The GW Hatchet

The GW Hatchet is an independent student newspaper at the George Washington University. Founded in 1904, it is the second-oldest newspaper in the District of Columbia, behind only The Washington Post. It also serves as the newspaper of record for the University's archives.

Contents

• Mission
• Washington DC lawsuit
• Awards
• Notable alumni
• Past editors in chief
• References

The Hatchet, known as The University Hatchet in its early days, has been named the best non-daily student newspaper in the country by the Society of Professional Journalists many times over its long history.

The paper derives its name from the implement apocryphally used by George Washington to chop down his family's cherry tree.

In 1993, The GW Hatchet was incorporated as an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit, and the paper has been editorially and financially independent of the University since then. It is run by a board of directors composed of Hatchet editors, former staff members, a GW student, a GW professor and professionals in the media industry. Daily operations are overseen by the full-time general manager and treasurer with assistance from the advertising manager. All other business and editorial positions are filled by current GW students and the editor in chief serves as the corporation's president. For many years, the University only charged the paper $1 in rent for their fully controlled townhouse in Washington, D.C. but began charging monthly rent at reduced rates as of 2006.

The GW Hatchet publishes 7,500 copies every Monday throughout the school semesters and a special freshman orientation issue during the summer recess. In 1998, The Hatchet launched a website, www.gwhatchet.com, which has won many awards including a National Pacemaker Award in 2006 and 2010.

Over the course of The Hatchet's long history, the paper has broken many stories that have been picked up by national news organizations. Recently, The Hatchet was the first news organization to cover election night 2008 celebrations around D.C. The paper also broke former university president Stephen Joel Trachtenberg's decision to retire, as well as the selection of current University president Steven Knapp.

The Hatchet office is located at the heart of the George Washington University campus on 22nd and F streets in Washington, D.C. All back issues of The Hatchet are accessible through the Special Collections Research Center at the Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, located at 2130 H Street NW, Washington, D.C.