Thursday, October 29, 2026
UF President Stuart Bell announced the removal of an H-1B financial analyst job posting that appeared on the university’s employment portal without his approval, saying the university would remain in compliance with state policy. The posting drew attention after a conservative journalist highlighted it in the wake of Gov. Ron DeSantis praising Florida public universities for cutting programs that prioritize foreign workers. Florida’s Board of Governors had enacted a year-long pause on H-1B visa hiring back in March, running through January 5, 2027.
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Sources: WCJB TV20 · The Gainesville Sun · The Independent Florida Alligator
The Florida Commission on Ethics has opened a formal investigation into Alachua County Public Schools Superintendent Kamela Patton after finding probable cause to examine whether she failed to disclose all of her income sources on required financial forms. Patton founded Patton Solutions LLC, an educational consulting firm, in late 2022 before becoming the district’s superintendent. Patton clarified that a probable cause finding is not a ruling of wrongdoing and that the matter will proceed to a formal hearing.
Sources: WCJB TV20
A University of Florida team led by UF/IFAS researchers Andrew Schuerger, Robert Ferl, and Anna-Lisa Paul sent an investigation called MVP-Plant-02 to the International Space Station on Oct. 13 to study how a fungal pathogen affects plants in microgravity. The experiment examines whether the space environment weakens plant defenses and makes infections more severe, using a specialized device to inoculate plants with powdery mildew spores after they are already in orbit. The findings are intended to advance the development of bioregenerative life support systems that could provide fresh food for astronauts on long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars.
Sources: UF News
