Category Archives: 2022 Articles

In October 2021, the Iguana ran a moving testimonial to James Thompson following his untimely death. What follows, written by his brother John, relates the moving and profound awarding to James his posthumous doctorate at the UF graduation ceremony in December.

by John Thompson

My late brother James Thompson left something undone. He ran a race with a fierce pace, but then stopped at the finish line and refused to cross. There are stories we craft to protect ourselves. They are grand stories, some that even elevate us around those that admire and love us. Woven in the fabric seamlessly, they become badges.

James was a PhD candidate at the University of Florida in the late ’90s and early ’00s. For reasons equal parts personal and political, James never paid UF a technical fee to file his dissertation and receive his diploma. After James’s death in August, it was decided by his friends, family, and former advisers that he should receive, posthumously, the diploma he had earned while he was living. At the ceremony, I would walk the stage on his behalf.   

by Joe Courter

Oh well, with ranked choice voting this would all have been done, but so it goes. 

The Nov. 16 special election for the seat on the City Commission abandoned by Gail Walker came down to a runoff between Cynthia Chestnut and Matt Howland. 

Early voting for the seat will take place on Jan. 21 and 22, and Election Day is Tuesday, Jan. 25.  

by Allan Frasheri, President, UF YDSA

“Every single thing we do — as a board, as an administration, as faculty, as University of Florida employees and officials — Everything MUST have our students as our number one priority. Our job is to give our amazing students a top-five university education.” 

This is how Mori Hosseini, chair of UF’s Board of Trustees, started the Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 3. He continues, “Unfortunately, we learned a couple years ago, that we had a small number of faculty members who were not carrying out the responsibilities of their jobs here. They were not putting the students first. In fact, they were using university time, resources, and sometimes even our students to benefit outside jobs and positions from which the faculty were personally profiting directly.”

The January-February issue of the Iguana is now available, and you can access it here! If you want to get your hands on a hard copy, check out our distro locations here.