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Friday december 18, 2015 vol. cxxxix no. 125
{ www.dailyprincetonian.com } STUDENT LIFE
Ivy Club to join multiclub Bicker By Paul Phillips news editor
Ivy Club will join the multiclub Bicker system starting in the coming spring, Ivy president Eliza Mott ’16 said. The multi-club Bicker process gives students the option of bickering two of the Bicker clubs at the same time, ranking their first and second choices. Until now, students bickering Ivy were not allowed to bicker another eating club. Mott explained that the Ivy officer corps came to the decision to join the multi-club
Bicker system due to concerns that not having a second option in the event of rejection would make students scared to bicker. “The multi-club system gives them more options and makes the eating club system less exclusionary,” Mott said. She added that she thinks the decision to join the multiclub system will lead to a higher number and wider variety of students bickering. This wider variety, she said, usually leads to having the best class possible. She explained that the club’s officers came to the decision toSee BICKER page 3
COURTESY OF BETCHES.COM
Ivy Club will join the multi-club Bicker system and allow students to bicker another club in addition to Ivy.
ACADEMICS
STUDENT LIFE
U. to consider offering ASL course next spring
USG reforms rules for future referenda
By De Vann Sago
news editor
senior writer
The University might offer a non-credit American Sign Language course as early as this coming spring, Deputy Dean of Undergraduate Students Thomas Dunne said. The course would not be recognized as an official University course. Dunne explained that plans for
the course came about when he met with members of the Princeton University American Sign Language Club and brainstormed how the course could be offered. “We do believe there’s a student interest here that we could meet and give people the opportunity to learn more about ASL and the Deaf community,” Dunne said. He said the first step in the process will be finding a lecturer to instruct the class, but did not
provide further details. Colin Lualdi ’17, president of PUASL, said that when he first arrived at the University, there was nothing related to ASL on campus. He noted that as he met people, he realized that there was a strong interest among students in learning more about ASL and the Deaf culture and community, and he said that meeting this demand would be a meaningful See ASL page 2
BEYOND THE BUBBLE
By Paul Phillips The Undergraduate Student Government implemented reforms last Sunday to make the referendum process more organized and to allow more student discussion and dialogue. USG president Ella Cheng ’16 explained that the reforms include a rule that referenda can only be sent out during an election cycle and must be signed by 10 percent of the student body in order to appear on the ballot. Cheng is a former staff writer for The Daily Princetonian. She also explained that referendum sponsors must send the referendum to the USG five weeks before the election period. Signatures are collected in the third week, while an opposition party is allowed to form during the fourth week. Then campaigning, during which time the parties can put up posters and hold forums
and debates, occurs during the fifth week. USG will help the parties put out pro-con statements for the student body to read during the campaigning period, she said. Cheng noted that previous regulations had called for referenda to be sent in three weeks before the voting period and that this change to five weeks, while in some ways inconvenient, is intended to give the opposition party more of a chance to form. “We hope that this five weeks will allow the substantive, quality debate that a lot of people were asking for,” Cheng said. Former chief elections manager Grant Golub ’17, who started working on the reforms in May when he was still in his role, noted that there also will be a spending cap of $500 on all spending related to referenda from now on, and referendum sponsors will be governed by See REFERENDUM page 3
LOCAL NEWS
Cruz ’92 surpasses Trump in Iowa primary polls, Christie gains support in N.H. By Annie Yang staff writer
U.S. Senator from Texas Ted Cruz ’92 has surged in the Iowa polls for the 2016 Republican presidential primary, while New Jersey governor and ex officio University Trustee Chris Christie is polling much lower. According to the Des Moines Register, Cruz made a 21 percentage-point increase in the Iowa polls since October 22, making him the lead among Republican candidates. Real estate developer Donald Trump, the former leader, is now 10 points below Cruz, while Ben Carson, who previously held
second place, dropped to third. The Register said that Christie has three percent in the Iowa polls, tied with former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee and U.S. Senator from Kentucky Rand Paul. USA Today presented a national poll Monday showing that Trump still holds the lead with 41 percent of the votes, while Cruz holds second place with 14 percent. All other candidates, including Christie, polled below five percent. However, USA Today also noted that Christie remains a contender in New Hampshire. According to the New York Times, Christie has been actively seeking endorse-
ments in New Hampshire, a state that remains significant because it has the earliest primary in the nation. In November, he received an early endorsement from the New Hampshire Union Leader, a well-known newspaper for Republicans in state politics, the Times stated. Christie was endorsed by New Hampshire Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley on Dec.7. The Political Monitor said that Bradley appreciated Christie’s persistence and willingness to listen and believes that these qualities would appeal to voters in New Hampshire, where 43.7 percent of resiSee CANDIDATES page 2
By Hannah Waxman staff writer
Forty-three Princeton Theological Seminary students wrote and signed an open letter petition denouncing Liberty University President Jerry Falwell’s call to violent action against Muslims on Dec.8. “If more good people had conceal-carry permits then we could end those Muslims before they walk in and kill,” Falwell said during a Dec. 4 talk, referring to the San Bernardino shootings. Falwell did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Liberty University issued a follow-up statement the day following Falwell’s speech to clarify that he had been referring to the couple responsible
In Opinion
Today on Campus
The Editorial Board reminds us of what to be thankful for at the University this holiday season and columnist Colter Smith argues that our standards of right and wrong, for even currently well-accepted practices, will change in the future. PAGE 4
7:30 p.m.: The New Jersey Symphony Chamber Orchestra will be performing Handel’s Messiah at Richardson Auditorium.
for the terrorist attacks, as opposed to Muslim individuals in general. Senior Managing Editor of the Liberty University News Office Mitzi Bible deferred comment to the statement. However, Seminary Ph.D. student Stephanie Thurston said that it doesn’t alleviate any of her worries about the flippant nature, the cheering and the way killing someone is discussed. Since Liberty University is one of the largest nonprofit private Christian institutions in America, Thurston said it was important for the petitioners to respond to Falwell’s remarks, noting that those comments had the potential to be wide-reaching and influential. Seminary Ph.D. student See PETITION page 3
WEATHER
COURTESY OF STATE.NJ.US AND TEDCRUZ.ORG
Gov. Chris Christie (left) is gaining support in the presidential race and Sen. Ted Cruz ’92 is rising in the polls.
Seminary students write petition opposing antiMuslim rhetoric
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