Well spent

I would just like to remark that I was disappointed in the Hatchet’s coverage of Monumental Celebration Commencement Weekend. As a graduating senior, I cannot think of a better way, and certainly a better place to celebrate our time at GW, than at Monumental. Instead of choosing to cover the event and the great times my classmates and myself had, your paper chose to go after ticket sales and attendance. From my perspective, I don’t know how more people could have been in attendance as all three of the halls seemed to be quite full throughout the evening. The music, food and all activities made for a great time to celebrate with friends and family. All of them remarked what a great place and a great way to celebrate, and that they wish their college had offered such an event. Studying and graduating in our nation’s capital gives us the opportunity to hold ‘monumental’ events in such ‘monumental’ places as Union Station, and most importantly Commencement on the Ellipse. It is an experience I will likely never forget, as I probably would if we had our celebration in the Marvin Center. I hope that GW continues to give its graduates the opportunity to attend Monumental Celebration at Union Station and Commencement on the Ellipse.

-Christian Berle, Class of 2004

Elected body

My good friend, Charles Barber, GW’s chief counsel, either made a mistake or was misquoted. In the May 17 article “City mulls later Health and Wellness Center hours (p. 6),” Charles is quoted as saying “we [GW] have not been successful in the past gaining support [from the Foggy Bottom/West End Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC)] on any issue.” This is just not true. While the relationship between GWU and the ANC has, at times, been bumpy, it is not as one-sided as reported.

I served on the ANC during the years’ the campus plan was discussed (’99-’00). As a member of the Commission, I, and other Commission members, spent many hours discussing various ANC/GW issues with many GW officials including Charles Barber. Though we took opposite sides on some issues, we agreed on others. The ANC voted to support GW’s application for low- interest tax bonds. This issue saved GW students hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest savings. The ANC also voted to support GW zoning application for the law school expansion into the historic President’s House. The ANC and GW have worked together to make Foggy Bottom a greener and cleaner neighborhood. The ANC has commended GW for planting trees throughout the neighborhood. The ANC commended GWU students for their continued efforts to help clean up Foggy Bottom.

The ANC, like it or not, is an elected body. It is part of the city government. Students should understand that the ANC, as a body, does not automatically oppose anything that President Trachtenberg suggests. All issues are carefully studied, and the ANC votes in the best interest of the Foggy Bottom/West End neighborhoods. The ANC does represent all the members of the Foggy Bottom community, including all students living within the ANC boundaries. A number of GWU students have been elected to serve on the ANC.

-Richard Sheehey, GWU Class of ’95, Former ANC Commissioner

Bad choice

The GW community may be interested to know that the man named “CEO of the Year” for 2003 by the Business School’s Executive MBA program, Dr. J. P. (Jack) London, is head of a company whose employees have been implicated in the torture of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad.

This information comes from articles posted on The New Yorker magazine Web site on March 30 and in the print edition of the New York Times on May 4.

The articles cite a confidential report written by U.S. Army Major General Antonio Taguba. The report alleges that two employees of CACI International, Mr. London’s company, encouraged prison guards to abuse prisoners in order to facilitate interrogations and concludes that the two employees were among those who “were either directly or indirectly responsible for the abuse at Abu Ghraib.”

On April 3, CACI issued a statement that the U.S. government has provided the company with no information about wrongful behavior of its employees, that the company is participating with an Army investigation and has retained outside counsel to conduct its own investigation of the allegations.

When Mr. London received the “CEO of the Year” award at GW, he spoke about “leadership and accountability” and “integrity.” The meaning of these words should be judged by the appropriateness of the company’s response as more information about these allegations becomes clear.

-Brian Morgan, law student