New College trustee Dr. Matthew Lepinski quits on the spot at intense board meeting

SARASOTA, Fla. (FLV) – New College of Florida Trustee Dr. Matthew Lepinski quit on the spot at the end of an intense Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday.

In the final minutes of the meeting, Lepinski said he is “concerned about the direction the board is going” amid sweeping changes by board members appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“I’m very concerned about the direction that this board is going, and the destabilization of the academic program, and so I wish you the best of luck, but this is my last board meeting, I’m leaving the college,” Lepinski said before walking out.

New College of Florida is a top-ranked public liberal arts college that has around 700 students.

In January, DeSantis appointed new leadership at New College to overhaul the institution’s “equity” ideology for a merit-based approach.

In the last few months, DeSantis’ appointees have ousted the college’s president, voted to abolish diversity, equity, and inclusion bureaucracies, and authorized Interim President Richard Corcoran to make necessary or appropriate personnel decisions.

Following Lepinski’s abrupt resignation, trustee Christopher Rufo tweeted he “wishes Lepinski well and look forward to recruiting his replacement.”

“We are restoring classical liberal arts education at New College and any faculty that prefer the old system of unfettered left-wing activism and a rubber-stamp board are free to self-select out,” Rufo said.

During Wednesdays meeting, the trustees voted 6-4 against approving early tenure for five faculty members. The faculty members are still able to have tenure approved next year.

Lepinski, along with Trustee and Student Body President Grace Keenan, Trustee Dr. Sarah Mackie, and Trustee Mary Ruiz voted to approve the early tenure.

Many speakers spoke in support of the approval of early tenure for the faculty members.

“Our colleagues are inspiring teachers, insightful researchers and dedicated to New College. They have made all the requirements for tenure and correctly followed all the rules and procedures required of them,” one faculty member said during public comment.

“Will the board celebrate their accomplishments of our colleagues, or will you act as government puppet who pulls the rug out from under our candidates by denying them further employment at New College?” the speaker said.

The meetings are often filled with people yelling and criticizing the new trustees. One activist cussed out Corcoran and was removed from the meeting.

Earlier in the meeting, Corcoran gave update on the college and said they are “moving in a great direction.”

“What we are doing is taking New College, and we are going to make it the number one Liberal Arts college in the country, and there’s just no doubt about we’re on that direction,” Corcoran said.

During new business discussion, Trustee Eddie Speir said he would like to task the campus police to give the board a “threat assessment” at the next board meeting.

He also said he would like to task the Strategic Planning Committee to gather information from the community and make a couple of recommendations to the board regarding the name of a mascot.

“Historically, things like mascots would usually fall under student government. That’s something I’m part of, the Strategic Planning Committee that I can bring up, and work with Interim President Corcoran on the results of that survey,” Keenan said.

Chair Debra Jenks said the mascot naming is being “worked on” and they will revisit the topic at the next board meeting.

On Monday, Corcoran told Florida’s Voice he expects an enrollment boost after the college added an athletics department.

In February, Corcoran previously said he wants to increase student recruitment and listed goals such as recruiting replacements for professors who have retired, review classes that are offered, improve facilities on campus, and adding more extracurricular activities.

Previously, DeSantis said he expects to see “positive results very quickly” after the college received additional funding for recruitment.

On April 27, the Presidential Search Committee will meet at 1:00 p.m. for the first time as they begin the process to find and hire a permanent president. Trustee Matthew Spalding has been named chair of the committee.