The Independent Florida Alligator

Home
United States
Gainesville, FL
The Independent Florida Alligator

Serving the UF community since 1906 with a daily circulation of 14,000. The Independent Florida Alligator is the student newspaper of the University of Florida.

The Alligator is the largest student-run newspaper in the United States, with a circulation of 14,000 and readership of over 21,000. The paper prints every Monday during the spring, summer, and fall semesters. The Alligator has been financially and editorially independent from the university since 1973. The Alligator has been owned by non-profit, 501(c)(3) Campus Communications Inc. since its inde

pendence. Students from both UF and Santa Fe College, also located in the city of Gainesville, Florida, are allowed to work at the paper. Only college students are allowed to work in the editorial department or be advertising representatives or interns. The Alligator is distributed free on campus and around the city of Gainesville, Florida, and contains a mix of campus and local news coverage, as well as national and international stories from wire services. It also contains a sports section that begins from the back of the tabloid-format paper, and an entertainment section ("The Avenue"). The Alligator prints on 11 x 14 inch paper, somewhat smaller than a tabloid size, closer in size to the compact format of The Times of London and the Chicago Sun-Times.

01/25/2025

The Board of Governors is expected to hire a contractor to perform the study by the end of January, and is asking for a final report by the end of March, according to the board’s request for proposal.

Jillian Hernandez, an associate professor in UF’s department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, wrote in an email she expects the study to reveal a healthy return on investment for prospective gender studies students. Gender studies degrees give students a “leg-up” in the workforce, Hernandez wrote, and graduates from her department typically land well-paid jobs across fields like health and education.

“I am confident that the state will find that university faculty and administrators have been good stewards of the state’s resources via Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies education,” Hernandez wrote.

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Sofia Meyers
📷: Henry Moore

01/25/2025

Andrew Macdonald, Uber’s senior vice president of mobility, told The Wall Street Journal earlier this month that the pivot toward automation has long been in the works. In preparation for a driverless future, the company has undertaken a full-scale infrastructure makeover, finding storage and charging space for its new fleet of electric vehicles and training mechanics to maintain them.

Andy Esteller, a 29-year-old Gainesville Uber driver, isn’t convinced a robot could easily replace him. He said human drivers will remain integral to Uber’s business model, regardless of the company’s plans for automation.

“There’s still the question of who is more efficient,” said Patricia Kio, an assistant professor in UF’s sustainability and the built environment program.

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Natalie Kaufman
📷: Noah Lantor

01/23/2025

The university said Maguire and UVS — constructed in the early 1970s — were too old and would cost an estimated $35 million to renovate. After delays and years of protests from graduate students, the UF Board of Trustees recently approved a $10.1 million plan to demolish the complexes by the end of 2025.

“It was a place where people lived and had events and built community and trust,” said Derek LaMontagne, a 39-year-old chemistry graduate student and president of the Mayor’s Council, a group representing graduate students who live on campus. “It’s just going to be lost.”

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Shaine Davison
📷: Kade Sowers

01/23/2025

As Winter Storm Enzo passed over North Florida late Tuesday night, Vanessa Hervie set out from Gainesville on a last-minute road trip in hopes of witnessing a rare occurrence in the Sunshine State: snowfall. Hervie, a 21-year-old UF chemistry junior, and nine of her friends trekked 30 miles north to Fort White, where it had been forecasted to snow.

But according to Hervie, all Enzo left behind was “a little bit of ice and crunchiness.”

UF reopened campus by 12:30 p.m. and students like Fatima Khan, a 21-year-old political science junior, had to trudge to class in 36-degree weather, with a wind chill of 29 degrees.

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Sofia Meyers and Shaine Davison
📷: Madilyn Gemme

01/22/2025

To local activists and community organizers, King’s dream seems somewhat antithetical to Trump’s return to office after a series of controversies.

But despite controversy and political tension, cities across the nation still found themselves celebrating King’s message for peace, love and social change.

“Regardless of who’s in the White House — what administration is in the White House — we’re going to continue to espouse those principles of nonviolent social change demonstrated by Dr. King, including equity and inclusion for all people,” Long said.

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Vivienne Serret
📷: Armand Raichandani

01/21/2025

Winter Storm Enzo is forecasted to bring a rare bout of freezing rain and the possibility of sleet to Gainesville early Wednesday morning. Alachua County is under a freeze watch and winter storm warning from 7 p.m. Tuesday to 1 p.m. Wednesday.

The storm is expected to hit Gainesville with freezing rain from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Wind gusts could be as high as 21 mph.

Read more at the link in our bio

This is an Alligator Staff report

01/21/2025

The 15-member search committee charged with finding UF’s next president spent the beginning of the Spring semester in virtual listening sessions consulting with hundreds of students, faculty, staff and donors. Their goal: to identify what Gator Nation wants — and doesn’t want — in a successor to former President Ben Sasse.

Beyond fending off Tallahassee and repairing UF’s rankings and reputation, attendees said the next president must reconnect with the campus community. Sasse, known for his reclusive style, was described by listening session attendees as a president who was distant and disengaged from professors and the student body.

As one student put it: UF’s next president needs to be a “spirit animal” for faculty and students.

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Sofia Meyers and Shaine Davison
🎨: Del Halter

01/17/2025

CHIPS for America, a Biden-Harris Administration act, provided $285 million to kick off the SMART USA Institute in 2024, aiming to bolster domestic semiconductor chip production using AI. The institute will span seven bases across the country, with one encompassing the Florida/Caribbean region.

Volker Sorger, who is also a UF Rhines endowed semiconductor photonics professor, said the SMART USA Institute will reduce manufacturing costs and time to nearly half, increase the number of usable chips in each batch by 40% and cut greenhouse gas emission by 30% within five years.

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp
🎨: Henry Moore

01/17/2025

The woman reported to the University of Florida Title IX office that Green tried to put his hand in her pants and kissed her during a meeting he scheduled with her at a UF athletics facility, according to a copy of her complaint obtained by ESPN.

As stated in the complaint, the woman pushed Green away and he made another attempt to reach into her pants before she got away. Prior to the alleged incident last March, the pair hadn’t been alone together and had only exchanged brief greetings, the woman told ESPN.

🖊️: Max Tucker & Noah White
🎨: Jonah Hoffman

01/15/2025

De la Torre graduated from UF in 1983 with a certificate from the center and a bachelor’s in sociology. During his five-year tenure as the center’s director, de la Torre said he was focused on “revitalizing the humanities.”

Catherine Tucker, an anthropology professor in the Center for Latin American Studies, said de la Torre has benefited the university, the center and its students.

“I know of no reason for [him] to be removed in such a manner,” she said.

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Grace McClung
📷: Jea Nace

01/13/2025

One employee, a longtime child welfare worker, said issues with Knox began around January 2024 when the doctor became chief of UF Health Jacksonville’s division of child protection and forensic pediatrics.

“She was targeting a lot of people… that had discussed her previous positions in Wisconsin and Alaska,” the welfare worker said. “She very quickly became highly interested in running them off.”

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Avery Parker
🎨: Jea Nace

01/13/2025

The brief and turbulent tenure of former UF President Ben Sasse roiled the university in controversy and left campus politics in a near-constant state of flux. Now, the monthslong search for Sasse’s successor is underway.

“This is going to be one of the most high-profile presidential searches in the country because of how the search was conducted last time, and how it ended,” Finkelstein said.

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Garrett Shanley
🎨: Henry Moore

01/07/2025

After reciting the oath of office, newly elected commissioner James Ingle shared his experience as a working class man. Growing up, he said he never expected to be able to go from living in a “broken down trailer at the end of a dirt road” to being a public servant.

Ingle said he was inspired to run due to a lack of representation for everyday voices.

“You see a lot of wing tips up there,” he said. “You don’t see work boots.”

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Morgan Vanderlaan
📸: Trenton Bardi

01/04/2025

Rahul Patel, an Atlanta-based corporate lawyer, has served as the board’s vice chair since 2023 and is currently heading the search for UF’s next president. He was first appointed to the board in 2015 by former Gov. Rick Scott.

Richard Cole was first appointed to the board by DeSantis in 2020 and is the president of Cole, Scott and Kissane, a general practice firm located in Miami. Both trustees are UF law graduates and significant donors to DeSantis’ political efforts.

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Grace McClung
🎨: Henry Moore

01/03/2025

Pemberton is accused of traveling to the organization’s office with the intent of “killing, injuring, harassing and intimidating” individuals at the location.

Pemberton’s detention hearing is scheduled to take place Monday in Gainesville.

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Annie Wang

12/13/2024

The UF Board of Trustees put in place policies Thursday that bolster their authority over key hiring and spending decisions across the university — particularly those within the president’s office.

Read more at the link in our bio

🖊️: Garrett Shanley

12/05/2024

CIME provided three key resources, Justin Fernandez said: support for cultural and identity student organizations, early arrival programs (which supported the transition of incoming students from underrepresented backgrounds) and physical spaces for students to spend their time. The area also served as a hub for events, meetings and community building.

The organizations weren’t warned about CIME’s closure, Fernandez, a 20-year-old psychology sophomore, said. He found out his safe haven had closed when he came back to UF this Fall.

Without the early arrival programs and CIME’s support, organizations are competing for the same pool of students, he said.

Read more at the link in our bio.

🖊: Vera Pappaterra
🎨: Madison McClelland

12/05/2024

The number of jobs available on the career portal is constantly changing. Some faculty positions have more hiring opportunities, such as non-tenure track faculty with 169 jobs open, multitrack faculty with 93 jobs open and tenure track faculty with 82 positions open.

There are 11 open seats for chairs and 19 open seats for directors, which have all been open for months.

Read more at the link in our bio.

🖊: Delia Rose Sauer
🎨: Henry Moore

Address

2700 SW 13th Street
Gainesville, FL
32608

Telephone

+13523764446

Website

http://www.alligator.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Independent Florida Alligator posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Videos

The Alligator spoke with Vision Party members to the party's campaign platform, as UF Student Government Spring elections start Tuesday. Credits: -- Interviewer: Sara-James Ranta -- Recording & Editing: Ben Nielsen and Kyle King

The Alligator spoke with Change Party members to the party's campaign platform, as UF Student Government Spring elections start Tuesday. Credits: -- Interviewer: Annie Wang -- Recording & Editing: Ben Nielsen and Kyle King

Whether you’re at home or around town, it is important to pick up after your pet! Dog poop can contain E. coli and other bacteria that can pollute our waterways and make humans sick. Scoop it, bag it, and trash it. It’s your doody…and your duty. #scoopbagtrash #itsyourdoody #itsyourduty #myyardourwater #sponsored

A nationally acclaimed comprehensive wellness program to reduce stress markers and improve social connectedness! Apply here: skyufl.org/fb #sponsored

Did you know that you can give your GPA a serious 🚀 BOOST 🚀 with @myunidays?! Get exclusive deals and free trials on learning tools like Duolingo, Chegg, Study Together and more when you join. The best part? It’s FREE! 🤑 https://bit.ly/3esBVBK #sponsored

Watch every Sunday afternoon play right from the comfort of your dorm with NFL SUNDAY TICKET .TV. Students can get #NFLSUNDAYTICKET for only 4 payments of $29.99. Use promo code ROOKIE22 for an additional 15% off! www.nflst.tv/rookie #Sponsored

Take a study break and enjoy your Sunday with NFL SUNDAY TICKET .TV. Students get #NFLSUNDAYTICKET for only 4 monthly payments of $29.99. Use promo code ROOKIE22 to enjoy an additional 15% off! www.nflst.tv/rookie #sponsored

The Independent Florida Alligator

01/25/2025

01/25/2025

01/23/2025

01/23/2025

01/22/2025

01/21/2025

01/21/2025

01/17/2025

01/17/2025

01/15/2025

01/13/2025

01/13/2025

01/07/2025

01/04/2025

01/03/2025

12/13/2024

12/05/2024

12/05/2024

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Videos

Shortcuts

Share

Category