USG discusses P/D/F reform, 'first Fridays'

Last night's USG meeting included discussions on topics ranging from the University's P/D/F policy to the price of birth control at McCosh Health Center to the creation of a smoothie stand in Dillon Gym.

Academics chair Sarah Breslow '08 called for the USG Senate to brainstorm about which academic issues are of greatest concern to students, saying that she was trying to "think outside the box."

Of the issues raised, senators considered revision of the P/D/F grading policy the most pressing issue. Breslow explained that research into the P/D/F policies at other Ivy League schools has indicated that "we are the least flexible of all of the Ivies." Breslow is also a photography editor for The Daily Princetonian.

She said the USG should work to eliminate the deadlines in rescinding a P/D/F. "If you could rescind a P/D/F, this would encourage you to work harder in a class that you are P/D/Fing if you think you can get an A," Breslow said.

The USG academics committee, she added, also plans to use student advisory committees to lobby the administrators on issues of student concern, such as the inconsistency of professors and preceptors in returning exams and comments.

Community and campus affairs (CCA) chair Cindy Hong '09 gave an update on recent efforts to improve town-gown relations.

The biggest CCA initiative is the creation of a "first Fridays" project, which would give students discounts at Princeton restaurants the first Friday of each month. Princeton community members would be invited to performances and events on campus in exchange. First Fridays were initially proposed in an April 11 editorial in the 'Prince.'

"We can encourage different groups to perform and have it open to the public as well," Hong said, "and in return students would be able to go off campus and get prix fixe dinners at really nice restaurants."

Undergraduate Life Committee (ULC) chair Lauren Barnett '08 also said that the ULC discussed issues of mental health and athletic medicine during its monthly meeting. Barnett is planning a meeting with McCosh administrators regarding the recent increase in birth control costs.

This week will also see the launch of a USG-sponsored temporary fruit and smoothie cafe at Dillon Gym, which will eventually develop into a permanent fixture.

Ivy Council delegate Sunshine Yin '08 gave a summary of the recent Ivy Council spring conference held at Brown, where delegates discussed, among other issues, academic advising.

The discussion, Yin said, generated some ideas for changes to policy in Princeton. "Some schools, like Brown, have faculty trained to be academic advisers," she said. "Here, you have some freshmen and sophomores who get paired with someone who has no idea about what the student is interested in."