Academic calendar
Fall 8 Week I 2026 runs Aug 31, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall 8 Week I 2026Relevant now
- Fall Semester 2026
- Fall 8 Week II 2026
- Winter Intersession 2026-2027
- Spring 8 Week I 2027
- Spring Semester 2027
- Spring 8 Week II 2027
- Summer 7 Week I 2027
- Summer 8 Week 2027
- Summer Session 2027
- Summer 3 Week 2027
- Summer 6 Week I 2027
- Summer 6 Week II 2027
- Summer 7 Week II 2027
- Fall 8 Week I 2027
- Fall Semester 2027
- Fall 8 Week II 2027
- Winter Intersession 2027-2028
- Spring 8 Week I 2028
- Spring Semester 2028
- Spring 8 Week II 2028
- Summer 7 Week I 2028
- Summer 8 Week 2028
- Summer Session 2028
- Summer 3 Week 2028
- Summer 6 Week I 2028
- Summer 6 Week II 2028
- Summer 7 Week II 2028
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 61 of 61 terms
A
- Anderson
- Anderson Hall, a primary residence hall for first-year students located on the main quad.
- ATV
- American University Television, the student-run TV station.
- AUPD
- American University Police Department, the campus law enforcement agency.
- AUSG
- American University Student Government.
- AWOL
- An award-winning student-run investigative magazine on campus.
B
- Blue Crew
- The official student spirit group that leads cheers at athletic events.
- Blue Route
- The specific shuttle bus route that circles the main campus and the Metro station.
- BSU
- Black Student Union, a prominent cultural and advocacy organization on campus.
C
- Cassell
- Cassell Hall, a suite-style residence hall often housing upperclassmen.
- CenTen
- Centennial Hall, a common residence for second-year students.
- Centenn
- Centennial Hall, a suite-style residence hall typically housing sophomore students.
- Centennial
- Centennial Hall, a suite-style residence hall typically housing sophomores.
D
- Dining Dollars
- Funds included with meal plans that can only be used at on-campus dining locations.
- Dining Dollars
- Funds included with meal plans that can be used at on-campus retail dining locations like Subway or Freshii.
E
- Eagle
- The university mascot and the general term for an AU student.
- Eagle Bucks
- A dollar-for-dollar electronic currency loaded onto the One Card for use at on-campus and select off-campus vendors.
- Eagle's Nest
- The campus convenience store located on the upper level of the Mary Graydon Center.
- EagleBucks
- A prepaid account on the student ID card used for laundry, printing, and at participating off-campus merchants.
- EagleBucks
- A stored-value account on the student ID used for on-campus services and at participating off-campus retailers.
- East Campus
- A collection of newer residence halls (Constitution, Duber, and Federal) located across Nebraska Avenue.
F
- Frequency
- The Frequency, an off-campus apartment building in Tenleytown leased by the university for student housing.
H
- Hughes
- Hughes Hall, a residence hall often associated with the Honors program or specific learning communities.
K
- Kogod
- The Kogod School of Business.
- KPU
- Kennedy Political Union, the student-run non-partisan speakers bureau.
- KSA
- Korean Student Association, one of the many active cultural organizations on campus.
- KSB
- Kogod School of Business, the university's business school.
L
- LAC
- A collective shorthand for the Letts, Anderson, and Centennial residence halls, which form a central freshman housing hub.
- Letts
- Letts Hall, a large freshman residence hall.
- Letts-Anderson
- The combined reference to Letts Hall and Anderson Hall, the primary traditional dorms for freshmen.
- Letts-Ando
- The combined residential complex of Letts and Anderson Halls, typically housing freshmen.
- Letts/Andi
- A collective term for Letts and Anderson Halls, the two primary traditional-style freshman dorms.
- Letts/Andy
- Letts and Anderson Halls, the two largest interconnected freshman residence halls on the south end of campus.
M
- McD
- McDowell Hall, a traditional-style residence hall.
- McDowell
- McDowell Hall, a residence hall typically housing sophomore students.
- MGC
- Mary Graydon Center, the primary building for campus dining and student organization offices.
- MGC Food Court
- The retail dining area in Mary Graydon Center featuring vendors like Subway and Freshii.
P
- POD
- P.O.D. Market (Provisions on Demand), a small convenience store located in the Mary Graydon Center.
R
- Roper
- Roper Hall, a smaller residence hall known for its community-focused living environment.
S
- SIS
- School of International Service, referring to both the academic school and its building.
- SOC
- School of Communication, the academic division for journalism and media.
- SPA
- School of Public Affairs, one of the university's major academic divisions.
- SUB
- Student Union Board, the organization responsible for planning major campus events like concerts.
T
- TDR
- Terrace Dining Room, the main all-you-care-to-eat dining hall on campus.
- Tenley
- Short for Tenleytown, the neighborhood and Metro station (Tenleytown-AU) serving the university.
- The AU Bubble
- The feeling of being isolated from the rest of Washington, D.C. while staying on the university campus.
- The AU Shuffle
- The frustrating experience of being sent to multiple different administrative offices to resolve a single bureaucratic issue.
- The Beach
- The grassy lawn area in front of the School of International Service (SIS) building, popular for sunbathing and studying.
- The Berks
- The Berkshire Apartments, a popular off-campus housing option for upperclassmen located adjacent to campus.
- The Bridge
- The Bridge Cafe, a dining and performance space located in the Mary Graydon Center.
- The Bubble
- The phenomenon of students staying exclusively on the small campus and not venturing into the rest of D.C.
- The Dav
- The Davenport Coffee Lounge, a popular student-run cafe in the School of International Service.
- The Dav
- Davenport Coffee Lounge, a student-run cafe located in the School of International Service building.
- The Eagle
- The name of American University's official student-run newspaper.
- The Mudbox
- A coffee shop located in the lower level of the Bender Library.
- The Nest
- Eagle's Nest, the on-campus convenience store located on the upper floor of the Mary Graydon Center.
- The Quad
- The central grassy area of campus where students socialize and events are held.
- The Shuttle
- The AU-operated bus service that transports students between the main campus and the Tenleytown-AU Metro station.
- The Tunnel
- The underground walkway connecting various buildings, useful for avoiding bad weather.
W
- Wonk
- A term for someone obsessed with policy or a specific subject; originally an AU marketing campaign, now used both sincerely and ironically by students.
- Wonk Cat
- A reference to a beloved stray cat that lived on campus for years and became an unofficial mascot (commemorated with a statue).
- WVAU
- The student-run campus radio station.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- 2-Ride
- A safety escort service providing van transportation around campus and the local neighborhood during late-night hours.
- 2-Step
- The Duo Mobile multi-factor authentication process required to log into all AU digital portals.
- 2-U
- A common shorthand for the shuttle route connecting the main campus to the Tenleytown-AU Metro station.
- 25Live
- The online system used by students and faculty to reserve classrooms and event spaces on campus.
- AU Alert
- The emergency notification system that sends text and email updates regarding campus safety or weather closures.
- AU Central
- The one-stop shop for student services including financial aid, registration, and billing.
- AU Shuttle
- The free bus service that transports students between the main campus and the Tenleytown-AU Metro station.
- Battelle
- Battelle-Tompkins Hall, a central academic building housing many CAS classrooms.
- Beeghly
- The Beeghly Chemistry Building, located near the center of campus.
- Bender
- Bender Library, the main university library.
- Blue Route
- The AU shuttle bus route that runs frequently between the main campus and the Tenleytown-AU Metro station.
- Canvas
- The learning management system used by professors to post syllabi, assignments, and grades.
- Dining Dollars
- Funds included with meal plans that can be used at on-campus retail dining locations like Starbucks or Subway.
- DMT
- The Don Myers Technology and Innovation Building, located on the East Campus.
- DMTI
- The Don Myers Technology and Innovation Building, located on the East Campus.
- Don Myers
- The Don Myers Technology and Innovation Building, home to physics, math, and computer science.
- Eagle Alert
- The university's emergency notification system that sends texts and emails regarding campus safety or closures.
- Eagle Service
- The online portal used by students for class registration, viewing grades, and managing financial aid.
- eagle_express
- Eagle Express
- EagleBucks
- A stored-value account on the student ID card used for purchases at the bookstore and participating off-campus vendors.
- EagleNotify
- A service that sends text or email alerts when a seat becomes available in a previously closed course.
- East Campus
- The residential and academic complex located across Nebraska Avenue from the main campus.
- EQB
- East Quad Building, located near the Katzen Arts Center.
- Handshake
- The online platform used by the AU Career Center for job postings and internship listings.
- Hurst
- Hurst Hall, one of the historic academic buildings located on the main Quad.
- Katzen
- The Katzen Arts Center, which houses the university's art gallery, music, and theater departments.
- Kogod
- The Kogod School of Business building.
- McKinley
- The McKinley Building, home to the School of Communication.
- MGC
- Mary Graydon Center, the central hub for student life, dining, and the bookstore.
- One Card
- The official AU student identification card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- Red Route
- The AU shuttle bus route that connects the main campus to the Spring Valley academic building.
- SIS
- The School of International Service building, known for its sustainable design and the Davenport cafe.
- starbucks
- Starbucks
- subway
- Subway
- terrace_dining_room_tdr
- Terrace Dining Room (TDR)
- The Quad
- The central grassy area of campus surrounded by major academic buildings.
- The Shuttle
- The AU-operated bus service that runs between the main campus, East Campus, and the Tenleytown-AU Metro station.
- U-Pass
- A mandatory transit pass for full-time students providing unlimited rides on Metrorail and Metrobus.
- Ward
- The Ward Circle Building, primarily housing the School of Public Affairs.
- WCL
- Washington College of Law, located on the Tenley Campus separate from the main campus.
- yuma_market
- Yuma Market
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall 8 Week I 2026 runs Aug 31, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 61 approved campus terms and 41 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.