Just before the conservative takeover, the Lentinis gave $156,000 to improve diversity on the campus. Administrators refused to hand the money back.
By Mason Chambless
Original Air Date: August 1, 2025
Host: New College’s fundraising arm is under more scrutiny. A family with close ties to the liberal arts campus sued the New College Foundation and are demanding it return their donation that funds a scholarship for underprivileged students. They want their money back because they say the college—which has been subject to a political takeover—does neither represent the spirit of their donation anymore, nor has it used their $156,000. But the plaintiffs won’t get their day in court until 2027. Mason Chambless reports.
Mason Chambless: Judith Kaye and John Lentini met in 1969 at New College of Florida. As students, they treasured the freedom of thought, awareness of social issues and importance of learning held dear on this campus. These values shaped their lives as they grew closer, married and had two kids, Julia and Jerald. Judith got involved with education in Georgia, where the family lived—fighting for the underprivileged’s right to receive education. In 2010, at only 58, Judith passed away from cancer.
One of their children, Jerald, also attended New College.
Ten years later, John Lentini and his two children came together to create a scholarship in Judith’s name to honor her commitment to education for all. In early 2021, the three contributed a total of $156,000 to launch the Judith Kaye Lentini Endowed Scholarship at New College. The scholarship was motivated by Judith’s passion towards “education, social equality, and inclusion.”
The family presented the scholarship as a restricted donation, meaning that the college could only use the donated funds for the reason specified by the donor. The funds, which were managed by the New College Foundation, began to help non-traditional students at New College pursue higher education during the 2021-22 school year.
But then, in 2023, there was a major change in the college. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis replaced six of the college’s board members with a new set, four of which were known to be conservative activists. The changes led to a dismantling of DEI initiatives, as well as diversity and inclusion values that were in place at the school. In May of that year, staggered by what was happening at the college, the Lentini family sent a letter requesting the return of the donation that had been made for the scholarship. Because of the attack on diversity by the school’s new leadership, the family no longer believed in the ability of the school to fulfill the scholarship’s intended purpose. Their request was squarely denied by the school, who claimed no agreement had been violated. No money has been distributed by the college through the scholarship since before the 2023-24 academic year.
Just over two years later, on June 6, came new revelations. In a Suncoast Searchlight report, two top financial officers at the New College Foundation went public with their concerns regarding the foundation’s use of donations. The college earlier let go Director of Philanthropy Declan Sheehy and Director of Finance Ron McDonough after they expressed concerns internally that money given through restricted donations were being used in ways that violated those donor agreements. One of the most notable concerns was the lack of transparency about how the foundation was covering over $800,000 of New College president Richard Corcoran’s more than $1 million compensation. Because Florida Law only allows for taxpayer funds to cover up to $200,000 of any single university administrator’s compensation, the college had to seek the rest of the money from the New College Foundation. Of the $50 million held by the foundation, most of it is locked by donor restrictions.
Then, a couple of weeks after the release of the Searchlight article, the Lentini family filed a civil lawsuit in Sarasota against New College Foundation. They are seeking the return of their money as it stood at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. They also want interest, court fees, and any other reliefs. In the lawsuit, the Lentini family says that “the funds remain subject to an administrative fee that dissipates the fund and effectively defeats the purpose of the scholarship. Furthermore, these restricted scholarship funds are likely being used for purposes other than the intended purpose of the scholarship.”
Foundation CEO Sydney Gruters and President Richard Corcoran, announcing a recent donation.
Unable to talk over the phone by our deadline, New College communications chief James Miller pointed to an op-ed published in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune this week by Foundation CEO Sydney Gruters, where she maintained the college was handling the Lentinis’ donation correctly.
She said, “[T]here has been no mismanagement—only prudent action designed to maximize the fund’s long-term impact” and that “[t]here is no obligation that private scholarship funds be spent every academic year, especially when other resources are available to meet student needs.”
I spoke with Robert Turffs, who represents the Lentinis in the lawsuit. He responded to the op-ed, saying:
Robert Turffs: Interestingly, Sydney Gruters does this—under the circumstances, somewhat bizarre—editorial claiming that transparency is important and what a great job they’re doing, which we questioned. I’m very happy she did it, though. It opens the door to getting more accounting information. Really, the question is, “Why haven’t they given the scholarship?” And she has no answer for that other than they don’t want to. She claims it’s different money. But the Lentinis were very specific. Also, one of the things attached—maybe the most important document attached—is the press release by New College, in which they talked about the fact that this gift was given, when it was given. They also talked about the desire that it benefit a certain class of people—people of color, people without money.
MC: Court hearings are not set to start until early 2027.
Reporting for WSLR News, Mason Chambless.
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