University Names and Titles

On This Page:

The University of Guelph

The University of Guelph is spelled out on first reference. Always aim to name the institution early. There is no need to add the (U of G) abbreviation afterward.

On subsequent references, write U of G or the University. Never write “the U of G.”

Example: The University has a rich history; U of G students.

Gryphon: Use Gryphon to describe U of G athletes or athletics, or students in the context of a team: Gryphon Athletics, Gryphon runners, proud to be a Gryphon. Use judiciously as a generic term to describe U of G students or the University community.

Guelph: Use only in reference to the City of Guelph or Guelph region. Do not use alone in reference to the University.

Improve Life: Use capitals when referring to the University’s official brand, such as, “The University’s brand is Improve Life.” Otherwise, lower case a more general reference, such as, “The goal of our research is to improve life.” Avoid overuse.

Groups, committees, task forces: Any common noun capitalized as part of a proper name is normally lower case when standing alone. So, it is the Presidential Task Force on Accessibility but the task force report, the Graduate Students’ Association but the association’s mandate, and the Ministry of the Environment but a ministry spokesperson.

Administrative titles: president, dean, vice-president

It is preferable for a title to follow the name of a University administrator, with the title not capitalized. This is because in many cases, there is also a need for the honorific Dr., which leads to a build-up of titles in front of a name.

 CORRECT: Dr. Jane Doe, president and vice-chancellor
 INCORRECT: Vice-president Dr. Jane Doe

Titles are not capitalized when used with the name of a department or college.

 CORRECT: Dr. Jane Doe, dean of the College of Arts
 CORRECT: Dr. Jane Doe, College of Arts dean
 INCORRECT: Dr. Jane Doe, Dean of the College of Arts

Use parentheses to indicate the specific appointment: Dr. Cate Smith, associate vice-president (academic).

When writing an administrator’s title after their name, use commas before and after the title.

Example: Dr. Cate Smith, associate vice-president (academic), spoke to Senate today.

Dr./Prof.

Professors may be assistant, associate or full, but we use only the word professor for all faculty members. Exception: Do specify adjunct professor.

Use the honorific Dr. on first reference for any faculty or staff member, administrator or post-doctoral scholar with a doctoral degree from any post-secondary institution.

Example: Dr. Alex Carter, Dr. Charlotte Smith and Dr. Malcolm Brown.

Use the honorific Dr. only on first reference and their last name on subsequent references.

Some faculty members may lack a doctoral degree or may prefer Prof. In those cases, use the Prof. honorific.

For honorary degree holders, use only the name without an honorific.

Full names and surnames: Spell out the full name of a person on first reference. On subsequent reference, use only the surname without honorifics. Check to ensure correct spellings.

If two people in one piece have the same surname, spell out the full name of each on first reference and use only the first name on subsequent references, to avoid confusion.

Retired, emeritus/emerita faculty members

Use lowercase when referencing retired faculty members.

Example: He is working on the study with retired professor Bob Johnson.

Professor Emeritus/Emerita

Any faculty member may be a retired professor, but “professor emeritus/emerita” is a designation bestowed by a department. “University professor emeritus/emerita” is its own designation that’s bestowed by U of G and conferred at convocation.

Professor emeritus is the masculine form of the word, whereas professor emerita is the feminine. Ensure the use of the version that aligns with the person’s gender identity. A group is professors emereti.

U of G academic units: Colleges, departments

Always capitalize full names of departments, schools and colleges. Never use the ampersand symbol (&).

Example: College of Biological Science, Department of History, School of Engineering.

Capitalize only full official names. It’s the School of Environmental Sciences but the school when standing alone. Write McLaughlin Library and U of G Arboretum, but the library and the arboretum when standing alone. Write the Arrell Food Institute, but the institute when standing alone.

The only instance in which this rule does not apply is when referring to the University.

Remember that some colleges and departments use “science” and others use “sciences.” The main U of G website contains the proper spelling of all colleges, departments and building names on campus

Non-academic departments

Capitalize the names of non-academic departments on campus.

Example: Physical Resources, Hospitality Services, Student Affairs

Senate, Board of Governors

The University’s Senate and Board of Governors are always capitalized. Also capitalize Board and Senate on its own. When talking about members of these governing bodies, use lower case: senators and governors.

Academic programs

Capitalize the official names of U of G departments, schools, programs and majors.

Lowercase the names of program subjects in general references, such as the history program, a sociology bachelor degree.

To avoid clunky sentences loaded with capital letters, paraphrase when possible.

Example: Instead of writing, “Mary is enrolled in the Biomedical Sciences program,” write, “As a biomedical sciences student, Mary...”

Courses/lectures: Capitalize names of courses and lectures, such as History of the Modern World.

Academic degrees

Academic degrees are capitalized when the full name of the degree is used.

Example: Bachelor of Science, Master of Landscape Architecture

General references such as, “She has her master’s degree,” are not capitalized.

Use an apostrophe to refer generically to a degree program: master’s degree, bachelor’s program. Never write master’s of landscape architecture.

Degree abbreviations

Abbreviations that are all caps take no periods: BA (bachelor of arts), BLA (bachelor of landscape architecture), MA (master of arts), DVM (doctor of veterinary medicine), MBA (master of business administration).

Mixed abbreviation degrees take periods: B.Sc., B.A.Sc., B.Sc. (Agr.), B.Comm., D.V.Sc., M.Sc.

Write PhD without periods and with an upper-case P and D and a lower-case h.

Degrees starting with M have a beginning vowel sound and thus use “an.”

Example: Bob is an MA graduate, not a MA graduate.

Capitalize the Class of 2025. Refer to graduates as John Doe, BA ’10, or Jane Smith, M.Sc. ’99, PhD ’03.

Other Universities

Capitalize the proper name of other post-secondary institutions, such as the University of Toronto. Follow their capitalization rules on proper names of faculties and departments/

Lower case when referring to universities in general or anything not U of G-specific.

Example: Many universities are increasing enrolment.

Gryphons

U of G varsity teams and players are called Guelph Gryphons, football Gryphons, volleyball Gryphons, etc.

The adjective is Gryphon. Gryphon hockey, the Gryphon cross-country program, etc.

U of G students can also be referred to as Gryphons.