This page lists and defines commonly used acronyms and abbreviations in the College of Fine Arts and across campus. Have one you'd like us to add? Email alicia.dietrich@austin.utexas.edu.
AAH: Department of Art and Art History, which includes Studio Art, Art History and Art Education divisions
AET: Department of Arts and Entertainment Technologies
AGBS: Art Galleries at Black Studies
ART: Art Building
BA: Bachelor of Art degree
BCAL: Behavior Concerns Advice Line
BFA: Bachelor of Fine Arts degree
Blanton: Blanton Museum of Art (university’s art museum)
BM: Bachelor of Music degree
Briscoe: Briscoe Center for American History (archives)
BS: Bachelor of Science degree
BSOM: Butler School of Music
CARE Counselor: Counselors in Academic Residence, a program of the Counseling and Mental Health Center that places a counselor onsite in colleges across the university for students
CCE: Center for Creative Economies
CMHC: Counseling and Mental Health Center, which provides counseling and mental health services to UT students
CLAVIS: Center for Latin American Visual Studies
COFA: College of Fine Arts
COFADOBA: College of Fine Arts Dean’s Office Business Affairs
CFDO: College of Fine Arts Dean’s Office
CID: Center for Integrated Design (SDCT)
CPR: Comprehensive Periodic Review
DDCE: Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, housed in the Office of the President
DFA: Doty Fine Arts Building
DIH: Design Institute for Health OR Design in Health (Master of Arts in Design focused on Health offered by SDCT)
DMA: Doctor of Music Arts degree
EAP: Employee Assistance Program, which offers counseling and mental health support to UT employees
FACS: Fine Arts Career Services
FAC: Flawn Academic Center
FAL: Fine Arts Library, located on third floor of DFA
FAR: Faculty Annual Review
FWA: Flexible Work Arrangement
GDAD: Game Development and Design Program, a collaboration between AET, Computer Science, and Radio-Television-Film
HRC: Harry Ransom Center
ICFAD: International Council of Fine Arts Deans (the college is a member of this international organization)
KS WELI: Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute, housed on the first floor of DFA in the Kendra Scott Center lounge space.
LHB: Longhorn Band
LHAB: Longhorn Alumni Band
MA: Master of Arts degree
MAMA: Minor in Arts Administration and Management
MFA: Masters of Fine Arts degree
MM: Masters in Music degree
OOEF: Official Occasion Expense Form (filled out when you need reimbursement for a business meal or catering)
MRE/MRH: Music Recital Hall (Music building)
One Stop: Texas One Stop, the university’s central office for financial aid, enrollment, and tuition payment support
PCL: Perry-Casteñeda Library, UT’s main library branch
PDTF: The Professional Development Travel Fund. A scholarship from Fine Arts Career Services that funds professional development travel for students.
Pickle: Pickle Research Center (located in north Austin, owned by UT)
P&T: Promotion and Tenure (usually referring to process)
Q-Drop: UT Austin’s name for a course drop in a given semester.
RAR: Request for Resource Allocation, used when you are requesting funds from the Dean’s Office that aren’t already encumbered in your budget
RTA: Request for Travel Authorization, used to request permission to travel for business to allow for reimbursement and/or booking through UT’s travel agency
SACS: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (usually used in reference to accreditation)
SDCT: School of Design and Creative Technologies
SSI: Student Success Initiative, a university-wide office that provides funding and support for students dealing with various risk factors.
T&D/TD: Department of Theatre and Dance
TPA: Texas Performing Arts
UFASAC: UTeach Fine Arts Student Advisory Council
UGS: Texas Undergraduate Studies, the University’s organization that oversees core curriculum and student support/advising efforts.
UMAC: University Marketing and Communications (UT’s central comms unit)
UTLA: UT in Los Angeles, a partnership with Moody College of Communication; B.F.A. in Acting students spend their final semester in Los Angeles
UTNY: UT in New York, a partnership with Moody College of Communication that sends students to study and intern in New York City for a semester
VAC: Visual Arts Center (galleries in the Department of Art and Art History)
VIP: UT’s donor and alumni database
WIN: Winship Building (Theatre and Dance building)