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Hard News Stories

The Charge •

Board of Trustees discuss faculty salary increases and hiring with tenure

Salary increases totaling over $10 million were approved during the collective bargaining agreement between the Board of Trustees and the faculty union on Friday.The Board of Trustees met to discuss multiple topics such as diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, tenure with hire and the collective bargaining agreement between the Board of Trustees and the United Faculty of Florida. They met at the Live Oak Center, with two rooms being filled entirely by the Board of Trustees, media and prot...
The Charge •

Proposed reforms by Gov. DeSantis impact higher education

A recent legislative proposal by Gov. Ron DeSantis seeks to defund and ban critical race theory and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at Florida's public colleges and universities. “Our institutions will be graduating students, I think, with degrees that are going to be meaningful,” DeSantis said. “We don’t want students to go through a taxpayer expense and graduate with a degree in zombie studies.” 
Florida state colleges signed a joint letter to end all diversity, equity and...
NSM.today •

Director of CAPS addresses concerns at UCF Faculty Senate meeting

Although faculty said some students may be turned away at UCF Counseling and Psychological Services, the director of CAPS said this should not be the case.

Karen Hofmann, the director of CAPS, spoke at a Faculty Senate meeting Thursday. Hofmann spoke on some misconceptions the UCF community may have about CAPS — such as not being able to see students on time and students' conditions being so severe they cannot treat them.

Some faculty members pushed back at these claims by Hofmann.
NSM.today •

ThriveFest teaches students about self-care

The Residence Hall Association hosted its first ThriveFest event on Monday to raise awareness about the importance of mental health to students.

The event took place in the Pegasus Ballroom at the Student Union from 1-4 p.m., with Counseling and Psychological Services and Wellness and Health Promotion Services participating as well.

According to CAPS 2022-23 annual report, out of 5,230 students seen by counselors, 63% of students have anxiety and, 41% have depression.

Students went booth to b
NSM.today •

First meeting of the Moroccan Student Society

That was one of the bingo questions the new members of the Moroccan Student Society were asked during their first ever meeting in UCF’s history on Monday night.

The Moroccan Student Society is a new organization on campus meant to empower and unite Moroccans, while providing personal and professional opportunities to those in it as well. The society also celebrates their culture and welcomes students from all backgrounds.

The meeting took place at the Barbara Ying Center, with more than 30 peo
NSM.today •

Student Government puts on Drone Light Show

Hundreds of students watched in awe as drones lit up the night sky on Wednesday at Memory Mall.

UCF Student Government hosted the Drone Light Show and offered students hot cocoa and desserts such as cookies and brownies to watch the show comfortably. Hans Lorenzana, also known as “Nostalg!a”, is a DJ for the Knights of the Turntables and played a set before the show.

Students brought blankets and chairs to sit in the grass area in front of Memory Mall, getting cozy in the 50 degree weather.

T
NSM.today •

"We need to quantify a very serious problem:" Faculty Senate addresses student success

The effects of COVID-19 have not just impacted the world, but also the ability of students to be able to solve simple word problems, said Dennis Filler, engineering associate lecturer.

Filler said there is an issue present in the engineering department — they are receiving students who may not have the keys to succeed. He said with the mixture of COVID and students being from a generation that follows "No Child Left Behind" — these students, within six sections of 150 students in each section,

Non-Deadline Stories

The Charge •

Taissa Rebroff's sweet journey to success

Taissa Rebroff and her family have always had a deep rooted love for culinary arts, and together, they turned it into a business.After graduating from UCF with a degree in English literature, Rebroff moved to New York to pursue a career in culinary writing. She said she found herself working as a freelance writer but decided to pick up a second job at a bakery in Brooklyn due to the expenses of living in the city.
”I’m so grateful to that pastry chef that just needed to hire someone,” Re...
NSM.today •

Creating a community for adoptees and foster care students at UCF

Kaila Garton-Miller was 15 months old when she was adopted and moved from China to live in Florida.

The human communications senior said she was given up for adoption with nothing but a blanket and no documents like a birth certificate or name. She was given an estimated date of birth; however, to this day, she doesn’t know her exact birthday.

Garton-Miller was born in 2001 while the one-child policy was still in place. According to Britannica’s website, the one-child policy in China prohibite
NSM.today •

UCF to offer first culinary cannabis college course in Florida

A culinary cannabis course is being offered to undergraduate students at UCF for the Summer B term, and it’s the first one ever at a Florida university.

Culinary cannabis is what it sounds like, cooking involving medical cannabis.

Jason Fridrich, hospitality instructor at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and retired chef, has over 28 years of experience in the food service and hospitality industries and will instruct the course.

Fridrich said the class revolves around marijuana and
NSM.today •

The chilling effects of DEI laws

It has been nearly a year since Gov. Ron DeSantis signed laws prohibiting state funding of diversity, equity and inclusion programs on campuses.

On May 15, 2023, Gov. DeSantis signed SB266 into law, with changes taking effect on July 1, 2023. The bill also had a counterpart bill, HB999, which was laid on the table.

Nearly a year later, there is a general awareness on campus about DEI laws. Experts in Orlando and at UCF said there is also confusion, consternation and even a chilling effect on l
NSM.today •

Fashion designer in the making

Samara Dyal was just a child when she decided she wanted to be a fashion designer.

Her mother owned a walk-in closet and loads of clothes. The sophomore business management major spent a lot of time in that closet, looking at the shirts, pants, dresses, jewelry and even accessories.

She would spend so much time there that her mom allowed her to style her for work. She recalls her mom coming home from work and telling her how many compliments she got on her outfit during her shift, which made D
NSM.today •

UCF student creates first Moroccan society on campus

Junior biotechnology major Salma Slaoui had an idea last spring semester to start a Moroccan society at UCF.

Slaoui is Moroccan and loves her culture and its traditions. However, she was upset to find out that there were no student organizations on campus for Moroccans.

Slaoui said she noticed other Moroccan students who wanted to participate in clubs related to their country had to join other organizations, like the Muslim Student Association, where they could get a sense of home through reli
NSM.today •

UCF to add pass or fail grading system in some classes

A pass or fail grading system was put in place for the spring 2020 semester when the world shut down at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to UCF’s website.

The university decided to implement this satisfactory/unsatisfactory system to help students transition and continue their education online without worrying about their letter grades, Vice Provost Theodorea Berry said.

“During the spring 2020 semester when (the) S/U policy was instituted, there were no students placed on acad