Public Safety's lackadaisical response to Forbes fire alarm unacceptable
On Friday night, the fire alarm went off in the Forbes Addition and Annex at 1 a.m. An appalling 20 minutes went by before a Public Safety car pulled up and another full 10 minutes passed before the alarm was shut off. According to those who called Public Safety from a blue phone after a considerable wait, the alarm apparently "hadn't shown up on their monitors."
Even without referring to the heightened concern from the recent fire tragedy at Seton Hall, I believe this response is entirely unacceptable. Sure, it is funny to crack jokes about the way the proctors sauntered onto the scene as though they had just left the Wa parking lot, but in the case of a fire alarm, it is necessary to keep in mind the unthinkable: What if it had been a real fire emergency? I'm sure the proctors were especially embarrassed to see my hallmate's visiting mother impatiently watching them mill about, but that shouldn't matter. More than 200 students live in the section of the building whose alarm "didn't show up on the monitor." I publicly challenge any authority figure on this campus to satisfactorily explain this disturbing incident.
'Prince' lacks journalistic integrity by vilifying arrested students
The Daily Princetonian's front page article in the May 1 edition, which covered the arrests of two students for lewd behavior, demonstrated a flagrant lack of journalistic integrity. It is an unethical practice for the 'Prince' to offhandedly depict the students as perverts to the eyes of the campus.
As a roommate and good friend of one of the students involved, I am familiar with the incident and the investigation, and feel that the portrayal of the defendants in the article is inaccurate. The campus newspaper has no business printing charges involved in a still-ongoing and incomplete investigation.
Furthermore, it is appalling that the 'Prince' chose to print allegations that permanently smear the reputations of two fellow students without bothering to get their versions of the story. It is not enough to say, "The two students did not return repeated calls yesterday." My roommate did not return home to receive the messages until very late that night, too late to return any calls. Allowing a one-day window for a response is not sufficient justification for printing the article without comment.
In addition, the 'Prince' is the lone source of information on this issue to the vast majority of its readers. Therefore, it has the power to sway opinions and perceptions, spreading rumors that are not, in fact, rooted in truth. The article served as an example of cheap-shot journalism. I realize that it is tempting for your staff to cover an easy scoop for a Monday edition when desperate to fill space, but the ramifications of such reporting are far more serious than the value of an attention-grabbing article in a second-rate publication. The 'Prince' clearly owes these two students an apology as well as a prominently printed retraction.
Potty-training should be a prerequisite for admission to Princeton
In light of Seth Wikas' opinion piece in the May 3 'Prince,' I'd like to suggest that our admission application forms add a new question: "Are you toilet trained?" Princeton admissions has so many deserving applicants that being qualified for nursery school should be a subset of our admission standards. It would also show that we care about the working conditions and quality of life of our employees who keep Princeton clean. Elizabeth Bogan Department of Economics
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