The pipeline of traditional-age students will tighten further midway through this decade because of the drop in births during the Great Recession of 2008, forcing college leaders to compete more aggressively for fewer students.

The rally came on the heels of several open letters from faculty, one of which included more than 350 signatures demanding the university reconsider its position on the center. 

Members of the UF student senate say Lauren Lemasters "blindly went against student demands" in her decision to support Sasse's appointment.

The power struggle between a group of college students and their university has ended in compromise but critics claim the college is just caving in.