Inclusive terms
Avoid terms and language that are sexist, agist, culturally insensitive, or biased in other ways. Substitute with more open terms.
freshman studentsfirst-year students
young, talented mindstalented minds
chairmanchair
chairperson
hostesshost [for any gender]
actressactor [for any gender]
When using cultural references and examples, feature diversity of all kinds as much as possible.
Alumni terms
Alumni: plural gender-inclusive
Alumnae: plural feminine
Alumnus: singular masculine
Alumna: singular feminine
“Alum” can be used for the gender-neutral singular for informal or internal settings. For gender-neutral singular cases in official university communications, adjust the sentence in question to avoid using “alumnus/alumna” or “alum."
Replace “You are a Cornell alum” with “You are a Cornell graduate” or “You are a Cornellian”
Replace “We’ll choose one alumnus” with “We’ll choose one Cornellian” or “We’ll choose one of our alumni”
If someone has given a clear indication of their personal preference, use that when referring to them.
Personal pronouns
In most cases, use “he or she” for third-person, singular personal pronouns. If this proves cumbersome, turn your antecedent noun (i.e., what the pronoun is a substitute for) into the plural form and then subsequently use “they.”
A studentStudents can explorehis or hertheir intellectual interests at Cornell.He or she hasThey have great flexibility in choosing majors and minors.
However, if the individual prefers it, “they” may be used to refer to that individual in the third person. This applies even to formal writing. Other gender-neutral personal pronouns (along with guidelines for their use) are listed in Cornell’s LGBT Resource Center's web page.
To capitalize or not to capitalize “black”
When referring to the cultural or ethnic group (particularly connected with the African Diaspora), capitalize “Black."
Consult with your stakeholders, decide wisely, and be consistent within your piece.