Student Life

Student Affairs works to provide students with opportunities to expand their education beyond classrooms, laboratories, and studios. In concert with efforts to enhance the academic mission of the College, the Student Affairs staff offer students a variety of innovative and creative programs, activities, and educational initiatives to promote personal growth, leadership, and development.

In collaboration with the academic mission of New College, Student Affairs is committed to offering students opportunities to take responsibility for their living and for their co-curricular learning. The professional staff members are educators, programmers, counselors, and facilitators.

The principal goals of Student Affairs are:

1. To work with students, faculty, and staff to incorporate co-curricular learning into the overall academic mission of the College.
2. To maintain active involvement in the lives of our students as mentors and educators.
3. To celebrate and support the diversity of our community and the uniqueness of each individual.
4. To create opportunities for learning that promote leadership, community engagement, and citizenship.

Services of Student Affairs

Student Affairs at New College aims to provide a safe intellectual, physical, and emotional space for students to engage in the liberal arts beyond the classroom. The goal is to complement the classroom experiences, inspire students so that they become passionate about what they learn, and develop life skills so that they can become positive members of their community. Student Affairs offers a variety of innovative and creative programs, activities, and educational initiatives to promote personal growth, leadership, and development. They work with students, staff, the community, and faculty to incorporate co-curricular learning and involvement into the overall mission of the College.

The Mission:  The Division of Student Affairs is dedicated to enriching the student experience by providing high-quality programs and services that encourage informed decision-making, leadership development, and active community engagement. We empower student through mentorship, support, and opportunities for holistic growth to prepare them for lives of achievement and meaningful contributions to society.

The Division of Student Affairs is comprised of the following offices: Housing & Residential Life, Health & Wellness Center, Campus Recreation, Waterfront, Student Activities & Campus Engagement, Community Standards & Student Conduct, Food & Nutrition, Accessibility/Accommodations & the Learning Center.

File a Report

To file a report of a potential violation concerning any student, staff, faculty, administrator, or other NCF affiliated individual please visit the Title IX webpage for contact info and the reporting link.

Housing & Residential Life

The Housing & Residential Life Office is responsible for maintaining student residences that support the educational mission statement of New College of Florida. We aim to strengthen the learning experience for all students by providing living and learning opportunities for intellectual and personal development that complement those within the classroom setting. Members of our staff strive to foster personal responsibilities, civic engagement, and leadership through programs and activities consistent with the values of the College’s mission. Finally, this office strives to develop students who are: citizens, responsible and involved members of the community, individuals of compassion and integrity, and lifelong learners.

Living on campus at New College allows students to engage fully in residential student life. New College students enjoy strong camaraderie and community unique to our campus. Our campus community is important to our student success. New College is intentionally designated as a residential college; as such, we require all first and second year students to live in the residence halls unless they have been granted an exemption or waiver.

Residential Halls

New College of Florida offers a variety of residential facilities for our students. Our apartment-style facilities include the Letter Residence Halls: V, W, X, and Y. Each apartment offers a common space, full bathroom, small kitchenette, and three to four single bedrooms. These halls feature beautiful architecture, including high timbered roofs with arched windows and an abundance of natural light. Residents share balconies, lounges, full kitchens, and laundry facilities.

Z Hall, also known as the Rhoda Pritzker Residence Hall, provides housing for 90 students. It offers apartment-style suites, full bathrooms, small kitchenettes, and four single bedrooms. Residents share balconies, lounges, full kitchens, and laundry facilities. The hall also features a third story, an open-air lounge, and a central courtyard.

Dort Hall and Goldstein Hall (commonly referred to as Dort & Gold), house 142 students and provide apartment-style accommodations. Each apartment has four single bedrooms and two bathrooms opening to a shared living area and a partial kitchen. In addition, both halls have laundry facilities and lounges for student use.

Close to the academic side of campus is B-Dorm, which houses 32 students in a traditional-style residence hall. Here, a more communal residential life develops around shared facilities.

Dining Services

Aramark Dining Services is our food service provider at NCF. Aramark combines the convenience and collegiality of the traditional college dining hall with an opportunity for self-catering that allows students to pursue their own styles of cooking and dining. In Hamilton Center, a full-service cafeteria provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday–Friday and Brunch and Dinner on Saturdays and Sundays. Dining selections include many options from the salad bar, a vegetarian and vegan entrée at every station, and multiple food stations that rotate weekly. A U-Cook Center is provided for students to prepare their own meals as they like. The Social Roast is also located in HAM with Starbucks coffee and teas. The Barn by the Bay Cafe is located on the West side of campus and you may go to the website for menu and operational hours.

Campus Life

Every day brings something new to Campus Life! From clubs and movie nights to fitness classes and events, there's always something happening. Campus Life is here for everything you do when you are not in class. You can explore all upcoming events and activities through NovoConnect.

Campus Life at New College combines flexibility with support with two incredible departments: Student Activities & Campus Engagement and Campus Recreation. Students are encouraged to host their own events or start a club, and staff are available to assist with organizing programs.

Student Activities & Campus Engagement

Be sure to stop by the Student Activities & Campus Engagement office (SAuCE) in Hamilton Classroom 4 to learn more about leadership development programs, volunteer opportunities, and how to get involved by joining or starting a student club. (Click here for a full list of student organizations.) Stay updated on all campus happenings by checking out our [Linktree].

Campus events are organized by a wide range of groups, including student organizations, campus offices, and individuals, creating a dynamic and welcoming environment for everyone.

Campus Recreation

Our recreation team strives to promote a holistic approach to well-being—supporting not only physical health but also fostering strong social connections through club sports and group activities. Our programs are designed to help students build confidence, leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, regardless of experience or skill level.

We’re also proud to offer unique waterfront programming. Our boathouse and dock provide access to sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, and more outdoor adventures. Relax on the beautiful Sarasota Bay or our sandy campus beach. 

Religious Life/Interfaith Activities

New College of Florida, a public institution, does not endorse any religious affiliation or practice and does not offer religious services or doctrinal instruction. However, religion occupies an important place in the lives of many New College students and numerous local congregations and religious organizations welcome the participation and membership of New College students. Moreover, private organizations assist students in establishing relationships with local congregations and provide pastoral counseling.

Counseling Services

The Center provides confidential individual therapy to current students. Counseling is designed to address a wide variety of student concerns including assessments, targeted interventions, and brief psychotherapy for mental health concerns. In addition to individual therapy, the Center also offers couples counseling, crisis intervention, psycho-education groups and outreach programming. For appointments please call (941) 487-4254 and select option 1. For more detailed information regarding the process of counseling services, please visit our website at http:www.ncf.edu/cwc.

Health Services

Health Services address a wide range of medical needs including primary care, referral, and educational services. An ARNP is available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 1 PM to 5 PM during the fall and spring semesters. Standard office visits at the Counseling and Wellness Center are free. Specialized services such as gynecological visits and immunizations are also available at cost. For specific cost information or an appointment, call (941) 487-4254 and select option 2.

Health Education

A health educator is available to provide educational outreach programming as well as see students individually for any health-related concerns.

Advocacy and Accessible Learning Center

New College of Florida strives to afford people with disabilities equal opportunity and full participation in all aspects of college life. To that end, it is the policy of New College of Florida to provide equal admission opportunities and make reasonable accommodations to aid students with disabilities in independent living and self-sufficiency as required by law. It is a high priority of New College of Florida to offer individualized support services to assist students with overcoming barriers to success.

The Accessible Learning Center (ALC), located in Hamilton Classroom Building 003, leads the coordination of intervention services and resources for all students in the event that they are facing a personal emergency or crisis. In these situations, the AALC serves as an advocate for students and also partners with them to develop self-advocacy skills.

The ALC assists students with accommodation requests for their academics, housing, and meal plan. Success strategies and accommodations include but are not limited to extended time on examinations, assistive technology training, alternate formats for printed materials, and the services of interpreters.

Students with disabilities are eligible to apply for annual financial awards from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation.

Student Success Center

The Student Success Center provides individualized peer staff and professional staff coaching to students on a wide variety of student success topics such as time management, attention management, motivation, study skills, presentation skills, developing faculty relationships, and many more. It is the mission of the Student Success Center to support students in making a successful academic transition to New College and helping them develop skills that will serve them well beyond graduation.

Orientation

New Student Orientation

New students include first time in college and transfer students. New students take part in an orientation program prior to the first week of classes in the fall and spring semesters. This familiarizes students with New College's academic systems, services, and resources. Orientation seeks to establish early connections between students and faculty, staff, and returning students.

Transition and Family Programs

The Transition and Family Programs (T&FP) at New College of Florida advances the Orientation experience for entering students as well as builds a strong connection between the college and students’ families by creating and implementing highly impactful year-long family programs. A strong college transition experience marks the beginning of New College's year-long new student acclimation and success strategy. As part of a campus-wide collaboration, T&FP prepares students to navigate New College’s dynamic and rigorous academic structure and promotes a lasting affiliation for students and families with the New College community. New students include first-time-in-college students, transfer students, and international students. Students receive dedicated pre-arrival, arrival, and transition support, customized to their needs and circumstances.

Veterans Affairs

Questions or concerns regarding VA educational benefits may be directed to the New College VA liaison in the Office of the Registrar, at records@ncf.edu or (941) 487-4230. All veterans, veterans' dependents, and active duty military personnel may request assistance with pre-admission counseling, pre-registration advising, and veterans’ benefit resources.

Bookstore

The Campus Bookshop, operated by Follett, carries textbooks and related educational materials as well as general supplies, stationery, casual clothing, and sundry items.

Mail Service

The student mail service provides a mailbox in Hamilton Center for each New College student. Arrangements for package pick-up are available. Packages less than one pound can be mailed at the campus mailroom. Heavier packages can be mailed from the Tallevast Post Office, a few miles north and east of the airport.

Student Governance

Students are the primary focus at New College and every student has access to any member of the faculty and staff. Access alone does not ensure an effective voice in governance. The student body has a governance structure that results in considerable student input into student life, while also ensuring a student voice in academic affairs. The New College Student Alliance operates under its own constitution and any student may call a Towne Meeting to discuss issues of importance to the campus community.
 
Elected student representatives sit as voting members on the New College faculty and its constituent divisions (Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences). Elected student representatives also serve on standing committees of the faculty, helping the faculty frame academic policies in such areas as admissions, curriculum, and library services. Moreover, all students are invited to comment on the strengths and weaknesses of professors; student input is a part of the formal record of performance on which the hiring, promotion, and retention of professors is based.

Student Appeals, Concerns, and Complaints

Attempts to resolve issues and concerns informally at the grass-roots level are more likely to result in a timely resolution. Because of this, students are strongly encouraged to begin their pursuit of an informal resolution by having a face-to-face meeting with the faculty member, supervisor, or other person in the area where the concern has arisen. Refer to other sections of this Catalog or the online Campus Directory for contact information for NCF offices, faculty, and staff.

Students are also encouraged to contact the Ombudsperson (ombuds@ncf.edu) for assistance with informal, impartial, and non-adversarial alternatives for the resolution of conflict. The Ombudsperson, guided by the principles of independence, neutrality, confidentiality, and informality, directs students toward appropriate College resources and facilitates discussion to identify the best options to resolve problems.

If a student believes a published policy or procedure has been violated or applied unfairly — or if informal means have not resolved a student’s dissatisfaction with a decision, policy, or circumstance — a student may file a formal written complaint. A link to the online written student complaint submission form can be found on the Report a Problem webpage.

New College of Florida maintains a record of all submitted written student complaints to ensure they are addressed in a prompt, fair, and consistent manner. New College strives to respond to all written student complaints within 30 days and to resolve complaints within 90 days.

A student may file a complaint externally with the College's accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges; instructions are provided on this webpage.

Ombudsperson

The Ombudsperson operates as a resource and provides assistance with informal, impartial, and non-adversarial alternatives for the resolution of conflict. A student’s use of the ombudsperson is voluntary and is not a required step in any grievance process.

The Ombudsperson directs students toward appropriate College resources. The role of the ombudsperson is not to advocate for any individual but to advocate for fair and equitably administered processes and to facilitate discussion to identify the best options to resolve problems. The ombudsperson is guided by recognized professional standards of practice for the role of the ombudsperson, including the principles of independence, neutrality, confidentiality, and informality unless otherwise required by law. The ombudsperson reports directly to the President and may be contacted at ombuds@ncf.edu.

Title IX Coordinators for Sexual Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Battery

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. It reads: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” Legal citation: Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, and its implementing regulation at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 (Title IX).

Full time staff, faculty, and Resident Advisors are mandatory reporters responsible for reporting any received notification of potential violation to our relevant policy. New College’s Sexual Discrimination/Harassment regulation can be found here. For more information about Title IX, bystander intervention, and the responsibilities of mandatory reporters, please review the website.