UNF is growing, and as the increasing student body prepares for the challenges of the real world, the school races to meet every student’s needs. Since UNF’s establishment, there have been numerous changes made for the school to flourish. This need for change has not gone away.

We examined the history of UNF’s population, new housing rules and The Flats.

HISTORY/ POPULATION LOOK BACK

UNF, a school which started off as a college for upperclassmen in 1972, began with just 2,027 juniors and a little more than 260 faculty and staff members. The school’s first graduation ceremony, in 1973, issued diplomas to only 35 students. UNF didn’t begin accepting freshman until 1984, and enrollment didn’t exceed 10,000 students until 1995.

In the fall of 2014, there were a total of 16,134 students, and a student-to-faculty ratio of 20 to 1. In 2015, the student population dropped to 15,839, resulting in smaller class sizes and as student-to-faculty ratio of 18 students per faculty member. One year later, the student body grew to 15,944, and the student-to-faculty ratio rose to 19 to 1. The average class size was 33 students.

Now, according to UNF’s Public Relations Director Joanna Norris, there are approximately 14,600 undergrad students and a little over 2,000 graduate students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 19 to 1.

HOUSING

This fall, UNF made a few changes in housing rules.

Freshmen are no longer required to live on campus. However, UNF still encourages new students to live on

campus to stay close to educational tools. The library, classes and professors are just a short walk away and being near other students can be helpful. Students living on campus are more likely to experience all aspects of university life, like getting involved in clubs and Greek life.

Also, each dorm now houses a maximum of two people. There are no longer dorms for groups of three.

THE FLATS

In October 2014, UNF purchased The Flats, adding more than 400 new housing slots for students. According to Bob Boyle, director of the Department of Housing and Residence Life, the Flats met its capacity this year and 473 students live there. This time last year, the capacity was at 99.5 percent. Boyle said the end of the freshman housing requirement has had no effect on the number of students living in the Flats.

“The demand for apartment space at The Flats at UNF has been high, and going into the early part of the summer, a vast majority of space had been assigned,” Boyle said.

STUDENT POPULATION/ FACULTY RATIO  SINCE 2014

Fall 2014 Student Enrollment

Undergraduate                                                                    13,418

Graduate                                                                                 1,777

Post baccalaureate and non-degree                                    939

Total                                                                                     16,134

Student-to-faculty ratio                                                       20:1

Fall 2015 Student Enrollment

Undergraduate                                                                  13,070

Graduate                                                                               1,763

Post baccalaureate and non-degree                               1,006

Total                                                                                    15,839

Student-to-faculty ratio                                                       18:1

Fall 2016 Student Enrollment

Undergraduate                                                                13,087

Graduate                                                                            1,862

Post baccalaureate and non-degree                               995

Total                                                                                15,944

Student-to-faculty ratio                                                   19:1

Fall 2017 Student Enrollment

Undergraduate                                                             14,596

Graduate                                                                          2,015

Total                                                                                16,611

Student-to-faculty ratio:                                                 19:1

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