AACRAO is a non-profit, voluntary, professional association working to make higher education more responsive to learners. With a membership of more than 15,000 higher education professionals at approximately 2,300 institutions in more than 40 countries, collectively representing over 16.5 million enrolled students, the association provides advocacy, research, and policy-based guidance and training to higher education professionals to smooth the path for learners at every stage of their journey.

Typography


Lusitana: Used for headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.)

Rationale: Lusitana is chosen for headings due to its classic and authoritative serif design, which aligns with AACRAO's rich history and the formal nature of higher education. Its clear, readable forms convey a sense of stability and trustworthiness.

 


 

Open Sans: Used for Paragraph Text

Rationale: Open Sans is a modern, sans-serif typeface that ensures high readability and a clean appearance. Its neutral, humanist design supports AACRAO's commitment to clear communication while maintaining a contemporary look.

 

Voice and Style


Voice and Tone

Voice: AACRAO communicates with the active voice, ensuring clarity and directness. This approach enhances engagement and makes our content more dynamic and authoritative.

Tone: The tone should convey the weight of academic authority appropriate for an association with over 100 years of experience. We aim for a voice that is knowledgeable, respectful, and confident, reflecting AACRAO’s longstanding commitment to advancing higher education.

Punctuation and Style

Exclamation Points: To maintain a professional and authoritative tone, we avoid using exclamation points. Our communications should convey assertiveness and authority through carefully chosen language rather than punctuation.

Ordinal Indicators: We do not use ordinal indicators (e.g., August 1st, 2nd, 3rd) when writing dates.

Color


Primary
Hex
 #007dba
 #509e2f
Secondary
Hex
 #003087
 #4a773c
 #f7f7f7
 #8d8d8d
 #313640
 #5e366e
 #f0b323
 #a6192e