Veterans Tuition Bill

A bill has been filed in the state legislature that will grant honorably discharged veterans in-state tuition.  When soldiers go overseas to ensure the freedoms and liberties Americans enjoy everyday they are not representing the one state that they are from, they are fighting for all fifty states that make up the United States of America.

The bill essentially waives the current one-year requirement for veterans to establish residency in the state before they may qualify for in-state tuition rates. As of now, twenty-six states currently waive the required waiting time to establish residency for veterans in order to obtain in-state tuition rates at public higher education institutions.

Last week in the Florida Senate, the bill sponsored by Sen. Latvala unanimously passed the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security. In this committee Senator Evers amended the bill to specify “honorably discharged” veterans. The bill will be heard next in the Committee on Education. An identical bill sponsored by Rep. Peters has been filed in the House of Representatives although it has not been referred to committee hearings yet. 

At the University of Florida, we have 37 non-resident active duty service members and 119 non-resident veterans. This totals 156 University of Florida students to which this bill would apply. I urge all students to stand with me to support House Bill 35 and Senate Bill 84, which allow all veterans to be eligible for in-state tuition in the state of Florida. 

GO GATORS: Beat Kentucky!

Good afternoon Gator fans! Tomorrow our beloved Gators travel to Kentucky to face the Wildcats at seven p.m. This will be the Gators' first night game of the season. Judging by the past, this is a game the Gators should definitely be able to win.

Saturday night the Gators will look to extend the longest winning streak in the SEC. The Gators have won the last 26 matchups against Kentucky. Even in years that the Gators weren't as dominant as they typically are, they have still found a way to cruise past Kentucky. Tomorrow night, they are favored by thirteen points.

However, there are a few question marks for a Gators team that has already been riddled with injuries early on in the season. With the loss of starting quarterback Jeff Driscoll for the remainder of the season, Tyler Murphy has been forced to step into the role as the leader of the offensive unit. He looked great in his first game under center, but going on the road will be a true test for the redshirt sophomore.

Florida also lost a leader on defense for the season this week in practice when Dominick Easley went down with a torn ACL. This unfortunately means we have probably witnessed Easley, a highly-rated NFL prospect, play his last game in orange and blue.

Make sure to tune in to ESPNU Saturday night to watch the Gators hopefully climb to 3-1 on the season. Have a great weekend and Go Gators!!

UF Counseling & Wellness Center: Therapist Assisted Online

College is an incredible experience; it will include some of the best times and memories of your life. However, college is also very challenging in a variety of ways, and can lead to levels of stress and anxiety that students have never experienced previously.

Therapist Assisted Online, or TAO, is a program offered by the University of Florida Counseling and Wellness Center that is designed to help students overcome these anxiety issues. It is just another one of the ways that UF is here to assist its students.

TAO is a 7 week online program that provides educational modules using researched and highly effective strategies to help overcome anxiety. Each weekly module lasts between thirty and forty minutes, and includes surveys of current symptoms, instructions, and interactive exercises to help relieve stress. The program also includes a ten to fifteen minute video consultation with an informed and caring counselor to track progress. Last but not least, there is a discussion forum where students can interact with each other to help cure anxiety.

If you are experiencing anxiety, do not be afraid to contact the UF Counseling and Wellness Center to find help. Being able to help relieve your problem behind close doors and in the comfort of your own home provides the program with a relaxed yet constructive feeling.

These amazing services are available to all currently enrolled students with anxiety that have access to a webcam. You must be 18 years or older to participate and live within fifty miles of Gainesville, and also cannot be experiencing severe depression or have a substance abuse problem. For more information, check out the TAO website.

Reitz Union Groundbreaking

On Saturday I participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Reitz Union renovation and expansion.  The new Reitz Union will open in 2015 and will have 100,000 sq. ft. of new space and 50,000 sq. ft. of renovated space from the current union.  Here is the transcript of the speech I gave at the ceremony:

Today's ground breaking ceremony is the culmination of nearly a decade of work and effort to update and expand our beloved Reitz Union to better accommodate the growth and success of our students. When the Reitz was built in the 1960's, it was designed to accommodate a student body of approximately 19,000. Today the student population at the University of Florida has more than doubled, and the Reitz sees thousands of people every day. The new Reitz building will be large enough to accommodate even more student organizations on campus, will be a central hub for student services and will have the entire technological infrastructure to ensure when our students leave this campus they will be better trained than their counterparts.

There are many people who have been responsible for bringing this plan to fruition.  First, I would like to recognize Chairman McKeel, his colleagues in the Florida House of Representatives, members of the Florida Senate, and Governor Scott.  Thanks to Chairman McKeel’s leadership and support, the Reitz will continue to be the vital core of our campus.  I would also like to thank President Machen and Vice President Kratzer.  Their tireless dedication to the students of our university shows why we have the most student friendly campus in this nation. Throughout the planning and design of the new facilities, both President Machen and General Kratzer kept the students as their main priority. Even when we were faced with obstacles, their leadership ensured that this project would go on and would be successful. We would not be standing here today if it was not for their leadership and dedication to see this building’s completion. Finally, I want to thank my predecessors and the work they did to help this university reach this milestone today.  Nearly a dozen Student Body Presidents have played a pivotal role in making this project a reality. While I am thrilled to be a part of this ceremony, I would be remiss if I did not recognize all of their contributions.

Today is an amazing day for all Gators. It was a long ride to get to where we are today and countless days spent in our State’s Capitol, but it makes today that much more significant. The new Reitz will embody what it truly means to be a Gator. From housing departments such as Center for Leadership and Service, Student Activities and Involvement, Multicultural and Diversity Affairs and Gator well, we will be able to accommodate all of our student’s needs to make them better leaders. Our Student Government Senate will have an official home on the first floor of the new Reitz named “Student Senate Chambers” and Student Government will have a design and print studio to empower our 1,000 student organizations to showcase their many talents. This new space will provide the foundation to develop future leaders for our great state and nation, and I know the impact this building will have for our students will be far greater than we could have ever imagined.

I am excited for the endless possibilities this building will provide our students and know it will be one of the reasons we become a Top 10 Public University Thank you again for coming here this morning and being part of history.

Go Gators and Beat the Vols!

Florida vs. Tennessee: Go Gators!

Tomorrow at 3:30 our beloved Gators football team will attempt to defend the Swamp for the second time this season. Last season, the Gators went undefeated at home, an accomplishment that puts fear in the thoughts of opposing teams.

The Tennessee Volunteers (2-1) and the Florida Gators (1-1) meet every season for what used to be an important rivalry game in the  Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference. The game used to typically decide the team that would represent the East in the SEC Championship game. However, in recent years the Gators have dominated the series. Tomorrow when the two teams meet, Florida will be looking for a ninth straight victory against them.

Both teams come into the game off of tough losses. The Gators are looking to rebound off a tough, surprising loss to Miami a couple of weeks ago. The Vols will attempt to bounce back after a crushing defeat at the mercy of the mighty Oregon Ducks last weekend. This game has major implications on the direction that either team will head for the rest of the season.

The weather is supposed to be 88 degrees and sunny at kickoff, so make sure to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and bring a hat! The Gators' home field advantage of sweltering heat will be in full effect tomorrow afternoon.

Our 19th ranked Gators are favored by 17 points in their first SEC matchup of the season tomorrow, and will try to get a big win to help their status in both the AP and USA Today Coaches' top 25 polls. I hope everyone is as excited as me to get back inside the Swamp, where the girls are the fairest and the boys are squarest of any old state down our way. Go Gators!

Business Spotlight: Spin Chill

Everybody agrees that warm beer sucks. For this week's spotlight, I want to raise awareness about two UF students that hate warm beer so much that they decided to do something about it. Trevor Abbott, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student, and Ty Parker, a mechanical engineer who graduated last year, are co-founders of a company called Spin Chill that has designed a product that has the ability to chill a canned beverage must faster than a fridge or a cooler of ice.

Putting a can in a fridge or cooler of ice can take between 10 and 30 minutes to cool to an enjoyable drinking temperature. By using the Spin Chill Chill Bit, a beer can go from room temperature to 32 degrees Fahrenheit in two to three minutes. How? By spinning the container in ice or ice water, convection is introduced to both the inside and outside of the container, thus increasing the rate of heat transfer and cooling the beverage down at a rate of at least 20 times faster than otherwise possible.

Trevor and Ty originally came up with the idea during the summer of 2013 when both traveled to Atlanta, GA for the AngelHack hackathon as a part of the HackerHouse accelerator program that both were involved with.

"Typically hackathons are software based, but Ty and I, having mechanical engineering backgrounds, didn't want to do coding. We were brainstorming ideas at a bar and couldn't come up with much, so we grabbed a case of beer and headed back to our hotel. The case of beer was warm, so we cooled it the quickest way we knew how: by spinning the cans by hand in a bucket of ice water. That's when we decided we were going to invent something that could do that for us. We ended up taking second place at the the Atlanta AngelHack hackathon with it," said Trevor Abbott.

After that weekend, the two came back to Gainesville and got to work on making their idea come to life. They just launched their newest product yesterday, the Beerouette, which is a fully self-contained beer chiller. It can spin cans and bottles and runs off of just four AA batteries. For more information about the awesome new product designed by two of our very own students, check out www.spinchill.com or find the Spin Chill page on Facebook, because everyone agrees that cold beer is the best beer.

2014 Legislative Agenda

Last Monday I traveled with External Affairs Director Abby Whiddon to meet with some of our state legislators.  As the Florida Legislature starts their September committee meetings, Student Government is formulating our legislative agenda.  Our meetings were positive and productive, and I am looking forward to a great legislative session.

I want to make sure that students' needs are at the forefront of this year's legislative agenda.  Please complete the survey below to let me know which issues are most important to you!

Guest Post from SBVP Joselyn Rivas

For today's post I invited my running mate, Student Body Vice President Joselyn Rivas, to share everything that she has been working on.  I am honored to work with her and am impressed by everything that she has done!  Here's what she had to say:

During my term, I am honored to announce that all the platform ideas I ran on have been accomplished. I’d love to talk about a few new initiatives this year.

In order to establish accountability, the paperwork process behind Student Government Cabinet has been revolutionized in that we have successfully transferred all of our forms from a paper process to an online, eco-friendly format. Not only has this created a faster turnover in terms of event programming, but also may potentially become a flagship modernization of Gatorconnect that may be useful system to all student organizations.

A “Presidential Roundtable” is currently being developed to build and foster the lines of communication between Student Government and the student organizations we serve. Goals that will be achieved through a monthly meeting between student organization representatives and myself are transparency, collaborations and the prevention of over-programming.

Cabinet Monthly Leadership Trainings are commencing on October 3, 2013 where Cabinet members will come together once a month and perform an event that exemplifies a leadership pillar, such as community service. Our responsibility as student leaders is to actively impact our campus and community by giving back. 

Applications for Assistant Directors for various Cabinet Departments will be released in early October 2013. These may be found on https://www.sg.ufl.edu/Applications  

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, Vice President Joselyn Rivas, at vicepresident@sg.ufl.edu or stop by my office hours!

Remembering 9/11

Today, I would like to use the post as an opportunity to reflect on an event that changed our nation forever. It is hard to believe that it has been 12 years since 9/11, but no matter how much time passes it is steadfastly important to continuously remember the brave men and women who lost their lives that day.

Remembering events such as this one really puts everything in perspective. Thousands of lives were changed forever that day. People packed suitcases that they never got to open. People left their homes for work and never returned home. Today reminds us of just how fragile life is, and that each day isn't promised.

Take some time to think about the ones who lost their lives in this tragedy, from the people who were working in the building to the firefighters who attempted to rescue innocent victims. The amazing thing about that day is the way our nation rallied around a hellish tragedy and came together as one. The way our nation reacted to the events reminds us of just how great it is to be an American.

Second Lunch on the Lawn with Bon

Today I will be hosting my second Lunch on the Lawn during my administration! Make sure to stop by today for some free food and information about the different Agencies inside Student Government to learn more about getting involved. Here is a brief overview of the diverse agencies inside the Executive Branch of SG, all of which aim to accomplish a different, important goal.

ACCENT Speaker's Bureau is the largest student-run speaker's bureau in the nation, and has provided the University of Florida with many big name speakers in its 30-year existence, including past Presidents, Prime Ministers and business and sports legends. Action SG serves students by providing transparency and accountability to our Student Government. Its main goal is to publicize all events and services that Student Government puts on. If you are interested in the election process, then the Elections agency is the spot for you. They are the people that run the largest one of the largest student-run elections in the country.

External Affairs is an agency that is responsible for representing student opinion and views on key legislative government priorities on the local, state, and federal level. They are a representative voice for the student body when it comes to different political views and standpoints on many important topics. Freshman Leadership Council is one of my personal favorite agencies on campus, as it provides an amazing opportunity for freshman to get involved in and learn about Student Government, while also getting a chance to get involved in the Gainesville community early on in their collegiate careers.

Gator Innovators is one of the newest agencies on campus, geared towards students who have interest in entrepreneurial startups in the Gainesville communities. It is one of the most innovative agencies we have, and proves that SG is always striving to push the limits and better the community around us. Gators Going Green is responsible for advocating sustainability issues and ensuring that the University of Florida stays ahead of the curve with the nationwide push to "go green".

STAAR is an agency that has been educating students for over 10 years about racism all over the Gainesville community and striving to ensure equality for all student and residents in the area. Last but not least, Student Government Productions (SGP) provides a wide and diverse array of popular entertainment to students for free or at a reduced cost.

As you can see, there are a plethora of different agencies to get involved in in Student Government, so stop by Lunch on the Lawn today to learn more details about each and how to apply!

Saturday in the South: Gators vs. Canes

This weekend our Florida Gators head 324 miles south to face the Miami Hurricanes, an underrated rivalry game that occurs only once every five years. In honor of tomorrow's game, I wanted to provide some history of what used to be the biggest rivalry in the state. The sun is supposed to be blazing when they kickoff at noon on Saturday down in Miami in front of an expected sellout crowd.

The Gators are favored by three points going into the contest, which is not surprising considering the two teams’ very even history. In 54 total meetings, the Gators have gone 26-28 against the Canes.

From 1938 until 1987 the Gators and the Hurricanes met every year, and many considered the game the biggest rivalry in the state of Florida. After SEC requirements changed in 1987 requiring that each SEC team play 8 conference games per year, the rivalry between Florida and Miami was forced to come to a halt.

Saturday marks the sixth time the teams have met in the last 25 years. The last time they played was in The Swamp in 2008, and the Gators routed the Canes in a 26 to 3 victory. Hopefully Saturday will yield similar results, as a heavy showing of orange and blue is expected in Sun Life Stadium. Make sure to tune in to ESPN Saturday at noon for what should be a great matchup! GO GATORS!

Business Spotlight: MessageMe

Today I would like to share an app with you that represents the ever-changing and advancing world of social media and technology.

MessageMe is an app that launched in March of 2013 with an easy-to-use interface that further revolutionized messaging and group chatting.

Message me offers a way to personalize every message and picture you send with the doodle feature, where the user can draw directly on to a picture and then send out the finished product to their friends, all at the touch of a button.

The app also allows group chats that can easily keep an entire group of people connected. It has functions that allow for sending pictures, sending pinpoints on maps and sharing YouTube videos.

My personal favorite function of MessageMe is the Facebook and Twitter integration it has built in, which allows for anything through the app to be conveniently posted on these social media sites in merely seconds. The app also saves a great amount of hassle and effort by automatically integrating every contact in your phone with people who already have MessageMe.

In my opinion, this app is a must-download, simply based on how efficient and user-friendly it is. In today's busy world, the simpler and faster technology is, the easier our lives become. As college students, we often find ourselves simply running out of time in the day. Why not jump at the chance to simplify and expedite the way we connect with others? The app can be found at the Apple App Store. Give it a try, Gators!

UF Alumni Association

I hope everyone enjoyed the first of many Gator victories this football season.  The University of Florida's Alumni Association is one of the largest alumni networks in the country.  This weekend, I had the pleasure of briefing the Board of Directors on the projects I am working on.

I shared an update on the progress of the Blue Light mobile application that I have been working on.  This app will improve safety on campus by providing students with a Blue Light phone on the screen of their smart phone.  I also shared my legislative goals with the board - to keep higher education affordable and predictable for current and future students.  Finally, I discussed ways that the Alumni Association can expand student memberships and engage the student body with the work that the Alumni Association is doing.

Don't forget that the Alumni Association has student memberships as well as alumni memberships.  Student memberships are inexpensive and provide many benefits, including: a UF Alumni tailgate chair, a koozie, a wide variety of Gator Savers discounts at various locations all over Gainesville and a BEAT T-shirt for each home game.  For more information, go check out the UFAA website at www.ufalumni.ufl.edu.