Volume LXXVIII, Number 7
www.towntopics.com
Sustainable Princeton Gives Progress Report On Climate Action Plan
Meet The Top Agents Pages 33-44 Princeton Festival Returns In June . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 PHS Senior Hagedorn Gets First In Math at Taiwan Science Fair . . . 8 PU Trivia Book Takes On Campus Myths And Truths . . . . . . . . 9 Ukrainian Orchestra Makes Long-Awaited Visit to Princeton . . . . 15 Passage Theatre Presents Ghetto Gods In Divineland . . . . . . 16 PU Men’s Hoops Rallies To Beat Penn Before Sell-Out Crowd at Jadwin Gym . . . . . 21
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Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Eisgruber Delineates “State of the University” In his eighth annual “State of the University” letter last month, Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber described “a challenging political landscape” for universities with “increasingly virulent threats to academic freedom and institutional autonomy,” as he highlighted Princeton University’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity, free speech, and academic excellence. In the wake of campus conflicts across the country, including protests, charges of Islamophobia and antisemitism, and congressional hearings leading to the resignations of the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard, Eisgruber pointed up a “healthier” campus climate at Princeton. He described that climate as “a credit to faculty, students, and staff who have searched for ways to communicate civilly about sensitive issues, to support one another, and to comply fully with Princeton’s policies that facilitate free speech in ways consistent with the functioning of the University.” Noting the University’s policy, in line with the First Amendment, to protect even speech that may be offensive, he wrote, “Free speech and academic freedom are the lifeblood of any great university and any healthy democracy.” He added, “Universities must protect even offensive speech, but that does not mean we must remain silent in the face of
it. On the contrary, we must speak up for our values if we are to make this campus a place where free speech flourishes and where all our students can feel that they are ‘hosts’ not ‘guests.’” Calling for a forceful response to criticism recently faced by universities, Eisgruber went on to enumerate a number of remarkable accomplishments at Princeton University in the past year. “Antagonism toward higher education has been especially intense over the last three
months,” he said. “We must speak up for what we do and for our extraordinary institutions, which are so valuable to learning, to research and to the future of our nation and the world.” Recent achievements at Princeton that he cited include exceptional faculty scholarship and research; ongoing expansion and increasing socioeconomic diversity of the undergraduate population; significant improvements to undergraduate financial aid, graduate student stipends,
Five years ago, Princeton adopted a Climate Action Plan (CAP) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, preserve environmental quality, and enhance public health and safety. Closely involved in the plan is Sustainable Princeton, which delivered a progress report last Wednesday, February 7 at Princeton Public Library. Christine Symington, executive director of the nonprofit, emphasized to those Continued on Page 11 in attendance in person and on Zoom that the work that has been done since 2019 “is not ours necessarily, but is the result of many individuals putting together their Most travelers who have flown out of “The scope of the project is replacing ideas. We compile it and keep tabs on Trenton-Mercer Airport recently would an outdated and undersized facility with it. But this is not Sustainable Princeton’s probably agree that upgraded facilities an efficient modern terminal that offers Climate Action Plan. It’s the Princeton are needed, but Mercer County’s plans amenities that travelers come to expect community’s Climate Action Plan.” to build a new, larger terminal are meet- when utilizing a terminal facility,” MerMore than 50 community members ing resistance and facing environmental, cer County Director of Communications have served on a steering committee economic, and quality-of-life concerns. and Intergovernmental Affairs Theodore and working groups since the plan was The airport website notes that a new Siggelakis wrote in an email. “There will formed. Among the many professional terminal has been a priority of the county always be a small group of critics. Overand volunteer organizations cited during in order to accommodate airport users whelmingly the reception of these projects the presentation were Princeton’s Shade and to meet future demand. Plans call has been positive and welcomed by the Tree Commission, the Marquand Park (under 4.5’) built Mercer community at large.” for the 28,000-square-foot terminal, Foundation, the Princeton Environmenin the 1970s, to be replaced with a new Trenton Threatened Skies (TTS), an tal Commission, D&R Greenway, and 125,000-square-foot facility located adjaadvocacy group of residents of Mercer numerous others. County and Bucks County, Pa., discent to the existing building, which is to be Alex Dill, Sustainable Princeton’s prodemolished. There is no plan for new or agrees, and has called for a more stringram manager, said that contrary to what longer runways, and the size of the airport gent environmental study to evaluate the most people think, the biggest contribuContinued on Page 10 will remain unchanged, the website says. tion in Princeton to greenhouse gas emissions is buildings, not transportation. “It’s a big misconception,” she said. “It comes from our homes and our businesses.” The plan calls for reducing Princeton’s carbon emissions 50 percent by 2030, 65 percent by 2040, and 80 percent by 2050. “We believe that taking the actions in this plan will be able to get us there,” Dill said. “To calculate this, we update our greenhouse gas inventory every year. That provides a baseline for tracking emission trends, and helps us inform our CAP.” Dill said 493 residents and 57 businesses in Princeton have participated in PSE&G’s energy efficiency program. The municipality has recently started an outreach campaign with the utility to increase those numbers. Community Solar 415 Nassau Park Blvd. 1378 Route 206 is another PSE&G program in which multiple Princeton, subscribers share local NJgeneration 08540 Skillman, NJ 08558 facilities. There is limited space, and an Club) (behind Wells Fargo Bank) existing(near waiting All listSam’s toYou participate. PrincAllRides You Eat Sushi Can Eat OLD-FASHIONED Sushi VALENTINE’S DAY: inCan a two-seater carriage pulled by a light workhorse were among the eton currently has 313 registered solar
Airport Advances with New Terminal Plans, But Critics Continue to Press Objections
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Ristad Stars as Undefeated PHS Girls’ Swimming Advances to Sectional Final . . . . . 27
Songs by Frank Sinatra Highlight a Valentine’s Day Book Review . . . 14 Art . . . . . . . . . . . .18, 19 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 20 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 32 Luxury Living . . . . . . 2, 3 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Performing Arts . . . . . 17 Police Blotter . . . . . . . 10 Real Estate. . . . . . . . . 32 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . 6
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(under 4.5’)
(under 4.5’)
Tel: (609) 520-8883
Tel: (609) 683-2222
Tel: (609) 520-8883
Tel: (609) 683-2222
415 Nassau Park Blvd. Princeton, NJ 08540 (near Sam’s Club)
1378 Route 206 Skillman, NJ 08558 (behind Wells Fargo Bank)
415 Nassau Park Blvd. Princeton, NJ 08540 (near Sam’s Club)
1378 Route 206 Skillman, NJ 08558 (behind Wells Fargo Bank)
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All You Can Eat Sushi
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(Photo by Weronika A. Plohn)