MOCK TRIAL PAGE A2 COMMEMORATING A HERO PAGE B6 GW's team now ranked No. 1 in the nation GW falls to Towson in Jackie Robinson game THURSDAY The GW April 17, 2008 ALWAYS ONLINE: WWW.GWHATCHET.COM Vol. 104 • Iss. 56 Hatchet @ AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER - SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904 Washington welcomes the pope Intelligent Th ousands visit students D.C. for a glimpse of decrease the Catholic leader by Amanda Dick Senior Staff Writer by Sarah Biggart Hatchet Staff Writer While record–high numbers of aca- demically prestigious freshmen are en- The trek for Justyna Japola started rolling at Ivy League colleges, fewer at the White House at 8 a.m. Armed smart students are choosing to attend with a guitar and GW, according to a report presented at For video cover- fl anked by members last Friday’s Faculty Senate meeting. age of the pope of a neo-Catholic The report, “The Decline in Elite see media. group, the Polish Freshmen Admissions,” highlights gwhatchet.com Georgetown gradu- aspects of this rift including fewer ate student made freshman recipients of National Merit her way to Foggy Bottom to witness Scholarships, a 6 percent drop in early the fi rst pontifi cal visit in almost three decision I applicants and a 15 percent decades. drop in early decision II applicants for “It doesn’t matter if we see him.," fall 2008 admission. Japola said. "It just matters that we’re “Faculty members who have read here and he knows that we love him the report are both surprised and con- and we feel his love as well." cerned,” said Donald Parsons, a profes- Willie and Linsey Henricken are sor of economics and chair of the Faculty originally from Ireland and Zimba- Senate’s educational policy committee. bwe, respectively, but came from their “The few administrators who have giv- house in Maryland to see Pope Bene- en an opinion seem skeptical that the dict XVI pass by in his Mercedes-Benz phenomenon exists at all.” popemobile. The University commissioned the “We’re just here to show our love Nick Gingold/photo editor report in response to a $1 million cut Pope Benedict XVI (above) in his popemobile while traveling around Washington Circle. This is the fi rst papal visit in funding for merit scholarships in See POPE, p. A5 to the U.S. in more than 30 years. Tomorrow the pope will say Mass for 45,000 people at Nationals Park. its 2007-2008 operating budget. High tuition and cuts to available merit aid caused concern for some administra- tors. They worried GW might seem less attractive to academically presti- gious students. Many of these students SA president tackles study abroad woes took advantage of GW’s generous merit scholarship awards in previous years. Parsons said he has been circulating Offi ce of Study Abroad to hire additional staff the report to professors and adminis- trators as a means to stimulate debate about GW’s current policies. by Caroline Coppel “I wanted to identify the often cheaper program fees “Only the administration can address Hatchet Staff Writer communication breakdown while abroad, Capp said. issues of resources,” Parsons said. “GW between students and the office,” “I think it would be good to has a long tradition of ‘top down’ gov- In the waning weeks of said Capp, a junior. “We needed adjust the costs, especially when ernance. Although that may be chang- her administration, Student to figure out why the staff was many programs are so much ing under (University President Steven) Association President Nicole not responding to students in a cheaper compared to GW,” she Knapp, under the last president, faculty Capp met with the director of timely manner.” said. ‘surprise and concern’ over an issue of the Office of Study Abroad to The office’s small staff was Prior to the meeting, Capp educational quality was not something address a growing number of an immediate concern. met with several students who that would affect policy.” concerns students have with the “There’s not enough people voiced their concerns with the Margaret Soltan, an English profes- office. to serve in all the ways that stu- Office of Study Abroad. sor who blogs on higher education, said Capp, Rob Hallworth, the dents want,” she said. “Studying abroad is amaz- the University is failing to attract, or director of the Office of Study Hallworth said the office ing, but getting there was a lot failing to keep, the best students who Abroad, and Donna Scarboro, is hiring a new adviser and of trouble,” said Melissa Meyer, apply to GW. the assistant vice president for is considering purchasing one of the students with whom “If GW has (the money), it should special and international pro- software that allows students Capp met. “It should not have to certainly spend like a drunken sailor grams, discussed strategies that to keep track of their own be that way.” on scholarships for our best students,” could improve the office’s abil- paperwork and applications – Last month Meyer sent Soltan said. “But I get the feeling GW ity to interact with student par- addressing a major concern an e-mail to the Focus on Fall doesn't really have these resources any- ticipants and handle their prob- of misplaced or unprocessed Abroad listserv asking students more – at least not in the way it once lems. paperwork. who had problems with the did.” Another issue discussed Office of Study Abroad to voice GW was not among the 98 col- Kathleen Kuever/Hatchet photographer at last week’s meeting is the their concerns to Capp. leges and universities with at least Sophomore Kyla Wong (left) requirement that students pay In response, Melanie 20 National Merit Scholars among the speaks wih study abroad advis- regular GW tuition rather than er Shelley Gentry Jesse (right). their study abroad programs’ See ABROAD, p. A5 See SMART, p. B3 GW preps Honoring Virginia Tech's fallen for student “Tonight we are loan scare all Hokies.” by Mike Phillips Hatchet Staff Writer NICOLE CAPP SA PRESIDENT The subprime mortgage crisis, which tore through the financial markets over the last year, has reached student loans. Officials at GW are wary, but confident that students here will be able to find loans to cover the University’s sky- high tuition. While no schools or students have reported problems accessing aid yet, potential shortfalls have sent Congress and financial aid offices photos by Ryder Haske/assistant photo editor scrambling to ensure students will be able to (left) GW students hold a vigil in Kogan Plaza Wednesday night. find financing. (right) Virginia Tech shooting survivor Elilta Habtu becomes “I’m not pushing the panic button. I think emotional on the steps of the Supreme Court during a demon- we’re OK, from what I’ve heard,” said Dan stration in favor of more strict gun laws. Small, director of student financial assistance at GW. Student loans issued by brokers have tra- always there,” Forbes said. “It will never go Capp and her successor Vishal Aswani read the ditionally been resold to investors on bond by Amy Rhodin away. (The shootings) changed how I think 32 victims' names. markets, since brokers rarely have the funds to Hatchet Staff Writer about everything.” It has been one year since a gunman tore cover the loan themselves. But the collapse of On Monday, she found herself in the same through the Virginia campus and a year since the market for home mortgages last year made It has been a long year for Jessica Forbes. courtyard in the GW community commemorated the kill- such debt a pariah for investors, and student The senior transferred to GW from Virginia For video coverage of the vigil which she stood ings with a similar vigil. loans are the latest victim. Tech in 2006. Only one week before a gunman see media.gwhathcet.com one year ago. And on Wednesday night, Capp stood as Most student loans are guaranteed by the tore through the rural Virginia campus, Forbes And again, can- she did last year: somber in tone, toting a can- federal government through the Stafford and visited her friends in Blacksburg, Va. Shortly dles illuminated the center of Kogan Plaza. dle to show solidarity with the Hokie commu- PLUS loan programs, which are limited. Last after she returned, she learned her friend had This time, to commemorate the one-year nity. year, students received about $60 billion in been killed. anniversary of the worst shooting in American “I’m used to not thinking about it, but it's history, Student Association President Nicole See TECH, p. B4 See LOANS, p. B4 The GW Hatchet | Thursday, April 17, 2008 Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday FOUR DAY Page FORECAST 2 HIGH 76 | LOW 54 HIGH 82 | LOW 58 HIGH 82 | LOW 58 HIGH 70 | LOW 58 Elise Kigner – Campus News Editor ([email protected]) Andrew Ramonas – Campus News Editor ([email protected]) Eric Roper – Metro News Editor ([email protected]) Alexa Millinger – Assistant News Editor ([email protected]) CAMPUS CALENDAR Mock trial team SNAPSHOT Evening investigation Thursday nabs fi rst place Battle of the Bands 2008 A benefi t concert to support by Sarah Scire basketball player that you played St. Jude Children’s Hospital Senior Staff Writer ‘college ball,’” Bentele said. “It’s featuring a raffl e, food and very well respected within the pro- bands including The White GW Mock Trial will begin its fession.” Hat, The Fighting Janes, next competitive season ranked Unlike moot courts in law Famous Corners, Kill Lincoln No. 1 in the nation after fi nishing in schools – which simulate an appel- and more.