Princeton eating clubs in the news

[Anonymous]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/02/nyregion/princeton-eating-club-ousts-2-officers-over-emails-ridiculing-women.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C%7B%221%22%3A%22RI%3A5%22%7D&_r=0


It's so Princeton that they had to do a survey to figure out whether this was wrong. (And before you flame out, my DH is an alum.)

[Anonymous]

Not surprised at all. My spouse is also and alum, and the stories I heard about even the less-gross eating clubs were still horrible. I would hate for my kid to go to a college where the social life revolves around exclusive clubs/frats.

[Anonymous]

To save someone else from googling

"The primary function of the eating clubs is to serve as dining halls for the majority of third- and fourth-year students. Unlike fraternities and sororities, to which the clubs are sometimes compared, all of the clubs admit both male and female members, and members (with the exception of some of the undergraduate officers) do not live in the mansion.[citation needed]

The eating clubs also provide many services for their members. Each club, in general, has a living room, library, computer cluster, billiard room, and tap room. Members frequently use club facilities for studying and socializing. Each club also has a large lawn, either in front of or behind the mansion, and on days with nice weather, one will often see Princeton students playing various sports, such as lawn bowling on club lawns.

Princeton undergraduates currently have their choice of eleven eating clubs.[4] Six clubs—Cannon Club, Cap and Gown Club, Princeton Tower Club, The Ivy Club, Tiger Inn and University Cottage Club—choose their members through a selective process called "bicker", involving an interview process, though the actual deliberations are secret. Four clubs—Cloister Inn, Colonial Club, Quadrangle Club, and Terrace Club—are non-selective "sign-in" clubs, with members chosen through a lottery process. Charter Club previously was "sign-in", but has changed to a system where new members are chosen through a system of points accumulated through participating in club activities.[5] While nearly three-quarters of upperclassmen (third- and fourth-year students) at Princeton take their meals at the eating clubs, the clubs are private institutions and are not officially affiliated with Princeton University.[citation needed]"

[Anonymous]

They are very nice. My DD was first generation there and loved it. It beats sororities and frats because they are co-ed.

[Anonymous]

Read Stover at Yale if you really want to understand eating clubs. Harvard has them, too, of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To save someone else from googling

"The primary function of the eating clubs is to serve as dining halls for the majority of third- and fourth-year students. Unlike fraternities and sororities, to which the clubs are sometimes compared, all of the clubs admit both male and female members, and members (with the exception of some of the undergraduate officers) do not live in the mansion.[citation needed]

The eating clubs also provide many services for their members. Each club, in general, has a living room, library, computer cluster, billiard room, and tap room. Members frequently use club facilities for studying and socializing. Each club also has a large lawn, either in front of or behind the mansion, and on days with nice weather, one will often see Princeton students playing various sports, such as lawn bowling on club lawns.

Princeton undergraduates currently have their choice of eleven eating clubs.[4] Six clubs—Cannon Club, Cap and Gown Club, Princeton Tower Club, The Ivy Club, Tiger Inn and University Cottage Club—choose their members through a selective process called "bicker", involving an interview process, though the actual deliberations are secret. Four clubs—Cloister Inn, Colonial Club, Quadrangle Club, and Terrace Club—are non-selective "sign-in" clubs, with members chosen through a lottery process. Charter Club previously was "sign-in", but has changed to a system where new members are chosen through a system of points accumulated through participating in club activities.[5] While nearly three-quarters of upperclassmen (third- and fourth-year students) at Princeton take their meals at the eating clubs, the clubs are private institutions and are not officially affiliated with Princeton University.[citation needed]"

source?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To save someone else from googling

"The primary function of the eating clubs is to serve as dining halls for the majority of third- and fourth-year students. Unlike fraternities and sororities, to which the clubs are sometimes compared, all of the clubs admit both male and female members, and members (with the exception of some of the undergraduate officers) do not live in the mansion.[citation needed]

The eating clubs also provide many services for their members. Each club, in general, has a living room, library, computer cluster, billiard room, and tap room. Members frequently use club facilities for studying and socializing. Each club also has a large lawn, either in front of or behind the mansion, and on days with nice weather, one will often see Princeton students playing various sports, such as lawn bowling on club lawns.

Princeton undergraduates currently have their choice of eleven eating clubs.[4] Six clubs—Cannon Club, Cap and Gown Club, Princeton Tower Club, The Ivy Club, Tiger Inn and University Cottage Club—choose their members through a selective process called "bicker", involving an interview process, though the actual deliberations are secret. Four clubs—Cloister Inn, Colonial Club, Quadrangle Club, and Terrace Club—are non-selective "sign-in" clubs, with members chosen through a lottery process. Charter Club previously was "sign-in", but has changed to a system where new members are chosen through a system of points accumulated through participating in club activities.[5] While nearly three-quarters of upperclassmen (third- and fourth-year students) at Princeton take their meals at the eating clubs, the clubs are private institutions and are not officially affiliated with Princeton University.[citation needed]"

source?

wikipedia. As anything online, take with a grain of salt, but it did seem to be more informational than some other articles.

[Anonymous]

Coed or not, I don't get how you work your ass of in high school and go through a rigorous and selective admissions application process, to then have to "interview" for a decent place to eat, study and socialize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coed or not, I don't get how you work your ass of in high school and go through a rigorous and selective admissions application process, to then have to "interview" for a decent place to eat, study and socialize.

+1. This and grade deflation. But the school is ranked No. 1 so obviously the majority have no issues with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coed or not, I don't get how you work your ass of in high school and go through a rigorous and selective admissions application process, to then have to "interview" for a decent place to eat, study and socialize.

The Daily Princetonian frequently makes that exact argument to no avail. The answer is that, if you don't want to "bicker," you typically join a low-key "sign-in" club that just has a lottery system, keep a university meal plan, or become an "independent" who lives in a dorm/apartment with a kitchen.

Coming from a middle-class family and a public high school, I considered the eating clubs a negative when deciding whether to attend Princeton, but I still had a very good time there. I'd love to see the university force the hand of the "bicker" clubs and put an end to the practice, but I was still friends with some of their members - just outside those clubs. Tiger Inn was the rowdiest club decades ago, and it sounds like nothing has changed.

[Anonymous]

The only reason the clubs are co-ed is because Sally Frank sued them, the same Sally Frank ridiculed by the Tiger members in the article. So before crowing about how unlike frats the eating clubs are co-ed remember several -- including and especially Tiger -- were dragged kicking and screaming.

They should just shut down Tiger. Its always been a pretty appalling place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only reason the clubs are co-ed is because Sally Frank sued them, the same Sally Frank ridiculed by the Tiger members in the article. So before crowing about how unlike frats the eating clubs are co-ed remember several -- including and especially Tiger -- were dragged kicking and screaming.

They should just shut down Tiger. Its always been a pretty appalling place.

Exactly... did anybody read the article....

A coeducational Princeton University eating club has removed two officers from their posts after they sent out emails ridiculing women, in one including a sexually explicit photograph.
...
Later that night Andrew Hoffenberg, the treasurer, sent an email to the same list regarding a lecture by the Princeton alumna whose lawsuit forced eating clubs to admit women. “Ever wonder who we have to thank (blame) for gender equality,” the email began. “Looking for someone to blame for the influx of girls? Come tomorrow and help boo Sally Frank.”

Gawd! I am glad I just went to college for an education. If this is what you have to do to "get your Ivy connections" I am sad for how little respect people have for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Princeton alum here. I was a member of one of the nonselective clubs and enjoyed it. I refused to bicker because I didn't believe Princeton needed another layer of elitism. I remember hearing about one of the "selective" clubs that had just enough students bickering to fill needed spots. They had to retain their selective reputation, though, so they blackballed one applicant. Nice.

[Anonymous]

I'd love to see a debate between Sally Frank and Hap Cooper about the future of Princeton eating clubs. Think of Bella Abzug squaring off against Tucker Max, and you'd basically have the picture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coed or not, I don't get how you work your ass of in high school and go through a rigorous and selective admissions application process, to then have to "interview" for a decent place to eat, study and socialize.

I agree and wonder what the point of these "eating clubs" (ridiculous name, BTW) is. Why not just have a huge dining hall where everyone goes to eat, socialize, etc., and then parties in various dorms/apts.? I went to a school with no Greek system, eating clubs, etc. and that's how we did it. Everyone partied together, ate together, etc. No problems and no elitism.