Campus Events & Enforcement

Annie Rupertus and Miriam Waldvogel
Daily Princetonian

Excerpt: Princeton tradition and a political protest clashed on Friday, April 19, as pro-Palestine demonstrators walked near the Class of 2026 Declaration Day celebration, where recently-declared students in black and orange sweaters posed with department banners behind the iconic Nassau Hall. Some paused amid the protest, while others continued taking photographs with protesters in the background.

The demonstration, which ran for over an hour and a half, was a show of support for the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” at Columbia University, where students set up tents beginning Wednesday morning on the campus’ center lawn to demand Columbia divest from companies tied to Israel. On Thursday, Columbia President Minouche Shafik authorized arrests and suspensions of over 100 protesters at the encampment.

Ethan Hicks, '26
Princetonians for Free Speech

On Tuesday, March 19, 2024, Princetonians for Free Speech and the James Madison Program welcomed Kyle Duncan, Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, along with Professor Robert George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program, for a discussion on "What Free Speech Is — And What It Isn't."

Bill Hewitt
Tiger Roars, Substack

Editor's Note: The little-known but important Council of the Princeton University Community (CPUC), established in 1969 as “a permanent conference of the representatives of all major groups of the University," is the University's second most important governing body after the Board of Trustees. Its charter is at cpuc.princeton.edu.

Excerpt: I write you directly because my March 11 petition, filed with the CPUC
Secretary, seems not to have been distributed to the CPUC membership. This
failure happened despite my explicit request that each member receive it. Nor
have I received explanation why my request was not honored.

The agenda announced last week for tomorrow’s March 18 meeting makes
no reference to my March 11 petition. Not by coincidence, I submit, the agenda
instead includes as its second item a proposal by Provost Rexford on behalf of the
CPUC Executive Committee. This proposal is to ban any and all video recording
of CPUC meetings. Any vote on such a consequential measure should be by roll
call. A full video record best enables all interested persons themselves to study
public CPUC proceedings and to judge their conduct and substance.

Olivia Sanchez and Annie Rupertus
Daily Princetonian

Excerpt: At the meeting of the Council of the Princeton University Community (CPUC) on Monday, March 18, Vice President for Campus Life W. Rochelle Calhoun introduced Princeton University’s renewed partnership with the Jed Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to issues of emotional health and suicide prevention among young people.

Provost Jennifer Rexford introduced a proposal to establish a recording policy for CPUC meetings. Rexford also serves as the chair of the CPUC Executive Committee. Rexford read the draft proposal, “In order to promote the freedom to share ideas, video recording is prohibited at all meetings of the CPUC. Audio recording and still photography are permitted. Those in violation of the policy will be asked to stop recording. If repeated requests to cease recording are necessary, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.

Abigail Rabieh
Daily Princetonian

Excerpt: National attention on higher education feels like it’s constantly increasing, with the spotlight shining especially brightly upon elite institutions. It should come as no surprise that after years of casting themselves as the makers of future world leaders, Ivy League schools succeeded in convincing America that they are, indeed, important.

When the education of the next generation of presidents, billionaires, and business leaders is on the line, it’s reasonable to expect that the current ruling class would want a say. While this interference can manifest through democratic processes — from campaign threats about taxing endowments to federal investigations over student life — it’s private influence that seems to be sparking the most concern inside universities themselves. Donations to universities take place out of the public eye, with the decisions of a few affecting the lives of a large community. But should this form of behind-the-doors influence be a cause for concern?

Julie Bonette
Princeton Alumni Weekly

Excerpt: Princeton University public safety has increased patrols on campus after inflammatory anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian graffiti was painted at three spots in late December, according to a Princeton Police Department (PPD) incident report, the University, and a Department of Public Safety (DPS) log. No suspect has been detained.