New College Expansion Plans Face Setback

State lawmakers have pulled back, at least for now, on a dramatic expansion plan for New College of Florida as the ongoing legislative session nears an end, Florida Politics reported.

The session was scheduled to end last week but was extended until early June. But even with the added time, a proposal to merge New College and a University of South Florida branch campus appears to be dead. Ditto for a plan to transfer stewardship of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota and other associated properties from Florida State University to NCF. Neither will be considered this legislative session, Florida Politics reported.

Both proposals were controversial given the nature of New College, a liberal arts college that Republican governor Ron DeSantis has sought to transform into a conservative state institution, as well as financial concerns. New College has drawn criticism for rampant spending, and critics argued that such a significant expansion would reward administrators who have not been good financial stewards.

Community members have also been upset at the lack of input into the plan, which was seemingly hatched behind closed doors. New College officials even manufactured quotes from University of South Florida officials to use in a draft press release that USF administrators never approved.

Local lawmakers have also spoken out against the move.

“I’ve made it clear that it’s not something the community supports,” Rep. Fiona McFarland, a Sarasota Republican, told the news outlet about plans to transfer the museum and campus.