University students overwhelmingly voted to support the USG resolution in favor of using race as a factor in admission decisions, the issue currently before the Supreme Court. Of the 2,125 students who voted, 1,383, or about 65 percent, voted in favor of the resolution.
Princeton's statement of support will be added to the Ivy Council's resolution backing affirmative action.
USG president Pettus Randall '04 said he was glad to see the high voter turnout for the referendum. About 45 percent of undergraduates voted.
"It really shows students are very passionate about this issue, and it does directly affect our lives on campus," Randall said. "I'm thrilled we were able to give this voice to the student body."
Josh Anderson '04, U-Council chair, initially proposed that the student body take part in a referendum to express the University's stance on affirmative action. Undergraduates had the chance to vote online from early Thursday morning until the end of Saturday night.
"I was glad to see, one way or another, a very clear statement from the student body," Anderson said. "The level of participation makes it very clear that this was a good idea the USG had. The student body actually did want to speak."
Owen Conroy '05, president of the College Democrats, praised the support for affirmative action.
"I think a lot of Princeton students are aware that there is a larger problem in America; there isn't quite the equality that should be there right now," Conroy said.
John Andrews '05, publisher of the conservative Princeton Tory magazine, said he was displeased with the referendum.
"The U-Council chair Josh Anderson has disenfranchised the more conservative students here in having the referendum where if you vote 'yes', the council supports affirmative action, and if you vote 'no', nothing happens," Andrews said. "In all fairness, there should be a vote where the U-Council should oppose affirmative action."
Anderson said that a "no" vote would, in fact, still affect USG action.
"A 'no' vote would dictate the policy direction of the USG," he said. "If there were a majority of 'no' votes, a very clear message would have been given to the Ivy Council: the Princeton student body doesn't support Bakke, and doesn't, in a loose sense, support affirmative action."
Randall said that in the future, the USG will consider political issues that affect the University.
"I think we're going to look at each issue very critically and on a case-by-case basis," he said. "We're not going to get into a habit of looking into political issues."
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