Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a private nonprofit university, with a main campus located on 300 acres (120Â ha) in Davie, in the US state of Florida. Formerly referred to as "Nova" and now commonly called "NSU", the university currently consists of 18 colleges and schools offering over 175 programs of study with more than 250 majors. The university offers professional degrees in law, business, osteopathic medicine, allopathic medicine, allied health, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, education, occupational therapy, and nursing. Nova Southeastern enrolled 24,148 students in the 2014-2015 academic year, and has produced over 170,000 alumni.
The university was founded as the Nova University of Advanced Technology on a former Naval Outlying Landing Field built during World War II, and first offered graduate degrees in the physical and social sciences. In 1994, the university merged with the Southeastern University of the Health Sciences and assumed its current name.
NSU is classified as a high research and community engaged university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and also has numerous additional specialized accreditation for its colleges and programs.
The NSU Sharks compete in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as members of the Sunshine State Conference.
History
1960s
The university, originally named Nova University of Advanced Technology, was chartered by the state of Florida on December 4, 1964. With an inaugural class of 17 students, the university opened as a graduate school for the social and physical sciences.
The university was originally located on a campus in downtown Fort Lauderdale but later moved to its current campus in Davie, Florida. A portion of the site of this campus was once a naval training airfield during World War II, called the "Naval Outlying Landing Field Forman". The remnants of the taxiway surrounding the airfield are still present in the form of roads used on the campus. After World War II, the federal government made a commitment to the Forman family, from whom the land was purchased, that the land would only be used for educational purposes. This led the land to be used for the creation of the South Florida Education Center, which includes Nova Southeastern University, as well as Broward College, Florida Atlantic University, McFatter Technical College, and the University of Florida.
1970s
On June 23, 1970, the board of trustees voted to enter into a federation with the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). The president of NYIT, Alexander Schure, Ph.D., became chancellor of Nova University. Abraham S. Fischler became the second president of the university. The university charter was amended and “of Advanced Technology†was dropped from its corporate name. In 1971, Nova University received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
In 1972, the university introduced its first off-campus course of study in education. In 1974, NSU opened a law school, with an inaugural class of 175 students. The same year, the university began offering evening courses on campus for undergraduates, and changed its name to Nova University. The following year, in 1975, the law school received approval from the American Bar Association.
1980s
In the early 1980s, the university received a $16 million gift from the Leo Goodwin Sr. Trust. In 1985, NSU ended its collaboration with New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), and began offering its first online classes. In 1989, enrollment reached 8,000 students, with nearly 25,000 alumni. Revenue approached $70Â million.
1990s
In 1994, Nova University merged with Southeastern University of the Health Sciences to form Nova Southeastern University (NSU), adding the Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Pharmacy, Optometry and Allied Health to the university.
2000s
The William and Norma Horvitz Administration Building, a two-story 62,000-square-foot (5,800Â m2) neoclassical structure, was built at a cost of $3 million, which now houses the office of the president and numerous other administration departments.
In 2001, the Alvin Sherman Library for Research and Information Technology Center was completed and is the largest public library facility in the state of Florida.
In 2004, the Carl DeSantis Building opened, which houses the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship and the Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences. The building is a 261,000-square-foot (24,200Â m2), five-story facility, and cost about $33 million.
In 2006, the 344,600-square-foot (32,010Â m2) University Center opened, which includes a 5,400 seat area, a fitness center, a performance theater, art gallery, a food court, and a student lounge.
Five residence halls on the main campus serve undergraduate, graduate, health professions, and law students, with a capacity for housing 720 students in approximately 207,000 square feet (19,200Â m2) of living space. In 2007, a 525-bed residence hall opened, called "The Commons".
In 2008, NSU, in partnership with the National Coral Reef Institute and the International Coral Reef Symposium, held the largest coral reef symposium in the world, which included representation from 75 different countries in attendance.
2010s
In 2014, NSU opened a new campus in Puerto Rico, with master and doctoral programs.
In April 2015, NSU announced a significant restructuring of its schools and colleges, adopting an all college framework, to take effect the following July. The revised structure included a new medical school, the College of Allopathic Medicine, a new honours programme, the Farquhar Honors College, and other realignments.
Campuses
Nova Southeastern University has a main campus located in Davie, Florida, with several branch campuses throughout the state, and one in Puerto Rico.
Davie Campus
The main campus consists of 314 acres (127Â ha) and is located in Davie, Florida. The main campus includes administrative offices, classroom facilities, library facilities (including the Alvin Sherman Library), health clinics, mental health clinics, Don Taft University Center, residence halls, cafeterias, computer labs, the bookstore, athletic facilities, and parking facilities.
The Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center is the largest library building in the state of Florida. The library was opened to the public in December 2001, and offers workshops on a variety of topics each semester online and at NSU Campuses.
Dania Beach Campus
The Dania Beach Campus is located on 10 acres (4.0Â ha) in the John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, and houses the Oceanographic Center. The Dania Beach campus includes the Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystems Research. Completed in 2012 at a cost of US$50 million, the Center is the largest research facility dedicated to studying coral reefs in the United States.
North Miami Beach Campus
The North Miami Beach Campus, also known as the Southern Campus, is located on 18 acres (7.3Â ha) and serves as the main location for the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. The Special Needs Dentistry Clinic moved to the North Miami Beach campus in 2013.
The campus will be home to the new College of Allopathic Medicine, which will be NSU's new MD degree granting program. The new college is expected to welcome its inaugural class in the fall of 2017, and will make Nova Southeastern the first institution in the Southeast to grant both MD and DO medical degrees. This will become South Florida's fourth traditional (allopathic) medical school.
Student Education Centers
Nova Southeastern operates Student Education Centers and satellite campuses in Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Kendall, FL, Miramar, FL, Orlando, Palm Beach Gardens, Tampa, and Puerto Rico. These centers provide computer labs, videoconferencing equipment, and other resources for distance students, who are not located near the main campus. The satellite campuses and student education centers comprise a total of 150 acres (61Â ha). All services provided on the main campuses are also available at all NSU Student Educational Centers.
Academics
Through its 16 colleges (as realigned 1 July 2015), the university awards associate's, bachelor's, master's, specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields. A total of 65 undergraduate majors are offered at NSU. Nova Southeastern University has the only college of optometry in the state of Florida, one of three dental schools and one of three pharmacy schools in the state.
Perhaps a historical reflection of the merger of Nova University with the Southeastern University of the Health Sciences, NSU maintains a Health Professions Division, currently composed of eight colleges.
The NSU College of Osteopathic Medicine was the first osteopathic medical school to be established in the Southeastern United States. The College of Osteopathic Medicine operates the Center for Bioterrorism and All-Hazards Preparedness (CBAP), which is one of six training centers in the US funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
The NSU College of Allopathic Medicine is a new traditional medical school leading to the MD degree, planned to accept its first batch of students in 2017 or 2018. This is complemented by the decision to move an existing hospital to the main campus.
The NSU College of Pharmacy offers three degree programs.
The NSU College of Dental Medicine trains dentists, including additional training for specialities such as orthodontics and pediatric dentistry, along with a research-based master's degree for qualified dentists.
The NSU College of Optometry offers 2 degree programs, a Doctor of Optometry and a Masters of Science in Clinical Vision Research, and operates an optometry residency. Optometry students receive training in community, pediatric, primary, environmental and rehabilitative optometry, optics, and health sciences.
The NSU College of Medical Sciences offers a two-year program of study leading to a master's degree in Biomedical Sciences. Each student's program is individually tailored, and includes basic science courses similar to those taken in professional programs. This College also provides basic courses to students in other Health Sciences Division colleges.
The College of Nursing offers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in nursing (Doctor of Nurse Practice, or DNP, and PhD degrees).
The College of Health Care Sciences provides training in a range of medical fields, such as occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, cardiovascular sonography, physician assistant and speech-language pathology at the bachelors, masters and doctoral levels.
The other eight colleges are outside of the Health Science Division.
NSU's law school is located on the main campus in Davie, Florida. Founded in 1974, the school is named the Shepard Broad Law Center, after university founder Shepard Broad. The Law Center hosts over 1,000 students in both its day and evening programs. There are 50 full-time faculty, and 65 adjunct faculty. The average pass rate for students taking the Florida bar exam was 66.7 percent.
The H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship is housed in the Carl DeSantis building on the main campus, and offers undergraduate degrees, a masters program, and business certificates programs. The school is a member of the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education and is in the initial accreditation phase for the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business - International (AACSB).
The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) is located in the Carl DeSantis building on the main campus.
The Nova Southeastern University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences is located on the Main Campus in the Maltz building, which is also shared with the Center for Psychological Studies.
Nova Southeastern University Center for Psychological Studies was established in 1967, and trains current and future psychologists and counseling professionals, conferring the Psy.D. degree. The Center for Psychological Studies is located in the Maltz building on the main campus.
The Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences offers two graduate degree programs (writing and experimental psychology), and over 30 undergraduate programs.
The Abraham S. Fischler College of Education provides training for teachers, including various specialties such as special education and technology integration, at the associate, bachelors, masters (M.S. and M.A.), specialists (Ed.S.) and doctoral (Ed.D. and Ph.D.) levels. The College is the main occupant of the North Miami Beach Campus and is named after Dr. Abraham S. Fischler, who served for over two decades as the second president of Nova University (prior to merging with Southeastern University).
In addition to the 16 colleges, NSU has various other centres and institutes. NSU offers programs for families on parenting, preschool, primary education, and secondary education, which are provided through the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies and the NSU University School.
The Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine is located on both the main campus in Ft. Lauderdale and on the Kendall campus. This center actively seeks to advance the science of treatment for individuals with neuro-inflammatory diseases via integration of education, research, and patient care.
The NSU University School
The campus hosts the NSU University School. The University School is a fully accredited, independent, college preparatory school that serves grades Pre-Kindergarten through grade 12, and is located on the Davie Campus. This school, often referred to as just the "University School", is broken up into three academic areas: the lower; middle; and upper schools. These represent, respectively, elementary, middle and high school divisions within the school.
Rankings
Nova Southeastern University is classified as a Doctoral/Research University Carnegie Foundation. NSU is ranked by the Washington Monthly as the 259th best national university.
In 2015, NSU was ranked by The Economist at 290 of 1,275 colleges based on income of graduate, compared to expected income.
In 2000, and again in 2014, Nova Southeastern University was ranked 3rd for highest total debt burden amongst its students. In 2014, students at NSU carried the #1 highest debt load compared to all other students at non-profit universities.
In 2015, NSU was ranked 9th for diversity by U.S. News & World Report. NSU was ranked 8th by Best College Reviews for diversity.
In 2014 and 2015, NSU awarded more professional doctoral degrees to minorities than any other university in the nation.
In 2016, NSU was selected as one of 20 global universities by the Times Higher Education and World University that could challenge the elite and become a world renowned university by 2030.
Student life
In Fall 2014, 24,148 students were attending Nova Southeastern University, including undergraduates, graduate students, and professional programs. About 70% of undergraduate students are female, and 30% are male. The average student age is 26 years, and 16% are from out-of-state, while the remaining 84% of students are from Florida. About 33% of students are Hispanic/Latino, 32% are White/non-Hispanic, 18% are black/African American, 8% are Asian/Pacific Islander, 2% identify as two or more races/ethnicities, and 3% of students are of unknown ethnicity.
The Davie Campus accounted for 92% of the student population and 100% of housing students. The North Miami Beach Campus accounted for about 5% of the student population. About 20% of students at NSU live in university owned or operated housing.
Organizations
There are over 100 clubs and organizations on campus for students. The Nova Southeastern's Undergraduate Student Government Association is the primary organization for the government of the undergraduate student body. The Office of Student Activities is responsible for a number of activities on campus, including homecoming, and regular extracurricular activities.
About 7-8% of students are involved in Greek Life system, through either a fraternity or sorority. There are a total of five fraternities on the campus and six sororities on the campus.
The school's student-run newspaper, The Current, is published weekly. There is also a school-sponsored radio station called WNSU RADIO X which broadcasts in the evenings and weekends on 88.5 FM WKPX, a station owned by Broward County Public Schools; Radio X airs from 6pm to midnight every night, and around the clock on Live365.com.
Housing
1,529 students or about 5% of the Nova student population lives in on-campus residence halls. The newest residence hall is the Rolling Hills Apartments, which opened in 2008. Rolling Hills Apartments is a renovated residence hall that was originally the "Best Western Rolling Hills Resort." This residence hall is for graduate and doctoral students. The oldest dorms, Farquhar, Founders, and Vettel, each house 55 students.
Athletics
The NSU Sharks compete in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as members of the Sunshine State Conference. Nova Southeastern University offers 17 intercollegiate athletic programs consisting of ten women's and seven men's teams. Women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track, and volleyball. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, track and field, soccer, swimming, and diving.
Since joining the NCAA in 2002, the NSU Sharks have produced several NCAA All-Region selections and NCAA All-Americans, and have been nationally ranked in numerous sports. The NSU Sharks have won four straight championships in women's golf from 2009 to 2012. In 2016, for the first time in school history, the NSU baseball team won the Division II National Championship.
Many athletic events at NSU take place at University Center Arena. In 2005, students voted for a new school mascot, and the student body selected the Sharks. NSU's athletic teams had previously been known as the Knights.
Student series
Several projects have been established that allow students to voluntarily listen to speakers brought in from outside the campus.
The Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences hosts the Distinguished Speakers Series, which brings experts and notable persons from diverse fields to the campus. Past speakers have included Salman Rushdie, Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Film Maker Spike Lee, Maziar Bahari, Bob Woodward, Elie Wiesel, Paul Bremer, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, Desmond Tutu, and Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama.
The Life 101 series brings leaders from business, entertainment, politics and athletics to Nova Southeastern University to share their life accomplishments and “life lessons†learned. Past speakers have included Dwayne Johnson, Wayne Huizenga, Vanessa L. Williams, Dan Abrams, Jason Taylor, Michael Phelps, James Earl Jones, Janet Reno, Alyssa Milano, and Ivanka Trump.
The Power Lunch series brings in local professionals and companies for a formal lunch and learn setting, which is supported by the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship. The series is for all students of the Huizenga School and is promoted to help learn about working in the corporate setting as well as a networking tool for the students. Past speakers and companies have included Geico, BankAtlantic, Miami Heat, Florida Panthers, Miami Dolphins, T. Boone Pickens, Wayne Huizenga, DHL, Samuel DiPiazza, Frederick Henderson, and other local South Florida companies.
People
Notable alumni
NSU has produced over 170,000 alumni, who live in all 50 US States, and over 116 countries worldwide. Alumni work in various fields, including academia, government, research, and professional sports.
Presidents
George L. Hanbury II is the sixth and current president of Nova Southeastern University, and assumed the position of president in January 2010.
Research
Nova Southeastern University is classified as an "R2: Doctoral Universities - Higher Research Activity" in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Carnegie Foundation.
In 2014, NSU received $8.5 million to research the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. NSU conducts research on coral reefs, partially funded by a $15 million federal grant.
Accreditation
The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and also has numerous additional specialized accreditations for its colleges and programs. The Center for Psychological Studies is accredited by the American Psychological Association and the Florida Department of Education. The NSU University School is accredited by the Florida Kindergarten Council, the Florida Council of Independent Schools, and AdvancED.
Gallery
See also
- Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
- Largest United States universities by enrollment
- Workers Unionization Strike & Controversy
References
External links
- Official website