According to Greater Rochester Enterprise, there are 71,000 college students in the Greater Rochester Area, or just under 7% of the total metro area population. This is figure is competitive with much larger metro areas such as Boston, sitting at 7.3%, and higher than other major cities, such as Austin.
And while Rochester is not traditionally considered one of the many “college towns” of upstate New York, such as Ithaca or Hamilton, our colleges and universities very much drive the city. Colleges attract large corporations, create thousands of jobs, and (with the right incentives in place) encourage graduates to stay local.
With respect to higher education, Rochester punches well above its proverbial weight class.
Conversely, universities do not receive the media coverage they likely should. There are several excellent news outlets local to Rochester, and only some assign a reporter to the Education beat.
These two reasons form the silhouette of a sizable reporting gap in our local media. And with a wave of recent disruptions in the national higher education landscape from Washington, it is more important than ever to follow higher education institutions.
What is Quadline?
Quadline is a digital newsletter covering the higher education community of Rochester, New York. We produce two main products: a weekly newsletter delivering to you the top stories you need for your week; and original reporting from both myself and a team contributors.
Who writes for Quadline?
Quadline is presently a loose network of contributors. Contributing writers are currently students or alumni of RIT, UR, SUNY Geneseo, Nazareth University, as well as other colleges and universities. Supporting Quadline directly supports this network of early career journalists and their work.
Who am I?
I’m Jake. I’m the founder and Executive Editor of Quadline. I’m also the newsletters “host” of sorts. My mission is to bring you the highest quality information on the most relevant subjects to you, as soon as it is available.
I am also a graduate student at RIT studying Public Policy. My research interests include artificial intelligence, great power politics, and global order.
In addition to leading Quadline, I work for the Associated Press as a fact-checker. I also seasonally contract with AP Elections, covering U.S. elections. I previously worked for WXXI News, where I covered New York State and Education news.
Why support Quadline?
Quadline is among the few independent outlets in Rochester, New York. Higher Education as an industry, especially private institutions, are particularly captured . On private campuses, including RIT and UR, there is no guarantee for First Amendment freedom of the press.
Quadline and its contributors adhere to the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics and its four main tenets: Seek Truth and Report It, Minimize Harm, Act Independently, and Be Accountable and Transparent.
The best way to support Quadline is with a weekly donation pledge. We ask $1 to deliver you your news every week. The next best way is by reading. Either works for us.
I look forward to hear/read your writings and comments. 👍