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STYLE GUIDE Web and Print Rockford, Illinois | RockValleyCollege.edu
Transcript
Page 1: STYLE GUIDE - Rock Valley College · The Rock Valley College logo must always maintain approved colors, proportions and design integrity. No alterations may be made, nor shall design

STYLEGUIDE

Web and Print

Rockford, Illinois | RockValleyCollege.edu

Page 2: STYLE GUIDE - Rock Valley College · The Rock Valley College logo must always maintain approved colors, proportions and design integrity. No alterations may be made, nor shall design

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COLLEGE COMMUNICATIONSQuestions. There will always be questions. We’re here to help you get it right.

Dave CostelloExecutive Director ofCollege Communications & [email protected](815) 921-4516

Marcy DeliaGraphic [email protected](815) 921-4508

Abbye GarciaMulti-Media [email protected](815) 921-4523

Nikki SchoenyMarketing Coordinator/[email protected](815) 921-4513

George WiniarskiManager of Creative [email protected](815) 921-4515

To download this style guide, RVC logos or to place a design request please visit:

RockValleyCollege.edu/Marketing

Revised 2/22/17

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CRAFTING CONTENTEvery brand has a personality. Voice is how that personality is conveyed verbally. Sentence structure, word choice and tone all create a distinct character that should be distinctively Rock Valley College.

Here’s how to do it consistently.

Our tone is

TRUSTWORTHYINFORMATIVE

CONVERSATIONALHow effectively we convey the key strengths that differentiate Rock Valley College from other colleges and universities is determined by adopting a tone that creates consistency in how our content is delivered.

If we keep these words in mind when creating communications to maintain a distinct tone of voice, we will ensure the RVC personality shines through.

What makes up ‘our tone?’TRUSTWORTHY - Convey to the audience a message that is authoritative, confident and unwavering. This gives them the sense that they can rely on the information they are receiving straight from the source.

INFORMATIVE - The audience is at our site to obtain specific information, make sure that your copy is clear and concise and that facts are readily available and understandable.

CONVERSATIONAL - Create a feeling of comfort with the audience and connect with them through the use of helpful, accessible language. Don’t be afraid to sound friendly—the sheer amount of information can be intimidating at times—or to portray a sense that while some things might seem complicated that the college will help them navigate through the process.

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OUR TONE IS NOT

TRITEWe’re smart.

It is important to always show it.

SLICKWe are authentic.

SALES-Y“New and improved!” has no place here.

CORPORATEAlways choose words that are simple and direct.

Never resort to jargon.

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WHAT TO AVOID1. The ABC’s of RVCWe love to use acronyms for things at Rock Valley College, and while there is a time and place for acronyms, they need to be used sparingly when we communicate with our general public. Sometimes our acronyms are confusing. For example, to us RPS meant our Right Place to Start grant, but to the general public it more likely meant Rockford Public Schools. Sometimes our acronyms just don’t make much sense to people outside the college. For example we know our code for Aviation Maintenance Technology is AVM, but do we really expect others to intuitively know that? Always spell out the full version of the acronym on first use, including Rock Valley College. You may then use the acronym on subsequent uses. Treat each web page as a new entity. We can never know where a user’s entry point into our site will be. Don’t assume they have already been to a different page where they would have seen the acronym spelled out.

2. Enough about usIt’s easy to focus on messaging that touts what we do and how we do it. Look for opportunities to pull the audience in by explaining how it benefits them.

3. You don’t always have to be so literalDon’t be literal just because people expect you to be. Find opportunities to interject voice in new places. Sometimes typically straightforward communication can be a place where people will notice some personality the most.

4. Tag, you’re not itIt can be tempting to add tag lines in this format to programs or departments, but it should be avoided. They can come across as trite and generic.

5. Click here—well, don’t actuallyOne of the most common mistakes on the web is to introduce a link in a paragraph by writing “click here.” Not only is it unnecessary, as the link is obvious, but it creates an unneeded challenge for assistive software. Visually impaired web users rely on their browser add-on to read copy on the page for them. Best practice is to not use click here, because it creates a redundancy for the user and can confuse them as to where the link actually is.

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OUR NAME

In first references, use:

Rock Valley College

In subsequent references, use:

RVC

DO NOT USE

Rock Valley

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THE RVC LOGOA quick glance reveals that our new logotype is updated: crisp, fresh, and vibrant. Univers, the font composing the Rock Valley College logotype, is known for its clean lines and versatility. It is also legible at great distances, making it the optimal choice for signage and identification of the college. It has been described as simultaneously timeless and modern, the perfect choice for a proven institution with an eye on the future. The design incorporates our classic mark, created 50 years ago, and gives it a renewed point of view.

Primary college logotype w/mark

Secondary college logotype w/mark

College mark

Why circles?The Rock Valley College mark, composed of interconnected circles of varying sizes, depicts the individual within the college environment. The widening circles surrounding the individual represent the broadening community of growth and progress in which we study, work and live. In more recent years, these circles have also been known to illustrate the vision of Rock Valley College as making a difference through teaching, learning, and leading.

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ATHLETICS LOGOThe primary athletic logo, shown below, consists of “Rock Valley College” above the “Golden Eagles” primary typeface and is for official Athletic Department use only. No other departments, organizations or clubs may use this logo without prior approval from marketing.

Rock Valley College Primary Athletic Typeface - The font “Serpentine” is to be used for the primary logo, second-ary “RVC” logo and for headlines in athletic online and print materials such as brochure covers, billboard headlines, etc. The “Rock Valley College” and “Golden Eagles” typeface are for official Athletic Department use only. No other departments, organizations or clubs may use these typefaces.

Rock Valley College GOLDEN EAGLES

Rock Valley College Secondary Athletic Logos - The secondary athletic logos, shown below, are allowable for campus use in compliance with the Rock Valley College Athletic Logo Campus Guidelines. Please contact Marketing for more detailed instructions.

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USING THE LOGOThis guide provides information and guidelines to the Rock Valley College community regarding the use of institutional logo. The intention is to protect the integrity of the institution’s logos, and to ensure logos are used in a manner that strengthens the college brand.

The Rock Valley College logo must always maintain approved colors, proportions and design integrity. Noalterations may be made, nor shall design elements be placed inside the logo.

DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES

Logo with department or division name

Logo in reverse

Logo in PMS 540

The cap height is the height of the capital letters RVC in the logo. Maintain at least the cap height of clear space around the logo.

This logo was designed and implemented to visually unify all of the departments under the college umbrella. It will be produced for each unit on an as needed basis.

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COLORSThe Rock Valley College color palette consists of several match colors chosen using the Pantone Matching System® (PMS). The PMS numbers are provided below. DO NOT attempt to match colors to the pages in this guide. Use a current Pantone® swatch book to ensure exact color matching. The PMS version is preferred. It is the most widely accepted and used. In some cases it would be too costly to reproduce using match colors, so these other versions were created:

CMYK (for four-color printing use) • RGB (for electronic media only) • Hexadecimal (for web use)

PRIMARY COLORS - These are the official Rock Valley College colors Pantone 540 Pantone 116 CMYK: 100/55/0/55 CMYK: 0/16/100/0 RBG: 0/56/102 RBG: 255/209/47 Hex: 003866 Hex: FFD12F

SECONDARY COLORS - These are used in conjunction with the primary colors Pantone 299 Pantone 123 CMYK: 85/19/0/0 CMYK: 0/22/91/0 RBG: 0/158/217 RBG: 254/199/6 Hex: 009ED9 Hex: FFC72C

Pantone Cool Gray 11 CMYK: 0/2/0/68 RBG: 113/112/115 Hex: 53565A

TERTIARY COLORS - These are used when additional accent colors are needed Pantone 032 Pantone 072 CMYK: 0/90/86/0 CMYK: 100/88/0/5 RBG: 239/51/64 RBG: 16/6/159 Hex: EF3340 Hex: 10069F

Pantone 246 Pantone 3125 CMYK: 29/90/0/0 CMYK: 83/0/21/0 RBG: 199/36/177 RBG: 0/174/199 Hex: C724B1 Hex: 00AEC7

Pantone 213 Pantone 3255 CMYK: 0/95/27/0 CMYK: 49/0/28/0 RBG: 227/28/121 RBG: 44/213/196 Hex: E31C79 Hex: 2CD5C4

Pantone 249 CMYK: 40/100/0/28 RBG: 128/39/108 Hex: 80276C

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BRANDING STRIPES and GRADIENTThe Rock Valley College branding stripes and gradient are additional elements used to provide visual interest to printed material. They help reinforce the RVC brand.

Branding Stripes

HEADER HERE

HEADER HERE

Grayscale branding stripes with header.

Full color branding stripes - top. Grayscale branding stripes - top.

Full color branding stripes - bottom. Grayscale branding stripes - bottom.

PMS 540 branding stripes with header.

Primary GradientMade up from PMS 540 and PMS 299, this gradient is used as a background for a variety RVC branded products.

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PRIMARY TYPEFACENeutra Text TF Alt, the primary typeface used in our current branded materials, is a geometric sans-serif typeface designed by American type foundry House Industries and influenced by architect Richard Neutra’s design principles.

Light Alt abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Light Italic Alt abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Book Alt abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Book Italic Alt abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Demi Alt abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Demi Italic Alt abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Bold Alt abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Bold Italic Alt abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

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SECONDARY TYPEFACEA strong, heavily geometric typeface, ITC Lubalin Graph is the secondary typeface used in our current branded materials. It is primarily used for headlines and subheads but not body copy. It’s a striking typeface that consists of bold geometric letter shapes and strong slab serifs and is a perfect compliment to Neutra Text TF.

XLight abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

XLight Italic abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Book abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Book Italic abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Demi abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Demi Italic abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Bold abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Bold Italic abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ! @ # $ % & ( ) ? { } [ ]

Page 14: STYLE GUIDE - Rock Valley College · The Rock Valley College logo must always maintain approved colors, proportions and design integrity. No alterations may be made, nor shall design

14

STATIONERY

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699 | Toll-free (800) 973-7821 | RockValleyCollege.edu

3301 North Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699Phone: (815) 921-4515 | Fax: (815) 921-4509Toll-Free: (800) 973-7821 | Cell: (815) 262-3709Email: [email protected]: RockValleyCollege.edu

George Winiarski Manager of Creative Services

Marketing

Business Card - 3.5x2

#10 Envelope

Primary Letterhead - 8.5x11

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Title Page

Text Page

15

POWERPOINT

TITLE HERE January 29, 2016

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TRI-FOLD BROCHURE

RockValleyCollege.edu/Accounting

Rock Valley College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, age, disability, marital status sexual orientation, veteran status, military status, genetic information, or any legally protected category. Rev. 1/2015 Qty. 250

Make sure your career adds up to a great future!

ACCOUNTING

Accounting (#2011) 2012-2013

Length of Program (based on FT status) 9 Months

Estimated Cost of Programs (tuition/fees only) $760

Estimated Cost of Books and Supplies (program-specific) $225

Gainful Employment Information for the Accounting Certificate:

Professional Bookkeeper (#2020) 2012-2013

Length of Program (based on FT status) 9 Months

Estimated Cost of Programs (tuition/fees only) $2,565

Estimated Cost of Books and Supplies (program-specific) $800

Gainful Employment Information for the Professional Bookkeeper Certificate:

Division of Business/Computers & Information Systems3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699

(815) 921-3101 | (815) 921-3113RockValleyCollege.edu/BusinessAdmin

CERTIFICATES:

ACCOUNTING/INCOME TAX FUNDAMENTALS/2011 ........................................................8 CREDITS ATG 110 Financial Accounting ..................................................................... 4 ATG 218 Federal Income Tax ........................................................................ 4

PROFESSIONAL BOOKKEEPER/2020 ..................26 CREDITS

ATG 110 Financial Accounting ..................................................................... 4

ATG 111 Managerial Accounting ............................................................... 4

ATG 120 Microcomputer Spreadsheet Applications ....................... 2

ATG 123 General Ledger Software Applications .............................. 2

ATG 220 Fraud Detection & Deterrence ................................................. 3

ATG 298 Accounting Capstone .................................................................... 4

CIS 102 Introduction to Computers and Information Systems ....................................................................... 3

PCI 106 Microcomputer Applications/ Windows Based ................................................................................ 4

A prerequisite or corequisite may be required for some courses. Refer to the course descriptions section in the RVC College catalog for more information.

RockValleyCollege.edu/Accounting

PROGRAM OVERVIEWGraduates of this program will play a central role in the financial life of a business or client. They will learn to assemble, identify, record, and interpret financial information in private and public accounting. Students who decide to go on to pursue a bachelor’s degree will find other opportunities available in a wide range of fields.

WORK AND EMPLOYMENTGraduates of this program are prepared to assume positions such as accounting technician, accounting assistant, accounting clerk, or bookkeeper.

TRANSFER OPPORTUNITIESGraduates of this Accounting degree have limited transfer options. Students are advised to contact the institution to which they plan to transfer to ensure course transfer credit availability. Students should also consult with an Academic Advisor, the Dean, or Academic Chair of the Business program.

CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE• Accounting/IncomeTaxFundamentals • ProfessionalBookkeeper

DEGREE CONFERRED: ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE – 65 CREDITS

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION COURSE REQUIREMENTS ................................................. 49 CREDITS

ATG 110 Financial Accounting ......................................................................... 4

ATG 111 Managerial Accounting ................................................................... 4

ATG 120 Microcomputer Spreadsheet Applications in Accounting ............................................................. 2

ATG 123 General Ledger Software Applications .................................. 2

ATG 210 Cost Accounting ....................................................................................4

ATG 215 Intermediate Accounting I .............................................................. 4

ATG 216 Intermediate Accounting II ............................................................. 3

ATG 218 Federal Income Tax ............................................................................ 4

ATG 220 Fraud Detection & Deterrence...................................................... 3

ATG 298 Accounting Capstone ....................................................................... 4

BUS 101 Introduction to Business ................................................................... 3

BUS 223 Business Statistics ............................................................................... 3

BUS 200 Legal Environment in Business, or, BUS 201 Business Law .......................................................................................... 3

BUS 203 Economics for Business .................................................................... 3

BUS 279 Principles of Finance .......................................................................... 3

GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE REQUIREMENTS ..................................................16 CREDITS

ENG 101 Composition I ......................................................................................... 3

MGT 170 Business Communications .............................................................. 3

CIS 102 Introduction to Computers and Information Systems .......................................................................... 3

PCI 106 Microcomputer Applications/Windows Based ................... 4

SPH 131 Fundamentals of Communication .............................................. 3

FIND THE PERFECT BALANCE with a Career in Accounting

Many of the credits in the Accounting Program will transfer to many Illinois four-year schools, to include Upper Iowa, Rasmussen, Concordia, Judson, and Rockford University. It is important that you check with the school to confirm the transfer of any RVC accounting credits.

The Rock Valley College two-year Accounting Degree will prepare you for accounting related jobs to include bookkeeping clerk, accounting clerk, auditing clerk, and loan officer. Other opportunities would include retailing, nonprofit organizations, and a variety of internships.

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17

POSTERS and FLYERS

Rock Valley College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, military status, genetic information, or any legally protected category.

RockValleyCollege.edu

Kevin is only the fourth Poet Laureate of Illinois. He was preceded by:Gwendolyn Brooks (third),Carl Sandburg (second), andHoward Austin (first).

Free to Rock Valley College Students, Faculty, Friends of the Library Members, and any others interested in Poet Laureate and Poetry in the Public Sphere.

For more information, please call (815) 921-4612.

Friends of theEstelle M. Black Library atRock Valley College present

POETRY IN THE

PUBLIC SPHEREGuest SpeakerKevin Stein, Illinois Poet Laureate

Thursday, February 19, 2015 2– 4 pmRock Valley College Student Center Atrium 3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114

Rock Valley College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, military status, genetic information, or any legally protected category.

RockValleyCollege.edu

Kevin is only the fourth Poet Laureate of Illinois. He was preceded by:Gwendolyn Brooks (third),Carl Sandburg (second), andHoward Austin (first).

Free to Rock Valley College Students, Faculty, Friends of the Library Members, and any others interested in Poet Laureate and Poetry in the Public Sphere.

For more information, please call (815) 921-4612.

Friends of theEstelle M. Black Library atRock Valley College present

POETRY IN THE

PUBLIC SPHEREGuest SpeakerKevin Stein, Illinois Poet Laureate

Thursday, February 19, 2015 2– 4 pmRock Valley College | Student Center Atrium 3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114

Rock Valley College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, military status, genetic information, or any legally protected category.

RockValleyCollege.edu

Kevin is only the fourth Poet Laureate of Illinois. He was preceded by:Gwendolyn Brooks (third),Carl Sandburg (second), andHoward Austin (first).

Free to Rock Valley College Students, Faculty, Friends of the Library Members, and any others interested in Poet Laureate and Poetry in the Public Sphere.

For more information, please call (815) 921-4612.

Friends of theEstelle M. Black Library atRock Valley College present

POETRY IN THE

PUBLIC SPHEREGuest SpeakerKevin Stein, Illinois Poet Laureate

Thursday, February 19, 2015 2– 4 pmRock Valley College | Student Center Atrium 3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114

Poster - 11x17

Flyer - 8.5x11

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18

BOOKLET COVERS

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDRockford, IllinoisPermit No. 4119

3301 N. Mulford RoadRockford, IL 61114-5699

2015 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPSThese are groups that meet on a regular basis for continued learning and fun. Joining a Special Interest

Group (SIG) is an opportunity to be with other CLR members who share your same interest. For more information, call the contact person listed.

ARTISTS’ STUDIO GROUPOpen art studio that meets Fridays from 9:00 am - 11:30 am at the Bell School Road Center. Contact: Sara Skaggs (815) 547-6951

BOOK DISCUSSIONMeets monthly on the third Monday of the month from 10:00 am - 11:00 am at the Bell School Road Center to discuss a different book each month. Contact: Jane Larson (815) 399-8519

BRIDGE FOR FUNWeekly sessions at the Bridge Center on Thursdays from9:30 am - 11:30 am include a brief lesson and instructor who is available for help and advice. Contact: Judy Stemwedel (815) 398-6107

GENEALOGYFor those interested in researching their family history. Meets on the second Monday of the month at the Bell School Road Center. Contact: Jan Klimek (815) 877-8916

IPAD USERS’ GROUPA group for those interested in meeting with other users to discuss uses, problems, and concerns relating to your iPad. Meets on a monthly basis. Contact: Larry Nelson (815) 877-4438

SENIOR LEARNING NETWORK (SLN)Monthly live interactive video presentations at the Bell School Road Center. Different educational topics each month broadcast from sites around the world. Contact: Mary Cacciatore (815) 332-2479

WORD WEAVERSFor those who love to write, an opportunity to share your writing with others and learn from each other. Meets monthly at Independence Village on the second Tuesday of each month from 9:30 am - 11:00 am. Contact: Nancy Harvey (815) 282-1526

CENTER FOR LEARNING IN RETIREMENT

CENTER FOR LEARNING IN RETIREMENT

CENTER FOR LEARNING IN RETIREMENT

RVC Bell School Road Center3350 N. Bell School Road

(Do not use as a mailing address.)

Phone (815) 921-3931Fax (815) 921-3939

RockValleyCollege.edu/CLR

M IS SION STAT EM ENT:

The Center for Learning in Retirement provides quality lifelong learning for members 50 years and older through

diverse educational, cultural, and social opportunities. RockValleyCollege.edu/CLR

CENTER FOR LEARNING IN RETIREMENT

Bus Trip - See page 33

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VERTICAL BANNERS

RockValleyCollege.edu

Learner-Centered Community The College is dedicated to providing lifelong learning opportunities that foster student success.

Mutual Respect At all times, the College upholds the dignity of each individual by being ethical, respectful, fair, and courteous in our communication and actions.

Excellence By setting high expectations, the College promotes excellence in teaching and learning. We are service centered and hold ourselves and each other accountable.

Diversity The College promotes, celebrates, and accepts diversity, including cultural and ethnic diversity, diversity of thought, and diverse views of others.

Collaboration The College values working together and with the community in innovative, enriching partnerships.

Innovation The College anticipates change and explores creative approaches to address the future.

Public Trust The College honors the trust placed in us by the public and upholds it through quality of service, integrity of actions, and efficient use of resources.

CoRE VaLuEs

RockValleyCollege.edu

l Learner-Centered Communityl Mutual Respectl Excellencel Diversityl Collaboration l Innovation l Public Trust

CoRE VaLuEs

RockValleyCollege.edu

Rock Valley College is an educational leader in providing quality, accessible, lifelong learning opportunities, cultural enrichment, and support for economic and technological development.

The College accomplishes its mission by providing the highest quality programs and services to:

l Prepare students for successful transfer, competitive employment, professional and personal growthl Foster innovative, collaborative relationships to advance a seamless educational system, an appreciation of the arts, economic, and technical developmentl Provide leadership in developing a nurturing culture that values learning, honors and respects each individual, and uses resources responsibly

MIssIoN

RockValleyCollege.edu

Rock Valley College is an educational leader in providing quality, accessible, lifelong learning opportunities, cultural enrichment, and support for economic and technological development.

MIssIoN

Vertical Banner24x70

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STYLEStyle includes how the college name, campuses, addresses, divisions, departments and titles of personnel appear online and in written material. Style also affects punctuation, capitalization, and abbreviation. This guide will also address common questions on word usage, numerals, hyphens, etc.

The major reference for Rock Valley College style guidelines is the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook.

AbbreviationsBefore personal names: Dr., Mr., Mrs., Rev., Hon., Gov., Lt. Gov., etc.In newsletters, blog entries, and news releases, Mr., Mrs., and Ms. are not used on first reference; on second reference, the last name is used alone (Jane Smith, would be Smith.)

Medical doctors and dentists may be referred to as Dr. on first reference only; for other doctorates the abbreviation is omitted.

For correspondence, use Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Dr., with the full name in the internal address, and title and last name only in the salutation (Ms. Judy Brown, Dear Ms. Brown). Within the body of the letter you may refer to persons either by first and last name or by title and surname. (John Miller, Mr. Miller).

After personal names: Jr., Sr.

PRO TIP: There is no comma between the surname and any suffix such as Jr., Sr. or II. Example: John Smith Jr.

Abbreviations in all capitals, including acronyms, do not take periods. Examples: RVC, WREX, WZOK, AACC, ICCB, CEO, NJCAA, USA, US, NASA, etc. Exceptions: Academic degrees — A.A., A.A.S., B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., M.S.Ed., M.B.A., Ph.D., Ed.D., M.S.N., etc.

Note that the A.A. degree stands for associate degree—not associate’s degree.

Measurement: Abbreviations used with figures generally are lowercase without periods, except where punctuation is necessary for clarification. Examples: mm, ft, cm, yd, l, ml, pt, qt, km, kw, rpm, mpg, etc. Exception: in. (A period is necessary to distinguish measurement from the preposition).

Use the ampersand (&) only in corporate titles when the corporation or firm itself has adopted that stylefor its name.

Months/days should be spelled out, generally. If space considerations require, the following should be used: Jan., Feb., March, April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. If you are listing a course schedule setup for days of the week use M, T, W, Th, F, S, Su.

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Abbreviations cont.

State names: In narrative copy, state names following city names should be spelled out whenever possible. If abbreviations are necessary use Ill., Wis., N.Y., if no zip code is included.

When specific mail response is expected, the postal abbreviation may be used (e.g., IL — note that within narrative copy these are preceded by commas and do not take a period; they should always be followed by a zip code.)

US Post Office preferred abbreviations for states/territories are AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DEFL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NCND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY CZ DC PR VI

Street addresses: It is preferable to spell out Street, Avenue, etc., and North, South, East and West in insideaddresses and in narrative copy.

Spell out First through Tenth Street, if space permits, but abbreviate Route (Rt.), Rural Route (RR), Box No, Apt., and No. (number).

If abbreviations are necessary for space reasons, use them consistently within the document. Examples: St., Ave., (not Av.), Blvd., Ct., Dr., La., Terr., Rt.; N., S., E., W., (not No., So…).

Time: Use a.m. or p.m. (not am or pm); for noon use 12 noon, for midnight, use 12 a.m. or 12 midnight. Don’t use o’clock. Omit using :00 when listing times unless it’s needed for consistency: 7 to 9 p.m., but 7:30 to 9:00 p.m.

CapitalizationBe sure to capitalize names of buildings, campuses, divisions, departments, program titlesand course titles within the college.

Example: RVC - Bell School Road Center Computers and Information Systems programs Accounting program Advanced Audio Production class

PRO TIP: CZ stands for Canal Zone. You probably knew that, and we’re probably never going to mail anything there.

Capitalize titles of persons preceding and used as part of their names. Do not capitalize titles set off by commas before or after a name. Example: President Jane Smith Jane Smith, president of Rock Valley College The president of RVC, Jane Smith dean of math and sciences, John Smith

Do not capitalize titles used without names. Example: The vice president of learning services

Do not capitalize academic degrees or technical diplomas, unless there is a complete title. Examples: associate of applied science degree; associate degree program; Associate Degree in Marketing

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Capitalization cont.

Do not capitalize seasons (fall semester, spring 2015) unless they are used as subheads on the web, on a brochure cover or mailer—there we always capitalize.

Capitalize every word in titles of programs, plays, workshops, etc. except articles (a, the, an), conjunctions (and, or, nor, but) and prepositions (of, to, by, for, in, etc.) of three or fewer letters. An exception is the first letter of an initial word, which is capitalized. Example: A Celebration of Life, Joan Williams Scholarship Fund Benefit

Do not capitalize compass directions (north, south, east, west, southeastern), but capitalize words that designate geographic regions. Example: northern Illinois, the Midwest, southern hospitality, midwestern agriculture, East Coast

Note the following patterns: • the Illinois Community College Board; the community college system; the RVC Board; the board; the RVC District; the district board;

• Rock Valley College (not the Rock Valley College;) the college; Main Campus; Bell School Road Center; the Stenstrom Center for Career Education;

• the RVC Foundation; the foundation.

Telephone numbersThe preferred style for telephone numbers is:

(815) 921-7821

(800) 973-RVC1

Note, the Rockford area has multiple area codes so (815) must be used with all RVC phone numbers.

Web addressesThe Rock Valley College website’s URL (uniform resource locator) is www.RockValleyCollege.edu; however, common practice no longer requires including www.

Use RockValleyCollege.edu (use initial caps RVC) when writing out the college’s website address.DO NOT use www.RockValleyCollege.edu or http://www.RockValleyCollege.edu.

In print documents, when you must write out a direct link, use the “friendly URL,” if one does not exist, contact College Communications and Marketing to request one. Example: The college’s Records and Registration page is located at: http://RockValleyCollege.edu/Admission/Registration/index.cfm, however, a friendly URL has been created so that you can access the page at RockValleyCollege.edu/Registration.

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NumbersNumbers have rules all their own. Again, consistency is the key to the best usage.

Spell out numbers one through nine; use figures for 10 or more.

Do not begin a sentence with a numeral. Example: The year 2015 will be the 50th anniversary of Rock Valley College.

If you must begin with a numeral, spell it out: Example: Seven instructors will be attending the conference.

Use figures for a person’s age or object if 10 or older; write out ages from one though nine.

Spell out centuries or particular decades: Example: twenty-first century; in the nineties

In mixed groups of numbers (above and below 10), use the form of the most used. Example: There were three students, seven instructors and fourteen sales representatives in attendance.

Numbers of more than three figures are always pointed off with commas: 1,245 students; $71,000,000.

Other common usages you may want to note for future usage:

• 1800s, ‘90s, ‘20s, the mid-90s

• post-World War II

• John Smith III

• one-third; five-sixths

• between January 1 and February 9 (not between January 1-February 9 and also not January 1st or February 9th)

• 3D, 2D (for three-dimensional, two-dimensional

In using ordinals (third, 13th, 23rd, 103rd), spell out those using numerals 9 and below. Example: Fifth Street, 33rd Division; Third Symphony in A Minor

PRO TIP: Avoid using ordinals in dates—January 23, not January 23rd, March 17, not March 17th.)

Numeral uses in courses and curriculumEach course at RVC is identified by a group of three letters and three numerals separated by a space (for example: ENG 210).

The first three letters (ENG in the example) identify the department in which the course is taught (e.g. ENG is the English Department). The three numbers (210 in the example) identify a specific course in that department.

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PunctuationUse an apostrophe to indicate the possessive case of nouns. Usually the possessive of a singular noun not ending in “s” is formed by adding the apostrophe and the “s.” Example: Jane’s dog

To form the possessive case of a plural noun ending in “s,” add only the apostrophe. Example: the girls’ toys

The few plural nouns that do not end in “s” form the possessive by adding the apostrophe and an “s” as singular nouns do. Example: the children’s books

In words showing joint possession or in compound words, only the last word takes the possessive form: secretary-treasurer’s report; Swift and Company’s products.

When two or more persons possess something individually, each of their names takes the possessive: the buyer’s and the seller’s signatures.

Use an apostrophe to denote a contraction or omission of letters, such as it’s for it is, Class of ’03 for 2003. The possessive form of its has no apostrophe.

Use the apostrophe to form plurals of letters and symbols, such as p’s and q’s, size 7’s.

ColonUse the colon to take the place of an implied “namely,” “as follows,” “for instance,” or similar expressions when desired. It should always be used before longer quoted passages.

Use the colon to separate a grammatically complete clause from a second one that contains an illustration or amplification of its meaning. Example: Most colleges and universities have a nickname: Rock Valley College, the Golden Eagles; University of Illinois, the Fighting Illini.

The colon should be placed outside the quotation mark unless it is part of the quotation.

SemicolonsSemicolons are used to mark more important breaks in sentence flow then marked by a comma.Two parts of a compound sentence, not connected by a conjunction, are marked by a semicolon. Example: The package was due last week; it arrived today.

Use a semicolon between items of a series if any of the items contain commas. Example: He leaves a son, John Smith of Chicago; three daughters, Jane Smith of Miami, Mary Smith of Denver and Susan, wife of William Kingsbury of Boston; and a sister, Martha, wife of Robert Warren of San Francisco.

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Punctuation cont.

Quotation marksSurround the exact words of a speaker or writer with quotation marks. Never change the quoted words.Periods and commas always go inside closing quotation marks in American printing style.

Semicolons and colons always go outside closing quotation marks.

Question marks and exclamation points go inside or outside quotation marks, depending on whether they belong to the quoted matter or the entire sentence.

When quoting more than one paragraph, repeat quotation marks at the beginning of each paragraph and close quote only at the end of the last paragraph.

Slang expressions are in quotes only when not doing so would confuse the reader.

CommasUse a comma before and (also or) in a series. Example: red, white, and blue

Use a comma before abbreviations at the end of a series. Use commas before and after an abbreviation if it is in the middle of sentence. Example: • etc. • e.g., • i.e.,

Use a comma to preserve clarity. Example: Soon after, he sold the house.

Use a comma around the abbreviations after a name, but not after Roman numerals. Do not use a comma when Jr. or Sr. follows a name. Example: Robert Smith, Ph.D. Joseph Johnson III George Miller Jr. Henry Jones Sr.

Use commas to set off conjunctions, adverbs, connectives, or phrases that make a distinct break in thecontinuity of thought. Example: This statement, therefore, cannot be verified.

When a conjunction such as “and,” “but,” or, “for” links two clauses that could stand alone as separate sentences, use a comma before the conjunction in most cases. Example: She was glad she had looked, for an unfamiliar man was approaching the house.

Use a comma after the word “said” when introducing a direct quotation. Example: Smith said, “RVC students are the best!”

Example: He said his victory put him “firmly on the road to a first-ballot nomination.”

Example: The Rock Valley College campus is located in Rockford, Ill., on the east side.

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Punctuation cont.

Use a comma before and after a year following a month and date, but do not use a comma when a month and year are listed without a date. Example: On Tuesday, April 6, 1964, electors passed a referendum creating Rock Valley College. Classes for summer 2014 are full.

Use commas to set off a nonrestrictive phrase or clause (one that could be dropped without changing the application of the noun it modifies), but do not use commas if the phrase or clause is restrictive. Example: You will, of course, be there on time. However, Jim will not. Susie was not ready for the test, however.

Use a comma to set off an noun of direct address. Example: Matt, please help me. Well, friends, here we are once again.

Use a comma to separate two or more adjectives from one another if each one modifies the noun alone. Example: It is a large, brown house.

Use a comma after introductory clauses, phrases or words. Example: Because her mother insisted, she cleaned her room.

Elipsis (…)To indicate an omission or a pause, use an ellipsis. An ellipsis is a series of three periods.

• If the ellipsis comes at the end of a sentence, it is preceded by a sentence period, and the following sentence is capitalized.

• If the ellipsis is used within the sentence, what follows is lower case.

Example “The courts have held…such cases have no merit.” “After 1968, the regime became more repressive. …The last vestiges of liberalism died, and a chill gripped the country.”

HyphensHyphens are joiners. Use them to avoid ambiguity or to form a single idea from two or more words.

Hyphenate adjectival phrases of two or more words preceding the nouns modified. Example: well-known person first-class person all-star team

Compounds of “non” ordinarily do not require a hyphen except when used with a proper noun. Check your dictionary; if the compound word does not appear, then use a hyphen.

Use a hyphen when “self” forms the first element of a compound word. Example: self-discovery self-educate

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Punctuation cont.

When adding a prefix to a word that starts with the same letters, use a hyphen after the prefix. Example: pre-eminent re-enroll

Use the hyphen when adding “like” to a noun with more than one syllable or a proper name. Example: childlike, but business-like

These prefixes are usually hyphenated: after- (following) all- (everything) co- (with) ex- (former);

exceptions include words that mean “out of,” such as excommunicate, expropriate. odd- (unusual);

exception includes oddball. off- (away);

exceptions include offbeat, offcast, offhand, offset, offshoot, offspring. one- (since) pro- (for);

exceptions include words that do not connote support for something, i.e., produce, profile,pronoun. well- (very) wide- (completely);

exception includes widespread.

RVC name and addressNever use periods in RVC and don’t insert spaces between the letters.

When referring to the college in writing, spell out the college name on first usage; Rock Valley College. Thereafter you may use RVC or the college. Avoid use of Rock Valley alone since there are numerous area businesses with that name. When the address is required, spell out the college name and address if space permits: Rock Valley College 3301 North Mulford Road Rockford, IL 61114-5699

If it necessary to abbreviate because of space, abbreviate consistently: 3301 N. Mulford Rd. Rockford, IL 61114-5699

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TROUBLE SPOTSDoctoral is an adjective; doctorate is a noun. Example: doctoral degree She earned her doctorate.Data and media are plurals and require plural verbs.

The comma is the most overworked punctuation mark; the period is the most neglected.

Short, declarative sentences with active verbs are generally the most effective.

Service is a noun, sometimes an adjective, and, in a few special instances, a verb.

In Latin, plural nouns require plural adjectives. In English, however, adjectives remain singular regardless of the noun. Words derived from Latin that have become part of English follow the English rule. Example: professors emeritus (in Latin professori emeriti).

Tense and number should agree throughout sentences and paragraphs and, sometimes, through the whole of the text. “A student” should not shift to “the students.”

Repeating the same word within a limited span of text is preferable to what is called “elegant variation.” “Won” and “Lost” have the same meaning regardless of the words used. Creative substitution isn’t necessary.

When persons are listed last name first, modifiers, suffixes and prefixes remain with the given name. Similarly, when couples are listed, modifiers, suffixes and prefixes are attached to the proper given name. Example: Smith, John Jr. John Jr. and Mary Smith Smith, Dr. Mary

Extra care is needed when such lists are generated by computer to be certain that modifiers, suffixes and prefixes are not erroneously attached to the surname rather than the given name.

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CHEAT SHEETAa lot — Two words. Not alot.

a.m. — Lowercase, no space after first period.

all right — Two words. Not alright.

autumn — Lowercase the season name.

BBcc — Blind carbon copy. Abbreviation is always OK.

biannual(ly), bimonthly, biweekly — DON’T USE ANY OF THESE WORDS — They can mean either every other year, month or week or twice a year, month or week. Instead, use the longer but unambiguous every two years, months or weeks, or twice a year, month or week.

birth date — Two words. Not birthdate.

blog — Preferred to weblog.

Ccancellation (n.), canceled, cancelling (v.) — The preferred U.S. spelling has two l’s in noun form andone l in verb forms.

Cc — Abbreviation for carbon copy. Abbreviation is always OK.

cell phone — Two words, no hyphen.

chair, chairperson — Use gender-neutral terms rather than chairman or chairwoman.

checkbox — One word, no hyphen.

clickable — One world, no hyphen.

congressman, congresswoman — DON’T USE — Before a name, use Rep. or Sen.: Sen. Dick Durbin. In references without a name, use senator, representative or congressperson.

congressperson — Use this term (or representative or senator) instead of congressman or congresswoman.

Ddaylight saving time — Lowercase in all uses. Note singular saving, not savings.

disabled (adj.) — OK to use as an adjective when referring to people with disabilities. Do not use disabled as a noun, as in “the disabled.”

do’s and don’ts — Note apostrophes.

double-click — Note hyphen.

EEarth, earth — Capitalize when used as the proper name of the planet. Lowercase in all other uses.

email (n., v., adj.) — One word, no hyphen.

Ffall — Lowercase the season name.

Fall Semester — Capitalize because it is the formal name of the semester. DO NOT capitalize fall or semester when used on their own.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions. Abbreviation is always OK. FAQs can also be used.

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F cont.

floors in all RVC’s buildings are: — ground, first, second — NOT bottom, main, top or 1st or 2nd

former president — Do not use president or ex-president when referring to past presidents. Capitalize as “former President” only when used before a name. Lowercase when used without a name.

friend (n., v.) — OK to use as a verb when inviting someone to be your friend on a social media site.

GGB - Abbreviation for gigabyte. Don’t include a space between the number and GB.

Google — According to Google guidelines it’s not OK to use this trademark as a verb. Use search, search for, or search on instead.

governor — Use Gov. or Govs. before a name or names.

Hhang on to — Not hang onto.

high speed (n.), high-speed (adj.) — Two words when used as a noun, hyphenated when used as an adjective.

hip-hop (n., adj.) — Note hyphen.

hold on to — Not hold onto.

homepage — One word, no hyphen.

Hon.— An honorary title. The abbreviation Hon. is always OK. When used before a person’s name, Honorable and Hon. are always preceded by the. Example: The records shows that the Honorable Donald Brown presided overthe case.

hotspot (n.), hot spot (n.) — One word when referring to a Wi-Fi access point. Otherwise use two words.

hour — An acceptable abbreviation for hour(s) is hr. Note the period.

how-to (n., adj.) — Note hyphen when used as a noun or adjective.

hr. — Acceptable abbreviation for hour(s). Note the period.

HTML — Abbreviation for Hypertext Markup Language. Abbreviation is always OK.

hyperlink (n., adj., v.) — One word BUT THE TERM IS DATED use link instead.

IID (n., v.) — All capitals, no periods, no space. Not Id or id.

inbox — One word, no hyphen.

Internet — Note capitalization. OK to abbreviate as Net.

Internet service provider — Note capitalization. OK to abbreviate as ISP.

intranet — Note lowercase. A private internal network typically accessible only to a select group of individuals.

IP — Abbreviation that can stand for Internet Protocol or intellectual property.

iPhone — Note capitalization of this Apple trademark.

iPod — Note the capitalization of this Apple trademark.

ISP — Abbreviation for Internet service provider. Plural: ISPs.

IT — Abbreviation for information technology.

iTunes — Note capitalization of this Apple trademark.

iTunes U — Note capitalization and spacing of this Apple trademark.

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JJD — Abbreviation for juris doctor (doctor of law.) No periods.

Jr., Junior — Abbreviate as Jr. only in the full name of a person. Do not precede with a comma.

KK — Acceptable as an abbreviation for thousand when space is tight—but only if the meaning is clear since it can also stand for kilobytes, kilobits and kilograms.

KB — Abbreviation for kilobyte. All capitals. Do not include a space between the number and KB.

keyword, key word (n.) — One word when referring to terms that are used on a webpage to optimize it for search engines. Use two words in other cases—for example, when key is a synonym for primary or most important.

Lleft-hand side — DO NOT USE — Use left side instead.

lineup (n.), line up (v.) — One word when used as a noun. Two words when used as a verb.

logoff (n., adj.), log off (v.) — One word when used as a noun or adjective. Two words when used as a verb.

logon (n., adj.), log on (v.) — One word when used a noun or adjective. Two words when used as a verb, which may be followed by the preposition to.

logout (n., adj.), log out (v.) — One word when used as a noun or adjective. Two words when used as a verb.

MM — Don’t use as an abbreviation for million or thousand.

Mac — Abbreviation for Macintosh, an Apple trademark. Abbreviation is always OK.

machine — DO NOT USE when referring to a computer. Use computer.

mailbox — One word, no hyphen.

mice — Plural of mouse, even when referring to a computer mouse.

NNet — Capitalize when referring to the Internet. Abbreviation is always OK.

Ooffline — One word, no hyphen.

OK — All capitals. Not okay, Ok or ok.

online — One word, no hyphen.

open source (n.), open-source (adj.) — Two words when used as a noun, hyphenated when used as an adjective.

OS — Abbreviation for operating system. Abbreviation OK after initial explanation. Plural: OSes.

outbox — One word, no hyphen.

Ppage view — Two words. The viewing of a webpage by a visitor.

password

password-protect (v.) — Note hyphen.

PDF — Abbreviation for Portable Document Format. Abbreviation is always OK. Plural: PDFs.

PIN — Abbreviation for personal identification number. All capitals. Not “PIN number.”

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P cont.

plug-in (n., adj.), plug in (v.) — Note hyphen when used as a noun or adjective. Not plugin.Two words when used as a verb.

president, President — Lowercase unless used as a formal title before a name.

QQ&A — Abbreviation for question and answer. All capitals, no spaces. Note ampersand.

Rrepresentative — For members of Congress, use Rep. or Reps. before a name: Rep. John Smith; Reps. Smith and Jones. Otherwise lowercase and don’t abbreviate.

Republican (n., adj.) — Capitalize when referring to the party, a member of the party, or the committee: Republican Party. Lowercase only when referring to something or someone characterized by republicanism in a general sense, but not necessarily affiliated with the Republican Party.

Rev. — Abbreviation for Reverend. When used before a person’s name, precede with the.

Reverend — An honorific. The abbreviation Rev. is always OK. When used before a person’s name Reverend and Rev. are preceded by the.

right-click — Note hyphen.

right-hand side — DO NOT USE — Use right side instead.

ringtone — One word, no hyphen.

Sscreen name — Two words, no hyphen.

screensaver — One word, no hyphen.

screenshot — One word, no hyphen.

Senate — Always capitalize in singular form. U.S. Senate, state Senate, the Senate. Lowercase the plural forms: the Virginia and North Carolina senates.

senator — Use Sen. or Sens. before a name.

Senior, Sr. — Abbreviate as Sr. only in the full name of a person. Do not precede Senior or Sr. with a comma.

SEO — Abbreviation for search engine optimization. OK to abbreviate after initial explanation.

setup (n., adj.), set up (v.) — One word when used as a noun or an adjective. Two words when used as a verb.

sign-in (n., adj.); sign in, sign in to (v.) — As a noun or adjective it’s hyphenated. As a verb it’s two words, which may be followed by the preposition to.

sign-out (n., adj.); sign out, sign out of (v.) — As a noun or adjective, it’s hyphenated. As a verb it’s two words, which may be followed by the preposition of.

sign-up (n., adj.), sign up (v.) — Hyphenate when used as a noun or adjective. Two words when used as a verb.

site map — Two words.

slideshow (n., adj.) — One word.

SMS — Abbreviation for short message service, used for text messaging. Abbreviation OK to use after initial explanation.

Social Security number — Note capitalization.

social network (n.), social-network (adj.) — Two words when used as a noun. Note hyphen when used as an adjective.

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S cont.

social networking (n.), social-networking (adj.) — Note hyphen when used as an adjective. Two words whenused as a noun.

spacebar — One word.

spam (n., adj., v.) — Lowercase when referring to unsolicited email or the act of sending such email.

spell-check (v.) — Note hyphen.

spring, springtime — Lowercase the season name.

Spring Semester — Capitalize because it is the formal name of the semester. DO NOT capitalize spring or semester when used on their own.

SSN — Abbreviation for Social Security number. Do not use SSN number.

style sheet — Two words; lowercase even when referring to style sheets created with CSS language.

summer, summertime — Lowercase the season name.

Summer Semester — Capitalize because it is the formal name of the semester. DO NOT capitalize summer or semester when used on their own.

swag — Free goods. Not schwag or shwag.

Ttext (n., v.) — Short form of text message. Plural: texts. Other forms: texted, texting.

text message (n.), text-message (adj., v.) — Two words when used as a noun. Note hyphen when used as an adjective or adverb.

toolbar — One word, no hyphen.

touchscreen (n., adj.)

troubleshoot — One word.

T-shirt — Note capitalization and hyphen.

TV — Abbreviation is always OK. Plural: TVs.

Uupper-left corner — Note hyphen. Not upper-left-hand corner.

upper-right corner — Note hyphen. Not upper-right-hand-hand corner.

up-to-date — Note hyphens.

URL — All capitals. Stands for Uniform Resource Locator. Abbreviation is always OK.

U.S. — Abbreviation for United States. Note periods, no space.

USA — Abbreviation for United States of America. Abbreviation is always OK.

USB — Abbreviation for Universal Serial Bus. Abbreviation is always OK.

user name — Lowercase, two words.

Vvice president (n.) — Two words, no hyphen. Capitalize before a name.

voicemail — One word, lowercase.

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WWeb (n., adj.) — Note capitalization.

webcam

webinar — A seminar conducted online.

webmaster

webpage

website

Wi-Fi — Short for wireless fidelity. Note capitalization and hyphen. Shortened form always OK.

winter, wintertime — Lowercase the season name.

word-of-mouth (n., adj.) — Note hyphens when used as a noun or adjective.

World Wide Web — Note capitalization.

WYSIWYG — Acronym for what you see is what you get.

Xx-ray — Note capitalization and hyphen.

YYouTube — One word. Note capitalization.

ZZIP code — Note capitalization. Not Zip code.

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MISSION DOCUMENTMission Statement Rock Valley College empowers students and community through lifelong learning.

Vision StatementRock Valley College empowers the community to grow as a society of learners through well-designed educational pathways, leading to further education, rewarding careers, cultural enrichment, and economic-technological development.

Core ValuesLearner-centered Community.Rock Valley College is dedicated to providing affordable lifelong learning opportunities that foster student success.

Mutual Respect.At all times, Rock Valley College upholds the dignity of each individual by being ethical, respectful, fair, and courteous in communications and actions.

Excellence.Rock Valley College maintains high expectations for teaching and learning and holds itself accountable for promoting continuous improvement.

Diversity. Rock Valley College promotes, celebrates, and embraces differences, including cultural and ethnic diversity and diversity of thought.

Collaboration.Rock Valley College fosters innovative, enriching partnerships within the college community and among others that serve the region.

Innovation.Rock Valley College is a forward thinking institution that explores creative approaches for the future.

Public Trust. Rock Valley College honors and upholds its commitment to the community through integrity of actions and efficient use of resources.

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3301 North Mulford Road | Rockford, Illinois 61114-5699 | (815) 921-4250 | RockValleyCollege.edu


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