CC Bound Glossary

Transitioning to a new school is already an undertaking, without having to also learn all of the new acronyms, shorthand, and insider lingo of the community.

In the hopes of making your transition to Colorado College easier to navigate, the President's Council and Campus Activities Interns put together this CC Bound Glossary to help introduce you to the CC alphabet soup.  

This is by no means an all-inclusive or exhaustive list; so, if you have suggestions for new terms to add or changes to definitions, please email us at campusactivities@coloradocollege.edu 

Academic Calendar: the calendar for the upcoming academic years is typically laid out a few years in advance so you have an idea of when classes will start, what the drop/add dates are, when breaks are scheduled, and other important academic occurrences. COVID has changed how far in advance we can plan with certainty, so dates may change but any major changes to the academic calendar will be communicated to you via email. 

Accessibility Resources (AR): Accessibility Resources is the office that coordinates support for students with disabilities so they can participate fully in college life. The staff is dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access—and is committed to providing an accessible campus environment for all students.

Adam F. Press (The AFP): The formal name for the fitness center/gym. Located on West Campus by the Old Town area. The 30,000 square-foot, the multi-level facility offers a full complement of fitness machines and state-of-the-art equipment. With floor-to-ceiling windows that offer panoramic views of the Front Range and Pikes Peak, the setting provides an inspiring environment for the entire Colorado College community to stay active. The AFP also hosts a series of group fitness classes throughout the year. 

Adjuncts: or extended format courses are classes offered in addition to the regular academic blocks; adjuncts typically meet once or twice a week over the course of the entire semester, with the time commitment varying depending on the subject matter. Some adjuncts are for credit and some are just for skill-building fun.

Advising Hub/“The Hub”: The Student Opportunities and Advising Hub works to support students throughout their Colorado College career as holistic staff advisors. Located on East Campus at 1014 N. Weber St.  

Banner: Banner is a site that is accessible through Colorado College’s sign-in page and is the official record-keeper of the college. Within Banner, you can see your class schedule, all classes offered during a specific block, your transcript, information about your campus mailbox, and your timesheet if you are a student employee.

BenjisLocated in Worner Center, Benjis is a grill-style food service on campus that has specials that rotate dailyYou can see hours and offerings for on-campus dining establishments here. 

Big Three: Our traditional residential halls - Mathias, South, and Loomis, are frequently called the "Big Three"; these halls provide community-style living and typically accommodate first- and second-year students in double or triple rooms. Each of the big three halls has a front desk that services a subsection of campus and is staffed by either the professional Front Desk Coordinator or a member of the RA front desk staff. 

Block BreakThe four and a half days students have off at the end of a block before classes for the next block begin; a great time to rest, relax, and rejuvenate between blocks. Sometimes students will stay on campus for block break and other times people will plan long weekends away to explore the Southwest, either on their own, with friends, or with a CC-affiliated trip.

BustangA bus line operated by the Colorado Department of Transit, it is commonly used by CC students to go back and forth from Colorado Springs to Denver (see the Worner Desk for FREE tickets sponsored by CCSGA). 

The Butler Center: This office collaborates with other departments/students on campus to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism, intercultural exchange, education, and empowerment. Located in Worner Center, 2nd floor.

Campo: A nickname used to refer to Colorado College’s Campus Safety, which is available on-campus 24/7/365 and reachable by calling the following numbers: Non-Emergency Calls - (719) 389 6707; Emergency Calls -  (719) 389 6911. Campo also supports Safe Ride and CC EMS

Campus Activities Night: Scheduled at the beginning of each semester (Blocks 1 & 5), this is an opportunity to sign up and get involved with different clubs, programs, and offices 

Canvas: Our learning management system where many professors store their syllabi, required readings, study guides, and discussion boards, and can be used to submit assignments. 

Career Center: located on Cascade Avenue in the house with the copper roof; the Career Center has great staff and resources to help you find internships, jobs, and even decide on a major. Start visiting with them in your first and second year, and do not wait until you are a senior!

CCEMS: a student-run service of EMTs employed through Campus Safety; they can be dispatched anywhere on campus to attend to medical emergencies as well as work large-scale events. 

CCSGA: stands for the Colorado College Student Government Association, which is a group of elected students that represent and advocate for the student body. Elections occur at various points throughout the year. 

Colorado Coffee: A coffee shop located in Worner right next to Benjis. Unlike Susie B’s, you can get smoothies here, such as the Chunky Monkey! It has pastries, coffee, tea, and grab-and-go items as well. Most campus coffee shops are busiest between 8 - 9 am (before class) and between 10 - 11 am (when many classes take short breaks). You can see hours and offerings for on-campus dining establishments here. 

Colket Center: offers a variety of services to support students in their quest for academic excellence, including the Quantitative Reasoning Center, the Ruth Barton Writing Center, the Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (CLD) Education Specialist, and the Thesis Writing Specialist.

Creativity & Innovation: is an office that seeks to empower all students with the creative confidence to be changemakers. By integrating creativity and creative problem-solving, mindfulness, reflection, self-awareness, productive risk-taking, and collaboration into our curricular and co-curricular programs, they help students to generate multiple, diverse possibilities in order to bring ideas into action. The Creativity House, located at 232 E. Cache La Poudre  has flexible meeting/study areas as well as the maker's space.  

Digest(s): this term refers to a variety of different, regularly scheduled emails you will receive during your time at CC, including but not limited to the "Today @ CC" digest (daily with events and announcements), the Weekend Digest (weekly on Fridays with free, fun, social events taking place over the weekend), and the Block Break Digest (3rd week of each block with information about campus offerings over the upcoming block break).

FAC: the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College is an art museum, theatre, and restaurant located at 30 W. Dale Street. Admission to the FAC is free for CC students with the presentation of a Gold Card; students can use their meal plan at Taste restaurant.  

First Mondays: on the first Monday of Blocks 2 through 7, classes are dismissed around 10:30/11 a.m. so students can attend a community lecture on relevant topics/current events. First Mondays also include the annual Opening Convocation in August and Honors Convocation in May.

FlairEccentric dress worn to display spirit; a welcome part of many signature all-campus events, the goofier the better, but be sure to be respectful and not engage in cultural appropriation! 

FOOT Trip: An outdoor trip (usually backcountry camping) that takes place during the first block break that is open only to first-year, or new transfer, students; trips range in all ability levels from Beginner Backpacking to intermediate and advanced backpacking trips (information will be out during Block 1 or keep an eye on the Outdoor Ed Summit Calendar).

FYP: stands for the first-year program; these are the thematic pair of CC100/120 classes that make up two of your first four blocks at CC.  

Fourth Week: is the last week of the block when almost everyone on campus is busy with finals, papers, presentations, and research projects; the fourth floor of the library has extended hours for Fourth Week, and many students will be found studying there. Block break usually begins on Fourth Wednesday at noon. 

FUCC Bus: Freeriders Union of Colorado College is a club that operates a bus, charging $5 a ticket, affectionately called the “FUCC bus,” during the winter to take skiers and snowboarders to resorts in Colorado. Information about how to sign-up and where it departs from are sent in the student digest. 

Gold Card: Your Gold Card, which is your student ID, can be used to get access to your residence hall, the library, and other places on campus. This card also contains your meal plan money. You should carry this with you at all times when you are on campus. Information about how to manage your Gold Card can be found here or by stopping at the Worner Desk.

Gold Card Plus: Money can be added to your Gold Card Plus account and used like a debit card for some restaurants or stores in the Colorado Springs community and on campus; this account is distinct from meal plan money. 

Half Block: Students can elect to return to campus during the third and fourth weeks of Winter Break (in early January) and take classes that are offered during this time  some for credit and some for fun on a variety of unique topics.  

The Incline: A grueling trail of 2,744 stairs located in Manitou Springs that is hiked by many for leisure, fun, or for a challenge; the trail gains 2,000 feet of elevation from start to finish and is definitely an advanced hike (do not attempt until you’ve acclimated to the altitude)

Kathryn Mohrman TheatreMohrman, for short, is CC’s largest auditorium located on the first floor of Armstrong Hall, it hosts CC’s most well-attended events (like Dance Workshop!). 

Local Goods: (Informally known as the C-StoreThis is one of the places where you can purchase pre-packaged food, household items, and other sundries using your meal plan. Located in Mathias HallYou can see hours and offerings for on-campus dining establishments here. 

McHugh Commons: JLK McHugh Commons is a popular, but well hidden, location/event space located above the Preserve in JLK Apartments on the west side of campus.

Midnight RastysThis free event takes place during weekends after major events, at (around or before) midnight in Rastall; it is hosted by Campus Activities; food includes: donuts, pancakes, and tater tots.  

OE(C)The Outdoor Education Center is located on the east side of Nevada Street (931 N Nevada); it houses the Outdoor Education office and includes the Gear House, where you can rent outdoor equipment, and the Bike and Ski Co-Op. This office also managed the Climbing Wall in the Fitness Center and offers Outdoor Ed trips and skill-building programs throughout the year.  

Outlook: the email application and software products used by Colorado College students and faculty (Microsoft 365 products). Make sure to always access your CC email via the Email (Office 365) button on CC’s single sign-in page. While your CC credentials will also sign you into the Google Suite, you can’t check your CC email there – your mailbox will be empty and you will not be able to send or receive messages from Gmail.  

Pike Ride: Colorado Springs’ bike-share program; Colorado College has three stations on campus, and there are stations all around the city as well as city bike lanes.

The Press @ CC: The Press at Colorado College is a letterpress and book arts studio dedicated to education through the arts/histories of a book. Located in Bemis Hall near Taylor Theater. 

QRC: The Qualitative Reasoning Center provides tutors in subjects such as: math, economics, chemistry, biology, computer science, and physics and is located on the second floor of the Library. 

RAs: Resident Assistants are student staff who work with the Residential Experience Team to build community within the residence halls as well as promote health and safety of the residents. 

Rastall's(or officially, Rasty's) is the main dining hall on campus; food here is buffet-style with many different options, from pizza, pasta, salad bar, and grill-style food, to vegan options. Rastall is the best place on campus for a variety of food options. You can see hours and offerings for on-campus dining establishments here. 

RegistrarShorthand term used to refer to the Registrar’s Office located inside of Armstrong; this is the place to go with all of your questions about adding/dropping blocks, switching to pass/fail, and looking for adjuncts (there are also services offered at the Registrar’s that can be accessed and completed online through SSB Banner). 

Ritt Grant: As a tribute to Colorado College alumnus Ritt Kellogg ’90, this grant is sponsored by the Kellogg Family, which provides students the means to carry out incredible backcountry trips in the U.S. and Canada for 12 days or more. An application process is required but students may propose virtually any trip they wish to dream up, from sea kayaking in Alaska to hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. 

Ritt Kellogg Gym: A free indoor rock climbing gym at Colorado College located in the lower level of the Adam F. Press Fitness Center (equipment is provided); there are climbing routes for top-roping and bouldering, with new routes being set constantly. 

RLCs: Short for Residential Life Coordinator, the RLCs are professional staff members that live on-campus in the residence halls to support residents in their CC experience and provide oversight and leadership for the residential experience. 

Sacred Grounds: is a student-led, late-night gathering space that creates a warm, welcoming environment for the CC community typically from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. daily. Open mic performances, poetry readings, and creative social gatherings take place here; Sacred Grounds is a substance-free venue and a student study space. 

Susie B’s: This is one of the two coffee places on campus. It’s located on the third floor of Tutt Library. You can buy pastries, coffee, tea, and grab-and-go items here.  You can see hours and offerings for on-campus dining establishments here. 

Swipes: A term used to refer to the most popular way to pay for food; Rastall’s, Benji’s, Colorado Coffee, Susie B’s, the C Store, and the Preserve all accept swipes; these charges are deducted from a student’s meal plan balance. Be mindful of your balance so that you don't run out of swipes by buying too many snacks, smoothies, or drinks in the place of full meals! 

Taylor Theatre: Taylor Theatre is located in Bemis Hall, with the entrance to the left of the main Bemis Hall doors; this space is primarily used by student performers, in such shows as Relations and TWIT stand-up comedy shows.   

Tiger Trail: A trail that runs along the stream to the west-side of CC’s campus that is frequently used as a running trail by CC students and members of the community.

TWIT:  is an improv group at CC; they have a variety of funny skits. They usually perform in Taylor Theatre and occasionally they have 24-hour shows. 

WRC:  the Wellness Resource Center works to create an environment that nurtures the development of the whole person and empowers individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices; their office is always open for students to come in and hang out in the mainspace.

Yampa: Yampa is the field that is in between Nevada and Weber to the left of Cache La Poudre St; Senior cottages and other houses, like Synergy, are next to this fieldIn warm weather, Yampa field is a common place to hang out, some sports teams practice there. (The Gear House faces Yampa, and occasionally OE will host events on this field).

Report an issue - Last updated: 05/17/2023