University of Central Florida

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Coordinates: 28°36′06″N 81°12′02″W / 28.6016°N 81.2005°W / 28.6016; -81.2005

University of Central Florida
Seal of the University of Central Florida
Seal of the University of Central Florida
Motto: Reach for the Stars[1]
Established: 1963[2]
Type: Public University
Space Grant[3]
Endowment: $114.19 million[2]
Chairman: Rick Walsh
President: John C. Hitt, Ph.D
Provost: Terry Hickey, Ph.D.
Faculty: 1,771[2]
Students: 50,275[2]
Undergraduates: 42,933[2]
Postgraduates: 7,342[2]
Location: Flag of the United States Orlando, FL, USA
Campus: Suburban
1,415 acres (5.73 km2)[2]
Former names: Florida Technological University
Colors: Black and Old Gold         
Nickname: Knights
Mascot: Knightro
Athletics: NCAA Division I, Conference USA
Website: www.ucf.edu

The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is public a research university located in Orlando, Florida. UCF is a member institution of the State University System of Florida and is the fifth-largest university in the United States by terms of enrollment.

The University of Central Florida was founded in 1963 as Florida Technological University with the goal of providing highly-trained personnel to support the Kennedy Space Center, located only 35 miles (56 km) to the east. The school was renamed the University of Central Florida in 1978 as its academic scope had expanded to encompass other disciplines. As of 2008, enrollment consists of a 50,275 member student body seeking bachelor's degrees through doctorates, as well as certificates and specialist degrees. The majority of the student population is located on the university's 1,415-acre (573 ha) main campus approximately 13 miles (21 km) northeast of downtown Orlando and 55 miles (89 km) southwest of Daytona Beach.[2] Since the late 1990s, UCF has expanded its influence throughout Florida and now consists of eleven satellite campuses.[4] UCF is organized into twelve colleges providing over 225 separate degree options.

UCF is a space-grant university and has made noted research contributions to optics, modeling and simulation, digital media, engineering and computer science, business administration, education, and hospitality management, and is considered to be the seventh-best up-and-coming national university by U.S. News and World Report.[5] UCF's official colors are black and gold and the academic logo is a Pegasus. The athletic teams, called the Knights and represented by the mascot Knightro, are members of Conference USA.[6]

Contents

[edit] History

President Richard Nixon speaking at the 1973 commencement

The university was established on June 10, 1963 when the Florida State Legislature passed, and Governor Farris Bryant subsequently signed into law Bill No. 125. In March 1967, Florida Governor Claude Kirk presided over the groundbreaking of the new Florida Technological University. Eighteen months later on October 7, 1968, classes began with 1,948 students, 90 instructors and 150 staff members, in the schools first academic building, the library.[7] During the university's inaugural year, fifty-five degree programs were offered within its five colleges: Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Engineering and Technology.

The founding goal of the university was to educate current and future students for promising space-age careers in engineering, electronics and other technological professions, thus serving as a support system for the nearby Kennedy Space Center. In addition, the Central Florida Research Park, located adjacent to the UCF campus, serves as a major focus of simulation for space and defense-related research.

Then Sen. Joseph Biden delivering the university's 1978 commencement address

The university's second president, Dr. Trevor Colbourn, recognized the diversification and growth of UCF's academic programs away from its strictly technological and scientific beginnings. From its establishment the university was known as Florida Technological University, nicknamed Florida Tech, until December 1978 when Governor Reuben Askew signed legislation changing the school's name to the University of Central Florida.[2]

The official colors of the university were chosen by Charles N. Millican, UCF's Founding President. When the first student handbook was being drafted, the university had no official mascot. During the school's first year, the student newspaper, the FuTUre, compiled mascot suggestions from its readership body. A night nurse at the Health Center, Judy Hines, proposed "Vincent the Vulture" in 1970, which remained the schools unofficial mascot for over a year. Later that year, UCF students voted and selected the "Knight of Pegasus" as their official mascot. Until 1994, the Knights were represented by a jouster from the Medieval Times dinner show located in nearby Kissimmee, Florida. That same year, Knightro was introduced at the staple homecoming event, "Spirit Splash." Two years later, UCF students were introduced to Knightro's girlfriend, Glycerin.[8]

UCF is currently the largest university in the nation by terms of undergraduate enrollment, and in 2003 held the distinction of being the fastest-growing university in the United States.[9] During its summer 2005 graduation, the University of Central Florida awarded its 150,000th degree.[10]

[edit] Campuses

[edit] Main Campus

The UCF Reflection Pond and walkway in front of Millican Hall at night

The University of Central Florida has a unique campus layout that has become a model for other universities, reminiscent of the plans by Walt Disney for his Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT). The campus was designed to be a pedestrian oriented campus, with a series of concentric circles. The outermost circle is Gemini Blvd, which is also the main road for vehicular traffic on campus. Inside of Gemini, there is Apollo Circle, Mercury Circle, and finally Pegasus Circle as the innermost circle. Pegasus Circle contains the student union, which is the center of the campus, with the library located directly to the south of it. All academic buildings are located inside of Gemini, with the circle divided up into pie-shaped sections for each college. As there are very few roads inside of Gemini, many buildings' loading docks are accessible only by sidewalks and thus receive most deliveries at night. The University of Central Florida campus is one of only two in the nation with a concentric circle design. The other is the University of California at Irvine, Orange County, California.

Student housing is provided along the perimeter of the campus. Outside of Gemini, the campus is divided up into different themed sections. The northwest side of campus includes Greek communities, the north side contains Knights Plaza, an uptown style athletic village, the east side contains the Arboretum of the University of Central Florida, and the south side contains student recreation and wellness facilities.

Located directly south of the main campus is Central Florida Research Park, which is the seventh largest research park in the nation and the largest in Florida, housing over 116 corporations. The park provides jobs to more than 500 students and thousands of alumni.

[edit] Satellite Campuses

In addition to the main campus in Orlando, the University of Central Florida has several other campuses to service the central Florida region. In Orlando, there are three other campuses, located in Downtown, MetroWest, and South Orlando, as well as partnerships with local community colleges.

Outside Orlando, there are campuses in Cocoa, Clermont, Daytona Beach, Heathrow, Kissimmee, Leesburg, Ocala, Palm Bay and Sanford. In addition to having standard classes at these campuses, some courses are offered via alternative methods, such as 2-way TV from the main campus or via broadband.

UCF, in partnership with local community colleges, participates in a program called DirectConnect. Through this program all students and alumni of Brevard Community College, Lake-Sumter Community College, Seminole Community College and Valencia Community College are assured admission to the university. DirectConnect is considered to be the most productive community college-university partnership in America.[11]

[edit] Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona

The UCF College of Medicine was established in 2006 by the Florida Legislature and the Florida Board of Governors to increase opportunities for medical education in Florida. The College of Medicine will welcome its charter class of 40 students on August 3, 2009, and eventually will produce about 120 medical graduates a year.

The 50 acre (0.20 km2) UCF Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona will include the College of Medicine and the Burnett Biomedical Sciences building. The Burnham Institute for Medical Research, a Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Tavistock Group, M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Institute, and a University of Florida research facility will also call Lake Nona home, turning the area into a medical city.

[edit] Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Main article: Rosen College of Hospitality Management
Promenade of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management

The campus is designed to imitate a resort-style feel with elegant Spanish-inspired architecture and landscaping, various areas of the college are dedicated in name to major donors to the college including the Disney Dining Room, Universal Orlando Library, Darden Auditorium, and the state-of-the-art Anheuser Busch Beer & Wine Lab. The campus includes the Three Pillars Cafe, a student-operated cafe that serves various cuisines and food items. Regular Shuttle service is offered Monday thru Thursday to and from the UCF Main Campus.

The college features an on-site Campus Life Office that coordinates on-campus activities and events in conjunction with the UCF Student Government Association. In 2005, the University opened two on-campus housing buildings, able to house 400 residents. The college offers a variety of student organizations including nationally-renowned associations such as Eta Sigma Delta (International Hospitality Management Honor Society), National Society of Minorities in Hospitality, the Professional Convention Management Association, and the National Association of Catering Executives. The Career Services Office also offers career development events including the popular annual Career Expo with historically high attendance from world-renowned companies and organizations.

[edit] Administration and organization

See also: List of Presidents of the University of Central Florida
See also: List of University of Central Florida faculty and administrators

As a part of the State University System of Florida, UCF falls under the purview of the Florida Board of Governors. The University of Central Florida is headed by the The Board of Trustees, which governs the university, consisting of thirteen members that are appointed to staggered five year terms by the Florida Board of Governors. The student government association president and the faculty chair also serve on the board during the duration of their one year term of office.[12]

The President of the University of Central Florida is the principal executive officer of the university. The office was formed upon creation of the university in 1963. University bylaws state that the president is to be appointed by the Board of Trustees, with the consent of the Florida Board of Governors, and lead the university through its daily business.[13] Today, the president's office is located in Millican Hall on the university's main campus, and the president has the privilege of living in the Burnett House, also located on UCF's main campus in Orlando. Dr. John C. Hitt has served as the fourth president of UCF since 1992.[14]

The University of Central Florida comprises a main campus in Orlando, with eleven regional campuses located throughout Central Florida. UCF offers Bachelor, Masters, Specialist, Doctoral, and Professional degree programs through its twelve colleges.[15] By enrollment, the three largest undergraduate units are the College of Sciences, the College of Business Administration, and the College of Engineering and Computer Science.[2] At the graduate level, the College of Graduate Studies serves as the central administrative unit of graduate education at the university.[16]

[edit] Student Government Association

The boardwalk behind the UCF Student Union, an SGA funded and owned facility.

The University of Central Florida's Student Government Association (SGA) is the leading advocacy group for the students who attend the university, representing the university's 50,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. It the largest Student Government within the state of Florida and one of the largest in the United States. In addition, it also often places in the top 10 SGAs nationally for the services and outreach it provides for the students it serves. The SGA operates on within an annual $13.6 - $13.7 million dollar budget. With its budget, SGA funds and fully owns two campus facilities, the Recreation and Wellness Center and the Student Union, while also providing upwards of $1.5 million dollars in funding to over 385 registered student organizations.

It was officially established in 1976 and consists of an executive, judicial, and legislative branch. The executive branch is headed by the Student Body President and Student Body Vice President. Within the executive branch are between 30 - 40 appointed and paid cabinet members that oversee everything from university policies to tracking the state's legislature. The Student Body President, by mandate of Florida law serves on the university's Board of Trustees for a period of 1 year. The Student Body President and Student Body Vice President are elected in annual elections held in the spring and both receive a paid salary that ranges from $18,000 to $21,000 per year. The legislative branch is composed of 52 senators elected each spring, who serve one year terms representing their respective colleges. The senators elect a Speaker of the Senate who receives an annual salary between $17,000 and $20,000 per year, and a Senate President Pro Tempore once a year in the fall to lead the Student Senate. The judicial branch consists of a paid Chief Justice and 10 associate Justices who preside over student conduct hearings and traffic appeals.

[edit] Academics

The UCF Honors Program, administered by the Burnett Honors College is a specially designed program for the most accomplished incoming undergraduates. Undergraduates enrolled in the Honors College participate in smaller classes with faculty, including individual research programs or assigned research in the area of a sponsoring faculty member. Admission to the Burnett Honors College is highly competitive, allotting only 500 spaces per year, and only available to incoming freshman and transfer students. Another program offered by the college is Honors in the Major, which allows juniors and seniors to conduct original research within their major and write an Honors Undergraduate Thesis.[17]

A number of undergraduate academic programs at UCF are termed "Limited Access Programs." Limited Access Programs are programs where student demand exceeds available resources thus making admission to such programs sometimes extremely competitive. Examples of limited access programs include The Nicholson School of Communication, Music, Theatre and Dance.

Due to budget decreases and increased demands on the university, the UCF Board of Trustees, with the approval of the Board of Governors and the Florida Legislature, approved a 15% increase in tuition for the 2009-2010 academic year.[18] Estimated annual expenses for undergraduate students are $17,420 for Florida residents, and $32,734 for non-Florida residents. Expected costs for graduate students are $19,786 for in-state students, and $36,591 for out-of-state students.[19]

Demographics of student body[20][21][22]
Students Florida U.S. Census
African American 8.81% 16% 12.4%
Asian American 5.21% 2.1% 4.3%
European American 66.26% 63.1% 74.1%
Hispanic American 13.69% 18% 14.7%
Native American <1% 1.4% 0.8%
International student 1.29% N/A N/A

[edit] Demographics

UCF promotes a diverse and inclusive environment. UCF students come from all 67 Florida counties, all 50 states and 141 countries. Study abroad programs allow UCF students to study and conduct research in 42 programs in 21 countries.

The ratio of women to men is 55:44. Of the 50,275 students, 15 percent are graduate and professional students. Nearly 20 percent of UCF faculty are minorities. The student body at UCF is very diverse with 33.74 percent of the body representing minority populations with 8.8 percent African Americans, 13.6 percent Hispanics, and 5.2 percent Asian-Americans or Pacific Islanders.[23] According to the May 2009 edition of Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine, UCF is one of the best 100 colleges in the United States for Hispanic students seeking bachelors degrees.[24] 95 percent of UCF students are in-state, while New York, North Dakota, New Jersey and Georgia round out the top five states respectively.[25]

[edit] Rankings

The University of Central Florida is listed in “The Best 361 Colleges: 2006 Edition” by The Princeton Review.[26] The Princeton Review’s recognition comes as the academic quality of UCF students continues to rise. In the 2008 edition of US News, it is ranked as a Tier 3 National University[27] and the seventh best up and coming university in the nation.[28] UCF also ranks ninth among national universities in the "Great Schools, Great Prices" category for students who graduate with the least amount of debt.[29] U.S. News and World Report also ranked UCF as one of the best colleges based on economic diversity in 2009.[30]

UCF has also been very successful in recruiting National Merit Scholars, and is one of the top 35 universities in the nation by enrollment with 63 scholars.[31] UCF also offers both Army and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Core (ROTC) programs which are rated among the top 15 percent nationally.[32] UCF is also ranked 7th out of 122 universities on the 2009 Intellectual Property Today's Patent Scorecard.[33] The UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science is consistently ranked among the top 100 engineering schools in the United States, being ranked 80th and 86th in 2008 and 2009 respectively.[34]

[edit] Admissions

First Time In College Statistics[2]
2008 2007 2006 2005
Applicants 22,030 20,128 25,195 21,051
Admits 9,689 9,184 12,713 12,738
Percentage Admitted 43.98 45.62 50.45 60.51

As a result of an increasing number of students applying to the university each year, UCF's admission rate has declined drastically from 61% of prospective students admitted in the Fall of 2006, to only 43% for Fall 2008.[2] Of the 9,689 first time in college (FTIC) students accepted for fall 2008, 3,932 enrolled in the university (40.58%).[2] Freshmen admitted in Fall 2008 posted average SAT scores of 1219, ACT scores of 26 and average high school GPAs of 3.76.[35] The retention rate of the 2007 freshman class was 86%.[36]

As the acceptance rate for the 2008 incoming freshmen class continued to decline, UCF was the fourth-most selective public university in the state of Florida behind Florida International University, Florida State University and the University of Florida. According to a report released by the university in 2008, UCF is second only to the University of Florida in National Merit Scholar enrollment in the state of Florida. More freshmen and transfer students applied to UCF during 2008 than any other public university in Florida. UCF also awarded more bachelor’s degrees than any other public university in Florida last year.[37]

UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona

For the initial charter class entering in the fall of 2009, there have been over 4,300 applications received for only 40 spots. Every member of the inaugural class will receive a full scholarship, including tuition and basic living expenses, for their entire four years at the university.[38]

[edit] Colleges

Harris Corporation Engineering Center
UCF Teaching Academy at Education Complex

The university currently houses twelve colleges to offer 97 baccalaureate programs, 95 master's programs, 29 doctoral programs, three specialist programs, and one professional program (Medicine). In addition, 72% of the faculty have doctorates, and 42% currently have tenure at the university.[2]

Colleges at UCF include:

[edit] Library

UCF Library and Reflection Pond

The stated goal of the University of Central Florida Library is to "support the research, teaching, learning and service commitments of students and faculty through widely-available access to collections of library resources, and to services to assist resource use."[39]

UCF Libraries collections include over 1,800,000 print volumes, 2.9 million microforms, 304,000 government documents, 9,200 full text electronic journal subscriptions, 60,000 e-books, 40,000 media titles, a base of 17,000 serial subscriptions, in addition to special collections and university archives materials. Collections, services and library information are available to all students and faculty online. Notable collections within the library include the Bryant West Indies collection, the Van Sickle Leftist Pamphlet collection, the Book Arts Collection, collections of materials on tourism and hospitality, and materials on the history of Central Florida. Books, manuscripts, and art can also be examined and may be utilized by researchers in the Special Collections Department. The University Archives within the main campus library collects and makes available official records, publications, and materials on the history of the University of Central Florida. UCF Libraries is a partner within the Florida’s State Universities library system in a collaborative development of university collections, giving UCF students access to an ever growing and robust, statewide collection of materials.

Most of the print and media collection is housed in the main campus library, which is open to students and the public seven days a week. The main campus library is five stories tall, and was the first academic building on campus. Leonardo Nierman's sculpture Flame of Hope is displayed outside the entrance to the building, and Nierman's stained glass Genesis window is exhibited on the third floor of the library building. Students have access to forty wireless enabled laptops, over 200 computer work stations and 28 group study rooms. Infusion, a popular studying and meeting space, is located near the main entrance, featuring computers, enhanced wireless connectivity, books, classrooms, and a Java City coffee shop.

In the early and mid-1970s, the basement of the library hosted a closed-circuit radio station, where students volunteered as unpaid disc jockeys and newscasters, that broadcast to the student center and dorms. For a short time, the basement also housed a small studio for television production classes. The student newspaper, the Central Florida Future, at one time was housed on the upper floor of the library before moving to the Central Florida Research Park. In 1984, a complete renovation of the original library was undertaken, as well as an addition that more then doubled the size of the building. University president Dr. Trevor Colbourn dedicated the newly remodeled and expanded library in February 1985. Due to a lack of funding from the state legislature, a plan for an $84 million expansion of the library, which would add 164,000 square feet of space, has been delayed.[40]

[edit] Research and endowment

The University of Central Florida fosters research amongst its twelve academic colleges and schools, partnerships with corporations such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Siemens, and through partnerships with local community colleges. UCF also houses a satellite campus at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. UCF is also a member of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. The university has made noted research contributions to optics, modeling and simulation, digital media, engineering and computer science, business administration, education, and hospitality management.

UCF researchers attract more than $100 million annually, and being ranked in the top ten in both the 2008 and 2009 Intellectual Property Today's Patent Scorecard.[41] In 2009 alone, it is estimated that UCF directly influences 26,000 jobs and $1.96 billion in economic activity. The new College of Medicine, which will be opening in August 2009, could create more than 30,000 local jobs and have an economic impact of $7.6 billion in its first few years.[42] UCF's financial endowment, administered by the University of Central Florida Foundation, Inc., was valued at $114.9 million in NACUBO's 2008 ranking, a 1.1% decline from 2007.[43]

Located directly south of the main campus is the Central Florida Research Park, which is one of the largest research parks in the nation, providing more than 10,000 jobs. Many of the employees in Research Park work with UCF researchers and students on projects in the sciences, engineering, photonics and optics, modeling and simulation, and health-related fields.

The university also conducts research through numerous institutions and centers, including:

  • Advanced Materials Processing & Analysis Center
  • Florida Sinkhole Research Institute
  • Florida Solar Energy Center
  • Florida Space Institute
  • Institute for Simulation & Training
  • LAN Institute
  • NanoScience Technology Center
  • Wekiva Resource Council

[edit] Student Life

UCF has a highly active campus life, boasting over 400 registered student organizations,[44] intramural sports, and an active Student Government Association. The university encourages student activism through organizations such as the Office of Student Involvement, the Multicultural Student Center, the Campus Activities Board, Volunteer UCF and Learning and Interacting with New Knights (LINK), an organization that fosters freshman involvement. In 2006, High Times magazine ranked UCF one of the top five schools for student activism.[45]

[edit] Residential Life

Main article: University of Central Florida Housing
See also: Knights Plaza
Tower One at Knights Plaza as viewed from its promenade

The university currently houses 6,000 beds on-campus in eight different housing communities. Residence hall style suites are available in the Libra, Apollo, Hercules, and Nike communities. All of the residence hall suites have bathrooms shared between 2 or 3 rooms as opposed to communal bathrooms. Apartment style housing is available in the Academic Village (Nike and Hercules) communities, the Towers at Knights Plaza (Tower I, II, III, and IV), and the Lake Claire Courtyard Apartments Community. UCF also has 400 beds at the Rosen College Apartments Community, located on the Rosen College of Hospitality Management campus. The majority of all on campus housing is occupied by freshman, though The Towers at Knights Plaza house mainly upper-classmen, student athletes, and honors students. Residents of the Towers Communities and Rosen College Apartments sign annual contracts to rent their apartments for a full academic year (fall, spring, and summer), whereas residents of all other standard housing communities on the main campus sign academic contracts to rent their rooms only for one or two semesters at a time.[46]

Housing on the main campus typically fills to capacity well before the start of the Fall semester, and can not accommodate everyone who applies. In order to provide additional student housing to meet the demand, UCF is constructing a new learning community known as NorthView directly north of the main campus. When completed the project will house 600 students around a faith-based community center, which will include a Hillel Jewish Student Center, a Catholic Student Center, and a common space for other faith based organizations on campus to use.[47]

In addition, upwards of 3,750 beds are available at the University-affiliated housing communities of Pegasus Landing and Pegasus Pointe, which are off-campus apartment communities owned by the University of Central Florida Foundation, Inc. and managed by American Campus Communities, that contain many UCF services such as Resident Assistants, UCF Police service and offer shuttle service to and from campus on class days.

Greek housing is also available on the main campus in the Greek Park community, which consists of close to 400 beds. There are six sororities and three fraternities housed on campus, with five fraternities offering housing off campus. In addition, two previously unoccupied houses are currently being renovated by the university and will house Kappa Alpha Theta and Theta Chi beginning in Fall 2009.

[edit] Greek Life

Main article: Greek Life at the University of Central Florida

The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at the University of Central Florida is separated into five divisions: UCF Greek Council, Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Panhellenic Council, and the Diversified Greek Council. The Order of Omega has a chapter at the university.

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) comprises 16 fraternities, and the Panhellenic Council is made up of 10 sororities. In addition there are also many multicultural and honor Greek organizations. The Diversified Greek Council consists of 9 cultural organizations, four fraternities and five sororities. The National Pan-Hellenic Council comprises nine historically-black organizations, five fraternities and four sororities. There are now also three recognized fraternal organizations for Christian students.[48]

Greek Life at the University of Central Florida is some of the strongest in the United States, involving more than 2,700 students in over 40 chapters.[49] Approximately 11% of current undergraduates males and 9% of undergraduate females are members of either a sorority or fraternity.[50]

A great emphasis is placed on academic performance in Greek Life. In fact, the average GPA of Greek Life is higher than the overall university average. UCF's Greek Life won the inaugural Mid-America Conference Grade Point Average Award, which is given to the university with the highest Greek GPA above their campus’ non-Greek GPA. In 2003, Florida Leader Magazine named UCF the university with the best Greek academics program in the state.[51]

[edit] Student Traditions

Students in and around the Reflection Pond during Spirit Splash

Spirit Splash is a homecoming tradition at UCF, and is the only time during the year that students are allowed into the Reflection Pond. Hailed as one of the best homecoming traditions in the nation,[52] the Friday before the Homecoming game is reserved for a pep rally at the Reflection Pond, where students descend into the pond to demonstrate their school spirit.

In 2000, Florida Leader magazine named Spirit Splash the best college or university tradition in Florida.[53] Along with the students, there are members of the community, alumni, children and even dogs who come to join in on the festivities. Spirit Splash began in 1995 when the Student Body President, Miguel Torregrossa, was pushed into the Reflection Pond by Bryan Farris, one of his cabinet members, and fellow students at the pep rally followed suit.[54] Knightro, the Marching Knights, cheerleaders, student athletes, and dancers all participate in the pep rally, usually followed by a concert. Spirit Splash was made possible in part by weight testing performed on the Reflection Pond in preparation for President Richard Nixon's visit to the university to speak at its 1973 commencement. It was determined that the best way to protect the president would be to hold commencement in the pond itself, after being drained, so that Secret Service agents could be stationed on the roofs of the adjacent buildings.

One of the newest traditions on the UCF campus pertains to the Pegasus seal in the center of the main floor of the Student Union. From their first day on campus for orientaion, new students are told to never walk on the Pegasus. As the tradition is told, those who step foot on the seal will never graduate from UCF. Usually the seal is roped off with heavy black velvet ropes, but when the ropes are not in place, students can be seen carefully avoiding the seal. In 2005, Florida Leader magazine named this new tradition the best college superstition in Florida.[55]

[edit] Student Services

All UCF students have access to the Health Center located on the university's main campus. Student's pay a fee per credit hour that entitles them to unlimited primary care visits with no office visit charge. However, there are nominal charges for other services such as lab tests, x-rays and procedures.[56] UCF Health Services operates two pharmacies on campus: the UCF Pharmacy in the Health Center, and Knight Aide in Knights Plaza, which also offers a variety of other convenience store items. The health center also offers Biofeedback, massage therapy as well as STD screenings.

UCF Victim Services offers free legal options, advocacy, and information to UCF students, faculty, employees, and visitors. More specifically, the UCF victim advocate unit can assist clients through providing information about both their legal and non-legal options, advocating on their behalf through the UCF Academic and Student Conduct process and the criminal justice system, and otherwise providing support in their efforts to help survivors of victimization.[57]

[edit] Recreation

The UCF Recreation & Wellness Center

Many different recreational organizations and facilities are available on the UCF campus. Lake Claire is an on-campus lake with free canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats available for rent to students. Students may also swim in the lake, which is the home to one shy, 4-foot gator, and the sunken wreck of a rowboat.[58] In addition, UCF's Challenge Course is one of only five in the country to contain a high elements course.[59]

The UCF Recreation and Wellness Center, which opened in 2002, is comprised of five different programs: Intramural Sports, Sport Clubs, Outdoor Adventure, Fitness, and Aquatics. The Recreation and Wellness Center is open to all students, and paid memberships are available for non-students. The Wellness Center offers programs to boost students' understanding of their health, provides discounted blood and STD testing, staffs certified personal trainers, and teaches methods to maintain good health. The recreation center includes a custom climbing wall with more then 20 different routes, as well as, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, a disc golf course, numerous intramural sports fields, a leisure pool, and an outdoor lap pool.[60] The Recreation and Wellness Center is currently undergoing a $16 million expansion that is set to be completed by fall 2010. The 40,000 square feet expansion will create more room in the fitness center's free weight, cardiovascular and weight machine areas.[61]

[edit] Athletics

Main article: UCF Knights
Panoramic view of Bright House Networks Stadium on opening day.

The University of Central Florida features a large variety of intercollegiate athletics teams known as the UCF Knights that competes in NCAA's Division I as part of Conference USA.

Men's sports include Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country Running, Football, Golf, Soccer, and Tennis. Women's sports include Basketball, Cross Country Running, Golf, Rowing, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track and field, and Volleyball. Co-ed sports include Cheerleading.

In 2007, UCF made major changes to its athletic program. A new "athletic village" on the north end of campus known as Knights Plaza was developed. It included new sports facilities such as the new UCF Arena, the new 45,000 seat Bright House Networks Stadium, a new softball complex, and the only Division I indoor football practice facility in the state. This made UCF the first university to ever open a new stadium and arena during the same year, for the 2007-08 season.[62] The athletic complex also includes Jay Bergman Field and the UCF Track and Soccer Complex. To mark the start of the new era, the teams were renamed from the Golden Knights before the start of the 2007-08 sports season to the Knights, and a new mascot and new logos were introduced.

Celebrating their new stadium, the 2007 UCF Football team won the Conference USA Championship for the first time in the school's history, securing a berth to the schools second bowl game, the 49th Annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Many former UCF football players have gone on to have successful careers in the NFL, including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, wide receiver Shawn Jefferson, cornerback Asante Samuel, safety Atari Bigby, cornerback Travis Fisher, and running back Kevin Smith. UCF has also produced a number of soccer stars, including Michelle Akers. Akers went on to play in the Olympics and was a part of the 1999 USA National Team that won the World Cup.

The UCF men's basketball team has advanced to the NCAA tournament 4 times (94, 96, 04, 05) since its 1990 Division I debut, all under head coach Kirk Speraw. The 2008-2009 UCF men's team features senior Jermaine Taylor, who is one of the nation's top scorers averaging over 20 points per game. The women's basketball team is the 2009 Conference USA Champions, and have previously won two tournament and three regular season championships in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

UCF's cheerleading squad has captured two national titles at the College Cheerleading and Dance Team Nationals, in 2003 and 2007. As the reigning national champions, they were followed by WE tv's hit cheerleading show, Cheerleader U.[63]

[edit] Notable alumni and faculty

The FAIRWINDS Alumni Center at UCF
Main article: List of University of Central Florida alumni
See also: List of University of Central Florida faculty and administrators

UCF has awarded over 192,000 degrees, with more than 166,000 alumni located around the world. 71% of UCF alumni reside in Florida, while 57% are located within the Central Florida area.[2]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "Graphics Standards and Brand Book". University of Central Florida Marketing. http://www.umark.ucf.edu/images/pdf/Graphic_Standards81507.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-11-01. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Facts About UCF". UCF Office of Institutional Research. http://www.iroffice.ucf.edu/character/current.html. Retrieved on 2008-12-07. 
  3. ^ "FSGC Mission". Florida Space Grant Consortium. http://fsgc.engr.ucf.edu/about.html. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. 
  4. ^ "UCF Refional Campuses". University of Central Florida. http://www.regionalcampuses.ucf.edu/index.asp. Retrieved on 2009-04-28. 
  5. ^ "Best Colleges: Up and Coming National". US News. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/national-uc-rank. Retrieved on 2008-09-02. 
  6. ^ "University of Central Florida History". University of Central Florida Foundation. http://foundation.ucf.edu/Main/Default.asp?CategoryID=2&SubCategoryID=4. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. 
  7. ^ "University of Central Florida celebrates 40 years of growth". Orlando Sentinel. 2008-10-07. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/orl-ucfforty0708oct07,0,7075818.story. Retrieved on 2008-10-07. 
  8. ^ "One School Many Mascots". Central Florida Future. 2004-01-20. http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/media/paper174/news/2004/01/20/News/One-School.Many.Mascots-583071.shtml?norewrite&sourcedomain=www.ucfnews.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. 
  9. ^ "University of Central Florida - Slider". Slider. http://enc.slider.com/Enc/University_of_Central_Florida. Retrieved on 2009-06-13. 
  10. ^ "A World of Opportunity". UCF College of Healthy and Public Affairs. http://www.cohpa.ucf.edu/documents/AWorldofOpportunity.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-06-13. 
  11. ^ "Educators Discuss Benefits of DirectConnect to UCF Program". University of Central Florida. 2008-04-30. http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004168851b1c01199f8fb35207fb9. Retrieved on 2009-04-28. 
  12. ^ "University of Central Florida Board of Trustees Terms". University of Central Florida. August 2008. http://bot.ucf.edu/documents/BOTmemberstermsAugust08.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  13. ^ "University of Central Florida Board of Trustees Bylaws". University of Central Florida. January 17, 2008. http://bot.ucf.edu/documents/SecondAmendedandRestatedBylaws_01-17-08.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  14. ^ "Meet the President". University of Central Florida. http://president.ucf.edu/meet.html. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  15. ^ "2009-2010 Undergraduate Catalog". University of Central Florida. 2009. http://www.catalog.sdes.ucf.edu/UCFUGRDCatalog0910.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  16. ^ "College of Graduate Studies - University of Central Florida". University of Central Florida College of Graduate Studies. http://www.graduate.ucf.edu/article.aspx?id=130. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  17. ^ "Admissions Overview". http://www.honors.ucf.edu/Admissions_Main.asp. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  18. ^ "Tuition will increase 15 percent this fall". Central Florida Future. 2009-05-17. http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/tuition-will-increase-15-percent-this-fall-1.1751387. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  19. ^ "School Costs". University of Central Florida Office of Student Financial Assistance. http://finaid.ucf.edu/applying/app_costs.html. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  20. ^ "Headcount Enrollment by Ethnic Origin, Discipline, and Classification" (Student Catalog). University of Central Florida. 2008. http://www.iroffice.ucf.edu/factbooks/2008-2009/table5.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-04-12. 
  21. ^ "University of Central Florida - Princeton Review". The Princeton Review. http://www.princetonreview.com/UniversityofCentralFlorida.aspx. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  22. ^ See Demographics of Florida and Demographics of the United States for references.
  23. ^ 2008-2009 Headcount Enrollment by Ethnic Origin, Discipline, and Classification
  24. ^ UCF Ranked Among Top 100 Universities for Hispanic Students
  25. ^ "2008-2009 Final Fall Headcount - All Students State of Residence". University of Central Florida. http://www.iroffice.ucf.edu/factbooks/2008-2009/table9.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-06-02. 
  26. ^ "UCF Joins Top Universities in Princeton Review's Best Colleges Guide". University of Central Florida. 2005-04-22. http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=00240041338a60010331bcbbf6007979. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. 
  27. ^ "University of Central Florida". US News. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/directory/brief/drglance_3954_brief.php. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. 
  28. ^ "Best Colleges: Up and Coming National". US News. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/national-uc-rank. Retrieved on 2008-09-02. 
  29. ^ "UCF Recognized for Innovation, Value in Best Colleges Ranking". University of Central Florida. http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=002400418789a74011bea055ab3004de&subject_id=0024004102975ad83011b2b83251c0b9d. Retrieved on 2009-04-19. 
  30. ^ "Best Colleges: Economic Diversity: National Universities". U.S. News and World Report. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/national-economic-diversity. Retrieved on 2009-04-19. 
  31. ^ "UCF Enrolls Record Number of National Merit Scholars". University of Central Florida. http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=002400412e120743011469b630a7007fed&mode=news. Retrieved on 2007-11-07. 
  32. ^ ROTC gaining in popularity - Entertainment
  33. ^ "IPToday.com - Intellectual Property Today - The Patent Scorecard™ 2008 – Universities". Intellectual Property Today. http://www.iptoday.com/articles/2008-9-oldach2.asp. Retrieved on 2009-06-02. 
  34. ^ "Rankings - Best Engineering Schools - Graduate Schools - Education - US News and World Report". U.S. News and World Report. http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/rankings/page+4. Retrieved on 2009-06-02. 
  35. ^ "UCF Freshman Class Profile - Fall 2008". University of Central Florida. http://www.admissions.ucf.edu/about.asp?FirstSub=freshprof. Retrieved on 2008-09-13. 
  36. ^ "Freshman Class Profile - Fall 2008". University of Central Florida. http://www.admissions.ucf.edu/about.asp?FirstSub=freshprof. Retrieved on 2009-06-02. 
  37. ^ "Short History, Bright Future". University of Central Florida. http://today.ucf.edu/blog/2009/07/07/short-history-bright-future/. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  38. ^ "Med school a large draw". Central Florida Future. 2008-09-17. http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10660/med-school-a-large-draw-1.1420658. Retrieved on 2009-04-28. 
  39. ^ "UCF Libraries Homepage". University of Central Florida. http://library.ucf.edu/. Retrieved on 2009-07-09. 
  40. ^ "Library mulls options for making space as shelves reach their capacity". Central Florida Future. 2006-09-26. http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10660/library-mulls-options-for-making-space-as-shelves-reach-their-capacity-1.1425317. Retrieved on 2009-06-02. 
  41. ^ "IPToday.com - Intellectual Property Today - The Patent Scorecard™ 2008 – Universities". Intellectual Property Today. http://www.iptoday.com/articles/2008-9-oldach2.asp. Retrieved on 2009-06-02. 
  42. ^ "UCF’s Economic Impact". University of Central Florida. http://today.ucf.edu/blog/2009/04/06/ucfs-economic-impact/. Retrieved on 2009-06-02. 
  43. ^ "2008 NACUBO Endowment Study". National Association of College and University Business Officers. http://www.nacubo.org/documents/research/NES2008PublicTable-AllInstitutionsByFY08MarketValue.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  44. ^ "Office of Student Involvement". UCF Student Government Association. http://www.osa.ucf.edu/clubsorgs/database/database.html. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. 
  45. ^ "Ranking High". Central Florida Future. 2007-09-20. http://media.www.centralfloridafuture.com/media/storage/paper174/news/2006/09/20/News/Ranking.High-2285733.shtml. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. 
  46. ^ "Housing Communities". UCF Housing and Residence Life. http://www.housing.ucf.edu/communities.php. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. 
  47. ^ "UCF Expands into Seminole County". The Seminole Voice. http://www.seminolevoice.com/Seminole_Voice/article.asp?ID=1521. Retrieved on 2009-03-06. 
  48. ^ UCF Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Chapter Directory
  49. ^ "University of Central Florida". The Princeton Review. 2008-07. http://www.princetonreview.com/schools/college/CollegeCampusLife.aspx?iid=1022881. Retrieved on 2009-04-30. 
  50. ^ University of Central Florida - Greek Life
  51. ^ "Best of Florida Schools 2003". Florida Leader Magazine. 2003. http://www.floridaleader.com/best2003_15.htm. Retrieved on 2009-04-30. 
  52. ^ "Spirit Splash Becoming One of the Best Homecoming Traditions in the Nation". University of Central Florida Athletics. http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/genrel/110708aac.html. Retrieved on 2009-04-14. 
  53. ^ "UKnighted Newsletter". University of Central Florida. http://www.assess.sdes.ucf.edu/newsletters/November2001.htm. Retrieved on 2009-04-14. 
  54. ^ "Central Florida Future - Homecoming splashes down". Central Florida Future. http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10660/homecoming-splashes-down-1.1420045. Retrieved on 2009-06-02. 
  55. ^ "Best of Florida Schools 2005". Florida Leader. http://www.floridaleader.com/best2005_Web-Only_1.htm. Retrieved on 2009-04-14. 
  56. ^ "UCF Health Services". UCF Victim Services. http://www.hs.sdes.ucf.edu/main/welcome.html. Retrieved on 2009-04-28. 
  57. ^ "UCF Victim Services". UCF Victim Services. http://www.victimservices.ucf.edu/home.html. Retrieved on 2009-04-24. 
  58. ^ "Lake Claire". UCF Student Government Association. http://rec.ucf.edu/Flakeclaire.htm. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. 
  59. ^ "UCF Challenge Course". UCF Student Government Association. http://rec.ucf.edu/Fchallengecourse.htm. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. 
  60. ^ "UCF Recreation and Wellness Center Facilities". UCF Student Government Association. http://rec.ucf.edu/Fmaps.htm. Retrieved on 2007-10-28. 
  61. ^ "Welbro building $16M, 40,000 sf expansion at UCF fitness center". Orlando Business Journal. http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2008/04/07/story14.html. Retrieved on 2009-04-15. 
  62. ^ Convocation Center Update UCF Arena
  63. ^ "CheerleaderU". UCF Athletics. http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/genrel/022608aad.html. Retrieved on 2008-07-28. 

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