News - The Independent Florida Alligator

Signs in the Reitz Union warn of asbestos. Parts of the Lower Level of the Reitz Union are closed for renovations.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Asbestos in Reitz to be removed by next week

By Catherine Dickson | Jan. 19, 2017

By next week, the asbestos in the Reitz Union will be gone.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Asbestos ‘hazard’ found in portions of Reitz Union

By Meryl Kornfield | Jan. 19, 2017

Portions of the Reitz Union are contaminated with asbestos — and they have been for more than a month, although UF’s spokespeople were unaware.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF research links rudeness with declining quality of care

By Courtney Moberley | Jan. 18, 2017

A UF researcher has found that when you treat your child’s doctor rudely, quality of care plummets.

From left: Professor Mike Foley speaks with Michael LaForgia about LaForgia’s investigative series “Failure Factories” for the Tampa Bay Times. LaForgia won the Pulitzer Prize for local reporting in 2016 for the investigation into Pinellas County schools.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Tampa Bay Times reporter talks about Pulitzer Prize series

By Romy Ellenbogen | Jan. 18, 2017

When Brittany Munyer read the Tampa Bay Times series “Failure Factories,” she realized she wanted to be a teacher.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

On being an intellectual

Jan. 18, 2017

A few weeks ago, I met with a UF professor who was uncomfortable with my occasional use of the word “prayer” in editorials and messages to campus. We met over a cup of coffee and had a robust and stimulating discussion on why I sometimes say “my prayer” instead of “my hope” and “in my prayers” instead of “in my thoughts” when I wish to convey a strong personal sentiment.

Jaime Benedict, a 20-year-old UF nursing junior, snaps a selfie in front of the mammoth skeleton at the Florida Museum of Natural History during “Museum Selfie Day.”

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF museum hopes to lure students with ‘selfie’ event

By Harrison O’Keeffee | Jan. 18, 2017

UF students and Gainesville families gathered in front of the giant mammoth fossil at the Florida Museum of Natural History with phones in hand and smiles on their faces Wednesday.

Pictured is the Santa Fe College clock tower.

NEWS | SFC

SFC buries time capsule, christens clock tower

By Molly Vossler | Jan. 17, 2017

Santa Fe College ended its yearlong 50th anniversary celebration by burying a time capsule and smashing a bottle of champagne Tuesday.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

SG adds amendment to ballot

By Paige Fry | Jan. 17, 2017

Students will vote on a constitutional amendment during Spring Student Government elections that could change how Summer replacement senators are chosen.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF to host undergraduate program with $415,000 grant

By Isaac Heller | Jan. 17, 2017

This Summer, 80 freshmen and sophomore university students from across the U.S. will visit UF for the first time to learn about careers in the health professions.

Allison Hogan, the head instructor at Hogan School of Irish Dance, discusses choreography with a team of four dancers on Tuesday afternoon. Hogan shares her love of Irish culture with students of all ages in the Gainesville area and offers private lessons upon request.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Gainesville’s Irish dancers prepare for ‘Riverdance’ visit

By Romy Ellenbogen | Jan. 17, 2017

Since she was 3 years old, Alexandra Rodriguez has been holding her arms straight and kicking.

Jordan Alva's beard balm brushes are neither slippery nor greasy. The brushes have a top layer of balm pines that serve as comb for the hair, and a lower layer made completely out of beeswax that serves as a handle.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF alumnus invents beard brush

By Jimena Tavel | Jan. 17, 2017

UF alumnus Jordan Alva, with his long, scraggly beard, searched for a decade to find something worthy of his facial hair.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Students, colleagues remember retired UF professor

By Jimena Tavel | Jan. 16, 2017

Lamar Miller never had children of his own, but while he taught at UF for 13 years, he viewed his graduate students as his own.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Some UF police will receive salary increases over the next three years

By Romy Ellenbogen | Jan. 16, 2017

Some University Police officers will see a 1.5 percent pay increase for the next three years, starting this month. On Friday, the UF Board of Trustees ratified the contract between UF and the Police Benevolent Association, which represents police officers in Florida. Officers and sergeants will see

Kim Le, an 18-year-old biology freshman, signs a condolences card at the vigil for UF alumna Roselle Derequito on Turlington Plaza on Friday evening. About 50 students showed up to the vigil to honor the life of Derequito, which included the sharing of personal stories and a moment of silence.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Sorority holds candle-lit service honoring UF alumna

By Romy Ellenbogen | Jan. 16, 2017

Though she only spoke to Roselle Derequito a few times, Jonessa Cortes, 22, wept when she talked about the little memories they shared.

Lacey, who asked that her last name not be used, poses for a portrait on Sunday. Lacey dressed as Saber Alter, a character from the anime “Fate/stay night.”

NEWS | CAMPUS

Thousands of costume-clad cosplayers attend SwampCon

By Paige Fry | Jan. 16, 2017

Underneath the yellow-rose-covered hat topped with two large white feathers, Jessika Cooney is a shy 18-year-old who plays the flute and watches anime with her identical twin sister, Sara.

One of the museum's galleries was decorated with four tables, one for each house, to recreate the Great Hall in "Harry Potter."

NEWS | CAMPUS

‘Harry Potter’ event draws more than 2,500 museum visitors

By Jimena Tavel | Jan. 16, 2017

Displaying her scarlet and gold tie, Georgia Isherwood got ready to craft her own magic wand out of pipe cleaners and feathers Saturday.

Dressed as Cinderella, Kailyn Allen, a 22-year-old UF law student, reads a book to 4-year-old Phoebe Dooley. Dooley was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor in March 2016.

NEWS | SFC

Project Princess brings magic, love to hospitalized children

By Katelyn Newberg | Jan. 12, 2017

When 4-year-old Phoebe Dooley saw Cinderella at her front door, it was as if the tumor on her brainstem had disappeared — if only for a moment.

UF President Kent Fuchs addresses a group of students at the Martin King with Malcolm X: Exploring Social Justice through Multiple Lenses opening ceremony on Thursday. The group marched from the Institute of Black Culture to the Reitz Union Rion Ballroom as a part of a candlelight vigil before the ceremony.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

UF officials, Fuchs condemn noose left in Weimer Hall

By Paige Fry | Jan. 12, 2017

Victoria Camargo walked into class Thursday morning to find a 6-foot-long rope tied into a noose. It was about 9 a.m., and the noose lay on her professor’s lectern inside the Gannett Auditorium at Weimer Hall. The UF advertising sophomore thought it may have been a prop to be used in class. But her professor never acknowledged it. After the two-hour class, police were called and hauled the rope away.

Paige Arnold, a 24-year-old UF public relations senior, holds up a quilt with UF professor Deanna Pelfrey at a Collegiate Veterans Society meeting on Thursday. Each patch on the quilt has a note from a UF undergraduate student to a veteran.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF veterans honored with quilted messages

By Meryl Kornfield | Jan. 12, 2017

The messages were written by hand. Some were short, others long.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Construction on schedule at UF’s Innovation Hub

By Romy Ellenbogen | Jan. 12, 2017

Gainesville start-up companies will soon have more space to call home.