Brian Steele: After working at the Alligator for nine semesters, I can confidently say that this student-run paper has the most passionate, dedicated, and hardest working staff I have ever seen, and that includes the organizations I have worked for post-graduation. We worked for less than minimum wage, but we did so because we cared. A lot. I will be very disappointed in my alma mater should this go through. What is to gain from this? Limiting the voice of students? As a top-notch university, which I believe UF is, is this really the way to develop young minds to go into their chosen fields? Diversity should be clear for all to see, not hidden in the corner.
William McKeen: I was at the University of Florida for 24 years and considered the Alligator to be a vital part of the community and culture. Anything that impedes its distribution is loathsome.
Amy Zerba: Those orange racks are part of the Alligator's brand. Imagine changing the Netflix envelopes to white to match mail. Or all sugar packets to white? Color is a brand, and students look for those orange boxes that say -- college newspaper "we're different."
Belinda Long-Ivey: The University should support the student newspaper at all costs. The newspaper and the university's primary concern is to serve the students, first and foremost.
Shannon McGee: Every time I visit my Alma Mater, the FIRST thing I do is look for an orange rack. I want to know what's happening with the student body, how campus is doing, and the upcoming events. The Independent Florida Alligator newspaper is the best place for this information, just as it was when I was a student there. The black modular racks are ugly, often broken (at least when I was there), and not enticing to a passer-by. The bright orange racks say, look at me! Get a paper!
Keep this Gator icon alive. Please, do not remove the orange racks.
Jordan Miller: I appreciated a free press and what it meant to aspiring journalists and the student body when I was a student at UF. It meant we could trust them. What message does this send? That UF will treat a local, nonprofit, student newspaper the same as corporate-owned USA Today? Iknock it off, UF.
Sara Hurst: The Alligator's orange racks are iconic for a reason. Requiring "rack rental" and removal of independent racks seems like a way to restrict distribution and raise costs for the Alligator on campus, possibly limiting student access.
