UF cuts sexual assault resources and outsources others
Title IX and disability administrators now operate through out-of-state consultants
By Zoey Thomas Alligator Staff Writer
When Nadia Shahin walks near campus at night, she gets on the phone with a friend so they can call the police if something happens to her. As a female college student, she’s aware her demographic puts her at risk, she said.
"There's so many people I know that have been sexually assaulted, and you don't think about that until it happens to you," the 20-year-old UF nutritional sciences senior said. "A lot of people have that false sense of security.”
Shahin is not alone in her concerns. Less than 9% of cisgender female UF students reported feeling very safe walking on campus at night in a Spring 2022 survey, compared to the national average of 19%. Yet UF has recently renamed, outsourced and cut several sexual assault resources.
UF hired a private Californiabased company to manage Title IX reports, stopped using two campuswide violence prevention programs, and renamed and moved its gender equity office, all in the past two years.
The Office for Accessibility and Gender Diversity, or OAGE, used to oversee Title IX compliance. Under Title IX, students and faculty can report and resolve incidents of discrimination or assault, as required by federal law. OAGE also managed accommodations for people with disabilities.
OAGE closed in its existing form and split into two separate offices in 2024: one for Title IX and one for American Disability Act, or ADA, compliance. The move followed Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on state funding to diversity, equity and inclusion-
Story description finish with comma, pg#
related higher education programs.
Two coordinators from Grand River Solutions, a firm UF hired to consult on Title IX and disability compliance in May, now head the offices. Both work remotely from out of state. The previous coordinator under OAGE, Russ Froman, resigned in August after seven years in a UF Title IX position.
Also in the past year, UF ended its Green Dot Gators program, a bystander training aimed at reducing campus violence. The university additionally decided not to renew its three-year trial with uSafeUS, a sexual assault prevention and response mobile app, in June.
Aidan Lieberman, a 21-year-old former UF sports management student, interned for OAGE before graduating from the university in August 2023. Lieberman said he watched increased administrative scrutiny impact the office in the months leading to its closure.
“The employees wanted to help people — obviously, if there’s sexual assault, sexual harassment on campus, you want to help,” he said. “But when you have that oversight and overstep from people higher than you, what are you going to do about it?”
Outsourcing assault response
The university first asked Grand River Solutions, a third-party education consultant, to provide Title IX and disability services in August 2023. The two entities finalized the contract in May through an engagement letter acquired by The Alligator.
Under the contract, two Grand Rivers employees were hired in interim administrative positions.
Jackie Moran is serving as Title
Florida Gators wide receiver Aiden Mizell (11) evades a tackle from Mississippi State’s center
Pollock (14) in a football game in Starkville, Mississippi, on Sept. 21, 2024. Read
DeSantis vetoed criminal justice reform. What’s next for Gainesville and beyond?
ALACHUA COUNTY LEADERS AND POLICY ANALYSTS DISCUSS CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IN THE SUNSHINE STATE
By Carlos Alemany Metro Staff Writer
In the halls of Tallahassee during Summer 2024, bipartisan legislation designed to reduce recidivism, ease reentry into society and reduce the financial burden on families of incarcerated individuals were all struck down at the pen of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The governor insisted the bills
rewarded “criminal activity” and gave advantages to those who have broken the law over law-abiding citizens.
From enabling former inmates to qualify for in-state tuition upon release, to preventing the automatic reincarceration of parolees for nonviolent parole violations and reducing the waiting period for barber and cosmetology licenses for exconvicts, Florida’s 2024 legislative session saw an unprecedented and extensive wave of criminal justice reform efforts.
Tachana Joseph Marc, a policy analyst at the Florida Policy Institute, advocates for measures like lifting the lifetime ban on SNAP
Patric Young Foundation hosts annual golf tournament. Read more on pg. 12. MONDAY,
benefits for ex-convicts and occupational licensing reform. She described the governor’s vetoes as part of Florida’s pattern of prioritizing punishment over rehabilitation.
"When you look at all of the other bills that have been vetoed since that one session, while also looking at some of the ones that were uplifted and ultimately got enacted, it tells a story," she said.
Much of Marc’s criticism is based on Florida’s staggering incarceration rate — 795 per 100,000 people. The state locks up a higher percentage of its population than any independent democratic country in the world, according to the
School safety
Closures and renovations, pg. 8 629 Open
Locked doors spike controversy, pg. 5
TheAvenue:Natural History Museum
Noah Lantor // Alligator Staff
back Brice
more in Sportson pg. 12.
Today’s Weather
UF cat celebrity might receive honorary degree
A bill passed in the Student Government Senate to honor the feline friend
By Delia Rose Sauer Alligator Staff Writer
Tenders the tabby cat works just as hard as the students on UF campus.
She pulls all-nighters as she lounges near the Tolbert Area Office. She studies how to better beg for treats as students and staff walk past her. Now, she has the opportunity to be honored by UF meow and forever.
Nathaniel Pelton, a 20-year-old political science junior and Change Caucus off-campus senator, wrote a bill calling on UF to issue an honorary degree to the tabby cat; citing her contributions to students, faculty and staff. The bill passed Sept. 3.
The idea originated after Vermont State University Castleton awarded a 6-year-old tabby, Max, a doctorate in “litter-ature.”
While the subject of Tenders’ potential degree is not official, students have suggested ideas anywhere from psychology, “fur-ensics” and “mew-clear sciences” on the GatorCats Instagram comment section.
Devon Limcangco, a 23-year-old UF electrical engineering fifth-year student, runs the “GatorCats” account with 5,128 followers. The account mainly operates as a Tenders fan page, but it features other campus cats. She also uses the account to raise awareness for missing cats around Gainesville.
Limcangco started her time at UF — like many freshmen do — missing her cats at home, she said. She met Tenders for the first time at Gator Corner Dining when she was touring the campus with her brother.
Tenders has been campus royalty since her first supposed sighting around 2018. Tenders is estimated to be about 6 years old, but Limcangco speculates she may be closer to 8 years old. The tabby cat weighs around nine pounds and loves Temptations Cat Treats.
Tenders mainly spends her time near Gator Corner Dining and the Tolbert Area of campus where she’s either sunbathing, rolling on her back for attention or chasing crickets in the grass.
Limcangco originally started posting pictures of Tenders on Reddit. When she noticed how quickly Tenders converted into a campus celebrity, she decided to create an Instagram page dedicated to her.
Now, she has more than 2,000 message requests in her Instagram direct messages and receives about 70 photo submissions a week.
“She's abnormally friendly for a cat,” Limcangco said. “She didn’t like being alone. She was very sweet.”
It was when Limcangco received a message from Pelton asking for a fact page about the cat that she learned about the possibility of Tenders receiving an honorary degree. When she posted the bill on the “GatorCats” account, she saw nothing but support for Tenders.
“Everyone thinks she's worthy of an honorary degree,” she said. “I think she's helped a lot of people get their degrees.”
Gator Corner Dining promoted a merchandise campaign with Tenders’ face on tote bags and T-shirts in 2022. Students stop to pet her on their way to meals or their dorms. Her friendly demeanor and need for pets make it impossible not to smile when seeing her.
Limcangco hopes that her honorary degree encourages students, faculty and staff to continue caring for Tenders, she said.
Pelton also met Tenders when he was a freshman visiting Gator Corner. When he learned of her loving personality, he understood quickly why so many students adore her.
“We're all just a bunch of college kids that keep cycling in and out for her lifetime,” Pelton said. “She’s just along for the ride.”
When he heard about Vermont State University Castleton issuing
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an honorary degree to their campus cat, he knew he had to try and do the same for Tenders.
He submitted the bill Aug. 21 hoping that the Student Government and the student body could have fun with it.
“Bills like this really helped to take away from the sort of partisan extremity that we see at a student government,” he said.
The bill passed unanimously in the Senate with both the Vision and Change senators showing full support.
Tenders has to follow the same process to get an honorary degree as a human would. Pelton said it looks like it will be an uphill battle. Honorary degrees are reserved for “highly respected academics,” Pelton said, so although the process may seem simple, the reality involves negotiations and conversations with administration.
However, he hopes that if Tenders actually receives the degree, it would be good publicity for the university.
He said that Tenders should be celebrated for representing a home at UF.
“She's the adopted pet of thousands of students,” he said. “Issuing an honorary degree is something that will help cement her memory forever, and it really doesn't cost the university much to do it.”
Tenders helped Meagan Lamey, a 19-year-old sustainability studies sophomore and Yulee Area senator, find a part of the home she was missing at UF.
“I came from a household where I fostered kittens,” Lamey said. “It was a hard transition to go from that to not having any pets.”
Meeting Tenders became her way to relieve stress and start feeling less homesick.
When Pelton showed her the resolution, she said he found it funny but necessary. She sponsored the bill and was glad to see something fun on the Senate floor.
Lamey thinks the bill is a good way to offer more support to stray cats across campus.
“A lot of people have a bad view of feral cats,” she said. “It's a good example that they can be really helpful if the community takes care of them.”
@_delia_rose_ drosesauer@alligator.org
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The Independent Florida Alligator is a student newspaper serving the University of Florida, published by a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) educational organization, Campus Communications Inc., P.O. Box 14257, Gainesville, Florida, 32604-2257. The Alligator is published Monday mornings, except during holidays and exam periods. The Alligator is a member of the Newspaper Association of America, National Newspaper Association, Florida Press Association and Southern University Newspapers. Not officially associated with the University of Florida Published by Campus Communications Inc., of Gainesville, Florida
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Delia Rose Sauer // Alligator Staff
Tenders lays on her stomach near the Tolbert Area office on Sept. 22, 2024.
Where UF sexual assault resources went
plete and make them better,” he said. “With the closing … you lose those people.”
IX Coordinator from New York, while Crystal Coombes is the Virginia-based ADA Coordinator.
The joint annual salary for both roles is $360,000, or $180,000 per year each if split evenly. Their contracts include 160 hours of joint work per month, or about 20 hours per week each.
Moran formerly consulted for the University of Portland, while Coombes has served diversity and ADA roles for the University of South Florida, Virginia Commonwealth University and George Mason University.
Previously, Russell Froman had overseen both assault reporting and disability services as the Assistant Vice President for Title IX and ADA since 2019. He received a $130,000 annual salary to monitor both areas.
UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldan said in a statement to The Alligator the university contracted with Grand River to fill the gap after Froman transitioned to ADA Coordinator in the Human Resources department in March.
Yet according to public records acquired by The Alligator, the university first reached out to Grand Rivers in August 2023, seven months before Froman moved departments and a year before he notified the university of his intent to retire in July.
UF outsourced Grand River without announcing the contract publicly, and both Moran and Coombes are listed as interim directors on the university’s website without mention of their affiliation with the company.
Former OAGE employee Lieberman said he worries sexual assault, discrimination and ADA claims won’t be handled as effectively now they’re not streamlined under the OAGE office.
“This office had people that cared about these issues, and wanted to make them com-
Of the four salaried OAGE employees at UF in Fall 2023, none still work in Title IX or disability services for the university.
Sofia Marcilese, an 18-year-old UF psychology freshman, said it was "hard to say" whether she'd feel comfortable reporting to the university if she experienced sexual assault. But she’d feel less inclined to do so with administrators working remotely, she said.
"When you talk to someone directly, it feels more personal," she said. "Like they're going to actually listen to you and take action."
Sexual assault prevention training, app discontinued
GatorWell, a UF health promotion department offering services like substance misuse support and HIV testing, began training faculty, staff and students on campus violence prevention through Green Dot in 2019.
Green Dot is a training program used by universities throughout the country. It uses a top-down approach to train faculty and then students to prevent stalking, sexual assault and domestic violence. UF discontinued its Green Dot services earlier this year.
Green Dot is still used at universities across the state, including Florida State University. Nell Robinson has worked as Green Dot coordinator at FSU since 2019. Robinson said the school loves the program enough to keep funding it even after its grant money ended last year.
In a five-year study on Green Dot’s effectiveness, ending in 2021, FSU found the program correlated with reduced violence on campus, Robinson said. The result supported early nationwide research suggesting Green Dot campuses show an 11% violence reduction.
“Our students were reporting that they felt
more comfortable intervening, that they felt more comfortable recognizing violence, and that they had the skills and tools to do something,” she said.
Hannah Farrell, a marketing and strategic communication director in the Division of Student Life, said in a statement to The Alligator that bystander intervention education remains an ongoing priority at UF despite Green Dot’s discontinuation.
“Our staff in GatorWell have developed a robust program and provide dynamic presentations and training that are tailored to the specific needs and requests of our students,” she wrote. Samantha Kinggard, a 21-year-old UF political science senior, contacted GatorWell to organize a Green Dot training for UF Student Government members over the summer. Student senators used to be required to complete one Green Dot training per semester.
Kinggard, who serves as the Rules and Ethics Committee chair, said GatorWell informed her Green Dot was discontinued.
“They didn’t say anything about why,” she said.
Kinggard instead scheduled a general presentation from GatorWell about bystanderism. SG statutes will likely be updated soon to amend the Green Dot requirement to a general sexual assault prevention training requirement, she said.
Green Dot was run by GatorWell, not OAGE. But another former UF assault prevention program, the uSafeUS mobile app, was managed by UF Title IX employees. That was until June, when its three-year test trial ended and the university didn’t renew. Despite its discontinuation, the uSafeUS app is still being advertised on screens around campus as a resource to students as of Sept. 19.
USafeUS, developed in 2016 and used at over 500 universities nationwide, offers fea-
tures including “Time to Leave,” which crafts a fake text or call to get the user out of an uncomfortable situation, “Expect Me,” which allows friends to track the user’s GPS location, and “Angel Drink,” which lets users signal bartenders if they feel uncomfortable.
USafeUS saw an average of 55 monthly users from UF, peaking in August 2023 with 105 users, according to UF data. UF decided not to continue with the app after the trial ended, deciding it would be better to direct students toward its existing UF-specific GatorSafe app.
GatorSafe, launched in 2015, offers safety features including a “Mobile Blue Light” feature that sends the user’s location and calls the UF police department. Like uSafeUS, it also offers access to mental health resources and options to report a tip.
Unlike uSafeUS, GatorSafe can provide push notifications from the UF Alert Emergency Notification System. It also allows parents to download the app to keep up with on-campus emergencies affecting their students.
However, GatorSafe does not include assault prevention resources such as FAQs about sexual harassment and stalking or features like “Angel Drink” and “Time to Leave.”
With university initiatives changing, some people have turned to student-run clubs for assault education and support.
Faith Hammock, a 21-year-old UF public relations senior, said she had to take her own initiative to find resources on campus after personal experiences left her wanting to know more about what makes a healthy relationship.
As president of One Love, a relationship health education nonprofit, Hammock wishes the university put more energy toward partnering with student-run groups.
“Having these conversations now, when we're becoming mature adults, is so important,” she said. “It just sets the stage for moving forward.”
@zoeythomas39 zthomas@alligator.org
The first wave of Florida’s post-tenure review results are here
THE PROCESS CONTINUES TO BE A POINT OF CONTENTION WHILE SNUFFING OUT UNDERPERFORMERS
By Annie Wang Alligator Staff Writer
The Florida Board of Governors applauded the first cycle of post-tenure review for its productivity and success. According to the board’s Sept. 18 meeting, 91% of reviewed faculty met or exceeded expectations, and 9% of faculty did not meet expectations or were unsatisfactory.
“I think [post-tenure review] is critically important, and we cannot lose sight of the fact that it is a mechanism to award great performance,” said Timothy Cerio, a Florida Board of Governors board member during the meeting.
Tenure is an indefinite appointment to a position that is guaranteed and can only be revoked in exceptional circumstances. Gov. Ron DeSantis previously said unproductive faculty are a significant deadweight cost, and tenure should not be used to shield them from accountability.
DeSantis and former UF president Ben Sasse have both advocated for post-tenure review, believing it to be an effective and necessary assessment of professor performance.
Since its inception in 2022, post-tenure review has been a
source of considerable debate and controversy. The process requires 20% of tenured professors across Florida to be evaluated every five years for an assessment of their job performance.
The first round of reviews at UF was conducted in July. Thirty-four faculty were placed on a one-year performance improvement plan for being classified as “does not meet expectations,” and five were issued termination notices because their performance was deemed “unsatisfactory.”
During a May 2 Faculty Senate meeting, Zhengfei Guan, a UF associate professor of food and resource economics, said post-tenure review is a threat to academic freedom and will fundamentally change American institutions.
“I feel that this new system is stealing ownership of the university from faculty,” he said during the meeting.
Through the implementation of post-tenure review, the university terminated faculty members without offering severance packages and imposed new contracts without their consent, Guan wrote in an email. He also expressed worries about reduced salaries and wrongful termination of professors.
L. Jeannine Brady, a professor at the UF College of Dentistry, said she recognizes the importance of a post-tenure review process but has concerns about its implementation. She said the
SG Fall elections are
only
university rushed to adopt specific metric-based criteria without considering faculty input and believes that the university failed to ensure the metrics aligned with existing tenure and promotion standards.
The new post-tenure review process also bypasses the Tenure and Promotion Committee review and the Academic Personnel Board, establishing a system separate from the one used for granting tenure and promotion, Brady said.
But former UF provost Scott Angle said the post-tenure review process was handled with adequate care and deliberation. He is an avid supporter of ten -
ure and its protections, as it once saved his academic career, he wrote in an op-ed for The Tampa Bay Times. In 1996, Angle was a professor of soil science and an associate dean at the University of Maryland. After voicing his disagreement with the university president on the issue of water quality to a reporter from The Washington Post, the reporter contacted the president, and Angle was subsequently fired.
However, because of tenure, the president was not successful in firing him, and he went on to serve nine more years at the university. Angle said that his belief in the value of tenure drives his
weeks
away.
support for post-tenure review.
He said every department contributed to creating its own metrics for the post-tenure review process, with every set of criteria tailored to the specific area of study.
“But if having gone through this process once, it’s determined that it could be improved, then it should be,” Angle said.
Since tenure at UF is largely funded by tax dollars, Angle said public criticism intensifies when the university attempts to shield underperformers. He believes post-tenure review may be the only way to safeguard tenure from the backlash it’s received.
“I strongly believe that it’s a way of assuring that all faculty are pulling their weight,” Angle said. “I’m a strong believer in tenure, but tenure is not a license to continually be a poor performer. It’s not a license to do nothing.”
Contrary to what some professors believe, post-tenure review will only benefit professors by protecting tenure and ensuring satisfactory teaching, Angle added.
“If we abuse tenure, we’re gonna lose our academic freedom, and then it’s all gone,” he said. “So I see [post-tenure review] as protecting all the things that we want, not becoming the end to it.”
@wynwg awang@alligator.org
Will voter turnout remain low?
Students resoundingly express lack of knowledge about Student Government and its functions
By Avery Parker Alligator Staff Writer
Vision and Change Parties — student-run political parties — have begun posting campaign videos on Instagram while finding new candidates to run for UF Student Government Senate. In three weeks, ballot boxes will open from Oct. 8 to Oct. 9.
Despite the power SG wields, including holding a voice on UF’s Board of Trustees and distributing $23 million of university funds, voter turnout has remained historically low. Since 2000, UF student voter turnout averaged 14% and hit highs in 2008 and 2023 with 20%.
Samantha Perez, a 19-year-old UF environmental engineering sophomore, said her understanding of SG’s reach on campus has remained limited. She assumes it serves as a soundboard for students to communicate their perspectives, wants and needs with administration and faculty. But even that kind of presence has been lacking, she said.
“I haven’t heard Student Government mentioned at all,” she said. “I don’t know if they’ve been tabling, but at least I haven’t been there when they’ve been tabling.”
SG stood at the center of several hot-button issues over the past two semesters, including the consolidation of off-campus districts into a single super-district, changes to Marston Science Library’s operating hours and the creation of new SG agencies.
Student political parties are limited to campaigning only in the three weeks leading up to the election, during which they regain access to campaign social media accounts and become highly active. SG as an organization faces no such limitations on sharing information about itself and often posts on its own social media throughout the year.
After understanding the breadth of SG’s financial impact on campus, especially with regard to club funding, Perez said she is inclined to pay more attention to elections.
Gavin Palasigue, a 20-year-old UF pre-nursing sophomore, said he views SG as a crowd of canvassers who appear in areas like Turlington and the Reitz Student Union North Lawn before disappearing until the next short-lived election season.
When canvassers do approach him, he shrugs them off to focus on making it to class on time.
“I would love to pay more attention, but at the same time, it’s Student Government,” he said, describing the governing body as “nebulous” and lacking connection with students.
What little he said he heard about SG came from a friend who serves as a Vision senator.
Jose Rondon, a 20-year-old UF economics sophomore, echoed similar sentiments.
Rondon said he knew “very little” about SG, its elections and its candidates.
“Maybe if I learned more about it, I’d be more interested in it, and I would care more for the candidates,” he said. “Since I don’t know
that much about it, it’s not even in my mind.”
Rondon, however, didn’t say he was opposed to paying attention to SG, but that it needs to “communicate what impact it is they make on the general student population.”
Once Rondon heard that SG Senate is responsible for funding student organizations, he expressed heightened concern about SG in general, especially as a member of the University Economics Society.
“Just knowing that, I feel like I would care more for all the clubs that are funded by Student Government, especially the ones I’m in,” he said.
While the majority of UF students remain apathetic to casting votes, a few have paid closer attention to the biannual election cycle.
One of those students, Kangjin Wong, a 20-year-old UF psychology behavioral and cognitive neuroscience junior, said he came to UF expecting SG to fill a similar role as it did at his high school.
When Wong discovered SG Senate allocates millions of dollars of tuition money every year, he realized the structure was vastly different from a high school Student Government Association.
“What are they going to do with that tuition and, by extension, my money?” he said.
Wong said issues like the new election map motivate him to vote out of frustration and dissatisfaction with the ruling party, especially as an off-campus student. Many students who live off campus are also members of minority
groups and foreign students who seek off-campus housing due to money constraints, Wong added.
“By drowning out those voices with fraternities and sororities, it’s racism,” Wong said. “You don’t give [minority students] a choice of what to do with their 23 million dollar budget.”
Having done his own research into SG, Wong doesn’t entirely blame poor education for low SG election turnout, he said.
“People just don’t care,” he said. “They don’t think it affects them that much.”
Wong said he supports SG handing out flyers, hanging up posters and tabling across campus. But an email list would be especially helpful in informing students, he added, similar to how various UF colleges inform students about opportunities through mass emails.
Raj Mia, a 22-year-old UF food and resource economics senior and former Change senator, said, in his experience, controversy draws students to the polls more than anything else.
Mia said he expects the new election map to fuel some of that motivation while instilling a sense of hopelessness among off-campus voters.
“Having an at-large map adds exhaustion and defeat to some people,” he said.
He predicted no more than 14,000 students would vote, which would mean a 25% turnout at most.
Madison McClelland // Alligator Staff
Florida is undergoing its first wave of post-tenure review across the State University System.
Gainesville parents and students react to new public school locked door policy
HOUSE BILL 1473 MANDATES LOCKED DOORS DURING SCHOOL HOURS
By Sara-James Ranta Alligator Staff Writer
Alachua County Public Schools implemented a new safety measure following House Bill 1473, which mandates campus doors across the state remain closed and locked while students are present.
The policy took effect July 1 and aims to enhance school security, but it sparked concern among students and parents about accessibility during emergencies as the school year is in full swing.
The bill is one of many policies passed for school safety after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act in 2018.
Mariamne Puentes, a Gainesville High School junior, said students are required to be seen by a staff member before entering a building, she said.
“When a student is leaving, they have to close the door,” she said. “It locks automatically. They just have to see your face and know it’s you.”
While the locked doors make Mariamne feel safer inside, Fatima Puentes, Mariamne’s sister and GHS freshman, said she worries about the implications during an active shooter lockdown.
“If you’re inside, you’re safe and you’re locked, but if you’re outside, you probably have to go find another place, and most of them won’t open the door for you either,” she said. “They’ll probably think that you could be dangerous.”
Mariamne hopes schools will explore additional safety measures beyond locked doors, she said.
“It’s pretty scary for students if you’re locked out of your class for something like that,” she said.
Diego Cordova, a GHS freshman, said he has to knock when re-entering buildings after using the restrooms or getting water from the fountains. Someone isn’t always there to open the door each time, he said.
Although he might be missing class time,
Cordova said he appreciates the locked doors for preventing unauthorized access.
“People that are not supposed to be there can’t come in without having someone open it,” he said.
To further school safety, Cordova recommends visitors who enter the school be on a student's emergency contact card, he said.
Twila Vante, a 45-year-old nurse and parent of an eighth-grade student at Abraham Lincoln Middle School, first noticed the locked doors when she picked up her son early from school.
Vante feels safer knowing visitors must go through extra measures to enter a school, she said.
“I think it’s needed because right now, it’s not safe,” she said. “There’s a lot of school shootings happening right now, and so that’s big for me and it’s big for my family.”
In addition to locked doors, Vante wants to see more open communication with kids about school safety and school shootings. Their input should hold more weight, she said.
“Kids see that on the news, and they have more questions,” she said. “Kids have a voice. Listen to what they’re saying and ask their opinion. If it’s [about] safety, what do they think about it?”
Dana Ebiasah is a 40-year-old therapist and parent of a sixth-grade student at Abraham Lincoln Middle School. They said although locked doors keep students safe, they worry schools walk a “thin line” by implementing new safety procedures if schools aren’t balancing it with adequate preparedness and practice drills.
Ebiasah said locked doors are also helpful for families battling complex legal situations, such as stay-away orders or custody agreements. In these cases, the policy helps ensure that unauthorized individuals, including those legally restricted from contacting or approaching a child, cannot enter the school without authorization.
“Let's try to keep us safe,” Ebiasah said. “I understand the intent, but preparation is everything.”
Doug Pelton, ACPS chief of security and school safety, said ACPS is “ahead of the game” by implementing locked door policies
well before it was legislated, he said.
To ensure the locked door policy is consistently enforced throughout all schools, Pelton annually completes an onsite inspection of each school to make sure doors and locks are working properly. The state will also do an inspection of ACPS tri-annually, he said.
“The rules have been communicated out to all principals, all assistant principals, all charter school principals that I communicate with on a daily basis,” he said, “ensuring that all of these practices are implemented and followed throughout the district.”
Pelton said locked doors are just one part of many comprehensive school safety strategies. ACPS schools contain security cameras and video monitoring, resource officers, visitor management software and intercoms, he said.
Pelton said he’s heard no concern about accessibility or the risk of students getting locked out. In actuality, it’s “just the opposite,” he said.
“With any legislative change … there’s concerns that it’ll be too difficult,” he said. “It wasn’t that difficult to accomplish. I feel very
confident in the ability of our administrators on each of our campuses to make sure that it remains that way.”
Since school administrators are also aware of students who need extra support or extended time to get to class, Pelton said there isn’t any concern the locked door policy will affect students with special needs or physical disabilities, he said.
As ACPS continues to implement future state mandates, Pelton said his next goal is to work to have schools provide a “sally port” style entry, or an entryway that is used to control access into the school. This would help “screen” students and visitors before they enter the actual doors of the school, he said.
“The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission has been very helpful,” he said. “It rose out of tragedy, but it is creating legislation that districts across the state are implementing in order to make more secure and safe environments for our children.”
@sarajamesranta sranta@alligator.org
Gainesville leaders react to criminal justice vetoes
Prison Policy Initiative.
The consequences of this approach are widespread, with over 350,000 Floridians booked into local jails annually, overwhelming the system and burdening taxpayers, Marc said.
“Common-sense policies that promote rehabilitation are either stalled or vetoed, while policies that enhance penalties are pushed through quickly,” Marc said. “These bills really offered a way forward — a better way for incarcerated people to get rehabilitated, a better way for us to approach incarceration altogether and a better way for elected officials to be better stewards of taxpayers’ dollars. It's just really misguided."
Marc emphasized these vetoed policies would have saved taxpayer money in the long run by reducing recidivism rates and lessening the financial burden on the Department of Corrections, which is currently facing an acute financial crisis.
Florida’s prison system needs $2.2 billion to stop its degradation, Marc said. The financial crisis has resulted in poor conditions.
"Most of the state's prisons haven't had any renovations since the '80s or even earlier, and the conditions are extremely bad, especially with Florida’s hot summer months,” she said.“Retaining staff is also difficult under these conditions.”
Marc also highlighted the strain prolonged sentences place on both the prison system and state resources.
"One of the most urgent issues is making sure people aren’t spending more time in prison than necessary,” Marc said. “Florida’s 85% rule, which requires non-violent offenders to serve 85% of their sentence, keeps people in prison longer, leading to an aging prison population and increasing healthcare costs.”
This has culminated in "pay-tostay" laws, which require incarcerated individuals to pay for their time spent in jail or prison, similar to how someone would pay for a hotel stay.
These fees, often referred to as "incarceration costs" or "bed fees," can include daily charges for housing, food, medical care and other services — forcing formerly incarcerated individuals who have already served their sentences to pay for their prison stays, often long af-
ter release, regardless of their ability to pay.
“People are spending more time in prison than necessary, and that’s costly for everyone,” Marc said. “We’ve known for years that addressing root causes like mental health issues and substance abuse can save taxpayers money and create safer communities. Yet, these vetoes tell us that rehabilitation is not being prioritized.”
Studies have shown that addressing the root causes of recidivism, or the tendency to re-offend, requires extending connections beyond the concrete walls of prison.
“There's a direct correlation between incarcerated individuals maintaining closeness with their family and lower risks of reoffending once they’re released from jail. Maintaining those relationships helps them succeed when they’re done serving their sentence,” said Alachua County Commissioner Anna Prizzia.
The success of the free phone call program in Alachua County — one of the first counties to pilot the initiative — highlighted the role that connection plays in reducing recidivism.
Its implementation inspired state lawmakers to approve a $1 million pilot project to allow inmates with good behavior to make one free 15-minute call per month.
Despite this, the program's proposed expansion to $2 million, which would have been funded by an inmate trust fund rather than general taxpayer revenue, was vetoed by the governor during the 2024 legislative session.
Prizzia said the program provided incarcerated individuals an opportunity to maintain their connections while imprisoned, which can help with reintegration in the long run. The free phone calls program is a small example of removing barriers for those who may find integrating into society difficult, she said.
"We often create situations during incarceration that exacerbate people's problems,” Prizzia said.
“When we release them, we don’t always have structures in place for them to successfully re-enter our community and become productive members of society again.”
Beyond maintaining relationships, the ability to earn a livable wage post-incarceration is another key factor in preventing reoffense.
Kevin Scott, an ex-inmate and program director of Just Income at Community Spring, underscores how financial stability is crucial for reintegration into society.
Scott’s program, Just Income GNV, offers guaranteed income to formerly incarcerated individuals, helping them rebuild their lives. They face barriers to getting jobs, housing and mental health support, which the program tries to remedy, he said.
"They are expected to do extraordinary things with diminished opportunities," Scott said. Scott said by maintaining connections with their families and support networks, incarcerated individuals are better equipped to manage life postrelease.
Despite setbacks at the state level, Scott and other advocates remain committed to pushing for meaningful reforms that they say prioritize rehabilitation and human dignity.
"Even for someone who is incarcerated, that person still deserves dignity and respect and the opportunity to thrive in their lives,” Scott said. “Their families, who are also disproportionately impacted by criminal justice policies, deserve that too."
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Sara-James Ranta // Alligator Staff
Gainesville High School students leaving at dismissal on Sept. 13, 2024.
Hurtling into hurricane season, Gainesville is slow to brace for impact
RESIDENTS SAY THEY’RE NOT YET WORRIED ABOUT PREPARING FOR STORMY SKIES
By Natalie Kaufman Alligator Staff Writer
Currently, most Gators are focused on football, exams and costume planning for Halloween. Few are thinking about hurricanes. But Florida is just halfway through the 2024 storm cycle, and peak season still lies ahead.
Changing environment, impending storms
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, climate conditions are optimal for tropical activity. This year’s July heat was record-breaking, and ocean temperatures are abnormally high. Right now, water churning in the Atlantic hovers above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, nearly hot enough to melt chocolate.
Nineteen-year-old UF environmental science sophomore Alex Spiller studies the relationship between climate and weather patterns. Originally from Coral Springs, Spiller had a front-row seat to Hurricane Ian in 2022. In the storm’s aftermath, she said her hometown was barely recognizable — small businesses shuttered, black mold festered in people’s homes and rescue helicopters from the National Guard buzzed overhead.
Spiller said Ian was just the beginning, and tropical storm activity is poised to intensify.
“If it keeps getting worse, especially for those coastal areas, people in Gainesville [should] be concerned,” she said, adding that an influx of people flocking to the city from waterfront areas will soon become overbearing. “Naturally, that will happen as houses literally start going into the ocean.”
Homeowners contend with soaring insurance premiums
Increasingly intense storm
activity brewing off Florida’s coast has created a climate-reactive insurance bubble.
Longtime Gainesville homeowner Sheryl Eddie has seen her insurance premium double in recent years.
Eddie, co-proprietor of local bistro Cindy B. Goods, has lived in the city for 34 years. She is also a realtor who works with clients dismayed by the rising cost of disaster coverage.
“There is a heck of a lot of price gouging and a heck of a lot of, I would say, insurers getting away with murder, and our legislature let them,” she said.
Hurricane Ian was the state’s deadliest hurricane since 1935 and its costliest in history. Though it just grazed Gainesville, Ian caused $60 billion in insured damages statewide and $100 billion in losses, after which insurers fled the state in droves — some went insolvent.
Following Ian in 2022, Florida Senate Bill 2D made sweeping
changes to state insurance. It mandated insurers inspect homes with roofs older than 15 years before deciding whether to retain or drop a policyholder.
Eddie, who hasn’t replaced her roof in decades, said she now has to worry.
“Gee, my 30-year roof is no longer good for 30 years,” she said.
Gainesville’s more transient residents aren’t as troubled. Renters rest easy, taking minimal precautions
Zachary Sotomayor, a 21-yearold UF applied physiology and kinesiology senior, lives in the student housing center Legacy at The Standard. On rare occasions when the local weatherman says storms are tracking this way, Sotomayor tops off the gasoline in his car and parks it under cover.
He said he and his roommates split the cost of water and shelfstable foods, each spending about $60 to $70.
Antoine Angrum, 34, works at the
Downtown Gainesville’s new parking rates:
The new hours of paid parking are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Anything outside this time limit is free.
By Kairi Lowery Alligator Staff Writer
For downtown Gainesville goers, paid parking has been lifted the past few weeks to prepare and allow citizens to familiarize themselves with new raised parking rates, which went into effect Sept. 16.
The new rates are $0.50 per hour with a twohour time limit for on-street parking spaces in the center of downtown, with $0.25 per hour or free rates with no time limit outside the “downtown core.” The changes have sparked controversy among business owners and citizens alike.
The previous paid parking times were 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday in downtown.
A week after the enforcement has gone into place, downtown Gainesville residents say they’re struggling to come to terms with the new rates. The city commission won’t know if the rates are successful until 2025.
“I can’t tell you that it’s going well or not well for probably six or eight months,” Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward said.
Ward said he’s talked to mayors from multiple cities in preparation for the implementation of new rates, including Boston and Pensacola, and discussed citizen reactions — which have mostly been negative despite the differing locations, he said.
“The psychology of parking is something almost everybody deals with, so it’s a commonality,” Ward said. “When there’s a change to that commonality, everybody can understand each other, and it’s a common enemy, sort of.”
The revenue generated from the meters will go toward paying parking enforcers and infrastructure in the downtown area itself, Ward said. The city previously went by an “honor system,” hoping that in a free, two-hour spot, individuals would leave after the two hours.
Now, there will be designated workers to enforce the two-hour time slots and hand out tickets.
However, the change in the monetary rates isn’t the sole grievance citizens have. For 29-year-old Adam Porambo, the $0.50 charged isn’t the problem — it’s the two-hour time limit
Gate gas station on 13th Street and rents a home in Micanopy. Angrum said he doesn’t spend much time or money preparing his property for hurricane season because he already has storm readiness essentials, like non-perishable food and flashlights.
A generator, he added, is beneficial when storms knock out electricity.
“It will rain a little drop, and then my power will be out,” he said.
Angrum said he is fortunate to have reasonably priced renter’s insurance, so he doesn’t have to worry about paying for storm damage out of pocket.
Critters find refuge inside Far inland, Gainesville is insulated from the brunt of hurricanes, but disasters bring pests out of the woodwork.
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imposed.
Two hours simply isn’t enough time to explore all that downtown Gainesville has to offer, he said.
“If someone’s gonna be coming here to go to Dragonfly for dinner, and then if they want to go get ice cream after, they want to get coffee before, they now have a crunch time,” Porambo said.
As a business manager of The Hyppo Gainesville, Porambo said the city never talked to him or the business neighboring him about the changes to parking, despite saying the new rates would benefit business owners.
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How to be blue, orange and green
We’ve all heard we should reduce, reuse and recycle, but what’s next?
As we become more aware of the environmental challenges that our planet faces, choices that promote environmentally-friendly behavior have not just become important, but necessary.
Many of us Gators walk, ride a bike or take public transportation around and off campus. While these options allow for more sustainable travel, students should be aware of some key information. After UF announced the decision to decrease its financial contribution to the Gainesville RTS bus system in the spring of this year, a system serving 39 routes with five dedicated UF routes, according to WUFT, students expressed concern over how to get to class.
After receiving these complaints, UF decided to extend its financial contribution until Jan. 1. While this is a temporary solution, a more permanent decision looms large for the future of student access to the RTS system. Many student and local organizations, such as Sunrise Movement Gainesville and the Gainesville chapter of the Amalgamated Transportation Union protested the decrease of these funds, pushing for a lasting solution. Stay aware of these upcoming decisions, and consider getting involved in organizations that prioritize your access to campus transportation.
In addition to the bus system, more services allow students to travel easily in a sustainable way. For cyclists, the SG Bike Repair on the first floor of the Reitz Union services bicycles for free with a valid Gator1 ID, and appointments can be booked online for faster service. Additionally, bike lanes around and off campus allow for greater safety for bike riders. For longer trips, if a car is needed for travel, students should try to carpool with their friends or use popular ridesharing apps such as Hitch or Scoop. Not only will these decisions limit emissions from transportation, but also limit traffic around campus.
Becoming more aware of where your food
Gracie Adams opinions@alligator.org
comes from and how it affects the environment is another way to promote sustainability in your everyday life. For students that eat at the dining hall, many campus dining facilities such as The Eatery at Broward and The Food Hall at Gator Corner provide details about whether a dish is “climate friendly.” According to UF’s Dine On Campus website, these options are marked as climate friendly as they are recipes with low greenhouse gas emissions. If you’re not eating at the dining hall, a way to make your diet more sustainable is to try to implement more plant-based foods in your meals in the place of red meat and dairy products.
Beyond individual practices, many organizations around campus can be found advocating for sustainable practices. Two great organizations are Sunrise Movement Gainesville and Climate Action Gator. Also, UF’s Office of Sustainability lists internship and volunteer opportunities relating to sustainability and conservation around Gainesville on its website, and it showcases upcoming events where students can get involved to promote sustainability on campus.
Finally, make sure you and your friends are registered to vote by visiting the State of Florida Voter Lookup or the records for the state in which you are registered to vote. If you are voting in another state or registered to vote in another location in Florida, make sure you request your vote-by-mail ballot, or consider changing your voter registration to Alachua County by Oct. 7 for the presidential election. Keep track of local and state elections so you can be a voice that speaks for conservation efforts in the state of Florida and beyond.
Gracie Adams is a UF environmental science freshman.
Stay informed: Understanding ultra-processed foods on campus
Today, there is an increasing amount of news being released about the effects of the ultra-processed food, or UPF, diet. Many of us know that fast food can harm our health, but it’s important to clearly distinguish between fast food and UPF. So, what are these foods?
Looking around UF, you might wonder whether many of our campus options are UPFs. The convenience stores scattered around campus offer packaged yogurts, granola bars, sweet snacks and desserts which are unfortunately… UPFs. Yes, this also means your canned vegetables and instant oatmeal are UPFs.
As of now, scientists have found associations between UPFs and conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression and early mortality. In a 30-year longitudinal study published in the British Medical Journal in May, researchers found that a higher intake of UPFs was associated with a slightly higher all-cause mortality rate. The associations varied across subgroups of ultra-processed foods, with meat, poultry and seafood-based ready-toeat products showing particularly strong associations with mortality.
UPFs include more obvious items, like the chicken from McDonald’s and the chips that accompany your Subway meal, but also less obvious foods, like the cereal you eat for breakfast. These foods are made entirely or mostly from substances extracted from foods (e.g., oils, fats, sugars, starches and proteins) and additives such as flavors, colors, emulsifiers and preservatives that imitate or enhance the qualities of real foods. They undergo multiple physical, biological and chemical processes. Other examples of UPFs include soft drinks, pack-
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Alligator.
Gomez opinions@alligator.org
aged snacks and instant noodles. It’s important to keep a conscious mind and know whether you choose to eat these foods regularly and be informed. As a nutrition major, I hope our campus can divert more resources to ensure that students can buy foods from local markets. One way UF can achieve this is by partnering with programs like the Bite Club meal plan. This initiative is a step in the right direction. By partnering with new local vendors and moving away from big franchises, we can reduce our reliance on processed foods. While we can’t guarantee that all the restaurants on this list will be completely free of UPFs, supporting local eateries is a positive move towards healthier eating options for students.
While studies are still uncovering new information, it’s important to remember that not all UPFs are equal. Some UPFs may have a greater impact on health than others. For instance, processed meats, sugary breakfast foods and sugar or artificially sweetened beverages are where red flags should arise. Being mindful of these specific categories can help make better dietary choices even within the realm of UPFs.
While occasionally eating UPFs won’t be fatal, it’s important to be mindful of their long-term health impacts and include whole foods in your diet.
Valeria Gomez is a graduate student at UF studying human nutrition.
The Alligator encourages comments from readers. Letters to the editor should not exceed 600 words (about one letter-sized page). They must be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s name, classification and phone number. Names will be withheld if the writer shows just cause. We reserve the right to edit for length, grammar, style and libel. Send letters to opinions@alligator.org, bring them to 2700 SW 13th St., or send them to P.O. Box 14257, Gainesville, FL 32604-2257.Columns of about 450 words about original topics and editorial cartoons are also welcome. Questions? Call 352-376-4458.
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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
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APARTMENT FOR RENT - FURNISHED
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5 Real Estate
NEW CONDOS-WALK TO UF For Info on ALL Condos for Sale, Visit www.UFCONDOS.COM or Matt Price, University Realty, 352-281-3551 12-2-24-15-5
10 For Sale
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HIV ANTIBODY TESTING
Alachua County Health Dept. Call 334-7960 for app’t (optional $20 fee)
NOTE: This newspaper assumes no responsibility for injury or loss arising from contacts made through advertising. We suggest that any reader who responds to advertising use caution and investigate the sincerity of the advertiser before giving out personal information or arranging meetings or investing money.
July 27th, 2024 at or about 10:20 a.m. an extraordinarily beautiful young lady held the door open for me at a restaurant named Rush Bowls. I use a walker temporarily because I fell and fractured my left hip. The lady had dark blonde hair done up in the back similar to a coiffure but not exactly the same. She had blue eyes and she appeared to be very young. She was approximately 1820 yrs of age. Please, if you are reading this message, call me at 386-324-5583. I would very much like to meet you. 9-23-24-1-18
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
The Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area announces a public meeting to which all interested persons are invited.
DATE & TIME: October 7, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
PLACE: John R. “Jack” Durrance Auditorium, County Administration Building, Gainesville, Florida
PURPOSE: Regular Business Meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization
A copy of the agenda may be obtained by visiting our website at www.ncfrpc.org (click Metropolitan Transportation Planning) or may be seen posted at 2009 NW 67th Place, Gainesville, Florida one week prior to the meeting.
Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, familial status, religious status, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Michael Escalante at 352.955.2200, extension 114, at least 48 hours prior to the public meeting. 9-23-1-20
1. U.S. STATES: Which state's nickname is The Hawkeye State?
2. MOVIES: What are the bad guys called in "Transformers"?
1. MEASUREMENTS: How many inches are in a mile?
3. MYTHOLOGY: What happens to people when Medusa turns her gaze on them?
4. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of crocodiles in the water called?
2. ASTRONOMY: What does the acronym SETI mean to the scientific community?
5. FOOD & DRINK: What is the main ingredient in bouillabaisse (stew)?
3. LANGUAGE: What does the Latin prefix “sub-” mean in English?
6. ASTRONOMY: How old is our Sun?
7. TELEVISION: Where does Walter White live in "Breaking Bad"?
4. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the only president to serve two nonconsecutive terms?
8. LITERATURE: The character named Ichabod Crane appears in which 19th-century story?
9. MEDICAL: What is a common name for onychocryptosis?
10. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of Nova Scotia?
5. LITERATURE: Which 20th-century movie star penned the autobiography “Me: Stories of My Life”?
6. HISTORY: What was the first National Monument proclaimed in the United States?
7. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the island of Luzon located?
8. MOVIES: Which sci-fi movie has the tagline, “Reality is a thing of the past”?
1. What 1995 action thriller film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme centered on a terrorist plot at Pittsburgh's Civic Arena during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final?
2. Name the twin sisters who were on the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team together from 1997-98.
9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What was the name of the United States’ first nuclear-powered submarine?
3. In a scandal dubbed "Crashgate," what Formula 1 driver alleged that he was told to intentionally crash his racecar to give an advantage to Renault teammate Fernando Alonso at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix?
10. GAMES: What are the four railroad properties in Monopoly?
4. The Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award honors a reporter or columnist for excellence in coverage of what sport?
Answers
1. 63,360 inches
5. Snowboarder Ross Rebagliati, who had his men's giant slalom gold medal stripped (and later restored) after a positive drug test for cannabis at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, competed for what country?
6. What Baseball Hall of Fame catcher had his No. 23 jersey retired by the St. Louis Cardinals?
2. Search for extraterrestrial intelligence
7. Name the Basketball Hall of Famer who holds the
3. Below or insufficient
record for most career personal fouls per game with 3.68.
4. Grover Cleveland
5. Katharine Hepburn
6. Devils Tower, 1906
7. The Philippines
8. “The Matrix”
9. The USS Nautilus
Sudoku solution
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2024
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Florida Museum of Natural History announces closure for over a year
POWELL HALL AND ITS PUBLIC EXHIBITS WILL TEMPORARILY CLOSE JAN. 6, 2025, FOR $20 MILLION IN RENOVATION
By Noor Sukkar Avenue Staff Writer
The Florida Museum of Natural History announced its temporary closure in a Sept. 6 press release, revealing a large-scale, front-end expansion project anticipated to span the next two years beginning Jan. 6.
The jobs of 29 hourly visitor services staff members will be “paused” as their positions will end when the museum closes, the press release said.
Renovation plans include upgrading classroom learning spaces for educational programming, adding technological renovations to its temporary exhibit gallery, improving the Central Gallery lobby area, front desk and restrooms and expanding the gift shop.
AWARENESS
Permanent exhibits like the Discovery Zone and Florida Fossils will be deep-cleaned during the closure but not included in the upgrades. The Butterfly Rainforest will also close, but its wildlife will continue to be taken care of. Shipments of new butterflies will stop at the time of the closure.
Melanie Rorech, a 35-year-old mother, lounged in the Discovery Zone on Sept. 19 as her two-yearold daughter, Penny, played around.
Rorech said they love it there and that it’s nice that she can let Penny roam around.
“We’re pretty bummed about it,” Rorech said. “We’ve been coming like twice a week.”
The mother and daughter frequently visit from Ocala and appreciate the indoor interactive space, where they can beat the Florida heat for free.
“I’m excited that it’s going to be bigger and better, but 15 months is a long time,” she said. “We’ll definitely be back a few more times before they close.”
Created by the Thompson Earth Systems Institute, renovations will build a new interactive exhibition gallery called “Earth to Florida,” which will feature interactions between Earth’s spheres. According to the press release, it will incorporate the museum’s Fossil Plant Garden and replace the outdoor seating with new seats.
Jaret Daniels, entomologist and museum curator, said the news was exciting and offers more opportunities to improve visitor interactions and experiences.
With a $20 million budget, the museum’s main vision is to enhance its visibility and bring the building’s exterior and interior into the 21st century, Daniels said.
Daniels said the closure was a big decision for the museum, and it simply wasn’t financially or operationally feasible to do a major construction project with people in the building.
“It is certainly unfortunate,” he said. “We don’t take decisions like that lightly when it affects people. But there’s just no other real, viable
path forward for us with this, so I think it’s the right decision.”
The closure, he said, allows for the condensed 15-month anticipated duration.
Douglas Jones, the museum director, said the decision comes after years of fundraising and planning.
Architects and contractors solidified construction plans Aug. 28, Jones said. The very next day, Jones emailed the 29 part-time other personal services staff who would be out of a job during the closure, he said, and proceeded to meet with and answer the questions of affected staffers.
“It is hard because the people there, we rely on them, and they’re good at what they do,” he said.
Salaried employees will retain their positions during the closure, and Jones’ team is helping OPS staffers find alternative employment on campus within the next four months before the museum’s closure, he said.
Daniels said staff members are welcome to reapply to the museum after its closure.
Despite the $150,000 loss in general operating support after Gov. DeSantis vetoed all arts grants in Florida this fiscal year, Jones said the loss didn’t impact the decision to close. The museum received a $500,000 grant from the state’s division of historical resources that will help preserve its archaeological material and exhibits, he said.
“While our physical doors may be closed at that time, our presence in the community is going to continue, and this does not affect any of the research collection side of the museum,” Daniels said.
The museum hopes to broaden its partnership and education offerings across North Central Florida through outreach like pop-up exhibits and events.
“This does not affect our strategic goals in the community, our mission of education and connecting people to the natural world more broadly,” Daniels said.
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Gainesville community raises awareness for Sickle Cell
THE SEPT. 21 SICKLE CELL WALK RAISED MORE THAN $4,000 TO SPREAD AWARENESS FOR SICKLE CELL DISEASE
By Tanya Fedak Avenue Staff Writer
What does it take to be a Warrior? Does it take super-human strength, excellence in physical combat or the ability and willingness to save the world? For some, all it takes is existing.
There are Warriors everywhere, but one wouldn’t be able to tell at first glance. They don’t wear capes. Instead, they wear red ribbons to symbolize what makes them a Warrior — sickle cell anemia.
The term Warriors refers to people experiencing excruciating bursts of pain due to sickle cell. There are over 20 million across the world, according to the Sickle Cell Warriors website, and many of them gathered at Depot Park Saturday to raise awareness for the disease.
Streetlight, a UF Health palliative care peer support program for patients aged 13 to 30 diagnosed with a chronic illness, hosted its second annual Strides for Sickle Cell Walk Sept. 21. With more than 300 people in attendance, the event raised over $4,000 to spread awareness for sickle cell disease.
The event invited the Gainesville area community to walk around the pond at Depot Park.
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Participants could walk as much or as little as they wanted to, and local vendors like UF Sickle Cell Research provided resources about the disease.
One of the Warriors in attendance was LaChelle Hope, who has been living with sickle cell disease for 33 years. Hope has sickle cell type SS, the most common and severe sickle cell disease, and 97% of the cells in her body are sickle cells.
To increase her hydration, the only thing Hope can drink is the ionized water Kangen Water from Okinawa, Japan, which she has to get specially distributed from Orlando.
For Hope, the term “Warrior” holds a special meaning.
“Have you ever tried to take an ice bath?” she asked. “You know that initial shock to your system where you feel all of this prickly kind of stabbing sensation? That’s kind of like a sickle cell crisis, except it can last for months. It can last for weeks.”
Hope said it’s this exact feeling that leads those with sickle cell to be deemed Warriors.
“To continue to go through that stabbing and push through every time and make it, it’s like you fought a fight,” she said. “You fought a battle, and you won.”
Though sickle cell disease is one of the most common genetic disorders, Emily Markey, the director of Streetlight, said not many people know about the disease. Markey said one of the walk’s goals is to increase awareness through-
Caimán
out the community.
“I think the biggest impact is really just bringing the community together,” Markey said. “A lot of people with sickle cell, I think, value people noticing their illness because you don’t see it on the outside.”
She said the goal of the event is to connect these people not only with each other but to those who recognize and support sickle cell anemia.
“This is really just an opportunity for them to know that we see you, and we hear you, and we respect everything that you live every day,” she said.
Although sickle cell disease cannot be physically identified, its power is strong enough to consume the human body.
Dr. Tung Wynn, a board-certified pediatric hematology-oncology physician at the UF, has specialized in sickle cell disease for over 20 years and described it as a disorder that causes red blood cells to not be produced in correct amounts.
Wynn said children with the disorder will experience anemia, causing their red blood cell counts to exist between six to nine. The standard blood count is 12.
“Because of the long-standing, persistent low red blood cell counts, patients have an increased demand for oxygen and an inability to meet that demand,” he said. “Their hearts take a toll on it. Heart function is poor. Liver function is poor. Kidney functions are poor. They
El podcast que habla sobre la salud y guía a las comunidades hispanas. Read more on pg. 11.
aren’t able to live as full or as healthy of lives as people unaffected by sickle cell disease.”
Hope said she is very familiar with these symptoms. In addition to previously needing an oxygen mask, she experienced three mild strokes by the age of 12, pneumonia over 20 times and protein leaking from her kidneys.
Some people with sickle cell disease experience symptoms differently. In the past few years, Hope has watched many of her friends pass away from the disease.
Hope’s best friend, Michelle Munoz Jones, who she’s known since she was 8 years old, died from the disease.
In 2021, Jones was hospitalized due to complications from sickle cell. The year before, during the height of the pandemic, hospitals tightened their regulations. Hope said one of these regulations included prohibiting outside food.
Hope said Jones was very skinny and wasn’t able to hold down the hospital food, causing her to lose even more weight. After she was discharged, Jones still felt sick but was hesitant to return because she was afraid she would die. Jones passed soon after that, leaving behind her wife and two children.
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El Caimán
LUNES, 23 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2024
www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman
Café CBOB: El podcast sobre salud que guía a las comunidades hispanas a través del mundo
UNA INICIATIVA CON SEDE EN GAINESVILLE ROMPE LAS BARRERAS LINGÜÍSTICAS PARA OFRECER EDUCACIÓN DE SALUD VITAL
Por Eneida Escobar
Escritora del Caimán
Traducido por Nicole Beltrán
Escritora del Caimán
Cuando se trata de navegar temas de salud en un país extranjero, el idioma puede ser un muro invisible. Café CBOB, un podcast creado por la organización local sin ánimo de lucro Children Beyond Our Borders, espera convertirse en un faro de esperanza para la comunidad hispana de Gainesville y otras.
El podcast ofrece orientación sanitaria en español, cubriendo un nuevo tema de salud en cada episodio. Hasta ahora, hay 16 episodios disponibles en Youtube.
Los voluntarios de la organización sin fines de lucro dijeron que el podcast está orientado a ayudar a aquellos que enfrentan no sólo las luchas de acceso a los servicios médicos, sino también el reto de entenderlos.
Julio Martínez, de 20 años, subdirector de educación de Children Beyond Our Borders y oyente del podcast, dijo que la plataforma ofrece un espacio para aprender, y que muchos
de los estudiantes que les enseña inglés han escuchado.
Sin embargo, Martínez dijo que le ha abierto los ojos para entender las barreras lingüísticas dentro de la sanidad.
“Tuve un estudiante de medicina de Colombia, pero como está aquí y no habla inglés no puede ser enfermero”, dijo Martínez. “Es realmente triste ver que muchas de estas personas, podrían estar en mejores posiciones, si tan sólo supieran hablar mejor el idioma”.
Ana Cusi, terapeuta matrimonial y familiar de 50 años e invitada al podcast, dice que está de acuerdo con este sentimiento.
Durante su participación como invitada hace poco menos de un año, habló de nutrición y hábitos de vida saludables. También suele compartir episodios con sus familiares en Argentina.
Cusi y su marido se mudaron de Buenos Aires a Texas hace 35 años. Tras mudarse de nuevo a Gainesville hace 12 años, dijo que su experiencia con los traslados la ha llevado a comprender mejor los efectos de las barreras lingüísticas.
Cusi dice que cuando habla de salud, se esfuerza por abordar las diferencias culturales, que también pueden influir en las barreras lingüísticas.
Cusi explicó que, cuando habla de salud, se esfuerza por tener en cuenta las diferencias culturales, que también pueden influir en las barreras
lingüísticas.
“A mi me gusta familiarizarme cómo cada uno maneja su situación y de dónde viene y desde ahí puedo ayudarlo.”, dijo.
Ya sea a través de su propia consulta o del podcast, Cusi afirma que le apasiona ayudar a la gente a conectar fácilmente con los recursos y superar retos como los de la salud.
“Intento ayudar como puedo, porque la idea por la que tanto luchó es que estoy completamente convencida de que todos tenemos herramientas muy potentes dentro de nosotros para superar cualquier cosa”, afirmó.
Café CBOB estuvo especialmente activo durante la pandemia de COVID-19, cuando muchos residentes hispanos tenían dificultades para acceder a la información sanitaria debido a las barreras lingüísticas. En el podcast se trataron temas urgentes, como los protocolos de seguridad de la COVID-19 y cómo encontrar servicios médicos bilingües.
El marido de Cusi, Kenneth Cusi, profesor de medicina de la UF, también ha sido invitado al podcast, en dos ocasiones.
María Eugenia Zelaya, directora ejecutiva de Children Beyond Our Borders, dijo que el podcast se centra en ofrecer educación sanitaria culturalmente relevante y accesible a quienes más la necesitan.
“Nuestra comunidad a veces no sabe dónde acudir para obtener recursos o no tiene un proveedor médi-
co que hable su idioma”, dijo Zelaya. “A través de Café CBOB, hemos conseguido que la información sanitaria sea más accesible y comprensible”. El podcast abarca una amplia gama de temas de salud, desde la diabetes y la nutrición hasta la salud mental y el bienestar infantil. Al contar con profesionales sanitarios bilingües de la UF, Café CBOB ofrece consejos de expertos en un español sencillo y accesible que resuena entre los oyentes.
“Al final de cada episodio, siempre incluimos recursos donde los oyentes pueden encontrar servicios médicos bilingües en el condado de Alachua y más allá”, dijo Zelaya.
La misión de Café CBOB va más allá de la atención sanitaria. El podcast aborda necesidades más amplias de la comunidad, como la mejora de la nutrición en los hogares hispanos, el control del estrés y consejos sobre finanzas. Estos temas resuenan entre los oyentes, que no sólo se enfrentan a dificultades económicas, sino también a la complejidad de adaptarse a una nueva cultura.
Zelaya reconoce el reto que supone financiar un proyecto de tal envergadura. Café CBOB depende de voluntarios y subvenciones ocasionales para financiar la producción. Sin embargo, la pasión que hay detrás del proyecto sigue impulsando. “Todos los que participamos somos voluntarios. Lo hacemos por la pasión que sentimos por nuestra comunidad”, afirma Zelaya. “Hemos
contactado con médicos, reunido recursos y construido algo de lo que estamos realmente orgullosos”.
De cara al futuro, Children Beyond Our Borders planea ampliar Café CBOB para abordar temas relacionados con la educación, como la navegación por el sistema escolar estadounidense y la preparación para la admisión en la universidad. El objetivo es dotar a las familias de los conocimientos necesarios para apoyar el éxito futuro de sus hijos.
“Hemos tenido padres que nos han preguntado sobre los exámenes SAT, las notas medias y lo que se necesita para entrar en la universidad”, dijo Zelaya. “Queremos ser un recurso que ayude a las familias a entender estos sistemas”.
A medida que Café CBOB continúa creciendo, los voluntarios dijeron que están motivados no sólo para seguir uniéndo se con la comunidad hispana de Gainesville, sino también para conectar a las familias a través de todo el mundo con información de salud precisa y accesible.
Zelaya dijo que describe el podcast como un movimiento en crecimiento.
“El hecho de que yo sé lo que es ser nuevo y no saber a dónde ir, no conocer el idioma”, dijo.
“Así que si podemos tener esos recursos para ellos, esa es mi motivación”.
@EneidaMariaEsc eescobar@alligator.org
Café CBOB: The health podcast guiding Hispanic communities globally
A GAINESVILLE-BASED INITIATIVE BREAKS LANGUAGE BARRIERS TO DELIVER VITAL HEALTH
EDUCATION
By Eneida Escobar Alligator Staff Writer
When it comes to navigating healthcare in a foreign country, language can be an invisible wall. Café CBOB, a podcast created by the local non-profit Children Beyond Our Borders, is hoping to become a beacon of hope for Gainesville’s Hispanic community and others.
The podcast offers healthcare guidance in Spanish, covering a new health topic every episode. Currently, there are 16 episodes available on YouTube.
Volunteers of the nonprofit said the podcast is geared towards helping those who face not only the struggles of accessing medical services but also the challenge of understanding them.
Julio Martinez, the 20-year-old education assistant director for Children Beyond Our Borders and a listener of the podcast, said the podcast made a difference for his family, who was struggling to find accurate information in
Venezuela during the pandemic.
“Café CBOB became one of the few places they could trust for updates on how to protect themselves and navigate their healthcare options,” Martinez said.
For Martinez, Café CBOB is more than just a source of information — it’s a tool that strengthens the connection between Hispanic communities in Gainesville and Latin America, he said.
“It bridges the gap between cultures,” Martinez said. “We all face common challenges, and Café CBOB speaks to our values and experiences in a way we can understand.”
Ana Cusi, a 50-year-old marriage and family therapist and a guest on the podcast, echoed the sentiment.
During her time as a guest a little less than a year ago, she spoke about nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits. She said she also frequently shares episodes with her relatives in Argentina.
Cusi and her husband moved from Buenos Aires to Texas 35 years ago. After relocating again to Gainesville 12 years ago, she said her experience moving around has led her to further understand the effects of language barriers.
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“What makes Café CBOB special is that it’s not just for us here in Gainesville,” she said. “It’s in Spanish, so I share it with my relatives in Latin America who don’t have access to reliable health information. It’s about helping people, wherever they are, with information they can actually use.”
Cusi also noted the importance of addressing emotional health.
“As a therapist, I know how critical mental wellness is. Café CBOB touches on emotional support, which is something rare in health-focused podcasts,” she said.
Café CBOB was especially active during the COVID-19 pandemic when many Hispanic residents struggled to access health information due to language barriers. The podcast addressed pressing topics, such as COVID-19 safety protocols and how to find bilingual medical services.
Cusi’s husband Kenneth Cusi, a UF professor of medicine, has also been a guest on the podcast, twice.
María Eugenia Zelaya, executive director of Children Beyond Our Borders, said the podcast is focused on delivering culturally relevant and accessible health education to those who need it most.
“Our community sometimes doesn’t know
where to turn for resources or doesn’t have a medical provider who speaks their language,” Zelaya said. “Through Café CBOB, we’ve made health information more accessible and understandable.”
The podcast covers a broad range of health topics, from diabetes and nutrition to mental health and children's wellness. By featuring bilingual healthcare professionals from UF, Café CBOB offers expert advice in simple, accessible Spanish that resonates with listeners.
“At the end of each episode, we always include resources where listeners can find bilingual medical services in Alachua County and beyond,” Zelaya added.
Café CBOB’s mission goes beyond healthcare. The podcast addresses broader community needs, such as improving nutrition in Hispanic households, managing stress and providing financial literacy tips. These topics resonate with listeners who face not only economic struggles but also the complexities of adapting to a new culture.
Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/elcaiman.
@EneidaMariaEsc eescobar@alligator.org
Síganos para actualizaciones Para obtener actualizaciones de El Caiman, síganos en línea en www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2024
www.alligator.org/section/sports
Questions still loom following Gators win in Starkville
FLORIDA EXPLODED FOR 503 YARDS OF OFFENSE AGAINST MISSISSIPPI STATE, BUT THE DEFENSE SHOWED FEW SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT ON SATURDAY
By Chandler Hawkes Sports Writer
The Florida Gators (2-2, 1-1 SEC) came out on top Saturday in Starkville, beating Mississippi State (1-3, 0-1 SEC) 45-28 behind a strong offensive performance. Nevertheless, not all of the question marks surrounding the Gators leading into the game were answered.
“For us, it definitely feels good to win,” redshirt senior quarterback Graham Mertz
MEN'S BASKETBALL
said. “You play this game to win, and you compete to win. Now, it’s about building on it. How do we maximize the bye week, and then going into the next one at home, how do we go get a win there?”
The Gators excelled offensively against the Bulldogs, tallying 503 total yards. For the first time this season against a Power Four opponent, UF had a balanced attack and, for the most part, controlled the line of scrimmage.
“I was really impressed offensively,” Florida head coach Billy Napier said. “I thought we played really well around the quarterback. I thought both quarterbacks did a really nice job of being the point guard of the offense, and we had some balance.”
Entering the game with a rushing offense that ranked outside the top 100 in the nation, the Gators pounded the rock 36 times for 226 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 6.3
yards per rush as a team. In previous games against then-No. 19 Miami and Texas A&M, UF failed to sustain any sort of rushing attack, including rushing for just 2.1 yards a carry against the Aggies.
Napier has emphasized that this team is not built to be one-dimensional. He believes that balance is key, and without it, the team can get into trouble.
In the two games that the Gators played with balance (Samford and Mississippi State), they won. The ones where they haven’t done so (Miami and Texas A&M), they lost in dominant fashion.
“We have to play complementary football,” Napier said after the 33-20 loss to Texas A&M. “That's the type of team that we have. If we're out of whack in one area, it's certainly not good for our team.”
The other key component to balance is
quarterback play, and the Gators had quite the day against the Bulldogs. With varying opinions from fans and analysts about Florida’s two-quarterback system coming into the game, both Mertz and freshman DJ Lagway showed out, but the day belonged to the former.
He displayed his leadership and talent all game, delivering on 19-of-21 passes for 201 yards and four total touchdowns, recording a Florida career-high in single-game completion percentage.
Lagway also had an impressive day, throwing for 76 yards on 7-of-7 passing.
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@HawkesChandler chawkes@alligator.org
Joyful purpose: Patric Young’s inspirational legacy lives on at 629 Open
THE PATRIC YOUNG FOUNDATION’S THIRD ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT LEAVES POSITIVE IMPACT ON NEARBY COMMUNITY
By Max Tucker Sports Writer
Patric Young hasn’t let the hardships get the best of him throughout his life. In fact, he’s thrived in moments of adversity to create a heartwarming organization better known as the Patric Young Foundation.
The two-time All-SEC honoree and 1,000-career point scorer, who reached three Elite Eights and a Final Four with the Florida men’s basketball team, appreciates life today more
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than ever, he said.
However, this appreciation is no longer fixed on dribbling or dunking a basketball. It’s about shedding light on others who have experienced the same troubling times Young did.
In August 2022, he was paralyzed from the waist down following a car accident in Nebraska while driving his truck.
“My life as a human being was never solely to be based off of my basketball career,” Young said. “The joy of my life I have now is having purpose. Having [a] purpose to be an example of light to other people. Stuff happens to all of us. But how can we be a light to this world and encourage others?”
The support and encouragement Young received throughout his initial recovery process in South Dakota proved to be incredibly beneficial. Though he included immediate family members and close friends on his visitors list, an unexpected
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act of kindness left him awestruck.
His hospital room was set in what seemed to be a bad location to see nearby fireworks set off on the Fourth of July, just days after his accident. However, the inconvenience didn’t last long.
“On the Fourth of July, when I was in the hospital, I wanted to see fireworks,” Young said. “My friends that came up to South Dakota to see me went out and bought some fireworks. [They] lit them up on the hospital corner street where I could see them.”
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