Columns

As campus expands, we can’t leave the sense of community behind

With the campus expanding in size, cohesive spirit is fading. As Princeton increases class sizes and campus area, it runs the risk of weakening its liberal-arts-college-style community. While I agree that Princeton should increase class sizes and welcome more people into our undergraduate community, the acceleration of this process may leave school unity behind.  

With the campus expanding in size, cohesive spirit is fading. As Princeton increases class sizes and campus area, it runs the risk of weakening its liberal-arts-college-style community. While I agree that Princeton should increase class sizes and welcome more people into our undergraduate community, the acceleration of this process may leave school unity behind. 

NJ Gov. Murphy just signed a revolutionary campaign finance law. It’s bad news for Princeton students.

The new law is detrimental because it permits politicians to act without accountability. As we work towards becoming a more equitable nation, campaign finance regulation ensures that political power is more evenly distributed rather than held by a few who can afford to sway those in government.

The new law is detrimental because it permits politicians to act without accountability. As we work towards becoming a more equitable nation, campaign finance regulation ensures that political power is more evenly distributed rather than held by a few who can afford to sway those in government.

Room draw is unclear and its punishments too harsh

During room draw, Princeton must provide clearer resources and more frequent communication to demystify the process, and reconsider its overly unforgiving tactic of group punishment for late applications.

During room draw, Princeton must provide clearer resources and more frequent communication to demystify the process, and reconsider its overly unforgiving tactic of group punishment for late applications.

Let them eat crepes: stop abusing Pay with Points

“Financial aid resources should not force students to choose which aspects of the Princeton community they are able to participate in, especially when the programs are directed to specific ends. The Pay with Points program was not brought about in order to allow students facing financial difficulties to have more access to social life — all those involved clearly created the initiative in order to increase town engagement.”

“Financial aid resources should not force students to choose which aspects of the Princeton community they are able to participate in, especially when the programs are directed to specific ends. The Pay with Points program was not brought about in order to allow students facing financial difficulties to have more access to social life — all those involved clearly created the initiative in order to increase town engagement.”

Rejection is common at Princeton – and that’s a good thing

“At Princeton, we don’t only in the classroom, we also learn life skills — like how to deal with rejection ... While there are resources like precepts, office hours, and the McGraw Center available to help students overcome the academic learning curve, there are few resources that are available to guide students through the learning curve of handling rejections, the feeling of not meeting others’ expectations, and the feeling of letting oneself down.”

“At Princeton, we don’t only in the classroom, we also learn life skills — like how to deal with rejection ... While there are resources like precepts, office hours, and the McGraw Center available to help students overcome the academic learning curve, there are few resources that are available to guide students through the learning curve of handling rejections, the feeling of not meeting others’ expectations, and the feeling of letting oneself down.”

Athletic scholarships are not the solution. An activity stipend is.

“This stipend, separate from the aid students receive through Princeton financial aid, would recognize and compensate for the time and effort needed to support student involvement in their non-academic activities.”

“This stipend, separate from the aid students receive through Princeton financial aid, would recognize and compensate for the time and effort needed to support student involvement in their non-academic activities.”

Vote Masheke for Young Alumni Trustee

“The YAT should not only communicate the majority desires of the current student body to the Board, but fight for specific change that has yet to be addressed at Princeton. The role has more to offer than being a mouthpiece for the students who have already had the loudest voices on campus.”

“The YAT should not only communicate the majority desires of the current student body to the Board, but fight for specific change that has yet to be addressed at Princeton. The role has more to offer than being a mouthpiece for the students who have already had the loudest voices on campus.”

Class of ’27: choose scholarship, not dogmatism

“After all, ‘social justice activism’ can only be righteous if the causes championed and policies advanced are founded in moral and empirical truths about the human good. Faithfulness to truth and obedience to the habits of mind necessary for its discovery are the only things separating ideologues from people with a genuine yearning for human progress and development.”

“After all, “social justice activism” can only be righteous if the causes championed and policies advanced are founded in moral and empirical truths about the human good. Faithfulness to truth and obedience to the habits of mind necessary for its discovery are the only things separating ideologues from people with a genuine yearning for human progress and development.”

To alleviate student stress, Princeton must expand the pass/D/fail option

“To make students less stressed about their grades and GPAs, and to improve their standing in the post-graduate market, we can make the PDF option more useful by allowing students to PDF a course at any time throughout the semester.”

“To make students less stressed about their grades and GPAs, and to improve their standing in the post-graduate market, we can make the PDF option more useful by allowing students to PDF a course at any time throughout the semester.”

Class of ’27, it’s time to cause trouble

“Coming to Princeton, you’re stepping onto a moving train: There are urgent issues that demand student engagement on campus and there’s a responsibility for Princetonians to follow our informal motto and act ‘in the service of humanity’ in the broader world. Now is the perfect time to step off the hamster wheel and become an effective activist.”

“Coming to Princeton, you’re stepping onto a moving train: There are urgent issues that demand student engagement on campus and there’s a responsibility for Princetonians to follow our informal motto and act ‘in the service of humanity’ in the broader world. Now is the perfect time to step off the hamster wheel and become an effective activist.”

Princeton needs to up our composting effort

“Whereas Princeton’s processing facility emphasizes creating compost, the Trenton Biogas facility focuses on the production of methane from compost and then selling the compost as a side business. The University is therefore using compost operations to counterintuitively harm the planet by potentially contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.”

“Whereas Princeton’s processing facility emphasizes creating compost, the Trenton Biogas facility focuses on the production of methane from compost and then selling the compost as a side business. The University is therefore using compost operations to counterintuitively harm the planet by potentially contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.”

For climate, we need construction everywhere, all at once

The mindset we take on towards renewable infrastructure construction at Princeton will define the extent to which we are prepared for the wave of critical construction in the decades ahead.

Add/drop should be a time for exploration, not stress

“With the current nature of add/drop, it can feel like the semester starts on the wrong foot before it even begins.”

“With the current nature of add/drop, it can feel like the semester starts on the wrong foot before it even begins.”

What does it mean to be present three years after COVID-19 sent us home?

“The differences between before and “after” the pandemic appear to me in the interstices, or around the edges of an otherwise happy picture. We’re back, but we seem more tentative.”

“The differences between before and “after” the pandemic appear to me in the interstices, or around the edges of an otherwise happy picture. We’re back, but we seem more tentative.”

If Princeton wants us to isolate, it has to make it practical

“Now, as both a university and a country, we stand at a crossroads. COVID-19 restrictions continue to fall away as we ‘open up’ and ‘return to normal.’ Yet the events of the last three years are not erased by this return to normalcy.”

“Now, as both a university and a country, we stand at a crossroads. COVID-19 restrictions continue to fall away as we ‘open up’ and ‘return to normal.’ Yet the events of the last three years are not erased by this return to normalcy. Many of us, including myself, continue to feel the moral burden associated with getting COVID-19. This makes Princeton’s current COVID-19 policies difficult to navigate.”

Princeton must remain test optional

“Requiring the submission of standardized test results is not only harmful to FGLI applicants because it is more difficult for them to perform well on these exams, but also because the requirements deter them from applying in the first place.”

“Requiring the submission of standardized test results is not only harmful to FGLI applicants because it is more difficult for them to perform well on these exams, but also because the requirements deter them from applying in the first place.”

College admissions was fairer before COVID-19. Princeton should bring back the SAT.

“Yes, the SAT is skewed towards the privileged, but in deciding whether we should get rid of it, the question isn’t whether the test is skewed, but rather whether it is excessively skewed compared to other components of holistic admissions.”

“Yes, the SAT is skewed towards the privileged, but in deciding whether we should get rid of it, the question isn’t whether the test is skewed, but rather whether it is excessively skewed compared to other components of holistic admissions.”

We should avoid Zoom whenever we can

“But to suggest that most of our interactions, professional or personal, should shift to an asynchronous online format is misguided: it completely ignores the importance of structure and personal contact. Zoom is not the solution — it is a crutch — and one that ought to be avoided when possible.”

“But to suggest that most of our interactions, professional or personal, should shift to an asynchronous online format is misguided: it completely ignores the importance of structure and personal contact. Zoom is not the solution — it is a crutch — and one that ought to be avoided when possible.”

Zoom may be the future of flexible work

“Virtual platforms, in their ability to be used universally, liberate us from sitting in an office for eight hours a day and direct us toward a more holistic approach to life.”

“Virtual platforms, in their ability to be used universally, liberate us from sitting in an office for eight hours a day and direct us toward a more holistic approach to life.”

Try argument, not extortion

If Hoffman really wants to change the University, he’s likely to have much more success with argument rather than manipulation.

If Hoffman really wants to change the University, he’s likely to have much more success with argument rather than manipulation.