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We Inform. You Decide.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2021
VOLUME 116 ISSUE 10
Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida
Not officially associated with the University of Florida
UF students and Gainesville’s Black neighborhoods: A ‘broken relationship’ GAINESVILLE RESIDENTS WEIGH IN ON HOW STUDENTS CAN CHANGE GAINESVILLE FOR THE BETTER
By Jiselle Lee Alligator Staff Writer
Liana Barros // Alligator Staff
Jennifer McKathan (left), American Cancer Society health systems manager, embraces Pam Clevenger (right) after she receives a breast cancer survivor sash at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event in Celebration Pointe on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. Clevenger, survivor for 12 years, is also a UF Health cancer patient navigator. Read more on page 8.
UF students come to Gainesville with the promise of education, new friendships, experiences and overflowing opportunities. However, their residence is temporary, and they may not realize how their actions could impact the surrounding community. The Rev. Gerard Duncan, a pastor at Faith Ministries in Gainesville, said he has worked with students through the David & Wanda Brown Center for Student Leadership, a UF center providing guidance and resources for student organizations. He said it’s getting harder to live in Gainesville’s historic communities because the people native to the area can no longer afford to live there. “A university can build
relationships within a community where there’s trust, and they can communicate,” Duncan said. “That relationship, historically, has been broken. Most community neighbors are very hesitant because of the broken relationship. They’re taking our jobs, taking our community, taking our houses.” Peggy Macdonald, a public historian and former director of the Matheson History Museum, said the concept of ACRs — a nickname for Alachua County residents — creates an idea that residents are “townies” separate from UF. “Gainesville doesn’t view UF as separate,” she said. “There were so many people over the years who have gone to school at UF, who have worked for UF. The entire town of Gainesville stops when it’s homecoming. So, there’s a long tradition of embracing UF.” UF dates back to 1853, when Florida established the East Florida Seminary, a public school that was merged with three others to eventually become UF, Macdonald said.
SEE STUDENTS, PAGE 4
UF astronomy doctoral graduate files lawsuit for discrimination, unpaid wages Dr. Sankalp Gilda was called an ‘idiot,’ ‘submissive Indian’ By Max Taylor Alligator Staff Writer
Dr. Sankalp Gilda was exhausted. He balanced 60-hour work weeks with a doctoral student load at the behest of his supervisor, migraines and regular discrimination from his status as an Indian international student. His exhaustion worsened throughout the nine months of his supervisor’s taunts. Once, Gilda found out his supervisor told his department he was going to a conference in California. The supervisor was actually flying out to visit his girlfriend.
SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT Driveway drill sessions
Story description finish with comma, Florida volleyball’s Merritt Beasonpg# felt her sport could play a bigger role for girls in her hometown. So she started volunteering with her old middle school team, pg. 11
Gilda reported it to the department. How dare you complain against me and put my potential tenure in jeopardy? You know you have already switched supervisors once, right? You know you are on a visa, right? The supervisor forced Gilda to apologize and threatened to quit working with him — putting his graduation and legal status at risk. To maintain an active student visa status, international doctoral students must have their graduate work supervised by a faculty member. So Gilda apologized. But the supervisor didn’t let him go without one last dig.
Are you apologizing to me because you really mean it, or because you know I can impact your future job prospects? His supervisor was Zachary Slepian, a Harvard-educated assistant professor who joined the UF astronomy department in 2018. Gilda, a 29-year-old UF doctoral 2021 graduate, filed a formal complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against UF’s astronomy department for discrimination, harssment, unpaid wages and intentional infliction of emotional damage. He also filed a lawsuit against UF for unpaid wages.
Critter Creek Farm Sanctuary
The safe haven houses over 200 animals, pg. 6
Remembering racial terror
Gainesville unveils new historical marker, pg.4
He first realized his work environment was problematic when Slepian texted him at night, on the weekends and even during his lunch hour. Slepian questioned Gilda’s whereabouts and demanded he get back to work. When Gilda objected, Slepian would change the subject or call him “submissive.” Slepian expected Gilda to work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday — he worked anywhere from 50 to 70 hours per week. However, Slepian’s other graduate student — who was white — had a set weekly meeting time and usually worked the 20 hours per week required by the
SEE DISCRIMINATION, PAGE 5
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