Defending the Spirit of New College with Sophia Brown and Jeremy C. Young

In this week's episode of the Palm Court Podcast, we welcome an alum and a dedicated “civilian” to discuss recent events at New College of Florida and their work on broader threats to academic freedom in Florida and beyond.  Our first guest is Sophia Brown, a 2023 New College graduate who served as Editor-in-Chief of New College’s student newspaper The Catalyst during a tumultuous period on campus. Sophia recounts her experience navigating student journalism and speaking at commencement while the school was under new politically appointed leadership. She describes the strange feeling on campus after the abrupt takeover and her pride in student activists continuing the fight for New College's values and spirit. After graduating, Sophia landed a role as Community Outreach Consultant with PEN America's Freedom to Learn team, where she helps monitor academic freedom issues in Florida. Our second guest is Jeremy C. Young, Director of Freedom to Learn at PEN America, an organization that advocates for free expression and human rights. Jeremy explains how PEN America spotted the New College takeover right away as an ominous sign for higher education nationally. He commends the New College community's resistance over the past year and suggests it may have had a deterrent effect against similar state takeovers elsewhere. Jeremy outlines PEN America's efforts to maintain the spirit of New College through financial support, online programming, coalition building, and showcasing student and faculty voices. He argues that viewpoint diversity and intellectual challenge are hallmarks of New College's pedagogy that are now under threat.  Jeremy and Sophia discuss fostering "psychological safety" on campus and concerns over the school's new athletes feeling othered from the existing student body. As part of the Freedom to Learn team at PEN America, their mission revolves around challenging educational censorship legislation and advocating for free expression in learning environments. Recognizing the role of New College as a bellwether for higher education in the United States, the episode serves as a reflection on the aftermath of the hostile takeover, the importance of individual resilience and resistance, and the ongoing need for education advocacy. In a fight spanning old and new media, our guests exemplify courage in speaking truth to power. FOOTNOTES PEN America was founded in 1922 “to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others.”  Saint Mary’s College of Maryland is “one of only two public honors colleges in the country.” The Catalyst has existed in one form or another since the 1960s.  Here’s recent coverage of the stand-up comedy controversy… …and the student journalist trying to get an interview with the college president…  …and Brown’s initial piece on last year’s events: Inside the “hostile takeover”: an autopsy of the Jan. 31 Board of Trustees meeting. Reagent was a 1980s reaction to/continuation of The Catalyst. (Note the article about generals lecturing on campus… by Rick Doblin, famous now for other things.)  Maria Vesperi is an author and journalist as well as an anthropology professor.   A Brief Guide to the San Francisco Renaissance Poets. The 2023 [New] Commencement, or “Alt Grad.”  The official graduation had a less joyful vibe.  Students Against Fascism in Education (SAFE). Sam Greenspan for Reveal: The Culture War Goes to College. The Null Set mascot, as defined in the NCSA Constitution, was replaced by presidential fiat to “The Mighty Banyan,” a move that attracted some attention (including from WaPo).   Note that a student poll overwhelmingly chose “The NCF Snowflakes,” a name that lives on in social media.  New York Times Magazine, Recruited to Play Sports, and Win a Culture War. Trending in Ed with Eric Schickler and with Jen Granick.