Forbes College

The Malcolm S. Forbes Jr. '70 College is one of the six residential colleges that house all freshmen and sophomores at Princeton University. The College was a gift to the school by Malcolm S. Forbes Sr. '41 in 1984 in honor of his son, Steve. Steve's daughter, Catherine Forbes '99, was a member of Forbes College while attending Princeton.

The college consists of two main parts, each with a subsection: The Main Inn and its subsidiary New Wing, and the Addition, with its Annex. In addition, a two-story house adjacent to Forbes, 99 Alexander Street (nicknamed "the Pink House"), houses ten sophomore women every year. The Main Inn and its New Wing were originally part of The Princeton Inn, a hotel built in 1924-25, in a colonial fieldstone style. It was a popular among parents visiting their sons (and young ladies visiting students at the all-male university). The New Wing was added in 1946, built of red brick. To the south of the main in the hotel's owners built a two-story cinderblock Annex for its staff. The hotel was acquired by the university in 1970, and a very plain brown-brick Addition (designed by J. Robert Hillier '59) was built connecting the Annex and the Main Inn. From 1970 to 1983 the hotel was called the Princeton Inn College, which cultivated a unique campus culture: residents were called "Innmates", T-shirts with the slogan "Die For the INN" (an intramural sports battle cry) remain in circulation. Forbes is also said to foster a more closely-knit community and social life, as a result of its isolation. The Forbes College Addition includes a single-sex floor, colloquially named "The Nunnery," one of only two in the Princeton University residential colleges.

Forbes is relatively far from the rest of the Princeton campus, isolating it from other residences. Forbesians will claim that its amenities more than make up for the distance. These include private bathrooms for many of the suites (for rooms in the former hotel portions, plus a few in the Addition), and a dining hall, library, theater, and café that can be reached without ever going outdoors. The dining hall was noted for outstanding Sunday brunch. However, that has changed with the general reform of the dining hall system. Students from the five other residential colleges, Rockefeller College, Mathey College, Whitman College, Butler College, and Wilson College, as well as the Graduate College, used to go out of their way to eat brunch at Forbes. Forbes is also closest to the late-night snack mecca, Wawa ("the Wa"). Forbes also hosts many events like its famous "casino night" and the first 90s night party in Princeton University history.

Many Forbesians feel neglected by the university as it continually renovates other colleges and completes the construction of Whitman College. With inadequate housing for those living in the addition and poor commons areas, many residents launched a protest against Nancy Malkiel during an informational tour about 4-year colleges concerning the lack of attention given to the college. Problems such as sewage flooding in the Addition and basement flooding in the library have caused much frustration. The walkway through Spelman, which many use to enter campus from Forbes, continually pools with a few inches of water every rainfall.

Today's Forbesians typically (still) laud the aforementioned Sunday brunch, easy access to sledding opportunities afforded by the nearby golf course, and the lack of a Public Safety presence felt occasionally by other residential colleges.

Life at Forbes

Activities and Events

Forbes College hosts a diverse range of intellectual, social, and cultural events.

Over dinner, about two to three times a semester, invited guests speak to Forbes residents about their travels, their work or research, their latest publication, or simply provoke with some unconventional ideas.

Friday afternoons at 4:00 p.m., the College Office staff invite students to join them for tea and pastries and some informal conversation on just about anything.

Several productions are staged each year in the Black Box Theater of Forbes College. The Forbes theater provides an opportunity to learn about and participate in all aspects of theatrical production, including directing, producing, acting, set construction, and lighting.

The Music Society encourages performances by student artists and brings a number of music related events to Forbes each year. Performers have included instrumentalists, singers, chamber groups, the University Chamber Orchestra, the Jazz Ensemble, folk singers, and classical ensembles.

Forbes College participates vigorously in the University's program of intramural sports, and has been the residential college champion 11 out of 22 years. Men's, women's, and co-ed teams are formed in many different sports.

The Forbes Film Society (FFS) hosts regular film screenings, discussions, and lectures related to cinema. In warm weather, FFS sponsors the screening of classic films on the Forbes terrace under the stars, accompanied by hot cocoa from the Forbes Cafe. Members of the Forbes community are encouraged to join the FFS and participate in organizing screening schedules, to work as projectionists, and to share in the pleasure of watching and discussing a good movie in the company of friends.

Facilities

Forbes College facilities include a theater, TV lounge, a large and a small dining room, a multi-purpose room, a seminar room, music practice rooms, a black box theater, an art and ceramics studio, a dance studio, a library, study rooms, a cafe, a multi-media lab, a darkroom, game room, and an organic garden.

The Norman Thomas 1905 Library at Forbes College contains a general collection, reference books and periodicals, as well as an extensive science fiction collection.

College Council

The Forbes College Council consists of between six and nine representatives of the student body. The Council organizes and coordinates College activities, which include social and cultural events, trips, and films, and makes proposals on the allocation of student activities funds. The weekly meetings are open to anyone. Two representatives from the Forbes College Council serve on the Residential Colleges Council (RCC) composed of representatives from each of the five residential colleges.

References

External links

* [http://forbes.princeton.edu/ Forbes College website]