Spring Break
A Letter From the Editor
James Coan '09, Publisher
Issue date: 2/3/09 Section: Opinion
I was in DC for the Inauguration, reveling in the fact that Barack Obama is our nation's 44th president. At an Inaugural Ball, standing there in my suit - with only one Houseparties left, it's probably too late to buy a tux anyway - I got to thinking about the words that dominated Obama's campaign: change and hope.
They were both such powerful messages in the campaign. But the words themselves are vastly different when taken out of context; hope is positive, while change is neutral. Of course, it's easy to understand how a neutral word like change had such a positive valence when the outgoing president had an approval rating in the 20s.
Yet of course change is not always desirable. Trying not to think about Obama for a moment after hearing about him analyzed from seemingly every possible angle, I began thinking of changes at Princeton that have happened over my four years. Did I view changes that have happened in an Obamaesque positive light, or did I think that some of them should be reversed? What if any changes did I demand from the status quo?
For the most part, I strongly support the changes the administration has made. The four-year college system promotes interaction among students from different class years that was lacking a few years ago. Many claim that they will damage the eating clubs, but the complementary policies of expanding the student body by 500 students, providing eating club financial aid, and offering split plans substantially weakens this argument. I also applaud the administration's bold step to abolish early admission, allowing students on financial aid to compare offers and all students to have a few extra months to decide what institution best fits their needs.
In terms of this magazine, we have also come far. During my three-semester tenure, two as Editor-in-chief and this last one as Publisher, PPN has changed dramatically. We now have glossy pages, color covers, a weekly column page, advertising, and a clear mission statement on the next page concerning issues, dialogue, advocacy, and developing talent.
They were both such powerful messages in the campaign. But the words themselves are vastly different when taken out of context; hope is positive, while change is neutral. Of course, it's easy to understand how a neutral word like change had such a positive valence when the outgoing president had an approval rating in the 20s.
Yet of course change is not always desirable. Trying not to think about Obama for a moment after hearing about him analyzed from seemingly every possible angle, I began thinking of changes at Princeton that have happened over my four years. Did I view changes that have happened in an Obamaesque positive light, or did I think that some of them should be reversed? What if any changes did I demand from the status quo?
For the most part, I strongly support the changes the administration has made. The four-year college system promotes interaction among students from different class years that was lacking a few years ago. Many claim that they will damage the eating clubs, but the complementary policies of expanding the student body by 500 students, providing eating club financial aid, and offering split plans substantially weakens this argument. I also applaud the administration's bold step to abolish early admission, allowing students on financial aid to compare offers and all students to have a few extra months to decide what institution best fits their needs.
In terms of this magazine, we have also come far. During my three-semester tenure, two as Editor-in-chief and this last one as Publisher, PPN has changed dramatically. We now have glossy pages, color covers, a weekly column page, advertising, and a clear mission statement on the next page concerning issues, dialogue, advocacy, and developing talent.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Princeton Movers
posted 4/29/09 @ 2:16 PM EST
Very well said. Of course there are always positive and negative changes. It's not always immediately clear which is which, but even when positive changes have been made there is always a way to improve. (Continued…)
Yo
posted 5/08/09 @ 12:32 AM EST
"My own department, WWS, decided to eliminate the requirement to take statistics"
Seriously? Out of curiosity, do you know when this decision will take effect?
- Chi
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