D.C. likes to read

The District of Columbia is the most well-read city in the country. Considering our already immense workloads and reading assignments, we do not find this surprising. Everyone at the University loves D.C. and its opportunities, but this most recent study is further testament to the impressive environment that GW students have chosen to immerse themselves in for four years.

Gelman gets a makeover?

The University hired an architecture firm to draw up a blueprint of renovations for Gelman’s first floor. We are glad that GW has responded to the student body’s unremitting pleas and took initiative to improve the ailing campus library. That said, this effort to make first-floor renovations remains in its earliest stages, and has already been attempted once. We hope to see material change soon.

Pell Grants reduced

The Federal Pell Grant Program faces major cuts from the federal government, though Pell Grants are important in ensuring students have an opportunity to pursue a college diploma. We are glad that GW’s financial aid program continues to relieve the financial burden of attending this University, but we hope the 11 to 12 percent of GW students who require Pell Grants are not turned away due to this projected federal cut.

GW launches online high school (but offers no prom)

High school students spend a lot of time in front of their computer screens, and thanks to GW’s new virtual secondary school, they can earn a degree by doing so. GW’s online high school will provide fodder for the Graduate School of Education and Human Development’s research, which will be a great benefit to the University. We applaud this most recent effort to reach out to secondary school students, yet worry the program may not provide long-term benefits to the University.

Spirited? Then stick around

Attendance at GW men’s basketball games has been markedly higher with the team’s performance in the Atlantic 10 conference, but Saturday’s game did not follow that trend. When the opposing team has a louder fan base than our own side it is embarrassing, and we hope this does not mark the end of a promising trend.

Book rentals soar

Textbooks are expensive. The fact that the GW Bookstore offers the option of renting books at a discounted rate is a financial relief for many students, especially because so many do not want their textbooks at the end of the semester anyway. As more students take advantage of the program, we hope that Rent-A-Text expands to meet more course demands and provides even more students with less expensive options for their textbooks.

Cuts for medical center

In order to retire the city’s $188 million deficit, the D.C. government slashed a facet of the Medical Center’s budget. The Department of Disability Services, which provides assistance for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, faces a 10-percent cut. While this reduction of funds does not directly impact students, we are disappointed the city is taking funds away from the hospital, as this institution is a critical element of GW students’ and D.C. residents’ lives.

Magazine finds that D.C. is the fifth-rudest city in the country

So the District has attitude. To that we say, fuck you, America. And fuck Travel + Leisure Magazine, too.