Thank you all for signing - the number of signatures has crossed 500! 

On May 25, the petition was sent to the NAIA National Office - the NAIA CEO, the COO, and the VP of Membership Value and Governance. We will continue to tell the NAIA about the unprecedented circumstances of New College's application and the unprecedented, contentious opposition from current students, alumni, faculty and community supporters of the political, hostile takeover. 

We are continuing to identify different governing bodies within the NAIA to tell them about what a travesty this would make of the NAIA's values of promoting student wellness, character, integrity, and unity. 

Updates from New College news: 

• On May 15, Ron DeSantis chose New College for a political bill-signing event an academic building finals were being held in. At the event, Interim President Corcoran made comments about turning off the A/C of students who opposed the governor's policies.
• On May 19, for the 2023 commencement, the new political leadership brought in controversially pandemic political figure Scott Atlas, using the graduation for students and their families to make a political point. Students, powerful as always, organized an alternative commencement for themselves.
• On May 19, the New College of Florida faculty voted overwhelmingly to censure the Board of Trustees.
• On May 25, the agenda for the June 1 Board of Trustees meeting was released for the June 1 meeting, including "Approval of New College of Florida Mascot" This follows 1 poll only open to students, that including ineligible entries, and that was apparently shut down because it hadn't been secured. As of the morning of May 30, two days before the meeting, the proposed mascot hasn't even been announced.

The last point, the imposition of a mascot without any meaningful consultation  will make whatever is announced not a symbol of unity but rather the mascot for the hostile takeover of New College.

This is not about the value of athletics, as seen by so many touching comments in reasons for signing; this is about the bullying, political attack on a beloved college. We will continue to oppose the admission of New College to the NAIA as part of a hostile takeover. 

Thank you all again for your support. We will continue to reach out to NAIA national office staff, NAIA committee members, and the wider college and professional sports worlds to get the message about what's happening at New College and why the NAIA must oppose using college sports this way.