Erasing the misconceptions

First off, I would like to thank the University and the Board of Trustees for doing what was right and necessary: creating the new club financial aid plan. From the start of my Princeton career, I was always told that I could do whatever I wanted at the University; money would not be an issue. After becoming involved in the eating clubs, I found that this was not entirely true. A whole social system and a huge piece of Princeton and its history were closed off to many students due to its financial cost.It may have taken a bit longer then we wanted, but I'm proud of the work done to create the new club financial aid plan. I truly believe that the right decision was made.

I see this change as "leveling" the playing field. A new onus is now placed on the clubs, their members, officers, graduate boards and alumni to prove many disbelievers and "haters" wrong. For years, perhaps since the clubs first opened, people have called them exclusive or even "prejudiced" and "racist." As Interclub Council (ICC) president, I realized that these misconceptions came from a few root problems.

The first problem was based primarily around the financial burden which the clubs can incur on students and their families. It is a known fact that socioeconomic status and race are highly correlated. Thus, many Princeton students of lower socioeconomic status, who are also minorities, never have had the opportunity to join clubs, despite, in many cases, wanting to do so. Many of these students rejected the club system simply because it was not a financially viable option for them. As a result, I believe that many of them internally, or in many cases, without reason, opposed the club system. Because of financial reasons, the club system unfortunately has a lower ratio of minorities within the clubs relative to the makeup of the whole campus. This creates the misconception by those on the outside that clubs are actively prejudiced or racist.

The clubs are currently in a unique and ideal situation to change these outside negative perceptions of them. Bicker will always make the eating clubs appear exclusive, which is not necessarily negative (elitist, however, is definitely negative), but with financial aid available to all students who qualify to join, this opens up membership to students of all races, including those who previously couldn't afford to join a club. Clubs should now stop trying only to defend themselves against accusations of being elitist, prejudiced and racist and instead work to modify any culture and perception that leads to these misconceptions.

The second problem that still exists is that many prospective students and outsiders see the clubs as the biggest unknown and possible negative at Princeton. (Ask anyone who has seen the results of a University survey of students who decided not to attend Princeton after receiving admission). Almost a year ago, members of the ICC put together an informational pamphlet regarding the eating clubs. This pamphlet was aimed toward prospective students and their families through the admission office. This pamphlet explains the clubs, their history and their role within the lives of students and the University as whole. It will not only educate prospective students before and during their attendance at Princeton, but also emphasize overlooked aspects of the eating clubs, such as their University and community service oriented activities. I urge the administration to make good on their promise to publish this pamphlet. It will greatly help to correct biased and uninformed perceptions of the clubs and the University as a whole.

The new club financial aid plan will help break down barriers of class and race within students' social lives on campus. It will also stem any similar problems that the four-year colleges would have created. Additionally, the split meal plans will hopefully integrate the two systems, making upperclassmen more cohesive and interactive, regardless of the meal plan they choose.

Much still needs to be done to improve the eating club system and the University, but this is the biggest step that has been made within recent history. I hope that the clubs take this gift and use it to create a positive impact on their membership and the student body as a whole. I also hope that this is only the first of many steps for creating a more cohesive and substantial interaction between the University and the clubs to further benefit Princeton students. Jamal Motlagh '06 is a former president of Quadrangle Club and the Interclub Council. He was a politics major and may be reached at Jamal.Motlagh@hotmail.com.