News | Campus - The Independent Florida Alligator

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Sasse’s abrupt exit leaves big plans unfinished, UF’s future uncertain

By Avery Parker , Morgan Vanderlaan and Garrett Shanley | July 22, 2024

Danaya Wright had plans and papers to write. After chairing the UF Faculty Senate during Ben Sasse’s tumultuous first year at the university’s helm, she was behind on her duties as a law professor. The sun was low as she drove home from campus, moments before she received the call that changed everything: “Sasse is resigning.”

UF President Ben Sasse helps incoming freshmen move in on Aug. 17, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Sasse's resignation: How politicians, education officials are reacting

By Alligator Staff report | July 20, 2024

Following UF President Ben Sasse's abrupt resignation from the university's top post, several top state politicians took to Twitter to offer their condolences to Sasse and honor his leadership's legacy.

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

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Kent Fuchs expected to serve as interim UF president after Sasse resignation

By Garrett Shanley | July 18, 2024

Sasse, who has led the university since February 2023, announced his resignation in a UF news release Thursday night. He leaves office effective July 31.

The Solar Gators stand next to their car, “Sunrider”, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

UF Solar Gators gear up to defend championship title at Formula Sun Grand Prix

By Grace McClung | July 15, 2024

Sunrider, UF’s solar race car, is hoping to mark its final lap around the track with a second Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) national championship title. The car, built by engineering design team Solar Gators, basked in the spotlight Wednesday evening at a send-off event before it heads to the FSGP and American Solar Challenge this week.

People attend the Livestock Judging Camp on Saturday, July 13, 2024.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

UF hosts 8th annual Livestock Judging Camp

By Kamala Rossi | July 15, 2024

From July 10 to July 13, kids aged 8 to 18 passed through the doors of the UF/IFAS beef teaching unit for UF’s Livestock Judging Camp.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Cherished community cat ‘Precious’ safely returned home

By Carlos Alemany | July 15, 2024

A once bereaved community can now rest assured their beloved brown-and-white striped emotional support provider is in good health following her nine-day disappearance from the public eye. Precious, an elderly community cat who resided in UF’s College of Public Health and Health Professions since 2009, was officially returned and reunited with her primary caregiver July 11.

A attendee at the "Stand with Palestine" protest holds a "Not war, it's colonialism; not eviction, it's ethnic cleansing; not conflict, it's occupation; not complicated, it's genocide" sign at the corner of University Avenue on Monday, Oct. 23, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS BREAKING NEWS

UF suspends arrested pro-Palestinian protestors for up to four years

By Avery Parker | July 9, 2024

In meetings shielded from public view, UF ignored recommendations to lightly punish seven students who were arrested in an April 29 pro-Palestianian protest in favor of harsher academic suspensions of up to four years.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF ends investigation into whether six faculty ‘interfered’ with Hamilton Center following pressure from union, major donor

By Timothy Wang and Garrett Shanley | July 8, 2024

Following pressure from its faculty union and a major donor, UF has closed its investigation into whether six College of Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty “interfered” with the curriculum development of the Hamilton Center, the university’s state-mandated civic center which has been fast-tracked to become a college.

A drag queen performs as a crowd looks on at Capones on Friday, July 5, 2024.

NEWS | CAMPUS

GAU holds first-ever ‘Queens at Capones’ drag show

By Grace McClung | July 8, 2024

A crowd clustered around Capones’ stripper poles, faces illuminated in neon purple light, captivated by the pounding bass and holding out dollar bills. Donning yellow fur coats, animal print bodysuits, knee-high leather boots and sequined dresses, four drag queens strutted and shimmied to pop hits at the first-ever “Queens at Capones” drag show July 5.

Officers Susan Pratt and Diana Ullery flank Chief Linda Stump-Kurnick as she answers a question at the University Police’s town hall in UF’s Rainbow Suite on Tuesday, February 7, 2017. The officers were there to answer questions from the students, but several students attended only to disrupt the event, interrupting with phrases such as, “Lay with pigs, wake up dirty.”

NEWS | CAMPUS

Iranian government sanctions former UFPD chief following pro-Palestinian protestor arrests

By Avery Parker | July 8, 2024

Iran sanctioned former UF Police Department chief Linda Stump-Kurnick and ten other law enforcement leaders across the nation July 4 for “flagrant violation of human rights by suppressing [the] pro-Palestine student protest movement.”

NEWS | CAMPUS BREAKING NEWS

Undercover Messianic Jewish activist who sought to entrap Muslim professors trespassed from UF campus

By Grace McClung | July 1, 2024

The undercover Messianic Jewish activist who tried to bait UF Muslim professors into admitting bias against Israel and conservatives has been trespassed from all UF properties for three years by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF concrete canoe team paddles its way to fourth national title

By Kamala Rossi | July 1, 2024

Mist traced the rolling mountains surrounding Lake Utah State Park as a team of four UF civil engineering students paddled their craft, the Springseeker, to victory. Team Springseeker, made up of UF faculty, students and alumni, worked tirelessly to create a concrete canoe fit to race against other top civil engineering colleges.

An announcer celebrates during the award ceremony of the UF International Piano Festival on Saturday, June 15, 2024.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF School of Music receives $20 million from the state to improve facilities

By Avery Parker | July 1, 2024

Gov. Ron DeSantis approved $20 million for the UF School of Music’s building project in the “Focus on Florida’s Future” budget June 12, bringing total state funding for the project to $55 million.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UFPD sergeant facing suspension for racist comments, nepotism

By Grace McClung | July 1, 2024

A UF Police Department sergeant is facing a three-day suspension after an internal investigation found he repeatedly made racist and antisemitic comments to coworkers and attempted to influence official application processes to help his superior's son get a job.

UF Faculty Senate members vote to delay the COVID-19 no-confidence resolution in the Reitz Union Chamber on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

UF Faculty Senate holds special meeting to approve Hamilton Center degrees, discuss post-tenure review

By Timothy Wang | June 23, 2024

The UF Faculty Senate held its first-ever summer meeting Friday over Zoom to vote on approval of two degree proposals for the Hamilton Center, the university's state-mandated civic center which has been fast-tracked to become a college by 2025.

NEWS | CAMPUS BREAKING NEWS

UFPD seeks trespass order for undercover activist who targeted UF Muslim professors

By Grace McClung | June 23, 2024

The UF Police Department is still working to trespass an undercover Messianic Jewish activist who sought to bait Muslim UF professors into admitting bias against Israel and conservatives, despite a previous case report declaring the man was “not considered a threat” and wouldn’t be trespassed.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

UFPD, GPD end investigations into undercover Messianic Jewish activist who sought to entrap Muslim professors

By Grace McClung | June 21, 2024

An undercover Messianic Jewish activist who sought to bait Muslim UF professors into admitting bias against Israel and conservatives will not be trespassed from campus and is “not considered a threat” by the UF Police Department.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Tulane University official named next UF Vice President for Construction, Facilities and Auxiliary Operations

By Timothy Wang | June 18, 2024

Tulane University Vice President Randy Philipson will replace Dave Kratzer as UF’s vice president for construction and facilities beginning July 22, according to a news release.

Kate Breaux playing bagpipes as part of Florida Gator Band performance in Mont-Ormel, Normandy, France on Thursday, June 6, 2024.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Biden prevents UF Gator Band from leading D-Day parade in Normandy

By Kamala Rossi | June 17, 2024

Hours passed aimlessly as the summer sun beat down on UF’s Gator Band in a parking lot outside Omaha Beach in France. Clad in orange and blue with instruments in hand, they stared down an unlikely blockade to their overseas performance in commemoration of D-Day. The culprit: President Joe Biden.

The University of Florida will locate its new graduate campus around the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center in Jacksonville.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF’s Jacksonville campus received $75 million from the state. What’s next?

By Timothy Wang | June 17, 2024

For more than a year, UF has been making progress toward establishing a graduate campus in Jacksonville, obtaining approval from the Board of Trustees and permission from the Board of Governors to establish a temporary campus location in downtown Jacksonville.