Missions, Visions, and Values

Mission of the University


The University of Florida is a comprehensive learning institution built on a land-grant foundation. We are The Gator Nation, a diverse community dedicated to excellence in education and research and shaping a better future for Florida, the nation, and the world.

Our mission is to enable our students to lead and influence the next generation and beyond for economic, cultural, and societal benefit.

The University welcomes the full exploration of its intellectual boundaries and supports its faculty and students in the creation of new knowledge and the pursuit of new ideas.

  • Teaching is a fundamental purpose of this University at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
  • Research and scholarship are integral to the educational process and to the expansion of our understanding of the natural world, the intellect and the senses.
  • Service reflects the University's obligation to share the benefits of its research and knowledge for the public good. The University serves the nation's and the state's critical needs by contributing to a well-qualified and broadly diverse citizenry, leadership and workforce.

The University of Florida must create the broadly diverse environment necessary to foster multicultural skills and perspectives in its teaching and research for its students to contribute and succeed in the world of the 21st century.

These three interlocking elements — teaching, research and scholarship, and service — span all the University's academic disciplines and represent the University's commitment to lead and serve the state of Florida, the nation, and the world by pursuing and disseminating new knowledge while building upon the experiences of the past. The University aspires to advance by strengthening the human condition and improving the quality of life.

Vision, Mission, and Values of the Graduate School


Our Vision

To be a model of excellence for supporting and advancing graduate education worldwide 

Our Mission 

To ensure the integrity and value of graduate education and elevate the overall graduate student experience

Our Core Values 

Integrity 
Advocacy 
Inclusion 
Collaboration 
Innovation

Graduate School Administration

Nicole L. P. Stedman
Ph.D. (University of Florida), Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost

Tom Kelleher
Ph.D. (University of Florida), Associate Dean, Academic Affairs 

Judy Traveis 
Ph.D. (University of Florida), Associate Dean, Student Affairs

Please find information regarding the Graduate School's current organization of offices and historical information about the previous  Deans and history below.   For biographical and contact information for the Graduate School's staff, consult the Graduate School Personnel pages on the UF Graduate School's website.  For assistance, please reach out using the Graduate School's Contact Form.    

Organization


The Graduate School currently consists of the Dean, an Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, an Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the Graduate Council, the Graduate Faculty, and the Graduate School staff. The Graduate School is responsible for establishing, monitoring, and enforcing minimum general standards of graduate study in the University and for coordinating the graduate programs of the various colleges and divisions of the University. 

Responsibility for the detailed operation of graduate programs is vested in individual colleges, schools, divisions, and academic units. In most colleges, an associate dean or other administrator is directly responsible for graduate studies in that college.  General policies and standards of the Graduate School are established by the Graduate Faculty as represented by the Graduate Council. Policy changes must be approved by the graduate dean(s) and the Graduate Council. The Graduate Council (chaired by the Graduate Dean) considers graduate education policy and policy changes and the creation of or revisions to graduate degree programs, majors, concentrations, certificates, and other graduate education initiatives.  For information regarding appointment to the graduate faculty, please visit https://gradcatalog.ufl.edu/graduate/faculty

The Graduate School Staff

The Graduate School is organized into two central units:

  • Academic Affairs, which includes
    • IT Systems
    • Curriculum and Programs
    • Admissions and Transfer Credits
    • Academic Career Tracking
  • Graduate Student Success Center, which includes
    • Graduate Student Support and Engagement
    • Graduate Professional Development
    • Postdoctoral Affairs & Prestigious Awards
    • Grad Care
    • Graduate Student Recruitment
    • Thesis, Dissertation, and Publication

  Graduate Academic Affairs

The Academic Affairs team serves graduate programs across campus by implementing policies and best practices for units to develop curriculum and support students in successful academic journeys from admission to graduation.

  • IT Systems maintains and enhances online database systems that track both individual and institutional performance in graduate education at UF.
  • Curriculum and Programs manages graduate curricular proposals, coaches academic units through the proposal process, provides logistical support for the Graduate Council and Graduate Curriculum Committee meetings, and curates, updates, and publishes the Graduate Catalog and its academic calendar.
  • Admissions and Transfer Credits manages graduate conditional and special exception admissions, transfers of credit, and master’s degree acknowledgments.
  • Academic Career Tracking oversees graduate students’ academic careers, including graduate degree audits, degree evaluation, and degree certification.

Graduate Student Success Center

The Graduate Student Success Center was created with the graduate student at its core. The center is here to enhance the graduate student experience by promoting holistic development and creating a culture of belonging.  The values that shape their work include integrity, service, advocacy, empathy, collaboration, and innovation

The Graduate Student Success Center was established to support potential graduate students, current students, faculty, and staff in the areas of

  • Graduate Student Support and Engagement by building and sustaining an inclusive community that provides comprehensive graduate student support and engagement services to promote academic success, personal development, and social well-being so our graduates can transform the global economy
  • Graduate Professional Development by providing professional development activities and programs for UF graduate students
  • Postdoctoral Affairs & Prestigious Awards by offering direction to UF’s Post-Doctoral Affairs Office, maintaining oversight of individual development plans and human resource needs and creating and maintaining active lists of funding opportunities for graduate students, as well as providing assistance in the completion of funding award packets
  • Grad Care, a non-clinical case manager role created through the collaboration of the UF Graduate School and UF Student Life Office, by helping graduate students overcome challenges impacting their personal and academic success at the University of Florida
  • Graduate Student Recruitment by assisting and advising graduate programs on ways to increase domestic and international graduate student enrollment
  • Thesis, Dissertation, and Publication by assisting with the formatting and submission process for students submitting a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation to the Graduate School

For more information or questions about the Graduate School’s organization, visit  https://grad.ufl.edu/about/team/ or use the Graduate School Contact Form found here:  https://grad.ufl.edu/contact-us/.

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council, chaired by the Dean, is a joint committee established by the President and the Faculty Senate. The Council establishes general policies and standards of the Graduate School and assists the dean of the Graduate School in the execution of policies related to graduate study and associated research.  Graduate School staff provide support to the council by reviewing and editing all proposals submitted by administrative and/or academic units to ensure they comply with Graduate Council policy.

The Graduate Council consists of twelve members of the Graduate Faculty, a graduate student elected by the Graduate Student Council, and the Dean of the Graduate School.  Six of the twelve faculty members of the Graduate Council are elected by the Graduate Faculty, and six are appointed by the Provost. All members serve for overlapping three-year terms, aside from the Graduate School Dean (permanent chair) and the graduate student representative (one year).

Nicole L. P. Stedman, Chair
Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost
 

Graduate Council 2024-2025

Members Elected by Graduate Faculty:
 
Dr. Linda Bloom
Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology 
Dr. Abdoulaye Kane 
Department of Anthropology and Center for African Studies  
Dr. Michael D. Martinez
Department of Political Science
Dr. Pilar Useche 
Department of Food & Resource Economics and Center for Latin American Studies
Dr. Connie J. Mulligan
Department of Anthropology
Dr. Marta Wayne 
Department of Biology
 
Members Appointed by the Provost: 
 
Dr. James "J.C." Bunch 
Department of Agricultural Education and Communication  
Dr. Hitomi Greenslet 
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 
Dr. James Jawitz
Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Science 
Dr. Linjuan Rita Men
Department of Public Relations
Dr. Joni Williams Splet
School of Special Education, School Psychology and Early Childhood Studies
Dr. Weizhou Zhang
Department of Pathology, Immunology & Laboratory Medicine
 
Graduate Student Council Representative:
 
Kevin Senior
Department of Pediatrics
 
Graduate Student Council Representative Alternate:
 

Fatima Akinola
Department of Mathematics 

 

History


Graduate study at UF existed while the University was still on its Lake City campus. However, the first graduate degrees, two Master of Arts with a major in English, were awarded on the Gainesville campus in 1906. The first Master of Science was awarded in 1908, with a major in entomology. The first programs leading to the Ph.D. were approved in 1930, and the first degrees were awarded in 1934, one with a major in chemistry and the other with a major in pharmacy. The first Ed.D. was awarded in 1948. Graduate study has grown phenomenally at UF. In 1930, 33 degrees were awarded in 12 fields. In 1940, 66 degrees were awarded in 16 fields. Over the 2022-2023 academic year, UF awarded 6405 graduate degrees in more than 235 fields, including 746 Ph.D. degrees.

UF Graduate School Deans and Years of Service

Years of Service Graduate Deans
June 2021 to Present Nicole L. P. Stedman, Dean
May 2007 to May 2021 Henry T. Frierson, Dean
2004-2007 Kenneth J. Gerhardt, Interim Dean
1999-2004 Winfred M. Phillips, Dean
1998-1999 M. Jack Ohanian, Interim Dean
1993-1998 Karen A. Holbrook, Dean
July-September 1993 Gene W. Hemp, Acting Dean
1985-1993 Madelyn M. Lockhart, Dean
1983-1985 Donald R. Price, Acting Dean
September 1982-January 1983 Gene W. Hemp, Acting Dean
1980-1982 Francis G. Stehli, Dean
1979-1980 F. Michael Wahl, Acting Dean
1973-1979 Harry H. Sisler, Dean
1971-1973 Alex G. Smith, Acting Dean
1969-1971 Harold P. Hanson, Dean
1952-1969 L. E. Grinter, Dean
1951-1952 C. F. Byers, Acting Dean
1938-1951 T. M. Simpson, Dean
1930-1938 James N. Anderson, Dean

Governance of the University

Florida State Board of Education


The Department of Education is here to increase the proficiency of all students within one seamless, efficient system by providing them with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills through learning opportunities and research valued by students, parents, and communities and to maintain an accountability system that measures student progress.

Florida Board of Governors 

The Board of Governors comprises seventeen members, fourteen of whom are appointed by the Florida Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate for a term of seven years. The remaining members include the Chair of the Advisory Council of Faculty Senates, the Commissioner of Education, and the Chair of the Florida Student Association. The Board oversees the operation and management of the Florida public university system’s twelve institutions.

Manny Diaz, Jr., Commissioner of Education
  Appointed June 1, 2022
Brian Lamb, Chair
  March 29, 2019 – January 6, 2026
Alan LevineVice-Chair
  June 22, 2017 – January 6, 2031

Full List of Members:  

Ashley Bell Barnett
November 27, 2023 – January 6, 2026

Timothy M. Cerio
October 27, 2017 – January 6, 2031

Manny Diaz, Jr. 
Commissioner of Education, appointed June 1, 2022  

Aubrey Edge
February 3, 2020 – January 6, 2027

Patricia Frost
 October 27, 2017 – January 6, 2024

Edward Haddock
November 24, 2020 – January 6, 2027

Carson Good
May 8, 2024 – January 6, 2031

John Brinkman
June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2025

Ken Jones  
November 24, 2020 – January 6, 2027

Brian Lamb 
March 29, 2019 – January 6, 2026

Alan Levine 
June 22, 2017 – January 6, 2031

Charles H. Lydecker 
June 14, 2019 – January 6, 2027

Craig Mateer 
March 11, 2022 – January 6, 2027

Jose Oliva
January 4, 2023 – January 6, 2026

Amanda J. Phalin 
August 1, 2023 – May 31, 2025

Eric Silagy  
March 29, 2019 – January 6, 2026

Contact a member of the Board of Governors

Board of Governors 
State University System of Florida 
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1614 
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

 

University of Florida Board of Trustees


The UF Board of Trustees is the public body corporate of the University. It sets policy for the institution and serves as the institution's legal owner and final authority. The UF Board of Trustees holds the institution's resources in trust and is responsible for their efficient and effective use. The UF Board of Trustees consists of six citizen members appointed by the Governor and five citizen members appointed by the Board of Governors. The Chair of the Faculty Senate and the President of the Student Body are also voting members.  For more information, visit https://trustees.ufl.edu.

Morteza “Mori” Hosseini, Chair
Rahul Patel, Vice Chair

David L. Brandon
John E. Brinkman
Richard P. Cole
Christopher T. Corr
James W. Heavener
Sarah D. Lynne
Daniel T. O'Keefe
Marsha D. Powers
Fred S. Ridley
Patrick O. Zalupski
Anita G. Zucker

The Presidential Cabinet

For the most up-to-date Cabinet information, please visit the page maintained by the Office of the President: https://president.ufl.edu/cabinet.  


Kent Fuchs
Interim President of the University

Joe Glover
Interim Provost
Academic Affairs

 Melissa Curry
Vice President
Human Resources

 Dan Dillon
Vice President for Marketing and Senior Advisor
Office of the President

 Kurt Dudas
Vice President for Strategic Initiatives
Office of the President

Elias G. Eldayrie
Vice President and CIO
Information Technology

Ryan Fuller
Interim Vice President
General Counsel

Robert A. Gilbert
Interim Senior Vice President
Agriculture and Natural Resources

Taylor Jantz
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Office of the Chief Financial Officer

Mark Kaplan
Vice President
Government and Community Relations

Dave Kratzer
Senior Vice President
Construction, Facilities, and Auxiliary Operations

Maria Martin
Interim Vice President
Advancement

Stephen J. Motew
President and System CEO
UF Health

David R. Nelson
Senior Vice President for Health Affairs
President, UF Health

David Norton
Vice President
Research

Mary Parker  
Vice President and Chief Enrollment Strategist
Enrollment Management

Brandi Renton
Interim Vice President
Business Affairs

Scott Stricklin
Director
UF Athletics

James Wegmann
Vice President for Communications 
Strategic Communications and Marketing

Heather White
Vice President
Student Life  

University of Florida Deans

College Deans

See https://president.ufl.edu/deans/ for the most up-to-date list of College Deans. 

 

Robert Gilbert, Ph.D.
Dean for Research, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Judith Russell, M.S.
Dean, University Libraries

Nicole L. P. Stedman, Ph.D.
Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost

Christopher Summerlin. Ph.D.
Dean of Students

Marta Wayne, Ph.D.
Dean of the International Center and Associate Provost