Opinion
The most fun I’ve ever had was in The Alligator’s office
By Sophia Bailly | Dec. 1My time with The Independent Florida Alligator was defined by love and laughter.
Sophia Bailly
Digital Managing Editor Sophia is The Alligator's Fall 2025 digital managing editor. She previously served as the enterprise editor and university editor, as well as a beat reporter for three semesters. She has also interned for The Times-Picayune and The News & Observer as a politics reporter. Her non-journalistic passions include long-distance running, reading mystery books and listening to Florence + The Machine.
News
A completed audit into Sasse’s spending never existed
By Sophia Bailly and Annie Wang | Sep. 4, 2024In an Aug. 16 X post responding to a previous Alligator report on his expenditures, Sasse wrote, “It is my understanding that the Audit Committee of our board did its work thoroughly and without any findings of concern.”
News
A majority of Ben Sasse’s inner circle at UF was not rehired
By Sophia Bailly and Annie Wang | Aug. 29, 2024Among 12 of Sasse’s staff original hires, five of whom live out-of-state, only two remain on UF President cabinet website. James Wegmann and Dan Dillon currently serve as the Vice President for Communications and the Vice President for Marketing and the Senior Advisor, respectively.
News
Hamilton Center: Emphasizing apolitical position following controversial foundation
By Sophia Bailly and Alissa Gary | Dec. 4, 2023The Hamilton Center began with $3 million from the state after The Council on Public University Reform — a conservative think tank — lobbied to begin a civic education center at UF. A deliberative back-and-forth between UF leaders and the state ensued — a process that deviated from the typical creation of an academic unit at UF.
Enterprise
UF pro-Palestine organization remains active despite DeSantis’ termination order
By Sophia Bailly | Nov. 13, 2023Florida chapters of the pro-Palestine organization, Students for Justice in Palestine, have not been deactivated by Gov. Ron DeSantis, despite the order released by State University System’s chancellor Ray Rodrigues more than three weeks ago.
Enterprise
Special legislative session emphasizes Florida lawmakers’ support for Israel
By Sophia Bailly | Nov. 13, 2023Roughly one month after Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7, Florida lawmakers convened in Tallahassee for a special session focused on showing support for Israel in its war against the Palestinian militant group.
Metro
Newest Alachua County sheriff speaks out on staffing shortages
By Sophia Bailly | Nov. 6, 2023New Alachua County Sheriff Emery Gainey has spent his first month combatting staff shortages and advocating for increased funding from the state and county.
Enterprise
DeSantis administration demands deactivation of pro-Palestinian university student chapters
By Sophia Bailly | Oct. 24, 2023Gov. Ron DeSantis and Chancellor of the State University System of Florida Ray Rodrigues ordered Florida universities to deactivate two state chapters of a national pro-Palestinian organization Tuesday, claiming the organizations show support for "Hamas terrorism."
Enterprise
Jewish UF students show support for Palestinians
By Sophia Bailly | Oct. 23, 2023Since the violence began two weeks ago, Clay Robinson said Palestinian and anti-Zionist voices have been largely neglected. Zionism is the Israeli national ideology that Judaism is both a nationality and religion and that Israel is an ancestral land that exists for the Jewish community.
Metro
Rosewood man sentenced to a year in prison for hate-crime charges
By Sophia Bailly | Oct. 19, 2023A Rosewood resident was sentenced to federal prison a year after an attack against six Black men.
