Google

For the most part, University President Shirley Tilghman makes influential decisions relating to Princeton policies in or around her office at 1 Nassau Hall. But four times a year, she finds herself in Silicon Valley, making influential decisions of a different type.

Tilghman is one of many presidents of American universities who serve on a corporate board. Since her appointment in 2005, she has served on the Google board of directors and earns around $500,000 annually from her position at the company.

While little progress has been made in the Google digital books case, which was adjudicated by U.S. Circuit Court Judge Denny Chin ’75, Chin proposed a schedule for the trial against Google last week, setting the case to go to court next year.

Alumnus Eric Schmidt ’76 has stepped down as CEO of Google. Schmidt’s departure will be rewarded with $100 million in stocks and options, and he is expected to retain 9.1 percent of Google’s voting power.

At many office buildings, mid-afternoon lethargy is fought with trips from the cubicle to the coffee maker. At Google, Joshua Newman ’11 learned, the battle is waged with Nerf guns.

Google Apps has the potential to effect concrete improvements in the lives of Princeton students.