The convenient end of a UF campus tradition | Ron Cunningham
Talk about a convenient accident for the University of Florida.
In February, after a UF student was seriously injured after being hit by a Hare Krishna catering truck, the university immediately suspended Krishna lunches on campus.
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This, presumably, pending a thorough accident investigation and whatever remedial action might be deemed necessary.
And never mind that Krishna lunches have been an on-campus dining tradition since UF students occupied the steps of Tigert Hall demanding an end to the war in Vietnam and civil rights for all.
Eager to show that they take safety seriously, the Krishnas quickly offered to replace the food delivery box truck it uses to haul food to campus with less intrusive electric carts.
But before the new carts could even be delivered, the other shoe dropped.
Krishna lunches on campus are terminated forthwith, UF ruled. No ifs, ands or buts.
And no explanation given for that decision.
Still, UF did have the good grace to say, “We wish you and your organization all the best going forward.”
Nice touch.
All of which should surprise no one who has watched the University of Florida’s steady, predictable evolution to Florida Corporate U.
Or perhaps Gator Franchises R Us.
Traditions are fine when you’re talking about rousing chants of “Two Bits” on a Saturday in The Swamp.
But campus food service is a big business.
Corporate vendors pay Tigert Hall a lot of money for the privilege of feeding thousands of students every day.
And let’s face it. Every student who consumes a Krishna serving of rice, chickpeas and cabbage will not that day be patronizing any of the vendors that pay UF handsomely for a captive customer base.
Krishna representative Bob Cohen, who has been trying to negotiate with UF since the accident, told The Sun that his organization has basically been “ghosted” by Tigert Hall.
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No surprise there.
Perhaps if the Krishnas want to get back on campus, they need to follow the new Florida Corporate U rules:
Shed their non-profit status.
Reinvent themselves as a profit-making venture.
Pay a marketing firm to design an eye-grabbing logo.
Get influential alums to make hefty donations to the university.
And hire a first-class legal team to jump through all of the hoops necessary to qualify as a vendor.
Oh, and it might also help to trade in the hippy era rice, chickpeas and cabbage for Argentine-raised beef, Iowa-grown fries and good old American shakes.
Listen, tradition counts for zilch at Florida’s Flagship Corporate U. These days it’s money that talks.
And the smart money bet on Hare Krishna’s half century-plus tradition of feeding UF students lunch disappearing after a single, all-so-convenient accident.
Which, when you think about it, makes perfect sense on a ‘Free Florida’ campus that, these days, routinely punishes its students for protesting war and demanding civil rights.
Ron Cunningham is a 1975 graduate of the University of Florida who retired after 37 years at The Gainesville Sun.
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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: The convenient end of a UF campus tradition | Ron Cunningham
Reporting by Ron Cunningham, Guest Column / The Gainesville Sun
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This story was originally published September 6, 2026 at 8:00 AM.
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