Bulldozing the 'Street'

The eating clubs ushered in their sign-ins and bickerees last week. The successful students partied with their new clubs, and the hosees were met with quiet visits of rejection. In other news, The Daily Princetonian reported on Tuesday that the University is thinking of putting the vaunted sixth residential college on the Dillon tennis courts. But don't worry, planners say, this will not in any way detract from the eating clubs. Meanwhile, the Frist Campus Center and the Trustees Initiative are in full swing, also somehow trying to provide alternatives to the eating clubs without threatening them in any way. And then students, administrators and faculty alike wonder why Princeton is unable to attract minorities or students from more disadvantaged backgrounds. Herein is a suggestion, merely a suggestion, of how to solve this problem.

One of the major reasons for social life and diversity problems is the eating clubs. That there are few, if any, viable alternatives to the Street is undeniable. Frist is certainly not one: its food prices are extortionary. But the problem lies deeper than that. Any time we even talk about finding 'alternatives' to the 'Street' or seek to 'supplement' social activities at Princeton, we have already admitted defeat. The very existence of the 'Street' is the major stumbling block in Princeton's search for diversity and a less mundane campus life. We need to get rid of the 'Street.'

Abolish the 'Street,' you say, that's impossible! The alumni would have a fit! Maybe so, maybe it is impossible, but think of the alternatives.

Let Princeton and its alumni have their eating clubs. Watch as Princeton continues to be a bastion of elitism but for all the wrong reasons. Elitism in admission to Princeton is good in the sense that we take the most talented — academically and otherwise — and interesting applicants. Elitism in admission to the clubs is bad. There is no foundation for it other than social standing, family connections, wealth or worse. Moreover, the sheer cost of clubs deters many poorer students or hurts them in their bank accounts. Sure, over 90% of sophomores bickered or signed into clubs, but is this really the best investment of nearly $6000 per person? Should people feel that the draw to a club is so irresistible and necessary to have a social life that they are willing to fork out that much money?

Yet so many people are doing just that, despite the presence of 'alternatives,' because they are herd animals. As long as a critical mass of people go to the 'Street,' any fence-sitters will too. Princeton students aren't immune from acting like lemmings. In order for the 'Street' to finally lose its chokehold on the student population, two things must happen. Somehow, the eating clubs must either be eliminated or whittled down so much that they become irrelevant artifacts of an age long gone. And forget about adding just a sixth residential college with a four-year component. Make the entire college system four years by building new upperclass-only residential colleges, which might conceivably take the place of the eating clubs. In order to join an upperclass residential college, a student would not be allowed to join an eating club. But he or she could pay a bit more for better food in a comfortable setting while cavorting with other upperclassmen.

These residential colleges could sponsor social events, and since they would be for juniors and seniors only, they could serve alcohol if so desired in a safer atmosphere. Upperclassmen could sign into the colleges like they do now with the sign-in eating clubs, allowing personalities to develop without being socially exclusive. And their generally large sizes would allow for social situations similar to the underclass residential colleges.

True, this would require a massive investment in planning and capital construction, but given the speed with which buildings have sprung up in recent years and the new financial aid system, the University has shown that it is not averse to constructing new buildings, or wisely investing money. This is only a suggestion now, but within a decade or so it may be too late. Justin Hastings is a Wilson School major from Bedford, Mass. He can be reached at justinh@princeton.edu.