Editorial misinformed readers on Labyrinth
Regarding 'Lost in the Labyrinth,' (Friday, Dec. 7, 2007):
About two months since Labyrinth Books opened for business on Nassau Street, we have encountered reactions of excitement about our store and, understandably, some concern. We make every effort to address these issues as they come to our attention. It is no service to the community on the part of The Daily Princetonian, however, to present misinformation about what we do, as did this "Lost in the Labyrinth" editorial.
The concern is that Labyrinth will be inflexible and inattentive to students who wish to browse by making them wait upstairs while we get all their course books from the basement.
Over the years, Labyrinth has developed a way of providing textbooks guided by the ambition to service students in the best way possible. Trips to the bookstore during the first week of classes should be easy and efficient and offer students real service from booksellers who can supply all necessary information. Princeton students will be able to go to our lower level. Our textbook counter is located there. Students can ask our booksellers for any or all the books that they would like to see, either by title, course number or professor's name. They will receive both the books they wish to browse and all relevant information about changes to the syllabi, late orders, out of stock titles and when to expect whatever books are not yet on hand. Students are of course free to take their books to any downstairs or upstairs seating area to decide which ones they would like. We are working on a textbook-ordering function on our website for same-day pickup.
Labyrinth convened a Student Advisory Committee during the planning phase of the store, which has just met again to solicit student feedback now that our store is open.
Cost of textbooks is a real issue, and we do everything we can to be competitive. Our main response to this dilemma is our student membership, which many Princeton students appear to appreciate. That membership is free and provides an immediate 10 percent off all non-textbook purchases in the store, including our entire inventory of deeply discounted books. Textbook purchases then get tracked on the card. After spending $300 on books for classes, the student discount gets upgraded to 20 percent off for the academic year.
The doors for serious and informed discussion about Labyrinth Books have been, are and will always remain wide open. Dorothea von Moltke and Clifford Simms Owners, Labyrinth Books
U. should follow suit with online resources
Regarding 'Yale offers free online courses' (Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007):
The University's dismissive attitude toward free online course materials is disheartening. It calls into question Nassau Hall's stated mission of being "in the nation's service and the service of all nations." Making Princeton course materials, including recording of lectures, available online "wouldn't benefit our students," as Associate Dean of the College Peter Quimby rightly pointed out. It would however, be an act of generosity and a service to interested students and teachers in this nation and in all nations. The University should not hide behind red herrings such as a supposed negative effect on students' willingness to participate in classroom discussions in the presence of video cameras. Instead, Nassau Hall should be generous with its most valuable resource, the amazing repository of knowledge it has assembled within FitzRandolph Gate.? Robert McGibbon '11
Nava '09's questionable acceptance
Regarding 'Nava '09 admits to fabricating assault, threat emails' (Friday, Dec. 14 2007):
I'm all for giving people second chances, but how is it that Nava '09 made it through Princeton's admissions process after demonstrating such a grave character flaw? Andy Brett '07
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Let’s acknowledge those who make “boutique teaching” possible, those who work tirelessly to make our rigorous curricula more accessible, and those who dedicate their time to advising and guiding us through all the challenges we face at this University. Lecturers should be eligible for the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Princeton’s administration of justice is Trumpian
Frances BroganThe disparity between the University’s approach to Giberson and its approach to pro-Palestinian protestors reflects a concerning trend of appeasing an increasingly emboldened right rather than resisting the threat it poses to academic freedom and the wellbeing of Princeton students.
Secular Opening Exercises? Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water
Frank StrasburgerThe secular makes no room for the spiritual. What Opening Exercises are meant to convey is the spirit of the institution so that it may be kept alive from generation to generation.
The secular makes no room for the spiritual. What Opening Exercises are meant to convey is the spirit of the institution so that it may be kept alive from generation to generation.
