Alpha Xi Delta Style Guide
Refer to The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel
Manual if a style has not been outlined in the style
guidelines below. If there is a style disagreement,
Alpha Xi Delta style guidelines take precedence
over AP style guidelines.
advisor
Not adviser. See the “Chapter Advisor” entry.
affect/effect
“Affect,” as a verb, means “to influence.” The
game will affect the intramural stands. “Affect,”
as a noun, is best avoided. It occasionally is used
in psychology to describe an emotion, but there is
no need for it in everyday language.
Also in this guide:
Pages 12-14 Chapter Listing.
Page 15 Alpha Xi Delta Foundation Information
Page 16 Correct/Incorrect Terminology
“Effect,” as a verb, means “to cause.” She will
effect many changes in the office. “Effect,” as a
noun, means “results.” The effect was
overwhelming. She miscalculated the effect of her
actions.
A
abbreviations/acronymns
Abbreviations and acronyms, such as NED and
ELC, may be used with audiences that will know
their meaning. They can also be used in the
second reference after the term has been spelled
out. The Educational Leadership Consultant will
visit the chapter. The ELC will stay two days.
ages
Always use numerals. She has a 6-month-old
daughter. She is in her 30s (no apostrophe).
alcohol free/alcohol-free
Hyphenate when used as a compound modifier.
The event will be alcohol free. The chapter is an
alcohol-free chapter.
academic courses and majors
Lowercase, except languages: a business major,
an English major.
all-chapter retreat
Hyphenate. Our all-chapter retreat was held last
month.
academic degrees
Spell out and lowercase, instead of using an
abbreviation (B.A., M.S., Ph.D., Ed. D.). She
received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a
master’s degree in physics. She holds a doctorate
in philosophy. See the “bachelor of arts/bachelor
of science” entry.
Alpha Xi Delta
Alpha Xi Delta is never abbreviated AZD. It may be
abbreviated using the capital Greek letters.
“Alpha Xi” may be used if the entire Fraternity
name cannot be used, if used in a quote or if the
tone is relaxed.
academic departments
Lowercase except for words that are proper nouns
or adjectives: the department of history, the
department of English, the English department.
When writing about multiple sorority members,
the plural takes no apostrophe. Five Alpha Xi
Deltas won the contest. Use an apostrophe only
for the possessive. Alpha Xi Delta's risk
management guidelines are in the C.A.R.E.
Manual. Everyone enjoyed being serenaded by
Alpha Xi Deltas' guests.
addresses
Spell out and capitalize words such as avenue,
boulevard, street, drive and road when used in
addresses in running text. Abbreviate such words
when appearing at the top of a letter or on an
envelope.
alumna, alumnae, alumnus, alumni
“Alumna” is one female. “Alumnae” is more than
one female. “Alumnus” is one male. “Alumni” is
more than one male AND a mixed group of men
and women.
The U.S. Postal Services’ two-letter abbreviations
for states should only be used on the envelope
and the address appearing at the top of a letter.
1
alumnae association
Capitalize when referring to a specific alumnae
association; lowercase when used in general
reference. The Wayne County Alumnae
Association won five awards this year. Ten new
alumnae associations were formed this year.
When in a list, such as the annual alumnae
directory, “association” may be omitted.
Awards/honors/prizes
Capitalize only when referring to a specific or
formal award. Do not capitalize the word
“award” unless it’s part of the formal name. She
won the Greek Woman of the Year award. She
won the Edna Epperson Brinkman Award.
axidbook
Lowercase, italic. The name of the Alpha Xi Delta
new member workbook.
a.m., p.m.
Lowercase with periods. Avoid the redundant 10
a.m. this morning.
B
AmaXIng Challenge
Capitalize “X” and “I” when referencing Alpha Xi
Delta’s signature philanthropy event. Official
challenge names are: AmaXIng Challenge: Step It
Up; AmaXIng Challenge: Football FrenXI;
AmaXIng Challenge: Puzzlepalooza; AmaXIng
Challenge: Karaoke for a Cure; AmaXIng
Challenge: Xi Marks the Spot.
bachelor of arts/bachelor of science
Using “bachelor’s degree” or “bachelor’s” is
acceptable. She received her bachelor’s degree in
physics. She received her bachelor’s in physics.
badge
Lowercase when referring to the Fraternity’s
membership pin.
annual
An event cannot be described as annual until it
has been held at least two successive years. The
third year is the first opportunity to use the
phrase. No hyphen is needed. We held our third
annual softball tournament.
barbecue
Not BBQ, Bar-B-Q or barbeque.
Annual Progress Report (APR)
Capitalize. May use the acronym after the initial
reference.
Be the Heart of Alpha Xi Delta
Our national alumnae dues program. “Be the
Heart” may stand alone.
association
The word “association” should always follow the
name of an alumnae association. The Cobb
County Alumnae Association won five awards this
year. When in a list, such as the annual alumnae
association directory, “association” may be
omitted. In general reference, lowercase. We
want to start an alumnae association.
biannual, biennial, biennium
“Biannual” means twice a year. “Biennial” means
every two years. “Biennium” means a period of
two years. The Fraternity’s biennial convention
was held in Orlando.
Bid Day
Uppercase.
Big Sister
Capitalize when referring to the Big Sister/Little
Sister (Big Sis/Lil Sis) program. May be abbreviated
“Big Sis.” Suzie is my Big Sister. Ann is her Big Sis.
autism/autism spectrum disorder
Lowercase when referring to the disorder. When
referring to someone who has autism, indicate
that he/she has autism, not that she/she is autistic.
board of directors
Lowercase.
Autism Speaks™
The words “Autism Speaks™” are trademarked.
The first time Autism Speaks is used in a headline
or sentence, it must include the trademark
symbol. In all subsequent references, it is not
necessary.
Board of Trustees
Capitalize.
boy
Use “men” or “young men” instead.
2
references, lowercase “chapter.” Five chapters
were represented at the meeting.
When referring to a particular chapter, avoid using
“the” as an article: Rho Chapter, not the Rho
Chapter.
building corporation
Lowercase unless part of a complete name. The
Bloomington Building Corporation. Do not refer
to as a housing corporation.
Chapter Eternal
Capitalize.
bylaws
Not bi-laws or by-laws. Capitalize and italicize
when referring to the Fraternity’s governing laws.
Chapter DeskTop™
The Omega Financial interface that chapters work
from is the Chapter DeskTop™ with a capital "T"
within DeskTop. The first time Chapter DeskTop
is used in a headline or sentence, it must include
the trademark symbol. In all subsequent
references, it is not necessary.
C
carat, caret, karat
“Carat” is a precious gem weight. “Caret” is the
editing mark used to indicate an insertion.
“Karat” is the proportion of pure gold included.
charter
Lowercase.
co-sponsor
Hyphenate.
C.A.R.E.
Capitalized and used with periods. “C.A.R.E.”
stands for “Communication, Action, Responsibility
and Education” and is the name of our risk
management program.
coat of arms
No hyphens between words, lowercase.
Capitalized when directly referencing Alpha Xi
Delta’s Coat of Arms.
carry figure
The number of women a chapter is permitted to
invite back to the next invitational round during
formal recruitment.
college chapter
Always use “college” to describe a chapter, not
“collegiate.” The college chapter promotes autism
awareness in its community.
cents
Spell out “cents,” using numerals for less than a
dollar: 5 cents, 12 cents. Use the dollar sign and
decimal system for larger amounts: $1.01, $2,57.
college/university names
Refer to the end of this document for the correct
format for college/university names. These
abbreviations should not, however, be used in
formal writing.
ceremony
Capitalize the name of all Alpha Xi Delta
ceremonies, including the word “Ceremony”:
Preference Ceremony, Rededication Ceremony,
Initiation Ceremony.
collegian/collegiate
“Collegian” is a noun; “collegiate” is an adjective.
Our collegians attended The Leadership
Conference. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln
has a well-developed collegiate program.
Chapter Advisor
Capitalize “Chapter Advisor” and any of the
chapter’s advisors when used as a title and when
the title directly precedes an individual’s full
name. Chapter Advisor Jill Jones came to the
meeting. The Chapter Advisor attends all
meetings. The Financial Advisor assists the
Financial Vice President.
colony
Lowercase is general use; uppercase when used
with a college name. The University of Central
Oklahoma Colony was installed in June.
committee
Capitalize when referring to a specific or formal
committee. The chapter’s Social Committee
planned the gathering. Lowercase when used in
general reference. I want to join a committee.
chapter names
The word “chapter” should be capitalized when
following the name of a chapter: Eta Chapter held
a fundraising event. When used in general
3
Use figures to indicate decades of history. Use an
apostrophe to indicate numerals that are left out.
The ‘90s was a good decade for us. Show plural
usage by adding an “s,” not an apostrophe and
an “s”: The 1890s, not The 1890’s. The 1920s,
the mid-1960s.
composition titles
Italicize the titles of books, computer games,
movies, operas, plays, poems, songs, television
programs and the titles of lectures, speeches and
works of art. Do not use quotation marks. The
Quill of Alpha Xi Delta, Gone With the Wind. See
the “periodical titles” entry.
directions
Lowercase north, south, northeast, etc. when
indicating compass directions. Capitalize a
direction when it’s used as a proper noun and
designates a region. We traveled north to
Minnesota. Minnesota is part of the Midwest.
Constitution and Bylaws
Capitalize and italicize when referring to Alpha Xi
Delta’s official publication. Lowercase and do not
italicize in casual reference. We need to update
our constitution and bylaws.
dollars
Lowercase. Use figures and “$” except in
amounts without a figure. The book cost $4. Her
daughter asked for a dollar.
consultant
Use “Educational Leadership Consultant” in
formal reference. “ELC” may be used in informal
writing and after its initial use. Beth was an
Educational Leadership Consultant (ELC) in
college. As an ELC, she visited chapters in
Georgia. Do not use the word “consultant” by
itself.
For specific amounts of more than $1 million, use
“$” and numerals up to two decimal places. Do
not link the numerals and the words by a hyphen.
She is worth $3.25 million. The project cost $100
million. For amounts less than $1 million, do not
use a decimal point or cents: $4, $25, $500,
$1,000, $650,000.
Convention
Capitalize when used as a formal reference to
Alpha Xi Delta’s National Convention. More than
500 members attended Convention this year.
E
crest
Use “coat of arms” instead. Alpha Xi Delta’s
Constitution and Bylaws refer to our emblem as a
coat of arms, not a crest.
Educational Leadership Consultant (ELC)
Use “Educational Leadership Consultant” in
formal reference. “ELC” may be used in informal
writing and after its initial use. Capitalized when
spelled out or abbreviated. Do not use
“consultant” by itself.
D
effect/affect
See the “affect/effect” entry.
database
One word.
email
One word, no hyphen. Capitalize the “e” only if
“email” is used at the beginning of a sentence. I
received an email from Sue today. Email is a great
way to communicate.
dates
Use Arabic figures without “th,” “st” and “nd”:
March 22, not March 22nd. No comma is used
between the month and year if the day is omitted:
November 1995. Include a comma after the year
if the full date is given. November 3, 2008, was
my first day at work.
dean's list
Lowercase.
enewsletter
No hyphen. Capitalize the “e” only if
“enewsletter” is used at the beginning of a
sentence. She wrote an enewsletter for chapter
presidents. Enewsletters are sent from Fraternity
Headquarters.
decades
ensure/insure
4
Capitalized and written with an apostrophe after
the “s.”
“Ensure” means to guarantee. Steps were taken
to ensure accuracy. Use “insure” for references to
insurance or when money compensates for a loss.
The policy insures Tammy’s car.
F
Fraternity Headquarters
Capitalize when referring to Alpha Xi Delta
National Fraternity Headquarters. Fraternity
Headquarters should never be referred to as
“nationals,” “the central office,” “headquarters”
or any other term. May be abbreviated as FHQ,
but not HQ or NFH.
Facebook
Capitalize. (Alpha Xi Delta’s official Facebook
page is Cora Bollinger Block, Indianapolis, IN with
our Greek letters as an image.)
fraternity/sorority advisor (FSA)
Preferred term for Greek advisor. “FSA” may be
used after the initial reference. .
fall
As in the season. Lowercase unless used as part of
a formal name: The Dartmouth Fall Carnival.
fractions
Spell out amounts less than one, using hyphens
between words: two-thirds, seven-eighths.
501(c)(3)
Written solid with no spaces. The Alpha Xi Delta
Foundation, under this section of the Internal
Revenue code, is a public foundation operating
exclusively for charitable and educational
purposes that benefit the Fraternity.
fundraising, fundraising, fundraiser
One word, no hyphen.
G
501(c)(7)
Written solid with no spaces. Alpha Xi Delta,
under this section of the Internal Revenue code, is
a membership organization.
GIN System
Capitalize, no periods. Capitalize “s” in “System.”
The GIN System is not in reference to a chapter’s
external website. (Chapters access control of their
external website via their GIN System.)
formal recruitment
Lowercase.
Fraternity
“Fraternity” is capitalized when referring to Alpha
Xi Delta Fraternity and can be used in place of our
formal name. Our Fraternity has a chapter at
Syracuse. In general reference, “fraternity” is
lowercase. That campus has 10 fraternities. (See
“sorority” for additional information.)
girl
Do not use. Undergraduate females are women or
young women.
grade point average
After the first reference, grade point average can
be abbreviated “GPA” without periods.
Foundation
“Alpha Xi Delta Foundation” is always capitalized.
“Foundation” is an acceptable replacement.
Greek/Greeks
Capitalize.
Refer to end of this document for a listing of
Foundation giving circles, scholarships and
awards.
Greek advisor
Fraternity/sorority advisor is the preferred term.
“FSA” may be used after the initial reference.
Founder
Capitalized when referring to the 10 Founders of
Alpha Xi Delta; lowercase when used to refer to
the founders of other fraternities or chapter
founders.
Greek-letter
Written with a hyphen if it precedes a noun.
Alpha Xi Delta is a Greek-letter organization.
Written without a hyphen when it follows a noun.
Organizations with Greek letters must work
together.
Founders' Day
5
Lowercase in general reference. We’re having
initiation tonight. Capitalize in reference to our
ceremony. Our Initiation Ceremony was held in
May.
Greek life
Two words, no hyphen, lowercase “l” (unless in
reference to an office: the Office of Greek Life,
the Greek Life office.
Greek Week
Capitalize.
Interfraternity Council
Capitalize, one word, no hyphen. May be
abbreviated as “IFC” after the first reference.
Sigma Nu is a member of the Interfraternity
Council (IFC). As part of IFC, brothers vote on
legislation.
H
Headquarters
Do not use in reference to Fraternity Headquarters
in Indianapolis, Indiana. See the “Fraternity
Headquarters” entry.
interfraternity/intrafraternity
One word. ”Interfraternal” means Greek groups
on one campus or at one institution. We’re having
an interfraternal fundraiser on campus tomorrow.
“Intrafraternal” means Greek groups from
numerous campuses or institutions. We’re having
an intrafraternal fundraiser with the sororities at
City College and State University.
heart sell
Two words, no hyphen.
heart-sunshine
Hyphenate and lowercase.
internet
Lowercase unless the word begins a sentence. A
lot can be found on the internet. Internet searches
make research easier.
homecoming
Lowercase.
house
Used when referring to an actual residence. The
house our chapter lives in is beautiful. We have a
beautiful chapter house.
intramural
Never “intermural.”
J
“House” should not be used in reference to
members or a group of members. Incorrect: Our
house is going on a retreat. Correct: Our chapter
is going on a retreat.
junior, senior
Abbreviate as “Jr.” or “Sr.” when used with a
person’s full name. Do not precede by a
comma. John Brown Jr. is a friend of Alpha Xi
Delta.
homepage
Lowercase, no hyphen.
I
K
inCircle
Lowercase the “i” and uppercase the “C,” even
when used at the beginning of a sentence.
inCircle is a members-only site.
initiate
Lowercase in general reference. The chapter
initiated four women. She is an initiate of Beta
Chapter.
kids
Use “children” unless talking about goats or if the
use of “kids” as an informal synonym for children
is appropriate in the context.
L
initiation
6
Leadership Coach
When referring to the Fraternity’s Leadership
Coach program, use “Leadership Coach” in
formal writing. Do not use “coach” by itself. “LC”
can be used in informal writing and after its initial
use. Jane was a Leadership Coach (LC) last year.
As an LC, she visited chapters.
legacy
Lowercase.
Do not use when referring to women who belong
to our organization, as in: We want our
membership to learn about our policies. Instead,
use “member” or “members.” We want our
members to learn about our policies.
Midwest
Capital “M,” one word, no hyphen, when used as
a proper noun and designates a region of the
country. See the “directions” entry.
lifelong
One word, no hyphen.
Little Sister
Capitalize when referring to the Big Sister/Little
Sister (Big Sis/Lil Sis) program. Ann was her Little
Sister.
more than/over
Use “more than” in reference to total quantities.
They raised more than $100. More than 50
women attended the event. “Over” generally
refers to spatial relationships. The plane flew over
the city. At times, “over” can be used with
numerals. She is over 30.
Loyalty Fund
Capitalize when referring to the Alpha Xi Delta
Foundation Loyalty Fund.
M
N
manual
Lowercase unless “manual” is part of the formal
name of the publication: the C.A.R.E. Manual, the
Public Relations Manual. Lowercase in general
references. Remember to bring your manual to the
meeting.
names
When listing a member's name, always use her
maiden name if she’s married, if that information
is known by the Fraternity: Nancy Anderson Jones.
nationals
Do not use in reference to Alpha Xi Delta
Fraternity.
marathon
Don’t use hyphens in marathon-type events:
bikeathon, walkathon, telethon.
National Chapter
Capitalize.
Member Access Plus™
The Omega Financial interface that chapters work
from is the Chapter DeskTop™. The official name
of the interface for members is Member Access
Plus™. The first time Member Access Plus is used
in a headline or sentence, it must include the
trademark symbol. In all subsequent references, it
is not necessary.
National Council
Capitalize.
National Interfraternity Conference
Capitalize; may be abbreviated “NIC” after first
reference.
National Panhellenic Conference
Capitalize; may be abbreviated “NPC" after first
reference.
member listing
When using a Sister’s name in a letter, on the
website or in a publication, list her preferred full
name, university and year of initiation. Debbie
Holland Smith, Tennessee ’70. See the Chapter
Listing at the end of this document for the correct
way to reference colleges and universities.
National Pan-Hellenic Conference
Capitalize; may be abbreviated “NPHC” after first
reference.
National Team
membership
7
Capitalize. A National Team is appointed by
National Council to direct a college chapter’s
operations and programming in order to provide
positive
growth,
publicity
and
member
development.
P
Panhellenic
Capitalize “Panhellenic” when referring to the
organization: Panhellenic Council, Alumnae
Panhellenic Council. The Panhellenic Council at
State University is very organized. Lowercase
when used as an adjective. The chapter has a
strong panhellenic spirit. See the “National
Panhellenic Conference” entry.
nonalcoholic
One word, no hyphen.
non-Greek
Hyphenate.
nonprofit
One word, no hyphen.
Parents Weekend
Capitalize. No possessive. Not
Weekend” or "Parents’ Weekend.”
Northeast
Capital “N,” one word, no hyphen, when used as
a proper noun and designates a region of the
country. See the “directions” entry.
“Parent’s
party
“Social event” is preferred. The chapter planned a
social event with a fraternity. “Function” may also
be used.
numbers
Spell out numbers one through nine; use figures for
numbers 10 and above. Exceptions: Use numbers
for dates, ages, addresses and sports scores.
Past National President
Capitalize in all references. Jane Hooper Sutton is
a Past National President.
Use figures – even for numbers 1 through 10 –
when they have technical significance or need to
stand out for quick comprehension. At the
beginning of a sentence, all numbers should be
spelled out, except years: 1893 was Alpha Xi
Delta’s founding year.
percent
Spell out. Never use the percent sign (%) in
running text. It is, however, acceptable for
sidebars, tables and charts.
percentages
Use figures: 1 percent, 3.5 percent. For amounts
less than 1 percent, precede the decimal with a
zero: The cost of living rose 0.7 percent.
Place a hyphen between the number and the year
when designating the length of membership: She
is a 25-year member. We honored 50- and 75-year
members.
periodical titles
Italicize the names of newspapers, magazines and
other periodicals. Use quotation marks to identify
story/article names: "Dying to be Thin" was
printed in The Quill.
O
OK
Not O.K. or okay.
pledge
Use “new member” when referring to a woman
who has joined the Fraternity. May be used as a
verb. Six women pledged after formal
recruitment.
Omega Financial, Inc.
Omega Financial, Inc. is the official company
name. However, Omega Financial, Omega and
OmegaFi are all acceptable.
potential new member
Lowercase. Can be abbreviated and capitalized as
“PNM” after first reference. We invited potential
new members to the chapter house. The PNMs
were impressed with our computer room.
online
One word, no hyphen.
over/more than
See the “more than/over” entry.
8
priority
Lowercase. Refers to the percentage of PNMs
who list Alpha Xi Delta in their cluster number
ones after a round of formal recruitment.
Capitalize when referring to the Fraternity’s Ritual.
Let’s strive to keep our Ritual alive in our daily
lives. Lowercase when referring to ritualistic
activities: Eating at Bart's Pizza on Mondays has
become a ritual.
Q
Rose Petals
Capitalize when referring to “Rose Petals: Alpha
Xi Delta’s Legacy Program.” Can be shortened to
“Rose Petals” after the first reference.
rush
Avoid using. Instead, use “recruitment” or
“member recruitment.”
quota
Lowercase. Our chapter achieved quota.
Quill
Capitalize and italicize The Quill and The Quill of
Alpha Xi Delta. If italic is not available, the name
of the magazine should be underlined.
S
saint
In relation to cities, do not spell out “Saint” unless
it is spelled out as the city’s formal name: St.
Louis, Missouri. Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Capitalize “Quill” when referring to our badge.
R
seasons
Lowercase: spring, summer, fall, winter.
recolonize, recharter, reestablish
One word, no hyphen.
semiannual
Twice a year, a synonym for biannual. No hyphen.
recruitment
Use “recruitment” or “member recruitment,” not
semiformal
“rush.”
No hyphen.
Release Figures Methodology (RFM)
Capitalized. “RFM” can be used after its initial
use. The method applied to a Panhellenic
community during formal recruitment intended to
ensure that stronger recruiting chapters release
PNMs earlier in the process, causing those PNMs
to focus on chapters for whom they may be a
better fit.
Sister/sister
Capitalize when addressing a member in a letter
(Dear Sister) or when referring to an Alpha Xi
Delta member. We contacted Sisters about
participating in the event. Lowercase when
referring to a sibling or NPC members: Our NPC
sisters were at the meeting.
Sisterhood
Capitalize when referring to Alpha Xi Delta;
interchangeable with “Fraternity” and “Alpha Xi
Delta.” Our Sisterhood was founded in 1893.
She’s a member of our Sisterhood.
Relative Recruiting Strength (RRS)
Capitalized. “RRS” can be used after its initial use.
Relative recruiting strength is the factor used
within the Release Figures Methodology (RFM) to
determine a chapter’s carry figures during formal
recruitment. RRS is based on the chapter’s
historical returns during the formal recruitment
process, and indicates how well the chapter
performs during the formal recruitment process.
sorority
Only 10 of the 26 NPC member organizations use
“sorority” in their official name; the others,
including Alpha Xi Delta, use fraternity. Since
“sorority” is more recognizable and more easily
understood, especially with general audiences,
referring to NPC member groups as “sororities” is
acceptable.
Ritual
9
Symphony” after the first reference. Note: “The”
is always capitalized before “Symphony.”
When referring to Alpha Xi Delta, use Alpha Xi
Delta Fraternity in official documentation (i.e.,
contracts, letters to campus officials). In general
use and in public relations materials, you may
refer to Alpha Xi Delta as a sorority: Alpha Xi
Delta welcomed 128 new members at a ceremony
held at the sorority’s chapter house. (See the
“Fraternity” entry for more information.)
T
Southeast
Capital “S,” one word, no hyphen, when used as
a proper noun and designates a region of the
country. See the “directions” entry.
telephone numbers
Use periods after the area code and prefix:
317.872.3500. Do not place a comma before an
extension: 317.872.3500 ext. 122. Do not place a
“1” before a toll-free number.
spring
As in the season. Always lowercase unless part of
a formal name: The Dartmouth Spring Carnival.
TFJ
All uppercase and no periods.
state
Spell out when used in a sentence: The Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, Alumnae Association holds an
annual meeting. Use the postal abbreviation when
space limitations warrant abbreviation, in a list or
in an address.
The Workout
Capitalize and use both words. “Workout” should
not stand alone.
time of day
When using an exact time, use figures except for
noon and midnight. The luncheon was held at
noon. The movie had a midnight showing. We
had class at 12:30 p.m. Never use “12 noon” or
“12 midnight.”
Lowercase all “state of” constructions: the state
of Maine, the states of Maine and Vermont.
Use “New York State” to distinguish the state
from New York City.
titles
Capitalize titles for the following positions:
Use “the state of Washington” to distinguish the
state from Washington, D.C. (Note the placement
of the comma and the two periods.)
Chapter advisors
Chapter officers
Chapter volunteers (e.g., Area Facilitator)
Foundation Trustees
Fraternity staff
National Chairs
National President
National Vice Presidents
National volunteers
Special officers
StrengthsQuest™
The word “StrengthsQuest™” (no space between
words, capital “Q,”) is trademarked. When it first
appears in a headline or sentence, it must include
the trademark symbol. When it appears after the
first sentence, it no longer needs the symbol.
substance-free
Hyphenate when used as an adjective: Sigma Nu
mandates substance-free housing.
Do not capitalize titles for individuals outside of
the Fraternity. Jill Johnson, president of Dow
Chemical, spoke at the meeting. Indiana
University president Bob Smith spoke at the
meeting.
summer
As in the season. Lowercase unless part of a
formal name: The Dartmouth Summer Carnival.
total
Lowercase. Our chapter achieved total.
Symphony (The)
Capitalize when referring to “The Symphony of
Alpha Xi Delta.” May be shortened to “The
T-shirt
Capitalize the “T” and hyphenate.
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Twitter
Capitalize. (Alpha Xi Delta’s official Twitter page is
www.twitter.com/AlphaXiDelta.)
U
university
Capitalize when used with a school name;
lowercase in general reference to a university. The
university is across town. Northwestern University
has a great drama program.
Always spell out “university.” Use “Univ.” if an
abbreviation must be used.
W
webmaster
One word.
website
One word, lowercase.
West
Capital “W,” one word, no hyphen, when used as
a proper noun and designates a region of the
country. See the “directions” entry.
winter
As in the season. Lowercase unless part of a
formal name: The Dartmouth Winter Carnival.
www.alphaxidelta.org
Lowercase. Not necessary to precede with http://.
Y
years
When referring to a period of years, no
apostrophe is needed: The 1960s, not The 1960’s.
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Zeta Alpha, Jacksonville
Zeta Omicron, Florida
Theta Iota, Florida Atlantic
Theta Xi, Florida International
Theta Omicron, Embry-Riddle (FL)
Theta Sigma, Central Florida
CHAPTER LISTING
The following list includes all Alpha Xi Delta
chapters ever installed and their host institution.
Active chapters are listed in blue.
Georgia
Alpha Upsilon, Brenau
Gamma Eta, Georgia Tech
Gamma Xi, Valdosta State
Gamma Upsilon, Georgia
Delta Xi, Georgia State
Epsilon Sigma, Georgia Southern
Zeta Omega, West Georgia
Iota Theta, Southern Polytechnic State
The following college/university abbreviations are
used in The Quill to save space and provide
consistency. Do not use these abbreviations in
formal writing.
Alabama
Alpha Tau, Alabama
Epsilon Pi, Jacksonville State
Zeta Xi, Auburn
Theta Phi, Alabama Birmingham
Idaho
Epsilon Psi, Boise State
Iota Kappa, Idaho State
Arizona
Gamma Gamma, Arizona
Theta Zeta, Embry-Riddle (AZ)
Illinois
Alpha, Lombard/Knox
Kappa, Illinois
Alpha Theta, Northwestern
Beta Epsilon, Monmouth (IL)
Beta Zeta, Lake Forest
Gamma Pi, Northern Illinois
Arkansas
Gamma Omega, Henderson State
Zeta Iota, Lyon
California
Omicron, California Berkeley
Alpha Xi, UCLA
Gamma Alpha, San Diego State
Gamma Epsilon, Cal State Fresno
Delta Rho, Cal State Northridge
Epsilon Epsilon, Cal State Sacramento
Epsilon Upsilon, Woodbury
Theta Beta, Sonoma State
Theta Rho, Cal State San Marcos
Iota Beta, Cal State Stanislaus
Iota Omicron, San Jose State
Indiana
Alpha Eta, Purdue
Beta Pi, Indiana
Epsilon Delta, Indiana State
Zeta Delta, Indiana South Bend
Iowa
Beta, Iowa Wesleyan
Sigma, Iowa
Alpha Gamma, Coe
Alpha Iota, Drake
Gamma Rho, Parsons
Delta Chi, Northern Iowa
Epsilon Phi, Iowa State
Colorado
Alpha Psi, Denver
Epsilon Mu, Northern Colorado
Kansas
Chi, Kansas
Alpha Kappa, Kansas State
Connecticut
Beta Phi, Connecticut
Epsilon Nu, Hartford
Delaware
Theta Gamma, Delaware
Kentucky
Xi, Kentucky
Epsilon Kappa, Western Kentucky
Florida
Omega, Stetson
Alpha Omega, Florida State
Louisiana
Beta Gamma, Centenary
Beta Iota, Louisiana State
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Delta Epsilon, New Orleans
New Hampshire
Tau, New Hampshire
Theta Psi, Dartmouth
Maine
Epsilon Rho, Southern Maine
New Jersey
Epsilon Lambda, Rider
Iota Nu, Monmouth (NJ)
Maryland
Beta Eta, Maryland
Gamma Psi, Frostburg State
Theta Delta, Towson
New Mexico
Theta Omega, New Mexico State
Massachusetts
Lambda, Tufts
Iota Xi, Worcester Polytechnic
New York
Eta, Syracuse
Alpha Beta, Cornell
Alpha Omicron, Hunter
Delta Zeta, Long Island/C.W. Post
Delta Lambda, Rochester Institute of Technology
Zeta Phi, Binghamton
Theta Theta, Brooklyn
Theta Kappa, SUNY Albany
Michigan
Phi, Albion
Alpha Epsilon, Michigan
Beta Theta, Michigan State
Gamma Zeta, Eastern Michigan
Gamma Omicron, Central Michigan
Delta Delta, Northern Michigan
Delta Sigma, Ferris State
Zeta Sigma, Hillsdale
Zeta Upsilon, Alma
Theta Eta, Western Michigan
North Carolina
Gamma Phi, East Carolina
Epsilon Gamma, Western Carolina
Zeta Mu, Methodist
Zeta Rho, North Carolina State
Zeta Tau, North Carolina Asheville
Zeta Chi, North Carolina Wilmington
Theta Nu, Elon
Iota Zeta, Wingate
Iota Iota, Greensboro
Minnesota
Mu, Minnesota
Delta Theta, St. Cloud State
Delta Omega, Winona State
Mississippi
Zeta Gamma, Mississippi
Ohio
Gamma, Mount Union
Zeta, Wittenberg
Pi, Ohio
Psi, Ohio State
Alpha Mu, Ohio Wesleyan
Beta Delta, Denison
Beta Kappa, Baldwin-Wallace
Beta Mu, Bowling Green State
Beta Xi, Marietta
Beta Tau, Kent State
Gamma Tau, Ohio Northern
Delta Pi, Defiance
Epsilon Beta, Findlay
Zeta Theta, Wright State
Zeta Nu, Miami Ohio
Theta Mu, Case Western Reserve
Theta Upsilon, Youngstown State
Theta Chi, Toledo
Oklahoma
Alpha Zeta, Oklahoma
Delta Beta, Southwestern State
Epsilon Omicron, Oklahoma State
Missouri
Beta Beta, Washington U
Beta Nu, Culver-Stockton
Beta Omicron, Missouri Valley
Gamma Nu, Southeast Missouri State
Epsilon Xi, Missouri St. Louis
Epsilon Tau, Central Missouri State
Iota Gamma, Rockhurst
Montana
Alpha Nu, Montana
Nebraska
Rho, Nebraska Lincoln
Gamma Delta, Nebraska Omaha
Delta Gamma, Nebraska Kearney
Delta Iota, Chadron State
Nevada
Iota Epsilon, Nevada Las Vegas
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Iota Delta, Central Oklahoma
Vermont
Upsilon, Vermont
Alpha Pi, Middlebury
Oregon
Alpha Delta, Oregon State
Alpha Lambda, Oregon
Pennsylvania
Alpha Alpha, Pittsburgh
Alpha Rho, Allegheny
Alpha Phi, Pennsylvania
Beta Lambda, Penn State
Beta Chi, Gettysburg
Gamma Kappa, Susquehanna
Gamma Sigma, Thiel
Delta Eta, California U of Pennsylvania
Delta Kappa, Slippery Rock
Delta Nu, Indiana U of Pennsylvania
Epsilon Chi, Villanova
Zeta Beta, Clarion
Zeta Epsilon, Edinboro
Zeta Eta, West Chester
Zeta Kappa, Pittsburgh Johnstown
Theta Alpha, Millersville
Iota Mu, Lycoming
Virginia
Alpha Chi, Randolph-Macon
Delta Mu, Old Dominion
Zeta Psi, Virginia
Iota Alpha, George Mason
Washington
Nu, U of Washington
Alpha Sigma, Washington State
Epsilon Zeta, Eastern Washington
West Virginia
Delta, Bethany
Iota, West Virginia
Beta Sigma, West Virginia Wesleyan
Gamma Beta, Marshall
Delta Omicron, Fairmont State
Delta Phi, Charleston
Epsilon Theta, West Liberty State
Rhode Island
Beta Upsilon, Rhode Island
Wisconsin
Theta, Wisconsin Madison
Beta Psi, Carroll
Gamma Mu, Ripon
Delta Alpha, Wisconsin La Crosse
Delta Tau, Wisconsin Oshkosh
Delta Upsilon, Wisconsin Superior
Epsilon Alpha, Wisconsin Eau Claire
Theta Epsilon, Marquette
Theta Tau, Marian
Iota Lambda, St. Norbert
South Carolina
Epsilon Iota, Newberry
South Dakota
Epsilon, South Dakota
Epsilon Eta, South Dakota State
Zeta Zeta, Northern State
Tennessee
Beta Omega, Memphis State
Gamma Theta, East Tennessee State
Gamma Iota, Lambuth
Gamma Lambda, Tennessee
Gamma Chi, Tennessee Wesleyan
Zeta Pi, Lincoln Memorial
Theta Pi, Christian Brothers
Texas
Beta Alpha, Texas
Delta Psi, Texas State San Marcos
Epsilon Omega, North Texas
Zeta Lambda, Texas Wesleyan
Theta Lambda, Southwestern
Iota Eta, Texas El Paso
Utah
Beta Rho, Utah
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•
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•
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•
ALPHA XI DELTA
FOUNDATION
GIVING LEVELS
Annual Giving Levels:
Quill
Rose
Pearl
Leader
$100 or more
$250 or more
$500 or more
$1,000 or more
Cumulative Giving Levels:
Sunshine
$125 or more
Sisterhood
$250 or more
Double Blue & Gold
$500 or more
Presidents’
$1,000 or more
Founders’
$1,893 or more
Lombard
$2,500 or more
Symphony
$5,000 or more
Medallion
$10,000 or more
Diamond
$25,000 or more
Heritage
$50,000 or more
Cora Bollinger Block
$100,000 or more
Gamma Zeta Scholarship by Michigan Alpha Xi Delta Inc.
Haymaker-Hill Scholarship
Frances Trewyn Kuechenmeister Memorial Scholarship
Charline Blind Merrill Scholarship
Mary Burt Nash Scholarship
Ruth Bartlett Nemec Scholarship
Dorothy M. Nichols Scholarship
Northern Virginia Alumnae Association Scholarship
Phillips Scholarship
Jessie Pulcipher Scholarship
Mabel Gottburg Schoen Scholarship
Spaulding-Mowry Scholarship
Ethel Garnier Thompson Scholarship
Florence Stoermer Voelker Scholarship
Kathryn Faul Wallace Scholarship
Richard and Sandra Gleason Walston Scholarship
GRANTS AND AWARDS
•
•
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•
•
•
•
•
Mary Burt Brooks Nash Society:
Recognizes alumnae and friends who make a
$5,000 unrestricted commitment to the Loyalty
Fund. The commitment may be fulfilled with a
one-time gift or over six years.
The Society of 1893:
Recognizing alumnae and friends who name
Alpha Xi Delta in their estate planning.
SCHOLARSHIPS
• Alpha Epsilon Scholarship
• Alpha Xi Delta Building Corporation of
Tuscaloosa, Alabama Scholarship
• Jayne Wade Anderson Scholarship
• Arts and Letters Scholarship
• Baker-Blish Scholarship
• Carol Topping Barr Scholarship
• Janice Sheldon Baumback Scholarship
• Ruth Fowler Brown Scholarship
• Delores Wachsmann Child Scholarship
• Dr. Marianne Clausing-Lee Scholarship
• Founders’ Memorial Scholarship
• Nancy Fehrmann Gainer Scholarship
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Askey Grant
Dorothy Clarkson Dodd Panhellenic Leadership Grant
Mary Place Hadley Award
LeaderShape Institute Grant
Zelma Patchin Continuing Education Grant
Winnafred Corwin Robinson Award
Slaymaker-Kinsey Academic Achievement Award
Kathryn Faul Wallace Award
TERMINOLOGY
CORRECT TERMINOLOGY
Alumna (singular, feminine)
Alumnae (pronounced "alumnee")
(plural, feminine)
Chapter
Educational Leadership Consultant/ELC
Fraternity Headquarters (staff)
Initiate (noun), Sister, member
Initiate (verb)
Intentional single preference (ISP)
Legacy
Membership release
National Council (elected officers)
National Fraternity
New member, Sister
New Member Orientation Chair
' INCORRECT TERMINOLOGY
'Alumnus (singular, masculine)
'Alumni (the "i" is long, as in "ice.” Plural,
masculine; plural, mixed.)
'House (unless referring to an actual building)
'Chapter Consultant, CC, the National Lady
'Nationals
'Active
'Activate, sisterize
'Suicide
'Preferred rushee
'Depledge
'Nationals
'Nationals, the Central Office, Headquarters, NFH
'Pledge, neophyte
'Pledge Program Chair, New Member
Orientater, Pledge Educator, Pledge Trainer
Potential member, potential new member
Recruitment, formal recruitment
Reference
Suspension of membership
'Rushee, rush guest
'Rush, formal rush
'Recommendation
'Deactivate, de-sister, terminate
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