Here at IWU we use a lot of abbreviations, so if you and your student are new to our community, you may find all of these terms confusing. Or even if your student has been at IWU for a few years, you’ve probably heard lots of acronyms that maybe you didn’t know what it stood for. It’s hard to remember them all. Luckily for you, we’ve created the ultimate guide to help you remember all of the IWU lingo! 

Student Organizations:

SAC- Student Activities Council 

SAC is a student-run committee that plans social events on campus! Some of these events include Dogs and Donuts, Rebash and Family Weekend. Encourage your student to follow SAC on Instagram, so they can stay in the loop on future events. 

SGA– Student Government Association 

Each spring, students vote for SGA representatives to advocate for the student body. SGA works hard every year to promote the overall well-being of the IWU community, making it a valuable asset!

OILE– Office of Intercultural Learning and Engagement

OILE seeks to foster an intercultural, culturally responsive campus community, which acknowledges visible and invisible differences and embraces each member’s earthly and eternal worth.

Student Services:

RAS- Registration and Academic Services 

RAS offers a variety of services to students ranging from assistance with class registration to changing or adding a major. The RAS office is located in the Barnes Student Center on the second floor above the Commons! 

CSS– Center for Student Success 

Like RAS, CSS offers a variety of services to help support students through their college careers at IWU. Students in need of clinical counseling, tutoring or disability services will find everything they need!

RBI– Ron Blue Institute 

The RBI partners with IWU to provide students with services such as financial counseling. In addition, the RBI offers courses that allow students to become certified financial planners.  Similar to RAS and CSS, the RBI is located on the second floor of the student center.  

Academic Departments and Buildings:

JWHC– John Wesley Honors College

The Honors College here at IWU is a wonderful program for students to consider applying to. From the stimulating coursework to the strong community between peers and professors, the Honors College offers rewarding challenges for its students! 

PPAC- Phillippe Performing Arts Center

The PPAC is a beautiful and large auditorium for students to perform in and attend concerts, plays and more. In addition, the PPAC boasts several practice rooms for music students to use at almost any time!

Residential Life:

RD- Resident Director

The RD in your student’s residence hall is a great resource for your student! RDs provide support for students and don’t just enforce student conduct policies. 

RA- Resident Assistant 

Your student’s RA is another great resource in their residence hall! RAs provide support to students and organize fun unit events. Each residence hall selects friendly and empathetic RAs, so they are always available to answer questions or lend a listening ear. 

ARD- Assistant Resident Director

Your student’s ARD is an upperclassmen student who assists the RD with daily duties and responsibilities.  

CC- Community Coordinator 

The CC in your student’s residence hall organizes hall-wide events and keeps the lobby desk stocked with snacks and other goodies for students to purchase! 

TOHO- Townhouse

TOHOs are a housing option for students who qualify for upperclassmen housing. Because each TOHO houses up to six students, they provide excellent communal living spaces.  Each house includes three bedrooms and bathrooms, a living room, kitchen and more! In other words, this housing option is a hot commodity on campus!

Was this guide helpful to you and your student? Let us know in the comments below!