College Admissions

In this special feed drop of On with Kara Swisher, Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber talks about standing up to Donald Trump and what free speech on campus really looks like. This episode was produced by Cristian Castro Rossel, Kateri Jochum, Michell Eloy, Megan Burney and Kaelyn Lynch. It was engineered by Fernando Arruda and Rick Kwan. Theme music is by Trackademicks and Vox Media's executive producer of podcasts is Nishat Kurwa. Students and faculty staging a walkout at American University demanding an end to President Trump's "occupation of DC." Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the last few weeks, the Trump administration has turned its sights on the Smithsonian, the latest target in a campaign to remake cultural institutions in its image. Officials are trying to change exhibits at the center of the country’s culture wars and reshape American history at one of the largest museum complexes in the world. Robin Pogrebin, who covers cultural institutions for The Times, discusses the clash over who gets to tell the American story.

With a green light from the Supreme Court, the Trump administration begins a dramatic downsizing of the Department of Education. Defending Education’s Sarah Parshall Perry joins us to break down the ruling, what it means for state-led schooling, and where essential federal education services could go next. Get the facts first on Morning Wire.   - - -   Privacy Policy: https://www.dailywire.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jessica Mendoza speaks to NCAA president Charlie Baker about the landmark settlement that is ushering in a new professional era for college sports. The deal will create a new system for college athletes to get paid directly by schools. They discuss how payments will be regulated, what impact Title IX could have and how the deal could change college sports. Further Listening: - The TikTok That Changed College Hoops  - California Takes On the NCAA  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In addition to revoking Harvard's ability to enroll international students, the Trump administration is pulling all federal contracts from the university. NPR's Steve Inskeep sits down with Harvard's President Alan Garber and asks whether he sees the current actions as a warning.

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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Reena Advani and produced by Ana Perez. Our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.

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Plus, an escalation with Harvard.

The government says Meta broke the law when it acquired Instagram and WhatsApp. The trial starts today. The Verge’s Lauren Feiner details the case.

The Trump administration has purposely classified thousands of living immigrants as dead. Lisa Rein from the Washington Post explains why.

Universities are coming off a pandemic that closed campuses and reduced enrollment numbers. These days, they’re contending with the Trump administration’s disruptive cuts to research. Bloomberg’s Elizabeth Rembert discusses what affected researchers have told her.

Plus, Trump said tariffs are coming for smartphones and other electronics, Gaza’s last functioning hospital was attacked, and police made an arrest after a man allegedly set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion. 

Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

Columbia University gave in to President Trump’s demands after he revoked roughly $400 million in federal funding. WSJ’s Douglas Belkin explains how the university made its decision, and the impact that may have on campuses across the country. Further Reading:  - Universities Sprint from ‘We Will Not Cower’ to Appeasing Trump  - Columbia Yields to Trump in Battle Over Federal Funding  Further Listening:  - Pro-Palestinian Protests and Arrests at U.S. Colleges   - The 2024 College Financial Aid Mess  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three elite university presidents walk into Congress for a hearing on antisemitism. Only two still have their jobs. New York magazine reporter Nia Prater tells us what happened, and a Harvard professor of Jewish history explains why he thinks resignations won’t make campuses safer. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah and Isabel Angell, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Pac-12 college football conference has lost nearly all its teams now that schools like USC and Colorado have announced they’re leaving for rival leagues. The Athletic’s Chris Vannini explains why fans are beleaguered. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Siona Peterous, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Amanda Lewellyn, engineered by David Herman, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Supreme Court ruled against race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard and UNC. The ruling is likely to reshape affirmative action in America. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Miles Bryan, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Michael Raphael, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The College Board piloted an AP course on African American Studies. Then, after conservative pushback, it debuted a revised curriculum. But the group insists it’s not caving to political pressure. This episode was produced by Siona Peterous and Hady Mawajdeh, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and edited by Matt Collette and Noel King, who also hosted. We had help with today’s show from Sarah Darville, national managing editor for Chalkbeat.  Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The special counsel investigation into the origin of the Russian collusion narrative offers new revelations about a key FBI source, controversy erupts in the sports world over a refuted claim of racial heckling at BYU, and Oberlin college is forced to pay millions for smearing a local bakery. Get the facts first on Morning Wire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to retire, human rights organizations condemn harsh Covid policies, and is this the end of affirmative action in college admissions? Get the facts first on Morning Wire.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden wants to give Americans four more years of free school: two years of pre-K and two of community college. In a two-part series, Today, Explained’s Haleema Shah explores the challenges of expanding public education. Today’s show was reported by Haleema Shah, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For decades, Americans have believed that the best way to end racial inequality is to end class inequality. But a landmark 30-year study is debunking that logic. Guests: Emily Badger, who writes about cities and urban policy for The Upshot; William O. Jawando, who worked in the Obama administration on My Brother’s Keeper, a mentoring initiative for black boys. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.

President Trump has called for an overhaul of immigration that replaces a family-based system with a merit-based one. But what counts as merit? We also report on the shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., in which at least 17 people died. It was the 18th school shooting in the United States this year. Guests: Caitlin Dickerson, a national immigration reporter for The New York Times; Catherine Porter, Canada bureau chief for The Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.

Thaddeus Russell is an adjunct professor of American Studies at Occidental College, and also the author of "A Renegade History of The United States" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices