The Hoya: October 29, 2021

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The Wellness Issue

The Diversity Requirement Since 1920 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021

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Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 103, No. 6, © 2021

Howard Students Protest Dangerous Housing Conditions

HOWARD UNIVERSITY/FACEBOOK

Howard University students have occupied a student center on campus since Oct. 12 in an effort to protest unsafe living conditions in residence halls.

Caitlin McLean Hoya Staff Writer

Howard University students have been occupying a student center on campus for over two weeks, demanding university action regarding unsafe on-campus living conditions.

Since Oct. 12, students have been occupying the inside and outside of a student center on campus, calling on the university to address safety concerns after reports of poor ventilation, mold, leaking pipes, pests and mushrooms growing from ceilings in university residence halls. Student activists are calling for an inperson town hall with Howard President Wayne A. I. Frederick and other university administrators before the end of October, as well as legal and disciplinary immunity for all participants

of the occupation.

On Oct. 13, administrators asked students to stop occupying the Armour J. Blackburn University Center, warning they may face disciplinary consequences, including expulsion, according to an email sent to Howard students by Interim Student Affairs Vice President Cynthia Evers. In an Oct. 26 email to Howard students, Frederick again demanded the occupation come to an end. However, these threats have not deterred activists, who as of Oct. 28 continue to occupy the building.

All students deserve to protest against housing injustice without facing repercussions, according to a group titled the Blackburn Takeover Family.

“We are not criminals. We are students who have been See HOWARD, A6

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER

The complaint, filed in conjunction with gun safety advocate Andy Parker, alleges that Facebook violated its Terms of Service by keeping violent content online after users reported posts as harmful and dangerous.

GULC Fights Violent Facebook Posts Abby Tucker

Special to the Hoya

CW: This article references gun violence. Please refer to the end of the article for on- and offcampus resources.

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he Georgetown University Law Center Civil Rights Clinic filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), arguing that Facebook and Instagram failed to remove violent content from

Student Advocacy Wins Meal Plan Financial Aid

their platforms.

The clinic joined gun safety advocate Andy Parker on Oct. 12 in filing a complaint with the FTC. The complaint came after Parker alleged Facebook violated its terms of service after the company failed to remove videos of the murder of Parker’s daughter, Alison Parker. Under the social media company’s terms of service, users cannot post content that shows “harmful conduct towards others.”

Alison Parker, a television

reporter in Roanoke, Va., was shot and killed in August 2015 alongside her cameraman Adam Ward while reporting live. Following the shooting, videos of Parker’s and Ward’s deaths appeared on various social media platforms, including Facebook, which showed footage from Ward’s camera and the shooter’s GoPro. Facebook prioritizes profit over the removal of violent content from their platform, according to Parker.

“They could take this stuff down, but they don’t want to because they monetize it,” Parker said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “They profit from Alison’s murder, from violent content like that, and disinformation, and you know the list goes on, every day there’s another revelation. We just have to continue to shine a light on this.”

The clinic which is composed of eight students and See GULC, A6

Students To Vote on GUSA Restructuring Referendum Samuel Yoo

Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) Senate approved a student referendum Oct. 17 to abolish the GUSA Senate and Executive and replace the bodies with a student activist assembly.

The referendum, which the Senate approved with a vote of 14 in favor and three opposed, will allow the student body

to vote during the upcoming Nov. 4 to 6 GUSA elections on whether to restructure the organization by abolishing the GUSA Senate, presidency and vice presidency.

If passed by the student body, the referendum would implement a proposal put forward by GUSA’s new Restructuring Committee. Under the plan, current organizational hierarchies would be eliminated and replaced by various

policy committees that would oversee advocacy efforts, according to GUSA Restructuring Committee Co-Chair Dakyung Ham (COL ’22).

The changes to GUSA’s structure will break down bureaucratic barriers and allow GUSA to better advocate for students, according to GUSA Senator Bora Balçay (SFS ’23), who was one of two senators See REFERENDUM, A6

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

After the university mandated that all students living on campus purchase a meal plan, student activists pushed for greater financial accessibility.

Brooke DeLucia Hoya Staff Writer

Upperclassmen living on campus can now apply for financial assistance for mandatory meal plans following activism efforts by student leaders and activists.

Juniors and seniors can now apply for meal plan fi-

nancial assistance, which will be awarded on a case-by-case basis according to students’ financial need, according to an Oct. 21 email from university officials. Administrators will contact students regarding award decisions, which will be announced on a biweekly basis beginning the week of Nov. 8, according to the email.

In June, the university announced that, for the 2021-22 academic year, all students living on campus must purchase a meal plan. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the university did not require juniors and seniors living on campus to purchase a meal plan. The plan See MEAL PLAN, A6

KIRK ZIESER/THE HOYA

The Georgetown University Student Association greenlit a student referendum to abolish the GUSA Senate and Executive during the upcoming Nov. 6 election.

NEWS

OPINION

SPORTS

BLOG

Church Reform

Support GUSA Referendum

All-Time Greats

Ren Faire Magic

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Catholic leadership must foster empathy for survivors of clerical sexual abuse, panelists said at an Oct. 25 event.

Restructuring student government at Georgetown will make leaders more accessible and advocacy more effective.

Former Georgetown men’s basketball players were named to the list of the 76 alltime best NBA players.

Make It Sweet

Oppose GUSA Referendum

Huskies Ice Hoyas

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Petite Soeur, a new chocolate shop in the Georgetown neighborhood, opened its doors on Wisconsin Avenue Oct. 26.

Two governing bodies are essential checks on power in student leadership and should be preserved.

Tips and tricks for navigating the local Renaissance Faire with savvy. blog.thehoya.com

Women’s field hockey took a tough 2-0 loss to the University of Connecticut Huskies on Oct. 22.

Published Fridays

Send story ideas and tips to news@thehoya.com

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THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021

OPINION EDITORIAL

ONLINE THIS WEEK

GUSA Exec Effective in Crisis Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) President Nile Blass (COL ’22) and Vice President Nicole Sanchez (SFS ’22) assumed office in a year characterized by crises and challenges.

Georgetown students have long complained GUSA is ineffectual, but the Blass-Sanchez administration has proved skeptics wrong.

Promises Kept

These teach-ins have provided valuable clarifications to pressing issues and assured students their student representatives were aware of their concerns.

Further, after the university attempted to relocate the GSP office, GUSA executive amplified GSP students’ advocacy by releasing additional statements to the student body and planning sit-ins to oppose the move. Supporting GSP students and graduates in their advocacy efforts has effectively changed the university’s plans regarding the relocation. This achievement reflects GUSA’s commitment to first-generation and low-income students and shows its ability to make the general student body, even those who are personally unaffected, aware of what the problem is.

Although the Blass-Sanchez administration has effectively handled unpredictable situations, these emergencies may have distracted them from filling open staff positions efficiently. In an interview with The Hoya, Blass and Sanchez disclosed that all senior staff positions would be filled by the end of November. This leaves less than three months for a fully staffed administration to get to work before the newly elected executives take over.

Staffing shortages may have prevented the administration from reaching its full potential, and these vacancies are especially concerning given staffers need time to get acquainted with their roles and responsibilities. With so little time left in the current term, GUSA’s senior staffers are running out of time to implement their work before leaving office.

The Blass-Sanchez administration has done impressive work implementing policies that directly benefit the student body, particularly low-income students. In an interview with The Hoya, Blass and Sanchez said implementing the CARES Act was one of their proudest achievements. According to Sanchez, the executives helped the university determine which students received financial aid from the CARES Act and met with the Georgetown administration to distribute aid to students with demonstrated financial need.

The executives also met with the Office of Student Financial Services to make the office more effective at addressing student needs. In an interview with The Hoya, Blass and Sanchez also discussed their involvement in Fix it or Audit, a campaign that called for the university to recalculate financial aid packages and effective family contributions to as part of a larger effort to make Georgetown more affordable after the university cut financial aid awards in late 2020. Once again, the Blass-Sanchez administration was able to take real action to respond to students’ concerns.

Overall, Blass and Sanchez were able to ef- Looking Forward fectively implement and execute policies that On Nov. 4, the Restructure Referendum, a prodirectly benefited students. posal to decrease hierarchical barriers in GUSA by abolishing the senate, presidency, vice presidency Addressing Crises and constitutional council, will be on the election The Editorial Board also commends the Blass- ballot for the student body to vote on.

Sanchez administration’s leadership in times of Citing unnecessary administrative difficulties crisis. In the face of unpredictable situations like and overlapping duties between the executive the Georgetown Scholars Program’s (GSP) reloca- branch and the senate, the referendum aims to tion, new meal plan requirements and the intruder decrease inefficiencies by streamlining GUSA’s orsituation at New South Hall, their administration ganizational structure. Sanchez, who endorses the provided important public communications and proposal, said restructuring GUSA will improve its persistent advocacy in a timely manner. ability to implement legislation. While the EditoThe Blass-Sanchez administration also success- rial Board commends GUSA’s attempt to decrease fully met with university administrators to devel- structural inefficiencies, the referendum’s promises op and launch a meal plan assistance program in may fall flat in the eyes of the student body. Most which students can apply for financial assistance students don’t know enough about GUSA in the to make the meal plan more affordable. This pro- first place to have an opinion on whether the refergram reflects the executives’ demonstrated com- endum is necessary. mitment to responding to student needs, as the For these reasons, the Editorial Board urges the new requirement for all on-campus students to Blass-Sanchez administration to focus on clarifying purchase a meal plan elicited outrage from stu- communication to the student body at large in ordents and created food insecurity on campus. In der to improve the relationship between students this instance, Blass and Sanchez identified a prob- and their GUSA representatives. lem, listened to students’ concerns, and were able to collaborate with the university administration The Hoya’s Editorial Board is composed of six stuto implement a concrete solution. dents and is chaired by the Opinion editors. EditoriIn addition to meal plan aid, GUSA has held teach- als reflect only the beliefs of a majority of the board ins to educate students about solutions to minimize and are not representative of The Hoya or any indifuture dining concerns like the norovirus outbreak. vidual member of the board.

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Undeniably, the rights of animals are protected by a meatless diet. Advocates for vegetarianism and veganism frequently tout not just saving livestock but also environmental preservation and increased industry accountability.”

Anne Poulos (SFS ’25)

“Shift to Plant-Based Diet” thehoya.com

DEEP DIVE

Netflix’s Newest Sensation This week, we’re diving into Jared Carmeli’s (COL ’24) viewpoint on Squid Game’s rise to popularity and its commentary on late-stage capitalism. With over 142 million member households watching the Netflix series in just the first four weeks of its release, the show has brought themes of inequality, immobility and poverty to global attention.

Squid Game’s release comes at a time when economic inequality is rising around the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As billionaires continue to accumulate massive amounts of wealth, impoverished communities face decreasing wages and increasing unemployment. These disparities are incredibly concerning and call into question the future of capitalist economies amid worsening climate change and declining social equality.

Several theories have been proposed in an attempt to address capitalism’s failures to improve socioeconomic conditions. In the business world, the concept of “conscious capitalism,” which emphasizes the importance of ethical standards and fair trade, has been created to remedy capitalism’s negative impacts. Other concepts include “inclusive capitalism,” which focuses on harnessing capitalism’s potential for good, and “doughnut economics,” which outlines environmental and social boundaries to help societies thrive economically.

Continuing to acknowledge the disparate impacts of capitalism is essential to improving economic equality. As Carmeli points out, we must take Squid Game’s portrayal to heart and fight for more equitable socio economic policies to uplift the most vulnerable communities under capitalism.

EDITORIAL CARTOON by Alan Chen

HOYA HISTORY

GU’s Darker Side: The Price of Vandalism Oct. 28, 1988 I live north of campus, across Reservoir Road, on S street. I like living there, although the walk to campus can get a little long. The quickest route to campus takes me behind St. Mary’s and Darnall.

That pathway is one of my favorite places on campus, with its tall shady trees and gently inclined grassy hill. It provides a good contrast to the hustle and activity that surrounds it, namely Reservoir Road and Henle Village.

I have played wiffle ball, tossed frisbees, played catch, and just soaked up sunshine on that little secluded lawn. I appreciate it being there, which made my walk to class last week all the more disheartening. Someone decided that it would be fun to smash some fluorescent light tubes on the lawn, because, after all, what could be more fun than senseless vandalism? The result of their enjoyment was six pules of broken glass and metal fragments scattered on the lawn and the sidewalk.

I am not bemoaning the fate of six fluorescent light bulbs.

Personally, I hate the things and would rather read by candlelight than in their artificial glow. Rather, my concern is for the people who have enjoyed that part of campus as I have. The next person who goes out for a long pass

down that path will wind up in the hospital if he or she is barefoot. The glass from those tubes is thin and small, and will be hard to work out of someone’s feet. What a rotten way to spend a Sunday afternoon, in the emergency room in pain, and for what reason? Because somebody has a twisted idea of fun.

We have all seen the evidence of vandalism. Last year it seemed particularly popular. Across campus there were broken branches, shattered windows, broken bottles, torn posters, garbade, crushed chalk and proclamations scrawled in thick, black, permanent ink-- all signs of callousness on somebody’s part. In some cases vandalism has been the result of carelessness or an honest mistake. Baseballs will inevitably find windows, bottles fall, damage occurs. However, nobody can tell me that concrete benches can be split in two due to an honest mistake. Neither can a cement tombstone crack in two due to wind and rain. That one incident was particularly repulsive -- some individual broke several tombstones in the Jesuit graveyard, a sacred ground and a historical landmark of significant value.

Vandals obviously do not care what people think or else they

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would consider the effects of their damage. Along with the obvious monetary cost associated with vandalism, there is also a more subtle and insidious effect.

The sight of senseless destruction is depressing and disheartening.

It makes one wonder if there is any rationality in this world, because so many seem to be lacking it. This is especially true in a community such as Georgetown, which is supposed to be dedicated to educating bright, young students to face the tasks and responsibilities of adulthood.

Where is a sense of pride in the community and the campus?

While it is certainly a minority of the community who perpetrates this destruction, it is the majority that has to endure its ill effects. A friend of mine, who is abroad this semester, once stood up to vandalism. He was returning home from the Pub last year when he stumbled across a group of belligerent students who were smashing beer bottles on the side of Copley Hall. He approached them and asked them to stop, pointing out how senseless it was. His reward for civic duty? A black eye and bruised ribs. Apparently, vandals do not take kindly to criticism.

Nicholas Mack

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OPINION VIEWPOINT • CAULFIELD

Protect Free Speech on Campus

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n Sept. 21, College Pulse, RealClearEducation and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education published the 2021 College Free Speech Rankings, a comprehensive comparison of student assessment of free speech on college campuses. The takeaway?

Georgetown University’s free speech rating is horrendous.

As a premier school for the studies of domestic and international politics, Georgetown falls below the 18th percentile American colleges, coming in at No. 131 of 159. According to the report, of the 250 Georgetown undergraduate respondents, only 24% say it is never acceptable to “shoutdown” a speaker on campus, and just 73% of students say it is never acceptable to use violent protest to stop a speech on campus. Despite these sentiments, it is critical speakers not be shut down, as exposure to different beliefs broadens student perspectives. We must address the disrespect for free speech on campus and engage speakers and students with critical questions about their beliefs.

In October 2019, the Georgetown University Law Center invited Kevin McAleenan, the thenacting U.S. secretary of homeland security, to give a keynote address.

As he attempted to speak, protesters shouted him off the stage because of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. These hecklers included law students and, to make matters worse, professors. Similarly, in September 2019, the loud disruptions of student protesters at an event featuring a conservative perspective to climate change required Geoffrey Bible, the director of protocols and events, and the Georgetown University Police Department to step in and restart the event.

Students on both sides of the political aisle feel their speech is repressed. The unofficial status of H*yas for Choice, a student-run pro-abortion rights organization, and the cancellation of its past workshops are a great frustration for many. Because of Georgetown’s status a Catholic and Jesuit university, pro-abortion rights students believe their perspectives are censored because of their content.

Our student body should take action to protect freedom of speech and welcome ideological diversity while respecting rights to protest.

Indeed, protests indicate a healthy

free speech culture on campus. Yet the most effective forms of protest reveal themselves in the form of pointed questions that challenge views and ideas presented. Shutting down a speaker or ending an event sets a precedent that makes other crucial perspectives less likely to be heard.

The warnings in the free speech rankings are troubling in themselves, but especially so today. Following almost three semesters of virtual learning, only one class of undergraduate students has experienced a full academic year on the Hilltop. As a result, many of Georgetown’s cherished values and traditions remain unfamiliar to the majority of our student body. We are in a critical time to rediscover, reinvigorate and become active participants in the spirit of Georgetown. This process includes recognizing our Jesuit value of community in diversity, which calls on us to engage with those unlike ourselves — a principle central to free speech on our campus. We have not only the burden of rekindling Georgetown post-pandemic but also the honor of reshaping it into something we are proud of.

Low confidence in the campus’s capacity to uphold the right of free speech threatens the vibrant political activism culture that students have worked hard to construct. As a training ground for future public servants, our student body must create a movement in order for students of all ideological backgrounds to feel comfortable expressing their ideas. We should expect others to challenge our ideas. We should attend speaker events that contradict our long-held political views.

We should protest events we strongly disagree with while respecting others’ right to speak. We should see students regularly engaging in critical and substantive conversation in Red Square with excitement for the truth we can discern when we put our diversity of backgrounds and opinions together. Let us break a different Georgetown bubble — that of our own persistent values and views — and escape the perpetual echo chamber we find ourselves in, so we can become more engaged and balanced members of campus and society. Together, we can create a greater Georgetown.

Matteo Caulfield is a junior in the College.

ILLUSTRATION BY: ALLIE YI/THE HOYA

VIEWPOINT • CARMELI

Heed Squid Game’s Dire Warnings

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n the past month, Netflix’s new hit show “Squid Game” has swept the globe, breaking the record for biggest series launch ever with 142 million member households watching in the first four weeks of its release.

The South Korean show, marked by gore, anxiety and emotion, tells the story of 456 players — all of whom are heavily in debt and have no means or stable work to repay these debts — who are given the opportunity to compete in a series of six games with the promise of a large cash prize if they are successful in each game.

Yet each of these classic childhood games, such as “Red Light, Green Light” and “Tug-of-War,” is given lethal modifications and promises a swift death to any player who is unsuccessful.

The show provides a stark commentary on the dangers of late-stage capitalism, a system that allows little social mobility. Those at the bottom of the economic hierarchy need to sacrifice their lives, both physically and mentally, to earn money. In doing so, the show highlights the immense need to reform this system and stop favoring the wealthiest and most powerful among us, and to instead create a system that works for all people and provides the necessary opportunities and services for low-income and middle-class people to live comfortably.

VIEWPOINT • BALÇAY, GORDON, SANCHEZ, HAM

The show revolves around Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), a man with a gambling addiction who lost his job after a union strike and owes millions of South Korean won. Gi-hun’s struggle to find a well-paying job and his inability to provide for his sick mother and young daughter prove to be a common theme throughout the series: Each player’s circumstances leave them attempting survival with almost no prospect of true agency.

Through the characters’ lives, the viewer watches the all-too-familiar consequences of extreme capitalism play out: the myth that it is the individual who has failed to earn a liveable wage; the belief in an “American Dream” by which anyone can work their way up the economic ladder; the feeling that one’s entire self-worth and validation is tied to one’s productivity. These ideas have been cultivated and ingrained in our collective consciousness from a young age, and the phenomenon of people taking any and all actions — such as playing the deadliest of games, in the case of this show — to dig themselves out of the cycles of poverty and debt has become painfully common.

While “Squid Game” is a fictional series, its metaphor for the harms of hypercapitalism is a most relevant and necessary cri-

tique of the American economic system. Economic inequality has worsened over the past 30 years, with data from the U.S. Federal Reserve showing that “the top 10% of U.S. households have seen their wealth rise by almost ten percentage points… while the total wealth controlled by the bottom 50% has been cut nearly in half.” The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this extreme wealth gap: as American billionaires collectively saw their wealth increase by 62% between March 2020 through August 2021, an alarming 40% of American families reported that they would not be able to afford an unexpected $400 expense. These inequalities are even more apparent along racial lines, with disparities experienced more severely among Black Americans. It is utterly unconscionable that billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk continue to rake in more and more wealth while average, hardworking families live paycheck to paycheck, left behind by a system and a government that are fundamentally organized to serve the wealthiest individuals and corporations.

As Georgetown University students, we are certainly not immune to this unrelenting capitalist system. I, along with many other students, will graduate with thousands of dollars in student debt de-

spite receiving financial aid, and will thus enter the real world with an already significant financial burden. We will be immersed in this cutthroat society with the hopes that we will earn a job that allows us to pay off these debts and sustain ourselves and the expenses we will undoubtedly incur. However, we must also recognize the privilege that is intrinsically tethered to a Georgetown education, and even more so among the 21% of students who are in the top 1%. It is vital that we speak out and demand a more equitable system — one that would redistribute the absurd amount of wealth concentrated in the hands of the few. We must demand a system that provides comprehensive healthcare, childcare and housing, in addition to well-paying jobs necessary for all people to live comfortably, without resorting to sacrificial, dangerous means of earning a liveable wage. While we might enjoy the thrilling plot of “Squid Game,” it is of the utmost importance that we heed the grim warning this show offers and address the crippling economic inequality that plagues the United States and the countless other capitalist economies of the world.

Jared Carmeli is a sophomore in the College.

VIEWPOINT • WEISS

Support Restructure Referendum Oppose Restructure Referendum

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f you ask any student walking on Healy Lawn what the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) is and does, they are likely to be confused about how it works and say it does nothing. And they have a point.

While GUSA does plenty of essential work for the student body, like appropriating funds for student life, advocating for key issues and implementing long-term student projects, most parts of GUSA don’t work the way they were intended to. We have a constitutional council that barely meets, a senate that is passing legislation that is not binding and policy groups that actually work but are buried in mountains of bureaucracy. The principal problem we face is that GUSA is organized like a national government instead of a union. This inefficient structure makes it difficult to impossible for students to be involved in campus government without running in exhausting elections. The senate, which contains most elected representatives, is relegated to a largely symbolic and a terribly inefficient role.

And the executive is overly hierarchical and bureaucratic, having more administrative than policy staff.

All of us on the restructure committee have viewed GUSA from various angles as senators, executive staff, senior leadership or students previously uninvolved in GUSA. Despite our many differences, we have all come to the conclusion that emulating a federal government does not work.

Therefore, as the restructure committee, we have contemplated changing this system for roughly a year now,

and we are beyond excited to share our plan with you.

So,hereiswhatthereferendum will change and improve: The arbitrary division between executive, legislative and judicial will be removed, and there will no longer be an executive, a senate or a constitutional council. The principal job of those elected will be to lead policy teams directly rather than pen legislation that often goes nowhere; the existing system of policy teams will expand and become the primary forum of action in GUSA as an assembly of policy committees. These policy teams are quite efficient, as they survey students, research problems and propose solutions to issues on a much more intimate basis, developing more expertise and valuable contacts with their administration counterparts. In addition, the ethics and oversight committee will have a larger role in the fairer, more extensive and more encompassing management of the work taking place in committees. Most importantly, we will be removing unnecessary hierarchies and reducing the barriers to accessing and becoming involved in GUSA. We are breaking down hierarchies not for the sake of doing so; the hierarchies we are removing are those causing bureaucratic bloat and above all preventing students from getting involved in GUSA. The process of working through leadership, senior staff, coordinators, senate and policy teams prevents students from directly getting involved with issues they are passionate about.

However, though we know change is needed, we don’t intend to “throw the baby out with the bathwater.” This referendum will not affect how club funding is distributed; the composition or the mandate of the finance

and appropriation will not change, and GUSA will continue managing the student activities commision. GUSA will continue to effectively fulfill its obligations to other organizations, sharing its resources with organizations that depend on them. The way it conducts elections will also stay the same, with the GUSA election commission staying intact, except there will no longer be separate senate and executive elections. We are also not abolishing the important administrative functions provided by the support units of GUSA, as they maintain an efficient mechanism for liaising with the school administration.

However, although these parts of GUSA work well, they aren’t designed to address a core function of GUSA, which is student advocacy and activism; it is imperative for GUSA to evolve to better address the needs of our changing student body and be a better forum for advocating for our needs.

We hope that over the coming weeks, you, our fellow Hoyas, will take the chance to join this process to better understand how these changes will affect you and to encourage your friends to participate in this transformative event by voting in the Nov. 6 election.

We are looking forward to how the future generations of GUSA will benefit from this massive undertaking, and we are immensely grateful to be a part of this process.

Bora Balçay is a junior in the College. Dominic Gordon is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service.

Nicole Sanchez is a senior in the School of Foreign Service. Dakyung Ham (COL ’22).is a senior in the College.

I

n the words of founding father John Adams, “I say, that Power must never be trusted Without a Check.”

In the first week of November, the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) will issue a referendum that has serious implications for the future of our student government.

The referendum proposes to consolidate the GUSA’s Senate and executive bodies, which would effectively abolish the senate, constitutional council and presidency. Instead, there would be but one body divided into committees composed of elected representatives.

While GUSA’s rationale for consolidating its branches is to improve efficiency, this move is not a viable solution for several reasons.

For one, this proposal would remove the checks and balances in the system that we currently have. And I get it, GUSA does not really have an influence on anything concrete anyway, so why should this matter?

Well, the point of consolidating these branches is to create a body that can more efficiently instigate change, but if there is only one entity making these crucial decisions, there will be nobody to challenge it. A single entity cannot effectively represent the diversity of thought throughout the entire student body. History is replete with examples of one-party governments abolishing prior governments that were the locus of their systems.

Second, the proposed restructuring both limits the number of students that can engage and participate in student government and re-

stricts the opportunities for students to explore different areas of government. At a school whose reputation relies heavily on its policy and foreign service programs, we must create opportunities for as many students as possible to apply theory learned in the

“A single entity cannot effectively represent the diversity of thought throughout the student body. History is replete with examples of one-party governments that were the locus of their systems.”

LAYLA WEISS (MSB ‘22)

est at play. The central focus of our student government should instead be a means of learning how to disagree effectively and work toward consensus, which by design is less efficient. GUSA’s proposal is a way of evading that consensus.

As a significant number of Georgetown students are considering careers in government and policy, the GUSA Senate provides us with the perfect training ground. It serves as a microcosm of the U.S. Senate where student representatives actively campaign for support, draft and debate legislation and, most importantly, engage in contentious yet productive debate on important bipartisan issues — whether they concern campus life, the country or the international stage. The United States wouldn’t dismantle an entire government system because its representatives couldn’t get the job done. Besides, efficiency isn’t the main point of our system; the main point is to structure a process —slow, but effective —for achieving consensus.

Ensuring GUSA’s current system’s survival is an essential part of the Georgetown student body’s spirit.

There are people out there who value this cocurricular activity. I was a GUSA Senator my sophomore year and found it to be a very rewarding experience for the reasons I mentioned. Whether or not you care about student government, I strongly urge you all to vote against this referendum.

classroom by serving as student government representatives. In fact, instead of dismantling the current system, we should be thinking about redefining its purpose.

I know there are students who look down on GUSA and its inefficiencies. But GUSA’s follow-through shouldn’t be of concern. In reality, this body is largely a symbolic entity — and a flawed one at that — and that’s okay. After all, it is a student-run organization that operates un- Layla Weiss is a senior in der the university with red the McDonough School of tape and stakeholder inter- Business.

A4 | THE HOYA

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021

FEATURES

Students, Professors Push To Enhance Diversity Curriculum Requirement Georgetown may modify the engaging diversity core curriculum requirement after a committee recently found that it is not intentional enough to be effective.

ILLUSTRATION BY: DOMINIC PHAM/THE HOYA

Over 1,300 undergraduate courses have been tagged as fullfilling either the domestic or global diversity requirement, or both, since 2015. The university is considering revising the core curriculum requirement.

Sanjana Ranganathan and Nicholas Voltaggio Special to The Hoya

S

ince arriving at Georgetown University, Arjun Badami (COL ’24) has tried to take advantage of courses that focus on diversity and culture. So when he learned that his “The Problem of God” course satisfied the university’s engaging diversity requirement, he was surprised, since the vast majority of the authors on the syllabus were white.

“It’s a bit of a stretch to say that just because one of the authors in the course is not white, that the class is about diversity or satisfies the requirement,” Badami said in a phone interview with The Hoya.

“It can’t be incidental. The class has to actually focus on diversity.”

Badami was also shocked to learn that one of his French classes fulfilled the diversity requirement. Being able to fulfill the requirement without really thinking about it struck him as concerning and not in the spirit of engaging with diversity.

“It’s not teaching you why diversity is important, why learning about other cultures and cultural pluralism and tolerance — why all of that’s important,” Badami said. “It’s teaching you how to speak French.”

Badami is not the only member of the Georgetown community who has noticed that students often inadvertently fulfill the core curriculum diversity requirement without much thought. Since this summer, the Engaging Diversity Curriculum Committee, composed of faculty and students, has been working to address that issue.

The Engaging Diversity Curriculum Committee is now aiming to revise the engaging diversity requirement to ensure that students are more consciously fulfilling these core curriculum requirements. The committee hopes to make the diversity requirement more intentional to guarantee that students are exposed to perspectives from historically marginalized groups.

Call to Action

In 2015, the student activist group Last Campaign for Academic Reform (LCAR) lobbied for the creation of a curricular diversity requirement. The LCAR originally advocated for the creation of a core requirement called “Diversity, Power and Privilege,” which the group hoped would introduce students to the systems that perpetuate systemic inequalities experienced by different marginalized groups.

“There are a lot of great courses at Georgetown that touch on different aspects of identity, race, class culture, ability, sexual orientation — diversity in its true sense,” LCAR member Colleen Roberts (COL ’15) said during an April 2015 protest, according to The Hoya. “What we’re trying to do is to ensure that all Georgetown students will be exposed to the ideas that many of us are exposed to during our undergraduate career.”

But throughout the approval process, the Main Campus Executive Faculty (MCEF), a legislative body of faculty that determines academic policies, changed the focus of the requirement to emphasize identity and awareness rather than structural problems facing marginalized communities before approving it in its current form as the engaging diversity requirement in April 2015, according to Georgetown English professor Amanda Phillips, who is co-chairing the Engaging Diversity Curriculum Committee.

This requirement is part of the general core curriculum that all Georgetown undergraduate students must fulfill. The curriculum mandates that students take two courses from the engaging diversity course list, which is available on MyAccess.

One of these courses must address “global” diversity, and the other must address “domestic” diversity. Courses fulfilling the engaging diversity requirement are expected to help students engage with and reflect on different cultures, beliefs and ideas, according to a university spokesperson.

“We hope that by fulfilling the requirement, students will become better able to appreciate and reflect upon how human diversity and human identities shape our experience and understanding of the world,” the university spokesperson wrote in an email to The Hoya.

According to Georgetown’s course lists, some of these courses include “Race and Radical Feminisms,” “Bioethics and Disability,” “Introduction to African American Studies” and “Introduction to Indigenous Philosophy.”

Georgetown sociology professor Corey Fields currently teaches the course “Blackness as an Organizing Strategy: Black Participation in Post-Civil Rights Social Movements,” which counts for the domestic diversity requirement.

The course provides engagement with the African American experience and links the struggle for racial equality to other political organizing in the United States, according to Fields.

“I hope that all other faculty who teach courses that meet the requirement are working to ensure that their classes are consistent with the spirit of the Engaging Diversity requirement,” Fields wrote in an email to The Hoya.

But other courses like “Rise of Rome” also count toward the requirement. So do lots of language courses, like “Advanced French Grammar and Writing,” “Advanced Spanish for Business” and “Intermediate Polish.” One “Introduction to Philosophy” course, which focuses on “the great Western philosophers,” also meets both the domestic and global diversity requirements.

The proposal for a diversity requirement was never intended to be an additional curricular burden for students, according to March 2015 MCEF minutes. At the time, the committee identi-

fied over 8,000 courses that could potentially meet the requirement.

“They want to do something meaningful and yet flexible, so no student needs to take one more course than they otherwise have to,” according to the meeting minutes.

However, the introduction of the diversity requirement did not have its intended effect, according to Phillips. They view the ineffective implementation of the diversity requirement as a missed opportunity.

“The engaging diversity requirement was first implemented when I arrived at the university,” Phillips said. “It felt like it was missing something.”

Five Years Later

The engaging diversity requirement mandated its review after five years. To conduct this review during the 2019-20 academic year, the university established the Engaging Diversity Subcommittee, which was composed of 10 faculty members and two students and operated under the broader Core Curriculum Committee.

Students on the committee help identify and analyze the effects of the engaging diversity requirement, according to Sherry Linkon, a co-chair of the Engaging Diversity Subcommittee and a Georgetown English professor.

Along with the LCAR’s work in proposing the original diversity requirement, students in recent years have provided feedback and leadership to propose improvements to the requirement, according to Amanda Yen (COL ’23), Engaging Diversity Curriculum Subcommittee co-chair.

Students also served as interns on the data collection and analysis component of the committee’s review, which helped determine that the existing diversity requirement was too diffuse to be effective, according to Linkon. The registrar found that over 1,300 different courses had actually been tagged as fulfilling either the domestic or global diversity requirement since 2015, Linkon said.

“Students report that they’ve taken 1 or 2 courses that fulfill the requirement, but a review of transcripts tells us that on average, a student takes 7 diversity courses.

But they don’t recognize most of those courses as addressing diversity,” Linkon wrote in an email to The Hoya.

This semester, over 200 undergraduate courses meet the diversity requirement, according to the course list on MyAccess.

The consequence of having so much course flexibility to meet the requirement is that students often end up accidentally fulfilling the diversity requirement, according to Badami.

“What bothered me was the fact that cultures like mine — of students of color, of religious minorities, those demographics — those cultures could go completely invisible, and students could still be satisfying the diversity requirement,” Badami said.

“The fact that I could accidentally do the bare minimum — I think there’s a problem.”

While the diversity requirement is imperfect, some professors, like Fields, think the university takes the diversity requirement seriously.

“I have been involved in conversations about making sure that fulfilling the university’s requirement means that students are engaging with a range of experiences, beliefs, and ideas that push them to reconsider their own experiences as well as others,” Fields wrote in an email to The Hoya.

The process for a course meeting the diversity requirement is ad hoc, according to Linkon. The particular dean assigned to each department determines whether a course should qualify for the diversity requirement, if the course’s professor requests such a consideration. The process is not standardized.

Recently released results of the spring 2020 cultural climate survey show that 20.3% of undergraduate students said they had professors who explicitly talked about the importance of diversity in the classroom.

These statistics indicate that the current diversity requirement is ineffective, Yen said.

“We found that students wanted to learn about systems, not simply differences between groups of people,” Yen wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Students overwhelmingly believe the requirement has value but know that there’s a lack of intentionality in courses that count.”

A Long Road Ahead

committee and new research, according to Phillips, who is co-chairing the committee because of their dissatisfaction with the current requirement.

The word “diversity” is too vague to adequately convey the requirement’s goals, according to Yen. “We want to tighten the language around it to reflect not only what student activists from 2015 and earlier wanted to see reflected in the curriculum, but also what is necessary to understand our current moment,” Yen wrote.

Georgetown English professor Christopher Shinn shared Yen’s concern about how Georgetown understands diversity in terms of curriculum. Shinn currently teaches the course “Asian Americans and the Public Sphere,” which counts for the domestic diversity requirement.

“We would do well perhaps to add greater clarity to our understanding of diversity and perhaps sharpen the definition of what it is currently,” Shinn wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Otherwise, it might just be too broad to be useful.”

Some of the potential revisions, including revised standards for courses seeking the diversity label and an enhanced review process, will likely reduce the number of courses that count toward the requirement. However, the committee’s goal is not to make the requirement more difficult to satisfy, according to Yen. “We’re not trying to make it any harder for a student to fulfill the requirement,” Yen wrote.

“We just want them to have a better experience.”

Preparing faculty to discuss complex topics like power, marginalization and diversity is also one of the committee’s priorities, according to Phillips. To that end, the committee is hoping to implement it in a way that faculty become better at handling those topics in the classroom.

“Students don’t always feel like faculty have the appropriate skills to be teaching these topics in the classroom,” Phillips said. “That’s a real concern.”

The road ahead is a long one for these revisions. After the

committee members prepare their proposal, they intend to send it to the MCEF during fall 2022 for amendments and final approval.

The committee hopes to implement the updated requirement in fall 2023, according to Phillips. In this case, the updated requirement would only apply to students in the class of 2027 and onward.

The university is collecting data from all constituents for a full revision recommendation this academic year, according to a university spokesperson.

“We are working on adjustments to better implement the current requirement with clearer expectations,” the spokesperson wrote.

Badami is optimistic that a fine-tuned diversity requirement could become an instrument for all students to take advantage of the coursework Georgetown has to offer.

“I’ve been able to find really great classes here,” Badami said.

“I think there’s so many issues in society — such as systemic racism, the lasting impacts of colonialism and imperialism in the way we teach education and history — that have to be combated. And I think a diversity requirement is a really great way to do that.”

Ideally, revising the diversity requirement will elevate marginalized voices and equip all students with the tools to be able to identify and address power imbalances, according to Phillips.

“My hope is that it will create an environment where marginalized students feel like they are seen in a way that they perhaps are not by the university,” Phillips said. “Who knows? An engaging diversity requirement that is more impactful on the student body may inspire more students to agitate for changes at Georgetown and make it safer for even more marginalized folks.”

After assessing the current requirement, the Engaging Diversity Curriculum Subcommittee recommended that it undergo a formal revision process by a new committee, according to Linkon.

“We recommended revising the requirement to clarify its goals and add a review process to ensure that courses that fulfill the requirement engage substantively with difference, inclusion and inequality,” Linkon said.

Ella Kohler, Hansen Lian and Following the subcommitLiam Scott contributed reporttee’s suggestion to revise the reing to this article. quirement, the Core Curriculum Committee commissioned the establishment of a new Engaging Diversity Curriculum Committee charged with devising and implementing revisions to the diversity requirement. The subcommittee reviewed the requirement, while the new committee is revising it.

The new committee is responsible for proposing a redesign of the requirement that keeps in mind the previous committee’s recommendations, according to Yen. The revisions involve developing stricter criteria for approved courses and teaching professors how to discuss diverse issues in the classroom.

Established this summer, the committee is in its early KIRK ZIESER/THE HOYA stages, mainly focusing on reviewing the climate survey, the A revised engaging diversity curriculum requirement findings from the previous sub- will be in effect for the class of 2027, at the earliest.

THE HOYA | A5

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INSIDE THE ISSUE

I know activism can change people, and I want to be a part of that change.”

SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO

Eleven animals at the Smithsonian National Zoo have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The National Zoo began administering vaccines designed for animals Oct. 13.

New chocolate shop Petite Nico Reyes (COL ’24), Soeur opens in Georgetown student activist, on 24-hour neighborhood. Story on A8. protest. Story on A9.

Georgetown Schedules In-Person The Tombs Reopens, Welcomes Commencement for Class of 2020 Back Georgetown Community Claire Stowe Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown University will hold a commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020 after its original graduation was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

University President John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95) announced the ceremony Oct. 26 and asked for student input on the best events to celebrate undergraduate, graduate and law students who graduated in the spring of 2020. The university will host the ceremonies May 28 and 29, 2022.

For some students, the commencement will serve as a reunion between classmates and professors they might not have seen for over two years, according to Maddie Charbonneau (COL ’20), who organized a petition calling on the university to host an in-person graduation. (Full disclosure: Charbonneau previously served as executive editor at The Hoya).

“After college all of my friends are kind of scattered,” Charbonneau said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “Some are in D.C., I myself live in New York now, so it’ll be nice to see everybody in one place again and two years after the fact to acknowledge that this weird thing happened and we suddenly haven’t seen each other in two years.”

Others, however, are more focused on the opportunity for families to see their students formally graduate, especially if the students traveled far from home for college, according to Isabelle Smith (SFS ’20).

“It’s important to me as someone who went to college out of state. Most of my peers in high school and my family friends stayed within state for college, and so me going to Georgetown was a really big deal in my family,” Smith said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “I’m looking forward to being able to celebrate that and for my family to kind of see

how their sacrifices paid off.”

The university canceled the traditional in-person commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In its place, Georgetown hosted a 30-minute Facebook livestream May 16, 2020, to celebrate graduating seniors.

In order to improve the future ceremony’s accessibility for all students and their families, Georgetown should offer financial assistance for travel costs, according to Smith.

“I feel very lucky that I’m in D.C. for work and foresee myself being here in the near future next May, but I do think that

“I’m personally excited that they’re asking us what we want out of it, so hopefully we as a class can build the commencement we want.”

MADDIE CHARBONNEAU CLASS OF 2020 GRADUATE

there are probably going to be barriers for people being able to come,” Smith said. “I think it would be great if Georgetown offered some sort of financial assistance to students and families that qualified in order for them to also be able to attend commencement.”

The university is excited to celebrate the Class of 2020 in commencement ceremonies next spring and is working to gather student input, according to a university spokesperson.

“When we were not able to hold a full commencement ceremony in May 2020, the University committed to hosting a commencement for the Class of 2020 when pub-

lic health conditions would allow,” the university spokesperson wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We have met with Class of 2020 leadership on this topic and we are glad to be able to announce this wonderful news.”

In addition to offering financial help, the university should organize events that will be most meaningful to the Class of 2020 and their families, according to Catherine Tresslar (COL ’20).

“I’m happy they’re keeping their promise, but I don’t think people are going to want to come in from far out of town and invite their families if it’s just like a bar night, and if it’s something more lowkey I think the excitement will dwindle,” Tresslar said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “I think people are really expecting them to do something a little more over-the-top since we did miss out on so much.”

In addition to a formal graduation ceremony, Tresslar hopes the university will reschedule the Senior Ball, an annual gala held during Senior Week to which students can bring their families.

“Some of my friends and I all really want Senior Ball, and I think that one ranks so highly among seniors because it is really something inclusive,” Tresslar said. “Your friends and your family all get to come to that, it doesn’t require us putting on a cap and gown, it’s something in formal attire and makes it feel more grandiose and special like we are celebrating something.”

While specific preferences for the celebrations may vary, two years after the graduates received their diplomas in the mail, commencement ceremonies are long overdue, according to Charbonneau.

“I’m personally excited that they’re asking us what we want out of it, so hopefully we as a class can build the commencement we want,” Charbonneau said.

Paieg Stowe Hoya Staff Writer

After 19 long months, The Tombs once again welcomed students, graduates and families to dine in or share a drink at the iconic establishment.

The Tombs, a studentfavorite restaurant and bar located on 36th Street, one block away from the front gates of Georgetown University’s main campus, reopened Oct. 21 after closing in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The formal reopening has been highly anticipated among members of the Georgetown community, who frequent The Tombs for a variety of celebrations and traditions. Unable to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many of their customers and employees are students, the establishment originally planned to reopen in late August when students returned to the Hilltop.

Since reopening, The Tombs has been full of Georgetown students, which makes for a fun environment, according to Melina Asteriadis (COL ’22), who went to The Tombs on Oct. 27 for her 21st birthday.

“It was pretty exciting,” Asteriadis said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “It was cool that it was all Georgetown people, and it was definitely very much of a relief to finally be able to go.”

The establishment’s temporary closure meant that many students missed out on popular traditions like a “Tombs Night,” a 21st birthday celebration where one receives a stamp on their forehead at The Tombs’ bar to mark becoming legal. In past years,

The Tombs has also hosted the 99 Days Club, which challenges participants to make a purchase at The Tombs for 99 straight days, for which their reward is the immortalization of their name on the restaurant’s wall.

Asteriadis said she was excited to finally have her own “Tombs Night” celebration.

“Since freshman year, everyone hears about the day that you turn 21 you get to go and get your forehead stamped,” Asteriadis said. “That was definitely very exciting and kind of just felt like some semblance of having the normal college experience.”

However, a lack of hired staff pushed the opening back to later in the semester.

Prior to the official reopening, The Tombs hosted a preopening pop-up event Oct. 15 and 16, in which they welcomed guests on a first come, first served basis. The pop-up event was a slightly scaledback version of what The Tombs looked like during the official reopening, according to Josh Markowitz, manager of Clyde’s Restaurant Group, which oversees The Tombs.

Stacie Hartman (SFS ’21), who was not able to celebrate many of her friends’ Tombs Nights as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, returned to The Tombs for the pop-up event to reunite with friends from college and get her forehead stamped.

“Going back now was a bit different because I didn’t have my whole class there but it was still just as fun especially because a lot of class of 2020 and 2021 alumni were back on the opening night,” Hartman wrote in an email to The Hoya.

Since the pop-up event

coincided with Georgetown Family Weekend, parents and alumni, like Liz Moyer (SFS ’89), were back on campus and had the opportunity to relive their time at Georgetown and The Tombs (Full disclosure: Moyer previously served as editor in chief of The Hoya).

“It was exactly the same room, they haven’t changed the decor at all, and it still smells like beer,” Moyer said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “It was wonderful, and it’s just fun to be there again especially after what’s been going on the last couple of years.”

The Tombs has always been an important part of the Georgetown community.

Its close proximity to campus has made it a convenient gathering place for students over the years, according to Moyer, who went to The Tombs frequently while studying at Georgetown.

“That was our go to place because it’s right there, and we were kind of lazy,” Moyer said. “The Tombs was where you went if you wanted to eat actual food.”

Beyond its role as a popular restaurant and bar for the Georgetown community, The Tombs also offers students opportunities for employment. Georgetown students make up the majority of both customers and employees.

According to Markowitz, as The Tombs reopens, it will once again reassume its position as a staple hangout spot for the Georgetown neighborhood.

“It was designed to be part of the Georgetown community,” Markowitz said. “Ideally, people are either at school, in their dorms, or at The Tombs.”

GUSA Executives Reflect on Term Progress, Remaining Goals The following has been edited for town and have to try and engage emotions. There’s a really big thing the system that exists. A big part the other individuals, regardless Katie Hawkinson and length and clarity. in this educational environment. in regards to liability with admin- of what I want to do is work on of our personal relationships with Harrison McBride Hoya Staff Writers

The Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) executive is focused on crisis management and implementing long-term positive change for vulnerable communities on campus, according to the BlassSanchez administration.

GUSA President Nile Blass (COL ’22) and Vice President Nicole Sanchez (SFS ’22) were first elected during the 2021 GUSA executive elections. Since assuming office in May 2021, the pair has overseen advocacy efforts as the larger Georgetown student body has returned to campus for the first time in two years.

Blass and Sanchez joined The Hoya in an Oct. 25 Q&A to discuss their administration’s successes over halfway through their term, the ongoing projects they are leading, as well as their goals for the remainder of their time as GUSA executives. Below is an excerpt from the interview. For a more complete overview of the interview, please refer to The Hoya’s podcast recap of the Q&A.

What has been your administration’s biggest accomplishment? What was the biggest challenge you faced in accomplishing this, and how did you overcome it?

Blass: A lot of this semester has been emergency needs, things that weren’t predicted. So I’m proud of everything that we’ve done, but it’s very important for me to be doing tangible and deliberate work, and I think that a lot of times GUSA can be doing things behind the scenes having a lot of dialogues, but what the student body is actually able to receive and meaningfully engage in is limited.

I think that the work that we did from February when we first took office into now is the CARES Act one, two and then the ARP Act. I think that financial restitution for students who are struggling not just as it relates to the pandemic and those circumstances, but as it relates to just different experiences and perspectives with which people have to come into George-

Sanchez: One of the biggest challenges about being in GUSA in general is that you’re always constantly responding to crisis and a lot of times the infrastructure of how the school works, and then also just the club that we are in really prevents us sometimes from pushing a lot of work that’s not crisis work aside. I would say that one of our biggest achievements, at least for me, is the financial assistance that just came out for meal plans. I say it is a big achievement for us because we worked on it for months.

How has working with the university administration been?

Sanchez: We do surveys, we collect information and we share those testimonies with students allowing us to, to say hey, ‘This is what students are telling us,’ and administrators tell us straight to our face to stop exaggerating, using hyperboles, basically calling us liars during meetings. They have downplayed student feelings and

istrators where any negative thing that happens to any student on campus, the school can be held liable for, so they’re very specific on how they take accountability, which is something we’ve really had issues with: accountability and communication.

What have you yet to accomplish that you hope to do before the end of your term?

fixing that and addressing leave of absence and forced leave of absence, and how students are kind of coerced into it. I’m standing by this because I’ve experienced this and I’ve heard many other students with the same experience.

Blass: Georgetown banks on the idea that we leave in four years. So, even if we give them the worst four years of their lives, John DeGoia, Joseph Ferrara, all

them or whether they’re amicable and supportive of the work that we’re doing, we leave. So they can stay, they can write us out and even with the GU272 and are doing so much more work on that.

One of my biggest priorities is the change that withstands after we’re gone because a lot of other things rely on the people who are coming after us not being focused and engaged and following up on everything else that we’re doing.

Sanchez: Two of the things that I’m extremely passionate about and we’re kind of already working on are one, mental health and leave of absence. I know there’s a lot of controversy about how that gets done in relation to CAPS and GUPD and Georgetown’s Hospital and their mental health ward, because a lot of students have had negative experiences, including me, and that can be very traumatizing and negatively affecting the academic record. The system that’s KASSIDY ANGELO/THE HOYA in place creates that really toxic The GUSA Executive sat down with The Hoya to talk and negative experience for students is institutionalized and in about their progress and future goals as campus leaders.

A6 | THE HOYA

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021

NEWS

GUSA Approves Referendum To Abolish Executive, Senate

GULC Files Complaint Against Facebook for Violent Content GULC, from A1 works with clients facing discrimination or constitutional rights infringement, is representing Parker in the complaint.

In February 2020, the clinic represented him in a similar complaint against YouTube and Google.

After receiving the complaint, the FTC can choose to perform an investigation into Facebook, which could lead to legal settlements, lawsuits, fines or other enforcement actions, depending on the findings of the initial investigation, according to the FTC’s website.

Facebook violated a contract with users by not removing reported content that violates its terms, according to Abby Rickeman (LAW ’22), one of the students working with the clinic on the complaint.

“If Facebook is saying that they’re going to remove content that is harmful, especially when family members or relatives report the videos of their relatives being harmed, and they’re not doing that, I think that results in a deceptive trade practice,” Rickeman said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “It’s a breach of the agreement between users and Facebook.”

The complaint specifically

calls on the FTC to investigate and bring an enforcement action against Facebook for violating their terms of service, a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits “deceptive acts,” according to a copy of the complaint obtained by The Hoya.

“Mr. Parker and families who have experienced similar tragedies do not deserve to endure the pain of knowing others

“They could take this stuff down, but they don’t want to because they monetize it. They profit from Alison’s murder.”

ANDY PARKER ALISON PARKER’S FATHER

posted, according to a Facebook company spokesperson.

“These videos violate our policies and we are continuing to remove them from the platform as we have been doing since this disturbing incident first occurred,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We are also continuing to proactively detect and remove visually similar videos when they are uploaded.”

Now that the complaint has been filed, Parker and the clinic are awaiting a response from the FTC on whether the agency will pursue an investigation into the complaint; however, the FTC is not required to respond by a specific date.

It is time for Facebook and other social media sites to take responsibility for their content and regulate it correctly and truthfully to consumers, according to Parker.

“It’s time to grow a conscience and do something for this country,” Parker said. “For all the good that YouTube and Google and Facebook do, there’s a lot of just really bad stuff that they’re letting go, and they monetize it, they profit off of it. They’ll deny it, but we know better.”

are deriving pleasure from the deaths of their loved ones. FTC action to prevent continued harmful consumer deception is both appropriate and necessary,” the complaint reads.

Facebook has been working to remove these videos from its Please refer to the online version platform and is continuing to of this article for on- and off-camremove similar content as it is pus resources.

JULIA ALVEY/THE HOYA

GUSA approved a student referendum to abolish the GUSA Senate and Executive branches, instead replacing the bodies with a student activist assembly.

REFERENDUM, from A1 to introduce the referendum.

“GUSA will no longer be structured like a national government. It will be a student government first and foremost,” Balçay said in an interview with The Hoya. “People that you elect will not be voting on legislation that doesn’t go anywhere. They will be doing the job you elect them for.”

Currently, GUSA is composed of three branches: the GUSA Executive, which consists of the president and vice president and oversees executive advocacy efforts; the GUSA Senate, which represents each class and passes resolutions; and the Constitutional Council, which determines if GUSA actions adhere to the organization’s constitution and bylaws.

Because the referendum is an amendment to the GUSA Constitution, to implement the proposed changes, at least two-thirds of voters must support the change with at least a 25% voter turnout among the student body. Low voter turnout has thwarted previous efforts to restructure GUSA. Student involvement in the restructuring process is a key priority for GUSA, according to GUSA Senate Speaker Leo Rassieur (COL ’22).

“Members of the Senate are working tirelessly to promote the referendum and make sure that the student body is informed on how to vote, regardless of whether they vote in favor of or against a restruc-

tured GUSA,” Rassieur said in an email to The Hoya. “We will be holding a town hall, flyering, and doing anything else we can to get the word out and get folks talking about the referendum in anticipation of the election.”

However, some senators and students have raised objections to the referendum because of confusion over simultaneous GUSA Senate elections for the Class of 2025. The ballot for the November elections will simultaneously include elections for new senators in addition to the referendum vote.

As part of his objections to the restructuring referendum, GUSA Senator Zev Burton (SFS ’22) introduced an alternative proposal at the Oct. 17 meeting; however, the move was not brought forward for a vote.

First-year students have not been able to effectively voice their opinions about the referendum because they do not have any representatives in GUSA yet, according to Burton.

“The freshmen are the ones that are going to be impacted the most by this because they will be here another three years.

Yet, they are not in the senate.

They weren’t able to approve the referendum,” Burton said in an interview with The Hoya. “It’s not like they will never be in the senate — we’ll have representatives in about two weeks when they would be able to speak their minds. It’s just shocking to me that people are willing to exclude 25% of the student body.”

GUSA should have held a restructuring referendum after

first-year students had voted for senators in the Nov. 6 elections, according to Joe Massaua (SFS ’25), who opposes the referendum and was present at the Oct. 17 meeting.

“For students to be voting at the same time for new senators and also voting to essentially abolish the senate or transition it to a new organization is wrong,” Massaua said in a phone interview with The Hoya.

“What would have been better was to have it as a separate question, and what they’re doing is gaming the election to reach the vote threshold.”

GUSA will still pursue the restructuring plan despite these concerns, however, to ensure that students see immediate changes to the organization, according to GUSA Vice President Nicole Sanchez (SFS ’22).

“In waiting, there’s always going to be a class who is not part of the discussion. There’s always going to be a group that’s going to be left out, and the truth is that we cannot keep pushing this back in the hopes that maybe next year everyone’s going to feel included,” Sanchez said in a phone interview with The Hoya.

“Those who actively want to be a part of the restructuring process have the opportunity to.”

Despite student concerns, the referendum’s sponsors remain optimistic it will be successful, according to Balçay.

“I think it will be an overwhelming majority,” Balçay said.

“These are very common-sense changes and things that students have been asking for years.”

Student Activism Propels Financial Aid for Required Meal Plans MEAL PLAN, from A1 outraged students, prompting the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) to take action.

Owen O’Brien Powers (COL ’22), a senior who lives on campus and is therefore required to purchase the meal plan, said the university’s decision to provide financial aid gives students greater agency.

“Whether students choose to apply for the aid or not, it reduces an experience many students have articulated if being forced to spend money the simply do not have,” O’Brien Powers wrote in an email to The Hoya.

Students activists have been demanding reform surrounding campus dining options since this summer. For instance, in August, the GUSA Senate unanimously passed a resolution demanding cheaper meal plan options for all students living on campus, including the provision that juniors and seniors be exempt from purchasing a meal plan with a refund of their meal plan charges.

The university will award aid in accordance with students’ expected family contribution, and decisions will not impact

students’ current or future financial aid packages, according to the email.

GUSA worked with the university to write the policy, according to GUSA Senate Speaker Leo Rassieur (COL ’22).

“GUSA played a very integral role compared to previous policies rolled out by the administration,” Rassieur said in a Zoom interview with The Hoya.

“This time they actively asked us to help draft the language and give a sense of what students would be looking for and so because of our feedback.”

Originally the university was not willing to change its meal plan policy midway through the semester, according to Rassieur.

“From the beginning we were advocating for a repeal of the current meal plan requirement to return it to what it looked like in previous years,” Rassieur said. “The administration was very constrained on that and said that they really had no intention to change the meal plan requirement in the middle of the semester.”

GUSA initially reached out to the administration regarding meal plans last month over concerns about safety in Leo J. O’Donovan Dining Hall, the only dining hall on campus,

after more than 140 campus community members exhibited symptoms consistent with norovirus, according to GUSA Senate Vice Speaker Rowlie Flores (SFS ’22).

“What first started as a public health meeting immediately became subsequent meetings on the meal plan as we advocated for exemptions to be made for juniors and seniors, a policy the university had implemented prior to the pandemic,” Flores wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Due to the urgency of the matter, we met practically every week.”

Flores said GUSA plans to hold conversations with the administration about meal plan policies for the spring semester. While the financial assistance program for meal plans is a start, Flores said meal plans still contribute to food insecurity.

“This financial assistance program is a great start but regardless of a student’s financial status, it is important to consider their urgency to make their own choices in regards to their living situation,” Flores wrote.

“Requiring students to be on a meal plan limits their options by a lot and is a reason why food insecurity occurs.”

Howard University Students Fight Unsafe Living Conditions

HOWARD UNIVERSITY/FACEBOOK

Howard students have documented mold, poor ventilation, leaking pipes, pests and even mushrooms growing from ceilings in their dormitories.

HOWARD, from A1 let down. We are the victims in this story,” the Blackburn Takeover Family wrote in a letter to the editor published

by The Hilltop, Howard University’s student-operated newspaper.

Howard students involved in the Live Movement, a coalition of current and former students fighting for the advancement of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Black students, organized the Blackburn protest.

Since the start of the takeover, the organization has used social media to raise money for donations to buy supplies.

Clodomir Jean-Louis, a Howard University School of Law student and member of the Blackburn Takeover Advisory Council, said the safety concerns justify student outrage.

“I would challenge that the university has failed their job as steward of these particular students that are protesting and potentially all students on campus,” Jean-Louis said in a phone interview with The Hoya.

Howard University did not respond to The Hoya’s request for comment.

Now, Georgetown University students are standing in solidarity with Howard activists by delivering supplies to those occupying Blackburn. The Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) and the Georgetown Black Student Alliance (BSA) traveled to Howard on Oct. 14 to distribute materials like hygiene products, clothing, pillows and prepackaged

food, according to GUSA President and BSA President Nile Blass (COL ’22).

“People were speaking about their personal experiences and how the indifference and oftentimes misaction of the Howard University administration has harmed them,” Blass said in a phone interview with The Hoya.

Blass said uplifting the voices of Howard students and the Live Movement is essential.

“We don’t actually need to speak for the Howard University students — they’ve organized, they’ve made it very clear what is unacceptable of the situation, and specific ways in which they seek restitution,” Blass said.

“So amplifying the voices of Black and Brown students at Howard has been a big part.”

In addition to disciplinary threats by university officials, police officers in the Howard Department of Public Safety have also used force against those occupying the building; an Oct. 23 Instagram live video shows a Howard police officer pushing students gathered in front of the Blackburn building, as well as threatening to use their baton.

Activists have also demanded that student, graduate and faculty voting power be reinstated to the Howard board of trustees. In June, the university announced it would phase out student, graduate and faculty influence in board decisions after it completed a review, consulting an outside firm and

interviewing over 40 campus community members.

Jean-Louis said the removal of student, graduate and faculty voting power from the board of trustees sends the message that Howard does not trust them.

“When you remove student representation from the governing body of the university, when you remove alumni and faculty representation, they’re essentially saying we don’t want to be transparent anymore,” Jean-Louis said.

According to Aaron Booe, sophomore at Howard and the founder and chairperson of the Claudia Jones Club, a studentrun club that aims to advance political education grounded in the struggles of oppressed people with a vision of liberation, the board of trustees limits the university’s response to student demands.

“Universities are private institutions, so naturally they’re going to be beholden to the board of trustees who run their universities,” Booe said in an interview with The Hoya.

The issues that students occupying Blackburn are fighting against are part of a long history of administrative failings, according to Jean-Louis.

“This university has a lot of good things about it, a lot, and I would say they’re mostly because of the students and the faculty,” JeanLouis said. “When it comes to the administration, and the university processes, the operation, there are some core issues there that have never been thoroughly resolved.”

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The Corp, GUASFCU Sell Matcha To Raise Money for GU Mutual Aid Daniella Arevalo Special to The Hoya

The Corp and the Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union (GUASFCU) launched a partnership Oct. 18 to raise money for Georgetown University Mutual Aid (GU Mutual Aid) by selling matcha lattes.

During the event, Matcha for Mutual Aid, which took place from Oct. 18 to 22, GUASFCU, a student-run credit union, matched money made by sales of matcha latte drinks sold at various Corp locations. Ultimately, the partnership was able to raise over $1,000, according to Matt Davis (SFS ’22), CEO of The Corp.

The Corp chose to launch Matcha for Mutual Aid in order to help advocate on behalf of GU Mutual Aid, according to Davis.

“We know that we occupy a really special role in Georgetown because we do have legitimacy being in the form of a business, and we can use that to advocate on behalf of students and commit real change, specifically monetary incentives for student groups who don’t have the business element that we do,” Davis said in a Zoom interview with The Hoya.

GUASFCU chose to partner with The Corp to support GU Mutual Aid and the broader Georgetown community, according to Victoria Smith (COL ’22), chief marketing officer of GUASFCU. “The Corp is one of our Rewards partners at GUASFCU and being another club on campus we wanted to do something meaningful together. Both institutions offer unique services to students on campus and we wanted to do something that gave back to the whole community,” Smith wrote in a message to The Hoya. “Mutual Aid plays such a crucial role in supporting students on campus and we wanted to contribute to their efforts.”

The Corp tracked matcha sales through their point-of-sale system on their storefront iPads, which showed an increase in matchas sold, according to Davis.

The large amount of money donated to GU Mutual Aid represents the Georgetown community’s strong support for mutual aid, according to Davis.

“We totally surpassed $1,000 by the end of the week, so definitely an increase in orders,” Davis said.

“It definitely doesn’t mean more people want matcha — it shows

that students really want to give to Mutual Aid and recognize that this is one of the strongest things to come out of COVID.” GU Mutual Aid is grateful to those who participated in the event, according to GU Mutual Aid Co-Founder Megan Huynh (NHS ’22).

“Because we’ve been running low on funds, we’re really grateful for the Corp and GUASFCU for hosting Matcha for Mutual Aid, as well as everyone who bought matcha this past week to support us,” Huynh wrote in an email to The Hoya. “All the money will go directly back into supporting Georgetown students in need of funding for their basic needs like groceries and clothing.”

Since classes began this semester, GU Mutual Aid has received an influx of requests from students on campus. As a result, GU Mutual Aid has been forced to close its request form multiple times because of a lack of community donations.

In the past, when GU Mutual Aid closed its request form, student organizations on campus, including The Corp, launched initiatives to support donations to the organization. Last spring,

JESSICA LIN/THE HOYA

The Corp and the Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union partnered to raise money for GU Mutual Aid by matching matcha sales from Oct. 18 to 22.

The Corp and GU Mutual Aid collaborated to collect and distribute unused Flex dollars, which can be used at dining locations on campus, to help curb campus food insecurity. GUASFCU and The Corp originally agreed to host Matcha for Mutual Aid in February 2021, according to Davis.

Supporting GU Mutual Aid is a cause that should continue to grow, according to Rosalind Tran (NHS ’22), who bought matcha during the event.

“I thought that if my flex dollars were to go towards anything,

Matcha for Mutual Aid would be a pretty good one,” Tran wrote in an email to The Hoya. “I would like to see support for GU Mutual Aid grow going forward.”

GUASFCU considers the initiative a success and hopes to collaborate with GU Mutual Aid in the future, according to Smith.

“Mutual Aid is such an important organization on campus and considering how well this fundraiser went I think there is a lot of potential to collaborate with them in the future,” Smith wrote. “We would love to work

with Mutual Aid more and hear from them on how best we can help and learn more about how we can collectively contribute to the community.”

Collaborations between GU Mutual Aid and other campus organizations are powerful community-building tools, according to Huynh.

“Collaborating with on-campus organizations is one of the best ways for us to build community with one another, while also spreading the mission of Georgetown Mutual Aid,” Huynh wrote.

GU Entrepreneurship Panel: Church Reform Initiative Announces Critical To Combating Bark Tank Finalists Clerical Sexual Abuse Eli Blumenfeld

Special to The Hoya

For eight teams of undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurs, five minutes stands between them and a shot at $100,000 in cash prizes.

The groups are set to compete in “Bark Tank,” an annual entrepreneurship competition that provides cash prizes for undergraduate and graduate students looking to launch business ventures. Announced Oct. 21, this year’s eight finalists will compete Nov. 4 for the title, with the overall winner receiving $30,000.

Bark Tank gives students the opportunity to solve problems that affect their communities, according to Jeffrey Reid, a Georgetown University professor and founder of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, which oversees Bark Tank.

“The reality is entrepreneurs are solving problems and creating value in society, but sometimes there is a mistake in the belief that it’s all just about making money,” Reid said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “Our competitions really highlight the fact that these students and these companies, they’re trying to solve a problem that’s really meaningful to the world.”

The Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative first established Bark Tank in 2009 after Ted Leonsis (COL ’77), CEO of sports entertainment company Monumental Sports & Entertainment, created the Leonsis

“Its seems to be growing bigger every year in terms of excitement around it.

We hope to keep this going for a long time.”

JEFFREY REID Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative Founder

Family Entrepreneurship Prize, which directly funds the annual cash prizes to Bark Tank competitors.

The Leonsis Family Entrepreneurship Prize allows more Georgetown students to launch their own businesses, according to Reid.

“The fact we have so many great student entrepreneurs competing for this prize is a sign that our overall community is more and more engaged in entrepreneurial activities,” Reid said. “Georgetown should be one of the world’s best universities for entrepreneurship, and I think we’re quickly becoming that with Bark Tank becoming one of the biggest, high-profile events that really celebrates student entrepreneurs.”

In order to take part in the pitch competition, students must meet certain criteria, in-

cluding specific rules around eligible business ventures. Prior to the competition, members of the Georgetown community nominate candidates to compete. Nominated candidates are then required to complete a written application, which is reviewed by an internal committee that ultimately selects finalists for the pitch competition.

Once selected as finalists, groups are given three weeks to create a final three-minute presentation with the help of mentors from the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative. After giving the final presentation, the group undergoes a five-minute question-and-answer section before a judging panel ultimately names the winner and allocates cash prizes to finalists.

The 2021 Bark Tank finalists include Bibti, a mobile application that provides women with travel buddies; Joylet, an online baby gear renter; Chow Corp, a company helping veteran families find careers using food trucks; and Bellavant, a wedding platform matching couples with qualified vendors.

The group of finalists also includes DAIGON, a server that fosters friendly competition and hosts training games for video game users; Map-Collective Inc., a carbon-tracking and supply chain transparency platform; STAFM Technologies, an innovative axial flux electric motor; and Compost’d LLC, an in-home compost initiative.

The competition has brought together great student entrepreneurs to present innovative and unique ideas within the wider community, according to Rory Brogan (MBA ’22) of STAFM Technologies.

“In terms of looking at the whole scope of the competition, I think it’s an incredible group of people. I am very, very honored to have been included in it — very humbled by that. And I’m excited to see what everyone else is thinking, what they come up with, and think it will be a great competition,” Brogan said in a phone interview with The Hoya.

Participating in Bark Tank has also provided competitors with valuable mentorship opportunities from the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, according to Elliot Mack (SFS ’22), founder of DAIGON. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without our cofounder or the university,” Mack said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “The entrepreneurial ecosystem here at Georgetown has been great.

The Summer Launch Incubator helped us take this project from an idea to a reality.”

Ultimately, the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative hopes to continue to expand the impact of Bark Tank in the future, according to Reid.

“It seems to be growing bigger every year in terms of excitement around it. We hope to keep this going for a long time,” Reid said.

Joshua Moschetto Special to The Hoya

Content Warning: This article discusses clerical sexual abuse.

Please refer to the online article for on- and off-campus resources.

The Roman Catholic Church, as well as society at large, has a responsibility to create networks of support and foster empathy for survivors of clerical sexual abuse, panelists said at an Oct. 25 event.

The virtual event, titled “Lifting Up the Voices of Female Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse,” invited four survivors of clerical sexual abuse to share their perspectives on preventing future abuse. The event was co-sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought in Public Life, the Office of Mission and Ministry, the Georgetown Law Office of Mission and Ministry, the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, and Awake Milwaukee.

Survivors of sexual abuse need to know that their body’s traumatic response is a form of protection, according to panelist Kathryn Walczyk, a spiritual companion, writer and survivor of clergy sexual abuse.

“It’s natural to me to share what happens to the body and to know how my body was not against me,” Walczyk said at the event. “To learn the trauma science, that my body was learning to protect me. It

wanted to save me from this spiritual injury. That’s why I responded in trauma.”

Sexual violence can have psychological and physical effects on a survivor. Post-traumatic stress disorder and feelings of anxiety, stress or fear are typical after a traumatic event and can make adjusting afterward difficult, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

Dr. Deborah Rodriguez, a pediatrician with expertise in trauma-informed care and a survivor of clergy sexual abuse, called for greater societal attention to supporting survivors.

“There are superheroes everywhere in the world, but they have the worst superpower, and that is invisibility,” Rodriguez said at the event. “In other words, we can’t see these beautiful gems of people right in front of us. Much like the survivors before us, we are hidden in plain sight.”

In December 2018, the Illinois state attorney general office identified child sexual abuse accusations against at least 500 Catholic priests or clergy members not publicly named by the church, many of which were not properly investigated. In July 2020, the Vatican published guidelines for clergy to report cases of sexual abuse.

Georgetown University has reckoned with its own connections to clerical sexual abuse in recent years. There are currently 16 publicly known church officials accused of sexual assault

@GUBERKLEYCENTER/TWITTER

Panelists called on Catholic leadership to create support systems for survivors of sexual abuse at an Oct. 25 event. that are affiliated with Georgetown. In September 2021, multiple survivors came forward against former Provost Donald J. Freeze, following initial allegations from an individual survivor in June 2021 that resulted in administrators revoking Freeze’s honorary degree.

The Catholic Church must have empathy for survivors in order to solve the clergy sexual abuse crisis, according to panelist Carol Longsdorf, an elementary school teacher and survivor of clergy sexual abuse.

“Few people in the world respond with empathy,” Longsdorf said at the event. “So few people, especially within the church, respond to trauma with empathy.

Empathy must be trained and taught because it’s not being taught in our culture.”

In order for women to feel comfortable reporting sexual abuse by clergy officials, the patriarchal nature of the church must be changed, according to Rodriguez.

“I cannot ignore the big elephant in the room,” Rodriguez said. “We live in a church, a Catholic Church, that is male-dominated. And no matter how holy or wonderful or well-meaning

that male person is, there’s still a hierarchy. So imagine if female voices came out sharing our talents and our voices. That would be amazing for our church.”

The Catholic Church does not allow women to join clerical ranks, resulting in an all-male hierarchy. In November 2016, Pope Francis stated that the rule against women’s ordination is likely to last forever. Church reform organizations globally have been pushing for women’s ordination for decades, including the Women’s Ordination Conference, which staged protests at the gates of the Vatican in October 2018.

Rodriguez called on society at large to create a safe environment for survivors of sexual abuse by inviting them to tell their stories when they are ready.

“What can we do?” Rodriguez said. “First of all, just listen. I’d use Kathryn’s word ‘invite.’ Invite. We don’t have to wait for the bishops and the priests and everyone else.

Just, as one another, invite. Invite stories. Invite safety. And then recognize that those of us who have a trauma history are coming with a wound that may still be unhealed.”

DC Partners With Lyft for Free Bikeshare Program Page Kupas

Hoya Staff Writer

Washington, D.C. residents can choose to commute via bicycle for free amid recent Metro delays and disruptions thanks to a new initiative established by city officials.

Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced a partnership with Lyft on Oct. 25 to launch free 30-day Capital Bikeshare memberships for District residents to alleviate transit disruptions caused by currently limited Metro services.

District residents can register for a membership on the Capital Bikeshare or Lyft apps, allowing them to ride the classic model Capital Bikeshare bike for up to 45 minutes free of charge.

The move comes after the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) removed 60% of its Metro trains as part of ongoing investigations following the derailment of a train on the Blue Line on Oct. 12. As a result, trains are delayed, with some lines running only every 30 minutes, leaving riders frustrated about delays and derailments.

WMATA is uncertain about when full service will return, according to WUSA9.

The transit delays are an inconvenience for District residents who rely on the Metro to travel

and commute, according to an Oct. 25 news release from Bowser.

“The service disruptions at Metro are deeply troubling for DC and the region,” Bowser said in the press release. “DC is open and we need a fully functioning transit system to get workers, students, and visitors across the city.”

WMATA is working to restore service while prioritizing commuter safety, according to an Oct. 22 news release from Paul J. Wiedefeld, Metro CEO and general manager.

“We understand it has been a difficult week for people who depend on Metro in the region, and acknowledge the challenges our customers are experiencing,” Wiedefeld said in the press release. “We are working as quickly and safely as possible to inspect every wheel on the 7000-series railcars and it’s important to get that right.”

While District residents wait to return to their usual commutes and transportation options, the Capital Bikeshare membership will make the District more accessible, according to Everett Lott, interim director of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT).

“This initiative will help District residents by lowering the barriers to entry for sustainable transit that operates 24/7 from

over 300 Stations within the District and over 600 stations throughout the region,” Lott wrote in an email to The Hoya.

The District has over 5,000 pedal bikes and 1,000 e-bikes in the region, enough to support the influx of new registrations since the initiative was announced Oct. 25, according to Lott.

While D.C. residents will be able to use the Capital Bikeshare services for only 45 minutes at a time, if riders wish to exceed the period of free service, they will receive a 33% discount for the extra ride time, which is calculated and paid for by the minute.

According to Lott, the free membership does not pose an additional cost to the District and any lost revenue is expected to be recovered in the long run.

“There is no added cost to the District for the free one-month Capital Bikeshare memberships for District Residents,” Lott wrote.

“While we may forego revenue that we would receive from membership sales with the 30-day free membership subscription, we anticipate recovering that revenue from other sources like station advertisements and new membership sales from these new subscribers in the long term.”

Capital Bikeshare is a DDOTfunded program available in the District, as well as other areas

in Maryland and Virginia. All of Capital Bikeshare’s jurisdictions additionally contract with Lyft in order to provide the service, and riders can pay by the minute, day or month to use Capital Bikeshare bikes.

In addition to the Capital Bikeshare announcement, Helbiz, an electric scooter company that offers services in the District, waived its $1 scooter unlocking fee until Nov. 30 in an effort to help District residents access other transportation options.

Still, the District hopes to expand Capital Bikeshare services beyond the Oct. 25 initiative, with plans to invest in additional Capital Bikeshare stations and bikes, as well as the construction of more bike paths and lanes throughout the city.

The Oct. 25 Capital Bikeshare initiative serves as the continuation of the District’s commitment to affordable and available transit options, according to Bowser.

“We have been intentional, over the past several years, about making Capital Bikeshare more accessible and convenient for DC residents, and now we are proud to be able to offer this free one-month membership to every Washingtonian who might need it,” Bowser said in the press release.

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Paralegal Program for Formerly Local Chocolatier Sweetens Incarcerated People Relaunches Georgetown Neighborhood Annalise Myre Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown University Prisons and Justice Initiative (PJI) is relaunching a partnership with the D.C. Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizen Affairs (MORCA) to prepare formerly incarcerated people for careers as paralegals.

In collaboration with Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies (SCS) and the D.C. Department of Employment Services (DOES), the MORCAGeorgetown Paralegal Program will provide students with professional training and work experience in the field of law. This semester, the second class of fellows will complete 12 courses on topics such as legal research and writing, contracts, litigation, ethics and criminal law.

Programs like the MORCAGeorgetown Paralegal Program are important because they empower returning citizens with valuable job skills and experiences, according to SCS Dean Kelly Otter.

“My hope for the program is that we continue to provide a values-based, respectful learning environment: one that empowers returning citizens as they gain new skills and build new professional lives,” Otter wrote in an email to The Hoya. “SCS is proud to support the program by providing its expertise and faculty in the paralegal field.”

The creation of the MORCAGeorgetown Paralegal Program is an embodiment of Georgetown’s value of helping others, according to PJI Director Marc Howard.

“Georgetown has a rich history of service and outreach to incar-

cerated and formerly incarcerated people,” Howard said. “The university’s value of ‘people for others’ compels us to support our neighbors who are returning or recently returned from incarceration.”

The D.C. Mayor’s Office and the DOES did not respond when contacted by The Hoya.

Following the completion of the 16-week program in December, fellows will earn a certificate in paralegal studies from the SCS and will be matched with one-year paid fellowship positions at law firms, nonprofits and government agencies.

The fellowship programs offer employment opportunities not typically available to returning citizens, according to Marcus Dantley, a fellow in this semester’s program.

“These programs are monumental for returning citizens because the potential places of employment are degrading for individuals with little to no experience, certifications, or skills,” Dantley wrote in an email to The Hoya.

“When I learned I was selected, it truly felt like I earned it.”

Formerly incarcerated people in the United States often face higher barriers to employment.

Returning citizens have a 27% unemployment rate — nearly five times higher than the general public’s unemployment. Up to 60% of formerly incarcerated individuals remain unemployed one year after their release, while some begin jobs in the food service industry, construction or warehouse operations.

The MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program helps fellows overcome employment challenges that are typical for returning citizens, according to Howard.

“Many returning citizens find themselves taking the first job they can find to make ends meet,” Howard wrote in an email to The Hoya. “This program is an opportunity for students to invest their time in building the skills and networks they need, and it also provides a direct link to paid, fulltime employment.”

Nine students graduated in the first cohort in the 201819 year, and most were hired to permanent positions after their one-year fellowships. Five graduates also returned to the program to help mentor current participants and provide guidance based on their experiences.

However, even though they have academic support and mentors within the program, formerly incarcerated individuals still have a hard transition back into the workforce and classroom, according to Dantley.

“Some of the biggest challenges are readjusting to a different way of doing things,” Dantley wrote. “It’s very hard to go from survival mode surrounded by predators to study mode surrounded by nerds.”

Still, despite the difficult transition, the MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program has a great impact in helping returning citizens develop new skills and implement them in fields they choose, according to Howard.

“Returning citizens represent a wealth of knowledge and leadership that is so often underutilized,” Howard said. “Initiatives like the Pivot Program and the Paralegal Program create an opportunity for participants to overcome some of the barriers they face and build the kind of future they want for themselves.”

The Washington Ballet Reopens With In-Person Performances

THE WASHINGTON BALLET/FACEBOOK

PETITE SOEUR DC/FACEBOOK

Ashleigh Pearson, accomplished pastry chef and chocolatier, opened her own chocolate shop, Petite Soeur, in the Georgetown neighborhood Oct. 26.

Paige Kupas

Hoya Staff Writer

Hand-painted bonbons and rich butter cookies line the dessert cases at Petite Soeur, a new chocolate shop in the Georgetown neighborhood.

Ashleigh Pearson, an accomplished pastry chef and chocolatier, hosted a soft opening for the first physical Petite Soeur storefront Oct. 26. Pearson’s shop offers nine signature flavored handpainted bonbons, butter sable cookies and wrapped confections at its 1332 Wisconsin Ave. location.

The soft opening served as a way for the staff at Petite Soeur to adjust to business on a smaller scale. Pearson called the opening a success.

“People came just because they saw that we were inside working,” Pearson said.

“They felt welcome to come inside, and people had great reception to the bonbons.”

Pearson, whose childhood dream was to be a veterinarian, originally studied biology as an undergraduate at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her career took a turn when she got a job at Marcel’s, working under Michelin-star chef Robert Wiedmaier. She started as a pastry chef and spent the next decade climbing the ladder to eventually open her own chocolate shop.

Pearson is optimistic that even though she switched to a focus on chocolate within the last four years, she can thrive as a classical chocolatier.

“I guess I feel that makes me newer to it, but I’m still excited about it,” Pearson said. “I feel like I’m bringing a

Special to The Hoya

Dancers with The Washington Ballet returned to the stage last week for their first indoor live performance since February 2020.

The Washington Ballet kicked off the 2021-22 season with the Opening Performance Celebration at the National Building Museum on Oct. 21 and 22.

Dancers showcased their talent for their largest in-person audience since the COVID-19 pandemic forced The Washington Ballet to suspend in-person training and performances.

Returning to stage after such a long hiatus was an emotional and fulfilling experience for Adelaide Clauss, a company dancer with The Washington Ballet, who was thrilled to perform on a stage once again.

“The whole experience was really quite magical; there is something about being on a dark stage with stage lights and an audience that is impossible to replicate,” Clauss wrote in an email to The Hoya. “It was also very gratifying to be able to do it as an entire company, and seeing all of my colleagues up onstage and creating something together with them was wonderful.”

The company had to repurpose the National Building Museum, a museum in Penn Quarter dedicated to architecture and design, into a performance space that could accommodate the company, according to Catherine Eby, the artistic operations manager at The Washington Ballet.

“One of the things that’s so interesting about our first per-

formance being at the National Building Museum is it’s not a traditional theater space,” Eby said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “We built the theater from scratch, we installed all of the seating, we put all of the numbers on the chairs and we did the tickets ourselves, so all of the things that you walk into a theater and you see as an audience member and as a dancer we created from the ground up.”

According to Eby, the dancers performed a variety of ballet pieces in the Opening Performance Celebration that catered to audience members of all ages.

“It was structured a bit like a gala performance,” Eby said.

“It really covered all of the audience members’ love of ballet but also showcased our dancers and their true breadth of experiences in a new and really beautiful way.”

The 2021-22 season includes additional performances like “Swan Lake,” “Giselle” and “NEXTsteps.”

The Washington Ballet is also preparing for its performances of “The Nutcracker” this holiday season, which is a traditional audience favorite, according to Gian Carlo Perez, a company dancer with The Washington Ballet.

“We just started this week with rehearsals, and that’s really exciting because we have families coming to watch the shows every year,” Perez said in a phone interview with The Hoya.

“It’s one of the special moments of the year, because you get to reconnect with that holiday spirit during Christmas.”

As a result of COVID-19 safe-

ty precautions, dancers have been practicing at home and performing virtually, so the return of in-person performances is a welcomed improvement, according to Perez.

“For the last year and a half, before we returned to the studios, we were training here in our homes and taking classes in living rooms and dining rooms, so that was really challenging,” Perez said. “When you go to stage, to a performance again, you get to be exposed in front of an audience, and you get to do what you trained all your life for again.”

The dancers and choreographers had to work hard to make sure that their performances were ready for the stage and the audience, according to Clauss.

“Even when we came back to the studios, it was still a long trajectory to actually get to the place of live performance,” Clauss wrote. “I am so grateful to the audience and our supporters for turning up and supporting us at our performances, because it has been a very long path to get back to in-person performing, and now we have finally gotten there together.”

According to Eby, the Opening Performance Celebration was a wonderful return to the stage for The Washington Ballet, both for the dancers and the audience.

“I think it was the perfect culmination of the anxiety and nerves of returning to the stage but also the absolute elation of witnessing your hard work and the appreciation from the audience,” Eby said. “It was a really beautiful outcome of all of those things together.”

loons and additional products, including chocolate bars, in midNovember, but customers can still visit the store in the meantime, according to Pearson.

One thing that needs to happen before the grand opening is choosing decor for the space, but ideally it will remain neutral so as not to distract from the handpainted bonbons, according to Pearson.

“I love a very simple, clean palette, because the idea is truly to be that you are supposed to come in and your eye is supposed to be immediately drawn to the bonbons, which should be the only colored thing in the space,” Pearson said.

As Petite Soeur opens, capacity restrictions will be in place both in terms of COVID-19 precautions and so each customer receives a oneon-one experience with the staff, according to Pearson.

“Our shop is very small already, so right now we are keeping it to four customers in the shop at one time,” Pearson said. “That gives us the space we need and the guests the space they need.”

Currently, Pearson is the only chocolatier at Petite Soeur, producing 900 to 1,200 bonbons per day, but she is hopeful that as the business grows, she will be able to hire and train the next generation of chocolatiers.

“My goal is to bring on some more people in the kitchen,” Pearson said. “That’s the whole point of the business is to have other young people learn how to do it so that the tradition lives on with chocolate making in general.”

MSB Launches Initiative To Research AI in the Workforce

The Washington Ballet resumed indoor and in-person performances for the first time since February 2020 at the National Building Museum on Oct. 21 and 22. Samantha Sinutko Noelle Cook

fresh perspective, and I have put in the time to really learn the foundations and the classics and how to produce a really technically sound chocolate and bonbon.”

Petite Soeur’s goal is to serve high-quality chocolates and French desserts in a separate atmosphere from the fine dining experience, Pearson said.

“Guests were enjoying these high-end chocolates but only at the end of a Michelin-star, fine-dining meal,” Pearson said. “I had the idea that I think it would be great to take this product out of this environment and put it in a more casual retail environment so that everyone could experience it.”

Just like her hand-decorated chocolates, the story of Petite Soeur — little sister, in French — is infused with Pearson’s personal touch.

The name was inspired by the fact that her three brothers lovingly refer to her as “little sister,” even now that she is grown up.

Pearson has family ties to Washington, D.C., which makes officially opening a chocolate shop in the area particularly exciting.

“This is where my family planted themselves, and we were born here,” Pearson said. “It felt like a full-circle moment.”

Pearson decided to open the first Petite Soeur storefront in Georgetown because the residents of the Georgetown neighborhood are supportive of new businesses, ideas and foods.

Petite Soeur will hold its grand opening with giveaways, social media announcements, bal-

Hoya Staff Writer

The McDonough School of Business launched an initiative Oct. 20 focused on the expansion of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in the workforce.

The initiative, titled “AI, Analytics, and the Future of Work,” will work to promote research, host speakers and develop educational programs which specifically focus on the impacts of technological advancements on economic and social development in the workforce. The initiative will be led by Alberto Rossi, the provost’s distinguished professor of finance, who will determine the vision of the initiative along with an advisory group.

Rapid technological advances have prompted global businesses and universities to re-examine the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and technological development in business, according to Rossi.

“The next generation of business leaders recognizes that traditional solutions no longer apply and that technology is transforming the workplace and changing the skills needed to succeed,” Rossi wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Leading research universities and business schools play an essential role in understanding the impact of these technological changes and equipping business leaders with the knowledge to make informed and principled decisions in this increasingly dynamic workplace environment.”

The MSB is looking forward to building its curricular and research capabilities surrounding topics about technology, according to Paul Almeida, dean of the MSB. “At Georgetown McDonough,

we are focused on preparing our students to excel in emerging fields and lead organizations through the tremendous changes that technological advances are bringing about,” Almeida wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Our new AI, Analytics, and the Future of Work Initiative is focused on exploring how artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, and more are transforming how we work and what we do. ” Within the program’s mission, the initiative will specifically study and develop artificial intelligence algorithms to help with decision-making, assess the role of technology in the workplace and explore how technology can promote inclusivity and equity in society, according to the Oct. 21 announcement of the initiative.

The three focus areas will allow initiative members to study various topics of interest, according to Monica GamezDjokic, visiting assistant professor at the MSB and member of the initiative.

“As a psychologist by training, in my own research I am interested in how people perceive new technology in the workplace and the consequences of these perceptions for their behavior,” Gamez-Djokic wrote in an email to The Hoya. “I’m particularly interested in the implications of perceiving automation as a threat to jobs for political attitudes, social relations, and the type of skills people want to develop to remain competitive.”

The Future of Work Initiative will also collaborate with the MSB’s Business of Sustainability Initiative and MSB faculty-led research centers and institutes, as well as degree pro-

grams within the school, to explore complex issues through a business lens.

The combination of initiatives offered by the MSB will help prepare students for modern challenges, according to Almeida.

“By building our capabilities around the future of work in an interdisciplinary way, faculty who teach across all of our programs — from the undergraduates to master’s students to our Custom Executive Education offerings, and even alumni lifelong learning opportunities — will bring this perspective and knowledge to all McDonough students,” Almeida wrote in the Oct. 21 press release.

“Graduates of our school will be equipped to meet the business challenges posed by AI and new technologies and advance their organizations in a way that values the people behind them.”

While the Future of Work initiative was only launched Oct. 20, the program plans to begin offering events and other opportunities for students in the near future, according to Rossi.

“As we ramp up, we expect to have a stable series of events for students, alumni and policy makers and have a stable set of fellows (students, faculty and external researchers) that contribute to the community through their work and research,” Rossi wrote.

According to Rossi, the initiative’s research will help expand the study of artificial intelligence and technological developments in the business world.

“We envision a world in which technological advances serve people and actively study how new technologies can be deployed to help individuals improve their everyday life and make them more productive members of society,” Rossi wrote.

THE HOYA | A9

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | THEHOYA.COM

NEWS

Students Protest for 24 Hours In Support of Abortion Rights Nick Cohen

Special to The Hoya

Student activists gathered outside the Supreme Court for 24 hours protesting the Texas Heartbeat Act. The 496 Abortion Rally, named for the average number of miles someone living in Texas must travel to get an abortion after the passage of the Texas Heartbeat Act last month, was organized by Georgetown University College Democrats (GUCD) and H*yas for Choice and began at midnight Oct. 23. Over 50 students and community members participated in shifts at the demonstration throughout the day.

The rally helped to raise awareness about the Texas law on campus, according to GUCD vice chair and advocacy director Nico Reyes (COL ’24), who helped to organize the rally.

“By being there for 24 hours, by bringing out so many people to go protest, by spreading our message all over social media, by getting people to talk about it, we made this an issue on campus,” Reyes said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “We made

people talk about it. We made people get educated on it. Those individual events cause ripples.”

The Texas Senate Bill 8, which came into effect Sept. 1, prohibits abortion in most cases and as early as six weeks into pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. The law also prohibits abortions in cases of rape or incest and allows private individuals to sue abortion providors. The Supreme Court has repeatedly refused to block the law; instead, the court has opted to fast-track appeals from the Department of Justice and abortion rights providers in Texas.

Reyes said in addition to rasing awareness on campus, the protest was also to protect abortion rights nationwide.

“What was terrifying about this bill being passed is not only did it affect women in Texas, but it opened the door for every other U.S. state to follow,” Reyes said. “I was incredibly disappointed to see that the Supreme Court didn’t act.”

Individuals outside of the Georgetown community attended the rally, including students from George Washington

University, American University as well as Carleah Summers, a Democratic candidate running to represent Maryland’s 6th District, according to Reyes.

Reyes said organizers chose the Supreme Court because of the institution’s history as a place for activists to gather and inspire change.

“It was pretty incredible to be sitting in the same spot as people who have demanded change throughout history,” Reyes said.

People who do not live in Texas have a duty to advocate for those whose abortions rights are under attack, according to GUCD treasurer Sarah Ackels (MSB ’24), who attened the rally.

“As a woman in Washington D.C., I’m really grateful that I have access to abortion health care, but I definitely have a responsibility to advocate for those who don’t,” Ackels said in a phone interview with The Hoya.

Since the law took effect, abortion rights activists across the country have pushed for abortion protection on the federal level, with the Women’s March holding an abortion rights rally last month at the

SARAH ACKELS/THE HOYA

Georgetown University College Democrats and H*yas for Choice protested for 24 hours in front of the Supreme Court, calling for the court to repeal the Texas Heartbeat Act. steps of the Supreme Court.

Ackels said people must pay attention to the Supreme Court and vote in midterm elections to protect abortion rights.

“Advocacy in any form is never over. I think that being aware and staying on top of what the Supreme Court is doing about this is really imporant, and I also think that voting in midterm

elections can have a high impact on the legislation that gets passed in the future with regard to abortion rights,” Ackels said.

It is vital people advocate for abortion rights, according to Nico Hwang (COL ’23), who participated in the rally.

“We do care about this, we do think that this is an important thing and we do think that this

needs to change,” Hwang said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “I personally think it’s the right thing to do, to advocate for this particular right.”

Reyes said he believes protests have the power to influence future political decisions.

“I know activism can change people, and I want to be a part of that change,” Reyes said.

Western Market Launches New Food Offerings Local Advocacy Groups Form New Coalition To Decriminalize Drugs Eli Blumenfeld

Special to The Hoya

Four new establishments have opened in the Western Market Food Hall since September as part of the building’s continued redevelopment and renovation.

Western Market, a public food space located on The George Washington University’s (GWU) main campus, opened in late September with the four offerings: RAWish, a vegan vendor; Roaming Rooster, a fried chicken restaurant; Capo Deli, a sandwich place; and Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, a lobster and seafood shop. The market additionally plans to open four stalls later this fall, with four more coming in the winter.

According to Tim Hill, vice president of investments for MidAtlantic Realty Partners (MRP) and the developer for Western Market, the combination of different types of vendors was important for the vision for the space.

“We wanted a really eclectic mix of vendors, in terms of price point, regions and health,” Hill said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “We really thought carefully about getting the balance right so that we have a really healthy blend here.”

Housed in a market building constructed in 1802, Western Market features patio seating, socially distanced seating options and large open spaces.

Michael Habtemariam, coowner of Roaming Rooster, chose to open his fourth location in Western Market because of past success in the area.

“We started out as a food truck, and our food truck used to come by GW and used to do really, really good,” Habtemariam

said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “A lot of the students liked our food, so I think it’s a prime location for us.”

According to James Yarborough, co-owner of RAWish, the students and The George Washington University Hospital community will enjoy the type of food that RAWish offers.

“I think particularly with the campus community, the younger population is tending to focus on healthy eating in general, and plant based makes up a decent percentage of that,” Yarborough said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “Also being near a hospital, that tends to have a population that wants to eat healthy.”

Aside from various food options, Western Market hopes to offer other community bonding activities like yoga classes and wine tastings, according to Hill.

“We are focused on getting the rest of the retailers that we’ve leased to open,” Hill said.

“We’re also continuously filling out our events calendar and creating different ways to bring people to the market to build a community here.”

Recent events offered by Western Market include movie nights, live music on the patio, yoga and wine nights. All events were open to the public, though visitors were required to comply with local COVID-19 guidelines, according to Western Market’s website.

With all the food options and events at Western Market, Habtemariam hopes that students will continue to support Western Market as the food market continues to expand.

“I think it’ll be a really good spot for students to come out and try a different variety of

Laetitia Haddad Hoya Staff Writer

@WESTERNMARKETDC/TWITTER

Located in Foggy Bottom, the food hall plans to open eight additional food stalls by the end of the year. foods,” Habtemariam said.

“Once everything is open, it is going to be a good deal.”

Upcoming openings this fall and winter include Greek street food restaurant Alitiko, Guatemalan street food restaurant Nim Ali, Venezuelan restaurant Arepa Zone, Southeast Asian restaurant Bandoola Bowl and Japanese restaurant Sushi Onkei.

Although Western Market is located in Foggy Bottom, it is a space where people from all over the District, including Georgetown University, can gather, according to Yarborough.

“We’re really looking forward to partnering with the Georgetown community,” Yarborough said.

“We’re not that far from Georgetown, so we hope to get kids who come over for a break from their usual dining options.”

According to Hill, Western Market provides delicious food options and a perfect setting to build community in Foggy Bottom.

“We want a group of customers to come, and everyone can get something that they love and then meet up at a table, hang out and spend the afternoon there,” Hill said.

School of Medicine Implements New DEI Track Minoli Ediriweera Special to The Hoya

The Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM) will launch a new academic track focused on improving diversity, equity and inclusion in medical education.

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) program focuses on promoting anti-racism and social justice within the medical community. The DEI track will begin spring 2022 as one of the optional Longitudinal Academic Tracks students are able to participate in alongside their medical education. The tracks aim to promote interdisciplinary learning, collaboration and intellectual curiosity. The program, across all tracks, requires students to participate in leadership development, experiential learning, training modules and a capstone project.

The DEI track was first developed by Dr. L. Tamara Wilson (MED ’21) as her capstone research project after she noticed a significant lack of equity and diversity training for students in medical schools across the nation.

The track begins with foundational modules and leadership training centered around anti-racism, cultural humility and overcoming bias, followed by experiential learning, in which stu-

dents will work directly with community organizations to tackle a specific problem. Students will focus on the roles of discrimination, bias, microaggressions and racism as barriers to equitable health care. The program will culminate in a capstone project to address a DEI issue in the medicine field.

The tracks will create leaders that value diversity, equity and inclusion, who will be able to impact others through their roles and experiences, according to Ann Jay, co-director of the program and associate professor of clinical radiology and otolaryngology.

“Having a dedicated track shows that the medical school is 100% committed to diversity.

The unique part of this track that Dr. Wilson put together is that the goal is not just to learn about diversity issues, but learn how to be a leader in the diversity, equity and inclusion space,” Jay said in a phone interview with The Hoya.

“When we teach our students how to be leaders, then their impact on the world goes well beyond the walls of GUSOM.” The program is one of the first DEI medical tracks of its kind in the country, making the research and creation process more difficult, according to Colin Stewart, associate professor of clinical psychiatry and codirector of the DEI track.

“Part of the issue is that there aren’t really any similar programs at other medical institutions,” Stewart said in a phone interview with the Hoya. “When Dr. Wilson was doing her research on these kinds of programs, she wasn’t really able to find a model program, so it’s not like the curriculum she developed was adapted from blank other school’s program.”

In selecting the first cohort of the track, the directors will work to give students from underrepresented backgrounds opportunities to use their experiences in the program and create change, according to Jay. “We will look at students that are traditionally underrepresented in medicine, have had lived experiences that will help them fulfill the goals of the track, have evidence of previous experiences in DEI and are passionate about making a difference in the DEI space,” Jay said.

Through experiential learning modules and real-world work, students participating in the program will be able to build leadership skills in DEI that will be valuable in all workplaces, according to Stewart.

“If people don’t feel like they can be authentic in the workplace, then you can have that representational diversity, but you’re not really able to capitalize on

it to develop real organizational excellence,” Stewart said. “People are looking for leaders who are able to really enact anti-racist policies, bring about equity within the workplace and vigorously close the gaps in terms of health care inequities.”

In addition to creating leaders focused on DEI, the longitudinal track will exemplify Georgetown’s Jesuit values, according to Lee Jones, dean for medical education.

“At Georgetown, training physicians to care for the whole person — cura personalis — is an essential part of who we are and what we do, and it is a significant reason why students chose to come to Georgetown,” Jones wrote in an email to The Hoya.

The track will also allow students to better serve diverse communities and create positive change in the medical field, according to Jones.

“Our students also want to serve their communities and are eager to learn skills to help them create an inclusive environment for patients and their families — especially one that promotes social justice,” Jones wrote. “We are deeply grateful to Dr. Wilson for her dedication to developing this special track and for her many other lasting contributions to Georgetown.”

Washington, D.C.based activist groups have launched the #DecrimPovertyDC campaign aimed at decriminalizing drug use.

The #DecrimPovertyDC campaign, made up of a coalition of local organizations, including D.C. Justice Lab, the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) and Honoring Individual Power and Strength (HIPS), launched Oct. 21 and aims to decriminalize and destigmatize drug use and possession as well as urge the Council of the District of Columbia to allocate more resources toward support and rehabilitation for drug users. The group has launched a letter-writing campaign to the D.C. city council, encouraging it to take action to decriminalize and destigmatize drug use.

The goal of #DecrimPovertyDC is to destigmatize crimes that are often associated with poverty, according to JeremiahAnthony Righteous-Rogers, a spokesperson for HIPS, a group that organizes compassionate harm reduction services, advocacy and engagement events for communities impacted by sex work and drug use.

“The goal of #DecrimPovertyDC is to decriminalize poverty by working to end stigma, violence, criminalization, and other forms of oppression against people who are target by the state for ‘crimes of poverty,’ including drug use, sex work, housing insecurity, ciritzenship station and incarceration history,” Righteous-Rogers wrote in an email to The Hoya.

Black people are arrested for drug use and possession at a much higher rate than white people in the District. In 2017, 92% of people arrested for marijuana distribution and 75% of people arrested for public consumption were Black.

According to Queen Adesuyi, policy manager for national affairs for DPA, an organization that seeks to reduce the harms of drug use and drug prohibition, the #DecrimPovertyDC campaign seeks to change the narrative regarding drug use, specifically for Black and underresourced communities.

“The goals of the #DecrimPovertyDC campaign are multifaceted — we are a grassroots campaign focused on dismantling DC’s war on drugs, which has disproportionately impacted Black and underresourced communities the hardest,” Adesuyi wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We are in a state of compounded emergencies — between overdose, COVID-19, and housing insecurity.”

According to Patrice Sulton, executive director of D.C. Justice Lab, an organization that advocates for changes to the District’s criminal legal system through law and policy work, decriminalization gives

power back to people.

“Any time you decriminalize anything, whether it’s drugs or sex work, you’re changing the breadth of authority that police officers, prosecutors and prisons have to inflict state violence on the community,” Sulton said in a phone interview with The Hoya.

“Decriminalization is moving power away from state actors back to the community.”

Adesuyi said the launch of the #DecrimPovertyDC campaign calls upon D.C. Council to take actions that help, rather than punish, drug users.

“We are urging for the DC Council to urgently shift how we address drug use and misuse away from a criminal legal issue and actually center evidence-based, public health approaches,” Adesuyi wrote. “For us, this starts by decriminalizing personal use quantities for all drugs, addressing collateral consequences related to drug convictions, and radically investing in harm reduction and public health infrastructures.”

In 2017, D.C. faced one of its deadliest years for overdoserelated fatalities. As a result, D.C. Council voted to legalize the distribution and use of fentanyl test strips. Unknown consumption of fentanyl often contributes to overdose fatalities; these test strips allow individuals to test substances for the synthetic opioid.

D.C. Justice Lab is assisting the #DecrimPovertyDC campaign by advocating for change regarding the decriminalization of drugs from the perspective of policy and the law.

“We are helping spread the word to our networks and other people who are either advocates like us or community members interested in our work and trying to help people shape and inform and push for smarter drug laws here,” Sulton said.

As a result of the efforts of DPA and other advocacy groups, the D.C. Council passed a bill in 2020 that decriminalized drug paraphernalia and permitted organizations to hand out harm reduction supplies, which make drug use safer.

There is support for additional decriminalization efforts in the District, according to Adesuyi, who hopes the #DecrimPovertyDC campaign could turn that support into real policy change.

“It’s no small deal that 83% of Washingtonians support removing criminal penalties for drug possession and investing in health services,” Adesuyi wrote. “This policy is not radical, it is common sense.”

A focus on decriminalization will create a path toward support and compassion, according to Adesuyi.

“It’s time that we stop punishing and stigmatizing people for using drugs, and instead meet people where they are by offering support and resources,” Adesuyi wrote.

A10 | THE HOYA

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021

SPORTS

FIELD HOCKEY

FOOTBALL

GU Loses 2-0 to No. 18 UConn After Hoyas Sneak Past Bucknell, Earn Huskies Score 2 Late-Game Goals Season’s 1st Conference Win Robbie Werdiger Hoya Staff Writer

BRIDGET SIPPEL/THE HOYA

Georgetown women’s field hockey was iced by UConn 2-0 on Friday, Oct. 22.

With the defeat, the Hoyas have now lost 17 straight games to the Huskies.

Cate Camenzind Hoya Staff Writer

On Friday afternoon in Storrs, Connecticut, the Georgetown University women’s field hockey team faced a challenging matchup against fellow Big East contender, the No. 18 University of Connecticut Huskies (9-9-0, 5-1-0 Big East). While the Hoyas kept UConn on its toes through the first half, they suffered a 2-0 loss after a pair of goals in the late stages of the game.

The ball ping-ponged across both ends of the field through the first quarter, with neither team able to gain possession. With just under ten minutes remaining, the Hoyas (8-8-0, 2-4-0 Big East) instigated an offensive penalty corner hoping to clinch an early lead. Despite smooth movement across the circle, the ball slipped under the stick of fifth-year midfielder Ali Cronin, sprawling just wide of the goal post.

Immediately following the missed goal opportunity, UConn transferred the ball towards their attacking end. Quickly offsetting Georgetown’s offensive surge, Husky midfielder McKenna Sergi granted UConn a penalty corner. Georgetown senior goalkeeper Ciara Weets’s diving save successfully blocked a powerful sweep from striker Jessica Dembrowski, sending the ball outside scoring range.

With 12:20 to go in the first half, Georgetown received a green card due to a foul from first-year midfielder and attacker Sophie Towne inside of the defensive circle. The green card initiated yet another Huskies penalty corner opportunity for UConn, but their attempt to score failed as a result of indecisiveness on their attacking end.

Despite playing a man down, Georgetown successfully fended off UConn’s multiple attempts to attack. During the final minutes of the second quarter, the Hoyas had one shot against the Huskies’ six; however, the game was still in either team’s court.

UConn began applying heavy pressure against Georgetown’s defense in the opening minutes of the third quarter. The Huskies issued multiple scoring opportunities to get their name on the board, rebounding consecutive shots off of saves from Weets. After a powerful swing fired out of bounds by the Huskies’ Lindsay Dickinson, the Hoyas had the chance to send the ball outside of their defensive zone.

Georgetown senior attacker Emma Street intercepted a UConn pass in the midfield to find a one-on-one breakaway opportunity for the Hoyas. After beating her final defender she had minimal room to score, sending her shot just wide and

back into UConn’s possession.

With under two minutes to go in the third quarter, the Huskies’ consistent offensive presence issued them their first offensive penalty corner of the second half. Following UConn’s initial deflected shot, the ball danced around the sticks of the Hoyas’ defense. It found its way back to striker Jessica Dembrowski, who gently flicked the ball into the net of the cage, putting UConn up 1-0.

Less than a minute later, another foul on Georgetown’s defense issued a penalty stroke in the Huskies’ favor. Back Claire Jandewerth squared up to take the stroke for UConn, propelling UConn to a two-goal advantage after sending the ball past the pads of Weets.

In the final 15 minutes of the fourth quarter, both teams remained scoreless. UConn was up four shots to Georgetown’s one, but strong goalkeeping efforts from Weets kept the Huskies’ offensive line in check.

Despite the loss, Georgetown displayed composure and grit throughout the game’s entirety against such a challenging opponent, particularly in its defensive end. The Hoyas will return to Cooper Field to face Villanova (6-11-0, 1-5-0 Big East) this Friday at 1 p.m. to round out their final Big East regular season matchup.

BEWARE THE HYPE

Napoli, AC Milan Are Poised For a Close Serie A Title Race Christian Baldari Columnist

Nine games into the Italian Serie A season, early returns suggest the battle for the Scudetto will be fought between only two teams: Napoli and AC Milan.

The team has created a sizable 7-point gap between itself and the next closest competitor, Inter Milan. Napoli and Milan are both unbeaten, and their performances on the ninth match day only strengthened their claims as contenders for a title.

Napoli traveled to Rome’s Stadio Olimpico and tied a strong Roma side in the Derby del Sud — Derby of the South.

The game was scrappy, physical and dramatic — both team’s managers were sent off for arguing with the referee — and both teams had ample opportunities to win the game. It was not pretty, but Napoli churned out yet another positive result, sending a clear message to the rest of the league that it is in it for the long haul.

Similarly, with less than 10 minutes to go in a 2-2 game away to Bologna, Milan scored twice to ensure an emphatic 4-2 victory. Milan’s teams of old would have been demoralized after squandering a lead, but by staying focused and finding a way to win, the Rossoneri showed it has championship-caliber resolve.

Skeptics will point to recent history as a reason to reluctantly trust Milan and Napoli to win the league, and they have a point. Napoli led the league for 21 of 38 match days of the 201718 campaign, but toward the final stretch, it was outpaced

by Juventus, which ultimately toppled Napoli by four points.

Milan, too, was in pole position throughout the first half of

the 2020-21 season, but it lost steam in the second half and finished as a distant second, a full 12 points behind champions Internazionale.

This season, however, feels different. One of the reasons to trust Napoli and Milan is its most likely competitors have glaring deficiencies.

Juventus — winners of nine straight Scudetti from 2011-12 to 2019-20 — have struggled to find reliable scoring options ever since Cristiano Ronaldo left for Manchester United, and the Bianconeri sit in sixth, 13 points behind the joint leaders.

Inter, 7 points behind in third, is faring well under new coach Simone Inzaghi, but at crucial moments its offense misses the dynamism that striker Romelu Lukaku — who signed for Chelsea in August — provided during last season’s title-winning campaign.

And Roma looks much-improved from last season’s seventh-place finish, but it’s only a matter of time before new coach José Mourinho’s notoriously combustible personality begins to erode locker room morale.

Yet to focus exclusively on other teams’ flaws is insulting to Napoli and Milan, because it obscures that both teams are legitimate contenders in their own right.

Under new manager Luciano Spalletti, Napoli has a plethora of attacking options. It can play direct to its strong, pacey striker Victor Osimhen, who has already bagged five league goals, or it could opt for a more technical, possession-style approach through its diminutive wingers Lorenzo Insigne.

However, Napoli is even more dominant on the defensive end of the pitch. Led by center back Kalidou Koulibaly, who has played every minute of every game, the Partenopei have conceded just three goals in nine games, making the team the

stingiest defense in Italy.

Its counterparts to the north, Milan, are also looking to put missed opportunities behind itself.

Despite losing several key players, including strikers Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, winger Ante Rebic and goalkeeper Mike Maignan, to injury at some point this season, Stefano Pioli’s team boasts the second-best offense and the second-best defense in the league.

Although the 40-year-old Ibrahimovic commands much of the spotlight, Milan’s success has been fueled by young players’ improvement. Winger Rafael Leão and attacking midfielder Brahim Diaz, both 22, have formed a devastating partnership in the attacking third, notching seven goals and two assists combined.

Perhaps the most indispensable player for Milan this season has been 21-year-old defensive midfielder Sandro Tonali. In his first season at Milan last season, Tonali — who, as a teenager, was dubbed the next Andrea Pirlo — lost his starting spot after a series of poor performances, and some critics started to wonder whether he would be another failed prospect. This season, though, Tonali has started all but one game and served as the metronome of Milan’s offense, completing 87% of his passes and tallying two goals and one assist.

As both teams look ahead to the rest of the season, they must remember the old adage: “It’s not about how you start; it’s about how you finish.” If neither team is able to sustain its early dominance, it will mean just another season of heartbreak for Milan and Napoli fans.

Christian Baldari is a sophomore in the College. Beware the Hype appears in print and online every other week.

Looking to bounce back from a disappointing 48-14 loss to Holy Cross, Georgetown football edged out Bucknell 29-21 in a tight match on Saturday, Oct. 23, scoring the final 16 points of the game off of two touchdowns in the final six minutes.

The win marked Georgetown’s (2-4, 1-2 Patriot) first road victory over Bucknell (1-6, 0-3 Patriot) since 2015.

Both teams came into the matchup searching for their second victory and first Patriot League win of the season.

Georgetown junior quarterback Pierce Holley’s 251 passing yards helped power the Hoyas’ victory.

Georgetown received the opening kickoff and got off to its quickest start of the season. 25 seconds into the game, Holley connected with senior wide receiver Cameron Crayton for a 70-yard touchdown on his first pass.

Sophomore kicker Conor Hunt easily completed the extra point attempt, giving the Hoyas an early 7-0 lead.

Yet Georgetown could not sustain the lead for long. In his first career start, Bucknell quarterback Ethan Grady came out strong, recording his first career touchdown pass to wide receiver Dominic Lyles on a 31-yard toss with just over six minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Defense dominated the rest of the quarter, as both the Hoyas and the Bison forced and recovered fumbles, taking advantage of the rainy weather and slippery ball.

Georgetown scored first in the second quarter, as Hunt

made a 31-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead with 10:23 remaining in the second quarter.

The Hoyas had the opportunity to score a touchdown, but Bucknell safety Mason Taylor broke up a pass in the endzone.

The Bison put together a solid eight-play, 78-yard drive to retake the lead 14-10 after Grady again found Lyles for a 24-yard touchdown. The play came on a first down with 6:21 left in the second quarter, and the risky play call paid off.

Georgetown pushed down the field on a last-minute drive before halftime. The Hoyas spiked the ball with one second left on the clock and brought the field goal unit out. Despite receiving a high snap, the placeholder put the football in position for Hunt, who connected on the 24-yard kick. At the half, Georgetown trailed by one point, 14-13.

Bucknell received the ball and capitalized on an impressive first drive. Grady found Lyles, who ran a speedy route to create separation from the cornerback, for a 34-yard touchdown pass that increased the Bison’s lead to 21-13.

The Hoyas did not lose motivation and showed their grit, marching down to Bucknell’s four-yard line before ending the drive with a field goal. Though a defensive pass interference call granted Georgetown a first down and multiple opportunities within the red zone to score a touchdown, the Hoyas had to settle for three points.

On the next drive, the Hoyas’ defense stepped up.

With just over two minutes remaining in the third quar-

ter, graduate defensive back Jonathan Honoré came up with a big interception on Georgetown’s ten-yard line, helping to keep the Hoyas in the game.

With just over five minutes of play remaining, Georgetown retook the lead 22-21 for the second time when Holley completed a five-play, 52yard drive with an eight-yard rushing touchdown, his first of the season. Senior running back Herman Moultrie III rushed for a 33-yard touchdown, extending the Hoyas’ lead to eight points.

The Bison hoped to tie the game on their final drive, but with 2:12 remaining, Georgetown junior defensive back Jovone Campbell intercepted Grady near midfield. The Hoyas ran out the clock and secured their first Patriot League win of the season.

The Georgetown offense finally had a strong showing, complementing a solid defense to win the game, and rushing for more yards against Bucknell than in all their previous matchups combined. Moultrie recorded 84 of the Hoyas’ 225 rush yards, while Crayton continued to lead Georgetown’s passing attack with six receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown.

Georgetown football hopes to continue its momentum and pick up another Patriot League win at Cooper Field on Saturday, Oct. 30, when the Hoyas are set to face off against the Lafayette College Leopards (2-5, 1-1 Patriot).

Georgetown has won its past two games against Lafayette and will look to continue that streak with its third-straight win over the Leopards.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Georgetown Tops Seton Hall, Augur Records 5th Consecutive Shutout Maahira Jalan Wadhwa Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown University women’s soccer team defeated the Seton Hall Pirates in an exciting 3-0 blowout in South Orange, N.J., on Sunday, Oct. 24.

The Pirates (6-11-0, 1-80 Big East) put immediate pressure on the undefeated Hoyas (11-0-6, 7-0-2 Big East).

In the third minute, Seton Hall created its first chance of the game when midfielder Laura Hooper shot the ball towards the bottom center of the goal. Georgetown junior goalkeeper Allie Augur made a comfortable save to block the effort.

Georgetown had many opportunities to score early on, but failed to capitalize on them. Hoya first-year midfielder Eliza Turner took Georgetown’s first shot 10 minutes in to play, but her kick sailed over the crossbar. Junior midfielder Julia Leas took Georgetown’s first shot on target in the 14th minute, but her attempt was saved by Pirates goalkeeper Grace Gordon.

In the 22nd minute, the Hoyas secured a free kick.

Senior midfielder Maya Fernandez-Powell crossed the ball at a height and found the head of graduate defender Kelly Ann Livingstone inside Seton Hall’s penalty area. Livingstone headed the ball towards graduate defender Sydney Cummmings.

Cummings found the back of the net, giving the Hoyas a 1-0 lead.

Georgetown Head Coach David Nolan made five substitutions for Georgetown after Cummings’s goal, and the Pirates also made two substitutions. The Hoyas and the Pirates took one shot each on goal before the end of the first period, but both teams failed to change the score.

By the end of the first half, Georgetown was up by one goal and had outshot the Pirates 6-2. The Hoyas had also secured three corners while the Pirates had none.

The second half of the

ANNA YUAN/THE HOYA

In its 3-0 road victory over Seton Hall, Georgetown dominated offensively, outshooting the Pirates 15-5 and keeping the ball in its attacking half. game began after several changes to the starting lineup of both teams. The Hoyas started off strong, putting pressure on the Pirates and managing a series of attempts on goal.

Gordon struggled as Cummings and Hoya sophomore midfielder Tatum Lenain took grounded shots towards the bottom center of the goal. At the one hour mark, Gordon came up big with a save, blocking Fernandez-Powell’s shot.

The Pirates also created a few chances on goal. Just a few minutes before the hour mark, they secured their first corner kick of the game, in which Augur easily caught the ball. Midfielder Cara Milne-Redhead later shot the ball towards the bottom left of the goal, but Augur again made the save.

The Hoyas put constant pressure on the Pirates for the remainder of the game.

In the 63rd minute, Fernandez-Powell took a corner, crossing the ball towards Leas. Gordon came out of the goal to punch the ball away, but Leas got to it first. Leas’ goal increased the Hoyas’ lead to a comfortable 2-0.

Fernandez-Powell later

took a free kick for the Hoyas, kicking from just outside the Pirates’ penalty area and putting the Hoyas in great position. Fernandez-Powell lofted the ball into the box, where Livingstone dodged Seton Hall’s defense to take the header. Gordon attempted to stop Livingstone’s header, but was unsuccessful. The ball bounced off Gordon’s gloves and into the goal, giving Fernandez-Powell her third assist of the game and the Hoyas a lead of 3-0.

The rest of the game was marked by many fouls from both Georgetown and Seton Hall. After the Hoyas’ third goal, the Pirates committed four fouls, while the Hoyas committed two. Seton Hall tried to fight back and even the score, taking two more shots but failing to score.

The game ended in a 3-0 victory for the Hoyas. The Hoyas outshot the Pirates 15-5 and secured six corners in total, compared to the Pirates’ two.

The Hoyas look to keep up their winning momentum on Shaw Field against the University of Connecticut Huskies (8-7-1, 4-4-1 Big East) on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. EST.

THE HOYA | A11

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | THEHOYA.COM

SPORTS NEWS

SWIMMING & DIVING

Hoya Legends Honored in NBA75 NBA75, from A12

GUHOYAS

Georgetown men’s swimming earned the top three spots in eight of its 16 events in a win over NJIT.

GU Men’s Swimming Undefeated, Women Face 1st Season Loss During the second half of the meet, Georgetown’s women’s team went on a winning streak, winning three events in a row, yet it was not enough to make up the difference against the Huskies.

Georgetown first-year Maddie Haley started the winning streak by taking first in the 200-yard backstroke. She finished with a time of 2:05.63, just over a second ahead of UConn’s Caitlin Spencer.

Hoya sophomore Erin Hood maintained Georgetown’s winning ways, finishing with the top time in the women’s 200-yard breaststroke event. Hood finished with a time of 2:24.68, followed closely behind by UConn swimmer Katelyn Walsh, who finished in 2:25.41.

Junior Corey Moon capped off the Hoya’s run with a victory in the 500-yard freestyle. Moon finished with a time of 5:10.65 with junior Ryan Evangelista taking second in the event, followed by senior Lilly Clisham.

The final event won by the Georgetown women’s team was the 200-yard individual medley. All three UConn swimmers were disqualified, giving the Hoyas the top two spots.

Hood finished first with a time of 2:08.21 and sophomore Hailey Harkins finished in 2:15.49.

Up next for the Hoyas is a matchup for both squads against Big East rival Villanova. The matchup is the first for the Wildcats’ men’s team, while the Villanova women’s squad will look to continue an undefeated start. The Georgetown women’s team will face off against a Villanova women’s team that has won every Big East championship since 2014.

The meet is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 30 at McCarthy Pool.

SWIM & DIVE, from A12

rival Villanova, the reigning Big East champions, after a strong 2-0 start. This was the first meet of the year for the NJIT men’s team, after its previous meet against La Salle University was postponed.

The men’s team dominated most of its meet, sweeping the podium in eight of the 16 events, while the women’s team finished in the top spot of six events.

The Georgetown men’s team began the meet by finishing in the top three spots of the 400-yard medley relay. Seniors Drew Carbone and Sean Devlin, junior Michael Baldini and first-year Stephen Kim posted a relay time of 3:25.31 to lead the Hoyas to victory.

The Georgetown women’s team received their first win of the meet with a photo finish in the 200yard freestyle. Senior Lilly Clisham finished with a time of 1:54.86, outpacing the Huskie swimmer Melissa Lowry by 0:00.01.

NJIT finished at the top of the podium for the first time during the meet’s sixth event, the men’s 200-yard freestyle. Highlander swimmer Joshua Franco finished just ahead of Georgetown sophomore Will Barao with a time of 1:42.45, while Barao finished in 1:42.74. Georgetown firstyear Jack Brearton completed his race just milliseconds after Barao, finding himself in third place with a time of 1:42.81.

NJIT would only finish one other event in the top spot: the men’s 200-yard butterfly. Ian Horstkamp-Vinekar won the event for the Highlanders posting a time of 1:54.52, over four second faster than the Hoyas’ second place finisher, Barao.

his college prospects were ripped away in 1993 when he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in a bowling alley brawl in Hampton, Va. Some argued the case was racially charged, but Iverson still served four months in jail before a judge lifted his conviction, citing a lack of evidence.

College programs were hesitant to offer Iverson a scholarship and Coach Thompson was the only coach willing to take a chance on him.

Thompson’s decision paid off, and Iverson quickly rose to stardom. In his two years at Georgetown, he averaged 22.9 points per game, was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in both years, set the Big East single-season record for steals, earned AllAmerican honors and led the Hoyas to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

Iverson declared for the 1996 NBA draft and was selected first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers, beginning an illustrious professional career. Over the course of his 14 seasons in the NBA, Iverson was selected to 11 NBA All-Star teams, led the NBA in scoring four times and won the 2001 NBA Most Valuable Player award. Iverson retired with a career average of 26.7 points per game, the seventhhighest in NBA history.

@GEORGETOWNHOOPS/TWITTER

The NBA recognized former Georgetown men’s basketball players Patrick Ewing and Allen Iverson for their important contributions to the league.

While Ewing, the imposing seven-foot center, and Iverson, the speedy six-foot guard, had dramatically different styles, the two Hoyas share a surprisingly long list of similarities. Both

had hugely successful careers at Georgetown under Coach Thompson, tackled racial adversity, were drafted first overall into the NBA, were named NBA Rookie of the Year and were se-

MEN’S SOCCER

Sands’ 2 Goals Ignite Hoya Comeback

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Junior forward Will Sands scored in the 42nd and 56th minutes, leading a three-goal comeback from Georgetown men’s soccer to defeat Xavier.

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lected to eleven NBA All-Star teams. Now, both are members of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, cementing their legacies as two of the greatest basketball players of all time.

long ball from sophomore forward Marlon Tabora. The strike gave the Hoyas much needed momentum as an exciting first half came to a close.

To start the second half, Georgetown came out aggressive, recording a corner kick just two minutes into play and maintaining possession in Xavier’s half of the pitch. The

Hoyas earned their first lead of the game ten minutes into the second half when Sands recorded his second goal of the night and third of the season. Sands’ heads-up strike came off a deflected shot from the powerful boot of senior forward Zach Riviere, putting Georgetown up 2-1.

Georgetown Head Coach Brian Wiese praised Sands’s outstanding play that was critical to the game.

“It’s nice to have different players step up each night and tonight was Will Sands’ turn with a career performance,” Wiese said in a post-game interview with The Hoya.

The final point was delivered

by Georgetown’s graduate midfielder Chris Le, who scored a rebound goal from a ricocheted shot from Sands. The Hoyas then brought the match to an undramatic close in a second half shut-

out of the Musketeers.

Another bright spot for the team was the leadership and play of junior midfielder Dante Polvara, last year’s team MVP. Recording two shots and one on goal, Polvara made his presence known in center field with direction of traffic and physical play.

Despite their loss, Xavier showed explosiveness and managed to put the Hoyas on their heels with a strong performance throughout the match, according to Wiese.

“You need to give a lot of credit to Xavier, they have some of the better attacking players in the league that we really needed to manage,” Wiese said. “To go down at Xavier and find a way back is a huge result for our guys.”

While Xavier’s big play potential showed on tape, Georgetown led in almost every major category: They recorded six more shots, five more shots on goal, and twice the corner kicks.

Moreover, all of the Musketeers’ shots on goal came in the first half and their defense began to crack under the strain of consistent Hoya pressure.

Xavier will look to bounce back on the road against the University of Connecticut (6-5-2, 2-4-2 Big East) next week to salvage their disappointing season. As recognized by Coach Wiese, the Musketeers have plenty to be excited about in the play of their attacking front and will be sure to rely on it in the coming weeks.

The Hoyas hope to extend their three-game win streak on the road against Marquette University (6-8-1, 3-5-1 Big East) on Oct. 30 before returning home to face UConn the following week.

Neither team should prove much of a headache for the formidable Georgetown squad, but the disciplined team will be sure to play hard and poised.

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Chase’s Arrival Will Propel Bengals BRENNAN, from A12

reception with a mind-boggling 21.5. Chase has done it in every way: winning jump balls, racing by cornerbacks deep and making plays after the catch. As long as he doesn’t get injured, he has essentially locked up Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. At this pace, he should end up being a Pro Bowler and even maybe an All-Pro. While his individual success has been awesome to watch, what’s even more fun to see is how he has singlehandedly transformed the Bengals offense.

Last season, before his in-

jury, Burrow was criticized for his lack of a downfield passing game. He averaged only 6.7 yards per attempt, 25th best in the league and 10.2 yards per completion, tied for 28th. This put him in a similar category to quarterbacks like Mitch Trubisky and Sam Darnold.

This season, the story could not be even more different.

Burrow averages 9.2 yards per attempt, second to only quarterback Russell Wilson, and 13.4 yards per completion, ranking first in the NFL. Of course, that difference is reflective of Burrow’s offseason work and the Bengals’ coaching staff, but that dras-

tic change only a season later must have some other reason as well. That reason is Chase.

Before drafting Chase, the Bengals already had two capable wide receivers in Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins. Both are good at getting open and have good hands, but they lack game-breaking ability.

Burrow didn’t throw deep last season because he had no one to throw deep to. Chase changed that.

Chase’s arrival has produced team success. After Sunday, Cincinnati has a 5-2 record and holds the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The offense has been the team’s engine, averaging 27

points per game, seventh-best in the league and 6.2 yards per play, which ranks third.

While he will rack up individual accolades this season and throughout his career, that level of team impact is way more important. Very few players, let alone rookies, make that type of impact. Yet Ja’Marr Chase is already doing so. He’s not just another first round talent.

Ja’Marr Chase is different.

Tim Brennan is a sophomore in the McDonough School of Business. Any Given Sunday appears in print and online every other week.

Sports

FOOTBALL

Georgetown (2-4) vs.

Lafayette (2-5) Saturday, 12:30 p.m.

Cooper Field

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 TALKING POINTS

FOOTBALL

NUMBERS GAME

Georgetown football eked out a

It’s nice to have different players

tight 29-21 victory over Bucknell,

step up each night, and tonight

erasing a late eight-point deficit.

was Will Sands’ turn.”

See A10

Men’s Soccer Head Coach Brian Wiese

11

Georgetown women’s soccer’s 3-0 victory over Xavier marked its 11th straight win over the Musketeers.

MEN’S SOCCER

Georgetown Tops Xavier, Earns 3-1 Road Victory John Whelan Hoya Staff Writer

On Saturday, Oct. 23, the No. 2 Georgetown men’s soccer team frustrated an explosive Xavier University squad in a decisive 3-1 road victory in Cincinnati. Despite skillful play from the Musketeers, the Hoyas dominated the scoreboard in a poised effort led by a breakout performance from junior forward Will Sands.

Xavier (8-7, 2-6 Big East) found the back of the net for the first and only time 14 minutes into the match. The goal was successful thanks to a well-placed header from forward Karsen Henderlong, assisted by midfielder Paul Bogarin. Despite the Hoyas (13-1, 7-1 Big East) controlling possession, the Musketeers’ second dangerous attempt came soon after, as a shot from defender Pol Hernandez forced a difficult save from graduate goalkeeper Ethan Koehler.

While the Musketeers scored first, they struggled to compete with Georgetown’s dominance of the pitch. The frustration from Xavier was evident as rising tensions between the Xavier coaching staff and the referee resulted in a stoppage of play and shared words between Xavier head coach Andy Fleming and the referee.

Throughout the first half, the Hoyas displayed controlled aggression, created consistent opportunities and chose to take the extra pass. Georgetown’s discipline finally paid off in the 42nd minute with Sands’s first goal of the night, assisted by a See XAVIER, A11

@GEORGETOWNHOOPS/TWITTER

To honor the league’s 75th anniversary, the NBA announced a list of its 76 best players of all time, which included two former Georgetown players.

NEWS

Ewing, Iverson Named to NBA75 Team Caden Koontz Hoya Staff Writer

The NBA released its 75th Anniversary Team Oct. 21, featuring two former Georgetown University basketball team members, Patrick Ewing (CAS ’85) and Allen Iverson.

Ewing and Iverson are two of the most dominant stars in Georgetown athletics history.

The NBA 75th Anniversary Team, chosen by a panel of current and former NBA players, coaches and members of the media, honors the best 75 players in NBA history in honor of the league’s

75th season. The list ended up including 76 players, after a tie in voting.

Ewing, now head coach of the Georgetown men’s basketball team, arrived on the Hilltop in 1981 as the most heralded recruit in the nation. He was so highly regarded that 150 members of the media came to watch him commit to Georgetown at a Boston restaurant.

Ewing had a remarkable four years with Head Coach John Thompson Jr. and the Hoyas. A formidable sevenfoot center, he was a consensus First-Team All American

in 1983, 1984 and 1985. He led Georgetown to three appearances in the national championship game and a national title in 1984, where he was named Most Outstanding Player. Throughout his college career, Ewing endured racist taunts from opposing fans, including one instance when fans threw banana peels onto the court.

Ewing’s play launched Georgetown men’s basketball into the national spotlight, establishing the program as a perennial contender in both the Big East and the NCAA as a whole. He

SWIMMING & DIVING

left the Hilltop with the second-most points and most total rebounds, blocks and games played in Georgetown men’s basketball history.

After graduating from Georgetown in 1985, Ewing was selected first overall in the NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. He was named Rookie of the Year in his first season, averaging 20 points and nine rebounds per game.

Ewing spent 15 years with the Knicks, finishing with career averages of 21 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game and earning 11 selections to the NBA All-Star

team. Today, Ewing is the Knicks’ all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocked shots, steals and field goals made, and he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. Ewing was also named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary Team in 1996.

Allen Iverson also left his mark on the Hilltop a decade after Ewing departed. Highly recruited as a high schooler, his college prospects were ripped away in 1993 when he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in a bowlSee NBA75, A11

ANY GIVEN SUNDAY

Men Beat NJIT, Women Fall to UConn It’s Ja’Marr Chase’s Time to Shine Aiden Penry Hoya Staff Writer

Looking to continue undefeated starts to the season, both the Georgetown University men’s and women’s swimming teams headed up to a weekend competition in Storrs, Conn. against the New Jersey Institute of Technology and University of Connecticut, respectively.

The Georgetown men’s swimming team came away with a resounding 222-78 victory against the Highlanders, while the Georgetown women’s team suffered a 166-126 defeat at the hands of the Huskies on Saturday, Oct. 23.

The men’s team has now won its first three meets of the season. Their score of 222 marked its best of the season; previously, the men’s team had not scored above 130 points. Meanwhile, the defeat to UConn was the women’s team’s first loss of the season. Both Georgetown teams had beaten American University and Howard University earlier in the season.

The UConn women’s swim team previously suffered a close defeat against Big East

Tim Brennan Columnist

SARA WARM/THE HOYA

Georgetown swimming competed in Storrs, Conn., over the weekend, with the men’s See SWIM & DIVE, A11 team defeating NJIT 222-78, while the women’s team lost to UConn 166-126.

Visit us online at thehoya.com/sports

In 2019, the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers had one of the most dominant seasons in college football history. Led

by Heisman winner and 2020 No. 1 NFL draft pick quarterback Joe Burrow, the Tigers went 15-0 and won the national title. Burrow, along with prolific receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, led arguably the greatest college offense ever.

Jefferson was taken in the first round of the 2020 draft and made his impact immediately.

Jefferson had as productive a rookie receiver season as anyone since receiver Randy Moss, tallying a record 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. This year, Chase — the Tigers’ other wide receiver — was controversially chosen fifth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals— and he has been even better than advertised.

Chase won the Fred Biletnikoff Award, awarded annually to college football’s best wide receiver, in 2019. In 2020, he would likely have been the first receiver taken in a loaded wide receiver draft, including CeeDee Lamb and Jefferson. But since he was only a sophomore in 2019 and thus in-

eligible to play in the NFL, Chase had to wait until this year to hear his name called on draft night.

Instead of coming back for his junior season, however, Chase chose to sit out because of COVID-19 concerns, somewhat complicating his standing on draft boards. Even so, the Bengals bet on his talent and made him the first wide receiver taken, selecting him with the fifth-overall pick.

Many questioned the Bengals’ decision-making when they took Chase. Pundits and fans wanted Cincinnati to take stud left tackle Penei Sewell to protect its quarterback, but the Bengals believed Chase’s talent, paired with the chemistry he and Burrow already had from LSU, would be more beneficial to the team.

In the preseason, it seemed Chase was going to have far more issues than many anticipated, scrambling to grapple with challenging drops and miscues. In the regular season, however, that narrative has completely flipped.

Through Week 7, Chase has not only been the best rookie wide receiver, but arguably the best receiver in all of football. After his monster 201-yard performance against the Ravens on Oct. 24, Chase ranks second in the NFL in receiving yards, is tied for third place in receiving touchdowns and leads the league in yards per See BRENNAN, A11