TAMPA, Fla. — Monday marks day one of a new school year on the University of South Florida's campus.
Students buzzed around campus, excited for the return to class.
"I'm very excited to start the school year. It's just a way to get back into the swing of things, get a nice routine, and hang out with friends," said Quentin Gegan.
"I'm excited to get more into school, just with clubs, get more involved, like, do more this semester, and just like all the events that are happening this fall, I'm just very excited for, like, the games, everything that's happening," said Arrelle Ferguson.
USF hit a record for applications this semester. 68,000 students applied for this school year, 5% more than last year and 35% more than three years ago.
"It has a really great business program, especially for women. So that was like, what really made me choose it. And also, the campus is so beautiful, like all the greenery, it's so nice to, like, walk around and just like destress," said Cassandre Francois.
"I chose USF because of the music program that we have here, and being involved with the marching band prior to actually coming here really helped," said Gegan.
"I love Tampa, and I love the environment, and I love that there's so much to do. I also love the diversity here," Ferguson added.
The students are returning to some changes, especially after a contentious end to last school year, when protests escalated to arrests.
In an email, the university told us:
We anticipate an active semester with many events and expressive activities. Because we are a large community with individuals from all backgrounds, there will be different viewpoints and reactions to these activities. As a public university, we must uphold the constitutional right to free speech, and we must ensure that our academic endeavors are not disrupted. Therefore, under the First Amendment, USF can apply content-neutral limits to all activities based on time, place, and manner. This summer we have been busy reviewing our policies and practices with regard to use of space and activities. Here are a few things to know:
· It is important that you review our policies and understand your rights and responsibilities as you engage with our campus. Here is the updated policy [usf.app.box.com] on campus activities and use of public space, along with a website [usf.edu] with more information.
· Some activities need reservations. We encourage you to review the policies and/or contact the Event Support Team [usf.edu] to aid your planning.
· USF encourages civil discourse, democratic engagement, and the open exchange of ideas.
· Constitutionally protected views or ideas expressed may be objectionable or offensive to some. Just because it is occurring on our campus, does not mean that USF supports the content being expressed. To be clear: USF condemns antisemitic expression, along with all other instances of hateful expression targeting individuals because of their shared ancestry or cultural heritage. This includes USF’s condemnation of Islamophobic expression. We have explicitly added antisemitism and Islamophobia to our policies [usf.app.box.com] on prohibited discrimination and harassment.
Some of this year's highlights involve requesting permission before modifying campus space, including signs, canopies, tents, and banners.
No activities are permitted in or near academic spaces on campus during the final two weeks of any academic term without a reservation.
The university can impose time, place, and manner limitations at any point.
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