An opportunity

As a former Colonial die-hard who now resides in the basketball-crazy land of the Dayton Flyers, I was appalled that the crowd at the Dayton game (Friday, Jan. 18) was the largest in the Smith Center in almost two years. I am one of you. I know you have commitments, stresses and priorities that these white bread, middle-American knuckleheads would mock if they could only put a full sentence together. But, I implore you to go to a basketball game. It will be good for you in more ways than you can count. Students at GW are not your average students. You have more opportunities to live, work and play in a seamless campus in the seat of the world’s power. Why would you want to build a resume and then go into your first interview (likely in front of a middle-aged white male basketball fan) and explain that you have never heard of Chris Monroe and Pops Mensah-Bonsu or Cathy Joens and Ugo Oha? Colonial basketball is one opportunity you should not miss.

-Packy Moran (’96)
promotions director at Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio

Don’t limit picks

As a former programming chair (1999-2000) for the Residence Hall
Association, I am greatly disheartened to learn that the RHA will no longer be able to auction the top 10 housing selection picks at Martha’s Marathon this year – it will be limited to five spots.

While Martha’s offers a wide selection of popular items and services, the biggest draw, not to mention the source of the majority of the revenue, is the housing picks. Without the picks to auction, Martha’s will not raise nearly as much money as it has in the past. This directly hurts the students who need the most help, as there will be less money for housing scholarships.

If the administration is concerned that only wealthy students can purchase bids, perhaps a compromise can be reached – raffle more than the top selection. In the past, the number one pick was raffled, with the cost of the tickets minimal compared to the cost of bidding on numbers two to 10.

It is my hope that the administration and RHA will be able to reach a decision that benefits the majority of students, that is, allow the RHA to raffle/auction the top 10 picks.

-Maureen Benitz
B.A. 2000, M.A. 2002

Wrong answer

When I read the cover story in Thursday’s Hatchet, it seemed like deja vu. Yet again, the University is searching for places to put the incoming freshman class. This is just a thought, but instead of buying more beds each year to meet GW’s largest class ever, maybe the school should stop admitting so many people. With applications on the rise – as well as a general improvement in their quality – GW can afford to cut class size. I know this is a hard decision for those in the administration who see money for every additional student, but it is the right thing. GW can barely fit the number of students who are here now. Do the right thing; stop looking for beds and start making class sizes smaller.

-Chris Gaston
junior

No beer for SA

In Thursday’s Hatchet section titled SA Senate Notes (“Alcohol Bill Rejected,” Jan. 23, p. 3) it reported the SA rejected a bill that proposed “no (SA) funds shall be dispersed to pay for alcoholic beverages to be consumed by underage persons.” The vote went 18-5 voting against it. Thanks to Dan Moss who did propose it, but for the others, I am not paying $1 per credit to allow my senators to drink beer. They should be setting the example for all of us. If they are underage, they definitely should not be drinking alcohol, especially with our money! And what about all the rest of the money the University gives the SA? Who provides that money? We do! I urge everyone who agrees with me to email the SA. This is ridiculous.

-Jai Patel
sophomore