Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a roundtable discussion at New College of Florida on Tuesday, putting the Sarasota school back in the spotlight just weeks after a major expansion of its campus and amid its ongoing transformation under his administration.
The event is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in the College Hall Music Room at New College, according to WWSB.
DeSantis is expected to be joined by Florida Education Commissioner Henry Mack, State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues and Florida Division of Bond Finance Executive Director Ben Watkins.
Officials have not disclosed the topic of Tuesday’s discussion. The event comes weeks after a significant change involving New College and the neighboring University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus.
Under Florida’s 2026-27 state budget, ownership of the land and buildings at USF Sarasota-Manatee transferred to New College of Florida on July 1. USF said it retained more than $22 million in recurring operating funds following the transfer. That money allows the university to keep its Sarasota-Manatee faculty and staff and continue teaching existing students as they work toward their USF degrees.
The proposed transfer had generated concern at USF before it was approved. In April, USF President Moez Limayem described the prospect of losing the Sarasota-Manatee campus as “a red flag for all of us.”
USF is no longer admitting new students to its Sarasota-Manatee campus, but the July transfer did not mean classes immediately ended or the campus shut down.
New College, meanwhile, became responsible for costs associated with the transferred property and facilities, including maintenance, repairs and renovations. The change significantly expands New College’s physical footprint in Sarasota and represents another major development for the public liberal arts college.
DeSantis has played a central role in reshaping New College in recent years, beginning with a series of appointments to its board of trustees in 2023 that sparked a sweeping overhaul of the institution’s leadership, curriculum and campus policies. Tuesday’s roundtable is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET.
