Opinion

Why is everyone here ‘middle class’?

While there are certainly many ways to be middle-class, including both social and economic factors, it clearly doesn’t apply to those in the top five percent of America’s income earners, as half of this year’s Frosh Survey respondents whose families earn over $500k annually suggested.

While there are certainly many ways to be middle-class, including both social and economic factors, it clearly doesn't apply to those in the top 5% of America’s income earners, as half of this year's Frosh Survey respondents whose families earn over 500k annually suggested.

Recognize women’s athletic achievements with a bonfire too

“Celebrating only the football team sends the message that football is Princeton’s most important sport; that their successes, and only their successes, are worth the entire school’s attention, and that they take priority over both other men’s teams and all women’s teams.”

“Celebrating only the football team sends the message that football is Princeton’s most important sport; that their successes, and only their successes, are worth the entire school’s attention, and that they take priority over both other men’s teams and all women’s teams.”

Princeton should give a day off for Veterans Day

“A day off for Veterans Day is more than just a moment of rest; it is a collective acknowledgment of the immeasurable contributions and sacrifices of our veterans.”

"A day off for Veterans Day is more than just a moment of rest; it is a collective acknowledgment of the immeasurable contributions and sacrifices of our veterans."

Letter to the Editor: How we remember campus activism matters

“Ignoring these vital histories, and discussing the legacy of campus politics through the myopic lens of the present obsession with abstract debates over free speech exposes just how limited political imagination has become since past activism.”

"Focusing solely on free speech prevents us from truly reflecting on Princeton’s political and activist history."

Letter to the Editor: Setting the record straight on disturbing incidents at the recent pro-Palestine protest

“Princeton’s campus should serve as a safe haven for Jewish students, not an institution that turns a blind eye to antisemitic slurs and chants occurring right on its doorstep.”

"Princeton’s campus should serve as a safe haven for Jewish students, not an institution that turns a blind eye to antisemitic slurs and chants occurring right on its doorstep."

African American studies is meant for everyone

“Instead of conceiving of AAS as a department only for Black students to learn about their history, we should recognize that studying African American history and culture enables Princeton students to learn to engage with their own and others’ humanity.”

"Instead of conceiving of AAS as a department only for Black students to learn about their history, we should recognize that studying African American history and culture enables Princeton students to learn to engage with their own and others’ humanity."

Princeton’s luxury discourages public service

"By being conscious of the opulence that surrounds us, we can avoid internalizing a belief that our degrees and academic achievement make us more deserving of a high quality of life."

"By being conscious of the opulence that surrounds us, we can avoid internalizing a belief that our degrees and academic achievement make us more deserving of a high quality of life."

Reactions: Which professors should I follow?

Considering the correlation of professors’ fame with their teaching and their work, we asked our columnists which professors’ work students should follow.

Considering the correlation of professors’ fame with their teaching and their work, we asked our columnists which professors’ work students should follow.

Princeton has a construction problem. Now it’s affecting the student experience.

"Along with inefficient routes and longer walk times, the campus’ sheer size post-expansion is resulting in an increasingly disjointed community. The larger campus becomes, the more disconnected down-campus students are from their up-campus counterparts."

"Along with inefficient routes and longer walk times, the campus’ sheer size post-expansion is resulting in an increasingly disjointed community. The larger campus becomes, the more disconnected down-campus students are from their up-campus counterparts."

Princeton’s mail services should be more transparent

“The Princeton mail system is currently confusing, but it doesn’t need to be that way. Most of the issues with the system seem to be easy fixes, especially notifying students when they receive paper mail.”

"The Princeton mail system is currently confusing, but it doesn't need to be that way. Most of the issues with the system seem to be easy fixes, especially notifying students when they receive paper mail."

Since I aired my criticisms, my plans to contribute to the Princeton community have gone awry

“Eisgruber has denied events and donations that would be incredibly beneficial to Jewish as well as other Princeton students — and in doing so, has limited my own freedom of expression. These actions only hurt the Princeton community.”

“Eisgruber has denied events and donations that would be incredibly beneficial to Jewish as well as other Princeton students — and in doing so, has limited my own freedom of expression. These actions only hurt the Princeton community.”

Bicker is not beyond saving

The time has come for Bicker to evolve, and the appropriate adjustments have the potential to transform it into a positive force in Princeton’s social milieu. 

The time has come for Bicker to evolve, and the appropriate adjustments have the potential to transform it into a positive force in Princeton’s social milieu. 

Economic suffocation in the Orange Bubble

Princeton’s current endowment trumps the GDP of many countries, yet if its property continues to expand, the orange bubble may be fundamentally unable to sustain itself. Princeton University needs to accordingly reevaluate the degree to which it influences the surrounding municipality, decrease its accelerated construction, and fundamentally restructure its contributions to the local neighborhoods.

Princeton’s current endowment trumps the GDP of most countries, yet if its property continues to expand, the orange bubble may be fundamentally unable to sustain itself. Princeton University needs to accordingly reevaluate the degree to which it influences the surrounding municipality, decrease its accelerated construction, and fundamentally restructure its contributions to the surrounding infrastructure.

For more socioeconomic diversity at Princeton, going test-optional is the wrong place to start

"Removing the SAT and ACT requirement is not the answer to increase socioeconomic diversity at Princeton. Standardized testing scores are the one objective admissions metric that is least biased towards wealthy students and is most helpful in identifying students who did not have the opportunity to take advanced coursework, participate in expensive activities, or enhance their application through attendance at prestigious high schools."

An image of Nassau Hall, Princeton's administrative center.

Why mandated majors at Princeton don't work

“Concentrations are far from necessary for a comprehensive academic experience at the University. From personal experience, despite enjoying many department courses as a Politics major, the majority of my most formative academic experiences came from classes in multiple other departments: Sociology, African American Studies, Computer Science, Journalism, and more.”

“Concentrations are far from necessary for a comprehensive academic experience at the University. From personal experience, despite enjoying many department courses as a Politics major, the majority of my most formative academic experiences came from classes in multiple other departments: Sociology, African American Studies, Computer Science, Journalism, and more.”

Success is more than whether you become a famous name

“The entire purpose of a Princeton education is to broaden and deepen your understanding of the world.”

Princeton should display more local art on campus

“This art isn’t mere decoration. It’s part of a conversation that unfolds across space and time, people and places — whether we’re aware of it or not.”

Princeton’s mindless pursuit of academic rigor undermines student flourishing

“We must embrace a paradigm shift in how we think about rigor at Princeton: how can we eliminate all hard things that provide low value for students so that they can instead push themselves in areas — academic or extracurricular — that matter most?”

“We must embrace a paradigm shift in how we think about rigor at Princeton: how can we eliminate all hard things that provide low value for students so that they can instead push themselves in areas — academic or extracurricular — that matter most?”

Introduction to Gender and Sexuality Studies should be a mandatory class

“GSS 201 not only taught me a lot about how to interact with people from different backgrounds and communities, but it also taught me how to reflect on newfound knowledge at the end of a course, which I have since translated into all of my courses at Princeton.”

“GSS 201 not only taught me a lot about how to interact with people from different backgrounds and communities, but it also taught me how to reflect on newfound knowledge at the end of a course, which I have since translated into all of my courses at Princeton.”

Israel and international law: Correcting the record

Thanks to Hamas, many of Gaza’s innocent will perish. This is a tragedy of the highest possible order. But the blame rests with Hamas — both as a matter of common sense and as a matter of “international law.”

Thanks to Hamas, many of Gaza’s innocent will perish. This is a tragedy of the highest possible order. But the blame rests with Hamas — both as a matter of common sense and as a matter of “international law.”