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The Daily Princetonian

'Passion' sparks debate on director's role

With ticket sales topping $100 million and congregations across the nation renting out movie theaters for special screenings of "The Passion of the Christ," the purportedly true-to-the-gospels documentary of the last 12 hours of the life of Jesus has stirred interest and controversy among the religious and nonreligious alike.A panel of University professors and religious figures not associated with the campus community discussed issues surrounding the film Tuesday in McCosh 50.They responded to the religious, cultural and historical questions that have emerged since the Ash Wednesday release of Mel Gibson's independent, foreign-language film.This film inspires individual piety, said religion professor Cornel West GS '80, "but issues of imperial power and state might, that have been behind anti-Semitism, were rendered less important."William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, spoke in favor of Gibson, a personal acquaintance."I have never seen a more vicious and unethical assault on a filmmaker than on Mel Gibson in this film," Donohue said.

NEWS | 03/02/2004

The Daily Princetonian

'Daily Show' host to address seniors on Class Day

Jon Stewart, comedian and host of the "The Daily Show," has agreed to speak at this year's Class Day ? an annual event organized by the senior class officers which occurs the day before Commencement.Stewart "rose from the bunch of all the candidates because of his Princeton connection," said Class of 2004 President Eli Goldsmith.Stewart was raised in nearby Lawrence Township, and his brother is an alumnus of the University.

NEWS | 03/02/2004

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The Daily Princetonian

More academic stars among fewer applicants

Though admissions applications for the Class of 2008 are down 14 percent, the academic quality of the overall applicant pool has actually increased, Dean of Admission Janet Rapelye reported.There were 13,659 applicants for regular decision this year, compared with 15,725 regular applicants for the Class of 2007.However, Rapelye said the absence of weaker candidates accounted for the decrease in applicants."Based on the quality of the reads that we've done so far, it appears that we have fewer students at the bottom of the pool," Rapelye said.

NEWS | 03/02/2004

The Daily Princetonian

Malkiel seeks more even major distribution

With some departments exploding in popularity and others struggling to find a single concentrator each year, the administration has acknowledged a problem regarding lopsided distribution of students among majors and has begun to seek a solution.After being asked this summer by President Tilghman to identify one change the University could make to improve the quality of undergraduate education, Dean of the College Nancy Malkiel has been looking into ways the school could encourage a more even distribution of students among departments, according to the Princeton Weekly Bulletin."I think there are ways of strengthening the course offerings and teaching at the introductory level in smaller departments," Malkiel said.

NEWS | 03/01/2004

The Daily Princetonian

Appeal denied, Isenberg goes to Temple U.

Andrew Isenberg, a popular professor of history who was denied tenure by the University last year, has received a job offer ? with tenure ? from Temple University in Philadelphia, he confirmed on Monday.Isenberg, who received the President's Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2001, said he has accepted Temple's offer and will begin his work there in the fall."That's the [offer] I'm taking," he said in an interview, "I think Temple's a great job.

NEWS | 03/01/2004

The Daily Princetonian

Ivy Council probes tech challenge

Fifteen University undergraduates joined 160 other Ivy League students this weekend to study the effects of globalization on students at the Ivy Council's fourth annual Ivy Leadership Summit at Columbia University.The conference brought together real-world leaders and students to discuss some of the issues which will continue to face today's generation as it enters the workforce.The summit's theme was "Leading in the Age of Technology," and discussions focused on the domestic and international implications of economic and political policies.Eight prominent leaders in education, government and business spoke at this year's conference.Some of the more notable panelists included Steve Forbes '70, chief executive of Forbes Magazine and former University trustee, Nesreen Berwari, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council, Alan Brinkely, Columbia University's provost, and Jeffery Sachs, world-renowned author and expert on the economies of developing countries.The sustainable development panel, led by Forbes and Sachs, was one of the summit's most memorable events, said Jay Saxon '05 ? head University delegate to the conference ? because they argued for their different approaches to developing third world nations.Brian Lewandowski '05 said this difference of views made the panel particularly enjoyable."Usually panelists are in agreement, but in this one the two men were diametrically opposed," Lewandoski said.

NEWS | 02/29/2004

The Daily Princetonian

Studio exec reveals Hollywood secrets

When Marc Rosen '98 held up two magazines ? Variety and Hollywood Insider ? and asked if anyone recognized them, about half of the roughly 40 undergraduates in the audience raised their hands.Rosen, a senior executive at Heydey Films at Warner Bros., congratulated them, calling these publications required reading for anyone looking to break into Hollywood.Rosen shared his secrets about how to make it in the entertainment industry in a Friday lecture organized by the Princeton Film Foundation, Tigervision and the Office of Career Services.Though entertainment and Princeton are not typically said in the same breath, the talk's sponsors wanted interested students to have a shot in the movie business."The entertainment industry isn't a meritocracy," Rosen said.

NEWS | 02/29/2004

The Daily Princetonian

Double the choices for twins attending college

Sean Effinger-Dean '06 never had much of his own space, even before he was born. While in the womb, his foot was jammed against his twin sister's face, leaving her jaw slightly pushed in for months after birth."It grew out after a while," he said, explaining, "I was a big baby ? we both were."Despite their pre-birth battle for space, the pair grew up close friends, sharing a knack for math and a love of musical theater.When it came time to pick a college, though, they knew they wanted to go their separate ways.

NEWS | 02/29/2004

The Daily Princetonian

Study abroad to expand programs

Though the University has a world-class international relations program at the Wilson School, when it comes to placing students in study abroad programs, the University struggles to convince students to leave campus.This spring semester, the University saw 111 students go abroad to join 11 students already abroad for the year, out of a total undergraduate student population of roughly 4600.

NEWS | 02/26/2004

The Daily Princetonian

Conservatives get diversity fund money

When the Princeton Tory and the College Republicans applied for lecture funding from the Bildner Fund for Diversity, they didn't think they had a shot to get it.And Fleurette King, who runs that fund, never thought she would see their application in the first place.After all, previous applicants for grants included groups like the Princeton Justice Project, Queer Graduate Caucus and Organization of Women Leaders ? whose sorts of views the Tory has often accosted in its pages.But last spring the Fund paid for the Tory, the Republicans and Whig-Clio to bring conservative columnist George Will GS '68 to Princeton to talk on the breakdown of the American family.Both King and conservative leaders said they were pleasantly surprised by this twist of events."I think some people would have been curious," King said of the decision to fund the lecture, emphasizing that the fund doesn't have a preconceived agenda and instead only seeks to promote intergroup dialogue.The Fund requires at least two diverse groups to apply for grants together.

NEWS | 02/26/2004

The Daily Princetonian

IRC hosts first annual interactive crisis simulation

Close to 100 delegates from nine different colleges are participating in the first annual Princeton Interactive Crisis Simulation conference, which started yesterday and will run until Sunday.The event is being hosted by the American Whig-Cliosophic Society's International Relations Council and is billed as the first conference of its kind."[This conference] is not a typical Model U.N.

NEWS | 02/26/2004

The Daily Princetonian

Franken lampoons government policy

Actor and satirist Al Franken employed hilarious countenances, voice imitations and amusing anecdotes in his speech, "Al Franken: On Politics and Anything Else That Crosses His Mind At 4:30 P.M," yesterday in Dodds Auditorium.Woodrow Wilson had a plan, Franken said, "to end all wars." Yet President Bush, the butt of most of Franken's invective, has involved the country in "a war that will never end," Franken said.In a sarcastic tone, he thanked the Bush administration ? and its yet-unsuccessful search for illegal armaments ? for "not planting weapons of mass destruction."Bush objects to gay marriage, Franken said, but the president has overlooked a far more dangerous threat ? terrorist marriages.With all those terrorist couples walking about, Franken said, "I don't know what he's thinking."Franken poked fun at the president for his alleged lack of dedication when he was in the Air National Guard during the Vietnam War.Franken imitated Bush as he was asked on "Meet the Press" about his time on a base in Alabama.

NEWS | 02/26/2004