October 31, 2018

Page 1

www.alligator.org

We Inform. You Decide.

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 30

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018 Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida

Not officially associated with the University of Florida

Student Body President reflects on his last six months SG IS IMPLEMENTING DIVERSITY PROGRAMS TO HELP RECRUIT MINORITY STUDENTS. By Angela DiMichele Alligator Staff Writer

The black population at UF has declined since Student Body President Ian Green’s

parents graduated more than 30 years ago. Now, Green is looking to be the catalyst for increased diversity on campus. Six months after Green took office, more than 100 students gathered Tuesday night at the University Auditorium to hear his State of Campus Address, where diversity was just one of the things on the agenda. Green talked about new Student Government pro-

grams, outreach and student life. The Bridges Minority Outreach Program, which was established in May, has been one step toward increasing diversity at UF, he said. The program works with six Florida schools from Jacksonville to Tampa to recruit minority students. Green also talked about the new Diversity Programming Committee, which meets with

‘Red Wave Rally’ brings out students and public officials

the presidents of the university’s largest diversity organizations to talk about what the communities want from SG. Val Raymond said he wasn’t surprised to see the University of Southern California’s Race and Equity Center study that surfaced in September, which gave UF an ‘F’ for race

SEE CAMPUS, PAGE 3

UF Jewish students hold vigil to honor Pittsburgh victims MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE ATTENDED. By Hannah Beatty Alligator Staff Writer

Christopher King / Alligator Staff

Republican State Sen. Keith Perry speaks to rally attendees Tuesday afternoon at the Red Wave Rally on Turlington Plaza. Perry said, “Give me a call and we’ll discuss issues.” State Rep. Chuck Clemons and U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho also attended the event to tell students to vote.

ABOUT 50 STUDENTS RALLIED FOR REPUBLICANS. By Dana Cassidy Alligator Staff Writer

Reagan was the only canine that made an appearance at a Red Wave Rally. The small French bulldog walked alongside Republican public officials Florida State Sen. Keith Perry, U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho and Florida Rep. Chuck Clemons on Turlington Plaza for a rally Tuesday afternoon. The public officials are running for reelection and came to encourage students to vote. About 50 people attended the rally that

Basketball?! Basketball.

included Chick-fil-A chicken sandwhiches for those who wore “Team Yoho” stickers. Patrick Miller, a 20-year-old UF political science junior, organized the event to encourage students to become informed on the candidates. “We’re trying to rally conservative students on campus and get them energized and motivated to get out and vote,” Miller said. Perry said promoting music and the arts in education and vouching for small businesses are his priorities. “I think that we’re doing a state and country a disservice by not allowing young people to go out and pursue their dreams,” Perry said.

The Gators men’s basketball team made its debut in an exhibition game Tuesday night. Find out who did what, pg. 14

Holding a rally at UF allows students to engage with politics, Yoho said. “The privilege and the rights of voting are so important,” Yoho said. “Yet so many people don’t take advantage of them.” Jeremy O’Brien, a 21-year-old UF political science junior, came to the rally dressed in a chicken suit. “I’m out here to protest them and remind them that they are too chicken to stand up to corporate interests,” O’Brien said. “That’s why they are handing out Chick-fil-A.” @danacassidy_ dcassidy@alligator.org

Local religious leaders speak out

More than a dozen religious leaders took to City Hall to speak about the Pittsburgh killings, pg. 5

Julie Mallinger woke up in her residence hall Saturday morning and flipped open her laptop to browse Facebook like she would on any other weekend. But it wasn’t an ordinary weekend in her home of Squirrel Hill, a Pittsburgh suburb. The 18-year-old UF biomedical engineering freshman texted her dad when she saw a livestream of a crime scene. Mallinger’s dad told her 11 people were killed during a mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue. He told her to not be surprised if she recognized some of the names of the deceased. Turlington Plaza fell silent at 12:30 p.m. Monday when more than 200 students and community members gathered at a vigil to honor those who died. The vigil was hosted by Lubavitch Chabad Jewish Center, the UF Jewish Student Union and UF Hillel. UF has one of the largest populations of Jewish undergraduate students in the U.S., with 18 percent of the total undergraduate population being Jewish, according to Hillel International. Mallinger and two other Jewish UF students from Squirrel Hill, 18-year-old Morgann Green and 18-yearold Olivia Hirshman, spoke at the vigil about discovering their community was attacked. The Anti-Defamation League said it believes the Tree of Life shooting to be the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the United States. Mallinger said shootings don’t ever happen in Squirrel Hill. She remembers eating pizza with friends and celebrating bar or bat mitzvahs. “A lot of people here don’t really know Pittsburgh at all,” she said. “Now people know what it is for the wrong reasons.” Rabbi Aharon Chaim Notik of Chabad and Rabbi Adam Grossman of UF Hillel encouraged the students present to spread kindness in the face of hatred. “Today, no matter your religion, your race, your creed, your sex, your gender, we are all targets,” Gross-

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Student Government for Puerto Ricans

The Student Senate passed a resolution in support of aid for UF Puerto Rican students affected by Hurricane Maria, pg. 4

@FloridaAlligator @TheAlligator_ @TheAlligator

SEE VIGIL, PAGE 3


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