NEWS

A message from the staff

Free Flow

To our readers,

Over the past 30 years, the Spinnaker has worked to keep you informed about issues and actions on campus and across the state that affect you. Fee increases, new majors, parking issues, new buildings and facilities, the future of the university, crime on campus, Student Government and university administration decisions - all these and more have been reported to you.

However, our mission to keep you informed and aware of what is happening with your money, your university and your fellow students has been impeded on many occasions. We are often denied access to information because university sources don't want us to report on it, such was the case of the student suicide that occurred on campus earlier this year, or cases of misconduct by Greek Life members and more.

As the official student newspaper of the University of North Florida, our duty is to report the facts and the facts only. Whether those facts reflect well or poorly on the university, an organization or and individual doesn't matter - we report them either way.

It is our job to keep you informed, and that's what we attempt to do. However, sometimes those attempts are unsuccessful because students, administrators, faculty or staff avoid answering our questions or giving us information.

The Spinnaker recently requested election violation documents from Student Government. Through multiple verbal agreements over the course of several weeks, we were told the information would be released. When we tried to retrieve the documents, we were denied because we had not informed the SG adviser of our request.

Days later, when we finally received the documents, they were incomplete.

Student Government deliberately withheld key documents regarding the major violations that had been filed (and upheld) against current Senate President A.J. Souto for verbally assaulting two people during elections. We were not told of the omission. The documents are important because they directly impact who will be sworn in as next year's student body president and vice president.

When we questioned the omission, we were told the violations had been referred to student conduct and the documents are no longer public record. The documents were public records when we requested them and both times when we were supposed to receive them.

The current situation is the most alarming case we've encountered, and sets a chilling precedent of individuals selectively releasing information and failing to tell us.

We want to make you aware of this situation because when we are denied information, you are denied information. Each time an individual or an organization deems it unnecessary to explain their actions to the media, they deem it unnecessary to explain their actions to the public, ostensibly the very people they are supposed to be serving. By withholding documents and then selectively releasing some of them, people hinder the media's mission. But more importantly, they disrespect you.

Government officials on any level - national, state or local - are elected by the people and are therefore accountable to the people. But without the free flow of information and laws protecting the public's right to know, this check and balance relationship cannot exist.

Freedom of the press and freedom of information are protected by law because without those laws, those freedoms would not exist. Time and time again, information is restricted, withheld and manipulated to serve the interests of a select few. A journalist's job is to report what is happening, not just what people in positions of power want you to know.

Newspapers and other media all over the world fight censorship and prior restraint everyday to fulfill their duty to allow you, their readers, to make informed decisions.

And we at the Spinnaker will continue to serve you to the best of our abilities and fight for your right to know what is happening on your campus and why.

Jenna Strom
Editor in Chief 		Robert Pietrzyk
Art Director 		Adina Daar
Business Manager 		Ace Stryker
Production Manager 		Kristen Montalto
Advertising Manager 		Joshua Stewart
Media Adviser
Tami Livingston
News Editor 		Matt Coleman
Features Editor 		Holli Welch
Sports Editor 		Emily Bruce
Copy Editor 		Rebecca Daly
Photo Editor 		Meghan Dornbrock Web Editor
Jen Quinn
Graphic Designer 		Sarah Diener
Assistant News 		Ross Brooks
Assistant Features 		Jamie Williams
Staff Writer 		Laurel Wright
Staff Writer 		Jason Strickland
Distributor
The following individuals have read and approve the above statement:
Eric C. Williams
Professor, University of North Florida 		Cynthia Barnett
Associate Editor, Florida Trend Magazine 		Mike Hiestand
Legal Consultant, Student Press Law Center 		Robert Orndoff
Station Manager, Osprey TV

Editor's note: The preceding is an editorial statement from the Spinnaker staff. We have chosen to run it on the front page because we feel this issue deserves the most prominent recognition, as it directly affects our ability to report the facts in their entirety to you.

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Presidency still in question

By Tami Livingston
NEWS EDITOR

Entering the last weeks of the semester, the next student body president and vice president for the University of North Florida have yet to be determined.

Two stays were issued April 20 by the Student Government judicial council, which will prevent any presidential candidates or senatorial candidates from being sworn in until the outcome of a judicial hearing tentatively scheduled for later this week.

As of publication, Jacqueline Simard and Alban Brooke were the only qualified candidates for the positions because the two major violations against candidates Rachael Tutwiler and A.J. Souto have not been negated, according to a statement by Chief Justice Robert Allen. The violations allege Souto verbally assaulted two senators during elections. They were supposedly negated because they have been referred to student conduct and are out of the purview of SG.

"The judicial council is in the process of looking at all aspects of what has been sent in as far as appeals go," said Dr. Lucy Croft, assistant vice president of student life.

The Spinnaker could not determine the appeals that will be heard by the judicial council. Attempts to interview Allen and SG Adviser Laurel Kendall were unsuccessful.

Blair Mitchelson, a former senator who is defending Simard and Brooke, said he believes all the appeals filed will be heard, as will a perjury charge against Souto stemming from the violations hearing.

The judicial council met April 24 to "make a determination on how to proceed," Croft said. The outcome of the meeting was not known before publication.

Pending a decision, business will continue as usual, Croft said. The current president, vice president and senators will remain in office until new representatives are inaugurated.

A Senate meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. April 25. Souto, the current Senate president, said the meeting "will not be cancelled."

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SAE members acquitted of hazing charges

By Sarah Diener
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

The Florida Nu chapter of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at the University of North Florida has been reinstated from a period of suspension following allegations of hazing.

After an investigation, the national organization of SAE has decided the actions in question did not meet the criterion of hazing defined by the organization.

The chapter was previously issued a cease and desist order by the Interfraternity Council and members were suspended until graduation, said Tom Van Schoor, associate dean of students.

A representative from the national organization conducted a member review of all current brothers. Each brother was evaluated on GPA requirements, student conduct and their contributions to the chapter. Members were given the opportunity to reapply for membership, and 21 have been reinstated. Other individuals either did not reapply or did not meet the evaluation standards set and maintained by the national organization and the university. However, the deadline to reapply has been extended to allow for more applications.

"We wanted to make sure we had no hazing," Van Schoor said. "We want to protect our students."

Brandon Weghorst, SAE's director of communication, said after lifting the order, the national board will make a formal recommendation to the chapter on how to continue.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon served a period of probation in 2006 for convictions of underage drinking and possession of beer kegs. The Florida Nu chapter of SAE was established at UNF in fall 2003. Fraternities have been an institution on campus for 30 years according to UNF Greek Life's Web site.

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SG president's benefits among highest in state

Survey of 11 Fla. student body presidents' perks reveals Damiano receives higher salary, more benefits than most

By Jenna Strom
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Justin Damiano, the student body president at the University of North Florida, earns the second-highest paycheck among all public university student body presidents in Florida.

The University of Central Florida president earned $20,020 and the UNF president made $17,000. The University of South Florida ranked third at $15,600. Presidents at the University of Florida and Florida State University made $8,774 and $7,887 this year, respectively.

Carlos Alvarez, a senior criminal justice major, said he wants to know what the UNF SG president is doing to account for his higher paycheck. He suggested reallocating the money to fund cheaper parking permits and other student fees.

Michael Tilley, a sophomore education major, said he doesn't mind that SG officials make more at UNF than at other major Florida universities.

"As long as the job's being done to the best of anyone's ability, why not be paid a little more?" he said.

The $17,000 covers 50 weeks of work for 40 hours a week at $8.50 an hour. In addition to paychecks, the president also receives a free first-floor parking space for serving on the UNF Board of Trustees, a cell phone plan, and up to 15 hours a semester of scholarship money.

"That's ridiculous," said Ashley Martin, a junior English major. "That's a lot of money that could go somewhere else. If he gets all these free things, why does he need more money?"

The UNF student body vice president earned $15,360 this year, the SG treasurer earned $14,880 and the Senate president earned $11,520.

SG Comptroller Betty Garris said the members of SG work hard for the money, and she hasn't seen a penny wasted this year.

Joyce Howard, FSU's SG adviser, said its SG members receive minimal benefits.

"Our Student Government is very proud of the fact our staff is paid minimum wage," she said.

Even though the FSU student body president is invited to sit in the FSU president's skybox during football games and receives a funded blackberry, she said the staff doesn't mind being paid less to give more monetary focus toward the students.

The UNF SG comptroller and student body president decide salaries each year and the budget and allocations committee approves them.

"When we started out, we just had juniors and seniors," Garris said. "Most people were working, and we needed leadership positions that would attract people."

The chief justice earned $7,680 this year, and salaries of the seven members of the legislative branch, which includes the Senate president, totaled $53,940.

SG senators do not receive paychecks, but are awarded $500 scholarships after serving their terms. They also get one free ticket and a free VIP pass to concerts funded by Osprey Productions, according to Adrian Semerene, the director of OP.

Higher positions in SG, including the president, vice president, the Senate president and committee chairs, receive VIP passes to concerts and additional tickets for guests.

SG PRESIDENTS' COMPENSATION
School Salary Other Benefits
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University $10,000 Parking spot
Florida Atlantic University $7,000 Blackberry, parking spot
Florida Gulf Coast University $14,000 None
Florida International University $10,000 None
Florida State University $7,887 Blackberry, parking spot, skybox seat at Homecoming game
New College of Florida $7,240 None
University of Central Florida $20,020 Wireless internet adapter, parking spot
University of Florida $8,774.88 Cell phone, travel, seat at football games
University of North Florida $17,000 Cell phone, parking spot, tuition up to 15 credit hours, tickets to Osprey Productions events
University of South Florida $15,600 None
University of West Florida $9,000 Parking spot, meal plan

Contact Jenna Strom at editor@unfspinnaker.com --  PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE

College of Engineering organizes symposium

Students showcase works; speakers discuss campus environment

By Sarah Diener
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

The University of North Florida's College of Computing, Engineering and Construction celebrated its fifth annual informational symposium April 18.

The symposium was a daylong event in the Robinson Student Center and on the Green that showcased the works of students in the college and provided educational opportunities for those who attended.

"It's really a great event," said Dr. Neal Coutler, dean of CCEC.

Different projects and presentations that students had created were displayed. A hover craft designed by a group of students in a design class was displayed on the Green.

"We have been working on this since Christmas break, and it's still not completely finished," said Brent Blanchette, a senior mechanical engineering major. "We're going to have a test run soon, and you'll be able to hear it. It's quite loud."

Events, held by the hour in the student center, provided chances for students and faculty who have completed research to explain their findings. Weather pattern predictors, robots and a shower system were discussed among more than 20 presentations.

"I just came to check out what types of projects I have in store," said Marco Vozila, a sophomore engineering major.

Mayor John Peyton was scheduled to speak at the luncheon on the Green but could not make the event due to time conflicts. Alan Mosley, chief administrative officer for the Jacksonville mayor's office, spoke on Mayor Peyton's behalf. Mosely commended the students on their work and dedication to the projects and stressed the importance of higher education.

The CCEC students also offered a large card for visitors to sign with messages of condolences and hope for Virginia Tech students, which is to be mailed to its engineering department.

The event ended with an expert panel discussion. Richard Crosby, associate vice president of UNF Division of Administration and Finance, Dr. Ray Bowman, professor of chemistry and director of UNF Environmental Center, and Student Body President Justin Damiano discussed issues concerning the CCEC. Dr. Bowman traced the history of UNF's master plan from an environmental perspective.

Awards were handed out at 5 p.m. recognizing outstanding work in research, presentations and projects.

For more information about the CCEC, log on to http://www.unf.edu/ccec.

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Ospreys, Hokies unite at candlelight vigil


Rebecca Daly

Approximately 200 people turned out April 18 for a candlelight vigil to honor the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre. The event included speeches by Virginia Tech alumni and members of University of North Florida administration. At the end of the service, people wrote personal condolences on a banner, which will be displayed with others from across the country at Virginia Tech.

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Students get hands-on market experience

By Laurel Wright
STAFF WRITER

Nearly six years ago, the University of North Florida's business program received a $500,000 donation. The careful investing of some finance students has caused the award to grow to $787,000 at the end of the trading day April 18.

Each year, finance students can apply for a two-semester class that gives them a chance to take the money, which was donated by Jody and Layton Smith, into their own hands. The selected students become part of the Osprey Financial Group, a student-managed investment fund, and receive the opportunity for investing experience and training for stock handling.

The class is finishing its fifth year and is made up of undergraduate and graduate students who pair up to form analyst teams that become experts in a specific area of the market, said Dr. Reinhold Lamb, instructor of the class.

The groups meet as a class once a week, where each group discusses companies they are interested in investing with. After a class discussion, they vote to decide if they will add the company to their portfolio, Lamb said. They have a trading room in the college that was donated by State Farm, where they have equipment professionals use so students can become more knowledgeable.

"We only invest for six months, so we look for companies that have a story," said Tanya Coomes, a graduate student with a concentration in finance. "We look for strong companies that might be on the verge of something."

Coomes' concentration within the class is the health care and consumer staples sector of the market. This year her group looked at were health insurance and medical device companies, she said. One company the class invested in, that Coomes presented, was Syngenta AG, which makes corn seed.

"We realized that they needed seed to make ethanol, so we invested in it for a while. It was a strong stock," she said. "I love the class. It's by far my best experience at UNF because it is outside the textbook. Dr. Lamb is very hands off, he allows us to make our own mistakes because we learn from those mistakes."

Benjamin Franklin, a graduate student majoring in business administration, said, "It's the best educational experience throughout all of my school years."

Franklin is the special projects coordinator for the class and also the chief administrator, so he runs the meetings. His sector is the industrial and consumer discretionary areas of the market, and every company his group has presented has been purchased by the class, which doesn't always happen, he said.

The class took a trip to New York City where they visited the New York Stock Exchange, the New York Mercantile Exchange and met with alumni working in New York, Franklin said.

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Shuttle companies propose systems for campus

Ideas for new shuttle include global positioning systems, video surveillance, bike racks, wheelchair access

By Tami Livingston & Sarah Diener
NEWS EDITORS


Robert K. Pietrzyk  enlarge image

American Coach, one of the companies interested in providing the University of North Florida's transit system, brought a bus to campus April 24. The company presented its proposal and gave attendees a chance to ride the bus.

Two transit companies presented their proposals for the buses to be used for the new transit system at the University of North Florida April 24.

American Coach of Jacksonville and NV Transportation are both interested in providing the transit service. The presentations were open to students, faculty and staff to ask questions and American Coach allowed individuals to ride one of the buses they are proposing to use.

"We hope to after today narrow it down to one company and start negotiating," said Vince Smyth, director of auxiliary services. The shuttle system is planned to be operational by the beginning of the Fall semester.



American Coach

Provides services for: UCF, FGCU, FIU, UM, Baptist Medical Center, charters for UNF athletics

Bill Gallup, director of sales: "We're very familiar with the university and the folks out here and we welcome the opportunity."

Vehicle storage: May try to find an area on campus to store the buses.

Buses: - New
- Global Positioning Systems
- Diesel-run
- Will be university vehicles, may have Osprey on them
- Full-time staff member located on campus
- Perimeter seating, standing room with hand straps
- Low emissions
- Wheelchair lift
- Air-conditioned


Recommendations: - Front engine, one-door cost approximately $125,000 - 130,000 each.
- Rear engine, two-door cost approximately $185,000 each.
 NV Transportation

Provides services for: Cal. State University, Wyoming State University, Orlando International Airport, City of Orlando.

Ed Griffin, vice president and UNF alumnus: "We want to blend into the university and are confident in our ability to serve you."

Vehicle storage: In the event a contract is drawn, NV Transportation is looking for spaces near UNF to rent or buy to house buses when not in use and serve as headquarters.

Buses: - New
- Global Positioning Systems
- Video surveillance system inside and outside the bus
- Bike racks
- Two-way communication system for dispatchers and drivers
- Wheelchair lifts
- Outside decoration/design will be determined by UNF

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Greek Life adds new campus chapters

By Tami Livingston & Sarah Diener
NEWS EDITORS

University of North Florida Greek Life added three new fraternities and sororities last week and are expecting three more to become chapters in the fall.

The Delta Upsilon, Omega Psi Phi and Kappa Alpha Theta fraternities were inaugurated last week and are in the early stages.

"There's lots of growth," said Tyler Young, Greek Life coordinator. "We're very excited about it."

Young said about 200 new students have joined Greek Life this year, and the department is searching for a new coordinator to assist with the expansion.

To become an official Greek Life fraternity or sorority, the groups must follow a series of guidelines from their national organizations, the university and the Greek councils at UNF who oversee them, Young said.

The groups first form an interest group and work on recruiting members. They then become a colony, which means they are recognized as a student organization by both their national organization and the university but do not receive all the benefits of being a full chapter, Young said. Once they complete all requirements, they are fully recognized.

Young said the first year is trying for many organizations, but "being a founding father is a phenomenal experience and proves your leadership skills."



Name: Type: Status: Notable Alumni: Member Quote:
Omega Psi Phi National Pan Hellenic Council fraternity Close to becoming a recognized chapter, still needs to fulfill some university requirements next semester Nat Glover, Bill Cosby, Michael Jordan "We've chosen six outstanding men for the campus and the community," Wade Rice, district president
Kappa Alpha Theta Panhellenic Council Sorority Official Dr. Lucy Croft, assistant vice president of student life; Sheryl Crow Unavailable
Delta Upsilon Interfraternity Council fraternity Recognized by university but not by IFC UNF President John Delaney, Edgar Bergen, Kurt Vonnegut Unavailable
Sigma Gamma Rho National Pan Hellenic Council Sorority Colony Corrine Brown, Brenda Joysmith "Greater service, greater progress" Melissa Biggins, undergraduate adviser
Phi Beta Sigma National Pan Hellenic Council fraternity Colony Andrew Robinson, first black president of UNF; Nelson Mandela, George Washington Carver "The brothers of Phi Beta Sigma are the fraternity's most valuable resource and strength [...] and will promote brotherhood, scholarship and service," David Jackson, president
Phi Delta Theta Interfraternity Council fraternity Interest group Burt Reynolds, Lou Gehrig "We want to change the Animal House stereotype and we want to be bigger and better," Kevin Morgan, founding father

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Colleges gear up for fall programs

By Sarah Diener
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Four of the University of North Florida's five colleges are offering new programs and initiatives for students in upcoming semesters.

Education and Human Services
The College of Education and Human Services is also expanding. In spring 2009, the college will move into a new $21 million, 100,000-square-foot building designed specifically to meet COEHS needs, Dean Dr. Larry Daniel said.

"We are very excited," Daniel said.

Two new majors in the fields of pre-k education and sport management have been approved to move from a track within a major to standalone majors in the COEHS. Daniel said both programs show great potential for growth. In addition to new majors, the college has also increased its degree programs.

A specialist degree, which is a degree between a masters and doctoral, is planned to be offered in education. An online educational technology degree is also being added. Daniel believes the online component of this degree will be beneficial in attracting students who are not in the Jacksonville area.

On-site training at Duval county schools, a staple of the education curriculum, has also grown. Pine Estates Elementary School and Lakeshore Middle School have been added to the list of partnership schools students can attend to gain hands-on teaching experience.

Arts and Sciences
UNF's largest college, the College of Arts and Sciences, will be undergoing change as well.

The current interim dean, Dale Clifford will be stepping down and a new permanent dean, Dr. Hetrick from Iowa will be taking her place. A flagship program majoring in coastal biology is being added for next semester.

Dr. Courtney Hackney will be heading the program, which will offer undergraduate and graduate tracks.

Clifford said the program will supplement traditional academic curriculum with other interactional learning opportunities such as planning seminars for educators in Florida to pass on information to their students and seminars for the community to learn about coastal biology issues.

"I think this program can have a real impact," Clifford said.

Joining coastal biology will be majors in French Studies and Psychology. To support the growing number of courses offered, the college has hired new faculty in areas from music to history; there will also be a new professor in religious studies.

Clifford said these new employees will offer a fresh view and voice for the students in each area of study.

To prepare students for life after college, COAS is looking into new internships and working with the career center to help students gain useful experience when trying to find a job after graduation.

Successful graduates of COAS and people within the community have been contributing advice and job opportunities to recent grads and those getting close to graduation, Clifford said.

"I am very optimistic about the future of the college," Clifford said.

Health
The Brooks College of Health, headed by Dean Dr. Pamela Chally, was recently approved by the university and the Florida Board of Governors to start planning and enrolling two new doctoral programs in physical therapy and nursing.

Chally said she anticipates accepting students into the program in Fall 2007, after the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools gives the final approval of the programs.

"These programs will be a huge step forward for UNF," Chally said.

Nursing anesthesia is also a new track within the nursing program, which is very much in demand, Chally said. She estimates careers in this field can generate an income around $140,000 a year.

In conjunction with UNF's master plan of construction, the health building will acquire a new addition, and construction is set to begin in June.

"We have a bright future ahead of us," Chally said.

Computing, Engineering and Construction
The College of Computing, Engineering and Construction is currently in the process of preparing for re-evaluation of their accredited programs and planning a masters program for engineering.

The CCEC recently held its annual symposium where research findings and experimental projects developed throughout the year were on display for the UNF and Jacksonville community to see.

Dr. Neal Coulter, dean of CCEC, said he hopes the new masters program can begin enrolling students by July, and the college is looking to hire new faculty to support the growing programs.

More information on new programs offered can be found on each respective college's Web site or by visiting advising.

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Nursing school wins national recognition

By Jamie Williams
STAFF WRITER

The University of North Florida's School of Nursing was recognized nationally when its students won the top prize at the Student Nurses Association National Convention.

Ten nursing students, who are all members of the UNF Student Nurses Association, presented a project at the convention April 10-15, for the category of School Community Health Project, along with three posters in additional categories.

The project was based on an original idea thought of by the UNF School of Nursing called "homebasing," which they started working on in November and continued to do so through April.

With homebasing, each nursing student is assigned to provide service to a "home base," which is one of several different locales in the Jacksonville area.

"We got the idea from the way our school approaches community service, which is unique in comparison to other schools," said Ashley Gocek, graduating senior and president of the UNF SNA. "It was a huge team effort on everyone's part."

Gocek said the way the SNA set up the homebasing project made UNF nursing stand out and helped the members achieve their goal to win the School Community Health Project Platinum Award.

The judging criterion for the award was based on a variety of factors including creativity, media coverage, and positive results attained from it. Out of the 31 schools who submitted projects, only two were chosen, including UNF, which won.

"We were ecstatic, thrilled and felt very honored to win," Gocek said.

This was the second year the SNA has ever attended a state or national convention, she said. The school of nursing also became the university's first flagship program in 2005.

"This is a great accomplishment for these students," said Dr. Lillia Loriz, school of nursing director. "As I reflect on flagship and what that means, I can just say this is a true outcome of flagship."

"What really moved me was their enthusiasm and pride in what they were doing in the community, and the desire to share that with their peers on a national platform," said Dr. Barbara Kruger, assistant professor of community/public health. "What a great outcome - that students feel invested as partners in this community experiment to go above and beyond."

Gocek says the program will continue to submit additional projects next year for awards at state and national conferences in an effort to carry on the successes of this year.

The other members who attended the convention were SNA Officers: Lindsay Jamison, Brekke Morrow, Sarah Devilbiss, Stephanie Boone and Danielle Curtis; senior students: Ashley Crandall, Sara Huber, Jamie Tesh, and Diana Godfrey; and president-elect Caitlin Smitley and vice-president-elect Karrie Hodges.

"It [the convention] helped us get our foot in the door and let other schools see what we did and what they could do themselves," Gocek said. "We're still growing as a chapter, but definitely getting there."

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Administrators revisit emergency plan

By Ace Stryker
PRODUCTION MANAGER

In response to last week's shootings at Virginia Tech, University of North Florida administrators are considering changes to the campus emergency response plan, including a new public address system and special training for faculty and staff.

Nothing has been decided yet, said University Police Department Chief Mark Foxworth, but members of campus organizations - UPD, physical facilities, information technology services and the crisis management team - have met to discuss opportunities for improvement to the current plan.

"It's all still in the infancy stage to see what's best for us," Foxworth said.

The administration is discussing implementation of a new loudspeaker PA system, which could be used to alert people on campus in the event of an emergency. Currently, police can broadcast emergency messages via the fire alarms in buildings on campus. Foxworth said he believes a more substantial system could benefit students in a crisis, particularly in outlying parts of campus like the athletic areas and lot 18.

ITS has been working out the logistics of developing a mass phone notification system. While a campuswide lockdown during a crisis is tough to provide for, Foxworth said, it's important to get the word out to as many people as possible in a timely manner.

Foxworth said he doesn't anticipate UPD officers' training will be altered as a result of the events at Virginia Tech. UPD's 28 officers have received training for how to respond to an "active shooter situation" and have worked with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on bomb threats, he said. However, there is talk about training university employees for crisis situations or arranging help from students in the Institute of Police Technology and Management, of which there might be 30 to 50 on campus during peak hours, he said.

Foxworth said he feels comfortable about UPD's emergency readiness, but is open to suggestions. Ideas would have to be approved by UNF's Crisis Management Team and higher-level administration before being implemented, he said, so it's difficult to put a timeline on if or when students could expect to see changes.

Since the Virginia Tech shootings, the university has updated JSO on campus floor plans in case of the need for SWAT intervention. Additionally, UPD maintains a "mutual aid agreement" with the police departments of Atlantic, Neptune and Jacksonville Beaches in case additional manpower is required to respond to a threat.

"I think at this point we're well-prepared," Foxworth said. "We're focusing on how to do the job better."

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By the numbers

As the 2006-2007 academic year draws to a close, it's time to look back on what exactly campus life amounted to.

Recreation/Entertainment

Osprey Productions events: 130
New student organizations: 39
Total student organizations: 145
Greek Life members: 1,000
New Greeks: 200
Events in the Arena: 103
Events in the Robinson Student Life Center: 3,941
Intramural teams: 373
Sports teams: 15
Athletic events: 336


Crime

Burglaries: 62
Traffic crashes: 99
Lost property: 44
Alcohol-related incidents: 82
Drug-related incidents: 27
Sick persons: 15


Food

Slices of pizza: 36,000
Beers: 16,555
Starbucks drinks: 42,360
Smoothies: 16,500


Academics

Scholarship money awarded to UNF students: $18,938,225
Grant money awarded to UNF students: $10,760,000
Diplomas awarded in December 2006: 1,120
Diplomas expected to be awarded in May: 1,983


Parking

Parking tickets: 32,033
Boots on vehicles: 271


University

Boxes of toilet paper: 2,131
Boxes of chalk: 1,636
Boxes of dryboard markers: 192
Water/sewer bill: $371,904
Electric bill: $2,582,672
Phone bill: $122,750
Cable bill: $107,874
Books bought at the campus bookstore: 118,410


Medical

People tested for HIV/AIDS at CADIC: 204
People tested for HIV/AIDS by Duval County buses on campus: 150


Note: Some numbers are approximations. The time frame for statistics ranged approximately from August 2006 to April 2007.

Compiled by Tami Livingston

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