A Glossary of Useful Yale and YDS Terminology: Part 2

We’ve had the first half of our Registrar’s exceptionally helpful glossary—now steel yourself for part two, which explains such handy acronyms as SML, YDSG, and even SFAS!

ISM: Founded in 1973, the Institute of Sacred Music has grown to become a thriving community for interdisciplinary study of the Arts. Bringing together Music and Divinity students, the ISM offers courses, weekly colloquia, presentations and events. For YDS students, courses are offered in worship, music, literature, and the visual arts and appear as part of the full YDS course offerings.

Marquand: Our beloved Chapel, named for its original benefactor 19th Century jeweler and merchant Frederick Marquand. It is home to daily YDS worship, an E.M. Skinner organ and a Baroque-style Taylor and Boody organ, and many concerts.

Mory’s: Abounding in a history that can be traced back to the mid-1800s, this private club is the traditional home to the Yale Whiffenpoofs who still sing there most Monday nights during the school year. Membership is available to students for a one-time dues payment of $15 until graduation.

Nouwen: The Nouwen Chapel, found in the lower level of the YDS library. This lovely stone chapel is so named for Roman Catholic priest, former YDS professor, and world-renowned author Henri Nouwen who regularly led Sunday evening worship there. The chapel is now used for private devotion, regularly scheduled worship, and preaching sections.

OCE: Online Course Evaluation. Students enrolled in YDS courses, and in many other schools and programs at Yale, evaluate their courses electronically. The evaluation period usually begins on the last day of the semester and lasts for one month. YDS students are not able to see course grades until they either complete, or decline to complete, the course evaluation. OCE is accessed through SIS (see below).

OCI: Online Course Information. It’s located at http://students.yale.edu/oci/ and can be used to search for courses in many different Yale schools, departments, and semesters. You can also use it to search for courses taught by a particular faculty member or which meet on a particular day or time. There are some courses (in Law and Drama for instance) that aren’t shown in OCI because they are not available to other students. OCI is always open, but course information for a coming academic year is usually not available until mid-July.

OCS: Online Course Selection. How students at YDS and many (but not all) other parts of the University register for courses. It’s accessed through SIS (see below) and looks just like OCI. You will not be able to access OCS until the appointed time (usually 9AM) on the first day of online registration for each semester as listed on the Academic Calendar.

OISS: The Office of International Students and Scholars. All international students should check in with OISS upon arrival at Yale. OISS not only offers resources about immigration matters, but also to support the transition to American academic and social life.

Old Refectory: Now undergoing renovation, this grand room in the north-east wing was once the primary dining space for YDS.

OMSC: The Overseas Ministry Study Center, YDS’ neighbor to the north on Prospect Street. Through its residential program OMSC creates a vibrant community of visiting missionaries and international church leaders.

PSC: The Professional Studies committee. With both faculty and student members, this committee hears matters of academic integrity and a wide variety of student petitions.

Refectory: Another word for “dining room” in many religious settings like seminaries and monasteries. Newly renovated, ours is located on the second floor down the hall from the Chapel and offers delicious breakfast and lunchtime selections. (Open only during the academic year: M-Th 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; F 8:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.).

SBS: YDS’s very own Bookstore. One of the very few remaining independent theological bookstores, the Student Book Supply was created as a student co-op in 1938 and has been in continuous existence ever since. Make sure you check out their fabulous membership (discount) program, and shop SBS first!

Science Hill: The long hill of Prospect Street, home of many of the Sciences at Yale (e.g. Kline Biology Tower and Sterling Chemistry Lab), atop which sits (strangely or fittingly, depending on your perspective) the Divinity School. Students are encouraged to go “down the hill” or get “off the hill” by taking courses in other parts of the University or participating in one of the many forms of engagement with the city of New Haven. Not to be confused with “The Hill” which is a neighborhood in New Haven.

SDQ: Sterling Divinity Quad. Basically, the YDS campus. Built in 1932 and renovated in 2003, the campus was designed by famed early-20th century architect William Adams Delano. If you are familiar with Thomas Jefferson’s University of Virginia campus you will see some similarities and a notable difference: at YDS, the highest point of the quadrangle is not the library but the Chapel.

Seabury: Each of the pavilions along the quad is named for a different figure in American Christian history. Seabury Hall is named for Samuel Seabury, the first American Episcopal bishop. First floor Seabury is the home of many of the student services functions (admissions, academic affairs, financial aid, registrar, and student affairs).

SFAS: Student Financial and Administrative Services - which includes the FAS Registrar’s office (see above), Student Financial Services (the fine folks to whom you make your tuition and other payments), the Yale Dining Services, and Associated Student Agencies. Most of these offices, at least the ones you will need to deal with in person from time to time, are located at 246 Church Street.

SHARE: The Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education Center at Yale. Located on the lower level of the Yale Health building, SHARE is staffed by Mental Health professionals who are available to members of the Yale community dealing with sexual misconduct of any kind. They offer confidential counseling and crisis support, but also education, advocacy, information, resources, or just conversation.

SIS: Student Information Systems. Located at http://www.yale.edu/sis/, it is the portal for most of your important student information and services: paying your bill, checking your grades, updating your personal information, evaluating your courses, and ordering pizza (Not really, I just wanted to check to see if you were still reading. But that would be awesome).

SML: Sterling Memorial Library. Yale’s main library (which houses about 4 million volumes) built in 1930 and recently renovated. One of several buildings at Yale that looks like a Gothic Cathedral (strangely, the gym is another).

SOM: Yale’s School of Management, once our neighbor on Prospect Street and now re-located into the big glass building on Whitney Avenue.

YDSG: Div-speak for the Yale Divinity Student Government. Check out the YDS Student Handbook for the full constitution of the YDSG.

The Whale: a.k.a. the David S. Ingalls Rink, so nicknamed because of its distinctive, whale-like, roofline. Designed by renowned architect Eero Saarinen and constructed in 1959, it is the home of the men’s and women’s varsity hockey teams and a number of other hockey and skating groups.

Yale College: The undergraduate school at Yale University, founded in 1701 by a group of clergymen “wherein Youth may be instructed in the Arts and Sciences [and] through the blessing of Almighty God may be fitted for Publick employment both in Church and Civil State.” So, new YDS student, welcome to your place in the three hundred and sixteen-year tradition of religious education in America!