Jessica Neptune
@jessicaneptune.bsky.social
Bard Prison Initiative - Director of National Engagement & Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison.
Historian, focused mostly on prisons and the making of the carceral state.
Bardian forever paying it forward.
Chicago/New York
Historian, focused mostly on prisons and the making of the carceral state.
Bardian forever paying it forward.
Chicago/New York
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
May the current atmosphere of American politics and lack of integrity in mainstream oligarch-owned journalism encourage many more like Bruce Sagan to emerge.
#OpposetheOligarchy #SaveJournalism
#OpposetheOligarchy #SaveJournalism
Bruce Sagan was one of Chicago's greats — a true renaissance man.
He reshaped newsrooms, theaters, and city streets by bringing the city together and lifting local stories.
MK and I send our deepest condolences to his family. May his memory be a blessing.
He reshaped newsrooms, theaters, and city streets by bringing the city together and lifting local stories.
MK and I send our deepest condolences to his family. May his memory be a blessing.
Bruce Sagan, community news publisher and arts advocate, dies at 96
Bruce Sagan, the Chicago newspaperman who turned a failing neighborhood weekly into a platform for investigative reporting, built one of the largest community
chicagocrusader.com
September 28, 2025 at 11:50 PM
May the current atmosphere of American politics and lack of integrity in mainstream oligarch-owned journalism encourage many more like Bruce Sagan to emerge.
#OpposetheOligarchy #SaveJournalism
#OpposetheOligarchy #SaveJournalism
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
Bruce Sagan was a genuine, friendly and humble patron of Chicago journalism and arts for so many decades.
He backed a lot of the work that I and so many others have done at the Daily Southtown, the Sun-Times and Chicago Public Media chicago.suntimes.com/obituaries/2...
He backed a lot of the work that I and so many others have done at the Daily Southtown, the Sun-Times and Chicago Public Media chicago.suntimes.com/obituaries/2...
Bruce Sagan, arts patron and newspaper chain owner, dies at 96
Mr. Sagan sold his chain of newspapers in 1986, but held onto the Hyde Park Herald, his first love in the newspaper business.
chicago.suntimes.com
September 23, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Bruce Sagan was a genuine, friendly and humble patron of Chicago journalism and arts for so many decades.
He backed a lot of the work that I and so many others have done at the Daily Southtown, the Sun-Times and Chicago Public Media chicago.suntimes.com/obituaries/2...
He backed a lot of the work that I and so many others have done at the Daily Southtown, the Sun-Times and Chicago Public Media chicago.suntimes.com/obituaries/2...
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
Bruce Sagan was one of Chicago's greats — a true renaissance man.
He reshaped newsrooms, theaters, and city streets by bringing the city together and lifting local stories.
MK and I send our deepest condolences to his family. May his memory be a blessing.
He reshaped newsrooms, theaters, and city streets by bringing the city together and lifting local stories.
MK and I send our deepest condolences to his family. May his memory be a blessing.
Bruce Sagan, community news publisher and arts advocate, dies at 96
Bruce Sagan, the Chicago newspaperman who turned a failing neighborhood weekly into a platform for investigative reporting, built one of the largest community
chicagocrusader.com
September 27, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Bruce Sagan was one of Chicago's greats — a true renaissance man.
He reshaped newsrooms, theaters, and city streets by bringing the city together and lifting local stories.
MK and I send our deepest condolences to his family. May his memory be a blessing.
He reshaped newsrooms, theaters, and city streets by bringing the city together and lifting local stories.
MK and I send our deepest condolences to his family. May his memory be a blessing.
A lovely tribute to our beloved grandpa Bruce.
September 26, 2025 at 7:58 PM
A lovely tribute to our beloved grandpa Bruce.
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
Bruce Sagan, the longtime owner and publisher of the Hyde Park Herald and arts leader who served on the WFMT Radio Committee for more than two decades, has died at the age of 96.
to.wttw.com/4mA4QBn
to.wttw.com/4mA4QBn
Longtime Chicago Publisher, Arts Leader Bruce Sagan Dies at 96
The former journalist, who was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Joe Biden in 2024 for his contributions as an arts leader in Chicago, died at his home Sunday following a brief battle wi...
to.wttw.com
September 22, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Bruce Sagan, the longtime owner and publisher of the Hyde Park Herald and arts leader who served on the WFMT Radio Committee for more than two decades, has died at the age of 96.
to.wttw.com/4mA4QBn
to.wttw.com/4mA4QBn
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
Bruce Sagan, who died Sept. 21 at 96 following a battle with cancer, left a significant mark in the worlds of Chicago journalism, theater and dance.
trib.al/hbbYEfK
trib.al/hbbYEfK
Bruce Sagan, arts patron and newspaper chain owner, dies at 96
Mr. Sagan sold his chain of newspapers in 1986, but held onto the Hyde Park Herald, his first love in the newspaper business.
trib.al
September 24, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Bruce Sagan, who died Sept. 21 at 96 following a battle with cancer, left a significant mark in the worlds of Chicago journalism, theater and dance.
trib.al/hbbYEfK
trib.al/hbbYEfK
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
Bruce Sagan was a great supporter of journalism in Chicago — and one of the most positive and energetic people I’ve known.
He donated office space in his building for the Chicago News Coop in ‘09.
Last time I saw him was at a WBEZ event in ‘22.
May his memory be eternal
He donated office space in his building for the Chicago News Coop in ‘09.
Last time I saw him was at a WBEZ event in ‘22.
May his memory be eternal
September 21, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Bruce Sagan was a great supporter of journalism in Chicago — and one of the most positive and energetic people I’ve known.
He donated office space in his building for the Chicago News Coop in ‘09.
Last time I saw him was at a WBEZ event in ‘22.
May his memory be eternal
He donated office space in his building for the Chicago News Coop in ‘09.
Last time I saw him was at a WBEZ event in ‘22.
May his memory be eternal
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
Bruce Sagan purchased the Hyde Park Herald in 1953 and ran it until he handed it off to essentially merge with the non profit South Side Weekly in 2021.
What a run.
What a run.
Bruce Sagan was a great supporter of journalism in Chicago — and one of the most positive and energetic people I’ve known.
He donated office space in his building for the Chicago News Coop in ‘09.
Last time I saw him was at a WBEZ event in ‘22.
May his memory be eternal
He donated office space in his building for the Chicago News Coop in ‘09.
Last time I saw him was at a WBEZ event in ‘22.
May his memory be eternal
September 21, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Bruce Sagan purchased the Hyde Park Herald in 1953 and ran it until he handed it off to essentially merge with the non profit South Side Weekly in 2021.
What a run.
What a run.
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
I was sad to hear of the passing of Bruce Sagan. He certainly did right by the Sun-Times.
www.everygoddamnday.com/2016/02/youl...
www.everygoddamnday.com/2016/02/youl...
"You'll be here forever"
The primary owner of the Sun-Times, Michael Ferro, has bought the Chicago Tribune. New head of the Sun-Times board, Bruce Sagan, talked to the staff today about what that means.
www.everygoddamnday.com
September 22, 2025 at 2:14 PM
I was sad to hear of the passing of Bruce Sagan. He certainly did right by the Sun-Times.
www.everygoddamnday.com/2016/02/youl...
www.everygoddamnday.com/2016/02/youl...
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
UChicago alumni: we are drafting a letter targeting a few of the more persuadable-seeming trustees urging them to change course on humanities funding. Please sign:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Explanation to follow ...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Explanation to follow ...
September 2, 2025 at 9:14 PM
UChicago alumni: we are drafting a letter targeting a few of the more persuadable-seeming trustees urging them to change course on humanities funding. Please sign:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Explanation to follow ...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Explanation to follow ...
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
Highlighting some of the genres specifically desired for this position.
Folks who write genre fiction take note!
“Desirable additional subspecialties include speculative fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, graphic narrative, experimental fiction, hybrid forms, and climate fiction.”
Folks who write genre fiction take note!
“Desirable additional subspecialties include speculative fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, graphic narrative, experimental fiction, hybrid forms, and climate fiction.”
A new tenure track fiction job at Oberlin, deadline of 9/15/2025. jobs.oberlin.edu/postings/16771
Assistant Professor of Creative Writing: Fiction
The Creative Writing at Oberlin College invites applications for a full-time tenure-track faculty position in the College of Arts and Sciences in Fiction. Desirable additional subspecialties include s...
jobs.oberlin.edu
September 2, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Highlighting some of the genres specifically desired for this position.
Folks who write genre fiction take note!
“Desirable additional subspecialties include speculative fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, graphic narrative, experimental fiction, hybrid forms, and climate fiction.”
Folks who write genre fiction take note!
“Desirable additional subspecialties include speculative fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, graphic narrative, experimental fiction, hybrid forms, and climate fiction.”
Shattering and beautifully written. Please read and share this ⤵️
Today, the New York Times published this exceptional opinion piece by Robert Lee Williams.
Incarcerated at Eastern NY Correctional Facility, Robert — in addition to his work as an essayist — is a full-time Bard student enrolled through BPI.
Incarcerated at Eastern NY Correctional Facility, Robert — in addition to his work as an essayist — is a full-time Bard student enrolled through BPI.
Opinion | In Prison, Trees Are a Symbol of Freedom (Gift Article)
These trees were the only living beings that I could touch without fear.
www.nytimes.com
September 2, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Shattering and beautifully written. Please read and share this ⤵️
We keep getting asked what the value of a liberal arts education is, but the liberal arts prepares us for any number of pivots we may encounter over our careers. More than ever, the danger of these trends towards aligning higher ed with current (temporary) labor market needs should be obvious.
I wrote last week about how the tech dream is ending for mid-career workers. This is a really good companion piece about how entry level tech jobs are vanishing, too, and the Silicon Valley gold rush is coming to a close: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/10/t...
August 11, 2025 at 9:21 PM
We keep getting asked what the value of a liberal arts education is, but the liberal arts prepares us for any number of pivots we may encounter over our careers. More than ever, the danger of these trends towards aligning higher ed with current (temporary) labor market needs should be obvious.
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
I don't have a good answer for what the alternative looks like, but asking 18 years to bet their future on highly specified training for jobs based on which they think will be in high demand 5-10 years from now turned out to be a very bad way to structure higher education
I wrote last week about how the tech dream is ending for mid-career workers. This is a really good companion piece about how entry level tech jobs are vanishing, too, and the Silicon Valley gold rush is coming to a close: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/10/t...
August 11, 2025 at 6:12 PM
I don't have a good answer for what the alternative looks like, but asking 18 years to bet their future on highly specified training for jobs based on which they think will be in high demand 5-10 years from now turned out to be a very bad way to structure higher education
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
In case anyone thought "STEM" was safe, eliminated programs include Software Engineering, Geography, Atmospheric Science.
It looks like academic PH at IN's public institutions is decimated
- slated for elimination: BSPH & DrPH programs at IU Bloomington
It looks like academic PH at IN's public institutions is decimated
- slated for elimination: BSPH & DrPH programs at IU Bloomington
So, here it is. Thanks to a new state law that was NEVER DEBATED, Indiana University has committed itself to abolishing majors in African-American/African Diaspora Studies: American Studies; Art History; French; Italian; Religious Studies etc. DOZENS of majors. www.ipm.org/news-section...
Indiana public colleges cut almost 20% of degrees
Public Indiana colleges and universities have eliminated 19 percent of their degree programs to meet requirements added to the state’s budget, according to the Commission for Higher Education.
www.ipm.org
June 30, 2025 at 11:29 PM
In case anyone thought "STEM" was safe, eliminated programs include Software Engineering, Geography, Atmospheric Science.
It looks like academic PH at IN's public institutions is decimated
- slated for elimination: BSPH & DrPH programs at IU Bloomington
It looks like academic PH at IN's public institutions is decimated
- slated for elimination: BSPH & DrPH programs at IU Bloomington
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
In addition to many other important programs, IU Bloomington is eliminating its Folklore and Ethnomusicology Department, one of the most storied and successful in the country.
So, here it is. Thanks to a new state law that was NEVER DEBATED, Indiana University has committed itself to abolishing majors in African-American/African Diaspora Studies: American Studies; Art History; French; Italian; Religious Studies etc. DOZENS of majors. www.ipm.org/news-section...
Indiana public colleges cut almost 20% of degrees
Public Indiana colleges and universities have eliminated 19 percent of their degree programs to meet requirements added to the state’s budget, according to the Commission for Higher Education.
www.ipm.org
June 30, 2025 at 9:46 PM
In addition to many other important programs, IU Bloomington is eliminating its Folklore and Ethnomusicology Department, one of the most storied and successful in the country.
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
Most incredible about this is that IU-Bloomington has long been the no. 1 university in the world for teaching Asian languages and cultures, with many programs found nowhere else.
They're slashing many of IU-B's most distinctive programs with zero thought or debate. They probably don't even know.
They're slashing many of IU-B's most distinctive programs with zero thought or debate. They probably don't even know.
Bloodbath in Indiana higher ed as public colleges and universities ordered to eliminate 20% of all degree programs, apparently based purely on student demand (=enrollments) and not any rational calculation of need or value.
www.ipm.org/news-section...
www.ipm.org/news-section...
Indiana public colleges cut almost 20% of degrees
Public Indiana colleges and universities have eliminated 19 percent of their degree programs to meet requirements added to the state’s budget, according to the Commission for Higher Education.
www.ipm.org
July 2, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Most incredible about this is that IU-Bloomington has long been the no. 1 university in the world for teaching Asian languages and cultures, with many programs found nowhere else.
They're slashing many of IU-B's most distinctive programs with zero thought or debate. They probably don't even know.
They're slashing many of IU-B's most distinctive programs with zero thought or debate. They probably don't even know.
This list is appalling. And, the wide range of majors being slashed reveal how initial attacks on /skepticism of the humanities were never going to stop at the humanities and were, in fact, the gateway to a wholesale destruction of American higher education writ large.
So, here it is. Thanks to a new state law that was NEVER DEBATED, Indiana University has committed itself to abolishing majors in African-American/African Diaspora Studies: American Studies; Art History; French; Italian; Religious Studies etc. DOZENS of majors. www.ipm.org/news-section...
Indiana public colleges cut almost 20% of degrees
Public Indiana colleges and universities have eliminated 19 percent of their degree programs to meet requirements added to the state’s budget, according to the Commission for Higher Education.
www.ipm.org
July 3, 2025 at 5:54 PM
This list is appalling. And, the wide range of majors being slashed reveal how initial attacks on /skepticism of the humanities were never going to stop at the humanities and were, in fact, the gateway to a wholesale destruction of American higher education writ large.
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
The for-profit prison company GEO Group has surged in value under President Trump.
But despite its soaring fortunes, the ICE contractor has continued to resist having to pay detainees more than $1 a day for cleaning facilities where the government has forced them to live.
(Published March)
But despite its soaring fortunes, the ICE contractor has continued to resist having to pay detainees more than $1 a day for cleaning facilities where the government has forced them to live.
(Published March)
An ICE Contractor Is Worth Billions. It’s Still Fighting to Pay Detainees as Little as $1 a Day to Work.
GEO Group, whose stock is valued at $4 billion, says that state minimum wage laws don’t apply to the cleaning services that it’s asked detained migrants to perform at facilities where they’re kept.
www.propublica.org
July 3, 2025 at 12:15 AM
The for-profit prison company GEO Group has surged in value under President Trump.
But despite its soaring fortunes, the ICE contractor has continued to resist having to pay detainees more than $1 a day for cleaning facilities where the government has forced them to live.
(Published March)
But despite its soaring fortunes, the ICE contractor has continued to resist having to pay detainees more than $1 a day for cleaning facilities where the government has forced them to live.
(Published March)
IL friends: Please join me in supporting the Back on the MAP campaign to end the 1987 ban on access to MAP grants for incarcerated students by signing this letter www.backonthemapil.org
HB2466 passed the house, let’s get in through the senate and to @jbpritzker.bsky.social!
#BackOnTheMAPIL
HB2466 passed the house, let’s get in through the senate and to @jbpritzker.bsky.social!
#BackOnTheMAPIL
Back on the MAP IL
www.backonthemapil.org
April 28, 2025 at 5:41 PM
IL friends: Please join me in supporting the Back on the MAP campaign to end the 1987 ban on access to MAP grants for incarcerated students by signing this letter www.backonthemapil.org
HB2466 passed the house, let’s get in through the senate and to @jbpritzker.bsky.social!
#BackOnTheMAPIL
HB2466 passed the house, let’s get in through the senate and to @jbpritzker.bsky.social!
#BackOnTheMAPIL
Reposted by Jessica Neptune
Cook County Jail Restrained People In Chairs 874 Times — And Never Reported It To The State. Good story @gracehauck.bsky.social blockclubchicago.org/2025/04/22/c...
Cook County Jail Restrained People In Chairs 874 Times — And Never Reported It To The State
The state requires jails to report when they use restraint chairs. For nearly 900 cases from 2019 to 2023, Cook County Jail never did.
blockclubchicago.org
April 22, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Cook County Jail Restrained People In Chairs 874 Times — And Never Reported It To The State. Good story @gracehauck.bsky.social blockclubchicago.org/2025/04/22/c...
Our friends from Augustana College testified about the value of college-in-prison and the need to end the ban on MAP grants for incarcerated students at the IL statehouse today! Thank you Rep Carol Ammons for sponsoring HB2466 and Rep Johnson for your support!
backonthemapIl.org #BackOnTheMAPIL
backonthemapIl.org #BackOnTheMAPIL
March 13, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Our friends from Augustana College testified about the value of college-in-prison and the need to end the ban on MAP grants for incarcerated students at the IL statehouse today! Thank you Rep Carol Ammons for sponsoring HB2466 and Rep Johnson for your support!
backonthemapIl.org #BackOnTheMAPIL
backonthemapIl.org #BackOnTheMAPIL
Illinois residents: here’s two simple things you can do right now to support college in prison in IL by helping end the ban on student aid (MAP grants):
1. Sign the letter at www.backonthemapil.org
2. By 4pm central time today: sign a witness slip: my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/...
#BackOnTheMAPIL
1. Sign the letter at www.backonthemapil.org
2. By 4pm central time today: sign a witness slip: my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/...
#BackOnTheMAPIL
March 12, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Illinois residents: here’s two simple things you can do right now to support college in prison in IL by helping end the ban on student aid (MAP grants):
1. Sign the letter at www.backonthemapil.org
2. By 4pm central time today: sign a witness slip: my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/...
#BackOnTheMAPIL
1. Sign the letter at www.backonthemapil.org
2. By 4pm central time today: sign a witness slip: my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/...
#BackOnTheMAPIL
Everything is on fire and broken but at least the sun is going down at 7pm, and later each day. I’ll take a small win. ☀️🪻
March 10, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Everything is on fire and broken but at least the sun is going down at 7pm, and later each day. I’ll take a small win. ☀️🪻