But despite the day’s steady rain, the 1,342 freshmen made the best of their welcome to Princeton. Alumni, parents, and others along the Pre-rade route made up for their small numbers with rousing cheers. “It was amazing to have alumni there, that they came out in the rain,” Isabel Koran ’22 said. “Princeton sticks with you.” The Step Sing — held on Alexander Beach instead of Blair’s steps — turned into a big dance party, complete with a conga line.
During Opening Exercises, President Eisgruber ’83 urged the students — from 47 states and 63 countries — to take responsibility for their intellectual growth.
“You, personally, are about to invest in this truth-seeking institution. ... I’m talking about your time, your effort, your talent, and your character,” Eisgruber said. “You are the makers of your education.”
An earlier orientation event offered an energetic discussion and debate of this year’s Pre-read, politics professor Keith Whittington’s book Speak Freely: Why Universities Must Defend Free Speech. At the Pre-read assembly, Whittington encouraged the class to “take the opportunity to speak with people you disagree with” while at Princeton. He urged the freshmen to appreciate the pursuit of truth at universities and “what can be done here that can’t be done as easily anywhere else.”
History professor Fara Dabhoiwala and anthropology professor Carolyn Rouse offered responses to Whittington’s points, questioning the idea that unfettered free speech truly existed to the extent Whittington said. “There is no civilization that allows for absolutist free speech,” Rouse said. The lively exchange drew snaps and applause from the students, who continued discussions in their residential colleges.
* a record high ** a record low
Sources: Office of Admission; School of Engineering and Applied Science; Office of the Dean of the Graduate School