WKCR at Columbia University, a student-run station, has received widespread praise for its coverage on campus protests. The popularity of the station even caused the website to crash briefly. Some have even said that the students should receive a Pulitzer Prize. This point poked fun at the irony of such a situation. The prizes are awarded at
[[{“value”:”The student- run radio station at Columbia, WKCR, has been praised frequently for its coverage of campus protests. The station’s popularity also led the website to, briefly, crash. Additionally, some claim that the students ought to receive a Pulitzer Prize. ( This point helped poke at an irony embedded in such a situation: The prizes are given at Columbia University. )
We spoke with two WKCR managers last week about how the little group of reporters is producing this dramatic work.
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Today, we caught up with Sarah Barlyn, director of engineering at WKCR and a senior at Barnard College, for a follow- away.
Barlyn works mostly behind the scenes —” I actually do n’t like my voice on radio”, she told us—and has, in her role, been in the field covering the protests. She was present next night when protesters who had occupied Hamilton Hall were taken into custody by the New York Police Department.
We spoke about her work, how WKCR has handled the high-profile pressure of reporting, and the historic resonances with 1968.
Condensed and edited to make this interview more concise.
Only to start, it’s been a lot going on: How are you doing?
I mean—yesterday, it was a little bit difficult for everybody. Any Columbia student may be a small shook up by what transpired next night. I’m fine. But, yes, the correspondents at WKCR have been sacrificing a lot of sleep to cover everything. So there’s a bit of a exhaustion among us. But we’re all pretty dedicated to our coverage. When we are aware that we have a job to report on what’s happening, it’s difficult to sleep.
How did it go for you to report next night when police stormed Hamilton Hall?
In the middle of the night, three of our correspondents were present. I did n’t get there until 4: 50 a. m. ( I had gone home to get antibiotics because I’m recovering from a kidney infection. )
Therefore, I entered campus with our correspondent Ted]Schmiedeler]. Finally, around 5: 00 a. m., they closed campus to only students who live in on- campus housing. Thus: we decided to stay it. Because we were aware that we would n’t be able to return to the site if we left.
And so we made an effort to rest in Butler Library, which was one of our just visible and accessible structures. Finally, that building was evacuated. Actually, we had nowhere else to go. And thus we simply began our camp far from Hamilton Hall.
I’m assuming using the restroom after recovering from a kidney infection might be something significant. And you were locked out of the buildings?
I did report on that. Because at one point I went into Hartley, which is a freshman dorm, and I offered to show them my antibiotics. I’m like: I only really am like a member of his community. And I’d definitely appreciate if I could use your facilities. But my request was denied.
Some buildings were still operational, in my opinion, but they were farther away, on the west side of the campus.
But, what did you see last night?
According to the campus’s essentially exceptional lockdown, we were aware that an NYPD sweep was about to occur.
I was observing the lawn on the west.
Therefore, I witnessed a large crowd of police officers entering the Carman gate wearing helmets and other such gear. ( That gates that look onto 14th, between Amsterdam and Broadway. ) But it was unusual. They initially entered that street to disperse the students who were watching. Then, the police come north—they start walking through campus and they encircled the east lawn encampment. And they began searching the encampment. From my perspective, I did n’t see any arrests on the west lawn. However, I did witness policemen lighting up the tents. I would say over 100 police officers.
Therefore, myself and another correspondent saw another group of police officers—maybe 50 to 100—and they had entered from another area, I’m not sure where, and were headed to Hamilton Hall with sledge hammers and heavy machinery—because Hamilton Hall was barricaded.
What time did you start to doubt your personal safety at night?
I actually—our safety was very much in question from actually before there was police presence. We were under possible administrative action, because there was, again, a lockdown. We were n’t entirely sure what protection we had as student journalists. However, thankfully, all of us ended up being alright.
What’s something about yesterday that you’ll never forget?
I think the size of everything. It was surely big—and organized. I mean, it was quite proper. I think there are a lot of things I wo n’t forget.
I mean, to witness the kind of big equipment being brought in. Because of the severe barricading of Hamilton Hall, I suppose that makes sense. But that’s just something that you do n’t—you do n’t expect to see that. You know what I mean? You wo n’t really ever have the chance to see that, in fact. Definitely the numbers of police officers, to. Although, I do n’t know if that particularly surprised me.
And I’m really curious—what are you studying? You’re a top writing a thesis. What’s it on?
During the 1968 protests at Columbia University, I’m really paying attention to the student occupations of five buildings, including Hamilton Hall.
What’s it like seeing the thing that you’ve been studying play out again once?
It’s like looking into a mirror.
I could tell from the 1968 protests that the students in Hamilton Hall were inspired by them. After 1968, Hamilton Hall has been occupied some times. However, I could see a lot of the tactics —like the barricading by using the furniture in Hamilton Hall—it’s definitely inspired by ‘ 68.
It’s a feeling of deja vu for you, right?
Yeah, and at one point that night, I find ourselves at the entrance of Hamilton Hall. I was a little enraged when two students, who were no protesters, exchanged punches. And they were attempting to block and block the doors while the students were protesting. I felt as though I was examining the images in every book I read.
Have you had a moment really to exhale?
After we were finally ready to meet with each other at the station, we had a small moment there. And that was a bit— I guess it was a deep breath. For us, it was a small personal. Simply because we were all exhausted. And we’ve stayed away from each other throughout the entire day. So it was surely a great deal for us to finally reunite, kind of.
But, I mean: I feel like we’re running a marathon that has n’t ended yet.”}]] The student- run radio station at Columbia, WKCR, has been praised frequently for its coverage of campus protests. The station’s popularity actually led the website to, briefly, crash. Additionally, some claim that the students ought to receive a Pulitzer Prize. The prizes are given at a given time, which helped poke at irony embedded in such a situation.
WKCR at Columbia University, a student-run station, has received widespread praise for its coverage on campus protests. The popularity of the station even caused the website to crash briefly. Some have even said that the students should receive a Pulitzer Prize. This point poked fun at the irony of such a situation. The prizes are awarded at
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