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Robert Chernak

Friday, Sept. 25, 2009 6:16 p.m.

Marvin Center space to be only for students, University

by Emily Cahn

Space in the Marvin Center will now be exclusively reserved for student and University events, the University announced Friday evening.

In the past, outside organizations could pay to reserve rooms in the Marvin Center, but beginning Oct. 1, the space “will be reserved solely for student and University-sponsored events during the academic year,” said University spokeswoman Michelle Sherrard.

“The Marvin Center will no longer be available for use during the academic year by groups not affiliated with the University,” Sherrard said in a news release. “Space rentals in the Marvin Center will be available free of charge for University groups. The Marvin Center’s meeting and event space will continue to be exclusively provided for student-focused activities on weekday evenings after 6 p.m. and on weekends during the academic year.”

The need for additional student space has become a hot button issue over the past few years, as the number of student groups have grown and the amount of student space has stayed the same.

Student Association President Julie Bindelglass said this is something the SA has been advocating for since before she was elected, but she said that she, along with Executive Vice President Jason Lifton, have continued to lobby the University on the issue since they took office in May.

“The Marvin Center is student space. It is our student union, our student center, and so we’re both so ecstatic that this was passed,” she said.

In 2004, the University conducted a study that said Marvin Center space had increasingly been used for non-University events over the course of the previous seven years.

Sherrard did not immediately comment on the amount of money the University would lose by no longer renting out Marvin Center space.

Robert Chernak, senior vice president for SASS, said that preserving Marvin Center space exclusively for students and University events will positively affect student life.

“Student-use and student accessibility of the Marvin Center is a priority for the University,” Chernak said in the University’s release. “This new model will better meet the needs of students and give them a central spot on campus for study groups, meetings and other gatherings.”

Lorraine Voles, vice president for External Relations, will now oversee a majority of the major venues on campus, including all outdoor University spaces, 1918 F St., 1957 E St., Marvin Center, Lisner Auditorium and the Jack Morton Auditorium, according to the release. Michael Peller, formerly the managing director of the Marvin Center and University Conferences, will now serve in a newly created position as assistant vice president for events and venues.

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Friday, July 3, 2009 3:01 p.m.

One incoming freshman receives alcohol violation at CI

by Emily Cahn

Over the course of the four summer Colonial Inauguration sessions, one incoming freshman received an alcohol violation during the three-day-orientation period, said Tara Pereira, assistant dean of students and director of Student Judicial Services.

Another incoming freshman was taken by EMeRG to GW Hospital while staying with a friend before her CI began, said Robert Chernak, senior vice president for Student and Academic Support Services.

“The Class of 2013 has had two students found to have violated the alcohol policy and their admission has been rescinded or deferred,” Pereira said in an e-mail. “One of these two incidents occurred at CI.”

Getting caught drinking at CI is not taken lightly by the University, and each specific case is reviewed in detail before a decision to rescind a student’s admission is made, Pereira said.

“If an offer of admission is rescinded or deferred it is because we are truly concerned about that student’s readiness for college and the ability to successfully transition to GW and make sound decisions about their own alcohol use,” Pereira said.

Chernak said that despite these two incidents, the students who attended the four summer CI sessions were mature and well behaved.

“We’ve had minimal problems,” Chernak said. “This has probably been the best behaved class that has come through CI since I’ve been here.”

Major changes were made to CI this year, including reducing the number of summer CI sessions from five to four. Chernak said despite the larger class of incoming freshmen this year – more than 2,500 students registered for CI – the smaller number of CI sessions worked out well.

“Of all of the years that we’ve had summer orientation, this one [alcohol] situation is the fewest I’ve ever, ever been aware of,” Chernak said, adding that on a percentage basis the small number of alcohol violations is even more dramatic.

“I’ve been very impressed with this group of young people,” Chernak said. “They are a terrific young group of people. They are very mature, they are communicative, they are bright and they’re engaging in conversation.”

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Tuesday, June 16, 2009 3:06 p.m.

Chief academic officer will retire; administrative shakeup to follow

by Alex Byers

The University’s top academic administrator will retire from his position at the end of the 2010 calendar year, University President Steven Knapp announced today.

Donald Lehman

Donald Lehman

Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Donald Lehman’s retirement will become effective on December 31, 2010, Knapp announced in an Infomail. Lehman will continue to serve in his current capacity until the end of June of 2010, and after that will act as an adviser to President Knapp on science and engineering until his departure from the University. In that position, he will help guide the University’s planning for the Science and Engineering Complex, a project designed to replace GW’s older engineering facilities. Lehman was not immediately available for comment.

A national search for Lehman’s replacement will begin in September, Knapp said. When Lehman’s replacement is selected, that person will have the title of provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. Current Senior Vice President for Student and Academic Support Services Robert Chernak will then become the senior vice provost for student affairs, enrollment management, and athletics, while current Provost and Vice President for Health Affairs John Williams will assume the title of senior vice provost and vice president for health affairs.

Chernak and Williams will both report to Lehman’s replacement, and the adjustment will “establish a single point of accountability, immediately below the president, for all academic and student-related programs of the University,” Knapp said.

Update, 5:39 p.m.

Though the reference to Student and Academic Support Services will be removed from Chernak’s title, University spokeswoman Michelle Sherrard said “additional changes to SASS” are not expected.

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