Academic calendar
Fall 2026 runs Aug 24, 2026 – Dec 17, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall 2026Relevant now
- Spring 2027
- Maymester 2027Summer 2027 Maymester
- Summer 2027
- 1st 5 Week Summer 2027Summer 2027 First 5-Week Session
- 10 Week Session Summer 2027Summer 2027 10-Week Session
- 2nd 5 Week Summer 2027Summer 2027 Second 5-Week Session
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 38 of 38 terms
A
- ACE
- Organizes campus-wide entertainment, including concerts, movies, and social events.
- APIC
- Asian Pacific Islander Club, a student organization promoting cultural awareness and unity.
B
- BSA
- Black Student Alliance, a club focused on educating and promoting Black history and culture.
C
- Chipeta
- The Chipeta Apartments, designated for older returning undergraduates and graduate students.
D
- Dolores
- A residence hall within the Escalante Complex, typically housing first-year students.
E
- EPIC
- EPIC Mentorship Program, which pairs first-year students with peer mentors for their transition to college.
- Escalante
- The Escalante Complex, a first-year housing area comprising Colorado, Crystal, Dolores, and Tomichi Halls.
F
- Flex Dollars
- Dining funds included with meal plans specifically for use at Mad Jack's and Rare Air Café.
- FreeCycle
- A student-run thrift shop located in Ute Hall where students can get items for free.
G
- Gunny
- The common student nickname for the town of Gunnison, Colorado.
K
- KWSB
- The campus FM radio station (91.1 FM) operated by students.
L
- LEAD
- The Leadership, Engagement, and Development office which oversees student clubs and outdoor programs.
M
- Mad Jack's
- Mad Jack's Café, a grab-and-go dining spot in the University Center offering coffee and grilled items.
- MadJack
- The name of the university's 24/7 AI chatbot and a reference to the campus mascot.
- MCC
- Multicultural Center, a hub for diverse student-led clubs and cultural events.
- Mears
- The Mears Complex, suite-style housing for returning and transfer students including Mears, Moffat, and Robidoux Halls.
- Mountaineer Cash
- A debit-like account on the student ID used for campus services, bookstore purchases, and dining.
- Mountaineers
- The collective name for Western Colorado University students and athletic teams.
O
- ODK
- Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society with a chapter on campus.
P
- Pinnacles
- The Pinnacles Apartments, a modern apartment-style housing complex for upperclassmen.
R
- Rare Air
- The Rare Air Café, the main campus dining hall located in the University Center.
S
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the elected body representing student interests on campus.
T
- The Bowl
- Mountaineer Bowl, the high-altitude football stadium located on the edge of campus.
- The Gunny
- A common shorthand term used by students for the town of Gunnison.
- The Overlook
- A cafe located in the ICELab (Escalante Terrace) that serves coffee, pastries, and noodle dishes.
- The Pinnacles
- The Pinnacles Apartments, typically housing upperclassmen and transfer students.
- The Pins
- Shorthand for the Pinnacles Apartments, which offer suite-style living for upperclassmen.
- The RAC
- Rare Air Café, the primary all-you-can-eat dining hall located in the University Center.
- The Top
- Shorthand for 'Top o' the World,' the independent student-run newspaper founded in 1921.
- The W
- The massive 'W' emblem on Tenderfoot Mountain; also refers to the traditional hike students take to it.
- The Zoo
- A historical nickname for the Paul Wright Gym, often used during high-energy athletic events.
- Top
- Shorthand for 'The Top o' the World,' the university's independent student newspaper.
- Top o' the World
- The name of the independent student-run newspaper, often referred to simply as 'The Top'.
U
- Ute
- Ute Hall, the university's first residence hall, which also houses the campus FreeCycle shop.
W
- W-Mountain
- Tenderfoot Mountain, which features the large 'W' that is lit up for homecoming and special events.
- WBO
- Wilderness Based Orientation, an optional pre-semester outdoor adventure for new students.
- WMRT
- Western Mountain Rescue Team, the only accredited college-based mountain search and rescue team in the U.S.
- WP
- Wilderness Pursuits, a student-run organization providing outdoor gear rentals and guided trips.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Borick
- The Borick Business Building, home to the school's business and accounting programs.
- EPIC Mentor
- A trained peer mentor assigned to every incoming first-year and transfer student.
- Flex Dollars
- Dining-specific currency included with meal plans, usable at Rare Air Café and Mad Jack's.
- Hurst
- Hurst Hall, part of the Hurst Quad and home to the Natural and Environmental Sciences departments.
- IT Helpdesk
- Located in Taylor Hall 125, the primary resource for student technical support.
- mad_jack_s_cafe
- Mad Jack's Cafe
- Mountaineer Card
- The official student ID card used for building access, meal plans, and campus activities.
- Mountaineer Cash
- Prepaid funds loaded onto the student ID card for use at the bookstore and dining facilities.
- Quigley
- Quigley Hall, the primary building for Art and Music programs.
- Rady
- The Paul M. Rady School of Computer Science & Engineering building.
- rare_air_caf
- Rare Air Café
- RTA
- The free regional bus system that provides transportation between Gunnison and Crested Butte.
- Safe Ride
- A student-run transportation service providing safe rides home on weekend nights.
- Savage
- The Leslie J. Savage Library.
- Taylor
- Taylor Hall, the oldest building on campus, housing administrative offices and IT services.
- The Bowl
- Mountaineer Bowl, the university's high-altitude football stadium.
- The Field House
- The Mountaineer Field House, a large indoor athletic facility featuring a track and climbing wall.
- The ICELab
- A campus-based innovation and coworking space that supports student entrepreneurs.
- The Paul Wright
- Paul Wright Gym, the main athletic facility and home to the world's highest collegiate basketball court.
- The RTA
- The Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority, a free bus service connecting Gunnison and Crested Butte.
- The UC
- The University Center, the central hub for student life, dining, and campus services.
- The W
- The giant whitewashed letter 'W' on Tenderfoot Mountain, a landmark overlooking the campus.
- Wilderness Based Orientation
- A unique Western tradition where new students can choose an outdoor expedition as their orientation.
- Wilderness Pursuits
- The campus outdoor gear rental and trip planning office located in the University Center.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall 2026 runs Aug 24, 2026 – Dec 17, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 38 approved campus terms and 24 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.