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New College of Florida trustees are set to defer or outright deny tenure to five faculty members at their next meeting. This comes as the Governor seeks to transform the college.
New College’s interim president, Richard Corcoran, is seeking to halt the tenure process at the next board meeting, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Corcoran cites “extraordinary circumstances” and what the memo calls “a renewed focus on ensuring the College is moving towards a more traditional liberal arts institution”.
This comes during Governor DeSantis’s overhaul of the school. He appointed new conservative members to the board of trustees that later fired the school’s president and replaced her with Corcoran.
One of the newly appointed trustees, Christopher Rufo, emphasized in January that the school needed the overhaul.
“This is kind of a crisis situation. I wouldn’t be here if there were not a significant problem.”
The overhaul has been met with resistance from New College students. Student Kacie Bates spoke at a rally on campus in February.
“All we are asking from our government is for them to get out of our education and let universities and colleges continue to graduate successful students like they have been!”
At a board meeting Monday, Interim President Richard Corcoran told board members that enrollment for next year is “a little bit down” according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
The next board meeting is set for Wednesday, April 26th. New College Community groups are planning to rally on campus the same day at noon.
