Purpose and History

This stylebook should be the first source for determining style for any non-advertising copy for The Maneater pertaining to MU-related topics and other content relevant to The Maneater. The AP Stylebook should be consulted for general AP style rules, as well as Columbia-specific guidelines included in the Columbia Missourian’s custom stylebook. In cases in which a style question is not answered by any of these resources, the executive editors will work with the copy section to determine a solution, and may update the master copy of this stylebook.

FIRST EDITION: Winter 1998 by Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Dlouhy and Managing Editor Kelly Wiese

SECOND EDITION: Summer Session 1998 by Editor-in-Chief John Roby

THIRD EDITION: Fall 1999 by Managing Editor Julie Bykowitz

FOURTH EDITION: Winter 2001 by Managing Editor Chris Heisel and Copy Chief Kristen Cox.

FIFTH EDITION: Summer 2002 by Managing Editor Stephanie Grasmick

SIXTH EDITION: Summer 2004 by Copy Chief Amy Rainey

SEVENTH EDITION: Winter 2006 by Copy Chiefs Aaron Richter and Sarah Larimer, Managing Editor Coulter Jones and Editor-in-Chief Jenna Youngs

EIGHTH EDITION: Fall 2006 by Copy Chiefs Jenn Amur and Courtney French, Managing Editor Maggie Creamer and Editor-in-Chief Lee Logan

NINTH EDITION: Fall 2007 by Copy Chiefs Jamie Scott and Erin Boeck, Projects Editor Jedd Rosche, Managing Editor Rae Nudson and Editor-in-Chief Steve Oslica

10TH EDITION: Fall 2008 by Editor-in-Chief Elliot Njus, Managing Editor Michael Sewall, Copy Chiefs Lee Logan and James Patrick Schmidt,

MOVE Copy Chief Abby Holekamp, Student Organizations Editor Anna Koeppel and Projects Editor Roseann Moring

11TH EDITION: Fall 2009 by Editor-in-Chief Josh Barone, Managing Editor Mary Daly and Copy Chief Laura Swan

12TH EDITION: Fall 2010 by Copy Chiefs Katie Moritz and Katie Prince, Editor-in-Chief Zach Toombs and Managing Editor Lyndsie Manusos

13TH EDITION: Fall 2011 by Editor-in-Chief Travis Cornejo, Managing Editor Katie Moritz and Copy Chiefs Nate Atkins and Abby Spudich

14TH EDITION: Fall 2012 by Copy Chiefs Tony Puricelli and Katie Yaeger

15TH EDITION: Winter 2013 by Copy Chiefs Claire Boston and Tracy Cook and Editor-in-Chief Ted Noelker

16TH EDITION: Fall 2014 by Copy Chief Scott MacDonald and Editor-in-Chief Katie Pohlman

17TH EDITION: Summer 2015 by Copy Chief George Roberson, Managing Editor Katherine Knott and Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Loutfi

18TH EDITION: Summer 2021 by Copy Chiefs Nicholas Chen, Elizabeth Derner and Lauren Hubbard

19TH EDITION: Summer 2022 by Copy Chiefs Jacob Richey, Emily Rutledge and Julia Williams

General Entries

A

Activity & Recreation Center The city’s recreation center, located at the corner of Ash Street and Clinkscales Road. ARC is acceptable on second reference.

alumni center There are two alumni centers in Columbia. The one across from Jesse Hall is properly called the Donald W. Reynolds Alumni and Visitor Center, but use Reynolds Alumni Center on first reference. On second reference, alumni center is suitable. The alumni center is named after a graduate of the MU School of Journalism and founder of the Donrey Media Group. See Reynolds Alumni Center. The other center, located on Carrie Francke Drive off Stadium Boulevard, is the Old Alumni Center.

Arts and Science Building Use the uppercase form of “Building” because it is part of the formal title. Note the plural “Arts” and singular “Science.”

Associated Students of the University of Missouri Student lobbying group. ASUM is acceptable on second reference or in a headline. The Columbia, Rolla and Kansas City campuses have ASUM chapters. Unless a student working with ASUM is the legislative director or assistant director, they are a lobbyist, not a legislative assistant. MSA works with MU’s representative but is not appointed by the executive cabinet.

auditoriums Can be used as locations. Capitalize names of auditoriums: the speech in Allen Auditorium. Jesse Auditorium is located in Jesse Hall. Jesse Wrench Auditorium is located in Memorial Union. To avoid confusion, specify that Wrench Auditorium is in Memorial Union when appropriate. Using Wrench Auditorium on first reference can help to further avoid any confusion.

B

Bingham Gallery Department of Art gallery in the Fine Arts Building that hosts exhibits and events for MU and the public. Full name is the George Caleb Bingham Gallery. Use the full name on first reference. Bingham Gallery is acceptable in headlines.

blue lights A common name for the emergency phones found on campus. Use blue light emergency phone on first reference. Blue lights or emergency phones are acceptable on second reference. Blue lights is acceptable in headlines.

Board of Elections Commissioners The appointed board in charge of MSA elections. BEC is acceptable on second reference and in headlines. Per its bylaws, the BEC is independent of MSA, and its representatives may not hold simultaneous offices, though this rule has been repeatedly broken. The board creates the BEC Handbook before each election cycle.

boards When referring to a board, use the pronoun “it” and not “they.” Board of Curators is capitalized; board of directors is not.

Bond Life Sciences Center Use on first reference for the large building at the northwest corner of College Avenue and Rollins Street. The center is acceptable on second reference as long as it is not confused with another center. The center’s official name is the Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, named after former U.S. Sen. Kit Bond.

brackets [ ] Use brackets around words inserted into quotes to aid with clarity: “She went to Hy-Vee for cheese,” (original quote) or “[Jones] went to Hy-Vee for cheese.” This is an exception to AP style. Use of parentheses ( ) implies added context or commentary.

Brady and Anne Deaton Institute Officially the Brady and Anne Deaton Institute for University Leadership in International Development, the Brady and Anne Deaton Institute is suitable on first reference. The institute thereafter. Directed by the former chancellor and his wife, the institute is based in Ellis Library and focuses on global food security, water safety and environmental sustainability.

Brookside Umbrella term for the series of luxury student housing developments in Columbia owned by Harrison Street, an international real estate company. If referring to a specific location, specify in which complex it is. There are three: Downtown, located on South Ninth Street; Midtown, located on East Walnut Street; and the Townhomes, located on West Old Plank Road. 

bylines Follow this order: writer’s name, return, writer’s designation.

Writer’s designations: [Section] Reporter. If a member of the editorial board writes a story, they should be designated with their titles. If an opinion editor writes a news story, they should be credited with the title Associate Editor to clarify the piece is not a column. If someone who is not a current MU student writes a story, Guest Writer is the appropriate designation. Also add a statement at the end of the story briefly stating their relation to The Maneater or MU. If two writers worked on a story together to a fairly equal degree, use this order: writers’ names (ordered alphabetically by last name), return, Of The Maneater Staff.

For photo credits, use designations in the same way as for stories.

Avoid bylines of more than two people, but three people is the maximum. If one reporter contributed to a story but not sufficiently enough to call for a double byline, the article should end with: [Writer’s name] contributed to this story. If several reporters contributed to a story, The following staff writers contributed to this story: followed by the names of those reporters, should end the story. 

C

Campus Dining Services The service providing food to MU students and visitors. Locations: 1+5+3 Salads and Soups, 1839 Kitchen, Baja Grill, Bookmark Cafe, Catalyst Cafe, Do Mundo’s, Emporium Cafe, Infusion Kate & Emma’s, Legacy Grill, Mort’s, Olive & Oil, Panda Express, Plaza 900 Dining, Potential Energy Cafe, Rollins @Night, Rollins Dining, Sabai, Starbucks (Memorial Union and Southwest), Sunshine Sushi, The Mark on 5th Street (The Mark on second reference), Tiger Avenue Deli, Truffles, Wheatstone Bistro.

Carnahan Quadrangle This grassy area between Conley Avenue and Cornell Hall was named after Gov. Mel Carnahan in 2003. The quad was occupied by student protesters as part of the Concerned Student 1950 movement in November 2015. Traditions Plaza, an amphitheater and outdoor event venue on Conley Avenue, was constructed here in 2014. The area between the Tiger statue and Rollins Street is Tiger Plaza.

Center for Student Involvement Located on the second floor of the Student Center. All MSA offices are located there, as well as the offices of most student organizations. CSI is acceptable in headlines so long as it’s clear no one is talking about the long-running CBS crime series or any of its spinoffs.

chancellor Capitalize only before a name. Until the UM System was formed in 1963, MU’s chief executive was referred to as “president.” Then, when the UM System’s leader assumed that title, each campus’s leader took the title chancellor.

Recent MU chancellors: Charles Kiesler (November 1992 – July 1996); Richard Wallace (August 1997 – September 2004); Brady Deaton (interim: September – October 2004, October 2004 – November 2013); Steve Owens (interim: November 2013 – February 2014); R. Bowen Loftin (February 2014 – November 2015); Henry “Hank” Foley (interim: November 2015 – 2017); Garnett S. Stokes (interim: May – August 2017); Alexander Cartwright (August 2017 – March 2020); Mun Y. Choi (interim: March 2020, July 2020 – present, also holds the office of UM System President)

class titles Always include a student’s year in school. The online directory should be used to confirm, not determine, a student’s year in school. It calculates grade by credit hours. However, most students prefer to be identified by length of time in school. Always lowercase a student’s year in school except at the beginning of a sentence. A graduate student is just that, not a “law student” or “med student.” Class titles should always be used for students, even if they have another title in a story, but the two do not necessarily have to be contiguous: “ASUM President George Harrison, senior, said…”

colleges Within MU, use College of (x). On second reference, use the college or the (x) college. MU colleges: the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR can also be used on second reference); the College of Arts and Science (note “science” is singular); the Trulaske College of Business; the College of Education and Human Development; the College of Engineering; the College of Human Environmental Sciences (note “sciences” is plural); and the College of Veterinary Medicine. Do not confuse with schools within MU.

colony The term used to refer to a Greek Life organization in its initial year on campus when it has enough members to be an organization. Prior to meeting this requirement, the group is considered an interest group. The colony must meet requirements set by ORG and its national organization before it can be recognized as a chapter at MU. Upon completion of these requirements, the colony can officially be chartered as a chapter. A colony is not considered a full member of the governing council, meaning it can neither vote at council meetings nor have members hold office in the council.

Columbia For terms related to the city, refer to The Missourian’s custom stylebook, which is included in the AP Stylebook website through the Journalism Library’s link.

the Columns Capitalize when referring to the six Ionic columns located on Francis Quadrangle. Note the lowercase “the.” Columbia has designated Eighth Street, which runs from Francis Quadrangle to the Boone County Courthouse with its four Doric columns, Avenue of the Columns.

commencement Always use lowercase form. If referring to commencement ceremonies at another university, check to see if it uses “graduation” instead.

Committee on Student Organizations, Governments and Activities The body that decides which student organizations to recommend for recognition by the vice provost of Student Affairs. The proper second reference is the committee, unless the story talks about multiple committees. In that case, or if used in a headline, use SOGA.

CoMo Only acceptable in MOVE and Fun & Games content.

Concerned Student 1950 Black student movement that formed in fall 2015 with the goal of improving campus’ racial climate. Led to UM System President Tim Wolfe‘s resignation. There are 11 original members, including Jonathan Butler, who launched an anti-Wolfe hunger strike. 

D

dean A dean oversees a specific college or school at MU and is in charge of the faculty for that college or school. They report to the provost.

dean’s list Note the lowercase “dean’s.” Each college has its own dean’s list (as each college has its own dean).

departments Academic departments and athletics department are not capitalized: physics department. MSA and university administrative departments are capitalized: Department of Student Life, MSA Department of Student Services.

Department of Residential Life ResLife (never Res Life) is acceptable in headlines and on second reference. Residential Life is also acceptable, and often preferable, on subsequent references. 

Discovery Center Academic advisers who work in the Student Success Center

Division of Information Technology The Division of Information Technology is MU’s computing services body. Use full title on first reference. DoIT may be used in headlines and on second reference. When dealing with stories that discuss IT at any length, avoid jargon when possible. 

dorm, dormitory Do not use outside of quotes or columns. Use residence hall.

E

East Campus A term used to refer to the neighborhoods east of campus off College Avenue.

editor-in-chief When referring to The Maneater’s executive editor, the title is hyphenated. The title is capitalized (save for “in”) when used before the editor-in-chief’s name: Editor-in-Chief Joel Gold. For other organizations, defer to their style.

Ellis Fischel Cancer Center Center for cancer research and therapy located on the first two floors of University Hospital’s patient care tower at 1 Hospital Drive. On second reference, use the center. If the story references Boone Hospital Center or other health care locations, use Ellis Fischel. Fischel and cancer center are acceptable in headlines. 

Ellis Library MU’s main library. Named after Elmer Ellis, MU’s president from 1955-1966.

Evans Scholars A golf fraternity located at 923 Tiger Ave. This fraternity includes male and female members, with emphasis on caddies, and does not belong to the Interfraternity Council. The house maintains the painted rock at the corner of Tiger Avenue and Kentucky Boulevard.

F

Faculty Council On second reference, use the council. Faculty Council is the governing body of MU faculty. Members meet every other Thursday.

FarmHouse A fraternity originally founded by agricultural students in 1905, it returned to campus in 2020. Does not take the article “the.” The fraternity’s new house at 802 Richmond Ave. will open in August 2022. Note the absence of a space between “Farm” and “House.”

Faurot Field Home field for Missouri football. Note that the spelling is not “Farout.”

Four Front Council Advocacy group for underrepresented students made up of members from 16 student organizations. Part of the Multicultural Center. Four Front is acceptable on second reference and in headlines.

Francis Quadrangle Grassy area north of Jesse Hall where the Columns stand. Officially the David. R. Francis Quadrangle, named after the Missouri governor who fought to keep MU in Columbia following the devastating Academic Hall fire. Francis Quadrangle is suitable on first reference. On second reference and in headlines, use the Quad. Francis’ bust looks across the Quad from its position near Jesse Hall and provides students with good luck on exams.

Oaks on the Quad: Fifteen pin oak trees formerly lined the Quad. The nearly 70-year-old oaks were cut down from May 18 to June 3, 2022, due to their failing health. The pin oaks were replaced with 24 white oaks as part of the Legacy Oaks of Francis Quadrangle project. 

Fraternity Row Beta Sigma Psi, Kappa Alpha Order, Beta Theta Pi, Alpha Gamma Rho, and Sigma Nu form Fraternity Row, which runs down College Avenue. Never “Frat Row.”

fraternities Do not put “fraternity” after a chapter’s name on first reference unless it is part of the title, as with National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities. Do not abbreviate names of fraternities on second reference, but “Fraternity Inc.” may be omitted after NPHC chapter names on second reference. Refer to all Greek organizations as chapters, not houses. Do not confuse chapters with colonies and interest groups. All fraternities are members of a council. These councils include the Interfraternity Council, the Multicultural Greek Council and the NPHC.

MU has 28 IFC fraternities: Alpha Epsilon Pi, Alpha Gamma Rho, Alpha Gamma Sigma, Alpha Kappa Lambda, Alpha Sigma Phi, Alpha Tau Omega, Beta Sigma Psi, Beta Theta Pi, Delta Chi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Delta Tau Delta, Delta Upsilon, FarmHouse, Kappa Alpha Order, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Kappa Psi, Phi Kappa Theta, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon (Arriving Fall 2022), Sigma Chi, Sigma Nu, Sigma Phi Delta, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Tau Gamma, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Theta Chi and Zeta Beta Tau.

MU has three NPHC fraternities: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Omega Psi Phi and Iota Phi Theta. MU has two MGC fraternities: Kappa Pi Beta and Lambda Theta Phi. The Evans Scholars fraternity is not affiliated with any council. Because these change frequently, please check with the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life for new listings each semester.

Freshman interest group Group of 15-20 freshmen who live in the same residence hall and take a few general education classes together. Use FIG on second reference. Each FIG has a theme, often based on a major. Current themes: Accounting, Animal Science, Art and Art History, BIOME, Computer Science, Discovering Science: Biology, Discovering Science: Biochemistry, Discovering Science: Chemistry, Economics and Social Problems, Engineering, Exploring Business, Exploring Journalism, Film and Digital Storytelling, Health Professions, Honors Engineering, Honors Experience, Honors First-Generation College Students, Honors Journalism, Honors Pre-Med, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, International Studies, Journalism and Innovation, Medical Careers, Natural Resources, Nursing, Pre-Medicine, Solving Climate Change, Sports Journalism, Sports Management, Storm Chasers, Sustainability, Tomorrow’s Teachers, Trail Blazers: First-Generation College Students, TRiO, Undergraduate Research, Walter Williams Journalism Scholars

Fun & Games Also called Fun and Games, but this section of The Maneater is referred to officially using the ampersand. F&G section is acceptable on second reference in Fun & Games content.

G

Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center Officially called the Lloyd L. Gaines/Marian O’Fallon Oldham Black Culture Center. On second reference, use the center. BCC is undesirable except in quotes.

GPA GPA is acceptable on all references to grade point average.

Graduate Professional Council The student government association for graduate and professional students. GPC is acceptable on second reference and in headlines. GPC works closely with the Missouri Students Association and meets every other week. 

Graduate School Use in all references to the Graduate School at MU. All students seeking master’s and doctoral degrees here are enrolled in the Graduate School; therefore, someone is a graduate student in journalism, not a “student in the Graduate School of Journalism.”

graduate student Always use this term, never “grad student,” “med student,” “law student” or the like. Only specify the graduate program when it is relevant to the story. In sports stories, adding “graduate” to a player’s position is acceptable.

Greek Always capitalize. Do not, however, refer to a Greek student as “a Greek.” Instead, use member of Greek Life or specify their affiliation.

Greek Life When referring to the office in the Student Center, use Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. Uppercase “Life” when referring to singular or collective Greek organizations, such as in reference to all fraternities and sororities. The Maneater’s News section has a beat about Greek Life. Lowercase “life” when using in a general sense: The Rolling Stone article degraded Greek life.

Greektown One word and capitalized. Remember, not all Greek houses are located in Greektown.

Greek Week Held annually during the spring semester. A themed week-long series of events, service projects and competitions for fraternity and sorority pairings to raise money for charities. Each pairing has a specific beneficiary for which it volunteers, though money raised is divided evenly among all the beneficiaries. Besides working with assigned beneficiaries, events include a blood drive, intramural sports games and Fling. 

H

halls Capitalize the names of halls and university structures when used with a formal title or name: Neff Hall. Do not capitalize informal names: beef cattle barn. Do not use first names or middle initials in these titles. Lowercase “hall” when referring to multiple buildings: North, Central and South halls. See residence hall.

Harlan Fluffy, white Great Pyrenees often seen strolling around campus, especially near Speakers Circle, with owner Cris Wood. Students frequently stop to pet and take pictures with the popular dog.

Hearnes Center Hosts Missouri volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling, and formerly hosted basketball before the 2004 construction of Mizzou Arena. Not “Warren E. Hearnes Multipurpose Building” or any other derivation. Not “the Hearnes Center.”

Homecoming Use as one word and always capitalize when referring to MU Homecoming events, which are held each fall. However, use the lowercase form when referring to other schools’ homecomings and in reference to the general idea of homecoming: The first homecoming in the Midwest was held at MU.

Honors College Use in all references to the MU Honors College, located on Lowry Hall. Use the college on second reference if it is the only university college referred to in the story.

I

Intercampus Faculty Cabinet The Intercampus Faculty Cabinet consists of representatives from the UM System’s four campuses’ faculty councils. Use the cabinet on second reference, but do not use “IFC” because it might be confused with the Interfraternity Council.

interest group The term used to refer to a group of students interested in forming a colony of a fraternity or sorority at MU. A certain number of students must be interested before it can be considered a colony, and additional requirements must be met before the colony can be chartered as a chapter. For more information, see colony, fraternities and sororities.

Interfraternity Council The governing body of the MU fraternity system. IFC has an executive board as well as representation from each chapter. Interest groups and colonies do not get to vote in IFC matters. IFC or the council is acceptable on second reference. See fraternities.

italics Italics are acceptable for emphasis in Fun & Games content and can be used sparingly in MOVE reviews. This is an exception to AP style. Do not use italics for composition titles; adhere to AP style. Do not use italics in news, sports, opinion or any content outside of F&G stories and MOVE reviews.

J

J-School Use only in headlines. Always capitalize the “J.” In copy, use Missouri School of Journalism on first reference and the school or the journalism school on second reference.

Jefferson Garden Located on Francis Quadrangle by the Chancellor’s Residence. Location of the bronze Thomas Jefferson statue and original stone obelisk installed at the third president’s grave at Monticello. 

Jesse Hall Where most MU administrative offices are located. Completed in 1895 to replace the burned Academic Hall, Jesse Hall was named in 1922 after retiring MU president Richard Henry Jesse. 

Joel Gold Preferred name of The Maneater’s first editor-in-chief, who in February 1955 renamed the Missouri Student. “Joe,” as he was known in the 1950s, was the former editor of controversial campus humor magazine Show-Me and a sociology major.

K

Kappa Alpha Order Always use “Order.” The fraternity is a member of IFC. Members exploded the fraternity’s Civil War-era cannon in 2004, sending metal shards across College Avenue onto the roof of University Place Apartments. The chapter is currently listed on the national organization’s website as provisional. 

KBIA Columbia’s National Public Radio member station. Owned by the UM System Board of Curators, with its office at McReynolds Hall. School of Journalism students produce most of the local news, though the station also airs several national shows. Use KBIA on first reference. KBIA and the station are acceptable on subsequent references. Preface with radio station or NPR affiliate when necessary for clarity. See radio stations.

KCOU Student-run radio station part of Mizzou Student Media. Founded in 1963, the station has operated on FM since 1973. The station is located in the lower level of the Student Center. Use KCOU on first reference. KCOU and the station are acceptable on subsequent references. Preface with radio station when necessary for clarity. See radio stations.

Kemper Fellowships These monetary awards are given by the chancellor to five outstanding MU professors each year. Kemper Fellowships or the Kemper awards are acceptable, but never “the Kemper Fellowship awards” or any other derivation.

KOMU The NBC affiliate owned by the UM System Board of Curators and operated by the School of Journalism. Located south of Columbia on Highway 63. Use KOMU on first reference. KOMU and the station are acceptable on subsequent references. Preface with television station or NBC affiliate when necessary for clarity. See television stations.

Kuhlman Court The grassy area north of the Student Center.

L

Lady (mascot) Never refer to a women’s team as the “Lady (mascot name),” even if the team itself uses the name. Simply use Tigers for Missouri.

Legion of Black Collegians The organization is the official Black student government of MU and was founded by Alpha Phi Alpha in 1968. LBC is acceptable in headlines. On second reference use the legion.

LGBTQ Resource Center Use the resource center or the center on second references. Located in the lower level of the Student Center across from the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center, the center is home to many LGBTQ+ student organizations, but is itself not an organization. Do not refer to the people who frequent the center as “LGBTQ+ members.” One can be a member of the LGBTQ+ community, but a person is not a member of a resource center or necessarily LGBTQ+. 

The Lofts A total of four student housing properties making up The Lofts of Columbia: The Lofts at 308 Ninth, The Lofts on Broadway, The Lofts at The Manor (on Ashland Road) and The Lofts at Cherry Hill (off Corona Road).

M

The Maneater The official, editorially independent student news source of MU since 1955, when sociology student Joel Gold took the Missouri Student from Delta Upsilon and renamed it to reflect a more aggressive news angle. Its official slogan, “You’ve been warned,” comes from the editorial policy penned by Gold in its first issue. All members of the editorial board are MU students, and its leaders are elected democratically, with the exception of a professional business adviser. The Maneater’s print edition is published monthly during the spring and fall semesters, and online content is posted to its website almost daily. The Maneater is part of Mizzou Student Media. Note the uppercase “T,” which is to be used in all references to the publication, except when used as an adjective. In stories referencing current or recent members of its staff (including editors), use the distinction of The Maneater staff or formerly of The Maneater staff, but avoid these sources unless absolutely necessary.

Marching Mizzou MU’s marching band that practices at Marching Mizzou Practice Field and performs at football games, parades and competitions. Different from Mini Mizzou, which is a smaller group of Marching Mizzou members who perform at volleyball, basketball and some away football games, as well as other university and alumni events.

Memorial Stadium The stadium surrounding Faurot Field.

Memorial Union Built in the 1920s, one of the two student unions at MU. When referring to a location, such as for an upcoming meeting, always use Memorial Union North or Memorial Union South. Stotler Lounge is located on the north side. Jesse Wrench Auditorium is in the south.

Missouri Students Association Governing body for undergraduate students at MU. Note the plural “students.” MSA is acceptable on second reference and in headlines. The association is also acceptable. Consists of three branches: the Senate, which elects a speaker; a judicial branch, which includes the Student Court; and an executive branch, which includes the Department of Student Services, the Department of Student Communications, a treasurer and a president and vice president elected by students each November. Its offices are located in the Center for Student Involvement on the second floor of the Student Center. Capitalize committee names: Campus and Community Relations Committee.

Missouri Students Association Senate A branch of the MU student government. Use MSA Senate or the Senate on second reference. Its voting members are senators. Capitalize and abbreviate Sen. before a name only on first reference: Sen. Payton Head, freshman, … Refer to committee chairs in one of the following two ways: Operations Committee Chair Nick Schwartz said … Sen. Ben Vega, the Academic Affairs chair, said … Do not abbreviate the capitalized title “senate speaker” before a name. Senate meetings take place every other Tuesday.

Missouri Theatre MU purchased the building located at 203 S. Ninth St. from the Missouri Symphony Society in 2014. Built in the 1920s, the theater is on the National Register of Historic Places. On second reference, use the theater, not “the theatre.”

Mizzou Never use in a news story or headline to refer to part of the institution, except in references to proper nouns. Mizzou may be used in quotes. 

Mizzou ’39 Note the apostrophe before “39,” which refers to 1839, the year MU was founded. The term used to refer to the 39 seniors given this award for their outstanding achievements at MU. Honorees nominate themselves and go through an interview process.

Mizzou 600 Student group formed in September 2020 by Black students to advocate for Black students at MU. The 600 references the 600-plus enslaved people Thomas Jefferson owned. The group protested in October 2020 for the university to address their four demands: remove the Thomas Jefferson statue and monument, create the Ridgel Scholars Board, create a scholarship for Black students in honor of Dr. Gus T. Ridgel and have Mun Choi participate in diversity mentoring for a semester led by the Ridgel Scholars Board. They protested in April 2021 against the Department of Social Justice restructuring plan that would remove multiple staff positions and create combined coordinator roles for the social justice centers.

Mizzou Alumni Association Host of Homecoming and sponsor of Mizzou ’39, among many other things. Always capitalize. On second reference, the association is acceptable. The Alumni Association Student Board should be condensed to AASB on second reference and in headlines.

Mizzou Arena The home court of the men’s and women’s basketball teams, opened in 2004. The building was briefly named Paige Arena after Paige Laurie, the daughter of the building’s primary donors, the Laurie family. After it was revealed Paige paid other students to do her work at the University of Southern California, MU officials removed Paige’s name from the building.

Mizzou Black Student Athlete Association Organization founded by Cason Suggs in 2020. Use BSAA on second reference. In September 2020, BSAA led a march of around 600 people to promote unity against racial injustice.

MizzouRec MU’s student recreation complex. MizzouRec is acceptable on all references. It may also be referred to as the Rec or the recreation complex or the recreation center on second reference, so long as it will not be confused with the city’s Activity and Recreation Center.

MU No periods. Acceptable for all references to the University of Missouri (not the four-campus UM System). There is no need to identify students, professors, colleges, schools or departments as being from MU unless another university previously mentioned in the story creates confusion. Sports teams may be identified as Missouri or the Tigers, but not “MU.” Conversely, academic subsets of the university should be referred to as MU, but not “Missouri” or “Mizzou.” Subsequent references may also use the university, but not “the school,” as that applies to specific schools within the university: MU researchers discovered a new bug unique to the university’s campus.

MU Health Care Includes Capital Region Medical Center, Children’s Hospital, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, Missouri Orthopaedic Institute, Missouri Psychiatric Center, Women’s Hospital, University Clinics and University Hospital. University physicians help teach the School of Health Professions, Sinclair School of Nursing and School of Medicine.

MU News Bureau MU’s press buffer, it creates news releases and often acts as a liaison between newspapers and high-ranking officials, such as the chancellor. The Maneater’s reporters should always try to obtain direct quotes about an issue whenever possible. To refer to those who work for the MU News Bureau, use MU spokesperson.

Multicultural Center Located in the lower level of the Student Center, the Multicultural Center houses many organizations, but is not an organization itself. Do not refer to a source as “multicultural” unless they themselves use the term.

Multicultural Greek Council The governing body of MU’s ethnically based or diversity-oriented sororities. Use the council on second reference. MGC is acceptable in headlines. Two sororities are MGC members: Alpha Phi Gamma Sorority Inc. (MU’s Asian-American-interest sorority) and Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi (MU’s Jewish-interest sorority). Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity Inc., MU’s Latino-interest fraternity, is also a member. See fraternities and sororities.

Mun Choi UM System president since 2017. The position merged with the MU chancellor position in 2020. On first reference, use the title after the name since it’s over three words: Mun Choi, UM System president and MU chancellor, …

MUTV Student-run television station owned by the UM System Board of Curators and part of Mizzou Student Media. Broadcast for the first time in 1999. Use MUTV on first reference. MUTV and the station are acceptable on subsequent references. Preface with television station when necessary for clarity. See television stations.

myZou The website on which students sign up for classes, pay bills and obtain academic transcripts, among other activities. Students log in with their PawPrints. Note the lowercase “m” and the capital “Z.”

N

National Pan-Hellenic Council NPHC is acceptable in headlines and on second reference. This association of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities can also be referred to as the Divine Nine. MU currently has seven of the Divine Nine: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.; Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.; and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. “Fraternity Inc.” and “Sorority Inc.” can be omitted on second reference. See also fraternities and sororities.

O

OK, okay Either form is acceptable in Maneater style.

P

Panhellenic Association The governing body of MU’s sorority system. MU has 15 PHA chapters: Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Phi, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Kappa, Sigma Sigma Sigma and Zeta Tau Alpha. On second reference and in headlines, PHA is acceptable; never say “Panhel.” Use Panhellenic Association executive board when referencing the student board. See sororities.

PawPrint The six-character combination of letters and numbers students use to log into most MU-related accounts. Note PawPrint is one word and has two capitalized letters.

professor Leave “professor” uncapitalized, even when it precedes a name: I like professor Hewson. Do not refer to a faculty member as a professor unless they have been awarded that academic rank. Be specific in referring to people as associate, assistant or adjunct professors; an assistant professor is typically untenured, an associate professor is typically tenured and an adjunct professor is typically part-time and non-tenure-track.

provost The provost is MU’s chief academic officer who oversees the university’s schools and colleges, each of which is run by a dean.

Recent provosts: Brady Deaton (1998 – 2004); Lori Franz (interim: 2004 – 2005); Brian Foster (2005 – 2013); Kenneth Dean (interim: Jan. 2014 – Feb. 2015); Garnett Stokes (Feb. 2015 – Feb. 2018); James Spain (interim: Feb. 2018 – Aug. 2018); Latha Ramchand (Aug. 2018 – present).

R

R. Bowen Loftin Richard Bowen Loftin served as MU’s 22nd chancellor from Feb. 1, 2014 to Nov. 11, 2015. Before succeeding Brady Deaton, Loftin was president at Texas A&M. Loftin announced his resignation amid race-based protests on campus in Nov. 9, 2015. 

radio stations List only the call letters on first and subsequent references: KBIA, KCOU. Preface with radio station or national affiliate information when applicable and necessary for clarity’s sake: NPR affiliate KBIA, student radio station KCOU. Follow with a hyphen and either AM or FM if the station could be confused with a television station that uses the same call letters: KABC-AM. Link to the station’s website online. Do not include station frequency. See KBIA and KCOU for specific information about those two stations.

Read Hall Located on Hitt Street across from Ellis Library. Named after Daniel Read, MU president from 1866 to 1876, who worked to open enrollment to women for the first time. MU demolished Read on June 23, 2022 as part of the Space Reduction and Strategic Relocation Plan to reduce repair, maintenance and operating costs for the buildings. Students petitioned the university to keep Read Hall because of its history as being the first MU dormitory open to women.The university also plans to demolish several other buildings on campus this fall. See Space Reduction and Strategic Relocation Plan. 

Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center Located on the lower level of the Student Center near the LGBTQ Resource Center. Use RSVP or the RSVP Center on second reference and in headlines. 

Research Reactor Located in Research Park on South Providence Road. MU Research Reactor is preferred on first reference. MURR should be avoided, even in headlines, but Research Reactor and the nuclear reactor are acceptable on second reference.

residence hall Use when referring to halls generally. When referring to an individual hall, refer to it as (Name) Hall. Never use “dorm” or “dormitory.” MU residence halls: Bluford, Brooks, Center, College Avenue, Defoe-Graham, Discovery, Dogwood, Excellence, Galena, Gateway, Gillett, Hatch, Hawthorn, Hudson, Johnston, Mark Twain, McDavid, North, Respect, Responsibility, Schurz, South and Wolpers

Residence Halls Association Governing body for students in residence halls at MU. RHA is acceptable on second reference and in headlines. 

Reynolds Alumni Center There are two alumni centers in Columbia. The one across from Jesse Hall is properly called the Donald W. Reynolds Visitor and Alumni Center, but use Reynolds Alumni Center on first reference. The alumni center is suitable on second reference. It is named after Donald W. Reynolds, a graduate of the School of Journalism and founder of Donrey Media Group. The other center, located on Carrie Francke Drive off Stadium Boulevard, is the Old Alumni Center.

Reynolds Journalism Institute The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation awarded $31 million to the School of Journalism in 2004 for the creation of the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute. Use Reynolds Journalism Institute. RJI is acceptable in headlines and on second reference.

Rock M Freshmen whitewash the stones on the grassy slope above the north endzone of Faurot Field every fall. Senior football players take a souvenir rock from the pile after playing in their last home football game. Built by students from leftover rocks of Memorial Stadium’s construction in 1927, students worked with the groundskeeper in 1957 to restore the iconic landmark from the tampering of jealous Cornhusker fans in the night before a home football game.

Rockin’ Against Multiple Sclerosis A student-run organization that hosts several events to raise money for MS Institute of Mid-Missouri and promote awareness about multiple sclerosis to students. Use RAMS on second reference. 

S

Savitar MU’s yearbook, which folded in 1992 because of debt and was resurrected the same year as a magazine published three times annually. Savitar then returned to book form. In fall 2004, the Savitar changed to a soft-cover edition geared toward seniors. In 2006, its funding was cut, leaving it to be posted online only. It is no longer updated.

schools MU schools: School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; School of Music; School of Visual Studies; Truman School of Government and Public Affairs; School of Natural Resources; School of Accountancy; School of Information Science and Learning Technologies; School of Health Professions; School of Social Work; School of Journalism; School of Law; School of Medicine; Sinclair School of Nursing. Do not confuse with colleges.

semesters Names of specific semesters are not capitalized: fall 2015 semester. At MU, we have fall and spring semesters, a summer session and an intersession (winter break).

sexual-orientation clause The sexual-orientation clause is just that — a clause. It can be included in a statement or policy. Following the UM System Board of Curators’ previous decision not to include the clause in the system’s non-discrimination policy, 1998-99 MSA President Todd Kennedy asked each school, college and department at MU to pass its own statement of non-discrimination that included sexual orientation. The board included sexual orientation in the system’s non-discrimination policy in October 2003.

The Shack Originally an aptly named establishment near the center of campus, portions of The Shack remain in the Student Center. Not to be confused with Mort’s, The Shack now refers to the large windowed room that plays sports on two large projectors throughout the day and its adjacent booths. Medium-sized events are often hosted at The Shack.

Sinquefield Music Center School of Music facility opened in February 2020 with rehearsal and performance spaces, a recording studio, offices, classrooms and practice rooms. Officially named Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield Music Center, but use Sinquefield Music Center on first reference.

sororities Refer to all Greek organizations as chapters, not “houses.” MU has 15 Panhellenic Association sororities: Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Phi, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Kappa, Sigma Sigma Sigma and Zeta Tau Alpha. MU has four National Pan-Hellenic Council sororities: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. “Sorority Inc.” may be omitted on second reference of NPHC sororities. MU has three Multicultural Greek Council sororities: Alpha Phi Gamma National Sorority Inc., Delta Xi Nu Multicultural Sorority Inc. and Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority Inc. As these change frequently, please check with the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life for new listings each semester. See also fraternities.

Space Reduction and Strategic Relocation Plan Created in 2021, MU’s effort to reduce maintenance costs and use space more effectively. The plan includes the demolition of eight buildings on campus including the Columbia Professional Building, Loeb Hall, London Hall, Neff Annex, Noyes Hall, the Old Student Health Building, Parker Hall and Read Hall. See Read Hall. 

Speakers Circle Not “Speaker’s Circle.” The speakers use the circle; they do not own it.

#StillConcerned Include the hashtag. Student group formed in July 2020 to address racism at MU. The group created a list of seven demands in August 2020 for the university: award tenure to Dr. Ashley Woodson, an associate professor of education; reinstate Dr. Kathryn Chval as the dean of the College of Education; remove the Thomas Jefferson statue on the Francis Quadrangle; honor Dr. Gus T. Ridgel, the first Black MU graduate, with a statue on campus; have Mun Choi, UM System president and MU chancellor, resign and publicly apologize for his dissent comments, blocking student journalists on Twitter and not meeting other demands; create a student-led board of racial inclusion to address racial issues on campus and hold university leaders accountable for changes and communication of progress; and separate the positions of UM System president and MU chancellor. The Maneater Editorial Board released an editorial on Aug. 25, 2020, in support of the list of demands. 

Strickland Hall Named after Arvarh E. Strickland, the late professor who founded the Black Studies program at MU. Formerly the General Classroom Building. Renamed in 2007, this met one item on the Legion of Black Collegians’ List of Demands, which asked former Chancellor Brady Deaton to name a building on campus after a prominent Black figure.

STRIPES Use on all references for Supportive Tigers Riding in Pursuit of Ensuring Safety. Run by the MSA Department of Student Services, this program provides free rides home to students Thursday through Saturday nights. It was formerly sponsored in part by The Maneater. See website for up-to-date schedule and phone number.

Student Affairs Capitalize when referring to the Division of Student Affairs.

Student Center Replaced Brady Commons in fall 2010 as the campus student center. Identify as “the MU Student Center” on first reference only if the story references another university’s student center.

Student Organization Allocation Committee Group of student volunteers who review and distribute funding for student organizations. SOAC is acceptable in headlines. The committee is preferable on second reference.

Student Success Center Always use the full name, even in headlines and leads. On second reference, it is the center or the success center, never “the SSC.” It opened in June 2001 and houses the Career Center, Center for Academic Success and Excellence, Discovery Center, Learning Center, MU Connect, Multicultural Certificate, TriO Student Support Services and Writing Center.

Sustainability Office Separate from the Environmental Leadership Office and located in the Virginia Ave. garage.

Sustain Mizzou Student organization that is separate from, but often collaborates with, the Sustainability Office and Environmental Leadership Office.

T

Tap Day An annual event in which secret honorary societies on campus initiate new members. They parade in front of the Columns and officially “tap” the new members. The six societies are LSV, Mortar Board, Mystical Seven, Omicron Delta Kappa, QEBH and the Rollins Society.

teaching assistant Use TA on second reference only. Plural is TAs.

television stations List only the call letters on first and subsequent references: KMIZ, KMOS. Preface with national affiliate information or television station when applicable and necessary for clarity’s sake: NBC affiliate KOMU, Christian television station KNLJ. Follow with a hyphen and TV if the station could be confused with a radio station that uses the same call letters: KABC-TV. Link to the station’s website online. Do not include channel number, as this infrequently matches with cable lineups. See KOMU and MUTV for specific information about those two stations. Area stations: KMIZ (ABC affiliate, based in Columbia); KMOS (PBS, Sedalia); KNLJ (Christian Television Network, Jefferson City); KOMU (NBC, Columbia); KQFX (Fox, Columbia); KRCG (CBS, Jefferson City); MUTV (Mizzou Student Media, Columbia).

theater department Note the lowercase name of MU’s theater department and the British spelling of theater only in the official title of MU Department of Theatre.

Tigers Capitalize when referring to a Missouri sports team. Do not refer to MU students as “tigers.”

Thomas Jefferson statue A bronze statue of the third president unveiled on Francis Quadrangle in 2001. The Jefferson Club, a philanthropic group that supports MU, funded the statue, which is one of several across the country made by sculptor George Lundeen. Subject to several calls for its removal mainly due to Jefferson’s ownership of slaves and racial views. During the 2020-2021 academic year, Mun Choi, MU chancellor and UM System president, formed a task force to contextualize the statue in the wake of renewed calls for its removal. The task force ultimately recommended a supplemental sign that provided additional context about Jefferson, but the Board of Curators later voted to dismiss the recommendation. 

Thomas Jefferson tombstone The original stone obelisk that sat at Thomas Jefferson’s grave at Monticello, Virginia. His descendants donated it to MU in the 1880s, and the original stone’s epitaph is now on display in Jesse Hall. In September 2020, MU bought a $20,000 casing for it over vandalism concerns. 

Tigers Community Credit Union Not-for-profit financial organization. Note “Tigers” is plural. Formerly called the Missouri Student Federal Credit Union. Founded by MU students, it provides banking and financial services for MU, Stephens College and Columbia College students, staff, faculty and alumni, as well as to people who live or work in Boone County, St. Louis County or St. Charles County.

TigerWiFi MU’s wireless internet network. Note the capitalization of the “W” and “F.”

Tim Wolfe Full name Timothy M. Wolfe, but Tim Wolfe is preferred for the former UM System president. Wolfe became the system’s 23rd president in December 2011. The Columbia native and former IBM executive resigned amid race-based protests in November 2015.

Todd apartments Not TODD. Luxury student apartments at the southwest corner of Fifth Street and Conley Avenue. Opened in fall 2015.

Traditions Plaza An amphitheater and outdoor events venue on the north side of Carnahan Quad between the Reynolds Alumni Center and Hulston Hall. Constructed in 2014 as a celebration of MU’s traditions by the Mizzou Alumni Association. Not to be confused with Tiger Plaza, the area between the Tiger statue and Rollins Street.

Truman Truman the Tiger on first reference. Official mascot of the University of Missouri. The MU athletic department adopted the nickname “tigers” during the Civil war, due to Columbia’s residents’ fear of attacks. The tiger was named Truman in 1984 after a cheerleader contest, which asked students to name the mascot. Truman is named after former Missouri-born President of the United States Harry S. Truman.  Truman’s first appearance was at the Missouri-Utah State football game in 1986. 

Truman’s Pond Former outdoor pool at MizzouRec. Truman’s Pond closed in July of 2022, and the space is currently under renovation to become an outdoor fitness area. The new workout area is set to open in April 2023. See MizzouRec entry. 

U

U Centre Apartments On first reference it is U Centre on Turner. Luxury student apartments located on the corner of 4th street and turner. Opened in the fall of 2017.

UM System Board of Curators Governing body of the UM System. Capitalize when it stands alone. Always use the full name on first reference, though UM Curators and Board of Curators are acceptable in headlines and on second reference. On second reference, the board or the curators are also acceptable. Before a name, capitalize “curator” but not “board member.” Remember, the Board of Curators and the board are singular, but the curators is plural. The student representative to the Board of Curators is just that: a representative. They do not vote and are not a curator. Student curator is acceptable in headlines and leads, but the full title should appear somewhere in the article. Selection of the student representative rotates between each of the four campuses.

universities When referring to those other than MU, always spell out the name of the university on first reference and then use abbreviations or official nicknames on subsequent references: The University of Texas library system is funded … UT has a collection of over …

university Do not capitalize when used alone. Not interchangeable with “school,” which is a specific academic subset of a university. Always use MU on first reference to the University of Missouri: MU is the largest university in Missouri. The university has more than 25,000 undergraduates.

University Hall Located off Carrie Francke Drive in Columbia, this building houses most UM System administrative offices. The curators often meet here.

University Hospital Part of MU Health Care. Use University Hospital when referring to the hospital on the south side of MU’s campus. Do not use “the.” Grohl’s leg was fixed by doctors at University Hospital.

University of Missouri Police Department Refer to the campus police as the University of Missouri Police Department on first reference. Second, subsequent and headline references should use MUPD. When referring to the police officers, use MU police or police. Note the lowercase “police.” Remember: MUPD is an organization, whereas the MU police are officers. MUPD is singular, and MU police are plural. MUPD is an accredited police department.

University of Missouri Press UM Press or the press on second reference. Established by the UM System in 1958, the UM Press has published more than 2,000 books in the last 54 years. UM System President Tim Wolfe announced in May 2012 that the press would shut down in fiscal year 2013 because of its growing deficit. Following public backlash, MU officials announced plans in July for a new, “re-imagined” version of the press, centered on online publishing. The new model would be run through the College of Arts and Science. In August, the UM System announced that the original press model would remain intact and transferred responsibility of the press to MU. The system formed a UM Press Advisory Committee, which includes faculty members from all four UM System campuses.

University of Missouri System Use UM System on all references. Never use “UM” on its own as a noun. The system consists of four campuses: Columbia (MU), St. Louis (UMSL), Rolla (Missouri S&T) and Kansas City (UMKC). On second reference, university system and four-campus system are acceptable, but do not use “university-wide system.” The president of the UM System is the chief administrative officer of the four-campus system. Each of the four campuses is directed by a chancellor.

Always shorten MU to its acronym form; for the other campuses, use the form UM-St. Louis (using a hyphen, not an em dash) on first reference, and use the acronym UMSL on second reference. For the Rolla campus, use Missouri University of Science and Technology on first reference and Missouri S&T thereafter.

UM System presidents (recent): Manuel Pacheco (August 1997 – December 2002); Elson Floyd (November 2002 – April 2007); Gary Forsee (February 2008 – January 2011); Steve Owens (interim: January 2011 – December 2011); Tim Wolfe (December 2011 – November 2015), Mike Middleton (interim: November 2015 – March 2017); Mun Choi (March 2017 – present). 

University Place Apartments Formerly owned by the Department of Residential Life, it is now an independent apartment complex.

University YMCA The University YMCA and YWCA are combined and referred to in this manner.

V

vice chancellor Capitalize before a name. Note vice chancellor is not hyphenated. At MU, the vice chancellors are “for” a department: Elton John, vice chancellor for Student Affairs.

Virginia Avenue Amphitheater The space outside of the Plaza 900 dining hall.

Virginia Avenue Parking Structure Not the “Virginia Avenue Garage” (or “VAG,” as it is unfortunately commonly known), although it is acceptable to refer to the Virginia Ave. garage (note the abbreviation and lowercase “g”).

W

Wrench Auditorium Auditorium located in Memorial Union South. Full name is Jesse Wrench Auditorium, but in general, use Wrench Auditorium to avoid confusion with Jesse Auditorium in Jesse Hall.

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