Core Standards for Communications

Organizational Identification Policy and Standards
WVU Communications Toolbox
Publications Standards
Design, Appearance, and Visual Standards
Logotype
Official stationery
Web Standards
Video and Multimedia Standards

Standards Quick Links

The West Virginia University Extension Service recognizes the importance of an effective, professional media presence in all materials, from local newsletters to the World Wide Web. The Extension Service seeks to enhance the recognition of WVU as one of the state’s most valuable resources.

Standards offer consistency, allowing readers or viewers to concentrate on the message's contents without being distracted by unusual formats or inaccurate variations. Standards also help to build a long-lasting image of the WVU Extension Service that resonates from message to message regardless of the medium used. Communications that meet high standards serve to combat negative stereotypes others may have of our state.

WVU Extension Service personnel help to communicate the values of quality and success, two overriding goals at West Virginia University. Valuing diversity is especially important in the day-to-day work of Extension personnel.

Carrying out the WVU Social Justice mission is an essential part of your role when communicating, whether it be in a one-on-one situation or more broadly through a particular medium. Members of the academic community are expected to demonstrate mutual respect, understanding and appreciation for all persons; to express that perspective in every dimension of the institution's life and mission; and to work collaboratively, representing not only the interests of their own groups and viewpoints, but also those of the wider community.

The following standards are intended to help all Extension faculty and staff achieve a higher level of effectiveness in their role as communicators. They apply to all communications materials produced for external audiences.

Organizational Identification Policy and Standards

Everything an organization does creates an impression and perception of its value. It is essential that the Extension Service communicates with a clear and consistent identity. The regular use of WVU-ES identifiers (name, logo, and slogan) enhances organizational recognition. Therefore, appropriate identifiers must be included on all program materials and commercial products* that represent Extension.

Recognizing that WVU-ES is commonly known for its individual programs (4-H, CEOS, community development), and because WVU-ES is a cooperatively funded organization and partners with other organizations and agencies, these entities may need to be appropriately recognized. However, the parent organization (WVU Extension) must always be referenced in some manner.

The director of Extension communications will review and approve the use of WVU-ES identification.

*The use of a commercial product to support Extension programs will be in compliance with the WVU licensed trademark policy. It stipulates that the use of WVU Marks of Distinction (flying WV, the Mountaineer, the seal, the words West Virginia University, the letters WVU, the words West Virginia Mountaineers, the word(s) (the) Mountaineer(s), and any combination of the above) must be officially authorized by West Virginia University. Any commercial use of WVU logos without the expressed, written approval of WVU is strictly prohibited. Revenues from the logos' royalties support the WVU Scholars Program.

All communications materials produced by the WVU Extension Service will be consistent with these guidelines, which specify correct wording for the organizational name, appropriate use of the WVU logo, and other essential elements to communicating professionally. When appropriate, Extension communications materials should include the Extension Service mission statement which follows:

WVU Extension Service educators and volunteers build and help sustain collaborations and partnerships with people and organizations in West Virginia to improve their lives and communities.
Our programs and services strengthen leaders of all ages, youth, and families. We develop and teach best practices for sustainable agriculture, for responsible use of renewable resources, and for stewardship of natural resources. We work to improve our state’s communities, workforce, and economy.

West Virginia University is an equal opportunity affirmative action institution. All printed materials must include the appropriate affirmative action statement and the year of publication. The current statement being used is:

Programs and activities offered by the West Virginia University Extension Service are available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, political beliefs, sexual orientation, national origin, and marital or family status.

The abbreviated Affirmative Action statement on the entry page of the Extension Service Web site satisfies that requirement; it is not required to appear on every Web page.

For materials prepared with federal Cooperative Extension monies, the following (legally required on any material mailed as official business) needs to be included:

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Director, Cooperative Extension Service, West Virginia University.

For significant publications intended for an off-campus audience, the following governance statement should be included:

West Virginia University is governed by the the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the WVU Board of Governors.

You may want to include the Extension slogan in some publications. The slogan is Helping you put knowledge to work.

Every staff member has many opportunities to explain our organization to a person unacquainted with it. This 33-word simplified description may help:

The West Virginia University Extension Service is a statewide educational organization, funded by national and state governments and by county commissions and boards of education, that helps West Virginians put research-based knowledge to work.

West Virginia University has developed the WVU Communications Toolbox (WVU standards manual), which encompasses style, appearance, and illustration and visual standards. As an integral part of WVU, the Extension Service will use and adhere to the WVU Communications Toolbox. We have not spelled out here many things explained in detail in the Toolbox; for example, the proper use of the WVU logo or tips on how to use names of WVU campuses and professor titles. The following key standards and others appear in the Toolbox:

The title of our organization is the West Virginia University Extension Service, which should be used on first reference. Acceptable wording for successive references include: WVU Extension Service, WVU Extension, or Extension. In all such references, Extension should be capitalized since it refers to a proper noun. For the same reason, Extension should be capitalized in faculty titles, such as Extension agent or Extension specialist. When the title is used before the name (e.g., Extension Agent Mark Brown), both words should be capitalized. When used as an appositive phrase (e.g., Karen Conners, Extension agent, organized the exhibit), Extension should be capitalized and the specific position should be lowercase. In short, Extension should always be capitalized when referring to the WVU Extension Service, but not capitalized when referring to non-WVU programs or to the general concept of extension service.
When referring to a specific county office of the WVU Extension Service, the correct wording is: West Virginia University Extension Service, _________ County. Examples of terms that are not correct and therefore should not appear in our communications materials include: the county agent, the Lincoln County agent, Preston County Cooperative Extension, the 4-H agent, the 4-H office, Agricultural Extension, ag agent, etc.

Examples of use:

*Telephone directory entries should read: West Virginia University Extension Service

*County telephones should be answered: This is the West Virginia University ______ County Extension Office.

Publications Standards

The term publications is used broadly here to include traditional print materials, such as newsletters, fact sheets, news releases, and booklets, as well as electronic publications, such as documents stored on CD-ROM.

All publications produced by the WVU Extension Service will reflect a planning process which includes the educational objectives developed within the three program centers or communications objectives developed with input from the program centers and the Extension Image Council. These materials will be identified, planned, scheduled, and produced according to the new Materials Production System adopted to help prioritize projects. Reflecting the client-centered emphasis of the Extension mission, publications will continue to play an important role in providing educational information and facilitating program access for certain targeted audiences.

Audience identification is a key step in the publication planning and development process. Text and illustrations should be developed to reach the target audiences, and authors and designers need to consider the reading ability and educational level of their intended audiences. The objective is not to write up or down, but to write to that audience.

Similarly, authors should avoid jargon or terminology that presupposes the audience has a certain level of familiarity with the subject unless the publication is intended only for a specific professional or occupational group. Words that are unfamiliar to a more general audience should be defined or explained as they are introduced.

Publications that are based on those produced at other land-grant institutions or U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies should include a statement crediting the original authors. Copyrighted materials may not be reproduced without the written consent of the copyright holders. WVU Extension authors who wish to incorporate copyrighted material into their publication are responsible for securing that consent.

As noted, the WVU Communications Toolbox will be the official reference for style issues. For situations not specifically addressed in the Toolbox, the Chicago Manual of Style will be followed for general publications, including electronic publications, and the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual for media releases. Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary is the preferred reference source for spelling. In instances where certain stylistic conventions are followed by a recognized professional group, those conventions will be honored when that group is the audience for the publication.

Design, Appearance, and Visual Standards

Extension communications materials should feature the WVU Extension Service logotype (the commonly known "flying WV" and WVU Extension Service signature line) to properly identify the material as a product of WVU faculty and staff. The logotype should be a stand-alone element with an invisible area surrounding it (about 1/8 inch) in which no other element or text should invade. It should always be printed or used in the official WVU colors of blue (PMS 286) and gold (PMS 124), or black. The only exception is if a publication is printed entirely in one non-standard color. For example, the logotype can be printed in green if the entire publication is printed with green ink. Note that the PMS numbers pertain to colors used in print. (The colors would have to be modified for signage, the Web, video or CD-ROM to match the print equivalent as closely as possible.) All colors should be printed 100% density, unscreened.

The WVU Extension logotype, in a format compatible for use in Word, are available for downloading here.
(Right click on your mouse; select "Save Link As." See more download instructions for information about resizing logotype proportionally.)

Blue logotype
Black logotype
Blue & gold logotype

Program logotypes

Any modification of the WVU Extension Service logotype is unacceptable. It can be resized but must be done to retain its current proportion. Although discouraged, the WVU Extension Service logotype may be used in combination with other program logos, such as the 4-H clover, when appropriate. However, to reduce the appearance of dueling logos, one should have greater prominence, with the other professionally integrated into the piece.

West Virginia University has selected a stylized Goudy typeface as the official university typeface in its logotype. Extension materials should adhere to the WVU Communications Toolbox in the proper use of this typeface for this identifier. The product's text and headline type will vary, based on the project's design, audience, and objectives.

Professionally designed templates will be developed to help Extension county offices and other units produce attractive, functional newsletters and other materials. These templates should be used whenever feasible. However, when the need exists to create a piece that does not have a template, units should follow basic WVU design standards as closely as possible to maintain consistency and quality.

Templates also will be created to assist in the preparation of overhead transparencies, slides, and presentation materials used in Extension. PowerPoint® presentation software also has some templates that can be modified to suit the specific purpose of the presentation.

Official Stationery

The University has incorporated many items as a part of its official stationery program (see p. 30 of the WVU Communications Toolbox for the full set of standards regarding these), including business cards, letterheads, envelopes, and mailing labels. Because the layout of the letterhead is new, please see the example (PDF, 1 p, 18K) showing a sample letter with instructions on how to position the typing on the paper. The shaded box represents the area in which your information should be typed; the margin instructions appear in red. Remember that no other logos can be put on the letterhead. Please refer to the University guidelines for more detail about the official stationery program.

Web Standards

Extension information disseminated via the Internet must undergo the same careful preparation and scrutiny given to materials produced for other media. While some information, such as calendars and dated information (immediate release), may not need to be reviewed by Extension editors before posting, substantive materials must be reviewed. Little or no editing is required for posting materials to the Extension Service Intranet.

In design, WVU-ES Internet and Intranet pages should have a consistent look and feel and follow the WVU Web design standards. This tells visitors that they are within the same site as they move from page to page. Basic page elements should follow the example of Internet and Intranet pages created by the Office of Communications and Technology:

Pages should have a white background.
The document text header for each page should be H1, flush left. However, a smaller header size can be used to accommodate long text headings.
Pages should have an active “mail to” link for the person(s) responsible for page content. Pages with substantive program content should be reviewed annually by the responsible party. Each page should have a current “date last reviewed” designation placed in the lower left corner above the footers.
Standard WVU-ES graphics should be used as demonstrated in the /~exten and /intranet domains. Each Extension Service Web page should contain the WVU-ES graphical header (flush left), the WVU-ES graphical subheaders (flush left), and the WVU-ES footers. All of these elements were professionally designed by OCT and should not be altered in any way, including color, size, or positioning on the page. These elements also were not designed to have other graphics or elements placed above them or next to them. Authors wishing to add other elements near or within these graphics should work with OCT designers, who can help them achieve their objectives without impairing the pages’ consistency and quality.

When a WVU Extension Service header is used on a Web document, that document must be housed on the Extension Service servers. This is important to maintain accuracy of information and consistency with our quality standards; it also eliminates erroneous impressions created over WVU Extension materials posted within another URL. In cases where two or more program logos would create confusion in the page design, consideration should be given to dropping one of the logos or headers and giving credit to the joint program effort in the text.

Appropriate, concise disclaimers or links to disclaimers should be used for such matters as trade/brand name recommendations and for pages with extensive links to non-WVU-ES sites. When WVU Extension material or logos are used on other Web sites, a request should be made to have a link back to the WVU Extension Service Web site.

All WVU Extension Web sites and their contents should comply with the WVU World Wide Web Policy. The policy covers copyright and trademark responsibilities, official and unofficial pages, appropriate use and/or links, computer and network excessive usage, alias domain names, ADA accessibility to Web pages, and more. All Web document developers should become familiar with this document.

Video and Multimedia Standards

The WVU Extension Service complies with video standards prescribed by the Federal Communications Commission. Currently, we adhere to the NTSC video standard; in the future, we will adhere to CCIR601 or other digital video standard(s).

Only original material produced through the Office of Communications and Technology will be copyrighted or presented with the WVU Extension Service as author. Similarly, all material produced by OCT will be copyrighted by WVU-ES. OCT will not accept material acquired on nonprofessional videotape formats (e.g., VHS or 8 mm) for use in Extension productions.

When using University or University-affiliated logo materials in television or multimedia productions, OCT will refer to the WVU Communications Toolbox for guidelines on the use of these logos.

Video programs will be produced in support of the organization’s mission. Decisions on programs to be produced will be guided by priorities set by the program centers and central administration.

Programs produced by WVU-ES are to be educational in nature. WVU-ES will not produce any material that is obscene, libelous, or in violation of copyright law. WVU-ES will not produce programs that carry an overt, partisan political message.

WVU-ES has the capacity to duplicate VHS videotapes and to project video for presentation. The Extension Service will duplicate and/or present only videotaped material that is related to the organizational mission. WVU-ES will not duplicate and/or present material that is copyrighted by another organization without permission. This permission must be in writing for mass (more than one) duplication or large presentations. (Copyright law permits the making of one copy for “educational review.”)

WVU-ES will make duplications of its own productions as appropriate; these duplications also are copyrighted by WVU. Duplication of non-WVU-ES produced tapes will occur only after those requesting the dub have signed a waiver indicating that they understand their responsibility under copyright compliance.

Some final thoughts on standards . . .

Now that you’ve looked over this document, remember that standards evolve. Every situation cannot be addressed, and this is not an attempt to do that. Extension communicators count on faculty and staff throughout the organization to contact us for guidelines.

None of us communicates in a vacuum. Every time we communicate in our jobs, it is in the name of West Virginia University. And, every message we create gives us an opportunity to present the University and the Extension Service in a meaningful, positive manner that consistently reinforces our image.

Developed by the WVU Extension Service Communications Standards Committee:

Original members:
Grace Truman, former Extension Specialist, Communications (chairperson)
Tony Cook, University Editor
Terrah Kelso, Graphic Designer
Susan Sauter, Web Developer
Pat Sergent, former Producer/Director, Radio-TV

Submitted by Susan Sauter and Denny Godfrey for the Communications Standards Committee.

Last modified September 18, 2003
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