Public Information Office (PIO)

College Style Guide

Style and Usage Requirements

  • EEO/AA statements must appear on all publications and advertisements.
  • Content must follow the standards in The Associated Press Stylebook, except where noted below. Copies are available in PIO.
  • Spelling must conform to the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Copies are available in PIO and TMCC libraries. Please note: when there is a conflict, the AP Stylebook will be used as the primary source.
  • TMCC continually updates college styles as needed. To ensure accuracy, please incorporate PIO in the design process at an early date. Please contact us at the beginning of your project.
  • PIO must approve all promotional materials for external distribution prior to publication as outlined in the TMCC Administrative Manual, section 4600.

Flyer and Poster Formatting

All promotional pieces must include, as a minimum, the TMCC logo, EEO statement and a telephone number for interested parties to contact. If the issuing department or office has a Web page, please include the URI, too.

Student Release Form

A student release form must be signed by the student prior to publication of the student's name or likeness in any promotional materials. The forms are available online or from PIO. Please mail or fax the signed forms to PIO.


Writing Style Standards

The college uses the Associated Press Stylebook as the style guide and standard for all printed and online publications. Copies of the stylebook are available in the public information office. Spelling in college publications must conform to the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Copies of the dictionary are available in the public information office and college libraries. Please note: when there is a conflict, the AP Stylebook is the primary source.

TMCC continually updates college style as needed. To ensure accuracy, please incorporate PIO in the design process at an early date. Please contact us at the beginning of your project.

The following items are common style occurrences at TMCC, and include some variations to AP style:

Academic Degrees

Follow AP Stylebook. For example, use an apostrophe in bachelor's degree but there is no possessive in bachelor of arts (note lowercase) or associate of arts.

Departments

College department names are uppercase. Example: The English Department; Admissions and Records Office. However, lowercase the word "offices" when more than one department is noted. Example: The Admissions and Records and Cashier's offices.

Academies

TMCC fire and police academies are approved for use.
Northern Nevada Fire and Rescue Academy
Northern Nevada Law Enforcement Academy

And and ampersand (&)

Follow AP Stylebook. In text, spell out the word and. The ampersand (&) is used in a limited number of department names.

Arabic numerals

Follow the AP Stylebook. The numerical figures are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 0. In general, these figures are spelled out in text. Arabic numbers ten and greater are used in numerical form: 24, 69 and 2,437 except at the beginning of a sentence.

Board of Regents

Capitalize of the name of this governing body for the Nevada System of Higher Education. The Board of Regents; the NSHE Board of Regents.

Buildings

  • TMCC E.L. Cord Child Care Center, abbreviated as CCC
  • TMCC IGT Applied Technology Center, abbreviated as EDSN
  • TMCC Meadowood Center, abbreviated as MDWS
  • Red Mountain Building, abbreviated as RDMT
  • Sierra Building, abbreviated as SIER
  • TMCC High Tech Center at Redfield, abbreviated as RC-B. Note: "Redfield Campus" may be used when discussing both UNR and TMCC facilities at this site.
  • TMCC Nell J. Redfield Foundation Performing Arts Center, abbreviated as RPAC
  • V. James Eardley Student Services Center, abbreviated as student center after first use
  • Vista Building, abbreviated as VSTA

Button Names (Web)

Use proper case. Example: When you go to the home page, select the Class Schedule button.

Campus

Dandini Campus (not main campus). This is the college's only campus. Other locations are sites or centers. See educational sites entry.

Capitalization

Generally, follow AP Stylebook for most uses, unless noted in this directory. For example, do not capitalize room after the name for a building. Example: The seminar will be held in the Red Mountain Building, room 314.

Catalog (College Catalog)

Use college catalog to refer to the document outlining the college's programs and other information. Note: Course catalog refers to the college's inventory of course descriptions in the student information system.

Clip art

Clip art is generally not allowed in TMCC publications, except for instruction to small children. Advanced approval is required. The public information office offers photographic services to the college, and subscribes to an online stock photography service.

College sites

Use "college" when referring to all TMCC sites (campuses, centers and other locations where instruction is offered). After a first reference of the full name of the college (Truckee Meadows Community College), "college" may be used to refer to TMCC.

Comma in a series

Follow AP Stylebook. In a series of three, use only one comma. Example: There are nursing, automotive and computer students in the hallway.

Committee Names

College committee names are capitalized. Example: Curriculum Committee; Academic Standards Committee. For more than one committee, capitalize the committee name, but lowercase the word "committees". Example: The Curriculum and Academic Standards committees.

Cost

Follow AP Stylebook. For example, always use lower case and the $ sign in all except casual references or amounts without a figure. Example: The book costs $4. For amounts more than $1 million, use the $ and numerals up to two decimal places. Example: It is worth $4.35 million.

Doctor (Dr.)

Dr. may be used to signify a person has earned a doctoral level degree (Ph.D., Ed.D.) in the context of college information. Do not use Dr. for honorary degrees.

Educational Centers

  • TMCC High Tech Center at Redfield
  • TMCC IGT Applied Technology Center (Edison Way)
    Note: Do not use Edison Campus.
  • Meadowood Center
  • TMCC Nell J. Redfield Foundation Performing Arts Center
    Note: Do not use former name, Keystone Theater. Use TMCC Performing Arts Center as a shorter reference if necessary. If clarification of location is needed use: TMCC Nell J. Redfield Foundation Performing Arts Center, 505 Keystone Ave. (Keystone Square)

Email

No longer hyphenated and is a noun.

Internet

Instructor (Community College)

An instructor is a college teacher who does not have tenure.

Professor (Community College)

A professor is a college teacher who has tenure.

Web page

website

Web-based

World Wide Web

Abbreviated to Web (note capitalization)

See Also: Brand, Logos and Colors