"Study Zones" for Finals

In an effort to generate more awareness about what spaces are open during exam periods and extended hours in desired study destinations, GW has once again implemented the "Study Zone" initiative for this semester's finals.

Look for signs designating "Study Zones" across campus, including Duques Hall (now open till 2 a.m.), the Marvin Center, the Fishbowl, Eckles Library (now open 24 hours) and Gelman Library.

Also, Sodexo is holding extended dining hours for study zone. A majority of J Street Food Vendors, as well as G-Dub Java in Duques Hall, will be open until 2 a.m. from December 6th to the 10th, and the 14th to the 16th. Meanwhile, Pelham Commons will be open until 1 a.m.

For more information, go to: living.gwu.edu/studyzone

Incoming SA President Lifton Previews Presidency

In an email interview with WRGW News, incoming SA President Jason Lifton described his priorities for the coming year and gave his opinion on a wide range of issues concerning GW students.

“We plan on working on a number of different student life and academic issues next year,” he said. “We want to focus on fixing the student organization financial process. We are going to work with Student Judicial Services to ensure that students are being properly treated when they are in violation of the student code of conduct. We also want to work on making the SA more of a resource for organizations, helping them save money and pool resources.”

Lifton said that Gelman Library needs a “technological facelift,” citing a dearth of outlets, projectors, and multimedia study rooms in the school’s largest library.

“The library needs help. I don’t anticipate this being a one-year solution, but my goal is to set the library up to be better sponsored,” he said. “They have great plans for modernization, but without the funding to do it, it will never happen.”

Get Gelman Going, a Facebook group created by students concerned with the slow pace of Gelman’s much-needed improvements, has already accumulated over 1,200 members.

Another issue on students’ minds is J Street. From limited dining options to expensive weighing stations, many students have expressed disappointment with the current state of the closest thing GW has to a dining hall.

Lifton said contracts with Sodexo make it difficult to work on J Street, but he has looked at George Mason University’s dining hall, also run by Sodexo, as a model for the ideal J Street.

“George Mason has an interesting setup that they use for dining where they have different small venues with different options. It’s not like our food court setup; it’s more of different smaller stations,” he said. “I hope that we can use that as an example to improve how J Street Works.”

Lifton also discussed methods for improving campus security, addressing inefficiencies in 4-Ride and general safety concerns around campus.

“I think that the simple solution for long wait time is more 4-Ride vans,” Lifton said in response to many students who have reported waiting upwards of 45 minutes for a 4-Ride van to pick them up. “That said, I’m not sure about the feasibility of that immediately.”

“There are a lot of things that can be done to protect students, from security in residence halls to officers on the streets,” he said. “I think that we need to make sure that UD is doing everything to educate our students about safety on campus and doing everything to protect those students.”

Lifton cautioned students not to expect big changes immediately.

“There are many smaller things that we can work on, such as the financial process and improving SA resources, but something like the library or new dining options aren’t things that we can fix in one year,” he said. “I want to finish my term as president having advocated for the issues that are big ticket items that will drastically change students’ experience at GW.”

GWU Writing Center Moves to Gelman, Hours Slashed

The GWU Writing Center has reopened for the Spring 2010 semester in a new location, with reduced hours due to budget cuts for the program. The changes have been received with mixed enthusiasm, and a fair amount of complaints, by the writing center staff. Tayler Lofquist, a newly hired tutor at the center, was hoping to work between 12 and 15 hours a week this semester. She was scheduled for 11 hours before she found out just last week that budget restraints would only allow her to be working for 9 hours. Lofquist does not have any other jobs at this time.


“It’s unfortunate because everything you read about writing center work shows that it has a positive impact,” Lofquist says. The new location, the former WID Studio on the first floor of Gelman Library, will provide the Writing Center with much-needed visibility, but it is also significantly smaller than the spacious area previously occupied by the center on the 5th floor of Rome Hall. “Gelman is a central academic location,” says Tayler Lofquist. “People naturally come here anyway when they are doing work, so the Writing Center may become part of their writing routine.” Although Lofquist is excited that the GW Writing Center might now develop a more “robust presence” as a result of the move, she is concerned that the budget cuts will have an adverse impact on this growth potential.


Other tutors expressed similar concerns. Lauren Weidmaier balances her jobs as a tutor at the Writing Center and as a House Scholar in the Dakota residence. She is also worried that the staff cuts have come at a particularly bad time. “Students usually have a relatively difficult time finding one-on-one tutors or other support for their classes.” Weidmaier says. “The Writing Center is one of the best and only constantly-available academic resources on campus. Just when it seems more and more people were starting to use it, this happens.”