Academic calendar
Summer 2026 Full 12-Week Session runs May 18, 2026 – Aug 8, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer Session A 2026
- Summer Session S18 2026
- Summer 2026 Full 12-Week SessionRelevant now
- Summer Session 2A 2026
- Summer Session 2 2026
- Summer Session B 2026
- Summer Session 2B 2026
- Summer Second 4-Weeks 2026
- Fall Semester 2026
- Winter Session 2026-2027
- Spring Semester 2027
- Summer Session 1 2027
- Summer Session 2 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 109 of 109 terms
5
- 57
- 57 North, a popular retail dining location in the SDRP offering made-to-order food.
- 57 North
- A popular retail dining and convenience store located within the Ikenberry Commons.
A
- ACM
- Association for Computing Machinery, a massive and influential student chapter for CS majors.
- Alma
- The Alma Mater statue, a central landmark where students take graduation photos.
- Altgeld DQ
- A long-running campus prank/myth claiming there is a Dairy Queen hidden in the bell tower of Altgeld Hall.
- ARC
- Activities and Recreation Center; the university's largest gym and fitness facility located on the west side.
B
- Barn Dance
- A traditional themed social event or formal, often held at off-campus barns.
- Blue 41
- A retail cafe in the Ikenberry Commons specializing in smoothies and grilled items.
- Blue Guy
- The signature blue-colored vodka and energy drink cocktail served at the popular campus bar, KAM's.
- Blue Guy
- The signature blue energy drink cocktail served at Kam's, a popular student bar.
- Blue Guys
- The signature bright blue cocktail served at the popular campus bar, KAM'S.
- Bousfield
- Bousfield Hall, a popular suite-style residence hall within the Ikenberry Commons.
- Bromley
- Bromley Hall, a large private certified housing dorm popular with Greek life members.
- Busey
- Busey-Evans Residence Halls, often referred to simply as Busey.
- Busey-Evans
- A combined residence hall (Busey Hall and Evans Hall) known for its traditional architecture.
C
- C-Shop
- Campus convenience stores located within or near residence halls that accept Cafe Credits.
- Cafe Credits
- Discretionary funds included with meal plans used at campus convenience stores and cafes.
- Caffeinator
- A coffee and snack shop located in the Ikenberry Commons.
- Chambana
- A portmanteau of Champaign and Urbana, the twin cities that host the university.
- Chomps
- A convenience store and late-night snack spot located in the Illinois Street Residence (ISR) hall.
- CRCE
- Campus Recreation Center East; a smaller fitness center located near the chemistry and life sciences buildings.
D
- DI
- The Daily Illini, the independent student-run newspaper of the university.
- Dining Dollars
- Credit included with meal plans used at campus cafes and convenience stores.
- DRES
- Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services, providing campus accessibility support.
F
- FAR
- Florida Avenue Residence Halls, located at the southeast corner of the campus.
- FAR Out
- A late-night dining option located in the Florida Avenue Residence Halls.
- FAR/PAR
- A collective term for the Florida Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue Residence Halls located on the southeast side of campus.
- Field of Greens
- The specialized vegetarian and vegan dining station located within LAR.
G
- Green Street
- The primary commercial artery of Campustown, lined with the majority of student-frequented bars and restaurants.
I
- I-L-L
- The first half of the university's call-and-response chant; the correct response is 'I-N-I'.
- I-L-L / I-N-I
- The standard call-and-response chant used at sporting events and around campus.
- I4K
- Illini 4000, a student-run non-profit that organizes an annual cross-country bike trek for cancer research.
- IBC
- Illinois Business Consulting, the largest student-run university consulting organization in the US.
- Ike
- The Ikenberry Commons, the large residence hall complex on the west side of campus.
- Ike
- The dining center located within the Ikenberry Commons, the largest on campus.
- Ike Dining
- The primary dining hall located within the Ikenberry Commons.
- Illini 4000
- A student-run non-profit that organizes annual cross-country bike trips to raise cancer awareness.
- Illini Cash
- A debit-like account on the i-card used for laundry, printing, and retail dining.
- Illini Pride
- The main student spirit group that manages student sections at athletic events.
- Illini Union Board
- The student-led programming board that organizes major campus events like movies and concerts.
- InfiniTEA
- A tea and snack shop located in the Illinois Street Residence (ISR) hall.
- ISG
- Illinois Student Government, the primary representative body for the student population.
- ISR
- Illinois Street Residence Halls, a popular housing choice for engineering students due to its proximity to the North Quad.
- ISR Dining
- The high-tech, renovated dining facility located at the Illinois Street Residence Halls.
- ISS
- International Student and Scholar Services, the office providing support for international students.
- ISSS
- International Student and Scholar Services, the office providing support for international students.
- IUB
- Illini Union Board, the student-led programming board that organizes campus events.
K
- Kams
- A legendary campus bar known for its 'Blue Guys' and status as a student staple.
L
- LAR
- Lincoln Avenue Residence Halls, known for its classic architecture and the 'Field of Greens' dining specialty.
- LAR Dining
- The dining center at Lincoln Avenue Residence Halls, often featuring vegetarian-focused 'Field of Greens' menus.
- Late Night
- The late-evening dining service offered at specific locations like the Ike or ISR for students with meal plans.
- Lion
- The Red Lion, a popular and often crowded campus bar on Green Street.
M
- McKinley
- McKinley Health Center, the primary on-campus student medical clinic.
- Meal Credits
- The currency used for entry into dining halls as part of a university meal plan.
- Meal Exchange
- A program allowing students to use a dining hall swipe for a set combo meal at retail locations like 57 North.
- Meal Exchanges
- A system allowing students to use a dining hall swipe for a pre-set meal combo at campus retail locations.
- Morrow Plots
- The oldest experimental corn field in the Americas; students are famously warned that entering the plots results in immediate expulsion.
N
- NRHH
- National Residence Hall Honorary, an organization for student leaders living in dorms.
O
- Orange on the Go
- A carry-out meal option where students can use a meal swipe to pick up pre-packaged food.
- Orange on the Run
- A popular grab-and-go meal service provided by University Housing dining.
- Orange on Wheat
- A deli-style cafe located in the basement of the Illini Union.
- OSC
- Office for Student Conflict Resolution, handles disciplinary and conduct matters.
- OSCR
- Office for Student Conflict Resolution; the department that handles disciplinary and conduct issues.
- OSF
- Office of Student Financial Aid.
- OSFA
- Office of Student Financial Aid, the campus office handling tuition, loans, and grants.
- OTCR
- Old Tenner Consulting Group, a premier student-run management consulting firm.
- OTM
- On the Money, a student-run financial literacy magazine/organization.
P
- PAR
- Pennsylvania Avenue Residence Halls, situated directly across the street from FAR.
- PAR Dining
- The dining center at Pennsylvania Avenue Residence Halls, known for its international options.
- PAR Late Night
- A popular late-night dining service offered at the Pennsylvania Avenue Residence Halls.
- PAR Stir Fry
- The custom-made stir-fry station at the Pennsylvania Avenue Residence dining hall.
R
- Red Lion
- A popular and often crowded campus bar known for its dance floor and atmosphere.
- RSO
- Registered Student Organization; the official designation for any of the 1,000+ student-run clubs.
S
- SDRP
- The Student Dining and Residential Programs Building, the central hub of the Ikenberry Commons.
- SDRP
- The Student Dining and Residential Programs building, the main hub of the Ikenberry Commons.
- SDRP
- Student Dining and Residential Programs Building, the central hub of the Ikenberry Commons.
- SEC
- Student Engineering Council, the umbrella organization for engineering-related societies.
- SECS
- Students for Environmental Concerns, the oldest and largest environmental student organization on campus.
- SGB
- Student Government Board, often used interchangeably with student leadership discussions.
- SHPE
- Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.
- Six Pack
- The Ikenberry Commons residence halls, nicknamed for the original layout of six buildings on the west side of campus.
- SORF
- Student Organization Resource Fee, the board that provides funding to RSOs.
- Stir Fry
- A reference to the popular custom stir-fry station at the PAR dining hall.
- SWE
- Society of Women Engineers, a prominent professional and social organization on the engineering campus.
T
- Terra Byte
- A technology-themed retail cafe and snack shop located inside the ISR building.
- TerraByte
- The tech-focused convenience store located in the Illinois Street Residences (ISR).
- The 6-pack
- The Ikenberry Commons residence halls, originally named for the six buildings in the South First Street area.
- The Alma
- The Alma Mater statue, a bronze sculpture and iconic meeting point at the corner of Wright and Green Streets.
- The Broadwalk
- The wide sidewalk running through the center of the South Quad.
- The Caffeinator
- A popular coffee and snack shop located in the Ikenberry Commons.
- The DI
- The Daily Illini, the independent student-run newspaper of UIUC.
- The Eternal Flame
- A memorial lamp between Lincoln Hall and English Building; legend says a couple who kisses there will marry.
- The Ike
- The Ikenberry Commons, the large residence hall complex on the west side of campus.
- The Ike
- The Ikenberry Dining Center, the largest and most central dining hall on the west side of campus.
- The Ike Dining
- The dining facility within the Ikenberry Commons, the largest on campus.
- The Lion
- The Red Lion, a high-energy campus bar popular with underclassmen and upperclassmen alike.
- The Morrow Plots
- The oldest experimental corn field in the Americas; students are strictly forbidden from entering to protect research integrity.
- The Plots
- The Morrow Plots, the oldest experimental corn field in the United States, located near the Undergrad Library.
- The Quad
- The Main Quad, the central grassy area of campus where students hang out, study, and pass between classes.
- The Six
- Refers to the Ikenberry Commons area, named for the original six residence halls in that location.
- The Six
- A collective term for the residence halls in the Ikenberry Commons (formerly the 'Champaign' side dorms).
- The Six Pack
- The Ikenberry Commons residence halls, historically named for the layout of the original six buildings.
- Townie
- A local resident of Champaign or Urbana who is not a student or affiliated with the university.
- TVD
- Trelease and Townsend halls, the two high-rise towers that comprise the Florida Avenue Residence (FAR) complex.
- TVS
- Taft-Van Doren, a specific subset of the Ikenberry Commons residence halls.
U
- UIPD
- University of Illinois Police Department, the campus-specific police force.
- Unofficial
- Short for 'Unofficial St. Patrick's Day,' a massive, student-led annual celebration held the Friday before the university's spring break.
V
- VSA
- Vietnamese Student Association, a prominent cultural organization on campus.
W
- WPGU
- The student-run radio station (107.1 FM) providing music and news to the campus community.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- 10-minute rule
- The convention where classes end 10 minutes before the scheduled hour (e.g., 10:50 instead of 11:00) to allow for travel between buildings.
- Altgeld
- Altgeld Hall, the castle-like mathematics building famous for its daily Altgeld Chimes performances.
- ARC
- Activities and Recreation Center, the massive main campus gym located near the Six Pack.
- ARC
- The Activities and Recreation Center, the university's massive main fitness and gym facility.
- BIF
- The Business Instructional Facility, the primary hub for the Gies College of Business.
- Canvas
- The primary online Learning Management System (LMS) used by professors for course materials and assignments.
- CBTF
- Computer-Based Testing Facility; specialized labs where students take proctored digital exams for many large courses.
- CIF
- The Campus Instructional Facility, a modern building with flexible classrooms and study spaces.
- Compass
- Illinois Compass 2g, one of the primary Learning Management Systems used for course materials and assignments.
- CRCE
- Campus Recreation Center East, the smaller gym located near the ISR dorms (pronounced 'sir-see').
- CRCE
- Campus Recreation Center East, a smaller gym facility located near the engineering campus.
- CUMTD
- The formal acronym for the local bus district, often used interchangeably with MTD.
- CUMTD App
- Any of several mobile apps (like Transit or Illinois app) used to track bus arrival times in real-time.
- DARS
- Degree Audit Reporting System, the automated tool students use to track graduation progress.
- DCL
- Digital Computer Laboratory, a major building for computer science and engineering classes.
- DRES
- Disability Resources and Educational Services, the office responsible for providing academic accommodations.
- ECEB
- The Electrical and Computer Engineering Building, a modern facility on the north campus.
- EWS
- Engineering Work Stations, the specialized computer labs and software environments for engineering students.
- Foellinger
- Foellinger Auditorium, the large domed building at the south end of the Main Quad used for lectures and performances.
- Grainger
- The Grainger Engineering Library Information Center, the primary study hub for engineering students.
- Green Street
- The primary commercial artery of campus, home to most off-campus restaurants and shops.
- i-card
- The official University of Illinois identity card, used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- ikenberry_dining_center
- Ikenberry Dining Center
- Illini Alert
- The emergency notification system that sends texts and emails regarding campus safety or weather emergencies.
- Illini Cash
- A pre-paid debit account linked to the i-card used for laundry, printing, and various on-campus vendors.
- Illinois App
- The official university mobile app used for bus schedules, dining menus, and digital i-Card access.
- illinois_street_dining_center_isr
- Illinois Street Dining Center (ISR)
- lincoln_avenue_dining_hall_lar
- Lincoln Avenue Dining Hall (LAR)
- Main
- The Main Library, one of the largest public university library collections in the country.
- Main Library
- The primary university library, one of the largest public university collections in the US.
- McKinley
- McKinley Health Center, the primary on-campus clinic providing medical services to students.
- Morrow Plots
- The oldest experimental corn field in the Americas; students are famously prohibited from entering them.
- MTD
- The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District; the bus system that is free for students to use by showing their i-card.
- NetID
- The unique university-assigned username used to access email, Canvas, and all digital campus services.
- pennsylvania_avenue_dining_hall_par
- Pennsylvania Avenue Dining Hall (PAR)
- Reading Day
- A designated day before final exams begin where no classes are held to allow for study time.
- SafeRides
- An MTD-operated van service that provides safe transportation for individuals traveling alone at night within campus boundaries.
- SafeWalks
- A safety service provided by the University Police where student patrollers walk students to their destination at night.
- SDRP
- Student Dining and Residential Programs Building, the main hub of the 'Six Pack' area.
- SDRP
- Student Dining and Residential Programs Building, the central administrative and dining hub of the Ikenberry Commons.
- Self-Service
- The online portal used by students to register for classes and view financial aid.
- Siebel
- Typically refers to the Thomas M. Siebel Center for Computer Science on the North Quad.
- The 22 Illini
- The most popular bus route that circles the main campus area.
- The ARC
- Activities and Recreation Center, the massive primary gym located near the Ikenberry Commons.
- The UGL
- The Undergraduate Library, historically an underground library, now undergoing significant renovations.
- The Undergrad
- The Undergraduate Library, which is currently undergoing a major transition to house archives.
- The Union
- The Illini Union, the central community building on the North Quad containing food, study spaces, and a bowling alley.
- UGL
- The Undergraduate Library, a historically underground building currently undergoing transition to archives.
- UIUC AnyWare
- The virtual desktop service that allows students to access campus software from personal computers.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Summer 2026 Full 12-Week Session runs May 18, 2026 – Aug 8, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 109 approved campus terms and 49 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.