New College gives every student a chance to thrive. Isn't that worth saving?

After completing her associate degree, my daughter – who is a co-author of this column – transferred to New College of Florida, a jewel of a college by the Sarasota Bay. She decided to focus on English and literature, but she also explored classes in theatre, gender studies, religion, art and creative writing.

One great aspect of New College is that it offers a smorgasbord of interesting courses. Students aren't graded but evaluated, so they can try classes outside of their comfort zone. This approach is why New College is an Honors College rated by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top liberal arts colleges in America.

Students are challenged by the rigors of intensive course work, and they must display superior writing skills to express themselves. They aren't ever taught what to think; instead they are encouraged how to analyze information, draw inferences, look for symbolism and nuance, put writings in historical context and draw conclusions and defend their opinions based on critical thinking skills.

Isn't that how we want all educated adults to be?

As a student with a disability, my daughter was able to thrive at New College because of its inclusivity and support. Her talents were recognized and supported with a personalized approach. For example, one professor was very aware of my daughter's interests and skills, and advocated for her to receive an internship at the Asolo Theatre.

Students build close relationships with their academic advisors, which in my daughter’s case allowed her to be awarded a scholarship from the James Joyce Society to participate in a trip to Dublin, Ireland. She applied her love of film to a class assignment and went on to develop an award-winning paper with her professor – one that was selected to be presented at the Southeastern Women’s Studies Association Annual Conference.

Not all students are going to fit into the same mold, but at New College self-directed students are nurtured, challenged and encouraged both academically and creatively.

Now the very mission of New College is being threatened.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed ultra-conservative political figures to the New College Board of Trustees. They want to rebrand it as the “Hillsdale College of the South,” revising New College’s curriculum to follow the classical education standards used at the private Christian college in Michigan. But the goal of higher education should not be to create a homogenous group of citizens – it should be to nurture broad thinkers.

New College is a place where all students are given equal opportunities to succeed. They are provided with a safe environment for freedom of expression. But DeSantis only seems interested in freedom if it means,freedom from "liberal ideology and independent thought." By forcing New College to adopt this unnecessary approach and rebranding, Florida will surely lose the brightest thinkers to colleges in other states.

My daughter was lucky to graduate from New College in 2020 and thanks to the skills she acquired there, she is working successfully in Los Angeles. I shudder to think what a New College of Florida degree will mean in academic and employment circles in the future.

If the new board follows through with their plan for this needless transformation, it will deprive students of the opportunities that have become synonymous with a New College education.

Tamara Solum is a retired Sarasota business owner, teacher and education advocate. Kari Solum graduated from New College of Florida in 2020 and is a writer who lives in Los Angeles.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: New College allows every student to grow, and that's worth saving