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For the University of Maryland, College Park,
and everyone who writes about us, the name game has often been a source of confusion and frustration. In the wake of numerous restructuring episodes throughout the history of higher education in Maryland, we have experienced a profusion of prepositions, hyphenations and abbreviations. Compounding the officially induced confusion is the colloquial creativity of media and other organizations. Many have substituted our location for our name, sometimes even on first reference, and the abbreviations seen in print are as varied as the editors who create them.

So What is an Editor to Do?
This handy guide is the tool you need. Designed especially for editors, reporters and others in the media, it will help eliminate confusion about our name and also provide easy access to the university's newly adopted graphic symbols. We hope you'll adopt the style we prefer for second-reference usages and abbreviations in headlines and other applications with severe space constraints.

The Name to Remember: University of Maryland
In 1997, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation allowing the state's flagship university in College Park to be known simply as the University of Maryland. This action recognizes the historical roots of the institution and formalizes what most people have called us for years. As the only university in Maryland with a mission to serve the needs of the entire state, the University of Maryland is well known by residents from the western panhandle to the Eastern Shore. Our global reach in research and teaching has carried the University of Maryland name around the world.

The Long and Short of It

Formal Name: University of Maryland, College Park

Appropriate 1st Reference: University of Maryland

Preferred 2nd Reference: Maryland or the university or Terrapins or Terps in athletic references

Abbreviation: If it must be abbreviated for space considerations, UMD would be appropriate. Prohibited: UMCP, U of M and College Park. The university's name should not be abbreviated in article text.

Location: College Park is our location. Its use as a name for the institution should be avoided. This colloquial reference is not readily recognized by audiences beyond the Baltimore–Washington metro area.

What About All Those Other "University of Maryland" Institutions?
The University System of Maryland (the new name established by the 1997 legislation) includes 13 public institutions across the state. Only the institution in Baltimore that houses the professional schools is also authorized to refer to itself as the University of Maryland. This acknowledges the historical link between the Baltimore and College Park institutions. Confusion is minimal because the University of Maryland, Baltimore, primarily offers professional programs - medicine, law, dentistry, nursing, social work and pharmacy. These are not available at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Note: The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) is a separate institution located next to the University of Maryland campus. UMUC is not affiliated with UMD. It is part of the University System of Maryland.

Graphic Elements
As part of our effort to expand recognition of the University of Maryland as the state's flagship university with a global reach in research and teaching, a formal graphic identity program has been established.

University Identity
The primary elements of this identity are a graphic symbol or logo that is reflective of the state flag, and a simple, dignified wordmark. Combined, they have become the signature mark for the university and can be used freely when a graphic representation is needed.

Signature Mark The signature mark for the university

Secondary Mark Another option for square or vertical spaces

Informal Seal In small spaces or when an emblem would be more appropriate, the following seal may be used

Athletic Identity
The Terrapin, a species indigenous to Maryland, is the university's mascot. The Terrapin logo and wordmark are complementary to the university's identity program. They should be used when referring to the athletic department or any varsity team.

When referring to the athletic department or any varsity team, the athletic identity should be used.

These elements are available in downloadable formats on our Web site: http://www.trademarks.umd.edu/. We can also provide electronic versions on disk, customized in a form compatible with your computer system. Additional assistance in use of these graphic elements is available from the University Publications Office at 301.405.4615.

In Conclusion
For any organization, achieving recognition and respect for its name and identity is a goal of paramount importance. As the University of Maryland moves to establish its position among the nation's top public research universities, the gravity of this issue has become acutely apparent. We hope that this guide will help you and other media organizations achieve greater consistency when reporting about the University of Maryland, and ultimately reduce public confusion. At the very least, we hope this guide will help lessen editors' and reporters' frustrations in the daily quest "to get the name right."

A version of this guide is available in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. A free Acrobat reader is avaliable from www.adobe.com. Click this link to download the guide (440KB).

For a printed version of this guide along with a handy reference card, please contact the Office of University Communications at 301.405.4621.

Information provided by the Office of University Communications
Email University Communications at emailum@umd.edu