The Georgetown Voice, April 9, 2015

VOICE

the georgetown

LIGHTING THE HILLTOP How Georgetown creates and uses energy

By Ryan Miller Georgetown University’s Weekly Newsmagazine Since 1969 w April 9, 2015 w Volume 47, Issue 26 w georgetownvoice.com

the

Voice

April 9, 2015 This week: Editorial ... We’re halfway towards a green campus, pg. 3

News ... University presses charges against GUFF, pg. 4 Sports ... DSR returns, pg. 6 Feature ... Energy usage at Georgetown, pg. 8 Energy and Georgetown

Leisure ... I’ve got a Blank Space baby: Arts Weeks 2015, pg. 10-12

The Voice reports on Georgetown’s use of energy on campus and around the world.

Page 13 ... Liberty-Man, pg. 17

A Crossword of Ice and Fire

Voices ... Medical Brigades: Making change and being changed, pg. 18

ACROSS 1. Long awaited sixth installment (3 words) 9. Energized fish 10. Historical period 12. Got a perfect score 13. Ten cents 15. Jeepers 17. The Narrow, the Summer, the Sunset, & the Dothraki 19. Toolbox item 21. Eighth root of 256 23. Cloak 25. Fear 26. Antibacterial drug, common allergen 28. Jayme & Cersei’s banner 29. Bracing 32. Blank page at the start of end of a book 35. Fury 36. Golf course item 37. Inputs 41. Under 44. Boar’s mate 45. Allude 47. Spanish ocean 48. Banal 51. Website for ideas worth spreading 52. Type of twill pant 54. Lass 56. Expressed verbally 57. Farm growth 59. Hotels 60. Rafter’s need 61. No way 62. Third installment (3 words)

– Kathleen Coughlin

DOWN 2. Decorative sticker 3. Robert Baratheon’s is strong 4. Used 5. Get hitched 6. Bearded flower 7. Titled

8. They always pay their debts (2 words) 11. When you play, either you win or you die (3 words) 12. Ripen 14. Corn serving 15. At any time

16. Eternity 18. Bargain 20. Farm female 21. Pull 22. Wrong 24. Spherical green 26. Scoff 27. Reconstruct

30. By way of 31. Infuriate 33. Hankering 34. Wind shelter 38. Likewise not 39. Small tree branch 40. Stage backdrop 41.Flower site

42. During 43. Darken your skin 46. Tariff 49. Quirk 50. Miscalculation 52. Poem section 53. Belonging to him 55. Rich soil

56. Bastard of the North name 58. Supportive of 59. ___ & outs

The Georgetown Voice welcomes responses, questions, and opinions from its readers. Submit all e-mails to editor@georgetownvoice.com.

Please include your name, year, and school. Bear in mind that letters may be edited for length and clarity and may be published and used in any medium.

Last issue’s key:

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Volume 47.26 April 9, 2015 Editor-in-Chief: Dayana Morales Gomez Managing Editor: Caitriona Pagni General Manager: Mary-Bailey Frank Webmaster: Maya McCoy Editors-at-Large: James Constant, Julia Lloyd-George, Ian Philbrick Contributing Editor: Chris Castano Blog Editor: Marisa Hawley Halftime Leisure Editors: Erika Bullock, Graham Piro Halftime Sports Editors: Alex Boyd, Rob Ponce News Editor: Lara Fishbane Sports Editor: Joe Pollicino Feature Editor: Ryan Greene Leisure Editor: Daniel Varghese Page 13 Editor: Dylan Cutler Voices Editor: Noah Buyon Photo Editor: Joshua Raftis Cover Editor: Christina Libre Design Editor: Eleanor Sugrue Spread Editors: Pam Shu, Sophie Super Assistant Blog Editors: Grace Brennan, Dominique Rouge, Carley Tucker Assistant Halftime Leisure Editor: Michael Bergin Assistant News Editors: Courtnie Baek, Ryan Miller Assistant Sports Editors: Isabel Echarte, Kevin Huggard, Max Roberts Assistant Feature Editor: Shalina Chatlani Assistant Leisure Editors: Elizabeth Baker, Dinah Farrell, Sabrina Kayser Assistant Voices Editor: Leila Lebreton Assistant Photo Editors: Vicki Lam, Carolyn Zaccaro Assistant Cover Editor: Megan Howell Assistant Design Editor: Ellie Yaeger

Staff Writers:

Chris Almeida, Sourabh Bhat, Emilia Brahm, Emmy Buck, Lilah Burke, Caitlyn Cobb, Brendan Crowley, Patrick Drown, Emmanuel Elone, Tyler Kranawetter, Joe Laposata, Brian McMahon, Maneesha Panja, Brendan Saunders, Thomas Stubna, Manuela Tobias, Colleen Zorc

Staff Photographers:

Ambika Ahuja, Saman Asdjodi, Jen Costa, Megan Howell, Gavin Myers , Freddy Rosas, Taryn Shaw, Andrew Sullivan

Staff Designers:

Erin Annick, Lizzy Blumberg, Caitlin Garrabrant, River Davis, Katie Hyland, Johnny Jung, Erin McClellan

Copy Chief: Dana Suekoff

editorial making sense of gu’s leedership

Georgetown’s green record has room to improve

More than 30 years ago, Georgetown University activated 4,464 solar panels on the roof of Bunn Intercultural Center, constructed after the 1973 oil crisis. In 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency recognized it as a Green Power Partner of the Year. These are incredible achievements.

A fair assessment of the university’s progress and sustainability, however, must look beyond its past capital projects and ambitious sustainability goals. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications and EPA recognition does not necessarily mean that this campus is truly as green as it can be.

For example, Georgetown says that its greenhouse emissions in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2013 were 69.9 percent lower compared to those in 2006. One of the ways it did so was to purchase renewable energy certificates (REC), which provide funding for owners of renewable power sources that create electricity for the grid. The RECs, however, allow it to claim additional credit for the environ-

Editorial Board Chair: Kenneth Lee Editorial Board:

Isabel Echarte, Lara Fishbane, Ryan Miller, Dayana Morales Gomez, Ryan Greene, Laura Kurek, Caitriona Pagni, Ian Philbrick, Daniel Varghese, Garet Williams

Director of Finance: Allison Manning Director of Human Resources: Michael Sitcawich Accounts & Sales Representative: Suzie Park The Georgetown Voice The Georgetown Voice is published every Thursday.

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 Website: 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. All materials copyright the Georgetown Voice. All rights reserved.

mental benefits of the renewable power sources in which it invested. Without including RECs in its calculations, the university only reduced its greenhouse emissions by 19.4 percent.

In a similar dilemma, the University of Pennsylvania has bought more RECs than any other participating institution in the EPA challenge since 2009, but some students, according to the Daily Pennsylvanian, do not see the merits of this act. They say that RECs are “one-time certificates with no return on investment in the future.”

Administrators also want all future buildings and major renovations to achieve LEED Gold certification. However, its current standards amount to little more than a token achievement in today’s construction projects. In October 2012, USA TODAY analyzed 7,100 LEED-certified commercial buildings and found that, too often, building projects receive credit for providing a view of the outdoors or having a design team member pass a LEED exam.

Further limitations on Georgetown’s sustainability initiatives stem from the Office of Sustainability’s small size. Only one full-time staff member and a few student interns run the office. Bureaucracy and red tape have hampered an exciting project to build solar panels on Leo O’Donovan dining hall’s roof, as Georgetown Energy, the student organization responsible, has had to work with so many different offices in the university.

Climate change is one of the most important, if not the most important, issue of our generation, and Georgetown University has made considerable strides. However, its work is far from complete. If Georgetown truly wants to become a green campus, the Office of Sustainability must grow further, and the university needs to promote grassroots initiatives to change the habits of students and staff.

Administrators, too, must take the lead on environmentally-conscious master planning and do more than simply aim for awards and certificates that provide talking points.

the ten-ant commandments

Tenant Bill of Rights: A peace of mind for students

Many Hoyas take their first plunge into the cesspool that is real estate market when they rent an off-campus townhouse during their junior or senior years. A new rule to be implemented this July by the D.C. government’s Office of the Tenant Advocate requiring landlords to provide would-be renters with a “Tenant Bill of Rights” makes the waters a little less intimidating for first-time leaseholders.

The document, a product of the Tenant Bill of Rights Act of 2014 signed into law last August, is meant to be a knowledge base for renters, say, juniors and seniors scouring Burleith or West Georgetown for a place to stay, who may not be fully aware of their rights under housing law—and knowledge, of course, is power.

We applaud the D.C. Council’s initiative in creating this common-sense document, which stands to benefit our neighbors as well as students. One of their major gripes during the negotiations leading up to the 2010 Campus Plan was that landlords

Copy Editors:

Lauren Chung, Bianca Clark, Jupiter El-Asmar, Alex Garvey, Rachel Greene, Madison Kaigh, Julian Sena, Suzanne Trivette

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and lessees alike were poor stewards of their rented homes. In 2004, a student, Daniel Rigby (SFS ’05), died in a Prospect St. house fire. The building he lived in did not meet fire safety codes.

Reviews of landlords and the leases they make on Roomr, an off-campus housing database, reveals just how useful the new Tenant Bill of Rights may be. One fairly representative townhouse review claims that a specific landlord’s lease is “the product of an insane person’s mind.” The Tenant Bill of Rights makes it clear that landlords “may not unreasonably interfere with [tenants’] comfort, safety, or enjoyment.”

Presumably, crafting leases that ban “music with drums” is contestable under D.C. housing law.

The Tenant Bill of Rights may well encourage landlords and lessees to take more ownership over their townhouses and could, in the long run, make off-campus living more palatable to our neighbors. It’s important to remember, however, that it is merely a legal cheat sheet. Ten-

ants still have to bring complaints to the District’s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), which is responsible for inspecting homes and redressing code violations. It’s also known for notoriously slow response times. The government should commit to strengthening and streamlining DCRA’s housing inspection resources to protect all tenants, especially first-time leaseholders in the District.

Despite what our neighbors might have in mind, Georgetown students are going to continue renting private townhouses, which are simply cheaper and better quality than oncampus housing, for the foreseeable future. As long as off-campus housing remains a reality of undergraduate life, landlords must make their properties as safe as possible. The Tenant Bill of Rights connects students with the tools they need to ensure that their homes are up to code.

That way, preventable deaths like Rigby’s will remain just that—preventable.

hyperbole does not a story make

Drawing lessons from Rolling Stone’s UVA debacle

On Sunday, the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism released a damning report detailing how a now-retracted Rolling Stone account of a brutal gang-rape at the University of Virginia turned into a journalistic nightmare. The report revealed editorial failures at every level that missed apparent fabrications by the alleged victim, a student identified only as Jackie.

Rather than calling for the heads of Rolling Stone’s editors, we should instead consider the impulses that led to their missteps—the lure of a juicy story and, most perniciously, the impulse to sacrifice truth for comfort about the subject of rape.

Amid the fallout, two things may happen.

First, sexual assault survivors may think twice about sharing their stories with journalists at a time when publicizing the prevalence of sexual assault is critical to creating a societal dialogue about the issue of campus rape.

Second, journalists and the public may shy away from engaging with sexual assault. Rape

culture is quotidian, omnipresent, and far less ghoulish than Rolling Stone (and probably many of us) would like to imagine it. That’s what makes it so pernicious. Sabrina Erdely, the article’s author, sought out a terrifying rape in a darkened fraternity house to shock readers out of apathy.

The problem isn’t just that these notions play to our comfortable stereotypes of what rape is—it’s that they marginalize and devalue the experience of victims whose stories aren’t deemed “dramatic” or “newsworthy” enough. This double-edged sword of media attention for sexual assault is precisely why responsible journalism must be at the forefront of the effort to name, blame, and shame those who engage in the practice.

But all of us should be careful to avoid compromising truth in service to a cause. Untruths don’t just embolden rape culture naysayers; they also damage the legitimacy of campaigns that seek to support victims and accurately conceptualize the problem. These compromises are often far less sensational than Rolling Stone’s faux

pas. Outlets ranging from Georgetown’s own Stall Seat Journal to President Obama frequently cite the widely circulated statistic that one in five women will be the victim of sexual assault while in college. Emily Yoffe at Slate, however, has called this figure to task—the statistic comes from a survey of just two colleges, and shouldn’t be applied nationally. That we do this so readily is a problem in itself.

This evening, at 7 p.m., Georgetown’s chapter of Take Back the Night will share anonymous stories of sexual assault survivors at an event called It Happens Here. The Editorial Board has faith they will embody the truth Rolling Stone failed: that speaking inaccurately of rape culture hobbles only our ability to fight it. We shouldn’t fear that accuracy hurts either victims or our cause. Sexual assault survivors deserve brave spaces to confront perpetrators of rape culture.

Fidelity to truth, confronting sexual assault as it is, lets us see the problem in the light of day. Perhaps it lets us see a way to fix it, too.

news

4 | the georgetown voice

APRIL 9, 2015

University presses charges against GU Fossil Free members for code of conduct violations CAITLYN COBB Three GU Fossil Free students are facing two charges from the Director of Student Conduct Judy Johnson for their actions at World Bank president Dr. Jim Yong Kim’s speech on March 18th.

The three GU Fossil Free students walked onto the stage in Gaston Hall between Dr. Kim’s speech and the Q&A segment holding a banner with a quote of Kim, “Corporate leaders should not wait to act until market signals are right and national investment policies are in place,” and the words “Georgetown DIVEST now GU Fossil Free.” The three students were then asked to leave the stage repeatedly by Director of Student Conduct Judy Johnson and GUPD officers, and were eventually escorted off the stage and then out of Gaston Hall and the building.

The three students are now facing charges from Ms. Johnson for violating the university’s Code of

Conduct on two accounts: “unauthorized access” and “failure to comply with university officials or university policy.”

The three Fossil Free students posted their responses to Ms. Johnson’s charges on the GUFF website, arguing their actions constituted an act of “peaceful protest,” that their actions were “protected by the Speech and Expression Policy,” and that the charges “are unreasonable and decidedly without grounding” and “insidious.”

The two conduct charges have raised broader questions about speech and expression on campus.

“We know our actions fully complied with university policy and were an act of free speech,” Chloe Lazarus (COL ‘16), one of the three Fossil Free students facing charges, said. “We believe we have a right to speak up against the injustices Georgetown promotes.”

The conduct charges bring an additional dimension to the discussion of the implementation of

GU FOSSIL FRE

ONE ADMINI PRESSES TWO CHARGES AGAINST THREE STUDENTS FOR VIOLATIONS.

the Speech and Expression Policy. The Code of Conduct and the Speech and Expression Policy are two separate policies, and the conduct charges are not attempting to enforce speech and expression.

This means that two separate issues of student conduct and speech and expression are involved, but opinions on which issue is most important in this case vary.

Sam Kleinman (COL ‘16) [Full Disclosure: Sam Kleinman is a former Voice staffer], a member of the Speech and Expression Committee and GUSA secretary of free speech, said, “It is my opinion that the issue here has very little to do with accessing a restricted area, and more to do with whether speech was properly exercised as allowed under the policy.”

Although Kleinman believes the university acted erroneously and against its Speech and Expression Policy, he understands the basis for the university’s charges. “There is an argument to be made that these protesters violated other relevant university policy,” he said. “It really depends on how you construct the restricted access argument.”

According to Student Advocacy Office Co-director Ryan Shymansky (COL ‘16) “unauthorized access” means entering any area specifically designated as off-limits by the university, or that may reasonably be considered restricted and “failure to comply” is behavior

that does not follow the directives of university officials. In the case of the Fossil Free students, the university considers their presence on the stage “unauthorized access,” and considers their decision to remain on the stage when GUPD officers and the Director of Student Conduct told them to move “failure to comply.”

Shymansky believes the intent of “unauthorized access” in the code is to restrict access to spaces where a concern for student safety exists, such as mechanical and electrical areas. “This is not a view that the university shares,” Shymansky said. “The Code is too general to reach any definitive conclusion.

The Free Speech and Expression Policy is more specific, however, and suggests that students are permitted on Gaston stage.”

Dr. Todd Olson, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, wrote generally in an email to the Voice, “Our understanding is that the stage in any campus venue is a space reserved for the speakers/performers at events that are taking place there.”

The overlap between conduct policy and speech policy in this case sets a precedent for how conduct policies can be enforced in relation to speech. “Free speech and conduct issues are both at play here. What’s difficult is separating the two.” Shymansky said.

“The Code of Student Conduct shouldn’t be used as a club to limit

free speech rights already granted to students by the university.”

Johnson and the Office of Student Conduct did not responded to multiple requests for comment.

There is also concern about the lack of separation between policy enforcement and adjudication in this case. Generally, there is a separation between enforcement of university policy through the GUPD and the adjudication of cases.

“This case is slightly different, since the Director of the Office of Student Conduct was present at the Fossil Free protest and is involved with adjudicating the students’ case as well,” Shymansky said. “[GUPD and the Office of Student Conduct’s] roles are normally much more clearly delineated.”

According to Shymansky, this case is being resolved through administrative action. Administrative action is defined by the Office of Student Conduct as “the resolution of a case by a case by a Conduct Officer. … The Conduct Officer has the ability to find a student responsible for violations of the Code of Student Conduct and assign sanctions.” In this case, the Conduct Officer is Judy Johnson, who filed the charges and was also present and involved in enforcement at the protest.

“The Office of Student Conduct, and specifically Ms. Johnson, is trying to restrict our free speech and silence our voices,” said Lazarus.

Georgetown students march to raise awareness for She Leads Burkina Campaign COURTNIE BAEK On Wednesday, April 3, four Georgetown students marched the historical walk of the 1965 Civil Rights movement between Selma and Montgomery to raise awareness for She Leads Burkina (SLB) Campaign. SLB is a crowdfunding campaign that aims to empower female students of Martin Luther King School in Burkina Faso by building a dorm on its campus.

Jean-Daniel Glausser, a high school teacher of Chief Director of SLB Sacha Millet (COL ‘15), created the MLK school in 2010 after visiting Burkina Faso in 2008. “His school is very peculiar, meaning that he has an ambition to create a new generation,” Millet said. “He’s not trying to educate most people, but trying to fundamentally change kids.”

The school is officially called Lycée MLK in homage to Martin Luther King Jr., who led the march from

Selma to Montgomery to promote equality and empowerment through education. “[The campaign] wants to continue [MLK’s] mission by empowering individuals in underprivileged conditions,” SLB member Sofia Galatas (COL ‘15) said.

According to Millet, the MLK school has very high level of academics, equipment, and buildings out of the 54 schools in the Central Plateau region in Africa. The co-ed school educates and houses approximately 130 students exclusively in sixth grade.

One third of the student population come from the highest social class from the capital who pay the whole tuition, another third come from the middle class who pay half the tuition, and the last third of the kids who come from the poorest regions who are sponsored from various donors.

The school is open to all faiths, but Director of MLK School Jean-Daniel Glauser acquired his inspiration for the school from Protestant values.

“The campaign’s goal is to raise awareness around our campaign and mark the symbolic link that exists between the values of Martin Luther King and that of the school we are supporting that has taken the name of the pastor,” said Millet.

SLB officially launched on March 1 and has raised approximately $27,000.

“Ideally, the school needs $100,000 by May to completely build the girl’s dorm, but any amount that we get will be directly used by the school in one way or another to better integrate girls.” said Galatas.

“I have a couple friends at the World Bank, which has programs called Gender Equality and Development and Education,” Millet said.

“We’re hoping that one of these programs will be interested in our campaign. We sent our applications and we’re now waiting for their answers.”

SLB will be releasing a video of the walk next week. According to a mem-

ber of SLB Paul Gioia (COL ‘15), the members plan to continue their campaign by running from the Georgetown Waterfront to the Washington monument next Sunday on April 12, for which a Venezuelan donor agreed to sponsor $2 for each completed kilometer. SLB also has a special marketing campaign and charity drink at Uncommon Grounds. SLB is currently organizing a speaker event in the third week of April regarding education and female empowerment in West Africa in collaboration with the Afri-

can Studies Department to present the campaign to the wider Georgetown community.

“In the US we take for granted that both males and females have the same access to opportunities regardless of gender, at least in terms of education,” said Galatas.

“However, this is not the rule in the rest of the world. The Georgetown community, as a privileged one, can help create awareness about this issue and have a direct impact in another community.”

IN APRIL STUDENTS MARCH FOR EMPOWERMENT AND EQUALITY.

SHE LEADS BURKINA

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HIGHER EDGE: THE CHEATING SYSTEM: WHO’S TO BLAME?

BY LARA FISHBANE

a tri-weekly column ABOUT AMERICA’s UNIVERSITIES

The Voice puts faces to the workers at leo’s and hoya court.

TARYN SHAW

Aramark workers on the record: Francisco Lopez LILAH BURKE In light of the ongoing negotiations between Aramark and it’s workers’ union, the Voice will do a series of On the Records with Hoya Court and Leo’s employees. This week the Voice sat down with nineteen-year old Francisco Lopez, who works at Elevation Burger.

Lopez commutes nearly two hours from Maryland to work the night shift at Elevation Burger. He began working at twelve years old in construction before beginning a job at Popeye’s when he was sixteen. He started at Hoya Court at eighteen, nearly two years ago. He lives with his single mother and two brothers. This interview has been edited and condensed.

What do you do at Elevation Burger?

I’m the lead up here. I pretty much do everything that needs to be done, whether that’s frying, grinding the meat, cook, do milkshakes, register, sweep, mop, take the trash out. I used to do all that before I was the lead. I used to do all that stuff just getting paid as a regular worker.

What is the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is my co-workers. They’re all fun people. Now and then the supervisors will get on their backs and all, but I just tell them just to brush it off because at the end of the day everybody needs this job.

What is the worst part of your job?

The amount of work they tell you to do. One person has to do like nine different jobs. That’s too much for one person to take. … Then you get tired. And then if you call out, they don’t care. They’ll

still be on your back about why you called out.

Do you want Hoya Court to have fair process to organize?

In a way, yeah, because, you know, people have more freedom of what to say and speak up. Because some people are scared to speak up right now because they afraid they’re going to get fired. And if we do have fair process [to organize] they won’t be so scared to speak up, because then they’ll have that back-up, that support behind them, and they can’t just fire them easily for no reason. We’ve had people get fired over little stupid stuff and we don’t understand why they got let go. There are workers and everything that get let go just because they wanted to speak their minds.

Do you think the movement for a fair process to organize is more about that sort of protection rather than pay?

Most people up here need the money. People need the extra boost in their lives.

And that little cents or whatever they try to give us isn’t enough to cut it. When they gave us our raise some people only saw thirteen cents. After a year of working you’re going to pay them thirteen more cents? That’s pretty much a slap to the face. Some people took it like that and they tried to speak up. Those people aren’t with us anymore. They got fired.

Have spoken to students about your work?

Only during that big rally when they came up here that one time. That was the one time I kind of talked to some students. They showed how much support they had towards us.

We all were grateful that they came here. There were so

Stanford University is investigating a recent surge in allegations of academic dishonesty reported at the end of its winter quarter. These allegations, including an incident which involved up to 20 percent of students in one of Stanford’s larger introductory courses, are just the most recent of a burgeoning number of incidents of cheating at universities across the country.

With issues of academic integrity on the rise, university administrators and the public are left asking is why students cheat.

One of the biggest misconceptions about cheating is that people cheat because they are bad, dishonest people. The problem, however, is that when you blame individuals, you completely overlook the actual root of the problem. The truth is that almost anyone will cheat if put into the right (or wrong) circumstances and as it currently stands, America’s elite universities provide circumstances that not only make cheating easy, but also encourage it.

On one hand, college admissions are more competitive than ever before, setting more demanding expectations for the students who do get into elite colleges to perform at a higher level. Students, however, aren’t conditioned to be able to cope with the high amounts of stress incurred while trying to meet these standards. According to an article published in the Boston Globe last month, the stress of the workload at MIT, among other factors, contributed to the suicides of four students in the past year.

When professors inundate students with more work than they can handle, they don’t give students the option to focus on learning rather than outcomes. There is no time for students to really engage with material when the workload is too intense to keep up with and yet the assessments of “learning” are constant. Under these condi-

tions, every hundred page reading, meaningless problem set, and arbitrarily difficult exam reinforces the implicit notion that achievement is valued over education.

Since these kinds of norms are constantly being reinforced in classrooms, it’s no wonder that cheating has become as rampant as it is at elite universities. Cheating on an assignment is the ultimate way to perform without actually learning material. So long as students are placed in an environment where they believe learning isn’t valued by their professors, there is one less barrier of resistance placed against academic dishonesty.

Another issue is that there are very few barriers actually preventing students from cheating.

Although professors run some papers through Turnitin and include a brief mention of the honor code on the syllabus, most efforts to stop cheating end there. There is a certain trust that students know what it means to have academic integrity and will always try to uphold that standard. After all, at the undergraduate level professors should not have to coddle students, hold their hands through assignments, and make sure that they aren’t violating that trust.

With that being said, however, professors and institutions have the responsibility to create environments that allow for academic honesty to survive and be rewarded. For instance, although it seems as though students should all know their university’s honor code, few students have ever actually taken the time to read it. David McCabe conducted a survey of students around the country, which revealed that most college students do not think of corroboration as an offense and half of students view plagiarism similarly, even when both actions are clearly forbidden in their university’s honor code. If faculty were to explicitly outline the expecta-

tions of academic integrity at the beginning of each semester, they could effectively discourage dishonesty among students.

Furthermore, if professors want to discourage students from working together on assignments, the responsibility falls on professors to make sure that there are enough resources available to students for them to work through assignments on their own. If lectures aren’t taught clearly and the professor isn’t available outside of class, then students cannot be expected to complete difficult work without turning to other students or the internet for help.

According to a recent survey published by Inside Higher Ed, the most likely groups of students on campuses to cheat are sororities, fraternities, and athletes. In addition to being able to dedicate less time to school work, these tightknit group environments are conducive to cheating. They take advantage of the professors who are too lazy to change assignments and exams from year to year by proliferating material to hand down to younger members of the group.

The worst part about cheating is that it runs in a self-perpetuating cycle. The more unbearable the workload is and the more students think their classmates are cheating, the more likely they are to cheat as well just to keep up with everyone else.

If people really want to understand why there have been so many recent cheating scandals, then they need to stop pointing fingers at the “lazy” and “dishonest” students who have been caught.

Instead, people need to start looking at the institutions which teach their students to value grades over learning and ask what can be done to turn the focus around. Until there is a change in perspective, our country will continued to be baffled by the “inexplicable” surge in academic dishonesty.

many students we felt … this was something that could actually happen for us.

If you got a pay increase at work, do you know what you would spend it on?

Family. I want to take care of my family over everything.

Why I’m working? It’s not for myself. My mom just got let go a couple days ago. I’m only 19.

I should be getting ready for college, but I’m trying to make sure my family’s in a better place. That’s why I’m hoping it comes in so that I can get a little extra boost and help us out.

Help us out with the struggles we got going on.

Is there anything that you would want to say to the students of Georgetown?

All I have to say is that I respect how they show us support.

A lot of kids don’t know us, but they still show respect towards what we do. We do what we can to make sure that they get their side, that they get a good burger or sandwich or a good salad around here. We make sure everything’s fresh every day. We make sure y’all have a good lunch.

sports

6 | the georgetown voice

APRIL 9, 2015

Stafford, Marrocco leading nationally ranked men’s lax ALEX BOYD

Besides their New England roots and role as teammates on the No. 17 Georgetown men’s lacrosse team (7-4, 2-1 Big East), Nick Marrocco and Bo Stafford have little in common. Marrocco, a freshman goalie, and Stafford, a senior attack, play very different games. But this season, the two have emerged as an unlikely star duo.

Marrocco’s one focus in his first year on the Hilltop has been protecting the crease, making saves and scooping up ground balls to stave off any threat to his net. Nothing gets past him. Across the field, the veteran Stafford hungers for the back of the net, just as he has on the Hilltop since Marrocco was a high school sophomore. The sharpshooter can take advantage of holes in an opposing defense in more ways than one. He can shoot from a distance and penetrate up near the crease. He makes cuts off the ball and jukes out defenders with flashy stickwork one-on-one. He is the very threat Marrocco eyes with grit and enmity. He just happens to wear the same color jersey.

The two Hoya stars play different games, but they’re both working. After last Saturday’s 9-6 win against Providence, Marrocco was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week and USILA Defensive Player of the Week.

Stafford received equivalent honors for offensive players just two weeks ago, and his performance in Rhode Island was good enough to earn an appearance on the weekly honor roll, his second of the season.

“When you get into Big East play, you have to rely on your best players,” Georgetown Head Coach Kevin Warne said after this past Saturday’s win.

Marrocco and Stafford might well be them.

Marrocco’s 18 saves improved his saves per game average to a Big East-leading 13.18, and his save percentage to .553, second in the Big East. The freshman is emerging as a national star, standing third in saves per game and 19th in save percentage in all of college lacrosse.

“Defensively, I thought we did a really good job of allowing Nick to see shots that he wanted to see,” Warne said. “When you watch the film, those are the shots we want to give up. Nick’s job is to stop the ball, and he did.”

Stafford contributed to five of the Hoyas’ nine goals, assisting two and netting three of his own. Saturday’s five points brought Stafford to 37 on the season (21 goals, 16 assists) and 3.45 points per game average, fifth in the Big East.

“I was really impressed with what Bo did,” Warne said. “He really fired the guys up.”

The Hoyas drove home from Rhode Island extending their winstreak against Providence to eight, and improving their Big East record to 2-1. Tied with No. 16 Marquette (9-3, 2-1 Big East) for second in the conference, Georgetown lies half a game back from the No. 5 Denver Pioneers (8-2, 2-0 Big East).

With two of the next three games coming against Big East opponents, Villanova and St. John’s, the next three weeks will be imperative if the Hoyas intend to catch No. 5 Denver, who dealt them a humiliating 19-7 loss in Colorado late last month. The good news for the Hoyas is that both Big East matchups will take place in Washington. These two home-turf games will sandwich a quick 120-mile road trip to take on Virginia in Charlottesville.

Better news is that both the Villanova Wildcats (5-5, 0-2 Big East), who the Hoyas play this Saturday, and the St. John’s Red Storm (3-8, 1-1 Big East), who they play

AMBIKA AMHUJA

The Hoyas Defense has been solid all year long for the nationally ranked team.

April 25, are struggling. Villanova dropped the last four straight games it played, averaging 4.5 goals during its losing streak to sit at a .500 overall record. The Wildcats have yet to win a conference game. Warne’s squad cannot wait to face their biggest conference rival, who they have not beaten since 2011.

“I don’t believe there’s any love lost between the two programs,” said Warne of the Hoyas’ rivalry with Villanova. “Our seniors have not beaten them. I think our seniors are really juiced up to get a crack at them.”

Joe o’s Pollicin

Up in Queens, the Red Storm have dropped two of the last three to fall to 3-8 overall. However, St. John’s may have outperformed Georgetown when they met the Providence Friars, albeit in New York, blowing out their March meeting 17-7. Nevertheless, if the Hoyas manage to take care of business like they should, the Blue and Gray should stand in a good position come the postseason.

As Marrocco repeatedly shatters any notion of a ceiling as he continues to improve through-

out his first college season and Stafford pairs veteran poise with refined skills, all the pieces are there. This year’s Hoya squad has two faces. And right now, they’re both smiling.

“They deserve all the credit,” said Warne of his team’s power couple. “They had to make a choice that enough’s enough and we were going to make sure that we do things the right way.”

Face-off against Villanova is set for 3 p.m. Saturday at Multi-Sport Field.

SPORTS SERMON---

“We can’t call it football - we should call it UFC.”-Neymar on physicality in recent matches

The past few weeks has seen millions of high school seniors across the country find out their college admissions fate. And with that comes the release of the admissions statistics for Georgetown University, which annually reasserts the university as one of the more selective and competitive schools to gain admittance to in the country.

You can attribute this year’s 16 percent acceptance rate to the desirability of a Georgetown education, the talented academic pool it draws from, and the world-class faculty that it boasts.

You can base it off Georgetown’s location and the post-graduate opportunities available to those with a Georgetown degree.

But while these are all valid reasons, there’s really only one reason for Georgetown’s emergence as one of the country’s more elite and selective universities. You can thank Patrick Ewing.

That seems like a phrase that many partisans of the Georgetown men’s basketball team have uttered multiple times during their fandom. The seven-foot giant left a lasting mark on the court for the Hoyas. Ewing was the leader of the dominant Hoya team of the mid1980s that advanced to three Final Fours, including winning a national championship. He was a three-time All-American, two-time Big East Player of the Year, and Naismith College Player of the Year during his tenure on the Hilltop.

But off the court, no one person has had more of an positive impact on Georgetown University than Ewing himself.

The most important date in the history of the university, I would argue, is Feb. 2, 1981, when Ewing decided to wear the blue and

gray uniform and play for thenHead Coach John Thompson Jr.’s squad. Because of the exceptional play of the Ewing-led Hoyas, the school’s profile was instantly elevated from that of a predominantly Northeast-based Catholic school to a national university that would attract students not only from all over the country, but also from the world. In just a three-year period during the mid-1980s, the number of applicants to Georgetown skyrocketed by 45 percent. You can attribute that to Ewing.

Georgetown and the effects of Patrick Ewing’s tenure here is just one of the many examples of a college admissions theory called the Flutie Effect, which refers to the phenomenon of having a successful college sports team increase the exposure and prominence of a university. It’s named after former Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie, whose game-winning Hail Mary pass in 1984 in a nationally televised game against Miami helped lead to an increase in applications in the years that followed.

As we have seen during March Madness year after year, sports have the unique ability to bring a community together.

This unity around a common cause, in this case a basketball team, has the ability to transform a university and build closer ties between its students, creating desirable experiences. These formative college experiences make graduates want to donate more to the school and stay connected, leading to a devoted alumni base ready to give back to their school to help endow scholarships or build the newest dorm or library.

It’s because of this cause and effect that so many colleges devote millions of dollars to ath-

letics, specifically football and basketball, every year. It’s why either a football or basketball coach is the highest paid state employee in 40 out of our country’s 50 states. And it’s why other schools, in an effort to attain the glory and recognition that Georgetown did with Ewing, are willing to take shortcuts in order to quickly find success on the court or on the field. Just google Binghamton basketball or Southern Methodist football, examples that I could write a whole article about.

Although many criticize the sometimes ridiculous amounts of money spent on big-time football and basketball, the benefits of having a major sports program are undeniable. What would Notre Dame be without its football team? Or Duke without its basketball team? Even though all were already prominent national universities, the recognition that comes with these teams have helped them grown even more.

One of my fondest memories at Georgetown was the last basketball home game played between the Hoyas and Syracuse during spring break. Played in front of a boisterous, sold-out crowd, the experience of a dominating Hoya victory is unforgettable to this day. We all stormed the court, proud of the accomplishments of our Hoyas, who won the Big East regular season title due to the win. For all of our differing backgrounds here at this school in terms of religion, ethnicity, race, and economic status, the whole Georgetown community united at Verizon Center that Saturday afternoon, bonded by a common cause that no one, not even the menacing Syracuse Orange could break.

And for that I say, “thank you Patrick Ewing.”

sports

georgetownvoice.com

the georgetown voice | 7

Re-SR: Smith-Rivera opts to return KEVIN HUGGARD He’s back.

A week ago, it seemed Georgetown would lose its leading scorer and first-team All-Big East point guard. Junior guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera had announced his intention to hire an agent and enter his name into the NBA Draft for this coming June.

On Tuesday, however, fan website Casual Hoya reported that an anonymous source had confirmed Smith-Rivera’s decision to return to Georgetown for his senior season. Smith-Rivera could not be reached for comment, and a team spokesman stated that Smith-Rivera had not yet informed the university of his change of heart.

It seemed that Smith-Rivera had made this choice, and that next year he would be making money off his basketball talent in either the NBA or overseas.

Hoya fans could not help but be disappointed. Smith-Rivera was the leader of this year’s team, which earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament and finished ranked No. 22 in the country.

It turns out the panic was premature. Instead of having to look for a post-graduate transfer to bolster a backcourt rendered suddenly thin by Smith-Rivera’s absence, Head Coach John Thompson III will instead have the luxury of handing the keys of the Hoya offense to his most experienced and talented player.

Thompson could not be reached for comment on this story.

BRENDAN CROWLEY’s TRI-weekly column about sports

coming back to tiger

FREDDY ROSAS

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera’s Decision improves the Hoyas’ Prospects for next season. .

Without Smith-Rivera, next year’s squad would have been strikingly young, devoid of upperclassmen who have played serious minutes in the past. With seniors Jabril Trawick, Joshua Smith, Aaron Bowen and Mikael Hopkins now departing, next year’s rotation will present some new faces for Hoya fans.

But the return of Smith-Rivera makes the team’s youth much less of a question mark. The talented quartet of Tre Campbell, Isaac Copeland, L.J. Peak, and Paul White will have to step into a greater role during their sophomore season, but they will not have to replace the 16.3 points per game and 3.2 assists per game that Smith-Rivera averaged this season, leading the team in both categories.

Given the number of players lost to graduation this year, a few team members besides the rising sophomores and the returning Smith-Rivera will need to contribute for the Hoyas to find success. Junior center Bradley Hayes made the most of his opportunity

against Eastern Washington (26-9, 14-4 Big Sky) during the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, scoring eight points and grabbing six rebounds to spark the Hoyas to victory. If he can maintain that level of play, he will remain in the regular rotation for a team that has few true big men. The incoming freshman class should provide some help as well, as forwards Jessie Govan, Marcus Derrickson, and Kaleb Johnson will have the chance to compete for playing time early in the season. .

Still, the players who are departing this season will be missed.

Two of them, Joshua Smith and Jabril Trawick, will play in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this week. The tournament invites 64 seniors from around the country to play in front of an audience of NBA scouts in Portsmouth, Va. Smith and Trawick were selected from Georgetown and will look to impress the NBA representatives in attendance as they explore future their professional options.

Softball swept by SJU and Towson JOE LAPOSATA The Georgetown softball team (12-22, 2-5 Big East) lost three away games to St. John’s University (14-13, 6-0 Big East) over the weekend, losing 12-2, 6-0, and 7-5. The Red Storm beat senior Georgetown pitcher Megan Hyson in two of the three, dropping her to 9-9 on the season.

St. John’s took an early lead in the first game, scoring six runs off three hits and knocking Hyson out after just a third of an inning. The Red Storm scored another four in the bottom of the second off Lauren O’Leary, going up 10-0.

Georgetown added two more runs in the fifth inning, but it was too little too late; the game was called due to mercy rule.

St. John’s equally dominated the second game of the

– RiseandFIRE –

weekend, the night half of Friday’s doubleheader, scoring six runs on six hits off Hyson.

The third game, played on Saturday, featured a much more even contest. The Hoyas gained their first lead of the weekend off a bases-loaded double by Grace Appelbe in the first, which put the Blue and Gray up 3-0.

Down 4-0 in the fifth, however, St. John’s was able to respond with five off Hyson, bringing the score up to 5-4.

But the Red Storm’s lead was short-lived; a throwing error by the St. John’s third baseman allowed Georgetown to score, tying things up at 5-5.

The game remained tied for two innings, going into extras, until St. John’s catcher Erin Burner hit a two-run homer in the seventh to win walk-off style, defeating the Hoyas 7-5.

The triple-header against St. John’s was a particular disappointment for Hyson, who entered the weekend with a Big East best of 113 strikeouts and a 2.30 ERA, good for fifth in the league. She now stands at sixth in the Big East with a 3.05 ERA. The Hoyas then faced Towson (19-16, 2-7 CAA) in a double-header, where they were swept in both games, 8-0 and 5-4. The first game was called due to run differential and the second game was ended early in the fifth inning due to darkness.

Up next for the Hoyas is a three-game series with Big East rival DePaul (13-17, 5-0 Big East), starting this Saturday.

First pitch for the Saturday doubleheader is set for noon.

The Blue Demons are undefeated in leage play so far this season.

On Tuesday, as he sat fielding questions ahead of the 2015 Masters, Tiger Woods resembled an aging President. Woods, almost unrecognizable, fielded question after question, each of which danced around the same theme: did the 14-time major champion still have it? After over a decade of sustained dominance, Woods, like a lame-duck Commander-in-Chief, has come to be viewed less in terms of his past accomplishments, and more in terms of his recent failures. The once unshakably confident Woods answers questions today with many sighs and shakes of the head; it appears that even he doesn’t know how much he has left to give or for how much longer he can stay relevant.

If you find yourself feeling empathetic, don’t be alarmed—many are starting to change the way they feel towards Woods, an athlete widely considered to be amongst the most hated in all of sports. To understand this dramatic change in sentiment, one must first understand the trajectory of his career.

There was first, of course, the glory days. Woods burst onto the professional golf scene in 1996, a young upstart poised for a meteoric rise to fame. Over the course of the next decade, Woods won every major championship at least three times, spending over 500 weeks as the world’s number one ranked golfer. Woods was invincible. By the late 2000s, the question was not whether Woods would be one of the best to ever play the game; it was whether he was the best golfer of all-time.

Phase two introduced the world to Tiger Woods the human being, a man many fans came to wish they’d never met. Accusations of marital infidelity led to an extremely public divorce, inciting a mass exodus of Woods’ sponsors and supporters.

The face of golf was forced to take a leave of absence, disappearing from the public eye as suddenly as he had arrived. The strong man that had single-handedly jump-started the game of golf amongst younger generations now seemed painfully weak, unable to come to grips with the mistakes he had made.

Phase three was Woods’ reentrance. A neat press conference revealed that Tiger had, in fact, been adulterous, and that he understood the far-reaching consequences of his actions. Then, there was the commercial from Nike, one of Tiger’s only remaining sponsors, which featured his late father asking him for a personal explanation.

The unfiltered approach taken by Woods’ camp demonstrated that,

if nothing else, Woods cannot be framed as a person incapable of recognizing his personal mistakes. If Woods’ private matters were to be discussed in public, he demanded to be a part of the conversation.

That brings us to today. Now five years removed from his fall from grace, Woods has started to put his life back together. He has recovered strongly from a devastating series of injuries that adversely affected his play, and, as a result, has started to be cast as something of a lovable underdog. Woods will be playing in this weekend’s Masters and, at 40-1 odds, his chances of winning resemble that of a tournament long shot. One gets the feeling that Tiger may have one more trick up his sleeve, and that the world may catch a glimpse of the old Woods.

Are we allowed to root for him, though? Every feel-good story about Woods’ comeback can be countered with a reminder of his deplorable actions. By some counts, Woods was involved in 12 extramarital affairs; quite simply, it’s difficult to observe this disrespect and still root for a person’s future successes.

On the other hand, public figures’ sexual transgressions have been swept under the rug repeatedly in modern times. Kobe Bryant’s 2003 sexual assault case nearly destroyed both his reputation and his marriage, yet the Los Angeles Laker emerged virtually unscathed.

Similarly, current New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez has been frequently accused of extramarital activity during his career, yet most baseball fans would marginalize the importance of this aspect of his character, focusing instead on his steroid use.

People seem to believe that it is possible to support an athlete in his professional exploits, then turn around and dismiss his character. I believe that you cannot have it both ways. Until you forgive, you cannot forget.

Tiger Woods made a series of highly misguided decisions for which he has paid a serious price.

At this time, however, I, like many golf fans, am ready to let him back into the game we love. Despite the gravity of his transgressions, Woods is still a human being and is doing what he can with what mental and physical strength he has left. I hope he wins the Masters this weekend and allows a little happiness back into the life he himself tore apart.

We can never know if Woods has truly changed, but I see nothing wrong with giving him the benefit of the doubt. Good luck, Tiger.

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8 | the georgetown voice

April 9, 2015

CHARGING IN PROGRESS: Georgetown’s campus and global energy impact

In September 1984, Georgetown turned on the photovoltaic array atop the Bunn Intercultural Center. Composed of 4,464 solar panels divided into 10 subarrays spanning almost 36,000 square feet, the ICC array was larger than any other rooftop solar panel array at the time of its construction. In their prime, the ICC solar panels could produce 300 kilowatts and 360,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year—an amount equal to the energy produced by burning almost 28,000 gallons of gasoline, according to the website of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The array, however, gradually deteriorated over the next 25 years. Grime from air pollution baked onto the panels, reducing their efficiency. From July 2009 to June 2010, the panels produced 164,300 kilowatt-hours, offsetting 13,000 gallons of gas. The panels exceeded their expected lifespan of 20 years, but by the time the array was shut down in December 2011, they were generating less than half of the energy they had produced during their early years.

While Georgetown works to fix and improve its renewable energy projects on campus, one student group has grown to question the university’s global environmental impact. On March 18 of this year three students from GU Fossil Free walked onto the stage in Gaston Hall while World Bank President Jim Yong Kim spoke about climate change. The students held a sign reading “Corporate leaders should not wait to act until market signals are right and national investment policies are in place. Georgetown divest now.” They were quickly escorted off the stage by officers of the Georgetown University Police Department.

Less than two weeks later, some of those same students and many of their peers met in the Leavey Program Room to discuss the university’s campus sustainability plan. The Office of Sustainability has led the drafting process since 2013 while receiving input from constituent groups including students, administrators, and university vendors and providers of energy. The plan, though still being drafted, will impact the day-to-day operations of the university’s facilities as they relate to the sustainability of Georgetown’s campus.

As energy concerns continue to generate dialogue on campus, environmental groups raise questions about how Georgetown uses energy sustainably and efficiently, and how its decisions impact global climate change. With numerous construction projects currently underway and several renovations in the planning stages, Georgetown stands at a pivotal juncture in its commitment to use resources sustainably.

Pledging to reduce Georgetown’s carbon footprint, President John DeGioia committed to cutting university emissions of Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gases to half of the FY 2006 baseline level by 2020. Scope 1 emissions are greenhouse gasses that Georgetown emits directly from sources it owns, while Scope 2 emissions are greenhouse

gasses Georgetown indirectly emits by purchasing oil, gas, and electricity.

In Fiscal Year 2013, Georgetown emitted 87,881 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCDE) in total emission, including both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.

That year’s emissions saw a 19.4 percent reduction from Georgetown’s FY 2006 baseline, in which Georgetown emitted 108,981 MTCDE, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 15,000 homes.

According to Robin Morey, Vice President of Planning and Facilities Management, the university has already reached President DeGioia’s goal, cutting FY 2006-level emissions by 69.9 percent through the use of renewable energy certificates (RECs).

RECs are a tradable good that represent property rights to the environmental benefits of a renewable energy source.

When a renewable energy generator produces 1,000 kilowatt-hours of energy for an electric grid, a REC is created.

Other users of the grid can then purchase the REC from the generator’s owner. RECs reduce greenhouse gas emissions because they provide funding for owners of renewable power sources to create electricity for the grid that might otherwise have been created through greenhouse gas-emitting technologies.

“RECs create a market where people will bring green, sustainable power to the grid,” Morey said. “So that’s effectively how we’ve achieved [the 2020 goal], in addition to the other energy savings measures and efficiency gains.”

Georgetown owned no RECs in FY 2006, but by FY 2013, its purchases of RECs equalled 54,804 MTCDE in emissions. Purchasing RECs meant that the university’s 87,881 MTCDE FY 2013 emissions created just 33,077 MTCDE in net emissions. That year, the EPA recognized Georgetown as a Green Power Partner because it purchased RECs that totaled over 100 percent of its energy use in renewable power.

Purchasing RECs, though, does not mean Georgetown runs on renewable energy.

“Technically if you go on the EPA website, we’re [130] percent renewable energy power, which is wonderful,” Caroline James (COL ‘16), GUSA co-secretary for sustainability said. “But it’s slightly misleading, considering that it’s energy that we buy. Not that there is anything wrong with that. But right now, we’re not producing it on site, and it’d be better if we were.”

While RECs are one way the university has achieved President DeGioia’s goal of halving its carbon footprint, other updates to facilities across campus have improved overall energy efficiency.

According to Morey, the master planning process has prompted assessments of the condition and energy use of various campus buildings. The university has since implemented a variety of energy conservation measures to modernize these facilities. Upgrading a boiler fan and repairing steam traps in the central heating and cooling plant last year helped cut an annual 2,502 MTCDE—the equivalent

By: Ryan Miller

of 528 cars off of the road—according to the Office of Sustainability’s website.

Georgetown’s commitment to LEED Silver certification for all new construction and renovation projects is another aspect of the master plan affecting energy use. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a program run by the U.S. Green Building Council to recognize buildings whose designs excel in efficient energy use and environmental impact. Through a point system, a building can receive different certifications based on its overall sustainability.

The Office of Sustainability hopes to receive LEED Gold certification for the Northeast Triangle Residence Hall, Former Jesuit Residence, and John R. Thompson Jr. Intercollegiate Athletic Center—all of which are currently under construction “Technically, we use the word ‘committed’ to achieving LEED Silver, striving for LEED Gold, which is great,” Mandy Lee (SFS ’17), GUSA co-secretary for sustainability said.

“At the same time, being in a city, from what I understand, LEED certification is actually a little bit easier because we’re already in a place where there’s public transportation access and a lot of other things that give us a little boost in the process. So I’d love to see the university take it a step further and really go for a loftier goal for all future construction and renovation.”

For almost 30 years, the ICC solar panels sat alone as a symbol of renewable energy on campus. Two years after they shut down, a new symbol emerged.

In 2011, Georgetown Energy (GE), a project-based student organization focused on promoting renewable energy both locally and globally, submitted a proposal for a new solar panel project on campus. Reforms to the Student Activity Fee Endowment led to GE’s receiving $250,000 to fund construction of “Solar Street,” a collection of solar arrays on the roofs of six townhouses right outside the front gates.

“Solar Street” produces 20,000 kilowatt-hours annually, 27 percent of the electricity needed to power their houses.

It was the first instance of collaboration between students and staff members on a renewable energy project.

The project ultimately cost $40,000 because the townhouses could not support larger arrays. The remaining $210,000 have been used to create the Green Revolving Loan Fund, part of the Georgetown’s Student Innovation and Public Service (SIPS) endowment which helps finance students’ sustainability projects.

Currently, GE is working on a project to build another solar array, larger than Solar Street, on the roof of the Leo O’Donovan dining hall. Despite receiving preliminary approval, GE has hit roadblocks while trying to advance the project, according to Danny Watson (SFS ’16), a GE board member.

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georgetownvoice.com GE and the university have been working for over a year and half on the project, according to GE board member Meaghan Keefe (COL ’15). According to Keefe, Georgetown is currently in negotiations with an alumnus who has potentially pledged to fund the entire project. Keefe said that the alumnus hoped to earn back his or her investment through federal tax returns on renewable energy. Issues with the alumnus making revenue off the panels, even if only to break even on the investment, held the project up several months.

For the 280 to 300 panels to sit atop Leo’s, GE still needs to receive a formal structural assessment. Various building permits and approval from different neighborhood boards could also prolong the process. Georgetown and the alumnus continue to redraft their power purchase agreement, a contract that includes the sale of energy, so that the alum can own the array while the university uses the energy it produces.

“To some extent, the problem is there is no real institutional mechanism for students to be working with so many different offices in the university to try to push for a project,” Naman Trivedi (SFS ’16), a GE board member, said. “Everyone we talk to is supportive. No one is against it. The problem is these administrators also have full time jobs and, in most cases, it’s not within their mandate to engage students.”

GE has primarily worked with Audrey Stewart, director of the Office of Sustainability, on the Leo’s project. In an email to the Voice, Stewart wrote that she hopes that the project will generate a return over time to the student-run SIPS Green Fund. The details of this arrangement are still being negotiated.

Charlotte Cherry (SFS ’16), a GE board member, noted that although the Office of Sustainability has been supportive, its capabilities are limited. As a one-person office with student interns, much of GE’s ability to work with the office depends on its ability to accommodate them.

Danielle Huang (COL ’17), the treasurer of EcoAction and a student ambassador to the Office of Sustainability, expressed similar sentiments about the size of the office.

“We have a roundtable for social justice issues, but there should be a roundtable discussion for energy and for sustainability,” Huang said. “I think that if we could expand [the Office of Sustainability] into a department of sustainability and have more student interns, that would definitely help.”

Although its initial project area reached just beyond the front gates, GE has expanded its scope to include international renewable energy initiatives.

The group traveled to Haiti in 2013 and 2014, receiving funding through SIPS and Corp grants, to install revenue-generating solar-charging systems, which were sold to entrepreneurs who earned back the cost through the solar energy the systems produced.

“A lot of rural regions don’t have electricity access, so you need some off-grid solution to help them get electricity,” Trivedi said.

GE’s International Initiatives team hopes to begin a project in Paraguay at the end of the summer to provide a community that currently uses kerosene cookstoves with a biodigester, a system that takes in waste and produces methane for use as fuel and fertilizer.

Electricity Usage from July 2013 to June 2014 5,389,038 kWh = 782 vehicles = 511 homes

3,159,724 kWh = 459 vehicles = 300 homes

2,638,585 kWh = 383 vehicles = 250 homes

Central Plant

Leavey

ICC

Yates Field House

While GE works directly to provide clean energy to a variety of communities around the world, GU Fossil Free (GUFF) continues its efforts on campus to convince the Georgetown administration to divest from international fossil fuel companies.

GUFF is part of a larger activist movement at peer universities which demands removing university endowment investment in fossil fuel companies. According to James, also a member of GUFF, 8 to 10 percent of Georgetown’s endowment is currently invested in such corporations.

Although the university has made great strides to reduce on-campus greenhouse gas emissions, its continued investment in fossil fuels conflicts with its goals, GUFF claims.

“It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me that we continue to invest in an industry that we’re actively trying to move away from on campus,” James said. “Why are we investing in fossil fuels when we’re trying to decrease their use on campus? It’s not a rational way to conduct business. If you were trying to stop smoking yourself, why on earth would you invest in tobacco?”

In January, the Committee on Investment and Social Responsibility rejected GUFF’s complete divestment proposal and instead recommended pursuing “targeted divestment from fossil fuel companies with the worst environmental records and most objectionable practices,” CISR Chair Jim Feinman said in a statement at the time of the decision.

“

Solar panels are sexy, but not a lot of students are realizing that we’re wasting just as much energy with halogen lights and lights that stay on.

”

James sees partial divestment as an attempt by CISR to appease GUFF despite acknowledging the moral inconsistency of investment in fossil fuels.

Keeping with its continued efforts to lobby the university for divestment, GUFF has joined forces with other universities by supporting a multi-school divest fund. Alumni, students, and other members of the university communities can donate to the fossil free fund instead of their respective school’s endowment. Once a university divests, the organization will donate that school’s portion of the money invested in its fossil free fund to the now divested endowment.

“So Georgetown already has a pool of money that’s sitting there, being invested in a fossil free fund, that Georgetown can access whenever they decide to divest,” James said.

Georgetown’s Board of Directors will vote on GUFF’s proposal in June.

On March 30, James and Lee led the “What’s the Plan?” meeting of Georgetown Environmental Leaders (GEL), a coalition of environmental student groups. GEL members came to discuss a working draft of the campus sustainability plan and propose possible improvements. During a day-ending group discussion, students expressed a desire for their voices to be heard during the drafting process.

According to Morey, Stewart continues to meet regularly with student groups for their input on the sustainability plan.

Although the Office of Sustainability has sought student perspectives, the scope of campus sustainability may be too large for students to meaningfully impact the process, according to Cherry.

“There’s a lot of scattering of energy projects and sustainability projects in general,” Cherry said. “There’s a huge variety. … I don’t think that most students know about what’s happening … and so they can’t really have an educated say.”

But students and administrators both agree that simple measures like turning off lights, using air conditioning only when necessary, and unplugging chargers when not in use can greatly reduce campus energy consumption.

Watson hopes that building renovations and smarter uses of pre-existing energy sources can help Georgetown become more efficient.

“Solar panels are sexy, but not a lot of students are realizing that we’re wasting just as much energy with halogen lights and lights that stay on,” he said. “Why are all these lights on right now? They don’t need to be on.”

“Students are the ones who are using the lights and the energy, and yet most of the time they don’t have the ability to reach up to a light bulb and make sure that it’s an LED or CFL bulb. That’s just something that’s not really in student power,” James added.

Every fall, the Office of Sustainability facilitates a “Switch It Off” challenge between residence halls, encouraging students to conserve energy through a competition with prizes for the dorms that save the most energy.

Huang cites the Switch It Off challenge as an effective way to encourage students to examine their energy use.

The freshman dorms, according to her, cut back the most on their energy use. “It’s all about the freshmen. When you get them interested in their freshman year, they’ll be more inclined to do these things more throughout their college career,” Huang said.

According to Morey, energy conservation efforts must be reconciled with campus safety.

“I can guarantee you that when you walk around campus at night, you’ll see lights on that don’t need to be on.

But we need to [conserve] safely,” Morey said. “You know, recently, I got an Ideascale [suggestion], ‘Why do you have the lights on in Multisport Field late at night?’ Well, those are safety issues. It is a balance, but it’s one that we need to optimize to strike the right balance.”

Though making strides to increase its energy sustainability, Morey thinks Georgetown can and should continue to improve. Both he and Stewart emphasize that the university’s goals revolve around what they call the three Ps: people, prosperity, and planet.

“Our vision is really those three P’s ... in support of GU’s core mission, thus advancing environmental sustainability, reducing operating expenses, and increasing the well-being of our campus community members,” Stewart wrote.

For Keefe, more student engagement on energy issues could not only improve Georgetown’s overall energy efficiency but also make the university a global leader in sustainable action and environmental awareness.

“I definitely think that Georgetown’s student body could have a greater awareness and sense of ownership of energy on campus,” she said. “I mean, we’re a great school and we’re leaders in everything else. I think it could be a real point of pride.”

each lightbulb = 1,000,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh)

kilowatt-hours (kWh) = annual greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles = homes’ electricity use for one year 36,122,724 kWh = 5,244 vehicles = 3,426 homes

the georgetown voice | 9

2,184,749 kWh = 317 vehicles = 207 homes

MSB

1,326,008 kWh = 192 vehicles = 126 homes

1,324,689 kWh = 192 vehicles = 126 homes

1,069,347 kWh = 155 vehicles = 101 homes

939,832 kWh = 136 vehicles = 89 homes

New South

Healy

St. Mary’s

Henle Village

776,680 kWh = 113 vehicles = 74 homes

Village A

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APRIL 9, 2015

Starting this Saturday, the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) Subcommittee on Creative Expression plans to hold the second annual Arts Week to highlight and showcase the varied talents of the many on-campus art groups.

The newly formed committee created the week because they “saw a need to make more of a community around the arts,” according to Andrew Walker (SFS ‘16), co-president of the committee.

“While creative students on campus are excited about the art that they are making, Arts Week works to bridge the gap between disciplines, promote the work being done by artists on campus, and make students who wouldn’t necessarily identify as creative realize there is room for art in their lives,” he said.

Many of the events held during last year’s Arts Week will return, including Spring Sing, the annual a cappella concert held by the Saxatones and Superfood, plays from student theater groups, and daily Open Mic Nights at Uncommon Grounds.

In addition, this year’s schedule involves more representation from the visual art, literary, and film communities through the inclusion of art installations, writing workshops and a film festival.

This week’s leisure section highlights some of these events and the many students creating them. For a complete schedule of Arts Week 2015, check this week’s back page.

DANCE

Highlights

courtesy of JONRCA

Ritmo y Sabor Spices up Gaston’s Stage

By Elizabeth Baker

When asked about the origins of Ritmo y Sabor, the official starting year is not necessarily clear. While some believe the group first formed in 2005, others believe that a smaller form of the Latino dancing troupe first appeared on campus in the 1990s.

While the roots of Ritmo may be shrouded in mystery, one thing is clear: Georgetown’s Latino dancing troupe have truly come into their own in the past few years, hosting their first independent showcase in the Spring of 2013. With another showcase coming up on April 18th, Ritmo hopes to once more bring their Latino flare to the Georgetown stage —with a few surprises in store for audience members.

Consisting of about twenty students and practicing three times a week, Ritmo y Sabor focuses primarily on the three largest forms of Latino dance–salsa, merengue, and bacha-

ta. Yet in this year’s showcase, president Richard Jung (SFS’15) hopes to show Georgetown students that Ritmo is very much a “living organization.” Completely student-run, Jung explains that depending on the choreographer’s strengths, Ritmo’s incorporates different forms of dance in with their traditional Latino staples. This year, for example, students should look for a creative fusion between Latino and hip-hop, be it in the dance moves or the music itself. “Depending on who’s in the organization, we experiment with choosing different things,” explains Jung.

Yet what the performers of Ritmo y Sabor truly hope is that Arts Week will bring about more awareness of both the smaller dance troupes on campus and the variety of options students have to participate in the performing arts on campus.

While Ritmo has had success performing at off-campus locations, such as local high schools, small neighborhood festivals, and recently the NAIMUN conference in Bethesda,

Ritmo only first received their first independent showcase last year.

The same applies to dance group Ballet Folklorico, another troupe on campus that focuses on Latin dance; this group only typically receives press around the Christmas season.

“I feel that at Georgetown, the arts are very confined to a very niche part of the community,” explains Jung. “ The people that go to the student-run shows are in the arts themselves.

Some people don’t even know a group like Ritmo y Sabor exists.”

“We have a very specific audience – but I think it’d be good for us to branch out,” explains dancer Dustin Parker (COL’16). “I just hope that Arts Week will help us bring Ritmo to the general student body.” “I just want people to be more aware. And Arts Week is certainly a good place to start.”

Gaston Hall April 18, 7p.m. performingarts.georgetown.edu

Have you ever wanted to be in a flash mob but never had the chance? Good news: Arts Week will host its first flashmob Friday, April 17 at 2 p.m. in Red Square. Starting next week, members of Georgetown dance groups will host workshops on various dance styles in the Healey Family Student Center dance studios.

All are encouraged to join, whether you have danced your whole life or only dance in your dorm when your roommate is showering. One of the coordinators of the flashmob, Katie Rosengarten (COL ‘17), says that Arts Week is special for the very fact that it’s inclusive to people who both identify as artistic and those who don’t.

“Arts Week aims to create an environment in which people of both colors can engage with the vibrant arts community on campus and hopefully come away with a better sense of their own artistic abilities and artistic identity.” And even if you decide not to dance, be on the lookout for Hoyas dancing to Beyoncé, Mambo Italiano, and more.

Dance Workshops HFSC Dance Studios April 13-15, 10:30 p.m. -12 a.m.

April 16, 11 p.m. - 12 a.m.

Flash Mob, Red Square April 17, 2 p.m.

—Deniz Citzak

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ARTS WEEK 2015

georgetownvoice.com

MUSIC

Highlights

From left: courtesy of Christopher Pepe, THE Georgetown phantoms

A Cappella Concert Sings WINTER AWAY

By Jackson Sinnenberg

Spring in the District and the approaching advent of summer herald some of the biggest music events of the school year. On April 11, the a cappella community, led by Superfood and the Saxatones, will be taking over Gaston Hall for Spring Sing, the last true a cappella concert of the year.

Spring Sing represents the culmination of a year’s worth of a capella events. Winter signals the aforementioned Cherry Tree Massacre, while fall sees D.C. A cappella Festival bring together groups from all over the District and beyond.

Spring Sing is unique among the a cappella festivals held in Gaston, however, because it features only Georgetown a cappella groups. Joining Superfood and Saxatones will be the Georgetown Chimes, the Gracenotes, the Phantoms, and the Capitol G’s. Chris Pepe (COL ’15), president of Superfood, is especially

excited for the collective nature of the showcase. “It is a really special show as it is the last big a cappella show of the year, making it especially important for our senior members, myself included,” Pepe said.

“It showcases all of the major a cappella groups at Georgetown all in one night, which is unique to Spring Sing.”

Pepe sees it as an apt conclusion to Superfood’s year in the a capella spotlight. “It’s the culmination of an amazing year of growth for the group,” he said.

Last weekend, for the first time in the its history, Superfood was accepted to compete in the International Championship for Collegiate A Cappella. The group succeeded in making it all the way to the semifinal round of Mid-Atlantic teams, which includes groups from New York to Washington, D.C. Progressing to semifinals made Superfood one of the top 10 groups in the region.

Pepe also shared some of the musical secrets and previews he hopes will make Spring

Sing exciting for longtime Georgetown a cappella fans. “Most groups will be performing completely new arrangements at the show,” he said. “Some of ours [include] ‘La La La’ by Naughty Boy and Sam Smith, and ‘Black and Gold’ by Sam Sparro.”

Beyond presenting an opportunity to see Georgetown’s six major a cappella groups in one place as a culmination of the a cappella year, Spring Sing acts as a final send off for many a cappella seniors. The concert also represents the growth of the a cappella community overall.

“The a cappella culture at Georgetown has definitely become more inclusive throughout my time here,” Pepe said. “Groups like to collaborate and work together more than in the past. Spring Sing really shows that.”

Spring Sing 2015 Gaston Hall April 11, 7:30 p.m. performingarts.georgetown.edu

Film

From left: courtesy of Bryan McDonnell, IMDB

Student Film Premieres in the nick of Time

By Graham Piro

It’s quite ironic that Mesbah Uddin (SFS ’16) and his production team have been working furiously for months to bring a story about procrastination to life. 11:59, set to premiere Saturday, April 11, tells the tale of Sidney Phillips, a chronic procrastinator who contends with such issues as attention deficit disorder and depression during his junior year of college.

“Procrastination is justifiably used to describe situations when we waste time online and put off our assignments,” writer and director Uddin said. “However, we also use it to describe situations when we are unable to focus on the tasks ahead of us due to anxiety and fear.”

Darnell Bland (MSB ‘15) and Jack Schmitt (COL ‘15) co-star in the film. “In my prior theater productions there’s typically been at least a month or two long rehearsal period, whereas with our project we’ve had a much quicker turnaround,” Schmitt said. “It’s been an exciting challenge.”

Schmitt portrays the protagonist while Bland plays his best friend, Marshawn Kareem, who is described as the moral compass of the film. “Marshawn is very straight laced and incredibly studious and intelligent,” Bland said. “However, like everyone else, he has some quirks and inconsistencies within his moral compass.”

In addition to Uddin’s guidance, the film is also produced by Bryan McDonnell (COL ‘16), who also serves as cinematographer. He described an average day for the production: “1-2 hours of planning, 4-6 hours of filming, and then I relay the footage [to our editors] so we can make a rough cut of the scenes we shot.”

The quickened production schedule resulted in several sleepless nights and tight deadlines for the cast and crew alike, but perhaps the irony is fitting given the film’s subject material.

According to McDonnell, the film’s stylistic choices are influenced by filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and David Fincher. More

specifically, McDonnell explained that the use of natural lighting (eschewing heavy duty professional lighting for lamps and the sun) was inspired by recent Oscar winner Dallas Buyers Club. “We want 11:59 to be a funny, deep, kick ass movie with a cinema quality aesthetic that will impress film snobs and regular moviegoers alike,” he said.

The balance of comedy and drama is something that the crew worked very hard to achieve and Uddin is extremely thankful for the experience he’s gained. “I’m grateful for the support I have had for this film so far,” he wrote in an email to the Voice. “[I’ve received] words of encouragement from friends, the dedication and time of all the collaborators, and an incredible amount of support from my professors in the forms of generous extensions and occasional cameos.”

The film 11:59 will undoubtedly be worth the time, as the subject matter is easily relatable and the story will strike a chord with many a viewer.

Killer Joe is most well known for its movie adaptation, which was released in 2011 and starred Matthew McConaughey. But Killer Joe was originally a play, which debuted in 1993 and was revived on Georgetown’s campus two weeks ago in a collaboration between the Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society and Nomadic Theatre. The play’s potentially triggering content prompted a talk-back session between the audience and the cast following the production.

“Because the play/movie has such strong and triggering themes, including sexual assault, the production had Sexual Assault Peer Educators facilitate a short talk-back after each performance in order to help the audience process what they had seen and make a safe space for the audience to share,” director Andrew Walker (SFS ‘16) wrote in an email to the Voice. “SAPE also communicated the many resources available to students before turning the talk back over to the producer, director, and actors to talk about the process and other themes in the show.”

The film adaptation of Killer Joe will be screened on campus next weekend as part of Arts Week, and will conclude with a similar talkback session.

Killer Joe Screening and Talkback HFSC Film Screening Room April 17-18, 5 p.m.

—Chris Almeida Next week, the Georgetown Program Board (GPB) is bringing the silver screen to the Hilltop, presenting Into the Woods and American Sniper in the Healey Family Student Center.

Into the Woods, Disney’s adaptation of a Stephen Sondheim musical that mixes many classic fairy tales together, has received critical acclaim since its release last December. The movie features many high-profile stars, most notably Meryl Streep, who earned an Oscar nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actress for her performance. The film also showcases performances from Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Emily Blunt, and Johnny Depp.

American Sniper generated widespread conversation for the portrayal of its subject material upon its release in January. Since then, it has earned praise as both a critical success (particularly for Clint Eastwood’s direction) and emerged as a studio moneymaker. The film, which stars Georgetown alumnus Bradley Cooper (C ‘97), was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture. Cooper earned a Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of Chris Kyle.

And if the free films aren’t enough, GPB will be providing free popcorn as well.

Into the Woods HFSC Film Screening Room April 10-11, 8 p.m., 11 p.m.

American Sniper HFSC Film Screening Room April 17-18, 8 p.m., 11 p.m.

—Chris Almeida

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Highlights

THEATER

From LEFT : courtesty of CAITLIN DUCKEWITZ, the lab for Global performance

Take the “tumble of a turney” to urinetown

By Graham Piro

Peeing isn’t exactly a popular topic for the stage.

But the Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society’s production of Mark Hollmann’s Tony Award-winning Urinetown excitedly tackles this scatalogical issue alongside themes including the pursuit of dreams, corporate greed, class conflict, and the consequences of one’s actions.

“Urinetown is a musical satire about freedom, justice, urine, and towns,” director Sean Craig (COL ‘16) said. The musical takes place in a drought-stricken dystopian city controlled by the ruthless Urine Good Company, which controls the means of waste production by forcing citizens to pay to access public toilets in an effort to conserve water (private toilets having long-since become cost prohibitive). Those who refuse are banished to a penal colony, the eponymous Urinetown. The action revolves around a young populist hero, Bobby Strong, as he leads a rebellion against the maniacal CEO of UGC, Caldwell B. Cladwell. The urine-soaked story permits plenty

of hysterics, making its poignant social commentary all the more shocking.

The play’s production was overseen by both Craig and producer Emily Grau (COL ‘16). According to Grau, producing Urinetown was a particularly ambitious undertaking because the musical aspects of the show required a plethora of moving parts throughout the play. Still, Grau said the effort was well worth it. “The opportunity to watch this immensely talented group take a concept and make it into the living, breathing, hilarious show that it is today has been incredibly rewarding,” she said.

Craig concurred. “The process has been so unbelievably fulfilling,” he said. “It has been amazing to watch the cast find their characters and grow together. And our designers and production staff have put so much time, effort, and talent into everything they’ve done. It’s magic to see all of our ideas turn into something real.”

Despite the air of professionalism its productions exude, both Grau and Craig expressed that Mask and Bauble behaves more like a family. “I really found my home at Georgetown with M&B,” Grau

said. “I’m happiest working in Poulton [Hall, located outside the front gates], surrounded by this incredible group of people, even when that means we’re painting set pieces at 2 a.m.”

Craig echoed Grau’s sentiment. “I was cast in their spring musical my freshmen year and fell in love with theater instantly,” he wrote in an email to the Voice. “Since then I have worked on a number of M&B shows and have made some of my absolute best friends along the way.”

Don’t be put off by the outlandishness of Urinetown’s title, premise, or fixation on bodily secretions.

The musical is a wildly fun and insightful ride that seeks to make its audience think as much as it seeks to make them laugh. The zany yet passionate storyline only heightens the experience. Just remember to check your “Privilege to Pee.” Urinetown Poulton Hall Stage III April 9-11, 15-18 8 p.m.

April 12, 2 p.m. performingarts.georgetown.edu

VISUAL ART

Courtesy of SAbrina Kayser

Student Artwork Steals the Spotlight

By Sabrina Kayser

As part of Georgetown University’s second annual Arts Week, student artwork submissions will be on display in the Healey Family Student Center this Sunday night.

Artwork was submitted by 15 different students and ranges from a portrait made on a wood panel with old makeup to large paintings and ink drawings.

The richness and diversity of the works is found in both technique and choice of subject.

Themes include a celebration of firefighters and their role in society, as well as an exploration of cultural identity and influences that have shaped it. Many pieces portray the human figure in some form or another on a spectrum of realistic interpretation.

These 15 artists are not only visual arts majors. They come from diverse background and represent everyone from freshmen to graduate students to alumni and three of the

four undergraduate schools: the College, the School of Foreign Service, and the McDonough School of Business.

All of the submissions were accepted without any selection process that evaluated or rejected artworks. “We wanted to open this opportunity to all students on campus—artists as well as people who love to sketch and fool around with a pen and paper or with any sort of objects,” wrote Arianna Calabrese (SFS ‘17), visual arts coordinator of Arts Week 2015, in an email to the Voice.

Students submitted for a variety of reasons. “I wanted to be part of Art Week to encourage myself to be a better artist,” Krishna Sharma (COL ‘16), one of the student artists, wrote in an email to the Voice. “Having your work for exhibition is an exhilarating feeling.”

Other students who submitted artwork also expressed this sense of exhilaration. “I’m so excited for Arts Week, not only to show my work, but also to discover all of the incredibly talented artists hidden on campus,” art-

ist Robert Cortes (COL ‘18) added. “Maybe if Georgetown was more artsy, students would feel more comfortable being honest about their emotions. In a place where everyone is doing a million things at once and still ‘fine,’ artistic and emotional expression is vital.”

Many other students revealed that they were bothered by the lack of visibility of visual art on campus and most shared an appreciation for the visibility that Arts Week is trying to bring to the arts on Georgetown’s campus.

Georgetown’s “arts community on campus is hard to see sometimes beneath the business and political sides of things,” artist Taylor Bond (COL ‘18) said.

The artworks to be displayed in the HFSC shine a light on the hidden talent and immense creativity of Georgetown students that often goes unnoticed.

Arts Week Visual Art Displays Healey Family Student Center April 13-17

How does transitioning genders affect one’s family? How unconditional is the love we possess for those close to us? In Draw the Circle, playwright Mashuq Deen—along with director Chay Yew—takes on these weighty questions, exploring transgender issues through a multicultural lens. Although Deen alone mans the stage, the story takes the perspectives of those around him trying to make sense of life’s transitions. The performance marks the close of the Undergraduate Bioethics Research Showcase and is co-sponsored by the LGBTQ Resource Center. Prior to the show, a reception will be held in the Riggs Library Blue Room, showcasing students’ work in various mediums.

Based out of Brooklyn, Deen is an advocate for LGBTQ rights and the inclusion of transgender individuals. He has had success in his young career across the northeast, earning accolades such as a Fellowship from the New York Film Academy.

From a foundation of compassion, Deen conjures a performance that evokes laughter and joy without sacrificing serious considerations. He allows their emotions and challenged assumptions to guide his work. Draw the Circle starts from a place of confusion and discomfort but seeks togetherness and understanding, for all of its figures and their evolving attitudes towards gender, sexuality, and love.

Draw the Circle Riggs Library April 16, 6:30 p.m. guevents.georgetown.edu —Brian McMahon Some generations are easier to identify than others. Take the Baby Boomers, for example, or the so-called “Greatest Generation” that preceded them. But how do we define ourselves as members of Generation Y? As part of a yearlong project entitled Myriad Voices, the Laboratory of Global Performance is presenting Generation (WH)Y, a performative culmination of dialogue and encounters between Georgetown students and youth living in Pakistan, Ireland, India, Egypt, Greece, and the United States. Generation (WH)Y was birthed out of encounter. The show marks the third installment in the four-part Myriad Voices series, enhanced by multimedia including video, audio, nontraditional lighting, projections, and poetry.

But what’s most fascinating about Generation (WH)Y it not the technology it uses. It’s the quest for identity. Starting with merely an idea Georgetown students were able to create not only a performance, but, perhaps, a satisfying answer to the question of how we identify ourselves, uniquely, as a generation.

Generation (WH)Y Gonda Theater April 17-18, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. performingarts.georgetown.edu —Elizabeth Baker

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– Dylan Cutler

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Redefining service as an interaction, not a one-way action NEENA AGGARWAL This spring break, while on a Medical Brigades trip, I had the opportunity to interact with community members in the city of San Diego, Honduras.

Medical Brigades is one of the programs of Global Brigades, a non-profit whose mission is “to empower volunteers and under-resourced communities to resolve global health and economic disparities and inspire all involved to collaboratively work towards an equal world.”

As a part of Medical Brigades, a group of fifty students from Georgetown traveled to Honduras in March with the goal of providing healthcare to the residents of San Diego, who lack access to medical services except for when Medical Brigades comes every three months. We worked with three clinicians, who were parents of students on the trip, as well as a team of doctors and staff mem-

bers from Honduras to set up a health clinic at a local school.

Because we were dedicating our spring breaks to improving the health of other people who do not enjoy the same kinds of resources we do, I assumed we were engaging in selfless service. I thought I would enjoy the trip mainly because of the satisfying, do-good feeling that I was sure to get when helping others.

I also expected that the people whom we were serving would be different from us, since they have very different lifestyles and life experiences. My interactions with them, I thought, would be different from those I have with Americans.

However, throughout the week, I noticed something: the community members in Honduras were the same as us. When a concerned mom exaggerated the severity of her son’s medical concern, I was reminded of my own mother. Teenage boys tried hard to conceal their nervousness about tooth extractions at the dentist.

The kids we played soccer with everyday were like many of the kids I have met in the United States.

On service projects, there is often a tendency to dehumanize the people being served by “otherizing” them. Many times when privileged students participate in service, we (myself included) subconsciously believe that we are superior to those whom we are serving. Perhaps this is because we, the resource-providers, are the ones in power; we are wealthier, more educated, and are acting generously with our time and money. In Honduras, our scrubs signified that we students were the ones in authority, even though we don’t have much medical training. In reality, as humans, regardless of socioeconomic status, we are all the same. We just have different living situations.

A community is defined not by its resources but by its people and its culture. In San Diego, Honduras, the people and the culture are beautiful. The city’s residents welcomed us gringos,

or foreigners, into their community and allowed us to take over their school to help them. They accepted, trusted, and respected us, and they treated us with kindness and gratitude.

When we serve, we are not only the givers. We are also takers, as those whom we serve also serve us in return. In Honduras, while I was helping to provide medical care to patients, I received very much in return: by spending time in the community and interacting with the patients, I learned about their country, culture, and people, and I received an overwhelming amount of respect and gratitude; meanwhile they changed me and my worldview. This story is a product of what they taught me.

Service is about forging human connections and bridging the divide between people of different backgrounds. It is about showing love and kindness towards others. Service is not simply a one-way relationship wherein a less privileged person draws benefit from a more priv-

ileged person; rather, it is a mutually-beneficial relationship in which two individuals or groups collaborate to help each other and grow together. Therefore, no party is superior or inferior to another; both are equal.

Because of the power that I did nothing to earn, I was surprised to learn that people less advantaged than me were, in fact, just like me. By connecting with people in Honduras despite the vast gulf separating their life experiences from my own, I saw that we are all basically good people with the same end goal of living happy and healthy lives. I went to Honduras with the intention of caring for others, and I came back having been cared for.

Most of us serve others not just to change, but to be changed.

NEENA IS a SOPHOMORE in the NHS

The DNA dilemma: Trading privacy for some peace of mind CHARLES EVAIN Have you seen the movie Zodiac? It’s a true story about the search for a serial killer who terrorized Los Angeles during the ‘60s and ‘70s. What sets it apart from most other crime dramas is its frustrating ending. You spend the entire movie mentally accusing one character after another, but the ending just indulges your maddening paranoia by never telling you whodunit.

Fifty years later, the Zodiac killer still hasn’t been found.

Alongside Jack the Ripper and the Boston Strangler, he’s now joined a long list of criminals who have never been and may never be caught.

If only these were outdated, isolated cases. Only 53 percent of homicides were solved in D.C. between 1980 and 2008. And Washington isn’t the outlier. Year after year, around 40 percent of homicides remain unsolved nationwide.

Clearly, more has to be done to ensure that no criminal escapes justice which puts our safety at risk.

Between 40 and 50 percent of all criminals are first-time offend-

KATIE HYLAND

DNA RECORDS CAN KEEP INNOCENT MEN AND WOMEN OUT OF THE PRISON SYSTEM

ers, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission. In most states, only sex offenders and murderers are required to give a DNA sample to the authorities. Therefore, it is much harder to solve crimes committed by petty criminals and first-time offenders since it is impossible to identify their DNA—unless, of course, they are already suspects. Nationwide, a full 36 percent of violent crimes are committed by prior culprits of non-violent crime. In California, 21 percent of violent criminals are first-time offenders, according to a survey done by the state’s attorney general. These groups, whose DNA records the police do not currently possess, comprise a majority of all criminals in many areas of the country.

Given the limited amount of funding and personnel available in law enforcement, the more time and resources are poured into one investigation, the less become available for another.

Hence, making unsolved cases solvable isn’t the only way we can improve the system. We can also ensure that more time and personnel are freed up for other, more complicated investigations by reducing the time it takes to solve other, simpler crimes like misdemeanors.

More than half of all people who commit crimes aren’t in DNA databanks since they haven’t

committed any crimes yet. If the police already had their DNA on file, their crimes would become eminently solvable.

In 2004, California passed Proposition 69, which expanded its DNA database by allowing the collection of DNA samples from felons convicted of all violent crimes. As the measure came into effect in 2009, proponents argued that it would increase the chances of solving rape and murder by 85 percent. Whether or not it is as effective as they claim, it has definitely helped. In 2013, a study

by California’s attorney general showed that 92 percent of crimes where DNA evidence was found and linked to a culprit used DNA records from a violent crime that wasn’t rape, murder, or robbery (which are crimes that warranted DNA collection prior to 2009).

Hence, 92 percent of DNA links were made thanks to Proposition 69. Some states such as Virginia collect the DNA of all felons, violent or not, and have the highest rate of cases solved using DNA evidence. Imagine how much more we could achieve if we expanded the DNA database even more—to include all citizens—on a federal level.

A lot of people may recoil at that idea, arguing that we would be giving too much information and thereby too much power to our government, opening doors

to abuse. What about the abuses that happen every time an innocent man or woman is mistakenly punished for a crime he or she didn’t commit?

The Innocence Project is a non-profit organization that uses DNA testing to prove the innocence of alleged criminals who have been imprisoned for years.

Since 1989, it has helped exonerate a total of 328 people. According to some studies, around 20,000 innocent Americans are incarcerated right now. With access to everyone’s DNA, mistakes would be less likely to occur, and these abuses will be curbed.

This isn’t a perfect solution, but safety, security, and justice come at a price. If you don’t give your DNA, neither will a guilty man. I wish that the Zodiac killer would be the last name added to that terrible list of murderers who were never identified, but inaction won’t bring change.

Victorian England was powerless against Jack the Ripper, but today we have a three-letter means to stop violent criminals. Is some of your privacy worth leaving murderers at large and innocents behind bars?

CHARLES IS A SOPHOMORE IN THE SFS

voices

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THE GEORGETOWN VOICe | 15

Graduation retrospective: Learning in the social classroom NAVEEN YARLAGADDA It was spring break of senior year when I stepped off of a plane in Rwanda on a trip with Georgetown. A few days earlier, I had been at the university’s Career Education Center, frantically looking at different job opportunities.

There, I heard many people nervously wondering whether they would make it to the next

round of interviews. In Africa, I began to realize that the life we see on campus, replete with parties, brand name internships, and high-achieving students, was just a fraction of the life that is out there. The collegiate atmosphere alone should not limit us in the decisions we make. When I visited many towns in Rwanda that were recovering from the 1994 genocide, I learned the importance of interpersonal

ERIN ANNICK

THE METRO IS AN UNLIKELY CLASSROOM, BUT THERE’S A LOT TO LEARN ON THE RIDE

CARRYING ON

skills and emotional growth.

These are things I seldom learned in a classroom; rather I picked them up with friends, while exploring places I had never seen before.

I remember the times when my friends and I would ride the Washington Metro and choose the farthest places to go. It was during these adventures when my education felt real, as I wasn’t simply just studying for the sake of getting a good grade on an exam. Our forays were a kind of social classroom, where we learned to understand one another, who we wanted to be, and what impacted us the most. Even when we went to parties or formal events, it was not necessarily the music or club that made each moment amazing. Instead, it was the fact that we were all together.

We reveled in the idea that we all were in the same phase of life and unsure of where our journeys would take us. What mattered in the end was that we knew how to figure out who we wanted to be through

THE CHALLENGE OF STUDENT MEDIA

BY JULIA JESTER

A rotating column by senior Voice staffers

Controversy. Clicks. Criticism. These buzzwords have come to define both the goals and perceptions of modern-day media, for better or for worse. And as I prepared to write my final column for the Voice, I realized that while I’m about to embark on a career in journalism, I’m leaving behind one of the most empowering, illuminating experiences of my life— being a part of campus media.

After writing countless editorials, numerous news articles, and a few features, the critical importance of campus journalism has resonated with me deeply.

College publications are not free advertisers for universities, nor are they mouthpieces for student advocacy organizations; rather, they are invaluable conciliators between the two. Just as niche groups on campus influence Georgetown policy and politics,

the Voice and The Hoya have the potential to make a significant impact on the Hilltop. As campus media, I’d argue that they have the added responsibility to do so.

One of the most rewarding (yet painstaking) experiences I’ve had at Georgetown was writing the Voice’s medical leave of absence feature last fall.

During the writing and editing process, I stressed about doing the topic, and the stories of my interview subjects, justice. I kept asking myself: Am I providing a fair picture based on the accounts from all sides? Are my editors preserving the vision and integrity of my sources and the piece overall? Throughout my research and reporting, I learned that the cracks in the foundation of Georgetown’s medical leave of absence process abound, and the pressure to tackle this topic was

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our different experiences, and what friendship meant to each of us. It’s this education that I’ll value most from my experience at Georgetown.

Africa made me realize that life cannot always be planned out exactly in advance—something many students I encounter at Georgetown seem to have down. In Rwanda, I visited a village that had a school devoted to teaching advanced science and mathematics to young girls, and I met a senior official of a major telephone company. I realized the one attribute that all these people had in common was the ability to think beyond their four walls and realize that there was something greater than themselves such as helping others. I am not referring to a higher being, but to ideas and concepts that can only be discovered through experience.

It was one thing reading about politics in Africa on the Internet, but actually going to the continent made me think differently because all my senses were fully engaged.

even greater since, at least in recent years, it hadn’t before been addressed. When the article appeared in print, coupled with an editorial, the response was overwhelming—I had acquaintances reach out thanking me; I saw the piece being shared on social media more so than any other I had written; a member of GUSA (yes, GUSA!) even reached out to me informing me that it would now try to take the reigns to solve the problems elucidated in the article. More than anything, I was both inspired and motivated by the impact I had on the lives of my sources who had been mistreated by the system.

Even the negative feedback was productive—after the editing process, where content must be cut to fit a word length and paraphrasing can get murky, one of my sources voiced valid criticisms of the piece, and so I encouraged him to write an oped addressing his concerns. The following week, he and another student wrote a Voices piece that continued the conversation surrounding medical leave. The GUSA Senate set goals on addressing Georgetown’s MLOA policy in its next meeting. And

yet, nothing has happened. No concrete action has been taken. The buzz generated by the article—like the RA treatment and diversity requirement features—naturally dissipated. In order for campus media to fulfill its potential to make an impact, this can’t happen.

The Voice prides itself on consistently covering issues like sexual assault, free speech, workers’ rights, and ever-changing housing and meal plan requirements. And its efforts have helped magnify the voices of students actively advocating for those issues while holding the university accountable to respond—resulting in mandatory sexual assault education at NSO, reforms to the free speech code, crucial ongoing conversations with the university regarding the rights of Leo’s workers and adjunct professors, and the tabling of the considered third-year meal plan mandate. Not to mention, the 2012 investigative feature on The Corp received both praise and backlash in its 93 comments and resulted in real institutional changes—if that’s not a conversation, I don’t know what is. If you don’t think campus media matters, think again.

As graduation approaches, my initial nervousness and anxiety is beginning to ease, because I know that the race to get jobs and win prestigious academic awards is just the part of life that I lead as a student, and is not as important as understanding the world and the people in it. It is amazing to think that the genocide in Rwanda was not stopped by academic work and management skills alone, but also by the ability of people to understand each other emotionally and personally.

When I exit the campus gates one last time, it will be my experiences with friends sitting outside discussing how we felt and my experiences in other parts of the world which will help me to make tough decisions as I decide my future.

NAVEEN IS a SENIOR in the COLLEGE

That being said, students can’t be afraid to talk to campus press about pressing issues. For example, while I served as news editor last semester, one of my writers pursued a story about the mistreatment of dance groups on campus, from practice and performance space access to bureaucratic barriers to funding. No dancer, however, would speak with the reporter, for fear of repercussion from DPAC. I then realized that this incident was likely not the first of its kind.

Georgetown’s campus publications will be more crucial than ever entering the 2018 Campus Plan discussions—but the virality of stories doesn’t mean a damn if there’s not continuous follow-up from journalists or follow through with students involved in relevant advocacy organizations.

The Voice and The Hoya will continue to serve as whistleblowers to the injustices on campus, be they perpetrated by administrators or fellow Hoyas, but campus media need student help in spotting such problems, whether through tips or even just willingness to speak on sensitive topics.

And just as student publications hold the university accountable, students can hold publications accountable—to truth, to fairness, and to dignity. The relationship between students and student media is both symbiotic and significant. If we don’t tell our own stories, who else will?