Marianna Kistler Beach after her husband, Ross Beach, donated $3 million to the Beach Museum of Art.

Second reference: the theatre. It seats 280 and is in Nichols Hall.

Second reference: McCain or the auditorium. It is used as a hall for cultural events and the McCain Performance Series. The seating capacity is 1,700. It includes facilities for the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, as well as news and marketing staff from the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education. McCain was built in 1970, with an addition in 1975, and was named for James A. McCain, the university's 10th president from 1950 to 1975.

Same in all references. Memorial Stadium was constructed in the 1920s as a memorial to the students and alumni who sacrificed their lives during World War I. West Stadium was completed in 1922 and East Stadium was completed in 1924. Memorial Stadium field is still used for marching band practice, club soccer and rugby. West Stadium is home to the Purple Masque Theatre and East Stadium houses the Berney Family Welcome Center.

One word, lowercase unless starting a sentence or when referencing the K-State Microcredential Initiative. Smaller than a minor, certificate or degree program, microcredentials equip learners with digital badges that showcase achievement and demonstrated skills.

In general, don’t use. Only use for a building name, an entity’s official name, national awards, historic events or when essential to identify one individual from another, such as a police activity report.

Examples:

1. Glenn H. Beck Dairy Barn
2. Kedzie Hall houses the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Second reference: the tennis stadium. The tennis stadium is part of a $3 million renovation of the Chester E. Peters K-State Recreation Complex’s outdoor facilities through an agreement among K-State Athletics, the K-State Student Governing Association and the K-State Student Rec Center. The stadium was dedicated Sept. 7, 2013, and is named for Mike Goss, a 1981 K-State graduate who was a member of the varsity men’s tennis team from 1978 to 1981. The stadium features six outdoor courts, with purple playing surfaces and Powercats dividing the courts. It also features metal bleachers on the south side of the court with room to accommodate 400 fans.

Capitalize the names of months in all uses. Abbreviate months when used with a specific date. Don’t abbreviate March, April, May, June or July. When a phrase lists only a month and a year, do not abbreviate the month and do not separate the month and year with commas. When a phrase refers to a month, day and year, set off the year with commas. See months in the AP Stylebook.

Second reference: the multicultural student center or the center. The Morris Family Multicultural Student Center, currently under construction immediately east of the K-State Student Union, is a privately funded campus project in partnership with the KSU Foundation. It is named in honor of K-State alumnus Jim Bob Morris, a major donor to the center. The center will include three floors totaling more than 13,000 gross square feet in a free-standing structure with lower-level connection to the Union. The center will include gathering, meeting and performance practice spaces, student and multicultural student organization group spaces, a kitchen, office spaces, prayer/meditation room, and additional core support spaces. It is expected to open in fall 2020.

Use only Mount, never Mt. Example: Mount Hope

Second reference: Myers. Use the middle initial B. only for national awards, historic events or signatures. Avoid using military titles to identify Richard Myers.

In November 2016, the Kansas Board of Regents selected Myers as the 14th president of Kansas State University.

Use full formal name on first reference, shorten on second reference.

Colleges: On first reference, use the full name: Carl R. Ice College of Engineering. On second reference, College of Engineering or the college.

Departments: On first reference, use the full name: Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering. On second reference, the department, the department of chemical engineering or the chemical engineering department.

Positions: Capitalize if preceding a name: Edgerley Family Dean of the College of Business Administration Kevin Gwinner. Capitalize only proper nouns when following a name: Kevin Gwinner, Edgerley family dean of the College of Business Administration (preferred).

Spaces: On first reference, use the full name: Tracz Family Band Hall, the Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab, the Dan and Beth Bird Archway. On second reference, shorten: the band hall, the innovation lab, the archway.

Second reference: NBAF or the facility. Do not refer to it as the NBAF. NBAF will replace the aging Plum Island Animal Disease Center on the East Coast as a top federal laboratory for research to combat foreign animal disease threats. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will operate NBAF, which is being built north of the K-State Manhattan campus.

Second reference: the council. The Kansas State University chapter of the National Pan-Hellenic Council is the student governing council for historically minority fraternities and sororities. Use a hyphen in National Pan-Hellenic Council, but there is no hyphen in Panhellenic Council, which is the student governing council for sororities.

See Panhellenic Council.

Hyphenate nondegree-seeking. A nondegree-seeking student is a person who wants to take one or more credits but does not wish to seek completion of a degree program. Do not refer to a student as a nondegree student or a nondegree-seeking graduate student.

No hyphen. Do not use non-trad or untraditional student. An exception is Non-Traditional and Veteran Student Services.

Use noon or midnight. Do not use 12 noon or 12 midnight because they are redundant. Do not use 12 a.m. or 12 p.m. because they are confused often.

Spell out the numbers one through nine. Use figures for numbers 10 and above. See numerals in the AP Stylebook.

Second reference: the office. Consider the audience when referring to Kansas State University offices. Capitalize the proper name of the office but not shortened versions. Capitalize words that are proper nouns or adjectives. When preparing news for media outlets, follow AP style and lowercase office names.

Examples:

1. the Office of Student Life; the student life office
2. the Office of the President; the president's office

Second reference: the council. The Panhellenic Council is the student governing council for sororities at Kansas State University. There is no hyphen in Panhellenic Council, but there is a hyphen in National Pan-Hellenic Council, which is the student governing council for historically minority fraternities and sororities.

See National Pan-Hellenic Council.

Second reference: the memorial. The Patrick K. Harrold Memorial is on the first floor of Gen. Richard B. Myers Hall. Harrold was a student from Fort Leavenworth who served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force and was designated as missing in action during the Vietnam War. His remains were found in 1996 and he was buried in Abilene, Kan., in 1997. He is now listed as killed in action.

The preferred form is to say a person holds a doctorate and name the individual’s area of specialty. See academic degree and doctor.

One word without a hyphen. See post- in the AP Stylebook.

One word, with a lowercase c.

Second reference: the plant. The plant fulfills energy needs for campus. The plant cost more than $300,000 to build in 1927 and several additional cooling systems have been added. The west facade facing 17th Street was left incomplete.

Follow AP style for academic titles. Capitalize President when it precedes a name, but lowercase it elsewhere.

The preferred identifications are Richard Linton, president of Kansas State University, or President Richard Linton.

Examples:

1. Richard Linton, president of Kansas State University, will attend the event.
2. The group includes President Richard Linton.

Second reference: the residence. The university’s president, first lady and family live at the residence. The residence, at 100 Wilson Court, was completed in 1923 and renovated and expanded in 1998.

Same in all references. The Purple Masque Theatre moved to West Stadium in 2015. The Purple Masque Theatre and its new studio and rehearsal space is used by the drama therapy graduate program.

The Quad in all references. It is the lawn area bordered by Waters Hall on the north, Willard Hall on the east, Hale Library on the south and Leasure Hall on the west. The Quad is crossed by intersecting sidewalks. The sundial at the intersection was donated by the class of 1908.

Second reference: the visitor center. It is in the Glenn H. Beck Dairy Barn as part of the Kansas State University Gardens. It is open to the public and free of charge.

Not Recreation Services. Rec Services is acceptable on second reference. Rec Services administers intramural and recreational sports, fitness programs and sport clubs for the campus. Rec Services' administrative offices are in the Chester E. Peters Recreation Complex and its facilities are in the Rec Complex and the Natatorium.

Use residence hall. In general, avoid using dormitory or dorm, but they are acceptable in direct quotes.

Identify room number according to postal code, which states the room number first and then the building. Do not use a zero for basement level rooms. Although rooms are commonly identified by stating the building then the room number, avoid this in writing to maintain consistency.

Examples: 1120 Throckmorton Hall, 128 Dole Hall, 110 Anderson Hall

Second reference: the complex. The complex is a track and field facility that seats 2,500 spectators. The complex includes an 8-lane Rekortan surface and a 110-meter incline/decline sprint lane. The complex also features a men’s and women’s locker room, team room and offices in the northeast corner of the stadium. The complex, completed in 1973, was funded entirely from private donations by more than 3,000 university friends and alumni, including R.V. Christian, a 1911 graduate of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

When using the proper name of a school, capitalize it. When using only the general term school or using school as a second reference, lowercase it.

Examples:

1. A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication
2. the school or the media and communication school

Second reference: Schulz. The Kansas Board of Regents selected Kirk Schulz as the 13th president of Kansas State University in February 2009. He served until 2016.

Second reference: the complex. Seaton Complex includes Seaton Hall and Regnier Hall, as well as four outdoor areas: the William T. Kemper Amphitheatre, the Midwest Concrete Materials Inc. Courtyard, the Sunderland Foundation Fabrication Courtyard and a green roof. The complex houses the College of Architecture, Planning and Design, as well as offices, laboratories and classrooms for the College of Engineering and the geography department. The complex was completed in 2017.

Lowercase in all references, even when referring to a specific semester.

Examples: the fall semester, the fall 2012 semester

Kansas State University has two senates representing employees: Faculty Senate and University Support Staff Senate. Faculty Senate facilitates faculty participation in the establishment of university policies. University Support Staff Senate articulates classified employees’ interests, concerns and recommendations. Students are represented by the Student Senate.

See Student Governing Association.

Second reference: the memorial. The memorial is in Bosco Student Plaza and includes three Allee Chinese Elm trees. The trees were planted on Sept. 19, 2001, in memory of the human lives lost on Sept. 11 in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. The memorial also honors the courage, spirit and strength of the people of the United States.

Capitalize Kansas State University services units and use the full name in all references.

Example: News and Communications Services

When using the full title, capitalize each word. When using as a general reference, do not capitalize.

Examples:

1. K-State Student Ambassadors
2. The student ambassadors are proactive.

Same in all references. It is often abbreviated as SGA, but avoid using the term in writing. The Student Governing Association represents the concerns and interests of the student body. It is comprised of an executive, legislative and judicial branches.

Use figures and hyphens. Example: 785-532-0000.

See telephone numbers in the AP Stylebook.

Only use theatre if it is part of the official name.

Examples:

1. Nichols Theatre, Purple Masque Theatre, Ebony Theatre, Little Theatre
2. School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
3. She traveled to the theater in Kansas City.

Second reference: the stadium. Use Tointon Family Stadium on first reference when referring to the structure itself. The stadium is a baseball facility with seating for more than 2,300 fans. It is southwest of Bramlage Coliseum.

Lowercase university when referring to Kansas State University. When referring to all of Kansas State University, use university not campus. See campus.

Example: The university will celebrate Earth Day with a week of activities.

Second reference: UFM. The original name of “University for Man” was changed to “University for Mankind” in the 1990s. In 1999, the words were eliminated and it became the UFMCommunity Learning Center. This university-community educational program serves K-State, Manhattan, and communities across Kansas. UFM offers a variety of noncredit and credit classes for all ages and interests. Based on the philosophy that “everyone can learn and everyone can teach,” UFM provides opportunities for lifelong learning and personal development; serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas; and as a catalyst for new programs and services that enhance quality of life for all. The UFM program started in 1968 and was housed in Umberger Hall. After moving several times, it arrived in 1976 at its current location at 1221 Thurston St., adjacent to N. Manhattan Ave. and across from the east edge of the Manhattan campus (in the former Straube Scholarship House, originally the Kappa Sigma fraternity). The semester catalog, first printed in spring 1969 with seven classes, has grown to 300 noncredit classes and 89 credit classes.

Second reference: the complex. The complex, at 2323 Anderson Ave., was dedicated in February 2017. It is named for Elizabeth "Beth" Unger, who served as the university's vice provost for academic services and technology and dean of continuing education from 1994 to 2007. The complex houses the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Vice Provost for Information Technology Services, including the Information Systems Office, the Information Security and Compliance Office, and the Office of Mediated Education; the Testing Center; the Office of Educational Innovation and Evaluation; Engineering Extension; and portions of the Division of Financial Services: Fund Balancing, General Accounting, Information Systems, Sponsored Programs Accounting and Purchasing. The complex, which formerly housed the Kansas State University Foundation, includes the Foundation Tower, which is comprised of office space and conference rooms.

Second reference: the handbook. The handbook contains a broad description of Kansas State University and contains standard policy of the university.

Same in all references. University Printing is a full-service printing, copying and bindery production facility for campus. It has production facilities in Dole and Umberger halls and a customer service office and copy center in the K-State Student Union. The business office is in Umberger Hall.

One word with no hyphen. Citywide, nationwide and worldwide are also one word with no hyphen.

See -wide in the AP Stylebook.

Second reference: the dining center. The facility serves as a dining center for the Strong Community of Putnam, Boyd and Van Zile residence halls. It was named for Mary Pierce Van Zile, dean of women from 1908 to 1940.

Second reference: Vanier. It is at the north end of Bill Snyder Family Stadium and houses the K-State football offices, locker rooms, a lounge and a newly renovated weight room and athletic training facility.

Second reference: the complex. The 254,702-square-foot complex is home to the College of Veterinary Medicine. It is situated on 80 acres at the north end of campus and includes three buildings: Coles Hall, Mosier Hall and Trotter Hall. The complex contains modern surgical, clinical, pathology and diagnostic facilities, the Veterinary Health Center and the veterinary medicine library.

A student pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree is a veterinary medicine student or a student in veterinary medicine. Do not refer to a student as a veterinary medical student.

Example: Jessica Allen is a second-year student in veterinary medicine.

Second reference: the memorial. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is on the southeast side of campus, directly east of All Faiths Chapel. The memorial features two semicircular limestone walls with the engraved names of 42 students who died in the war or who are missing in action. The other wall bears an inscribed quote from Abraham Lincoln. Construction began in August 1989 and the memorial was dedicated in November 1989. Scott Enns, a 1985 architecture graduate from Wichita, designed the memorial.

Same on all references. Composed in 1933 as a folk ballad saluting the nation’s rail-riding hobos, "Wabash Cannonball" was first performed for an athletic event at K-State on Dec. 16, 1968. "Wabash Cannonball" was the only selection in the band’s repertoire that evening for a home basketball game at Ahearn Field House. Just three nights prior, arsonists had set fire to Nichols Hall, at that time the home of the music department, destroying all of the department’s assets, including the sheet music. The band director at that time, Phil Hewitt, had taken this piece home that night to do some work on the arrangement, thus making it the only selection to survive the fire.

Same on all references. The annual Wabash CannonBall, which began in 2007, is organized by a committee of volunteers and K-State Alumni Association staff. The black-tie event raises money for Kansas City-area high school students who plan to attend K-State.

Second reference: the field. The artificial playing surface at Bill Snyder Family Stadium is Wagner Field. The artificial turf was installed during summer 1991, and Nike FieldTurf was installed in summer 2002. AstroTurf Gameday Grass was installed in 2011. Use Bill Snyder Family Stadium when referring to the K-State football stadium, not the field itself.

Same in all references. West Stadium is the western half of Memorial Stadium and is a memorial to the students and alumni who sacrificed their lives during World War I. West Stadium was built in 1922 and houses drama therapy classrooms and the Purple Masque Theatre.

“Wildcat Victory” is K-State’s fight song written by Harry E. Erickson, class of 1927. The lyrics are:

Fight, you K-State Wildcats
For alma mater fight-fight-fight!
Glory in the combat
For the purple and the white.
Faithful to our colors.
We will ever be,
Fighting ever fighting for a
Wildcat Victory!
Go State!

Second reference: the memorial. The William Grimm Memorial includes a memorial oak tree and plaque that are just southwest of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It was dedicated in 1991 as a memorial to Capt. William D. Grimm, a member of the U.S. Air Force who was killed in action during Operation Desert Storm. Grimm graduated from the university in 1986 and is the only K-State graduate killed during Operation Desert Storm.

Second reference: Willie. Willie is K-State's mascot and is chosen annually by a panel selected by the cheerleading coach. Traditionally the identity of the student portraying Willie is kept secret.

Second reference: the memorial. The World War I Photograph Memorial, with the title “1917 — Lest We Forget — 1918,” includes portraits of the 48 students who died in World War I. The memorial wall was dedicated in 1929 and was originally intended to be a part of Memorial Stadium, but was instead placed in Anderson Hall. In 1985, it moved to Gen. Richard B. Myers Hall.

Second reference: the memorial. The World War II Memorial is in the center of the circular drive in front of McCain Auditorium and honors the sacrifice and service of students and faculty during World War II. It was dedicated on Memorial Day in 2011. The memorial design, “Tags of Honor,” was created by Tim Chapman, president and CEO of the Fort Hays State University Foundation and a former employee of the Kansas State University Foundation. Dan Hunt, a K-State professor of art, designed the plaques.