Vendor unaffiliated with New College sprays overpass jasmine with Roundup
The overpass jasmine following the unauthorized use of Roundup. Photographed on May 4.

Vendor unaffiliated with New College sprays overpass jasmine with Roundup

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…

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Why New College students only received half of their requested money in the latest round of CARES Act funding
During previous waves of CARES Act funding, students have been able to request up to $2,000 dollars. This most recent wave, however, not only resulted in students get less than what was requested, but was also the final wave of CARES Act funding at New College.

Why New College students only received half of their requested money in the latest round of CARES Act funding

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…

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New College faces a wave of phishing scams: here’s how to spot, report and defend against them
Emails are an integral part of every New College student, faculty and staff member's academic and professional lives---but phishing scams can present hidden dangers in this most mundane of tasks.

New College faces a wave of phishing scams: here’s how to spot, report and defend against them

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…

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Psychedelic Research panel brings legendary alums to campus to talk harm reduction and New College lore
From left to right: Valerie Mojeiko, Nirvan Mullick ('97), Rick Doblin ('87), Mitchell Gomez ('07), Eva Dillon and Allen Hopper ('88).

Psychedelic Research panel brings legendary alums to campus to talk harm reduction and New College lore

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…

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New Directions Short Play Festival gives student directors the spotlight
The four New Directions short plays will be shown in the Black Box Theater on Apr. 29 and 30 at 7:00. Photo courtesy of Cooper Smalley. Posters designed by Kyle Miller, K.C. Casey, Cooper Smalley and Pluto Boll.

New Directions Short Play Festival gives student directors the spotlight

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…

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Early stages of New College Challenge pose a bold initiative for campus renovations
From left to right: President Patricia Okker, Vice President of Student Affairs S. Marjorie Thomas, Professor David Brian and Strategic Advisor Marty Hylton, pictured on stage at the Sudakoff Conference Center.

Early stages of New College Challenge pose a bold initiative for campus renovations

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…

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Resurrecting New College history with Emeritus Professor Arthur “Mac” Miller
A headshot of Arthur "Mac" Miller, courtesy of himself.

Resurrecting New College history with Emeritus Professor Arthur “Mac” Miller

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…

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Raises, renovations and the New College Challenge: 30 minutes with President Okker
President Patricia Okker posing outside of Cook Hall.

Raises, renovations and the New College Challenge: 30 minutes with President Okker

The last time that the Catalyst spoke exclusively with President Patricia Okker, it was in May 2021—shortly following the Apr. 20, 2021 Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting where she was selected as New College’s next president, but before her tenure had begun on July 1,…

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New Florida COVID-19 guidelines means New College is ceasing high-risk contact tracing, shortening isolation period
One of the many rapid test kits available to students for free at the Counseling and Wellness Center.

New Florida COVID-19 guidelines means New College is ceasing high-risk contact tracing, shortening isolation period

Since mid 2020, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has worked to implement initiatives meant to return Florida to normal as much as possible in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Even at times when these initiatives conflicted with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC)…

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