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Letter: Mistake by New College Board of Trustees?

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Has New College’s Board of Trustees made a mistake in approving more than $1 million in salary and benefits for the new president, Richard Corcoran?

The board’s Interim President Employment Agreement lists the source of funding as New College's Foundation. Yet according to its website, that foundation "raises the necessary private funding that enables New College to provide an outstanding liberal arts and sciences education to high-achieving undergraduates from Florida and elsewhere.“

Thus, the new board, while trashing the college’s liberal arts and sciences, uses foundation money to pay the new president. Is this legal? If I were a donor, I’d head straight to court. I’d also be furious if I were president at another Florida institution, especially one with double the enrollment of New College, but were earning far less than Corcoran.

Take Dr. Randy K. Avent, President of Florida Polytechnic University which has more than 1,500 students. His salary two years ago was $441,796. New College students, faculty, and staff are also cheated. The foundation’s intended purpose is to benefit them: "the New College Foundation raises critical funds for scholarships, faculty positions, academic programs, new buildings, student and faculty research and travel, and endowments.“

Yes. The New College Board of Trustees has made a mistake. And it’s up to the public to point this out in as many ways as possible.

Jill Lewis-Spector, Ed. D.
Sarasota

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