Learning in: The institution engaging with students

One month ago, I published my first 'Prince' column about journalism at Princeton, in which I called for the establishment of a journalism certificate. In response, I received a myriad of emails, tweets, and Facebook shares from classmates, alumni, and family, most of which endorsed my opinion.

Two weeks later, I wrote an article about Princeton’s basketball program, in which I flagged perceived sexism in the tweets of the athletic department. Again, I immediately received positive comments and supportive Facebook shares, but this time, something was different. There was also an op-ed length comment from one of my classmates that opposed what I wrote.

These rapid responses to my first two articles demonstrate that the Princeton community and those beyond are alive with interest. I was amazed to see the reach of the ‘Prince’: people not only read what I wrote, but people cared enough about it to reach out to me, with both compliments and criticisms. Despite an increasingly digital world, people still read and interact with media.

My column calling for a journalism certificate prodded a response from Dr. Kathleen Crown, executive director of the Humanities Council, which offers journalism classes. The email came just two days after my article was published. “We are moving ahead with plans for the journalism certificate,” Crown's email said, “with support from the Dean of the College and the English department.” The news was stunning, gratifying, and humbling. The request had resonated. The University recognized and embraced change. They have drafted proposals and have thoughtfully invited student perspective. The administration should be praised for listening, being responsive, and empowering its students. I celebrate Princeton and its respect for the power of the pen.

The pen rapidly turned to sword when I received a response to my other column, which concerned sexism in athletic tweets. I received an email from Jerry Price, Senior Associate Director of Athletics, who asked to meet to talk about my sports article. He was brief. I was uneasy. I soon found myself in the Office of Communications, where Price frankly refuted my article. He told me that the University communications department was “180 degrees” from what I had labeled them as: sexist. He told me that in 2015, when the women’s basketball team went undefeated, Princeton’s tweets noted that the team “clinched,” “set records,” had had a “historic season,” and that the team was “perfect."

He showed me how the department is committed to gender equity across the University. The men’s and women’s teams chose their own Twitter handles, and their tweets come from coaches, Price explained. The voices I criticized were beyond community publications. Price also suggested that I should have contacted their office before publishing my article. He told me about his daughter, and his fight to guarantee her the same athletic opportunities his son enjoys — Jerry took his personal ethos and turned it into a professional occupation.

I was again humbled, but this time with humiliation. I learned a tremendous lesson of compassion in Price’s office that day. But Price didn’t have to respond so civilly. He could have ignored my article, rebutted it with a letter to the editor in the ‘Prince,’ or publicly rebuked my assertions in another Princeton publication. But instead of waging war, Jerry decided to help me learn.

And learn I did. I realized that the athletic department and their tweets are not “sexist.”, nor have they been in the past several years. In fact, they tweeted more about the women's team in 2015 than they did about the men's team this year. As Price said, “Equality isn’t a number of tweets, it’s generally coverage that respects performance.”

I do stand by some of my assertions, particularly that “‘routine’ sexism keeps us stuck in the mud by indicating that it’s OK to engage in this behavior” and that “we should strive to respect and represent all athletes as universally accomplished and human.” There is still room for improvement in the world of athletics (think of the United States women’s soccer team and Serena Williams). There is also room for improvement at Princeton, especially in terms of dynamics between men’s and women’s teams. But Jerry Price and the Office of Athletic Communications are with me on this push for equality, not against me.

People are invested and interested not only in this institution, but also in the individuals within it. With both of my first two articles, and with due respect to COO of Facebook Sheryl Sandberg, Princeton "learned in," supporting a journalism certificate and teaching me a lesson. By learning in, Princeton faculty not only “leaned in” and engaged with student commentary, but also helped students to learn through this constructive engagement. This institution both extols and criticizes students — a balance that helps us achieve our goals and challenges us to do better.

Today, I continue to learn as a journalist and planning is underway for the forthcoming journalism certificate.

In the future, a Princeton journalism certificate will be available. Edified by the learning that I've done in a mere two weeks, I am even more proud to say that a Princeton journalism certificate will be relevant and unique, as it will reflect the particular blend of traditions and values so deeply rooted in Princeton’s culture: scholarly grace, generous guidance, and the dedicated pursuit of excellence.

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By “learning in,” Princeton not only achieves its education mission through academia, but also in how it is stimulated by its own students, respectfully listening and responding to them.

Emily Erdos is a sophomore from Harvard, Mass. She can be reached at eerdos@princeton.edu.