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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023

VOLUME 118 - ISSUE 1 Not officially associated with the University of Florida

Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida

Sasse’s preliminary strategic plan includes tuition changes, department reductions

Sasse discussed his plan in faculty-only meetings last week

By Garrett Shanley Alligator Staff Writer

UF President Ben Sasse described an early framework of UF’s new strategic plan in faculty-only presentations across UF’s colleges last week.

The presentation was summarized by attendees who spoke anonymously to The Alligator because they feared repercussions from disclosing details of the president's remarks.

Sasse discussed adjusting student tuition costs, reducing the total number of academic departments, eliminating "quiet-retired" faculty and restructuring the delivery of education, a professor said.

“Sasse predicted that low tuition costs, which are heavily subsidized by the legislature's appropriations that include lucrative Bright Futures scholarships for many students, can't continue,” one professor wrote.

Sasse described low tuition costs as radically underpriced and "an economic model that doesn't make sense."

"We are the only state that loses money on every student," Sasse said. "We should definitely be charging ability-to-pay for children of the wealthiest."

Sasse does not have the ability to dictate state legislation regarding subsidized tuition or the Bright Futures scholarship program as UF president, according to state law.

Sasse also said that the total number of academic departments at UF need to be reduced. There are currently 199 academic departments across UF’s 16 colleges. “[Sasse] indicated an ideal number would be far fewer, such as 140, which would be a 30% decrease,” one professor wrote.

Sasse also criticized professors who fail to obtain outside research money. Many of these professors teach only one or two classes each semester, he said.

In one college he did not identify, 13 research professors were employed without any current research projects,

SEE SASSE, PAGE 6

UF signs $4.7 million contract with global consulting firm The consulting firm is helping develop the strategic plan for the Sasse administration

By Garrett Shanley Alligator Staff Writer

UF President Ben Sasse hired McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, on a $4.7 million contract to help develop the university’s vision for the future.

UF signed the McKinsey contract through a no-bid process in March, a month after Sasse took office as UF president.

The firm’s name carries prestige as one of the “big three” management consulting firms, with Boston Consulting Group and Bain and Company tailing McKinsey as direct competitors.

The firm employs more than 35,000 people who work across 67 countries as of 2022, according to an official McKinsey fact sheet.

UF Spokesperson Cynthia Roldan said McKinsey’s data-

driven analysis of higher education provides a foundation to understand UF’s core strengths and big opportunities.

“They have helped stand up a best-in-class process for the new strategic plan that President Sasse and university stakeholders will be creating collaboratively beginning this semester,” Roldan wrote.

UF adopted an existing, competitively solicited contract with McKinsey through a government purchasing cooperative, a process frequently used by UF, Roldan said.

UF has paid $4.3 million to McKinsey as of July 19, according to invoices obtained from a public records request. While the contract will be paid in full by Aug. 31, it allows UF to request additional services until its termination date in February 2025.

Further details of McKinsey’s

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT

QB Preview Story description finish with comma, pg#

Florida football gears up with new QB room.

Read more on pg. 22.

Armand Raichandani // Alligator Staff

UF President Ben Sasse helps incoming freshmen move in on Aug. 17, 2023.

work at UF, including the names of the consultants working for the university, are unknown as of Aug. 22.

A public records request submitted by The Alligator for the “scope of work” attachment to the contract was denied under state public records laws as “trade secrets” and “business proprietary information.”

Additional requests for any materials McKinsey created under the contract, including presentations and reports, produced no responsive records.

The Arizona Republic encountered similar responses when reporting on the $14 million contract between McKinsey and the University of Arizona in 2019.

UA allowed the firm to redact entire pages of information the company considers proprietary, according to the Arizona Repub-

SEE MCKINSEY, PAGE 6

Gainesville homeless population suffers through record-breaking heat GRACE MARKETPLACE ATTEMPTS TO REDUCE IMPACT OF SEVERE HEAT ON HOMELESS POPULATION

By Kylie Williams Alligator Staff Writer

Kristin Smollack woke up sweating. Lying in her metal bunk at GRACE Marketplace, a Gainesville homeless shelter, the 38-year-old was suffering severe dehydration.

Hot flashes came in waves, and her body ached with muscle cramps.

“My sheets were soaked,” she said.

Smollack called herself an ambulance the night of Aug. 13 and was brought to UF Health Shands Hospital, where she received an IV. After being rehydrated, she was released Aug. 14 around 1:30 a.m.

Smollack is one of about 800 people experiencing homelessness in Alachua County. The local homeless population, which often lacks

Hate Crime

Rosewood man found guilty of hate crime against Black historian, pg. 13

reliable access to resources like air conditioning and water, has become especially vulnerable due to the recent heat waves slamming Florida.

GRACE Marketplace is scrambling to address the increased need for its resources.

The day Smollack was admitted to the hospital, “feels like” temperatures peaked at 110 degrees. The “feels like” measure takes factors like wind and humidity into account, which provides a more accurate representation of what people are experiencing outside.

Globally, July was the hottest month ever recorded. This means “feels like” temperatures in Gainesville frequently reached triple digits throughout the month, exceeding July’s 30-year average by three degrees, according to weather data from Visual Crossing.

Gainesville is also on track to surpass its “feels like” temperature average for August by almost five

SEE HOMELESS, PAGE 5

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Lemasters hired

Former student body president accepts role in Sasse’s office, pg. 8

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The Alligator introduces new website Today’s Weather that tracks crimes on UF campus UFCRIME.COM WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC ON ALLIGATOR.ORG AUG. 23

By Isabella Douglas Alligator Staff Writer

The Alligator is introducing a new feature on its website to assist students and faculty in tracking crimes on campus; it’s called the UF Campus Crime Project.

On the front page of The Alligator website, users will find a new widget that directs them to ufcrime. com. The website features an interactive map of the university, displaying the last 90 days' worth of crimes that have occurred on campus, along with any available court records.

Users can explore the map by specific types of crimes using the sidebar filter feature and select a specific time period using the topright map widget. Additionally, users have the option to search for and/or download a table of all UF crimes reported by the university police department dating back to 2016.

The project was created by two UF undergraduate students and Alligator reporters: Zachary Carnell and Isabella Douglas. They responded to what they perceived as a growing need for transparency between the university and its students and faculty. Through the campus crime map, the reporters hope users can easily stay informed about the safety and security of UF’s campus.

This project, along with the original story written by Fresh Take Florida reporter Troy Myers, was prompted by UF's removal of eight years' worth of campus crime data from its online records.

The official UF Crime Log, which was created under the Clery Act, only displays crimes that occurred on or near campus within the last 60 days.

"As per regulations set by the U.S. Department of Education, schools are required to provide 60 days' worth of their crime logs for public inspection, and records of older crimes must be made available within two business days of a request," the article explains.

The website can be used in a multitude of ways including the following: Help students understand the locations with the highest instances of bicycle thefts Assist parents in identifying where sexual assaults take place on campus

VOLUME 118 - ISSUE 1

ISSN 0889-2423

Not officially associated with the University of Florida Published by Campus Communications Inc., of Gainesville, Florida

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Aid faculty in maintaining awareness of campus safety concerns Enable reporters to determine whether campus crime has increased or decreased over the last few years Empower campus security teams to strategically allocate resources and patrols based on crime spots Stay tuned to The Alligator’s future articles using the Crime Map. @_issadouglas idouglas@alligator.org

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4 ALLIGATOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023

Gainesville families choose to educate children from home FROM AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS TO SKIPPING GRADES, FAMILIES HOME-SCHOOL FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS

By Alissa Gary Alligator Staff Writer

For 10-year-old David Berryman, the worst part of being home-schooled is having to wear sunscreen.

“Because you get so sweaty,” he said. “I mean, you’re in Florida, so you have to wear sunscreen, but you get so sweaty and it’s just annoying.”

He’s used to wearing sunscreen because he doesn’t have to sit in a traditional school; he can instead finish classes quickly at home, which gives him time to play outside and visit SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens and other amusement parks with his family.

“My mom and me love roller coasters,” he said. “I’m very tall and so is my mom. I’m 10 right now, and I’m already tall enough in order to ride every single big ride.”

About 1.3% of students in Alachua County were registered for home schooling from 2021 to 2022. Across Florida, home schooling rates have risen since 2015. The sharpest increase was during the pandemic in 2020 with a 35.2% change, according to a Florida Department of Education report.

Although statewide numbers are rising, Alachua County’s may be falling. The county received only 175 new home-schooling enrollments since the end of the school year, compared to about 200 at the same time last year, said Jackie Johnson, Alachua County Public Schools public relations officer.

David has been home-schooled for three years. His mom, Melissa Berryman, 39, knew he was different since first grade, she said.

He already knew his times tables, usually a third-grade skill or higher, and he asked his

mom to put him in second grade after breezing through the first few weeks of school. Today, David is taking high school level precalculus.

Melissa and her husband, Brian Berryman, 43, decided to pull all three of their children from their church-run private school and began home schooling in January 2020.

“We’ve just realized that in order for my kids’ educational needs to be met, at the levels that they need to be met, that homeschooling is our best option,” Melissa said.

No two home-school families are alike; curricula range from online programs, to Florida Virtual School, to dual enrollment classes. If one curriculum doesn’t work for a student’s learning style, parents can switch to another.

Like the Berrymans, Gwen Thompson, 51, chose to home-school to better attend to her children’s educational needs. Her oldest child was struggling to focus in class, which led to bringing home an excessive amount of homework. She immediately suspected ADHD, which she has herself, she said.

When her oldest was going into sixth grade, the family switched from Westwood Middle School to home schooling. Although all four of her children were home-schooled, they were given the option to return to public school whenever they wanted.

“When we would struggle, and they would not want to get on that FLVS course, ‘I don’t want to type today,’ I’d be like, ‘Well, we can go back to public school,’” she said. “It was a lovely little sort of stick-carrot.”

The first step to transitioning a student from public school to home schooling is for parents to submit a letter of intent to ACPS, which formally enrolls them in home education.

The second step, and a recurring one, is for families to submit an annual formal evaluation conducted by a certified teacher to ensure their students are making educational progress. The evaluation is mandatory to keep children in home schooling.

Florida statutes don’t specify which subjects must be taught and evaluated in home schooling. However, students must show some form of progress through a portfolio of schoolwork

and in-person discussions with the evaluator.

Yochani Abreu, 32, grew up home-schooled and currently home-schools her four children.

She’s also a home school evaluator. During her reviews, she checks that students are learning math and writing in lower grades and learning history, science and reading in higher grades.

Although it’s rare, she’s been forced to fail student evaluations due to insufficient After spending two years as a public school teacher and another two as a substitute, Abreu noticed home-schooling allows her kids to have more personal time with their teacher.

Instead of an 18-to-1 student-teacher ratio, she can provide one-on-one instruction so her students have more personalized lessons for their learning styles.

“If you’re in a whole classroom, and there’s a struggling kid, you can’t devote a whole hour to them and each subject,” she said. “It’s impossible because either you’re neglecting everybody else, or you just can’t get it done.

There’s not enough hours in the day.”

Home schooling was born out of necessity for Candice Johnson, 44, and her sons, 17-year-old Wyatt Johnson and 12-year-old Garrett Johnson. Both boys were diagnosed with PANDAS, an autoimmune disorder that was more likely to flare up if they were surrounded by other children carrying colds and other illnesses, so public school was forced out of the picture, Candice said.

“Our home school was different from a typical home-schooler that’s just home schooling because they want to do school at home,” she said. “Where, ours came with all different kinds of challenges.”

When her sons were younger, Candice directed more of their schoolwork, she said, with regular school days consisting of basic school subjects such as math, English and history.

While that remains partially true for Garrett, Wyatt now directs his own schooling and takes several dual enrollment classes at Santa Fe College.

Thanks to the flexibility of his home-school schedule, Wyatt was able to start his own metal band, Coraline’s Collapse. He played a solo

Patty Pascual // Alligator Staff

guitar show for MusicGNV, and he wants to be a professional musician after earning his business degree.

“I may have missed out on some experiences,” he said. “In the grand scheme of things, later in life, that’s going to be very helpful that I had all that time to be able to start really early and figure out what I wanted to do.”

Despite Gainesville’s large home schooling community, there remains a stigma against home-schooled kids. In fact, a peer once told Wyatt that he’d “drive off a bridge” if he were home-schooled.

Nonetheless, Wyatt has formed a close-knit group of friends, he said.

“If home schooling is done properly, I think it’s a very good thing,” he said.

More than a decade into their home schooling journey, the Johnson family has made friends within the Alachua County home school community. It’s important to have support systems, like friends, family and co-ops, Candice said, for home schooling to work.

“You’re not home schooling by yourself,” she said. “You need a community.” @AlissaGary1 agary@alligator.org

Alachua County School Board hosts workshop to discuss rezoning issues

Officials, members of the public expressed concerns about financial constraints, diversity and bus routes

By Ella Thompson Alligator Staff Writer

Where students go to school could change next school year as Alachua County Public Schools rezones to combat overcrowding. Parents and district officials weighed in Aug. 16.

Members of the Alachua County School Board met with the community in a workshop meeting to discuss the county’s comprehensive rezoning plan and the proposed zoning lines for the 2024-2025 school year, which has been a contentious issue. The board focused its priorities on overcrowding in schools and diversity.

The district’s main objective is to align student enrollment with school capacity, Anntwanique Edwards, the School Board’s chief of equity, inclusion and community engagement, said. Rezoning is a problem the district has ignored for years, she said, and many of the schools have suffered from overcrowding.

“We know that there are a number of schools that have been over capacity in our district,” Edwards said. “We want to make sure that everyone recognizes that we’re con-

sidering our current and projected enrollment for the school district, including active development in our communities, as a priority.”

About one-fourth of the county’s public schools are operating over capacity, with Newberry Elementary School operating at the highest enrollment rate of 141%, Edwards reported in her presentation.

With the goal of reducing expenses and increasing efficiency, the board focused on factors like transportation challenges, school capacity and magnet program enrollment during the meeting to make choices about where to redraw zone lines.

In her report, Edwards discussed the cost of gas mileage, safe travel for students and efficiency of bus routes as transportation challenges.

The district also opted to maintain two mile walkout zones — zones within two miles of the school — for students who walk to school daily, she said.

One concern brought forward by board members and parents alike was the possibility of relocating students from their current school to their newly zoned school. For instance, students who are in fifth, eighth or 12th grade who have spent time in a certain school would

be able to remain at that school despite new zone lines, Edwards said.

Additionally, if a student in the current academic year attending a magnet program is affected by the change, she said they would not be removed from their program.

Edwards doesn’t know the number of students who will be affected by the shift, she said.

Sarah Rockwell, the District 3 school board member, raised concerns about diversity. Some of the changes have the power to decrease diversity within schools, she said.

“When I look at changes, for instance, to the Talbot school zone, it appears as though the school is going to become less diverse,” she said. “When I look at changes to the Buchholz High School school zone, it appears that it’s going to become less diverse.”

Making one district less diverse to create an easier bus route is not something Rockwell is in favor of, she said.

Rockwell also noted some safety concerns among the projected maps, stating some walks will become “treacherous.” Edwards said she can’t please every board member and their individual priorities.

“There has to be an overall over-

arching priority,” Edwards said. “I think at the end of the day, when we go to fix some of the things, for instance, that [Rockwell] mentioned, I think that it will impact children in another place, potentially.”

School Board Chair Tina Certain spoke briefly about the state of the district financially.

It’s difficult to put more students on buses because there’s a lack of drivers in Alachua, she said. Certain alluded to the current teacher shortage in Florida, emphasizing the difficulty of hiring teachers in poor schools.

Seventeen Alachua County schools are listed as “high priority” for focusing on teacher shortages by the Florida Department of Education.

“We’re not able to do it because there are schools that are challenging to work in because we’ve concentrated them in poverty,” Certain said. “We put a lot of students in those schools and created high-need learning environments, and then we’re not pulling the levers that we could pull to hire.”

Both Certain and Rockwell asked for more transparent data throughout the meeting. Both board members also pushed for multiple op-

tions to possibly solve the rezoning issues.

Edwards, while agreeing that more transparent data would be helpful, said it’s difficult to obtain because students are enrolling in schools year-round.

The meeting ended with several parental comments expressing concerns over walkable zones, special needs students who have difficulty dealing with change and students having to switch schools multiple times throughout their academic career.

Jonathan Yorkowitz, UF interim dean of students and a father of students who may be impacted in the zoning change, appreciated the variety of priorities on the issue.

However, he said the board needs to narrow down their top priorities.

“If everything is a top priority, then nothing is,” he said.

The next Alachua County School Board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 19., and it will include the first reading of the proposed zones. On Oct. 17 at 4 p.m., the School Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed zones. @elladeethompson ethompson@alligator.org

GRACE Marketplace HOMELESS, from pg. 1

degrees. Aug. 8 had a record-breaking “feels like” average of nearly 97 degrees, and Aug. 14 had a recordbreaking peak of roughly 115 degrees, according to data from Visual Crossing dating back to 2000.

GRACE Marketplace Outreach Director Mark Watson said he worries about the impact of the severe heat on the homeless people he works with.

He called first responders eight times for homeless people experiencing heat-related medical issues during the first two weeks of August.

“Our job is to keep them alive,” he said.

Two days a week, Watson and the other members of GRACE’s outreach team drive a van stocked with food, water and other necessities through the Gainesville area to reach homeless people beyond GRACE’s walls.

In a stretch of forest across from the Walmart on Waldo Road, Mark McCarty unzips the flap of his tent.

Reaching out a hand, he takes a sandwich from Watson on Aug. 15.

The heat, McCarty said, is not for people like him.

McCarty, 56, falls under the category of chronically homeless. This group, Watson said, includes people with disabilities who have been homeless for at least a year.

“7:30 [p.m.], 8 o’clock is really the only time that’s actually livable,” McCarty said, swatting away mos-

quitoes.

McCarty has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and chronic respiratory issues. He can’t be exposed to direct sunlight or extreme heat due to his condition. With his mobility drastically reduced, McCarty said he spends hours a day inside his tent.

Jon Decarmine, the executive director of Grace, said the chronically homeless make up 30% of Gainesville’s total homeless population.

“Those are the folks who have the least amount of access to resources and therefore suffer the most during heatwaves like this,” he said.

GRACE, which sees 250 people at their main campus every day, hasn’t seen an increase in the number of people seeking shelter from the recent heat. What has increased, DeCarmine said, is how much assistance the average person needs.

People who previously came to GRACE for a meal or to do a load of laundry now spend hours inside the facility to be near air conditioning and water, he added.

“People…are kind of just coming in and trying to survive the day,” DeCarmine said.

Mary Mathews Reid, a 59-yearold homeless Gainesville native, has been living at GRACE for about three weeks. Without a car or a bus pass, Reid must walk everywhere she goes.

She worries about how the physical effects of walking in the heat, like sweating, will impact her job prospects and ability to appear profes-

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023 ALLIGATOR 5 sional, she said.

“I want to apply for jobs and stuff,” she said, “but I don’t want to go in there looking like I just took a shower.”

Reid wishes GRACE had more water, fans and activities for the residents. With the heat keeping her indoors, she said, her only entertainment is the weekly church service and yoga class.

“I wish we had some ice,” she said.

Gainesville’s recent spike in heat waves is likely due to climate change, Andrei Kirilenko, a UF Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management professor, said. Global temperatures soared 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for the first time this summer, breaking the safe limit imposed by the 2020 Paris Agreement, Kirilenko added.

Kirilenko, who specializes in the effects of climate change on humans, believes the record-breaking heat will fall hardest on vulnerable populations like homeless people.

Hotter climates will lead to increased negative physical and mental health impacts on homeless individuals who lack access to shelter, he said.

“There are fewer options for [homeless people] to mitigate the changes in the environment.”

Despite Gainesville’s rising temperatures, the city’s current policies and funding discussions don’t reflect the increased needs of local homeless people.

The city of Gainesville has an official response for extreme cold weather, but not one for severe heat.

Adriel Bolocon// Alligator Staff

A GRACE Marketplace moving truck is parked at GRACE Marketplace in Gainesville, Fla., on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023.

When temperatures dip below 45 degrees, the city implements a Cold Shelter Night program, which provides shelter and services at facilities like GRACE to people more vulnerable to the cold.

City officials have also announced that $350,000 of GRACE’s funding will be cut from Gainesville’s upcoming fiscal year budget, DeCarmine said.

The loss would force GRACE to terminate its outreach program entirely, as well as reduce shelter beds by 10%. GRACE would not only have a limited capacity to house short-term residents, but it would also be unable to offer as many people long-term housing opportunities.

The outreach program placed 248 homeless people into permanent housing over the last two years,

DeCarmine said. Cutting the outreach program also means people like Mark McCarty, who are unable to travel to GRACE’s main campus, would lose support.

In dangerous heat waves, the outreach serves as a vital resource for the homeless by providing the ongoing, specialized support the city’s first responders can’t, DeCarmine said.

“Our city will still respond to people who are dehydrated, but we will be doing it with paramedics and coroners instead of outreach workers,” DeCarmine said. “The end result is very likely to be a doubling of the unsheltered homeless population over the next two years.” @KylieWilliams99 kwilliams@alligator.org

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'Big Three' Firm MCKINSEY, from pg. 1

lic report.

“The redactions, allowable under state public records law, make it virtually impossible for an outsider to tell precisely what the firm did to earn its fees,” the Arizona Republic wrote.

Like Sasse, UA President Robert C. Robbins hired McKinsey shortly after taking office in 2017.

“It’s true they are very expensive,” Robbins told The Arizona Republic in 2019. “I would say it’s transforming the university in terms of giving us a roadmap to where the university will go in the next 10 to 15 years.”

UF administration holds a similar attitude toward McKinsey’s role in strategic planning.

“About half of all the big universities in the country have used McKinsey, including many of our public and private rankings competitors,” Roldan wrote in a statement. “And the other half wish they had.”

UF Faculty Senate Chair Danaya Wright said that while McKinsey’s report has not yet been made public, UF staff look forward to its results.

“To the extent faculty are to be held accountable, they look forward to engaging with the data McKinsey used in its strategic recommendations,” Wright said.

While the firm has a reputation as one of the best management consulting firms in the world, it has garnered controversy for its past contracts with pharmaceutical companies.

In 2021, McKinsey paid a total of $573 million to 47 different states to settle investigations related to its role in the “turbocharging” of opioid sales. Florida received $40 million from the settlement.

McKinsey’s simultaneous contracts with the FDA and opioid companies prompted the U.S. Senate to pass a bill that prevents conflicts of interest between companies who work for both private and public sector clients in December.

The firm also has a prestigious alumni network, including U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Chelsea Clinton, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Sasse himself.

While not present on the resume he

submitted to the UF presidential search committee, Sasse cited McKinsey as a former employer on several occasions, including on his Senate campaign website.

He was never an employee and only served as a special adviser to the firm on an hourly contract, according to a New York Times report.

Roldan said Sasse’s prior involvement with McKinsey does not present a conflict of interest.

“President Sasse has no financial interest in McKinsey and hasn't worked for them in more than a decade,” she wrote.

UF has previously signed contracts

Sasse's Strategic Plan SASSE, from pg. 1

Sasse said.

"Most of our research dollars come from 84 professors," Sasse said. "Too many people are nominally on a research track but not doing research."

Only 10% of research faculty drove 39% of research awards on campus, Sasse said.

Mike Foley, a UF journalism professor, asked Sasse if state legislation affected campus hiring efforts at a College of Journalism and Communications presentation Aug. 18.

Foley cited recent reporting

by the Tampa Bay Times, which documented cases of faculty departing Florida universities and prospective hires who were leery of coming to the state.

“He said that he's checked the figures and people are not leaving at any rate other than normal,” Foley said. “I was nervous asking a question because nobody else was asking [questions].”

Sasse also said UF needs to rethink its delivery of education to students.

“Sasse distinguished remote teaching from asynchronous lectures where students passively watch professors on pre-record-

with other consulting firms to aid in strategic planning and budget review.

Former UF Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Charlie Lane, who was fired by Sasse in April, enlisted consultants from Boston-based firms Elkus Manfredi and DumontJanks in 2016 to help “shape the university and surrounding community’s future,” according to a UF website.

Lane and the consultants interviewed more than 200 UF and Gainesville community members and held public forums while developing their strategic plan for the university.

It is unclear if McKinsey has implemented similar community outreach practices in its contract with UF. Michael Reid, dean for the UF College of Health and Human Performance, met

with several McKinsey consultants on a Zoom call several months ago.

The consultants asked about management issues and operations of the college, Reid said.

“These were logical questions, and they listened carefully to my comments,” Reid said. “Happily, the interview was apolitical. There was no conversation about controversial issues.”

All UF deans were contacted for this article.

Deans for the colleges of journalism and communications, business and education say they have not met with McKinsey’s consultants as of Tuesday evening. @garrettshanley gshanley@alligator.org

Diego Perdomo // Alligator Staff

ed video, which are unpopular for many students,” one professor wrote. “He said new models would disrupt traditional notions of place-and-time teaching, where faculty meet virtually with students at the same time but not necessarily in the same location.”

Revamping education delivery would have wide-ranging positive effects, Sasse said.

“He said that could broaden UF's appeal among students across Florida's 67 counties and help solve challenges recruiting top professors to move to Gainesville,” one professor said.

Technology companies will take over if UF doesn’t innovate its delivery of education, Sasse said. He noted that UF's touted HiPerGator high-performance

computing isn't being used to its capacity.

"Tech companies will figure out how to deliver education better, more quickly," he said.

Sasse also presented “sobriety data” that demonstrated UF was not as successful as it is sometimes perceived.

“He said UF's heralded Top 5 ranking by U.S. News & World Report among public institutions is more meaningfully regarded as No. 29 in the U.S. because there is no importance between publicly and privately funded universities,” one source wrote.

Sasse said he is skeptical of rankings.

He also said some of UF's successes, such as its high standards for enrollment, happened

by chance.

"If we end up on third base, we shouldn't confuse this with hitting a triple," Sasse said.

Sasse showed slides a screen during his presentations were marked "preliminary," "pre-decisional" and "deliberative" which could preclude them from being released under Florida's public records laws, one professor noted.

Sasse said he plans on piloting his goals in Fall 2024 and fully implementing them in Spring 2025, one source said.

Sasse is expected to reveal more details of his strategic plan this semester. @garrettshanley gshanley@alligator.org

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023 ALLIGATOR 7

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8 ALLIGATOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023

Sasse hires former UF student body president as assistant and student life liaison LAUREN LEMASTERS HAS WORKED IN SASSE’S OFFICE SINCE JUNE

By Vivienne Serret & Garrett Shanley Alligator Staff Writers

UF President Ben Sasse hired Lauren Lemasters, former UF student body president, as the presidential assistant and student life liaison in May. Lemasters was one of 13 members of the UF Board of Trustees who unanimously voted Sasse into office last November.

As student life liaison, Lemasters serves as a point of contact for student groups, collaborates with the Office of Student Life and provides recommendations to enhance the student experience.

Lemasters also directly helps Sasse build relationships with student groups and engage with campus life.

“I’ve helped the president as he engages campus and looks at ‘what’s next’ for UF,” Lemasters said. “He’s committed to a middle-up planning process and part of my work is to help facilitate the logistics of those conversations.”

Lemasters’ recent activities include attending Fall preview sessions and welcoming returning Gators to campus during move-in.

She was hired on a temporary, one-year contract for $75,000 that is renewable for another year, according to the employment contract.

A public records request obtained by The Alligator in May identified Lemasters as a member of Sasse’s transition team.

Lemasters’ role in the Sasse administration has drawn criticism from members of Student Government due to her vote in favor of

Sasse’s nomination in November, which differed from a majority of the student body’s opinion.

In response to Lemasters’ vote in favor of Sasse’s confirmation, the Student Senate Change Caucus submitted a resolution to impeach her on charges of malfeasance in November.

The Student Government Judiciary Committee postponed the resolution indefinitely and allowed Lemasters to finish her term.

Former Senate President Olivia Green announced her disapproval of Lemasters’ voting in favor of Sasse during her report at the Nov. 1, 2022 Senate meeting.

Green said both she and the student body disagreed with Lemasters’ decision, and she was disappointed in Lemasters’ choice.

“The students made their opinions on the nomination very clear and these opinions were disregarded today,” Green said at a November Senate meeting. “To the students we are charged with representing, I can say with certainty we see you, we hear you and we will continue to amplify student voices as one united Senate.”

Lemasters said there is no conflict with her being the former student body president and now working for Sasse.

“During my graduate year, I didn’t think that I would start my career working for my alma mater,” Lemasters wrote. “This job wasn’t discussed until my term as a UF trustee had ended and I didn’t get or agree to an offer until after I had graduated.”

Lemasters said working with Sasse has been amazing and has affirmed to her how much Sasse cares about UF. “The entire President’s office

genuinely cares about our students and the positive life change they experience while attending UF,” Lemasters wrote. “Although this is not what I thought I would be doing a few months ago, it’s been a really fun and meaningful start to my career. I love UF and it’s been great to serve in this new capacity.”

Lemasters will continue to get input from the student body to best serve UF’s multifaceted campus, in addition to relying on her recent student experience, she said.

Senate President Oscar Santiago Perez (Change-District D) is concerned by Lemasters’ appointment and said Lemasters was contacted by multiple students and requested by the Student Senate to vote no on Sasse’s nomination last year.

“If President Lemasters was offered this position on the condition that she voted yes during the Board of Trustees meeting and later publicly defended Sasse, then it undermines the trust that was placed in her to act as a representative of the Student Body,” Santiago Perez wrote.

Santiago Perez believes the information provided leads to further questions as to the process which led to Lemasters ultimately voting yes on Sasse’s nomination.

“The System Party may claim that they moved on from Lauren Lemasters, but ultimately, they defended her decision during the impeachment process,” Santiago Perez wrote. “The System Party attached itself to Lauren’s vote the moment they decided to fail the impeachment, twice.”

Current Judiciary Chairperson Jonathan C. Stephens (ChangeDistrict D) said they were disappointed with Lemasters having been appointed by Sasse, they

DISCOVER ILENE’S GATOR STORE

Alan Halaly // Alligator Staff

Lauren Lemasters, UF’s Student Body president, listens to public comment at the Board of Trustees confirmation vote Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Some students have criticized her pro-Sasse vote amid student backlash. wrote.

“I am frustrated because for many students on this campus, we don’t get handed opportunities like this easily,” Stephens wrote.

“We work hard, we persevere, we take many losses, and we pick ourselves up to try to get the small (usually underpaid) positions that we will earn in this university.”

Stephens is a proud co-filer of the articles of impeachment regarding Lemasters, and said they condemned the Gator senators who did not vote to impeach Lemasters.

“It is just convenient that after ignoring the pleas of thousands of students who simply wanted ac-

countability within our system, that this job offer and acceptance wrapped in a bow tie was placed in front of Lemaster’s lap,” Stephens wrote.

Stephens believes this is an example of nepotistic behavior, which they said has creeped UF’s campus for decades.

“She chose stuffing her pockets over saving our Student Body, and now it’s our job to clean up the mess,” Stephens wrote. @vivienneserret vserret@alligator.org @garrettshanely gshanley@alligator.org

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Santa Fe College: ‘A very safe environment for all kinds of people’ The college’s percentage of non-white students has increased since 2019

By Bailey Diem Alligator Staff Writer

Iris Rodriguez feels welcome at Santa Fe College, where her peers share her cultural background and she participates in programs that promote inclusivity.

“I am Hispanic and I haven’t had many struggles because a lot of the students around me and my classmates are Hispanic as well,” Rodriguez, a 19-year-old SFC musical theater sophomore, said. “And honestly, it’s a pretty good environment for Hispanic people.”

A rise in SFC’s non-white student population contributes to this environment. Over the past three years, the college experienced a rise in students of all ethnicities. The students and staff attribute this increase in diversity to the college’s inclusive campus events and organizations.

“Santa Fe promotes diversity during heritage months like Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, Asian American and so on and so forth,” Rodriguez said.

The Santa Fe College Fact Book provides summaries of enrollment trends by both term and year, beginning as early as Fall 2019 with data up to Fall 2022.

In 2020, SFC saw an overall decline in enrollment numbers, which dropped by 1,871 students between Fall 2019 and Fall 2020. Since then,

enrollment numbers have begun to steadily rise, according to the fact book.

The percentage of non-white students enrolled at SFC has increased slightly since the fact book’s first report. The percentage of non-white students grew almost 1.5% between Fall 2019 and Fall 2022.

The change means hundreds of new students roaming campus.

Jay Anderson has worked at the college for over six years and serves as the assistant to the SFC president.

The increase in diversity was substantial even year-to-year, he said.

“We have more than 3,200 students who are Hispanic and Latino,” Anderson said. “Last year, we had just a hair under 3,000 Hispanic and Latino students.”

The proportion of Hispanic students at Santa Fe grew about 2.6% between Fall 2019 and Fall 2022.

While Hispanic student enrollment may have increased the most, Anderson said the college’s student population continues to become more diverse as a whole.

“I believe pretty much every ethnic demographic is up in enrollment this year, as opposed to last year, as we get to get more and more students coming back to the college and taking classes again,” Anderson said.

Alanis Gonzalez, a 21-year-old SFC alumna, spent three years at SFC to obtain an associate degree

Diego Perdomo // Alligator Staff

in art history. While studying there, she noticed SFC’s efforts to promote diversity in the student population.

“Santa Fe generally tried to reach out to different communities including international, lower-income, first-generation and non-traditional students that expands the range of people that come study there,” she said.

One factor in SFC’s success is its inclusion programs like Free to Learn, which allows staff to bring wider interest across varying demographics, Gonzalez said.

Now a graduate of the college,

she said SFC serves as a model for other academic institutions working to increase diversity.

“I think in order to expand diversity in academic institutions you need to include beyond racial and ethnic demographics but also expand to include people of various ages, levels of income and general life experiences,” she said.

Some SFC students believe the change comes from the college’s wide array of clubs and its promotion of cultural events.

Gabriela Velasco, an 18-year-old

SFC theater sophomore, is involved in a variety of student organizations, including the Hispanic Organization of Latino Activities, which are all available to welcome students, she said.

“I have seen a few clubs for people who come from other countries,” Velasco said. “I’ve also seen the HOLA club, which is a club to learn Spanish. I do feel that there is a lot of diversity at Santa Fe.” Furthermore, SFC’s student population is shown to be diverse in other ways beyond ethnicity.

“It’s also diverse in age groups as well,” Rodriguez said. “You see a lot of young people that are like 18-19, but also you see older people that might be going back to school, getting their A.A. or whatever, that are more in their 30s or 40s.”

For Rodriguez, the campus’ secure atmosphere and welcoming environment contributed heavily to the increase in diversity the college saw in recent years.

“I find Santa Fe to be a very safe environment for all kinds of people,” Rodriguez said, “No matter who you are, or what you identify as, or how old you are, you can find a safe space. Student resources are open to all kinds of people and are very helpful as well.” @BaileyDiem baileydiem@ufl.edu

Remembering Eli Silverman: Tau Epsilon Phi recruitment chair leaves legacy within frat house and campus ELI SILVERMAN DIED AUG. 11, AGE 19

By Megan Howard Alligator Staff Writer

Eli Silverman was known for his smile and charm.

The 19-year-old UF business sophomore and Tau Epsilon Phi recruitment chair is remembered as a light among his campus community.

Silverman died of natural causes Aug. 11.

Max Rappoport, a 19-year-old UF business management sophomore and fellow fraternity member said Silverman’s happiness was contagious.

“The number one thing everyone talked about was his smile,” Rappoport said. “He always had the widest, biggest smile.”

Originally from Aventura, Florida, Silverman started his college career in Fall 2022.

His friends often described him as “the man,” and his character was marked by how he lit up every room.

Sammy Courtney, a 19-year-old UF film and TV production sophomore and TEP member had been childhood friends with Silverman. They met through their local Jewish Community Center in Aventura.

“One day I was at his house and he said to me, ‘We are BFFLs [best friends for life] now,’” Courtney said.

Eli was the kind of guy who made everyone he met feel like his best friend, Courtney said.

The first time Courtney saw Silverman at UF, Silverman greeted Courtney by the same childhood nickname, BFFL, they had given each other many years ago.

“He had a very charming way,” Courtney said. “Like he had joy, lots of joy.”

He remembered little details about everyone he met, and his legacy of friendliness and charm outlives him.

Silverman’s funeral on Aug. 13 showed the impact he had on those around him.

Ethan Ohana, a 19-year-old UF finance sophomore and TEP member, was impressed by the outpouring of support in the wake of Silverman’s death, he said.

“It was unbelievable,” Ohana said.

“The auditorium could fit like 400 people and there was probably another 400 people standing up behind the seats.”

Silverman was passionate about sports and going to the gym. He especially loved the Miami Heat and playing flag football and golf with his fraternity brothers.

His dedication to fitness did not go unnoticed. Silverman was a frequent member at Miami Rule Fitness and collaborated on an online workout clothing line, Worn Out, with his close friend.

Outside of fitness and his fraternity, he loved to travel. Silverman spent his spring break in Bimini with his fraternity brothers, and the group was planning a second Bahamas trip before school started again.

Ohana spent part of his summer in Gainesville living with Silverman. They worked together to get to know freshmen interested in joining their fraternity in the fall.

Courtesy to The Alligator

Eli Silverman (left) and Max Rappaport (right) stand together at the Nose Bowl, which is a flag football game between TEP and Pi Lam. “Summer was mainly [preparing for] rush,” Ohana said. “We were trying to gear ourselves for that and text as many kids as possible.”

Silverman’s legacy within UF’s chapter of Tau Epsilon Phi will continue to live on during this Fall’s fraternity recruitment season. He was set to be the recruitment chairperson, a position that Silverman thrived in as he was outgoing and passionate about growing his brotherhood.

To memorialize Silverman, his frater-

nity brothers bought him a brick at The Swamp Restaurant, his favorite spot to watch sports in Gainesville, and they plan to frame his jersey in the fraternity house.

“We want to take his Nose Bowl jersey and frame it,” Ohana said. “We want to make sure that it is in the house and he is never forgotten.” @meganmhxward mhoward@alligator.org

10 ALLIGATOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023

Gainesville City Commission approves repeal of open container alcohol ordinance THE ORDINANCE WILL REVERT BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC WORDING, WHICH PENALIZES PUBLIC DRINKING

By Kat Tran Alligator Staff Writer

The Gainesville City Commission voted 4-3 to revert the city’s open container ordinance back to how the city regulated alcohol prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This bans opencanned alcohol outside businesses, as well as parks and streets.

Originally, the commission was planning on voting to ban the consumption of open-canned alcoholic beverages in public areas such as parks and downtown Gainesville streets — but Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut wanted the plan to go further, she said. “[We] talked about people coming into town and using Gainesville as a regional party center,” Chestnut said. “We are at a point where we have to take bold action here.”

The ordinance has yet to be implemented. A full draft of the ordinance must be voted on Sept. 14, then voted on again and passed on Sept. 28.

Mayor Harvey Ward and commissioners Ed Book, Desmon Duncan-Walker and Chestnut voted in favor of the ordinance.

Duncan-Walker wanted to focus on improving the safety of downtown Gainesville, where a majority of the city’s shootings occur, she said.

“There are just too many things that are uncertain right now,” Duncan-Walker said. “But one thing is for sure — these [crime] numbers are rising, they’re not going down.”

Mark Goldstein expressed his support for reverting the ordinance back to a full ban on open containers during public comment.

He pointed to the statistic that around one-third of all gun violence across America occurs when the shooter is drunk, and a third of gun violence victims were also drunk.

“We need to do whatever we can to reduce gun violence,” Goldstein said. “And the ability to be able to walk around with a drink probably is not much of an excuse to me.”

However, many business owners voiced concerns about the potential passing of the ordinance. They said it would hurt the

Adriel Bolocon // Alligator Staff

Mayor Harvey Ward (right) and Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker (center) listen to Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut (left) speak on the presence of open container drinking in Gainesville, Fla., on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023. downtown economy. They did not want local police to penalize those with open alcoholic beverages in front of their businesses.

Danny Hughes, owner of Loosey’s, said downtown businesses already suffered financial losses during 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Outdoor areas are crucial to creating an enticing experience for his customers, he said.

But Duncan-Walker did not want to have to compromise the lives of Gainesville residents for business margins, she said.

“The economics of how downtown thrives are critical,” she said. “There’s a cost there, but the cost is also safety.”

The Gainesville Police Department was often cited by both members of the public and commissioners in favor of urging local police to control public crowds.

GPD Chief Lonnie Scott said there were limited resources regardless of a full staff to deal with downtown past 2 a.m. on the weekends, due to the sheer amount of people at bars and parties.

However, limiting the hours of public drinking to before 11:30 p.m. would help deal with smaller groups of people causing issues in the evening, Scott said.

Lily Swanson, a 21-year-old UF anthropology senior, is one of many students who voiced their opinions on the proposed ordinance.

“I don’t think it is the most necessary thing,” Swanson said.

“It can be really annoying, but if the benefit of it is reducing gun violence in the town and would actually pay off, then I think it’s worth it.”

She believes that the ordinance could negatively impact the local bars and businesses that make up Gainesville’s lively nightlife, she said.

“The point of our city government is to govern the city, and if you’re going to make something illegal, I feel like it should be taken into a lot of consideration of how that’s going to affect business, individuals, family units,” she said.

Suzette Mercedes, a 22-year-old UF film senior, said she thinks blaming Gainesville’s gun violence on alcohol is the wrong approach.

“You can carry a gun around without a permit,” Mercedes said. “That’s more of an issue than the actual alcohol. I feel like alcohol may enhance it, but it’s already an issue that somebody has a gun in the first place.”

Mercedes is more or less indifferent, she said, because she typically doesn’t carry alcoholic beverages outside of bars.

Commissioners Casey Willits, Reina Saco and Bryan Eastman voted against repealing the open container ordinance.

Eastman wanted a more cautious solution than a sweeping action like a repeal, he said.

He proposed the creation of entertainment districts — specifically designated areas in Gainesville to legally possess and consume open-canned beverages.

Eastman referenced places that have downtown alcoholic open container policies such as The Pier in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Gainesville’s own retail and entertainment center, Celebration Pointe.

Read the rest online at alligator.org. @kat3tran ktran@alligator.org

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La comunidad latina de Gainesville mantiene viva la pasión por el fútbol durante la Copa Mundial Femenina de la FIFA MULTITUDES QUE LUCÍAN UNA VARIEDAD DE CAMISETAS SE REUNIERON DENTRO DE REITZ UNION Por Bea Lunardini Escritora de El Caimán

Traducido por Nicole Beltrán Escritora de El Caimán

Para Maria Gonzalez, el fútbol es como respirar. El juego es una parte integral de su familia, por lo que se unió a la multitud en el auditorio de Reitz Union para ver el partido final de la Copa Mundial Femenina de la FIFA. El fútbol es lo más importante para su familia, tanto para los que emigraron a los Estados Unidos como para los que aún viven en México, dijo Gonzalez, estudiante de tercer año de estudios internacionales de la UF de 21 años.

“Tienes que renunciar a muchas cosas culturales importantes cuando te mudas de tu país de origen, pero el fútbol es una tradición que nunca puede morir”, dijo Gonzalez.

Para mantener viva esta tradición, Gonzalez se unió a otras 40 personas cuyos ojos estaban pegados a la pantalla a las 6 a.m. del 21 de agosto para ver a España vencer a Inglaterra.

"La Copa del Mundo sólo se celebra cada cuatro años", afirmó.

“Siento que tengo que aprovecharlo y mirar todo lo que pueda porque es

difícil encontrar oportunidades de ver fútbol a tan alto nivel en Estados Unidos”.

Los fanáticos vestían camisetas de equipos y países de todo el mundo, incluso aquellos que, para empezar, no estaban en la Copa del Mundo.

Harry Garner, un estudiante de primer año de informática de la UF de 19 años y fanático de toda la vida del FC Dallas, aprovechó la oportunidad para usar la camiseta roja brillante que el equipo luce en los partidos en casa.

"Un juego es un juego", dijo.

"Estoy aquí para ver a algunos de los mejores jugadores de fútbol del mundo, así que quería usar mi mejor camiseta".

Garner vio todos los partidos y la final de la selección nacional femenina de EE. UU., uniéndose a los millones de personas que han seguido a la selección nacional femenina de EE. UU. El partido inaugural del equipo contra Vietnam atrajo a 6,26 millones de espectadores, según FOX Sports, lo que la convirtió en la transmisión de fútbol más vista en Estados Unidos desde la final de la Copa Mundial masculina del año pasado.

Alexandre Ginez, quien trabaja en Brazilian Skills Soccer Academy en Gainesville, se hizo eco del sentimiento.

“Aquí vemos estudiantes con familias de toda América Latina, pero lo único que los une es esta increíble pasión por el fútbol”, dijo en portugués. “Ver, jugar, escuchar en la

radio, no importa. La característica que define a un latinoamericano, especialmente a un brasileño, es una sed insaciable de fútbol”.

Esta sed se vio en los 11,47 millones de espectadores que vieron el partido inaugural de Brasil contra Panamá en TV Globo, una de los canales principales de transmisión de Brasil.

El fútbol no es una pasión exclusiva de los latinoamericanos, ni todos los latinoamericanos aman el deporte, dijo González.

“Obviamente, no se puede generalizar a todo un grupo de personas”, dijo. “Algunos mexicanos odian el fútbol y algunos estadounidenses lo aman más que el fútbol, el ​​ hockey o el béisbol. Sin embargo, en general, el fútbol es una parte integral de la identidad latinoamericana y lo llevo siempre en mi corazón”.

Cuando se decidió el ganador y todos los espectadores en el auditorio de Reitz experimentaron una decepción o un triunfo, todos celebraron, incluso los fanáticos de Inglaterra, como Taylor Aks, un estudiante de primer año de administración de empresas de UF de 19 años.

“Obviamente quería que Inglaterra ganara”, dijo Aks, “pero fue un juego increíble y estoy agradecido de haberlo visto con todas estas personas apasionadas”. @bealunardini blunardini@alligator.org @nicolebeltg nbeltran@alligator.org

Gabriella Aulisio // Alligator Staff

Attendees watch the Women’s World Cup Final game in Reitz Union Auditorium on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023.

Students arrived at 6 a.m. to watch Spain versus England.

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‘A Good Glizzy’

The College Dog takes over late-night eats. Read more on pg. 14.

Gainesville’s Latin community keeps the passion for soccer alive during FIFA Women’s World Cup CROWDS THAT SPORTED AN ARRAY OF JERSEYS GATHERED INSIDE REITZ UNION

By Bea Lunardini Alligator Staff Writer

For Maria Gonzalez, soccer is like breathing. The game is an integral part of her family, so she joined the crowd in the Reitz Union auditorium to watch the final match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Soccer is the single most important thing to her family — both those who immigrated to the United States and those who still live in Mexico, said Gonzalez, a 21-year-old UF international studies junior.

“You have to give up so many important cultural things when you move away from your home country, but soccer is one tradition that can absolutely never die,” Gonzalez said.

To keep this tradition alive, Gonzalez joined about 40 others whose eyes were glued to the screen at 6 a.m. Aug. 21 to watch Spain beat England.

“The World Cup only happens every four years,” she said.

“I feel like I have to take advantage of it and watch as much as possible because opportunities to watch soccer at such a high level are hard to come by in the U.S.” Fans sported jerseys from teams and countries around the world–even those who weren’t in the World Cup to begin with.

Harry Garner, a 19-year-old UF computer science freshman and lifelong FC Dallas fan, took the opportunity to wear the bright red jersey that the team dons at home matches.

“A game is a game,” he said.

“I’m here to watch some of the best soccer players in the world, so I wanted to wear my best jersey.”

Garner watched every U.S. women’s national team game and the final, joining the mil-

lions who have followed the U.S. women’s national team. The team’s opening match against Vietnam drew 6.26 million viewers, according to FOX Sports, making it the most watched soccer telecast in the U.S. since the men’s World Cup final last year.

Alexandre Ginez, a 46-yearold soccer coach who works at Brazilian Skills Soccer Academy in Gainesville, echoed the sentiment.

“We see students with families from all over Latin America here, but the one thing that unites them is this incredible passion for soccer,” he said.

“Watching, playing, listening on the radio, it doesn’t matter. The defining feature of a Latin American, especially a Brazilian, is an unquenchable thirst for soccer.”

This thirst was seen in the 11.47 million viewers who caught Brazil’s opening match against Panama on TV Globo, one of Brazil’s main broadcasting networks.

Soccer isn’t exclusively a passion of Latin Americans, nor does every Latin American love the sport, Gonzalez said.

“Obviously you can’t generalize an entire group of people,” she said. “Some Mexicans hate soccer, and some Americans love it more than football or hockey or baseball. Overall, though, soccer is an integral part of the Latin American identity and I hold it in my heart always.”

When the winner had been decided and every viewer in the Reitz auditorium had experienced disappointment or triumph, everyone celebrated — even the England fans, like Taylor Aks, a 19-year-old UF business administration freshman.

“Obviously I wanted England to win,” Aks said. “But it was an amazing game, and I’m thankful to have watched with all these passionate people.” @bealunardini blunardini@alligator.org

Síganos para actualizaciones

Para obtener actualizaciones de El Caimán, síganos en línea en www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023 ALLIGATOR 13

Rosewood man found guilty of hate crime against Black historian MIAMI BLACK HISTORIAN SPEAKS OUT ABOUT THE HATE CRIME ON HIS ROSEWOOD PROPERTY

By Valentina Sandoval Alligator Staff Writer

Marvin Dunn, an 83-year-old Black psychology professor at Florida International University, has been called the N-word four times throughout his life.

While the first three incidents went without consequences, the fourth time led to a guilty conviction on federal hate crime charges.

David Emanuel, a 62-year-old Rosewood resident, was convicted on six counts of federal hate crime charges July 26 for a racially motivated attack in September 2022, according to court records. Emanuel, who was also Dunn’s neighbor, reportedly yelled the N-word and nearly hit the professor and five other Black individuals with his truck on Dunn’s property in Rosewood.

“As we marked 100 years since the horrific 1923 Rosewood Massacre, this verdict should send a strong message that violent, racially motivated conduct will not be tolerated in our society,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in a DOJ press release.

Emanuel will be sentenced Oct. 17.

Emanuel’s conviction by an allwhite jury helped restore Dunn’s faith in the U.S. justice system, he said.

“America is still alright,” Dunn said. “There’s still reason to believe that good people knowing the facts will decide things fairly.”

Dunn and a group of five Black men, including his son, were surveying his Rosewood property along with two white contractors on Sept. 6, 2022 when Emanuel approached the group about why their car was parked on a public roadway near Emanuel’s property.

When Dunn tried to explain the car was parked on a public street, he said Emanuel cut him off and started screaming racial epithets at them.

“I won’t repeat what he said, but the N-word was used several times,” Dunn said. “He also yelled at one of the white men ‘You’re just as bad as the N-words.’”

Emanuel left the property only to return in his truck, driving full speed toward the group, Dunn said. The vehicle almost struck Dunn’s son, who had to jump into the grass.

Among the victims was Dunn’s longtime friend, John Robinson, a 69-year-old Black man. He was shocked by the incident, he said.

“It really was a terrible setback,” Robinson said. “This guy missed Marvin’s son by inches, and it was a tragedy that showed us that you can experience things like that in this day and time.”

The Levy County Sheriff’s Office arrested Emanuel on state charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a third-degree felony, on Sept. 12, 2022, according to Levy County court records.

Dunn contacted the FBI after the incident, resulting in Emanuel’s indictment on federal hate crime charges filed Feb. 28.

The FBI Jacksonville Field Office, Department of Justice Spokeswoman Aryele Bradford, Levy County Sheriff’s Office’s Lieutenant Scott Tummond and Emanuel’s federal case defense attorney Darren Johnson declined to provide comment on Emanuel’s

Courtesy to The Alligator

Marvin Dunn interacts with an attendee of a “Teach The Truth” tour through Rosewood, Fla., on June 25, 2023.

federal conviction to The Alligator before publication.

Although Emanuel was convicted on federal charges, his aggravated assault charges with the state are still pending.

Dunn has channeled his frustrations into educating others about Rosewood’s history of racial violence since the assault.

Rosewood was a thriving Black community before the Rosewood massacre in January 1923. Today, Dunn is the only Black man to own property in the town.

The Rosewood massacre was sparked by a white woman from a neighboring town called Sumner who claimed a Black man from Rosewood had attacked her. A mob soon gathered and marched into Rosewood, burning the town to the ground.

Official studies report six Black people died, but historians have estimated many more were killed.

Even 100 years after the 1923 massacre, Dunn said his assault demonstrates how prevalent racist attacks are in the U.S. “It’s related to the fact that Rosewood was Rosewood,” Dunn said. “That is a particularly sensitive spot in American race relations. [It’s] a combination of that and just outright prejudice, just outright racism.”

Dunn founded the nonprofit Miami Center for Racial Justice in 2020 as part of his mission to preserve pieces of Black history, like the Rosewood massacre, he said.

The center offers two educational, all-expenses-paid tours of cities historically relevant to Black

history. For the Teach the Truth tour, high school students and their families visit Mims, Newberry and Rosewood. The Teach No Lies tour takes K-12 teachers to Ocoee and Rosewood.

Dunn took 30 Miami Dade County teachers to his Rosewood property on a “Teach No Lies” tour Aug. 13. During the tour, he saw a confederate flag on Emanuel’s lawn and decided to take a picture with it. He posted the photo on Twitter on Aug. 14 to bring awareness to Emanuel’s conviction, he said.

“I wanted the world to see that in Rosewood, Florida, justice still was possible despite the message that flag sends,” Dunn said.

Dunn hopes to turn his Rosewood property into a private park called Rosewood Park. The space would be available to rent for events. Dunn organized a commemoration event on the lot for the 100th anniversary of the Rosewood massacre in January.

Dunn has also acquired funding to build a “peace house” on the property, replicating a train depot that formerly occupied the lot.

“A place for people to come and find reconciliation, discuss difficult issues, particularly race,” Dunn said. “Where they can walk that hallowed ground and maybe start to make sense of what’s going on in our country and in our state.” @valesrc vsandoval@alligator.org

Rep. Kat Cammack files late financial disclosure The congresswoman went past the 90-day extension for a second time

By Sophia Bailly Alligator Staff Writer

U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL), who serves Florida’s third congressional district and represents Alachua County, failed to submit her annual financial disclosure on time for the second year in a row.

Cammack submitted her financial disclosure Aug. 17, 94 days after the May 15 deadline, according to the clerk of the House’s records.

Accountable.US, a nonpartisan nonprofit that works to hold government officials accountable, reported Cammack missed the Aug. 13 deadline to file her annual financial disclosure, despite receiving a 90-day extension from the original deadline.

Financial disclosures help the public detect potential conflicts of interest government employees might hold in their financial dealings.

The form details outside compensation, holdings and business transactions the representative made in their personal life. They are filed with the clerk of the House by May 15 every calendar year and made public within 30 days of filing.

The House Committee on Ethics may approve up to a 90-day extension for representatives on or before the deadline of each year.

The clerk of the House must make public any representative who filed for the 90-day extension, which sets a new deadline of Aug. 13 for representatives to submit their forms.

Derek Dufresne, Cammack’s general consultant, confirmed the congresswoman submitted her disclosure and provided an explanation for the delay in an Aug. 17 email.

“In order to ensure accuracy, the congresswoman was waiting on a clarifying answer regarding a question on the form, which unexpectedly delayed her submission,” Dufresne wrote. “It has been answered and the disclosure has been submitted.”

An Accountable.US report found almost 60% of incumbent representatives filed for extensions for their 2022 financial disclosures. Of the 257 representatives requesting these extensions, roughly 81% requested the full 90-day extension.

Cammack was one of seven House Republicans who had yet to submit their 2022 financial disclosures as of Aug. 13, according to the report. Four House Democrats filed after Aug. 13.

Cammack, who assumed office Jan. 3, 2021, also filed for a 90-day extension to submit her 2021 financial disclosure. The Committee on Ethics approved the 90-day extension, and Cammack was expected to file her form by

Aug. 13, 2022. Instead, she submitted her form Aug. 24, 101 days after the May 15 deadline.

Cammack’s 2022 statement did not have any positions, agreements, gifts, payments made to charity or travel payment and reimbursements listed.

There is a $200 dollar late filing fee for financial disclosures that are submitted after the extension deadline.

Tom Rust, the chief counsel and staff director for the Committee on Ethics, declined to comment on Cammack’s late filing when the Alligator reached out.

Debates centered on members of Congress trading stock have made the release of financial disclosures — and the business dealings they outline — important for noticing conflicts of interest.

The STOCK Act, which was signed into law April 4, 2012, prohibits members of Congress from using insider information acquired from their time in office for personal gain.

Congress can participate in stock market trading and buy bonds, but it has been historically difficult to prove when a member of Congress has used insider knowledge for financial gain.

The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 gives the attorney general jurisdiction to “pursue civil or criminal penalties” against a govern-

Rae Riiska // Alligator Staff

Kat Cammack celebrates a victory against Danielle Hawk for House of Representatives District 3 Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. ment official who is proven to have purposefully falsified their financial disclosure or fails to file the form.

The False Statements Accountability Act of 1996 can institute a fine of up to $250,000 and/ or imprisonment for up to five years for someone who fabricates their financial disclosure. @sophia_bailly sbailly@alligator.org

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023 www.alligator.org/section/the_avenue

FOOD

‘A good glizzy’: The College Dog becomes latest off-campus hotspot TWO UF STUDENTS ARE OUT TO CURE LATE-NIGHT CRAVINGS AT MIDTOWN

By Alexandra Burns Avenue Staff Writer

A hot dog suit is not the usual choice for Saturday night clubbing attire. However, for The College Dog, a pop-up hot dog stand in

Gainesville, it’s an ingenious way to attract students strolling the streets or stumbling from Midtown in search of a greasy treat.

After a grand opening in early January, the trendy and affordable hot dog stand — located on the corner of University Avenue and Northwest 17th Street — is returning to Midtown to welcome students back during UF’s syllabus week.

The stand, which will be open from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Aug. 21 to Aug. 26, has become

Courtesy to The Alligator

Cole Wilson poses with Olivia Roberts, Owen Shimberg and J. Rex Farrior in front of The College Dog on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023.

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well-known for its flashy hot dog suit, loud music and beer-boiled hot dogs.

Isaac Heuchan, The College Dog chief executive officer and a student at Florida State University, started the business in Tallahassee with three of his friends. With an interest in setting up a new location in Gainesville, they contacted their two friends at UF — Hunter Holloway and Cole Wilson.

“They reached out to us and were interested in trying to see how it would work in Gainesville,” said Holloway, chief operating officer of the stand and 21-year-old UF political science senior. “Cole and I decided we felt confident we could do it and do it well.”

During the business’ first night at Midtown, the hot dog stand sold out — causing Holloway to call his roommate in a panic, asking him to bring 100 more hotdogs to the stand.

The stand then sold over 2,500 hotdogs in just three weeks during its opening in January, said Wilson, the stand’s chief financial officer and 20-year-old UF business administration junior.

Wilson estimated the business has sold about 10,000 hotdogs.

What makes The College Dog different from other street stands, Holloway said, is the cooking method. The hot dogs are boiled in a mixture of water and beer.

Jeanpaul Davilla, a 21-year-old UF business administration senior, is a frequent customer at the stand and appreciates its dedication to providing students with late-night food.

“I love the fact that I can count on them to give me a good glizzy on my way home from a long night out,” Davila said.

Aside from its unique recipe, The College Dog in Gainesville stands out because of its welcoming environment and positive attitude.

Students and young adults can be seen chatting with employees at the stand, exchanging laughter with one another and listening to music while they wait in line to purchase a hot dog. Students can also ask to wear the hot dog suit, which is one of the key attractions of the stand, Holloway said.

“Essentially, we want to be an extension of the bar,” Holloway said. “Usually we’re blaring music, we’re dancing and we’re having a good time trying to welcome everyone we can.

That typically draws in a bigger crowd because the more welcome you feel, the more people are going to come.”

The owners predict that the start of the Fall semester will bring more business due to college move-ins and Greek life events. They also plan on setting up a cart on fraternity row and bringing The College Dog to tailgating parties, Wilson said.

Since opening the Gainesville location, Wilson and Holloway have transitioned from a two-person stand to hiring managers and growing their staff to about nine employees.

Expanding the team has helped them manage work, classes and a social life.

Although working at the stand involves long hours and exhausting nights, Wilson and Holloway are incredibly grateful for the opportunities and friendships The College Dog has provided.

“We really do have fun doing this,” Wilson said. “Sometimes I’ll have more fun than I do going out. I’m out there making money, and I’m getting to be around my friends who are going out.” @alexaburnsuf aburns@alligator.org

UAA Budget

University athletic budget increased by $19 million.

Read more on pg. 22.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023 ALLIGATOR 15

MUSIC

From bedroom to center stage: The indie band ‘Honorable Mentions’ breaks into the Gainesville music scene THE BAND IS SET TO PERFORM A SHOWCASE OF THEIR ORIGINAL SET LIST NEXT MONTH

By Molly Seghi Avenue Staff Writer

Guitar-lined walls surrounded Gavan Duffy’s cozy bedroom that birthed a band. Jack Glickstein, whose knowledge was limited to the ukulele, had a great deal to glean from his roommate’s wide skill set.

Both UF students grew up with an instrument in hand and a dream to make a future.

Their casual jam sessions transformed into something greater when they began recording their music in early February.

Originally named “Sixth Place” as an ode to the street they lived on, Glickstein, a 22-year-old UF English senior, wrote the song lyrics, while Duffy, a 23-year-old civil engineering alumnus, produced the tracks.

The name did not stick for long — they changed it to “Honorable Mentions” a few weeks later. The modification highlights the essence of the emerging band.

Courtesy to The Alligator

The Honorable Mentions perform on the High Dive stage in Gainesville, Fla., on Friday, July 7, 2023.

“We are not at the top spot, but we’re an honorable mention; we’re the up-and-comers,” Glickstein said.

After establishing their new brand, the two of them produced their first track, “429,” on March 21, which paid homage to an old friend’s apartment number. They released their second track, “the neck of my guitar,” over a week later.

Glickstein and Duffy channeled their strong desire to create and share music by forming a band to perform live. They recruited their other roommate, Trent Nass, a keyboardist and UF alumnus, and Manny Uribe, a drummer and 20-yearold UF advertising senior, who Duffy knew through his fraternity.

The band did not release any other music until 19-year-old bassist and later keyboardist Max Gold-

man came into the picture.

Goldman, who had known Glickstein since freshman year, saw Glickstein posting music and suggested jamming together. His desire to make a musical mark fit right in with the rest of the band.

The initial day the five played as a group, they created their song “camera roll,” which would be a testament to the band’s future success together. The track was released April 19.

“There’s a very bittersweet element to our music,” Glickstein said.

The upbeat melodies contrast with the sappier lyrics about love and heartbreak. They take pride in their authentic, original music.

“We’re just a couple of young 20-year-old, 21, 22-year-old dudes who are kind of figuring out not just their life, but their love life,” Uribe said.

The band quickly grew close.

They were constantly collaborating and bouncing ideas off each other, whether it be while relaxing in their apartment or sending voice recordings to each other when apart.

“It kind of took off immediately,” Glickstein said. “We all really liked each other. And we just had a blast making music together.”

Honorable Mentions hosted a house show in their apartment with an audience of friends on April 30 after the release of “camera roll.”

The dining room performance reflected both the budding band’s humble roots and hope for a bright future.

This show would mark a turning point for the band’s trajectory.

Their aspiration to play live came to fruition when one of the band’s friends who attended the house show reached out to the High Dive and landed them their first gig.

“Conquering the regional band scene was like a video game, that [playing at High Dive] was almost like the final boss for us,” Glickstein said.

“Our future is really, really bright,” Uribe said. “We’re gonna keep on playing throughout the rest of the year and see what happens.”

Honorable Mentions will be playing all original songs at their next live show alongside the band Sigs Inside at High Dive on Sept. 1.

Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/the-avenue @molly_seghi mseghi@alligator.org

16 ALLIGATOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023

MUSIC

Gainesville musician makes his mark with debut album: ‘Men as Trees Walking’

Ben White releases his debut album on Aug. 25.

By Jared Teitel Avenue Staff Writer

Chanting biblical Psalms and hymns in the choirs and quartets of his family church, one pastor’s kid began living his musical dream at an extremely ripe age.

But three decades later and with a whole new style of music, Ben White has become a rising star in the Gainesville community as he sets out to release an Americana-folk-inspired album three years in the making.

White, a 38-year-old UF clinical research analyst manager, was born to parents who inspired him with song. His father preached as a church pastor in Norman, Oklahoma, while his mother played piano beside him.

But little did White anticipate that his life would later turn in a whole new direction, as he sets to release his debut album Aug. 25, “Men as Trees Walking,” which serves as a critique of his Christian upbringing.

“My parents treated the church building as a daycare,” White said. “They knew they could take me there and drop me off in the auditorium where all the instruments were.”

In 2005, White’s concept of music completely changed when he moved to Orlando to live with

long-time friend, Greg Perkins, a 41-year-old creative director, who introduced him to styles of music previously unfamiliar.

“I had been insulated in the Christian communities I had been involved in,” White said.

“Latching on to the community [Greg] was associated with gave me an opportunity to see some things that were, at the time, pretty mind-boggling and intoxicating.”

White had officially decided to give up his dream of following in his father’s footsteps to become a pastor and, instead, embarked on his own musical journey of selfdiscovery by 2010.

After a 2017 performance at The Atlantic, a now-closed nightclub formerly located on North Main Street, White caught the eye of many music professionals in Gainesville.

Among them was 34-year-old Brandon Telg, the co-founder of 4Bits Records. The company was created in early 2023 in an effort to spotlight more local talent, and it later became the label responsible for producing White’s album.

“Word had gotten around really fast that Ben White is someone we need to be aware of,” Telg said.

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Musician Ben White poses with his guitar in his home in Gainesville, Fla., on Sunday, August 20, 2023. pandemic, White was left with nothing but his instruments and own thoughts to confront while in quarantine.

After growing up in the Southern Baptist denomination of Western Evangelicalism, White later learned some things about the community that failed to align with what he was taught

his whole life, specifically its promotion of racist and bigoted ideologies such as white supremacy, he said.

Traumatized by the church, he began channeling his feelings into a series of songs that would culminate in a monumental musical album, he said.

“When all of that stuff started

to dissipate,” he said, “a natural outpouring of that was trying to find a way to put some of that in song.”

The process of songwriting allowed White to profess his loss of faith, “without actually having to say it,” using metaphors and allegories in his lyrics.

“Men as Trees Walking” takes its name from Mark 8:24 of the Bible, White said, which tells the tale of a blind man who initially fails to see clearly after Jesus heals him.

“Something about that specific space felt very familiar,” White said, “because I was going through a period where all the things that I knew and understood were, all of a sudden, no longer clear.”

The debut album combines folk and Americana instrumentals with music stylings from the likes of The Beatles and Paul Simon, said Perkins, the co-collaborator of the album.

“We went into this intentionally saying, ‘genre be damned,’’’ Perkins said. “If you start with [a genre] in mind, you limit the scope of where you think you can go.”

The album consists of 10 singles and is expected to be released on all music streaming platforms Aug. 25. Two of the singles are currently available: the title track, “Men as Trees Walking,” released on July 11 and “Adelia,” released on Aug. 8. @JaredTeitel jteitel@alligator.org

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Column

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We are looking for 3-4 talented writers to work as columnists. Columnists will work similarly to recurring contributing writers, producing 2-3 columns a month

based on a general topic of their choice — such as Florida politics or student culture.

We are also interested in receiving personal essays about your experience at UF and in Gainesville. Working as a columnist is an excellent opportunity for any writer looking to get involved with one of the nation’s largest student-run newspapers.

For individuals who don’t want to commit to a columnist role, we offer the opportunity to pitch single stories and join an email list offering potential opinion topics. The columnist application can be

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F00TBALL

Florida football position previews: quarterback NEW FACES AND SECOND CHANCES HIGHLIGHT THE GATORS’ SIGNAL CALLERS

By Topher Adams Sports Writer

The Florida Gators will begin a new era under center for the 2023 season.

The new starter will have to fill the shoes of former starting quarterback Anthony Richardson, who is off to begin his professional football career after being selected fourth overall in the 2023 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts.

Richardson’s departure — and the dismissal of last year’s backup Jalen Kitna — leaves UF head coach Billy Napier with a mixed bag of fresh faces.

The Gators’ quarterback room is led by redshirt junior Graham Mertz. Mertz transferred to Gainesville from Wisconsin after three seasons leading the Badgers. He came to Wisconsin with considerable hype; Mertz was the highestrated quarterback recruit in school history and started his college career in incredible fashion.

Mertz completed 20 of 21 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns in his first start for Wisconsin but never built on that sterling performance and struggled the last two seasons.

The Overland Park, Kansas, product said he cherishes this new opportunity with Florida.

“I’m so grateful for this university,” Mertz said at an Aug. 15 press conference. “Everybody here, they love Florida, and I can gladly say I love Florida too.”

Napier recruited Mertz out of the transfer portal this off-

season, and he said he’s been impressed with Mertz’ adjustment to a new system and preparation with a new team. “[He’s] probably worked as hard as any player on our team, probably as hard as a lot of players I’ve been around,” Napier said at an Aug. 11 press conference.

While Mertz and his 34 games of college experience give Florida a solid starter, the backup quarterback spot remains in flux. Jack Miller battled Mertz for the starting role in the Spring, but the redshirt sophomore struggled with injuries throughout his Florida career.

Miller recently missed practice time with shoulder tendonitis, and the depth quarterbacks have battled for the No. 2 spot in his absence.

Graduate student Micah Leon joined UF in the offseason as a preferred walk-on after limited action in stints at Connecticut and North Carolina State. Despite starting near the bottom of the depth chart, Leon has earned the coach’s trust during practice.

“Micah has proved to be very effective,” Napier said.

“He's smart, he’s a student of the game, guy throws a really good ball.”

Redshirt freshman Max Brown is also competing for backup reps this fall. The former 3-star recruit played for the Gators baseball team in the Spring, and he continues to develop on the gridiron as well.

While the backup role is yet to be finalized, Leon, Brown and a healthy Miller are all in the mix to step in should Mertz get sidelined.

Mertz and the Gators will open the season with a crosscountry road trip to the No. 14 Utah Utes. The game is sched-

Ryan Friedenberg// Alligator Staff

Graham Mertz attempts a pass in the Orange and Blue Spring Game Thursday, Aug. 15, 2023. uled for 8 p.m. Aug. 31 and will be broadcast on ESPN.

@Topher_Adams tadams@alligator.org

UAA

The UF athletics department budget increased $19 million in the 2023 fiscal year STUDENTS VOICE OPINIONS AS UAA BUDGETS CONTINUE TO RISE AT FLORIDA

By Luke Adragna Sports Writer

UF has witnessed a trend of athletic budgets increasing at a comparatively faster rate than the budgets allocated toward its colleges.

The University Athletic Association, the department in charge of collegiate sports at UF, requested a $19 million budget increase for the 202223 school year.

Some UF students voiced concerns over the difference in athletic spending in comparison to education at the university.

Gabriel Vazquez, a 20-year-old UF English junior who transferred from Emerson University during his sophomore year, wishes the university would dedicate more resources toward the arts, he said.

“When I was at Emerson there was like 100 literary magazines there,” he said. “Here, there aren’t many well-known ones.”

Christian Wilder, a 20-year-old

UF entomology and nematology junior, understands the importance of sports spending at the university and feels neutral about the amount it spends, he said.

“I get it,” Wilder said. “There is more funding toward sports because it brings more money into the university.”

However, he does wish the school would prioritize the arts, he said.

The UAA is a nonprofit organization and legally separate from UF, but it operates in accordance with the university. This means the budget expenses — which totaled $174 million during the 2022-23 school year — is also separate from the university.

Jamie Beach, a 20-year-old UF entomology and nematology junior, believes the spending process is acceptable, she said.

“If they’re taking money out of every student, like they’re taking a certain amount out of your tuition and then they skew things, that would be unfair,” Beach said. “But if they’re doing the funding on their own, that doesn’t make it unfair.”

Funds used toward education at UF aren’t taken away when UAA budgets increase. The association’s

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board of directors and athletic director Scott Stricklin have made contributions to the university and dedicated 10% of the UAA’s operating budget to UF support.

Beach hasn’t experienced any issues with funding as a student in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, she said.

“We’re one of the most wellfunded schools and my major is also really well-funded,” Beach said. “So anytime I apply for scholarships, I basically always get it.”

The UAA experienced steady growth in its operating expenses and revenues prior to the 2021 fiscal year, which was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

UAA operating expenses were expected to increase by $17.4 million in the fiscal year due to a nearly $8 million increase in salaries and fringe benefits as well as significant increases in scholarships and administrative services.

The increase in operating expenses reflects “an increased investment in our student athletes, coaches and support staffs,” the UAA 2022-23 Budget Summary stated.

The most costly expenses incurred from the usage of charter

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flights to nearly all Southeastern Conference away contests, a new dining facility and a $2.7 million increase in athletic staff salaries.

Notable expenses also came from improvements to Donald R. Dizney stadium, where the Gators lacrosse and soccer teams play, and the $85 million Heavener Football Training Center, which opened in August 2022.

However, many of these expenses were only made possible due to the $63 million of additional revenue the UAA has built over the last 10 years.

Despite the UAA being a nonprofit organization, it has still achieved an extra $28 million from SEC Network and conference distributions, $10 million from ticket sales, $9 million from media rights and $5 million from booster contributions.

Gator Boosters, a fundraising arm of the association, has been a substantial revenue source for the UAA and contributed $38.4 million toward the annual budget.

Gary Condron, a Gator alum and the CEO of The Conlan Company, has donated more than $22.5 million toward projects at the univer-

sity. Long-time Gators fan Hugh Hathcock, who is the CEO of Velocity Motors, made the single largest donation toward Gator Boosters in 2022 and gave the organization $12.6 million.

Florida requested a $164 million budget for the 2022-23 school year and made $190 million, according to a report by USAToday.

The revenue produced by the UAA and Gators athletics during the 2022-23 school year is the most among public universities in the state. Florida State University trailed UF and made $161 million during the timeframe.

Florida athletics revenue was the eighth highest in the nation and trailed four other SEC schools. Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana State and Texas A&M led the conference and Ohio State University led college athletics and produced $251 million in total revenue.

There isn’t a set date for when the 2023-24 budget summary will be released by the UAA. The association released its last two annual budget summaries in September.

Follow us for updates

For updates on UF athletics, follow us on Twitter at @alligatorSports or online at www.alligator.org/section/sports.

@lukeadrag ladragna@alligator.org

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023 ALLIGATOR 23

THIS WEEK IN SPORTS

Jackson Reyes // Alligator Staff

Freshman safety Bryce Thornton completes a drill before Florida football’s Fall scrimmage Friday, Aug. 18, 2023.

Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff

Freshman forward Megan Hinnenkamp passes the ball in the Florida Gators’ 1-0 win against the Maryland Terrapins Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023.

Jackson Reyes // Alligator Staff

Offensive linemen redshirt sophomore Austin Barber and junior Richie Leonard IV compete in drills before Florida football’s Fall scrimmage Friday, Aug. 18, 2023.

Adriel Bolocon // Alligator Staff

Redshirt senior defender Daviana Vaka passes the ball to sophomore defender Lauren McCloskey in the Gators’ 2-0 win against the East Carolina Pirates Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023.

Freshman forward Lena Bailey celebrates after scoring a goal against the Maryland Terrapins in a 1-0 win Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023.

Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff

24 ALLIGATOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023