College holds a mythic place in American culture—hailed as the best four years of your life and revered as a beacon of integrity and excellence. But behind the polished campus tours and glossy brochures lies a far more complicated reality. Each episode of Campus Files uncovers a new story, exploring everything from rigged admissions to sports scandals, free speech, and hazing. Consider this your unofficial campus tour.
Do you have tips or story ideas? Send us an email at campusfilespod@gmail.com.
For additional stories on scandals that have rocked American institutions, check out seasons 1-3 of Gangster Capitalism in this feed:
Season 1: The College Admissions Scandal
Season 2: The NRA
Season 3: Jerry Falwell Jr. and Liberty University
Campus Files is an Audacy original podcast.
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In our last episode of the season (season 2 is in the works), we look at MIT's Media Lab, which long dazzled the public with its bold ideas and groundbreaking projects. But behind that reputation was a secret: much of the lab’s funding traced back to Jeffrey Epstein.
Read Noam Cohen’s reporting: https://www.wired.com/story/for-jeffrey-epstein-mit-was-just-a-safety-school/For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
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Cayuga's Waiters (00:34:45)
Cornell's oldest and most historic a capella group was suddenly shut down in 2017 when allegations of severe hazing came to light.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
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Espionage at Stanford (00:32:27)
Most Chinese nationals at Stanford never intended to be intelligence assets. But under Chinese law, if the government demands information, they must comply. Two student journalists investigate the sprawling espionage campaign taking place on their own campus.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
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Goodbye, DEI (00:29:20)
Just a few years ago, colleges across the country were pouring resources into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Today, many of those same offices are being dismantled. In some states, the pressure runs so deep that professors are stripping DEI from syllabi and renaming courses—steps they feel are necessary to avoid scrutiny, and to safeguard their jobs.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
Read Erin’s reporting: https://www.theassemblync.com/education/higher-education/series-nc-dei-universities-colleges-diversity-equity-inclusion/
Korie Dean contributed reporting for this episode. You can read more of her work here: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article301199094.html
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Harvard's Funding Freeze (00:31:15)
Since World War II, America has led the world in science and medicine by making an unusual choice: instead of keeping research in government labs, it invested directly in universities. That partnership fueled decades of discovery and breakthroughs. But today, that pipeline is under serious threat, and nowhere is the impact clearer than at Harvard. This week, Dr. Joan Brugge, director of Harvard’s Ludwig Cancer Center, joins us to explore what’s at stake for scientific progress and for America’s place on the global stage.
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Presenting Gone South | Time of Death (00:42:01)
From the Edward R. Murrow award-winning podcast Gone South: Mobile, Alabama’s biggest cold case reopens when Jim Barber, a police officer and adjunct professor, re-examines the 1980 murder of college freshman Katherine Foster.
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Breaking Deadlock (00:27:49)
Lately you’ve probably been hearing about the Department of Education a lot as the Trump administration moves to dismantle it. For many, this move feels shocking and unprecedented. In reality, it's just the latest chapter in a long-running battle over who controls education in America.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
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The Robinson Center (00:28:17)
A student reporter uncovers troubling rumors about misconduct at University of Washington's prestigious Robinson Center, a school for students as young as 14.
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Campus Cult (00:34:46)
As a freshman at Long Beach State, Chele joined a church that was popular with other students. What she didn't know: the group had been accused of cult-like behavior by students nationwide. Years later, she's sharing her story — and warning others about an organization that's still recruiting on college campuses today.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
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The Army's Got Your Goat (00:35:10)
In 1965 a group of 5 people broke into a secret Naval base to kidnap a key figure as part of a covert operation. That key figure? A goat named Bill. The kidnappers? West Point cadets.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
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Coach v. Physician (00:31:06)
In 2019, the head doctor for Penn State’s football team was fired after resisting pressure from the head coach to clear injured players. His story exposes a deeper crisis in college sports: when wins and revenue are at stake, who’s protecting the players?
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Operation Free Kick (00:31:53)
The operation we now know as Operation Varsity Blues didn’t begin the way you might expect. It was uncovered by chance. Prosecutor Eric Rosen takes us behind the scenes of how investigators discovered—and ultimately prosecuted—the largest college admissions scandal in American history.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
For more on Eric’s work, check out: https://www.dynamisllp.com/talent/eric-rosen-white-collar-defense
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Who Speaks for Loyola? (00:28:30)
In 2016, Loyola University welcomed a new president, sparking excitement on campus — the first woman and the first layperson ever to lead the school. But the honeymoon didn’t last. Soon, the student paper found itself facing an administration determined to protect the university’s image at all costs — even if it meant censoring the press.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
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Bessie on the Dome (00:34:22)
Pranks are a legendy part of life on campus in America. There's one campus in particular that has a unique tradition of it's own. This is the story of how Bessie, a 300 pound fiberglass cow, found her way to the top of the Great Dome at MIT.
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Higher Ed for Sale (00:33:10)
Mills College, the first all-women’s college west of the Rocky Mountains, had a rich history of social justice and women's leadership. That is, until the school shocked everyone by announcing it was going bankrupt and would soon be absorbed by a new owner, leaving its storied legacy hanging in the balance.
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The D (00:30:36)
For years, Dartmouth’s student newspaper quietly struggled to stay afloat. Then in 2021, a student uncovered a case of massive financial fraud that would shake the paper to its core.
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The Harvard Morgue (00:30:02)
Few people know that most of our modern medical knowledge is based on centuries old research using human remains, often stolen. While those practices are thankfully gone today, the market for human remains is as strong as ever. In 2023, the public got a glimpse into that world when the Harvard Morgue was implicated in the illegal trade of human remains.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
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The Machine (00:32:09)
It’s been called the most powerful—and most secretive—fraternity in America. For decades, a shadowy group known as The Machine has controlled student government at the University of Alabama through intimidation and backroom deals. And it matters—because its influence stretches far beyond campus and into national politics.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
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For Profit - Part 3: The Evidence is Clear (00:38:40)
The future of for-profit schools, and the millions of students who have attended them hangs in the balance as a key legal protection is under threat from the courts and the Trump administration.
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For Profit - Part 2: Thrown to the Wolves (00:40:02)
Ashley Pizzuti fell in love with photography from an early age, and found what felt like the perfect opportunity to start the career of her dreams. She would soon learn that her school was part of an industry designed to prey upon students like her, and that legislators were key to finding relief.
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For Profit - Part 1: The Pain Funnel (00:35:59)
For the last 30 years, a group of schools have targeted America's most vulnerable students, saddling them with mountains of debt and a poor education, all for the sake of profit. Mike DiGiacomo fell victim to two of these schools.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
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Weed in the Garden of Academe (00:32:32)
Half of all college students and 73% of social fraternity members experience hazing. As it turns out, hazing has a long and deadly history in the United States and we know about this history in large part because of the hard work of one man, Hank Nuwer.
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USC's Drug Peddling Dean (00:36:19)
In 2016, a woman overdosed on meth in a Pasadena hotel room. The man who provided the drugs: Dr. Carmen Puliafito, the dean of USC’s Keck School of Medicine. As one reporter at the Los Angeles Times fought to expose the truth, he encountered a power structure that made publishing the story all but impossible.Read Paul's book about this story: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250824103/badcity/
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Food Science? (00:27:42)
Cornell's Brian Wansink was at the top of his field, renowned for translating behavioral science into practical tips for improving eating habits. He famously popularized the notion that we tend to eat more when served in large bowls. But, when skeptical researchers and journalists exposed Wansink for manipulating data, his fall from grace led to the dismantling of Cornell's entire food psychology department, and raised questions about the state of scientific research as a whole.
For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
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Trojan Course (00:32:33)
In 2010, USC launched a fully remote version of its prestigious social work program. According to USC’s website, it offered the same professors, curriculum, and career services as the on-campus version. However, those who enrolled—at a cost of over $100,000—soon discovered that the program was far from what it claimed to be. In fact, it wasn’t even being run by USC.
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