August Phillips

Earlier this month, I started a new job as a News Associate with @CNN in New York. I'm now on the second week of my first rotation, where I'll be covering crime+justice, business and nat'l breaking news. Please get in touch - I can be reached here or at august.phillips@cnn.com !

Following demands from the Trump administration, Columbia’s trustees unilaterally altered the makeup and oversight of the board that adjudicates protest-related disciplinary cases—an apparent violation of Columbia’s statutes. My final story for @ColumbiaSpec:

So proud of the @ColumbiaSpec staff for winning Best All-Around Student Newspaper in the nation in the @spj_tweets annual Mark of Excellence Awards. Can’t express enough how deserving this group is of such an honor. spj.org/spj-announces-…

Barnard and Columbia issued interim suspensions to four student journalists who covered a Wednesday pro-Palestinian protest in Butler Library, according to emails obtained by Spectator. Columbia lifted its suspension, but the Barnard suspensions remain. columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/05/0…

BREAKING: Acting University President Claire Shipman, CC ’86, SIPA ’94, authorized the New York Police Department to enter Butler Library amid an ongoing protest in the Lawrence A. Wien Reading Room, she wrote in a public statement Wednesday evening. l8r.it/vVaH

Incredibly proud of the staff at @ColumbiaSpec for winning the 2024 Region 1 @spj_tweets Corbin Gwaltney Mark of Excellence Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper! This staff works harder than anyone and couldn't be more deserving of this recognition. spj.org/region-1-mark-…

A Louisiana immigration judge ruled Friday that the federal government’s deportation case against Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, SIPA ’24, can proceed. Khalil is a lawful permanent resident with no criminal record. l8r.it/au8O

As AI's influence grows, higher ed remains unsure of whether it should enter classrooms. I spoke to faculty leaders and AI experts at Columbia about the ongoing research and debates surrounding the controversial technology. My latest for @ColumbiaSpec: columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/03/3…

BREAKING: Katrina Armstrong stepped down from her post as interim University president effective immediately on Friday. Board of trustees co-chair Claire Shipman, CC ’86, SIPA ’94, has been appointed acting University president. l8r.it/wDVJ

Interim University President Katrina Armstrong affirmed on Tuesday her support for Columbia’s recently announced policy changes following reports that she “downplayed” controversial policy changes in closed-door faculty meetings over the weekend. l8r.it/GwwR

Latest: Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said Sunday that Columbia is “on the right track” to restore $400 million canceled by the Trump administration, but indicated "final negotiations" were needed before that's possible. columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/03/2…

Read my latest @ColumbiaSpec: Columbia will acquiesce to the Trump administration's demands in negotiations over $400 million in cancelled federal funding. with @JosephZuloaga, @emilypckk, and @augustphillips_ columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/03/2…

Columbia is hiring 36 “special officers” who can make arrests, reviewing its Middle Eastern studies department, and banning masks in some circumstances, among other steps to comply with the Trump administration’s recent demands. w/@spencerdaviis, @JosephZuloaga, @emilypckk

BREAKING for @ColumbiaSpec: Columbia will acquiesce to demands from President Donald Trump’s administration in an effort to restore $400 million in federal funding. ✍️w/ @spencerdaviis, @emilypckk, and @augustphillips_ columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/03/2…

Columbia will acquiesce to demands from President Donald Trump’s administration in an effort to restore $400 million in federal funding, according to a new list of actions published on the Office of the President’s website Friday. l8r.it/1zIq

Spectator obtained messages from a “Columbia Alumni for Israel” group chat in which members called for pro-Palestinian protesters’ expulsion and deportation, and circulated petitions, open letters, and social media posts targeting pro-Palestinian students. l8r.it/SfIG

BREAKING: New York Police Department officers with helmets and zipties entered Barnard’s campus at roughly 4:50 p.m. on Wednesday, nearly four hours after pro-Palestinian protesters began a sit-in at Milstein, and began detaining protesters. l8r.it/HYbT

The Spectator App is now live on the App Store! Download it on your iPhone or iPad today by visiting the link below. l8r.it/2CsI

Follow live updates from @ColumbiaSpec as students protest on and around campus on Oct. 7: columbiaspectator.com/news/2024/09/0…

BREAKING: Columbia will convene an advisory committee to consider the adoption of an institutional neutrality policy, interim University President Katrina Armstrong wrote in a Tuesday email to the Columbia community. l8r.it/iWiW