NEWS
- On-campus shuttle routes open Sarah Diener
- Education college offers ASL degree Jeanine deBoer
- Grille displaces Wackadoo's Tami Livingston
- Starbucks earns three 5-star awards Scott Davis
- On-campus clubs offer social, professional growth opportunities Jessica Medina
- The Freshman 15: A guide to success
- Find your way on the new shuttle system Tami Livingston
On-campus shuttle routes open
Seven shuttle buses will be navigating campus to take students, faculty and staff at the University of North Florida to 16 designated stops on campus in an effort to ease traffic and accommodate individuals who park in the outer lots. Service officially began
Aug. 20.
American Coach Lines of Jacksonville have allotted the buses to be used by UNF as shuttles from main buildings and parking lots to the core of campus and the dormitories. The buses are only being used temporarily while the company builds new buses to be used, said Auxiliary Services Director Vince Smyth. New buses are expected to be ready by November, Smyth said.
According to the parking services Web site, six buses will run on a north-south route between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, stopping at pick-up sites every six minutes. Buses will be operational from 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Fridays and 6 p.m. to midnight Sundays. There will be no service on Saturdays. For those on campus after dark, a bus will be available from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. and will service each stop every 15 minutes.
There will be two routes to cover campus. A north route will include nine stops that will stop at locations like parking lots 14 and 18, the Child Development Research Center, the Arena, and Osprey Cove. The south route will service seven stops including UNF Hall, the Crossings, the Arena and Osprey Hall.
"So far things have been very good," Smyth said. "There have been a few minor things that are being tweaked."
Smyth said that timing of buses has been an issue as buses are piling up at stops. As new buses are built, Parking Services is planning to hold a contest for UNF students to name the new bus line. Users can call 620-1176 for a recorded message to hear about the shuttle schedule and any delays.
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Education college offers ASL degree
Starting this fall, the University of North Florida will be one of fewer than 20 universities in the United States to offer a bachelor of science degree in American Sign Language interpretation.
The program will provide an advanced level of coursework and many opportunities for students to interact with the deaf culture.
It is designed to prepare students who are interested in pursuing a career in interpretation to pass the certification exams that are required upon graduation.
"We decided to focus on an advanced study of interpreting, which caused us to ask ourselves what can we do for students that don't have a background in interpreting, and then we decided to partner with Florida Community College at Jacksonville," said Dr. Len Roberson, associate professor and chair of the exceptional student and deaf education department, "and then introduce the advanced level here at UNF."
The program will require students who are interested to first earn an associate's degree in ASL interpreting, Roberson said.
To become a working interpreter, graduates of the program are required to be licensed and certified by the state of Florida, Roberson said.
Though there are several universities in the country that offer an associate's degree in
interpreting, Roberson said it's not uncommon for students to find at the end of only two years of interpreting the language that they're not prepared when it's time to pass their state certification testing.
Of the limited universities that offer a bachelors degree in ASL, UNF is one of the few in
the South.
Other universities include Northeastern University, and Southern Utah University, both of which are located far from the South.
"Deaf education is considered a critical shortage area in this state," Roberson said. "Deaf people every day need to communicate and not everybody communicates in ASL, and that's where interpreters come in [...] They take an awesome language and mediate between two cultures."
He said interpreters can expect to find employment in a wide variety of settings upon completion of the program and passing their certification test.
"There is a high demand for interpreters for deaf persons in the workplace, in the community, in hospitals, in the judicial system," said Dr. La-Juan Stout, who taught ASL at UNF this summer. "The places and needs are endless."
Senior and secondary English education major Deidra Combs is considering taking some of the introductory classes when they are offered in the fall.
"I'm already an education major, and I took an ASL class during Summer A and fell in love with the language," Combs said. "I just want to see where this leads me." Roberson said a certified interpreter in Jacksonville can expect to earn an average of $30 an hour for general interpreting assignments.
Most interpreters work an average of only 20-30 hours a week and each assignment may not exceed two hours because of the physical and mental demand required.
Courtroom interpreting pays more, but the ethical risks and the level of difficulty are much higher in comparison, Roberson said.
Courtroom interpreters are required to have separate knowledge about the law and legal terms as well as experience in interpreting. Roberson said they make, on average, about $50 to $75 an hour.
Students that would like more information about the bachelor's degree in ASL interpreting should call Roberson at 620-2930.
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Grille displaces Wackadoo's
In response to concerns voiced by the University of North Florida community, Wackadoo's has been closed and a new
restaurant, the Boathouse Grille, has taken
its place.
Wackadoo's closed at the end of July and for the past month Chartwells, the university's food-service provider, has been cleaning the building and working to
improve service.
"What we've heard over and over the past few years is slow service and some quality food issues, but mostly slow service," said David Jordan, Chartwells district manager.
In order to address the food issues, Chartwells has created a new menu integrating new items but still serving old favorites such as grilled cheese, buffalo chicken, chicken tenders and wings.
Chartwells is also planning to continue service of alcoholic beverages and is in the process of renewing its
liquor license.
"We've added flatbread pizzas and there will be a lot of hot sandwiches, a lot of salads," Jordan said.
The grille will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the week and from noon
to 10 p.m. on weekends.
Wackadoo's has been on campus since 2002 and was a subcontractor of Chartwells. However, the franchise recently made the
decision to become a different restaurant, Jordan said.
"Wackadoo's was selected by university to be here as Wackadoo's, but recently disassociated themselves from Wackadoo's [corporate] and were becoming a separate restaurant," Jordan said.
The move, combined with the upcoming demolition of the boathouse in two years to accommodate the student union, prompted the university to change the restaurant.
"We felt this would give us an opportunity to try some new things, some new menu items, ways to serve people faster," Jordan said.
The approximately 40 people who were employed by Wackadoo's have been offered employment in the new restaurant, along with the addition of new staff members, including a former Crispers restaurant manager.
Calls placed to former Wackadoo's
managers and the former franchise owner were not returned.
Sub Generation will continue operating out of the Boathouse.
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Starbucks earns three 5-star awards
The Starbucks on the University of North Florida campus has proven to be a great success, serving approximately 1,000 students daily in the spring and 300 students daily during the summer, according to Dave Jordan, Chartwells district manager.
The UNF Starbucks recently won three five-star awards from the Starbucks Corporate Office, said Korey Konopasek, Chartwells director of operations.
A fifth star is only awarded if a store
goes beyond Starbucks' standards of performance. These standards include product preparation, sanitation, and cleanliness guidelines, Jordan said.
"We expected them to meet the standards," Jordan said. "We did not expect to surpass these standards."
Opened in December, Starbucks is now about to enter its third semester on campus.
Jackie McNulty, the associate director
of retail dining services and the current manager of the UNF Starbucks, believes the college environment has been perfect for Starbucks' business.
"It's been 100 percent successful," she said. "Everybody loves Starbucks."
Starbucks sells more than 200 cups of coffee per day, said Dana Murray, a Starbucks shift manager. It's one of the most popular places on campus, and the number of students increases weekly, she said.
Nicole Murphy, a junior elementary education major, said it's good to have a Starbucks on campus.
"It has short lines," she said, "I can walk there from my class."
Maria Jimenez, a senior international business major, agrees that having a Starbucks on campus is beneficial.
"I don't have to leave campus to get my Starbucks coffee," she said.
Jordan said in adding a Starbucks to campus, Chartwells wanted to improve Outtakes' business by shortening the lines there.
"We were hoping it would cut down on traffic," he said.
But Konopasek said the change hasn't benefited every business on campus.
"It is Freshens, the smoothie shop, that has actually dropped the most [in business]," Konopasek said. This drop is due to the mochas available at Starbucks, he said.
The Starbucks corporate office did not respond to inquiries.
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On-campus clubs offer social, professional growth opportunities
Clubs at the University of North Florida offer students an opportunity to meet new people and become involved on campus.
Registered student organizations are a way for groups of students with similar interests to become organized under the department of Student Life.
With the assistance of Club Alliance, an agency of Student Government, students can form university-recognized clubs and gain access to funding from SG, according to Club Alliance's registered student organization and adviser handbook.
The goal of Club Alliance
is to "work with students, reach out to clubs and gain funding from Student Government,"
said Club Alliance Director Scotti Hoffman.
"Joining a club is a great way to meet people interested in the same things as you
are," said Brittany Norris,
president of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.
"I wouldn't say it's guaranteed friends but it's nice to know there's someone you can call and say, can you go to lunch?" said Norris of her experience as a freshman in a club.
This year, there are many organizations becoming recognized for the first time. Active Minds, a new club, is a "nationally recognized club that is associated with the Counseling Center," said Active Minds President Steven Montesinos. Active Minds works to create mental health awareness, education and advocacy.
Sophomore sociology major Nicole Cushing is in the process of establishing a new club on campus as well.
Invisible Children United is an international partnership that focuses on children in Northern Uganda. The UNF chapter will raise awareness of the situation in Uganda, as well as adopting a school and raising money to support the children, Cushing said.
Cushing said the club will
be official as soon as the papers are signed.
To become a recognized club, members should fill out a registration form that is available on the Club Alliance Web site.
Clubs must also have one
on-campus adviser, at least 10 members and a constitution
statement of purpose, president and a treasurer.
Once students have fulfilled those requirements they must then fill out a voucher. The deadline for the registration forms is Sept. 18.
Clubs that have previously been recognized by the university may also receive a cash lump sum of $300 to help pay for supplies.
Last year there were over 120 registered student organizations, according to the RSO handbook. As of August 14, there are 33
student organizations.
For more information, call Club Alliance at 620-1470 or go to Building 14, room 1543.
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The Freshman 15: A guide to success
1. ATMS There are five ATMs on campus: one next to the bookstore, one in the Boathouse, one in UNF Hall off of Kernan Boulevard, one in the Arena and one in the University Center.
2. ENTERTAINMENT You have the opportunity to host your own radio or TV show - check out Osprey TV and WOSP, both student-run media organizations entertaining our campus.
3. BAD TRICKS Putting an old parking ticket envelope on your
windshield so you don't get a new ticket doesn't always work.
4. PROFESSORS RateMyProfessor.com and other sites can come in handy, but most of all, listen to your friends and classmates about what teachers not to take - they're normally right.
5. FAVORITE BATHROOMS Some bathrooms are typically cleaner and quieter than most. Try out a few and pick the one you like best - trust us, everyone on campus has a favorite they frequent.
6. ANIMALS EVERYWHERE There are a lot of animals on campus. Don't be surprised to see armadillos by the road or walkways covered in goose poop in the spring. Use your head and don't harass the animals and they won't bother you.
7. LONG LINES The bookstore, advising, One Stop and the Cashier's Office are normally busy, especially around the start and end of each semester, so go as soon and as early as you can so you don't get stuck waiting forever.
8. SPEAK UP The student ombudsman and Student Government offices are here to help you out and hear your concerns - use your voice.
9. POLICE BEAT If you do something stupid, you are probably going to end up in Police Beat, so unless you want the whole university reading about your late night exploits, make good decisions - or don't get caught.
10. LEARN FROM MISTAKES Getting up for 8 a.m. classes normally only lasts about half a semester.
11. GET INVOLVED There are a ton of events and organizations on campus to get involved with - read the Student Updates and look at the bulletin boards.
12. GET TO CLASS Some professors are strict about attendance, so don't skip unless you're planning on being able to provide an obituary notice showing that your grandmother did, in fact, die.
13. FACEBOOK ETIQUETTE Coaches and professors all have Facebook accounts and many of them cruise the Web looking up their students, so don't be stupid and put up pictures that can get you in trouble.
14. THINK AHEAD Beer and late nights don't equal fun when it comes to exams - all in moderation, my friends, all in moderation.
15. SLOW DOWN The police cars parked on the curbs aren't always empty. Hedge your bets and just go the speed limit.
Find your way on the new shuttle system
The shuttle system began service Aug. 20 and aims to provide an easier way for faculty, staff and students to traverse the campus.
Below are the proposed routes and times.
Shuttle hours:
Peak hours:
Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Three buses
Six-minute wait times
Non-peak hours:
Monday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Friday from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.
One bus
15-minute wait times
Sunday evenings:
6 p.m. to midnight
One bus
30-minute wait times
No Saturday service
North Route:
Service around UNF Drive and the northern end of campus, including Lot 18
Nine stops
South Route:
Service around UNF Drive and the southern end of campus, including UNF Hall
Seven stops
Compiled by Tami Livingston
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