Academic calendar
Summer 2026 runs Jun 5, 2026 – Aug 1, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer 2026Relevant now
Campus language
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Showing 75 of 75 terms
A
- AARO
- The Academic Advising and Registration Office, where students meet with advisors for course planning.
- ACB
- The Art Centre Building, the primary residence hall located on the Ford Campus.
- ACB Cafe
- The main dining facility located within the Art Centre Building on the Ford Campus.
- AICAD
- Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design, often referenced regarding the student exchange program.
- AIGA
- The student chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts, a professional association for design.
- Arts and Crafts Café
- The dining location situated on the 1st floor of the Kresge-Ford Building on the Ford Campus.
- AVC
- The Audio Visual Center, where students can check out cameras, projectors, and other equipment.
B
- Blaauw
- A high-tech type of kiln used in the ceramics and glass departments.
- Blaauw kiln
- A high-tech, programmable gas kiln used by students in the Crafts department.
- BSU
- Black Student Union, an organization focused on the interests and heritage of Black students.
C
- CAB
- Campus Activities Board, the student-led group that organizes campus events and programming.
- CAP
- Community Arts Partnerships, a program that facilitates student-led art and design projects in the Detroit community.
- Century Ball
- The college's major annual formal dance and social gathering.
- CMD
- Shorthand for a student majoring in Color and Materials Design.
- Continental Connect
- The mobile app used by students to order and pay for meals at campus dining locations.
- CPAD
- Community + Public Arts: Detroit, a program focused on public art projects within the city.
- Crit
- Short for critique; the essential and often intense formal evaluation of student work by peers and faculty.
- CTW
- Center for Tutoring and Writing, providing academic support to students.
D
- Dining Dollars
- The currency used in student meal plans, which can be spent at campus dining locations.
E
- E-Sports
- The official campus organization for competitive gaming.
F
- Flex Dollars
- Funds loaded onto a student's SmART Card used to pay for meals, printing, and bookstore items.
- Ford Cafe
- The cafeteria located on the main floor of the Kresge building on the Ford Campus.
- Foundation
- The mandatory first-year curriculum consisting of core art and design courses.
G
- Geek Week
- An annual week of themed student activities, competitions, and social events.
- GEO
- The Global Engagement Office, responsible for international travel and study abroad opportunities.
- gloryhole
- A glassblowing term for the furnace used to reheat pieces, recognized as a common campus term in official guides.
I
- Imaging Lab
- The specialized facility for high-quality printing and digital output services.
- ISO
- International Student Organization, supporting the international student community at CCS.
- ISSO
- The International Student Services Office, which supports international students and study abroad programs.
- IxD
- Shorthand for a student majoring in Interaction Design.
L
- LGBTea+
- A student organization and social group for LGBTQ+ students and allies.
M
- Market 24/7
- Self-service kiosks located in both the Taubman Center and Kresge-Ford Building offering grab-and-go food.
- Midtown
- The neighborhood surrounding the Ford Campus, often used to distinguish it from the New Center area where the TC is located.
R
- RSO
- Registered Student Organization, the official designation for student-led clubs.
- RSOs
- Registered Student Organizations; the official term for student-led clubs and interest groups.
S
- SAB
- Student Activities Board; the student-led group responsible for planning major campus events like Welcome Week.
- SE&B
- Student Engagement & Belonging, the office that oversees student life and activities.
- SEO
- Student Exhibition Opening, a major campus event where students display their creative work to the public.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the representative body for the student population.
- shibori
- A common term used within the fiber design department for a specific Japanese manual tie-dyeing technique.
- Shop
- Refers to the various technical workshops (wood, metal, ceramics) where students complete physical projects.
- SmART
- The campus-wide system used for printing credits and managing student account funds.
- SmART Card
- The official student ID card that functions as a keycard, meal card, and debit card for campus services.
- Studio
- Refers to both the physical workspace and the long hours spent working on projects.
T
- Taubman
- Common shorthand for the Taubman Center residential lofts.
- Taubman Cafe
- The dining facility located on the 2nd floor of the Taubman Center.
- Taubman Lofts
- The residential lofts located on the upper floors of the Taubman Center campus building.
- TC
- The A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education, which includes loft-style student housing.
- TC Cafe
- The dining hall located on the 6th floor of the Taubman Center.
- TC Cafeteria
- The main dining facility located on the 2nd floor of the Taubman Center.
- TC Housing
- The loft-style student apartments located on the upper floors of the Taubman Center.
- TC Lofts
- The loft-style student housing units located within the Taubman Center building.
- The Argonaut
- The popular nickname for the Taubman Center, referencing the building's history as the GM Research Laboratory.
- The Argonaut
- A popular historical nickname for the Taubman Center, referencing its former life as the GM Argonaut Building.
- The Cafe
- The dining area located on the 6th floor of the Taubman Center.
- The D
- Common shorthand for Detroit, used frequently in the context of city-based projects and community engagement.
- The DIA
- The Detroit Institute of Arts, located immediately adjacent to the Ford Campus and used as a frequent resource.
- The Grill
- The main dining facility located in the Kresge-Ford Building on the Ford Campus.
- The Lab
- A general term used by students to refer to any of the 24-hour computer labs in the TC, Kresge, or WB buildings.
- The Lofts
- Shorthand for the Taubman Center residential housing.
- The Market
- The grab-and-go food and convenience section within the campus dining areas.
- The Mid
- Refers to the Midtown area surrounding the Ford Campus.
- The Scott
- An off-site apartment building in Midtown Detroit used for student housing with shuttle service provided.
- The Screaming Peacock
- The official mascot of CCS, known for its unique and vocal presence.
- The Shop
- The centralized model shop and woodshop facilities where students build physical prototypes.
- The Show
- The annual CCS Student Exhibition, a massive end-of-year event where all departments showcase student work.
- The Shuttle
- The essential bus service that runs between the Ford and Taubman campuses.
- Tim Hortons
- The on-campus franchise location found within the Taubman Center.
- Timmy's
- The Tim Hortons cafe located on the first floor of the Taubman Center.
- Tims
- The on-campus Tim Hortons location situated in the Taubman Center.
- Tinker Toy Building
- A student nickname for the Kresge Ford Building on the Ford Campus.
- TRANS
- A shorthand term for a student majoring in Transportation Design.
W
- Watson
- The specific name given to the campus peacock mascot.
- Watson Peacock
- The official mascot of CCS, often appearing in campus branding and student life events.
- WB
- Common shorthand for the Walter B. Ford II Building on the Ford Campus.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- 24-Hour Access
- The policy allowing students to access studio spaces and computer labs at all hours with a valid ID.
- 24-Hour Computer Labs
- Specialized computer facilities available all day in the Kresge-Ford and Taubman Center buildings.
- 24/7 Shuttle
- The transit service that runs continuously between the Ford Campus and the Taubman Center.
- ACB
- The Art Centre Building, which houses both student apartments and academic spaces.
- Access Card
- The official CCS student ID required for building entry, using the shuttle, and meal plans.
- Access Control
- The security desks located at building entrances where students must scan their IDs for entry.
- ADM Building
- The historic building on Ferry Street that houses the Admissions and Executive offices.
- Argonaut
- The historic name for the Taubman Center building, still frequently used by locals and faculty.
- Blackboard
- The learning management system where instructors post syllabi, assignments, and grades.
- Campus Safe Walk
- A security service where officers escort students to their vehicles or between buildings upon request.
- Campus Shuttle
- The free bus service that transports students between the Ford and Taubman campuses.
- Canvas
- The learning management system where faculty post course materials, assignments, and grades.
- CCS Blackboard
- The Learning Management System (LMS) where instructors post assignments and course materials.
- CCS Card
- The official student ID card required for building access, meal plans, and SmART printing.
- CCS ID
- The multi-purpose identification card required for building access, printing, and using meal plan swipes.
- CCSDT
- The specific access code required to set up the Continental Connect app for CCS dining services.
- Continental Connect
- The mobile app used by students to order meals remotely and manage their dining plans.
- Dining Dollars
- The declining balance currency used for food purchases at on-campus dining locations.
- Everbridge
- The emergency notification system that sends alerts about campus closures or safety issues.
- FC
- Common shorthand for the Ford Campus used in student handbooks and schedules.
- Flex Account
- A digital money account on the student ID used to pay for food, printing, and supplies at the bookstore.
- Ford
- The Walter and Josephine Ford Campus, the original CCS campus located in Detroit's Cultural Center.
- Ford Campus
- The Walter and Josephine Ford Campus, the college's original site located in Midtown Detroit.
- ford_campus_cafeteria
- Ford Campus Cafeteria
- Handshake
- The official online platform used by students to find on-campus jobs, internships, and career opportunities.
- Job Book
- The career services database where students find internships and employment opportunities.
- Kresge
- The Kresge-Ford Building, a major academic building on the Ford Campus.
- Kresge Building
- The main academic building on the Ford Campus housing the cafeteria and security.
- Kresge-Ford
- The building containing the Art Practice, Photography, and Liberal Arts departments.
- Kresge-Ford Building
- The main academic building on the Ford Campus, known for its Brutalist architecture.
- Manoogian
- The Manoogian Visual Arts Center, which houses various fine arts studios on the Ford Campus.
- market_24_7_ford_campus
- Market 24/7 (Ford Campus)
- market_24_7_taubman_center
- Market 24/7 (Taubman Center)
- Meijer Shuttle
- A specific weekend shuttle service that takes students to the Meijer in Allen Park for grocery shopping.
- Operation Safe Walk
- A campus safety service where officers escort students to their cars or between buildings.
- PaperCut
- The campus-wide print management system where students use SmART Card funds to pay for printing.
- Peacock Pride Portal
- The online hub where students manage club memberships, view event calendars, and track campus involvement.
- QLINE
- The Detroit streetcar system that runs along Woodward Avenue, frequently used by students to travel between campus sites.
- RideHop
- The mobile application used by students to track the location of campus shuttles in real-time.
- Self-Service
- The online student portal used for course registration, checking grades, and financial aid.
- Shuttle Schedule
- The fixed timetable for the bus connecting the two campuses, critical for students with classes at both sites.
- Shuttle Tracker
- The real-time mobile tracking system students use to see the current location of the inter-campus shuttles.
- SmART
- The central online portal (Student Management and Academic Resource Tool) for records, registration, and financial aid.
- SmART CARD
- The official student ID card used for building access, parking, and as a meal plan card.
- Taubman
- The A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education, the campus hub in the New Center area.
- Taubman Campus
- The A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education, the northern campus site located in the New Center area.
- Taubman Center
- The A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education, the college's second campus site in the New Center district.
- taubman_center_cafeteria
- Taubman Center Cafeteria
- TC
- The A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education, the campus located in Detroit's New Center area.
- The Argonaut
- The historic name for the Taubman Center building, still frequently used by faculty and local residents.
- The Ford
- The Walter B. Ford II Building, a central hub on the Ford Campus.
- The Hub
- The centralized student services area in the Taubman Center for registration and financial aid help.
- The Shuttle
- The 24/7 transportation service that moves students between the Ford Campus and the Taubman Center.
- The TC
- The A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education, located in the historic Argonaut Building.
- Tinker Toy Building
- A student nickname for the Kresge-Ford Building, inspired by its unique architectural style.
- TransLoc
- The mobile app used by students to track the location and arrival times of the campus shuttle buses.
- Walter B. Ford II Building
- A facility on the Ford Campus dedicated to design and technology-driven disciplines.
- WB
- The Walter B. Ford II Building, a facility on the Ford Campus used for design and technology-driven disciplines.
- WBF
- The Walter B. Ford II Building, a major academic building on the Ford Campus.
- WBF II
- The Walter B. Ford II Building, which houses the Entertainment Arts and Illustration departments.
- Yamasaki
- The Yamasaki Building, an architectural landmark on the Ford Campus housing administrative offices.
- Yamasaki Building
- The building on the Ford Campus that houses Student Affairs and the Global Engagement Office.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Summer 2026 runs Jun 5, 2026 – Aug 1, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 75 approved campus terms and 62 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.