Osprey Update for Students

Student Health Services (SHS) will offer flu vaccines for faculty, staff and students this fall. Flu shot clinic dates will be announced soon on the SHS website, pending the arrival of the shipment of flu vaccines. If you have health insurance or can afford to get the flu shot at the self-pay rate, SHS encourages you to do so at your earliest convenience. If using health insurance, call ahead to verify that your insurance plan is accepted. Please see the list below of popular sites offering flu shots:

• Publix Pharmacy
• CVS Pharmacy
• Walgreens Pharmacy

If you are enrolled in a United Healthcare Student Resources (UHCSR) plan that you purchased based on your status as a UNF student, view the list of Flu Shot Care Centers UHCSR that will accept your insurance. For more information regarding the flu from the CDC, visit Flu Season 2020-21.

Azure Dev Tools provide access to professional developer and designer tools, software and services commonly used in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs. UNF faculty and students can download these applications at no cost through the Azure Dev Tools sign in page using their UNF ID and password. 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For more information about domestic violence awareness events, resources and services at UNF, visit the Department of Diversity Initiatives events page, Women's Center and Victims Advocacy Program. 

The University is saddened to learn of the passing of a UNF adjunct instructor and two former faculty members.  

• Dr. William Ganza, an adjunct instructor in the College of Education and Human Services, passed away September 28. Ganza has taught at UNF since 2015 and was an adjunct instructor in the Department of Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management. He was currently teaching the Personnel Management elective in the program, a course he created. Committed to quality education and faculty development, he was a past president of the Florida Association for the Education of Young Children and served as the director of faculty development at the University of St. Augustine. An early supporter of the Higher Education Administration program, Ganza was also a UNF alumnus, receiving a Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership in 2012.
• Dr. Charles Galloway passed away September 27. A professor emeritus in the College of Education and Human Services, Galloway retired from UNF in 2006. He served in a number of roles during his time at the University including chair of curriculum and instruction, associate VP of Academic Affairs and several stints as the acting VP of Academic Affairs.
• Dr. Donald David Farshing, Jr. passed on September 22. A former naval aviator, Farshing managed hydro-mechanical engineering for Eastern Airlines and taught at Florida Community College at Jacksonville prior to his 24-year career at the University of North Florida. Farshing retired from UNF in 2007 at the age of 82 as an associate professor in the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction. Read his obituary.

• UNF names Dr. Karen B. Patterson as interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs. Read the full story and learn more in the Jacksonville Daily Record.
• The Department of Exceptional, Deaf and Interpreter Education celebrates International Week of the Deaf by sharing a host of information and resources that help spread awareness and uplift the Deaf community. Learn more.
• UNF names Dr. Tru Leverette as the director of Africana Studies, a new interdisciplinary major being created in the College of Arts and Science. Read more.
• The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation recently hosted their inaugural Demo Day where six of the Center’s promising start-up entrepreneurs revealed their developed business concepts. Read the full story and learn more in the Jacksonville Daily Record.
• A UNF Wind Symphony performance from the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles conference in Buñol, Spain is now available on Spotify. Listen.
• The UNF physics photo contest is open to all local students, watch
• Dr. Mike Binder, political science associate professor, discussed the influence Justice Ginsburg's death may have in the election with First Coast News.
• For 39 years, Janice Donaldson has been helping the Florida Small Business Development Center at UNF launch entrepreneurs. Read more in the Jacksonville Daily Record.
• Dr. Jason Haraldsen, physics associate professor, discussed the UNF physics photo contest on the News4Jax “Morning Show.”

Part of the Field House, Building 26, is being used as a campus tour check-in hub. There are barriers located in Lot 34 near the athletic fields and only campus tour guests are permitted to park behind the barriers, as these are pre-purchased spots.

Megan McMillan, an educational leadership doctoral student, will defend her dissertation, "Leading Effective Inclusive Schools: How Principals Make the Difference." Access via Zoom at https://unf.zoom.us/j/99525358143.

Dea Zgjani, a psychology graduate student, will defend her thesis, "Shared Family Mealtimes and Child Development Outcomes: Exploring Shared Family Mealtimes as a Predictor for Positive Child Outcomes." Access via Zoom at https://unf.zoom.us/j/96494768092.

A new database is available for trial. Access is available on the Library Databases webpage.

• The Siku Quanshu (四库全书) is the largest single assembly of Chinese classical works in the world. The Siku Quanshu (“Complete Library of Four Treasures”) is a compendium of 3,000 years of Chinese knowledge, including literature, history, medicine, science and technology, diplomacy, philosophy, linguistics, the arts and more. 

Peer Assisted Tutoring in Housing (P.A.T.H.) tutoring services are free and available online to all students from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday via the virtual tutoring lab.

The Biomedical Pre-Professionals Club will host a Mental Health Workshop hosted by JR Kuo, a mental health first aid instructor. Kuo will be leading an interactive presentation on mental health where students will have the opportunity to engage in conversation and participate in activities. This will take place via Zoom. For more details, check the Perch Portal Events page.

Use the Osprey Nation Student Rewards App to earn points and get rewards when you check in to events sponsored by Student Government, Osprey Life and Productions, and Athletics. Download the app for Apple or Android and login using your Osprey email address. 

The “ArtWork(ers) United” project is a one day "drive-in theater" art exhibition event that will feature projected poetry, images, video and other media. The film project showcases a diverse group of artists, including participation by UNF art and design faculty and students. In addition to the “drive-in” art exhibition, the event will also serve as an opportunity to encourage the community to vote. This free and open to the public film screening event can be safely experienced from inside attendee’s parked cars with sound transmitted by radio or at home over the live stream. The exact parking lot location at UNF will be reveled and the live-stream link will be posted on the Facebook event page prior to the event. Masks must be worn at all times while on the UNF campus. For more information, visit the ArtWork(ers) United website.

Local creative writers Lizz Straight and Yvette Angelique will share their work and discuss how the arts can help us cross the chasm(s) in our lives and world. Baobab Black Arts is series of virtual events featuring guest artists who will showcase their work and present cutting-edge topics ranging from gallery curation, creative writing, visual arts, and other African-American artistic production. To learn more and register for this free event, visit the website.

Dr. P. Scott Brown, professor of art history, will present a three-part virtual lecture series in partnership with the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and the Beaches Museum, that highlights a selection of works in the Cummer Museum’s permanent collection. This first lecture will cover "The Anatomy of a Still Life." To participate, register; a Zoom link for access will be sent to all registrants prior to the lecture.

The seventh Cyber Security Symposium will be available via a live virtual webinar and limited to 50 in-person attendees to ensure proper social distancing in accordance with UNF COVID-19 safety guidelines. This year’s Symposium features representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Dr. Swapnoneel Roy, associate professor of computing; Dr Patrick Kreidl, associate professor of electrical engineering; and members of the University's Information Technology Services security team. Register online.

The Department of Physics Colloquium Series presents “Geophysics, Geomechanics and Induced Seismicity” with Dr. Bob Kranz, retired geophysicist. After a brief discussion of stress states in the earth and earthquakes, Kranz will describe experimental and field studies involving man-made seismic events. To attend the virtual lecture, email Dr. Jason Haraldsen at j.t.haraldsen@unf.edu for the Zoom link and password information.

The UNF community is invited to attend a presentation by Dr. Gregory M. Kohn, assistant professor of psychology, on how individuals and social structure contribute to avian societies. The goal of the Science Café is to encourage dialogue between scientists and the public, strengthening science literacy and illustrating the impact of science on the world around us. Register.

The UNF African American Faculty and Staff Association, in partnership with Student Government, presents #SwoopInToVote, a social media campaign that helps reinforce the importance of voting and promotes voter participation. Every member of the Osprey community is encouraged to #SwoopInToVote and join the UNF Voting Squad. Follow AAFSA on Instagram at @unfaafsa for weekly reminders.

The LGBT Resource Center will kick off LGBTQIA+ History Month with special guest President Szymanski by unveiling a new installation, Wings of Pride. The event can also be viewed via Zoom at https://unf.zoom.us/j/92253576498.

Celebrate World Vegetarian Day with chef specials including a variety of vegan and vegetarian options, and a special made-from-scratch vegan donut bar with toppings. Learn more about plant-based options and resources from dietetic interns. Regular meat options will still be available at all stations. View the menu.

The Tech Bootcamps through UNF’s Division of Continuing Education offer coding and cybersecurity bootcamps designed for early-career or experienced professionals to help fill the high demand for skilled technology workers in Jacksonville and beyond. UNF alumni receive a $500 tuition discount. The upcoming cyber cohort begins Tuesday, Oct. 13, and coding cohort on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Professional U is a career development forum targeted to College of Arts and Sciences students. Different virtual sessions will provide students the opportunity to understand the value of COAS majors in connection to various careers and industries. Students will also gain professional skills to network with employers for internship and employment opportunities. Speakers include alumni, employers and community partners. This multi-day event takes place Monday, Sept. 28, through Friday, Oct. 2.  Visit the website for session information and Zoom webinar links.

The Osprey Career Fair virtual event is open to UNF students and alumni who are actively seeking internships, full-time positions and networking opportunities with employers from Jacksonville and the surrounding region. Participating companies from both corporate and non-profit sectors are seeking to recruit business and liberal arts majors/alumni. The event will be hosted virtually via Handshake. UNF students can access Handshake via myWings in the Student Tools section. For more information and to register, visit the website.

As a proud partner of UNF, Community First Credit Union will make your first $100 deposit when students, faculty or staff open a free checking account. This offer is valid through Thursday, Dec. 31. Learn more at the full-service branch located in the Delaney Student Union. 

Students graduating this fall are eligible for the Osprey Community Engagement Medallion award. This award recognizes students who have demonstrated exemplary community commitment through activities such as community-based learning, volunteerism, community or social advocacy, community-based Federal work-study, and more. For more information about the distinction and eligibility, please refer to the website, or contact the Center for Community-Based Learning.

The Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor Award is given annually to a member of the Academic Advising Council at UNF. Candidates must demonstrate outstanding contributions to the field of academic advising, genuine concern for students, excellent communication and collaboration skills, professionalism, and philosophical beliefs that are consistent with UNF’s mission. You can nominate an academic advisor by filling out the survey. or emailing Melissa Tucker at melissa.tucker@unf.edu. 

The University of North Florida Police Department is scheduled for an assessment as part of a program to achieve re-accreditation by verifying it continues to meet professional standards. The assessment is scheduled for November 3 to 5, 2020. Administered by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. [CFA], the accreditation program requires that agencies comply with approximately 260 professional standards.  A team of assessors will examine all aspects of the agency’s policies and procedures, management, operations and support services. The assessors will review written materials and interview individuals via Zoom. The CFA assessment team leader is Vicki Cutcliffe, U. S. Marshals Service. Other team members are Charlotte Johnson, Oviedo Police Department and Shawn Johnson, West Palm Beach Police Department.

As part on the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments to the assessment team. A copy of the standards is available through UNF Police Department Sergeant Shawn A. Faulkner by calling (904) 620-2364 or emailing sfaulkne@unf.edu. For more information regarding CFA or for persons wishing to offer written comments about the UNF Police Department’s ability to meet standards of accreditation, write to CFA, P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, Florida, 32302 or email info@flaccreditation.org. Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to maintain accredited status.  Verification by the team that the UNF Police Department meets the Commission’s standards is part of a voluntary process to gain or maintain accreditation.

The deadline for Florida residents to register to vote in the upcoming presidential election is Monday, Oct. 5. Visit the Florida Online Voter Registration System to register or update your registration. Additional voter information, including links to guidelines, registration information and deadlines for other states, is available on the Voting and Elections website.