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MONDAY, JULY 6, 2026

VOLUME 120 - ISSUE 38 Not officially associated with the University of Florida

Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida

Florida Board of Governors appoints UF’s 14th president STUART BELL WILL IMMEDIATELY ASSUME DUTIES AS THE UNIVERSITY’S PERMANENT PRESIDENT

By Swasthi Maharaj Alligator Staff Writer

The Florida Board of Governors voted at a July 1 special meeting to confirm Stuart Bell as UF’s next president, ending several months of uncertainty for the university. All but one governor voted for Bell’s confirmation, the outlier being Governor Aubrey Edge. Bell, who led the University of Alabama for nearly a decade, officially assumed the presidency July 1 after receiving unanimous approval from UF’s Board of Trustees in June and final confirmation from the Board of Governors. Under Florida law, public university presidents must receive approval from two governing bodies: the university’s board of trustees and the Florida Board of Governors. The university board of trustees leads the presidential search while the board has the final authority to confirm or reject candidates. The July 1 vote concludes UF’s second presidential search in less than two years and ends a period of leadership instability that saw the university cycle though multiple presidents and interim leaders since 2024. Bell’s approval follows an extraordinary set of events: Ben Sasse’s resignation, the collapse of former finalist Santa Ono’s candidacy, a clash between the Board of Governors and the university’s Board of Trustees over governance authority and finally, a weeklong delay of Bell’s own confirmation amid these disagreements. Bell becomes UF’s fourth president or interim president in roughly four years. A mechanical engineer by trade, Bell served at UA where he oversaw significant enrollment growth, expanded research funding, major capital construction projects and record fundraising campaigns, according to a UA press release. Before Alabama, he held leadership positions at Louisiana

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT America 250

Story description finish with comma, Photos from the capitol’s The Great pg# American State Fair and Salute to America. Find this photo gallery on pg. 3.

State University and the University of Kansas. According to U.S. News Rankings, UA is ranked No. 92 in the U.S. UF is currently ranked No. 7. During the July 1 confirmation hearing, members questioned Bell on topics ranging from diversity, equity and inclusion, UF’s freedom of speech policy, whether racial contract theory belongs in education, faculty hiring and artificial intelligence. “Great universities do not stand still,” Bell said. “They continually improve. We will do that as an institution.” Bell has faced criticism online from people like former Florida Rep. Anthony Sabatini, who took to X and Instagram to share his position on Bell’s career trajectory and DEI beliefs. “Major red flag here,” he wrote. “UF’s Board of Trustees must pump the brakes on this ASAP.” Bell pushed back on some of this controversy at the July 1 meeting. “I’m not coming to Florida to bring DEI or woke back,” he said. Several members at the meeting also praised Bell’s leadership experience. Governor Ed Haddock said he has excellence in academics, legislative experience, personality and fundraising. Bell’s presidential agreement outlines priorities including filling key interim positions, achieving higher rankings for the Hamilton School for Civic and Classical Education, expanding the university’s AI initiatives, supporting Jewish students and combating antisemitism and continuing growth in research and fundraising. He will earn an annual base salary of $2 million and be eligible for annual merit increases of up to 3%, performance-based incentive compensation and retention payments. Bell’s tenure extends through June 30, 2031. “I will continue to ensure that the University of Florida continues to be the name as people talk about a leader in higher education,” Bell said.

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Daniela Ortiz // Alligator Staff

As the U.S. nears its 250th anniversary, leaders reflect on democracy and public service in Gainesville. Read more on pg. 3.

18- to 20-year-olds can now openly carry a firearm in Florida A FLORIDA COURT RULING MADE THE CHANGE TO COMPLY WITH SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS By Teia Williams Alligator Staff Writer

Editor’s note: This story contains mentions of gun violence and suicide. Adults under 21 can now legally carry a firearm after a June 17 Florida court ruling. The ruling stated the previous age limit unconstitutionally infringed upon the Second Amendment rights of young adults ages 18 to 20. This is not the first time Florida courts have ruled in favor of expanding Second Amendment rights. In September 2025, Florida’s 38-year-old open

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carry ban was lifted. Law-abiding citizens can now openly carry firearms inside businesses unless they choose to prohibit firearms on their property. The latest ruling clarified 18- to 20-year-olds hold the same rights. Florida law prohibits those under 21 from purchasing a firearm, but they can still legally obtain one. Eighteen- to 20-year-olds can possess guns through inheritance or gifts from relatives. Gainesville Police Department spokesperson Art Forgey said the department hasn't experienced any issues related to open carry since it became legal in September. GPD doesn’t anticipate any changes with the new court ruling, he added. “The same legal principles and enforcement considerations that have applied since the open carry law took effect will continue to apply under

SEE OPEN CARRY, PAGE 4

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