SARASOTA, Fla. — Leaders at New College of Florida have placed the library dean on administrative leave after a video showing hundreds of books, many on gender, diversity and cultural studies, in a dumpster.
The incident drew a myriad of reactions from across the nation. Several questions and concerns forced the President of New College, Richard Corcoran, to send a message to students and faculty of the school.
That letter, which was obtained by 10 Tampa Bay through a spokesperson, confirmed that New College of Florida Dean Sharon Hausinger was put on administrative leave pending the final determination of her employment.
The school's leadership said the library didn't follow state policy for conducting routine disposal of materials.
In a letter, Corcoran said the optics of books in a dumpster were not ideal and explained that the action was linked to "ongoing structural challenges alongside a standard librarian process."
"The disposition of materials is a necessary process in libraries, and ensures that our collection remains relevant, up-to-date, and in good condition for our community's use," Corcoran said.
Corcoran also acknowledged the nationwide scrutiny that the incident attracted.
"Unfortunately, much of the coverage has been sensationalized, catering to the narratives of our critics," he said.
Some students who said they were appalled by the incident are still concerned.
"As a student, I just think maybe we could've had a better use of that. Throwing away books when there's nothing wrong with them, it seems like we're just wasting a little bit. We're trying to be as resourceful and mindful as possible," said David Blandino, a junior at New College of Florida.
Among some of the critics of New College's actions is Sarasota's SEE Alliance, who have called foul on both how the books were disposed of and putting the library dean on administrative leave.
"The library dean and library staff should not be villainized in this moment Richard Corcoran and the board of trustees at the New College of Florida are the problem, not the incredible library team," said Zander Moricz with the SEE Alliance.
While campus police prevented them from saving library books inside the dumpster, SEE Alliance saved most of the books which were from the now-defunct gender studies program.
"We are actually opening up a community library out of space in SEE Sarasota at the request of New College students and the alumni. They want to see the gender diversity book selection held together and not turned into book drives," Moricz said. "We have several hundred of them in the space and we're now organizing them by category. I think what's really important is that the collection stays together and that it be made available to the New College community and the greater Sarasota community."
Moving forward, some students want such a policy that allows books to be treated this way be reviewed so this doesn't happen again.
"Maybe they can give it to our organization and have a resource with another state program. I think there should be some reconsideration on how that goes," Blandino said.
Corcoran also stated that the books that were removed were evaluated by librarians and that his administration had no role in the selection and deselection process.
Read full statement from NCF President below:
"Dear Faculty, Staff, Students, and Members of Our Community,
We want to take this opportunity to address the concerns that have been raised, clarify what has transpired, and outline the steps we are taking to move forward.
First and foremost, we want to acknowledge the frustration and concern that recent events have caused within our community, particularly among our dedicated library staff. The library is a cornerstone of our academic institution, and it is vital that we address these issues with transparency and care.
Over the past decade, our library has faced significant challenges, particularly with the maintenance of the building. Persistent roof leaks have led to repeated damage, mold, and the destruction of numerous materials. Each storm brought further deterioration, with water leaks into various parts of the library, damaging more and more books. Our staff often had to resort to covering books with plastic and using trash cans to collect water, only to see new leaks emerge elsewhere.
The recent disposal of books, which has garnered considerable media scrutiny, is closely linked to these ongoing structural challenges alongside a standard librarian process. Unfortunately, much of the coverage has been sensationalized, catering to the narratives of our critics. While the optics of seeing thousands of books in a dumpster are far from ideal, it is important to understand that the disposition of materials is a necessary process in libraries, and ensures that our collection remains relevant, up-to-date, and in good condition for our community’s use.
Every book removed from our collection was thoroughly evaluated by our team of highly-qualified academic librarians. It is crucial to note that the administration at New College has never been involved in deciding which books are selected or deselected from the library’s collection. These decisions have always been made based on the professional judgment of our librarians, guided by the needs of our academic community.
Repairing the roof has been a top priority for the current administration. In addition to addressing these structural challenges, our administration has made significant investments in our library. This academic year, over $300,000 has been allocated for the purchase of new physical books, eBooks, journal databases and multimedia materials. These enhancements represent a major advancement in our efforts to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date library resource center for our academic community.
Lastly, some in the media have incorrectly misconstrued the repurposing of the former Gender and Diversity Center, whose books were made available to students and faculty separate from this process.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we work together to build a more cohesive and innovative future.
Richard Corcoran
President, New College of Florida"