The GW Hatchet
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
An independent student newspaper • Serving the GW community since 1904 • Always online at GWHATCHET.COM The GW MONDAY • February 22, 2010 Volume 106 • Issue 44 HATCHET Columbian College to double advisers by MATT RIST Senior Staff Writer "The announcement is great In an effort to improve its widely criticized academic advising system, and now we get the enviable the University announced plans Friday to double the number of un- task of figuring out how we dergraduate advising staff in the Columbian College of Arts and Sci- can improve things." ences; create an advising committee LANDON WADE with representation from all under- graduate schools; and speed up the Columbian College implementation of a degree auditing Director of Advising system. The changes will cost a total of $700,000, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Donald Lehman Currently, the Columbian Col- said Friday. Compensation for nine lege has nine professional advisers, new professional advisers will cost in addition to faculty advisers in each GW around $500,000 and an estimat- department. Two of the professional ed $200,000 will be spent speeding up advisers focus on pre-law and pre- the implementation of a degree au- med students. diting system, he said. The money to Even with the increase in advis- hire new advisers over the next eight ers, the school will still have a ratio of MICHELLE RATTINGER | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR months will come from funds saved 280 students per professional adviser Representatives from Ballinger, a Philadelphia-based architectural company, presented three floor plans for the proposed through the Innovation Task Force, – well above the national average of Science and Engineering Complex at the Faculty Senate meeting Friday. a University initiative launched in 153 students to full-time advisers at October designed to ensure efficient many four-year private universities, spending. according to the most recent survey These efforts, Lehman said, could by the National Academic Advising Firm shares floor plans for SEC result in major improvements to aca- Association. demic advising. GW’s two largest undergraduate by LAUREN FRENCH lab and classroom space, and offer the academic community?” Parsons “I think the sheer numbers are schools besides the Columbian Col- Assistant News Editor a home for the engineering school said in an e-mail after the meeting. going to help and the advising com- lege have similar adviser-to-student and other science departments. But “As long as the Administration’s mittee will give us an opportunity to ratios – the School of Business has 266 The company charged with at Friday’s meeting, a number of SEC building dreams take priority educate people as to what advising is students for each of its six advisers programming the Science and En- Faculty Senate members expressed over educating GW students, cost is all about,” Lehman said. “Hopefully, and the Elliott School of International gineering Complex presented three concern over a lack of communi- not an issue.” the combination of our efforts in this Affairs has 302 students for each of its floor plans to GW’s Faculty Senate cation between the administration Other professors at the meet- direction will make students realize Friday, but neither the firm nor the and the University community. ing asked Executive Vice President that advising is a combined effort.” See ADVISING: Page B4 administration could offer a price Outspoken critic of the project for Academic Affairs Donald Leh- for the project, eliciting concerns Donald Parsons said the University man about the price of the building from faculty over the project’s fea- is continuing to misplace its priori- – which has not been released – and sibility. ties with the SEC. when that information would be Since November, Ballinger – the “Is it any surprise then that after available. Estimated costs from a 2008 Man charged with Philadelphia-based architectural 10 years of stumbling forward on Faculty Senate report put the price tag company hired to program the SEC the SEC, and a mere eight months at around $300 million, but an official – has been meeting with deans and from its planned approval by the cost has not yet been determined by students to design potential build- Board of Trustees, that the Adminis- the University, Lehman said. threatening Univ. ing plans based on the University’s tration does not yet have a ballpark needs. The building is set to include cost figure for the SEC to share with See SEC: Page B4 by HADAS GOLD Crime Alert sent Metro News Editor Thursday said that Markley is A former GW employee was ar- not currently Fusing college and faith on campus rested last week after he allegedly wanted by law called a University office and made enforcement, by SAIRA THADANI threats to “kill faculty and students,” but would be ar- Hatchet Staff Writer according to court documents and a rested if he enters Metropolitan Police Department re- campus. He must This is the third and final article port. also report for a James Ripley in a series about religion at GW, as seen James Ripley Markley Jr., a for- mental health as- through the eyes of the devout. The series mer mailroom employee who has sessment, court Markley Jr. follows four students of four different faiths not worked at the University for documents state, in an effort to look into their life on campus several years, was arrested Feb. 15 and is due for a preliminary hearing and how religion plays a role in their GW after a GW employee reported that March 8. His attorney, David Cum- experience. Markley made threats to the Univer- berbatch, did not respond to phone Previously, the four students dis- sity community over the phone. He calls over the weekend. cussed their beliefs, their religious devel- was charged Feb. 16 with one count In a conversation with govern- opments and the act of worshipping in of threatening to injure or kidnap a ment personnel, Markley – a 53-year- college. This week, the students talk about person – a felony – according to court old Northeast D.C. resident – said fusing college life with religious life. documents. that University staff members are Markley allegedly called a Uni- “meddling” with his family members When many students leave home versity office Feb. 4 and became an- and trying to take his house from him, to come to college, they bring luggage gry after he was told that the person according to the affidavit. The docu- and mementos. The four students he asked to speak with no longer ment states that Markley also said The Hatchet spoke with also brought worked at the University, according there is practice of “Satanic Cult and their faith, and found that combining to an affidavit in support of an ar- Klan meetings” at the University. religion and college poses challenges. rest warrant. In that conversation, he Markley said Friday that he Without family and cultural voices MICHELLE RATTINGER | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR spoke with a mumbling tone, cursed, stopped working for the University always in their ears, their transition to Ariel Scheer practices singing with Shir Madness, an a cappella group at Hillel. and said he would “[wreak] havoc in 1992, and said he left on his own college was also a transition to practic- Scheer often mixes her religion and faith with her social life. on the University and kill faculty and terms. ing their religion on their own. students,” the affidavit states. Assistant University Police Chief “My parents were always more notion of it culturally has changed,” Asked for comment in an inter- Frank Demes said UPD issued the A Progressive View understanding of my choices and they he added. view Friday, Markley said he did call Crime Alert as a precaution, and said let me go to parties,” Bhasin said. Bhasin had a long-term relation- the University, but denied making that the University is not sure why Freshman Ravjot Bhasin grew up In traditional Sikhism, drugs, alco- ship in high school, a relationship that threats. Markley made the alleged threats. in a religiously strict Sikh household hol and premarital sex are forbidden, his parents approved of, even after it “I did not say those things to GW He added that UPD may increase its in New York. His grandparents – im- but for some Sikhs drinking alcohol is turned serious. personnel. I did not say nothing of presence in areas where Markley had migrants from India - “played a huge now accepted. Bhasin said his views “I thought there was nothing that sort,” Markley said. contact with faculty or staff. role” in Bhasin’s religious upbringing, on Sikhism follow the more progres- wrong with it. I felt like being in a Markley was released from cus- The person Markley spoke with he said. In contrast, his parents, who sive line. relationship was okay in the society tody Feb. 16 and was ordered to stay on the phone, whose name is being are American-born, were more lenient “I feel that religiously, sex before away from the University, according withheld due to privacy concerns, de- in the social aspects of Sikhism. marriage is wrong, but I feel that the See RELIGION: Page B4 to court documents. A University clined to comment. u 'King of polling' plans to donate personal polls to GSPM by LAUREN FRENCH mendously valuable to scholars later heavy losses during the 1994 midterm Assistant News Editor on if a center could be created where elections, and is credited with creating people can study these polls.” a campaign strategy that helped clinch Mark Penn, an influential politico Penn is also establishing two en- the White House for Clinton in 1996. who has been dubbed the “king of dowments for this society, funding He was also part of the team that craft- polling,” announced his plans Friday the housing, preservation and mainte- ed Clinton’s response to the Monica to gift a portion of his personal col- nance of the data.