For the last issue of the semester (and possibly of all time. Fingers crossed), it seems vaguely appropriate to offer a few retrospective thoughts and weigh whether or not we’ve made progress as a campus over the semester. Full disclosure: I didn’t come to a conclusion, but here are a few of the highlights from the highly scientific process of evaluation.

The cost of college is still too darn high, as evidenced by the recent tuition forum. Wash. U. can’t go need-blind without sacrificing investment in quality professors and facilities; while this is troubling, it seems that this isn’t a result of the powers that be flipping the bird at us whilst greedily counting their goblin-gold but rather a carefully considered decision. Hopefully, Wash. U. will eventually be able to go need-blind.

Student Union elections were underwhelming, in terms of competitiveness, but that’s nothing new. Maybe, imbued with a new sense of civic duty and school pride, SU will band together to finally get us those joint events with Saint Louis University and videos in the WhatSUp emails. At the very least, let’s have some more transparency when it comes to “special elections” next semester.

Speaking of student government, the plastic bag debacle was (and is) was just irritating to me. It’s just an example of well-meaning but not particularly well-reasoned projects being advanced in the name of environmentalism. Out of spite, I’m going to drive my car in figure eights in Brookings Quadrangle every day from 4-5 p.m. whilst smoking an entire pack of unfiltered cigarettes. Hope to see you there.

Sammie and Sig Ep getting busted could really go either way. On the one hand, justice is being served, or something. On the other hand, this makes me worried for my own questionable activities (WUPD might start cracking down on eating in the B stacks, for example. Sometimes I’ve just got to have a sandwich). Honestly, I’d rather that more time and discussion be invested in sexual assault education and prevention (everywhere on campus). But that’s just me.

Wash. U. has made some progress, though. We finally knocked down that concrete brick building, Elliot Hall, officially taking away the only homage to “Soviet chic” architecture on campus.

The Bunny is no longer naked all the time, which is a victory for decency. Mr. Wash. U. parlayed near-nudity into money for City Faces, which, as it turns out, is less like prostitution than it sounds. The School of Medicine figured out that free birth control leads to fewer abortions and teen pregnancies. The new fundraising campaign began. We had a second and successful Trans Awareness week this November. Kal Penn came to speak. And Macklemore is coming for WUStock; if that’s not a sign of progress, I don’t know what is. So here’s to looking back on a pretty good semester, Wash. U. I’ll catch you on the flipside.