UF is a major research university located in Gainesville in the heart of north-central Florida. Gainesville is a wonderful host to the university and it is a great place to live.
Unlike many universities with several campuses built within a metropolitan area, UF provides a self-contained 2,000-acre campus that includes 950 buildings: residential dorms, classroom buildings, restaurants and shops, a student union and hotel, a health science center and hospital, museums, historic buildings, fraternity and sorority houses, laboratories and research centers, and numerous recreational facilities.
While the university is a protected environment with clearly delineated boundaries and its own police force, it is also an open environment where thousands of people come and go all the time.
The university recognizes that safety and security are shared responsibilities and each individual must be aware of their obligation to personal safety. The university provides lighting throughout campus, bus service is available all day every day, rides and walking escorts are available every 15-20 minutes Thursday thru Saturday nights, and the 90-member University Police Department is on continuous patrol.
No community is immune to crime, but this community works together to ensure the safety of every campus resident, vistor and facility. We all want UF to continue to be the safe and comfortable haven it has been for generations.
This is such a beautiful place with a rich variety of landscapes for everyone, from bustling pedestrian areas to serene retreats with lakes, gardens, walking paths and running trails. It is meant to be enjoyed.