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News & Notes: Harvard Loses $1.9 billion in endowment value

News & Notes: Harvard Loses $1.9 billion in endowment value

Charles Kyungchan Min

Harvard University announced that its endowment fund suffered a $1.9 billion loss for the 2016 fiscal year, according to a reportfrom Harvard Management Company, which oversees the university's financial assets.This represents the largest decline since the financial crisis in 2008. Endowment funds allow colleges and universities to operate financial aid, and over one-third of Harvard’s operating income was obtained through the endowment. Harvard Management Companydescribed the results as “disappointing” in the report. “This has been a challenging year for endowments and clearly these are disappointing results,” wrote Paul Finnegan, chair of the Harvard Management Co. board, in the report. The company has seen numerous changes in leadership in recent years.

NEWS | 09/22/2016

Princeton resident campaigns for Trump in front of FitzRandolph Gate

Jessica Li

For the past eight weeks, Princeton resident Eric Lee Newton has spent hundreds of hours sitting outside the FitzRandolph gate, next to a canoe rental shack on Alexander Road, and in front of his house to rally support for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

NEWS | 09/22/2016

U. announces new energy-based research projects

William Liu

The University has announced five new environmental and energy based research projects in joint release with the Princeton E-ffiliates Program and ExxonMobil.The Princeton E-ffiliates Partnership, founded in 2011, is an opportunity for corporate members to explore research possibilities engaging students and faculty to tackle energy and environmental issues through “technological advances and policy measures that can achieve these objectives cost-effectively.” The University and ExxonMobil announced the partnership last year and it is administered by the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment in collaboration with the Princeton Environmental Institute, the School of Architecture, and the Wilson School.Lynn Loo, director of the Andlinger Center, said that it is important to collaborate with practitioners outside academia to have an impact on energy and environmental challenges.“These challenges are complex and touch a variety of scientific, technological, economic, and social issues.

NEWS | 09/22/2016

Religion professor Pagels receives National Humanities Medal

Betty Liu

Elaine Pagels, professor of religion and bestselling author, was awarded the National Humanities Medal at Thursday noon by President Barack Obama.“I was very surprised,” Pagels said.

NEWS | 09/22/2016

Breaking: Four University Alumni Named MacArthur Fellows

Charles Kyungchan Min

Four University alumni were named 2016 MacArthur Fellows by the MacArthur Foundation. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins '06, Subhash Khot GS '03, José Quiñonez GS '98, and Julia Wolfe GS '12 were among the 23 individuals selected for this award. The fellowship awards each individual with a stipend of $625,000 over the course of five years, in which the fellows are allowed to pursue their creative activities and projects with no particular obligations or requirement Individuals are anonymous nominated through a pool of invited external nominators, who evaluate based on exceptional creativity, promise for future advances, and potential for the fellowship to facilitate subsequent work.

NEWS | 09/21/2016

News&Notes: PPPL and U. demonstrate physical technique with potential applicability

Claire Lee

A system that can compare physical objects while potentially protecting sensitive information about the objects themselves has been demonstrated experimentally at the U.S.

NEWS | 09/21/2016

Despite increased U. support for Latinx studies, decision on independent concentration not appealable

Jessica Li

When Arlene Gamio ’18 was told in the spring semester of their sophomore year that their application for an independent concentration in Latinx studies was not approved, they spearheaded a petition to challenge the decision. In the short week before Dean’s Date they launched the petition, and received more than 300 supporting signatures from University students.

NEWS | 09/21/2016

Panel discusses refugee resettlement, security

Charles Kyungchan Min

The issues surrounding refugee resettlement and Special Immigrant Visas require a delicate consideration of both the moral conundrum of admitting those seeking asylum and the security issues of admitting potential terrorists, said Jacob Shapiro, professor of politics and international affairs. Shapiro moderated the discussion panel, titled “Refugee Resettlement: Special Immigration Visas and National Security,” which included Michael Kelvington, a major in the U.S.

NEWS | 09/21/2016

News and Notes: Chris Christie allegedly knew about Bridge Lane Closings

Daily Princetonian Staff

New Jersey Governor and ex officioUniversity Trustee Chris Christie was allegedly aware that some of his top officials planned to shut down lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge and that the purpose of these closures was to penalize a local mayor who declined to support Christie, according to The New York Times. The opening arguments by lawyers began on Monday in a trial that arose from the closing of access lanes to the bridge in 2013, according to the same article. According to CNN, Christie, who has not been charged, has maintained that he was not aware of the closings until he learned about them in the media. "I would have no problem if called to testify," Christie said.

NEWS | 09/20/2016

Reich addresses moral dilemmas in service

Marcia Brown

Stanford University political science professor Robert Reich gave a lecture on the subject of various ethical dilemmas surrounding public service.Reich explored three basic questions that touch on such dilemmas and posed them to the audience, asking listeners to break up into small groups and discuss each posed scenario.His questions focused on the ethical and moral dilemmas rarely approached by service workers and the distinctions between charity and justice work.

NEWS | 09/20/2016

Q&A: LaTanya Buck, Dean for Diversity and Inclusion

Caroline Lippman

The Daily Princetonian sat down with LaTanya Buck, the University’s new Dean for Diversity and Inclusion within the Office of Campus Life, to discuss her thoughts on this new position on campus and goals for the upcoming year.

NEWS | 09/20/2016

U. committee to work on diversifing campus building names, iconography

Marcia Brown

The University has created the Campus Iconography Committee over the summer in order to diversify campus building names and spaces.

NEWS | 09/20/2016

University announces major building projects in 2026 Campus Plan

Charles Kyungchan Min

The University's 2026 Campus Plan, announced Monday night at a public meeting, includes major infrastructural decisions such as the expansion of the engineering school, the growth the Princeton Environmental Institute, and the construction of an additional residential areas on campus. School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and Environmental Institute According to the plan, the University expects to expand the SEAS to account for growth in various programs and larger overall enrollment within the school.

NEWS | 09/19/2016

University announces development of University-owned land beyond central campus

Charles Kyungchan Min

The University presented its 2026 Campus Plan to local officials and residents at a public meeting Monday night, announcing the committee’s decision to transform the land beyond the main campus that belongs to the University.

NEWS | 09/19/2016

News and Notes: U. hosts annual community and staff day

Daily Princetonian Staff

The University hosted its annual Community and Staff Day, including a Family Fun Fest, at Princeton Stadium on Saturday. The stadium concourse was filled with booths offering anything from crafts such as making tissue paper flowers to music, face painting, bounce houses, and games hosted by the University and several local nonprofits, according to the University’s website. University groups on the concourse included the University's employee resource groups, Cotsen Children's Library, the Baby Lab, Theatre Intime, the Office of Sustainability, and the Princeton Center for Complex Materials.

NEWS | 09/19/2016

Office of Human Resources issues recommendations for gender-neutral language

Marcia Brown

The University’s Office of Human Resources recentlyupdatedits recommendations for gender-inclusive language.

NEWS | 09/18/2016

Fire Safety Changes Fine Schedule, Hoverboard Policy

Charles Kyungchan Min

The University’s Fire Safety Committee approved a series of revisions to the dormitory fire safety schedule, effective Sept.

NEWS | 09/18/2016

Entrepreneurship certificate program announced

Claire Lee

The Keller Center and the Princeton Entrepreneurship Council announced a new Certificate Program in Entrepreneurship.

NEWS | 09/18/2016

Four residential colleges gain new leadership

Samvida Venkatesh

Five administrative positions in four of the residential colleges will have a staffing change, according to Senior Associate Dean of the CollegeClaire Fowler. Alexis Andres, the new dean of Whitman College, has moved from her previous role as the director of student life at Butler College. Rashidah Andrews, formerly thePrincipal Academic Advisor in the College of Liberal Artsat Temple University, will be the new Director of Studies at Forbes College. Jaclyn Schwalm, the new director of studies at Whitman, has served on the Council of Science and Technology, as a faculty adviser in Butler, and as a faculty member of the Department of Molecular Biology. Cecily Swanson moved into the role of director of studies at Mathey College after having served as a member of the faculty in the Writing Program. Butler has not yet chosen a new director of studies. Andres, Schwalm, and Swanson will be transitioning into their respective positions this fall. Fowler explained that she was not worried about changes since most of the new deans and directors have been from within the University community. Andrews and Schwalmwere unavailable for comment at the time of publication. Swanson could not be reached for comments at the time of publication. “It is unusual to have this much turnover, but lots of new people brings lots of new ideas,” Fowler said.

NEWS | 09/14/2016

Opening Exercises highlight undergraduate achievements

William Liu

Seven of the University undergraduate students were recognized for their academic accomplishments in the annual Opening Exercises in the University Chapel on Sunday."We are proud of this year's prize winners and pleased to celebrate their commitment to their academics and to the Princeton community," Dean of the College Jill Dolan said in an address during the ceremony."Along with achieving high grade point averages, these distinguished students dedicate themselves to activities that reach all corners of the campus and beyond," she added.

NEWS | 09/14/2016

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