New College of Florida

In early 2023, Gov. Ron DeSantis executed what many viewed as a conservative takeover of New College, a struggling state liberal arts college. About 20 faculty members and 200 students decamped within six months. Today, the campus culture reflects the new influx of many conservative-leaning professors and students, who are sharing classes with the old guard who tend to be more liberal.

Cris Hassold, a professor at New College of Florida for 50 years, left a mark on her 31 favorite students. “I think about her almost every day,” one said.

The appointments to the public university in Florida’s western panhandle come two years after DeSantis tapped six new board members to oversee New College of Florida, in what critics say was a hostile political takeover of the small progressive school.

The speaker was heckled and there were "Free Palestine" chants during his speech. Six students who took part were ID'd, and president Richard Corcoran said they must write an apology or take a civil discourse class.

Corcoran's bonus was already laid out in a compensation package approved last year.

The challenge, filed by the group NCF Freedom and several New College professors and students, says restrictions in the law would strip away numerous course offerings from its students.

The five-year compensation package puts him on par with the state's highest-paid college president, at the University of Florida. UF has over 55,000 students. That's less than the 700 who attend New College.

Attorneys for New College of Florida is threatening to sue a group of former faculty members and students because they have formed an alternative online institute named “Alt New College."

The New College of Florida community has continued to push back against Gov. Ron DeSantis' overhaul of the institution.

The lawsuit was filed by professors and students of New College of Florida, a small, public liberal arts college that has been used by Gov. Ron DeSantis as a staging ground for his war on “woke.” The suit seeks to block enforcement of the law.

Alleging that numerous courses and topics will be prohibited or “severely curtailed” by a new state law, a group that opposes Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to remake New College of Florida filed a federal lawsuit challenging the measure.

Earlier this year, Christopher Rufo was appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to serve on the Board of Trustees at New College of Florida. He also appeared beside the governor during the signing of the state's recent Higher Education overhaul bill.