Jackson '15 looks back on second year in office

Former Undergraduate Student Government president Shawon Jackson ’15 said the past year in USG was highlighted by the creation of the Ivy Policy Conference, Princeton Perspective Project and the Leadership Education and Diversity Summit, as well as the second Wintersession and the publishing of the Eating Club Report.

The Ivy Policy Conference, which took place on campus last March, attracted more than 80 student participants from all eight Ivy League universities to discuss issues surrounding diversity and equity, Jackson said. He noted that as an outcome of the conference, USG created an ad hoc committee on Diversity and Institutional Equity.

Soon after its creation, the committee hosted a town hall meeting to discuss gender-neutral housing. Later this month, the committee will also host a three-day all-expense-paid retreat off campus for approximately 50 students to discuss diversity and leadership.

According to Social Committee chair Logan Roth ’15, the committee significantly increased activities where alcohol was not involved while coordinating this year’s two Lawnparties.

“In the past few years the social committee has made sure to provide a lot of food for students, but this past spring was the first time we’ve provided activities like cornhole games and a graffiti wall for students to paint on,” Roth said. “The social committee plans to continue to add more activities and food for underclassmen and others who are not drinking or affiliated with a club.”

Former Academics chair James Baase ’15 described helping to end grade deflation as his committee’s most significant accomplishment. After gathering input from students, the committee met with various administrators as well as the Ad-Hoc committee on grading and assessment to relate accounts of the harmful effects of grade deflation. In late September, faculty voted to repeal the policy.

“I am very humbled to have had the opportunity to work on such an important issue and I know that future students will benefit from the change,” Baase said.

The Princeton Perspective Project debuted in November 2014 with the mission to change a perceived culture of effortless perfection on campus. Jackson said more than 150 students changed their Facebook profile pictures to promote the project, and the PPP campaign video received more than 2,000 views.

Jackson saidanother highlight for USG during the past year was Wintersession 2.0, which was led by U-councilor Katherine Clifton ’15 anddrew registration from more than 1,000 students for over 60 classes, although participation was hampered by inclement weather.

“[The event was a] meaningful campus opportunity for students who can’t go home during intercession,” he said.

Ella Cheng ’16, former chair of University StudentLife Committee and incoming USG president, described her major accomplishments during the past year as expanding the USLC committee, organizing a campus walk with administrators from Campus Safety and Housing to examine the need for more security devices and pushing for a referendum to solicit student input for new campus buildings.

“They were great ways to join the community together and help students in two ways,” Riley said.

Events throughout the year drove USG actions regarding sexual assault, diversity and mental health.

Jackson noted that after students anonymously raised concerns regarding the University’s lack of compliance with Title IX regulations, USG made a concerted effort in the beginning of the school year to address sexual misconduct policies. A committee of three students and the USG senate reviewed University policy and solicited student input through town halls, which led to a meeting between senate members, administrators and the Council of the Princeton University Community to explore potential changes.

After a controversial decision by a Ferguson grand jury not to indict Darren Wilson, a white police officer, in November for the killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man, that raised protests the same night, USG adopted a resolution to encourage faculty and administrators to make Princeton more accessible to all students, many of whom expressed concern about equity and diversity, Jackson said.

Students expressed qualms about mental health withdrawal policy, an issue thatreceived significant attention in 2014 due to an ongoing lawsuit against the University from a student who had attempted suicide and alleges his withdrawal from the University was not completely voluntary.

After multiple meetings with administrators following a favorable referendum, the University revised its set of Frequently Asked Questions on mental health withdrawal and designated the document as the authoritative policy,former U-council chair Zhan Okuda-Lim ’15 said. The University alsochanged the letters sent to students with instructions on how to reapply following a mental health withdrawal.

“One of the most significant challenges for me was to communicate to students so students can provide feedback, but we didn’t want students to be burdened with information,” Jackson said. “It was sometimes hard to strike a balance between useful information but not so it’s annoying.”

Okuda-Lim said student feedback was vital for USG to be effective in working with the University.

“The only way the USG can effectively advocate to the administrators and the Board of Trustees is if we know what the students want,” Okuda-Lim said. “We will do our very best to get student input but we want to meet the students halfway.”