News - The Independent Florida Alligator

NEWS | CAMPUS

Rubio rape bill focus misplaced

Mar. 17, 2015

Last month, Florida’s Republican U.S. senator and UF alumnus Marco Rubio proposed a bipartisan-supported bill detailing a plan to combat sexual assault on college campuses. A letter he wrote was featured in the Alligator, and he has been applauded by people on both sides of the aisle for his seemingly progressive piece of legislation. I even found myself commending Rubio until I realized he and the team of senators — a total of five democrats and five republicans — made the same mistake most people are making when it comes to combating sexual assault: They’re focused on the aftermath of rape instead of focusing on disintegrating rape culture.

Retired Marine Sgt. Eric Alva speaks at Pride Awareness Month’s opening ceremonies on Monday. Alva, 43, was the first U.S. Marine injured in the Iraq War when he stepped on a landmine after being in Iraq for 3 hours, and helped to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. “The norm is about being happy and letting people live their lives,” he said.
Correction: The original cutline identified Sgt. Alva as a soldier, not a marine.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Pride Awareness Month begins its 15th years of LGBTQ+ events

By Chris Kennedy | Mar. 17, 2015

This month marks 15 years since UF began rallying for LGBTQ+ inclusion.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

SG to have new website by Fall, estimated to cost $30,000

By Ariana Figueroa | Mar. 16, 2015

Students will be able to navigate through Student Government’s website with ease next Fall on its new website.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF students start organization to give food to homeless population

By Madison Schultz | Mar. 16, 2015

Two UF students, a lot of sandwiches and one reason to give led to a new organization on campus this year.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Annual chicken-wing event sustainable for the first time

By Jenna Kline | Mar. 16, 2015

With approximately 15,000 chicken wings and about 1,500 college students in the same place at the same time, things were bound to get messy and wasteful.

Kaley Thomas, a 21-year-old UF journalism junior, dons a virtual reality headset Monday afternoon to experience PETA2’s “I, Chicken,” a virtual reality experience in which participants become a chicken that is captured by a farmer.

NEWS | CAMPUS

'I, Chicken': PETA simulation tries to build student empathy for chickens

By Paige Levin | Mar. 16, 2015

On Monday, students were invited to enter a blue tent in the middle of the Plaza of the Americas to learn what it’s like to be a chicken.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF/IFAS extends its partnership with global seed company

By Stella Heekin | Mar. 16, 2015

One of the largest global seed companies is growing its relationship with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Fillipe DeAndrade, filmmaker and University of Florida alum, poses for a photo. After his graduation from UF in 2012, DeAndrade created an award-winning short film based on his experiences hiking up the Appalachian trail.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF alumnus wins National Geographic contest for nature, travel film

By Chris Watkins | Mar. 16, 2015

When nothing in the world seemed to make sense, Filipe DeAndrade found salvation in nature and a voice in filmmaking.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Bob Graham Center's Project Springboard sponsors communication through art

By Melissa Gomez | Mar. 16, 2015

Project Springboard is aiming to fuel student engagement through art.

Terry Anderson shares his experience as a reporter in the Middle East on Wednesday during his international journalism class in Weimer Hall. Anderson was held by Shiite Hezbollah militants while reporting for The Associated Press from 1985 to 1991.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Former AP hostage, current UF professor speaks about captivity, purpose in life

By Samantha Gutman | Mar. 16, 2015

Three hundred miles. That’s how far 74-year-old Bill Brady drove Monday to listen to former Associated Press reporter and current UF lecturer Terry Anderson.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF junior receives award for service from Florida Gov. Rick Scott

By Moriah Gaynor | Mar. 16, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott honored a UF student for her work to improve education for underprivileged students.

Pictured is a student placing waste on the conveyer belt in the Broward Dining Center.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF dining working to implement more sustainable options

By Paige Levin | Mar. 16, 2015

Twenty-two million pounds: That’s the weight of about 1,100 average-sized elephants, 515 full school buses or 71 average houses.

Pictured is Adaobi Ugochukwu, a 22-year-old UF biochemistry senior, who was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease, at age 15. Ugochukwu has partnered with the Lupus Foundation of America to create a support group for people living with Lupus in Gainesville.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Student uses personal experience to increase lupus support

By Ariana Figueroa | Mar. 16, 2015

When the bell rang, chairs scraped and children rushed to leave. Yet Adaobi Ugochukwu sat at her desk, her eyes focused on the clock.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Research roundup: drug abuse; muscular dystrophy; snails

Mar. 16, 2015

UF is teeming with brilliant people working on cutting-edge technology that saves lives, reveals mysteries and solves problems. We’re here to share the latest in UF’s advancements, research and studies.

Students celebrate in the O'Connell Center on Sunday after hearing that Dance Marathon participants raised a record-breaking $2,015,307.17 to benefit UF Health Shands Children's Hospital. Dance Marathon at the University of Florida is an annual 26.2-hour event where hundreds of students stay awake and "stand for those who can't," to raise money for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Dance Marathon continues record-breaking trend, raises $2 million

By Alyssa Fisher | Mar. 15, 2015

All it took was a ‘2,’ and the Stephen C. O’Connell Center erupted in screams.

NEWS | CAMPUS

SERU asks UF students about gender identity for the first time

By Caitlin Ostroff | Mar. 15, 2015

This year, the Student Experience in the Research University survey asked UF students about their gender identities, offering more options than just “male” and “female.”

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF health graduate programs rank among nation’s best

By Erin Murphy | Mar. 15, 2015

Graduate programs within several of UF’s colleges continue to be ranked among the top 50 schools of their type in the country, according to the U.S. News & World Report of Best Graduate Schools rankings released last week.

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz speaks to students and community members about staying connected in the Jewish community in UF Hillel on Friday night. In 2004, Wasserman Schultz became the first Jewish congresswoman from Florida elected to Congress.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Florida congresswoman talks Jewish heritage, leadership

By Melissa Gomez | Mar. 15, 2015

A former Gator who climbed her way up the political ladder returned to Gainesville on Friday to address the local Jewish community.

Diana Moreno, a 27-year-old Latin American studies masters candidate and chief coordinator of Graduate Assistants United, speaks at the GAU "Spring Broke" rally in Turlington Plaza on Friday. "My problems are shared with my colleagues and we have to work together to solve them," she said on reducing graduate assistant fees.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Graduate assistants rally on fee day, look to Fuchs for help

By Samantha Gutman | Mar. 15, 2015

“No more fees, no more fees!” Diana Moreno chanted along with a crowd of graduate assistants Friday on Turlington Plaza.

NEWS | CAMPUS

‘Spring Broke’: graduate assistants rally against fees today

By Samantha Gutman | Mar. 12, 2015

Some UF graduate assistants will be rallying today on Turlington Plaza to make it known they’re not OK with paying to work.