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Palm Court Podcast

Palm Court Podcast

By: Palmer Media
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 Join voices of New College of Florida through the years as we share our stories and reflections on the cultural movement that has emerged from the small, quirky, public liberal arts college in Sarasota, Florida. Dig deeper into the history and meaning of the college that's been pulled into the Culture Wars being fought on U.S. campuses in these polarized times.Copyright 2025. All rights reserved. Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 📰 Old School Catalyst: Keeping Student Journalism Alive | Palm Court Podcast S3

    📰 Old School Catalyst: Keeping Student Journalism Alive | Palm Court Podcast S3
    Nov 25 2025
    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
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    52 mins
  • PALM COURT POD SEASON 2 WRAPUP with Hosts Megan Cytron, Grant Balfour, and Mike Palmer

    PALM COURT POD SEASON 2 WRAPUP with Hosts Megan Cytron, Grant Balfour, and Mike Palmer
    Aug 29 2025
    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: palmcourtpodcast@gmail.com
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    34 mins
  • New College, Political Polarization and the Lorax with Dr. Eric Schickler - Author of Partisan Nation

    New College, Political Polarization and the Lorax with Dr. Eric Schickler - Author of Partisan Nation
    Jun 26 2025
    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
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    52 mins
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