To create maximum impact, the logo requires specific clear space around all sides. Clear space must be free of imagery, graphics, folds, or any other element that may interfere with the clarity of the brand.

Clear Space Diagram PLACEHOLDER_CLEARSPACE_URL

Lockups are used when identifying a specific college, department, or program alongside the University name. The college or program name appears below the "Samuel Merritt University" wordmark in a smaller weight.

Secondary Logo Lockup Examples
(College of Nursing · Master Physician Assistant · Student Health and Counseling) PLACEHOLDER_SEC_LOCKUP_URL

Please refrain from altering any of the SMU logos or marks. Below are common examples of modifications that are not permitted for any brand marks.

• DO NOT change the vertical scale
• DO NOT stretch the logo horizontally
• DO NOT modify the colors in any way
• DO NOT rotate or flip the logo
• DO NOT rearrange or re-orient parts of the logo
• DO NOT crop the logo
• DO NOT place a white box around the logo on a dark background
• DO NOT place the logo next to other logos or graphics

Incorrect Logo Usage Examples PLACEHOLDER_INCORRECT_URL

These primary colors, carefully chosen to represent the Samuel Merritt University brand, work together in harmony. They should be used prominently in all branded materials to provide a consistent look and reinforce brand recognition.

The secondary colors should serve as accents in graphic elements. They complement the primary palette and should not overpower the primary navy and red.

The SMU typography palette brings consistency and design sophistication to all University communications. There are two approved typefaces — the sans serif Neue Haas Grotesk and the serif Nantes.

These are the font weights approved for use for the University brand.

If Neue Haas Grotesk or Nantes fonts aren't available, the following font substitutes are acceptable for use.

Particle lines are an essential part of the design toolkit and should be created and used by designers. They appear in linear and circular forms and evoke a sense of movement and forward momentum.

Particle Lines — All Programs (except Podiatry) https://www.samuelmerritt.edu/sites/default/files/2026-09/Particle%20Lines%201.png

Particle Lines — College of Podiatric Medicine Only https://www.samuelmerritt.edu/sites/default/files/2026-09/Lines%20.png

When applying particle lines to imagery, the particles should be used to support and focus the eye on the main subject of the image.

Image Treatment Examples — Particle Lines Applied to Photography PLACEHOLDER_TREATMENT_URL

Several approved virtual backgrounds are available for use during video calls. Download from the University Brand & Marketing page on SMU Connect.

Virtual Background 2sites/default/files/2026-08/Virtual%20Background%202.png

Virtual Background 1sites/default/files/2026-08/Virtual%20Background%201.png

All faculty and staff should have an email signature consistent with the SMU brand when sending emails from University accounts.

Email SignatureCreate SignatureHide Options

Full Name

Title

Second Title (optional)joined by,and

Third Title (optional)joined by,and

Fourth Title (optional)joined by,and

+ Add another title

Department

College (optional)

Department Address (optional)

Email (optional)

Office Phone (optional)

Mobile Phone (optional)

Fax Number (optional)

Social Media (pre-filled with the University accounts — clear one to leave it out, or replace it with your department’s)

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

X (Twitter)

YouTube

TikTok

Optional Extra Lines (up to four short approved sentences shown above the icons — click into a line and type; to turn words into a link, highlight them and use the Link button beside the line’s label; ✕ removes a line but keeps its words in case you bring it back; lines left blank are left out)

Extra Line 1(optional)

Extra Line 2(optional)✕ Remove line

Extra Line 3(optional)✕ Remove line

Extra Line 4(optional)✕ Remove line

+ Add another line

Signature Size

Previous+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%+30%

Resizes

EverythingJust the logo(temporary, while the team picks one — applies to the preview below and the copied signature)

Copy SignatureReset to Example Info

Full Name

Title

Department

525 12th St., Oakland, California 94607 · name@samuelmerritt.edu · 510-555-1234

Click Create Signature to enter your information, then Copy Signature and paste into your email client’s signature editor. Optional fields left blank are formatted out automatically, and the SMU logo travels inside the copied signature — no web download needed for recipients. Social media links appear as small icons in the approved accent color.

Third parties, including non-SMU organizations and vendors, may want to use University brand elements for projects such as:

• Showcasing a partnership on a flyer not created by an SMU department
• Placing the SMU logo on a non-SMU website
• Using the SMU logo on a presentation showcasing event sponsors

SMU staff, faculty, and students may order items featuring the University brand for internal use. All items must follow these guidelines, and the design must be approved by the University Brand & Marketing team before an order is placed. SMU branded items may not be sold.

SMU encourages students to celebrate their connection to the University with personalized designs. Remember that University logos are trademarked and must follow the brand guidelines outlined in this document. All designs must be pre-approved by the University Brand & Marketing department.

• Feature the University logo and/or "Samuel Merritt University" wordmark separately from your design (e.g., personalized art on the front of a shirt, University logo on the back or sleeve)
• Choose University colors for items. Use SMU yellow only as an accent color, never as the main color
• You may use the acronym "SMU" within your design
• DO NOT pair the University logo or "Samuel Merritt University" wordmark with another logo or graphic (e.g., stethoscope, caduceus)
• DO NOT distort, modify, remove elements, or change the typeface of the official University logo
• DO NOT use any shade of purple, green, or neon colors

The university’s official name is Samuel Merritt University. On first reference in the body of a story, news release, or external-facing letter, use the full name: Samuel Merritt University. Thereafter, you may abbreviate it as SMU or refer to it as the University.

SMU has three colleges that offer high-quality health sciences programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Spell out and capitalize each college name on all references. Do not shorten the names.

Many SMU campuses, buildings, and designated spaces have official names established through generous donor support and formal gift agreements. To respect those agreements and maintain consistency, please use the exact approved forms listed below.

• SMU Fresno
• SMU Oakland
• SMU Sacramento
• SMU San Francisco Peninsula

• Health Sciences Simulation Center (HSSC)
• Motion Analysis Research Center (MARC)

SMU is home to several centers that are hubs for innovation and research. Refer to these centers only with these names and abbreviations:

Capitalize the official name of an academic program, division, or department. Do not capitalize the word “program.”

If the program title has degree titles like “MA” or “MS,” spell it out on first reference. The acronym is acceptable on second reference.

Use these full names and their appropriate abbreviations on first reference. Use the abbreviation on subsequent references.

The following are names of past schools, colleges, and degrees that no longer exist but may need to be referenced in alumni communications, anniversary materials, or institutional history:

• Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing
• Samuel Merritt College (SMC)
• Providence College of Nursing (Providence)
• California College of Podiatric Medicine (CCPM)
• California School of Podiatric Medicine (CSPM)

Use the name of the school at the time they graduated. When appropriate, provide context for why the school is now part of SMU.

See also: academic programs and degrees for SMU-specific abbreviations, and historical degrees and SMU names for older designations.

• Use an apostrophe and lowercase for general terms: bachelor’s degree, master’s degree.
• For an individual with a PhD, the preferred form is to say the person holds a doctorate and the name of the area of specialty.
• Do not include periods in degree abbreviations: DPM, EdD, MA, PhD, RN.

SMU affiliation should be noted with the degree abbreviation followed by the graduation year with a single curved apostrophe: ’

Only include one degree — the highest degree in that field.

• Alumnus (or alumni in the plural) when referring to a man or men who has attended a school
• Alumna (or alumnae in the plural) for similar references to a woman
• Alumni when referring to a group of men and women
• Do not use alum or alums, unless in an informal situation such as on social media

Follow the name of the undergraduate alumni with their graduating program and year, set off by commas.

If they also have advanced degrees from the University, include both degree designations and years in advancing order.

Capitalize and spell out formal and exact titles when they precede a name.

Lowercase titles when they are descriptions, follow a name in any way, or stand alone.

On the second and additional references, use only the last name, not their capitalized titles.

A formal title someone held or will hold is capitalized before their name, but the timeframe is not capitalized.

Spell out on first reference and put the acronym in parentheses:

Acronyms can be used on first reference if the initials are widely recognized.

English is full of word pairs (and triplets) that look or sound similar but carry different meanings. Use the card sets below as a quick visual reference.

Use fewer when referring to something quantifiable or something that can be counted. Use less when referring to something not quantifiable or that cannot be counted. Use under to mean physically underneath or subject to the control of.

Each abbreviation has a different meaning. Follow each with a comma and do not capitalize.

Data is a plural noun when referring to individual items. It is a singular noun when it refers to a unit.

• Medium is singular.
• Media is plural.

Use non-sex-specific language. For example, don’t write “he” when referring to an unspecified person. Instead, recast the sentence into the plural, or avoid the use of pronouns altogether.

Use commas to separate elements in a series (also known as the Oxford comma or serial comma), unless the last two items are a set.

SMU distinguishes between two punctuation marks that look similar but serve different purposes.

Use an em dash (Mac: shift + option + dash, PC: hold ALT + 0151) surrounded by single spaces to set off an amplifying or explanatory statement by indicating a pause.

Use a hyphen to connect words and numbers.

Hyphenate adjectives when creating a single adjective out of two words immediately preceding the noun.

• Use single spaces after a period.
• Periods and other punctuation always go inside quotation marks.

• Always use “smart quotation marks” that are curved.
• Periods and commas always go inside the closing quotation marks, regardless of whether they are part of the original quoted text.

The dash, semicolon, colon, question mark, and exclamation point go within the quotation marks when they apply to the quoted matter only. They go outside the quotation marks when they apply to the whole sentence.

If you have a quote within a quote, use single quotation marks ( ‘ ’ ). If you have a quote within a quote within a quote, keep alternating between double and single quotes — or rewrite the content to be clearer.

• Plural nouns ending in “s” include only an apostrophe (not ’s).
• Omit the apostrophe when a plural noun ending in “s” functions as an adjective and not as a possessor.

• Write out one through nine, and any number that begins a sentence.
• Use figures for 10 or above and whenever preceding a unit of measure or referring to ages.
• Use figures in all tabular matter and in statistical and sequential forms.
• Write out all ordinal numbers for first through ninth. Use figures starting with 10th.

Use numerals to indicate a monetary amount. Follow the numerals with the unit name if expressing an amount other than dollars.

Abbreviate page numbers with no spaces between “pg.” and the page number.

For information about an event, give the time, date, and location, in that order.

• Use a comma before the year when it’s an exact date, but not when it’s only month and year.
• Do not use the current year, unless it is necessary to avoid confusion.

Use full names for all months. Do not use “on” before a date or day of the week when its absence would not lead to confusion. Do not use ordinal numbers in dates.

Use to to connect months, and hyphens to connect dates.

• Within one century — include only the last two digits of the second year: 2016-17
• Across centuries — include the four-digit year for both: 1999-2001
• Separate years with a hyphen. Abbreviated, two-digit numeric years are preceded by an apostrophe that must turn away from the year: the summer of ’69

• No apostrophe or capitalization when written out: the 1980s, the eighties
• Use an apostrophe when shortened, turning away from the year: the ’80s

• Use periods in a.m. and p.m.
• Use figures except for noon and midnight.
• Avoid redundant qualifiers (no “10 a.m. this morning”).

Use a hyphen with no spaces between the times. Do not repeat a.m. or p.m. unless the times extend into both categories.

• Include an area code, so phone numbers are always 10 digits.
• Use periods to separate (not parentheses or hyphens).

Capitalize University only when it stands in for the full formal name Samuel Merritt University in the same sentence or paragraph. Lowercase it as a generic noun.

Lowercase generic descriptors when they stand alone. Capitalize them only as part of a formal proper name.

Use title case for headlines, page titles, headings, subheadings, and the names of programs, departments, and events. Capitalize the first and last words and all major words; lowercase articles (a, an, the), short prepositions (at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up), and coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, so, yet) unless they are first or last.

Photo captions and cutlines should use sentence case: capitalize the first word and any proper nouns; everything else stays lowercase. Write captions as complete sentences when they describe an action.

Lowercase the names of seasons unless they are part of a formal title or kick off a sentence.

Use the full formal name on first reference. On subsequent references, the shortened form may be lowercase.

• First reference: the Office of Student Affairs
• Subsequent: the office
• First reference: the Department of Physical Therapy
• Subsequent: the department

Do not stylize the SMU name with all caps, italics, or special typography in body copy. For guidance on the official logo and visual marks, see the Brand Identity Style Guide.

Capitalize the formal names of named funds, scholarships, endowments, and giving programs. Lowercase generic references.

One word, no hyphen. Lowercase except at the start of a sentence.

Uppercase, no periods. Use FAQs when plural (no apostrophe).

Capitalize the formal names of events, awards, conferences, named lectures, and official forms. Lowercase generic references.

• Commencement (the formal SMU ceremony); commencement (generic)
• White Coat Ceremony; the ceremony
• Dean’s List; the list
• FAFSA, Form I-9 (formal name); the form
• Samuel Merritt University Annual Symposium; the symposium

Use italics for the titles of long, complete, standalone works:

• Books: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
• Journals and magazines: JAMA, The New York Times
• Films and TV series: Grey’s Anatomy
• Plays and operas: Wit
• Albums: Lemonade
• Podcasts (the series): The Daily

Use “curly quotes” around titles of shorter works or parts of larger works:

• Articles, essays, and book chapters: “Caring for the Caregiver”
• Songs: “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
• Individual podcast episodes: “The Case for Universal Healthcare”
• Lectures and presentations: “Equity in Clinical Practice”
• Short stories and poems: “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Set in roman type (no italics, no quotes), title case:

• The Bible and the books of the Bible (Genesis, Matthew)
• Reference works (the AP Stylebook, the Chicago Manual of Style)
• Software, apps, and websites (Microsoft Word, Canvas, LinkedIn)
• Course titles (Introduction to Pharmacology)

All list items should follow the same grammatical pattern: all phrases, all sentences, or all single words. Mixing forms makes the list feel sloppy.

Capitalize the first word of every bullet, regardless of whether the bullet is a fragment or full sentence.

• If items are complete sentences, use a period at the end of each.
• If items are fragments or single words, use no terminal punctuation.
• Don’t mix the two in the same list.

Use a numbered list when the sequence matters (steps, rankings, instructions). Use bullets when the order is interchangeable.

End the lead-in sentence with a colon when the list completes the thought.

Omit http:// and www. in printed materials when possible: samuelmerritt.edu. For email signatures and links, use the complete URL.

Use the official capitalization adopted by each platform: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, X (the platform formerly known as Twitter).

Capitalize the formal title of a course as it appears in the catalog. Set in roman type (no italics, no quotes).

Abbreviate Avenue (Ave.), Boulevard (Blvd.), and Street (St.) with a numbered address (450 30th St.). Spell them out and capitalize without a number (30th Street). All other street types are always spelled out: Drive, Lane, Road, Way.

Abbreviate with a numbered address: 120 N. Main St. Spell out without a number: North Main Street.

In running text, spell out state names: The new clinic in Sacramento, California, opens this fall. Use postal abbreviations only in mailing addresses: Oakland, CA 94609.

Use figures for all street numbers and apartment, suite, or room numbers.

Capitalize Bay Area when referring to the San Francisco Bay region. Lowercase bay on its own.

Capitalize as regional names: the East Bay, the South Bay, the Peninsula.

Capitalize formal regional names: Northern California, Southern California, Silicon Valley, Wine Country. Lowercase generic directionals: northern part of the state, central coast.

SMU uses healthcare as one word when used as a noun or adjective: the healthcare workforce, a healthcare leader. This reflects current usage in the field and is preferred even though some style guides still use two words.

Lowercase the names of health professions unless a name forms part of a formal title or degree.

Refer to people as patients, clients, or residents depending on the care setting. Avoid clinical jargon (the diabetic); write a person with diabetes. See Inclusive Language Guide for fuller person-first guidance.

Capitalize the formal name of a building: Bechtel Hall, Health Education Center. Lowercase generic references: the building, the center.

Capitalize Room when followed by a number or letter: Room 301. Lowercase the generic word: the conference room.

Capitalize formal names of labs, lecture halls, and gathering spaces: the Henderson Simulation Lab, the Founders Lecture Hall.

External glossaries, definitions, and reference works for inclusive-language terminology.

• The Diversity Style Guide
• American Psychological Association Inclusive Language Guide
• APA Race and Ethnicity
• Neurodiverse Connection — Neurodiversity-Affirming Language
• ADA Network — Writing About People with Disabilities
• GLAAD Media Reference Guide
• National Institute on Aging
• Glossary of Ableist Language
• National Association of Black Journalists Style Guide
• National Center on Disability and Journalism Style Guide
• NPR — “How to talk about disability sensitively and avoid ableist tropes”
• National Institutes of Health — Person First Language
• Suicide Prevention Alliance
• Very Well Mind — Referring to People with Autism
• Buffalo’s Fire — American Indian vs Native American

Inclusive-language style guides from peer universities.

• University of Edinburgh Editorial Style Guide
• Hamilton Inclusive Language Guide
• Boston University Inclusive Language
• University of Wisconsin–Madison Inclusive Language Guide

Best-practice references for writing accessible digital content.

• Mailchimp Writing for Accessibility
• National Disability Rights Network Accessibility Guidelines
• Make Way Checklist for Accessible Communication
• University of Michigan Digital Accessibility

Always defer to the pronouns a person uses for themself. Do not assume a person’s pronouns.

• They/them are acceptable as singular pronouns when the subject’s gender is unknown, irrelevant, or if the subject uses they/them pronouns.
• When they is used in the singular, be sure it’s clear from the context that only one person is involved.
• No need to introduce pronouns — just use the person’s pronouns.
• Do not use the term “preferred pronouns” as it implies a choice and an alternative to one’s gender.
• Do not use “his or her” when describing a hypothetical person. Use they pronouns in reference to a hypothetical person.

Sex refers to biological factors such as chromosomes and anatomy, while gender refers to the roles and self-identity associated with sex.

• Use each term appropriately given the context of what you are writing about.

Preferred terms for gender identity:

• affirmed gender
• cisgender
• nonbinary
• transgender

Use terms like “pregnant parent” or “pregnant person” instead of “pregnant woman” if the gender identity of the pregnant person is unknown.

• The most inclusive language recognizes that not only cisgender women but also transgender people who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) may become pregnant or desire to become pregnant. (APA)

Commonly used gendered terms and their inclusive / neutral alternatives.

Avoid language that otherizes older people: the elderly, elderly people, the aged, seniors, senior citizens.

• Instead, describe people as older adults, older people, people 60 years and older, older population, older individuals.
• Avoid terms like “aging well” and “successful aging” as it implies there’s a right way and a wrong way to age, placing the responsibility for healthy aging on the individual.

Refer to someone as either an autistic person or a person with autism only if the information is relevant to the story and if an autism diagnosis has been given. Do not assume an individual’s medical diagnosis.

• Ask the person how they prefer to be described. Some prefer to be described as “autistic,” while others prefer “an autistic person” or a “person with autism.”
• If you are not able to ask, or if the person does not have a preference, then use person-first language (person with autism).

For more information on writing about people with autism, visit Very Well Mind.

The term blind may be used for people who have complete or almost complete loss of sight. It is best to ask your subject how they prefer to be described.

• You can ask whether the person prefers identity-first (“blind person”) or people-first (“person with blindness”) language.

Limited or low vision is an acceptable term when a person is not legally or completely blind.

• Avoid the term colorblind.
• Can use medical terms: deuteranomaly, achromatopsia.

• Use uppercase Deaf when referring to the Deaf community and lowercase deaf when referring to the condition or a specific person who is deaf.
• “Deaf” or “hard of hearing” are the preferred terms.
• Avoid using “hearing impaired” or “partial” or “partially” in reference to deafness or hearing loss unless people use those terms for themselves.
• When writing about a specific person, ask the person how they prefer to be described.

• In general, do not describe an individual as disabled unless it is clearly pertinent to a story, if the person uses the term, or if a medical diagnosis has been made. If the disability is relevant to the story, try to be specific.
• Avoid descriptions that connote pity such as: afflicted with, stricken with, suffers from, is a victim of. Instead use neutral language (person has…).
• Avoid confined to. Instead use neutral language (person uses a wheelchair, mobility device, etc.).
• When possible, ask people how they want to be described. Some people view their disability as central to their identity and use identity-first language such as a “disabled person.” Others prefer person-first language such as a “person with a disability.”
• In describing groups of people, or when individual preferences can’t be determined, use person-first language (people with [specific condition]).

• When referring to a person with a disease or chronic illness, only refer to the condition if it is pertinent to the story and if a medical diagnosis has been given. Do not assume an individual’s medical diagnosis.
• Ask your subject how they want to be described. Some people prefer “person with diabetes” rather than “a diabetic.”
• Avoid descriptions that connote pity such as: afflicted with, stricken with, suffers from, is a victim of. Instead use neutral language (person has…).
• Do not describe sobriety as “clean.”

Refer to people with learning differences rather than learning disabilities to include people whose differences are neither legal nor medical.

When referring to a person with a mental illness, only refer to the condition if it is pertinent to the story.

• Mental illness is okay to use as a general term, but specific conditions should be used when possible.
• Whenever possible, specify the specific illness a person has.
• Always refer to someone with a mental illness using person-first language (a person with depression rather than depressed person).

• neurodivergent: a person who diverges from the neurotype that benefits from and works with the way the society they live in operates. Do not describe a neurodivergent person as mentally challenged.
• neurotypical: a person whose neurotype benefits from and works with the way the society they live in operates. Do not describe a neurotypical person as “normal.”

• When writing about suicide, opt for language such as died by suicide, lost their life to suicide, or survived a suicide attempt.
• Do not say committed suicide, completed suicide, killed oneself, or failed a suicide attempt.
• Stories focused on suicide should include this copy at the bottom of the post in italics:

Common disability-related terms and their inclusive alternatives.

Phrases with ableist connotations and their neutral alternatives.

Ableist terms to avoid:

• Crazy, insane, nuts, stupid
• Crippled
• Crutch (used figuratively)
• Handicapped
• Lame
• Special needs

For more terms to avoid see the Glossary of Ableist Language.

Other insensitive terms to avoid:

• Killing it
• Nailed it
• Pull the trigger
• Rule of thumb
• Take a shot at
• Take a stab at
• Target

Use the capitalized term as an adjective in a racial, ethnic, or cultural sense: Black people, Black culture, Black literature, etc.

• The term African American is not interchangeable with Black. Do not use African American in place of Black.
• Ask how a person self-identifies.

Ethnicity is used to describe the shared cultural characteristics such as language, ancestry, practices, nationality, and beliefs.

• Only reference a person’s ethnicity if it is pertinent to the story.
• Defer to a subject’s self-identity.
• Do not use hyphens to denote dual heritage, ethnicity, or religion. (African American, Asian American, American Muslim, etc.)
• Be sure that the ethnic categories you use are as clear and specific as possible.

See also race.

• Be specific when you can — use the tribal nation’s name.
• Defer to a subject’s self-identity.
• “Indigenous People(s)” should be capitalized.
• When describing specific characteristics that are Indigenous, capitalize Indigenous but not the other related words.
• Alaska Native should not be referred to as Eskimo.

When writing about people who identify as Latino, Latina, Latine, Latinx, or another related designation, you should consult with the individuals with whom you are working to determine the terminology they prefer.

• Be specific when you can — use country of origin (Guatemalan American) or region (Central/South American) to describe people’s heritage or ethnicity if you do not know their race.

To understand when to use the various terms, view National Institute of Health or APA Style.

Race is used to describe physical differences that groups and cultures consider socially significant.

• Only reference a person’s race if it is pertinent to the story.
• Defer to a subject’s self-identity.
• Do not use Black and White as nouns.
• Use White, not Caucasian.
• Be sure that the racial categories you use are as clear and specific as possible.

See also ethnicity.

Racially or ethnically biased language to avoid:

• Cakewalk
• Circle the wagons
• Grandfathered
• Hold down the fort
• Master
• “No can do”
• “No way, Jose”
• Oriental
• Powwow
• Spirit animal
• Spooky
• Totem pole

Explanations and Resources: NBCU Academy, West Coast Editors, NPR.

Use developing nations or developing countries instead of third-world countries.

Avoid terms such as vulnerable, marginalized, and high-risk as adjectives, as they are stigmatizing, vague, and imply that it is inherent to the group.

Instead, be specific in your language:

• Disproportionately affected by
• Groups that have been (economically/socially) marginalized
• Communities with high prevalence of
• Groups experiencing disadvantage
• Groups experiencing a disproportionate impact of
• Under-resourced communities
• Medically underserved communities
• People who lack access to

• Only mention someone’s housing situation when it is relevant to the story.
• When describing a person who is homeless, use phrases like person experiencing homelessness, person who is homeless, or unhoused person.
• Refer to the unhoused population, not the homeless population.

Use intimate partner violence or gender-based violence instead of domestic violence, as they are more specific and include violence outside of a shared home.

• When using the term revitalization, ensure that your intention matches the definition of the term. Revitalization refers to cultural renewal and uplift, not cultural displacement.
• Revitalization should not be used to describe business and economic activity being introduced into a community.

To learn more, visit National Low Income Housing Coalition.

• Do not use the term urban euphemistically to describe communities of color.
• If you want to describe communities with high population density, be specific with your language before using the term urban.

Equity-related terms and their inclusive alternatives.

Website and document headers should be used in sequential, descending order, generally speaking, i.e. H1, H2, H3, etc.

• H1 reserved for top-of-the-page headers and page names
• H2 used to separate page body text by topic
• H3 acts as subhead, typically within a body text such as an SMU News article
• H4, which includes a bar across the page, is reserved for hard separation of blocks of information and should be used sparingly
• H5 is standard for subheads inside expandable boxes

• Avoid linking to non-descriptive text such as “Click Here.” Add links to text that describes the content on the linked page.
• For printed materials, do not include http:// or www.

• Use a short URL when possible. If you need a short URL created, contact communications@samuelmerritt.edu.

When uploading files to the SMU Connect website library, use a brief but descriptive name that will make it easy to find and sort with related files in the future.

• Avoid special characters, use descriptive names, and use spaces or hyphens consistently.

Don’t convey information with color alone. For example, use both color and underlined text for links, and use pattern and color to differentiate information in charts and graphs.

Choose color combinations with a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1. Don’t use low-contrast or hard-to-read color combinations, such as light green and white or red and green.

Don’t use screened or shaded backgrounds, watermarks, or other images behind text. Reduced contrast makes text harder to read.

Choose clear, easy-to-read fonts and maintain consistent formatting.

• Sans-serif fonts are often preferred for digital readability.
• A serif is a small decorative stroke or “foot” attached to the end of a larger stroke in a character or letter.

Use sufficiently large, readable font sizes and avoid excessively small text.

Avoid extended text in all caps, which can reduce readability and visual scanning.

Alternative Text (Alt Text) is crucial for making images accessible — especially for users with vision impairments who rely on screen readers. Alt text provides a description of an image, allowing everyone, including those using assistive technologies, to understand the visual content.

Alt text should convey the meaningful content or function of the image rather than describe every visual detail.

• Be specific, concise, and focus on accuracy
• Only provide details if necessary to understand the image’s context
• Use neutral, fact-based language
• Alt text must be added to every photo, graphic, or GIF that is posted
• DO NOT make assumptions about people’s identities — only include identity if known and relevant to context
• DO NOT include words like “photo” or “image” before the description — just describe
• Avoid overlaying words on an image — assistive technology can’t detect them
• If you must overlay words on a graphic, include them in the alt text in addition to the photo description, and ensure they’re legible with enough contrast

To comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, all videos must have captions available. Not providing captions excludes a significant portion of the audience and is unacceptable. There are two types of captions:

Think about how your video will be displayed or published before deciding which option is most appropriate. Closed captions or uploading an .srt file is always the first-tier option, but some platforms don’t support .srt uploads. Open captions are also appropriate when a video is distributed by entities outside SMU and the end use is uncertain — for example, if an outside organization requests a video of the President providing remarks, use open captions to ensure captions are always available.

Put information in logical order, and lead with the important details. Use active voice over passive voice. Provide definitions for unusual words and for abbreviations.