Campus - The Independent Florida Alligator

Wynton White (left) and Amy Nicholas (right), Change Party's candidates for Student Body president and treasurer, watch a live stream of the UF Student Government election results on Wednesday, February 24, 2021. Gator Party won the executive ticket.

CAMPUS | STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Gator wins executive ticket for the second year in a row and gains further control of the Senate

By Alligator Staff report | Feb. 25

There were 6,650 total ballots cast, Supervisor of Elections Haley Price announced on a live stream Wednesday evening. Student Body President-elect Cooper Brown and Student Body Vice President-elect Faith Maniti won with 4,629 votes, or 69.78% of the vote. Student Body Treasurer-elect Giovanna Mompremier won with 4,515 votes, or 68.85%.

Pictured is the Santa Fe College clock tower.

CAMPUS | SFC

Santa Fe College COVID-19 update: Nine students and employees tested positive last week

By Juliana Ferrie | Feb. 25

Santa Fe’s total number of reported positive cases is now 687, according to a report provided by Santa Fe spokesperson Jay Anderson. Since Feb. 1, the college’s weekly confirmed positive COVID-19 cases have decreased each week.

Brianna Alderman (Left) and Camile Hagins (Right) hold up homemade signs as they march in support of antiracism on Feb. 20, 2021.

CAMPUS | STUDENT LIFE

UF students march to honor Black history in Gainesville

By Isabella Douglas | Feb. 24

On Saturday, about 80 UF students gathered outside the Reitz Union and walked to Pleasant Hill Church, the original location of Gainesville’s NAACP chapter, in honor of Gainesville’s Black history.

Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem shoots against the Indiana Pacers during the first half of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.

CAMPUS | STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Prominent UF alumni and athletes endorse Student Government candidates

By Declan Walsh | Feb. 24

Miami Heat player Udonis Haslem and former Gators football players Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts endorsed the Change Party's Student Body presidential candidate Wynton White along with other UF athletes. Kansas City Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend showed support for the Gator Party candidate Cooper Brown.

Early voting for Student Government elections began Monday, Sept. 28 in the Reitz Union.

CAMPUS | STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Students decide on new leadership and senators during Spring SG elections

By Alligator Staff report | Feb. 24

The first day of voting for the UF Student Government Spring Election included some technical difficulties, short lines and about an 80% decrease in voter turnout from last Spring's election.

All libraries except for Library West, which is one of two 24-hour spaces on campus, will resume their usual hours from prior to COVID-19 closures upon reopening in August.

CAMPUS | BREAKING NEWS

UF plans to loosen COVID-19 restrictions starting in Summer B

By Juliana Ferrie | Feb. 22

Some of UF’s face-to-face courses, which begin June 28, will return back to normal capacity levels, according to an email sent to a course scheduling listserv from Colin Yokomi, UF’s assistant university registrar, and several departments across campus. It is unclear if masking will still be mandatory and which courses this will affect.

Executive candidates for Change Party, Gator Party and Keg Party

CAMPUS | STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Meet the candidates running for the Spring 2021 executive ticket

By Sofia Echeverry and Carolina Ilvento | Feb. 22

Gator, Change and Keg Party have candidates running for Student Body president, vice president and treasurer positions.

Spring 2021 Student Government Polling Locations

CAMPUS | STUDENT GOVERNMENT

UF student voter guide to the SG Spring election

By Carolina Ilvento | Feb. 22

Students can vote at the Reitz Union Computer Lab, the Social Lounge at Southwest Recreation Center, the Broward Hall Recreation Room, the Murphree Area Office Conference Room, the Springs Office Conference Room or the Cypress Meeting Room.

A new graduate of the University of Florida watches the remainder of the ceremony while wearing a graduation cap with the Porky Pig quote, “That’s all, folks,” from Looney Tunes.

CAMPUS | STUDENT LIFE

UF announces plans for in-person graduation this Spring

By J.P. Oprison | Feb. 19

The university announced plans Friday to have 14 in-person ceremonies at the O'Connell Center between April 29 and May 3, with the same safety protocols used for athletic events at the arena. Make-up in-person recognition ceremonies for 2020 graduates are still being planned.

CAMPUS | STUDENT GOVERNMENT

UF Supreme Court rules against partisan discrimination case

By Carolina Ilvento | Feb. 19

In a two-case hearing, the SG Supreme Court ruled unanimously against the claim of bias against applicants for Senate positions not affiliated with the majority party, currently the Gator Party. It also determined that future cases of discrimination can be heard by the court.

CAMPUS | STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Change, Keg and Gator debate diversity and funds in Spring Executive Debate

By Sofia Echeverry | Feb. 17

Three parties’ executive ticket candidates discussed topics such as UF COVID-19 guidelines, UF’s contract with food service provider Aramark and challenges in cabinet.

CAMPUS | STUDENT GOVERNMENT

UF Student Government Spring election party platforms

By Carolina Ilvento | Feb. 17

The Gator Party and the Change Party released platforms highlighting stances on traffic safety, sustainability, racism and student diversity. Students will vote for 50 UF Senate seats and the Student Body president, vice president and treasurer on Feb. 23 and 24.

CAMPUS | UF ADMINISTRATION

UF in the early stages of AI transformation

By Alexander Lugo | Feb. 17

As soon as Fall 2021, UF students can learn how to use artificial intelligence to improve agriculture, remove bias from algorithms and advance social justice.

CAMPUS | SFC

Santa Fe College COVID-19 update: 15 students and employees tested positive last week

By Juliana Ferrie | Feb. 17

Santa Fe’s total number of reported positive cases is now 678, according to a report provided by spokesperson Jay Anderson. The college recorded its first student case March 8. Since Jan. 29, the college’s COVID-19 numbers have fluctuated, with the highest number of reported positive cases being 37 in one week.

The tomb of Francisco José do Nascimento, nicknamed "Sea Dragon," caked in dirt when UF history graduate student Licinio Nunes de Miranda found it in July. [Courtesy of Licinio Nunes de Miranda]

CAMPUS

Following three-year search, UF grad student discovers long-lost Brazilian abolitionist’s tomb

By Jack Prator | Feb. 16

UF history graduate student Licinio Nunes de Miranda spent three years searching for the tomb of Brazilian abolitionist Francisco José do Nascimento, nicknamed the Sea Dragon because of his beginnings as a fisherman.

CAMPUS

Judge Stephan Mickle Honored in Memorial Service

By Ben Crosbie | Feb. 15

Clad in face coverings and dark, formal clothing, about 60 friends, family and former colleagues of Mickle gathered at the Curtis M. Phillips Center at noon for the private service. Mickle, the first Black student to earn an undergraduate degree from UF, died of cancer Jan. 26 at 76 years old.

CAMPUS

UF professor and peers call for more funding for Black researchers

By J.P. Oprison | Feb. 12

In a paper calling upon the National Institutes of Health and other funding agencies to address racial disparities, UF professor Josephine Allen and 18 of her colleagues argued that without adequate research funding, Black scientists can become discouraged and quit the profession – leaving fewer Black researchers to serve as role models and mentors for the next generation.

A collection of tombstone shaped signs and a banner calling for the end of in-person classes at the University of Florida was set-up on the corner of 13th Street and University Avenue on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021.

CAMPUS | UF ADMINISTRATION

UFF elevates concerned voices as UF’s re-opening plans rev on

By Alexander Lugo | Feb. 11

UFF held the meeting to lay out five demands aimed at university administration. The requests mainly center around in-person teaching and how it endangers faculty at a time when COVID-19 cases are still high, a more contagious variant of the disease is in town and students are still flocking to bars and clubs on the weekend.

CAMPUS | STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Wednesday is the last day to request an absentee ballot for the Spring elections

By Carolina Ilvento | Feb. 10

Students who are not living in Gainesville or don’t feel comfortable voting in person can request an absentee ballot to be sent by mail by filling out a request form through the SG website.

CAMPUS | SFC

Santa Fe College COVID-19 update: 19 students and employees tested positive last week

By Juliana Ferrie | Feb. 10

Santa Fe’s total reported positive cases is now 664. The college recorded its first student COVID-19 case March 8 and its first employee case the following day.