The New College of Florida foundation’s board took action this week to dissolve the recognized alumni organization’s board structure and remove its chair from the foundation board itself. Chris Van Dyk, who leads the New College Alumnae/i Association, disputed the legitimacy of these moves in comments to Inside Higher Ed. He indicated the alumni group is weighing legal action and intends to maintain its operations despite the foundation’s decision.
Van Dyk characterized the foundation board as unwilling to engage with perspectives outside its own membership, noting that all current foundation board members align with the vision of New College President Richard Corcoran. He used a philosophical analogy to argue against the dissolution effort, referencing the college’s historical mascot as part of his reasoning that such elimination is both conceptually and mathematically impossible.
The foundation board is replacing the alumni association, whose members are elected by alumni themselves, with an “Alumni Engagement Committee” comprised of foundation board members. Jono Miller, a former alumni group leader who previously worked at New College, suggested the foundation sought greater control over messaging and compliance. Miller now heads NCF Freedom, an organization formed in response to the state’s conservative restructuring of the institution under Governor Ron DeSantis.
College communications officials characterized the restructuring as a governance matter designed to align the alumni function with practices at other State University System of Florida foundations. Foundation board member Adam Kendall stated that an alumni association opposing college initiatives would negatively affect prospective graduates’ experience. The dispute reflects broader tensions at the institution following its recent ideological shifts.
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