Governor DeSantis appointed his political ally Richard Corcoran as interim President of New College. The appointment was approved by the state Board of Governors. Corcoran served as the Florida Education Commissioner and former Speaker of the Florida House. Corcoran was appointed following the controversial termination of President Patricia Okker, part of the Governor’s efforts to combat “trendy ideology” on college campuses in Florida. In an interview in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune describes the changes Corcoran plans to make in his new role.
Corcoran first ran for the Florida House of Representatives in 2010 and was re-elected twice. He has been active in many roles in government including serving as a legislative aide to Paul Hawkes, chief of staff to Marco Rubio, and outside counsel to former House speaker Tom Feeney.
A practicing attorney for more than two decades, Corcoran earned his JD from Regent University. He served in the Naval Reserve while a student. In May 2022 when he resigned as Florida’s education commissioner, he started a law firm and a consulting firm.