New College of Florida board meeting Feb. 13 to approve interim president's contract

The New College of Florida Board of Trustees is moving quickly to finalize an agreement with former Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran to take over as interim president after the board ousted former President Patricia Okker last week.

A meeting is scheduled for Feb. 13 to vote on Corcoran's contract, which is the only item on the agenda.

25 days that shook New College: How Ron DeSantis swiftly transformed the Sarasota school

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed six new trustees to New College's board on Jan. 6, and 25 days later they all voted to fire Okker without cause during a contentious meeting on the Sarasota campus. The leadership shakeup is part of an effort to transform Florida's liberal arts honors college into a showcase for conservative ideas about higher education.

After firing Okker, DeSantis board appointee Matthew Spalding, a dean at conservative Hillsdale College, moved to hire Corcoran as interim president, calling him a longtime friend.

More New College changes: New College board fires president, installs former GOP House speaker, DeSantis ally

Corcoran is a close ally of DeSantis who served as speaker of the Florida House of Representatives before taking over as the governor's first education secretary and becoming a champion for his education culture war battles, including initiatives to shape how race is taught in schools and prohibit mask mandates during the height of COVID-19.

Corcoran is expected to take over as interim president in March.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis set to become Sarasota college president