WRGW NEWS: Chris Evans

By Chris Evans

This was not your typical college all nighter. The Smith Center hosted 53 teams Saturday into Sunday morning for GW’s Relay For Life. Around 900 participants walked, played games, and celebrated life while raising money to fight cancer.

Students from many of GW’s student organizations took turns walking laps around the Smith Center for a full 24 hours.

“The reason it goes all night is because cancer never sleeps,” said Chelsea Brewer, one of the event’s organizers.

The combined all-night effort raised around 60,000 dollars. Still, this is not the only goal of the event.

“It is not all about raising money, but creating awareness too,” said participant Milan Gary.

When not walking, participants enjoyed tie dying and playing games including tug-of-war.
Taking the time to raise money and participate in Relay means a whole lot more than a fun night with friends. It hits home for a lot of participants including organizer William Hanna.

“Relay is important because my grandmother battled cancer three times. It was hard to see someone that strong endure so much,” Hanna said.

It is for this reason the community comes together in pajamas and wrapped up in blankets. To many, it’s all about the community.

“The most profound thing about Relay For Life is how as a community we come together and walk around this track all for one cause,” said Gary.

Relay For Life began when Washington State resident, Dr. Gordy Klatt, raised 27,000 dollars running around a track for 24 hours. Today, the event occurs in all 50 states and throughout the world.

This year’s event coincided with GW Buzz, an event that gave GW students the opportunity to raise money for fighting cancer by cutting or buzzing their hair. Both students and members of the Foggy Bottom community joined in by both donating and sitting for a buzz or cut.

Together, the two events raised over 70,000 dollars.

Sara Schaeffer contributed to this article.

Monday, April 15, 2013

News at 6: Monday, April 15th, 2013

WRGW News at 6: Monday, April 15th, 2013 by Wrgw_News on Mixcloud

Includes extensive coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Monday, February 25, 2013

WRGW News at 6: Monday, February 25th, 2013

News 2.25 by Wrgw_News on Mixcloud

Monday, November 26, 2012

News at 6: Monday November 26, 2012

WRGW News at 6: Monday November 26, 2012 by Wrgw_News on Mixcloud

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Unranked and Embarrassed: GW Administrators Look to Move Forward

By Chris Evans

Nearly a week after US News and World Report's unranking of George Washington University (GW) from their annual college rankings, President Steven Knapp and his administration sat down to answer the school's questions.

Monday night's event, hosted by the Student Association (SA), marks the first time administrators publicly addressed students since it was announced that GW admissions had been inaccurately calculating and reporting admission statistics to US News and World.

US News and World Report Leaves GW Unranked

Since responding to the inaccurate ranking reports by stripping GW of its' ranking, US News and World has stated it will keep GW unmarked for the year and reassess the university's ranking for the next publication of their report on colleges and universities--often used by parents and students when considering prospective colleges.

President Steven Knapp was joined on the panel by Provost Steven Lerman, Dean of Students Peter Konwerski, VP of External Relations Lorraine Voles, and Senior Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Planning, Forest Maltzman.

Introduced by SA President Ashwin Narla and Vice President Abby Bergren, President Knapp made it clear that, "We're embarrassed by this mistake." Knapp explained that the university alerted US News and World immediately upon finding the discrepancy and that even though the University is now unranked by the report, "We remain the same institution as we were a week ago."

Maltzman Breaks Down What Happened

Maltzman divulged the timeline of what occurred. He explained that over the summer when the Provost's office was reorganized, the admissions policy was reviewed. "One variable did not pass the sniff test," said Maltzman. While SAT scores from the incoming class stayed relatively flat compared to past years, class rank statistics went noticeably up. Upon review it was determined the procedure for estimating class rank was inaccurate.

Determining students' class ranks is not as easy as viewing their SAT scores. According to Maltzman, "High schools report class rank in different ways, some don't report."

The admissions office would simply estimate where a student might be in their class rank by looking at their SAT/ACT score, GPA, and course load. The estimation procedure that has been used for around twenty years was off and as Maltzman put it, "We were all sort of surprised."

Provost Lerman Explains How University Plans to Move Forward

Lerman explained the university's action plan to move forward telling students and community members at the town hall meeting that, "We report what happened and we make sure it does not happen again."

Lerman said, "those responsible are no longer responsible for the data."

He went onto explain that the statistics found and reported will also now be audited by an outside auditor to ensure only numbers available are used in the report--no more of the estimating that Knapp stated, "should never have been done."

Lerman's second part of the plan indicated the University's calculation of statistics will no longer be done by admission workers but rather separate and independent people.

Finally, the Administration made it clear they agreed with GW students' call for change. Lerman said, "we are recruiting a new manger of enrollment to look over data and admissions reporting who will act solely as a point person."

Vice President for External Relations Lorraine Voles reached out to students.

She said, "We'll answer every question we can."

Voles, who is in charge of GW's new image and outreach for prospective students, told those in attendance that the University is charging forward in clarifying that being stripped of the ranking is not a reflection of the education and opportunities available to GW students and those looking at possibly making GW their home.

Provost Lerman agreed, telling town hall participants that, "this University is not defined by its' rankings."

Potential Effects of US News and World Ranking

Students and community members voiced concern about GW's integrity in the eyes of prospective students as well as prospective employers. The administrative panel eased student's concerns reiterating that the US News and World Report is only one set of numbers and that GW will be ranked once again next year--likely very near its former position of 51.

Knapp commented, "these rankings are problematic for an institution of our nature."

While trying to make a neutral way to rank universities, the report does not take into consideration unique opportunities offered by individual universities. In fact, Knapp took students by surprise when he told them, "GW looses credit in the ranking system for having part time faculty teach [such as Supreme Court Justices teaching law classes, government officials lecturing a course, or other Washington residents that offer time teaching a class or two at GW]."

Other than causing the University to revisit it's strategy for calculating and reporting statistics of incoming students and putting more pressure on the administration, there is no defined effect of GW being unranked.

While embarrassed and surprised by being stripped of its ranking, the GW administrators are moving forward, following Provost Lerman's call to, "decide our own destiny."

Monday, October 15, 2012

GW Goes Green…Again

by Chris Evans

Forget about the recycling bins, the Student Association (SA) is offering an even more useful way to recycle. Yesterday the SA sent an email to the entire student body requesting students submit syllabi and tests to be catalogued for future student use.

The SA indicated it is accepting all past and current syllabi and tests that are in, "good and readable condition." The goal of the project, according to SA Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, Senator Alicia Rose, is to, "provide students with an invaluable study tool, the opportunity to look at tests for a course from previous years."

Senator Rose indicated it is merely an expansion of the SA's current system in which students can request tests.

Beyond being green and offering study materials, the drive will also offer a catalogue of syllabi. These syllabi can be accessed by students prior to registering for classes. Senator Rose states the goal of the syllabi collection is to, "help students make crucial decisions over which courses to take."

The SA stated that with this expansive resource, students could make more informed decisions during registration.

The SA is encouraging students to participate by offering entry into a drawing for 15 dollar Starbucks gift cards upon submission of their used materials. According to Senator Rose, "three students will be randomly selected to receive the gift cards."

Even those who don't win the drawing will still receive a cleaner room and a feel-good conscious for recycling their materials.

Materials can be emailed to gwacfs@gmail.com or dropped off in the SA office, Marvin 427, during business hours. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, the 21st of October and students are welcome to access the test and syllabi database immediately.

Friday, September 28, 2012

WRGW News at 6: Friday September 28, 2012

WRGW News at 6: Friday September 28, 2012 by Wrgw_News on Mixcloud

Auntie Anne's Adds a New Twist to J Street

by Chris Evans

The smell of freshly baked pretzels and cinnamon has taken over the Marvin Center, as
the newest J Street addition, Auntie Anne’s, opened today.

With today's grand opening and a promise of free pretzels from 11-3, crowds gathered in
J Street with the line wrapping around the corner. The shop, which has been under
construction for months, takes the location of where a smoothie and frozen yogurt place
stood last year. Some students like sophomore Marissa Price were initially reluctant of
the change.

"At first I was mad that they were putting it [Auntie Anne’s] in because it's not healthy
like the smoothie shop was," she said, "but it'll be a good decision."

The student reviews seemed to be all positive, following the free sample. Auntie Anne's
offers more than pretzels to the anticipating student body, including drinks such as their
popular lemonade, which senior Carly Litchfield described as "refreshing and all around awesome."

The new spot, perfect for a snack between classes, offers a variety of pretzels including
salted, garlic and onion, the always popular cinnamon, and the classic original.

Though spicing up J Street's snack options, Auntie Anne's is not affiliated with Sodexo,
the company that operates most of J Street's options. Many students echoed that they
found this to be a perk, including Price who said, "I like that it's independently owned, by a super friendly married couple, not Sodexo."

One of Sodexo's higher-up managers, who wished to remain anonymous, thinks that the
addition of Auntie Anne’s adds to the good mix in J-Street that the students ask for,
though he added, "We'll see how it goes after free pretzel day. The last shop [referring to the smoothie
shop] could not compete with local businesses, we'll see if this can."

The couple who manage the GW Auntie Anne's, a popular franchise, is feeding off the
energy of the students, many agreeing with senior Daniel Katton who took no hesitation
in saying, "This is hands-down the best thing that has ever happened to J Street. No debate."

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Dance Troupe Comes to GW

by Chris Evans

The GW community is being offered a unique opportunity tonight and through this weekend thanks to the Department of Theater and Dance. The very well-acclaimed dance group Dana Tai Soon Burgess and Company, known as DTSB & Co., will be performing in the Dorothy Betts Marvin theater later tonight as well as Sunday evening at 8.

DTSB & Co. focuses on dance work that expresses the universal stories of Asian and new Americans. With this performance, the company will be celebrating its 20th anniversary since being founded in 1992. Since the groups premiere 20 years ago, the dance company has performed at top national venues throughout the US and toured abroad, as well as received numerous local and international honors throughout the years.

Tonight's performance offers five pieces, including Becoming American, based on a touching personal story of the work's lead dancer. The complete set of works showcases the group's recurring theme of the journey from being an outsider to being an empowered individual capable of shaping one's own destiny.

Viewers can learn a lot from the intensely choreographed performance, with the work taking on social and international topics inspired by personal journeys and revelations.

DTSB & Co. was founded by the Department Chair of the university's Department of Theater and Dance, Dana Tai Soon Burgess, and features dancers from a variety of backgrounds.

Tickets may be purchased at the door prior to each show, with student tickets priced at $15 and general admission at $25.

With a vast following, a large audience of students and members of the community, including the Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines, is expected.

Each evening's performance begins at 8 PM.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Eckles Library Celebrates its 25th Birthday

by Chris Evans

The melodies of happy birthday will be filling GW's typically quiet Eckles Library tomorrow, as the Mount Vernon hot spot celebrates its 25th anniversary since opening in 1987.

Eckles has planned quite the celebration for tomorrow and is inviting all GW students to swing by. According to John Danneker, Director of Eckles Library, "Throughout the day students can meet library staff, learn more about resources and services offered, and enjoy treats and surprises."

Students are also encouraged to break the usual library hymn of silence to meet and socialize with others in attendance, commemorating the opening of GW's second largest campus library.

Tomorrow's official celebration kicks off at 2 PM, where there will be birthday cupcakes, images of Eckles throughout the years, and fun surprises. For students who can't make the official celebration, the library is offering free coffee, cappuccinos, and hot chocolate throughout the entire day, perfect for students who just have a minute to join the party.

Foggy Bottom residents are being especially encouraged to take the quick ride to the Mt. Vernon campus to use the celebration as an opportunity to familiarize themselves with Eckles' great wealth or resources.

Eckles Library opened in 1987 with a specific focus on the research and study needs of freshman and sophomore students. To date, it holds a print collection of over 60,000 volumes, which continues to grow each month.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Freshmen Turn Out in Record Numbers for Day of Service

by Chris Evans

The newest members of the GW community came out in force Saturday, marking the fourth annual Freshman Day of Service. The class of 2016 stepped up to their call to action, bringing out a record high 2,000 students.

Before heading onto buses and spreading out across the District, students gathered at the Smith Center for the class of 2016 convocation, where they heard from President Steven Knapp and other notable speakers.

The crowd of freshmen stood in anticipation as President Knapp, Provost Steven Lerman, and other University notables entered the Smith Center and welcomed the class of 2016. Student Association President Ashwin Narla emceed the convocation, which touted keynote speaker Donna Brazile, a weekly contributor and political commentator on CNN who also serves as the Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee.

Brazile, electrifying the Smith Center with her animated persona, called the class of 2016 to action and encouraged them to remember that "you must pay rent on this world" by giving back.

Taking up the call to action, the freshmen climbed onto buses and were dispatched to 35 sites throughout DC. The District community embraced the students' help and put them to work in parks, schools, and public areas.