Letters to the Editor: April 23, 2009

Malkiel should sacrifice her salary for Lawnparties

Regarding “USG supports canceling fall Lawnparties concert” (Monday, April 20, 2009):

I think that it is admirable that the USG has decided to set an example for the rest of the student body by proposing to help alleviate the economic crisis that the school is facing by donating some of its budget for the upcoming school year. Although I think it is regrettable that this must come at the price of fall Lawnparties, I believe that it is possible that the USG and the student body could keep Lawnparties while still making this important statement by adopting my proposal.

My proposal would be simple and fair, and in the end it would produce a larger budget for fall Lawnparties than the USG has had in recent history. What I propose is that Dean of the College Nancy Malkiel should donate her own salary to the USG budget until another Ivy League school, or any school for that matter, adopts the grade deflation policies as she sagaciously predicted they would a few years ago. Not only would this proposal help to save Lawnparties; it also would allow Princeton to finally secure a top performer for the event with the extra revenue from Malkiel’s generous donation being an obvious incentive.

I think that in these harsh economic times this is a proposal that any recent alumni who are unemployed or underpaid because of their depressed GPA would wholeheartedly support. What makes my proposal even better is that it is one that keeps on giving back to the community. Not only would the entire student body be able to appreciate the concert next fall, but all the recent alumni who are jobless would have no problem returning to campus to enjoy the concert that Malkiel graciously funded herself. I think that the merits of my proposal make it clear that the USG should immediately issue a student-wide referendum on the issue. If all goes according to plan, I hope to be back on campus next September, unemployed and enjoying a beautiful Sunday on behalf of Dean Malkiel and grade deflation.

Tim Lanni ’09

Sports headline overlooks gender equality efforts

Regarding “Honestly, I’d rather see the women’s final” (Wednesday, April 8, 2009):

The last time that I checked, I go to Princeton University, a university which is consistently ranked among the top in the nation and world with progressive thinkers, outstanding researchers and some of the brightest young minds waiting to soak up knowledge. Yes, that is the Princeton that I know.

Then why, in spite of the so-called culture and understanding that these bright young minds have, do I pick up the April 8 issue of the Daily Princetonian, look at the Sports section and become shocked at the most blatantly sexist comment I have seen in a while: “Honestly, I’d rather see the women’s final,” a column by Eben Novy-Williams ’10. He was writing about the lack of competition in the NCAA men’s basketball championship, but unwittingly he took all of the hard work that women have done being pioneers here and threw it in the trash with a swish.

How has the management of the ‘Prince’ allowed such a title to be published? Some may think that this is an overreaction, but I cannot idly sit back and allow minor things to happen without giving those who probably didn’t even notice a chance to rectify the situation. I go to Princeton in a time when it has its first female president. I don’t go to Princeton in the 19th century, when it was only all-white and all-male, and I expect students writing for the publication that is the most read on campus to act accordingly.

Jared Aldwin Crooks ’11