With (some) fences removed, the arboretum shining under a long streak of sunny days, and homework loads piling up, Swarthmore might feel as familiar and predictable as ever. Yet this year, the 156th of instruction in Swarthmore’s history, is marked by uncertainty.
As we begin this semester, there continues to be administrative reorganization, with President Val Smith returning for her tenth year after a six-month sabbatical while Provost and former Interim Co-President Tomoko Sakomura takes a medical leave. As we cover in today’s issue, this year’s changes to the Swarthmore Student Code of Conduct mark a shift in how the college handles student protest and activity — and come with few details and little explanation. There are 28 ongoing student conduct cases from last year, placing a group of students in a process with an uncertain future. Swarthmore, like all colleges, must comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling last year banning race-based affirmative action programs, and it is unclear how this may have impacted the class of 2028’s demographics. Beyond Swarthmore, higher education around the country continues to be under attack from far-right forces. In November, Swatties will mobilize in a swing state to vote, and in January we will have a new president and congress.
Indeed, this moment is one of unknowns at our tiny liberal arts college — and everywhere.
So in this time of uncertainty, where does The Phoenix stand?
We, The Phoenix Editorial Board, affirm our continued commitment to informing the campus and broader community of issues that can be clouded in uncertainty. We will cover the intersections of power and education on our campus and beyond. We will provide news and perspectives that pertain to and reflect the diverse communities within the larger Swarthmore network. We will aim for journalism that holds all members of our community accountable, and rigidly follows standards of integrity.
But we see this goal of an informed campus community as a two-way street. Good campus journalism is a mutual act because The Phoenix strives to cover a wide variety of angles. Our journalism gets better and more impactful every time you, as members of the campus community, give us tips you might have for stories, share your perspective about a topic important to you, or share an article.
This semester we are committed to expanding a number of preexisting programs as well as instituting new policies. We will continue to distribute to the Ville to engage the broader Swarthmore community beyond just campus members. We plan to continue on from our inaugural poll last semester to gauge the attitudes and opinions of Swarthmore in a time of political and campus upheaval. We will continue to foster a dynamic dialogue within our opinions section and encourage new and returning writers to contribute their thoughts to a wide audience.
Our news section is the subject of new initiatives. First, we are seeking to offer more opportunities for news writers to get additional training and support with the journalistic process. Furthermore, as we continue to report on protests and other campus issues, we will now be providing our reporters with press identification to make clear their affiliation with our paper. Writers will build trust and security with all of our sources, by being clear and thorough on policies to share quotes for confirmation and answer questions about our process.
These are just some of the ways that The Phoenix is excited to work together with the Swarthmore community towards our goal of an informed campus. As uncertainty continues in the world and administration, we aim to serve as a source of clarity for the student body and broader community.
