Academic calendar
Summer Sessions 2026 runs May 18, 2026 – Aug 7, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer Sessions 2026Relevant now
- Fall Semester 2026
- Spring Semester 2027
Campus language
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Showing 52 of 52 terms
B
- Ballard
- Ballard Residential Hall, a dormitory located on the north side of campus.
- Benson
- Benson Hall, a residence hall primarily housing first-year students.
- Bison
- The official mascot of Gallaudet University and the term used to refer to any student or alumni.
- Bison Shop
- The campus bookstore and convenience shop where students buy snacks and Gallaudet apparel.
- Bison TV
- The student-run media organization producing video content for the campus.
- Bistro
- A casual dining option located in the Jordan Student Academic Center.
- BSU
- Black Student Union, a student organization advocating for Black Deaf students.
- Buff and Blue
- The official school colors and the name of the long-running student newspaper.
C
- CAPS
- Counseling and Psychological Services, providing mental health support and therapy for students.
- Carlin
- Carlin Hall, a residence hall often housing upperclassmen and honors students.
- Clerc
- Clerc Hall, an apartment-style residence hall named after Laurent Clerc.
- Coda
- Child of Deaf Adult, a term used for students who have one or more Deaf parents.
D
- Deaf elite
- A term used within the community to describe a perceived group of individuals with higher social privilege.
- Deaf U
- A term referring to the unique cultural experience of attending Gallaudet, also the title of a Netflix series about the school.
- DeafSpace
- A set of architectural and design principles used on campus to optimize the environment for visual communication.
- Denison
- Denison House, a smaller residential facility on campus.
- DPA
- Deaf Players Association, the student organization for theater and performing arts.
- DPN
- Deaf President Now, referring to the historic 1988 protest; often used in discussions of campus activism and identity.
- DST
- Deaf Standard Time, a cultural reference to the tendency for conversations or events to start or end later than scheduled.
E
- ELISO
- English Language Institute Student Organization, representing students in the English Language Institute.
F
- Front Gate
- The main campus entrance located at 7th Street and Florida Avenue NE.
G
- Gally
- A common shorthand nickname for Gallaudet University used by students and alumni.
- GPC
- Greek President Council, the governing body for fraternities and sororities.
- GSA
- Graduate Student Association, representing the interests of graduate-level students.
- GSR
- General Studies Requirements, the core curriculum every student must complete.
H
- Hearing
- A term used frequently on campus to describe non-deaf individuals or perspectives.
J
- JSAC
- The Jordan Student Academic Center, the primary location for student dining and activities.
K
- Kendall Green
- The historic and official name of the Gallaudet University campus grounds.
L
- LLRH6
- Living and Learning Residence Hall 6, the newest residence hall on campus.
- LSU
- Latine Student Union, a student organization for Latine and Hispanic students.
M
- Marketplace
- The main cafeteria-style dining hall located in the Jordan Student Academic Center.
- MSA
- Muslim Student Association, a student organization for Muslim students on campus.
O
- OASIS
- Office of Academic Support and Information Services, providing tutoring and academic help.
- OIE
- Office of International Education and Services, supporting international students on campus.
- OSD
- Office for Students with Disabilities, providing accessibility services.
- Outtakes
- Outtakes Market, a 24/7 convenience shop located within the Kellogg Conference Hotel for snacks and essentials.
P
- Peet
- Peet Hall, a residence hall located near the athletic facilities.
- Plaza
- Plaza Dining Hall, often used interchangeably with 'The Caf'.
R
- Rat
- A slang term for a freshman student, originating from the historic 'Rat Funeral' tradition.
S
- SBG
- Student Body Government, the primary representative organization for undergraduate students.
- Signing Ecosystem
- The deaf-friendly business and social environment surrounding the Gallaudet campus in Washington, D.C.
- Starbucks
- The licensed Starbucks location situated within the JSAC.
T
- The Bistro
- A quick-service cafe located in the JSAC offering coffee and light meals.
- The Bubble
- The feeling of being in a self-contained, signing-centric environment isolated from the hearing world.
- The Buff and Blue
- The name of the independent student-run newspaper and the university's official colors.
- The Buff and Blue
- The independent student-run newspaper of Gallaudet University.
- The Caf
- A common shorthand for the main Marketplace dining hall.
- The Hilltop
- A reference to the campus's elevated location in Northeast D.C.
- The Mall
- The central open green space on campus, used for social gatherings and events.
- The Marketplace
- The primary student cafeteria located in the Jordan Student Academic Center (JSAC).
- The Rat
- The Rathskellar, a popular casual eatery and social hub located in the basement of the JSAC.
- The Tower
- Refers to the iconic Tower Clock on the Peikoff Alumni House, a major campus landmark.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Bison Card
- The official student ID used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- Bison Hub
- The online student portal used for class registration, checking grades, and financial aid.
- Bison Shuttle
- The university's free transportation service connecting the campus to Union Station and the NoMa-Gallaudet U Metro station.
- BisonNet
- The university's secure wireless network for students, faculty, and staff.
- BusWhere
- The mobile application used by students to track the real-time location of the campus shuttle.
- Chapel Hall
- The historic building known for its iconic tower and administrative offices.
- Consortium
- A program allowing Gallaudet students to take courses at other universities in the D.C. metropolitan area.
- DPS
- Department of Public Safety, the campus police and emergency response team.
- EMG
- Elstad Auditorium, the main performing arts venue on campus.
- Field House
- The Gallaudet University Field House, the main facility for athletics, the gym, and physical education.
- Fowler
- Fowler Hall, an administrative and academic building.
- GUKCC
- Gallaudet University Kellogg Conference Center, used for events and hotel lodging.
- Help Desk
- The IT support service located in the Hall Memorial Building (HMB).
- HMB
- Hall Memorial Building, the primary academic building housing many classrooms and faculty offices.
- java_corner
- Java Corner
- JSAC
- Jordan Student Academic Center, the central hub for student activities, dining, and services.
- kch_outtakes
- KCH Outtakes
- KDES
- Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, the elementary school located on campus.
- kellogg_conference_hotel_bistro
- Kellogg Conference Hotel Bistro
- marketplace_cafe
- Marketplace Cafe
- MLC
- Merrill Learning Center, the building that houses the university library and world-renowned Deaf Vaults/Archives.
- MSSD
- Model Secondary School for the Deaf, the high school located on the Gallaudet campus.
- Navigate
- The mobile app and platform used by students to schedule advising appointments and track academic progress.
- NoMa
- The NoMa-Gallaudet U Metro station, the primary subway stop for students traveling off-campus.
- Ole Jim
- The Peikoff Alumni House, a historic building on campus that originally housed a gymnasium and pool.
- plaza_dining_hall
- Plaza Dining Hall
- rathskellar_pub
- Rathskellar Pub
- SAC
- Student Academic Center (often used interchangeably with JSAC).
- SHS
- Student Health Service, located in the Peter J. Fine Health Center.
- Shuttle
- The university-run bus service connecting the campus to the NoMa-Gallaudet U Metro station and Union Station.
- SLCC
- Sorenson Language and Communication Center, a building designed with advanced DeafSpace architectural features.
- The Buff and Blue
- The independent, student-run newspaper of Gallaudet University.
- The Gate
- The main campus entrance located at 800 Florida Avenue NE.
- The Shuttle
- The university-run bus service that connects campus to Union Station and the NoMa-Gallaudet U Metro station.
- the_bistro_at_kch
- The Bistro at KCH
- VRS
- Video Relay Service, booths or stations found across campus for making video calls.
- WAB
- Washburn Arts Center, the building dedicated to the university's art and media programs.
- Washburn
- Washburn Arts Center, housing the arts and media departments.
- Workday
- The online administrative portal used by students for registration, financial aid, and student employment.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Summer Sessions 2026 runs May 18, 2026 – Aug 7, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 52 approved campus terms and 39 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.