The Hoya: January 24, 2014

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

Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 95, No. 28, © 2014

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014

BEYOND THE GATES

EDITORIAL SAE contradicts its values in an email to the current group of rushees.

Sketches of life after Georgetown from four different perspectives.

GUIDE, B1

Obama Confronts Assault

GLOBAL VETERANS Veterans the world over reflect on their service and time on the Hilltop.

NEWS, A7

OPINION, A2

Madison Ashley Hoya Staff Writer

A professor at Georgetown for 34 years, Adhip Chaudhuri was, in many senses, a lifelong student.

Chaudhuri, who retired last year, died Jan. 13 after a three-year

battle with lung cancer. He was 62 years old.

While his field was economics, Chaudhuri’s currency was knowledge. It was a trait he inherited from his parents, a chemist and housewife, and one he would pass on to his two children, Maya (SFS

’13) and Neal (COL ’16).

Throughout his Georgetown career, Chaudhuri inspired students, friends and colleagues alike with his zeal for international economics and natural aptitude for making learning fun.

“He would always come home

Suzanne Monyak Hoya Staff Writer

See ASSAULT, A6

SPORTS, B10

Chaudhuri, Economist and Father, Dies

White House task force to address sexual assault on college campuses President Obama formed a task force Wednesday to lead federal efforts to prevent and respond to sexual assault on college campuses — a move applauded by activists at Georgetown.

The task force will be composed of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder as well as the secretaries of the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education and the Interior. The group has been given 90 days to propose solutions to help universities best react to reports of sexual assault.

“We’re going to work with colleges and universities and educational institutions of all kinds across America to help them come up with better ways to prevent and respond to sexual assault on their campuses. And then we’ll help them put those ideas into practice,” Obama said in his speech Wednesday.

“I think it’s a really wonderful step forward that sees the president and vice president make such a commitment toward this international crisis that’s been going on for years now,” Erin Riordan (COL ’15), co-founder of the blog Feminists-at-Large, said.

According to a White House report released Wednesday, while one in five American females are assaulted, only one in eight report the incident. A similar report issued in 2012 by the National College Health Assessment Survey found that one in four females and one in 33 males on average will experience sexual assault during their college careers.

“Sexual assault is an issue at Georgetown because people don’t think it is. In a lot of ways, I think people tend to like the idea of safety on or around our campus because there is such a strong and powerful sense of community. I would love to see that sense of community rise up to address this scary reality of something that does happen and shouldn’t be ignored,” former Take Back the Night Board Member Deanna Arthur (SFS ’14) wrote in an email.

As part of the task force, Obama said he hopes to put more social pressure on men to intervene in cases of witnessing sexual assault — a priority agreed upon by Georgetown students.

“I think it’s really important and necessary for men to be a part of this conversation. Bringing men into the conversation can be as simple as looking at the way [men] commend each other for hooking up with girls who were maybe a little too drunk or realizing that certain jokes just aren’t funny,” Arthur wrote.

Sexual Assault Peer Educator and

STREAK CONTINUES After falling to Marquette in overtime, Hoyas to face Creighton Saturday.

COURTESY AMIT SHAH

Economics professor Adhip Chaudhuri in his Intercultural Center office in the early 1980s. Chaudhuri, who taught at Georgetown for 34 years, died at 62 after a three-year battle with cancer Jan. 13.

and tell us which class he liked better that day, the morning or afternoon section, based on how they responded to his jokes,” Maya said.

As children, Neal and Maya were often forced to memorize maps, countries and flags as well as plants — an interest Chaudhuri developed while following around the gardener at his boarding school in Kolkata, India.

“He was always slightly disappointed that my sister and I weren’t as obsessed with plants as he was,” Neal said. “I think part of it was the Latin names and part of it was the natural beauty.”

A Man for Others Born in 1951 in Ghazipur, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Chaudhuri was the youngest of four siblings. After graduating at the top of his class from St. Stephen’s College at Delhi University and then the Delhi School of Economics, Chaudhuri immigrated to the United States in 1972.

Chaudhuri spent his days as a doctoral candidate at Columbia University, applying the social justice philosophy of John Rawls to economics in his thesis. He also took time to absorb American culture, frequenting Tom’s Diner, which would later be featured on the television show “Seinfeld” and adopting the New York Giants and New York Yankees as his own See CHAUDHURI, A6

MAYORAL RACE

Candidates Sound Off on Marijuana Johnny Verhovek Hoya Staff Writer

As legislation to both legalize and decriminalize marijuana makes its way to the Council of the District of Columbia, reform of laws regarding the drug has become an important issue for candidates in the mayoral race, with many just stopping short of calling for the drug’s full legalization.

On Jan. 15, the D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety unanimously passed a bill that would eliminate jail time and reduce the fine for possessing up to an ounce of marijuana to $25 — less than most parking tickets in the District.

As the bill is set to move to the full council Feb. 4, several candidates vying to become D.C.’s next mayor have framed the issue as one of many measures meant to reduce inequal-

ities along racial and socioeconomic lines in the District.

While Mayor Vincent Gray, who is running for re-election, indicated support for the bill, he has stopped short of endorsing legalization of the drug.

He did, however, indicate that he would support the voters if they were to approve a November ballot referendum legalizing marijuana.

Candidate and Councilmember Tommy Wells (DWard 6), who authored the bill, cited disproportionately high arrest rates among poor and minority communities as one factor in its necessity.

“Ninety-one percent of all arrests for marijuana are minorities — predominantly African-American. We know that marijuana use is far more widespread than just in that community. What this bill See MARIJUANA, A6

LIFE, MORALITY AND LAW

COURTESY LAURA NAREFSKY

Lauren Tucci (SFS ’17), Abby Grace (SFS ’16), Sophia Kleyman (COL ’16) and Sharanya Venkataraman (SFS ’16) tabling for HFC on Monday.

HFC Booted From Healy Circle for Protest Kit Clemente Hoya Staff Writer

MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA

Keynote speaker for the Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life, Robert P. George addresses a crowd of more than 600 attendees. The conference focused on morality and law. See story on A8.

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

Published Tuesdays and Fridays

Members of H*yas for Choice arrived in Healy Circle at 7:30 a.m.

Monday with the intent of tabling throughout the day in protest of the Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life. Yet within 18 minutes, they found themselves removed and relocated outside the front gates by the Department of Public Safety.

Besides objecting to the pro-life stance of the conference, the group wished to test the Georgetown University Free Speech Policy after assertions by administrators that the policy did not disallow free speech in places other than Red Square during last Thursday’s free speech forum.

After DPS arrived on the scene, members of H*yas for Choice attempted to show officers copies of the free speech policy to avoid relocation.

However, DPS maintained that H*yas for Choice could not table in Healy Circle and asked them either to relocate to Red Square or outside the front gates of the university. Group members felt that this request represented unequal treatment, especially

in light of September’s “One Georgetown, One Campus” protest, which took place in Healy Circle.

“We feel that DPS enforces the free speech expression policy completely unequally across groups, that when the [One Georgetown, One Campus] group mostly made up of GUSA students was protesting, they were in Healy circle with no reservation, no trouble and when we tried to be there, they kicked us out within 18 minutes. We feel that we are targeted because of our views and our status to the university,” H*yas for Choice President Laura Narefsky (COL ’14) said.

Chief of Police Jay Gruber described the protestors as compliant, but deferred further questions to the Office of Communications.

“We were alerted via a phone call that a group had set up a table at Healy Circle,” he wrote in an email.

“The group was very amenable and followed the directions of the officers.”

Although H*yas for Choice tabled in Healy Circle and not the designated free speech zone of Red Square, See PROTEST, A6

Send Story Ideas and Tips to news@thehoya.com

A2

OPINION

THE HOYA

FRIday, january 24, 2014

THE VERDICT Founded January 14, 1920

EDITORIALS

SAE’s Inconsistent Pledge Since its founding in 2012, Sigma Alpha Epsilon has admitted four pledge classes, appealing to students for various reasons, including the fraternity’s nationwide “Gentlemen’s Creed.” The 124-word creed describes an SAE man as one “who thinks of the rights and feelings of others rather than his own … a man with whom honor is sacred and virtue safe.”

Yet SAE, at least in one instance, has overlooked these principles in practice, as evidenced by an email sent from a leader within the fraternity to the current rushees that was shown to The Hoya.

“You will ABSOLUTELY be judged on the quality of lady friends you bring with,” the email reads. “The more you bring and the hotter they are, the more the brothers will come to respect you.”

Aside from the email’s endorsement of female objectification, the sentiment behind the message is clearly contradictory to that of the fraternity’s stated principles.

These instructions, given to rushees before a party, challenge the standards on which SAE so deeply prides itself. The same instructions would not be welcome at the “True Gentlemen Respect Women” event held by SAE and the GU Circle of

Women in December 2012, and they reveal a general discrepancy between the rhetoric SAE uses to describe itself and that which it employs in practice.

And while this type of language is no doubt common among fraternities nationwide, it is a shame to see it shape the attitude of a fraternity at a school without the wider mindset of Greek life.

SAE brothers have completed more than 600 hours of community service and raised more than $4,500 for philanthropic causes, according to the Georgetown colony’s website. These efforts are commendable and are certainly in line with SAE’s values. But any student group that presents itself to campus based on a certain set of values should uphold that commitment in private, too.

According to a statement from SAE President Matt Castaldo (COL ’15), the individual responsible for the email stepped down and made a full apology to the fraternity. While this action was an appropriate response to the incident at hand, it is still worthwhile to note the implications of that student’s message.

Before the brothers of SAE move forward with their next pledge class, they should rethink how their collective actions reflect their collective values.

C C

Snow Day — Over 200 people took part in a massive snowball fight in Dupont Circle on Tuesday. The fight was organized by the D.C. Snowball Fight Association and was its first snowball fight in over two years.

Congressional Celebration — Six members of Congress, including five alumni, marked Georgetown’s 225th birthday with entries in the Congressional Record.

Opening Eventually — Metro has not announced an official opening date for its brand new Silver Line after recent software problems further delayed testing on the track.

Hedwig in D.C. — A snowy owl — rarely seen in the U.S. — was spotted in McPherson Square earlier this week.

A LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD US ... @keylowdc

Jan. 23 Some love from @thehoya in the guide’s music issue that came out last week! @TheFIREorg

Jan. 23 Last week, the editorial board of @thehoya called for greater free speech at Georgetown. Will @Georgetown listen? @adlsaxa Jan. 21 @Nicole_Carter_ @thehoya Indeed, this is true. Chipotle is much better, but I will miss 1/2 off Tuesdays. @HyasForChoice

Jan. 20 In direct violation of the #FreeSpeechGU forum, DPS removed us from tabling outside the prolife conference within 18 mins @thehoya @TisaTime @abbygrace94 Jan. 20 Took 18 minutes for DPS to be called on @HyasForChoice #whatfreespeech? @georgetownvoice @thehoya

Sending a Clear Message On Monday night, two words disappointed students across campus: “liberal leave.” This message from HOYAlert announcing that the university would remain open despite an impending snowstorm was then contradicted hours later, when HOYAlert notified students, faculty and staff that Georgetown would in fact be closed Tuesday.

In this case, the second HOYAlert was a welcome contradiction. However, it seems unwise for the system to set a precedent of sending alerts before their contents are entirely certain. Students should be made aware of the procedures the Department of Emergency Management and Operational Continuity uses before sending a message to better understand when there is a possibility that an alert will be later overturned.

Of course, HOYAlert provides a valuable service in situations more serious than inclement weather. But in September, many students were surprised

C C C

Cash for College — On Thursday, the D.C. Council began debating a bill that would provide students in the District with up to $60,000 to go to college.

@WestSacHoya82

Jan. 20 @thehoyasports Another frustratingly common late game collapse...

to not have received a HOYAlert via text warning them of a shooting at the Navy Yard, just miles from campus. Although students did receive an email, they were also notified that day via email of a public masturbation incident and numerous burglaries — all events that were far less consequential than the potential of a gunman near the university.

Due to contradictory messages and inconsistent levels of gravity in HOYAlert texts, it is unclear what standard the alerts must meet before they are disseminated. DEMOC should make these standards transparent so that the student body can understand in what circumstances it will be alerted. As it stands, HOYAlert is a trusted source of emergency information at Georgetown.

If DEMOC makes clear the method behind its messages, students, faculty and staff will be able to redouble that trust — both in times of crisis and when waiting for a snow day.

@SolomonDoug @thehoyasports where’s the defense?

Jan. 20

EDITORIAL CARTOON by Megan Schmidt

A Leader in Equal Access As bachelor’s degrees have become instrumental to most careers, policymakers have long been working toward the goal of making a college education available to anyone who wants one.

Last week, University President John J. DeGioia attended the White House College Opportunity Summit — a small first step from the university toward reaching that milestone. But all too often, the hype that is generated during these summits fades away in the following weeks and months, and policy goals fall victim to political apathy. We urge DeGioia to continue to use both Georgetown policy and the university’s political capital to encourage diversity of socioeconomic status in colleges around the country.

It is our university’s Catholic identity that requires Georgetown to be at the forefront of efforts to provide higher educa-

tion for low-income students. A university centrally focused on social justice, diverse discourse and the well-being of humankind, as Georgetown so often emphasizes it is, must not merely participate but rather lead the way in providing more equitable access to higher education.

President Obama has revived the federal government’s dedication to making college more affordable, and the ball is now in our court, as it is for colleges nationwide. Given Georgetown’s principled commitment to this cause and our proximity to education policymakers, we are poised to be among academic leaders in this effort.

Backed by the university’s Catholic mission, DeGioia should continue to publicly establish Georgetown’s dedication to making a college education available to all who seek it.

Emma Hinchliffe, Editor-in-Chief TM Gibbons-Neff, Executive Editor Sheena Karkal, Managing Editor Lindsay Lee, Online Editor Mallika Sen, Campus News Editor Madison Ashley, City News Editor Carolyn Maguire, Sports Editor Kim Bussing, Guide Editor David Chardack, Opinion Editor Alexander Brown, Photography Editor Ian Tice, Layout Editor Robert DePaolo, Copy Chief Karl Pielmeier, Blog Editor

Contributing Editors

Katy Berk, Zoe Bertrand, Chris Bien, Pat Curran, Victoria Edel, Danny Funt, Chris Grivas, Penny Hung, Sarah Kaplan, Hanaa Khadraoui, Hunter Main, Eitan Sayag, Sean Sullivan, Emory Wellman

Deputy Campus News Editor Sam Abrams Deputy Campus News Editor Kit Clemente Deputy City News Editor Suzanne Monyak Deputy Business Editor Natasha Khan Deputy Sports Editor Andrew May Deputy Sports Editor Tom Schnoor Sports Blog Editor Max Wheeler Deputy Guide Editor Allison Hillsbery Deputy Guide Editor Jess Kelham-Hohler Deputy Guide Editor Lindsay Leasor Deputy Opinion Editor Matthew Grisier Deputy Photography Editor Julia Hennrikus Deputy Photography Editor Daniel Smith Deputy Photography Editor Michelle Xu Deputy Layout Editor Michelle Cardona Deputy Layout Editor Kennedy Shields Deputy Copy Editor Jackie McCadden Deputy Copy Editor Zack Saravay Deputy Copy Editor Sharanya Sriram Deputy Blog Editor Emma Holland

Editorial Board

Michal Grabias, General Manager Jason Yoffe, Director of Accounting Christina Wing, Director of Corporate Development Nicole Foggan, Director of Marketing Addie Fleron, Director of Personnel Brian Carden, Director of Sales Nick DeLessio, Director of Technology Clara Cheng Kevin Wilson Tessa Bell Sean Choksi Laura Tonnessen Chris Amaya Dimitri Roumeliotis Natasha Patel Charles Lee Nicole Yuksel Ellen Zamsky Emily Manbeck Christine Cha Katherine Seder Matthew De Silva Casandra Schwartz Janet Zhu

Operations Manager Revenue Outreach Manager Senior Accounts Manager Local Accounts Manager National Accounts Manager Treasury Manager Statements Manager Alumni Relations Manager Special Events Manager Public Relations Manager Human Resources Manager Professional Development Manager Institutional Diversity Manager Local Advertisements Manager Systems Manager Technical Support Manager Web Manager

David Chardack, Chair

Consultants

Katy Berk, Taylor Coles, Patrick Drown, Ben Germano, Kelly Nosé

Kent Carlson, Kevin Tian, Mary Nancy Walter, Mullin Weerakoon, Simon Wu

Board of Directors

Evan Hollander, Chair

Michal Grabias, Emma Hinchliffe, Hanaa Khadraoui, Vidur Khatri, Hunter Main, Braden McDonald Letter to the Editor & Viewpoint Policies The Hoya welcomes letters and viewpoints from our readers and will print as many as possible. To be eligible for publication, letters should specifically address a recent campus issue or Hoya story.

Letters should not exceed 300 words.

Viewpoints are always welcome from all members of the Georgetown community on any topic, but priority will be given to relevant campus issues. Viewpoint submissions should be between 600-800 words.

Send all submissions to: opinion@thehoya.com.

Letters and viewpoints are due Sunday at 5 p.m. for Tuesday’s issue and Wednesday at 5 p.m. for Friday’s issue. The Hoya reserves the right to reject letters or viewpoints and edit for length, style, clarity and accuracy. The Hoya further reserves the right to write headlines and select illustrations to accompany letters and viewpoints.

Corrections & Clarifications If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, contact Executive Editor TM Gibbons-Neff at (203) 858-1127 or email executive@thehoya.com.

News Tips Campus News Editor Mallika Sen: Call (310) 918-6116 or email campus@thehoya.com.

City News Editor Madison Ashley: Call (504) 3446845 or email city@thehoya.com.

Sports Editor Carolyn Maguire: Call (908) 4471445 or email sports@thehoya.com.

General Information The Hoya is published twice each week during the academic year with the exception of holiday and exam periods. Address all correspondence to:

The Hoya Georgetown University Box 571065 Washington, D.C. 20057-1065 The writing, articles, pictures, layout and format are the responsibility of The Hoya and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of Georgetown University.

Signed columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the editorial position of The Hoya.

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Georgetown University subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression for student editors.

The Hoya does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, disability, color, national or ethnic origin. © 1920-2014. The Hoya, Georgetown University twice weekly. No part of this publication may be used without the permission of The Hoya Board of Editors. All rights reserved. The Hoya is available free of charge, one copy per reader, at distribution sites on and around the Georgetown University campus.

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Editorial: (202) 687-3415 Advertising: (202) 687-3947 Business: (202) 687-3947 Facsimile: (202) 687-2741 Email: editor@thehoya.com Online at www.thehoya.com Circulation: 6,500

OPINION

friday, january 24, 2014

B You May Say I’m A Dreamer W

hen I was a high school senior applying to Georgetown, I spoke with an alumnus who explained that, decades ago, seemingly half of the students on campus aspired to be president of the United States. Nearly four years later, I can’t identify a single student on one of the most politically passionate campuses in the country who would openly admit to that ambition.

From my perspective, that doesn’t stem from maturation or disenchantment. Rather, I believe this supposed pragmatism is the result of a faux modesty that is socially imposed on ambitious members of our community. It stifles sincerity and, as is often the case with linguistic phenomena, yields significant consequences.

When lofty dreams are ridiculed for being juvenile, people tend to lower their sights.

There’s no doubt that the Hilltop is an ultra-competitive environment. But, sometimes competition drives people to race to the top; other times it pressures them to stay close to the pack. I don’t accept that the dreariness of some Capitol Hill internships or the allure of Wall Street paychecks leads students to awaken from the naivete of their dreams and settle for something less. It appears instead to result from a broader cultural phenomenon — one anathema that stifles the idealistic spirit that so many teenagers yearn for when they are first drawn to this campus.

Whether you’re speaking of politicians pursuing elected office or entrepreneurs, entertainers, artists, inventors or anyone seeking to make an impact on a broad scale and break from the norm, ambitious, professional aspiration requires a tremendous leap of faith. It demands a sense of personal potential and a commitment to self-improvement, which, for college students especially, should be celebrated, not scolded. Yet our society has developed a tendency to loath its dreamers, mistaking humble aspirations for pretentiousness and

Something is amiss when the plurality of our graduates enter consulting. egotism. Sadly, that’s evident well beyond the gates of Georgetown.

Sports icons were once revered for embodying the American dream, and few athletes fit that profile better than Babe Ruth. As legend has it, the Yankee outfielder “called his shot” by pointing to the center-field bleachers while at bat during the 1932 World Series at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, only to deliver on his promise with a towering home run to that spot on the next pitch. To so many adoring fans, Ruth wasn’t arrogant; he was a hero.

Nowadays, bold signs of confidence can be the downfall of public figures. Take hip-hop artist Kanye West, whose outspoken ambition and proclamations of self-potential are widely demonized. In an interview during October of last year, West said, “If everything I did failed — which it doesn’t, it actually succeeds — but if everything I did failed, just the fact that I’m willing to fail is an inspiration. Just the fact that I’m willing to lose is an inspiration to try.”

The road toward realizing our dreams is extended and uncertain, and at the fork in the road that we find ourselves approaching in our senior year, it can be tempting to choose the safer side. I’m not oblivious to the pressures of student debt or the specialized pursuits of business students, but something is amiss at Georgetown University when the plurality of our graduates enter consulting or investment banking. During an interview in October, I asked Charles Deacon, Georgetown’s dean of admissions for four decades, how many applicants list consulting among their career ambitions in admissions essays.

As you might predict, his answer was zero.

As editor-in-chief of The Hoya, I made a point of asking groups of new staffers, “Who here is gunning for my job one day?” They inevitably would recoil and glance around the room; nobody ever responded affirmatively. I’ve heard similar stories from other student groups, where the idea of being humble and paying your dues is often taken too far: People are reluctant to appear pretentious, and their remedy is often to act disingenuously pedestrian.

I certainly value humility in others and try to practice it myself, but there is a profound difference between being conceited or confident, being oblivious or optimistic.

I’m not calling for the Hilltop to become Neverland, nor am I suggesting that what might be considered modest aspirations are inferior or inadequate. I just hope that our school can embrace ambition and hunger for the means to achieve it — a departure from what seems like a society of cynicism and a culture of conformity.

We still have an incredible way to go before we are able to realize our dreams. But for those of us unafraid to call our shot right now, boos from the crowd shouldn’t deter us from swinging for the fences.

Danny Funt is a senior in the College.

CALLING MY SHOT appears every other Friday.

A3

VIEWPOINT • Narefsky & Grace

CALLING MY SHOT

Danny Funt

THE HOYA

Free Speech for 18 Minutes

efore we even sat down, we knew we wouldn’t have long.

We didn’t bring any signs, and we made no noise. Just as we would on any other weekday morning, members of H*yas for Choice sat at a bench with our table, a banner and a bowl of condoms — just in a different location. When it was all said and done, it took 18 minutes for the Georgetown University Police Department to respond to a complaint about H*yas for Choice’s presence in Healy Circle on the morning of Jan. 20.

We presented the responding officers with copies of the Free Speech and Expression Policy, referring them to specific points in the document that outlined our rights to protest events. Because the responding officers recognized that we were students, they then notified their superiors and summoned more GUPD officials to the scene. After GUPD sent at least six officers to confront five student members, they gave us an ultimatum: Move to Red Square, or leave campus property.

Although H*yas for Choice does not agree with the opinions expressed at Monday’s Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life, our decision to protest was not exclusively motivated by the views presented at that event. Just as H*yas for Choice has the right to speak freely on Georgetown University’s campus, we recognize that other groups share this same right.

The most insulting part of our encounter with GUPD was the initial justification for our removal.

As one GUPD officer remarked, certain members of the community didn’t want us here. Every officer who came to the scene agreed that we were not disrupting any events nor being disrespectful. As recently as last semester, other groups, most notably “One Georgetown, One Campus,” have staged protests in Healy Circle without reserving the space. Our only crime was sitting on a bench with a banner that read, “H*yas for Choice.”

Members of H*yas for Choice

Monday’s treatment of H*yas for Choice proves that free speech on campus does carry consequences. and other marginalized groups on campus are often met with the sentiment that our presence is not wanted. Instead of being recognized as a contribution to a campus that strives for diversity, we are treated like a nuisance that undermines the university’s image. This attitude is not representative of a community that celebrates free speech — it is indicative of an environment that

cultivates fear of those who might disagree. By prohibiting some students from participating in a free exchange of ideas, Georgetown hinders our ability to learn from one another.

On Thursday, Jan. 16, Georgetown University Student Association sponsored a forum on the Free Speech and Expression Policy. While all of the administrators present were passionate about

Viewpoint • Dostal

upholding “standards promoting speech and expression that foster the maximum exchange of ideas and opinions” and ensuring “a balanced approach in all communications and the inclusion of contrary points of view,” the disconnect between written policy and implementation quickly became clear.

Although Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson promised a new Free Speech and Expression Policy by the end of the semester, we do not believe the validity of our complaints was fully appreciated. It seemed as if much of the blame was placed on “conventional wisdom,” not recognition that the policy itself clashes with students’ day-to-day experiences.

Monday’s removal of H*yas for Choice from Healy Circle proves that free speech on Georgetown University’s campus does, in fact, carry consequences. GUPD failed to recognize the spirit of the Free Speech and Expression Policy, specifically the statement that “Georgetown’s identification with the Catholic and Jesuit tradition, far from limiting or compromising the ideal of free discourse, requires that we live up to that ideal. … Making it impossible for others to speak or be heard or seen, or in any way obstructing the free exchange of ideas, is an attack on the core principles the University lives by and may not be tolerated.”

H*yas for Choice stands proudly with this call for inclusivity, dialogue, respect and tolerance. We can only hope that other members of the university community embrace rather than fear the opportunities that pluralism creates.

Laura Narefsky is a senior in the College. Abby Grace is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service. They are president and vice president of H*yas for Choice, respectively.

AS THIS JESUIT SEES IT ...

GU Needs Its Own In Silence, We Find Cathedral of Sport Room for Reflection

U

nless he is actually on the Georgetown men’s basketball team, you would be hard-pressed to find someone on campus who came to Georgetown strictly for basketball. Yet when I decided that I wanted to come to the Hilltop for college, I have to admit that I was most excited to be part of a school that was steeped in such a rich basketball tradition.

Before first coming to the Hilltop, when I heard “Georgetown,” I thought of basketball.

I pictured Patrick Ewing slamming it home, Dikembe Mutombo wagging his finger and Otto Porter Jr. being drafted third overall in the 2013 NBA Draft.

I couldn’t wait to go to Verizon Center and be in the midst of that crazy student section I only saw before on TV. Even though I knew this was going to be a rebuilding year and that we weren’t playing Syracuse, I was sweating with anticipation before leaving for my first ever Georgetown game. I wanted to chant the fight song, scream “Hoya Saxa!” and be a part of something that is so much bigger than just sports. I wanted all of that, and then I got none of it.

To put it bluntly, my first basketball game sucked. The arena was practically empty and no one was screaming. I even got dirty looks from the kids sitting around me for shouting whenever we made a good play. Even though I didn’t have the experience I was expecting, I chalked it up to being the first game of the year against a no-name school and decided to wait before I passed judgment. Then, the same thing happened at the next game, and the next game and the game after that until we finally got into Big East play — and even then, nothing really improved.

Honestly, I didn’t know what to make of it. Every game there were a few more seats filled, and Verizon Center was a little louder, but still there just wasn’t that exciting college basketball atmosphere I expected.

Arenas like Kansas’ Allen

Fieldhouse and Duke’s Cameron Stadium are cathedrals of college basketball. They are small, loud and filled to capacity. They vibrate with intensity, and there is never a silent moment. We don’t have that. We need a stadium to call our own like New Mexico has The Pit, Butler has Hinkle Fieldhouse and — dare I say it — Syracuse has the Carrier Dome.

Georgetown is an amazing school for basketball with a tradition that competes with any other university, but we don’t have the arena or the fans to match.

First of all, we should not need to take a bus and a train to get to the games.

I’m not saying that we should start playing in McDonough, but instead of building a new athletic center, Georgetown should fundraise to replace McDonough with a brand new Georgetown Arena, where both the men’s and women’s teams can make timeless basketball moments right here on campus. We need an arena that we can be proud of and that takes only five minutes to walk to instead of that 40-minute journey across town. We need an arena where we can build new traditions and that we can fill to the brim, instead of playing in a borrowed NBA center that we cannot sincerely call our own.

Verizon Center has served Georgetown and served it well, but it is time to make a stadium that belongs to us. These are the halls of Jeff Green and the classrooms of Roy Hibbert.

This is the alma mater of Allen Iverson, so let’s get an arena that says so. I know that Verizon Center is where all of these greats played, and it probably will be the men’s team’s home for years to come, but I look forward to the day when I can come back to Georgetown as an alumnus and watch a basketball game on campus, in our own cathedral, overflowing with thousands of screaming students that are proud to say “we are Georgetown.”

Verizon Center has served Georgetown well, but it is time to make an arena that belongs to us.

JOSHUA DOSTAL is a freshman in the College.

T

he life of a university is filled live within us. A passage from a with words. We professors poem, an equation, a powerful use them constantly, putting formulation of the meaning of one after another for hours on end justice or an open-ended question in our lectures, hoping to com- about God that keeps beckoning municate the wisdom and knowl- on the horizon of our consciousedge our research and study have ness — each of these deserves our produced. We assign hundreds, or attention and time-rich reflection. sometimes thousands of pages of When we linger over them in sireading, again filled with words. lence, they become part of us, and Frequently, we require our students they inform our newly emerging, to respond to what they have read always-provisional yet ever-growor heard, and we often ask them to ing understandings of ourselves do so instantaneously, in carefully and our world. worded blog posts or short papers Silence is just as important in or class discussions. And by the our friendships and relationships. end of the semester, we ask them to We hear so much from one anothsynthesize the mateer (and about one rial we have covered another), whether with bluebook eson Facebook or on says or go beyond it Twitter or in Leo’s with long research or at a party, and papers. we can feel a need There is good to instantly have an pedagogical reason opinion, immedifor much of this use ately render a judgof words, in terms ment and proclaim of both efficient Fr. Matthew Carnes, S.J. it to the world. But communication silence calls us to and the learning simply listen. It process. But lately Silence prepares us helps us to hear perI have been struck sons, rather than to speak when the by the downside of events. It provides time comes. the deluge of words the space to reverthat characterize ence each person in our lives. We can easily find our- his or her wounds and triumphs selves overwhelmed, and often we and allows said person to speak his take evasive measures. Rather than or her truth — sometimes in words, diving deeply, we skim across the sometimes in silence — rather than surface. We perfect the art of speed answer our questions. We grow toreading and facile responses. We gether as much through the words flip between ideas as easily as chan- that go unspoken as the ones that nels on television or updates on are said.

Twitter, taking comfort in keeping And finally, silence prepares our distance. us to have a meaningful word to In this new semester — which I speak when the right time comes. know will once again be filled with It helps us find the words that words read and words heard and matter, words we can believe in, words spoken — I have begun to whether in our classes or papers, think about how to better cultivate friendships or decisions about a space for silence in my classes and our future career. Rather than reactivities. I know that for myself, I sponding generically or safely, we need a time not constantly filled speak the truth as we have come with new words when I can reflect to know it. We can name our deepon what I read and hear, letting est convictions; we can embrace the best and most important ideas our passions; we can proclaim our and experiences rise to the top and loves — all precisely because we letting others fall away. Maybe you have lived them deeply and chohave felt the same way, especially sen them carefully in our silent as you look at your new syllabi and reflection. full planners that now can seem so As we dive once more into this ambitious and daunting. word-laden ocean of the semester, Our Jesuit tradition teaches us let’s preserve a space for silence, that a great deal happens in si- for reverent reflection: The kind of lence. Silence — the time between contemplation that gives meaning hearing and speaking, between to our action. learning and responding — is when we really learn. It allows us to re- Fr. Matthew Carnes, S.J., is an flect on and integrate all the words assistant professor in the governwe have heard and read. We savor ment department. He is one of the and turn over in our heads intrigu- alternating writers for AS THIS JESUIT ing new concepts or visions, letting SEES IT ... which appears every other them capture our imagination and Friday.

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THE HOYA

PAGE FOUR

NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014

INSIDE THIS ISSUE This year’s Diplomatic Ball will feature supplemental programming and a return to tradition. See story on A9.

Your news — from every corner of The Hoya.

IN FOCUS

verbatim

HOYAS TURN 225

“ Rural Rome

was not built in a day.

”

Ladan Manteghi, GSEI executive director, on the MSB partnership with the American Farm Bureau.

See story on A8.

from

KARL PIELMEIER/THE HOYA

ERICA WONG/THE HOYA

Georgetown turned 225 on Thursday and marked the anniversary with campus-wide activities, including a Georgetown Program Board-sponsored ice skating rink in Red Square on a night with a temperature high of 17 degrees Fahrenheit.

HOW TO GET YOUR DREAM INTERNSHIP Follow these five simple tips to maximize your chances of obtaining that coveted summer position. blog.thehoya.com

Diplomacy Unlikely for Syria Merger Slights

Regional Studies

COLETTE GILNER Hoya Staff Writer

As the Syrian civil war enters its third year, Emile Hokayem, senior fellow for regional security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, weighed in on the possible diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict and the likely failed outcome of this week’s Geneva peace talks.

The Tuesday event, co-sponsored by the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy and the Master of Science in Foreign Service program, focused on the complex political and religious dynamics that have fueled the Syrian civil war and its subsequent effects on the region.

Although the United States and Russia are currently orchestrating a diplomatic conference in Geneva to reach a political settlement, Hokayem discussed some of the challenges such a conference could face, such as differing interests in the region.

He encouraged the audience to think about the Syrian conflict in ways other than what is typically projected.

“The conflict remains primarily political,” Hokayem said. “A lot of people support the Assad regime for various different reasons. This is why I’m saying it’s still a political game.”

Hokayem also encouraged understanding the conflict from perspectives other than the common Sunni versus Shiite analysis peddled by most mainstream outlets.

“There is a lot of simplistic analysis out there that says the uprising was primarily a Sunni revolt against an Alawite regime,” Hokayem said.

“The reality is that there was a change in the political economy in Syria in the past 15 years and a number of domestic changes and environmental impacts — drought and role of migrations, etc.”

That one-dimensional understanding of the war leads to its image as a fight against al-Qaida, which Hokayem finds problematic particularly for western countries with their own fights against terrorism.

Although Hokayem noted his concern about the atrocities committed by the Assad regime, he feels it is important not to romanticize the opposition groups, who to this day remain fractured and largely ambiguous to the West.

“The opposition that existed in March 2011 was as detached from the reality of Syria as the regime itself,” he said. “Let’s not have a romantic vision. They were under-resourced; they had a bad connection

SUZANNE MONYAK Hoya Staff Writer

AMY LEE/THE HOYA

Emile Hokayem, right, lectures on the feasibility of a diplomatic resolution to the Syrian conflict, while ISD Casimir Yost looks on. with the society; they didn’t necessarily understand the transformation of Syrian society.”

While many hope that the talks in Geneva are an integral step to peace in the region, Hokayem does not see a political settlement happening in the near future and does not see the talks themselves as particularly promising.

“I don’t buy it for a second to be very honest,” he said. “U.S. objectives on Syria are not clear. … I think the [United States] has little credibility with the actors that matter inside Syria.”

Yet, while the talks in Geneva appear trivial, Hokayem asserts that they are a necessary first step in ensuring a diplomatic end to the Syrian conflict that has gone on for over a thousand days.

“When we look at Geneva today it might be the beginning of a very long process,” he said. “It’s good to get parties in the same room even if they are screaming at each other, but … it doesn’t give much hope that a resolution is around the corner. In fact, I think local dynamics in Syria and regional dynamics make it likely that this is going to be a long, protracted conflict.”

Event attendees voiced interest in what Hokayem discussed, particularly his views on future U.S. policy towards Syria, but students were largely reluctant to comment on what they viewed as a contentious issue.

“His passion for the subject made for a really clear and captivating presentation. I thought his criticism of bankrupt U.S. policy towards Syria was really blunt but also necessary,” Dana Bulik (COL ’16) said.

Institute for the Study of Diplomacy Senior Advisor Maura Connelly appreciated the opportunity the talk provided to discuss diplomacy, but critiqued Hokayem’s presentation.

“Unfortunately, he did not himself suggest a diplomatic course of action, although he was very clear in his dissatisfaction with U.S. policy in this regard. Hokayem’s strengths as a scholar and analyst were evident in his ability to identify the orientations and motivations of various elements of Syrian society,” Connelly said. “And while I did not agree completely with his description of the status of the Alawite minority in Syria, I found interesting his contention that the regime seeks to perpetuate a feeling of insecurity among all minorities, including the Alawites.”

Casimir Yost, a senior associate at ISD, was more in line with Hokayem’s rhetoric.

“Emile Hokayem has a realistic appreciation of the challenges ahead for Syria and the Syrian people and a detailed familiarity with the different players and factions grasping for power in that country,” he said.

“I fear that the negotiations underway in the Geneva is justified.”

Due to inadequate funding, the administrations for the Latin American Studies and African Studies programs merged at the end of the fall semester, resulting in the dissolution of the African Studies department’s assistant director position and prompting outcries from the program’s director and students who see the merger as a slight against African studies at Georgetown.

Although the African Studies program was not the only program to fall prey to budget cuts, it is the only department left without any organic staff of its own.

“African Studies has no royal family, corporate sponsor or devoted government behind it. Nor does it currently have a graduate program that brings in revenue. It does, however, have great student interest and support, despite the lack of budgetary autonomy or a major benefactor,” African Studies Program Director Scott Taylor wrote in an email.

However, according to the School of Foreign Service Acting Dean James Reardon-Anderson, the merger will not have a detrimental impact on the students’ experiences in the two departments.

“I wouldn’t see this as having much of an effect on students. The delivery of the academic programs will remain unchanged, so it’s just an administrative efficiency move, it’s not really a programmatic move,” he said.

Although the changes will not affect the students in terms of the teaching or quality of the courses within the departments, it indirectly affects them by limiting the department’s ability to provide students with resources, such as internships and scheduling availability among other opportunities.

“Our administrators were always the first point of contact for students and thus played a critical introductory and advisory role as well,” Taylor wrote in an email.

Additionally, Taylor feels the administrative merger indicates the low position of his department within the SFS. “Certainly, none of my colleagues and none of us who teach Africa and work on Africa want this program to be a stepchild of the School of Foreign Service, and right now, effectively it is,” Taylor said.

With the administrative merger in place, the staff for both departments consists of three members. The three positions, which are under the supervision of the SFS Associate Dean for Finance and Administration Jennifer Long, handle academic affairs, financial affairs and events.

“She is making sure that the staff fulfills all the responsibilities of the opera-

tion of the two programs,” Reardon-Anderson said.

Regardless of recent attempts and some success at expansion, the African Studies program will suffer setbacks due to the administrative merger.

“Combining the administrative staff with CLAS inevitably places a burden on both programs, since we have to share limited resources,” Taylor wrote.

Students also feel the merger symbolizes the administration’s lack of support for the African Studies department.

“It would have been nice to have more institutional support, and this merger was essentially a slap in the face, for lack of a better word, because at a time when we really needed the institutions of Georgetown to back us up and really just formerly declare that they support African Studies here on campus, they’re doing the exact opposite by not providing us with the ranging of staff to funding that we need to put on our events,” Jescinta Izevbigie (SFS ’14), a student assistant in the African Studies program, said.

The merger made other students feel as if the university does not support minority groups as much as it should.

“I feel like black and brown people are not usually as valued on this campus, and I think we’re expected to make strides without the support from the university,” Esiwahomi Ozemebhoya (COL ’15) said.

The administration’s failure to communicate or discuss the possibility of the merger left some students feeling shocked and slighted.

“What really hurt the most is the fact that … no one consulted the department in terms of these changes,” Izevbigie said.

Despite students’ negative opinions, since the administrative merger, students have not noted significant change.

“I haven’t seen any direct effect in the center. I mean everything seems to just continue as it has been for the past month, and for the past semester,” Latin American Studies master’s candidate Alma Caballero (SFS ’13, GRD ’15) said.

The content of the programs and the support the programs offer their students also remain unchanged.

“In terms of strength of the program, it’s still there, and I think what’s good is that a lot of students haven’t really noticed that there’s an issue,” Caballero said.

The Dean’s office cites the merger as a short-term solution and temporary situation.

“We take them at their word. Thus we fully expect that the program will be restored to its full budget and staff complement,” Taylor wrote.

An email to Center for Latin American Studies Director Marc Chernick remained unanswered as of press time.

News

friday, january 24, 2014

THE HOYA

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113th Congress Mired A Table for Two Cultures In Indecision, Disputes Maddy Moore

Special to The Hoya

Matt Gregory Hoya Staff Writer

Amid a two-week government shutdown and continued budget controversy, the 113th Congress was largely considered the least effective congress in recent history, but in the midst of the Capitol’s dysfunction, Georgetown’s student Democrats and Republicans have pledged greater cooperation in spite of their federal counterparts.

According to congressional data, the 113th Congress, which finished its term Jan. 3, passed only 72 bills in 2013.

President Barack Obama saw moderate success with legislation in the Democrat-controlled Senate on issues such as immigration and the federal budget, though these initiatives often failed to gain traction in the Republican-dominated House of Representatives.

Representatives of both major political parties on campus agreed that the root of their discord stemmed from a decreased incentive for lawmakers to compromise on key issues.

According to College Democrats Chair Chandini Jha (COL ’16) much of this can be attributed to gerrymandering, or the redrawing of Congressional districts around demographic groups to form solidly Democratic or Republican regions.

“There’s been so much manipulation of the rules of Congress to protect incumbents as much as possible,” Jha said.

“If you know that you’re safe, either on the left or the right side, why would you go to the center?”

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Congress passed only 72 bills in its 113th session, which ended Jan. 3.

This has been compounded by the influence of political action committees and other sources of outside money following the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission to outlaw campaign finance regulation.

“People aren’t just donating out of the altruism of their hearts,” Jha said.

“There are definitely large corporate interests that use PACs to advance a certain corporate agenda.”

Georgetown professor of government Mark Rom concurred, expressing concern regarding the potential impact of unrestrained private campaign contributions on the future of American politics.

“The idea that rich people can spend unlimited amounts of money in ways without disclosure to influence the public eye, I think we ought to be nervous about that,” Rom said.

College Republicans Chair Patrick Musgrave (COL ’16) offered alternative reasoning for the congressional stagnation, citing instead the self-serving interests of politicians.

“The American governmental structure is based on winning. I think that people on both sides of the aisle do things to win that are less than tasteful.

I don’t think that’s a huge issue,” Musgrave said. “You see more senators and representatives trying to score political points with sound bites,” Musgrave said.

Moreover, Musgrave blamed President Obama and Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) in particular for their inability to promote and facilitate necessary legislative cooperation.

“The president has been very uncooperative with Congress,” Musgrave said, “and I think that Speaker Boehner really did not have as good [a] control of his caucus in Congress as I would have liked.”

Congress did successfully pass several important laws with particular relevance for the District, including a bill that ensured budgetary autonomy for D.C. through 2014, allowing the D.C. government a measure of political independence as well as insulating it from another potential federal shutdown or debt crisis.

Unlike their Congressional counterparts, Jha noted that she and Musgrave plan to promote cooperation across the aisle and alleviate partisan animosity during their respective terms.

“There are definitely ways to reach across the aisle, and Patrick [Musgrave] and I have talked about having a friendly relationship between our clubs,” Jha said. “That kind of message is something that Congress should hopefully espouse, but hasn’t been.”

The Jewish Student Association and Latin American Student Association are two prominent cultural organizations known for programming that enriches the diversity of Georgetown. Yet, for such large student organizations, they have not really interacted until now.

JSA will host its first of four Shabbats under the Global Gourmet Shabbat services tonight, with the intent of introducing the diversity of Jewish practices to the longstanding prayer service and dinner tradition. However, the dinner has a caveat — it’s Latin Americanthemed.

The Shabbat will feature Jewish students from Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, among other countries, all sharing their stories. “[They’re] leading different parts of the service in the ways that are organic to their communities,” Rabbi Rachel Gartner, director of the Jewish chaplaincy, said. “Whoever is leading will bring the melodies or the traditions from their home synagogue.”

Speakers will include brothers Michail Woods (SFS ’14) and Daniel Woods (SFS ’16), both Jewish students from Brazil.

The brothers are excited for the opportunity to share their experiences, especially since the Latin American Jewish community is so small on campus.

“It’s really a joy for us to be able to share the culture we grew up in because it hosts some of the most vibrant and

beautiful melodies and communities,” Michail Woods said.

The Jewish community at Georgetown itself makes up only about 7 percent of the student body, and while the few Jews of Latin American origin have formed a close-knit community, some also find it difficult to identify with the larger Georgetown community. The Woods brothers, for example, have been involved in student groups such as Latin American Student Association and Brazil Club, where the dominant religion is Catholicism. They are also involved with Judaism-related clubs like JSA and the Jewish fraternity on campus, Alpha Epsilon Pi. A challenge that Latin American Jews face is the differences between their own communities and the predominant culture at Georgetown. According to Alan Steiner (COL ’17), a Jewish student originally from Venezuela, the change in community is very evident. Steiner lives in Aventura, a small suburb of Miami, where the majority of people are Hispanic Jews.

“The community retains its ...identity. There is a much stronger identification with Judaism,” Steiner said.

Gabriela Rubin (COL ’15), JSA co-president, explained that the Jewish community is split culturally into Ashkenazi Jews and Sephardic Jews. Latin American Jews fall under the Sephardic tradition, whereas Jews of Eastern European descent are of the Ashkenazi tradition.

Several Latin American Jews expressed gratitude for the university’s continued emphasis on diversity.

“There are some deep antiSemitic roots in the Catholic church,” Michail Woods said.

“The positive thing about being a Jesuit school, they push tolerance, interfaith, acceptance, pluralism.”

His brother concurred, expounding on the university’s commitment to diversity.

“Georgetown accepts diversity and encourages it. Georgetown is a good opportunity for us as Jews to connect with not only Catholics, but other people of different backgrounds at Georgetown,” Daniel Woods said.

The Global Gourmet Shabbat dinner is not the first event for Latin American Jews at Georgetown this school year. In the fall, the Jewish community organized a lecture with Argentinian Rabbi Abraham Skorka.

Skorka, who co-authored a book with Pope Francis, discussed Jewish tradition in Argentina and its surrounding countries.

“Latin American Jewish culture and tradition has not gotten the play that it deserves in American Judaism,” Rabbi Gartner said. Friday’s Shabbat will serve to further promote diversity within Jewish culture.

The event will host a planned 80 attendees, with a dinner following the service. The JSA invites anyone who is interested to join and aims to highlight different traditions in Latin American Judaism. “[This] is a reminder that the assumptions and the basic foundations of Judaism are not always going to be the same,” Rubin said. “It helps us all remember that there isn’t just one way to be Jewish.”

GU Fossil Free Readies Divestment Proposal Jamie Slater

making a pragmatic, but still aggressive, proposal,” James said. “They’ve been nothing but positive with us.”

After the Georgetown University Student GUSA has stressed their ardent support Association passed a resolution calling for of and confidence in the GU Fossil Free prothe university’s divestment from fossil fuels posal. last fall, Georgetown University Fossil Free “We’re trying to make ourselves availhas revised a proposal that will be presented able whenever Fossil Free is ready to move to the Board of Directors this semester for to the next step. We’re just hoping the approval. university takes a look at it [the proposal]…

GUSA’s resolution served to increase They’ve clearly done their research and the awareness of the issue, and in turn, GU Fos- committees and resolutions ... and we hope sil Free, led by Caroline James (COL ’16) has the university considers this seriously in the directly called for the administration to take near future,” GUSA President Nate Tisa (SFS immediate action on divestment issues. ’14) said.

The university has yet to receive a proThis semester, GU Fossil Free is focusing posal, and thus has not issued a formal on expanding its stakeholders to include statement on the GUSA resolution, but Di- faculty and alumni. To do so, club memrector of Media Relations Rachel Pugh said bers met with professors who had demonthat the university would continue to work strated interest in the campaign by signing toward corporate sotheir earlier peticial responsibility. tion.

“Georgetown’s “I imagine that first step with reafter this semesspect to any issue ter, we will have of corporate social some kind of major responsibility has demonstration of been engagement. support from both … As long as it rethe faculty and the mains a shareholdalumni, in which Caroline James (COL ‘16) er, Georgetown has case I would hope GU Fossil Free Member a voice to negotiate to meet with the with and to exert Board of Directors by the end of this semespressure upon corporate management ter or at the beginning of the fall semes(often in concert with like-minded institu- ter,” James said. tions),” Pugh wrote in an email. “Investors According to Pugh, once GU Fossil Free’s who divest can no longer directly affect proposal is complete, the board will most company policy through shareholder activ- likely review it. ism.”

“The subcommittee was pleased to see While Pugh has stressed shareholder ac- progress from Fossil Free to refine their tivism on behalf of the university, James has proposal and has recommended that developed a clear plan for full divestment. they continue to work toward an actionJames’ blueprint is a byproduct of a se- able proposal that CISR could eventually mester’s worth of meetings between GU Fos- recommend for review by the university’s sil Free and the Committee on Investments board,” Pugh wrote. and Social Responsibility, which began in However, the board will not review the fall. In their most recent meeting following proposal unless CISR helps GU Fossil Free the GUSA resolution, the CISR gave the club modify and present their proposal. further recommendations.

“While the GUSA Resolution is not “Part of what we came to understand something that would be presented to the from our most recent meeting with CISR board of directors, CISR can recommend is that we should perhaps lean towards the a proposal for review by the university’s moral imperative,” James said.

Board if it determines that a proposal merThe committee has provided advice on its further consideration,” Pugh wrote. technical wording and substantial issues in “CISR encourages those students with the proposal, including scaling down the an interest in the GU Fossil Free movement divestment request from all fossil fuel com- to join the conversation by contributing to panies to only 200 companies. the group’s statement of rationale and on“This proposal has been crafted and ed- going conversations,” she wrote. “Georgeited and retouched and transformed with town is very proud of its record on sustainthe help of CISR so that, when we do eventu- ability both in its business practices and ally present to the Board of Directors, we’re academic initiatives.”

Hoya Staff Writer

“I would hope to meet with the board of directors by the end of this semester.”

LESLIE KOSOFF FOR GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Dionne Warwick performed with the Let Freedom Ring Celebration choir Monday night as part of the 12th annual celebration to honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

King Honored at Kennedy Center Katherine Richardson Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown held the 12th annual Let Freedom Ring Celebration at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts on Monday, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to celebrate King’s life and legacy as an icon in the civil rights movement.

One of the highlights of the celebration was the presentation of the John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award to Lecester Johnson, executive director of the Academy of Hope, an adult literacy program in Washington, D.C. The award is presented each year to a member of the D.C. community who has made a lasting impact on the city and its people. University President John J. DeGioia presented the award and described its significance.

“Georgetown is proud to count among the member of our community Coach John Thompson, Jr., a leader, mentor and principle voice whose career and voice reflect the legacy of Dr. King’s dream,” DeGioia said, speaking of the famed basketball coach for whom the award is named.

Johnson has helped develop the Academy of Hope, a nonprofit organization created to increase adult literacy levels in the District and help members earn high school diplomas. The education that they receive at the academy will, in turn, prepare them for the workforce or their secondary education.

According to DeGioia, Johnson’s work for the past seven years reflects King’s legacy.

“This important and urgent work continues the legacy of Dr. King, the legacy we recognize with the John Thompson, Jr. Award,” DeGioia said. The award ceremony also marks the beginning of a yearlong partnership between Johnson and the university. Georgetown will provide aid, volunteers and advice as Johnson transforms the Academy of Hope into a D.C. charter school and continues to build the company.

In addition to the award presentation, the celebration featured a set from Dionne Warwick, a fivetime Grammy Award-winning artist who was the first black solo female artist of her generation to receive the Grammy award for Best Contemporary Female Vocalist Performance.

The Let Freedom Ring Celebration Choir, was directed by Reverend Nolan Williams, Jr. The choir consisted of around 140 singers comprised of Georgetown students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the D.C. community.

The choir was joined by dancers from the Black Pearl Dance Theatre and the university’s Black Movements Dance Theatre.

Three student soloists also had the opportunity to perform, including Ed Crotty (MSB ’16).

“The energy in the room was amazing, and by the end of the concert everyone was on their feet.

Considering that I had just gone over a new harmony for a song

with Ms. Warwick an hour before the show, the outcome was pretty incredible.”

Williams composes a new piece each year for the concert. This year, he wrote a piece called “Martin and Mandela” that connects the American civil rights leader with his South African colleague.

“This year as we gather, we not only remember the legacy of Martin Luther King, but also the legacy of another great warrior who passed recently, Nelson Mandela … I started making the connection that during the same period of the ’40s and the ’50s on two different sides of the globe, we had King here marching and organizing and Mandela over in South Africa marching and organizing and fighting,” Williams said.

Many members of the D.C. community attended the concert, which was free of charge. Lines began forming in the early afternoon for tickets, and the concert hall was completely filled for the event.

Yolanda Byers, who lives in the District, attended the concert with a friend. “[The Kennedy Center is] a focal point of D.C., and so much is performed here. I think it’s a great way for them to give back to people who can’t afford to come to some of the paid events,” Byers said. “I wanted to be a part of what Martin Luther King stood for and because the day’s been set aside for us to recognize his legacy, I just had to finish my day with something.”

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THE HOYA

fRIDAY, january 24, 2014

Obama Initiative Takes on Assault said. “If you can’t talk about consent, you shouldn’t be engaged in any sexual acts Co-Chair of the Sexual Assault Work- with the person(s). … A few seconds of ing Group Mabel Rodriguez (COL ’14) awkward is definitely preferable to sexustressed that sexual assault is an issue al assault, to trauma.” that affects men and women in equal Riordan hoped the task force will start measure. by providing support to preexisting cam“It’s not a women’s issue — it’s every- pus groups, such as R U Ready and Take one issue,” Rodriguez said. “Men are sur- Back the Night. vivors of rape, men rape, and men can “I think the best thing would be to emdefinitely change the status quo.” power [student advocacy groups] to take Sexual Assault more action, to emPeer Educator and power them within co-founder of Femitheir school adminnists-at-Large Kat Kelistrations,” Riordan ley (NHS ’14), agreed, said. stressing the need Although the for an integration of national attention bystander intervenplaced on sexual tion in education assault creates poand more informatential for improveKat Kelley (NHS ’14) tion challenging ment, it remains to Sexual Assault Peer Educator prevalent myths be seen whether the about sexual assault. initiative will enact “First and foremost, I’d like to see man- real change, Kelley said. datory sexual assault and bystander in“I’d like to think the task force will tervention education at Georgetown. Ev- galvanize college campuses and mobieryone thinks sexual assault is atrocious lize the necessary resources to address in the abstract, but when it happens sexual assault, but for now it is merely within their own communities, their symbolic,” Kelley said. social circles, they fail to adequately beRegardless, former Take Back the lieve and support survivors and to hold Night co-chair Lena Hermans (COL ’14) perpetrators accountable,” Kelley wrote thought Obama’s effort would galvanize in an email. broader support for the cause.

Kelley also emphasized the need for “Any time that somebody as mainawareness and education about sexual stream as the president is discussing the assault on college campuses. issue of sexual assault and just making a “As a peer educator, I frequently hear statement as simple as ‘this is a problem,’ ‘Asking for consent is awkward,’” Kelley it’s very powerful,” Hermans said.

ASSAULT, from A1

“A few seconds of awkward is definitely preferable to sexual assault.”

PHOTO COURTESY MAYA CHAUDHURI

Adhip Chaudhuri, right, with his daughter Maya Chaudhuri (SFS ’13), center, and Maya’s mother Margaret McBride, right. Chaudhuri taught at the university for 34 years before his death in January.

A Knowledge-Intensive Life CHAUDHURI, from A1 teams.

Georgetown, where he started teaching in 1979, gave Chaudhuri the opportunity to apply his economic theories of social justice in a tangible manner.

Chaudhuri was the first economics professor to incorporate community based learning, allowing students in his “International Trade” class to work with the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor as a fourth credit option.

“At a lot of schools you really can’t bring things like justice or social welfare in the department.

Georgetown allowed him to do that,” Maya said Clearly, Chaudhuri led by example. Maya, who was heavily involved with the Center for Social Justice during her time at Georgetown, is now working with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, while Neal is a leader with the university’s ESCAPE retreat program.

One of Chaudhuri’s proudest moments was when he had the opportunity to bring Nobel Prizewinning economist Amartya Sen to campus to be honored for incorporating ethics into his work.

“He didn’t always give off his social justice. You could tell he was passionate about it, but he didn’t shove it down your throat,” Neal said of his father.

Community in Diversity Chaudhuri’s love of economics was not bound by the front gates.

Through Georgetown, Chaudhuri had the opportunity to conduct research and lecture in Austria, Vietnam and Qatar. It was this final post, at the School of Foreign Service campus in Doha, that would be the most formative for the professor.

The same examples and jokes he used at Georgetown came out in even stronger force in the smaller, more intimate Doha setting.

Kim Fernandes (SFS-Q ’11), a student of Chaudhuri’s in Qatar,

relished the opportunity to engage with the professor, whom she cited as part of her inspiration for pursuing graduate studies in education policy.

“He made so many jokes in class, God bless him,” Fernandes recalled. “He’s honestly just an excellent professor. It mattered so much that we were able to talk to him not just about class but things like our research interests as well.”

Chaudhuri was well-loved at the university, twice receiving SFS-Q’s teacher of the year award.

Cura Personalis From memorizing box scores and baseball statistics for his favorite teams to spending hours solving crossword puzzles in The Washington Post — always in pen — Chaudhuri pursued all facets of his life with the same intellectual fervor that he brought to the classroom.

When not debating the benefits of the Ricardian model with students, Chaudhuri was a key player in a long-standing bridge club consisting of professors across the history and economics departments.

Joining the club soon after his arrival at Georgetown in 1979, Chaudhuri spent many a day first in the seminar room of Nevils where the economics department was then housed and later in Intercultural Center classrooms with members of the club, among whom he was noted for his incredible wit.

“He was so inventive among the types of jokes he would say. He would make analogies to sports games and would use metaphors like ‘touchdown’ or ‘getting on the scoreboard’ to describe the bridge game,” said David Goldfrank, director of the Medieval Studies program and longtime bridge club member.

Known as the “Wise Man of the East” among members, it was in this group that Chaudhuri would confide updates of his illness and find solace, joining in for the occasional bridge game until this past

summer.

Chaudhuri also developed strong ties within the Jesuit community, where he found men who shared his curiosity for learning and passion for interfaith dialogue.

“He loved talking about religion, though he didn’t necessarily consider himself a Christian,” Maya said. “Georgetown priests are so invested in interreligious dialogue.

It was something he wouldn’t have gotten at any other university.”

Though raised in the Hindu tradition, Chaudhuri grew close with several Jesuits, including Fr. James Walsh, S.J., Fr. Leo Lefebure, S.J., and Fr. James Reddington, S.J., the last of whom presided over Chaudhuri’s wedding in Dahlgren Chapel and the baptisms of Maya and Neal, whose mother, Margaret McBride, is Catholic.

A constant theme throughout Chaudhuri’s life was the sanctity of knowledge, teaching his children that it was unacceptable to leave a book on the floor. At the same time, knowledge also represented a source of fun.

Maya and Neal recalled Safeway trips extended by their father’s histories of the products on nearly every aisle and carpool rides, during which an afternoon snack was awarded only after the siblings and their friends could identify, in both English and Latin, at least three plants the car passed on its way home.

Chaudhuri is survived by his wife, Joanne Kinney Smyth, his children, Maya and Neal, his former wives McBride and Una Chaudhuri, and two siblings.

According to one Chaudhuri’s closest friends, Amit Shah, his passion for teaching never waned, even when cancer began to consume his life.

“Right until the very end when he couldn’t stand up to teach, he would say to me, ‘I have to sit down and do this,’ but he did it because he loved doing it,” Shah said. “He could’ve quit a while ago, but he loved having people respond to the concepts and issues in such a real way.”

Candidates Talk Decriminalization MARIJUANA, from A1 does is take a major step forward in eradicating a social injustice for a particular group of residents in D.C,” Wells said, citing a 2010 American Civil Liberties Union study that stated that AfricanAmericans were eight times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession in the District than any other race.

Fellow Councilmember and mayoral candidate Jack Evans (DWard 2) has also signaled his support for the decriminalization bill.

“Serving a prison sentence for possessing a small amount of marijuana is something that’s been done in the past and just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” Evans said.

Dwight Kirk, communications director for Busboys and Poets restaurateur Andy Shallal’s mayoral campaign, framed the decriminalization question in terms of addressing the needs of the poor communities of D.C. “This is just the first step, and for those people that would just simply want to celebrate decriminalization, Andy would just ask them to look a little bit deeper and realize that this doesn’t address providing these communities with the opportunities they need to succeed. This is just the first step in a long process,” Kirk said.

Candidate and former State Department official Reta Jo Lewis echoed Wells’ and Kirk’s senti-

ments, but cautioned that policies could go too far and send the wrong message to the District’s youth.

“I would not go so far as to outwardly legalize marijuana, primarily because I never want to send a message to any kid that using drugs is OK — we need to disavow that notion immediately — but I do think we need to institute common sense approaches that are fair. Right now, it does not seem to me that the punishment fits the crime,” Lewis told The Hoya.

So far, Colorado and Washington are the only states where marijuana is legal for recreational purposes, following ballot referendums passed by voters in November 2012.

While neither Wells nor Shallal have openly endorsed marijuana legalization, both cited the need for the District to have autonomy from Congress on the matter and agreed they would support voters in the event of a referendum.

But for all the desire to see the District’s marijuana laws change, most candidates acknowledged that Congress, per its oversight of D.C., has the final say on whether or not the law is changed.

Susan Lagon, a senior fellow with the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown, believed that although Congress grants the District a certain degree of home rule with respect to self-legislation, legislators may not be as lenient on this topic.

“It was pretty straightforward with medicinal marijuana, which we’ve only had here for the past year or two, but decriminalization and legalization are a little different since it’s either a criminal issue or a social issue, depending on how you look at it,” Lagon said.

Lagon cast doubts on Congress’s willingness to allow major policy changes in light of the institution’s dysfunction over the past year.

“Do they really want to go into a re-election year saying, ‘We can’t get the budget balanced, but we’ve just decriminalized pot?’” Lagon said. “I think this is a situation where we would discount it by its improbability.”

Thus far, Congress has remained silent as to whether or not they would block the law. Legalization supporters speculate that Congress will allow D.C. voters to have the final say.

Dan Riffle, director of federal policies at the Marijuana Policy Project, told Slate Magazine last week that he is optimistic about Congress allowing these kinds of laws to move forward.

“Even the old, reliable opponents have stopped talking about it. The more likely threat to the bill would be a rider, one of hundreds of lines slipped into a mustpass bill,” Riffle said to Slate.

Mayoral candidates and councilmembers Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) and Vincent Orange (D-At-Large) did not respond for comment for this article.

Creative Crowdsourcing For GUMC Researchers Gene Choi

Hoya Staff Writer

In response to federal funding cuts to research across the biomedical field, Georgetown University Medical Center created Partners in Research, a project that helps Georgetown researchers effectively crowdsource to raise funds for projects.

Partners in Research, founded in 2011 as a supplementary method to finance biomedical research, raised a total of $70,000 from 59 partners in 2013.

The program engages non-scientists of the Georgetown community to help raise money for research. To raise money GUMC scientists give short pitches to local residents in order to win donations for their projects. The Partners in Research Program is an initial step in the overall funding process that helps garner preliminary funds for projects by allowing researchers to gather data with the early funds.

In turn, the data allows researchers to flesh out their project and continue their fundraising efforts.

“Initial funding allows [us to begin] to collect necessary preliminary data for future submission to governmental or non-profit organizations,” professor of pharmacology Juan Saavedra said.

“This ‘start-up’ funding is essential for future success in grant submission.”

In order to qualify to hear scientists’ pitches, potential donors for the program are required to make a donation of at least $1000 to the GUMC. The donor is then able to review proposals by Georgetown scientists and vote for a top choice. The top two projects will each win a grant of $35,000. Donors also receive progress reports on the studies and tours of the labs.

“The partners will participate in guided visits to our laboratories, for a first-hand, on-the-job presentation of

our work, the challenges we encounter and the progress we make with their support,” Saavedra said. “This is an extremely well organized program, with excellent administrative support from the GUMC.” Projects that are presented to local residents have demonstrated unequivocal impact on the community.

“We choose a project that is readily digestible by a lay audience and has clear significance,” associate professor of pharmacology and physiology Gerard Ahern said.

“For scientists having to explain the nuts and bolts to lay people actually helps to clarify the important parts of a project. The relationship clearly benefits GUMC in terms of developing a philanthropy base.”

For researchers, the greatest impact is not monetary, but emotional and personal.

“The money has allowed us to continue a pilot project,” Ahern said. “But the fact that a bunch of people are following our research certainly adds to the excitement.”

The 2013 winners, Ahern and the team of Saavedra and David Burns, researched osteoporosis prevention and whether drugs used for treating diabetes can alleviate traumatic brain injuries, respectively.

Partners in Research grew out of Georgetown’s 2009 promotional campaign Doctors Speak Out, a series of educative quarterly luncheons in which university scientists held medical discussions. While the Doctors Speak Out campaign did not require those in attendance to make donations, attendees would often make contributions for a particular type of research discussed that day.

In 2011, the program garnered $75,000 from 63 partners; in 2012, 62 partners donated a total of $70,000.

DPS Interrupts HFC Healy Circle Protest PROTEST, from A1 the nature of their tabling remained the same.

“We very specifically decided to take an action of non-violence, non-engagement, because it says in the free speech policy that you have a right to free speech as long as other people’s right to free speech is also recognized.

We recognize [the conference participants’] right to free speech — all we wish is that they do the same for us,” H*yas for Choice Vice President Abby Grace (SFS ’16) said.

After H*yas for Choice moved to the front gates, GUSA President Nate Tisa (SFS ’14) advised members of the club to file a complaint with the university’s Free Speech and Expression Committee.

Students hope the appeal will help clarify the status of free speech on campus, especially in tandem with the release of a new free speech and expression policy promised by Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson at last week’s forum.

“I hope that it clears up where students can and can’t table so that it really sets a precedent for incoming

classes that the entire campus is a place where dialogue and expression are encouraged, regardless of viewpoint,” GUSA Deputy Chief of Staff and Free Speech and Expression Committee member Tane Arana-Humphries (SFS ’15) said.

University spokeswoman Stacy Kerr said that the university will review the actions taken Monday.

“I understand H*yas for Choice has filed a complaint and that will be taken seriously. We are looking into the details of this to ensure our processes and policies to investigate such matters are followed,” Kerr wrote in an email.

H*yas for Choice hopes that a clarified policy would make free speech a less salient issue on campus.

“I don’t want this to become a real sticking point between student groups and the administration, but they are not enforcing the policy as it is written, they are not allowing for free and open exchange of ideas,” Narefsky said. “If that is one of the core values of the university, then they need to change their actions and they need to start respecting the rights of their students.”

NEWS

friday, january 24, 2014

THE HOYA

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After Mandatory Service, Foreign Vets Embrace GU Molly Simio

Hoya Staff Writer

While many of her freshmen peers struggled to adjust to certain aspects of college life this fall, Shaked Atia (SFS ’17) was not worried about 8 a.m. classes or living in a dorm. Atia, 21, had spent the last two years waking up before dawn and living with eight roommates as she completed her compulsory twoyear term of service in the Israeli Defense Forces.

Atia enlisted in the IDF three months after she graduated high school in 2011 and concluded her service just one week prior to coming to Georgetown for New Student Orientation last August.

“I gave back my uniform, started packing and booked my flight,” Atia said. “It was a crazy transition.”

Her experience in the military may have made some of the typical problems that plague college freshmen seem trivial, but Atia said that she stilled faced major adjustments upon arriving at Georgetown.

“The first week, I wasn’t here.

Mentally, I was floating through life. This was my first time in America, everything was different,” Atia said.

This semester, Youngho Chun (SFS ’15) is going through a different transition as he readjusts to life at Georgetown. Chun left Georgetown at the conclusion of his sophomore year in 2011 to enlist in the Republic of Korea’s army and complete a mandatory 21-month term of service.

Although Chun had already spent two years at Georgetown prior to his service, he said that he still faces challenges as he reacclimates to college life.

“The culture [in the Korean army] is very authoritative. … There really isn’t a lot of personal freedom,” Chun said. “Coming back to a college culture — a Georgetown culture — where everybody is so active and

so involved has been a little overwhelming.”

Josh Kim (MSB ’15) also left Georgetown after his sophomore year to enlist in the ROK army. When Kim returned to the university last fall, most of his friends had already graduated.

“MSB courses require a lot of group projects. We needed to form a group on our own, but I didn’t really know anyone in class,” Kim said.

“That was the toughest situation for me.”

Additionally, Kim struggled to adjust to using English again after not speaking the language regularly for nearly two years.

Other international veterans found the skills they learned throughout their service useful at Georgetown.

“In the military, you are forced to be disciplined, you are forced to be independent. That environment allows you to be in a better position to take charge of your own life,” Singaporean army veteran ZongXian Eugene Ang (SFS ’16), a former staff photographer for The Hoya, said.

While Ang said that these skills help him to budget his time and avoid procrastination, he also feels that these same experiences tend to separate him from his peers at Georgetown.

“Sometimes it’s harder to relate to people. You feel like you are more of an adult, and you can’t act as if you are a younger person again,” Ang said. “For me, I don’t joke around anymore. I don’t play pranks on people anymore. My stint in the military totally eradicated that.”

Despite feeling set apart from other students, international veterans find students are often interested in their military backgrounds and experiences.

“It’s a very unique experience, so once people find out that I have served in the army of a different country, they are curious to find out what I did and why there is this

[conscription] in the first place,” Ang said.

International veterans also find their military experiences academically relevant. For example, Atia was asked by her “Problem of God” professor to relate her experience in the IDF to coursework.

“I was very confused because you don’t think about the army, you go through the army. You don’t analyze it,” Atia said.

However, other international veterans choose not to discuss their military service with other students.

“The 21 months I experienced [in the army] was not the best time of my life, so I don’t really prefer to talk about it,” Kim said.

However, Kim said that he has found that it is beneficial to draw upon his military experience during job interviews.

“When I applied for summer internships, they asked me a lot about leadership positions and teamwork experiences. I had a lot of stories to tell them based on my experiences with the army,” Kim said.

Service additionally aided some students with selecting majors and solidifying career plans.

“Before I went to the army, I wasn’t really sure what to do with my major, but after my time in the army I was determined to go into accounting,” Kim, who served as both an English-Korean translator and an accountant during his service, said.

Atia also found that her service influenced her life goals. Before enlisting, she had envisioned a life where she completed her term of service, enrolled in an Israeli university and then began a career in Israel. Throughout her time in the military, though, her plans began to change.

“You understand that if you ever want to do something that is related to peacemaking or negotiation, you need to get your education somewhere that is more impartial,” Atia

CLAIRE SOISSON/THE HOYA

Shaked Atia (SFS ’17) came to Georgetown one week after the conclusion of her two-year term in the Israeli Defense Forces. said. “Somewhere like the [United States], where you can get both sides of the conflict.”

Ang, who has wanted to study international relations since high school, feels that his service in the army afforded him time to consider his plans and his goals.

“It’s like a gap year, actually. I had two years to think about where I wanted to go after serving, what I wanted to study and what careers I was interested in,” Ang said. “It sort of reaffirmed what I wanted to do.”

Chun used his time in the military to re-evaluate his college experience. Throughout his freshman and sophomore years, he said he enrolled in classes with the goals of earning credits and fulfilling requirements. Now, Chun is trying to

make the most of his academic experience at Georgetown.

“I’m taking courses not just to fill up credits, but because I actually feel the need to learn accounting and finance,” Chun said. “Now I’m studying not just to get an A. I just feel the need to know [the information] thoroughly.”

Ang said that he thinks his experience is unique, but he does not believe that it lifts him above other Georgetown students.

“My story is just one of the many stories of the student population of Georgetown,” Ang said. “I don’t profess to be better or more mature than the average Georgetown student due to this experience. It is just one of the ways that we contribute to the diversity on campus.”

The Trade-offs Of University Recognition Ashley Miller

cess to benefits. If we didn’t have access to the finances of the Student Activities Commission, we When an official pro-abortion wouldn’t be able to put on as much rights student group at Boston Col- programming … and it would problege started its condom delivery ably make organizing more diffiprogram, they were immediately cult,” GU Pride President Thomas stonewalled by the university, yet Lloyd (SFS ’15) said. when H*yas for Choice started a Unrecognized groups find this similar system at Georgetown the lack of funding a challenge for administration could only stand their organizations, as it restricts back and watch. The difference? events and programs organizations H*yas for Choice is not recognized can host. by the university as an official “We operate completely based on group, and since its funding comes donations we get and fundraising from outside sources it can do as it that we do throughout the course pleases. of the year, which means that we The relationship between official are very limited in the speakers and unofficial groups at George- that we can bring in, in the events town has taken many twists and we can hold, in our ability to pubturns over the years, with some licize our events because printing groups seeking university recogni- is exceptionally expensive, so puttion, others shunning it and a few ting up flyers and posters is hard,” reveling in their autonomy.

President of H*yas for Choice Laura Unrecognized organizations like Narefsky (COL ’14) said.

Greek life groups face issues with However, because unrecognized gaining legitimacy and overcoming groups provide their own funding, the public wariness that accompa- there are no restrictions associated nies their unofficial status. with the money.

“It takes more time for people to “Since our budget is coming off feel comfortable with us because of us from our members, we don’t we are not rechave the reognized,” Sigstrictions that ma Alpha Epother clubs silon Deputy do in terms of Recruitment using money Chair Tanner to throw parDavis (SFS ’17) ties or using said. “We don’t money to want people to throw differbe skeptical of ent events,” our organizaMilgrom said. tion.”

While unofTANNER DAVIS (SFS ’17) SAE Deputy Recruitment Chair Members of ficial groups other unrechave financial ognized groups feel many students independence, official groups like question the worth of joining their GU Pride straddle a thin line begroup if it is unrecognized. tween representing their views and “Obviously there is skepticism staying in line with the university’s because if the school doesn’t rec- Catholic doctrine. ognize them, people will question “I sometimes joke that the access ‘Well, are they for real? Is this some- to benefits policy is really an access thing that is worth being in if the to my speech policy where, because school doesn’t recognize it?’ so it we have access to benefits, we are kind of puts doubt in a lot of peo- limited in the type of events that ple’s minds,” Alpha Epsilon Pi Presi- we can put on, the type of speakers dent Josh Milgrom (MSB ’15) said. that we can bring to campus, and South Asian Society President Sh- as representatives of that organizaantel Jairam (MSB ’15) said that the tion we walk a very fine line when popularity of official clubs does not we engage with either the univerlie directly in their status as official sity administrators or certainly outor unofficial, but indirectly, as of- side media,” Lloyd said. “My frusficial clubs have the ability to get tration comes from the fact that I more resources for events. wish that recognition didn’t come “It’s legitimate in the sense that with so many asterisks and so many things come easier to recognized hoops to jump through.” clubs, so we are more able to have In the end, the student groups see more fanfare around our events … the compromise that comes with so we look more legitimate,” Jairam their recognition or lack thereof. said. “I think if someone had strong “It’s a tradeoff. At the end of leadership in an unrecognized the day, there are great benefits to club, it could be the same thing.” both. Obviously not being recogAnother disparity between un- nized, we have a lot more freedom recognized and recognized orga- in what we do. But being recognizations is the ability to receive nized, like I said, that would just university funding. For unofficial be so much easier to get our name groups, all funding must come out there, but then again you have from members or donations. to deal with potential restrictions,” “Obviously the benefits are ac- Milgrom said.

Hoya Staff Writer

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

First lady Michelle Obama speaks at the Jan. 16 College Opportunity Summit at the White House, where she highlighted the need for lower-income students to apply to college to secure international competitiveness.

First Lady Pushes Higher Ed Suzanne Monyak Hoya Staff Writer

First lady Michelle Obama has shifted her focus from promoting healthy eating habits to reshaping the landscape of higher education by leveraging her position as first lady to change how lower-income students think about attaining a college degree.

Obama has replaced her former “Let’s Move” campaign, which encouraged kids to eat healthily and exercise, with a policy-driven platform to encourage students from lower-income backgrounds to apply to more colleges. Her goal is to raise the United States from 12th to first in the world in its percentage of college graduates by 2020.

“The role of the first lady is very much undefined. It’s difficult to put a finger on it — they’re not elected officials, but they have an enormous amount of private influence, and they have an enormous amount of public influence,” said Lauren Wright a doctoral candidate who is currently researching contemporary first ladies for her government dissertation.

Unlike her predecessor Hillary Clinton, who faced public backlash for supposedly overstepping the role of first lady after being appointed head of the healthcare taskforce in 1993, Mrs. Obama enjoys the legal backing of her husband, who is currently trying to pass legislation to improve the U.S. higher-education system.

“It seems like it’s going hand in hand in that getting more people to go college is a goal the Obama ad-

ministration has shown, so getting people who wouldn’t know to apply to apply, getting them to be interested in college, goes hand-in-hand with trying to get them to be able to afford it when they do apply,” associate professor in the McCourt School of Public Policy and Department of Government Jonathan Ladd said.

Since whether or not the position of first lady ought to be utilized for policy making remains a hot topic among Americans, first ladies have traditionally focused on less divisive issues like the anti-drug initiative undertaken by Nancy Reagan and the highway beautification project undertaken by Lady Bird Johnson.

According to Director of the Women’s Center Laura Kovach, Mrs. Obama has managed to discover a happy medium.

“I think Michelle Obama is trying to strike a balance by focusing on a variety of issues that include children and wellness, military families and now higher education. These are issues that the majority of Americans can support no matter your politics,” Kovach wrote in an email to The Hoya.

According to Wright, the role of the first lady, especially in the last three administrations, has been to communicate on behalf of the White House.

“I would say that the first lady’s role is always changing, but I think we need to pay attention, especially to the way the White House communications operation deploys the first lady as a messaging device, and whether it’s effective or not,” Wright said.

Executive Director of Georgetown Women in Leadership Helen Brosnan (SFS ’16) disapproved of the idea that the White House would utilize the first lady’s image as a relatable wife and mother figure to communicate White House policy to the people.

“I don’t think it’s right to use her as someone who can connect with voters,” Brosnan said.

“Since the first lady is not an elected official, it is not within her job description to draft legislation and enact policy,” Brosnan said.

“Rather, she should draw on her own personal experiences in her initiatives, as Mrs. Obama has done with her higher education initiative and as Mrs. Clinton failed to do in her healthcare initiative.”

Pledge Captain of the Delta Phi Epsilon Foreign Service sorority Bethan Saunders (SFS ’17) agreed that Michelle Obama’s experience with higher education adds legitimacy to her initiative.

“She is the first African American first lady, which is huge in and of itself, and then also she has had the true American Dream experience,” Saunders said, citing Mrs. Obama’s experience growing up in a lower-income household in Chicago before being accepted to Princeton University and then Harvard Law School.

“I think what makes her so incredibly unique is she had everything stacked against her; she was low-income, she was a minority and she was a woman, but she still ended up in one of the most powerful positions — indirectly powerful positions —in the country,” Saunders said.

“It takes more time for people to feel comfortable with us.”

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news

THE HOYA

fRIDAY, january 24, 2014

Gates Foundation, GU Partner in Africa Jennifer Ding & Matt Gregory Hoya Staff Writers

CLAIRE SOISSON/THE HOYA

Jackie Nahra (COL ’14), left, and Mary Kroenig (COL ’14), right, shop for dry goods at Vital Vittles, whose refrigerators have suffered various malfunctions in the past months.

Corp Machinery on the Fritz Ashley Miller Hoya Staff Writer

In Corp locations across campus, various mechanical issues have caused both customer frustration and a renewed emphasis on preventative maintenance as Students of Georgetown, Inc. attempts to deal with the recent onslaught of equipment failures.

Since the academic year started, mechanical issues have arisen in Corp locations throughout campus. Mechanical problems included a broken toaster in Uncommon Grounds, problems with the espresso machine in Midnight MUG and difficulty with refrigerators in Vital Vittles.

However, according to a joint email statement made by Corp Chief Executive Officer Lizzy MacGill (COL ’14), Chief Financial Officer Matthew Oswald (COL ’14) and Chief Operating Officer Rashaad Eshack (SFS ’14), and sent by Oswald, the equipment malfunction is not unusual.

“To our knowledge, the number of mechanical issues in the company has not changed significantly from any past year,” Oswald wrote.

Recent issues are primarily due to the age of the machines, as The Corp attempts to keep the machines until their functionality is noticeably diminished.

“As long as a piece of equipment is able to meet our customers’ needs and our needs, we do our best to keep using it,” Oswald wrote. “Age of the ma-

chines is often a primary cause of the mechanical problems we experience. We are constantly looking for new ways to care for our equipment and prolong the life of each machine, but must deal with the reality that no machine will last forever.”

The Corp is addressing the technical issues by implementing preventative measures to combat future wear on the equipment.

“We are gradually entering into preventative maintenance contracts with our [outside] service technicians for certain pieces of equipment.

These contracts include regular checkups to discover and remedy mechanical problems before they impact the service we provide to our customers,” Oswald wrote.

The statement also addressed the amount of time needed to repair machines suffering from mechanical issues.

“We try to minimize any downtime when certain products may be unavailable due to equipment malfunction. However, our experience has shown that more time spent researching and selecting better equipment pays off by resulting in less frequent or less severe periods of downtime,” Oswald wrote.

Although some students were upset by the lack of access to the products they wanted, it only temporarily deterred them from frequenting The Corp locations.

“When the Uncommon Grounds machines weren’t working, I didn’t go for a few

days, but then eventually the drinks brought me back,” Elizabeth McCurdy (COL ’17) said.

Frequent customers of The Corp locations suffered from the ongoing lack of functionality of various machines.

“The Uncommon Grounds bagel toaster last semester was broken for I’d say, probably two to three weeks, and that was kind of annoying because I always get bagels there,” Patrick Bylis (COL ’17) said.

However, students were sympathetic to the struggle of The Corp.

“It’s a student-run organization, so I’m willing to cut them some slack. It’s not that big of a deal,” Bylis said.

Despite student understanding, the amount of machines in need of repairs raised concerns.

“I think obviously it is something that eventually will happen at any business because you are using some sort of machine or technology, but it has been happening an odd amount, so it just makes me wonder about the care they take with maintaining their machines,” McCurdy said.

Director of Midnight Mug Elise Mixon (COL ’15) deferred comment to MacGill, Eshack and Oswald, while MUG Director Sam Rodman (MSB ’15) declined to comment. Vital Vittles Director Conor McNulty (COL ’14), Director of Hoya Snaxa Nick Baker (COL ’15) and Director of Uncommon Grounds Kyle O’Donnell (COL ’14) did not respond to requests for comment.

Farms, MSB Unlikely Partners Gene Choi

Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business Global Social Enterprise Initiative announced a partnership with the American Farm Bureau Federation to develop rural entrepreneurship Jan. 13.

The joint effort is directed toward rebuilding and further developing economic opportunities in American rural communities.

“We are excited not only about the opportunity to build a signature program for the Farm Bureau that will mine new business opportunities in communities where investors may least expect, but also because the Secretary of Agriculture has given his support and endorsement,” GSEI Executive Director Ladan Manteghi said.

The GSEI was created to provide practical training to potential global business leaders in order for them to make economically and socially impactful business decisions.

“The Global Social Enterprise Initiative aims to train current and future leaders to find opportunity in social challenges, have positive impact with solutions and still meet expectations of shareholders and stakeholders,” Manteghi said.

GSEI is currently partnered with Bank of America, AARP, the State Department, Philips, Accelerated Market-Driven Partnerships and, most recently, the Case Foundation.

“With each partnership, we try to give students practical experience by helping

plan programs, do research and analysis, create metrics to gauge progress, help with convening meetings and conferences and writing up results, serving in internships with our partners and make presentations, among other things,” Manteghi said.

The AFBF is the largest grassroots organization of farm and ranch communities in the United States, and has branches in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. It aims to improve the lives of rural families and to reinforce their communities.

For the initiative to be more comprehensive and system-

trepreneurial spirit that will ultimately lead to the creation of diverse innovative businesses in rural America.

“Without the constant innovation and creative economic solutions that entrepreneurial companies produce, communities and regions are likely to experience long-term economic decline,” Reid said. “That is the situation that many rural areas of the United States now face.”

This rural entrepreneurship program includes opportunities for rural entrepreneurs to present their business ventures and receive mentoring, national summits on rural entrepreneurship with AFBF and the United States Department of Agriculture and an online hub where potential businessmen can meet, share their Ladan MANTEGHI ideas and learn from Global Social Enterprise Initiative Executive Director other rural entrepreatic, GSEI has agreed to col- neurs’ experiences. laborate with the Georgetown “The first year will be a year Entrepreneurship Initiative. learning from what we imple“Rural entrepreneurship is ment and from there we will one way to tackle economic build. Rural Rome was not prosperity and that is why built in a day,” Manteghi said. we have partnered with the The highlights of the proGeorgetown Entrepreneur- gram are its training workship Initiative to build a ro- shops and webinars. Experts bust program,” Manteghi said. in the field will provide mar“No matter what sort of ket information and market community you live in, en- strategies to target specific artrepreneurship is among the eas and offer guidance in marmost powerful drivers of eco- keting techniques. nomic and social prosperity,” “We do not expect that GEI Founding Director Jeff many rural entrepreneurs will Reid said. create the next Google or FaceEspecially after the recent book, but there are plenty of economic recession, which entrepreneurial opportunities severely impacted rural econo- in areas such as ecotourism or mies, GSEI and the AFBF hope sustainable farming where beto not only build economic se- ing in a rural area can be part curity for those living in rural of a competitive advantage,” societies, but also spark an en- Reid said.

“Rural entrepreneurship is one way to tackle economic prosperity.”

The Georgetown University Medical Center’s Institute of Reproductive Health was the recipient of a $2.8 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in early December to fund a project focused on using fertility awareness-based family planning methods in sub-Saharan Africa.

The program, officially called the A3 Project: Expanding Family Planning Access, Availability and Awareness, is being led by IRH Director Victoria Jennings.

“The Gates Foundation asked us to write a proposal and we were awarded these funds,” Jennings said. This marked the first time the IRH has received funding from the Gates Foundation.

According to project manager Lauren Van Eck, while the program will officially start this coming November, work has already begun on the ground in Rwanda and Uganda to ensure that all local organizations understand the plan’s goals.

The initiative aims to accomplish its goal through a three-pronged approach, working with faith-based organizations to strengthen family planning services, promoting fertility awareness among women through the provision of mobile phones and educating youth about puberty through curricular education While Jennings’ efforts are not unique in the international development community, she believes the IRH’s emphasis on promoting religiously motivated relief will prove particularly beneficial for local organizations that often lack necessary support.

“I think it is unique in that we’re working with some organizations particularly in our area of faith-based work that are often overlooked in the international development arena and helping them to strengthen them and help them do their work better,” Jennings said.

The IRH’s effort in sub-Saharan Africa is one part of a larger process of foreign assistance carried out by non-governmental organizations around the world.

“It’s all part of a whole concept of international development when you’re talking about providing technical support to strengthen local organizations to help them to achieve the goals of making a better life for the people that they serve,” Jennings said.

Jennings noted that the IRH’s technological capabilities and experience in the field allow the institute to play a vital role in the sub-Saharan relief effort.

“The idea is that we at the IRH have a lot of technical expertise, research capacity and the ability to manage projects in the field by helping local organizations carry out work that is consistent with their mission,” Jennings said.

Katrine Andrews (NHS ‘17) was impressed by the project’s ability to give previously underserved populations equal access to basic reproductive health tools.

“I think it’s a really interesting project.

It’s a very Georgetown thing to do, especially with the faith mechanism,” Andrews said. “If we think of something so arbitrary as family planning, yet people from other places probably don’t think about that as a possibility. I think it gives a lot of opportunity.”

Anti-Abortion Conference Explores Morality and Law Caroline Welch Hoya Staff Writer

The 15th annual Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life, which focused primarily on “Morality and the Law,” is the largest student-run anti-abortion conference in the country and brought a broad spectrum of academics and activists to Healy Hall this past Monday.

Named to honor the advocacy of Georgetown alumnus and Cardinal of New York John O’Connor (GRD ’70), the conference began in 2000 as a nonexclusive intellectual forum regarding the dignity of life and has since secured its esteem throughout the anti-abortion community.

The conference is sponsored by Georgetown University Right to Life, Catholic Daughters of America, the Knights of Columbus and University Faculty for Life.

While the event focused on the sanctity of life, each yearly conference presents a distinct perspective on anti-abortion advocacy. This year’s focus emphasized manifesting advocacy through the theme of “Morality and the Law.” Conference co-directors Evelyn Flashner (COL ’15) and Kelly Thomas (SFS ’15) thought of the theme during the panel selection, which featured a discussion on “Publicly Pro-Life: Why Abortion Is Not a Private Issue.”

“We like to say that the theme was half planned, half luck,” Flashner said.

“We try to listen to the other side of the debate to articulate a choice on what we want the theme of our conference to be … and we landed on the question of ‘Can you be privately pro-life?’”

Flashner described the conference keynote speaker Robert P. George, the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, as the “king of morality and law” for his academic and advocacy accolades.

McCormick’s address marked the culmination of the conference, with an analysis of the philosophy and morality behind medical professionals’ abortion license.

“I urge young people to blow the whistle on an abortive license as a medical and health issue. … [The license] reflects a concept of medicine found, structured and shaped by philosophical judgments. … It is not morally neutral,” George said.

Additionally, students were attracted

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to the event for reasons outside of their faith or Georgetown’s Catholic identity.

“The event appealed to me because of its distinctly intellectual foray into the world of pro-life,” Flashner said.

Thomas found the openness for discussion in the conference at the core of her involvement.

“I was thrust into the pro-life movement at a very young age as a joyful, happy event … and Cardinal O’Connor had the ability for bringing humanity back into issues. … The conference doesn’t just say to go out and defend life, but here is why,” Thomas said.

A large amount of student involvement, including 50 student volunteers, also attracted participants.

“I was shocked that we had a huge core of student volunteers. It is a response from students that I would never have expected to be there, I think because the event is not directly activist based,” Flashner said.

To publicize the event, Flashner and Thomas reached out to various thematic institutions and publications to advertise, and found traction with jesuit. org, nationalrighttolifenews.org and others.

“My responsibilities consisted of communicating with potential sponsors,” sponsorship coordinator Danielle Olney (COL ’16) said. “These organizations had the options of placing their literature into our registration packets or setting up a table to represent their organization on the day of the conference.”

The conference is typically held the weekend before the national March for Life, which marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. However, due to scheduling changes, this year’s event was held two days prior to the march. The organizers initially expected lower numbers compared to last year’s record attendance of around 700. However, publicity efforts resulted in an attendance of 650, including 150 Georgetown students.

Other attendees included delegations from anti-abortion communities at other universities, including a group from Marquette University upon which the Fr. Thomas King, S.J. Award was bestowed.

The $1,000 prize, named for the former professor who founded University Faculty for Life in 1989, recognizes antiabortion strides made by undergraduate groups.

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NEWS

friday, january 24, 2014

THE HOYA

A9

Case Foundation Speaker Discusses Data Mining Bolsters GSEI Aaron Lewis Hoya Staff Writer

nity for social returns, for business returns and to ameliorate the enmission of impact investing vironment which right now has through the joint efforts of the ini- certain impediments.”

The Executive-in-Residence protiative, the Case Foundation and the U.S. Advisory Board, which gram, launched by the initiative last year, brings current practitioJean Case serves on.

“The Case Foundation has had ners at the executive level in the a longstanding commitment to field of social enterprise into the moving the needle on having a university to serve as mentors.

Case has worked with students positive impact on society and that convergence of where busi- on case studies looking at how start-up ideas and ness investment, initiatives become philanthropy and movements. social impact can “I have enjoyed meet,” GSEI Exworking with ecutive Director Jean immensely, Ladan Manteghi not only have said. “That really we learned a lot aligns well with through studying what we’re trydifferent trends ing to do with the and movements, Global Social EnLADAN MANTEGHI but also she has terprise Initiative Global Social Enterprise Initiative been a great menand the GeorgeExecutive Director tor to the people town University on our team in offering career credo of being in service.”

Many in the business school are advice as we go through the MBA program,” Jenna Balkus (MBA’15) excited about the grant.

“I think this is a wonderful said, who worked with Case on a development. The Global Social case study of Capital Bike Share.

Enterprise Initiative does a lot of “I was really excited to hear about wonderful things and having the her continued involvement with Case Foundation as a partner is a GSEI and Georgetown.”

Mike Malloy (SCS ’12), the foundwonderful thing for Georgetown,” Director of Entrepreneurship and er of Waveborn, a sunglasses comReal Estate Initiatives Jeff Reid said. pany that helps the blind with The grant will be used to evalu- every pair sold also reacted posiate policy options to open up op- tively.

“I think it’s great for the school portunities for more people to participate in impact investing, and that money can go a long way to help foster the development according to Manteghi.

“For example there are tax of current and future leaders at regulations that have unintended Georgetown working for or startconsequences in place and those ing their own social enterprises,” could be looked at,” Manteghi he said. “I feel that in 10 or 20 years said. “There are other things that every entrepreneur is going to be can be done to ease the opportu- social entrepreneur.”

GSEI, from A10

“The Case Foundation has a longstanding commitment to moving the needle.”

Big data is trending. From company’s customers to their new hires, big data has become a benchmark analytical tool for large businesses looking to get the most bang for their buck. But is it here to stay?

Williams College professor of statistics Richard De Veaux answered this question during an event sponsored by the Undergraduate Business Program Office titled “Big Data — Fool’s Gold or the Mother Lode?”, held in the McDonough School of Business’s Fisher Colloquium last Thursday.

De Veaux holds degrees from Princeton and Stanford and has consulted for a number of Fortune 500 companies including Hewlett-Packard, Pillsbury and General Electric during his 25-year career. He proposed that big data, known as the application of analytics to large data sets in order to find trends in consumer behavior, is something that is increasingly exciting and relevant. “Statisticians are now the cool kids on campus,” he said. “We are sexy and cool. It has finally happened.”

Big data is loosely defined as information “so big that it is a pain,”

according to De Veaux. Companies, statisticians and data scientists sort and analyze these massive compilations in order to predict consumer behavior. Data mining allows the analyzing of such large data sets.

Big data is not a new idea, dating back to 1985, although it is a recent buzz term. De Veaux first encountered the concept while consulting for the now defunct First USA Bank.

At the time, banks were collecting large amounts of data to better analyze consumers. “They didn’t collect it to learn secrets of the universe, they collected it for transactions,” De Veaux said. By sorting customers and looking at patterns in consumer behavior, USA Bank attempted to “find out what consumers wanted before they knew what they wanted,” according to De Veaux.

During the 1980s, and still today, big data remains immensely difficult to sort and to then use to reach insightful conclusions.

But an increase in the amount of data collected does not necessarily translate into more accurate insights. Data can easily be interpreted to show false or misleading information. The challenge arises not in collecting and storing data, but analyzing the compiled sets at rapid speeds.

“[Data] doesn’t mean anything unless you can communicate it to someone else, and this can be a challenge,” De Veaux said.

Big data is no different than any other data set except in that it can be exponentially larger.

“I don’t expect to get the answers to what’s going on from this kind of analysis,” De Veaux said. “You need to have standard tools. Big data can give you clues. Big data has big potential, but following it blindly, big data equals big mistakes.”

Freddy Rosas (COL ’15) realized just how transformative big data could be after attending the presentation.

“The days of data growth are nowhere near their end” he said. “Dick De Veaux definitely proved to me, and I’m sure to many others, that much important work lies ahead in the ever-accumulating analysis of big data.”

Jill Weakland (MSB ’15) was impressed by De Veaux’s ability to make big data a more comprehensible topic.

“I loved how De Veaux presented both the good and bad sides of Big Data and made it accessible to everyone, regardless of their previous knowledge,” she said. “He made me want to take a statistics class!”

Credit Suisse Cuts Hours for Analysts BANKS, from A10 represent an overall decrease in work hours.

“I think it is a large step for analysts at the banks having a better work-life balance. That being said I don’t think the analysts will work less hours-wise,” said an MSB student who interned at a prominent investment bank last summer and requested anonymity because of his contract with the bank post-graduation. “It will probably still be over 100 hours a week, but they will get a 24-hour period off to recuperate.”

Credit Suisse’s decision comes

in the wake of Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s internal announcement Jan. 10 that junior bankers should take four days off each month, and Goldman Sachs’ recommendation in October that analysts should not work weekends whenever possible, according to The New York Times.

“Investment banking is very much a client-facing business and we traditionally have been at the beck and call of our clients,” Cunningham added.

“Having one day off on a weekend is actually a pretty good compromise for the intensity of the work we do.”

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Top left: Chief of Protocol James Symington and Miss Georgetown, Cynthia Sexton, at the Diplomatic Ball in 1967. Top right: Yean Do (SFS ’13) of Superfood, singing “Black and Gold” by Sam Sparro last year.

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The School of Foreign Service’s Diplomatic Ball Committee will mark the event’s 89th iteration with a revival of past traditions; programming will highlight the event’s historical significance and introduce attendees to networking — even a potential “turtle hunt.”

In lieu of the essay and photo competitions of recent years, a ticket subsidy contest will commence around the week of Feb. 4. While it is known that the contest will hinge on a desire to win tickets rather than skill, committee members have shrouded the precise details in mystery.

“The turtle hunt is on” was all Committee Co-Chair Bella BlakewayPhillips (SFS ’16) would say, adding one more layer to the already thick veil of intrigue.

According to Blakeway-Phillips, committee members trawled through the library’s music archives at the beginning of the year and found materials from the 1960s that served as inspiration.

“We were actually interested in seeing what had been done in previous years,” she said. “We have copies of all these old playbills … so we can keep them for our records.”

The original ball was established in 1925 for juniors and seniors as the

climax of a weekend that included activities such as a breakfast and a boating trip.

Even though the committee does not consider a revival of many of the old traditions immediately feasible, it hopes to install an infrastructure that will make events like a leisurely boat trip one day possible.

“The Diplomatic Ball has a really interesting history. Hopefully, in future years, we’ll be able to bring back other events: breakfast, dance classes, networking events, turtle hunts,” Committee Member and Media Liaison Patrick Lim (SFS ’16) said. “We felt that the Diplomatic Ball could be a lot more.”

The committee is focused on programming and hosting events in the month leading up to the Apr. 4 ball. The events will give students the opportunity to meet members of the Foreign Service in order to make networking easier at the actual Diplomatic Ball.

To that end, the committee has worked with the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, which is largely comprised of mid-level diplomats on sabbatical, to create networking events that are relevant to current students’ interests.

“In previous years, what we’ve noticed is that ambassadors tend to be picked because of their knowledge in a certain field. They’re not that good

at talking to kids who are 40 years their junior,” Blakeway-Phillips said.

“Diplomatic Ball has always been the Diplomatic Ball. What we’re trying to do is bring back the reason it was put up in the first place: to meet people with stories.”

Jade Burt (COL ’16), who attended the ball last year, found it difficult to network with ambassadors.

“I didn’t know any of the ambassadors or who I should identify as an ambassador,” Burt said. “I felt like it was kind of uncomfortable seeing this very politically famous person and not knowing who they are.”

During the summer, co-chairs Blakeway-Phillips and Victoire Carrasco (SFS ’15) started brainstorming plans to drum up caterers and recruit more committee members.

They followed up with a meeting in the fall to secure their venue — the Corcoran Gallery of Art. The committee also hopes to secure discounts from a list of businesses, including dress shops like Rent the Runway, local salons and restaurants.

“It’s a bit scary. … There’s always this worry that we’re taking on too much, and we don’t want to promise this big blowout,” Blakeway-Phillips said. “But as we check things off our playlist, I’m getting more and more excited and less and less nervous.”

Tickets for the Diplomatic Ball go on sale the week of Feb. 17.

BUSINESS FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014

COMMENTARY

GSEI Nabs $100K Gift From Donor

BIG DATA: PREDICTING THE FUTURE

Chris Kelly

NATASHA KHAN Hoya Staff Writer

Lessons Learned At GUASFCU

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ow that I’m ending my final fall semester as a senior, underclassmen often ask me if there is anything I’d change about my experience. Would you have been involved in something else?

Would you have taken different classes?

What is your biggest regret? Some of the bolder ones ask me, having looked back over four years, do I still feel that Georgetown was the right choice? Like every senior, I might have changed a few things around (for the record: I would have been an NSO leader and should have tried to take as many classes in the SFS as possible).

To the last question, I can answer without ambiguity: absolutely. While I might have gotten a better academic understanding of abstract mathematics and economic theory at a small, liberal arts school, that’s not explicitly what I came to college to do.

Like many students, I came with the intention of self-discovery and to build the habits and skills that I would use for the rest of my career, whatever that might be.

Georgetown fosters a unique entrepreneurial environment with immense opportunities to get great experience — look around and you’ll see a campus boiling over with burgeoning student businesses and ventures. It’s not a coincidence that Students of Georgetown Inc. and the Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union, the largest student-run corporation and the largest student-run financial institution in the country, sit down the hall from one another in the Leavey Center. There’s something about Georgetown students that drives us, as it did the founding members of those in-

Employers cared less about the financial workings of GUAFSCU and more about the changes I had effected. stitutions 30 years ago, to look at the status quo and ask: How could this be better?

Maybe that’s what happens when a university fosters an ethos like cura personalis, as Georgetown does. Or perhaps it’s the result of a university that combines great academics, one of the most multifaceted and inclusive sports programs in the country and a location in our nation’s vibrant and dynamic capital in a way that promotes a diverse array of experiences for its student body. Above all, my guess is passion — Georgetown students are an extremely passionate and actionoriented bunch. In addition to The Corp and GUASFCU, Georgetown has a nationally emulated emergency medical service, Georgetown Emergency Response Medical Service, a robust collection of investment funds (Georgetown University Student Investment Fund, Georgetown Collegiate Investors, Global Platinum Securities) and a top-notch consultancy (Hilltop Consultants), among numerous other impressive, student-run ventures.

In the fall of my freshman year, I was lucky enough to start working at GUASFCU, which has a very obvious business focus.

While going through the recruiting process, however, I found that employers cared less about my involvement in the financial workings of GUASFCU and more about the projects I had undertaken and the changes I had effected. The details of the institution and the specifics of my work were of almost minor importance; it was the fact that I had found something that I really cared about and tried to do something impactful about it that interested them. It was also the team aspect of GUASFCU that was essential — you can generally go at it alone as a student, but in the real world you’ll need to have the interpersonal skills to work in small groups toward a common purpose.

GUASFCU gave me the opportunity to practice those skills in a way I could never practice them in a class, with the added benefit that I could try my hand at leaving Georgetown better than I found it.

In short: Be bold and do the things you love, because no matter what you plan to do after Georgetown, I promise it will help you make the most of your experience on the Hilltop.

CHRIS KELLY is a senior in the McDonough School of Business and outgoing CEO of the Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union.

ERICA WONG/THE HOYA

Williams College professor of statistics Richard de Veaux answered questions about the future of big data in Fisher Colloquium last Thursday. See story on A9.

The Georgetown Global Social Enterprise Initiative at the McDonough School of Business received a $100,000 grant from the Case Foundation to support social impact investing, the initiative announced Tuesday.

The Global Social Enterprise Initiative (GSEI) “aims to prepare current and future leaders to make responsible management decisions that create both economic and social value,” according to its website. GSEI is partnering with the Case Foundation, whose CEO, Jean Case, is currently serving as the university’s executive-inresidence.

“Georgetown, and the team at the Global Social Enterprise Initiative, have a deep understanding of the significant opportunity represented in new companies that are focused on solving some of the world’s biggest challenges,” Jean Case stated in the MSB press release. “As we look for opportunities to accelerate the growth of impact investing, GSEI is a perfect partner to help us develop a policy agenda that will help grow the space.”

The grant will be used to further GSEI’s See GSEI, A9

On Wall Street, New Limits for Weekend Work NATASHA KHAN Hoya Staff Writer

Credit Suisse, a major employer of Georgetown graduates, has followed the efforts of other investment banks to improve employee work-life balance by limiting weekend working hours for junior employees.

In a Jan. 13 internal memo, Credit Suisse revealed new policies to discourage the two lowest levels of employees, analysts and associates, from working between 6 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m. on Sundays, according to The New York Times. The only exception to the policy, which the bank said would take effect last week, is if bankers are working on live deals.

Credit Suisse hired 20 graduates from the Class of 2012, according to the Cawley Career Education Center’s senior survey report. A number of Georgetown students have also worked as summer interns at Credit Suisse and other banks.

“The Cawley Career Education Center supports employers’ actions, regardless of industry, that strive to create a climate that values both wellness and hard work,” Cawley Career Education Center Executive Director Mike Schaub wrote in an email.

Credit Suisse declined to comment.

Ryan Cunningham (MSB ‘14) interned at the Houston branch of Credit Suisse last summer, the same office that pioneered the bank’s new junior associate policies.

“About three months before the summer there was an associate who hadn’t seen his wife in about three weeks [while he was] awake,” Cunningham said. He added that the employee did not come in to work one Saturday and when questioned by senior management, he presented the argument that having at least one day off would allow employees to work harder during the rest of the week. As a result, Cunningham and his fellow junior employees did not have to work on Saturdays for the duration of the internship, unlike their counterparts in other offices.

“We were ecstatic to hear that because it really goes against the grain in terms of the horrendous work-life balance that the investment banking industry traditionally gets,” Cunningham said.

“Having that light at the end of the tunnel … makes the work during the week a lot more worthwhile.”

Cunningham added that senior management respected the ju-

INSIDER

NATASHA THOMSON/THE HOYA

The Credit Suisse D.C. office at 1201 F St. NW where junior employees’ weekend hours have been limited by new policies. nior employees’ day off.

“They wouldn’t try to pressure us into working on the weekends and there was no negative peer pressure,” he said.

Students with work experience in the banking industry approve of the changes.

“Having this new rule will provide a better transition for college students looking to end up

in the industry,” former UBS intern Aakash Bhatia (MSB ‘16) said.

“Instead of being thrown into the fire you are transitioned in a smoother manner into the investment banking lifestyle and the responsibilities that come with it.”

However, others junior analysts doubt that the new policies will See BANKS, A9

TRADING

What were the biggest business stories or trends of 2013?

“American Airlines’ successful merger with U.S. Airways, thus creating the world’s largest airline. The effects of the merger will continue to resonate well into 2014.”

MICHAEL SABA (MSB ’15)

"Unpaid interns can no longer do work that is encompassed under entry-level jobs. This essentially takes away the free labor that companies were receiving in creating unpaid internships."

MOHIT SUD (MSB ’16) Visit us online at thehoya.com/business

“Overstock. com accepting Bitcoins.

Either because they will be the first major retailer to take the currency of the future or because Bitcoins will collapse in a spectacular manner and they will be a laughingstock.”

SCOTT DONALDSON PC SYSTEMS SPECIALIST IN MSB TECH CENTER