The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) will propose a resolution criticizing the University’s decision to effectively eliminate the independent meal plan option, senators announced at this week’s USG meeting.
The new dining plan policy, set to take effect next academic year, has drawn criticism both across the University and among alumni. At this weekend’s football game against Harvard, students and alumni expressed their support for the “Don’t Harvard our Princeton” campaign, started earlier this week by the Graduate Interclub Council.
The resolution will outline policy recommendations to address student concerns and work to preserve the Spelman Hall draw system for independent students.
Senators specifically debated how to represent student versus alumni perspectives during the meeting.
“A lot of the push right now is coming from alumni who have a lot of time on their hands,” one senator said. “It’s important that we stay connected to what current students are really feeling.”
USG President Enzo Kho ’25 also discussed a meeting regarding the Alumni Mental Health Coalition, formed earlier this year to increase awareness over campus suicides.
Kho announced that USG is working with the coalition, led by Tiffanie Cheng Wu ’24, to increase resources for mental health on campus, including a new survey designed to support international students.
The International Student Mental Health Survey, according to Kho, will connect directly with international students and gather qualitative insights regarding their experiences with Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS). USG intends to draft health recommendations for the administration, CPS, and local city-wide services, based on the results of the survey.
The survey is expected to launch soon, according to Kho, with an expected completion date of December and findings to be presented in January.
USG Senator Anuj Krishnan ’27 and Director of Student Leadership and Engagement Ian Deas proposed changes to student organization selectivity policies, a project initiated in 2023.
“Selectivity has been in the back of students’ minds for a long time … Some groups say they’re selective, some are not. What groups can be selective and what groups cannot? There’s been a lot of confusion,” Deas said.
Clubs currently have to confirm whether they operate with selective membership each semester. The results of a survey which spanned over 300 clubs and 600 responses showed that 25 percent of student organizations operated with selective membership in 2023, with common forms of selection being applications, interviews, and auditions, they said.
By 2024, only 20 percent of student organizations were selective following the requirement introduced last year for clubs to register as selective, Deas said.
Some of the new criteria for selectivity will include space limitations, funding limitations, travel limitations, talent-based activities, and safety and risk management, although the exact scope of the restrictions is unclear. Krishnan and Deas’ presentation also emphasized the importance of transparency and providing student leaders with tools to lead inclusively.
“Our goal is to have as many groups as possible, and be as open to students as possible. In a lot of ways, across all the criteria, the burden is really on the student leadership to convince, or make a compelling case, for what should be restrictive,” Deas added.
Additionally, elections for the next USG cycle are approaching. Chief Elections Manager Alex Sorgini ’26 announced the start of the winter election cycle, which is typically the “largest and busiest” election cycle. This election cycle will include executive positions, committee chairs, class senators, and referenda. Referendum proposals must be submitted by this Friday, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m., campaigning will start on Nov. 17, and voting will occur from Nov. 24 to 26 just before Thanksgiving break.
USG Meetings are open for all students to attend and are held on Sundays from 5–6 p.m. in Robertson Hall 016.
Nika Schindler is a News contributor for the ‘Prince.’ She is from Woodside, Calif. and can be reached at ns1295@princeton.edu.
Ambre Van de Velde is a News contributor for the ‘Prince.’ She is from Boston, Mass. She can be reached at av8447@princeton.edu.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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