Campus Politics
It seems like everyone at Princeton was part of student government in high school. Luckily, there's a ton of opportunities for people who want to take on leadership positions at the University and in other political organizations.
Undergraduate Student Government (USG)
The target of some ribbing on campus, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) is actually pretty useful. Its elected members are our representatives to the administration and the Princeton community . . . sometimes our only representatives. But in addition to playing a role in crafting University policy, the USG is responsible for sponsoring many of the programs and services nearest and dearest to student hearts: free concerts, free study breaks, free guides to Princeton, a free Web portal featuring USG services and free off-campus movies.
Occasionally, you will get an e-mail from your loyal USG president telling you about ongoing USG projects. You should feel free to e-mail your representatives should you have any questions or concerns. You can also call the USG hotline at 8-3102, or stop by their office in 204 Frist.
The USG is organized as follows:
The Student Senate is the official caucus of the USG. The voting members of the Student Senate are the holders of the eight USG executive offices, the 10 undergraduate representatives to the Council of the Princeton University Community (CPUC), and the two senators elected from three undergraduate classes. The senate meets every week to discuss campus issues and upcoming events.
The core committees: The Academic Committee deals with issues such as curriculum, advising and admission. Each semester, it also publishes the Student Course Guide (netID required), an indispensable online reference for choosing your courses. The Undergraduate Life Committee handles all aspects of campus living, from alcohol education to housing and minority life; it also serves as a clearinghouse for student life policy issues. The Social Committee comes up with a variety of campus social extravaganzas, including the Spring Picnic and concerts in Dillon Gym that in recent years have included Guster, Ben Folds, Third Eye Blind, the Goo Goo Dolls, Maroon 5, George Clinton, Billy Joel and the Wailers. The Campus and Community Affairs Committee works to improve town-gown relations by, for example, promoting student discounts in otherwise unaffordable town establishments. The Communications Committee ensures that the University community is kept informed of USG activities. The IT Committee maintains TigerApps and Point, two online portals, and works to improve technology on campus. The Freshman Sophomore Council works on a variety of independent projects and is a great way for underclassmen to get involved in USG.
The Projects Board makes grants and loans totaling more than $100,000 to University-recognized student organizations.
The Council of the Princeton University Community (CPUC), composed of the University's senior administrative officers, 15 faculty members, four alumni, seven staff representatives, seven grad students and 12 elected undergrads, advises the president of the University on policy, budget and other issues affecting the University community. There are six committees within the CPUC: the executive committee (advises the president on general policy); the governance committee (selects new trustees, awards honorary degrees); the priorities committee (decides tuition and fees, determines budgets); the rights and rules committee (deals with rules and discipline); the resources committee (monitors the endowment and other resources); and the judicial committee (handles major judicial matters).
Class Government
Class government is another great way to get involved in making life better for your fellow undergrads. Whereas the USG is more political, class officers get a more hands-on approach to policymaking. Each class gets money from class dues, and the officers' goal is to find the best way to spend it. Elections for first-year officers are held in the fall, early enough so that no one really knows any of the candidates -- so everyone has a fair shot. It is a mystery why one candidate wins over another since most candidates do a fair amount of campaigning, and no one pays any attention to their election promises. However, the vote is pretty important because the quality of many activities and opportunities depends on how committed your officers are.
Residential College Councils
The residential college councils work on a somewhat smaller, but often more visible, scale. With the money that flows from your college dues, the college council sponsors special college events, such as dances, trips to Broadway shows and weekly study breaks. There are no politics at play here at all. The officers are there simply to serve you with the money you pay as part of your college fee.
Political Action
If you are a true political junkie, there are a few outlets for your passion. Both the College Democrats and the College Republicans organize trips, host seminars and invite speakers to campus.
If you secretly dream of a career in politics and want to sharpen your rhetorical skills, Whig-Clio is the organization for you. The group is housed in its own small building, and it consists of three branches: a debate team, a Model Congress and an International Relations Council (which hosts a Model UN, among other activities). The group also sponsors weekly debates on controversial topics.
There are also several smaller political issue groups such as Pro-Life and Pro-Choice, Amnesty International, environmental groups, workers' rights activists, etc. You'll see the signs.
