According to a new report, the school’s graduation rate is at 40%—an all-time low.
By Johannes Werner
Original Air Date: May 28, 2025
Host: Faculty and staff at New College have been complaining about a lack of transparency by their leadership when it comes to enrollment and retention numbers. At a special board meeting on Wednesday, the new provost presented to the trustees the accountability report the honors college will provide to the state panel that oversees public universities. More than two years after the takeover by the governor, it admits that New College of Florida has a retention problem.
Students walking at New College. Photo by Emily LeCoz via Suncoast Searchlight.
Johannes Werner: The 2025 Accountability Report was the first instance the new New College administrators publicly admitted they are facing retention challenges, while promising improvement and presenting fixes. The current graduation rate is at 40% – an all-time low – but administrators promise that figure will jump to 60% for the class that enrolled last year – which would be an all-time high.
Some key trustees—including high-profile activist Christopher Rufo—missed the special meeting, even though it was held online. And only three board members had questions about the report.
They were, first and foremost, the trustee representing the faculty and the student trustee.
Pat McDonald.
Faculty Trustee Pat McDonald is a mathematician. And he had some hard questions about the contrast between current figures showing record numbers of New College students are dropping out before graduation, and future projections.
Responding to McDonald’s questions, Provost David Rohrbacher and President Richard Corcoran spoke about hiring academic coaches and other programs. But they admitted that the projections are aspirational and not based on any particular calculations.
McDonald also noted that his current math students are in dire need of remedial classes, which they are not getting.
The only DeSantis-appointed trustee who had questions about the report was Mark Bauerlein. He asked what will happen if New College does not reach the numbers it promises in the report but added that a certain rate of dropouts also reflects well on a college’s rigor.
Kyla Baldonado.
Student Trustee Kyla Baldonado followed a line of questioning about the college’s intention to recruit more out-of-state and international students to grow. Responding to her questioning, Corcoran said that already, 23% of New College students are from abroad, more than the 20% the state recommends. Baldonado expressed concern about the lack of specific services for international students on the small Sarasota campus.
Many of the new international students on campus are athletes.
Without any further discussion, the trustees approved the report, with the faculty and student trustee in opposition.
Reporting for WSLR News, Johannes Werner.
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