January 19, 2017

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Thursday january 19, 2017 vol. cxl no. 124

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BEYOND THE BUBBLE

COURTESY OF CORDISH COMPANIES

Cordish ’96 to work with Trump Odor in Frist causes The editors of the 140th Managing Board of the Daily Princetonian.

U N I V E R S I T Y A F FA I R S

News Editor Emerita

Reed Cordish ’96 will join the Trump administration as assistant to the President for intragovernmental and technology initiatives, the presidential transition team announced Tuesday.

Cordish will oversee presidential initiatives that demand multi-agency collaboration and high-impact task forces, concentrating on technological innovation and modernization.

Cordish has agreed to accept no pay. Instead, he will treat the role as a unique opportunity to serve the country, his brother Blake Cordish ’93 said.

The importance of the moment moved Reed Cordish to contribute his talents, Blake Cordish explained. He added that their parents and grandparents taught them to appreciate how fortunate they were and to do everything they could to help others.

Reed Cordish did not re-

spond to a request for comment as of press time.

Currently, Reed Cordish works as a principal and partner of The Cordish Companies, his family’s real estate development and entertainment company based in Baltimore.

He also serves as president of Entertainment Consulting International, an entertainment and restaurant operating company that he co-founded.

President-elect Donald Trump said in a statement that the role will draw on Reed Cordish’s experience managing large, complex businesses in the private sector. Reed Cordish’s supervision of thousands of employees and dozens of businesses at The Cordish Companies over nearly two decades will help him make the federal government more efficient and foster interagency teamwork, Blake Cordish noted.

Reed Cordish blends many characteristics that often do not appear in one person, Blake See CORDISH page 2

LOCAL NEWS

Former Ivy Club employee deported

By Kevin Agostinelli staff writer

Arnoldo Agreda-Rodriguez, a former kitchen employee of Ivy Club, was deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in early August 2016 following his fourth criminal arrest and a series of criminal offenses dating back to 2005.

Rodriguez, originally from Guatemala, had been living in New Jersey as an undocumented worker for 15 years and had been most recently employed at Ivy Club until the spring of 2016, according to an article by centraljersey.com. He is either 43 or 44 years of age, as court records list two different birth dates.

Court records show that Rodriguez’s previous arrests in 2005 in which he physically assaulted an unidentified victim, “causing scratches to the victim’s head and abdomen,” and 2012 in which he threatened to kill a former roommate while holding a 13-inch kitchen knife did not lead to official convictions. Rodriguez was admitted to the pretrial intervention program and had the case dismissed.

On Jan. 22 last year, Rodriguez was charged with terroristic threats and simple assault on his girlfriend after she refused to continue to have sex with him, feeling abdominal pains. According to court records, Rodriguez grew angry and grabbed the woman’s neck and hit her on the head “causing visible injury.” He also said to her, “This is the last time I will see your face.”

The woman allegedly escaped out of the window and initially claimed she was abducted and forced into the vacant house on Green Street.

In February last year, the ICE reported that it would place a detainer for Princeton police to hold Rodriguez following the incident above with his girlfriend. The ICE issues these detainer requests to local law enforcement in order to keep undocumented immigrants in custody after they would otherwise be released for local charges.

Despite ICE detainers for Princeton police to hold Rodriguez, he was released from Mercer County jail in February and the Prosecutor’s Office See RODRIGUEZ page 2

building-wide evacuation

By Kirsten Traudt staff writer

A suspected gas leak in Frist Campus Center on Wednesday, Jan. 18, was found to be an odor coming from a sewer drain, according to a statement by the University.

At about noon, an odor suspected to be natural gas spread

throughout Frist, prompting a building-wide evacuation.

University Spokesperson John Cramer redirected comments to the official University statement.

While the Princeton Fire Department worked with University Facilities to discover the cause of the leak, no students were allowed to enter the building. Melody Falter ’16 said that she attempted to

enter the building at approximately 12:30 p.m., but was not let in until approximately 12:50 p.m., when the building resumed operations.

The University has not released additional information regarding the cause of the odor, which had subsided by the time the building was reopened.

BEYOND THE BUBBLE

News & Notes: U.S. Court of Appeals rules student-athletes not employees

By Hunter Campbell staff writer

The 7th U.S circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled against several former student-athletes who claimed that they deserved to be financially compensated for participation in their college’s athletic program.

The court upheld the ruling of a February 2016 case where the student athletes’ claims were dismissed. Reasons cited in the 7th Circuit Court ruling against the students included the “long standing tradition of amateurism” within collegiate athletics. Another reason that the court cited was that, when a student agrees to become a student athlete, there is no expectation that the student is going to be paid. The court did acknowledge that the athletes put a large quantity of time

into their sports, but pointed out that the time was never spent with the expectation of receiving financial compensation in the form of an actual income. Therefore, the court upheld the decision that student athletes are not employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and are therefore not guaranteed to be paid the federal minimum wage.

The three students who filed the lawsuit were former University of Pennsylvania students who believed that they should be entitled to minimum wage compensation for their time in the University of Pennsylvania’s athletic program.

No universities in the Ivy League grant any athletic scholarships, a fact which separates this particular case from many previous cases surrounding student-athlete pay.

Not only that, but the three University of Pennsylvania athletes participated in track and field, rather than a sport known for bringing revenue to the University, such as football or basketball. Circuit Judge David Hamilton stressed the importance of this distinction in a concurring opinion, noting that the logic of the University of Pennsylvania plaintiffs might imply that other extracurricular activities that do not generate income for a university, such as journalism, music, or debate, might also have to provide wages.

Hamilton also noted, however, that he was not sure if the same ruling should be applied to athletes who participate in collegiate sports that do earn the university revenue.

The court filed its ruling on Monday, Dec. 5, 2016. The decision was made in Chicago, IL.

U N I V E R S I T Y A F FA I R S

News & Notes : Art Museum purchases solar-powered vehicles

By Mashad Arora staff writer

The Princeton University Art Museum recently purchased two solarpowered low-speed vehicles for staff use, according to an Office of Sustainability press release.

The vehicles will be used by staff to travel between the Art Museum, Alexander Street offices, and other locations locally. According to the release, the vehicles are significantly more environmentally friendly than electric vehicles which would require regular charging.

The solar panels are made from a highefficiency monocrystalline material that makes them resistant to impact.

Michael Brew, Business Manager of the Art Museum, noted in the release that the decision to purchase the vehicles was inspired by an upcoming 2018 exhibition, Nature’s Nation: American Art and Environment.

According to an article published in the Atlantic Highlands Herald, the project will focus on human relation to the natural world by examining for the first time “how American artists have reflected and shaped environmental perception while contributing to the emergence of a modern ecological consciousness.”

“When I heard the LSV had a solar option, I just had to reach out to the Office of Sustainability to see if there was

In Opinion

Thank you

Outgoing editor-in-chief Do-Hyeong Myeong pens her goodbye, while five columnists and a guest write about Donald Trump, Christmas, J-Term, the Grammys, risktaking, and the legacy of Wonshik Shin. PAGE 3

This is the last print issue of the 140th Managing Board of the Daily Princetonian. Thank you for reading us, speaking to us, and working with us this year!

grant funding available to help us try this alternative energy source,” Brew said in the press release.

He added that his staff looks forward to sustainable driving in the vehicles and highly recommends them to other campus partners.

Funding for the vehicles was provided by the High Meadows Foundation Sustainability Fund by the Office of Sustainability. According to its website, the fund “requests proposals for campus sustainability projects, with an emphasis on measurable outcomes and culture change.” All members of the campus community, including students, faculty, and staff, are eligible to apply.

WEATHER

By Ruby Shao

HIGH

52˚

LOW

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Cloudy. chance of rain:

0 percent

The Daily Princetonian

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Rodriguez was arrested for assault multiple times, never convicted RODRIGUEZ Continued from page 1

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dropped the case on June 7 due to “insufficient evidence to proceed with the prosecution.”

Rodriguez was released from county jail again in June following his fourth and final criminal arrest on May 21.

Court records show that Rodriguez had threatened to kill a former roommate in a Green Street apartment while holding an eight-inch blade saying, “Do you want to die tonight?”

The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the most recent case on Aug.11 after learning of Rodriguez’s deportation earlier in the month.

Ivy Club Steward Betty Rascher declined to comment.

The Executive Board of Governors for Ivy Club did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

According to Princeton immigration lawyer Ryan Lilienthal, every U.S. employer has the obligation to confirm the employee’s eligibility for employment — both with regards to their identity and to their employment eligibility by ensuring that the employee completes an I-9 form.

This form contains the employee’s basic information as well as citizenship or immigration status. Employment laws require that the employee must provide official documentation supporting that on the I-9 form in order to confirm the employee’s identity and employment eligibility.

Lilienthal commented that identifying which workers are actually undocumented is very difficult for employers, who are caught between two competing tensions: One direction dealing with hiring someone who is not authorized to work and the ensuing legal violations that may occur, and the other tension concerning the refusal to hire a person who is actually authorized to work, which may be considered employment discrimination.

In addition, Lilienthal noted that because Rodriguez was never actually convicted for a crime, Ivy Club as a private institution holds no obligation to fire the employee despite his several arrests.

Following New Jersey Attorney General Guidelines, Princeton police are ordered to inquire about an arrestee’s citizenship, nationality, and immigration status to federal

authorities if the individual has been arrested for an indictable offense or for driving under the influence, according to police spokesman Lt. Jon Bucchere.

Yet in situations other than those mandated by the Attorney General’s Directive, Princeton Police Department policy does not need to honor immigration detainer requests.

In January last year, town officials sponsored an education session for undocumented immigrants at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on their rights and steps on how to act if confronted by ICE authorities. Some of these steps urged local immigrants to remain silent until they had legal representation, and not to allow ICE agents to enter their home without a warrant, among others.

Together with Princeton police, town officials have expressed their desire to build greater cooperation with the immigrant community of Princeton and continue such forms of education going forward.

ICE’s press office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

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Thursday january 19, 2017

Cordish and Trump longtime family friends CORDISH Continued from page 1

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Cordish said.

“He’s remarkably hardworking, laser-beam focused when he’s really passionate about something, super smart — he’s got a great analytical mind,” Blake said, calling his brother a great friend, leader, and father. “He always has the very special ability to get the absolute most out of himself and the situation he’s in.”

Brook Hazelton ’96, president of the art auction house Christie’s America, said he has regularly kept in touch with Reed Cordish since they built a close friendship in college.

They lived near each other in Mathey freshman year and, as co-captains of the tennis team, saw each other almost daily for practices or matches.

Hazelton said he expects Reed to excel at focusing on a few objectives, rather than getting distracted as some people might.

“What Reed will do is look at the landscape and figure out those top-priority items, and then make sure that he works hard to achieve them,” he said, citing Reed’s record of successfully developing real estate projects, which require uniting a diverse set of contractors, parties, public officials, and private companies to deliver a project.

Reed Cordish has been contributing to the presidential transition, according to a statement by Trump. Before the election, Reed Cordish donated $250,000 to the Trump Victory committee on June 30, 2016.

The Cordish and Trump families have longstanding ties. Their history began when Trump filed a lawsuit over a casino project against Reed Cordish’s father David Cordish, the CEO and Chairman of The Cordish Companies.

“I sued David, for hundreds of millions of dollars. I didn’t know him but I just said ‘I’m going to get this guy, whoever the hell he is,’” Trump later recounted. The court ordered them to meet for mediation. “I walked in and I fell in love in about two minutes. We worked out our problems in, what, 12 seconds?” Trump said.

A week after Trump began campaigning for the Republican nomination, David Cordish brought his friend to speak at the Maryland GOP’s Annual Dinner fundraiser.

At the event, David Cordish told the audience that he had asked Ivanka Trump if she had a twin sister who could date

Reed Cordish. She arranged for Reed Cordish to meet Margaret Katz, one of her best friends from her undergraduate years at the University of Pennsylvania. They married in October 2010. The wedding included Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, reportedly a close friend of Reed Cordish.

Just as Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump, Jr. work at their father’s business, Reed Cordish, Blake Cordish, and their brother Jon Cordish work at their father’s business.

Blake Cordish suggested that the similarity of experiences has tightened the bond between the families.

Like Reed Cordish, David Cordish took a sabbatical from The Cordish Companies to serve the president by applying private sector expertise to a government role, Blake Cordish said. David Cordish acted as the first director of the Urban Development Action Grant Program under the Carter and Reagan administrations.

At the University, Cordish majored in English. “He was somebody who was very dedicated to two things at Princeton: 1) his academics and 2) his sports, and he excelled at both,” Hazelton said.

Hazelton added that Reed Cordish always played within the rules on the court, showing himself to be very ethical, and represented not only the best tennis player, but also the most hardworking one.

“He would get out there early to hit practice balls before our practice even started.

It was setting the example for the younger players on the team and really leading the way,” Hazelton explained.

On a personal level, Hazelton said classmates would consider Reed Cordish a loyal friend, who built strong relationships with his roommates and fellow members of the Cap & Gown Club.

Ranked 44th in the country in tennis, Reed Cordish won the William Winston Roper 1902 Trophy for scholastic and athletic excellence, the highest honor for senior male athletes.

He became a world-ranked professional athlete on the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour before joining The Cordish Companies. Reed Cordish and Blake Cordish numbered among the donors to the Cordish Family Pavilion, a facility for the University tennis program that opened in September 2011.

The presidential inauguration will take place on Friday.

The Daily Princetonian is published daily except Saturday and Sunday from September through May and three times a week during January and May by The Daily Princetonian Publishing Company, Inc., 48 University Place, Princeton, N.J. 08540. Mailing address: P.O. Box 469, Princeton, N.J. 08542. Subscription rates: Mailed in the United States $175.00 per year, $90.00 per semester. Office hours: Sunday through Friday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telephones: Business: 609-375-8553; News and Editorial: 609-258-3632. For tips, email news@dailyprincetonian.com. Reproduction of any material in this newspaper without expressed permission of The Daily Princetonian Publishing Company, Inc., is strictly prohibited. Copyright 2014, The Daily Princetonian Publishing Company, Inc. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Princetonian, P.O. Box 469, Princeton, N.J. 08542.

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Opinion

Thursday Jaunuary 19, 2017

page 3

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

D

Now, more than ever, journalism matters ear Fellow Princetonians,

As always, I am struck by how fast time flies at Princeton. I first wrote to you as an incoming Editor-in-Chief about a year ago, and today I am writing to say goodbye.

But before I bid farewell let me first speak, for one last time, on what we do here at The Daily Princetonian, why we do it, and why it matters.

Now, more than ever, journalism matters.

We need media that is credible, that strives to maintain its integrity, and that is capable of representing a multitude of voices, perspectives, and experiences that constitute the world we live in. Under this belief, here at The Daily Princetonian we pursue the truth, and only the truth; we strive to hold powerful bodies accountable for their actions, while being conscious of the power and privilege we pos-

sess as a knowledge-producing institution.

I still firmly believe that language should be used not to please the ears but to shatter the silence and pluralize voices; it is under this belief that this managing board sought to expand our coverage on groups formerly underrepresented by the campus media and hosted a panel on diversity in media industry. Above all, we hoped to further develop our voice on this campus and in this world, and to speak truth to power in that very voice in a way that is authentically our own.

The ‘Prince’ has been around for one hundred and forty years — and each board had its distinct missions and goals. Yet all boards, from our very first managing board chaired by J.F. Williamson, Class of 1877, to my own, had one goal in common — to serve the Princeton community, and I believe that future boards will also seek to achieve that goal. To our readers,

and especially those of you who were actively engaged with us through your generous feedback, powerful letters, or kind words of support, thank you. Without your support and feedback our work wouldn’t have been possible. Please remain engaged by letting us hear your voice.

Finally, to my team of editors and to the 212 staff members of The Daily Princetonian, thank you so much for making the daily publication of the paper possible, and for sharing my visions and goals. I couldn’t have asked for a better team; it was a true honor to serve as your Editor-in-Chief. Thank you.

Do-Hyeong Myeong, an anthropology major from Daejeon, Republic of Korea, is the outgoing Editor-inChief of The Daily Princetonian. She can be reached at dmyeong@princeton.edu.

We all need a break Marni Morse

senior columnist

I

’m not going to lie: The only thing that got me through the week before break was the knowledge that we were close to break. Between group projects and club elections, my days were overwhelming, and I looked with glee toward the empty days coming up on my calendar.

But my hope was really more theoretical. As a senior, I knew what Princeton winter breaks actually look like. I spend one or two days relaxing before I remember that I have an insane amount of work to do for Dean’s Date and a bunch of other commitments to fulfill. That doesn’t mean I get straight to work — although I do typically get some papers started

over break — but it means that I feel guilty for not working. Break is never the mental break I want it to be.

That’s why I fully support the calendar reform, even though it won’t be implemented in time to impact me as a current senior. While I can’t imagine preparing for finals during my hectic December, in the long run I know that would be better for my mental health, particularly because I know professors would adapt their syllabi in response to the calendar change.

Moreover, as a senior thinking about and supposedly working on my thesis, I see the January term as a golden opportunity to make progress on my independent work.

But similarly to the Editorial Board, I question how well the recommending committee thought it through.

On one hand, it would provide students an opportunity to explore areas they otherwise can’t — to hone fun skills or learn useful skills that can’t be learned in a typical class. It could also be a great opportunity to spend a few weeks learning abroad with a professor. Other schools have a similar concept and have for a long time, giving me faith in the idea.

But the recommendation discusses how the J term could be used for course credit. I simply cannot see how a three-week class would equate in any way to a

regular twelve-week course.

There might be a reasonable rationale behind the idea, but it wasn’t made clear in the recommendation and it doesn’t make sense to me Instead, J term seems like the perfect time to make headway on independent work. My junior paper experience leads me to support one JP over two, at least in the politics department, because it allows the research to be more effective and meaningful. But if the department continues to require two, having some weeks in January dedicated to research would be worthwhile because we wouldn’t feel the need to work over break. Requiring or strongly recommending that upperclassmen stay on

campus to work could be really productive and effective.

Overall, the J term isn’t an awful idea. But how well it works depends on the details of its implementation, and right now, those details simply aren’t clear.

Either way, though, I can assure younger students of one thing: having a true winter break is definitely worth it.

Marni Morse is a politics major from Washington, D.C. She can be reached at mlmorse@ princeton.edu.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Clearing Wonshik’s name Aiden Han

guest columnist

I

am a friend of Wonshik Shin ’19. During the week of Dec. 19 last year, I was privileged to have the opportunity to meet and accompany his parents during their visit to Princeton. I am also writing this letter on their behalf to clear their son’s name of the wrongful accusation that an Honor Code violation may have been related to his death.

The rumor began from a comment on the Daily Princetonian’s website, which said “I just heard through the grape-vine that it was the act of the honor committee that caused this.”

This prompted an exchange

about the severity of disciplinary actions for Honor Code violations. Wonshik’s friends, shocked by the groundless accusation, contacted the Daily Princetonian. Although the initial comment is no longer online, the rumor spread quickly.

It soon reached Wonshik’s parents in Korea, who were already grieving a loss that no parents should ever have to bear.

Anyone who knew Wonshik would not hesitate to say that he was the kind of person who would always observe the Honor Code.

Moreover, I would also like to provide the following facts to conclusively dispel the rumors that

have been raised. First, from Dec. 20 to 23, I accompanied Wonshik’s parents as a translator as they met with University representatives.

I was present when his parents met with Dr. Patrick Caddeau and Professor Michael Hecht, respectively the Dean and Head of Forbes College, who stated, “Wonshik had no irregularities in his academic record.” This was later confirmed again during a visit to the Office of the Registrar, where Wonshik’s parents received official documents on his academic record. Second, Y.S. Chi ’83, a former trustee of the University who has been helping Wonshik’s parents, personally contacted the

school regarding the matter. He was assured that all colleagues from Forbes had been informed that Wonshik had no exposure to or interaction with the Honor Committee. Finally, upon the request of Wonshik’s parents, I went through Wonshik’s phone and laptops with them in person. Because I was aware of such rumors at the time, I carefully checked the inbox, sent, and trash folders in his Princeton email account.

I did not find any exchanges with the Honor Committee.

No one, not even Wonshik’s parents, knows why he left us so soon. However, it is beyond any doubt that his death had noth-

Manipulated Variable Sophia Gavrilenko, ’20

ing to do with violations of the Honor Code. Let us remember Wonshik as the kind, loving, and thoughtful person he was.

Let us honor his memory.

Aiden Han is a molecular biology major from Seoul, South Korea.

He can be reached at seunghun@ princeton.edu.

page 4

The Daily Princetonian

Thursday january 17, 2017

The Trump my mother shared with me Blaykyi Kenyah

F

or many Americans, the 2016 election period, as well as its aftermath, was a very emotionally turbulent affair, casting into doubt everything they thought they knew about themselves, their neighbors, and their country at that time.

However, they were not alone on these tenterhooks; the nonAmerican part of the world waited with interest, and for many families, their main sources of information were the relatives they had in the United States, who were mostly either studying or working, sojourners in a foreign land.

I was such, a student from Ghana, and at least once every few days, my mother would call me, worry evident in her voice, to ask whether I was okay, whether I needed anything, whether I needed to come back home. As the election drew closer, her phone calls grew in frequency and apprehension. One of them vividly comes to mind.

Do-Hyeong Myeong ’17

columnist

After exchanging traditional pleasantries: Mum: Are you sure you’re fine?

Me: Yes, Mummy, it’s Princeton. Nothing happens here. I’m safe.

Mum: If you say so. Just don’t go out late, don’t wear a hoodie, and don’t discuss the elections with anyone. You’re not an American; you’re from Ghana. You just went there to study. Let them do their thing, and mind your own business.

It goes on and on after that (she is a typical mum in that respect), but the gist was this: that my unique identity, as a Ghanaian studying abroad, meant that I had to take special precautions. In more nuanced terms, it was not the identity I had brought from Ghana in 2015 that had changed.

Instead, it was the location within which my identity was operating that had changed the circumstances. In this situation,

it determined that I stay clear of the matter, since to her, my “nonAmericanness” meant I had no stake or say in an American issue.

This, mind you, did not stop her from discussing her opinions on it with me. There is a four-hour time difference between Ghana and the United States — five, when daylight savings comes into effect — and my mum often stayed up late at night watching CNN and called me anytime something radical about Donald Trump was said. Even though she was worried for me, she was more amused when speaking directly about him and his shenanigans.

Ghanaians have this manner of speaking about something that is shocking, in a tone that is affected with amusement stemming from disbelief, and sometimes it was hard parsing whether she was genuinely amused or simply stunned. African politicians — not all of them, but enough that they are not outliers — employ or have employed

many of the tactics that Trump has introduced into American politics. Maybe she was amused to see it happen here too, or she was just shocked that America, the shining city on the hill, was after all prone to such inanity.

In any case, the elections came, and they went, and soon, we’ll have a President Trump. In Ghana, we have a saying: Nana reba oo, nana reba oo, nana aba (“The king is coming, the king is coming, the king has come”).

My mum’s phone calls have tapered off to the regular once every two or so weeks, and we barely talk about the election.

The king has come; the matter is dead. I’m not American; neither is she. To her, I should not care.

To me, a black young man in a Trump America, the luxury of nonchalance is not affordable. For now, a luta continua.

Blaykyi Kenyah is a sophomore from Sekondi, Ghana. He can be reached at bkenyah@princeton.edu.

With this year’s crop of nominees, it’s clear that the focus on the music itself has been lost. Instead, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the illustrious awards event, seems to be more preoccupied with record sales and fiscal elements than with the art, more concerned with quantity over quality. It has become a question of “how much” instead of “how good.”

This conviction manifests itself in the list of nominees, specifically the “Album of the Year” category. We see that Adele’s “25,” Drake’s “Views,” Justin Bieber’s “Purpose,” Beyoncé’s “Lemonade,” and Sturgill Simpson’s “A Sailor’s Guide to Earth” made the list.

On Billboard’s year-end chart

of chart-toppers and club hits that went platinum.

Earlier this year, before releasing their list of nominees for the 2017 ceremony, the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences issued a statement that albums and content released digitally through streaming-only websites, like Spotify, Apple Music, or Tidal, would be eligible for consideration for awards.

Previously, only official commercial releases were considered. This marginal leap, spearheaded by Chance the Rapper and other independent artists who petitioned for the Academy to extend consideration to more artists, demonstrated a meaningful step for the Grammys, a step towards honoring quality music and well-deserving artists over financial successes.

While this decision was widely regarded as a positive move for the entire music community, it presents a chance for the Academy to direct the Grammys’ emphasis more toward music that deserves recognition for its quality. And while the current method for selecting nominees asks Academy members to consider solely the value of the music, we might need a renewed emphasis on this point.

Good music needs the recognition it deserves regardless of how much money it makes or how many times it is played on the radio. Sometimes it’s easy to forget, but music is an art. Even though it’s a part of our everyday lives, music demands respect and recognition in the same light as any other art form. We have to appreciate the creativity and intention behind the tunes we jam to every day, and that can start with the biggest music event of the year.

As artists like Frank Ocean, A Tribe Called Quest, Bon Iver, and Anderson Paak stand symbolically emptyhanded of the much-deserved recognition that they deserve this year at the Grammys, we are reminded of the current shift in music. But as we’ve seen time and time again, artists devoted to the craft are unrelenting. They don’t stop, and they won’t stop. It’s up to us to recognize their efforts. It doesn’t matter if an album went platinum or not; tell me how it sounded.

Kaveh Badrei is a freshman from Houston, Texas. He can be reached at kbadrei@princeton. edu.

Don’t let the Grinch steal secular Christmas Bhaskar Roberts columnist

T

he Christmas season brings out the Grinch in people. In early December I was in the University Art Museum gift shop, and a gray-haired couple next to me was looking at greeting cards. The husband saw one that said “Merry Christmas” and remarked to his wife, “I didn’t know they let us say ‘Merry Christmas’ anymore.” His comment surprised me because he said “Merry Christmas” with such a vindictive tone.

But I shouldn’t be surprised. Bill O’Reilly has been making “Merry Christmas” a battle cry for years. In his annual coverage of the “War on Christmas,” he claims that some nonChristians are trying to suppress Christmas celebrations. But he has it backwards. NonChristians like me are celebrating Christmas, just not as a religious holiday. Christmas is not under attack; it’s evolving. According to a Gallup poll, almost 20 percent of Americans who celebrate Christmas celebrate it in a non-religious way. While O’Reilly has a right to be upset that Christmas is becom-

ing more secular, to wage war against its secularization is belligerent and goes against the Christmas tradition of generosity.

Last month, O’Reilly suggested that nonChristians should just ignore Christmas.

But the nation’s Christmas celebrations are too prevalent, too pervasive, to ignore. Every winter, Christmas trees go up in public spaces across the country, from Palmer Square to Rockefeller Plaza. The president even holds a lighting ceremony for the national Christmas tree. In my high school band, we played “holiday” carols (most of them Christian) and exchanged gifts. While we ostensibly celebrated the “holiday season,” Christmas dominated.

I join in Christmas celebrations every year so as not to feel left out. And fortunately, I can participate in many Christmas customs without celebrating religiously. I can give gifts, sing carols, hang stockings, and decorate a tree, all without celebrating the religious meaning of Christmas.

But I can understand why this secular version of Christmas would bother some Chris-

140TH MANAGING BOARD managing editor Caroline Congdon ’17 news editor Shriya Sekhsaria ’18 opinion editor Jason Choe ’17 sports editor David Liu ’18 street editors Andie Ayala ‘19 Catherine Wang ‘19 photography editor Rachel Spady ’18 video editor Elaine Romano ’19 web editor David Liu ‘18 chief copy editors Omkar Shende ’18 Maya Wesby ’18 design editor Crystal Wang ’18 associate news editors Charles Min ’17 Marcia Brown ‘19 Claire Lee ‘19

associate photography editors Ahmed Akhtar ’17 Atakan Baltaci ’19 Mariachiara Ficarelli ’19

columnist

Y

Daniel Kim ’17

business manager

associate sports editors Nolan Liu ’19 David Xin ’19

Kaveh Badrei

for 2016, for which rankings are determined by album sales, the top five albums are “25,” “Views,” “Purpose,” “Lemonade,” and Rihanna’s “Anti.” Four out of the five albums nominated for Album of the Year are the four top-grossing albums of 2016, according to Billboard. This simply can’t be coincidence.

Pitchfork, a web magazine solely devoted to music and regarded as a sound voice in the community, issued a list of the highest-rated albums of 2016, declaring Chance the Rapper’s “Coloring Book,” Radiohead’s “A Moon Shaped Pool,” A Tribe Called Quest’s “We got it from Here…Thank you 4 Your service,” Bon Iver’s “22, A Million” to be in the top five. Clearly, there exists a disconnect, a chasm between quality and quantity.

This devaluation of music as an art form is discouraging. In this way, the Grammys are rewarding music that sells and earns money rather than music that speaks to the listeners, carries a message, and conveys something creatively unique. The Grammys should be a time to honor the art form of music, to look back on the year and reminisce on the diversity of sound and breadth of creation. It shouldn’t be a night

editor-in-chief

associate opinion editors Newby Parton ’18 Sarah Sakha ’18

Sell it for the Grammy ou gotta sell it to snatch the Grammy.”

It was Chance the Rapper who spoke these words on Kanye’s “Ultralight Beam,” and it seems now more than ever, with the recent announcement of the Grammy nominations for the upcoming awards ceremony in February, Chance’s rhymes prove relevant. We associate the Grammy with annual excellence in music, the quality selection of a given year’s releases, the best of the best in terms of music.

vol. cxxxix

tians. We’ve taken the religious symbols they cherish and stripped them of their religious meaning. Take Saint Nicholas: Though he used to be a Greek bishop and then a popular Christian saint, his reincarnation in pop culture lives at the North Pole and delivers presents made by magical elves, in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer. You know, like bishops do.

While Christians have a right to be upset that such an important religious holiday has been appropriated as a secular one, it’s selfish of Christians like O’Reilly to complain about how non-Christians like me are celebrating. I love secular Christmas customs because they let me share in the company and high spirits of my Christian friends. I know I don’t celebrate Christmas for exactly the same reasons that Christians do, but if O’Reilly has a problem with how I celebrate Christmas, maybe he should just ignore it.

Bhaskar Roberts is an electrical engineering major from Buffalo, N.Y. He can be reached at bhaskarr@ princeton.edu.

associate chief copy editors Megan Laubach ’18 Samuel Garfinkle ‘19 associate design editor Jessica Zhou ’19 editorial board chair Cydney Kim ’17 cartoons editor Rita Fang ’17 Blog editor Michael Zhang ’17

140TH BUSINESS BOARD Business Manager Daniel Kim ’17 Comptroller Denise Chan ’18 Head of Advertising Matthew McKinlay ’18 Head of Operations Nicholas Yang ’18 Head of Subscriptions Vineeta Reddy ’18

BOARD OF TRUSTEES president Thomas E. Weber ’89 vice president Craig Bloom ’88 secretary Betsy J. Minkin ’77 treasurer Douglas Widmann ’90 Gregory L. Diskant ’70 Richard P. Dzina, Jr. ’85 William R. Elfers ’71 Stephen Fuzesi ’00 Zachary A. Goldfarb ’05 John G. Horan ’74 Joshua Katz Rick Klein ’98 Kathleen Kiely ’77 James T. MacGregor ’66 Alexia Quadrani Michael E. Seger ’71 Annalyn Swan ’73 Richard W. Thaler, Jr. ’73

NIGHT STAFF 1.18.17 senior copyeditor Isabel Hsu ’19 staff copyeditor Alexandra Wilson ’20 Michael Li ’20 Design Abby Kostolansky ’20

Thursday january 17, 2017

The Daily Princetonian

page 5

Reinforcement and risk Annie Lu

columnist

I

t is common knowledge that college, and especially Princeton, is not a very accurate depiction of the real world. In particular, the real world differs significantly in regard to the people who surround us daily, the expectations for our work, and the leisure activities we participate in. But there’s one fundamental difference between Princeton and the real world that I’d like to point out, a particular mindset difference that affects all other parts of our lives: our risk-reward perspective.

I may be generalizing somewhat here, but I’d argue that Princeton people tend to be risk-averse. We got into college because we did all the “right” things: We won science fairs, fundraised for non-profit organizations, led student groups, and more. We might have found motivation to be involved in these activities because of the positive reinforcement that came with them, whether it was trophies, recognition, or feeling like we made a difference to people around us.

Subtly though, many of us were learning to become riskaverse people. We learned that if we followed the tried and true methods of getting into college, we would maximize the probability of acceptance.

Ultimately, doing the “right” things could get us to the top.

On campus, however, life isn’t as easy. Many student groups are competitive, and as freshmen we might have felt like failures after being rejected by the third dance company we tried out for. As students, we’re constantly striving to barely

meet deadlines rather than being excited about our next assignment. There certainly exist people who are excited by all that the University has to offer, but it’s likely more common that we will find it difficult to feel excitement when in the back of our minds we know that we’ll probably end up feeling exhausted tomorrow after pulling an all-nighter on this assignment and that we have three more lined up for the next few days. Life here tends to provide a lot of negative reinforcement; we fear the threat of failure when we don’t get things done, but we see less the rewards of success when we do. Surely our professors aren’t going to say to us in class tomorrow, “Good job on this sloppily written memo!”

Being risk-averse is extremely destabilizing when there is so much inherent risk involved in day-to-day life. You’d think most of us would have realized that the cycle of negative reinforcement coupled with high risk was unhealthy and would found a way to cope with it, either by finding positive reinforcement within our communities and ourselves or by tuning out the risk. But many of us remain stubbornly scared of doing things wrong, still frantically panicking about jobs and going for the “prestigious” ones like consulting because those are the most logical choices in our riskaverse understanding of life.

Moreover, we become even more risk-averse in the cycle of negative reinforcement, in an effort to maintain the little we have.

What we might not realize

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while we’re so frantically trying to do things right is that most of the real world isn’t like Princeton. In actuality, one day we’ll have to confront the fact that in the real world, there’s no clearly defined path to success or failure. Some of the most common career advice we get from people include “Do what you’re passionate about,” and “Don’t be afraid to take risks.” It almost seems like the “real world” actually rewards risk-taking, and for the first time in our lives, we’re clueless about what to do because for so long our world rewarded risk aversion.

But here’s the interesting thing: If the world really rewards risk-taking, that must mean that either the world isn’t full of negative reinforcement, or the truly successful people tune it out by creating their own positive reinforcement. Either way, it’s positive reinforcement that enables change — it motivates us to do things because we see the rewards they produce. In high school, it motivated many of us to become risk-averse. But luckily, it can also motivate us to become more risk-tolerant.

In the long run, it’s positive reinforcement, not risk-taking or risk-avoiding, that wins.

So, to my fellow seniors who are frantically job-searching after having missed the deadlines or gotten rejected from consulting jobs, don’t fear — the world is in many ways a much friendlier place than Princeton, and you’ll make it somehow.

(But it’s okay to fail, because failure’s never the end of the story.) And to all my fellow

students on the struggle bus, I hope that if you haven’t done so yet, you’ll find some way to counter the negative downwardspiraling effects of being surrounded by seemingly endless obligations and deadlines at Princeton, and keep in mind that it’s never too early to start taking risks. Go study abroad if you want. Audition for that a capella group again. Learn to congratulate yourself for trying, and to see the process of trying, learning, possibly failing, and retrying as an end in itself — because that’s what real life is.

Annie Lu is a computer science major from Brandon, Miss. She can be reached at daol@princeton.edu.

Sports

Thursday january 19, 2017

page 6

{ www.dailyprincetonian.com } W. B A S K E T B A L L

Women’s basketball scores win against Yale

By Chris Murphy staff writer

The Princeton women’s basketball team ended its first semester on a positive note, winning this Saturday at home by a score of 74-62 against the Yale Bulldogs. Princeton caps off a series of three straight home conference games with its first win after losing closely to both Penn and Brown close in its previous games.

Princeton used a ferocious fourth quarter comeback to earn the win on Saturday. Trailing by seven heading into the final quarter, the Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 25-6 to turn a sevenpoint deficit into a 12-point win.

Offense keyed the rally as the Tigers shot a ridiculous 77.8 percent in the final quarter, their highest percentage of the year.

“I think we just dialed in,” commented junior forward Leslie Robinson. Noting the defensive effort as well, Robinson added, “We realized how much we needed this win and we just came together as a team on defense which led to our offensive success.”

Robinson was one of four players for Princeton who scored double digits in the win. She was second on the team with 16 points behind fellow junior Tia Weledji who scored 17. Robinson also added 11 rebounds to record her second double double in as many games and third all season.

Freshman Bella Alarie — who in the last game against Brown broke the freshman record for blocks in a game with 7 — also had a double double, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Team defense was a standout performer in Saturday’s game; after giving up 98 points to the Bears just the day before, the Tigers held the Bulldogs to 62. The defense especially clamped down in the second half, allowing Yale to shoot only 37 percent from the field. The defense also did not give up a three for the entire second half.

One of the keys for the Tigers’ win was their domination on the glass. The Tigers owned the boards against Yale, out-rebounding the Bulldogs 40-25. The Tigers out-rebounded a second straight Ivy League opponent and will look to continue that

trend after finals.

“We came together [Friday] as a team and knew when we got back out there [Saturday] that we needed to get a win. We did that and we got the W,” said Robinson.

Standings Watch: After their first week of Ivy League action, the Tigers sit fifth in the Ivy League standings at 1-2. Penn and Brown — the two teams Princeton has lost to — sit above them at first (3-0) and fourth (11), respectively. Also ahead of the Tigers are Harvard and Cornell, who are tied for second currently (1-0).

Rematch: Princeton’s second game against the Bulldogs this season will come on Feb. 17 in New Haven, Conn. It will be the beginning of a four-game road trip for the Tigers during the middle of conference play.

Up Next: While most of the Ivy League continues play, the Tigers will be off the next two weeks for final exams. The three-week break ends on Feb. 3, when the Tigers will be at home in Jadwin hosting Dartmouth. The Tigers won both meetings against Dartmouth last year and the year before.

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The women’s basketball team defeated Yale to win its first Ivy League game at home this season.

W. S W I M M I N G

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Swimming defeated Villanova in Coach Livingston’s first home match.

Women’s swimming triumphs over Villanova

By Jay Lee staff writer

Last Friday, the women’s swimming and diving team won an important 162138 victory in DeNunzio Pool against Villanova. This victory turned out to be of huge significance, as it would be the first home match for Princeton’s new head diving coach and two-time NCAA champion Drew Livingston, and the last for both head coach Susan Teeter — who announced her coming retirement in December — and the Class of 2017.

On Friday morning, in the first event between the Princeton Tigers (52, 4-1 Ivy) and the Villanova Wildcats (42), the foursome of senior Olivia Chan, freshman Gianna Garcia, junior Elsa Welshofer, and junior Madelyn Veith opened the meet with an exciting victory, claiming the 4x200m medley relay in 1:44.45.

After the opening, the Tigers displayed great form across the board, winning first and second place in various events. To mention a few, Chan won the 100m breast in 1:05.12 and sophomore Isabel Reis took a thrilling 500m freestyle in 4:58.09. Furthermore, the freshman duo of Elaine Zhou and Shaelyn Choi secured convincing wins in the 200m butterfly and the 200m breast, in 2:02.47 and 2:21.36 respectively.

Despite these results, however, by

the end of the meet with only three events remaining, the visitors had managed to gain a two-point lead.

But the Tigers made sure to secure the crucial victory for both coach Teeter and the Class of 2017. In the first two of the remaining three events, senior Lisa Li and her classmate Yasmeen Almog won important victories on the 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards, with 283.20 and 267.30 points, respectively. Despite being his first home game with the Tigers, new head diving coach Drew Livingston and his divers displayed excellent form in both of the events.

And in the finally event of the meet, the Tigers — now in the lead — closed the day with style as senior Katherine Diller, freshman Lindsay Temple, Reis, and Veith took home the 200-free relay.

This marked a triumphant finish for the 17-time Ivy League title-winning coach Teeter, and a well-deserved 11th home dual-meet victory for the seniors. But although this was their last race in DeNunzio Pool, major challenges still await them in the remainder of the 2016-2017 season.

After returning from intersession break, the Tigers will take on rivals Harvard (5-0 Ivy) and Yale (5-0 Ivy) at a tri-meet in New Haven. Although these will not be easy matches, securing victories at the meet will be the first steps of preparing for a successful Ivy League Championship Feb. 16-18.

W. H O C K E Y

Women’s hockey battles Cornell to a draw

By Claire Coughlin staff writer

On Friday night, the Princeton women’s hockey team (12-6-3, 8-4-2 ECAC) traveled to Ithaca, N.Y., to battle against the Big Red (10-5-2, 6-2-2 ECAC). While the Tigers fought hard for the win, the match ended in a tie between the two Ivy League rivals.

The first goal was made at the 14:09 mark by sophomore forward Karlie Lund, who took a rebound behind the net, circled in front and lifted it past Cornell’s goalie at the right post. The Orange and Black followed this with several attempts on goal, but Cornell goaltender Paula Voorheis stayed strong with a two-period save total of 29.

Big Red played aggressively in the second period, but Princeton was unable to transfer the man-advantage opportunities into goals. With 1:02 left in the game, Cornell’s Micah Hart skated the puck into the neutral zone and fed a pass to Hannah Bunton on the right wing for a goal to

tie the game. Both teams remained scoreless in the fiveminute overtime period and the game ended in a tie.

While the team did not achieve the success it hoped for on Friday, Saturday was a victorious night in Hamilton, N.Y., against Colgate University (15-5-3; 6-4-1 ECAC). Princeton came out strong from the start, with a goal from freshman forward Carly Bullock with just under four minutes remaining in the first period. Colgate’s Bailey Larson responded quickly after getting a rebound from her own team with 1:55 left in the period. Bullock scored a second goal in the next period and a third in the fourth to achieve her second hat trick of the season. The Tigers’ other two goals came from senior forward Molly Contini in the third period and an empty net goal from Lund in the fourth.

The Tigers have remained unbeaten for their past ten games and look to continue with their next game against Quinnipiac on Jan. 31.

Tweet of the Day “there’s nothing worse in this world than someone who can only work hard or play hard, get good at both or good at neither” Nolan Liu (@ nliu199613), Associate Sports Editor, Daily Princetonian

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Women’s hockey tied Cornell 1-1 before smashing Colgate to stretch their win streak to ten games.

Stat of the Day

10 games The women’s hockey team has won its past ten games of this season.

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