Slider Feature - AWOL

Deaths in the District, Part I

The beginning of an investigation into the effects of environment on opioid overdoses in the District

Braeden Waddell and Grace Vitaglione • January 15, 2020

This is the first part of an AWOL investigation which examines the effects of environment on deaths caused by opioid overdose, with a focus on the D.C. area. The second part of the series will focus on...

Freemasons and the Future Apocalypse: A Look into the Denver International Airport Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy theories around the secretive Freemasons are ever-present.

Maddie Eunis • January 15, 2020

This story first appeared in the Fall 2019 print edition of AWOL. There’s a secret society that has housed many of the country’s founders, like George Washington, James Monroe, Benjamin Franklin....

Fighting Racism in Grading: Will Anti-Racist Pedagogy Fix Freshman Writing Classes at AU?

One AU Professor is showing how labor-based grading contracts can help alleviate the stress freshmen feel when writing college papers.

Maaz Qureshi • January 15, 2020

This story first appeared in the Fall 2019 print edition of AWOL. Should students be allowed to use different forms of English in their writing? Is Black vernacular English equivalent to the English...

Pledging #MeToo: AU Frat Culture During #MeToo

The #MeToo era brings more conversation about the culture of sexual assault in fraternities

Elizabeth Posada • January 15, 2020

This story first appeared in the Fall 2019 print edition of AWOL. Greek life has been a staple of American culture for decades. Starting in 1776 with Phi Beta Kappa, fraternities began as groups of...

Underpaid and Underrepresented: The AU Adjunct Experience

One of AU’s largest faculty populations still grapples with the same issues they unionized to fight against nearly 9 years ago.

Teddy Everett, Staff Editor • January 15, 2020

This story first appeared in the Fall 2019 print edition of AWOL. Derek Tokaz would like to put some savings into the 401(k) plan his adjunct benefits include. Unfortunately, he doesn’t make enough...

AU Swipes

The termination of a program allowing students to donate meal swipes

Lana Green, Staff Editor • January 15, 2020

This story first appeared in the Fall 2019 print edition of AWOL. American University student Nickolaus Mack received an email on Oct. 22, 2018, asking for the immediate termination of AU Swipes, a...

Suspicious Spending in Student Government

Confidential fees, new Transparency Officers and a whole lot of quarter-zips

Shannon Durazo and Braeden Waddell • December 9, 2019

American University Student Government has an annual budget of over half a million dollars. Every student pays an activity fee of $88.50 to fund clubs, student media and AUSG. Half of these funds...

AU faces more federal investigations into its handling of sexual violence cases than any other university

Katherine Long and Braeden Waddell • December 2, 2019

Each year for the past five years, a new investigation has been opened into American University’s Title IX Office regarding their handling of sexual violence cases. Office of Civil Rights cases...

Ratastrophe D.C.: City rodent complaints reach record high

Braeden Waddell • November 21, 2019

Rodent complaints in the District have officially surpassed last year’s total for a whopping 6,036 rat reports as of Tuesday evening. Conflicting reports from local media outlet WTOP and the official...

Chapter 16: The Newlywed Game

Sasha Fernandez and Rin Ryan • November 21, 2019

In this episode of "Bisexuali-tea", Rin and Sasha drink tea and play the Newlywed Game. Bisexuali-tea is a bi-weekly podcast produced by AWOL and hosted by Rin Ryan and Sasha Fernandez. The show...

An AU student protested the university’s investment in fossil fuels – she was fined, fired, and prevented from studying abroad

Step by step through AUPD, student conduct and the facilities management office’s handling of her case

Braeden Waddell • November 13, 2019

An American University student was fired from her campus job, fined $1,240 and put on year-long disciplinary probation after protesting against the university’s investment in fossil fuels. Anna...

#HandsOffGianna: AU students protest in solidarity with black student pulled out of her room

Braeden Waddell and Chloe K. Li • October 28, 2019

Black students and allies protested against police treatment of a black female student on campus Monday afternoon. Black organizers led students from Constitution Hall to the Mary Graydon Center and...