Alpha Chi Omega Style Guide

A L P H A C H I O M E G A

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Alpha Chi Omega Style Guide

A L P H A C H I O M E G A S T Y L E G U I D E

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE 3

GENERAL GUIDELINES 4

CONSCIOUS AND INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE 9

COVID-19 GUIDANCE 11

DESIGN 13

PUNCTUATION 15

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS 20

STAFF, VOLUNTEER AND OFFICER TITLES 30

GLOSSARY OF TERMS 36

SOCIAL MEDIA STYLE 55

SUGGESTED REFERENCES 57


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PREFACE This style guide should be used when producing any document or publication under the auspices of Alpha Chi Omega in order to ensure accuracy and consistency.

The consistency this guide provides is intended to establish a standard of excellence by demonstrating to our members, potential new members, professional counterparts at like organizations and others with whom we are associated that Alpha Chi Omega is a professional entity with professional employees.

In addition to using this guide for external purposes, the rules should be followed when circulating internal documents. This will give you the opportunity to memorize and become more familiar with the appropriate styles. Always keep in mind, the impression you present to your internal coworkers should be one of high standards and capability—instilling trust in working as a team.

Although this style guide touches on many issues, it is still very brief. Your second reference should be the governing documents of Alpha Chi Omega. If you are still unable to f ind your answers, you may use the AP Stylebook. Do not hesitate to utilize the marketing and communications staff as well.


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GENERAL GUIDELINES

ALPHA CHI OMEGA SPECIFICS

The flower of the organization is the red carnation.

The colors of the organization are scarlet and olive green.

The open motto of the organization is “Together let us seek the heights.”

There are no commas and no capitalization after the f irst word. Examples are as follows:

Incorrect: “Together, let us seek the heights.” Incorrect: “Together, let us seek the Heights.” Incorrect: “Together Let Us Seek the Heights.” Correct: “Together let us seek the heights.”

The five membership standards are as follows:

• Academic interest• Character• Financial responsibility• Leadership ability• Personal development

When referring to the f ive membership standards and/or the practices of Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity, Inc. and its chapters, do not use the term criteria.

Never, under any circumstance, should Alpha be split from Chi Omega at the end of a line of type. In Office products, you can create a nonbreaking space between Alpha and Chi by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Space on your keyboard.

The following statistics are accurate as of December 2020:

• Total active collegiate chapters: 145

• Total active alumnae chapters: 170• Total initiated members: 294,000• Total living members: 238,000

o Collegians: 19,000o Alumnae: 218,000


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ALPHA CHI OMEGA ENTERPRISE

The corporate name for each entity is Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity, Inc.; Alpha Chi Omega Foundation, Inc.; Alpha Chi Omega National Housing Corporation; and Pearl Stone Partners, LLC. The name(s) should appear this way in any legal/off icial document.

The corporate name should always be used when referencing the corporate entity.

The corporate name does not have to be used in the following situations:

• Use Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Chi Omega Foundation or Pearl Stone Partners after noted reference. An example is as follows:

o Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity, Inc. (hereinafter Alpha Chi Omega) • Use the names Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Chi Omega Foundation or Pearl Stone

Partners in a document that is not of a legal/off icial nature. • On the second reference in a single document, you may use Foundation for

Alpha Chi Omega Foundation, NHC for Alpha Chi Omega National Housing Corporation and PSP for Pearl Stone Partners.

The four entities together compose the Enterprise.

ALUMNAE/ALUMNI

Always use alumna when referring to a singular female graduate.

Always use alumnae when referring to multiple female graduates or a chapter of female alumnae.

Always use alumnus when referring to a singular male graduate.

Always use alumni when referring to multiple male graduates or a group of both genders.

When using alumna or alumnae as an adjective, match the singularity or plurality to the noun it modifies due to the Latin root of the words. The exception to this is alumnae chapter, which always uses the plural alumnae. Examples are as follows:

• Laura is an alumna initiate. • The three women are alumnae initiates.

NEW MEMBERS

Always refer to collegiate women in the recruitment process as potential new members (PNMs on second reference). In no instance should they be referred to as pledges. Alumnae members in the NAIP process should be referred to as potential alumnae members (PAMs on second reference).


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Always refer to class years as (new) member class (MC on second reference or in social media captions). In no instance should they be referred to as pledge class or PC.

REAL. STRONG. WOMEN.

Unless it is being used as a tagline or in reference to our brand or branded programs/funds, it should be written as all lowercase letters with a comma after real and no punctuation between strong and women. For example:

• My sisters are all real, strong women.

When used as a tagline or in reference to our brand, it should have each word capitalized, with a period and a space after each word. It should also be accompanied on first reference or most prominent reference (e.g., a headline) by the registered trademark symbol ® in superscript after the period in Women; on all subsequent references in a singular document, the symbol can be dropped, as it provides no additional legal protections and only clutters up the rest of the document.

• Real. Strong. Women.® • Real. Strong. Women.® Experience • Real. Strong. Women.® Fund

NUMBERS/NUMERALS

Spell out numbers one through nine and first through ninth.

Use numerals for numbers 10 and above and 10th and above.

Use numerals for all dates and measurements (including time in hours, minutes or seconds).

Always spell out the numeral if it starts a sentence; however, do not spell out a year if it is at the beginning of a sentence. Examples are as follows:

• Thirty cars were parked in the chapter house parking lot. • 1987 was a great year.

Hyphenate large numbers that need to be spelled out. An example is as follows:

• Twenty-f ive women attended the luncheon.

Spell out amounts less than one and hyphenate. An example is as follows:

• The room was two-thirds full.

Do not use an apostrophe when referring to decades; however, use an apostrophe before the decade when using two numerals.


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• She grew up in the 1960s. • The chapter was established in the ‘90s.

Use numerals for recruitment scoring. An example is as follows:

• The PNM received a 4 on the f irst day of recruitment.

Use numerals for identifying steps in a sequence. Examples are as follows:

• In step 3, make sure to notify the chapter president. • Step 1: Open the document and save it with a new name.

Use numerals for all percentages, and use %.

• So far, 8% of the new members have submitted their paperwork.

WEBSITE AND EMAIL SPECIFICS

When possible, use the following format for links to websites or other external locations:

• Underline the link if it does not automatically underline when hyperlinked. Underlining should not be used in any other context so as to not impede accessibility.

• Change the font color to blue if it does not automatically change. (Vega from our brand palette can be used.)

When referring to a button in writing, use the formatting the button uses on the website. An example is as follows based on the donation button at the top of alphachiomega.org:

• Click the DONATE button to make a gift to the Foundation.

When referring to a link in writing, use the formatting the link uses on the website and put the link’s text in quotation marks. An example is as follows based on the homepage of alphachiomega.org:

• Click “Find a Chapter” to search for chapters in your area.

When referring to a website page in writing, capitalize the name of the page like a title. An example is as follows based on the homepage of alphachiomega.org:

• Visit the About Us page to learn more about Alpha Chi Omega.

When describing a series of buttons or pages to interact with on a website, you may use > with a space on either side of the symbol to describe the action path. An example is as follows.


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• To see a list of headquarters departments, go to alphachiomega.org > About Us > Headquarters Staff.

PRONOUNS

How to use language in the context of societal and fraternal discussions on gender is part of a continual conversation at Alpha Chi Omega. The following guidelines have been established:

• Because Alpha Chi Omega accepts for membership all those who live and identify as women, we use the gendered pronouns she and her when referring generally to a member. An example is as follows:

o If a member is concerned about dues, she should talk with her VP finance. • It may also be possible to rephrase sentence to avoid gendered pronouns by

making the subjects plural. o If members are concerned about dues, they should talk with their VP

finance. • When referring to someone who is part of a group of mixed genders (such as

when there are male and female program facilitators, when referring to people on a campus outside of Alpha Chi Omega, etc.), use the singular they and their.

o If someone you know is in an unhealthy relationship, you can direct them to local or national resources.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE STYLE GUIDE

The following are a few examples of exceptions you may run into:

• Design: When design elements call for an exception to the rule, it may be acceptable as long as consistency is evident. When appropriate, documents should be given to the director of marketing and communications or designated representatives for approval.

• Titles: When referring to a formal business name or title, always use it as it is published even if it contradicts the style guide. If there is any question, check the associated website or contact the organization.


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CONSCIOUS AND INCLUSIVE L ANGUAGE Replacement Terms

Alpha Chi Omega uses the following language to create a more inclusive organization:

USE THIS… …TO REPLACE THIS

Establishment Colonization New member Pledge/baby Big/little Mom/daughter VP new member education Mom/pledge educator Family programming Mom’s Day/Dad’s Day Winter break/spring break Christmas break/Easter break/Holiday

break Guest/date/partner Boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife Flesh-colored Nude Recruitment Rush Recruiting based on membership standards

Recruiting up

Logistics committee Back-of-house committee Bump captain Bump master Pre-recruitment week Polish week

Race

Alpha Chi Omega capitalizes words related to race. This includes but is not limited to Black, Brown, Indigenous and Native. Note that white is lowercased.

Guidance for use:

• When writing about a specif ic member, ask the member the term she prefers for identifying her race and use that.

• Use the term Black instead of African American when writing about applicable members in general, to avoid misidentifying people who present Black but whose heritage is not from an African country.

Ethnicity

The terms Hispanic and Latino are not racial groups; they are ethnicities. These terms are not interchangeable.


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• Hispanic refers to a heritage/ethnicity of a country where the dominant language is Spanish (for example, Spain, which is not in Latin America).

• Latino refers to a heritage/ethnicity of a country in Latin America (for example, Brazil, which is not a Spanish-speaking country).

Guidance for use:

• When writing about a specif ic member, ask the member the term she prefers for identifying her ethnicity and use that. Many Latino and Hispanic people prefer the use of their country of origin (such as Colombian, Mexican American) as opposed to the monolithic grouping of Latino or Hispanic.

• When identifying a group of mixed-gender people of Latin American heritage, use Latinos; however, as Alpha Chi Omega is an organization for those identifying as women, our members are referred to as Latinas. The gender-neutral term Latinx is not generally accepted by those of Latin American heritage.

BIPOC

The term BIPOC is an abbreviation for Black, Indigenous and People of Color; write it out fully on first reference, as shown below:

• The BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) members of the chapter volunteered to lead a training on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Guidance for use:

• When writing about a specif ic member, ask the member the term she prefers for identifying her race/ethnicity and use that (e.g., Hispanic, person of color, Black).

• Use BIPOC only when referring to a group made up of multiple racial and ethnic backgrounds or when the person or group indicates they prefer that term for themselves.

Other Notes

It is appropriate to ask a member which term(s) she prefers for her own identif ication, should the identification of her race or heritage be necessary.

Be mindful of various social identities, including ability, age, ethnicity, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status, and how your unconscious biases may influence your writing.


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COVID-19 GUIDANCE In general, use the pandemic or the COVID-19 pandemic when referring to the general state of life that we are experiencing. Use COVID-19 on its own when referring to topics related directly to health and medical. Examples are as follows:

• The COVID-19 pandemic is requiring all our chapters to be creative with programming.

• Initiation was held virtually this year because of the pandemic. • The chapter posted safety protocols related to COVID-19 in all facility bathrooms.

The following terms have been used commonly during the COVID-19 pandemic and are included in this 2021 version of the style guide.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• May be abbreviated as CDC on second reference; it takes a singular verb, as in the example that follows:

o The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

COVID-19, coronavirus

• COVID-19 is the name of the disease that occurs from contracting the coronavirus; note that COVID-19 and the coronavirus are not interchangeable. Someone contracts the coronavirus but is diagnosed with COVID-19. The coronavirus, not COVID-19, spreads through the air.

• Do not shorten to COVID. • Always use the before coronavirus. • The word novel or new no longer needs to be included before coronavirus.

in-person, in person

• When describing an event that is occurring face to face and not virtually, use the hyphenated in-person before a noun and the two words in person after a noun or verb. Examples are as follows:

o The in-person event starts at 3 p.m. o The class will be offered virtually and in person.

pandemic

• At this time, it is not necessary to state the COVID-19 pandemic each time; the pandemic will suffice given the ubiquitous knowledge of the pandemic we are experiencing. However, you certainly can say the COVID-19 pandemic if you wish.


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• Note that the word global should not be used before pandemic; that would be redundant, as pandemic is defined as a disease that has spread throughout the world.

quarantine vs. isolation

• Quarantine is used to indicate the separation and restriction of people who were exposed (or potentially exposed) to the virus.

• Isolation is used to indicate the separation of people who have tested positive for the virus from those who could be exposed to them.

social distancing

• The term widely used to refer to the need to stand at least 6 feet from another person (not in one’s family unit) to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus

• The adjective form is socially distanced. • Examples of use are as follows:

o Social distancing can be achieved by placing chairs 6 feet apart. o A socially distanced event should ensure 6 feet of space between each

participant. • The CDC recommends a distance of at least 6 feet between people – note that the

numeral 6 is used as this is a measurement.

videoconference, videoconferencing

• One word in all forms; examples are as follows: o She scheduled a videoconference for all chapter presidents. o The videoconferencing platform recommended by Panhellenic is Zoom.

• Zoom is not a synonym for videoconference; it is a specif ic platform that many, but not all, chapters and members use.

• Other videoconference platforms include GoToWebinar, GoToMeeting, Google Meet (Google Hangouts is for one-on-one calls), RingCentral and Microsoft Teams.

virtual

• The primary way to refer to an event that is not happening in person; other options to avoid overusing virtual in a single document include remote and digital


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DESIGN

FONTS

All documents representing Alpha Chi Omega headquarters must adhere to the Alpha Chi Omega branding guidelines, found here.

The following font families should be used for internal and external documents at all times possible:

Le Monde Livre Cla Pro (used for Heading 1 and body copy; font size, weight, tracking and leading vary so see branding guidelines for instructions)

BRANDON GROTESQUE (used for Heading 2, 3 and 5; always all-caps; font size, weight, tracking and leading vary so see branding guidelines for instructions)

Marshmallow (used sparingly for design elements of no more than four words; font size and weight may vary)

Oh Wonder Sans Regular (used sparingly for design elements as a supplement to Marshmallow; always all-caps; font size and weight may vary)

If the above font families are not available, or you are preparing a document that will be modified by someone outside of headquarters, the following font family substitutions may be made:

Georgia (used in place of Le Monde Livre Cla Pro)

ARIAL (used in place of Brandon Grotesque)

To preserve the fonts in externally viewed documents, make sure to send documents as PDF files to any recipient outside of headquarters staff.

Styles have been created in Word loaded to staff computers to allow you to easily apply fonts. Templates for various types of documents are also available in Marketing Share > Branding > 2020 Brand Refocus > Templates.

https://alphachiomega.sharepoint.com/sites/AXO_Share/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2FAXO%5FShare%2FShared%20Documents%2FMarketing%20Share%2FBranding%2F2020%20Brand%20Refocus%2FStyle%20Guides%2FAXO%2DBrandBook%5F2020%5Ffinal%2Epdf&parent=%2Fsites%2FAXO%5FShare%2FShared%20Documents%2FMarketing%20Share%2FBranding%2F2020%20Brand%20Refocus%2FStyle%20Guides


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COLORS

All documents representing Alpha Chi Omega headquarters must adhere to the Alpha Chi Omega brand guidelines, found here.

For design purposes and depth effects, colors may be used with varying transparency levels and effects.

If the document is meant for printing, use the CMYK or Pantone values when possible. If the document is solely electronic, RGB values may be used.

https://alphachiomega.sharepoint.com/sites/AXO_Share/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2FAXO%5FShare%2FShared%20Documents%2FMarketing%20Share%2FBranding%2F2020%20Brand%20Refocus%2FStyle%20Guides%2FAXO%2DBrandBook%5F2020%5Ffinal%2Epdf&parent=%2Fsites%2FAXO%5FShare%2FShared%20Documents%2FMarketing%20Share%2FBranding%2F2020%20Brand%20Refocus%2FStyle%20Guides


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PUNCTUATION

ACCENT MARK

Unless quoting directly in another language or writing the name of a person that requests it, do not use an accent mark on words commonly used in the English language. Examples are as follows.

• Resume • Rose • Cafe

AMPERSAND | &

Use only when it is part of a formal name (e.g., Women & Wisdom).

Never use an ampersand in place of and.

COMMA | ,

Always use a comma between two sentences that are combined by the use of a coordinating conjunction. The coordinating conjunctions to use and to watch for are and, or, for, nor, yet, but and so. An example is as follows:

• Recruitment can sometimes be overwhelming, but we are excited to meet all of the potential new members.

Always use a comma after the introductory phrase of a sentence. An example is as follows:

• As we all know, Alpha Chi Omega is built on a strong foundation of loyalty and commitment.

A nonessential phrase must be set off by commas. An essential phrase must not be set off by commas. Examples are as follows:

• The Alpha Chi Omega Foundation, founded in 1978, is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

• The alumna presenting at the awards show asked for audience participation.

Always use commas to separate items in a series, but not before the conjunction of the series. However, always use a comma before the conjunction of a complex series. Examples are as follows:

• The women request cookies, punch and flowers as recruitment treats.


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• The women request red and green cookies, punch, and f lowers as recruitment treats.

Do not use a comma only to separate two sentences. Make the information two different sentences. This will alleviate run-on sentences.

When there are multiple adjectives that are equal in rank, separate them with a comma. An example is as follows:

• Alpha Chi Omegas are real, strong women.

Always use a comma after the use of a conjunctive adverb. An example is as follows:

• Alumnae had a great time at the reunion; however, they wish more sisters had been able to attend.

SEMICOLON | ;

Always use a semicolon when separating items that include a comma or other punctuation in the series. An example is as follows:

• Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity, Inc.; L.L. Bean, Inc.; and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. are all sponsors of this year’s event.

Always use a semicolon to signify the use of a conjunctive adverb between two related sentences. Some common conjunctive adverbs that may be used are consequently, however, therefore, in other words, thus and hence. An example is as follows:

• The members were caught drinking on campus; moreover, the chapter has been fined and placed on probation.

Always use a semicolon to connect two independent clauses when a close relation needs to be emphasized. An example is as follows:

• A review is currently taking place; we will let your chapter know the outcome tomorrow.

PERIOD | .

Always use a period at the end of a declarative sentence. An example is as follows:

• The new member manual is complete.

A period may be used at the end of a rhetorical question. An example is as follows:

• Oh, really.


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Always use a period after abbreviations. A period is not needed if the abbreviation is a proper name. Examples are as follows:

• Mr. Smith will be meeting with the collegiate experience staff today at 3 p.m. • The women at our UCLA chapter are excited for initiation.

Always use a period after initials. A period is not needed if the entire name is initials only. Examples are as follows:

• Please identify the student only by the initials W.V.R. in the press release. • The chapter president, TJ Smith, signed the financial report.

Only use one space after a period.

BULLET | ·

Capitalize the f irst letter of each bullet.

If the items in the bullet are full sentences, always use a period in each bullet. An example is as follows:

The chapter members are responsible for several tasks during move-in:

• They must park in the designated parking spaces. • They must complete the move-in checklist. • They must meet with the vice president facility operations.

If the items in the bullet are not full sentences, do not use a period in each bullet. Examples are as follows:

The Alpha Chi Omega mission explains that women are inspired to:

• Connect • Lead • Grow • Serve

A PCC has many responsibilities, including:

• Supervising, recruiting, training and mentoring chapter advisors • Resolving chapter and province issues • Providing historical context for chapters

If the items in the bullet are completing the lead-in sentence, even if they have a noun and a verb, do not use a period in each bullet. An example is as follows:


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Members can be expected to learn:

• They are responsible for their chapter • They are responsible for their individual development

Do not use commas or semicolons after the items, nor a conjunction like and before the last item. These cause unnecessary clutter. If you feel the need to use these items, turn the bulleted list into a paragraph instead.

Items in a bulleted list should be parallel (structured in the same way). For example, all items should begin with verbs, all items should be nouns or all items should be complete sentences.

QUOTATION MARKS | “ ”

Always place the comma inside quotation marks. An example is as follows:

• “The new student union is beautiful,” he said.

Always place the semicolon outside quotation marks. An example is as follows:

• At the beginning of f inals week, students listed their stress level on the survey as “high”; at the end, they listed their stress level as “low.”

Always place the period inside quotation marks when it is at the end of a sentence. This guideline is the same for the exclamation mark when it is at the end of a sentence. Examples are as follows:

• As graduation arrives, collegians are hesitant about entering the “real world.” • Congratulations to the chapter for going above and beyond the “norm!”

If an entire sentence, including the quotation, is a question, place the question mark outside the quotation marks. If only the quoted material is part of the question, place the question mark inside the quotation marks. Examples are as follows:

• Do you like Sister Sledge’s song “We Are Family”? • The first thing she said to me was, “Has anyone fed the dog today?”

HYPHEN | -

Hyphenate a compound modifier that precedes a noun, unless the modifier ends in -ly. Examples are as follows:

• The critic said it was a well-written book. • She can’t drive her heavily damaged car.


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Do not hyphenate a compound modifier that appears after a noun, unless the modifier occurs after a form of the verb to be. Examples are as follows:

• I consider our 6 hours at the volunteer center time well spent. • The comedian is quick-witted.

Do not hyphenate a compound modifier when the words are obviously one unit. Examples are as follows:

• The United Way staff helped plan the blood drive. • Jane is a physical therapy assistant.

Avoid hyphenating text; that is to say, if a word breaks across two lines, do not hyphenate it at the break and instead allow the word to begin on the second line. Microsoft Word should default to not hyphenate words that break, but if it is on, go to Layout tab > Hyphenation > None. In Adobe InDesign, go to Type > Paragraph Styles > uncheck the Hyphenate box.


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ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

COMMON ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

AFA Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors AFLV Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values BOT Board of Trustees CRSB chapter relations and standards board CRIB collegiate recruitment information board COB continuous open bidding DEI diversity, equity and inclusion FCA Fraternity Communications Association FDN Foundation FEA Fraternity Executives Association FFE Foundation for Fraternal Excellence IFC Interfraternity Council IFI Interfraternity Institute LHC local house corporation NAIP National Alumna Initiate Program NALFO National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations NAPA National Asian Pacific Islander American Panhellenic Association NC National Council NGLA Northeast Greek Leadership Association NHC National Housing Corporation NIC North-American Interfraternity Conference NMGC National Multicultural Greek Council NNC National Nominating Committee NPC National Panhellenic Conference NPHC National Pan-Hellenic Council PNM potential new member PNP Past National President PSP Pearl Stone Partners SGLA Southeast Greek Leadership Association UIFI Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute

CORRECT AND INCORRECT ABBREVIATIONS

The following are examples of incorrect abbreviations. In these cases, the words should be spelled out as shown below:


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frat fraternity grad graduate, graduation sis sister bro brother ACO/AXO* Alpha Chi Omega, AXΩ

*AXO may be used with hashtags on social media

**The keyboard shortcut for Ω no longer works for the branded body font, but you can insert the symbol in Word by going to Insert > Symbols and selecting the Ω.

Abbreviations should only be used if they are clearly understood by the reader.

In a document that will be seen by anyone outside of headquarters, f irst use the official term or name with the abbreviation immediately following in parentheses. The abbreviated term should be used throughout the rest of the document.

Common abbreviations do not require periods; however, when using common abbreviations, check a dictionary for the recommended abbreviation.

As always, if in doubt of an abbreviation, spell it out completely.

UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE NAMES

When speaking of universities where Alpha Chi Omega has not had/does not have a chapter or fraternity/sorority system, it is still necessary to follow these guidelines, along with the school’s guidelines when needed.

If a school stands alone in a document, spell it out completely.

Keep your reader in mind, and do not assume the reader knows which school you are referencing when using abbreviated names. Examples are as follows:

• In a document, the author indicates that an event is taking place at Washington. Does this mean the University of Washington, Washington State, Washington College or Washington University?

• The author used the letters UT in a document when referencing a school. Is this the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; The University of Texas at Austin; or The University of Toledo?

Always check the school’s website if a question of abbreviation arises.

As always, be consistent in the use of abbreviated school names throughout the entire document. If in doubt of an abbreviation, spell it out completely.


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The list below includes in italics the school names and abbreviations for hosts of inactive chapters.

Alabama Auburn University Auburn Birmingham-Southern College Birmingham-Southern / BSC The University of Alabama UA / Alabama*

Arizona Arizona State University ASU University of Arizona UA / Arizona*

Arkansas University of Arkansas U of A / Arkansas*

California California Polytechnic State University Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo (Note: Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo is preferred on first reference. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is to be used only in formal settings like a legal document.) California State University, Fullerton Cal State Fullerton / CSUF California State University, Northridge CSUN California State University, Sacramento Sacramento State California State University San Marcos CSUSM Chapman University (coming soon) Chapman Loyola Marymount University LMU San Diego State University SDSU San Jose State University SJSU Santa Clara University SCU Stanford University Stanford University of California, Berkeley UC Berkeley University of California, Davis UC Davis University of California, Irvine UC Irvine University of California, Los Angeles UCLA (Note: UCLA is preferred on first reference. University of California, Los Angeles is to be used only in formal settings like a legal document.) University of California, Riverside UC Riverside University of California, Santa Barbara UC Santa Barbara University of California San Diego UC San Diego University of San Diego USD University of Southern California USC


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University of the Pacific Pacific

Colorado Colorado State University Colorado University of Colorado Boulder CU Boulder University of Denver DU

Connecticut Quinnipiac University Quinnipiac Trinity College Trinity University of Connecticut UConn

Delaware University of Delaware UD

District of Columbia American University AU

Florida Florida International University FIU Florida Gulf Coast University FGCU Florida Southern College Florida Southern / FSC Florida State University Florida State Stetson University Stetson University of Central Florida UCF University of Florida UF University of Miami ---- (no abbreviation per website) University of North Florida UNF University of Tampa UT University of West Florida UWF

Georgia Augusta University Augusta Brenau University Brenau Emory University Emory Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Tech Georgia Southwestern State University GSW (Note: was Georgia Southwestern College until 1996) University of Georgia UGA

Idaho Boise State University Boise State


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Idaho State University ISU University of Idaho U of I

Illinois Bradley University Bradley Loyola University Chicago Loyola Chicago Millikin University Millikin Northern Illinois University NIU Northwestern University Northwestern Southern Illinois University Carbondale SIU University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois*

Indiana Ball State University Ball State Butler University Butler DePauw University DePauw Indiana State University Indiana State Indiana University IU / Indiana* Indiana University-Purdue University IUPUI Indianapolis Purdue University Purdue

Iowa Drake University Drake Iowa State University Iowa State Simpson College Simpson University of Northern Iowa UNI University of Iowa the UI / Iowa*

Kansas Baker University Baker Kansas State University ------ (no abbreviation per website) University of Kansas KU / Kansas* Wichita State University WSU

Kentucky Eastern Kentucky University EKU University of Kentucky UK / Kentucky*

Louisiana Louisiana Tech University Louisiana Tech Louisiana State University LSU


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Loyola University New Orleans Loyola New Orleans

Maine University of Maine UMaine

Maryland University of Maryland UMD / Maryland* Washington College -------- (no abbreviation per website)

Massachusetts University of Massachusetts UMass / Massachusetts* Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT New England Conservatory -------- (no abbreviation per website) Northeastern University Northeastern

Michigan Albion College Albion Central Michigan University CMU Michigan State University MSU Northwood University Northwood University of Michigan U-M / Michigan* Western Michigan University WMU

Minnesota Minnesota State University, Mankato Minnesota State Mankato University of Minnesota UMN / U of M / Minnesota*

Mississippi Mississippi State University (coming soon) MSU The University of Southern Mississippi Southern Miss University of Mississippi (coming soon) UM (not Ole Miss unless approved by mtkg)

Missouri

Missouri State University Missouri State / MSU Southeast Missouri State University Southeast Missouri State University of Missouri MU / Mizzou Washington University in St. Louis WashU William Woods University William Woods

Montana

University of Montana UM (Note: was Montana State University in Missoula)


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Montana State University Billings MSUB (Note: was Eastern Montana College until 1995)

Nebraska University of Nebraska – Lincoln Nebraska*

Nevada University of Nevada, Reno Nevada*

New Hampshire Dartmouth College Dartmouth University of New Hampshire UNH

New Jersey Rutgers University Rutgers

New Mexico New Mexico State University NMSU The University of New Mexico UNM

New York Colgate University Colgate Columbia University Columbia Cornell University Cornell Syracuse University Syracuse

North Carolina Duke University Duke Elon University Elon High Point University HPU University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill UNC - Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Charlotte UNC Charlotte University of North Carolina at Greensboro UNCG / UNC Greensboro University of North Carolina Wilmington UNCW Western Carolina University WCU

North Dakota University of North Dakota UND / North Dakota*

Ohio Bowling Green State University BGSU Case Western Reserve University Case Western Denison University Denison


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Kent State University Kent State Miami University Miami University of Mount Union Mount Union The Ohio State University Ohio State (never use OSU) Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio Wesleyan University of Cincinnati UC The University of Toledo UT

Oklahoma Oklahoma City University OKCU Oklahoma State University OSU The University of Oklahoma OU

Oregon Oregon State University Oregon State Portland State University Portland State / PSU University of Oregon UO / Oregon* Western Oregon University WOU Willamette University Willamette

Pennsylvania

Allegheny College Allegheny Bucknell University Bucknell Carnegie Mellon University CMU / Carnegie Mellon Lehigh University Lehigh Muhlenberg College Muhlenberg Pennsylvania State University Penn State Villanova University Villanova University of Pennsylvania Penn / Pennsylvania*

Rhode Island Brown University Brown University of Rhode Island (coming soon) URI

South Carolina Clemson University Clemson University of South Carolina UofSC / South Carolina*

Tennessee Middle Tennessee State University MTSU University of Memphis UofM


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University of Tennessee, Knoxville UT / Tennessee* Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt

Texas Baylor University Baylor Houston Baptist University HBU Lamar University Lamar Sam Houston State University SHSU Southern Methodist University SMU Stephen F. Austin State University SFA Texas A&M University Texas A&M Texas A&M University-Kingsville Texas A&M-Kingsville (Note: was Texas A&I University until 1993) Texas Christian University TCU Texas Tech University Texas Tech University of Houston UH The University of Texas at Arlington UTA The University of Texas at Austin UT The University of Texas at Tyler UT Tyler

Utah University of Utah Utah* Utah State University Utah State / USU

Vermont University of Vermont UVM

Virginia College of William & Mary William & Mary James Madison University JMU University of Lynchburg Lynchburg (Note: was Lynchburg College until 2018) University of Richmond Richmond University of Virginia UVA / Virginia* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia Tech (Note: Virginia Tech is preferred on first reference. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is to be used only in formal settings like legal documents.)

Washington University of Washington UW / Washington* Washington State University Washington State / WSU


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Whitman College Whitman

West Virginia Marshall University Marshall

Wisconsin Carthage College Carthage Lawrence University Lawrence Marquette University Marquette Ripon College Ripon University of Wisconsin - Madison UW - Madison / Wisconsin*

Wyoming University of Wyoming UW

Canada Queens College ----- (no abbreviation per website) University of Toronto U of T

Note: The chapter for those members who join through the alumnae initiate program but do not aff iliate with a collegiate chapter is Iota Alpha (Alumnae Initiates).

*State names may be used as abbreviations only when the school has already been referred to by the official name and no other universities or the state itself are mentioned in the document.

STATES

Do not abbreviate state names unless required for spacing/design.


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STAFF, VOLUNTEER AND OFFICER TITLES

STAFF TITLES AND APPLICABLE ABBREVIATIONS

The following list comprises current headquarters staff positions, in alphabetical order by department. If an abbreviation is used extensively internally and/or externally, it is listed to the right of the department or title name.

See the below entry titles, professional or volunteer regarding when to capitalize a title.

Additionally, department names should be lowercased in a sentence (e.g., The operations department purchased the chair.)

Collegiate experience (CE) senior director of collegiate experience

Chapter consultants (CC)

Chapter operations assistant director of chapter development assistant director of chapter operations assistant director of prevention education associate director of collegiate experience associate director of harm reduction collegiate experience coordinator director of chapter operations membership data manager

Collegiate growth assistant director of collegiate growth associate director of collegiate growth associate director of new chapter development director of collegiate growth

Education and engagement senior director of education and engagement

Education and leadership initiatives (ELI) associate director of education and leadership initiatives director of education and leadership initiatives education and leadership initiatives coordinator instructional designer


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Lifetime engagement (LE) assistant director of lifetime engagement assistant director of volunteer management director of lifetime engagement

Marketing and communications (MKTG) associate director of marketing and communications director of marketing and communications editor social media coordinator

Executive (EXEC) chief executive officer (CEO) director of executive operations events manager

Finance (FIN) accounting analyst assistant controller collegiate f inance manager f inance operations coordinator Foundation accounting manager senior f inancial controller senior staff accountant

Foundation (FDN) advancement officer associate director of advancement campaign project manager chief development officer (CDO) Foundation operations specialist

Housing (NHC) director of housing housing operations coordinator housing operations manager senior director of housing

Human resources (HR) payroll and benefits manager


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Operations (OPS) operations manager receptionist

Information systems (IS) applications analyst

Pearl Stone Partners (PSP) engagement manager managing partner

VOLUNTEER TITLES, VOLUNTEER COMMITTEES AND ABBREVIATIONS

Collegiate Experience area advisor chapter advancement specialist chapter relations and standards specialist CRS specialist chief Panhellenic officer CPO delegate (for the NPC Council of Delegates) Membership Recruitment Task Force new chapter development specialist NCD specialist Panhellenic specialist province collegiate chair PCC recruitment specialist risk management specialist RM specialist volunteer director of collegiate experience volunteers DCEV volunteer director of extension volunteer director of new chapter development volunteer director of province collegiate chairs DPCC

Collegiate Finance f inance specialist

Education and Leadership Initiatives leadership development specialist LDS Ritual and fraternity appreciation specialist RFA specialist

Executive Audit Committee Audit Committee chair Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Board Committee DEI Board Committee Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Work Group DEI Work Group


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Finance Advisory Committee Finance Advisory Committee chair Fraternity Document Review Committee FDRC Fraternity Document Review Committee chair FDRC chair Investment Committee Investment Committee chair Legislative Committee National Nominating Committee NNC National Nominating Committee chair NNC chair

Foundation campaign ambassador Collegiate Outreach Committee Educational Assistance Committee EA Committee Education Assistance Committee co-chair EA Committee co-chair Foundation Ambassador FA *specifically for the appointed position and not for general Foundation supporters Member Assistance Committee MA Committee Member Assistance Committee chair MA Committee chair Real. Strong. Women.® Fund Committee RSWF Committee Real. Strong. Women.® Fund Committee chair RSWF Committee chair Scarlet Ribbon Leadership Council SRLC Scholarships Committee

Lifetime Engagement alumnae chapter president ACP alumnae chapter treasurer ACT alumnae recruitment information chair ARIC alumnae resource specialist alumnae technology specialist lifetime engagement volunteer specialist LEV specialist National Alumna Initiate Program volunteers NAIP volunteers province alumnae chair PAC Province Officer Nominating Committee PONC Sister Outreach Team SOT volunteer director of lifetime engagement volunteers DLEV volunteer director of province alumnae chairs DPAC

Pearl Stone Partners human resources specialist HR specialist


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* For all leads of specialist teams, the format should be lead [area] specialist. For example, lead finance specialist.

Positional Advisors chapter advisor CA chapter relations and standards advisor CRS advisor diversity, equity and inclusion advisor DEI advisor facility operations advisor FOA finance advisor intellectual development advisor ID advisor membership programming advisor MP advisor new member education advisor NME advisor Panhellenic delegate advisor philanthropy advisor public relations and marketing advisor PRM advisor recruitment advisor recruitment information advisor RI advisor risk management advisor RM advisor Ritual and fraternity appreciation advisor RFA advisor

National Officers and Boards

Foundation Board of Trustees BOT Foundation trustee National Council NC National Housing Corporation NHC National Housing Corporation Board of Directors NHCBOD National President NP national vice president NVP NHC director Past National President PNP Pearl Stone Partners Board of Managers PSP BOM Pearl Stone Partners manager PSP manager

Collegiate Executive Board Officers (in order of succession) chapter president CP vice president chapter relations and standards VP CRS vice president f inance VP F vice president risk management VP RM vice president Ritual and fraternity appreciation VP RFA vice president recruitment VP R


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vice president new member education VP NME vice president public relations and marketing VP PRM vice president membership programming VP MP vice president diversity, equity and inclusion VP DEI Panhellenic delegate Panhel vice president intellectual development VP ID vice president facility operations VP FO vice president philanthropy VP P vice president recruitment information VP RI


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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

A

Abolish Greek Life movement

• May be shortened to AGL movement on second reference

academic course / major

• Lowercase in all instances except when a language or proper name appears. Examples are as follows:

o The woman is taking a science course. o The only Spanish class offered is very diff icult. o It is mandatory to take the Indiana government course.

academic degrees

• Degrees should be spelled out and lowercase, unless the degree name is specif ic (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science). Examples are as follows:

o Nancy graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 2000 and will receive her doctorate later this year.

o Sarah earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in communication. • Use the abbreviation for degrees to establish credentials; however, do not be

redundant. Examples are as follows: o Correct: Nancy Smith, Ph.D. o Correct: Dr. Nancy Smith o Incorrect: Dr. Nancy Smith, Ph.D.

• Always place an apostrophe before the s in the words bachelor’s and master’s.

alumnae / alumni

• Do not capitalize. • See the General Guidelines section of this guide for uses.

Alumnae Panhellenic Association

• Always capitalized • May be referred to as Alumnae Panhellenic on second reference or informally

a.m. / p.m.

• Always lowercase and use periods, even if used in a title.


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annual giving societies

• The societies should be stylized as follows: 1885 Society, Three Star Society, Wisdom Society, Devotion Society, Achievement Society, Scarlet Ribbon Society, Golden Lyre Society, Leadership Circle

Annual Obligations

• Always capitalize.

awards

• Capitalize the word award only when referring to a specif ic award. An example is as follows:

o At Monday’s awards banquet, she was presented with the Outstanding Greek Woman Award.

Alpha Chi Night Out

• This annual event during Healthy Relationships Week is not called Alpha Chi Omega Night Out nor AXO Night Out.

B

backstops

• Always lowercase.

Bid Day


Billhighway

• Only the B is capitalized in the name for the Fraternity’s bill processing and payment solution for collegiate chapters.

BIPOC

• An abbreviation for Black, Indigenous and People of Color; write out fully on first reference. An example is as follows:

o The BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) members of the chapter volunteered to lead a training on diversity, equity and inclusion.

• Note that a person or group should be identif ied by their preferred term for race or ethnicity; BIPOC should only be used when referring to a group made up of multiple racial and ethnic backgrounds or when a person or group indicates they prefer that term for themselves.


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board/committee

• Capitalize only when referring to a specif ic or formal board or committee. Examples are as follows:

o The Communications Advisory Committee decided to expand. o The advisory board and utility committee met together last month.

Board of Directors

• For the Fraternity, this is the National Council. • For NPC, this is the body responsible for overseeing the affairs of NPC, including

corporate policy, strategic direction and organizational performance; there are seven directors, two of which are appointed on rotation through the NPC member organizations and five of which are elected by the Council of Delegates.

bylaws

• Capitalize only when referring to the formal set of bylaws. An example is as follows:

o The Bylaws of Alpha Chi Omega is a different document than the chapter’s bylaws.

Bynder

• The company that hosts the digital asset management (DAM) system for the Enterprise marketing needs

C

chair

• Capitalize only when used as a formal fraternity or occupational title before the person’s name. An example is as follows:

o Philanthropy Chair Sarah Jones has served on many leadership boards; however, this is her f irst time as chair.

chairman

• Capitalize when used as a formal or occupational title. An example is as follows: o NPC Chairman Carole J. Jones is the chairman of this year’s interfraternal

event. • Never use chair in place of chairman.

o The NPC chairman is elected from the seven women on the Board of Directors by the Council of Delegates.


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chapter

• Do not capitalize, even when referring to a specif ic chapter.

chapter identif ication

• When identifying the chapter of initiation for a member, include the Greek designation and the school, separated by a comma and in parentheses after the name. An example is as follows:

o Eliza Payne (Delta Chi, William Woods University) visited the chapter facility.

• When identifying a collegiate chapter name, include the school in parentheses after the name but before the word chapter. An example is as follows:

o The Zeta Sigma (Missouri State University) chapter brought home three awards.

• When identifying an alumnae chapter, include the city and state or the associated collegiate chapter in parentheses after the name but before the word chapter. Note: Use the “Lyre Links Name” field in iMIS / the Chapter List IQA to choose the correct colloquial name for the chapter; do not use the “City” f ield. Examples are as follows:

o The Iota Iota (Seattle, Washington) chapter will host a speaker tonight. o The Sigma Phi Sigma (Alpha Omega Alumnae) chapter organized the

event.

class year

• Lowercase f irst-year student, sophomore, junior, senior, undergraduate and graduate. • Instead of upperclassmen, use junior/senior.

coat of arms

• This is different from the crest.

College Panhellenic Association

• Always capitalized • May be referred to as College Panhellenic on second reference or informally

committees / task forces / programs

• Capitalize the name of a specif ic, named group or program.


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Community Impact program

• May be abbreviated as CI program on second reference; replaces Local Philanthropic Initiatives (LPI) program

compose, comprise

• Comprise means include or contain, so do not use of after it. Examples are as follows: o The committee comprises chapter presidents. o The committee is composed of chapter presidents.

convention

• Capitalize only when referring to a specif ic convention. Examples are as follows: o The 2018 National Convention was very successful; moreover, attendees

have already started to register for the next convention. o Have you ever been to the national convention?

CrowdChange

• Replaces ScaleFunder as the crowdfunding platform for CI projects

CSiDonate

• The Foundation’s donation platform, used in conjunction with iMIS

CSL Management

• The third-party vendor that oversees daily maintenance at NHC properties

Collegiate Growth Academy

• The name for the training event for recruitment officers and advisors; use instead of Social Excellence Training or Recruitment Training

Council of Delegates

• The NPC body responsible for NPC membership and Panhellenic policies, with one member selected by each of the 26 member organizations

cumulative giving rolls

• The rolls should be stylized as follows: Pearl Roll, Star Roll, Century Roll, Medallion Roll, Carnation Roll, President’s Roll, Founders Roll, Orpheus Roll, Seeking the Heights Roll, Mount Olympus Roll


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D

dates

• Never use st, nd, rd or th when following the numeral date. • Do not use a comma between the month and year if the numeral date is omitted.

Day of Giving

• The name for the Foundation’s annual giving campaign that occurs in April

days of the week

• Always capitalize. • Do not abbreviate when used in a document. • Use a comma to separate a day from the rest of the date (e.g., Tuesday, January 1) • If space is an issue and the days are used in a tabular format (e.g., calendar), the

following are acceptable abbreviations: o Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat

DEI

• An abbreviation for diversity, equity and inclusion; spell out on first reference

departments

• Lowercase unless used in a title before a name. An example is as follows: o The collegiate experience department is led by Jen Patterson, senior

director of collegiate experience.

Dedication

• Always capitalize the name of this new member education program (but not the that comes before it).

E

e.g.

• Means “for example” • Always followed by a comma • Examples are as follows:

o Chapters should plan events for DVA Month (e.g., tabling, a philanthropy event, guest speakers).

o On Monday, wear PACE clothes, e.g., T-shirts, cardigans or hats.


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e-newsletter

• Always use a hyphen. • Always place as lowercase. • If part of a title, only the e should be capitalized.

email

• Do not use a hyphen. • Always place as lowercase.

establishment

• Replaces colonization

Enterprise

• When referring to Alpha Chi Omega’s four corporations, always capitalize. An example is as follows:

o The Fraternity, Foundation, National Housing Corporation and Pearl Stone Partners compose the Enterprise of Alpha Chi Omega.

Enterprise Weekend

• Both words are always capitalized.

Event Planning Guide

• Replaces Event Planning Pack (EPP) • Always capitalize. • Abbreviate as EPG.

F

f irst-year student

• Replaces freshman as the preferred term

Frequently asked questions

• Use FAQ to refer to one set of questions and answers. If you have multiple separate sets of questions and answers on different topics, you may use FAQs. Examples are as follows.

o See the FAQ on convention registration. o On our website, you will f ind FAQs on recruitment, housing and meals.


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Foundation

• Always capitalize when referring to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation. An example is as follows:

o The Foundation awarded more than $120,000 in scholarships during the 2007-08 year.

• Capitalize when used in the formal name of any organization.

Foundation Partners

• The Foundation’s monthly giving society; a member of this society is called a Foundation Partner

founder

• For general use, lowercase. • When referring to the Founders of Alpha Chi Omega, always capitalize.

Founders’ Day

• Always capitalize both words. • The apostrophe is always placed after the s.

Founders’ Day Challenge

• The name for the Foundation’s annual giving campaign that occurs in October around Founders’ Day

fraternity

• Capitalize when referring to the Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity. An example is as follows:

o The Fraternity offers such programming as MyJourney and Leadership Academy.

• Capitalize when referring to a specif ic fraternity. An example is as follows: o Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity is the only fraternity on campus.

• Be aware that some women’s groups (Alpha Chi Omega and Kappa Kappa Gamma, for example) use Fraternity in their name, as sorority was not a term at their founding.

fraternity/sorority

• The preferred term over Greek (unless a campus specif ically uses it). An example is as follows:

o The fraternity/sorority community is vibrant on the campus.


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fraternity/sorority advisor

• This is the preferred term for a campus advisor of fraternity and/or sorority life. Check the school’s website to determine if another term is used for the title (e.g., fraternity and sorority advisor, Greek advisor).

fundraising

• Always one word. • Never hyphenate.

G

grade point average

• Can be abbreviated to GPA only if the abbreviation is used throughout the document.

Greek

• Always capitalize the words Greek or Greeks. • The preferred term is fraternity/sorority, as in the case of fraternity/sorority life.

H

headquarters

• Do not capitalize. Never refer to as Nationals, National Headquarters or HQ.

The Heights Learning Center

• The name for Alpha Chi Omega’s learning management system (LMS) • Can be abbreviated to The Heights on second reference (The is capitalized) or THLC

Hera Day


Heritage Society

• The name for the Foundation’s group of members who have committed to planned giving

history website

• Use this name to refer to the online digital archives website hosted by HistoryIT.


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home page

• Always lowercase. • Always two words.

House Corporation Board

• Capitalize when referring to a specif ic board or team of a local house corporation. o The Sigma House Corporation Board met last month. o The house corporation board president was not able to attend.

I

i.e.

• Means in other words • Always followed by a comma • Examples are as follows:

o The chapter facility is closed after f inal exams (i.e., students cannot remain in the facility the last week of December).

o The Panhellenic measure will require a majority, i.e., four of the seven sororities in favor.

iMIS

• The Enterprise’s member database platform

Interfraternity Council

• Always capitalize. • May use the abbreviation IFC only after the f irst reference is spelled out

completely and the abbreviation is used throughout the rest of the document.

inactive

• Use this word when referring to a chapter that has been closed.

initiates

• Do not use unless it is coupled with new or alumna. Examples are as follows: o The Delta Nu chapter has 10 new initiates. o She was excited to be an alumna initiate.

internet

• Do not capitalize.


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L

Leadership Circle

• The name for the Foundation’s giving roll for those members who give $1,000 or more annually in unrestricted support; one who gives this amount is considered a member of the Leadership Circle

legacy

• Always lowercase.

lifelong

• Do not hyphenate. • Always one word.

lifetime

• Do not hyphenate. • Always one word. • Replaces the term active to identify members who have been initiated (i.e., lifetime

members).

log in / login

• Use log in as a verb and login as a noun or adjective. An example is as follows: o She couldn’t log in because she forgot her login name.

lyre

• Lowercase unless it is in reference to The Lyre, the quarterly membership magazine.

lyre bird

• Always lowercased • Always two words

Life Loyal

• Always two words • Always capitalized


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M

MacDowell

• This is the proper spelling in reference to the artists’ retreat or MacDowell Month. Note that in 2020, the name of the retreat changed from MacDowell Colony to MacDowell.

magazine titles

• Capitalize the name of the magazine. • Magazine is lowercase unless it is a part of the publication’s title.

member

• Use when referring to a woman or man initiated into a fraternity or sorority. • Do not capitalize.

model bylaws

• Lowercase unless referring to the specif ic year’s document, i.e., 2019-20 Model Bylaws.

months

• Always capitalize the name of each month. • Always spell out completely.

N

nonmember

• Always one word and never hyphenated

nonprofit

• Do not use not-for-profit or non-profit.

National Asian Pacific Islander American Panhellenic Association

• Always capitalize • May be abbreviated as NAPA • Within the full name, Asian Pacific Islander American may be abbreviated as APIDA,

leading to a full name of National APIDA Panhellenic Association.

National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations



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• May be abbreviated as NALFO.

National Council

• Always capitalize. • May be abbreviated as NC.

National Housing Corporation Board of Directors

• Always capitalize. • May be abbreviated as NHC BOD.

North American Interfraternity Conference

• Always capitalize. • May be abbreviated as NIC. • Note that not all fraternities (e.g., Phi Delta Theta) are part of the NIC.

National Multicultural Greek Council

• Always capitalize. • May be abbreviated as NMGC.

National Panhellenic Conference

• Always capitalize. • May be abbreviated as NPC.

National Pan-Hellenic Council

• Always capitalize. • May be abbreviated as NPHC.

n/a

• Always lowercased • Stands for not applicable

P

PACE

• Abbreviation for Promote Alpha Chi Everyday • No periods between letters

Panhellenic



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phone numbers

• Do not use parentheses around the area code nor periods between numbers. • Use the following format: ###-###-####, ext. ###

primary recruitment

• Replaces formal recruitment as the preferred term for the period of time during the academic year when events are held by each sorority for the purpose of selecting new members

prospective chapter

• Replaces colony

R

Real. Strong. Women. Experience

• There are spaces after each period, and Experience is always capitalized in this phrase.

• Use the ® on first or most prominent reference.

Real. Strong. Women. Fund

• There are spaces after each period. • Use the ® on first or most prominent reference.

Resource Center

• Always capitalized.

recruitment

• Always lowercase. • Never use the word rush in the place of recruitment.

reestablish, reestablishment

• Never use a hyphen.

resume

• Resume is a verb and a noun. We no longer use résumé.

ritual

• Do not capitalize when referring to general rituals. • Capitalize when referring to Alpha Chi Omega’s Ritual.


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rotational program

• The four rotational programs received by collegiate chapters are Let’s Talk Love, InTune, REPRESENT and Alcohol Skills Training Program (ASTP on second reference).

S

seasons

• All seasons are lowercase.

single-gender

• Use instead of single-sex to refer to women’s organizations (unless specif ically named in legislation).

sorority

• Capitalize only when sorority is in the formal name. • According to NPC, there are only 10 organizations with sorority in the official

name; therefore, always double check before attaching sorority to the name.

Star Booth

• The name for the Foundation’s biennial giving campaign that occurs alongside convention

symphony

• Capitalize when referring to The Symphony of Alpha Chi Omega. An example is as follows:

o My chapter sisters and I spent time discussing the meaning of our Symphony.

T

tax-deductible

• Always hyphenate. • When using tax alongside a different word, do not hyphenate. An example is as

follows: o The tax forms will show you where to enter your tax credit and other

deductions.


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term

• Use instead of semester or quarter unless referring to a specif ic campus schedule.

time

• Use the numerical f igures except when using noon or midnight. • Use a colon to separate hours from minutes. • For times on the hour, eliminate the :00 (e.g., 10 p.m.) • For ranges of time within the morning or afternoon only, use the a.m. or p.m.

designation only the second time and a hyphen. o The session is from 10-11 a.m.

• For ranges of time that span across noon (or midnight), use both a.m. and p.m. designations and an en-dash

o The program will be from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

time zones

• If an event is occurring in only a single time zone (e.g., a chapter celebration), use the time zone in which it is taking place.

• If an event is occurring simultaneously across the country (e.g., a webinar or application deadline), use all four of the major time zone designations to indicate the time. An example is as follows:

o The webinar will begin at 6 p.m. EDT / 5 p.m. CDT / 4 p.m. MDT / 3 p.m. PDT.

• Use the following time zone designations: o During Daylight Saving Time (approximately March-November): EDT,

CDT, MDT, PDT o During Standard Time (approximately November-March): EST, CST, MST,

PST • Be aware of other U.S. time zones: Hawaii Standard Time (the state does not

observe Daylight Saving Time), Alaska Daylight and Standard Times, and Arizona’s Mountain Standard Time (the state remains in Standard Time while the rest of the country observes Daylight Saving Time).

titles, compositions

• Italicize titles of books, plays, f ilms, works of art, CDs/albums, TV series, encyclopedias, magazines and newspapers.

• Enclose the following titles in quotation marks: poems, short stories, songs, TV series episodes, articles, magazine stories and newspaper stories.


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titles, professional or volunteer

• Capitalize when preceding a name. Lowercase and delineate with commas when following a name.

• Note: For most titles, the preference is to list a long title after a name for readability. Examples are as follows:

o They called Receptionist Susan Hogle at the front desk. o Jen Patterson, senior director of collegiate experience, met with collegians.

• As an exception to the above rule, the following titles are always capitalized: National President, Past National President

toward

• Not towards, as that is the British spelling

T-shirt

• It is never to be spelled as tee shirt or t-shirt.

U

United States

• Always capitalize. • Do not abbreviate when used as a noun. • May abbreviate to U.S. An example is as follows:

o The United States Government has created tests for immigrants who wish to become U.S. citizens.

university

• Capitalize only when used alongside the school’s formal name. Examples are as follows:

o Indiana University is home to the Alpha Mu chapter of Alpha Chi Omega. o The university has mandated that any further communication must go

through the president’s off ice. • When referring to the collegiate location generally, use college/university,

institution or campus to be inclusive of those institutions that do not have a university designation. An example is as follows:

o Connect with college/university administrators when you begin your term as president.


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V

videoconference, videoconferencing

• One word in all forms; examples are as follows: o She scheduled a videoconference for all chapter presidents. o The videoconferencing platform recommended by Panhellenic is Zoom.

• Zoom is not a synonym for videoconference; it is a specif ic platform that many, but not all, chapters and members use.

• Other videoconference platforms include GoToWebinar, GoToMeeting, Google Meet (Google Hangouts is for one-on-one calls), RingCentral and Microsoft Teams.

Volunteer Acknowledgments

• Always capitalized

Volunteer Interest Survey

• The online questionnaire used to identify volunteer roles that would be a good fit

W

web page / website

• Web page is always two words. • Website is always one word. • Do not hyphenate either word. • Web addresses should be lowercase unless the name is case sensitive. • Names of pages within a website should be capitalized. An example is as follows:

o Visit the About Us page to learn more about our history and mission. • Names of buttons and links on a web page should be placed in quotations, using

the capitalization that is used on the button or link itself. An example is as follows: o Select the “Log Out” button to leave the website.

woman / women

• Always use woman or women when referring to sorority members. • Never use girl or girls in place of woman or women.

Women & Wisdom

• Use & instead of and.


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world wide web

• When referring to a website in a document, do not place www before the web address. An example is as follows:

o Please visit alphachiomega.org for more details.

Y

year / years

• When indicating a span of decades or centuries, do not use an apostrophe between the numeral and the letter s. An example is as follows:

o The chapter held a ‘70s themed dance. • When referencing member anniversaries, use a hyphen. An example is as follows:

o Amy Smith is a 50-year member. • When indicating a span of years, only reference the century in the f irst two

numerical digits. If indicating a span of years which includes different centuries, reference each century. Examples are as follows:

o Alumnae from the 1985-90 member classes reunited last weekend. o Alumnae from the 1998-2002 member classes reunited last weekend.

Z

ZIP codes

• Always capitalize ZIP. • Always lowercase code. • In addresses, do not place a comma between the state and the ZIP code.


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SOCIAL MEDIA ST YLE As a general rule, social media posts should follow the same grammar and style rules as all other written documents. However, exceptions may arise for many reasons including but not limited to:

• Hashtags: You may use O instead of Ω. • Character limits: Twitter allows up to 280 characters, so you may use abbreviations

and numerals, for example, to reduce your character count to f it. Be mindful to use only commonly accepted abbreviations that the average reader will understand.

In captions and posts, use AXΩ instead of AXO.

All posts should include media (e.g., a webpage link, photo, video or even an email). They should not be only text.

You can shorten links using this site: https://goo.gl/

Keep emoji use limited on Facebook, but use them freely on Twitter and Instagram. Copy and paste emojis from https://emojipedia.org

There are several rules for crediting user-generated content:

• When reposting images from a member’s account on the headquarters Instagram account, send a direct message to ask permission and give credit in the photo caption using the format: [camera emoji]: @username.

• If the photo is from a chapter’s account, you do not need to ask permission or tag the photographer

• If the member sent a photo without us requesting, you do not need to credit, but it can be done as a courtesy

• Tag the chapter(s) mentioned or shown in the post when possible.

Chapter social media handles can be found on their iMIS profiles.

The following hashtags are used with frequency:

• #WhyAlphaChi, used most often on Wednesdays • #RealStrongWomen, particularly in posts regarding new members • #SeektheHeights, particularly in posts regarding chapter achievements • #AXODVAM during October • #LoveIs • #healthyAXOlove during Healthy Relationships Week • #AXONightOut for Alpha Chi Night Out during HRW


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• #AXOFDC during Founders’ Day Challenge • #AXOthankful during Giving Tuesday • #AXOempower during Day of Giving • #AXOLA21 for Leadership Academy 2021 • #AXOuntold for history website


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SUGGESTED REFERENCES For common abbreviations, chapter information or other Alpha Chi Omega specif ics, reference the official website, alphachiomega.org > Resource Center > Marketing Tools.

For questions regarding the use of the Alpha Chi Omega logo or design elements, reference the Alpha Chi Omega Visual Identity Guidelines. This document can be found on Alpha Chi Omega’s off icial website.

For questions regarding spelling and word use, reference an up-to-date dictionary and/or thesaurus.

For questions regarding punctuation, grammar and/or other technical styles, reference the AP Stylebook.

Do not hesitate to ask the editor or other staff in the marketing and communications department for help with any questions.