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Opinion

A gray sign with white writing in front of a green hedge that reads, "step-free route to admission information center & university store"

Abolish Ivy Day

When a student is receiving up to eight high-stakes decisions in the same day, they may not be able to separate and process each decision. The University should strive to release decisions earlier to be fair to its applicants.

When a student is receiving up to eight high-stakes decisions in the same day, they may not be able to separate and process each decision. The University should strive to release decisions earlier to be fair to its applicants.

OPINION | March 25

orange and blue sign in an office-like space with the words "access" and "opportunity"

Continue funding access and opportunity

Reducing funding for EBCAO, especially alongside layoffs and program restructuring elsewhere, would disproportionately affect students — both Princeton and transfer — who already face systemic barriers.

Reducing funding for EBCAO, especially alongside layoffs and program restructuring elsewhere, would disproportionately affect students — both Princeton and transfer — who already face systemic barriers.

OPINION | March 24

Rows of tiered wooden seats with desks in front of tall windows.

Gender dynamics inform our intellectual experience, whether we know it or not

We must directly address and explore gender’s impact on the classroom rather than leave it to fester, visibly or invisibly, in an effort to deny its existence in the first place. 

We must directly address and explore gender’s impact on the classroom rather than leave it to fester, visibly or invisibly, in an effort to deny its existence in the first place. 

OPINION | March 24

Robertson Hall is the home of the School of Public and International Affairs

The N.J.-12 congressional race isn’t worth our precious time

A crowded race where any one voter’s preferred candidate is extremely unlikely to win isn’t the best outlet for our limited political energies; the attention on this primary doesn’t mean it deserves a monopoly over our political consciousness. Instead, we should focus on being effective constituents of the polities to which we belong: Princeton’s campus and our home districts. 

OPINION | March 22

Robertson 100

I was the Honor Committee chair. It’s time for proctors.

For years, the Committee has had conversations about introducing proctors into exam rooms, to serve as another potential witness and reporter — and the time has finally come to take this step.

For years, the Committee has had conversations about introducing proctors into exam rooms, to serve as another potential witness and reporter — and the time has finally come to take this step.

OPINION | March 20

A grey stone building with bike racks and doors and some green grass showing with a bright red tree standing in front

Don’t ban e-bikes

There is a path to keeping e-bikes while still ensuring pedestrian safety. A set of regulatory policies and enforcements can allow students to ride e-bikes while keeping pedestrians safe.

There is a path to keeping e-bikes while still ensuring pedestrian safety. A set of regulatory policies and enforcements can allow students to ride e-bikes while keeping pedestrians safe.

OPINION | March 18

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Over the shoulder angle of a student browsing the Princeton course offerings webpage.

Stop avoiding a liberal arts education

The motivation behind general education requirements should be to ensure that students gain foundational knowledge across a wide range of fields and methodologies rather than float through surface-level exploration for the purposes of fulfilling requirements. 

The motivation behind general education requirements should be to ensure that students gain foundational knowledge across a wide range of fields and methodologies rather than float through surface-level exploration for the purposes of fulfilling requirements. 

OPINION | March 17

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Princeton needs a campus pub now more than ever

Now that students aren’t being placed in eating clubs, there is a larger need for third spaces on campus, making the present as ripe a time as ever for Princeton to re-establish a bar in the basement of Chancellor Green.

Now that students aren’t being placed in eating clubs, there is a larger need for third spaces on campus, making the present as ripe a time as ever for Princeton to re-establish a bar in the basement of Chancellor Green.

OPINION | March 15

A modern, well-lit building on a rainy night in the dark, with one floor of the building's windows covered with bird-safe adornments.

Princeton, no more half-measures

Half-measures are never a satisfactory response to any issue, but they are especially dangerous for the University in our present times. The University must do better to live up to its responsibilities to its students and community. 

Half-measures are never a satisfactory response to any issue, but they are especially dangerous for the University in our present times. The University must do better to live up to its responsibilities to its students and community. 

OPINION | March 6

Empty classroom with rows of seats attached to the floor facing a small stage and screen.

Midterms shouldn’t be scarier than finals: cut back on exam content

Including students in the process of reevaluating midterms isn’t an invitation for students to complain about exams being too hard. Instead, it’s an opportunity for students to express whether the questions, length, and format of the exam allowed them to perform to the best of their abilities and prove what they have learned.

Including students in the process of reevaluating midterms isn’t an invitation for students to complain about exams being too hard. Instead, it’s an opportunity for students to express whether the questions, length, and format of the exam allowed them to perform to the best of their abilities and prove what they have learned.

OPINION | March 3

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Why does it take a blizzard for us to be whimsical?

It’s crucial to have fun that is spontaneous and surprising, fun that is not built into your schedule but derails it, fun that makes you forget, if only for a moment, that problem set, that essay, that quiz.

It’s crucial to have fun that is spontaneous and surprising, fun that is not built into your schedule but derails it, fun that makes you forget, if only for a moment, that problem set, that essay, that quiz.

OPINION | February 26

Brown stone building with many windows, ivy growing on it, and a tree with orange leaves in front.

Letter to the Editor: For America’s 250th, we’re opening the Faculty Room

We encourage students to take advantage of these unique opportunities, and others planned in Princeton and the surrounding region, to celebrate the founding of our nation and to learn more about the role that New Jersey, the town of Princeton, and the University played during those pivotal times.

We encourage students to take advantage of these unique opportunities, and others planned in Princeton and the surrounding region, to celebrate the founding of our nation and to learn more about the role that New Jersey, the town of Princeton, and the University played during those pivotal times.

OPINION | February 24

Witherspoon Street LG

Carpetbagging is flourishing in New Jersey. Should voters care?

New Jersey’s small size and population density ensure that its congressional districts are more geographically compact than those of most other states. Because of this, New Jersey’s federal candidates often enjoy name recognition across district lines. In turn, this makes it easier for them to switch districts. But it also makes it harder to stop voters from asking why the candidate has chosen to do so in the first place.

New Jersey’s small size and population density ensure that its congressional districts are more geographically compact than those of most other states. Because of this, New Jersey’s federal candidates often enjoy name recognition across district lines. In turn, this makes it easier for them to switch districts. But it also makes it harder to stop voters from asking why the candidate has chosen to do so in the first place.

OPINION | February 24

A birch tree in the foreground with a tall, square building visible through its branches in the back.

Princeton must take action to ensure what Epstein did at Harvard can’t happen here

Princeton’s guidelines for sponsored research impose no restrictions on funding sources besides requiring that its sources and purpose be disclosed, which fails to prevent the influence of donors like Epstein and thus to protect the integrity of its researchers. 

Princeton’s guidelines for sponsored research impose no restrictions on funding sources besides requiring that its sources and purpose be disclosed, which fails to prevent the influence of donors like Epstein and thus to protect the integrity of its researchers. 

OPINION | February 23

A clock tower on the left and an American flag on the right

For America’s 250th anniversary, open Nassau Hall

Even if technically open — however limitedly — Nassau Hall still suffers from a lack of openness. Students should not feel that they need a special reason to enter Nassau Hall.

Even if technically open — however limitedly — Nassau Hall still suffers from a lack of openness. Students should not feel that they need a special reason to enter Nassau Hall.

OPINION | February 19

Brick building with an arch behind trees with pink flowers.

When we lose a student, make classes optional

Grieving students are provided with the resources to seek support and encouraged to seek them out, but are given no time off or reprieve from their substantial workload to process their emotions. Encouraging students to seek support through CPS without thoughtful consideration for when and how they might do so shows a performative regard for wellbeing on campus.

Grieving students are provided with the resources to seek support and encouraged to seek them out, but are given no time off or reprieve from their substantial workload to process their emotions. Encouraging students to seek support through CPS without thoughtful consideration for when and how they might do so shows a performative regard for wellbeing on campus.

OPINION | February 16

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Boycott the U-Store

Before, those prices were charged to non-members and, however insufficiently, redistributed to us; now, we have become the subject of the extortion that once served us.

Before, those prices were charged to non-members and, however insufficiently, redistributed to us; now, we have become the subject of the extortion that once served us.

OPINION | February 16

a large lecture hall

Abolish the lecture

My preferred solution is for the University to abolish lectures, and for professors to instead publish their notes and hold more office hours. A more modest change from current practice also exists, however: Professors can tell students, at the start of the class, that notes will be published and lectures recorded, and that lecture attendance is not mandatory.

My preferred solution is for the University to abolish lectures, and for professors to instead publish their notes and hold more office hours. A more modest change from current practice also exists, however: Professors can tell students, at the start of the class, that notes will be published and lectures recorded, and that lecture attendance is not mandatory.

OPINION | February 12