Domer Dictionary
Notre Dame is a unique world with its own unique vocabulary. We have provided a list of some of the terms you may hear during your first weeks here that might seem unfamiliar to you.
AcoustiCafé: Performances by student musicians held every Thursday night at 10 PM in the Haggerty Family Cafe. It’s a great place to showcase talent.
AR (Assistant Rector): Two in each hall, Assistant Rectors help the Hall Rector with administrative duties.
Archie: College of Architecture student, they basically live in their studios in Walsh Family Hall - a brand new building to the south of the Stadium. Pronounced “Ar-key”
Basilica of the Sacred Heart: Notre Dame’s own church, located on Main Quad next to the Main Building (“Dome”), and a really nice place to go to mass.
Bengal Bouts: Student men’s boxing tournament held every spring to benefit the Holy Cross missions in Bangladesh.
Baraka Bouts: Student women’s boxing tournament held every fall to raise money for missions in East Africa.
Bookstore Basketball: Largest outdoor 5 on 5 basketball tournament in the world. A great chance to display basketball skills or just make up a funny team name and dress in crazy outfits.
BP: Breen-Phillips Hall, a women’s dorm on North Quad.
Candy Wall: Located in the Huddle, purchase candy by the pound. Great for a mid-study sesh break.
CoMo (Coleman-Morse Center): On South Quad across from South Dining Hall, CoMo houses Campus Ministry, the Writing Center, and a large study lounge where you can get free coffee and popcorn.
Corbett Family Hall: Attached to the east side of the Stadium, Corbett Family Hall is the new home of the departments of Anthropology and Psychology.
CSC (Center for Social Concerns): Located by the library, the CSC is the location for information regarding service projects, summer service learning project, and service seminars during breaks.
C.S.C.: Congregation of Holy Cross.
DeBartolo (DeBart): Largest classroom building on campus. Most likely the majority of your classes will meet here. You’ll also hear it referred to as “DeBart”. NOT to be confused with DPAC - DeBartolo Performing Arts Center to the South of this DeBartolo.
Decio: Faculty building featuring a great cafe with breakfast sandwiches and a salad bar.
DH: Dining Hall, we have two (North or South). You choose which one you like better.
Domer: Any Notre Dame student that is now or ever was.
Domer Dollars: Domer Dollars are connected to a student’s Irish1Card. They can be used at both on-campus and select off-campus locations. Domer Dollars can be added to one’s Irish1Card.
Double Domer: Person with both an undergraduate and graduate degree from Notre Dame.
Duncan Student Center: Located on the west side of the stadium featuring the Haggerty Family Cafe, Modern Market, Star Ginger, a large gym facility, a rock-climbing wall, meeting rooms and many study spots. Student nicknames include “DuStu”, “DSC” and sometimes just “Duncan.”
DuLac: A list of the rules for life at Notre Dame. This can be found online at https://dulac.nd.edu/
Eddy Street: Located just south of campus, a favorite “off-campus” place to eat. Students are able to purchase meals at Barbici, Blaze Pizza, Chipotle or Jimmy Johns using Domer Dollars on their Irish1 card. Campus favorites such as Brothers and O’Rourkes are here too!
Fall Break: A much needed/appreciated week off in October, half way through the first semester.
Field House Mall: Site of the former field house, near LaFortune Student Center and North Quad. In warmer weather it is often a spot for events like carnivals and concerts.
Flex Points: Like money, but a part of your meal plan. These can be used to buy food in The Huddle, at Reckers, and other cafés on campus by swiping your ID card. Unlike Domer Dollars, flex points can only be purchased at the time of purchasing a meal plan.
Grace Hall: An administrative building just north of Pasquerilla East Hall. The place to go for human resource needs such as campus employment, card services, and also has a small cafe that features great wraps!
God Quad: The part of campus in front of Main Building and the Basilica. Here, you can find LaFortune, Walsh, and Sorin Halls.
Grotto: A 1/7 size replica of the Grotto in Lourdes, France, and is located behind the Basilica – a great place to reflect and pray.
Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore: The place where you can buy your books, ND clothing, gifts, etc.
HCC: Holy Cross College, a fellow Holy Cross residential college neighboring Notre Dame.
Hesburgh, Theodore: Father Theodore Martin Hesburgh, C.S.C., President Emeritus of the University of Notre Dame. Our main library (Hesburgh Library) – with the Touchdown Jesus mural – is named in his honor. He lived on Notre Dame’s campus for most of his life and still worked in his office in the library, roaming the grounds until he passed away on February 26, 2015. He has left a lasting legacy in higher education and the Catholic Church. Be ready to learn more about the amazing Fr. Ted and his accomplishments especially in the springtime. RIP Fr. Ted, we love you!
Huddle: Inside LaFortune, includes a mini-mart where you can find a spread of products from Ben and Jerry’s ice cream to shampoo and conditioner - not to mention a giant candy wall.
InsideND: Website that facilitates class registration and web enrollment, and allows students to access final class grades, class schedules, and personal financial information.
JACC: Joyce Athletic and Convocation Center, acronym pronounced “Jack”, formerly known as the ACC. The JACC is the home to many varsity athletics, concerts, and commencement ceremonies.
JPW: Junior Parents Weekend, typically held in the middle of February for all juniors and their parents to spend together.
LaFun (LaFortune Student Center): Home of the Huddle as well as many other services such as the 1st Source Bank, hair salon, Student Activities Office, and organization offices found here. Restaurants in LaFun include Subway, SmashBurger, Starbucks, Taco Bell, and PizzaHut.
Legends: Located in the stadium parking lot, half restaurant/bar, half dance club just for ND/SMC/HCC students. A lot of musicians come through here and put on amazing shows for FREE with your ID!
Library Circle: Pick up and drop off spot at the east end of the library. Free South Bend Bus service with your ID too!
Main Building: Commonly referred to as “The Dome”. Mary sits atop and looks out over campus. This is a Notre Dame landmark that can be seen from almost anywhere on campus.
Main Circle: Pick up and drop off spot near the Alumni Hall, Law School, and Morris Inn.
McWell: McDonald Center for Student Well-Being. One of ND’s three health offices housed in St. Liam’s Hall, McWell is a great resource for students’ holistic health, incorporating vast health measures such as social, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Michiana: The surrounding area of Indiana and Michigan. Often heard in reference on the radio and the news.
Mod Quad: North of the Hesburgh Memorial Library and home to Pasquerilla East and West, Knott, and Siegfried Halls.
MM (Modern Market): Located in Duncan Student center, a farm to table restaurant featuring pizza, sandwiches, salads and avocado toast!
MSPS: Multicultural Student Programs and Services, “office provides support for underrepresented students on campus through academic initiatives, cultural enrichment programs, student organizations, and connecting students to the alumni network.”
NDH: North Dining Hall.
North Quad: Includes North Dining Hall, Breen-Phillips, Farley, Stanford, Keenan, Cavanaugh, and Zahm Halls.
OCS: Office of Community Standards. Enforce policies outlined in DuLac.
O’Neill Music Hall: Attached to the southern side of the stadium. NOT to be confused with O’Neill Family Hall, the men’s residence hall on West Quad.
O’Shag (O’Shaughnessy): The main classroom building for the College of Arts & Letters, includes Waddick’s Café which features campus’ best breakfast sandwiches and iced coffee!
The Observer: Daily campus newspaper published Monday–Friday.
OIT (Office of Information Technologies): Central agency responsible for computer and technology services on campus.
Parietals: Visitation hours for guests of the opposite sex in student dorms (9:00 a.m. – Midnight on Sunday through Thursday, and 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday).
PE (Pee-Eee) and PW (Pee-Dub): Pasquerilla East and West, women’s dorms on Mod Quad.
Quarter Dogs: Hot dogs sold nightly after midnight in LaFortune for a quarter each.
RA (Resident Assistant): A senior or graduate student, a part of hall staff that maintains community ideals, serves as a mentor to provide assistance, and be a link to the Rector. There is typically one per floor or section.
RecSports: Notre Dame’s incredibly active Intramural sports program.
Rector: Serving as the primary point person of each hall, the Rector functions in four ways in a hall’s residential staff: a pastoral leader, chief administrator, community builder, and university resource. Rectors facilitate conversation and comradery among his/her hall. Rectors serve as a lending hand or ear and are one of the most involved staff members in students’ day to day lives.
The Rock (Rockne Memorial): A very classic indoor athletic facility. Home of basketball courts, swimming pools, racquetball courts, work out machines, and much more. Located on the west side of South Quad.
Sakai: Website where professors can post class information including assignment grades, notes and class calendars.
SAO: Student Activities Office.
The Scholastic: ND’s monthly student news magazine.
SDH/South: South Dining Hall.
SMC: Saint Mary’s College, an all-women, Catholic liberal arts college neighboring Notre Dame.
Smith Family Recreation Center: Our new on-campus gym on the third floor of Duncan Student Center.
The Shirt: A t-shirt available at the bookstore and worn by many in the student section at football games. It is designed by students and the proceeds from sales go to charity.
South Quad: Stretches from The Rock to O’Shag and includes everything in between: South Dining Hall, CoMo, Lyons, Morrissey, Howard, Badin, Pangborn, Fisher, Dillon, and Alumni Halls.
Star Ginger: Located in Duncan Student Center, Asian Cuisine on the go.
St. Joseph’s Lake: One of the two lakes on campus. There is a “beach” on its east side.
St. Mary’s Lake: One of the two lakes on campus, found behind Lyon’s Hall. Carroll Hall is located at its far west shore. The Fisher Regatta (a campus-wide boat race) is also held there in the spring.
Stonehenge (Clark Memorial Fountain): A memorial fountain located on Fieldhouse Mall to honor veterans that have died in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
Stepan Center: Just about the furthest building north. It manages to serve many purposes including concerts.
SUB (Student Union Board): Student group responsible for bringing concerts, speakers, and movies to campus. They also organize Acoustic Café which is performed every Thursday night at the Haggerty Family Cafe in the Duncan Student Center.
SYR: Themed dances hosted by each dorm once per year.
Touchdown Jesus: The famous mosaic on the side of the library facing the stadium, officially titled “The Word of Life.”
UCC: The University Counseling Center, housed in St. Liam’s Hall, supports the emotional and developmental well-being of students with a highly trained staff of professional counselors and self-help resources.
UHS: University Health Services, also housed in St. Liam’s Hall, provides ND students with top-line medical care.
West Quad: Area between the bookstore and South Dining Hall with Keough, O’Neill, McGlinn, Welsh Fam, Duncan, Ryan, and Baumer (geographically West Quad is south of South Quad)
Lyrics – Notre Dame Victory March
Rally sons of Notre Dame
Sing her glory and sound her fame,
Raise her Gold and Blue
And cheer with voices true:
Rah, rah, for Notre Dame
We will fight in every game,
Strong of heart and true to her name
We will ne’er forget her
And will cheer her ever
Loyal to Notre Dame
Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame,
Wake up the echoes cheering her name,
Send a volley cheer on high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky.
What though the odds be great or small
Old Notre Dame will win over all,
While her loyal sons and daughters
March on to victory.
Lyrics – Notre Dame, Our Mother (Alma Mater)
As one final unifying act before leaving the stadium after a football game, students both past and present join arms and sway to the Alma Mater. Like the Fight Song, the Alma Mater will serve as an eternal reminder of your time spent at the University of Notre Dame.
Notre Dame, our Mother
Tender, strong, and true
Proudly in thy heavens,
Gleams thy gold and blue.
Glory’s mantle cloaks thee
Golden is they fame,
And our hearts forever,
Praise thee Notre Dame,
And our hearts forever,
Love thee Notre Dame.