As Neal Freeman puts it in today's column, Princeton
blinked. You should read the column (here)
which explains how it came to be that Princeton and its largest
benefactors became embroiled in a lawsuit. But you should also
think about how universities are so monolithic and bloated now
that they can do this to their alums. Not just any alums either
-- alums who donate a significant portion of cash to their alma
mater.
Now think of this another way: If the university administration
isn't accountable to the people who contribute to it out of a
sense of kindness, what on earth would make the university
administration accountable to its students? In other words, let's
say you're paying your way through college and they're screwing
things up for you. How on earth do you crack the whip?
One thing is for sure: Donors who might give to Princeton are
going to have to think twice about what they're giving, and pay
attention to the specifics.
