News from
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
Office of Communications
Stanhope Hall
Princeton, New Jersey 08544-5264
Telephone 609-258-3601; Fax 609-258-1301April 11, 1999
Statement by the Board of Trustees of Princeton University
After carefully considering the report of the student-faculty-staff Committee on the "Nude Olympics" and closely following discussion both on campus and among alumni over the last several months, the Trustees find intolerable the serious risks that this event poses to our students’ health, safety, and well-being, and believe it would be irresponsible to permit any event of this nature to continue.
While some suggest that the dangers of the "nude olympics" are exaggerated or propose alternative measures that they maintain would adequately reduce the level of risk, the Trustees are persuaded that it is not possible to reduce the risks of serious injury or death and of sexual abuse and assault to an acceptable level.
Therefore the Trustees endorse the recommendation of the Committee on the "Nude Olympics" that the University should ban the "nude olympics," broadly defined. They also endorse the enforcement and disciplinary process that the Committee has recommended, including the penalty of suspension for at least one year (increased for aggravating behaviors) for students who fail to respect the prohibition. The Trustees expect this policy to be actively communicated and vigorously enforced.
The Trustees understand that there are students and alumni who value what they have found to be positive aspects of the "nude olympics." They believe, however, that these members of the community will, along with others, appreciate the overriding concerns for the health, safety, and well-being of our students.