New College Foundation Dissolves Alumni Association, Cites Need for Restructuring
The New College Foundation Board in Sarasota voted to dissolve the nearly 50-year-old alumni association, replacing it with a Foundation-appointed Alumni Engagement Committee, despite objections from alumni who argue this move will eliminate an independent voice and further divide the…
Tampa St. Petersburg, FL, August 4, 2026 —
SARASOTA, FL – The New College Foundation Board has voted to dissolve the institution’s nearly 50-year-old alumni association. The decision, made by the Foundation Board in Sarasota, will replace the existing association with a newly formed Alumni Engagement Committee, to be appointed by the Foundation.
This move comes despite significant objections from some alumni. These alumni have voiced concerns that the dissolution of the alumni association will remove an independent voice for graduates. They also argue that the decision could further divide the college community.
The alumni association has been a fixture at New College for almost five decades. Its dissolution marks a significant change in the way the college engages with its former students.
The newly established Alumni Engagement Committee will operate under the direct appointment of the New College Foundation. Details regarding the structure, mandate, and appointment process for this new committee were not immediately available.
Alumni who opposed the decision expressed fears that the move would centralize control and reduce the autonomy of alumni representation. The extent of the opposition and the specific nature of their objections were not detailed.
The Foundation Board’s vote to dissolve the association and establish the new committee represents a strategic shift in alumni relations for New College. The implications of this change for future alumni engagement and the college’s relationship with its graduates are yet to be fully determined.
Story summarized from the original created by By Francesca Abarca and Gabriela Szymanowska, Suncoast Searchlight on www.tampabay.com, see more information here.
