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Gen Ed humanities courses must include the ‘Western canon’ under new state law

By Zoey Thomas | Mar. 25

A new Florida law requiring all humanities General Education core courses include “selections from the Western canon” will take effect Fall 2024. The requirement was added to Florida statutes in May as part of Senate Bill 266, the same sweeping education reform bill that cut state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Jonathan Pearson, Hailey Pham and Mags Penza play cards while Fernando Guillen studies at Marston Science Library on Sunday, March 3, 2024.

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UF eliminates diversity: What’s known and what remains unclear

By Zoey Thomas | Mar. 4

The university announced it has closed the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer and halted DEI-focused contracts with outside vendors in a memo published March 1. The university also fired 13 full-time DEI positions and ended 15 administrative appointments for faculty, according to UF Spokesperson Cynthia Roldan.

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Florida’s cell-grown meat ban leaves UF researchers divided

By Zoey Thomas | Mar. 4

Called “cultivated meat” by researchers and “lab-grown meat” by critics, the alternative protein is developed directly from animal cells. Scientists collect tissue samples from live animals without killing them. Then, they allow the cells to multiply and mature in a lab before processing them into a food product.

Malachowsky Hall stands on Museum Road on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023.

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Email reprimanding napping students at Malachowsky Hall brings backlash

By Delia Rose Sauer | Feb. 29

On Feb. 7, around 50 students received an email whose first line read, “We appreciate how hard our faculty and students work, but it’s Malachowsky Hall, not Malachowsky Hotel.”

Ben Sasse speaks at UF Hillel’s Spread Cream Cheese Not Hate event on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024.

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Sasse spent first year as UF president mostly behind the scenes

By Zoey Thomas | Feb. 5

After a search committee announced Sasse as the sole finalist for the presidency in October 2022, the campus erupted in protests that the former United States Republican senator would bring a conservative agenda to campus. Instead, Sasse spent his first year putting his head down to learn the workings of what Danaya Wright called the most complicated institution in the country.

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Florida shut down state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion. These UF programs could be affected

By Zoey Thomas | Jan. 29

In the days following the statewide ban on diversity, equity and inclusion funding, students at the University of North Florida are protesting the closure of their school’s LGBTQ+ center. Meanwhile, UF faculty and students are still unsure what the future looks like. The Florida Board of Governors gave final approval Jan. 24 to a ban on universities putting state or federal funds toward DEI or “social activism” programs.

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DeSantis grant allows UF undergraduates to be paid to intern in K-5 classrooms

By Zoey Thomas | Jan. 16

Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded $5 million Dec. 13 among 10 Florida public universities to develop pre-bachelor’s apprenticeship programs. UF received about $1.3 million from the grant, which was the latest effort in DeSantis’ Pathways to Career Opportunities investment to strengthen Florida’s teacher pipeline.

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a Republican presidential primary debate hosted by NBC News, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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Can DeSantis waiving Jewish student transfer requirements be called affirmative action?

By Zoey Thomas | Jan. 16

DeSantis announced in his State of the State address Jan. 9 Florida universities will waive certain transfer requirements, including credit hours and application deadlines, for out-of-state students experiencing antisemitism or other religious discrimination on their campuses.

FILE - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks after being sworn in to begin his second term during an inauguration ceremony outside the Old Capitol on Jan. 3, 2023, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

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DeSantis orders Florida universities to waive certain transfer requirements for Jewish students

By Zoey Thomas | Jan. 10

Gov. Ron DeSantis directed Florida universities to waive application requirements for Jewish transfer students fearing antisemitism Tuesday.

Republican U.S. Sen Ben Sasse, of Nebraska, applauds President Kent Fuchs at the Board of Trustees meeting to discuss his candidacy at Emerson Alumni Hall Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022.

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UF President Ben Sasse names Scott Angle permanent UF provost

By Zoey Thomas | Jan. 9

UF President Ben Sasse announced Scott Angle as provost in an email to faculty and community members Tuesday morning. Angle was one of 14 UF faculty members to serve on the committee, which also brought in outside consultation from the Isaacson, Miller research firm.

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UF faculty banned from recruiting Chinese, Iranian students under new Florida law

By Zoey Thomas | Jan. 8

The Florida law bans “partnerships,” including recruitment programs, between state universities and any non-U.S. citizen living in a foreign country of concern — including China, Iran, Venezuela, Russia, Cuba, Syria and North Korea. It was passed in May and went into effect Dec. 1. The UF dean’s office and upper administration has interpreted the law to mean faculty cannot offer any assistantship or fellowship to students in these countries for the 2024-2025 academic year.

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UF faculty share mixed reviews about Sasse’s strategic vision for tuition changes, post-tenure review

By Garrett Shanley | Nov. 13

UF faculty have expressed a mixture of support, skepticism and disdain for UF President Ben Sasse’s vision for the university’s future.

Ben Sasse delivers his inauguration speech at the University Auditorium on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023.

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Sasse shares his vision for UF’s future at presidential inauguration

By Garrett Shanley | Nov. 6

After nine months on the job, UF President Ben Sasse was officially inaugurated as the university’s 13th president.

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UF faculty express concern over state proposal limiting ‘social activism,’ banning DEI funding at public universities

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 30

A newly proposed state regulation, if approved, will dictate how public universities implement Senate Bill 266, a sweeping set of higher education reforms signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May. The regulation would finalize DeSantis’ nearly year-long campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Florida universities.

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UF Faculty Senate proposes shared governance resolution

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 23

The UF Faculty Senate proposed a resolution Oct. 19 to review shared governance processes across the university, which dictate how faculty, staff and students are able to participate in decision and policy making.

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Sasse hires former US Senate office members to top leadership positions

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 16

UF President Ben Sasse hired two of his former U.S. Senate office members — James Wegmann and Raymond Sass — to top positions at the university.

Hundreds of UF students and community members gather in Turlington Plaza for a candlelight vigil to show support for Israel after after Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas launched a large-scale invasion on Monday, Oct. 10, 2023.

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Sasse condemns Hamas, ensures campus safety following Israel vigil stampede

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 12

UF President Ben Sasse wrote an email to Jewish alumni following a vigil held Monday in support of Israel that ended in a stampede. The letter condemned Hamas and assured the UF community of its safety in the face of possible “anti-Israel protests.”

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, front left, gestures as speaks to supporters and members of the media before a bill signing by Gov. Ron DeSantis, front right, Nov. 18, 2021, in Brandon, Fla. This week, Ladapo asked the state medical board to draft new policies that would likely restrict gender dysphoria treatments for transgender youth. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

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Florida surgeon general disagrees with UF over efficacy, safety of new COVID-19 boosters

By Garrett Shanley and Jinelle Vazquez | Sep. 25

Florida’s controversial surgeon general Joseph Ladapo — who is also a tenured professor of medicine at UF — is at odds with the university over whether the public should receive new COVID-19 boosters.

The University of Florida's Century tower, as viewed from Newell Drive on Thursday, July 22, 2021. The tower commemorates UF students who fought and died in World War I and World War II -- the tower also commemorates the 100th anniversary of UF's founding in 1853.

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Sasse announces vice president for PK-12, pre-bachelors programs

By Garrett Shanley | Sep. 11

UF President Ben Sasse announced Penny Schwinn as the inaugural vice president for PK-12 and pre-bachelors programs in a press release Monday.

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UF will accept 'classical' entrance exam in admissions

By Bailey Diem and Garrett Shanley | Sep. 11

UF joined 11 Florida schools in becoming the first state university system in the country to accept the Classic Learning Test as an alternative to the SAT and ACT in its admissions following a Board of Governors vote Sept. 8. The vote comes nearly seven months after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposed reevaluation of the state’s relationship with College Board, the non-profit that administers the SAT.