Regarding “Orange and blacked out” (Friday, April 10, 2009):
While I praise Marissa Lee’s article “Orange and blacked out” for bringing attention to the problem of dangerous pregaming on campus, I am disappointed with the under-representation of the eating clubs in the article. Additionally, I feel the context of my quotes in the article misrepresents the intent of the statements themselves. As president of the Interclub Council (ICC), I want the message to be clear that the ICC expects people to drink safely and responsibly. With the help of our close relationship with the Princeton Alcohol and Drug Alliance and Princeton Borough Council member Peggy Karcher, we have worked hard over the last eight years to deliver that message to the community of students and residents of Princeton. Although some of our efforts are explicit and visible to the student body (bouncer security, trained bartenders, alternative beverages offered), much of our work to encourage safer drinking environments is very much behind the scenes. All eating club officers undergo several hours of training with officials from McCosh Health Center, Outdoor Action, the dean’s office and Public Safety to learn CPR and first aid as well as what to do and how to handle situations when folks come to the eating clubs at night already intoxicated from drinking high-proof hard alcohol in their dorms. Also, just this past week, the ICC, working in tandem with SHARE, encouraged a great turnout from each club’s membership to attend an interactive program “Drunk Sex or Date Rape: Can You Tell the Difference,” so that the respective memberships could learn useful information about the impact of alcohol and what constitutes consent. The ICC echoes USG president Connor Diemand-Yauman ’10’s message in his call for a more responsible student body in their approaches to drinking. It is not the intent of the ICC to stop Princeton students from drinking at the clubs but rather to curb the trend of reckless hard-alcohol binge drinking in the dorm rooms. Frankly, we are lucky that there have been no alcohol related deaths on campus — the ICC wishes to keep it that way.
Aran Clair ’10
Cloister Inn and ICC President
Hibben-Magie’s magic should be jealously guarded
Regarding “U. may contract outside developer for grad housing,” (Friday, April 10) and “Despite cutbacks, University pledges to ‘stay green’ ” (Tuesday, April 13, 2009):
We are discouraged to read that the university is considering “cost effective” plans to postpone Hibben-Magie graduate housing renovations in favor of constructing new apartments on other parts of the same site, which is located next to Lake Carnegie and currently encircled by glorious stands of old and new trees. Woodpeckers, rabbits, deer, geese and non-invasive grad students clamor for still refuge on this disappearing corner of our campus. It is a modest wilderness. Yet in light of the University’s recently stated intent to honor its campus sustainability plan, even during times of significant budget constraint, we think that preservation of Hibben-Magie’s “Hidden-Magic” should be a jealously guarded goal.
David Hsu GS
Matthew Escarra GS
Kate Hope Kennedy GS
Anna Berman GS
Cutting shuttle routes, U. compromises green principles
Regarding “Despite cutbacks, University pledges to stay ‘green’ ” (Tuesday, April 13, 2009):
While some of the University’s sustainability goals may be unaffected by the current economic situation, not all are immune. Hasty changes to TigerTransit routes and schedules, which were announced on April 10 and implemented the following day, make clear that the University’s commitment to green ideals is far from absolute. These changes, which reduce shuttle frequency on the West, East, Express, Central, and On-Demand lines and discontinue service on the Saturday Shopper and the Saturday Campus Connection altogether, represent a giant step backwards for the University’s stated emissions goals. The elimination of Saturday shuttles, which enable both undergraduates and graduate students without cars to travel to campus and affordable shopping options, represents a particularly disturbing change of course for the University.
While we recognize that some cuts are inevitable, the Saturday shuttles are an integral part of a plan the Graduate Student Government has developed with the University over the past two years to create a transit system that encourages and enables students to minimize car use and ownership on campus. This trend towards reduced car use will be necessary both to meet Princeton’s pledge to return to 1990 carbon dioxide emissions levels by 2020 and to manage the decreasing availability of parking in University lots. The abrupt implementation of these changes, which were made without the consultation of the GSG, will force many graduate students — most of whom who live at the far reaches of campus if in University housing at all — to drive to campus, especially on weekends. Similarly, elimination of the Saturday Shopper shuttle will encourage more students to buy or bring cars to campus when they enroll in graduate school.
Choosing sustainability means not just embracing environmentally-friendly programs when the University’s coffers are overflowing, but sticking to those decisions in tough times as well. As such, we call upon the University to stay true to its stated principles even in these difficult times by reinstating one or both of the Saturday transit services.
Anne Twitty GS
GSG Press Secretary
Kevin Collins GS
GSG Parliamentary Secretary
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Princeton should call itself a sanctuary city
Wynne CongerIt would not be an exaggeration to say that Princeton already effectively functions as a “sanctuary city.” So why does the town continue to distance itself from the title and opt for the distinction of “welcoming city” in its stead?
Bezos ’86 silenced his opinion section. We’re committed to protecting ours.
Jerry Zhu and Frances BroganBezos is restricting the “personal liberties” he claims to care about. But we’re dedicated to protecting your personal liberties — to write and read Opinion pieces from a plethora of perspectives, about a variety of topics.
Bezos is restricting the “personal liberties” he claims to care about. But we’re dedicated to protecting your personal liberties — to write and read Opinion pieces from a plethora of perspectives, about a variety of topics.
Books are meant to be read
Ziyi Yan“In order to balance heavy academic and extracurricular commitments, students are taught to skim texts and read with the sole purpose of churning out scholarly content in a time-efficient manner. As a result, we lose the ability to be changed by the language and ideas that we encounter.”
“In order to balance heavy academic and extracurricular commitments, students are taught to skim texts and read with the sole purpose of churning out scholarly content in a time-efficient manner. As a result, we lose the ability to be changed by the language and ideas that we encounter.”
