Academic calendar
Fall 2026 runs Aug 20, 2026 – Dec 15, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall 2026Relevant now
- Winter Intersession 2027
- Spring 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 23 of 23 terms
A
- Almeida
- The Almeida Flats, an off-campus apartment-style housing complex for upperclassmen located in Bristol.
B
- Baypoint
- Baypoint Residence Hall, an off-campus housing facility located across the Mount Hope Bridge in Portsmouth.
- Baypoint
- The dining hall located at the Baypoint Residence Center, often used by students living there.
- Bayside
- Bayside Courts, a residence area consisting of several townhouse-style buildings.
- Bristol
- The town of Bristol, RI, where the main campus is located, often used to refer to off-campus trips.
C
- Cedar
- Cedar Hall, a freshman residence hall known for its traditional dormitory layout.
- CEN
- Campus Entertainment Network, the student-led group responsible for planning major campus events and concerts.
I
- IRHA
- Inter-Residence Hall Association, the organization representing students living in campus housing.
L
- Lower
- The Lower Commons, a retail-style food court featuring various quick-service stations.
N
- NCRH
- North Campus Residence Hall, the largest and newest residence hall on the main campus.
S
- SAA
- Student Alumni Association, a group focused on connecting current students with RWU alumni.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the representative body for the undergraduate student population.
- Stonewall
- Stonewall Terrace, a residence hall typically housing sophomores and upperclassmen.
T
- The Baypoint Grill
- The dining facility located within the Baypoint Residence Hall in Portsmouth.
- The Bridge
- The Mount Hope Bridge, the iconic suspension bridge adjacent to campus that dominates the local skyline.
- The Commons
- The central building housing the main dining halls and student mailroom.
- The Library Starbucks
- The Starbucks cafe located inside the University Library.
- The Nest
- The Hawk's Nest, a late-night snack bar and grill located in the Lower Commons area.
- The Quad
- The central grassy lawn between the main academic buildings where students congregate in warm weather.
- The Shell
- The waterfront area and shell-paved path near the sailing center and athletic fields.
U
- Upper
- The Upper Commons, the main all-you-care-to-eat dining hall on campus.
W
- Willow
- Willow Hall, one of the primary freshman residence halls on the main campus.
- WWRU
- The student-run campus radio station.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- ARC
- Academic Resource Center, where students go for tutoring, writing help, and accessibility services.
- Bridges
- The online learning management system used by faculty for course materials and assignments.
- CAS
- The College of Arts and Sciences building.
- Co-Gen
- The Co-Generation plant on campus, often used as a landmark for the parking lots near the athletic fields.
- CORE
- The university's mandatory interdisciplinary general education curriculum required for all undergraduates.
- GHH
- Global Heritage Hall, a central academic building housing many humanities and social science classes.
- global_caf
- Global Café
- Hawk Card
- The official student ID used for building access, meal plans, and 'Hawk Dollars' at local vendors.
- hawk_s_nest
- Hawk's Nest
- HawkCard
- The official student ID card used for building access, meal plans, and 'Hawk Dollars'.
- lower_commons
- Lower Commons
- MNS
- The Marine and Natural Sciences building, home to the university's wet labs and science programs.
- RIPTA
- The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority; students often use the Route 60 bus to travel to Providence or Newport.
- roger_s_caf
- Roger's Café
- SECCM
- The School of Engineering, Computing and Construction Management building.
- The Bridge
- The university's internal web portal used for registration, grades, and financial aid (distinct from the physical bridge).
- The Lib
- The University Library, the main study and research hub on campus.
- The Shuttle
- The university-run bus service that transports students between the main campus and Baypoint/downtown Bristol.
- upper_commons
- Upper Commons
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall 2026 runs Aug 20, 2026 – Dec 15, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 23 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.