Palm Court Podcast

There’s more than one New College documentary out there! We chat with Celi Mitidieri, the Ringling filmmaker of two short docs showing the takeover from the inside, along with several New College alums, main characters of the latest film. They explain how their cohort engaged in the fight for the right to party, how transfers affect culture, and the importance of maintaining a community with real people in real spaces. Inside info is dropped on the unusual ways the unoccupied Pei dorms are used nowadays and we get a Gen Z take on the diverse historical and fictional end-of-the-world narratives that were the inspiration for apoCOUPlypse 2025, one last joyful celebration of the New College that once was … along with reflections on the way nothing ever really ends.  CULTURE WAR is a short documentary on the takeover.  THE END IS NIGH is currently being edited, but you can learn more about it on Culture War’s Seed & Spark and Linktree pages. Maybe sign up for the newsletter?  Alexandra Levy/Old School Catalyst about the COUP. “Camilla Mortenson’s silent protest” was a silent march and wall party in protest of walls being shut down over noise complaints. (Camilla may or may not have been one of the organizers, but she was notably present.)  The party pitch deck.  The film pitch deck.  “Zombie studies” was a favorite slam from the governor.  HCL-8 is the Teaching Auditorium mentioned in previous film-focused eps. “Transitory population” is a growing problem with NCF student metrics.  In May 2015, a student and a guest died of fentanyl overdoses. COUP Crash Course.  Viet Thanh Nguyen spoke at Alt Grad 2025. True numbers of international athletes are difficult to determine; many enter in spring semester (in part to avoid counting them against the “First Time In College” enrollment metrics). The official count is 14.3%.   The New College Student Alliance archives are an ongoing project. Callbacks: Miles Iton, Jonathan White, Harry Hanbury.  Please send stories, pictures, audio: [email protected]

An alum, documentarian, and friend joins us to talk about First They Came For My College, as well as a personal story of coming from a Catholic, all-boys, military academy, wearing a saber on mass transit, Hawaiian shirt reputations, supervising Shark Week, alumni connections with the Avatar franchise, and what it’s like to turn 300 hours of student-shot footage into a 105-minute film.  The trailer can also be seen at https://newcollegefilm.com …  …where there’s a screenings page, a "request a screening" form, and a page where people can donate to help bring the film and its protagonists to campuses and theaters around the country. President Okker was Dean of the College of Arts and Science at Mizzou.  Holly Herrick has spoken about the film in Austin (check 49 minutes in).  Harry's thesis is apparently the earliest among New College’s Foucault theses.  Smitty Smith,’73, and InSync Plus has quite the client list. Deep Springs also has a student-led system.  NCF had a more military pedigree than many realize.  The original Public Ivies list Retro Report: Voyage of the Mobro 4000 Shark Week Uncaged  Alex P. Keaton Warnock and Ossoff Us Kids featured X González, ‘18.  AltLiberalArts was Alt New College, until they got a C&D.  Pahokee The Gender and Diversity Center Library was student-owned, but dumped during the summer.  The alt alumni association holds a well-attended Alt Grad annually.  Grant collects NCF news.  Fulbrights were once a point of pride.  The ACT-UP poster  The director of Mr. Nobody vs Putin talks about New College.  Callbacks: Old School Catalyst, Libby Harrity, Jeb Lund, Amy Reid. Time Stamps: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:14 Festival Premiere Buzz 03:03 Remote Production Workflow 03:34 Student Filmmakers Footage 04:20 Trailer Miracle Story 07:14 Festival Tour Plans 09:48 Swag and How to Support 10:25 Harry New College Origins 11:43 Military School and Closet 13:45 Choosing New College Cheap 17:31 Postgrad Media Career Start 19:56 Shark Week and Hollywood Tie Ins 22:17 From Shark Week to Journalism 23:37 Retro Report Origins 24:34 Teaching Then Pandemic Pivot 26:26 Documenting the Takeover 29:56 Student Filmmakers Inside View 33:39 Resistance and Culture Clash 37:15 Cinema Verite and Fairness 40:05 Higher Ed Under Attack 46:26 Festivals Campus Screenings Next 50:21 Oscar Connection and Farewell

We catch up with former Film Pharaoh Eugene Lowe, along with Tom Ronca and Suzanne Clayton to talk New College films: finding them, watching them, showing them, and making them … both back in the day and touring the festival circuit now. Get your hot Oscar picks right here! Also, a surprise visit from the Madrid metro, a gas-leak power outage, and Ernest Borgnine playing Timothée Chalamet.  La Strada Gary McDonogh, anthropologist and scholar of cities The Village Voice on Thundercrack Canyon Cinematheque Rewind This!  First They Came For My College, you’ll be hearing much more about.  The trailer for FTCFMC was edited by alum Smitty Smith, whose previous trailer was for Avatar: Fire and Water. Alum Steve Rosenbluth, halfway to EGOT  Dreams With Sharp Teeth “Giorgio with the hair” Marty  Magnolia and Hard Eight  Save the Green Planet! Uncle Buck’s girlfriend Train Dreams If I Had Legs I’d Kick You Arco and Chainsaw Man The Secret Agent  and Sentimental Value  Color Me Lurid Darmstadt’s Filmkreis  The Swan Song of Fedor Ozerov  Apenas Coisas Boas (Only Good Things)  Kontinental ‘25 The Grandmother, a Lynch short Hundreds of Beavers Callbacks: Oscars 24, 25, In Memoriam. Please send us your stories, pictures, audio: [email protected]  For your Clone Stamp Greetings card, write Eugene at: [email protected]. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome Back Oscars Crew 02:16 New Guest Eugene Joins 03:32 Eugene New College Origins 05:01 Thundercrack Screening Story 06:53 Film Series Programming Rules 09:04 Teatro and VHS Nostalgia 11:02 New College Documentary Buzz 13:04 VFX Awards and Industry Paths 15:09 Ancient Aliens Editing Tales 17:35 Oscars Season Kickoff 22:07 Top Contenders Sinners vs Battle 25:23 Marty Supreme and Chalamet 27:52 More Nominees Begonia Weapons 29:29 Train Dreams Favorite 30:47 Best Picture Longshots 32:10 Hamnet Acting Buzz 33:08 F1 Sound and Editing 34:49 Best Actress Race 35:30 Rose Byrne Dark Horse 37:26 Best Actor and Blue Moon 39:01 Director Song and Score 41:50 Animation and Shorts Talk 43:43 International Film Locks 45:23 Indie Picks and Programming 48:44 Lynch Memoriam Speculation 50:50 Train Movies Metro Cameo 53:07 Signing Off and Thanks Follow, Like, and Share wherever you get your pods. Visit us at https://palmcourtpod.com for more.

The Palm Court Podcast returns for Season 3, diving deep into the history and future of student journalism at New College! Hosts Mike Palmer, Grant Balfour and Megan Cytron welcome the Old School Catalyst crew: former faculty advisor Maria Vesperi and former student editors Isaac Tellechea and Sophia Brown. They are also joined by a recorded contribution from former Catalyst editor Gaby Batista. This episode chronicles the journey of the student newspaper, the Catalyst, from its early days to its necessary shuttering and serving as the inspiration for the independent nonprofit, Old School Catalyst. Discover how the changing political climate and administrative turnover at New College moved these journalists to build an external platform to continue their vital work and protect student free expression. Journalism in Crisis: Maria, Isaac and Sophia discuss the incredibly stressful and compressed experience of covering the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid political "takeover" of New College starting in spring 2023. Covering events with nuance while being directly affected made for an invaluable, challenging journalism education. The Birth of Old School Catalyst: After realizing the campus environment would no longer sustain student journalism, Maria and the team worked with alumni, pro bono attorneys and organizations like PEN America to incorporate the paper as an independent Florida nonprofit. Learning by Doing: Isaac Tellechea details the current editorial process, emphasizing student agency and the "rolling deadline" approach for publishing stories like the recent exposé focusing on New College's free speech concerns. Beyond New College: Sophia Brown emphasizes that Old School Catalyst aims to be a resource for student journalists nationwide. Old School Catalyst is not just a campus paper—it's a critical experiment in preserving academic freedom and the independent student press in an increasingly challenged higher education landscape nationwide. Connect and Support Old School Catalyst: Read & Subscribe: Find all their published articles and subscribe to their newsletter at oldschoolcatalyst.com. Connect: Follow them on Instagram @OldSchoolCatalyst. Get Involved: If you are a student journalist facing similar barriers, reach out and share your story! Like, Follow, and Share the Palm Court Podcast! Share this episode with anyone interested in journalism, New College, or the future of free speech in higher education. 00:00 Welcome to Season Three 00:38 Introducing the Old School Catalyst Crew 01:40 Maria Vesperi's Journey in Journalism 05:19 Reviving the Catalyst at New College 08:02 Isaac Tellechea's Experience with the Catalyst 13:46 Sophia Brown's Role and Reflections 18:39 Challenges and Achievements of the Old School Catalyst 22:25 Challenges of Running a Student Newspaper 23:17 Encouraging Student Reporters 25:03 Story Selection Process 27:08 Current Coverage and Editorial Decisions 27:39 Mission and Broader Impact 30:39 Navigating Journalism in a Challenging Environment 39:20 Reflections and Future Aspirations 39:42 Gaby Batista's recorded message 48:37 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks Shownotes: St. Pete Times was ⁠a journalism innovator⁠ The Catalyst goes back⁠ to 1965⁠ ⁠Reagent ⁠was one of several not-quite replacements in the 1980s  USF Oracle still ⁠covers news⁠ ⁠Fall 2020⁠ was a ⁠tough time⁠ Older alums remember the⁠ Anthro Lab⁠ as “The Barn” Maria Vesperi ⁠stepped down⁠, sort of Brad Thiessen is now ⁠Florida Poly’s provost⁠ ⁠Alaska Miller⁠, outspoken cog-sci student ⁠News structure⁠ Brown spoke at ⁠two 2023 commencements⁠ Alex Levy’s ⁠message to student journos⁠ Chloe Rusek’s⁠ attempt to interview Corcoran⁠ Sophia Brown’s ⁠bookstore series⁠ Florence Fahringer’s and Andy Trinh’s ⁠Childcare Center item⁠ WSLR ⁠reports⁠ on ⁠NCF⁠⁠ Taylor Lorenz⁠ & ⁠Drop Site News⁠ PCP Callbacks: ⁠Sophia Brown/PEN America⁠, ⁠Kathryn Joyce⁠, ⁠Steven Walker⁠

It's a wrap on season two of the Palm Court Pod. Hosts Mike Palmer, Megan Cytron, and Grant Balfour reflect on the past year and discuss what's to come for New College and the podcast itself. We reflect on a year of change, both geopolitically and personally. We started the pod with the idea that New College was the "canary in the swamp," and as New College went, so might higher education in the U.S. As it turns out, we were right, and now what's happening at New College is being seen all over the country. We focus on celebrating the parts of New College's culture that we love while keeping track of the challenges. We talked to a lot of interesting people this season, including Libby Harrity, Mike Campbell, and Eric Schickler. We also interviewed journalists who have been covering New College, such as Katherine Joyce, who wrote the article "The New College Gambit." We note the recent attempt by the governor to place Ringling Museum under New College's control and the new admin's strange hires, weird expenses, and changes to the grading system. This new "grade equivalents" system defeats the whole philosophy of New College, which was to reward intellectual curiosity and allow students to measure themselves against standards established in a relationship with a professor, not a traditional grading scale. As we look toward season three, we have a number of ideas for future episodes. We've heard stories of new students, including athletes, who came to the school not knowing anything about the New College system and are still sticking with it and thriving. There are also stories of people who came as "culture warriors" but were converted by their experiences at the school. We plan to continue our conversations with alums, academics, and journalists to understand the shifting landscape of higher education, particularly in Florida. With Governor DeSantis term-limited, we speculate on what the next election might mean for New College. Finally, we want to hear from you, our listeners. Subscribe wherever you listen to pods. Video versions are on Youtube and Spotify. We'll be back in the fall with Season 3. 00:00 Introduction and Season Recap 01:05 Reflecting on Season Two 01:25 New College and Higher Ed Trends 02:20 Memorable Guests and Episodes 04:09 Historical Events and Listener Requests 06:03 Challenges and Changes in Higher Education 12:31 Faculty and Institutional Changes 16:32 Student Experiences and Future Outlook 19:17 Culture Warriors and Campus Politics 20:57 Florida's Political Landscape and New College 21:44 Gubernatorial Election and Future Prospects 23:15 Third Party Activity and National Politics 24:37 Podcast Reflections and Future Guests 26:55 Listener Engagement and Community Interaction 27:45 Season Two Evaluation and Future Plans 31:27 Final Thoughts and Hot Takes Shownotes: This season started with Libby Harrity and Mike Campbell The 80s saw a rise in quantitative psychology and sociology.  Zorn’s Lemma has some relics of the Kingsley Hall experiment (see Ep. 20)  The “silent protest” involved noise complaints over “walls” - a perennial problem.  Provost Rohrbacher and the “Floridense” seal Ep. 30 extras included a glimpse into NCF’s pro wrestling years.  Ep. 23 talked education, China, and beats Ep. 27 brought Yippie vibes Grade-equivalent evaluations have attracted some ire. Rohrbacher recently wrote on the traditional NCF system. Anderson Brown (Ep. 3) wrote last year about Rancourt. Steve Waldman, Interfluidity, 3 May 2023: “We Haunt.” First five eps can be heard by scrolling way down here.  Please send us your stories, pictures, audio: [email protected]

This episode of the Palm Court Podcast features an engaging conversation with Dr. Eric Schickler, a New College alum from the class of '87 and the coauthor of Partisan Nation⁠: The Dangerous New Logic of American Politics in a Nationalized Era. Eric shares his unique journey and insights into political science and the current state of higher education. Plus there's plenty of new details about the legendary Lorax Rebellion of May 1988. We kick off with Eric's unexpected path to New College. He recounts his initial culture shock upon arriving in Florida, but quickly highlights the transformative social and academic experience that followed. The conversation then delves into Eric's career as a political science professor at UC Berkeley since 1997, where he continues to be inspired by his New College education. We explore his research on nationalized polarization in the U.S., as detailed in his book, Partisan Nation, co-authored with Paul Pierson. Eric explains how this polarization differs from historical divides, as everything, including state politics, has become nationalized, leading to concerning dynamics within American politics. Crucially, Eric connects this broader political trend to the recent events at New College, viewing the "hostile takeover" by Governor DeSantis as a microcosm of nationalized polarization. He illustrates how traditionally supportive local Republican legislators, who once valued New College for its community benefits, now align with a national culture war agenda, prioritizing national political aspirations over local interests. We also discuss Eric's ongoing research into the polarization of higher education over the past 45 years. He points out a significant shift in the Republican party, moving from general support for higher education in the 1980s and 90s to increasing criticism and diminishment of its value. Then we pivot to Eric's eyewitness account of the Lorax Rebellion in 1988, a key event in New College's history. As SAC Chair at the time, Eric provides an insider's perspective on the student-led efforts to save the "grove" from airport expansion. He details the strategic involvement of lawyers, the formation of the "Save the Green Space" nonprofit, and the challenges faced in securing legal and financial support. Eric vividly recounts the emotional day of the bulldozing, the arrests of students, and the subsequent legal battles, emphasizing the unity and determination of the student body. Finally, Eric shares insights into his baccalaureate thesis, which explored government policy toward technology in the early 1990s. We close with Eric's reflection on New College's profound and lasting impact on his life and intellectual development, underscoring its unique ability to foster iconoclastic thinkers. Notes: Eric's Spring 2023 Appearance on Trending in Ed with Mike Palmer Partisan Nation: The Dangerous New Logic of American Politics in a Nationalized Era, by Paul Pierson & Eric Schickler We know Nick Tampio, editor, Journal of Politics (and Schickler too) Rolling admissions comes up a lot August 1987 SRQ: officially “hot” to “sweltering” Gene Lewis, bureaucracy scholar “Welfare Queen” was a Reagan tentpole Local conservatives like Sen. Bob Johnson and Gen. Rolland V. Heiser “My civil rights book” 1968: “the campus stuff”  1980: “end of liberal Republicans” Higher ed has risen from $385 to $9,750 annually in today’s $.  Dean Barylski, dealmaker “Secure the land to the north” still cooking We know Jonathan White and Merlin Mann, too “SAC” is “Student Allocation Committee” Rob Westerfeldt on Barylski Col. Adam Oler Judy Kavanaugh We know Jen Granick The Fauves were unrelated to Grant Morrison’s UK band.  Langdon Winner and Jacques Ellul, tech theorists P Funk, “Flash LIght” Dee-Lite, “Groove is in the Heart

Jeb Lund joins Mike, Megan, and Grant to talk about his work in journalism at places like Rolling Stone, The Nation, and GQ, among others and on It's Christmastown, his popular podcast about Hallmark Channel movies. We learn how Jeb wound up at New College, how his thesis about British cryptography in World War 2 got turned into pulp, and how he wound up covering the Alt Graduation Event for The Nation in 2024. Jeb also provides advice on how to get active in shaping the coverage of New College as political tides in Florida continue to shift. Want to learn how this podcast was almost named The Canary in the Swamp? Or why people might actually want to listen to smart people talk about inane movies on the Hallmark Channel? Listen in to find out. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Video episodes now up on Youtube and Spotify. 00:00 Introduction and Welcoming the Guest 01:06 Jeb Lund's Origin Story 03:30 College Life and Challenges 07:57 Career Journey and Writing 11:03 Freelancing and Journalism 11:42 Public Facing Role and Podcasting 14:58 Involvement with New College Alumni 21:25 The Recency Bias in News Reporting 22:39 Challenges in Speculative Journalism 23:11 New College: A Canary in the Swamp 24:01 The Power of Public Pressure 25:03 Corruption in Florida Politics 28:36 The Future of New College 30:14 Sports and Campus Culture 32:10 Journalistic Challenges and Personal Reflections 40:18 Concluding Thoughts and Final Messages NOTES: CEDA is the “Cross-Examination Debate Association” Ephedra is the herb that produces ephedrine, a formerly legal stimulant sold as Mini-Thins, a.k.a. “trucker’s speed.” (Today’s Mini-Thins are ephedrine-free.)  Frederick Winterbotham revealed Bletchley Park’s Ultra secrets 30 years after WWII.  It’s Christmastown is Jeb and Dave Roth exploring Hallmark Network cultural productions.  Livy, Roman historian  Gawker was sued out of existence by Tampa-based wrestler Hulk Hogan, backed by tech billionaire Peter Thiel, in 2016. Pablo Torre Finds Out went deep into NCF’s sports   Mobute Sese Seko did have fantastic hats  Shanon Ingles chatted here back in Ep. 4   Watch Alt Grad live on May 22, 2025  Write state legislators to make things happen  The Hope Florida scandal is still growing    The Rick Piccolo scandal also, though less about his father’s NCF involvement   Property law is a theme  Mighty Banyans’ deep roster  The Great Books program  Don Gaetz busts trustees

Join Mike Palmer, Grant Balfour, and Megan Citron, along with "friend of the show" Joanne Dramko, for a captivating conversation with New College of Florida (NCF) alumni and NCAA Board Members Monica Lewman Wulf and Stuart Clarry. This episode offers a delightful mix of personal stories and reflections on the New College experience with a focus on Alumni Engagement. Monica shares the details of her recent Antarctic wedding to fellow New College alum, Henry, a celebration that uniquely incorporated their desire for unique experiences and, of course, penguins. Stuart, who was Grant's roommate, reminisces about their time on campus, sharing anecdotes about the self-reliance cultivated at New College and some memorable dorm-life moments.   Beyond the personal stories, Monica and Stuart, who are both involved in the Alumni Association, provide valuable insights into alumni engagement and the complexities of navigating trust and communication with the new college administration, including their perspectives on the recent contentious alumni event with President Richard Corcoran.   Whether you're an alum or simply interested in the unique dynamics of a liberal arts college, this episode is a must-listen. Don't forget to subscribe to the Palm Court Podcast for more engaging conversations and updates from the New College community! Troy Winfrey was in an earlier episode; his spouse just published a touching piece on how a terminal diagnosis shaped their relationship.  Ben Brown, the former New College Alumni Association (NCAA) chair, resigned dramatically shortly before the College Hall event. He gave five reasons.  Henry and Monica at the 1988 semi-formal and in Antarctica.  Morning Bob: p. 5, left.  James P. Kelly: journalist, naturalist, scholar.  “Big weekend”: Alt Liberal Arts hosts a rival speaking event, and then NCF’s upcoming star speaker was charged with rape.  “Being at UF and the state politics and all” means Ben Sasse, Joseph Ladapo, and the Hamilton Center (no relation to NCF’s Ham Center).  John Lithgow reads “20 Lessons on Tyranny” by Timothy Snyder.  “Bought a brick”: in Palm Court, custom-engraved.  Nimbus was charmingly homespun, then got glossy, then vanished. “Gender at the state level.”  The Novo Collegian Alliance is (sort of) a shadow NCAA oriented to student needs; NCF Freedom is oriented toward governance issues. The Q&A was a crash.  Florida universities face “performance-based funding” based on KPIs, one of which is “alumni engagement.”  “Florida will no longer be full of Boomers.” Things might change sooner; ruby-red Escambia County, home of now-embattled UWF, just flipped blue.

The Palm Court Podcast presents an emergency Oscars 2025 episode devoted to the Gene Hackman situation! With Suzanne Clayton, Palm Court's Oscars predictions oracle, Mike, Megan and Grant prognosticate on the Oscars and reminisce about past Oscars shared in a Whatsapp Group Chat, including the infamous Will Smith slap of Chris Rock. Clayton, a five-time winner of the Palm Court Oscar pool, offers her keen and at times surprising insights on the nominees, including her thoughts on Best Picture and Best Animated Feature despite only having seen 2 of the 10 Best Picture nominees. Then, the hosts pay tribute to the legendary actor's illustrious career, from his breakout role in The French Connection to his iconic portrayal of Lex Luthor, his brilliant cameo in Young Frankenstein, his roles in The Royal Tannenbaums, Unforgiven, Get Shorty and more. Quite the cinematic oeuvre! Finally, we take a deep dive into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the Hackman "incident" and the three dogs, one dead in a closet. We try to piece together the timeline of events and speculate on the cause of death for Hackman and his wife. We also discuss the role of the dogs in the incident and whether or not they were involved in any foul play. Plus, we dconclude a quick "dead pool" on who will be the next celebrity to die. Yikes?!?! Listen and subscribe now, and be sure to check out our previous Oscars 2025 episode featuring Kim McShane and Harrison Bender! Don't miss any of it heading into (and coming out of?) the Big Show on Sunday night. Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction and Special Guests 01:12 Oscars 2025 Predictions 03:13 Movie Reviews and Opinions 13:42 Gene Hackman Tribute 20:38 Remembering the Departed: In Memoriam Discussion 21:12 True Crime Talk: Natalie Wood's Mysterious Death 21:56 Heart to Heart: TV Nostalgia and Dog Stories 22:37 Unraveling a Bizarre Crime Scene 24:43 Speculating on Celebrity Deaths 28:56 Oscar Predictions and Deadpool Picks 32:55 Wrapping Up: Final Thoughts and Farewells

Join us for our annual Oscars preview! We're diving deep into the 2025 Academy Award nominations with a panel of film enthusiasts. We're discussing the snubs, the surprises, and the sure-to-be winners. From Best Picture to Best Supporting Actor, we're dissecting it all.   We're also sharing our personal Oscar memories and trivia. Did you know that a screenwriter once won an Oscar nearly 40 years after his death? Or that Judy Garland was only 16 when she starred in The Wizard of Oz? We hit on some trivia, recall film adventures at New College and beyond. And dive deep with Kim, Harrison, Megan, Grant, and Mike. Don't miss it!   Tune in for a lively discussion about the biggest night in Hollywood. Don't forget to subscribe to the Palm Court Podcast for more great content!   Time Stamps 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:56 Guest Introductions and Film Backgrounds 01:42 Kim McShane's Film Journey 07:21 Harrison Bender's Film Career 10:49 Megan's Cinematic Experiences 15:02 Oscar Nominees Discussion 32:36 Timothee Chalamet's Potential Record-Breaking Win 33:20 Hidden Gems and Overlooked Performances 34:02 Succession and Other TV Show Mentions 34:33 Colman Domingo's Stellar Performance 35:44 Leading Actor and Actress Predictions 38:39 Best Picture Contenders 40:11 Documentary Highlights 46:25 Animated Feature Film Recommendations 50:45 Best Original Score and Song Discussions 54:29 Final Thoughts and Predictions Stripes  Tired Old Queen at the Movies Kim on TCM Funny Face  The Philadelphia Story  Eventive does indie film. DOC NYC  Sarasota Film Festival is run by alum Mark Famiglio. Separated features past guest Cpt. Jonathan White. The Tarnished Angels Dalton Trumbo interview The Brutalist was not about Palm Court architect I.M. Pei nor about Hungarian refugee history prof Dr. Laszlo Deme… directly.  Clarence Maclin interview Hale County This Morning, This Evening The FAMU Marching 100 The Queer soundtrack Diane Warren has 16 Oscar noms.  Between the Temples Steve Rosenbluth’s win was discussed in the last Oscars ep.  George Kuchar made a lo-fi short film at NCF. “Smell-o-vision”: John Waters’ Polyester came to NCF with the original “Odorama” scratch-and-sniff cards.  The Swimmer  Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and The Carrie Nations

Step into the world of New College in 1968-69—a time of radical possibility, political upheaval, and unapologetic experimentation. Mike, Grant, and Megan are joined by a group of alumni who lived it and were recently reunited, decades later—Max Reif, David Ross, Andy Roman, David Adams, Tom Weislocher—after a cache of evocative photos from the era unleashed a powerful torrent of memories and feelings. The photos, most taken by David Ross, transport us to familiar places: the Pei Dorms, Ham Center, Palm Court, even Cars of Yesteryear, and also reveal the bonding experiences that brought this group together: a psychedelic hearse trip to Washington D.C. to a yippie protest at Nixon's inauguration, an unforgettable ISP wilderness expedition on Upper Captiva Island, the formation of the "Happy Bunny Farm" commune in upstate New York, plus a side-trip (for some) to Woodstock. The guests recount their memories of those years while reflecting on the passage of time and the heartfelt challenges of growing older and staying true to those vivacious youngsters in the photos. Their energy, curiosity, and lifelong quest for knowledge is palpable (and familiar) in this reunion and meeting of hearts and minds. Show Notes: New College’s charter class in 1964 had a (theoretically) three-year system, offering intensive study year-round. The first students graduated in 1967.  Historian Arnold Toynbee served on the faculty.  The alumni association formally defines an “alum” as anyone who successfully completes one contract.  Upper Captiva Island is now a ritzy resort refuge. Before the 1970s, it was wilder.  Photo: The Captiva Island ISP group in front of Ham Center included Laurel Roth and Sal Lee Anderson (with feathers), then Kitty Warner, and between her and Andy, Cindy Cole (also part of the farm near Dryden NY).  How to cook a raccoon.  “Design-y campus” - “Novum Collegium”:  The dorms surrounding Palm Court and the school’s emblem were both designed by I.M. Pei after an ancient Greek Four Winds motif.  “Middle of the Everglades”: Myakka State Park, part of the Everglades watershed, is 40 minutes from campus.  LSD was only banned federally in October 1968.  The Golden Buddha’s (formerly The Mecca’s) minaret became a pan-Asian-kitsch landmark.  Sarasota Classic Car Museum was a longstanding attraction recently evicted and razed to make room for federally controversial baseball fields.   New College’s mangos were featured in our Jono Miller episode.  Phosphorescent plankton is part of the area’s dreamlike biology.  The Isle of Wight Festival was Britain’s equally-iconic answer to Woodstock.  For decades, David Pini’s avant garde student films inspired generations of NC filmmakers.  Meher Baba, spiritual leader.  There are annual Rainbow Gatherings in Ocala Nat’l Forest. The Yippies held a counter-inauguration in DC in 1969.  Jim Feeney was mentioned in our Mike Campbell episode.  Paul Krassner, The Realist publisher, satirist..  Dream interpretation was Freud’s original goal; psychoanalysis, an afterthought.  More vintage New College photos.  TIME STAMPS: 00:00 Introduction and Excitement for the Special Edition 00:47 Introducing the Special Guests from the 60s and 70s 01:39 The Story Behind the Photos 02:55 Reconnecting After Decades 03:31 Life at New College in the Late 60s 05:45 The Captiva Island Expedition 07:54 Reflections on Florida and New College 15:17 The Happy Bunny Farm Commune 19:03 The Cultural Shift of the 60s 24:08 Sailing Adventures and College Memories 25:05 Life at New College: Community and Isolation 26:29 Woodstock and Other Festivals 27:49 David Peeney and New College Legends 32:57 Protests and Academic Struggles 35:16 Reflections on Aging and Mortality 38:07 Final Thoughts and Farewells

In this episode of Palm Court Podcast, we talk with journalist Kathryn Joyce about the state of public education in Florida. Joyce, an investigative editor at In These Times and author of two books on the Christian right, discusses her background and interest in the right-wing political movement’s influence on education. Her recent article, The New College Gambit, chronicles the New College story and forms the foundation of the conversation in this episode.   We discuss the right-wing takeover of New College, a small public liberal arts college in Florida, and the implications for higher education. The takeover, led by Governor Ron DeSantis, included a push to reconstitute the student body with athletes and the installation of new trustees with an agenda to dismantle the school along ideological lines.   We also discuss the impact of the ouster of Ben Sasse from the presidency at the University of Florida and the apparent political spoil system in Florida higher education.   Joyce discusses the potential outcomes of the takeover, including the possibility that New College will fail or be absorbed into the University of South Florida. She also discusses the importance of organizations such as PEN America and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in defending academic freedom.   The episode ends with a call to action for listeners to support independent journalists and news outlets and to pay attention to the threats to higher education in the United States and around the world. Don't miss it! NOTES: “The New College Gambit,” In These Times, 9 Dec 24, is one of the better accounts of recent events at New College.  “A Search for Answers. A Search for Blame,” was Joyce’s post-Parkland school-discipline story.  Flagler College hosted the non-partisan Freedom to Teach conference.  Libby Harrity and Steven Walker episodes. “Classical education” could come to the D.O.D.’s 161 schools.  “The Trustee Solution” is an article trustee Mark Bauerlein  wrote for trustee Christopher Rufo’s City Journal, advocating trustees make bold political moves.  Cost-per-student has begun to alarm the conservative Board of Governors. Ben Sasse’s extravagant spending and sudden exit changed the political climate.   Liv Coleman is a University of Tampa prof and former political candidate.  Randy Fine, who proposed merging NCF involuntarily into a larger university in 2020, then lost a bid to become president of FAU, is currently running to fill a national seat vacated by a Trump appointment.  Aaron Hillegass, tech entrepreneur and former NCF data science director. NCF’s largest class ever remains the 861 students of 2015-16; more students have been accepted and enrolled recently, but subsequently transferred out in large numbers as well.  AAUP’s more activist stance resulted, in part, in a detailed report on New College.   Universities did not fare well under Pinochet.  TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 01:03 Reflecting on January 6th and New College 01:18 Interview with Journalist Kathryn Joyce 02:25 Kathryn Joyce's Background and Work 03:12 The Right-Wing Influence on Education 06:07 The New College Takeover 08:27 Challenges and Future of New College 12:21 Broader Implications and Activism 21:46 Final Thoughts and Campus Reflections 33:00 Conclusion and Farewell

In this episode of the Palm Court Podcast, hosts Mike Palmer, Grant Balfour, and Megan Cytron interview Fay Clayton, a member of New College's charter class of 1964. Clayton shares her experiences as a pioneering student, her connections to the college through her family, and her journey from a farm in New Jersey to becoming a prominent litigator. She reflects on the unique educational environment of New College, its impact on her and her family, and her notable legal career, including her work with the National Organization for Women on landmark cases. Clayton also comments on the current challenges faced by New College and expresses hope for its future. NOTES: “Three years was standard”: The original system had no summer breaks, although students were also allowed to take as long as they wanted.  “Each student was responsible…”: Academic freedom extended to faculty as well as students, within certain broad guidelines.  Ted Held’s hitchhiking to the charter class became a low-key legend. (This article also mentions I.M. Pei and the finite architectural investment in campus buildings.) Arnold J. Toynbee was a renowned historian and classicist.  Clayton’s nipple-preference thesis can be read here.  The idea of applying Montessori principles to higher education is a perennial one.  Andrew Doyle’s first month-long course earned him $10,000 per week; his second, a story in The Guardian.  The current clash over the ever-expanding core curriculum flies in the face of the original, highly successful concept of curious students choosing what to study in depth.  Clayton has her own page on C-Span thanks to her work toward the FACE Act. A 1994 Chicago Tribune profile ran under the headline “Now Is She a Household Name?” Clayton did ultimately become partner and, to some, a hero.  TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Welcome to the Palm Court Podcast 00:37 Meet Fay Clayton: A Charter Class Pioneer 02:13 Life at New College: Early Experiences 03:50 Academic Adventures and Friendships 06:46 From Farm Life to New College 09:01 Dorm Life and Campus Culture 13:09 Professional Journey: From Montessori to Law 19:16 A Litigator's Journey: Early Career and Pro Bono Work 21:08 Landmark Cases: Fighting for Civil Rights and Women's Rights 22:15 Supreme Court Battles and Legal Triumphs 25:26 Reflections on New College and Its Challenges 29:26 The Future of New College: Hopes and Concerns 34:25 Personal Reflections and Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Palm Court Podcast, hosts Mike Palmer, Megan Cytron, and Grant Balfour are joined by Dr. Amy Reid, a long-standing faculty member of New College, former Board of Trustees member, and recent collaborator with PEN America. We discuss the impact of recent political upheavals on the college, Dr. Reid's extensive contributions to the institution over 29 years, and her reflections on New College's unique educational environment. Dr. Reid also shares her personal story and perspective, transition to PEN America, advocacy for academic freedom, and her role in supporting and representing the New College community. The conversation delves into an insider's view of the hostile takeover and resistance and the broader implications for higher education in Florida and beyond. NOTES: Dr. Reid profiled in Ms. Magazine.  Traci Ardren is now an anthropological archaeologist at the University of Miami. Chris Coldren is now Senior Scientific Director, Bioinformatics at Pathgroup.  Amy's other two NCF alum roommates were Sharon Cload, who's a Bristol Myers Squib and Mike Owens (who is Traci's partner & a lawyer ) Jeffrey Hixson was a respected professor of French and rhetoric.  Prior part-time faculty on PCP include Jono Miller and Dan Harrison.  There was never a gender-studies department at New College (despite some heated claims otherwise, including by the college’s own trustees); it was, instead an interdisciplinary program consisting of classes taught in several departments. As of November 2024, Gender Studies still appeared on the official list of AOCs alongside Biopsychology, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, and Neuroscience … but with an asterisk saying it would not be offered to students entering after fall 2023. While some courses are still being taught, many are not, because so many professors in different departments have left.  HB233 is a Florida law, currently being challenged in the courts, that allows students to surreptitiously record professors for evidence in lawsuits, among other things.  Faculty trustee & computer scientist Matthew Lepinski dramatically quit in the middle of a meeting when the board denied tenure to seven approved candidates - “like jumping off a cliff.” The “day DeSantis came to sign SB266” was covered in our Libby Harrity episode.  Tampa Bay Times, “A Semester Inside the Siege,” 16 Aug 2023.  À rebours, by Joris-Karl Huysmans, is a “wild and gloomy fantasy” that inspired Oscar Wilde, the Surrealists, and generations of later artists.  The 44-person portable dorms nicknamed “Banyan Boxes” were meant to replace the uninhabitable Pei dorms, but were themselves rendered uninhabitable by Hurricane Milton.  Dr. Heidi Harley is a dolphin researcher who had won Department of Defense grants prior to the takeover.  Reid on translation.  A few of Reid’s publications, as well as novels by Patrice Nganang, Blaise Ndala, Mutt-Lon, Véronique Tadjo, Marie-Celie Agnant, among others.  “Onè … Respè” is “Honor … Respect,” a traditional greeting and response in Haitian Creole. TIME STAMPS: 00:00 Welcome to the Palm Court Podcast 00:47 Introducing Dr. Amy Reid 01:41 Amy's Journey to New College 04:50 Teaching at New College 07:35 Building the Gender Studies Program 11:46 Challenges and Changes at New College 15:24 Board of Trustees Experience 21:35 Working with PEN America 31:07 Reflections and Future of New College 39:39 Final Thoughts and Farewell

In this episode of the Palm Court Podcast, hosts Mike Palmer, Megan Cytron, and Grant Balfour engage with Miles Iton, a New College graduate with a multidisciplinary background in philosophy, hip-hop, and entrepreneurial education. Miles shares his compelling origin story from almost attending Howard to thriving at New College, where he helped establish the Black Student Union and organized community events. He discusses his intriguing thesis on hip-hop as a Rousseauean civil religion and his role in breaking open New College's insular nature, facilitating engagement with Newtown and the broader Sarasota community. The conversation highlights his transition into the education sector, promoting arts-based learning in Taiwan and the U.S with Lo-Fi Language Learning. Join us as we delve into how New College’s tutorial system and environment shaped Miles’ path, offering insights into navigating political upheaval and fostering community connections. NOTES: Dr. Tarron Khemraj.  Mike Long, CEO of SailFuture.  Newtown Nation Farmers Market.  As a Fulbright scholar, Iton got involved in language learning through hip-hop in Taiwan. Dr. Carl Shaw.  Diddy’s inaugural REVOLT conference in Miami.  Rousseau’s “civil religion.”  The Four Winds was a student-run cafe in a building older alums knew as “the Anthro Barn.” Whether or not it’s ever turned a profit remains a matter of debate. In May 2015, a student and a campus guest both died of fentanyl overdoses. Students subsequently elected to rename Palm Court Parties (PCPs) to Center of the Universe Parties (COUPs). Other campus changes were less voluntary.  The Red Flag Scandal,  previously mentioned in Ep. 8.   2016-17 was noted in the Catalyst as New College’s most diverse class. (It was also the largest enrollment.)  Alum Steven Lubka, Head of Swan Private.  lilKrake is a Chinese-language hip-hop artist.  Hip Hop for Change.  n 2020, the Barancik Foundation granted the New College Foundation $500,000 for the “Access Leadership” outreach to local high schools, including Booker High. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction and Election Context 00:51 Guest Introduction: Miles Eitan 01:26 Miles' Journey to New College 03:00 New College Experiences and Achievements 05:58 Hip Hop and Education 08:17 Challenges and Controversies at New College 19:46 Reflections on New College and Future Outlook 23:34 Reflecting on Trump's Election 24:27 Current Political Climate and New College 26:16 Founding the Black Student Union 29:59 Experiences in Sarasota and Community Perception 31:33 Entrepreneurship and New College's Role 36:05 The Diddy Story and Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Palm Court Podcast, hosts Mike Palmer, Megan Cytron, and Grant Balfour sit down with Dr. Mike Campbell to explore his deep-rooted connection to New College. Mike, an alumnus and former faculty member, admistrator, and board member, details his academic journey and professional career, which moved him from student to working to in the counseling center, teaching, becoming housing director, and eventually, to serving as a resilient advocate for the institution amidst many changes including the recent political upheavals and "hostile takeover." Mike also shares his perspectives as a recent homeowner in the Uplands neighborhood in Sarasota which borders on the campus and has been in the spotlight in light of the new administration's tree removal efforts that have significant impacts on the local community. The discussion traverses his experiences in Barbados and his relentless commitment to New College's alumni networks. Dr. Campbell shares insights into the alumni association's independence, recent political impacts on the college, and his perspectives on fostering resilience and community within higher education. Show Notes: The Bones were a long-running, trophy-winning New College softball team.  Behavioral geology “focuses on the cognitive processes and spatial decision-making that influence human behavior.” The Uplands - see Episode 20.  “Nature’s destruction” - Hurricanes Helene and Milton both damaged NCF; the new women’s soccer team set up a GoFundMe to pay for shelter.  General Fred & Mrs. Sylvia Knight cared about NCF’s master plan.  Some New College students live in the new dorms at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus north of The Uplands. There have been suggestions the institutions may wind up merged in the future.  The Novo Collegian Alliance’s mission is to “provide for support of the alumni, students, staff, faculty, and allies working to maintain the essence of New College of Florida.” The  Soo Bong Chae Endowed Chair of Applied Mathematics was named for a much-loved math professor (and tai chi student).  On 9/11, Air Force One took off from SRQ airport, less than a mile from NCF dorms.  Freewinds, the former Scientology floating headquarters, was once a cruise ship.  Before becoming a psychedelic researcher, Rick Doblin created a construction company that built the New College racquetball courts.  Dirt from Harvard was ceremonially buried on the New College campus at its dedication on November 18, 1962 with blessings from the United Church of Christ (which founded both institutions).  The fire ring in the new Robertson Park, by accident or design, is in roughly the same spot on campus where, in 1988, student David Dunn committed suicide by self-immolation. The incident shook the campus, especially those of us who knew him and those students working in the campus police department. Over decades, the story became mythologized but was still known on campus in 2023.  Amy Reid’s social skills were tested throughout her tenure on the board of trustees.  Gordon “Mike” Michalson’s belief in civil discourse reflected and shaped campus culture.  Judy Genshaft was USF president for 19 years. On stepping down, she financed the creation of an honors college at that institution.  Bob Johnson was the GOP senator who steered NCF’s merger with USF in order to preserve the Uplands.

Libby Harrity, former student senate president at New College of Florida, joins Mike, Grant, and Megan to share her first-hand experience of the hostile takeover and the on-the-ground resistance it sparked, which ultimately resulted in her (forced) exodus to Hampshire College after a very public clash between administrators and student protestors. Now a fourth-year thesis student, Libby gives us an inside look at how 80 students from different backgrounds went into exile "up north" to continue their education. She also shares insights into the current situation on campus at New College, reporting on how students are weathering the climate of imposed change and destruction as best as they can amidst increased police presence, forced separation, and absurd restrictions on student gatherings. We also touch on New College as the "canary in the swamp" and the broader implications of the takeover for higher education and academic freedom. Libby discusses her in-progress thesis work, research into francophone anti-colonial liberation movements, while connecting the dots to her experiences and the broader political climate in Florida and the US. Our particular historical moment is one of stories big and small and Libby—inspired by the insights of thinkers like Frantz Fanon and Aimé Césaire—is determined to tell the people's history of these years. We chat about the cultural differences between NCF and Hampshire, and Libby's dream to install a mural honoring the New College diaspora at Hampshire and perhaps throw a real wall. Libby's story offers a unique perspective on how a community can come together—across generations and geographies—to take care of one another and fight for New College's ideals and academic freedom. Throughout the conversation, we reflect on New College's indelible spirt, the potential for future change in FL's political landscape, and the resilience of our community in the face of adversity. Shownotes: “Bogus criminal case”: Harrity was accused of spitting at Trustee Rufo during a campus protest. (After photos of their encounter were published, it was amended to spitting on his shoes, charges were ultimately dropped) “Very generous financial aid package”: Hampshire welcomed NCF defectors, and was rewarded with the largest incoming class in 5 years Blaise Paine’s op-ed about transferring Trending in Ed with Josh Eyler: “Are Grades Failing Our Future?” Null Set tattoos: NCF’s longtime, quirky mascot, the “empty set," illegitimately replaced with the grimacing, flexing “Mighty Banyan” “Amy Reid is, you know, a personal hero of mine”: Profiled in a recent issue of Ms. Magazine. Frantz Fanon was a psychiatrist and philosopher from Martinique, and one of the foremost theorists of post-colonialism. His first major work, Black Skin, White Masks, was published when he was 27 years old. “The Residencia… they all went into exile and a diaspora around the world”: Poets, artists, and scholars who lived in the Residencia de Estudiantes in Madrid fled Franco’s Spain Joshua Epstein, accused of chanting “Free Palestine!” by school officials who briefly withheld his diploma, had actually worn “Free the Hostages” gear to graduation “The recent Alumni Town Hall debacle”: Corcoran hosted a 90-minute event to field questions submitted to the alumni association. No submitted questions were read or answered “Tell people that grades are not the only way.”: A message that is gaining some traction “Purging of the trees has already started worse flooding”: The clearing of the Uplands resulted in flooding, toxic runoff, and fish kills following recent severe storms.  Beastie Boys: “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)” N.W.A.: “Express Yourself” “We don't have any old buildings like that”: College, Cook, and Caples Hall were built as Gilded Age mansions The R.W. Kern Center at Hampshire, the 17th certified Living Building in the world

In this episode of the Palm Court Podcast, we sit down with Jono Miller, a New College stalwart with a 54-year relationship to the campus. We explore Jono's origin story, from discovering New College in a catalog to wading into Sarasota Bay with John Morrill. He shares his experiences in student activism, environmental advocacy, and shaping the college's landscape. We delve into Jono's ongoing efforts to protect New College's natural heritage amid recent administrative changes, including the recently threatened Uplands area, the loss of historic trees, and the lack of transparency in campus development plans. In the wake of the "hostile takeover," he remains committed to preserving the college's unique character. In a rapid-fire segment, we uncover Jono's numerous contributions to New College, from naming dorms to designing tiles. His insights reveal how small, thoughtful changes can have lasting impacts on campus life. We also touch on Jono's wider environmental work in Sarasota County, particularly along the Myakka River. Throughout the conversation, Jono's deep connection to New College shines through. He sees the college as three intertwined elements: the program, the people, and the place. Jono may in fact be the human being most deeply embedded in New College's ecosystem. While the current situation is difficult, Jono's unwavering dedication inspires us all to keep fighting for the New College we know and love.  Notes: Jono Miller is a founder of NCF Freedom, which has been in headlines over the past year.  The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970. The carpet-bombing of Cambodia lasted from 1969 to 1973.  Zorn’s Lemma has some relics of the Kingsley Hall experiment, and the journal Change mentions Kingsley Hall in a retrospective from the USF merger.  Part of the Uplands is listed as a National Historic Register District.  Map of the Uplands Preserve and an aerial photo with both Ringling estates. (Compare with cached construction plans presented Jan 2024, then quietly taken down. Note the pharaonic scale of the proposed Freedom Institute west of the pond.) Horseshoe crabs have prehistoric breeding rituals and are indeed bled for life-saving medications.  Deborah Rabinowitz, “Seven Forms of Rarity,” 1981. Port Manatee Jail has a floral legacy. The Caples Food Forest became an iconic part of student life.  Other colleges (some Catholic) have noted the alumnae/i Latin issue. The Summer 1988 Nimbus has pieces on the Lorax Rebellion (p. 7) and identifying by entering year (on p. 10).  Plant species:  LIve Oak (Quercus virginiana). “For centuries, it has been a symbol of safety, strength, and resilience.” Cabbage Palm (Sabal palmetto). ““To be in palmetto hammocks, coastal marshes, swamp forests, wet prairies, or revegetating cane breaks with Jono Miller is to walk into a world of wonder.”  Slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) “are highly important to both Florida's ecosystems and its economy.”  Red (Rhizophora mangle), black (Avicennia germinans), and white mangroves (Laguncularia racemosa) “are important for local fisheries.”  Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia). “Also called flamboyant or flame tree, royal poinciana provides dappled shade in summer, with wide, spreading branches and brilliantly-colored flowers.”  Mango (Mangifera indica). Arecibo researcher Kit Reilly’s memorial “mango asterism” originally consisted of Graham, Mallika, Neelum, Fairchild, Cogshall, Torbet, Lancetilla, Nam Doc Mai, Manilita, and Parvin varieties.  The ACE Building “Spanish tile” tessellation was based on I.M. Pei’s design of a Minoan engraving. Poli-sci prof and Kentucky Colonel Peggy Bates lived in the dorms.  “Understanding Dentils” (inverted or otherwise).  Myakka River State Park is known to some as skunk ape habitat, to even more as a beautiful wilderness with a treetop boardwalk.  Sen. Bob Johnson was an early Uplands benefactor.

Captain Jonathan White ('87) joins Mike, Grant, and Megan to share his origin story, in which he leaps straight from Lynchburg, Virginia's cradle of the religious right into a volatile time and place in New College history. We return to the story of the "Lorax Rebellion" student protest with a different perspective on how it came to be and the ways the destruction of the native grove represented a brutal defeat and loss of faith in institutions for so many. The lesson forged young Jonathan's steely resolve to quietly and steadily accrue power so that he could do good in the world. His transformative experiences participating in New College's first LGBTQ+ student organization and being a part of the 1987 "Second March on Washington" set the stage for his move to DC post-New College. However, the 90s were not without an uncanny series of career setbacks as Jonathan struggled to find his place in academia and beyond. He decided to try something different and reboot as a social worker, eventually getting his foot in the door at the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, slowly working his way up in the ranks—in uniform! It turns out Jonathan found his true calling in disaster management and crisis response at a time when the world most needed him. Many will remember then Commander White's brave testimony before Congress and his subsequent work reuniting families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border. Jonathan urges those who care about New College to take care of each other and not to lose hope but to broaden our scope and adjust our efforts toward achievable goals. Notes: Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority was a keystone of conservative culture in the 1980s.  The October 1987 “Second March on Washington” was in part a response to the government’s lack of response to the AIDS crisis as a public health matter, as well as a call for lesbian and gay rights.  The SRQ authority is still doing deals with New College administrators. (In this case, the authority has some close, personal connections with the new administrators.)  Dean Robert V. Barylski has recorded his own memories of New College events.  Joe Caffentzis works as an administrator at Columbia University, and is also active in the Lovecraft fan community.  The Lorax is a children’s book by Dr. Seuss that not everyone has read.  There was an active aikido community, studying the Japanese martial art based on Taoist principles of reflection, redirection and circular motion; seiza is the formal sitting posture used to teach other body postures. .  Justice for Janitors is a movement, a campaign, and an organization.  “Kettling” is when police confine protestors (and anyone else on a particular sidewalk or street) for an extended period of time, not allowing anyone to leave.  Whitman-Walker has been serving health needs of the LGBTQ+ community since the 1970s.  The Public Health Service Commissioned Corps is a uniformed service of the U.S. government, active around the world.  Hurricane Ike was a large, wet, Category 2 storm that, due to widespread flooding, is the third-costliest hurricane to hit the United States, after Andrew and Katrina.  In 2019, White testified during congressional hearings regarding the Migrant Family Separation Policy.  Ventilator shortfalls were sort of a big deal in 2020.  The word “apocalypse” literally means “unveiling” (apo: “un” - kaluptein: “cover or veil”).

In part two with Merlin Mann, the free-wheeling conversation picks up speed with the appearance of a special guest (code name: Lando, real name: Christian Pérez), discussing the cultural and creative passing of the baton and DIY inspiration between different New College generations. Merle pays homage to writing coach Jan Wheeler (who he was somewhat paradoxically referred to thanks to the intervention and urging of prof Pete Kazaks in the "Physics for Poets" class). Evocative smells and olfactory memories, both pleasant and painful, are evoked. Merle talks about revisiting the campus and the geography of Sarasota after decades away and everyone shares a surprising class they took at New College. The show wraps up in a Hegelian fashion, synthesizing the contradictions of the past and present, with hopes for progress and the perseverance of the New College spirit. Show notes: Other former Admiral Farragut Academy students include Stephen Stills and Lorenzo Lamas.   Merlin’s “On Not Writing About New College.” Miles Davis as a young musician, filled with ecstatic wonder.  William Zinsser’s On Writing Well.  The Church of the SubGenius now does ShorDurMars online. Photo of Reverend Stang’s TA Event. White Rain was sold to Florida-based Diamond Products in 2000. “Mornin’ Bob” was the beloved physical plant supervisor, a slender man with iron sinews and a sunshiny disposition. The kenning “Mornin’” came from his traditional greeting, no matter what depraved nonsense he happened to have stumbled onto after sunrise.   Guillermo Del Toro makes a model kit every weekend, and sometimes shows his work.  H.C. Bosman, great writer (compare with H.L. Mencken). The Afrikaner Broederbond, real conspiracy (compare with the SACR). Nadine Gordimer’s July’s People (1981) was Merle and Grant’s incoming-class reading. On Lovecraft and Sonia Greene.  Our Episode 11 kicked it with two canonical Surf Fux, throat and bass. Other New College bands mentioned: Ether Mice, Dog School, Skamena.

Merlin Mann (NCF '86) joins Mike, Megan, and Grant for an entertaining spiel on his days at New College in the late 80s, including another facet of the story of the Lorax Rebellion tree-hugging protest that led to 43 arrests, including his own. It was a tumultuous time in many ways and Merle shares his trials and tribulations navigating it as an RA, student government rep, and member of the foundation board, including a clash with the terrifying General Heiser and remembrances of a huge cast of characters from his cohort. More details emerge about how it came to be that New College students were invited to breakfast with Kurt Vonnegut after creating an intensive 7-week module reading all of his works. Merlin opens up about the challenges of growing up in the "crushing machine" of Florida and the ways New College opened his eyes to perspectives far beyond the limited horizons of his prior education. Throughout, he looks back on his younger self, contemplating the growing consciousness that helped him uncover his privileged blind spots and move beyond the growing pains and traumas. Without veering too far into Proustian reverie, Merle opens up his "bag of hair" and ponders the meaning and importance of New College, where he "learned how to learn," started to fight "hegemonic ideology," and made lifelong friends. Show notes: A “kenning” is “a conventional poetic phrase used for or in addition to the usual name of a person or thing, especially in Icelandic and Anglo-Saxon verse, as ‘a wave traveler’ for ‘a boat.’” At New College, it was a way to distinguish between people with the same first name; e.g. “Big Jen, Little Jen, or Littlest Jen?” or “That was Adam Frisbee, not Adam Uniform.”  Merlin’s “On Not Writing About New College.” Merlin’s Awkward Hair Odyssey includes a hegemonic ideology T-shirt and mug shot 1988 articles about the Lorax Rebellion Kurt Vonnegut’s Breakfast of Champions has been banned, occasionally. So it goes.  Unstuck in Time documentary mentioned. Hegemonic ideology. Ruskin, Florida, is famed for its tomatoes (and vegetable prepackaging technology), but was founded by the Millers as a cooperative community dedicated to the ideals of John Ruskin.  Commander (now Captain) Jonathan White testifying in the Senate on the family-separation policy.  Back to School, starring Rodney Dangerfield and Kurt Vonnegut The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, MD.  General Rolland V. Heiser, leading light of New College.  CGP Grey’s mind-splitting video “You Are Two.” New College zines mentioned: Red Beans and Rice and Crystal Method.

This week, Susan Hirshberg joins the Palm Court Podcast to guide listeners through the twists and turns of her fascinating life story, which she sums up in the most quintessential New College way: "My life journey always made sense to me, even if it's never made sense to everybody else." She opens up about the positive and negative aspects of her New College experience, including her innovative self-designed animal behavior concentration and details of her legendary thesis research observing pelican behavior every day for over a year from the boughs of a tree on the bayfront—extraordinary scholarship that led her to present her findings at a national conference, while still an undergrad facing serious challenges and lack of support from her sponsor. Susan's post NCF life found her continuing her studies at grad school, doing advocacy work on radioactive waste in Los Alamos, New Mexico (where her uncle, physicist Richard Feynman, had worked on the Manhattan Project) and, along the way, finding and marrying her best friend from high school. Susan catches us up on her life after moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she has worked in healing as an alternative healthcare practitioner and started an organization, the Joan Feynman Climate Change Fund, to honor her mother, a renowned astrophysicist who cared deeply about climate issues and gender equality. At the end of the episode, Susan reveals that she bought land in rural Nova Scotia to create a healing center and issues an exciting invitation to current New College students to apply to a program she is designing for 4-8 students this summer, exploring embodiment in nature and healing. In closing, Susan discusses her participation in "the Lorax Rebellion" of 1988—which she emphatically cites as "life changing"—a brief teaser for a future episode on this seminal New College protest to save a stand of trees from destruction by SRQ. Notes: The Spring 1988 Nimbus has an article on Hirshberg’s pelican research as well as one on the airport expansion that led, months later, to the Lorax Rebellion.  Hirshberg’s pelican thesis and other, less estuarine work can be read here.  Cognitive ethology is the study of animal thought processes.  Susan Sapoznikoff is a senior attorney at the Florida Public Service Commission.  The Joan Feynman Climate Change Fund gives grants “to support innovative, community-based action.” Joan Feynman was a renowned astrophysicist.  Of her brother, Richard, she said: “Look, I don’t want us to compete, so let’s divide up physics between us. I’ll take auroras and you take the rest of the Universe. And he said OK! … It was nice of him to give me the aurora and to know that I would think it was wonderful.” In Oppenheimer, Richard was played by Jack Quaid, with bongos. In real life, he was a Manhattan Project group leader, as well as an author and popular lecturer.   Runoff from Los Alamos cooling towers was spilled into canyons on San Ildefonso Pueblo land from 1956 to 1972. “Some of the waste offers quite a challenge.”   Reiki and craniosacral therapy are complementary therapies using light touch to ease anxiety and pain; treat chronic pain and help in physical therapy.

In this episode of the Palm Court Podcast, we are joined by Steven Walker, Education Reporter at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, who has been on the ground covering the “hostile takeover” of New College of Florida. Just as the battle for the Sarasota School Board was heating up, Walker arrived, excited to step into his first job after graduating from the University of Florida Journalism School and working as the Editor-in-Chief at the student newspaper, the Independent Florida Alligator. Dropped straight into highly politicized, polarizing and seemingly interminable school board meetings, Walker live-tweeted the scene, and published articles that would soon have national relevance. It was good preparation for what came next when Ron DeSantis announced the takeover of New College’s Board of Trustees. Walker’s prior experience with sports and political reporting became increasingly relevant in covering the evolving New College education beat. Walker highlights the importance of maintaining journalistic integrity, while presenting the many facets of a story without amplifying bigotry or misinformation. Initially unaware of New College and its unique history and philosophy, Steven quickly got up to speed. He details his process tracking the story's developments, from the removal of the president to the appointment of new trustees and the introduction of an athletics program. We learn about Walker's investigative approach, strategizing public records requests and building relationships with key sources. Steven emphasizes the challenges of balancing the sound and fury of daily reporting with in-depth, enterprise journalism, along with his desire to dig deeper to cover topics of educational substance beyond the political machinations. Steven encourages listeners to support local journalism, subscribe to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and follow him on Twitter for updates on both the New College story and his sometimes strident basketball commentary. Notes: The Independent Florida Alligator has an interesting history, vis-a-vis “Independent.” Walker’s athletics coverage became a key part of the overall picture at NCF. Walker received attention (and awards) for his coverage of the unfolding absurdity of the Sarasota School Board takeover, live-tweeting the meetings as the brand-new education reporter in May 2022. Bridget Ziegler, if you somehow missed this story, is the anti-gay GOP star who fell from grace when her taste for FFM threesomes came to light, as part of a (CW) assault investigation that ended her husband’s career as leader of the Florida Republican Party. Before the fall, she had fun with fundraising when Moms For Liberty was declared a hate group by the SPLC. Walker covers the drama surrounding her continued presence on the school-board. NCF remembers her as a member of the presidential search committee that certified Richard Corcoran as president. Walker plays Twitter pretty well, from livetweeting key events to the tougher game. The Nulls sailing team competed in the SAISA conference for more than a decade, and NCF intercollegiate athletes got rowing, swimming and powerlifting medals regionally, at the state level and competed nationally. Walker discusses the notion of newsworthiness and public interest, at times with pushback from radically different constituents, including the recent story about a New College student athlete accused of felony battery of a Sarasota police officer. The Jefferson County scandal is large and complicated and here is one way in. The prose is purple; the facts are solid. Florida had some of the first and strongest Sunshine Laws (thanks, Reubin Askew), but that’s been changing over the last year (thanks, Ron DeSantis). The MSNBC coverage of the NCF “hostile takeover” has been surprisingly thorough and long-running. The Catalyst couldn’t get a sit-down with Corcoran, and then it did … with “autonomous electric vehicles to shuttle students”?

Our hosts, Mike Palmer, Megan Cytron, and Grant Balfour are joined by Harrison Bender, Tom Ronca, and Suzanne Clayton in a conversation about movies, the Oscars, and their connections to film at New College of Florida. The group reminisces about their time at New College, sharing stories about the film series, the campus theater (TA), and local movie theaters like the Teatro. Harrison, Tom, and Suzanne recount their involvement with the film series, programming independent and foreign films for the campus community. They discuss the challenges of acquiring films in different eras, from renting 16mm prints to the advent of DVDs. The conversation shifts to this year's Academy Awards, with Suzanne offering her "sleeper pick" for Best Picture and the group analyzing the merits of various nominees like "Oppenheimer" and "Barbie." They debate whether the Oscars are more about recognizing quality films or serving as a trade show for the industry. Tom shares his insider perspective from living in Los Angeles, including the "For Your Consideration" billboards leading up to the ceremony. As the episode wraps up, the guests offer final thoughts, from Suzanne's bold prediction about an "Ancient Aliens" movie winning Best Picture to Tom's most anticipated film of the year, the enigmatic "Hundreds of Beavers." It's a lively, film-focused discussion infused with the unique spirit of New College. Episode Notes: Tom Ronca’s favorite films of 2023 Enzian Theater is an esteemed Orlando-area arthouse cinema, where Matthew Curtis is programming director. Asolo Repertory Theatre is a playhouse in Sarasota that was also, in 1990, the first home of the FSU film school. (It later moved to Tallahassee,where teachers like Victor Nunez taught students like Sam “Iron & Wine” Beam.) Site of the Teatro 50-cent theater, now an Amscot next to McCurdy’s (recently notorious for other New College reasons).  Video Renaissance, closed after 33 years in 2018 Ivan Stang of the Church of the SubGenius is a filmmaker, among other things.  KS State Senator Jeff Pittman was nowhere near the place, your honor.  Cameron Worden’s Digital Devil Saga screened at Rotterdam.  Harmon “Oscar” Nelson, of the non-namesake derriere.  Steve Rosenbluth’s Concept Overdrive has him halfway to an EGOT.  John Waters’s Best Movies of 2023 TRAILERS John Waters’ 1974 film Female Trouble.  George Bernard Shaw’s Oscar-winning Pygmalion (1938) Harvey Korman breaks the fourth wall in Blazing Saddles.  Robert Downey Jr. in Chaplin (1994)  Paul Giamatti in Sideways (2004). .  Craig Brewer’s 2019 blaxploitation biopic Dolemite is My Name.  Juel Taylor’s neo-blaxploitation They Cloned Tyrone.  Wim Wenders’ Anselm should be seen in 3D.  Cytron’s should-have-been pick is Monster by Hirokazu Kore-eda (Note from Megan: watch it spoiler free!) Werner Herzog’s 1970 film Even Dwarfs Started Small haunts the campus.  Ronca’s should-have-been pick is Hundreds of Beavers.  2024 NOMINEE: Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. . 2024 NOMINEE: Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (and Billie Eilish, “What Was I Made For?”) 2024 NOMINEE: Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things.  2024 NOMINEE: Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers.

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.

This fascinating episode of the Palm Court Podcast takes listeners on a journey through David Goldfarb's experiences at New College of Florida and his life and career since then. As an alum who did not finish his degree at New College, Dave provides a unique perspective into the experimental nature of the school in the late 80s and early 90s. The conversation begins with Goldfarb reminiscing about his time at New College, the punk rock ethos on campus, and the intense academic and social environment. Things then take a dark turn as the group frankly discusses the high-stakes risks and lack of safety nets at the school during that era. Goldfarb shares his own story of failure and lessons learned that eventually led him to a successful career. We discover interesting ways in which Stanley Fish is woven into the tale. The highlight of the episode is when Goldfarb vividly describes his obsessive Dungeons & Dragons gaming marathons that would go on for days. This immersive roleplaying experience clearly made a lasting impact, informing his work later as a video game designer who ultimately founded his own studio with successful titles like the "rhythm shooter" Metal: Hellsinger. Listeners get a fascinating fly-on-the-wall perspective into the creative subculture at New College. We even chop it up a bit about the tunes on the jukebox in the pub in the early 90s along the way. Overall, this episode pulls back the curtain on a provocative time at New College that many alumni tiptoe around discussing. Goldfarb's reflections are candid, thoughtful, and amusing. His unique trajectory illustrates how the experimental nature of the school, for better or worse, unleashed creative potential. Listen and subscribe for more uncensored perspectives on the ever-evolving culture of New College.

Megan Cytron, Grant Balfour, and Mike Palmer open the show reflecting on their recent conversation about the changes happening at New College. We then dive into a discussion Mike and Grant had with fellow New College alums Troy Winfrey and Joanne Dramko back in early March of 2023 We reminisce about the unique academic philosophy at New College that emphasized critical thinking and students directing their own education. While recognizing its value, we also talk about the lack of structure in requirements and the process of getting contracts approved for independent study projects (ISPs). We even share some of our more unorthodox forays in that area as we ponder how the school seemed under-resourced in the mid 1980s, with very limited career counseling. Shifting to the present, there is much disappointment at recent actions by the new president appointed by DeSantis' board. Troy offers proposals for fighting back, like organizing Florida boycotts, but we recognize New College's vulnerability. Subscribe to Palm Court Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Now also on Youtube.

Mike Palmer, Grant Balfour, and Megan Citron open up by discussing an interview Mike originally recorded in early March 2023 with three fellow New College of Florida alumni - Dr. Mark Sanders, Dr. Nicholas Tampio, and Dr. Daniel Harrison. The original interview took place shortly after major changes were announced at New College, including new conservative appointees to the Board of Trustees and the firing of President Patricia Okker. We note that the distance of time since the original interview in March provides some helpful perspective. The hosts highlight the academic backgrounds of the three alumni guests, who all went on to earn PhDs and become professors. Megan appreciates their "academic standpoint" in discussing the philosophy and history of New College. Grant jokes about his hazy memories of guest lecturing for one of Daniel's classes years ago... In the interview from March, Mark, Nicholas, and Dan discuss both the virtues of the New College model, like the freedom and responsibility it gives students for their own education, as well as some of its potential pitfalls and risks. We reflect on how well the model prepared them for future academic careers, but also acknowledge that some students struggled under the system's high demands and lack of structure. There is debate around whether today's students may need more support than the New College model provided in the 1990s. Don't miss this insightful glimpse into the alumni response to the changes at New College in early 2023, as well as a thoughtful discussion of the merits and limitations of New College's unique educational model. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Now also on Youtube.

Lynne Buchanan is a New College alum and the daughter of beloved New College professor Doug Berggren and his wife Barbara who also worked with students at the school. Lynne joins us to share stories about growing up with Professor Berggren, one of the school's founding faculty members. We celebrate him as a brilliant, engaging teacher who promoted critical thinking and interdisciplinary perspective. His teaching style was performative—almost like theater. He wanted students to challenge assumptions and for education to be "intellectually dangerous but physically safe."  Lynne attended New College herself from 1975-1979, living through the merger with USF. She changed majors multiple times, settling on art history. Lynne emphasizes Dr. Berggren’s fun-loving spirit, telling how he entertained her as a child by claiming to have walked across the bay. She also discusses his experience in the Marines, his habit of creating philosophical charts, and his commitment to truth. We reminisce about taking Doug's classes and learning from him indirectly. Grant reads a humorous 12-step outline for a Berggren tutorial written by Van Choojitarom. We explore the Berggren’s lasting influence impacting students over decades at New College. In light of recent controversy, we stress the importance of preserving stories from New College's early intellectual history. Though the future is uncertain, these narratives keep the original spirit alive. Lynne believes her father would be heartbroken by the current climate of censorship and lack of open communication. She hopes these stories will maintain the culture of creativity and free thinking the Berggren’s worked so hard to build. Here are the links to Lynne’s work: Website: https://www.lynnebuchanan.com Instagram: lynnebuchananphotography Links to purchase books:  The Poetry of Being: https://www.lynnebuchanan.com/the-poetry-of-being-photo-book Florida's Changing Waters: A Beautiful World in Peril: https://www.lynnebuchanan.com/floridas-changing-waters-photo-book Thanks for listening!

The Palm Court Podcast welcomes recent New College of Florida graduates Sarah Cooper and Leo Muñoz. As members of the last "normal" class before the DeSantis takeover, they reflect on New College's academic freedom and close-knit community.  Sarah and Leo fondly recall engaging in late-night debates about coursework, attending Walls in Palm Court, and designing adventurous tutorials tailored to their interests. They also acknowledge the existential threats and rapid changes that clouded their senior year. While the future remains uncertain, Leo and Sarah emphasize the resilience of bonds formed on campus. They believe New College endures through communal remembrance. By sharing memories, all can sustain traditions.  With humor and heart, we share their stories that encapsulate New College's creativity, contrarianism, and care for community. May their perspective uplift hope in a time of adversity. Subscribe to the Palm Court Podcast wherever you get your pods. Now also on Youtube! Visit us at PalmCourtPod.com for more.

Steve Jacobson, a New College alum from the 1970s, joins Mike, Grant, and Megan to share his experiences and unique perspectives on the small liberal arts college in Sarasota, Fl. Steve reflects on arriving at New College in the early 70s and bonding with his longtime friend and roommate David Goldman. He shares fun stories about campus life back then, like playing football in flooded fields, building makeshift basketball courts, and getting to know the local wildlife (especially fire ants). Steve also discusses the merger between New College and USF, and his role on the transition committee.  After graduating, Steve had an eclectic career including jobs in solar energy, machining, cryogenics, and academia. He built his own sawmill in Oregon and later worked extensively with liquid helium and nitrogen. Throughout, Steve valued the lifelong friends he made at New College and the independent, self-driven spirit it instilled in him. He believes New College still has a bright future ahead, despite recent challenges. It's an enlightening view into the early days of New College and the meandering career path of an inventive alum. Subscribe to the Palm Court Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at PalmCourtPod.com for more.

Brian Cody joins the show to talk about his experiences in student government, academics, and campus life in the early 2000s at New College. Joined by his contemporary, Gwen Bright, Brian regales us with tales of navigating campus politics including his "barefoot-in-a-suit" moments. We learn how he helped bring WiFi to campus, helped effect New College's independence from USF, and participated in high-level Board of Trustees meetings as a 20-year old. We recount tales of French New Wave Cinema, teaching sociology with Penny Rosel, playing softball with Bones and more. Don't miss it! Subscribe to the Palm Court Podcast wherever you get your pods. Visit us at PalmCourtPod.com for more.

Gwendolyn Bright and Dr. Christa Matrone join the pod in a conversation about their experiences at our small liberal arts alma mater that's been thrust into the Culture Wars. We discuss New College's emphasis on student autonomy, self-governance, and its close-knit campus community. Gwen and Christa reflect on how the freedom to explore diverse interests and chart their own academic paths had a profound impact, shaping their lives and careers long after graduation. We explore the value of serendipitous learning, forging deep friendships, and carrying the spirit of our college days with our families, close friends, and beyond. Subscribe to the Palm Court Podcast wherever you get your pods. Visit us at PalmCourtPod.com for more.

Shannon Ingles and Jinx Ashforth join hosts Mike Palmer, Grant Balfour, and Megan Cytron to share their experiences at New College of Florida in the late 1990s and early 2000s. We begin with flashbulb memories of being on campus for 9/11 which was the topic of Shanon's thesis. Then we reflect on the progressive, improvisational culture we knew before the recent "hostile takeover" by the state government. We continue to try to capture the true student experience and experimental spirit of New College, in contrast to the rhetoric surrounding the changes imposed by Florida's leaders. Subscribe to the Palm Court Podcast wherever you listen to pods. Visit us at PalmCourtPod.com for more reflections on the unique culture of the school through stories told by folks who've lived through a passage there.

In which Dr. Anderson Brown discusses with Mike and Grant how discovering an alternative educational system can transform a life, and how lessons learned at New College set a foundation for inquiries into AI, philosophy, and the I Ching (broken beer bottles strictly optional).  Anderson Brown’s Humanities, a YouTube channel of lectures.  Joel Biroco’s Introduction to the Yijing.

In which Steve Waldman, coder, economics writer, and “Danish libertarian,” discusses with Mike how things could have gone differently 30 years ago, how they could have gone differently in 2023, and how they’ll probably go differently from the best-laid plans now and into the future. Right? Left? “The lessons of New College are that the communities aren’t that flat.”  We get cosmological as we go deep into the architecture and the social experience of Palm Court and why it will always be the Center of the Universe. Don't miss it! Steve Waldman, Interfluidity, 3 May 2023: “We Haunt.” New College of Florida: The Constitution of the New College Student Alliance, 2011 Edition. Palm Court's enshrinement as the Center of the Universe.

In which three New College alums from the 1990s -- Mike Palmer, Megan Cytron, and Grant Balfour – share their experiences at a small liberal-arts school on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and consider the fate of the experiment in the face of a top-down “hostile takeover” by the state government. We reflect on New College as a cultural movement and set goals for what the podcast can accomplish. Pres. Gordon E. Michalson, Jr., Summer 2002: “The Case For Narrative Evaluation: Promoting Learning Without Grades, Or: ‘Here’s How You’re Doing.’” Mike Palmer, Aaron Hillegass. Trending in Ed (podcast), 7 Feb 23: Doing Data Science at a Liberal Arts College.  Sophia Brown. The Catalyst (student newspaper), 31 January 23: Inside the “hostile takeover”: an autopsy of the Jan. 31 Board of Trustees meeting  Malcolm Jones. The Daily Beast, 9 Feb 23: DeSantis Is Totally Ignorant of Why New College Is So Special. I should know, I went there.)  Conor Friedersdorf. The Atlantic, 30 Mar 23: Ron DeSantis Chose the Wrong College to Take Over. (paywalled, offers free trial)