Independent alumni organization welcomes national attention to the ongoing fight to preserve New College’s history, traditions, and academic legacy
OSPREY, FL, UNITED STATES, June 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Novo Collegian Alliance, Inc., an independent, unaffiliated 501(c)(3) organization founded by and for the New College community, applauds John Oliver and the team at Last Week Tonight for bringing national attention to the ongoing political takeover of New College of Florida.
The segment, which aired Sunday, June 7, 2026 used Oliver’s trademark blend of sharp research, sardonic humor, and moral clarity to examine a story that has deeply affected students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families connected to New College.
“John Oliver has a rare gift for making people laugh without letting them look away,” said William Rosenberg, President of the Novo Collegian Alliance. “We appreciate the care his team brought to this story. But as funny as the segment may have been, what is happening at New College is no laughing matter for the current students, faculty, and staff living through it every day.”
In the segment, Oliver underscored the absurdity and seriousness of the New College takeover, including moments such as:
“But then money has seemingly been no object when it comes to this project. In fact, a state audit last year found that the public cost to produce a degree at New College had swelled in 2024 to nearly $500,000, dwarfing what has been spent per student at any other public university… But at the same time, administrative costs have ballooned with one major expenditure being Corkran’s own salary. Because when you include perks and bonuses, he has the highest per student salary of any president in Florida’s university system worth more than a million dollars a year.”
And:
“And depressingly, it is the exact sort of smash and grab we’re seeing in so many places right now, from public health to newspapers to broadcast news. Ideologues capturing something that they hate, claiming that they want to fix it, and then destroying it instead. But seldom has that move been more blatant than watching people talk about great debates and classical education, only to then drive away faculty, refer to books as trash, and assemble a veritable avengers of D-list conservatives, celebrities, creeps, and weirdos, all so that they can lecture the world’s single largest baseball team.”
Since 2023, New College has been dramatically altered after Governor Ron DeSantis’ appointment of a new majority to the college’s Board of Trustees. The changes that followed included attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; the elimination of gender studies; the departure of faculty; and the dismantling of long-standing campus traditions. The reshaping of the institution raised serious concerns about academic freedom, shared governance, and the future of public liberal arts education in Florida.
The Novo Collegian Alliance was formed in 2023 in response to these events and has since become a central independent voice for alumni, students, faculty, staff, and allies working to preserve New College’s legacy and support its community.
“New College was never just a place,” said Rosenberg. “It was, and remains, a radical educational idea: that students can be trusted to pursue rigorous, self-directed inquiry in a community built on intellectual freedom. That idea is worth defending.”
NCA encourages journalists, researchers, alumni, and members of the public seeking background on the takeover to visit WhatHappenedToNewCollege.org, a public resource site maintained by the NCA based on work done by members of the community. The site includes an interactive timeline of key events, a searchable database of news coverage, and contextual information documenting the transformation of the college since January 2023.
The Novo Collegian Alliance continues to support current students, preserve New College history, maintain public records of the takeover, host independent community events, and advocate for the values that defined New College for generations: academic freedom, student agency, intellectual rigor, and creative self-direction.
Interview Availability
Please contact@novocollegian.org and board members are available to talk.
About the Novo Collegian Alliance
The Novo Collegian Alliance is an independent, unaffiliated Florida 501(c)(3) organization founded by and for the New College community. Guided by its vision of the Four Winds—to Serve, Support, Preserve, and Empower—NCA works to meet the evolving needs of students, alumni, staff, and faculty while ensuring that the values and history that define New College endure for generations.
For more information, visit www.novocollegian.org
KimBoo York
Novo Collegian Alliance
+1 (941) 237-0337
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