Jacksonville University (
JU) is a
privatePrivate universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
universityA university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in
JacksonvilleJacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
,
FloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, on the banks of the
St. Johns RiverThe St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as
Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its present name. It is a member of the
Independent Colleges and Universities of FloridaThe Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida is an association of 28 private, educational institutions in the state of Florida. Like the 11 public colleges and universities in Florida, all ICUF schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The current President...
and is accredited by
Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
(SACS) and the
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of BusinessThe Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business was founded in 1916 to accredit schools of business worldwide. The first accreditations took place in 1919. The stated mission is to advance quality management education worldwide through accreditation and thought leadership. It is regarded...
(AACSB). Its sports teams are known as the
Jacksonville DolphinsThe Jacksonville University Dolphins are the athletics team of Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. The Dolphins participate in NCAA Division I athletics, and are members of the Atlantic Sun Conference, the National Lacrosse Conference, and as the Pioneer Football League.-Sports...
.
History
The school was founded in 1934 by William J. Porter. Originally known as William J. Porter University, it began as a private two-year college. Since a permanent site had not yet been acquired, classes were held on the third floor of the First Baptist Church Educational Building in downtown Jacksonville. Sixty students were enrolled in Porter University's first year of operation.
The school changed its name to Jacksonville Junior College in 1935. It relocated three times over the next fifteen years, including a period in the
Florida TheatreThe Florida Theatre is a historic U.S. movie theater in Jacksonville, Florida. The theatre is one of only four remaining high-style movie palaces built in Florida during the Mediterranean Revival architectural boom of the 1920s .It is located at 128 through 134 East...
building, but the influx of GI bill students following the end of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
made it necessary for the school to find a permanent location. In 1947 the administration purchased land in Jacksonville's Arlington neighborhood on which to establish the current campus. The first building was completed in 1950 and classes officially began. The same year the school received full accreditation as a two-year college from the
Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
(SACS).
In 1958 Jacksonville Junior College merged with the Jacksonville College of Music, and the name was changed to Jacksonville University. In 1959 the first four-year class graduated, and in 1962 JU received full accreditation as a four-year school from SACS. The 1960s saw the university grow substantially as enrollment increased, dormitories were built, two new colleges were established and the
Swisher GymnasiumSwisher Gymnasium is a 1,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Jacksonville, Florida. It is home to the Jacksonville University Dolphins women's basketball team....
was constructed. In 1970 the Jacksonville University Dolphins men's basketball team, under star
centerThe center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Artis GilmoreArtis Gilmore is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association...
, went to the
NCAA Division I ChampionshipThe NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
. However, the opening of the public
University of North FloridaThe University of North Florida is a public university located in Jacksonville, Florida. A member institution of the State University System of Florida, the university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s...
in 1973 eroded JU's enrollment, while the removal of public funding hurt the school financially. In the 1990s Jacksonville University reconfigured itself as primarily a
liberal arts collegeA liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
and embarked on a substantial fundraising campaign, which provided for the construction of new buildings and a revision of the campus master plan.
Academics
Jacksonville University offers over 70 majors and programs at the undergraduate level as well as several Master's programs that include the M.S.,
M.A.A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
,
M.A.T.The Master of Arts in Teaching degree is generally a pre-service degree that usually requires a minimum of 30 semester hours beyond the Bachelor's degree. While the program often requires education classes in order to meet state licensure requirements, it emphasizes advanced course work in a...
,
Master of Business AdministrationThe Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
.
The University is divided into three colleges: The College of Arts and Sciences, which offers a traditional liberal arts education; the College of Fine Arts with its integrated
Alexander Brest Museum and GalleryThe Alexander Brest Museum and Gallery is located in the Phillips Fine Arts Building on the campus of Jacksonville University. It was named for its primary benefactor...
; and the Davis College of Business (DCOB). Jacksonville Univ. is also in the process of constructing a Marine Science Research Center on campus along the bank of the
St. Johns RiverThe St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
. Jacksonville Univ. has also teamed up with the Florida Coastal School of Law to offer a joint MBA/law degree.
Davis College of Business: JU's Davis College of Business received its AACSB accreditation in January, 2010. The Davis College of Business is the only private AACSB accredited business school in North Florida. DCOB offers MBA and EMBA degrees along with undergraduate business degrees in Accounting, Aviation management,
Aviation management & flight operations, Economics, Finance, International Business, Management and Marketing.
JU has also joined forces with Delta Connection Academy, owned and operated by
Delta Air LinesDelta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
, to provide high quality flight training to its
aviationAviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
students. A leader in the regional airline industry,
Delta Connection AcademyThe Aerosim Flight Academy, formerly the Delta Connection Academy, a former subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, is a flight school for prospective pilots wishing to enter a career as a commercial airline pilot. As of August 2, 2010, Delta Connection Academy changed names to Aerosim Flight Academy. It...
has hiring agreements with the largest regional airlines including
Atlantic Southeast AirlinesAtlantic Southeast Airlines is an American airline based in the A-Tech Center in College Park, Georgia, flying to 144 destinations as a Delta Connection carrier and, as of February 2010, commenced service as a United Express carrier. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc. ASA operates...
,
American Eagle AirlinesAmerican Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
,
Chautauqua AirlinesChautauqua Airlines, Inc. is a regional airline and a subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Based on 2009 published flight schedules, it operates scheduled passenger services on more than 700 flights daily to 98 airports in 31 states, Washington, D.C...
,
Comair AirlinesComair is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines headquartered on the grounds of Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport in unincorporated Boone County, Kentucky, United States, west of Erlanger, and south of Cincinnati, Ohio...
, and
Trans States AirlinesTrans States Airlines is the thirteenth largest American regional airline and is headquartered in Bridgeton, Missouri. It operates as United Express for United Airlines and US Airways Express for US Airways.- History :...
.
The JU Flight Team competes in
National Intercollegiate Flying AssociationThe National Intercollegiate Flying Association is a professional organization that provides a forum of competition and learning for aviation students from colleges all around the United States....
Regional and National Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference (SAFECON) against other universities. The best team performance came in 2007. The program is the third largest in the nation behind Spartan School in
Tulsa, OklahomaTulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
and the
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private university in the US specializing in aviation and aerospace engineering. It teaches the science, practice, and business of aviation and aerospace. Called "The Harvard of the Sky" by Time Magazine in 1979, Embry-Riddle has a history dating back to...
in Daytona Beach. The Jacksonville Univ. Flight Team placed 10th in the nation at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s. “Among the many trophies that Jacksonville won, Jacksonville earned the prestigious Collegiate Aviation Progress Award given to the school that has made the greatest improvements in the nation,” said Juan Merkt, director of JU’s aeronautics program. "Jacksonville Univ. moved from 20th place overall last year to 10th this year, so this is indeed an impressive accomplishment." Jacksonville Univ. also placed 10th overall in Flight Events and eighth in Ground Events.
JU also has a
nursingNursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
program, a dance program, a marine sciences program, as well as the second-largest
Naval Reserve Officer Training CorpsThe Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program is a college-based, commissioned officer training program of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.-Origins:...
program in the nation. The Jacksonville University nursing program now offers a
Master of Science in Nursing degree through
InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
education. The Davis Student Commons center opened October 2006, and the long-dormant Swisher Theatre opened to much fanfare in January 2007. The school has been noted for its faculty-student ratio from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). In addition, apartment-style residence halls have been opened on campus. The school plans to renovate other residence halls on the campus as well.
Athletics
The JU sports teams participate in NCAA Division I in the
Atlantic Sun ConferenceThe Atlantic Sun Conference is a college athletic conference operating in the Southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; it does not sponsor football. The conference was established in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference...
, except for football, in which its team competes in the Division I FCS
Pioneer Football LeagueThe Pioneer Football League is a college athletic conference which operates in the East, Midwest, and California of the United States. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. The conference participates in the NCAA's...
, and rowing, which competes exclusively in NCAA Division I competitions across the country.
Terry Alexander, the winningest coach in Jacksonville's baseball history with 631 wins, enters his 31st year at Jacksonville and his 20th year as the program’s head coach. He led his team to nine NCAA Regional appearances, won six conference championships (1995, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009) and has completed five 40-win seasons. He has also coached 10 All-America honorees, 50 all-conference selections and helped 44 players get drafted by Major League Baseball organizations.
Jacksonville has a
college basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
program, which years ago produced professional basketball stars such as
Artis GilmoreArtis Gilmore is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association...
, Otis Smith, Pembrook Burroughs III and Rex Morgan. In 1970, Jacksonville University became the second smallest school (behind St. Bonaventure) ever to make it to the
NCAA Final FourThe NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
, and then to the National Championship game. They were led by
head coachA head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Joe WilliamsJoe Williams is a retired college basketball coach. He was head coach of the Jacksonville University men's basketball team from 1964 to 1970, Furman University from 1970 to 1978 and the Florida State University from 1978 to 1986. He notably led Jacksonville University, to the Finals of the NCAA...
. After defeating the
St. Bonaventure teamSt. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
in the tournament semi-finals, they lost to the
UCLA BruinsThe UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
in the National Championship game. In that tournament, UCLA was the only team to hold Jacksonville under 100 points. The following season, Jacksonville became the first college basketball team to average 100+ points per game - at a time when there was no three-point shot and no shot clock in college basketball. In 2009 Jacksonville won the regular season
Atlantic Sun ConferenceThe Atlantic Sun Conference is a college athletic conference operating in the Southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; it does not sponsor football. The conference was established in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference...
title in men's basketball, but fell to
East Tennessee StateThe East Tennessee State Buccaneers are the basketball team that represents East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. ETSU currently competes in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2010...
in the conference tournament title game. The Dolphins were invited to the
National Invitation TournamentThe National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
, the school's first post-season tournament since 1986, but they lost in the first round to the University of Florida Gators.
JU Football won their first PFL title in 2008.
JU is also noted for its rowing program after taking the overall FIRA Cup (States) in 2007. Recently JU has expanded its rowing program with the addition of the Negaard Rowing Center. The JU rowing program has happily celebrated over 50 years of success around the world and has competed from the shores of the Nile River to the icy water's of England's Henley Royal Regatta.
In 2008, the school announced that they will add a men's and women's
lacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
program during the 2009-2010 academic year.
Greek and student life
The school's Greek system, consisting by some estimates of 69% of the school, includes
Kappa Alpha PsiKappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
,
Alpha Phi AlphaAlpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
,
Phi Beta SigmaPhi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
,
Sigma ChiSigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
,
Mu Phi EpsilonMu Phi Epsilon is a co-ed international professional music fraternity and honor society. It boasts over 75,000 members in 128 collegiate chapters and 74 alumni chapters in the US and abroad.-History:...
,
Phi Delta ThetaPhi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
, and
Sigma NuSigma Nu is an undergraduate, college fraternity with chapters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869 by three cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia...
fraternities and the
Delta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
,
Alpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
,
Delta Delta DeltaDelta Delta Delta , also known as Tri Delta, is an international sorority founded on November 27, 1888, the eve of Thanksgiving Day. With over 200,000 initiates, Tri Delta is one of the world's largest NPC sororities.-History:...
,
Alpha Epsilon PhiAlpha Epsilon Phi is a sorority and member of the National Panhellenic Conference. It was founded on October 24, 1909 at Barnard College in New York City by seven Jewish women; Helen Phillips Lipman, Ida Beck Carlin, Rose Gerstein Smolin, Augustina "Tina" Hess Solomon, Lee Reiss Liebert, Rose...
,
Alpha Delta PiAlpha Delta Pi is a fraternity founded on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The Executive office for this sorority is located on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Alpha Delta Pi is one of the two "Macon Magnolias," a term used to celebrate the bonds it shares with Phi Mu...
, and
Gamma Phi BetaGamma Phi Beta is an international sorority that was founded on November 11, 1874, at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. The term "sorority," meaning sisterhood, was coined for Gamma Phi Beta by Dr. Frank Smalley, a professor at Syracuse University.The four founders are Helen M. Dodge,...
sororities.
53 percent of all students live on campus in one of three different residential halls and eight different apartment style housing. Most residence halls provide academic and social events as well as host programs that acclimate incoming students to the college experience.
While Greeks do offer some social events, many residence halls host their own events, though alcohol policies are strictly enforced.
The student center of the University (the Davis Student Commons Building) includes a fitness center overlooking the St. Johns River, a sports-themed dining facility named Nellie's (after the school mascot), a game room for all campus community members, while serving as a focal point for campus life. The facility opened in October 2006.
Student life at Jacksonville University includes opportunities in a diverse range of activities and organizations. Besides fraternities and sororities, there are multicultural groups, arts groups, political and social action groups, service and professional groups, religious groups, sports and recreation groups, academic and professional groups, and special interest groups.
There are also a
variety of campus ministries on campus. In 2009, yet another college and young adult ministry,
ACCESS218, started meeting on campus at JU.
Campus media organizations include the student newspaper (The Navigator), the campus radio station (JU108), the literary and arts magazine (The Aquarian), the student run broadcasting station (Dolphin Channel), and the yearbook (The Riparian). The Jacksonville University Student Alliance serves the needs of the student body as a whole by electing representatives from the university's student organizations, residential communities and colleges. In addition, the Florida Leader magazine ranked JU as the third-best positive student life experience out of the 28 private colleges and universities in the state, citing the small campus size, peer and faculty relationships, and the close-knit campus community that JU has to offer.
Notable alumni
External links