Campus Reform: George Washington University

This post is part of CampusReform.org's guide to the nation's top 100 colleges. Each day, CampusReform.org profiles a different college, examines its political climate, and offers items of interest to conservative students, parents, and alumni. Click here to see the full list of college profiles.

George Washington University (GW) was founded in 1821 by an Act of Congress in Washington, D.C.  Today GW is the largest institution of higher education in the District of Columbia with more than 20,000 students from all 50 states and more than 130 countries. It is known for its programs in political science, law, international affairs, and medicine.

Campus Life

Of the political groups on campus, thirteen are left-leaning and six are right-leaning.

The liberal groups are Allied in Pride; College Democrats; Colonials Against State Execution; Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance; NAACP; GW Students for Fair Trade; NOW-GW; Progressive Student Union; Roosevelt Institute; STAND; Students for Justice in Palestine; Voices for Choices; and The Daily Colonial.

The conservative groups are Colonials for Life; College Republicans; GW Republican Women; GW Student Alliance for Israel; GW Young America's Foundation Chapter; and the GW Patriot. CampusReform.org also recognizes three conservative student groups not yet recognized as official clubs by the university: Students Defending Democracy, Federalist Society, and Liberty Society.

The italicized conservative groups are affiliated with CampusReform.org's Campus Leadership Program, which provides students with advice, assistance, and support.

Conservative groups are active on campus. In the 2009-2010 academic year, for example, GW Young America's Foundation (GWYAF) hosted multiple speakers; sponsored a teach-in on President Obama's failed policies with conservative intellectuals; held a global warming beach party to protest a climate alarmist's speech; organized opposition to gender-neutral housing on campus; and defended traditional marriage on campus.

Unsurprisingly, for their work promoting coservative principles, GWYAF members were accused of "bigotry" and "hate" by liberal students.

Faculty

A review of presidential campaign contributions demonstrates a liberal bias among GW's faculty.

Of the faculty and staff who contributed to the 2008 presidential election, 87% donated to Democratic candidates. In addition, of the total dollars donated by GW faculty and staff, an equal 87% went to Democrats.

GW's faculty can display bias in the classroom, as students report. "I've had professors openly criticize conservatives in the classroom while denying that the academy leans strongly to the left," wrote Travis Korson, former president of the Young America's Foundation chapter at GW.

It's an unsurprising claim given the liberal agendas of some GW professors. Heidi Hartmann, for example, a Research Professor in the Women's Studies Department, is well known for her work on feminism and Marxism.

University Policy

FIRE, a prominent legal defense organization, has rated GW a "yellow light campus," which means that GW has "at least one ambiguous policy that too easily encourages administrative abuse and arbitrary application." FIRE is particularly concerned with the school's Code of Conduct. (Click here to read a full report from FIRE.)

GW recently launched a major sustainability initiative in May 2010.  The university put into action a Climate Action Plan to achieve "carbon neutrality." Pushing sustainablity at GW is not a new thing.  GW celebrated Earth Day by announcing a new $2 million revolving fund for sustainability on campus.  

The Office of Sustainability also lists and promotes sustainability courses in the curriculum -- which often amount to simple environmental indoctrination.

If you would like to take action on this campus or learn more about conservatism at this school, please contact me, Amanda Prevette, CampusReform.org's Regional Field Coordinator for George Washington University.