Writing Style Guide
All publications associated with Western New Mexico University—whether they be in print or online—provide an opportunity to strengthen the brand, ensure consistency and clarity, and project an image of professionalism.
While the tone of university publications should be professional, it is also accessible and shows warmth. Consistent with the WNMU brand, the tone should not be overly formal or stilted.
All non-academic university publications and webpages should be consistent with the Associated Press Stylebook, http://www.apstylebook.com/. The style guide below is intended to provide additional guidance.
Italics are used in this guide to indicate examples and highlight key terms; they do not mean that the word or phrase should be written in italics.
University Name
When addressing audiences that may be unfamiliar with the university, use the full name, Western New Mexico University on first reference. Subsequent references may be to WNMU or the university. Avoid using the word Western on its own, as numerous other universities and businesses could also be abbreviated Western.
Avoid making the university’s name possessive. When a word or term is linked to a brand name, the two words inextricably bond together. When using the university name in a possessive, the brand becomes a passive owner of something larger than itself, making the sum of the parts grander than the whole. It lacks permanence, authority and singularity. Visually, the state of being possessive creates a border between the brand and its parts, creating a separation that should not and does not exist.
Ex: WNMU School of Social Work
NOT: WNMU’s School of Social Work
If a possessive is needed, it should be used with the term the university.
Ex: The university’s address is P.O. Box 680, Silver City, NM 88062.
Glossary
-A-
academic degrees
- Use an apostrophe in bachelor’s degree and master’s degree, but there is no possessive in associate degree, nor is there a possessive when using Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science, etc.
- Names of degrees are lowercased when referring to them generically (master’s degree in chemistry, bachelor’s degree in nursing) and capitalized when referring to a specific, formal degree/degree program. (Bachelor of Arts in English, Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Business Administration)
- Use abbreviations such as MA, MS, PhD when spelling out the names of the degrees would be cumbersome. When used after a person’s name, set off these abbreviations with commas and do not use periods within the degree abbreviation itself.
Ex: Carlo Hernandez, PhD, is coordinating the reunion.
academic titles
Lowercase titles when set off from a name by commas (Jane Smith, chair of the Department of Natural Sciences, will open the meeting). Capitalize formal titles when they precede a name (Associate Vice President Justin Tanaka).
African American
No hyphen for this and other dual-heritage terms. African American is acceptable for an American Black person of African descent. The terms are not necessarily interchangeable. Americans of Caribbean heritage, for example, generally refer to themselves as Caribbean American. Follow a person’s preference.
alum, alumnus, alumna, alumni
The gender-neutral terms alum and alumni are preferred.
ampersand (&)
Do not use the ampersand (&) in running text unless it is included in a branded entity, such as AT&T or U.S News & World Report.
Applied Liberal Arts & Sciences university
Western New Mexico University is designated as New Mexico’s only Applied Liberal Arts & Sciences university which should be spelled out upon all first references and abbreviated ALAS upon subsequent references.
-B-
Ben Altamirano Field
Named after former New Mexico state Senator Ben Altamirano, this is the stadium where the university’s football team competes. It should not be confused with Ben Altamirano Sports Complex, which is not part of WNMU.
Besse-Forward Global Resource Center
Use the full name on first reference. Subsequent references may be to the GRC.
Black
Use the capitalized term as an adjective in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense. African American is also acceptable for those in the U.S. The terms are not necessarily interchangeable. Follow a person’s preference if known.
boards, committees
Lowercase terms such as board of directors (Nina Howard is on the board of directors at Acme Motors.) unless it is part of a proper name (WNMU Board of Regents).
Brancheau Physical Education Complex
Use the full name rather than PEC or PE Complex on first use.
buildings and place names
Capitalize buildings and place names, such as J. Cloyd Miller Library, Harlan Hall, Regents Square, etc.
-C-
Campus Recreation
Use full name rather than C-Rec on first reference.
Castorena Hall
Use Castorena Hall instead of administration building.
Chicano, Chicana, Chicanx
These are terms that some Mexican Americans in the Southwest use to describe their heritage. Chicano is the preferred term for the masculine or a group consisting of mixed genders. Chinana may be used as the feminine form. Chicanx is not well known outside of academic circles and is not a preferred term for external audiences. When writing about an individual, use the person’s preferred term.
Child Development Center
Use Child Development Center to refer to the child care and education program on campus. The Child Development Center is part of the New Mexico Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Education.
class
Lowercase class designations (first-year, sophomore, junior, senior)
Capitalize Class of, as in Class of 20XX.
Commencement
See graduation, Commencement
contractions
In formal writing, contractions should be avoided. They are acceptable in informal settings, such as on social media.
-D-
departments, schools, and programs
Capitalize the formal name of an academic department, school or program (the Western New Mexico University Department of Expressive Arts, the Outdoor Program); lowercase the informal name except for words that are proper nouns or adjectives (the art department, the nursing school).
-E-
Extended University
The university entity that oversees WNMU locations other than the Silver City campus, including WNMUGallup, WNMU Mimbres Learning Center, WNMU John Arthur and Janette Smith Educational Center, and WNMU-Online.
-F-
faculty
Faculty is a collective noun and takes singular verbs.
Ex: The faculty is excellent.
Ex: The faculty members are in a meeting.
Fine Arts Center Theatre
Use the full name on first reference. Subsequent references may be to the FACT.
first-generation student
A student whose parents have not obtained a higher education degree.
first-year
The gender-neutral terms “first-year” and “first-year student” are preferred when describing a student without enough credits to be considered a sophomore.
Ex: Seven first-year students attended the conference.
NOT: Seven freshmen attended the conference
Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art
On first reference, use either the full name or McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art. McCray Gallery is acceptable in subsequent references.
-G-
Gila National Forest
The 3.2-million-acre forest, located near the university campus, was established in 1905 and is the sixth largest national forest in the United States. When referring to the official forest, Gila National Forest is always preferable over the use of Gila. The use of forest is not interchangeable with wilderness.
Gila Wilderness
The world’s first designated wilderness area, this undeveloped area consists of 559,688 acres and is located within the Gila National Forest. The use of wilderness is not interchangeable with forest.
Global Resource Center
See Besse-Forward Global Resource Center.
graduation, Commencement
Graduation refers to the act of earning one’s degree. Commencement is the name of the ceremony that marks graduation. The latter term is capitalized.
-H-
Hispanic
An individual from (or with ancestral roots in) a Spanish-speaking country or culture. When writing about an individual, follow the person’s preference on how they wish to be identified. Also see Latino, Latina, Latinx.
Hispanic-Serving Institution
Use the full phrase on first reference. Subsequent references may use HSI.
-I-
Indigenous
See Native American, Indigenous
Information Technology/IT
A university department that maintains online servers, oversees the Information Technology Resource Center and manages digital security networks.
-J-
J. Cloyd Miller Library
Use the full name on the first reference. Subsequent references can be to Miller Library or the library.
Juan Chacón Building, Juan Chacón Building parking lot
Use the full name on first reference.
-K-
-L-
Land of Enchantment
The official nickname for the state of New Mexico and should only be used casually in reference to New Mexico.
Latino, Latina, Latinx
Latino is the preferred term for the masculine or a group consisting of mixed genders of people originating from Latin American nations. Latina may be used as the feminine form. Latinx is not well known outside of academic circles and is not a preferred term for external audiences. Use the person’s preferred term.
LGBT, LGBTQ, LGBTQIA, LGBTQ+
These terms are all acceptable in references for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer, intersex, and asexual.
library
see J. Cloyd Miller Library
Lone Star Conference
Western New Mexico University Athletics competes in the NCAA Division II of the Lone Star Conference. NCAA Division II LSC can be used on second reference.
-M-
majors and minors
Lowercase all majors and minors, except those incorporating proper nouns.
Ex: She has a major in English and a minor in philosophy.
McCray Gallery
See Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art
Mexican American
Refers to an individual of Mexican descent living in the United States. The term should not be hyphenated.
Mustang Dining Hall
The formal name, Mustang Dining Hall, should have initial capitals. Avoid using the term cafeteria to refer to it.
-N-
Native American, Indigenous
In general, use the term Native Americans in broad references when referring to two or more people of different tribal affiliations. The term Indigenous is also acceptable in some contexts, but keep in mind that it is a broader term that refers to the original inhabitants of a place globally.
EX: She is an advocate for Indigenous people in the United States.
Capitalize Indigenous in reference to original inhabitants of a place.
When referring to an individual, specify the name of the tribe and the person’s relation to it (e.g., citizen, member, descendent).
For tribal affiliations, use the person’s preference and clarify with the official name of the tribe if necessary. For example, some members of the Navajo Nation refer to themselves as Diné, the Navajo word for the people.
Indian is used to describe the peoples and cultures of the South Asian nation of India. The term is considered outdated as a reference to Native Americans. However, some tribal citizens may use the term in reference to themselves or other tribal citizens. And it may appear in some legal contexts and organization names, such as the Gila River Indian Community of Arizona. It is acceptable in those contexts.
Avoid constructions that place Indigenous people as possessions of states or countries.
EX: “Indigenous people of New Mexico.”
NOT: “New Mexico’s Indigenous people.”
-O-
-P-
-Q-
-R-
Rawhide
Rawhide is the costumed embodiment of the Mustang mascot.
-S-
semesters and seasons
Lowercase academic semesters and seasons: fall semester, spring, summer.
Small Business Development Center
Use the full name on first reference. Subsequent references can be to SBDC.
state
Lowercase state when referring to the state of New Mexico.
Student Memorial Building
See Thomas B. McDonald Student Memorial Building
-T-
theater/theatre
Use theater unless the entity’s official name uses theatre, such as the Fine Arts Center Theatre.
Thomas B. McDonald Student Memorial Building
Use the full name or Student Memorial Building on first reference. Subsequent references may be to the SMB.
-U-
-V-
-W-
Western New Mexico University Athletics
The department that oversees NCAA men’s and women’s sporting teams. When referencing this department, WNMU Athletics is acceptable.
Western Institute of Lifelong Learning
Use the full name on first reference. Subsequent references can use the abbreviation WILL.
Western New Mexico University Alumni Association
All graduates of WNMU make up the WNMU Alumni Association.
Western New Mexico University Board of Regents
Board is a collective noun and takes singular verbs.
Ex: The Board of Regents is meeting next Tuesday.
Western New Mexico University Foundation
An independent nonprofit organization that exists to benefit WNMU and oversees the establishment and management of scholarships and financial gifts.
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