Ham Radio: Conversations from the Four Winds

NOTE: Check below for links to references!
In this Shortwave episode of HAM Radio by the NCA, board member Ben Brown and staff member KimBoo York explain and explore the acquisition of the University of South Florida - Sarasota-Manatee campus by New College of Florida.
There is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding about this situation, and while neither Ben nor KimBoo have the all the answers or even a full picture (Corcoran: why???), they try to provide an overview of the situation so that other alumni and community supporters can figure out what the heck is going on.
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ABOUT HAM RADIO
Ham Radio is produced by the Novo Collegian Alliance — an independent and unaffiliated 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by alumni to preserve New College’s spirit of intellectual freedom, creativity, and community after 2023. Produced by KimBoo York.
💡 Support the NCA and Ham Radio:
If you value independent voices and grassroots alumni action, please consider becoming an NCA Supporter today. Every contribution — large or small — helps fund projects like student grants, events, and this very podcast:
https://tinyurl.com/HamRadioNCA
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Resources & Links Mentioned:
WUSF, Kerry Sheridan, June 18, 2026, "Trustees hammer out details of how USF will yield campus space to New College"   https://www.wusf.org/education/2026-06-18/trustees-details-usf-yield-campus-space-new-college
WSLR, Nic Steinig, July 2, 2026, "Questions Loom over New College's Budget"  https://wslr.org/questions-loom-over-the-budget-of-new-college/
Tarron Khemraj (Substack), July 14, 2026, "Transparency, Governance, and the Economics of the USF-SM Acquisition: A Friendly Response"   https://tkhemraj.substack.com/p/transparency-governance-and-the-economics
Novum Collegium Fidelis, Nathan Allen (Substack), May 26, 2025, "Adieu, New College" https://substack.com/home/post/p-199404485
Novum Collegium Fidelis, Nathan Allen (Substack), July 17, 2026, "New College: Dorms, Demand and Capacity"   https://open.substack.com/pub/nathanallen140396/p/new-college-dorms-demand-and-capacity/
Novo Collegian Alliance, June 3, 2026, "Legislative recap, 2026-2027" https://www.novocollegian.org/blog/legislative-recap-2026-2027 (explains the reduction in New College's state funding)
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Subscribe for new episodes as we spotlight alumni initiatives, student stories, and the ongoing work to keep the New College community thriving.
#HamRadio #NovoCollegianAlliance #NewCollegeofFlorida #AlumniVoices #HigherEd #CommunityAdvocacy

Long overdue episode 4 of Ham Radio features an interview New College of Florida student and journalist Alexandra Levy. Host and NCA Board Member Ben Brown digs down into what her experience at NCF has been like, and why she decided to write several high-profile op-eds that appeared in the Sarasota Herald Tribune. If you have not been on campus in a while, this is the episode you need to hear!
Alexandra Levy is an upcoming thesis student in creative writing and political science at New College of Florida. She is a student journalist for the independent student publication, Old School Catalyst, where she is a founding staff writer after increasing political hostility on campus made publishing for the college-affiliated newspaper impossible. Recently, her article on New College signing the Trump Higher Education Compact was published in the Sarasota Herald Tribune and her op-ed article on New College and Free Speech was published in the Orlando Sentinel. She is from Miami Beach, Florida.
Note: This episode was recorded in November, 2025.
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ABOUT HAM RADIO Ham Radio is produced by the Novo Collegian Alliance — an independent and unaffiliated 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by alumni to preserve New College’s spirit of intellectual freedom, creativity, and community after 2023. Produced by KimBoo York.
💡 Support the NCA and Ham Radio: If you value independent voices and grassroots alumni action, please consider becoming an NCA Supporter today. Every contribution — large or small — helps fund projects like student grants, events, and this very podcast: https://tinyurl.com/HamRadioNCA
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Resources & Links Mentioned:
Levy wrote a couple of op-eds that ran in the Sarasota Herald Tribune in November, 2025. The full versions can be found on the Old School Catalyst: https://oldschoolcatalyst.com/new-college-embraces-trumps-compact-for-academic-excellence-in-higher-education/ https://oldschoolcatalyst.com/opinion-new-college-chooses-what-counts-as-free-speech/
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Subscribe for new episodes as we spotlight alumni initiatives, student stories, and the ongoing work to keep the New College community thriving.
#HamRadio #NovoCollegianAlliance #NewCollegeofFlorida #AlumniVoices #HigherEd #CommunityAdvocacy

The third episode of Ham Radio features NCA Board Member Dr. Juliana Paré discussing the American Association of University Professors’ April 2024 report, “A Financial Analysis of New College of Florida,” and why NCA wants to commission a second, two‑year update to bring the analysis current. 
Dr. Paré argues that budgets reveal an institution’s priorities and that “following the money” creates credible, citable accountability using publicly reported data (including 990s and IPEDS), with concerns raised about unusually high costs, administrative spending, athletics funding categorization, and unanswered questions around foundation spending. Ben and Juliana frame New College as a stark case study with national implications for higher‑ed policy debates. 
The NCA asks supporters to read the 2024 report, join monthly meetings, and help fund or sponsor the $3,500 update and dissemination.
SPECIAL DONATION PAGE TO SUPPORT A NEW REPORT: https://tinyurl.com/NCAfinreport2026
----------ABOUT HAM RADIOHam Radio is produced by the Novo Collegian Alliance — an independent and unaffiliated 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by alumni to preserve New College’s spirit of intellectual freedom, creativity, and community after 2023. Produced by KimBoo York.
💡 Support the NCA and Ham Radio:If you value independent voices and grassroots alumni action, please consider becoming an NCA Supporter today. Every contribution — large or small — helps fund projects like student grants, events, and this very podcast:https://tinyurl.com/HamRadioNCA
----------Resources & Links Mentioned:Link to the 2024 Financial Analysis: https://tinyurl.com/3d5z6jxvKuhn and the Structure of Scientific Revolutions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Structure_of_Scientific_RevolutionsEmail Ben Brown: ben@novocollegian.org----------Subscribe for new episodes as we spotlight alumni initiatives, student stories, and the ongoing work to keep the New College community thriving.
#HamRadio #NovoCollegianAlliance #NewCollegeofFlorida #AlumniVoices #HigherEd #CommunityAdvocacy #PodcastLaunch

Welcome to Ham Radio, the official podcast of the Novo Collegian Alliance (NCA)!“Preserving the Legacy, Empowering the Community”
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Join us for a deep‑dive conversation between host Ben Brown and NCA Board President Bill Rosenberg. This heartfelt discussion not only covers Bill's "New College Story" but the history of New College, why it is such a valuable institution, and what the NCA is doing to preserve our traditions and community. 
If you've been wondering what the NCA is about, how it came about, and why you should support it, please tune in!
----------ABOUT HAM RADIOHam Radio is produced by the Novo Collegian Alliance — an independent and unaffiliated 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by alumni to preserve New College’s spirit of intellectual freedom, creativity, and community after 2023. Produced by KimBoo York.
💡 Support the NCA and Ham Radio:If you value independent voices and grassroots alumni action, please consider becoming an NCA Supporter today. Every contribution — large or small — helps fund projects like student grants, events, and this very podcast:https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/Xw8FfxAItKOalmwfkFG4vA----------Resources & Links Mentioned:Inside Higher Ed article (Oct 1, 2025): https://www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/state-oversight/2025/10/01/spending-soars-rankings-fall-new-college-floridaNCA Website: https://www.novocollegian.org/----------Subscribe for new episodes as we spotlight alumni initiatives, student stories, and the ongoing work to keep the New College community thriving.

This is our first episode — a deep‑dive conversation with Ben Brown, attorney, New College of Florida alumnus (’09), and current NCA Board Member. Hosted and produced by KimBoo York, this launch episode sets the stage for what Ham Radio is all about: connecting the New College community through conversation, storytelling, and insight. Originally aired 10/30/2025 
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NCA Website: https://www.novocollegian.org/