I am approaching my 50th Princeton reunion in May. For decades, I have observed with disappointment the adversarial attitude of the administration toward the eating clubs, yet have not been able to square this with the consistently positive feedback from undergraduates, professors, coaches, and even the research conducted by former President Shirley Tilghman’s 2010 Eating Club Task Force, of which I was an active participant. The storyline then and now is undeniable; students overwhelmingly believe the eating club system is an important part of their Princeton experience.
Yet the administration occasionally serves up ill-conceived initiatives that would weaken Prospect Avenue and potentially reduce dining optionality for all students (the Huron Report and Block 32 are recent examples). In the face of budget cuts, NIL challenges to athletics programs, a weak jobs market for college graduates, and significant competition by Princeton’s peers, the administration should instead work constructively with the GICC on improving the system and, even more importantly, increasing overall club capacity to satisfy the unmet demand of the undergraduates.
I bring some standing to make this argument. Cuban born, I emigrated to the USA at 6 years of age and was a recruited athlete from a high school without links to Princeton and no appreciation of the eating club system. I ended up being president of Cottage Club and was chairman of its board for 17 years. This afforded me a close view of the continuous improvements to Prospect Avenue, including better coordination amongst all clubs, the re-institution of multi-club bicker, improved self-governance/fiscal protocols, implementation of Code of Conduct policies, increased diversity, and significant capital raising from alumni, among other achievements. The clubs have come a long way, and the 78-84% (2021-26) participation rate in the selection/sign-in process reaffirms this.
The time has come for the administration to publicly recognize that the clubs are an integral part of the Princeton experience. At a minimum, this message would resonate favorably amongst a wide and deep pool of alumni, rekindle their affection for Princeton, and stimulate financial support to clubs in need of capital.
I am approaching my 50th Princeton reunion in May. For decades, I have observed with disappointment the adversarial attitude of the administration toward the eating clubs, yet have not been able to square this with the consistently positive feedback from undergraduates, professors, coaches, and even the research conducted by former President Shirley Tilghman’s 2010 Eating Club Task Force, of which I was an active participant. The storyline then and now is undeniable; students overwhelmingly believe the eating club system is an important part of their Princeton experience.
Yet the administration occasionally serves up ill-conceived initiatives that would weaken Prospect Avenue and potentially reduce dining optionality for all students (the Huron Report and Block 32 are recent examples). In the face of budget cuts, NIL challenges to athletics programs, a weak jobs market for college graduates, and significant competition by Princeton’s peers, the administration should instead work constructively with the GICC on improving the system and, even more importantly, increasing overall club capacity to satisfy the unmet demand of the undergraduates.
I bring some standing to make this argument. Cuban born, I emigrated to the USA at 6 years of age and was a recruited athlete from a high school without links to Princeton and no appreciation of the eating club system. I ended up being president of Cottage Club and was chairman of its board for 17 years. This afforded me a close view of the continuous improvements to Prospect Avenue, including better coordination amongst all clubs, the re-institution of multi-club bicker, improved self-governance/fiscal protocols, implementation of Code of Conduct policies, increased diversity, and significant capital raising from alumni, among other achievements. The clubs have come a long way, and the 78-84% (2021-26) participation rate in the selection/sign-in process reaffirms this.
The time has come for the administration to publicly recognize that the clubs are an integral part of the Princeton experience. At a minimum, this message would resonate favorably amongst a wide and deep pool of alumni, rekindle their affection for Princeton, and stimulate financial support to clubs in need of capital.