BREAKING: Michael Bloomberg, NYC Mayor, to be Commencement Speaker

GW Today is reporting today that GW has officially announced that Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City, will be the commencement speaker for the graduating class of 2011.

According to the press release, Mayor Bloomberg will be awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Public Service before an assembled crowd of 25,000 graduates and guests in May.

Mayor Bloomberg earned a Bachelor of Science from Johns Hopkins University and his M.B.A. from Harvard University.


Developing...

Public Transit Advocate Calls for Second Foggy Bottom Metro Entrance

Source: WMATA

Highly influential DC Transit advocate David Alpert, Editor-in-chief of the popular transit blog Greater Greater Washington, has called for a second entrance to the Foggy Bottom Metro station to be built at the corner of 22nd and I Streets.

The construction of GW's new Science and Engineering Complex on the adjacent block provides GWU with an opportunity to begin construction on the potential mezzanine of the new entrance, says Alpert, as plans for the new building already require digging down several stories. In addition, GWU has already agreed to reserve the location of the current women studies building for a second entrance when Square 77 (the block on which Rome, Phillips, and Smith Halls now stand) is eventually redeveloped.

Alpert notes that overcrowding at the Foggy Bottom station is an important issue when considering GWU's continued growth.  The station is the busiest in the system with only a single mezzanine, and plans already exist to add an additional entrance to Rosslyn, the second-busiest in the category.

With a stretched budget and a host of other capital projects on its plate, WMATA is unlikely to find public funding for the additional entrance, a problem that Alpert suggests could be solved by seeking money from the developer, GWU.  Whether or not the university would be open this additional expense, however, has yet to be seen.

More information on WMATA's 2007 study on a second entrance can be found here.

Links For Life Luncheon Series

This past Tuesday afternoon, undergraduate students from the Business School put on their best suits to attend a luncheon with alumni. Hosted by the GWSB Alumni office, the Links for Life Luncheon series is an event that takes place once a semester for students to get a taste of the work world, utilizing the skills they have learned in the classroom such as the 30-second "elevator speech," business function etiquette, and networking.

"The luncheon is a great event for our students and alumni to connect over informal conversation," said Leah Kuppersmith, Associate Director of School Alumni Programs for the Business School. "It gives students an opportunity to get insight into a career they might be interested in pursuing and it is an opportunity for alumni to hear about what's happening in the school today."

Many of the students that attended the event had been to a luncheon last year or had heard great things from their classmates. "It is a great opportunity for networking," said Christine Healy, sophomore in the business school. "These sort of events open up my eyes to different concentrations within the business school"

Students must pre-register for the event and indicate their field of interest, students are then seated at a table that is hosted by an alumnus in that field of business. Many students keep in contact with the alumni long after the luncheon is over, keeping in touch through e-mail and other alumni events.

"I really enjoy being a mentor for business students because I know it can be scary being an undergraduate student and not knowing what to expect when you graduate," said Lauren Rurak (BBA '07), account manager at the Borenstein group, a marketing firm that is located in Reston, Va. "I didn't take full advantage of the resources offered when I was here, but the business school had prepared me through out my four years when it came to thinking about the future, resume writing and my job search. I really want to give back to the school that has helped me to get to where I am today."

For more information on working with GW Alumni, go to alumni.gwu.edu or join the LinkedIn alumni group.

Board of Trustees Approves Science and Engineering Complex Construction

The GW Board of Trustees voted unanimously today to construct a new $275 million Science and Engineering complex on the Foggy Bottom campus.  The decision to build the controversial 8-story, 400,000 sq. ft. building brings to a close a 4-year planning process that often raised questions about the identity of the University, which has traditionally been know for its International Relations, Political Science, and International Business programs.

W. Russell Ramsey, Chairman of the Board of trustees, recognized that the construction of the complex is part of a transformation for the university into a primary hub of research in the nation's capital.  University President Steven Knapp also applauded the decision, describing the expansion of the University's science and engineering programs as a "milestone in the step to becoming a world-class research university."

Contaminated Homes Built by Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans' Musicians' Village

International housing organization Habitat for Humanity has acknowledged that it built contaminated homes in New Orleans, La. for years after Hurricane Katrina left 1,500 homeless.

The affected homes were built with defective drywall, imported from China. The drywall is corrosive, and homeowners have reported health problems that they believe to be associated with the defective materials. Many of the homes were built in Musicians’ Village, a new neighborhood conceptualized by New Orleans natives and musicians Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis.

Reports from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and investigative website ProPublica state that employees complained about the quality of the imported drywall as far back as 2007. But the Habitat for Humanity New Orleans continued to use the drywall until Nov. 2009, when it was told by the Consumer Product Safety Commission not to use the remaining drywall.

In Mar. 2008, the GW Alternative Spring Break New Orleans (ASB NOLA) program joined Habitat for Humanity in Musicians’ Village. It was not clear at press time whether GW students had helped to build the contaminated homes. The Office of Community Service, which organizes the Alternative Spring Break program, could not be reached for comment late Thursday afternoon.

Habitat for Humanity is still inspecting homes that they suspect are affected, both in Musicians’ Village (in the Upper Ninth Ward) and some surrounding areas, including St. Bernard Parish. The organization began to notify homeowners last month of their intention to gut the affected homes and provide rent-free apartments for affected residents for the duration of reconstruction.

Since 2006, the Office of Community Service has sent increasing numbers of students down to New Orleans each year for their Alternative Spring Break program. Students have volunteered their weeklong March break to help clean up debris and rebuild homes with Habitat for Humanity after Hurricane Katrina left 1,500 homeless in Dec. 2005.

Habitat for Humanity is an international housing organization that helps communities in need to build and rebuild affordable homes, particularly in the wake of natural disasters. GW has a chapter, run by students, that focuses on building homes for the residents of Washington, D.C.

Keep checking WRGW News for updates, and
click for coverage of Habitat for Humanity New Orleans by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and ProPublica.

Law & Order: Week of Sept. 6

WRGW's very own Law & Order returns with GW's weekly Crime Log for Sept. 6:

GW Police responded to a report of a theft from one of the GW campus's parking garages. A female student parked her car in one the garages located on campus, and returned a short while later to find her driver's side rear window shattered, and her laptop and books stolen. The case is still open for investigation.

In other thefts, a male student reported his cellphone missing after leaving it unattended on a table in the Marvin Center. Additionally, a female student reported her room key stolen after leaving it unattended in a study lounge on the Mount Vernon campus. A word to the wise: if you leave your personal belongings unattended, they are likely to be stolen.

A former GW student reported to GW Police a sexual assault in the residential area of Ivory Tower. The woman stated that she was assaulted by an acquaintance. The case has been closed, and referred to Metropolitan Police.

An assault occurred on Monday at the corner of 19th and F Streets NW. GW Police was originally called to the scene of a traffic accident. Upon arriving, they found that a witness to the accident had been assaulted by a passenger from one of the vehicles. The witness decided not to press charges.

Just this morning, a woman unaffiliated with GW filed a complaint of indecent exposure at the intersection of 19th and E Streets NW. The woman stated that a male approached her parked car and exposed himself to her, before fleeing.

Finally, GW Police charged a man with disorderly conduct after he was discovered urinating behind Corcoran Hall in University Yard. The subject, who fled when confronted by GW Police, was apprehended. Metropolitan Police also responded, and the subject was barred from the GWU campus.


Check back each week for more from the UPD Crime Log and all your campus news!

GWise 'Mixes' Up Some Fun

On Wednesday night in University Yard, 13 student organizations gathered to make and drink non-alcoholic cocktails for the second annual GW Mix-Off run by GWise and CADE. Teams that were voted by students to have the best cocktail were awarded cash prizes. There was also a free BBQ, personalized BAC cards being given out and music blasting.

“This is much more legit that I thought it would be,” said Cameron Smither from the Vern RAC team mixing up ‘Vern Passion.’

Each team had to come up with an original cocktail and provide educational literature for a target audience that raises awareness about safe partying or any other cause that the organization works with.

“We decided to come out for the first time because it is a great cause, a chance to meet students from other student organizations and promote all that CADE stands for,” said Ashley-Lynn Goldstein from Sigma Delta Tau’s executive board. “We are really excited and having a lot of fun.” The girls from Sigma Delta Tau were making ‘White Virgin Sangrias’ with fresh oranges and white grape juice.

GWISE has been planning the event since August; it is their biggest event of the year. The organization is made up of approximately 15 peer educators that meet once a month with the aim to address alcohol and drug abuse on campus. E-mail gwpeereds@gmail.com if you would like to get involved and become a peer educator.

BREAKING: Russian President Drops by GW

WRGW's Jared Pliner reports: 

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made an unannounced visit to GW's Lisner Auditorium Tuesday night for a 40th anniversary concert, featuring the legendary Russian rock band "Mashina Vremeni" ("Time Machine").

Medvedev, who is in town for the Nuclear Security Summit, swung by Lisner's H Street side entrance in his stretch Mercedes limousine and extended motorcade (complete with two ambulances) just before 9 p.m. 

The Russian president stayed for roughly one hour, before departing from the auditorium's front entrance on 21st Street. He waved to crowds of students lining the sidewalks, who received him with cheers and applause. 

The summit, attended by 46 foreign government delegations, was aimed at devising ways to better safeguard weapons-grade plutonium and uranium in the quest to prevent nuclear terrorism.  

First Annual Business Conference a Success

This past Saturday, the business school was bustling with leaders from the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and Delloite for GW Women in Business' first Spring Conference. Over 100 students, faculty, alumni, and friends from the GW community attended the event.

The daylong conference opened with a presentation by Dr. Eliane Karp-Toledo, former first lady of Peru and anthropologist. The program included panel discussions led by twenty executives from both corporate and government sectors. The topics discussed were entrepreneurship, international business, business government relations and corporate social responsibility, which provided a comprehensive and insightful exchange of workplace dynamics.

The day concluded on a high note with an energetic presentation by Chad Holliday, former chairman and CEO of DuPont, who encouraged students to continue to broaden their knowledge of the business world by attending conferences, being a leader by bringing out the best in people and maintaining ethics when doing business in other countries.

The day was sponsored by corporations such as Coca-Cola, TD Securities, Deloitte and Bloomberg. All of the conference attendees received Juan Valdez coffee, gift certificates for FoBoGro, Vineyard Vines and Aveda Spa, clothes from BCBG and food from SweetGreen.

The idea for the event stemmed from Harvard’s annual business conference, with top professionals and university faculty meeting with students and providing learning and networking opportunities for students from all majors.

“Today's GW Women in Business conference successfully bridged the gap between classroom lessons and real world experiences,” said Kathleen Duffy, associate director of undergraduate career management. GWWIB is working hard to make this an annual event across campus and to make it bigger and better every year.

Besty Smith, executive coordinator of GWSB undergraduate programs and previous member of GWWIB, was incredibly proud of the young women that organized the day’s event. “GWWIB has been a pioneer amongst GWSB student groups since its inception, and the School of Business eagerly awaits whatever they plan to tackle next year!” said Smith.

For more information on GW Women in Business, go to http://www.gwwib.org/

EXCLUSIVE: WRGW - SA Debate Audio

Click here to listen to a selection of audio from the 2010 WRGW News - SA Presidential & EVP Debate!

Classroom 102

Students who are not a part of the Art Department may not have heard of Classroom 102, but they have surely passed it while on the way to class.

Classroom 102 is the name of the student and faculty-run art gallery located on the first floor of Smith Hall. Every week the committee that runs the gallery sets up a new installation.

The committee, headed up by undergrads Eliana Reyes and Rachel Schechtman and graduate student Katherine Sifers, already has the installations for the rest of the semester planned out, including an upcoming faculty-run show that is currently accepting submissions.

If students are interested in having some of their own work featured in one of the shows, this will be a good opportunity. The theme is Systems, Architectures, Ecologies, and the pieces accepted will fall into one or more of those categories. While these categories are very vague, this is presumably to allow students as much room to be as creative as possible.

Professors Rigg and Bjelajac will be choosing the work for the show from all submissions dropped off February 25 and 26th in the Art Office, located in Smith room A101. All types of media will be accepted, and any student is welcome to submit a piece.

Those who are not artists themselves should stop by Classroom 102 to check out the art their fellow students are making.

Broadcasting Legends Talk Murrow and More With SMPA Students

Former CBS News Chief Diplomatic Correspondent Marvin Kalb and director Robert Vitarelli attended an evening devoted to legendary broadcaster Edward R. Murrow hosted by SMPA professors Mike Freedman and Kerric Harvey in the Jack Morton Auditorium last night. The evening started with a presentation of George Clooney’s “Good Night and Good Luck” and concluded with a discussion with Kalb and Vitarelli on everything from working with Murrow to the future of journalism.

Kalb and Vitarelli discussed the realistic recreation of the 1950s newsroom in Clooney’s Academy Award-nominated film, especially the environment of fear and suspicion at CBS News during McCarthy era America.

The only major inconsistency between film and reality that the distinguished speakers highlighted was the downplay of Clooney’s Fred Friendly character. While their memories of Friendly are of a larger-than-life personality, Kalb and Vitarelli claimed Clooney made a reasonable choice in his more modest acting approach so as to not distract from the Murrow character.

As the last correspondent personally hired by Murrow, Kalb has quite a unique perspective on the renowned newsman. Kalb advised the aspiring journalists in the crowd to use Murrow as an example of reporting at its finest. “There will never be another Murrow,” said Kalb. “Don’t try to be him.”

Kalb lamented the emphasis on speed over quality in the modern news environment, suggesting the journalism students in the audience take their time and craft well written stories rather than turn in hurried or inaccurate copy.

Kalb and Vitarelli ended on an optimistic note, encouraging the students to value producing a good program over simply getting air time. Kalb concluded that the most important lesson from Murrow and “Good Night and Good Luck” is to fight for a story worth telling.

Diversity and Inclusion a Priority for President Knapp

Last Friday, President Steven Knapp announced a new 'Diversity and Inclusion Initiative' for the GW community. "(We have) a long history of equal opportunity and a strong commitment to diversity. But there is more we can do to build the diversity of our student body, faculty and staff, to make sure we are providing a welcoming and supportive environment for persons of all backgrounds," said Knapp in a press release.

The project includes the creation of a new senior-level position; the duties of the associate provost would include ensuring there is equity at the university when it comes to educational and employment opportunities, cultural understanding and rights.

The Diversity and Inclusion Initiative will also assemble members of the community, that represent many cultures, to act on the President's Council of Diversity and Inclusion. The council will work with the associate provost and provide feedback and advice on how GW can improve the acceptance of multiple cultural backgrounds on campus.

Make-Up Days Announced

GW has announced how it will make up for the days of classes missed due to the snow storms.  From GW Infomail:

Monday, Feb. 8, canceled classes to be held on Tuesday, April 27 (Regular Makeup Day);

Tuesday, Feb. 9, canceled classes to be held on Thursday, April 29 (Reading Day 1);

Wednesday, Feb. 10, canceled classes to be held on Friday, April 30 (Reading Day 2);

Thursday, Feb. 11, canceled classes to be held on Saturday, May 1.

CLASSES CANCELLED THURSDAY, FEB 11

From GW Campus Advisories:

Thursday, Feb. 11: Classes Canceled; Designated Employees Only Report

All classes on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010, are canceled. Designated employees should report to work. All other employees need not report.

Please continue to check Campus Advisories at http://campusadvisories.gwu.edu or GW’s Information Line at 202-994-5050 for updates affecting operations of the Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon campuses and the University’s Arlington and Alexandria locations.

For updates on the Virginia Science and Technology Campus, call 703-726-8333.

For updates on the GW Medical Center, call 202-994-3501.

University Snow Removal Exceeds $50,000

GW has been working hard to remove the snow and ice from campus and it is putting a large dent in the school budget.

According to Alicia O'Neil, Senior Associate Vice President for Operations, the major snowstorm before Christmas exceeded $50,000 in additional costs and the expenses for the current snowstorm (which is significantly larger) have not yet been calculated.

"While the cost of snow removal operations for the winter season will exceed expenditures for a typical winter, we will ensure that we remain within budget by utilizing emergency funds and making other necessary adjustments," wrote O'Neil in an e-mail earlier today.

TKE House Evacuated

The snow storms are affecting more than just classes.

The Tau Kappa Epsilon town house has been evacuated after firefighters determined this afternoon that the roof was showing signs of a possible collapse.

According to DC Fire Department Spokesman Pete Piringer, approximately seven residents of the house have left the building and are being housed elsewhere on campus.

WRGW News will have updates on the situation as they are made available.

D.C. Court of Appeals Clears Way for "Square 54"

The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia affirmed a zoning commission order today, giving the green light for further development of Square 54, according to University officials.

The order stemmed from an appeal by the Foggy Bottom Association, challenging two separate orders by the D.C. Zoning Commission approving GW's 2007 Foggy Bottom Campus Plan and Square 54 project. 

"It is gratifying to us and our partner, Boston Properties, to receive the Court's decision and have the matter so firmly decided," said GW President Steven Knapp in an official press release. "We look forward to sharing the amenities of this wonderful project with our neighbors in Foggy Bottom and beyond." 

Last September, the Court of Appeals affirmed the commission's Campus Plan decision. The latest order affirms the Square 54 decision.

Square 54 will include office space, residential apartments, extensive retail space, a full-service grocery store, and an underground parking garage. The project is expected to be completed by early 2011. 

25th Anniversary of the Excellence in Student Life Awards

For the past 25 years, the Student Activities Center has made it a priority to annually recognize those on campus that have made a strong commitment to GW. The Excellence in Student Life Awards honor individuals, student organizations, and university programs whose efforts have enhanced the quality of campus life. Awards range from 'Program Board Event of the Year' to 'Student Employee of the Year' to 'Student Organization of the Year.'

Departments involved with the awards include the Career Center, Housing Programs, Program Board, Campus Recreations, Office of Community Service and Multicultural Student Services Center.

This year, the awards will take place on Wednesday, April 21st. Be sure to nominate those that have made an impact on your experience at GW! Nominations are being accepted online now through to March 5th.

WRGW News will be covering the awards and reporting the winners.

BREAKING: UNIVERSITY CLOSED TOMORROW

For the second day in a row, GW will officially cease operations and cancel all academic classes, according to University officials.

The United States government will also shut down tomorrow, in anticipation of a second storm system that is projected to dump an additional 10 to 20 inches of snow.