Examine individual changes

'{{short description|Public university in Orlando, Florida, U.S.}} {{redirect|UCF|other uses|UCF (disambiguation)}} {{distinguish|College of Central Florida}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Infobox university | name = University of Central Florida | image = University of Central Florida seal.svg | image_upright = 0.7 | motto = "Reach for the Stars"<!-- WARNING: MOTTO IS NOT "Stands for Opportunity" SEE TALK PAGE --> | established = {{Start date and age|1963|06|10}} |founder = [[Florida Legislature]] | type = [[Public university|Public]] [[research university]] | endowment = $215 million (2022)<ref>As of June 30, 2022. {{cite report |url=https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/ |title=U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 |publisher=National Association of College and University Business Officers and [[TIAA]] |date=February 19, 2021 |access-date=February 20, 2021 |archive-date=February 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221003510/https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Documents/Research/2020-NTSE-Public-Tables--Endowment-Market-Values--FINAL-FEBRUARY-19-2021.ashx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="facts_about_ucf2223">{{cite web |title=UCF Facts |url=https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/ |date=2022–2023 |access-date=September 15, 2023 |archive-date=July 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730030439/https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | budget = $2.1 billion (2022) <ref name="facts_about_ucf2223"/><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/|title=UCF Facts|access-date=January 5, 2022|publisher=University of Central Florida|archive-date=March 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328065459/https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/|url-status=live}}</ref> | president = [[Alexander Cartwright (academic)|Alexander Cartwright]] | provost = Michael D. Johnson | academic_staff = 1,906 (fall 2020)<ref name="facts_about_ucf2021">{{cite web |title=UCF Facts |url=https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/ |date=2020–21 |access-date=May 6, 2021 |archive-date=July 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730030439/https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | administrative_staff = 10,448 (fall 2020)<ref name="facts_about_ucf2021"/> | students = 68,442 (fall 2022)<ref name="UCF Student Enrollment">{{cite web |title=UCF Facts 2022-2023|url=https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/ |access-date=2023-02-20}}</ref><br /> | undergrad = 58,749 (fall 2022)<ref name="UCF Student Enrollment" /> | postgrad = 9,693 (fall 2022)<ref name="UCF Student Enrollment" /> | city = [[Orlando]] | state = Florida | country = United States | coordinates = {{Coord|28.6016|-81.2005|region:US_type:edu|display=inline,title}} | campus = Large suburb<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=university+of+Central+florida&s=all&id=132903|title=IPEDS-University of Central Florida|access-date=November 5, 2021|archive-date=November 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105112449/https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=university+of+Central+florida&s=all&id=132903|url-status=live}}</ref><br />[[#Main campus|Main]]: {{convert|1415|acre|ha|abbr=on}}<br />Total: {{convert|1893|acre|ha|abbr=on}}<ref name="facts_about_ucf">{{cite web |url=https://ikm.ucf.edu/files/2016/07/UCF-Current-Facts-07.18.16.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919164042/https://ikm.ucf.edu/files/2016/07/UCF-Current-Facts-07.18.16.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 19, 2016 |title=UCF Current Facts |access-date=August 5, 2016 |date=July 18, 2016 |publisher=University of Central Florida Institutional Knowledge Management }}</ref> | former_names = Florida Technological University (1966–1978) | colors = Black and gold<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.ucf.edu/brand/brand-assets/colors/ |title=Colors = UCF Brand Guide |access-date=April 14, 2017 |archive-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420124024/https://www.ucf.edu/brand/brand-assets/colors/ |url-status=live }}</ref><br>{{color box|black}}&nbsp;{{color box|#FFC904}} | sporting_affiliations = {{hlist|[[NCAA Division I]] [[Football Bowl Subdivision|FBS]] – [[Big 12 Conference|Big 12]]|[[Sun Belt Conference|Sun Belt]]}} | sports_nickname = [[UCF Knights|Knights]] | mascot = {{hlist|[[Knightro]]|[[Pegasus (mascot)|Pegasus and the UCF Knight]]|[[Citronaut]] (Legacy)}} | academic_affiliations = {{hlist|[[Oak Ridge Associated Universities|ORAU]]|[[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program|Space-grant]]}} | parent = [[State University System of Florida]] | accreditation = [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools|SACS]] | website = {{URL|www.ucf.edu}} | logo = University of Central Florida logo.svg | logo_size = 250 }} The '''University of Central Florida''' ('''UCF''') is a [[public university|public]] [[research university]] with its main campus in [[unincorporated area|unincorporated]] [[Orange County, Florida]]. It is part of the [[State University System of Florida]]. With 68,442 students as of the fall 2022 semester, UCF has the [[List of United States university campuses by enrollment|second-largest on-campus student body of any public university in the United States]]. UCF is [[Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education|classified]] among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools]].<ref name="UCF Student Enrollment"/> UCF was founded in 1963 and opened its first classes in 1968 as '''Florida Technological University''', with the mission to provide personnel educated in science, technology, engineering and math to support the growing [[NASA|U.S. space program]] at the [[Kennedy Space Center]] and [[Cape Canaveral Space Force Station]] on Florida's [[Space Coast]]. As its academic scope expanded beyond engineering and technology, Florida Tech was renamed the University of Central Florida in 1978. UCF continues to have a strong connection to its space roots as it leads the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium as well as founded and governs the [[Florida Space Institute]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://floridaspacegrant.org/ |title=NASA FLORIDA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM |access-date=August 2, 2016 |publisher=Florida Space Grant |archive-date=August 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802095942/http://floridaspacegrant.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and approximately 30% of [[Kennedy Space Center]] employees are UCF graduates. Initial enrollment in 1968 was 1,948 students;<ref name="facts_about_ucf1617">{{cite web|url=http://www.cecs.ucf.edu/web/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/UCF-FactsFlyer-2017-18.pdf|title=UCF Facts 2017-2018|access-date=August 3, 2018|publisher=UCF.edu|archive-date=August 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803224033/http://www.cecs.ucf.edu/web/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/UCF-FactsFlyer-2017-18.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> enrollment in 2022 exceeds 68,000 students from over 150 countries, all 50 states and Washington, D.C.<ref>{{cite web|title=International Applicants|url=https://www.ucf.edu/admissions/undergraduate/international/|website=Undergraduate Admissions|publisher=University of Central Florida|access-date=June 3, 2017|archive-date=December 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206102303/https://www.ucf.edu/admissions/undergraduate/international/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=About Us {{!}} University of Central Florida|url=https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/|website=University of Central Florida|access-date=June 3, 2017|archive-date=July 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712062457/https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/|url-status=live}}</ref> Most students attend classes on the university's main campus, {{convert|13|mi|km|0}} east of [[downtown Orlando]] and {{convert|35|mi|4=}} west of [[Cape Canaveral, Florida|Cape Canaveral]].<ref name="facts_about_ucf" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://uaps.ucf.edu/enrollment/current_projections_enrollment.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051212054318/http://uaps.ucf.edu/enrollment/current_projections_enrollment.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 12, 2005 |title=UCF Enrollment Projections 2012-17 |access-date=August 19, 2013 |publisher=University of Central Florida |df=mdy-all }}</ref> UCF offers more than 230 degrees through 13 colleges including the Health Sciences Campus at [[Lake Nona Medical City]], the [[Rosen College of Hospitality Management]] in south [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]] and the city campus in downtown Orlando.<ref name="UCF Facts 2016-2017">{{cite web|url=https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/|title=UCF Facts 2016-2017|access-date=June 3, 2017|publisher=University of Central Florida|archive-date=July 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730030439/https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/|url-status=live}}</ref> Since its founding, UCF has awarded more than 401,245 degrees, including over 60,000 graduate and professional degrees.<ref name="facts_about_ucf2223" /> Its official colors are black and gold, and the university academic seal features [[Pegasus (mascot)|Pegasus]], which "symbolizes the university's vision of limitless possibilities".<ref>{{cite web|title=Where Did the Pegasus Come From?|url=https://today.ucf.edu/where-did-the-pegasus-come-from/|publisher=University of Central Florida|date=June 1, 2009|access-date=March 7, 2013|archive-date=September 13, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110913121707/http://today.ucf.edu/where-did-the-pegasus-come-from/|url-status=live}}</ref> The university's intercollegiate sports teams, known as the [[UCF Knights]] and represented by mascot [[Knightro]], compete in [[NCAA Division I]] and in the [[Big 12 Conference]], except for Men’s Soccer, which competes in the [[Sun Belt Conference]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://foundation.ucf.edu/Main/Default.asp?CategoryID=2&SubCategoryID=4 |title=University of Central Florida History |access-date=October 28, 2007 |publisher=University of Central Florida Foundation |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071011214243/http://foundation.ucf.edu/Main/Default.asp?CategoryID=2&SubCategoryID=4 |archive-date =October 11, 2007}}</ref> ==History== ===Founding=== Following President [[John F. Kennedy]]'s [[We choose to go to the Moon|September 1962 speech "We choose to go to the Moon"]], in which he described his goal of accomplishing a [[Apollo program|crewed space flight to the Moon]] by the end of the decade, the space program grew in importance and scope in Central Florida because of its proximity to [[Cape Canaveral]].<ref>{{cite news | title = Congressional Record 113th Congress (2013–2014) – University of Central Florida -- (Senate – June 07, 2013) | publisher = The Library of Congress | date = June 7, 2013 | url = http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r113:S07JN3-0023:/ | access-date = October 31, 2013 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151023053709/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r113%3AS07JN3-0023%3A%2F | archive-date = October 23, 2015 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Prominent residents and local leaders began lobbying the [[Florida State Legislature]] to increase access to higher education on the [[Space Coast]]. With the help of former [[Florida Senate|state senate]] [[Senate President#U.S. state senates|president]] [[William A. Shands]] and Senator [[Beth Johnson (American politician)|Beth Johnson]], on June 10, 1963, the legislature passed and [[Florida Governor|Governor]] [[Farris Bryant]] signed into law Senate Bill No. 125, which authorized the [[Florida Board of Regents]] to create a new [[state university]] in East Central Florida.<ref name="50history">{{cite web | title = UCF History | publisher = University of Central Florida | date = 2013 | url = https://www.ucf.edu/50/history/ | access-date = August 12, 2014 | archive-date = August 12, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140812011723/http://www.ucf.edu/50/history/ | url-status = live }}</ref> The university was founded as a non-segregated and coeducational university, with the mission of educating students for space-age careers in engineering and other technological professions. Defense scientists and NASA met with students, recruiting for the space program. On January 24, 1964, the Board of Regents purchased {{convert|1000|acre|ha|abbr=off}} of remote forest and pasture land along [[Florida State Road 434|Alafaya Trail]] (SR 434) in northeast Orlando for $500,000 as the site of the new university. Local residents donated another {{convert|227|acre|ha|abbr=off}}, and raised more than $1 million in funds to secure the land acquisition.<ref name="50history"/> In December 1965, the Board of Regents appointed [[Charles Millican]] the [[List of Presidents of the University of Central Florida|first president]] of the new university.<ref>{{cite news | title = Millican's Peanut Butter and Cheese Crackers | publisher = University of Central Florida | date = June 26, 2009 | url = https://today.ucf.edu/millicans-peanut-butter-and-cheese-crackers/ | access-date = April 3, 2012 | archive-date = September 26, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120926053100/http://today.ucf.edu/millicans-peanut-butter-and-cheese-crackers/ | url-status = live }}</ref> With the consultation of a citizen advisory group, Millican chose the name Florida Technological University, as well as co-designed the school's distinctive Pegasus seal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fulltext.fcla.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?a=49&sid=2b5514c174db581337a6fa5a70674588&idno=CF00001585&c=fhp&cc=fhp&view=jpg&seq=2 |title=Accent on the Individual: The First Twelve Years of Florida Technological University |author=Sheinkopf, Kenneth |publisher=Florida Heritage Collection |access-date=December 5, 2010 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Millican is also responsible for the university's slogan, "Reach for the Stars", for the two key principles of the school, "accent on excellence" and "accent on the individual", and for the campus's unique pedestrian-oriented concentric-circle layout, which was based on plans by [[Walt Disney]] and has become a model for other universities.<ref name="millicanhonored">{{cite web |url=http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004111f64130facebe329f007c7a |title=Founding President Millican Honored |access-date=July 29, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=June 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624105929/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews//index?page=article&id=0024004111f64130facebe329f007c7a |url-status=live }}</ref> Millican and then-Governor [[Claude Kirk]] presided over FTU's groundbreaking in March 1967. On October 7, 1968, the inaugural classes were held in the school's first academic building. 1,948 students were enrolled in 55 degree programs within five colleges, led by 90 instructors and aided by 150 staff members, during the university's first year.<ref>{{cite news | title = University of Central Florida celebrates 40 years of growth | work = [[Orlando Sentinel]] | date = October 7, 2008 | url = http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/orl-ucfforty0708oct07,0,7075818.story | access-date = October 7, 2008 | archive-date = October 8, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081008132036/http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/orl-ucfforty0708oct07,0,7075818.story | url-status = live }} {{dead link|date=August 2023}}</ref> FTU graduated its first class of 423 seniors on June 14, 1970, with [[astronaut]] and Orlando native [[John Young (astronaut)|John Young]] giving the commencement address. Millican selected the university's official colors, and had a role in selecting its first mascot, the [[Citronaut]], a mix of an orange and an astronaut.<ref>{{cite news | title = An orange. An astronaut. Almost a mascot. | publisher = University of Central Florida | date = July 17, 2009 | url = https://today.ucf.edu/an-orange-an-astronaut-almost-a-mascot/ | access-date = June 13, 2010 | archive-date = June 3, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100603033046/http://www.today.ucf.edu/an-orange-an-astronaut-almost-a-mascot/ | url-status = live }}</ref> The [[Citronaut]] proved unpopular, so in 1969 the student newspaper, ''[[Central Florida Future|The Central Florida Future]]'', encouraged mascot suggestions from students and faculty. The search for a replacement proved unsuccessful until 1970, when Judy Hines, a night nurse, proposed Vincent the Vulture. He served as the university's unofficial mascot for more than a year. In late 1971, students voted and selected the Knight of Pegasus as the school's official athletic mascot.<ref name="mascot">{{cite news | title = One School Many Mascots | work= [[Central Florida Future]] | date = January 20, 2004 | url = https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/media/paper174/news/2004/01/20/News/One-School.Many.Mascots-583071.shtml?norewrite&sourcedomain=www.ucfnews.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927183110/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/media/paper174/news/2004/01/20/News/One-School.Many.Mascots-583071.shtml?norewrite&sourcedomain=www.ucfnews.com | url-status = dead | archive-date = September 27, 2007 | access-date = October 28, 2007 }}</ref> The nickname later evolved to the Golden Knights and eventually to the Knights. After retiring as president in 1978, Millican identified his proudest moment leading the school as when President [[Richard Nixon]] delivered the university's spring 1973 commencement address. ===Expansion=== Entering office in 1978, the university's second president, [[Trevor Colbourn]], recognized the diversification and growth of UCF's academic programs away from its strictly technological and scientific beginnings.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1988-04-05/news/0030130226_1_university-of-central-board-of-regents-central-florida |title=Milestones In UCF History |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |date=April 5, 1998 |access-date=February 16, 2012 |archive-date=May 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520111919/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1988-04-05/news/0030130226_1_university-of-central-board-of-regents-central-florida |url-status=live }}</ref> As the university developed strong business, education, and liberal arts programs, Colbourn recognized that the university's name no longer reflected its mission. From its establishment the university was known as Florida Technological University, nicknamed Florida Tech, until December 1978 when Governor [[Reubin Askew]] signed legislation changing the school's name to the University of Central Florida.<ref name="facts_about_ucf"/> Colbourn established the university's [[Burnett Honors College|honors program]], and started the university's first satellite campus{{where|date=August 2023}}. In addition, he was responsible for constructing the [[Central Florida Research Park]] adjacent to the UCF campus, founded in 1978. The park serves as a major focus of [[simulation]] for [[outer space|space]] and [[defense (military)|defense]]-related research. It was part of Colbourn's plan to make UCF a world-class partnership university. Among the university's first partners were [[Lockheed Martin]] and the [[United States Navy]], and Colbourn led the push to found both the [[Institute for Simulation and Training]] and the [[Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers]] in 1986. During his tenure, enrollment increased from 11,000 in 1978 to over 18,000 in 1989.<ref name="papers">{{cite web |url=http://library.ucf.edu/special/FindingAids/Colbourn.xml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525172802/http://library.ucf.edu/special/FindingAids/Colbourn.xml |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 25, 2013 |title=Guide to the Presidential Papers of H. Trevor Colbourn, 1948–2006 |publisher=University of Central Florida library |access-date=April 8, 2013}}</ref> Colbourn also supported the university's athletic programs. He was responsible for establishing the school's [[UCF Knights football|football program]] in 1979, which began an era of growth for the university. In April 1979, UCF awarded its 15,000th degree. ===Hitt presidency=== In March 1992, [[John C. Hitt]] became UCF's fourth president, ushering in an era of unprecedented growth and prominence for the university. Once known mainly as a small commuter and technology school, in recent years UCF has undertaken an effort to increase its academic and research standing while also evolving into a more traditional research university. When Hitt took office, UCF's enrollment was 20,302. As of 2014, 60,821 students attend classes on 12 campuses spread across Central Florida. The university consists of 13 colleges and employs more than 10,150 faculty and staff.<ref name="facts_about_ucf" /> Under Hitt's direction, UCF raised admissions standards, increased research funding, built new facilities, and established notable partnerships with major research institutions.<ref>[http://www.sptimes.com/2006/07/28/State/UCF_chief_gets_top_pa.shtml UCF chief gets top pay in Florida] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415061923/http://www.sptimes.com/2006/07/28/State/UCF_chief_gets_top_pa.shtml |date=April 15, 2009 }} ''St. Petersburg Times''</ref> Hitt's efforts resulted in not only an increase in the university's academic profile, but also an [[FBC Mortgage Stadium|on-campus football stadium]], [[Addition Financial Arena|new arena]], more on-campus housing, and the development of the [[University of Central Florida College of Medicine|UCF College of Medicine]] at Lake Nona. Until 1999, the Knights were represented by a jouster from the [[Medieval Times]] dinner show in nearby [[Kissimmee, Florida]]. That same year, [[Knightro]] was introduced at the staple homecoming event, Spirit Splash. The past decade{{when|date=August 2023}} has seen enrollment increase by over 40%,<ref name="2000_facts">{{cite web|url=http://www.iroffice.ucf.edu/character/char0001.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030507042154/http://www.iroffice.ucf.edu/character/char0001.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 7, 2003 |title=Facts About UCF – 2000–2001 |access-date=July 14, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |df=mdy-all }}</ref> the acceptance rate for first time in college students falling from over 60% to near 40% in 2008, and the doubling of expected annual expenses.<ref name="facts_about_ucf" /><ref name="2000_facts" /> Since 2000, UCF has awarded over 100,000 degrees.<ref name="facts_about_ucf" /><ref name="2000_facts" /> It is the largest university in the nation in terms of [[List of largest United States universities by undergraduate enrollment|undergraduate enrollment]], the largest university in Florida,<ref name="sun">{{cite news |url=http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090825/ARTICLES/908251008/1002/news?Title=UF-is-no-longer-largest-in-state-as-classes-start- |title=UF is no longer largest in state as classes start |access-date=August 26, 2009 |work=The Gainesville Sun |archive-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615083148/http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090825/ARTICLES/908251008/1002/news?Title=UF-is-no-longer-largest-in-state-as-classes-start- |url-status=live }}</ref> and in 2003 was the fastest-growing university in the United States.<ref>{{cite news | title = University of Central Florida | work = Slider | url = http://enc.slider.com/Enc/University_of_Central_Florida | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716092042/http://enc.slider.com/Enc/University_of_Central_Florida | url-status = dead | archive-date = July 16, 2011 | access-date = June 13, 2009 }}</ref> During its Spring 2010 graduation ceremonies, UCF awarded its 200,000th degree,<ref>{{cite news | title = UCF to Award Milestone Degree at Commencement | publisher = University of Central Florida | url = http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=002400410a7944710128412c5363007e17 | date = April 28, 2010 | access-date = May 7, 2010 | archive-date = May 2, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100502003831/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=002400410a7944710128412c5363007e17 | url-status = live }}</ref> less than five years after awarding its 150,000th.<ref>{{cite news | title = A World of Opportunity | publisher = UCF College of Healthy and Public Affairs | url = http://www.cohpa.ucf.edu/documents/AWorldofOpportunity.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060909072952/http://www.cohpa.ucf.edu/documents/AWorldofOpportunity.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = September 9, 2006 | access-date = June 13, 2009 }}</ref> ==== Colbourn Hall scandal ==== In August 2018, the state university system's [[Florida Board of Governors|Board of Governors]] and the [[Florida Legislature]] opened an investigation into the university for misuse of state funds. On September 13, 2018, UCF admitted to misappropriating money intended for educational and operating expenses to build the new $38&nbsp;million Trevor Colbourn Hall, leading to the resignation of CFO Bill Merck.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Martin|first=Annie|title=UCF lambasted after admitting misusing state funds for new $38 million academic building|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-ucf-funds-misappropriation-20180913-story.html|access-date=2020-09-05|website=orlandosentinel.com|date=September 13, 2018 |archive-date=January 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120002729/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-ucf-funds-misappropriation-20180913-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2019, UCF severed ties with President Emeritus John Hitt after the investigation proved that UCF had misspent or planned to misspend over $85&nbsp;million between 2013 and 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Aboraya|first=Abe|date=2019-01-22|title=UPDATE: UCF To Sever Ties With John Hitt Over Misspent Funds|url=https://www.wmfe.org/ucf-to-fire-four-employees-over-illegal-colbourn-hall-construction/96137|access-date=2020-09-05|website=90.7 WMFE|language=en-US|archive-date=September 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920135235/https://www.wmfe.org/ucf-to-fire-four-employees-over-illegal-colbourn-hall-construction/96137|url-status=live}}</ref> Newly appointed president [[Dale Whittaker]], who was a provost at UCF during Hitt's tenure, resigned in February 2019 after just seven months in office over allegations that he also knew about the misappropriation of funds.<ref>{{cite news|last=Martin|first=Annie|date=February 21, 2019|title=UCF Board of Trustees accepts President Dale Whittaker's offer to resign|newspaper=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-ne-ucf-dale-whittaker-resignation-board-of-trustees-20190221-story.html|access-date=February 21, 2019|archive-date=February 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222014204/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-ne-ucf-dale-whittaker-resignation-board-of-trustees-20190221-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Gillespie|first=Annie Martin, Ryan|title=UCF President Dale Whittaker resigned 'to end punitive measures and threats.' But is his departure enough?|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-ne-ucf-future-after-president-dale-whittaker-20190222-story.html|access-date=2020-09-05|website=orlandosentinel.com|date=February 23, 2019 |archive-date=June 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620052520/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-ne-ucf-future-after-president-dale-whittaker-20190222-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Board of Trustees Chairman Marcos Marchena also resigned that month.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Powers|first=Scott|date=2019-03-04|title=John Hitt a shadow in UCF investigation|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/289573-john-hitt-a-shadow-in-ucf-investigation|access-date=2020-09-05|website=Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.|language=en-US|archive-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627133449/https://floridapolitics.com/archives/289573-john-hitt-a-shadow-in-ucf-investigation|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2019, the final report into additional UCF construction projects revealed the balance of misdirected funds between July 2010 and August 2018 was $99.6&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|99.6|2010|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US}}).<ref>{{Cite web|title=UCF seeks to move on after final report on funding misuse|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2019/08/30/ucf-seeks-to-move-on-after-final-report-on-funding.html|access-date=2020-09-05|website=www.bizjournals.com|archive-date=November 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110101359/https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2019/08/30/ucf-seeks-to-move-on-after-final-report-on-funding.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The report found that key people in the university leadership of aware of the misdirection of the funds. UCF was fined by the state for 120% the cost of the misused funds.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Powers|first=Scott|date=2019-08-24|title=Beyond Colbourn Hall: UCF probe report details 11 other projects in scandal|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/304103-beyond-colbourn-hall-ucf-probe-report-details-11-other-projects-in-scandal|access-date=2020-09-05|website=Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.|language=en-US|archive-date=January 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131080646/https://floridapolitics.com/archives/304103-beyond-colbourn-hall-ucf-probe-report-details-11-other-projects-in-scandal|url-status=live}}</ref> ==Campuses== ===Main campus=== The University of Central Florida main campus is located along [[Florida State Road 434|Alafaya Trail]] east of [[Orlando]], Florida.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://map.ucf.edu/ |title=UCF Campus Map |access-date=2020-11-10 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112034633/https://map.ucf.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[File:UCF Memory Mall (30395273585).jpg|thumb|Memory Mall]] The campus is designed to be pedestrian-oriented, with a series of concentric circles.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}} 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fp.ucf.edu/mp2010/PDFs/2-15%20Architectural%20Desgin%20Guidelines%20_Goals,%20Objectives,%20Policies_.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128042834/http://www.fp.ucf.edu/mp2010/PDFs/2-15%20Architectural%20Desgin%20Guidelines%20_Goals%2C%20Objectives%2C%20Policies_.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 28, 2009 |title=2-15 Architectural Design Guidelines Element |access-date=July 29, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |df=mdy-all }}</ref> [[File:UCF Student Union (30395278155).jpg|thumb|Student Union]] Pegasus Circle contains the student union, with the John C. Hitt 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://campusmap.ucf.edu/flash/index.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041206140020/http://campusmap.ucf.edu/flash/index.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 6, 2004 |title=UCF Campus Map |access-date=July 29, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |df=mdy-all }}</ref> 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 being the [[University of California, Irvine]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gghs.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=350:csuf&catid=42:college-spotlights&Itemid=202 |title=University of California, Irvine |access-date=July 29, 2009 |work=Garden Grove High School |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830011435/http://gghs.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=350:csuf&catid=42:college-spotlights&Itemid=202 |archive-date=August 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> ''Newsweek'' ranked UCF as having the 20th most beautiful university campus in the country in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/features/college-rankings/2011/most-beautiful.all.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904004739/http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/features/college-rankings/2011/most-beautiful.all.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 4, 2011 |title=College Rankings 2011: Most Beautiful |access-date=September 13, 2011 |work=Newsweek}}</ref> [[File:UCF Tower.jpg|thumb|200px|UCF Tower student housing dorms]] 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 and on-campus residence. [[File:Knights Plaza.jpg|thumb|200px|right|East retail and Tower III at Knights Plaza]] The north side contains [[Knights Plaza]], an uptown style athletic village with stores and restaurants, the east side contains the [[Arboretum of the University of Central Florida]] and the engineering wing. [[File:UCF Gym.jpg|thumb|180px|UCF Recreation and Wellness Center]] The south side contains student recreation and wellness facilities, leisure pool, receation park, and more student housing. Also 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,<ref name="seventhpark">{{cite news |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/military-research-building-started-1.1773456 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708133144/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/military-research-building-started-1.1773456 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |title=Military research building started | access-date=July 28, 2009 |work=[[Central Florida Future]]}}</ref> housing over 116 corporations. The park provides more than 10,000 jobs to over 500 students and thousands of alumni.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cfrp.org/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011218071030/http://www.cfrp.org/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 18, 2001 |title=Central Florida Research Park – Property Info |access-date=July 28, 2009 |work=Central Florida Research Park |df=mdy-all }}</ref> [[File:Reflection Pond (15736953153).jpg|thumb|200px|Reflection Pond and Millican Hall]] Main Campus is one of the safest branches nationally in comparison of all branches in the US. The percent of crimes in Main Campus decreased from 0.12% (in 2010) to 0.07% (in 2014) crimes per year.<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Central Florida in Orlando: Campus Safety|url=https://search.university/best-colleges/university-of-central-florida-orlando/campus-safety|website=Search.University|access-date=August 18, 2017}}{{dead link|date=October 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> ===Regional campuses=== In addition to the Orlando campus, the University of Central Florida has several other campuses to service the Central Florida region. [[File:Rosen (15318251024).jpg|thumb|Rosen College of Hospitality]] In Orlando, there is another campus, located in [[Downtown Orlando]], the health sciences campus located at [[Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida]]. In addition, the [[Rosen College of Hospitality Management]] is located away from the main campus, in close proximity to the heart of Orlando's tourism industries near [[Universal Destinations & Experiences|Universal Studios]] and [[Disney Parks, Experiences and Products]]. === Downtown Campus === In 2019, a {{convert|15|acre|ha|abbr=off|adj=on|0}} campus was opened in downtown Orlando in collaboration with Valencia West. It includes the Dr. Phillips Academic Commons, the Union West, and the [[UCF Center for Emerging Media]] buildings.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gargotta |first1=Julie |title=New UCF Downtown Brings New Opportunities for Students |url=https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2019/08/19/new-ucf-downtown-brings-new-opportunities-for-students |access-date=5 September 2020 |work=www.mynews13.com |date=19 August 2019 |language=en |archive-date=September 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923031103/https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2019/08/19/new-ucf-downtown-brings-new-opportunities-for-students |url-status=live }}</ref> ===Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona=== {{Main|Lake Nona Medical City}} [[File:UcfComLakeNonaJune2010.jpg|thumb|UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona]] The {{convert|50|acre|ha|abbr=off|adj=on|sigfig=1}} UCF Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona includes the [[University of Central Florida College of Medicine|UCF College of Medicine]] and the Burnett Biomedical Sciences Building. The [[Burnham Institute for Medical Research]], a [[VA hospital|Veterans Affairs Medical Center]], [[Nemours Children's Hospital]], [[M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Institute]], turning the area into a medical city.<ref name="Health Sciences Campus">{{cite web |url=http://med.ucf.edu/about/our-facilities/health-sciences-campus/ |title=UCF College of Medicine : Health Sciences Campus |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida College of Medicine |archive-date=March 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320233900/http://med.ucf.edu/about/our-facilities/health-sciences-campus/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://med.ucf.edu/about/our-facilities/clinical-sites/ |title=UCF College of Medicine : Clinical Sites |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida College of Medicine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320232539/http://med.ucf.edu/about/our-facilities/clinical-sites/ |archive-date=March 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="mednews">{{cite web |url=http://www.orlandomedicalnews.com/ready-set-ndash-ucf-med-school-on-go-cms-458 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315062646/http://www.orlandomedicalnews.com/ready-set-ndash-ucf-med-school-on-go-cms-458 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 15, 2012 |title=Ready, Set – UCF Med School on Go |date=June 2007 |access-date=November 20, 2010 |work=Orlando Medical News}}</ref> The campus will also serve as the future home of the [[UCF College of Nursing]] and the newly approved [[UCF College of Dental Medicine]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/news/nursing-students-homesick-till-2011-1.1432539 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708132948/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/news/nursing-students-homesick-till-2011-1.1432539 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |title=Central Florida Future – Nursing students homesick till 2011 |access-date=June 1, 2009 |work=[[Central Florida Future]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=002400416a60cde7013003bb6e24006f99 |title=Trustees Approve New Dental College |date=May 26, 2011 |access-date=May 27, 2011 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=June 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110602173752/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=002400416a60cde7013003bb6e24006f99 |url-status=live }}</ref> The College of Medicine welcomed its charter class in August 2009. Upon completion of construction, the campus could accommodate as many as 5,000 upper division, professional, and graduate students and faculty members in the health-related programs, and include up to two million square feet of research and instruction space.<ref name="mednews"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flbog.org/documents_meetings/0024_0061_0414_19.pdf |title=Florida Board of Governors – University of Central Florida |access-date=June 13, 2010 |work=Florida Board of Governors |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723154919/http://www.flbog.org/documents_meetings/0024_0061_0414_19.pdf |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> ===Sustainability=== [[File:Alvarez-Fernandez 000002 173132 518638 4578 (36365700060).jpg|thumb|right|Floating solar panals called "the array"]] Due to long-term environmental programs and commitments, UCF was named an exemplary green institution in the 2010 ''Princeton Review's'' Guide to 286 Green Colleges,<ref>{{cite news | title = 286 Green Colleges (Full List) | publisher = Princeton Review | url = http://www.princetonreview.com/green-schools-full-list.aspx | access-date = April 22, 2010 | archive-date = April 30, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100430163408/http://www.princetonreview.com/green-schools-full-list.aspx | url-status = live }}</ref> and the university has had its initiatives showcased by the [[U.S. Department of Energy]].<ref>{{cite news | title = Going Green at UCF Featured on U.S. Dept of Energy's Web Site | publisher = University of Central Florida | url = http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=002400417c223ec20125ae9931fd06a29&subject_id=0024004102975ad83011b2b83251c0c35%22 | date = April 6, 2010 | access-date = April 22, 2010 | archive-date = May 30, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100530170635/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=002400417c223ec20125ae9931fd06a29&subject_id=0024004102975ad83011b2b83251c0c35%22 | url-status = live }}</ref> UCF has pledged to become climate-neutral under the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment by 2050 at the latest, and to increase its recycling rate to 75% by 2020, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 42% by 2030.<ref>{{cite web|title=Taking Action Now: UCF's Climate Action Plan |publisher=University of Central Florida Department of Sustainability and Energy Management |url=http://www.energy.ucf.edu/?q=node/115 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530025241/http://www.energy.ucf.edu/?q=node%2F115 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 30, 2010 |access-date=April 22, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = UCF vows to go green in a big way | work = [[Orlando Sentinel]] | url = http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-04-21/news/ucf-goes-climate-green-20100421_1_climate-change-university-presidents-climate-commitment-ucf | date = April 21, 2010 | access-date = April 22, 2010 | archive-date = April 25, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100425043109/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-04-21/news/ucf-goes-climate-green-20100421_1_climate-change-university-presidents-climate-commitment-ucf | url-status = live }}</ref> Committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, all new construction must be designed and certified by the [[U.S. Green Building Council]]'s [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design]] (LEED).<ref>{{cite web | title = New Construction and Major Renovations Requirements | publisher = University of Central Florida Department of Facilities Planning | url = http://www.fp.ucf.edu/guides/construction_requirements.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100601161848/http://www.fp.ucf.edu/guides/construction_requirements.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 1, 2010 | access-date = April 22, 2010}}</ref> The UCF College of Medicine on the Health Sciences Campus is the only LEED Silver medical school in Florida.<ref>{{cite news | title = UCF is LEED Certified | publisher = University of Central Florida | url = https://today.ucf.edu/blog/2009/02/17/ucf-and-the-leed-certification/ | date =February 17, 2009 | access-date = April 22, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100226024918/https://today.ucf.edu/blog/2009/02/17/ucf-and-the-leed-certification/ <!--Added by H3llBot--> | archive-date = February 26, 2010}}</ref> ==Administration== {{See also|List of presidents of the University of Central Florida|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 Board of Trustees, which governs the university, consisting of 13 appointed to staggered five-year terms by the Florida Board of Governors. The [[University of Central Florida Student Government|Student Government]] president and the faculty chair also serve on the board for the duration of their one-year terms of office.<ref name="pres">{{cite web | url=http://bot.ucf.edu/documents/BOTterms.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601155926/http://bot.ucf.edu/documents/BOTterms.pdf | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 1, 2010 | title=University of Central Florida Board of Trustees Term History | publisher=University of Central Florida | access-date=June 13, 2010}}</ref> The president of the University of Central Florida is the university's principal executive officer. The office was formed upon the university's creation in 1963. The president is appointed by the board of trustees with the consent of the Florida Board of Governors and leads the university through its daily business.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://bot.ucf.edu/documents/BOTbylaws-ThirdAmendedandRestatedfinal.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601160032/http://bot.ucf.edu/documents/BOTbylaws-ThirdAmendedandRestatedfinal.pdf | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 1, 2010 | title=University of Central Florida Board of Trustees Bylaws | date=September 17, 2009 | publisher=University of Central Florida | access-date=June 13, 2010}}</ref> Today, the president's office is in Millican Hall on the university's main campus, and the president lives in the Burnett House, also on the main campus. The fourth president of UCF, [[John Hitt|John C. Hitt]], served from 1992 to 2018<ref>{{cite web | url=http://president.ucf.edu/meet/meet.asp | title=Office of the President : Meet the President | publisher=University of Central Florida | access-date=June 13, 2010 | archive-date=July 27, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727183002/http://president.ucf.edu/meet/meet.asp | url-status=live }}</ref> and was succeeded by incumbent university president Dale Whittaker. After Whittaker resigned in 2019, Thad Seymour, Jr. was appointed from his previous position as UCF's vice president for partnerships and chief innovation officer to serve as the university's interim president until the board of trustees chould choose a replacement. Due to cutbacks in federal, state and local budgets, UCF has had over $140 million in funds cut from its operating budget since 2008.<ref>{{cite news | title = Hitt: If budget cuts continue, UCF may have to limit enrollment | work = [[Orlando Sentinel]] | url = http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-09-25/news/os-ucf-warns-of-budget-cuts-20120925_1_ucf-spokesman-grant-heston-pegasus-ballroom-class-sizes | date = September 25, 2012 | access-date = November 15, 2012 | archive-date = October 18, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121018214551/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-09-25/news/os-ucf-warns-of-budget-cuts-20120925_1_ucf-spokesman-grant-heston-pegasus-ballroom-class-sizes | url-status = live }}</ref> This included a $53 million cut to UCF's 2012–13 [[fiscal year]] budget by the Florida legislature.<ref>{{cite news | title = Florida universities face $300 million budget cut | work = [[Orlando Sentinel]] | url = http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-06/features/os-florida-university-budget-cuts-20120306_1_budget-proposal-cuts-next-school-year-universities | date = March 6, 2012 | access-date = November 15, 2012 | archive-date = May 20, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130520105257/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-06/features/os-florida-university-budget-cuts-20120306_1_budget-proposal-cuts-next-school-year-universities | url-status = live }}</ref> So far UCF has endured the budget cuts by implementing a hiring freeze, ending some faculty perks, such as free seminars, cutting executive pay, and wise management of funds.<ref>{{cite news | title = UCF to Cut Budget, Freeze Hiring and Cap 2008 Freshman Enrollment in Response to Reductions in State Funding | publisher = University of Central Florida | url = http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004102c4c1d99011146fc1c320055c7 | access-date = July 14, 2009 | archive-date = July 1, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100701091035/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004102c4c1d99011146fc1c320055c7 | url-status = live }}</ref> To help counter the budget decreases, the university received $18 million in funds from the [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act]].<ref>{{cite news | title = Legislature slashes budget by $38 million | work = [[Central Florida Future]] | url = https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/legislature-slashes-budget-by-38-million-1.1755051 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110708132944/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/legislature-slashes-budget-by-38-million-1.1755051 | url-status = dead | archive-date = July 8, 2011 | access-date = July 10, 2009}}</ref> UCF's operating budget for the 2014–15 fiscal year is $1.5 billion, a 13.9% increase from the previous year.<ref name="facts_about_ucf"/> UCF's [[financial endowment]], administered by the University of Central Florida Foundation, Inc., was valued at $162 million in 2020.<ref name="facts_about_ucf1819">{{cite web |title=UCF Facts |url=https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/ |date=2018–2019 |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-date=July 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730030439/https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ==Academics== ===Admissions=== {| style="float:right; font-size:85%; margin:10px; text-align:center; font-size:85%; margin:auto;" class="wikitable" |+ Fall first-time freshman admission statistics |- ! &nbsp; !2022<ref name="CDS2022-23">{{cite web |title=Common Data Set 2022-23 |url=https://ikm.ucf.edu/storage/2022/12/CommonDataSet-2022-2023.pdf |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=17 January 2023 }}</ref> !!2021<ref name="CDS2021-22">{{cite web |title=Common Data Set 2021-22 |url=https://ikm.ucf.edu/storage/2022/07/Common-Data-Set-2021-2022.pdf |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=17 January 2023 }}</ref> !!2020<ref name="CDS2020-21">{{cite web |title=Common Data Set 2020-21 |url=https://ikm.ucf.edu/storage/2021/08/Common-Data-Set-2020-2021.pdf |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=17 January 2023 }}</ref> !!2019<ref name="CDS2019-20">{{cite web |title=Common Data Set 2019-20 |url=https://ikm.ucf.edu/storage/2020/08/Common-Data-Set-2019-2020.pdf |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=17 January 2023 }}</ref> !!2018<ref name="CDS2018-19">{{cite web |title=Common Data Set 2022-23 |url=https://ikm.ucf.edu/storage/2019/11/Common-Data-Set-2018-2019.pdf |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=17 January 2023 }}</ref> !!2017<ref name="CDS2017-18">{{cite web |title=Common Data Set 2022-23 |url=https://ikm.ucf.edu/storage/2019/11/Common-Data-Set-2017-2018.pdf |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=17 January 2023 }}</ref> |- ! scope = "row" |Applicants |54,977 ||48,927 ||47,957 ||45,118 ||41,816 ||37,693 |- ! scope = "row" |Admits |22,560 ||17,797 ||21,661 ||20,016 ||17,786 ||18,810 |- ! scope = "row" |Enrolls |7,512 ||7,091 ||8,039 ||7,323 ||7,234 ||6,860 |- ! scope = "row" |Admit rate |41.0% ||36.4% ||45.2% ||44.4% ||42.5% ||49.9% |- ! scope = "row" |Yield rate |33.3% ||39.8% ||37.1% ||36.6% ||40.7% ||36.5% |- ! scope = "row" |SAT composite* |1200–1360<br /><small>(71%†)</small> ||1170⁠–1350<br /><small>(73%†)</small> ||1160⁠–1340<br /><small>(77%†)</small> ||1170–1340<br /><small>(79%†)</small> ||1160–1340<br /><small>(70%†)</small> ||1150–1320<br /><small>(60%†)</small> |- ! ACT composite* |25–29<br /><small>(29%†)</small> ||25–30<br /><small>(27%†)</small> ||25–30<br /><small>(23%†)</small> ||25–30<br /><small>(21%†)</small> ||25–29<br /><small>(30%†)</small> ||24–29<br /><small>(40%†)</small> |- | colspan=7 | * middle 50% range<br /> † percentage of first-time freshmen who chose to submit |} UCF's admission rate for first-time-in-college freshmen has declined from 61% of prospective students admitted in the fall of 2005, to 42% for fall 2020.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2020|title=UCF Facts 2020-2021|url=https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/|url-status=live|access-date=March 28, 2021|website=UCF Facts 2020-2021|archive-date=July 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730030439/https://www.ucf.edu/about-ucf/facts/}}</ref> Due to the decrease in the rate of admission, UCF is rated as a "selective" university by [[The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching]].<ref name="Carnegie" /> 34% of accepted applicants were in the top ten percent of their graduating class, while 72% of accepted applicants were in the top quarter of their high school [[class rank]]ings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1455 |title=University of Central Florida Admissions Information – CollegeData College Profile |access-date=November 22, 2011 |publisher=CollegeData College Profile |archive-date=October 1, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001034351/https://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1455 |url-status=live }}</ref> Freshmen enrolled in fall 2020 posted average [[SAT]] scores of 1320, [[ACT (examination)|ACT]] scores of 28.7 and average high school [[Academic grading in the United States#Weighted GPA|weighted]] GPAs of 4.18.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://today.ucf.edu/accomplished-incoming-class/ |title=UCF Today Most Accomplished Incoming Class |access-date=August 25, 2018 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=August 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826080736/https://today.ucf.edu/accomplished-incoming-class/ |url-status=live }}</ref> UCF is in the top 20 percent of universities in the nation for SAT average and the top 25 percent for GPA average.<ref name="UCFEarnsaTop5">{{cite web |url=https://today.ucf.edu/ucf-earns-a-top-5-u-s-news-ranking/ |title=UCF Earns a Top 5 U.S. News Ranking |access-date=September 13, 2011 |date=September 13, 2011 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=September 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923181349/http://today.ucf.edu/ucf-earns-a-top-5-u-s-news-ranking/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 71% of undergraduates receive financial aid. 90% of students receive scholarships through the [[Florida Bright Futures]] program.<ref name="fin aid">{{cite web |url=https://www.ucf.edu/admissions/undergraduate/tuition-aid/ |title=UCF Undergraduate Admissions – Cost & Aid |access-date=September 18, 2010 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=December 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206102301/https://www.ucf.edu/admissions/undergraduate/tuition-aid/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Forty percent of incoming freshman received [[Advanced Placement]], [[International Baccalaureate]], or an equivalent college credit upon entrance, while 30% of the freshman class received merit based scholarships.<ref name="fin aid" /> The retention rate of the 2010 freshman class was 87%.<ref name="commondataset">{{cite web |url=http://www.iroffice.ucf.edu/commondataset/commondataset11/commondataset11.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415044012/http://www.iroffice.ucf.edu/commondataset/commondataset11/commondataset11.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 15, 2012 |title=UCF – Common Data Set 2011–2012 |access-date=November 22, 2011 |publisher=University of Central Florida}}</ref> More freshmen and transfer students applied to UCF during 2015 than any other public university in Florida, and UCF also awarded more bachelor's degrees than any other Florida public university that year.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/05/02/how-high-school-seniors-really-pick-the-colleges-they-attend-new-report/ |title=How high school seniors really pick the colleges they attend – new report |date=May 2, 2016 |access-date=August 5, 2016 |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |archive-date=August 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822230609/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/05/02/how-high-school-seniors-really-pick-the-colleges-they-attend-new-report/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://today.ucf.edu/short-history-bright-future/ |title=Short History, Bright Future |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=June 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603061903/http://www.today.ucf.edu/short-history-bright-future/ |url-status=live }}</ref> UCF is ranked 2nd in Florida, and 34th in the United States, by the number of [[PSAT/NMSQT|National Merit Scholars]] enrolled.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://today.ucf.edu/ucf-national-merit-scholars/ |title=UCF & National Merit Scholars |access-date=September 18, 2010 |date=April 6, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=December 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213150144/http://today.ucf.edu/ucf-national-merit-scholars/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 335 National Merit Scholars enrolled at UCF for the fall 2020 term. ===Classification=== The University of Central Florida is accredited by the [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools]].<ref name="cn">{{cite web |url=http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=University+of+Central+Florida&s=FL&id=132903 |title=College Navigator – University of Central Florida |access-date=July 9, 2009 |publisher=U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences |archive-date=June 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604104213/http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=University+of+Central+Florida&s=FL&id=132903 |url-status=live }}</ref> Its academic calendar is based on the [[Academic term#Collegiate calendars|semester]] system,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.registrar.sdes.ucf.edu/calendar/academic/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821045147/http://registrar.sdes.ucf.edu/calendar/academic/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 21, 2008 |title=University of Central Florida Academic Calendar |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=June 13, 2010}}</ref> with the typical fall semester running from the end of August until the beginning of December and the typical spring semester running from the beginning of January through the beginning of May. In addition, UCF offers four different summer semesters, A, B, C, and D, ranging from six to 12 weeks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.registrar.ucf.edu/calendar/academic/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723103416/http://www.registrar.ucf.edu/calendar/academic/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 23, 2008 |title=University of Central Florida Academic Calendar |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=August 3, 2009}}</ref> [[The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching]] classifies UCF as a "large four-year, primarily nonresidential" university with a "comprehensive doctoral" graduate instructional program and "highest research activity."<ref name="Carnegie"/> ===Rankings=== {{Infobox US university ranking <!-- U.S. rankings -->| ARWU_NU = 97 | USNWR_W = 413 | THE_WSJ = 297 | USNWR_NU = 137 | Forbes = 119 | Wamo_NU = 36 <!-- Global rankings -->| ARWU_W = 301 | QS_W = 593 | THES_W = 601 }} {{Infobox | above = ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' rankings | label1 = National Universities<ref name="USUnivRankings_USNWR_En" /> | data1 = 137 (tie) | label2 = Public Universities<ref name="USUnivRankings_USNWR_En" /> | data2 = 64 (tie) | label3 = Biological sciences<ref name="USUnivRankings_Sc Bio">{{cite web |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-central-florida-132903/overall-rankings |series=America's Best Graduate Schools |title=Best Biological sciences Programs |work=U.S. News & World Report |year=2017 |access-date=September 21, 2017 |archive-date=April 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426084050/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-central-florida-132903/overall-rankings |url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name="ucf"\><ref>https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-central-florida {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018024923/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-central-florida |date=October 18, 2020 }}<\ref> | data3 = 188 | label4 = Computer Science<ref name="USUnivRankings_USNWR_Sc Physics">{{cite web |url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/department-of-physics-132903 |series=America's Best Graduate Schools |title=Best Science Programs |work=U.S. News & World Report |year=2017 |access-date=September 21, 2017 |archive-date=May 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509210554/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/department-of-physics-132903 |url-status=live}}</ref> | label5 = Criminology<ref name="USUnivRankings_USNWR_Sc Humanities">{{cite web |url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/university-of-central-florida-132903 |series=America's Best Graduate Schools |title=Best Humanities Programs |work=U.S. News & World Report |year=2017 |access-date=September 21, 2017 |archive-date=January 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130111162733/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/university-of-central-florida-132903 |url-status=live}}</ref> | data5 = 22 | label6 = Education<ref name="USUnivRankings_USNWR_Ed">{{cite web |url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/rankings |series=America's Best Graduate Schools |title=Best Education Programs |work=U.S. News & World Report |year=2017 |access-date=September 21, 2017 |archive-date=April 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415002132/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/rankings |url-status=live}}</ref> | data6 = 58 | label7 = Engineering<ref name="USUnivRankings_USNWR_En">{{cite magazine|magazine=U.S. News & World Report|url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/ucf-3954/overall-rankings|title=University of Central Florida|access-date=August 9, 2017|archive-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810213557/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/ucf-3954/overall-rankings|url-status=live}}</ref> | data7 = 73 | label8 = Healthcare Management<ref name="USUnivRankings_USNWR_Hc">{{cite web|url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/healthcare-management-rankings |series=America's Best Graduate Schools |title=Best Healthcare Management Programs |work=U.S. News & World Report |year=2013 |access-date=September 12, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318020351/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/healthcare-management-rankings |archive-date=March 18, 2015 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> | data8 = 46 | label9 = Math<ref name="USUnivRankings_Sc Math">{{cite web |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-central-florida-132903/overall-rankings |series=America's Best Graduate Schools |title=Best Math Programs |work=U.S. News & World Report |year=2017 |access-date=September 21, 2017 |archive-date=April 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426084050/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-central-florida-132903/overall-rankings |url-status=live}}</ref> | data9 = 110 | label10 = Nursing<ref name="USUnivRankings_Nur">{{cite web |url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/university-of-central-florida-132903 |series=America's Best Graduate Schools |title=Best Health Programs |work=U.S. News & World Report |year=2017 |access-date=September 21, 2017 |archive-date=July 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718220933/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/university-of-central-florida-132903 |url-status=live}}</ref> | data10 = 52 | label11 = Public Affairs<ref name="USUnivRankings_Sc Public Affairs">{{cite web |url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-public-affairs-schools/university-of-central-florida-132903 |series=America's Best Graduate Schools |title=Best Public Affairs Programs |work=U.S. News & World Report |year=2017 |access-date=September 21, 2017 |archive-date=July 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120714035556/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-public-affairs-schools/university-of-central-florida-132903 |url-status=live}}</ref> | data11 = 39 }} In the 2022 U.S. News & World Report rankings, UCF was tied for 137th in the National Universities category (tied for 64th among "Top Public Schools"). In addition, ''U.S. News & World Report'' ranked The University of Central Florida as the 10th most innovative school, 3rd "up-and-coming" universities, and 8th best in undergraduate online programs in the nation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ucf.edu/academics/us-news-rankings/|title=2023 BEST COLLEGES RANKINGS|access-date=August 22, 2023 |work=UCF.edu}}</ref><ref name="UCF EDU News">{{cite web|url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/up-and-coming|title=Up-and-Coming Schools: National Universities|access-date=September 12, 2012|work=U.S. News & World Report|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006093652/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/up-and-coming|archive-date=October 6, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. News Lists UCF as No. 3 'Up-and-Comer' University |publisher=University of Central Florida |url=https://today.ucf.edu/u-s-news-lists-ucf-3-comer-university/ |date=September 9, 2014 |access-date=September 9, 2014 |archive-date=September 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911021315/http://today.ucf.edu/u-s-news-lists-ucf-3-comer-university/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kiplinger Ranks UCF on Best College Value List|url=https://today.ucf.edu/kiplinger-ranks-ucf-on-list-of-best-college-values/|website=UCF News – University of Central Florida Articles – Orlando, Florida News|access-date=December 21, 2015|archive-date=December 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220211438/http://today.ucf.edu/kiplinger-ranks-ucf-on-list-of-best-college-values/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Kiplinger]]'' rated UCF 42nd among the "Best Values in Public Colleges" in the United States in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.kiplinger.com/tools/colleges/ |publisher=Kiplinger |title=Best Values in Public Colleges, 2014 |access-date=September 9, 2014 |year=2014 |archive-date=December 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204182843/http://www.kiplinger.com/tools/colleges/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The university was also rated as one of "50 Best Value Public Universities" by ''[[USA Today]]'' and ''[[The Princeton Review]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://today.ucf.edu/the-princeton-review-ucf-one-of-nations-best-values/ |publisher=University of Central Florida |title=The Princeton Review: UCF One of Nation's "Best Values" |access-date=September 11, 2012 |date=February 7, 2012 |archive-date=January 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113035038/http://today.ucf.edu/the-princeton-review-ucf-one-of-nations-best-values/ |url-status=live}}</ref> UCF is listed among "The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 Edition," and was ranked as a "Best Southeastern College" by ''The Princeton Review''.<ref name="tpr">{{cite web |title=Princeton Review rankings for 2012 |publisher=The Princeton Review |url=http://www.princetonreview.com/schools/college/CollegeRankings.aspx?iid=1022881 |access-date=September 13, 2011 |archive-date=April 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140414003557/http://www.princetonreview.com/schools/college/CollegeRankings.aspx?iid=1022881 |url-status=live}}</ref> Many of the University of Central Florida's graduate programs have received top-100 rankings from ''U.S. News & World Report''. Five UCF programs as among the nation's "Best Graduate Schools."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004107a42ec8a01289848d7ab02e9a |title=U.S. News: UCF Still a Top National University to Watch |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=August 17, 2010 |date=August 17, 2010 |archive-date=October 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101025181106/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004107a42ec8a01289848d7ab02e9a |url-status=live}}</ref> UCF is known for its innovation, engineering, and hospitality programs. Since 2013, the ''U.S. News & World Report'' ranked UCF's engineering, education, speech language pathology, public administration, criminology, healthcare, nursing, physics, physical therapy, space science, social work, speech-language pathology, and computer science programs all within the top 100 in their respective fields.<ref name="top100">{{cite web |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-central-florida-132903/overall-rankings |title=University of Central Florida – Overall Rankings – Best College – US News |access-date=March 7, 2013 |work=U.S. News & World Report |archive-date=April 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426084050/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-central-florida-132903/overall-rankings |url-status=live}}</ref> The ''[[Academic Ranking of World Universities]]'' ranked [[Rosen College of Hospitality Management|Rosen College’s]] hospitality program the No. 1 in the nation and No. 2 in the world in 2022.<ref name="hospitalitynet.org">{{Cite web|title=UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management Again Named Nation’s Best, 2nd in World|url=https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4104698.html|access-date=July 5, 2023 |website=hospitalitynet.org|language=en-US}}</ref> ''U.S. News & World Report'' ranked the university's atomic, molecular, and optical physics program 13th nationally, the nonprofit management public affairs program 25th, and the counselor education program now breaking the top 10 at 9th in the nation.<ref name="top100"/> In 2012, the [[UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science]] was ranked 70th nationally,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/items/02045 |title=Rankings – Best Engineering Schools – Graduate Schools – Education – U.S. News & World Report |access-date=April 15, 2010 |work=U.S. News & World Report |archive-date=July 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701143240/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/items/02045 |url-status=live}}</ref> while the College of Education and Human Performance was ranked 64th,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/rankings/page+3 |title=Rankings – Best Education Schools – Graduate Schools – Education – U.S. News & World Report |access-date=January 10, 2010 |work=U.S. News & World Report |archive-date=March 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325191757/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/rankings/page+3 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the physics program was ranked 102nd in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/physics-rankings |title=Rankings – Physics – Graduate Schools – Education – U.S. News & World Report |access-date=April 3, 2012 |work=U.S. News & World Report |archive-date=April 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407201323/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/physics-rankings |url-status=live}}</ref> The ''Princeton Review'' ranked the [[Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy]] (FIEA) 2nd in graduate video game design in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.princetonreview.com/game-design-press-release.aspx |title=GamePro Media and The Princeton Review Name Top 10 Undergraduate and Top 10 Graduate Schools For Video Game Design Study |date=March 1, 2012 |access-date=April 19, 2012 |work=[[The Princeton Review]] |archive-date=April 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425165034/http://www.princetonreview.com/game-design-press-release.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref> The 2014 [[Academic Ranking of World Universities]] list assessed The University of Central Florida as among the top 300 world universities and the top 109 in the U.S., based on overall research output and faculty awards.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2010_3.jsp |title=ARWU 2010 |access-date=August 17, 2010 |publisher=Shanghai Jiao Tong University |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822192855/http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2010_3.jsp <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=August 22, 2010}}</ref> UCF's engineering and business schools were rated among the top 150 and the university's social sciences, computer science, and mathematics programs among the top 200 globally.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shanghairanking.com/Institution.jsp?param=University%20of%20Central%20Florida |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118065510/http://www.shanghairanking.com/Institution.jsp?param=University+of+Central+Florida |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 18, 2011 |title=University of Central Florida – ARMU Profile |access-date=March 7, 2013 |publisher=Shanghai Jiao Tong University |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In 2010, ''[[Bloomberg BusinessWeek]]'' ranked the UCF College of Business Administration as the nation's best public business school for return on investment,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=002400417c223ec20125ae9931fd04e92 |title=BusinessWeek: UCF Gives You the Most for Your Money |access-date=October 16, 2009 |date=March 25, 2010 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=May 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530210603/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=002400417c223ec20125ae9931fd04e92 |url-status=live}}</ref> and as a Top Undergraduate Business Program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bwnt.businessweek.com/bschools/undergraduate/10rankings/index.asp?sortCol=rankid&sortOrder=1&pageNum=3&resultNum=50 |title=Top Business Programs 2010 |access-date=May 6, 2010 |work=Bloomberg Businessweek}}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The university has also been recognized by [[Bill Gates]] as a leading institution.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://today.ucf.edu/bill-gates-praises-ucf/ |title=Bill Gates Praises UCF |date=October 12, 2010 |access-date=October 12, 2010 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=October 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101018055417/http://today.ucf.edu/bill-gates-praises-ucf/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2370608,00.asp |title=Gates Foundation Launches $20M Grant for Online Ed |date=October 11, 2010 |access-date=October 12, 2010 |magazine=PC Magazine |archive-date=October 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013161950/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2370608,00.asp |url-status=live}}</ref> The University of Central Florida ranks eighth among national universities "least likely to leave graduates in debt,"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/features/college-rankings/2011/cheapest.all.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120115084237/http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/features/college-rankings/2011/cheapest.all.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 15, 2012 |title=College Rankings 2011: Cheapest Schools |access-date=September 13, 2011 |work=Newsweek}}</ref> and was also ranked as one of the most economically diverse universities in 2009, 2010, and 2011 by ''U.S. News & World Report''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/national-economic-diversity |title=Economic Diversity: National Universities |access-date=September 13, 2011 |work=U.S. News & World Report |archive-date=January 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110105171135/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/national-economic-diversity |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, ''Forbes'' listed UCF as the 42nd most-affordable university in the nation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://today.ucf.edu/forbes-lists-ucf-as-a-top-50-college-buy/ |title=Forbes Lists UCF as a Top 50 College Buy |access-date=September 13, 2011 |date=August 10, 2011 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=September 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110912100456/http://today.ucf.edu/forbes-lists-ucf-as-a-top-50-college-buy/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The university is also considered a top school in awarding degrees to minority students, ranking 12th nationally for total undergraduate degrees awarded to Hispanic students and 18th for undergraduate degrees awarded to African-American students.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004107a42ec8a01289848d7ab033fe |title=UCF a Top School in Awarding Degrees to Diverse Students |access-date=August 20, 2010 |date=August 19, 2010 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=August 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821123734/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004107a42ec8a01289848d7ab033fe |url-status=live}}</ref> UCF offers both [[Army ROTC|Army]] and [[Air Force ROTC|Air Force]] [[ROTC|Reserve Officer Training Corps]] (ROTC) programs, which are rated among the top 15% nationally.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10679/rotc-gaining-in-popularity-1.1434425 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708133150/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10679/rotc-gaining-in-popularity-1.1434425 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |title=ROTC gaining in popularity |access-date=July 28, 2009 |work=[[Central Florida Future]]}}</ref> ===Colleges=== ====Overview==== {{multiple image | align = right | direction = vertical | header = | header_align = left/right/center | header_background = | footer = | footer_align = left/right/center | footer_background = | width = | image1 = UCF College of Sciences.jpg | width1 = 175 | alt1 = A brick and glass clad building is seen alongside a street. | caption1 = College of Sciences | image2 = UCF HCEC.jpg | width2 = 175 | alt2 = A modern architectural style building is seen clad in stone, metal, and glass against the backdrop of trees and a blue sky. | caption2 = Engineering Center | image3 = UCF TA.jpg | width3 = 175 | alt3 = A modern architectural style building is seen clad in metal and glass against the backdrop of trees and a blue sky. | caption3 = Teaching Academy }} The university houses 13 colleges, which offer 101 [[Bachelor's degree|baccalaureate]] programs, 88 [[Master's degree|master's]] programs, 31 [[Doctorate|doctoral]] programs, three specialist programs, and a professional program (medicine). In addition, 75% of the faculty have doctorate degrees, and 46% have tenure.<ref name="facts_about_ucf"/><ref name="catalog">{{cite web | url=http://www.catalog.sdes.ucf.edu/UCFUGRDCatalog1314.pdf | title=2013–2014 Undergraduate Catalog | publisher=University of Central Florida | year=2013 | access-date=May 25, 2013}}{{dead link|date=January 2017}}</ref> The 13 colleges house 41 separate degree-granting departments and schools.<ref name="catalog"/> By enrollment, the three largest undergraduate units are the [[University of Central Florida College of Sciences|College of Sciences]], the [[University of Central Florida College of Business Administration|College of Business Administration]], and the [[University of Central Florida College of Health Professions and Sciences|Health Professions and Sciences]].<ref name="facts_about_ucf" /> At the graduate level, the [[University of Central Florida College of Graduate Studies|College of Graduate Studies]] serves as the central administrative unit of graduate education at the university.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.graduate.ucf.edu/article.aspx?id=130 | title=College of Graduate Studies – University of Central Florida | publisher=University of Central Florida College of Graduate Studies | access-date=July 7, 2009 | archive-date=August 31, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831002032/http://www.graduate.ucf.edu/article.aspx?id=130 | url-status=live }}</ref> Graduate students are also students of one of the other 12 colleges at the university. The university is seeking approval for a [[University of Central Florida College of Dental Medicine|College of Dental Medicine]], which would be housed at the Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-05-26/features/os-ucf-dental-school-052711-20110526_1_dental-school-dental-program-ucf-plans |title=UCF dental school wins trustees' approval |date=May 26, 2011 |access-date=May 27, 2011 |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |archive-date=May 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530010141/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-05-26/features/os-ucf-dental-school-052711-20110526_1_dental-school-dental-program-ucf-plans |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.med.ucf.edu/news/news/2011/may/052711_1/ |title=College of Medicine News Release: UCF Trustees Approve Dental College |date=May 26, 2011 |access-date=May 27, 2011 |publisher=UCF College of Medicine |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004103239/http://www.med.ucf.edu/news/news/2011/may/052711_1/ |archive-date=October 4, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> {|class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="2" | College/school founding |- ! College/school !! Year founded |- | [[University of Central Florida College of Arts and Humanities|Arts and Humanities]] || {{center|2005}} |- | [[University of Central Florida College of Business Administration|Business Administration]] || {{center|1968}} |- | [[University of Central Florida College of Education and Human Performance|Education and Human Performance]] || {{center|1968}} |- | [[University of Central Florida College of Engineering and Computer Science|Engineering and Computer Science]] || {{center|1966}} |- | [[University of Central Florida College of Graduate Studies|Graduate Studies]] || {{center|2008}} |- | [[University of Central Florida College of Health Professions and Sciences|Health Professions and Sciences (originally Health and Public Affairs)]] || {{center|2018 (1978 as Health and Public Affairs)}} |- | [[University of Central Florida College of Medicine|Medicine]] || {{center|2006}} |- | [[University of Central Florida College of Nursing|Nursing]] || {{center|2007}} |- | [[University of Central Florida College of Optics and Photonics|Optics and Photonics]] || {{center|2004}} |- | [[Rosen College of Hospitality Management]] || {{center|1983}} |- | [[University of Central Florida College of Sciences|Sciences]] || {{center|2005}} |- | [[University of Central Florida College of Undergraduate Studies|Undergraduate Studies]] || {{center|2015}} |- | [[Burnett Honors College|The Burnett Honors College]] || {{center|1998}} |} ====The Burnett Honors College==== {{Main|The Burnett Honors College}} The University Honors Program, administered by the Burnett Honors College is designed for 500 accomplished incoming undergraduates annually. 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. 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 undergraduate honors thesis.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.honors.ucf.edu/Admissions_Main.asp |title=Admissions Overview |access-date=July 7, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604115118/http://www.honors.ucf.edu/Admissions_Main.asp <!--Added by H3llBot-->|archive-date=June 4, 2009}}</ref> The latest Honors College incoming class had an average SAT score of 1373 and a 4.16 grade-point average.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ucf.edu/about_ucf/?promo_id=ThisIsUCF_presidentwithsign |title=About UCF |access-date=September 18, 2010 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716055941/http://www.ucf.edu/about_ucf/?promo_id=ThisIsUCF_presidentwithsign |url-status=live }}</ref> Honors students have the option to reside in a specifically designed living-learning community, composed entirely of honors students, in Tower III at [[Knights Plaza]].<ref name="Special Interest Communities">{{cite web|url=http://www.housing.ucf.edu/choices/towers/interests/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516110757/http://www.housing.ucf.edu/choices/towers/interests |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 16, 2010 |title=Towers at Knights Plaza |access-date=June 13, 2010 |publisher=UCF Housing and Residence Life |df=mdy-all }}</ref> ====College of Medicine==== {{Main|University of Central Florida College of Medicine}} 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 welcomed its charter class of 41 students on August 3, 2009, and eventually will produce about 120 medical graduates a year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://med.ucf.edu/about/ |title=College of Medicine :: About the College |access-date=July 28, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida College of Medicine |archive-date=July 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718220856/http://www.med.ucf.edu/about/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[File:UCF College of Medicine.jpg|thumb|UCF College of Medicine at Lake Nona]] With more than 4,300 applications for 41 available positions, UCF broke the state university record for most applications, and for 2009 it was the most selective medical school in the country.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/med-students-receive-white-coats-begin-class-1.1788553 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708133102/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/med-students-receive-white-coats-begin-class-1.1788553 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |title=Med students receive white coats, begin class |access-date=August 3, 2009 |date=August 3, 2009 |work=[[Central Florida Future]]}}</ref> For the class of 2014, there were 3,761 applicants and only 60 were accepted.<ref name="medstats">{{cite web|url=http://publications.ucf.edu/college-of-medicine/viewbook.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711201543/http://publications.ucf.edu/college-of-medicine/viewbook.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |title=College of Medicine Viewbook |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida College of Medicine |df=mdy-all }}</ref> This initial class had the highest average MCAT score, 32.2, and GPA, 3.8, of any incoming class of medical students in the state.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=00240041037381429012136c33d79002dda |title=UCF's First Class of Med Students Greeted with Ceremony, Surprise |access-date=August 3, 2009 |date=August 3, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=August 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804084211/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=00240041037381429012136c33d79002dda |url-status=live }}</ref> The inaugural class had a median age of 28, with 25% of the class composed of out-of-state students.<ref name="medstats"/> The charter class completed their first year of courses on the UCF main campus, while the Lake Nona Medical City was completed. Every member of the inaugural class received a full scholarship, including tuition and basic living expenses, for their entire four years at the university, valued at over $160,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10660/med-school-a-large-draw-1.1420658 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722185827/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10660/med-school-a-large-draw-1.1420658 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |title=Med school a large draw |access-date=April 28, 2009 |date=September 17, 2008 |work=[[Central Florida Future]]}}</ref> The university aims for the college to become a research-intensive medical school, with the aid of [[the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences]], The [[UCF Lake Lona Cancer Center]], a [[VA hospital|Veterans Affairs Medical Center]], [[Nemours Foundation|Nemours Children's Hospital]], [[Tavistock Group]], and a [[M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Institute]], all located on the College of Medicine's Lake Nona campus.<ref name="Health Sciences Campus"/> ====Rosen College of Hospitality Management==== [[File:Rosen (15939858242).jpg|thumb|Rosen College of Hospitality Management]] {{Main|Rosen College of Hospitality Management}} Located near the [[Orange County Convention Center]] on Universal Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, the college's {{convert|20|acre|ha|0|abbr=off|adj=on}} campus is designed to imitate a resort-style feel, with various areas of the college named for major donors to the college (e.g. Disney Dining Room, Universal Orlando Library, Darden Auditorium, and the state-of-the-art Anheuser Busch Beer & Wine Lab).<ref name="facts_about_ucf"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://hospitality.ucf.edu/support/donors/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016071723/http://hospitality.ucf.edu/support/donors/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 16, 2011 |title=Rosen College of Hospitality Management :: Donors |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida Rosen College of Hospitality Management |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The campus includes the Three Pillars Cafe, a student-operated cafe that serves various cuisines and food items.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rosenarchive.smca.ucf.edu/10.html |title=Three Pillars Cafe Has A New Flavor |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida Rosen College of Hospitality Management |archive-date=November 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118070540/http://rosenarchive.smca.ucf.edu/10.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Regular Shuttle service is offered on most days that class is in session to and from the UCF Main Campus.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rosen Campus Shuttle |url=https://parking.ucf.edu/transportation/rosen-campus/ |website=UCF Parking Services |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=27 October 2022}}</ref> The college features an on-site Campus Life Office and Career Services Office that coordinate on-campus activities and career development events in conjunction with the UCF Student Government Association. In 2005, the university opened two on-campus housing buildings, able to house 400 residents.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.housing.ucf.edu/choices/rosen/ |title=Rosen College Student Apartments |access-date=June 13, 2010 |work=UCF Department of Housing and Residence Life |archive-date=November 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128134227/http://www.housing.ucf.edu/choices/rosen/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The college offers a variety of student organizations including 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, and the Global Association of Christian Hospitality Professionals. Rosen is currently ranked as the #1 in the nation and #2 in the world as of 2022.<ref name="hospitalitynet.org"/> ===Limited access programs=== Among the colleges, a number of undergraduate academic programs are termed "limited access programs" which are programs where student demand exceeds available resources thus making admission to such program competitive.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catalog.sdes.ucf.edu/undergraduate_admissions/limited_access_programs/Default.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013105157/http://www.catalog.sdes.ucf.edu/undergraduate_admissions/limited_access_programs/Default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 13, 2008 |title=University of Central Florida 2010–2011 Undergraduate Catalog – Limited Access Programs |access-date=September 18, 2010 |publisher=University of Central Florida |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Examples include academic programs taught under the Nicholson School of Communication and the music, theatre, dance, and medical laboratory sciences schools or departments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://communication.cos.ucf.edu/include/file/resources/forms/advisementReference.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530131624/http://communication.cos.ucf.edu/include/file/resources/forms/advisementReference.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 30, 2010 |title=Nicholson School of Communication (NSOC) |access-date=July 28, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida Nicholson School of Communication}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://transfer.sdes.ucf.edu/files/workshop2005/cas.ppt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605052105/http://transfer.sdes.ucf.edu/files/workshop2005/cas.ppt |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 5, 2010 |title=Community College Counselor Workshop |access-date=July 28, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida College of Arts and Sciences}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://transfer.sdes.ucf.edu/manual/manual_0203/programs/arts_and_sciences/theatre_ba.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603025844/http://transfer.sdes.ucf.edu/manual/manual_0203/programs/arts_and_sciences/theatre_ba.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 3, 2010 |title=UCF Curriculum Guide |access-date=July 28, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.biomed.ucf.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=84&Itemid=168 |title=Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences – Bachelor of Science |access-date=February 10, 2011 |publisher=University of Central Florida College of Medicine |archive-date=September 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910160708/http://www.biomed.ucf.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=84&Itemid=168 |url-status=live }}</ref> Students must apply to join these programs separately from admission to the university. Criteria for admission varies but is generally very selective and includes factors such as indicators of ability, performance, creativity, and talent. Arts programs require competitive auditions and have some of the smallest numbers of undergraduate majors in the university.<ref name="catalog"/> ===Libraries=== [[File:UCFlibrary.jpg|thumb|John C. Hitt Library]] {{Main|University of Central Florida Libraries}} The stated goal of the University of Central Florida libraries 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."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://library.ucf.edu/ |title=UCF Libraries Homepage |access-date=July 9, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida Libraries |archive-date=July 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706212546/http://library.ucf.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref> UCF Libraries collections include over 2.2 million print volumes, 3.2 million microforms, 330,000 government documents, 10,000 full text electronic journal subscriptions, 660,000 e-books, 40,000 media titles, a base of 43,000 serial subscriptions, in addition to special collections and university archives materials.<ref name="facts_about_ucf"/> 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. UCF Libraries is a partner within the [[State University System of Florida Libraries]]. Most of the print and media collection is housed in the John C. Hitt Library, which is located on UCF's main campus and is open to students, faculty and the public seven days a week. The library is five stories tall, and was the first academic building on campus.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://library.ucf.edu/govdocs/ucfstats.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050414080049/http://library.ucf.edu/GovDocs/ucfstats.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 14, 2005 |title=Resources for UCF Statistics & History |access-date=October 12, 2010 |publisher=University of Central Florida |df=mdy-all }}</ref> [[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.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1986-07-22/lifestyle/0240070213_1_allison-nierman-advisory-board |title='Flame Of Hope' To Light UCF's Path |date=July 22, 1986 |access-date=October 12, 2010 |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |archive-date=September 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902075732/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1986-07-22/lifestyle/0240070213_1_allison-nierman-advisory-board |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2012, the main campus library was dedicated to honor John C. Hitt, UCF's fourth president, who at the time was celebrating his twentieth anniversary as university president.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://today.ucf.edu/new-library-name-a-hitt-with-ucf-board-of-trustees/ |title=New Library Name a 'Hitt' with UCF Board of Trustees |date=March 15, 2012 |access-date=May 14, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=May 31, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531080909/http://today.ucf.edu/new-library-name-a-hitt-with-ucf-board-of-trustees/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition to the John C. Hitt Library, Rosen College library, Downtown Library, Curriculum Materials Center, and the [[University of Central Florida College of Medicine#Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library|Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library]], UCF operates libraries at nine of its regional campuses throughout Central Florida.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://library.ucf.edu/Administration/AnnualReports/2010-2011/Regional.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525174232/http://library.ucf.edu/Administration/AnnualReports/2010-2011/Regional.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 25, 2013 |title=2010-2011 UCF Libraries Annual Report - Regional Campus Libraries |access-date=May 14, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida}}</ref> 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 than doubled the size of the building. University president [[List of University of Central Florida faculty and administrators|Trevor Colbourn]] dedicated the newly remodeled and expanded library in February 1985. A $64.4 million expansion of the Hitt Library, which would add {{convert|212400|sqft|m2}} of space, as well as an Automated Retrieval System was recently approved by the university's Board of Trustees but may be delayed due to budget cuts.<ref>{{cite news |title = UCF seeks higher fee to fund $64.4M library upgrade |work = Orlando Business Journal |date = June 8, 2012 |url = http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/print-edition/2012/06/08/ucf-seeks-higher-fee-to-fund-644m.html |access-date = March 11, 2013 |archive-date = June 27, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120627121008/http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/print-edition/2012/06/08/ucf-seeks-higher-fee-to-fund-644m.html |url-status = live }}</ref> Currently, the library is working on its 21st Century Library Project, a multi-phased plan designed to create additional space for student learning, technology, collaboration, and research expansion.<ref>{{cite web |title=21st Century Library |url=https://library.ucf.edu/21st/ |website=UCF Libraries |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=27 October 2022}}</ref> The project upon completion will include the construction of a four-story automated retrieval center, increased quiet study space, and the creation of additional research and writing facilities on the fifth floor.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://library.ucf.edu/about/libraries/john-c-hitt-library/|title=John C. Hitt Library|publisher=University of Central Florida |website=UCF Libraries|access-date=October 23, 2019}}</ref> ==Research== {{further|University of Central Florida research centers}} The University of Central Florida fosters research among its thirteen academic colleges and schools, partnerships with corporations such as [[Lockheed Martin]], [[Disney]], [[Boeing]], [[L3Harris]], [[Siemens]], [[SpaceX]], and [[Universal Destinations & Experiences|Universal]].<ref>{{cite web | title = UCF / Lockheed Martin Work Experience Program | publisher = University of Central Florida Career Services | url = http://www.career.ucf.edu/Students/Undergraduate_Students/Gain_Relevant_Work_Experience/Lockheed_Martin_Work_Experience_Program_48_187.aspx | access-date = July 28, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090616011137/http://www.career.ucf.edu/Students/Undergraduate_Students/Gain_Relevant_Work_Experience/Lockheed_Martin_Work_Experience_Program_48_187.aspx | archive-date = June 16, 2009 | df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Boeing Announces Educational Partnership with U.S. Air Force, UCF and FIT |publisher=Boeing |url=http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/1996/news.release.960305.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010430044450/http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/1996/news.release.960305.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 30, 2001 |access-date=July 28, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = UCF, Siemens expanding energy, turbine research | publisher = Orlando Business Journal | url = http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2008/10/20/story12.html | date = October 17, 2008 | access-date = July 28, 2009 | archive-date = June 27, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150627054004/http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2008/10/20/story12.html | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://floridapolitics.com/archives/518863-ucf-announces-results-of-disney-aspire-program-nearly-1000-participants-earning-degrees/|title=UCF announces results of Disney Aspire program — nearly 1,000 participants earning degrees |date=April 23, 2022|website=Floridapolitics.com|access-date=March 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucf.edu/news/ucf-unveils-l3harris-engineering-center-noting-longstanding-partnership/?amp|title=UCF Unveils L3Harris Engineering Center, Noting Longstanding Partnership|date=February 8, 2021|website=ucf.edu.com|access-date=March 9, 2023}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite web|title=About Florida High Tech Corridor |publisher=Florida High Tech Corridor |url=http://www.floridahightech.com/about.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100907001656/http://www.floridahightech.com/about.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 7, 2010 |access-date=June 13, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The university has made noted research contributions to aerospace, optics, modeling and simulation, digital media, engineering and computer science, business administration, education, and hospitality management.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucf.edu/news/ucf-named-no-1-aerospace-defense-workforce-supplier-for-6th-year-in-a-row/?amp|title= UCF Named No. 1 Aerospace, Defense Workforce Supplier for 6th Year in a Row |date= 2020|website=ucf.edu.com|access-date=March 9, 2023}}</ref> UCF is [[Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education|classified]] among "[[List of research universities in the United States|R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity]]".<ref name="Carnegie">{{cite web |title=Carnegie Classifications Institution Lookup |url=https://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/lookup/view_institution.php?unit_id=132903 |publisher=Center for Postsecondary Education |website=carnegieclassifications.iu.edu |access-date=21 July 2020 |archive-date=July 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722032617/https://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/lookup/view_institution.php?unit_id=132903 |url-status=live }}</ref> According to the [[National Science Foundation]], UCF spent $215.3 million on research and development in 2018, ranking it 107th in the nation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Table 20. Higher education R&D expenditures, ranked by FY 2018 R&D expenditures: FYs 2009–18 |url=https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/herd/2018/html/herd18-dt-tab020.html |website=ncsesdata.nsf.gov |publisher=[[National Science Foundation]] |access-date=21 July 2020 |archive-date=June 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611114022/https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/herd/2018/html/herd18-dt-tab020.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2009, UCF directly influenced 26,000 jobs and $1.96 billion in economic activity.<ref name="impact"/> When UCF's economic impact is combined with that of the Central Florida Research Park, the university and park influenced 46,000 jobs and $3.84 billion in economic activity in 2009.<ref name="impact">{{cite web |url=https://today.ucf.edu/blog/2009/04/06/ucfs-economic-impact/ |title=UCF's Economic Impact |access-date=July 28, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513035151/https://today.ucf.edu/blog/2009/04/06/ucfs-economic-impact/ <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=May 13, 2009}}</ref> The new [[University of Central Florida College of Medicine|College of Medicine]], which opened in August 2009, will create an estimated 30,000 local jobs and have an economic impact of $7.6 billion in its first few years.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://today.ucf.edu/blog/2009/04/06/ucfs-economic-impact/ |title=UCF's Economic Impact |work= UCF Today |access-date=June 2, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513035151/https://today.ucf.edu/blog/2009/04/06/ucfs-economic-impact/ <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=May 13, 2009}}</ref>{{update inline|date=July 2020}} Metropolitan Orlando sustains the world's largest recognized cluster of modeling, simulation and training companies.<ref name="seventhpark"/> 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. Research Park is the 7th largest research park in the nation, with 2,700 [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]], [[NASA]] personnel, and direct support contractors. Collectively, those defense organizations manage $5.2 billion in contracts every year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=00240041037381429012136c33d790049c1 |title=New UCF Partnership Building Will Save, Add Jobs |access-date=July 12, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=July 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090711183811/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=00240041037381429012136c33d790049c1 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 [[University of Central Florida research centers|institutions and centers]], including the [[Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers]], [[Florida Solar Energy Center]], [[Institute for Simulation and Training]] and [[Institute for Economic Competitiveness]]. ===Space Institute=== UCF founded and governs the [[Florida Space Institute]] along with government partnerships such as NASA. Since its founding, nearly 30% of the staff at NASA's Kennedy Space Center are UCF graduates. As a result of their contributions, 17 UCF researchers had asteroids named after them. UCF researchers found and named a planet in 2012 after the discovery of UCF-1.01. The [[Arecibo Observatory|U.S. National Science Foundation Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico]] is also managed by UCF.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Space|url=https://www.ucf.edu/space/|access-date=July 5, 2023 |website=ucf.edu|language=en-US}}</ref> A 2015 ''[[Aviation Week & Space Technology]]'' workforce study named UCF the No. 1 supplier of engineers to aerospace and defense industries.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Space|url=https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/one-small-step-man-one-giant-leap-ucf/|access-date=July 5, 2023 |website=ucf.edu|language=en-US}}</ref> ==Student life== ===Student body=== {| style="float:right; font-size:85%; margin:10px; text-align:center; font-size:85%; margin:auto;" class="wikitable" |+ Enrollment in UCF (2017–2023) ! Academic year ! Undergraduates ! Graduate ! Total enrollment |- ! 2017–2018<ref name="CDS2017-18" /> | 56,972 || 8,726 || 66,183 |- ! 2018–2019<ref name="CDS2018-19" /> | 58,913 || 9,168 || 68,571 |- ! 2019–2020<ref name="CDS2019-20" /> | 59,483 || 9,553 || 69,525 |- ! 2020–2021<ref name="CDS2020-21" /> | 61,456 || 10,002 || 71,948 |- ! 2021–2022<ref name="CDS2021-22" /> | 60,075 || 9,847 || 70,406 |- ! 2022–2023<ref name="CDS2022-23" /> | 58,749 || 9,210 || 68,442 |} {| class="wikitable floatright sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;" |+ style="font-size:90%" |Student body composition as of May 2, 2022 |- ! Race and ethnicity<ref>{{cite web|title=College Scorecard: University of Central Florida|url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?132903-University-of-Central-Florida|publisher=[[United States Department of Education]]|access-date=May 8, 2022|archive-date=May 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524232202/https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?132903-University-of-Central-Florida|url-status=live}}</ref> ! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Total |- | [[Non-Hispanic whites|White]] |align=right| {{bartable|46|%|2||background:gray}} |- | [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]] |align=right| {{bartable|29|%|2||background:green}} |- | [[African Americans|Black]] |align=right| {{bartable|10|%|2||background:mediumblue}} |- | [[Asian Americans|Asian]] |align=right| {{bartable|7|%|2||background:purple}} |- | Other{{efn|Other consists of [[Multiracial Americans]] & those who prefer to not say.}} |align=right| {{bartable|5|%|2||background:brown}} |- | [[Foreign national]] |align=right| {{bartable|3|%|2||background:orange}} |- ! colspan="4" data-sort-type=number |[[Economic diversity]] |- | [[American lower class|Low-income]]{{efn|The percentage of students who received an income-based federal [[Pell grant]] intended for low-income students.}} |align=right| {{bartable|30|%|2||background:red}} |- | [[Affluence in the United States|Affluent]]{{efn|The percentage of students who are a part of the [[American middle class]] at the bare minimum.}} |align=right| {{bartable|70|%|2||background:black}} |} UCF's student body consists of 61,456 undergraduates and 10,002 graduate and professional students and 490 M.D. students from all [[List of counties in Florida|67 Florida counties]], all 50 states and 157 countries. [https://studyabroad.ucf.edu/ Study abroad] programs allow UCF students to study and conduct research in 42 programs in 21 countries.<ref name="facts_about_ucf" /> The ten largest undergraduate disciplines at UCF are business management and administration, health professions and related, psychology, education, engineering, biology, multi/interdisciplinary studies, computer and information sciences, hospitality, and social sciences.<ref name="facts_about_ucf" /> UCF;s enrollment has increased by over 60% this century, from 33,453 in 2000<ref name="2000_facts" /> to 64,318 in 2016.<ref name="facts_about_ucf" /> Of the more than 60,000 students, 11% are graduate and professional students, while women make up 55% of the student body. Nearly 20 percent of UCF faculty are minorities. 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 bachelor's degrees.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004102c4c1d99011146fc1c320061d3|title=UCF News – University of Central Florida Articles – Orlando, FL News|access-date=April 19, 2009|archive-date=June 3, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603021159/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004102c4c1d99011146fc1c320061d3|url-status=live}}</ref> 22% of UCF students are above the age of 25.<ref name="facts_about_ucf" /> 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 2012–13 academic year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-21/features/os-florida-university-tuition-increases-20120621_1_tuition-increases-state-committee-state-university-system |title=UCF's 15% tuition hike approved amid intense debate over college costs |date=June 21, 2012 |access-date=November 15, 2012 |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |archive-date=October 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028060223/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-21/features/os-florida-university-tuition-increases-20120621_1_tuition-increases-state-committee-state-university-system |url-status=live}}</ref> For the 2020–21 academic year, undergraduate tuition costs were [[US$|$]]212.28 per credit hour for in-state students and $748.89 per credit hour for out-of-state students.<ref name="tuitionfees">{{cite web |url=http://tuitionfees.ikm.ucf.edu/ |title=Tuition and Fees |date=2015 |access-date=November 4, 2015 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=October 29, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029051500/http://tuitionfees.ikm.ucf.edu/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Graduate tuition costs were $369.65 per credit hour for in-state students and $1,194.05 per credit hour for out-of-state students.<ref name="tuitionfees" /> Tuition for the medical school is $25,490 for both in-state and out-of-state students.<ref name="tuitionfees" /> Estimated annual cost for undergraduate students is $22,2849 for Florida residents and $38,949 for non-Florida residents. Expected costs for graduate students are $22,072 for in-state students and $38,878 for out-of-state students.<ref name="school_costs">{{cite web |url=http://finaid.ucf.edu/applying/app_costs.html |title=School Costs |access-date=November 15, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida Office of Student Financial Assistance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121129104528/http://finaid.ucf.edu/applying/app_costs.html |archive-date=November 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> About 8% of tuition fees are allocated to support the university's athletic programs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tuition fees can support athletics: Use of money surprises some |publisher=Florida Today}}</ref> UCF has over 400 registered student organizations,<ref name="kort">{{cite web | url=http://kort.getinvolveducf.com/kort_awards.pdf | title=Knights of the RoundTable 2008–2009 Registered Student Organization Awards | publisher=University of Central Florida Student Government Association | access-date=June 13, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023053344/http://kort.getinvolveducf.com/kort_awards.pdf | archive-date=October 23, 2015 | url-status=dead }}</ref> [[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. ===Traditions=== {{anchor|Spirit Splash}} [[File:Spirit Splash.jpg|thumb|Students in the Reflecting Pond during Spirit Splash|242x242px]] Spirit Splash is a [[homecoming]] tradition at UCF, and is traditionally the only time during the year that students are allowed into the Reflecting Pond. It has been named the best college tradition in Florida by ''Florida Leader'' magazine,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004107de59bdf0115d2e01442007c95 |title=Homecoming Kicks Off With Family-Friendly Carnival and 'Movie Knight' |date=October 24, 2007 |access-date=June 13, 2010 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=June 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100627151121/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004107de59bdf0115d2e01442007c95 |url-status=live }}</ref> and among "The 20 Best College Traditions" by ''[[Business Insider]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-college-traditions-2014-7?op=1 |title=The 20 Best College Traditions In The US |date=July 7, 2014 |access-date=July 12, 2014 |work=Business Insider |archive-date=July 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140711142628/http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-college-traditions-2014-7?op=1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/genrel/110708aac.html |title=Spirit Splash Becoming One of the Best Homecoming Traditions in the Nation |access-date=April 14, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida Athletics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212814/http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/genrel/110708aac.html |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Spirit Splash occurs the Friday before the Homecoming game, and serves as a pep rally where students descend into the pond to demonstrate school spirit. Spirit Splash began in 1995 when then-[[University of Central Florida Student Government|Student Body President]] Miguel Torregrossa was pushed into the Reflecting Pond by one of his cabinet members and fellow students followed suit.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10660/homecoming-splashes-down-1.1420045 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708132806/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10660/homecoming-splashes-down-1.1420045 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |title=Central Florida Future – Homecoming splashes down |access-date=June 2, 2009 |work=[[Central Florida Future]]}}</ref> Along with the thousands of students who attend, there are members of the community, local dignitaries, alumni, children and even dogs who come to join in on the festivities. [[Knightro]], the [[Marching Knights]], cheerleaders, [[UCF Knights|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 Reflecting 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 [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] agents could be stationed on the roofs of the adjacent buildings.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10660/a-moment-of-reflection-at-the-pond-1.1428891 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708133048/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10660/a-moment-of-reflection-at-the-pond-1.1428891 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |title=A moment of reflection at the pond |access-date=July 28, 2009 |work=[[Central Florida Future]]}}</ref> 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 orientation, new students are told to never walk on the Pegasus. As the tradition is told, those who step 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.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.floridaleader.com/best2005_Web-Only_1.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051018082953/http://floridaleader.com/best2005_Web-Only_1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 18, 2005 |title=Best of Florida Schools 2005 |access-date=April 14, 2009 |work=Florida Leader }}</ref> ===Housing=== [[File:UCFPlazaTowers.JPG|thumb| Towers at [[Knights Plaza]]]] The university currently houses over 12,000 on-campus students in eight different communities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fp.ucf.edu/mp2005/Data/housing.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040803235526/http://www.fp.ucf.edu/mp2005/Data/housing.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 3, 2004 |title=2.7 Housing: Data and Analysis |access-date=June 4, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |df=mdy-all }}</ref> [[Residence hall]] style suites are available in the Libra, Apollo, Hercules, Nike, and Neptune 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]], the Lake Claire Courtyard Apartments Community, and NorthView. 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.<ref name="Special Interest Communities"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.housing.ucf.edu/choices/towers/interests/burnett/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516143613/http://www.housing.ucf.edu/choices/towers/interests/burnett |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 16, 2010 |title=Housing and Residence Life : Towers at Knights Plaza |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida Department of Housing and Residence Life |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uknightucf.com/index_display.php?category_id=54 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514172514/http://www.uknightucf.com/index_display.php?category_id=54 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 14, 2011 |title=Student Living : Towers at Knights Plaza |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida Athletics Association }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.housing.ucf.edu/costs/ |title=Rates |access-date=June 13, 2010 |publisher=UCF Housing and Residence Life |archive-date=June 9, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609053247/http://www.housing.ucf.edu/costs |url-status=live }}</ref> Housing on the main campus typically fills to capacity well before the start of the fall semester, and cannot accommodate everyone who applies. In addition, about 3,750 beds are available at the university-affiliated housing communities of Knights Circle and The Pointe at Central, which are off-campus apartment communities owned by The University of Central Florida Foundation, Inc.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.housing.ucf.edu/choices/ucfaffiliated/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824180834/http://www.housing.ucf.edu/choices/ucfaffiliated/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 24, 2010 |title=UCF Affiliated Housing |access-date=June 13, 2010 |publisher=UCF Housing and Residence Life |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="housing">{{cite web|url=http://www.fp.ucf.edu/mp2010/PDFs/2-7%20Housing%20_Data%20and%20Analysis_.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128035353/http://www.fp.ucf.edu/mp2010/PDFs/2-7%20Housing%20_Data%20and%20Analysis_.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 28, 2009 |title=2.7 Housing: Data and Analysis |access-date=June 13, 2010 |publisher=University of Central Florida |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and managed by Asset Living.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.assetcampushousing.com/portfolio |title=Our Portfolio |access-date=February 2, 2011 |publisher=Asset Campus Housing |archive-date=July 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707175658/http://www.assetcampushousing.com/portfolio |url-status=dead }}</ref> These communities contain many UCF services such as Resident Assistants, [[University of Central Florida Police Department|UCF Police]] service, reduced rent and offer shuttle service to and from campus on class days.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.housing.ucf.edu/affiliated.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070516171758/http://www.housing.ucf.edu/affiliated.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 16, 2007 |title=Housing Communities – Affiliated Housing |access-date=July 28, 2009 |publisher=UCF Housing and Residence Life |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The university also administers NorthView, which is owned and operated by UCF and located directly north of the main campus in [[Oviedo, Florida|Oviedo]]. NorthView houses 600 students, and includes a [[Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life|Hillel Jewish Student Center]], a Catholic Student Center, and a common space for other faith based organizations to use.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northviewinfo.com/ |title=NorthView – A Unique Campus Community |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=NorthView |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128155328/http://northviewinfo.com/ |archive-date=January 28, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Greek housing is also available on the main campus in the Greek Park community, which consists of close to 500 beds.<ref name="greek beds">{{cite web|url=http://www.fp.ucf.edu/mp2010/PDFs/2-7%20Housing%20_Data%20and%20Analysis_.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128035353/http://www.fp.ucf.edu/mp2010/PDFs/2-7%20Housing%20_Data%20and%20Analysis_.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 28, 2009 |title=2.7 Housing: Data and Analysis |access-date=July 17, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |df=mdy-all }}</ref> There are ten sororities and three fraternities housed on campus, with eleven fraternities offering housing off campus.<ref name="greek beds"/> ===Recreation and Fitness on Campus=== [[File:UCFRecreationWellnessCenter.jpg|thumb|Recreation and Wellness Center]] Many different recreational organizations and facilities are available on the UCF campus. Lake Claire is an on-campus lake with canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats available for rent (free to UCF students), and a small beachfront.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rwc.sdes.ucf.edu/facilities/lake-claire |title=Lake Claire |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida Student Government Association |archive-date=March 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304153240/http://rwc.sdes.ucf.edu/facilities/lake-claire |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://rwc.sdes.ucf.edu/about |title=UCF Recreation and Wellness Center: About |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=University of Central Florida Student Government Association |archive-date=January 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120115032157/http://rwc.sdes.ucf.edu/about |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition, UCF's [[Challenge Course]] is one of only five in the country to contain a high elements course.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rwc.sdes.ucf.edu/programs/outdoor-adventure/challenge-course |title=UCF Recreation and Wellness Center: Challenge Course |access-date=October 28, 2007 |publisher=University of Central Florida Student Government Association |archive-date=May 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508184518/http://rwc.sdes.ucf.edu/programs/outdoor-adventure/challenge-course |url-status=live }}</ref> UCF's main campus also boasts two Recreation and Wellness Centers. The main center is located on the south side of campus, adjacent to the Academic Village. The second gym is located in Knights Plaza on the north side of campus. The Centers are open to all students, and paid memberships are available for non-students.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/65-000-square-foot-expansion-pumps-gym-1.2431156 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722185841/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/65-000-square-foot-expansion-pumps-gym-1.2431156 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |title=65,000-square-foot expansion pumps gym |access-date=January 14, 2011 |work=[[Central Florida Future]] |first=Amethyst |last=Roth |date=January 12, 2011}}</ref> The Wellness Centers offer programs to boost students' understanding of their health, provides discounted blood and [[Sexually transmitted disease|STD]] testing, staffs certified personal trainers, and teaches methods to maintain good health. The main UCF Recreation and Wellness Center, which opened in 2002, is a {{convert|150000|sqft|m2}} building that comprises five programs: Intramural Sports, Sport Clubs, Outdoor Adventure, Fitness, and Aquatics.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://knightnews.com/2011/01/new-green-gym-expansion-officially-opens-its-doors-to-ucf-public/ |title=New "Green" Gym Expansion Officially Opens its Doors to UCF, Public |access-date=January 10, 2011 |publisher=KnightNews |date=January 10, 2011 |archive-date=January 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110112174744/http://knightnews.com/2011/01/new-green-gym-expansion-officially-opens-its-doors-to-ucf-public/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The main recreation center includes a custom [[climbing wall]] with more than 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rec.ucf.edu/Fmaps.htm |title=UCF Recreation and Wellness Center Facilities |access-date=October 28, 2007 |publisher=UCF Student Government Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070827175139/http://www.rec.ucf.edu/Fmaps.htm <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=August 27, 2007 }}</ref> The Recreation and Wellness Center at Knights Plaza, which opened in 2013, is a {{convert|8700|sqft|m2}} facility. It houses a cardio workout area, a circuit area, and a mind and body studio designed for group exercise.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/news/new-semester-new-services-1.2803639 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203155531/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/news/new-semester-new-services-1.2803639 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 3, 2013 |title=New semester, new services |date=January 9, 2013 |access-date=January 23, 2013 |work=[[Central Florida Future]]}}</ref> ===Student government=== {{main|University of Central Florida Student Government}} [[File:UCF Student Union Boardwalk.jpg|thumb|Boardwalk behind UCF Student Union]] The University of Central Florida's Student Government (UCF SG) is an advocacy group for the students who attend the university, representing the university's approximately 70,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. It is the largest Student Government within the state of Florida and one of the largest in the United States.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.flbog.org/resources/_doc/factbooks/quickfacts/2009-SUSQuickFacts.xls | title=April 2009 headcount | publisher=Florida Board of Governors | access-date=June 13, 2010 | archive-date=October 30, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101030123224/http://flbog.org/resources/_doc/factbooks/quickfacts/2009-SUSQuickFacts.xls | url-status=live }}</ref> It also often places in the top ten student governments nationally for the services and outreach it provides for the students it serves.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}} UCF SG operates within a multimillion-dollar budget.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WtDmkV1NUCd3FGvIRspqNXYRnClQxiT2/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102613231474063637701&rtpof=true&sd=true | title=ASF Budget Committee Fiscal Bill 53-43 Budget Bill | publisher=University of Central Florida Student Government | access-date=August 8, 2022 | archive-date=August 8, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808090318/https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WtDmkV1NUCd3FGvIRspqNXYRnClQxiT2/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102613231474063637701&rtpof=true&sd=true | url-status=live }}</ref> It funds and operates five campus departments—the Recreation and Wellness Center, the Office of Student Involvement, Student Legal Services, the A&SF Business Office, and the Student Union—while also providing around $1 million in funding to nearly 600 registered student organizations.<ref name="asf">{{cite web | url=https://asfbudget.sdes.ucf.edu/report | title=ASF Budget Report | publisher=University of Central Florida ASF Financials | access-date=August 8, 2022 | archive-date=July 19, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719131536/https://asfbudget.sdes.ucf.edu/report | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://studentunion.ucf.edu/about/ | title=About Student Union UCF | publisher=University of Central Florida Student Union | access-date=August 8, 2022 | archive-date=September 20, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920163829/https://studentunion.ucf.edu/about/ | url-status=live }}</ref> UCF SG 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 15 and 20 appointed and paid cabinet members that oversee everything from safety and transportation on campus to governmental affairs. The student body president, by mandate of Florida law, serves on the university's board of trustees for a period of one 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 $15,000 to $19,000 per year.<ref name="salary">{{cite web | url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hfQO-llPjIe60y4pdVegHFzfUlT5iONY/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102613231474063637701&rtpof=true&sd=true | title=UCF Executive Branch Budget Packet FY 22-23 | publisher=University of Central Florida Student Government | access-date=August 8, 2022 | archive-date=June 25, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625082129/https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hfQO-llPjIe60y4pdVegHFzfUlT5iONY/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102613231474063637701&rtpof=true&sd=true | url-status=live }}</ref> The legislative branch is composed of 70 senators elected each spring, and senators serve a one-year term in which they represent students in their respective colleges.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/18PQGaNBGmay_4VQEZdJc2q2gr62ha5OZ/view?usp=sharing | title=Internal Bill 53-21 [Senate Seats Reapportionment for Spring 2022 SG Senate Elections] | publisher=University of Central Florida Student Government | access-date=August 8, 2022 | archive-date=August 8, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808090317/https://drive.google.com/file/d/18PQGaNBGmay_4VQEZdJc2q2gr62ha5OZ/view?usp=sharing | url-status=live }}</ref> Student senators annually elect a Speaker of the Senate, who receives an annual salary between $10,000 and $12,000 per year,<ref>{{cite web| url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fksXkzZ1VHs_xmbPPlFDPmca47TEnxjV/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102613231474063637701&rtpof=true&sd=true| title=UCF Legislative Branch Budget Packet FY 22-23| publisher=University of Central Florida Student Government| access-date=August 8, 2022| archive-date=June 25, 2022| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625082123/https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fksXkzZ1VHs_xmbPPlFDPmca47TEnxjV/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102613231474063637701&rtpof=true&sd=true| url-status=live}}</ref> and a Senate President Pro Tempore. Under state law, the Student Senate allocates the university's activity and service fee budget, which was $21.1 million in fiscal year 22-23.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WtDmkV1NUCd3FGvIRspqNXYRnClQxiT2/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102613231474063637701&rtpof=true&sd=true | title=ASF Budget Committee Fiscal Bill 53-43 Budget Bill | publisher=University of Central Florida Student Government | access-date=August 8, 2022 | archive-date=August 8, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808090318/https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WtDmkV1NUCd3FGvIRspqNXYRnClQxiT2/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102613231474063637701&rtpof=true&sd=true | url-status=live }}</ref> The judicial branch consists of a paid Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices who preside over student conduct hearings and parking appeals.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://studentgovernment.ucf.edu/branch/judicial/ | title=Judicial Branch - Student Government - UCF | publisher=University of Central Florida Student Government | access-date=August 8, 2022 | archive-date=August 8, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808090310/https://studentgovernment.ucf.edu/branch/judicial/ | url-status=live }}</ref> ===Campus and area transportation=== The university campus is served by ''The Pegasus Express'' which serves the 11 shuttle routes on-campus.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PEGASUS EXPRESS|url=https://parking.ucf.edu/transportation/intra-campus/|access-date=July 5, 2023 |website=ucf.edu|language=en-US}}</ref> The Central Florida Research Park, Rosen College of Hospitality, Health sciences campus, and the Downtown city campus are all served by the regional campus shuttles, which has 15 routes and covers 22 off-campus UCF apartment complexes as well.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Off-Campus Shuttles|url=https://parking.ucf.edu/transportation/off-campus/|access-date=July 5, 2023 |website=ucf.edu|language=en-US}}</ref> ===Media=== KnightNews.com is the only digital student newspaper serving the UCF community, and it operates without oversight from the university administration.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://knightnews.com/about |title=KnightNews.com – About Us |access-date=November 11, 2016 |publisher=KnightNews.com |archive-date=October 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029032420/http://knightnews.com/about/ |url-status=live }}</ref> KnightNews.com won the College Press Freedom Award in 2016 for its work fighting for open government. A print newspaper, the ''[[Central Florida Future]]'', was shutdown in August 2016. The ''Future,'' which also ran without university oversight, was one of the largest [[student newspaper|student-run newspapers]] in the United States. It focused on campus and local news coverage, but also featured national and international stories. The university itself publishes two magazines, ''[[Centric (magazine)|Centric]]'' and ''[[Pegasus (University of Central Florida magazine)|Pegasus]].'' ''Centric'' is the official student magazine of the university, and ''Pegasus'' is the official university magazine. The university has operated [[WUCF-FM]], a [[NPR]] station, since 1978. The station broadcasts [[Jazz]] that reaches Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Lake and Volusia counties in central Florida. They broadcast an Internet program that is heard worldwide.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wucf.org/about.php |title=WUCF-FM – About Us |access-date=October 23, 2013 |publisher=WUCF.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014173121/http://wucf.org/about.php |archive-date=October 14, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In 2011, the university purchased [[WUCF-TV]], which is Central Florida's only [[Public Broadcasting Service]] (PBS) television station. As the region's sole PBS affiliate, the station broadcasts to an estimated population of 4.6 million people in its aerial viewing area.<ref>Combined populations of Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Brevard, Marion, Sumter, Flagler, Volusia, Putnam, Polk, Highlands, Okeechobee and Indian River counties according to the 2010 United States Census.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=WUCF-TV Q&A |url=http://www.wucf.org/ |publisher=WUCF |df=mdy-all |access-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716224224/http://www.wucf.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> One limited access program at UCF is the Jazz Studies program, which launched a professional recording label for the university, [[Flying Horse Records]]. The program's faculty group, [[The Jazz Professors]], and their student group, [[The Flying Horse Big Band]], have both issued professional recordings since 2011 for the university label and all of which have charted in the top 50. The faculty group album "[[Do That Again (album)|Do That Again]]" charted in the top 10.<ref>[http://flyinghorserecords.com/FlyingHorseRecords.com]{{dead link|date=January 2017}} – Official site of University's Record Label</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jazzweek.com/charts/1362416400/march-4-2013/|title=JazzWeek – Charts: March 4, 2013 Jazz Chart|access-date=October 13, 2013|archive-date=October 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023053439/http://www.jazzweek.com/charts/1362416400/march-4-2013/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://www.jazzweek.com/charts/1363017600/march-11-2013/ Chart for March 11, 2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102125313/http://www.jazzweek.com/charts/1363017600/march-11-2013/ |date=November 2, 2014 }}, [[JazzWeek]] – "The Blues is Alright" – UCF Jazz Ensemble I aka [[The Flying Horse Big Band]].</ref> ===Greek life=== <!-- WARNING: PLEASE DO NOT LIST FRATERNITIES OR SORORITIES IN THIS SECTION. --> The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at The University of Central Florida is separated into five divisions: UCF Greek Council, [[North American Interfraternity Conference|Interfraternity Council]], [[National Pan-Hellenic Council]], Panhellenic Council, and the Diversified Greek Council.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greeklife.sdes.ucf.edu/ |title=Housing Communities |access-date=July 28, 2009 |publisher=UCF Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719120903/http://www.greeklife.sdes.ucf.edu/ |archive-date=July 19, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The [[Order of Omega]] has a chapter at the university.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greeklife.sdes.ucf.edu/order_of_omega.html |title=Order of Omega Greek Leadership Society |access-date=July 28, 2009 |publisher=UCF Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622054252/http://www.greeklife.sdes.ucf.edu/order_of_omega.html <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=June 22, 2009 }}</ref> The Interfraternity Council (IFC) comprises 18 fraternities, and the Panhellenic Council is made up of 12 sororities.<ref name="greeklist">{{cite web |url=http://www.greeklife.sdes.ucf.edu/chapters.html |title=UCF Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Chapter Directory |access-date=July 28, 2009 |publisher=UCF Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624234250/http://www.greeklife.sdes.ucf.edu/chapters.html <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=June 24, 2009 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="greeklist"/> The National Pan-Hellenic Council comprises nine historically black organizations, five fraternities and four sororities.<ref name="greeklist"/> There are now also three recognized fraternal organizations for Christian students.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kyxucf.com |title=Kappa Upsilon Chi – University of Central Florida |access-date=June 22, 2012 |publisher=WordPress |archive-date=July 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723125958/http://kyxucf.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ucfphilamb.com |title=Sigma Phi Lambda – UCF |access-date=June 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111064338/http://www.ucfphilamb.com/ |archive-date=January 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetaalpha.org/delta/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203040456/http://www.thetaalpha.org/delta/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 3, 2011 |title=Theta Alpha – UCF |df=mdy-all }}</ref> [[Fraternities and sororities#Terminology|Greek life]] at the University of Central Florida involves more than 3,000 students in over 45 chapters.<ref>{{cite news | title = University of Central Florida | publisher = The Princeton Review | url = http://www.princetonreview.com/schools/college/CollegeCampusLife.aspx?iid=1022881 | access-date = April 30, 2009 | archive-date = April 14, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140414003439/http://www.princetonreview.com/schools/college/CollegeCampusLife.aspx?iid=1022881 | url-status = live }}</ref> Approximately 11% of current undergraduate males and 9% of undergraduate females are members of either a sorority or fraternity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://collegeprowler.com/university-of-central-florida/greek-life/ |title=University of Central Florida – Greek Life |access-date=July 28, 2009 |publisher=College Prowler |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091223040743/http://collegeprowler.com/university-of-central-florida/greek-life/ |archive-date=December 23, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The average GPA of Greek Life is higher than the overall university average.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10660/greek-point-average-1.1424729 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722185530/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10660/greek-point-average-1.1424729 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |title=Greek point average |date= February 15, 2009 |access-date=June 13, 2010 |work=[[Central Florida Future]]}}</ref> UCF's Greek Life won the inaugural [[Mid-American 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Best of Florida Schools 2003 |publisher=Florida Leader Magazine |year=2003 |url=http://www.floridaleader.com/best2003_15.htm |access-date=April 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719163034/http://www.floridaleader.com/best2003_15.htm |archive-date=July 19, 2009 }}</ref> '''Mr. & Miss UCF''' Since 1984 the Mr. & Miss University of Central Florida Scholarship Program has been providing scholarships and opportunities to UCF students. The program is open to all service-fee paying students at UCF who have at least a 2.5 UCF GPA. Auditions are held each year in September shortly after the fall semester begins and new titleholders are chosen in February. Mr. & Miss UCF make appearances all over Orlando and the Central Florida area, promoting their individual platforms as well as spreading school spirit and pride. ==Athletics== {{Main|UCF Knights}}The University of Central Florida features a large variety of intercollegiate athletics teams, known as the "[[UCF Knights]]", which compete in [[NCAA Division I|Division I]] of the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA), and the [[Big 12 Conference]].<ref group="note">In football, UCF competes in the NCAA [[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision]] (FBS), still often referred to by its former designation of "Division I-A."</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/index-main.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625234907/http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/index-main.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 25, 2007 |title=UCF Knights – Official Athletics Site |access-date=August 3, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida Athletics Association |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://today.ucf.edu/its-official-ucf-to-join-big-east-conference/ |title=It's Official! UCF Joins Big East Conference |publisher=University of Central Florida |date=December 7, 2011 |access-date=December 7, 2011 |archive-date=January 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108023829/http://today.ucf.edu/its-official-ucf-to-join-big-east-conference/ |url-status=live }}</ref> UCF fields 15 varsity teams, 6 men, and 9 women. Men's sports include [[College baseball|baseball]], [[College basketball|basketball]], [[College football|football]], golf, soccer, and tennis. Women's sports include basketball, [[Cross country running|cross country]], golf, [[Rowing (sport)|rowing]], soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncaa.com/schools/128_UCF.html |title=NCAA.com – The Official Web Site of the NCAA – UCF |access-date=August 3, 2009 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |archive-date=January 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116085041/http://www.ncaa.com/schools/128_UCF.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[File:UCF Football.jpg|thumb|UCF's Football stadium]] The Knights varsity teams have won numerous conference titles, and two national titles. UCF, as members of Conference USA (C-USA) between 2005 and 2013, were conference champions in football in [[2007 UCF Knights football team|2007]] and [[2010 UCF Knights football team|2010]], and women's basketball in 2009 and 2010. The [[UCF Knights women's volleyball|women's volleyball team]] won the [[Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women|AIAW Small College Division]] national championship in 1978 (at the time the women's sports equivalent of NCAA Division II; the NCAA did not sanction women's sports until the 1980s), and the [[UCF Knights men's basketball|men's basketball]] [[1977–78 FTU Knights men's basketball team|team]] reached the [[NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament|Division II Elite Eight]] the same year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ucftv.ucf.edu/shows/ucf_sportsknight/archive_2008.asp |title=UCF SportsKnight 2008 Archive |publisher=University of Central Florida |access-date=December 10, 2011}}{{dead link|date=January 2017}}</ref><ref name="firstchampions">{{cite web |url=http://www.ucfathletics.com/genrel/053007aaa.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217005647/http://www.ucfathletics.com/genrel/053007aaa.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=February 17, 2013 |title=FTU's Early Athletics Programs; UCF First Champions |publisher=University of Central Florida Athletics Association |access-date=January 3, 2013 }}</ref> The Knights only other national championship was in 2017, when they were named national champions in football by the [[Colley Matrix]]. While they did not play in that season's [[College Football Playoff]], they finished the 2017 season unbeaten. The Colley Matrix was the only NCAA-recognized selector to name UCF the national champions. The UCF cheerleading team, which is a club sport, has also captured national titles. They have won three at the [[College Cheerleading and Dance Team Nationals]], in 2003, 2007 and 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=C-USA Official Athletic Site – Championships|url=http://conferenceusa.cstv.com/championships/09-w-baskbl-championship.html|access-date=August 3, 2009|publisher=Conference USA|archive-date=April 18, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418180649/http://conferenceusa.cstv.com/championships/09-w-baskbl-championship.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=January 20, 2008|title=UCF Cheerleaders Finish Third at National Finals|url=http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004148c58c660117815a3ee9007ec1|access-date=August 3, 2009|publisher=University of Central Florida|archive-date=June 24, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624125603/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=0024004148c58c660117815a3ee9007ec1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:73_T8kIiVU0J:https://ucfknights.com/news/2020/1/20/cheer-dance-ucf-cheer-wins-division-ia-national-championship.aspx+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us|title=UCF Cheer Wins Division IA National Championship - UCF Athletics|website=webcache.googleusercontent.com}}</ref> As the reigning national champions, the cheerleading team was followed by [[WE tv]]'s cheerleading show, ''Cheerleader U'' in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/genrel/022608aad.html |title=CheerleaderU |access-date=July 28, 2008 |publisher=University of Central Florida Athletics Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080621183740/http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/genrel/022608aad.html |archive-date=June 21, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The UCF varsity athletic program began during the 1969–70 academic year. Then known as the "Florida Technological University Knights of Pegasus", the university was a charter member of the [[Sunshine State Conference]] in 1975. Since the 1970s, the UCF athletic programs have become a major competitor in college athletics. Their development culminated in the mid-2000s, when the Knights joined C-USA in 2005 and debuted a new athletic village in 2007. Advertised as "Bringing the Knights home", the newly developed athletic village on the north end of campus known as [[Knights Plaza]], consisted of a new 10,000-seat indoor sports venue now known as [[Addition Financial Arena]], the new 45,000-seat football stadium known as [[FBC Mortgage Stadium]], a new softball complex, and the only Division I indoor football practice facility in the state.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/fieldhouse-photos.html |title=Nicholson Fieldhouse |access-date=August 3, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida Athletics Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326110050/http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/fieldhouse-photos.html |archive-date=March 26, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The debut of the athletic village made UCF the first university to ever open a new stadium and arena during the same year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ucfarena.com/ccupdate.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070928032933/http://ucfarena.com/ccupdate.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |title=Convocation Center Update |access-date=January 23, 2013 |publisher=CFE Arena |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The athletic complex surrounding Knights Plaza also includes [[Jay Bergman Field]], the [[UCF Soccer and Track Stadium]] and numerous practice facilities. To coincide with the opening of the athletic village, the university also debuted new athletic logos and an update to mascot [[Knightro]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/genrel/050407abn.html |title=UCF Athletics Reveals New Logo and Font |access-date=August 3, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida Athletics Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111110933/http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/genrel/050407abn.html |archive-date=January 11, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The [[UCF Knights football|Knights football program]] began in 1979. UCF competed in the playoffs three times before ascending to the FBS level in 1996. The Knights have won two conference championships and four division titles. In UCF's first year in C-USA, the team experienced the fourth-best turnaround in NCAA history by winning the conference's eastern division and earning its first bowl berth in the [[2005 Hawai'i Bowl|4th Annual Hawai'i Bowl]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=00240041070ca5e3e010b382c8adf007ac7 |title=UCF Football Coach O'Leary Signs 10-Year Contract Extension |date=May 25, 2006 |publisher=University of Central Florida Athletics Association |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901144712/http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=00240041070ca5e3e010b382c8adf007ac7 |archive-date=September 1, 2006 |access-date=April 15, 2017 }}</ref> Celebrating their inaugural year in their new on-campus stadium, the [[2007 UCF Knights football team|2007 UCF Football team]] won the [[2007 Conference USA Football Championship Game|C-USA Championship]] for the first time in the school's history and the eastern division for the second time in three seasons, securing a berth to the school's second bowl game, the [[2007 Liberty Bowl|49th Annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl]]. During the 2010 season, for the first time in school history, the Knights garnered national rankings, finishing the season with a top–20 ranking.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college_ucf/2010/11/ucf-ranked-no-23-in-coaches-poll-vaulting-into-top-25-for-first-time-in-school-history.html |title=UCF ranked No. 23 in coaches poll and No. 25 in AP, vaulting into Top 25 for first time in school history |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |date=November 7, 2010 |access-date=November 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109190154/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college_ucf/2010/11/ucf-ranked-no-23-in-coaches-poll-vaulting-into-top-25-for-first-time-in-school-history.html |archive-date=November 9, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college_ucf/2010/12/ucf-ranked-no-25-in-final-bcs-standings.html |title=UCF ranked No. 25 in final BCS standings |author=Limón, Iliana |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |date=December 6, 2010 |access-date=December 6, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101210070436/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college_ucf/2010/12/ucf-ranked-no-25-in-final-bcs-standings.html |archive-date=December 10, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The Knights won the [[2010 Conference USA Football Championship Game|2010 C-USA Championship game]], securing a berth to the [[2010 Liberty Bowl (December)|AutoZone Liberty Bowl]] in which the team earned their first-ever bowl victory, a 10–6 win over [[2010 Georgia Bulldogs football team|Georgia]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=303382116 |title=UCF defeats SMU for Conference USA 2010 Title |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=December 4, 2010 |access-date=December 4, 2010 |archive-date=December 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101207094257/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=303382116 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=303652116 |title=UCF caps best season in school history with bowl win |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=December 31, 2010 |access-date=December 31, 2010 |archive-date=January 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102174756/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=303652116 |url-status=live }}</ref> In [[2013 UCF Knights football team|2013]], the Knights joined the [[American Athletic Conference]] (AAC) as a full member, won the conference's inaugural football championship, and upset the sixth-ranked [[Big 12 Conference]] champion [[Baylor Bears football|Baylor Bears]] in the [[2014 Fiesta Bowl (January)|2014 Fiesta Bowl]]. In [[2017 UCF Knights football team|2017]], the Knights finished with the only undefeated season in the FBS after a third AAC Championship win and a victory over the eighth-ranked [[Auburn Tigers football|Auburn Tigers]] in the [[2018 Peach Bowl (January)|2018 Peach Bowl]]. The [[UCF Knights men's basketball|UCF men's basketball]] team started in 1969 under head coach [[Torchy Clark]]. The Knights have advanced to the NCAA tournament ten times, including a trip to the Final Four in 1978.<ref name="firstchampions"/> The program has won seven conference regular-season championships and five conference tournament titles. The [[2008–09 UCF Knights men's basketball team|2008–09 UCF men's team]] featured senior [[Jermaine Taylor (basketball)|Jermaine Taylor]], who was one of the nation's top scorers averaging over 20 points per game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/taylor_jermaine00.html |title=Player Bio: Jermaine Taylor – UCF Official Athletic Site |access-date=August 3, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida Athletics Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722032230/http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/taylor_jermaine00.html |archive-date=July 22, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Following a 10–0 start to the [[2010–11 UCF Knights men's basketball team|2010–11 season]], and being one of nine unbeaten teams, the Knights led by coach [[Donnie Jones (basketball)|Donnie Jones]] and guard [[Marcus Jordan]] were nationally ranked for the first time in program history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=6054589 |title=UCF Knights have potential to become elite |date=January 26, 2011 |access-date=April 3, 2012 |publisher=[[ESPN]] |archive-date=July 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730002241/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=6054589 |url-status=live }}</ref> In the [[2016–17 UCF Knights men's basketball team|2016-17 season]], newly hired head coach [[Johnny Dawkins]] took the Knights to a semi-final berth in the [[2017 National Invitation Tournament|NIT]] for the first time in school history. UCF was a layup away from advancing to the Sweet Sixteen and beating Duke, the consensus number-one seed, in the 2019 NCAA tournament, as Coach Dawkins, with his son on the team, faced off against his own previous coach, Mike Krzyzewski. ==Notable alumni== {{See also|List of University of Central Florida alumni}} [[File:Nicole Stott v2.jpg|right|thumb|alt=An astronaut wearing her orange mission suit with the American flag embroidered on her shoulder and name tag and mission patches embroidered on her chest.|135px|[[Nicole Stott]]]] [[File:Fernando Caldeiro.jpg|right|thumb|alt=Fernando_Caldeiro|135px|[[Fernando Caldeiro]]]] Graduates include a [[Prime Minister|prime minister]], a [[Council of Economic Advisers|Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers]], a [[Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs|United States assistant secretary of state]], a [[United States Department of the Treasury|Deputy assistant secretary at the Department of the Treasury]], a [[Leadership of the National Reconnaissance Office|Director of the]] [[National Reconnaissance Office]], and a [[Director of the United States Secret Service|Director of the Secret Service]]; in addition many members of the [[Florida Cabinet]], [[Florida House of Representatives]] and [[Florida Senate]], two [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]] (NASA) astronauts, along with various NASA leadership positions. Many officers in the armed forces have come through the [[United States Army|Army]] and [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] [[Reserve Officers' Training Corps|ROTC]] programs, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard [[Officer Candidate School]], Air Force [[Officer Training School]], Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School and Marine Corps [[Platoon Leaders Class]].<ref name="seventhpark"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/ot/ucf-famous-alumni.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208230333/http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/ot/ucf-famous-alumni.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 8, 2007 |title=UCF Alumni and Students |access-date=August 21, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida Athletics Association |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/military-research-building-started-1.1773456 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708133144/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/military-research-building-started-1.1773456 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |title=Military research building started |date = July 12, 2007 |access-date=July 28, 2009 |work=Central Florida Future}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10679/rotc-gaining-in-popularity-1.1434425 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708133150/https://www.centralfloridafuture.com/2.10679/rotc-gaining-in-popularity-1.1434425 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |title=ROTC gaining in popularity |date = February 15, 2009 |access-date=October 5, 2009 |work=Central Florida Future}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://today.ucf.edu/student-veterans-embraced-by-military-friendly-ucf/ |title=Student Veterans Embraced by 'Military Friendly' UCF |access-date=October 11, 2010 |date=September 10, 2010 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=October 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013110103/http://today.ucf.edu/student-veterans-embraced-by-military-friendly-ucf/ |url-status=live }}</ref> UCF graduates have held leadership positions in the [[United States Congress]], [[United States Department of Defense]], [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|Army Corps of Engineers]], and the [[Environmental Protection Agency]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ucfathletics.com/genrel/hansonphd_jgreg00.html |title=J. Greg Hanson, Ph.D. – Chief Information Officer of the United States Senate |access-date=June 24, 2014 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307093638/http://www.ucfathletics.com/genrel/hansonphd_jgreg00.html |archive-date=March 7, 2013 |url-status=usurped |df=mdy-all }}</ref> [[File:Grand Slam Moscow 2011, Set 3 - 032.jpg|thumb|Olympian [[Phil Dalhausser]]]] Alumni have also achieved success as executives for many [[Fortune 500]] companies, including Google, [[Boeing]], [[Lockheed Martin]], [[Northrop Grumman]], [[Busch Entertainment Corporation]], [[Harris Corporation]], [[Darden Restaurants]], [[Ericsson]], the [[Orlando Magic]] and [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]], [[Sun Sports]] and [[Fox Sports Florida]], [[Walt Disney Parks and Resorts]], and [[Yahoo!]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}} As a leader in technological education, UCF graduates are contributing greatly to Global innovation including Taylor Gerring co-founder of [[Ethereum]] and Jason Eichenholz Co-founder of autonomous driving pioneer [[Luminar Technologies]]. UCF graduates have founded and contributed greatly to numerous successful companies including George Kalogridis, President of segment development and enrichment [[The Walt Disney Company]]. Chris Marlin, Founder Lennar International. Christopher Tomasso, CEO [[First Watch (restaurant chain)]]. Jason DiBona, CEO AreoClean Technologies. UCF graduates have also made notable contributions in the entertainment industry, including [[Cheryl Hines]], widely known for her role as [[Cheryl David]] on the [[HBO]] television series ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]];'' [[Daniel Tosh]], host of [[Tosh.0]] on [[Comedy Central]]; [[Moshe Reuven]], 30 Under 30 Tech Exec and signed Billboard Charting Hip Hop Artist; and [[Chris Fuller (director)|Chris Fuller]], the independent filmmaker behind ''[[Loren Cass]]''. In addition, ''[[The Blair Witch Project]]'', which is considered one of the most successful independent films produced,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jessica-rovello/still-nauseous-after-all_b_247076.html |title=Still Nauseous After All these Years: Blair Witch Turns 10 |date=July 29, 2009 |access-date=July 31, 2009 |work=[[Huffington Post]] |first=Jessica |last=Rovello |archive-date=August 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801181908/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jessica-rovello/still-nauseous-after-all_b_247076.html |url-status=live }}</ref> was filmed and directed by UCF alumni [[Daniel Myrick]] and [[Eduardo Sánchez (director)|Eduardo Sánchez]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.film.ucf.edu/links_webpages.php |title=Student & Alumni Sites |access-date=October 28, 2007 |publisher=University of Central Florida School of Film |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070808191048/http://www.film.ucf.edu/links_webpages.php <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = August 8, 2007}}</ref> As a major competitor in college athletics, UCF has had notable student athletes, coaches, and staff members including [[National Football League|NFL]] players [[Blake Bortles]], [[A. J. Bouye]], [[Daunte Culpepper]], [[Shaquill Griffin]], [[Shaquem Griffin]], [[Brandon Marshall]], [[Latavius Murray]], [[Matt Prater]], [[Asante Samuel]] and [[Kevin Smith (running back)|Kevin Smith]]; [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] players [[Taylor Hendricks]], and [[Tacko Fall]]; wrestler [[Parker Boudreaux]]; woman's soccer player and Olympic gold medalist, [[FIFA Female Player of the Century]] [[Michelle Akers]]. As of 2019, more than 70 UCF alumni compete in professional sports like basketball, [[American football|football]], baseball, golf, and soccer. Several UCF alumni work as professional journalists, for both local and national outlets. Christal Hayes covers the US Congress for [[USA Today]]. [https://www.wptv.com/derek-lowe Derek Lowe] covers South Florida for [[WPTV-TV|WPTV]] NewsChannel5.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Derek Lowe|url=https://www.wptv.com/derek-lowe|access-date=2020-12-25|website=WPTV|language=en|archive-date=December 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223091259/https://www.wptv.com/derek-lowe|url-status=live}}</ref> Ryan Bass is an anchor at [[WTSP]] in Tampa.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ryan Bass|url=https://www.wtsp.com/article/about-us/ryan-bass/67-311223185|access-date=2020-12-25|website=wtsp.com|language=en-US}}{{dead link|date=October 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The three journalists worked at the student media outlet KnightNews.com while they were UCF students.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About|url=https://knightnews.com/about/|access-date=2020-12-25|website=KnightNews.com|language=en-US|archive-date=December 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224234547/https://knightnews.com/about/|url-status=live}}</ref> ==Notable faculty== {{Main|List of University of Central Florida faculty and administrators}} The faculty at UCF includes many notable and prestigious members, including two former [[United States Ambassador|United States ambassador]]s, a former member [[United States House of Representatives|United States congressman]], and a former vice president of [[Walt Disney Creative Entertainment]], to name a few. Other faculty include winners of the [[Pulitzer Prize]] and [[Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize]], the developer of the [[Flesch–Kincaid readability tests]], and the authors of the ''[[Howard Eves|Mathematical Circles]]'' and ''[[Philip Pollock|Political Analysis]]'' series.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://extranet.cst.ucf.edu/phonebook/ |title=UCF Faculty Directory |access-date=July 31, 2009 |publisher=University of Central Florida |archive-date=April 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407081502/https://extranet.cst.ucf.edu/phonebook/ |url-status=live }}</ref> As a result of the work of professors and the [[Florida Space Institute]], UCF will become the first Florida university to lead a NASA mission.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-04-12/features/os-ucf-nasa-55-million-grant-20130412_1_space-weather-florida-space-institute-space-research |title=UCF receives $55 million grant from NASA |date=April 12, 2013 |access-date=June 24, 2014 |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812030407/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-04-12/features/os-ucf-nasa-55-million-grant-20130412_1_space-weather-florida-space-institute-space-research |url-status=live }}</ref> ==See also== {{Portal|Education|Florida}} *[[Greater Orlando]] *[[State University System of Florida]] ==Notes== {{Reflist|group="note"}} {{Notelist}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons}} * [https://www.ucf.edu/ Official website] * [https://ucfknights.com/ UCF Knights website] {{University of Central Florida}} {{Navboxes | titlestyle = background: black; color: white; border: 2px solid #FFC904 | list1 = {{Big 12 Conference navbox}} {{Metro Orlando}} {{State University System of Florida}} {{Southeastern Universities Research Association}} {{Largest United States universities by enrollment}} {{Largest United States universities by undergraduate enrollment}} }} {{good article}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Central Florida, University Of}} [[Category:University of Central Florida| ]] [[Category:1963 establishments in Florida]] [[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1963]] [[Category:Universities and colleges in Orange County, Florida]] [[Category:Public universities and colleges in Florida|University of Central Flolrida]] [[Category:Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools]] [[Category:Robert A. M. Stern buildings]]'