SARASOTA — A lawsuit alleging violations of Florida’s Public Records Act by New College of Florida has been resolved through a mediated settlement that institutes sweeping reforms aimed at promoting transparency and accountability.
Under the terms of the agreement, New College will pay $125,000 in attorney’s fees. All trustees must now use agency-issued phones to conduct official business, and they will be required to complete additional training on Florida’s Public Records Act, with specific emphasis on properly archiving public records. Importantly, the Circuit Court will retain jurisdiction to monitor compliance with the agreement.
The lawsuit was filed in February 2023, shortly after Governor Ron DeSantis made a series of controversial appointments to the New College Board of Trustees. The governor stated the appointments were part of an effort to overhaul the public liberal arts college and transform it into a Florida version of Hillsdale College, a private Christian conservative institution. The dramatic shift in leadership and governance sparked widespread criticism and national media attention, raising concerns about political interference and the erosion of academic freedom.
The settlement follows a sharply worded order by Circuit Judge Stephen Walker, who rejected the College’s key legal defenses and allowed the case to proceed, citing compelling evidence that trustees deleted messages and evaded disclosure obligations. Deposition testimony and document review revealed troubling gaps and evasiveness in how trustees handled official communications—raising serious concerns about circumvention of transparency laws.
“This case sends a strong message: public officials are not above the law,” said Michael Barfield, Director of Public Access for the Florida Center for Government Accountability. “New College’s agreement to implement safeguards and submit to court oversight represents a significant step forward in restoring public trust and ensuring future compliance with open government laws.”
The settlement marks a clear victory for transparency and sets a precedent that intentional evasion of public records responsibilities will not be tolerated.
The Florida Center for Government Accountability (FLCGA) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 dedicated to helping enforce open government laws. All donations made to FLCGA are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. To learn more, visit www.flcga.org.
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Charles
Illegal and dishonorable behavior to avoid public transparency and oversight seems to be the hallmark of the Corcoran administration that has turned a once internationally known honors college into a political showcase of authoritarian rule, making it a dumbed-down jockshop resembling a private religious "college" with disdain for academic, intellectual, and social freedoms following the repressive political objectives of the governor. All of this has been allowed by the Florida "legislators" who similarly fear the public. Truly pathetic! Replace all of the politicians who have enabled this.
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