Academic calendar
Summer 2026 10-Week runs May 28, 2026 – Aug 7, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer 2026 Summer I
- Summer 2026 10-WeekRelevant now
- Summer 2026 Summer II
- Summer 2026 Summer II
- Fall 2026 5A Term
- Fall 2026 7A Term
- Fall 2026 Full Term
- Fall 2026 5B Term
- Fall 2026 7B Term
- Fall 2026 5-Week C
- Fall 2026 5C Term
- Spring 2027 5A Term
- Spring 2027 7A Term
- Spring 2027 Full Term
- Spring 2027 5B Term
- Spring 2027 5C TermSpring 2027 7B Term
- Spring 2027 5-Week C
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 29 of 29 terms
A
- AES
- Academic Enrichment Center, often used to refer to the tutoring and supplemental instruction services.
B
- Bearkat
- The official mascot and the term used to refer to any SHSU student.
- Bearkat Alley
- The designated tailgating area located near Bowers Stadium for football games.
- Bearkat Bucks
- The declining balance currency included with meal plans for use at on-campus retail food locations.
- BKV
- Bearkat Village, the university-owned apartment complex located on the edge of campus.
- BMB
- Bearkat Marching Band, the university's high-energy marching ensemble.
E
- Eat 'em up
- The official university motto and greeting, usually accompanied by the 'Bearkat Paw' hand sign.
F
- FSL
- Fraternity & Sorority Life, the collective term for the Greek social organizations on campus.
G
- General's
- General's Market, the dining hall located near the residential 'Valley' area.
H
- Huntsvegas
- A common, often ironic nickname for the city of Huntsville used by students.
J
- Jackson
- Jackson Hall, a prominent high-rise residence hall on campus.
O
- Old Main
- Old Main Market, one of the two primary dining halls on campus.
- Orange Out
- A designated event or game day where all students are encouraged to wear school orange.
P
- Paw Print
- The food court area located within the Lowman Student Center.
- PC
- Program Council, the student-led organization responsible for planning major campus events like homecoming.
- Piney
- Piney Woods Hall, one of the newer and larger suite-style residence halls on campus.
R
- RHA
- Residence Hall Association, the organization representing students living in on-campus housing.
- RV
- Raven Village, a popular suite-style residence hall located near the heart of campus.
S
- SAM Center
- Student Advising and Mentoring Center, the primary hub for academic advising and student success resources.
- Sammy
- Sammy the Bearkat, the official university mascot.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the official representative body for the student voice.
- SHV
- Sam Houston Village, a suite-style residence hall often preferred by upperclassmen for its private room options.
- South Paw
- A dining location situated near the Health & Kinesiology Center and the Coliseum.
T
- The Hill
- The residential area on the upper part of campus containing older dorms like Belvin-Buchanan and Elliott Hall.
- The LSC
- Refers to the food court and dining options located within the Lowman Student Center.
- The Statue
- The 67-foot Sam Houston statue located on I-45, a major local landmark and symbol of the university.
- The Valley
- The residential area at the bottom of the campus hill, primarily Sam Houston Village and Raven Village.
- The Walls
- Refers to the Huntsville Unit, a historic prison located immediately adjacent to the campus.
- Tripod
- A legendary three-legged dog that lived on campus in the 1940s-60s; he is memorialized with a statue near Old Main.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- AB1/AB2/AB3/AB4
- Academic Buildings 1 through 4, a series of numbered buildings housing various departments and classrooms.
- ABIV
- Academic Building IV, a major classroom building frequently used for various departments.
- Bearkat OneCard
- The official multi-functional student ID card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- CHSS
- The College of Humanities and Social Sciences building.
- DegreeWorks
- The online tool students use to track their degree progress and graduation requirements.
- general_s_market
- General's Market
- GPAC
- Gaertner Performing Arts Center, the venue for music, dance, and theater performances.
- HKC
- The Health and Kinesiology Center, the primary campus gym and recreational facility.
- KatSafe
- The university's emergency notification system that sends alerts via text and email.
- KatTrack
- The university's shuttle bus system that transports students between campus and various apartment complexes.
- LSC
- The Lowman Student Center, the hub for student activities, dining, and the bookstore.
- MySam
- The primary online student portal used for registration, checking grades, and financial aid.
- NGL
- Newton Gresham Library, the main university library.
- old_main_market
- Old Main Market
- OneCard
- The Bearkat OneCard, the essential multi-purpose student ID used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- Orange Keys
- The official student ambassadors who lead campus tours and represent the university at formal events.
- SamWeb
- The online portal where students register for classes, check grades, and manage financial aid.
- The Coliseum
- Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum, used for basketball games, graduation, and large events.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Summer 2026 10-Week runs May 28, 2026 – Aug 7, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 29 approved campus terms and 18 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.