USG considers organizing bus transport program

The USG is considering a proposal to organize buses to nearby cities such as Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C., for students during breaks, USG president Michael Yaroshefsky ’12 explained at the USG Senate meeting held in Frist Campus Center on Sunday night. No final decisions were made on the proposition.

U-Councilor Merik Mulcahy ’13 also presented an update to the recent meeting of the Council of the Princeton University Community, including a progress report on the University’s five-year Aspire capital campaign, the development of the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment and renovations to campus buildings including Firestone Library and Jadwin Hall.

Mulcahy also included details of the University’s recent discussions on its proposed Arts and Transit Neighborhood, including a decision by the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Allen Committee not to offer degrees in Lewis Center departments as well as a proposed relocation of the Center to the corner of Alexander Road and University Place.

In his presentation, Mulcahy noted that the USG is increasing its focus on improved communication between the USG and other campus leaders.

“We are trying as student leaders to be more informed about the different initiatives around campus,” he said.

U-Councilor Carter Greenbaum ’12 also discussed updates from the Athletic Committee, including the continued growth of the Tiger Universe Points Program — a recently established program to reward frequent supporters at University athletic events — and a proposal to charter a bus to the University of Pennsylvania for 55 students on March 8 for the men’s basketball game.

Greenbaum also explained that attendance was low at the 2011 Ivy League Fencing Championships on Feb. 13, with only 30 students attending, despite the free admittance offered by the USG to the first 50 students who arrived at Jadwin Gymnasium to watch the competition.

Possible reasons for this low attendance were insufficient advertising and Jadwin’s considerable distance from the center of campus, Greenbaum noted.

“People are generally less familiar with fencing as a sport,” U-Councilor Sarah Cornfeld ’11 said.

The final presentation of the meeting, given by projects manager Charissa Shen ’14, introduced Project 2015, a website aimed at preparing incoming freshmen for student life at Princeton, and a program that would allow students to use Paw Points at Wawa.

“I am thrilled at the rate at which projects have been progressing,” Yaroshefsky said.