The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Senate spent 15 minutes debating a resolution related to civil liberties and freedom of speech at its weekly meeting on Sunday.
The details of the resolution were unclear and were discussed during the meeting’s executive session, which was closed to the public and media. This expected statement comes amidst the arrests of several international students across the country reportedly linked to protest activity and pro-Palestine speech.
“The Senate reaffirmed its commitment to freedom of speech, due process, and dialogue across difference,” Daniel Shaw told The Daily Princetonian in an interview following the executive sessions.
Shaw said the text of the resolution will be released on the USG website in the coming days.
The publication of statements has been fraught for USG in the past. During the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” last spring, the Senate released a statement on free assembly that, due to an incorrect vote tally, did not include a resolution explicitly condemning the arrests of two graduate students in McCosh courtyard.
The remainder of the meeting was relatively short due to the executive session. The meeting began with the customary President’s Report from USG President Enzo Kho ’26. Kho shared that he and Vice President of USG, Aishwarya Swamidurai ’26, had met with President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 and Vice President for Campus Life Rochelle Calhoun in the last week.
Although meetings between Eisgruber and USG occur only once or twice a semester, Kho revealed little about the meeting, telling the Senate that he and Swamidurai received “lots of useful information … that will guide a lot of the work we can do in the next few weeks.”
Kho also said that he met with leadership of the Davis International Center to work towards a luncheon with international students in April as well as to discuss ways to reduce taxes for international students. Currently, low-income international students who receive scholarship aid exceeding tuition — for the 2024-25 academic year, this aid above $62,400 — pay 14 percent tax on non-tuition funds, which totals to around $4,000 per year for students on full aid. Despite Princeton’s no-loan policy, international students have previously reported having to take out loans to cover the tax bill.
Kho and Swamidurai then delivered the USG Quarter Report, noting that the full publication of the report will take place next week. In the report, Kho recognized the establishment of the Communications Committee, which was established to further help USG clarify its actions to the undergraduate student body.
Swamidurai also highlighted updates to the USG website and improvements to the USG newsletter. She did not name any specific changes, but emphasized that, with help from the Communications Committee, the “ethos for communication this semester is making sure that USG is as accessible as possible for students.”
Following the report, Social Committee representatives Reed Marthers ’27 and Misimi Sanni ’28 presented a budget proposal for an upcoming stargazing event, which passed with a unanimous vote.
Sastha Tripathi ’28, Chair of the Sustainability Committee, then proposed an increase in budget for a University-wide Earth Day Festival, which also passed in a unanimous vote.
Kho added that there would be at least $30,000 of credit left by the end of April, although plans on how to use this residual money have not yet been made.
USG Meetings are open for all students to attend and are held on Sundays from 5–6 p.m. in Robertson Hall 016.
Cynthia Torres is an assistant News editor and an Archives contributor. She is from New Bedford, Mass. and typically covers University administration.
Andrew Arthur is a staff News writer from London, England and typically covers USG, CPUC, Princeton’s institutional legacy and administrative matters.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the statement would address the arrests of several international students. In fact, it does not. The ‘Prince’ regrets this error.
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