SARASOTA, Fla. — Negotiations will begin soon to make Richard Corcoran the official next president of New College of Florida.

The school’s board of trustees voted Tuesday to name him their final candidate for the job, more than seven months after he took over on an interim basis.

What You Need To Know

  • New College of Florida's Board of Trustees voted to name Richard Corcoran the final candidate for president of the school 

  • Corcoran, the state's former education commissioner, has served as the school's interim president since February

  • The results of Corcoran's contract negotiations will be discussed at the board's next meeting later this month

  • Read previous coverage here

The vote was not unanimous.

Dr. Amy Reid told fellow board members she wanted to postpone the vote. Reid said she had concerns about the process the school followed to select a new president.

She said students and faculty didn’t have enough of an opportunity to meet with any of the candidates, which also included Robert Gervasi, the former interim president at the University of Mount Union, and Tyler Fisher, a professor at the University of Central Florida.

The board went ahead with their vote, but not before Reid voiced concerns about Corcoran’s leadership so far.

“The scheduling of a meeting for Wednesday to discuss the shortcomings of the business plan that he was asked to submit in August because of the financial problems at the campus and again, the fact that our divisions do not have a budget this far into the academic year. All of these things raise questions about his leadership,” Reid said.

Other board members praised Corcoran’s performance since he became interim president in February. Dr. Mark Bauerlein said he’s a fitting president for this time in the school’s history.

“The reason that I would lean toward President Corcoran, Interim President Corcoran, is because of the special circumstances — the external issues, the political issues, the contacts in Tallahassee,” Bauerlein said.

Richard Corcoran, the state's former education commissioner, has served as New College's interim president since February. (FILE image)

It’s been a year of change at New College, with Gov. Ron DeSantis appointing a number of new board members and that new board firing the previous president. Students have said they’re worried about what those changes will mean for the progressive school. First-year student Opal Phillips said for her that includes Corcoran being voted in as president.

“I’m very disappointed because I came to New College because this is a place where I know I can feel safe and accepted, and now I feel like that’s all being ripped away from me,” Phillips said.

Fourth-year student Sadie Landreville said she’s also disappointed with the decision. She said she’s concerned about some of the changes she’s seen this year.

“They also didn’t help with anybody’s tenure here. So, my creative writing professor I’ve had for four years is no longer here,” Landreville said. “I kind of have to scramble to find a new sponsor, a new adviser.”

According to New College, the results of Corcoran’s contract negotiations will be discussed at next month’s board meeting.

Board Chair Debra A. Jenks said in a statement, "With the selection of President Corcoran, New College is poised to continue on its path of becoming the best liberal arts institution in the nation."