Division of Student Affairs
Mauricio Gonzalez, Ph.D., Vice President for Student and International Affairs
The Mission of the Division of Student Affairs is create a supportive, educational, social, and recreational environment outside the classroom through co-curricular programs and services which are engaging and lead to student retention.
The Division of Student Affairs encompasses 25 Departments and Units providing a generous array of programs, services, and credit and non-credit learning opportunities that complement students' classroom experiences and prepares students for life after college as engaged citizens. The Division delivers transformational learning opportunities such as: study abroad, student leadership development programs, projects that develop civic responsibility, career identification and preparation, and hands-on involvement in campus governance.
Undergraduate and graduate students wishing to explore or enhance their grasp of various academic majors also will find meaningful non-credit experiences in a number the Division's departments, such as: serving on staff of the campus newspaper (Spinnaker) for Communications majors seeking writing experience or Art and Design majors looking to develop photographic skills; an Accounting major serving on Student Government's Budget and Allocations Committee; or a variety of majors for whom experience in the Student Union could be insightful. Explore the Student Affairs' web site for more ideas.
Opportunities specifically for graduate students are also offered by a Student Affairs Departments. For instance, the LGBT Resource Center works with graduate students seeking practicum/internship and volunteer opportunities. The Counseling Center serves as an approved internship site for students completing their graduate training in mental health counseling. The Child Development Center and Health Promotions both offer undergraduate and graduate students opportunities for internships and volunteer work. Career Services assists graduate students with job search skills and strategies, and the Intercultural Center for Peace offers a special summer orientation program for new minority graduate students.
Information about all of the opportunities offered through Student Affairs departments may be obtained by visiting their web sites. To learn more about Student Affairs offerings that directly intersect with students in their academic progress, please review the following information.
The BSRI, a Women’s
Center program, provides encouragement and support to women members of UNF
engaged in research in all disciplines as well as support to women and men
engaged in gender research. Students, faculty, and staff are welcomed and
encouraged to become involved in research through the BSRI and apply for grant
money to support their research.
The need for career assistance begins early in students’ college experiences and continues throughout their academic and professional lives. Career Services provides a variety of career services, programs, and resources specifically designed to help our students make a successful transition from academics to the world of work. The department assists students in clarifying career goals, choosing meaningful academic majors, providing cooperative education and internship experiences, exploring graduate study programs, and developing effective job search strategies.
Internships/Cooperative Education Program (free elective)
The Internship/Cooperative
Education is a unique educational program in which students integrate classroom
study with supervised work experience related to their major field of study.
Experiential Learning is a free elective course available in each of the four
UNF colleges.
Students desiring a more intensive career exploration experience are encouraged to enroll in Career Services “Career Planning Course”: EDG 2000: A 3-credit-hour course taught by Career Services career counseling staff that guides the student through the career development process.
In
addition to on-campus child care, The Child Development Research Center serves
the University community as a pre-internship site for its University students
(Education majors and others) as well as for students from other colleges and
universities within the region. The Center serves as a research site, allowing
faculty members from various departments to conduct research which is generally
interdisciplinary in nature.
The Disability
Resource Center (DRC) acts as a liaison between students with disabilities and
the academic community. A fundamental goal of the DRC is to provide registered
students with reasonable accommodations, auxiliary learning aids and
information on accessibility. These services give students with disabilities
equal access to academic programs. In
addition, the DRC strives to increase awareness of the Rights, Responsibilities,
and Resources available at the University of North Florida for students with
disabilities. In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, the DRC
provides resources to academic support services necessary for the student’s
academic pursuits. The DRC office also provides necessary accommodations during
special campus events and meetings, as well as training regarding disability
awareness for faculty and staff.
The goal of the
English Language Program (ELP) is to provide international students and
professionals an opportunity to learn English or to improve their proficiency
in the English Language. The ELP offers quality instruction with knowledgeable
and experienced teachers. The ELP staff and teachers provide a compassionate
and caring learning environment to students in order to help them adjust to a
new language and culture. The ELP welcomes and invites you to UNF to study
English and American culture in sunny, beautiful Northeast Florida.
The Florida-West Africa Linkage Institute
(FLAWI), a program managed by the International Center, was established under Florida Statute 288.8175 to promote academic, cultural, and economic
exchanges between the state of Florida and the region of West Africa. This
Linkage Institute provides qualified students non-resident tuition waivers,
within the limits of the waivers available, to pursue a higher education at
state universities and colleges in Florida. Institute tuition exemptions are
available to students from the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape
Verde Islands, Cote D’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia,
Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
ICP promotes civility and respect for the dignity and worth of each individual at UNF, encourages peace through cultural diversity, and educates and advances the understanding of cultures and ethnicities. ICP works closely with the African American Student Union, The Asian Students in Alliance and the Latin American Student Organization which are open to all students on campus. IPC offers a variety of scholarships and college preparation programs including the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship and QUEST (Quality for the Ultimate Educational Success Today). The QUEST program is for first-time in college minority freshmen students. QUEST provides students with skills essential to college success, personalized career exploration counseling, and information about University services and student organizations.
The Special Summer Graduate Program for minority graduate students at the University of North Florida is an excellent program sponsored by the Intercultural Center. The objectives of the program are to provide early adjustment to UNF graduate programs, review skills essential for success in graduate school, acquire knowledge regarding nonacademic services and relevant organizations and to develop a viable student network.
Intergroup Dialogue is a program at UNF that brings together individuals from two or more social identity groups in a facilitated co-learning environment. The program is designed to help students, faculty and staff build the skills and knowledge needed to take part in and to lead multicultural group interactions. Students can participate in Intergroup Dialogue by enrolling in a course open to all undergraduates for elective credit. This course satisfies selected requirements for the Leadership Certificate and Leadership Minor. The Intergroup Dialogue course is designed to help students build the skills and knowledge needed to take part in and to lead multicultural group interactions. The topics of this course include social identity development; prejudice and stereotyping and their effects on groups; difference and dominance and the nature of social oppression; and basic group facilitation skills and their applications in multicultural settings.
The International
Center serves two broad groups of students. For domestic (U.S.) students, the
Center provides information about Study Abroad opportunities around the world
and assists students who want to study overseas. For international students (on
F and J visas), the Center serves as a source of immigration information to
assist students in maintaining legal status while studying at UNF and provides
programs, activities, and services that address the specific needs of international
students.
The Military and
Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) provides military and veteran students assistance
in navigating admission, enrollment and financial aid processes. Led by the
Director, the MVRC is the primary campus
advocate for military and veteran students and works with them to ensure their
unique needs are met by coordinating with offices of various university
services such as academic advising, tutoring, counseling, disability resources,
veteran programming, benefits information and assistance (financial and
medical), as well as facilitating referral to state and federal resources and services. Please see the Center’s link for special
programming and other veteran-specific incentives such as priority registration
for classes, meal discounts at some athletic venues, red, white and blue
Americana graduation cords, veteran-specific internships, scholarships and
employment assistance.
Reserve Officers Training Corps at UNF
The United States
Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at the University of North Florida (UNF
ARMY ROTC) is an educational program of leadership and military skills training
that prepares UNF students for officer responsibilities in the United States
Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Upon completion of the physically
and mentally demanding UNF ARMY ROTC program, students are appointed to the
rank of Second Lieutenant following graduation from UNF.
UNF Army ROTC courses fit into most UNF academic programs as electives. Students normally take one course and one leadership lab per semester along with their other classes. Freshmen and sophomores begin with no-obligation Basic Courses. They receive instruction in basic leadership and military skills such as physical fitness, land navigation, first aid, and rappelling. Junior and senior Cadets make up the Advanced Courses. At this stage, they have made the decision to commit to the US Army and receive instruction on leadership principles and advanced military skills, culminating in a Commission as an Army Officer.
UNF Army ROTC offers several opportunities for scholarships with full tuition/fees (or room and board up to $10,000 per year). Students may apply for a 3-year or 2-year Army ROTC Campus Based Scholarship. Each pays full tuition, $1,200/ year for books, plus a monthly stipend (during the school year) for living expenses. Students also have the option of becoming simultaneous members of the Florida Army National Guard or US Army Reserve (SMP). In the SMP program, students attend one "drill weekend" or "battle assembly" each month and gain military leadership experience as well as pay at the rank of E-5 or Sergeant. Both organizations offer several scholarships, non-scholarship financial incentives such as tuition assistance; as well as opportunities to attend Army schools such as Airborne School and Air Assault School.
For a closer look at UNF ARMY ROTC, students should visit the UNF ARMY ROTC Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/UNF-Army-ROTC/148897105169?ref=hl or visit our website.
Naval
Reserve Officers Training Corps: Division of Naval Science” programs are
available to UNF students. This program includes fourteen courses that apply to
the 120-credit graduation requirement. The Vice President for Student and
International Affairs is the management liaison for this program.
As students enter the
UNF Community they subscribe to uphold the University Values and academic
integrity. The Student Code of Conduct is designed to promote responsible
behavior for all students consistent with the welfare of the UNF community and
values. In order to function effectively and to provide a climate in which all
members can fulfill their personal, social, and academic obligations, the
University has established this Code for defining behavioral rights and
responsibilities within this community. The responsibility for this Code shall
be administered through the Division of Student Affairs.
The Office of the
Student Ombudsman is here to help make a student’s academic career at UNF
successful. It does this by providing UNF students with a safe, confidential
place to bring questions and concerns about University rules, policies, or
procedures, and by assisting students to develop effective working
relationships with faculty and staff at the University. The Ombudsman helps
students understand and respond to the issues they may encounter at the
University by considering all sides of an issue in an impartial and objective
way, and helping them develop and implement strategies for problem solving and
resolution.
The vision for the Taylor Leadership
Institute is to address the very real need of empowering future leaders
to take their place in the world with the knowledge, skill set, and
leadership vernacular and repertoire to 'hit the ground running' as
leaders. A portrait of a graduating leader is one who understands
building team processes, comfortably and proactively leading meetings
with vision, speaks publicly with confidence, proactively facilitates
group dynamics, thinks globally and acts ethically appreciating the
paramount role of making a difference in the world.
The Leadership Certificate has merged
with the Community Leadership Minor, reflected on the academic
transcript. The collaborative programmatic design of the Community
Leadership Minor is a partnership with the College of Education and
Human Services utilizing leadership electives from all five colleges.
Approved by the Academic Program Committee in the Faculty Association,
the Leadership Academic Minor appears in the Academic Calendar.
