New College of Florida lacks housing and faces liberal backlash following DeSantis’ ‘experiment’.
The New College of Florida: A Conservative Makeover
The New College of Florida has embarked on an exciting journey, as it kicks off its inaugural school year with a conservative makeover. Despite facing some challenges and political fallout from a liberal exodus, the college is invigorated by a record freshman class enrollment.
In January, Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) appointed a group of new trustees to the college’s board, consisting of prominent conservative activists and scholars. Their mission? To transform the small Sarasota college into a bastion of conservative thought, a stark departure from its previous reputation as a sanctuary of left-wing and liberal views.
“The New College of Florida is a great experiment in the push to reclaim our institutions for the American cause.”
The changes came swiftly. By March, the board had dismissed the college’s president and brought in Richard Corcoran, former education commissioner under DeSantis, as an interim replacement. Meanwhile, trustee Chris Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, proudly declared that they were restoring classical liberal arts education to the college. Over the following months, the trustees made bold moves, such as banning diversity programs, establishing a collegiate athletics program, eliminating the gender studies department, and denying tenure to several professors.
Unsurprisingly, these abrupt changes infuriated the college’s liberal professors and students. They suddenly found themselves facing the reality that their beloved liberal oasis was no more. Faculty members left in droves, and Hampshire College in Massachusetts even offered New College students the opportunity to transfer while retaining their financial aid packages.
Democratic politicians and liberal pundits joined the chorus of criticism, accusing the new trustees of violating academic freedom. Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) even visited the campus in April, denouncing the college’s shift in direction as “an unbelievable assault.”
However, amidst the angst of liberals, Republicans rejoiced. They saw the New College’s transformation as a golden opportunity to create a public college that embraced conservative ideas. Governor DeSantis frequently cited Hillsdale College in Michigan as a model for the trustees to follow, and several of the trustees had affiliations with the private college.
Challenges and Promise
Yet, the transition away from its liberal reputation has not been without its challenges. By August, the college faced an entirely new set of problems. The public perception of the school had drastically changed, and while the incoming class was the largest ever, it posed a dilemma as there were more students than available housing. Additionally, over 40 faculty members resigned, citing their disagreement with the actions of the trustees.
To address the housing shortage, students have reportedly been placed in nearby hotels, while trustee Chris Rufo has resorted to advertising open faculty positions on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).
Despite the somewhat chaotic transition, conservative activists see immense promise in the New College’s transformation. Terry Schilling, President of the American Principles Project, believes that if successful, it could serve as a model for reforming other state colleges and universities.
“Most colleges and universities have either disinterested and aloof board members or those who fear retaliation from the woke mob. New College’s engaged and courageous board members are addressing the rampant coercion taking place on their campus by shutting down departments pushing radical political agendas.”
Cherise Trump, Executive Director of the campus free speech watchdog Speech First, commended the appointment of trustees who are invested in a specific vision for the college. She emphasized the importance of board members playing a larger role in holding university administrators accountable for free expression violations and coercion.
With its bold changes and commitment to conservative principles, the New College of Florida is paving the way for a new era in higher education. Only time will tell if this experiment will succeed and inspire similar transformations in other state schools.
Click here to read more from the Washington Examiner.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
