Some ideas seem so crazy and out of nowhere, you know nothing — least of all common sense — can stop them.

That’s how it feels watching discussions of merging New College of Florida into Florida State University. Purportedly a collective idea of the state House Education Committee, the idea to strip New College of independence has upset and agitated alumni while being treated like an inspiring and refreshing concept in parts of Tallahassee.

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, said it’s a necessary move because administrative costs at New College are high, the cost per degree greater than any large schools. Worst, its enrollment has declined as honors students choose bigger universities instead.

The plan prompted a protest on campus this week, and students will flood the Capitol at a coming committee hearing. Local lawmakers, with one critical exception, have all spoken up against the merger. But it’s hard to dull momentum.

I have to note, there’s a certain flaw in Fine’s logic about per degree costs. If you can forgive a clunky analogy, a carton of eggs at Target costs $1.39, and you get 12 eggs. That's less than 12 cents an egg, Meanwhile a six-pack of Michelob costs $8.99. That's almost $1.50 per bottle. Compared to an egg, that's just outrageous. Yet, give the average college student the choice of an egg or a Michelob and they get a bottle opener ready. Now, we need more good eggs than lite beer in your fridge, but we all get why there’s a premium on one product.

You could also (foolishly) argue buying eggs and beer reduces the unit price. Just divide the cost of the carton and the six-pack and you pay 58 cents per unit, bottle or egg. But, the total grocery bill remains the same. The same goes if FSU absorbs New College’s budget.

But I digress. It feels like it’s not really math driving merger talks.

At first, I thought the House wanted a budget hostage, a college in Senate President Bill Galvano’s home district. But Galvano himself has dispelled that notion thoroughly.

Rather, he sounded supportive of a merger this week. That likely has to do with him working hard to get the school more than $10 million on a quest to grow enrollment from the mid-800s to at least 1,200 students by 2023. Enrollment instead went down, and was in the 700s at the start of the school year.

Galvano sounds like he’s tired of fighting for New College bailouts. Regardless, he won’t be around once his term ends this year. Maybe he would rather control the school’s fate at the height of his power than watch the next Senate President, who has no vested interest in a Sarasota-Bradenton school, come up with a worse fate than this.

And maybe it’s all just a plan to light the fire under administration at New College. Maybe this plan won’t be approved. Maybe the Governor will veto a merger, weeks before it’s set to take effect. If so, college leaders should still notice shots have been fired.

This proposal can still change and morph. Gov. Ron DeSantis this week publicly suggested if New College does get merged, the University of South Florida umbrella, where it lived for 26 years, would be the more “natural fit.” Many locals have noted the same, usually in hushed tone because they still would rather New College stand on its own.

But then late Friday night, news broke yet again of an amendment calling for New College to merge into the University of Florida.

So the fate of New College remains unclear 20 days before the Session ends. The best officials can hope for is the issue still a least inspires a little study.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor for SRQ MEDIA.