News

UPDATED: U. to explore settlement of mental health lawsuit

The University willexplore settlement discussions ona mental health-related lawsuit with theplaintiff, who is using the pseudonym W.P., as requested by the presiding judge. According to a text order signed by Tonianne Bongiovanni, a magistrate judge at the United States District Court of New Jersey, on Mar.

U. researchers collect world's oldest ice core

A team of four University researchers and one member of the U.S. Ice Drilling Program traveled to Alan Hills, Antarctica as part of an expedition drill for the oldest ice core.The team consisted of Assistant Professor of Geosciences John Higgins, Yuzhen Yan GS, research specialist Preston Kemeny ’15, postdoctoral researcher Sean Mackay and drill operator Mike Waszkiewicz of the U.S.

OPT visa extension to allow longer stay for international STEM students

Under a newDepartment of Homeland Securityrule, some international students at the University may be eligible to work and remain in the United States for a longer time post-graduation.With the new regulation that will go into effect May 10, international students who have a degree in designated science, technology, engineering and math related fields may pursue a F1 Optional Practical Training visa for up to 24 months, Assistant Director for International Students at the Davis International Center MladenkaTomasevic said.This extends the current 17-month STEM OPT visa limit.International students comprise around 12 percent of undergraduate student body and about 40 percent of the graduate student body.

David Lane speaks on solutions to global hunger

We will need to figure out how to feed 9-9.5 billion people more nutritious food with fewer inputs, less water and pesticides and in the face of climate change by 2050, U.

Second We Speak survey to measure student awareness, experiences of sexual misconduct at U.

The second We Speak survey on undergraduate and graduate students' knowledge and experiences of sexual misconduct and awareness of University policies, procedures and resources, was distributed to all students via email on Tuesday. The survey was put together last year and this year by a smaller working group that had some student involvement, Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity, University Title IX Coordinator, and Co-Chair of the Faculty-Student Committee on Sexual Misconduct Michele Minter said.

Whig-Clio debates merits of Latkes, Hamentaschens in annual debate

Ban on tackling to have little effect on U. football team

Ivy League football coaches' proposed ban on tackling during in-season practices will not markedly affect Princeton's football team, according to Director of Athletics Mollie Marcoux.According to an article from the New York Times earlier this month, the proposal will become standard policy in the Ivy League if it gains approval from all eight schools' athletic directors, university presidents and the policy committee dedicated to this issue.The University football team, as well as other teams in the League, have already been practicing this strategy of avoiding full-contact hitting, Marcoux noted.John Kolligian, director of university health services, deferred comment about the issue to University Media Relations Specialist Min Pullan.Pullan explained that the University's football team already has a policy in place that not allow tackling to the ground in practice.Marcoux said, “The League has been practicing this [strategy] for a while, and the level of play continues to increase… it’s making us more competitive because we want to keep players healthy and ready to play the game.”“This is not a far divergence from what we’ve already been doing, it would just formalize the policy in the actual season,” she added.When asked for a remark on the issue, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications Craig Sachson deferred comment to an interviewwith Bob Surace, University head coach of football, that aired on ivyleaguedigitalnetwork.com.“Our coaches do a great job, they’re committed to player safety.

David French discusses free speech on college campuses

Free speech introduces dissent and disagreement, and can introduce critical thinking on college campuses, David French, a staff writer at National Review, said in a lecture Tuesday.French began by describing college as a place where one could explore “dangerous or contentious ideas in the classroom.” He said that during his college experience at a highly conservative college, he did not see any chastisement or rebuke of diverging thoughts on controversial issues.He added that at the time, he viewed free speech as a mechanism for having difficult and infuriating conversations, and as something that improved and sharpened the mind.French explained that upon arriving at Harvard Law School, his perception of free speech changed.

U. professor emeritus Andrew Wiles wins Abel Prize

Andrew Wiles, professor of mathematics, emeritus has won the Abel Prize from the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters for his proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem.The Academy's website explains that, "The [Abel] prize recognizes contributions of extraordinary depth and influence to the mathematical sciences." Work considered for the prize may have resolved fundamental mathematical problems, created powerful new techniques, introduced unifying principles or opened up major new fields of research."The intent is to award prizes over the course of time in a broad range of fields within the mathematical sciences," it notes.Wiles is the third consecutive Abel Prize winner associated with the University.

Graduate School demographic report reflects minimal increases to racial diversity

In a recent demographic report published online, the percentage of black doctoral students in the University graduate student body for the 2015-2016 academic school year was 3 percent — the same number that was reported in 2010 and only one percent higher than the value reported in 1980.“The University recognizes it's not where it wants to be in this area,” Graduate School Associate Dean for Diversity Dale Trevino noted via email.“When we talk about the challenges of the pipeline, we are typically referring to the fact that there are not a large number of underrepresented minorities earning Ph.D.s nationally,” he explained.Even with the establishment of the Trustee Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity in January 2012 by former President Shirley Tilghman, as well as multiple comprehensive reviews of diversity across multiple campus populations that were publicly made available in April 2013, diversity among graduate students — especially black and Hispanic Ph.D.

Robert George endorses Cruz '92

University’s McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence Robert George has publicly endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz ’92 for the Republican presidential nomination.George is also theChair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.George noted that Cruz’s strong record of defending the Constitution was a major reason for his support of the Texan senator.George advised Cruz for one of his junior papers and for Cruz's senior thesis.“I believe that restoring a sound understanding of the Constitution and a national commitment to live by the Constitution as it is — not as we wish it would be — is the highest priority,” George said.

Princeton Sustainable Investment Initiative releases petition for divestment

The Princeton Sustainable Investment Initiative released apetitionto the University on Sunday proposing that the University divest from coal and, eventually, all fossil fuels. The group'sproposalfrom last year was rejected by University President Christopher Eisgruber ’83, the University Resources Committee and Princeton University Investment Company, which manages the University’s endowment. According to University Media Relations Specialist Min Pullan, the University handles petitions on divestment through the Council of Princeton University Community Resources Committee. Pullan declined to further comment on the petition, noting that it would be inappropriate to provide comments in advance of that process. Last year's petition received roughly 1,700 signatures from members of the campus community, according to PSII leader Leigh Anne Schriever ’16.

August Wolf '83, an Olympian running for U.S. Senate

When August Wolf ’83 decided to make a run for public office, his first task was deciding whether to run for the U.S.

Haywood '90 nominated to U.S. Court of Appeals for Third Circuit

U.S. President Barack Obama nominated Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Ross Haywood ’90 for a vacancy on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on Saturday. The White House Press Office deferred comment to a statement. According to the statement, Haywood is currently serving as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Pennsylvania, where she has served as Chief of the Appellate Division since 2010. “[Haywood] has shown unwavering integrity and an outstanding commitment to public service,” said Obama in the statement. Haywood graduated cum laude from the University with a degree in economics in 1990 and magna cum laude fromthe University of Michigan Law School in 1994, according to Pittsburgh's Action News. According to U.S.

U. to revise course evaluation system

The Council on Teaching and Learning is currently working to redesign its course evaluation system, according to Dean of the College Jill Dolan. The Council was first charged with the task in late 2015 and has designated it as a committee priority for the 2015-2016 academic year, according to its website.

U. will not discipline students for controversial political opinions, Eisgruber notes

With regard to his recent comment that the University will not penalize students for possibly holding an event commemorating Osama bin Laden, University President Christopher Eisgruber '83explained that the University is committed to the principles of free speech and will not discipline any members of the University for their political opinions. “We allow students, faculty and others the freedom to express their political opinions vigorously, even if those opinions are controversial or offensive to some,” he said In an interview withThe Indian Express last week, Eisgruber noted that in accordance with principles of free speech, the University will not discipline students even for potentially holding an event to commemorate Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden claimed responsibility for carrying out the terrorist attack of Sept.

Raja Krishnamoorthi '95 aims to join 115th Congress

Raja Krishnamoorthi ’95, who won the Democratic Party primary on Mar. 15, believeshe has a very good chance to serve in the the U.S.

Glaude, Taylor discuss race and democracy

“Black liberation” describes a world in which African-Americans can live in peace without the constant threat of social, economic and political woes, Assistant Professor in the Department of African American Studies Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor said in a discussion on Thursday. African American Studies Department Chair Eddie Glaude explained that throughout history, movements against racial inequality led by African-Americans in the U.S.

Newly elected Graduate Student Government plans to address housing, representation

Mircea Davidescu GS, a Ph.D.

Women's track finishes indoor season at ECAC championships

With the exception of senior Cecilia Barowski, who will be competing at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Alabama this weekend, women’s track and field concluded their indoor season with a fourth place title at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships in Boston last Sunday, earned by the all-freshman relay team of Alie Fordyce, Brighid Leach, Jackie Berardo and Anna Jurew.With a qualification time of 2:03.24 at the Princeton Invitational on Feb.