Tilghman Answers Students' Questions About University's Diversity, Expansion

Keeping future classroom buildings within a 10-minute walking distance for students, offering a four year residential college for undergraduate students, and increasing the undergraduate student body by 11 percent were the main topics of discussion on Monday, March 22, when Princeton University President Shirley Tilghman held her first town hall meeting for students.

This was the first open discussion the president has held for students to address their questions and concerns. Each year President Tilghman meets with alumni to discuss the future plans of the University, however beginning this year the president said she would like to begin reaching out more to existing students, as well.

Regarding the student body increase, President Tilghman told students that the decision was not a decision taken lightly. It was the first time in 30 years that the Board of Trustees had come to such a decision, she said.

One student raised the question of how the University intends to diversify the student population with the growth of the student body.

"I admit we've begun to be more successful at the faculty level than the ... student level," she said.

The president told students that a committee has been working on increasing faculty diversity over the last four years, however this year the priorities committee hired a new assistant dean who will be researching ways in which do to the same with the student population.

Part of the reason the Board decided to expand the student body was because of the large pool of applicants that comes to the University each year, said the president.

"The pool is really deep," said President Tilghman. "There was no question that there were many more students out there than we were able to admit."

Increases in faculty over the years as departments in different colleges have expanded have allowed for a larger number of students to be admitted to the school. The number of faculty members has been steadily growing while the student body has remained rather constant, she said.

"It became clear at one point that we had to do some rebalancing," she said. With the coming Whitman College, more space is expected to be available for students, President Tilghman added. Plans for the 500-student residence hall were presented to the Princeton Regional Planning Board last fall.

Because the hall is being planned for one of the last open spaces on campus, in an area previously occupied by tennis courts, President Tilghman said the University is starting to research what other areas may be used for buildings in the future as the campus continues to grow.

"We will not move to the other side of [Lake Carnegie] with university buildings," said the president, promising students that future buildings on that site may be administrative or residential, however classrooms will not be built on the extended land to create more than a 10-minute walking distance for students.

Leaving green space in the area that was occupied by the tennis courts will also be a priority, said the president. Three garden court areas are being planned within the vicinity of the new residence hall.

In addition, the neighboring residence hall, Butler College, will also undergo reconstruction in the near future.

"We will be taking down some of the residential dorms and reconstructing them to parallel Whitman College," said President Tilghman.

Residential Living

Undergraduate students will soon be faced with the option of living in residential halls all four years, said President Tilghman. She said that it has been very clear through surveys conducted at the University that many students are unhappy with the options that face them at the end of their sophomore year. Now, besides having the option to join eating clubs or live off campus during their junior year, students will also be given the option to stay in residence halls, she said.

"For some this will be an interesting and intriguing option," said the president.

One student showed concern that keeping students on campus all four years may create more division, however President Tilghman said that students will still be given the option to be involved in other areas of the college such as eating clubs even if they continue to live on campus.

This was the first of many forums the president said she hopes to have on campus involving students and their ideas for improving University life.

Candace Braun