Columns

Why USG fails (and how to fix it)

Why USG fails (and how to fix it)

Liam O'Connor

Despite this year's theatrical elections, I don't think the unfavorable popular perception of USG will change. It's still denigrated as the "government club" and viewed as nothing more than a social group that organizes Lawnparties. This image results from the insularity and poor communication of USG's members. In order for USG to become a relevant governing body to students, its elected officials must become independent leaders and take stands on controversial issues.

OPINION | 12/10/2017

Letter to the Editor: Institutional abuse by the Honor Committee

Anonymous

I took my midterm exam at 7:30 p.m. After finishing my exam, I signed the Honor Code, and wrote “see back” on the margins to orient the grader to the work on the back of one of my exam pages. In the following days, I received a terrifying call that I think this campus is all too familiar with. Of course, I was not informed of my status, but was forced to walk all the way to Nassau St. to the Honor Committee. This is the first reason I support the proposed reforms.

OPINION | 12/10/2017

Responsible reform: Comments from Honor Committee leadership

Guest Contributor

The Undergraduate Students Government Academics Committee Subcommittee on the Honor Constitution has sponsored four referenda on which students will vote from Dec. 12 to Dec. 14. We write, as the Chair and the Clerk of the Honor Committee, to express our opposition to these four referenda.

OPINION | 12/07/2017

The universal benefit of changes to the academic calendar

Lourdes Santiago

Changing the academic calendar would not only be conducive to the overall increase in academic productivity, it would also create an environment which is supportive of all student’s emotional well-being.

OPINION | 12/07/2017

Letter to the Editor: From USG presidential candidate Matt Miller

Guest Contributor

Hey, Princeton! My name’s Matt Miller ’19 and I’m running for Undergraduate Student Group president because I see a whole host of problems with easy fixes. I’m the only candidate that has been on USG this past year (I worked in communications), and while I was on USG, I saw some problems that I wanted to fix but couldn’t.

OPINION | 12/07/2017

Why Rachel Yee is my friend – and why she should be your next USG president

Guest Contributor

I first met Rachel Yee ’19 exactly one year and five days ago. I was getting late meal with a friend after a particularly unhappy meeting with a counselor at Counseling and Psychological Services. I have bipolar disorder and despite CPS’s best, if limited, efforts, I was depressed as all hell.

OPINION | 12/07/2017

A defense of Ryan Ozminkowski

Guest Contributor

Thank God for Ryan. He was a fellow track guy and Wilsonite, and he immediately went out of his way to connect with me, inviting me to a slew of movie nights, hangouts, meals, etc. It was largely through him that I met many of my closest friends in my new class. He was my roommate both this and last year, and has never been anything but kind, attentive, and enthusiastic, always willing to talk with and support me.

OPINION | 12/07/2017

Born USG election special: Vote Yee for USG president

Ryan Born

It can be hard to evaluate candidates. Luckily, all undergraduates have access to the USG Winter 2017 Candidate Biographies document online. I will be pulling from this document extensively in the following election special. I will discuss each candidate in turn, starting with my endorsement of Yee, a discussion of Ryan Ozminkowski ’19, and my second choice in Matthew Miller ’19.

OPINION | 12/06/2017

On the outskirts of reality

Sabrina Sequeira

Each day, we immerse ourselves in the same world. But this world presents itself differently to each one of us. In other words, my world is different from yours — as close as we are to our best friends and as well versed as we may be in the lives of our parents, we can never fathom someone else’s experience the same way that person can. Even if, theoretically, we were to spend our entire lives alongside another person, each of us engaging in the same experiences, these occurrences would still have different meanings, yield different emotions, conjure different reactions for each person.

OPINION | 12/06/2017

Undergraduates: The Republican graduate-tuition waiver tax affects us too

Ryan Born

We have an interest in agitating for the interests of our graduate students. They are our teachers, they are our future, they are our colleagues. We must fight against the reform of graduate student taxation.

OPINION | 12/05/2017

Lend your ears and your heart

Collapse_of_Unreinforced_Masonry_Buildings,_Iran_(Persia)_-_1990_Manjil_Roudbar_Earthquake.jpg

Lend your ears and your heart

Kaveh Badrei

An increasingly antagonistic political relationship stemming from the 1979 American hostage crisis has rendered American consciousness largely unresponsive and apparently uncaring towards the people of Iran.

OPINION | 12/05/2017

The case for cash

Jon Ort

A cashless economy would endanger our centuries-strong tradition of financial autonomy and accountability. Cashless platforms facilitate imprudent and impulsive spending, because we are less likely to care about the amount we spend than if we used cash.

OPINION | 12/05/2017

U. graduate students petition against taxation of tuition waivers

Guest Contributor

We, the undersigned graduate students of Princeton University, demand that President Eisgruber, Dean Cole Crittenden, and the University administration commit to actively and vocally opposing any legislation that imposes a tax on graduate student tuition waivers. In particular, we demand that the administration commit to opposing any bill that would tax tuition waivers even if such a bill would not impose a tax on university endowments.

OPINION | 12/03/2017

We just need a refrigerated truck

Allison Huang

Many of us came to Princeton shackled with golden handcuffs, and we haven’t shed them yet.

OPINION | 12/03/2017

Why a white, conservative male cares about improving the Wilson School’s approach to diversity and inclusion

Guest Contributor

Our country is in the midst of an examination of diversity and equality that, while not new, has taken on a new tenor and urgency over the last few years. The conversation has been particularly pronounced on campuses, including here in Princeton.

OPINION | 12/03/2017

Saturdays are for football (Correction: Saturdays are for studying)

Maddie Wu

Regardless of the record of the football team (it finished 5-5 this year), I believe you should still go to the games. Being back in Michigan reminded me of the tailgate culture and the beauty of Saturday gamedays. Let’s bring this to Princeton.

OPINION | 12/03/2017

The murky side of paradise

Hayley Siegel

The question of whether or not Princeton can be morally justified in having an offshore account hinges on how willing we are to give primacy to the claims of the “goods” provided by the endowment over an evaluation of the endowment’s necessity and efficacy in producing such benefits.

OPINION | 11/30/2017

Giving more than a face to struggle

Sabrina Sequeira

The visual depiction of human suffering in charity commercials is necessary for provoking an emotional response from viewers that could yield donations for the organization in question. However, visual advertisements risk objectifying those that are struggling. Commercials should extend beyond the stationary photo. Videos could more appropriately narrate the character of the people they depict.

OPINION | 11/30/2017

Overcoming rejection

Leora Eisenberg

It’s normal to feel hurt by rejection, and accepting and learning from it is far easier said than done.

OPINION | 11/29/2017

Don't kill due process

Liam O'Connor

The University community was appalled when it heard that a Title IX panel found electrical engineering Professor Sergio Verdú “responsible for sexual harassment” of his graduate student Yeohee Im. The community was even more appalled that he allegedly received only an 8-hour training course for punishment, according to Im. University spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss told the "Prince" that, "penalties were imposed in addition to the required counselling" and Vice President Daniel Day said that he could not disclose the other penalties.

OPINION | 11/27/2017

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