The Hoya: April 16, 2013

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S NEWSPAPER OF RECORD SINCE 1920 thehoya.com

Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 94, No. 45, © 2013

tuesday, april 16, 2013

PORTER GOING PRO

EDITORIAL Porter Jr. makes the right move in entering the NBA Draft.

The forward announced his decision Monday to forgo his final two years.

SPORTS, A10

WHAT IS ... ?

Jim Coury will appear on Jeopardy College Championship in May.

OPINION, A2

GOING GREEN A new community garden complements yearly Earth Week celebration.

NEWS, A4

NEWS, A6

Chapel Vandalism Unexplained Boston Bombings

Leave Nation Reeling

Questions about exact damages, motives remain unanswered

Hiromi Oka

Hoya Staff Writer

Hiromi Oka

Hoya Staff Writer

Dahlgren Chapel was vandalized sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning, with chairs, an organ mirror and panel and a crucifix among the items damaged.

Although Director of Media Relations Rachel Pugh confirmed that the university has taken measures to tighten security around the chapel since the incident, neither she nor Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety Jay Gruber would provide additional details on the ongoing investigation, such as whether there were operational security cameras in the chapel during the incident or if there are any leads on suspects.

According to Pugh, the incident was reported around 10 a.m. Sunday morning to the Department of Public Safety, leaving little time before the start of 11 a.m. Mass.

The 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. services were relocated to St. William’s Chapel in Copley Hall. Mass resumed in Dahlgren at 5 p.m. after the damage was cleared.

Vice President for Mission and Ministry Fr. Kevin O’Brien, S.J., stated that although the crucifix is a religious symbol, the object — which had a hand broken off — appeared to have been knocked over as the suspect tried to approach the piano and organ located behind the altar, meaning there is no concrete evidence that the

LEONEL DE VELEZ/THE HOYA

The chapel’s crucifix was among the items targeted by vandals overnight Saturday. Evidence is insufficient to declare the attack anti-religious. vandalism was inspired by antireligious sentiments.

“If the person had intended to desecrate the crucifix, I presume that a more dramatic and clear gesture damaging the crucifix would have been done,” O’Brien

“I’ve been coming here since 1973, and nothing like this has ever happened.”

SALLY KIEFER Regular Dahlgren Mass attendee

wrote in an email. “So while damage was done to the crucifix, which we condemn along with the damage to the other property in the chapel, we cannot say now that the purpose of the damage

was specifically desecration.”

While a complete inventory of the chapel’s property had not yet been taken as of press time, O’Brien stated that he did not expect any other damage to be discovered and that nothing had been found stolen.

Churchgoers were stunned to learn of the incident.

“I was shocked,” Sally Kiefer, a regular attendee of the 12:30 p.m.

Mass, said. “I’ve been coming here since 1973, and nothing like this has ever happened.”

University President John J. DeGioia sent an email to the Georgetown community at approximately 2:20 p.m. Sunday reflecting similar disappointment.

“I must underscore that acts of vandalism, especially of sacred See DAHLGREN, A5

Two bombings at the Boston Marathon yesterday, which have left at least three dead and 100 injured, have stunned and devastated the nation and the Georgetown community.

The explosions were the result of bombs that detonated near the marathon’s finish line around five hours after the race began, and police spent the rest of the day in Boston and other major cities searching for other potential explosives.

Federal officials have deemed the incident a terrorist attack, according to multiple media outlets, and the government is taking extra security mea-

See BOMBING, A5

CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA

The portion of Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House was closed as a precautionary measure after two bombs exploded in Boston yesterday.

GUSA Challenges Keg Rules

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN DIPLOMACY

Relay for Life Fundraising

sures around the country. In Washington, D.C., the portion of Pennsylvania Avenue outside of the White House was closed off to the public as a safety precaution. Officials conducted the same procedure during the Oklahoma City bombings in 1995. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is also stationing additional officers in Metro stations during rush hour.

In a press conference last night, President Obama assured the public that the government would take action against those responsible.

“We are Americans united in concern for our fellow citizens,” President Obama said. “We still do not know who

Resolution also urges relaxation of discipline on Georgetown Day Annie Chen

Hoya Staff Writer

All figures approximate

Fundraising Slump Continues for Relay Eitan Sayag

Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown’s Relay for Life raised approximately $150,000 this year, $50,000 less than in 2012, continuing its steady decline since 2010.

This year’s figure was a far cry from the peak of $400,000 in 2010 and the lowest amount raised since the event’s inception at Georgetown in 2007.

With approximately 2,000 attendees Friday, this year’s turnout also represented a slight decline over last year’s.

The all-night celebration was the culmination of year-long fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society.

“Though numbers were not as high as they were last year, that is not a measure of our success,”

Relay Co-Chair Dan Silkman (COL ’15) said. “Our success is the experience of the event and the kind of community that this event creates on campus, and so in that sense, we absolutely did succeed.”

The School of Foreign Service Diplomatic Ball coincided with Relay on Friday night, though Silkman denied that the scheduling conflict cut into turnout because the Relay committee incentivized ball attendees to attend the celebration once the ball ended.

“I don’t necessarily think that was the reason,” Silkman said.

“Our recruitment efforts were tremendous this year, but sometimes … it’s just not there. It was totally OK, and we were very proud to have the number that we did.”

DJ Wise (COL ’13), co-chair of

Newsroom: (202) 687-3415 Business: (202) 687-3947

See RELAY, A5

NATALIA ORTIZ/THE HOYA

Superfood performs at the 88th annual Diplomatic Ball on Friday. About 950 attended the event, including students, professors and diplomats.

Fr. Matthew Carnes, S.J., was awarded SFS Faculty of the Year.

Published Tuesdays and Fridays

The GUSA senate unanimously passed a resolution Sunday calling for an end to the one-keg limit for on-campus parties and for disciplinary rules and expectations for weekend nights to be applied to socializing on Georgetown Day. Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson said he would consider the proposal.

“It is possible,” Olson said. “I haven’t reached a decision yet, but I will be consulting with student leaders and administrators to reach a decision in the next few days.”

The bill involved collaboration between the Georgetown University Student Association Senate and executive.

In the executive’s 40-day plan, released April 4, GUSA President Nate Tisa (SFS ’14) and Vice President Adam Ramadan (SFS ’14) prioritized on-campus social life — in part because of its close relationship to the 2010 Campus Plan agreement — promising to address it before the end of the current academic year.

“Off-campus crackdowns are going to continue to happen. The rules are going to continue to be tightened, and people are going to start feeling it,” Tisa said. “I don’t want students to be See DISCIPLINE, A5

Send Story Ideas and Tips to news@thehoya.com

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OPINION

THE HOYA

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013

THE VERDICT

EDITORIALS

Good Luck, Otto Otto Porter Jr. (COL ’15), the 2013 Big East player of the year, declared yesterday that he will leave the Hilltop after his sophomore season to enter the NBA Draft. And before the Facebook statuses and tweets lamenting this long-predicted move commence, students should recognize two realities.

First, Porter’s decision to leave the Hilltop now is the right move for him — not in spite of his remarkable season but because of it. Porter will enter the draft this June an extremely desirable pick and will likely secure a multi-million dollar contract at age 20. Given the short career spans of professional athletes, Porter is well-advised to go pro now, prolonging the period of time that he will be able to make a living on his athletic talents and shortening the time before he signs his contract in which he could get injured. Additionally, the draft class of 2013 is widely considered a weak one, so leaving this season will maximize his draft status.

Though Porter is leaving as a 19-year-old sophomore, he indicated at yesterday’s press conference that he intends to complete his education. The plan is not without precedent: Boston Celtics for-

ward and former Hoya Jeff Green (COL ’12), who entered the 2007 NBA Draft after winning Big East player of the year in his junior season, finished his degree last summer — although an NBA lockout and season-ending injury gave Green some time away from the court.

Second, Georgetown fans should take heart in the talents and merit of the team Porter leaves behind. With no graduating seniors and the return of leaders like Markel Starks (COL ’14), Greg Whittington (COL ’15) and D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (MSB ’16), the team will surely be competitive in the new Big East. Furthermore, the Hoyas will welcome the new talents of promising freshman recruit Reggie Cameron and UCLA transfer Josh Smith.

Porter’s success has been a boon for Georgetown basketball. While the Hoyas’ postseason performance has left something to be desired, Porter was a huge part of the team’s impressive regular-season success over the past two years. But it’s time for him to leave the Hilltop, and the Hoya faithful should not begrudge him the opportunity to realize his NBA dream.

Putting the Service in IRS With the weather finally warming up and Georgetown Day right around the corner, it’s easy to forget that April is not only the season of spring but also the season of taxes.

A responsibility shouldered by many adults and families, filing income taxes can be a difficult task. With the founding of the inaugural Georgetown chapter of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, Georgetown students now have an opportunity to help.

VITA is a nationwide, federally funded program run by the Internal Revenue Service that provides free tax assistance to low-income families and individuals by hiring student volunteers to help with the process. Georgetown’s newly founded chapter will train volunteers to assist families in the D.C. community with tax filing and other financial matters starting with the 2014 tax season.

VITA presents an alternative community ser-

C C C

Streetcars We Desire — District Department of Transportation officials have outlined three plans for providing rapid transit from Georgetown to Union Station, using either a streetcar or a bus.

C

Founded January 14, 1920

Long Live the Queen — Former Senator and current Georgetown Public Policy Institute professor Richard G. Lugar is scheduled to be knighted today at the British Embassy in D.C.

Dahlgren Damage — DPS reported Sunday night that furniture and other religious items in Dahlgren Chapel were vandalized, causing the chapel’s closure for the morning.

Now Playing — The 27th annual D.C. International Film Festival will continue this week and premiere over 80 films this year.

A LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD US... @austin_hoya April 14 The Otto Hentz Scholarship Fund will now support the neediest @Georgetown students and is already growing. @thehoya @GtownVoice @martyconway

April 14 #Hoya pleased to see this mlb sports biz article from the @thehoyasports #msbgu @ErinMeadors

April 14 If a student or students vandalized Dahlgren, he/she/they all need to be expelled - period. @williamg99, thanks for sharing via @thehoya. @kellyvelez1013 April 14 A crime against God & Gtown. “@thehoya: Both organ and crucifix in Dahlgren Chapel have been vandalized and have sustained definite damage.”

vice experience, one that would draw in students who may not have been interested in more education-driven programs like D.C. Reads or D.C. Schools Project. It is an appealing opportunity not only for students looking to serve their community but also for those interested in accounting or finance — two fields typically not easily conducive to philanthropy. By offering opportunities to practice interpersonal communication and to learn the tax filing process itself, VITA will enable students to use their interests to help others and provide valuable career training for those who intend to pursue careers in finance or accounting.

As a university committed to service, it is heartening to see not only the expansion of current community service organizations but also the introduction of new ways to serve the District that add to the diversity and abundance of student service opportunities on campus.

EDITORIAL CARTOON by Megan Schmidt

Speakers of Substance In between their last classroom lectures and their first workplace or graduate school orientations, the Class of 2013 will sit through one more speech, and it’s likely to be especially pertinent to their Georgetown experiences.

Because of the size of the audience gathered and the diverse range of student interests, many universities use commencement speeches as an opportunity to draw high-profile public figures and celebrities to their campuses to deliver one speech for the entire graduating class. Georgetown, on the other hand, chooses to hold separate graduations for each school and often invites speakers whose interests and achievements reflect those of the school they address, but likely aren’t celebrities. And although few seniors would object to having Amy Poehler wish them luck like she did to the graduating class of Harvard in 2011, this unique Georgetown tradition is one worth keeping.

Last year’s speaker choices included the founder of LivingSocial for the McDonough School of Business, the founder of the Self-Employed Women’s Association for the School of Foreign Service, the former U.S. ambassador to Tanzania focused on foreign policy and health for

the School of Nursing & Health Studies and the creator of the critically acclaimed TV show “The Wire” for the College. While no speaker can perfectly represent every student who attends a particular school, the choices were well-suited for the schools they sought to address.

The commencement speech offers an opportunity for students to hear from a professional whose experience in one form or another reflects that of the school they are addressing at Georgetown. By tailoring the speaker specifically to the academic backgrounds of the audience, each speech allows for not only warm wishes and best regards but also more nuance, depth and relevance in subject matter. This tradition is especially appropriate given that Georgetown confers honorary degrees to the invited speakers. The speaker must carry the weight of the school being addressed. As such, Georgetown commencement goes beyond a mere popularity contest in allocating the university’s graduation budget to the biggest name available.

When names are unveiled for this year’s speakers, and as the process begins for selecting those for the Class of 2014, we hope to see a continued preference for substance over name recognition.

Danny Funt, Editor-in-Chief 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, Steven Piccione, Lauren Weber, Emory Wellman

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 Nick Phalen Alexander Brown 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 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

CORRECTION The story “GU Rallies for Immigration” (A1, April 12, 2013) incorrectly stated the name of a rally organizer. Her name is Shaiesha Moore, not Shaiesha Donnelly.

Mary Nancy Walter, General Manager Mariah Byrne, Director of Corporate Development James Church, Director of Finance Mullin Weerakoon, Director of Marketing Michal Grabias, Director of Personnel Michael Lindsay-Bayley, Director of Sales Kevin Tian, Director of Technology Natasha Patel Glenn Russo Martha DiSimone Nitya Rajendran Jonathan Rabar John Bauke Molly Lynch Pauline Huynh Esteban Garcia Addie Fleron Preston Marquis Taylor Doaty Brian Carden Eric Isdaner Simon Wu Sean Nolan

Alumni Relations Manager Special Programs Manager Accounts Manager Operations Manager Publishing Division Consultant Statements Manager Treasury Manager Marketing Research Manager Public Relations Manager Human Resources Manager Professional Development Manager Institutional Diversity Manager Local Advertisements Manager Online Advertisements Manager Systems Manager Web Manager

Board of Directors

Lauren Weber, Chair

Kent Carlson, Danny Funt, Evan Hollander, Dylan Hunt, Mairead Reilly, Mary Nancy Walter

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OPINION

TUESDAY, April 16, 2013

D

On TV, Nerds Find Popularity

A

n austere-sounding announcer speaks over an eerie soundtrack.

This is the beginning of nearly every modern political attack ad. Only this time, the target is different. The announcer says, “Daenerys Targaryen: She says she’s the mother of dragons.

But would you trust her with your children?” This is a parody of the wildly popular “Game of Thrones” television series, based on the books of author George R. R. Martin. The third season recently debuted on HBO with the highest ratings of any show on that network to date. Its popularity shows how viewers’ expectations of television have changed over the last decade.

“Game of Thrones” can best be described as a dark fantasy epic — complete with ample swearing and nudity because hey, it’s HBO. Yet amid the battles, dragons and ice zombies lies a show full of political intrigue. The great houses of Westeros, from the Starks to the Lannisters, all vie for the Iron Throne, backstabbing each other — or, in some cases, trying to cut off each other’s heads — along the way.

And it is telling that the breakout

The answer to partisan gridlock: more dragons. character in both the books and the show is not some mighty warrior. It is instead Tyrion Lannister, a man whose small size has earned him the name “the Imp.” Yet Tyrion uses his wit, charm and political skill to confound and surprise his enemies. The quiet moments between he and his equally conniving sister Cersei are some of the best in the show. A series that was marketed as an epic is now praised for its intimacy and the depth of its characters.

Yet “Game of Thrones” probably could not have existed even a decade ago. Producing a fantasy show that involved special effects on television or film was more expensive, and the results were almost uniformly terrible. Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy changed all this, with its third installment winning a record 11 Academy Awards. This was the moment that nerd culture finally asserted itself in the larger popular culture. Suddenly, comics, video games, science fiction and fantasy became cool.

Nowadays, the biggest movies are superhero or fantasy blockbusters. The most popular television shows are science fiction series, like “Doctor Who,” which most Americans had not even heard of a decade ago. Of course there is “Game of Thrones,” with a labyrinthine plot and complicated fantasy universe. Its immense popularity is nerd culture’s ultimate vindication.

With everyone now unleashing his or her inner nerd, the way we view television has subtly changed. In an excellent piece in The New York Times, Frank Bruni describes this phenomenon as the rise of “slow TV.” In lieu of disappointing reality television, viewers want to engage in a complex show they can discuss with their friends.

These shows include “Mad Men,” “The Killing” and “Game of Thrones.” The myth of cable news and reality TV is that viewers have short attention spans. “Game of Thrones” proves otherwise. The viewing public is crying out for deeper, more meaningful television.

Imagine how many problems we could solve if we applied our newfound love of all things complicated to things like government. A policy wonk can dream. And besides, in “Game of Thrones,” things actually get done.

The answer to partisan gridlock: more dragons. But in all seriousness, to see stereotypically nerdy things become popular is exciting and heartwarming.

It shows how much society can change in a very short time. While popular culture is just one facet of that society, its power cannot be dismissed. This brings to mind the common saying: Never be mean to a nerd, because you will probably end up working for one. With even more nerds out there, it has never seemed more apt.

Evan Monod is a junior in the College. This is the final appearance of SPOCK MEETS BARACK this semester.

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VIEWPOINT • Weiss

SPOCK MEETS BARACK

Evan Monod

THE HOYA

Recognizing Roots of Racism

espite the best efforts of both student and administrators to institutionalize diversity education at Georgetown, instances of anonymously posted racial bigotry have made it extraordinarily clear that current efforts have been ineffective in ensuring that all members of the student body understand and appreciate the value of diversity.

The most current manifestation of this racial division can be seen on the Facebook page Georgetown Confessions, which has been noted

by The Hoya’s editorial board in “Faceless Contempt” (A2, April 5, 2013) for its role in propagating racially insensitive remarks. This page, which has reached more than 2,500 posts and 1,500 followers, has become a platform for racially charged vitriol.

While shocking, this has not been the first time anonymity has been used to voice racial hostility.

In the fall semester, the advocacy group Georgetown Leaders for Unity and Equity held a demonstration in Red Square that included a sign reading, “Georgetown is institutionally racist.” While no students were vocal in their opposition during the demonstration, the anonymous comments on a later article about the protest by the Georgetown blog Vox Populi contained many racial slurs and resulted in a significant number of comments being removed by the editors of the blog for their offensive nature. Georgetown Confessions seems to be another manifestation of an ingrained and ongoing problem at this university.

The approach taken at Georgetown has been to shun or ignore

The approach taken at Georgetown has been to shun racism while unintentionally allowing it to continue. racism while unintentionally allowing it to continue privately and then vented through anonymous means.

The methodology has been, essentially, to inform students about the sort of comments or actions that could be seen as offensive and to encourage students not to make such comments or act in such a manner.

While well intentioned, this sort of diversity education will always fail because it does not foster open and honest dialogue, which is the only way to fundamentally change the hearts and minds of individuals.

When they first arrive at Georgetown, many students hold stereo-

types of different groups, perhaps despite their best efforts to keep open minds. Upon entering the heterogeneous environment on the Hilltop, these students have the opportunity to break these stereotypes, but the opportunity is lost when no forum for open dialogue exists.

New Student Orientation’s Pluralism in Action is an incredible program, but keep in mind that it occurs in the first week of the semester. Students are less likely to voice a potentially controversial point of view in such a new environment for fear of being labelled a racist by their new classmates. A white student opposed

VIEWPOINT • Bacic

to the idea of affirmative action quickly sees his views would be met with hostility and keeps his thoughts to himself. If he cannot be open about his views, he doesn’t allow for the possibility of having his mind changed and becoming informed through honest dialogue. Instead, such a student would join a racially homogenous organization on campus where he would never again be in a position to have his views challenged.

While many student organizations have “open” conversations about diversity, it is difficult to truly foster open dialogue. Productive dialogue can exist only in an environment where everyone involved feels comfortable expressing his or her point of view, and no individual fears being ostracized for disagreeing with the general consensus. If students find themselves in an environment in which they can speak their minds, it gives them the opportunity to change their minds. When controversial views are met with hostility, students will keep their views to themselves, ignore future diversity education efforts and internalize their opinions until the day they choose to express them angrily through anonymous comments. In attempting to suppress unpopular views, the university unintentionally feeds them. If we changed the dialogue at this university and were tolerant of intolerance, however, every negative stereotype would be just one honest conversation away from disappearing for good.

BENJAMIN WEISS is a sophomore in the College.

AGGIORNAMENTO

Marathon Attacks LGBT Outreach a Touch All Bostonians Catholic Church Duty

Y

esterday was supposed to be the ripe old age of 76. completely predictable.

Monday was supposed to be Even the most delusional magic.

Georgetown fan, after all, had Maybe aside from Easter, Maralong known that Otto Porter Jr. thon Monday is my brother’s (COL ’15) was leaving the men’s favorite holiday. When that text basketball team and going pro. came in during the presser, I But as I sat in the McDonough thought of him immediately.

Gymnasium lobby at Porter’s Bursting out of the McDonough press conference, my phone Gymnasium doors, I called my went off notifying me about the mom and breathed a sigh of reBoston Marathon bombing and lief. everything started to spin. It’s Will — who undoubtedly would not every day that Georgetown have been on the street watching captures the sporting world’s at- the race any other year — was in tention with a potential lottery North Carolina, having left that pick leaving early, but, suddenly, morning; my dad was working I wanted to get out of there as from home. quickly as I could.

Still, it hit me hard after I got Boston is my hometown. My off the phone how the scope of dad works on Berkeley Street, yesterday’s shocking tragedy was my brother lives on Boylston. At not at all limited to just the peonight, when the Red Sox are play- ple I knew. One way or another, ing, you can go up onto the roof- whether it’s through distant top of my brother’s apartment relatives or mere acquaintances, building, and, if you strain your the marathon touches everyone eyes enough, in Massayou can chusetts. catch a game A teacher The cruel symbolism for free. at my high of planting bombs at On the school was other end in surgery the finish line is of Boylston last night. on Monday, The details readily apparent. though, of his inarose a very juries still different and very tragic scene. aren’t clear.

Two bombs were detonated at My revelation about Boston’s inthe finish line, killing at least two herent interconnectivity quickly in the area and injuring dozens rushed over me as I walked back to more. Those nearby reported fly- my dorm, and I didn’t know what ing limbs, bloody heads and ines- to do other than to go straight to capable fear. my girlfriend’s room, wake her up Monday was supposed to be from her nap and hug her. the same great day for Boston A McLean, Va., native, Emily that it is year-in and year-out. was wearing a shirt that read, of Marathon Monday is a tradi- all things, “Boston.” tion wholly unique to our city.

She didn’t know.

We may not be able to compare On a broader level, for all inin terms of size or economic force tents and purposes, none of us to other cities, but when it comes right now really do either. to marathons, we have some 80 Twenty-six miles is a gruelyears of history on Chicago and ling challenge, one that to most 73 on New York. people seems a godly, impossible Most companies give their em- feat. I, for one, will likely never be ployees the day off, and — except able to complete it. for the case of those families linThe cruel symbolism of planting up along the streets to watch ing bombs at the finish line, firsthand — the race is on the then, is readily apparent — an act TV of every household. The vast of ungodly terror in what should majority of us don’t really know be a glorified moment of triumph any of the top competitors, but al- over both terrain and body. most everyone knows at least one Monday was supposed to be a person who is running. celebration.

In a strange way, it may just be Sport is simple — teams comthe best way for those of us from pete, there are winners and Massachusetts, who all rabidly there are losers, and at the end adore the Sox, but will likely of the day, it doesn’t really matter never make the team, to prove which one is which. ourselves, though finishing the This is different. This matters. marathon is no small feat.

There are no winners here. And The grandfather of one of my once again, as Americans, there friends from high school used to are no teams. participate in the marathon every single year, even well into his RYAN BACIC is a sophomore in 70s. He refused to stop until 2011, the College. He is sports editor his 27th race in a row coming at of The Hoya.

I

n response to concerns about lives well. the Catholic Church’s stance on When he is present in the series, same-sex marriage, Fr. Michael, Fr. Michael speaks frankly and with a character on the NBC show “The the sort of warmth and kindness New Normal,” asks, “Jesus was a that you would always hope for in fighter, son. How about you?” a parish priest. When Bryan, a gay Fr. Michael’s question reflects a character on the show, expresses deep truth for the contemporary his frustration with the Church Church. For Catholics, there ex- and his feelings of marginalization ists a serious tension between the and hate, Fr. Michael tells Bryan Church’s seemingly contradic- upfront that the Church does not tory orders: At once, the Catholic regognize homosexuality and that Church is very clear in its opposi- it is not anti-gay. Their discussion tion to same-sex marriage, but it reconciles, albeit incompletely, Bryalso calls for loving acceptance of an with the Church, surely leaving LGBT individuals in the Church. him with a much more positive viHow can we lovingly accept LGBT sion of the Church and its faith. people into the Church while siIt is exactly this attitude that multaneously denying them mar- the Church around the world riage and romantic love — two should emulate. Cardinal Dolan things the Church itself admits are himself spoke about the need for important to many human lives? the Church to better engage LGBT The Church’s pocommunities both sition on this issue here in the United is colored by the States and the context in which around the world. it currently minThe Church must isters. Outside the continue to emChurch, the past phasize its duty to two years have seen minister — as lovincredible progress ingly as possible for gay rights and given its stances Pat Gavin & Alex Honjiyo — to LGBT individuacceptance of gays, lesbians, bisexuals. als and transgenAlthough it is The kind of ministry der people both unfortunately here in the United that exists here is not impossible to reStates and around alistically argue perfect. the world. With for same-sex margay rights cases riage in a Cathobeing heard in the U.S. Supreme lic framework, it is clear that the Court and even more states expect- Church has an active duty to fight ed to approve marriage equality in bigotry and discrimination in the coming months, things are looking most serious cases, as well as conup for the gay rights movement descension and unwarranted pity. here in this country.

We think Georgetown does an Outside the Church, people have admirable job on this front. The been fighting for gay rights for LGBT resource center — the first at years. But what about the Church? a Catholic university — as well as Where is the fight there? an active prayer group for gay stuWhile the conversation about dents are only the tip of the iceberg marriage is an important one, it for how this university ministers to is perhaps too lofty a goal in an in- gay students. That said, the many stitution that is fundamentally op- resources that exist are not perfect, posed to new types of marriage. nor is the kind of ministry that exSomething that more Catholics ists perfect. But the university leads and Christians should discuss is the way — and should continue to how our religious and spiritual lead the way — in actively serving communities can minister and the LGBT students on campus who reach out to our gay brothers and seek support. sisters. We think that the best way The Church’s stances on sexualto fight for the LGBT community in ity will likely always vary markedly the Church is to make sure that the from those of the gay rights moveChurch’s stances against gay mar- ment. But the Church has a duty to riage do not lead to the homopho- actively reach out to LGBT individubia and bigotry that too often mar als, serving their needs like it serves the relationship between American the needs of all other Catholics, institutional religion and LGBT whatever these needs may be. The communities.

Church would do well to follow the In other words, Catholics — gay example of Fr. Michael — even if he and straight alike — should be fight- only exists on television. ers by ensuring the acceptance of LGBT individuals in their own Cath- Pat Gavin and Alex Honjiyo are olic communities. LGBT Catholics seniors in the College and the are Catholics too, and all Catholics School of Foreign Service, reare called to ensure that they are spectively. This is the final appeargiven the tools needed to live their ance of AGGIORNAMENTO.

A4

THE HOYA

PAGE FOUR

NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE GU’s Lombardi Cancer Center is partnering with the John Theurer Cancer Center in New Jersey. Read story online at thehoya.com.

Your news — from every corner of The Hoya.

IN FOCUS

verbatim

NIGHTLY NEWS

like “ It’s childhood —

playing in the dirt.

”

Georgetown University Garden Initiative leader Whitney Pratt (COL ’14) See story on A6.

from

GLOGSTER.COM

KRISTEN SKILLMAN/THE HOYA

NBC News special correspondant and former “NBC Nightly News” anchor Tom Brokaw called for improved diplomatic reporting Monday evening, when he accepted the Edward Weintel Prize for Diplomatic Reporting. See story at thehoya.com.

20 POEMS IN MY POCKET Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day with a verse from Shakespeare or e.e. cummings on Thursday. Head to 4E for some inspiration. blog.thehoya.com

District Aims for Safer Streets From Trig to Trebek:

Coury Tries ‘Jeopardy’

KYLIE MOHR

Hoya Staff Writer

The District of Columbia Department of Transportation and the Georgetown Business Improvement District are examining different options to improve pedestrian safety in response to growing pedestrian and traffic volumes.

One of the most congested intersections is M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, which, according to BID Transportation Director Jonathon Kass, is “the principal intersection of Georgetown.”

“When you have two wonderful retail quarters intersecting, usually you want that to be a fantastic place for pedestrians,” Kass said. “We have very much the opposite situation there. We need to be throwing every tool we have at that to make it more pleasant, more safe.”

According to Kass, historic streetlamps with large bases reduce sidewalk width, an issue that is compounded by having multiple buses at one stop due to large numbers of customers waiting for transportation. Short time spans to cross M Street from east to west also jeopardize pedestrian safety.

Last week from April 8 to 13, BID and DDOT experimented with placing traffic control officers at the intersection of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue to assess potential solutions. If BID and DDOT determine the traffic control officers have been useful, BID will push for more traffic control resources at other key intersections, such as the Georgetown end of the Key Bridge.

In addition, Kass hopes automated enforcement options, such as red light and speed cameras, can protect pedestrians and get motorists to comply with the law.

“We want pedestrians to follow the law, but it’s a little bit crazy to tell them they have four seconds out of a minute and a half to legally cross and then have those four seconds be obstructed,” Kass said.

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E Chairman Ron Lewis, who acknowledged the need for new traffic controls in the Georgetown business district because of increasing vehicle and pedestrian density, is a proponent of speed

EMILY BROWN Hoya Staff Writer

LEONEL DE VELEZ/THE HOYA

Traffic officers were deployed at the intersection of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue to assess one potential pedestrian safety method. cameras.

“Get a couple of tickets, and suddenly [drivers] are very mindful of the speed limit,” Lewis said. “They are probably the most effective thing that DDOT could use to get the traffic calmed down and pedestrians safer.”

Despite mounting pedestrian safety concerns, BID is pleased with the increasing foot traffic in Georgetown.

“The reason we have so many pedestrians in Georgetown is because we have a lot of places where they want to go,” Kass said. “It’s a good problem to have.”

Although both Kass and Lewis see the need for new automated options, underground utility issues make the installation of additional poles for the equipment impossible. The only option that will work with the existing traffic control structure is a new type of camera that can clamp onto existing poles, which are not currently available to BID. Washington, D.C.’s budget for the current fiscal year and Mayor Vincent Gray’s proposed budget, which goes into effect in October, both allocate money for these traffic improvement options. Funding is currently being used toward technological pilots and research into the best methods and locations for implementation.

HAWK signals, which allow pedestrians to push a button to trigger lights that stop traffic at crosswalks, are an example of one such

pilot. They have been employed in various neighborhoods throughout the District and were installed last week in Cleveland Park on Connecticut Avenue NW between Ordway and Newark Streets NW. Although they are proven to enhance safety — a study on one HAWK signal showed that 97.1 percent of motorists complied — Kass said that they represent a failure to create a culture in which pedestrians have the right of way.

With the HAWK signal, pedestrians can no longer step into the crosswalk and expect cars to stop.

Instead, they must push a button and wait for a light to mandate yielding traffic.

“There is something lost in the process,” Kass said. “You are yielding some of the rights today in exchange for safety.”

BID is currently assembling a task force and working groups to examine the future of pedestrian safety as part of BID’s “Georgetown 2028” plan. BID is now working to engage key stakeholders, including property owners, residential neighbors, city agencies and others involved in the Georgetown community to pinpoint areas in need of improvement and possible solutions.

“The product of the plan will be a vision and an action agenda that we hopefully bring to all the stakeholders — residents and business owners — for a consensus about where we are going together,” Kass said.

A lifelong trivia buff and “Jeopardy” fan, Jim Coury (SFS ’15) never imagined that audiences from across the country would watch him compete on his favorite game show. But this dream became a reality when he competed in the Jeopardy College Championship in Los Angeles April 8 and 9.

“It was surreal and insanely fun,” Coury said. “It was really cool to see it from the other side after being so used to just watching the show on TV.” Coury, who will be featured in the May 7 episode of “Jeopardy,” was unable to disclose the results of the show before the two-week competition begins airing May 6.

Coury was one of 15 full-time university students selected to participate in the annual competition after a lengthy and rigorous application process. Coury faced off against students from schools including Northwestern University, Georgia Institute of Technology, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Wellesley College and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In the first week of the Jeopardy College Championship, three participants compete in each episode, while the winner of each episode moves on to the next week’s semifinals. In addition, the four highest-scoring non-winners in the first week progress on to the semifinals, for a total of three semifinal episodes.

The championship will culminate in a

SARAH LIPKIN/THE HOYA

Jim Coury (SFS ’15) will appear in the Jeopardy College Championship May 7.

two-show final round, in which the semifinal winners will face off in the ultimate championship. The winning contestant is guaranteed a minimum prize of at least $100,000, though earnings could increase depending on competition performance.

Few contestants will go home empty-handed, however, as first and second runner-ups receive $50,000 and $25,000, respectively.

Semifinalists receive $10,000, while quarterfinalists receive $5,000.

Coury, who competed in quiz bowl competitions throughout high school, said that he found Jeopardy’s characteristic array of obscure trivia facts easy to navigate, especially questions related to geography and history, though he found questions related to pop culture more difficult.

Nevertheless, Coury said that much of the competition required growing accustomed to the nature of the questions, especially those that involved wordplay. One category, for instance, called for answers whose words included the letters “a,” “w” and “y.”

“Some categories were easier to get the hang of than others,” Coury said. “You really had to feel them out.”

Nevertheless, Coury said that the most difficult part of the competition was the process of buzzing in answers, as all contestants often attempted to answer simultaneously.

According to Coury, determining when exactly to press the buzzer was a challenge in itself.

Coury had unsuccessfully auditioned several times for Jeopardy’s children’s edition before deciding to try out for the show’s college edition last year.

“It was just for fun,” Coury said. “I never expected to get in.”

Coury began the application process last April by completing a 50-question online test covering a wide range of subjects. Coury then participated in a regional audition in October, which involved an interview, a knowledge test and a simulated Jeopardy game. Coury finally received a phone call in late February from the Jeopardy team, inviting him to participate in the show.

Eager for the show’s airing, Coury said that he plans to hold a small viewing party at Georgetown as a study break during finals. Additionally, he hopes to watch the episode with his family at home.

“I’m really excited to actually watch it put together on TV because it’s going to be strange to see myself up there,” Coury said.

After graduating from college, Coury hopes to participate in Jeopardy as an adult contestant.

News

tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE HOYA

A5

Relay Fundraising, Participation Dip

having a little bit of a dip,” Silkman said.

“Georgetown Relay five years ago raised Relay in 2012, said that though there was a over $400,000 in a year, so obviously we slight decline in attendance, those who at- raised $150,000 and that is significantly tended were passionate and stayed later than lower, and we don’t necessarily know why in previous years. that is.”

“Our attendance this year was a little lower Some have speculated that support for than previous years,” Wise said. “But I would Relay suffers from public disapproval with say the people that were there were much the American Cancer Society, which has more involved than some people in the past.” faced criticism for its substantial overhead.

Wise is also a member of the National Relay is working on re-envisioning curCollegiate Advisory Team that supports rent initiatives and establishing new ones the American Cancer Society’s more than to counter the decline in fundraising. They 500 collegiate relays around the country. are also considering options to change the “Right now we’re seeing just a small de- time and location of the event. cline in some of our colHowever, accordlegiate events throughout ing to Silkman, the the country, just kind of “That is significantly decline in numbers is as a national trend, so I do not significant for Relower, and we don’t think that the slight delay because they do not cline in fundraising this know why that is.” compare numbers with year could be a part of previous years. He said the national trend,” Wise that, overall, the event said. “But it could also was an overwhelming DAN SILKMAN (COL ’15) Relay for Life Co-Chair be that this is a different success. year for Georgetown, and, “The way we look at like I said, we have to approach each year it, as kind of a leadership team, is not necdifferently.” essarily that our numbers were lower than While only $130,000 had been raised by last year, but that at the beginning of this the eve of the event, organizers were opti- year, we started at zero and that we raised mistic that this year’s totals could eclipse $150,000 to transform the lives of people last year’s because a large proportion of affected by cancer, so that’s kind of how we funds are traditionally raised in the final view the amount of money that we raise days leading up to the event. every year,” he said.

Wise said that the turnover of graduatAll of the money Relay raises goes back ing classes and incoming freshman classes to the American Cancer Society. According could have impacted the fundraising ef- to Silkman, the American Cancer Society forts. Silkman said that every year, Relay gives a few hundred thousand dollars, sees some resistance from students. more than Georgetown Relay raises, to the “There has been sort of … a trend, we’ve Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown for been told, in terms of collegiate Relays research every year.

RELAY, from A1

ERICA WONG/THE HOYA

Fr. Kevin O’Brien, S.J., center, led a prayer service yesterday in Dahlgren Chapel in honor of those affected by the explosions at the Boston Marathon. Several GU students attended the marathon.

At Least 3 Dead in Bombing BOMBING, from A1 did this or why and people shouldn’t jump to conclusions. ...

Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice.”

The District’s Emancipation Day celebration today will not be cancelled, but there will be increased security at the event, and the university is also ramping up its patrol in light of the incident.

“We are increasing our presence out in the community, and the officers have been reminded to be vigilant about anything that’s out of the ordinary,” Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety Jay Gruber said.

While Gruber acknowledged that an urban area such as Washington, D.C., had the potential to be attacked, he said that Georgetown did not appear to be a target. “[The bombings don’t} seem to be a nexus to higher education or any sort of religious institution, so my level of concern isn’t as high as if the organization had been Catholic,” Gruber said.

The university held a prayer service yesterday night at Dahlgren Chapel to support the victims of the bombing.

According to the Boston Marathon’s entry list, nine people from the 20007 zip code, which encompasses Georgetown and Burleith, were registered for the race, in addition to some George-

town students who were in Boston for the race.

Caroline Heydinger (COL ’13) ran in the marathon with her mother. She finished the race about 15 minutes before the explosion, while her mother finished four minutes prior to the blast.

“It was a tough experience,” Heydinger said. “I’m just so grateful that my family and I made it out okay.”

Heydinger said that she was waiting for her mother at their designated meeting place about two blocks away from the finish line when the bomb went off.

She described the scene as chaotic, with people in a state of shock and disbelief, attempting to find family members.

“It’s just such an unbelievable, devastating thing,” Heydinger said. “I feel so fortunate personally but I feel so sad that someone would do this and sad for everyone who was directly or indirectly affected.”

Hannah Gerdes (COL ’16), a former staffer of The Hoya, was also at the marathon to watch her father run and was evacuated from Boston’s subway system when the bombings occurred.

“Initially, we heard that there were explosions, and it was very sobering,” Gerdes said. “We were disbelieving. ... It was unreal that it was happening.”

Gerdes was with a friend but was separated from her mother and father at the time of the ex-

plosions.

“For me … it was more not knowing how to react and not knowing initially whether my mom was safe and my dad was safe,” Gerdes said. “It was kind of not knowing and waiting to hear from people.”

After leaving the subway and attempting to return to Harvard University where she had been staying, Gerdes received text messages from friends and families asking whether she was safe, the first indication of the incident’s gravity.

“Before this had happened, we didn’t realize the severity of it,” Gerdes said. “That was the first time we realized [that] this was national news.”

Heydinger called the situation “surreal” and praised Boston officials’ response to the attack.

“One of the most moving things was just seeing all the ambulances rushing to the scene,” Heydinger said. “All I could think was all these people are running away and these people [are] running there.”

Heydinger, who returned to her home in Vermont following the marathon, said that she would try to return to campus today following the bombing.

“I think it had a very big impact on me but I think that Georgetown is a very loving community and there’s no place I’d rather be after something like this,” Heydinger said. “It really puts things in perspective.”

Suspects Still Unidentified In Dahlgren Vandalism campus but to many others who find in Dahlgren a reminder of our vital religious places, have no place in our campus com- heritage. I am consoled by the outreach munity,” DeGioia wrote. “As a Catholic and from diverse members of our community.”

Jesuit university, we are committed to fosGeorgetown University Student Associatering a community that is welcoming to tion President Nate Tisa (SFS ’14) and Vice people of all religions, President Adam Ramaraces and ethnicities and “I am deeply dan (SFS ‘14) released a that values understandstatement late Sunday ing, inclusion and re- saddened by this afternoon condemning spect.” acts of vandalism.

O’Brien added that destructive action.”

In May 2012, the upwhile he is upset by the perclassmen of the incident, the support of women’s club volleyball FR. KEVIN O’BRIEN, S.J. Georgetown community team admitted to litVice President for Mission and Ministry members has lessened tering the steps of the the blow. chapel with condom wrappers and cups of “I am deeply saddened by this destruc- alcohol. tive action in the spiritual heart of our DeGioia urged anyone with information campus,” O’Brien wrote. “Dahlgren Chapel about the incident to contact the Departmeans a great deal not just to Catholics on ment of Public Safety.

DAHLGREN, from A1

GUSA Urges Increase of On-Campus Keg Limit cally in recognition that it’s Georgetown Day and not ‘Georgetown Evening,’ but students arrested, to be put on sanctions, but it’s go- should have the same rights to socialize as it ing to happen because it’s part of the campus would be on a weekend night on Georgetown plan reality.

Day,” Weiss said.

“But because of that,” Tisa added, “what According to Tisa, Department of Public we can do is make campus so much easier to Safety officers who patrol during the day are socialize and host parties on. If we can make different from those who patrol at night, campus the zone where you don’t have to which often results in inconsistent rule enworry about a lot of those things, then stu- forcement. dents will naturally clot there.”

“DPS officers who are patrolling during the The keg limit currently in effect was intro- day are not used to seeing that kind of partyduced in spring 2007, after a student refer- ing going on that early, so they don’t really endum demonstrated overwhelming opposi- know how to react to it, and they tend to react tion to the Disciplinary Review Committee’s really across the board. Some are very lenient, fall 2006 suggestion of an outright keg ban. while some are very strict. The rules have also The local Advisory Neighborhood Commis- traditionally been very confusing. Students sion 2E also passed a resolution against the don’t know if they can party, if capacity limits proposed keg ban at the time, fearing that and the noise limits are different,” Tisa said. banning kegs on campus “We’re basically asking would move students for an exception, to ap“Neighbors coming more into the Georgeply a weekend night stanhome from a week of dard to the day.” town neighborhood. An earlier keg limit had alTisa pointed out that work on Friday don’t eliminating lowed two kegs per onthe keg limit campus party. want to be bothered.” and lifting the on-camGUSA Senator Ben pus socialization restricnate tisa (sfs ’14) Weiss (COL ’15), a spontions for Georgetown Day GUSA President sor of the bill, agreed would entice students to that reevaluating these restrictions would socialize on campus, decreasing disturbance align with the goals of the campus plan. in the neighborhood next Friday.

“The way to truly change the way students “This will reduce the number of students behave at Georgetown is to make the campus going off campus in the afternoon. Neighmore receptive to social activity. It’s a call to bors who are coming home from a week at rethink the manner in which administrators work on a Friday don’t want to be bothered are trying to implement the campus plan,” by hundreds of students walking around inWeiss said. toxicated,” Tisa said.

The bill sponsors hope that the removal of This marks the second year in a row in the keg ban will complement a softened atti- which students have sparred with the adtude toward student behavior on Georgetown ministration over Georgetown Day regulaDay, which will take place April 26. tions. Last year, students responded forceGUSA senators also hope to eliminate fully to the university’s announcement that miscommunication between the university it would set up barricades around Copley and students regarding disciplinary policies. Lawn, resulting in the abandonment of the Because Georgetown Day is currently ap- policy. proached as a regular weekday, students can “Georgetown Day is a day that students sometimes face harsher punishment than all enjoy, but there have been instances in they would for similar actions on a Friday or which the university has worked in contrast Saturday night. to what students want,” Weiss said.

“There are different regulations, specifiDISCIPLINE, from A1

A6

news

THE HOYA

GU Celebrates Earth Week Drew Cunningham Special to The Hoya

Student groups will join forces with the Georgetown Center for the Environment in an effort to change student attitudes toward sustainability and environmentalism as part of Earth Week this week in honor of Earth Day April 22.

“For me, [sustainability] is a full-time job, but this week, it’s really about bringing the issue on the radar for the students, the administration, the community and beyond,” Georgetown University Student Association Secretary of Sustainability Gabriel Pincus (SFS ’14) said.

Participating groups include the Georgetown Sustainability Initiative, the Georgetown Environment Initiative and others.

An extended celebration of Earth Month is taking place throughout April, with events including a lecture about climate change caused by manufacturing, an environmental group tabling fair and a speech about the history of Earth Day by environmental historian Adam Rome, a professor at the University of Delaware.

CFE Director Edward Barrows said he hopes the week will raise awareness about the importance of stewardship and sustainability in the face of dire threats to the environment.

Barrows cited recent droughts, floods and rising sea levels as indicators of the

global threat posed by climate change and stressed the importance of clean energy.

“I think that everyone needs to live from the standpoint of being Earth’s stewards and changing life accordingly,” Barrows said.

“We’ve noticed how little people are actually connected with earth and how little is changing. We are now well past the tipping point of climate change, and things are just going to get worse this century.”

Barrows said that stronger awareness and activism

“There is this idea ... you have to be vegan, only wear hemp clothing and hug trees.”

ELENA NOYES (COL ’15) Center for the Environment intern

would strengthen the university’s pre-existing efforts toward sustainability, such as the addition of solar panels to six university-owned townhouses and Regents Hall’s recent Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold certification.

GU Fossil Free member Makaiah Mohler (COL ’16) stressed the universality of environmental activism.

“I think Earth Week is a fantastic opportunity for a huge range of students to get involved,” Mohler said. “Environmental issues will affect the entire human race, so it’s

not a segmented issue.”

CFE intern Elena Noyes (COL ’15) agreed, adding that she wanted to break the “treehugger” stereotype.

“There is this idea that to be a part of the green movement, you have to be vegan, only wear hemp clothing and hug trees,” Noyes said. “There are so many different divisions of the sustainability movement that I think most students just don’t know about.”

CFE Program Coordinator for Sustainability Audrey Stewart said that Earth Week offers students a number of opportunities to participate.

For example, Stewart’s team partnered with the District Department of the Environment and the School of Nursing & Health Studies to label storm drains on campus and in Washington, D.C. Barrows emphasized the importance of community participation in both Earth Week and Earth Month, especially on an urban university campus.

“I think most of us are very protected at Georgetown,” Barrows said. “Students are trying to get through, one paper to the next, one exam to the next.”

Pincus agreed and said that the green movement has recently gained momentum on campus.

“It’s not where it needs to be, but we’re moving in a really positive direction,” Pincus said. “Students have been increasingly involved and concerned with the environment.”

LEONEL DE VELEZ/THE HOYA

Gabriel Pincus (SFS ’14) and Whitney Pratt (COL ’14) have revived the Georgetown University Garden Initiative, whose community garden plot is located behind Kehoe Field.

Garden Grows Community Alexandra Douglas Special to The Hoya

After two years in disarray, the Georgetown University Garden Initiative has been brought back to life.

Founded in 2008 with a ReImagine Georgetown grant, GUGI’s community garden, located behind Kehoe Field near the Georgetown University School of Medicine, was abandoned by fall 2011. Gabriel Pincus (SFS ’14) and Whitney Pratt (COL ’14) have revived GUGI, attempting to raise awareness of the benefits of locally grown food and to teach gardening techniques.

Over the past two years, Pincus and Pratt have built relationships with administrators, grounds staff and professors to create the infrastructure necessary to reestablish the garden.

“This is a student group. It’s very much about learning,” Pincus said. “Working with faculty in the biology department or on the medical campus and with groundskeeping — they know their stuff, this is their job. So, working with them and learning from them could be really beneficial for us as students.”

According to Pincus, the community garden’s major challenges were obtaining supplies, coordinating with medical campus staff to keep the space accessible, establishing a consistent water source and building the garden beds.

Pincus and Pratt have

turned to creative techniques, such as turning old tires into garden beds to expand the space and coordinating with the university landscaping crew for access to a water tank for a recent seed-planting event.

In addition to relying on university sources for infrastructural support, the community garden group has also maintained informal relationships with other student groups on campus, such as Magis Row Meditation House’s composting initiative, with which GUGI built two large bins for compostable material for Magis Row houses.

To promote awareness, GUGI has held multiple seedplanting events this spring, and it plans to hold a dinner at the end of the semester, incorporating fresh produce from the garden.

Pratt is confident that the community garden will be sustainable through increased student involvement.

“Georgetown and D.C. in general are making a sustainable push, and so the garden is really relevant right now,” Pratt said. “The community garden makes it obvious that growing food is easy — it tastes better, is less expensive and is really fun. It’s like childhood — playing in the dirt.”

The community garden HoyaLink page now has 35 members, while its official Facebook page has 19 likes.

Pincus stressed the importance of increasing visibility

on campus in order to generate student interest, especially due to the inconvenience of the garden’s location. By the medical hospital, the garden is far from the campus center and from overall student activity.

Pratt hopes to move the garden to a more prominent campus location, such as next to O’Donovan Hall. According to Pratt, the community garden group must first show the university administration that it can consistently maintain the current space.

With a more established space and consistent student interest, Pincus said that the community garden will begin seeking more formal collaborations with other student groups and faculty members.

The group is considering working with Georgetown EcoAction, helping faculty members maintain gardens around campus, selling food at the Georgetown University Farmers’ Market and working with the new Greenhouse Living and Learning Community.

In addition, Pratt said she has envisioned a way to give individuals their own plots, further increasing student investment and involvement in the project.

“Here we are in a city, and going to Leo’s epitomizes lack of consciousness about eating food,” Pincus said. “You don’t even know how the food is cooked at Leo’s, let alone where it was produced or how it was produced.”

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013

History Professor Busts Silk Road Myths Ivan Robinson

symbols to represent the unification of cultures in the aftermath of 9/11. On the other hand, an online marketplace selling heroin, ecstasy, mariHistory professor James A. Millward dispelled juana and other drugs also carries the name popular myths about old Central and South “Silk Road.”

Asian trade routes in his presentation Monday In addition to dispelling myths, Millward’s evening. book also seeks to expand readers’ understandThe talk, cosponsored by the Mortara Center ing of Asian trade patterns, both past and presfor International Studies, the ent.

Asian Studies Program and “The textbooks used today the Center for Eurasian, Rus- “The Silk Road does to teach the Silk Road are acsian and East European Studnot that bad,” Millward not exist. Or, it’s still tually ies, centered on Millward’s said. “They do tend to emphanew book, “The Silk Road: A alive today, but it size things that I find someVery Short Introduction,” pubwhat problematic.” was never around lished April 12.

In contrast to the usual According to Millward, the emphasis on merchants seekterm “Silk Road” is inaccurate in the sense that ing to strike it rich, Millward and misleading. most people would said that the primary users “The Silk Road does not exof the road were imperial ist,” Millward said. “Or, it’s still argue.” states transferring armies and alive today, but it was never goods. This cultural diffusion around in the sense that most can be seen in the common JAMES A. Millward History Professor people would argue. It’s not redevelopment of certain goods ally clear what this term ‘Silk and traditions, such as the Road’ means in the popular sense.” characteristic blue and white pottery often asMillward cited two examples of the term sociated with China, which can also be seen in to emphasize different interpretations of the Byzantine, Mongol and Roman traditions. phrase. In 2002, the Smithsonian Folklife FestiMillward noted that this cultural distribution val featured an event titled, “The Silk Road: Con- has continued today. necting Cultures, Creating Trust,” that displayed “Silk Road exchanges have never really left a combination of Islamic figures and western us,” Millward said.

Special to The Hoya

Native American Students Unite for First Powwow Christopher Zawora

such a group in place when greater numbers of Native American students come to campus.

While Georgetown lacked a cultural outlet “It’s mainly … a place for Native American for Native American students before this se- students can go and share their experiencmester, the newly formed Native American es,” Vondall said. “Eventually, it will come to Student Council will hold its first major event a point where lots of Native students come — a powwow — on Copley Lawn April 28. here.”

“It helps to have a club for Native American But Dockrey stressed that the club is students finally,” NASC Representative to the geared to serve as an outlet for those interStudent of Color Alliance Andrew Vondall ested in Native American culture, as well as (COL ’13), a member of the Crow tribe, said. those who are part of it.

“We know Native American students come “There is a place for everyone and anyand go at Georgetown all the time, but there thing they are interested in,” Dockrey said. [was] no Native American student club.”

Dockrey and NASC Chair Hilary Andrews NASC hopes that the powwow, which will (NHS ’14), a member of the Aquinnah tribe, celebrate Native American culture through developed plans for the organization last authentic music, student dance perfor- semester and officially founded the group mances representing a variety of tribes and when they returned to campus in January.

Native American food, will Whereas most cultural become the organization’s groups on campus are “We know Native signature yearly event. funded by the Student AcNASC was founded to adtivities Commission, NASC dress equality for Native American students is funded by the Center for American students and come and go at Social Justice, though it has serve as an outlet for the celalso received some funding ebration of Native American Georgetown.” from the Center for Multicultural heritage. Group cultural Equity and Access leaders also hope to attract and the Students of Color ANDREW VONDALL (COL ’13) more Native American stuAssociation.

NASC Representative to the Student of Color Alliance dents to apply to GeorgeAccording to Andrews, town in the future. In 2012, NASC’s mission to dispel 1.5 percent of students — approximately 50 misinformed student perceptions about Nastudents out of 3,316 — admitted to the Class tive American culture and history makes its of 2016 were Native American. Statistics are affiliation with CSP a good fit. not available for the 2013 admissions cycle.

“A lot of history gets skewed,” Andrews According to NASC Treasurer Whitney said. “Our approach is to eradicate some of Dockrey (NHS ’15), a member of the Chero- the stereotypes and misconceptions that are kee tribe, NASC is trying to work with the associated with the Native American populaOffice of Admissions to reach out to prospec- tion.” tive Native American students. NASC also NASC has already established relationhopes to work with current students to help ships with other groups in the D.C. area, them find scholarships that specifically sup- including Native American student groups port Native Americans. at The George Washington University and “We are trying to work with admissions University of Maryland. so when a Native student applies, we can NASC is planning more events and activicall them and encourage them to come to ties around the city in the future, including Georgetown,” Dockrey said. a meeting with the Senate Committee on Vondall cited the importance of having Native Affairs.

Hoya Staff Writer

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tuesday, April 16, 2013

News

THE HOYA

A7

In iWeek, Georgetown Group Offers DC Tax Help Celebrates Student Diversity Guthrie Angeles Hoya Staff Writer

Emma Iannini & Caroline Welch Hoya Staff Writers

This week, students will take a break from studying to learn Greek dancing, play cricket and cook African food as part of iWeek, a celebration of international students’ cultures sponsored by the Office of International Programs, despite several funding hurdles this year.

Student groups, including the African Society of Georgetown, Students for Justice in Palestine, the Georgetown Cricket Club and Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Georgetown, will hold events representing their interests and cultures.

OIP grants $150 to each student group that sponsors an event, and these groups must find alternative resources for supplementary funding.

“This year, we had some difficulty getting funding for the organizations so that was definitely a struggle,” International Students Sector Program Assistant Katie Mangialardi (COL ’16) said.

Mangialardi also said that cultural groups KRISTEN SKILLMAN/THE HOYA participating in iWeek have encountered trouble generating adequate publicity for Students meditated at a Buddhist Meditatheir events this week, as the main outlet is a tion Sangha on Monday as part of iWeek. single Facebook page.

“Getting the word out is always a big thing (SFS ’15) said that iWeek provides an opporfor us,” she said. tunity to foster appreciation for student artHowever, campus-wide emails have encour- work at Georgetown. aged some students to attend iWeek events, “When GUSA established the arts subcomwhich run from Monday to Friday. Events mittee in the first place, we really wanted to kicked off with a half-hour meditation Mon- bring artwork to campus — because it seems day night sponsored by the Buddhist Medita- to be trapped in Walsh — and make it visible tion Sangha, which Veronica Tovia (MSB ’16) through an arts display,” Oh said. attended.

Oh also aligned the goals of the Subcom“I’m very interested in Buddhism lately mittee on the Arts with the purpose of iWeek. and tried it recently with a yoga instructor in “We felt like the international students Mexico,” Tovia said. “I saw it in an email for should be more involved with GUSA, and this iWeek and I decided to come.” is GUSA’s way of trying to recognize how inMangialardi said that she is most excited ternational Georgetown is. Art is existent in for the language exchange partner coffee every person, and the subcommittee wanted hour Tuesday, which will promote the Lan- to help foster creative expression on campus.” guage Exchange Program, a service that She said hopes that the art show will help matches individuals who wish to practice emphasize the important presence that forforeign languages. She also highlighted an eign students have on campus. art show in the Intercultural Center Galleria, “Our school is known for being internarun by the Georgetown University Student As- tionally focused, but we don’t really see that sociation senate Subcommittee on the Arts. outside the classroom,” Oh said. “iWeek can This art show is one of the subcommittee’s really bridge the gaps between those who are first actions since its formation in November. international and those who are not internaSubcommittee on the Arts Chair Lizzy Oh tional.”

With the April 15 tax filing deadline for the Internal Revenue Service just having passed, the Georgetown chapter of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance is already preparing to assist low-income D.C. families to navigate the 2014 tax cycle.

VITA is a nationwide program run by the IRS that provides free tax assistance to individuals who make $51,000 or less per year. Georgetown VITA plans to train volunteers to help qualifying families in the Washington, D.C., area to file taxes without the paid assistance of a financial consultant next year.

Cherie Chung (COL ’16) decided to establish VITA at Georgetown after learning of the program from a friend at the University of Virginia.

“I felt like it would really fit because there [are] a lot of business students at Georgetown, and [VITA] would be a great place for them to explore their interests in service combined with their interest in finance or accounting,” Chung said.

VITA volunteers must be certified by the IRS and are not limited to campus groups. VITA centers are most often located at schools, libraries, shopping malls and community centers, according to the IRS website.

D.C. Earned Income Tax

Credit Campaign, an initiative that aims to educate D.C. residents about income tax benefits with the goal of promoting economic security, will train student volunteers next December and January in order to prepare students to provide tax assistance between January and the next tax filing deadline.

Student volunteers will undergo DC EITC training at the Georgetown University Law Center or American University Washington College of Law. They will then meet with lowincome local residents at any of DC EITC’s 15 tax sites in D.C., southern Maryland and northern Virginia.

In addition to tax advice, volunteers provide information about asset building, savings opportunities and food stamps.

Sona Jain (SFS ’16), the oncampus events manager for Georgetown VITA, emphasized the difficulty of completing tax forms for taxpayers whose first language is not English.

“Policies are so intricate that, often times, families need somebody to help them out,” Jain said. “Sometimes there are also language barriers, and this is something that VITA has also focused on.

We are recruiting volunteers right now who are bilingual who can perhaps help in translation processes.”

She said that VITA program volunteers should also be ap-

proachable, especially in offering financial advice to D.C. residents who are decades their senior.

“Interpersonal skills [are important] because these families are letting students give them advice on financial matters, and that’s not easy for a parent to do,” Jain said.

Jain emphasized that Georgetown VITA volunteers must approach taxpayers with respect.

“Whenever you’re working with communities, whether it’s with regard to education, financial literacy or just general development, there’s always a matter of pride that you always have to be careful of,” Jain said. “Creating that distinction — that we aren’t condescending in any way, that they understand that we really respect them as adults, as parents, as people, and we really value the knowledge that they do have — is something that is a very delicate issue, but something that we really have to think about and make sure that our volunteers understand.”

Though Georgetown VITA’s efforts will be concentrated in the spring semester, the group is exploring additional service projects for the fall semester, such as a financial literacy program for Georgetown staff in partnership with the university’s Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor.

SGU Keeps Focus Online Eitan Sayag

Hoya Staff Writer

For the third consecutive semester, student leaders discussed possible improvements to HoyaLink at the Student Group Union semiannual summit Sunday.

SGU aims to provide a network for student groups to discuss common issues through events such as these summits.

For most of the summit, approximately 20 campus leaders brainstormed ways to enhance the universitysponsored online platform, which elicits frustration for some.

Student leaders discussed adding functions to HoyaLink, including online financing, rich text formatting and scheduling capability through Doodle, an online scheduling tool.

International Relations Club Chair Jeff Caso (SFS ’15) expressed concern about over-reliance on the university-sponsored web platform.

“I don’t think we should migrate every club function over there. It marginalizes non-recognized student groups,” Caso said. “It could potentially lead to disaster if there were to be a mainframe failure.”

SGU Executive Committee Chair Aman Shahi (COL ’13) agreed and said that the effectiveness of some HoyaLink

features leaves something to be desired for a tech-savvy generation of students.

“The administration sometimes will be very excited about something that they’re providing in terms of resources for student groups, and it’s great that they’re trying to do that, but a lot of times, the fact that they’re coming from a different generation is clear,” Shahi said.

Though HoyaLink dominated the discussion, student group financing was also a prominent topic, with leaders agreeing that clubs need easier access to their financial statements. Most agreed that financial statements should be updated in real time for groups to view online, a feature that could possibly be integrated into HoyaLink.

Caso said that he hopes SGU will focus more on student group finances in the future.

“My primary issue that I’d like to see the SGU focus on is how to make financing easier, and I think that is not necessarily a HoyaLink answer,” Caso said. “I think HoyaLink can be considered as a possible … solution, but I personally am not entirely in favor of switching everything over to HoyaLink.”

Japan Network Respresentative to the Student of Color Alliance Weston Takata (SFS ’15) said he appreciated the

opportunity to brainstorm and problem-solve with different organizations.

“I think we hit on most of the important points about the user-friendliness, the ability of the clubs to possibly customize their pages and maybe cut down on some of the excess material that’s on HoyaLink,” Takata said. “It’s always nice to try and collaborate with other groups not necessarily related to you.”

IRC Secretary General Jennifer Zink (SFS ’15) agreed and said that it was helpful to collaborate on ways to improve HoyaLink.

“I thought it was really helpful,” Zink said. “It was really cool to get the perspectives of leaders from other student groups because we tend to all have the same issues with HoyaLink and have a similar vision for how we see it going forward.”

Trevor Tezel (SFS ’15), College Democrats president and SGU executive committee political representative Sunday’s summit was more productive than SGU’s December meeting.

“I liked how this one was more focused, and I thought we were able to get a lot more substantive ideas on the table,” Tezel said. “I think that comes with each new summit — the organization, which is relatively new, gains a greater focus.”

A8

Sports

THE HOYA

BASEBALL

Georgetown Routed In Record Fashion Will Edman

Hoya Staff Writer

The weekend for the Georgetown baseball team (20-13, 4-5 Big East) started auspiciously but ended with a clunker, as the Hoyas took one of three games in a home series against St. John’s (15-20, 5-7 Big East).

Redshirt sophomore starting pitcher Jack Vander Linden pitched a gem on Friday en route to a 3-0 win, but the Blue and Gray failed to win the series after losing 4-3 Saturday and being routed 20-1 on Sunday.

That 19-run loss was the program’s worst defeat since a 25-1 defeat at the hands of Notre Dame in March 2008.

The start of the series did not foreshadow what was to come at all, as Vander Linden pitched eight-plus scoreless innings.

Friday was just the latest in a series of strong outings from Vander Linden, who has established himself as Georgetown’s ace with a 3-1 record in nine starts and a stellar 2.80 ERA. He got the support he needed in Game 1, too, thanks to run-scoring hits by senior second baseman Danny Poplawski and left fielder Paul Bello, that lifted the team to a plus-.500 Big East record for the time being.

The Blue and Gray could not replicate their early-inning success on Saturday however, as St. John’s outfielder Martin Kelly hit a three-run home run off senior Georgetown starter

Thomas Polus in the third inning to fall into an early hole.

After Polus gave up another run at the top of the fourth inning, the Hoyas were able to stage a rally to bring the deficit to one thanks to runs from senior center fielder Justin Leeson and junior right fielder Christian Venditti.

Although Georgetown looked in prime position to finish its comeback, it could not get any runners past first base after the sixth inning, and the Johnnies escaped with the 4-3 victory.

Sunday was nowhere near as competitive, as the Red Storm hammered the Hoya pitching staff early and often en route to a 20-1 pasting. Sophomore starter Matt Hollenbeck (1-4) lasted only one inning, giving up two runs. The bullpen would fare far worse, as the trio of freshman Tim Davis, senior James Heine and freshman Gino Basso allowed six runs apiece.

The stars for St. John’s were Frank Schwindel, who posted five hits and six RBIs in the blowout, and pitcher Ryan Horstman, who hurled eight innings of one-run ball.

Georgetown Head Coach Pete Wilk did not respond to requests to comment for this story.

The Hoyas hope to bounce back from their final game against the Johnnies when they take the field today, travelling to Fairfax, Va., to face off against George Mason (13-23, 5-13 CAA).

First pitch will be at 3 p.m.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

TRACK AND FIELD

Personal Records Set at Nationals MASON, from A10 Peavey’s PR and near-win in the seeded section was the wealth of quality performances from other Hoyas the other sections. Overall, six Georgetown athletes placed in the top 20 and 11 in the top 30 of the competitive 75-man field.

Another solid performer for the Georgetown men was junior Billy Ledder, who ran the 800m in 1:48.67, a personal record. While Ledder took eighth place, that figure includes four members of the New Jersey-New York Track Club — a professional team of elite runners from the Eastern Seaboard.

The highlight of the meet for the shorter distances was freshman standout Mike Andre’s 400m dash performance, in which he took eighth place and clocked in at 48.68. Andre was then slated to run the 200m dash but strained his hamstring during his first race. His injury is not considered serious, however, and he should be back racing next weekend.

The women’s side also turned in some very solid times at George Mason, with sophomore Katrina Coogan’s 1500m effort being the highlight of the evening.

Coogan relaxed for the first two laps, running comfortably in fifth place in a pack of athletes that seemed to be biding its time for the first half of the race. After the halfway point, however, the pack became a bit more strung out. Heather Wilson of the New Jersey-New York Track Club made a move with just under two laps to go and was pursued by Coogan and senior Rachel Schneider, who was running unattached.

Coogan and Schneider spent the next lap trying to catch Wilson and at one point looked as if they might be able to catch her. They were unsuccessful, however, as Wilson put in

a strong final 200 meters to take the win in 4:15.15. Coogan ended up running 4:19.57, with Schneider a second behind.

With that time, Coogan is now in eighth place on the NCAA East Region performance list, in addition to her No. 2 spot in the 5000m, putting her in the mix for a trip to the national championship in at least one of those events.

“Katrina did a really nice job today, especially with the pacing she saw early in the race. Early in the season like this, when you get erratic pacing, it’s hard to run fast. So she did a really good job,” Henner said.

Three other Hoya women turned in top-10 times in the 1500m, with the trio of junior Madeline Chambers,

“Early in the season like this, when you get erratic pacing, it’s hard to run fast. So [Katrina] did a really good job.”

Patrick Henner Director of Track & Field and Cross Country

senior Kirsten Kasper and sophomore Annamarie Maag taking seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively. Chambers came in at 4:26, Kasper at 4:27 and Maag at 4:28. The fact that these times are so close together is a testament to the depth that Hoya women’s distance has shown this spring and last fall in cross country, something that definitely bodes well going forward.

In the shorter middle distance events, the Hoyas saw success with junior Chelsea Cox’s third place finish in the 800m run. Cox clocked in

TURNING TWO IN THE 202

at 2:05.97, and was beaten only by two professional runners. With that time, she moves up to 12th on the East Region performance list, well on her way to a potential national championship berth.

The overarching theme for George Mason was one of optimism for the season ahead: Many athletes set new PRs, and the elite athletes at Georgetown held their own against professional runners and other major competitive Division I programs. Now with a sense of momentum, the Hoyas will go into next weekend’s Mt. SAC relays in Walnut, Calif., looking to turn some heads on the national scene.

SOFTBALL

Rising Salaries Make MLB Attractive Path A

s scary as it sounds, a large portion past decade, advertisers naturally targeted of us are probably going to be start- viewers, and popular shows like “Grey’s ing families within the next decade. Anatomy” and “CSI” were able to charge Once you get over that shock, however, you hundreds of thousands of dollars for just should think about getting your future a 30-second commercial slot. Likewise, the sons and daughters playing baseball.

NFL’s Super Bowl has been able to charge Not only is it the safest of all major sports in excess of $3,000,000 for 30 seconds, with in America, but it is also the most lucrative, an expected audience of over 100,000,000. with more than 750 individuals earning Recently, however, with the advent of in excess of $500,000 a year, with some of DVR, various on-demand functions and those gaining upwards of $20,000,000 per online streaming, advertisers have found season. it harder to hit as wide an audience given Opening Day not only marks the begin- consumers’ greater access to programning of the season but also tends to serve as ming independent of time constraints. the unofficial end of significant extension Unlike traditional programming, however, talks between players and teams, as the there remains one avenue for marketers athletes usually want to remain focused on to consistently target with guaranteed live the grind of the season without the added views: sports. anxiety that comes from negotiations.

It remains impossible for fans to record This year, however, many contests with the immesuperstars signed lucradiate flow of information tive extensions with their at everyone’s fingertips teams, with four playwith the likes of Twitter ers — Felix Hernandez, and mobile technology.

Justin Verlander, Buster Fans simply must watch Posey and Elvis Andrus sports live.

— placing their John HanAs a result, money cock on offers that will pours in from advertisearn them more than ers to television networks Preston Barclay $100,000,000. and from television netDavid Wright, Cole works to sports teams Hamels and Joey Vot- Not only is baseball the as they seek to maintain to each inked deals their massive earning poworth $138,000,000, tential. As controversial safest of all top $144,000,000 and a whopas it has been to college American sports, ping $225,000,000 — the conference realignment, most ever for a player still and the NCAA but it is also the most ESPN under contract — respecagreed to a 12-year, $5.64 tively, in 2012. billion deal for the new lucrative.

Free agency also saw BCS playoff system. Back several winners as well, with Josh Hamil- in baseball, former Los Angeles Dodgers ton earning $125,000,000 and Zack Gre- owner (and Georgetown graduate) Frank inke signing for $147,000,000. Clearly, it McCourt was able to sell the team to a is a great time to be a major leaguer, and group led by NBA Hall-of-Famer Magic greater emphasis has been placed on lock- Johnson for a record $2 billion — the larging up stars prior to free agency, even if it est sale of a professional sports franchise in means paying a perceived premium. Elvis history, on the back of a proposed $6 bilAndrus, a player known for speed and de- lion television deal with Fox Sports. fense — attributes not usually heavily reWith all of the money floating around, it warded — received a puzzling eight-year, has immediately trickled down to players, $120,000,000 extension April 4. However, with the Dodgers inheriting the league’s because Andrus is just 24 years old, the largest payroll in 2013. After extending Rangers’ are investing in the prime of a players such as Matt Kemp and Andre Ethbudding star with remaining untapped ier, they also traded for high-priced players offensive potential. Instead of waiting two like Hanley Ramirez — as well as Adrian more years before his projected free agency Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett where economic conditions could induce in the unprecedented swap with the Red an even higher contract, Texas decided to Sox last August — before signing Zack Gretake the gamble. inke this winter.

Why such a surge in lucrative deals?

With other teams’ television deals exWhat in the world is a middle-market piring, ballclubs in 2013 are able to gain club like Cincinnati doing in investing far more than they could under previous $225,000,000 over 10 years to Joey Votto, deals, allowing teams to heavily invest in a legitimate superstar but a hefty invest- their team. Lower- to middle-market clubs ment even for economic giants like the like the Reds now have the hope to re-sign Yankees or Red Sox? their homegrown stars.

Teams, players and fans can ultimately And ultimately, that’s what’s best for the thank the rapid development in enter- game of baseball moving forward. tainment technology for an infusion of cash into the national pastime. As televi- Preston Barclay is a junior in the Mcsion emerged as the leading form of en- Donough School of Business. TURNING tertainment for consumers within the TWO IN THE 202 appears every Tuesday.

PATRICK MUSGRAVE/THE HOYA

Senior Andrew Springer (left) disappointed at George Mason, but junior Bobby Peavey (right) shone.

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Backing up her record game against Rutgers the week before, junior utility player Alexandria Antilla put up two RBIs in the team’s series-opening win over Syracuse on Friday.

GU Pitches Way to ’Cuse Win Juliana Zovak Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown softball team took two out of three games in a Big East home series against rival Syracuse this weekend with an impressive display of offensive power, scoring at least five runs in each game.

The Hoyas (17-26, 7-6 Big East) backed sophomore starting pitcher Lauren O’Leary with 10 runs in game one, scoring six in the sixth inning en route to a 10-5 victory. O’Leary threw her 14th complete game of the season and earned her 11th win, striking out eight Syracuse players over the course of seven innings.

Down 2-0 in the third, junior second baseman Hannah Slovacek singled in sophomore first baseman Sophia GargicevichAlmeida and sophomore designated player Megan Hyson to tie the game at two apiece.

Consecutive singles, the latter by junior pinch hitter Rachel Nersesian, followed Slovacek’s to bring in two more runs, giving the Blue and Gray a 4-2 lead.

The Hoyas batted around in the sixth, scoring six runs off a couple of singles, a double, and a bunt, with RBIs from junior Alexandria Anttila, Hyson, and freshmen third baseman Taylor Henry and shortstop Samantha Giovanniello.

“I think that’s what a successful team’s about,” Head Coach Pat Conlan said. “When you can hit one through nine in the order and have a player or two who can come off the bench and hit in a clutch situation, that’s the key to success right

there.”

Hyson started game two for Georgetown. After surrendering a first inning home run, she held Syracuse hitless for five consecutive innings, giving up only one more hit — a single in the seventh.

Her two-hitter earned her the complete game win, and her ten strikeouts was her second highest total of the season.

“I thought both [O’Leary and Hyson] threw tremendously well,” Conlan said. “They were moving the ball around, they hit their spots. Megan threw with tremendous velocity. [They threw] two really really good games.”

The Hoyas scored in the second inning on a sacrifice fly from junior center fielder Elyse Graziano and a single from Giovanniello to take the lead 2-1 and then scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning for a 5-1 victory.

“We’re just doing a nice job of adjusting from pitcher to pitcher, and we’re doing a good job of executing,” Conlan said.

“We’re getting runners on and we’re moving them around the bases. We’re taking a lot of swings in practice and it’s paying off in games.”

The Hoyas came into Sunday’s game looking for the sweep, and the game seemed to be headed that way as they jumped ahead with five runs in the first inning.

Hyson and junior first baseman Madeleine Giaquinto had back-to-back two-RBI at-bats, and Henry drove in a run in her third consecutive game.

O’Leary started again and did

not allow a run until the fourth inning, when Syracuse’s freshman third baseman Corrine Ozanne homered. She hit one out again in the fifth inning, and the Hoyas’ lead was cut to 5-3.

Hyson came on in relief in the sixth inning, but the Orange scored a run in the sixth and seventh to send the game into extra innings.

Neither team could score in the eighth, although the Hoyas managed to get a runner on third that they failed to bring home.

The Syracuse bats exploded in the ninth, scoring four runs on back-to-back homers, including Ozanne’s third of the game, and Georgetown could not come back. The game ended on a double play, although it appeared that the ground ball might have bounced off the batter’s foot before it entered the field.

“It looked like she got hit in the foot with the ball. That’s what we think, it just wasn’t called,” Conlan said.

The 9-5 loss puts the Hoyas in fifth place in the Big East with nine conference games left to play.

“We’re in a nice position within the conference. We swung the bat pretty well, scored a lot of runs, played good defense, and we got some good pitching in,” Conlan said. “So overall, it was a successful weekend for us.”

Georgetown will next face Maryland Baltimore County in a nonconference home game Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 pm.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013

Men’s Side Coasts, Women Picked Apart in Finales Hoya Staff Writer

The regular season could not have ended more differently for the two Georgetown tennis teams.

On Thursday, the men’s team (12-9, 3-0) took on George Mason, picking up its 10th win in 11 matches to close out the regular season with a bang. The day didn’t start in the way that the Hoyas had hoped, as troubles at both No. 1 and No. 2 doubles led to the loss of the doubles point.

The struggles did not carry over to the singles matches, however, as Georgetown swept all six, including wins from senior Charlie Caris and graduate student Reese Milner in their final regular season matches as Hoyas.

“That’s a great finish for Charlie Caris. He played in every match in his career, all four years. Something like that is significant,” Head Coach Gordie Ernst said.

Junior Casey Distaso, winner at No. 5 singles, was proud with the way in which his team handled its two losses at doubles.

“It was great to see our team respond after losing the doubles point and going down 0-1,” Distaso said. “Finishing 6-1 was awesome and will certainly give us confidence going into the Big East tournament this weekend.”

After a tough beginning to the season, Georgetown is now perhaps the hottest team in the Big East right now. Thanks to their season-ending streak, the Hoyas managed to grab the seventh seed in the conference tournament, allowing them to avoid having to play on Thursday.

The team’s first match is against Louisville (13-12, 0-1 Big East) this Friday in South Bend, Ind.

“I don’t think we’ve been this high a seed since the late ’80s, when we won it all,” Ernst said.

On the women’s side, Georgetown’s final two matches against Richmond and Rutgers were a far cry from its performances the rest of the season.

The Hoyas (14-6, 3-3) fell 6-1 at Richmond on Thursday, their worst loss since a South Florida drubbing in late February.

“This week was just a tough week. The girls were very tired, very flat,” Ernst said. “Even just going down to Richmond took a lot out of them.”

The only point the Hoyas picked up on Thursday came from graduate student Elizabeth Hamlin at No. 5 singles.

They should have counted their blessings.

On Saturday, at home against Big East rival Rutgers, the Blue and Gray were unable to pick up even one point: A 7-0 loss dropped the Hoyas to .500 in conference play on the season.

“They just didn’t have that extra fight that they have in every match. I know they can fight harder and play better,” Ernst said.

The two losses do not subtract from what the women’s team accomplished throughout the season, though, as Ernst expressed that he was extremely impressed with the 14 wins that the women amassed is looking forward to what lies ahead.

The women’s team, which also has the seventh seed in its tournament, will be in Tampa, Fla., for the tournament, which begins on Thursday.

“Twenty-six wins for the program this year,” Ernst said. “I have no complaints. Overall, great.”

Both teams begin Big East tournament play on Friday.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Women Likewise Fall Short Against ND in South Bend JOSH SIMMONS Hoya Staff Writer

Despite comfortably beating Marquette 13-7 in Milwaukee Friday night, the No. 8 Georgetown women’s lacrosse team knew that its real weekend test still loomed in a road clash at No. 5 Notre Dame on Sunday.

After falling behind to the Fighting Irish in the marquee matchup, Georgetown’s comeback effort eventually came up short in a 13-12 nail-biter defeat — the Blue and Gray’s first conference loss this season.

This is the fourth straight time Notre Dame (11-1, 5-1 Big East) has emerged victorious over Georgetown (9-3, 3-1 Big East), including two consecutive one-goal victories.

Sunday’s defeat was particularly hard to swallow for the Hoyas, as they thoroughly outplayed their counterparts statistically, outshooting them 37-22 and forcing 21 turnovers.

With the drastic difference between the two opponents on paper, Head Coach Ricky Fried attributed the Blue and Gray’s loss to a failure to convert an abundance of opportunities.

“At the end of the day, the difference is purely shooting,” Fried said. “Ultimately we need to win the game, and that’s something we will work especially hard on moving forward.”

Friday’s win over Marquette (2-12) was a completely different story; the game was relatively drama-free, as the heavily favored Hoyas took control early and cruised to the finish line.

After falling behind 1-0 early, Georgetown rattled off three successive goals in an eight-minute span and never looked back.

The Blue and Gray built on its lead from there and entered halftime with a comfortable 7-3 advantage.

Out of the break, it was more of the same for the Hoyas, who extended their lead to 10-4. The Golden Eagles, however, closed the margin to 10-6 with enough time left on the clock to believe that a comeback was possible. That was as close as Marquette would get, though, as Georgetown reasserted control and cruised to the 13-7 victory.

While the Blue and Gray had little trouble with the Golden Eagles, Fried still noticed some disturbing trends in the win.

“We dictated the tempo of the game and I thought we were never in danger of losing the game, but we were disappointed with our turnovers and shooting percentage,” Fried said. “I think you’ve always got to look at negatives in wins and positives in losses.”

The Hoyas’ struggles with shooting percentage carried over into Sunday’s contest against the Fighting Irish. The hyped-up matchup got off to a slow start, as the two sides failed to make noteworthy dents in the scoreboard.

Perhaps both Georgetown and Notre Dame were still struggling with mental and physical fatigue early. While the Blue and Gray dealt with back-to-back weekend road games, the Irish were coming off a heartbreaking 14-13 double-overtime loss to No. 17 Loyola (Md.).

Whatever the reason, both squads traded minor blows in the first half and entered in-

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TENNIS

JONAH CASHDAN

THE HOYA

COURTESY GRANT TOBIN/THE OBSERVER

Sophomore midfielder Charles McCormick posted two goals and one assist Sunday in Georgetown’s eventual 10-8 loss on the road against top-10 opponent Notre Dame.

No. 4 Irish Prove Too Much

BENO PICCIANO Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown men’s lacrosse team (5-7, 2-2 Big East) started in style but ran out of luck down the stretch in Sunday’s 10-8 road defeat to the No. 4 Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (9-2, 3-1 Big East).

The hosts were seeking their sixth win in seven games, but it was the Blue and Gray who surged to an early lead in South Bend. Four different Hoyas found the back of the net within the opening eight and a half minutes, jumping Georgetown to a 4-0 advantage with 6:46 remaining in the first quarter.

The sophomore midfield tandem of Charles McCormick and Joe Bucci were set up by classmate Reilly O’Connor on the first two goals of the game, and the stand-out sophomore attack followed the two assists with a tally of his own to hand Georgetown a 3-0 lead. When Bucci then assisted senior attack Travis Comeau on the first of his team-high three goals, the Blue and Gray appeared to be in a comfortable position early on.

Notre Dame was next to make a statement, however, as Georgetown’s momentum fizzled before halftime. The Irish struck

back less than a minute after the Hoyas’ fourth goal and halved their deficit shortly thereafter on a breakaway opportunity following a turnover. When Comeau intervened to alter the course of McCormick’s bouncepass towards the crease — directing it straight into the net — the Blue and Gray appeared to be back on track, but this would be their final goal of the half.

The visitors managed seven shots in the second quarter — the same number as in the opening period — but found themselves rid of the lethal finishing touch which had given them their lead. Notre Dame crept back into striking distance with two goals in the final five minutes of the half and headed to the locker rooms with a 16-14 halftime shot advantage and a 7-for-11 record on faceoffs.

The opening minute of the second half was one which the Hoyas will likely want to expunge from their collective memories. The hosts made it a cumulative 6-1 scoring run with two goals in the opening 31 seconds of play. A Bucci pass then connected with Comeau, who fired home from the right side of the crease with 12:30 remaining in the quarter to

tie the score at six apiece, but this would be the last time that the Blue and Gray as much as shared the lead.

Attack Connor Doyle and midfielder Ryan Foley scored in succession to give the Irish the lead and a firm command on the game — one which they would not relinquish. A longrange effort from McCormick kept Georgetown within striking distance, but 8-7 was as close as the Hoyas would get.

Junior attack John Scioscia made the lead 9-7 in favor of the Irish, and the hosts finished the quarter with a remarkable 17 shots to the Hoyas’ three.

A sloppy, turnover-riddled fourth quarter rendered futile any of Georgetown’s attempts at a comeback, and though the teams traded goals to finish the game, senior attack Zac Guy’s strike with 1:14 remaining was simply too little, too late for the Blue and Gray.

While the Hoyas were solid in their overall performance against such a highly ranked conference foe, the result was a disappointment, particularly given the late-game heroics which led to a thrilling 14-13 overtime victory over St. John’s in Georgetown’s previous contest.

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COURTESY GRANT TOBIN/THE OBSERVER

Senior attack Dina Jackson tied Saturday’s game up at eight with 14 minutes left. termission all squared up at 4-4.

Out of the locker room, it was a different story, as the game turned into an exciting back-and-forth swing of runs. The Fighting Irish were the first to make a move, tallying four straight goals in the blink of an eye to take an 8-4 lead.

Not to be outdone, Georgetown calmly answered with four straight goals of its own to tie the game at 8-8.

About halfway through the second half, Notre Dame impressively responded by finding the back of the net three consecutive times to regain an 11-8 advantage.

Soon, with just over three minutes left on the clock, the Blue and Gray found themselves trailing 13-9.

From there, the Hoyas had one last run in them, but it was just not enough. Thanks to goals from junior midfielder Meghan Farrell, senior midfielder Sophia Thomas and senior midfielder Kelsi Bozel, Georgetown was able to reduce the margin to one. Yet with 13 seconds remaining, there was simply not enough time for the Blue and Gray to tie it up at the end.

Thomas led the way for Georgetown in the loss. The Tewaarton Trophy candidate notched her second hat trick of the weekend and was aided by Bozel and Farrell — each of whom tallied two scores themselves.

“You can’t ever understate Sophia’s importance to the team,” Fried said. “She’s one of those people who always does the little things. Recently, she’s been scoring more, which obviously is a huge help for us on offense.”

Overall, it was a busy weekend for the Hoyas and one that ended in disappointment. Even in defeat, though, Fried sees some positive signs for the Blue and Gray to build on as tournament play commences in the not-so-distant future.

“There are a lot of things we can pull from these [games] against a really quality opponent,” Fried said. “We’re able to play at high level on a consistent basis, and if we tweak a few things, we should hopefully be in a good position again in these games down the road.”

Sugar Ready for Next Step RODGERS, from A10 down in school history for being Georgetown’s all-time leading scorer, male or female, with 2,518 points.

She is also Georgetown’s all-time steals leader with 326.

Despite all the accolades, Rodgers always strove to improve her game while on the Hilltop, something she will

undoubtedly continue to do in the WNBA. Rodgers’ senior season may have been a disappointment for her team, but she went out with a bang on a personal level nonetheless; in her final game, Rodgers scored 42 points against Villanova in the second round of the Big East tournament to break the conference championship single-game

scoring record.

Rodgers is the third player from Georgetown to be drafted by the WNBA, following Rebekkah Brunson, who was drafted in 2004, and Katie Smrcka-Duffy, who was taken in 2001.

With her athleticism and skill, Rodgers has left a legacy that will live on in the record books as well as in our hearts and memories.

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Otto to Make NBA Jump PORTER, from A10 He chose the former and leapt into the spotlight, attacking with confidence on the offensive end while remaining a stalwart defender and

rebounder. The forward jacked up his scoring average without sacrificing any efficiency, and the Hoyas caught fire largely as a result. By mid-February, Porter had cemented his status as the impending Big East player of the year and had vaulted himself into the national player of the year conversation.

The high point of the 201213 season for most Georgetown fans came as a result of Porter’s heroics. In the Hoyas’ final visit to Syracuse’s Carrier Dome, the star forward singlehandedly dismantled the Orange to the tune of a career-high 33 points.

“He really won the game,” Syracuse Head Coach Jim Boeheim said afterward. “He had to make plays, and he made them all day.”

While that virtuosic Carrier Dome performance will be many fans’ most vivid memory of Porter, his short Hilltop career ended with a whimper rather than the roar most expected.

After a dominant regular season, the Hoyas fell to Syracuse in the Big East tournament semifinal then suffered a dramatic upset at the hands of 15th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast in the NCAA tournament round of 64. In both games, Porter struggled to score and made several uncharacteristic mistakes.

Still, Porter will be remembered as the most talented Hoya since Greg Monroe, who likewise left for the draft after his sophomore year in 2010.

Like Green, Georgetown’s most recent early declarer indicated a willingness to finish his degree in the NBA offseason.

And despite the hit his team will take — especially in the scoring column — Thompson III endorsed his star’s decision.

“I think he’s ready, as much mentally and emotionally, as it relates to basketball,” Thompson III said. “I thought he went about the process in an educated manner.”

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SOFTBALL Georgetown (17-26) vs. UMBC (7-31) Tuesday, 2:30 p.m.

MultiSport Facility

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013

WOMEN’S LACROSSE TALKING POINTS Georgetown lost a 13-12 barnburner on the road Sunday against Notre Dame.

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Rodgers Taken 14th In Draft LAURA WAGNER Hoya Staff Writer

While Georgetown basketball fans spent much of Monday following Otto Porter Jr.’s decision to declare for the NBA draft, another Georgetown basketball star was preparing to make her own ascension to the professional ranks.

Senior guard Ta’Shauna “Sugar” Rodgers, one of the most decorated athletes in school history, was selected in the second round, 14th overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2013 WNBA draft.

When Rodgers’ name was called, she hugged Georgetown Head Coach Keith Brown and walked to the stage, a dazed smile on her face as she posed for the camera with her new Lynx jersey. Struggling to find the words to describe her emotions, Sugar tried to explain the important role that basketball played in her troubled upbringing.

“It kept me focused,” she said, fighting to keep her composure before adding, “I’m just so happy.”

Last night’s draft in Bristol, Conn., was the first time Rodgers, her brother and her sister had all been in the same place together in over 10 years. Even on Monday, though, - GU all-time Rodgers’ could leading scorer not be with her - Four-year during the actual starter draft due to space - 2nd Round, constraints, in14th overall stead watching proudly from the adjacent room reserved for family and friends.

“I’m just excited they could be there,” Rodgers said with a wide smile after walking off the stage. “I’m about to go back and see them.”

Nowadays, anything from minor injuries to bad press falls into the category of adversity, but in Rodger’s case, the challenges she faced were very real — and extremely serious.

According to a Washington Post article that ran in Nov. 2011, Rodgers grew up in a violent, crime-filled neighborhood in Suffolk, Va., where she once had to duck for cover in her own house during a drive-by shooting.

She lost her mother to lupus at age 14 and had little contact with her ailing father. She bounced around relatives’ and friends’ homes and struggled in school, making money hustling people on the basketball courts.

In the midst of these hardships, Rodgers stayed involved in athletics and AAU ball, supported by a few caring mentors who recognized her potential. She knew that her basketball skills could be her ticket out, her ticket to college and maybe, one day, even her ticket to the WNBA. That day has arrived.

As moving as Rodgers’ success story is, her on-court escapades are equally compelling. With explosive speed and a deft long-range jump shot, Rodgers began racking up the points the moment she stepped on the court as a freshman in 2009. Since first donning the Blue and Gray, she asserted herself as a team leader and lethal scorer, and she never looked back.

It is, in short, impossible to overstate what Rodgers meant for the Georgetown basketball program during her four years as a Hoya.

Though Rodgers’ list of honors is immense — including four first-team all-Big East honors and three Associated Press honorable mention AllAmerican nods — she will above all go

Sugar Rodgers

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NUMBERS GAME

” 14

It’s not like I was caught off-guard.

Men’s Basketball Head Coach John Thompson IIII on Otto Porter Jr.’s NBA Draft declaration

The pick when senior guard Sugar Rodgers was selected at the WNBA Draft on Monday.

See story below.

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Porter Jr. to Forgo Final Two Years PAT CURRAN

Hoya Staff Writer

The Otto Porter Jr. era at Georgetown officially came to a close Monday afternoon, as the star forward announced that he would forgo his two remaining years of eligibility and enter the 2013 NBA Draft.

Porter was widely expected to declare for the draft following a phenomenal 2012-13 campaign, in which he was named Big East player of the year and finished in the top five in nearly every national player of the year race.

Porter insisted that he hadn’t made his decision until the season had come to a close.

“During the season, I’d been trying to focus on the season,” he said.

“After the season, I started thinking about my decision.”

The declaration came as no surprise to Head Coach John Thompson III, who indicated that he was ready to deal with his best player’s departure.

“It’s not like I was caught offguard,” Thompson III said. “I think we’ll be OK.” The 19-year-old Porter is a consensus lottery pick, and some mock drafts place him among the first five players selected. Scouts praise his versatility and high basketball IQ, though his 6-foot-8 frame means he’ll have to prove that he can play the perimeter at the next level. Porter has drawn comparisons to smooth, athletic “tweener” forwards like Memphis’ Tayshaun Prince and Boston’s Jeff Green (COL ’12).

Draft night will mark a major milestone in Porter’s journey, which has been a modern basketball fairy tale.

The rural southeastern Missouri native completed a stellar four-year career at Scott County Central High School in 2011, but his decision not to play AAU basketball caused him to fly under many recruiters’ radars. He chose Georgetown over local powerhouses like Missouri and Kansas that April, making him one of the last highly rated players in his class to commit.

“He’s one of those kids that has been a coach’s dream ever since I’ve known him,” then-Scott County Central coach Kenyon Wright told THE HOYA after Porter’s commitment.

Thompson III referred to Porter as “the most prepared freshman

4

6

The number of players drafted under John Thompson III

I’ve ever coached” throughout his freshman year, but the rookie still came off the bench for much of the season. Even after breaking into the starting lineup late in the year, Porter took a backseat to seniors Jason Clark and Henry Sims and junior Hollis Thompson on the offensive

Average mock draft position on CBS Sports and Draft Express

end. Still, his textbook defense, prolific rebounding and impressive court vision quickly endeared him to the Georgetown faithful.

The Hoyas lost Clark and Sims to graduation and Thompson to the draft, so Porter and junior Markel Starks became the focal points of the

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Ranking in rebounding average during JT III’s tenure

offense in 2012. Porter was solid if not spectacular early in the season, but classmate Greg Whittington’s academic suspension forced him to take a starring role or risk diminishing an already anemic offense.

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TRACK AND FIELD

Peavey the Star as GU Impresses at GMU PATRICK MUSGRAVE Hoya Staff Writer

PATRICK MUSGRAVE/THE HOYA

Junior Chelsea Cox (4) placed third in the 800m running, finishing behind only two professional runners, to set herself up well for a national title berth.

With perfect temperatures and on a calm, cloudless night in Northern Virginia, Georgetown distance runners stole the show Saturday, running numerous personal record times at the George Mason Spring Invitational.

“Overall tonight, we had a huge amount of PRs in multiple events, so there was a lot of good stuff going on that I’m happy about,” Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Patrick Henner said.

The marquee men’s event for the evening was the 1500m, which fielded over 75 competitors and was run in six sections. Competing in the seeded section for Georgetown, which was designed to be the most competitive, were seniors Andrew Springer and Bobby Peavey.

For the first two laps of the seeded section, the pace was slightly erratic, with the first quarter mile coming in at 58 seconds. The second was run four seconds slower, and this largely caused the pack to stay compressed through the final lap. None of the competitors made

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a dominant move, so the race was left to a battle of leg speeds in the final 200 meters. Peavey and Springer were hemmed in at the top of the curve with a group of five runners with 150 meters to go when Columbia University junior John Gregorek made a commanding move to the front.

Peavey and two other Columbia runners broke with Gregorek but could not cover his move, and Gregorek took the win in 3:44.65. Peavey was a second back in 3:45.66, which ended up earning him fifth place overall. Springer came in about a second after Peavey with a 3:46.55, good for eighth place.

“I think Peavey did a great job — that was a PR for him, and it should get him into the NCAA first round,” Henner said. “Springer just didn’t look good the whole race. I don’t know if he’s a bit tired from the training, as he has been slightly sick in the past week. However, he looked really good at the Colonial Relays last week and so should be completely fine going forward,” Perhaps more impressive than See MASON, A8