University Names
It’s important that we pay attention to how we refer to ourselves in our communications. Our audiences take their cue from us, and they’ll get a better sense of who we are if we use consistent language. By repeating one or two versions of our name, rather than many, we help build up brand familiarity and recall with a broad audience over time.
Here are a few guidelines to make sure we all stay on the same page:
| Name | Proper Usage |
|---|---|
California Lutheran University |
First mention In digital communications, if the content directly follows a university logo, such as on a page of the university website or in an email with a department or office logo lockup as the header, then the first mention may be skipped. |
Cal Lutheran |
Second mention and beyond For each additional mention, Cal Lutheran is the best way to abbreviate our name. Just remember that we never add “University” to the end. Cal Lutheran is correct; Cal Lutheran University is not. |
CLU |
Rarely, with familiar audiences The exception to this rule is where characters are limited (e.g., social media account names), but try to use Cal Lutheran whenever possible. |
Cal Lu |
Casual situations, with familiar audiences Cal Lu is a friendly nickname we use sparingly and only with familiar audiences like students and alumni. Avoid using Cal Lu unless the reference adds specific meaning or context to the communication. |
DO NOT USE |
Avoid using these variations of our name:
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