Academic calendar
Fall 2026 runs Aug 24, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall 2026Relevant now
Campus language
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Showing 106 of 106 terms
A
- AA
- Athletic Association, often used in reference to student sports tickets.
- AAU
- Association of American Universities, a prestigious group of research universities that KU belongs to.
B
- Beak 'em
- A common cheer or phrase used to express school spirit, often accompanied by the 'Wheels Up' hand sign.
- Beak 'Em Beans
- The campus-branded coffee shops found in various academic buildings.
- Beak 'Em Bucks
- A declining balance account on the KU Card used for food and services on and off campus.
C
- C-Store
- Convenience stores located within residence halls like Lewis or Oliver.
- Corbin
- Corbin Hall, an all-female residence hall located at the bottom of the hill.
- Cru5h
- A dining location in the Burge Union known for customizable meals and late-night hours.
- Cruiser
- The Jayhawk Cruiser, the university's mobile food truck that moves to different campus locations.
- Cruiser's
- A quick-service dining location often associated with the Burge Union or satellite cafes.
- Crunchy Chicken Monday
- A popular recurring meal tradition at Mrs. E's dining center.
- Crunchy Chicken Tuesday
- A weekly tradition in the dining halls featuring a specific popular fried chicken dish.
- Cuisine
- The dining center located in the Burge Union.
- Cuisine Cash
- A declining balance currency included with meal plans for use at on-campus retail dining locations.
D
- Daisy Hill
- The primary residential area of campus where the majority of freshman dorms are located.
- Dining Center
- General term for the all-you-care-to-eat facilities like North College Cafe or Mrs. E's.
- Dining Dollars
- The flexible spending currency included with meal plans for use at campus retail dining locations.
- Dotte
- Wyandotte Hall, a scholarship hall on campus.
- Douthart
- Douthart Scholarship Hall, one of the cooperative living communities on campus.
- Downing
- Downing Residential Management Center, often used to refer to the administrative hub on Daisy Hill.
- Downs
- Stouffer Place Apartments or the general area near the South District residential complex.
E
- Ellsworth
- Ellsworth Hall, a large residence hall located on Daisy Hill.
G
- GSP
- Gertrude Sellards Pearson Hall, a residence hall often paired with Corbin Hall.
H
- Hash
- Hashinger Hall, a residence hall known for its focus on the creative arts.
- Hawk Shop
- Convenience stores located within residence halls or the union for snacks and basic groceries.
- Hawk Week
- The series of welcome events and traditions held during the first week of the fall semester.
I
- IFC
- Interfraternity Council, the governing body for social fraternities.
- IFC/PHC
- The Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council, governing bodies for Greek life.
- IOA
- The Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, which handles Title IX and civil rights issues.
J
- Jayhawk
- The mythical bird mascot and the term for any KU student or athlete.
- Jayhawk Boulevard
- The main thoroughfare through campus, often simply called 'The Boulevard'.
- Jayhawker Towers
- An apartment-style residence complex primarily for upperclassmen and student-athletes.
- JoCo
- Slang for Johnson County, referring to the large population of students from the Kansas City suburbs.
K
- KJHK
- The student-run radio station, broadcasting at 90.7 FM.
- KUDM
- KU Dance Marathon, a student organization that raises money for Children’s Miracle Network.
- KUEC
- The KU Edwards Campus located in Overland Park.
- KUID
- The official University of Kansas student identification card and account system.
- KUJH
- The student-run television news station operated through the School of Journalism.
L
- Late Night
- Short for 'Late Night in the Phog,' the annual event marking the start of basketball season.
- Lew
- Lewis Hall, a residence hall located on Daisy Hill.
- Lewis
- Lewis Hall, a residence hall on Daisy Hill often associated with its proximity to the dining center.
M
- Mass St
- Massachusetts Street, the main downtown Lawrence thoroughfare for dining, shopping, and nightlife.
- Mount Oread
- The official name of the hill upon which the main KU campus is built.
- Mrs. E’s
- Ekdahl Dining Center, the largest dining hall on campus located on Daisy Hill.
N
- Naismith
- Naismith Hall, a privately owned residence hall located just off the edge of campus.
- NCC
- North College Cafe, a dining center located in GSP Hall serving the residents on the north side of campus.
- North College Cafe
- The residential dining hall located within GSP Hall.
- North College Café
- The dining hall located within GSP Hall, serving the North District of campus.
O
- Osh
- Oswald Hall, one of the newer suite-style residence halls on Daisy Hill.
- Osh/Self
- Oswald and Self Halls, two modern residence halls that are physically connected and often referred to together.
- Oswald
- Oswald Hall, a modern residence hall on Daisy Hill connected to Self Hall.
P
- PHA
- Panhellenic Association, the governing body for the university's sorority chapters.
- PHC
- Panhellenic Council, the governing body for sororities.
- Phog
- A reference to Phog Allen, used to describe the atmosphere of Allen Fieldhouse ('Beware of the Phog').
R
- Roasterie
- The local Kansas City-based coffee brand served at various campus cafes.
- Rock Chalk
- The universal greeting and cheer for the university, derived from the 'Rock Chalk, Jayhawk' chant.
S
- Schol Halls
- Short for Scholarship Halls, a unique KU housing system where students perform cooperative duties to reduce costs.
- Self
- Self Hall, a newer residence hall on Daisy Hill that is physically connected to Oswald Hall.
- Self and Oswald
- The two newest residence halls on Daisy Hill, often referred to as a single unit due to their proximity and shared bridge.
- Self/Osh
- Self and Oswald Halls, two connected modern residence halls on Daisy Hill.
- Self/Oswald
- A common shorthand for the connected Self and Oswald residence halls on Daisy Hill.
- SFA
- Student Financial Aid office.
- SFL
- Sorority and Fraternity Life, the office overseeing Greek organizations.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the governing body for KU students.
- SGB
- Student Government Board, often used interchangeably with Student Senate.
- SHAC
- Student Health Advisory Committee, which acts as a liaison between students and health services.
- SHW
- Student Health and Wellness, the department managing Watkins Health Services and counseling.
- SILC
- Student Involvement & Leadership Center, the office that oversees student clubs and Greek life.
- South Dining
- The South Dining Commons, serving the residents of the South District (Stouffer Place and 435 North/South).
- STUCO
- Student Council, often referring to the Engineering Student Council or specific school governance.
- Student Senate
- The governing body for KU students that allocates the student activity fee.
- SUA
- Student Union Activities, the student-led organization that plans concerts, movies, and campus events.
T
- Templin
- Templin Hall, the residence hall traditionally associated with the University Honors Program.
- The Beach
- The concrete plaza and seating area in front of Wescoe Hall, popular for sunbathing and socializing.
- The Booth
- The Booth Family Hall of Athletics, the museum connected to Allen Fieldhouse.
- The Campanile
- The World War II Memorial bell tower; tradition says walking through it before graduation brings bad luck.
- The Deuce
- The dining area located within the Burge Union.
- The Hawk
- The Jayhawk Cafe, a popular student bar and social landmark near campus.
- The Hill
- The physical elevation of the main campus; also refers to the walk graduates take during commencement.
- The Hill
- Often used interchangeably with Daisy Hill to describe the main housing ridge.
- The Kansan
- The University Daily Kansan, KU's student-led newspaper and media outlet.
- The Market
- The main food court area located within the Kansas Union.
- The Naismith
- Naismith Hall, a privately managed residence hall located just off-campus near Allen Fieldhouse.
- The Phog
- A nickname for Allen Fieldhouse, referencing legendary coach Phog Allen and the 'home court advantage' atmosphere.
- The Pulse
- Coffee shops located in various academic buildings across campus.
- The Roasterie
- The campus coffee shops serving local Kansas City coffee.
- The Schalls
- Short for the Scholarship Halls, a unique cooperative living community where students share chores to reduce costs.
- The Schol Halls
- The Scholarship Halls, a group of 12 cooperative living communities where students share household duties.
- The Scholarship Halls
- A group of smaller, cooperative living communities where students share chores to reduce costs.
- The Studio
- A late-night dining location situated in Hashinger Hall.
- The Towers
- A collective term often used for the high-rise dorms on Daisy Hill, specifically Lewis and Templin.
- The Underground
- The food court located in the basement level of Wescoe Hall.
- The Union
- Refers to the various dining options located within the Kansas Union.
- The Wheel
- The Wagon Wheel, a historic and iconic student bar located just off-campus on 14th Street.
- Townie
- A Lawrence resident who is not a student or directly affiliated with the university.
- TUDK
- The University Daily Kansan, the student-run newspaper and media outlet.
U
- UBC
- University Business Center, often referring to the School of Business student leadership.
- UDA
- University Dance Company, the resident pre-professional performance group.
- UDK
- The University Daily Kansan, the independent student newspaper.
- UHS
- University Health Services, located in Watkins Memorial Health Center.
W
- Walking the Hill
- The tradition of graduating seniors walking down Mt. Oread to Memorial Stadium for commencement.
- Wave the Wheat
- A tradition where fans wave their arms in the air to mimic wheat blowing in the wind after a KU score.
- Waving the Wheat
- A tradition where students wave their arms in unison during sporting events, typically after a score.
- Wescoe Beach
- The large concrete plaza in front of Wescoe Hall, popular for tabling, events, and sunbathing.
- Wescoeing
- The act of hanging out or people-watching on the Wescoe Beach.
- WHS
- Watkins Health Services, the on-campus student medical center.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- AFH
- Allen Fieldhouse, the historic home of the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team.
- Allen
- Allen Fieldhouse, the historic and iconic home of Kansas Jayhawks basketball.
- Allen Fieldhouse
- The historic home of Kansas Basketball, often referred to as 'The Phog'.
- Ambler
- The Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center, the main campus gym.
- Anschutz
- Anschutz Library, known for being a more collaborative and social study space compared to Watson.
- Beak 'em
- A common phrase used in sports contexts or as a general sign-off among students.
- Beak 'Em Bucks
- A declining balance currency loaded onto the KUID for use at campus dining and retail locations.
- Beak 'n' Bucks
- A debit-like system on the KU Card used for purchasing food and services on campus.
- Beak 'n' Buy
- The official campus convenience stores located in various residence halls and buildings.
- Beak 'n' Dine
- A program allowing students to use their KU Card for purchases at participating off-campus restaurants.
- Beak 'n' Save
- A popular coupon book distributed on campus featuring discounts for local Lawrence businesses.
- Blue Books
- Small paper booklets required for written essay exams, typically purchased at the KU Bookstore.
- Budig
- Budig Hall, which contains the largest lecture halls on campus and the central computer lab.
- Bus
- Refers to the KU on-campus transit system, which is free for students with a KU Card.
- Bus 11
- A primary transit route (the 'Daisy Hill Express') connecting the dorms to the main campus.
- Bus 41/42
- The primary campus circulator bus routes that move students between Daisy Hill and the academic buildings.
- Bus Finger
- The act of pointing an index finger at a campus bus to signal the driver to stop.
- Canvas
- The learning management system where professors post syllabi, assignments, and grades.
- Cuisine Cash
- Dining-specific credit included with meal plans for use at campus retail dining locations.
- Dining Dollars
- Tax-free funds included with meal plans that can be used at any KU Dining retail location.
- Enroll & Pay
- The online student portal used for class registration, paying tuition, and checking grades.
- Enrollment
- The specific window of time when students register for the next semester's classes via the Enroll & Pay portal.
- Enrollment RX
- The student portal system used for searching and registering for classes.
- Fraser
- Fraser Hall, the iconic building with two towers visible from across Lawrence.
- Hawk Week
- The series of orientation events and activities held during the first week of the fall semester.
- Jayhawk App
- The official mobile application used for tracking campus buses, checking grades, and accessing student resources.
- Jayhawk Blvd
- The main campus thoroughfare, which is restricted to bus and permit traffic only during school hours.
- Jayhawk Blvd Gates
- The main road through campus is closed to most vehicular traffic during class hours (7:45 AM to 4:00 PM) to prioritize buses and pedestrians.
- Jayhawk Boulevard
- The main campus thoroughfare which is restricted to bus and permit traffic during daytime class hours.
- Jayhawk GPS
- The online platform used by students to schedule academic advising appointments.
- Jayhawk on Demand
- An app-based transit service for on-campus transportation during specific hours.
- K-10 Connector
- The bus service that transports students between the Lawrence and Edwards campuses.
- K-Card
- The official University of Kansas student identification card used for building access and payments.
- KU Card
- The official student identification card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- KU Info
- A student-run information service that answers questions via phone, text, or online.
- KU on Wheels
- The campus bus system that provides transportation around campus and Lawrence.
- KUBus
- The campus bus system (operated by Lawrence Transit) which is free for students with a KUID.
- KUEC
- The KU Edwards Campus, the university's satellite campus located in Overland Park.
- KUID
- The official student identification card used for meals, building access, and library services.
- Late Night
- Short for 'Late Night in the Phog,' the massive annual event marking the start of the basketball season.
- Learned
- Learned Hall, the primary building for the School of Engineering.
- mrs_e_s
- Mrs. E's
- mrs_e_s_daisy_hill
- Mrs. E's (Daisy Hill)
- MyKU
- The central web portal providing a single point of access to various student information systems.
- Navigate
- The mobile app and platform used by students to schedule advising appointments and track academic progress.
- north_college_cafe
- North College Cafe
- north_college_cafe_gsp_hall
- North College Cafe (GSP Hall)
- Route 11
- The primary bus route (K-10 Connector/Campus) used by students to commute between Daisy Hill and downtown.
- Route 42
- The 'Blue' bus route, a primary circulator that connects Daisy Hill dorms to the main academic buildings.
- SafeBus
- A late-night bus route that transports students between campus, downtown, and residential areas.
- SafeLift
- A program providing subsidized Uber/Lyft rides for students during late-night hours.
- SafeRide
- A university-provided car service that offers students free, safe rides home at night.
- SafeWalk
- A service where student employees provide walking escorts across campus after dark.
- south_dining_commons
- South Dining Commons
- south_dining_commons_downs_hall
- South Dining Commons (Downs Hall)
- Stop Day
- The Friday before final exams week when no classes are held, intended for study and preparation.
- Strong
- Strong Hall, the main administrative building housing the Chancellor's office and admissions.
- The 'Schutz
- Anschutz Library, one of the two main libraries on campus, known for its collaborative study spaces.
- The 11
- Route 11, the primary bus line connecting Daisy Hill dorms to the main campus.
- The Burge
- The Burge Union, a secondary student union located near the Central District.
- The Bus
- The Lawrence Transit/KU on-campus bus system, which is free for students with a KU Card.
- The Campanile
- The Memorial Campanile, a bell tower and war memorial that students walk through during graduation.
- The Fieldhouse
- Allen Fieldhouse, the historic home of Kansas Jayhawks basketball.
- The Hill
- Mount Oread, the elevated ridge that the main Lawrence campus is built upon.
- The Phog
- Allen Fieldhouse, the historic basketball arena named after coach Phog Allen.
- The Rec
- The Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center.
- The Rec
- The Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center, the main gym and fitness facility for students.
- The Union
- The Kansas Union, the primary student activity center on the east side of campus.
- the_market
- The Market
- Watkins
- Watkins Health Services, the on-campus medical clinic for students.
- Watson
- Watson Library, the university's primary research library, typically used for quiet study.
- Wescoe
- Wescoe Hall, the central hub for humanities and the most frequented academic building.
- Wescoe Beach
- The concrete plaza and steps in front of Wescoe Hall, a popular social gathering spot.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall 2026 runs Aug 24, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 106 approved campus terms and 73 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.