GW’s Disability Support Services is in a sad state of affairs. I have had the pleasure of dealing with the office not once, but twice during my career here at the University. Both times highlighted the inadequate services offered for temporary disabilities.

On the DSS Web site, there is a page dedicated to “temporary conditions,” but little help was given to me during the two occasions I had a temporary disability. Most recently, I injured my ankle, which required a week of walking with crutches. My first thought Monday morning was, “How do I get to my class at 1957 E St.?”

The University – led by President Steven Knapp and Board of Trustees Chairman W. Russell Ramsey – has launched a campus-wide campaign, including powerful op-eds in The Hatchet, to promote its vision for the University’s future. The combined message of President Knapp and Chairman Ramsey was clear: We are listening. The GW community should be proud that our University is willing to listen to the voices of its students. Still, we as a GW community cannot stop at simply acknowledging our problems. We must instead take a proactive stance and be deeply involved in their respective solutions.

There’s no denying that Hobbs has had his share of issues, but the time to fire him hasn’t come. Remember that when Hobbs took over the reins in 2001, this program had not been too successful under former head coach Tom Penders – a coach who had not led the team to a winning season since his first as the men’s head coach. After two mediocre seasons in 2001-2002 and 2002-2003, Hobbs led the team to an NIT appearance and then its first Atlantic 10 undefeated season just two years later in 2005. From 2005-2007, he led the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances.

Finally! GW has actually been ranked No. 1 in something – the size of our former president’s compensation. Checking in at whopping $3.7 million, our ex-president (and current faculty member) Stephen Joel Trachtenberg raked in more than twice as much as the nation’s next highest-paid former University administrator in 2007-2008, according to the Chronicle for Higher Education. But in a year filled with public derision of astronomical executive compensation packages, the payout given to “SJT” is sure to raise eyebrows and more than a bit of criticism.

There is something that the Student Association Senate of recent years and 17th century philosopher René Descartes have in common: both spent most of their time trying to justify their own existence. But for the SA Senate, the mantra “I think; therefore I am” won’t do it. They need to do a lot more than simply think to justify their existence.

On Friday, Oct. 23, GW hosted a first-of-its-kind symposium on veterans’ success in higher education. Bringing together educators from across the country with veterans’ rights advocates, mental health professionals, political leaders and student veterans, we spent the day learning about the many challenges facing veterans in the college environment. We also discussed how coming together as a community can really make a tangible difference in the concept of “supporting the troops.” The conference was well attended, and as a veteran myself, I can say we came away feeling that the discussion we started will translate into a real difference for vets around the country.

Unfortunately, there’s sometimes a fine line between unpaid internships and slave labor. The U.S. Department of Labor has a list of criteria that must be met in order for an internship to be unpaid, including the following: “The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees and on occasion the employer’s operations may actually be impeded.” In other words, the work I do at my internship cannot benefit the company or the way it runs its business in any way. According to these criteria, it’s essentially illegal for me to file papers, organize a co-worker’s calendar, or deliver mail.

Perhaps smoking a bowl with friends will no longer have to occur in secret, and residence hall rooms will no longer be raided by University Police Department officers looking for pot paraphernalia. But anyone thinking only college students would be affected by the legalization of marijuana would be ignoring the increasing population of adult smokers who make up a large part of the pot smoking population in the U.S.

Having to sit through a two-and-a-half-hour class can be difficult for any college student. Having to teach a two-and-a-half-hour class can be trying for professors as well. Having to do both in a classroom that is cramped, hot and under-equipped adds to the stress of such a long class, and the same is true even of shorter ones.

Your college degree ain’t worth what it used to be. Gone are the days when a college degree represented the gold standard of education – and students are looking desperately for ways to distinguish themselves. At the same time, students have developed a perception that modern careers require a diverse skill set. The result has been an emphasis on loading up a transcript with double majors, extra minors and dual concentrations to cover one’s bases and build career fall-back plans into one’s education. The goal of a secondary field of study is either to increase professional appeal or learn a new subject. Not only are these approaches only marginally degree-enhancing, but they end up breeding students who graduate as jacks of all trades – yet masters of none. Students should forget about a secondary field of study and instead look towards D.C.’s unique opportunities to acquire a diverse set of experiences that serve to distinguish them from every other college student in America.