An Uncertain Future
It's hard to plan for New College's future when we don't know what that future looks like...
“What are you trying to save, anyway?”
This question has, unfortunately, become more common of late when talking about the “Save New College” movement that was kicked off when Gov. DeSantis staged a far-right conservative takeover of the institution. (Find out more about that disaster by visiting What Happened to New College?)
At first, “Save New College” was a bunch of racoons in a trench-coat group of alumni, faculty, and students who wanted to do just that: save the New College we all know and love!
Over two years later, though, we’re all experiencing a bit of mission creep and questioning what, exactly, are we doing? Can New College be saved? Can our shared culture be saved? Can the academic model be saved? Can the buildings be saved? Can anything be saved?
What are we trying to save, anyway?
We (broadly speaking) now have official, legitimate organizations (Novo Collegian Alliance, NCF Freedom, AltLiberalArts, and a good ol’fashioned facebook group) and we have opinions (so many opinions), but a lot of what we are trying to accomplish feels more like “the floor is lava!” than any kind of organized resistance. Yes, we can host alternative graduations and file lawsuits and take the academic model “on the road” and that’s all important!
But it’s hard to plan around uncertainty, and right now, a lot of things about New College—up to and including its very existence—are up for grabs. There are numerous variables in play, and every time we think we know what is going on, something shifts…and admittedly it benefits the school’s current administration to keep us (the New College community as a whole) unbalanced.
Which leads me to The Five Futures, which are five different prognostications of where New College might end up over the next few years. From improbable to highly likely, from best case to worst case, they present us with several possible realities that all require a different response.
Returned to Former Glory (Unlikely): New College regains its status as the Honors College of Florida, with its founding principles, rigorous academic program, and unique liberal arts mission fully restored. Faculty, students, and alumni return to rebuild the institution’s prestigious reputation.
Partial Recovery Under New Direction: While the college does not fully return to its original mission, it stabilizes as an institution with an emphasis on academics, albeit with some compromises. The administration reestablishes trust with prospective students and faculty, creating a hybrid model that attracts a mix of traditional and mission-aligned students.
Transformed Into a Generic Regional Institution (likely): New College undergoes a permanent shift into a standard-issue regional public university, losing its unique identity altogether. Academic standards are lowered to focus on enrollment growth, while resources are redirected primarily to athletics and non-academic pursuits.
“Downsized” or Absorbed by Another Institution (very likely): New College shrinks in size and capacity or becomes a satellite campus in its entirety—either for the University of South Florida (USF) or another state university. Academic programs, faculty, and students are merged into the larger institution, effectively eliminating New College’s distinct culture and history.
Shut Down Completely: New College ceases to exist altogether. The campus is sold off, turned into a wholly owned USF facility, or repurposed entirely for non-educational use.
Which one do we plan for?
None of them? All of them? Personally I think that #4 is the most likely, but I know there are fellow alumni out there who are putting their long-range betting monies on #1. Right now, it’s hard to say who is right. And as for #5…well, in a lot of ways, many of us feel like that has already happened, if only metaphorically. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I wish I had answers, but no matter what, we’re all in this together. What do you think our collective priorities should be? What, as a community, should we focus on?
My suggestion isn't a strategy. It's a tactic. However, it's the best tactic I know, whatever strategy it may serve. The tactic is to tell the truth about what is happening at New College. Tell it clearly and articulately, and tell it all the time to whomever will listen. Telling the truth is important because the hostile takeover is based on constant deception. The Corcoran Administration and the DeSantis Board deceive the faculty, the students, the parents of students, the alumni, the college's neighbors, the press, the Florida Board of Governors, the school's accreditation agency, the tax-paying public, each other, and even, sometimes, themselves. I don't know what telling the truth will accomplish strategically, but it is something the Save New College movement has done successfully and can continue to do. If we don't, who will? And if any version of New College, old or new, good or bad, requires deception to exist, how can that institution be sustained over time? Does it even deserve to be sustained?
I don't like these outcomes! Please see my vision here: https://open.substack.com/pub/carolyn460991/p/accountability-plan-for-ncf-fl-bog?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2odvzp