For dozens of students each year, Grinnell's study abroad program in London offered a relatively certain gateway to Europe, in an English-speaking country with Grinnell faculty and highly regarded internships. It was the centerpiece of Grinnell's off-campus study program, and something to brag about.

But this year, an unexpected rush of applicants led to dozens of students being shut out of this previously "safe" option. Others were accepted but denied the chance to do internships. Perhaps worse, faced with hard choices about which students to accept, Off-Campus Study (OCS) relied initially on a single, insufficient factor: GPA.

Even though OCS has acted commendably in trying to place rejected students in other programs, we feel that the problems exposed in this incident highlight the need for OCS to revisit how it handles its London and Washington programs, as called for by a recent successful student initiative.

The most obvious change needed is more accurate advertising for off-campus programs. Many students who applied for Grinnell-in-London said that they had gotten the impression that all qualified students were all but guaranteed to be accepted for the program, and that news of their denial came as a shock.

We understand that this was the first time in decades that the program had faced this problem, but OCS should definitely learn from this situation: keep future students better informed about their prospects, and take steps to anticipate overloads and shift excess students into other programs before a crisis develops.

More troubling is the use of GPA to determine which students got admitted to the program. OCS has long required minimum GPAs for students to apply, and we would not go so far as to suggest that grades are not a valid factor to consider. But they certainly should not be the principal factor, particularly not for second-years with only three semesters of grades under their belts. There is more to college than grades, and students with the best marks may not necessarily be the best equipped to handle a semester abroad. OCS should look at students' entire applications in making decisions.

We hope that OCS takes this situation seriously and takes major steps to prevent it--or other problems--from occurring again. Following the recommendations of the recent student initiative and appointing a committee with students and faculty as well as staff to discuss future changes would be a good first step.


(This section has been updated to correct a typo.)

Being a cold warrior may seem like the right thing to do, but when you feel like you're sick, stay in bed.

For the past couple of weeks, Grinnellians have been subjected to coughs, wheezes and sneezes. Last Thursday, 90 students visited the health center complaining of sore throats and runny noses. While some of them took the advice of the health center and stayed in bed, many went to class.

While it is admirable to see dedicated students committed to broadening their knowledge (and safeguarding their grades), going to class when you have the flu or cold increases the prevalence of the flu and cold on campus. Additionally, without rest it takes longer to get healthy. While it may seem that fighting it out and going to class helps you keep up, in the long run a day of rest might be better for you.

Staying in bed is also good for your fellow Grinnellians. Spending less time in the dinning hall and class when sick derails the systemic flu and cold cycle--making for a healthier campus.

While the spreading Black Death might have as much to do with 100 Days as anything, students battling to class hacking and sniffling could not have helped.