Here’s what you missed at GW this summer if you were out of town or out of touch.
June
Froggy Bottom Pub to shift one block north in February
Sunday, June 24th
Froggy Bottom Pub’s owners placed a security deposit on a new location at 2120 K St. The deal locked down a new home for the iconic campus pub after a University plan to demolish seven Pennsylvania Avenue properties put Froggy’s fate in question. Froggy will re-open its doors Feb. 1.
University fines students $225,000 for untidy rooms
Tuesday, June 26th
GW Housing Programs billed 900 students $250 each for unkempt rooms that required more than a broom to clean after move-out in May. The total of about $225,000 brought in about $50,000 more in revenue from untidy room charges than in last year.
Upperclassman residence halls Ivory Tower and South Hall saw the most charges of any residence hall.
University Librarian retires, Interim hired
Thursday, June 28th
University Librarian Jack Siggins, who oversaw multimillion dollar resource developments and renovations, stepped down after 17 years at GW. He will serve as a special adviser to Provost Steven Lerman until December 2013. Andrea Stewart, the former deputy librarian, stepped in as interim librarian until a national search begins in the coming months.
District declares state of emergency following storms
Saturday, June 30th
Severe weather and high winds prompted Mayor Vincent Gray to declare a state of emergency for two weeks. The storm knocked down trees and power lines. Five people were killed, and 1.3 million were left without power in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, according to The Washington Post.
July
Two juniors announce candidacies for seats on local governing body
July 10th
Juniors Patrick Kennedy and Jackson Carnes filed their candidacies to make the ballot for the Foggy Bottom and West End Advisory Neighborhood Commission election. The commission is one of about 40 advocacy groups across the District that advise agencies on traffic, noise, construction and liquor laws.
Team USA takes the court in the Smith Center
July 15
The Smith Center hosted an unusual practice in mid-July. The USA men’s basketball team used GW’s court to practice before their exhibition match at the Verizon Center against Brazil. The team’s director of operations, Sean Ford, contacted athletic director Patrick Nero, who went to college with his brother. Several NBA stars warmed up under the Smith Center’s JumboTron, creating a more animated atmosphere.
As three top business school officials exit, students question turnover
July 19th
The former executive coordinator for undergraduate programs, director for undergraduate programs and an undergraduate adviser in the GW School of Business have all left their posts at the University, leaving students to question the massive turnover. Their departures followed the mass exodus of advising staffers in the school last summer.
Former student was groomed to become Russian spy
July 26
News broke that former student Tim Foley was being trained to follow in his parents’ footsteps as a Russian spy. His parents were arrested as part of one of the biggest espionage plots uncovered since the Cold War’s end. He left the country in 2010 and was placed on a leave of absence from the Elliott School of International Affairs, but was formally enrolled until spring 2011. The Wall Street Journal reported that he saluted “Mother Russia” and agreed to start his training there.
August
Student services hub opened
August 1st
The fifth floor of the Marvin Center is now occupied by Colonial Crossroads, a new student services hub. Crossroads brings together the Center for Student Engagement, the Career Center, the Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service, the Office for Study Abroad and the Center for Undergraduate Fellowships and Research.
GW continues to climb in Forbes rankings
August 3rd
GW went up 63 spots from last year in the magazine rankings to No. 88 out of 650 colleges considered by Forbes. The rankings were determined by factors including student debt and the four-year graduate rate.
J Street loses vendor and director
August 4th
Nosh, the dining hall’s kosher deli, will not reopen this fall. Chair of the Student Dining Board Michael Morgan said that Nosh has closed due to the low demand for it. Director of Campus Dining and Sodexo Liaison Richard Yokely is also no longer at GW, said top University dining officials.
University picks up tab for GW officials’ Olympics trip
August 7th
University President Steven Knapp, his wife Diane Knapp and five other officials traveled to London during the 2012 Olympics on GW’s dime. University spokeswoman Candace Smith declined to release the cost of the trip, but said the trip was under official University business because officials attended alumni and trustee events. Costs were covered by the Office of the President and the development office. Trustees and alumni also hosted events and provided some event tickets.
