The Senate Postsecondary Education Committee advanced the confirmations of seven new members of New College’s Board of Trustees.
New College alums and parents of students were united in opposition at the confirmation hearing on Wednesday morning.
Many said they are especially concerned about the confirmation of conservative activist Christopher Rufo, citing his recent mockery of a New College student on Twitter.
Rufo has also said diversity, equity and inclusion programs at universities should be cut, which worries students and alums.
Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book said she voted against the appointments because the candidates didn’t attend the hearing, which the committee recommends them to do.
“I’m very troubled by not having the opportunity to talk to these candidates, particularly when it is, and has been, such an uproar,” Book said.
Senator Keith Perry said he supported confirming the new Board of Trustees members because he believes New College needs improvement.
U.S. News ranked New College as the fifth-best public liberal arts college in the nation out of 18 institutions, but Perry said New College should be number one.
“We want the university system in the state of Florida to be top, and we owe that to the taxpayers and we owe that to the students,” Perry said. “And so a change is absolutely necessary.”
The State University System of Florida said the candidates need to be confirmed by the Senate’s Ethics and Elections Committee next before they can be approved by the full Senate.
