News

Frist panel discusses methods to combat intolerance and bias

Members of the University faculty, staff and student body met yesterday over lunch to discuss concerns about harassment and bias on campus.The discussion, conducted in town hall meeting style in Multipurpose Room A in Frist Campus Center, consisted of personal anecdotes about discrimination as well as suggestions for what members of the University community can do to address the issue.SHARE coordinator Thema Bryant-Davis, the discussion's moderator, said the goals of the meeting were "to raise our awareness of the experiences of harassment and bias on campus" and "to think collectively and strategically about how to improve our climate."Three undergraduates shared stories of harassment based on sexual orientation, including Lee Conderacci '04, a straight ally and peer educator who had the word "FAG" painted on her door earlier this year.Louisa Alexander '03 expressed hope that increased tolerance toward homosexuals and bisexuals would be accompanied by a greater understanding of those questioning their gender identities.She urged the administration to consider creating a unisex or gender-neutral bathroom space on campus, allowing students questioning their own gender identity to "go about their daily business."Discrimination against those students with disabilities was also a key topic in the discussion.Students brought up how many buildings on campus, including the history building, are still not wheelchair accessible.One graduate student, who did not identify himself, related his difficulties with repetitive stress disorder resulting from computer use.

Princeton ranks 13th in study of pursuit of doctorate degrees

By graduation, most seniors have made a decision about whether to continue their education or enter the workforce.While about a quarter of the class choose the former, a recent study by David Davis-Van Atta, director of Institutional Research at Carleton College, shows that 13.3 percent of Princeton graduates continue on to earn doctoral degrees.The University is 13th overall and second in the Ivy League in those who earn doctoral degrees.

Borough developers present town plans

At a crowded and rowdy Princeton Borough Council meeting last night, a representative of developer Nassau HKT Associates LLT presented their redevelopment proposal for several vacant lots owned by the Borough.Borough Administrator Robert Bruschi discussed various possibilities for financing the plan, which has not yet been approved by the council.The proposal includes a large parking garage, a public plaza and two mixed-use buildings.The plan would be completed in two phases, with a possible third phase to be added later.The first phase involves an area which was formerly a surface parking lot off Witherspoon Street between Spring and Wiggins streets.

Attention-getting posters are latest measure to combat binge drinking

Five hundred posters of stomach pumps went up on campus bulletin boards Nov. 4 as the first stage in the University's latest campaign to curb excessive drinking.The eight-part ad series is sponsored by the Alcohol Coalition, which was started last semester by Vice President for Campus Life Janet Dickerson.The group includes administrators, students and community members who "are interested in heightening awareness of the community to the campus climate issues that are connected to high-risk drinking," Dickerson said in an email.The coalition will be chaired by Gina Baral, coordinator of health promotion services, and Elaine Barfield '04, a vice president for the Student Health Advisory Board, Dickerson said.Despite still being in its organizational stages, the Alcohol Coalition already has coordinated several initiatives, including offering AlcoholEDU, designing Newman's Day posters last spring and developing a proposal to expand substance-free housing.The posters are part of an ongoing effort by the University to promote responsible alcohol use on campus.

Recent rainfall eases statewide emergency drought restrictions

Despite increased rainfall totals in the past several weeks, Mercer County and New Jersey remain in a drought emergency.During the past 30 days there has been a two-inch surplus of rain in Mercer County, which is 162 percent more rain than normal, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Dining Services makes good use of leftover food

DEPTFORD ? What happens to the more than two tons of bagels, lo mein, fish and other food waste that students scrape from their trays in the five residential colleges, the Graduate College and Frist Campus Center?Most students have either not given the question any thought, assumed that the food is discarded as trash or heard wild rumors about pigs and farms."Good question," said Steve Moore '04, when asked where the food waste goes.

Brazilian officials claim strong ties to Princeton community

Scanning the resumes of election candidates and current political leaders in Brazil, one would find that several of them have something in common: They have studied in Princeton.In the 1970s, Brazil's current President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and the Social Democratic Party's recent presidential candidate Jose Serra were members of the Institute for Advanced Study by invitation from Albert Hirschman, professor emeritus of the school of social sciences.Hirschman, a grandfatherly man with willowy, white hair, now keeps a paint-splattered easel on his windowsill and a collection of his own works, ranging from abstract color squares to copies of Picasso, in his office at the Institute.One would not guess from appearances that this is the office of the man who drew together some of Brazil's highest government officials.President Cardoso joined the IAS board of trustees in March.Upon accepting his nomination to the board, Cardoso said he looked forward to renewing his association with the institute and his former professor and friend, Hirschman, IAS officials said.Other local ties to Brazil include Graduate School alumni such as Brazil's Central Bank governor, Arminio Fraga GS '85, the Brazilian equivalent of Alan Greenspan.TIME magazine identified Fraga as an "economic superman" in its article titled, "Look!

Should a liberal arts education prepare you for a practical career?

"Princeton is the largest sandbox you will ever get to play in."This is how University President Shirley Tilghman describes the experience of learning here.

Priorities Committee addresses budget issues in public meeting

The University's Priorities Committee held a public meeting last night to discuss budget proposals for the 2003-04 fiscal year.

Economics professor emeritus and population expert dies at 85

Princeton University played an important role in the life of Ansley Johnson Coale '39, from his days as an undergraduate through his tenure as professor emeritus.Coale, the William Osborne Church Professor of Public Affairs and Professor of Economics, emeritus, died Nov.

Global Adrenaline co-founder Collins '91 hikes off beaten path

Nancy Collins '91 may have all the credentials of the "Organization Kid" in a grownup form ? a Princeton A.B.

UPenn fan charged with disorderly conduct

A University of Pennsylvania student was arrested at Saturday's football game after allegedly leading a group of fans in obscene cheers, authorities said.Richard Plackter, 20, of Linwood, was charged by Township Police with disorderly conduct and is scheduled to appear in municipal court this morning, said Barry Weiser, Public Safety crime prevention specialist.Plackter was chanting profanities and making vulgar gestures, Weiser said."He was leading them in obscenity cheers," Weiser said.After being asked to stop, Plackter ran toward the field and was ejected from Princeton Stadium by Public Safety.When he returned, Public Safety detained him until Township Police arrived and arrested him.Plackter could not be reached for comment last night.Saturday's incident reflects the heated rivalry between the two Ivy League schools, vying for pigskin victory and bragging rights.UPenn won the game, 44-13, to continue its unbeaten streak and shut Princeton out from any chance of the Ivy title.

Volunteers cleaning canal find trash, sense of purpose

Sarah Barbrow '05 forged through the thigh-deep, murky water of the New Jersey Delaware-Raritan Canal on Saturday afternoon."I found a ski boot!" she exclaimed, placing it in her plastic trash bag.Barbrow, president of the University chapter of New Jersey Community Water Watch, was one of 25 volunteers who decided to spend the afternoon picking up trash around the canal.Among the items found were a hubcap, a doll's head, tires and the tail of a dead animal.The canal runs from New Brunswick to Trenton, and is parallel to the towpath for several miles.The cleanup began behind the canal house and continued about a half mile to the Mercer County Country Club, where there was more trash, said Catherine Chou '06, the media intern for Water Watch."We did a site visit here and felt there was a significant amount of trash," she said.Chou said she hoped that when people saw the volunteers cleaning up the trash, they might think twice before littering again.Volunteers were equipped with gloves and trash bags, donated by local residents.

Dwindling fan support means fewer cheers for Old Nassau at sports events

Attending the Homecoming football festivities is typically a college rite of passage. At some larger state universities, attendance reaches as high as 100,000 fans at weekly games, tens of thousands of those being students.Princeton students used to have such enthusiasm.

University declines U-Council request

In a busy meeting of the Council of the Princeton University Community yesterday afternoon, President Tilghman rejected a proposal for an ad hoc committee on intellectualism, Director of Physical Planning Jon Hlafter '61 projected that Whitman College would run $10 million over budget and Dean of the College Nancy Malkiel said the administration is studying suggestions for precept reform.It was a bittersweet meeting for the undergraduate U-Council in Dodds Auditorium.

Local biotech firm might help identify 9/11 victims

Princeton biotech firm Orchid Biosciences Inc. is developing a new technology to analyze the genes of Sept.

Nation, University confront low number of female engineers

James Sturm, interim dean of the University's School of Engineering and Applied Science, has a daughter in sixth grade who is interested in math and science.

Lewis tells audience of difficult choices facing Islamic world

"I'm right, you're wrong."In these few words of mock sincerity, Bernard Lewis, renowned University professor emeritus of Near Eastern studies, introduced his latest book, "What Went Wrong," to a packed audience of students, faculty and colleagues assembled in Dodds Auditorium on Thursday.While the line is more generally associated with playground taunts than the ideologies of the major organized religions, Lewis suggested that it expresses, if crudely, what he regards as the fundamental barrier between the Western world of Christianity and Eastern world of Islam.He distilled the basic conflict to a struggle over which faith defines modernization, emphasizing that the clash arises not so much from differences, but rather from strong similarities.Unlike other religions, which tend to not have the inclination to spread their practices, Lewis said both Islam and Christianity are steeped in a more aggressive tradition.In the spirit of "saved or damned," he said, each has historically regarded its own followers as the only true believers and all outsiders as infidels that must be converted.The primary objective for investigating Islamic history, Lewis said, is to examine the reasons why the East has been unable to compete with Western dominance over the last few centuries.Ever since the Islamic Empire's initial decline, Lewis said Muslims have been divided between two considerations: "What can we blame?" and "Who can we blame?"Regarding the former question as more historically pertinent, Lewis identified several interdependent factors, ranging from philosophical abstractions to more distinct issues involving gender and culture.In the years before, there was such a fierce movement against Western culture, many Islamic leaders adopted the perspective that the Middle East, and the rest of the world, had "contracted the Christian disease and should try the Christian remedy."This conformist attitude led to such measures as adopting European military tactics and industry, which proved ineffective in regenerating the region.Lewis attributes the Islamic world's failure to regain power to the ambivalence within Middle Eastern psychology.

USG Goo Goo Dolls Concert Photos

Trustees convene for exploratory meeting

The University Board of Trustees discussed intellectualism and the prospect of increasing private science research funding among other issues at an extended meeting this weekend, said Thomas Wright '62, University vice president and secretary.The session, which ran from Thursday evening to Sunday morning and included all 39 trustees, was "an opportunity for the trustees to step back and take a longer view of the issues that Princeton will be facing in years ahead," Wright said, noting that making final decisions was not the meeting's purpose.Trustees discussed what the University would do if it lost public science research funds.