Academic calendar
Summer 2026 Session 9W runs Jun 8, 2026 – Aug 7, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer 2026 Session 3W1
- Summer 2026 Session 6W1
- Summer 2026 Session 9WRelevant now
- Summer 2026 Session 6LR
- Summer 2026 Session 3W2
- Summer 2026 Session 3W3
- Fall 2026
- Winter 2027
- Spring 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 41 of 41 terms
1
- 162
- The 162 North State Street Residences, a social and centrally located dorm popular with freshmen.
2
- 280 Cafe
- The dining area located in the 280 South Columbus Drive building.
A
- AIADO
- The Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects department.
- AIC
- The Art Institute of Chicago, the world-class museum affiliated with the school.
- ArtBash
- The annual exhibition showcasing work from students in the Contemporary Practices (first-year) program.
- Articash
- The stored-value currency loaded onto a student ID for use in laundry, printing, and vending machines.
B
- BFA Show
- The Spring Undergraduate Exhibition, the major culminating show for graduating seniors.
- BLK@SAIC
- A student organization focused on the community and interests of Black students at SAIC.
- Buckingham
- The Buckingham, a residence hall located at 59 East Van Buren Street
C
- Campus Center
- The main dining and social hub located on the second floor of the LeRoy Neiman Center.
- CAPX
- Career and Professional Experience, the office for jobs and internships
- Citizen Artist
- A term used within the SAIC community to describe artists who engage with social and civic issues through their work.
- Columbus Cafe
- The dining hall located in the Columbus Drive Building
- Crit
- Short for 'Critique,' the intensive formal evaluation of student work by faculty and peers.
- Crit Week
- Critique Week, a high-intensity period at the end of the semester where students present work to faculty panels.
E
- ExTV
- A student-run media arts platform that broadcasts student video and time-arts work.
F
- F
- F Newsmagazine, the student-run journal of arts, culture, and politics.
- F-Newsmagazine
- The school's award-winning student-run news publication.
- Free Radio SAIC
- The student-run internet radio station featuring experimental programming.
- FVNMA
- The Film, Video, New Media, and Animation department.
I
- Infinite
- The Infinite, a partner residence hall located at 28 East Jackson Boulevard.
- IRFM
- Instructional Resources and Facilities Management, responsible for campus equipment and spaces
J
- Jones
- Jones Hall, a quieter residence hall located at 7 West Madison Street.
M
- MacLean Cafe
- The cafe located in the MacLean Center at 112 South Michigan Avenue.
- Museum Cafe
- The various dining options located within the Art Institute of Chicago museum
N
- Neiman
- The LeRoy Neiman Center, the main student hub and cafe located in the Sharp Building.
S
- SG
- Student Government, the representative body for the SAIC student population.
- SGA
- Student Government Association
- Sharp Cafe
- The dining facility located in the Sharp Building at 37 South Wabash Avenue.
- SITE
- SITE Galleries, a student-run organization that curates and exhibits student work across campus.
- SUGS
- Student Union Galleries, the student-run exhibition spaces on campus.
T
- The 280
- Common shorthand for the building located at 280 South Columbus Drive.
- The Buck
- The Buckingham, a residence hall located at 59 East Van Buren known for apartment-style units with in-unit laundry.
- The Buckingham
- A partner residence hall located at 59 East Van Buren Street.
- The Loop
- The downtown Chicago neighborhood where the SAIC campus is integrated
- The Museum
- Common shorthand for the Art Institute of Chicago museum, where students have free unlimited access.
- The Neiman
- The LeRoy Neiman Center Cafe, the main student dining and social hub in the Sharp Building.
- The Pit
- The large, sunken open space on the lower level of the 280 building used for exhibitions and events.
- The Vault
- The media and equipment checkout center located in the 280 building where students borrow cameras and gear.
V
- VAP
- Visiting Artists Program, which brings international artists to campus for lectures.
- VCS
- The Visual and Critical Studies department.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- 280
- The 280 Building at 280 South Columbus Drive, which houses sculpture, printmedia, and photography departments.
- 280_cafe
- 280 Cafe
- ARTICard
- The official SAIC student ID card used for building access, equipment checkout, and library services.
- ARTICash
- The declining balance account on the ARTICard used for laundry, printing, and food purchases.
- Canvas
- The learning management system where instructors post course materials and assignments.
- Columbus
- The Columbus Drive Building located at 280 S. Columbus Dr
- CRIT Help Desk
- The campus IT support service (Computer Resources and Information Technology) for technical issues.
- EngageSAIC
- The online portal used for managing student organizations and campus event registrations.
- Handshake
- The platform used by students to find on-campus jobs and internships.
- Lakeview
- The Lakeview Building, located at 116 South Michigan Avenue.
- MacLean
- The MacLean Center at 112 South Michigan Avenue, containing film, video, and new media studios.
- maclean_cafe
- MacLean Cafe
- Material Source
- The on-campus supply stores where students can purchase art materials using their ARTICard.
- Media Center
- The campus service where students check out high-end cameras, lighting, and AV equipment.
- Michigan
- The Michigan Building at 116 South Michigan Avenue, housing counseling and disability services.
- Self-Service
- The online portal used by students to register for classes, check grades, and manage financial aid.
- Sharp
- The Sharp Building at 37 South Wabash Avenue, housing administrative offices and the library.
- sharp_cafe
- Sharp Cafe
- sharp_cafe_leroy_neiman_center
- Sharp Cafe (LeRoy Neiman Center)
- Sullivan
- The Sullivan Center at 36 South Wabash Avenue, home to many design departments and admissions.
- The Shuttle
- The inter-campus security shuttle that transports students between academic buildings and residence halls at night.
- TransLoc
- The mobile app used by students to track the location and arrival times of the SAIC campus shuttle.
- U-Pass
- The CTA transit pass provided to full-time students for unlimited rides on Chicago's buses and trains.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Summer 2026 Session 9W runs Jun 8, 2026 – Aug 7, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 41 approved campus terms and 23 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.