News

Freshmen rev up for Class of 2011 elections

Freshmen rev up for Class of 2011 elections

A determined group of Princeton's newest students hit the Street, dorm hallways and dining rooms in earnest as campaigning for freshman class government positions officially began yesterday.This year, nine freshmen will vie for the position of Class of 2011 president ? down from 17 last year ? and all of this year's candidates aim to prove that they possess the qualities required to prevail in Sunday's election."I'm from Minnesota, so I have a lot of 'Minnesota Nice.' I genuinely want to meet people," said candidate Richie Huynh, who said he hopes to use this Midwestern friendliness to become president.Many candidates also pointed to prior student government posts as evidence of their ability to lead.

NEWS | 10/08/2007

Robinson discusses LGBT role in church

The era of "straight, white, western, privileged males" making "decisions for all of the world" is coming to an end as society becomes more inclusive of diverse groups, the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopalian Church argued in a lecture yesterday.Vicki Gene Robinson ? who sparked controversy in 2003 after becoming bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire despite his sexual orientation ? recalled his story and experiences, discussed homosexuality's role in the church and speculated about the future in a lecture titled "The End of Patriarchy."Robinson said some people oppose homosexuality in order to mask more real societal problems."One of the reasons we are focusing on homosexuality is so that we don't have to focus on sexuality," he said.

NEWS | 10/08/2007

Ambassador touts U.S.-Egyptian bond

Egypt and the United States are in a symbiotic relationship that can help ease tensions between the West and the Middle East, Egyptian ambassador to the United States Nabil Fahmy said yesterday during a lecture in Robertson Hall.Speaking to a diverse crowd of students, faculty and community members, Fahmy said the United States needs to understand Egypt's role as a global power and a leader of the Middle East.

NEWS | 10/08/2007

Demonstrators compare meat-eating to genocide

Members of the Princeton Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) compared the treatment of captive animals with human rights abuses in a demonstration yesterday in front of Frist Campus Center.Several large display panels labeled "Slaughtered," "Mutilated," "Imprisoned" and "Born Into Slavery" graphically depicted both human and animal rights abuse with further textual explanations.The display "Liberation Project" juxtaposed the Cambodian genocide with the slaughter of pigs, beatings during the Civil Rights Movement with the slaughter of seals, prisoners in Iran with animals in roadside zoos and the branding of slaves with the branding of cows."This exhibit shows we should not tolerate any injustice," PAWS president Jenny Palmer '09 said in an email, adding that the goal of the demonstration was to raise awareness of animal rights abuses.

NEWS | 10/08/2007

Rider U. tightens alcohol policy

Rider University implemented a more stringent alcohol policy for this school year in response to freshman Gary DeVercelly's death by alcohol poisoning during a fraternity party last spring.The new policy includes an outright ban on "the organization of, and/or attendance at social events or parties in residence halls or at Greek houses where alcoholic beverages are served."The policy also prohibits public displays promoting alcohol and drinking games involving alcoholic consumption.Students of legal drinking age, however, may gather in limited numbers to consume alcohol in dorm rooms or Greek houses provided that all doors remain closed under the new policy.Administrators had considered banning all Greek life on campus, but the proposal was abandoned due to fears of drunk driving and binge drinking off campus.

NEWS | 10/08/2007

Internet heightens privacy concerns

As the Internet becomes increasingly prevalent in the lives of "Generation Google," the accompanying reduction in privacy can threaten relationships and even job prospects, George Washington University law professor Daniel Solove said in a lecture yesterday.In his talk, "The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor and Privacy on the Internet," Solove said that young people today will face the repercussions of a detailed, permanent and public record of their entire lives."[The] Internet is enhancing our freedom and autonomy," he said, "but at the same time, it's making us less free," since concerns about photos or rumors appearing online lead people to restrain their behavior.As an example of the consequences of Internet fame, Solove cited a 2002 video on youtube.com that featured a middle school student wielding a golf club as he imitated the lightsaber fights in "Star Wars." The "Star Wars Kid" quickly gained unwanted notoriety as edited versions of his performance multiplied on YouTube, eventually forcing him to drop out of school.Solove, who writes a blog titled Concurring Opinions, said other repercussions of the Internet age can be less extreme but still damaging.

NEWS | 10/08/2007

Sisters by the numbers

The three largest campus sororities welcomed new members this weekend. The pledges join 260 existing sisters, who constitute 15 percent of upperclass and sophomore women.

NEWS | 10/07/2007

You're hired!

Josh Weinstein '09 (l.) visits the Google booth at the Career Fair held in Dillon Gym from 10:30-2:30 Friday afternoon.

NEWS | 10/07/2007

US, Israel, Britain in axis of evil: Aziz

Iraqi livelihoods were destroyed by the bombing that occurred during the Gulf War and by "the most severe sanctions in the history of civilization" imposed afterwards by the United Nations, anthropologist and journalist Barbara Aziz said.Aziz, who spent 15 years interviewing Iraqi men and women about their lives for the book "Swimming Up the Tigris: Real Life Encounters with Iraq," discussed the book yesterday in a lecture at the Friend Center.She conducted interviews in Iraq from 1989 until the start of the current war there in 2003.Decrying the economic collapse she said the sanctions caused, Aziz blamed the decision to implement them on "American policy linked to the Zionist agenda.""I put the responsibility largely on this country [as part of] the western triangle of evil ?? Israel, Britain and the United States," she said.

NEWS | 10/07/2007

Jacob '08 eulogized as altruistic

Talented writer and equestrian Lindsay Jacob '08 was remembered yesterday by family and friends in a memorial service held at the Hun School of Princeton.Jacob died June 15 after a six-year battle with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.During the service, those who knew Jacob recalled her writing ability, compassion for others and devotion to equestrianship.

NEWS | 10/07/2007

USG aims to improve dining halls

Revitalizing the Butler and Wilson dining halls, procuring buses to next week's Harvard football game and improving residential life were topics of discussion at last night's USG meeting.Sophomore class senator and student-dining services liaison Mike Wang met last week with representatives from Dining Services and from the Butler College Council to address Wilcox' and Wu's dwindling number of patrons."The general idea [behind] getting people to go to Wilcox and Wu is not competing with Whitman and Rocky/Mathey, but rather specializing and filling the niche that they don't," Wang said.Some ideas to address the dearth of diners included giving Wu a crepe station, milkshake machine and sushi bar, Wang said.Directors of student life (DSLs) from four of the six residential colleges attended the meeting to discuss event planning and issues pertaining to residential colleges.The DSLs ? a post that was created this year ? said they have been striving to define and juggle their various roles, which include supervising RCAs, handling crisis situations, addressing disciplinary matters and programming student life."It's going to take a while before the DSL position really takes hold in the University community," Whitman DSL Mentha Hynes-Wilson said.One difficulty they face, the DSLs said, is that they are new to campus and thus largely unfamiliar with Princeton student life."I'm looking forward to hearing what the USG thinks works, what needs to change and how we can help," Wilson DSL Michael Olin said.

NEWS | 10/07/2007

News & Notes

U. donates $25,000 to build public skate parkThe University has donated $25,000 to Princeton Township to help fund construction of a skateboarding park.The move comes as the Princeton Recreation Department is short of funding for the park's construction.

NEWS | 10/07/2007

Students going green with fluorescent bulbs

More than 500 students picked up energy-efficient light bulbs on Friday at the Class of 2010's bulb exchange, an effort by class officers to help reduce the University's energy consumption.Most University lighting has been switched to compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs over the past few years, according to the Facilities Department.

NEWS | 10/07/2007

Abortion contributes to structural evil, says Ristuccia '75

The third annual Respect Life Sunday, an interfaith service at the University Chapel, marked the kickoff of Respect Life Week, which will feature events promoting stances against abortion, stem cell research and legalized euthanasia.Pastor Matt Ristuccia '75, conservative writer Richard Nadler and Sister Mary Gabriel addressed about 70 people in the Chapel yesterday.

NEWS | 10/07/2007

Vir Tempestatis Omnia Vincit

Encyclical Letter Summa Meteorologica, by the hand of His Snarkiness Earnhardt III, Weather Guy of all Princeton.

NEWS | 10/04/2007

Few give U. cell number for alerts

University officials are urging students to enter their cell phone numbers into the digital notification system that allows administrators to alert students of an emergency by phone and email.An alert system, similar to the University's Princeton Telephone and Email Notification System (PTENS), proved successful at St.

NEWS | 10/04/2007

McEwan's latest novel draws laughter, praise

"Dirty scenes" from Ian McEwan's latest book, "On Chesil Beach," drew gales of laughter and an eruption of applause at a reading in a packed McCosh 50 lecture hall last night.McEwan calls his new work a "real-time" novel, by which he means that the 208-page volume chronicles three-and-a-half hours of shy restraint and droll awkwardness between two virgins on their wedding night and takes about the same amount of time to read.McEwan won several fans last night with his wry humor and his understated treatment of what some students called his book's "dirty scenes.""I have actually never read anything by him before," David Kwabi '10 said.

NEWS | 10/04/2007

OMG: BFF with Romney

Text messages could help rally young voters to the polls on Election Day, a new study by a politics graduate student suggests.The study, conducted by Aaron Strauss GS, found that text message reminders sent to young people on or before the day of the 2006 midterm elections increased the likelihood that they would vote by 4.2 percentage points."Cell phones are great because it is [a] personal way to get the message, but it doesn't interrupt you," Strauss said.The day before the November 2006 election, researchers from Princeton and the University of Michigan sent out 4,000 text messages to young people who had provided their cell phone numbers when they registered to vote.In a subsequent survey, 59 percent of the recipients said the text message encouraged them to vote.

NEWS | 10/04/2007

Seniors' advice: find a thesis adviser early

In matters of the head, as in matters of the heart, it can be hard to find a partner. The beginning of the year is matchmaking season for seniors and their thesis advisers.

NEWS | 10/04/2007

On-campus Mac users quadruple

I never thought I'd switch to a Mac. After all, I have used PCs since I was 5 years old. I carried around my old Dell Inspiron 8000, a bulky nine-pound beast of a laptop, throughout high school, and it never suffered from any hardware problems over its five-year lifespan.The trouble was Windows ? the operating system from hell.So I decided to take the plunge and get a Mac.

NEWS | 10/04/2007

Most Popular