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Tuesday February 26, 2019 vol. CXLIII no. 17
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STUDENT LIFE
Princeton Mental Health Initiative hosts first “Mental Health Week” By Haleigh Gundy Contributor
A recent study from the American College Health Association found that 41.9 percent of undergraduates have “felt so depressed within the past twelve months that it was difficult to function.” The Princeton Mental Health Initiative has dedicated a week to raise awareness of their plight. The organization designated the week of Feb. 18 as “Mental Health Week,” inviting service dogs, producing theater productions, and hosting a mental health-focused exhibit. According to Princeton Mental Health Initiative board member Richard Yang ’22, Mental Health Week was created in an effort to “promote awareness about mental health issues.” “Because Princeton is academically rigorous and is a different social environment, many students are prone to [developing] mental illnesses without realizing, and more importantly, [without] seeking help,”
PRINCETON MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE / FACEBOOK
“Mental Health Week” included an opportunity to meet service dogs, theater productions, and a mental health-focused exhibit.
Yang said. Some events — such as a therapy dog study break in Frist Campus Center — aimed to provide students with a non-academic outlet to relax and take time away from their work. Other events focused on raising awareness of depression, suicidality, and other mental health concerns. On Monday, Feb. 18, for example, the organization hosted the IN THEIR SHOES™ traveling exhibit by Attitudes In Reverse — a mental health advocacy group — in the Frist East TV Room. The exhibit consists of 269 pairs of shoes belonging to New Jersey children and young adults who had committed suicide.
According to the organization’s website, the exhibit “helps to increase understanding, empathy and kindness towards those who might be struggling in silence and encourage them to seek help.” Following the exhibit, Arch & Arrow Literary Magazine and Butler College cohosted an open-mic night on Wednesday, Feb. 20, where students shared prose, poetry, and music related to mental health. In one of the keynote events from the week, from Thursday, Feb. 21, to Saturday, Feb. 24, students staged performances of the “Me Too Monologues” for the fifth year in a row. Written and performed
by University students, the monologues shared personal experiences with topics such as sexual assault, suicide, and eating disorders. Each performance included a “talkback” after the show to encourage dialogue surrounding mental health on campus. Undergraduate Student Government president-emeritus Rachel Yee ’19 praised the Me Too Monologues as “incredible and powerful programming.” “[The Monologues] help us to take a step back and have some perspective, especially when the beginning of the semester can be hard,” she said. Yang echoed her sentiments. He believes that such
events can help discussion of mental illness to become more open. “Increasing the dialogue surrounding mental health will help destigmatize mental illnesses. I hope that people won’t be afraid to seek help when they need it. There is nothing to be ashamed about because balancing academics, activities, and life at Princeton is tough,” he said. Overall, Yang believes that demonstrations of solidarity and awareness will be beneficial for students experiencing mental health concerns. “Demonstrating that depression is a widespread issue across campus and at other universities will help people recognize that they can always seek help from their peers or advisors,” Yang said. “I hope that students realize that there are supportive students and staff to help them get through their mental health issues,“ he continued. Mental Health Week began on Monday, Feb. 18, and ended on Saturday, Feb. 24.
STUDENT LIFE
U . A F FA I R S
Court adjourns hearing in Cannady ’19 case
30 seniors to run for Young Alumni Trustee position
Senior Writer
On Monday, Feb. 25, the Princeton Municipal Court granted men’s basketball standout Devin Cannady ’19 an adjournment for charges of simple assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and being under the inf luence without a prescription. Cannady did not immediately respond to request for comment. Cannady, who did not appear in court on Tuesday, was previously arrested on Jan. 18 after he allegedly threw a punch at a Department of Public Safety Officer in Wawa. Originally charged with
aggravated assault — an indictable charge — the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office had downgraded it to a disorderly persons offense and remanded the case to the Princeton Municipal Court. Kim A. Otis, Cannady’s attorney, requested an adjournment in order to have more time to review documents that were sent to him the day before by the prosecutor. Otis did not offer details on what the documents contained, but the prosecutor quickly agreed to the adjournment. At the time of publication, Otis did not respond to request for comment. Before agreeing to the adSee CANNADY page 3
By Rebecca Han Contributor
Thirty members of the Class of 2019 are running in the annual primary election for the Young Alumni Trustee (YAT) position on the University’s Board of Trustees. If elected, the candidate would replace Tumi Akinlawon ’15 — who is ending his term on Jun. 30 — and serve a four-year term alongside the three current YATs, Myesha Jemison ’18, Achille Tenkiang ’17, and Azza Cohen ’16.
New exhibit at Mudd Library celebrates 50 years of coeducation Head News Editor
Cannady was arrested on Jan. 18 after he allegedly threw a punch at a Department of Public Safety officer in Wawa.
alphabetical order, are Tolulope (Tolu) Adetayo, Stefan (Amo) Amokwandoh, Owen Ayers, Belinda Azamati, Carly Bonnet, Marcia Brown, Emma Lee Bruce, Mim Buscher, Sena Meryem Cebeci, Zoe Chazen, Mikkey Clarke, Currie Engel, David Fan, Miriam Friedman, Alec Gewirtz, Matt Harrington, Micah Herskind, William Keiser, Paul Francis de Francis Kigawa, Maggie McCallister, Chidinma Nwachukwu, Simi Olofinboba, Justin See TRUSTEE page 3
ON CAMPUS
By Ben Ball
BEVERLY SCHAEFER / GOPRINCETONTIGERS.COM
The YAT position was established in 1969 “to ensure that the Board would always include four members with recent experience as undergraduates,” according to a description on the Alumni Association webpage. YATs have the same rights and duties as other members of the Board, and their twofold responsibility is to serve the University and “provide a perspective” to the Board based on their recent experiences as students. The seniors running, in
In the side conference room of the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, visitors can find historical documents, pictures, and memorabilia since 1969, when the University first admitted women, displayed against a burgundy background. For the exhibit, “Redefining Old Nassau,” Mudd librarians collected historical letters, publications, and objects that span the half-century of women at the University. The exhibit highlights women’s accomplishments in academics, athletics, and advocacy. The exhibit also covers the accomplishments of women who studied at the University before coeducation was officially introduced. For instance, in 1961, Sa-
bra Follett Meservey *64 *66 became the first woman Ph.D. candidate admitted to the University’s graduate program. Three years later, T’sai-Ying Cheng *63 *64 became the first woman to earn a Ph.D. from the University. The exhibit also highlights the controversy that surrounded the introduction of women to the University. Letters from dissatisfied alumni, such as Frederic P. Moore ’39, are displayed prominently. “I fail to see where the acceptance of girls as undergraduates at Princeton is desirable or necessary,” Moore wrote. “The turn of events at Princeton is somewhat nauseating to me.” The exhibit also features an article published in The Daily Princetonian, in which thenUniversity president Robert Goheen ’4 0 *48 said that “coeducation is inevitable” in an
In Opinion
Today on Campus
Managing Editor Jon Ort examines the Firestone family’s controversial business practices and Contributing Columnist Zachariah Sippy argues that Congress should reconsider the filibuster. PAGE 4
6:00 p.m.: Learn how impact investing brings social and environmental benefits while also delivering attractive returns. Princeton Innovation Center BioLabs, 303A College Road East
interview he believed to have been off the record. “The first case [in the exhibit] is the overall what led to the decision to go co-ed,” said Assistant University Archivist for Public Services Sara Logue. “It’s a very powerful tool to see what the mindset was at that time.” Other sections of the exhibit are dedicated to the many accomplishments of women at the University post-coeducation. One section is devoted to the successes of women athletics, noting that tennis, squash, crew, and field hockey were “the first intercollegiate programs offered to women in 1971-72.” “I’m really glad we focused on that,” Logue said. “They are really successful and I think it’s important to draw that out.” See MUDD page 6
WEATHER
By Emily Spalding
HIGH
38˚
LOW
21˚
Mostly sunny chance of rain:
0 percent