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HOMELESS MAN DIES IN GEORGETOWN PAGE 4
AUTOMATIC: FRESHMAN STEPPING UP PAGE 6
SISTER-SISTER BAKERY POPS UP ON M ST. PAGE 11
Georgetown University’s Weekly Newsmagazine Since 1969 w January 26, 2012 w Volume 46, Issue 3 w georgetownvoice.com
“The University rolled us.”
How the administration got what it wanted out of SAFE reform
2 the georgetown voice
january 26, 2012
comments of the week “No tour guide would ever refer to Bill Clinton as George Clinton. If you read his tweet, it says that it’s a student giving a small tour of campus, not a tour guide. Don’t hate on Blue&Gray like you have in the past.” —Tour Guides Aren’t that Dumb “Twuesday Tweetacular”
“As much as I’d like to think that GU students are reasonably intelligent, it sure seems to me that there should be a required course for all incoming frosh on “lock your door.” “ — PSA “Publi c Safety Alert Lapotop Stolen from New South Dorm Room”
“Just don’t walk in bearing a “sexually explicit” tattoo!”
—Jerry “Vox Reviews Pinkberr: Freshmenss and Flavor Have
Their Price”
Talk Back
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classifieds Apartment near Georgetown University campus available June 1. Details and map at HoyaHousing.com or Facebook “Georgetown Rentals.” Offered by Charles Sullivan, Re/Max Metropolitan Realty. 301-526-7894 (cell) or 301-947-6500 (main office).
Voice Crossword “April Showers” by Scott Fligor
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answers at georgetownvoice.com 31. U.S. trademark court: abbr. 32. Drink suffix 33. Tough guy 35. Brian McKnight’s hit “Back ___” 38. First item to be bidded on? 40. Skinny one 42. Algerian city 43. Not princes 45. Only five-time U.S. Horse of the Year 47. Pre-freshmen experience 48. He “fiddled while Rome burned” 50. Milton and Shelly 52. Title girl in a 1968 Turtles’ hit 55. Eighties Mustangs 56. Not right 57. Joe Jackson’s “___ Really Going Out With Him” 59. Miles van der ___ 63. Otologist’s concern 64. Carnival treat 66. High school lang. test 67. Colgate competitor 68. Sports broadcaster Rodney 69. Took the cake, perhaps 70. Professor’s summons 71. Poles, e.g.
Down 1. Jules Verne’s Captain 2. Persian paradise 3. Spotted cavy 4. “Every man…can tame ___”: Burton 5. Oahu offering 6. Farm animals 7. Uncommon blood type, informally 8. Permitted Islamic practices 9. Fight with 10. National Democratic Institutes’ cousin org. 11. Throne heirs? 12. “Tiny Alice” dramatist 13. Bubbles over 18. Stops abruptly 22. Poetic muse 24. Dorm supervisors 26. Theta preceder 27. Two quarters 28. Stench 29. Bargain-hunters come-on
30. Yes or no follower 34. Phones the folks 36. Boss Tweed sketcher 37. Son of Seth 39. Representative 41. Western economic coalition 44. Sellout sign 46. 60’s scientific satellite 49. Baltimore baseballer 51. Jerusalem’s land 52. Justice Kagan 53. Minimum 54. First name in cosmetics 58. Flower stalk 60. “___-day” 61. Modern wall hanging 62. One can cross them 64. Metric system abbr. 65. Child abuse agency: abbr.
Are you a logophile? Share your love of words and help us write crosswords. Email crossword@georgetownvoice.com
editorial
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VOICE the georgetown
Volume 46.3 January 26, 2011 Editor-in-Chief: Sean Quigley Managing Editor: Leigh Finnegan Blog Editor: Jackson Perry News Editor: Vanya Mehta Sports Editor: Kevin Joseph Feature Editor: Rachel Calvert Cover Editor: Richa Goyal Leisure Editor: Heather Regen Voices Editor: Connor Jones Photo Editor: Lucia He Design Editors: Kathleen Soriano-Taylor, Julia Kwon Projects Editor: Rob Sapunor Crossword Editor: Scott Fligor Assistant Blog Editors: Ryan Bellmore, John Spaunor Assistant News Editors: Soo Chae, Morgan Manger Assistant Sports Editor: Abby Sherburne Assistant Leisure Editors: Mary Borowiec, Julia Lloyd-George, Kirill Makarenko Assistant Photo Editors: Julian De La Paz, Abby Greene Assistant Design Editors: Madhuri Vairapandi, Amanda Dominguez Contributing Editors: Geoffrey Bible, Nico Dodd, Iris Kim Tim Shine
Staff Writers:
Geoffrey Bible, Mary Cass, Patricia Cipollitti, Jane Conroy, Emma Forster, Daniel Kellner, Kelsey McCullough, Eileen McFarland, Matt Pacana, Adam Rosenfeld, Jake Schindler, Melissa Sullivan, Fatima Taskomur
Staff Photographers:
Sam Brothers, Helen Guo, Kirill Makarenko, Tim Markatos, Jackson Perry
Copy Chief: Kim Tay Copy Editors:
Claire McDaniel, Jordan Moeny, Neil Sood, Tori Jovanovski, Keaton Hoffman
Editorial Board Chair: Gavin Bade Editorial Board:
Gavin Bade, Tiffany Brown, Rachel Calvert, Nicolo Dona Dalle Rose, Leigh Finnegan, Julia Jester, Cole Stangler, Julia Tanaka
Head of Business: Keaton Hoffman
The Georgetown Voice
The Georgetown Voice is published every Thursday. This newspaper was made possible with the support of Campus Progress, a project of the Center for American Progress, online at CampusProgress.org. Campus Progress works to help young people — advocates, activists, journalists, artists — make their voices heard on issues that matter. Learn more at CampusProgress.org. Mailing Address: Georgetown University The Georgetown Voice Box 571066 Washington, D.C. 20057
Office: Leavey Center Room 424 Georgetown University Washington, D.C. 20057
Email: editor@georgetownvoice.com Advertising: business@georgetownvoice.com Web Site: georgetownvoice.com The opinions expressed in the Georgetown Voice do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of Georgetown University, unless specifically stated. Unsigned editorials represent the views of the Editorial Board. Columns, advertisements, cartoons and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or the General Board of the Georgetown Voice. The University subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression of its student editors. The Georgetown Voice is produced in the Georgetown Voice office and composed on Macintosh computers using the Adobe InDesign publishing system and is printed by Silver Communications. All materials copyright the Georgetown Voice. All rights reserved. On this week’s cover: SAFE Reform Cover Drawing: Madhuri Vairapandi
the georgetown voice 3
WINNING THE FUTURE?
Obama too cautious in State of the Union On Tuesday evening, President Barack Obama began his election year State of the Union address with a war metaphor, comparing the unified American military to the dysfunctional Congress. Unity and cooperation proved to be the big themes for Obama in this speech, and correspondingly he proposed mostly moderate policy changes in an attempt to build an electoral base and appear above the fray of squabbling legislators. It was an all-too-cautious approach from the President at a time when the nation needs dramatic and immediate change. The most significant weaknesses in his address pertained to environmental policy. Obama’s proposal to open more than 75 percent of potential offshore oil fields plays well with the electorate, but will counteract incentives to develop clean energy. His promised research and development of natural gas will proliferate environmentally disastrous hydraulic fracturing while also threatening
public health. The Navy’s purchase of alternative energy capacity sounds green, but the public land to be developed for energy use is most often wilderness, and our natural heritage is much better left alone. Even so, Obama did acknowledge that government support is critical in helping businesses spur energy innovation, and promised loan guarantees for energy companies—a big commitment after the Solyndra debacle. He also proposed ending subsidies for oil companies and incentives against energy waste, but none of these commitments represented a break from his usual moderate environmental stance. Obama’s position on education was more productive, and included a proposal that each state require all students to stay in school until they graduate or turn 18. He also promoted extending the tuition tax credit and a path to citizenship for undocumented students. Although these stances are logical and welcome, his failure to mention the DREAM act was
disappointing. As usual, the President used a large part of his speech to advocate moderate reinvestment in American infrastructure and manufacturing. He also reiterated his desire to let the Bush tax cuts expire, and called for a 30 percent tax on the top income bracket. As with his other proposals, these are a good start, but do not go far enough to ensure a robust economic recovery. Overall, this State of the Union was one of Obama’s vaguest addresses, and was clearly designed for campaign mode. Obama took populist positions on most issues, drew distinctions between himself and Congress, and, above all, played it safe. This unwillingness to take electoral risk has sadly been one constant characteristic of his tenure. Obama’s rhetoric was soaring and inspirational, but he will need to beef up his progressive credentials in the coming months if he expects robust support from his base and wants to deliver on the change he promised in 2008.
UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED
GUSA strategy plays to University’s hands
The passage of yet another round of Student Activity Fund Endowment reforms this week begs a question about how the Georgetown University Student Association manages its relationship with University administration. A vote for SAFE reform this time around is surely a good one, but it is also a stinging reminder of what could have been. The SAFE endowment, established in 2001, was to be comprised of student money combined with $3 million from the University. Not surprisingly, the administration never came through. Additionally, subsequent generations of GUSA senators have forgotten not only about the University’s commitment, but about the fund itself. By 2010 the ignored fund had only grown to $3.4 million instead of the projected $10 million. Sadly, GUSA mismanaged what could have left a great legacy for Georgetown students, and its failure is a testament to its ineffectiveness in securing student interests and dealing with the administration. Apart from GUSA’s four-year turnover rate, the root cause of the failure of their initia-
tives is that the University has little incentive to honor agreements with student government. For years, GUSA’s strategy has been to get chummy with the administration, making back-room, handshake deals instead of exerting pressure and mobilizing student, alumni, and faculty support for student initiatives. By contrast, the biggest and most radical changes on our campus have occurred through public, direct action. Both Georgetown Solidarity Committee, with its 2005 Living Wage campaign, and GU Pride, with “Out for Change” in 2007, proved that cooperation with the administration is not the best avenue for change on the Hilltop. Both organizations engaged for years in futile working groups and committees with administration officials. When cooperation with the system failed, both GSC and GU Pride turned to the student population as their coercive mechanism. This included mobilizing students for sit-ins, protests, and a hunger strike, which garnered intense support from the wider community. The result was quick success for each group,
and the only legitimate and lasting studentinitiated change we’ve seen in recent years. Student frustration with the University administration is no novelty, especially concerning their recurring decisions to favor the preservation and promotion of Georgetown’s reputation rather than addressing student concerns. Taking up issues with the administration can be a long, arduous process, but representatives have faced these challenges long enough to realize working within the system simply isn’t working. If GUSA wants real results, it should follow the lead of GSC and GU Pride in becoming active and direct in its strategy. It is commendable that representatives have persuaded the administration to acknowledge it will not receive any SAFE funds without a plan for a pub in Healy, but actually making the them follow through on this proposal calls for a new approach to the relationship. It is time for GUSA to embrace direct action to promote campus interests so it can begin to truly act as a meaningful representative of the student body.
BACK TO BLACKWATER
Private contractors poisonous in drug war
Academi, the military contracting firm formerly known as Xe and Blackwater Worldwide, was recently awarded a contract by the Pentagon to contribute to the “War on Drugs.” The company is notorious for scandals in Iraq and Afghanistan while providing auxiliary forces to the United States military, including the killing of Iraqi civilians and withholding of information regarding deaths of Blackwater’s own employees. Now, according to the BBC, it will be “providing advice, training and conducting operations in drug producing countries and those with links to so-called ‘narco-terrorism’ including Latin America.” There are several troubling implications of this new partnership. The contract awarded to Academi was no-bid, meaning that the Pentagon went straight to Academi and the few other companies awarded contracts rather than waiting for a bidding process to bargain down the price of the services. De-
spite the Pentagon’s complaints about cuts in their budget and the Obama administration’s espoused commitment to drawing down the defense budget, this is a foolish and utterly wasteful way to distribute the funds. More importantly, outsourcing security operations is wholly unethical. As a private company, Academi is not under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, is not constrained by the conventions and laws of war as practiced by the US military, and has shown a remarkable ability to escape domestic prosecution for well-known atrocities committed in Iraq. While there have been several instances of misconduct by American soldiers, they have been followed by discipline from the military courts. That kind of recourse is simply impossible with a private contractor. Especially in Latin America, and with a policy area as sensitive as drug enforcement, our international actors must be answerable only to
the government, and by extension the American people. Choosing a private contractor to carry out military operations is simply not a responsible choice in any situation. This contract also shows the US government’s continued support for a company that committed atrocities during its military contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite the numerous scandals and breaches of conduct, the CIA, State Department, and Department of Defense have continued to award lucrative contracts to the former Blackwater. The reliance on military contractors shows a lack of commitment to a more peaceful dialogue and foreign policy, and betrays the Obama administration’s stated commitments to transparency and accountability in government. The President must show persistence in the foreign policy line that he has touted, and that begins with leaving military work to the military.
news
4 the georgetown voice
january 26, 2012
Local advocates reflect after homeless man’s death by Jackson Perry Steps from the Leo J. O’Donovan Dining Hall and the Southwest Quad, the woods between Canal Road and the University’s southern driveway are home to a small community of the Georgetown neighborhood’s homeless. On Thursday, 19 Jan, 56-year-old Carvaly’s body was discovered in a tent in the woods south of the University. A law enforcement official said he likely died of natural causes. A Georgetown Facilities worker was first to notice his tent, and informed the Department of Public Safety. After DPS notified Metro Police, officers arrived and discov-
ered Carvaly’s body. Foul play was quickly ruled out, and several hours later his body was removed for a coroner’s examination. “It’s just sad. He was a person who developed really good relationships with my staff ... and just a very kind person,” Kathy Sibert, Executive Director of the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network, said. Gunther Stern, Executive Director of the Georgetown Ministry Center, works closely with the homeless population in Georgetown. Stern did not know Carvaly personally, but had heard about him from others. “Everybody here talked about the guy and knew him. When I read about it I asked around and
Carvaly was found dead in a tent adjacent to the University.
jackson perry
there was only a certain set of people who knew him since he sort of kept to himself,” Stern said. “He was a sick person ... physically sick, and that’s the most people could say about him.” Noting that Carvaly usually lived in northern Virginia, Sibert said, “The people I talked to who knew him were surprised he was where he was when he died.” Sibert was less surprised, as she described the homeless communities of Rosslyn and Georgetown as relatively fluid. “People flow back and forth between those two areas,” she said. At Georgetown, Hoya Outreach Programs & Education is the foremost organization dedicated to serving the needs of the homeless. Although HOPE runs many programs geared toward the homeless, none are specific to Georgetown. “At this time HOPE does not have any programs that are directly geared towards those in Georgetown,” Ivana Robinson (MSB ‘13), a HOPE chair, wrote in an email. “However, we are currently working on expanding our current programs, such as Friday Food, into other areas of D.C., including Georgetown.” “That’s one of the things I was a
little bit surprised about with Friday Food. We do go to Dupont rather than Georgetown or Rosslyn,” said Mallory Carr (COL ‘15), one of the coordinators of HOPE’s Friday Food program, which distributes donated food to the homeless at Dupont Circle. “I do think that is something we should look into more.” Georgetown students, both undergraduate and graduate, work with A-SPAN and GMC. Nursing students from the Medical School provide weekly medical care to the homeless at ASPAN’s shelter as part of a course. “We have been really, really pleased with the participation with A-SPAN of the Georgetown nursing students,” Sibert said. On our side of the Potomac, many Hoyas who volunteer at GMC are completing community service or sanction hours. Addressing the undergraduate community’s efforts to help the homeless, Carr said, “I think the students could definitely do more.” Although University officials joined with members of the local clergy to found GMC in 1987 in response to the death of a homeless man in a Georgetown phone booth, Georgetown’s official role
in the organization has weakened over the years. When asked if any University administrators or faculty are currently on the Center’s board or staff, Stern said, “[Associate Vice President for External Relations] Linda Greenan is on our board, but mostly in name—the answer is no.” “Georgetown University itself doesn’t really do anything,” Ron Koshes, GMC’s Consulting Psychiatrist, said. “I wouldn’t want to make such a blanket statement,” Stern added. “We don’t know.” GMC is currently in the process of conducting its annual Point in Time survey, which gives the most accurate count of Georgetown’s indigent population available, and should enable the Center to offer more effective services to the homeless community. Although the need for advocacy may not be as great as in other areas of the District, Georgetown still has a sizable homeless population. “I would estimate there are 6070 people who sleep in and around Georgetown, and 100 percent of them are mentally ill. You can quote me on that,” Koshes said.
On the record with future Corp CEO Mike West
Future Corp CEO Mike West sat down with the Voice to discuss his Corp experience and visions for the future. Interviewed and transcribed by Soo Chae.
Voice: How do you feel about your Corp experience? How did it shape your life at Georgetown? West: It has completely changed my Georgetown experience. It defined it, really. I’ve met new friends— some of my closest friends are from the Corp. I’ve had new experiences. I’ve been part of a business that I never would’ve been a part of. Like right now, I’m in charge. That’s silly. The fact that I’m in charge. I’m still a little confused about that. [Laughs.] So of the things I’ve done at Georgetown, the most meaningful was being a part of the Corp. As the new CEO, how do you feel? What’s your biggest fear? It’s a little overwhelming. Right now, I was just selected last week, so this week has just been a bunch of meetings, training, shadowing Alex [Pon, COL ’12], the old CEO. I officially start March 1. My biggest fear is looking back and realizing a year from now that I didn’t do everything that I could have done.
Right now, coming in fresh, I’m excited, but I don’t want to be a year from now, in a position where I say, “Shoot, I really should’ve.” What are some specific changes that you want to bring? I think this past year the Corp has started to do something very important in terms of their Service and Outreach Committee and the Philanthropy Committee. The Corp is more than just grocery stores and coffee shops; the problem is that many students don’t know that. We give back thousands of dollars through our Philanthropy and Service and Outreach Committees, but not a lot of kids know that. So, this past year, the Corp has started to raise the profile of those committees, and showing what we do for the Georgetown community. This coming year, my biggest mission is to really amplify that as much as possible. When they think of the Corp, I want kids to think grocery and coffee obviously, but I also want them to think of giving and caring. What is your favorite thing about the Corp? Other than the Corp discount? I love the Corp discount. My favor-
ite part is ... it’s just such an experience in every way. I wish I could say there is a favorite part, but it has defined my Georgetown experience. So I’d love to say the people, but at the same time, being part of a growing and a thriving business is just as important aspect. Being behind the scenes in the accounting department, and also making the drinks at Midnight Mug—that’s been an experience that even in the Corp not a lot of kids have, and I’m thankful for that. If I had to pick one, it’s being a part of something real ... we’re making real changes on this campus, we’re providing a service to students, and just knowing that the Corp is such a vital part of Georgetown. How was your experience in Midnight Mug, the center of Lau where students mingle and share their pain? It’s stressful. I remember saying in my interview for Midnight Mug a year and a half ago—they asked me “How do you deal with stress?” and I said, “Oh, I love working in a hustle-hustle environment” ... and I kind of regretted my words. [Laughs]. I was at
a power-shift during finals and there were 18 cups flying everywhere. But you grow to love it and get used to it—it’s just a scene, you talk with them ... I feel like kids come into Midnight Mug and it’s a break from studying. It’s a break from studying and that’s why I love it when people are like, “Oh, thank God, here’s my coffee!” It’s hard to express ... thriving off the stress. Where do you see this going? This is the question that my mom asks me all the time. I don’t know, and that’s the scary
part. I’m very interested in looking at two years of service after Georgetown, whether it is Teach for America, other volunteer corps, or something like that would be very important to me. I worked in D.C. Reads for three, four semesters, and I found that so important. I want to commit as much as I can ... I want to do something servicerelated for two years and then figure out my future plans. I’d love to just start a coffee shop in a library somewhere though. That’d be great.
Mike West discusses his future as Corp CEO.
lucia he
news
georgetownvoice.com
the georgetown voice 5
GUSA enthusiastic as referendum nears end by Morgan Manger On Tuesday, elections for GUSA’s Student Activities and Fee Endowment referendum began, as campaigners sent emails to students reminding them to vote and representatives went door-to-door informing students about the projects. The referendum includes three proposals: The creation of the Social Innovation and Public Service Fund, the installation of solar panels on certain University-owned townhouses, and the creation of the New South Student Center.
Initially, students were disappointed when the administration nixed consideration of the construction of a pub in the basement of Healy Hall. However, GUSA members fought for the inclusion of a pub as part of the NSSC. On Monday, Christopher Augostini, the University’s Chief Operating Officer, acknowledged in writing that the University will not receive the allocation unless their plans meet specific conditions. “The NSSC Allocation will be used for the purposes set forth herein provided that the NSSC final plan includes…a
Students vote on SAFE reform in Leo’s dining hall.
lucia he
Leave(y) your worries behind
Last spring, the University administration committed to converting the Leavey Hotel into a dorm to reduce the number of students living off campus. But, as former Voice columnist Kara Brandeisky aptly pointed out in a post on the blog Greater Greater Washington a year ago, “Dorms are vastly inferior to off-campus options, which include kitchens, living rooms, single rooms, washing machines, dishwashers and all the furnishings of independent living ... [Students] want our own kitchens. We want area for entertaining. We want independence. We want apartments.” So students want apartments, and the University is building a dorm on campus— doesn’t seem like the best option. The University could convert the Leavey Hotel into another upperclassmen dorm (excuse me, “residence hall”), but given that the Office of Student Housing states the dorm rooms on campus rarely fill up,
I doubt that would be attractive for many students. If the University wants to make its non-apartment housing on campus attractive to upperclassmen, making another dorm under the purview of the Office of Residential Life won’t cut it. My suggestion: Residential Colleges. Most Georgetown students would be familiar with residential colleges from the Harry Potter books, in which the Hogwarts house system was modeled on the Cambridge and Oxford system, which is the model for American colleges. The idea is that students live and eat with other students spanning different grades in that house for three years. In addition, a residential college is governed by the students with guidance from faculty and graduate students who live with the undergraduates. This would vastly differ from Georgetown’s current dorms. At present, Residence Life has ad-
restaurant and bar intended to serve beer, wine and liquor,” the agreement read. “[And] the University will attempt in good faith to obtain a license from the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration of the District of Columbia.” GUSA Finance and Appropriations Committee Chair Colton Malkerson (COL ’13) was pleased with this statement and what it means for the NSSC’s plans. “It was important that the students got the agreement down in writing,” he said. “As we have learned from the past, agreements with the University are more likely to be kept when written down and signed. This was a good opportunity to get the University on the record regarding the pub while we had a great deal of leverage, that being more than two million dollars.” Leaders hope that, with a pub, a terrace, and the renovation of the first floor, the NSSC will become a new center of social life on the campus. It will greatly increase the amount of student space available, as, according to the proposal available to students before they
voted, the center will add 2,780 square feet of study and lounge space to the University. “Student space has been such a pressing issue” GUSA Vice President Greg Laverierre (COL ’12) said. “This is something that’ll definitely be another spot where students can meet with professors, with administrators, and with other students.” Voting on all three referenda is still taking place. Students are able to vote through their e-mail or utilize the voting booths at Leo’s. As of Tuesday afternoon, GUSA’s official Twitter account reported 2,224 votes for SIPS, 2,220 votes on solar panels, and 2,249 votes on New South. Laverriere said he was “cautiously optimistic” that all three proposals would pass. In an email written to the Voice, Malkerson said that he is “very confident all three proposals will pass by a wide margin...the large voter turnout reflects this.” Voting will continue until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, and results will be announced soon afterwards.
opted a number of practices from the traditional residential college system, including faculty-inresidence to aid the intellectual life, chaplains-in-residence for pastoral care, and programming by the Residential Life team to create a community. This looks fantastic on paper, but by adopting some parts of the residential college system without adopting the whole thing, the idea is doomed to inefficacy. Although
giate Way, a website devoted to spreading the joys of the collegiate system, an effective way to actually make a community vibrant and diverse (and not just unsubstantiated buzzwords on the website) would be for students to apply to live there during the end of their freshman year. This way, students would enter with the understanding that this isn’t supposed to be a backup to getting an apartment, and having multi-year members with their own space would also build an institutional memory and sense of community that would be attractive to students. According to Stephanie Lynch, Georgetown’s Director of Residence Life on-campus, there are no plans for instituting a residential college system in the Leavey Hotel, or any other dorm for that matter. She said that the idea has come up a few times, but Georgetown’s underlying structure would make their implementation difficult: normally, residential colleges have faculty-in-house who buy
saxa politica by Ryan Bellmore
A bi-weekly column on campus news and politics the chaplains-in-residence seem to be a popular inclusion (a student at yesterday’s Hoya Roundtable even asked for more), faculty-in-residence could do with engaging more with students who aren’t on their floor. As for the ResLife-sponsored events, as a normal participant in floor activities that involve free food, I can confidently say that I am usually the only non-RA there. According to The Colle-
Roundtables resume Yesterday, Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson met with students in the Leavey Center’s Sellinger Lounge for the first Hoya Roundtable of the semester. The topics of the roundtable included Health Education Services, Counseling and Psychiatric Services, and Residence Life, among others. Olson began the meeting with a brief commentary on his goals for the semester. A question-answer session followed. One student asked if the New South Student Center, Leavey Hotel and Yates expansion would potentially have a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ranking in gold or platinum. Another student asked if the third and fourth floors of Leavey would be renovated. Olson responded that the administration plans to focus on energy in the Leavey Hotel but will consider other projects in the future. The majority of students in attendance were members of campus media, GUSA, or Student Activities Commission. —Vanya Mehta
up credit hours to integrate the residential and the curricular, but Lynch wasn’t sure how that would work with the four separate schools. This is unfortunate. The Office of Student Affairs’ top divisional goal is, supposedly, to “create a divisional culture, which takes a proactive and holistic approach to student learning, development and wellness.” I would like to emphasize “holistic” in that statement. Currently, the social lives of Georgetown Students are divided among student activities, their academic lives are divided among the four schools, and their residential lives are divided in either small groups in apartments or in dorms with strangers. A residential college would integrate all three: Bringing students from all four schools, with different interests, all into one dinner table. Wish Georgetown was more like Hogwarts? Unsheath your magic wands with Ryan at rbellmore@ georgetownvoice.com
sports
6 the georgetown voice
january 26, 2012
Basketball looks to beat Panthers in Steel City by Daniel Kellner A few months ago, it was inconceivable that the Georgetown men’s basketball team would be the heavy favorite in a matchup with conference rival Pittsburgh. And yet, as the Hoyas prep for their showdown in the Steel City this Saturday, the nation expects nothing short of a convincing win. After entering the season ranked No. 10, the Panthers have plummeted to the bottom of the Big East and proven one of the greatest disappointments of the college basketball season. As if nonconference losses to Long Beach State and Wagner were not alarming enough, Pitt has dropped its first seven Big East games and looks set to miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001. Meanwhile, the Hoyas have seized control of the same No. 10 position after entering the season overlooked and unranked. They now have the chance to take out their frustration against a program that has been a perennial Big East title contender since Head Coach Jamie Dixon took over in 2003. Consequently, Saturday’s matchup is a tale of two very different seasons, with starkly contrasting storylines. Pitt’s disappointment begins with their superstar. Senior guard Ashton Gibbs, who poured in 22 points in the Panthers’ 72-57 win over the Hoyas last season, has lost his shot this campaign. The preseason Big East Player of the Year is shooting a dismal 38 percent from the field, including a drop of 14 percentage points from his lethal three-point shooting percentage. Gibbs is still averaging a team-best 16.4 points per game, which is only slightly down
from last season, but his inability to score efficiently and create for his teammates has stagnated the Panther offense. Meanwhile, Georgetown has been bolstered by the surprising effectiveness of its freshmen, diminishing the burden placed on the Hoyas’ few upperclassmen. Freshmen Otto Porter and Greg Whittington, often Head Coach John Thompson III’s first two players off the bench, have spearheaded this group, giving the team considerable depth and length. These two have been so crucial to the Hoyas’ success that Thompson hesitates even to call them freshmen anymore. “At this point in the year we’re not thinking about anybody as a freshman,” Thompson said. “They’ve been through too much and played too many games. They are too important to talk about ‘freshmen’.” Porter has served as the team’s primary forward option off the bench, pulling in a team best 6.9 rebounds. But in addition to his work on the glass, Porter has provided a composed late-game presence for the Hoyas. In last Saturday’s nail-biter against Rutgers, Porter claimed the Hoyas’ final six points to close out the narrow win. Given his calm demeanor, his success at the end of games is no surprise to his coach. “Otto doesn’t get rattled,” Thompson said. “He just plays the game.” Whittington was also deployed heavily against Rutgers, providing timely scoring and blanketing defense. At 6’7”, his versatility has been crucial for the Hoyas both in practice and on gameday, where his intensity and ability to guard multiple positions have forced the Hoyas to include him in the already deep rotation.
NICK BAKER
Greg Whittington and Otto Porter pace the Hoyas off the bench as freshmen.
“[Whittington] definitely brings it every single day in practice. He’s competing with everybody,” senior guard Jason Clark said. “Greg is a great, great defender and a great rebounder… He knows the game well and he plays hard every single day.” Thompson insists that, despite averaging just 3.2 points per game on 34 percent shooting, Whittington is a talented and promising offensive player.
“Greg is extremely talented,” Thompson said. “I think as time goes on you will slowly see he’s one of these players who could be good at every part of the game of basketball on both ends of the floor… I think he’s going to be a big time scorer before he leaves here.” Though they may have been able to play under the radar thus far, the young Hoyas now face the difficulty of being a known commodity. Pitt may be down this year,
but with matchups against defending national champion Connecticut and Big East favorite Syracuse over the next two weeks, Georgetown still has its toughest tests remaining. Fortunately, the upperclassmen have some vital wisdom to impart to the youngsters to help them through the obstacles ahead. “Every Big East game is a battle,” senior center Henry Sims said. “Don’t cave into the pressure, just fight back.”
the Sports Sermon “@SpeakerBoehner Hello Mr. Boehner, hoping you are in better spirits today. If all else seems bad in life just remember I love you kind sir. “- @chadochocinco should stand out to an observer is the selfless manner in which he rose to this average. The Arlington native always does exactly what his team needs from him—no more, and no less. After three and a half seasons under John Thompson III, Clark knows not to force shots and let the game come to him through the flow of the offense. This is summarily evidenced in the team’s win against Louisville earlier this year, where Clark allowed the hot hands on the Hoyas to lead, stepping to the side himself with just seven points in the effort. He focused his work on the other end, where he limited Peyton
after him, led the Hoyas and stepped up his own output If you look at the all-Big when his team most needed it. East preseason teams, you’ll Against Marquette this season, notice that something is glardown as many as 17, the Hoyas ingly absent—there are no came all the way back to win by Hoyas in sight. Nobody exthree. Yes, the lasting memory pected much from this year’s from that game will be Hollis Hoyas, which could perhaps be Thompson’s game-winning a result of their perceived lack shot, but Clark single-handedof star power. But this season, ly willed his team back—the Georgetown’s own Jason Clark guard took over whenever the has proven himself to be the offense stagnated, and scored class of the Big East, and, if he 18 of his 26 points in the Hoyas’ continues this way through the incredible second half. rest of the season, should be the His attitude is contagious, conference’s Player of the Year. and seems reflective of the Clark is the unquestioned team’s gritty, won’t-lose menleader of this year’s Georgetality. town team, but this alone does “We’ve been in some tight not set him apart, games, and there Pete Rose Central particularly for such has always been a Da bettin’ line a traditionally statsfeeling that we’re driven award. But not going to lose,” Dookies Margin Hoyas over the past few he said after the (underdogs) (duh!) years, the Big East (favorites) team pulled out has begun looking yet another close Cabrera Waist size game against RutFielder at team success and ELIte then individual outgers on Saturday. UGGhhhs Brady put when deciding Panthers Road mettle “Everybody feels Hoyas the winner of this the same way, that award. Last year, in a campaign Siva for the majority of the sec- we’re going to pull out a win.” where UConn’s Kemba Walk- ond half. West Virginia’s Kevin Jones, er or Providence’s MarShon Over the course of the sea- Seton Hall’s Herb Pope, UCoBrooks seemed destined to take son, Clark has proven his lim- nn’s Jeremy Lamb, as well as the award, Notre Dame’s Ben ited scoring output is a measure at least three Syracuse players, Hansbrough emerged victori- of his leadership and certainly make this one of the more wideous due to his team’s surprise not an indictment of his talent. open races for Player of the Year run to second place in the con- Clark came up biggest offen- in recent memory. Statistically, ference. Hansbrough, scoring sively in games where his team Jones is the clear frontrunner at 18.5 points per game, was a key struggled to break leads open, 20.7 points and 11.5 rebounds cog for the Fighting Irish, but when he felt the onus to step per game. He is a special player, certainly not as crucial to his up and create—26 points versus and if West Virginia can keep team’s success as the stars of Memphis in Maui, 22 against up its torrid Big East start, the UConn or Providence. If selec- Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and a award certainly belongs to tion was based on pure talent season-high 31 against DePaul him. However, if Clark keeps and statistical output, Brooks in Chicago. this year’s resolute Hoyas on or Walker certainly would have Clark’s senior campaign sig- track in the upper echelon of taken the prize. nificantly parallels Jeff Green’s the Big East, then it should be This isn’t to say that Clark’s 2006-2007 season, where he his award to lose. Like this seastatistics are lacking. The guard captured Big East Player of the son’s Hoyas, he remains an unis averaging 15.9 points per Year after leading the confer- derdog. But, he can prove his game, a mark that leads the bal- ence in exactly zero statistical doubters wrong, and wouldn’t anced Hoya attack. But what categories. Green, like Clark have it any other way.
by Kevin Joseph
sports
georgetownvoice.com
the georgetown voice 7
Track impresses at Spiked Shoe Hoyas rebound from loss by Abby Greene This past weekend, the Georgetown track and field team competed in the second annual Spiked Shoe Club invitational at the Hanley Center at Georgetown Preparatory School in Bethesda. The Hoyas matched up strongly against Philadelphia’s La Salle University on Friday night, as seasoned veterans and a talented pool of newcomers competed in numerous events, each seeking to set personal records and achieve qualifying times for the Big East Championships. Fresh off their national title this fall, many of the women’s cross country runners took to the indoor arena. Senior Emily Infeld, placed first in the 1000 meter run. Patrick Henner, the Director of Men’s and Women’s Track and Field, was thoroughly impressed with Infeld’s performance, calling it “the highlight of the whole meet.” He pointed out that she was a mere tenth of a second off of the school record, which was set during last fall’s NCAA Championship race. Additionally,
he suggested that he would not be surprised if her time was the top in the country for the entire season. In addition to Infeld, Hoyas London Finley, Deseree King, Autumn Touchstone, and Bria Murray all made strong contributions to the female team, topping the field in the 300-meter dash, 500-meter dash, high jump, and long jump, respectively. Coach Henner was pleased with the younger athletes as well, particularly the performance by freshman Annamarie Maag in the one-mile run. On the men’s side, Georgetown continued to bring the heat with close finishes in multiple races. The one-mile saw Max Darrah narrowly edge out teammate Ben Furcht by less than half a second to win the race, and both runners set personal records. The men’s 500 meter dash witnessed a tie between graduate students Toby Ulm and Kevin Wilson. Meanwhile, senior Kamryn Austin narrowly defeated teammate Biyerem Okengwu in the 60-meter hurdles. Austin continues
Courtesy GEORGETOWN SPORTS INFORMATION
Rachel Schneider, Emily Infeld, and Hannah Neczypor lead the Hoyas.
Forget about heroes and goats People watch sports for a lot of reasons—out of loyalty to a team, to witness acts of transcendent athleticism, because they’re addicted to gambling—but they all essentially boil down to entertainment, and there’s little more entertaining than a game that isn’t decided until its final moments. In that case, this past weekend was a great one for sports fans, with a frighteningly close victory for Georgetown over Rutgers preceding the tightest pair of NFL conference championship games in history. Those games each produced the requisite last-minute heroes and scapegoats. Otto Porter saved the Hoyas from embarrassment by scoring six unanswered points in the final two minutes. Meanwhile, Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff and San Francisco
49ers punt returner Kyle Williams endured death threats after seemingly costing their teams trips to the Super Bowl. Inevitably, these are the players who capture the headlines and dominate the conversation following the games. However, while Porter, Cundiff, and Williams undoubtedly did change the outcome of their games, apportioning full credit or blame to them is unfair. Despite clichés like “play a complete game” and commentators’ constant reminders that “this is a team game,” more often than not a singular focus takes hold when the clock is winding down. Our tendency to conflate a game’s final moments with its deciding ones makes the players who take on pivotal roles in them seem disproportionately important.
to put up impressive times and provides great heart for the Hoyas, as he performed a forward roll and let out an enthusiastic scream after the 4 by 400 relay. Running unattached, feeshman Derek Armstrong set what Henner called “a huge personal record,” as he finished first in the men’s 3,000-meter run and beat his previous record by about 20 seconds. With Georgetown securing top times and distances in nearly every event, it may seem like the Hoyas were only competing against their own teammates. But La Salle performed strongly, and Coach Henner emphasized that the meet was beneficial for the Hoyas as a whole. Looking forward, Coach Henner and the Hoyas are focusing on putting up some additional marks to qualify for the NCAA championships in March. Henner hopes to bump the intensity up a notch and push the Hoyas to take competition to the next level. He also wants to emphasize leadership among teammates, even the younger ones. “Our philosophy is that you don’t have to be a senior to be a leader,” he said. “Even a new freshman can be a leader.” He highlighted the importance of leading by example, being excited to race, and competing one hundred percent. Henner also believes Infeld is a strong forerunner of that mentality for his team, saying that “she gets out there and gives a good, strong effort.” But despite the recent slew of wins, Henner does concede that the team can do better. “We’re showing improvement, but we can always show more,” he said. With their performance at Spiked Shoe, an improved Georgetown team could be a scary force for opponents. It’s obviously insane for a random person on Twitter to tell Cundiff to “get a rope and chair asap,” but if @trevbrown14 wanted to at least be an equitable crazy person, he should have targeted the whole Ravens team. Yes, the game would have gone to overtime if Cundiff’s 32-yard field goal hadn’t gone
Double Teamed by Tim Shine a rotating column on sports wide left, but the Ravens would have won it if Lee Evans could have held onto the ball in the endzone two plays earlier. It may not feel like it when the final seconds are ticking off the clock, but three points in the first quarter are worth the same as three in the fourth when it comes to the final score. And, of course, that doesn’t take into account all the
by Abby Sherburne It’s not often that a winning team is outshot, outrebounded, and outhustled by its opponent. Unfortunately, that was the case on Sunday evening, when the No. 19 Georgetown women’s basketball team came out ready to run with the No. 17 Louisville Cardinals with all the necessary intensity and none of the execution. Trailing by nine points within the two minute mark, it looked like the women were ready to falter in front of the McDonough Arena crowd. And even after a last-ditch rally brought them within three points, the effort came too late for the Hoyas, who fell to the Cardinals 64-61. “I’m not gonna say [season hopes] were destroyed,” head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said after the game. “We’ve still got a lot of games left to play.” Still, she was disappointed by her team’s stats, especially the dismal 33 percent from the field and perhaps a game-deciding 54 percent from the free throw line. Despite the loss, WilliamsFlournoy insists that the women don’t need to put in more time at the gym. She rather cited lack of confidence, especially in shooting, as the major flaw in their play as of late. While she was proud of her defense, which forced 25 Louisville turnovers, and the team’s 18 offensive boards, the Hoyas were nonetheless incapable of snagging a win. “It had to be something else,” Williams-Flournoy said. “Well ding ding ding, that’s an easy solution! We shoot 30 percent from the field, we don’t
minor decisions and non-scoring plays that lead up to points being put on the board (or not). The latter happened more often than the former in the Hoyas’ game on Saturday. Georgetown couldn’t find the basket (they shot 29.3 percent), making the small amount of points chipped in by Porter at the end of the game a lot more meaningful. But that’s a quirk of timing more than anything else. For example, earlier in the second half, freshman Greg Whittington scored seven straight points in a stretch very similar to Porter’s, bringing the Hoyas back within three after the Scarlet Knights had gained their largest lead of the game. Whittington could have been the hero, but he just as easily could have been the goat, thanks to a couple of missed layups. In the end, the Hoya defense probably deserved the most credit for the
make shots … our defense is going to keep us in the game, but we’re not making shots to win the game.” She insisted that the game comes down to making the shots, not creating more offensive opportunities. “I run the offense the first play of the game,” she said. “I get Tia Magee a layup. I’m a genius. [But] regardless of what I do, they still gotta make the shots.” Magee, a senior forward, was disappointed by the loss, but feels encouraged that the team was at least able to run the ball against the Cards’ stout defense and young, quick offense. “We had a lot of momentum [in the first half],” she said. “We’re human. We get tired.” The team faced more trouble in its next battle, Tuesday’s faceoff against the West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown. Good shooting proved paramount to the Hoyas’ 64-54 win. Junior sharpshooter Sugar Rodgers scored 17 points, and Magee matched Rodgers’ effort in the second half. Magee’s rally was a deciding factor of the game, as the Hoyas came into the second half trailing by one. Although the Mountaineers are currently unranked, a win against a Big East program cannot be underrated for the Hoyas, especially considering their recent tough stretch. The women will stay home this weekend, hosting Rutgers on Sunday afternoon. This year’s Rutgers team is coming fresh off wins against USF and DePaul to take on the Hoyas. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at McDonough Arena.
win, allowing the team to eke out a victory while scoring just 52 points. Trying to precisely determine the real deciding factors in any game can be a fool’s errand, but across seemingly all sports there’s a movement toward more accurate indicators than who touched the ball on the final play. Still, I doubt any of this is consolation for Cundiff or Williams, however, let alone the Ravens and 49ers fans. And I’m pretty sure that any student not in the press room at the Verizon Center on Saturday was too euphoric about escaping such an ugly game with a win to think about who deserved the most credit. Apportioning credit doesn’t change the feeling of a win or loss. But if everyone did it correctly, Billy Cundiff’s family would probably sleep a lot easier. Is Tim your hero? Let him know at tshine@georgetownvoice.com
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8 the georgetown voice
january 26, 2012
SAFE and sorry: the failed bid to bring back Healy Pub By Rachel Calvert In early April 2011, the student spearheading the broad “Bring Back Healy Pub” movement had his first meeting with any member of the administration. Chris Pigott (COL ’12), then a GUSA Senator, met with Vice President of Student Affairs Todd Olson to propose the use of student money to revive the storied bar, which saw its heyday during the 1970s and ‘80s. He had not yet made the pitch to the GUSA Endowment Commission, which had been established earlier that semester to vet proposals vying for a portion of the newly available $3.4 million Student Activity Fee Endowment. However, Pigott got the impression that Olson had already caught wind of the Healy Pub movement, which included both students and alumni. “When I went in to talk to him for the first time, he said, ‘Before we start talking about this, I just wanted to remind you of our progress on the New South Student Center,’” he said, referring to the project the University has been actively fundraising for over the past year. Pigott said Olson pulled out a decade-old feasibility study for the New South Student Center, pointed to it and said, “Here’s where we could put student space like a pub.” “I’m sure Dr. Olson has a good political mind,” Pigott reflected.
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The idea to revive Healy Pub originated in a Voice column by Kara Brandeisky (COL ’13), where she advocated for student space in Healy basement. The movement then attracted a broad base of supporters, from alumni like Matt Stoller (COL ‘08), who organized the movement, to the cadre of stu-
dents who pursued the idea with the administration. “Kara came up with the idea in an op-ed,” Pigott said. “Matt Stoller read that ed and thought it was a good idea, and secretly put together this proposal…and started calling people.” The column came on the heels of the massive discovery of the Student Activity Fee Endowment. GUSA had launched a campaign to reform the Student Activity Fee system, reclaim control of the $3.4 million endowment, and use the funds for major student projects. The Endowment Commission was established to allocate this large sum of student money. According to Olson, the University began planning the New South Student Center in the early 2000s, when Leo O’Donovan dining hall replaced the New South and Darnall cafeterias. At that point, the University began planning how it would repurpose the space. Visions for student space in New South played prominently in the 2000 Report on Student Life, produced by a working group established by the University to assess student opinion on student space and fundraising, among other things. Another student space working group met between 2008 and 2010. “The reason that [the working group] was allowed to happen was that students had been complaining about student space since 1999, but people like Dr. Olson knew they had something like New South coming down the pike,” Adam Talbot (COL ’12), then a GUSA Senator and current GUSA Senate Speaker, said. “So it was at least a momentary convergence of students [wanting] something and the University
[having] a trial balloon they can float and see if they can make it work.” The group was receptive. The Report on Student Space, released in April 2010, lauded the New South Student Center as “the best solution to address a range of student activities problems because it will provide a center for student life.” One of the participants was Taylor Price (MSB ’10), who would later submit the New South Student Center proposal to the Endowment Commission. According to Olson, although New South was the topic of much conversation between students and administrators, Price was instrumental in acting on the need for student space on campus. “Taylor was the one who carried that idea forward and built momentum for it,” Olson said. “I think it’s important that out of nowhere he said, ‘Let’s give some SAFE money to New South.’” Price considers the New South Student Center a permanent solution to Georgetown’s student space shortage. “What better project for students to support?” he said. When the Endowment Commission made its final decision on the allocation of the endowment funds, it recommended that the entire sum go to the proposed Healy Pub Project. In the event that the pub failed to garner the administration’s approval, the commission would recommend splitting the endowment among several projects, including the New South Student Center. In fall of 2010, GUSA began holding town halls about its plans to reform the Student Activity Fee Endowment. According to Talbot, the issue was part of a larger effort to reform the
entire student activities funding system. “OK, we know in the past we haven’t gotten 100 percent from the administration, [so we asked], ‘what can we do to make it work,’ since we’re only going to be here for four years,” he said. Talbot said that after reforming the funding boards, including the Student Activities Commission, GUSA traced these issues to a simple lack of funds. Then, GUSA looked to the Student Activity Fee. Before this reform, said Malkerson, GUSA only recently began to consider addressing the Endowment. “GUSA probably dropped the ball on funding issues,” he said. “We didn’t really keep track of the fee. We weren’t terribly focused on the endowment.” When the student activity fee was first approved by referendum in 2001, half of every year’s collected fee was designated for immediate use, while half was used to establish the Student Activity Fee Endowment, composed of shares purchased from the University’s larger endowment. The plan was for SAFE to reach $10 million, at which point the interest generated would replace the annual activity fee altogether. However, the endowment never reached this goal, and it certainly never became self-sustaining. When GUSA began its major push for SAFE Reform, the endowment sat at $3.5 million dollars. Malkerson cites a number of issues that stifled the endowment’s growth, one being that the administration never made good on a deal it struck with GUSA in 2001. According to Hoya archives from the time, GUSA asked the University to contribute $3 million to SAFE once the larger Univer-
sity endowment, then called the Third Century Capital Campaign, reached $1 billion. However, this promise did not feature prominently in early discussions of a student activity fee. Jacques Arsenault (COL ’01, GRD ’07), who served as GUSA VicePresident in spring 2001 when the original activity fee referendum passed, said the novelty of establishing such a fee overshadowed the details about the endowment. “I think there was definitely one argument made that once the endowment got large enough, it could replace the student activity fee,” he said. However, he added that he “[doesn’t] remember the endowment being talked about except among GUSA wonky types.” The endowment did cap $1 billion in 2008, but only for a brief time before being crippled by the economic collapse. “The bottom line is, they never gave us the $3 million,” Malkerson said. “Frankly, we didn’t get anything in paper, so it was hard to hold them to that promise.” Malkerson said members of GUSA broached the subject with Student Affairs administrators at the beginning of SAFE Reform. “If you talk to Todd Olson and some of the people who have been here for a while, they say, ‘Yeah that was discussed, but…ehhh,’” he said. “They sort of weasel out of it.” This lack of accountability meant that, ten years later, no one in GUSA was aware of the state of the endowment. Talbot, then serving his first term as speaker, said that “one of the first things we discovered … was that the University was skimming the interest off the endowment.” This is standard operating procedure for such an endow-
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georgetownvoice.com ment, according to Matt Greaves, Manager of Capital and Finance Budgets at Georgetown. Because the Student Activity Fee Endowment is comprised of purchased stocks, it generates income on an annual basis. Some of this income is siphoned into a fund, available for expenditures. Payments into this fund are predetermined by a formula—not strictly interest—established “at the board level.” “[The payment fund] is earmarked for the purpose of that endowment,” Greaves said. “The student activity fee was intended to be used for students, and it’s available for use for that purpose.” However, members of GUSA were wholly unaware of this fund’s existence. “I don’t know if they actively hid it from us,” Malkerson said. “I think it’s an example of how GUSA previously had not done the best bookkeeping, and also how the University wasn’t actively forthcoming.” In 2009, when the fund was discovered, the student activity fee portion of the endowment consisted of 6,067.83 shares, or $1,840,129.09. The endowment’s growth depended on the compound interest it generated, but it did not benefit from the money extracted into the external payment fund. After discovering the fund, GUSA passed the Bill on Student Endowment Interest, which allowed GUSA to take control of the money in the fund. Talbot said that when members of GUSA approached the administration about the fund, “the response we got at the time was, ‘You never told us you wanted to be compounding your own interest.’... I thought that was sort of implicit in creating an endowment.”
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The summer after Pigott’s first meeting with Olson, the Healy Pub working group continued to meet with Olson and other Student Affairs administrators in attempt to solidify a vision for the pub that both parties could endorse. Over the course of several
months, the Healy Pub advocates met with Olson 15 times. According the Malkerson, who attended many of the meetings, the conversation centered around “changes we could make to make [the proposal] more palatable.” “I think we were probably sent in circles occasionally by the University,” Malkerson said. One of the administration’s concerns was that Healy basement currently houses the Human Resources and Financial Aid offices. According to Pigott, the working group proposed other locations across campus where the offices could move. Furthermore, the working group volunteered to fund the move with endowment money. Administrators consistently expressed concern that Healy Pub would be a raucous hub of student nightlife right in the middle of Dahlgren Quad. “Initially, when the proposal first came out, I think they saw it as Rhino,” Malkerson said, referring to a popular M Street bar. “I don’t think they ever changed their thinking about what the proposal was.” According to Malkerson, the concept of Healy Pub evolved from a 24-hour bar setting to a student lounge that becomes a bar on Friday and Saturday nights. “Although efforts were made to scale back, the University was never going to go along with alcohol being served off of Dahlgren Quad.” However, the University has entertained plans for a bar in the student center—beneath the New South freshman dorm. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t strike all of us as cognitive dissidence,” Talbot said. What distinguishes Healy Pub from the bar guaranteed to be in the New South Student Center is the University’s vision of Dahlgren Quad as an emblem of the University as a whole. “The best excuse I heard was from DeGioia,” Talbot said. “That a pub doesn’t comport with a vision of Dahlgren as a spiritual and academic center.” As Olson put it, “It is the ad-
JACKSON PERRY
FinApp Chair Colton Malkerson (COL ‘13) discusses SAFE reform.
the georgetown voice 9
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The New South Student Center proposal will build an outdoor terrace by New South Hall overlooking the Potomac. ministration building to the campus, it’s a place where we have a lot of formal events. It needs to serve a lot of different purposes for a lot of people at the University.” Olson confirmed that the University plans to remodel Dahlgren Quad and its surrounding buildings sometime in the future. Although the project does not have a timeline and has not entered the fundraising phase, he assured that “we have listened to and take seriously the student interest in having student space in Healy Hall,” adding that he is “not confident if it will be in the basement or where it will be.” Despite the administration’s conclusive reason for rejecting Healy Pub, the Healy Pub working group was confronted with a variety of justifications—from University office space to future plans to remodel Dahlgren Quad— throughout the negotiations. “The University put up a lot of roadblocks,” Talbot said. When asked why the administration proposed such varying reasons why Healy Pub was infeasible, Olson declined to answer further questions. “It was a cat and mouse game the whole time,” said Pigott. “We knew where the University was. We tried to gather political support in and outside the University and leverage that any way we could.” During that same summer, Olson was also meeting with the working group for the New South Student Center. According to Price, who was one of the group’s leaders, the University facilitated conversations between the working group and the student center’s main architects, ensuring that the student-funded enhancements to the project would not clash with the overall design. “They were there to facilitate the conversation, but not drive it,” he said. Malkerson—as well as other members of GUSA—recognize a difference in the University’s negotiations with every proposal besides Healy Pub. “Dr. Olson has made a good-faith effort in
helping implement all other proposals that are not Healy Pub,” Malkerson said. “Obviously, New South, having students contribute money to that was a bonus for the University.” The Endowment Commission’s other recommendations were $250,000 for Georgetown Energy, $1,250,000 for Social Innovation and Public Service fund, and $2,048,412 for the New South Student Center. In terms of negotiating, the University and the Healy Pub working group were by no means an even match. “Often times we were at the mercy of the University, because we don’t actually have any authority,” Malkerson said. Olson disagrees with this characterization. “We worked thoughtfully and collaboratively with students,” he said. Referring to letters of intent for the allocation of the SAFE funds, Olson added, “they are a good-faith commitment that we want to work together on.” Talbot shares Malkerson’s view. “It’s a pretty simple equation: the University owns the space, and they’re not willing to rent, lease, or sell it, we can’t imminent domain it.” After months of negotiations, in September, DeGioia effectively declared the Healy Pub proposal dead. “We’ll try to accommodate that [need for flexibility] but I think it’d a bridge too far to get to the Healy Pub,” he said in an interview with campus media. “I think the University did roll us on that,” Malkerson said, reflecting on the discussion process.
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Leading up to the final SAFE referendum, which is running from January 23-25, the University and members of GUSA, including Malkerson and GUSA President and Vice-President Mike Meaney (SFS ’12) and Greg Laverriere (COL ’12), signed a letter of agreement, which indicates the stipulations for allocating student funds to each project. In the case of the New South Student Center, one of those stipu-
lations is the inclusion of a bar, under some sort of student management or operation. However, SAFE funds will not be used to fund the pub. “The University often doesn’t take student interest seriously, and I think they frequently take for granted students,” said Malkerson. “I think this was an example where students were rallied behind an idea, really supported it. And the University didn’t respond to that.” However, Malkerson also said he was pleased with the plans for New South. “I think if the compromise is followed through on, it will be very good,” he said. “But again, I think the University often says one thing and does another, so it will be very important that we hold them to their commitment.” To Pigott, the presence of a pub in New South Center satisfies the group’s goal of a late night social space that will “serve alcohol and be a late night space that keeps students on campus.” As for student space in Healy, he said the administration indicated that it would make an effort to include student space in their remodel. Though this is not iterated in the letter of agreement, Olson confirmed that the University is not opposed to student space in Healy. For those members of GUSA who have been closely tied to the years-long SAFE Reform process, these agreement letters signify a change in the way GUSA collaborates with the administration. “This is essentially the way you have to go about doing things with the University,” said Malkerson. “You have to get things in writing.” Although they are not legally binding, Talbot sees the letters as good faith agreements, supported by the reputational consequences the University would face if it reneged on its word. When asked if these letters of intent represent a lesson learned from SAFE Reform, he smiled. “That would be an interesting way to look at it.”
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january 26, 2012
Leibovitz journeys from Lennon to landscapes by Julia Lloyd-George If there’s one talent that photographer Annie Leibovitz is known for, it’s capturing the essence of celebrity. Her daring portraits of famed figures from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to a very pregnant Demi Moore are nothing short of iconic, imbued with a raw intimacy that lays these stars bare in more ways than one. The living legend has shot countless covers for such magazines as Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, and has become a household name for her dramatic yet personal portraits. Her latest body of work, however, features no red carpet regulars. Pilgrimage, an exhibition in the Smithsonian’s Museum of American Art on display through May 20, thrusts rather different, less human subjects into the center of Leibovitz’s lens. With this collection, the photographer presents the relics of her heroes, from Georgia O’Keefe’s adobe house to
Emily Dickinson’s last surviving dress. Arranged in no particular order, the photographs come together to evoke each invisible icon at hand. As its title suggests, the exhibit documents a rather personal journey for Leibovitz, through which she captures the sites particular to those she admires. Despite this sharp shift in focus, however, Leibovitz’s signature is all over the collection; the eclectic photos merely explore the nature of icons from a different angle, using objects and places rather than faces to bring famed historical personalities to light. Accumulated over the course of two years, these photos are the result of extensive travel throughout America and Europe. With the reverence of a true pilgrim, Leibovitz pays homage to great names by capturing the vestiges of their legacies. In the case of Sigmund Freud, this meant photographing his famed reclining couch and his personal collection of books on the psyche. Virginia Woolf’s troubled com-
plexity, on the other hand, is portrayed through a shot of her messy writing desk and a particularly haunting image of the river where she ended her life.
ticular interest in Graceland, Elvis Presley’s Memphis mansion, and the varied photographs of its lavish rooms—including one containing the television which
Courtesy SmithSonian
Annie Leibovitz decided to revisit Miley Cyrus after the demise of her career. The icons of Pilgrimage are represented by an equally atmospheric collection of locations. Leibovitz demonstrates a par-
the star once shot in a fit of anger—allude to the grandiosity of the King’s life. Ansel Adams’ Yosemite, Georgia O’Keefe’s Santa
Fe, and Thoreau’s Walden Pond join the collection as places that carried significance for their associated icons. With a trained eye, Leibovitz thus captures the spirit of each place and evokes that of its absent occupant. By far the most personal and striking piece of the collection is Leibovitz’s single shot of Niagara Falls. A souvenir of a trip she took with her daughters, the image renders the landmark in all its misty beauty. It is the lone star of the exhibit in the sense that it is unique to its photographer, not associated with an inspirational figure. In a way, it is Leibovitz’s admission of her own personal legacy. This is not so much a demonstration of possessiveness as an artist’s recognition that every place we frequent, and every object we habitually use, becomes a profound part of our identity. In the highest sense, the photo of Niagara Falls is the crown jewel of a collection that seeks to explore the personal meaning of the places and possessions one leaves behind.
Even Burr would duel you for these burgers by Alex Rice It’s 3 a.m. on a Monday morning, and you’ve got a perfectly understandable craving for sushi, a burger, and some chocolate chip pancakes. While this hankering may have seemed unattainable in the past, it can now be easily fulfilled at any time of day, any day of the year, and all thanks to the man on the ten-dollar bill. The Hamilton, the latest establishment from Clyde’s Restaurant Group, is looking to make huge waves in the D.C. community. And when I say huge, I’m speaking literally—extending across a whopping 37,000 feet and spread out onto three levels, the Penn Quarter restaurant has a seating capacity of over 850. Its features include a main dining room and bar, a 190-seat arboretum room, a sushi bar, an oak bar, a performance and music venue, and an upstairs loft for private parties. In addition to its massive size, the Hamilton distinguishes itself with its hours of operation: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The
restaurant even offers a special “After Midnight” menu specially designed for every breed of latenight/early-morning eater, be it the night owl in search of a hearty meal before bed or the early riser looking for a satisfying pre-work breakfast.
convinced that we had mistakenly entered a nearby hotel. But plush leather booths, massive windows, dark wood paneled walls, and floor-to-ceiling pieces of art are all part of the Hamilton’s grandiose atmosphere.
es proved unsatisfying. The contents of the fish tacos were bland, and the overpowering and overabundant sauce did little to make up for its flavor’s shortcomings. Although somewhat enjoyable, the egg and
Alex Rice
“The ten dollar founding father without a father got a lot farther by working a lot harder, by being a self-starter.” Naturally, I wanted to take advantage of The Hamilton’s unique hours, so I convinced some friends to head downtown with me at 2 a.m. for a late night feast. Stepping into a high-ceilinged, lobby-like entrance area, we were
But although the restaurant certainly looked the part, its food sadly could not quite live up to the grandeur of the décor. The service, especially at such an hour, was superb, but too many of the menu’s choic-
prosciutto sandwich was far too salty, and became unpleasant after a few bites. A few of the Hamilton’s dishes, however, really hit the mark. The sweet potato fries, slightly crispy and full of flavor, proved
the perfect combination of sweet and salty and wonderfully complemented the sliders, which came stacked on top of one another on a giant skewer. Though topped with classic condiments like grilled pickles, grilled onions, lettuce, and American cheese, these petite burgers well exceeded the typical restaurant burger. Dessert topped off the bizarre dead-of-night dining experience. The apple crumb pie’s warm, gooey insides were contained on all sides by a buttery, flaky crust and complimented by a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream. Hints of cinnamon and caramel mellowed out the apples’ tartness rather than smothering them with sweetness, and the dessert, though small, proved filling. Priced comparably two the Tombs but at a significantly less convenient location, the Hamilton probably won’t become a frequent dining stop for Georgetown students. But with a menu offering delicious burgers and decadent desserts, D.C. diners should flock to The Hamilton at all hours—not just 3 a.m.
georgetownvoice.com
“You are a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity.” — toy Story
the georgetown voice 11
Pie Sisters grab a slice of M Street Neeson’s on Team Jacob by Jane Conroy There’s only one word fit to describe Pie Sisters: Adorable. Everything about M Street’s newest bakery, from its tale of sisterly success to the miniature “cuppy” pies on display inside the store, is nothing short of gooey and cute. Sisters Erin, Cat, and Alli Blakely have been dreaming of their store for years now. Before Pie Sisters opened, the women sold their pies online, perfecting recipes they had been baking since childhood. Cat Blakely, still a full-time employee of the State Department, recently returned from a contracting position in Iraq, making it possible for the Pie Sisters to make their longawaited move into a storefront at the foot of Key Bridge. Starting a successful small business in Georgetown’s competitive market is no easy feat. The Sisters’ biggest challenge was finding enough time to meet the growing demand for their pies. Though all of the Blakely women and their small staff bake for long hours every day, the shop usually closes up for the evening once they’re entirely sold out of pies. This speaks volumes about the quality of their product, and bodes well for the longevity of the shop—apparently, Georgetown is ready for an alternative to the endless flow of cupcakes.
The interior of the shop reflects the sisters’ shared history and taste. Described as “country chic” by the owners themselves, the shop is characterized by recovered wood counters and floors paired with modern décor. The result feels like a cross between a homey family kitchen and an elegant urban coffee shop—not a bad place to eat pie. The relaxing oldies soundtrack and mouth-watering smell of baking pies doesn’t hurt either. Even more delightful than the shop’s décor are the pies themselves. The bakery offers a variety of their popular sweet and savory flavors from apple to chili by the slice or in the form of a “cuppie,” a cupcake-sized pie. Diners can’t help but compare these portables to the cupcakes peddled from nearby Georgetown Cupcake and Sprinkles, but the Pie Sisters certainly have innovation on their side. In addition to their novelty,
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Trailer trash pollutes cinema
Watching a crowd walk out of a movie theater provides an instant litmus test for a film’s success. Groups of friends usually huddle together to debate a film’s merits, except in those rare occasions when a movie leaves them speechless—imagine the scene after a premier of 2001: A Space Odyssey or Apocalypse Now. Regardless, there should a knee-jerk reaction; you watch a film, and you judge it. Recently, though, the process has been reversed: people watch trailers over and over on the internet and pass judgment on a film before they’ve seen the real thing. As a trailer addict myself, I’ve found myself enjoying movies less and less recently. Going to a movie just seems like setting myself up for an inevitable disappointment. Trailers are certainly not a new development in the film industry, so why rail against them now? The main issue at hand is,
the bakery’s pies excel in taste and execution. The chocolate and vanilla cream pies consist of rich pudding topped with whipped cream, while the key lime pie features the perfect balance of a tart citrus filling and buttery crust. The pumpkin spice pie is a favorite of those who want something a little less sweet, and the sisters offer a chocolate pecan pie for their more nut-inclined customers. In addition to these and other in-store pies, the Sisters have an extended menu of specialty pies, ready with 24 hours notice. The Pie Sisters are a welcome addition to M Street not only for their delicious pies, but for their unique presentation and welcoming storefront character as well. Since Georgetown cupcake stores are becoming as commonplace as bricks in the sidewalk, handheld pies are an undeniably fresh idea.
like most other problems that the entertainment industry is facing, the fault of the internet. Online, fans have unprecedented access to movie trailers, and can watch them as many times as they see fit. The trailer for The Dark Knight Rises currently has over 11 million views on Youtube. And while this figure may not be unprecedented in size, it seems likely that hardcore Dark Knight fans have already watched this trailer 10 or 20 times. In other words, avid fans can and will watch trailers way more than they did when they relied on seeing trailers in television commercial breaks or previews in movie theaters. 2011 was, in my opinion, a year of cinematic shortcomings, and I don’t that’s entirely the fault of the films themselves. I watched the shit out of trailers for The Tree of Life, Shame, Super 8, and A Dangerous Method. For many of these
JAne conRoY
films, I was disappointed in the way they failed to deviate from what the trailer gave away. I expected more, but the movies just didn’t deliver. This feeling of disappointment isn’t surprising if you think about a trailer’s purpose—to get people to shell out cash for the movie. For the most part, audi-
Box office, Baby! by John Sapunor a bi-weekly column about film ences don’t care enough about reviews for a negative critical reception to dramatically hinder a popcorn movie’s box office performance (just look at Michael Bay), so all a trailer has to do is get the customer to buy a ticket. This is an effective strategy. I, for one, probably wouldn’t have seen Shame or Super 8 without having repeatedly viewed their excellent trailers, which convinced me that
by Jake Schindler The odd phenomenon of Liam Neeson as an action franchise star doesn’t quite make sense, but it is undeniably fun to watch. He assailed his victims with both brawn and brogue in 2008’s Taken, and continues this rampage in his latest flick, The Grey. Directed by Joe Carnahan (The A-Team), The Grey is a survival thriller that builds steadily before ultimately falling flat, proving there are limits to the novelty of Neeson as a bona fide ass kicker. Neeson stars as Ottway, a hearty Irishman who travels from town to town in Alaska challenging wolves to bar fights. Just kidding: an oil company pays him to shoot wolves Sarah Palin-style, keeping their drilling crews safe. One snowy night, the melancholy Ottway boards a company charter flight to Anchorage, and the plane predictably crashes in the middle of nowhere. Seven men survive the crash. It immediately becomes clear that Ottway is the alpha male, and a man named Díaz (Frank Grillo) is the omega, the embittered outcast of the group. The rest of the “pack” is so utterly disposable that their names do not come into play. Over the next few days, a pack of monstrous CGI wolves begins to methodically pick off the survi-
they would be spectacular films. I was doomed to disappointment. In fact, my two favorite films of the year, 50/50 and Midnight in Paris, were films whose trailers I only saw in theaters. I actually labeled 50/50 a remake of Funny People after seeing the preview, thereby setting low expectations. Instead, I ended up bawling in the theater. The poignant comedy/ drama from Seth Rogen caught me off guard, largely due to a slightly misleading trailer which made the finished product feel fresh and distant. This made my new year’s resolution a no-brainer: Never watch movie trailers more than once, if at all. And bam, just like that, my movie-going slump was cured. I saw The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo without seeing a single trailer beforehand, and I loved it. The positive results are a good sign, but ongoing success will take a good deal of discipline. The trailer for Wes Anderson’s next movie, Moonrise
vors in grisly fashion (wolves, we are told, are the only animals that kill for revenge). Luckily, Ottway has a “very particular set of skills,” which mostly involves punching wolves in the face. At this point the audience is expecting an entertaining, manversus-wild showdown. But for all the improvised wolf-maiming devices the men brandish, we only see one Neeson-on-wolf fight in the whole two hours. Things that happen more than once, however, include clichéd dream sequences of Ottway’s wife, and recitations of a poem his father plagiarized loosely from Henry V. All this serves as a background to various characters questioning their faith and wrestling philosophically with whether to cling to life or succumb to the vast wilderness. If you read Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” circa 8th grade, this should all be review. Carnahan’s action scenes are short and predictable, and the talky second hour of the movie bores an audience primed for a fight. If the goal of this film was to deliver an emotional rather than an action-driven payoff for the audience, then it should have spent time making us care about the characters, rather than arming them for a wolf versus man battle that we never get to see.
Kingdom, came out a few days ago, and unfortunately, I capitulated to my appetite. When my friend, a fellow Wes Anderson addict, asked for my opinion about it, I had to respond, “it looks really good.” Fuck. That’s exactly what I said about Shame and Super 8. A prohibition from movie trailers sounds reactionary, and honestly, that’s because it is. Movies are made to be experienced, and my semi-addiction to trailers has been hindering my ability to experience a movie in its actual form. By removing these teasers, I allow myself to get 100 percent pure film, leaving presumptions and expectations at the door. I’ll see exactly what the director wants me to see without being barraged by marketing. Now all I’ve got to do is kick my habit of reading leaked scripts, and my movie-going form should be back in tip-top shape. Send John your movie spoilers at jsapunor@georgetownvoice.com
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january 26, 2012
C r i t i c a l V o i ces
Tim McGraw, Emotional Traffic, Curb Records After a 19-year relationship, Tim McGraw and Curb Records are finally parting ways. The record label recently lost its bitter two-year legal battle with the country star, leaving Emotional Traffic the last McGraw album it will release. Unfortunately, the LP falls slightly short of the success that most fans expected. The songs’ writers shoulder part of the blame for the album’s lackluster quality. Though McGraw, like most performers in the New Country genre, is known for not writing his songs, this lack of authenticity had not proven a problem on his previous works. In the case of Emotional Traffic, though, the tracks seem to have been chosen from the reject piles of singer-songwriters like the
Warren Brothers and David Tolliver of Halfway to Hazard, who deemed them too tepid to release for themselves. “Right Back Atcha Babe” and “The One,” for example, are far too repetitive and uninspired to merit space on the LP of an artist as successful as McGraw; even the star’s versatile voice fails to completely salvage the poorly-written lyrics. But even with such lapses in judgment, Traffic will not go down in history as a total flop. The first track, “Halo,” kicks off the album with a crying pedal steel guitar, which is oddly accompanied by an auto-tuned moan from McGraw. But the rest of the song makes up for such production gaffes, as the emotion in McGraw’s voice complements the track’s expert instrumentation. Some of the album’s more upbeat tracks, such as “Felt Good on My Lips,” also maintain a good synthesis between lyrics and music. Even “Only Human,” which features R&B singer NeYo, surprisingly does not disappoint—the two voices, accompanied by a Telecaster and a steel guitar, function well together on this inspirational track that rounds off the album on a good note. While McGraw does not quite tell the truth with the title of the
Monochromatic matchmaking For better or for worse, America is hooked on The Bachelor. The long-running matchmaking experiment, which brings together one handsome young single man and 32 neurotic women in the hopes of fostering matrimonial bliss, has proven one of the most successful franchises in the history of reality TV. With age-defying host Chris Harrison in tow, the show’s team has figured out the perfect formula of exotic destinations, outlandish dates, and emotionally unstable— and often intoxicated—bachelorettes to create a phenomenon that continues to thrive despite its meager nuptial success rate. Nevertheless, The Bachelor strikes a chord with viewers because, at its heart, it presents America with an idyllic image of true love (at least while the cameras are rolling)
that in some small way mirrors all of our hopes for our own fairytale endings. In this week’s episode, bachelor Ben Flajnik took the remaining 13 hopefuls to Park City, Utah to spend some quality time in the great outdoors. Blonde bombshell Rachel is invited on the first one-on-one date, and despite her guardedness, she and Ben manage to have a great time on their helicopter/canoe excursion. On the group horseback riding/ fly fishing date, Courtney overcomes her L.A. model lifestyle and catches the only fish of the day, and in winning the rose proves that when you look like a Vogue model, catching a fish is just as easy as catching a man. The final date of the week went to Jennifer, who, after jumping into a watery crater, getting caught in a rainstorm, and awk-
track “I’m Better than I Used to Be,” Traffic maintains a number of redeeming qualities and memorable songs. Some prompt listeners to reach for the “skip” button—or, if they’re country purists, to reach for their pitchforks—but the LP improves track by track, and is certainly worth a listen. Voice’s Choices: “One Part Two Part,” “Only Human” —Kirill Makarenko
Ingrid Michaelson, Human Again, Cabin 24 Records Known for her straightforward and light-hearted lyrics—including “I’d buy you Rogaine, when you start losing all your hair”—Ingrid Michaelson reveals a new side of her music in her latest release, wardly dancing to a not-so-intimate live performance by Clay Walker, got a rose. All in all, the episode had every element for success necessary to keep viewers tuned in for episodes to come, as the couples head to Latin America for their international dates. You can bash the recipe, but if it works, why mess with a good setup?
trash talk
by Keaton Hoffman a bi-weekly column about reality television There is, however, one obvious flaw in The Bachelor’s formula—in all 16 seasons of the show and seven seasons of its partner, The Bachelorette, not a single of the eponymous bachelors has been anything but white. While a handful of the potential matches have been minorities, few (with the notable exception of Roberto
Human Again. Aptly titled, Human Again keeps with the nature of her honest lyrics while experimenting more musically than she has in previous albums. Though the album resonates with a sound that is distinctly “Ingrid,” Michaelson moves away from her typically ukulele-driven melodies and toward more serious and emotional ballads that reflect the depth—and the limits—of her repertoire. With the new breadth and maturing that she brings throughout Human Again, Michaelson is the first to acknowledge that she has outgrown the singer-songwriter persona she once established with the background music for Mott’s Apple Juice campaigns and as the featured artist on many a Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack. In breaking away from her commercial sound, Michaelson begins Human Again with a strong leading track, “Fire,” which sets the pace and mature feeling of the album. The song picks up immediately with an intriguing string intro, which leads into Michaelson’s catchy melody and lyrics. The emotional nature she hopes to Martinez from season 6 of The Bachelorette) have made it past the first cocktail party. Regardless, the racial makeup of the contestants on the show in no way mirrors the increasingly diverse demographics of the United States. According to the 2010 census, 34 percent of the population is not white, and yet 100 percent of this season’s contestants are white—except Elyse, whose spray tan makes her look a little orange. With regard to the institution itself, the prevalence of interracial marriage in America is continuing to effect change in the demographics; roughly three percent of the population identified itself as multiracial on the 2010 census. Executive producer Mike Fleiss claims the white-washed casting results are nothing more than coincidence. In a 2011 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Fleiss claimed that “we always want to cast for ethnic diversi-
communicate through “Fire” is echoed throughout the album in a new orchestral sound, which grounds many tracks. This string-driven base is best exemplified in “Ghost,” with a haunting melody, heartfelt lyrics, and wistful vocals. “Palm of the Hand” also stands out, as a foot-tapping drumbeat frames this witty anti-love song. However, in seeking to break away from the light, ukulele sound she is best known for, Michaelson also seems to meet her limits on Human Again. Lacking in both lyrical and musical substance, “How We Love” and “Black and Blue” stand out as some of her more forgettable efforts. As its emotionally driven tracks ebb and flow in their strength and memorable character, Human Again fails to sustain itself from beginning to end. Michaelson gets caught somewhere between loveable and clichéd, unable to shake off her typecast. Voice’s “Ghost”
Choices:
“Fire,”
—Mary Borowiec ty,” but that, “for whatever reason, they don’t come forward. I wish they would.” Fleiss’s wishes may or may not be sincere, but the reality is that the racial makeup is self-reinforcing: Minorities aren’t going to feel inclined to sign up for a show that features an all-white cast. Other network reality-television stalwarts, like Survivor, America’s Next Top Model, The Amazing Race, and The Biggest Loser, have placed diversity at their core, featuring raciallyinclusive casts in the hopes of reaching out to the widest possible audience. The Bachelor, regardless of the producer’s claims, has failed to recognize the growing reality that American couples aren’t monochromatic. America was ready for a black president; it’s definitely ready for a black bachelor. Learn which bachelorette Keaton wants to bang by contacting him at khoffman@georgetownvoice.com
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JULIA KWON
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january 26, 2012
Teenage years in Switzerland spent drinking, not driving by Claire McDaniel I am 19 years old, and I don’t know how to drive. Gears are mystifying. Internal combustion engines? I know they exist, but don’t even get me started on the indecipherable rules of the road. The point is I just don’t know how. So why, in the years since I could legally drive, did I never get a license to do it? How did I miss out on the quintessentially American rite of passage of learning to drive? Most people who can’t drive by the time they go off to college come from a big city, where public transport and walking suited them just fine. I don’t. Others who don’t drive are intimidated by the thought of speed and only a fragile metal frame as protection. I’m not. I spent my high school years in Switzerland, where the drinking age may be sixteen, but the driving age is eighteen.
I graduated high school before I reached adulthood, so the fairly draconian driving laws, like the one that makes it illegal to even practice in a parking lot before age 18, stopped any ambition of driving back home. Sadly, according to Google Maps, the closest driving school to Georgetown is somewhere far away in Maryland. But while this inconvenience thwarts my hopes of getting a driver ’s license any time soon, I’m not bitter about it. In fact, I think it’s for the best that I still don’t know how to drive, but that I’ve been able to legally drink since my junior year of high school, if only when back in Switzerland. I believe that the Swiss are entirely justified not just in allowing only adults to drive, but also in making the driving age come after the drinking age. I can’t understand why American teenagers are al-
lowed to drive at such a young age. Most haven’t stopped growing, or even developed past the awkward, klutzy stage, and yet they are deemed reliable enough to navigate the roads. The problem I have with 16-year-olds driving is that they aren’t mature—physically or mentally—and aren’t considered adults by Americans or most people in the world. If they aren’t legally mature, then they certainly shouldn’t be able to operate a heavy and dangerous piece of machinery. Driving should be left to those of us who are considered competent enough to vote and able enough to join the army. Your teenage years are when you’re supposed to be immature. I certainly was. I’ll fully admit that, like most teenagers, I was an idiot at 16. I still don’t understand how people trusted me enough to babysit their children at that age, let alone
drive a hulking mass of metal at high speeds every day. But I wasn’t just your average 16-year-old idiot—I was an idiot that was legally allowed to drink. Normal American teenagers line up at the DMV on their 16th birthdays; I went to a pub and had a beer as soon as school was done for the day. I’d like to think I was the happier kid. Sure, I still don’t really know which pedal does what, but I’ve had several years to get used to alcohol. I got through what I like to think of as “my really stupid age” before high school was even over—something that the antics of firstsemester freshmen attest isn’t the case for most Americans. I know my limits, and I gladly put off knowing how to drive for the chance to be more responsible. By letting time elapse between the drinking and the driving age, there’s the chance to learn tolerance and responsibility with alco-
hol before driving is even on the horizon. You won’t see me driving drunk, because I can’t. And while not having a driver ’s license for identification is a total pain, I’m happy to use my passport, complete with an embarrassing, sunburnt photo, because it means that I got the chance to learn responsibility ahead of the curve. I’m staying here at Georgetown this summer, and I hope to be able to learn how to drive during breaks from organic chemistry. I certainly won’t be the best driver on the road, but I’m confident that I’ll at least more reliable than the fifteen-year-olds who are inevitably going to be in my driver ’s ed class.
it one year later, struck me as strange: “We recognize our own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame—but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others.” Presidents do not usually talk about love as life’s highest goal. From their policies, it would seem their highest priority is to increase America’s greatness, if not to only improve their own legacy. If the president had talked about mutual love during this week’s State of the Union, for example, surely he would be ridiculed for displaying weakness. Such talk would be unbecoming for a president,
and it would become a political talking point: “We have a president who’s more interested in loving one another than fighting terrorism.” This fact leads me to wonder how cynical our country has become. A dismally small number of us, aside from the families and friends of the victims, still feel affected by the events of January 8, 2011, which is understandable but also disheartening. In today’s world, people cannot be expected to feel—and continue indefinitely to feel—personally affected by every tragic happening. Moving on, in the long run, is beneficial to our nation’s collective psyche. Yet the shooting in Tucson was, to most of us, not a personal loss but an emotional one, at least in the political sense—the thought that a congresswoman could not meet her constituents in the parking lot of a Safeway without 19 casualties is deeply unnerving. The alleged assassination attempt was not motivated by right wing media or tea party rhetoric; it was the action of a single deeply disturbed man. Still, even if no one is legally to blame, this attempt on Giffords’s life demonstrates that, even in the political arena, each politician deserves respect. Personal attacks during campaigns only yield hatred and polarization, which is detrimental both to policymaking and to the trust among people. Too often, our beliefs divide us.
Campaigns invoke the idea of “taking back America,” as if the incumbent’s version of America is completely contradictory and irreconcilable with the challenger’s idea for the United States. After the tragedy, those active in the political arena recognized and attempted to correct this revolting environment in which we exchange ideas. Republicans and Democrats sat together during the State of the Union, and Keith Olbermann apologized if his rhetoric had in any way inadvertently encouraged violence. As is evident by this election cycle, Republicans and Democrats alike have forgotten what they realized only months before— the vitriol and personal attacks are back, and there are no signs of abating. Public figures talk about values, which are supposedly principles that guide decisionmaking and comprise a person’s moral core. Too often, however, people discuss a person’s values as a means of casting him or her as inferior—less moral, less generous, less tolerant, or less reasonable. The irony in this is that, in many cases, the differences are not nearly as vast as they seem. Democrats and Republicans diverge a great deal more on issues of policy than they do on their objectives. Each side largely wants to improve citizens’ wellbeing. Barack Obama does not want a socialist nanny state; Mitt Romney does not want to return
to Gilded Age decadence. People share more in common than is initially clear. While watching Obama’s memorial address, I was also struck by the crowd’s cheers. I understand that people respond to death in different ways, but I imagined the mood would have been more somber at a memorial service for those whose lives were so senselessly and prematurely ended, and that the crowd wouldn’t be screaming and cheering while the president mourned. I realized, however, that the crowd was cheering for the lives and legacies for those who died. They were cheering for Green’s childhood innocence, for Roll’s dedication, and for all of their commitment and all of their love. In this age of gridlock, partisanship, and pessimism, Americans do not often have a reason to cheer. This week, though, in a rare moment of unity, Congress jointly commended Giffords’s dedication to her office and progress on her rehabilitation. Like Congress, I hope we can all temporarily recall the tragedy of that day, if only to remember that we are more alike than we often think.
Claire McDaniel is a sophomore in the College. Take it from her: DPS officers don’t listen to “But I can drink in Switzerland!”
Tucson, one year later: A painful call for understanding by Connor Jones A little over one year ago, Representative Gabrielle Giffords and 18 other people were shot at a constituent meeting in a grocery store parking lot in Tuscon, Ariz. 13 of the victims were injured, and six died—nine-yearold Christina Green, Superior Court judge John Roll, Giffords staffer Gabe Zimmerman, and retirees Dorwin Stoddard, Dorothy Morris, and Phyllis Schneck. Four days afterward, a memorial was held at the University of Arizona. In his memorial address, President Obama both lamented the nation’s loss and celebrated the lives of the departed. The speech was easily the best of his presidency to date. Yet one passage, upon reading
Sheriffs respond to the shooting on Jan. 8, 2011, in Tucson, Ariz.
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Connor Jones is a freshman in the College. If elected president, he would incessantly talk about peace and love.
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Liar, adulterer, and the Republican Party’s last resort by Julia Tanaka “A few days ago, Newt Gingrich won the South Carolina primary.” It seems like a perfectly simple, ordinary sentence at first—it has a subject, a verb, even a neat little appositive phrase. On closer inspection, however, it is clear that the repercussions presented by the content of the sentence are far from simple. The initial implication is quite obvious—they don’t want Romney enough to resurrect Gingrich from his political ditch, get him onto a stage, and rally around him to the point where the impossible became the possible, as embodied in
that neat little sentence above. The primaries have progressed to the point that it’s Mitt Romney running against Anybody-But-Romney. Clearly, the Republican elephant appears to have an incredibly short memory. The key factor behind Gingrich’s resignation from his position as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1998 was an ethics violation, when he claimed tax-exempt status for a college course that was run for political purposes. He was prosecuted not only for violating federal tax law, but also for lying to the ethics panel on the subject. Gingrich’s record on taxes is remarkably weak, especially for a presidential
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America’s agressive TV ads Normally, I can’t sit through an entire NFL game unless my team is playing. Despite there being just 60 minutes of actual gameplay, contests are often drawn out beyond the three hour mark, as the sport’s stop-and-go nature allows frequent commercial breaks. At times, watching a game becomes altogether tedious, as networks try to squeeze in every possible second of advertising, regardless of how much time has passed since they last cut to break. A sequence during Sunday’s NFC Championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants took this tedium to a new level. With the score tied in the final minutes and a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, Comcast viewers in the D.C. area had their broadcast interrupted by a string of commercials for Comcast’s Internet and cable service bundle Xfinity while play was still live.
As my roommate, a Bay-area native and die-hard 49ers fan, writhed in agony wondering what was happening to his team, I tried to rationalize how Comcast could interrupt such a critical stretch of their programming to air even more advertisements. I came up clueless. The company insists that the commercials aired accidentally due to a technical error at the Foxowned TV station WTTG. I guess it’s just a coincidence that Xfinity happens to be owned by Comcast, and that the ads aired at the most gripping point of the broadcast, when millions of viewers would no doubt refrain from switching the channel to avoid missing any action. The incident reminded me of a classic episode of the Simpsons; in which the family sits in the living room watching television. Bart begins to comment as the show fin-
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campaign in which the economy will be the main issue. Despite all this, Gingrich still appears—at least to South Carolinians—to be the better option over Romney. Gingrich’s win speaks for more than just the current state of political affairs and Republican infighting. It speaks to the state of the Republican Party, and the radical shift that has occurred during Obama’s presidency. Being a Republican and being a conservative or libertarian are hardly synonymous in neoRepublicanism, to which Gingrich subscribes. Old-school conservatism is about tradition tinged with wariness towards change, which in turn leads to a natural predisposition towards more traditional institutions like the military and the Church. The only institution a good Republican will cling to today is that of vitriol against President Obama; the only law is hatred. Last week, a Georgia judge called Obama to stand in court against a complaint that he is not, in fact, a natural-born citizen of the United States and that he needs to produce a valid birth certificate. After all this time, this fabrication is apparently still a perfectly legal and reasonable claim to make against the president, who has already produced his certificate. This Georgia ishes, but Homer interrupts him: “Quiet, the commercials are on! If we don’t watch these it’s like we are stealing TV!” Besides the obvious irony of Homer’s statement, it touches on the astonishing success of the American television industry to infuse advertising into the culture of TV. In the United States, we have come to accept frequent and extended commercial breaks as a
Carrying On by Daniel Kellner A rotating column by Voice senior staffers
simple reality of television. After all, ads account for a considerable portion of network revenues, and our favorite shows would likely suffer without those extra profits to invest in their production. Yet this reasoning hardly tells the full story. Over the past few decades, commercials have increasingly cut into show times. In the 1960s, a typical hour-long program usually aired for 51 minutes without interruption, followed by ads until the commencement of the next episode. An equivalent show today offers about 42 minutes of actual programming, with commercial breaks sprinkled in between. As a result, 30 percent of
judge certainly represents another facet of Newt Gingrich’s Republicans: The elevation of ignorance over intelligence. As recently as March 2011, Gingrich was quoted as saying that he fears his grandchildren will inherit a “secular atheist country … dominated by radical Islamists and with no understanding of what it once meant to be an American.” There are very few places to begin dissecting the pure bigotry and ignorance exuded by this quote. At this point in the campaign, Republicans are desperate. In past years, roughly around the time of the South Carolina and Florida primaries, Republicans have rallied around a single candidate and have decided on an agenda. The ups and downs of this campaign have shaken the core of the G.O.P.: first Bachmann, then Perry, then Gingrich, then Santorum, then Gingrich again. The selection and success of Gingrich demonstrates just how deep into the field the Republicans have had to dig to find support. He is a player with more toxicity than he is worth: the questionable tax practices, his penchant for being controversial, his reputation as an unreasonable narcissist, and his messy private life, which includes two divorces and two affairs. But in the deep haze all television air-time is devoted to advertisements, doubling the standard of the ‘60s. Contrary to what networks may lead us to believe, we don’t have to accept this trend to sustain the financial viability of television. Compared to the television regulations in other developed countries, American networks advertise far more than their international counterparts. France permits just nine minutes of commercials for every hour of broadcasting, while Germany enforces a minimum of 20 minutes of programming between commercial breaks. The BBC, meanwhile, does not air any ads besides previews of its future programming. In addition to subjecting viewers to far more commercials, the overall quality of American programs is diminished by the incessant commercial breaks, which force writers to include awkward and often tangential cliffhangers into the script just to keep viewers anticipating the return from the commercial break. Without these imposed moments of suspense, it would be easy to lose track of the narrative as it takes a five-minute intermission. American sports offer perhaps the most defined example of this corruption of television programming. Unlike the NFL, the NBA and NCAA have official television
of a panic, somehow South Carolina managed to pick Gingrich. Of course, there is the clunky social agenda to address. Gingrich somehow seems to be the hallmark, the lapel pin, of “genuine” conservatives today. In political discussion about Gingrich, I’ve often heard some variation of “I don’t agree with his social policy; his economic policy is all that matters to me.” This statement shows exactly how unfit Gingrich is to be president. The function of the president is to govern the nation, which happens to be comprised of individuals—individuals who may be gay, gender-queer, or the children of illegal immigrants, among other minorities who very much inform the political landscape in America today. Gingrich’s policies—his support of the Defense of Marriage Act, his fear-mongering against Muslims—further remove the agency of minorities in the public sphere. In other words, neo-Republicanism, particularly as espoused by Gingrich, ignores reality.
Julia Tanaka is a freshman in the SFS. She would like to make it clear that this piece in no way endorses Mitt Romney. timeouts included in the rules at different stages of the game, which guarantee sufficient ad time and distribute commercials somewhat evenly over the course of the game. Meanwhile, soccer is broadcasted without commercial interruption overseas, with the exception of a 15- to 20-minute break for halftime, which includes analysis and highlights. A major reason the sport has been slow to gain more air-time in the U.S. is because it does not yield ad revenues equivalent with more traditional American sports. Conversely, the Super Bowl, perhaps America’s defining sporting event, is as popular in some circles for its high-priced commercials as much as the game itself. Comcast’s gaffe on Sunday may have been an accident, but it nevertheless underlines a disturbing reality in American television. While poor Homer thinks we should not steal TV, it’s pretty clear that the cable companies and TV networks are the real thieves. They have stolen our precious time and, more importantly, fundamentally tainted the experience of watching television.
Daniel Kellner is a senior in the College. To avoid commercials, he exclusively watches 3 a.m. Cinemax programming.
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