September 2007

NEWS briefs

Former White House Aide Joins GW’s Council on American Politics
GW’s Graduate School of Political Management has appointed Howard Paster, executive vice president of the WPP Group and former assistant to the president for legislative affairs in the Clinton White House, to its Council on American Politics. Paster will help the program launch its first Master of Professional Studies degree in strategic public relations. He will also guest lecture and provide counsel on curricula and adjunct faculty.

The Council on American Politics advises the school on strategic issues and aims to create positive changes in politics through education. It is co-chaired by Tony Coelho, former whip of the House of Representatives and chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and Frank Fahrenkopf, former chairman of the Republican National Committee and current head of the American Gaming Association.

GW-Battleground Poll 2008 Reveals Views on War, Presidential Candidates
The latest GW-Battleground 2008 Poll found a remarkable level of cynicism about Washington with 71 percent of likely voters surveyed believing that their member of Congress puts partisan politics ahead of them. The survey also found that Congress as an institution is facing some of its lowest approval levels in history, and anti-war sentiment remains high with 53 percent opposing the war in Iraq.

The survey examined voters’ preferences in potential presidential match-ups, finding Rudy Giuliani at 49 percent leading Hillary Clinton at 44 percent, and Fred Thompson and Clinton tied at 46 percent. Barack Obama at 52 percent leads Giuliani at 42 percent, and Obama at 56 percent leads Thompson at 35 percent.

GW sponsors the GW-Battleground Poll, a bipartisan election survey conducted by top polling firms the Tarrance Group and Lake Research Partners. The latest poll was conducted July 15–18.

GW Helps Thousands of Students Move In
Staff from more than 20 different departments, plus President Steven Knapp and his wife Diane, are lending a helping hand to 7,400 GW students during fall move-in Labor Day weekend. GW’s Transitions Committee created programs and procedures to help the move-in go as smoothly as possible. Incoming freshmen and their families participated in “Move-In 101: Theory and Practice” at Colonial Inauguration summer sessions and were given checklists and resources to refer to before the big day. Two hundred carts will be given to families to assist in the unloading process, and several hundred upperclassmen have volunteered to help students. Move-in also marks the re-opening of Thurston Hall, which was renovated during the summer.

GSEHD Receives $800,000 Grant for Traumatic Brain Injury Program
GW’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development, which offers the only professional preparation degree programs nationwide for educators wishing to specialize in teaching those with traumatic brain injury, was recently awarded a four-year, $800,000 training grant from the United States Department of Education. The award will cover 80 percent of tuition for students pursuing a master’s degree in this area and will provide direct stipends for travel to internships and professional conferences to supplement teacher training.

Gelman Library Adds Gay Men’s Chorus Archives to Collection
GW’s Gelman Library has received the archives of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., which will be preserved and made accessible as part of its Gay and Lesbian Collection. The chorus’s archives includes its board of directors’ minutes, financial and tax statements, publications, performance and promotional materials, concert programs, membership rosters, correspondence, newsletters, newspaper articles and clippings, and video and audio recordings. The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington has been entertaining, educating communities, and asserting the place of gay people in society since 1981.

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