Chronic Illnesses Pose Setbacks in Social Life and Academics, Students
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Monday, October 14, 2019 I Vol. 116 Iss. 12 AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER • SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904 WWW.GWHATCHET.COM What’s inside Opinions Culture Sports The editorial board Read more about The East on rise: How a discusses the CHC’s Kanye West’s surprise restructuring of men’s shortcomings in visit to campus water polo’s conference health care Saturday increased its caliber Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Brian Blake to bring ‘data-driven’ focus to role as new provost: colleagues ALEC RICH & during his tenure. JARED GANS “Our loss clearly will STAFF WRITERS accrue to the benefi t of George Washington,” he GW’s academic enter- said in the letter. “Howev- prise will gain a “thought- er, I am excited that Provost ful” leader next month Blake will have a unique ca- when Brian Blake joins the reer opportunity in his new University as its next pro- academic home.” vost, former and future col- Fry said Blake will leave leagues said. a “rich” legacy of establish- Blake, who has worked ing several programs, like as a professor, dean and the Drexel Areas of Re- provost at four higher ed- search Excellence program, ucation institutions over which promotes interdisci- more than 20 years, will plinary research, to incen- bring “warmth” and expe- tivize community mem- rience to the position when bers to become involved in he becomes the next pro- research at the university. vost on Nov. 1, colleagues Research is one of LeBlanc’s said. They said Blake’s fi ve strategic initiatives and extensive experience will one of his four pillars of the help him take part in the University’s next fi ve-year planning process for GW’s strategic plan. next fi ve-year strategic Fry said Blake helped to SOPHIA YOUNG | PHOTOGRAPHER plan, which includes a cut obtain more than $65 mil- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Of cer Mark Diaz said his team completed 100 infrastructure improvements on campus in his rst year. in undergraduate enroll- lion in donations from do- ment and an increase in the nors and to establish more proportion of STEM majors. than a dozen endowed Executive Vice President Diaz restructured “I think in leadership, scholarships for women it’s good to have nice hu- and minorities in science, man beings,” University technology, engineering leadership, led strategic initiatives in fi rst year President Thomas LeBlanc and math fi elds. LeBlanc said. “I think he exemplifi es announced plans to in- ZACH SCHONFELD prove institutional cul- casting and analysis. ment and manage GW’s that and exemplifi es that in crease the ratio of STEM ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR ture and address cam- “He’s coming right conflict of interest poli- his leadership style.” undergraduates at GW pus safety issues in his at the right time – at the cies. Blake was selected from about 19 percent to 30 After noting sev- first year, Diaz said. beginning stages of the “The governance as the next provost af- percent last month. eral maintenance issues “I think it’s safe to strategic planning pro- change made a differ- ter a monthslong search “Brian has been a trust- around campus – like say I didn’t have much cess, as well as the bud- ence as to how we value to succeed Provost For- ed colleague and wonderful the psychology depart- of a honeymoon period,” get cycle,” Diaz said. and view that part of rest Maltzman concluded partner, and I know that he ment’s sewage overflow he said. “I think on liter- Diaz also hired a the organization,” Diaz last week. Maltzman an- will be missed,” Fry said. in May and the Smith ally my first day, Aug. 1, slate of new officials said. nounced in April his inten- Patricia Whitely, the Center scoreboard fall- we jumped into the deep who directly report to LeBlanc said Diaz has tion to resign as provost University of Miami’s vice ing last September – end of the pool.” him in the finance, tax improved employee cul- and take a sabbatical before president for student af- Mark Diaz sought to University President and business divisions ture by empowering his returning to GW as a pro- fairs, said Blake did a “fan- document problems ap- Thomas LeBlanc said in January to “ensure teams while building ac- fessor. tastic job” in his roles as parent in nearly every Diaz brings a “broad greater coordination countability by holding vice provost and graduate GW building. skillset” and has worked and collaboration” be- other officials to dead- Blake’s career school dean and demon- Diaz, the University’s to understand GW’s re- tween top administra- lines. Blake has previously strated his dedication to executive vice president source base and improve tors. The hires included “We want people to worked at Drexel and student success. Blake was and chief financial of- its leadership structure. a new University con- be empowered and ac- Georgetown universities hired for the role by LeB- ficer, embarked on a Diaz has brought “trans- troller to head GW’s ac- countable,” LeBlanc and the universities of lanc while he served as Mi- tour of the Foggy Bot- formative” change to counting efforts and a said. “If you have an Miami and Notre Dame ami’s provost, LeBlanc said tom and Mount Vernon GW through his initia- new associate vice presi- organization where no- throughout his career in in an interview. campuses, jotting down tives, LeBlanc said. dent for total rewards to body feels responsible academia, according to his “He was always ac- issues ranging from in- “I think it’s remark- manage employee com- and nobody feels ac- LinkedIn profi le. cessible and visible to the adequate lighting on the able how much impact pensation. countable, then nothing Blake has served as graduate students and ac- Vern to faulty cooling he’s been able to have Diaz also created a gets done.” provost and executive vice complished numerous ini- systems. done so quickly,” he new position – a chief president for academic af- tiatives that improved grad- That tour led to a $10 said. people officer – to over- Advancing strategic fairs of Drexel since 2015. uate student life,” Whitely million commitment this see human resources initiatives Under his tenure, Drexel said in an email. “He was summer from the Board Rethinking the orga- and hired Dana Bradley Diaz has helped lead enrolled its largest fresh- a mentor for students and a of Trustees to complete nization’s structure to oversee a “major re- two of LeBlanc’s five man class and notched its great role model for the UM “urgent” improvements When Diaz arrived orientation” of the de- strategic initiatives – the highest retention rate and community.” on campus, what Diaz at GW, he inherited eco- partment. He promoted medical enterprise and “research activity” in the Kevin Bowyer – a pro- called an ongoing com- nomic challenges like the position in the hier- institutional culture – in history of the college, ac- fessor of engineering and mitment to make cam- ongoing budget cuts. archy to report directly his first year. cording to a University re- computer science at Notre pus “better and safer.” Diaz said he has worked to him, which he said Diaz said he spent a lease. Dame who recruited Blake Diaz said the initia- to change the “para- will elevate staff con- “lion’s share” of his first Drexel President John to the school in 2009 while tive – his last major proj- digm” around financial cerns to “upper levels of five months improving Fry called Blake “critical” to serving as the chair of the ect as he closed out his planning so that officials leadership.” the University’s medi- his university’s success in a department – said Blake first year at GW – led to are not constantly react- Diaz established an cal enterprise, which in- letter to the school’s faculty was “thoughtful and as- 100 improvements across ing to fiscal challenges. Office of Ethics, Com- cludes the Medical Fac- and staff Tuesday. He said tute” in his role as both a campus, from repaint- He hired Jared pliance and Privacy, ulty Associates, School Blake oversaw the recruit- professor and as associate ing railings to updat- Abramson as the inau- led by Dorinda Tucker, of Medicine and Health ment of the “most academi- dean of engineering for re- ing community spaces. gural vice president for in February to monitor Sciences and the GW cally qualifi ed freshman search and graduate stud- He helped restructure financial planning and the University’s efforts Hospital. class” in the school’s his- ies. the medical enterprise, operations in July to on those fronts, oversee tory and hired more than spearhead efforts to im- oversee financial fore- enterprise risk manage- See DIAZ Page 2 10 deans and 100 faculty See PROVOST Page 2 Chronic illnesses pose setbacks in social life and academics, students say SHANNON MALLARD ability to keep up with Sophomore Nicole Mel- ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR schoolwork and participa- nyk – who experiences fi bro- tion in student organization myalgia and connective tis- Sophomore Caroline activities. Students said their sue disorder, both of which Lloyd said that some days, academic and social experi- cause chronic joint pain her chronic joint and muscle ences may diff er from their – said her DSS accommoda- pain is too severe for her to peers, but they have found tions allow her to miss class get out of bed. other ways to fi nd commu- without repercussions and Lloyd experiences fi ve nity on campus. take exams in a private room chronic illnesses: attention The Centers for Disease with extended time.