Princeton students are lucky enough to have some of the most prominent figures in government, business and other fields visit the campus to speak. As many will attest, attending the wealth of speaker events that the University offers is an important part of the Princeton experience. These events are often also well-attended by members of the community around the University who are interested in expanding their own knowledge.
There is no doubt that allowing local residents to attend University speaker events is a great way for the University to give back to our community. It is important to remember, however, that speaker events should be, first and foremost, for Princeton students and faculty.
Unfortunately, at some recent speaker events, including Steve Levitt's on Sept. 27 lecture, there were so many community members in attendance that students were not able to find seats. This is particularly problematic for students because local residents can often arrive much earlier for events than most students, given class schedules and other commitments. Due to these circumstances, even students who arrive well in advance of an event may find the best seats gone.
As a result, the University should institute policies which ensure that students who wish to attend speaker events do not find their seats taken by community members. For particularly popular events, only those with valid University ID should be allowed to enter the room early. Local residents should be welcome to attend most events, but they should only be granted entrance a short time before the speech begins (perhaps 15 minutes). This will give interested students ample opportunity to find seats.
Obviously, this policy would not apply to most events, since overcrowding is generally not a problem. As a rule, it makes sense to implement the students-first policy at any event where Public Safety officers are present for crowd control. Allowing students preferential access to popular events will ensure that prominent speakers reach their target audience. While we appreciate the enthusiasm and interest of community members, the University should not forget that its primary duty is to its body of students and faculty.
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