The Student Health Psychiatry has moved from the Counseling and Wellness Center to the new Student Health Care Center. Placing mental health resources and physical health resources in the same building seems to be a silent win.
In his State of the University Address, UF President Ben Sasse said something that should concern every student who receives Bright Futures or other financial aid: “We lose money on every student.” In my view, this is not a tragic boon like Sasse is implying. A public service, which I view a public university as a type of, should not be run with profit in mind.
Despite the attacks on unions from Florida's legislature, Graduate Assistants United has achieved a historic win for our members. As a certified labor union, we have the legal authority to bargain with our employer over our Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Understanding all of Florida’s legislation is overwhelming; bills pass during a short period and it seems there is too much to keep up with. However, it is crucial to know how legislation is currently impacting Floridians. A few notable policy areas for the 2023 legislative session include abortion, gender-affirming care and immigration.
The legislation written about in this article, all hot-button issues, serve to 1) protect and defend the most innocent and vulnerable; 2) afford eligible American citizens unfettered access to a constitutional privilege; and 3) stave off the smuggling of drugs, humans and the resulting violence occurring at the U.S. southern crossings. In truth, we should all like to see legislation advance across the states, in one form or another.
UF College Republicans hosted Christian preacher Derek Paul as the speaker for their first meeting of the semester Sept. 6. Paul identifies himself as an “ex-gay” who overcame his same-sex attraction through the Christian faith. As a queer woman who was once religious, a lot of emotions and thoughts came up at the prospect of writing about his speech. I was angry, confused and asked myself a lot of questions.
We call ourselves an AI university. The artificial intelligence page of the UF website claims we are on the brink of a fourth digital revolution. The page — singularly focused on our AI policy and research — highlights specific uses of the technology. The highlights given should be an example of how the president can reshape his communications. The information is there, he just needs to communicate it.
Effective July 1, the Florida Legislature passed SB 256 — a bill specifically intended to limit the power of educators labor unions in the state. Among other things, the bill requires educators unions like GAU to obtain and maintain 60% membership.
This past week the City of Gainesville, along with many other cities and counties across the coastal south, dealt with the effects of Hurricane Idalia. Gainesville and Alachua County were fortunate to miss the worst of the storm, but the sound of chainsaws could be heard across the city as fallen trees and limbs were cleared from roads, lawns and, yes, homes.
UF President Ben Sasse writes his welcome column to the incoming students.
In my view, Gov. Ron DeSantis is the right man for the job. Through his leadership, he stood up to medical tyranny, put woke corporations in check and defended the rights of parents and students in the schools. DeSantis has the youth, energy and executive experience to move our country forward.
How I wish I had better news. It’s Pride Month after all — one of many occasions throughout the year when we celebrate diversity in a world that doesn’t always embrace such a thing. I’m happier with myself than ever, living my truth has been a blessing, allowing me to thrive. Unfortunately, being happy with oneself, is a different thing from being happy with one’s situation, even further removed, being happy with the state of things.
At first glance, most people I’ve met don’t realize I’m an Asian American, which led to my desire to embrace my Filipino identity. It pushed me to learn more about that side of my heritage. It was something I was proud to represent in my accomplishments, such as graduating high school and attending UF.
Despite the enormous efforts the community has made to establish its presence, The Alligator has lacked consistent coverage of AAPI people in the Gainesville community. Admittedly, this is the result of an inconsistent amount of AAPI reporters on our staff from semester to semester.
April 24, 2022, I got an email asking me to interview for The Alligator. A year later, I’m publishing my goodbye column in this semester’s final paper. My driver’s license might read the same name, but the kid who got that email isn’t the same as the one typing this column.
I’m leaving this place knowing I’ll miss it with every fiber of my being. And in all honesty, I’ll probably forget which stories we worked on, but I won’t forget how much I grew with you.
Those walls, though some now covered in mold, know The Alligator’s newsroom isn’t for the weak. It’s a pressure cooker of immensely talented, high-strung 20-somethings trying to launch a career in a field where you’re told to do cartwheels for pennies.
Two years ago, I thought I would stick with The Alligator right up until graduation, but sometimes finish lines come sooner than expected. I never wanted to be a name on the masthead, but sometimes cards just fall a certain way.
I could say I put in all this work to serve the UF and Gainesville communities, which would be noble. I could say I did it all for the clips and for a career after graduation, which would be cynical, but understandable in this dying industry. But neither is exactly true. I did it because the people around me were doing it.
As a senior who always felt late to the game, I spent the last year hustling to catch up. It seemed like everyone started writing for The Alligator in their first year, interned at a newspaper in their second and had a job lined up by their last. But despite the setbacks, I’ve grown more this semester at The Alligator than any other.
Solutions by The State News
