Undergraduate Student Government (USG) discussed measures to support international students, recapped the work of the International Student Experience and Athletics Groups, and celebrated USG’s 50th anniversary at its meeting on Sunday.
The International Student Experience Working Group reported on a recent meeting with the Davis International Center (Davis IC). According to Genevieve Shutt ’26, a member of the working group, the Davis IC asked them to gather international students’ perspectives on the potential loss of early housing access over winter break due to the end of Wintersession.
“We’ve been able to find out from Dean Gordin that approximately 100 students are approved to be on campus for continuous housing when the University is closed in December,” Shutt said. “We’re finding ways to increase transparency of what this process would look like and take the burden away from Davis.”
The working group also aims to support international students by addressing the 14 percent withholding tax rate on financial aid above the cost of tuition.
During the meeting, U-Councilor Angela Li ’28 noted that a tax information session for international students will be held earlier in the upcoming Spring semester than in previous years “to give international students better time to prepare for questions regarding tax filing.”
Li is an assistant Features editor for The Daily Princetonian.
The Financial Aid Office is also currently working on a revamp of the financial aid portal.
“The next steps … are to send a survey to international students and email the financial aid office regarding concrete steps to revamp the website with more clarity and better information,” Li said.
The Senate then recapped the work of the Athletics Working Group, which aims to increase turnout and student engagement at athletic events.
Class of 2027 Senator Siddhant Shah ’27 said that this semester saw the most programming for athletic events from USG in history, with $9,000 of the group’s $10,000 budget already put to use.
“We’ve been ordering Pizza Den,” Shah said. “Huge upgrade from Papa John’s. We have the budget for it, super happy about that.”
During the meeting, USG President Enzo Kho ’26 congratulated the Senate on the USG’s 50th anniversary celebration and highlighted TigerTies, hosted on Saturday by the Social Committee and the Diversity and Equity Committee.
The Senate then voted to move into executive session in preparation for next week’s presentation from the Mental Health Committee.
The USG’s weekly meetings are open for all Princeton students to attend on Sundays from 5–6 p.m., in Robertson Hall 016.
Teresa Chen is a News contributor from Shanghai, China. She can be reached at tc7069[at]princeton.edu.
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