Academic calendar
Pre-colleges for first-year students runs Oct 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Instaptoets collegejaar 2027
- Pre-colleges for first-year studentsRelevant now
- Collegejaar 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 20 of 20 terms
A
- ASI
- Associated Students, Inc., the student-led government and auxiliary organization.
C
- Campus Market
- A popular on-campus convenience store and deli known for its tri-tip sandwiches.
- Cerro
- Cerro Vista Apartments, an on-campus housing community typically for second-year students.
- CPAC
- Cal Poly Arts Council, which brings professional performances to the Performing Arts Center.
L
- Learn by Doing
- The university's core philosophy and unofficial motto, emphasizing hands-on education.
M
- Metro
- The 1901 Marketplace (formerly 805 Kitchen/Metro), the main all-you-care-to-eat dining facility.
- Mustang
- The official mascot and term used to refer to any student or athlete.
P
- PCV
- Poly Canyon Village, a large on-campus apartment complex for upperclassmen.
- Poly
- The common shorthand for the university itself.
R
- ROTC
- Reserve Officers' Training Corps, the military leadership program on campus.
S
- SLO Days
- Student Leadership Institute Days, the mandatory orientation program for new students.
T
- The Ave
- Avenue Cal Poly, a central dining area located in the University Union.
- The P
- The large concrete letter 'P' on the hillside overlooking the campus, a popular hiking destination.
- The Red Bricks
- A group of six traditional-style residence halls (Trinity, Santa Lucia, Muir, Tenaya, Fremont, and Sequoia) known for their red brick exteriors.
- The Towers
- The Yosemite and Sierra Madre residence halls, characterized by their multi-story tower design.
U
- UU
- The University Union, the central hub for student activities and services.
V
- VG's
- Vista Grande, a major dining complex featuring multiple food venues and a marketplace.
- Village Market
- The convenience store located within the Poly Canyon Village (PCV) complex.
W
- Wowie
- A student leader for 'WOW' (Week of Welcome) orientation.
Y
- yakʔitʸutʸu
- The newest residence hall community, named in honor of the local yak tityu tityu yak tilhini Northern Chumash Tribe.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Building 180
- The Baker Center for Science and Mathematics, a prominent central academic building.
- Mustang Express
- The campus shuttle service providing transportation around the university grounds.
- Poly Canyon
- An area on the edge of campus known for student-built architectural structures and hiking trails.
- PolyCard
- The official student identification card used for building access, dining, and library services.
- Portal
- The Cal Poly Portal, the central online gateway for registration, grades, and email.
- The Lib
- Robert E. Kennedy Library, the primary academic resource and study center.
- The PAC
- The Performing Arts Center, a venue for concerts, theater, and large events.
- The Rec
- The Recreation Center, the main campus gym and fitness facility.
- The UU
- The Julian A. McPhee University Union building.
- WOW
- Week of Welcome, the comprehensive orientation week for all incoming students.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Pre-colleges for first-year students runs Oct 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 20 approved campus terms and 10 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.