Acronyms
1. In general, avoid alphabet soup. Do not use abbreviations or acronyms which the reader would not recognize. Acronyms should be used only in second and subsequent references. On first use in a story, use the full name of the organization, followed by parentheses containing the abbreviation you intend to use thereafter.
First reference:
ie. Perryville Higher Education Center (PHEC)
Second reference:
ie. The PHEC will hold its fund-raising dinner Sept. 30 in Perryville, Mo.
Commonly used University acronyms:
ACE NETᾰAmerican Council on Education
AFROTCᾰAir Force ROTCCAC-Cultural Arts Center
CAC-Cultural Arts Center
CBECᾰHarold L. Crisp Bootheel Education Center
CEUᾰContinuing Education Unit
CIE-Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
CSTLᾰCenter for Scholarship in Teaching and Learning
CPAᾰCertified Public Accountant
CPSᾰCertified Professional Secretary
CTSᾰClerical Technical Service Employee Staff Council
CBHEᾰCoordinating Board for Higher Education
DICEᾰDollars for Innovative Campus Events
DPSᾰDepartment of Public Safety
FFRᾰFunding For Results
IFCᾰInterfraternity Council
ITVᾰInstructional Television
MBAᾰMaster of Business Administration
MSWᾰMaster of Social Work
MAPᾰMissouri Assessment Program
MISᾰManagement Information Systems
MMTFᾰMulti-Modal Transfer Facilty
MOBIUSᾰMissouri Bibliographic Information User System
NAC-National Alumni Council
NPCᾰNational Panhellenic Council
NPHCᾰNational Pan-Hellenic Council
OVCᾰOhio Valley Conference
PHECᾰPerryville Higher Education Center
RPDCᾰRegional Professional Development Center
RHAᾰResidence Hall Association
SAAᾰStudent Alumni Association
SACᾰStudent Activities Council
SAPEᾰSubstance Abuse Prevention and Education
SBTDC-Small Business & Technology Development Center
SGAᾰStudent Government Association
SEKᾰSoutheast Missouri State University - Kennett
SEMᾰSoutheast Missouri State University - Malden
SESᾰSoutheast Missouri State University - Sikeston
TRIOᾰTRIO Programs
UCᾰUniversity Center
**Note that SEMO is unacceptable in all forms except in references to Southeast athletic teams.
2. Omit periods in most acronyms of three letters or more, unless the result spells an unrelated word. Use periods for abbreviations of two letters. (ie. CIA, FBI, U.S.)