Launch the Novo Collegian Alliance

We're launching the Novo Collegian Alliance to help preserve New College of Florida in light of the recent political attacks. Our goal is to provide organizational infrastructure and support for ongoing advocacy, education, and movement building to preserve New College of Florida, consistent with its founding principles, original ideals, mission, and rigorous academic program.

We have great volunteers and have incorporated a nonprofit organization, and this fundraiser will help us launch initiatives to continue the fight, build out the digital infrastructure we need (website hosting, email, CRM, Zoom account, etc.), hire vendors for needs such as media/PR support and legal strategies, and add staffing support to help build out the organization and support ongoing advocacy efforts.

This fundraiser will assist Novo Collegian Alliance in building our initial infrastructure. In addition, Novo Collegian Alliance will launch each initiative below as we reach the corresponding fundraising level:

• $25,000 total raised - Launch student support program: Design and launch a program for NCA members to support students (e.g. work with student orgs to identify opportunities for career advice, mentorship opportunities, grad school advice, speaker series, scholarship program, etc.).
• $50,000 total raised - Build recording library: The Board of Trustee and Foundation meetings aren't recorded, so we'll organize recording meetings and hosting those videos to help hold people accountable when they are acting against the interests of New College.
• $75,000 total raised - Launch trustee accountability research program: Monitor, collect, and take action regarding Trustee behavior that does not support or reflect well on New College (social media, blogs, in meetings, and in the press)
• $100,000 total raised - Organize a pro-New College media campaign: Pitch stories to reporters, prepare fact sheets, and help coordinate op-eds so we have a steady drumbeat of news.

For more background on attacks against New College of Florida, here are some helpful links:

• https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/new-college-students-steadfast-in-defiance-of-desantis-buzzwords-and-politicized-agenda-164383813885
• https://www.change.org/p/reject-desantis-hostile-takeover-of-new-college
• https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/02/ron-desantis-new-college-florida

We've incorporated the Novo Collegian Alliance in Florida as a charity, have an alum-led board, and a network of hundreds of active alumni, parents, students, and other allies already supporting the effort. Example of actions we will take to build out the organization:

• Coordinate with existing efforts and other organizations
• Generate a list of needs, prioritize by urgency, and have a group of board members approve all expenses
• Get quotes for CRM software, evaluate need with alumni who have experience, and then launch CRM tool
• Meet with advocates who have media/PR background to help evaluate firms to support advocacy efforts
• Develop job description, advertise paid role, review candidates, and hire staff support
• Have auditing committee review all expenses

We're a group of passionate alumni and supporters of New College of Florida who want to help preserve the high-quality education offered there, and help the institution navigate this uncertain time by joining together and providing a platform for alumni and other stakeholders to share and convey the thoughts and concerns of the College’s alumni to the College’s administration, as well as to policymakers and other relevant stakeholders.