Today’s Briefing: 

Earlier this month, an exclusively virtual Princeton Preview began, relegated to the online space in light of COVID-19 pandemic concerns. Students admitted to the Class of 2025 will be able to participate in the online events until early May. This year’s online Preview events have incorporated many opportunities for prospective students to interact with current students, faculty, organizations, and other admittees. Moreover, Orange Key Tour Guides have organized virtual live tours of the University for students to view the campus during springtime and the recently established Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity “has a full slate of events and opportunities designed to give prospective [first-generation, low-income] students a sense of the opportunities available to them, the strong FLI community that exists at Princeton, and the wide range of faculty, staff, and fellow students who are here to mentor, support, and empower them,” according to Khristina Gonzalez, associate dean of the college and director of the center.

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In addition to the Women*s Center and the LGBT Center, a new center for gender and sexuality will be open to students in the fall. This center aims to better meet the needs of students all while acknowledging the intersections of gender and sexuality. Dean for Diversity and Inclusion in the Office of Vice President for Campus Life, LaTanya Buck, notes that “this new center will allow us to be more inclusive and expansive in our programs, practices, and services to students from all identities along the spectrums of gender and sexuality.” While the specifics of new programming are still being finalized, additional information on this center will be coming in the upcoming months after staff members hear what students would like to see. 

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On Thursday, the student body presidents of all eight Ivy League institutions signed a joint resolution calling for fossil fuel divestment. More specifically, this resolution calls for universities to terminate investments in any of the top 200 fossil fuel companies by the size of reserves. Christian Potter ’22, current president of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), stated that he signed the resolution based on “overwhelming support from the student body of last winter’s divestment referendum and the pressing nature of the climate crisis.”

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Paulo Kretteis, a former member of the Class of 2022, was convicted in January for two counts of rape and making a threat to kill. Recently, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison with five years on extended license. In May of 2019, Kretteis was expelled from the University for rape following a Title IX investigation and in October and December of that same year. Giles Curtis-Raleigh, the judge who sentenced Kretteis, reportedly told him that his expulsion from Princeton University “was the clearest possible warning for your behavior society could give you apart from a criminal conviction.” 

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Ivy League Plans for Fall 2021

OPINION

• OPINION: Jim Matteo, Vice President for Finance and Treasurer of the University and member of the CPUC Resources Committee, discusses the committee’s current status in reviewing the fossil fuel divestment proposal. While recognizing the numerous members of the University community are eager for this proposal to move forward more quickly, especially given that yesterday was Earth Day, he urges readers to understand that this process is “designed to ensure that divestment and disassociation proposals receive a full, careful review, with input from stakeholders across the University.”                            
• OPINION: Guest Contributor Daniel Te argues that the senior student body should avoid nominating their USG officials as recipients of the W. Sanderson Detwiler 1903 prize, an accolade that recognizes those seniors who have made significant contributions to their class. In light of the disproportionate number of USG officials who have received such distinguished awards in years past, Te urges seniors to instead consider nominating those students who don’t inhabit prominent leadership positions but who nevertheless make meaningful impacts in the everyday lives of other students.“I think for once, we should recognize our everyday heroes for what they do, especially in a year where we have seen the power of people coming together in the face of adversity: the people who mentor us, commit to service, treat others compassionately, or lead by example virtuously,” writes Te.

• OPINION: While the University has made discussion about mental health a priority in recent communication to students, guest contributor Josiah Gouker '22 calls on the University to cancel next week’s classes and universally extend Dean’s Date. He argues that Princeton’s academic rigor makes it difficult for students to take the time to seek out mental health and counseling services—especially as the semester comes to an end. “There is a simple solution,” he states: “gives us a break.”

At Your Leisure

• Be sure to take a listen to the most recent episodes of Daybreak, The Daily Princetonian's News Podcast. Recent episodes feature discussions on police violence and positive developments in the fight against COVID-19
• Find Daybreak on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcast.