News - The Independent Florida Alligator

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Florida Senators Jason Pizzo, Tina Polsky talk political activism with UF students

By Zoey Thomas | Nov. 3, 2023

Florida Sen. Jason Pizzo considers himself the “biggest no-bulls—t person in the Florida state legislature.” He’s spent the past two weeks on the road to prove it. A group of 30 UF students gathered in the Reitz Student Union Friday for a meet-and-greet coordinated between Pizzo and UF College Democrats.

Ben Sasse stands at the inauguration ceremony in the University Auditorium on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS BREAKING NEWS

Ben Sasse’s inauguration as UF’s 13th president

By Aidan Bush , Garrett Shanley and Isabella Douglas | Nov. 2, 2023

UF President Ben Sasse is set to be formally inaugurated as UF’s 13th president at 3 p.m. Thursday in the University Auditorium.

The first room of the Crimson Carnival is titled, “The Carnival Grounds.” Photo courtesy of Andrew Long, taken April 14, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Student-run haunt creates chaos at UF’s Flavet Field

By Jared Teitel | Oct. 31, 2023

All Hallow’s Eve marked just one nerve-racking night full of flashing lights and ear-piercing screams at UF.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Are you ready for it? Taylor Swift course hits UF Honors Program

By Bonny Matejowsky | Oct. 30, 2023

Ten seconds. That’s about how long it took for the 15 spots in Musical Storytelling With Taylor Swift and Other Iconic Female Artists to fill when the UF Honors Program opened its early registration Oct. 24.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

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

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 30, 2023

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.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Students create new course search website to simplify registration

By Megan Howard | Oct. 30, 2023

Jim Su, 20, and Matthew DeGuzman, 20, created UF Courses in five days to prepare for course registration. They noticed ONE.UF’s course search is slow and they wanted to be able to see professor ratings on the same website as the course catalog.

Prayer-goers wrap their arms around each other’s shoulders to start dancing in Turlington Plaza Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF Jewish community gathers for prayer service Thursday

By Alissa Gary and Ella Thompson | Oct. 26, 2023

In light of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, about 40 students and community members gathered in Turlington Plaza to pray for the Israeli Defense Force and to celebrate their Jewish heritage around noon Thursday.

UF students and Gainesville community members gathered Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023 for a walkout and vigil.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Gainesville pro-Palestinian groups lead march through UF campus

By Zoey Thomas | Oct. 25, 2023

A day after Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered Florida universities to deactivate pro-Palestinian student groups, a crowd of over 250 people rallied on UF’s campus with Palestinian flags draped over their shoulders and drawn onto cardboard signs.

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

Gainesville residents protest Israel-Hamas war, call for ceasefire

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 23, 2023

A crowd of 75 people wearing keffiyehs and the colors of the Palestinian flag gathered in protest at the corner of University Ave. and Southwest 13th Street Monday evening.

Members of the local Jewish community listen to Chabad UF co-director Chanie Goldman speak on the importance of prayer at the Chabad UF Jewish Student Center on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Gainesville community members gather in prayer at ‘Unity and Solidarity with Israel’ event

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 23, 2023

Over 50 Jewish and non-Jewish community members gathered in a morning of solemn and soulful prayer at the Chabad UF Jewish Student Center — guarded by a patrol car — Oct. 22 for “Unity and Solidarity with Israel,” an event supporting Israel amid its ongoing conflict with Hamas.

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.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

UF Faculty Senate proposes shared governance resolution

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 23, 2023

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.

UF Young Americans for Freedom hosted Ben Shapiro at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Ben Shapiro addresses Israel-Hamas war at UF event

By Bailey Diem and Alissa Gary | Oct. 19, 2023

Thousands gathered at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Wednesday night, eager to listen to guest speaker Ben Shapiro, while others gathered outside to protest his presence on campus.

Archive photo of former UF President John Lombardi speaking to the Hispanic Student Association at the Reitz Union.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Looking back at UF’s Hispanic, Latino history

By Garrett Shanley and Melanie Pena | Oct. 16, 2023

In 1951, a total of 101 Hispanic and Latino students attended UF. More than half a century later, over 9,000 Hispanic and Latinos attend UF — making up more than one-fifth of the student population.

NEWS

Gainesville, UF community divided over Israel-Hamas war

By Megan Howard | Oct. 16, 2023

In wake of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, affected UF student and community groups came together with split support for Israel and Palestine.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF Black student enrollment remains stagnant despite increase in applicants

By Jinelle Vazquez | Oct. 16, 2023

Only 5.5% of students enrolled at UF in Fall 2022 identified their ethnicity as Black. While UF undergraduate Black student applications reached a record high during the Fall 2022 admissions cycle, admission and enrollment rates for Black students have remained the same over the last 10 years.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Sasse hires former US Senate office members to top leadership positions

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 16, 2023

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.

Majd Afaghani, attends UF SJP’s discussion in Turlington wearing a Palestine kufiyyeh neck scarf on Thursday Oct. 12, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Campus organizations host educational discussion on Palestine’s current events

By Nicole Beltran | Oct. 12, 2023

A crowd of around 100 UF students lingered inside and around a Turlington classroom — guarded by several police officers — for “Day of Resistance,” an informational lecture hosted by three UF organizations Thursday evening on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

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.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Sasse condemns Hamas, ensures campus safety following Israel vigil stampede

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 12, 2023

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.”

NEWS | CAMPUS BREAKING NEWS

Five injured after panic breaks out at UF vigil for Israel

By Claire Grunewald and Molly Seghi | Oct. 10, 2023

Hundreds of UF students and community members gathered in Turlington Plaza for a candlelight vigil to support Israel after Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas launched a large-scale invasion, but the vigil ended in chaos, confusion and five people injured after a commotion turned into a stampede.

Community members, Santa Fe College faculty and students listen to SF President Paul Broadie II deliver the opening address of the East Gainesville Initiative Community Forum at the SF Charles L. Blount Center Oct. 5.

NEWS | SFC

Santa Fe College aims to eliminate local equity gaps in education with a variety of initiatives

By Bailey Diem | Oct. 9, 2023

Dozens of community members and Santa Fe College students and faculty were present at the SF Charles L. Blount Center in downtown Gainesville Thursday night, sharing plans and progress made toward closing equity gaps in education.