Major Investigations
After Changes to Swarthmore Student Handbook, ACLU and Faculty Raise Alarm
Lucy Tobier ’26 examined the changes that the Division of Student Affairs made to the Swarthmore Code of Conduct over Summer 2024 following a year of increased protest activity with a lack of input from faculty or students. Major takeaways include the addition of certain specifications of what constitutes excessive noise, provisions that ban certain constructions and encampments, and the addition of new forms of sanction under the discretion of VP of Student Affairs Stephanie Ives. Tobier’s reporting included a side-by-side comparison of the 2023-24 and 2024-25 Codes of Conduct and concerns voiced by many faculty about both the changes and the way they were enacted.
Students, Faculty Raise Alarm Over Failings in Disciplinary Process
Daniel Perrin ’27 investigated the disciplinary process for students with Code of Conduct violations placed against them. The investigation included Swarthmore faculty arguing that the college was pursuing disproportionate disciplinary action against pro-Palestine protests, and revealed a pattern of communication failures, contradictory information, outsourcing of internal college processes to external firms, and total control over hearings on the part of the Division of Student Affairs. The disciplinary process’s more public and controversial place in campus discourse as a result of these phenomena is causing many to question Student Affairs’s control over the Code of Conduct, given its complete governance over internal college discipline.
“Afraid of Damnation”: Inside a Christian Campus Group’s Controversial Past and Present
Melanie Zelle ’26 took a closer look at a campus religious club, Alpha Omega. Her investigation revealed more about the club’s ties to a national group long marred by controversy, including reports of behaviors associated with cults and other high-control groups. Also obtained by The Phoenix were text and audio materials from an Alpha Omega retreat which suggest the degree of expectations the group makes of its members. The article also discusses Swarthmore’s lack of regulation of this group and others like it relative to many top higher education institutions.
Concerns Mount Over Surveillance Expansion at Swarthmore
Ella Walker ’28 investigated growing concerns over the expansion of surveillance at Swarthmore, including the installation of a CCTV camera in the Crum Woods. Students and faculty have voiced alarm over privacy and the implications of surveillance for student activism, especially after disciplinary charges were brought against students using surveillance footage. Critics of surveillance expansion, including students, pointed to a lack of transparency compared to peer institutions and raised concerns about footage being used to identify protestors through CCTV and OneCard data.
SJP Sit-In Ends After 11-Hour Standoff
The Phoenix’s News team combined on-the-ground reporting with insider anonymous sourcing and institutional communication to cover a dramatic day of campus protest. The story included coverage of the major events that were part of Swarthmore Students for Justice in Palestine’s sit-in in Parrish Hall and the college’s lockdown of the building. After rumors circulated all day, The Phoenix confirmed that the FBI was monitoring the situation; this confirmation was particularly meaningful given the promise of Trump and FBI director Kash Patel to pursue student activism and deport certain international students.
What is the Status of the Islamic Studies Program?
Tobier investigated the status of Swarthmore’s Islamic Studies program after a Title VI complaint filed on Oct. 29 against Swarthmore by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) mentioned the program’s suspension as part of alleged college discrimination against Muslim, Palestinian, and Arab students. Her investigation revealed significant discrepancies regarding administrators’ and faculty members’ criteria as to what determines a program’s active status, with Associate Professor of Religion and former coordinator of the program Tariq al-Jamil arguing that without a faculty coordinator, event funding, advising capacity, or ability to enroll new students, the program is functionally inactive despite the college’s administration’s protests.
A Changing Swarthmore and Higher Education Landscape
RA Union and College Reach Tentative Agreement on 21% Raises and More
Perrin and Tobier reported on an agreement between the college and the recently formed Resident Assistants’ Union on a new contract that provided raises of over 20% for the position in addition to other benefits. Major takeaways include the addition of 20% of food costs and signing bonuses, as well as agreements on other important contractual questions. The article includes the perspective of both the union organizers and the college on the negotiations and agreement.
Emails about Social Media Engagement Cause Faculty Concern over Free Speech
Tobier looked into a complaint by the college’s Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) concerning a student-run Instagram meme account. The complaint raised alarm over academic freedom, specifically naming faculty members who were following the page and emailing them over the summer. Although no formal punishments or warnings were released, faculty were concerned about the surveillance of their social media activity.
Zelle reported on a Title VI complaint filed against Swarthmore, marking the second Title IV complaint against the college in 2024. Representatives from the Philadelphia Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), as well as Swarthmore students and faculty gathered at a press conference to discuss the complaint.
Swarthmore Begins Search for New Provost
After it was announced that Tomoko Sakomura would not be coming back to her role as Provost of the College, Zelle covered the beginning of a college-wide search for a new provost. Her reporting featured the perspective of longtime faculty members and administrators, as well as background information on the position and situation.
Perrin examined the demographic data on Swarthmore’s Class of 2028, the first class admitted to the college after the Supreme Court banned the consideration of race in college admissions. Major takeaways included notable increases in the percentage of the class that are first-generation college students (25% to 27%), affiliated with a community organization (21% to 28%), and recipients of Pell Grants (17% to 30%). Perrin’s reporting included the perspective of VP and Dean of Admissions Jim Bock ’90 on these numbers, perhaps most notably connecting the increase in Pell Grant recipients to nationwide phenomena relating to the FAFSA and Department of Education.
Follow-up article once demographic data on the class of 2028 was confirmed by the Office of Institutional Research.
Swarthmore Reacts to Second Trump Administration
As executive actions from the Trump administration reshaped national policies in 2025, Tobier covered the ways that students faced heightened uncertainty, from campus protections to post-grad plans. Amid renewed threats to undocumented students and shifting immigration enforcement under President Trump’s second term, Swarthmore reaffirmed its sanctuary campus commitment, reviving Know Your Rights trainings and reassessing its support systems. Meanwhile, graduating seniors navigate a turbulent job market disrupted by paused federal funding, layoffs, and economic instability triggered by sudden tariffs. The Phoenix also investigated Swarthmore’s financial structure and its implications for its status under Trump’s administration:
How Will Swarthmore Fit Into Trump’s Higher Education Havoc?
Perrin investigated the ongoing and potential impacts of the Trump administration’s assault on higher education on Swarthmore. His investigation included information confirmed by the administration about Swarthmore’s financial independence from the federal government as well as the perspectives of faculty and senior administrators on how the college should and will operate.
Swarthmore Braces for Federal Funding Losses, Some Already Cut
Tobier investigated how the college has been impacted by the Trump administration’s pause of huge amounts of federal money allocated to research, specifically with the cutting of two grants. Her examination revealed more about the cuts and their place in the college’s financial situation, as well as how the college plans on responding.
Important Campus Happenings
Swarthmore celebrated the Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to alumnus John Hopfield ’54, H’92, recognizing his foundational work in artificial neural networks that underpin modern artificial intelligence. Hopfield credited his liberal arts education at Swarthmore for fostering the interdisciplinary thinking that fueled his groundbreaking research.
Student activism surged as community members rallied for improved working conditions for Environmental Services (EVS) staff, highlighting concerns over recent staff dismissals and advocating for fair labor practices.
In alignment with its sustainability goals, Swarthmore unveiled a comprehensive plan to reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions – those indirectly produced through activities like commuting and air travel – as part of its 20X35 initiative, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2035.
Campus Protests for Palestine Continue
This year, Swarthmore witnessed a series of pro-Palestinian demonstrations led by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and allied groups. These protests included a “Week of Actions” in Oct. 2024, which featured rallies and the installation of a solidarity sukkah, later removed by the administration for violating the code of conduct.
In Feb. 2025, SJP organized an 11-hour sit-in at Parrish Hall, demanding the college drop disciplinary charges against student protestors and divest from companies linked to Israel. The administration responded by placing SJP on interim suspension, ultimately restricting the group’s access to college resources.
Disciplinary actions extended to individual students as well. One student was suspended for using a megaphone during a Dec. 2023 protest, with the college citing “assault.” Appeals led to modified sanctions for some students, allowing virtual class attendance while maintaining campus bans.
Reporting on Regional and National Issues
Swarthmore and the Urban Politics of SEPTA
Perrin reported on Governor Josh Shapiro’s decision to flex $153 million of the state’s federal highway funding to SEPTA to temporarily avert devastating service cuts and fare increases. More broadly, his reporting featured the perspectives of faculty urban history and architecture experts as well as local elected officials on the larger socioeconomic dynamics involved with the agency’s long-standing financial struggle. The article tried to bring a Swarthmore campus angle to the urban politics of Philly area public transportation.
Swarthmore Leaders React as SEPTA Announces Severe Cuts
This article follows up on The Phoenix’s previous coverage of SEPTA after the agency announced severe service cuts if funding isn’t found by state leaders. Perrin’s reporting features the perspectives of faculty experts, Swarthmore’s state representative and senator, and past reporting on the underlying financial crisis that SEPTA faces as well as the political realities of the fight to find state funding this summer.
Construction of Controversial “110 Park” Condos Continues in Ville
Perrin took a closer look at the major luxury condo development at 110 Park Ave in Swarthmore. The development is an interesting and hyperlocal lens to look at the complicated and warped national politics of housing and affordability through. The approval of the development was highly controversial in the town, and represents the contradiction of the generally progressive benefit of increasing housing density, specifically near transit lines, and the lack of affordable housing in either the development or the town of Swarthmore. The article featured the perspectives of local elected officials, Swarthmore faculty experts on urbanism, and those involved with the development project itself.
TriCo Students and Faculty Organize Against Philly Chinatown Arena Amid Mayor Parker’s Approval
Perrin reported on the movement against the construction of a new arena for the Philadelphia 76ers (now cancelled) in the heart of the city’s Chinatown and the involvement of many students from the Tri-College Consortium (that Swarthmore is part of) in that movement. Major takeaways include interesting perspectives on the history of both the neighborhood and the development and findings from economic reports that showed the likely gentrifying effect the arena would have on the neighborhood. Perrin’s article included the perspectives of many students at both Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr, as well as Swarthmore faculty who research relevant topics.
Associate Professor of Economics Marc Remer on the Biden Antitrust Legacy
Perrin interviewed economics professor and antitrust expert Marc Remer about the Biden administration’s reinvigoration of American anti-monopoly enforcement. Remer, who worked in the Department of Justice’s antitrust division for many years before coming to Swarthmore, discussed the nuances of economic market power and its history and politics. He also provided more clarity about the details of the Biden administration’s approach and his perspective on it.
Controversy Surrounds Swarthmore Democratic Committee Endorsements
Perrin reported on a controversial political institution in the town of Swarthmore’s local elections. During the town’s recent mayoral race, much attention was brought to the large role that the Swarthmore Democratic Committee’s powerful endorsement process plays by requiring candidates in some races to choose to either pledge to drop out if not endorsed, or forgo the endorsement process altogether. The article featured the perspectives of recent candidates for local office and members of the committee to explain the endorsement process, the committee and how it is selected, and how it has played out in recent elections.
Interview Series
The Phoenix News Section continued its series of interviews with visiting thinkers and leaders. Our conversations included:
Activist and Professor Angela Davis
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen ‘83 H ‘14
Professor and Commentator Eddie Glaude, Jr.
Professor and Historian Davarian Baldwin
Educators Keziah Ridgeway and Maura Finkelstein
ACLU Attorney Solomon F. Worlds
Event Coverage
Over the 2024-2025 academic year, The Phoenix provided comprehensive coverage of Swarthmore’s vibrant campus events, ranging from lectures delivered by world-renowned authors, activists, and scholars to student-led forums on academic freedom and social justice.
In Sept. 2024, Swarthmore commemorated Constitution Day with a dialogue between alumni Judges Arianna Freeman ’01 and Stephanos Bibas, who discussed landmark career cases and their insights into jurisprudence. Later that month, the college’s Global Justice Cooper series commenced with a poetry reading by Natalie Diaz and Fady Joudah, exploring global crises through the lens of poetry. In October, Christian Cooper, a famous birder and comic book artist, engaged the community through lectures and guided hikes.
November featured the “James Baldwin for Our Times” symposium, with scholar Eddie Glaude exploring Baldwin’s enduring relevance. In December, renowned activist Angela Davis and philosopher Lucius Outlaw Jr. held a conversation on contemporary crises, from academic activism to broader global conflicts. January’s MLK Week concluded with Dr. Bernice King discussing nonviolence and love-centered activism, carrying on her father’s legacy.
February brought classicist Mary Beard’s lecture on museum narratives and ownership debates. The same month, educators Keziah Ridgeway and Maura Finkelstein shared experiences of alleged professional repercussions due to pro-Palestine speech and raised questions about academic freedom. Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson returned to discuss labor markets and economic disparities. Meanwhile, sociologist Musa al-Gharbi critiqued elite “wokeness” and its impact on social justice movements. Author Ta-Nehisi Coates spoke about the power of narratives in his latest book during a reading and conversation with the campus.
In March, political scientist John Mearsheimer analyzed the decline of U.S. liberal hegemony, attributing current geopolitical tensions to past foreign policy decisions. April featured an academic freedom teach-in, hosted by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), which emphasized the importance of protecting educators’ rights to free expression and inquiry.
Election Coverage
In the weeks leading up to and following the 2024 general elections, The Phoenix reported on Swarthmore’s place in the election, both as a college in what was likely the most crucial state and with a history of commitment to social justice. Our coverage included:
With Five Weeks Left, Here’s What to Know about Pennsylvania’s Elections
Historically Variable Swarthmore Voter Turnout Remains Crucial for Election
Election Night and Beyond: Swarthmore Reacts to Trump Win
Breaking the Bubble: What the 2024 Election Revealed about Swarthmore’s Political Landscape
