GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S NEWSPAPER OF RECORD SINCE 1920 thehoya.com
Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 94, No. 28, © 2013
tuesDAY, January 29, 2013
RINSE, REPEAT
Georgetown topped Louisville for the fourth straight time Saturday. SPORTS, A10
Discipline Change Proposed
COMMENTARY Even after the Newtown tragedy, progress on gun control remains stalled.
Hoya Staff Writer
President Obama announced the selection of Georgetown alumnus Denis McDonough on Jan. 25 to serve as his fifth White House chief of staff. As the position does not require Senate confirmation, McDonough (G ’96) assumed the position immediately following the president’s announcement. The appointment of McDonough, 43, who previously was deputy national security adviser and worked on both Obama campaigns, follows the president’s pattern of filling key positions with close confidants. “President Obama wants people [who] he feels very comfortable with — his inner circle,” said Lynn Ross, who has served in the Executive Office of the President in the Office of Management and Budget and is currently a visiting assistant professor at Georgetown’s Public Policy Institute. “He’s signaling that his relationships and personal trust and comfort level with his key advisers are really going to be paramount in his second term.” Multiple news outlets, including The New York Times, have reported that Georgetown professor Ronald
CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA
Sophomore forward Otto Porter Jr. sealed the upset over then-No. 5 Louisville with this free throw in the final seconds. See story on A10.
A new group of 25 students eagerly awaited their first day of McDonough School of Business classes on Jan. 25. Although their having jobs outside the classroom isn’t particularly unique among MSB graduate students, the
CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA
A cohort of 25 District principals will take graduate classes in the McDonough School of Business.
COURTESY GEORGETOWN MEDIA RELATIONS
McDonough, right, is among four grads to serve as chief of staff. Klain (COL ’83) was on Obama’s short list to fill the post. Klain, who served as chief of staff for Vice Presidents Al Gore and Joe Biden, declined to comment on whether he had discussed the position with Obama or White House officials. Klain expressed confidence in McDonough’s appointment. “Denis is wise, strategic and a superb manager of people and processes,” Klain wrote in an email. “He has the president’s confidence See MCDONOUGH, A6
Women Cleared for Combat Academic Space Gets Reviewed
Elaina Koros
Special to The Hoya
The Pentagon announced Thursday that it will lift its ban on women serving in combat roles, prompting debate about gender equality in the military and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units across the country. “[Equality] is one of the secretary’s priorities and the rescinding of this policy is all about ending gender barriers to services,” Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the Department of Defense, said. “The idea is to open up all jobs within the Department of Defense regardless
For Ailing School District, Principals Turn to MSB Hoya Staff Writer
NEWS, A7
Ted Murphy
Hoya Staff Writer
Hiromi Oka
NEWS, A4
Obama Taps Alum For Chief of Staff
PUTTING IT TO REST
Annie Chen
See DISCIPLINE, A7
JESUIT TRADITION The university celebrates Jesuit Heritage Week with speakers and other events.
OPINION, A3
GUSA urges clean record for freshman Class A offenders The GUSA senate passed a resolution Jan. 20 urging the university to expunge records of Class A violations committed during freshman year for students who do not receive additional citations in the following three semesters. Under current policy, the university expunges students’ disciplinary records of all categories upon their graduation. Class A violations, which include possession or consumption of alcohol, disorderly conduct, possession of drug paraphernalia or a fake ID and failure to comply with university officials, are considered the least serious in the Code of Student Conduct. The resolution focuses on consumption of alcohol and noise violations, which are the most common Class A violations. It cites administrators’ efforts to make campus the nexus of social life as part of the 2010 Campus Plan, the educational value of disciplinary experiences for first-year students and requests from employers to see disciplinary records as three main reasons to alter the current disciplinary review system. According to GUSA senator and Honor Council Executive Committee member Tim Rosenberger (COL ’16), the Undergraduate Honor Council already has a sanction reduction program whereby students whose proposals are approved will have their record expunged two years after the end of the semester during which they violated the Honor System. “I think disciplinary actions should be compared to our Honor Council,” Rosenberger said. “Our Honor Council has a sanction system that is almost identical to this. It’s a wonderful
FEMINISM Two Georgetown students have launched a blog to discuss feminism issues.
nature of their jobs is quite unusual — principals of Washington, D.C. public schools. The principals are the first to take part in a specially designed year-long Executive Masters in Leadership program in the McDonough School of Business that was established by D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson (SFS ’92, G ’07) in collaboration with the university. Henderson, who is a graduate of the standard EML program, collaborated with University President John J. DeGioia to develop the concept, which is currently the only one of its kind in the country. According to the MSB’s Senior Associate Dean for Executive Education Paul Almeida, Henderson’s unique educational background made her the ideal candidate to design such a program. “The D.C. public school system is a challenging one,” Almeida said. “[Henderson] thought her experience made all the difference to her ability to lead this large and complex organization and she wanted to share this experience with her principals so they could move forward in a similar way.”
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See PRINCIPALS, A6
of gender because our goal is to make sure that we have the best qualified, most capable people serving regardless of their sex.” Each division of the armed
“If you’re going to bring women into the infantry ... you need to have one standard.”
ZACHARY ZIMMERMAN (MSB ’14) Former U.S. Marine
services will develop its own plan to implement the decision, which strives to open 237,000
combat positions to women by 2016. According to Christensen, the military will submit a report to Congress announcing the decision and then must wait 30 days before making changes. He expects that the plan will be fully implemented by Jan. 1, 2016. Zachary Zimmerman (MSB ’14), a former Marine who served in two combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan from 2006 to 2010, said that the plan is an important step toward granting women opportunities for promotions in the military. See MILITARY, A6
STALKING AWARENESS
SUNG JIN KIM FOR THE HOYA
Hema Khan, program attorney for the Stalking Resource Center at the National Center for Victims of Crime, spoke about stalking resources Monday. See story on A5. Published Tuesdays and Fridays
GUSA report analyzes the dearth of intellectual space found on campus Annie Chen
Hoya Staff Writer
The Georgetown University Student Association has begun research for an Intellectual Life Space Report, which will offer recommendations on how to improve students’ academic experiences on campus. GUSA Secretary of Academic Affairs Jon Askonas (SFS ’13) said that it is important to draw a distinction between social and intellectual spaces. “There definitely is often a fuzzy line between the two,” Askonas said. “The point is that viewing it only as social space hides and disguises the intellectual component.” “The problem is that the Georgetown administration sometimes talks about space as a student life issue but not as [an] educational issue,” he added. The new report will contain an introduction detailing the background of the report, a history of how intellectual space has been used at Georgetown and a set of recommendations for paces on campus. It will also feature a comparison of intellectual space usage at five peer institutions: the University of Chicago, the University of Pennsylvania, The George Washington University, the Catholic University of America and Fordham University. “Each [of these universities] shares some similar characteristic with Georgetown, perhaps being urban, being in the same city or being a Jesuit school,” said Chris Mooney (COL ’13), chair of the report. According to Askonas, GUSA is drafting the report after several of its See REPORT, A7
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OPINION
THE HOYA
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013
THE VERDICT
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Founded January 14, 1920
EDITORIALS
New Service Orientation C
As spring rolls around and Georgetown’s New Student Orientation leadership team begins planning activities for the Class of 2017, organizers would benefit from a new line of thinking about potential improvements to the orientation program for incoming freshmen. NSO coordinators and advisers have been rightly praised for their commitment to making new students feel welcome on the Hilltop, and the program itself is successful — to a point. But a few changes would foster more cross-campus connection and add a depth of meaning to the orientation experience. Instead of grouping freshmen with students from their dorms, the assortment should be more random. Living in the same building or on the same floor creates a natural likelihood for association, and by grouping students based on where they live, NSO misses a valuable opportunity to introduce students less likely to cross paths. And the size of a typical NSO group would make it likely that at least two or more members will live in the same building. More critically, students are unmotivated
by the social pull of NSO’s forced bonding activities and end up only grudgingly attending or skipping them altogether. While the program’s social events are impressive in scope, they require significant time and resources and draw in most new students for only brief periods of time. NSO leadership should consider a fundamental overhaul of its programming in the form of a new service-based dimension to the activities scheduled throughout the week. Orientation groups could take on small projects on campus and in the District, giving freshmen the opportunity to bond over meaningful work rather than another sequence of awkward icebreakers. Moreover, such programming would illustrate to newcomers the value of service and the potential for impact, as well as the importance of community involvement to Georgetown’s core values. While playing games like Ninja or Pterodactyl can help timid first-years break out of their shells, NSO would benefit from incorporating the type of activities that orient new students toward the true nature of the Georgetown experience.
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A Week of Tradition — Georgetown celebrates its 13th annual Jesuit Heritage Week with academic, musical, interfaith and social events. Bumpy Ride — Metro has announced that intensive weekend track work will continue to affect all stations for the next four years. Sweet Special — Café Bonaparte is offering a free sweet crepe this week with purchase of a meal using your GOCard. Pumped Up Kicks — Nike unveiled blue and gray Air Jordan 1 sneakers as part of its Georgetown sneaker collection. Burglars’ Boon — Thieves made off with two Georgetown students’ laptops yesterday, entering unlocked rooms in Harbin and Copley Halls.
EDITORIAL CARTOON by Arturo Altamirano
Dusting Off Lau’s Systems On-campus space is a scarce commodity at Georgetown. Finding a place to hold meetings or group study sessions — especially during midterms and finals, or on short notice — can be a challenging test in itself. Lauinger Library has the potential to take on a greater role in alleviating this problem. The library, which has an assortment of group meeting spaces on the second and fourth floors, can be optimized as a more convenient place for students to gather and study. The library’s current room reservation system is strikingly out of date. Most students don’t even know how to go about booking a room in the first place. As Lauinger’s policy stands now, a student must make a trip or call down to the Access Services Desk on the
third floor at least a day in advance. Perhaps this makes reservations easier to track for library staff, but it makes reserving rooms needlessly inconvenient for students. An online reservation system, similar to the one employed by the McDonough School of Business to reserve breakout rooms in the Hariri Building, would make reserving rooms in Lauinger much simpler. This solution — currently under consideration by the library staff and gaining popularity on the online discussion board IdeaScale — would allow for more efficient use of student resources. Lauinger’s aesthetics may not make it the most beloved campus building, but its underutilized space resources are certainly worth tapping into.
No Time for Tardiness Many of us are familiar with the cliche movie scene of a tardy high school student stumbling into class a few minutes late. He sits down sheepishly as the teacher cracks a one-liner at his expense, but all is forgotten and class moves on. College academics, however, are a bit more high-stakes. Every minute in a Georgetown classroom is precious, but that applies to both the beginning and end of a class period. When professors routinely allow lectures to drag past their end time whether to finish up a subject or remind the class of this or that announcement, it’s not just to the detriment of students who are antsy to leave class, but also to those anxious to arrive on time for their next one. With many students at Georgetown — eager to take advantage of the Hilltop and the nation’s capital — juggling busy schedules, there’s often a narrow window between one
Braden McDonald, Executive Editor Victoria Edel, Managing Editor Emma Hinchliffe, Campus News Editor Hiromi Oka, City News Editor Ryan Bacic, Sports Editor Sheena Karkal, Guide Editor Hanaa Khadraoui, Opinion Editor Leonel De Velez, Photography Editor Zoe Bertrand, Layout Editor Hunter Main, Copy Chief Molly Mitchell, Multimedia Editor Lindsay Lee, Blog Editor
Contributing Editors Michelle Cassidy, Patrick Curran, Suzanne Fonzi, Evan Hollander, Upasana Kaku, Sarah Patrick Lauren Weber, Emory Wellman
Law Professor Wrong for GU
class and the next. If a student’s upcoming class imposes an unforgiving tardiness policy, a violation of such a policy might have serious implications for the student’s standing in the class. Some may have a job or internship to get to right after class. Add in travel time and the reliance on public transportation, and all of a sudden those few, seemingly inconsequential minutes become highly problematic. Student-professor relationships are built on mutual respect — respect for both mutual effort and mutual appreciation for the other’s time. Just as students are expected to show up to class on time, prepared and ready to learn for the next 50 or 75 minutes, so too are professors responsible for being conscientious of the amount of time they are allotted and plan their lectures accordingly.
Danny Funt, Editor-in-Chief Penny Hung Eitan Sayag Ted Murphy Will Edman Arik Parnass Josh Simmons Kim Bussing Nicole Jarvis Emily Manbeck David Chardack Shannon Reilly Sean Sullivan Katherine Berk Rohan Shetty Chris Grivas Erica Wong Jessica Natinsky Kennedy Shields Ian Tice Karl Pielmeier Kate Wellde
Deputy Campus News Editor Deputy Campus News Editor Deputy City News Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Sports Editor Sports Blog Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Opinion Editor Deputy Opinion Editor Deputy Photography Editor Deputy Photography Editor Deputy Layout Editor Deputy Layout Editor Deputy Layout Editor Deputy Blog Editor Deputy Blog Editor
Editorial Board Hanaa Khadraoui, Chair Arturo Altamirano, Patrick Gavin, TM Gibbons-Neff, Alyssa Huberts, Sam Rodman
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
To the Editor: Along with the rest of America, I have been subjected to the hubris of Louis Michael Seidman. A Georgetown constitutional law professor, Seidman exhorts us to throw away the Constitution. It doesn’t take a law degree to know that the Constitution is the cornerstone of American civilization or that someone teaching constitutional law should believe in the Constitution. He doesn’t. So fire him. So what if he’s tenured? Tenure does not protect against things such as plagiarism or criminal behavior. How, then, do you address a constitutional law professor who does not believe in the Consti-
tution’s credibility? What you have here is a physics professor who doesn’t believe in physics; a history professor who thinks that history is useless; a music professor who precedes every lesson with the statement that music cannot move the soul. His is not merely a controversial position. Steidman has undermined his own credibility by teaching the very subject he disdains. Perhaps more alarmingly, he threatens to undermine the credibility of Georgetown itself. I value open discourse in Georgetown as much as any loyal alumnus, but with Steidman, I truly believe we are approaching the old adage of be-
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Board of Directors
Lauren Weber, Chair
Kent Carlson, Danny Funt, Evan Hollander, Dylan Hunt, Mairead Reilly, Mary Nancy Walter
ing so open-minded that our brains fall out. How can Georgetown allow lawyers — specialists in the interpretation of constitutional rights — to be educated by someone who doesn’t believe in the founding document? Can Georgetown afford to be known as a law school educating lawyers in this way? Can it afford to keep on staff a teacher demonstrating such incompetence in his field of expertise? I say no. Fire him and let him become an intellectual hack in some freak extremist enclave. He’ll feel right at home being there, and most of us will feel right at home without him here. Elliot Rosenzweig (COL ’03)
Policies & Information Letter to the Editor & Viewpoint Policies The Hoya welcomes letters and viewpoints from our readers and will print as many as possible. To be eligible for publication, letters should specifically address a recent campus issue or Hoya story. Letters should not exceed 300 words. Viewpoints are always welcome from all members of the Georgetown community on any topic, but priority will be given to relevant campus issues. Viewpoint submissions should be between 600-800 words. Send all submissions to: opinion@ thehoya.com. Letters and viewpoints are due Sunday at 5 p.m. for Tuesday’s issue and Wednesday at 5 p.m. for Friday’s issue. The Hoya reserves the right to reject letters or viewpoints and edit for length, style, clarity and accuracy. The Hoya further reserves the right to write headlines and select illustrations to accompany letters and viewpoints. Corrections & Clarifications If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, contact Executive Editor Braden McDonald at (202) 687-3415 or email executive@ thehoya.com. News Tips Campus News Editor Emma Hinchliffe: Call (973) 632-8795 or email campus@ thehoya.com. City News Editor Hiromi Oka: Call (281) 658-8596 or email city@thehoya.com. Sports Editor Ryan Bacic: Call (617) 960-7278 or email sports@thehoya.com. General Information The Hoya is published twice each week during the academic year with the exception of holiday and exam periods. Address
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OPINION
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013
ETHNICITY OF FEMININITY
THE HOYA
A3
VIEWPOINT • Kelley & Farias
A League of Their Own Khadijah Davis
Beyoncé in Sync With Feminism S
ince her paradoxical “Independent Woman” and “Cater 2 U” days with Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé Knowles has long been at the center of many conversations about the feminist politics of respectability. Her supposedly suggestive spread in the February issue of men’s magazine GQ reignited controversy over what some would say are her wishy-washy feminist ideals. In her interview with the magazine, Knowles said, “You know, equality is a myth, and for some reason, everyone accepts the fact that women don’t make as much money as men do. … Why do we have to take a backseat?” The upcoming self-directed documentary about her life also touches upon her desire for creative and economic liberty. “I truly believe that women should be financially independent from their men. And let’s face it, money gives men the power to run the show,” Knowles said. “It gives men the power to define value. They define what’s sexy. And men define what’s feminine. It’s ridiculous.” But posing for a men’s magazine and professing such ideas did not sit well with many self-proclaimed feminists who believe her actions are antithetical to one other. In an opinion piece titled “Beyoncé: Being Photographed In Your Underwear Doesn’t Help Feminism” written for The Guardian, columnist Hadley Freeman argued that while Knowles is right for her disdain for unfair pay, the singer does nothing to change the images seen of ladies in positions of potency. “[Women] are similarly humiliated by being fed the message that it doesn’t matter how successful, powerful or smart you are — all that matters is how sexually available you are willing to make yourself look,” Freeman lamented. I suppose we can just forget about Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton? Danielle Pointdujour’s opposing argument in Clutch asks “Is Beyoncé Helping or Hurting the Girl Power Movement?” In it,
Feminism is a movement built on the idea that a woman should be able to make decisions for herself. Pointdujour tries to explain that Knowles is able to be immodest because she is not the role model for all feminists that Freeman constructs her to be. “If you want an example of how far the feminist movement has come, there are countless other women — fully clothed women — that Freeman and the rest of us could point to. As usual, we expect a bit too much from normal human who are simply here to entertain us. Is Queen Bey the perfect example of feminism gone right? Maybe not. But she is a glimmer of hope for some little girl out there dreaming big.” This debate is amusing in that it seems to be missing a very important point. It does not reflect the strides the feminist movement made during its heyday. Once upon a time, it was a triumph that women were finally ripping off some fabric, shedding a few petticoats and wearing miniskirts and trousers because they were shifting away from what was normalized for them by men. Only a few decades later, it is interesting to see that the transformation women have made for themselves is being attributed to men. Everything is interpreted as hypersexualized, so much so that the feminist movement is no longer accepting of the female anatomy, real or fake. Women like actress Traci Ellis Ross, who has chosen not to wear brassieres because she believes we are a “culture confused by fake boobs,” or comedian Mo’Nique, who wants to show everyone “what real legs look like,” help to keep the idea of choice alive. One of the reasons feminism lags in true progression is the continued analysis of women’s actions by one other. Feminism is a movement built on the idea that a woman should be able to make decisions for herself and her society. Whether she opts to wear a hijab to display her modesty or a miniskirt simply because she can, feminism has made it so that ultimately these decisions are up to her. Neither a man nor a so-called feminist should ever tell a woman what she should and shouldn’t wear to fit his or her agendas. We should certainly not idealize an individual woman to represent the gender as a whole.
Khadijah Davis is a sophomore in the School of Nursing and Health Studies. She is secretary of Georgetown University Women of Color. ETHNICITY OF FEMININITY appears every other Tuesday.
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ass Master, Fairy, Ginger Princess, Baloney, Slash, Bear Claw, Femur, Killer, Great Scott. Aspiring midwife, 90-pound winger, twin, JFK worshipper, Hermione look-alike, sorority sister, the ultimate cat lady and she who will only be caught out of heels on the rugby pitch. Representing 20 states, we are a diverse group of individuals who, like many other campus organizations, find our differences to be our greatest strength. Some of us were dragged to the first practices by our roommates. Some of us were naturally drawn to the sport. Some of us were looking to fill the voids left by a departure from high school athletics. Some of us joined on a whim. Others had not played organized sports since peewee soccer. Regardless of athletic background, there was a position for us on the team. One of the greatest aspects of rugby is that it offers positions for all types of athletes. There’s no one rugby build. No one is ever too tall, too short, too petite or too built to play rugby. There is a use for every body on the pitch. The short but solid hooker, held up by the powerhouse props, propelled forward in the scrum by the towering locks. The scrappy and strategic scrumhalf passes off as the flyhalf races forward, and the glamorous centers rush the ball down the pitch, finding holes in the defensive line, until the smooth hit brings them down. But they know that this 15-person team plays as one. And a teammate will be there to push forward.
We tackle, ruck, scrum and maul with a sense of purpose. We do not throw our bodies around. Nearly every rookie comes to the field without having ever even touched a rugby ball. They ask — or often their parents ask, hesitantly over the phone — “Rugby is a pretty violent sport, isn’t it? Aren’t there a lot of injuries?” No, we don’t wear helmets or pads, but that is not because all ruggers are insane — well, maybe we are, but that is an entirely different point. We don’t wear bulky protective gear because when you merely
have canvas shorts, a jersey and a mouth guard to protect you, you play smart. Pads and helmets give football players a sense of invincibility. We realize our vulnerability. We use our bodies. We tackle, ruck, scrum and maul with a sense of purpose — with intention. We do not throw our bodies around. We focus on form. Any potential pain is heavily drowned in adrenaline. And there is nothing more gratifying than an exceptional, clean tackle.
VIEWPOINT • Kelly
After Tragedy, Gun Reform Still Stalled
T
he day after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, I wrote a commentary for The Hoya on the event. Beyond the literal attack that my hometown had just suffered, I feared a media onslaught that was only just beginning. My home was about to become the epicenter and catalyst for our fight against gun violence. I was, and still am, accepting of the attention and scrutiny that Newtown receives, but I was desperate for some way to tell people how I knew my home for what it really was and is. And, as expected, Newtown has become what seems to be a permanent political symbol. There are few headlines related to gun control, gun rights advocacy or violence that do not include the words “Newtown” or “Sandy Hook.” Even in casual conversations, I’ve felt these effects. Reactions to my response to the question, “Where are you from?” have drastically changed. Before Dec. 14, 2012, my response would merely elicit replies like: “Newtown? Is that near Hartford? How far are you from New York City?” Now, however, I face awkward silences, responses of pity, the common wide-eyed, “Oh, wow. I’m sorry,” and the eventual lead to heated gun control debates. I do, admittedly, invite some of these conversations. I often proudly wear my “We are Newtown” T-shirt across campus, both my computer and backpack don green ribbons and my “Angels of Sandy Hook” bracelet never leaves my wrist. Now that over one month has passed, the media mob has vacated my church parking lot. But even though my community and — most importantly — those 27 families have been left to grieve in private, I have noticed that the country has given Newtown a huge responsibility. Although we did not ask for it and would do anything to return it if it meant having our children and teachers back, Newtown has been made responsible for making change. And I can think of no community more qualified for the job. As a response to this challenge, I have found myself following the course of our gun control debates with intense scrutiny. On Jan. 16, President Obama announced 23 executive actions to strengthen gun control. They were cushions, at best — something to satisfy a majority’s anxious need for action. They included a call to
“review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes,” launching a “national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign,” and providing “incentives for schools to hire school resource officers,” among other vague “solutions.” Additionally, the president called for Congress to reintroduce the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, a piece of legislation in place from 1994 to 2004 that aimed to ban the manufacture, transfer and possession of semi-automatic assault weapons that have “features that appear useful in military and criminal applications.” The president, however, failed to mention this legislation’s shortcomings — namely that what Congress deemed assault weapons were used in only 2 percent of gunrelated crimes prior to the act’s implementation. Furthermore, the language used in the act allows for loopholes that keep semi-automatics in circulation and only take those that resemble (or have stylistic features of) military style assault rifles out of circulation. Finally, five years following the implementation of this act, 12 students and one teacher were killed with a 99 mm Intratec TEC-9 semi-automatic weapon at Columbine. Right now, our country, our government and our Congress lack courage. Don’t get me wrong. These campaigns, incentives and reviews are positive steps in the right direction and Obama’s immediate reaction in the aftermath of the shooting made me proud to have him as my president. He showed compassion and a level of humanity I have felt have been missing from the presidency in recent years. His appearance in Newtown in the week following the shooting lent a sense of comfort to the community that I could not begin to articulate. Nonetheless, these meager attempts at change demonstrate how intimidated we are by political obstacles. We are too fearful to step back and examine our own Bill of Rights in the historical context in which it was written. We fear the polarization and uproar that publicly questioning the Second Amendment would cause. We ultimately fear the idea that, when it comes to gun control, America might be too free.
MEAGAN KELLY is a senior in the College. She is a former photo editor of The Hoya.
Joining the team gave us a home at Georgetown. As underclassmen, we developed close relationships with the upperclassmen on the team. They treated us as equals, as friends — even though we secretly worshipped them and contemplated whether we could ever be as impressive and hardcore as them. They accepted us, immediately and unconditionally. Since New Student Orientation and freshman year, friends have come and gone throughout our time at Georgetown, but our rugby family has remained constant. And the relationships we’ve developed amongst ourselves do not only last the four years we are on the Hilltop. Even after graduation, our teammates remain close with our extensive alumnae network. That family is universal. Whether settling in a new city after graduation or studying abroad in unfamiliar territory, our current players and alumnae have found a community, a family and a home miles away from home by joining a local rugby team. That is inevitable because trust is essential to rugby. When you pick up that ball, you know that your teammates are right there behind you, ready to protect you, to support you, to cheer you on. And you know that, immediately after, they’ll be there to offer you a beer, a hand, a couch or a shoulder.
KATHLEEN KELLEY is a junior in the School of Nursing and Health Studies. KATIE FARIAS is a senior in the College. They are members of the Georgetown University Women’s Rugby Football Club team.
LETTERS OF THE LAW
Obama Sets Tone For Gay Rights Debate
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resident Obama’s second inau- the site of a bloody civil rights congural speech was many things frontation and Stonewall — whose to many people: a renewed very inclusion is itself historic — battle cry for liberalism, a warning marked the beginning of the modern to obstructionist Republicans and gay rights movement. By tethering toan unflinching endorsement of the gether these three landmark events, social safety net. But also embedded the president inextricably linked in the president’s address was an ep- LGBT equality with America’s sweepochal proclamation. “Our journey is ing narrative of equality. not yet complete until our gay brothLofty as this rhetorical flourish ers and sisters are treated like anyone may have been, Obama grounded it else under the law — for if we are truly in an unmistakable call to action — created equal, then surely the love a call made all the more dire by the we commit to one another must be presence of the Court. Of our foundequal as well.” ing documents’ many requirements, As he spoke these majestic words, few have been more challenging to Obama stood in front of all nine Su- meet than equal protection, for the preme Court justices — the nine men definition of equality changes as rapand women who, in several months, idly as society does. With this difficulwill decide the fate of marriage equal- ty surely in mind, Obama augmented ity for a generation. his plea with a pragmatic reminder: The core question of the legal de“We have always understood that bate — whether the Equal Protection when times change, so must we. That Clause forbids the government from fidelity to our founding principles discriminating against gay Ameri- requires new responses to new chalcans — is even lenges.” more pressing Marriage now. The Court, equality is one of course, has of these “new agreed to review challenges,” as both the Defense Obama knows of Marriage Act well. That gay and Proposition rights are fairly 8; this means novel is imMark Joseph Stern that it must eimaterial to the ther affirm or reconstitutional ject both federal questions surand state-level In his magnificent address, rounding them. marriage bans. Obama reminded us of our It is no coinciNot since Brown dence that the v. Board of Educanation’s founding promise. president’s words tion has a court here echoed Lincase so profoundly implicated the coln’s in 1862, stating that “as our basic premises of our society. case is new, so we must think anew Important as these technical ques- and act anew.” In a speech rife with tions are, however, their dry formali- historical allusions, this one stood ties may occlude the broader issue apart in its startling potency. Thinkat stake: Whether we will remain a ing and acting anew is the challenge country dedicated to equality for all of a democratic government, and its citizens or whether we will allow that will be the challenge of the Suour government to selectively reject preme Court later this year. the rights of those it irrationally disBut another, even more famous favors. Marriage equality, then, is not passage lay at the heart of President merely about extending justice to a Obama’s inaugural address: the censmall minority. It is about fulfilling tral dictum of the Declaration of Inthe promise of our founding prin- dependence. “We hold these truths ciples — a promise clearly held sacred to be self-evident,” that document by our president and exemplified declared, “that all men are created in his speech. At one key moment, equal, that they are endowed by their Obama elegantly interwove the ur- Creator with certain unalienable gency of now with the grand sweep Rights, that among these are Life, Libof history, proclaiming: erty and the pursuit of Happiness.” “We, the people, declare today that No one has stated the case for marthe most evident of truths — that all riage equality more forcefully than of us are created equal — is the star that. President Obama, in his magthat guides us still, just as it guided nificent address, reminded us of our our forebears through Seneca Falls nation’s founding promise. Let us ferand Selma and Stonewall.” vently hope that the Supreme Court Seneca Falls, Selma and Stonewall: follows his lead. Obama’s oratory here is both sly and breathtakingly bold. Seneca Falls was Mark Joseph Stern is a senior in the Western world’s first women’s the College. LETTERS OF THE LAW rights convention, Selma, Ala., was appears every other Tuesday.
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Feminism Blog Event Draws Pro-Life Advocates Sparks Discussion ZOSIA DUNN
Hoya Staff Writer
MOLLY DEPIPPO
in the United States, they maintain that Georgetown must improve its Hoya Staff Writer approach to gender equality. “There’s a lot less impact of genErin Riordan (COL ’15) and Kat Kelley (NHS ’14) were spending yet der inequalities on this campus another late night lamenting the than maybe in other people’s lives, perception of feminism at George- but it’s definitely something that town when they decided to do both of us are aware of,” Kelley said. “In many ways, a lot of it is more something about it. The two students decided to cre- social than institutional.” Riordan agreed, citing the uniate “Feminists-at-Large,” a blog that aims to examine feminism from a versity’s dating environment as an variety of perspectives, discussing example. “I think you see it in our hookup everything from gay rights to women in the military to slut shaming. culture,” Riordan said. “I think there is definitely a lot of negative They launched the blog Jan. 22. “I think there was this frustra- stuff said about girls who actively tion that there are a lot of very real participate in hookup culture. There’s a lot of issues relating slut shaming. to feminism on [There’s] the this campus: “Women’s fact that our sexual assault, empowerment is key sexual assault rape culture, statistics match all of that sort to everything.” national averof stuff that ages.” really [is] not KAT KELLEY (NHS ’14), Additionally, talked about or “Feminists-at-Large” co-founder “Feminists-ataddressed on a wide scale,” Riordan said. “Part Large” tries to engage as many perof that is because so many people spectives and subject areas as possido roll their eyes at those conver- ble, inviting both women and men sations or roll their eyes at femi- to contribute. Johan Clarke (COL ’15), who nism.” For Kelley, the blog responds to writes about popular culture on the her realization that gender equal- blog, stressed the value of involving ity is at the heart of numerous im- a variety of people in the discussion. “I think it’s important because portant academic disciplines and there are a lot of people who have questions. “As I progressed through my a lot to say, and there are a lot of diftime at Georgetown, I began to real- ferent voices and I feel like this blog ize that women’s empowerment is brings them all together,” Clarke literally key to everything,” Kelley said. “Everyone who wants to say said. “It’s not this pet project — it’s something can.” “Take this gender lens and apkey to economic growth, it’s key to development, it’s key to health, it’s ply it to any aspect of your life, and we’re happy to post it,” Kelley said. key to national security.” The pair also envisions the blog “We want to make feminism accesas a resource for those who are not sible to everyone, regardless of their political background or whatever familiar with feminism. “It’s also about making it acces- experiences they’re coming from.” Victoria Moroney (SFS ’15) reads sible to people who aren’t already feminists … [and] who aren’t used the blog and praised its diverse to this sort of dialogue,” Riordan content. “I’m glad that the authors are said. “They can be a part of it, too, and can gain from it whatever they working to make feminism accessible to [people of] all demographwill.” While Riordan and Kelley ac- ics — especially ones that normally knowledge that problems like sex- would not be included in these ual assault and gender inequality kinds of discussions,” Moroney run more rampant at other schools said.
Pro-life advocate Helen Alvaré opened a discussion of ideology and best practices at the Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life in Gaston Hall Saturday. The conference attracted about 650 students and advocates from across the country who were already in Washington, D.C, for the March for Life, which took place the previous day. Co-sponsored by GU Right to Life, GU Knights of Columbus and GU Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the conference was founded in 2000 to educate and promote dialogue about abortion, the death penalty and other life issues. “The conference is really a Georgetown conference, and we’re proud because we’re able to use the Jesuit values that we have at this university to establish discussion and to focus on the intellectual and academic roots of the pro-life movement,” Conference Co-Director Kevin Sullivan (SFS ’14) said. Although other conferences, such as the Students for Life of America Conference, focus on similar topics, Sullivan said that this conference’s focus on dialogue, discussion and education makes it unique. “We really want to understand why we’re pro-life and understand how to discuss with others the academic and intellectual roots of why the pro-life movement is morally just and important for the country,” Sullivan said. Alvaré, associate professor of law at George Mason University, ABC News consultant and adviser to Pope Benedict XVI’s Pontifical Council for the Laity, described the historic, legal, religious and medical background of abortion before addressing counterarguments from the pro-choice movement and offering a plan of action for the pro-life movement. According to Alvaré, women who are careless about preventing pregnancy are partly to blame for the rampancy of abortions in the United States. “Women used abortion as backup for contraceptives,” Alvaré said. “They were bold about it.” Alvaré also said that modern medical advances have ended the need for abortion when the life of the mother is at risk. “You don’t see that almost at all any-
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His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl led the mass for life at the day-long Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life in Dahlgren Chapel on Saturday. more,” Alvaré said. “You don’t get into that situation.” Alvaré argued that one of the root causes of abortion is the deterioration of traditional dating and marriage practices, causing many people wait longer to get married and start a family. She said that many activities are more fun for a woman with a husband and child, adding that she disagreed with arguments that that abortion is part of a woman’s freedom of choice. “Being alone isn’t the definition of women’s freedom,” Alvaré said. “You are taking what used to be a crime and turning it into a right. Calling it a right is a serious human rights problem.” Alvaré also blamed the widespread use of contraceptives for a recent spike in extramarital sex that often starts at a younger age and with a growing number of partners. “People think sex is risk-free. Sex is not tennis,” Alvaré said. “It is not something a man and woman might do for fun.”
Alvaré encouraged the audience to become involved in the pro-life cause because while it can be challenging, it can also be rewarding. “I am still pretty cheerful about this work,” Alvaré said. “It is about loving people.” Hospitality Coordinator Louis Cona (COL ’15) took the messages of the conference to heart. “This is a Georgetown tradition,” Cona said. “It sets a good example for other young people. I think [Alvaré] is a great example of what the conference stands for. She serves as motivation for us all.” Sullivan agreed, citing his own personal experiences. “I’m adopted … and the doctors told my mother that she was a young, single mother, she was scared and an abortion was an easy option for her,” Sullivan said. “She chose not to, and now I’m blessed to be at Georgetown, participating in a national discussion and getting an education.”
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013
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Attorney Talks Stalking Laws, Resources [Jim Carrey] or songs like ‘Paparazzi’ by Lady Emma Iannini Gaga. … Why is it that we use stalking so freeHoya Staff Writer ly as a term? I mean who hasn’t heard someHema Khan, program attorney for the body use the term ‘Facebook stalking’ in the Stalking Resource Center at the National Cen- past month? When we use the term so freely, ter for Victims of Crime, gave a presentation so casually, it minimizes it. What people need to the Georgetown community about stalk- to realize is that this is a very serious, illegal ing behavior Monday evening. crime.” Khan, an expert on stalking law, said that Khan told students that whether they have she aims to improve victims’ safety and well- been victims of stalking or know friends who being and to strengthen the mechanisms for have been victimized, the best thing they can holding perpetrators accountable. do is take advantage of resources on campus “We have a duty to educate and spread and in the city. awareness as much as we can in order to get Director of the Women’s Center Laura Koa better understanding of what this crime is,” vach said that, in the past few years GeorgeKhan said. “There is a lot of misunderstand- town has made a push toward promoting ing about what exactly is stalking behavior.” awareness about the stalking problem on According to Khan, although stalking is a campus. crime in every state, each jurisdiction has a “Our strategy here has been empowering different definition for it. To clarify the term, and addressing our community as one of bythe National Center for Victims of Crime has standers rather than [of] potential victims or a working definition of “a pattern of behavior perpetrators,” Kovach said. directed at a specific person that would cause She also said that there are nonprofit a reasonable person to groups in D.C. that provide feel fear.” resources to victims. “One incident is not Students were surprised enough to be consid- “What people need to by some aspects of Khan’s ered stalking,” Khan speech. said. “It is a course of realize is that this is a “I thought it was really inconduct, repeated again formative about something and again over a course very serious crime.” that people don’t give a lot of time, usually two or of attention to but is expemore under most state rienced by so many of us,” HEMA KHAN, statues.” Scott Ruona (MSB ’15) said. Legal expert on stalking The most frequent “It was nice to give what beform of stalking is unhaviors exactly constitute wanted phone calls and stalking some thought and messages, Khan said. Regardless, stalking can be presented with some ways … to effectively consist of surveillance, vandalism and iden- address them both psychologically and cultity theft, among many other forms. turally.” Although men are occasionally victims of Eric Nevalsky (SFS ’16), who occasionally stalking, women under 25 are by far the most works with stalking victims at the LGBTQ Retargeted group. According to a 2010 Center source Center, agreed. for Disease Control study, one in six women “The most interesting thing for me was is stalked at some point in her lifetime. The learning about all the ways you could engage report also found a high incidence of stalking in stalking, [like] sending gifts,” Nevalsky in the LGBTQ community. said. “I’d never thought something like that Stalkers are most often males and current would be considered stalking and that it only or former intimate partners of their victims takes a few instances for the behavior to be who resort to stalking because they have an classified as such. It seems to me that stalkobsessive need for control or are unable to ac- ing in the media is usually talked about over cept rejection, Khan said. There is also a con- much broader time periods, like over years siderable incidence of mental illness among and years.” perpetrators. Nevalsky said that he would incorporate Khan added that popular culture and dis- what he learned into his work with stalking course tend to portray stalking as a romantic victims. or funny gesture. “Also, I have a little sister, and I want to “Society maybe presents stalking as some- watch out for her,” Nevalsky said. “We all thing that is socially acceptable,” Khan said. have a responsibility to be aware of bystand“There are movies like ‘[The] Cable Guy’ with ers when it comes to things as serious as this.”
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Dartmouth to Reject AP Matt Walters Special to The Hoya
While Dartmouth College announced earlier this month that it would no longer offer academic credit to students for their Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate scores because faculty and administrators do not believe the high-school programs are sufficiently rigorous, Georgetown has no plans to follow suit. Dartmouth’s decision came after its psychology department administered a condensed final exam to students who qualified for credit based on their Advanced Placement Psychology exam scores. Ninety percent of students who took the exam failed. According to The Dartmouth, the university’s student newspaper, the school had been considering eliminating pre-matriculation credit for about a decade.
The policy will be implemented beginning with the Class of 2018, but it has already ignited debate among students and faculty. Although Provost Robert Groves wrote in an email that Georgetown currently has no plans to change how it awards academic credit, others question university regulations.. “If an institution has … pride in what it has to offer, it wouldn’t be giving tons and tons of AP credits,” psychology Professor Steven Sabat said. “That’s like saying what we can offer you here is no better than that [exam].” Nonetheless, students expressed concern over the possibility of matriculating into Georgetown without AP credits. Kevin Phelan (MSB ’16) received credit for AP Psychology and since coming to Georgetown has taken abnormal psychology and social psychology in order to potentially pursue a psychology
minor. He said that although he would be fine with not receiving credit and being placed into a higher-level course the complete elimination of recognition of pre-college courses would prevent him from pursuing more classes. “I’d probably be deterred from taking General Psychology again,” Phelan said. Other students say that AP credits should be considered more holistically. “I think the entire system is somewhat backwards,” Katie Farrell (COL ’16) said. “As applicants, we feel we have to take a lot of AP classes to get into the top schools or because those were the right level of classes for the challenge we desired, the same drive that brought us to Georgetown. We were not taking them so much for placement or credit; those are just bonuses in case the AP courses helped us be admitted.”
Students March for Gun Control Lily Westergaard Hoya Staff Writer
About 6,000 protesters rallied on the National Mall for the March on Washington for Gun Control to demand greater restrictions to the access of deadly firearms Jan. 26. The event began with remarks from politicians and celebrities from across the country, including Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.). Colin Goddard, a survivor of the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, also spoke. Marchers then walked in silence from the Capitol Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument while carrying signs bearing names of gun violence victims. Among the marchers were D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray and residents of Newtown, Conn., along with several Georgetown students.
the fact that the current system isn’t working and we need more stringent regulations,” Kraft said. “We’re very supportive of the measures that President Obama announced.” However, College Republicans Chair Alex Cave (COL ’15) disagreed with Kraft’s assertion that Georgetown students believe increased gun control alone will reduce violence. “It would not be accurate to generalize to the point of saying that the typical Georgetown student holds a particular position on gun rights,” Cave said. “We need a national conversation on violence, and gun rights are obviously a valid part of that conversation. … I think there’s plenty of common ground to be had, particularly with regard to background checks and stricter enforcement of existing gun laws.”
“I came in thinking it was a march to get rid of the Second Amendment completely but left realizing [that] the aim of the march was revision — getting rid of bullets that shatter when they enter the body [and] having background checks,” Taylor Wolfe (COL ’16), who participated in the march, said. Wolfe indicated that the event had left her hopeful for reform. “The majority of Americans support some kind of gun control, so I’m optimistic for [the future]. The majority of Americans want change,” Wolfe said. According to Georgetown University College Democrats Communications Director Chris Kraft (SFS ’15), the College Dems are planning upcoming events advocating increased gun control. “There’s a broad recognition across campus about
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Speaker’s Corner
Edward Rugemer
“America as an independent nation was better suited to address slavery.” “Carolinians wanted to be able to open up the slave trade and stop when they wanted to do it, and they had always done that. There is no moral rationality in that.”
“When they talk about slavery in legislatures, it instigates slave rebellions.” “The way that slaveholders understand the Haitian revolution is that the abolitionists began to agitate, and then the slaves rebelled.”
“The success of organized abolition has a lot to do with authenticity.” “I want to integrate the politics of the plantation with [the] politics of high power.” KRISTEN SKILLMAN FOR THE HOYA
Andrew WIlson Special to The Hoya
Yale history professor Edward Rugemer presented an early draft of a chapter in his upcoming book to Georgetown faculty and doctoral students Monday during the Georgetown Workshop in 19th Century U.S. History. Rugemer expects to publish his book, “The Politics of Slavery Transformed: The
Impact of Abolitionism and the Haitian Revolution in Jamaica and South Carolina,” in 2015. The chapter in question will analyze the strong similarities between South Carolinian and Jamaican slavery. The differences between the regions, however, explain why the transition away from slavery occurred differently, according to
Rugemer. South Carolina was able to use the gag rule and the political economy argument to justify slavery, while those in Jamaica were forced to fight the battle for slavery over morality. Students and faculty noted that Rugemer balanced his subject’s limiting nature and the bigger historical picture effectively, while others felt that the subject was too specific.
Lift on Female Combat Ban A Contentious Decision military, From A1
Grad Joins Obama Circle mCdONOUGH, From A1
Yale History Professor
infantry and the forward operating units, you need to have one standard and it needs “It’s a difficult situation,” Zimmerman to be the consistent male standard,” Zimsaid. “In school, you are measured by your merman said. “There’s a reason why we grades. In finance, you’re measured by have the most elite fighting force in the money. In the military, you’re measured world, and it is because we have incredibly by the combat you’ve seen. You’re not go- high and rigorous standards.” ing to find very many generals who haven’t However, former Georgetown ROTC memhad combat experience, so it’s very hard ber Chloe Nalbantian (COL ’15) emphasized for women to move up the ranks who don’t that many young women in the ROTC are have combat experience because they’re capable of combat. not exposed to it.” “Some of the most impressive and moMajor Karen Saravia, assistant professor tivated young women I have met were in of military science and executive officer of ROTC, and if they felt they wanted to enter Georgetown’s ROTC, expressed her belief in combat roles, I am sure they would be that many female members of the military successful and would also have the support have not received appropriate recognition, of all of the other members of ROTC, male especially for their unofficial service in or female,” Nalbantian wrote in an email. combat. Major political organizations in Washing“There isn’t a single uniformed mem- ton have had mixed reactions to the miliber of our cadre who tary’s decision. hasn’t served in comAriela Migdal, senior bat with a female of- “Danger is not something staff attorney with the ficer or soldier — I that is limited to one’s American Civil Liberties think all of us know Union Women’s Rights some who have been [occupation].” Project, expressed her supkilled or wounded in port. the line of duty,” she “We are thrilled to hear wrote in an email. [Secretary of Defense Leon] Karen SARAVIA, “Danger is not somePanetta’s announcement Major and Executive Officer of ROTC thing that is limited today recognizing that to one’s occupational qualified women will have specialty.” the same chance to distinguish themselves However, Saravia said that the change in combat as their brothers-in-arms,” she will probably not affect current ROTC mem- said in a press release on Jan. 23. “But we bers or the curriculum, which requires welcome this statement with cautious optibasic infantry skills, or the willingness of mism, as we hope that it will be implementwomen to partake in ROTC programs. ed fairly and quickly so that servicewomen “The same passion to be part of an infan- can receive the same recognition for their try company — to challenge oneself, to be service as their male counterparts.” part of a high-performing team, to serve The Family Research Council, a Christian one’s country — [is] already what attracts organization and lobbying group, is opposed female cadets to ROTC and careers in other to the plan. branches of our Army,” Saravia wrote. “As “[Women] have fought and served with future leaders, they have [an] inherent de- distinction. However, placing women in insire to push their limits and enjoy being fantry and other front-line units is a differheld to an extremely high standard.” ent issue and it has nothing to do with their While he recognized why such a shift courage or capabilities,” retired Lt. Gen. Jerry might be desirable, Zimmerman expressed Boykin wrote in a statement. concern that the military will not be able “The people making this decision are doto maintain consistent combat standards ing so as part of another social experiment, across all branches of the military. and they have never lived nor fought with an “If you’re going to bring women into the infantry or Special Forces unit.”
tuesday, january 29, 2013
and the respect of key administration officials. He understands Capitol Hill and how to get things done. And he is a great person who is well-liked and well-regarded by his White House colleagues.” McDonough replaces Jack Lew (LAW ’83), who has been nominated by the president for Treasury secretary. No date has been set for Lew’s confirmation hearing. The chief of staff is the highest-ranking White House employee and plays both a managerial and an advisory role. “The chief of staff has to be a political antenna for the president,” government professor Stephen Wayne said. “He’s got to run the White House and get the trains out on time, but he [also] has to understand what’s going on in the Washington community and be a link.” According to Ross, “The chief of staff is, I think, frankly, the second-most powerful job in Washington, next to the president.” Obama described McDonough as one of his closest and most trusted advisers. “Given his humility, I don’t think people always appreciate the breadth of his experience and the range of
his talents,” Obama said in a statement. “And it’s precisely because of that intellect, that experience, his dedication, his determination, that I wanted Denis in this job.” Time will tell what type of managerial style McDonough will bring to his new post. “Obama is a delegator,” Wayne said. “He’s a bigpicture, big-decision-maker kind of guy, but he leaves a lot of the details to others. Jack Lew was very good at that. ... We’ll see what McDonough is very good at.” Based on her initial impression of McDonough, Ross believes that that he will be less concerned with exercising control over the staff and will focus more on fostering communication. “[McDonough is] probably the kind of person that wants to foster collaboration for the president and give the president information about decisions that he has to make.” Ross also believes that McDonough’s appointment is an early indicator of the president’s commitment to the ambitious agenda that he put forth in his second inaugural address. “We naturally start most endeavors being idealistic,” Ross said. “[Obama] had great, smart people in his
cabinet before, but I think in many ways it was more symbolic — in a good way — and now he’s become more pragmatic. He wants to be really productive in his second term.” Georgetown administrators expressed enthusiasm about the appointment. “We are truly excited that MSFS alum Denis McDonough has been selected by the President to serve as White House chief of staff,” professor Anthony Clark Arend (SFS ’80), director of Georgetown’s MSFS program, wrote in an email. “The goal of MSFS is to prepare its graduates to be creative leaders with an understanding of the ethical dimension of international affairs and a commitment to service. Denis’s work on the Hill and [in] the White House demonstrates that he is indeed this kind of creative leader.” McDonough is the fourth Georgetown alumnus to serve as White House chief of staff. In addition to Lew, Jim Jones (LAW ’64) served as chief of staff to President Lyndon Johnson and John Podesta (LAW ’76) worked under President Bill Clinton (SFS ’68).
Hoya Staff Writer Hiromi Oka contributed reporting.
Principal Program First in US principals, From A1 Principals were initially nominated by District administrators and then underwent a series of interviews and applications before being chosen. The first round of principals comes from a variety of schools and range from those who have only worked for a few years in their posts to seasoned veterans. According to MSB Dean David Thomas, the main criterion for candidates was the ability to effectively manage schools with economically disadvantaged students. “These are some of the most talented principals and principals who are oriented toward change,” Thomas said. “This is really a program to accelerate these leaders’ ability to make … lasting change.” Tuition for EMLs at the MSB typically runs at about $66,000 per student, but this program is funded in part by the university and MSB scholarships, the City Bridge Foundation and a DCPS Teacher Incentive Fund grant. Only a small portion is paid by the participants. Although administrators incorporated some industryspecific knowledge into the program, the content does not differ extensively from that of standard EMLs. Henderson wanted principals to learn to lead an organi-
zation regardless of industry, according to Thomas. Almeida said that while the business world can seem like a far cry from the halls of a public school, the two share many features in common. “Most urban school systems have organizational, financial and sometimes motivational challenges,” Almeida said. “The [EML] is designed to help people move organizations forward in complex environments. It was a natural fit [for] the
“It’s a real Georgetown degree. We don’t change our standards.” Paul almeida, Senior Associate Dean of Executive Education
situation faced by the DCPS principals on a daily basis.” The EML students will meet every other weekend and have three local retreats in locations such as Gettysburg, Penn., where they will use techniques including roleplaying to identify and understand each perspective of a situation. They will also take classes at Georgetown and schools across the District. This past weekend, the principals began their studies in a two-day retreat in Virginia. “There’s nothing like 48 hours with 25 other peo-
ple to get you connected,” Thomas said. One of the goals for the small group is to create a close-knit network. “We hope that two years from now, this first … cohort, they will be a support system for each other,” he said. Administrators are confident that the principals will be satisfied with the time spent attaining their degrees despite the challenges of balancing the program with their day jobs. “I told them when we launched it last week, two words will describe them at the end of the program: exhausted and exhilarated,” Almeida said. “It’s a real Georgetown degree. We don’t change our standards. ... We don’t dumb it down.” “Their first few weeks in the program, probably the majority realize that despite the truth in advertising, it’s even more intense than they expected,” Thomas added. “What we find, though, [is that] once the executives are into the experience, they get hooked on the learning.” After the first group of principals graduates in December 2013, the university hopes to continue to further develop and improve the program. “I think we have the seeds of something extremely wonderful here,” Almeida said. “Now we have to nurture that and grow it.”
Corp Ink Expands Services Michael Donnay Special to The Hoya
Students of Georgetown, Inc. founded Corp Ink, a campus printing service, in December 2011. Now, The Corp has expanded the service to include T-shirt design and video production targeted toward student groups on the Hilltop. According to Corp Ink Director Ian Lundy (MSB ’15), these sectors of Corp Ink are a consolidation of three formerly internal Corp services: high-quality printing and video production from Corp Marketing and Corp T-shirt Art Graphics, or “Corp TAG.” In 2011, The Corp first made these services available to the public, but combined them within Corp Ink this year. Along with providing printing services, Corp Ink also employs a design team that helps student groups with organizational branding. Director of Printing Christopher Kennedy (NHS ’14) said that
the company is looking for opportunities to expand its services. “We’re open to any idea as long as it falls in this general category,” Kennedy said. “Our hope is that we will be the first [choice] ... for student groups to do their printing.” Part of that expansion strategy involves cutting the turnaround time for orders. While this time is currently at three days for posters and flyers and 10 days for banners, The Corp is aiming to reduce this production period as the business develops more streamlined practices. “Right now, we’re still in an analysis phase [of] understanding our pricing and product range,” Lundy said. “We are trying to figure out the most economical way to serve the students.” Corp Ink is the organization’s first new business to open since Corp Catering, which launched in 2008. The Corp previously operated a photo-printing service, Full
Exposure, which began in 2000, but it closed within four years because of the rising popularity of digital photography. Despite its small number of staffers, Corp Ink has already begun to find business among the campus community. The service produced flyers, invitations, programs and video content for Rangila in November. Rangila Co-Chair Neha Sobti (COL ’13) said she was pleased with Corp Ink’s service. “It turned out to be a great contract and partnership, and it was also really important to help out another student organization,” Sobti said. Corp Ink is not limited to student group usage, although individuals who purchase the service must meet a minimum quantity for their order. Lundy said he hopes Corp Ink can develop into an “obvious go-to” for student groups. “In five years I want us to be serving half of the organizations on campus,” he said.
NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013
THE HOYA
A7
Week Celebrates GUSA Evaluates Intellectual Space Jesuit Heritage REPORT, from A1
MADISON ASHLEY
celebration lacked focus. Specific events included in the week-long celebration will be This week, it will not be un- different this year, with new common to see a Jesuit spik- additions including a Jesuits ing a volleyball in Yates Field vs. Students Shootout during House, playing guitar in Mc- the men’s basketball game Neir Auditorium or leading a against Seton Hall University Wednesday and a discussion Hindu worship service. These happenings are of Jesuit values and LGBTQ among the events of the 13th identity. The committee also inannual Jesuit Heritage Week, a celebration honoring the creased the event’s social meJesuit tradition at Georgetown dia presence by promoting that began with an opening the week’s events through Mass in Gaston Hall Sunday Facebook and Twitter, as did and will continue through University President John J. DeGioia, who sent a campusSaturday. “The goal is to help people wide email and mentioned understand the tradition the week’s events on his Facebook page. of which Pulaski they are a “I’d like to think that and Colpart, and its differ- Jesuit values are lived lins worked closely with ent aspects: other mema c a d e m i c , out at Georgetown.” bers of the spiritual, artistic and MARYA PULASKI (COL ‘13) Georgetown Jesuit Heritage Week co-chair community, social,” including said Vice President for the Office of Mis- the department of performsion and Ministry Fr. Kevin ing arts, Lauinger Library staff and non-Catholic religious O’Brien, S.J. Jesuit Heritage Week was groups. Pulaski and Collins menfounded in 2000 by students aiming to connect under- tioned Lives of the Georgegraduates with Jesuits. Most town Jesuits, an event which Jesuit universities in the Unit- Jesuits will share their stories ed States have similar celebra- with students and parents, and the Jesuit Heritage Week tions of their heritage. O’Brien advised this year’s Jam, at which Fr. Patrick RogJesuit Heritage Week student ers, S.J., will perform alongcommittee, which was led by side students and members co-chairs Marya Pulaski (COL of Campus Ministry, as high’13) and John Collins (COL ’14). lights. Pulaski stressed that the “I chose [Pulaski and Collins] because they are deeply Heritage Week is a represendevoted to our Jesuit tradi- tation of Georgetown’s core tion,” O’Brien said. “They are Jesuit values in action. “I’d like to think that Jesuit very active in university life, creative and deeply commit- values are lived out at Georgeted to developing their faith town,” Pulaski said. “This is life and putting it into action. the perfect opportunity to acThey embody the spirit of knowledge the Jesuit values that we see on a daily basis Georgetown.” This year, the planning but don’t always recognize. committee reduced the num- We can really see these valber of events from 28 to 22 ues come alive in the student after finding that last year’s body.” Hoya Staff Writer
overheard discussions about intellectual space on campus. GUSA published a similar report in 2010, which was conducted by the Student Space Working Group. “This report is more of a follow up of the 2010 report on a smaller scale,” GUSA Chief of Staff Jake Sticka (COL ’13) said. “The idea instead is to have a full study of what our spaces inventory on campus look like, especially the space students used in private life other than classrooms for intellectual discussions with both professors and fellow students.” Mooney acknowledged that the Student Life Report and Intellectual Life Report compiled by the Main Executive Campus Faculty in 2008 both dealt with
this issue, but he stressed that the upcoming report has a more specific focus. “Looking at space is a way that we can look at one unique element of that intellectual life that is both meaningful and manageable,” Mooney said. “It’s like taking the big, broad picture of intellectual life and recognizing how large it is and taking a little chunk of that and working on that.” GUSA will consult with the university administration to implement the report’s recommendations. “We hope we can provide a broad set of recommendations that will show to the university that we’re thinking about this reasonably, whether it’s small changes to the way rooms are structured with a few extra chairs or big suggestions in new ways the univer-
sity can organize some aspect of itself in the next five to 10 years,” Mooney said. Mooney added that the central goal of the report is to base its recommendations on locations where students already gather. “We want to think about where students are, which leads us to consider spaces such as the ICC Galleria, which is next to the most trafficked spot on campus,” Mooney said. “We also want to think about what impact will the New South Student Center have on spaces, where students will be, where the traffic will be flowing.” “Without the right kind of spaces, students can’t have the kind of intellectual experience they should have,” Askonas said.
Senate Suggests Disciplinary Reform DISCIPLINE, from A1 program that many people have learned from.” Georgetown University Student Association Senate Vice Speaker Zach Singer (SFS ’15), who sponsored the bill, pointed out that the opportunity for students to expunge disciplinary records would provide an incentive not to commit future violations. “I know that freshmen make a lot of mistakes,” Singer said. “Many get in trouble on their first week on campus and have that hanging over their heads for the next four years. If there’s this incentive to be good, to not drink or be noisy on weekend or weekday nights, to not commit further violations, I think people will be more likely not to do it [again].” Student Advocacy Office senior advocate Constantine Petallides (SFS ’13) agreed that the suggested policy revision would provide students with an incentive to alter their behavior, but expressed reservations about the actual effect of the proposed bill. “I think it’s a great experiment because the way things have been going right now, we’ve had the system where it stays with you forever and then the next offense will always be worse, disciplinary-wise,” Petallides said. “It can definitely spark some people to change … [but] will it work?
Only time will tell. Freshmen will be freshmen, but it is definitely worth the experiment.” The majority of the debate on the bill among GUSA members centered on if Singer’s argument that minor disciplinary records from a student’s freshman year would affect his or her application to graduate schools and jobs is valid. “I want to have a part of a forgiving
“Freshmen make a lot of mistakes.” ZACH SINGER (SFS ‘15) GUSA senate vice speaker
educational system, where if law or medical schools ask for the records, it would not harm the student,” Singer said. However, GUSA senator Abby Cooner (SFS ’16) questioned if disciplinary records play a significant role on a student’s resume. “I think there is merit to this idea, but I’m not sure, if this were implemented, whether a noise violation in freshman year would be a big difference in the job market anyway,” Cooner said. GUSA senator Ben Mishkin (SFS ’13), who voted against the resolution, agreed with Cooner that he has not
heard of incidents in which students are turned down by employers due to disciplinary records. “If you’re applying for a job, your freshman-year drinking shouldn’t make a difference and I haven’t heard that as a problem. In principle, I don’t see why we’re allowing this,” Mishkin said. Mishkin suggested that further research to prove if disciplinary records have substantially affected job opportunities should be conducted before the bill is seriously considered by students or the administration. “If we want to be taken seriously, we should take the time to withdraw the bill and do more research to demonstrate there are incidents where an employer says to a student, ‘You were drinking in your freshmen year, so you’re out,’” Mishkin said. Petallides also pointed out that the resolution will likely require more concrete research before it can be brought to administrators. “I think it’s an aspirational bill. I think this is a great year of change and experimenting in the disciplinary process. But this one, as it is written right now, may be a bit of a reach. It’s definitely a good idea, it’s definitely something to be explored, but it may need some work if something is actually going to come of it,” Petallides said.
A8
SPORTS
THE HOYA
MEN’S BASKETBALL
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013
GAME OF CHANGE
No Matter the Label, Flacco Proves Worth E
CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA
With his hustle and defense, junior forward Nate Lubick (34) did more to help secure Saturday’s upset over the Cardinals than the stat line may suggest, according to Head Coach John Thompson III.
Hoyas Break Press, Keep Streak LOUISVILLE, from A10 be the winning basket. “The dead ball before his basket, he said, ‘I’ma get one, coach, I’ma get one.’ And then he goes out and does it,” Thompson III said. “I tell him all the time that he’s one of the most athletic people on this planet,” Starks said. “He just came out of nowhere. ... It was unbelievable.” After a few mostly fruitless possessions for both teams, Louisville junior guard Russ Smith elevated for a jumper at the top of the key with 35 seconds left and the Cardinals down a point. He missed badly, Porter grabbed an easy rebound and Louisville junior center Gorgui Dieng promptly wrapped up the Hoyas’ star. The baseline referee initially seemed to indicate a foul on Dieng — which most of the arena believed to be accurate — but proceeded to call a jump ball, which returned possession to the Cardinals and provoked the loudest chorus of boos at Verizon Center in recent memory.
Louisville senior guard and Big East preseason player of the year Peyton Siva dribbled off a screen and tossed up a game-winning attempt that clanged off the back rim. Georgetown sophomore guard Jabril Trawick tipped the ball to Porter, who was fouled immediately and sank one of two free throws to seal the game. The Cardinals were favored coming into the game despite their losing streak, as most experts agreed that the weak Georgetown offense would stand no chance against Louisville Head Coach Rick Pitino’s high-pressure defense. But Louisville’s own inability to make shots meant that the Cardinals couldn’t set up their press as often as Pitino liked, so the Hoyas often advanced the ball unmolested. “Our press is great. I think it’s one of the best presses in the country,” Pitino said. “The problem with us is we don’t get it on enough because we shoot such a low percentage. If we could ever shoot not great, just 45, 46 percent, our press would do serious damage.” When the visitors did manage
to score and set up their pressure, Starks dribbled around the defense and essentially served as a one-man press break. The junior played one of his best games of the season, holding Siva scoreless and hitting several big shots to stave off Louisville’s rally attempt, including a step-back jumper with a defender’s hand inches from his face. “It’s easy to look at the points, and he hit big shots when we needed them,” Thompson III said. “But more importantly, fighting over their ball screens, getting in front of their guards — it’s work, hard work. And I thought he did that all night.” The Cardinals shot 4-of-10 from the free throw line in the second half of their two-point loss. Georgetown won the battle of the boards against Dieng and the strong Louisville frontcourt, which Pitino cited as a major reason for his team’s result. The Hoyas improve to 4-1 without the services of sophomore forward Greg Whittington, who remains academically ineligible. “I’m thinking of suspending a player,” Pitino quipped afterward.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Transition Stressed Against UC WILL EDMAN
Hoya Staff Writer
The Georgetown women’s basketball team (12-8, 3-4 Big East) is nearing the end of a soft stretch in its schedule, and in order to keep its NCAA tournament hopes alive, the Hoyas must take advantage. Coming off a 69-57 win against reeling Pittsburgh (9-10, 0-6 Big East), the Blue and Gray will face Big East cellar-dwellers Cincinnati (8-11, 0-6 Big East) tonight at McDonough Arena. Georgetown will hope to avoid a letdown game as it finishes a run of four straight games against Big East teams with losing conference records. However, Head Coach Keith Brown warned that the Bearcats will likely play better than their record suggests. “Cincinnati is not a bad basketball team. They haven’t won a Big East game yet, but that kind of scares me,” Brown said. “For some reason, we get everybody’s best game, so they probably think that there is no better place to start winning games than at Georgetown.” The Hoyas have faced a brutally unbalanced Big East schedule this season, suffering routs at the hands of No. 3 Connecticut, Syracuse and No. 2 Notre Dame in three straight games earlier in the season. Since then, they have rebounded by sandwiching a tough away loss to Rutgers with a victory against Seton Hall and Saturday’s win against Pitt. On Saturday, Georgetown also saw its standing in the Big East improve as Seton Hall beat Rutgers and Villanova topped Syracuse. The Hoyas can bring their conference record to .500 and further climb up the standings with a win against the Bearcats. “I think our girls do understand that we’re still in [the Big East race],” Brown said. “So I don’t look at this as being a trap game. I think they see it as a game where they can get back into contention in the Big East.” The Hoyas will like their chances at home today, as they have racked up a 7-2 overall record in McDonough while only managing one away win in conference play so far. “When you play in the Big East, you always tell your kids, ‘Win all your home games, and let’s hope that we can steal one or two on the road,’” Brown said. “It’s just hard to win on
lite: adjective. Representing the player is superior or which player is most choice or select; the best. most likely to reach — or even surpass We may know Merriam-Web- — the achievements of Michael Jordan, ster’s definition of the word, but when but when it comes down to it, no one it comes to NFL quarterbacks, fans and can definitively say which player is betpundits alike struggle to understand ter; just like no one can say with cerits meaning. While “analysts” like Skip tainty which quarterbacks are elite. Bayless might think they have it all One could argue the number of Sufigured out, labelling a quarterback as per Bowl appearances should deterelite or not elite is not only pointless mine whether a quarterback is elite but also misleading. (John Elway and Brady are tied with All of the quarterbacks in the NFL five), or maybe the number of conare the best of the best — that is why secutive games with a touchdown pass they are in the NFL to begin with. should be the decisive factor (Aaron While some quarterbacks may have Rodgers broke Unitas’ record this year higher quarterback ratings or longer with 48). But these legends achieved win streaks, this has more to do with such landmarks over long, full careers. their amount of experience, the pro- When evaluating Flacco, who has only tection their offensive been in the league line can provide, the for five years, it better talent and speed of serves the purpose to their receiving core, compare him with antheir coaching staff other of his contempoand, yes, luck. Unraries. doubtedly, there are Enter Matt Ryan. some all-time greats, The Falcons gunslinger for whom everything was in the same 2008 came together at the draft class as Flacco, Laura Wagner right time, such as and comparisons Johnny Unitas, Joe have been constantly Montana, Dan Marino, You’d struggle to find a drawn between the Tom Brady and Peyton two throughout their QB who throws a better young careers. Ryan Manning. But for every Hall of deep ball than Flacco. has a slightly higher caFamer, there exist othreer QBR in the regular er quarterbacks with season, with 90.9, but just as much talent and determination Flacco’s career QBR for the postseason that simply don’t rack up the yardage is 114.7, which blows Ryan’s postseaand put up the points like these leg- son QBR away. Ryan has 25 more caends. Case in point: Joe Flacco. reer touchdowns than Flacco, but FlacJournalistic standards compel me to co is 8-4 in career postseason games to disclose that I am a Ravens fan. I am Ryan’s 1-4. Both athletes are talented, thrilled for their upcoming trip to the but you would be hard-pressed to find Super Bowl, and I hope that Flacco will a quarterback who can throw a better, finally get the credit he deserves. But I more precise deep ball than Flacco. also know it is not just about him. (It I’m not saying that Flacco is betis not just about Ray Lewis either, by ter than Ryan or Ryan is better than the way, despite what the media wants Flacco, but the “elite” label has been us to believe.) Football is a team sport, thrown around quite a bit when talkand labeling quarterbacks as “elite” ing about Ryan, while the same people takes away from the achievements of seem determined not to bestow the the team. title on his Ravens counterpart. Flacco has eight playoff wins in five Flacco deserves more credit than he seasons, and he boasts a respectable gets, but not in the form of some arcareer QBR of 86.3. His critics will say tificial, meaningless label. Joe Flacco that he has struggled on the road, is an exceptional quarterback because which is true, but in this year’s play- he is a team quarterback. He plays well offs, the Ravens won two consecutive within the Ravens’ system and comes road playoff games against two of the through in big games when the presleague’s most “elite” quarterbacks, sure is at its peak. Manning and Brady. Do these victories If the Ravens win the Super Bowl, cancel out the road losses during the there will still be critics who say that season? Does beating an elite quarter- they won because of the Ravens’ deback make you elite? Beating two elite fense or kicker Justin Tucker or Lewis quarterbacks? Can you see where I am or even destiny. While all these factors going with this? (save destiny, maybe) would contribute The whole elite versus not elite dis- to a Ravens Super Bowl win, Flacco cussion is moronic. Kobe Bryant and will be among those most deserving of Lebron James are arguably two of the credit. best NBA players of their generation, Humble, talented and passionate on maybe of all time. Bryant has five and off the field, “elite” doesn’t even championship rings; James has only begin to describe Joe Flacco. one. But Lebron has received three MVPs in nine years, while it took Kobe Laura Wagner is a sophomore in the over a decade to get just one. NBA fans College. GAME OF CHANGE appears cannot help but squabble over which every Tuesday.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
GU Holds on Despite Late Complacency PITTSBURGH, from A10 FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA
Senior guard Sugar Rodgers put up 25 points against Pitt and will likely be engaged in a one-on-one duel tonight with Dayeesha Hollins. the road in the Big East because there are so many good teams.” Still, Brown noted that the Hoyas could find success in that difficult endeavor if they focus on improving their transition game, both on the offensive and defensive sides. “We want to be able to get up and down the floor, and we want to be able to defend. We want to be able to get back and stop the ball,” he said. Even with improved fast-break play against Cincinnati, however, Georgetown will still continue to rest much of its hopes on the play of star senior guard Sugar Rodgers. Rodgers ranks second in the nation in scoring with 24.1 points per game — a figure bolstered by her 25-point outing against Pitt — and added to her accolades when she was named to the midseason top-20 list for the prestigious Wooden Award for the third time in her four years on the Hilltop. Brown said that he believes Rodgers should be a serious contender for the honor. “Sugar’s been doing some terrific things on and off the court. She probably should get more publicity than she actually gets because she’s
that good of a player,” Brown said. “I think that she’s one of the top two or three best basketball players in the Big East. The Big East is a conference that sends eight to nine teams per year into the tournament, so she’s doing it against the best competition.” And Rodgers’ on-court actions aren’t all that has made Brown happy to have No. 14 on his side. “She’s been great at being a captain with the younger players because we have such a young team,” Brown said. “She also does a great job with the media and with the kids that come to the game. Everybody loves Sugar, and she’s mentoring kids all over the place because so many of them admire her.” Although Cincinnati has no players with Rodgers’ star power, they do boast a guard who can score in bunches in redshirt junior Dayeesha Hollins, who is averaging 15.7 points per game. Due to Rodgers’ and Hollins’ talents, tonight’s game could become a head-to-head battle — one where Rodgers and Georgetown would appear to have the advantage. The game will tip off at 8 p.m. in McDonough Arena.
numerous poor shots, which allowed the Blue and Gray to get out on the break. With White and her teammates cleaning up on the boards — outrebounding their counterparts 25-18 in the period — those fast-break chances came early and often. “I think they are starting to get it and are starting to play with a sense of urgency,” Brown said of his players. “And when you play with a sense of urgency, you have the opportunity to see how we can truly be a good defensive team.” In contrast with previous games, the Hoyas closed out the half strong, going on 14-7 run giving them the 3319 halftime lead. Georgetown’s momentum continued into the second half, extending their lead to 43-25 out of the locker room. The Hoyas quickly established their dominance as they went inside to senior center Sydney Wilson on three consecutive trips. But the Blue and Gray began to get sloppy as time wound down. The Hoyas forced shots, were slow getting back in transition and failed to crash the defensive boards, which drove the Panthers’ 17-11 run. “I think we were winning by too many points and they just got sloppy. They stopped playing hard. You never want that as a coach, but it happens sometimes,” Brown said. “We played
a lot of kids that don’t play as many minutes as they usually play, but you want to give some of the younger kids an opportunity to play.” Although Georgetown saw its 23-point lead dwindle to just 10, strong free-throw shooting and more fast-break layups proved to be enough to walk away with the 69-57 victory. “It was a physical game, but I think since we were up, we stopped playing and then they came back. … We have to play hard all of the time,” Rodgers said. “We gave up a lot of rebounds and second-chance points.” The Hoyas dominated scoring in the paint to the tune of a 38-16 advantage, but a spectacular second-half rebounding effort by Pittsburgh gave the Panthers a 48-39 final edge in rebounds. Rodgers led all scorers with 25 points and added nine assists, while White chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds. Pittsburgh sophomore guard Brianna Kiesel led the way for the Panthers with 22 points. “I told the girls that I don’t know what our standing is in the Big East — I don’t know how we are going to finish the season,” Brown said. “But if we just play one game at a time, we have a better opportunity of doing some good things.” “I think that the win gives us a lot of momentum going forward,” White echoed. “We have to get wins, so this will build up our confidence.”
SPORTS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013
THE HOYA
A9
MEN’S BASKETBALL
TRACK & FIELD
Springer, Women’s Relay Defensive Focus Key in Win Lead Way at Penn State ASHWIN WADEKAR Hoya Staff Writer
PATRICK MUSGRAVE
Andre was operating at around 90 percent strength as a result of his illness but that he Hoya Staff Writer is steadily improving and should be back to The Georgetown track and field team con- full strength in the coming weeks. That news bodes well for the Hoya sprints tinued its march through the indoor regular season on Friday and Saturday at the squad, especially since Andre contributed to Penn State National invitational, with sev- a school record while still under the weather. “The 4x200 did a great job. Andre and Akeral Big East qualifying standards met and record broken on both the men’s and the ers ran great legs, and Smith and Hunter were very solid,” Henner said. “This group women’s sides. Leading the charge for the Blue and really has a lot of potential — they’re going Gray’s men’s team was senior All-American to have to keep working hard, but this time Andrew Springer, who took third place in does show that the potential is there.” The women’s side was just as impressive, the mile in 4:01.65. Springer ran a wellexecuted tactical race, hanging with the with several distance runners and sprinters leaders through the first four laps of the hitting the Big East standards. The performance of the day for the wom200-meter track. He averaged a shade under 30 seconds per 200 meters for the first en was the distance medley relay team, half of the race, coming through the 800m which ran 11:13.07, the fastest time in the country this season. mark at about 2:00. Junior Chelsea Cox With 600m to go, “They’re going to have to led off for the Hoyas in Springer made a small the opening 1200m of move to try to get around keep working hard ... but the relay and clocked in Penn State senior Sam around 3:35. Junior DeMasters, who led most the potential is there.” seree King, up next, ran of the race. At the same Patrick Henner her 400m in a careertime, Nittany Lion freshDirector of Track and Field and Cross Country best 54 seconds, an efman Brannon Kidder fort that was followed by swung to the outside and passed Springer and Masters. The lead- senior Rachel Schneider’s 2:06 split in the ing Masters then dropped back, and Kidder 800m leg. Sophomore Katrina Coogan was took the lead with Springer hot on his heels then handed the baton all alone, and she and Villanova freshman Robert Denault proceeded to run a 4:44 against no compelurking a few paces back. With 300m to go, tition to propel her team to one of the top Denault made a move to pass Springer, who times in the country. “They did a really nice job, and all of was unable to cover Denault’s move but those athletes came ready to run. They also held off the rest of the field to finish third. “Springer probably had the best perfor- recovered nicely for their individual races,” mance for the men’s team,” Director of Henner said. Recover nicely they did, as Schneider Track and Field and Cross Country Patrick Henner said. “He ran really tough, putting came back on Saturday and ran a 2:43.34 himself in the right spot the entire race. 1000m, setting a personal record and breakWe’ve been training really hard, and so he ing a school record that had stood for over just didn’t have the pop in his legs in that 20 years in the process. King then won the last 300 meters. The 4:01 [time] right now invitational 500m in 1:12.57, while Coogan took fourth in the mile in 4:39.74 to break for him, though, was a darn good run.” The Hoyas had more success in the sprint- the 4:40 barrier for the first time. “We had a great meet, [although] it wasn’t ing department, with the 4x200 relay team of freshman Mike Andre, junior Hansel Ak- do-or-die for us as to hitting NCAA standard ers, sophomore Tyler Smith and senior Ka- times,” Henner said. “But I think that we’re deem Hunter taking third place in a school- showing that we’re going to be able to run really fast in a lot of different areas in the record-setting 1:27.99. Andre led off with a solid opening leg, next few weeks.” Georgetown track and field will be back especially considering the fact that he was sidelined with an illness for last week’s in action Feb. 9 at the BU Valentine InvitaHoya Invitational. Henner explained that tional.
MEN’S SOCCER
Sophomore forward Otto Porter Jr. snagged his 12th rebound of the game, pulled the ball close to his chest and drew a foul with 1.4 seconds left that all but put away one of the most exciting games at Verizon Center in recent memory in a 53-51 win. Georgetown fans should be used to close wins against Louisville now, though. The Blue and Gray have been on the winning end of every contest with the Cardinals since 2009, eking out a victory in each of the last three years. Incredibly, since joining the Big East, Louisville has a winning record against every conference opponent except for one — Georgetown. The key to the Hoyas’ success, once again, was a difference in shooting. Even though Georgetown has committed more turnovers than its opponent in each of its five wins against Louisville, the Hoyas have managed a higher field-goal percentage in every contest. Both of those trends continued Saturday, but — as with so many other games this season for John Thompson III’s team — it wasn’t pretty. The Hoyas, who shot below 40 percent themselves, held the Cardinals to just 34.8 percent from the field and their lowest point total of the entire year. So the defense once again pulled through for the Hoyas, who forced 13 turnovers and held Louisville to 27.3 percent from beyond the arc. There’s not much left that needs to be said about the defense. Even without suspended sophomore forward Greg Whittington, arguably the team’s best defender, individual players stepped up and combined to provide outstanding team defense. But perhaps nobody was more impressive in that category than junior guard Markel Starks, who held Big East preseason player of the year Peyton Siva scoreless. The Louisville point guard committed four fouls in just 23 minutes on the floor. “You don’t want to make it mano a mano, but at some point you have to take pride in playing defense,” Starks said at the post-game press conference. “At some point or another, you have to just say, ‘I need to defend.’” But despite stellar defense, Georgetown still succumbed to the same offensive lapses that have plagued them all year. After scoring 27 points in the first 13 minutes of the game, Georgetown struggled for the rest of the half, managing only six points — four of which came on free throws.
CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA
Sophomore forward Otto Porter Jr. had a game-high 12 rebounds Saturday to make up for Whittington’s absence. The difference? Once Louisville committed to a fullcourt press followed by a zone defense in the halfcourt set, Georgetown began to settle for long three-point shots; of the Hoyas’ five field-goal attempts in the last seven minutes, four of them were from beyond the arc and none went in. The only made basket came by way of a putback from junior forward Nate Lubick made possible by a missed three-pointer from Starks. The Cardinals regularly switched between man-toman and zone defense in the second half, and the frequent changes paid off. Georgetown recorded just 20 points — and more importantly, just one assist — in the second half. If not for clutch shots from Starks and Porter Jr. — as well as the highlight of the game, an acrobatic tipin from redshirt sophomore guard Aaron Bowen that proved to be the winning basket — Georgetown would have emerged on the wrong end of the tight contest. The Hoyas have been unable to consistently break the zone, and until they find a way to do so, they will likely have to rely on their defense to win big games. Thompson III has tried a variety of players in the middle of the zone, including sophomore forward Mikael Hopkins, Porter Jr., Lubick and freshman guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, but none has been effective in minimizing turnovers and converting from the field consistently. Other offensive trends are troubling as well. For one, Georgetown turned the
ball over 16 times and can count itself fortunate that those turnovers only led to 15 points; seven of those turnovers came at the hands of Porter Jr. Despite SmithRivera’s defensive strides, he shot just 10 percent from the field and chipped in only five points. And, perhaps most importantly, a weak interior presence allowed Louisville several offensive rebounds that eventually gave the Cardinals a brief lead. When it mattered most, Georgetown was the team that pulled down the key rebound and came up with the loose ball; it was Georgetown that stepped up with clutch free throws and big jump shots; and it was Georgetown that left Verizon Center with a confidence-building win. After all, wins of any variety are hard to come by in this league, and any should be lauded. When they come against a tough Louisville team that was hungry for a win after dropping two straight, that’s just gravy. Still, with an upset-minded Seton Hall team coming down to the Phonebooth on Wednesday, this is no time to bask in Saturday’s afterglow. It can’t be emphasized enough: Saturday’s win was impressive, but Georgetown must now find the consistency that has eluded it all season if the team wants to make a run in March. Perhaps Thompson III summarized it best in his post-game press conference. “You literally have to play well every night or you’re going to lose in this league,” Thompson III said. “This is a very good win against an outstanding team.”
TURNING TWO IN THE 202
Upton Bros. Swing NL Race BRAVES, from A10 the winter, only to make an even greater move by swinging a blockbuster trade for Upton’s brother, Justin, from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a sevenplayer trade. The collaboration of the Upton brothers with incumbent right fielder Jason Heyward elevates an above-average outfield to an elite trio. While Martin Prado (traded to the Diamondbacks but projected to move to third base) and Michael Bourn (free agent) were excellent producers for the Braves in 2012, the team’s outfield not only projects to perform well in 2013 but also looks as if it will be even better in the future. B.J. Upton, the elder brother at age 28, is fresh off a 28-home-run and 31-stolen-base season. Justin, 25, joins Atlanta after a “disappointing” 2012 campaign that featured a .280 average, 17 home runs and 18 stolen bases that followed a .289, 31 and 21 year in 2011. Jason Heyward, just 23, made strides in his third season with a 27-homerun and 21-stolen base year.
The Upton brothers ultimately fit perfect roles with their new club as right-handed bats to balance a previously overwhelmingly left-handed order. Replacing Bourn with Upton in center field is arguably a downgrade based on their 2012 performances, but Bourn, a player who relies on speed, projects to deteriorate at a greater rate in the future than Upton, who offers greater longevity with his power. Likewise, Upton offers superior pedigree as a former second overall draft pick and top prospect, while Bourn more closely embodies the profile of an overachiever, a player who was not projected to perform as well as he has to date. Though one could argue that, with six professional seasons under their belts, Upton and Bourn have developed into their final form as players, the former still remains closer to his prime to develop further. The acquisition of the younger Justin Upton, however, remains the biggest wild card and potential lottery ticket. In acquiring Martin Prado, pitcher Randall Delgado and
three prospects for Upton and third baseman Chris Johnson, the Diamondbacks sold low on their former franchise player. As a former top overall draft pick who has yet to reach his peak at age 25, Upton still maintains the realistic possibility of blossoming into one of the best players in the game. Even if the Uptons fail to develop as significantly as projected, the acquisitions nonetheless ensure that the Braves will remain a realistic contender for the division title in 2013 and beyond. As of now, the Nationals still project as the favorite to win the NL East — and arguably the entire league — but the Braves have vaulted themselves into baseball’s upper echelon as legitimate championship contenders as well. It is only January, but baseball is right around the corner, and 2013 is shaping up to be another thrilling year for the NL East’s top two clubs.
Preston Barclay is a junior in the McDonough School of Business. TURNING TWO IN THE 202 appears every Tuesday.
SPORTS
BASKETBALL Hoyas (14-4) vs. Seton Hall (13-7) Wednesday, 7 p.m. Verizon Center
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013
GAME OF CHANGE
Laura Wagner argues that Joe Flacco isn’t getting the credit he deserves. See A8
TALKING POINTS
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NUMBERS GAME
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Let’s get this straight: That’s a hell of a team.
Men’s basketball Head Coach John Thompson III on the Louisville Cardinals
The number of school records that the Georgetown track and field team broke this weekend at Penn State.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
HOLLANDER
Teamwork Georgetown Prevails in Big East Thriller Led to GU Revival G Starks and Porter score 17 each in the Hoyas’ upset of then-No. 5 Louisville PAT CURRAN
Hoya Staff Writer
eorgetown fans lingered at Verizon Center Saturday afternoon after the Hoyas downed No. 5 Louisville in a 53-51 thriller, as a mixture of disbelief and joy washed over the supporters of a team that defeated two top-25 squads in the span of six days. Meanwhile, outside the Cardinals’ locker room, disappointment abounded. Head Coach John Thompson III and his players had the opposite reaction, something that seemed improbable after a loss at South Florida a week before and with sophomore forward Greg Whittington — arguably the team’s best player aside from classmate Otto Porter Jr. — riding the bench indefinitely due to academic issues. Even the most optimistic on the Hilltop had written this team off. What, then, made Louisville Head Coach Rick Pitino joke that he too was considering suspending a player? “These guys are doing a better job of helping each other,” Thompson III explained after the game. “Particularly at the defensive end.” Just as it did for Andy Dufresne in “The Shawshank Redemption,” salvation lay within for these Hoyas. From Markel Starks to Nate Lubick — and Aaron Bowen and Moses Ayegba, especially — this team has dug deeper and found more. That’s not to undersell the degree to which Whittington is missed. Thompson
CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA
Junior point guard Markel Starks tied for the game high in points Saturday with 17, but it was his stellar defense on Louisville’s standout senior guard Peyton Siva that had the biggest impact in the close win.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Cardiac Cards are back in town. Georgetown edged then-No. 5 Louisville in a 53-51 screamer Saturday afternoon, its second upset of a nationally ranked team this week. Sophomore forward Otto Porter Jr. and junior guard Markel Starks scored 17 points apiece for the Hoyas (14-4, 4-3 Big East), who move into a seven-way tie for third place in the conference with the win. The Cardinals (16-4, 4-3 Big East) dropped their third straight game after starting 16-1, a streak that sent them down to No. 12 in Monday’s AP poll. “Let’s get this straight: That’s a hell of a team. That’s one of the best teams in the country,” Georgetown Head Coach John Thompson III said of Louisville. “I think it speaks to how strong this league is that one of the best teams in the country could lose a couple of games in a row. ... That’s a very good win against an outstanding team.” Georgetown controlled the game for much of the first half, but Louisville made a mid-second-half run that set the stage for a finish that will go down in Verizon Center history. With the score knotted at 50 and just under four minutes left to play, freshman guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera broke free for a layup but missed his mark. Redshirt sophomore guard Aaron Bowen raced in from the wing, timed his jump perfectly and skied for a spectacular backwards tip-in that would prove to See LOUISVILLE, A8
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Evan Hollander III is absolutely right when he notes that Georgetown, 4-1 without him, might be 5-0 with the forward. But if Whittington were playing, we wouldn’t have seen the hitherto unheralded junior center Ayegba — whose basketball skills remain a work in progress but whose athleticism is unquestionable — grab 10 rebounds at Notre Dame. Even more impressive was the forward Bowen, whose backward tip-in set the Phonebooth into a frenzy and helped seal Georgetown’s victory. That was his only basket of the game, although the redshirt sophomore also grabbed three rebounds and played well on defense. Of course, Ayegba and Bowen are playing more not just because Whittington is riding the bench but because junior center Mikael Hopkins consistently heads there early, bedeviled by foul trouble and butterfingers that led him to three turnovers, two points and two fouls in just 13 minutes on the floor. That created an opportunity for junior forward Nate Lubick to step into an even bigger role, something that was more apparent in his intense focus on defense and rebounding (especially helping in the post) than in points on the scoreboard. And although Starks was tied with Porter Jr. to lead all scorers, he also made a tremendous impact on defense, helping — remarkably — to hold Louisville standout Peyton Siva off the board entirely. “He hit big shots when we needed them, but, probably more importantly, he fought over those ball screens and stayed in front of their guards,” Thompson III said. For many teams, players who make big shots turn into big shots in the Billy Joel sense — too flashy and too selfish. But with a team of players who just keep digging in, Georgetown has a team ethos that is both exciting to watch and paying dividends.
EVAN HOLLANDER is a junior in the School of Foreign Service. He is a former sports editor of The Hoya.
Rodgers’ 25 Drive Bounce-Back Rout of Pitt CAROLYN MAGUIRE
their lead diminish. “Hopefully [this game] takes us on a little run. Our next game is home For better or worse, sometimes against Cincinnati. We need that the final score of a game is not en- [win],” Head Coach Keith Brown tirely indicative of the run of play. said. “Winning is contagious. If we Such was the case Saturday after- can start doing it and get on a run, noon at McDonough Arena, as the then I think it will help us down the road.” Georgetown Led by senior women’s basket- “It was a physical game, shooting guard ball team led by Sugar Rodgers as many as 23 but I think since we were and junior forpoints against ward Andrea Pittsburgh in a up we stopped playing.” White, Georgedominating peropened formance that Senior guard Sugar Rodgers town with a 16-6 run ultimately saw the Hoyas triumph by just 12, 69-57. that put Pittsburgh on its heels The Blue and Gray (12-8, 3-4 Big from the opening tip. The Hoyas’ energetic first-half East), coming off of a 55-47 loss at the hands of Rutgers, outplayed defense not only forced 12 Panthe Panthers (9-10, 0-6 Big East) for a ther turnovers but also caused majority of the game but struggled See PITTSBURGH, A8 down the stretch as they watched
Hoya Staff Writer
FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA
Junior forward Andrea White shot an efficient 6-of-8 from the floor and secured seven rebounds in a complete performance Saturday.
TURNING TWO IN THE 202
Braves’ Big Outfield Additions Threaten Nats A
rguably the two greatest surprises in MLB’s National League East in 2012 were the lackluster performances of the newly christened Miami Marlins after an active offseason and the Washington Nationals’ ascendence to baseball’s elite. With the District’s boys of summer finally significant, the rest of the division underwent massive makeovers to deal with the new situation. The Marlins and Mets struck first, but instead of strengthening their chances for 2013, they unloaded several stars for prospects. On Nov. 14,
Miami moved superstar Jose Reyes be contributors in 2014 and beyond. The Nationals’ most significant and pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark competitors for 2013, Buehrle, among others, therefore, remain the to the Toronto Blue Jays Philadelphia Phillies for a collection of young and Atlanta Braves — players and prospects two clubs with excellent not expected to make a starting rotations, strong major splash for several bullpens and formidable seasons. Likewise, New options in their lineups. York moved 2012 Cy Expected by many to conYoung Award winner R.A. tend for a World Series Dickey for two high-profile Toronto prospects — Preston Barclay title in 2012, the Phillies sputtered to a disapcatcher Travis D’Arnaud pointing 81-81 record and pitcher Noah Syndergaard — who are close to major after many of their bats, like Ryan league ready but are more likely to Howard and Chase Utley, failed to
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recover from injury as anticipated. Instead of making major additions, however, Philadelphia has only succeeded in modest acquisitions, signing reliever Mike Adams and trading for third baseman Michael Young and center fielder Ben Revere. As a result, Atlanta, fresh off a 9468 season and wild-card berth, remains Washington’s greatest threat to NL East supremacy. Hit with the loss of future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones to retirement, Atlanta signed center fielder B.J. Upton to a fiveyear, $75.25 million deal early in See BRAVES, A9