Academic calendar
Fall 2026 runs Aug 31, 2026 – Dec 17, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall 2026Relevant now
- Fall I 2026
- Fall II 2026
- Inter-Term 2026-2027
- Spring 2027
- Spring I 2027
- Spring II 2027
- May 2027 (3 week Intensive On Campus)
- Summer I 2027
- Summer 2027 All Campuses (16 weeks)
- Summer 2027 DPT, Occupational Therapy & Athletic Training
- Summer II 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 16 of 16 terms
B
- Berkel
- Berkel Hall, a suite-style residence hall typically housing upperclassmen.
- BSU
- Black Student Union, a student organization focused on advancing Black culture and leadership on campus.
F
- FBLA
- Future Business Leaders of America, a professional organization for students in business-related majors.
J
- JCOM
- Journalism Communication Club, the student-run organization that produces news and digital content.
L
- LOG Night
- A weekly social and faith-based gathering (standing for 'Love of God') held in the Maria Lounge.
M
- Maria
- Maria Hall, the primary residence hall for underclassmen and first-year students.
S
- Saint Joseph's
- The main campus dining hall located in Saint Joseph Hall, offering buffet-style meals.
- SCL
- Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, the religious order that founded and continues to sponsor the university.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the representative body for the USM student population.
- Spire Life
- A term describing the campus culture, student engagement, and the holistic student experience.
- SpireNation
- The community-wide hashtag and brand used for athletics and school spirit.
- Spires
- The official nickname and identity for students and athletes at the University of Saint Mary.
- Spiro
- The name of the university's mascot, a dragon.
- Spiro's Cupboard
- The on-campus food pantry providing free food and resources to students in need.
- Steele
- Steele Hall, a residence facility on the north side of campus.
T
- The Social Room
- A gathering and lounge area located within Saint Mary Hall used for events and student socializing.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Berchmans
- Berchmans Hall, the university's headquarters for healthcare education programs like Nursing and Physical Therapy.
- Clearing Process
- The mandatory administrative check-in process at the start of each semester to finalize enrollment and financial aid.
- eSpire
- The online student portal used for accessing grades, schedules, registration, and financial account information.
- KLC
- The Keleher Learning Commons, which houses the library, academic support services, and study spaces.
- Matriculation
- A formal ceremony held at the beginning of the academic year to officially welcome new students into the university community.
- Mead Hall
- The building housing admissions, marketing, and the Lawrence D. Starr Center for Peace & Justice.
- Miege Hall
- The campus building that houses information technology, cybersecurity programs, and the campus security office.
- Saint Mary Hall
- The historic central building housing administrative offices like the Registrar and Financial Aid.
- saint_joseph_dining_hall
- Saint Joseph Dining Hall
- Spire Shop
- The on-campus bookstore and spirit shop where students purchase textbooks and USM-branded gear.
- TextCaster
- The emergency alert system students sign up for to receive weather and campus safety notifications via text.
- Xavier
- Xavier Hall, home to the fine arts programs, music practice rooms, and the Xavier Theatre.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall 2026 runs Aug 31, 2026 – Dec 17, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 16 approved campus terms and 12 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.