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Tuesday April 13, 2021 vol. CXLV no. 35
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U. AFFAIRS
Designed by: Juliana Wojtenko
Ruth J. Simmons named as 2021 Baccalaureate speaker By Anne Wen
Senior Writer
“BROWN PRESIDENT RUTH J. SIMMONS” BY KENNETH C. ZIRKEL / CC BY-SA
Ruth J. Simmons, current president of Prairie View A&M University.
The University has announced that Ruth J. Simmons, president of Prairie View A&M University, a historically Black college, will deliver the keynote address at the 2021 virtual Baccalaureate ceremony. The Baccalaureate service will take place on the morning of Saturday, May 15. It traditionally features music, interfaith blessings, and a notable guest speaker and “offers a moment of reflection” for graduating students. Simmons previously served as president of Brown University, becoming the first woman president of Brown and the
first Black president of an Ivy League school. Before Brown, Simmons was president of Smith College, the largest women’s college in the United States. Raised in Grapeland, Texas, Simmons received a bachelor’s degree from Dillard University and a doctoral degree from Harvard. She taught comparative literature and Africana studies at Brown. While at Brown, Simmons investigated the Brown family’s history with the slave trade. The project led to the Report of the Brown University Steering Committee on Slavery and Justice. In 1983, Simmons moved to Princeton and served as assistant, then associate,
dean of faculty. At the University, Simmons was the acting director of the Program in African American Studies, now the Department of African American Studies. She also spoke at the 2019 “Thrive” conference for Princeton’s Black alumni. “Considering what a longstanding tradition Baccalaureate is as a time of reflection, I am very eager to hear from someone with such an esteemed record like Dr. Simmons,” Morgan Smith ’21 wrote in an email to The Daily Princetonian. “I will never forget seeing Myesha Jemison as the first Black woman to be USG President during my freshSee NEWS for more
STUDENT LIFE
USG approves the recognition of five new clubs, discusses mental health initiative By Andrew Somerville Staff Writer
The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Senate approved the recognition of five new clubs through the Student Groups Recognition Committee (SGRC) at this week’s meeting. SGRC Chair Lehman Montgomery ’22 submitted the following clubs to be voted on by the Senate: Chinese Language Group, Minority Pre-Law Association, Princeton Corporate Sustainability Initiative, Princeton Society for Engineers, and Redefine Her Street. Descriptions for each of these groups can be found here. Montgomery abstained from voting since he submitted the request, but the clubs were otherwise unanimously approved. During his weekly President’s report, Chris-
tian Potter ’22 mentioned that this week will be recognized as Mental Health Week. The Mental Health Initiative, which is chaired by Allen Liu ’22, has various programs planned for the week, such as phone wallet and sticker giveaways, a book club discussion, and a body positivity discussion. Potter also announced plans for the Senate to work on ways to incorporate student input into the appointment of two empty administrative positions: Assistant Vice President for Public Safety (AVP) and Director of Transportation and Parking. “The USG executive committee is meeting with members of the search committee for student input on important qualities of a candidate and aspects of the role [of
ANDREW SOMERVILLE / THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN
AVP],” Potter wrote to The Daily Princetonian. He also stated that the transportation director search is being supported by the Undergraduate Stu-
dent Life Committee. Senate meetings — open to all members of the undergraduate student body — occur via Zoom at 8:30 p.m. ET each Sunday. The
link to join the meeting can be found in the weekly USG newsletter, which is sent to all undergraduate students. See NEWS for more
BEYOND THE BUBBLE
Governor Phil Murphy signs small business relief legislation at Princeton’s Jammin’ Crepes By Marissa Michaels
Associate News Editor
Seated in popular Nassau Street restaurant Jammin’ Crepes on Mon-
day, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill that will provide $15 million in federal relief to struggling small businesses throughout the state.
The bill is part of a larger $100 million COVID-19 relief plan aimed at helping small businesses and nonprofits recover from losses caused by the pub-
MARK DODICI / THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN
A news truck sits outside Jammin’ Crepes shortly after Gov. Murphy signed a piece of legislation inside.
In Opinion
Assistant Editor Genrietta Churbanova argues that introductory language classes should count towards fulfilling B.S.E students’ distribution requirements in order to promote foreign language learning among students studying engineering.
lic health crisis. The other bills include $25 million in aid for arts and cultural venues, $15 million for microbusinesses with fewer than five employees, $35 million for restaurants, and $10 million for child care services, the last of which has not yet been signed into law. “Through our actions today, we are ensuring that [small businesses] remain strong, and with them, our communities,” Murphy said at Jammin’ Crepes on Monday. “This legislation, along with three additional bills I signed last week and one I will sign in the near future, will go a long way toward helping hundreds of state businesses keep their doors open as we recover from this year-long ordeal.” Applications for aid are not yet open, but the applications and aid will be distributed by the New
In Multimedia
Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA). “The process for [applying for the grants] will kick off during the second part of this month,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “This [money] is going to get out the door prudently, judiciously and expeditiously because businesses can’t wait.” The government’s stated goal in the legislation is “to prevent additional business and nonprofit organization closures, to preserve and create jobs, and to spur economic recovery.” The bill signed on Monday, NJ A5446, passed in both the senate and the assembly on March 25. The grants will be allocated from funds to the state from a federal Coronavirus Relief Fund pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic See NEWS for more
Two days ago, a Black man was shot by a police officer in Minnesota. It wasn’t the only police incident to make headlines this weekend. In Michigan, new COVID-19 restrictions arose. And internationally, tensions are brewing. Listen to Daybreak for more.