Following a national trend toward an increased focus on college students' writing skills, GW will introduce a new freshman writing course this fall. The four-credit class - University Writing 20 - will replace the traditional freshman English requirements and focus heavily on writing skills.
He is a man obsessed with change in pursuit of success and during his 15-year tenure, University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg has performed a facelift on GW and the surrounding community. GW has bought and built nearly two dozen buildings including multiple hotels, acquired two campuses, expanded its boundaries into Virginia and more than doubled undergraduate enrollment during his tenure. And that is just the beginning of the list.
With three fraternities and five sororities slated to move into GW's new Townhouse Row in the fall, leaders in the Greek-letter community said they are looking forward to an increased presence on campus.
After a two-year period that has included the attack on the Pentagon, anthrax mailings, heightened terror alerts and sniper shootings, GW security officials said they are looking to constantly improve campus security measures. But officials are still calling on students to take preventative steps to maintain their own security and remain attune to their surroundings.
Students looking to join GW's Greek-letter community will have the opportunity to get involved within the first month they are in D.C. Although Greek-letter organizations at several other universities recruit new members when students are second-semester freshmen or sophomores, GW's fraternities and sororities look for pledges in mid-September.
Class of 2007: Are you excited? Do you realize the opportunities that lie ahead of you? Trust me, you have no idea. Today marks the beginning of a new journey in your life, one during which you get to decide who you are and where you want to go. Don't think for one second that you will be anything like you are right now in four years. This is only the beginning, the beginning of the time of your life. Welcome to The George Washington University.
The truth is going to come out at some point, so I may as well state it sooner rather than later - strange things happen in Thurston Hall. It is an accepted part of GW life. Whether you are a resident or a visitor, you will see, do or smell something you wish you wouldn't have. (This goes for you too parents). It's what everyone calls the "Thurston experience."
Well, here you are at Colonial Inauguration. You're meeting and greeting fellow freshmen, registering for classes and getting a taste of what life will be like in a residence hall. By now you should have come to at least one important conclusion: residence halls are small. GW has packed all of you in so tightly that you barely have room to breathe, let alone room to bring all of the belongings you've been accumulating for the past 18 years.
Welcome to college: 15 hours a week of class, maybe another 12 for a job and then a wild nirvana of free time that most incoming freshmen can barely imagine. It's great at first, but then the shock wears off and most people find themselves asking, "What am I going to do for the next four years?" At GW, the answer is simple: whatever makes you happy, whatever you find interesting, whatever you've always wished you could do.
Advice on life, love and relationships Email dilemmas to advice@gwhatchet.com.
Much has been revolutionized since the inception of the Wachowski brothers' Matrix phenomena. Never before had mainstream cinema and philosophy been paired so successfully with the accessories of sex appeal, aggression and extreme cinematography; the original "Matrix" broke this boundary, "Reloaded" however, does not.
A few years back, I realized that between first grade and now, one thing has remained constant: my undying love for toilet humor. You know, poop and pee jokes, sexual innuendoes, etc. Really high brow stuff. Good 'ol poop and pee stories still crack me up just as much as ever.
Have you ever had to wear a thong in a hot tub with a French criminal just to get in good with your in-laws? If so, I pity you. If not, you are in for a treat with Warner Brother's "The In-Laws." Starring Michael Douglas ("Don't Say A Word," "Traffic") and Albert Brooks ("Mother," "The Muse"), this high-flying picture is sure to have audience members rolling in the aisles.
Down with love! Well, down with love that doesn't involve Ewan McGregor. That's the conclusion I came to by watching "Down With Love" (Twentieth Century Fox). While the movie is cute and entertaining, it is carried by its star power. The dreamy McGregor and his hint of a Scottish brogue will make the women in the audience melt, while the endearing Renee Zellweger will charm the men into enjoying a "chick flick."
L.A. is a place that scares me. What scares me is not the seedy atmosphere, but the fact that if I ever get killed there, a goof-ball like Josh Hartnett would be policing my corpse. "Hollywood Homicide" (Columbia Pictures) is a movie based in some very generic concepts. Joe Gavilan (Harrison Ford) is the hard-nosed veteran police detective, his new partner, K.C. Calden (Josh Hartnett) is the rookie youngster that often gets in the way.
A great white shark pulls you down into the murky depths of the sea, what do you do? You join his 12-step meat eaters anonymous group, of course! Well, you would if you were a fish in the new Disney/ Pixar animated film "Finding Nemo." This bubbly underwater adventure brings the voices of actors Albert Brooks ("The Muse," "The In-Laws"), Ellen DeGeneres ("Ellen") Willem Dafoe ("Spiderman," "The Boondock Saints") and Alexander Gould ("They," "Mexico City"), to the silver screen.
The club scene may not be your cup of tea, but if you are under 21 and looking for something fun to do on the weekends, there are a variety of clubs just waiting to take your cover and stamp your hand.
Soon after incoming freshmen leave Colonial Inauguration, they will know GCRs from CRNs, and ESIA from SMPA. But while the CI staff and advisers provide information and assistance, it is just a student, the computer and a race against time during course registration on the last day of CI. However, there is good news. Everyone is in the same situation, and administrators said they do their best to accommodate all students.
Anthropology 003 - Archaeology Curriculum requirement: Social and Behavioral Sciences 3 credits section 10 - Monday and Wednesday 2 to 3:15 p.m. section 11 - Tuesday and Thursday 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. Computer Science 035.10 - Introduction to Web Software Development 3 credits Tuesday 7:30 to 10 p.
One of the first lessons incoming students come to learn is that the University has poor relations with Foggy Bottom community groups. GW and the District are engaged in a court battle over how much the University can build and how many students it needs to house. This story is The Hatchet's try to give freshmen a perspective on a conflict that could have major ramifications for University policies during the next four years.
Rising junior Kris Hart won the Student Association presidency and became the leading voice for GW's student body following a narrow election in March. The SA functions as the student government, providing resources for students, allocating money to student organizations, sponsoring events and catering to students' needs.
Unlike students on most college campuses, GW freshmen have the opportunity to build their resumes from the start - by working at one of hundreds of revered organizations in the nation's capital.
Each incoming freshman class boasts hundreds of former high school class presidents, community service leaders and yearbook and newspaper editors. But with more than 250 clubs and organizations at GW, assuming a leadership position in a student organization can seem like a daunting task for a freshman.
Although the Mount Vernon Campus will exclusively house freshmen for the first time this fall, officials said it will not significantly impact life at the suburban campus. But students will see the addition of a new dormitory and possible improvements in dining options and shuttle service.
If you've made it to CI, you probably already know people come to GW for political rallies instead of pep rallies, and would rather see a presidential debate than a basketball game. But if you're like I was two years ago, you still need your sports fix, whether that means having a team to root for, having a team to play for or both.
For incoming freshmen hoping to see a Major League Baseball team while they attend GW, the next few weeks should go a long way in determining whether that team is the Orioles in Baltimore or the Expos in Washington. If the Montreal Expos are relocated to the District, it is still unclear when they would begin playing a few Metro stops away.
Last fall, the Hatchet spent the first eight weeks of the NFL season in search of D.C.'s best sports bars. For all those days and nights when watching the game on the couch with the remote just isn't enough, we proudly bring you the Brett Favres and Jerry Rices of the hundreds of area sports bars. Our evaluation was based on what we believed to be the most important qualities of a sports bar, which we rated one to five for each bar and added for a total rating.
Between a virtual water fountain of beer, your lack of physical activity between the classes you actually go to, the proximity of Chipotle (you may not know what it is now, but it will become a valuable part of your GW experience; head down to the 18th and M street location and experience it) and more beer, preventing weight gain in college is as likely as GW lowering tuition.
There is nothing worse than the kindergarten teacher-like demeanor of the Colonial Cabinet at Colonial Inauguration. The last thing incoming students need is an idealistic, super upbeat, completely positive assessment of what is to come in their next four years in D.C. If you haven't figured it out by now, GW is not simply what is portrayed to you by your caring Colonial Cabinet member.
Vol. 108
An Independent Student Newspaper
Serving The George Washington University Community Since 1904
