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Friday february 13, 2015 vol. cxxxix no. 10
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In Opinion Julia Case-Levine talks about the recent measles outbreak and Theodore Furchtgott argues that having an Ivy League degree may not be politically advantageous. PAGE 4
PRINCETON By the Numbers
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Millions of dollars that a property tax exemption would save the University.
Today on Campus
U N I V E R S I T Y A F FA I R S
U N I V E R S I T Y A F FA I R S
U. to appeal decision in U. develops tax exemption lawsuit 10-year By Jessica Li staff writer
The University announced on Thursday that it will appeal a Morris County tax court judge’s denial of the University’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit against its property tax exemption for the 2014 tax year. The University is asking the Appellate Division of New Jersey’s Superior Court to review the denial of the motion to dismiss. The lawsuit in question is separate from a 2011 suit challenging the University’s property tax exemption for 19 buildings alleged to have non-educational or primary uses, University spokesperson Martin Mbugua said. In the lawsuit whose motion to dismiss was adjudicated on Thurs-
day, four town residents are challenging the University’s receipt of a property tax exemption from the town in 2014. The lawsuit’s premises are flawed, University Vice President and Secretary Robert Durkee ’69 said. “The standard in New Jersey for being eligible for property tax exemption is that your dominant purpose should be an educational institution, and Princeton’s dominant motive is to be an education institution,” Durkee said. “Our dominant motive is not to make a profit. By law and by precedent, we believe this case should not go forward.” The University’s legal counsel is moving forward to challenge the decision issued because the University believes it has a compelling case, Durkee said.
“This is not a trial of the case, but a motion to dismiss the case,” Durkee explained. “The plaintiffs of the case have not argued that Princeton’s dominant motive is to make a profit.” The University will wait for a decision from the New Jersey’s Superior Court on whether the appeal will be heard to decide to go to trial, Durkee said. “If it will not be heard, the case needs to go to trial,” Durkee said. “We have every confidence that if it goes to trial, we will be successful.” The University also filed a motion to dismiss the case so that it does not have to commit the resources that are otherwise called for by the litigation, especially in a situation See TAX page 2
VALENTINE’S DAY
7:30 p.m.: The Princeton Juggling Club will perform J.U.G.G.L.E., “a journey to unravel the mysteries of the secret acronym.” Frist Film and Performance Theatre.
The Archives
Feb. 13, 1962 The Interclub Council placed seven eating clubs on disciplinary probation for violations during Bicker of the women in dormitories rule. As punishment, each club was forbidden from hosting either women or liquor for an indefinite period.
News & Notes
Harvard student group stages sit-in for divestment About 40 Harvard students staged a sit-in demanding divestment from fossil fuel companies in Massachusetts Hall, which houses the office of Harvard President Drew Faust, on Thursday, The Harvard Crimson reported. Undergraduate, graduate and law students from the activist group Divest Harvard participated by occupying a first-floor hallway beginning at around 10 a.m. The event took place on the eve of Global Divestment Day, which calls for climate change through divestment from fossil fuels. “We’re trying to put as much pressure on them as possible,” protester Canyon Woodward said. “We are going to reiterate our call for divestment — we’re no longer settling for a meeting — we have to take action now.” Despite the sit-in, the Harvard administration reaffirmed on Thursday that it would not divest from fossil fuel companies. “We fully respect their opposing point of view and their opportunity to express it openly and vigorously,” Harvard spokesman Jeff Neal said. “But we are deeply disappointed that divestment advocates have chosen to resort to a highly disruptive building occupation as a means to advance their view.”
HEATHER GRACE: CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Valentine’s Day spirit fills Frist Campus Center as students join the Stella Art Club to make beautiful cards and crafts.
campus plan By Olivia Wicki staff writer
The University is currently in the planning process for a new Campus Framework Plan that will cover the 10-year period from 2016 to 2026. “Campus plans need to be renewed every 10 years for a campus plan to remain valid and vital,” University architect Ron McCoy said. The University hired Toronto-based consulting firm Urban Strategies in August 2014 to assist in developing the plan. Currently, Urban Strategies is in the initial planning stages for future campus plans, Urban Strategies partner Warren Price said. The 2o26 campus plan is expected to be released in November 2016. “This is an expansion from the previous plan,” Price said. “It will be as much a management tool intended to frame and advance discussion and decision-making and build consensus. What it won’t be is a carved-in-stone kind of blueprint design vision that can only be realized in one way. It will allow [the University] to keep their options open and make choices.” The plan will address land use, campus design, landscape, infrastructure, sustainability, movement and transportation, according to the University’s campus planning website. One of the central areas of focus of the 2026 campus plan will be sustainability, McCoy said. “Sustainability is a very important issue,” McCoy explained. “We have asked [Urban Strategies] to imagine if sustainability were the most important goal, how would a campus plan look?” Price noted that his firm was working closely with the Princeton Sustainability Council. Another important issue to the campus planning process is spatial planning, McCoy said, adding that the goal is to maximize the use of existing space. W. Barksdale Maynard, an art and archaeology professor who is currently teaching ART/ ARC 251: Architecture of Princeton University, said if he were to come up with a campus plan, historical preservation would be at the top of his list of things to consider, especially in light of the University’s constant expansion. “The question is: Are we going to pass [the campus] along to our children and grandchildren in a way that retains its historic interest, that retains its historic integrity?” Maynard said. Maynard added that he fears that temptation may spur campus planners to tear down historical buildings even though previous campus See PLAN page 3
STUDENT LIFE
Crunchbutton brings restaurant delivery service to campus By Do-Hyeong Myeong senior writer
Crunchbutton, a start-up that offers delivery service from restaurants that typically do not deliver, will launch its operations on campus on Feb. 26. Dalia Katan ’15, the company’s marketing representative for the University, said she contacted the company to start a branch on campus because she was not satisfied with limited dining options on campus. “I felt like we shouldn’t have to wait for study breaks for Chipotle,” Katan said. The service will be provided from 6 p.m. to midnight, according to Ka-
tan. When a student places an order through the Crunchbutton app, the drivers hired by Crunchbutton will pick it up and then deliver it to the given location. Students will have to pay a small flat-rate delivery fee, but the exact amount has not yet been decided, according to Katan. The list of restaurants is still being modified but will include Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, Panera Bread and a few of the Asian cuisine restaurants in the area, Katan said. She added that the list might increase in the future based on student feedback. Piyapat Sinsub ’17, who said she will be going independent next semester, said Crunchbutton will help
her save time cooking and said that since she does not have a car, she would probably find it useful. “[The app would be useful] especially if I need to organize a group meeting or want to eat with a group of friends,” Sinsub said. Brandon Zhou ’17 said he was interested in seeing the diversity of food options available on campus increase. Katan said she first reached out to Crunchbutton headquarters last December and discussed the launch throughout January. She explained that she felt the service would be very helpful in allowing more dining options for students, especially those without cars.
“It’s like Uber, but for food,” Katan said. “Anyone could use it. Whether you are independent, in an eating club or a co-op, having that variety of quality and quantity of food would definitely be an important thing to have.” One advantage of the app is that it is user-friendly, Katan said. The app is able to remember the customer’s location, payment information and last order, she added. Students have reacted positively about the service so far, she said. She sent out a survey on Feb. 8 asking students whether they would be interested in using the service, and, if so, which restaurants they would See FOOD page 3
STUDENT LIFE
Student Health Advisory Board launches mental health mentor program By Christina Vosbikian staff writer
The Student Health Advisory Board last week launched Peer Connection, a one-on-one peer advising service for students who might be dealing with stress or who seek academic, life, relationship or other advice from peers. So far, 92 students have signed up as mentors, and 19 have signed up as mentees, project organizer Mizzi Gomes ’16 said. Gomes is a senior opin-
ion columnist for The Daily Princetonian. “Now that the meningitis campaign is over, SHAB has really been looking for our next big project, and mental health is such a timely issue and has concerns that we want to address,” Gwen Lee ’16, chair of SHAB, said. Although Peer Connection officially launched last week, it has been in development since last spring. SHAB has sought guidance from University Health Services and Counseling and Psychological Services
and hopes to continue collaboration. “I do feel like there’s a niche for having somebody to talk to who doesn’t live directly down the hall or isn’t somebody who also deals directly with your academic life,” Gomes said, adding that Peer Connection is unique from other support services on campus in that it is much more informal. Mentors will serve as a sounding board for mentees but will also be trained by SHAB to be able to support mentees when needed.
Gomes said mentors will be able to begin working with mentees around the time of midterms. Freshmen who sign up for the program as mentors will be educated in workshops until their sophomore fall, when they will be paired up with freshman mentees. Mentees will automatically be assigned different mentors every semester unless they request to stay with their current mentor. The program will ideally pair mentees with mentors who have had personal experience going through similar
issues that mentees are struggling with. “It is amazing how hard it is for people to want to be a mentee,” Gomes said. ”We are very aware that mental health is such an issue on college campuses, but we’re not necessarily very comfortable admitting it about ourselves.” There is an opportunity for the project to benefit students in a way that other mental health initiatives haven’t addressed, Zhan Okuda-Lim See MENTOR page 2
The Daily Princetonian
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Court denied U. motion to dismiss case TAX
Continued from page 1
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where the outcome seems so clear that the University’s tax exemption will be ultimately supported, Durkee said. “This case has nothing to do with specific buildings,” Durkee explained, referring to the 2011 suit. “There was a case earlier that had to do with buildings that has not been adjudicated yet.” Both cases are being adjudicated by the same judge, Vito Bianco. University General Counsel Ramona Romero deferred comment to Mbugua. Bruce Afran, legal counsel for four town residents who brought the latest suit, said he believes the University has engaged in widespread commercial activity and that the conduct will deprive the University of its tax exemption. Afran noted examples of what he said was the University’s commercial engagement, including being involved in a licensing deal with Eli Lilly and Company worth over $200 million and giving out $40 million a year in profit-sharing to faculty members from
patent licensing. He added that the University owns two “vast office complexes” on Route 1 and is planning to triple the scale of the Princeton Forrestal Center to support a sizable hotel project. Running a chain of publicly accessible restaurants on campus and a television company are also instances of for-profit activity, Afran said. “The University is the largest renter business in Princeton,” Afran said. “They own 1,000 houses here that they rent out, and this is not to students. They are competing with local real estate businesses.” Afran said the University’s legal arguments that its “dominant motive” is education relied on a 1949 case that has been superseded by cases in recent years. “Judge Bianco said specifically that this 1949 decision is not controlling over this case,” Afran said. “The University is wrong … That’s exactly what Bianco rejected today.” Afran — as well as the University in a press release — characterized the appeal of a denial of a motion to dismiss as “unusual.” “The immediate appeal is very unusual as it shows that
Friday february 13, 2015
CHOCOLATE-MAKING
the University feels threatened,” Afran said. He said this type of appeal is rarely successful and that the University must obtain permission to appeal. “The court may grant it just so to confirm the decision,” Afran said. “Judge Bianco has never been reversed.” The University will be paying at least 40 million in taxes if the plaintiffs ultimately prevail, Afran said. “This is not about being anti-University,” he said. “This is about respecting the fact that the modern university has become a commercial player. The University has about a $20 billion endowment, [and] the annual amount it has to pay in taxes amounts to 1 to 2 percent, which it can well afford. Students don’t want to be part of school that’s not respectful of the community. And I know many students and faculty who think that the University should be paying its fair share.” Mbugua said the denial of the motion to dismiss was delivered orally. Bianco’s chambers did not respond to a request for comment, so a record of the decision was not immediately available.
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RACHEL SPADY :: CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Students at Campus Club covering strawberries, Oreos and pretzels with chocolate fondue at a study break.
Peer Connection to facilitate mental health conversations on campus MENTOR Continued from page 1
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’15, U-council chair and former chair of Princeton Mental Health Initiative Board, said. “I think, as SHAB has mentioned in advertising this program, and I agree with SHAB on this, that there is a lack of an opportunity for students to chat with somebody who can
attest to these experiences, to connect with students who are actually able to do so, and that’s why I’m really excited to see SHAB taking on this project and getting this project going,” he said. Students interviewed about the initiative viewed it positively. “It sounds like a good idea,” Grant Storey ’17 said. “It would have to be implemented well, but the idea seems like it’s defi-
nitely something that could help a lot of people and could have a positive impact on the University.” Fiona Bell ’18 said she would prefer talking to somebody older and well-trained. She added she would consider becoming a mentor or mentee. One-on-one arrangements are optimal for discussing issues of concern, Molly FischFriedman ’16 said.
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The Daily Princetonian
Friday february 13, 2015
Restaurants in program to include Chipotle, Wendy’s FOOD
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want to order from. As of Feb. 12, around 750 students responded to the survey, and over 99 percent of those who replied said they would use the service, Katan said. Crunchbutton was founded in 2012 by David Klumpp, Devin Smith and Judd Rosenblatt, then seniors at Yale, who decided to make a website to offer delivery service for a sandwich that was popular among students. “Our goal is very simple,” Rosenblatt, the company’s CEO, said. “We want to allow people to order their favorite food, pay for it and have it de-
livered straight to their dorm from their favorite restaurants. So we provide delivery service for them.” The company now has branches at over 20 colleges nationwide, including Brown, Emory University and the University of Southern California. The company is currently growing at a rate of 16 percent per week, Rosenblatt said, and is aiming to launch its service at over 40 college campuses by the end of this semester. “We’re not yet perfect, but we are working to improve everything that we possibly can,” Rosenblatt said, adding that Crunchbutton wants to hear feedback from students.
Sustainability to be key issue in new U. plan PLAN
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plans prohibit demolitions. “Where are you going to put the buildings in the next 20 years, where are they going to go?” Maynard said. While the University has many people responsible for sustainability, the University lacks a centralized historical preservation committee or historic preservationists on the
University staff to think about these types of issues, Maynard said. McCoy noted that the campus planning process is occurring concurrently to the development of the University’s separate strategic planning process. The strategic planning process is generally intended to think broadly about issues facing the University community and to develop a framework to prioritize initiatives and allocate resources.
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On measles
Opinion
Friday february 13, 2015
{ www.dailyprincetonian.com }
Julia Case-Levine
EDITORIAL
contributing columnist
T
he latest victims of the California measles outbreak are college students. As of Feb. 3, students at three different public colleges were believed to have contracted measles. The outbreak of measles this year has been the deadliest in years, pushing policy makers to reconsider how to contain and quell this disease that has been virtually eradicated since 2000, when effective and widespread vaccination immunized the majority of the public. Making vaccine injection compulsory has become a hot topic among legislators, with politicians like N.J. Gov. and ex-officio University trustee Chris Christie drawing criticism for supporting parents’ choice to vaccinate. Given that 22 states do not require measles immunizations for college students, some universities are wondering if it is time for a policy change. Following the current outbreak, California schools have plans to make the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine a required immunization for incoming students by 2017. University policy currently mandates the MMR vaccine in accordance with New Jersey law, which allows for religious-based exemptions from vaccination. Given the present incidence of measles, is the loophole in New Jersey law that allows parents and citizens to withhold from vaccination for non-medical reasons a point of potential concern? This debate highlights the tension between private liberty and public good; in an institution with diverse citizens of various beliefs and backgrounds, we are reminded constantly to respect and tolerate other views, to learn to coexist. But what happens when these opinions threaten our personal health? Do we still remain devoted to freedom of opinion and religion, even when these doctrines endanger others? As students at a private institution, our school’s greatest priority should be geared toward personal health. As university students we have the right to safety, the right to know that coexisting will not physically harm us. For those who subscribe to the scientific evidence in favor of vaccine safety, mandating vaccination might seem like a no-brainer. Unvaccinated individuals threaten the health of larger communities, including those who cannot be vaccinated because they are too young, necessitate medical exemptions or have not maintained a sufficient immune response to deem them insusceptible to disease. That said, mandating all community members to vaccinate, including those with deep religious or philosophical qualms, may be counterintuitive when trying to increase overall community vaccination rates. Instead of increasing vaccination, mandates can serve to outrage, animate and propel the anti-vaccine community. While allowing non-medical exemptions to vaccination pose serious threats to communities, enforcing compulsory vaccination may be even more destructive to public health. Compulsory vaccination laws have historically galvanized anti-vaccination movements, while efforts to educate the public on the benefits of vaccination while allowing non-medical exemptions proved more successful. However, it still remains crucial that nonmedical exemptions are extremely restricted. Research has shown that states with loose exemption policies typically have more parents filing for non-medical exemptions and a higher incidence of vaccine-preventable disease. Obtaining nonmedical exemptions must be harder than just signing a form. Effective policies should require citizens to thoroughly consider the consequences of not vaccinating, mandating multiple discussions with physicians and requiring a thorough, written explanation of reasons for avoiding vaccination. Additionally, exemptions ought to only be granted for a particular amount of time, and parents asked to reexamine their decision at regular and frequent intervals. Although the measles remains a particularly urgent and prevalent concern to a community across the country and may not currently threaten the health of University students, New Jersey and University policy on vaccination still necessitates conversation and review. Although vaccination is one of the most successful breakthroughs in the field of health, saving countless lives and reducing incidence of disease, the anti-vaccine movement has consistently grown in following thanks to the propagation of misinformation about vaccine safety and growing apathy towards vaccination. Because vaccines have become so effective, the consequences of disease are less tangible. In this sense, vaccines are a victim of their own success. This is a crisis we must address as future lawmakers, citizens and parents, balancing principles of autonomy and government tolerance of various religious and philosophical beliefs; allowing room for private liberty while still ultimately emphasizing public health. Julia Case-Levine is a freshman from New York, N.Y. She can be reached at juliacc@princeton.edu.
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ast semester, the unsigned editorials featured on this page have discussed issues such as the construction of a campus pub, increasing the number of beginner-level precepts offered in introduction courses and encouraging activism at the University. The Daily Princetonian Editorial Board, a group of 15 undergraduates, was collectively responsible for writing these pieces. The members of the Board are not the editors of the various sections of the ‘Prince.’ Instead, they constitute an independent group of undergraduate students charged with determining the position of the newspaper as a whole. Today, instead of taking a stance on an issue, we would like to explain the editorial process and invite interested freshmen, sophomores and juniors to apply to join the Board. The Board is the independent body responsible for determining the position of the ‘Prince’ on a range of matters that affect the University, its campus community and our generation. We meet twice a week to discuss campus issues, solicit input from potential stakeholders and ultimately determine the stance the ‘Prince’ will take on the issue at hand. We work closely with other sections of the newspaper to gather information about editorial topics, but we deliberate behind closed doors and independently determine our own positions to preserve objectivity. The
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vol. cxxxix
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HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY DAVID SHIN ’18
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Anna Mazarakis ’16 editor-in-chief
Matteo Kruijssen ’16 business manager
EDITORIAL BOARD chair Jeffrey Leibenhaut ’16 Daniel Elkind ’17 Gabriel Fisher ’17 Brandon Holt ’15 Zach Horton ’15 Mitchell Johnston ’15 Cydney Kim ’17 Jeffrey Leibenhaut ’16 Daphna LeGall ’15 Sergio Leos ’17 Lily Offit ’15 Aditya Trivedi ’16 Andrew Tsukamoto ’15 John Wilson ’17 Kevin Wong ’17
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On Ivy League elitism Theodore Furchtgott guest contributor
L
ast weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a Model UN conference at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. For those of you who have never experienced such events, they generally involve groups of college students aggressively befriending each other in the hopes of gaining support for their various resolutions. Before too long, I became known as “the Princeton guy.” I found myself bombarded with concerning comments from my peers. “Is it true that some Princeton students are normal and not very wealthy?” asked a confused-looking Duke freshman. Declared a dismissive Hispanic student from Florida International University: “I’m guessing that your delegation is mostly white males” (I was, in fact, the only delegate from Princeton who could accurately be characterized as a “white male”). I had quickly become defined by what I was, rather than who I was. Although these awkward questions were merely attempts at building a rapport, they revealed a hostility towards Ivy League institutions and their pupils. My school, rather than my arguments, had labeled me as an outsider, as if I was a representative of a different stratum of American society – automatically non-relatable to these other students’ lives. Given
the fact that only about 0.4 percent of all college undergraduates go to an Ivy League school, this may be no surprise. Yet, it was remarkable how quick my MUN co-committee members were to define me based on a single characteristic – my school. It is not secret that Ivy League graduates have outsized influence in American society. Former Ivy-leaguers make up almost 20 percent of the 114th congress. This is partly because Ivy League institutions offer the perfect fundraising network for a budding politicians. Every year dozens of seniors head off to Goldman Sachs or JP Morgan with near six-figure salaries. Every friend living a comfortable life on Wall Street translates into a future potential four-figure check or fundraiser in the Hamptons. This easy access to wealth and fundraising networks comes at a steep price for those seeking public office. With the United States’ increasingly populist political environment, economic inequality is starting to a form an “us versus them” mentality, as evidenced by comments on both sides of the aisle from liberals such as Elizabeth Warren and conservatives such as Mitt Romney (who are coincidentally both Ivy League grads themselves). When thousands of college graduates nationwide are still struggling to find jobs, it is only natural that these Ivy Leaguers’ quick crossovers into the league of the rich and well-connected could spur negative images of our institutions, especially considering our country’s economic polarization.
At the end of the day, regardless of their own personal background, an Ivy League grad will appear out of touch with Americans living paycheck-topaycheck when their degree has a two hundred thousand dollar price tag. Just as I was seen as an outsider at UNC, an elite institution in its own right, Ivy League graduates seeking political office must grapple with the Ivy League’s image problem. One only has to look at the 2014 Alaska Senate election to see an Ivy League degree being used as a sign of remoteness or even a symbol of carpet bagging. The Ivy League affiliations of Republican candidates Dan Sullivan (Harvard), Mead Treadwell (Harvard and Yale), and Joe Miller (Yale) were all seen as huge liabilities, used to reinforce existing narratives about their lack of Alaskan ties. While Princeton may flaunt its low admissions rate and top-notch faculty, the American electorate does not recognize Ivy League graduates as being necessarily better informed on issues. When President Barack Obama ran for Congress in 2000, Congressman Bobby Rush slammed him as an Ivy League elitist, claiming Harvard had turned him into “an educated fool.” Rush went on to say that “Barack is a person who read about the civil-rights protests and thinks he knows all about it.” This is not only true in the working class precincts of inner-city Chicago. LA Governor Bobby Jindal, once an up-and-coming Republican politician ready for the national stage, was widely panned by the national press when
he made unsubstantiated claims about yet-undiscovered no-go zones in European cities controlled by Arab immigrants. Nobody defended Jindal on the basis of his being a Rhodes scholar and Brown graduate. Instead, Jindal’s credentials were used to dismiss his argument. Clearly Jindal’s “remarks were not a mistake, but rather part of a calculated strategy,” since an Ivy Leaguer would never think such things, the thinking goes. Still, ambitious Princetonians need not despair. In the end, Sullivan was elected to the Senate, Obama ended up in the White House, and it is far too early to count Jindal out. Maybe there are limits to the influence of populism. Maybe the fundraisers hosted by your classmate in the Hamptons will generate enough money to advertise your true Mississippi roots and disdain for the Eastern elite. While we may fret about the need to restore our image, the Ivy League will be a tough political sell as long as it maintains the benefits and prestige that allow so many of its alumni to succeed. Those of us running for office would do well to remember that flaunting a degree from Princeton might have better results in a McKinsey interview than a campaign stop in rural Nebraska. In the modern political environment, a Princeton degree has both advantages and disadvantages. Striking the right balance is a difficult challenge, but one that can yield spectacular results. Theodore Furchtgott is a freshman from Chevy Chase, Md. He can be reached at trf2@princeton.edu.
The Daily Princetonian
Friday february 13, 2015
page 5
Dietrick, Tigers look to keep perfect record alive as Big Dance draws closer W. B-BALL Continued from page 6
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rick has had an incredible season and has just been named as a player to watch for the Nancy Lieberman award, given to the best point guard in the country, and is in consideration to receive the Naismith Trophy, given to the best men’s and women’s college basketball players. Dietrick averages 15.0 points, 5.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game, shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 46.6 percent on three pointers. Dietrick is sixth in the country in
three-point field goal percentage and 28th in assists per game. Dietrick has also received five Ivy League Player of the Week awards this season and is the only player in program history to be named U.S. Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Week. Junior guard Michelle Miller has also made standout appearances this season, picking up an Ivy League Player of the Week award this week, her second personal award and the 10th for the Tigers this season. Miller averages 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, shooting 68.4 percent from
the field and 60.0 percent on three-pointers. Miller’s three-point shooting per-
Dietrick ... is the only player in [Princeton] program history to be named U.S. Writers Association National Player of the Week
centage is the second-highest in the country.
Junior guard/forward Annie Tarakchian has also made a large impact on the Tiger’s dominating performance, averaging 11.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game on the road and posting five double-doubles this season. Tarakchian has also won two Ivy League Player of the Week awards this season and is tied for second in the conference for rebounding (8.7 per game) and ranked third in three-point shooting (47.9). Another strong Tiger shooter is junior forward Alex Wheatley, who averages 10.4 points per game and 5.1 rebounds, shooting .591 from the field.
Brown comes into this weekend’s matchup on a three game win streak and a 9-11 overall (3-3 Ivy League) record, ranked fifth in the League. Two Bears have average numbers of points per game in the double digits, with Jordin Alexander averaging 14.9 and Sophie Bikofsky averaging 12.8. Janie White leads the team with 6.7 rebounds per game, while Alexander leads the team with 2.6 assists per game. Brown shoots 38.2 percent from the field and 30.1 percent on three-pointers, averaging 66.1 points per game. Yale comes into this weekend with a seven game win
streak and a 11-9 overall (5-1 Ivy League) record, ranked second in the League. Yale has the highest number of offensive rebounds per game in the League at 14.3 while forcing the second-most turnovers per game (18.3). One player has been shooting double digits on average, with Sarah Halejian netting 14.9 per game and leading the team in assists with 4.3 per game. Katie Werner leads the Bulldogs in rebounds, averaging 6.6 per game. Yale shoots 37.3 percent from the f loor and 26.2 on three pointers, averaging 62.3 points per game.
Men’s volleyball team continues to gear up for upcoming spring season M. V-BALL Continued from page 5
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three of the top five hitters in the conference. In their second northeastern match of the weekend, the Tigers will face conference foe Sacred Heart, based in Fairfield, Conn. The Pio-
neers have struggled thus far in the season, ranked fifth out of seven in the conference. However, the team has showcased impressive performances from outside hitter Enzo Mackenzie, who’s 4th in the EIVA in kills per set, and setter Eduardo Zardo, who leads the conference in assists.
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With the Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament just weeks away, the Tigers will be able to make noise no matter whom they face.
Yale Bulldogs to put Tigers to the test MEN’S B-BALL Continued from page 6
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A strong offensive performance is going to be necessary to keep up with Yale (16-7, 5-1) this weekend. The Tigers may be No. 2 in the league in points per game (68.4), but the Bulldogs currently hold the top spot in points (69.1), a fact that is bolstered by their also holding the top spot in total assists per game (14.2). Their stellar offense has been led by the star combo of forward Justin Sears and guard Javier Duren.
Sears has not missed a beat since last season, as he continues to be amongst the Ivy League leaders in points and rebounds. He averaged a shade under 20 points in his two games against Princeton last season; the Tigers will need to game plan for him effectively. Duren, for his part, has also kept up his performance from last season. While his scoring has remained constant, he has continued to improve as a playmaker and a rebounding guard. However, he has less fond memories of facing Princeton than Sears. Duren struggled
mightily against the Tigers’ defense last year, shooting a miserable 5-23 total in the series. Expect each game this weekend to be a dog fight (and a bear fight). The Tigers’ high-ranking in the conference is currently precarious, and a few wins could keep the teams behind them at bay while the regular season enters its most heated time. After this weekend, the Tigers will play every other team in the Ivy League only once more, as they gear up to maybe take the conference crown from the perennial favorite Harvard University.
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Sports
Friday february 13, 2015
page 6
{ www.dailyprincetonian.com } MEN’S BASKETBALL
Men’s basketball to face conference foes By Miles Hinson sports editor
As the season hits full swing, the Princeton men’s basketball team return home after a trip through New York State to defend Jadwin Gymnasium against the animals from New England. The Tigers (10-11, 3-2 Ivy League) hope to build on what has been a fantastic home record, where they have accumulated a record of 8-2 on the year. Their only loss so far in Jadwin has been to the number one ranked Harvard Crimson. It’s lucky that they can utilize their home court advantage now, given that their performance this weekend could have a persistent effect on the rest of the season. The Tigers are currently just half a game ahead of the Columbia Lions, and with two wins this weekend, would overtake Yale for clear second place in the Ivy League conference. Of course, almost every team in this league comes deep with talent. Friday’s matchup against the Brown Bears (10-13, 1-5) will certain-
ly not be an easy task. Even with this team’s struggles in Ivy League play, it has enough weapons to potentially shock the Tigers. Two of the main concerns the Tigers must have facing the Bears are the latter’s distributed offense and strong presence in the paint. Brown comes into this matchup with two of their big men both in top five for rebounding in the Ivy League conference. Moreover, on the topic of their offense, four of Brown’s players average more than 10 points per game. Although their leading scorer Leland King has struggled with injury this entire season, Brown has benefited from the improvement in performance from guard Tavon Blackman, and the steady inside presence of Cedric Kuakumensah and Rafael Maia. Kuakumensah in particular could be a hassle for any Tiger driving down the lane. The junior forward/ center averages a league best 2.6 blocks per game, and pulls in 7 rebounds to boot. He reminds me of former Sports editor for The Daily
Princetonian Damir Golac: long, athletic and ready to put in the dirty work to help the team succeed. One can’t forget, however, that the Tigers are heavily favored going into this match. While the Tigers will look to create points inside, they lead the Ivy League in three-point field goal percentage, at 38.6 percent. In addition, as the second-best passing team in the league (No. 2 in assists at 13.4 per game), they have absolutely shown the ability to break down stalwart defenses with crisp swinging of the ball. At times that ball will come back out to players like sophomore guard Stephen Cook or senior wing Ben Hazel, or perhaps players will make penetrating drives into the depths of the defense and make the extra bounce pass necessary to get the two points. Sophomore wing Spencer Weisz appears to have the knack for this — as Princeton’s leading scorer and second-leading assist man, he’s been walking the tightrope of getting his own shot and creating for opportunities others. See M. B-BALL page 5
CARLY JACKSON :: CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
After splitting last week’s games, the men’s basketball team now looks to use their home court edge. MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Dominating Tigers to take on Brown and Yale in trip up north By Sydney Mandelbaum Associate sports editor
The Princeton women’s basketball team has been unstoppable this season, climbing national polls with a 21-0 record, and is now the only women’s Division I basketball team in the country still undefeated. The only other college basketball team still undefeated at this point in the season is the University of Kentucky
men’s team. This weekend’s matchups will likely see the Tigers continue their hot streak as they face off in away games against Brown at 7 p.m. on Friday and Yale at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The Tigers are currently ranked 16th in the Associated Press Top 25 national ranking and 18th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. It is the only Ivy League team in history to be ranked in both polls at the same time, and
the only team in the conference to be ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The only team in Ivy League history to have more consecutive victories to open a season is the 1970-71 Penn men’s team, which went 28-0, and the Tigers have matched the longest winning streak in program history (21) that was set in the 2009-10 season. The Tigers have averaged 79.0 points per game, shooting 55.6 percent on field
goals with a +33.5 scoring margin. The Tigers have the highest three-point percentage in the country (43.0) and the second-highest scoring margin. Princeton has also won all but one of its games this season by double digits, winning by at least 20 points in 12 different games, topped by a 71-point victory over Portland State University on Dec. 19. Senior guard Blake DietSee W. B-BALL page 5
CONOR DUBE :: SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
With a season that will go down in the record books, the women’s team seeks to build on their success with wins over Brown and Yale.
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Men’s volleyball prepares to battle four EIVA foes in six-game homestand By David Liu staff writer
Coming off wins against New Jersey Institute of Technology and University of California, San Diego, the Tigers play their first home games of the season this weekend. Hoping to extend their winning streak after early season losses, the Tigers (3-4 overall, 1-0 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) will face Harvard (5-3 overall, 1-0 EIVA) at 7 p.m. on Friday and Sacred Heart University (2-5 overall, 0-1 EIVA) at 4 p.m. on Saturday. This weekend actually marks the beginning of a six-game home stand, extending until March 7, for the Tigers. The home stand will be particularly crucial, as four of the six games will be against EIVA Conference foes. The team will try to win the championship this year after winning second at last year’s EIVA tournament in late April. The Tigers thirst for a more stable schedule after a difficult season beginning, with five of their seven opponents ranked in the top 15 in the NCAA. The Tigers are optimistic, as senior outside hitter Cody Kessel and sophomore middle blocker Junior Oboh work to continue their remarkable seasons this weekend. Kessel currently leads the EIVA in kills per set and won Offensive Player of the Week at the beginning of
the season. Supplementing the team, Oboh leads the conference in hitting percentage. This weekend’s first match against Harvard promises the continuation of a never-ending rivalry between the two schools. Last year, Princeton trumped Harvard in the EIVA semifinal match, only fanning the f lames for Saturday’s game. However, the Crimson present a much more formidable opponent this season. The team currently leads the EIVA conference and is the only conference team to rank in the top 15 of the NCAA, at No. 13. Furthermore, the Crimson brings in an even more impressive four-game winning streak, including wins over MIT and Sacred Heart University. As the only two Ivy League teams in the conference, the winner of the annual Harvard-Princeton game is said to take home the unofficial Ivy League trophy. On a player-by-player level, the Harvard-Princeton match pits some of the conference’s best hitters against each other. Led by Oboh, four of the top five hitters in the conference originate from these two schools. The Tigers must also face Harvard’s White brothers, Casey and DJ, who lead the team in digs per set. Furthermore, Princeton’s offense will be put to the test as Harvard boasts See M. V-BALL page 5
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