Child Care
Child care is available through the Educational Research Center for Child Development on a fee basis for children of students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Regular enrollment is open to children who are six months old through kindergarten age. Age range is extended through ten years during the summer semester. While students are given priority in placement, prospective students are urged to make application for child care as early as possible. When classes are in session, the center is open 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The center is staffed by professionals in the field of education and provides a broad range of learning experiences for each child and opportunities for research, internships, and supervised teaching experiences for University students.
Cooperative Education
Co-op students gain firsthand experience in their intended career fields by incorporating periods of paid employment into their degree programs. They may either alternate terms of theoretical study with terms of professional practice or parallel study and work assignments in the junior, senior, and graduate school years. This course of action provides students with tools for important career decision-making and a head start in their chosen professions.
Counseling - Personal And Vocational
The Counseling Center provides a comprehensive range of professional services to students and spouses who have personal, vocational, marital, social, or educational problems. The center is staffed by clinical and counseling psychologists and offers individual and group counseling workshops, skill-building seminars, and special outreach services. All services are free of charge. Information regarding all counseling contacts is confidential. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday.
Disabled Student Services
Disabled Student Services provides or arranges a variety of auxiliary services for students with disabilities including sign language interpreting, exam accommodations, assistive devices, and tutoring.
Academic and administrative areas throughout the University have ramps and/or elevators to accommodate students who are physically disabled. In addition, visually impaired students have access to mobility assistants and other escort services.
For further assistance or information on services available for students with disabilities, contact Disabled Student Services at (850) 474-2387 (V/TDD).
Escort Service
The Campus Escort Service is available to all University students, personnel, and visitors upon request. The service is provided between car and building or building to building, day and night, year round. Qualified, supervised student personnel provide the escort service, Monday through Friday, while the University is in session, from 8 a.m. to 12 midnight. During all other times, the University Policy will provide escort service on an "as available" basis.
Food Services
Food services are provided in the University Commons and the College of Professional Studies (COPS). These services are available at the Commons Food Court, Argos' Grill and Gameroom, and the Snack Bar. Catering services for special functions are also available.
Food is available in all areas on a cash basis and with a Nautilus Card. A variety of special savings on meal costs are available to resident and nonresident students. Detailed information about campus dining may be obtained from the Office of Food Services.
Graduate Studies
The Graduate Studies Office is responsible for coordinating with the deans and departmental chairs in the development, implementation, and evaluation of graduate programs. The Office coordinates university level review of master's theses and doctoral dissertations and administers the Graduate Student Scholarly and Creative Activity Grant for graduate student thesis and dissertation projects. The Office coordinates graduate scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships including the Delores Auzenne Minority Fellowship Program and the Special Summer Program for Minority Graduate Students. The Office also provides administrative support for the Graduate Council of the University of West Florida.
Health Services
The Student Health Service provides medical care and health information for currently enrolled students and dependents. The University physician holds a clinic each class day. Students requiring medical attention at other times may be seen by the nurse on duty or referred to their family physician or to the emergency room of one of the area hospitals. Services are available on a walk-in or appointment basis. A minimal fee is charged for dependents' visits. Minimal charges are assessed for laboratory procedures for students and dependents.
The Health Center staff includes an R.N./Health Education Coordinator specializing in information programming for University students.
Students may purchase the school health and accident insurance policy to provide extended coverage for themselves and dependents. All international students are required to purchase insurance coverage.
Housing
A variety of living/learning options are available to students wishing to live on campus. A new traditional-style residence facility will open in the fall of 2000, replacing several of the Northside residence halls. Designed primarily for freshmen and sophomores, the building will accommodate 300 residents in double occupancy rooms with private baths. The three-story structure will have study rooms and TV lounges on each floor, and a centralized lobby and front desk area. A staff of Resident Advisors will be available to assist residents with their needs and concerns.
In addition to the new building, traditional residence hall living is also available in Southside buildings. Each building houses 24 residents in both single and double occupancy rooms with private baths. The rooms surround a central, open courtyard providing a unique community gathering space. All buildings have small laundry facilities and are arranged in small clusters amid academic buildings on-campus.
All residence hall rooms are furnished with beds, desks, and dressers. Each room has local phone and cable TV service, and a combination refrigerator and microwave unit. All utility charges are included in the semester's rent.
UWF also offers on-campus apartment accommodations. The UWF Village Apartments offer two and four bedroom furnished apartments. The apartments are also staffed with Resident Advisors to assist residents 24 hours a day. The Village West complex offers washers and dryers in each apartment, while the Village East complex has a central laundry facility in the clubhouse. Each apartment has a kitchen, private bedroom for each resident, and phone and cable TV service. Students can enjoy apartment living, while still taking advantage of on-campus conveniences.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Since space is limited and priority of assignment is based upon the date of the housing application, prospective students are urged to make application for housing as early as possible. The housing application process is separate from the University's admission process. For information regarding the Residence Halls, contact the Office of Housing at (850) 474-2463. For information regarding the UWF Village Apartments, call (850) 857-6281.
Information Technology Services
Information Technology Services, or ITS, is the organization responsible for University-wide support of information technology. Part of ITS' mission is to provide UWF students with access to high-quality information technology and information resources. ITS provides support to UWF students mainly in the following six areas.
ARGONET
ArgoNet is an integrated environment that provides all enrolled UWF students with access to file storage, use of open access computer labs, laser printing, electronic mail, world-wide web publishing, Internet access, and remote dial-in access to the Internet and UWF network. Each UWF student automatically receives an ArgoNet account upon enrolling at the University. For more information on ArgoNet services, please refer to
https://nautical.uwf.edu/people/aboutargonet.cfm.
OPEN ACCESS STUDENT COMPUTER LABS
ITS operates four open access student computer labs. The main lab on the Pensacola Campus houses over 100 Pentium II Windows NT workstations and provides scanning and laser printing services, file storage, and access to over twenty-five general productivity and course-specific software packages (see
uwf.edu/openlab/software.cfm). The lab also provides consulting services to students who are using lab facilities. The lab is open for student use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
A smaller lab, called the CyberLounge, is available in the Student Commons building. Two open access labs of thirty computers each are located on the Fort Walton Beach Campus. All of these labs are integrated into the ArgoNet environment, and are similarly equipped.
STUDENT INTERNET HELPDESK
The Student Internet Helpdesk supports dial-in users of the UWF network and aids students using ArgoNet services.
NAUTICAL AND COMPASS
NAUTICAL is the University's "intranet." It provides such information as campus and building maps, a directory of students and staff, announcements, and job postings. COMPASS gives currently enrolled UWF students access to their electronic records. Students can view their grades, class schedule, and financial aid status, among other services.
AUDIOVISUAL SERVICES
ITS provides classroom technology support, as well as checkout of both traditional and computer-related audiovisual equipment (such as laptop computers and LCD projectors) for use by students.
TRAINING AND ORIENTATION
ITS provides a variety of training workshops on information technology available to the UWF community, and many of these workshops are open to students. As part of the new student orientation process, all entering UWF students receive training on the lab facilities and electronic services available.
Students' use of UWF information technology resources is governed by the Student Computer Use Policy, the UWF Policy on Electronic Mail, and the ArgoNet Account Policy. For more information on these and other publications, and on ITS in general, refer to
uwf.edu/its.
FORT WALTON BEACH CAMPUS
The University has extended its communication links to its campus in Fort Walton Beach. Faculty and students have the same Internet access as on the Pensacola Campus.
Students have the use of an open-access lab consisting of 30 IBM compatible machines, laser printing and scanning. Technology-oriented classes are taught in a state-of-the-art teaching lab.
The distance education studio houses IBM-type computers for technology classes taught at a distance through two-way audio/video means.
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE CENTER
The University has extended its administrative, instructional, and research computing facilities to the Eglin Air Force Base Center. Communication links provide batch and interactive processing for computer resources located at either the main campus in Pensacola or one of the other State supported universities within the State University System of Florida.
Library
The University of West Florida Libraries include the John C. Pace Library and the Curriculum Materials Library on the Pensacola campus and the Fort Walton Beach Campus Library in Fort Walton Beach. Through the libraries' Internet-based home page,
www.lib.uwf.edu, students at all locations have access to the catalog of materials held by all UWF libraries, to a multitude of electronic reference databases and indexes, and to full-text journal articles. For those materials not held locally or electronically, students may use interlibrary loan or document delivery systems. Professional librarians are available at all locations to assist students in the effective use of materials, the computerized library system, and with retrieving materials through intercampus or interlibrary loan.
PENSACOLA CAMPUS
The John C. Pace Library houses more than 560,000 volumes, over one million microform pieces, and 3,000 current serials subscriptions. The library is also a regional depository for U.S. and Florida government publications. The Special Collections unit contains almost 650,000 unique items relating to Pensacola and to the historic West Florida region.
FORT WALTON BEACH CAMPUS
The Fort Walton Beach Campus Library provides access to information resources which support courses taught on that campus. The collection has over 20,000 volumes and 175 current serials subscriptions. Items held at the Pensacola campus library can be retrieved for use at Fort Walton Beach and Eglin AFB.
Ombudspersons
Students seeking guidance or assistance with nonacademic concerns should contact the Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. Students seeking guidance or assistance with academic concerns should contact the Office of the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services. These individuals act as impartial and confidential agents and can evaluate students' issues and help them seek solutions to a variety of concerns.
Post Office
The University operates a full-service post office housed in the Commons. Postal services include student mailboxes, money orders, stamp sales, mail drops, package mailing and delivery services, and address changes. All rules and regulations governing the operation of a U.S. Post Office apply.
Public Safety and Security
The Department of Public Safety is comprised of two divisions, University Police and Environmental Health & Safety. The mission of both units is to ensure the safety of the University faculty, staff, students, and guests. Additionally, the department maintains the security of University facilities.
The Division of University Police is comprised of sworn police officers, communications personnel, security officers, and escort personnel who are available 24 hours a day.
Automobiles and other vehicles used on campus by faculty, staff, and students must be registered with the University police during the first day the vehicle is on campus. Visitors and guests may obtain a visitor's pass at the Information Center (Building 81) or the Department of Public Safety (Building 19). A copy of the parking regulations may be obtained at the Department of Public Safety or the Information Center.
The possession and/or use of firearms is prohibited on campus. Upon request, the Department of Public Safety will store legal firearms and ammunition for resident students.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY
The Environmental Health and Safety Office (EH&S) at the University of West Florida is dedicated to promoting a safe and healthy environment for all University students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Safety and regulatory compliance is achieved through training and inspection programs designed to promote awareness of safety and environmental issues. The EH&S Office programs include occupational safety, fire safety, hazardous waste management and indoor air quality. The EH&S Office is located in Building 90.
Service Learning
Service Learning focuses on placing students in the community in "real world" situations that directly apply to coursework being studied. While aiding the community, students learn the practical application of the concepts taught in the classroom, adding interest, increasing learning, and providing networking. Service Learning opportunities are coordinated through the Center for Learning Through Organized Volunteer Efforts (CLOVE) for qualified students with the approval of a faculty sponsor. Students can register for the lower and/or upper division courses, Service Learning Field Studies I and II, in any department and earn 1, 2, or 3 semester hours credit. For additional information, contact the CLOVE Office.
Skill Improvement Centers
The Mathematics and Statistics Tutoring Laboratory provides individual tutorial instruction for students who need help in mathematics or statistics courses. It is staffed by mathematics or statistics undergraduate and graduate majors. For further information contact the math department.
The Writing Skills Laboratory offers exercises, diagnostic and skills tests, instruction in grammar and usage, and instruction in mechanics and sentence construction. The lab also offers other services such as grammar mini-lessons, the essay bank, paper reading, informational and instructional handouts, and the Grammar Hotline. Services are available to students approximately 40 hours a week, including some evening hours and weekends. Interactive paper reading sessions requiring students to collaborate with a paper reader on papers that fulfill course requirements are available on a one-hour appointment basis only. For more information contact the Writing Lab.
Student Affairs Office
The Student Affairs Office offers a wide range of student services and programs and provides information to students, faculty, and staff concerning student life. Contact this office for questions relating to testing, disabled student services, international student advising, student conduct, insurance, immunization, orientation, or University policies and procedures.
Student Success Programs
The Office of Student Success Programs is responsible for the administration of programs designed to increase recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of participating students. Student Success Programs provide academic support services for students enrolled at the University.
Student Success Learning Center is available to all UWF students to assist in their academic development. The Center's objectives are to:
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help students identify their academic strengths and weaknesses;
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help students develop effective study skills, critical thinking, and other learning skills;
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help students become self-directed, independent learners; and
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develop an individualized plan for each student.
University Student Support Services Program is a federally funded TRIO program which provides academic support services for University students. The support services include tutoring, developmental advising, career planning, cultural and social activities, and motivational workshops. The program serves low income, first generation students (students whose parents or guardians have not completed a bachelor's degree) and disabled.
Multicultural Support Services is designed to increase the retention and graduation rates of multicultural students. Multicultural retention activities include academic support services, tutorial assistance, counseling, cultural events, and other activities.
Mentoring Program is sponsored by Student Success Programs. The program provides two types of mentors: professional and student. Professional mentors include faculty, staff, administration, alumni, and community professionals. Student mentors include currently enrolled juniors and seniors who attend the University. A professional mentoring relationship enhances a student's confidence and maturity to help them become successful both in and out of the university system. A student mentoring relationship helps lower division students with any difficulties they might have adjusting to college life.
College Reach-Out Program (a precollegiate program) is funded by the Florida Department of Education to provide a precollegiate program that serves low income, first generation students of parents who have not completed a bachelor's degree. Services and activities are designed to improve the educational motivation and preparation of participating students. Services and activities take place during the academic year. The summer programs offer free college credit courses for graduating high school seniors. In addition, students in grades 8-12 have the opportunity to participate in an on-campus summer bridge program.
Testing
The Testing Office offers information on numerous testing programs, and can provide specific information about the following tests.
- American College Testing Program (ACT)
- College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST)
- College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
- Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE)
- Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
- Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
- Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
- Michigan Language Tests
- Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers (PRAXIS/NTE)
- Scholastic Assessment Tests (SAT I and SAT II)
- Test of English as a Foreign language (TOEFL)
University Commons
The University Commons is the student union for the University of West Florida. The Commons and Student Activities professional and student staffs are involved in the daily administration of the facility, as well as providing the comprehensive activity programming traditionally hosted by the college union.
The University Commons and Student Activities Office is responsible for student programs and activities and University Commons Operations and Services. Student Programs and Activities include the Campus Activity Board (CAB), the Gamesters series, Homecoming, Web Spinners, student organizations, Greek Affairs, Leadership Services, and diversity programs. University Commons Operations and Services include the service desk, event scheduling and services, conferences services, and facilities services.
Students are eligible for free admission to most CAB programs such as comedians, movies, performing arts, and special events. Students also have the opportunity to be a part of the planning, promotion, and implementation of all CAB programs.
As the center of student life on campus, the University Commons is a great place to visit. Students can eat in the Food Court or in Argos' Grill and Gameroom (professionally operated by Sodexho Marriott Services); buy books and magazines in the University Bookstore; mail a letter from the campus Post Office; do some banking at the Bank of Pensacola branch office or ATM; go to a meeting in one of our various meeting and conference rooms; be entertained by programming provided by the CAB; get information or assistance from Student Government, the CLOVE Office (volunteer center), or the African-American Student Association; or just hang out and study in the Great Hall, Food Court, or Argos' Grill and Gameroom.