Inaugural float a waste of resources

If there was one good thing to be said about our inaugural parade float, it would be that it provided our school with one of the strongest uniting forces this campus has experienced in recent memory: We are all united in agreement over its complete and total repulsiveness.

But, per usual, the insightful and hard-hitting Hatchet editorial board completely misses the point. The issue here is not that the GW float was hideous (that simply added insult to injury), but rather the appalling amount of money our school spent to create this monstrosity. The official line is that it cost $85K, though widely circulated rumors suggest a range of 120-150. Complete with a giant flat-screen Samsung, a glorious Smartboard and custom “GW Inaugural” apparel for all the students who worked on it, the float represents the greatest failing of our University: its inability to appropriately allocate funds to best serve the academic needs of its students.

Though I suppose the snazzy custom outfitting was actually a necessary expense. How else could you persuade someone to spend precious hours working on that gnarly mess? Instead of creating a gruesome float that cost more than its weight in gold, maybe the school (and this paper) should focus more on doing things to actually improve the quality of our university.

Things like, you know, giving us a real study abroad office. Or maybe using those tens of thousands of dollars for scholarships in these hard economic times. But, knowing both GW and this paper, that is probably asking far too much. The obsession with what “looks good” for the school has consistently trumped that which is good for the school. Anyone remember the vaunted CI laser light show? J. Paul Getty said, “Money is like manure. You have to spread it around or it smells.” Well, this reeks.
Alex Shoucair, Junior

Does GW hate it when students save money?

In your story “SA utilizes online bookstore” (Jan. 22, p. 5), I found it wildly ironic that Nancy Haaga showed concern with students supporting the Student Association financially by using Brunobooks.com, which gives 10 percent of proceeds to our SA. What should really be keeping Haaga up at night is how badly students are being ripped off by GW’s own bookstore!

For example, go on Brunobooks.com and search for “Microeconomics” by Robert Pindyk. I bought this book for Econ 101 Section 12 from the bookstore for more than $197. According to Brunobooks.com I can get the same book for a mere $57. Clearly the “convenience” of our bookstore is not worth an extra $140 for the same exact book.

Sadly, this just goes to show where the priorities of GW’s Campus and Support Services truly lie. Students are clearly being taken advantage of financially at this university and frankly I’m getting sick of it. I can’t think of a single student who would complain about the SA making a few more bucks if they’re saving literally hundreds of dollars on their textbooks, so why does this bother Nancy Haaga? The SA has not been even been allowed to advertise Brunobooks.com’s valuable services in order to preserve the GW bookstore’s pseudo-monopoly (contractually backed by the University). When are we going to organize ourselves as students and proclaim enough is enough?
Sammy Lopez, Senior

Treasure inauguration memories

I hope those GW students attending inauguration festivities remember them forever, because many of my classmates and I were not so fortunate. I am an alumnus (Bachelor of Accountancy, 1986) and we were, literally, frozen out of the inauguration that took place during my time at GW.

It was 1985 (President Reagan’s second inauguration) and, due to a high temperature of 3 degrees below zero, everything was moved inside and, naturally, admittance was limited. In the history of the United States, I believe it was the only inauguration to be held inside. I think this is one of the events that, if you are in Washington, you cannot miss. Unfortunately, I did. So remember the events and festivities because, once you enter the working world, it may be the only one you get.
Michael A. Berson, Alumnus