Art politics

We are writing in response to the article “Art department to make cuts” (April 12, p. 3). We are both seniors majoring in fine arts with a concentration in visual communications and we want to point out the gross misrepresentation of the focus of your article. We were stunned that your reporter could write an article that focuses on the visual communication and printmaking programs yet speak to no one directly involved in the programs, such as students, professors or program directors. We also want to point out that the visual communications program is not an unpopular focus within the art department, especially considering the relevance of a graphic design education in this day and age; the program has suffered because of a lack of funding and department bias.

We also wanted to take the opportunity to voice our concerns on a few other actions that we believe to be inappropriate. First of all, the article was published before anyone in the VisCom program was informed of the final decision. This was not a feat of wondrous investigation, seeing as both Dean Frawley and Professor Anderson granted you interviews. In addition to this disrespectful action, no member of the visual communications program was allowed to be a part of the meetings leading up to the final decision to cut the program.

It is painfully clear to us that those making this decision did not find it necessary to hear the views of the students and faculty who are actively involved with the program. We do not understand how or why the letters submitted by our professors and fellow students, and our student petition, were completely ignored. Our professors had no power to be heard by the University and, consequentially, our own voices were not heard. And more importantly, our best interests were not considered. As GW students, we are ashamed and disappointed by the way this situation has been handled. It is obvious to us that politics have overtaken this department and we, the visual communications students, are the ones who have suffered and will suffer the greatest losses.

-Barrie Gordon and Anna Martin, senior

Save the program

As a student who picks up either USA Today, The New York Times or The Washington Post each day in my dorm, I am distressed that GW is cutting the GW Reads newspaper program. The University continues to increase student tuition without improving student quality of life. Keeping the newspapers is a simple, affordable way to maintain student morale. http://gwired.gwu.edu/adm/more/facts.html reports that there are 8,800 undergraduate students at GW. If the program costs $90,000 total, that is about $10.30 per student. If a student bought just one of the three newspapers we have available in our dorms every weekday, he would quickly eclipse this sum.

The Hatchet reported that only 22 to 24 percent of the newspapers are being picked up each day. If this is the reason for the cut, GW should search for alternatives to eliminating the program, such as simply reducing the number of newspapers available each day. GW’s Board of Trustees should keep students informed. They should keep the newspapers.

-John DeLooper, freshman

Recognize us

I am the business director of the Sons of Pitch, GW’s newest all-male a cappella group. I was disheartened to notice something in your April 26 Hatchet recognizing the winners of the 19th annual Excellence Awards (“Students receive excellence awards,” p. 3). This was the glaring error that denied our recognition as the GW student body’s choice for Performance Group of the Year. This award was determined based on student voting on GWired and is special because it was not chosen by a committee, but by the students directly. I feel that this award certainly deserves the same amount of respect and prestige as every other award given that evening. This was made so evidently clear by all three finalists having the opportunity to perform during the event as well as presenting it as the last award of the night. After all, the theme of the night was how everyone even nominated was a star in the GW community. With that said, my group would appreciate some recognition for our award.

-Daniel L. Tannebaum, business director, Sons of Pitch