Founded 1876 daily since 1892 online since 1998
Tuesday November 29, 2016 vol. cxl no. 108
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Eisgruber email supports DACA, against sanctuary By Samuel Garfinkle staff writer
In an email sent to the undergraduate student body on Monday afternoon, University President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 said that though the University is committed to protecting undocumented students, the concept of a Sanctuary Campus is legally unfounded. “In a country that respects the rule of law, every person and every official, no matter what office he or she may hold, is subject to the law and must respect the rights of others. Princeton University will invoke that principle in courts and elsewhere to protect the rights of its community and the individuals within it,” his email reads. “But we jeopardize our ability to make those arguments effectively, and may even put our DACA students at greater risk, if we suggest that our campus is beyond the law’s reach,” the email continued. In an interview with the ‘Prince,’ Eisgruber reiterated that the basis of his decision lies in legal constraints. “I don’t think there’s any useful application of the idea of sanctuary to universities.... it doesn’t clarify anything to use a concept that may wrongly suggest that somehow universities can insulate themselves from or exempt themselves from the application of law,” Eisgruber said. He continued to say that the University will protect students to
the maximum extent that the law allows. “That means doing so on the basis of current policies, and that means looking for ways to improve those policies,” he said. He noted that there have been not yet been concrete nation-wide policy changes to respond to, though he acknowledged the political rhetoric that sparked protest in the first place. In the email, Eisgruber noted that the University does not release private information unless it is presented with a subpoena or comparably binding requirement. When asked about under what circumstances the University would have to reveal information about undocumented students to law enforcement agents such as Immigration Customs and Enforcement, Eisgruber deferred comment to the University’s general counsel. The Office of General Counsel could not be reached for comment as of press time. The town of Princeton is currently designated as a sanctuary city. Formally proposed to the city council in late 2013, the current policy applies to the Princeton Police Department, and details their involvement in immigration-related operations. According to a general order issued by Princeton Police Captain Nicholas Sutter, “Local police are See EMAIL page 3
STUDENT LIFE
USG candidates discuss platforms, motivations By Katie Petersen contributor
Undergraduate Student Government announced the candidates for next year’s offices last Sunday. Dan Qian ’19 is running for vice president of the student body. As vice president, Qian hopes to make USG projects more transparent by surveying student opinion on Senate projects before priorities are set and relaying results of weekly administrator meetings to the student body. With experience on the Senate, Executive Committee, and Core Committee, he has worked
with the Vice President, President, and the rest of the Senate. Qian was not available for comment at the time of publication. Alison Shim ’19 and Rawlison Zhang ’19 are running for treasurer of the student body. As Treasurer, Alison Shim would like to bring transparency to the USG budget. “I think that having that transparency will lead to feedback from the student body and insight into how they want things prioritized,” Shim said. As Public Engagement Chair and a member of See USG page 4
LECTURE
U. professors discuss Trump presidency By Katherine Wang staff writer
Professors from the history, politics, anthropology, Near Eastern studies, and sociology departments discussed how a Donald Trump presidency might impact the world at a roundtable discussion on Nov. 28. Politics Professor Mark Beissinger initially addressed the lack of attention towards international views of Trump’s rise to
the presidency and its impact on global politics and governance. “There has been an enormous amount of analysis of what brought Trump to power and what he might do here in the United States in terms of his politics, but not that much analysis of how the rest of the world views Trump, what the consequences might be in various parts of the world, and how the Trump election plays into international politics,” BeissSee TALK page 3
In Opinion Over the Thanksgiving holiday, columnist Maha al Fahim reflected on the importance of remaining grateful, and columnist Tom Salama discusses the best ways to memorialize and history. PAGE 4
STUDENT LIFE
COURTESY OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
Students share perspectives on gender neutral housing By Rose Gilbert staff writer
On Nov. 30, the University Student Life Committee will vote on a new policy proposal submitted by the Gender-Inclusive Housing Working Group that would increase the availability of gender-neutral housing. The proposal is especially intended to help transgender and nonbinary students find housing where they feel safe and comfortable. Currently, only dorms with at least one more room than the number of inhabitants are eligible to be gender-neutral. However, because the extra space makes these dorms extremely appealing, they are often the first to be taken during
Room Draw, making them unavailable to trans and nonbinary students who may not be in front of the drawing pool. Rooms with private bathrooms, which many trans and nonbinary students feel more comfortable using, are equally scarce for the same reasons. This proposal and the creation of its sponsoring organization are the culmination of feedback from LGBTQIA students on campus, including a petition advocating for students’ choice to choose mixed-gender housing. Lily Gellman ’17, who helped start the petition and co-created its website, said this proposal is a “crucial step” for the USLC to take and is the result of
years of on-campus advocacy for gender-inclusive housing policy. “It is huge that in the past few months the administration decided to move forward with this effort,” Gellman said. “If the Undergraduate Student Life Committee listens to this very pressing student need by voting ‘yes’ on the proposal, it will make so many students feel safer, more comfortable, and happier in their rooms,” Gellman added. Director of Housing Dorian Johnson said that Housing and Campus Life worked together to develop this gender inclusive housing proposal, and that Housing will help impleSee HOUSING page 2
ACADEMICS
Eisgruber, Dolan support Task Force on American Studies recommendations By Jessica Li head news editor
As a step toward establishing an undergraduate concentration in American Studies with tracks in Asian American and Latinx Studies, President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 and Dean of the College Jill Dolan expressed support for increasing faculty appointments and other recommendations put forward by the Task Force on American Studies in a statement released on Nov. 22. According to the statement, effective immediately, the University will phase in faculty appointments in American Studies. The effort will begin with the joint appointments of current faculty from other departments, who will be selected by the provost and dean of faculty as well as the leadership of the AMS program. “Searches are already underway via other departments for ladder-track faculty in Asian American and Latinx Studies,” Dolan said. She also explained that there is no target for the number of appointments. Nicholas Wu ’18, co-president of the Asian American Student Association, stated that he is pleased with the University’s response. AASA had helped compile information for the task force report.
Today on Campus
“This is something we’ve been working on for decades, and this is the first institutional step — setting aside the FTEs to fund American and Asian American Studies — that the University has taken,” Wu said. AASA compiled a report articulating the need for an Asian American Studies program at the end of 2015. The group also held a panel discussion during early 2015 and circulated multiple petitions in the past decade in support of Asian American Studies. Briana Christophers ’17, former co-president and current advocacy chair of Princeton Latinos y Amigos, noted that although there’s a pronounced need for more faculty for Latinx studies, it is unclear where the recommendations will lead. “Once Latinx Studies is integrated into American Studies there is not exactly a simple way for it to ever become its own department. We do desperately need more support for Latinx Studies professors, courses, and scholarship at Princeton, and the creation of a Center for American Studies could help with that,” she said. The statement also indicated that the University is in the process of searching for new faculty members. However, these new appointments are contingent on fundraising.
4:30 p.m.: Serena Dankwa will give a lecture entitled “Doing Everything Together: Exploring Female Same-Sex Intimacy in Postcolonial Ghana” about FIZ advocacy and support for migrant women and trafficking victims in Zurich as part of the Program in African Studies. 216 Aaron Burr Hall.
Dolan noted that it is difficult to predict when the new appointments and other initiatives will materialize. However, she said that fundraising for AMS is one of Eisgruber’s priorities. “President Eisgruber, as the response says, has committed to fundraising for American Studies, among his other priorities. We hope that donors will be excited about the proposals,” Dolan said. Eisgruber deferred comment to Dolan. According to Wu, the Asian American Alumni Association has actively supported efforts for ethnic studies and has maintained a consistent fund to encourage expansions like the ones endorsed by Dolan and Eisgruber. As noted by the statement, the initial report submitted by the task force cites the inability of AMS to make faculty appointments as the most significant constraint for the program. “Talented faculty who wish to participate in our program are all overburdened,” the task force report read. “As a result, their teaching service to American Studies is unpredictable and, through no fault of their own, unreliable.” Both Dolan and Eisgruber found this assessment persuaSee AMS page 3
WEATHER
U N I V E R S I T Y A F FA I R S
HIGH
61˚
LOW
51˚
Rain. chance of rain:
100 percent