Last fall, Manav Lalwani '09, a devout Hindu, was shocked to find pamphlets criticizing Hinduism and other faiths in a University dining hall. While it was quickly established that the offensive material came from a source unaffiliated with the University, Lalwani said he was nonetheless concerned that people from outside the University had an inaccurate picture of his religion.
In spite of incidents like this involving outside groups, Lalwani and other students of minority religious faiths think the situation is far better within the University, which is "in the top tier" of schools in terms of religious diversity, according to Dean of Religious Life Alison Boden.
"Princeton has done a very good job [of accommodating the needs of minority-religion students] as years have gone by," Boden said.
Campus facilities have been arranged for members of minority religions that require private prayer or communal worship. The Center for Jewish Life (CJL) has a synagogue and prayer rooms for Jewish students.
Muslim Student Association (MSA) vice president Hanaa Rohman '09 wrote in an email that the University "provided a prayer room in Murray Dodge Hall that is always open for students seeking a peaceful place for prayer."
Ritual washing, or ablution, which is sometimes required of Muslims before prayer or the consumption of meals, has also been taken into account by the University. MSA member Joy Karugu '09 said in an email that there are "single-person bathroom[s] on both floors of Murray-Dodge where students can do the required ablutions."
Students also said University personnel often unofficially make allowances for religious considerations. "Professors are very understanding if we don't go to classes. I just say, 'Look, I can't come, it's a holiday,' " said Jordan Reimer '08, a member of Yavneh, a group of Orthodox Jews on campus.
Other religious laws regarding holy days are also accommodated. For example, there are times on Saturdays when people can enter selected dormitories without using their prox. This is because Orthodox Jews generally think that they should not use electric appliances during the Sabbath.
Yavneh religious life chairman Greg Burnham said that Princeton's calendar is very accommodating to students with unique religious needs. He pointed out that Princeton moved the beginning of classes for this year from Sept. 12 to Sept. 17, in part to allow those of Jewish faith to celebrate the Jewish New Year, which fell on Sept. 13–14 this year.
The University also attempts to accommodate the dietary restrictions of many religions groups. Muslim or Jewish students observing halal or kosher dietary restrictions have access to a variety of on-campus dining options.
Director of Dining Services Stu Orefice said in an email that "halal grills are located behind the regular grills in the residential dining halls." There is also kosher food available in the CJL.
In addition, Boden said, "students can have kosher food sent to the dining halls and have it reheated there."
But some students say that food preparation can still be improved for some religious minorities on campus. Lalwani, who is president of the Princeton Hindu Satsangam, said for vegetarian Hindus, it was of particular concern that "vegetarian burgers [are] cooked in the same part of the grill as the regular [beef] burgers."
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