Ron DeSantis's fascist goons have spent the last year trying to stomp the left out of New College. I went to hear Masha Gessen address a student-organized secret graduation to see how things were faring at my alma mater, ground zero for a right-wing campaign against colleges spreading nationwide.
Thanks for the update, as painful as it was. I grew up in Sarasota, and New College was my academic "shining city on the hill." The students all seemed so smart, so cool. Academically it was always out of reach for me, but I *loved* that it existed. I hate what's happened to it.
Thank you for your support of the strange smell in Hamilton Center. Thank you, too, for the Lost Kangaroo and the many times I didn't have to choose between beer and dinner because I could get pints of John Courage there and eat free hot dogs and peanuts on Monday nights.
Our daughter took a degree from New College back in the old leftist days. She enjoyed the place and got a great education. She is now a full professor and a dean at another college. And so sad about what has happened in Sarasota.
This hits the spot for me, an NCF alum from 11 years ago. I’ve spent most of the years since as a Columbia affiliate in a doctoral program, but didn’t think much about the connectedness of these phenomena at the 2 schools.
I hope against hope that NCF will be back one day, but …
