Academic calendar
Trinity Term 2026 runs May 4, 2026 – Aug 16, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Trinity Term 2026Relevant now
- Michaelmas Term 2026
- Hilary Term 2027
- Trinity Term 2027
- Michaelmas Term 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 24 of 24 terms
1
- 1L / 2L / 3L
- Standard law school shorthand for first, second, and third-year students.
A
- ACS
- American Constitution Society, a student organization focused on progressive legal vision.
- ADRT
- Alternative Dispute Resolution Team, a group that competes in client counseling and mediation tournaments.
B
- BLSA
- Black Law Students Association; an organization focused on the needs and professional development of Black law students.
C
- CLS
- Christian Legal Society; a student organization for fellowship and legal discussion from a Christian perspective.
- CoolCat
- The official name for the Cooley Law Libraries' online search catalog for books and research materials.
- Cooley Connect
- The student portal and mobile app used for announcements, grades, and accessing campus systems.
- Cooley-Center Tom
- The nickname for the bronze bust of Thomas M. Cooley located in the lobby of the Cooley Center.
D
- Downtown
- The primary residential area for Lansing students, as the school does not provide on-campus dormitories.
E
- ELS
- Environmental Law Society; a group dedicated to environmental law issues and advocacy.
F
- FAWL
- Florida Association of Women Lawyers; the student chapter focused on women's issues in the legal profession (Tampa campus).
G
- Gunner
- A common law school term for an overly ambitious student who dominates class discussions, frequently used in student circles.
H
- HOLA
- Hispanic Organization of Legal Advocates, a student group supporting Hispanic law students.
K
- Kelly's
- Kelly's Downtown, a popular Irish pub and frequent social hangout for law students in Lansing.
N
- Nut House
- Nuthouse Sports Grill, a common spot for students to gather, located near the Lansing campus.
O
- Off-campus
- The standard term for student housing, typically referring to apartments in Lansing or Temple Terrace rather than university-owned housing.
P
- PAD
- Phi Alpha Delta; a professional law fraternity with active chapters on campus.
- PDP
- Phi Delta Phi; an international legal honor society and the oldest legal organization in the United States.
S
- SBA
- Student Bar Association; the primary student government body representing the student body to the administration.
- SELS
- Sports and Entertainment Law Society; a student group for those interested in the sports and entertainment legal fields.
T
- Temple Tom
- The nickname for the original bronze bust of Thomas M. Cooley that was housed in the historic Temple building.
- Thai Village
- A popular Thai restaurant located directly across from the law library in Lansing, often frequented by students between classes.
- The Socratic Method
- The traditional law school teaching style involving cold-calling students to stimulate critical thinking, frequently referenced by students and faculty.
- TWEN
- The West Education Network; the primary online platform used by professors for course materials, forums, and quizzes.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Access Control
- The security protocol and desk where students and visitors must show ID to enter campus buildings.
- Cooley Center
- The main 10-story flagship building located at 300 S. Capitol Ave. in downtown Lansing.
- Cooley ID
- The mandatory identification card required for building access, library borrowing, and checking out career resources.
- ESS
- Enrollment and Student Services; the central administrative office for financial aid, registrar services, and student support.
- HireCooley
- The school's dedicated online job board and career services platform for students and alumni.
- Honor Code
- The ethical oath ('We Shall Not Lie, Cheat, Steal, or Plagiarize') administered by a judge to all incoming students.
- Intent to Enroll
- The mandatory form and deposit required for admitted students to officially reserve their seat in an incoming class.
- January / May / September Starts
- The three distinct enrollment terms offered by Cooley, allowing students to begin their legal education at different times of the year.
- LSAC Account Number
- The identification number from the Law School Admission Council, used by new students as a temporary ID for initial administrative tasks.
- Socratic Method
- The primary style of classroom instruction where professors ask students a series of questions to stimulate critical thinking.
- Tampa Oaks
- The name of the new Tampa Bay campus facility located in Temple Terrace, Florida.
- Tampa Oaks II
- The specific office building that houses the Cooley Law School Tampa Bay campus in Temple Terrace.
- The Brennan
- The Thomas E. Brennan Law Library, named after the school's founder; it is now consolidated within the Cooley Center.
- The Temple
- The former Masonic Temple building in Lansing, which served as the school's primary home for decades and remains a landmark in school history.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Trinity Term 2026 runs May 4, 2026 – Aug 16, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 24 approved campus terms and 14 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.