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Monday December 9, 2019 vol. CXLIII no. 118
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IN TOWN
BEYOND THE BUBBLE
Demonstra- Xiyue Wang released from detainment in Iran tors gather for Climate Strike By Linh Nguyen, Zack Shevin, and Rooya Rahin
Assistant News Editor, Assistant News Editor, and Contributor
By Rose Gilbert Senior Writer
On Friday, Dec. 6, about 40 demonstrators gathered in Hinds Plaza to take part in the Princeton Climate Strike. The strike was one of dozens of similar events across the nation and across the world. From Philadelphia and Washington D.C., to Cedar Rapids and Madrid, thousands of protestors gathered to raise awareness of the climate crisis as world leaders gathered for the United Nations’ annual climate conference. The demonstration was organized by Princeton High School (PHS) students. However, most of the organizers were prevented from attending by a ‘shelter-inplace’ security measure at the school in response to a shooting threat. Despite the lockdown, local residents, University students, and a handful of high school students who left before the lockdown convened to hear from speakers and voice their concerns. Martin Mastnak, a student at PHS, rejected the argument that the environmentalist movement was elitist, pointing out that marginalized and indigenous communities are often the hardest hit by the symptoms of climate change like droughts, fires, and other extreme weather events. “We are fighting for the simple right of a life safe from corporate ecocide. We are not the elitists,“ he said. “The elitists you should be worried about are the oil executives, the logging executives ruining indigenous land.” See STRIKE page 2
PHOTO CREDIT: THE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
Xiyue Wang, a University graduate student who has been held in Iran for alleged espionage since 2016, has been released, according to a press release sent by President Donald Trump around 6 a.m. Saturday morning. “After more than three years of being held prisoner in Iran, Xiyue Wang is returning to the United States,” Trump wrote. “Freeing Americans held captive is of vital importance to my Administration, and we will continue to work hard to bring home all our citizens wrongfully held captive overseas.” Xiyue Wang was detained in Iran on Aug. 7, 2016, while conducting research for his See XIYUE page 2
Fourth-year history graduate student Xiyue Wang with his wife Hua Qu and their now six-year-old son. STUDENT LIFE
STUDENT LIFE
Q&A with USG presi- Q&A with USG presidential candidate dential candidate David Esterlit ’21 Chitra Parikh ’21
By Evelyn Doskoch Contributor
David Esterlit ’21 is running against Chitra Parikh ’21 for Undergraduate Student Government (USG) president for the 2020 term. The Daily Princetonian sat down with him to discuss his candidacy, prior experience, and priorities to improve student life and wellbeing on campus. Daily Princetonian: To start off, could you tell us a little bit about yourself: your hometown, your ma-
jor, what you do on campus — your background in general? David Esterlit: Sure. My background is a bit different than the Princeton norm, I would say. After my sophomore year, I felt sort of aimless, I couldn’t find myself here. So I decided to do the most noble thing I can think of doing, which was joining the Israeli army. I served there, specifically on the Egyptian border, protecting — actually, Israel has a real expansive Thai guest worker program — so See ESTERLIT page 3
By Evelyn Doskoch Contributor
Chitra Parikh ’21 is running against David Esterlit ’21 for Undergraduate Student Government (USG) president for the 2020 term. The Daily Princetonian sat down with her to discuss her candidacy, prior experience, and priorities to improve student life and wellbeing on campus. Daily Princetonian: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself: your hometown, your major, what you
do on campus — whatever you think is relevant? Chitra Parikh: My name is Chitra. I’m a junior; I study architecture; I’m from Hillsboro, New Jersey. On campus my main commitment is USG, so I am currently Vice President and I served as Executive Secretary the year before. Other than that I’m involved with a cultural dance group, Naacho, the South Asian dance company. And I’m also involved with the Pace Center and the Keller Center. See PARIKH page 4
IN TOWN
STUDENT LIFE
No threat determined after shelter-in-place at Princeton High School
PHOTO CREDIT: SAM KAGAN / THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN
Incoming Editor-in-Chief Jon Ort ’21 (left) with members of the ‘Prince.’
By Sam Kagan Contributor
On Saturday, Dec. 7, after almost five hours of speeches, questions, and debate, The Daily Princetonian elected Jonathan Ort ’21 as the Editorin-Chief for the 144th managing board. Ort currently serves as a Managing Editor for the 143th board. A history concentrator from Highlands Ranch, Colo., Ort
In Opinion
ran against Head News Editor Benjamin Ball ’21 and reached the necessary two-thirds majority of the ‘Prince’ present staff to be elected in the first round of voting. “I’m really thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to lead the paper in the coming year,” Ort said. “...[T]he coming year is going to be one of ... a lot of challenging conversations.” The election began at 10 a.m.
Columnist Claire Wayner proposes a room-and-board payment plan based on utility usage, and columnist Zachariah Sippy addresses the various generational attitudes within the Jewish community regarding Israel.
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as candidates gave speeches and answered questions before a crowd of ‘Prince’ staffers assembled in the team’s newsroom at 48 University Place. Later, the group entered a period of discussion, considering, among other things, ideal qualities of an editor-in-chief and the benefits of each candidate. Per a temporary amendment to the ‘Prince’ election See EIC page 2
HENRY GRAY / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Princeton High School is located a mile away from campus.
By Danielle Ranucci Contrubutor
On Friday, Dec. 6, police received an unconfirmed threat to Princeton High School (PHS) at around 11 a.m. that caused a ‘shelter-in-place’ procedure to be put into effect for all schools in the district for the remainder of the day. Shelter-in-place is a security measure employed in certain threats during which people are not allowed to leave a determined place, such as a classroom. No one was hurt or injured, and police
Today on Campus 12:15 p.m.: Bradford Seminar with Wolfram Schlenker: Does Being a ‘Top 10’ Worst Polluter Affect Environmental Releases? Evidence from the U.S. Toxic Release Inventory Wallace Hall Room 300
later determined that there was “no current threat,” according to reporting from Patch.com. PHS received a threat via phone at approximately 11 a.m., according to reporting from The Hill. The Princeton Police Department remained at the school for the rest of the day, and students were released at 3 p.m. After-school and evening activities at the high school went on as scheduled. In a statement to The Daily Princetonian, the PHS chapter of March For Our Lives wrote that See PHS page 3
WEATHER
The Daily Princetonian elects Ort ’21 as next Editor-in-Chief
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The Daily Princetonian
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Monday December 9, 2019
Iran still holding at least four other U.S. citizens as prisoners XIYUE
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work in the University history department. He was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 10 years in an Iranian prison. In 2018, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions concluded that Wang’s arrest had no legal basis and that he should be released “immediately.” On Dec. 5, MTV Lebanon initially reported that Wang had been freed by Iranian authorities after Swiss mediation. At that time, BBC Persian allegedly had a U.S. source stating that the story could not be confirmed. However, early this morning, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed Switzerland’s involvement via Twitter. “We thank the Swiss government for facilitating the return of Mr. Wang, and are pleased the Iranian government has been constructive in this manner,” he wrote. Upon his release, Xiyue Wang was presented an American flag by U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland Ed McMullen. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that Wang’s release is part of a prisoner swap, with the United States freeing Iranian
scientist Massoud Soleimani. In an interview in Sept. 2019, Zarif said he had offered to swap Wang and an “Iranian professor” over a year ago. Soleimani had been arrested in the United States in 2016 for allegedly violating trade sanctions by attempting to transport biological material to Iran. Prior to the prisoner swap, Soleimani was facing a federal trial in Georgia, according to Bloomberg. Wang has not seen his wife, Hua Qu, or son since 2016. His wife has been a strong advocate in the University community, working to bring awareness about his imprisonment. In a statement posted to the “Free Xiyue Wang” Group’s Twitter account, Hua Qu stated that “[her] family is now complete.” “Our son Shaofan and I have waited three long years for this day and it’s hard to express in words how excited we are to be reunited with Xiyue,” she wrote. “We are thankful to everyone who helped make this happen. Stephen Kotkin, the John P. Birkelund ’52 Professor in History and International Affairs and Wang’s thesis advisor prior to his imprisonment, told The Daily Princetonian in an email that his “joy is beyond words.”
“Once Wang finishes an expected medical examination at the U.S. medical facility in Germany, and returns home to his family and colleagues, he’ll resume his work on his PhD full-time,” Kotkin wrote. “In fact, while braving wrongful imprisonment in Iran, he had continued his work as best he could, reading books, studying new languages, and writing in the prison.” Kotkin also noted that, despite Wang’s ordeals, his “profound admiration for Persian culture, deep sympathy for peoples of the Muslim religion, intense curiosity about local governance practices, and an unquenchable thirst for historical study of the entire region” has remained unchanged. “His love for the life of the mind helped him endure his unjust ordeal, and will enable him to complete his degree with distinction,” Kotkin emphasized. Since Wang’s detainment in 2016, various graduate students and friends of Wang have been active advocates for his release. In a statement to the ‘Prince,’ the “Free Xiyue Wang” group president Michael McGovern GS wrote that the group is “beyond excited.” “Hua Qu has worked tirelessly on behalf of her husband, and
now it is time that we as a community prepare to welcome Xiyue Wang home,” McGovern wrote. In the past three years since Wang’s imprisonment, the “Free Xiyue Wang” group has held vigils and Days of Action advocating for Wang’s release. In addition, the Asian American Students Association (AASA) has contributed substantial support to the group and has “hosted informational community meetings and tabling events specifically designed for contacting government representatives” to raise awareness among the undergraduate population. “We are overjoyed and relieved to hear that Mr. Wang has finally been released and will be able to reunite with his wife and son, who he has been apart from for far too long,” the AASA executive board wrote in an email to the ‘Prince.’ “Going forward, we plan to continue collaborating with the graduate students to provide any support that Mr. Wang and his family may need.” The University itself had also taken an active role in advocating for Wang’s release. University spokesperson Ben Chang, in an email to the ‘Prince,’ gave the following statement from an unnamed
University official. “Throughout Wang’s imprisonment, Princeton University had formal and informal conversations with government officials and others advocating for his release,” the University official wrote. “Princeton also worked to directly support Wang, working to ensure that fellow students and faculty were able to remain in touch with Wang through regular, at times daily, phone calls.” In a statement this morning, President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 expressed his joy regarding Wang’s release, and his gratitude towards all parties who mediated the release. “We would like to extend our thanks to the United States government, the government of Switzerland, and the students, faculty and staff who continued to advocate for Xiyue’s freedom throughout this ordeal,” he wrote in a statement. Iran is currently holding at least four other U.S. citizens as prisoners, according to Reuters. In his tweet, Pompeo noted that the State Department “will not rest until we bring back every American detained in Iran and around the world back home to their loved ones.”
PHS student organizers unable to attend due to lockdown STRIKE
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Mastnak also noted that while American and European climate efforts are more widely-covered, dozens of activists have been killed in Latin America while protesting environmental issues. According to a July report from the British non-profit Global Witness, 164 climate activists were murdered in the past year; more than half of these homicides occurred in Latin America. Roughly 40 percent of the deaths were tied
to state security forces and a similar number to private actors like landowners, gangs, and hitmen. Zahra Lohoue, a local ninthgrader, has spoken at multiple climate strikes, including the Princeton Climate Strike that took place this September. “Human health and safety is at risk,” she said. “You need to stop worrying about your money and start worrying about the earth.” “I might just be a fourteen-yearold telling you how scared I am, but I know enough to tell you that this is urgent,” Lohoue added. After hearing from Mastnak
and Lohoue, organizers turned over the mic to other demonstrators. Linda Powell, the outreach coordinator of Central Jersey Environmental Defenders, stood to ask the crowd to oppose ongoing plans for a natural gas pipeline. Powell, a long-time environmental activist, offered some perspective for this new wave of climate activists. “I’m a boomer and I’ve been fighting the ills and ravages of capitalism longer than most of you have been alive,“ Powell said. “When I first became an environmentalist, friends would tell me
that wasn’t very political. Well, shit, we know it is now.” Also in attendance were members of the Eastern Service Workers Association (ESWA), an organization that represents lowincome workers who are often disproportionately burdened by extreme weather events, which are increasing in frequency and severity due to climate change. Victoria Floor, a volunteer with ESWA, said that the group is advocating for New Jersey’s sustainability efforts to incorporate the needs of poor working families,
ROSE GILBERT / THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN
The Climate Strike drew protesters from the University, Princeton High School, and the local community.
who often face power shut-offs and cannot afford increased utility bills. Floor added that the ESWA wants the state to move towards renewable energy as quickly as possible, but not at the expense of its most vulnerable residents. “If these goals do not consider the poor, what is the point?” Floor said. Molly Jones, the executive director of Sustainable Princeton, closed the event by thanking the demonstrators for coming out and urging them to reach out to their local representatives.
ROSE GILBERT / THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN
Victoria Floor joins in the Climate Strike Protest.
Murphy: I cannot wait to get back to writing; I am very excited to write EIC
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bylaws, seniors not moderating the discussions were permitted to cast a vote in this year’s election. Editor-in-Chief Chris Murphy ’20 and managing editors Sam Aftel ’20 and Ariel Chen ’20 moderated the
process. “I’m very happy that both Jon and Ben were committed to running as Editor-in-Chief,” Murphy said. “I think it’s great that both of them showed dedication and commitment to a position as large and as important as this one. I’m very excited that Jon is going to be the 144th Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Princetonian — I think he’s a fantastic fit for the job.”
With his tenure as Editor-inChief coming to a close, Murphy looks forward to rejoining the ‘Prince’ as a reporter. “I cannot wait to get back to writing. I am very excited to write,” he said. Ball believes that the election process went well and looks forward to the opportunity to discuss his ideas with Ort. “I think the proceedings
managed to flesh out well what our expectations for the 144th managing board are and while there certainly [are] some contentions between what Jon and I presented in our platforms, I know he’s the kind of person who will be willing to talk and discuss through those discrepancies,” Ball said. “I think he will lead the next board very well, and I look forward to being on it.”
Following his election, members of the ‘Prince’ welcomed Ort back into the newsroom where he briefly addressed those present. “It is a tremendous honor to be your Editor-in-Chief in the year to come, and I know that we’re gonna do amazing things together,” he said. Ort will officially assume the role of Editor-in-Chief in January.
Monday December 9, 2019
The Daily Princetonian
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Esterlit ’21: The platitudes and legacy of inaction [of USG candidates] have been the same; I think that’s deeply sad ESTERLIT Continued from page 1
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protecting Thai laborers and Israeli border communities from ISIS attack. Then I spent around a year in the Israeli parliament. And here we are today. I’ve returned. Unfortunately — maybe I should’ve thought about this a little bit better before — but all my friends have graduated ... I study politics. I’m from Livingston and Short Hills, [N.J.]. What do I do on campus? Well, I’ve mainly focused on just getting back to the academics here. Once you’re out for a few years, it’s tough to come back. I sort of just miss working. I miss being a barista at Starbucks, believe it or not. Do not get between someone and his latte. Like, bodily harm can occur. Yeah, so now my main extracurricular is running this campaign. It is not easy. Very much word of mouth. I hope I’ve spoken to 1,000 people already — actually just yesterday I went to Mathey-Rocky, during brunch, and just announced. Much more receptive in Mathey than in Rocky — not sure why. And today we tackled Forbes brunch. DP: Why are you running for president? DE: Well at the beginning, I ran just so I can open the possibility on this campus to this sort of discussion, so people can talk about this. I thought my chance of winning wasn’t very high. I didn’t know anyone on this campus. I didn’t have much of a base; I’m very much an outsider. But then I started getting — my email started exploding. And people started getting really intrigued and interested in this message to really expand the purview of USG. People think that I really detract USG. It’s somewhat the case. But it’s mostly that I don’t believe that USG is living up to its
potential and that we can help it get there, and it’s just a matter of political will. DP: What is the greatest problem that you see on campus right now, and what is your plan to solve it? DE: The greatest problem is definitely economic. I think the administration displays a real ivory tower attitude to economic change on this campus. Let me give an example: even when it comes to students on full financial aid, the administration ignores the opportunity cost of being on this campus. It assumes that kids who, even though they don’t spend any money on the university itself, still bear miscellaneous expenses. And it assumes that the seeds weren’t breadwinners for their families already. I don’t think that’s a fair assumption to make. Breaking that economic taboo, that’s really the priority of this campaign. DP: What role do you think that experience plays in this job? And then, how do your personal experiences inside or outside of USG qualify you for this position? DE: I definitely think that, actually, the outsider mentality here, the fact that you come in without a status quo mentality, here to break things, to change things. Clearly, this institution isn’t working for students. They just don’t care. You saw the debate. That was embarrassing. The voter apathy is incredible. It was actually back in 2014 that really solidified this idea in my head when William Gansa ’17, the joke candidate, ran, and turnout exploded. And he almost won. And my thing was, Princeton students are serious kids. They care about their campus. Why don’t they care about USG? Clearly something is flawed here. I don’t think that flaw resides in the Princeton students. I think it resides in USG. DP: So, actually tying in very
nicely to my next question, apathy has been a huge issue in recent years. If elected, what will you do to promote renewed interest in student government? DE: Well, my specific theory of the election is that students care about economic concerns, but they’re the silent majority that doesn’t speak about it because it’s taboo. It’s not talked about on campus. It should be talked about on campus. I think USG can really — I can act as a sort of bull, perhaps a bull in a china shop a little bit, to break down some doors and get people to notice, crucially, not just this campus, but the administration, and even more importantly, donors. When donors begin to notice, anything is possible. It’s amazing the power these people have. DP: What do you think sets you apart from your opponent? DE: Absolutely my outsider status. The real novel idea that I bring to the table and the novel perspective on what USG can achieve. I think USG is only as powerless as it allows itself to be. I mean, to be honest about USG, I’ve been here for five years. I’ve gotten five years’ worth of campaign emails. I compare and contrast what they promise and what has actually been done. The names and faces may change, but the platitudes and legacy of inaction have been the same. I think that’s deeply sad. DP: And so, finally, in the spirit of positivity, what do you respect or admire most about your opponent or their platform? DE: [Her focus on] disabled students . That was news to me that 40 percent of residential dorms on this campus do not have ramps. I do wonder if this was ADA compliant. I wonder if my opponent has explored that option. I wonder if she believes if it is ADA compliant or not, and if she doesn’t believe so,
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID ESTERLIT
David Esterlit ’21
why hasn’t she just called the ADA? I actually called the ADA a couple of days ago, to ask about filing a complaint. It’s really easy. It’s all online. Why should we go to the administration? Why not just get a government inspector over here.
They can assess the situation and force the administration’s hand that way. That’s how we deliver to our constituents. That’s also an example of an outsider mentality. Sometimes it’s worthwhile to be more combative in order to get things done.
PHS March For Our Lives: The lockdown limited participation in climate strike PHS
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their meeting was “ironically” cut short when the school went into the shelter-in-place procedure. March For Our Lives is a national student organization that advocates for more stringent gun control, founded after the mass shooting at Parkland High School in February 2018. “Thankfully, the police determined that there was no imminent danger to PHS. However, the fact that this threat could easily have been real speaks to the magnitude of the problem of gun violence in our nation,” the statement noted before spelling out several “common-sense gun laws” the group believes should be enacted at both
the state and federal level. March For Our Lives’ statement explained that the incident prevented many students from attending the climate strike at Hinds Plaza, originally scheduled for 12:30 p.m., which was initially delayed but eventually went ahead. “It is upsetting that this threat ended up limiting participation in the climate strike, which is a wonderful example of the power of student activism,” wrote the organizers. Although the school was in ‘shelter-in-place’ mode, some students who left PHS early in the day, before the threat, still attended the strike. Nicholas Sutter, Chief of Police for PPD, has yet to respond to request for comment via email at the time of publishing.
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Monday December 9, 2019
Parikh ’21: Among biggest problems on campus is mental health, student well-being PARIKH
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DP: If you could sum it up, why are you running for USG President? CP: If I could sum it up in one sentence, it would be that I think, quite simply, USG can do more, and it should do more. To kind of elaborate on that, over the last few years I’ve worked with two different USG administrations, and I’ve kind of seen what the strengths of USG are and what the weaknesses of USG are. I’ve seen that USG can be an incredible force for good, whether it’s through calendar reform, or making Kognito training mandatory for first years, or helping to start the satellite offices for CPS [Counseling and Psychological Services]. But there’s more that can be done and while those changes are great, we need to keep that momentum going and to keep building off of that to create more change. So, for me, that’s where my personal motivation comes from. I know how USG works, and I know that it can do something, so I want to lead a team and lead USG into doing something super meaningful. DP: What is the biggest problem that you see on campus right now, and what is your plan to solve it? CP: Yeah, so I think for me, one of the biggest problems I see on campus is just — I’m going to broadly categorize it as mental health, but generally like a lack of focus on student wellbeing. So I think that falls into a variety of different categories. I mentioned this during the debate, but mental health is important because it affects how we go about our daily lives and how we can interact with this campus in our communities. I have a few ideas for some CPS-related policies, the first being finding transportation to see
off-campus providers so that students have even more resources available to them, and partnering with CPS to create ... a questionanswer form, where students can ask questions about policies they need clarification on. But beyond that, I think it’s also, just for me, what improving student wellbeing looks like and improving mental health looks like, is a lot about accessibility. So, how can we make information readily available, how can we make resources available, how can we take the resources on campus and enhance them to make sure that everyone has equal access to them? DP: What role do you think that past experience plays in this kind of election, and how do you think that your personal experiences, whether inside or outside of USG, qualify you for this job? CP: Yeah, absolutely. So I think there’s two parts of this. The first is that the USG president is leading a team of 23 voting members and a team of over 100 people on committees, subcommittees, ad hoc committees, various aspects of USG. And so part of that is, experience helps you because you’ve seen kind of the procedures and policies in place. So, to give you an example, right: I’ve been going to USG Senate meetings on Sunday nights for the last two years. So, I’ve seen kind of what the process for running that meeting looks like. I’ve seen how the agenda is made. I’ve seen how the packet is sent out. But beyond that, there’s also, the experience plays a role, because the USG President has a lot of different responsibilities that are sometimes hard to learn in the moment. So for instance, the USG president presents to the Board of Trustees. And that’s an extremely important presentation, because the Board of Trustees makes many, many decisions regarding campus
vol. cxliii
editor-in-chief
Chris Murphy ’20 business manager
Taylor Jean-Jacques’20 BOARD OF TRUSTEES president Thomas E. Weber ’89 vice president Craig Bloom ’88 secretary Betsy L. Minkin ’77 treasurer Douglas J. Widmann ’90
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHITRA PARIKH/ THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN
Chitra Parikh ’21
life. And so having that experience for instance helps me understand how to best, you know, present student opinions, present student feedback, and use that as a force for change. Beyond that, though, leadership comes with experience. And so, talking about experience, not just with USG, but also, I’ve been on the board of my dance company, and I am a leader at the Pace Center. I think all of those experiences have taught me how to work with different types of people, and how the most productive way of working is not the same for everyone. I recognize and acknowledge that, and I think for me, that’s something that’s very central to my leadership philosophy. DP: Now, moving on to the issue of student apathy. Lack of engagement with USG has been an issue
in recent years. So if elected, what will you do to promote renewed interest in student government? CP: Yeah, so I have a few ideas of tackling this. I think the first one is just simply reaching out, right? So I think USG can do a lot more of getting feedback from students in ways that aren’t just, oh, let’s fill out another survey again, right? We can host focus groups, we can talk to students. So I think that’s the first part of it. I think the second part of it is that, for me personally, I would like to see USG engage with campus groups that perhaps they haven’t engaged with in the past, and make a more diligent effort to reach out to communities, beyond what we already identify with. So yeah, I think the focus groups, I think getting feedback, I think creating opportunities for people to speak their opinion and for them to feel like they are being heard. That’s what’s really important to me. I think beyond that, though, generally the way we restore trust in USG is by USG doing something, right? So, that’s also part of it, is, you know, creating these successful changes and policies that you implement, that I think also can help with restoring trust. DP: What do you think sets you apart from your opponent? CP: So, I think for me, personally, what I believe sets me apart from my opponent is two things. The first is that I have the experience necessary to just jump into this position right from day one and start leading with a focus on the issues rather than having to spend a few weeks or months learning about, kind of, what the role entails, how every single position in USG works, and what their role is in creating these policy changes and implementing these ideas. I think the second thing that sets me apart is I have a clear list of priorities that I believe USG should focus on. I have a vision for how that’s going to happen. Beyond that, I’ve already spoken to a variety of different individuals when I was crafting my platform, so for instance, Dr. Calvin Chin has expressed interest — he’s the Director of CPS — he’s expressed interest in the questionnaire reform. I’ve spoken to various students, while I was creating my platform, and I’ve gotten feedback from over 10 students. So, I believe that’s what sets me apart, is that I have the experience and I have a vision for how I want USG to work and what I want USG to do. Beyond that, USG is something I already commit so much of my time to, and I’m willing and ready to commit even more, if I’m elected. So for me, I bring that commitment and dedication with the experience in the position. DP: And then finally, in the spirit of positivity, what do you respect or admire most about your opponent, or their platform? CP: I respect that David has made a very diligent effort to reach out to students. I’ve seen him interact with so many different people all over campus, and so that’s something that I really respect about him. I also respect that he is taking the initiative to, you know, start these conversations.
trustees Francesca Barber David Baumgarten ’06 Kathleen Crown Gabriel Debenedetti ’12 Stephen Fuzesi ’00 Zachary A. Goldfarb ’05 Michael Grabell ’03 John Horan ’74 Joshua Katz Rick Klein ’98 James T. MacGregor ’66 Alexia Quadrani Marcelo Rochabrun ’15 Kavita Saini ’09 Richard W. Thaler, Jr. ’73 Abigail Williams ’14 trustees emeriti Gregory L. Diskant ’70 William R. Elfers ’71 Kathleen Kiely ’77 Jerry Raymond ’73 Michael E. Seger ’71 Annalyn Swan ’73 trustees ex officio Chris Murphy ’20 Taylor Jean-Jacques’20
143RD MANAGING BOARD managing editors Samuel Aftel ’20 Ariel Chen ’20 Jon Ort ’21 head news editors Benjamin Ball ’21 Ivy Truong ’21 associate news editors Linh Nguyen ’21 Claire Silberman ’22 Katja Stroke-Adolphe ’20 head opinion editor Cy Watsky ’21 associate opinion editors Rachel Kennedy ’21 Ethan Li ’22 head sports editor Jack Graham ’20 associate sports editors Tom Salotti ’21 Alissa Selover ’21 features editors Samantha Shapiro ’21 Jo de la Bruyere ’22 head prospect editor Dora Zhao ’21 associate prospect editor Noa Wollstein ’21 chief copy editors Lydia Choi ’21 Elizabeth Parker ’21 associate copy editors Jade Olurin ’21 Christian Flores ’21 head design editor Charlotte Adamo ’21 associate design editor Harsimran Makkad ’22 head video editor Sarah Warman Hirschfield ’20 associate video editor Mark Dodici ’22 digital operations manager Sarah Bowen ’20
NIGHT STAFF copy Chloe Searchinger ’22 Rachel Posner ’22 Genele Hua ’23 Ellie Chang ’23 Andrew Tang ’23 design Sophie Li ’23 Chelsea Ding ’22
Monday December 9, 2019
Sports
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{ www.dailyprincetonian.com } WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Women’s volleyball loses to Penn State in first round of NCAA tournament By Alissa Selover Associate Sports Editor
While most students are preparing for the end of the semester, Princeton’s women’s volleyball team wasn’t ready to see the end of their season. After defeating Yale in the Ivy League playoff matchup, the Tigers geared up to face the No. 11 Penn State Nittany Lions in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Dec. 6, where they took a tough loss in three sets (21–25, 20–25, 19–25). The first set was nothing short of a whirlwind of play for both teams. Princeton came out strong, keeping a close score throughout the entirety of the set. Head coach Sabrina King had two challenges in the first set, both of which the Tigers won. With the score being tied at 13–13, the second challenge called for a change of the score and put Princeton up 14–12. Despite this advantage, two quick Penn State points tied the score again at 14-all. Throughout the first half of the set, the Nittany Lions hadn’t led by more than one point, but two more quick kills put them up 16–14. The Tigers didn’t give up, though, heading into a tied score after three straight Tigers points and a kill from senior right-side-hitter Maggie O’Connell. Penn rallied off three points before a Princeton timeout allowed the Tigers to put one more point on the board. Nevertheless, two Princeton hitting errors gave Penn State the four-point victory. Penn State took an early lead in
the second set before the Tigers rallied back some points. The Nittany Lions kept the lead, eventually extending it a 6–10 lead, until a kill from first-year middle-blocker Olivia Schewe put the Tigers down by only three. It didn’t last long before a service error put them down four
row hitters became fired up. The Tigers didn’t see a lead during the entire second set, but they did win their third challenge of the match to make it a four-point second set. An O’Connell kill gave the Tigers three straight points to put the score at 17–20 before Penn
set ended with a Penn State victory after a service ace. The third set started out with Princeton’s first lead since the first set, taking a quick 4–0 lead before a tip down the middle gave the Nittany Lions their first point of the set. The Tigers held on to the lead,
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Princeton women’s volleyball fell to Penn State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
once again. Princeton used their first timeout of the second set after Penn State was up by five points. Penn State came out hot in the first half of the set and did not have any plans of letting up, as their front
State called a timeout. Princeton came within two points of Penn State, but after a great defensive effort, the Nittany Lions were able to capitalize on the Tigers being out of rotation, and a Penn State kill set them up for set-point. The second
though, with Penn State coming within one point multiple times before they evened the set up at 13-all. Princeton wasn’t ready to give up their lead. They managed to rally off two points to secure a 15–13
lead before a timeout was called. Princeton got one more point before Penn State tied the score at 16-all and then took a one-point lead; Princeton fought back with a Penn State blocking error to tie it at 17-all. The Nittany Lions came to life late in the set, and built up a twopoint lead before Princeton called a timeout. Coming out of the break, Penn State’s fourth ace of the night put them up 20–17, and a kill gave them a four point lead. Senior outside and right-side hitter Devon Peterkin kept the Tigers alive with a kill of the block, but Penn State had a kill right down the line to set them up with only three more points for the match victory. This season brought monumental moments for the Tigers, with ending as Co-Ivy League Champions with Yale and winning the playoff match against Yale to advance to the NCAA tournament. The Princeton volleyball program also brought in two major awards this season: Head Coach Sabrina King was honored as Ivy League Coach of the Year, for the third time, and sophomore libero Cameron Dames was recognized as Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year. Six members of the program were also named to All-Ivy Teams. Seniors Maggie O’Connell and Jessie Harris, along with junior Clare Lenihan, were named to the AllIvy League first team. Along with seniors Devon Peterkin and Natasha Skov, Dames garnered secondteam honors.
MEN’S HOCKEY
Winless streak hits 11 games as men’s hockey loses pair to Colorado College By Ben Burns Contributor
After winning its season opener, Princeton men’s hockey (1–7–3, 0–4–2) has now failed to record a win in its past 11 games. Most recently, the Tigers dropped two games this weekend at Baker Rink to visiting Colorado College (6–5–1). On Friday night, Grant Cruikshank and Chris Wilkie scored twice and Jack Gates added three assists for the visiting Colorado College Prowlers (5–5–1) as they defeated Princeton 7–2. After a slow start that saw the Tigers tally the first seven shots on goal of the game and later the first goal, the Prowlers exploded for seven of the next eight goals despite being outshot 42–22 on the night. Princeton was 7–7 on the penalty kill, but also failed to capitalize on their own man advantages, scoring just once on seven power plays. The Tigers started the scoring early, killing off a penalty and rushing down the ice on a 2-on-1 that ended with sophomore forward Corey Andonovski saucing a perfect pass to senior forward Liam Grande’s backhand for an easy tap-in goal, his first of the season, and the 1–0 lead. Colorado responded just 1:15 later, as a shot leaked through junior goalie Ryan Ferland and Alex Berardinelli tapped it home to tie the game with his first of
the year. Sam Renlund struck next for Colorado, as he found a rebound that had gone off of Ferland’s mask and whacked it home for his first goal of the year, giving the Prowlers a lead that would
the net this time to give Colorado a 3–1 lead. Five minutes later, Wilkie made it 4–1 as Colorado raced up the ice, had one shot stopped, the rebound blocked, then finally hitting twine as Wilkie powered the rebound
to go. The puck popped loose from a scrum on the boards up by the blueline right to sophomore forward Christian O’Neill, who turned a fired home a wrister, his second of the year, to cut the deficit to 4–2. Andonovski
JACK GRAHAM / THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN
Jeremy Germain battles for a puck against a Colorado College opponent.
hold the rest of the period. Colorado picked up right where it left off to start the second, with Nick Halloran’s sixth on the year finding the back of
past Ferland for his sixth of the season. The Tigers found life late in the second, scoring on their fifth power play of the game with 4:15
picked up his second assist of the game on the play. However, that would all the scoring the Tigers could muster. With just 1:14 to go in the
second, Cruikshank fled up the right boards, then cut in towards the goal. Ferland went down to get in position, but did so too early as Cruikshank roofed the puck short-side to increase the Prowlers’ lead back to three and give Cruikshank his third of the season. The third period provided no relief for Princeton. Freshman Aiden Porter replaced Ferland in net, but could not hold back the Prowlers. With 7:01 to go in the game, Wilkie struck again with his seventh of the year, this time skating around the net up into the high slot, turning, and whipping a shot over Porter’s blocker to make it 6–2 Colorado. Just 49 second later, Cruikshank would get his second of game and fourth on the year, taking a pass from Gates, his third assist, streak shorthanded up the ice on a 2-on-1, and bury the shot for the Prowlers’ seventh goal of the night to cap the scoring. On Saturday night, Princeton tied the game at 1–1 with less than a minute remaining in the third period on a goal from sophomore forward Christian O’Neill. However, it took Colorado just 19 seconds into overtime to notch the game-winner. Princeton took the loss despite outshooting Colorado 41–27. Princeton will return to action Tuesday at Baker Rink against American International College.
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Monday December 9, 2019
Opinion
page 6
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We need a students’ utilities bill Claire Wayner Columnist
This summer, I spoke with other interns at my organization who’d gotten a rude awakening on their rental bills: the benign “utilities” section had commonly amounted to a fifth, almost a fourth, of the monthly price, which they’d agreed to pay to their landlord. “If only I hadn’t chosen to take such long, hot showers!” exclaimed one of them. Another lamented the hours he’d spent binging Netf lix, allowing the TV to suck electricity deep into the night. Luckily for me, my landlord had chosen to include my utilities in my monthly price, but I still ref lected on what the extra lightbulbs or ceiling fans I’d left on through the night would’ve cost me. Here at Princeton, all of our utilities are included in our $10,000 room charge, meaning there is no financial reward for students to save water or electricity. This is creating some prob-
lems for the University as it attempts to reach its next climate change goal: reduce carbon emissions to 1990 levels by the end of next year. Currently, emissions are hovering about 13 percent above the 1990 amount and have been for the past couple of years. What will push emissions over the edge, according to the Office of Sustainability, is if students consciously reduce their energy usage. But as an Ecology Representative (EcoRep), I’ve come to believe that many students won’t listen to voluntary policies or half-hearted encouragements. What will make them listen? A campus “utilities” bill for each dorm room for both water and energy usage, which would incentivize students to implement minor lifestyle changes such as leaving their windows closed when the heat is on, using as few appliances as possible, and shortening their showers. This bill must not be a financial burden; therefore, the
University should establish per capita baseline energy and water usages specific to each dorm building and automatically cover the costs for these baselines in the room charge (as is currently done). Any usages above these baselines would be paid for by the student with certain exceptions available by application. For usages below these baselines, however, students can earn money back on their bill, allowing students who’d like to save money on their Princeton education while simultaneously helping the planet. There is nothing stopping the University, however, from extending this “utilities” bill concept to apply to other resource-intensive activities. Laundry machines, for instance, could be equipped with prox readers to charge students if they choose less sustainable options, such as washing with hot water or running loads in the dryer on high heat (as opposed to line drying, which uses significantly less energy and can be bet-
ter for your clothing). Preferred laundry practices, such as the first 30 minutes of drying on a low temperature or cold water washes, could still be given to students for free. Instead of giving students an annual printing budget of 2,600 sheets for free, the University could charge students $0.10 per blackand-white sheet and $0.50 per color sheet, which could dramatically reduce the piles of paper waste which accumulate around the printers. Those who must print a significant number of documents for their major or specific classes could receive rebates, as could student organizations for printing f lyers and publicity materials (USG and the Pace Center already offer free copier services to student groups). None of these proposed fees should be regarded as cruel or unprecedented because in the real world, we will all have to pay for the electricity and hot water we use on our “utilities” bills, the loads of laundry
we do at the laundromat, or the sheets of paper we print at the local office supply store. Even if we end up in a rental agreement where “utilities” are included, as I did this past summer, the planet will still be paying for our excessive resource consumption. The practices that Princeton employs currently — to make every service free, regardless of the resources used — are cultivating a wasteful mindset among us undergraduates, which will end up costing us and the Earth more after graduation. Instead of allowing its students to be willfully ignorant within the Orange Bubble, the University should begin charging us on a usage basis, teaching us to be more conscientious and responsible citizens of this planet while helping us to save money in the long run. Claire Wayner is a sophomore from Baltimore, Md, majoring in civil and environmental engineering. She can be reached at cwayner@princeton.edu.
Considering the American Jewish generational divide on Israel Zachariah Sippy Columnist
On Nov. 21, the Israeli Attorney General announced four indictments levied against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I saw the Facebook posts of dozens of my parents’ friends rejoice and celebrate what they described as the imminent “return of Israel to normalcy.” Almost three weeks later, Netanyahu remains Premier, his poll numbers remain essentially unchanged, and the chances that he forces a third election this year only grow. It seems that these social media celebrations were premature, if not for naught. When I discuss the IsraeliPalestinian conflict with my parents and their friends, I’m hard-pressed to find points of disagreement relating to facts on the ground. There is a wide consensus among American Jews that is in favor of a twostate solution and opposed to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank; the political situation in Israel has devolved to the
point that even the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC, a right-leaning proIsrael advocacy organization) recently has been forced to condemn actions of the Netanyahu government. My parents are peaceniks, and so are most of their friends. The generational divide manifests not in clashing policy proposals, or partisan affiliations, but rather competing political memories. The Jewish Sages teach of two Jerusalems — one heavenly, the other earthly. For 2000 years the concept of a celestial Jerusalem aided a diasporic and oppressed community to imagine redemption and a homeland. This Platonic paradigm (holding both an ideal and its realized form) is helpful as a framework for understanding the current generational debate between American Jews. My parents came of age to an Israel that was beginning to reckon with its oppression of Palestinians. There existed a popular movement for peace, with political leaders and coalitions strong and courageous enough to push for imperfect compromise. Their political adolescence was marked by a series of grand coalitions, pow-
er sharing between big-tent political parties. My father last lived in Israel as a first-year rabbinical student in 1992, which also marks the last year that Ha-Avoda (the center-left Israeli Labor Party) won more than 40 seats in the Israeli Parliament. This fall, the Labor Party barely passed the electoral threshold, winning five. The Israel of my political awakening is an uncaring occupier, a nation convinced that the status quo is tenable, where the political range has shifted so far right that a possible Benny Gantz government is hailed by many as a left-wing victory, and the indictment of a prime minister is a cause for celebration, because too many fear that the threat of jail is the only thing that could compel him to leave office. In my lifetime, there is only one Israeli government that could possibly be described as center-left, and it collapsed when I was barely one year old. As prime minister, Ehud Barak supported the illegal Jewish settlements in Hebron, and coined the phrase that there was “no partner for peace.” Without interruptions, since I was in third grade, the state has been led by Benjamin Netanyahu, who has
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unapologetically called for the annexation of the West Bank, expanded the settlements, incited the assassination of his political opponent, Yitzhak Rabin — the last nominally left-wing Prime Minister of Israel — and devoted himself to building relationships with neo-fascists around the world. And yet, I didn’t care terribly that Netanyahu was indicted. Neither my Facebook wall nor those of my peers were plastered with celebrations. When it comes to Israel, many from my generation are jaded. We’re not convinced that whoever succeeds Netanyahu as Premier will be much different. When older generations speak of normalcy, we find ourselves lost at what they could possibly mean. 2017 marked a decade of the blockade on Gaza, and 50 years of the occupation in the West Bank. We see Netanyahu as symptom of a diseased politics, not the other way around. I have been told by numerous adult Jewish leaders, whom I respect, that young, progressive Jews, like myself, should not air the “dirty laundry” of our community in public, and that we are too critical, pessimistic, and unforgiving in our outlook of Israel. What other conclusion
do they expect us to come to when for our whole lives Israel has been dominated by the political right? It is no wonder we are more willing to indulge certain comparisons, rethink our institutional affiliations, and opt for protest. In a generational twist, this intra-community conflict involves the young telling the middle-aged and elderly that they are the ones guilty of political naiveté. Their celestial Israel no longer bears much resemblance to the earthly one. I fear that their imagined Israel froze sometime between the election of Rabin in 1992 and the unsuccessful Clinton Parameters of 2001. They can’t help but see an Israel that is just one election, one prime minister away from “normalcy.” Conflicts that divide the American Jewish community on the Israel question — whether it be about Israel-themed Shabbat, Birthright trips, or public speakers — will over time become more frequent and more fierce, as the generational chasm between the imagined and earthly Israel grows. Zachriah Sippy is a sophomore from Lexington, Ky. He can be reached at zsippy@Princeton.edu.