In a message to the community, President Smith addresses how the College is responding to the "unprecedented and disturbing actions" the federal government is taking against institutions of higher education.

"Together, we will work to ensure that Swarthmore and higher education continue to stand as beacons of truth and knowledge," Smith stated.

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff Members,

On March 6, 2025, 14 students received sanctions for Student Code of Conduct violations that occurred between October 2023 and March 2024.

These outcomes are for charges that resulted from specific actions and behaviors that violated the Student Code — including (though not limited to) vandalism, disrupting the College's operations, and causing harm, including physical harm, to other members of the campus community.

Sanctions are based solely on alleged misconduct, without regard to race, socioeconomic standing, or identity.

We received the letter from the Office for Civil Rights late Monday. As we said when the complaint against Swarthmore was filed last March (incidentally, by an individual with no known affiliation with the College), we are committed to complying with the law and working with the federal government as it reviews the allegations.
 

UPDATE 1:40 p.m.: An event that took place today outside the entrance to Sharples Commons ended peacefully. 

11:31 a.m.: In a message to the community, President Smith shared that the Instagram account associated with Swarthmore Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) posted a hateful, racist message that included a reference to the Ku Klux Klan and was directed toward a Jewish staff member.

Read the full message.

Renovations to Ben West House, where Public Safety is located, will begin March 2025 and continue through the early fall. During that time, Public Safety’s offices and operations will be temporarily located in nearby Bond Hall.

This spring, Clothier Lawn and the lawn in front of McCabe Library will be prepared for well drilling that will begin this June, after Alumni Weekend. Site preparations include fence installation, topsoil stripping, water mitigation, sound mitigation, and the preservation of heritage trees in the area. Drilling will also take place on both sides of Magill Walk, so sound barriers will be installed around the entire perimeter of the drilling sites. While all nearby ADA paths will remain open, other paths that run perpendicular to Magill Walk will be closed. To accommodate pedestrian traffic, a new temporary pathway will be put in place to facilitate access from Mertz Hall to the Dining and Community Commons during construction.

Given ongoing construction, access is limited to the Lang Music Building. Pedestrians can access Lang Music through the first floor of the Lang Performing Arts Center. Pedestrians and vehicles can also access Lang Music through its parking lot, via Whittier Place from the Water Tower Lot or Cornell Library. 

The 2025 Commencement ceremony will take place at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, a beautiful, open-air, covered venue in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park, located about 10 miles from campus. The ceremony, which will be livestreamed on the College’s website, will take place on Sunday, May 25, at 11 a.m. ET. More information about ticketing, transportation, accessibility accommodations, and other logistics will be shared in the coming weeks. You can also visit the Commencement website.