MARK WARNER PAGE 3 THE SHONDES PAGE 9 GW alumnus speaks to Dem. convention Politically minded band plays at Black Cat THURSDAY The GW August 28, 2008 ALWAYS ONLINE: WWW.GWHATCHET.COM Vol. 105 • Iss. 4 Hatchet AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER - SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904 2012 class size causes setbacks by Sarah Scire Campus News Editor An unexpectedly large in- coming freshman class caught Alex Ellis/photo editor the University off-guard this summer, forcing administrators to make last-minute adjustments to underclassmen housing, fi nan- cial aid and academics. GW sustainability earns failing grade Six percent more students accepted the University’s offer of admission this year than last year, meaning 100 more fresh- Other Schools That Failed: man than anticipated will arrive on campus this fall, said Execu- Respected environmental group tive Vice President and Treasurer The College of William and Mary Lou Katz. He said the University planned for fewer students as part of an effort to slow tuition cites lack of green policies Howard growth and provide more fi nan- cial aid per student. “We are still within the range Texas Tech University we can handle,” said Robert by Amanda Dick and Sarah Scire Knapp condemned the article to fi ght climate change, but the re- Chernak, senior vice president Senior Staff Writers in an interview Tuesday, pointing port and other similar assessments for Student and Academic Sup- to the school’s improvement of its show how far the school has fallen Aldosta State University port Services. A leading environmental group environmental practices and the behind its peers in recent years. A rising yield rate can in- named GW one of the least eco- recent pledges to improve campus In March, the Sustainable Endow- dicate a university’s increasing friendly campuses in the nation sustainability. He highlighted sev- ment Institute gave GW a “D+” in Source: The Sierra Club desirability, but it can also cause last week, a year after University eral ongoing initiatives including their “Sustainability Report Card.” headaches for administrators. President Steven Knapp made sus- an inventory of greenhouse gas University offi cials noted a study When the admissions offi ce re- tainability a top priority of his ad- emissions, Student Association ef- released last week from the Na- alized the number of students ministration. forts to obtain a Metro discount and tional Wildlife Federation, which matriculating for the 2008 school The Sierra Club, one of the plans for a green building policy. praised GW for setting signifi cant year was higher than predicted, country’s oldest environmental “The paradox is that we were sustainability goals “with plans to administrators had to scramble organizations, highlighted GW as the fi rst university in the District do more.” to fi nd extra beds, more class sec- one of fi ve colleges that failed to of Columbia to develop a 20-year Sierra Club lifestyle editor Josie tions and additional funds for the implement policies to fi ght climate campus plan that actually has any Garthwaite said they were con- promised fi nancial aid. change. The report, which appeared reference to environmental stan- cerned with concrete, implemented Nearly a dozen transfer stu- in the club’s most recent magazine, dards,” Knapp said. “We’re still policies rather than promises like dents were denied on-campus cited the University’s failure to re- trying to fi nd out how their infor- Knapp's signing of the American housing as the University made duce greenhouse gas emissions, mation could have been so terribly College and University Presidents’ room for the additional under- implement green building policies off base.” Climate Commitment in May. classmen, who are required to or create incentives to ride public Sustainability experts said the live on campus, Chernak said. transportation. University has made commitments See GREEN, p. B3 “There’s been some pressure See YIELD, p. B4 LGBTQ University moves up to 53 in U.S. News rankings by Nathan Grossman move up in the rankings.” gram. Last year, the school was ranked ratemyprofessors.com and another 25 Campus News Editor Schario attributed the improvement 41st and the international business pro- percent on the percentage of alumni list- resource to recent investments in alumni giving, gram was ranked 16th, according to a ed in Marquis’ “Who’s Who in America” GW moved up one place to 53rd in as well as retention rates and academic news release. listings. The other half of the ranking the annual U.S. News and World Report quality. U.S. News & World Report bases its is determined by four-year graduation center ranking of the nation’s top universities, In a new feature for this year’s edi- list on a number of criteria, including se- rates, average student debt at gradua- according to a survey released last week tion, U.S. News & World Report asked lectivity, class size, annual giving and a tion and the percentage of alumni who by the magazine. guidance counselors from top public “reputation survey” that measures how receive nationally competitive awards. The University has failed to break high schools to rank universities. The different university presidents view the Using these criteria, Forbes also finalized the top 50 in the U.S. News ranking since counselors put GW in 34th place, tied school. produced a list of the 569 best colleges it was 46th in 1998 and has consistently with 11 other national universities. In contrast, a new survey this month in America, with GW ranked at 350th. placed just outside the top tier in recent “To me, that says that our recruiting from Forbes Magazine places GW 38th Small liberal arts colleges did especially by Danielle Meister years. This year, the school shared the and admissions work have had an im- among national universities, based on well on the overall list, with 10 of them in Assistant News Editor 53rd slot with Syracuse University and pact,” Schario said. “the value of the experience of attending the top 20. Noer attributes this to smaller the University of Maryland. The magazine also ranked the School (different) colleges,” Forbes.com Execu- classes and professorial attention. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, “We’re pleased to be ranked 53,” of Business as the 39th best undergradu- tive Editor Michael Noer said. “If you go to Smith or Middlebury, transsexual and questioning University spokeswoman Tracy Schario ate business school in the country with Forbes bases one-quarter of a school’s community now has a re- said. “It’s always very challenging to the 16th best international business pro- ranking on professor evaluations from See RANKING, p. B2 source center with a director after more than eight months of negotiations, University of- fi cials said Tuesday. Graduate student Aaron Alumnus battles Evans Fox – who was initially hired by the University to study other LGBTQ resource cen- ters – will lead the center and assist students once school begins. He will conduct for D.C. Council seat LGBTQ-oriented program- by Nick Marell ters, not the Verizon Center,” Silverman said. ming, support and outreach Hatchet Staff Writer The Ward 2 councilmember contended pub- throughout the year, said Tim licly that his work reinvigorated his ward – the Miller, director of the Student Change is the buzzword for Democratic city’s second-most affl uent district. Evans be- Activities Center. presidential nominee Barack Obama, but a lo- came the disrict's representative in 1991, hold- “It will be a resource for cal community activist and GW alumnus also ing several prominent positions on the council faculty, staff and students, plans to transform politics in Washington this that have made him a leader in the legislature. and for the entire GW com- fall. Silverman previously served as president munity,” Miller said. Cary Silverman, who attended GW for both of the Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Over a three-month pe- graduate and law schools, has challenged long- Association and chair of the Logan Circle Ad- riod, Fox conducted several time incumbent Jack Evans for his seat on the visory Neighborhood Commission. He said focus groups and surveys, D.C. City Council – a move that could change Evans – one of the longest-serving members in and studied LGBTQ resource representation in Ward 2 for the fi rst time in 17 the city council – has lost touch with the needs centers at American and the years. The ward includes Foggy Bottom, Du- of his constituents. University of California Los pont Circle, Georgetown and other surround- He added that Evans’ juggling between his Angeles. ing neighborhoods. jobs as councilmember and attorney leads to “There is a difference be- It’s an uphill battle for the 32-year-old at- confl icts of time and interest. Silverman vowed tween being gay-friendly and torney, who is gathering community support to to quit his own law fi rm job if he is elected. being gay-positive,” Fox said. topple a well-funded politician with support- “I want to know as a constituent that my He said the center will help ers like D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty. councilmember is working for me full time,” strengthen the LGBTQ pres- Silverman said Evans prioritizes business Silverman said. ence on campus through ini- interests before local issues, citing the 54-year- Evans’ spokesman, Sean Metcalf, who tiatives and events that sup- old’s record of funding big-ticket, tax payer- spoke on behalf of the councilmember, said Ev- port the LGBTQ community backed projects like the Verizon Center and ans often works 70 to 100 hours a week at the Nationals Park while local libraries and schools city council while also holding a job at a law See LGBTQ, p.