Academic calendar
Summer 2026 runs May 18, 2026 – Aug 17, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer 2026Relevant now
- Summer Session I 2026
- Summer 2026 Part of Term G
- Summer 2026 Part of Term 1
- Summer 2026 Part of Term E
- Summer 2026 Part of Term H
- Summer Session II 2026
- Summer 2026 Part of Term F
- Fall 2026
- Fall 2026 Part of Term D
- Fall 2026 Part of Term A
- Fall 2026 Part of Term 1
- Fall 2026 Part of Term E
- Fall 2026 Part of Term B
- Fall 2026 Part of Term F
- Wintermester 2026-2027
- Wintermester 2026-2027
- Spring 2027
- Spring 2027 Part of Term D
- Spring 2027 Part of Term A
- Spring 2027 Part of Term 1
- Spring 2027 Part of Term E
- Spring 2027 Part of Term B
- Spring 2027 Part of Term F
- Summer 2027
- Summer 2027 Part of Term D
- Summer Session I 2027
- Summer 2027 Part of Term G
- Summer 2027 Part of Term 1
- Summer 2027 Part of Term E
- Summer 2027 Part of Term H
- Summer Session II 2027
- Summer 2027 Part of Term F
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 42 of 42 terms
A
- Anytime Dining
- The meal plan system allowing students unlimited entries to the main dining cafes.
B
- Big Crapids
- A common, self-deprecating student nickname for the city of Big Rapids.
- Big Rapids
- Often referred to simply as 'BR' by the student body.
- Big Rapids Bubble
- The feeling of isolation or being in a self-contained world within the small town of Big Rapids.
- Bond
- Bond Hall, a large residence hall on the south end of campus.
- BR
- Short for Big Rapids, the town where the main campus is located.
- Brutus
- Brutus the Bulldog, the official costumed mascot of Ferris State University.
- Bulldog
- The official mascot and the term used to refer to any Ferris State student.
- Bulldog Bucks
- A declining balance currency loaded onto student IDs for use at campus retail and dining locations.
C
- CLACS
- Center for Leadership, Activities and Career Services, the hub for student organizations and jobs.
- Cramer
- Cramer Hall, the university's high-rise residence hall and tallest building in the county.
D
- Dawgs
- Short for Bulldogs, the university mascot and the collective name for the student body.
E
- Entertainment Unlimited
- The campus programming board responsible for major events like concerts and comedians.
- EU
- Entertainment Unlimited, the campus programming board that organizes concerts and major events.
F
- Ferris State of Mind
- A university marketing slogan often used by students to describe the campus culture or work ethic.
- FLITE
- Ferris Library for Information, Technology and Education.
- FSU Torch
- The student-run newspaper, often referred to simply as 'The Torch'.
- FSUS
- Ferris State University Seminar, the mandatory first-year orientation course.
G
- Grill 155
- A quick-service grill located within the University Center.
- Grubhub
- The mobile app used on campus to pre-order food from retail dining locations.
H
- Hendo
- Henderson Hall, a residence hall located on the south side of campus.
M
- Meal X-Change
- A program allowing students to use a dining hall meal swipe for a combo meal at retail locations like Starbucks.
O
- OMSS
- Office of Multicultural Student Services, which coordinates diverse programming and heritage celebrations.
P
- Pickell
- Pickell Hall, the primary residence hall for students in the Honors Program.
- Picks
- Pickell Hall, the designated residence hall for the Honors Program.
- Puterbaugh
- Puterbaugh Hall, a residence hall located near the center of campus.
- Putz
- Puterbaugh Hall, a residence hall located on the south side of campus.
R
- RHA
- Residence Hall Association, the organization representing students living in campus housing.
- RSS
- Retention and Student Success, the department focused on academic advising and tutoring.
S
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the representative body for the student voice on campus.
- Shooters
- A popular local bar and grill frequently visited by the student population.
- Starbucks
- The campus Starbucks location situated within the Interdisciplinary Resource Center (IRC).
T
- The Big Event
- The largest annual student-led community service project at Ferris.
- The Bubble
- The social phenomenon of students rarely leaving the small campus/town area.
- The Gate
- Common shorthand for the Starr Gateway entrance area of campus.
- The Market
- The convenience store and Starbucks location situated inside the University Center.
- The Quad
- The Quad Cafe, the dining hall located within the University Center.
- The Rock
- The Rock Cafe, the main dining facility on the south side of campus known for its marketplace style.
- The Shopper
- The Pioneer Shopper, a local weekly publication often found in campus entryways.
- The Suites
- Refers to the Bond Hall complex, consisting of North, South, East, and West Bond halls.
- The Torch
- The independent, student-run newspaper that has covered the campus since 1931.
W
- Ward
- Ward Hall, a traditional-style residence hall often housing freshmen.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- ASC
- Arts and Sciences Commons, the primary building for the College of Arts and Sciences.
- Birkam
- Birkam Health Center, the on-campus medical and counseling facility.
- Bulldog Beginnings
- The official welcome week program featuring events for new and returning students.
- Bulldog Card
- The official multi-purpose student identification card used for building access, dining, and library services.
- Canvas
- The online Learning Management System (LMS) where professors post syllabi, assignments, and grades.
- Dining Dollars
- Currency loaded onto the Bulldog Card for use at various on-campus retail food locations.
- Ewigleben
- The Ewigleben Sports Complex, home to the university's hockey, basketball, and volleyball teams.
- FLITE
- Ferris Library for Information, Technology and Education, the main campus library.
- Handshake
- The online platform used by CLACS for student job postings and career fair registrations.
- IRC
- Interdisciplinary Resource Center, a major academic building housing business and social science classrooms.
- Late Start
- The university's policy for delayed campus openings, typically due to severe winter weather.
- Lot 1
- A primary parking lot often cited in discussions regarding campus parking permits and enforcement.
- MyFSU
- The central web portal used by students to access grades, registration, financial aid, and email.
- Starr
- The Starr Gateway or Starr Building, a prominent academic facility on the north end of campus.
- STR
- Starr Academic Center, a common location for general education classes.
- The Shuttle
- The campus bus service that provides transportation between academic buildings, housing, and local shopping.
- The UC
- The University Center, the central hub for student life, dining, and the bookstore.
- UC
- The University Center, the central hub for student life, dining, and the bookstore.
- VFS
- Victor F. Spathelf Hall, which houses the College of Optometry.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Summer 2026 runs May 18, 2026 – Aug 17, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 42 approved campus terms and 19 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.