The Hoya: October 21, 2016 by The Hoya

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

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2016

MAKING A MARK IN DC

As the authorities take steps to crack down on graffiti artists, a look at the value of their art.

EDITORIAL The Georgetown Review is a positive example of diversifying dialogue.

MILLENNIAL MONEY EXAMINED A panel of policy experts discussed the millennial economic outlook, election.

OPINION, A2

NEWS, A4

GUIDE, B2

Bystander Training Required for Leaders christian paz

work with both recognized and unrecognized student organizations, including StuLeaders of Georgetown’s dents of Georgetown, Inc., the largest student groups will Georgetown University Alumundergo required bystander ni Student Federal Credit intervention training as part Union, the Blue and Gray Tour of the Sexual Assault and Mis- Guide Society and other stuconduct Task dent organiForce’s goal zations with of improving widespread bystander leadership, education to but has not prevent sexusolidified a al assault on specific list campus. of organizaThe first tions to date, training according to session, coZac SchroepCAROL DAY ordinated fer (MSB ’19), Director, Health Education Services by Health the student Education co-chair for Services, will take place this the bystander intervention Sunday, with four additional and education committee. sessions to come in the folHealth Education Services lowing weeks. Student leaders will adapt the session from a are required to sign up for one curriculum from the Universession to train at least three sity of New Hampshire. The members of their organiza- program will educate stution’s leadership. dents on sexual assault issues The task force’s Bystander on college campuses as well as Intervention and Education how to identify and respond Committee, convened by the to high-risk situations. Office of the President in June The training will use case after the release of Sexual As- studies, role play and discussault and Misconduct Climate sions to train student leaders Survey, is working to improve for effective bystander interbystander training on cam- vention. pus after the Sexual Assault Assistant Dean for Student and Misconduct Climate Sur- Engagement Erika Cohen Derr, vey’s report released June 16 who reached out to student showed that 77 percent of groups to sign up for the manstudents have witnessed high- datory training, said improving risk situations said they did bystander education through not intervene when they wit- student organizations is impornessed a potential incident of tant because of their unique sexual misconduct, of which role in providing an outlet for 24 percent said they did know social life at Georgetown. what to do. The committee plans to See TRAINING, A6

Hoya Staff Writer

“We hope we will be able to influence students to think more about sexual assault ...”

GUSA FACEBOOK

A proposed plan to replace the GUSA senate with an elected assembly will make the funding process for student clubs more democratic, according to GUSA Senate Speaker Richie Mullaney (COL ’18), pictured center with senators.

GUSA Executive Looks to Replace Senate IAN SCOVILLE Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown University Student Association senate may be replaced next year with a new GUSA assembly — a body consisting of elected students and appointed club advisory board members to appropriate club funding — pending a senate vote and studentwide referendum this fall. The proposed assembly will consist of both representa-

tives, students who are elected by peers in their class, and delegates, voting members appointed by each of the six advisory boards to represent them in budgetary discussions. This structure will include advisory boards in the negotiations process. Student representatives will work with a delegate from a club advisory board to advocate for its allocation of the student activities budget. Currently, the senate’s Finance and Appro-

priations Committee — known as Fin/App — hears presentations from advisory boards, the Georgetown Program Board and the Lecture Fund before submitting a budget to the senate for approval. Representatives will be entitled to vote on legislation — including resolutions and potential referendums — and budgets, while delegates will only vote on budgetary issues. The move marks the most significant change to the elected

body since GUSA established the senate in 2006. GUSA is currently meeting with advisory boards to finalize the new structure for the senate before the proposal is formally released in an Oct. 30 senate meeting. The senate is slated to vote on the proposal Nov. 6. If approved, a referendum to replace the senate with the assembly at the beginning of the 2016-17 academic year will take place Dec. 1. See GUSA, A6

Juvenile Criminal Bill Gains Traction haley snyder

cal and national advocacy organizations, reflects President Barack Obama’s executive orThe Washington, D.C. Coun- der to ban solitary confinement cil unanimously approved a for juveniles in federal prisons. first vote of the Comprehensive Having passed the D.C. CounYouth Adjustment Act of 2016 cil’s first vote, the bill will be up on Oct. 11, which would insti- for second vote before it is offitute reforms to D.C.’s criminal cially passed. justice system for juveniles McDuffie stressed the detriin detention centers, most of mental effect of the criminal which focus on separating how justice system on juveniles as the criminal a reason for justice system introducing treats juvethis legislanile and adult tion. Accordcriminal ofing to McDufffenders. ie, after being Councilconvicted of members Kea crime as a nyan McDuffjuvenile, past ie (D-Ward 5), offenders David Grosso struggle to (I-At large), Brisuccessfully anne Nadeau reintegrate (D-Ward 1), into society Anita Bonds and often PAUL ROTHSTEIN (D-At Large), c o m m i t Professor of Law, GULC LaRuby May crimes again. (D-Ward 8), Elissa Silverman “We know that, when a (I-At Large) and D.C. Council young man or woman comes Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) into contact with the justice originally introduced the bill system, it is often a pivotal moin April. The purpose of the ment in their lives,” McDuffie legislation is to prohibit jailing wrote in a press release. “What juveniles before a hearing, limit happens next often sets the trasolitary confinement, exempt jectory for the rest of their lives juveniles who commit minor of- — and ultimately determines fenses from imprisonment and whether they will eventually be avoid placing offenders under contributing members of our the age of 18 into adult prisons. community.” The District’s bill, which has garnered the support of 28 loSee REFORM, A6

Hoya Staff Writer

“There is too much punitive attitude toward children as though they are on par with adult offenders.”

JINWOO CHONG/THE HOYA

In response to the climate survey results, student club leaders will be required to undergo bystander training.

featured

Jesuits Elect New Superior General MAtt larson Hoya Staff Writer

Fr. Arturo Sosa, S.J., a former visiting researcher at Georgetown’s Center for Latin American Studies, was elected the 31st superior general of the Society of Jesus and the first nonEuropean superior general in an Oct. 14 vote with the Jesuits’ main governing body in Rome. Sosa worked at Georgetown between March and July of 2004, during which time he organized seminars and conferences, focusing on Latin American politics. As superior general, he will be responsible for leading the Jesuits, one of the largest and oldest orders of the Catholic Church, which counts Pope Francis among its

NEWS

OPINION

GSC Removed From GULC Members of GSC were removed from the Law Center while attempting to deliver a petition. A5

Editorial The university should publish its NCHA data to provide students with a clear picture of student health. A2

NEWS GUSA Hosts Mental Health Forum

OPINION Duterte’s Dominance

A panel of administrators discussed the need for an investment in mental health resources. A5 Newsroom: (202) 687-3415 Business: (202) 687-3947

SOCIETY OF JESUS

The Society of Jesus elected Fr. Arturo Sosa, S.J., a former researcher at Georgetown, as its superior general.

Published Tuesdays and Fridays

The newly elected president of the Philippines’ policies against drugs have sparked mixed reactions. A3

16,000 members. In addition to his previous work at Georgetown, Sosa, who was inducted into the Society of Jesus in 1966 and holds a doctorate in political science from the Central University of Venezuela, serves as a founding board member at the Andrés Bello Catholic University in Caracas and a rector of the Catholic University of Táchira. He also acted as provincial superior of the Society of Jesus in Venezuela from 1996 to 2004. A vote by 212 Jesuit representatives at the Roman General Congregation elected Venezuelan native Sosa following the resignation of Adolfo Nicolás last week. See JESUITS, A6

BUSINESS Supporting Chefs

An alum’s startup, Foodhini, is helping D.C. immgrants turn their cooking skills into a business. A10

SPORTS Ferocity in the Family Junior defender Liz Wenger is carrying on the family’s tradition of tough gameplay. B10 Send story deas and Tips to news@thehoya.com

OPINION

THE HOYA

Friday, OCTOBER 21, 2016

THE VERDICT

Founded January 14, 1920

and confronting various discussions and beliefs. Its embracement and dedication to conservative opinion should certainly diversify the overall political discourse across campus. Our community would be best served with more publications like The Georgetown Review, which seeks to be a medium for conservative perspectives that are often not espoused as frequently as liberal ones in this university. By being unaffiliated with a specific party group, the publication is in a position to serve as a platform inviting the opinion of supporting and opposing sides, allowing for a wider range in debate and diversification of views. It is important that students across the community look at this new medium as an opportunity to discover new voices, varying thoughts and opinions, as well as discussions to which many would not be exposed otherwise. While the introduction of a conservative student journal will add to the diversity of publications across campus, students should also strive to further collaborate and contribute to the goal of broader and deeper discourse. Perhaps the publication’s introduction will encourage other students to establish a liberal journal independent from Georgetown University College Democrats and its publication GU Progressive to give students an outlet of expression without taking on a partisan or party label. Such an initiative would be another step in opening up political dialogue beyond the normal boundaries of party groups on campus. In a time when party divisiveness is high and political rhetoric is filled with negativity, there is a need for a new platform that seeks to engage with contemporary issues through a unique and public voice. We can all appreciate the benefits that a constructive exchange of ideas will bring to the community.

Bye, Bao Bao — The National Zoo in Washington, D.C., has announced that panda cub Bao Bao will depart for China in the next year. As a part of the loan program between the two countries, pandas that are born in the United States return to China by the age of 4.

Road Trip — CEO of Tesla Motors Elon Musk announced this week that his company plans to demonstrate the capability of its fully driverless car by sending it on a journey from Los Angeles to New York before the end of 2017. Feel the Heat — Temperatures across D.C. have been at record highs this week, climbing up to 87 degrees and, in some areas, shattering records that have lasted more than 50 years.

‘The Life of Pablo’ — Kanye West recently announced an additional concert in D.C. on Dec. 27, his second concert at the Verizon Center this year. Tickets for the show, part of his “Saint Pablo” tour, are set to go on sale this Saturday, Oct. 22.

From organizing community watch parties for the presidential debates to forming groups that seek to bridge interfaith understanding, the Georgetown community prides itself on being an environment that promotes discussion among those who hold different perspectives and opinions. Beyond our gates, however, the negativity and divisiveness plaguing the current presidential election and political system as a whole make it nearly impossible to watch the news without being exposed to ignorance and irrational dismissal of opposing views. In this time, students should expose themselves to as many perspectives as possible and seek to broaden their understanding of the politics that dominate our national arena. Students demonstrated their commitment to this goal with the launch of The Georgetown Review, a new journal seeking to “provide this university with a thoughtful and vigorous journal of conservative opinion,” according to its website. The new initiative comes from former members of the GU Right Way, the official online publication of the Georgetown University College Republicans that was discontinued this summer. The founders of The Georgetown Review said they made the publication independent from GUCR because they felt this new brand would diversify political dialogue and discourse on campus. With no affiliation to GUCR, the new publication aims to “be critical in enhancing political discussion,” according to The Georgetown Review Editor-in-Chief Kevin Toohers in an interview with The Hoya on Oct. 18. With the arrival of a new student publication dedicated to encouraging political dialogue outside party affiliations, students across the community should look at The Georgetown Review as an example of how our community can be better served with even more discourse dedicated to exposing

Get Out the Vote — Early voting in D.C. starts this Saturday, Oct. 22, and will expand to all polling locations by Oct. 28. This year’s ballot includes not only presidential and local elections, but also a referendum proposing statehood.

Diversifying Campus Discourse

Health Alert — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported an all-time high of sexually transmitted infections this year.

EDITORIALS

Face Off — The Washington Capitals, expected to be one of the top teams in the NHL this season, play host to the New York Rangers at the Verizon Center this Saturday, Oct. 22.

Warranted Arrest? — On Tuesday, Metro Transit Police arrested a teenage girl who refused to throw away her bag of chips and candy upon entering the Metro station, in which eating and drinking are prohibited; the officers are being criticized for use of excessive force.

EDITORIAL CARTOON by Noah Taylor

Leverage Data, Inform Policy bodies, including Dartmouth University, Emory University, Northwestern University and the University of Southern California. Furthermore, Georgetown already makes specific facts from the survey’s results known through publications like the Stall Seat Journal in many public restrooms. Yet the school still has not provided all the data to the wider student body, and thus important information regarding health on a college campus are out of the reach of those the data is meant to serve: the students. Given the range of new initiatives this semester designed to address health concerns among students, it is also important for students to understand how Georgetown has performed over the past few years. For initiatives that seek to address a wide range of problems, such as the anonymous online chat service Project Lighthouse and the Campus Climate Volunteer Corps, which was created after last year’s climate survey, collecting survey data can help judge the effectiveness of these projects and more. Ultimately, Georgetown’s failure to make the National College Health Assessment data public is an issue of transparency. Students should know the state of overall health at Georgetown and the empiricism that goes with it. If the university made data from 2014 and all subsequent years available from now on, it would show a commitment to transparency and a willingness to bring the student body into the conversation about health and wellness. Whether it be mental health, sexual health or alcohol consumption, the National College Health Assessment is a valuable tool for colleges to obtain current and relevant data on a range of pertinent issues. Since Georgetown possesses this data, students should be made aware of the current state of health in their community as well as how they can collectively turn this information into future initiatives. It is time to put this data and information into the hands of students to make this campus a place where they can judge for themselves where are next steps are needed in addressing issues of health and wellness.

Statistics about our campus community can be valuable tools in improving existing resources and policies and pointing out issues that have yet to be addressed. Last year’s first Sexual Assault and Misconduct Climate Survey sought to bring more concrete information regarding the prevalence of sexual assault and misconduct at Georgetown to light. Its results are now publicly available online and help administrators and student government develop policy. In order to address an issue, it is imperative that one look at the facts to identify the magnitude and extent of an issue. Data that could potentially benefit our community, as well as make us aware of more extensive problems, should not be collected and then withheld from the wider student body. However, Georgetown’s National College Health Assessment results have remained unreleased to the community. Such data can be valuable in the hands of students and thus it is time for the university and Health Education Services to make Georgetown’s past survey results public, including our most recent data from 2014. The National College Health Assessment is a survey developed by the American College Health Association, a group dedicated to providing resources to confront the various health challenges college students and health professionals face. The survey is conducted on campuses across the country and is designed to gather data on issues affecting students, from drug use and alcohol consumption to mental and sexual health. The ACHA compiles data from all participating universities to construct annual reports on the state of college students’ health, but individual schools have access to their own reports and can choose to make the data available. Georgetown has been conducting the survey since 2002 and implements it every other year, with the most recent iteration in 2014. Yet for over a decade, the university has not made its data public to the student body. Many of Georgetown’s peer institutions that participate in the survey already make the data widely available to their student

Jess Kelham-Hohler, Editor-in-Chief Toby Hung, Executive Editor Matthew Trunko, Managing Editor Ian Scoville, Campus News Editor Aly Pachter, City News Editor Paolo Santamaria, Sports Editor John Miller, Guide Editor Syed Humza Moinuddin, Opinion Editor Naaz Modan, Photography Editor Jesus Rodriguez, Layout Editor Jeanine Santucci, Copy Chief Elizabeth Cavacos, Social Media Editor Meg Lizza, Blog Editor Jarrett Ross, Multimedia Editor

Christian Paz Tara Subramaniam Lisa Burgoa Owen Eagan William Zhu Emily Dalton Sean Hoffman Darius Iraj Ryan McCoy Tom Garzillo Kate Kim Vera Mastrorilli Sarah Santos Noah Taylor Caroline Borzilleri Alyssa Volivar Danielle Wyerman Yuri Kim Sterling Lykes Emma Wenzinger Kelly Park

Editorial Board

Syed Humza Moinuddin, Chair Jack Bennett, Ben Card, Jesse Jacobs, Naaz Modan, Anthony Palacio, Ashwin Puri, Andrea Roos, Ellen Singer

Deputy Campus News Editor Deputy Campus News Editor Deputy City News Editor Business Editor Deputy Business & News Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Sports Editor Paranoia Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Opinion Editor Deputy Opinion Editor Cartoon Editor Deputy Layout Editor Deputy Layout Editor Deputy Layout Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Social Media Editor

[

“

The Rostrum

So how dare you mock your mother when she opens her mouth and broken english spills out her accent is thick like honey hold it with your life it’s the only thing she has left from home don’t you stomp on that richness instead hang it up on the walls of museums next to Dali and Van Gogh”

Rupi Kaur, “Broken English”

Evan Zimmet, General Manager Selena Parra, Director of Accounting Emily Ko, Director of Corporate Development Gabriella Cerio, Co-Director of Human Resources Catherine Engelmann, Co-Director of Human Resources Daniel Almeida, Director of Sales Brittany Logan Senior Accounts and Operations Manager Alexander Scheidemann Treasury Manager Galilea Zorola Subscriptions Manager Elizabeth Sherlock Personnel Manager

Contributing Editors & Consultants

]

Madeline Auerbach, Kara Avanceña, Reza Baghaee, Nick Bailey, Isabel Binamira, Jinwoo Chong, Deirdre Collins, Cleopatra Fan, Gabi Hasson, Shannon Hou, Charlie Kelly, Daniel Kreytak, Catherine McNally, Naaz Modan, Suzanne Monyak, Jesus Rodriguez, Zack Saravay, Molly Simio, Emily Tu, Andrew Wallender

Board of Directors

Kristen Fedor, Chair Jinwoo Chong, Jess Kelham-Hohler, Arnosh Keswani, Katherine Richardson, Daniel Smith, Evan Zimmet 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 600-700 words. The Hoya retains all rights to all published submissions. 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 Toby Hung at (202) 315-850 or email executive@thehoya.com. News Tips Campus News Editor Ian Scoville: Call (202) 602-7650 or email campus@thehoya. com. City News Editor Aly Pachter: Call (916) 995-0412 or email city@thehoya.com. Sports Editor Paolo Santamaria: Call (703) 409-7276 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. Unsigned essays that appear on the left side of the editorial page are the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. 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. © 1920-2016. 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. 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: 4,000

OPINION

Friday, OCTOBER 21, 2016

SPIRITUAL SEARCH

THE HOYA

VIEWPOINT • BELTRAN

Nicholas Scrimenti

Counter Hate With Meditation

he hate speech from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during this election cycle is unprecedented and dangerous. During this time, we must ask ourselves how each candidate affects the youth of America. What are the candidates teaching our children through their rhetoric and behavior? Researchers have pointed to an increase of racially charged hostilities in primary schools over the past year, but few have offered meaningful responses to the issue. The Southern Poverty Law Center released a harrowing report on the “Trump effect” of this election cycle. The report highlighted increased levels of fear in children of color and a rise in racially charged bullying and hate speech in classrooms. This rise correlated with unprecedented levels of explicit bigotry and policies of hatred in the election. A single anecdote from the report is enough to raise alarm: One high school teacher wrote, “A lot of students think we should kill any and all people we do not agree with. … They believe all Muslims want to kill us.” However, hatred and hateinspired rhetoric, of which Trump and his supporters are partially responsible, can be counteracted through meditation. There is enough evidence from SPLC to suggest that by using a ground-up approach to quelling hostilities, meditation can counteract the hate and improve the lives of our nation’s youth. The modern tools of hatred employed by Trump are being counteracted in our youth by an ancient tool of compassion. Meditation has been empirically proven to reduce hostilities in the classroom and to increase compassionate behaviors like inclusivity. Studies find that children are more apt to perform pro-social behaviors following participation in a mindfulnessbased “kindness curriculum.” Across the nation, more

schools are finding that a practice based on the assumption that people should be objects of compassion, not our contempt, can reverse hatred and bigotry. A Newsweek article from September noted how a Baltimore elementary school replaced kids’ detentions with an after-school meditation program. The change in practice allowed the school to influence children’s behavior through breathing exercises and emotion control, causing the total suspension rate to drop to zero percent, with teachers even noticing fewer fights throughout the school. Similar initiatives have been introduced into public elementary schools across the United States and are being facilitated by nonprofits with the goal of teaching kids compassion and mindfulness through meditation. What is most important to note from these articles and practices is how the power of meditation can influence the minds of kids to better understand emotions and deal with each other more compassionately. Admittedly, meditation is not a panacea, but it is a powerful and effective way to transform the minds of our youth. For meditation to be transformative, it must be coupled with compassion and understanding. That is the lesson we should be teaching our nation’s youth. If the issue of what we are teaching our children is to be taken seriously, we have to recognize the stark contrast between children who meditate and children who mimic the behavior of a man devoid of compassion, known to speak misogynistically, encourage violence among his supporters and insult individuals based on their religious beliefs and ethnicity. We have to take seriously the potential for unprecedented goodness and love available in our youth.

Nicholas Scrimenti is a junior in the College. Spiritual Search appears every other Friday.

The current discourse, which belittles Duterte’s supporters rather than truly engaging the rationality behind their arguments, has only made Filipinos more supportive of their leader.

Reframing Duterte’s War on Drugs

olitics in the Philippines is rife with contradictions. It is probably the only country in the world where voters would elect an authoritarian as president, a human rights activist as vice president, a homophobic celebrity boxer as senator and the first transgender congresswoman all in one general election. This partly explains why President Rodrigo Duterte has taken such a stronghold of the Filipino people. Filipino voters, who tended to go with the tide in the past, are now protesting global consensus in response to a glut of criticism that skirts the real motivations behind support for Duterte. Many Western media outlets and world leaders have been wagging fingers at Duterte for his drug war since before he was first elected. Yet his national approval ratings are through the roof, and it seems the Filipino people are sincerely hopeful that Duterte’s methods will eradicate drug dealers from the country. The discourse around Duterte’s drug war outside of the Philippines has been

one of disgust and condem- with this war. As explored by sociologist nation, but Filipinos see Duterte as the only person Nicole Curato, supporters rawho can affect change in tionalize Duterte’s effort by a political system where believing concepts like unicorruption, and thus leth- versal human rights are put argy, have dominated for de- forward by Manila’s liberal cades. And he has followed intellectuals, who are out through on all of his prom- of touch with the daily brutalities of crime and drugs. ises, a rarity in politics. When the conversation Others say the leader’s acat the dinner table turns tions are the proper way of matching to discuss prosperDuterte, you begin to see Filipinos see Duterte ous neighbors that three camps as the only person have been of Filipino ruled by people. The who can effect strongfirst camp is change in a corrupt m e n anti-Duterte, whose leand concenpolitical system. gitimacy trates on is based on the human delivering rights of the peace, orpoor at the brunt of the drug war. The der and economic growth. second camp is somewhere Supporters also put forth in the middle, probably pro- the claim that the country Duterte -leaning, which does must sacrifice the lives of not want to take a side and some to preserve the lives of instead states that it is pro- the majority, and violence is Philippines. The third view the only way justice can be is completely pro-Duterte done for people affected by and, rather than avoiding drugs due to the broken letalk about the killings, the gal system. The current discourse, people in this camp take that issue head- on and use which belittles Duterte supfour rationalizations to ex- porters rather than truly plain why we must continue engaging the rationality be-

VIEWPOINT • ESTES

hind their arguments, has only made Filipinos more impassioned and supportive of their leader. Yet people who grew up in both worlds, like myself, now truly understand the effect that sensationalism in the media has had in fueling the fire rather than enabling intelligent discourse. We tiptoe around the anger emanating from both sides, because taking on an opinion also means taking on a side of a playing field where no one wins. The media must stop positioning the Philippines as the first to go in a fatalist interpretation of world politics, or calling attention human rights issues as if Filipinos were blind to the obvious truth that people who do not deserve to die are in fact dying. If you really want to stop Duterte’s anti-drug war, I would avoid these traps and instead actually try to understand the motivations driving Filipinos to support him. As we have already seen in this unique U.S. election season, belittlement never works. Micaela Beltran is a ju-

nior

the

College.

FAULT LINES

Smoking Ban Burdens Students Normalize Political Extremes

n the coming weeks, Georgetown students could have the chance to vote on a referendum calling for a smoke-free campus. Though the vast majority of students at Georgetown do not smoke, we should all slow down and think about what a smoke-free campus would actually mean. This issue is not black and white, and thus, making Georgetown smoke-free will not solve the actual issues at hand and will only place an undue burden on a minority population. So what happens if Georgetown becomes smoke-free? Georgetown already has a series of regulations concerning smoking on campus in addition to the fact that it is illegal in D.C. to smoke within 25 feet of a building. And yet, late into the night and early in the morning, students still have to walk out of study sessions in Lauinger Library and into clouds of smoke, which is against existing policy. The solution here is not to ban smoking but rather to enforce the existing rules in Georgetown’s policies. To actually see a change in where people smoke on campus, substantive steps must be taken to inform the Georgetown community of where one is permitted to smoke. If we cannot enforce the rules now, a campuswide ban seems even more difficult to enforce. The current referendum is also vague as to what a smoke-free campus entails. Would this regulation end at the front gates, or does it extend off

campus? In addition to this vague language, the referendum does not consider where smokers would go should the ban be put in place. Just because the university bans smoking does not mean people will stop this practice. Are we to force them to wander off campus just to smoke at their leisure?

It is one thing to seek a healthier community, but this cannot be done through force. As responsible members of the community, we need to take into account the rights of the minority. Georgetown prides itself on being an international community. Compared to many other American schools, we have a significant international population. Therefore, the values regarding smoking in non-American cultures should be taken into account. It is unfair of us to impose such a restriction on a group of people who are trying to find a home on our campus. The referendum also infringes on students’ health decisions. The current proposal calls not only for a ban on cigarette smoke, but an end to all tobacco usage, including chewing tobacco. Chewing tobacco has absolutely no external effects on others’ health. Its regulation is merely an attempt to force health decisions on the student body. As adults,

we should be empowered with the freedom to make basic health choices, such as tobacco use, for ourselves. Neither I, nor anyone else on this campus, needs the administration or the student government making health decisions for students. It is one thing to seek a healthier community, but this cannot be done through force. If Georgetown wants to sponsor a healthier campus, we should look to further the dissemination of health information, whether it be about tobacco use, eating choices or exercise plans. The best way to encourage positive change is through informing the community and empowering individuals to make choices for themselves. The Georgetown community needs more than just a yes-or-no vote on the issue of on-campus smoking. Since this issue is not black and white, our referendum should not be either. If we are going to have a referendum, the student population deserves more than two options. We must recognize that students should not necessarily have to inhale smoke when exiting a building, but we should also respect those who do smoke without imposing undue burdens and regulations. We do not need more rules added to the books; rather, we need to find better ways to enforce the ones that already exist. Hunter Estes is a sopho-

more in the School of Foreign Service. He is a GUSA senator.

t this point, discussing the rise of farright political parties feels akin to beating a decomposing horse. Comparisons between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, National Front leader Marine le Pen and U.K. Independence Party figurehead Nigel Farage can only be so interesting before we bore out. Currently, the strategy of existing political parties has been to unload a barrage of insults and criticisms onto such groups in order to damage their credibility: xenophobes, Islamophobes, racists, bigots — the list goes on. However, this name-calling strategy has so far failed in countries like France and the United Kingdom. Labeling these groups with wide generalizations simply propels and paints them as true and authentic forces of opposition. If long-entrenched parties are to succeed against the far right, then they must normalize these groups to mitigate the antiestablishment populism fueling their current rise. Such tactics have found success in history and currently are finding success in the U.K. Trump’s popularity as a presidential candidate is a fitting example. His abrasive style resulted in oft-warranted accusations of racism, sexism and Islamophobia. Yet in the eyes of his supporters, these insults were out of the norm, and Trump wore them like medals. Trump’s supporters look at the man as if he could fix what they perceive as a broken political system, and the press, Hollywood and Wall Street, which overwhelmingly sup-

port Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, are perceived as elitist winners of the status quo.

Francois Valentin Le Pen in France also thrives in this hostile environment. Traditional and entrenched left and right political groups in France attempted to unite forces in local elections against her and her party beginning in 2015. Yet their strategy of alienation ended up failing. History holds a better example of how traditional political groups were able to counter and weaken the communist far left. In 1981, François Mitterrand, the candidate of the French Socialist Party, ran a very communist-friendly campaign in which he promised to break from capitalism, and upon being elected, he appointed three communist ministers. With Machiavellian prescience, Mitterrand told the former American Ambassador Vernon Walters, still very much concerned by the Cold War context, not to worry. He explained that putting communists in the government would give them the illusion of power. As junior members in the government, the communists often had to compromise with the members of the assembly and lost tremendous prestige within their electorate

when they worked across the aisle. In 1981, the Communist Party was at more than 15 percent in legislative elections. By the end of Mitterrand’s first term, the figure dropped to less than 7 percent in the 1988 legislative election. Theresa May, Britain’s prime minister, has found a less radical solution of finding a way to mitigate the influence of the far right. Although she was originally against Brexit, she has since embraced some of the themes of UKIP, lambasting the cosmopolitanism of the left while openly styling herself as the champion of those disenfranchised by globalization. Such decisions force UKIP to either work alongside the establishment it originally sought to work against or remain outside the political system without policy power. If forced to work alongside moderate and entrenched political parties, the far right will find it incredibly difficult to thrive, just as communist parties struggled to maintain support once they entered parliamentary systems. While many would find it difficult to stomach the idea of listening to these parties’ ideas respectfully and integrating them into given political systems, the long-term outcome will benefit society as a whole, something we would all appreciate given the climate of national and international politics.

Francois Valentin is a junior in the School of Foreign Service. Fault Lines appears every other Friday.

NEWS

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2016

PAGE FOUR

INSIDE THIS ISSUE The Prisons and Justice Initiative hosted Rabia Chaudry to talk about Adnan Syed and the podcast “Serial.” Story on A8.

Your news — from every corner of The Hoya.

IN FOCUS MILK & HONEY

verbatim

“

If there’s an upside after the Brexit decision, it’s two things: First, it’s a shock that helps us to refocus, and second, it might help to mobilize the youth.” Peter Wittig German Ambassador to the U.S. Story on A7.

from our blog

COURTESY GU LECTURE FUND

Poet Rupi Kaur, author of “Milk & Honey,” read excerpts of her work and participated in a question-and-answer session surrounding her poetry and experiences at a GU Lecture Fund event Tuesday in White Gravenor.

5 PEOPLE YOU MEET IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM The best part of laundry day is observing all the kinds of people that wash their clothes next to you. blog.thehoya.com

Millennial Mindset Panel Examines 2016 Election SOPHIE DONNELLY Special to The Hoya

Public policy experts and veterans of the 2016 presidential primary campaigns characterized the newest generation of voters as the most coveted and elusive demographic in the presidential election cycle during a panel discussion held Monday in the Rafik B. Hariri Building.

“Millennials are the most educated, yet most indebted, generation in U.S. history.” STEVE GLICKMAN Executive Director, EIG

The event, titled “The Millennial Mindset: Millennials, the Economy, and What it Means for 2016,” was cohosted by the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service, the Economic Innovation Group and professional service firm Ernst & Young. The conversation centered on the findings of “The Millennial Economy,” a survey conducted by EIG and EY, which paints a complex picture of millenials’ desires and their vision of the future, finding the majority of millennials have a pessimistic view of the economy. Tim Miller, who was communications director of former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush’s campaign, which has an increasingly aging voting base, must seek a transformational candidate who can appeal to millennial and minority voters in future elections. “The biggest problem is that you go to a Republican Party event, and it’s all old white dudes,” Miller said. “What the party needs is a ‘millennial Trump,’ a candidate that can run in 2020 or 2024 that can appeal to minorities.” Moderated by Michelle Jaconi (SFS ’96, GRD ’97), senior advisor to the Independent Journal Review and former producer of “Meet the Press,” the panel discussion covered a wide range of

issues including partisanship, patriotism, college tuition and tax rates. EIG Executive Director and School of Foreign Service adjunct assistant professor Steve Glickman (COL ’02) noted 80 percent of millennials in the 21st century fear they will not be able to obtain jobs that pay as well as their parents’ jobs. Glickman said while the viewpoint is pessimistic, he acknowledges the rationale behind it. “Millennials are the most educated, yet most indebted, generation in U.S. history,” Glickman said. “Millennials don’t feel like they’re in a position to take risks.” As the conversation turned to the role played by millennials in the 2016 presidential election, Miller offered insights into how the political parties should aim to reach out to millenials. Miller praised former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’ efforts to reach out to young voters as a platform for future presidential candidates to use.

“A lot of these young voters liked what Bernie Sanders was doing because he demonstrated that he cared.” TIM MILLER Forner Communications Director, Jeb Bush Campaign

“What they need is a government that is more responsive to them,” Miller said. “A lot of these young voters liked what Bernie Sanders was doing because he demonstrated that he cared about them. He listened to them.” Symone Sanders, previously the national press secretary for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, attributed millennials’ reluctance with identifying along party lines to the lack of an existing party addressing issues important to them. “Forty-six percent of millennials across the board

GU POLITICS

Moderator Michelle Jaconi (SFS ’96, GRD ’97), left, and panelists Steve Glickman, Cathy Koch, Tim Miller and Symone Sanders spoke at an event co-hosted by GU Politcs, Ernst & Young and the Economic Innovation Group. identify as independents. That is an opportunity across the board for both parties,” Symone Sanders said. “Fundamentally, they do not believe that this system is dedicated to the betterment of their lives.” EY Tax Policy Leader and GU Politics Advisory Board Member Cathy Koch (GRD ’94) encouraged millennials to pursue a career in public service. “It’s one of the fastest ways to accelerate your career,” Koch said. “There is room above you that you won’t find in corporate America.” Glickman said millenni-

als might find work with local comunities rather than the federal government to be more rewarding. “There is something very entrepreneurial about what’s happening at the local level. I would say go home, find partners in the private sector and start turning those communities around,” Glockman said. Sanders praised the findings of the EY and EIG report and stressed the continued importance of reaching out to this generation and involving them in policymaking as well as government decisions beyond the 2016 race.

“I think the research is very rich. It tells the true story about millennials in this election and what millennials across the board are thinking,” Sanders said. “Regardless of the outcome, the political establishment are going to have to grapple with the role that young people are going to play.” GU Politics Director of Programming Sophie Goldmacher said the discussion skillfully addressed the need to discuss the views of the millennial voting group. “I think something that has been lost in the political conversation up until

now is some of the actual issues that matter to voters,” she said. Max Magid (COL ’19) said the discussion focused largely on the theme of entrepreneurship while neglecting trustworthiness, a component important to millennials that would explain the tepid support for Hillary Clinton. “That’s why millennials didn’t seem to back Hillary Clinton, and I feel like that’s something that they sort of passed over,” Magid said. “I think people are finally starting to pay the right amount of attention to millennials.”

news

friday, OCTOBER 21, 2016

THE HOYA

GULC Public Safety Officers Intervene in GSC Demonstration Simon Carroll Hoya Staff Writer

Eight members of the workers’ advocacy group Georgetown Solidarity Committee were removed from the Georgetown University Law Center by Georgetown Law Department of Public Safety officers Oct. 14 during a demonstration in support of Georgetown facilities workers, who are continuing labor contract negotiations with university administrators. Facilities workers, their union representatives from Service Employees International Union Local 1199 and university human resources representatives have been negotiating terms for a new labor contract since early September. The union must either accept the university’s current offer, call a strike or further extend the duration of the current contract by Oct. 30 to continue negotiations. Facilities workers aim to gain a 6 percent annual wage increase and parity with Georgetown University MedStar Hospital workers with regard to parking and health care costs. GSC is also demanding better translation services for workers, an end to understaff-

ing and protections against alleged workplace intimidation practices, in addition to the 6 percent annual wage increase. The university proposes that facilities workers accept a 2 percent annual wage increase along with a 6 percent health care cost increase. Currently, facilities workers have to pay $140 a month for parking and as $15 for regular healthcare visits.

“We do see this as possibly a reaction to our rally that we wanted to have in support of the workers.” MIZRAIM BELMAN (SFS ’20) Member, Georgetown Solidarity Committee

The meeting between the university and the workers’ union was originally set to take place Oct. 4 at McShain Lounge, but the date was changed to Oct. 14 and the location shifted to the Eric E. Hotung International Law Building at the Law Center.

GSC members were met by Georgetown Law DPS officers, who prevented them from entering the building while trying to deliver a petition signed by around 950 students, faculty and community members demanding better working conditions to negotiators. GSC Member Mizraim Belman (SFS ’20) said the officers were waiting for the students when they arrived. “As we were trying to enter the building where negotiations were taking place, police officers were at the door and they stopped us, asking us what we were planning on doing, and prevented us from entering the building,” Belman said. “They definitely knew that we were coming.” Belman said two members of the university’s human resources department, Director Roberta Paul and Vice President for Human Resources Brenda Malone — both on the university’s negotiating team — met them outside the building to accept the petition. However, members of GSC insisted on delivering the petition to the entire negotiating group. According to Belman, the GSC members snuck into the building and chanted outside the negotiation

meeting room. They were subsequently removed by DPS officers. Belman said GSC will be delivering a petition to the office of University President John J. DeGioia on Oct. 24. Belman said the university changed the location of the meeting to thwart students’ attempts to show support for facilities workers. “Usually all negotiations have been taking place here on the main campus,” Belman said. “We do see this as possibly a reaction to our rally that we wanted to have in support of the workers.” The new contract, when ratified, will apply until 2019. Along with university representatives, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, an independent agency that promotes labor-management cooperation, has been helping with negotiations. The current contract under which facilities and maintenance workers are working was finalized in July 2013 and was set to expire June 30. Due to the ongoing negotiations between the university and the union, however, the contract has been extended to expire Oct. 30.

GSC member Esmeralda Huerta (SFS ’17) said that if the new contract were to be finalized in its current state, workers would essentially end up worse off than they were before contract negotiations. “The university is absolutely not willing to give more than 2 percent. Because health care costs are increasing by 6 percent and because parking has increased as well, that means workers are going to be worse off than before if the university gives them 2 percent,” Huerta said. “This is their wage over the next three years. It really matters.” A facilities worker who has been employed at the university for over a decade said under the current facilities manager, incidents of workplace discrimination have been prevalent. The worker, who requested anonymity out of fear of retribution, said employees of the same nationality as the current manager, who is from Jamaica, are provided with additional break time and preferential treatment for overtime. “I want there to be equality,” the worker said. “I want us to be treated fairly regardless of race, regard-

less of nationality.” The worker expressed concern over the firing of Maria Ochoa, an administrative organizer with SEIU Local 1199 who had been representing the workers in negotiations. Ochoa was perceived to have worked cooperatively with workers, providing interpretation for Spanish-speaking workers. “There’s a lot of concern over what happened with Maria,” the worker said. “We’re worried that the union might accept whatever contract the university gives them, which so far hasn’t been a good one.” Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications Rachel Pugh said the university has shown a commitment to negotiating fair agreements with the SEIU Local 1199. “We have a long history of collective bargaining with 1199 SEIU and we have reached mutually acceptable collective bargaining agreements with the union in every negotiation,” Pugh wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Our bargaining process involves representatives from the university and the union, and, at the request of the union, we have mutually agreed to have a neutral mediator involved in our negotiations.”

Report Alleges Patient Abuse Jeff Cirillo

Special to The Hoya

Washington, D.C.’s only public psychiatric institution may have repeatedly violated D.C. laws regarding alleged employees’ treatment of mentally ill patients, including improper restraint and forced seclusion of patients, according to a report by nonprofit group Disability Rights D.C. at University Legal Services. The report was published Sept. 26, two years after the federal government ceded control of St. Elizabeths Hospital to the local government. Disability Rights D.C. previously filed a lawsuit in 2005 in federal court suing for reforms on behalf of patients. The report cited repeated incidents in which hospital staff failed to employ proper de-escalation techniques with patients, exacerbating unsafe conditions in the hospital. The 292-bed facility, located in Southwest D.C., was previously subject to seven years of federal oversight following complaints of overcrowding and assaults, which ended in 2014 after the hospital agreed to meet 224 benchmarks for care imposed by the Department of Justice. D.C. Department of Behavioral Health now oversees the hospital. The authors of the report analyzed hospital records over a one-year period from May 2015 to April 2016. The records show 524 incidents of staff physically or mechanically restraining patients and 252 incidents of seclusion, though D.C. code 21563 requires these measures be used only as a last resort. Over the same period, hospital records counted 632 incidents of physical assault. The report pointed to poor staff conduct as a possible exacerbating factor in the high number of assaults. “A significant reason for large numbers of acts of aggression may be the result of staff conduct — either because of staff conduct that escalates behaviors or staff’s failure to use techniques that deescalate behaviors,” the report reads.

In 2011, ULS previously settled a lawsuit filed in 2005 against the District of Columbia after alleging patients were not receiving appropriate psychiatric and medical treatment and staff shortages resulted in safety issues. As part of the settlement, St. Elizabeths agreed to improve open access to information about patient safety and allowed ULS to participate in routine monitoring visits. ULS attorney Mary Nell Clark, who compiled the report, said she suspected hospital staff involved in cases of physical assault had not been following protocol. “We did not find the evidence we felt like we should that they are using appropriate de-escalation techniques,” Clark said. “Maybe they are, but we doubt it.” The report also details specific incidents of hospital staff apparently escalating or failing to appropriately de-escalate tense situations. In one case, a staff member identified as Staff One reacted explosively to a patient identified as Bill Mann, who reached out to touch his mother’s face during a visit. “During the May 7th incident, Staff One threw his arm around Mr. Mann’s neck and tried to force him down, then grabbed Mr. Mann’s waist and pushed him backwards,” the report said. “After they fell, Staff One continued to hold Mr. Mann down on the floor. Staff One applied his body weight and appears to sit on or straddle Mr. Mann’s stomach, who was struggling on the floor.” The report characterized the staff member’s conduct as “not simply abusive” and “extremely dangerous.” DBH Legislative and Public Affairs Director Phyllis Jones declined to comment on what disciplinary action was taken regarding the staff member due to confidentiality concerns. However, she said the hospital takes disciplinary action against staff members when necessary. “St. Elizabeth’s evaluates staff performance in incidents of alleged patient abuse to

dc preservation

A nonprofit group has alleged patient abuse at St. Elizabeths, D.C.’s only public psychiatric facility.

determine whether proper protocols and procedures were followed and will take action including additional training if needed, and disciplinary action up to dismissal when appropriate,” Jones wrote in an email to The Hoya. The hospital’s internal report on the incident substantiated the allegations of physical abuse by the staff member. However, ULS said the hospital failed to recommend sufficient or significant corrective action in response to these findings. The St. Elizabeths report made only one recommendation — enforcing quicker response to the emergency call button. “We are concerned that these measures do not address what may be a direct cause of the unsafe environment — the issue of staff’s response to agitated consumers and the adequacy of both the hospital’s training and the hospital’s support of staff required to meet the needs of individuals in care who present extremely persistent and challenging behaviors,” the ULS report reads. Jones also disputed that these incidents represent a larger systemic problem for the hospital. “Consistent with its commitment to continuous improvement, the Hospital regularly reviews training program to ensure best practices,” Jones wrote. “All staff is required to take mandatory safety training. There is no evidence of repeated failures by staff to adhere to training protocols.” The ULS report makes a number of recommendations to the DBH in response to its findings, including investigating staff practices and re-assessing staff training programs. It also called for a DBH investigation into the hospital. “DBH should now perform its own investigation of St. Elizabeths Hospital to determine if there are systemic failures, including the failure to identify staff members whose behaviors are escalating aggression and who are failing to implement de-escalation techniques, resulting in the unsafe environment,” the ULS report reads. Though Jones did not acknowledge systemic failures at St. Elizabeths, she said they will meet with ULS to discuss the recommendations of the report. “A secure environment for patients and staff that is also therapeutic and fosters recovery is a top priority for the new Executive Director Mark Chastang,” Jones wrote. “We look for ways to make the hospital even safer for patients and staff and will meet with ULS to discuss its recommendations.” Max Lee (NHS ’17), who has volunteered at St. Elizabeths since last spring, said he was surprised by findings of the report. “In my experience, the staff at St. Elizabeths always treat volunteers and residents with respect and professionalism. I have not witnessed any behavior that might indicate abuse,” Lee said. “Allegations of abuse, especially in this context, should never be brushed aside or ignored.”

alexander brown/the hoya

University administrators served on a panel about Georgetown’s Counseling and Psychiatric Services at the second Mental Health Open Forum on Monday.

Panel Calls for Greater Reforms Jeff Cirillo

Special to The Hoya

Despite recent organizational changes, including new staff and reduced fees for mental health services, Counseling and Psychiatric Services is still not fully equipped to address the demand for mental health support, according to a panel of six university administrators from the Mental Health Advisory Board at the university’s second annual Mental Health Open Forum on Monday evening. CAPS Director Philip Meilman said further reforms remain necessary to help CAPS catch up with student demand. “We have hit a ceiling in terms of the amount of service we can deliver,” Meilman said. “We’re running about 10,000 visits per year. With the current staffing, the staffing that we had as of June 30, I don’t know that we can go any higher. We did get some more staff this year, so ideally it will go a little bit higher, but it’s not going to go as high as the demand for services.” The forum featured Meilman, Student Outreach and Support Director Katie Boin, Assistant Vice President of Student Health Vincent WinklerPrins, Academic Resource Center Director Dr. Jane Holahan and Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson. Organized by the Georgetown University Student Association Mental Health Policy Team, the panel, which took place in the Healey Family Student Center, built on last year’s forum. After the forum, where students raised concerns about the cost of mental health services, CAPS introduced a new payment policy reducing fees by 89 percent for follow-up psychological visits and 80 percent for follow-up psychiatric

visits at the beginning of the semester. Meilman said he is proud of the fee reduction and highlighted the process of reaching a decision on the policy change. “I feel good about the fee reduction,” Meilman said. “This is something we had been cogitating for a long time now, and then finally we made that decision the Monday before classes started.” Boin said that beyond the fee reduction, changes regarding medical leaves of absence include looping her office into the process, with the aim of smoothing students’ transition back into university life. “After we changed the procedure this summer, students who are approved to return get an email from me to welcome them back to the university and to ask them what they might need to transition, whether that’s housing, help with ongoing treatment in the area or if they just needed a friendly face,” Boin said. WinklerPrins said the focus going forward is on expanding services to more students. “One of the things I would love to find a way to do is try to figure out how to reach everyone,” WinklerPrins said. “Many people are hurting badly for all sorts of reasons. How do we reach every one of those people?” Holahan said it is important to improve the overall campus climate, highlighting the need for students to prioritize selfcare rather than relative academic achievements. “Be kind to yourself and don’t compare yourself to other people,” Holahan said. “There’s nothing wrong with a B. Quite frankly, I think all of us on this panel would say we don’t remember our GPAs from high school or college. It doesn’t really matter in the big scheme of things. What really matters is being kind to your-

self and finding something that makes you happy every day.” Olson said this shift in culture away from Georgetown’s stereotypical competitiveness needs to start with student leaders “There’s a choice that every visible student leader has: to narrate franticness or to narrate balance and thoughtfulness,” Olson said. “I think the other piece of this can be just asking people how they’re doing in a little different way, so it’s clear what you’re looking for is actually an answer about how they’re doing and not just, ‘Fine, how are you?’” Boin emphasized that cultural change within the student body comes from focusing on inclusivity and treating others with civility. “I see a lot of situations where the consequence to a student’s mental health is related to a feeling of social isolation, and there is a component of someone really truly not being nice to them in a very basic way,” Boin said. “When we encounter others who are socially different from us, I want to challenge our student body to take on an attitude of basic civility. If there was some way in which we could incorporate that into a culture change, I would love it.” Mental Health Policy Team Chair Sylvia Levy (SFS ’18) said the forum was intended to promote awareness of mental health policies and to clarify recent changes. “The purpose of the event is to try to engage the student population in a continued discussion about mental health resources and policies on campus,” Levy said. “Given all the changes that have happened over mental health policies, it’s important to make sure the student body is aware of those changes.”

news

THE HOYA

FRIday, october 21, 2016

Task Force Mandates Jesuits Choose New Leader Sexual Assault Training Delegation selects first non-European TRAINING, from A1 “I think that student organizations provide a foundation for social life for many students, and so I’m really encouraged at the responsible and forward-thinking approach to addressing sexual assault on campus,” Cohen Derr said. “All student organizations, every individual who goes through it, will benefit and share that back to their group. That’s the goal and the objective. If they’re providing a context for social life, then I think this will be valuable to them.” Schroepfer said training student organizations in bystander intervention can facilitate safer social environments on campus. “Georgetown’s culture is different from a lot of other colleges in the fact that our social culture focuses a lot on clubs. Many parties occur because of the clubs and people who typically hang out together are typically parts of the same clubs,” Schroepfer said. “So we decided that if this is true and we can train student leaders, we can have more active bystanders in each social environment and help to protect the community in that way.” According to Schroepfer, student leaders should prove instrumental in setting an appropriate example for other members of their organization. “People do look up to club leaders as role models, so the idea is if your student leaders are being active bystanders and are stepping into certain situations which they see as potentially dangerous, that more students are going to be motivated to learn how to be an active bystander and to make that culture change,” Schroepfer said.

Director of Health Education Services Carol Day said Health Education Services is dedicated to spreading awareness and promoting a shift in student behavior in high-risk situations. “We hope to increase awareness about sexual assault and resources, of course. Specifically, we hope to increase bystander intervention for the next time we do the campus climate survey,” Day said. “We hope we will be able to influence students to think more about sexual assault, and we expect we will be able to work on some culture change and shift in how students behave in high-risk situations.” Schroepfer, the student head for the project, said the committee’s goal is to instill long-lasting change in the student body’s mindset toward sexual assault. “We’re really trying to show that there’s a culture

shift and show here on campus that people actually do care about this issue. If you ask anybody on campus, people know that sexual assault is an issue on campus and they want to know how they can become a part of the movement to solve the issue,” Schroepfer said. Schroepfer also said the task force was discussing potential future projects, including mandated bystander intervention training for all incoming freshmen. “The hope is moving forward to eventually be able to implement this for all students, whether that’s trying a step process where we implement it for all the freshmen or we implement it for all students in general,” Schroepfer said. “We’re first doing the student leaders to see how it works, what kind of feedback we get from the program and then from there we’ll move to adopt it for all students.”

JINWOO CHONG/THE HOYA

All large student organizations will be required to conduct bystander intervention training for club leaders.

GUSA Seeks to Establish New Elected Assembly GUSA, from A1 The new assembly is intended to create a more democratic funding process for clubs, according to GUSA Senate Speaker Richie Mullaney (COL ’18). “The Council of Advisory Boards has consistently said that they want more of a say in the funding process because they’re experts. Fin/App has said that they want more of a say in the funding process because they’re democratically elected and accountable to the students,” Mullaney said. “I believe both are right, and that’s why in the plan we combine CAB and Fin/App into a new body called the assembly to make club funding more transparent and accountable.” Last year’s budget appropriated $998,202 for advisory boards, including $235,000 for the Student Activities Commission, $185,000 for the Advisory Board on Club Sports and $95,000 for the Media Board. The Georgetown Program Board, which received $94,000 last year and the Lecture Fund, which received $74,702 last year, are not part of an advisory board and advocate individually for funding. GUSA President Enushe Khan (MSB ’17) said the structure of the new assembly involves clubs in the funding process. “It’s been an ongoing topic from even before I was in the senate, of clubs feeling frustrated like they didn’t know what the process was, or how to be engaged in it, who to reach out to, who’s making these decisions,” Khan said. The new structure reflects the senate’s original purpose of allocating the student activities fee, according to Khan. The establishment of the senate in 2006 shifted from elections for at-large seats to districts based on residence halls. “Now that we have this new form and structure, the main emphasis — or the real authority — that the senate has right now is Fin/App,” Khan said. “I think we all recognize that the really big distinguisher for the senate is that it allocates around a million dollars per year.” Khan said having a new as-

JESUITS, from A1

Georgetown Center for Latin American Studies Director Fr. Matthew Carnes, S.J., said he was pleased with the results of the election and that Sosa would bring a level of social awareness and forward thinking to his role, similar to what Pope Francis has done.

“I think a voice of reason that is respected and able to bring some rationality to the political discourse is essential.” angelo rivero-santos Director, Center for Latin American Studies

“It’s a tremendously exciting time for us as Jesuits because having a new general is always exciting,” Carnes said. “You have someone new who’s going to bring new energy, but in this particular case, he brings a vision that is very similar to that of Pope Francis.” According to the General Congregation’s website, 27 percent, the majority of representatives, still come from Europe; however, 21 percent, the second largest group, come from South Asia. The smallest percentage of the delegation is from Africa at 10 percent. Carnes noted the Jesuits, originally a European order, have greatly expanded their ranks in non-European countries. “The idea that leadership can be in the hands of any Jesuit really speaks to the way that we’re a global organization and the kind of trust we have in one another,” Carnes said. “We’re looking for the best candidate.” Fr. Sean Michaelson, S.J., the executive secretary and treasurer of the Jesuit Conference, an organization representing Jesuits in Canada and the United States, said the General Congregation would advise on how best to proceed with his platform based on reconciliation and bringing people together. “The General Congregation is the highest governing body in the society,” Michaelson said. “So, when the General Congregation is in place, it can make a lot of decisions about the fu-

general congregation 36

Fr. Arturo Sosa, S.J., a former Georgetown visiting professor, was chosen as the Jesuit superior general. ture of the society and what should be emphasized and what should be focused on.” Center for Latin American Studies Academic Director Angelo Rivero-Santos worked with Sosa while he taught at Georgetown in 2004 and spoke highly of Sosa’s ability to promote and moderate reasonable discussion. “We have firsthand experience with him,” Santos said. “He has been doing this for years and I think a voice of reason that is respected and able to bring some rationality to the political discourse is essential.”

“We have firsthand experience with him. He has been doing this for years.” angelo rivero-santos Director, Center for Latin American Studies

Santos recalled that when Georgetown wanted to host a conference in 2004 on the state of Venezuelan politics two years after a failed coup attempt against Hugo

Chavez, Sosa convinced many participants to speak despite having their political opponents in the same room. “We organized a conference to speak about what was going on in Venezuela at the time, and he played a crucial role,” Santos said. “We faced some difficult times in getting some of our guests to accept being with each other.” Santos said although Sosa was qualified for his new position due to all of his experience as part of the Catholic Church and Society of Jesus, Sosa would be successful mostly because of his character. “I think it’s important to note that besides being a great academic, being a Jesuit, having all the moral authority, people should know he’s a great man, he’s a good man,” Santos said. “He’s jovial and he connects with people beyond his faith.” Carnes said he has extended Sosa an open invitation to return to Georgetown. “I still have a couple emails from him,” Carnes said. “I actually sent an email to him telling him that if he ever wants to come back, we’d be happy to have him come and give a talk or be part of the center again.”

DC Council Approves Juvenile Prison Reform ISABEL BINAMIRA/THE HOYA

The Georgetown University Student Association is looking to replace the senate with a new assembly. sembly structured around advisory boards is the best way to represent all clubs. “This essentially gives everyone a seat at the table. So the budget summit isn’t the only place that Fin/App and the Advisory Boards connect, but rather it’s a continuous process and there’s engagement throughout,” Khan said. Council of Advisory Boards Chair Janhvi Bhojwani (SFS ’18) said the new structure will be more inclusive of clubs. “I believe this new structure is a good way for all of us to work together to improve student life on campus,” Bhojwani wrote in an email to The Hoya. “It allows for advisory boards to have a voice in the process, and overall I think it’s a very inclusive structure that gives everyone representation, which is an important component I feel is lacking currently.” GUSA Senator Ben Baldwin (SFS ’19), who currently sits on Fin/App, said the new assembly will help make funding more transparent. “I think it’s going to be a great way to reform the way funding is done at Georgetown,” Baldwin said. “I fundamentally think that it is going to be a better plan in terms of both transparency and engaging all the correct parties in developing an amenable funding plan for the university.” The new budget-focused assembly will shift more responsibility over policy to the executive

branch. GUSA restructured the executive branch last spring, creating 19 policy teams around issue areas with a co-chair in the executive branch and a co-chair in the senate. Mullaney said the new structure will help GUSA operate more effectively. “Right now, our student government is modeled after the United States. I think that model is great for America, but not necessarily a student government,” Mullaney said. “I don’t think it makes much sense for a student government to check its own power.” The current policy teams will be able to grow in size to accommodate senate members who choose to transition to the executive to work on policy, according to Mullaney. GUSA Vice President Chris Fisk (COL ’17) said the changes are part of a broader effort to make GUSA more inclusive. “These restructuring efforts are a continuation of the changes we made last year to make GUSA a more open, transparent, and inclusive organization,” Fisk wrote in an email to The Hoya. “While they’re still a work in progress, these changes will undoubtedly make the funding process more transparent and bring into the fold the real experts on where student activities money should go: advisory boards and student groups.”

Hoya Staff Writer Christian Paz contributed reporting.

REFORM, from A1 According to the Department of Youth Services, 10 percent of newly incarcerated youth in the fiscal year 2015 were still in jail. Of those who were released, nearly 30 percent were placed under home arrest and about another 30 percent went to residential treatment facilities. The bill, which will cost around $6.7 million to implement over the span of the next four years, aims to improve the conditions of confinement, invest in data collection and protect at-risk minors in the District community. McDuffie’s spokesman, Nolan Treadway, said the councilmember hopes the bill will combat recidivism, which is a relapse into criminal behavior following incarceration. “Hopefully, we’re seeing more reasonable treatment of juveniles that are in the system and also not so much focus on punishment and retribution but on rehabilitation, not recidivism,” Treadway said in an interview with The Hoya. A large focus of the bill is separating how juvenile and adult offenders are treated by the criminal justice system. Paul Rothstein, a professor of law on civil procedure and trial practice at the Georgetown University Law Center, said more money should be spent on special facilities, counseling and court procedures for juveniles.

“There is too much of a punitive attitude toward children as though they are on par with adult offenders. I think that the more humanely you treat juveniles, the better chances you have at rehabilitating them and preventing them from seeking further into a life of crime,” Rothstein said. “These provisions will move the District of Columbia even further forward on the front of improving a lot of juvenile facilities.”

“Hopefully, we’re seeing more reasonable treatment of juveniles.” NOLAN treadway Spokesman, Councilmember McDuffie’s Office

Government and law department professor Marc Howard is also the director of the Georgetown Prison and Justice Initiative, which was founded last year to examine mass incarceration in the United States from a variety of viewpoints. Howard said the American penal system remains plagued by issues of mandatory minimums, parole procedures, re-entry into society after prison and public assistance. “I got involved about a

decade ago when my friend had been wrongfully convicted of double murder. The further involved I got, the more I realized that his case, as crazy as it was, wasn’t that exceptional,” Howard said. “It’s been a long journey to the underbelly of the American criminal justice system and realizing that much of it is deeply flawed and in desperate need of reform.” Julia Kerbs (COL ’17), president of the Georgetown initiative Prison Outreach, which teaches classes and is involved with one-onone tutoring with inmates at the Alexandria and Arlington detention facilities, said the organization may be involved with assisting recovering juveniles in the future. “I’m really excited to see that there’s more of a humanizing effort,” Kerbs said. “These people are kids, the people you babysit, the people you tutor. These are the people that you live across the street from.” Kerbs noted that the bill’s focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment was a good first step. “When rehabilitation is emphasized, the recidivism rate’s lower. We see more productive relations within communities for returning citizens and we see a lower likelihood of violent crime and drug crime,” Kerbs said. “I think it’s absolutely crucial for people behind bars, for their families and for every American.”

News

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2016

THE HOYA

Study Abroad Sees Steady Increase in Participation Yasmine Salam Special to the Hoya

The number of students studying abroad has increased from 561 in the 2012-13 year to 684 students in the 2015-16 year, marking a 21.9 percent increase and the highest overall enrollment in the past three years. Georgetown currently offers study abroad options in 40 countries ranging from Botswana and Cameroon to Tajikistan and Taiwan. Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Denmark and France have remained the most popular study abroad options over the past three years. Hong Kong, China, Argentina and Australia are the most popular choices in regions outside Europe. According to the Office of Global Education website, 467 students — about two in three — are currently studying abroad in Europe, consistent with the trend in the past three years. Latin America has seen a significant decline in enrollment over the past three years, with the number of students studying in the region falling from 80 in 2012 to 54 in the latest cycle. Africa and the Middle East/North Africa usually

receives the fewest students, though Morocco has seen a steady increase in enrollment from four students each cycle in 2013-14 and 2014-15 to 11 in 2015-16.

“We all live in a world of increasing interdependent nations and cultures.” Craig rinker Director, Global Education

Director of Global Education Craig Rinker said the number of students abroad demonstrates the importance of a global perspective in equipping Georgetown students to enter a more connected world. “We all live in a world of increasing interdependent nations and cultures. The need to engage with the world has never been greater,” Rinker wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Georgetown students must be prepared to live and work in an interna-

tional environment where they may need to look beyond borders to solve complex world issues. While our students can prepare in part through academic study and open debate, nothing can match direct experience.” Students in the College make up more than half of students currently studying abroad. The School of Nursing and Health Studies continues to be the least represented school, with 12 students abroad in 2012-13 and 17 in 2015-16. Meredith Johnson (SFS ’17), who studied abroad last fall in Madrid and now works as a peer adviser for the Office of Global Education, said she preferred to study in Europe because of the ease of travel to other nations. “I’ve always known I’ve wanted to study abroad,” Johnson said. “I had never been out of the country before I went abroad so I knew I wanted to be in Europe because I wanted to see a bunch of countries in the short amount of time I was abroad.” Johnson also said the availability of courses that matched her major affected her decision. “[Spanish universities] had the most classes that

would count towards my major whilst directly matriculating into classes with Spanish students,” Johnson said. Tatiana Hadchiti (MSB ’18), who is currently studying abroad in the business and culture program in Barcelona, said her program balanced her interests in business and the humanities. “As an International Business and Marketing double major, I thought that studying business abroad would give me a unique opportunity to learn about issues related to these topics through a unique lens,” Hadchiti wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Living in Spain also allows me to enhance my knowledge of the Spanish language and culture and explore a city in a different part of the world.” Tori Costa (COL ’18), a Spanish and Portuguese major studying at the Complutense University of Madrid, said her study abroad experience is not what she anticipated. “Studying abroad is a great experience, but I will say it has not met my expectations. Before arriving in Madrid, I thought things would be a lot easier than they turned out to be,” Costa wrote in an

email to The Hoya. “Georgetown culture often depicts study abroad as a fun, welldeserved break from the daily grind we usually face as students. While in some ways this is true, there is still a lot of learning that goes on outside of the classroom.” Hadchiti said that Georgetown students tend to spend most of their time with other students studying abroad, reducing opportunities to meet locals

“Georgetown students must be prepared to live and work in an international environment.” CRAIG rinker Director, Global Education

“The majority of my time is spent with Georgetown students and other students I’ve met from different universities. My program consists almost entirely of American students, so it has been a little more difficult to meet local students,” Hadchiti

wrote. Katherine Leopold (COL ’18), who is studying abroad in Copenhagen, said her host family alleviated this issue by enabling her to find a balance between her peers and locals. “My program has lots of Georgetown students in it. I spend some time with them and some time with other students in the program. Since I am living with a host family, I get to spend a good amount with local Danes everyday,” Leopold wrote. Hadchiti said she received support at Georgetown prior to studying abroad that prepared her for a living experience in a foreign country. “The MSB deans were very helpful during the application process and want to ensure that you are well prepared before leaving, in terms of course credits, cultural adjustment and any other issues that could arise,” Hadchiti wrote. However, Costa said the College preparation did not ensure an easy transition overseas. “I believe Georgetown did everything possible to equip us before moving overseas, however, I do not believe this is an experience you can truly prepare for,” Costa wrote.

Brexit Uncertainty Lingers May Teng

Special to the Hoya

Top European diplomats expressed uncertainty at the extent of the economic fallout accompanying Britain’s historic vote to leave the European Union in a panel discussion hosted Oct. 17 by Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute of International Economic Law. French Ambassador to the United States Gérard Araud categorized populism as an important role in Brexit, as well as the current U.S. presidential election, pointing to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s take on populism as particularly powerful. “I think, quite frankly, ‘Trumpism’ is a transatlantic phenomenon,” Araud said. “We all face the same wave of populism. It’s really a wide challenge that we are all facing — all Western democracies, and not only the Europeans.” The event, Europe After Brexit, included remarks from ambassadors representing the European Union, Germany, France and Slovakia reflecting on the ramifications of the referendum on both the EU and its partnering countries, as well as their priorities going forward in post-Brexit Europe. GULC is the first law school in the world to offer a seminar, Brexit and the Law, focused exclusively on Brexit. EU Ambassador to the United States David O’Sullivan said Britain’s decision to leave the EU did not come as a shock given its history of reservation toward the organization. “There’s always been a healthy, strong body of opinion in the U.K. which was frankly reluctant and reserved about membership if not downright hostile,” O’Sullivan said. “I think once you open the possibility of a vote on this subject it was always going to be a close call as to what came out of it.” O’Sullivan also recognized

the role of the 2008 financial crisis in Brexit, which he cited as a starting point of the growing discontent throughout Europe and the United States. “There are generic elements of the moment which you will find elsewhere in Europe, and which, to a certain extent, I think you will find elsewhere in the United States: a sense of frustration with the way economic and social policy had developed, particularly since the financial crisis and economic crisis in 2008,” O’Sullivan said. German Ambassador to the United States Peter Wittig said while it is difficult to change the narrative surrounding immigration at this time in Europe, it is important to remember the benefits that come with the single market. Wittig cited the recent acceptance of 10 Eastern European states into the EU as an example of the positive economic growth that can accompany the single market and immigration. Araud said the complexity of negotiations and uncertainty regarding the long-term future of the EU requires cooperation among countries. “All of us want a mutually beneficial relationship with the U.K.; we are not going on the revenge path,” Araud said. “But it is so complicated that we are unable to tell you where we are going.” Araud also emphasized the importance of maintaining unity within the EU, stating that compromise with the U.K., while essential, is secondary to maintaining unity among the remaining 27 members of the union. “Our main concern would be, of course, to maintain the unity of the 27,” Araud said. “So it means that we are not going to accept some U.K. demands which may actually endanger the unity of the 27.” O’Sullivan stressed the difficulty of implementing further measures until the EU receives a clear response from the U.K.

“We are at a very, very early stage; every morning brings some new revelation of disagreement or a different reproach,” O’Sullivan said. “We owe it to the British government and people to give them the space to try and sort this out and come forward, in due time, with a sort of position which reflects how they see this and where they want to go. And, until this happens, it’s difficult to respond.” Panelists agreed that the repercussions of Brexit are largely negative for all involved parties. However, Wittig expressed that the referendum can be used as a lesson for growth. “If there’s an upside after the Brexit decision, it’s two things: First, it’s a shock that helps us to refocus, and second, it might help to mobilize the youth, because they are the hope for our future,” Wittig said. Max Sanders (LAW ’17), who attended the discussion and will be working for a British law firm after graduation, said Brexit holds personal consequences for him. “A lot of what they do are the backdrop for these international transactions. So if, all of a sudden, you have a lot of protectionism imposed, then you can face some serious issues which might be good for legal work but which also might hamper corporate legal work,” Sanders said. Elizabeth Rogers (LAW ’18), a student in GULC’s Brexit seminar, emphasized the relevance of Brexit for students in the community. “Maybe in the U.S. we don’t take it as seriously as we should. I think that given how hostile the current election has been, how wild the accusations have been, we sort of miss the underlying concern of populism,” Rogers said. “That’s a real problem, and something we should be actively addressing. As students, it affects all of our futures, no matter what field we’re in.”

WINTER SESSION AT TCNJ! JANUARY 3–20

Travel, blended and online courses may start sooner. Check out our convenient online offerings! Check for summer courses, too.

Visit: www.tcnj.edu/intersession

GU POLITICS

GU Politics hosted a watch party for the final presidential debate, featuring commentary by political experts at an event co-hosted by GUCR and GUCD on Wednesday.

Experts Discuss Final Debate Political commentators attend watch party Will Linde

Special to the Hoya

The majority of students agreed that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was the winner of the final presidential debate Wednesday at a watch party in the Healey Family Student Center. Hosted by Georgetown’s Institute of Politics and Public Service and co-sponsored by Georgetown’s College Democrats, College Republicans and the Independent Journal Review, the watch party featured expert commentary from former Democratic National Committee Communications Adviser Jamal Simmons and former Director of Vice Presidential Operations for the Bush-Cheney 2004 presidential re-election campaign Mary Cheney, who is also the daughter of former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney. According to text polls conducted by GU Politics after the debate, students generally believed the stakes were highest for Republican nominee Donald Trump, but Clinton had won the debate. Fiftythree percent of students voted for Clinton winning the debate while 20 percent cast their votes for Trump. Twenty-eight percent of voters said Chris Wallace, the moderator, won the debate. Students at the watch party also spoke with IJR Congressional Reporter Joe Perticone and GU Politics Director Mo Elleithee (SFS ’94) who were at the debate at the University of Nevada Las Vegas on Facetime. Cheney said this election is unique because candidates from both parties embodied the electorate’s desire for a change in the political norms. Cheney pointed to Trump and Sen. Bernie Sand-

ers (I-Vt.), who ran for the Democratic nomination. “I sit through a lot of focus groups, and I was amazed this year how many people … just wanted change against the system,” Cheney said. Other text polls by GU Politics included students’ views on which candidate is more trustworthy in regard to national security and which candidate would create more jobs for America. In both those polls, students voted in favor of Clinton.

“I was amazed this year how many people ... just wanted change against the system.” Mary cheney Former Director, Bush-Cheney Campaign

Having both worked on various campaigns, Simmons and Cheney offered insider perspectives on the happenings in a candidate’s room right before the debate. Cheney said debate preparation varies greatly depending upon the candidate, highlighting her own experience in her father’s room before debates. “In my dad’s prep room, basically our family each gave him a hug, told him we were proud of him and to go win this thing,” Cheney said. “I learned later that in [2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee] Joe Lieberman’s prep room, he and his family and a couple of their key staffers held hands and sang ‘This Little Light of Mine.’” In this final debate, Wallace, of Fox News, received

praise for his efforts to keep the candidates on topic, more so than in the two previous debates. The night was punctuated by Clinton’s defense of the Clinton Foundation and Trump’s comments describing Clinton as a “nasty woman.” Though the debate covered several key issues including immigration and the national debt, some students, like Meghan Bodette (SFS ’20), said they wished the candidates had discussed a wider range of topics. “I would have liked to see climate change brought up. I would have liked to see more questions that involve foreign policy issues other than just terrorism and trade,” Bodette said. “No questions on Africa or Latin America. Really no questions on anything other than foreign policy issues that provide good soundbites.” Chris Stein (SFS ’20), who attended the watch party, expressed shock at Trump’s statements insinuating he may not accept the results of the election come November. “I just think it’s crazy that during the debate Trump said that there is a possibility he would contest the validity of a presidential election,” Stein said. “If you go down into the nuts and bolts of it, and look at how American elections are held, there’s literally no large-scale way to create voter fraud in the American system because each state operates its own system of polling.” Bodette said Clinton came across as the most presidential by the end of the debate. “She stayed composed, she stayed on her message, and I think she looked presidential,” Bodette said. “She was in control of what she wanted to say, and she definitely looked like a president on stage tonight.”

NEWS

THE HOYA

friDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2016

Dinner With 7 Strangers to Return After Hiatus Elisabeth Neylan Hoya Staff Writer

After a semesterlong hiatus to restructure its ability to meet high demand for its dinners from the Georgetown community, Dinner with Seven Strangers will resume later this semester. Since DW7S’s inception in the spring of 2015, more than 1,000 people have participated in the initiative, which organizes dinners between strangers at the homes of volunteer hosts. Founder Lexi Cotcamp (MSB ’15) said she created DW7S to provide a place on campus where students could interact with peers they might not have otherwise encountered at Georgetown. “DW7S is the opportunity to share a meal, consider what cura personalis really means and reflect on the Georgetown experience,” Cotcamp wrote in an email to The Hoya. “It’s the chance to meet new friends & mentors; take five; and appreciate the magic of a communal experience.” During the first six weeks of the program, three dinners were held per night, five nights a week. Due to waning host interest, the initiative later scaled back

to one dinner each night from Monday through Thursday for the 2015-16 school year. Once reinstated, DW7S will be concentrated in one week of each month. One dinner will be held per night, four nights a week.

“We shy away from the awkward because we’re only human.” Lexi cotcamp (MSB ’15) Founder, Dinner With 7 Strangers

The identity of DW7S’s leadership has been kept a secret since its founding. Cotcamp was revealed as the founder in a Washington Post article about DW7S published after her graduation. The leaders of DW7S hope that these changes will generate more interest from hosts and prove more financially sustainable than its previous structure. According to Cotcamp, the anonymity of the leadership eliminates any bias associated with the leaders’ involvement in other clubs

around campus. “There was the idea that people would take pause in being involved in it because of who was running it and what institution they were attached to, and we wanted this to be an institution that any felt equally compelled to take part in without any sort of hesitation because of where it was coming from,” a current coordinator of DW7S who has requested to remain anonymous said. The coordinator said the goal is for DW7S to establish connections that transcend the bounds of students’ typical social circles. “At Georgetown, our social lives are so compartmentalized around what clubs we’re involved in, and there are so many amazing people doing so many amazing things on this campus,” the coordinator said. “But Lexi felt — and I feel the same way — that there was a huge inopportunity to get to know people outside of your specific realm of interest at Georgetown when there are all these incredible humans, and so we wanted to provide a space where people could relax a little bit.” Cotcamp emphasized the initiative’s aim to encourage students to move outside

FACEBOOK

Dinner With 7 Strangers will return later this semester after a semesterlong hiatus to restructure its ability to meet the high demand for its dinners. their comfort zones and try new experiences. “We shy away from the awkward because we’re only human,” Cotcamp wrote. “But DW7S serves as a reminder that we didn’t come to Georgetown to stay within the confines of our comfort zone. To engage in the inherent tensions of Georgetown is to truly experience what it means to be a Hoya.”

Alessandra Ruggiero (COL ’19), who attended a dinner as a freshman, is looking forward to the renewal of DW7S. “As a freshman, I thought it would be a great way to get to know people or at least have a conversation with people I wouldn’t typically meet,” Ruggiero said. While DW7S has been on hiatus, Georgetown’s professional foreign service sorority

Delta Phi Epsilon has started its own version of DW7S called Dinner with 7 Sisters. Ruggiero, who is a member of DPE, said she enjoys the ability to develop a relationship with students she is unfamiliar with. “I love going to these dinners because, similarly to DW7S, I get to meet and talk to sisters I typically wouldn’t,” Ruggiero said.

Tong Advocates Panel Examines ‘Serial’ Case Climate Action Gaia Mattiace Staff Writer

Caroline Landler

treated as more than refugees. “It’s a concept that, if executed properly, would go Climate change is the great- some way to giving justice est moral issue faced by hu- to people who are suffering manity in modern history, a profound injustice,” Silberaccording to Former President man said. “Rather than takof Kiribati Anote Tong during ing away the agency of peoa lecture hosted in Copley For- ple and simply classifying mal Lounge on Oct. 17. them as powerless refugees, Titled The Global Challenge instead work could be done of Climate-Induced Migration, that would allow people to the lecture was sponsored by choose where they move, the Global Futures Initiative, choose when they move.” Georgetown Environment IniTong acknowledged the tiative, Environmental Futures sacrifices the people of Kiribati Initiative and the School of make when they migrate to Foreign Service’s Science, Tech- other nations. Tong pointed to nology and International Af- one Kiribati community that fairs program. The event was had migrated to the Solomon part of the semester-long “The Islands in the 1960s, highlightGlobal Future of the Environ- ing its assimilation into its ment” dialogue. host nation’s culture. Environmental Futures Ini“Our people were begintiative member Aaron Silber- ning to do things that Soloman (SFS ’18) mon Islandmoderated ers do. I saw the discusthis lady sion. chewing Tong’s betel nuts. speech foIn Kiribati cused on the we don’t do critical state that. There of the Pacific was this othOcean island er lady carnation of Kirirying what bati, which is looked like predicted to Kiribas baby, be fully subso obviously merged in there has water within been interAnote tong the next cenmarriage,” Former President, Kiribati tury. ThouTong said. sands of Kiribati people have Tong also discussed the been displaced due to rising sea importance of establishlevels, resulting in loss of land ing effective programs to for living and crop production. smooth the process of mi“In all my advocacy, I have gration and to prevent a always referred to climate situation similar to the Syrchange as the greatest moral ian refugee crisis. However, challenge facing humanity at he stressed that keeping the any time,” Tong said. “Now that islands above water is the we know what we are doing is utmost priority, as Kiribati detrimental to the future sur- culture greatly relies on the vival of people and that we have physical land. “We want to be able to mainthe capacity to save that future, the question is: Are we willing tain our islands so that those have somewhere to come back to do something about it?” Tong suggested that using to find out, ‘What was our culfloating islands or elevating ture?’ In order to maintain culland above predicted water lev- ture, we must have a home,” els may be possible solutions Tong said. Brice Russo (COL ’18), an atto the rising sea level threat Kiribati and other Pacific Is- tendee, said he left the lecture land nations currently face. with a deeper understanding As the situation in the Pacific of the critical state of Kiribati becomes more dire, and as and of the world as a result of technology progresses, island climate change. “I think it is of global impornation governments are starting to consider these concepts tance, it is an issue that affects that were once thought to be everyone and it’s our responsibility as people — as humans impossible. “It is my very strong con- — that tragedies like this don’t viction that in times like affect others,” Russo said. Jake Glass (SFS ’20) said he this, extraordinary and unconventional solutions are was moved by how Tong spoke needed. Indeed, these are of the culture and livelihoods crazy, but we have no other of communities impacted by climate change. option,” Tong said. “I think there’s a lot of empDespite the potential realization of these solutions, ty rhetoric surrounding clithere are not enough resourc- mate change, and a lot of polies to support the entire Kiriba- ticians believe it’s simply an ti population. As a result, the issue we need to argue about island population will need to whether or not it’s actually migrate. Fiji and New Zealand happening. In this case, sea already have systems in place levels are actually rising, and for accepting Kiribati refugees. it’s just fascinating and really Silberman highlighted the saddening to see that there is significance of dignified mi- a personal humanitarian imgration and said it is impor- pact to the rise of sea levels,” tant to allow migrants to be Glass said. Special to The Hoya

“I have always referred to climate change as the greatest moral challenge facing humanity at any time.”

Adnan Syed was granted a new trial in 2016 after 16 years in prison for the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. This exemplifies the importance of the media in providing hope for those who have been wrongfully convicted of crimes, according to Rabia Chaudry, who initially raised awareness for Syed’s case. Chaudry, the author of the best-selling book “Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial,” spoke this Thursday in the Intercultural Center Auditorium alongside Martin “Marty” Tankleff, a lawyer who was wrongfully convicted of murder and spent 17 years in prison. Tankleff was released in 2007. The event was sponsored by Georgetown’s Prisons and Justice Initiative and moderated by PJI Director Marc Howard, a longtime friend of Tankleff who worked to secure his freedom. Syed, who had been imprisoned since 2000, was the subject of Sarah Koenig’s exculpatory podcast “Serial” and Chaudry’s own podcast “Undisclosed,” which profiles wrongful convictions. “Serial,” now in its second season investigating the case of Bowe Bergdahl, has over 500 million downloads, and “Undisclosed” has over 100 million downloads. Chaudry, an immigra-

tion and civil rights lawyer, said she never expected such a popular response to her work advocating for Syed. “I think shock is probably the right word, not just surprised but completely shocked, and not just me, I think Sarah and the entire team, nobody expected this response,” Chaudry said. According to Tankleff, the media plays a pivotal role in not only providing support in favor of freeing an individual who could have been wrongfully convicted, but also in spurring other people to come forward who may provide information useful to winning the case. “I know in my case that when the media started to write more about it, more witnesses came forward,” Tankleff said. “Wrongful conviction cases are like puzzles in that one little piece can contribute in making it clearer. Your individual piece may not mean anything to you, but when you start connecting five of these little pieces connecting it really helps tell the story.” Tankleff said focusing on each case individually can draw attention to systematic issues in the criminal justice system. “By focusing on one case, each has become exponentially larger as people get referred to it,” Tankleff said. Chaudry said although the role of media was significant in bringing Syed’s case to light, it was also es-

sential in humanizing him. According to Chaudry, Koenig’s podcast made this possible. “What I learned as an advocate, which I now use in my other work, is that you’ve got to tell the story first,” Chaudry said. “You’ve got to get people interested first and then you can follow up with ‘now this is the ask, this is what I need you to do.’”

“Wrongful conviction cases are like puzzles in that one little piece can contribute in making it clearer.” Martin tankleff Lawyer

Race also played an important role in Syed’s case, according Chaudry. Chaudry said the prosecution used an anti-Muslim bias to justify its theory for Adnan’s motives for committing the crime. “It was very openly argued in front of the judge that you know, they framed it as an honor killing, although technically honor killings are something else,” Chaudry said. “They said basically ‘this is a jilted young Muslim man.’” Each year since 2014,

more than 100 people have been exonerated, but according to Tankleff, these numbers do not reflect how many innocent people are still behind bars. “We really don’t have enough resources to litigate all these cases,” Tankleff said. “Every law school in America should have an innocence project, every law firm, especially the big ones who have the time and resources, because how many are we missing?” Events and Program Coordinator for the Center of Jewish Civilization Michelyne Chavez (SFS ’15) said the event was essential to spur forward action on this important issue. “I found that the conversation was very insightful and eye-opening, something very necessary for students to hear so the Georgetown community can start transitioning from being aware to being active,” Chavez said. Scott Dennis (COL ’17), who attended the event, said the focus on new media and its use in drawing focus to individual wrongful convictions was especially fascinating. “I think the best part of the discussion was about how things like “Serial” can draw broader attention to these issues and how there is this balance, this fine line you have to walk between how do we call attention to specific stories but at the same time call attention to the broader issues?” Dennis said.

GAIA MATTIACE/THE HOYA

Georgetown’s Prisons and Justice Initiative Director Marc Howard, left, author Rabia Chaudry and lawyer Martin “Marty” Tankleff raised the need for media awareness of wrongful conviction trials.

news

Friday, OCTOBER 21, 2016

THE HOYA

Tech Competition Venture Highlights Diverse DC Food Gives You Benefits FOODHINI, from A10

be produced. For consumers, this Whereas Google has means that the competialways remained com- tion between Google and mitted to its search en- Apple will ultimately gine services, Apple has leave us with better cell focused on its constant re- phones in the future than invention of “smart” con- what we have available to sumer products. However, use today. the Google-branded Pixel And that is a good phone now places the thing. For the average company directly in Apple consumer, mobile devices iPhone terare likely to ritory. continue to But why advance in does it mattheir speciA new world ter? fications as of possibility Most of companies us already like Google thus awaits the believe and Apple that the consumers of today collide in companies esearch if present trends rand have been develcompeting of competition and opment. against one In artifia n o t h e r , innovation keep up. cial intellieven if it gence, our has only devices will been indibecome rectly. This shift should more and more interacbe important to consum- tive, better able to underers because it represents stand us and to respond the two most innovative to our needs and preferfirms going head to head ences. In software, they in a way they never have will support a dizzying before. array of applications and Competition is at the features, allowing us to heart of any free-market explore our world in new economy. When there is ways, seek further knowlmore than one producer edge or further entertainof any given good or ser- ment with massive memovice, each producer is ry banks that support all forced to constantly im- of our activities in storage. prove upon or differentiIn hardware, the devicate its offering to remain es will also become faster, relevant to consumers. brighter and lighter as As a result, competi- well as more and more tion inherently pushes rough-and-ready, able to firms to deliver superior be seamlessly integrated service, lower prices or in into any and all of our rare cases, both, in order daily activities. They will to acquire and retain con- speed along with us dursumers. Ultimately, when ing our busiest working there are more firms com- days and stay with us in peting in a given industry our relaxation on quiet to deliver essentially the nights. same good or service, conA new world of possibility sumers are the ultimate thus awaits the consumers beneficiaries. of today if present trends Following this same of competition and innovaprinciple, the launch of tion keep up. It will just be Google Pixel will provide up to us to know how to virtually unparalleled adapt to it while keeping benefits for consumers in our priorities in line. the mobile communicaSo while Google Glass tion industry. Since both may have not been the Google and Apple are re- most successful launch garded as the best in what into hardware developthey do, competition di- ment for consumers, rectly against each other Google Pixel is sure to will push their creativity leave consumers much and innovation even fur- better off than we are ther. As both Google and right now. Apple now attempt to provide consumers with the Bianca DiSanto is a senior best mobile hardware and in the McDonough School software, better mobile of Business. Think Tech devices will undoubtedly appears every Friday.

THINKTECH, from A10

through food and make the D.C. restaurant scene more diverse. The company plans on bringing in more featured chefs by working with organizations already active in ethnic communities. “We want to partner with organizations like CASA de Maryland and other organizations working on workforce development for immigrant communities,” Vang said. “They’re building that pipeline of people who are really wanting jobs, people who are coming from marginalized communities. They have these skills, but it’s just really hard for them to be able to join the labor market.” Hiring featured chefs has proven to be one of the more difficult challenges for Vang’s startup. Before the company had undergone trial phases, attracting chefs from immigrant communities became a nearly impossible task since Foodhini could not offer immediate steady work. Vang recalled one instance in which a candidate was being interviewed for a featured chef position and was told the work would begin in about a month. He replied, “Well, I need a job right now.” Since the first round of hiring a featured chef, Vang said his company has streamlined the hiring and onboarding process so that future chefs do

4 9 5 1 5 6

MILLIONS, from A10

investments were not impressive for a company of its size. “The funding is not a lot of money if you think about the stage that we’re in and the kind of investing people do in this stage,” Berger said. Berger explained that as Social Table is a growth company, $13 million in funding is used quickly. “We’re a growth company. Growth companies raise a lot of money in order to continue growing,” Berger said. “It did come as a surprise. We had a process that took about four months and we chose the right partner that we were most excited about.” The inspiration for Social Tables struck Berger after he attended a friend’s wedding and conceptualized that guests might be better served if each wedding table had a digital seating chart and Facebook profiles to spur further conversation. With this idea in mind, Berger started Social Tables as a side project while he

8 6 6 7 5 1 4 2 7 6 9 6 8 9 1 2 7 5 1

obtained his master’s degree at Georgetown. Social Tables brings locations and event planners together online to coordinate meetings of all sizes. Customers include hotels and various event venues, including the Georgetown University Law School and the McDonough School of Business. The Social Tables network has access to 1.5 billion square feet of event space and has facilitated more than 1 million events. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the company has received various awards such as the 2015 Innovator of the Year from Catersource and Event Solutions. Berger emphasized the importance of the District in the formation of Social Tables and how the city is conducive to startups. “Washington, D.C., is not seen by many as a startup destination, but we have an incredible ecosystem that we like to highlight,” Berger said. “We’re working on contributing to the community. We’ve

4 7 3 5 1 8 2 6 9

6 5 8 9 4 2 1 7 3

1 2 4 6 8 7 9 3 5

9 3 7 4 2 5 6 1 8

8 6 5 3 9 1 4 2 7

3 4 2 8 5 6 7 9 1

7 8 6 1 3 9 5 4 2

he’s approaching his venture. And I think that’s reflected in Foodhini.” Though Vang is currently bootstrapping his company — supporting it with his own savings — he said he hopes to look to other external investment opportunities in the near future once the business gets off the ground. Until then, Vang said he is focused on meeting his company’s goal of providing a social good to immigrant community. “What really drove me to work on this was the social impact and being able to empower communities, much like I’m

really familiar with where my mom and where I am from,” Vang said. “That’s why I really can’t see myself working on anything else right now. It is something that services a need in our communities. Haley Talati (COL ’20), who enjoys sampling different types of ethnic food, said Foodhini supports an admirable cause. “I think it’s always good to offer more opportunities to people who might not have them otherwise,” Talati said. “It sounds like a program that really deserves a lot of investment and could grow into something really great, and I would love to support it.”

5 9 1 2 7 4 3 8 6

hosted over 90 events in our office in the last six months just for the tech scene and entrepreneurship scene.” Jeff Reid, adjunct professor of strategy at the MSB and the founding director of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, or Startup Hoyas, worked with Berger during his time at Georgetown and commented on Social Tables’ success. “The fact that ventures continue to put money into this company is a huge vote of confidence. Essentially, they’re proving their business works and this latest round of funding is meant specifically to help them grow fast,” Reid said. “Dan is a great leader. He believes that people coming together in meetings create a lot of good interactions and that’s a big-picture way of thinking. ” Reid spoke highly of the dynamic problem-solving and leadership capabilities of the student entrepreneurial community at Georgetown and stated his interest in more students joining the startup

culture. “Like many other Georgetown students, [Berger] saw a problem and wanted to figure out how to solve it,” Reid said. “Georgetown has always attracted students who were amazing leaders and people who want to make a difference in the world. Entrepreneurship is a powerful way to make a difference. I would love to see more Georgetown students thinking about entrepreneurial careers.” Kamar Mack (COL ’19), who is involved in Startup Hoyas, lived in the Entrepreneurship Living and Learning Community during his freshman year at Georgetown and emphasized the potential of student entrepreneurs to achieve great success. “Being at Georgetown is sort of like an incubator where you can test out your business ideas with your friends,” Mack said. “It’s a very entrepreneurial community that can lead you to bigger and better things as you grow and expand your ideas.”

GU Receptive to Google Pixel GOOGLE, from A10

equipment manufacturers, including LG Corporation, ASUSTek Computer Inc. and HTC Corporation. In a much-heralded development, the Pixel phones also feature Google Assistant, an artificial intelligence capability that is similar to the iPhone’s Siri, though Google claims it is more advanced. Marketed as “your own personal Google,” the system integrates the user’s Google calendar and learns from the user’s preferences.

“There’s always been a niche for those high-end and high-price technology items.”

Last issue’s solutions

2 1 9 7 6 3 8 5 4

COURTESY FOODHINI

A Laotian noodle soup called Khao Poon Nam Seen, which includies beef and bamboo, is now available from Foodhini.

Investors Give Millions to Startup

SUDOKU

5 3

not have to undergo prolonged lengths of time before starting work. Such lapses in work can mean a significant hit in income for some immigrants. In June, Vang was selected as a fellow by the D.C.-based Halcyon Incubator, which focuses on providing mentorship and resources for social entrepreneurs. The 18-month program, which has assisted other Georgetown startups such as MISFIT Juicery, has so far proved invaluable in allowing Foodhini to take risks that might not have been otherwise possible, Vang said. The first five months of the Halcyon program are spent in residency at the Halcyon Incubator, located near the university on Prospect Street. Vang’s main goal during this phase of his fellowship has been to increase sales and see if there is enough market demand for Foodhini’s product. “I think if this thing’s going to work, we need people to show us that they really want it and that means they’re buying it,” Vang said. Halcyon Program Director Ryan Ross said that he was instantly drawn to Vang’s startup and social mission. “Phil himself was incredibly impressive, you know, not just in his background,” Ross said. “It’s his vision, his passion, his energy and the deep level of thinking he has done and how

Michael macovski Associate Professor of Communications, Culture and Technology

Additionally, the Pixel connects to Google Drive to offer what the company deems “unlimited” storage. This feature offers an alternative to the iPhone, which has storage limited to between 16GB to 256GB, the higher end of which often costs upwards of $900. According to Michael Macovski, associate professor of communication, culture and technology in Georgetown’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, while the implications of this dynamic integration of Google features remain to be seen, the development shows potential. “Google could have the advantage of linking a lot of parts of the culture — not just your email, but your calendar and your social media and your bill paying,” Macovski said. “It could go even further because the culture is going in the direction of

more connectivity and bundling, all services, all needs in one phone.” Macovski added that his positive outlook persists over the widespread concern that enhancements in mobile devices are causing people to rely on them too heavily, consequently creating a detrimental effect on society. “A lot of people take the attitude toward technology that the sky is falling and technology is leading the way, or texting is leading the way,” Macovski said. “I don’t have that feeling. I think it’s the way we use things. People said that about many kinds of technology, but it’s never really happened.” Macovski said the increased connectivity and efficiency of the Pixel and other more advanced phones are beneficial for both the individual and society as a whole. “The more connectivity, the better. This makes our lives more simple,” Macovski said. “Now some people claim that that’s too much multitasking, that you might be tempted to do everything at once. But I think we can connect that. First of all, you can always put down your phone.” Consumers in the smartphone market at Georgetown appear to agree that the Pixel represents a positive achievement. Yousuf Latif (MSB ’20), who has a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, likes his current phone but would potentially consider purchasing a Pixel in the future. “It looks cool and has unlimited photo storage. I’d consider it,” Latif said. For now, however, Latif has no plans to switch phones, as there are still capabilities his current phone has that the Pixel does not include. “My phone’s waterproof actually, so that would probably cross the Pixel off the list,” Latif said. Janhvi Bhojwani (SFS ’18), who currently owns the iPhone 6S, said she would also be hesitant to switch to the Pixel.

MADEBY.GOOGLE.COM

The Google Pixel and Pixel XL phones were released Oct. 20. “There have been instances where my phone buttons don’t work, or like in the wintertime, the temperature makes it freeze up, and I’d consider changing my phone,” Bhojwani said. “But the Android is just super confusing, and I prefer the iPhone.” When asked about the price of the Google Pixel being potentially restrictive for consumers, Macovski said he does not see the price tag as limiting the potential of the phones on a larger scale. “I don’t think the price tag will get in the way. There’s always been a niche for those high-end and high-price technology items,” Macovski said. “Apple proved that there’s a niche by charging more and, in many cases, giving more.” Overall, students appear open to the possibilities of the Pixel phones, falling in line with Latif’s view that the modern spirit revolves around advancing technologies. “It’s different. Technology is all about getting different stuff, that’s why we get new phones,” Latif said.

Business & Tech FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2016

from the pros what to do next In the midst of recruiting season for the banking and consulting sectors, The Hoya spoke with experts attending events sponsored by the Cawley Career Education Center. These recruiters, associates, analysts, consultants and other professionals were asked for their insights and advice to guide students interested in pursuing careers in their areas. This week, experts offer advice for students who have not yet decided what field to pursue or where to work. maureen brown Consultant/Tech Investor, Self-Employed What advice do you have for Hoyas who do not know what field they want to go into yet? You need to be opportunistic and keep and open mind because over the course of my 35-year career I’ve ended up doing things I never would’ve anticipated when I started. That doesn’t mean don’t be thoughtful. But know, over the course of your life, things will change, and where you start may not be in any way where you end. So really being open-minded about opportunities that present themselves as critical to finding happiness and success over the course of your longterm career, not in the first job you take.

Startup Supports DC Immigrant Chefs

Andrew Wallender Hoya Staff Writer

When Noobtsaa Philip Vang (GRD ’16) moved to Washington, D.C., from Minnesota for his MBA program at Georgetown in 2014, he found himself craving his mother’s home-cooked meals. But as a Hmong-American, Vang had trouble finding anything resembling his family’s cuisine in the District’s restaurants.

“Why am I not able to right now, go down the street and find somebody who’s maybe Southeast Asian or has foods that are similar to my upbringing?” Noobtsaa Philip vang (GRD ’16) Founder, Foodhini

According to the 2010 census, D.C. has the sixth-largest Asian-American population in the United States. However, Vang said the restaurant scene did not fairly represent that demographic. “I thought, ‘Why am I not able to right now, go down the street and find somebody who’s maybe Southeast Asian or has foods that are similar to my upbringing — find an aunty or grandma who’s making up some food and buy some food from them?’” Vang said. Inspired by this idea, Vang recognized the potential for a food-sharing business that would empower im-

courtesy Foodhini

Georgetown alumnnus Noobtsaa Philip Vang founded a startup last week that allows immigrants to practice their cooking skills by making home-cooked meals for customers seeking ethnic dishes. migrants to offer their cuisine to customers wanting a taste of food from back home or desiring a new culinary experience. Vang developed the idea in business classes. Last week, he launched Foodhini, a startup that connects customers in the D.C. area to home-cooked meals made by an emerging immigrant chef. Customers are able to pre-order a family-style meal of Laotian cuisine

made for two people. The food is ordered a few days in advance of the meal and costs $39, which includes tip and delivery. Around 75 meals were pre-ordered during three pilot tests, including dozens more meals prepared for foodtasting events, according to Vang. Foodhini’s first featured chef is Melissa Frabotta, a 40-year-old woman who was born in the United States

Enrique Lores Senior Vice President of Imaging and Printing, Hewlett-Packard Company What advice would you give to Georgetown students who are still deciding what to do professionally? If I were you, knowing what I know, I would do five things: I would choose to pursue something I am passionate about. Second, look for an industry that is growing. Three, focus on results. Every day when you leave your work, ask if you brought value during your day. Fourth, you need to continue learning every day. Fifth, enjoy the journey. Don’t focus too much on the end result. Kebbie Ghaderi Technology Consulting Associate, PricewaterhouseCoopers How can you find out about a company’s culture? I always tell everyone interviews are always kind of like a two-way. They’re interviewing you to see if you fit the firm, but you should always be quite diligent and figure out whether you like your interviewer because they work in the firm, so they’re a pretty good indicator of what the firm’s like. I definitely think all the networking events and all the career fairs, every opportunity that you have to interact with someone is the best way to figure out a firm’s culture. Interact with the employees. Every firm, regardless of their name, they’re made up by people. So interacting with the people is best.

Gracie Hochberg compiled this section. Submit your questions to business@thehoya.com.

See FOODHINI, A9

THINK TECH

Katie Jill Patterson Management Consultant, Accenture How can you get a solid idea of a company’s culture before you work there? You should talk with someone who works at the company, whether they just started or have been there for 10 years. Ask them what their favorite thing is about working there, and if they say something around their people, then it’s a good culture. Xiao Xiao Data and Policy Analyst, Acumen Why do you like working for a company with younger employees? I like the really energetic environment, and we have people the same age, so we share opinions and everyone’s fresh out of school. We can train together, we can make friends — it’s really nice to become friends with your co-workers — and also you can learn a lot from each other.

but grew up in Southeast Asia. While living in Laos, Frabotta gained experience preparing Laotian cuisine. As a mother of three, she finessed her culinary skills after moving back to the United States. Vang hopes for his business to simultaneously provide an outlet for immigrants to share their culture

Bianca DiSanto

madeby.google.com

Google released its new Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones Thursday, offering a wide array of new features including a personal assistant the company claims is better than the iPhone’s Siri.

Google Vs Apple: You Win

Google Pixel Met With Optimism A Gracie Hochberg Hoya Staff Writer

Google released its new Pixel and Pixel XL phones this Thursday, Oct. 20, to much anticipation within the Georgetown community. Students and faculty, after having mixed reviews for the latest releases of Google competitor Apple Inc. earlier this year — the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2 — were generally positive about Google’s latest mobile phones. The Pixel phones themselves

show significant developments. The standard Pixel phone features a 5-inch screen, while its Pixel XL counterpart boasts a larger one of 5.5 inches. Consumers can purchase the Pixel for $649 and the Pixel XL for $799. In terms of hardware, the phones come in three colors and offer a variety of new features including a stated minimum 13 hours of battery, charging times of seven hours of battery life from 15 minutes connected to a power source and a 12.3 megapixel camera.

According to Digital Trends, the Pixel line, which includes a tablet released last year called the Pixel C, is made completely by Google. This start-to-finish approach differs from the company’s earlier activity, according to the technology news website ZDNet. As the Android-focused technology news website Android Authority notes, Google’s previous Nexus line was different in being produced through various partnerships with different original

utumn is known as the season of endless midterms, overpriced Starbucks specialty drinks, sweater weather and, most importantly, new phone releases. While diehard iPhone users are adjusting to Apple’s questionable decision to remove the headphone jack from the iPhone 7, Android enthusiasts are anticipating the late-October release of the Google Pixel.

Haley Snyder

While Google has been behind the Android software for many years, Google Pixel represents a noticeable change in strategy as Google pushes to create its own mobile hardware.

Founded in 2011 by Dan Berger (GRD ’10), the event-planning software startup Social Tables received $13 million in investments to aid its expansion _. The new round of funding will help launch a generation of products and expand employment. Social Tables currently has 135 employees serving 4,300 customers. According to Berger, the funding for Social Tables has progressed in two rounds. The startup’s first round of funding came from four investors joining an incubator and investing $25,000 each for a total of $100,000. The most recent round of funding raised $13 million, drawing investments from a Series B round led by Baltimore-based venture capital firm QuestMark Partners. The investment brought the company’s total funds to nearly $24 million. However, Berger said the recent

While Google has been behind the Android software for many years, Google Pixel represents a noticeable change in strategy as Google pushes to create its own mobile hardware. In the fiercely competitive smartphone industry, Google’s decision to vertically integrate from software into hardware development undoubtedly puts the company into even more direct competition with Apple. Apple and Google are widely regarded as the world’s leading firms in terms of innovation. As such, they have always had a friendly rivalry — whether it be Google Maps versus Apple Maps or Chrome versus Safari — the two firms have been able to remain indirect competitors because they fundamentally have operated in slightly different industries.

See GOOGLE, A9

Social Tables Receives $13M Hoya Staff Writer

See MILLIONS, A9

cOURTESY gEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY GLOBAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Dan Berger, founder of Social Tables, received a $13 million investment for his successful event-planning software company.

See THINKTECH, A9