High Ropes Course to Open at Lake Wauburg

UF and the Department of Recreational Sports announced in October that they plan to add a High Ropes and Elements Challenge Course to the activities that are offered at Lake Wauburg's South Shore.  

Located in Micanopy, several miles south of UF's main campus, Lake Wauburg is a retreat for students and provides facilities for outdoor recreation, team training, and personal improvement.  The North Shore features aquatic activities including sailing, swimming, canoeing, paddle boarding, water skiing, and wake boarding.  The South Shore is primarily used for team training exercises.

I have personally been to a number of team training days at Lake Wauburg and am always impressed with the offerings that are available.  The new High Ropes and Elements Challenge Course will expand the breadth of offerings at the South Shore and will benefit students and faculty, as well as groups that are not affiliated with UF.  You can find more information about RecSports's Outdoor Team Challenge Course HERE!

Distinguished Professor Lecture and Lunch on the Lawn

Professor Leslie Paul Thiele, professor of political theory and Director of Sustainability Studies, will present a lecture on "Fostering a Culture of Responsible Creativity" today at 4:00 in the Presidents Ballroom at Emerson Alumni Hall.  Professor Thiele studies the intersection of political philosophy, the natural sciences and sustainability.  He has many published articles and several books. His lecture will examine the responsibilities of citizenship and opportunities for leadership in our rapidly changing world.  This lecture is sponsored by the Faculty Senate, and is part of the "2014 UF Faculty Senate-sponsord Distinguished Professor Lectures" series.  Refreshments will be provided.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) marks my first Lunch on the Lawn of the semester.  We will be serving Chick-Fil-A from 12:30-2:00 pm in the Reitz Union Breezeway (outside near the RedBoxes and Wells Fargo).  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow and can't wait to discuss everything that SG has planned for this semester!

UF is Dedicated to Creating More Study Space

Check out my Letter to the Editor that ran in the Alligator today:

President Machen recently unveiled a plan to create more student study space on the first floor of Marston Science Library.  I could not be more supportive of this decision.  According to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey, UF students identify more study space as the biggest need at UF. 
 
The plan to add study space for nearly 700 students is a much needed improvement.  Student Government recognizes the need for more study space, and we are working to create even more study locations on campus.
 
One of my biggest priorities this semester is to secure funding to transform Newell Hall into a study space equipped with the latest technology and infrastructure to support the needs of students in the 21st century.  Newell Hall, when combined with the new plans for Marston, will increase student study space by 40 percent.
 
I will be working with External Affairs Chair, Abby Whiddon to lobby the state legislature in the upcoming session, but we are going to need some help.  We will need the entire student body to help us show the elected officials in Tallahassee that renovating Newell Hall is a project worth investing in.
 
Go Gators,
Christina Bonarrigo
UF Student Body President

Florida Student Association

This Friday I will meet with the student body presidents from Florida's 10 other public universities in our monthly Florida Student Association meeting. We are gearing up for the spring semester and will focus on our spring legislative agenda.

FSA has the privilege to represent the 300,000 students that attend Florida's public universities.  The president of FSA serves on the State University System's Board of Governors and represents student interests in a state wide level. This semester, I am focusing on FSA's legislative agenda. As the external Vice President for the Florida Student Association, I am charged with organizing Rally in Tally, a day-long summit in Tallahassee where students from across the state voice their concerns about higher education in Florida and lobby the state government.

I'm looking forward to meeting with my friends from Florida's other public universities, and will continue to provide updates on what FSA is doing for students across Florida.

FLC Presents: Food for Thought

Good afternoon Gators!

Finals are just around the corner, and we here at the UF understand that this can be a very stressful time for students. FLC is putting on another event tonight to give students the opportunity to get away from the textbooks, at least for a little while. Research has proven that those who take breaks while studying are able to perform better, anyways!

Come join us outside of Library West this Thursday from 8 to 10 p.m. for free food, refreshing drinks and to learn a few techniques about how to manage stress from different on-campus organizations. I have attended this in the past, and I can personally attest to how helpful it is.

Check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/1426668687550863/ to get more information about this awesome stress-releiving event. Good luck with finals!

FLC Presents: Snow, Swamp, and Everything Chomp

Good afternoon Gators!

While everyone is studying for final exams as our semester draws to a close, I wanted to use today's post as an opportunity to spread awareness about an event being put on by the Florida Leadership Council that I am very excited about! Tonight at 6 p.m., join FLC for their Snow, Swamp, and Everything Chomp event that will definitely get you in the holiday spirit!

The event will take place at Weaver Beach, and the night will include hot chocolate, inflatables and even snow. The Florida Cicerones, another great organization at the University of Florida, will also be offering tasty treats by the grill and will be available to answer questions to any potential applicants. UF Hillel will also be providing latkes and wholesome view of the holidays! Tonight is a great opportunity to take a short break from studying to relax and enjoy the holiday festivities while also learning a little more about a few of the many prestigious on-campus organizations offered here. I hope to see everyone there.

Happy Holidays!

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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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! 

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!

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!!

Guest post from Senate President Cory Yeffet

Today's post is a guest blog from the newly elected Senate President, Cory Yeffet.  I served with Cory during my time in Senate and am fortunate to call him a good friend.  After only a few weeks, Cory is already making a big impact as he leads Student Government's legislative branch.

• Hello Gators!

  My name is Cory Yeffet and I am the President of Student Senate here at the University of Florida. I’m excited to share with you all some updates from the legislative branch of our Student Government!

  Two weeks ago, as the fall elections came to a close, we ushered in a new group of fifty, eager Student Senators! As of last night’s meeting, their Orientation Series is complete and they are fully ready to take on the responsibility of representing the 50,000 students that make up the Gator Nation.

  Some new initiatives that the Senate is working on this semester deal with improving student safety through increased technology and lighting all around campus, as well expanding student services such as bike repair and free printing. In addition, we hope to effectively reach out to all of our constituents through Town Hall Meetings that will be taking place across campus. 

  Furthermore, this semester I hope to lead Student Senate toward making a greater impact on our community. As leaders on campus, we understand it is important not only to represent the students, but also to give back to our surrounding environment. Student Senate will be partaking in community service events throughout the semester, even spearheading some of our own. To start, we will have a fundraising team taking part in Gators March For Babies, taking place this coming November. I encourage all of you to come out and support a great cause as well! 

  If you have any questions, suggestions, concerns, or would like to meet, please feel free to contact me at senatepresident@sg.ufl.edu

  Have a great day, and Go Gators! 

  
  

  Cory Yeffet

  

  Chief Justice Marcus Powers (left) swearing in Cory Yeffet (right) as Senate President

  
  

GO GATORS: Beat Mizzou!

Good afternoon Gators! This weekend our team will travel to Missouri to play the Tigers in a situation very different than what most of us here in Gator Nation hoped for. When the season started, most fans probably looked at this game as and instantly marked it up as a W in their heads. However, that is far from the truth. The Gators, ranked 22 in the country, will head to Missouri as the underdogs when they play the 14th ranked Tigers.

The Gators are coming off of a tough loss at the hands of LSU last weekend, while the Tigers are coming off arguably one of their program's biggest wins in the recent years when they beat the Georgia Bulldogs last weekend in Athens. It was a victory that shocked the football world. While the Gators held their own against one of the best teams in the nation, their offense implanted many doubts into our fans' heads. The Gators were unable to score even a single touchdown during the loss in Death Valley, although Tyler Murphy proved once again that he was relatively poised and calm for a player with as little game experience as he has.

The bright side is that Florida was able to move the ball up and down the field against one of the better SEC defenses, but problems arose when they got into the red zone all day. The last drive at the end of the game where our offense failed to score any points after getting inside the 20 yard line was hard to watch. Something else that will help us is that Mizzou will be playing without their star quarterback James Franklin, who is the leader and anchor of their offense. If the Gators can protect Tyler Murphy better than they did last week and can actually make some explosive plays on offense, then we could walk away from Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri as victors.

The Tigers are favored by 3.5 points going into the game, so it should be a close battle. The game is set to start at 12:21 eastern standard time, and will be aired on SEC TV. Hopefully our beloved Gators will prove to the nation that they are still contenders in the SEC East and are a force to be reckoned with. This would be a huge bounce-back win for our program. Make sure to tune in and watch Saturday. Go Gators!!

OneRepublic Coming to UF!

Thanks to Student Government Productions, one of the many on campus organizations doing great things here at the University of Florida, OneRepublic will be putting on a concert in Gainesville tomorrow night, October 10th at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.

This concert is part of OneRepublic's truthLIVE concert tour, which is sponsored by The Truth, an anti-smoking campaign. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and opening performer TeamMate will play at 7:30. SGP sold out of the 5,560 tickets that were given out for the concert in under seven hours.

To get involved or learn more about SGP and how they bring professional musical talent to our university, visit the Student Government website at www.sg.ufl.edu. To everyone attending Thursday's show, enjoy!

GO GATORS: Beat Arkansas!

Tomorrow, nighttime football returns to the Swamp for the first time since the Gators hosted Florida State back in November of 2011! We are all very excited here in the Gator Nation to watch our Florida Gators battle an SEC opponent under the bright lights of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field. I cannot decide if I am happier that kickoff is at seven p.m. because the crowd will be more energized than it has been in the recent past, or just solely because all of us who will be inside the stadium on Saturday night won't be sweltering in the vicious Florida sun.

The Gators are coming off of an impressive 24-7 win over the Kentucky Wildcats last Saturday, which was quarterback Tyler Murphy's first career start. He went 14-15 on completions, threw one touchdown pass and ran for another. Besides his one interception, it is safe to say that Murphy impressed people around the country last week. He seems more poised and mobile that Jeff Driscoll was, which seems to be just what our offense needed.

Although things seem bright in Gator Nation, Arkansas is a legitimate opponent. They played exceptionally well against Texas A&M last Saturday, putting up 33 points against one of the nation's best football teams. They will want nothing more than to come to the Swamp and up end a Florida team that is seemingly on the rise.

However, they will be entering one of the nation's toughest stadiums to play in as an opponent, and the Swamp will be electric on Saturday night, especially because the game starts at seven. We can all expect a rowdier Gator crowd than we have seen in a long time this weekend. The Gators are favored by eleven points, and with our defense, it will be hard for the Razorbacks to score a lot of points. If we can get our offense going early in the first half, then I believe that this game can be blown wide open.

Stay safe this weekend, and Go Gators!!

Online Course Syllabi

Today I would like to share a resource with you that many students don't know about. The University of Florida provides one website that centralizes every course syllabus, so that it is easy for students to find all the information they need for their various classes.

This is just one of the many ways that UF is simplifying school for our students. Instead of having to navigate Sakai to each individual class's individual syllabus to find out important information such as due dates and assignments requirements, students can find all syllabi at one location.

syllabus.ufl.edu is the website that provides this luxury for all students. Each class is organized by the college that it is taught under, further simplifying students' ability to find their course. This is also a great way to help students plan their future schedules, by giving them an opportunity to see what a class entails before they enroll in it. Along with that, it can also be a back up for those who have misplaced a syllabus. I encourage all students to use this useful resource to their advantage!

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!