What Shirley Tilghman Should Tell the Princeton Community

To The Editor:

As both a graduate of Princeton University and a former elected member of Princeton Township Committee, I find it unfortunate that the relationship between the University and the community has become more strained than at any time in memory.

Respectfully, the one person who could repair this relationship is University President Shirley Tilghman. As the larger and more powerful party to increasingly acrimonious negotiations I respectfully suggest that it is incumbent on the University to act first.

I urge President Tilghman to make the following statement:

“Having witnessed the deterioration in the relationship between the citizens of Princeton and the University, and upon further reflection, Princeton University has changed course on some major decisions.

First, the University commits to preserving and enhancing the Dinky in its current location, now and forever. Not only do the citizens of Princeton want the Dinky to remain in its historic location but the faculty, alumni and students support this view. There is no reason to inconvenience our own students and faculty by moving the Dinky, not to mention the citizens of our great town. Princeton will also take the lead in installing an additional field of solar panels to power the Dinky by solar energy and commission a contest open to students, faculty and architects, to recreate Dinky cars based on the trains that were part of Princeton’s past. Additionally, those trains will display the art of Princeton students. Princeton simply cannot set a negative example for its students by diminishing mass transit in the area; to the contrary, we must lead by example.

Any other position would mean years of litigation not to mention massive traffic disruptions that may well shut down the Dinky forever. Eliminating or moving the Dinky would unlawfully violate Princeton’s master plan directive to “maintain a ‘sense of place’ and small town quality that is distinctive to this community and evidenced as one crosses into the community through its several gateways.” To this end, the plan has a specific goal: “Maintain the scenic and historic gateways and enhance those that are less attractive.”   Any effort to eliminate or move the Dinky – unquestionably a historic gateway – would violate the plan that has helped make Princeton unique for decades.

I have spoken to Peter Lewis ’55 who generously gave money to the new Arts Council and he understands as well that he does not want his gift tarnished by the ongoing Dinky controversy.

Second, Princeton University has rethought its contributions to the Township and Borough in lieu of taxes.  Until today, Princeton has had the dubious distinction of making payments in lieu of taxes on the low end of the scale compared to other Ivy League institutions on a per capita basis. The University now commits to leading the Ivy League on a per capita basis and shall amicably settle litigation filed by the citizens of Princeton demanding that the University no longer be tax-exempt for University property used to make a profit.”

Such a renewed vision would burnish President Tilghman’s already impressive record of far-sightedly leading the University and the Community.   

Carl J. Mayer, ‘81
Battle Road