It had been three days since the Board of Trustees (BOT) voted to dismantle the Office of Outreach and Inclusive Excellence (OOIE) on Feb. 28. As part of that decision, all former staff members of the OOIE would be transitioned into other departments. For former…
In a world where LGBTQ+ individuals still face discrimination and prejudice, WUSF multimedia reporter Daylina Miller's new radio program Queer Spaces offers a refreshing perspective on the celebration of queerness in the Tampa Bay region and the importance of safe queer spaces. Miller, a queer…
On Mar. 1, Eli Lilly, also known as Lilly, a pharmaceutical company that prides itself on “integrity, excellence and respect for people,” announced that they will be capping their insulin products at $35 for a one month’s supply of the life-saving medication. The change seeks…
From the sunny west coast of Florida to the cloudy and rainy weather of London, booksellers traveled far and wide to make an appearance at the 40th anniversary of Florida’s Antiquarian Book Fair in St. Petersburg's historic building, the Coliseum. The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair…
As a culture war wages onward across America, a wave of book bans has reached classrooms and libraries across the country. The bans have resulted in uproars as those silly leftists rage against the prohibition of their false idols. I, for one, think banning children’s…
By Isaac Tellechea & Mark McDermott Navigating the conflicting interests of the campus is comparable enough to a minefield as-is, but students may have trudged over cultural tripwires without even taking notice—though authorities certainly have. Following the Feb. 23 walkout, the chalk impressions of resistance…
The New College Foundation—the direct-support organization that raises public and private funds for New College—has come under increased scrutiny this past month, starting on Feb. 13 when Board of Trustees (BOT) Chair Debra Jenks announced that the Foundation would be covering Interim President Richard Corcoran’s…
Removing wisdom teeth is a painful experience many 17-25 year olds go through, often resulting in popular videos on social media. But aside from online virality, wisdom teeth have been at the top of the list of seemingly useless parts of the human body. However,…
Last year, former President Patricia Okker kicked off the New College Challenge: a campus initiative described as “a path to address the issues of social, economic and environmental resilience—issues that have a direct impact on New College, our community and our future” on the New…
New College’s Valuing Inclusivity Program (VIP) Weekend was an event intended to bring prospective students of color on campus for a weekend stay in current students' dorms, giving them the opportunity to attend on-campus events and get a glimpse at student life. However, on Mar.…
Florida is the next state in line to restrict access to abortion further than it already has. Florida lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 300 on Mar. 7 which, as of Mar. 16, has been voted to advance by a Florida House committee and is now HB…
The feeling of sitting at a dorm desk, staring at a screen and trying to put words together for a paper due at 11:59 p.m. while just not being able to is a universal experience. Sure, studying at cafes is fun, but it can get…
Four people were arrested by the University of South Florida (USF) campus police on Mar. 6 while protesting in support of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Designated as the “Tampa 4,” the arrested individuals included two USF students, a staff member and an alum of…
Hampshire College is welcoming New College students with the opportunity to pursue a liberal arts education in Massachusetts. Hampshire is offering a financial aid package set to match prospective students transferring from New College with the same tuition as the rate said student paid in…
Submitted by David Land ('70) To everything there is a seasonA time for every purpose under heaven a time to be born and a time to die,a time to plant and a time to harvest, a time to kill and a time to heal,a time to…
On Mar. 1, the Conservative Political Action Coalition (CPAC) held its annual congregation of conservative thinkers, speakers and officials. The esteemed list of speakers included former President Donald J. Trump, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, one-time Trump staffer Steve Bannon and other such figures. Media coverage…
Capitalism has dipped itself into many questionable markets, including the most recent debate on assisted suicide and it’s ethics which came to light due to Canada’s allowal of “Medical assistance in dying.” On Mar. 3, in another bold move, Canada has legalized the sale of…
In memory of Bobbi, a beloved stray cat who recently and tragically lost their life to a car accident on Mar. 1, students are honoring the impact they had on those on campus. Bobbi may have been a wandering soul, but they touched the hearts…
On Apr. 26, 1986 Chernobyl’s number four reactor, located near Pripyat in the north of Ukraine SSR, failed due to flaws in testing which caused a reactor meltdown and displaced around 350,000 people within the 2,800-square-kilo exclusion zone. In the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl…
Academic conferences are largely attended by graduate students and professors to share their findings and build community, but here at New College, we are required to participate in a minimum of three Independent Study Periods (ISP) where we get a headstart on doing research and…
It’s that wonderful time of year again: spring is back, red tide is suffocating the west coast of Florida and the Florida Strawberry Festival is in town. Located in Plant City, this festival is conducted to showcase agriculture, commerce, livestock, horticulture and other creative crafts…
On Mar. 12, New College students and faculty hit the freshly redone courts to play in a competitive Volleyball Tournament. The heated games lasted from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. as students enjoyed hot dogs, burgers and cold drinks on the sidelines. Crowds lined up…
Environmental and climate activists have been rallying online since early February against Alaska’s largest crude oil producer, ConocoPhillips, and its proposed Willow oil project—first announced in 2017. However, efforts proved futile as President Joe Biden’s administration approved the controversial plan on Mar. 13. The Willow…
In Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ongoing “war on woke,” Walt Disney World has been a consistent thorn in the governor's side. On Mar. 28, 2022, Disney made a public statement explaining that “Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have…
Following the devastating train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, a conversation about train safety and maintenance has taken root across the country. This issue made its way to the Manasota area on Feb. 28 when a freight train was derailed on the Seminole Gulf Railway…
A group of alumni have begun the process of starting a new board independent of the New College Alumni Association (NCAA), with the primary goal of separating from the New College Foundation. Although the average student’s tenure on New College’s campus only lasts four years,…
Assistant Professor of Anthropology and International & Area Studies Yidong Gong is making moves during the spring semester to engage more New College students in the study of all things anthropology. The Anthropology Commons takes place at least once a month in the Anthropology Lab,…
Shelf Indulgence is a local used bookstore located in the Sarasota area, known for its cozy study space, wonderful cafe, amazing staff and wide selection of used books. However, Shelf Indulgence (affectionately nicknamed Shelf) has found yet another way to set themselves apart from other…
New College of Florida Board of Trustees (BOT) member Christopher Rufo and New College of Florida are currently being sued in a joint lawsuit filed on Feb. 21 by the Florida Center for Government Accountability (FLCGA), a nonprofit transparency organization. FLCGA’s suit includes a request…
“One year later, Kyiv stands,” President Joe Biden declared while meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mariinsky Palace. Feb. 24 marked the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, an invasion that was an escalation of President Vladimir Putin’s years-long quest to rebuild the…
The arts are widely embraced on-campus—music being no exception. New Music New College (NMNC) brings revolutionary musical performances every semester, allowing New College students, staff and faculty to enjoy truly unique experiences for free. On Mar. 4, members of the on-campus and wider Sarasota communities…
The Embracing Our Differences education initiative publicly presents its 20th annual traveling exhibition at Sarasota’s Bayfront park from now until Mar. 12, and showcases 50 hand-chosen works centered around celebrating diversity. The art is featured along the walkways of the Sarasota marina for the public…
There’s no such thing as swinging in cinema. Plotting a movie night is plodding, and there’s often very little wiggle room for a spur-of-the-moment love affair with a movie. Even in the streaming age, the convenience of having a library of content from the comfort…
Hanging over the Sarasota-Manatee coastal area like a thick and pungent fog, red tide —as defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—is a harmful algal bloom that produces toxins that kill fish, make shellfish unsafe to eat and make surrounding air unsafe to…
At any point in a prospective student’s application process up until the COVID-19 outbreak, they have been required to contend with the placement test. For folks in Florida, the two historic heavyweights have been the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT) exams.…
The rights of LGBTQ+ people are being consistently challenged by Republicans across the country. It seems that the issues of gender-affirming care, “saying gay” and whether the public is mature enough to witness drag have become some of the biggest issues facing politicians in their…
Feb. 28 was a highly anticipated date for New College, as it marked Interim President Richard Corcoran’s second official day on the job and his first ever public address to the New College community during that day’s Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting. Also highly anticipated…
“Fight fight fight, education is a human right!” This mantra was chanted by hundreds of students, alums, parents and community members gathered on the steps of Hamilton “Ham” Center before the Feb. 28 New College Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting. The meeting would be the…
On Feb. 23, around 100 of the 698 students enrolled at New College of Florida walked out of their classrooms in protest of recent actions taken by the new Board of Trustees (BOT) and the proposed changes targeting Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives made…
By Isaac Tellechea and Chloe Rusek R. Derek Black (‘10) is one New College’s most notable alumni. Black was born to father Don Black, a former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and founder of Stormfront, an Internet forum often considered one of…
Researchers have recently discovered a way to make agrivoltaics—the use of solar panels to grow and cultivate crops—more efficient. They have found that the different levels of wavelengths have an impact on the crops and how quickly they grow. Studies have shown that agrivoltaics can…
Following their appointments, something the New College community quickly recognized about the seven new Board of Trustee (BOT) members was that not all of them had prior experience working in educational institutions, and many were coming from out of state. Even without the work credentials…
Following the environmental disaster that occurred on Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio, when a Norfolk Southern train crashed and caught fire, the roughly 4,700 residents of East Palestine and the surrounding area are still being affected by the derailment. The train had a total…
A new study of Australian humpback whales provides researchers with a disheartening discovery: their melancholy songs are on the decline. The graceful mammals have instead resorted to other methods of attracting mates: violence. Their songs are an ever-evolving language allowing the animals to communicate with…
It was a stormy day in Kenya in 2017: paleoanthropologist Emma Finestone was recording the location of fossils when she made a shocking discovery. The team was removing the skeleton of an ancient hippo when they found a molar intermingled with early Oldowan tools. However,…
Carnivorous plant enthusiasts may have found a home in the CarniVORiNCF club. Started this semester by second-year transfer student Isaiah Johnson, the CarniVORiNCF program serves students who are interested in botany, plant biology and mycology. Johnson began pursuing his interest in carnivorous plants in high…
Love is in the air this season, just in time for New College’s Valentine's Day Center of the Universe Party (COUP), which was thrown on Feb. 25. For Novos needing to let off steam following the spring semester kickoff, the Love and Dionysus COUP was…
By Arianna Lockman and Chloe Rusek It’s safe to say that New College has been experiencing many changes within the past two months: Students and faculty are concerned for the future of their school, but there’s one voice New College has yet to hear from:…
Though Palm Court has precedent to the esteemed “Center of the Universe” title, the second closest candidate for such a prestigious position is the Hamilton “Ham” Center—a staple in student life and on-campus dining. In spite of its importance, upwards of 120 lbs. of Metz…
Sustainability is constantly at the forefront of conversations surrounding climate change and the sheer amount of waste created by human consumption. Generation Z has stepped up in creating initiatives such as the Food Forest and the composting tutorial to achieve a more sustainable society that…
Incoming Interim New College President Richard Corcoran’s employment contract was approved on Feb. 21 by the Board of Trustees (BOT), including his lofty base salary of $699,000. Approval of Corcoran’s contract was the only action item at this virtual Special BOT meeting, and judging by…
The following is a letter written to the New College Foundation on Feb. 21, 2023. It has been signed by 156 New College alumni, with cohorts ranging from the 1960s to New College's most recent graduating class. Dear Members of the New College Foundation: The…
We don’t know what could happen was the general sentiment shared by many members of the New College community in the weeks leading up to the first Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting scheduled just after a slate of new conservative appointments by Gov. Ron DeSantis.…
Current students were invited to submit open, unsigned letters to Dr. Patricia Okker, for initial “delivery” via publication in the Catalyst. The full text of each submission appears below. Dear former president Okker,I am sorry to hear about your termination. I sincerely hope that you…
For weeks prior to the event, the New College Alumni Facebook group was abuzz with folks making plans for accommodations and social gatherings for the upcoming Alumni Weekend. Dozens of alums returned to campus on Feb. 17 and 18 for the opportunity to connect and…
Within Sarasota, there is a hidden gem which has been pushed to the sidelines throughout the town’s history: the celebrated African American community, Newtown. However, in recent years, the community has begun shifting into the spotlight as one of Sarasota’s most vibrant, artistic and historic…
The influence black artists have on every corner of the music industry is far too great to ignore. In honor of Black History Month, this edition of Songs You Should Hear will be focused on a variety of styles and genres from black artists, new…
On Feb. 6, southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria were hit with a 7.8 earthquake leaving more than 45,000 people dead and millions of people displaced as rescue teams struggle to save them. In the immediate hours following the initial earthquake, the…
Over the past few weeks, a dizzying flurry of announcements have come from Gov. Ron DeSantis’s office concerning Florida’s high school curriculum. Most recently, the governor has taken aim at the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) African American studies curriculum, lambasting it as woke indoctrination.…
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) has been fighting controversy in recent weeks after discussing the possibility of requiring student athletes to answer questions about their menstrual history on the state-wide pre-participation physical evaluation form. The form has included questions about menstrual history since…
OpenAI, the renowned artificial intelligence research laboratory, has made groundbreaking progress in the field of natural language processing with its state-of-the-art language model, ChatGPT. As one of the largest language models in the world, ChatGPT has been able to generate coherent and realistic text in…
On Feb. 4, California Polytechnic University, Humboldt announced that incoming first-year students would have priority for all on-campus housing. While the exact number of incoming students in the fall is still unknown, the university did receive 19,000 applications in January, almost doubling the amount of…
In Fall 2022, the recently-established New College basketball team provided a place for students to learn the basics of the sport and jump on the courts for a pick-up game or two. While the team’s primary purpose is to be a source of Novocollegian sportsmanship…
With Sarasota's mixed population of retirees and college students, younger audiences may feel like they have less access to nightlife activities than other university towns do. For night owls looking for entertainment past 7 p.m., there are plenty of hidden gems in the Sarasota-Bradenton area…
Students walking around New College from Feb. 7 through 9 may have noticed a strange object circulating throughout campus. Having just directed The Fog at New College in 2022, Logan Gabrielle Schulman (‘17)—artist, educator, organizer and theater maker—returned to campus from New York to showcase…
After a deeply disruptive Jan. 31 meeting, the New College Board of Trustees (BOT) was not expected to meet again until the end of February. However, on Feb. 6, it was posted on the New College website that a Special BOT Meeting would be held…
On Feb. 8, the New College of Florida’s faculty held their first public meeting since the announcement of new appointments to the Board of Trustees (BOT). It was also the first in-person faculty meeting since the coronavirus pandemic began. Professors and staff from across the…
Selby Botanical Gardens has brought Louis C. Tiffany’s “Pursuit of Beauty in Nature” to the Downtown Sarasota Campus in an exhibition featuring a variety of pieces from Tiffany Studios, including pieces that use Favrile glass. On display until June 25, every piece features designs that…
Since the Jan. 6 announcement of six new conservative-aligned Board of Trustee (BOT) members appointed at New College of Florida, Representative Anna Eskamani (District 47- Democrat) has spoken out frequently and firmly in opposition to the decision. Taking to social media platforms like Twitter and…
On Jan. 31, the New College of Florida’s Board of Trustees (BOT) fired former President Patricia Okker and proposed replacing her with an interim, Republican politician and education administrator Richard Corcoran, effective Feb. 27. Corcoran’s base salary will sit at $699,000, approved when his proposed…
A cloud of mystery looms over a certain corner of the Jane Bancroft Cook Library that houses one of the most versatile spaces on campus: the Makerspace. Libraries across the globe stand to lose patrons in the days of technological advances and innovative inventions that…
The following statement was passed by official motion and majority vote of the faculty of New College of Florida on Feb. 10, 2023. Signed by Chair of the Faculty Matthew Lepinski and Vice-Chair of the Faculty Nicolas Delon. We stand united in this moment, as…
In the face of recent political adversities at New College of Florida, faculty and students have been concerned that the rates of admissions will take a drastic turn. Former President Patricia Okker and admissions staff admitted twice the number of students in the 2021-2022 academic…
Sur la Bay is one of many Black History Month activities happening at New College until Mar. 1—showcasing work done by students of the Patá Independent Study Project (ISP) as well as performances from the local band TREEDOMM. With help from New Music New College…
The New College Off-Campus Study/Study Abroad office has long been interested in connecting students with the right programs and necessary support to successfully complete a semester, summer or even a full year of a program or internship anywhere in the world. The Study Abroad Fair…
Former New College President Patricia Okker was removed from her position on Jan. 31, by a new Board of Trustees (BOT) featuring seven additional members appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. For new trustee Dr. Mark Bauerlein, this decision was important for reconciling the goals of…
Submitted by Bruce Benidt (‘72) The Governor and the new trustees are wrong about New College. And it tears my heart and soul to see what they’re doing to such a bright light of learning. New College does not indoctrinate. It is not a captive…
For the second show of the [performance @ new college] 2022-2023 season, Assistant Professor of Theater, Dance and Performance Studies (TDPS) Diego Villada directed a double-feature: A Game by Dennis E. Noble and The Girl Who Was Asked to Turn Blue by Ev Miller. Both…
On Jan. 31, New College’s Board of Trustees (BOT) held its first meeting since Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) appointed seven new members to its governing body. In that meeting, monumental change was rapidly brought upon the school, namely the…
When it was first announced on Jan. 6 that Gov. Ron DeSantis had appointed six new members to New College’s Board of Trustees (BOT), various media outlets began calling this move a “hostile takeover”—with a seventh new member joining them on Jan. 26. There was…
Jan. 31 proved to be a prominent date for most—if not all—of the New College community. The prospects of what the Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting could entail lingered on many minds, primarily a group of New College students, alumni and community organizations such as…
It’s no secret that Florida has become ground zero for conservative educational policy. Gov. Ron DeSantis has made countless headlines throughout the past year due to policies like the "Don’t Say Gay" Bill, the Stop WOKE Act, book banning in K-12 schools and, most recently,…
An exclusive New College experience takes place throughout the entire month of January, a period when Independent Study Projects (ISPs) take place. During this time, students embark on a month-long research project, which can be done in groups or can be done independently between a…
Professor of Classics David Rohrbacher’s Food and Dining in Ancient Rome Independent Study Project (ISP) was a huge hit among students, drawing in well over a dozen first-years for their first group ISP. Take a look back on the different meals and students’ experience with…
Imagine going to bed and waking up to a world divided by a wall that seemingly sprung up overnight. Aug. 13, 1961: the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR) began the construction of a wall separating East and West Berlin. With the Berlin Wall playing such…
Throughout the years, New College has been met with criticism from the student body regarding issues of food insecurity and the quality of life on campus. Whether it be due to food quality, accessibility issues or even just finding suitable times to eat during a…
It’s that delightful time of year: students are studying for finals and preparing for the holidays while snowbirds begin their invasion of the Sarasota area. Despite the holiday cheer and the terrific traffic, there is another annual event students have to look forward to: Independent…
First-year students have started their college experiences this academic year with a constant stream of tropical storms and at the tail-end of a pandemic. With the misaligned syllabi and stressful schedules, it seemed like the end of this semester wasn't in sight for first-timers here…
The spirit of solidarity is in the air for railroad workers all over the country in their ongoing struggle for better working conditions and paid sick leave. With resources provided to the Catalyst courtesy of Visiting Assistant Professor of English Debarati Biswas, the history, ethics…
Earlier this semester, the Catalyst covered a trifecta of locally-owned businesses where one could get a good cup of coffee. Assuming the campus has been caffeinated—coupled with so many students being cooped up during the dreaded finals week—the best course of action would be to…
In early December, President Joe Biden suggested a shift in the order in which states engage in the Democratic primaries. This seemingly minor change indicates a significant realignment in the Democratic party and a defensive play from the aging President. The proposed reorganization would shift…
To college students, campus should be a place to call home. One of the most important elements of feeling at home is feeling safe, a right which was threatened at New College during the last two school years as campus dealt with a series of…
Months after the shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, survivors are seeking justice for their lost loved ones. A lawsuit against the 376 police officers, among other parties, who were present at the shooting hopes to bring $27 billion to the grieving plaintiffs. Students,…
Nov. 23, on the tail-end of Black Friday and with the holiday season fast approaching, Foxconn—the world’s largest contract electronics maker—was hit with a riot led by hundreds of protesting factory workers. Chants from employees of, “Give us our pay!” grinded the usual bustle characteristic…
Throughout the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, and especially over the past year, Florida has been defined by its increasingly lax COVID-19 policies and procedures. However, as respiratory illness continues to ravage the country this flu season, Los Angeles County on the opposite end of…
The end of each semester is marked by emails from the Provost’s Office to students, asking them to fill out Instructional Evaluations—to share their thoughts on the content of their courses and the helpfulness and accessibility of their professors. Students are highly encouraged to fill…
The history of tattoos is estimated to date back to 5,000 BCE. Humans have always been fascinated with body art—especially when said art has the potential to become a permanent part of them. What could be a better way to honor something special to you…
A 4-1 decision by the newly instated Sarasota School Board resulted in the first stages of superintendent Brennan Asplen’s termination. Parents, teachers, students and concerned taxpayers swarmed the Sarasota School Board Building for the board’s special meeting on Nov. 29—many not even able to get…
The future progression of civilization seems to be on a quite linear path, or at least quite literally a linear city in Northwest Saudi Arabia with claims that it will run on one hundred percent renewable energy. NEOM, as the city is called, was unveiled…
Any student who has ever attended a Wall, participated in a student-run event with live music or who has attended a Senate Meeting with a functioning microphone has two different groups of people to thank: the Equipment Teaching Assistants (EQTAs) and the Band Room TAs.…
Pediatricians across the country are petitioning the Biden administration to declare a state of emergency over the uptick in respiratory illness for patients admitted to U.S. hospitals. This request from hospitals and doctors lobbying the Biden administration is coming off the back of a triple…
Why is it when going into a grocery store, or even shopping through your favorite e-tailer, everything is priced $19.99, $49.99 or $99.99 rather than just rounding up to the next whole number? This isn’t just a coincidence, or subliminal government messaging, but actually has…
2022 has officially become the second-highest year ever recorded for the annual number of mass shootings according to data gathered from the Gun Violence Archive, an independent research group that tracks gun violence in the U.S. Since the beginning of the year to today, there…
A new bill passed by the Connecticut Senate and House of Representatives has mandated that climate change must be taught at all Connecticut public schools for their science curriculum. The bill is slated to go into effect starting July of 2023 and has made Connecticut…
Hurricanes are one of the most lethal natural disasters that there are—and Florida is the hurricane capital of the United States. Two major storms hit Florida this hurricane season, and while both have been disasters, there is a quieter, subtler ecological nightmare that follows behind…
By Sophia Brown & Arianna Lockman For a prospective student taking an on-campus tour, College Hall is the very first impression they get of New College—that shadow of the grand opulence once owned by Charles and Edith Ringling, now a space for faculty and Admissions…
The winter holidays can bring difficult emotions for folks who are struggling, whether it be financially or with loneliness. However, one local organization aims to provide a space to address both of these common holiday stressors. On Dec. 1 at the Meadows Country Club in…
Every President, CEO or director has an assistant to keep them organized and on top of their daily, weekly and monthly duties. On Nov. 17, it was announced to the student body that Maura Galvao had accepted the position of Executive Assistant to the President…
After the closure of the Four Winds Cafe in 2020 and several attempts at repurposing and relaunching the space over the past two years, it finally formally reopened this semester on Nov. 11, not as a full-fledged cafe, but as an additional recreation and study…
New College students have been tapping into their spirituality and centering themselves thanks to the plethora of yoga classes available on campus: “Yoga for Wellness: A Vinyasa Flow Class” led by Counseling & Wellness Center (CWC) Postdoctoral Fellow and Psychologist Nick Gensmer, “A Yoga Class…
If one needs proof that every inch of the Novo is blessed with venom, they need to look no further than Fight Club. Beginning life as a Muay Thai kickboxing and Shotokan karate club in Fall 2021, Fight Club has given way to a constructive…
The World Cup has been a cultural staple for nearly a century, bringing together athletes and fans alike from all over the globe, all in the name of the most popular sport on the planet: football. With each tournament, a country is selected as a…
The day has come. It was a hard decision, but the only choice you have is to amputate. All was well when you arrived at the hospital and surgery went smoothly—the only problem is you were sure it was your right leg, not your left. …
In a collaboration between Queery, Resident Advisors (RAs) for V Residence Hall or “Pride Hall,” the New College Student Alliance (NCSA) Diversity and Inclusion department and the Counseling & Wellness Center (CWC), a Trans Day of Remembrance event was held on Nov. 20 to allow…
Music is a universally enjoyed pastime, passion and profession. Whether or not the lyrics are easily understood, music transcends language and communicates via emotions through melodies and notes. For this edition of Songs You Should Hear, take a journey through Europe, East Asia and Central…
With the large influx of students attending New College for the 2022-2023 academic year comes the pressure to add more flair to student life and the community. This year in particular has been abundant in the amount of new-found or re-emerging clubs that have entered…
With Thanksgiving break approaching, it is essential to take a moment to recognize November as a month of indigenous celebration and commemoration. Whether that be in the form of research, activism or community events, each to the improvement of Native American recognition in the United…
In October, Hurricane Ian carved its way through Florida and claimed a week’s worth of classes in its wake. Just one month later, Tropical Storm Nicole followed and with it came another set of cancellations across the campus—halting all academic activities for the rest of…
For Former President Donald Trump, history looks like it’s going to repeat itself. On Nov. 15, he announced his third consecutive run for the Presidency, hoping to overturn his Democratic usurper, President Joseph Biden. Much the same as his 2016 run, though, in front of…
Emotional support animals (ESA) can be found all over New College’s campus, whether it’s a dog playing fetch on Z Green or a cat being carried around in a backpack—or perhaps you’ve even spotted students being pulled around on a skateboard by a dog? ESAs…
Residents of Newtown are all too familiar with the numerous recycling plants situated at the edges of their neighborhood. Some of these plants have been there for decades, and more have been added over the years as building construction has boomed in Sarasota. But while…
Iranian citizens are revolting against the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in what many are calling a feminist revolution. On Sept. 16, Mahsa “Zhina” Amini, a 22 year old Kurdish woman, died from her injuries after being beaten by morality police in Tehran…
The New College student body remembers Nicole as a cloudy day in which they wondered why school was canceled. However Daytona, FL got the brunt of this rare November tropical storm-turned-hurricane. Landing on the east coast as a Category 1, it rampaged through the Volusia…
Time capsules as we know them are one of many ways to preserve history and provide a lens into the lives of those who put it together. A snippet of time can be kept in a box—stowed away until it almost becomes the distant past—before…
The Visions of the Black Experience Film Festival was a chance for New College students to discuss pressing issues revolving around African medical care, decolonizing education and African American historical figures. The festival was held on Nov. 10 through 12 at the Mildred Sainer Pavilion…
College Hall has always been the flagship sight to see for students attending New College . In 1962—two years after New College was founded—Sarasota trustees were given the opportunity to purchase this aged building that is now an essential part of the campus. The now…
Mechsel is a game you’ve never heard of, currently in the works by third-year Computer Science student Ferris Whitney. Whitney, a computer hardware and retro console enthusiast, is working to make their mark on the indie gaming scene with their first video game. They started…
Tropical Storm Nicole made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane early Thursday morning before reverted back to tropical storm status, wreaking havoc across Florida’s east coast. These photos represent Melbourne, Florida’s experience with Hurricane Nicole. All photos are courtesy of Aria Lockman. Photos taken Nov.…
Ever had a literary passion project or idea so good, it should be a novel? If so, then National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) offers the opportunity to make this dream a reality. This challenging yet stimulating event being observed by the Writing Resource Center (WRC)…
The unique academic contract system at New College has allowed many students to explore a wide variety of interests without the competitive stress of a grade point average (GPA). For others, it can be a financial aid nightmare. The Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory designation of New…
Recently, pop science might have fed you the stuff of nightmares—or one of the better Bay movies—in the form of 2022-AP7, nicknamed “The Planet Killer” asteroid. The 1.5-kilometer wide asteroid might look scary, but the fact is, you probably have a few thousand years before…
Every year, for a block of about six months, just about every shopping center and mall and grocery store is flooded with seasonal treats, from Halloween to Easter. This isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but for retail employees, it’s started to serve…
On Oct. 28, David DePape, suspected of being a far-right fringe theorist, broke into the home of Nancy and Paul Pelosi and, looking for Speaker Pelosi, found her husband and beat him with a hammer. The story is a strange one—and indicative of a broader,…
The U.S-backed proxy war in Ukraine is reaching its fevered boiling point. As Russia continues to strike devastating blows to Ukrainian infrastructure, the military posture of the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has become increasingly escalatory in nature, threatening to drag the…
There is nothing more important than having a safe, secure place to call home. For many New College students, home consists of the various dormitories spread across campus, but just as suddenly as they became home to students in August 2021, they would turn into…
Based in Omaha, Nebraska, the controversial gun club facility 88 Tactical has drawn attention from all over the country for the not-so-subtle use of neo-Nazi dog whistles. This is not an isolated bastion of white supremacy; the company has recently announced plans for expansion in…
Provided one pardons the French of an old Russian play in new clothes, there’s something to be said of thesis student and director KC Casey’s rendition of Aaron Posner’s Stupid Fucking Bird—a triumph two-and-a-half years in the making—that’s managed to capture the Novo imagination. Perhaps…
The New College thesis, although daunting, is a rite of passage into graduation. Students take their projects to creative depths in order to spread their message—some even add a highlight on trauma, disability or mental illness in order to connect personally to their thesis. Although…
“Their blood is on your hands,” the crowd chanted as the Florida Board of Medicine announced it will only hear one last public comment regarding their ruling to ban gender-affirming care to minors. It’s been a long time coming. In June, the Board revoked medicaid…
This is the second article in a two-part series about the involvement of biolabs internationally in the creation and spread of the COVID-19 virus. Read part one here. Boston University researchers have been facing widespread backlash after DailyMail published an article on Oct. 17 revealing…
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, government agencies and public health officials have tirelessly and forcefully asserted the origins of the COVID-19 virus to be naturalistic—an unfortunate, unpreventable consequence of biological evolution and epidemiological processes. Yet, a recent report titled An Analysis…
This October, the world’s most “meme-savvy” supervillain bought online social media platform Twitter at the low, low price of $44 billion. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tesla Motors and SpaceX Elon Musk fired Twitter’s former CEO Parag Agrawal shortly after acquiring the company and immediately…
November marks the beginning of Diabetes Awareness Month. In the United States, 37 million people are affected by some form of diabetes, yet 20% of all Americans are unaware they have it. While so many people share the experience of diabetes, everyone feels different about…
New College basketball fans, get ready, because campus is getting its first ever competitive basketball team. Founded by third-year and Catalyst staff writer Isaac Tellechea, the basketball club is “as much of a team as we can be at New College.” Tellechea has aspirations for…
On Oct. 14, two members of the climate activist group Just Stop Oil entered the National Gallery in London and proceeded to empty two cans of Heinz Tomato soup onto the glass frame of Vincent Van Gogh’s 1888 Sunflowers painting. The pair followed their actions…
Things are getting hot and heavy in the world of professional chess. Chess world champion and grandmaster Magnus Carlsen was dethroned this September after nine years of being number one. Carlsen resigned, or surrendered, after the second move in an online match with successor 19-year-old…
For the first time in over two years, the Asian American and Pacific Islander Student Alliance (AAPISA) had a meeting on Oct. 28 spearheaded by first-year and President Kyla Baldonado. The research and outreach put into resurfacing the club could not have been done without…
By Nat Kornblum & Sophia Brown The New College Challenge was first announced in Apr. 2022 as a single presentation about spaces and places on campus in the Sudakoff Conference Center. Now, six months later, the New College Challenge Launch Week reintroduced these questions to…
Florida’s weather is known for its lack of dramatic seasonal changes in temperature and weather patterns. Being the closest continental state to the equator, Florida winter temperatures do not decrease nearly as much as anywhere north of the state. In November, so-called cold fronts in…
Alumni have hundreds of gleaming New College students looking upon their successes enlightened. Real-life examples of how Novos are able to grow from their academic experiences at New College allow wisdom to transmit to currently enrolled students. Luckily, due to our tight-knit community, there are…
New College students have always been disproportionately politically mobilized and involved. Luckily, this might not stay the case as a local Sarasota organization starts to take grassroots mobilization to the unexpected—the baby boomers. The Catalyst sat down with founder of Choose Democracy Now Dale Anderson,…
As new leadership makes their way into the Office of Outreach, Equity and Inclusion (OOIE), new initiatives for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work are incoming. Their work entails a multitude of responsibilities and their tour is the first step in creating a new beginning…
For college students, food can be a part of the everyday routine that is often overlooked, due to leading busy lives occupied by school, work and extracurricular activities. At New College, this issue can also be exacerbated by the perceived lack of quality food available…
The Heart Walk is an annual tradition established by the American Heart Association (AHA) in order to combat the number one cause of death in America: heart disease. This year’s Heart Walk for New College will be on Nov. 12 from 8 a.m. until 11…
Flashy stores, salted pretzels, coin-operated kid’s rides that looked like they were ready to come to life right off the metal grate where they sat. For many, this is what childhood memories of mall visits entailed, but what happened? Across North America, malls are quickly…
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has declared as of Oct. 12 that there is a shortage of the widely used Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medication Adderall. Teva Pharmaceutical, the largest supplier of generic and branded Adderall, has attributed the shortage to three things: an…
Current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) seems to be a headlining topic in a variety of news outlets, podcasts and twitter threads—he seems to reside rent-free in everyone's head; but what about his opponent? Democratic nominee for Florida Gov. Charlie Crist won the Florida Democratic…
As with all things New College, the campus’ past involvement in the college sports ecosystem has been unorthodox. New College’s stake in the competitive sports space is the burgeoning battlefield of competitive gaming (also known as eSports), but NCF eSports’ greatest opponent in the present…
New College President Patricia Okker announced on Sept. 14 that the college's General Counsel and Pre-Law Advisor David Fugett would be resigning his position of four years after accepting an offer to become the General Counsel at Florida Polytechnic University. The General Counsel serves an…
Crowded venues, awesome decorations and lack of water? What more would you expect from New College’s first Center of the Universe Party (COUP) of the academic year? This semester’s Vampire COUP and the campus-wide Halloween party for the 2022-2023 COUP season was hosted by thesis…
In recent years, marijuana politics are making large leaps in becoming more modernized, shifting society towards a more relaxed and accepting view of the subject. On Oct. 6, President Joe Biden issued an executive order which pardons all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession.…
In the past two years, flu rates had decreased due to mitigation strategies put in place for the coronavirus pandemic. But people should expect some changes for the 2022-2023 flu season, which won’t follow the same trend according to experts. Australia’s most recent flu season…
The Garage Sale held on Oct. 8 in the Nook not only allowed students to support each other by purchasing discounted clothes, art, food and other goods from each other, but it ignited a sense of togetherness for New College students and allowed them to…
In the violent wake of Hurricane Ian, the nearby Venice Theater was taken from the community. Twelve inches of rain, a collapsed fly loft and damaged electrical grids left the theater a molded framework skeleton and the crushed set of The Revolutionists—the production originally set…
Early voting has already begun, and while some have suggested that statewide races are going to pitch hard to Republicans, local elections are up for grabs. The Catalyst recommends that all New College students vote in these races, as they can be so close with…
It is finally time to welcome the long-awaited reopening of B Dormitory, allowing students who were temporarily placed in Pei first court to move into their intended rooms. The original move-in date was set to be Oct. 3, but due to Hurricane Ian, the move-in…
Of the myriad abstract pillars that uphold an academic community, safety is an essential component. Unfortunately, the actual, corporeal pillars that uphold this value on campus—the cyan-smeared emergency telephone poles (ETCs)—have been out of commission for as long as any currently-enrolled students can recall, and…
In July, after passing the Florida House and Senate and being signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, the heavily discussed “Stop WOKE” act or House Bill 7 (HB 7) was at last a written law. New College professors were off contract at the time,…
Some of New College’s most beloved traditions are the weekly Walls—themed weekly parties that students vote on at the beginning of the semester—and the triannual Center of the Universe Parties (COUPs), which turn the entire residential side of campus into a themed party venue. Parties…
Music has always been a way for people to connect with one another. Few things in this world have the ability to break down barriers and allow freedom of expression the way that music does. Concerts alone are enough proof of this concept. Going to…
On Oct. 14 the annual RA Loveline event brought fun activities, raffle prizes and a panel of sexual health experts together to answer New College students’ questions and concerns on topics ranging from communication in relationships to bodily fluids. Lots of work was put into…
On Sept. 11, Forward Faith—the new interfaith club at New College—met in HCL 8 for the first time. This meeting included introductions, welcomed individuals who seek to share their faith stories and some creative icebreakers to get the good vibes going. The two current officers…
Even during a stormy afternoon, the Native American Film Festival 2022 maintained an impressive audience. Audience members sat eagerly in the seats of Mildred Sainer Pavilion on September 9th to watch renowned artists such as Shaandiin Tome and Wilson Bowers showcase their talents. The highlight…
In 2022, receiving news has become such a streamlined process. In the past, people had to rely on newspapers, scheduled TV and radio broadcasts in order to stay up to date on what was going on in the world. Now, in a time where nearly…
The Feral Pigeons —New College’s aptly-named birdwatching club— are ready to spread their wings and fly into the upcoming year bringing promises of more events and a welcoming community. Formed in Spring 2022, the club consists of students interested in bird watching, also referred to…
New College’s Creative Writing program is almost three years old at this point; spearheaded in Spring 2020 by Visiting Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Emily Carr, New College students have only recently been introduced to the world of experimental creative writing and poetry in practice.…
More than 450 people are still dying from COVID-19 each day in the United States and more than 30% of people in the United States aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19—but there’s more than masking that can be done about it by the average college student than…
The saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” is often said to have originated from Oscar Wilde or Will Rogers—neither of whom are likely to have heard of the Spix’s Macaw and its triumphant return to the wild after nearly…
Still recoiling from the tragic destruction of innocent life at the Robb Elementary School shooting just four months before, Uvalde is beset by another shooting—running a calloused finger along wounds still struggling to heal. On Sept. 8 in the Uvalde Memorial Park—established fully in 1927…
Sarasota is a very unassuming location—between beach-going tourists and snow birds just looking for nice weather, it may seem unlikely that there’s much culture to appeal to the average New College student. But the eclectic, DIY sounds from local Sarasota artists prove otherwise—with interesting and…
Making waves across the nation for the most benign concession to the working class, President Joe Biden has started an initiative towards student loan forgiveness. As opposed to the U.S. government's actions in the 2008 housing crisis, where ProPublica’s bailout tracker establishes that $245 billion…
Laura Testa, a beloved member of the Metz staff, passed away late August at 71 years of age. A memorial service held for her on Sept. 14 in the Hamilton “Ham” Center proved that her legacy will be remembered as a tough-loving, passionate woman who…
On Sept. 8, Buckingham Palace announced to a mournful crowd that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed away after 70 years of ruling. Her death occurred just two days after the election of new Prime Minister Liz Truss. With several major changes occurring in rapid…
One of the lesser known but more interesting parts of New College sits in a series of drawers in a small, closet-like office at the Old Mail Room (OMR) inside the Hamilton “Ham” Center. The New College Student Alliance (NCSA) Archives contains history of the…
In 2016, a plan was proposed to Sarasota County by the North County Community Organization to document Newtown’s history, eventually forming Newtown Alive, an organization dedicated to recording and preserving the history of one of the oldest communities in Sarasota. Their work has overseen recordings…
NASA’s Perseverance Rover has found organic matter in rocks on Mars after just a year and a half on the planet. NASA held a press briefing on Thursday, Sept. 15 to discuss. Perseverance, nicknamed Percy, found the matter within an ancient river delta in the…
A family of gray wolves was recently spotted in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, and Oregon Wildlife officials are hoping this indicates a resurgence of the species. The number of wolf groups in the area has been bumped up to three since the August sighting. The new…
Bradenton’s newest park is to be named “Governor Ron DeSantis Park” after winning the vote in an open naming contest. The park, located near the 7500 block of Prospect Road right next to Kinnan Elementary School, will be 17 acres and includes a dog park,…
30 to 40% of students visit the Counseling and Wellness Center (CWC) at least once during an academic year, according to CWC Director Dr. Anne Fisher. The ability to treat those with psychological injury on campus is a resource that is both heavily used and…
Hurricane Ian has affected the lives of many Florida residents over the course of the last few weeks. Whether that be physical damage or emotional, it is vital to seek support. Even for individuals who weren't personally affected by this disaster, it takes a toll.…
Community is forever at the forefront of everyone’s mind at New College—what does community mean, how do we form community, what can we do to keep this community strong? And for good reason; the coronavirus pandemic and New College’s continued battle to increase enrollment and…
Ian was one of the most devastating hurricanes to make landfall on the west coast of Florida in decades. Sarasota County estimates the debris left in its wake to be more than double what Irma left in 2017; New College was no exception to this…
The New College Student Alliance (NCSA) is one of the most important student resources on campus for many reasons, but it is also the biggest student employer on campus with paid positions including cabinet members, Resident Advisors (RAs) and Teacher’s Assistants (TAs). The NCSA pays…
While much of the Sarasota-Bradenton area has already made great strides in their hurricane recovery, not all parts of Florida have been so lucky. The Myakka River region is a prime example of the destructive power that a hurricane can wield—flooded roads, limited mobility, destroyed…
Sometime between 2 and 3 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 13, an unidentified subject broke into the Parrot Outreach Society’s facility in Punta Gorda and stole 28 birds, ranging from the smallest Quaker Parrot to the largest Umbrella Cockatoo. Word spread fast among the Punta Gorda…
For the people who rode out Hurricane Ian in New College’s beautiful home city of Sarasota, Tuesday, Sept. 27 was the unsettling calm before the storm Floridians know too well—it was the day for preparations. For me, that started with trips to get gasoline for…
Anybody who spends a week on the residential side of campus will quickly figure out that this school runs on student labor like America runs on Dunkin’. Between Teacher’s Assistants (TAs), Resident Advisors (RAs), Student Writing Assistants (SWAs), the New College Student Alliance (NCSA), admissions…
Hurricane Ian was the first major natural disaster to hit the central west coast of Florida in 70 years. Residents of the respective counties were struck with panic, as this incident was something not usually on the radar for the area. In contrast, citizens of…
New College students, do you want the opportunity to experience experimental music for free? Music is present in all aspects of life, so it is something worthy of exploring—and New Music New College (NMNC), produced and currently directed by Ron Silver, is a perfect venue…
Native Floridians are known for their nonchalant attitude regarding hurricanes. Oftentimes, they understand that hurricanes are unpredictable and simply assume that the storm will pass by. However, this year, that was not the case: Hurricane Ian ravaged the west coast of Florida before bringing more…
While much of Southwest Florida recovers from the devastating impact of Hurricane Ian, central Florida is grappling with severe flooding.The hurricane, which touched down in central Florida on the morning of Sept. 29, brought with it high winds and about 20 inches of rain. One…
Throughout the years, the Gulf of Mexico has seen many hurricanes and tropical storms make their way through the waters. Two historic hurricanes made landfall this past month, leaving trails of devastation in their midst: Hurricane Fiona in the Caribbean and Atlantic Canada in mid-September…
On Sept. 18 a tropical depression turned into Hurricane Fiona which made landfall in the Southwest region of Puerto Rico with maximum winds of 85 miles per hour (mph) that same day. As a Category 1 hurricane, the slow-moving storm left citizens in Puerto Rico,…
As someone who has lived in Sarasota his whole life, evacuation is not the first thing I think of when I hear a hurricane is on its way to Florida. For years, hurricane warnings and severe storm alerts have been issued for the area, which…
After New College’s Communications department announced to the campus community on Sept. 30 that full business operations would resume on Oct. 3 and that classes would resume Oct. 4 in the wake of Hurricane Ian, many who had evacuated beyond the Sarasota-Bradenton area were left…
Putting yourself in the shoes of someone with a disability can be challenging for an able-bodied person. However, ensuring normality and comfortable conditions for individuals with disabilities is crucial to creating a safe learning environment on campus. For every one that frequents the Hamilton Center…
Nov. 8 is the national midterm election–a date that New College students have the unique opportunity to make democratic change in a county which has been making national headlines. The GOP Sarasota school board candidates won by a relative landslide during the Aug. 23rd primary…
It may feel like the past, yet, there is still so much hate in the present. Venice Theater presents God’s Country (1988) written by Steven Dietz which follows the story of the white supremacist group from the 1980s, The Order, that commit crimes to fund…
In July 2022, President Joe Biden looked like a fish out of water. Approval had shot down to the mid-30s, the last major piece of Democratic legislation was shot down by Sen. Manchin (D) months prior and a notorious CNN poll showed that 75% of…
End of September marks Associate Director of Student Activities and Campus Engagement (SAuCE), Jada McNeill’s last days at New College. During her time at New College, McNeill organized and headed many events focused on diversity and inclusion. At a predominantly white institution (PWI), McNeill’s work…
College is costly, but a running start in the morning doesn't have to be. Sarasota is dotted with a variety of local businesses ranging from curio shops to cafes. Many of these businesses are just within reach of the New College campus, given one doesn't…
According to the Clubs and Organizations page on the New College of Florida website, “If you don’t see what you’re looking for, you can create [a club]!” This fact, that one student can create any club they want, is one of the selling points of…
Sarasota is making a name for itself as one of the most unaffordable places to live in the state as rent across the country continues to climb. As New College students who remain local seek housing after graduation, they struggle to acquire affordable and attainable…
Created in 2016 by Gatwick Airport, the sunflower — usually accompanied with a green background — indicates that a person has a hidden disability and is a discreet sign that a person may need extra assistance. The founder of this symbol and cause is the…
There are many changes happening behind the scenes in the Jane Bancroft Cook Library which are impacting students’ access to certain resources, as well as giving them new ones. In the past, New College of Florida (NCF) has had a joint access agreement with the…
By Nickolas Steinig & Sophia Brown New College has welcomed its largest incoming class since 2016 this fall, which is fantastic news for an administration which has long since struggled to increase enrollment for a variety of reasons. However, what this “good news” means for…
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s “diversity” survey was first introduced in Sept. 2021 in an attempt to receive more information regarding “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity,” earning it the nickname of the “diversity survey” within Florida institutions—and the results reveal a lack of participation from students,…
Since late 2016, the Food Forest has been a fruitful staple of New College’s eclectic campus. The Forest resides at the Caples campus, which is about a 10-15 minute walk from the residential side of campus. It was first planted by the Council of Green…
“Oh, they do things differently here.” That is the immediate response to most questions when asked about experiences at New College. “Different” is what prefaces New College: a public honors college with less than 1,000 students simply isn’t the norm for college experiences. That stark…
An Emergency Senate Meeting was called on May 11—the final day of classes for the semester—by New College Student Alliance (NCSA) President and second-year Grace Keenan, where details of a Summer 2022 Refresh Plan orchestrated by Vice President of Student Affairs S. Marjorie Thomas were…
Between the myriad of unpredictable, confusing and oftentimes frightening developments on New College’s campus over the past two years—the rise of the coronavirus pandemic, several on-campus intrusions, various legislation in Tallahassee that would have threatened the integrity of New College and its students and the…
Summer is just around the corner—and for students remaining on campus or who live in the area, this can mean having the time to explore what Sarasota and Bradenton have to offer without classes to keep in mind. One of the best ways to explore…
Sarasota has become the premier move-in location, with more people moving in than any other city in the country—just as Florida becomes the least affordable state. Sarasota, according to moving and storage company PODS, has been the fastest-growing city in the U.S. Its ratio of…
The PRIDE! Be Fabulous festival is an annual arts event meant to amplify the voices of queer artists, especially locally to the Sarasota area. The event will take place on May 12 through 14 throughout the Boulevard of The Arts. Previously known as the Harvey…
The end of this semester marks Kaylie Stokes’ last day as a full-time employee as the Associate Director of Student Success. As a New College alum of Social Sciences and a beloved New College staff member, Stokes maintained many positions during her time as a…
On Apr. 11 at approximately 9 a.m., a work crew sprayed the Confederate Jasmine vine on the overpass connecting the residential and academic sides of campus, with an at-the-time unidentified chemical in an incident lasting about 15 to 20 minutes. Students quickly took notice and…
The most recent wave of CARES Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief funding distributed at New College on Apr. 7—an act passed by Congress in 2020 and which allotted $2.2 trillion to provide direct aid to those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic—was met with a lot…
As chills went down the dancers’ backs as they waited backstage, the lights in the Mildred Sainer Auditorium faded to black as the music was queued in the control room and ready to play. The Dance Collective Administrators moved around with the dancers, keeping them…
The 2021-2022 academic year at New College has been characterized by the return of a variety of New College traditions and fixtures of student life, including Walls, Center of the Universe Parties (COUPs), Grad Cruise, Ringling Underground and, eventually, hopefully, the Four Winds Cafe. While…
Work hard, play hard: a classic proverb that can accurately be used to describe the mentality that New College students have maintained over the years. Since its beginnings in the 1960s, New College has earned and thrived on a reputation of being a tightly-knit community…
For most Novos on campus, the next couple of days will be spent frantically packing up and trying to make it look like a dorm hasn’t been lived in for the past nine months. For some, this can be stressful—packing up everything brought from home…
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), one of the most noxious abusers of civil liberties among the many arms of the U.S. Security State, has recently announced the formation of a “Disinformation Governance Board” meant to target and combat “internal activities related to disinformation…
As the semester comes to a close, come check out the Catalyst’s end-of-the-year feature on the many cats and dogs that live with their caretakers on campus. These are service or emotional support animals (ESAs) allowed to reside with their owners due to the medical…
Access to food is a serious topic, especially at New College. Without a car, getting groceries is practically impossible without a friend to drive you or the money to spend on delivery services. The on-campus mandatory meal plan has garnered considerable criticism, and the limited…
Overdoses from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids define the third wave of the opioid epidemic, and the coronavirus pandemic has only made it worse. Fentanyl is primarily responsible, but non-fentanyl synthetic opioids (NSOs) pose unique challenges. Recently, a new NSO, isotonitazene (ISO), was found in…
![[New] Tech_Volume 2: Nintendo Switch Sports and Overwatch 2 Beta](https://ncfcatalyst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Capture_3.png)
In this second edition of [New] Tech we cover some [New] developments in gaming, with the update and re-release of Wii Sports on the Nintendo Switch and the beginning of the Overwatch 2 Beta. Nintendo Switch Sports The release of Wii Sports has been long…
A peaceful and lively chatter fills up the vibrant and spacious rooms of the Kadampa Meditation Center. Interested Sarasota locals and Buddhist monks radiating kindness sit intimately, discussing their daily lives, hopes and struggles over the freshly brewed tea provided by the in-house cafe. As…
As the end of the spring semester approaches, students find themselves switching gears to the end of school year routine. Finishing up finals, packing up dorm rooms and taking a look at future opportunities for the next semester all come with the territory of this…
After two years of the coronavirus pandemic blocking students from hosting and attending large public events, New Prom finally returned to campus in all its glory, this time sporting themes based off the Disney film Tangled. Leading up to Apr. 23, many bought dresses and…
On Apr. 22, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, rising Republican star (and Catalyst regular) fired the first opening salvo in what might become an extended legal battle between his administration and the Walt Disney Corporation by dissolving the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), essentially a county…
As the spring semester comes to an end, summer creeps ever closer, along with its scorching heat. This edition of Songs You Should Hear will make your journey home after classes, however long or short, a little more fun. No blank staring out the window,…
Phishing—that is, a cybercrime where a target is contacted by email, phone or text message by someone pretending to be a legitimate institute or person in order to trick the target into revealing personal information, such as passwords or credit card details—is hardly a new…
On Mar. 30, the Student Transcripts and Accounts Records Team (START) Center, the new multi-hyphenate agency billed as the “student-facing hub for Finance & Accounting, Financial Aid and the Registrar’s office,” released a weekly newsletter email. Near the bottom of the article was a small…
A Graduation Cruise interest form has recently been making its way around the New College emails, surveying how many students would want to attend a newer and slightly different version of the Novo tradition. The Sunset Graduation Cruise (or Booze Cruise for those that are…
Since Apr. 11, rampant rains and heavy flooding have been tearing up the east coast of South Africa, devastating the province of KwaZulu-Natal. As of the time of this article’s publication, the confirmed death toll has risen to 448 people, with about 48 people missing…
The Florida Department of Education (DOE), under Gov. Ron DeSantis, announced on Apr. 15 that they have rejected 41% of the submitted text books for K-12 math curriculum citing Critical Race Theory (CRT), inclusion of Common Core and addition of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in…
In the United States, we ever so proudly laud our achievements with civil liberties. Guarantees to the freedom of press, speech and equality of treatment are our blood-bone. The very fabric of democratized society is stone carved and enameled upon unalienable rights. Yet, as the…
On Apr. 11, approximately 20,000 Etsy sellers decided to go on a week-long strike due to recent changes in transaction rates. Since 2005, the platform’s original transaction fee was 5%; however, the rate has gone up by 30% to create a transaction fee of 6.5%.…
Since 1999, more than 500,000 people have died from opioid overdoses in the U.S.—the victims of America’s opioid epidemic. In the 2010s, state and local governments filed thousands of lawsuits against companies that make and distribute the drugs seeking to hold them accountable. A handful…
New College experiences a slew of productions from the likes of Performance at New College (PANC) and, starting up again this semester, the Windmill Theater Company throughout each academic school year. After two and a half years of collaboration, co-writers, co-directors, co-producers and New College…
On Apr. 10, the New College of Florida Quizbowl team continued its impressive legacy by competing on the national level, having already made it past regionals. “Go ahead, go to the trophy cases at the back of Ham Center, and look for all the trophies…
On Apr. 7, the New College of Florida hosted 25 admitted students of color for the Valuing Inclusivity Program (VIP) Weekend. These hopeful future Novo Collegiates were able to shadow different students and get a firsthand account of student life in the classes available—one of…
On Apr. 22, the Council of Green Affairs (CGA) is hosting the Earth Day Mulberry Festival at the Caples campus. The festival will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 8 p.m.—the time in between decorated with mulberries, hammocks, live music, gardening, painting, yoga, mysticism,…
Two families with transgender children along with two physicians sued the state of Alabama on Apr. 12 in opposition to the state's laws which will make it a felony for doctors to issue any sort of treatment for transitioning medically—including hormones, puberty blockers and gender-affirming…
On Apr. 5 Elon Musk announced he will be joining Twitter’s board—a decision confirmed by Twitter. This announcement was essentially overturned when Musk informed Twitter on Apr. 9 that he will not be joining the board. “The Twitter CEO did not say whether Musk gave…
Apr. 7 marked the day when Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed by the Senate as the first Black woman to sit on the highest court in the country with a vote of 53-47. Judge Jackson will succeed Justice Stephen Breyer as the 116th Associate…
As COVID-19 restrictions have begun to lift across the state and the early stages of the New College Challenge underway, there has been a resurgence of interest from students on campus in reconnecting with New College’s bizarre history and traditions, as both a “return to…
This coming Mother’s Day, May 8, marks Café Baci’s final day of serving customers after 31 years of hosting countless families in the Sarasota area. Roberto Mei is the chef and founder of Café Baci, but this was not his first restaurant to gather communities…
Florida weather has long been known to be incredibly moody. In the duration of one afternoon, sunshine can turn into lightning and thunder within minutes. Consequently, walking out of a New College dormitory presents your daily weather gamble: will your nice new shirt get wet,…
New College’s Theater, Dance and Performance Studies (TDPS) program usually offers four shows each academic year: one fall and one spring theatrical production, one dance performance piece and an Independent Study Project (ISP) show. This semester, however, is noticeably different. Instead of a full-fledged faculty-sponsored…
On Mar. 29, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed recently proposed congressional map CS/SB 102—which would have redistricted the state’s congressional districts in accordance with the 2020 United States Decennial Census—and that had already been approved by the state’s legislature. In a veto transmittal letter, DeSantis…
On Apr. 10, New College Student Alliance (NCSA) Election Supervisor and third-year Jack Sobel announced who would be New College's next Student President and Vice President, along with who would be filling the additional cabinet positions—including the new positions of Senate President and Senate President…
Over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, New College has seen dozens of administrative positions left vacant as employees seek opportunities elsewhere. But this trend isn’t exclusive to college grounds; Manatee County schools have a massive deficit in labor, with over 100 positions in dire…
In the grand theater and spectacle of what we loosely refer to as the U.S. government, sensational television personalities have been known to undergo swift conversions from relatively innocuous goobers trained in the art of bravado, bluster and fluff, to fully-armored statesmen dawning eagle-clad regalia…
On Mar. 18 during a Catalyst interview, President Patricia Okker alluded to something called the “New College Challenge,” described it at the time as a wide-scale renovation of New College’s spaces and places, and promised to release more information at a later date. That date…
There is a lot of plastic in the world. Since 1950, more than 7,800 million tonnes of plastic have been produced, generating 6,300 million tonnes of waste, of which approximately 9% was recycled, according to Life. Plastic waste has its own host of issues, but…
The Sarasota Film Festival is a fairly young event, only coming to fruition in its current form as recently as Jan. 1999. The only wide-scale film festival in the city beforehand was the Sarasota French Film Festival, which only ran for seven years until its…
Since Jan 23. 2019, the United States and Venezuela have not had any official diplomatic ties to one another. The two countries have had a tumultuous relationship over the years, especially in the last two decades, making recent commercial negotiations between the two regarding crude…
The premiere of this year’s New Music New College (NMNC) New Fest started on Apr. 4 and is set to run through Apr. 24. Student composers and professional performers have come together to participate in both artist’s conversations and full performances of their self-composed pieces.…
By a vote of 220-204 on Apr. 1, the House of Representatives voted in favor of the decriminalization of marijuana at the federal level. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE) is set to include a multitude of changes for buyers and sellers alike,…
On Apr. 1, Amazon center employee Chris Smalls—and the rest of the Staten Island JFK8 Amazon warehouse—won a landmark victory for labor rights, starting the first Amazon labor union. The implications here are tremendous, and if the wave of Starbucks unions in the past year…
The Florida-raised Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has dominated the news cycle as of late, with several Republican politicians spending their time during her hearings trying to show off by accusing her of not knowing what a woman is, being a proponent of critical race theory…
In a bid to punish the Russian people and economy for the illegal invasion of Ukraine, the western world has mobilized the full brunt of its economic might through an unprecedented sanctioning campaign. The European Union, Canada, Australia and Japan join the United States in…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has, in the past few years, gone from an otherwise irrelevant local politician to the golden boy of the far-right. Seemingly a shoe-in for the Republican presidential candidate, DeSantis has been lifted up to the national stage recently, and his most…
Something that is rarely discussed about the New College undergraduate experience—although perhaps it is universally understood—is that time is never quite on our side. Many students have lofty ideas of clubs and organizations they could kickstart, issues they wish to advocate for and change on…
Over the course of the last couple of years, the city of Sarasota has been growing at a rapid pace, due to increasing in population size and numerous ongoing construction projects, as well as the addition of a brand-new tourist trolley known as the Bay…
![[New] Tech: Task management tools, internet safety and the new Steam Deck](https://ncfcatalyst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/15151955239_06fc453d7f_o.jpg)
New College has a [New] location to get their technology news. [New] Tech will be a recurring Catalyst column featuring stories that New College should know in the realm of technology. To kick off our first edition, we are covering the best task management tools…
Content warning: discussion of breaking and entering, violence against a college student, murder Miya Marcano, a 19-year old sophomore at Valencia College in Orlando, FL, was last seen alive on Sept. 24, 2021 at the Arden Villas Apartments in Orlando—where she lived and worked—and was…
Board games, card games and those who love games gather at the Jane Bancroft Cook Library every Wednesday for Tabletop Game Night. From 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., students gather around tables and play whatever games they so desire. Tabletop Game Night is run by…
Alumni reunited on Apr. 3 to talk about coming from a Student Writing Assistant (SWA) position at the Writing Resource Center (WRC) into a career within the education department. The event—titled “SWAlumni in Education”—was made possible by Director of Writing Jennifer Wells and Assistant Director…
The Sunshine Protection Act has emerged with the aim to eliminate the one hour time change—Daylight Savings Time—once and for all. The objectives of the bill are to make the time change either permanently sprung forward or fallen back, and to repeal Section 3 of…
In response to Russia's alarming military invasion of Ukraine, a war that is currently poised to escalate conflicts between world powers and spur on another humanitarian crisis, virtually all U.S. state officials and media figures have opted for a staunch condemnation of the invasion. The…
The New College Food Forest is an iconic part of campus life, providing a fun way for students to garden together and create community engagement through sharing food. Located at Caples campus, the Food Forest also has the added benefit of being a free, healthy…
On Mar. 11, the Busch Gardens theme park in Tampa opened up their newest coaster, Iron Gwazi, to the public. Boasting itself as North America’s Tallest Coaster and The World's Fastest and Steepest Coaster, Busch Gardens further cements itself as a legend and revolutionary in…
The Banyan Tree in The Nook is a staple of New College campus life, frequented by students who are looking for a fun place to read, study or just chill and hang out with friends. Students find it easy to perch among the branches either…
The Caples Mansion, built in 1921 by Alfred Caples, was vacated and closed in Jun. 2018 after mold—Penicillium Aspergillus to be specific—was found. But, beginning in 2021, renovations have been underway. The mansion is a part of the Caples–Ringling Estates Historic District, forcing renovations of…
The “New Radio” program—a subset of WSLR+Fogartyville, Sarasota’s local radio station—is hosted by New College Radio Programming representative, member of the WSLR Board and Planning Committee and third-year Aniston “Ash” Hoffman. The goal of WSLR is to have at least one program run by a…
The “HERstory” panel, once a webinar, was hosted in-person for the first time on Mar. 17 in the Jane Bancroft Cook Library. Moderated by Associate Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies Emily Fairchild, the event focused on how the panelists are creating their own HERstory.…
