News - The Independent Florida Alligator

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Earth Day celebration to clean up the springs

By Lucille Lannigan | Apr. 11, 2022

For more than 20 years, environmental organizations have called attention to the threats pollution and over pumping pose to the Santa Fe River. The river is home to more than 30 springs and provides habitat for a wide range of diverse flora and fauna. The Spring Fling event, hosted by several environmental conservation organizations, including Stand Up 4 Springs and the Public Interest Communications Student Association’s Florida Springs project, hopes to combat some of the damages. It will take place April 22 starting at 8:30 a.m. at Canoe Launch in Canoe Outpost High Springs.

Members of the UF community protest for higher graduate assistant wages in front of Tigert Hall on Friday, April 1.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF graduate assistants protest for better wages

By Gregorio Ruiz-Perez | Apr. 4, 2022

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.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Senate passed few bills this semester

By Maia Botek | Apr. 4, 2022

Every Tuesday evening on the ground floor of the Reitz Union, the UF Student Government Senate meets to discuss and vote on legislation. During meetings, some Senators play computer games like Octagon, do homework in Canvas or scroll through social media. Seven bills have passed this semester and seven bills were passed last semester, compared to 19 last Spring.

Students protest against UF for initially denying three professors the ability to testify in a case against the state on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021 on the corner of West University Avenue and Northwest 13th Street.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Free UF Coalition hosts teach-in event on academic freedom

By Elena Barrera | Apr. 2, 2022

Eight professors spoke out in November about their rights being barred by the university, raising questions about the institution’s independence from the state government. Since then, students and faculty have been working to spark change around the campus. The United Faculty of Florida, UF Young Democratic Socialists of America, UF College Democrats and the United Campus Workers organized the coalition and the outdoor event.

Nicole Villanueva, UF alumna, gets her COVID-19 booster shot at the vaccine drive by OCOH on Monday, March 21.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

A gentle encouragement: Art provides new incentive for COVID-19 vaccinations, discussions

By Fernando Figueroa and Lucille Lannigan | Mar. 30, 2022

Flyers with COVID-19 statistics are being swapped out for artistic displays. A UF-funded arts and vaccine confidence project on campus aims to spread accurate information about COVID-19 and vaccines as part of a larger campaign.

Cristie Anderson, 38, a nursing student at Santa Fe College, passes by the Alan J. Robertson Administration building on Friday, June 18, 2021.

NEWS | SFC

Santa Fe College still plans for a precautionary spring graduation ceremony even after lifting all COVID-19 protocols

By Lily Kino | Mar. 30, 2022

Santa Fe College upholds its plans to host a limited-capacity graduation ceremony in April despite lifting all COVID-19 restrictions. Santa Fe lifted COVID-19 precautions related to serving food, onsite class size and event size across all SFC properties Monday. However, graduates will still be socially distanced at their April celebrations.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Masks off? Students, professors hesitate to follow UF’s relaxed masking policy

By Alligator Staff report | Mar. 28, 2022

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.

Former Florida basketball player Keyontae Johnson during Florida's game against the Auburn Tigers Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. A woman reported Johnson sexually assaulted her Feb. 26. The State Attorney's Office will not prosecute Johnson.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF basketball player accused of sexual assault

By Jackson Castellano | Mar. 28, 2022

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.

Members of the UF community sit maskless inside of Library West on Friday, March 25. UF announced this week that it no longer expected masks to be worn in its facilities.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Coursehero could earn students a lawsuit

By Elena Barrera | Mar. 28, 2022

Beyond normal repercussions for cheating and honor code violations, students can be sued for sharing course content violating copyright laws. David Berkovitz, Chapman University professor, filed a lawsuit March 10 against unknown students for posting his exam prompts on Course Hero, a subscription-based website where students share content from their college classes, according to The Washington Post.

Screenshot of the event poster on UF Accent Speakers Bureau Facebook page.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Student Government agency hosts second event with a guest speaker this semester

By Maia Botek | Mar. 23, 2022

The ACCENT Speaker’s Bureau event was the Student Government agency’s second guest of the semester. Howie Mandel spoke with UF’s journalism department Chair Ted Spiker Feb. 28.

NEWS | CAMPUS BREAKING NEWS

UF no longer expects masks on campus

By Maia Botek | Mar. 23, 2022

UF no longer expects or encourages wearing masks on campus. Now, the university supports and welcomes masks if people choose to wear them.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Student Government website crashes from funding request overflow

By Maia Botek | Mar. 21, 2022

Student government opened the ability for student organizations to submit requests for operational, event and travel funding Monday morning. Less than an hour later, an overflow of people on the website caused it to shut down. In an email, Budget and Appropriations Committee Chair Catherine Giordano informed organization alerted leaders and Senators of the form’s crash and apologized for inconveniences.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Tim Tebow to speak at April’s commencement

By Lily Kino | Mar. 21, 2022

Former Gator quarterback Tim Tebow will return to The Swamp this Spring to address the 2022 graduating class in a commencement speech. Tebow will speak April 29 at 7 p.m. in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the university-wide ceremony, a celebration of students from all colleges. Graduates, their families and members of the public are invited to come to the special night under the lights.

Emad Nasif, a 21-year-old Gainesville Twitch streamer, sits in front of his gaming set up where he streams his Fortnite plays to up to 1,500 viewers.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Santa Fe College dropout makes six figures as a full time Twitch streamer

By Omar Ateyah | Mar. 21, 2022

Emad Nasif, a 21-year-old Gainesville Twitch streamer, spends much of his day shouting. Nasif believes that a high level of energy and enthusiasm is required for him to maintain his audience, and attaining success in the streaming world is no easy task.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Engineering building filled with smoke the first day after Spring Break

By Troy Myers | Mar. 15, 2022

Gainesville Fire Rescue soon confirmed that it was only heavy smoke due to a malfunctioning compressor, GFR Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Hesson said.

UF President Kent Fuchs addresses the Board of Trustees in 2020. He announced he would step down from his role at the beginning of the Spring semester.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

UF’s presidential search will be held behind closed doors under new Florida bill

By Elena Barrera | Mar. 15, 2022

Senate Bill 520 and its companion bill, House Bill 703, will keep the identities of presidential candidates out of public records for most of the process. Students and faculty will be able to research and meet with finalists 21 days before a new campus leader is chosen.

Roksolana Myktiuk, 25, a non-degree seeking UF women’s studies exchange student (left) and Sasha Nelson, 19, UF microbiology sophomore lead a group of about 30 in a minute of silence for the Ukrainian lives lost in their ongoing war with Russia on Thursday, March 3.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Ukrainian students stand together against invasion happening back home

By Gregorio Ruiz-Perez | Mar. 14, 2022

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.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Students experience first Spring Break since pandemic shutdowns

By Fernando Figueroa and Maia Botek | Mar. 14, 2022

Last year, UF students did not partake in their long-awaited Spring Break. Administration canceled the break “for the purpose of making the Spring semester as successful and healthy as possible” and instead gave students an extra week of Winter Break. This year, students’ mid-semester break from March 5 to 13 came amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine invasion.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Former fraternity member accused of sexual violence by multiple women

By Elena Barrera | Mar. 14, 2022

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.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

UF Senate begins new legislative session, elects Senate leaders

By Maia Botek | Mar. 14, 2022

UF Senate swore in its batch of 50 newly elected senators and chose a new Senate president and president pro-tempore at the meeting. It was in the process of electing the members-at-large when the meeting was cut short, as the Reitz Union building closes at 11 p.m. The election results bring few changes to the chamber. Gator Party remained the supermajority while Change party remained the minority party. Gator Party’s candidates also won the election for Student Body president, vice president and treasurer, who will take office in April.