In 1963 the Florida Legislature authorized funds to establish the University of West Florida. The first president, Dr. Harold B. Crosby, assumed office in July 1964. Ground was broken on April 16, 1965, and the first students began classes in the fall of 1967. Dr. James A. Robinson, the second president, took office in 1974. Dr. Morris L. Marx was inaugurated UWF's third president in 1988 and will retire in 2002. As a result of a state reorganization, university governance was transferred to a local board of trustees in 2001.

Currently, UWF enrolls more than 9,200 students in its College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, and College of Professional Studies, and has conferred more than 50,000 bachelor's, master's, specialist, and doctoral degrees.

The UWF Welcome Center provides maps, parking permits, and information about courses, facilities, and campus events. Located at the east entrance to the campus, it has a drive-through window for automotive traffic and a lobby for walk-in visitors. Information concerning campus tours may be obtained from the Office of Admissions at (850) 474-2230 or 1-800-263-1074. Information about off-campus locations can be obtained by calling the Fort Walton Beach Campus at (850) 863-6565 and the Eglin Center at (850) 678-3727.

More information about the University of West Florida and its programs is available on the Internet through the UWF Home Page at uwf.edu on the World Wide Web.

This Catalog represents the current curricula, educational plans, offerings, and requirements of the University of West Florida and of the State Board of Education at the time the text in the Catalog was prepared. The provisions of the Catalog do not constitute an offer for a contract that may be accepted by students through registration and enrollment in the University. In accordance with the University, Board of Trustees, and Florida legislative mandate, the University must reserve the right to change any provision, offering, or requirement at any time within the student's period of study at the University. Students should be aware that admission to the University or registration for a given semester does not necessarily guarantee the availability of a course at any specific time, but every effort will be made to meet each student's curricular needs. Students are ultimately responsible for adhering to the requirements for courses and degrees offered by the University by obtaining current information about those courses and degree programs.

The University of West Florida is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution. The University is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. All decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, promotion, training, transfer, reassignment, and all other terms and conditions of employment will be made without discrimination on grounds of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, physical disability, marital status, veteran status, or other factors prohibited by law. Programs, activities, and services of the University are offered with equal access to all persons without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, national origin, or disability.