SARASOTA, Fla. — New College of Florida’s Class of 2023 is scheduled to walk across the stage Friday evening, but students held their own ceremony a day early.

A program for the event at the Sarasota Museum of Art dubbed it “[New] Commencement On Our Terms” and listed the names of 87 graduates. 

A GoFundMe that raised more than $130,000 as of Thursday night pointed to recent changes at the school spearheaded by Gov. Ron DeSantis as the reason for the alternate event.

“The new administration that has spent the past four months attacking our students and community cannot, in good faith, celebrate our graduating students and their accomplishments,” the fundraiser site reads. “Commencement is supposed to be a celebration of graduating students and the people who have shaped this school to be what it is. And we’re proud of who we are! So, we’re taking the celebration plans into our own hands. We want this event to be a fulfilling and memorable experience for graduating students that keeps the focus on STUDENTS, rather than an administration desperately trying to maintain normality and instill conformity.”

“I thought it was great,” said graduate Lisa Hyde. “There was a lot of love and lot of energy, and it was just a great celebration of what New College is and who we are as a community.”

One of the speakers at the alternate commencement told the crowd she feels the official graduation ceremony isn’t for students. She pointed to the expected keynote speaker, Dr. Scott Atlas, a former science adviser to President Donald Trump, who was skeptical of COVID control measures. Hyde said she planned to attend the official ceremony on Friday, but agrees with what the student speaker said.

“Tomorrow, it’s just going to be about the people that Ron DeSantis picked to come into New College and completely change it. So, it’s not about us,” said Hyde.

The keynote speaker at Thursday’s event was Maya Wiley, a civil rights activist.

New College of Florida has traditionally been known as a progressive school. In January, DeSantis appointed six new trustees whose plan is to model New College after a classical liberal arts school, like the conservative Hillsdale College.

The Board voted to fire President Pat Okker in February, and the board chair stepped down at that same meeting. The governor has argued enrollment at New College is declining and changes will allow for reinvestment in the school.

Students and parents have protested the changes as references to the shift were made throughout the alternate ceremony.

“‘When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty,’” student organizer K.C. Casey quoted to the audience. “We, as a community, as New College, will never really understand why these people are trying to ban our identities and limit our freedom,” said another student speaker, Sofia Lombardi.

Even though their time at New College is ending, students said they’re concerned for underclassmen.

“I feel really bad for especially first or second years who might have to face the prospect of transferring and even third years, who are now basically forced to do their final thesis year in an environment that doesn’t feel very welcoming,” Hyde said.

Another speaker who is also a New College alum told the crowd money left over from the fundraiser is being used to create a student-controlled fund that students can use for projects of their choosing.

He said $70,000 will be available to them beginning next year.