Academic calendar
Fall 2026 runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer 2026
- Fall 2026Relevant now
- Spring 2027
Campus language
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Showing 37 of 37 terms
2
- 27 North
- A student housing apartment complex located near the San Jose State area used by USV students.
7
- 7-Eleven
- The nearby convenience store frequently used by students for quick meals and snacks due to the lack of a traditional dining hall.
A
- ACM
- The campus chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery.
- AG
- Animation Guild, a student organization focused on animation projects and industry networking.
- ASB
- Associated Student Body, the primary student government organization on campus.
B
- Badge-in
- The act of using a student ID to gain entry to the secure campus building.
C
- Cogswell
- The former name of the institution (Cogswell Polytechnical College), still used by students and alumni to refer to the school.
- Cogswellian
- A legacy term for students, referring to the school's former name, Cogswell Polytechnical College.
- Cozy
- The name of the University of Silicon Valley's dragon mascot.
- Crunch
- The intense period of long hours spent in the labs before project deadlines or portfolio reviews.
D
- Dragons
- The official mascot of USV, frequently used in the student rallying cry 'Go Dragons'.
G
- GDA
- Game Design Association, a prominent student organization for aspiring game developers.
- GDC
- Game Development Club, a student organization focused on collaborative game design projects
I
- IDDA
- International Digital Design Association, a student organization focused on digital media and design networking.
- IEEE
- The student branch of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
- IGDA
- The International Game Developers Association student chapter, focused on game development networking.
N
- North Park
- The primary apartment complex in San Jose where USV-sponsored student housing is located.
P
- Portfolio
- The high-stakes final collection of work required for graduation and industry entry.
S
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the primary student representative body.
- SIG
- Special Interest Group; the term used for student-led clubs focused on specific crafts like 3D modeling or coding.
- SIGGRAPH
- The student chapter of the professional organization for computer graphics and interactive techniques, a major hub for animation students.
T
- The Apartments
- General student shorthand for the off-campus residential housing provided through the university.
- The Breakroom
- The central on-campus area equipped with vending machines and seating where students eat and socialize.
- The Cafe
- The on-campus dining area and snack bar located within the main campus building.
- The Den
- The Dragon's Den student lounge, the primary on-campus spot for eating, vending machines, and socializing.
- The Dragon
- The university mascot, often used to refer to school spirit or campus identity.
- The Grad
- The Graduate San Jose, a high-rise apartment complex used for off-campus student housing.
- The Lex
- The Lex Apartments, a primary off-campus housing partner where many students reside
- The Lounge
- The central student breakroom and kitchenette area used for meals and socializing in the absence of a traditional dining hall
- The Market
- Refers to the nearby retail and food area at the @First complex used by students for lunch.
- The Plant
- The nearby shopping center (The Plant Shopping Center) where students go for off-campus dining options like Chipotle or Five Guys.
- The Square
- Refers to the nearby shopping centers (like Santa Clara Square) where students go for food off-campus.
- The Standard
- The Standard at San Jose, a popular off-campus luxury apartment complex frequently used for student housing.
- The Verdant
- The primary off-campus apartment complex designated for student housing, located within walking distance of the main building.
- The Woods
- The Woods Apartments, a large off-campus complex in San Jose where a significant portion of the student population resides.
V
- Verdant
- The Verdant Apartments, a common luxury housing option for students located near the campus.
W
- Whole Foods
- The nearby grocery store on The Alameda or Scott Blvd where students frequently go for lunch or hot bar meals.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- 2525
- The main campus building located at 2525 North First Street in San Jose.
- Augustine
- The main campus building located at 2525 Augustine Drive.
- Badge
- The physical student ID card required for electronic access to the campus building and labs.
- Baypointe
- The main (and only) campus building located at 191 Baypointe Pkwy.
- Baypointe Station
- The nearest light rail stop that serves as the primary transit hub for the campus.
- Canvas
- The Learning Management System (LMS) where students access course materials and submit assignments.
- Cisco Way
- The specific VTA light rail station that serves as the primary transit stop for the USV campus.
- Clipper
- The regional transit card used by students to pay for VTA light rail and bus fares.
- Dragon's Den
- The dedicated student lounge and gaming area within the main building.
- Populi
- The student information system used for checking grades, registration, and financial records.
- Student Portal
- The internal online system used for course registration, financial aid, and official academic records.
- The Badge
- The physical student ID card required for scanning into the building and accessing labs.
- The Campus
- Refers to the single-building facility at 2102 Almaden Expressway.
- The Lab
- Shorthand for the various computer and production labs used for project work.
- The Nest
- The dedicated student lounge and community hub located within the main campus building.
- The Nest
- The official online student portal used for accessing grades, schedules, and financial aid information.
- The Portal
- The internal student information system used for registration, financial aid, and official records.
- The Studio
- General term for the high-end Media Arts and Animation labs.
- VTA
- The Valley Transportation Authority light rail system, specifically the Baypointe Station used by commuters.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall 2026 runs Aug 17, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 37 approved campus terms and 19 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.