Campus Files: Scandals, Secrets & Crimes at American Universities

83 episodes

Broad Daylight: The Transylvania Book Heist
06/17/2026 | 31 mins.
Transylvania University houses one of the most valuable rare book collections in the country. In 2004, four college students decided to steal them. In broad daylight.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
Weather Pledges | Corruption and Hazing at the University of Tennessee
06/10/2026 | 30 mins.
"It’s the middle of a September night at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and two young men light themselves on fire. Both are later rushed to the hospital. The resulting investigation uncovers alleged hazing, and possible public corruption within the justice system.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts"
Sworn In: The Hidden History of American Sororities
06/03/2026 | 27 mins.
Pick up any history of women in higher education and you'll find sororities in a footnote, maybe a paragraph. But that's not the whole story. The first sororities weren't social clubs - they were academic lifelines for women. So how did that get forgotten?

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
Frankly Fraud | “The $175 Million Scam”
05/27/2026 | 22 mins.
In 2022, famous young entrepreneur and founder of the student financial aid startup Frank was charged with fraud and conspiracy, facing up to a 100 years in prison. How did this wunderkind turn into an alleged con-artist, and how did America's largest bank get duped?

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts
Contamination on Campus: What Did NC State Know About Poe Hall?
05/20/2026 | 29 mins.
Poe Hall, an academic building on NC State’s campus, shut its doors abruptly. It later emerged that the building was contaminated with PCBs, a known carcinogen, and had been for decades. Faculty, staff, and former students say they raised alarms after developing cancer, only to be ignored.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

About Campus Files: Scandals, Secrets & Crimes at American Universities

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: 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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