USG discusses new P/D/F policy, Thanksgiving buses

The Undergraduate Student Government is discussing a complete reversal to the pass/D/fail policy in which students would be allowed to reverse a choice to take a class with a P/D/F option, academics committee chair Ramie Fathy ’16 said at the weekly senate meeting on Sunday.

He noted that the committee also included an alternative in which students could reverse a P/D/F option only if the course was used for a concentration or a certificate program.

“A lot of students have said that they didn’t have enough information about whether to P/D/F by the ninth week of classes,” Fathy said.

He added that students also said they wanted to use the P/D/F option for introductory language classes, which students must currently take for a grade.

USG president Ella Cheng ’16 noted that the USG could push for professors to publish midterm grades for higher-level classes, not just 100- or 200-level classes.

Cheng is a former staff writer for The Daily Princetonian.

U-councilor Brandon McGhee ’18 said that the Thanksgiving buses this year were a success, with tickets selling quickly due to high demand. He noted that USG implemented a wait-list and that there were 48 people on the second bus to Boston, which was close to capacity.

“We actually made a profit this year” Jacob Cannon ’17 said.

U-councilor Ethan Marcus ’18 noted that USG needs to emphasize that it provides the Thanksgiving bus service every year.

Cheng noted that the USG website distinguishes “projects” and “services,” where the services recur year after year.

“Thanksgiving buses is a ‘service,’ which means it happens every year,” she noted.

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Treasurer Hunter Dong ’17 noted that the USG could pursue a long-term contract with the bus company to reduce prices. The senate also discussed the possibility of gauging demand for buses for other breaks.

Paul Yang ’17 and Julie Chong ’17 of the Student Groups Recognition Committee described a number of newly approved student groups on campus. Among the newly approved groups were Alabaster Princeton, a religious group, the Cognitive Science Society, an interdisciplinary group for students interested in topics of the mind such as philosophy and neuroscience and the Wounded Tigers network, a support group for injured athletes.

U-council chair Naimah Hakim ’16 said that the word “wounded” in the group’s name might be a sensitive term.

“All measures should be taken to make this an inclusive group,” U-councilor Dallas Nan ’16 said.

Yang explained that the Wounded Tigers were seeking recognition from the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students “to make the group more broadly accessible,” rather than forming an informal group specifically for varsity athletes.

Cheng said that she was happy about how many projects were happening towards the end of her term, but noted that student group leaders should give her ample time to include information in her weekly emails to the student body.

Cheng also noted that she had been receiving many individual complaints from students about garbage pickup times and how the trucks were disrupting students in certain dorms.

When asked about when students might expect bathroom code changes, Cheng explained that University Student Life Chair Kathy Chow ’17 will be attending a meeting with housing facilities this coming week. The results of the bathroom code survey will be discussed at this meeting to determine the next course of action.

Marcus and Class of 2018 senator Paul Draper ’18 went over a possible update to the USG elections handbook governing referendum measures. One of the suggested changes is to require students to contact the Chief Elections Manager at least six weeks before an elections cycle, they said.

Vice president Aleksandra Czulak ’17 said that the senate will be voting on this clause in their next meeting.