New Spelman Hall room draw process unveiled at USG meeting

At its Sunday meeting, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) revealed the University’s plan for a new Spelman Hall room draw system. The change comes after a referendum passed by the student body last November pushing against controversial University dining reforms that eliminated independent dining status.

Spelman Hall is unique among upperclass dorms due to the kitchen access in its apartment-style rooms, and has long been favored by students with independent status.

According to a copy of the plan obtained by The Daily Princetonian, rising juniors and seniors will participate in a separate draw for Spelman.

During the application process, students will be required to list the four members in their draw group and confirm that they will not be a member of an eating club or co-op, or have an unlimited meal plan for the upcoming year.

Only groups with at least two students not on a full meal plan — an eating club, co-op, or the University unlimited plan — will be able to enter the draw.

The original dining changes did not include a separate process for Spelman, an issue that was first brought to University Services by last term’s USG leaders Enzo Kho ’26, Aishwarya Swamidurai ’26, and Anuj Krishnan ’27.

Throughout November and December 2025, USG and the University continued conversation about how best to implement a new room draw system. During this dialogue, the University missed the Thanksgiving deadline it had previously set to determine a solution for the Spelman Hall room draw.

The new Spelman process will serve as a pilot program for other upperclass dorms. A University Services representative stated that they will “consider the addition of Dod, Scully, and Brown as prioritized dorms for room draw under the same criteria.”

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At the meeting, USG president Quentin Colón Roosevelt ’27 also addressed repeated late arrivals by USG senators and plans to enforce USG attendance more strictly.

“5 p.m. is when the meeting starts. 5 p.m. is not when you get here. So if you are more than five minutes late and you don’t tell us in the future, we are going to be marking you absent,” he told USG representatives.

Colón Roosevelt campaigned on a promise to open USG attendance reviews to the general public instead of entering closed session. Under the looser tardiness guidelines of the term’s first two meetings, there was only one marked absence despite multiple instances of late arrivals.

USG treasurer Marvel Jem Roth ’28 then reported on the state of the USG budget, including expenditures for the photographer at the First Day of Classes celebrations, the game truck during Dean’s Date, and the USG office snack stock — which is available to all students in Room 204 of Frist Campus Center.

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In the face of upcoming budget cuts announced by University President Christopher Eisgruber ’83, she emphasized the importance of maintaining robust communication with administrators and student groups.

USG’s Projects Board approved funding for a percussion concert, taekwondo tournament, and fasting event during Ramadan.

Campus & Community Affairs (CCA) Chair Anaya Willabus also unveiled upcoming events for students. She encouraged student performers to sign up by Feb. 22 to play at Porchfest, which will feature a new stage at the Princeton University Art Museum.

CCA will also provide 150 student vouchers each week, an increase from previous years, to undergraduates for access to the Princeton Farmers’ Market. The call for student artists, who will be able to work directly with vendors, at the May 2 Arts Bazaar will go out on Feb. 26.

Sustainability Chair Gianna Maltbie ’29 reported on the committee’s successful first meeting, and previewed upcoming events.

“We have our sustainability career panel with the Center for Career Development, where we have four people from our sustainability committee who are working on questions, leading a panel of people who are involved in sustainability,” said Maltbie.

She also announced the Sustainability Symposium on Apr. 8, an Earth Month tabling event in April, and possible educational programming surrounding local geothermal facilities and water infrastructure.

USG meets each Monday at 5 p.m. in Robertson Hall. The meetings are open to student comment.

Gray Collins is the assistant News editor for the ‘Prince’ leading university administration coverage. He is from outside of Philadelphia and can be reached at graycollins[at]princeton.edu.

Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.