Academic calendar
First Semester Fall 2026 runs Aug 21, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- First Semester Fall 2026Relevant now
- Second Semester Spring 2027
- Summer Semester 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 16 of 16 terms
1
- 10/10
- A traditional campus-wide party held on October 10th.
A
- ACE
- All Campus Events, the student-led committee responsible for planning major concerts and social gatherings.
B
- Bob's
- Bob's Underground, a late-night cafe and social space located in the basement of Main Hall.
D
- D-Hall
- The main Marketplace Dining Hall located in the Joe Rosenfield '25 Center (JRC).
E
- East
- The newest residential complex (Rose and Rathje Halls), featuring suite-style living and air conditioning.
H
- Harris
- Refers to the Harris Center, the primary venue for student-organized parties and dances.
L
- Language Houses
- Themed residential houses where students speak a specific foreign language to improve fluency.
N
- North
- The cluster of residence halls on the north side of campus, known for a more social and sometimes louder atmosphere.
S
- S&B
- The Scarlet & Black, Grinnell's student-run newspaper.
- Self-gov
- Self-governance; the college's core philosophy where students are expected to take responsibility for their own conduct and community standards.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the primary student governing body that manages the student activity fund.
- South
- The cluster of residence halls on the south side of campus, often described as having a more traditional or quiet feel.
- SPARC
- Student Programming and Academic Resource Committee, which provides funding for student-led initiatives.
T
- The Bubble
- The Grinnell Bubble; the feeling of being isolated from the outside world due to the college's rural location and intense academic environment.
- The Grill
- Spencer Grill, a casual eatery in the JRC serving coffee, sandwiches, and snacks.
- Titular
- Titular Head; the name of the campus's long-running student improv comedy troupe.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Burling
- Burling Library, the main campus library.
- Dining Dollars
- Funds attached to a student's meal plan that can be used at Spencer Grill or Bob's Underground.
- global_caf
- Global Café
- HSSC
- The Humanities and Social Studies Center, a large academic complex that opened in 2019.
- JRC
- The Joe Rosenfield '25 Center, the campus student union containing dining, the mailroom, and meeting spaces.
- Mail Services
- The central mailroom located in the basement of the JRC where all student packages are received.
- marketplace_dining_hall
- Marketplace Dining Hall
- P-Card
- The Pioneer Card; the official student ID used for building access, meal plans, and 'Dining Dollars'.
- spencer_grill
- Spencer Grill
- Steiner
- Steiner Hall, home to the Department of Philosophy and various administrative offices.
- The Bear
- The Charles Benson Bear '39 Recreation and Athletic Center, the primary gym and fitness facility.
- The Shuttle
- The college-provided transportation service to Des Moines and Iowa City, typically used for airport runs during breaks.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- First Semester Fall 2026 runs Aug 21, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 16 approved campus terms and 12 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.