UC Idioms

Parlez-vous UC?

The job description may not have said so, but working at UC requires you to become bilingual. Not necessarily by learning the tongue of another nation, but by gaining fluency in UC-speak.

Every community, and nearly every profession, has its own terminology. UC does, too. While UC’s language labs may not be equipped with recordings or lessons translating from English to UC-ese or vice versa, this guide offers an introduction to some of the most common words and phrases in the university’s vocabulary. It may even be enlightening for long-time staffers.

This guide is revised periodically. If you have suggestions, please contact Cheryl Neal at Human Resources, cheryl.neal@uc.edu.

For additional guidelines on the names of buildings, facilities and colleges, as well as grammar questions, visit the University Stylebook.

Unless otherwise noted, the following words are pronounced as words, and letters as individual letters.

A114 (A-1-14): A Request for Payment form used to reimburse individuals for expenses paid, or to pay for freelance or personal services contract work.

A123 (A-1-23): A budget request form.

A900 (A-900): Equal Opportunity Office approval form that documents the recruitment activities for newly hired employees.

AAPW: The Association for Administrative and Professional Women — a nonprofit organization that provides a forum for sharing and discussing issues concerning UC women, professional development, networking and community service.

AAUP: American Association of University Professors — a collective bargaining unit representing UC faculty.

A&BS: Administrative and Business Services.

AFSCME (afs-mee): American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — a collective bargaining unit representing facilities, parking, maintenance and related employees.

A&S: The McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.

ARP: Alternative Retirement Plan — one of the state retirement systems available for employees hired after a certain date.

AWF: Association for Women Faculty — works to promote the professional development and welfare of women faculty by facilitating communication, providing programs for development and acting as an advocate on matters of Affirmative Action, reappointment, tenure and promotion.

AY: Academic year.

Bearcats: The name of UC’s athletic teams and the team mascot.

Bearcat Campus Card (BCC): A UC debit card available to students, faculty and staff for a variety of on-campus and off-campus purchases.

Blackboard: A web-based course management system that allows teachers and students to communicate outside the classroom.

CAHS: College of Allied Health Sciences.

Campus Green: Grassy area bordered by Martin Luther King Blvd., Lindner Hall, the Alumni Center, the dorms along Jefferson Ave., and Sigma Sigma Commons.

CCM: College-Conservatory of Music.

CECH: College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services.

COB: College of Business (formerly CBA).

COM: College of Medicine.

CUFS (cuffs): College and University Financial Systems — the online-data system for UC accounting, which is being replaced by UCFlex in 2005.

DAAP (dap or D-A-A-P): College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.

East Campus/West Campus: East Campus refers to the Medical Center, including the colleges of medicine, pharmacy, nursing and allied health sciences; Marriott Kingsgate Conference Hotel; University Hall; and Hoxworth Blood Center. West Campus is both an organizational term for non-medical units and a geographical term that refers to the superblock campus bounded by Clifton Avenue, Calhoun Street, Martin Luther King Drive and Jefferson Avenue.

Edwards I, II, III, IV: The Edwards Center on W. Corry Blvd. consists of four separate sections, each with its own individually numbered entrance.

Fifth Third Arena: the preferred reference for the location of basketball games within in the Shoemaker Center. Fifth Third Arena consists of Ed Jucker Court, 13,176 seats, private suites and a restaurant that overlook the court. The facility also accommodates commencement and some concerts.

FY: Fiscal Year (begins July 1 and ends June 30).

GETit (get-I-T): the online ordering system for UCit products and services.

Great Hall: The large meeting room on the fourth floor of Tangeman University Center.

GRI: Genome Research Institute – generic research facility located at Galbraith and Reading Roads.

Help Desk: 556-HELP, support for all phone, computing, e-mail and server concerns, for both on-campus and remote access.

HPB: Health Professions Building.

HR: Human Resources.

HRMS: Human Resources Management System — the human resources online system that tracks data such as job information and sick time for university employees.

IUOE: International Union of Operating Engineers — a collective bargaining unit representing power plant and trades employees.

Kronos: Online system used to record time for hourly paid employees.

MainStreet: A corridor that stretches from University Pavilion, past Tangeman University Center and the Student Recreation Center, ending at Sigma Sigma Commons. Serves as a hub for student services, including academic services, shopping, dining, recreational and social needs.

McMicken Commons: The grassy area between McMicken Hall and Tangeman University Center.

Mick and Mack: Twin lions guarding the entrance at McMicken Hall.

Mick and Mack’s: The name of a restaurant in Tangeman University Center.

MSB: Not an academic degree, but the Medical Sciences Building on East Campus.

NIU: “Non-cash Intra-University” form used to charge another department within the university.

Non-traditional student: A student who is either returning to college or starting college at an age older than typical freshmen.

OD&T: Organization Development and Training — an HR office that supports work units in strategic planning, team building and problem solving, while providing individual employees with professional and technical training.

OMI/OCAS (O-M-I / O-kus): The former name of the College of Applied Science. It stands for Ohio Mechanics Institute/Ohio College of Applied Science, which merged with UC in 1969.

ONA: Ohio Nurses Association — a collective bargaining unit representing nurses.

One Stop Service: Simply called One Stop most of the time. Located in University Pavilion. Allows students to register for classes, check financial aid status, view bills, check grades and request transcript in “one stop.”

OPERS (O-purz): Ohio Public Employees Retirement System — one of the state retirement systems.

PAF: Personnel Action Form — required for all new hires and follows each employee’s tenure; documents pay raises, titles and retirement.

P-Card: Purchase Card — a university credit card used to make purchases directly from vendors.

PDF: Personal Data Form — documents personal information about employees so UC knows where to mail employee information and how to handle various matters required by law.

PDQ: Position Description Questionnaire — used to describe the duties and responsibilities of a position for Human Resources’ review.

PEIS: Payroll and Employee Information Services — the department that processes UC paychecks.

Please?: Cincinnati-speak for “What?” or “I beg your pardon?” — stemming from the city’s German heritage. It’s the English translation of the German bitte.

PVR: Payroll Verification Report.

Quad: Engineering Quadrangle, bordered by Swift, Old Chem and Baldwin halls.

QSI: Quality Service Initiative — a program that works to improve the quality of service and operations at UC.

REACH: Responsive Employee Assistance Can Help — employee assistance program offering counseling services and support groups for emotional stress, mental illness, financial problems, alcoholism and drug abuse.

RWC: Raymond Walters College — a branch campus of UC in Blue Ash.

RX: Purchase Requisition.

Sears building: Officially named the Campus Services Building, yet often called “Sears” because the building at the corner of Reading and University once housed a Sears store.

SEIU/1199: Service Employees International Union — a collective bargaining unit representing office employees.

Shoe: “The Shoe” is short for the Myrl Shoemaker Center, which houses the Fifth Third Arena and support services for the Bearcat sports teams, including the women’s basketball offices, meeting rooms, locker rooms and related facilities.

Short Vine: The business district on the section of Vine Street that takes a jog to the east and is bounded by Corry Boulevard and M.L. King Drive.

Sigma Sigma Commons: Light tower and grassy amphitheater near French Hall, a gift of Sigma Sigma fraternity.

SOF: Small Order Form — being phased out of use.

STRS (sturz): State Teachers Retirement System — one of the state retirement systems.

TA: Travel Authorization form (not a teaching assistant) — needs to be authorized before you go anywhere. When you return, if you are eligible for reimbursement, you need to file a travel expense report (TE).

TUC: Tangeman University Center — the student union.

Three Sisters: The trio of high-rise residential halls along Jefferson Avenue (Morgens, Scioto and Sawyer).

UC|21: Shorthand for “UC|21: Defining the new Urban Research University,” the university’s strategic plan for charting its academic course.

UCAAMP (U-kamp): University of Cincinnati Association of Administrators, Managers and Professionals — a networking and professional development group for unclassified, unrepresented staff.

UCATS  (U-cats): University of Cincinnati Athletic Teams Scholarships — donors who contribute at least $50 to fund UC student-athletes may purchase priority seating tickets to Bearcat games.

UCFlex (UC-flex): The university’s new integrated business system. UC Flex Financials will replace the College and University Financial System (CUFS), and the UC Flex Human Resources will replace the Human Resources Management System (HRMS) and Benefits Management System (BMS).

UC is Listening: Online feedback forum for compliments, complaints, questions, suggestions and surveys.

UCit (UC-I-T or UC-it): UC Information Technologies — provides computer and telephone services, previously called CITS (sits).

U-Hall: University Hall — location of many administrative offices.

UniverSIS (univer-sis): University Student Information System (also called SIS) — a computerized system that consolidates all UC student databases and streamlines record-keeping and student-support operations.

Uptown Campus: East Campus, West Campus and the College of Applied Science campus combined.

USAs: University Service Associates — cross-trained staff who provide admissions, financial aid and other services to current and prospective students in the One Stop Services Center.

WIN (win): Women’s Initiatives Network — serves as an umbrella group for faculty, staff, student and alumni organizations on campus that are dedicated to serving women.

Work Control: The department that handles facilities services, such as maintenance and HV/AC.