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Too many students, not enough housing

Following abrupt changes to student housing implemented in Summer 2023, New College of Florida’s administration has not solidified a solution to the issue of adequately accommodating its student body on campus. As summer nears, students find themselves once again in a state of uncertainty regarding their housing arrangements. For third-year and thesis students, on-campus housing is not…

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The un-American college experience, studying in Brussels

When people are asked about their college experiences, there are often a few commonalities across the board. At least at larger schools, there are frat parties, sorority mixers or Greek life in general. Football games, basketball games or baseball games all complete with cheerleaders. Dorm rooms, RAs and roommates. Dining halls decked out with long tables and a variety of foods, packed at all…

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Ringling thesis exhibition overview

As a senior at Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD), completing a senior thesis art project is the pinnacle of one’s academic journey—a culmination of years of artistic exploration, skill development and creative vision. With passion and dedication, students immerse themselves in their chosen medium, pushing the boundaries of traditional and contemporary art forms to produce innovative and…

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EPA set to limit chemicals in drinking water

In a landmark decision aimed at safeguarding public health, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced updated regulations on drinking water quality standards across the United States. This significant development comes in response to growing concerns over the presence of harmful contaminants in drinking water supplies and underscores the agency’s commitment to ensuring the safety…

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SSC looking for new hires

The Student Success Center (SSC) opened its hiring for the Fall 2024 semester. According to the New College website, the SSC is located in the “Jane Bancroft Cook Library Room 103, the Student Success Center offers one-on-one appointments with trained peer coaches, group study sessions, recurring appointments, workshops, printable resources and referrals to other campus services.” The SSC is the…

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Got chess? New College Chess Club strives to break boundaries

With clubs ranging from Treeleaders to Anarchy Deathsticks, New College has a student group for any interest. For those with a knack for waging war against black and white pawns, the Chess Club has a spot ready. The Catalyst sat down with Chess Club mentor, Harold Gonzalez (’20), to talk about New College chess past, present and future.  Back in Gonzalez’s times there was no official chess club,…

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A farewell to Catalyst sponsor Maria D. Vesperi

Having been an integral part of the New College community since 1993, Professor of Anthropology Maria D. Vesperi has lived through and cultivated many of the phases New College has undergone over the decades. As not only an anthropologist, but a journalist with 12 years of experience, Vesperi facilitated countless Catalyst tutorials and anthropology courses that have left a lasting impression on…

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USF Divestment Coalition leads student movement for Palestine

As pro-Palestinian student protests erupt across the country and the world in the form of encampments, what began at the University of South Florida (USF) as a hunger strike has now become a center of violence against protesting students. Beginning on April 29, USF students set up tents as a form of protest to demand the university’s divestment from companies including Boeing, Lockheed Martin,…

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Action can keep despair at bay

Bruce Benidt (’72) Hope is irrational, illogical, fragile and beautiful; and likely the only way anything good happens.  I have learned these things anew at my college, New College, half a century after graduating.  As another class graduates now in Sarasota, two images shine strong in my mind. May 2023, at the graduation ceremony, New College students and their parents standing and turning…

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Robertson Park attempts to pick up the pace

Since Robertson Park first opened its metaphorical doors in February 2024, it has received mixed reviews from students, faculty and community members. After a slow start, the administration heard the feedback and refined its approach to facilitating this new campus space. To gauge whether feelings on the park have since shifted, the Catalyst spoke to a variety of sources.  Graphic used in an…

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Living grass at Sainer Courtyard ripped out overnight for artificial turf

In an unexpected decision by New College President Richard Corcoran, the grass and other vegetation in the Mildred Sainer Fine Arts Complex courtyard was ripped out with no prior announcement and replaced with artificial turf. The quiet transformation of the space from its natural state to a synthetic one began in the span of a night, sparking concern among the community about a lack of…

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Spring 2024 Dance Collective retrospective

Audience seats were filled in Sainer Auditorium on May 3 and 4, as  students spun across the stage for two nights of dance. The Spring 2024 Dance Collective showcase took viewers on a journey through poetic interpretive pieces, colorful Kpop numbers and more. The Catalyst followed the dancers from dress rehearsal to the final curtain call.  One of the longest-standing student clubs on campus,…

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Local blues fest finds new home in Lakewood Ranch

Blues fans of Sarasota received sad news in March 2024 when the cancellation of the Bradenton Blues Fest was announced. Once the place-to-be for music lovers, the festival has been held every December in the Bradenton area since 2012. The annual blues celebration featured an eclectic group of artists from Florida and across the country, some of whom are Grammy nominees. However, the community…

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Black History Month Poetry Workshop in a nutshell

In celebration of Black History Month and Black poets, students at New College of Florida joined together on Sunday, March 24 in the ACE lounge to read, discuss and reflect on the power of poetry. The poetry workshop, facilitated by students and Professor of French Language and Literature Amy Reid,  opened the floor for passionate conversation about the sense of community that poetry can provide…

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Fight to secure tenure at New College continues

Tenure, as the Office of the Provost at Florida State University defines it, is awarded to professors when “the community of scholars has judged the candidate to have excelled in teaching, research and service [and] that it has confidence in the individual’s judgment.” The governing New College Board of Trustees (BOT) reviews tenure applicants each year, and historically 30 percent of faculty…

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Studio Ghibli COUP: who, what, and what to wear

Poster for Grad COUP designed by thesis student and Catalyst staff writer Chloe Rusek. Photo courtesy of Gaby Batista  Call Kiki to deliver your costume for the 2024 Graduation Center of the Universe Parties]  (COUP). This year’s theme is Studio Ghibli, a Japanese Animation studio company founded in Tokyo and known for its breathtakingly artistic animation movies. Grad COUP will be hosted by…

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Space debris strikes home in Naples: A close encounter with the cosmos

Residents of Naples, Florida, were left stunned when a piece of space debris crashed into a home, sparking a wave of curiosity and concern about the dangers lurking above. The incident, which occurred around 2:30 p.m. on March 8, serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictability of objects hurtling through Earth’s atmosphere. According to NPR, the space debris, a large battery pallet from the…

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