More than 275 students, the largest number to date, were recognized at the December graduation ceremony Saturday afternoon in front of a packed Graham Chapel while friends and family watched live broadcasts of the ceremony in classrooms across campus.

As the Washington University community begins 2010, we have decided to once again submit our list of expectations for the new year. These are a combination of coming events that we think it important to highlight, general trends we wish to commend or decry and a prospective list of some of the issues we think should command the Wash. U. community’s attention over the upcoming semester.

Despite the improving national economy, Chancellor Mark Wrighton reported earlier this September that as of June 30, 2009, the market value of Washington University’s endowment, about $4.2 billion, is down by 30 percent from its peak value two years ago, and the University anticipates an annual deficit of $30 million through fiscal 2011 and beyond.