Academic calendar
Academic Session 2026-2027 runs Apr 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2027. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Academic Session 2026-2027Relevant now
- Academic Session 2027-2028
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 46 of 46 terms
A
- ASG
- Associated Student Government, the representative body for the student population.
B
- Bone
- To officially report a cadet for a violation of the Blue Book (regulations).
- BR
- Brother Rat, a term for a classmate; it signifies the lifelong bond formed during the Rat Line.
- BRC
- Breakfast Roll Call, the mandatory early morning formation and meal assembly.
C
- CAB
- Campus Activities Board; the student-led group responsible for planning major events like concerts and formals.
- Commons
- The Commons Dining Hall, located near the center of campus and the LBJ Student Center.
- Crozet
- Crozet Hall, the main cadet mess hall where all formal and informal Corps meals are served.
D
- DRC
- Dinner Roll Call, the mandatory formation and meal assembly in the evening.
- Dyke
- A senior (First Classman) who serves as a mentor and protector to a specific Rat.
E
- EC
- Executive Committee (Honor Court), the student-run body that adjudicates cases involving the VMI Honor Code.
F
- Falls/Sayers
- Shorthand for the Falls and Sayers Hall complex, often grouped together due to proximity and style.
- Flex
- Refers to 'Flex Dollars' or declining balance funds used at on-campus retail food locations.
- FSL
- Fraternity and Sorority Life, the office overseeing Greek organizations.
G
- GC
- General Committee, the primary student government body that represents the Corps of Cadets.
H
- Harris
- Harris Dining Hall, the main buffet-style eatery on the west side of campus.
- Hay
- A cadet's bed, which must be rolled up or maintained according to strict military standards during the day.
J
- Jones
- Jones Dining Center, known for its food-court style options and late-night availability.
L
- LBJ Food Court
- The retail dining area inside the LBJ Student Center featuring national brands.
N
- New Barracks
- The mid-20th century addition to the cadet living quarters, forming the central courtyard.
O
- Old Barracks
- The original 19th-century residential structure for cadets, designated a National Historic Landmark.
P
- Pulling a literal
- Staying up all night in the library to finish a project or study for an exam.
R
- Rat
- A first-year student (freshman) undergoing the rigorous 'Rat Line' indoctrination process.
- RDC
- Rat Disciplinary Committee, a group of upperclassmen responsible for the indoctrination and discipline of the freshman class.
- River Rats
- A term sometimes used for students who spend a significant amount of time at the San Marcos River.
- RLC
- Residential Learning Community; specialized housing groups focused on specific academic or social themes.
S
- S-2
- The cadet staff section specifically focused on academic affairs and support for the Corps.
- SABC
- Student Association for Bilingual Child Research, a common academic-focused student group.
- SGA
- Student Government Association; the primary representative body for the student population.
- Stiles
- Refers to the 'Stiles Switch' or general local hangouts near the stadium area.
- Strain
- The exaggerated, rigid upright posture that Rats are required to maintain in the Barracks and on the Post.
T
- The Bricks
- A collective term for the traditional red-brick residence halls on the South Campus (e.g., South, West, and East Halls).
- The Caf
- The main campus cafeteria or dining hall where most students eat daily.
- The Den
- A smaller, late-night dining option or snack bar often located near the student center.
- The Green
- The central grassy area of campus used for lounging, frisbee, and outdoor events.
- The Hill
- A steep or prominent incline on campus that students must frequently traverse between classes.
- The Hill
- Refers to the hilly area of campus where several older residence halls like Beretta and Brogdon are located.
- The PX
- The Post Exchange, a food court and convenience store located in Lejeune Hall for non-mess hall dining.
- The Quad
- A cluster of four traditional residence halls (Lantana, Huisache, Mesquite, and Prickly Pear) often used as a social hub.
- The Quads
- Commonly used to describe the four-building residential clusters that share a central courtyard.
- The Square
- The downtown area adjacent to campus filled with bars, restaurants, and shops.
- The Stairs
- A reference to the many steep outdoor staircases across the hilly campus terrain.
- The Stoop
- The open-air porch-like walkways on each level of the Barracks where cadets transition between rooms.
- The Suites
- Refers to the suite-style living arrangements in the newer residential complexes like North Hall.
- The Village
- The Village at San Marcos, an on-campus apartment complex typically for upperclassmen.
- Third Barracks
- The newest residential wing, completed in 2009 to accommodate the growing Corps of Cadets.
U
- UPD
- University Police Department, the campus law enforcement agency.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Alkek
- The Albert B. Alkek Library, the main campus library and a primary study location.
- Bobcat Buck$
- A prepaid declining balance account on the student ID used for food and services on campus.
- Bobcat Shuttle
- The university's bus system that transports students between campus and local apartment complexes.
- Cocke Hall
- The campus gymnasium and fitness center, housing athletic facilities and the swimming pool.
- ID Swipe
- The act of using a student ID card to access buildings, pay for meals, or check into events.
- JM Hall
- Jackson Memorial Hall, the primary assembly hall used for ceremonies, speeches, and the cadet chapel.
- Kilbourne
- Kilbourne Hall, the building that houses the various ROTC departments (Army, Navy/Marines, Air Force).
- LBJ
- The Lyndon B. Johnson Student Center, the primary hub for student activities and services.
- Mallory
- Mallory Hall, the academic building primarily used for Mathematics and Computer Science departments.
- NetID
- The unique username required to log into all university digital services and Wi-Fi.
- Old Main
- The iconic red-roofed Victorian building that serves as the administrative and symbolic heart of campus.
- Reading Day
- A designated day before final exams begin where no classes are held, intended for independent study.
- SRC
- Saturday Room Cleaning, the weekly intensive cleaning and inspection of cadet quarters.
- The Blue Book
- The official manual of VMI regulations that governs every aspect of a cadet's life.
- The Con
- Short for 'confinement,' a penalty where a cadet is restricted to their room for a set number of hours.
- The Lib
- The main campus library, used as a primary study and social hub.
- The Loop
- The campus shuttle bus route that circles the perimeter of the university.
- The Post
- The term used by cadets and faculty to refer to the VMI campus.
- The Rec
- The campus recreation and fitness center.
- The Union
- The Student Union building, housing the bookstore, mailroom, and student offices.
- TRACS/Canvas
- The learning management systems used for course materials and grades (transitioning to Canvas).
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Academic Session 2026-2027 runs Apr 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2027.
- How much campus context is included?
- 46 approved campus terms and 21 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.