New College of Florida plans to discipline students for ‘disrupting’ graduation

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — New College of Florida is planning to discipline students, including withholding degrees, for “disrupting” a May 17 graduation ceremony after several students were accused of booing a commencement speaker.

In an op-ed published Monday in the Wall Street Journal, New College President Richard Corcoran said students will face consequences, including “withholding degrees until students issue apology letters or take mandatory classes on civil discourse to suspension or expulsion.”

“That students intermittently disrupted the proceedings was a disheartening reflection of prevailing intolerance for diverse viewpoints in today’s society,” Corcoran wrote. “But that illiberal attitude hasn’t and won’t rule New College.”

Joshua Epstein said he’s been working for years to graduate college at 18 years old. He wrote a 90-page thesis and accumulated more than 120 credit hours.

“My proudest accomplishment in life is that degree, and it’s really sad that they’re trying to go after it,” he said.

Epstein said that people were cheering throughout the event, and then some students booed at one point.

“They’re only punishing the people that booed,” he said. “So they’re saying that cheering is fine, but booing gets your degree taken away.”

Some students began talking amongst themselves when the commencement speaker, billionaire and founder of TD Ameritrade, Joe Ricketts, was having issues with his microphone, Epstein said.

“Some students, unfortunately, disagreed, interrupting his speech with scattered boos and chants,” Corcoran wrote. “Nonetheless, civil discourse and free speech will prevail at New College.”

Epstein wanted to hear what Ricketts had to say but said there were issues with the microphone, causing Ricketts to stop speaking.

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Eliana Salzhauer, Epstein’s mother, praised the students for how they handled graduation, adding that what happened was nothing compared to what other colleges across the country experienced.

“They didn’t say anything egregious,” she said. “I was there. Nobody was hurling any F-bombs, nobody was physically getting in anybody’s way. Nothing, absolutely nothing, rose to the level of a conduct violation.”

Salzhauer said that there were no issues during the rest of the ceremony.

“They walked to the stage, they respectfully crossed when their name was called, they got their diploma,” she said. “There were no antics. There was no disrespect.”

Epstein’s college experience was marred by change after Gov. Ron DeSantis restructured the board in 2023 and appointed a majority of conservatives, who then fired the president and appointed Corcoran.

“I would’ve liked a normal college experience, and I didn’t get that experience at New College because these people came in and took everything over,” he said.

He noted that many professors and students left due to the changes.

“It was a hostile takeover, and they really ruined my college experience,” Epstein said, who was hoping to put the experience behind him and move on with his life.

“When I graduated, it felt like I had overcome everything they threw at us, and now for them to kind of be reaching out of the swamp like a swamp monster to pull us back in, it’s really scary,” he said.

Epstein said when he logs on to his portal, it shows that he has earned, and was awarded his degree. Now he’s told he must have a hearing to determine his punishment.

The letter, which was viewed by News Channel 8, states that a complaint was filed against him for failure to respond to instructions and disruptive conduct. He must make an appointment with the Office of Community Education and Standards by June 4 to have a hearing.

“When my son got this email, I was appalled,” Salzhauer said. “I was appalled and I was embarrassed for the school that they wouldn’t just leave it alone. Just let these kids move on with their lives. It’s shameful what’s happened to the education system in Florida, and it’s shameful that this administration is pursuing these kinds of charges against these hard-working, respectful students that have earned their degrees.”

Salzhauer said the entire ordeal is upsetting.

“This is an egregious overstepping that is so upsetting as a parent,” she said. “My son and all of these graduates worked so hard to get their degrees. They had their high school time ruined by COVID, they had their college experience ruined by a takeover, but they stuck it out.”

“Nothing any of the students did rose to the level of a conduct violation,” Epstein said.

“It’s petty, it’s vindictive, and they need to lead by example and be the bigger people here,” she said. “And you cannot say that you are protecting free speech and then punish people for expressing that free speech.”

Some students, Salzhauer said, chose to protest by not showing up to graduation, adding that these students showed up out of respect for their professors and the institution.

“What happened is they were baited into a trap,” she said. “They invited a speaker who was extremely obviously holding views that most of the students were not in agreement with.”

Salzhauer said the school missed an opportunity to celebrate the students, including her son — who graduated at such a young age.

“Instead of the school celebrating that and saying ‘Wow, look at the amazing kids we attract and what we can do,’ they’re trying to make sure there’s not a single good taste left in his mouth about his experience there.”

As for what’s next for Epstein, he plans to go to law school and become a lawyer.

“This experience is motivating me more than I was before to be a lawyer, to fight when people try to violate constitutional rights and bully others using the law, and to fight for the underdog,” he said.

“These students have a lot to offer, and it’s OK for us to say ‘Let’s listen to them,’ Salzhauer said. “And that’s something that this administration has never done.”

“We support and protect the right of free speech while resolutely insisting upon civil discourse,” the college told SNN in a statement. “Disruptive activities by a few individuals at a ceremonial event attended by hundreds is not representative of either of these principles.”

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