Gearing Up for the Inauguration

As excitement over the historic 2009 Presidential Inauguration on Tuesday, Jan. 20, is stirring up requests for tickets and travelers' lodging in Washington, D.C., George Washington University--with a campus in the district's Foggy Bottom neighborhood--has prepared for the festivities.
GW officials introduced a Special Inauguration Overnight Guest Policy that will allow residential students to host relatives and friends in their rooms from Friday, Jan. 16, 2009, to Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009. Students must preregister all their overnight visitors for approval and security reasons, with sign-ups due by Friday, Dec. 12.
Guests will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis with consideration given to the student demand of each residence hall.
The visitation policy has a number of requirements:
 - Hosts must accompany guests at all times for entry into the residence halls.
- Guests will be required to show a picture ID at building entry and may be asked to produce identification at various other times during the weekend if stopped by campus police or other local security.
And, especially:
- Guests may not sleep in common spaces or hallways and should familiarize themselves with emergency safety and evacuation procedures in the residence halls.
The notice also reminded students that they are not permitted "to sublease or rent their space" under the terms of the university's Undergraduate Housing License Agreement.
The GW community will continue to celebrate well into the evening of Jan. 20 at the GW Inaugural Ball. A GW tradition, nearly 4,000 tickets for this year's event sold out in a day, according to an informational website.
The guest list for the black-tie affair includes GW students, faculty, staff and alumni, parents, and other family members, and extends to members of Congress and the incoming Obama Administration as well as United States ambassadors. The site's FAQ section mentions that the new President and Vice President are also welcome, but it's understandable if they can't make it.