Race survey takes wrong approach
Regarding "Joseph's email to student body takes wrong tone (Monday, Feb. 21):
Recently, USG president Leslie-Bernard Joseph sent an email to the student body imploring all students to read the USG's survey on race and to "engage this campus in dialogue" on the subject. Joseph, as he writes in his 'Prince' article linked in the email, insists that, "Segregation is certainly gone, but there is a separate Princeton experience for black students."
There are numerous factors that shape anyone's experience at Princeton: what they study, what eating club they join, what activities they engage in, where they grew up, what their high school was like and so on. The race survey, already weakened by strong sample selection bias as those already with strong opinions were more likely to respond, makes incorrect and invalid statistical inferences by ignoring all these factors and suggesting any difference between racial groups must be due to skin color alone.
Yet Joseph, in his 'Prince' article, insists that, "Having darker skin on this campus means recognizing how much race matters." Maybe that's true, but to get away from the separate experiences that Joseph claims exists, we should strive to understand that the Princeton experience, like any life experience, comes from an innumerable set of individual decisions and characteristics, rather than let the USG make everyone believe that race somehow trumps all of those. So when Joseph asks us, "Do you care? Are you going to help implement programs to break down racial barriers?" I would ask the same to him, because, frankly, telling students that their skin color is what determines their Princeton experience just heightens racial barriers, rather than erases them. Jeremy Fazli '05
Student's actions hurt campus conservatives
Regarding "Administration pulls 'Love' posters" (Friday, Feb. 18):
As a recent alumnus who was active in conservative student activism at Princeton, I am disappointed to read about Mr. John Andrews' manipulation of University regulations to force the removal of the LGBT's "Love" posters. Mr. Andrews' action was wrong on two counts:
Firstly, there was no real doubt about the provenance of these posters. Even if understandably distasteful to Mr. Andrews, these posters represented the sincere political expression of Princeton students. If Princeton's conservatives stand for anything, they should stand for students' rights to express unpopular views. By transforming Rights Rules & Responsibilities into a speech code, Mr. Andrews has encouraged the petty administrative tyrannies that will inevitably be turned against conservatives in the future.
Secondly, Mr. Andrews should remember that conservatives have much to contribute to the debate at Princeton: different perspectives on foreign policy, affirmative action, education, the value of human life and a range of other urgent issues. He has done nothing to advance these causes by casting Princeton's conservatives as the party of political repression and sexual insecurity. Carlos Ramos-Mrosovsky '04
Lack of fast food options disappointing
Regarding "Salads to replace burgers on Nassau" (Thursday, Feb. 17):
It is truly a tragedy of unsurpassed proportions that there is no longer any real fast food within walking distance of campus. How am I supposed to survive four years of grade deflation without the occasional Whopper? Had I known about the dismal hamburger to student ratio, I would have never chosen to come to Princeton. My local community college has a McDonald's located in its cafeteria. Now that's what I call prestigious. Jessica De Leon '08
University calendar in need of reform
There is no such thing as a perfect academic calendar, but nearly everyone I know laughs at ours. This January I was at a Board of Directors meeting and another Board member asked me how I liked being on leave and I explained that I still had exams to give for the fall semester before my leave began. Several jokes were made about Princeton's needing a unique calendar and then everyone laughed.
Princeton is one of the last schools that does not finish the fall semester before the Christmas and New Year's break. Students complain about the long break between lectures and exams. Should they be studying over the holidays or spending time with family and friends? The schedule creates a lot of guilt and anxiety. It also complicates studying abroad. Many of our students who wish to study abroad have to make special arrangements to take their exams early — and professors are required to give them a different exam — or they try to take their Princeton exams overseas after their classes have started. Princeton claims to promote overseas study, but then makes it difficult to coordinate it. Our calendar is also very difficult for our international students who must come back for exams and then they have a week or more free at the end of January. It is very expensive to go home again. Several other problems come to mind. For example, I expect it is not optimal in scheduling athletic practices and games to be on a different schedule from nearly every other school.
I've asked many times why the calendar has not been modernized and have never received a convincing answer. Many students have complained about it to me over the years. But no student has any personal incentive to try and change the calendar because the calendar must be published at least four years ahead of time, which obviously means that no current student would ever reap the benefits of change. Thus working on the calendar is an act of altruism.
Isn't it time for a community wide discussion of the calendar? If the best of minds openly discuss the issues and decide that there are special reasons why the rest of the world is wrong, then at least I would understand why we have such a unique schedule. Elizabeth Bogan, Economics
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The CPUC must not gut its Judicial Committee
Bill HewittEnding the Judicial Committee’s jurisdiction over initial complaints would embolden abuses of power, allowing the administration to evade accountability for University rule violations without the pressure of student and faculty authority.
Ending the Judicial Committee’s jurisdiction over initial complaints would embolden abuses of power, allowing the administration to evade accountability for University rule violations without the pressure of student and faculty authority.
Princeton, let’s adopt a digital prox
Jorge ReyesTo prevent pointless replacement and lockout charges, maximize convenience, and create better access to meals and facilities, Princeton should follow the precedent set by some of its peers and adopt a digital prox system.
To prevent pointless replacement and lockout charges, maximize convenience, and create better access to meals and facilities, Princeton should follow the precedent set by some of its peers and adopt a digital prox system.
What is a Princeton degree really for?
Joel IbabaoSo what, in the end, is a Princeton degree really for? I take a more moderate view: Students should prioritize earning potential — unless they feel irresistibly called to something else.
So what, in the end, is a Princeton degree really for? I take a more moderate view: Students should prioritize earning potential — unless they feel irresistibly called to something else.