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As this academic year winds to a close, it is time to evaluate those who have led our student body through the good times and the bad: the Student Government. Though not without some drama, we can honestly say that this year’s SG has had its fair share of moments worth applauding, but it can still improve.
When leaving college, I’ve heard I’m supposed to feel nostalgic. Well, other than a deep and undeniable longing for a few more swipes into Tenley Café and a few more games of Apples to Apples in Anderson Terrace, I’m feeling pretty good.
Referees and columnists share one thing in common — they’re always pissing someone off. At least referees get paid. In all seriousness, I’d do it for free if I had to. (I have to.) Like any columnist, some content makes me cringe after it’s published — I wish I could revise or rephrase — but there it lies like burnt toast: just have to live with it. And those are the better ones. They say we’re our own worst critics, and trust me, that’s saying something.
I know that look people give me at 3 a.m. in the library: I’m practically dying, trying to hammer out a paper I put off until the last night, and reach into my bag to pull out an Adderall. Despite the fact that it’s legally prescribed to me, the guy at the next table over looks at me like I’m shooting up heroin.
As faithful readers of this publication, you’ve noticed our “AU at War” series over the past few weeks.
Changes in the Student Conduct Code last year gave AU more authority over students living in the neighborhood — the University can now investigate neighbor complaints and take action regarding residences where AU students live.
Why did you enroll at AU? We each have our individual reasons, but I’m willing to bet many students matriculated here because of the common and accurate perception that AU is a force for social justice. AU students care about the environment and minority groups. We give tragedies like genocide and natural disasters much more than lip service. We’re advocates, we’re in the know and we take action. We don’t have the pompous reputation of Georgetown students nor the cutthroat mentality like George Washington. AU carries a humanitarian connotation that means more to us than ‘Wonk’ ever could.
Internships are considered a rite of passage for undergrads, especially at AU. While the national rate of undergraduate internships is over 50 percent, AU’s is a staggering 81 percent. Here, it’s just part of the campus culture to complete an internship — even when it isn’t required, it’s ...
In response to the letter by Students for Liberty in last week’s issue, I am forced to agree that this system is overly regulated and essentially creates no benefit. Example: While serving on the E-board for one of the larger student groups on campus, I was a participant in that group’s endorsement ...
This past February, AU earned the ranking of the “greenest” university in the nation under the widely regarded Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Ranking System (STARS). If you’ve ever taken the sustainability tour or perused the Office of Sustainability, you know that American has taken significant steps towards earning this cherished title. Among the many initiatives, the university composts paper towels, converts kitchen grease to biodiesel fuel and earned the LEED Gold certification for the new SIS building.
When a crisis, incident or accident occurs, there’s usually a system in place that helps inform citizens of the danger. Our city has Alert D.C. AU has RAVE alerts. These alerts are designed to, well, alert students of the goings-on in a situation so students know what to do in the event of an emergency.
When an opportunity comes up for an additional $300,000 to help the victims of sexual assault and prevent further ones from happening, you’d think that AU would be all over it. In addition to the programs we already have, getting that extra funding would be a big step toward reducing rape on campus. Nothing too controversial there, right?
Solutions by The State News