Regarding “Where’s the orange and the black?” (Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010):
I take issue with the author’s dismal generalization that Princeton neither has school spirit nor supports its football team. While University policies aimed to curb underage alcohol consumption have certainly crippled the tailgate atmosphere (which was, admittedly, the focus of the article), only the blind or ignorant could include the quote “Nobody goes to the games. You’ll be alone in there,” without immediately commenting on its fallacy. Student attendance at the home opener against Lafayette topped 1,000, or nearly 1 in 5 undergrads. A new student group called Rawr has begun the practice of parading around campus in a horde before games, painting students and rallying the troops. For the first time in recent memory, Princeton had a lively, rowdy student section. For those three hours on Sept. 25, the 1,000 of us at the game went to — as Street’s “Top Ten” the same day put it — “a real college.”
While the biggest numbers are, of course, found at football games, Princeton’s support for her athletic teams is by no means limited to a single sport. Despite our small student body and the academic demands placed upon us, sports such as soccer, lacrosse and field hockey consistently enjoy student turnout favorable to what most of their rivals receive at larger, less rigorous schools. The men’s basketball team’s near-miss against Cornell last year sold out the 6,854-seat Jadwin Gymnasium, prompting head coach Sydney Johnson ’97 to publish an open letter thanking the student body for such tremendous support. At the men’s squash team’s match against Trinity two years ago, there was hardly room to breathe, yet the majority of the students in attendance likely couldn’t tell you the first thing about squash. They simply knew that a Princeton athletic team had a chance to do something special, and that’s something that always deserves our support. Anyone who doesn’t see school spirit must not be looking very hard.
So instead of writing columns about how we’re all too nerdy to appreciate our nation’s most popular sport, perhaps at Saturday’s home game against Colgate the author should show up, paint up and stand in the student section. Then she could write an article based on real experience, rather than second-hand information she overheard at a tailgate. We’ll save her a seat.
Tyler King ’12
Cyclab offers help to owners of rusty bikes
Regarding “Princeton: An anti-bike University” (Monday, Sept. 20, 2010):
We appreciate the outrage expressed in Kelsey Zimmerman’s column. We’d all like to see more covered bike parking on campus, and there’s certainly room for improvement in both the university’s and Princeton Borough’s efforts to accommodate cyclists. That said, it seems that Zimmerman isn’t aware of several resources available to the cycling community at Princeton. In the spirit of outreach, we’d like to remedy her omission.
At the Cyclab, Princeton’s bike co-op, we provide a do-it-yourself space where students and community members have access to the tools, work stands and supplies necessary to fix their own bikes. As volunteer mechanics, we help to teach visitors the ins and outs of bike repairs. Our goal is to empower cyclists by giving hands-on education and to promote the Princeton cycling community with cycling-related events and group rides. We’re open Sundays 1–5 p.m. and Wednesdays 5–9 p.m. at 130 University Place, in the parking lot next to Wawa. We will also be setting up shop at the Farmer’s Market on Thursdays. To Zimmerman and to all community members who’d like help learning about bike maintenance: Come visit!
The Cyclab is affiliated with Princeton’s U-Bikes program. U-Bikes promotes bicycle use on campus by providing affordable bike rentals to students. Importantly, the U-Bikes program also promotes sustainability by salvaging bikes abandoned by Princeton students. The bikes are rehabilitated by our staff and rented to students for only $15 per semester.
Anthony Cross GS, Bilesh Ladva ’11 and Emily Sullivan ’11
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An open letter to President Eisgruber and VP Calhoun concerning minoritized student safety
Patrick Jaojoco, Brandi Bushman, and Humza Gondal"We — the undersigned leaders, community members, and allies of cultural affinity groups of Princeton University — condemn in the strongest possible terms the University’s utter disregard for the safety and wellbeing of its students of color."
"We — the undersigned leaders, community members, and allies of cultural affinity groups of Princeton University — condemn in the strongest possible terms the University’s utter disregard for the safety and wellbeing of its students of color."
On the occupation of Clio Hall and the treatment of Graduate School staff
Cole M. Crittenden“There are real power differentials on this campus, and we all have an obligation to be mindful of them. The students, postdocs, and faculty who occupied Clio Hall seem to have abused their privileges in the ways they treated staff as an expression of protest. That is wrong.”
“There are real power differentials on this campus, and we all have an obligation to be mindful of them. The students, postdocs, and faculty who occupied Clio Hall seem to have abused their privileges in the ways they treated staff as an expression of protest. That is wrong.”
Regulations on ‘disruption’ restrict dialogue at Princeton. Let’s change the standard.
Rishi Khanna“When Princeton administrators suppress mere disruptions tied to progressive speech, they effectively suppress a substantial portion of the speech itself.”
“When Princeton administrators suppress mere disruptions tied to progressive speech, they effectively suppress a substantial portion of the speech itself.”
