Dear Students,

Today I rejoiced as I visited the library to see that GW Law students have returned to the law school for the first time in my deanship. I am delighted. As I contemplated my first days on the job as dean, my images were of walking among students bustling to classes and activities in the hallway, or addressing the incoming 1L class in a full auditorium; or shaking 500+ hands to launch a graduating class from the Smith Center Auditorium. And so, to finally see my first students in the building has been a somewhat emotional experience for me today. I am extremely grateful to Deans Pagel, Hammond, and Molinengo for their advocacy that made this possible. I am also thankful to the library staff, and the 110 students who have agreed to comply with campus testing and surveillance protocols in order to make access to the library possible. This is a wonderful and welcome first step.

At the same time, I am sobered by the very sad news that that several of our GW Law students have gotten COVID-19. My heartfelt wishes go to those students and their friends and family as they fully recover and rejoin the law school community.

I have tremendous respect for the fact that Mayor Muriel Bowser has just instituted Phase Two adjustments to help flatten the virus curve in Washington, D.C. The outdoor limit for gatherings has been reduced from 50 to 25 people; indoor gatherings have been reduced to 10 people. We will observe these limits – and do all that we can to be a responsible member of the Washington D.C. community; we are an anchor institution in this city, and therefore have an ethical choice to become either a large part of the solution to the coronavirus outbreak our nation is experiencing, or a large part of the problem. As we choose the former, I commit to also do all in my power to make in-person experiences available to you--our students – whenever and however it can be done safely in the spring. Please take extra care of yourselves during exam period and over the winter break. You have my warmest wishes for a peace-filled and healthy holiday season. 

My best,

Dayna Bowen Matthew
Dean and Harold H. Greene Professor of Law
Wednesday: Mental Health Discussion Series: Motivation and Goal-Setting

4 pm: The Mental Health Discussion Series is a weekly, hour-long discussion designed for students to collectively meet with a counselor and discuss various topics. MHDS is an easily accessible space to connect with other students and discuss mental wellness, which are all the more important now given this unprecedented time with COVID-19.

Wednesday: Leadership, Ethics, and Diversity in the Navy: A Conversation with Rear Admiral Kelly Aeschbach

6 pm: LEAP and the Security Policy Studies Program will host Rear Admiral Kelly Aeschbach, Commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence, on the critical questions of leadership, ethics, and diversity in the Navy. 

Friday: Coronavirus Vaccine: Addressing Challenges in Distribution and Uptake

Noon: The Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania will host a panel of experts to discuss key issues surrounding COVID-19 vaccine distribution and uptake. Dean Dayna Bowen Matthew will participate on the panel.

NEXT WEEK

All Week: Midnight Breakfast at GW

Times vary by day: Midnight Breakfast is an annual fall semester tradition that invites students to take a break from studying for final exams to enjoy some food and fun. This year's celebration will feature a week of virtual events for the entire GW community, from game nights and yoga, to cooking demonstrations and a celebrity chef.
Wednesday: Installation of Sonia Suter as the Kahan Research Professor of Law

2 pm: Join GW Law as we formally install Sonia Suter as the Kahan Research Professor of Law, thanks to a generous donation by alum Jonathan S. Kahan, JD '73

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Dean Matthew Formally Installed as Greene Professor

Dean Dayna Bowen Matthew becomes the Harold H. Greene Professor of Law in a virtual ceremony with remarks by GW President Thomas J. LeBlanc; GW Provost M. Brian Blake; and David and Maria Wiegand, whose generous gift endowed the chair in memory of Judge Greene, JD '52.
Projects Led by Professors Nunziato and Brauneis Receive Funding

Professors Dawn Nunziato and Robert Brauneis are spearheading initiatives aimed at providing opportunities for students in public interest technology law and digital technology. Both projects have received funding from the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN).