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Donor Recognition

The information outlined in this section will provide the underlying strategies and design specifications for donor recognition for a wide variety of facilities at South Dakota State University. The standards noted below have been created to provide flexibility to address the needs and complexities of the greater campus community, provide a high degree of consistency and maintain the overall campus visual climate. The standards and information noted below will address:

  • Graphic and Style Standards
  • Signage Materials
  • Signage Locations
  • Complex facilities and organizations such as entire buildings, colleges or other organizations
  • Small facilities such as rooms, laboratories, atriums, etc.
  • Outdoor facilities such as fields, parks, courts, etc.

All permanent signage proposals must be approved by the South Dakota State University Foundation for compliance with the standards noted below.

Graphic and Style Standards

Graphic standards for all building signage and naming must adhere to university graphic standards.

Fonts

Minion, Times New Roman or Helvetica Neue is required on all exterior or interior signage. Great care should be exercised when designing and producing signage for the university. Fonts and typesetting should be appropriate to the campus environment, the architectural integrity of the facility, the location of the signage and the available lighting for the signage location. Font size and spacing should be appropriate to the specific location and viewing distance of the signage.

Editorial Style

Consistent use of the university's editorial style for all recognition materials is critical in providing a clear and consistent message to the university's various audiences.

All caps and italicized type should be used sparingly and with discretion. Messages in all caps or italics are difficult to read. Sentences should be written in regular sentence case. South Dakota State University must be spelled out on its first reference, but may be abbreviated to SDSU thereafter. Avoid using the ampersand. Fully spell out proper names. Abbreviations should be avoided.

Language - General

All language on donor recognition signage must be approved by the South Dakota State University Foundation. To ensure consistency, signs recognizing benefactor(s) should utilize the following phrase:
"This facility/room/space was made possible by a generous contribution from (donor name)."

Corporate Logos

Individual benefactor(s) names will be spelled out using Minion, Times New Roman or Helvetica Neue typeset text when included in any message. Corporate logos should always be paired with approved recognition language describing the donated facility. Corporate logos may be displayed in black, white, or corporate color schemes. The South Dakota State University Foundation will determine best use based on the facility and placement. When the benefactor(s) requests the use of a back lit display, consideration may be given only to outdoor applications. Back lit signage is not permissible indoors. Approval must be granted or denied by the Office of the President.

Material and Colors

Various colors of materials may be used. When appropriate, consideration may be given to the primary university colors. Materials for signage will be determined based on the colors and materials within the building in order to compliment the space.