Monday, August 5, 2024

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MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2024

VOLUME 118 - ISSUE 43 Not officially associated with the University of Florida

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Meet your candidates for the Alachua County primary election A BREAKDOWN OF WHO’S ON THE BALLOT AUG. 20

By Morgan Vanderlaan Alligator Staff Writer

The upcoming primary election season brings eight open seats and six competitive races in Alachua County.

Constituents will have the opportunity to vote on county commission, sheriff, school board and city commission seats.

For every competitive race, the primary election will determine which candidate will represent the party during the November general election.

For non-partisan races, the primary election will serve as their general election, and if a candidate does not receive over 50% of the vote there will be a runoff during the Nov. 5 general election.

Florida is a closed primary state, meaning only voters who are registered with each candidate’s affiliated party may vote in the races.

Alachua County Commission Seat District 1

Incumbent County Commission Chair Mary Alford will run for the Democratic nomination representing District 1 in competition with Gainesville resident Dejeon Cain.

Born and raised in Alachua County, Alford said she spent her past three years on the commission upholding the campaign promises from her first election, which include strides in affordable housing projects, over 700 miles of road maintenance projects and a local Climate Vulnerability Analysis.

“I have the experience as an engineer, a former small business owner, a lesbian, a mom, an Alachua County native, a sustainability consultant and an environmentalist,” she wrote in an email.

In the event of her reelection in November, Alford said she will pivot her focus to jail reform to address the “inhumane” ways in which the current system is designed and the deprioritization of inmate reentry programs.

A lack of affordable housing also burdens the county, which she said will be mitigated by county-backed projects from the housing trust fund she will see to fruition.

Before serving as a county commissioner, Alford served on the Alachua County Environmental Protection Advisory Board, the Code Enforcement Board and Gainesville's Utility Advisory Board.

In competition for the democratic nomination, “life-long son of Alachua County” Dejeon Cain serves as chair of the Gainesville Human Rights Board

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT

Sophie Stevens finish with comma, Story description First pg# LPGA event brings memories.

Read more on pg. 12.

FOOTBALL

and was previously helmsman of the Affordable Housing Committee. He has also worked with Fortitude Security, a private security and patrol firm, according to his campaign website.

A description on the website read in part, “His unfaltering devotion to uphold the spirit of our neighborhoods, guaranteeing the safety of our budding flowers – our children, and advocating for a future underscored by progressive energy policies sets Dejeon as the beacon we should turn to.”

A representative of Cain’s campaign did not respond in time for publication.

Lizabeth Doebler will run unopposed for the District 1 Alachua County Commission Republican nomination, automatically advancing to the general election.

Gainesville City Commission At Large Seat A

With Commissioner Reina Saco deciding against a run for reelection, her non-partisan city commission seat is open to a competition between Gainesville residents James Ingle and Fareed “Reed” Johnson.

Ingle previously served as President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and a member of the Alachua County Plan Board, and he expressed the importance of affordable house projects.

Homelessness and housing insecurity stem from individual financial struggles, which he said could be mitigated through responsible city spending.

In favor of the GRU referendum, he said the utility should be run by people within the community rather than a governor-appointed board.

“This is going to be a pretty consequential year for elections,” he said.

“The decisions that get made locally probably have more of an effect on your life directly… you can have a lot more impact here.”

Gainesville native Johnson will challenge Ingle for the nomination. He previously served in the U.S. Air Force reserves before working in juvenile justice and serving on former Mayor Ed Braddy’s Community Response Council.

Johnson has also been a member of the Police Advisory Council since 2017.

A statement on his campaign website read in part, “As a candidate for city commission, Fareed Johnson is dedicated to using his skills and experience to help make his community a better place for everyone. He is committed to ensuring that all members of the community feel safe and secure, but also have access to housing that is

SEE VOTING, PAGE 5

Gabriella Aulisio // Alligator Staff

Florida football head coach Billy Napier looks on as freshman DJ Lagway and redshirt senior Graham Mertz practice drills at Florida Football Fall Camp on Thursday, August 1, 2024.

Read more in Sports on pg. 12.

State elimination of DEI initiatives shuts down UF’s Center for Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement STUDENTS VOICE CONCERNS OVER LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND UNCERTAIN FUTURE OF CULTURAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS

By Grace McClung Alligator Staff Writer

The state’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion within higher education has claimed UF’s Center for Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement (CIME), suspending the center’s programs and resources and shuttering its cultural student engagement offices.

The center’s future has remained murky since March when UF eliminated all state-funded DEI programs to comply with Senate Bill 266. According to a state-mandated audit of UF’s DEI programs, state funding accounted for 85% of CIME’s operating budget in 2022-2023.

According to a sign posted on the door to the center’s main suite, CIME is closed until Aug. 5 for refurbishment. Its website has been

Post Tenure Review

Faculty reviews began, pg. 6

The Avenue: International Folk Festival Gainesville residents dance, pg. 7

taken down for construction and its social media accounts are inactive.

UF spokesperson Steve Orlando said CIME is undergoing changes to comply with the law and more information about the center’s transition will be available in the coming weeks.

The center houses four cultural student engagement offices including the Office of Hispanic Latinx Student Engagement, the Office of Black Student Engagement, the Office of Asian Pacific Islander Desi Student Engagement and the Office of LGBTQ+ Student Engagement.

The university did not clarify whether the offices would remain in the center after its rebrand.

According to an Aug. 2 Instagram post made by the Hispanic Student Association, students and campus organizations have been “left in the dark” about the changes for weeks.

The post said students nor the HSA have received communication regarding what resources and programs will be made available once the CIME rebrand is complete.

Hispanic Student Association President Matthew Urra said the future of the offices is unclear. Com-

plaints of poor communication and a lack of transparency by university administrators are driving concern among students that CIME and all its offerings will not return.

“The current concern is whether or not the individual spaces within the office will still exist,” said the 21-year-old UF political science senior. “The follow up to that is whether or not any of the programs and resources previously available through those offices will be maintained through the rebrand or transformation or if that’s something that’s also going to be axed.”

Urra said CIME’s name is being changed to the Office of Community and Belonging with some administrative titles appearing to already be switched over. No official statement regarding the name change has been made.

Urra said the suspension of CIME’s programs, which include a variety of initiatives aimed at supporting marginalized communities at UF, contributes to an environment where students are feeling increasingly devalued.

SEE UF CIME, PAGE 5

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UF graduate student Weather crowned Miss Florida Today’s FINK WILL COMPETE IN MISS AMERICA IN JANUARY

By Avery Parker Alligator Staff Writer

Casana Fink sauntered across the stage, waving back to raucous applause as red, white and blue lights beamed down on her. She had just been crowned with the title she had dreamed of since she was 13: Miss Florida.

Fink, a 26-year-old UF business administration graduate student, won the 2024 Miss Florida pageant in June with a talent of lyrical dance and a community service initiative called Give to Live — Donate Life.

Fink is set to compete for the Miss America crown in January alongside other states’ misses.

For Fink, her 13-year journey to the Miss Florida crown was defined by self-improvement, higher education and advocacy for organ donation.

“The amount of things I’ve been able to do over the past years is just incredible,” Fink said. “I think my crown and sash gave me a really wonderful platform. People listen a little more because they’re curious.

‘Who is this girl? Why is she wearing a crown and sash?’”

Contestants in Miss America pageants answer questions about their efforts at community service during both the private and onstage interviews, which account for 40% of a contestant’s score. Fink’s interest in pursuing organ donation for her community service came from witnessing close family struggles with the organ

transplant process.

At 14, Fink’s father was found unresponsive and in need of a liver transplant, which took a yearlong series of hospital visits to get. Witnessing her father’s drawn-out transplant process prompted Fink to start a nonprofit, Give to Live - Donate Life, which advocates for organ and tissue donation while working to unite hospitals and donation organizations across Florida.

Through the organization, she has advocated for organ donation initiatives at the DMV, hospitals, the Florida Legislature and Tampa General Hospital to renovate ICU nurses’ break room.

Jim Fink, 60, Casana Fink’s father, said her advocacy work is “one of the things that makes [him] proudest of all.”

“I had to wait a year for my liver.

People die everyday waiting for organs,” Fink said.

Had he been unable to receive a new liver, Jim Fink said he would have missed his daughter’s graduations, her pageant wins and the time he’s been able to spend with her dayto-day. Additionally, he would have been unable to see her growth as a person.

“It has just been a journey of her getting better and more polished every year,” he said. “Her self-confidence is through the roof.”

VOLUME 118 - ISSUE 43

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elections in Venezuela, having left the country in 2002 in fear for his safety.

“It's all fraud,” Casanova said. “There have [been] no elections in Venezuela since 2000.”

Casanova said he was not surprised Maduro claimed he won. He was surprised, he said, by the amount of “ads” his friends in Venezuela were getting, declaring González as the winner.

Despite the disappointment and frustration those like Casanova felt following the election, Machado and González’s campaign continues to inspire and instill hope in Venezuelan people, including Jose Peaguva, a 21-year-old UF biomedical engineering senior.

When Peaguva was 15, his family moved from Venezuela to the United States after state police tried to break into his mother’s car while she was driving home during a protest. Though his family was already thinking about moving out of the country for the sake of his and his sister’s opportunities, he said the attempted break-in was the last straw.

Like many Venezuelans, he wanted a change in the government, but because Maduro's administration is notoriously corrupt and fraudulent, Peaguva said he didn’t expect it to enforce fair elections.

“On the last weeks before the election, people were really getting excited,” Peaguva said. “We were motivated. We wanted to make history and we wanted to take out this dictatorship that has been like this for more than 25 years in our country.”

The night Maduro was declared the winner of the election, Peaguva “was devastated.” He said he was further frustrated by conflicting media coverage of results, with different outlets separately calling the election for González and Maduro.

Like Peaguva, Emiliana Tadconi wants to support the people struggling in Venezuela.

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UF Venezuelan students react to the 2024 Venezuela presidential election

Protestors filled the streets of Caracas, Venezuela, lifting posters calling for “libertad” in anticipation of the results of the country’s 2024 presidential election.

More than 1,300 miles away, Ismary Ochoa anxiously watched the news in Miami.

Thirty minutes before the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced the results the night of July 28, tears flooded from Ochoa’s eyes as she waited with her family, who moved from Venezuela to Miami in 2015 after political violence in the country reached a “breaking point.” The fear of Nicolás Maduro’s regime continuing to force other families to make the impossible choice to leave their culture behind consumed her.

The opposition party which ran against Maduro included the Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia. Though Maduro’s administration banned Machado from running as a presidential candidate, she continued to stay in the race as a spokesperson for González.

“Ever since Chavez died and Maduro was placed into leadership… the people knew that this wasn’t their democracy anymore,” Ochoa said. “There was a different tone to the conversation this time around, especially with the new leaders of the opposing Venezuelan party.”

Ochoa and other Venezuelans’ hope for a change in power was washed away when the CNE announced Maduro as the victor, ushering in his third term.

Further controversy erupted following the CNE’s call when Machado announced the opposing party had been tallying votes for the election that showed González won more than 6 million votes and Maduro won 2.7 million votes. In response to the evidence, countries like the United States, Peru and Argentina have recognized Gonzalez as president-elect of Venezuela.

Carlos Casanova, a UF visiting faculty fellow specializing in philosophy, is no stranger to the controversial

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MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2024 www.alligator.org/section/opinions

Goodbye Column

Chance and comic misunderstanding: My journey at the Alligator

I

joined the Alligator believing I wanted to be better than it.

Finishing event coverage Sunday at 10 p.m., waking up early to write and transcribing my interviews all morning, I felt a blow to my ego when I saw the same story printed on that morning’s paper.

Being scooped on two stories I wrote for a Fall 2022 reporting course, I was spurred to join the paper that seemed to be steps ahead of me. Factoring my inexperience, it was my intention to start as a designer and work my way to being a reporter, eventually following the same track that led many of my peers to editor-in-chief.

If I had to take one thing from my time at the Alligator, it is to make do with what’s given.

For more times that I can count, most of my opportunities at the paper seemed to be through chance and comic misunderstanding.

When I was first hired as a designer, I was informed the position I applied for was nothing like I anticipated and involved an entirely different skill set from what I had. I did it anyway and took that opportunity to move

on to multiple editor positions and a New York Times program.

Deciding that I was going to leave the paper after I wasn’t able to get an editor position, I let a friend convince me to stay long enough to become a managing editor, the second highest student position.

From Instagram hate comments to seeing my work on my friend’s walls, I discovered a deep appreciation for work that impacted people.

The work I have done through this paper has humbled me, pushed me to my limits and given me something to be proud of. Even when I disappointed myself with a shoddy graphic or half-baked story, I was inspired by the guts and ambition of my peers to move forward.

I’ve seen cutthroat staff meetings change to chatty congregations, strangers turn to people who have seen me at my highest and lowest points and nightmarishly long print nights shorten to evenings where I get to spend more time with my friends.

That being said, I wouldn’t have made it here without the guidance and patience of my fellow managing editors, Aidan Bush and Valentina Sandoval; my

multimedia editors, Minca Davis and Lauren Whiddon; and too many staff members and friends to count.

I am leaving the Alligator knowing that it made me better.

Diego Perdomo was the Summer 2024 Digital Managing Editor at The Independent Florida Alligator.

Diego Perdomo dperdomo@alligator.org

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Goodbye Column

Passing down the pen and paper

I

used to say my goal in life was to leave a legacy. If death came knocking at my door, I wanted to be able to say people would remember me fondly for the things I did.

Today, I will drive away from the worn-down office off SW 13th Street for the last time with my goal fulfilled.

The Alligator was one of the main reasons I came to UF. I toured the campus in 2018, picked up a copy of the paper from one of the iconic orange stands, and something about it called my name. I just knew I needed to be part of it.

In my first two semesters, I chickened out of applying because I was convinced I needed more experience, and in my third semester, I was rejected. So when I first walked into the Gainesville Sun building for a staff meeting in Spring 2023, I was shaking.

Stepping into the tiny room with over 80 staff members who I didn’t know and who I was convinced were infinitely more experienced and talented than me was daunting. But after four semesters of spending my Sundays in editing and food runs, I can say with certainty this staff has become my family, and this office has become my home.

Student journalism is a beast of its own, it grabs you by the throat and throws you to the lions whether you’re ready or not. I’ve dealt with everything from neverending meetings to unresponsive sources and people who will

nitpick every sentence in my stories. All of that while doing more than 14 credit hours a semester and working over 20 hours a week.

It wasn’t easy, but by God, it was so rewarding.

I’ve fallen in and out of love with journalism many times over the past three years, but the one common place I keep coming back to is this newspaper because it’s everything I love about my career.

It’s driving around Gainesville on a Thursday afternoon to get sources for a story due Friday. It’s editing briefs while trying to work out at the gym. It’s multiple texts of breaking news that have set my heart racing and made me get out of bed in a matter of seconds. And it’s also the friends and the connections I made that brought light to every bleak Sunday evening. It’s the million inside jokes that we collect in a Google Document that would make sense to no one outside the office. It’s the multiple food runs and accidental potlucks on editing nights. And it’s the memories that I will hold in my heart for years to come.

Most importantly, it’s the legacy that I had the honor to contribute to. The walls of the Alligator offices may be old and dusty, but they are filled with stories and experiences from so many alumni who have given their all to make it a better place. Without even realizing it was happening, I have become one of those pieces in the mosaic of people.

I leave with a heart full of love and a bag full of tales to tell in every future newsroom I walk into, and there’s nothing left to do but be thankful for that.

So the greatest thank you’s to all my editors, from Aurora Martínez to Claire Grunewald and Valentina Sandoval vsandoval@alligator.org Amanda Friedman, for putting up with my late stories and rants about my life; to all my reporters and friends, Nicole Beltran, Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp and Kylie Williams, for dealing with my passive aggressive texts and genuinely caring about my input and advice; and the two best people I could have ever asked to lead this insane journey of a summer with, Aidan Bush and Diego Perdomo, for being the good cops to my bad cop and forming the crucial other two pillars of the “Big Three.”

Thank you for every byline, every masthead and every piece of me that will linger in these walls forever.

I know I’m not the first and will certainly not be the last to cry when saying goodbye to this place, but I’m extremely grateful to be a part of its history and to leave a part of me in its legacy.

With all that being said, I’m looking forward to finally being able to do grocery shopping on Sundays.

Love you lots and see you later, Alligator!

Valentina Sandoval was the Summer 2024 Engagement Managing Editor at The Independent Florida Alligator.

Goodbye Column

My love letter to the Alligator

I

t’s hard to distill just how life-changing the Alligator has been these past two years.

I joined the staff at a weird point in my college life — all my friends were from high school, I stayed in my dorm all day and was generally in a slump.

The Alligator, from the outside, looks a little bit like that. The paper no longer prints every day, and its office is so scary it’s a staff cliche to describe it as “dusty and old.”

If you actually get inside, however, the building transforms into a beacon of life.

You’re surrounded by a staff of 70-something hilarious, impressive peers. There’s this palpable camaraderie, this joy that infects everyone in that newsroom no matter how stressful the story they’re breaking is.

I’ve been lucky enough to intern at a few spots, but I can safely say that nowhere trains professional journalists quite like the Alligator.

As a student publication, the Alligator is the best out there. It’s one of very few in the United States with a dedicated Spanish-speaking section, it regularly places for awards and beats major outlets like the Chronicle of Higher Education or POLITICO to higher education stories.

It’s rigorous, no matter what your skill level is. Staff members are immediately thrust into a real newsroom setting; my first day on staff was spent in a stranger’s car speeding to help with election coverage.

You’re sometimes assigned multiple stories a week, are expected to cover breaking news on a moment’s notice and will be passed through half a dozen editors and copy staff before anything you write gets published. It’s this relentless pursuit of quality that transforms its staff from college students to proper journalists.

I truly believe there is no better institution at UF to learn reporting than right here.

However, the Alligator also offers something much more important than a bafflingly low paycheck, a line on a resume or an opportunity to impress internship coordinators with quality clips. The Alligator has provided me with some of the most valuable,

rewarding relationships of my life.

From one of my first weeks on staff, the ridiculously talented Siena Duncan made a point of bringing me alongside the university desk as an “honorary member” — that silly interaction marked the beginning of one of the closest bonds of my life.

She has been such a role model and inspirational figure professionally and personally, and I cannot thank her enough for that. You have fundamentally impacted me for the better.

Aidan Bush abush@alligator.org Talented editors like Lucy Lannigan stuck through my embarrassing, hard-to-follow copy, training me as a writer and reporter.

As I grew into leadership roles, I got the pleasure of navigating some of my most difficult semesters with Jiselle Lee and Claire Grunewald, who for a full summer were the only reason I came back to the paper at all.

Most recently, as editor-in-chief, I’ve had the honor to lead the paper alongside Valentina Sandoval and Diego Perdomo. They were my rock throughout this semester, I know they’ll be successful wherever life takes them and I cannot thank them enough for their incredible work and friendship these past few months.

Picturing my life without the Alligator is scary. It’s been an integral part of my college identity for about two years, and entering my last year without it makes me uneasy.

The paper is like a summer camp. You come to the Alligator, get to grow and have fun from it and then it’s time for you to leave. All you can hope to do is leave it in a little better shape than when you left it.

If you’re considering a future in journalism at all, apply to the Alligator. Applications opened Aug. 3, and there’s a myriad of ways to get involved beyond traditional reporting: writing opinion columns, designing graphics, running our social media or taking photos are just some of the many ways you can get involved here.

The Alligator shaped me for the better. If you take a chance on it, it’ll do the same for you.

Aidan Bush was the Summer 2024 Editor-in-Chief of the Alligator.

MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2024 ALLIGATOR 5

UF Center for Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement shut down UF CIME, from pg. 1

Urra participated in ADELANTE, an early arrival program for incoming Hispanic-Latinx freshmen. He said the program “provided an opportunity for students to engage in meaningful and important discussions.”

Without it, he said, “students are not going to feel as represented or as connected to the university.”

In March, UF under former President Ben Sasse fired 13 full-time DEI positions and 15 administrative appointments for faculty to comply with SB 266. UF also reallocated $5 million in funds previously allotted to UF DEI initiatives toward a faculty recruitment fund managed by the provost.

While Urra said he hopes a new university president will be more receptive to student concerns, he’s not optimistic.

“I don't think that the university is that open to change or really listening to student needs,” he said.

“Students feel like… the university doesn’t care about them.”

Gator Chapter NAACP President Thomas Cusido, a 21-year-old UF political science senior, said he’s concerned about the legislation “snowballing to greater changes.”

“Right now we’re seeing major

changes already,” he said. “How big of an effect is this legislation going to have?”

Cusido said the suspension of another early arrival program, Pledging to Advance Academic Capacity Together, and the closure of the Office of Black Student Engagement, also called the Black Enrichment Center, is a reality check for many students.

“When the news broke… a lot of students felt a great sense of despair or sadness because they’ve grown attached to the Black Enrichment Center,” he said. “I think Black students start to realize that the community here is being attacked and just not safe or as safe as it could be. [UF is] proving to be very hostile when it comes to DEI and Black students in general.”

Sandra Ukah, a 19-year-old UF political science sophomore who was a PAACT member her freshman year, said UF is taking compliance with SB 266 too far.

“UF is being overly aggressive to certain spaces,” she said. “I’m just surprised by all of it… because I don’t think other schools are implementing it as harshly as UF has decided to.”

Ukah said the PAACT program helped introduce her to a community and provide a foundation for her college experience. She said she was

Local election candidates VOTING, from pg. 1

affordable and good-paying jobs.”

A representative of Johnson’s campaign did not respond in time for publication.

Gainesville City Commission District 1

Incumbent Desmon Duncan-Walker will face Gainesville resident Michael Perkins for the District 1 nonpartisan seat.

Duncan-Walker wrote she is a “proud product of the Alachua County Public School System.” She is the Gainesville Alliance for Equitable Development founder, A. Quinn Jones Museum & Cultural Center cultural coordinator, Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area’s Fifth Avenue/Pleasant Street Advisory Board vice chair, an Alachua County Branch of the NAACP member, talk show host, writer, and co-producer of “The Voice Radio Show” and a Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church praise leader, according to the City of Gainesville website.

On the city commission, Duncan-Walker has supported approvals for arts funding and voted in favor of the GRU referendum appearing on the November general election ballot.

A representative of Duncan-Walker’s campaign did not respond in time for publication.

Perkins is “a servant to the citizens of the City of Gainesville” and will “expand my servitude by way of the City Commissioner District 1 seat,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

A representative of Perkin’s campaign did not respond in time for publication.

Alachua County Sheriff

UF Police Department Captain Latrell Simmons will face Colonel of Alachua County Sheriff's department Chad Scott and Alachua County Sheriff’s deputy Peter King for the Democratic nomination.

Latrell was chosen as the UFPD Captain in 2022, and he has dedicated himself to supporting youth, he wrote in a Facebook post.

“In 2006, Captain Latrell received a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Bellevue University. He has also graduated from the FBI National Academy, Session 267, and the Saint Leo University Command Officer Management School,” according to a 2022 UF news release.

In another Facebook post supporting his candidacy he wrote, “I strongly believe that together, we will move forward and bridge the gap between officers and our community.”

A representative of Simmons’ campaign did not respond in time for publication.

Born and raised in Newberry, Scott was formerly employed by the North Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center and worked with mental health patients who were not guilty by reason of in-

“very upset” about the program’s suspension and found it unfortunate considering UF’s lack of minority representation in its population.

“It kind of makes you question, are we valued at this university?” she said. “It just feels like we are being used at the expense of the culture war that’s going on in the state.

I don’t think it’s a good look at all.”

Black enrollment at UF has steadily declined from its peak of 10.1% of total students in 2009 to 5.4% in Fall 2023, according to UF enrollment and demographic data.

Without programs like PAACT and other DEI initiatives, other minority groups may see similar trends.

“I don’t think that [students] are going to exactly feel welcome here especially given the greater context of what’s happening in the state,” Ukrah said.

Gator Chapter NAACP Former-President Timothy Sinclair, a 22-year-old philosophy and criminology fifth-year, described the situation as “a state of limbo” and said the changes to CIME threaten UF’s commitment to inclusion as one of its core values.

Sinclair also said he’s worried about the university’s ability to accommodate all students given state legislation. “‘[I’m] concerned that those who

Ben Nielsen // Alligator Staff

An error message appears on a monitor at the Center for Inclusion & Multicultural Engagement on Sunday, March 3, 2024 following the elimination of all DEI positions on Friday, March 1, 2024. are the legislators for our state are becoming more and more disconnected about what it means to create a community,” he said.

The Gator Chapter of the NAACP and the HSA have plans to fight back against the recent changes. The NAACP is working with organizations across the state to overturn divisive legislation, specifically SB 266.

The HSA will be hosting an ADELANTE replacement program in September as well as a state of the

sanity and incompetence to stand trial. He began as an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputy, school resource officer and detective in 1990 before he was promoted to sergeant. In 2008, Scott transferred to the Alachua Police Department as a reserve unit and later became Chief of Police.

“As soon as I got promoted to Chief of Police, we encountered gun violence right away, to the point that we had to put a family in protective custody,” he said. “We were able to gain total control of that situation.”

Scott said he has never called in sick during his 34 years in law enforcement.

“I'm very dedicated to my community and have been,” he said.

“As the sheriff, I want to address gun violence, I want to address the abuse of opioids, I want to address mental health issues and I also want to expand victim services for domestic violence victims.”

Long-time Alachua County resident King is a U.S. Army veteran and has been employed by the Alachua County Sheriff's Department for 23 years.

“My vision for Alachua County is a safer community for our residents, those who are employed in this county, and our visitors,” he wrote on his campaign website. “School safety for our students and employees is one of my top priorities. Additionally, I would like for every person who drives through this county to feel safe, and no matter where they stop if needed, they will be met with kindness and a hand from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.”

A representative of King’s campaign did not respond in time for publication.

Non-party Affiliated Pamela Marshall-Koons and Republican Emery Gainey are unopposed in their respective party categories and will automatically advance to the general election.

Alachua County School Board Seat District 2

Incumbent School Board Chair Diyonne McGraw will run headto-head with Alachua County School Board employee Thomas Vu for the District 2 non-partisan seat.

McGraw moved from Tennessee to Gainesville 30 years ago and received a degree in Business Administration from Florida A&M university, according to her campaign website.

“Reading must be a priority for Head-start, VPK, and first through third grade,” she wrote. “Our academic environment must position itself to provide engaging curriculums that address reading and behavioral issues.”

She emphasized the importance of maintaining an “‘A’ district for all [Alachua County] students.”

A representative of McGraw’s campaign did not respond in time for publication.

Originally from Orlando, Vu is an Alachua County District School Board employee and former math teacher. He is also an UF alumnus, graduating with honors in finance in 2010.

As the son of Vietnamese immigrants, he “found solace in education amidst a challenging childhood in a broken home,” according to his campaign website.

“As a gay man who has fought for acceptance, I understand the

union event to address the changes affecting DEI, HSA, other organizations and campus life. Dates for both events are tentative.

“It’ll definitely be an obstacle,” Sinclair said. “[But] students will adapt to whatever the state throws at us, and we’ll find a way to support our diversity and cherish our heritage in our own way.” @gracenmclung gmcclung@alligator.org

need for policies ensuring safety and support for all students and teachers,” he wrote. “This campaign isn’t about empty promises; it’s about judicious use of tax dollars, data-driven decisions, and direct communication.”

He wrote that his philosophy is “forever a student, always a teacher.”

A representative of Vu’s campaign did not respond in time for publication.

Alachua County School Board Seat District 4

Long-time incumbent Leanetta McNealy will run for reelection for the nonpartisan District 4 school board seat against Gainesville resident Lew A. “Lincoln” Welge.

McNealy currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Alachua County School Board.

Prior to her 12-year stint on the school board, she was an Alachua County school teacher, curriculum specialist and Duval Fine Arts Academy school principal for 14 years.

A representative of McNealy’s campaign did not respond in time for publication.

Challenger Welge began his professional career as an Idylwild Elementary counselor in 1984, later serving as a Alachua County Public Schools guidance counselor for 18 years.

A counselor’s voice would be beneficial to the board, especially in regard to his conflict resolution background, he said.

“An important issue is that of #EmotionalIntelligence,” he wrote in a text message. “The ‘EQ’ of our students, parents and teachers helps to reduce the unhealthy stress felt by a too large percentage… learning should at least not be boring. It should frequently be fun!”

Welge also visits public school campuses across the country as an Abraham Lincoln impersonator.

This is his second attempt running for a school board position.

Unchallenged candidates

Alachua County Commission District 3 Democratic candidate Anna Prizzia and Republican candidate Jenn Garrett will automatically advance to the November general election to face each other.

Additionally, Alachua County Supervisor of Elections incumbent Democratic candidate Kim Barton will run for reelection against Republican candidate Judith Jensen following the conclusion of the primaries.

Other races on the primary ballot will be the U.S. Republican and Democrat Florida Senator seat, U.S. Republican House of Representatives District 3 seat, the State Representative District 22 seat, the Democratic Precinct 22 Committeeman seat and the Democratic Precinct 33 Committeewoman seat.

Early voting will take place Aug. 5 through Aug. 17, and primary election will be Aug. 20. @morgvande mvanderlaan@alligator.org

6 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2024

UF law professor challenges state constitutionality of tenure changes ABOUT 21% OF REVIEWED UF FACULTY FACED NEGATIVE EVALUATIONS, WERE FIRED OR RESIGNED

By Timothy Wang Alligator Staff Writer

A UF law professor joined two other state university professors July 30 in filing a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a controversial 2023 state law that mandates stricter and more frequent tenure reevaluations.

The lawsuit argues the Florida Legislature usurped the constitutional authority of the State University System’s Board of Governors by coming up “with its own rules,” according to Gary Edinger, an attorney representing the three faculty in the suit.

The rules established in the law, Senate Bill 266, require state universities like UF to subject tenured faculty to comprehensive evaluations of their productivity, research and teaching duties every five years. The law also gives university presidents the final signoff on evaluations and prevents decisions from being arbitrated.

Former UF President Ben Sasse and Provost Scott Angle have vocally supported post-tenure review. At a Faculty Senate meeting last August, Sasse said the policy would help crack down on productivity issues stemming from “quietly-retired” faculty.

Steven Willis, the UF law professor in the suit, said post-tenure review is the “death of tenure.”

“Tenure doesn’t exist in Florida right now,” he said. “It’s a five year contract.”

In the state’s first round of posttenure review completed in July, UF led the state in negative evaluations.

According to preliminary data provided by Angle during a June Faculty Senate meeting, 21% of the 258 tenured UF faculty who were evaluated were unsatisfactory, didn’t meet expectations, resigned or are working with deans to become full-time teachers if they didn’t meet research requirements.

UF’s Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications didn’t respond to requests for the finalized posttenure review data and a public re-

Madison McClelland // Alligator Staff

cords request for the report was not fulfilled in time for publication. Data provided by the UF Board of Trustees indicates about 22% of the 136 faculty in the bargaining unit didn’t meet expectations or were unsatisfactory.

At Florida State University, all 134 tenured faculty who were evaluated either met or exceeded expectations, according to a report provided by the school.

UF faculty have previously expressed concerns the review process may allow the president and provost to make decisions on tenure based on political or personal favoritism.

The university’s post-tenure review policy stipulates that “political opinion, expressive viewpoint and ideological beliefs” are not factored into tenured faculties’ evaluations, but fears remain.

“So many faculty think it’s going to be used against faculty on the left, and maybe someday it will and that is wrong,” said Willis, a Republican.

“I think for now, it’s going to be used against faculty on the right.”

Qing Lu, a tenured UF biostatistics professor, said he was selected for post-tenure review and was evaluated as exceeding expectations.

He’s concerned the review process endangers the job security that comes with tenure and will make the university less competitive.

“Tenure usually means it’s a permanent job,” Lu said. “It gives you the freedom to pursue the research idea you want. But if we go to posttenure review, there you have to meet all these criteria. You need to keep publishing papers, grants. If you don’t have tenure protection, and if you have this post tenure review, it’s very hard for people to do that important research.”

Lu said he saw firsthand how the weakening of tenure hurts a university. He said when he was a professor at Michigan State University, he witnessed professors from a neighboring school, Wayne State University, leave over the years after Wayne State was accused of trying to weaken tenure protections.

Ange Mlinko, a UF English pro-

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fessor, said she was evaluated as meeting expectations for this year’s post-tenure review. She said undergoing the evaluation “steals time from our teaching and research.”

Before post-tenure review, UF evaluated tenured faculty through a Sustained Performance Evaluation Program (SPEP). Professors were evaluated every seven years by a committee composed of tenured faculty, their department chair, their dean and the provost.

SPEP did not require evaluated faculty to be involved in the evaluation whereas post-tenure review mandates faculty to submit an updated resume to their department chair and write an optional paper detailing their achievements.

“Upper level administration are not in a position to really judge our work,” Mlinko said. “They don’t know what criteria to use. You can’t use ‘metrics’ to quantify the work of writing, the work of scholarly and literary influence.”

Bruce Welt, a UF agricultural and biological engineering profes-

sor, said while he wasn’t selected for this year’s round of post-tenure review, he considers the policy to be a mistake. Before SB 266, tenure allowed faculty to “pursue avenues of inquiry that might not be popular” and “[kept] the political realm out of higher education,” Welt said.

Under post-tenure review, Welt said the president or the university can retaliate against faculty who disagree on different views, threatening “free inquiry and academic freedom.”

“It is a threat to tenure,” he said, “Not that faculty are afraid of being measured. We’re measured in every way: course evaluations, peer evaluation [and] annual evaluations in our work. This post-tenure review is rooted in a misconception of the definition of tenure.”

Welt said it is a misconception that tenure is permanent. He said in his own department, three tenured faculty had been fired for poor productivity before post-tenure review was established.

Proponents of post-tenure review say the process will reward productive tenured faculty.

“I think we owe it to students to ensure they have the very best faculty teaching their classes — just as we owe it to Florida taxpayers to ensure their dollars support productive, energetic and accomplished faculty,” wrote Provost Scott Angle in a document sent to The Alligator. “Posttenure review is just one way to help achieve that outcome.”

Angle wrote post-tenure review will provide a tool to “reward faculty excellence” and that any issues this year for post-tenure review was related to its “transition,” not its concept or goals. He previously said during a June 21 Faculty Senate meeting that the post-tenure review process was “rushed” under state mandate.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said unproductive tenured faculty were the “number one financial drag” on state universities during a July 24 press conference at St. Petersburg College.

“We created a law that said, ‘all tenured professors must undergo review every five years and can be let go for poor performance,’” DeSantis said at the press conference. “You have seen that happen in some instances. I think you will continue to see it churn.” @timothyw_g twang@alligator.org

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CULTURE

Cultures in motion: The rhythm of international folk dance in Gainesville GAINESVILLE RESIDENTS PROVIDE INSIGHT ON DANCE, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

By Carlos Alemany Avenue Staff Writer

On Aug. 7, as part of the Rosa B. Williams Center’s weekly recurring events, visitors gathered and immersed themselves in the vibrant rhythm and infectious energy of international folk dancing, where diverse cultures and traditions blend into a joyful tapestry of movement and community.

From 7 to 10 p.m., attendees can expect to experience a diverse array of dances hailing from countries such as Romania, Russia, Japan, Quebec, Israel, Mexico, Ghana and Albania.

International folk dance is a celebration of traditional dances from around the world, encompassing a wide variety of lively styles and movement. These dances often tell stories, preserve cultural heritage and bring communities together through shared movement and music.

Joyce Story, a longtime Gainesville resident, is a prominent figure in the local folk dance community.

Story’s passion for dance began early

Carlos Alemany // Alligator Staff

People participate in an international folk dance class on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. in life, and her love for international folk dance has only grown over the years.

Story has been an integral part of Gainesville’s folk dance scene, now serving as one of the leaders of the Gainesville International Folk Dance Group.

“At least 30 years I had been dancing with this group, when I was in town,” she said. “I come every week.”

For Story, international folk dance offers a unique cultural experience.

“The music is different, it’s captivating…and the dances are very neat,” she said. “You don’t have to have a partner, so that was a big plus

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for me…You are not tied to one culture.”

Story’s involvement in the folk dance community is driven by more than just a love for dance — it’s about preserving cultural heritage and fostering understanding.

“You’re forced to consider how things are done elsewhere,” she said.

“It forces you to see the diversity in the world, which I, personally, think is a good thing.”

Story highlights the rich variety of dances her group performs from different regions, particularly the Balkans.

“We tend to do predominantly Balkan dances because…they are

the most interesting and beautiful,” she said.

However, the group’s repertoire extends well beyond the Balkans, including dances from France, Canada, Bolivia and Taiwan.

June Littler, a Gainesville resident since 1956, has lived a rich and varied life, balancing her career, civil rights activism and a passion for folk dancing she discovered later in life.

Littler served as president in 1971 of the Gainesville Women for Equal Rights.

At 92, Littler continues to remain active and engaged, crediting her longevity to a healthy lifestyle and the joy and community she finds in international folk dance and movement.

“I was never a smoker and didn’t drink much…I eat pretty well,” Littler said. “My son…[who’s] 72, does the cooking, and I’m really lucky that way.”

After retirement in 2001, Littler quickly fell in love with folk dancing, expanding her repertoire to include line dancing and clogging.

“Folk dancing is kind of special,” she said. “I’ve been to some of the state conventions and danced for three days straight.”

Heather Payne, a passionate advocate for international folk dance,

has been a resident of Gainesville for six years.

Folk dancing offers numerous benefits to individuals and communities according to Payne.

“Growing up, I was exposed to many cultures…[Folk dance brings] exposure to other cultures,” Payne said. “It’s an opportunity to experience a culturally diverse background.”

Payne, a breast cancer survivor, credits her determination to return to dancing as a significant motivator during her recovery.

Despite the varying levels of experience among participants, Payne believes anyone can enjoy folk dancing.

“Anybody can do it... when you do, it’s a lot of fun. It’s community,” she said.

Admittedly, however, the group faces challenges in attracting younger members.

“We need a youngster to help us make that transition [to social media],” Payner said. “What else are they doing on Wednesday night?”

The Gainesville International Folk Dance Group meets every Wednesday for free at 7 p.m. at the Rosa B. Williams Center. @close_alemany calemany@alligator.org

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8 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2024

Equal Ground and partners address legislative voter suppression THE EVENT AIMED TO EMPOWER BLACK VOTERS

By Sara-James Ranta Alligator Staff Writer

Visitors gathered in the Santa Fe College Blount Center Aug. 1 to hear several Black-led organizations inform citizens about voting.

Equal Ground Education Fund, a Black-led voting rights organization aiming to increase civic engagement through voter education and preparedness, sponsored the event. Speakers shared information from multiple organizations, including the Alachua County NAACP, Social Justice Committee of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Gainesville Residents United and Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson, D-Gainesville.

Equal Ground Interim Executive Director Genesis Robinson began with a presentation discussing the current power dynamics within the Florida Legislature and an overview of the bills passed during the 2024 legislative session.

“There were numerous bills … that passed Florida’s legislature that will impact the lives of everyone who lives here,” he said. “The reality is, people are just busy living life and they can’t follow the legislative process closely. That’s where we try to fill that void.”

The Equal Ground Gainesville event was part of a statewide tour that started in late April, and Robinson said his team has already traveled across the state.

Signed into law in 2021, Robinson said Senate Bill 90 was among

Ashley C. Hicks // Alligator Staff

Florida Representative Yvonne Hinson speaks at an Equal Ground Florida legislative education event on Thursday, August 1, 2024. the most significant legislative changes perpetuating voter suppression.

The bill revised Florida’s election laws, stipulating that all citizens must request a vote-by-mail ballot each election cycle, and those who choose to vote by mail must provide their driver’s license or the last four digits of their social security number.

Prior to the bill, vote-by-mail ballot applications covered two general election cycles. By the end of 2022, nearly all of the existing requests were nullified by the new law, with

approximately three million Floridians having voted by mail in the 2022 general election.

Robinson said the new law restricted citizens from voting, including those who may not have a driver’s license.

“There are so many people who are potentially at home thinking they’ll get a ballot, and they may not,” he said. “[Florida] didn’t provide any funding to educate voters about that change. Uniformity across the state didn’t exist with respect to how we’re alerting people

about this change.”

Robinson said the law also makes it difficult for community-led organizations to help constituents register to vote by mail.

“Fraud is real,” he said. “Nobody wants to hand out that type of sensitive information. The state knows that.”

Gwendolyn Saffo, Alachua County League of Women Voters Board of Directors vice president, presented other voting information sources from her organization, such as VOTE411.

VOTE411 is a nationwide, online voting guide that allows citizens to input their address and see the candidates up for vote in their area.

The League of Women Voters sends each candidate a list of questions to answer so locals can become informed of their stances.

“We’re a nonpartisan organization,” Saffo said. “We just want to make sure we have informed voting.”

Florida Rep. Yvonne HayesHinson, D-Gainesville, said she has personally witnessed voter suppression tactics through the crackdown of voter registration drives.

In an effort by the Florida Legislature to curb fraud and decreased trust in elections, SB 7050 revises registration requirements, procedures, deadlines, prohibitions and fines for third-party voter registration organizations.

The fine for breaking the law is $250,000, and in the months after the bill took effect in 2023, registrations through drives fell 95% compared to four years prior, according to a report by the League of Women Voters in Florida.

For voters in Alachua County and across Florida, Hinson emphasized the importance of voting in the upcoming elections.

“It doesn’t matter how much money they have, how much prosperity they have, how much help they have,” she said. “It all depends on their vote. Voters need to understand the power that lies in their vote to enhance their own prosperity.” @sarajamesranta sranta@alligator.org

North Central Florida nonprofits receive state grants to address homelessness THE NONPROFITS SPAN ALACHUA, BRADFORD, GILCHRIST, LEVY AND PUTNAM COUNTIES

By Sara-James Ranta Alligator Staff Writer

The Florida Department of Children and Families awarded eight local nonprofits state grants allocated toward homelessness services.

On July 30, TaskForce Fore Ending Homelessness allocated over $700,000 in state grant awards to Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry, Family Promise of Gainesville, Peaceful Paths, St. Francis House, Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Corporation, Another Way, Lee Conlee House and Catholic Charities Bureau.

The Taskforce Fore Ending Homelessness is the lead agency for the Keys To Home Continuum of Care program, a planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for North Central Florida homeless families and individuals. It serves Alachua, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy and Putnam counties. The grants are supported by the Florida Department of Children and Families 2024-25 funding cycle.

St. Francis House, a nonprofit organization serving women and children, received over $90,000 in grants for its rapid rehousing program. Its main facility serves 35 people each night, and its secondary location, known as Arbor House, houses 20 people each night.

St. Francis House Treasurer Al Cockrell said the rapid rehousing program assists members of the community in obtaining stable housing.

“It’s money for first and last on rent, it’s money for a security deposit, it’s money to turn on utilities and up to three months rent,” he said. “This is huge because it’s a good influx of money to allow us to do that. We’ve been woefully short of funds.”

St. Francis House’s shelter services support guests with meals and case managers to help them reach goals, Cockrell said.

“We have case managers that work with them to better their interview skills, get them nicer clothes and a better haircut,” he said.

“They work hard with them to get them back into the employee community and ultimately rent an apartment somewhere.”

St. Francis House’s programs will also be supported by the sale of its Sunrise Residence Inn. The permanent low-income housing program was bought by the Alachua County Housing Authority and is expected to be taken over by September.

“That money will allow us to improve our programming and help more people,” he said. “[Alachua County Housing Authority] will run it in the same manner.”

Each local nonprofit organization works together to find what best suits the needs of an individual, Cockrell said.

“If a woman arrived at St. Francis House, and we realized she would really be better served at Peaceful Paths, we would facilitate getting her there and getting her into that program,” he said. “It works the other way around

too.”

Family Promise of Gainesville received $150,800 to support working families in sustaining and maintaining their own housing.

Family Promise Executive Director Shari Jones said the organization served 118 families, totalling over 450 individuals in 2023. This year, she said Family Promise hopes to support 250 families.

The biggest struggle Jones sees is a lack of affordable housing, she said.

“We’re talking about police officers, nurses and teachers,” she said. “All of the main service providers that provide services for our community can’t afford to live in our community.”

Jones said many families supported through Family Promise of Gainesville could be considered “hidden homeless.”

“When you think of homelessness and housing instability, you always think of a single person,” she said. “They’re actually in the community standing right next to you, and you don’t even know it.”

Neighborhood Housing and Development Corporation (NHDC) received $64,398 to support affordable housing development, housing counseling and homebuyer education, said NHDC CEO Andre Parchment.

Homebuyer education classes provided by NHDC help others “navigate the difficult portions of down payment systems, including financial education.” The organization has also branched into homebuyer social services, providing “help with rent and utilities.”

Reapplying for grants every fiscal year and

searching for new grants is essential to sustaining current programs, Parchment said.

Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward said homelessness is a spectrum, where situational differences and economic factors may lead to housing instability.

“There are lots of other folks who are homeless, again along the spectrum, from a small family where mom or dad lost their job or they can’t pay the rent this month,” he said.

While the most severe cases of homelessness may be at the forefront of attention and funding, Ward said he believes the best way to support the varying situations of others is through continued outreach services and increased mental health funding.

“We don’t take mental health funding seriously in Florida,” he said. “As long as that is the case, we will have a chronic homelessness issue.”

Since Florida has a “lack of commitment to funding,” Ward said the responsibility to provide a “healthy community” falls onto local governments. The Gainesville Housing and Urban Development and Neighborhood Planning division spent $4.3 million in 2024 to address homelessness and affordable housing.

“They’re the most vulnerable people in our community,” he said. “Frankly, the help we need is funding. If nobody else is dealing with it, the city has to, whether we have the money for it or not, but it sure is easier if the state government is helping fund it.” @sarajamesranta sranta@alligator.org

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answer on page 10 Release Date: Monday, August 5, 2024 Release Date: Tuesday, July 30, 2024

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The name for the Albuquerque road properties in Monopoly?

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MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2024 www.alligator.org/section/sports

Column

Why selling my soul to The Alligator was worth every act of kindness

J

ournalism is cutthroat.

That’s a truth I’ve heard repeatedly, and as any sports journalist will tell you, it’s an undeniable reality.

The Alligator is unfortunately no exception to this truth. And while it took me some time to come to terms with this reality, I ultimately found my place in this world at the perfect time.

From the moment I found this newspaper, I imagined breaking news on Gainesville politics or covering arts and culture. Sports never crossed my mind.

Naturally, when I applied, I focused on the University, Metropolitan and Avenue desks, not even sparing a second glance to Sports.

Unsurprisingly, I was rejected twice.

Little did I know, those rejections were redirections. Two weeks into the Spring semester, after I was all out of hope for a career in one of the biggest student newsrooms, the Sports desk was still hiring. Skeptical but curious, I applied with midrange writing samples and limited sports knowledge, expecting nothing.

Twenty-four hours later, I received a call offering me the swim and dive beat. I was overjoyed.

If you had told me then sports would become my life and passion, I wouldn’t have believed you for a second. Yet, here I am five semesters later as one of the first women of color to be an Alligator sports editor.

It hasn't been an easy journey, but the encouragement and support from the people around me made all the difference. Their acts of kindness were a constant reminder of why I loved this work.

In my first three semesters I bounced from sport to sport, developing my skills as a reporter and writer. I couldn’t have done it without the editors who taught me all I know – Kyle Bumpers, Jackson Reyes and Topher Adams.

I thank them endlessly for their acts of kindness – Kyle’s patience when I was still learning the ropes, Jackson’s empathy when I showed up to my first football press conference 40 minutes late because I couldn’t find the building, Topher’s relentless re-editing of the same mistakes repeatedly. Their

mentorship and friendship were invaluable.

In my last two semesters at The Alligator, I took on the challenging roles of assistant sports editor and sports editor. It’s no easy job, but I was blessed with understanding managing editors, hardworking cos and two talented sports desks.

To my managing editors, Claire Grunewald, Jackson Castellano, Aidan Bush, Valentina Sandoval and Diego Perdomo, thank you for being so compassionate and motivating.

You made my job so easy by always trusting my judgment and having confidence in my abilities, which helped me grow as an editor and leader.

When I was assistant sports editor, I worked alongside the talented Bennett Solomon and one of my all-time best friends Alyssa BrittonHarr. Working with Bennett not only taught me how to be a sports editor, but a far better writer and leader.

Alyssa, your acts of kindness, from walking me to my first sports meeting to helping me find the press box at my first volleyball

game, and reviewing my stories before they went to editors, brought me so much joy. Even in this competitive environment, you were always there to help me succeed. If not for your support on day one, I wouldn't have met one of my best friends today.

My final semester, I had the opportunity to be sports editor next to my assistant sports editor, Max Tucker. Max, my partner-in-crime, together we conquered the hardest sports desk feat – summer sports with unresponsive SIDs. It was a grueling task, but we did indeed cook 13 successful prints. Thank you for being such a great assistant sports editor, and I am so excited to see you take this desk to great heights.

Watching my sports writers grow and develop their skills has been one of my most rewarding experiences. Thank you all for your talent and dedication to learning.

To all the friends and co-editors I met (who are not aforementioned): Jiselle Lee, Brandon Hernandez, Hailey Hurst, Jack Meyer, Luke Adragna, Lacey Rogers, Ryan Friedenberg, Max Bernstein, and

many more who I am no doubt missing, I am so glad I met you all.

But the Krisha Sanghavi truth is I @krishasang cannot apksanghavi@alligator.org preciate anyone I met or any memories I made at 2700 SW 13th St., without appreciating the support of those who pushed me to enter the building in the first place: the Honda Posse, my home. Thank you for encouraging me to apply, driving me to the Sunday meetings, and reading my sports stories without a clue of what the words meant.

There are far too many people to thank for the person I am today.

I am forever grateful to this paper for shaping me, and I cannot wait to see the future of this sports desk continue to shine.

Krisha Sanghavi was the Summer 2024 sports editor at The Independent Florida Alligator.

Column

Leaving the heart of journalism after two years

A

s I take the next step in my journalism career, I will never forget the people and the place that took a chance on me as a young journalist.

The Alligator was a huge part of my first two years at college. I spent every semester, including the summers, covering sports I am passionate about and improving my journalistic skills. I still remember the day my first article about the UF golf team was published, and it was a moment that I will cherish forever because it further ignited my love for storytelling. As a freshman who knew little about journalism, The Alligator welcomed me with open arms and inspired me to become a better writer.

During my second semester at The Alligator, I was a reporter under my editor, Kyle Bumpers, and assistant sports editors, Jackson Reyes and Topher Adams. Kyle always encouraged me to push myself out of my comfort zone. He told me on the phone right before my first softball game, "Don't be afraid to ask questions; you belong there." Although he didn't know it then, his advice and encouragement motivated me to

write more feature stories.

Jackson and Topher became my editors in Fall of 2023, and they continued to help me flourish as a writer and truly find my voice within my stories. With their help, I gained more confidence as a journalist and what I would see for myself in a career.

While my editors uplifted and supported me, my peers also implemented much of my growth. In the spring semester of freshman year, I met one of my best friends, Krisha Sanghavi. At the time, we were the only girls on the sports desk and eager to apply our talents in the sports industry. From our first conversation, I knew she was someone I could count on not only as a friend but also as a supporter who wanted to see me accomplish my goals. As our relationship grew and we became closer through our love for sports, we were assigned the same beat covering UF volleyball once the Fall semester rolled around. In that time, we bounced ideas off each other and helped each other grow tremendously as journalists. Working together was so effortless that she pushed me to apply for the assistant sports editor po-

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sition with her that spring semester of 2024.

Taking on a leadership role seemed daunting initially, but we helped each other navigate our way. We ended up taking on the gymnastics beat together and would sit in the press box talking about how lucky we were to have found each other as women in the sports industry, cheering each other on rather than feeding off jealousy. Krisha is always the first person I run a story idea by and ask for advice about my career. She is the most caring, honest and respectable person.

Bennett Solomon who was the sports editor when I was the assistant sports editor guided me in taking pride within my position, but also believed in my abilities to execute my job as an editor and reporter in producing quality content.

Claire Grunewald, Jackson Castellano and Aidan Bush were my big three as assistant sports editor. They trusted me with a leadership position that taught me more about my own writing than the changes I was editing for my reporters. The big three trusted my judgment for what made a good sports story, and I will always be grateful

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for my time spent with such a talented group of reporters.

Finally, I thank everyone at The Alligator who has become some of Alyssa Britton-Harr my closest friends: @abrittonharr Brandon Hernanabritton-harr@alligator.org dez, Max Tucker, Ryan Friedenberg, Hailey Hurst, Max Bernstein, Jiselle Lee, Jack Meyer, Luke Adragna, Lacey Rogers and Jared Teitel.

I have always been passionate about storytelling and writing stories, but I never knew anyone who shared my love for words, like the people who make up The Alligator. Thank you for all the fun, exciting moments covering sports and for allowing me to push myself to be a credible journalist.

Alyssa Britton-Harr was a Summer 2024 Enterprise Sports reporter.

Follow us for updates

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

12 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2024

FOOTBALL

Gators enter 2024 season emphasizing work ethic and culture COMING OFF THREESTRAIGHT LOSING SEASONS, FLORIDA IS HONING IN ON CORE VALUES

By Krisha Sanghavi & Max Tucker Sports Writers

The Florida Gators wasted no time in their offseason to tighten up the team’s core values: work ethic and culture. While efforts stay prioritized on improving the Gators’ physical attributions, head coach Billy Napier is excited about the intrinsic factors.

“You have a motivated group coming back,” Napier said. “They came back with purpose. I think we've added some really good pieces, not only talent, but I think leadership and character.”

UF’s roster is a blend of veteran and rookie talent in 2024. With older players such as redshirt senior quarterback Graham Mertz and senior running back Montrell Johnson Jr. returning, the coaching staff is looking toward them to guide younger players.

The emphasis on leadership and character is highly valued to foster the team’s culture. Goals are focused on establishing a promis-

ing foundation to create overall growth as a team for success on the field.

“We’re forcing the player to make a decision every day,” Napier said. “‘Am I going to do what’s right? Am I gonna do what’s asked of me?’ We’ve got some credible leadership at the player level, and that’s [getting] some things done.”

The coaching staff hopes to zoom out of the sport and instill these values within them as individual players. Napier wants to highlight the intangibles because every player comes with talent, he said.

“It’s our effort to teach a sense of responsibility,” Napier said. “To have some self discipline, to take care of your stuff, to appreciate what you have, to build in some gratitude. We’re trying to combat entitlement.”

Florida enters 2024 on a threeyear losing skid, a trend the Gators have avoided since 1945-1947. Napier holds a 6-10 record in SEC play and 1-5 against Florida’s biggest rivals — Georgia, FSU and Tennessee.

In his first season at the helm, he led UF to a 6-7 record with six regular season game losses. His season offered the Gators a loss to Vanderbilt for just the second time in the century. Last season, Napier delivered a 5-7 record to hold the

Gators from postseason plans with a notable fall to four-win Arkansas.

With a series of flagging seasons behind him, Napier is determined more than ever to improve his practice and produce a winning campaign. His efforts begin with improvement within independent players in the offseason rather than a holistic approach.

“I’m a firm believer that a player that lacks character, at some point, he’s gonna let you down,” Napier said. “My history in coaching will tell you that. The more we can kind of create that through the offseason, I think there’s a chance it will carry over.”

The team’s offseason progress will be put to the test as a daunting SEC slate looms near for the Gators. Florida is slated to play eight teams ranked inside the top 20, according to CBS Sports’ latest preseason rankings, with six of them being SEC opponents.

Co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Russ Callaway will be stepping into a bigger role for Florida’s offense this season.

His mentality toward the challenging schedule ahead is to affirm a quality work ethic within the program.

“I looked at a couple of our coaches, and I said this is the difference in the team this year.” Callaway said. “They want it. They

got that Gator in them, and that's kind of what we've been preaching. To have that mentality and what we're looking for, the work ethic on and off the field, I really think this group has it.”

Florida’s coaching staff has continuously talked about the “extra work” the team has voluntarily done on its own time during offseason weekends.

Callaway is pushing this narrative by renewing Florida’s emphasis on dedication and drive. He’s encouraged by the players’ commitment and accountability, and the team’s promise to go above and beyond.

“They're going to do everything that you ask them, but this group has proven to do extra on a consistent basis, and to me that's been great to see,” Callaway said.

Senior cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. will have a major influence on this year’s team both on and off the field. There was a time last season where he lost his confidence, he said.

However, after being at the forefront of the program’s improved culture, it allowed Marshall Jr. to recognize his opportunity to come back as a veteran leader allowing him to get back on his feet in the spring.

“Just the brotherhood that we have going on,” Marshall Jr. said.

“Everybody came together [and] that’s the biggest thing, the brotherhood. Everybody loves each other, it’s a different feeling now.”

In the end, the fate of Florida’s win-loss record in 2024 won’t be determined by any “RaRa speech” given by the coaching staff. Player accountability has been a focus point for the Gators this year, and sophomore wide receiver Eugene Wilson III sees the vision.

“It’s a different confidence, it’s a different standard,” Wilson III said.

“We hold each other accountable, and it’s definitely a player-led team.”

With Wilson being the most productive returning player at the wideout position for the Gators, his experience has allowed him to gain a more thorough understanding of the self-motivated mindset this team has for getting the program back to a place of prominence.

“At the end of the day, we [are] the ones in the facility every day spending, shoot, 10-12 hours in the facility,” Wilson III said. “We see all the blood, sweat and tears that we pour into this game, we see the look in each other’s eyes.” @krishasang ksanghavi@alligator.org @max_tuckr1 mtucker@alligator.org

GOLF

Sophie Stevens’ first LPGA event brings valuable lessons and memories IN LATE JUNE, THE RISING SOPHOMORE PLAYED IN THE DOW CHAMPIONSHIP AND MADE THE CUT

By Aiden Wacksman Sports Writer

In late May, Florida rising sophomore Sophie Stevens made a spur of the moment decision to compete in the Suzann Pettersen qualifier.

Her goal at the qualifier was to keep her game sharp and prepare for the Michigan amateur championships, she said.

A few weeks later, she returned to her home state, Michigan, to play in the qualifier. After completing two rounds over two days, she finished with the lowest score in the field. With her first-place victory, she earned the right to play in her first Ladies Professional Golf Association event, the Dow Championship.

“It was super cool being in Michigan playing my first [LPGA] event,” Stevens said.

“That’s just something that you dream of.”

The tournament, which took place June 24-30 in Midland, Michigan, offered Stevens the opportunity to experience the notable pressure of a tour event and create memorable experiences on and off the course.

The Dow Championship takes place at the Midland Country Club and consists of 72 two-women teams. The tournament has five rounds and switches between alternate shot and four-ball. In alternate shot, team members will use the same ball and take alternate shots until completing the hole, while in four-ball, both golfers hold their own ball

and the better of their scores is recorded.

For Stevens, choosing her tournament partner was easy. She immediately knew she wanted Vanessa Borovilos, the No. 2 prospect in the 2024 class and her good friend, to stand by her side. Borovilos will be golfing for the Texas A&M Aggies in the fall.

“I was thinking through all the people I’ve played with, and [Borovilos] was an easy [choice],” Stevens said at the Dow Championship June 25 press conference. “[She’s] an amazing player, and she’s a lot of fun to be around.”

The Midland Country Club was somewhat familiar territory to Stevens, who lived in Michigan throughout her formative junior golfing years. Having the chance to play in her first tour event in her home state and in front of her family was extremely special to her.

“I got a lot of support out there,” Stevens said. “It was a super cool opportunity, and I enjoyed every second of it.”

In the first two rounds of the tournament, Stevens and Borovlios had to survive the cut to advance to the final three rounds of play.

The pair earned a 2-under 68 finish in the first round and holed six birdies in the second to post a cumulative score of 7-under 140.

The two golfers tapped into a strategy during the alternate shot rounds that complemented each other’s strengths.

“There were a couple of holes that played a little longer for me, but Vanessa hits the ball farther than I do,” Stevens said. “She would hit the tee ball on the longer holes so it would give us a shorter shot in.”

Stevens and Borovilos were confident in their position after finishing play early in the

day. After watching the leaderboard throughout the day, though, the cutoff lowered and the pair felt the pressure begin to intensify.

At the end of the day, the pair played well enough to make the cut and secured a spot in the final three rounds of the tournament.

“We were super relieved, stoked and grateful to do something like that in our first LPGA event,” Stevens said.

Stevens and Borovilos finished the tournament T29 at 10-under 340. They completed four of five rounds under par and went 6-under 64 in the fifth round, their best of the tournament.

Much of Stevens and Borovilos’ success can be attributed to their attitudes. Despite the pressure and high stakes of an LPGA event, both were able to let loose and have fun on and off the course together.

The Dow Championship adds an element of excitement to competitive golf. Teams are able to establish an official team name and, on the 18th tee, teams have the opportunity to select their own walkout music.

While talking and playing ping pong, Stevens and Borovilos chose “The Youngins” as their team name.

“We were joking that we’re like the kids in this event and [Stevens] said that we were ‘The Youngins,’” Borovilos said at the press conference. “I [knew] that was the [perfect] name.”

The pair chose “Levels” by Avicii as their walkout song. The EDM classic provided “The Youngins” with plenty of positive energy.

“I’ve been listening to [Levels] for a couple years before almost all of my events, and it’s just a great song to get pumped up to,” Borovilos said.

Stevens used the event as an occasion to study some of the world’s best golfers and see how she can better her play.

“I learned a lot from observing players in the practice round,” Stevens said. “I saw a lot of things in other players’ games that I really want to emulate.”

This is no surprise to Florida women’s golf head coach Emily Glaser, who knows Stevens is a student of the game.

“What stands out to me about [Stevens] is her work ethic and desire to get better,” Glaser said. “For her to be able to play in a tour event where she was going to be around elite players and under a lot of pressure… I was just thrilled for her.”

Stevens nonchalantly informed Glaser of her first place finish in the Suzann Pettersen qualifier. Glaser said this attests to her unassuming personality.

“She texted me and told me, ‘Hey coach, by the way, I qualified for an LPGA event,’” Glaser said. “I was like, ‘What?’”

Stevens discovered elements of other golfers’ games that she wanted to apply to her own.

Her time at the Dow Championship allowed her to face unique challenges. Playing in front of a gallery and facing the pressure of an LPGA event is a valuable experience for any young golfer, and Stevens will look to utilize the lessons she learned in the Gators’ upcoming season.

“I’m super excited to get at it again… and continue to learn [in the fall],” she said.

“There’s a lot in my game I can sharpen up on.” @aidenwacksman awacksman@alligator.org