State pushes back on New College’s $15M funding request

In a recent meeting, Florida's Board of Governors raised concerns about New College of Florida's $15 million funding request, emphasizing the school's unusually high per-student operating costs. New College president Richard Corcoran is advocating for these funds to support both operating and athletic expenses, but board member Eric Silagy highlighted that the college's estimated cost of $98,000 per student for the upcoming academic year is nearly ten times the state average. Corcoran countered that the actual per-student expenditure is around $68,000, although he did not clarify the basis for this figure. This debate is indicative of a larger conversation about the financial sustainability and future direction of New College. The Board of Governors, which oversees Florida's public university system, is concerned about the implications of such funding on the state’s overall educational budget.

As this is one of the first significant public critiques of Corcoran's leadership, it could impact the college's efforts to secure additional funding in the future. The outcome of this funding request remains uncertain but could influence the operational capabilities of New College significantly. The situation underscores the challenges public universities face in balancing funding requests with fiscal responsibility.