News

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

UF ends investigation into whether six faculty ‘interfered’ with Hamilton Center following pressure from union, major donor

By Timothy Wang and Garrett Shanley | July 8

Following pressure from its faculty union and a major donor, UF has closed its investigation into whether six College of Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty “interfered” with the curriculum development of the Hamilton Center, the university’s state-mandated civic center which has been fast-tracked to become a college.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

GAU holds first-ever ‘Queens at Capones’ drag show

By Grace McClung | July 8

A crowd clustered around Capones’ stripper poles, faces illuminated in neon purple light, captivated by the pounding bass and holding out dollar bills. Donning yellow fur coats, animal print bodysuits, knee-high leather boots and sequined dresses, four drag queens strutted and shimmied to pop hits at the first-ever “Queens at Capones” drag show July 5.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

Iranian government sanctions former UFPD chief following pro-Palestinian protestor arrests

By Avery Parker | July 8

Iran sanctioned former UF Police Department chief Linda Stump-Kurnick and ten other law enforcement leaders across the nation July 4 for “flagrant violation of human rights by suppressing [the] pro-Palestine student protest movement.”

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS BREAKING NEWS

Undercover Messianic Jewish activist who sought to entrap Muslim professors trespassed from UF campus

By Grace McClung | July 1

The undercover Messianic Jewish activist who tried to bait UF Muslim professors into admitting bias against Israel and conservatives has been trespassed from all UF properties for three years by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

UF concrete canoe team paddles its way to fourth national title

By Kamala Rossi | July 1

Mist traced the rolling mountains surrounding Lake Utah State Park as a team of four UF civil engineering students paddled their craft, the Springseeker, to victory. Team Springseeker, made up of UF faculty, students and alumni, worked tirelessly to create a concrete canoe fit to race against other top civil engineering colleges.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

UF School of Music receives $20 million from the state to improve facilities

By Avery Parker | July 1

Gov. Ron DeSantis approved $20 million for the UF School of Music’s building project in the “Focus on Florida’s Future” budget June 12, bringing total state funding for the project to $55 million. 

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

UFPD sergeant facing suspension for racist comments, nepotism

By Grace McClung | July 1

A UF Police Department sergeant is facing a three-day suspension after an internal investigation found he repeatedly made racist and antisemitic comments to coworkers and attempted to influence official application processes to help his superior's son get a job.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

UF Faculty Senate holds special meeting to approve Hamilton Center degrees, discuss post-tenure review

By Timothy Wang | June 23

The UF Faculty Senate held its first-ever summer meeting Friday over Zoom to vote on approval of two degree proposals for the Hamilton Center, the university's state-mandated civic center which has been fast-tracked to become a college by 2025.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS BREAKING NEWS

UFPD seeks trespass order for undercover activist who targeted UF Muslim professors

By Grace McClung | June 23

The UF Police Department is still working to trespass an undercover Messianic Jewish activist who sought to bait Muslim UF professors into admitting bias against Israel and conservatives, despite a previous case report declaring the man was “not considered a threat” and wouldn’t be trespassed.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

UFPD, GPD end investigations into undercover Messianic Jewish activist who sought to entrap Muslim professors

By Grace McClung | June 21

An undercover Messianic Jewish activist who sought to bait Muslim UF professors into admitting bias against Israel and conservatives will not be trespassed from campus and is “not considered a threat” by the UF Police Department.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Tulane University official named next UF Vice President for Construction, Facilities and Auxiliary Operations

By Timothy Wang | June 18

Tulane University Vice President Randy Philipson will replace Dave Kratzer as UF’s vice president for construction and facilities beginning July 22, according to a news release. 

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

Biden prevents UF Gator Band from leading D-Day parade in Normandy

By Kamala Rossi | June 17

Hours passed aimlessly as the summer sun beat down on UF’s Gator Band in a parking lot outside Omaha Beach in France. Clad in orange and blue with instruments in hand, they stared down an unlikely blockade to their overseas performance in commemoration of D-Day. The culprit: President Joe Biden.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

UF’s Jacksonville campus received $75 million from the state. What’s next?

By Timothy Wang | June 17

For more than a year, UF has been making progress toward establishing a graduate campus in Jacksonville, obtaining approval from the Board of Trustees and permission from the Board of Governors to establish a temporary campus location in downtown Jacksonville.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

UF’s International Piano Festival brings musicians to campus for a week of lessons and performances

By Avery Parker | June 17

A lone pianist perched above a Steinway piano with his eyes shut. As his fingers flitted across the keys, hundreds of concertgoers leaned forward in their seats in search of what the music might tell them.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

UF Board of Trustees presents P.K. Yonge admission process plan of action

By Sara-James Ranta | June 14

UF PK-12 Vice President Penny Schwinn presented updates Thursday for a P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School plan of action regarding her previous recommendation to change its admission process.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

Black bear cub spotted 'chilling' in tree on UF campus

By Lee Ann Anderson | June 13

The UF Police Department responded to a call about a mid-sized black bear perched in a tree near the Cancer and Genetics Research Complex on Mowry Street around 10 a.m. Thursday.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Student Senate passes 2024-2025 budget, ‘Stop the Stall’ legislation

By Avery Parker | June 13

The UF Student Senate passed its 2024-2025 budget bill Tuesday night with bipartisan support, ensuring another year of funding for Student Government, Student Engagement, the Reitz Union and RecSports.

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS

UF’s first female police chief named Assistant Vice President of Public Safety

By Timothy Wang | June 12

Linda Stump-Kurnick, who became UF’s first female police chief in July 2003, will become the Assistant Vice President of Public Safety, according to a Wednesday UF news release. 

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

UF continues searches for top leadership positions, deans

By Kamala Rossi | June 10

Within the past year, UF has filled positions from the shifting vacancies that followed after Ben Sasse was announced as UF’s new president in February 2023. 

---

NEWS  |  CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Student Senate to vote on 2024-2025 budget, ‘Stop the Stall’ legislation

By Avery Parker | June 10

The UF Student Senate is set to vote June 11 on the 2024-2025 Student Government budget as well as bills proposing significant changes to Senate speaking rules.