Regarding 'An Ugly End' (Editorial, April 19):I should have handled the election email situation differently.
The peacock is a beautiful bird. Its long plumes of brilliance can extend for several meters, draping over the earth velvet teal and purple feathers.
"In the nation's service, and in the service of all nations." As an institution, Princeton is always proud to proclaim this unofficial motto, a statement of its commitment to promote a sense of civic responsibility throughout the University community.Unfortunately, some of Princeton's policies actually serve the exact opposite purpose.
Last week, Dean of the Faculty David Dobkin issued a report indicating that instructor evaluations ? the bubble-sheets distributed by the registrar's office at the end of each term ? have steadily risen since the University began keeping records in 1974."Clearly, something is wrong," read the report.
Take Back the Night marchers have traveled a long way since 1978, when thousands of women united under the slogan to force San Francisco pornography stores to close shop.
The last faculty meeting was well on its way to establishing a new record for the triathlon of ennui (combined aggregate of paucity of attendance, brevity of duration, and vacuity of content) when it accidentally emerged that Dean Malkiel proposed to place before us, at our next meeting, a mystery agendum of weight.
As a child, I used to be a faithful believer in religious holidays and observed them with a kind of fervor and dedication that is seldom seen today.
Dean Malkiel's email to the student body touched off a firestorm last week.You had to admire the reasoned tone and explanation of the dean's proposal, as if students could read the plan to limit the percentages of A grades granted by each department dispassionately, ignoring the fact that it was their own academic records in question.Students react to proposals to systematically lower grades in the same way they would to plans to raise the drinking age or assign more reading in every class: badly.
Regarding 'The taming of the A' (Editorial, April 12):If the university community is to embark on this grand experiment, we should take special care to evaluate how it affects the lives of undergraduates.
The late activist and writer Audre Lorde once said, "I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood."While Princeton has a good reputation for being a safe campus, sexual violence occurs at this university just as at all others.
There's nothing like trying meddle with two guarded foundations of the Princeton community to "awaken the sleeping giant." In the past weeks, two of the most sacrosanct institutions of student life, the street and grades, have come under some undesired scrutiny and have roused condemnation from a normally apathetic student body.
I want to be straightforward about grade inflation. I was scared two weeks ago when it came out publicly that I was not thrilled with the town hall meeting featuring President Tilghman.
Writing my thesis, I discovered that one of the most important things I needed to be productive was isolation.
Regarding 'Hargadon legacy is one of weakened alumni input' (Letter, April 8):More Princeton alumni are involved in the undergraduate admissions process than ever before.
Regarding 'The Taming of the A' (Editorial, April 12):I am both amused and dismayed at the proposed changes in grading standards.
Many complaints have been voiced in the past few years about the nonintellectual climate on the Princeton campus.
Dean of the College Nancy Weiss Malkiel's grading proposals, released last Wednesday, have made news across the nation.
In a corner of my private library I have a small shelf of "Princeton books" ? some of them devoted to Princeton history, others written by some of my more eminent predecessors in Princeton literary study.
Regarding 'Proposal to curb grade inflation' (April 8):Since starting as an analyst at a bulge-bracket investment bank, I've become involved in the undergraduate recruiting process for summer interns and full-time hires.
