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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2026

VOLUME 120 - ISSUE 22 Not officially associated with the University of Florida

Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida

UF presidential search member’s ties to Epstein appear stronger in latest file drop NEWEST DOCUMENTS REVEAL FLIRTATIOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOUG BAND AND GHISLAINE MAXWELL

By Alexa Ryan Alligator Staff Writer

Dozens of documents released by the Department of Justice related to the cases of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell give new insights into a UF presidential search advisory committee member’s involvements with the pair. Douglas “Doug” Band, who was appointed to UF’s presidential search committee for the second time in December 2025, is referenced in at least 33 documents released Jan. 30 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. He was previously referenced in nine documents in a batch of files released Dec. 19, 2025. The newest documents give a deeper insight into Band’s relationships with Epstein and Maxwell, many of which contain flirtatious language between Band and Maxwell, though Band has denied any physical relationship. Of the 32 documents, 21 are emails between Maxwell and Band, and 11 are other documents and emails referencing Band and his connections to Epstein and Maxwell. Band was a counselor and adviser to former President Bill Clinton and

served as a key architect in Clinton’s post-presidential career. He stepped back from the role in 2011 to focus on the global advisory firm he cofounded, Teneo Holdings. The emails Band’s messages to and from Maxwell largely revolved around the pair’s plans to meet up in person. Some email chains were provided as a single document, while others were released as standalone messages, making it difficult to determine what preceded or followed them. In an email chain sent Oct. 13, 2004, Maxwell wrote to Band: “Did I mention how sexy you are and how Carol and I were ploting disgustungs things w/you or I should say your body.” Five minutes later, Band replied: “And what I would do to you 2 chicas.” It’s unclear which Carol the pair was referencing. Other names were instantly recognizable. Ten emails sent between 2:29 and 3:42 the morning of Oct. 13 include Band telling Maxwell he was going to spend time with Steve Bing, a Hollywood financier who died by suicide in 2020. Upon learning Band made plans with Bing, Maxwell wrote back that she would “go home alone and pout.” “Clinton” also appears in these messages between Band and

SEE BAND, PAGE 4

Dylan Speicher // Alligator Staff

UF presidential search committee member Doug Band is referenced in at least 33 documents released Jan. 30 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

UF faculty scramble to make online content compliant with accessibility guidelines New Title II regulations require sweeping updates to digital materials By Julia Daniyar Alligator Contributing Writer

As an April 24 federal deadline approaches, UF faculty are overhauling hundreds of lectures, slides and documents to comply with updated disability access rules — leaving some overwhelmed and questioning whether they have the time or tools to get it done. At UF, students rarely go a day without logging into Canvas or accessing online materials. As more coursework and communication move online, digital access has become inseparable from academic participation. In April 2024, the Department of Justice updated the Americans with Disabilities Act's Title II regulations, which prohibit government entities from discriminating on the basis of disability, requiring all

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT Enterprise

UF computer science also Story description finishinstructor with comma, appears in Epstein files but says pg# relationship was limited to STEM.

Read more on pg. 3.

public universities to ensure digital spaces are accessible. The DOJ gave universities a two-year window to comply with the new regulations. “It’s such a double-edged sword,” said Rose Briccetti, a UF assistant professor of art. “I love my job … and I love being able to make my content more accessible or open to a broader audience. I think a lot of us are feeling really overwhelmed, and it’s across all fields.” Briccetti said while she believes these rules are a step in the right direction for accessibility, they have “doubled her course prep time” and are changing the way she teaches. The learning curve is particularly steep in the College of the Arts, where many classes focus on visual communication, not the written word, she said. According to a document published by

the DOJ, public entities are increasingly providing services through websites and apps. However, many of these services are not designed accessibly, making them unavailable to individuals with disabilities. For example, people who are blind may use a screen reader to deliver visual information. If an image doesn’t include alternative text, those people may have no way of knowing what’s depicted. Starting April 24, all UF online materials, websites and mobile applications must meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. According to a UF College of Health and Human Performance webpage, faculty and staff are required to go back and update any course materials that do not already meet these guidelines, including Microsoft Office files, website content, social media and videos. Kristin Malloy, the Title II coordinator

Alachua County

High Springs launches free Narcan distribution program, pg. 3

The Avenue: Music

Weeklong jazz festival kicks off in downtown Gainesville, pg. 6

responsible for ADA compliance at UF, said in an email her office was busy supporting all UF employee accommodation requests and could not provide a statement. With this deadline quickly approaching, faculty have found themselves combing through hundreds of documents and presentations, rebuilding entire courses slide by slide. For every presentation, each slide now needs to use default slide layouts and have a unique title. All charts, images and graphics must have alternative text providing an in-depth description of the image, and all videos must have captions. For some courses, this may not look like much — deleting a few photos, changing the font size and reworking the design in a few places. But for some professors, particularly those in visual fields like art and mathematics, these new requirements have them altering hundreds of slides.

SEE ADA, PAGE 5

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