Know Your UM Acronyms
Note: If you know a UM or higher education acronym that's not listed here, or if you find an error, please email internalcomms@umontana.edu.
- AA: Associate of Arts
- AAS: Associate of Applied Science
- ABIII: Alexander Blewett III School of Law
- ACIAS: Advisory Council on Inclusive Access and Success
- ACLU: Americans Civil Liberties Union
- ACUI: Association of College Unions International
- AD: Athletic Director, Assistant Director, Associate Director
- Advo: UM Advocate
- AFO: Academic Finance Officer (previously FAM)
- AI: Artificial Intelligence
- AISS: American Indian Student Services
- AOs: Academic Officers
- AP: Accounts Payable
- APASP: Academic Programs and Administrative Services Prioritization (took place 2016-17)
- APLU: Association of Public and Land Grant Universities
- AS: Associate of Science
- ASCRC: Academic Standards and Curriculum Review Committee
- ASUM: Associated Students of The University of Montana
- AVP: Associate Vice President/Provost
- AWSS: Award Summary Sheet (scholarships)
- AY: Academic Year
- BA: Bachelor of Arts
- BBER: Bureau of Business and Economic Research
- BC: Bitterroot College
- BFA: Bachelor of Fine Arts
- BIG: Broader Impacts Group
- BM: Bachelor of Music
- BME: Bachelor of Music Education
- BMED: Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences (changed to PBS)
- BOR: Board of Regents
- BS or BSc: Bachelor of Science
- BSC: Big Sky Conference
- BSE: Big Sky Experience
- BSO: Business Service Office
- BSU: Black Student Union
- BusServ: Business Services
- BuStR: Budget Status Report (grant-specific)
- CA: Community Assistant
- CAB: Campus Activities Board
- CAM: College of Arts and Media
- CAS: Certificate of Applied Science
- CBA: Collective Bargaining Agreement
- CBSD: Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dyna
- CCR: Core Course Registration
- CES: Conference and Event Services-UC
- CHC: Curry Health Center
- CIO: Chief Information Officer
- CISO: Chief Information Security Officer
- CM: Change Management
- COB: College of Business
- COE: Phyllis J. Washington College of Education
- COH: College of Health
- COI: Conflict of Interest
- CPL: Credit for Prior Learning
- CPRG: Campus Preparedness and Response Group
- CRec: Fitness and Recreation Center
- CSD: Communicative Sciences & Disorders
- CSWA: Central and Southwest Asian Studies Center
- CTA: Certificate of Technical Studies
- CyberBear: Previous name for GrizPortal
- DBS: Department of Biological Sciences
- DCC: Dawson Community College (Glendive)
- DF&A: Dynamic Facilities & Administration (grant-specific)
- DHC: Davidson Honors College
- DRA: Departmental Research Administrator (grant-specific)
- DW: Degree Works
- EAF: Entertainment/Alcohol Form
- EAP: Employee Assistance Program
- Eck Hall/LA: Liberal Arts Building
- ECOS: Executive Committee of the Senate (Faculty)
- EHF: Electronic Hiring Form
- ELCS: Experiential Learning and Career Success
- ELI: English Language Institute
- EMS: Event Management System
- EO/AA: Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
- EoFY: End of Fiscal Year
- EPAF: Electronic Personnel Action Form
- E-PROP: ORSPs Electronic Proposal Routing and Approval Platform
- ESP: Exploratory Studies Program
- ERM: Enterprise Risk Management
- FA: Faculty Affiliate
- F&A: Facilities and Administration
- FacSrv: Facilities Services
- FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid
- FAMIS: Facilities Work Order System
- FARTHER (PFRT): Forest and Rangeland Technology Hub for Economic Resilience
- FCFC: W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation
- FEC: Faculty Evaluation Committee
- FEP: Financial Education Program
- FERPA: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974
- FFE: Full Fee Equivalent
- FinAid: Financial Aid
- FLAT House: Forum for Living with Appropriate Technology
- FLBS: Flathead Lake Biological Station
- FMCS: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
- FMD:Faculty Modified Duties
- FOAPAL: Fund/Org/Account/Program/Activity/Location
- FS: Facilities Services
- FSI: Fraternity & Sorority Involvement
- FTE: Full Time Equivalent
- FVCC: Flathead Valley Community College (Kalispell)
- FWE: Freshman Wilderness Experience
- FY: Fiscal Year (common usage - FY26 runs July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026)
- GA: Graduate Assistant
- GenAI: Generative Artificial Intelligence
- GenEds or GERs: General Education Requirements
- GEO: Global Engagement Office
- GLA: Grant Leave Assessment (grant-specific)
- GLI: Franke Global Leadership Initiative
- GPA: Grade Point Average
- GPSA: UM Graduate and Professional Student Association
- GrizHub: Place to find community events and groups at UM
- GrizMart: Procurement Software
- GSA: Grizzly Scholarship Association
- GTO: Griz Time Online
- Handshake: Student Employment Software
- H&S: College of Humanities and Sciences
- HC: Helena College University of Montana
- HRA: Human Resource Associate
- HRS: Human Resource Services
- IDCs: Indirect Costs
- IEFA: Indian Education for All
- IF: Innovation Factory-UC
- IPA: Individual Performance Record
- IPAT: School of Integrative Physiology and Athletic Training
- IRSE: Indigenous Research and STEM Education
- ISB: Interdisciplinary Science Building
- ISEP: International Student Exchange Program
- ISS: International Students and Scholars
- IT: Information Technology
- IUJ: Inter-Unit Journal
- JET/Todd: James E. Todd Building
- JV: Journal Voucher
- KBGA: College Radio Station
- KRELF: Kless Revolving Energy Loan Fund
- KSA: Knowledge Skills and Abilities
- LCV: Lewis and Clark Villages
- LDA: Last Date of Attendance
- LING: Linguistics Program
- LLC: Living Learning Community
- LMS: Learning Management System
- LOA: Letter of Appointment
- LSU: Latine Student Union
- MA: Master of Arts
- Main Hall: University Hall
- MarComm: Marketing and Communications
- MBA: Master of Business Administration
- MC: Mansfield Center or Missoula College
- MCC: Miles Community College (Miles City)
- MCEE: Marketing Communications, Experience and Engagement
- MCFA: Missoula College Faculty Association
- MFA: Master of Fine Arts
- MIS: Management Information System
- MMAC: Montana Museum of Art and Culture
- MOLLI: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
- MOSSAIC: Mentoring, Organization, and Social Support for Autism/All Inclusion on Campus
- MS or MSc: Master of Science
- MSUB: Montana State University- Billings
- MSU: Montana State University
- MT AIMS: Montana American Indian in Math and Science Program
- MTECH: Montana Tech of the University of Montana
- MUS: Montana University System
- NABGA: National Advisory Board for Grizzly Athletics
- NABITA: National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment
- NACA: National Association for Campus Activities
- NACUBO: National Association of College and University Business Officers
- NACUFS: National Association of College and University Food Services
- NAGPRA: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
- NAS: Native American Studies
- NASPA: National Association of Student Affairs Professionals
- NeoEd: Recruitment Software
- NetID: Unique student/employee identifier
- NFO: New Faculty Orientation
- NIRSA: National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association
- NOA: Notice of Award (grant-specific)
- NODA: Association for Orientation, Transition, Retention in Higher Education
- Northern: Montana State University-Northern (Havre)
- NSO: New Student Orientation
- NSS: New Student Services
- NWCCU: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (our accrediting body)
- O&F: Operations & Finance
- OCHE: Office of Commissioner of Higher Education
- ODE: Office for Disability Equity
- OER: Open Education Resources
- OOLD: Office of Organizational Learning and Development
- OPAS: Organizational Prior Approval System (grant-specific)
- OPOTUM: Office of the President of the University of Montana
- ORCS: Office of Research and Creative Scholarship
- OSP or ORSP: Office of Sponsored Programs
- OSPI: Office of Strategic Planning and Implementation
- OSS: Office for Student Success
- PAC: Planning and Action Committee
- PAR: Personnel Activity Report (grant-specific)
- PARTV: Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center
- PATH Desk: ProcCard Accounting & Travel Help Desk
- PaymentWorks: Vendor Setup
- PBS: Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Sciences
- PEACE: Prevention Education Anti-Violence Collaborative Efforts
- PEAS Farm: Program in Ecological Agriculture and Society
- PFA: Priorities for Action (also used for Parent Family Association)
- ResHall: Residence Hall
- PFNAC: The Payne Family Native American Center
- PharmD: Doctor of Pharmacy
- PhD: Doctor of Philosophy
- PI: Principal Investigator (grant-specific)
- PJWCOE: Phyllis J. Washington College of Education
- PLS: President's Lecture Series
- PM: Project Management
- RA: Resident Assistant (also used for Graduate Research Assistant- PhD Student)
- R&R: Repair and Replace
- RATTER: Request for Authorization to Travel (RAT) & Travel Expense Report (TER)
- RBC: Request for Budget Change
- RFP: Request for Proposal
- RIIC: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
- RO: Registrar's Office
- ROTC: Reserve Officer's Training Corps
- RPT: Request for Personnel Transaction
- SAEM: Student Affairs & Enrollment Management
- SAEM DLC: SAEM Divisional Leadership Council
- SAR: Student Accounts Receivable (also known as Student Accounts)
- SARC: Sexual Assault Resource Center
- SCH or CH: Student Credit Hour or Credit Hour
- SEC: Student Evaluation Committee
- SELL: School of Extended Lifelong Learning
- SHIP: Student Health insurance Plan (AcademicBlue through Blue Cross Blue Shield)
- SLHOS: School of Speech, Language, Hearing, and Occupational Sciences
- Soc & Crim: Department of Sociology and Criminology
- Solution Center: Technology Ticket Software
- SOTUA: State of the University Address
- SPABA: Sponsored Programs Asset-Based Allocation (grant-specific)
- SPCH: School of Public and Community Health
- SRO: Student Resolution Officer
- SSRC: Social Science Research Council
- SSS: TRIO Student Support Services
- TA: Graduate Teaching Assistant (PhD students)
- TDX: TeamDynamix (system that employees use to report issues to IT)
- UAAC: University Assessment and Accreditation Committee
- UAC: Undergraduate Advising Center
- UApprove: Portal for Business and Personnel Forms
- UB: TRIO Upward Bound
- UBC: University Budget Committee
- UC: University Center
- UCC: University Curriculum Committee
- UDASH: Free shuttle service to UM sites- ASUM Transportation
- UFA: University Faculty Association
- ULC: University Leadership Council
- UM: University of Montana- Missoula
- UMAA: University of Montana Alumni Association
- UMAS: University of Montana Account Setup (formerly NUO- New User Orientation)
- UMCD/UMD: Campus Dining
- UMDW: University of Montana Data Warehouse
- UMF: University of Montana Foundation
- UMH: UM Housing
- UMPD: UM Police Department
- UMSS: UM Staff Senate
- UMW or Western: University of Montana Western (Dillon)
- UTM: Under the M
- UV: University Villages
- VA: Village Assistant
- VETS: Military and Veteran Services
- VPAA: Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
- VPEII: Vice Provost for Educational Initiatives and Innovation
- VPOF/O&F: Vice President for Operations and Finance
- VPN: Virtual Private Network
- VPR/VPRCS: Vice President for Research and Creative Scholarship
- VPSS: Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Management
- WGS: Washington Grizzly Stadium
- WESTERN: The University of Montana Western
- WGSS: Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies Program
- WLC: Department of World Languages and Cultures
- WTE: Web Time Entry
- YETI: Youth Engagement Through Intervention