Division of Student Affairs
Mauricio Gonzalez, Ph.D., Vice President for Student and International Affairs
The Mission of the Division of Student Affairs is to support a diverse student body by creating a dynamic educational environment that complements the University’s mission and values. The Division focuses on the necessity of relevant learning outside the classroom and facilitates a holistic development within a global context.
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 a majors for whom experience in the Student Union could be insightful. Explore the Student Affairs’ web site for more ideas.
A variety of 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 opportunties 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 BSRC, 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 BSRC 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.
Cooperative Education is a unique educational program in which students integrate classroom study with supervised work experience related to their major field of study. Cooperative Education is a free elective course available in each of the five 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 and 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 allows faculty members to conduct research there, which is generally interdisciplinary in nature and involves various University academic departments and research projects.
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 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 academic support services necessary for the student’s academic pursuits. The DRC provides information on issues of accessibility, reasonable accommodations, and auxiliary learning aids. These services give students with disabilities equal access to academic programs. The DRC office also provides necessary accommodations during special campus events and meetings.
The English Language Program offers quality instruction with knowledgeable and experienced teachers. The ELP staff and teachers offer a compassionate, caring attitude by counseling students as they adjust to a new culture and educational opportunities. The ELP welcomes and invites you to UNF to study English and American culture in sunny, beautiful Florida. Additionally, short conversational foreign languages are offered for those who wanting to try a foreign language.
The goal of the English Language Program (ELP) is to provide international students and professionals an intensive academic experience to provide awareness of international and intercultural understanding.
The Florida/West Africa Institute (FLAWI), a program managed by the Intercultural Center for PEACE, was created by an act of the State Legislature in 1991 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. IPC offers a variety of scholarships and college preparation programs including the 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 new 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 Institute for Values, Community and Leadership is a collaborative venture between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs designed to provide students with leadership development and experiential learning activities, enabling students to draw on the experiences of both leadership theorists and their own burgeoning repertoire of talents, reflective practices and ability to demonstrate strengths and attributes of a leader.
The mission of this Institute is to develop and promote global ethical leadership and character among our students and community through education, service, and research. To carry out that mission, the Institute has been innovative and proactive in the following ways: A Recognized ‘Leadership Certificate’; Credit and non-credit options toward earning a Certificate; Experiential opportunities for skill development; Collaboration with all five college Deans on approved academic courses as part of the Institute; Experiential Learning Portfolio (Co-Curricular); and A Minor in Leadership from the College of Education and Human Services.
Working closely with Academic Affairs, the College of Education and Human Services, and the Community Based Transformational Learning Center, Student Affairs has developed an Experiential Learning Portfolio (co-curricular transcript) for students’ utilization in capturing and documenting their leadership activities, which include campus and community service on campus and in the world.
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, 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, Military & Veteran Programs and Services, 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.
Reserve Officers Training Corps at UNF
The Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at the University of North Florida is an educational program of leadership and military skills training. It prepares UNF students for officer responsibilities in the active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard following graduation from the University.
Army ROTC courses fit into most UNF academic programs as electives. Students normally take one course per semester right along with their other classes. Freshmen and sophomores begin with the no-obligation Basic Courses. They receive instruction in basic leadership and military skills such as physical fitness, land navigation, and first aid. Junior and senior Cadets make up the Advanced Courses. At this stage, they receive instruction on leadership principles and advanced military skills, culminating in a commission as an Army Officer.
UNF Army ROTC offers you several opportunities for scholarships with full tuition/fees (or room and board up to $10,000 per year). You 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.
“Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps: Division of Naval Science” programs are available to UNF students. Included are fourteen course descriptions none of which contains the limitation that they may not 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 upholding 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 your academic career at UNF successful. It provides UNF students with a safe, confidential place to bring questions and concerns about University rules, policies, or procedures, and provides advice to students to help them develop strong and effective working relationships with faculty and staff at the University. The Ombudsman assists students by considering all sides of an issue in an impartial and objective way, and then advises on how to respond to the issues presented.
