Congratulations, you are helping to break a record just by attending classes. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage 18- to 24-year-olds attending two- or four-year colleges has reached an all-time high, 39.6 percent of that population. Despite the economic downturn and the increase in tuition at four-year universities, the enrollment at four-year institutions has remained steady between 2007 and 2008, at around 27.8 percent of people 18 to 24 years old.
Interestingly, according to a study released this month by Caroline M. Hoxby, this increase in college attendance has occurred as the top 10 percent of colleges have become substantially more competitive in the last 50 years and the bottom 50 percent of colleges have become less selective over that time. According to the study, this is "the consequent re-sorting of students among colleges that has, at once, caused selectivity to rise in a small number of colleges while simultaneously causing it to fall in other colleges."
Princeton appears to reflect the former trend. In 1958, a pamphlet aimed at alumni with college-age sons were reassured that "[t]he Princeton son is judged from an academic standpoint solely on this one question: can he be expected to graduate? If so, he's admitted." By this decade, the acceptance rate has vacillated between 12.2 percent and 9.25 percent of all applicants.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Breaking Records
A Reflection on Princetonween
I’ve never gotten the chance to attend the festivities so perhaps the title of the post is misleading. Instead, these past two years, I’ve been holed up in my room memorizing conjugations in preparation for my midterm on Friday (really, Italian department, really?), while most of my classmates have been gallivanting around in ridiculous and sometimes overtly risqué costumes. So, have I seriously missed out?
This year I heard a mixed bag of reviews of the night. This was surprising because in the past I’ve heard adjectives ranging from CRAZY to SO.MUCH.FUN used to describe Princetonween. Part of this sentiment, I assume, comes from not only that it is a night to retreat back into our childhoods (except with a new college-age twist) but because almost everyone comes out to celebrate. Personally, I think there should be a move to institute campus-wide trick or treating, but maybe that’s just me. What are your thoughts on the tradition? Should it be revamped?
Friday, October 30, 2009
Reactions to percentage of Jewish students at Princeton
Courtesy of Princeton UniversityMuch of the debate centered on the numbers. A student from the Class of 2012 found it " 'statistically puzzling' that schools like Harvard are 25 percent Jewish, when less than 2 percent of Americans are." The student advocated for the University to accept more African-American and Hispanic students because they represent a larger percentage of the American population. Others responded with the statistic that Asian-Americans make up less than 5 percent of the U.S. population, but make up 16 percent of Princeton's student population.
Some readers asked for more data. Below, I've included statistics published by the Office of Admission in brochures for high school guidance counselors. For the 2009-10 school year, there are a total of 4,988 students. Of the 21,963 students who applied, 2,209 were accepted into the class of 2013 (for a 10.1 percent acceptance rate), and 1,301 chose to enroll.
Category ............. Number ............ Percent
Men ..................... 2,556 .....................51
Women ................. 2,342 .....................49
African-American ....... 392 ......................8
Asian-American...........790 .....................16
Hispanic/Latino.......... 374 ......................7
Native American.......... 26 .......................1
International.............. 533 .....................11
Some questioned why Princeton still has the stigma of being anti-semitic and whether this was affecting its yield rate. The commenter "@'11" wrote, "I think people have been pretty clear in these comments about what they think is 'problematic' about this. They think Princeton already has too many Jews. And their exhibiting that attitude probably does a pretty good job explaining why Jews prefer to attend other Ivies, where students and alums don't exhibit that attitude."
Some readers disliked Princeton's obsession with diversity, calling for the elimination of any affirmative action, and many comments were racially charged. One commenter stated, "Jews as a group ARE better- than minorities, I mean c'mon who are we kidding here?" A Princeton senior argued, "[F]rom a financial standpoint, Princeton is advised to enroll more Jews, especially Jewish males, because these students will disproportionately go on to success on Wall Street for example, compared to [African-American] students who study sociology and then who knows what after."
Another commenter suggested that other Ivy schools should follow Princeton's lead and "spend more time reaching out to Hispanics and African-American students. Seems to [me] Princeton has a solid number of Jewish students and could use a few more folks from the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum."
— Tasnim Shamma '11
Princeton Price Comparison: CVS v. Wawa v. U-Store (Round 1)
CVS. Wawa. The U-Store. Princeton’s very own triumvirate for food and school supplies. Yet not all members of this holy alliance were created equal.
In what will hopefully become a weekly staple of The Prox, your very own resident economist (with a comprehensive education in Introduction of Microeconomics) will compare prices and try to dispel myths associated with each store (e.g., "The U-Store has higher prices," "CVS is cheapest" etc.). We’ll analyze the benefits and detriments of each, and hopefully, by the end of this, we’ll gather enough empirical evidence so that you’ll know whether it’s worth the time to schlep all the way to CVS to buy a stapler or just head over to the U-Store. Maybe we’ll even learn something about the way prices operate in a (relatively) closed environment. Today, we’ll compare the price of various junk food and drink items.
Red Bull, 8.4 oz
CVS: $2.19
Wawa: $2.19
U-Store: $2.20 (Why the extra cent?)
Advantage: Even.
Gatorade, Lemon Lime 32 oz.
CVS: $1.99
Wawa: $2.19
U-Store: $2.20
Advantage: CVS.
Coca-Cola, 67.6 oz
CVS: $1.99
Wawa: $1.99
U-Store: only sells 50.7 oz bottle for $1.75 --- converted into 67.6 oz. terms, this costs $2.33
Advantage: CVS, Wawa.
Pringles, 6.38 can
CVS: $2.43
Wawa: $2.59
U-Store: $2.39
Advantage: U-Store.
Tostitos, 13 oz. bag
CVS: $3.99
Wawa: $3.99
U-Store: $3.99
Advantage: Even.
“This is going to be the scariest Princeton Parent’s Weekend ever”
Thursday, October 29, 2009
20 Sweet: Spooky Songs
Have yourself a spooky little Princetoween!
1. “Walking with a Ghost” – Tegan and Sara
2. “Witch” – The Bird and the Bee
3. “Highway to Hell” – AC/DC
4. “The Ghost of You Lingers” – Spoon
5. “Werewolves of London” – Warren Zevon
6. “Hunting for Witches” – Bloc Party
7. “Hell is Chrome” – Wilco
8. “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” – Blue Oyster Cult
9. “Bandwitch” – Broken Social Scene
10. “Spooky” – Imogen Heap
11. “Hell is Around the Corner” – Tricky
12. “Scared” – Albert Hammond Jr.
13. “Haunting 56th Street” – Push to Talk
14. “Zombie” – The Cranberries
15. “Soul Auctioneer” – Death in Vegas
16. “Devil in Me” – 22-20s
17. “Beetlejuice” – Charles Hamilton
18. “Monster Hospital” – Metric
19. “The Funeral” – Band of Horses
20. “One Foot in the Grave” – Pernice Brothers
Special thanks to Alice Suh ’12 for her song contributions. Feel free to post other Halloween song suggestions...
Ivy Watch: Cleaning Harvard's bathrooms
Ivy Watch—Informative and entertaining news from around the Ivy League
Harvard:
Dorm Crew Imparts Partial Benefits
Students at Harvard clean the dorm bathrooms. One student earned $3500 in two weeks of intense after-finals cleaning. Also, it's thought to give a career advantage, as it shows that students are willing to get down to real work. Alumni praise the program.
Brown:
Bridge to Honor 'Last Lecture' Prof Pausch '82
Yes, the famed Randy Pausch went to Brown. If you don't know his "Last Lecture" became a book and a Youtube sensation. A bridge in his honor will incorporate "visual metaphors" from his speech including a railing with "cut-out abstract penguin figures". There will be a dedication ceremony to dedicate the bridge.
Columbia:
Smoking Ban Ignites Debate
Students at Columbia seek opinions on an all-campus ban on smoking. They plan to poll 1400 students, and possibly put in place a ban. They also addressed continuing campus space issues.
Cornell:
Admins Say New Structure Will Lead to Efficiency
A rearrangement of upper-level positions is pending at Cornell. It will reduce the amount of bureaucracy and decrease the budget deficit by $2 million annually. It will include the introduction of a new vice president to streamline operations.
Dartmouth:
AoA committee finds election reform is currently "unachievable"
A report finds that campaign finance reform for Board of Trustees and Alumni Association Elections is currently impossible. Top candidates spent over $100,000 on their campaigns for Board recently. The report did recommend shortening elections and creating longer personal statements for candidates.
UPenn:
"Spookeasy" puts Irish twist on Halloween
At Penn, the Writer's House and Curio Theatre Company collaborated to create a Halloween event with an Irish twist. It consisted of Irish stories and folktales. The turnout was good, the most crowded it has ever been at this yearly event, which got this new twist this year.
Yale:
Recession Limits Faculty Searches
The University is limiting faculty hiring because of budget cuts. Faculty hiring will still be possible but a more compelling case needs to be made for the professors' necessity. There will also be a 7.5% cut in personal spending. Opinions vary, some departments believe serious consequences will result.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
This weekend's UFO films: Rocky Horror, Shaun of the Dead
UFO’s theme of the week: Halloween! That’s right, no recently released movies of debatable quality (cough, 'Transformers,' cough), just two Halloween classics to get the end-of-midterms extravaganza going. First up on Thursday night we’ve got the cult black comedy “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” whose outlandish costume design should show up everyone in the theater — unless that is, you’re into cross-dressing! Then on Friday night the Garden will be screening the British zombie comedy (zom-com? Is that a phrase? Well now it is.) “Shaun of the Dead,” which treads the line between very funny and very gruesome with an amazing dexterity. If you haven’t already left campus, it’s worth seeing; after all, it’s free! And there’s popcorn, too.
Procter Blotter: Ficus Trees
Highlights from the Princeton University Department of Public Safety Crime Log since October 1:
Old Graduate College
Oct. 1, 2009, 2:37 p.m.
A Debasement Bar staff member, reported that an unknown person entered the bar and removed cash from the drawer between 02:00 and 15:30 hours. Unit dispatched. No suspects or witnesses developed. Report filed; investigation to continue.
Firestone Library
Oct. 7, 2009, 4:13 p.m.
A DPS staff member, observed grafitti on a Princeton University dumpster and also a Fedex drop box near the Firestone library. No suspect(s) were developed. Report filed. Work order submitted to effect repairs.
Alexander Beach
Oct. 25, 2009, 10:38 a.m.
An outside vender, reported the theft of two ficus trees. Unit dispatched. Investigation revealed during an alumni gathering on campus on 10/24/09, an unknown person removed two 7 1/2' ficus trees planted in green planter's. Trees were valued at $150.00 a piece. Theft occurred between 2300 hrs. On 10/24/09 and 1000 on 10/25/09. Report filed; investigation to continue.
Number of bikes reported stolen: 10
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Class of 1976 Triangle
The Class of 1976 gave us Sonia Sotomayor, and with that the chance to further inscribe the university’s name in supreme court history. But, eight years before we all knew her as a Princeton celebrity, the class of ’76 had donated the funds to built the Class of 1976 Triangle. Located behind Prospect Gardens and the Mendel Music Library, and overlooking Wilson College, it is at a crossroad of paths that many students never take. The most notorious attribute of this site is an irregularly shaped granite bench with the statue of a bronze tricorn hat. It is a eulogy to the members of the class who have passed away, and the bench itself is dedicated to the memory of Louis Roth ‘ 76. A ceremony is held there in memory of the deceased members of the class every year during alumni week.
On a happier note, the bench also includes a plaque with a nice little message from the heart alumns:
“May you pause at this benchmark of our passages and passions: Sense our spark, renew your own good energies as you, like us, depart” -- Dawn McGuire 76
So, next time you need a relaxing place, laden with tradition and pride, on which to self-reflect….examine rock composition for your geosciences class….or just sit…consider walking past Woolworth and paying a visit to the Class of 1976 Triangle.
Spin Cycle
Given that its the middle of midterms week its likely you're showing up to class in whatever is left clean with little attention to fashion. However, come the end of this week, you may realize that you have absolutely no clean clothing, and may not be willing to bring a whole suitcase of dirty
The website displays the status of 8 laundry rooms on campus. This is the rendering of the Spelman laundry room. The site shows which washers and dryers are in operation, and how much time they have left in their cycle. Best of all, the digital washers and dryers simulate the true to life shake of a washer entering spin cycle.
In addition to answering your immediate questions about availability, the site also provides statistics over the past two weeks usage and will text message you when its time to dump all of your wet clothes into the dryer. Now, if only it could do something about folding.
Monday, October 26, 2009
'Face Down in Bowl City' and Bathroom Karma
First there were the fake letters on men's bathrooms all around campus. Then there was the e-mail from USG president Connor Diemand-Yauman ’10 advising students not to urinate in trash cans in Brown Hall. And now we have Building Services or Whitman students (?) laminating signs asking communal bathroom users to clean up after themselves. Are you a "Diva", "Lebron James" or "Rapunzel"?
• The “Diva”: Don’t leave your toiletries behind; Building Services staff cannot clean if surfaces are cluttered.
• The “Lebron James”: Please make sure that anything you throw away makes it into the wastebasket or the sanitary napkin disposal receptacle.
• The “Rapunzel”: If you have long hair (i.e. anything longer than a buzz cut), please check the shower drain after you’re done and throw your hair in the wastebasket.
• The “Swish”: After your brush your teeth or shave, please run water around the inside of the sink to wash away the residue.
• The “Dudes, Raise the Lid”: Self-explanatory.
• The “Flush”: Self-explanatory.
• The “Face Down in Bowl City”: If you make a mess in the bathroom, please clean it up. If your friend makes a mess and he or she is not able to clean it up, please clean it up from him or her. No one likes to come in and find a mess that has been sitting around for hours. It’s good karma.
Building Services works hard to keep the bathrooms clean, but we all need to do our part! Thanks!!!
--- Tasnim Shamma
Law and Order: Princeton Style
Campus
Township
Sunday, October 25, 2009
How to make a "Princeton Cocktail"
After yesterday's football score (37 to 3) you may have felt driven to drink, but, it turns out there is even a way to drink and express your Tiger spirit at the same time. Yes, Princeton has a cocktail.
The drink, which was developed in the late 1800s, was featured in the Cocktail column of The San Francisco Chronicle, showing that even Old Nassau can be new again. The recipe calls for 2 ounces gin, 3/4 ounce of Port, 3 dashes orange bitters and a lemon peel for garnish.
To serve the Princeton Cocktail, mix the gin, bitters and ice and stir for 15 seconds. Strain the mixture and pour it into a cocktail glass. Then, tilting the glass, pour the Port down the side so that it ends up below the gin and bitters. Enjoy, but maybe not this week. Good luck with midterms.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Borough Council Candidates and Town-Gown Issues
In addition to the highly contested governor's race, voters in Princeton Borough will be voting on an election a little closer to home this November 3rd. Voters can choose two of the three candidates running for a three year Princeton Borough Council term. The candidates are Jenny Crumiller (D), Linda Sipprelle (R) and Kevin Wilkes (D-incumbent). Princeton student Mendy Fisch '11, who is a Senior Writer for The Daily Princetonian, ran in the Democratic Primary for the Borough Council seat this June, but he fell 63 votes short.
The Princeton Packet and League of Women Voters presented a question and answer session with the three candidates and devoted the majority of the questioning to town-gown issues. All three candidates agreed with the view that the University "is not paying its full share of the costs in the municipalities in which it owns property." Wilkes noted that the University's decision not to pay property taxes to which it is exempt as a non-profit as "built on faulty moral terrain." Sipprelle advocated that the University have a head tax of $300 per student to help pay for the borough's costs of maintaining public services.
Additionally, both Crumiller and Wilkes are opposed to moving the Dinky 150 yards away from town to accomidate the proposed arts neighborhood, while Sipprelle advocated that the University provide further information about the neighborhood and its potential impacts before it moves forward.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Fruity Yogurt: a Twist on Twist
As an avid Bubble tea (Pearl tea, Bobba... what have you) drinker, I was delighted to find that a new shop was opening on Nassau in Booster Juice’s old spot that would be serving Bubble tea in addition to frozen yogurt. Does it get any better? My roommate and I headed over to Fruity Yogurt (they could work on the name) for the grand opening and were told that that their ice machine was broken, and to come back a little later. We were promised a 25% discount on our return.
We headed over to Twist to do some sizing up before things would be forever different in frozen yogurt land. Twist was offering free reusable cups with a purchase. If you bring in the cup to put the yogurt in you can get 10% off your purchase. Is this Twist’s effort to try to combat the new competition? Hm…
The moment finally came to try out Fruity Yogurt. It was hardly full but there were enough people shuffling in and out to keep it busy. The sheer array of frozen yogurt flavors, ranging from peach to pumpkin, was impressive. In addition, they have smoothies, slushies, and Japanese green tea. Fruity Yogurt offers the same toppings as Twist’s and then some (lychee, cherries, coconut jelly, jelly beans, craisins, chocolate cookie sticks). One customer said that their yogurt wasn’t as good as Twist’s, tasting too “sorbet-y”. I was slightly disappointed with the chalky under taste of my almond Bubble tea. I’d rather get my tea next time from Tiger Noodles. Most people I know are die hard Twist fans so I don’t think the appearance of the new store will faze them. Twist also wins as a studying spot. However, if you’re dying for some Bubble tea, that could tip the balance in Fruity Yogurt’s favor.
The question is what’s next in store for Nassau Street? I want some milkshakes.
Keeping the Streak Alive
It is a well-known fact that the field hockey team is a threat to win the Ivy League each season. No. 4 Princeton (11-2 overall, 4-0 Ivy League) has won 17 Ancient Eight titles overall, as well as three in a row. This season looks to be no different for the Tigers.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Diggin' in the Mudd: Princeton Makes the News
A chill is creeping into the air at Princeton, and there are some days where you may just not want to leave your dorm. Even then, however, you can glimpse some of the cool things at Mudd and other branches of the Princeton library 
on the Princeton Library Digital Collections. While this archive isn’t completely expanded yet it has lots of interesting pieces of Princeton’s history and of random other history.
For example, if you were really interested in last week’s Prox articles on coeducation, you can read a whole book on Gender in the academy, here.
If you’re interested in photography or just like looking at pretty pictures of Princeton there’s an entire history of Princeton postcards like this one:
Image property of the Princeton Digital Library Collections. You can see more here.
But if you’re interested in the history of Princeton the most interesting slice of history on the site is The Princeton Local Express.
This was a paper published from 1935-1938 “devoted to the interests of the people of Princeton and vicinity.” Obviously it didn’t focus totally on the university, but it does have some interesting tidbits on university life. Articles that discussed the work of the WPA, FDR’s monumental anti-Depression legislation were side by side with tidbits about Princetonian life.
Some examples:
- Theatre Intime Opens Activities- Famous Broadway Play to be First Production (it was “Spread Eagle”). All the male participants have class years listed, while Miss Barbara Brown “of New York” takes the leading female role.
- Princeton University plans New Library, is a front page story on November 7, 1935. “it is planned to be the educational center of the university, a great meeting place for students and teachers.” It would be built on the corner of Nassau St. and Washington St. Hmm, I wonder what library that was? (It eventually opened in 1948.)
- Tigers Ready for Harvard, the same issue proclaims, Princeton still Unbeaten, Crimson Yet To Win Major Victory. Go Princeton!
- The Society column announces that the Princetonian-Tiger dance, given by the boards of two University publications will be held this evening in the gymnasium and that Professor and Mrs. Philip Kissam will entertain this weekend and then go to New Haven, the weekend of the Yale-Princeton game. Did we really need to know?
These are only some of the interesting tidbits to be found in the Princeton Local Express and the rest of the Princeton Digital Library. If you like history, consider taking a look at it one of those cold days when you just don’t want to leave your dorm, but still want some academic stimulation. It will deliver.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
This weekend's UFO Film: "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"
Harry Potter needs no introduction. Practically everyone in the Western world has heard of him, and nearly everyone between the age of 15 and 25 has read about him. Those unfamiliar with Harry should experience him for the first time, and mega-fans should relive the magic. Harry Potter is a sign of our times. And for what it’s worth, the sixth installment is one heck of a movie, too.
-Sean Wu '13
Underwear as Outerwear
Vivienne Westwood created it first, Madonna made it famous and, like all things from the
eighties have a habit of doing (think Donald Trump), it’s come back, slinkier than ever.
The king of the underwear—or rather sheer outerwear—look is Jean Paul Gaultier, who designed what many call the “original” pointed bra for Madonna’s 1990 “Blonde Ambition Tour”. And this season, he wouldn’t let you forget that cultural contribution; plastic bras peeped out of strips of torn striped fabric in (sometimes too) complicated arrangements that made about as much sense as anything that has to do with Madonna ever does. For those wanting to star in their own burlesque act, Gaultier struck exactly the right tone.
However, the look doesn’t have to be overtly sexual; indeed, there’s something strangely innocent about a simple silk slip trimmed in lace. The key is, of course, to contrast the delicacy of the underwear fabric against something rough and unexpected, like a jean jacket or leather blazer.
Still, one must always take precautions with this style; though I’m sure our upstanding Princeton males will be more than delighted to see girls wearing black lace camisoles as tops, it might be slightly awkward to wear that to a professor’s office hours. For the Seinfeld fans out there, think Sue Ellen Mischke.
Ivy League Ghosts
Just in time for Halloween, Princeton has been named the third most beautiful school in the country by a ghost writing company, The Penn Group. Princeton was also third on its list of schools "More Intense Than A Pressure Cooker," third on "Gourmet Cuisine Schools," second on "Schools at Which You Will Become a Snob" and fifth on "Schools at Which to Make Connections."
So why is The Penn Group kindly producing these lists to let future students know that Princeton is beautiful, intense, delicious, snobby and full of networking goodness?
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
20 Sweet: Pre-Midterm Songs
The week before midterms is not a time to panic, but rather a time to occasionally think academic thoughts so that midterms won’t bang you over the head quite as hard as they usually do.
So for this week, we give you some songs that will help you at least listen to academic-sounding music as you carry on with what may be those not-so-academic activities.
Come Monday, after a week of these subliminally schoolish songs, you’ll be oh-so-ready to go.
1. “ABC’s” – K’naan
2. “My Favourite Book” – Stars
3. “Learnalilgivinanlovin’” – Gotye
4. “Mathematics” – Mos Def
5. “Shakespeare in the Dark” – Jess Turner (Jess is a sophomore here -- Princeton's own resident singer-songwriter)
6. “Science vs. Romance” – Rilo Kiley
7. “Wrapped Up in Books” – Belle & Sebastian
8. “Charm School” – Bishop Allen
9. “Pressed in a Book” – The Shins
10. “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” – Lauryn Hill
11. “Learning to Fly” – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
12. “Books Written for Girls” – Camera Obscura
13. “Teach Your Children” – Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
14. “C + F” – Sam Prekop
15. “Concrete Schoolyard” – Jurassic 5
16. “My Mathematical Mind” – Spoon
17. “B + A” – The Beta Band
18. “A Strange Education” – The Cinematics
19. “Open Book” – Gnarls Barkley
20. “ABC” – Jackson 5
Monday, October 19, 2009
Ivy Watch: Expansions and Reunions
Ivy Watch—Informative and entertaining news from around the Ivy League
Brown:
Corporation Endorses Plans for New Medical Education Building
Brown University’s Corporation approved the design plans for a new Medical Education Building, which will be situated in Providence’s Jewelry District. The facility will cost $45 million, and construction is expected to begin early next year.
Columbia:
Columbia to Expand Global Centers in Paris and Mumbai
After opening global centers in China and Jordan, Columbia University is now focusing on Europe and South Asia. These centers create study abroad and internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.
Cornell:
Cornell Seventh in Solar Decathlon
Out of the 20 teams competing in the 2009 Solar Decathlon, Cornell University placed seventh with their Silo House design. Team Germany came in first place, followed by Team Illinois in second. The Solar Decathlon is a U.S. Energy Department sponsored competition in Washington D.C. that challenges university students to construct solar powered houses.
Dartmouth:
Cancer Info on YouTube Unreliable
A study done by Dartmouth University researchers concluded that cancer diagnosis and treatment advice provided on YouTube may be spurious. The report urged patients to seek more reliable sources of information.
Harvard:
Health Services to Distribute Swine Flu Vaccine
Harvard University Health Services expects to receive its first shipment of the H1N1 vaccine in two to three weeks. High priority groups like pregnant women, medical services personnel, and caretakers of young children will receive the first doses. About 300 people, mainly undergraduates, have been diagnosed with flu-like symptoms since August.
UPenn:
ASAP Raises Awareness about Sexual Assault
In response to the recent incidents of sexual assault in University-owned housing, the University of Pennsylvania’s Women’s Center created a new group called Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention. With 18 undergraduate members, ASAP will serve as a female counterpart to One-in-Four, Penn’s all-male sexual assault awareness group.
Yale:
Sotomayor Speaks at Law School Reunion
As a graduate of Yale Law, Sonia Sotomayor spoke at her 30th reunion at Yale University this past Saturday. To an audience of 1,800, she spoke primarily about the lengthy process of her Supreme Court nomination. Sotomayor is the first Hispanic justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Nassau Hall: 255 Years of Explosive History
Overlooking the south side of Nassau Hall’s west wing, beneath a curtain of ivy, lies the only visible remain of the university’s involvement in the Revolutionary War. A dent was left in the stone wall after American forces shot at the building when it was under British occupation. Ironically, the commander of the American forces who shot the cannon ball, Alexander Hamilton, was a Princeton reject. Surprisingly, it seems that over the years, Princeton students have done more physical harm to Nassau Hall than those who were denied admission. The 1855 fire (one of two fires which left the building completely destroyed) was believed to have started at a student’s stove. On another occasion, student protesters exploded a hollow log filled with 2 pounds of gunpowder in the building’s inner entrance. Please note current students, that Nassau Hill is now considered a “National Historic Landmark” and cannot be subject to any more physical abuses.Behind the main doors, guarded by the two bronze tigers, is the university’s war memorial, which lists the names of the alumni who perished in all wars leading up to Vietnam. Hopefully, the university will never have to make space for another listing of names. Hence, Nassau Hall is not only a testament to Princeton’s fortitude (literally), but it alludes to the great bravery and valor of its graduates. So, next time you walk by Nassau Hall, be thankful for its illustrious legacy…or at least be thankful for the name it was given. It would have been named after its benefactor, a Harvard grad, if he weren’t so overly modest and deemed “Nassau Hall” to be a more appropriate title. Thank you Mr. Belcher, for sparing as centuries of jokes by our Harvardian counterparts, and hail Old Nassau!
Drumthwacket’s Next Resident
The governor's race here in New Jersey will be decided in about two-and-a-half weeks, and while some Princeton students have been active on the campaign trail, there is evidence that these campaigns have had difficulty attracting students' attention. Below are the current endorsements for the governor’s race to help those still deciding. Recent polls show incumbent Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine and Republican Chris Christie within one percentage point of each other, and the newspaper endorsements appear to reflect this split.
On Sunday, The New York Times endorsed Corzine, writing that he “is a decent man with a laudable set of goals for his state.” This endorsement is good news for Corzine, as the Times has successfully picked the winning candidate in nine of the last 12 governor’s races in the state. The Philadelphia Inquirer also endorsed Corzine.
On the other hand, New Jersey’s largest newspaper, The Star-Ledger, has endorsed independent candidate Chris Daggett. The Star-Ledger billed its endorsement as “less a rejection of Gov. Jon Corzine and Republican Chris Christie than a repudiation of the parties they represent, both of which have forfeited any claim to the trust and confidence of the people of New Jersey.” The Star-Ledger endorsed Corzine for governor back in 2005.
Finally, the Courier News and the Home News Tribune have endorsed Chris Christie. The papers serve Somerset and Middlesex counties, respectively, the two counties to the northeast of Mercer County. They note that “another four years of Corzine as governor is about the worst thing that could happen to New Jersey.”
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Figures of Speech: As midterms loom...
Political Islam in Palestine: The Future of Hamas and the Gaza Strip
Monday, 4:30 p.m.
Jones 100
The lecture will be given by Professor Khalil Shikaki, founder and director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah and Associate Professor of Political Sciences at Al Najah National University in Nablus.
Interviewing the American Way
Wednesday, noon
Frist 243
This is for all you international students (and me!). Maximize your chance of employment by learning subtle American interview etiquettes!
Priceton University Orchestra Concert
Saturday, 8 p.m.
Sunday, 3 p.m.
Richardson Auditorium
Take your mind off studying for a while and enjoy some beautiful classical music performed by Princeton's amazing musicians!
Prokofiev's "The Ugly Duckling," featuring soprano Martha Elliot '82
Mozart's Piano Concerto in E-flat Major, featuring Jennifer Chu '06
Ravel's "Alborada del Gracioso"
Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9
Tickets are $18 for general admission, $8 for students and free with a Tiger Ticket!
Alumni Remembrances: Mercedes Naficy D’Angelo ’84
This segment is back! Read the memories and musings about Princeton from those people who've lived in your dorm room, eaten in your dining hall and run the same path to that 9 a.m. class before you.
This week, we're featuring a piece written by Mercedes Naficy D’Angelo ’84, Principal at Naficy Consulting and President of the Princeton Club of Northwestern New Jersey!
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"Eulogy for a Fallen Club"
Culture shock wasn’t really new to me when I first walked on campus that beautiful fall morning in 1979.
The first born offspring of an unexpected union between an Iranian and Puerto Rican who had serendipitously ended up at Iowa State for post graduate work, I was born into cultural tension. Having lived in both of my parents’ fatherlands and learned both of their mother tongues, I was quite accustomed to being the outsider, the different one; the unusual specimen to be regarded with curiosity. More importantly, I was used to feeling that peculiar sensation of not fitting in. I communicated differently, processed information differently. I was different. And I learned to wear my difference with pride. Every cultural encounter that had come my way had been handled, dealt with, internalized, disseminated and understood, so that I could honestly say I had earned the right to walk proud despite my obvious differences from everyone else.
I was surprised, even hurt to notice during those first few weeks at Princeton that the pain of being different was still possible. I would look at the blond, fair eyed, beautiful people who were the clear majority and find that they didn’t really fit into any of the ‘types’ or people that I had met and learned to interact with during my international life. These were the people one read about in books; the American archetype: healthy, vibrant, athletic, blond, blue eyed boys and girls with gleaming white teeth, indicating the privilege they had been born into – if not the privilege of wealth, then certainly the privilege of opportunity that so many in the world never experience.
Princeton was great at many things in those days, but I can honestly say that it was terrible at helping freshmen – especially those from different backgrounds – settle in. My Resident Advisor (RA) was …who was he? I don’t think I even spoke to him after the first day. So I was pretty much on my own. And while I had a lot of fun and made a lot of friends, I can honestly say that I didn’t really find a niche, that first year at Princeton. Until the day I walked into Dial Lodge; on that day I walked in and found myself at home for the first time at Princeton.
Dial was a non-selective Club; and as such, a testament to how random selection can bring together a diverse group of students. It appealed to me because it was non-selective. Princeton in the late 70s and early 80s was – in my opinion – segregated, whether by design or by choice. I didn’t want to join a minority group, since I had never felt wholly a part of any one group because of my own multi-cultural background. I wanted to be integrated within an inclusive and diverse group. I definitely did not want to cocoon within a subgroup of the University, whether the Latinos or the “Third World Center.” The name alone was enough to send me running in the opposite direction.
And I couldn’t get past the idea of bickering. The very word seemed incredulous to me. The concept that a group of people would decide if I were good enough – fun enough, smart enough, cute enough, interesting enough - to join them seemed absurd. Selectivity was an anathema to the essence of who I was. Imagine my surprise when decades later my daughter decided to bicker, only to have her heart broken not once but twice by a process in which she was determined not good enough to join. And now, my other daughter is deciding to bicker, too. She may have better luck than her sister, but I have reservations about any Club that selects its members based on criteria that are subjective, willful and partisan.
The sun dial on the building is the only reminder to students of this new millennium of Princetonians of a Club that made such an incredible difference to me. Now the Bendheim Center for Finance, Dial Lodge was a surprisingly diverse and incredibly inclusive place where I could go and be myself – no questions asked. Dial was where an artistic Cuban-American boy could break bread with a feisty Native American; where a vociferous crew of rowdy wrestlers hung out with introspective intellectuals; where a Catholic, Jewish and Protestant believer could huddle together on the couch for three hours on a Sunday afternoon determined to fill every damn square of the NY Times crossword puzzle.
I have of late been drawn into the efforts of Cannon, Elm and Dial Lodge alumni to renovate and open the former Cannon Club. What we will name it and whether it will be selective or not are still being debated even as we finalize the contracts to start breaking ground. I am sure the debates will be spirited; I pray that our decisions will be good ones for future generations of Princetonians. I selfishly hope that we can bring back to life some of the signature Dial events like Jesse Bratcher’s fabulous fried chicken on Wednesday night followed by the Wednesday Night Club, or Yasgur’s Farm on the Lawn, Champagne Jam, Barbarian Day… well, maybe not all of them. Most of all, I hope that we will succeed in creating an environment not only of diversity but also and more importantly and environment of inclusion; one that celebrates our differences.
At my 25th reunion this past June, I was talking to a fellow Dial alumnus about the good times we had shared at Dial. He was one of the blue-eyed, blond boys with gleaming white teeth who actually chose to join Dial. He echoed my sentiments precisely when he said: “Dial was what kept me sane. It was the only place on campus where people were normal.” In praise for non-selectivity I have to say that even though you weren’t sure who was going to end up at your Club, every year at sign-in you knew that it was going to be fine. We would welcome this diverse group of sophomores into our Lodge, and ultimately into our hearts.
Mercedes Naficy D’Angelo ’84 S83 P11 P12
In times like these, it's good to be a Tiger
We’re pretty lucky. A few weeks ago, we all received that e-mail from President Tilghman detailing what the recession means for Princeton and describing where we stand currently. Last April, Princeton foresaw a loss in the value of the endowment of up to 30 percent. Fortunately, as Tilghman informed us in her e-mail, we actually only lost 23.7 percent.
Breakfasts and Budgets
In case you missed last Monday's budget town hall and are worried the Princeton is going to follow Harvard's example and cut hot breakfasts, you can rest assured, your omelets remain safe.
At the town hall, Provost Christopher Eisgruber '83 noted that Harvard is the only school that draws a greater share of its operating costs from its endowment. In that case, The Boston Globe's story yesterday may explain in part why Harvard had to cut its hot breakfasts as well as fire 275 members of staff, halt a planned expansion and borrow $1.5 billion with a bond offering. According to the Globe, Harvard invested some of the funds it uses to pay yearly operating costs along with its endowment and lost $1.8 billion when the economy soured. Harvard's total operating expenses for the 2008-09 fiscal year were $3.8 billion.
Friday, October 16, 2009
If you give a mouse a mitten ... he'll want a Blackberry
Today hit a high of only 44°F, and tomorrow is expected to be the same. This first cold snap of the year is sending people running for gloves and mittens. But with the huge usage of iPhones and Blackberries on campus, this could cause a problem. To text or to be mildly chilly: truly a question for our age.
Luckily Vivian Weng ’05 and her brother Edward Weng ’10 have a solution for that problem. They have developed the Mittenberry, a mitten with removable thumb covers to let you type away. They come in three different colors and cost $24.99 for a pair.
Best of all, they serve multiple purposes. Cold-weather thumb wars, anyone?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Number of flu-like cases rise to 409
There have been a total of 409 cases of influenza-like illness on campus since Aug. 30, University spokeswoman Emily Aronson said Thursday evening. The figure represented a 57.3 percent increase since Oct. 5, when University Health Services (UHS) Executive Director John Kolligian said at a meeting of the Council of the Princeton University Community (CPUC) that the total was 260 cases.
The UHS has identified 62 active cases of flu-like illness, defined as cases identified within the past 72 hours, Aronson said.
Aronson explained that an accurate count would be difficult to determine, but that the University has seen less flu-like activity than peer schools.
"Of course, there's no way to tell definitely the exact number of cases because some people may not identify themselves to UHS," Aronson said.
On Sept. 17, the total count of on-campus cases of flu-like illness since Aug. 30 stood at 34. By Sept. 24, the total number of cases had jumped to 80. On Oct. 5th, the total number of cases rose to 260.
-- Tasnim Shamma '11
From Douchey to Powerful: GQ's New List of Princetonians
Last month, "GQ" declared Princeton the third douchiest college in all of America.
Now the magazine is out with a list of the 50 most powerful people in D.C. (according to the journalists, congressmen, lobbyists, think tankers and influence peddlers it polled). The obvious first question is how many Princetonians made their way on to this prestigious ranking. The answer? Quite a few.
No. 3
"There's one man, undeniably, who controls the country's financial future more than anyone else."
That powerful.
No. 5Just two spots after Bernanke, Orszag in his influential post puts two Princetonians in the top five. Not bad at all.
No. 19The world hasn't heard much from Mueller since he took office seven days before Sept. 11, 2001. He'd likely tell you that's the way it's supposed to be. But that doesn't prevent the guy from being one of the 20 most powerful people in the nation's capital.
No. 21Holbrooke spent a year as a fellow at the Wilson School. We figured that was enough to stick him on this list. After Hillary Clinton, "GQ" argues Holbrooke's got the hardest job in the State Department these days.
No. 24Yingling represents Wall Street's biggest players in the city where virtually everyone is talking (either for or against) about sweeping overhauls of financial regulations. He's a big deal, guys: The ABA contributed $3.7 million to campaigns last cycle and spent $9 million on lobbyists.
No. 27Mayer didn't go to Princeton, but she is co-teaching a seminar this semester with her husband, who works for "Politico." Mayer made it big after reporting about interrogation programs and assassination plots at the CIA.
Diggin’ in the Mudd: Girl’s colleges? Too much trouble, say Princetonians
guide to women’s colleges in the East,” this little book was a dating guide to Eastern elite colleges, at the dawn of coeducation. I found it, not in Mudd, but in the Firestone Rare Books section. It counts anyway!To put it in perspective, when the booklet was written, Brandeis and Harvard Law Scho
ol already admitted women, Hampshire would begin the year this book was published, and our very own Princeton would remain all-male for three years yet."Girls may not melt in your arms on sight, and butter may still melt in your mouth on contact. This is a book not a magic incantation. You’ll always have to do most of the work of choosing, locating, and snowing” (win over with plausible words, says the Oxford English Dictionary) “your women yourself, but we can help you with some of the duller parts.”
The intro goes on to explain that in this book are lists: phone numbers, dorms, restaurants, accommodations. “Too many lists? Hugh Hefner thought so … But then, Hugh Hefner isn’t visiting girls’ colleges. Too much trouble. “
The book then goes through many girls' colleges, giving little gems like these:
• Beaver girls may describe themselves as “well-rounded” and “All-American” but the men who date them prefer the word “posh”. Most of the school’s 750 students are members are the landed upper-middle class of the East, relaxing midway between prep school and marriage.
• If you want a Bennet girl, get her while she’s a freshman. She may not be there next year.
• When you arrive at (Conn College) … the guard will ask you for the name of the girl you are going to see … Casually give the man any name that comes to mind --- they never quite bother to check up on it.
• There are four places to snow a Goucherite: the first, and most difficult, is the woods, the campus, Baltimore, and Washington.
• While Bryn Mawr is scholastic, Sarah Lawrence is hip.
• The Vassar girl naturally learns to relax with men especially men from Yale, Harvard, Princeton, etc.
Interspersed with each college are restaurants and nightspots, as well as curfews (usually around 1 to 3 a.m. with stricter curfews on weekdays for freshmen and penalties for missing curfew). There’s a list of special days like father-daughter days when the Princeton man probably wouldn’t have much luck, or reading weeks when they probably would. Travel times, some of up to eight hours, are given. It’s fascinating to me that boys from Princeton would travel eight hours to meet girls at other colleges? Wouldn't it be easier just to let girls in?
There was widespread response and criticism to this booklet. Life published an article “How the Girls Really Are” proclaiming “you just can’t generalize” and including full-size pictures of all kinds of college girls. A Time magazine article titled “Where Girls Are Inconvenient” had this to say:
Coeducation is the solution for Princeton's social illness," argues the Daily Princetonian. Last week the paper got a chilly reply — no — from President Robert F. Goheen. Letting girls into the university, he said, might "solve some problems, but it would create others."
In point of fact, girls do attend Princeton: ten of them are enrolled in undergraduate language courses and live off-campus in a house with an unlisted phone. This 320-to-1 boy-girl ratio only goes to stress that Princeton is the nation's most conspicuous holdout against women. The objection is no longer theological, or even philosophical. It's just that Princeton considers girls so terribly inconvenient. The university is committed to hold down enrollment to about the present level of 3,000. To let in girls would mean driving out boys — and already four well-qualified boys are turned away for every one admitted.
Perhaps the best response was organized by the girls at Smith and Mount Holyoke and written by two male students at Amherst. “Princeton," it says, “is the only place in the world where, when a boy and his date walk past a mirror, it's the boy who stops to comb his hair."
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All pictures from "Where The Girls Are" published by the 'Prince'
More on Princeton coeducation:
Read about one of the first female undergraduates
First in the series
Second in the series
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