University of North Florida -- Jacksonville, FL/USA
N 30° 15.612 W 081° 30.004
17R E 451895 N 3347723
The University of North Florida (UNF) is a public university on the northeast coast of Florida in the City of Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
Waymark Code: WM2MHN
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 11/20/2007
Views: 136
The University was founded in 1969 after one thousand acres (4 km²) midway between downtown Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Beaches was put aside for the campus. Originally UNF was designated as a "senior" college, meaning that it would enroll only upper classmen and graduate students. In 1984, freshmen and sophomores were admitted for the first time.
Construction on classrooms and buildings began in 1971 and classes were first held on campus in 1972. Initial enrollment was 2,027 students, and UNF graduated a total of 35 students in 1973. The school was quick to expand, and was given accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1974. In 1980, it was suggested that UNF merge with University of Florida and no longer be a self-sustained institution, but a bill proposing this was vetoed by Governor Bob Graham.
The school's mascot is the osprey and was officially adopted in November 1979 over other popular choices such as the armadillo, the manatee and the seagull. The male and female versions of the mascot are known as Ozzie and Harriet.
In 1995, enrollment for the University broke 10,000, and in Spring 2000 the University broke its own graduation record, graduating over 1,000 students. The University currently has an enrollment of more than 16,000 students and employs over 500 full-time faculty. The current president is former Jacksonville mayor John Delaney.
In March 2006, The Princeton Review ranked UNF number five in their list of "America's Best Value Colleges," and also named UNF as a "Best Southeastern College" The Princeton Review also chose UNF for the 2008 edition of their book, placing it among one of the nation's best value undergraduate institutions.