Student-run [NEW] Commencement ceremony aims to let students graduate of their own terms
A poster advertising [NEW] Commencement: On Our Terms. Screenshot by Sophia Brown

Student-run [NEW] Commencement ceremony aims to let students graduate of their own terms

As the spring semester comes to a close, a substantial portion of the current New College administration is made up of new hires, who have only been part of the community for a handful of months. With this many new faces around Cook Hall comes…

0 Comments
Why Professor Aaron Hillegass rescinded a $600,000 donation and publicly resigned
Headshot of Professor Aaron Hillegass. Courtesy of Aaron Hillegass.

Why Professor Aaron Hillegass rescinded a $600,000 donation and publicly resigned

Interim Director of Applied Data Science, author and alum Aaron Hillegass (‘91) arrived at New College in January, ready to begin his teaching career at the campus. One day later, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that six and later seven new members would be joining the…

0 Comments
Newly formed Presidential Search Committee announces plans to select new president by Fall 2023
The Presidential Search Committee gathered in Sudakoff. Some members of the committee chose to attend virtually via Zoom. (Taken by Nat Kornblum.)

Newly formed Presidential Search Committee announces plans to select new president by Fall 2023

The Presidential Search Committee met in the Sudakoff Conference Center on Apr. 27 for their first public meeting and announced their intentions to select a new president without a third party firm by the Fall 2023 semester. Since the dismissal of former President Dr. Patricia…

0 Comments
New College faculty denied tenure
An image of the podium from a press conference held by the New College Union after the Board of Trustees meeting on Apr. 26. Photo taken by Veronica Jolley.

New College faculty denied tenure

“Shame on you,” shouted those attending the Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting on Apr. 26, as each faculty member seeking tenure “failed” their run, in the words of Chair Debra Jenks (‘80). Following a grievance filed by the New College Chapter of United Faculty of…

0 Comments
Board of Trustees shuts down faculty seeking tenure, community members: A deep dive into their most divisive meeting yet
Former Trustee and then-Chair of the Faculty Matthew Lepinski leaving the meeting after announcing his lack of confidence in the board, following their vote to deny tenure for five faculty members. Screenshot from the official New College YouTube channel

Board of Trustees shuts down faculty seeking tenure, community members: A deep dive into their most divisive meeting yet

First they came for former President Patricia Okker, then they came for the Office of Outreach and Inclusive Excellence (OOIE). And on Apr. 26, the New College Board of Trustees (BOT) continued its trend of disruption by denying five faculty tenure applications, despite all five…

0 Comments
New College supporters gather to protest their rights prior to final board meeting of the semester
Supporters gathered on the Hamilton Center stairs holding signs in protest. (Taken by Chloe Rusek.)

New College supporters gather to protest their rights prior to final board meeting of the semester

It was 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 26. Mornings are often quiet at New College, but outside the Hamilton “Ham” Center, a faint sound of music could be heard coming from Z Green. Slowly, a crowd began to gather. In just a few hours, the…

0 Comments
“I am an educator, not an activist”: former President Patricia Okker speaks about her involvement with PEN America
Patricia Okker at her Presidential Inauguration. Courtesy of New College News.

“I am an educator, not an activist”: former President Patricia Okker speaks about her involvement with PEN America

On Jan. 31, former President Dr. Patricia Okker ended her time at New College after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed seven new trustees to the Board of Trustees (BOT), who then terminated her employment contract during their first public meeting. With Okker no longer at…

0 Comments
1-in-1000-year flooding slams Fort Lauderdale
On Apr. 19, Fort Lauderdale received 25 inches of rain in a single 24-hour period. Graphic by Nic Steinig

1-in-1000-year flooding slams Fort Lauderdale

An unexpected flooding disaster rapidly swept through the unprepared streets of Fort Lauderdale last week when a 1-in-1,000-year rainfall event hit Broward County on Apr. 19. The violent rainfall caused the county to declare a flash flood emergency—the highest level of flood warning. Depictions of…

0 Comments
“Teaching Black History in Florida”: Personal stories and truths from history professor Marvin Dunn
Dunn passionately addressing the crowd at the North Sarasota Library. Photo credit: Erik Wallenberg.

“Teaching Black History in Florida”: Personal stories and truths from history professor Marvin Dunn

“Black history is American history,” Dr. Marvin Dunn, professor emeritus from the Department of Psychology at Florida International University (FIU) stated firmly during his lesson to the larger Sarasota community on Apr. 20 in the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library. “Teaching Black History…

0 Comments
New College Presidential Search Committee members have been announced, here’s what you need to know
A screenshot taken from the New College presidential search committee home page displaying the date of the first meeting.

New College Presidential Search Committee members have been announced, here’s what you need to know

Search committees play a key role in selecting the right candidate to lead a college or university. Florida State Regulation 1.002 specifies the broad composition of these committees, and at New College, they are traditionally a mix of trustees, faculty members, staff, students, alumni and…

0 Comments