Tilghman presidency gets one-third student approval

If President Tilghman were up for reelection by the students, she would be on a run for her money. An equal number of students approve of Tilghman's presidency as disapprove, last week's Daily Princetonian poll showed.

But worse yet for Tilghman, 41 percent of the student body is undecided.

"I think I approve," Erica Lee '06 said hesitantly, echoing what appeared to be the viewpoint of most freshmen.

Lee tried to balance the positive points she knows about Tilghman with the unsubstantiated negatives.

"She seems to be a very liberal-minded president, and she seems to know what she wants in this University," such as expanding diversity, Lee said, agreeing with the concept.

But she said others have suggested that Tilghman urged Dean of Admission Fred Hargadon to retire and that Tilghman has been appointing only white women.

Grant Hewit '06 said he believes most students, including himself, don't know what Tilghman actually does.

At least one of her decisions has become well known.

"The only thing I disapprove of is the seven-week rule," Hewit said, referring to Tilghman's decision in the fall to prohibit organized athetic practice for seven weeks out of the year.

Hewit, who plays varsity lacrosse, said the rule is unfair for singling out athletics as less important than other activities.

The poll found 27 percent of students disapprove of Tilghman's presidency.

The remaining 33 percent, which includes freshman Sandy Gibson, approve.

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Gibson quickly pointed out what he saw as a negative. "Her appointments are kind of obviously sexist," he said.

But for reasons that he said he wouldn't be able to back up with evidence, Gibson said he approved of Tilghman's presidency.

When Gibson discussed the shortcomings of the campus's social life with Tilghman, she agreed with him, he said, that the campus lacks a place where students can socialize and drink at a reasonable pace.

The Street doesn't provide that, Gibson said. "You go and get drunk or your don't go at all," he said.

Gibson said he thinks Tilghman has put into motion plans that will benefit the University, but said that it is too early to judge her achievements.

"I think she understands that there's a lot about the school that needs to be changed," he said.

It will be some time before those changes are realized.

The poll also found that a majority of students who oppose the war approve of Tilghman's presidency, while less than a quarter of students who support the war felt the same way.

Conducted last Tuesday and Wednesday between 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., the poll asked 135 undergraduates by phone, "How is President Tilghman handling her job as president?" The choices were approve, disapprove, and undecided. At 95 percent confidence, the margin of error is 9 percentage points.