The 'revolution' has begun at New College - and so have the nagging questions [View all]

For all of the high passion on display during the New College of Florida Board of Trustees' pivotal meeting – from the emotionally charged appeals of audience members opposing the new majority’s intent to overhaul the liberal arts school’s mission to the tears of ousted President Patricia Okker – the first formal steps of the insurgence were a study in dispassionate choreography.

As expected, the board – fueled by the presence of six conservative members recently appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis – unceremoniously fired Okker and ended her tenure as New College’s leader after a mere 19 months.

As expected, the board promptly hired former Florida House Speaker and onetime Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, a close political ally of DeSantis, as New College's incoming interim president.

As expected, the board moved swiftly to name one of the fresh appointees as the panel's new chair – and also dispensed with the services of the school's general counsel, with an eye toward giving that legal position to yet another DeSantis crony, former Senate President Bill Galvano.

And, as expected, the board made clear its desire to totally dismantle all of New College's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives – though it grudgingly agreed to go through the motions of first studying what "DEI" programs now actually exist on campus (and then instantly wiping them out and firing the four employees who oversee them).

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/opinion/editorials/2023/02/01/the-revolution-at-new-college-has-begun-so-have-the-tough-questions-desantis-corcoran/69861193007/