A year ago, the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement reverberated around the world. Petitions, social media campaigns and demonstrations called for attention to racial equality within local law enforcement and university campuses. Now, The Alligator is checking in on how much progress has been made in Gainesville.
UF marine researchers recently discovered a new way of collecting DNA from sea turtles; a flipper print trail in the sand gives them all they need.
Six hundred UF community members signed a letter opposing a Department of Health guideline endorsed by a UF professor that prohibits transgender people under 18 from adopting characteristics matching their gender identity.
Emma Bissell thought a frisbee whacked her head outside Normal Hall. But frisbees don't leave talon marks. The 20-year-old UF telecommunications sophomore was attacked by a hawk in January. On Wednesday morning, UF’s College of Education sent an email warning students to be wary when walking in the Norman Hall area.
The Senate confirmed Jackson Thursday in a historic 53-47 vote. Three GOP senators — Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Mitt Romney, R-Utah — crossed party lines to secure the simple majority vote required. Cheers cried out from the Senate chamber and across America. But for many Black law students and attorneys, the interrogations she faced leading up to this moment reflected their everyday struggles in and out of the legal arena. Some Black women like Janelle Rolle, a first-year student at UF Levin College of Law, believed the questioning highlighted the scrutiny that Black women endure despite their outstanding merit and qualifications.
The secret scene of organized chaos, accented with lonely Exacto knives and abandoned t-squares scattered across the atrium’s cement floor, may be unfamiliar to many UF students. But every Spring, second-year architecture majors face PIN UP, a daunting task that determines if they continue in UF’s architecture program.
Graduate Assistants United at UF protested for increased wages after delayed attempts at bargaining. GAU normally reopens salary negotiations with UF at the beginning of every Fall semester, but the university has since delayed a deal twice, each for 90 days. About 70 people showed up for support, including City Commissioner David Arreola, and a few attendees walked up the building's stairs to give speeches on their struggles. For two hours, attendees chanted phrases like “Top 5 school, Top 5 pay” and “gator pay bites” in hopes the university administration would agree to another bargaining session.
Since Wednesday, UF no longer recommends or expects students to wear masks but welcomes them to mask if they choose to. UF released new masking guidance due to a decline in local and nationwide COVID-19 case numbers.
Johnson, 22, has been accused of felony sexual assault and has been under investigation for four weeks, according to a WUFT report. Johnson’s accuser, 19, who remains anonymous, claims Johnson assaulted her while she was intoxicated at a pool party Feb. 26. In a controlled phone call, an investigation tactic used by police, Johnson admitted he was aware of the accuser’s drunken state.
Gainesville Fire Rescue soon confirmed that it was only heavy smoke due to a malfunctioning compressor, GFR Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Hesson said.
The conflict in Ukraine has displaced more than 4 million Ukranians and gained worldwide media attention.UF’s Ukrainian students have felt the negative effects of the invasion back home. Their loved ones are under attack and while their community in Gainesville is small, it has brought them closer together. There are only three Ukrainian international students at UF, Mykytiuk said.
A former Delta Tau Delta fraternity member has been accused by multiple women of sexual violence. The Alligator spoke to two female UF students who accused the same man of sexual violence. Their identities remain anonymous to protect their privacy and safety. One of the women came forward and filed a police report and a Title IX. There are more than two women The Alligator did not speak with who made similar claims over social media.
UF received $270,000 to provide resources to students who want to learn and develop blockchain technology including cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Blockchain is a complex technology, and its applications have not yet been fully defined. Some popular applications of the blockchain include cryptocurrencies like Dogecoin and non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, which are typically digital artworks, like Bored Ape.
The Black Student Union hosted an opening ceremony to honor the start of Black History Month Tuesday. Nearly 50 UF community members, including students, faculty and the UF BSU, along with two guest speakers walked a small red carpet at the Institute of Black Culture across from UF campus.
Gainesville Regional Transit System’s shortage of bus drivers has changed the ability to move around the city. RTS has reduced the frequency of certain stops, pulling nine buses from service.
Solutions by The State News
