The importance of student input

I want to thank the 130th Daily Princetonian Board for its final editorial on Jan. 19 in support of student input on decisions affecting student life at Princeton. The administration also believes student input is essential, which is why we attempt to regularly solicit and incorporate student input and feedback in the course of planning initiatives affecting students.

For the past year, most outreach efforts have focused on changes in the residential college system and the campus planning effort. Student input into the planning of the residential college system has taken many forms, including membership — four undergraduates and one graduate student — on the formal task forces in 2001 and 2004 that recommended the structure of the four-year colleges and specified the social and dining options available to students within them. Students have also been involved with extensive surveys and focus groups on individual issues, which included the more than 20 meetings held with students and community members to gather input during the development of the residential college system and the 13 town hall meetings Dean Malkiel and I convened this past fall. We invite students to participate in one or more of the eight information sessions devoted to the upcoming housing draws, which will be held in February and March. We also hope students will continue to visit the residential college website, www.princeton.edu/rc, whether it is to find answers to their questions or to provide additional feedback.

As part of the campus planning effort, the administration invited half of the student body to participate in a survey regarding student-focused retail options last winter — the other half received a different survey. The University is using the results to attract more appealing, retail options to campus. The campus planning team has since met with the class officers, the USG, the Graduate Student Government, the Undergraduate Life Committee and the CPUC. On Nov. 8, 2006, the community, including students, was invited to learn more about initial plans and to offer feedback on those initial ideas. About 875 people took the opportunity to look at the models and information presented and to ask questions of the planners staffing each section directly or to provide suggestions. This feedback has greatly influenced the campus planning effort, as is evident on the campus planning web site, www.campusplan.princeton.edu. This web site also provides an opportunity for additional feedback, which will go directly to the campus planning team. Future public meetings are also planned with students, faculty and staff, as well as local community members to discuss this initiative.

As reported in the 'Prince' on Nov. 15th, at the request of the USG in the spring of 2005, we reviewed student mail and package service and determined that both services should be centralized in the Frist Campus Center to improve service. This request from students is scheduled to take effect beginning next fall.

Responding to student interest in alternative social options on the Street, the administration has been working with a committee of interested students for nearly a year to determine how the former Campus Club will be used by students and how it should be renovated to meet students' needs. It is expected to reopen as a student social space in the fall of 2008.

While the sensitive nature of discussions regarding the future of book retailing on Nassau Street unfortunately precluded widespread input from faculty or students before negotiations were concluded, Labyrinth Books, which will open for business in November 2007, is in the process of establishing both a faculty and a student advisory committee to ensure it meets the needs of both students and faculty.

The administration is eager to hear from students about the wide range of topics that are of interest to them. We continue to urge all students to participate in the opportunities that are available for them to express their interests and concerns. Given the amount of energy we have invested in this outreach, I also ask any student who has ideas to contact me . Mark Burstein is the Executive Vice President of the University. He can be reached at burstein@princeton.edu.