New College's Charlie Kirk statue will just be a lump of bronze Kathleen Coty Guest columnist

AI-assisted summary

New College of Florida has historically named campus spaces after individuals with pre-existing ties, a meaningful relationship, or who were significant donors.

The college plans to honor the late conservative figure Charlie Kirk with a statue on campus.

The author argues that Kirk does not meet the traditional criteria for such an honor at the school.

Erecting the statue is seen by the author as a political statement that could alienate students, faculty and alumni.

Before any name is etched into the landscape of New College of Florida , it is important to note that there are long-standing reasons why the campus honors individuals with its physical spaces.

Historically, this happens in three main cases:

Their relationship with the campus predates the college,