University of Southern MaineStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for University of Southern Maine. Free for students.

Public Research University in Portland, ME. Operating on a semester system.

Looking for dorms? Scroll for the dorm and housing breakdown below.

Free for all University of Southern Maine students. No credit card required.

8K+

Total Enrollment

Research University

Institution Type

8

Housing Buildings

Student guide · Fall Semester 2026

The semester, explained for University of Southern Maine

Dates from the active academic calendar, plus the campus language and local details students actually need. Every entry comes from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Relevant term
Fall Semester 2026
Campus terms
22
Local details
16

Academic calendar

Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 31, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

13 entries
  1. Summer Session 2026Summer Session I (14-week) 2026
  2. Summer Session II (4-week) 2026
  3. Summer Session II (7-week) 2026
  4. Fall Semester 2026Relevant now
  5. Winter Session 2026-27
  6. Spring Semester 2027
  7. Summer Session I (4-week) 2027
  8. Summer Session I (7-week) 2027
  9. Summer Session 2027Summer Session I (14-week) 2027
  10. Summer Session II (4-week) 2027
  11. Summer Session II (7-week) 2027

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Campus language

Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.

22 terms

A

AMA
American Marketing Association, a student organization for marketing and business students.
Anderson
Hayden L. Anderson Hall, a first-year residence hall on the Gorham campus.

B

Brooks
Brooks Dining Hall, the primary all-you-care-to-eat dining facility on the Gorham campus.

C

Champ
The official name of the USM Husky mascot.
CIA
Cultural Integrity Association, a student group focused on empowering Black students and fostering diversity.

D

Dickey-Wood
The Dickey-Wood Towers, two eight-story residential buildings on the Gorham campus (slated for demolition).

H

Husky Brew
A coffee bar and pub located on the first floor of the McGoldrick Center in Portland.
Husky Hideaway
A snack bar and late-night dining spot located in the Brooks Student Center in Gorham.

L

LSI
Office of Leadership and Student Involvement, the department overseeing student groups and activities.

M

McGoldrick
The McGoldrick Dining Center, the main dining hall on the Portland campus.

P

Pack Chat
The official student-run blog of the University of Southern Maine.
Philippi
Philippi Hall, a residence hall on the Gorham campus typically housing upperclass students.
Portland Commons
The new eco-conscious residence hall on the Portland campus that opened in 2023.

R

Robie-Andrews
A historic residence hall on the Gorham campus, often housing creative and arts-focused communities.
RUF
Reformed University Fellowship, a campus ministry organization.

S

SMAC
The student-led programming board responsible for campus events and activities.

T

The Busky
A popular student nickname for the METRO Husky Line shuttle bus.
The Den
A student nickname for the Husky Hideaway snack bar in Gorham.
The Towers
A common student nickname for the Dickey-Wood residence halls.

U

Upton-Hastings
Upton-Hastings Hall, a large residence hall on the Gorham campus housing first-year students.

W

Wicked
A common Maine slang term frequently used by students to mean 'very' or 'extremely'.
Woodward
Louis B. Woodward Hall, a residence hall on the Gorham campus for upperclass students.

Places and practicalities

Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.

16 details
Bailey Hall
A major academic building on the Gorham campus housing the library, advising, and various departments.
brooks_dining_hall
Brooks Dining Hall
Citylink
The free bus service for students at the Lewiston-Auburn campus, also known as the 'Purple Bus'.
Corthell Hall
A historic building on the Gorham campus housing the President's suite and performing arts spaces.
Crewe Center
The Crewe Center for the Arts, a state-of-the-art facility for music and performing arts in Portland.
Glickman Library
The Albert Brenner Glickman Family Library, the main library located on the Portland campus.
Husky Card
The official USM student ID card used for building access, meal plans, and free bus transit.
Husky Line
The METRO bus service that provides free transportation for students between the Portland and Gorham campuses.
husky_brew
Husky Brew
husky_hideaway
Husky Hideaway
Luther Bonney
Luther Bonney Hall, an academic building on the Portland campus housing classrooms and a cafe.
McGoldrick Center
The McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success, the primary student union building in Portland.
mcgoldrick_dining_center
McGoldrick Dining Center
Meal Exchange
A program allowing students to use a dining hall meal swipe for a pre-set combo meal at retail dining locations.
Umo App
The mobile application used by students to plan trips and manage contactless fare for the METRO bus system.
Wishcamper
The Wishcamper Center on the Portland campus, home to the Muskie School of Public Service.

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?
Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 31, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026.
How much campus context is included?
22 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.

Get to know your university

Assisted

Find a few communities to try at University of Southern Maine

These are things we discovered from public campus sources. We are constantly looking for more.

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Interest filters
  • Major-aligned clubs, pre-professional groups, and research communities.
  • Performing arts, visual arts, student publications, film, and music.
  • Cultural orgs, identity communities, and faith-based groups.
  • Volunteer groups, civic engagement, mutual aid, and student government.
  • Outdoor clubs, intramural sports, club sports, and rec center programs.
  • Entrepreneurship, hackathon teams, makerspaces, and engineering project teams.
  • Casual hangouts, interest groups, and open events without applications.

DormWay is still mapping student communities at this campus.

We only show recommendations once we have enough public sources for University of Southern Maine.

These are things we discovered. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed

Recommendations are based on public campus sources. We do not endorse student organizations.

Recent University of Southern Maine Syllabus Analyses

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University of Southern Maine on DormWay

Current DormWay activity for this campus

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Active Students

2

Syllabi Analyzed

2

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Life in Portland for University of Southern Maine Students

Everything you need to know about living and studying in Portland.

Timezone

Eastern Time (ET)

Median Rent

$1,184

Cost of Living Index

115

Student Population

10,000

City Transportation

Walkability

100

Bikeability

81

Public Transit

METRO Greater Portland Transit District bus system, Downeaster Amtrak service, Casco Bay Lines ferries

Nearest Airports

Portland International Jetport

Climate Averages

Climate

Humid continental

Avg Annual Temp

47.4°F

Avg Snowfall

70.2 in

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

Portland Parking Garage

garage • Limited during peak hours (8:30 AM - 2:00 PM)

Located at 88 Bedford Street; open 24/7.

Lot P1

surface_lot

By Luther Bonney Hall and McGoldrick Center.

Lot P9

surface_lot

By Sullivan Gym Complex and Science Building.

Campus News

Latest updates from University of Southern Maine

USM consolidating some of its offices

The University of Southern Maine announced consolidation of the school of business, Maine small business development center, and office of commercialization.

Aug 28, 2026

Read More

USM's Osher Opera Theatre Named National Finalist

The Osher Opera Theatre has been named a national finalist for The American Prize in Directing.

Aug 21, 2026

Read More

USM Project Makes Rural Housing Insecurity Visible Through Photography

A USM project put cameras in the hands of individuals experiencing housing insecurity in rural Maine to document their experiences.

Aug 19, 2026

Read More

Parking bans in effect for Gorham campus lots G2B, G7, G8, G11, G12, and G15 through August 31 at 8 a.m. due to move-in weekend.

Parking bans in effect for Gorham campus lots G2B, G7, G8, G11, G12, and G15 through August 31 at 8 a.m. due to move-in weekend.

Read More

Upcoming Events

What's happening at University of Southern Maine

Dinosaurs At Dusk

August 31, 2026

Southworth Planetarium, Science Building, Portland

A planetarium show exploring the world of dinosaurs.

Little Star That Could

September 1, 2026

Southworth Planetarium, Science Building, Portland

A story about Little Star, an average yellow star in search of planets of his own to protect and warm.

Super Smash Bros Tournament

September 4, 2026

Gorham Campus

Single-elimination Super Smash Brothers Tournament with prizes for first, second, and third place.

Job-A-Palooza

September 8, 2026

Portland Campus

USM's annual on-campus student hiring event to meet with departments hiring for student positions.

Husky Fest

September 9, 2026

Portland Campus

USM's largest resource fair featuring departments, student groups, and local businesses.

Dorms & On-Campus Housing at University of Southern Maine

Various dorm and housing options are available for students.

8 known dorm and housing options. Every known option is shown below.

Anderson Hall

Room types: double

Philippi Hall

Room types: double, single, 3-person suite, 4-person suite

Portland Commons

Capacity: 580

Room types: studio, single, apartment

Ravens

Robie Andrews Hall

Room types: double

Upperclass Hall

Room types: single, double, suite

Upton Hastings Hall

Room types: double

Woodward Hall

Room types: double

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Control

Public

Email Domain

@southernmaine.edu

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