Trachtenberg Scholars Named - Thoughts.

Oddly enough, I have mixed feelings about this. Why? Hard to say. After all...

GW President Steven Knapp today awarded nine academically talented D.C. high school seniors with full, four-year scholarships to attend The George Washington University.

... Is definitely the kind of thing that makes you feel good about your school. but in this case, this movement toward generosity seems a little false. We may not be the number one most expensive school in the country anymore, but the fact is that GW really doesn't do nearly as much as some institutions to make itself available and affordable to all. While I'm excited that nine impressive students will be joining me here, I feel like their sponsorship is an effort by the college to say "see? We're doing something about our cost!" without the trouble of actually doing anything. It seems like a P.R. band-aid on a serious problem, and that leaves me uneasy.