[Editor's note: The following article was updated on Feb. 17, 2025, to reflect the 2025 UNF holiday schedule, which now includes Juneteenth.] Today is Presidents Day, which is celebrated annually on...

The University of North Florida undoubtedly has a large campus. When you remove the nature preserves from the total land owned by UNF, the area of usable space on-campus is just under 1000 acres. For reference,...

Most states in the U.S. have their own symbols. These are often nicknames, animals, and foods that are chosen by each state’s government to represent their state. For example, Florida’s nickname is...

I had very low expectations going into this movie, as most of Disney’s recent films had been generic sequels to its cash-crop movies like “Frozen.” I was completely wrong. Upon first viewing,...

Student Government has released its monthly Osprey Voice survey. This edition of their questionnaire, besides the basic questions covering race, sex, and graduation year, the main intention is to ask students...

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the University of North Florida. That’s 50 years of students, faculty, staff, and more. But there is one thing that might first come to mind when you think of...

(Updated 10:00 am Tuesday, Feb 1, with new information.) After the social media threat, UNF announced that the "Wear a Hijab" event as well as all fraternity and sorority events have been canceled Tuesday. Originally...

COVID-19 cases among UNF students and employees have erupted to the highest levels ever recorded. Last week, Spinnaker reported how in the week prior to the start of the Spring semester, almost all COVID-19...

A recurring theme from the last semester, UNF faculty again have major safety concerns regarding COVID-19 as the Spring semester begins, as detailed in an open letter to Interim President Chally. The Omicron...

For any students hoping for a completely COVID-free experience on-campus this semester, it would seem things are not shaping up to be that way. UNF has seen a massive increase in COVID cases as students...

Finals week is almost done, which means that our official three-week winter break isn’t far away. Lasting until classes resume on Monday, January 10th, 2022, many students that aren’t from Jacksonville...

(Updated at 10:45 am on Dec. 7) According to the university, "the alarm this morning at Osprey Fountains was due to a malfunctioning fire alarm device." UNF reassures students that university maintenance...

December has officially begun, and that means that we are reaching the peak of the shopping season in preparation for holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah. Parents love to celebrate the college of their...

Have you seen cats running around near Osprey Fountains? If so, you’re not alone. There has been a wide array of feral cats seen near the upper-classmen residence hall in recent years.  UNF is no...

The holiday season is here, which can mean a lot of things. Colder Weather, Shorter days, Holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah, etc. One of the most iconic elements of the season is the plethora of music...

Last night, an alert was sent to UNF students via myWings notifying them that a water main had burst. This means that water taken from on-campus is not currently potable and should not be drunken by students...

To any student who started attending UNF in the past five years, they would have never known that there was once an elevated Arena Walkway connecting the Arena to the Arena Garage, safely above traffic....

In an update to our previous article covering the Students for a Democratic Society’s (SDS) letter of demands for the UNF Administration, they have actually already held a meeting together. Spinnaker...

(Editor’s Note: SDS has met UNF Administration) Following up on their Black Lives Matter Rally last month, the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) released a list of demands to the UNF Administration. In...

Any and all students need breaks within the wind and grind of homework and jobs, but not all these breaks are created equal. For both the Spring and Fall semesters, there is a relatively large respite...

We are only a few days into November, but the rest of this month will fly by quickly, and soon December will be here. For over one thousand students, that means graduation. Spinnaker met with Colin McKinney,...

Much of North and Central Florida is currently under a tornado watch. First issued at 9 a.m. this morning, The National Weather Service announced that dozens of Florida counties, including Duval, are currently...

Spooky Season has arrived in full force this week, with Halloween just around the corner. A hallmark of the holiday is costumes, candy, and scaring people. Many students are attending UNF from far away,...

Facebook and its contemporaries have come under increased scrutiny from the government and general public over their questionable practices and frequent breaches of information. This comes after early...

It should be no surprise that Haiti is a frequent victim of earthquakes. Just two months ago, Haiti was rocked by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, causing billions in property damage and left thousands dead....

(Updated 11:45 am Oct. 22 to include SDS statement) UNF Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held our annual Black Lives Matter on October 11th, 2021. After a history of racist events on campus, such...

If you have attended any events on-campus, such as during Week of Welcome, drive-in movies, or the recent Battle of the Bands, you've probably noticed that most of these events have one major thing in...

Introduced to UNF back in 2013, anyone who has been on campus has probably seen these unique water fountains.  These are Elkay EZ H20 purified water refillers. Often attached to a traditional water...

After a delay of over a year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the beloved and much anticipated musical Hamilton is finally coming to Jacksonville. This iconic hip-hop rap musical was a hit with audiences...

The UNF library started celebrating banned books week on Monday, Sep. 27. This week-long celebration brings attention to the countless books that are often banned from local libraries for a multitude of...

If you live on-campus this semester, you've probably been to the Library. If you've been to the library, you've probably also seen a certain large floating goldfish in the nearby lake. That is Colonel...

Recently, UNF's new official pool complex opened to the public. After a high-profile ceremony held in the Field House, the site of the old Pool almost 10 years ago, the ribbon was cut for the new pool. The...

Earlier this month, Texas's new abortion law went into effect after the Supreme Court declined to block it. This is, as of writing, the most restrictive abortion law currently in effect in the country....

Last month, The milk crate challenge became very popular on TikTok, but for all the wrong reasons. Reckless people dangerously climbing pyramids of milk crates sent several people to the hospital.  The...

UNF has seen a significant decrease in overall COVID cases for the first full week of September. Compared to last week, the number of cases decreased by over 60 percent. Visualization of Cases, compiled...

Every 10 years, state-funded Universities like UNF are required to craft a master plan to submit to the Board of Governors (BOG). This master plan covers many proposed improvements and changes to UNF’s...

Studies have shown that our generation is far more likely than other generations to suffer from anxiety and depression. This cannot be attributed to one singular source, but it is alarming for our future. While...

Another year has passed and Labor Day has given students their long-awaited three-day weekend, but what is this holiday and why do we celebrate it? First off, it’s a federally recognized holiday, meaning...

Last Sunday, beloved actor Ed Asner passed away at the age of 91. He was known for his roles in Cobra Kai, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Up. Outside of acting, he was also a prominent activist. Spinnaker...

UNF has seen a massive increase in COVID cases. Last week, there were over twice as many cases compared to the previous week.  There was an increase in cases among off-campus students, on-campus...

UNF students, whether they were living on campus last year or are returning to campus for the first time in over a year due to COVID, will find a few things have changed since they were last here, and...

The fall semester has officially started and UNF is attempting to make a return to normalcy. The University has set a “strong expectation” for students to wear masks indoors but has fallen short of...

To an incoming Freshman, driving and parking on campus here at UNF can seem overwhelming. What is a gray lot? What is a blue lot? Do I need to place a permit hanging in my car? Spinnaker is here to help...

To say that Haiti is having a rough time would be an absolute understatement. Last Saturday, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the island nation. Over a thousand people have died from this earthquake,...

Earlier this month, Spinnaker sent out a poll asking students what majors and degrees they wish were offered here at UNF. While the desired majors and degrees were very diverse, there was a lot of total...

Classes resume next Monday, and Students are beginning to move in for the fall semester. Many students, such as RA’s and summer students, have already been on campus for weeks or even longer.  This...

Tropical Depression Fred appears to be off the Northeast coast of Cuba, at the time of writing, and is heading straight for the Gulf Coast of Florida. Tropical storm warnings are currently in effect...

This morning, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved Pamela Chally as the interim president. She is replacing President Szymanski, who will be leaving his position to become the CEO of MedNexus....

The writer is a member of Swoop Troupe. Last week, UNF’s premiere theatre group, the Swoop Troupe Theatre Corporation, announced “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” as its musical...

UNF just announced that "effective immediately," all people on UNF property are strongly encouraged to wear masks indoors, vaccinated or not. Screenshot of release. This carefully worded statement...

It's not a controversial statement to say that UNF does not have every major someone could want. Among several different Colleges, there are numerous programs, degrees, and majors that are noticeably absent. But...

COVID cases are rising throughout Florida, which comes as UNF is preparing to fully reopen in the fall semester.  UNF itself is seeing a large increase in COVID-19 cases to their highest levels in...

It would seem that COVID cases continue to rise at UNF. Compared to the previous week, overall COVID-19 cases have risen to a total of 22 cases among students, and nine among employees. Compared...

The number of COVID cases is rising again among communities as vaccinations stagger. Several different demographics are recording lower vaccination rates than normal, and one of them is young adults.  Vaccination...

Between the recent resignation of former Senate President Rachel Saunders, the release of the disparaging group chats, and many other factors, Student Government has been the center of a lot of controversy. But...

On Tuesday afternoon, the list of nominees for the 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards was announced. The Emmys are the pinnacle awards ceremony dedicated to the best of television programming and serve...

This week is the annual Television tradition of Shark Week. That means large amounts of shark coverage and shark programming, courtesy of the Discovery Channel.   However, as Spinnaker learned...

This afternoon, Ospreys received a push alert that a traffic accident occurred on UNF property.    Very little is known at this time, but the accident has resulted in a death, with someone...

As of 11 a.m. Tuesday morning, Tropical Storm Elsa has left Cuba, and is now over the Florida Keys, according to the National Hurricane Center.   Moving northwest at a slow speed of 10 mph,...

Every year, Pride Month is celebrated in June. Everyone knows of the iconic rainbow flag, but what many may not know is that there are other pride flags with their own specific meanings as well. LGBTQ+...

Shark Week is an iconic part of American television culture. Shark Week has been going strong on Discovery for over thirty years. However, in recent years, Shark Week has received a lot of backlash from...

In recent years, statues, monuments, and other things celebrating Confederate leaders have been facing increasing scrutiny. This also includes things explicitly and intentionally named after them, like...

Florida is often viewed as the quintessential vacation destination for the entire country. This is primarily due to 2 factors: Its large number of tourist destinations, such as Disney and Universal, and...

On the heels of Georgia's infamous new voting law, Florida Republicans introduced their own voting law, and it was quickly passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Desantis. UNF Political Professor...

Last week the CDC announced updated mask guidelines, including the anticipated recommendation that vaccinated people do not need to wear a mask outside. Following this announcement, the two most iconic...

This afternoon, the CDC updated its guidance on mask-wearing, saying that fully vaccinated people may take off their masks both indoors and outdoors.  This is a big deal, and it officially allows us...

To celebrate the end of the school year, Osprey Life and Productions is holding its annual Ozfest this Thursday, April 8, featuring Diplo and MAX. Diplo is an American DJ famous for songs such as “Where...

When living with someone, fights and conflicts are inevitable. Suppressing anger and discontent with your roommate, or significant other, allows the repressed feelings to build up and eventually explode....

In emails sent to all students over myWings in the past few weeks, the University has announced its plans to have all students living on-campus move out at the end of the semester, and all summer students...

Last week, UNF announced that it plans to return to “pre-COVID ” university operations in the fall semester. An email was sent out to all students by the university’s marketing team. This...

According to a recent poll conducted by Spinnaker, many students feel as if UNF offers bad advising, which is detrimental to the overall graduation rate of its students. While it still hasn’t been determined ...

Less than two weeks ago, The Tampa Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs and won Super Bowl LV. Football is seen as a quintessential mainstay of American Culture, and it has been for decades, but why?...

The nominations for the annual Golden Globe Awards were announced today, Feb. 3. The 2021 Golden Globes recognize the greatest achievements in both television and film over the year of 2020, a year marked...

One of the most interesting sights to behold post winter break for returning students was the large fence tarps and construction behind the Wellness Center adjacent to the Field House. For the hundreds...

After what felt like an eternity, the UNF Game Room re-opens this week. Almost a year and a half after Student Government announced its controversial decision to bisect the Game Room’s space to make...

 As an avid Howard fan, and the former Critter Columnist, writing this is easily the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever had to write about. I had been putting it off for months, keeping optimistic that...

Spring semester starts tomorrow and there may be a great deal of confusion and misinformation about the protocols in place regarding the required testing. Spinnaker has created a step-by-step guide to...

Netflix’s “The Prom” shines with pizazz and the Broadway style, but it held short of greatness by a few glaring flaws. The movie musical is based on the Broadway musical of the same name and stars...

Duval County, which includes UNF, is one of the most populous counties in Florida. As such, one would assume that they would have a high number of COVID-19 infections, and that would be correct. But where...

What comes after COVID-19? For some people, that answer is Post-COVID Syndrome. That is when milder symptoms of COVID-19 persist for any amount of time after you have had the virus. Dr. Doreen Perez, Student...

Earlier this month, an 1800’s shipwreck was uncovered at Crescent Beach in St. Augustine. Beach erosion and changing tides led to the discovery of the wreck. The St. Augustine Lighthouse Archaeological...

After almost an entire month since the end of the Student Government Elections, after almost a dozen complaints, the UNF election season is finally over. The Senate also finally passed their resolution...

Parking is seen as one of the most daunting and challenging aspects of campus life by many students. Even with a lower number of on-campus residents, finding parking and not getting ticketed still proves...

This is not Jurassic Park, dinosaurs do not roam amongst us. Last week an enormous alligator was seen strutting his scales on a Florida golf course. However, according to Assistant Biology Professor, and...

The main talk of the last two weeks has been the presidential election, but whatever happened in the UNF Student Government Elections? It has been three weeks now since the election was finished, and the...

Donald Trump appears to be losing this election. As of writing, Joe Biden has a large electoral lead over Trump, with a few swing states still counting votes. Trump’s path to victory is inarguably narrowing....