Opinion Page

Go see Women's Hoops!

by Maija Freivalds

As I walked into GW's Smith Center on November 2 for the first glimpse of the women's basketball team, I was so excited. Being a fanatic, I've been anxiously awaiting the start of the season. And having played four years of basketball in high school, I was thrilled to be a part of it again even though I was not a player this time. I sat down, so overwhelmed that I was about to watch my college's team take the court. Then I took a look around the arena: so many empty seats, no band, basically lacking many components for an exciting basketball environment. I assumed that since it was just an exhibition game, not as many fans would be there and the band wouldn't be performing, so I just relaxed and enjoyed the terrific display put on by the women players. They beat Denamo-Moscow by 19 points, which in basketball is considered a win of a great margin. I was so pleased that GW's women's basketball team was living up to its pre-season ranking, and I already knew that they will go on to be "the one to beat" this season.

Monday night I attended the men's basketball exhibition game. As I entered the Smith Center, the stands were slowly filling. I took my seat and looked around, remembering what it had looked like the day before. The stands were packed compared to the women's game, and the band was blaring out familiar game time tunes. I was so amazed. It's great that people came to watch the men play, and I must say they are damn good too. But I couldn't understand why all the support for the men, and hardly any for the women. The women ended last season on a much better note than the men's team did, even advancing to the "Elite 8." So wouldn't that entail bigger crowds? More support? And the excuse that women can't play basketball is insufficient. These women could destroy most anyone they meet on the court.

Go to the women's basketball games! See what they can do. I think many of you would be surprised that women do have basketball skills; mad skills at that. They need the support just as much as the men's team does. Trust me, both the women's and men's teams are going to be damn good this year and they both deserve damn good support.

We need a Women's Center

by Jen Frazier

Yes, I am the editor of this newsletter, but I am writing this as student at George Washington University. One of the biggest differences I have noticed about this school, when compared to my undergraduate experience, is the lack of a centrally located place for women to gather, talk, meet new people, share resources, offer support, and most importantly feel safe on campus.

The Women's Center at the University of Oregon was a place to go and relax during a busy day on campus. There were good books to read, magazines that you couldn't afford to buy yourself every month but really wanted to read, scholarships, grants, fellowships, and employment opportunities to browse through, and someone to answer

the phone and provide referrals, information, and support. It was a place where graduate and undergraduate students had a chance to meet and form friendships that really was not available anywhere else. The Women's Center was definitely my favorite spot on campus.

Without such a resource, the women on the GW campus are missing out on many great opportunities. The Women's Studies Program office tries to offer some of these services, but we simply do not have the space. Plus, many things found in a women's center revolve specifically around students' concerns and we need a place of our own. I urge all of us who feel that we need a GW Women's Center to work together and draft a proposal to present to the University. They won't help us out if they don't know about the problem.