Editorial Style Guide

• 16th Street (not 16th Street Mall, no superscript)
• AANAPISI (spell out on first reference: Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution)
• advisor (not adviser)
• alumni (use alumni when plural; use alum or graduate when singular; avoid the gender-specific alumnus and alumna) 
• a.m. (use 10 a.m., not 10 AM, 10AM, or 10a.m.)
• Auraria Campus (capitalize both words)
• The Auraria Library
• bachelor’s or bachelor’s degree (use apostrophe when referring to the degree)
• bachelor of arts (use bachelor without an apostrophe when referring to an official degree name)
• Black (capitalize when referring to an individual or group; African American is acceptable, if preferred by the individual or group)
• Board of Regents (on first reference; lowercased regents on subsequent references)
• Business School
• campus’ (possessive, apostrophe after “s”)
• campuswide (no hyphen)
• capitol (use to refer to the building where a legislature meets)
• capital (use to refer to the city that is the seat of government; Denver is Colorado’s capital city)
• City Heights Residence Hall
• City and County of Denver (capitalize City and County when used in reference to the City and County of Denver)
• chancellor (do not capitalize when used alone without a name)
• Chancellor Kenneth T. Christensen (do capitalize when directly in front of the chancellor’s name) 
• College of Architecture and Planning
• College of Arts & Media
• College of Engineering, Design and Computing
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• commencement (capitalize when referring to a specific ceremony at the university, such as Fall 2025 Commencement; lowercase when speaking generally about graduation)
• CU Denver (not UC Denver)
• CU Denver Building (located at 1250 14th St.)
• Denver metro area
• e.g. (avoid; use “for example” instead) 
• etc. (not et cetera, but use sparingly)
• fall semester (do not capitalize)
• first-generation student or first-gen (always include hyphen)
• first-year student (avoid and use the gender-specific freshman)
• fundraising (no hyphen or space)
• health care (two words, unless part of a proper noun)
• HSI (spell out on first reference: Hispanic-Serving Institution)
• i.e. (avoid using)
• Lawrence Street Center
• Lola & Rob Salazar Student Wellness Center (always use the full title)
• master’s or master’s degree (use apostrophe when referring to the degree)
• master of arts (use master without an apostrophe when referring to an official degree name)
• Maymester (capitalize)
• Mile High City
• Milo
• Milo the Lynx
• more than (use when referring to an amount, a number, or a length of time)
• Ninth Street Historic Park (not Historic Ninth Street Park)
• nonprofit (no hyphen)
• North Classroom
• OK (not okay)
• over (use when referring to a location)
• p.m. (use 5 p.m., not 5 PM, 10PM, or 5p.m.)
• post-baccalaureate (hyphenated)
• pre-health (hyphenated)
• School of Education & Human Development
• School of Public Affairs
• spring semester (do not capitalize)
• St. Cajetan’s (not St. Cajetans)
• Student Commons Building
• Tivoli Student Union
• universitywide (no hyphen or space)

Avoid mentioning a person’s age unless it’s specifically relevant to the content. University language and policies must not discriminate based on a person’s age.  

Use the term older adult only when referring to adults ages 65 and older—as long as age is relevant to the story.  

Example:

• Older adults registered through the Lifelong Learning Program can take university classes without paying tuition.  

Avoid:

• Senior: Senior or senior citizen may be considered offensive because it labels people based primarily on their age.  

For more information on digital accessibility, please visit this campus resource. 

When writing about historically underserved groups, you should use the university’s preferred terminology provided in this section of the CU Denver Style Guide. Whenever possible, avoid defining people by the problems they face. Instead, represent people in positive terms while also acknowledging the systemic issues that have historically served as barriers.   
 
Use people-first language and be specific about the groups and the systems that affected them. Blacks, Native Americans, and other groups of people do not self-identify as one large, underrepresented group or underrepresented minority.

To communicate in a way that is true to and respectful of a person’s lived experiences, it is important that language accurately reflects a person’s gender. When writing about someone, use the pronouns they prefer. If you are unsure which pronouns a person prefers, then ask. If a person’s preferred pronouns remain unknown, then use gender-neutral pronouns. 

Gender and sex are not the same. Gender is social whereas sex is biological. A person’s gender can align with their sex, or it can differ. Both gender and sex can exist on spectrums, neither entirely male nor entirely female. Some individuals may use multiple pronoun sets interchangeably. 

Use Gender-Neutral Terms (Graduates, Alums, Alumni, First-Year Students) 

Gender-neutral terms are more inclusive and representative than gendered terms. For this reason, it is preferable to use terms such as first-year students and first-year instead of freshmen or freshman. Gendered Latin nouns such as alumnus and alumna are not commonly understood in modern English. Graduates, alum, and alums (or alumni) are easily understood by most audiences. 

Do not reference gender unless it is relevant. Unnecessary or excessive references to gender can indicate bias. Historically, such usage has suggested a person’s gender is unusual in a given context, which perpetuates exclusionary practices. Examples of unnecessary, irrelevant references to gender include female doctor and male nurse.  

Examples: 

• First-year, first-years, first-year students (use a hyphen when used alone or as an adjective, but not when referring to a period of time) 
• We welcome this year’s first-year students to campus.  
• During your first year, you will adjust to campus life. 
• Use anticipated graduation year if you are referring to a returning student (Example: “[Student’s name] is expected to graduate in [year]”) 
• Alum, graduate 
• As an accomplished alum, she inspires current students. 
• Doctor 
• Actor
• Chairperson 
• Workforce, employees 
   

Do Not Use:

• Freshman, freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior (instead, refer to their anticipated graduation date to showcase student success)  
• Alumna, alumnus 
• Woman doctor  
• Actress 
• Chairman 
• Manpower 
   

Refrain from Using His/Her or He/She 
When gender is unknown or irrelevant, do not use his/her or he/she. Using a slash this way is no longer preferred in formal writing. Use the third-person singular, or use plural to avoid this altogether. 

Examples:

• A student should contact their advisor for assistance. 
• Students should contact their advisors for assistance. 
   

Do Not Use:

• He/she should apply for the internship. 
   

Third-Person Singular 
Since 2017, AP has allowed the use of the third-person singular. Use the singular they, them, and their when referring to a person whose gender is unknown or irrelevant. 

Examples:

• A person should enjoy their vacation. 
• Each student shared their perspective. 

They, Them as Nonbinary or Transgender Pronouns 
It is appropriate to use they, them, and their if these are the subject’s preferred pronouns. It is best practice to ask the subject what their preferred pronouns are, rather than assume, even if it seems obvious. Describe the person the way they want to be described. Some people use male and female pronouns interchangeably. Some people do not use pronouns at all and use only their names. 

Do not use gendered pronouns that contradict a person’s gender identity, particularly when writing about a transgender person’s experience prior to their transition. To avoid outing someone, ask for their permission before identifying them as transgender. Trans is acceptable on second reference. 

Commonly Misused Gender Terms:

• cisgender: A person whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.
• gender fluid: Gender fluid refers to a person who does not have a fixed gender.
• intersex: Use people-first language (people with intersex, people born with intersex traits). Do not use hermaphrodite.
• LGBTQ+: CU Denver’s preferred term is LGBTQ+. Use the plural LGBTQ communities rather than the singular LGBTQ community to accurately reflect the plurality of experiences and identities encompassed. Do not use LGBT. Investigate whether a more specific term is appropriate, particularly for individuals who may feel doubly minoritized within LGBTQ+ communities.
• nonbinary: No hyphen in nonbinary. Use third-person pronouns or the pronouns the person prefers. You can use both male and female pronouns interchangeably if that is how the person prefers their pronouns to be used.
• queer: Not all members of LGBTQ+ communities accept the term queer, which prior to its reclamation was largely used as a pejorative. It is important to ensure that it is applicable to the individual or group to which you are referring. If you are unsure, then ask.
• transgender: Avoid phrases like “she identifies as transgender” (or “he identifies as queer” or “they identify as nonbinary”). Also, avoid the term transgender status. This language implies these identities are a choice. Instead, use “she is transgender.” Trans is acceptable on second reference. Do not use transgendered with an ed at the end (people are transgender, similar to being gay or lesbian—not gayed or lesbianed). 
   

Example:

• Demi is a nonbinary person, and they appreciate your use of their pronouns.  
   

Do Not Use:

• transsexual
• transvestite
• hermaphrodite
• sexual preference
• sex change (use sex reassignment or gender transition)
   

Language is constantly changing to more accurately reflect the reality of all our experiences. If you encounter an issue which is not addressed above, refer to resources such as the GLAAD Media Reference Guide for further guidance.

Use people-first language: People who are unhoused or experiencing homelessness. 

Examples:

• The anti-camping law discriminates against people who are unhoused.
• The coalition works to help people experiencing homelessness.

First, ensure that you use language and terms that the person prefers. Use people-first language, with their permission (example: people with xyz) or identity-first language if the person prefers (example: deaf person). Do not indicate a person’s disability or illness unless it’s relevant. Again, make sure to gain consent from the source. Do not indicate if a person has a disability or illness unless it’s relevant to the story. 

Examples:

• The student, who is visually impaired, listens to audio recordings of textbooks.
• The professor with Parkinson’s disease prefers to teach online. 
   

Do Not Use:

• differently abled: This term is considered condescending or offensive. 

The words we use about a person’s identity are important. Below are some commonly used phrases for you to reference.

• African American: No hyphen; may be used for Black people who live in the U.S. Follow an individual’s preference if known.
• Asian: Use national origin if known for people who reside in Asian countries; Asian may be used if national origin is unknown or for people of multiple countries. Example: The delegation included three ambassadors from Asian countries.
• Asian American: No hyphen. May be used for Americans of Asian descent. Use national origin when possible or follow an individual’s presence. Example: The Asian Student Union organized events for students from more than 22 countries, including Filipino American and Indian American students.
• biracial: No hyphen; may be used for people who identify as biracial. Example: Jennifer Montrose, who calls herself a biracial artist, exhibited at Emmanuel Gallery.
• Black: Capitalize Black when referring to people. Example: The Black students wanted more diverse authors represented in the syllabus.
• Chicano, Chicana: Refers to Mexican Americans, primarily in the Southwestern U.S. Use only when it’s a person’s preference. Chicana is the feminine form. Example: John Hernandez, a Chicano graduate student from Texas, found a home at CU Denver. Maria Martinez and Ana Romano founded Chicanas in Denver, a student affinity group.
• Chicanx: A gender-neutral alternative to Chicano and Chicana. Follow an individual’s preference. Example: Chicanx artist Josefina Mestas graduated from CU Denver.
• Filipino, Filipina: Refers to people from the Philippines. Filipino is the masculine form; Filipina is the feminine form. Example: Filipino student Juan Luna visited his family in the Philippines over spring break. Rosemary Rodriguez, a Filipina American musician, plays guitar and drums.
• Filipinx: A gender-neutral alternative to Filipino and Filipina. Follow an individual’s preference. Example: Garcia, a Filipinx biologist, is studying how disease affects marmots.
• First Nation: The preferred term for Indigenous people of Canada. Example: First Nations people are original inhabitants of the land that is now Canada.
• Hispanic, Latine, Latinx, Latina, and Latino: According to AP style, Latino, Latina, Latinx, and Latine are often the preferred noun or adjective for a person from, or whose ancestors were from, a Spanish-speaking land or culture or from Latin America. CU Denver’s preferred term is either Hispanic, Latinx, Latina, or Latino. Hispanic refers to people whose ancestors are from a Spanish-speaking area or country (may exclude Brazil and Portugal). Latinx is gender-neutral. Latina and Latino are gendered terms that are widely used in spoken Spanish, and some people may prefer them. When writing about individuals, use national origin when possible or follow an individual’s preference. 
  • Examples:  
    • Hispanic student enrollment has increased since CU Denver was officially designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution.
    • Guatemalan student Juan Robles was a member of the Latinx Student Alliance. Men and women from the Latinx community requested the meeting.
• The Columbian American student had difficulty getting her student visa.
• Indigenous (adj.): Capitalize when referring to original inhabitants of a place. Example: The Indigenous students drafted a land acknowledgment statement.
• Indigenous nations: When referring to an Indigenous person’s national identity, it is best practice to ask the subject what nation they belong to and to confirm its correct spelling with them. Because not all Indigenous nations are officially recognized, you might not be able to check this information against government sources for all nations, but it is OK to do so when it is available.
• Intersectionality: Intersectionality is a theoretical approach based on the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. Consideration of one’s intersectionality is important to communicating with respect and appropriateness.
• minoritized: May be used to describe historically underserved groups. Example: Minoritized faculty are having a meeting to discuss their representation on the board.
• multiracial: No hyphen. May be used for people who identify as multiracial. The multiracial assistant professor taught Latin American Literature and Afro-Caribbean Literature.
• Native American: Acceptable for an Indigenous person of different tribal affiliations living in the U.S. Follow an individual’s preference, if known. When possible, specify the person’s tribal affiliation. Avoid Indian when referring to Indigenous people.
  • Examples:
    • She is a Diné student representative.
    • He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
    • The Native American students formed their own affinity group.
• people of color: May be used to describe people of races other than white in the U.S. Do not capitalize. Be specific whenever possible to avoid lumping together anyone who isn’t white into one group.
• white: Do not capitalize when referring to people, per AP style. Example: Some white students said they disagreed with the policy. 
   

Do Not Use:
 

• Aborigine: This term is considered offensive by some Indigenous Australians.
• Brown: When referring to skin color, this term is imprecise and interpretations vary.
• Caucasian: This term is imprecise, as it originally was used for people for the Caucasus mountain range (mostly Russia and Georgia). It is no longer appropriate to use this term as a synonym for white. If referring to the collective group of people from the Caucasus region, it is appropriate to use this term and it is capitalized in this context. Example: The Caucasian peoples are diverse.
• minority: When referring to people of color or underrepresented groups, avoid minority for two reasons: 1. minority may connote unimportance or less importance than the majority and 2. people of color may be in the majority.
• native: This term is overused to describe people who were born and raised in Colorado. Do not use. Instead, use specific biographical information (Example: She was born and raised in Denver.)
• Orient, Oriental: When referring to people of Asian descent, avoid Orient and Oriental, as it originated at a time when people from Asian countries were considered to have subordinate status in the United States.
• slave: Enslaved people is preferred. Slave is dehumanizing. Slave may be used in a quote.
• transracial: Do not use for people who have adopted a different racial identity; it may be considered offensive.
• tribe: It is best practice to refer to Indigenous nations as nations rather than tribes. This shows respect for their sovereignty and avoids trivializing connotations. However, it is OK to use the word Tribe when it is a part of a nation’s official name. Always ask the subject what the name of their nation is and confirm the correct spelling with them. Because not all Indigenous nations are officially recognized, you might not be able to check nation’s names against government sources.

When marking possession with a word that ends in s, use an apostrophe after the s consistently. Do not add an extra s after the apostrophe. 

Examples:

• Lewis’ class
• Descartes’ theory

Commas
 

For the sake of consistency and simplicity, always use the serial comma (also called an Oxford comma) in a series or list. This is a break from AP style, which advises using it only when necessary for clarity. 

Examples:

• Attendees included students, faculty, and staff.
• I had orange juice, toast, and ham and eggs for breakfast. 
   

Quotations 
 

When quoting verbatim, always place periods and commas within the closing quotation mark. Dashes, colons, semicolons, question marks, and exclamation marks go inside the closing mark.  

Examples:

• “What did Simon Say?” was the name of the song.
• “Did you hear what the teacher said?” she asked her classmate.
• Have you heard the song “Twist and Shout?”

Hyphens 

Use hyphens (-) in compound modifiers (two or more words that modify the same noun), to avoid ambiguity, or if the word that follows a prefix begins with a capital letter. For compound words or words with prefixes and suffixes, check the dictionary (AP uses Webster’s New World College Dictionary). Hyphens are also used when referencing a span of years, including the fiscal and academic years.  

Examples:

• world-class university, full-time student
• un-American, mid-March
• co-worker, coworking
• campuswide, nonresident
• during the 2025-26 academic year
• FY 2025-26 
   

En Dash 
 

Avoid the use of en dashes (–). The CU Denver style guide uses the words to or through to indicate a range. If an en dash is necessary (examples: on flyers or digital calendars), use an en dash with a space on either side to indicate a range.  

Examples:

• They rated the course on a scale of 1 to 10.
• The lecture is from 9 to 11 a.m.
• 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. (only use for flyers or digital calendars)
• Registration is available from Jan. 16 through Jan. 19 
   

Do Not Use:

• En dashes or hyphens without spaces on each side 
   

Em Dash 
 

Use an em dash (—) with no spaces on either side to mark a break in thought or to add emphasis. 

Examples:

• They will travel to Europe this summer—if they pass all of their classes.
• The space—including the student lounge—has been renovated to reflect a change in the way people work. 
   

Keyboard Shortcut Tips

• Mac keyboard shortcut for en dash (–): Option + Minus key
• Mac keyboard shortcut for em dash (—): Shift + Option + Minus key 
• PC keyboard shortcut for en dash (–): Hold Alt, type 0150, and release Alt (on a keyboard with a numeric keypad) or hold the Windows key + period to open the emoji keyboard, navigate to the symbols menu (select the icon with four symbols in a square shape), and select the en dash from there (for laptops without a numeric keypad). For Microsoft Word, type two words or numbers with a single hyphen in between and it should automatically convert to an en dash.
• PC keyboard shortcut for em dash (—): Hold Alt, type 0151, and release Alt (on a keyboard with a numeric keypad) or hold the Windows key + period to open the emoji keyboard, navigate to the symbols menu (select the icon with four symbols in a square shape), and select the em dash from there (for laptops without a numeric keypad). For Microsoft Word, type two hyphens in a row (—) and it should automatically convert to an em dash.

Avoid the use of slashes between terms. Use and or other connecting language to create more readable text.  

Examples:

• he/she: They
• classes/coursework: Classes and coursework
• and/or: Pick one or rework phrasing 
   

Do Not Use:

• and/or
• when/where
• if/when
• he/she

Use hyphens in phone numbers with no spaces on either side. 

Example:

• 303-315-2154 
   

Do Not Use:

• 303.123.5653
• (303) 539-3429

Per AP style, spell out numbers under 10; use figures for numbers 10 and up. 

For percentages, use numerals and the percent sign with no space in between. 

Avoid beginning sentences with numerals. When a sentence does begin with a number, always spell the number out. Years are the only exception. 

When comparing quantities, numbers, or amounts, use the phrase more than instead of over. Use the word over when referring to time or distance. 

Examples:

• She had more than 100 miles to go.
• The car was worth more than $10,000.
• There were more than 100 students at the event.
• They decided to stay in the mountains for more than a month.
• That couch is more than 10 years old.   
   

For times, denote a.m. or p.m. (with lowercase, periods, and no spaces between). Use a colon to separate hours and minutes. Do not use a colon and zeros for on-the-hour times. 

In phone numbers, use hyphens with no spaces on either side. 

Always use numerals with street addresses, ages, dollars and cents, measurements, temperature, millions and billions, and congressional districts. 

Do not use superscript. 

Examples:

• She had five pennies, and he had 20.
• The difference was 20%.
• Twenty-five people joined.
• 2019 was the year of the Lynx.
• 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• 303-333-3333
• 1380 Lawrence St.
• He was 10 years old.
• The 10-year-old girl watched the younger children.
• The university is more than 50 years old.
• She was 5 years old.
• The ticket was $7.50.
• Sodas used to be 25 cents.
• He earned $25 an hour.
• He was 6-foot, 5-inches tall.
• The hole was 5 feet deep.
• The speed limit was 40 miles per hour.
• It was minus-5 degrees.
• It was a balmy 85 degrees.
• 5 million, 25 billion,100 million
• She was from the 4th Congressional District.
• The project cost $10 million.
• The soda was priced at $10.25.

An abbreviation is a shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase used to represent the whole: SGA or NCAA. An acronym is an abbreviation that is read as a word: CAM, MEC, and NASA. 

Use abbreviations and acronyms in moderation. When using uncommon abbreviations or acronyms, on first use spell out the full name and follow it by the abbreviation or acronym in parentheses. (If the abbreviation or acronym is not used after the first mention, do not abbreviate it.) Do not assume readers are familiar with the university’s abbreviations and acronyms. 

Examples:
 

• The College of Arts & Media (CAM) is sponsoring an art exhibit at the museum next month. Exhibits hosted by CAM are free to all students.
• They received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
• The professor’s study was featured by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Articles (a, an, the) with Acronyms and Abbreviations 

Use the article that you would use when speaking. Sometimes, no article is necessary. 
 

Dates and Times 

Per AP style, spell out month names that stand alone. Abbreviate month names when used with a specific date: September 2019; Dec. 14, 2019. Never abbreviate March, April, May, June, or July. Use “on” before a date to add clarity for readers. Do not use th, st, rd for dates.  

Examples of Abbreviations (when used with a specific date):
 

• Jan. 1, 2026 (not January 1st, 2026)
• Feb. 1, 2026 (not February 1st, 2026)
• March 1, 2026
• April 1, 2026
• May 1, 2026
• June 1, 2026
• July 1, 2026
• Aug. 1, 2026
• Sept. 1, 2026
• Oct. 1, 2026
• Nov. 1, 2026
• Dec. 1, 2026 
   

For times, denote a.m. or p.m. with lower-case letters and periods, no spaces between. Use a colon to separate hours and minutes. Do not use a colon and zeros for on-the-hour times. Spell out noon (not 12 p.m.) and midnight (not 12 a.m.). When noting timeframes, use to whenever possible instead of an en-dash or hyphen. If absolutely necessary, use an en-dash with spaces between each time. Do not repeat a.m. or p.m. if both times in the range are in either the afternoon or morning.  

Examples:

• 11 a.m.
• 3:30 p.m.
• noon to 1 p.m.
• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• 8 to 10 a.m.
• 3 to 4 p.m.

Per AP style, spell out street names without a number and abbreviate street names in a complete address.  

Examples:

• Grant Street
• 1350 Lawrence St.

Titles 

Whenever possible, use complete titles and not abbreviations. If listed before the name, the full title should be capitalized. If used after the name, lowercase the title. Titles used without a name should not be capitalized.  

Examples:

• Chancellor Kenneth T. Christensen, PhD, spoke at the event.
• The provost will be at the event.
• Maria Sanchez, director of the event, was in attendance. 

Academic Degrees 
 

When spelling out degrees, use an apostrophe in bachelor’s degree, master’s, etc. Do not use an apostrophe in bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, or master of science. Use PhD or doctor of philosophy degree instead of doctorate or doctoral degree and EdD instead of doctor of education. Associate degree is never plural (associates) or possessive (associate’s). 

“Doctor” or “Dr.” should not appear in front of a name. Instead, note “PhD,” “MD,” or “EdD” after a person’s name and set off by commas on first mention only. 

Examples:

• Chancellor Kenneth T. Christensen, PhD, spoke at the event. 
   

Do Not Use:

• Dr. Mundo is a graduate of CU Denver. 

Areas of Study

Areas of study (music, genetics, physical therapy, electrical engineering) are not capitalized unless used as part of a proper name of a specific program or department. 

Examples:

• He is working toward a bachelor of arts degree in English.
• They are a first-year student in electrical engineering.
• She teaches in the College of Engineering, Design and Computing. 

Departments and areas of study can use the same words, so it’s important to differentiate between them by including the word “department.” 

Examples:

• I am taking multiple visual arts classes this semester.
• I am taking clinical health psychology classes next semester.
• He is studying film.

Board of Regents is capitalized on first use. On second use, regents is lowercase. Regent is capitalized before the full name of a regent. When using a regent’s full title, place the district after the name, separated by commas. Second reference to the regent is last name only. 

Examples:

• The next Board of Regents meeting is May 25.
• The regents will discuss new degree programs.
• Nolbert Chavez, 7th Congressional District, will chair the discussion.
• Chavez has been a regent for four years. 

Note:

Congressional districts are always indicated in numerals, which is an exception to the general AP Stylebook rule to spell out all numbers less than 10.

Use italics for titles of longer works such as books, movies, podcasts, journal titles, research projects, albums, and paintings, as well as publication names of newspapers and magazines. Use quotation marks for titles of shorter works such as articles, short stories, poems, or songs. 

Examples:

• The Denver Post, War and Peace, Casablanca
• “The Importance of Large Carnivores in Healthy Ecosystems,” “The Road Not Taken,” “Twist and Shout”

Capitalize all important words if it is the specific name of a course. Do not use quotation marks or italics. 

Examples:

• She took the International Development in East Africa course in the School of Public Affairs.
• Introduction to Creative Writing is offered in the fall.
• They are studying math.

CU Denver uses title case. For social media and digital advertising, follow the conventions that perform best. 

• Capitalize first word, last word, and proper nouns.
• Do not capitalize articles, prepositions, and conjunctions: a, an, the, and, but, for, nor, or, to, and as.
• Do not capitalize prepositions, regardless of length (except when they are stressed or important), including above, along, around, at, before, behind, below, between, by, down, for, from, in, into, near, off, on, toward, upon, with, within.
• Do not use single quotes when quotation is needed in a headline.  
   

Examples:

• Chancellor Kenneth T. Christensen Accepts Speaking Invitation in Boston
• CU Denver Calls Mission: “Precious Opportunity, Profound Obligation”
• What Is a Denver Square?

Job Titles 

Capitalize job titles only when preceding a name. Place longer titles after the name and do not capitalize. With multiple titles, use the one most relevant to the subject matter. For faculty, link names to their department page. 

Use degrees instead of courtesy titles. With multiple degrees, use the highest degree. 

Examples:

• President Todd Saliman
• Margaret Wood, associate vice chancellor
• Alan Davis, PhD, professor of education 

Exceptions: 

• Titles can be capitalized in programs, event signage, table of contents, diplomas and awards, and public relations or marketing materials based on best visual design and to add clarity or readability. 

Alumni 

All alumni of CU Denver, including faculty and staff, should be notated as such in all print, marketing, social, and web instances. After alumni names, list their two-digit graduation year with an apostrophe on the left, facing left (no comma). Only include the degree name if it is an advanced degree, abbreviated with capital letters, no periods. Include a character space between the degree and graduation year. When listing multiple degrees, do so in chronological order and use a comma to separate degrees. Those who have completed a certificate or license at CU Denver are considered alumni. Acknowledgement of certificates and licensures should be made in context.

It is acceptable to use abbreviations or acronyms for degree names when referring to graduates note that some abbreviations can lead to confusion and misinterpretation (example: BS). Here is a list of advanced degree abbreviations: 

MS: Master of Science
MA: Master of Arts
MFA: Master of Fine Arts
MBA: Master of Business Administration
MPH: Master of Public Health
MPA: Master of Public Administration
MPP: Master of Public Policy
MCJ: Master of Criminal Justice
MArch: Master of Architecture
MUD: Master of Urban Design
MURP: Master of Urban and Regional Planning
MLA: Master of Landscape Architecture
PhD: Doctor of Philosophy
EdD: Doctor of Education
EdS: Specialist in Education

Examples:

For CU Denver graduates, specifically, please use these examples. 

• Undergraduate Degree: Include the year of graduation.
  • Ian Kellett ’13 earned his bachelor of fine arts degree from CU Denver and is now the owner and founder of Liquid Luck Productions.
  • Andrea Albo ’05 grew up west of downtown Denver.
• Advanced Degree: Include the degree and year of graduation.
  • Andrea Wagner MA ’14 was a nontraditional student.
  • Navneet Sunderraman MS ’25 worked as a global ambassador for the Office of International Affairs.
• Both Undergraduate and Advanced Degrees: Include the degree and year of graduation for each (separated by a comma).
  • Barb Weiske ’84, MPA ’92 retired in 2019.
• Multiple Advanced Degrees: Include the degree and year of graduation for each (separated by a comma). Only list one year if the alum has multiple advanced degrees from the same year.
  • Meredith Snow MBA ’12, PhD ’21 spoke at the event.
  • Samma Fox MA, MPA ’17 accepted the award.
• List or Group: When referring to a couple or group in which at least one of the individuals is a graduate, reference degrees individually.
  • Many thanks to Lola MA ’92 and Rob Salazar for their historic gift.
• Other CU Degrees: If the individual earned another degree at a different CU institution, it can be referenced in context, but is not required.
  • Karen Hertz MBA ’05 knows the CU System well, having earned a bachelor’s degree at CU Boulder before pursuing her master’s degree at CU Denver.
• Advanced Degree from Other Institution: When referring to alumni who have earned a medical or doctoral advanced degree at another institution, instead of using the title “Doctor” preceding the name, place the degree designation after the graduate’s class year.
  • William Mundo BA ’16, MA ’18, MD is passionate about health care equity.
• School or College Affiliation: When mentioning a CU Denver college or school affiliation, it should be included as context.
  • Kelly Hodges ’02 graduated from the College of Arts & Media.
• Certificate or License Completed at CU Denver: Acknowledgement of certificates and licensures should be made in context.
  • Brad Reubendale enrolled in CU Denver’s graduate certificate in nonprofit management, at the School of Public Affairs, and soon began applying for executive director positions with nonprofits.
  • Lora de la Cruz EdD ’16 also received an administrator license in 2015 from the School of Education & Human Development.
• Non-Degreed Alumni: If someone left CU Denver before graduating, omit a reference to degree and use context.
  • She studied architecture at CU Denver.
  • He was a student in the College of Engineering, Design and Computing.

Capitalize only the official and complete names of colleges, schools, departments, divisions, offices, buildings, and official bodies. Do not capitalize semester names or seasons. Do not capitalize university unless using the complete proper name of the university. If you need to conserve space, omit terms like Office of and Department of. If you omit these terms, do not capitalize the rest of the name. 

For schools and colleges, use full official name on first reference (some use an ampersand and some use and; see below). Subsequent references may use the appropriate school abbreviation or acronym, which should be indicated in parentheses after the full name. 

• College of Architecture and Planning (CAP)
• College of Arts & Media (CAM)
• Business School
• School of Education & Human Development (SEHD)
• College of Engineering, Design and Computing (CEDC)
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)
• School of Public Affairs (SPA) 

Capitalize the educational facility and organization Auraria Campus and Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC).

This area is constantly evolving, but here are some standards used at CU Denver:  

• e-commerce, e-book, e-newsletter (all compound e-words, other than email, are hyphenated)
• email (lowercase, no hyphen)
• email addresses all lowercase (first.last@ucdenver.edu)
• login (noun); log in (verb); log in to UCDAccess
• internet (lowercase)
• online (one word)
• X (uppercase)
• website, webcam, webcast, webmaster (single word, lowercase, no space or hyphen)
• the Web (capitalized, short for the World Wide Web)