Welcome back to The Ear, Spectator’s podcast dedicated to documenting, excavating, and investigating Columbia’s past and present. In this week’s episode, reporter Natalie Goldberg investigates affirmative action initiatives specific to rural students. When financial strain, inadequate infrastructure, and cultural expectations discourage rural students from attending higher education institutions, how do they overcome these barriers? Is affirmative action really the best course of action for alleviating rural education inequality? Columbia students from rural areas and a rural education researcher from Teachers College weigh in on the idea of rural affirmative action. 

~ Credits:

• Reported by Natalie Goldberg

• Produced by Joshua Siracusa

• Voice Actors: Sam Hyman and Joshua Siracusa

~ Music:

• "Frosty Jack's Supernova" - Doctor Turtle

• "Sandstone" - Ketsa

• "Tumbleweeds" - Ketsa

• "A Kind Face" - Crowander"

~ Sound effects provided via freesound.org.