Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the Gator Nation!  Today people across the country will gather with family and loved ones to give thanks for the many blessings in life.  Thank you to all of the Gators that make UF the best university in the country.  May your holiday weekend be full of good food, good company, and a healthy dose of relaxation.

Rise and Shine Gators!

Happy Monday, Gators!

Today I would like to share with you the link to a video called "Rise and Shine, Gators." If you have the time, please spend two minutes watching this video that was created as a motivational tool for students across campus. It highlights what it is like to live in the heart of the Gator Nation.

Here at the University of Florida, we are constantly striving to be the best university we can be. Although we are the best state university in Florida, we are striving for more. Each year this school is more and more competitive across the board. Admissions is increasingly competitive each year, and the students coming in each year are smarter and smarter. The University of Florida is a challenging university filled with driven students who strive to make a difference in the world. The environment here is one in which all students challenge each other and strive to make everyone involved in the learning workplace better. Each year, we come closer and closer to our goal of being a top ten public university in the nation. It is up to us, the students, to accomplish that goal. This is why I encourage everyone to get involved on campus, study as hard as you can and make a difference. We are committed to our goals here at the SG headquarters, and ask the same of every student at this university. Rise and shine, Gators! The time is now for the #UFRising, as we have the opportunity to become one of the most prestigious universities not only in the southeast, but all of America. Seize your day, Gators!

Go Gators! Beat the Eagles!

Tomorrow at 2 p.m. watch as our Gators storm the Florida field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to rebound from a disappointing string of losses to try and earn a victory over the Eagles of Georgia Southern. As I've said before, injuries have been a problem for our team all year, and there is a chance that third-string quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg will be under center for the Gators again this weekend.

After the impressive outing we had against South Carolina in a hostile environment last weekend, which ended up as a close loss, there is no doubt that we should easily be victorious in this game. Georgia Southern, who is 6-4 on the year, is just lacking the kind of skill that an SEC team possesses. However, Georgia Southern is doing good things with their program. They are upgrading next year from the Southern Conference to the Sun Belt Conference. UF payed the program $550,000 to come play us in the swamp tomorrow.

The line favors Florida by 27.5 points in the matchup tomorrow, and I believe that our Gators can cover that spread. Our strong defense should have no trouble slowing down the Eagles' defense all day tomorrow. We need to get a victory on the board to gain some confidence for the powerful Florida State Seminoles that are visiting next weekend. This game should be a good game to prepare us for our biggest rivalry game of the season, which this year happens to be against the No. 2 team in the nation. Make sure to tune into ESPN3 or Sun Sports to watch. Have a safe weekend and go Gators!

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UF Alert Testing 11/19/2013

Yesterday UPD and Emergency Management tested the UF Alert System and encouraged students to update their information. Here, I am recording the message that was sent across campus. Go Gators, update your UF Alert information!

State University System of Florida Receives New Chancellor

Congratulations to Marshall Criser III, who was selected by a search committee on Tuesday, November 12th to become the new chancellor of the State University System of Florida. Criser's dedication to students and strong leadership skills make him an excellent choice and will be an asset to the 300,000 students that attend public universities in Florida.

Criser, who is currently the AT&T Florida president and vice chairman of the University of Florida Board of Trustees, has said that he will step down from any job that will interfere with his new position. We here at UF are very sad to see Criser go, but are very grateful for the time he served here and the legacy he will be leaving behind on this campus. Criser also currently serves on the Florida Chamber of Commerce board, the Florida Council of 100 and the Enterprise Florida Board.

Criser has deep ties to the University of Florida. As an alumnus and son of former UF president Marshall Criser, we are excited for the great work and representation that Criser will bring to the State University System in his new role as chancellor.

His new job will involve him supervising the professional staff at the Board of Governors and will coordinate efforts among Florida's public universities to represent their best interests to the governor and state lawmakers. Although we are sad to see him go, we know Criser will do phenomenal things in his new role. From everyone here at the University of Florida and the Student Government offices, we wish him the best of luck!

2013 State of the Campus Address

Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 19th, I will be giving the annual State of the Campus Address. The address covers the status of Student Government and highlights new initiatives and projects undergone by all three branches of government. The event will be in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom from 7 to 9 p.m. I strongly encourage all students who are available to attend this address, as it will be very informative and interesting. There will also be free food and giveaways along with the important updates about the exciting things that are happening here at UF. 

There are a plethora of people inside student government that have been doing extraordinary things during my administration that have helped us progress as a university. Many of the amazing on-campus organizations will be tabling during the event and giving out information about what they accomplish and why they are continuously looking for new members. As for me, I will be speaking about my administration and how I am striving to improve the amount of transparency that Student Government provides the student body, as we are a liaison between the students and the administration. 

Those of us who have chosen to be involved in SG spend our time trying to make the experience of everyone here as enjoyable as possible, and for that reason I recommend everyone comes out to listen and learn about how we are doing that. If you can't attend in person, the event will stream on Google plus under the SG Google plus account. For more information, please don't hesitate to visit our event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/231762563655546/. Thank you to all of you who make what I do possible, and I hope to see you all there tomorrow night! Here is an online invitation cordially inviting you to the event: http://www.evite.com/event/0312GNQ4SNVQRAYUGEPDIT4PEYLHR4. Have a great day and go Gators! 

Go Gators! Beat the Gamecocks

Saturday, the Gators head up to South Carolina to take on the Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia in front of an expected sellout crowd. For South Carolina, this game means everything: they have an SEC East title on the line. If the Cocks can beat the Gators, Auburns beats Georgia and Missouri loses one of their next two games, then they will have clinched their second SEC East title in their 21 years in the league. This will send them to Atlanta to most likely play Nick Saban and Alabama for the Southeastern Conference Championship.

For us Gators, we are playing for pride. Florida has suffered 10 season-ending injuries this year, including seven to starters. Injuries along both the offensive and defensive lines have caused the Gators to temporarily lose their physical dominance on both sides of the ball. The offense continues to struggle, and a loss at South Carolina Saturday night will not help Coach Muschamp's case if he wants to continue to be the head ball coach at the University of Florida. Brent Pease is most likely feeling a lot of pressure also, knowing that he is in charge of not only the worst offense in the SEC, but one of the worst offenses in college football. Fans and analysts around the country have been discussing Florida's offensive woes, and many believe that they need to change the entire offensive scheme to bring back the exciting spread offense of years past, when Tebow was the man running the huddle. Regardless of what is to come for the Gators in the near future, they are focused on playing the spoiler role on Saturday night at seven p.m.

With Tyler Murphy suffering an injury and playing sub-par football as of late, Muschamp announced Thursday night that redshirt freshman Skyler Mornhinweg will most likely take his first snaps of college football as the starting quarterback for the Gators Saturday night when he faces off against the 10th-ranked team in all the land. Make sure to tune in the to ESPN2 to watch our Gators try to use their powerful defense to slow down the Gamecocks and grind out a victory. Go Gators!

State of the Campus Address

At 7:00 on Tuesday, November 19th I will deliver the State of the Campus address in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom.  This event will feature free food, giveaways, and important updates about all the great things that are happening at UF.

There are many people who have accomplished a lot since the beginning of my administration.  I am excited to celebrate all of our achievements and will continue to look for ways to make the Gator experience better.  

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone on the 19th!  Be sure to check out our Facebook Event and Evite!

Celebrating Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day is a holiday that occurs only once a year, but we honor and remember our courageous veterans every day. This holiday is much more meaningful than just a day away from school. It is a day to reflect about our great nation that we take for granted each and every day and to honor the brave men and women who put their lives at risk to ensure our freedom. Those who give up their own freedom to fight to preserve ours are incredibly selfless, and deserve the respect of each and every American. The amount of dedication and love that our soldiers possess for the United States of America is an astounding reminder of how lucky we all are to be able to call this country home.

Today, I encourage everyone to take some time to think about the soldiers in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard and reflect about what they have done throughout the years of America's existence to make this country the best on earth. Think about those who have given up the right to be with their own families to make sure the citizens at home can raise and be with theirs. Also think about the different attacks that have been performed against the USA with the intent of destroying our freedom and sense of safety and be reminded of how our servicemen heroically responded. Every time there has been a crisis, Americans have been reminded of the power of our military and their steadfastness and determination. Whether you watch a video about our veterans or just spend some time thinking about all they do for us, ensure that today you are reminded of how lucky we truly are to have fellow Americans that fight for our country. Thank you veterans for all that you do for us! Your bravery, fearlessness and dedication to others are traits that we all wish to emulate and are extremely grateful for.

Students, today is the perfect opportunity to learn a little more about how our university is dedicated to honoring our veterans with our Collegiate Veterans Society. Log onto the Collegiate Veterans Society website to learn more about how you can help honor our veterans, or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/UF.CVS.

GO GATORS: Beat Vandy!!

This weekend our Gators take on the Vanderbilt Commodores for our homecoming game! It should prove to be an exciting game based solely on the fact that it is homecoming. The Gators return to the Swamp for the first time in over a month, and unfortunately, we have a few more losses than the last time we played here.

Last year, the Gators went to Vanderbilt and beat them 31 to 17, led by Jeff Driskel's record-breaking performance with 177 yards on the ground and three rushing touchdowns. This year, Driskel will be watching from the sidelines, along with many other starting players. The Gators lost another offensive lineman to a season-ending injury this week in practice. However, the Commodores come in with the same record as us. Both teams have four wins and four losses, but the Commodores have won only one SEC matchup this season. With a homecoming crowd behind our beloved Gators in the Swamp, we should hopefully be able to take care of our opponent this weekend. After all, the Vegas odds have us favored to win by ten points.

The Game will kickoff at noon eastern time and can be viewed on Sun Sports. Regardless of how this season has gone so far, Muschamp is excited to get in front of a home crowd and get a win to end our three-game skid. This game has a lot more at stake then people realize at first glance. At this point, we need a victory to stay bowl eligible. Muschamp also has his job on the line, and a loss tomorrow would almost ensure that a new head coach will be headed to Gainesville next season. Make sure to tune in and watch the Gators return to action in the Swamp. Regardless of our team's record so far this season, there aren't many things more exciting than Florida football . GO GATORS!

Celebrating Homecoming Week in Style

This week marks one of the most exciting weeks of the semester on campus here at the University of Florida. Homecoming week is always culminated with Gator Growl on Friday night before the big Homecoming football game on Saturday. This year we will take on Vanderbilt at noon in the Swamp.

This year marks the 90th anniversary of Gator Growl, and the show should prove to be one of the greatest in recent years. The show starts at 7 p.m. on November 8th inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, and the theme of this year's Growl is "Footprints of the Swamp." Gator Growl producers always strive to make the show as entertaining as possible, as they have added a second stage for this year.

Gator Growl is featuring some impressive talent this year: The Fray, Sister Hazel and the New Directions Veterans Choir will all be performing. The Swamp should be very full for the Growl this year, so get your tickets before it is too late! For more information about the show or to purchase tickets, visit www.gatorgrowl.org.

With only two days before the show, anticipation around campus is building as we celebrate Homecoming. Gator Growl is just another way that shows how Gators do things: BIG. This show is the largest student-run pep rally in the country, and has been that way for years and years. The hard-working students at this university are always striving to do amazing things, and the dedication that they put towards Gator Growl is truly impressive. Special thanks to all the students involved with Gator Growl that have been working for months to put this show on Friday night and all the supplementary events that go along with it. Make sure to buy a ticket and make it out to support your fellow students and to enjoy a night of talented performers under the stars! Happy Homecoming, Gators!

Reitz Union Update

Good afternoon Gators!  I hope everyone had a fun and safe weekend.  By now, I'm sure everyone knows that our beloved Reitz Union is under construction that will renovate and expand our student union to be the best and most advanced union in the nation!  I've gotten a lot of questions about the renovation and what it means for students as well as student organizations.  My good friend Sarah Frick is the Executive Chair for Student Involvement in the Reitz Union Renovation and Expansion.  Here is what she has to say on the renovation and how students can be involved in the process: 

Hello, Gators! My name is Sarah Frick, and I am the executive director for student involvement for the Reitz Union expansion and renovation project. I would like to update you on the current construction, as well as inform you of the ways students are remaining engaged with the project.

Currently, there are three main entrances into the Reitz Union building. From the North, you can enter the ground floor at the Subway entrance or the first floor using the new stair which connects to the student lounge, right outside of the Career Resource Center. From the West, you can enter through the circle drive breezeway by the hotel desk or via the Concourse that runs along the east side of the building from the Welcome Center to the first floor lobby. From the South, you can enter via the Bookstore/Welcome Center entrance.

Coming in mid-November, construction barricade walls will be placed around the center stairs on the ground, first and second floors of the Reitz Union.  These areas are being closed off, so that the stairs can be removed and new restrooms can be built.  The elevators will still be in commission to get around the building.

There are many ways to get involved with the project as a student. The student advisory committee meets monthly to gather feedback from many student groups on campus about the project. Our goal is to represent a wide array of student groups that utilize the union regularly. We send our thoughts and opinions to the architect team to ensure the project is completed with students in mind. In addition to this committee, the Reitz Union ambassadors are working hard for this project. The ambassadors are willing to visit student organizations to provide a presentation on the project to keep students informed. If you would like a few ambassadors to attend one of your organization’s meetings to give this presentation, please contact me at reitz@sg.ufl.edu. Also, if you have any ideas or suggestions for the project, feel free to email me.

If you’re interested in learning more about the project, please visit the project website at: http://makeitreitz.com/. You can also see live video of the construction site at: http://oxblue.com/open/skanska/reitzunion.

Thank you for helping us Make It Reitz! Go Gators!

War for the Oar! Florida-Georgia Weekend

This weekend marks one of college football's greatest traditions: the Florida-Georgia football game held annually in Jacksonville. It has also recently become known as the "War for the Okefenokee Oar," a name created by the student governments of the universities in 2009 after they announced the trophy would be a 10-foot-long oar. 

The trophy was anonymously donated to the University of Florida, and has the logos of each school carved into it. The oar was carved from the remains of an old cypress tree that grew in the Okefenokee Swamp, which lies on the Florida-Georgia border. It is presented to the student body president of the winning team each year, but is not given out at the game itself. Being one of the greatest, most historic and traditional rivalries in college football, it is a shame that there has not been a trophy representing the game up until recently. Hopefully, the Gators will be bringing the oar back to its original home this year.

The game will prove to be an interesting one this year as both teams come in banged up and missing multiple starters that are out with season-ending injuries. This is the first time in a while that Florida-Georgia has been a game between two unranked teams. Each team comes in with three losses, but due to a Missouri loss last weekend at the hands of South Carolina, both teams are still alive in the hunt for the SEC East title. 

When traveling to Jacksonville this weekend for the game, make sure to be safe! In one of the biggest cities in the nation by land area, it can be hard to get from place to place in Jacksonville. However, that problem is solved this year with the implementation of a company called Uber in the city. Uber is a smartphone app that links riders to on-demand private rides, usually in classy black sedans or SUVs. I have personally traveled to several cities that feature Uber and can vouch for the ease of use, reliability and safety improvements over traditional transportation options. With this app, the cars go to the riders, which eliminates having to wander around desperately trying to find an available taxi. 

Download the Uber app and use the promo code GoGators to recieve your first ride of up to $20 for free. It will ensure your safety as you get from place to place in a big city on its busiest weekend of the year. I hope that everyone is safe and enjoys this weekend, as it always proves to be one of the most fun and memorable of every fall semester. Hopefully, I will be presented with the Okefenokee Oar this year as well. Have fun and go Gators!!