Skye Schmelzer ripped off strips of duct tape and stuck paper after paper to the front door of Tigert Hall.
When she and 12 others finished, 65 professor evaluations papered the windowed doors with written curses and complaints, all aimed at a Florida senator.
As part of the National SDS Day of Action for Education Rights, members of Students for a Democratic Society encouraged students to fill out professor evaluation forms Thursday to protest the hiring of Sen. Mike Haridopolos, UF lecturer and Florida Senate president.
Those who protested said they dislike Haridopolos’ stance on cuts to university budgets and other legislation, including his opposition to a bill that would have allowed students whose parents are undocumented to pay in-state tuition.
Haridopolos has stressed the importance of budget cuts before, such as when he came to speak at Pugh Hall about a $3.6-billion state budget cut on Feb. 11, 2011.
“It is hypocritical of our administration to be against the cuts but still hire Haridopolos,” said Conor Munro, a 20-year-old history and economics sophomore and an event organizer.
Haridopolos was paid $75,000 last year, according to the UF Detail of Salaries.
Students and two professors filled out about 65 professor evaluation forms about Haridopolos.
When asked what personal qualities or teaching skills of the instructor contributed to the success of the course, some answered: “Being an asshole,” “Mike Haridopolos does not care about brown people” and “SDS Rules, Haridopolos drools.”
Some wrote, “Worst typos in PowerPoints,” “Get out of my university,” “Swagtivism” and “He is awful!”
For the course name and number, some students wrote: “Budget Cuts 101” and “Corruption 2012,” with a section number of “Greed.”
Haridopolos could not be reached for comment.
Once the evaluations were filled out, Schmelzer, Munro and 10 others marched from the Plaza of the Americas to Tigert Hall with a banner in tow.
Once at the doors, organizers covered the doors with the evaluations.
Members of the organization asked UF administrators to give the banner and the forms to Provost Joseph Glover, hoping they would get to Haridopolos.
UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes said the student protesters were entitled to their opinions.
“We will let them express their opinions in this way,” she said.
Contact Ben Brasch at bbrasch@alligator.org.
