April 2, 2015

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Thursday april 2, 2015 vol. cxxxix no. 38

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In Opinion Steve Swanson considers the longterm effects of hookup culture, and Sarah Sakha argues for more careful choices of words on campus. PAGE 4

In Street This week in Street, Street takes a look at Princeton’s improv groups, Staff Writer Victoria Scott goes behind the scenes of “The City Lost and Found” and Staff Writer Maya Wesby imagines a day in the life of Ted Cruz. PAGE 4

Today on Campus 6:00 p.m.: Annual meeting of the Princeton University China Energy Group, featuring a keynote presentation by Dr. Eric Larson and Dr. Fabian Wagner. Friend Center Bowl 006.

BEYOND THE BUBBLE

Sen. Menendez indicted for corruption By Christina Vosbikian staff writer

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez and Salomon Melgen, a Florida ophthalmologist, were indicted on Wednesday by the District of New Jersey for one count of conspiracy, one count of violating the travel act, eight counts of bribery and three counts of honest services fraud. Menendez was also charged with one count of making false statements. The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Newark, New Jersey Division Richard Frankel. According to CNN, Menendez has asserted his innocence, pledging to fight the federal corruption charges brought against him. Menendez said the charges were politically motivated and “intended to silence me.” Menendez and Melgen did not respond to multiple requests for

comment. “I have always conducted myself in accordance with the law,” Menendez said. “I’m angry and ready to fight because today contradicts my public service career and my entire life.” In a press release Wednesday, The Department of Justice alleged that Menendez accepted close to $1 million worth of lavish gifts and campaign contributions from Melgen between January 2006 and January 2013. Melgen’s contributions were allegedly in exchange for Menendez using the power of his Senate office to influence the outcome of ongoing contractual and Medicare billing disputes worth tens of millions of dollars to Melgen and to support the visa applications of several of Melgen’s girlfriends. The indictment alleges that, among other gifts, Menendez accepted flights on Melgen’s private jet, a first-class commercial flight and a flight on a chartered jet; numerous vacations at Melgen’s Caribbean villa in the Dominican Republic and at a hotel room in

COURTESY OF PHILLY.COM

Sen. Robert Menendez was indicted for corruption on Wednesday, but he has asserted his innocence.

Paris; and $40,000 in contributions to his legal defense fund and over $750,000 in campaign contributions. Menendez never disclosed any of the reportable gifts that he received from Melgen on his financial disclosure forms. “[Prosecutors] don’t know the difference between friendship and corruption and have chosen to twist my duties as a senator

Whig-Clio discusses new sexual assault policies

April 2, 1996

By Katherine Oh

First year student Stephen Lamberton ‘99 was charged for allegedly breaking four windows at Tiger Inn, using a detached bicycle seat.

staff writer

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Stanford offers free tuition

Stanford University will now offer free tuition to students who come from families with less than $125,000 in annual income and assets, CNN reported. Stanford made this announcement when it released its regular admissions results last week. Room and board charges will also be waived for those students whose families’ incomes are below $65,000, which is more generous than the school’s previous threshold of $60,000. While the expected parent contribution is zero, Stanford still requires students to contribute $5,000 on their own from summer or part-time jobs. “Our highest priority is that Stanford remain affordable and accessible to the most talented students, regardless of their financial circumstance,” Stanford’s Provost John Etchemendy said, according to CNN. In comparison, Princeton grants free tuition for students whose parents earn less than $120,000, while those with incomes lower than $60,000 do not have to pay tuition, room or board.

of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. “It’ll be very interesting to see how this plays out legally,” said Stanley Katz, senior lecturer in the Wilson School. Katz noted a few standout points in the trial, namely the indictment of Melgen as well as Menendez and the jury’s decision to indict both men before the See MENENDEZ page 2

STUDENT LIFE

BEYOND THE BUBBLE

The Archives

News & Notes

and my friendship into something that is improper,” Menendez said. The Department of Justice has been preparing to bring criminal corruption charges against Menendez since early March. The case is now being investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Deputy Chiefs Peter Koski and J.P. Cooney, and Trial Attorney Monique Abrishami

CHRISTOPHER FERRI :: ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa spoke in the University Chapel on Wednesday about human rights.

Karmapa visits U., discusses women’s rights, environment By Zynab Zaman staff writer

Women’s rights are a reflection of the degree to which everyone enjoys basic human rights, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa said in a lecture on Wednesday. Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel Alison Boden introduced the Karmapa, noting that Karmapa literally means “the one who carries out Buddha-activity” or “the embodiment of all the activities of the Buddhas.” The Karmapa was born in Tibet and fled to India, where he has continued his training as a monk, Boden said.

The Karmapa explained that he was born into isolation and had no opportunity for formal education as a child. However, he was still recognized as the Karmapa at a young age. The important title has sometimes burdened him and brought him a multitude of challenges since childhood, he said. Though his life has been difficult, the hardships he has faced have increased his empathy, he said. He is now able to have increasing concern for the challenges that other people face, becoming sensitive to a host of issues including gender, he added.

“We cannot assess the degree to which women are empowered in this society. The degree to which they possess the rights that are their rights,” he said. “We need a mutual understanding, and this understanding has to be real. It has to be founded in basic human benevolence and caring for each other.” The Karmapa said he works to inspire people to support and facilitate the empowerment of women around the world. Though famous historical steps have been taken for women’s empowerment, including women’s See KARMAPA page 2

The American Whig-Cliosophic Society discussed various aspects of the University’s new sexual assault policy on Wednesday. Wilson School professor Stanley Katz, who is an outspoken critic of the University’s decision in 2014 to lower the evidence standard for sexual assault cases, addressed the topic in a short talk at the beginning of the discussion. Whig-Clio senate president Jack Reed ’16 explained that the event was intended to be an open conversation, rather than a lecture. There were no representatives in support of the University’s new standard of evidence at the discussion. According to Katz, the administration sent the entire faculty an email at the beginning of this academic year indicating a possible change in the disciplinary procedure to address sexual assault cases on campus. The change was mandated by the Office of Civil Rights, based on a perceived violation of Title IX. Before the change, the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students would prepare the charges against a student who had been accused of an offense. The accused person then had the right to seek guidance from another member of the com-

munity, including a peer, faculty member or administrator. A formal hearing in front of the Committee on Discipline would then take place, and the accused would be able to make a statement. The Committee would ultimately make a judgment based on the hearing. Under the new policy, however, a case will be investigated separately by specialists at hearings with lawyers present. The case will return to ODUS if the independent hearing is to find that an infraction has occurred. Katz warned against the overly punitive nature of discipline at the University. He noted, for example, that the University tends to suspend students for two semesters rather than putting them on probation or suspending them for only one semester. “[The disciplinary process is] one of the most serious social mechanisms [that] should always be used fairly,” Katz said. At the same time, Katz said that he understands the University is under a lot of pressure, as it depends on federal funding for certain research, especially in the sciences. He noted that the Department of Education’s intervention into the matters of universities requires a lot of justification. “The University should See POLICY page 2

STUDENT LIFE

Falcon ’15 first U. student awarded David-Weill Scholarship By Olivia Wicki staff writer

Eric Falcon ’15 became the first University student be awarded the Michel DavidWeill Scholarship, and he will pursue a master’s degree in European affairs at Sciences Po in Paris after graduation. Every year, the Michel David-Weill award provides one American student, studying

at one of twenty Sciences Po partner institutions, with an $80,000 grant to attend Sciences Po and obtain a master’s degree. Named after Michel David-Weill, the former chairman of the investment bank Lazard Frères, the scholarship is directed by the Michel David-Weill Foundation. “I was very excited. It’s a huge honor,” Falcon said. “I honestly didn’t expect to get

it. I was competing against a lot of qualified students from all across the country.” The program is competitive and only a maximum of 20 students can even apply, Sciences Po International Affairs Manager Nur Manisali said. David-Weill founded the scholarship to attract more Americans to Sciences Po in France, Executive Director of the Michel David-Weill Foun-

dation Anne Scattolin said. “The world is getting smaller and more globalized, and if … you can get a different education at some point, meet new people, gather with French people and international students and get a different perspective, you know that will be what a great new leader will be,” Scatollin said. Falcon is an American born in France who moved back

to the U.S. when he was four years old. He later pursued a year-long study abroad program in France in high school and he interned at the U.S. embassy in Belgium during the summer after his sophomore year at the University. “In some ways [returning to France] feels like home,” Falcon said. He is a Wilson School major, See SCHOLAR page 2


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