why in the name of the good lord do i go to gwu?

if i want to graduate when i want to (which is, well, a year early), i need to start taking policy-oriented courses. that's why i wrote this e-mail:

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from: Michael Ross
to: Robert Stoker
subject: PSC 124

Dear Prof. Stoker:

My name is Michael Ross and I am a sophomore Public Policy major in
CCAS. I am interested in enrolling in one of your courses for next
semester — PSC 124.11 Poverty, Welfare, and Work (CRN #43949) — but
have not been able to do so using the normal online registration
process because I haven't taken PSC 002 Introduction to American
Politics (the prerequisite to PSC 124) yet. Nevertheless, I am still
interested in taking your class next semester, and that is why I am
asking you if you would be willing to sign me into your class. Not
only will I be taking PSC 002 next semester (concurrently with PSC
124), but I am already familiar with the structure of American
politics based on my experience interning here in Washington. Please
let me know whether you are willing to let me into your class, and if
so, when I can come by your office with the RTF form so you can sign
off on it. Thank you very much!

Regards,
Michael Ross

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this was followed 7 (!!!) hours later by the following e-mail:

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from: Robert Stoker
to: Michael Ross
subject: RE: PSC 124

Michael:

I regret that the Political Science department requires students to complete PSC 002 in advance of taking any upper division course in American politics. I hope to see you in PSC 124 in some future semester.

Bob Stoker

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he really had no good reason to deny my request. only 34/49 seats are taken. also, i'm more than qualified to take that course. honestly, is it really necessary for gwu to perpetuate such bureaucracy?

i think i'm going to go over "bob"'s head and contact the department of political science and the columbian college.

in may 2007, i turned down a substantial scholarship to northeastern university to attend gwu. i was worried that northeastern would try to coddle me, what with my admission into its honors program and all. i'm going to college to learn how to deal with red tape, not have it cut for me... right?

i guess you could say that i'm having one of those "what was i thinking?" moments again.