I am delighted that the University finally accepts that alumni should not pay for their subscription to PAW. It’s long overdue. But I vehemently object to the terms. Specifically: “Princeton has not guaranteed the continued editorial independence of the magazine.”
On the contrary: Princeton should guarantee the continuance of editorial independence of the magazine. What the University is proposing is censorship.
What I have been proposing to Bob Durkee ’69 for 20 years is that we find an alumnus or group of alumni that will endow PAW and make it truly independent (how about $100 million, Jeff Bezos ’86?). PAW will continue printing the University’s propaganda as it does now, and the alumni board will continue to include representatives from the University. And PAW will finally be sent to all graduate alumni.