skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, September 20, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Some New College of Florida Students Feel 'Trapped' in 'Hostile Takeover'

play audio
Play

Friday, May 19, 2023   

Following what's described as a "hostile takeover" by right-wing conservatives, at the progressive New College of Florida, students and prospective graduates are protesting daily.

The latest comes as students held an alternate commencement on Thursday evening - rather than listen to the administration's choice of former Trump adviser Dr. Scott Atlas, scheduled to speak at Friday's commencement.

Alumni and student organizers welcomed Maya Wiley with The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights to be Thursday's keynote speaker.

Second-year International Relations student Nisreen Kalai described feeling trapped with the school's new leadership, and Gov. DeSantis' restrictive laws on education.

"Makes it feel like inescapable," said Kalai. "Like, even if I did go to another university in Florida, it's just going to be the same thing of, you know, 'Diversity doesn't matter to us.' That's just the statement that they are making, is that we want this place to be - Florida to be - a conservative playground."

DeSantis and his allies contend the college - with a prominent LGBTQ+ community - is indoctrinating students with leftist ideology and should be remade into a more conservative institution.

This week, DeSantis used the campus as his backdrop to sign into a law a measure aimed at prohibiting colleges and universities from spending money on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.

Kalai said the last four months have been tough for students, seeing faculty resign and students choosing to self-govern.

She said they're taking on their own diversity clubs with less support from the college.

"The environment of being here has not felt the same," said Kalai. "And personally I don't like the fact that I have to wake up in the beginning of my exam week and protest bills that are directly affecting my education."

The governor also signed a separate bill to prevent colleges and universities from requiring "political loyalty" tests for students and employees as a condition of admission or employment.

New College in Sarasota became a sticking point for DeSantis's aim at transforming higher education. He replaced trustees with conservative members, who later fired the school's president.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
Some 899 of 936 public comments on the plan for the proposed West Fork Dam, or 96%, opposed the West Fork Battle Creek Dam project, according to a tally by Wyofile. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

A federal agency is requiring Wyoming to update cost estimates for a large proposed dam in Carbon County, which has been under feasibility studies …


Social Issues

play sound

This Saturday marks the International Day of Peace and the advocacy group Nonviolent Peaceforce is kicking off a series of family-friendly events in M…

Environment

play sound

Latino Conservation Week is in full swing, with 330 events across the U.S. and 90 in California alone. The 11th annual event runs through Sunday…


Nebraska is one of 10 states to confirmed abortion-related constitutional amendment measures on the ballot in November. (Alcorn Imagery/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Some ballot initiatives this year have taken more than voter signatures to get onto the ballot in Nebraska. They've already withstood major court …

Environment

play sound

Maine officials are stepping up land conservation projects as climate change continues to alter the state's terrain. New funding from the Land for …

Social Issues

play sound

A new study showed as Texas has emerged as a national leader in wind turbine and solar energy installations, clean energy workers often face …

play sound

Students enrolled at Wisconsin's technical colleges this fall might take a course where artificial intelligence is the star of the classroom…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021