SAY IN-PERSON WORK REQUIREMENTS FUEL TRAFFIC JAMS, PARKING NIGHTMARES AND DAILY STRESS
By Swasthi Maharaj Alligator Staff Writer
Long traffic backups and packed parking lots have become the norm for UF employees after the university’s full return-towork mandate took effect in August.
UF revoked most hybrid and remote work agreements in a July 24 memo, some of which the university put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic. The announcement gave employees 30 days to return to work in person and said the decision “aligns with national trends across business, education and government sectors.”
For 10 faculty and staff members who spoke to The Alligator, the order means waking up earlier in the morning, expecting hours of traffic each day and circling parking lots to secure rare spots.
UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldán said
Gainesville coffee company, Indian grocery store talk tariff impacts
Local owners say their lives
By Kaysheri Haffner Alligator Staff Writer
Business has become a question of scraping past the bottom line for Tripp Pomeroy.
As the owner of Sweetwater Organic Coffee Company in Gainesville, Pomeroy is one of many local business owners seeing smaller profits and less supplies since the Trump administration imposed sweeping tariffs in January.
“It was already hard. It was already a cash crunch. And it was a scramble from crop to cup,” Pomeroy said. It’s not even about making a profit anymore; it’s just trying to break even, he said. It’s become a mounting task that feels out of range. With all the brusque changes to the tariff rates,
he said, he finds the new policies random and contradictory, leaving him unsure how to implement changes to his business.
A federal appeals court ruled on Aug. 29 that most of President Donald Trump’s recent tariffs are not legal under the acts Trump cited. The Trump administration responded on Sept. 3 with a request for the Supreme Court to appeal the decision.
The federal court said the executive power Trump used to enact the new taxes doesn't allow tariffs at this scale. For now, the tariffs will stay in place until October.
On Aug. 27, the administration increased tariffs on imports from India and Brazil to 50%, while Canada’s rate was raised from 25% to 35% in July, according to BBC. National security tariffs set in June put a 50% tax on steel and aluminum, according to Congress.
“It's usually people on most modest incomes who see it first,” Pomeroy said.
Sweetwater has been in business for 15 years, he said, and it’s part of a co-op made up of 21 different roasters in the U.S. and Canada.
All members of the co-op import coffee directly from farmerowned cooperatives in Central and South America and Ethiopia. Since the tariffs, Pomeroy said, the co-op has lost upwards of $600,000.
“We have to be stewards to the small-scale farmers and their co-ops, stewards to the environment, stewards to our wholesale customers and stewards to the people who drink our coffee,” he said.
Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida
Juleidi Machuca // Alligator Staff
Students crossing Inner Road near UF’s campus on Aug. 27, 2025.
Today’s Weather
September is Suicide Prevention Month. See some of Gainesville’s mental health resources.
MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS HELP THE COMMUNITY RAISE AWARENESS
By Grace Larson Alligator Staff Writer
Warning: This story contains mentions of suicide.
Whether it be through group counseling sessions or community events, several organizations throughout Gainesville have sought to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and to honor it, some organizations have increased their outreach and work in the community. The Alligator has compiled a short list of some of those groups across Alachua County.
Alachua County Health Promotion and Wellness Coalition
Growing up in poverty, LaShay Johnson, executive director of the Alachua County Health Promotion and Wellness Coalition, received little education on the resources offered in her community. As an adult, she said she strives to give Gainesville youth access to the tools they need to cope with difficult environments.
“I made it out,” Johnson said. “I very well could have fell victim to the society or the surroundings that I lived in. But I think now I have a duty to go back and say … ‘Look at me. You can make it out.’”
Active for about 12 years, the Alachua County Health Promotion and Wellness Coalition works with students at the middle school, high school and college level to prevent substance abuse. The organization has sought to raise awareness of mental illnesses by working with the Gainesville community to provide counseling and mentorship opportunities for children and young adults.
“Our goal in the community is to raise awareness and make sure that we’re keeping these hot topics of substance use prevention and mental health education at the top of our list,” Johnson said.
The organization has worked with schools, clubs and sports teams throughout Alachua County, organizing activities that provide students with different tools to improve their mental health.
Among those tools: Workers can provide individuals with immediate referrals to behavioral health specialists to ensure they get the support they need.
“Providing resources is often what community organizations think they’re supposed to do,” Johnson said. “However, our goal is to be a direct advocate with those referrals and those resources.”
The coalition’s partnership with various behavioral health organizations allows it to overcome obstacles, like long wait times, when providing mental health resources to the youth.
Sage Wellness
Sage Wellness, a mental health office in Gainesville, offers counseling for children 5 and older on a range of topics, like anxiety, depression, trauma and relationships. With nine in-office counselors, the business strives to create a friendly environment that is comfortable for both workers and patients.
At the heart of the office’s work is helping the Gainesville community, said Emily Gartside, Sage Wellness office manager.
“I wanted someplace where I felt like I was helping people and making a difference,” Gartside said. “And I feel like that’s what attracted me to Sage, and that is something I feel like I’ve definitely been able to do.”
Gartside’s goal of helping people originates from her own personal experience and grief. After losing both
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her cousin and her friend to suicide, she felt compelled to spread awareness about mental health illnesses.
At Sage Wellness, she finds her goals align with those of her colleagues, who also welcome discussion of such difficult subjects. As a whole, the practice strives to destigmatize mental health.
“There is still a little bit of a stigma around mental health, and we really want to shift that,” she said. “It’s normal to have mental health challenges. … You don’t have to be embarrassed about it, because it’s something that everyone struggles with.”
As it did in 2024, the company will honor Suicide Prevention Month by creating stickers with encouraging words and QR codes linked to blog posts from survivors of suicide attempts.
National Alliance on Mental Illness Gainesville
The National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, is a nonprofit organization that offers mental health resources to those in need.
The affiliate in Gainesville supports a variety of in-person and virtual group counseling sessions catered toward families and individual members of the community. For many volunteers at NAMI, their goal to help others comes from personal experience.
“I think everyone at our organization, and also me as well, has had deep personal experiences with mental health conditions,” said Talia Murphy, the executive director of NAMI Gainesville.
This lived experience encouraged members of the community to open a NAMI affiliate in Gainesville in 2011. Since its beginning, the organization has grown and will soon welcome new group programs, like Sharing Hope and Hearts+Minds, according to Murphy. The first will be a peer counseling program offered to members of the Black community, whereas the latter strives to connect the gap between physical and mental health.
Through these groups, NAMI wants to provide a safe space for people suffering from mental illness to share their thoughts. By opening the floor to such discussions, the organization hopes to spread awareness about the issues.
“By starting that conversation, it already helps reduce the stigma,” Murphy said, “and it helps people not stay in the silence. It helps get it out in the open, which is really important.”
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Bayden Armstrong // Alligator Staff
One of the resources of SAGE Wellness, located at 4481 NW 8th Ave., captured Aug. 31, 2025.
A universal vaccine for cancer? UF scientists say they’re one step closer
THE IMMUNIZATION HAS ADVANCED TO HUMAN TRIALS TO DETERMINE IF IT CAN TRIGGER AN IMMUNE RESPONSE
By Sofia Bravo Alligator Staff Writer
A universal vaccine developed by UF scientists has shown breakthrough results for cancer treatment.
Even after someone is diagnosed with cancer, their body’s immune system might not know to kick into action if the tumor is “silent,” scientists say. This vaccine will spur the defense response to begin fighting the disease.
Scientists previously developed a personalized cancer vaccine, which is designed for a specific type of cancer. However, this more recent universal vaccine is meant to keep the cancer at bay while patients wait for the personalized vaccine to be made. The personalized vaccine successfully passed human clinical trials, while the universal vaccine is approaching this stage next.
Six years in the making
Scientists tested the mRNA vaccine on mice over the course of about six years in labs across UF’s McKnight Brain Institute. The vaccine caused tumors in the mice to shrink, and, in certain cases, completely wipe them out.
Pairing the vaccine with common anticancer drugs, called immune checkpoint inhibitors, produced these optimistic results.
Scientists published the findings of the study in the scientific journal Nature Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Sadeem Qdaisat, co-writer of the paper, stressed the difference
in this trial compared to other universal cancer vaccine efforts.
Most other universal cancer vaccines try to target the right tumor from the start, whereas this one spurs the immune system into identifying anything cancerous on its own.
“Some cancers stay ‘invisible’ because the body’s first alarm never rings,” Qdaisat wrote in an email. To work around that hurdle, this vaccine gives a brief alarm to the immune system using early type-I interferons, which are the first line of defense against infections. This allows the immune system to remember the tumor, making immunotherapy more effective.
Qdaisat is a clinical fellow in pathology at Mass General Brigham and a 2024 UF alumnus with his doctorate in genetics and genomics. He said his training in leading cancer centers around the world showed him how limited options are when a tumor stays “invisible” to the immune system.
“The possibility of turning those silent tumors visible is the kind of question that gets you out of bed at 4 a.m. to start a 36-hour experiment,” he wrote. “If we can reliably wake the first immune alarm, we can give more patients a real chance.”
Universal vs. personalized Dr. Elias Sayour, the principal investigator of the UF RNA Engineering Laboratory, mentored Qdaisat during his time at UF. As the leader of the close to 60-person team of scientists developing the vaccine, Sayour said there is reason for hope, but it takes a long time to prove whether the process works.
“It’s hard when you know that there are active children I’m seeing with cancer right now that this is not available for,” he said.
In May 2024, Sayour’s lab published a breakthrough in the personalized vaccine. Scientists tested the vaccine against four patients with glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, and the vaccine reprogrammed their immune systems to attack the cancer.
Using these findings, the lab created the generalized, or universal, vaccine.
Personalized vaccines are more effective than the generalized vaccine, but they take time, Sayour added. It takes around six to eight weeks to create a personalized vaccine. During this time, the tumor is growing and, in some patients, progresses too much where the vaccine can’t help them.
As a pediatric oncologist at UF Health, Sayour said he has seen the horrible side effects of other cancer treatments in children, like chemotherapy.
“That was very difficult for me,” he said. “What I wanted to do then was develop cancer vaccines that could target a patient’s tumor … without the adverse events I was accustomed to seeing with traditional chemotherapy.”
Universal vaccine could change — and save — lives
Sayour said he sees this project as a new standard in cancer treatment to replace the largely chemotherapy-based one. As of now, he and his team are moving forward with human trials to determine whether the universal vaccine can be used as a tool to wake the immune response.
“If that works, that would be truly remarkable, because that will unleash a new paradigm for treating cancer,” he said.
A universal cancer vaccine would benefit people like Steve Acree, a 70-year-old Brooker, Florida, resident who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2023. He said he knows a
a potential new vaccine for pediatric brain cancer with assistant scientist Chao Xie on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025.
lot of people who battled cancer, including his younger brother, Kevin, who died of colon cancer at 44 years old in 2002.
“A vaccine will be incredible,” he said. “It would be amazing.”
Acree underwent surgery to remove his prostate at UF Health in 2023. Though he didn’t receive any radiation or chemotherapy treatment, he said he’s been left with bladder issues that completely affect his life.
“Anything they could do that would stop this would be amazing,” he said. “It would give a lot of people hope.”
@sofiab026 sbravo@alligator.org
AFTER DARK
Open until 9 pm every Thursday!
SPECIAL EVENT NIGHTS
Museum Nights
Thursday, September 11, 6 – 9 pm
Noche de Museo
Join us for salsa, bachata and merengue dance lessons for all skill levels with UF Gator Salsa. Make your own mola design. Take an Art Blast Tour and test your Latin America knowledge with trivia. The Gainesville Latino Film Festival kicks off with a screening of La Frontera (The Border, 90 minutes) at 6 pm.
Wine Down
Thursday, September 25, 6 – 9 pm
Wine down with a performance by New Nostalgia (vocals by Kali Geiger). Free lite bites and desserts by Chef Bert Gill, along with wine and beer.
FREE ADMISSION
Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff Principal Investigator of the RNA Engineering Laboratory Elias Sayour discusses
image: Panamanian, Mola: Sea Urchins, 1950s – 1960s, Gift of Edith Emily Adams, in memory of Christine Householder
Business owners struggle
Pomeroy said their biggest challenge locally has been easing the transitions between price points to make the shifting environment more stable for their wholesale customers.
The company has transitioned to dynamic pricing, reassessing costs monthly to keep up with the changing taxes. That includes maintaining regular financial analysis and open communication with customers, he said.
“I feel like we just got to keep our nose down,” Pomeroy said. “Do the work. Do the right thing, do the work that needs to be done.”
However, the prices will keep going up, said Mark Flannery, a UF finance professor emeritus.
While the price of every item on the grocery aisle won’t see a jump, anything imported from outside the U.S. will increase, on average, according to Flannery.
The tariffs will drive production in the U.S. and increase jobs and wealth, but ultimately, he said, some goods that are impractical to produce domestically will become more expensive.
“In that sense, the standard of living of American consumers is going to be reduced by the tariffs,” Flannery said.
These tariffs have people’s attention, he said, and in that way, they were successful. The implementation of the tariffs is forcing international markets to adjust, but the long-term effects may be more farreaching.
With less international trade of
U.S. goods, Flannery said, the value of the dollar goes down. And for the U.S. consumer, the price of imported goods will continue to rise.
The upheaval caused by the tariffs lies largely in how they impact supply chains, he said. This is intensified at a local level.
While larger corporations may be able to rearrange their supply lines or can afford the higher taxes, it’s a harder task for the everyday businessperson, he said.
“The little guy is going to have more trouble being competitive, being efficient, surviving in the economic environment,” Flannery said.
Prashant Patel, owner of the international market India Bazaar in Gainesville, said his supply chains have also suffered over the past months. His prices keep going up while his supply diminishes.
The shop has lost business, and as expenses go up and profit margins go down, Patel’s shelves have emptied.
India Bazaar offers various goods of Asian and Middle Eastern origin, including spices, candies, fruits, vegetables and dry goods. Patel said 75% to 80% of what he sells comes from India.
The price he pays to keep up his supply is where he’s been hit the hardest by the tariffs.
The store hasn’t been able to keep its regular stock, he said. He often needs to direct customers to alternatives. Sometimes, he added, he doesn’t have any replacements for what customers are looking for.
“They learn to live without the stuff that we don't have,” Patel said.
Traffic jams
the university reserves 15,005 on-campus parking spaces for faculty and staff whose arrival times are typically staggered.
“Still, the beginning of a semester usually brings heavy traffic and high demand for parking,” she wrote in an email. “That demand usually tapers off slightly after the first couple of weeks as some employees find other forms of transportation.”
The university employs about 32,000 people, according to its website. It’s unclear how many worked on a hybrid or remote basis — but Quinnton Cooper, a member of the unofficial UF staff union United Campus Workers, estimated it’s a “big chunk of them.”
For them, this policy makes their jobs impossible, he said.
Cooper drives about 45 minutes from Ocala to Gainesville every weekday. He said campus traffic has already worsened as employees face longer daily commutes and finite parking options.
Recent cuts to RTS bus routes have strained Gainesville’s transit system, Cooper added, which makes it hard for staff to rely on public transportation as a timely commuting option. He said the rigid, often 8 a.m., work start times compound stress for workers with school-age children.
“This is a wholly unnecessary move … that makes everything less efficient,” Cooper said. “It’s bad for everybody.”
It costs more money, it puts more strain on people and requires buildings to use more electricity and space, he
Whether or not this situation continues depends on the Supreme Court, according to Larry DiMatteo, the Huber Hurst professor of Legal Studies at UF’s Warrington College of Business.
The tariffs have become a matter of both trade and presidential power, DiMatteo said. Executive orders allowed Trump to enact his tariff agenda instantly without approval from Congress or the federal courts. Lower courts have struck down other executive orders. But, he added, when the tariffs reach the Supreme Court, it will be a test of the court’s
favorability toward Trump.
Legally, the terms the tariffs rest on are incredibly vague, DiMatteo said. He added that it is up to the Supreme Court to make the decision, as there is no precedent surrounding the laws used to justify the tariffs.
“I think this is a huge test for the Supreme Court, because they’d probably side with Trump,” DiMatteo said. “But at what cost to the rule of law? I think it would be a high cost.”
Enacting tariffs through executive powers doesn’t guarantee a permanent fixture, he said. Executive or-
ders are fast-acting, but they don’t often survive the administration that imposed them.
However, DiMatteo said, most of the tariffs’ long-term effects are yet to be seen.
“So who's really paying the tariff? It is the foreign exporter or the American consumer,” DiMatteo said. “And ultimately, it'd be silly not to argue that those tariffs won't trickle down to the consumer.”
@kaysheri_h khaffner@alligator.org
said.
Kallen Shaw, a UF postdoctoral researcher in early childhood studies, said she’s struggled to find parking since early August.
Shaw said she usually parks in the Norman parking garage or a nearby lot, but the garage has been full lately.
She said she has been getting up 45 minutes earlier than she usually does just to find a parking space close to work. When she can’t, she’s forced to move to the commuter parking garage, which is an additional 21-minute walk away.
Shaw said the stress of commuting weighs on her mornings.
“I already get up early because I do a lot in the morning before I get to work,” she said. “That’s not cool.”
She said UF should build another parking garage rather than place the burden on students, postdocs and employees, especially considering the amount of people sharing the campus.
A standard annual parking pass costs about $420 for faculty and other non-student employees.
UF Transportation and Parking Services, or TAPS, now offers a park-and-shuttle service for faculty and staff during the first couple weeks of the semester to ease congestion. TAPS created the service for traffic spillover. It runs during the first three weeks of the semester between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., generally arriving every eight to 15 minutes depending on the time of day.
UF law professor Rachel Arnow-Richman, a job-mobility expert, wrote in an email Florida employers have no legal obligation to provide or maintain remote or hybrid work options, except in some disability situations.
But for many, the issue is less about legal obligations than about the daily grind.
“It’s illogical,” according to Emily Hickey, a UF alumna
who worked in neurology and later as a pediatric research coordinator. “It’s a very bad business move … they’re already desperate for employees, and turnover is high.”
UF Provost Joe Glover said he hasn’t seen faculty and staff retention problems since the return’s implementation.
“The traffic … I agree it’s not always pleasant,” Glover said. “But the traffic in Gainesville is not as bad as other cities. The university perceives there is a value to having people on campus so they can interact, serve students and get their work done most efficiently.”
While the mandate affects both faculty and staff at UF, he said, faculty may have more flexibility than other employees, especially when doing off-campus research.
One UF Information Technology employee, who has worked at the university for two years, said he swapped career paths to pursue his current job at the university. He said he preferred to remain anonymous due to concerns about his job security.
“This last almost two years has been healing for me,” the employee said. “Now to lose this hybrid work agreement, I already feel really disillusioned about it.”
He said his commute has grown by almost 100 miles a week. On top of that, he said, he and his colleagues need to spend extra time searching for parking.
He’s not currently job-hunting, but he said he sees himself doing so within the year. Other full time, in-person jobs pay more than the university, he said — and he knows other UF employees who are also looking to move.
Alligator staff reporter Logan McBride contributed to this report.
@s_maharaj1611 smaharaj@thealligator.org
Del Halter // Alligator Staff
Gator Esports Center grand opening gives UF’s gaming community a home base
UF GATOR ESPORTS CLUB OPENS PREMIER HUB FOR GAMING AT THE REITZ UNION AFTER THREE YEARS OF TALKS
By Amanda Roman Alligator Staff Writer
UF’s Gator Esports Club offers far more than what can be expected from playing video games on a screen. It fosters community, teamwork and competition in both the virtual world and real life.
With the launch of the Gator Esports Center, the club has shown it’s here to stay.
Since the addition of the center to the Reitz Union on Aug. 28, students now have the opportunity to connect and play in a premier gaming hub.
Esports, or electronic sports, are organized video competitions played individually or in teams, combining skill and strategy much like traditional sports.
Kelli Snellman, co-founder of Gator Esports Club, first pitched building an esports center in the Reitz Union in 2022. While serving as the club’s president, she worked with Reitz Union senior director Dwayne Isaacs and associate director John Duncan, designing and leading the creation of the project.
After Snellman graduated in May 2023, Anderson Allen, a 2024 UF alumnus, continued to work to complete the center.
Despite facing setbacks on the project’s time frame, Allen and fellow club members Snellman and Jeniffer Maldonado continued to advocate and push the idea. Allen became an esports intern with UF RecSports and earned a temporary position after graduation to help fund and con-
struct the space.
“Originally we were told if we could acquire the computers, a room would be provided,” Allen said. “We kind of took some time and came back, and eventually, that turned into the development of the esports project, the Gator Esports Center, as we know it.”
Allen was at the forefront in planning the logistics and day-today operations, paving the way for the club today. Now, Lucas Beasley, the club’s current president, is carrying the torch, finishing what three presidents before him set out to accomplish. He believes the hub will expand the club’s player base and strengthen UF’s gaming community.
“It’s a place to all meet together and a place to meet new people,” Beasley said. “But also it is a place for if you don’t have your own setup at home, or you don’t have a computer or console, you could play on a team from here.”
The 22-year-old UF master’s student emphasized competitive play is not required to participate,
and they don’t turn anyone away. Esports offer the chance to compete as a team, no matter what your skill level may be, he added.
The center holds 36 PCs total, including 12 in a soundproof “arena,” which players use for team matches and coaching. Six separate console stations sit right outside the glass walls, as well as two streaming pod PCs, which, once approved to open, will be claimed on a reservation basis.
The entire center features orange-and-blue LED lighting, complemented by dark walls and floors. If a PC is orange at the top, it is open for students to play. After logging in with a Gator 1 Card and personal gaming accounts, players can enjoy high-tech gaming.
For players like Jaden Hindle, a 22-year-old fifth-year civil engineering major, the center’s arrival came at the perfect time. Hindle, who joined the club in his junior year, now plays on the first team for Valorant, a popular first-person shooting game.
Sydney Johnson // Alligator Staff
Kyle Evans plays “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” in the new Gator Esports Center in the Reitz Union on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025.
“I heard talks of it all till last year,” Hindle said. “I’m happy that they finally built it before I graduated.”
Particularly, Hindle said, he was struck by the center’s professional and aesthetic design. For him, the arena room stands out most.
“Being able to sit next to my teammates … and after a round, fist bump and stuff,” Hindle said. “I think team chemistry is going to be a lot better. [This is] my fourth semester playing for the team, and before some of my teammates I never even met in person.”
As an introverted person himself, Hindle said the space not only enhances competitive play but also gives students who may feel isolated a chance to build community at UF.
Looking ahead, Hindle said he hopes the university will become a “big gaming school,” recruiting students the same way it does for traditional sports teams.
Wyatt Powell, the club’s community coordinator, explained the club competes in the National Esports Collegiate Conference, which features large games such as Counter Strike, Valorant and Rocket League. The club conducts skill evaluations to determine rankings and teams.
Unlike single-sport clubs, esports participates in a variety of leagues and competitions, ranging from local events with UF Gator Gaming to statewide tournaments against programs like that at the University of South Florida.
“Esports is such a broad topic,” Powell said. “We compete in conferences just like the other sports do, and we practice weekly and we have weekly matches … one of the benefits of having everything online is it’s really easy to play other schools.”
Alachua teachers left ‘uncertain’ after national English
The school system has yet to receive federal notice
By Logan McBride & María José Cordero Alligator Staff Writers
For nearly a decade, Kevin Kelsey has taught English to Alachua County students. Now, as he begins another year at Gainesville High School, he fears federal policy changes are eroding protections for English language learners.
On Aug. 20, the U.S. Department of Education rescinded a 2015 guidance on English learner services. The guidance served as a roadmap for how these tools are provided to nearly 5 million students nationwide, including more than 1,000 in Alachua County.
Without the guidance, some educators worry English for Speakers of Other Languages, or ESOL, programs could fall further behind.
Three in eight children in Florida have at least one immigrant parent, which is slightly higher than the national average of two in eight, according to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2023. In Alachua County, 16.1% of residents speak a language other than English at home.
“It’s just one more dent in the armor that is protecting the rights of these students to get a quality education,” Kelsey said. “What I see it more doing is issues impacting ESOL students falling through the cracks, maybe intentionally, maybe unintentionally. They’re going to be more overlooked.”
In addition to teaching, Kelsey serves as the co-department chair for Gainesville High School’s ESOL program. The high school is one of three “center schools” in Alachua County,
which provide specialized English learning classes. Students can attend center schools regardless of their zoning and are provided bussing. The other two schools are Parker Elementary and Westwood Middle School.
Kelsey said he doesn’t think much will change in the near future, partially because of how Alachua County has structured its support for English language learners, like the presence of ESOL programs at center schools.
But in the long run, the change could result in English as a second language classes having less funding, the district hiring less-qualified ESOL teachers and placing ESOL students into English classes they aren’t prepared for, Kelsey said.
A decrease in federal accountability could especially impact underfunded and understaffed schools. When Kelsey started working at Gainesville High School, the school didn’t have any curriculum textbooks for ESOL students. He and his colleagues had to create many of their materials themselves, or else find them online.
As the federal government rolls back laws and guidelines, similar challenges for ESOL educators and students could continue to “fall through the cracks,” he said.
“The fact that you would make English the official language, and then you would start stripping away supports,” Kelsey said. “It’s ironic that you would have both of those things at play at the same time.”
Alachua County Public Schools spokesperson Jackie Johnson said the change will not have an immediate effect in Alachua County. The county remains committed to supporting students learning English, she added.
Those matches often come with prize money. For a team ranked second nationally after last year’s championship win, victories are nothing new. They are especially sweet, Powell said, when the Gators beat rivals like Florida State University.
Beyond competition, Powell said, the 200-plus-member club offers multiple ways for students to get involved.
“We’re like a patchwork of a bunch of different subcommunities,” Powell said. “There’s a lot of leadership opportunities and a lot of student engagement … we get a lot of people [who] are into game organizing or event running, or even production stuff, like streaming stuff to Twitch and getting involved in casting.”
Since the center’s inception, the existing gaming community has more easily grown closer together. Now, members have a home on campus to do what they love.
Caity Beasley, a 21-year-old UF elementary education senior and general manager of Gator Esports, said the space exceeded expectations.
“I honestly was not expecting the space, so lively and so colorful, and there were already so many people in the space and gaming,” Caity said. “I just felt such an overwhelming sense of happiness.”
As a lifelong gamer, Caity said the center also helps her share a part of herself that has been separated from her campus life.
“I feel like I never really get to show it off and showcase that part of myself to my other friends,” Caity said. “Gator Esports is for everybody, regardless if they’re competitive or not.”
@mandy_romannn aroman@alligator.org
language-learning rollbacks
“We have not received any sort of formal notification, either through our ESOL office or the superintendent’s office, from the U.S. Department of Education,” she said.
Alachua County has ESOL support at every school, and each student is taught by a certified ESOL teacher, who typically has hundreds of hours of training, Johnson said. She added that all English-learning students also receive specific learning plans which lay out the services that students are provided.
Samantha Goldstein, a 35-year-old UF health behavior doctoral student and a parent of a voluntary pre-K student, said the change alarmed her.
“As a parent, I feel such empathy for those families who are now wondering if their child’s school will continue to support their child’s English language development and learning,” Goldstein wrote in an email. “This could rip away opportunities because of what they might miss during formative years. It also promotes an environment of fear and uncertainty.”
Goldstein also noted Gainesville has taken steps to value multilingualism, citing the dual language immersion program at Myra A. Terwilliger Elementary and its effects on cultural, cognitive and social learning.
“Florida, in general, seems to preemptively implement policies that the conservative federal government releases well in advance,” she wrote. “My hope is that Alachua will hold to their values and support their communities to provide quality education to all children, so they are able to thrive.”
@LoganDMcBride mcbride@alligator.org
@marprofundo___ mcastillo@alligator.org
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2025
www.alligator.org/section/the_avenue
5 Gainesville cafés every caffeine lover should visit
LOCAL SHOPS BALANCE COMFORT AND COMMUNITY FOR UF STUDENTS
By Aaliyah Evertz Avenue Staff Writer
The Fall semester is in full swing — and so are long homework and study sessions. Luckily, Gainesville has no shortage of coffee shops to fuel students.
Hitting Starbucks in the libraries on campus is convenient, but sometimes a change of scenery helps. Here are five other coffee spots to try, in no particular order.
Daydreamer Cafe
Located five minutes away from UF’s campus on University Avenue, Daydreamer is a bright, welcoming option for students who need a change of scenery. Its high ceilings, large tables and modern aesthetic set it apart from on-campus staples. Daydreamer’s menu offers a mix of classic coffee drinks and seasonal specials — its fall flavors include pumpkin spice, cookie butter and cinnamon bun. Similar to competitors, the average price for a specialty drink is between $5 and $7.
Anna Nguyen, an 18-year-old UF nutritional sciences sophomore, said she frequents Daydreamer when she needs a break
MUSIC
from the library. Nguyen first started going to the cafe during her freshman year because it helped her focus.
“Having that separate study space … was good for my mindset,” Nguyen said. “I never completed as much work as I could in Marston … because everyone’s there.”
Opus Coffee is a familiar name in town, with 10 locations, including the Airstream at 4th Ave Food Park and one at Innovation Square. It doubles as a study spot and a workplace; for student baristas, Opus is a place where campus life and coffee culture overlap.
Each Opus location offers a slightly different menu, but signature drinks like the Mayan Mocha and honey cinnamon latte can be found at many of them. Its fall menu will launch Sept. 8 at all locations. It includes two syrups (gingerbread and caramelized honey with vanilla and cinnamon) and four signature drinks (Faux Fall, Ginger Snapped, Pumpkin Patch Latte and Crumb and Get It).
Andrea Dixon, a 19-year-old UF public relations sophomore, has worked at the Airstream location for over a year. She worked as a barista in her hometown, and she originally applied to Opus because of its location. Prior to her employment, she had already
tried and enjoyed their drinks.
The atmosphere among employees is just as positive as what customers see on the other side of the counter, Dixon added.
“All coworkers truly do get along,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a workplace with so little drama.”
Dixon’s recommendation: Mayan Mocha
108 Vine
Tucked slightly off the main campus area by Newberry Road, 108 Vine offers a more minimalist and quieter experience. For students who value calm over chatter, its clean lines and understated decor create a space that feels intentionally peaceful.
Its owner and director, 46-year-old Bren Strickland, has run the shop for five years. She said the store’s approach is built on quality and creativity.
Homemade syrups make 108 Vine stand out. From seasonal flavors like rosemary maple and pumpkin spice to classics such as vanilla and caramel, each drink offers customers a taste experience they wouldn’t find at a chain café.
Read the rest online at alligator.org/ section/the_avenue.
@aaliyahevertz1 aevertz@alligator.org
The day. The band. The venue. The making of a concert.
LEARN HOW SWAMP RECORDS CREATES A SHOW, FROM IDEA TO EXECUTION
is by students, for students.
Swamp Records is a “student-run resource agency that works to uplift musicians in the Gainesville community,” according to its Instagram page. The
The Day
For 20-year-old UF accounting junior Max Goldberg, being on alert for Gainesville-related updates is a key part of his job. As a booking co-director at Swamp Records, he
big artist is playing somewhere like Heartwood or The Wooly, I’m not gonna have a house show.”
Equally important is working with artists’ schedules, he added. Goldberg recalls when a big out-of-
The Band Swamp Records hosts two types of performances. For-profit shows mean Swamp Records retains all proceeds. This enables the agency to host more benefit shows, where
El Caimán
LUNES, 8 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2025
www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman
La revisión de redes sociales ahora forma parte del proceso de solicitud de visa
LA ACTIVIDAD EN LÍNEA PODRÍA DETERMINAR
SI SE APRUEBAN LAS VISAS DE ESTUDIANTES
BAJO LAS NUEVAS REGULACIONES
Por Sofia Alamo
Escritora de El Caimán
La vigilancia de redes sociales ahora es un asunto de seguridad nacional.
Tras una suspensión de tres semanas en mayo, las citas para visas de estudiantes internacionales se reanudaron el 18 de junio — esta vez, con nuevas regulaciones del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de los Estados Unidos.
Un cambio en el protocolo ahora exige que todos los solicitantes de visa de estudiante revelen sus cuentas de redes sociales para revisión. Según la Embajada de EE. UU., la evaluación busca identificar a solicitantes inadmisibles al país, incluidos aquellos considerados
una amenaza para la seguridad nacional por motivos como apoyo o respaldo a ideologías antisemitas y terrorismo.
Los solicitantes deben hacer públicas todas sus cuentas de redes sociales y enumerar cada nombre de usuario o perfil utilizado en los últimos cinco años en el formulario de solicitud de visa, de acuerdo con la embajada.
Estudiantes universitarios internacionales afirman que el cambio está generando ansiedad en sus comunidades.
Carlos Burgos, abogado de inmigración del bufete Burgos & Van Browne, con sede en Miami, dijo que el DHS tiene “discreción total y absoluta” al revisar las redes sociales de los solicitantes.
Las revisiones en redes sociales responden en parte a las protestas pro-palestinas en varias universidades durante la primavera de 2024, señaló.
Tales regulaciones corren el riesgo de limitar la libertad de expresión entre los solicitantes de visas estudiantiles, agregó Burgos.
Debido a la vigilancia del gobierno, ahora las personas temen expresarse libremente de maneras que puedan afectar su estatus migratorio.
“La gente dejará de compartir sus opiniones, lo cual no alimenta el intercambio de ideas en este país”, dijo Burgos.
La revisión de redes sociales para solicitantes de visas de estudiante también ha generado preocupación dentro del estudiantado de la UF.
Carmen Galván-Cuevas, estudiante de 20 años de Ciencias Políticas en UF y ciudadana estadounidense, dijo que el monitoreo de los perfiles de redes sociales de los solicitantes la incómoda.
“Me hace pensar que estamos eligiendo estudiantes internacionales en función de sus creencias ideológicas”, afirmó.
El requisito también ha sido criticado por ralentizar el proceso de visas. Un estudiante de primer año de Ingeniería Biomédica en UF, de 18 años, colombiano e internacional, señaló que las demoras siguen teniendo un
impacto visible. El estudiante pidió permanecer en el anonimato por temor a que su visa pudiera verse comprometida.
“Un amigo fue informado de que recibiría su visa en dos semanas, pero ya ha pasado más de un mes”, dijo. Su amigo no recibió la visa a tiempo para comenzar el semestre de otoño en UF, lo que lo obligó a iniciar clases en primavera, agregó. Los ciudadanos estadounidenses también temen que, si el gobierno puede imponer tales reglas a los solicitantes de visa, los derechos de los propios ciudadanos eventualmente podrían estar en riesgo.
Kelly Ho, estudiante de segundo año de Estadística en UF, de 18 años y ciudadana estadounidense, dijo que revisar las redes sociales de los estudiantes internacionales es “antiestadounidense”.
“Uno de los ideales principales sobre los que se fundó Estados Unidos es la libertad de creencias y de religión”, afirmó Ho. “Y esto va en contra de nuestros ideales y creencias”.
Derek Bambauer, profesor de Derecho en UF especializado en ciberseguridad, también opinó sobre los derechos de privacidad de los solicitantes de visa.
A través de la vigilancia de redes sociales, dijo, las autoridades fronterizas están logrando que los solicitantes de visas y estudiantes internacionales teman expresar opiniones negativas hacia el gobierno.
El problema mayor radica en la censura, no en la vigilancia en línea, añadió Bambauer.
“Lo desafortunado es que lo que está haciendo el gobierno es una especie de maniobra inteligente para eludir la Primera Enmienda”, dijo. “No se puede prohibir directamente el discurso… pero lo que [el gobierno] puede hacer es imponer consecuencias muy desagradables”.
Lea el resto en línea en alligator.org/section/elcaiman.
@alamosofiaa salamo@alligator.org
Docentes de Alachua se encuentran en “incertidumbre” tras retrocesos nacionales en la enseñanza del inglés
EL SISTEMA ESCOLAR AÚN
NO HA RECIBIDO UNA NOTIFICACIÓN FEDERAL
Por María José Cordero y Logan McBride
Escritors de El Caimán
Durante casi una década, Kevin Kelsey ha enseñado inglés a estudiantes del condado de Alachua. Ahora, al iniciar otro año en Gainesville High School, teme que los cambios en la política federal estén erosionando las protecciones para los estudiantes. El 20 de agosto, el Departamento de Educación de EE. UU. rescindió una guía de 2015 sobre los servicios para estudiantes de inglés. Esta guía funcionaba como una hoja de ruta de cómo se brindan estos apoyos a casi 5 millones de estudiantes en todo el país, incluidos más de 1,000 en el condado de Alachua.
Sin esa guía, algunos educadores temen que los programas de inglés para hablantes de otros idiomas (ESOL) puedan quedarse aún más rezagados.
Tres de cada ocho niños en Florida tienen al menos un padre inmigrante, lo que es ligeramente más alto que el promedio nacional de dos de cada ocho, según datos de la Oficina del Censo de EE. UU. de 2023. En el condado de Alachua, el 16.1% de los residentes hablan un idioma distinto al inglés en casa.
“Es solo una fisura más en la armadura que protege los derechos de estos estudiantes a recibir una educación de calidad,” dijo Kelsey. “Lo que veo es que los problemas que afectan a los estudiantes de ESOL se pierden entre las grietas, quizá intencionalmente, quizá no. Van a ser más ignorados.”
Además de enseñar, Kelsey es copresidente del departamento de ESOL en la Gainesville High School. La secundaria es una de las tres “escuelas centro” en el condado de Alachua, que ofrecen clases especializadas de inglés. Los estudiantes pueden asistir a estas escuelas
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Opinions
sin importar su zona y se les proporciona transporte. Las otras dos son Parker Elementary y Westwood Middle School. Kelsey dijo que no cree que mucho cambie a corto plazo, en parte por la forma en que el condado de Alachua ha estructurado su apoyo a los estudiantes de inglés, como la existencia de programas ESOL en las escuelas centro.
Pero a largo plazo, dijo Kelsey, el cambio podría traducirse en menos financiamiento para las clases de inglés como segunda lengua, en que el distrito contrate a maestros de ESOL con menor preparación y en que los estudiantes de ESOL sean ubicados en clases de inglés para las que no están preparados.
Una disminución en la rendición de cuentas federal podría impactar especialmente a las escuelas con pocos recursos y poco personal. Cuando Kelsey empezó en GHS, la escuela no tenía libros de texto para estudiantes de ESOL, y él y sus colegas tuvieron que crear muchos de sus materiales o encontrarlos en línea.
A medida que el gobierno federal retrocede en leyes y lineamientos, desafíos similares para
Elections — Thoughts on GRU management Read more on pg. 8.
educadores y estudiantes de ESOL podrían seguir “cayendo por las grietas,” dijo.
“El hecho de declarar al inglés como idioma oficial y, al mismo tiempo, comenzar a eliminar los apoyos … Resulta irónico que ambas cosas sucedan a la vez,” dijo Kelsey.
La portavoz de las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Alachua, Jackie Johnson, dijo que el cambio no tendrá un efecto inmediato en la región. Agregó que el condado sigue comprometido a apoyar a los estudiantes que aprenden inglés.
“No hemos recibido una notificación formal, ni a través de nuestra oficina de ESOL ni de la oficina del superintendente, por parte del Departamento de Educación de EE. UU.,” dijo.
Lea el resto en línea en alligator.org/section/elcaiman.
@marprofundo___ mcastillo@alligator.org
@LoganDMcBride lmcbride@alligator.org
Síganos para actualizaciones
Para obtener actualizaciones de El Caimán, síganos en línea en www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman.
www.alligator.org/section/opinions
Gainesville Regional Utilities is here for you
Unlike many of your hometown utilities, Gainesville Regional Utilities is a onestop shop. We provide electric, natural gas, water and, for those who live in a GATOR NET community, high-speed internet. We also treat wastewater at our two local facilities and work with the City of Gainesville to bill for its solid waste and stormwater services. We have lots of Gators among our 800-plus employees and like nothing better than watching one of our UF interns develop into a permanent member of the team. One such example is an engineer and utility designer in our Energy Supply Department who learned about engineering at a UF camp, later attended UF with the help of GRU’s Brighter Tomorrow Scholarship program, became an intern here and then an employee. He is one of the many who represent our symbiotic relationship.
Like many municipal utilities, GRU is governed by an independent board. Our board, which has been in place since 2023, is called the GRU Authority. It meets publicly on the second Wednesday of every month, so feel free to attend.
Under the Authority, GRU customers have seen bills decrease while many other utility customers around the state have experienced the opposite. This is quite the turnaround for us. Prior to the Authority, when the Gainesville City Commission was in charge of GRU, our customer bills were the highest or among the highest in the state, which was unacceptable.
I’m telling you this because in November the city will hold a special election to try and return utility governance to the city commission. It’s a significant vote that I’m confident will impact how much you pay for utilities throughout college and beyond. Most of the time, you won’t think about your utilities. In fact, I would hazard a guess the only time you’ll ever think about them is if they don’t work or when you pay your monthly bill. That notwithstanding, I have assembled a list of tips that may come in handy throughout the year.
If you have any questions about your bill,
please call us at 352334-3434 before going on Reddit. We have excellent customer service reps who will answer any questions you may have.
Follow us on X @GRUStormCentral for updates during power outages.
Ed Bielarski opinions@alligator.org
You can find our outage map and storm tips at www.gru.com/stormcentral
If you have any electrical issues, for instance, partial power, call GRU at 352-334-2871 before calling an electrician. We will fix any issues on our end and may be able to save you a lot of money.
If your power goes out or you see a downed power line, report it to 352-334-2871.
If you have a water or wastewater emergency, call 352-334-2711.
Create an online account at gru.com. This is the best way to manage payments, receive important messaging and monitor usage.
To save money, set your thermostat to 78 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter. If you must adjust either, do it in oneor two-degree increments to avoid a spike in usage.
Set your AC to “auto” instead of “on.” If set to “on,” it will run continuously; if set to “auto,” it will stop running after reaching the desired temperature.
If your toilet is continuously running, fix it quickly. You’d be surprised how expensive that can be.
Again, we want to make sure your experience with GRU is a great one. You can find more helpful information at gru.com/welcome or call us at 352-334-3434.
Go Gators!
Ed Bielarski is the CEO of Gainesville Regional Utilities.
The state legislature forcefully placed our locally owned public utility, Gainesville Regional Utilities, under the control of Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023. This stripped Gainesville voters of their power to choose who controls GRU, despite the stated will of its ratepayers in two previous elections.
DeSantis appointed five people to the new Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority Board, who answer only to him. You have no power to vote any of them into or out of office.
Susan Bottcher opinions@alligator.org
This attack on home rule was a reversal of the more than 100 years that locally elected officials governed GRU. DeSantis’ Authority Board is an extreme aberration in governance: No other utility anywhere in America is controlled in this manner.
Since the board took control of GRU, there have been documented cases of sloppy agenda management and the discussion of items that were not on the publicly noticed agenda. Florida’s Sunshine Law requires agenda items be made public if voting takes place.
At the May 2024 meeting I attended, the board members debated how much to cut the General Services Contribution. Staff reminded them severe cuts directly reduce the city’s ability to deliver services to the public (e.g., police and fire). I watched board member David Haslam say he “couldn’t care less” about the impacts because he is not elected. It appeared none of his colleagues disagreed with him.
They ended ConnectFree, which helped low-income ratepayers achieve homeownership. They raised rates on rooftop solar and zeroed-out funding for the Community Weatherization Coalition, which provided free or nearly free home energy tune-ups to save money on GRU bills.
These are just a few examples of programs put in place over the years because our community benefited from them and citizens wanted them. Our elected officials were responsive to their demands.
The board’s disdain toward the residents of this community is not going to change. Its disregard for how a public entity like GRU is supposed to be governed is not going to change.
You have the power to fix this. You can restore local control by voting in the upcoming Nov. 4 special election: Vote YES on the Gainesville charter amendment titled Local Public Utilities.
This special election is just two months away and the local public utilities referendum will be the only item on your ballot. You can vote early from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 at the Supervisor of Elections office at 515 N Main St. or Millhopper Branch Library at 3145 NW 43rd St. If you vote on Election Day, you can go to your usual precinct polling place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can also vote by mail.
For the full history of this years-long fight to keep GRU local and how to win back control of GRU, visit KeepGNVLocal.com. You can also request a yard sign, sign up to volunteer or contribute to our campaign.
This special election is vitally important to restore home rule and your voice in city government. Vote YES on the Local Public Utilities referendum on Nov. 4.
Susan Bottcher is the vice president of Gainesville Residents United.
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Alligator.
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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2. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which two primary colors mix to make the color purple?
3. GEOGRAPHY: Where are the Falkland Islands located?
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Trivia Test Sports Quiz
2. How old was Danish
3. Name the Little Caesars Pizza founder who was the owner of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings and Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers.
4. The Cincinnati Suds, Milwaukee Schlitz, Kentucky Bourbons and Cleveland Stepien's Competitors were professional teams that played what sport in the late 1970s and early 1980s?
5. Name the former ESPN sportscaster who served as the New York Yankees' radio playby-play announcer from 2002-04 before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers' radio and TV broadcast booth in 2005.
6. What Cuban baseball player helped the 1965 Minnesota Twins to a World Series championship and was named American League MVP that year?
1. Horacio Llamas, the first Mexican-born player in the NBA, spent two seasons from 1997-98 with what team?
swimmer Inge Sorensen when she won a bronze medal at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics?
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2025
www.alligator.org/section/sports
BASKETBALL
Legendary Gators basketball coach joins Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
BILLY DONOVAN BECOMES THE FIRST GATOR IN PROGRAM HISTORY TO RECEIVE THE ORANGE JACKET
By Jeffrey Serber Sports Writer
Donning a black suit and gray tie, addressing his family and thousands of basketball fans, Billy Donovan received one of the highest honors in basketball Sept. 6.
The Rockville Centre, New York, native was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, as part of the 2025 class, which included prominent faces in basketball like Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony.
“I obviously am incredibly honored,” Donovan said. “It’s really, truly a remarkable class to be a part of.”
In March 1996, athletic director Jeremy Foley took a chance on 30-year-old “Billy the Kid” to change the course of program history — and that’s exactly what he did.
Donovan became Florida’s head coach in 1996 and earned two national championships, six SEC titles, four Final Fours and 17 consecutive post-season appearances.
He became the second coach in Division I history to record 500-plus career wins be-
fore turning 50. Donovan earned the highest win percentage ( .715) of any Florida coach who spent multiple seasons in Gainesville.
After his departure in 2015, Donovan coached the Oklahoma City Thunder and led the franchise to five straight playoff appearances and a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2015-16. He is currently entering his sixth season as head coach of the Chicago Bulls.
Donovan spent most of his speech reflecting on his time in Gainesville, first by thanking Foley for trusting him to take control of the program.
“I really believe that he’ll go down as one of the greatest athletic directors of all time,” Donovan said. “Jeremy, I can't thank you enough for the friendship, the commitment and everything you have done to me.”
He discussed the road to developing UF’s program once he took charge. He reminisced on the recruiting process for players like Udonis Haslem, Brent Wright and Mike Miller, who took a chance on Florida, which had yet to establish itself as a competitive program.
Those players created a culture that attracted future players, Donovan said, including Corey Brewer and Joakim Noah, who helped lead the Gators to their first national title in 2005.
“With no real evidence, these guys came
Sweat, spit and sobs: Brendan
Bett’s ejection draws response from Gators team leaders
THE DEFENSIVE LINEMAN MADE A SPLASH AT THE SWAMP IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE
By Curan Ahern Sports Writer
Inexcusable.
That’s how Billy Napier described redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Brendan Bett’s actions in the final minutes of Florida’s 18-16 loss to South Florida Sept. 6.
During the Bulls’ game-winning drive, where quarterback Byrum Brown marched 87 yards downfield to set up a game-winning field goal, Bett was ejected for spitting on USF offensive lineman Cole Skinner.
“It’s unacceptable,” Napier said. “When a guy does something like that, he's compromising the team. He's putting himself before the team.” Bett got in Skinner’s face and spit on him just feet away from an official. The infraction moved the Bulls 15 yards upfield just moments after UF junior cornerback Dijon Johnson was penalized
here and had faith and belief, and in two years, they played for a national championship,” he said.
Donovan also highlighted UF’s 2005-06 and 2006-07 national championship teams. He praised his 2006 team for starting the season unranked and later taking the title. For his 2007 team, he highlighted its ability to handle the pressure of being ranked first nationally and becoming the first team to win back-to-back this century.
Former Duke men’s basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski also spoke at the induction. He praised Donovan’s ability to win back-to-back national championships in a video aired before the former Gators coach’s speech.
“Winning the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship is difficult,” Krzyzewski said. “To win it two times in a row is a remarkable accomplishment. He’s one of the great coaches, but he also is as genuine a person there is in basketball.”
Donovan finished reflecting on his time in Gainesville by praising players like Bradley Beal, who helped build the program back up following the 2007 championship.
Current Gators men’s basketball head coach Todd Golden praised Donovan when he was honored in Florida football’s home opener against Long Island on Aug. 30.
"Coach Donovan set the standard,"
for pass interference, adding 13 yards.
The two penalties were the nail in the coffin to Florida’s penalty-ridden contest. The Gators committed 11 infractions for 103 yards and lost after Nico Gramatica cashed a 20-yard field goal as time expired. After the game, quarterback DJ Lagway, defensive back Devin Moore and Napier addressed the spitting incident, which drew criticism from Florida fans.
As of Sept. 7, UF and USF fans have already flooded Bett’s Instagram with nearly 200 comments referencing the incident, berating him for “abhorrent behavior” and accusing him of “costing your team the game.”
“Sometimes your emotions can get high, but you can’t jeopardize the team,” Moore said. “Take accountability for your actions, and just clean it up when we see it on film.”
Moore was understandably dejected following Florida’s 18-16 loss, according to Napier.
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Golden said. "He is the face of Florida basketball, and there are some pretty high expectations now because of what he was able to do during his time here."
When Donovan’s name was initially called up to the stage, two familiar faces were up there to congratulate him: Rick Pitino and Maurice Cheeks.
In 1987, Pitino coached Donovan, who was the starting point guard for the Providence team that made it to the Final Four and recorded the best season in program history.
Following this success, Pitino hired his former player to join his coaching staff in Kentucky as a graduate assistant from 1989 to 1994 before Donovan was hired at Marshall in 1994.
“I didn’t know what he’d be as a coach during that time,” Pitino said in a video before Donovan’s speech. “But then he put his coaching whistle on, and the rest is history.”
Donovan thanked Pitino for the lessons he taught him both as a player and a coach.
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History repeats itself as Florida falters during the Billy Napier era
THE GATORS ARE 20-20 IN NAPIER’S FIRST 40 GAMES AS HEAD COACH
By Max Bernstein Sports Writer
Going into Florida’s Sept. 6 matchup against South Florida, the hype around the Gators was beginning to surface. Following a 55-0 win over Long Island in its home opener, UF was ranked No. 13 in the Week 2 AP Top 25 poll, the highest since Week 2 in 2022.
But in a game where Florida was 18.5 point favorites, the Gators suffered a massive collapse, falling to the Bulls 18-16. The Gators committed 11 penalties for 103 yards, including two costly penalties on USF’s game-winning drive.
The first was a pass interference call against junior defensive back Dijon Johnson, which was followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Brendan Bett after he spit on USF offensive lineman Cole Skinner.
“Not good enough, and it's my responsibility,” Napier said post-game. “We can live with the technical penalties, there's always going to be a handful of those. The ones that keep you up at night are the ones that are player decision-making, so there's got to be some ownership there.”
Napier also made a number of errors on the coaching front.
On multiple occasions, he attempted to make mass substitutions on defense. Late in the first quarter, with USF facing a fourth-down, UF was penalized for too many men on the field, giving the Bulls a crucial first-down. Then, late in the third quarter, USF quickly snapped the ball on a late Florida substitution, leading to a breakdown
in the Gators’ secondary and a 66-yard go-ahead touchdown catch by junior wide receiver Keshaun Singleton.
The head coach also mismanaged the clock late in the game. Up 16-15, needing one first down to end the game, the Gators threw the ball twice with 2:52 remaining. Both passes came up incomplete, giving the Bulls ample time on their game-winning drive.
Then, Napier held his two remaining timeouts until only 22 seconds remained, allowing South Florida to kick the 20-yard winning field goal as time expired.
“We had two,” Napier said. “At that point, there's going to be a field goal kicked. They had one, so they had an extra down. So regardless of when the timeouts get called, it's going to end up about the same.”
And this type of collapse wasn’t the first under Napier.
In 2024, the Gators were in the driver's seat early against then-No. 8 Tennessee, dominating the first half of play. The Gators had an opportunity to head into the half up 6-0, but an illegal substitution penalty for having 12 men on the field wiped out a field goal. Florida ended up losing 23-17 in overtime.
Against Arkansas in 2023, UF allowed 481 total yards and surrendered a game-winning overtime touchdown to lose 39-36. On their final drive of the game, the Gators set up a 39-yard field goal attempt for Trey Smack. An illegal substitution penalty backed the Gators up five yards, however, and Smack missed the 44-yard kick. It was Arkansas’ first-ever win in Gainesville.
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@maxbernstein23 mbernstein@alligator.org
Noah Lantor // Alligator Staff
Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier talks to a referee during a football game between the South Florida Bulls and the Florida Gators on Sept. 6, 2025, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.
Noah Lantor // Alligator Staff
Florida Gators wide receiver Vernell Brown III (8) runs with the ball in a football game between the South Florida Bulls and the Florida Gators on Sept. 6, 2025, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.
