Allegations of racial and religious discrimination in admission policies of Princeton University’s private eating clubs are contrary to the facts, Dr. Robert F. Goheen, University president, said today in his first statement on a controversy involving 15 Jewish students denied bids by all but one of the clubs.
Dr. Goheen met last night with 22 sophomores who received bids only from one club and who rejected the invitations on grounds that the club was the “least desirable” of the 17 clubs which are similar to typical college Greek letter fraternities except that they do not provide living facilities.
Dr. Goheen said that the charges of bias “obscure the plain facts that there are today members of the three major faiths in this country in each of the eating clubs. It is fair to say that the seriousness of these allegations has been exaggerated by several individuals who sought to impose their wishes on the clubs. “
A group of sophomores who received and accepted club invitations planned to circulate a petition asking the University and the clubs to join in creating new arrangements for the annual bidding system to end “unnecessary suffering” among students.
The 15 Jewish students who received bids only to the one club signed a statement last week declaring: “I feel I have been discriminated against because of race or religion. ” University officials said that about 85 other Jewish sophomores joined eating clubs. The club which extended the lone bids to the 23 students is composed mainly of Jewish students.
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