Ivy Ken is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology in the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences.

I’ve been worried. I thought GW might be broke. For the last few years, when members of our community have asked for the basic resources needed to keep this organization running, we have been consistently and dispassionately told no.

Let me give a couple of examples. CCAS just hired 10 new faculty members, but we still need many more. The number of students enrolled as majors, minors and graduate students in the Department of Sociology has increased from 500 to 683 over the last five years, but we only have 12 full-time faculty. Other CCAS departments have healthy student-to-faculty ratios of 10:1 or 15:1, not like our department when it’s more around 56 students per professor. But when the sociology department has asked if we can hire more tenure-line faculty to bring our ratio down to even 30:1 so that our students will be better served, the dean has repeatedly told us no.

Here’s another example. We would like to attract excellent graduate students to the University, but the funding we can offer has dropped substantially. Back in 2010 to 2015, as the director of graduate studies in sociology, the college allowed us to offer full tuition plus a stipend to students. Now, we can only offer partial tuition to a few students and only a teaching assistant job — with no tuition benefits — to other students. When we have asked if we can offer more competitive funding so that we don’t lose excellent applicants to other universities, we have been told no.

A more mundane example — that seems important only because it is so minor — relates to what we call “scholarly travel funding.” For faculty members to present their research to members of their professional communities at regional, national and international conferences, we need the University to fund our travel. This is a standard source of support at almost all universities. When I first got to GW 23 years ago, the level of funding was $1,000 to $1,200 per year. This was insufficient to cover plane fare, conference fees, a hotel reservation and meals, but it was better than nothing. Now, we get nothing. For the last few years, when we have asked for travel funding — even at the same low level as 23 years ago — we have been told no.

You can see, then, why I have been worrying that GW must be broke. The University has consistently declined to make major investments into the running of the institution — like enough faculty to support our students — as well as minor contributions to things like scholarly travel support.

So is GW actually broke? Apparently, the answer is no! In fact, I now think we must be really rich.

The Hatchet just reported that the University will spend up to $90,000 to hire a firm to lobby Congress for us. What great news! I assume this firm’s top priority will be ensuring Congress understands the importance of students’ right to free speech and educating members about the inspiring solidarity of GW students who have protested Israel’s ongoing genocide.

In addition to hiring this lobbying firm, GW regularly hires outside consulting firms to improve the culture and executive search firms that help identify potential high-paid administrators. When I have asked administrators and members of the Faculty Senate for full information about the amount of money GW pays to these firms, I have been told no. We really should trust that GW officials are making the best financial decisions, though. After all, the University has proven its financial wisdom and integrity by taking money from folks like Michael Milken and Charles Koch.

Rest easy, then, faculty, students and staff. GW has tons of resources. Our $2.8 billion endowment is at the highest level it has ever been. Apparently, we also own around $4.99 billion in assets, like real estate. Our students collectively shell out $778 million in tuition each year, according to our finance division. Yes, we spend almost $8 million a year on executive compensation, but who doesn’t need a well-paid provost — or a dozen?

Employees here shouldn’t worry that we have to endure another 5.8 percent increase in medical coverage costs, even though our merit raises are set at 3 percent. Staff, you have reported dissatisfaction with the merit pay system, but GW’s chief financial officer has said that the University is “looking at improving” the financial situation that has led to ire, so let’s have some faith. Professors, it should be no problem for you to squeeze more students into your classrooms and continue to do more with less, right? Students, you really don’t need to take that required course that’s not available again this year because there aren’t enough faculty to teach it, do you? Just remember: We’re rich!

Let’s just relax, GW community. The money is obviously in good hands. Our president and 11 vice presidents have the situation under control, and as the lobbying decision makes clear, they’re ready to start saying yes!