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Thursday February 7, 2019 vol. CXLIII no. 4
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U . A F FA I R S
Eisgruber releases annual letter By Benjamin Ball Head News Editor
President Christopher L. Eisgruber ’83 defended University admissions’ consideration of race in his annual letter to the University community on Wednesday, Feb. 6. Eisgruber stated that the need to take race into account is a function of the United States’ failure to “eliminate racial inequalities in schooling, in policing, in healthcare, in housing, and in employment.” “America’s quest for equality remains unfinished, and so we at Princeton, like our counterparts at other leading research universities, continue to believe that we can best find the students who will make a difference on our campus and beyond if we consider race as one factor among others in a holistic admission process,” Eisgruber wrote. His defense was largely prompted by the current lawsuit alleging that Harvard discriminated against Asian American applicants, an issue that Eisgruber said he is asked about more often than any other.
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In his annual letter to the community, President Eisgruber defended the University’s admissions process, which takes applicants’ race into account.
Although Eisgruber admitted he was not as familiar with Harvard’s admissions policy, he stated that he expected Harvard was “complying with the strictest standards of constitutional law.” Eisgruber also emphasized that the consideration of race
U . A F FA I R S
does not make the application to the University any less meritfocused. “Every single student on this campus is here because of merit,” he wrote. “They all have the talent needed to benefit from the transformative education made
possible by our superb faculty and staff.” Eisgruber also commented on the Department of Education’s recent changes to Title IX policies. The changes would allow lawyers to play larger roles in case proceedings, which may deter vic-
tims from speaking out. He referenced the Association of American Universities’ criticisms of the regulations, and said that the University supports the Association’s positions. “The federal government’s intrusive regulatory seesawing on these issues is, in my view, unfortunate and damaging,” Eisgruber wrote. “If the proposal is finalized without changes, the proposed regulations would compel us to make significant modifications to the procedures we use to investigate and adjudicate complaints of sexual harassment and assault.” On the subject of immigration, Eisgruber emphasized his continued support for beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. “We continue to urge Congress to provide long-term relief for DACA beneficiaries; America benefits tremendously from the talent of these honest, hard-working young people who know this country as their home,” Eisgruber wrote. The University remains coplaintiffs with Maria De La Cruz See EISGRUBER page 3
STUDENT LIFE
Renovations begin U.-affiliated economists sign op-ed on Robertson Hall for carbon tax against climate change Contributor
Preparations for the first major renovation project on Robertson Hall have begun. Demolition will begin this month and the renovation is expected to be complete by the summer or fall of 2020. The effort will be known as the “Reimagining Robertson” project. According to the University’s Facilities website, the goal of the project is “to reorganize the spaces within Robertson Hall to create a highly functional and efficient environment for teaching and research for the Woodrow Wilson School.” During construction, only the lower level of Robertson Hall will be accessible, with limited access through the Washington Road entrance and “the tunnel” from Bendheim Hall. The Shultz Dining Room will not be open. While construction proceeds for approximately 19 months, the Wilson School’s
undergraduate and graduate students, as well as 85 fulltime faculty, will be housed in Green Hall on Washington Road. Despite the relocation, Associate Dean of the Wilson School Todd Bristol does not anticipate many challenges with the renovation. “Our temporary location in Green Hall is very accommodating and the lower level of Robertson will remain open during much of the project, allowing us to continue holding classes there,” he stated. Students agree that the renovation will not be much of an inconvenience. “Most undergrad majors are used to taking classes all over campus anyway because a significant percentage of Woodrow Wilson School classes are cross-listed,” said Christopher Kellogg-Peeler ’19. “I would say that the only minor letdown as a senior is that I won’t get a chance to experience what I’m sure is going to be See ROBERTSON page 2
By Nick Shashkini Staff Writer
A number of University-affiliated economists have signed on to a Wall Street Journal op-ed calling for a carbon tax to combat climate change. The op-ed appeared on Jan. 16 and is signed by prominent economists from both major political parties. Acknowledging that global climate change is a “serious problem calling for immediate national action,” the authors of the op-ed propose several policy recommendations. According to the proposal, the tax would increase every year until emission reduction goals are met, which would replace the need for non-market based climate regulations. The revenue generated from the tax would then be returned to taxpayers through tax refunds. The proposal adds that the tax refunds would be universal, and thus available to taxpayers regardless of income.
Title IX comment period ends, U. critiques proposed changes Staff Writer
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would agree to commit. “You sign if you agree with the thrust and gist of it,” said Oliver Hart ’74, the Andrew E. Furer Professor of Economics at Harvard University, and the co-recipient of the 2016 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. “I agree with the basic idea that climate change is a serious problem and that the carbon tax is a good approach.” Hart stated that he believes that the universal rebate is an important factor for selling the proposal, as there is a concern that lower income families who depend on driving could be impacted by the tax. He brought up the recent “Yellow Jacket” protests in France after gas price increases as a situation to avoid. “We want to avoid making losers from this policy,” he said. According to Hart, the carbon tax is not the only possible approach. Another popular suggestion is to sell off emission permits to the highest bidder, meaning companies could only See CARBON page 2
U . A F FA I R S
By Julia Ilhardt
The renovation of Robertson Hall is expected to be complete by the summer or fall of 2020.
In order to prevent carbon leakage, a border carbon adjustment system would also be established within the scope of the proposal, meaning that fees would be levied on imported goods manufactured in non-carbon-taxing countries. A number of signatories affiliated with the University responded to requests for comment, clarifying their positions on the issue. “It’s amazing that prominent economists have come together on this issue,” said N. Gregory Mankiw ’80, the current Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics at Harvard University, and the former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors under President George W. Bush. Although Mankiw does not believe that the current political climate is favorable for such a proposal, he remains optimistic that politics could change in the long run, especially considering the possibility of a new president in 2020. He believes that a wide spectrum of the political class
In conjunction with peer institutions, the University has criticized Secretary Betsy DeVos’ proposed changes to Title IX regulations. In November of 2018, the Department of Education (DOE), headed by DeVos, released proposed changes to Title IX, which is best known for instituting rules about the handling of sexual misconduct on college campuses. The proposal was open for a 60-day period of public comment, extended slightly to Jan. 30 after the government shutdown created
technical issues with the commenting platform. The proposal received approximately 100,000 comments from a variety of individuals, academics, institutions and student groups. Many commenters relayed personal stories of sexual misconduct, vented about DeVos, praised the heightened stringency, or suggested official revisions, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Title IX is a sprawling and significant set of regulations, and the proposed changes to it will continue to transform and unfold in the coming months. During that time, University policy
In Opinion
Today on Campus
The Ivy Club addresses the recent leak of confidential admissions information, the Interclub Council explains Street Week, and columnist Emma Treadway examines the media’s role in shaping our values. PAGE 6
4:30 p.m.: Mosaic Tile Workshop: ome decorate a mosaic tile with the cast and crew of the Lewis Center’s production of The Odyssey: The Musical. Class of 1970 Theater, Whitman College
will remain unchanged. “We take our federal obligations seriously and do not plan to make any adjustments to our policies and processes until the regulations are finalized,” said Chang. “We believe that our current policy is working well; we will maintain our commitment to the wellbeing of the campus community and to preventing sexual and gender-based harassment.” The University did not submit any comments individually. Instead, it worked with the American Association of Universities (AAU) to provide a critique of the See TITLE IX page 4
WEATHER
By Marissa Michaels
HIGH
51˚
LOW
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Cloudy chance of rain:
10 percent
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Thursday February 7, 2019
Renovations will focus on making Sims: A carbon tax will Robertson a place for collaboration help country reduce ROBERTSON carbon emissions Continued from page 1
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an awesome new space postrenovation.” Bristol added that the project was necessary to bring the building up-todate. Robertson Hall was designed by Minoru Yamasaki, also the architect of the University’s Peyton Hall and the former World Trade Center, and was built in 1965. “We now seek a broader range of work spaces that encourage collaboration and communication, that im-
prove connectivity within the building, and that are accommodating to visitors — all balanced with the continued need for private offices,” Bristol said. According to the Facilities website, the renovations will focus on making Robertson Hall a place for collaboration and engagement and will “strengthen the identity of the school.” Bristol added that the renovation will “address thermal comfort and acoustic performance, promote f lexibility and durability, and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and well-
being.” Renovations on Robertson Hall will include the “first, second, third, and fourth f loors, portions of the lower level, and minor updates to Arthur Lewis Auditorium — nearly 48,000 square feet in total,” according to the Wilson School’s website. KPMB, a Toronto based architecture firm, will lead the renovations. The firm also designed the University’s Julis Romo Rabinowitz and Louis A. Simpson International Buildings. The iconic façade of Robertson Hall will remain unchanged.
CARBON Continued from page 1
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emit as much carbon as they have bought permits for. Hart said that he does not have a strong view on which approach is more effective. Hart said that economists prefer the carbon tax over replacing existing regulations. They believe that the government does not have a strong track record on picking the most effective green policies to subsidize. “I agree with the basic idea that a carbon tax is the sensible way of getting the country on the road to reducing carbon emissions,” said Christopher A. Sims, the John J.F. Sherrerd ’52 University Professor of Economics and a co-recipient of the 2011 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. Sims said that he believes that
an actual bill would have to do away with the equal rebate proposed in the op-ed, as politicians would be under pressure to give more back to the families and the poor. “It will be difficult [to implement this proposal], but I think that opinions are shifting on this,” said Sims. “The importance of global warming makes people more willing to consider this kind of an approach.” He claimed that many politicians on the political right who understand the problem favor, even if not publicly, the carbon tax as the most efficient and market-oriented way to handle the problem. “Many of the people who signed this letter are people who are not left wing radicals by any means,” he added.
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“It will be difficult [to implement this proposal],” said economics professor Christopher A. Sims, “but I think that opinions are shifting on this.”
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Eisgruber praises U.’s accomplishments in innovation, diversity EISGRUBER Continued from page 1
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Perales Sanchez ’18 and Microsoft in a challenge to the federal government’s rescission of the DACA policy. A federal district court ruled in the University’s favor in April and reaffirmed that ruling in August. According to Eisgruber, the case is currently on ap-
peal. Eisgruber spent much of the letter praising the University’s accomplishments in innovation and diversity, from collaboration with companies like Google and Microsoft, to the “She Roars” conference which was, according to Eisgruber, “the largest term-time gathering of Princeton alums in the University’s history.” In light of the upcoming
changes to the academic calendar, Eisgruber noted that the University is working towards offerings for non-credit-bearing opportunities and classes for the optional two-week “Wintersession” in January. The new calendar and “Wintersession” opportunities will take effect January 2021. Eisgruber also reaffirmed plans for campus expansion with new athletic facilities and gradu-
ate housing south of Lake Carnegie as well as two new residential colleges, including Perelman College. Eisgruber stated the University’s hope to open both colleges in the fall of 2022. “Much remains to be done, but we are making excellent progress,” Eisgruber wrote. According to a press release from the Office of Communications, Eisgruber will summarize
the letter at the Council of the Princeton University Community (CPUC) meeting from 4:30 to 6 p.m on Monday, Feb. 11, in Betts Auditorium in the School of Architecture. Additionally, he will address the letter at a town hall for University employees from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20, in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall.
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Proposed change to Title IX disallows cross-examination TITLE IX Continued from page 1
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DOE’s changes, according to University spokesperson Ben Chang. The AAU is composed of 62 research institutions, including every member of the Ivy League. The AAU recommended that the DOE “remove requirements that institutions permit cross-examination.” Originally, the proposal allowed for accusers to be questioned by a lawyer; this was among the most controversial of the DOE changes. For many, cross-examination creates concern that victims would be discouraged from coming forward. The AAU also suggested removing the requirement that universities “apply the same standard of evidence and process across all disciplinary processes.” This comment likely related to concerns about the higher burden of proof placed on accusers by the
new Title IX proposal. Additionally, the AAU asked for clarification on the altered definition of sexual harassment and a university’s right to regulate behavior outside of this definition. The University also worked with the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) to draft additional comments. The NJSBA stated that if the regulations are enacted, academic institutions would require significant time — at least a year — to implement the changes. Overall, the comments made by the University and NJSBA disapproved of the proposed changes. “The proposed rule would impose on the Title IX grievance process a judicial construct that is largely incomprehensible with the nature and purpose of student grievance procedures in sexual harassment or sexual assault cases,” the NJSBA wrote.
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The Department of Education, headed by Betsy DeVos, released proposed changes to Title IX in November 2018.
Patriots’ championship game was dominant in many ways SUPER BOWL Continued from page 8
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Is Sean McVay as brilliant as advertised? Throughout the season, Sean McVay has been touted as a wunderkind, significantly younger than Tom Brady yet leading his team as a successful head coach. Coaches across the league have praised his brilliance, but after a three-point performance in the Super Bowl, this is being brought into question. Aside from the success he’s found this year, the biggest pieces of evidence used by the media to show McVay’s cerebral abilities are his ability to remember every play from his coaching career and the time he was able to break down the entire Chicago Bears’ defense in an early December interview. The ability to remember every play isn’t
a unique quality among people involved in professional sports, however, as evidenced by LeBron James’ ability to remember the exact sequence of events from his own games. Yes, he is LeBron James, but basketball also has a significantly higher number of possessions and plays than football. Furthermore, I don’t think his breakdown of the Bears’ defense was very impressive either, as giving a breakdown of an opposing team’s defense should be expected of a coach who presumably has studied film beforehand. As for the matter of McVay’s success, I believe he was carried by a talented defense as the Rams limped through their last eight games with a struggling offense and a quarterback who seemed to regress. During the game, commentators Jim Nantz and
Tony Romo kept referring to the matchup between McVay and Belichick as a “chess match.” If McVay were truly a brilliant strategist at this point in time, he wouldn’t have had a stagnant offense that scored just three points and had just eight first downs before the last two drives. He would have made better adjustments, especially in the running game, to keep his offense on the field longer. Was this truly the worst Super Bowl ever? Many media outlets, such as “Rolling Stone” and “CNN”, have articles labeling LIII as the worst Super Bowl in history. Others, like “Yahoo! Sports” have listed it in their top ten worst Super Bowls, but not number one for the reason that it was not a blowout. A popular twitter page, NFL Memes, said, “Imagine paying $7,000 for a Maroon 5
concert and a punting contest.” Yes, I would agree that it was a punting contest, but I do not think that this makes it a bad Super Bowl. The defenses were spectacular throughout the entire game, especially the Rams’ defensive line and the Patriots’ secondary, but something should be said about the punting in the game. It wasn’t until Ray Guy, a punter for the Oakland Raiders in the 70s and 80s, came to the NFL that punting became a legitimate strategy for teams. Guy’s height and accuracy on the ball made him known as the first punter to actually be able to win a game. Though punting is usually used as a symbol for a failed drive, the ability to lengthen the field for an opposing offense can often gain a team an advantage for the next few possessions.
New England was able to pin Los Angeles within their own 10 yard line three times in this game, which enabled them to creep up the field at the start of their own drives, gaining better field position for an eventual field goal or touchdown. With Brady and Edelman playing better than Goff and any of his receivers, this strategy worked out much better for the Patriots. Perhaps Super Bowl LIII did not offer many exciting deep throws or breakout runs. Maybe the Saints, with Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara, would have been more exciting as an opponent. However, whether it was Belichick, Brady, Edelman, McCourty, or the punter Ryan Allen who won the game, the Patriots’ championship win was dominant in more ways than one.
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Tom Brady celebrates his team’s victory at Super Bowl LIII.
Thursday February 7, 2019
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From the ICC: Street Week — it’s more than a name
F
or the Interclub Council (ICC), Street Week is a culmination of more than a year’s worth of planning, consensus-building, and focusing on improving the undergraduate experience. It concludes an entire semester of intense club recruitment, ICC outreach, and months of working with Club Graduate Boards, comprised of passionate University alumni, to alter the admissions timeline. This has resulted in the biggest change to club admissions since the online portal went live in 2013. Our hope is that the result is a time of excitement for prospective and current members alike. While the ICC’s prominent 2018 goal was to expand on eating club accessibility culturally and financially, one of our other main goals was to shift the campus perspective from Bicker alone to a street-wide exploration of all 11 clubs. Here’s what we did: Clubs began hosting recruitment events in Octo-
I
ber, opening their doors and giving a taste of membership benefits. In November, the ICC organized its first “Sophomore Week,” which consisted of a full week of Q&A sessions during Late Meal in Frist and a streetwide open house on a sunny Sunday afternoon where sophomores could get a tours of full facilities, meet members, and hang out in the different spaces casually. Individual clubs continued to host recruitment events throughout the semester, casting wide nets via emails to the residential college listservs. In January, during reading period, The Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students and the 2021 Class Government of Undergraduate Student Government helped bring clubs, co-ops, and independent representatives together with the Sophomore Choice Book and the Eating Options Info Session, held in Whig Hall. Despite this expansive list of outreach, we still wanted to ensure that sophomores
would have questions that were unanswered — or worse, answered with misinformation. In response, the ICC launched Princeton Eats, a Tumblr page inspired by Real Talk Princeton, where representatives from every eating option have a platform to answer students’ anonymous questions. Street Week, as the name suggests, is a time to explore street-wide. There is a space for every student at Princeton who wishes to join a club. While registration for selective clubs is limited to a max of two, due to the time constraints of the Bicker process, the ICC wanted to expand awareness about opportunities for open club exploration. First, the clubs worked with their Grad Boards throughout 2018 on streamlining the timing of the sign-in process to align with the selective process. Second, we established our first social media accounts to get the word out about all events during Street Week (@ princeton_icc). Third, we ex-
tended the ranking window from 24 hours to 48 hours, allowing sophomores more time to explore open and selective clubs equally and to ref lect. Finally, we adjusted the functionality of “prefs” so that the sign-ins would be ranked right along with any selective clubs. In doing so, my hope is that all sophomores feel like they can seriously consider a sign-in club, not just as a backup, but as their top choice. This change means that every single sophomore that registers on the ICC website will be placed in a club on Friday morning; everyone will be welcomed into a club community. At all 11 clubs, we want to get to know you, we want you to get to know us, and at the end of the day, we want you to feel like there is a home for you on Prospect Avenue. Hannah Paynter is a senior
from Lyme, CT. She is the president of the ICC and can be reached at hannah.paynter@ princeton.edu.
Statement regarding breach of 2017 data
n light of the recent release of information in relation to The Ivy Club’s spring admissions process in 2017, The Ivy Club would like to offer the following statement. In the spring of 2017, a website was created in an effort to facilitate the ad-
missions process. In administering the website, confidential information was later unintentionally made public. The information contained content from the admissions process but only represents a portion of the information used in The Ivy Club’s discussion pro-
cess for admissions. The Ivy Club takes seriously its commitment to the confidentiality of its admissions process and the privacy of its members and guests. In light of the private information that has become available, we deeply regret our failure
to safeguard such data. We have taken steps to ensure that this can never happen again. The Ivy Club released this statement exclusively to the Daily Princetonian. This piece represents the views of The Ivy Club only.
Media: the manipulation of the masses Emma Treadway
Contributing Columnist
M
y day begins with a scan of Facebook and national news (and, of course, a paper copy of ‘The Prince’). Checking the news reassures me that I am an informed student and citizen — but should it? We’ve all been on Facebook and seen the angry political rants permeated with onesided, inf lammatory propaganda. And these posts are more than just frustrating: they subconsciously define the way we see other people. When we see a person make one of these posts, that person comes to represent that single thought or emotion. For example, what I write in these columns is detached from the totality of my character and personality. I become my opinion, defined by the mere 800 words of my own hasty convictions. A few months ago, I wrote a column lauding the benefits of Latin. A response to my column alleged that my promotion of the Department of Classics was elitist, while my main claim was simply concerned with the benefits of studying the subject. To her
and perhaps other readers, I had defined myself unintentionally. Perhaps there was truth to her statements and I had not seen my own bias, but regardless, this issue is indicative of the larger problem within media wherein opinions are reduced to snippets, making them vulnerable to misinterpretation. Don’t get me wrong, media is crucial to creating a cross-cultural bridge of thought and awareness around the globe. Ironically, I am harping on media via a biased newspaper column. But I believe news and social media should be reconsidered and used more diligently. Social media platforms strip people of their multidimensionality. Without the face-to-face interaction, the inherent humanity in all of us is often invisible on the social media platform. Consider pivotal figures such as the presidents, particularly controversial ones like Donald Trump. Regardless of political belief (I am often guilty of ascribing to the popular opinion of Trump’s inadequacy), we forget that these contested individuals are people first and foremost. This is not a call to give any person a free pass on the grounds that they are only human, but it is a plea to remember that truth in
an attempt to preserve our own humanity. For example, we lose sight of the fact that former U.S. President Barack Obama plays basketball in his spare time. Just like us, these people share our same basic joys and struggles. With our generalizations and venomous biases, we can descend into the same inhumanity we ascribe to people like Trump. We rebel against this notion that all of us are people: people of different faiths or of no faith at all, people who are Republicans, people who are Democrats. It is so crucial to remember that President Trump is a person, President Obama is a person, all of our world leaders are people, fallible and subject to that same human condition that we are. We are all people, we are all products of different environments, we all have dreams and hopes. Beyond perpetuating misunderstanding, both news and social media are potent tools of manipulation. They can significantly alter how the masses perceive events or even which events are perceived in the first place. Social media takes advantage of our raw bias and twists our perceptions of people and events. What news chooses to tell the populace colors our view of what is “right.” For example, the Ebola vi-
rus topped news headlines in 2013, and it was the source of conversation and fear everywhere. Eventually, its coverage dwindled, and the United States assumed Ebola did likewise — but it didn’t. In fact, the second largest outbreak is occurring in the Congo at this moment, but, at least within my scope, few are talking about it. We subconsciously assign importance to issues based on their prominence in the news. Media tells us what to think and, because of its inf luence, it is a major provider for the values and morals of younger generations. Now, when we see others espouse aggressive viewpoints on social media, it is crucial to remain guarded and objective in perceiving their complexity. We should recognize the possibility (probability) of bias and devote more time to exploring lesser-known stories and viewpoints in our world. And as a journalist myself, I hope to push both authors and audiences towards recognizing their common humanity, rather than tarnishing news and social media platforms with f lash perceptions based on innate bias. Emma Treadway is a firstyear from Amelia, Ohio. She can be reached at emmalt@ princeton.edu.
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vol. cxliii
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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 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 editor Samantha Shapiro ’21 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 cartoon editors Zaza Asatiani ’21 Jonathan Zhi ’21 head video editor Sarah Warman Hirschfield ’20 associate video editor Mark Dodici ’22
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{ www.dailyprincetonian.com } WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
Women’s track and field looks to capture 2019 indoor title By Samantha Shapiro Features Editor
In the midst of a successful indoor season, Princeton Women’s Track and Field is showing promise of capturing the 2019 Ivy League Indoor Track and Field title. “This is our best indoor season so far in 4 years — last week’s meet left us with 5 girls in the top 10 all time 800m rankings on top of the many we already have, leading the all time record books in the 400m, 500m, 1000m, and hurdles,” said senior mid-distance runner Jackie Berardo. “We are fully capable and ready to seize [the Heps title] for the first year since I’ve been here.” Last weekend, Princeton Women’s Track and Field took third among eight teams at the Sykes and Sabock Challenge Cup at Penn State. They fell narrowly behind Penn State and Cornell University, falling 14.5 and 2.5 points short, respectively. The Tigers had several noteworthy performances, demonstrating tremendous depth across the roster. One significant performance was the outstanding 4x400m race. With a time of 3:45.76, juniors Heide Baron and Ashley Willingham, freshman Isabella Hilditch, and senior Carly Bonnet easily won the race. “We went to Penn State with one specific goal: to qualify for the fast section at Heps (by getting
a top-4 time in the Ivy League) and we surpassed it! The time we ran last weekend puts us at number 2, and we ran faster in that relay than we have the whole season by a full two seconds,” Baron commented on the race. A huge strength of the team is the depth of the distance and middle-distance squad. Women’s Cross Country took 21st in the NCAA championships, and is transitioning well into the track season. Last weekend, senior Madison Offstein won the mile (4:50.38), while shattering her personal best by nearly three seconds.
Berardo, who claimed a victory in the 800m last weekend and is a repeat Ivy League scorer, spoke about her teammates’ numerous strengths: “Anna Jurew, a senior veteran 800m and 1000m runner is coming off a 3rd place indoor finish in the 1k and approaching the 1k school record. Freshman Gillian Wagner, senior Alie Fordyce, and sophomore Sophie Cantine have run top 20 caliber marks in the mile: each sub 4:45 just incredible. Senior Allie Klimkiewicz recently PRd in the 3000m and beat out the cross country champion Andrea Masterson and
sophomore Katie DiFrancesco has been approaching the 200m and 400m school records - and most exciting is the prospect of bringing a Distance Medley Relay to nationals - something the seniors have dreamed about for years.” This coming weekend, the team will disperse, with some of the distance roster headed to the Valentine Invitational in Boston, Massachusetts and most of the team competing in the Fasttrack National Invitational in Staten Island, New York. “This weekend is a huge weekend for the team - it’s the tuneup
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Senior Jackie Berardo at the Sam Howell Invitational.
meet before the championship in which everyone is shooting to PR and secure favoring heat assignments come the championships,” said Berardo. Some of the Tiger women will be competing at home in the Princeton Invitational during the following weekend (February 16th), but many will be tapering in anticipation of the Heps championship. With the impending Ivy League championship, the team is now in the tapering phase of the season and their training. The team is concentrated on staying healthy and injury free. “The team has been maniacally focused on being competitive — rather than just being consistent. Practices emphasize being able to change speeds dramatically in order to shift and compete with the women next to you. For field events - the focus has been on being consistent and building strength,” said Berardo. The Ivy Heps championship meet is February 23rd-24th. The Tigers’ biggest competition is Harvard and Penn. Given the team’s depth, a win is certainly within reach. Baron is confident that her team can take the Heps title: “It’s going to be a tough fight when Heps rolls around so it’s very important that we stay focused and keep in mind the huge potential that our team has.”
SUPERBOWL
Super Bowl leaves fans with questions By Matthew Fuller Sports Columnist
Even for the most devoted of NFL fans, Super Bowl LIII was hard to watch. Sunday night’s game pitted the young Los Angeles Rams – known for their balanced offense and playmaking defense – against the undying dynasty that is the New England Patriots. It was poised to be an exciting matchup: on the day of the game, the over-under on the game’s total points stood at 56. Four hours after kickoff, that prediction proved laughable at best. Neither Jared Goff nor Tom Brady threw a touchdown. Both teams missed kicks; they combined for a whopping 14 punts. That number – four more than the NFL average for a game – underscored the prevalence of failed runs and passes, particularly by the Rams. The team seemed lost without wide receiver Cooper Kupp and a fully healthy Todd Gurley. By the end, Super Bowl LIII had drawn the lowest ratings in a decade. In this article, I’ll delve into five questions the game might have left its viewers wondering. Should the Saints have played? For many, this is the single biggest question. The NFC Championship game on Jan. 20 included one of the most controversial
calls in recent memory, potentially costing the New Orleans Saints a chance to compete in the Super Bowl. With 1:58 left on the clock and the score tied 20–20, the Saints had a third down on the Rams’ 13-yard-line. Quarterback Drew Brees fired a pass to wide receiver Tommylee Lewis. But before the ball came near Lewis, Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman laid him out. To the Saints, their fans, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and even Robey-Coleman himself, the penalty was obvious. But a f lag never came. So the controversy lies not in whether there should have been a penalty, but in whether a call would have changed the game – and what should have been done afterwards. First, even though the play didn’t negate a potential touchdown, it was still on a third down play in a part of the game when the Saints clearly had momentum. Still, it is too much of a leap to definitively say that they would have scored a touchdown. Then, after the game, Saints fans started a petition to replay the game. Roger Goodell offered an explanation and apologized for the call, saying that he reached out and talked to the Saints. New Orleans receiver Michael Thomas refuted this claim. Now, discussions are being held about whether pass interference calls should be reviewed in the final two
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minutes of a game. Super Bowl LIII could have been a matchup between Tom Brady and Drew Brees, aging legends of the last two decades in the twilight of their careers. Instead, fans saw Brady face unproven newcomer Jared Goff, who finished the season with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions in the last eight games, only eclipsing 300 yards once in that span. Should the Saints have played? There is no plausible or fair way to determine this, as replaying the game would be unfair to the teams that would have to risk their bodies playing another week, or to the Patriots, who would have to wait another week to play. Instead, this game should serve as a strong case for why decisive pass interference calls should be reviewed. Is Edelman deserving of the MVP? In short, no. It’s true that Edelman was the most impressive player on offense, serving as Brady’s primary target with 10 receptions and 141 of Brady’s 262 yards through the air. However, it would be hard to argue that an offense that scored only thirteen points included the most valuable player of the game. Rather, as Stephen A. Smith pointed out on First Take, this distinction should go to someone on the defense, which allowed just three points.
Smith highlights the efforts of defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who was the mastermind behind the schemes employed by the Patriots’ defense. It would make sense to award the MVP to the defensive line, which held the Rams to just 62 yards rushing for the game. But because the defense worked as a whole, it would be hard to distinguish one MVP amongst multiple players and impossible to assign it to a coach. In the past, players who have made decisive plays have sometimes been named Super Bowl MVP, like Desmond Howard in Super Bowl XXXI or Malcolm Smith in Super Bowl XLVIII. I believe the player on the defense who saved the game for the Patriots was Jason McCourty. With just under four minutes left to play in the third quarter, McCourty broke up a go-ahead touchdown pass from Goff to Brandin Cooks that looked sure to be a score. Upon looking at a replay, this feat was especially amazing considering that he was 20 yards behind Cooks at the time the ball was thrown. To me, this play should have earned Jason McCourty the Super Bowl MVP because he kept the momentum in the hands of the Patriots and held the Rams to just three points. Who has more to do with the Patriots’ dynasty:
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Brady or Belichick? Tom Brady (21/35, 262 yards, 1 interception) looked very pedestrian in the Super Bowl, but the Patriots still won and he got his sixth ring. Across his career, the question about Brady’s success (aside from cheating scandals) has been whether he is truly the GOAT or whether he is merely a system player under Belichick’s genius. Brady had f lashes of brilliance with the lone touchdown drive, including tight passes to Gronkowski and Edelman, but overall his play fit the lackluster theme of the night. To answer this question, I would look to the past to see that Brady has actually made a significant difference for the Patriots. The 2008-2009 season offers a glimpse, as it was the season when Brady did not play after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. Though the Patriots ended up 11-5, it is still the only season since 2002 that the Patriots have not made the playoffs. Additionally, Brady’s past Super Bowl performances, especially in Super Bowl LI’s legendary comeback against the Atlanta Falcons, show feats that few other quarterbacks have been able to repeat so consistently. This year’s game was more of an anomaly, and it was a game that in many ways was predicated on winning by controlling field position. See SUPER BOWL page 4
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