PrincetonUniversity

A Princeton Profile, 1999-2000   [<] [ ? ] [>]

Town/Gown Relations

Regional Economic Impact

With an overall workforce of approximately 11,200, Princeton University is the largest private employer in Mercer County and one of the largest in central New Jersey.

The institution's overall regional economic impact amounted to more than $1.2 billion for 1998-99. This is based on the University's total expenditures of approximately $627 million, along with the expenditures of an estimated 450,000 people attending events on campus and the expenditures of the thousands of students and employees. Included in these statistics is the $16 million economic impact of the nationally acclaimed McCarter Theatre, whose facility is owned by the University. McCarter programming draws an estimated 200,000 visitors and 17,000 subscribers per year.

The University tries to purchase goods and services in New Jersey as much as possible. It is estimated that 98 percent of the $73 million spent on construction in 1998-99 went to New Jersey firms. About half of the $90 million in purchases were made within the state, bringing Princeton's total spending with New Jersey companies to $118 million.

Serving as a major employment center, Princeton is the source of $7.4 million in New Jersey state income tax revenue from those on the University payroll. In addition, the University's intense economic activity creates employment opportunities off campus at businesses and industries whose economic health is linked to the University.

Princeton University plays an important role in attracting prestigious international corporations to central New Jersey, particularly to the University-developed Forrestal Center properties in Plainsboro and South Brunswick. These lands feature premier office, retail, and residential space as well as academic space, with an approximate assessed valuation of $750 million in Plainsboro and South Brunswick. The total Forrestal acreage in the two towns amounts to 2,034 acres, 583 acres of which the University has developed but no longer owns. Twenty-three percent of the total Forrestal lands has been preserved by the University as permanent open space.

Since its inception 11 years ago, the University's Center for Photonic and Optoelectronic Materials (POEM) has formed research and development partnerships with more than 100 companies and entrepreneurs in a wide array of fields, ranging from aviation and environmental monitoring to medicine and telecommunications. POEM has a special focus on companies with fewer than 50 employees, and estimates that the companies it has assisted have generated more than $100 million in expanded economic activity in the region.

According to Moody's Investor Service Municipal Credit Research, the University's positive effect on the local economy and the stability of its presence is the dominant factor in the Triple A bond rating for Princeton Township and the Princeton Regional School District and the Double A bond rating for Princeton Borough.

Expenditures, 1998-99

- Total expenditures: $627 million
- Operating expenditures (including payroll): $577 million
- Capital expenditures: $50 million
- Construction spending: $73 million on seven major projects and 200 minor projects; over the past 10 years, construction spending has amounted to an estimated $400 million

Employment, 1998-99

- Total number of employees on the payroll during 1998-99: 11,169
- Permanent: 5,119
- Temporary (employed for a defined/specific period of time or project): 1,248
- Students: 4,802
- Casual: 1,067
- Total payroll: $327 million; includes $2.7 million in student payroll
- NJ State Income Taxes Paid by University Employees: $7.4 million

Visitors, 1998-99

- Estimated total: 450,000 (this number accounts for duplication, i.e., many visitors attend more than one of the below listed activities)
- McCarter Theatre: 200,000
- Athletic events: 150,000
- Concerts at Richardson and other auditoriums on campus: 100,000
- Art Museum: 69,000
- Orange Key Tours: 31,400
- Conferences (nonalumni-related): 30,000
- Alumni-related events: 17,000
- Firestone Library: 22,200, includes: 10,700 visitors to exhibits and special events; 1,300 to the new Cotsen Children's Library exhibit; and 10,200 visitors with a Firestone Library access or borrower's pass
- Commencement: 10,000
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL): 2,000

Community Contributions

Property tax payments: The University owns approximately 4,000 acres for commercial and academic uses in seven central New Jersey municipalities, with significant holdings in Princeton Borough, Princeton Township, West Windsor Township, Plainsboro Township, and South Brunswick Township and minor holdings in Hopewell Township and Bedminster Township. Most of the academic properties that are located in Princeton Borough and Princeton Township serve as host to the University's main campus lands.

- The 1998-99 property and sewer taxes in the above-listed communities amounted to approximately $6.2 million (exclusive of any sewer payments by tenants of University-owned properties).
- The University is the largest taxpayer in both Princeton Borough and Princeton Township, paying $5.72 million to these two municipalities.
- In Princeton Township, the University pays $3.12 million in property and sewer taxes ($2.83 million property; $287,231 sewer).
- In Princeton Borough, the University pays $2.6 million in property and sewer taxes ($1.84 million property; $757,397 sewer).

Voluntary property tax payments on University housing. The taxes paid in both the borough and the township include significant amounts paid on housing for faculty, staff (including the president's residence), and graduate student housing that might qualify for tax-exemption under New Jersey state law. Taxes are paid on these residential properties voluntarily to ensure that the public school system is compensated for any children who may come from any of these households.

Property tax payments on certain athletic facilities. The University pays property taxes in the amount of $400,000 on certain athletic facilities, including the new Princeton University Stadium.

Policy on removing buildings from the taxrolls. It is University policy to remove a building from the tax rolls only when 100 percent of the building is used for academic purposesthis is a voluntary gesture because state law exempts colleges and universities from paying taxes on any portion of a building used for academic purposes. In addition, when a Princeton University property is removed from the tax rolls at the time the facility becomes 100 percent academic, the University voluntarily phases out the payments over a 10-year period.

Payments for infrastructure improvements. The University annually spends approximately $250,000 for maintaining 8.5 miles of University-owned but publicly used roadways. The institution during the past decade has spent $2.1 million on crosswalk and road improvement projects on both its own roads and public roads, such as Washington Road.

Fee payments. In addition to taxes, the University pays $550,000 in fees to state and local governments for permits, inspections, etc.

Voluntary contribution to municipality. The University makes an annual voluntary contribution to Princeton Borough. For 1998-99, this contribution was more than $140,000, which consisted of $90,000 (December 1998) as a general donation, plus $50,170 (December 1998) made on behalf of the University-owned McCarter Theatre property. In December 1999, the $90,000 will increase to $100,000; after that, this donation will increase by the same percentage as the municipal portion of the tax rate. The McCarter donation is an amount equivalent to what the municipal portion of the taxes would be if the McCarter property were on the tax rolls.

Affordable housing contributions. The University pays both Princeton Borough and Princeton Township a contractual contribution earmarked for affordable housing. The total annual contribution to affordable housing is $50,000. By the year 2000, cash and land contributions will bring the University's support for affordable housing in the Princetons to $1.15 million during this past decade.

Service support and special gifts. Between 1995 and the year 2000, the University will have contributed to many other significant community organizations and projects, including:

- free Internet access and server use, worth $350,000 per year, for the Princeton public schools, library, senior citizen facilities, and municipal facilities

- $270,000 for the Medical Center at Princeton capital campaigns
- $250,000 for the Princeton Public Library building campaign
- $100,000 for the Arts Council of Princeton building campaign
- $100,000 for Princeton Township for open-space preservation
- $50,000 for the Princeton YWCA capital campaign
- $50,000 for Assorted area charities in grants and memberships (annual)
- $33,000 for emergency services, first aid, and fire (annual)
- $20,000 for the Medical Center at Princeton (annual)
- $15,000 for the United Way annual (institutional 10 percent match of employee contributions)
- tens of thousands of dollars in annual in-kind donations to community nonprofit groups for meetings and events (such as the Spirit of Princeton July 4th Fireworks and the Hospital Fete, both held on University athletic fields or in University facilities)

Service/Outreach

Student Volunteers Council (SVC). Through the SVC, more than 2,000 University undergraduates participate each year in 60 student-led community service programs assisting thousands of residents in the Trenton/Princeton area. Each week, approximately 600 students volunteer on a regular basis in programs serving different populations: youth, senior citizen, mentally handicapped, physically handicapped, prisoner, and homeless. Several students volunteer as firefighters and emergency medical technicians, and in that role, provide an essential service to the entire population of Princeton. SVC also helps facilitate summer community service intern programs for University students.

Community House. Community House is a student volunteer service organization that is made up of a diverse group of students who are primarily, though not exclusively, interested in rendering service to minority communities. The student volunteers work throughout the greater Princeton/Trenton area on projects that include mentoring for teens, tutoring, support programs for immigrant populations, and school readiness for bilingual youngsters. Community House also sponsors one-time projects, such as Campus Volunteer Day, which, with the cosponsorship of the Office of Community and State Affairs, brings students together with faculty and staff to volunteer on one-time projects in the local community. In addition to its outreach activities, Community House serves as a forum for intellectual and social exchange and support for its staff and volunteers.

Princeton-Blairstown Center. Known as Blairstown, the Princeton-Blairstown Center provides a camp program each summer for hundreds of inner-city youth from New Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York City. Founded in 1908, the center helps disadvantaged youth build self-confidence while they participate in a challenging outdoor experience.

Office of Community and State Affairs. The office acts as the coordinator of faculty and staff community service initiatives. Working in collaboration with area organizations serving needy populations, as well as with other University departments and organizations, the Office of Community and State Affairs each year arranges food drives, a community service fair, volunteer work days, a school supplies drive, holiday gift baskets, surplus equipment donations, and a year-end furniture recycling project. The office attempts to facilitate and support the efforts of hundreds of faculty and staff who donate thousands of hours of their time to speak, teach, and mentor in the community as well as to serve on governmental and charitable boards and commissions.

Office of Teacher Preparation. The Teacher Preparation Program sponsors distinguished-teaching awards for New Jersey teachers, seminars with University professors for local high school teachers, and forums for new teachers. Project QUEST is a three-week summer institute in science and math for elementary school teachers. Follow-up sessions are held during the academic year. Teachers as Scholars is a partnership between the University and surrounding school districts that provides intellectually engaging and scholarly experiences for teachers in the form of three- to four-day seminars.

McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning. The new McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning provides assistance to faculty and graduate students in deploying the most effective teaching techniques. One of its outreach projects is Bridges, a science program designed to allow Princeton undergraduates to present science units in area public schools.

Public lectures, continuing education, audition, auditing program. Throughout the academic year, hundreds of lectures and other educational programs on a wide variety of topics are held on campus and are open to the public, usually free-of-charge. Through the Program in Continuing Education, University staff and area residents may formally enroll in courses for a fee, based on current tuition costs. Although courses that are completed do not lead to a degree from the University, students do receive grades and Princeton transcripts. A special program for New Jersey elementary and secondary school teachers allows them to enroll formally in University courses at a reduced fee. Members of the community also may register for the University's Community Auditing Program, allowing individuals to attend large lectures. The University's Office of Community and State Affairs administers the Continuing Education and Auditing Program for the non-University community.

Office of Computing and Information Technology (CIT). This office hosts workshops with teachers from local school districts to help them explore uses of the Internet in primary and secondary education. CIT also provides free Internet access to Princeton schools, municipal offices, the public library, and the Senior Resource Center.

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). As a service to the Trenton public schools, PPPL provides materials and equipment and gives lectures, demonstrations, special tours, assistance with an annual science fair, and teacher-enhancement workshops. It places up to 10 local high school students in the Summer Internships in Trenton Program. Each winter the laboratory hosts an eight-week "Science on Saturday" series at no charge for local high school students and teachers. It also provides in-service programs for educators, summer workshops for middle school teachers, and many research opportunities for high school teachers.

Princeton Materials Institute (PMI). PMI conducts a three-week Materials Science Program for highly motivated, well-prepared high school students from Trenton and Princeton high schools. The program is organized in conjunction with NJ EnvironMentors, a national program that matches motivated students from Trenton and Princeton with adult mentors.

The Art Museum. The Art Museum provides outreach programs to many school districts throughout the state of New Jersey. It also participates in a special Trenton school project in which the museum's Docent Association and the Trenton Elementary School Art Departments work together to provide an enriched program for students.

Department of Athletics. This department provides free admission to athletic events to local youth groups that normally do not attend University programs. Some of the athletic teams provide tutoring in sports and schoolwork.

Community Based Learning Initiative (CBLI). The CBLI is a group of students, faculty, administrators, and community experts working to provide students with opportunities for community involvement and hands-on research in the classroom. Community-based learning enriches coursework by encouraging students to apply the knowledge and analytic tools gained in the classroom to the pressing issues that affect the local communities.

Host of town events. Each year, the University reaches out to residents throughout the region by hosting special educational, cultural, and athletic events, such as Communiversity, the International Festival, the June Fete, Curtain Calls, the Martin Luther King Day Celebration, Community Day at the Princeton Stadium, athletic programs and tournaments, the Princeton Chamber Symphony's Youth Concert, and the Princeton High School Holiday Concert.

Tours and information. Student representatives of the Orange Key Guide Service offer tours of the historic main campus seven days a week throughout the year (foreign-language tours are also available). Tours of the Engineering Quadrangle, or E-Quad, are conducted by the School of Engineering and Applied Science weekdays during the academic year and by appointment in the summer. The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) also offers tours by special arrangement. The Daily Princetonian, a student newspaper published weekdays when the University is in session, is a good source of events information. The Princeton Weekly Bulletin, published by the Office of Communications for the University community, features a weekly events calendar and a list of campus employment opportunities. Also, the calendar, employment opportunities, virtual campus tour, and a wide range of up-to-date information about the University is available on the Web at http://www.princeton.edu/pr/.

Facilities

- 185 Nassau Street houses the Programs in Creative Writing, Theater and Dance, and Visual Arts, which host art shows, theatrical productions, and poetry and fiction readings.
- The Art Museum offers a variety of programs for adults and children, both at the museum and in area schools, hospitals, and retirement homes. The Docent Association gives guided tours for groups of six or more adults. It also gives tours for children by appointment. There is no tour charge for school groups. The museum is free and open to the public every day except Monday and holidays.
- Princeton athletic events are open to the public, some at no charge. Season tickets provide access to football, ice hockey, and basketball at a reduced per-game charge. Athletic facilities are often available to residents of the community. A single fee provides access to Dillon Gymnasium basketball and squash courts; the Dillon Gymnasium fitness center; both Denunzio and Dillon pools; and the Jadwin Gymnasium track. Additionally, Baker Rink is open at certain times for a per-session charge. Use of indoor and outdoor tennis courts requires a fee.
- Carnegie Lake, which is owned by Princeton University and serves as its intercollegiate rowing facility, is a popular community recreational area, providing a site for rowing, fishing, canoeing, and ice skating.
- The Princeton University Chapel, which seats nearly 2,000 people, offers services, musical performances, and other special events that are open to the public. The recently renovated pipe organ is one of the finest in the country.
- Firestone Library offers access privileges to the public for modest fees. Special accommodation regarding the fees will be made in cases of financial need. The public is welcome, without charge, to the Cotsen Children's Library, at the main entrance to Firestone. Open seven days a week, the Cotsen features a permanent interactive exhibit on children's literature and provides outreach activities, storytelling, tours, and conferences throughout the year. Also open to the public are the exhibition gallery on the first floor and the second-floor gallery. The Rare Book Room and the Theater Arts Collection may be seen by signing in at the door.
- FitzRandolph Observatory sponsors open houses with evening viewing through the 36-inch reflecting telescope. The Princeton Weekly Bulletin lists the dates, which vary from year to year depending on astronomical conditions.
- McCarter Theatre offers drama, music, dance, film, and other events ranging from acrobatics to mime. The theater also hosts the annual show presented by student members of the Triangle Club.
- The Natural History Museum in Guyot Hall displays fossils and geological specimens. The museum is free and open to the public on weekdays.
- Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall hosts musical, dramatic, and other performances, most of them open to the public and most for a fee.
- Taplin Auditorium in Fine Hall hosts musical groups from on and off campus throughout the year.
- A student-run facility, Theatre Intime, schedules dramatic productions throughout the year at Murray-Dodge Hall.
- The Music Department sponsors free student concerts during the academic year.
- The University's Center for Visitor and Conference Services coordinates visits to campus by outside organizations for meetings, workshops, and educational institutes as well as sports camps and other athletic activities. The University's Office of Community and State Affairs facilitates use of University facilities by community charitable and governmental organizations.