Attorneys for college taken over by DeSantis allies threaten to sue ‘alternate’ school

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Lawyers representing New College of Florida, a traditionally progressive public liberal arts institution, which recently underwent a controversial transition under the influence of Gov. Ron DeSantis, have issued a legal threat towards a group of former faculty members and students who have established an alternative online institute known as “Alt New College” subsequent to their departure from the institution.

Alt New College, as stated on its website, was established with the objective of providing free and subsidized courses while upholding the original educational principles of the institution, which they claim were jeopardized during the “hostile takeover” earlier this year.

The website of Alt New College conveys their broader mission, stating, “Over time, we hope to build an online institute that helps protect other communities facing similar attacks. What is happening at New College of Florida is part of a national strategy to overtake public education and subvert a fundamental pillar of democracy.” This initiative has garnered support from various quarters, including former New College provosts, Bard College in New York, and PEN America, an advocacy group championing free expression.

However, legal representatives of New College, based in Sarasota, Florida, responded with a letter dated last Thursday, suggesting that the online institute may potentially be infringing upon the school’s trademark and could lead to confusion. They demanded that Alt New College cease using the “New College” name, asserting that these actions have already caused and will continue to cause damage and irreparable harm to the institution.

New College has emerged as a focal point in Governor DeSantis’s campaign to reform higher education in the state, with a specific focus on addressing what he characterizes as left-leaning “woke” indoctrination on college campuses. The newly appointed trustees, aligned with DeSantis, have taken several significant steps, including the dismissal of the school’s president, the appointment of former state House Speaker Richard Corcoran as interim president, and the elimination of the college’s office of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Furthermore, the denial of tenure to five professors, despite criticism regarding potential threats to academic freedom, has drawn substantial attention.

The consequences of these changes have been profound, with over a third of the school’s faculty departing, and numerous students opting to transfer elsewhere. The conservative transformation of the institution has garnered national scrutiny, even prompting a visit in April by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, during which he vigorously criticized Governor DeSantis and the reforms underway at New College.

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