Academic calendar
Summer 2026 runs Jun 1, 2026 – Aug 14, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer 2026 Term A
- Summer 2026 First Session
- Summer 2026Relevant now
- Summer 2026 Term B
- Summer 2026 Second Session
- Fall 2026
- Fall 2026 Term A
- Fall 2026 Term B
- Spring 2027 Term A
- Spring 2027 Term B
Campus language
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Showing 83 of 83 terms
4
- 420 friendly
- A common student descriptor for East Campus housing, noted for its more relaxed, residential atmosphere compared to the main campus.
A
- AS
- Associated Students, the student government body at CSUMB.
- ASI
- Associated Students, Inc., the student government body representing the student voice on campus.
B
- Baby Otter
- A term used for incoming freshmen or first-year students.
- BBC
- The Black Box Cabaret, a student-run venue that hosts events and offers food options.
C
- CAT
- Cinematic Arts & Technology, the department and student group focused on film and media production.
- CL
- Community Leader, the CSUMB-specific title for a Resident Assistant (RA).
- CLC
- The Cooperative Learning Center, which provides tutoring and academic support.
D
- DC
- The Dining Commons, the primary buffet-style dining hall on campus.
- Dining Dollars
- The flexible spending currency included in student meal plans for use at retail dining locations.
E
- East Campus
- Frederick Park, the off-site student housing community located about two miles from the main campus.
- EOP
- Educational Opportunity Program, which provides academic and financial support to first-generation and low-income students.
F
- Fort Ord
- The former U.S. Army post upon which the CSUMB campus was built.
- Frederick Park
- The formal name for the housing area commonly referred to as East Campus.
- Freshman dorms
- The eight residence halls (Asilomar, Avocet, Cypress, Manzanita, Sanderling, Tortuga, Willet, and Yarrow) located in the central campus area for first-year students.
G
- Gavilan
- Gavilan Hall, a specific residence hall that was recently reopened for student housing.
I
- ICC
- Inter-Club Council, the governing body that manages and supports all student-led clubs.
L
- Laundry Room
- A small, non-habitable extra room in East Campus apartments that students frequently use as a makeshift private bedroom.
- Library Cafe
- The coffee shop (Peet's Coffee) located on the ground floor of the Tanimura & Antle Library.
M
- Main
- Refers to the central campus area, used to distinguish it from the East Campus housing area.
- Main Campus
- The central part of the university where most academic buildings and freshman dorms are located.
- Main Campus
- The primary residential area housing freshmen and sophomores near the library.
- Main Campus Housing
- The traditional residence halls located in the central campus area, such as Yarrow and Manzanita.
- Main Quad
- The central grassy area and hub of the main campus surrounded by academic buildings.
- Marine Layer
- The thick fog that frequently rolls in from the Monterey Bay, cooling the campus.
- MGC
- Multicultural Greek Council, representing culturally-based fraternities and sororities.
- Monte
- The nickname for the university's mascot, Monte Rey the sea otter.
- Monte's
- A sit-down restaurant and bar located within the Dining Commons building.
- MyRaft
- The digital platform used by students to join clubs, find events, and track campus involvement.
N
- NASU
- Native American Students United, a student organization focused on indigenous culture and community.
- North Quad
- The residential area consisting of Pinnacles and Vineyard suites.
- Northridge
- A common name for the Northridge Suites, which typically house first-year students.
O
- OC3
- Otter Cross Cultural Center, a space focused on social justice and diversity programming.
- OE
- The Otter Express, a quick-service food court featuring various eateries like the Raft House Grill.
- OSU
- The Otter Student Union, which houses dining options including Starbucks and the Ramen Bar.
- OSU
- Otter Student Union, the organization and building dedicated to student life and events.
- OSU Dining
- The food court area located within the Otter Student Union, featuring options like Burger 831 and Sono.
- Otter
- The official mascot and the common term used to refer to any CSUMB student.
- Otter Days
- The multi-week series of welcome events and activities held at the start of the fall semester.
- Otter Express
- A popular on-campus dining location offering quick-service meals and snacks.
- Otter Kitchens
- The collective name for the university's dining services and meal programs.
- Otter Promise
- A specific financial aid and support program for local students.
- Otter Thursday
- A weekly tradition where students and staff wear school colors (blue and gold) or CSUMB gear.
- Otters
- The collective name for CSUMB students and the university's athletic teams.
P
- Prom
- The Promontory, a popular apartment complex for upper-division students located near the campus entrance.
- Promontory
- Apartment-style housing for upperclassmen located on the main campus near the stadium.
R
- Raft House
- The Raft House Grill, a popular food station located inside the Otter Express.
- Raft Up
- A campus phrase meaning to build community or connect with others, inspired by how sea otters hold hands in groups.
- RHA
- Residence Hall Association, the organization representing the interests of students living in campus housing.
- ROC
- Recreation Outreach Center, providing outdoor equipment rentals and trips.
S
- SCC
- Sports Club Council, the organization overseeing student-led competitive and recreational sports teams.
- SDAC
- Student Disability and Accessibility Center, which provides accommodations and support services.
- SDC
- Student Disability Center, which provides accommodations and support for students with disabilities.
- SDRC
- Student Disability Resources Center, which manages accommodations and accessibility services.
- Sea Store
- The on-campus convenience store located in the Otter Student Union for snacks and grab-and-go items.
- SHRL
- Student Housing and Residential Life, the department managing on-campus living and community standards.
- South Quad
- The area containing traditional residence halls primarily for freshmen, including Asilomar, Willet, and Yosemite.
- SRC
- Student Recreation Center, the campus gym and fitness hub.
- Strawberry
- The Strawberry Apartments, typically used for student-family or upper-division housing.
T
- The DC
- The Dining Commons, the primary all-you-care-to-eat facility on campus.
- The Dunes
- Refers to the nearby shopping center in Marina or the actual coastal dunes adjacent to campus.
- The Eatery
- The official brand name for the Dining Commons after its renovation and management change to Otter Kitchens.
- The Fog
- The pervasive marine layer that frequently covers the campus, often used to describe the local weather vibe.
- The Fort
- A reference to Fort Ord, the former U.S. Army post on which the campus was built.
- The Grids
- The street layout of the former military base surrounding the campus.
- The Hub
- The dining area located within the University Student Union.
- The Junction
- A convenience store and eatery located in the North Quad residential area.
- The Library Cafe
- The Peet's Coffee location situated inside the Tanimura & Antle Memorial Library.
- The Lutrinae
- The official student-run newspaper (formerly known as the Otter Realm).
- The MB
- Short for Monterey Bay, referring to the surrounding region and coastal area.
- The OE
- Otter Express, a retail food court offering quick-service options like burgers and sushi.
- The Ord
- A reference to Fort Ord, the decommissioned U.S. Army post where the campus is located.
- The OSU
- The Otter Student Union, which houses several dining locations including a ramen bar and a burrito station.
- The Plunge
- A campus tradition where students jump into the Monterey Bay to celebrate the start of the year.
- The Prom
- The Promontory, an apartment-style housing complex for upper-division students.
- The Promontory
- An apartment-style housing complex for upper-division students located near the campus entrance.
- The Raft
- A term for the student community, also referring to the 'MyRaft' digital engagement platform.
- The Res
- The Fort Ord National Monument, a large area of trails and nature adjacent to campus used for recreation.
- The Res Halls
- The traditional freshman dormitories including Cypress, Asilomar, Willet, and Yarrow.
- The Suites
- The Pinnacles and Vineyard residential suites, typically housing sophomore students.
U
- USFC
- United Sorority and Fraternity Council, the governing body for Greek life organizations on campus.
- USU
- University Student Union, the central hub for student organizations and events.
V
- VPA
- Visual and Public Art, referring to both the department and the specific cluster of buildings (70-73).
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- BIT
- The Business and Information Technology building.
- Building 47
- The Student Services building, which houses Admissions, Financial Aid, and the Registrar.
- CAHSS
- The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences building.
- Chapman
- The Chapman Science Academic Center (Building 53).
- CSAC
- The Chapman Science Academic Center, housing science labs and classrooms.
- Dashboard
- The single sign-on portal used to access Canvas, OASIS, and student email.
- iLearn
- The campus learning management system (Canvas) where course materials are hosted.
- Late Night Otter Rides
- A partnership with Lyft that provides discounted or free rides for students when campus shuttles are not running.
- LIFTANGO
- The mobile app used by students to track the real-time location of 'The Wave' campus shuttle.
- MST
- Monterey-Salinas Transit, the regional bus system which students can ride for free with their ID.
- MyRaft
- The primary online portal for students to join clubs, find campus events, and track involvement.
- Night Walk
- A 24/7 safety escort service provided by Community Service Officers or University Police for students walking on campus.
- Oasis
- The online student information system used for class registration, financial aid, and grades.
- OSC
- The Otter Sports Center, the campus gym and athletic facility.
- OSU
- The Otter Student Union building, the central hub for student life and services.
- Otter Access
- The university's textbook program that provides digital course materials to students for a flat per-semester fee.
- Otter Card
- The official multi-purpose student ID card used for meals, building access, and library services.
- Otter Days
- The series of welcome events and orientation activities held at the beginning of the fall semester.
- Otter Trolley
- The campus shuttle service that transports students between Main Campus and East Campus.
- otter_express
- Otter Express
- OtterCard
- The official campus ID card used for building access, meal swipes, and as a free pass for local transit.
- OtterID
- The unique username (typically four letters and four numbers) used to log into all university digital services.
- Permission Numbers
- Specific codes provided by instructors that allow students to bypass registration restrictions or add full classes.
- starbucks
- Starbucks
- T&A
- The Tanimura & Antle Memorial Library, the main campus library.
- The BIT
- The Business and Information Technology building, housing the College of Business and computer labs.
- The Black Box
- The Black Box Cabaret (Building 81), a student-run performance and event venue.
- The Hub
- The Student Services Center (Building 47) where students handle registration, financial aid, and payments.
- The Kelp Bed
- The gymnasium located inside the Otter Sports Center, named for the natural habitat of sea otters.
- The Library
- The Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library, the primary academic resource center on campus.
- The OSU
- The Otter Student Union building, the central facility for student organizations and lounging.
- The Otter Student Union
- The main student union building, often abbreviated as OSU.
- The T&A
- Common student shorthand for the Tanimura & Antle Memorial Library.
- The UC
- The University Center, a multi-use building used for events and administrative services.
- The VPA
- The Visual and Public Art buildings/complex.
- The Wave
- The campus shuttle service that transports students between East Campus and Main Campus.
- the_eatery_dining_commons
- The Eatery (Dining Commons)
- VPA
- The Visual and Public Art buildings, often referring to the complex of studios and classrooms.
- WLC
- The World Languages and Cultures building (Buildings 48 and 49).
- World Languages
- The World Languages and Cultures building (Building 49).
- World Theater
- The primary performing arts venue on campus, a converted military theater.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Summer 2026 runs Jun 1, 2026 – Aug 14, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 83 approved campus terms and 41 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.