Academic calendar
Fall 2026 runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 10, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer 2026Summer 2026 Six-Week SessionSummer 2026 Ten-Week Session
- Summer 2026 First Four-Week Session
- Summer 2026 Eight-Week Session
- Summer 2026 Second Four-Week Session
- Fall 2026Relevant now
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 32 of 32 terms
A
- ACTS
- Advising, Counseling, and Testing Services, the office providing academic advising and personal support.
B
- Blaine
- Blaine Hall, a traditional-style residence hall on the south side of campus.
C
- CAB
- Campus Activities Board, the student-led programming organization that plans free campus events like movies and concerts.
D
- Dining Dollars
- Flexible funds included with meal plans specifically for use at Mayes Dining Hall and The Lion's Den.
E
- East
- Short for East Hall, the traditional-style residence hall on the east side of campus.
- East Hall
- The largest residential building on campus, named for its location on the eastern edge of the housing area.
F
- Four States
- The local geographic region (Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas) where the university is located.
L
- Lion Alert
- The university's early intervention system used to refer students who may be at risk academically for support services.
- Lion Bucks
- A declining balance account on the Lion Card that provides a 10% discount at campus dining locations.
- Lion Language
- The university's own term for the specialized academic and campus-specific vocabulary used at MSSU.
- Lion Pride Plaza
- The outdoor area outside the Billingsly Student Center featuring the bronze Lion Icon statue.
- Lion Village
- The modern apartment and suite-style housing complex typically preferred by upperclassmen and honors students.
- LOL
- League of Lions, the student organization for Social Work majors focused on community interaction and volunteerism.
M
- Mane-iacs
- The official student spirit group that leads cheers and support at athletic events.
- Mayes
- Mayes Dining Hall, the primary all-you-care-to-eat cafeteria on campus located in Mayes Hall.
- McCormick
- McCormick Hall, a traditional-style residence hall located near the student center.
- MIAA
- Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, the NCAA Division II conference in which the MSSU Lions compete.
- MOSO
- The common shorthand and hashtag used by students and staff to refer to Missouri Southern State University.
- MOSO
- The common shorthand and branding for Missouri Southern State University.
R
- RHA
- Residence Hall Association, the organization representing students living in campus housing.
- Roary
- The official name of the MSSU Lion mascot, formalized by a student body vote in 2012.
- RSO
- Registered Student Organization, the official designation for any of the 75+ student clubs on campus.
S
- SAO
- Student Activities Office, the administrative hub for campus life located in Billingsly Student Center Room 210.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the official representative body for the MSSU student population.
- Southern
- The shortened name students use to refer to the university in conversation.
T
- The Apartments
- Collective term for the eight apartment-style halls: Gockel, Stegge, Dishman, Dryer, Stone, Headlee, Maupin, and Mitchell.
- The Chart
- The official student-led newspaper of Missouri Southern State University.
- The Den
- Short for The Lion's Den, the retail dining area in the Billingsly Student Center featuring Pizza Hut and the Roasterie Coffee Company.
- The Oval
- The central green space and walking area in the heart of the campus.
- The Pod
- The P.O.D. (Provisions on Demand) Market, a convenience store for snacks and quick meals.
- The Pride
- The collective term for the MSSU student body and community, often used in the phrase 'Once Upon a Pride.'
- The Quads
- The Quad Buildings (A-F), a traditional-style residential area on the north side of campus.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Big Voice
- The campus-wide outdoor speaker system used to broadcast emergency instructions and 'all clear' messages.
- BSC
- Billingsly Student Center, the central hub for student life, dining, the bookstore, and student activities.
- Bursar
- The office located in Hearnes Hall where students pay tuition, fees, and manage their student accounts.
- Hearnes
- Hearnes Hall, the main administrative building housing Admissions, Financial Aid, and the Registrar.
- Kuhn
- Kuhn Hall, the building housing the Honors Program and various academic departments.
- Late Start
- A term for accelerated courses that begin mid-semester, typically running for 8 weeks instead of the full 16-week term.
- Leon
- The Julio S. León Health Science Center, which houses nursing and dental hygiene programs.
- Lion Alert
- An early-warning system used by faculty to refer students who may be at risk academically for support services.
- Lion Card
- The official multi-purpose student ID used for identification, building access, meal plans, and library services.
- Lion Link
- The online platform and app used to find campus events, join RSOs, and track student involvement.
- LioNet
- The central web portal where students access grades, course schedules, financial aid, and registration tools.
- mayes_dining_hall
- Mayes Dining Hall
- MSSU Alert
- The emergency notification system (powered by Rave) that sends text alerts during campus emergencies.
- Nixon
- Jeremiah 'Jay' Nixon Hall, the building housing the biology and physical science departments.
- Plaster
- Commonly refers to the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center (academic) or the Plaster Sports Complex.
- Reynolds
- Reynolds Hall, the primary building for science and mathematics classes.
- S#
- The unique student identification number (starting with an 'S') used for all official university records and logins.
- Safe Walk
- The campus security service that provides escorts for students walking across campus at night.
- Southern Welcome
- The mandatory orientation program for new students held before the start of the fall semester.
- Spiva
- Spiva Library, the main campus library which also houses the Spiva Art Gallery.
- Taylor
- Taylor Hall, which houses the School of Education and the Taylor Performing Arts Center.
- the_lion_s_den
- The Lion's Den
- Ummel
- The Ummel Technology Building, used for various technical and academic programs.
- Webster
- Webster Hall, the primary building for the School of Arts and Sciences and the Corley Auditorium.
- Willcoxon
- The Willcoxon Health Center, providing medical services to students on campus.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall 2026 runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 10, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 32 approved campus terms and 25 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.