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MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2024
VOLUME 119 - ISSUE 15 Not officially associated with the University of Florida
Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida
Understanding UF’s Title IX investigation process SEPARATE PROCESSES EXIST FOR STUDENT AND FACULTY CASES, INCLUDING TODD GOLDEN INVESTIGATION
By Sophia Bailly, Kylie Williams & Nicole Beltrán Alligator Staff Writers
Noah Lantor // Alligator Staff
Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) drives with the basketball in a game against the Jacksonville Dolphins in Gainesville, Florida, on November 8, 2024. Read more in Sports on pg. 11.
Florida students at low risk for seasonal depression — but still get “winter blues” Holiday stress and scarce light can cause less extreme symptoms of seasonal affective disorder By Zoey Thomas Alligator Staff Writer
With temperatures dipping into the 20s and freeze-watches issued in Florida this winter, some are feeling the effect of gray skies on their mental health. “Everything just seems kind
of dead,” said Mia Cacciola, an 18-year-old UF psychology freshman. “It’s universal — no one wants to do anything anymore.” Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression that reoccurs in a pattern about four months out of the year — often during the winter. It affects about
5% of adults in the United States, according to the American Psychological Association. Fewer sunlight hours during the winter cause lower serotonin and vitamin D and higher melatonin levels for people with SAD. This causes fatigue, difficulty con-
SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT
The Avenue: Holiday season
Residents grapple with a new pg# grocery store. Read more on pg. 5.
El Caimán: CIME
Winn-Dixie Story description finish with comma,
SEE SAD, PAGE 4
Where to find holiday joy in Gainesville, pg. 7 Students reflect on UF’s cultural organizations, pg. 8
After Florida’s men’s basketball head coach Todd Golden was accused of sexual harassment and stalking by an unreleased number of women, the university investigative process is still unfolding. Golden’s case was classified as a Title IX investigation, and the university received a formal Title IX complaint Sept. 27. Title IX encompasses gender discrimination, sexual assault and harassment, stalking and domestic violence, among other protections. A complaint can be filed by a student or faculty member, including at UF’s athletic programs. Title IX proceedings consist of several sections and can be complex or prolonged depending on the case. What is Title IX? Public upset over a lack of athletic, extracurricular and enrollment opportunities for women pursuing higher education peaked in the 1970s. The federal government officially established Title IX in 1972 to prevent federally funded institutions from discriminating against students and employees based on sex. Title IX’s reach has since expanded. The Office of Civil Rights, which oversees Title IX enforcement, issued its first official guidance on sexual harassment in 2011. Howard Kallem, who worked in
OCR’s office for more than 20 years, was involved in the decision to include sexual harassment under the umbrella of sexual discrimination. “Sexual harassment, broadly, is an unwelcome conflict of sexual nature that interferes with a student’s or an employee's ability to participate in their education or to do their jobs,” Kallem said. Since Title IX’s conception, universities across the country are required to have at least one designated Title IX coordinator. Kallem served as the Title IX coordinator at the University of North Carolina for one year and Duke University for five years. Title IX’s applications to universities are not entirely uniform, Kallem said. Larger institutions often have more than one employee with Title IX responsibilities, while at smaller universities, the Title IX coordinator might be balancing multiple university roles. UF outsources its head Title IX consultant, who works remotely from New York, from the company Grand River Solutions. A representative from Grand River Solutions declined to provide comment to The Alligator. Complainants have the option to file their case with the university and follow local procedures or directly through OCR. If the results of a university decision are not to the complainant’s satisfaction, they can file a follow-up case with OCR. What does an investigation look like? While Title IX complaints can be filed against anyone, there are sepa-
SEE TITLE IX, PAGE 4
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