GW continues collaboration with XM Radio

This month marks the one-year anniversary of GW’s partnership with XM Satellite Radio and Tony Bennett’s Exploring the Arts foundation in producing “GW Presents Beyond Category,” a weekly two-hour radio series showcasing the music of songwriters and musicians.

Featuring artists such as Cole Porter, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Fred Astaire, the show airs three times a week on XM. With music, artist interviews and historical profiles, the show aims to educate young adults about the “great American songbook,” said Michael Freedman, GW’s vice president of Communication, who oversees the program.

“It’s a marketing tool for GW without question,” he said. “We’re introducing great American music to a whole new generation of radio listeners.”

Freedman said Bennett, who received an honorary degree from the University in 2001, came up with the idea for the weekly program to showcase a variety of American music. Veteran CBS radio broadcaster Dick Golden hosts the show, which involves student volunteers.

“We love the idea of increasing collaboration with Tony Bennett and for GW to establish a relationship with XM radio,” Freedman said.

-Marissa Levy

Adjuncts plan efforts for an atypical Colonials Weekend

GW’s part-time faculty union supporters will unveil an “awareness campaign” for Colonials’ Weekend in an effort to educate GW alumni, students and their parents about ongoing efforts to establish a collective bargaining group.

Adjunct music professor Kip Lornell, a leader in the faculty unionization effort, would not disclose the group’s plans, but said extensive public relations efforts are needed to help raise awareness and support.

“It will not be your typical parents weekend,” Lornell said, adding that the large number of parents coming to GW next weekend will serve as a good forum for publicizing the unionization cause.

“GW is a tuition-driven university,” he added. “Parents and students need to know how the University is proceeding with their money and the personnel issues they are having.”

The University is set to face the National Labor Relations Board in a federal hearing this month after the NLRB filed an unfair labor practice charge against GW over the summer. In May, the NLRB determined that part-time faculty members approved a union by 10 votes in an October 2004 election. University officials contend that the board’s certification was flawed and have refused to engage in collective bargaining with would-be members of the Service Employees International Union Local 500.

Union supporters have criticized the University for using what they termed stalling tactics in the years-long effort to establish an adjunct union on campus. Lornell said supporters hope to reach out to more part-time faculty members this weekend.

“Part of the education (effort) is to remind part-time faculty how fragile their situation is,” Lornell said.

-Lauren Emmett