Academic calendar
Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall Semester 2026Relevant now
- Winter Term 2026-27
- Spring Semester 2027
- Maymester 2027
- Summer Session I 2027
- Summer Session II 2027
- Fall Semester 2027
- Winter Term 2027-28
- Winter Term 2028
- Spring Semester 2028
- Maymester 2028
- Summer Session I 2028
- Summer Session II 2028
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 11 of 11 terms
B
- Bluejay
- The official mascot of Minnesota West, often used to refer to student-athletes.
C
- Canby Housing
- The on-campus apartment-style living units at the Canby campus.
N
- NTHS
- National Technical Honor Society, recognizing excellence in workforce education.
P
- PSEO
- Post-Secondary Enrollment Options; refers to high school students taking college courses on campus.
- PTK
- Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges.
S
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the student-led representative body (also referred to as Student Senate).
- SkillsUSA
- A professional organization for students in technical, skilled, and service occupations.
T
- The Cafe
- General student term for the on-campus food service areas and vending lounges across campuses.
- The Commons
- The central student gathering and dining area, primarily used at the Worthington campus.
- The Villas
- The student housing complex located on the Worthington campus.
- The West
- A common shorthand used by students and staff to refer to the college as a whole.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- D2L
- Desire2Learn (Brightspace), the online learning management system where course materials and grades are hosted.
- e-Services
- The online portal used for registering for classes, checking financial aid, and paying tuition.
- granite_falls_campus_food_pantry
- Granite Falls Campus Food Pantry
- Laptop Program
- The requirement for students in specific technical programs to have a standardized, program-specific laptop.
- StarID
- The universal username and password used to access all Minnesota State college systems and Wi-Fi.
- The Powerline Field
- The outdoor training area for the Powerline Technology program at the Jackson campus.
- The Shop
- Generic student term for the various technical program laboratories (e.g., Automotive, Welding) across campuses.
- The Wellness Center
- The Center for Health and Wellness on the Worthington campus, often shared with the local YMCA.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 11 approved campus terms and 8 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.