New College of Florida maintains accreditation status after state review
The college announced in a statement it was again approved for accreditation by the state after claims made against the school's academic practices,
NCF has come under scrutiny after Governor Ron DeSantis appointed various conservatives to the Board of Trustees.
The New College of Florida has announced that it will maintain its status as an accredited institution following an inquiry from the state’s official accrediting body.
The school reported in a Dec. 20 statement that it received two letters from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) clearing the school of “unsolicited accusations” made by third parties.
“New College provided extensive documentation to demonstrate our compliance with the Principles of Accreditation,” said New College president Richard Corcoran in the statement.
“This administration has been ethically grounded in running the College since Day One and has never wavered in its commitment to supporting our students, hiring talented and qualified people, and pursuing a mission to become the best liberal arts institution in America,” he continued. “While we understand the obligation SACSCOC had to look into the information they were provided, we are glad to move beyond this inquiry and put the matter to rest.”
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The two letters, dated Dec. 14, pertained to notices sent from the SACSCOC to the school in September. These notices requested that NCF provide “explanations of institutional mission, mission review, board/administrative distinction, academic freedom, academic governance, and hiring practices” due to the complaints filed against it.
The first letter addressed complaints related to “control by a minority of board members; conflict of interest among board members; board protection of the institution from influence by external persons or bodies; and closure of programs and implementation of new curriculum without input from campus constituents.”
The second letter detailed charges that NCF “changed its mission without going through the appropriate governance and accreditation reporting processes.” It also mentioned allegations related to hiring practices and “personnel appointment of employees with little to no experience in higher education and inadequate credentials.”
Ultimately, the SACSCOC found that the complaints “did not support a determination of [NCF]’s non-compliance” and noted that “no additional follow-up is required.”
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The college has come under scrutiny in recent times as Governor Ron DeSantis has worked with university leadership to help implement a classical education The NCF board fired the president and hired Richard Corcoran as an interim, officially installing him as the permanent president in October.
Such moves have drawn the ire of many on the left, including Erik Wallenberg, an NCF professor whose contract was not renewed following the appointments. Wallenberg encouraged socialists to bring “fugitive pedagogy” to the state and “incite some fire,” Campus Reform previously reported.
Campus Reform has contacted NCF for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
