The Phoenix

Students Charged for Distributing Allegedly ‘Violent’ Zines on Campus

March 5, 2026

News

The college sent letters to eight students for distributing a protest zine, alleging that the zines incited violence and informing them of possible disciplinary charges.

College’s Cunningham Fields Development Plan Met With Resident Pushback

by Lucy Tobier

March 5, 2026

Swarthmore College's proposal to redevelop Cunningham Fields runs into strong resistance from

Our Community Norms: Isolating Survivors

by Anonymous

March 5, 2026

An anonymous alum examines the harmful culture within Swarthmore community that isolates

Swarthmore Applies to Switch its Accreditation Agency to New England Commission

by Daniel Perrin

March 5, 2026

Swarthmore applies for accreditation with the New England Commission on Higher Education

Aramark and Outsourcing: Undermining the Purpose of Public Institutions

by Rafi Karpowitz

March 5, 2026

Opinions Editor Rafael Karpowitz '27 argues that the approach to outsourcing embraced

Latest Stories

Ask The Phoenix: What’s Behind the Empty McCabe Front Desk?

by Xinto Xu

March 5, 2026

Date Drop Helps Swatties Come Together

by Ellen Stewart

March 5, 2026

War, Power, Culture: Rashid Khalidi and Amira Hass on the ‘Palestine Question’

by Zuyuan Zhou

March 5, 2026

DEI Is a Higher Ed Target: Here’s How Five Institutions Responded

by Lucy Tobier

March 5, 2026

Reporters from five member institutions of The Collegiate Journalism Network describe the wide-ranging effects of Trump's DEI policy on higher education.

Val Smith Announces Plan to End Presidency After 2026-27 Academic Year

by Daniel Perrin

February 26, 2026

Val Smith announces the upcoming end of her time as Swarthmore president, the community responds and prepares for a period of transition.

Swarthmore Supports Harvard-Led Lawsuit Defending International Students

by Zephyr Weinreich

February 26, 2026

Swarthmore joins many other higher education institutions in support for Harvard's legal fight for international students.

Swarthmore Accepts 231 Early Decision Applicants

by Ellen Stewart

February 26, 2026

Admissions Office releases information on early decision acceptances to the class of 2030.

McCabe Library: From Dirt to Dust

by Vivian Li

February 26, 2026

An architectural history class created an exhibition at McCabe, transforming the campus landmark into a living archive of its own history.

Opinions

Weekly Column: Swat Says

Nasrin AhmedandRafi Karpowitz

March 5, 2026

In this edition of Swat Says, students share their hot takes on the Oscars, reveal their feelings on midterm season, and discuss plans for spring break.

Student-Athletes on the Upcoming Cunningham Fields and Fieldhouse Renovations

Alex AvanesyanandLuca CampianiandEli CoganandEllie FermoandJada GreenandKatherine KermanandJames SheltonandThomas Shelton

February 26, 2026

Varsity and club athletes share their thoughts on how the recently proposed renovations of Cunningham Fields and the Fieldhouse will affect them and their teams.

Resilience in the Face of Oppression: Reflections on Black History Month

by Nasrin Ahmed

February 26, 2026

As BHM concludes, Nasrin Ahmed '28 discusses the importance of telling Black history not simply as a story of oppression and resistance, but instead as one of triumph and excellence.

Arts

Who Will (And Who Should) Win at the 2026 Oscars?

by Olivia Huang

March 5, 2026

Olivia Huang '29 predicts the winners of the upcoming 98th Academy Awards.

All in a Giornata: A Photo Gallery

by James Shelton

March 5, 2026

James Shelton's '28 collected photographs from the fresco painting class's open studio event.

Artist of the Week Rafael Karpowitz ’27 Stopped Stressing Over Standards

by Corinne Lafont

March 5, 2026

Pianist Rafael Karpowitz '27 reflects on his musical childhood and the versatility of jazz.

Sports

Swarthmore Swimming Battles for Conference Crowns

by Aimee Lee

March 5, 2026

Swarthmore's men's and women's swim teams found success at this year's Centennial Conference Championships.

Athlete of the Week: Steven Jungers ’26

by Aimee Lee

March 5, 2026

Pitcher Steven Jungers '26 shares about his four years with Swarthmore baseball.

The Best 60 Days of Sports?

by Charlie Watson

February 26, 2026

Charlie Watson '27 discusses exciting athletic events taking place in February and March.

Features

Seven Songs to Get You Through Midterms

by Corinne Lafont

March 5, 2026

Corinne Lafont '26 offers students a motivational study playlist.

Some Jobs Suck

by The Bush Administration

March 5, 2026

Sex columnist "The Bush Administration" weighs in on the politics of intimacy.

Phoenix Poll Reveals Faculty Perspectives on Campus Issues, Controversies

Daniel PerrinandRafi Karpowitz

December 4, 2025

In the inaugural Phoenix faculty poll, 115 faculty members weigh in on topical campus matters, questions, institutions, and controversies.

SEPTA ADA Renovation Process Raises Accessibility Concerns

by Cameron Alleyne

December 4, 2025

Recent renovations at Swarthmore Station aimed at improving accessibility pose challenges for disabled students.

In Troubled Times: Spirituality as a Powerful and Underutilized Resource

Michael RambergandSabrina LaBelleandUmar Abdul Rahman

December 4, 2025

Swarthmore's Interfaith Center leaders write about the importance of spirituality in troubled times.

Jim Bock ’90 Sheds Light on Admissions Process, Early Decision Challenges

by Kush Kaur

December 4, 2025

Dean of Admissions explains how Swarthmore recruits and enrolls students while sustaining its test-optional policy amid national debates over standardized testing.

A Conversation with Swarthmore’s New Title IX Coordinator, Matt Walsh

by Georgianna Harpole

December 4, 2025

New Title IX Coordinator shares vision of building a safe campus and responds to questions about supporting trans students and sexual misconduct.

Letter to the Editor: The Role of AI and Standardized Testing in College Admissions

by Sam Handlin

December 4, 2025

Political Scientist Sam Handlin argues that the college should require standardized testing for admissions in the time of artificial intelligence.

Sara Sargent ’07 on Nonlinearity, Editing, and the Liberal Arts Experience

by Maddy Posner

December 4, 2025

The second in a series of conversations with alumni, Sara Sargent ’07 is currently a senior executive editor at Penguin Random House. Like last week’s Grace Dignazio ’22, she’s pursued a career around writing, though the dates and details differ slightly …

Goats Visit the Swarthmore Farm Prototype and Leave a Lasting Impact

by Sophia Springer

December 4, 2025

Last week, a small herd of goats paid a visit to Swarthmore’s farm prototype — and they weren’t just there to look cute. The goats were brought in as part of an effort to explore sustainable ways of managing farmland. As natural