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Style Guide
Communicating clearly and consistently is essential to sharing USJ messaging effectively. The style guide ensures all University communication shares a cohesive voice, offering guidelines on words, phrases, and usage specific to USJ as well as commonly used language.
The University generally follows AP Style as the standard for grammar, punctuation, and usage. However, in certain cases, the USJ Style Guide takes precedence to reflect University-specific terminology, branding, and conventions. When AP Style does not provide guidance, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary serves as the authoritative reference for spelling and usage.
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| TERM | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| Ampersand (&) or And | Use the ampersand when it is part of a company’s formal name or composition title. For example, House & Garden, Procter & Gamble or B&O Railroad The ampersand should not otherwise be used in place of “and.” Correct: My favorite activities are reading and swimming. Incorrect: My favorite activities are reading & swimming. |
| @ Symbol | Do not use the at sign (@) when referring to a time unless it is in a social media message that needs to be under a certain number of characters or to shorten content. |
| Abbreviations & Acronyms | The first time you use an abbreviation, spell out the full term and put the abbreviation in parentheses. You can use just the abbreviation in subsequent references. Abbreviations should only be used if the organization or term appears two or more times in the text: The Connecticut School Counselors Association (CSCA), is headquartered in Wallingford, Connecticut. The CSCA promotes leadership and creates a professional school counseling identity |
| Academic Degrees | Use abbreviations after a full name, and on first reference: (only terminal degrees) M.Ed., Ph.D. thereafter use Dr. throughout. When used after a name, an academic abbreviation is set off by commas: Dennis Barone, Ph.D., spoke to the crowd. (See Alumni Listing for particulars when referring to USJ alumni.) Use an apostrophe when spelling out bachelor’s degree or master’s degree. Adjunct faculty will be identified either as adjunct instructors or adjunct faculty members. Common Degrees: B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., M.Ed., MSW, Ph.D., Ed.D., Pharm.D., and DNP MSW, MPH, BSW, MAT, and PA: No dots between the letters. Apostrophe (or not): master of Biology degree OR master’s degree in Biology bachelor of Sociology degree OR bachelor’s degree in Sociology – apostrophe is our preference and default Never use just Master’s with no program after. Associate degree not associate’s degree |
| Academic Departments | Capitalize academic departments and major areas of study as follows: The department of Biology hosted an open house. She is a professor of Chemistry. |
| Academic Schools | In fall 2018, the University of Saint Joseph restructured its academic programs to fall under three schools instead of five. The Schools are: School of Arts, Sciences, Business, & Education School of Interdisciplinary Health & Science School of Pharmacy & PA Studies Use uppercase for the word School and to signify the academic area. |
| Address | The proper return address for the University of Saint Joseph: 1678 Asylum Avenue West Hartford, CT 06117-2764 |
| Admissions | Office of Admissions (not Admission) |
| Admitted vs. Accepted | When referring to a student that is coming to USJ, use the word admitted, not accepted: Sally will be coming to Admitted Student Day 200 students will be admitted to the class of 2023 |
| Advisor | Not adviser, when referring to academic advisor |
| African American | Do not hyphenate compound terms referring to background such as African American, Asian American, Latin American, and Native American. African American is acceptable for an American Black person of African descent. The term is not necessarily interchangeable: Americans of Caribbean heritage, for example, generally refer to themselves as Caribbean American. Follow a person’s preference. Use of the capitalized Black recognizes that language has evolved, along with the common understanding that especially in the United States, the term reflects a shared identity and culture rather than a skin color alone. Follow a person’s preference when using either Black or African American. Do not use the terms Black or white as a singular or plural noun. Instead, use phrasing such as Black people, white people, Black teachers, white students. Black and white are acceptable as adjectives when relevant. |
| Alumni | Alumna = female graduate Alumnus = male graduate, or unknown gender Alumnae = plural form for female graduates Alumni = plural form for male graduates, but also used for mixed genders The University’s population of graduates as a whole should be referred to as alumni; this general use covers persons of any gender. When referring to individuals, usage should be gender-specific: alumna (female singular) and alumnus (male singular or unknown gender). When speaking about a group of graduates who are all female, you may use alumnae. The SJC class of 1968 has many active alumnae. Please do not use “alum” or “alums.” Instead, you can say “graduate.” |
| Alumni Listing | When referring in print to a University of Saint Joseph alumna/us, the name and year of graduation should be as follows: Undergraduate degree: Ann Rosetta ’44 Graduate degree: Elizabeth Rotblatt, M’92 Undergraduate and graduate, both earned at the University: Julie Linton Arcila ’95, M’96 With a doctorate from any institution: Trudy Dickneider ’68, M’73, Ph.D. A Sister of Mercy: Claire Markham, RSM, ’41, Ph.D. It is not necessary to write Sister in front of name A Distinguished Alumni Award: Pamela Atwood, M’O1, DAA’12 Honorary Degree: Mary Ellen Murphy, RSM, ’50, H’12, Ph.D. When written in a sentence, a comma follows the degree listing: Elizabeth Rotblatt, M’92, received a promotion. Multiple degrees: Joe Smith ’95, M’97, M’01 listed in chronological order There is no space between the letter, apostrophe, and number: DAA’13, M’14, H’98 There is no comma after a name when noting a bachelor’s degree; only use comma after name when the individual has other degrees/ honors: Joanne Smith ’15; Elizabeth Rotblatt, M’92 Not all degrees need to be listed in all instances – it is left to the discretion of the author and the purpose of the piece, but any references to USJ alumni must include their class year(s). Doctoral degrees (earned here – DNP or Pharm.D. – or elsewhere) are specified: ex: Suzy Smith, Pharm.D.’16 |
| Apostrophe with Year of Graduation | Make sure the apostrophe is facing away from the year: ’18 not ‘18 Mac – Hold control plus apostrophe, hit apostrophe again PC – MS Word: Hold control plus apostrophe, hit apostrophe again |
| Antisemitism/antisemitic | Not anti-Semitic or anti-Semite |
| Art Museum | When referring to the Art Museum on campus, do not place University of Saint Joseph before the Museum. The three acceptable variations are: Art Museum, University of Saint Joseph Art Museum, USJ Art Museum at the University of Saint Joseph |
| Asian American | Do not hyphenate compound terms referring to background such as African American, Asian American, Latin American, and Native American. |
| Athletics | When referring to the Athletics department, the correct spelling is athletics, not athletic. |
| Athletic Teams | Do not capitalize teams: the USJ women’s soccer team. The men’s basketball team. |
| Athenaeum | When referring to the Bruyette Athenaeum, the correct spelling is athenaeum, not atheneum. |
| Bachelor’s Degree vs. Bachelors Degree | Follows the same rules as master’s degree. |
| Bibliography | The bibliographic format for works cited follows the Modern Language Association (MLA) style. Books: Barone, Dennis. Beyond the Red Notebook: Essays on Paul Auster. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995. Periodicals: Conca, L. M. “Evaluation Frames: A Powerful Staff Development Tool for Teacher Centered School Improvement.” Journal of Staff Development, 17th edition, 1996. Online publications: Bernstein, Andrea. “Tony Kushner,” Mother Jones Magazine, 1995. Accessed 16 February, 2001; available from http://www.motherjones.com |
| Biracial/multiracial | The terms biracial and multiracial are acceptable, when clearly relevant, to describe people with more than one racial heritage, per AP Style. Avoid mixed-race, which can carry negative connotations, unless the subject prefers the term. |
| Black | Use the capitalized term as an adjective in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense: Black people, Black culture, Black literature, Black studies, Black colleges. African American is also acceptable for those in the U.S. Follow a person’s preference if known and be specific when possible and relevant. Also use Black in racial, ethnic and cultural differences outside the U.S. to avoid equating a person with a skin color. Black(s), white(s). Do not use either term as a singular or plural noun. Instead, use phrasing such as Black people, white people, Black teachers, white students. Black and white are acceptable as adjectives when relevant. |
| Blue Jays | Two words, no hyphen, capital B and J. |
| Board of Trustees | Capitalize when referring to the University of Saint Joseph’s Board. Barton joined the University’s Board of Trustees. When referring to a Board member, use the term Trustee: Trustee Brewster Perkins attended the event. “Trustees” remains plural when Board of Trustees is used as an adjective. The faculty presented their research at a Board of Trustees meeting. It never should be written “Board of Trustee.” |
| Campus | Lowercase unless it begins a sentence. |
| Campus Buildings | Do not use the uppercase T in The when referring to campus buildings (unless the word begins a sentence). For example: … the Bruyette Athenaeum, the School for Young Children, the Autorino Center, the Connor Chapel, the Gengras Center, the O’Connell Athletic Center. Similarly, the is lowercase when referring to rooms within a building: the Crystal Room, the Hoffman Auditorium, and the second-floor reception room. When a building or facility is named, use the complete name upon first reference: the Carol J. Guardo Conference Room |
| Campuswide | One word, no hyphen, unless it modifies a noun: campus-wide email. |
| Cancelled/Canceled | Both forms are acceptable, but use consistently within a document. |
| Catalog | Not catalogue when referring to the USJ Course Catalog. |
| Chair | Use chair, not chairman or chairwoman. |
| Civil Rights | Capitalize when referring to the specific push, mainly in the 1950s and ’60s, for equal rights and justice for Black people under the law in the United States. Lowercase when writing generally about civil rights movements or a civil rights movement that is not this specific one. |
| Class Years | Capitalize the formal name of a graduating class in all cases: Class of 1950. |
| Coeducation | The word coeducation is not hyphenated. In 2018, the University of Saint Joseph became fully coeducational as it welcomed men to its traditional undergraduate program. Don’t use “went coed” and note that the University as a whole was coeducational in all other programs prior to that time.) |
| Comma | Use of serial comma: 1, 2, 3, and 4. Use commas to separate elements in a series. Example: His grandchildren are Vera, Chuck, and Dave. She goes to school, plays league soccer, and takes private dance lessons. Use a comma before the concluding conjunction in a complex series of phrases. Example: The main points to consider are whether the athletes are skillful enough to compete, whether they have the stamina to endure the training, and whether they have the proper mental attitude. With essential and non-essential clauses: an essential clause is one that cannot be eliminated from a sentence without changing the meaning of the sentence; it is not set off by commas: The class read the award-winning book Angela’s Ashes. A nonessential clause can be eliminated without altering the basic meaning of the sentence; it is set off by commas: The Director of Marketing & Communications, Brittany Nuttall, greeted the new students. |
| Committee | When the entire name of a committee is used, capitalize it as you would a title. On second reference, you may use Committee. Otherwise, use lowercase for general reference. Trustee Brewster Perkins served on the Institutional Advancement Committee for several years. He finds the work of the Committee fulfilling. The advisory committee met to discuss goals for the upcoming year. Note: the word subcommittee is not hyphenated. |
| Contractions | AP style prefers to avoid contractions in formal writing. Contractions are acceptable in social media content. |
| Courtesy Titles | In general, do not use courtesy titles (Mrs., Mr., Ms.) except in direct quotations or as requested in formal, event-based content. When it is necessary to distinguish between two people who use the same last name, as in married couples or brothers and sisters, use the first and last name. |
| Cyber | When the combining form is used, follow the general rule for prefixes and do not use a hyphen: cybersecurity, cybercafé or cybernetwork. |
| TERM | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| Dash | When using a dash to indicate a change of idea in the text, use the single line “em dash” (—) with a space on either side. To create an em dash: Mac: Hold shift + option, then press dash key PC MS Word Doc: Hold control + alt, then press minus sign in numeric key pad |
| Dates | Always use the numerical digits (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and any combination of them) without st, nd, rd, or th. When using a month with a specific date, abbreviate January (Jan.), February (Feb.), August (Aug.), September (Sept.), October (Oct.), November (Nov.), and December (Dec.). The other months (March, April, May, June, July) will still be spelled out, even when with a specific date. Tip: “Month/Date=Abbreviate!” Jan. 7 Feb. 8, 2020 March 15 April 22, 2019 When using dates in a formal setting like in a letter, write out the month in its entirety. Do not use 10/6, instead say Oct. 6 Do not separate months and years with a comma: My grandfather arrived here in April 1937. Set off years with commas when naming a specific date: We paid the bill on April 1, 2018, but were charged again in May. |
| Days of Week | Capitalize days of the week and do not abbreviate days of the week: On Friday, we’re going to the museum. The plural form does not include an apostrophe: Wednesdays are often the busiest days on campus. |
| Decades | Do not use apostrophes when all four digits are used: The 1970s or the ’70s. |
| Department Titles | Use uppercase to signify an academic area/discipline; the word department is lowercase: the History department; the department of Psychology |
| Dietitian vs. Dietician | Use dietitian |
| Dining Commons | The dining area in McGovern Hall is called the McGovern Dining Commons, not dining hall or cafeteria. |
| Disabilities | The terms disabilities and disabled include a broad range of physical, psychological, developmental and intellectual conditions both visible and invisible. Both people with disabilities and disabled people are acceptable terms, but try to determine the preference of a person or group. Do not use the word handicapped. |
| Doctorate | When referring to someone who has their doctorate, use Dr. before their name, or Ph.D. after, not both. Dr. Kaitlin Walsh Kaitlin Walsh, Ph.D. |
| Ellipsis | When using an ellipsis in the midst of text, place a space on either side: A traditional event where members of the community gather … Convocation is part ritual and part celebration. |
| Email/E-mail | Email is preferred. The hyphen is required for other e-terms: e-book, e-business, e-commerce. |
| Email addresses | When publishing on a digital platform, include blue hyperlink: [email protected]. When publishing in print, do not include hyperlink: [email protected]. When appropriate consider adding a QR CODE in print to drive viewers to the site. |
| Emerita/Emeritus | The former is feminine, the latter masculine or referring to someone of unknown gender. Capitalize when used before name; keep lowercase when used after a name: Professor Emeritus Harry McKone returned to campus for the annual Lewis Lecture. Judith Perkins, professor emerita, received the Stack Award for Teaching Excellence. When referring to multiple people who have received this honor, use Emeriti (males and females or multiple males or unknown gender), or Emeritae (multiple females). Trustees Emeriti Kathleen Amatangelo and Greg Boyko attended the event. |
| Exclamation Point | In informal writing, multiple exclamation points are sometimes used to indicate stronger emphasis or emotion. However, in formal writing only one is necessary: I can hardly wait!!! (Informal use only, for example in social media) Do not overuse exclamation points or the intended effect may be lost. Overuse of the exclamation point: Yesterday the boys were playing outside! As they played, I watched them from the kitchen window! I was horrified to see a mountain lion in the tree! More effective use of the exclamation point: Yesterday the boys were playing outside. As they played, I watched them from the kitchen window. I was horrified to see a mountain lion in the tree! |
| Faculty | Faculty can be used as a singular or plural to indicate the collective group of academics or multiple faculty members. Example: More than 40 faculty were in attendance. |
| First-year | Use the term first-year student rather than freshman. When referring to First-Year Seminar, please use uppercase initial letters. Upon second reference, the abbreviation FYS is acceptable. Also, new, incoming students can be referred to as first-years. |
| Foreign Words | Foreign words and phrases that are universally accepted and understood in the English language may be used without explanation and in plain text (the University no longer italicizes foreign words or phrases). If a word or phrase is not understood universally, place it in quotation marks and provide an explanation of its meaning. |
| Headlines | When referring to the Athletics department, the correct spelling is athletics, not athletic. |
| Healthcare | Healthcare is one word. Hartford HealthCare capitalizes the C in healthcare. |
| Holidays | Capitalize names of holidays: Christmas, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day Labor Day, Columbus Day (recognized at USJ as Indigenous Peoples’ Day). |
| Hyphens and EM Dashes | Use hyphens as joiners, e.g.: for compound modifiers: small-business owner. For ranges, such as Jan. 1-4 (with no space around a hyphen) Em dashes are mused to signal abrupt change; as one option to set off a series within a phrase; before attribution to an author or composer in some formats; after datelines; and to start lists. Add space before and after a dash. |
| Hyphenating/Breaking Words | Words of two or three syllables should not be hyphenated (or broken) to continue on the next line. Words of four syllables or more can be hyphenated but must leave at least two syllables per line. |
| i.e. vs. e.g. | i.e. means that is or, in other words; e.g. means for example |
| Indigenous Peoples’ Day | Capitalize “Indigenous” in reference to original inhabitants of a place. |
| Internet | Use an uppercase I. |
| Junior/Senior | Do not use a comma between a person’s name and the designation junior, senior, III: Donald K. Wilson Jr. |
| Latin American | Do not hyphenate compound terms referring to background, such as African American, Asian American, Latin American, and Native American. |
| Latino/Latina | Latino is 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. Latina is the feminine form. For groups of females, use the plural Latinas; for groups of males or of mixed gender, use the plural Latinos. Hispanic is also generally acceptable for those in the U.S. Use a more specific identification when possible, such as Cuban, Puerto Rican, Brazilian or Mexican American. |
| Like/As | Use like as a preposition (a word that positions words in relation to one another): He eats like a bird. As is used as a conjunction (a connecting word): He eats as if he were dying of hunger. Tip: In general, use like when no verb follows; use as when the next clause contains a verb. |
| Listing | When listing items do not place a period at the end of each listing unless it is a full sentence and capitalize the first word of each bulleted item. |
| Mass | Always capitalize the term when it refers to Catholic and/or Christian liturgy. |
| Majors vs. Programs | When talking about undergraduate students, refer to their major. When talking about graduate students or all students as a whole, use degrees. A group of sophomore Nursing majors volunteered at the blood drive. The graduate student is pursuing an online degree in Chemistry. |
| MyUSJ | The name of the University’s Intranet; note the y is lowercase and it is all one word. |
| Native American | Don’t hyphenate compound terms referring to background, such as African American, Asian American, Latin American, and Native American. |
| Nonprofit | Do not hyphenate: non-profit is incorrect. |
| Numbers | Spell out whole numbers one through nine, then use figures above nine. Spell out first through ninth when sequence is indicated; starting with 10th, use figures. Spell out numbers at the start of a sentence: Forty years was a long time to wait. Or in casual uses such as one in a million; in literary or special uses such as four score and twenty years ago. Use figures for ages of people, animals, events or things): a 6-year-old girl; an 8-year-old law; the 7-year-old house. Use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun. A 5-year-old boy, but the boy is 5 years old. The boy, 5, has a sister, 10. The race is for 3-year-olds. The girl’s 6th birthday. Use figures when preceding a unit of measure (inches, pounds, miles, quarts, temperature degrees, etc.). For time measurements (seconds, minutes, days, months, years, etc.), spell out one through nine unless it’s an age. A six-year plan, but a 6-year-old plan. A five-month checkup but a 5-day-old baby. Use figures for time of day except for noon and midnight: 1 p.m.; 10:30 a.m.; 5 o’clock; 8 hours, 30 minutes, 20 seconds; a winning time of 2:17:3 (2 hours, 17 minutes, 3 seconds). Spell out numbers less than 10 standing alone and in modifiers: I’ll be there in five minutes. He scored with two seconds left. An eight-hour day. The two-minute warning. |
| Numeric Range | Correct: The years 1993–2000 were exciting ones for USJ students. She attended USJ from 2000 to 2005. She taught at USJ between 2000 and 2020. Incorrect: He worked at USJ from 2008–2011. |
| On campus/On-campus | Hyphen as an adjective before a noun. Ex: She has an on-campus job. Otherwise, leave as two words: He works on campus. |
| Online/On-line | Use online. |
| Over/Under | When referring to something that can be counted, use more than instead of over. The word over generally refers to spatial relationships or an extended period of time. More than 1,800 people attended the Shakespeare performance. Over the past five years, Susan hosted four international students. |
| TERM | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|
| Page Numbers | Use an uppercase P and a numeral: Page 8. |
| Phone Numbers | Digits are separated with a period (rather than with parentheses and dashes): 860.231.5297 |
| Physician Assistant or PA | Avoid using physician assistant; it should always be PA. |
| Percent | Use the % sign when paired with a number, with no space: Average hourly pay rose 3.1%. Spell out zero percent: He has a zero percent chance of winning. Use decimals not fractions in percentages: Her mortgage rate is 4.5%. Use percentage, rather than percent when not paired with a number: The percentage of people agreeing is small. |
| Ph.D. | When saying someone has a Ph.D., you list their name followed by a comma, and Ph.D. with dots before and after the D. Make sure the h is lowercase. Write out doctorate if the degree is used in a sentence: John Smith received his doctorate in psychology. |
| Programing vs. Programming | Use programming. |
| Punctuation | In a sentence, use only one space after a punctuation mark. The period at the end of a sentence is placed inside the closing quotation mark. For example, “You can search for that information using Google.” Use a comma before the and in a sentence that contains a series of items (the “Oxford comma”). For example, “He wanted to know how to use Firefox, Thunderbird, and Internet Explorer.” |
| Resident Assistant | Use R.A. or resident assistant (lowercase). |
| Residence Halls | Buildings for student housing are referred to as residence halls, not dormitories or dorms. |
| Reverend | Spell out on first reference; abbreviate as Rev. on subsequent references. The term Father (when referring to a Catholic priest) is also appropriate, but considered more casual than Reverend. Father can be abbreviated (after first reference) as Fr. |
| RN | Stands for registered nurse; do not use periods. |
| RSM | Stands for Religious Sisters of Mercy; RSM (without punctuation) should follow the names of members of the Sisters of Mercy: Irene Danaher, RSM. Do not include the title Sister when using RSM. Sister Irene Danaher is acceptable when establishing an informal or familiar tone. The word the is lowercase when citing the Sisters of Mercy and the Founding Sisters. When a Sister of Mercy is also an alumna, and/or has a terminal degree, always list the RSM first: Mary Ellen Murphy, RSM, ‘5O, H12, Ph.D. |
| R.S.V.P. | Use periods. Do not list as please R.S.V.P., as please is implied. |
| Saint Joseph College vs. University of Saint Joseph | The name Saint Joseph College can still used when referring to the institution in a historical capacity, such as when describing a graduate’s experience as a student: She attended then-Saint Joseph College in 1950. |
| Schools | See Academic Schools. |
| Seasons and Semesters | Lowercase season if they refer to the time of year: fall, spring, winter, summer. Capitalize when referencing a specific semester: Fall 2025 semester. |
| Sisters of Mercy | Founders of the University of Saint Joseph; see RSM. |
| Spacing | Include one single space after a period, colon, semicolon, or any other kind of end punctuation. |
| State Names | AP: The names of the 50 U.S. states should be spelled out when used in the body of a story, whether standing alone or in conjunction with a city, town: West Hartford, Connecticut. |
| Street Names | Spell out street, avenue, etc., when the street name stands alone. Abbreviate the street name when it’s part of an address, except for road: The group of students was looking for 360 Asylum Ave.; 12 Robin Road. |
| Student-Athletes | When referring to students participating in athletics, use the term student-athletes. A hyphen must always be placed between student and athletes. |
| That/which/who | That and which are the pronouns used to introduce clauses that refer to an inanimate object or an animal without a name. That is the preferred pronoun to introduce an essential clause, one that is essential to the meaning of the noun it modifies: The tie that Joe wore was colorful. Which is the only acceptable pronoun to introduce a nonessential clause, one that is not essential to the meaning of the modified noun: Joe wore a colorful tie, which was too distracting. People are referred to as Who: John was the one who wore a colorful tie. |
| Time of Day | When citing time of day, use the following format: 2 p.m. if on the hour; 2:30 p.m. when not on the hour. End the time with lowercase a.m. or p.m. If an event begins and ends in the afternoon (or morning) write as: 2-4:30 p.m.; not 2 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Use the word “to” in copy, not a hyphen or an en dash: “from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.;” only use an en dash in abbreviated copy, such as a calendar item or an invitation: “11 a.m.–2 p.m.” Use “noon” and “midnight,” not 12 p.m. or 12 a.m. |
| Titles | Academic Titles: Spell out formal titles: professor, director, etc. Use uppercase when they precede a name; lowercase elsewhere: Professor Irene Reed; Irene Reed, professor of Biology. Exception: Always capitalize the titles of USJ’s President and Provost: President Rhona Free spoke at this fall’s Convocation. The speech was given by Rhona Free, President of the University of Saint Joseph. Provost Michelle Kalis introduced President Free. Kalis, Provost of USJ, also gave a speech at the ceremony. Upon first reference, refer to the President as: President Rhona Free or President Rhona Free, Ph.D. Subsequent references can be President Free or Dr. Free. Refer to the Provost in the same way: Provost Michelle Kalis or Provost Michelle Kalis, Ph.D. Provost Kalis or Dr. Kalis can be used in subsequent references. Do not use Professor as a title for a faculty member who has not achieved that specific rank. Use the preposition for when referring to a department vice president: Vice President for Institutional Advancement. Use the preposition of for a director: Director of Alumni Relations Articles: Capitalize first and principal words, not prepositions; place in quotation marks. Books/Periodicals: Capitalize first and principal words, not prepositions, and italicize. Courses: Capitalize first and principal words, not prepositions; do not place in quotation marks. Example: Clinical and Theoretical Nursing across the Lifespan. Events: Titles of special events, such as art exhibits and touring displays, are enclosed in quotes with primary words capitalized: “Painted Pages: Illuminated Manuscripts, 13th – 18th Centuries” at the Art Museum at University of Saint Joseph. Formal Titles: Institutional Documents: Those that are evolving, rather than published, should be capitalized but not put in quotations or italicized: Faculty Handbook, Course Catalog. Lectures: Capitalize first and principal words, not prepositions; place in quotation marks. Poetry/Works of Art: Capitalize first and principal words, not prepositions; place in quotation marks. |
| University of Saint Joseph | When mentioning the University of Saint Joseph, other acceptable references include: USJ, the University, and Saint Joseph. Do not abbreviate the word Saint (St.) or use the term Saint Joseph’s; avoid the use of the term Saint Joe’s when possible. Note, use the article the when grammatically appropriate: They came to visit the University of Saint Joseph. The name Saint Joseph College is still used when referring to the institution in a historical capacity, such as when describing a graduate’s experience as a student. Capitalize University by itself when referring to USJ: The University will host the Flock Party on Oct. 23, 2025. |
| Websites | We do not put www. in front of a web address. Ex: usj.edu/tuition NOT www.usj.edu/tuition. |
| Wi-Fi or WiFi | Wi-Fi is USJ’s preferred usage. |