Trying to Keep Up With the Protests Happening at Columbia University? Check Out the Student Newspaper.
TPA subscriptions are now 25% off, BTW
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Like many people, I've been trying to follow the ongoing story of the pro-Palestinian protests that began last week on Columbia University’s campus. And, like many others, I suspect, I have found myself more than a bit overwhelmed as I’ve tried to do so.
This isn’t to say that there hasn’t been a lot of good journalism done on the topic. There has. There’s just been a lot happening on the ground. It’s been messy. What I’ve found, however, is that some of the absolute most indispensable journalism concerning the on- and near-campus protests and the reaction to them is coming from the school’s student newspaper, the Columbia Daily Spectator. Just look at these stories from the first two days:
“Hundreds of protesters occupy South Lawn, call for divestment from Israel during Shafik testimony” (Columbia Daily Spectator, Maya Stahl, Chris Mendell, Emily Forgash, and Sabrina Ticer-Wurr, 4/17/24)
“NYPD arrests three pro-Palestinian protesters at ‘Flood Columbia for Gaza’ demonstration on 116th Street and Broadway” (Columbia Daily Spectator, Apurva Chakravarthy, Isha Banerjee, Rebecca Massel, and Chris Mendell, 4/17/24)
“Three Barnard students suspended for ‘unauthorized’ encampment on South Lawns” (Columbia Daily Spectator, Maya Stahl, 4/18/24)
“Shafik authorizes NYPD to sweep ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment,’ officers in riot gear arrest over 100” (Columbia Daily Spectator, Maya Stahl, Sarah Huddleston, and Shea Vance, 4/18/24)
“‘You have failed your Jewish students’: #EndJewHatred holds rally in support of Shai Davidai, calls for Shafik’s resignation” (Columbia Daily Spectator, Isha Banerjee, Apurva Chakravarthy, 4/18/24)
“Protests outside Columbia gates in solidarity with arrested students draw hundreds” (Columbia Daily Spectator, Isha Banerjee, Apurva Chakravarthy, Miranda Lu, 4/18/24)
“Faculty, students host press conferences expressing outrage over mass arrests” (Columbia Daily Spectator, Chris Mendell, 4/18/24)
In the days that have followed, coverage has been even more thorough, with a slew of stories about administrative moves, a piece by the paper’s editorial board asking if the school is in crisis, an op-ed from Oren Root, who oversaw the Spectator during the student protests of 1968; and much more.
Student journalism, like that of the Spectator covering the campus protests, is a critical component in the broader media landscape, particularly in situations like protests where immediate, local insight is crucial. These young journalists are often on the ground, providing firsthand accounts and insights that can sometimes escape larger, mainstream outlets that may not have the same level of access or local understanding. Their proximity to the events and their personal connections to the community lend a unique authenticity and depth to their reporting, which can significantly contribute to public understanding of what’s happening.
Moreover, student journalists play a vital role in holding their institutions accountable. In scenarios such as university protests, where the actions of the administration and the experiences of students are at the core of the story, student reporters can scrutinize and question the institution in ways that external media might not, either due to a lack of specific context or a potential hesitance to engage deeply with student-led issues. Their work is not just supplementary but often essential in painting a complete picture of events, influencing both public perception and policy.
So yes, watch CNN, read the New York Times, check your Associated Press feed, get your news wherever you get it, but when it comes to finding out what’s happening on a college campus, you can’t go wrong with checking out the student newspaper, as well.
Such a great point about student newspapers. Though I disagree with telling anyone to read the New York Times at this point. 🙂
Someone else pointed out that this is the third time Columbia's administration has done something like this. The first was in the 60's over the Vietnam war, the second was in the 80's against encampments protesting apartheid.
And here we are, decades later, when we can all clearly see that those silly young people had it all wrong, didn't have the sophisticated understanding of the issues that their elders had, and the more mature, thoughtful people in the university administration were absolutely right to quash those irresponsible and oh-so-wrong protesting students. Yep, I'm sure decades from now we'll all see clearly who was right and who was wrong in this most recent dust-up.