Wellness
The Department of Recreation and Wellness promotes health and wellness by modeling healthy behaviors and by educating the University on pro-health behaviors.
View our Fly Free Healthy Map to find more places on campus that promote a healthy lifestyle and that offer free resources.
Services and Programs
CPR/First-Aid Training
This course offers American Red Cross Adult First-Aid and CPR/AED training to currently enrolled UNF Students and UNF Faculty and Staff. This certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of completion. Each class is $60 per person and is limited to 10 participants. Courses will be held in The Student Wellness Complex. Participants are to check-in at the Member Services desk upon arrival for directions to the training room.
Step 1: Register for a CPR/First-Aid class.
- This link will direct you for online course payment which will also reserve your space in the class.
Step 2: Complete online learning portion at American Red Cross
- The online learning must be completed prior to attending the in-person skills class.
- Online learning time is approximately 2 hours
- To complete the online learning, you'll be prompted to login. First time users need to create a login for Red Cross. Trouble accessing online learning? Troubleshooting tips & FAQ
- After completing the online learning portion, the last screen shows your completion certificate. Screenshot this on your phone to show your instructor. You will only be able to participate in the skills session with proof of this completion.
Step 3: Attend the practical skills session (hands-on training) for which you registered.
- Hands-on training is approximately 2 hours
- Make sure to bring proof of your online course completion
- Certificates are emailed following the training
Health Presentations
Our Peer Health Educators provide free presentations to UNF classes. Topics include Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs, Stress Management, Nutrition, Fitness and Sex Education. To request a presentation fill out a presentation reservation form.
HIV Testing
We provide free, anonymous HIV testing to students as well as anyone else in the community. The OraSure test is an oral HIV test that gives accurate results in about 2 weeks (rapid HIV testing has same-day results).
Appointments are required. Call us at (904) 620-2998 to schedule your appointment.
Campus Commitment
Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) is a nationwide partnership chaired by First Lady Michelle Obama. From this partnership, the Healthier Campus Initiative was born. This initiative was developed to help make campuses healthier by committing to guidelines developed by national panel of experts. The guidelines focus on evidence-based standards of nutrition, physical activity and health education programming. The improved nutrition standards address the top two health concerns identified by students in the most recent Healthy Osprey Survey: Nutrition and Obesity. In addition to improving nutrition, UNF will also make it easier for those on campus to incorporate physical activity into their lives. For more information visit a Healthier America online.
On September 21, 2015, the University of North Florida joined 37 other college or university campuses across the nation to team up with PHA for the Healthier Campus Initiative. This initiative was developed in an effort to help make campuses healthier by adopting guidelines around nutrition, physical activity and programming. With more than 16,000 students and over 1,500 members of the faculty and staff, these changes will help encourage healthier options among the more than 17,500 individuals on campus each year.
In the Fall of 2018, the University of North Florida made several changes to make healthier choices easier for students, faculty and staff across its campus:
Food & Nutrition
- Provide healthier food and beverage service in campus-operated dining venues every operational day.
- Offer at least one wellness meal during breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Offer at least five types of fruits, five types of vegetables and two 100% whole grain products at lunch and dinner.
- Offer only a total number of fried foods that does not exceed the total number of platforms available at both lunch and dinner across all platforms.
- List calories of food & beverage items or use a “healthy icon” to designate healthier food and beverage options at the point of presentation.
- Offer a plant-based food option at all food stations serving meat.
- Implement a local food or sustainability program in campus food service.
- Offer tray-less dining as the default system in at least 75% of dining venues.
- Provide healthier catering services on campus by offering a minimum of three types of fruits, three types of beverages, two, 100% whole grain products and no more than two fried items on catering menus or by offering a catering menu that only includes foods and beverages that meet healthier food and nutrition guidelines.
- Promote water consumption on campus by offering free water in all dining venues and all educational/physical activity facilities.
- Provide trained food and nutrition professionals on campus and offer personal nutrition assessments and counseling to all students.
Physical Activity & Movement
- Create a built environment that encourages healthier choices on campus:
- Post signage requiring cars to stop for pedestrians at all designated or marked crosswalks on campus.
- Encourage student physical activity/movement through facilities and programs on campus during the academic year.
- Provide students with free access to at least one fitness/recreation center at least 16 hours/day.
- Offer at least 20 diverse recreation, physical activity or competitive sports opportunities during each academic year.
- Each month, offer at least one “how to” physical activity/movement class that introduces students to new activities free of charge.
- Offer fitness center orientation during the first semester for all incoming students and one fitness assessment per year for all students free of cost.
- Encourage outdoor physical activity/movement on campus by providing access to at least one track that is open and available for use to the campus community for at least three hours per day; providing an outdoor fitness system; offering at least one free, organized and facilitated, outdoor physical activity opportunity each week; and offering a rental outdoor recreation equipment program for students.
- Provide trained physical activity/movement professionals on campus.
Programming
- Implement an integrated, comprehensive wellness program for individuals on campus that is provided annually.
- Implement a policy that identifies students who may be food insecure and provides options on campus.
- Offer non-academic cooking skills classes that are available to all students.