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All content by Tiffany Butler
Meet UNFs resident Border Collie

Meet UNF’s resident Border Collie

Tiffany Butler January 17, 2017

A highly trained Border Collie named Bee has taken up a tedious task on UNF’s campus. She’s part of the Goose Masters program the university has chartered, and has been working hard to scare geese...

Illustration by Mariana Martins

20 underrated stocking stuffers

Tiffany Butler December 25, 2016

One of the most iconic Christmas traditions is the stocking. Whether you open it on Christmas eve, Christmas morning or after everything’s been unwrapped, we tend to expect those little extra things...

Students protest outside of the Hillary Clinton rally on campus. Photo by Lili Weinstein

Students protest Standing Rock, shift focus for coming months

Tiffany Butler December 19, 2016

Last week, the Army Corps of Engineers made a decision that halted the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) that’s being built to carry crude oil through North and South Dakota and Iowa,...

Whats open during the break?

What’s open during the break?

Tiffany Butler December 12, 2016

Finals week, while stressful and frustrating, does mean one very good thing: winter break is near. For most students, this means a whole month off, where you’re free to go home, travel, see friends and...

Stock Photo

Local’s Guide: Where to see lights

Tiffany Butler December 9, 2016

There’s nothing quite like a good light display to put us in the Christmas spirit. Some of my favorite memories from growing up are of mom loading us kids into the car with hot chocolate and driving...

JOAN MITCHELL, Chord III, 1986. Oil on canvas, 77 x 44 inches. Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, Gift of Donald and Maria Cox. © Estate of Joan Mitchell.

UNF students work with $5.8 million art collection

Tiffany Butler December 7, 2016

This fall, students enrolled in associate art history professor Peter Scott Brown’s junior methods seminar catalogued pieces from the Donald and Maria Cox Collection at Jacksonville’s Museum of Contemporary...

Black Friday. Photo courtesy Stan Honda/AFP Photo

A local’s guide to Black Friday shopping

Tiffany Butler November 25, 2016

Black Friday is the biggest sale day of the year, and while it can be a fun and exciting tradition for some, it can be a little overwhelming for others. Especially if you’re new to the area, it’s...

How to pull off Friendsgiving

How to pull off Friendsgiving

Tiffany Butler November 23, 2016

Whether you’re hosting a Friendsgiving because you couldn’t go home for the holiday, got stuck working the Black Friday retail madness, or to combat the semi-regular wine nights with an actual meal...

The Spinnaker team at the first Play by Play of a womens basketball game. From left is Joslyn Simmons, Will Weber and Al Huffman.

Play by Play: History made in Spinnaker Radio

Tiffany Butler November 22, 2016

Spinnaker Radio hosted the first live broadcast of a UNF sport in history on Sunday, Nov. 20. Students were able to hear minute-by-minute coverage of the women’s basketball game on 95.5 FM WSKR, when...

Parking Services employees get a bad rep, but they’re just students trying to do their jobs. Illustration by Mariana Martins.

The most hated people on campus: Parking services employees

Tiffany Butler November 18, 2016

    With the fall semester underway, we’re all going toe-to-toe with the campuses greatest oppressors: the parking garages. Even I have found myself circling around, angrily texting my coworkers...

President Donald Trump

Poli-sci professor breaks down Trump’s win, and the next four years

Tiffany Butler November 15, 2016

Polls closed on Tuesday, Nov. 8, and America began tallying up the votes for who would become our next president. When it was announced that Donald J. Trump is our president-elect, Americans everywhere...

First president to visit UNF swoops, speaks for Clinton campaign

First president to visit UNF swoops, speaks for Clinton campaign

Tiffany Butler November 3, 2016

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trBQ7Xek-gQ Video by Jack Drain On the morning of Nov. 3, people began lining up in front of the UNF Arena as early as 1 a.m. Though the university didn’t officially...

Supporters wait for Donald Trump to speak at the Jacksonville Landing. Photo by Kristen Smith

Trump coming to Jacksonville Thursday

Tiffany Butler October 31, 2016

GOP nominee Donald J. Trump will hold a rally in Jacksonville on Thursday, Nov. 3. Just hours before President Obama will be on UNF’s campus campaigning for Hillary Clinton, Trump will be campaigning...

Obamas visit to campus brings parking lot and lane closures on Thursday.

Obama coming to UNF

Tiffany Butler October 31, 2016

President Barack Obama will be on campus Thursday, Nov. 3. He will lead a rally for the Clinton campaign at the UNF Arena. Arena doors will open at noon and the event begins at 1:30, according to an...

Early voting starts today

Early voting starts today

Tiffany Butler October 24, 2016

Early voting for the 2016 election starts today, Oct. 24 and ends Nov. 6. Most polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and registered voters must bring an acceptable form of ID with them. The closest early...

Dakarai Maxwell. Photo courtesy of JSO

Man charged with killing of UNF employee to be prosecuted as an adult

Tiffany Butler October 18, 2016

  The 17-year-old charged with shooting UNF employee Jonathan “Joe” Brenton will be prosecuted as an adult, according to the State Attorney's office. The shooter, Dakarai Maxwell, was charged...

Tom and Betty Petway Hall  Photo courtesy of UNF Digital Commons

Trump vs. Clinton: Education

Tiffany Butler October 13, 2016

There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when deciding who to vote for, but for college students, one that’s particularly important is the candidate’s stance on education. Is checking...

Photo by Zach Evans

Florida voters show support for medical marijuana

Tiffany Butler October 11, 2016

According to a recent poll from the Public Opinions Research Lab (PORL) at UNF, the majority of Florida voters are in favor of Amendment 2, which would legalize the use of medical marijuana. When asked,...

Graphic Courtesy National Hurricane Center

Hurricane Matthew 95 miles from Jacksonville; now at Category 3

Tiffany Butler October 7, 2016

Hurricane Matthew is currently 95 miles southeast of Jacksonville according to an update from the National Weather Service. Though the hurricane is still on track to severely impact the Jacksonville...

Evacuation Routes for Duval County. Graphic Courtesy FloridaDisasters.org

Beaches ordered to evacuate: What does that mean?

Tiffany Butler October 5, 2016

At a press conference today, Mayor Lenny Curry ordered residents in Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach to evacuate as soon as possible, and declared a state of emergency for Duval County....

Graphic by Jay Srivsatava

2016 Vice Presidential candidates: an overview

Tiffany Butler October 4, 2016

Before they were our presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were common names. Thanks to his business success and reality TV show and her long political history, most American’s...

The lastest update on Hurricane Matthews track from the National Hurricane Center.Graphic from the National Hurricane Center

Hurricane Matthew expected to impact Jacksonville

Tiffany Butler October 4, 2016

  Update: 10/4/16  11:30 a.m The UNF Crisis Management Team is tracking Hurricane Matthew as it moves towards Florida. A hurricane watch is in effect from southeast Florida up to Volusia/Brevard County...

Students react to end of freshman housing requirement

Students react to end of freshman housing requirement

Tiffany Butler September 23, 2016

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3gPlqMTheE Video by Jack Drain When Spinnaker broke the news that the freshman housing requirement would end starting Fall 2017, we knew students would have a...

The incident took place in Osprey Landing X.
 Photo by Lili Weinstein

BREAKING: Freshman housing requirement comes to an end

Tiffany Butler September 22, 2016

UNF’s mandatory freshman housing requirement is going to be a thing of the past come Fall 2017, according to Mauricio Gonzalez, vice president of Student and International affairs. Gonzalez made...

Joe Brenton. Photo courtesy Joanna Norris

UNF IT engineer killed in home invasion

Tiffany Butler September 21, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YHJ6-O9sKg Update — 9/21/16 @ 5:31 p.m. Spinnaker was on the scene outside Joe Brenton's northside home, and spoke to a neighbor who was surprised that something like...

Photo by Brittany Moore

Accident in Lot 18; looks worse than it is

Tiffany Butler September 21, 2016

  If you saw fire and rescue trucks on campus this morning, here’s why: Around 10 a.m., there was an accident in Lot 18 near the north entrance, where you come into the lot from Beach Boulevard....

Graphic by Mariana Martins

2016 Presidential Candidates: An Overview

Tiffany Butler September 21, 2016

With the national election fast approaching, Spinnaker is working hard to equip UNF students with the knowledge they need to get out and vote. We’re starting with an overview of who’s running, and...

Finding your safe space at UNF. Photo courtesy of Facebook

Finding your safe space

Tiffany Butler September 9, 2016

The start of college is a big transition, and for many students, it can be a little overwhelming. This may not leave you wishing for home or things more familiar, but it can cause the same kind of feelings...

Three UNF professors speaking at annual TEDx conference

Three UNF professors speaking at annual TEDx conference

Tiffany Butler September 8, 2016

Three UNF professors were selected to speak at the upcoming “Fear Less” TEDx conference in Jacksonville. Spinnaker was able to reach out to all three of these professors to see what inspired them...

The incident took place in Osprey Landing X.
 Photo by Lili Weinstein

DMT found in campus housing

Tiffany Butler August 31, 2016

Two jugs of psychedelic drugs were found in the Osprey Landing during freshman move out at the end of last spring. The liquid had been rumored to be psychedelic, but UNFPD was unable to confirm that...

Rendering of the new facility.  Photo Courtesy of Rabbi Novack.

Jewish Ospreys to have new, larger facility at Chabad of Southside

Tiffany Butler August 16, 2016

Chabad of Southside is breaking ground on a new $2.4 million facility in September, which will provide the Jewish Ospreys with a bigger and better place to call home. Chabad is a Jewish organization...

Photo by Jenn Mello

What I wish I’d known about registering for freshman classes

Tiffany Butler August 12, 2016

Arguably the most important thing incoming freshmen do at orientation is create their first course schedules as students of the University of North Florida. For some, this is also the most stressful...

Police Beat: Multiple thefts in The Flats

Police Beat: Multiple thefts in The Flats

Tiffany Butler August 11, 2016

Missing Mac A Macbook laptop and iPod were stolen from The Flats at UNF on Aug. 6. According to the report, the victim left the laptop and iPod on his bed prior to leaving the apartment to attend his...

Old-fashioned networking still reigns supreme

Old-fashioned networking still reigns supreme

Tiffany Butler August 4, 2016

When I was sixteen, I started applying to jobs for the first time. I would fill out the applications in the store or restaurant and my mom would make me introduce myself to the manager. She would remind...

Changes coming to Career Services

Changes coming to Career Services

Tiffany Butler August 1, 2016

Career Services is making some major changes during the intercession. They are in the process of putting career placement offices with each of UNF’s colleges. The central Career Services office will...

Pokemon Go raises security concerns

Pokemon Go raises security concerns

Tiffany Butler July 18, 2016

Pokemon Go seems to have become a phenomenon over night, but as people begin to look into how it works, some serious concerns are being raised about its privacy policy. The app requires users to make...

Corrine Brown and the race for Congress: A look at local politics

Corrine Brown and the race for Congress: A look at local politics

Tiffany Butler July 15, 2016

What happened? U.S. Representative Corrine Brown was indicted July 8, on 24 counts of conspiracy and fraud, stemming from alleged use of charity funds for personal expenses. Brown’s chief of staff,...

2.	“Above Average” by senior Alycia Bren sits in front of the College of Education and Human Services. 
Photo by Morgan Purvis

Meet the College of Education’s New Dean

Tiffany Butler July 6, 2016

After a two year search, Dr. Diane Yendol-Hoppey was hired as the new dean of the College of Education and Human Services on July 1. Yendol-Hoppey has been at multiple institutions leading to her position...

The KIBO machine. Photo by Tiffany Butler

Florida Institute of Education uses robots to teach preschoolers

Tiffany Butler July 6, 2016
The Florida Institute of Education (FIE) at the University of North Florida is using robotics to teach preschoolers problem solving skills. The curriculum hopes to jumpstart kids’ understanding of more technical aspects of education.
Tom and Betty Petway Hall  Photo courtesy of UNF Digital Commons

A UNF college hires new dean

Tiffany Butler July 1, 2016

Dr. Diane Yendol-Hoppey has been named dean of the College of Education and Human Services according to UNF. She was appointed by the Board of Trustees to replace interim dean Dr. Marsh Lupi, and began...

Tom and Betty Petway Hall  Photo courtesy of UNF Digital Commons

UNF at the bottom of performance funding metric

Tiffany Butler June 27, 2016
UNF is not receiving performance funding from the state for this fiscal year. This money is distributed based on the scores of the state’s 11 public universities, with the most money going to those at the top and none going to those at the bottom.
Architectural Photography by Michael Baxter, Baxter Imaging LLC

Major changes coming to Town Center area

Tiffany Butler June 22, 2016
There are six big developments coming to the Town Center area in the coming months. This expansion has already begun, and is estimated to continue for the next six to eight years.
Photo by Jordan Bebout

LGBT Resource Center responds to Orlando shooting

Tiffany Butler June 21, 2016
In light of the recent shooting in Orlando, safety and support of the LGBT community is in question. From pride events across the nation to Jacksonville’s very own Jasmyn, an LGBT youth services center, security is being increased.
Students can expect several closures around campus during President Obamas visit. Photo by Morgan Purvis

Arena walkway teardown: What to expect

Tiffany Butler June 12, 2016
Monday, June 13 marks the beginning of demolition on the arena walkway and iconic UNF staircase across from the Osprey Fountain.
UNF computing students get their money’s worth

UNF computing students get their money’s worth

Tiffany Butler June 8, 2016
With an almost 100 percent post-graduate job placement rate, UNF’s School of Computing ranks second in the state for best return on investment (ROI).
The walkway is finally coming down. Photo by Cassidy Alexander

Arena walkway is coming down

Tiffany Butler June 3, 2016

After spending almost a year “shored up” by scaffolding, awaiting repair, the walkway connecting the UNF Arena and parking garage is coming down. The walkway was hit by a Waste Management truck...

Remembering the Fallen: Students share what Memorial Day means to them

Remembering the Fallen: Students share what Memorial Day means to them

Tiffany Butler May 27, 2016
About 7.5% of students at the University of North Florida (UNF) are military affiliated, according to Diane Stover, office manager of the Military Veterans Resource Center (MVRC).
UNF Bookstore. Photo by Cassidy Alexander

Tax-Free Textbook Bill expiring; Students will pay tax on textbook purchases after June 30

Tiffany Butler May 27, 2016
The tax-free textbook bill is expiring on June 30, meaning students will have to start paying an extra six percent on textbook purchases.
The door of the room where the substance was found. Photo by Tiffany Butler.

UPDATE: Suspicious liquid still unidentified

Tiffany Butler May 4, 2016

The University of North Florida Police Department (UNFPD) was dispatched to building Y of the Osprey Landing to investigate a suspicious liquid on April 29, but the liquid has not yet been identified.  An...

 Photo by Tiffany Butler

Suspicious liquid found in UNF dorm

Tiffany Butler April 29, 2016
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) was called to campus to help remove a possible hazardous liquid from Osprey Landing on the 2nd floor of Building Y.
There are usually people studying at the tables downstairs around Starbucks and the Library, but this little area on the second floor is usually pretty empty.  Photo by Tiffany Butler.

Finals Week: Where to study, on and off campus

Tiffany Butler April 25, 2016
The library fills up, finding a study room that isn’t booked is a rarity, and just looking at the lounge area in Starbucks seems over-whelming. If you’re looking for somewhere else to go, here are a few options on and off campus.
 Adjunct Vickery and student Mary Ratcliff work on a sculpture. Photo by Tiffany Butler

Big things from the sculpture program

Tiffany Butler April 21, 2016

From murals to sculptures to bike racks it’s easy to find student art displayed around UNF’s campus. The art department hopes to expand this trend off-campus with the creation of a sculpture park...

Photo courtesy of Facebook.

The day the music grew

Tiffany Butler March 26, 2016
The UNF Flagship Music Program will become the university's seventh college.
Chargers for many types of phones can be checked out from the front desk  Photo by  Alek Borjas

Tommy G now lending phone chargers

Tiffany Butler February 24, 2016
Phone chargers can be checked out for a few hours from the front desk.
The former Arena Walkway after the collision, with the road temporarily blocked off
Photo by Mark Judson

Is the walkway coming down? Not without UNF’s permission

Tiffany Butler February 22, 2016
The walkway is safe for use and cars passing underneath it, but UNF is considering tearing it down as a viable option.
The Carnies take first place at Lip Sync

“The Carnies” take first place at Lip Sync

Tiffany Butler February 18, 2016
Homecoming’s half-way point was marked by Lip Sync, one of UNF’s favorite traditions, and this year’s theme was legends.
Erdelyi, left, with her friend Chelsey Cain.  Photo courtesy Chelsey Cain

Candle light vigil to be held for Laura Erdelyi

Tiffany Butler February 16, 2016

There will be a candle light vigil for Laura Erdelyi at Riverside Memorial Park this Friday, Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m. The vigil is open to the public. The only criteria for attendance is that attendees “pray...

Graphic abortion display is back this week

Graphic abortion display is back this week

Tiffany Butler February 8, 2016
The Genocide Awareness Project will be returning to campus this week.
Photo by Tiffany Butler

UNFPD’s uniforms and cars are getting a new look

Tiffany Butler January 27, 2016
From today forward, UNFPD will be sporting some new gear.
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