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Friday february 13, 2015 vol. cxxxix no. 10
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In Opinion Julia Case-Levine talks about the recent measles outbreak and Theodore Furchtgott argues that having an Ivy League degree may not be politically advantageous. PAGE 4
PRINCETON By the Numbers
40
Millions of dollars that a property tax exemption would save the University.
Today on Campus
U N I V E R S I T Y A F FA I R S
U N I V E R S I T Y A F FA I R S
U. to appeal decision in U. develops tax exemption lawsuit 10-year By Jessica Li staff writer
The University announced on Thursday that it will appeal a Morris County tax court judge’s denial of the University’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit against its property tax exemption for the 2014 tax year. The University is asking the Appellate Division of New Jersey’s Superior Court to review the denial of the motion to dismiss. The lawsuit in question is separate from a 2011 suit challenging the University’s property tax exemption for 19 buildings alleged to have non-educational or primary uses, University spokesperson Martin Mbugua said. In the lawsuit whose motion to dismiss was adjudicated on Thurs-
day, four town residents are challenging the University’s receipt of a property tax exemption from the town in 2014. The lawsuit’s premises are flawed, University Vice President and Secretary Robert Durkee ’69 said. “The standard in New Jersey for being eligible for property tax exemption is that your dominant purpose should be an educational institution, and Princeton’s dominant motive is to be an education institution,” Durkee said. “Our dominant motive is not to make a profit. By law and by precedent, we believe this case should not go forward.” The University’s legal counsel is moving forward to challenge the decision issued because the University believes it has a compelling case, Durkee said.
“This is not a trial of the case, but a motion to dismiss the case,” Durkee explained. “The plaintiffs of the case have not argued that Princeton’s dominant motive is to make a profit.” The University will wait for a decision from the New Jersey’s Superior Court on whether the appeal will be heard to decide to go to trial, Durkee said. “If it will not be heard, the case needs to go to trial,” Durkee said. “We have every confidence that if it goes to trial, we will be successful.” The University also filed a motion to dismiss the case so that it does not have to commit the resources that are otherwise called for by the litigation, especially in a situation See TAX page 2
VALENTINE’S DAY
7:30 p.m.: The Princeton Juggling Club will perform J.U.G.G.L.E., “a journey to unravel the mysteries of the secret acronym.” Frist Film and Performance Theatre.
The Archives
Feb. 13, 1962 The Interclub Council placed seven eating clubs on disciplinary probation for violations during Bicker of the women in dormitories rule. As punishment, each club was forbidden from hosting either women or liquor for an indefinite period.
News & Notes
Harvard student group stages sit-in for divestment About 40 Harvard students staged a sit-in demanding divestment from fossil fuel companies in Massachusetts Hall, which houses the office of Harvard President Drew Faust, on Thursday, The Harvard Crimson reported. Undergraduate, graduate and law students from the activist group Divest Harvard participated by occupying a first-floor hallway beginning at around 10 a.m. The event took place on the eve of Global Divestment Day, which calls for climate change through divestment from fossil fuels. “We’re trying to put as much pressure on them as possible,” protester Canyon Woodward said. “We are going to reiterate our call for divestment — we’re no longer settling for a meeting — we have to take action now.” Despite the sit-in, the Harvard administration reaffirmed on Thursday that it would not divest from fossil fuel companies. “We fully respect their opposing point of view and their opportunity to express it openly and vigorously,” Harvard spokesman Jeff Neal said. “But we are deeply disappointed that divestment advocates have chosen to resort to a highly disruptive building occupation as a means to advance their view.”
HEATHER GRACE: CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Valentine’s Day spirit fills Frist Campus Center as students join the Stella Art Club to make beautiful cards and crafts.
campus plan By Olivia Wicki staff writer
The University is currently in the planning process for a new Campus Framework Plan that will cover the 10-year period from 2016 to 2026. “Campus plans need to be renewed every 10 years for a campus plan to remain valid and vital,” University architect Ron McCoy said. The University hired Toronto-based consulting firm Urban Strategies in August 2014 to assist in developing the plan. Currently, Urban Strategies is in the initial planning stages for future campus plans, Urban Strategies partner Warren Price said. The 2o26 campus plan is expected to be released in November 2016. “This is an expansion from the previous plan,” Price said. “It will be as much a management tool intended to frame and advance discussion and decision-making and build consensus. What it won’t be is a carved-in-stone kind of blueprint design vision that can only be realized in one way. It will allow [the University] to keep their options open and make choices.” The plan will address land use, campus design, landscape, infrastructure, sustainability, movement and transportation, according to the University’s campus planning website. One of the central areas of focus of the 2026 campus plan will be sustainability, McCoy said. “Sustainability is a very important issue,” McCoy explained. “We have asked [Urban Strategies] to imagine if sustainability were the most important goal, how would a campus plan look?” Price noted that his firm was working closely with the Princeton Sustainability Council. Another important issue to the campus planning process is spatial planning, McCoy said, adding that the goal is to maximize the use of existing space. W. Barksdale Maynard, an art and archaeology professor who is currently teaching ART/ ARC 251: Architecture of Princeton University, said if he were to come up with a campus plan, historical preservation would be at the top of his list of things to consider, especially in light of the University’s constant expansion. “The question is: Are we going to pass [the campus] along to our children and grandchildren in a way that retains its historic interest, that retains its historic integrity?” Maynard said. Maynard added that he fears that temptation may spur campus planners to tear down historical buildings even though previous campus See PLAN page 3
STUDENT LIFE
Crunchbutton brings restaurant delivery service to campus By Do-Hyeong Myeong senior writer
Crunchbutton, a start-up that offers delivery service from restaurants that typically do not deliver, will launch its operations on campus on Feb. 26. Dalia Katan ’15, the company’s marketing representative for the University, said she contacted the company to start a branch on campus because she was not satisfied with limited dining options on campus. “I felt like we shouldn’t have to wait for study breaks for Chipotle,” Katan said. The service will be provided from 6 p.m. to midnight, according to Ka-
tan. When a student places an order through the Crunchbutton app, the drivers hired by Crunchbutton will pick it up and then deliver it to the given location. Students will have to pay a small flat-rate delivery fee, but the exact amount has not yet been decided, according to Katan. The list of restaurants is still being modified but will include Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, Panera Bread and a few of the Asian cuisine restaurants in the area, Katan said. She added that the list might increase in the future based on student feedback. Piyapat Sinsub ’17, who said she will be going independent next semester, said Crunchbutton will help
her save time cooking and said that since she does not have a car, she would probably find it useful. “[The app would be useful] especially if I need to organize a group meeting or want to eat with a group of friends,” Sinsub said. Brandon Zhou ’17 said he was interested in seeing the diversity of food options available on campus increase. Katan said she first reached out to Crunchbutton headquarters last December and discussed the launch throughout January. She explained that she felt the service would be very helpful in allowing more dining options for students, especially those without cars.
“It’s like Uber, but for food,” Katan said. “Anyone could use it. Whether you are independent, in an eating club or a co-op, having that variety of quality and quantity of food would definitely be an important thing to have.” One advantage of the app is that it is user-friendly, Katan said. The app is able to remember the customer’s location, payment information and last order, she added. Students have reacted positively about the service so far, she said. She sent out a survey on Feb. 8 asking students whether they would be interested in using the service, and, if so, which restaurants they would See FOOD page 3
STUDENT LIFE
Student Health Advisory Board launches mental health mentor program By Christina Vosbikian staff writer
The Student Health Advisory Board last week launched Peer Connection, a one-on-one peer advising service for students who might be dealing with stress or who seek academic, life, relationship or other advice from peers. So far, 92 students have signed up as mentors, and 19 have signed up as mentees, project organizer Mizzi Gomes ’16 said. Gomes is a senior opin-
ion columnist for The Daily Princetonian. “Now that the meningitis campaign is over, SHAB has really been looking for our next big project, and mental health is such a timely issue and has concerns that we want to address,” Gwen Lee ’16, chair of SHAB, said. Although Peer Connection officially launched last week, it has been in development since last spring. SHAB has sought guidance from University Health Services and Counseling and Psychological Services
and hopes to continue collaboration. “I do feel like there’s a niche for having somebody to talk to who doesn’t live directly down the hall or isn’t somebody who also deals directly with your academic life,” Gomes said, adding that Peer Connection is unique from other support services on campus in that it is much more informal. Mentors will serve as a sounding board for mentees but will also be trained by SHAB to be able to support mentees when needed.
Gomes said mentors will be able to begin working with mentees around the time of midterms. Freshmen who sign up for the program as mentors will be educated in workshops until their sophomore fall, when they will be paired up with freshman mentees. Mentees will automatically be assigned different mentors every semester unless they request to stay with their current mentor. The program will ideally pair mentees with mentors who have had personal experience going through similar
issues that mentees are struggling with. “It is amazing how hard it is for people to want to be a mentee,” Gomes said. ”We are very aware that mental health is such an issue on college campuses, but we’re not necessarily very comfortable admitting it about ourselves.” There is an opportunity for the project to benefit students in a way that other mental health initiatives haven’t addressed, Zhan Okuda-Lim See MENTOR page 2