Templates
There are two pole banner sizes available, large at 30″ x 84″ and small at 24″ x 48″. For all university banners, contact University Communications at brand@ncsu.edu to see if the space you are looking for is available and for information about templates.
Four half-moon shaped wind slits must be cut into the large banner and three must be cut into the small banner, but the wind slit locations can shift to avoid text and graphic elements.
Just like our printed communications, the information we post online should be quickly accessible and visually consistent with the NC State brand. The more intuitive and simple the organization, the more likely the user will interact with and return to the site. Web sites should be able to stand alone and give visitors a sense of the brand with every click. They also have the ability to link the many different departments together to show the extensive reach NC State has in the state, nation and world. From type to photography to tone, all the design elements can be used here to help advance the brand through this very powerful medium.
Branding Bar
The NC State branding bar offers a simple way to connect our thousands of sites and let users know where they are at all times. This element must appear at the top (centered or left-aligned) of all official NC State Web sites and pages. No content of any kind may appear above this bar. The branding bar is available in various color combinations consistent with official university colors, but it may not be edited or altered in any way outside of the options presented when downloading.
The branding bar may not be required for certain entities operating under unique circumstances. Exceptions will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Web Communication will provide support for the branding strip but will rely on the college, unit and other entities internal Web or IT staff to implement the strip. For implementation or exception questions, e-mail Web Communication at web_feedback@ncsu.edu.
Primary Color Palette
These official university colors should be the most dominant colors on any of the NC State sites. They should anchor all Web site designs.
Secondary Color Palette
These colors offer complementary options for navigational elements, promotional areas and other prominent design and content elements. As many as two secondary colors can be used with the primary color palette, but they should never be more dominant than the primary colors.
Support Color Palette
These colors should be used for subtle accents (link styles, horizontal rules, etc.) and not for primary design elements. One support color can be used with the primary and secondary colors so as not to overpower the design.
Banner Typefaces
The University’s official Web banner typeface is Univers. Colleges and central administrative units are encouraged to create site banners using the Univers typeface to maintain a consistent Web presence.
HTML Typeface
University Web sites should use Verdana, Arial and Georgia typefaces for all HTML text.
Headlines (H1 – H6 Tags) and Section Headers
HTML headlines and section headers can use any of the fonts approved for university Web sites.
Required Elements
All Web sites must have a “contact” link or contain direct access to contact information for the unit responsible for the content of the Web site or page.
All Web sites must contain a link to an appropriate Privacy Statement. A link to the university Policy Disclaimer should also be included, preferably in the footer of the site.
All Web sites must include contact information for the Web developer, site manager or Web space owner somewhere in the Web space. This information does not need to be available publicly, but must be present in the Web space. For sites developed by third-party contractors, vendors, current students or former students, contact information must include both the site developer and the site owner/manager.
Photography offers an opportunity to make a powerful first impression. In a glance, an image can create a compelling connection and begin to tell the story of the brand. Each image that appears in any communication should be chosen as thoughtfully as the words - because they are all a reflection of NC State. It’s a snapshot of who we are – bold, bright, powerful and active. By maintaining high standards and carefully choosing photography that matches the brand, we’ll continue to stand out above the rest.
Visit ncsu.edu/photos to access our photography database where you can quickly search for a photo.
Photographs from the NC State University Communication Services photo database may be used by faculty, staff and students to promote the university. Images can be used for print, video, Web, Power Point, and/or HTML emails as long they adhere to NC State Brand Book guidelines. In order to access the database and download high resolution digital files you must enter a valid Unity ID.
All photos in this database are copyright protected and may not be used for commercial purposes, personal web sites, social networking sites or to sell products. Printing and/or selling of the images from this database is strictly prohibited. The sharing of digital files with anyone outside of campus (not including external vendors) is also strictly prohibited.
External graphic designers, or other media production vendors, may use the photo database for university projects, but they cannot use any images outside of university marketing and the specific project they are hired for. Please make sure all outside vendors are aware of the rules regarding usage and the university’s copyright ownership.
Editorial requests for images should be directed to Communication Services or News Services. For editorial use, all photos must be credited: “Photo by (Photographer), NC State University Communication Services.” No photo credit is required for marketing, web or other non-editorial materials. If you would like to use images beyond that of marketing the university, please contact Communication Services at rebecca_kirkland@ncsu.edu or 919.513.3110 to request permission.
Should you need to hire a photographer, contact University Communications at 919.513.3110. Remember to allow time for scheduling your shoot.
Style Guide
On more general questions of form and usage, it is recommended that editors refer to the Associated Press Stylebook. The A.P. Stylebook prefers Webster’s New World Dictionary as the source for proper usage and spelling.
academic degrees
The following are examples of formal names of academic degrees and their abbreviations:
Associate of Applied Science in field crops technology (A.A.S.)
Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Bachelor of Arts in history (B.A.)
Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.)
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
Master of Arts in English (M.A.)
Master of Science in Management (M.S.M.)
Master of Education (M.Ed.)
Master of Science (M.S.)
Master of Technology in International Development (M.T.I.D.)
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.)
The general terms for academic degrees are as follows:
associate’s degree
bachelor’s degree
baccalaureate
master’s degree
doctoral degree
doctorate
The plural forms are bachelor’s degrees (B.A.s), master’s degrees (M.A.s) and doctoral degrees (Ph.D.s).
academic degree programs
For any questions on the proper name and abbreviation of a degree program at NC State, call Registration and Records at 919.515.2572 and ask for the records supervisor.
addresses
In writing to an on-campus address, the preferred order is as follows:
Recipient Name
Department Name
NC State University
Campus Box (number)
Raleigh, NC 27695-(box number)
For return addresses, the preferred order is:
NC State University
Sender Name
Department Name
Campus Box (number)
Raleigh, NC 27695-(box number)
Refer to your style manual to determine whether to abbreviate terms North, East, South or West and drive, avenue, road, court and so forth.
Agricultural Institute
This two-year program awards the Associate of Applied Science degree.
AGROMECK
The AGROMECK is the university’s student-published yearbook.
alma mater
Do not capitalize.
alumna, alumnae, alumni, alumnus
An alumnus is a person, particularly a male, who has
attended or is a graduate of a particular school, college
or university; alumni is the plural form, referring to males as
a group and males and females as a group. An alumna is
a female alumnus; alumnae is the plural form, referring only
to females as a group.
Alumni Centennial Gateway
This metallic structure near the intersection of Western Boulevard and Gorman Street was dedicated in 1992.
The Annual Fund
This program solicits annual unrestricted gifts from alumni and university friends. The “T” is capitalized even if it is not at the beginning of a sentence.
Correct: Please contribute to The Annual Fund.
Atlantic Coast Conference
On second reference this athletic conference, of which NC State is a member, may be referred to as the ACC.
Belltower
See Memorial Tower.
Board of Trustees
Use the full, capitalized title on first reference. Thereafter, use the board of trustees.
Board of Visitors
Use the full, capitalized title on first reference. Thereafter, use the board of visitors.
Brickyard
Capitalize the B when referring to the brick courtyard area that is formally known as University Plaza.
Bulletin
The Bulletin is the official electronic newspaper for NC State faculty and staff.
Caldwell Fellows Program
This merit scholarship program provides three-year fellowships to high-achieving, first-year students.
Carter-Finley Stadium
The structure was named Carter Stadium when it opened in 1966, then renamed Carter-Finley Stadium in 1979. It is named for Nick and Harry Carter, the brothers who provided the initial donations for the stadium, and A.E. Finley, who provided the largest single donation.
Centennial Campus
Use the full, capitalized name.
chair, chairperson, chairman, chairwoman
Use discretion in selecting the appropriate term.
chancellor
Capitalize when used before a name; lowercase after a name. The names and terms of those who served as NC State’s chancellors and presidents follow:
Alexander Q. Holladay (president, 1889-1899)
George T. Winston (president, 1899-1908)
Daniel H. Hill (president, 1908-1916)
Wallace C. Riddick (president, 1916-1923)
Eugene Clyde Brooks (president, 1923-1934)
John W. Harrelson (chancellor, 1934-1953)
Carey H. Bostian (chancellor 1953-1959)
John T. Caldwell (chancellor, 1959-1975)
Joab L. Thomas (chancellor, 1976-1981)
Bruce R. Poulton (chancellor, 1982-1989)
Larry K. Monteith (chancellor, 1990-1998)
Marye Anne Fox (chancellor, 1998-2004)
James L. Oblinger (chancellor, 2004-2009)
Jim Woodward (2009-2010)
Randy Woodson (2010-present)
The Chancellor’s Circle
This unrestricted annual giving program solicits contributions at the $1,000 level and above. The “T” is capitalized even if it is not at the beginning of a sentence.
coed
No hyphen.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
The college was formerly known as the School of Agriculture, the School of Agriculture and Forestry and the School of Agriculture and Life Sciences. On second reference, it may be referred to as CALS.
College of Design
This college was formerly called the School of Design.
College of Education
The college was formerly called the School of Education.
College of Engineering
The college was formerly called the School of Engineering.
College of Natural Resources
The college was formerly known as the School of Forestry, the School of Forest Resources and the College of Forest Resources.
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
The college was formerly known as the School of General Studies, the School of Liberal Arts and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
College of Management
See Poole College of Management.
College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
The college was formerly called the School of Physical Science and Applied Mathematics and the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.
College of Textiles
The college was formerly known as the School of Textiles.
College of Veterinary Medicine
The college was formerly called the School of Veterinary Medicine.
courses
A course may be identified by its course number (MA 201, for instance) or by its name (for example, Analytic Geometry or Calculus II).
courtesy titles
Courtesy titles include Mr., Mrs., Ms. and Miss. To determine whether you should use courtesy titles, refer to your preferred style manual.
Court of North Carolina
This open area, formerly called the 1911 Field, is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Court of the Carolinas. The court is bound by Leazar, Poe, Page, Winston, Tompkins and Caldwell halls and the 1911 Building.
curricula, curriculum
Curriculum is the singular form; curricula is the plural form.
data
Data is the plural of datum.
departments
On first reference, use a department’s formal name (for instance, the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics). After this reference, you may use the informal name (the agricultural and resource economics department) or, simply, the department. For the proper title of a particular department, refer to the NC State University Undergraduate Catalog, which can be accessed online.
Distance Education and Learning Technology
DELTA on second reference or when used in internal communications.
D.H. Hill Library
The main campus library was named for Daniel Harvey Hill Jr., a professor of English and bookkeeping who became president of NC State. See entry for NCSU Libraries.
Dr.
The title Dr. may be used in front of a person’s name when that person holds an earned doctoral degree. Do not use it along with a courtesy title or along with another title such as Professor, Dean, Chancellor or The Rev. in front of a name.
Correct: Dr. Louis Martin-Vega, dean of the College of Engineering, addressed the committee.
Incorrect: Dean Dr. Louis Martin-Vega addressed the committee.
e-mail
This term is the commonly used term for electronic mail; sometimes it is written E-mail. In listing an e-mail address, lowercase all letters and characters.
Correct: jane_doe@ncsu.edu
emeritus
Denotes a retiring full-time faculty member who has been recognized by the chancellor, or a full-time staff member recognized by the Board of Trustees for dedicated service at NC State. It is an earned rank and comes with commensurate rights and privileges.
faculty
Lowercase unless part of a name or title.
First Year College
Opened in 1995, this college is designed for students who enter NC State and want to explore many options before choosing a major.
Founders’ Day
March 7 marks the anniversary of the founding of the university. The Founders’ Day event commemorates the 1887 passage of a bill in the state legislature that provided for a college to teach agriculture and mechanic arts.
4-H
In North Carolina, this youth development program is operated through the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at NC State and NC A&T State University. A 4-H member is also called a 4-H’er.
GPA
Grade point average.
General Administration
The governing body of the 17-campus University of North Carolina system.
Graduate Management Admission Test
GMAT on second reference or when used on internal communications.
Graduate Record Examination
GRE on second reference or when used on internal communications.
Graduate School
When referring to the formal institution, capitalize the name; in general references, lowercase.
Correct: Dr. Duane Larick is dean of the Graduate School.
Correct: He went to graduate school.
Holladay Hall
NC State’s first building; before being named for the college’s first president, Alexander Quarles Holladay, it was simply called the Main Building. The cornerstone was laid in August 1888, and the building was opened on October 3, 1889.
Internet
Capitalize in all cases.
Jane S. McKimmon Center for Extension and Continuing Education
Informally known as the McKimmon Center, this structure was completed in 1976. It is named for a home demonstration leader who was among the first women to receive degrees from NC State.
Kamphoefner Hall
Named for the first dean of the College of Design, Henry Leveke Kamphoefner.
land-grant
The federal legislation that authorized the creation of land-grant state universities is the federal Land-Grant Act of 1862, also known as the Morrill Act of 1862.
The adjective land-grant (lowercase and with hyphen, as in land-grant state universities, land-grant tradition and land-grant institution) is in keeping with the editorial practice of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. But, it is correct to say the state received a land grant (no hyphen).
main campus
Do not capitalize unless beginning a sentence.
Memorial Tower
This is the official name of the structure informally known as the Belltower. The tower, completed in 1937, honors NC State alumni who were killed during World War I.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA is acceptable on first reference.
NC State University
This is the university’s identifier. It should be printed or included as the university’s logotype on the front cover of all publications and appear on all Web pages as stated in the Web standards.
NCSU Libraries
NCSU Libraries consists of D.H. Hill Library and four branch libraries. The branches are the Burlington Textiles Library, the Harrye B. Lyons Design Library, the Natural Resources Library and the William Rand Kenan, Jr. Library of Veterinary Medicine. The Learning Resources Library is also affiliated with the NCSU Libraries. Because the NCSU Libraries is considered a single entity, the noun takes a singular verb and pronoun.
North Carolina State University
*North Carolina State University at Raleigh* is the full, official name of our institution and may be written when explicitly required on official documents. Editors should otherwise avoid using this name because of the implication that another branch of North Carolina State University exists in another city.
*North Carolina State University* is the preferred form of the university’s full name. It should be paired with the university’s identifier on the front or back covers of publications and on World Wide Web (WWW) pages. This form should be used on title pages, in addresses and on first reference in text.
*NC State* is the preferred second reference, mainly used as nouns (i.e., “Welcome to NC State”). Because “university” is missing from this short form, be cautious using it as an adjective; i.e., “NC State Department of…” may be confused with a State of NC department.
The “university” is also a preferred third reference.
Note: Editors should exercise caution to avoid confusion with units of North Carolina State Government or units at other universities, and the creation of incorrect names, (i.e., NC State Libraries).
*ncsu.edu* (lowercase) is the university’s domain address in electronic mail and Web addressing. Although this is the URL for the university, “NCSU” should not be used to refer to the university in any form of communication. NCSU Libraries is the only exception.
North Carolina Agricultural Research Service
Known until 1979 as the Agricultural Experiment Station, the agency is the research arm of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
Formerly called the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service, this agency is part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and has centers in North Carolina’s 100 counties as well as the Cherokee Reservation.
Do not call a county center the Brunswick County Extension Service; it is the Brunswick County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.
Despite common misperceptions, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture is not part of the extension service, and the extension service is not part of NCDA.
The Nubian Message
The Nubian Message is a student-run paper which strives to be the African-American voice on NC State’s campus.
Park Scholarship
Named for distinguished alumni Roy H. Park, NC State offers full expense, four-year Park Scholarships through the generosity of the Park Foundation. Scholars from across the nation are selected to form a class of exceptionally talented young men and women with diverse academic interest
Poole College of Management
The college was established in 1992 and named the Lonnie C. Poole Jr. College of Management in December 2010. It uses Poole College of Management in all communications.
professor
Capitalize when the term precedes a name; lowercase when it follows a name.
Correct: Professor Lawrence Apple teaches TID 501.
Correct: Lawrence Apple, professor emeritus of international programs, teaches TID 501.
professorships and scholarships
Capitalize named scholarships and professorships, even when they follow a person’s name.
Correct: Arthur Fu was a Caldwell Scholar.
Correct: Clement Markert was named Distinguished University Research Professor.
Correct: Distinguished University Research Professor Donald Bitzer enjoys windsurfing.
Correct: Dr. Jay Narayan is The John C.C. Fan Family Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering.
When referring to an endowed professorship on first reference, the official title should be used.
residence hall
University Housing prefers this term rather than dormitory.
Reynolds Coliseum
The formal name of this building is William Neal Reynolds Coliseum.
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
On second reference, use SACS.
Stewart Theatre
Located on the second floor of Talley Student Center, seats 800 people and is operated by University Theatre.
Student Aid Association/Wolfpack Club
These two names may be used interchangeably.
Technician
Technician is the university’s student newspaper.
titles
Capitalize a title when it immediately precedes a person’s name. Lowercase when it follows a person’s name or when it is used alone in text.
Correct: North Carolina State University Alumni Association President Crane Jones lives in Jacksonville, Fla.
Correct: Crane Jones, president of the North Carolina State University Alumni Association, lives in Jacksonville, Fla.
Correct: The president of the Alumni Association serves for one year.
The University of North Carolina
NC State is part of the 17-campus University of North Carolina. Capitalize “The” in The University of North Carolina when the name stands alone (as on letterhead or when used as a heading in formal documents). Lowercase the T when using the name in context (i.e. “a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina”). The University of North Carolina and UNC refer only to the 17-campus university. General Administration recommends that the term “system” be avoided. However, it can be used for clarity; “the University of North Carolina system” is appropriate in some contexts.
Following are the official names of the 17 institutions as designated by the UNC Board of Governors; preferred terms for second reference are in parentheses:
Appalachian State University (ASU)
East Carolina University (East Carolina or ECU)
Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City State or ECSU)
Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville State or FSU)
North Carolina A&T State University (NC A&T State or A&T)
North Carolina Central University (NCCU)
North Carolina State University (NC State)
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM)
University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill or UNC-CH)
University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC)
University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG)
University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP)
University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW)
University of North Carolina School of the Arts (School of the Arts or UNCSA)
Western Carolina University (Western Carolina or WCU)
Winston-Salem State University (Winston-Salem State or WSSU)
Capitalize university only when referring to the 17-campus University of North Carolina. Use lowercase when referring to a single campus, including NC State.
Thompson Hall
The theater was formerly the Frank Thompson Gymnasium; it is named in memory of a student leader, athletic hero and coach who was killed in action during World War I.
Tompkins Hall
Named for Daniel Augustus Tompkins, a contract engineer who led the campaign for a textile school at NC State. Note there is no “h” in Tompkins.
vice chancellor, vice president
Do not use hyphens. For instance, Nevin Kessler is the vice chancellor for university advancement. (See titles.)
Watauga Club
A group of young men joined together in 1884 out of concern for North Carolina’s poverty-stricken condition and established the Watauga Club. One of the group’s first projects was a campaign to establish an industrial school, which is now NC State. The first president was William Joseph Peele; other influential members included Walter Hines Page, Charles W. Dabney, Josephus Daniels, John W. Thompson and William Stuart Primrose. Watauga Hall is named in the club’s honor.
Watauga Medal
This award was established in 1975 to honor those who have given outstanding service to NC State.
Weisiger-Brown Building
Named for Leslie M. Weisiger and Pleasant Luther Brown, ardent Wolfpack supporters though neither attended NC State.
Windhover
The Windhover is the university’s student-published literary magazine. Its title is derived from the title of an 1877 Gerard Manley Hopkins poem.
WolfCopy
The campuswide convenience copy service for students and departments.
Wolfline
The university’s transit service.
Wolfpack
Early athletic teams were known as the Farmers and Mechanics, the Aggies, the Techs or the Red Terrors. The name Wolfpack did not become popular until the early 1920s.
Wolfpack Club/Student Aid Association
These two names can be used interchangeably.
World Wide Web (WWW)
Capitalize each word in all cases. It is also common practice to capitalize “Web” when it does not begin a sentence. Examples: Web, Web page, Web site.
Yarbrough Court
Named for Mary E. Yarbrough, daughter of a member of the first graduating class and the first woman to receive a degree at NC State completely from work on campus. She graduated in 1927. The court is bound by Leazar, Peele, Holladay and Watauga halls.
Yarbrough Drive
Located on North Campus and runs from Dan Allen Drive to Pullen Road.
Shooting, editing and posting commercials or videos can be a very powerful tool to instill emotion and encourage action. This medium offers a rare opportunity to use many different types of design elements, including: images, film, music, type and much more. Because many elements are involved at once, following the guidelines is even more important and will ensure the final product creates the desired impact.
For questions about video style and formats, call the University Communications Audio Visual department at 919.515.3871.
Video guidelines
Whenever possible, videos for Web and internal use should be shot digitally. Logo placement may vary depending on the frame, but typically the NC State logo should be centered on the title card. For help with how to direct, set up or frame university videos, please contact the University Communications Audio Visual department at 919.515.3871.
NC State University Web sites and pages should be developed with the following principles in mind:
User-centric design
Through every step of Web design and development, consider the needs, goals and expectations of your site’s users. Clearly define and prioritize your audiences. Then design the content, layout, organization, navigation, structure and functionality for those audiences.
Brand consistency
Make sure your users know your site is part of NC State. Design Web sites in such a way that every element of the site supports the university brand. Use the Brand Book to guide the online creative process.
Strong content
Content is the heart and soul of every Web site. Without it, most sites wouldn’t exist. Create content that is engaging, interesting, up-to-date, accurate, on-brand and most importantly, relevant and valuable to your audiences.
Usability
Think about what your users want from your site. Consider how they want it to work, what words and language resonate and what information is most important to them. Make every element of the site intuitive for your users (not just for the site’s designers or department heads).
Sound visual design
Most people prefer attractive sites, but they must also be functional. Good design comes from thoughtful use of the university’s color palette, white space and typography while also positioning and leveraging existing Web conventions.
Structural markup
Keep design and content separate. Write Web code that presents a site’s information in a structured, organized and intentional way, and use CSS to lay out the content.
Accessibility (section 508 compliance)
Like our university, our users are diverse. Site content needs to be accessible and useful to all of those users. NC State is committed to delivering accessible Web sites, and requires that sites comply with requirements outlined in section 508 of the United States government’s Rehabilitation Act.
Sustainability
Keeping sites fresh and accurate requires consistent updates, revisions and modifications. Sites should be built for simple, efficient management and evolution. Web management tools should be chosen based on the needs of the sites’ managers and contributors, not simply the Web developers or programmers.
The tone of NC State is one of eagerness, impatience and curiosity. There’s a sense of urgency in those who are connected to North Carolina State University. We know what we want to accomplish and we go after it with vigor. We’re fueled by our collective talent, pride and search for excellence. We’re bold, yet down to earth. We’re confident, yet approachable. That feeling should come through our words, both spoken and written.
Sentences should be short and efficient. No words are wasted in speeches or written materials for NC State. The structure and content of the language should mirror the brand and be just as powerful and dynamic. Passive voice is not preferred because everything about the NC State brand is active. Crisp, hard-hitting sentences drive home our points in a way that makes people stop and take notice. The words and phrases have an attitude and confidence that motivate and energize.
For Example:
Avoid: “Recommending that a student copy from another student’s paper is certainly not something he would ever think about advising.”
Use: “He wouldn’t advise cheating.”
Avoid: “For the most part, our woodlands are coming back by virtue of the fact that our economy seems to have shifted its emphasis in another direction, and this is really starting to catch more attention and appear in more news stories all over the area.”
Use: “Our economy has shifted its emphasis. Our woodlands are resurging. Reporters are taking notice.”
Avoid: “Researchers who knew what was going on tried to make sure someone heard about it.”
Use: “Knowledgeable researchers spoke up.”
There are additional tower logo PowerPoint slides available here.
Cover Slide
The cover slide introduces your presentation with a large photograph to help engage the audience. The photo’s width should be kept even with the bar at the top of the template and allow room under the photo for your heading. Be sure to size or crop your photograph to fit the area.
The heading should be red Univers Condensed Bold 32 point in all caps. You can download all the PowerPoint templates from the Print Downloads page.
Standard Slide
The majority of the slides in your presentation will be this standard slide. It gives you the ability to customize the copy to include a heading, subhead and bullets. These slides include a gradient background to add some interest to the presentation, but additional slides with a white background are also available online. The heading should be red Univers Condensed Bold 32 point in all caps. The subheadings are black Univers Condensed Bold 28 point with title case capitalization. The bullets are black Univers Condensed 24 point with sentence style capitalization.
Sub-bullets (not shown) are black Univers Condensed 20 point, and they decrease 4 points for each subsequent sublevel. The white background should be used if you are including graphics that have a white space around them.
Photo Slide
When choosing photography for PowerPoint presentations, follow the same style guidelines detailed in the photography section. The photos should have active imagery with visual energy and flow. Unless the PowerPoint will be printed, the resolution of the photography can be Web quality (72 dpi) at the actual size it will be displayed. All photos should be sized or cropped to fit within the dimensions found in the PowerPoint templates online. The heading should be red Univers Condensed Bold 32 point in all caps. The bullets are black Univers Condensed 24 point with sentence style capitalization. Additional templates, including those with vertical photography and graphs are available here (insert link).
Visit the university photo gallery or the CALS photo gallery to access our photography database where you can quickly find photos for your presentation. Photo sizing guidelines are included in the PowerPoint templates online.
Photo Slide with Arial Typeface
If you aren’t able to get access to the Univers Condensed typeface, use the Arial typeface for your PowerPoint slides. The same design standards should be followed when using this typeface.
A cohesive stationery system includes letterhead, envelopes and business cards. In many cases, these materials are the first impression, so they must present a unified look. They are a key component to the brand and offer an easy way to maintain consistency across the university.
The easiest way to produce these materials is to use online purchasing from Staples or Office Depot through the NC State MarketPlace. There are easy-to-use online templates for each stationery item. The marketplace is accessible through MyPackPortal. If you don’t have MarketPlace access, contact the person in your department that is responsible for procuring office supplies. Even if you are not a purchaser, you can still view the offerings from each vendor. Under MyPackPortal, go to Faculty & Staff > Financial Systems > MarketPlace. Then go to Create an Order and you will be able to view available vendors. Within vendor sites, you can see the stationery templates by locating either Copy & Print>Custom Stationery Online or NCSU Shopping List.
If you need to purchase more than $5,000 worth of stationery items, you must use a vendor under the convenience contract put in place by purchasing. You can view this convenience contract by going to the Purchasing site.
Letterhead
The letterhead design is standardized to promote consistency, yet it also offers a way for units, colleges, departments and organizations to include their contact information within the design. There should be no unit-specific logos on university letterhead.
The left margin should be 1-¾”and align with the word UNIVERSITY. The right margin should be 1″ and the top margin will vary according to the amount of text printed in the address section of the letterhead.
Information appearing in the top margin above the horizontal red line may occupy as many as four lines of text. It is recommended that the name and address of the unit be placed in this space. Below the horizontal red line, units may include division, department or individual names, as well as phone numbers, fax numbers and e-mail addresses.
Unit-specific information appears in black and is added as orders are placed.
Word document templates are available for digital use only.
Envelopes
In compliance with postal regulations, the return address and graphic does not exceed more than 50 percent of the horizontal envelope length. Recipient addresses should in most cases not be handwritten, but typed (10-12 point Univers or Arial), in no more than 4 lines. Address blocks should not intrude into the bottom 1/2″ of the envelope.
Address Service Requested statements and Bulk Postage can be added to the envelope upon request from University Communications. “Attention” or “information” lines directing delivery to a specific person or indicating how a business should handle mail should appear above the name of the business or individual to which the mail is addressed. These standards also apply to the design of window envelopes.
For more information about postal requirements for mailing, call the USPS Mailpiece Design Analyst in at 336.931.9367
Business Cards
Business cards can include up to ten lines of information (two lines of personal information above the red line and eight lines of contact information below). Both the campus box number and building/room location of offices should be included on the cards. This will help on-campus visitors and delivery people locate your office. The copy is set at 8 point with 11 point leading in Univers Condensed light. The individual’s name appears in bold and all the copy aligns with the word UNIVERSITY. The back of the card should be left blank. If exceptions are needed, contact University Communications at 919.513.1243.
You can also order business cards using the vendors in the Marketplace, or use Wolf Xpress.
All university business cards must conform to this format and may not carry unit-specific logos.
Mailing Labels
Mailing labels are 3″x 4″and follow the same design standards as the other elements of the stationery system. Labels can have 4-5 lines of copy. Just like the envelope standards, “attention” or “information” lines directing delivery to a specific person or indicating how a business should handle mail should appear above the name of the business or individual to which the mail is addressed.
Styles to Follow
Photography that appears in any NC State materials and Web communications should have a modern look, simple content and interesting composition. Color should be bright with adequate contrast (avoid dull or muted color with low contrast). Whenever possible, use active imagery with visual energy and flow (bold, simple images, active composition, diagonal lines, etc.).
All photography that will be printed should be 300 dpi at the actual size it will be displayed. Increasing the scale of a photo reduces its resolution, so this should be avoided. For quality control, print the photo at actual size to make sure it is not pixelated.
Professional photography should be used whenever possible, particularly for external communications such as Web sites, advertising and promotional materials. For internal communications, the best resources are our photo databases at ncsu.edu/photos. If that doesn’t have what you’re looking for, you may need to purchase stock photography. Or if you need to cover an event and professional photography is not an option, an amateur photo can be used. Stock and amateur photos should still follow the same style guidelines.
Styles to Avoid
Photography less than 300 dpi at actual printed size should not be used. Photography should be kept simple with a singular focus so as not to distract from the design. Images with low or bad lighting should not be used and photography should not be scaled disproportionately. Clip art should never be used.
Photographs from the NC State University Creative Services photo database may be used by faculty, staff and students to promote the university. Images can be used for print, video, Web, Power Point, and/or HTML emails as long they adhere to NC State Brand Book guidelines. In order to access the database and download high resolution digital files you must enter a valid Unity ID.
All photos in this database are copyright protected and may not be used for commercial purposes, personal web sites, social networking sites or to sell products. Printing and/or selling of the images from this database is strictly prohibited. The sharing of digital files with anyone outside of campus (not including external vendors) is also strictly prohibited.
External graphic designers, or other media production vendors, may use the photo database for university projects, but they cannot use any images outside of university marketing and the specific project they are hired for. Please make sure all outside vendors are aware of the rules regarding usage and the university’s copyright ownership.
Editorial requests for images should be directed to Creative Services or News Services. For editorial use, all Communication Services photos must be credited: “Photo by (Photographer), NC State University Communication Services.” No photo credit is required for marketing, web or other non-editorial materials. If you would like to use images beyond that of marketing the university, please contact Communication Services at rebecca_kirkland@ncsu.edu or 919.513.3110 to request permission.