USF administration announced March 4 that it plans to go back to in-person classes by fall, raising the hopes of students who may become disappointed if those plans get derailed due to a possible increase in COVID-19 cases. Despite expectations that college students will have access to the vaccine by […]

The Florida Legislature’s Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) unanimously approved the Regulation of Smoking in Public Places bill on March 15. The legislation would allow local governments to ban cigarettes from Florida’s public beaches and parks to improve the state’s coastal integrity as well as help the state’s […]

In an announcement Monday afternoon, USF President Steven Currall said the university will hold in-person commencement ceremonies at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg for the spring 2021 graduating class. For the first time in over a year, students will finally have the ability to feel a collective sense of accomplishment […]

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill March 3 that could potentially expand voting rights for American citizens who often experience disparities in information access and transportation to the polls.  The For the People Act would provide citizens with better access to voting through decreasing the “influence of big […]

To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, President Joe Biden announced the formation of the White House Gender Policy Council, which would discuss current feminist issues in America and provide female perspectives to White House affairs. The council would potentially be a step forward for American women, but it […]

Many universities across the U.S. have scheduled a mid-March spring break for 2021, implying Florida may receive an influx of tourists in and around Tampa Bay. With the potential influx of out-of-state visitors, restrictions must be established to prevent a surge in COVID-19 cases. Spokesperson for the Tampa International Airport […]

The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship and Grant program and other merit-based tuition reduction programs are currently being evaluated by the Florida Senate to allow the grant money to be used on majors the Senate feels are more deserving.  The Senate bill, or SB 68, was introduced by Sen. Dennis Baxley […]

University Police (UP) trained and enlisted the first and only therapy K-9 on campus and in Hillsborough County on Feb. 15. Bailey, a 1-year-old boxer, is on call for students who need comfort after being the victim of a crime or during welfare checks. USF and Hillsborough County should invest […]

A protest took place in downtown Tampa on Sunday afternoon in response to the “Combating Violence, Disorder and Looting, and Law Enforcement Protection Act,” which intends to expand laws against those who act violently toward police officers and was announced by Gov. Ron DeSantis in September 2020. The “anti-mob legislation,” […]

Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla and EventFest announced Tuesday the cancellation of the annual Tampa tradition Gasparilla. The parade and ensuing events usually attract over 300,000 participants from Tampa and neighboring cities and states.  Canceling Gasparilla may have prevented a possible spike in COVID-19 cases in our community, potentially saving […]