The University of West Florida, also known as West Florida and UWF, is a mid-sized public university located inPensacola, Florida, United States. UWF is a member institution of the State University System of Florida. The University of West Florida is a comprehensive research university without faculties of law or medicine. It is a space-grant institution that was established in 1963. The University of West Florida sits on the third largest campus in the State University System, 1,600 acres (6.5 km2), and its campus is a natural preserve that is bordered by two rivers and Escambia Bay. The university's mascot is an Argonaut and its logo is the Chambered Nautilus.

　　History

　　In 1962, the Florida Legislature authorized the State Board of Education to locate a state university in Escambia County. Following a feasibility study which demonstrated the need for an institution of higher education in Northwest Florida, funds were allocated for the development of the University of West Florida. The founding President was Harold Crosby. UWF became the sixth state university of the State University System of Florida, which today consists of twelve institutions of higher learning.

　　Ground was broken on April 16, 1965, and in the same year the Chambered Nautilus was adopted as the official UWF emblem. The initial building program, consisted of an administration classroom complex, library, Commons building, science complex, humanities building, audiovisual facility, utilities building and 15 student housing buildings accommodating approximately 500 resident students. Current facilities at UWF include: 35 academic buildings, 21 student services facilities, 25 dormitories, two university village student apartment complexes and 20 plant support facilities. In 1997, 600 acres (2.4 km2) additional were acquired which brought the Pensacola campus to 1,600 acres (6.5 km2), the second largest main campus in the State University System.

　　Initially, the university was organized in three resident or cluster colleges: Alpha, Gamma, and Omega. Not only were academic disciplines assigned to these colleges, but also student government, cultural programs and other activities were conducted within the colleges. UWF was originally an upper-level institution enrolling juniors, seniors, and graduate students. The first students began classes in the fall of 1967, and the first commencement exercises were held in June 1968 where 58 students received degrees. In 1969, the university undergraduate programs were accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the first master's degree programs were established.

　　In July 1979, the university organized in a more traditional structure by establishing three colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business and Education. Prior to 1983, UWF consisted only of an upper division and a postgraduate school, with input to the upper division coming primarily from students who had attended and earned an associate degree from a junior college or community college. Following authorization by the Florida Legislature, a lower division was established, and freshmen attended the university for the first time in the fall semester of 1983, boosting enrollment from 5,200 students to 5,920 students.

　　In July 1988, Computer Science, a department within the College of Business, was identified as the Division of Computer Science as a stand-alone and plans were begun to incorporate it into a fourth college, the College of Science and Technology. That decision was later reversed and computer science was moved to the School of Computer Science and Engineering within the College of Arts and Sciences. During the fall term of 1999, the colleges reorganized as the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and the College of Professional Studies.

　　Campuses

　　Main campuses

　　The main campus of 1,600 acres (6.5 km2) of rolling hills and natural woodland along the Escambia River is ten miles (16 km) north of downtown Pensacola, in the Ferry Pass area. Its facilities have been designed to complement the natural forest and waterways. It is the largest library in the Northwest Florida area. In addition to the main library on the main campus north of Pensacola, Florida, there is a branch library in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. It has 628,000 printed volumes, 1 million microfilms and microfiches, 3,000 serial subscriptions and nearly 2,000 online journal subscriptions. UWF shares a branch campus in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., with Northwest Florida State College, NWFSC, and has several centers and sites where academic programs are taught.

　　In 2012 the University's $16.8 million College of Business Education Center opened.

　　The University of West Florida has waterfront property on Santa Rosa Island that is available for recreational, academic, and research pursuits. The University also operates the NWFSC/UWF Fort Walton Beach Campus, the Eglin Air Force Base Center and the Hurlburt Field Center. As a result, a significant number of UWF students have been military personnel assigned toNAS Pensacola, NAS Whiting Field, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field and Duke Field. This is particularly true of commissioned officers at these installations pursuing postgraduate degrees outside of their normal duty hours.

　　Online campus

　　UWF also maintains an with over 400 online course sections each semester and 28 fully online undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs that are available to students anywhere in the world. Acceptance to any of the fully online degree or certificate programs provides the opportunity to apply for an out-of-state tuition waiver that reduces out-of-state tuition to near that of in-state. The Online Campus provides students with an additional way to access education at UWF whether completing courses far away from the campus or selecting to take an online course to round out a semester.

　　Historic Pensacola Village

　　In 2001, the university acquired West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc, the previously state-controlled group that manages the Historic Pensacola Village. A few years later, John C. Cavanaugh became the fourth president on July 15, 2002. Under his supervision the university has created several classes taught by and/or in conjunction with the staff at Historic Pensacola. The Clara Barkley Dorr House was also appropriated as a downtown home for the institute president.

　　Administration and organization

　　The University of West Florida is a public institution, receiving most of its funding through state funds and tuition. A 13-member Board of Trustees governs the University. The undergraduate and graduate programs are divided into three Colleges, with the College of Arts and Sciences being the largest and most complex, followed by the College of Professional Studies, and finally the College of Business.

　　Student life

　　UWF hosts many opportunities for involvement through student clubs and organizations. Registered student organizations, administered by the University Commons, include: academic clubs, Greek organizations, professional and honor societies, religious organizations and special interest groups. Additionally, UWF own property on Pensacola Beach. The said property is frequently used by students for research and recreation. Because UWF is situated in a wilderness preserve, students may rent canoes, kayaks, and water-ski on Escambia river at their leisure. UWF’s offers numerous mountain bike trails that are located on campus and may be used by students free of charge. The University of West Florida offers its students a wide variety of recreational activities that are located on campus.

　　Housing

　　Over 2,000 students choose to live on campus. UWF offers traditional residence halls, small community residence halls, and University-owned apartment complexes. Single-student housing is also available.

　　The traditional residence halls are Argo Hall, Martin Hall, and Pace Hall which offer double and triple spaces; the "Southside Villages" offer double and single spaces; student apartments are in University Village Student Apartments-East and University Village Student Apartments-West.

　　On June 3, 2009, ground was broken in order to build Heritage Hall, a new residence hall at UWF. Heritage Hall will be able to comfortably house around 250 students, and will cost around $12.9 million to build. It will be designed along the lines of a duplex. The new dormitory will be outfitted with solar panels and, during daylight hours, will be powered exclusively by the sun. In the fall of 2010, the construction of Heritage Hall was complete.

　　In the fall of 2012, the replica of Heritage Hall, Presidents Hall, opened.

　　Athletics

　　UWF intercollegiate athletics compete in the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference. Men's intercollegiate sports include baseball, soccer, basketball, tennis, cross country, and golf. Women's intercollegiate sports include basketball, tennis, cross country, golf, softball, soccer, and volleyball.

　　The UWF men's baseball team won the 2011 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.

　　The UWF women's soccer team won the 2012 NCAA Division II Soccer Championship.

　　UWF is planning on fielding a football team in 2016. The team will compete in the Gulf South Conference.