New College of Florida canceled Russell Brand's scheduled campus appearance after he was found guilty of rape and sexual assault by a London jury on Thursday.
Brand was set to speak as part of the college's Socratic Stage Dialogue Series in a talk titled "Thinking without Permission: A Conversation with Russell Brand on Free Speech, Censorship, and Cultural Power." The college announced the event in February 2025.
After Brand faced criminal charges in April 2025, NCF officials said they would reschedule. At that time, the college stated that "while the conversation remains important, and possibly never more relevant, it is clear the current media climate is a distraction from the deeper purpose of the event—to explore free speech and civil discourse through open dialogue." The statement did not reference the charges.
"Obviously, New College is moving on," Virginia Zimmermann, deputy chief of staff, wrote in an email to Inside Higher Ed.
Brand pleaded not guilty to the charges last year. College officials did not say when they decided to revoke his invitation. Brand is currently incarcerated and is scheduled to be sentenced Monday.
The Socratic Stage Dialogue Series, which began in 2023, has hosted speakers including conservative politicians and scholars, science communicator Bill Nye, and psychedelic research advocate Rick Doblin.