Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” anniversary, UArts in Philadelphia closing

Philadelphia’s University of the Arts students and faculty were shocked to learn their school was closed. The news came from a Philadelphia Inquirer story on Friday. The University later posted online that it has been in a “fragile financial state, with many years of declining enrollments, declining revenues and increasing expenses.” Doors are scheduled to close on June 7, giving the community just one-week notice. Joining us to learn more about what is behind the closure and the impact it’s having on the roughly 2000 students and faculty members is education reporter Kristen Graham. Plus, we hear from Natalie, a rising senior from the University of Arts, about how she learned about the university’s closure just hours after the institution sent her an email to apply for graduation.

Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A.: Released in 1984 but dominating 1985 as the best-selling album, it sparked misinterpretations as a patriotic anthem during the Reagan reelection campaign. The lyrics actually portray a disillusioned Vietnam veteran’s experience of feeling abandoned by his country. Springsteen’s nuanced approach challenges perceptions, revealing his discomfort with the commercial success that led to a loss of control. We talk with Steven Hyden, author of the book There Was Nothing You Could Do: Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In The U.S.A.” and the End of the Heartland.