New College of Florida Sets Precedent by Signing Trump Initiative

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The New College of Florida has made headlines as the first educational institution to embrace a funding compact introduced during the Trump administration. This agreement, which offers preferential treatment in government grants, aligns with the college’s recent shift under the influence of Governor Ron DeSantis’ conservative leadership.

Originally, this compact was proposed to nine prestigious schools, including notable names like Dartmouth College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Brown University. However, these institutions declined to publicly endorse the agreement, expressing concerns about potential threats to their academic freedom and citing fundamental philosophical disagreements.

In a statement released by New College, the institution declared its willingness to be a pioneer in this initiative. “We will happily be the first college in America to formally embrace and sign President [Donald] Trump’s vision for higher education,” the release stated, presenting the move as a progressive step that supports the United States’ reputation as a global leader in higher education.

The decision by New College comes amid a backdrop of significant rainfall in Florida, with reports of nearly 18 inches causing ground erosion dangerously close to residential areas. Despite the environmental challenges, the college’s bold endorsement of the Trump-era compact signals a significant shift in its educational strategy and philosophy.

Trump’s college compact says it will give colleges preferential treatment in federal funding decisions in exchange for pledges and agreements on oversight regarding its hiring, admissions and campus culture.

New College of Florida, once a progressive institution, has adopted conservative ideals after DeSantis replaced the college’s leadership with ideological allies.

While some have said some of the principles outlined in the compact deserve discussion, experts have argued that the conditions infringe on academic freedom and institutional autonomy.

For New College, the compact seems to extend efforts it has already made to reshape the school’s reputation.

“New College of Florida is committed to the ideals present within this compact, and we have already been instituting them for the past two and a half years,” said school President Richard Corcoran.

“We have no affirmative action or DEI, and we have been building a campus where open dialogue and the marketplace of ideas are at the forefront of everything we do. We believe a student’s success comes from their character and their merit, not their race, gender, or sexual orientation, and we would be honored to sign the Trump administration’s compact,” he added.