Pinned
Excited to be covering higher education again!
Quote
NYTimes Communications
@NYTimesPR
We’re thrilled to announce new roles for @DanaGoldstein and @vimalnyt. nytco.com/press/staff-mo
Vimal Patel
Vimal Patel
736 posts
Vimal Patel
@vimalnyt
New York Times higher education reporter focusing on speech and campus culture. Past: and
Astoria, NYCJoined August 2012
Vimal Patel’s posts
I'm impressed at Greta's patience. She could have made this revenge tweet after any countless number of angry Trump tweets. She waited til he was truly vulnerable. Respect.
Quote
Greta Thunberg
@GretaThunberg
So ridiculous. Donald must work on his Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Donald, Chill! x.com/realDonaldTrum…
Some professional news: Today is my last day at the Chronicle of Higher Ed. I'll miss it dearly. It's a warm place filled with gifted reporters and editors who encourage big swings. I'm thrilled to be starting this month as a general assignment reporter for the New York Times.
Replying to
He is afraid. He is totally alone. He is 3 million light years from home.
For those in the northwest DC area: My dog, Joni, was attacked by a pitbull on a walk about an hour ago. She slipped from her harness and ran off. In the Fort Totten area, corner of Gallatin and NH. She's friendly, but skittish. If you see her call me at 661-373-7535. Thanks!
Replying to
Found her! Safe and sound!
Quote
Vimal Patel
@vimalnyt
Shortly before 2 am, on the last day of this otherwise wretched year, my sweet pooch returned to me.
It's been a joy to report the last couple months for the New York Times, and I'm excited to announce I'll be sticking around for awhile
Today's my first day at the Times, and I'm honored to be experiencing nervous first-day-of-the-school-year energy alongside the nation's youth.
The guy Trump just quoted is also the person who headed the security panel that's recommending a "mobile force platoon" to deal with protests at UNC in the wake of Silent Sam's toppling.
Quote
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
“I don’t care what you think of the President...it cannot bleed over to the FBI...Comey is confirming there is bias in the FBI...”
-Chris Swecker
Shortly before 2 am, on the last day of this otherwise wretched year, my sweet pooch returned to me.
"A lot of faculty struggle to realize that if something isn’t going well, the student isn’t going to tell you unless it’s really bad. Most faculty assume, ‘Oh, things are going great because nobody said anything.’ That’s just not true." My latest:
Know anyone who wants a paid reporting internship writing about higher ed for a national audience in a nurturing environment? The deadline for our summer internship is noon, Eastern, Jan. 9. More info:
Student journalists: Looking for a nurturing internship that puts a premium on mentoring? is taking applications for our summer cycle. The pay is $700/week (before taxes) and you won't fetch coffee. More info:
41 department chairs in the arts and sciences college sent a letter to UNC Chancellor Folt opposing the return of Silent Sam to its pedestal or any prominent location on campus. Folt hasn't ruled out the option.
We're taking applications for our spring internship. interns get $700/week, are treated like full-time reporters, and walk away with great clips. More info:
It's hard to overstate how excited student borrower advocates are about Rohit Chopra. chronicle.com/article/bidens
How 2 cheap bottles of wine led to a town-gown nightmare and a $32 million defamation verdict against Oberlin College. My dive into the Gibson's Bakery case: chroni.cl/2MQAFrO
I still can’t believe hired me. A week hasn’t gone by in the last 5 years when I haven’t thought about what her decision has meant for my life and rehab of my journalism career. Today was her last day, and will never be the same. So excited for her next steps.
My latest story explores how mass student debt cancellation went from an unthinkable idea to a serious policy discussion over just a few years:
"It’s not coming from a sense of entitlement," says "It frankly reflects a sense of desperation.” My latest for :
Totally agree and glad got a mention in this story. The student paper has been indispensable in helping me stay on top of UM coverage the last few weeks t.co/g91KB3TWv1
This Post is from an account that no longer exists. Learn more
“Nobody believes that Johnny Cash shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.” Good story by chronicle.com/article/Rap-Is
Check out our home page. Our interns, and , who started just 2 weeks ago, have our top 3 stories, taking on the treatment of adjuncts, free speech, and pay equity
The U. of Michigan's decision to reopen has deepened town-gown tensions. "This is turning into an experiment, and we’re using city residents and the Ann Arbor ecosystem as guinea pigs.” New from me:
"For the students, their strike is not just about personal economic survival but also about who gets access to higher education." My latest dispatch from the #COLA grad-student strike at Santa Cruz: chroni.cl/3aqvE2e
I talk to about his time as a grad student, how colleges can communicate better with the public, and Sharknado 6
Replying to
Maybe Joni would have showed up and stayed put without the food and clothing, but I’ll never know. I’m eternally grateful to City Dogs. They’ll be getting my stimulus check. If you’re also inclined to donate, here’s the link:
Evidence our interns don’t fetch coffee: At this moment, our top five stories - five! - are by our fantastic interns, , and
Coronavirus has clarified that the working conditions of faculty, staff and grad students are interconnected. "The virus does not discriminate." New from and myself: chronicle.com/article/how-co
Know anyone interested in a spring reporting internship? The deadline to apply is noon, Eastern, September 5. More info:
My latest on the ground from Syracuse U: “I get you don’t want to alarm people, but I’m a Latina, and when you play down a hate crime, THAT is alarming to me and my community.” chroni.cl/2Og5QOa
No wonky topic fills up my inbox more than Ph.D. placement data. Here’s a sampling of emails I received after my story about an effort to find every history Ph.D. recipient over a decade: chronicle.com/article/Colleg
Replying to
This is kinda starting to feel like we're living the final sequence of a Tarantino revenge flick
The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the staggering class divides that have always existed in higher education. My latest for :
Are you a student or early career journalist interested in reporting for the Chronicle? Know anyone who might be? Here’s our newly posted ad for our fall internship:
A barking riot erupted at the animal shelter in Bryan, Texas. It was pandemonium. The rambunctious dog I had planned to adopt seemed to be the ringleader, but every dog joined in. Except one.
Silent Sam activist Maya Little is before UNC's honor court for dousing the statue in red liquid and her own blood in April. She explained her protest to me in a brief interview just after her arrest:
When I wrote about UNC's "Silent Sam" in December, I thought the Confederate monument's days were numbered. Eight months later, it remains a focal point of unrest. Protesters showed up to today's UNC board meeting. Here's my story from December: chroni.cl/2LvOrRS