Academic calendar
Fall 2026 runs Aug 19, 2026 – Dec 21, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall 2026Relevant now
- Spring 2027
- Summer 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 19 of 19 terms
B
- Blue Room
- A historic lounge and study space located within Old Main.
C
- Chucktown
- A popular nickname for Charleston, Illinois, the city where EIU is located.
D
- Dining Dollars
- Currency included with meal plans used for purchasing food at retail locations like the Union.
G
- Greek Court
- On-campus housing specifically designated for fraternity and sorority chapters.
J
- Java
- Java Bean & Bakery, a coffee shop located in the MLK Jr. University Union.
M
- Meal Swipes
- The standard unit of the meal plan used to enter residential dining halls.
N
- NRHH
- National Residence Hall Honorary, an organization recognizing leaders in the residence halls.
P
- Pem
- Pemberton Hall, the oldest female-only residence hall on campus.
R
- RHA
- Residence Hall Association, the representative body for students living on campus.
S
- SAC
- Student Activity Center, the hub for student organizations located in the Union.
- South Quad
- The group of residence halls located on the south side of campus, including Andrews, Lawson, Taylor, and Thomas.
- Steve
- Stevenson Hall, a suite-style residence hall often used by upperclassmen.
T
- Taylor
- Taylor Dining Center, one of the primary residential dining halls.
- The DEN
- The Daily Eastern News, the student-run daily newspaper.
- The Library Quad
- The central grassy area located between Booth Library and Old Main.
- The Panther
- The university mascot and a general term used to refer to EIU students.
- The Triad
- The collective name for Lincoln, Douglas, and Stevenson residence halls.
- The Union
- The MLK Jr. University Union, which houses the main food court and retail dining options.
U
- UB
- University Board, the student-led organization responsible for campus entertainment and events.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Booth
- Booth Library, the main academic library on campus.
- Buzzard
- Buzzard Hall, which houses the College of Education and the Department of Journalism.
- D2L
- Desire2Learn, the learning management system used for online course materials and assignments.
- Doudna
- The Doudna Fine Arts Center, the hub for music, theater, and art programs.
- E-number
- The unique student identification number beginning with the letter E.
- Klehm
- Klehm Hall, home to the School of Technology and Family and Consumer Sciences.
- Lantz
- The Lantz Arena and Complex, the primary facility for athletics and recreation.
- Old Main
- The Livingston C. Lord Administration Building, known for its castle-like Gothic architecture.
- Panther Card
- The official university ID card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- Panther Express
- The campus shuttle bus system that provides transportation around campus and to local shopping areas.
- PAWS
- Panther Access to Web Services, the online portal for registration, grades, and financial aid.
- south_quad_dining_center
- South Quad Dining Center
- stevenson_tower_dining_center
- Stevenson Tower Dining Center
- Textbook Rental
- EIU's unique service where students rent most of their textbooks for a flat fee rather than buying them.
- The Castle
- A common student nickname for Old Main due to its architectural style.
- university_food_court
- University Food Court
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall 2026 runs Aug 19, 2026 – Dec 21, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 19 approved campus terms and 16 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.