We love our acronyms. They’re a great way to shorten words when you’re speaking, but only if the other person knows what they stand for. Here are some common acronyms you might hear around campus. Feel free to bookmark this post to reference if you ever hear an acronym you don’t know.
Locations
SUB – Student Union Building
SMASH – Simplot/Micron Advising and Success Hub
MEC – Micron Engineering Center
MBEB – Micron Business and Economics Building
MPC – Multipurpose Classroom Building
ILC – Interactive Teaching & Learning Center
REC – Campus Recreation Building (Rec Center)
BK – Buster’s Kitchen (Previously BRC – Boise River Café)
PODs – Provisions on Demand (convenience stores)
More location abbreviations
Colleges/Departments
COBE – College of Business and Economics
COE – College of Education
COEN – College of Engineering
COHS – College of Health Sciences
COAS – College of Arts and Sciences
CID – College of Innovation + Design
SPS – School of Public Service
GIMM – Games, Interactive Media, & Mobile Technology
CLC – Cycle Learning Center
EAC – Educational Access Center
OIT – Office of Information Technology – Help Desk
GEC – Gender Equity Center
NSP – New Student Programs
ASBSU – Associated Students of Boise State University (Student Government)
VIP – Vertical Integrated Projects
More Acronyms you might hear
RA – Resident Advisor
RD – Resident Director
CA – Community Advisor
OL – Orientation Leader
TA – Teaching Assistant
ROTC – Reserve Officer Training Corps
FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid
FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
GRE – Graduate Record Examination
GPA – Grade Point Average
SAP – Satisfactory Academic Progress
EFC – Expected Family Contribution
ESL – English as a Second Language
ASL – American Sign Language
CV – Curriculum vitae (an academic resume)
MW – Mountain West
MLA – Modern Language Association
AP – Associated Press Stylebook
STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
LLP – Living Learning Program
LA – Learning Assistants
College Terminology
Syllabus – An outline of the subjects in a course.
Faculty – Members of the academic staff comprising of teachers, lecturers, or professors.
Staff – Employees of the university.
Alumni – A graduate of the university.
Office hours – Time set aside by professors for students to visit their teachers to discuss the course.
Commencement – A graduation ceremony.
Summa cum laude – With the highest distinction.
Quad – The courtyard between the Administration Building and Albertsons Library.
Intramural Field – The large field behind the Student Union Building.
Blue Book – A book with about 20 lined pages that are sometimes required for students to use for exams.
See a full glossary of helpful college terms.