The Hoya: January 16, 2015

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Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 96, No. 27, © 2015

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015

MEMORY LANE

EDITORIAL In accordance with Jesuit values, Georgetown must divest from fossil fuels.

The Hoya marks its anniversary with a look at the top content from the past.

SPECIAL PULLOUT TABLOID

GUSA TREATY A new treaty seeks to nullify the residency clause for students.

NEWS, A4

OPINION, A2

NY 1,904 APPS PA 927 APPS

MA 900 APPS NJ 1,510 APPS MD 1,040 APPS

IL 652 APPS

CA 2,449 APPS

VA 963 APPS

TX 793 APPS FL 993 APPS DANIEL SMITH/THE HOYA AND SHANNON HOU/THE HOYA

States in dark green sent significantly more applications than last year, while those in light green registered a slight increase. States in red sent significantly fewer applications than last year, indicative of a larger trend of decreased applications from the Northeast.

Applications Hold Steady for 2019 KSHITHIJ SHRINATH Hoya Staff Writer

Application totals for the Class of 2019 remained nearly identical to the previous year, despite changing national trends regarding demographics and high school graduation rates.

Regular decision applications were due Saturday, Jan. 10, but were accepted until Monday, the first business day after the due date. As of Jan. 13, the number of regular decision applications across Georgetown’s four undergraduate schools totaled 19,427, nine fewer than the 19,436 applications that were received at the same point last year.

“The theme is the applicant pool remains steady in the face of declining high school graduate pool. That’s basically the environment,” Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Charles Deacon said.

“Being even was good. We wanted to hold the pool between 19,000 and 20,000.”

Georgetown College received 11,510 applications compared to 11,551 for the Class of 2018; the McDonough School of Business saw 3,322 applications, similar to its total of 3,305 last year; the School of Foreign Service collected 3,513 applications, up from 3,439; and the School of Nursing and Health Studies received 1,041 applications, a decrease from the

1,141 applicants in 2014. Deacon explained these changes as natural variation, particularly with the specialized nature of the NHS.

“Being even was good. We wanted to hold the pool between 19,000 and 20,000.”

CHARLES DEACON Dean of Undergraduate Admissions

Continuing a 10-year trend, women composed nearly 60 percent of the applicant pool, with 11,463 applicants, while 7,963

DOGFIGHT After falling to Butler in the Battle 4 Atlantis, GU searches for redemption.

men applied to the university.

Black applicants declined from 1,875 to 1,848, Hispanic applicants remained stable from 2,341 to 2,345 and Asian-American applicants increased slightly from 3,332 to 3,382.The university also received more applications from international students, with 2,248 this year compared to 2,188 last year.

At least nine applications were received from each of the 50 states. North Dakota was the only state not to have a student admitted during the early action period.

SPORTS, A12

CISR to Vote on Divestment Group issues decision on recommendation today TOBY HUNG

Hoya Staff Writer

As the Committee on Investments and Social Responsibility votes on fossil fuel divestment today, GU Fossil Free will continue its campaign in preparation for its meeting with the university’s board of directors in February.

The divestment proposal by GU Fossil Free calls for the university to divest its holdings from the 200 largest fossil fuel companies. The 12 voting members of CISR will vote to determine whether they will recommend the proposal to the board of directors.

CISR, which is made up of four students, three professors and five university administrators, votes on written proposals from Georgetown community members and makes recommendations on socially responsible investment to the university’s board of directors.

GU Fossil Free will be holding a rally today at Red Square at 9:15 a.m. to demonstrate student support for divestment before the committee votes between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m .

GU Fossil Free member Chloe Lazarus (COL ’16) said that she hopes the rally will convince CISR members to recognize divestment as a course of See CISR, A9

See ADMISSIONS, A9

Congress Reviews Initiative 71 KSHITHIJ SHRINATH Hoya Staff Writer

FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

The university cancelled courses with fewer than eight students enrolled.

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) sent Initiative 71, the ballot initiative to legalize the possession and cultivation of marijuana approved by voters in November, to the United States Congress on Tuesday, beginning a 30-day congressional review period.

Congress, according to the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973, reviews all pieces of legislation enacted by the D.C. Council and can

block the legislation with a disapproval motion that passes through both the House and the Senate. If Congress does not act on the legislation, the bill will officially become law in the District. Initiative 71, which passed with 69.4 percent of the vote, permits adults over the age of 21 to possess up to two ounces of marijuana, grow up to six marijuana plants and freely give one ounce of the substance to other adults.

Mendelson’s decision comes in response to the omnibus spending bill, which included

a clause that prevented the usage of federal funds to “enact” marijuana legalization, authorized by Congress in December. Congressman Andy Harris (R-Md.), who introduced the so-called policy rider, claimed that this would dismantle D.C.’s legislation. Proponents of the bill and D.C. home rule, including Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), however, disagreed, opining that the initiative was enacted when voters passed the legislation in See MARIJUANA, A9

FILE PHOTOS: NATASHA THOMSON/THE HOYA, MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA

GU Fossil Free will hold a rally at 9:15 a.m.

Registrar Global Futures Program Fosters Collaboration Cuts Almost 20 Courses KATHERINE RICHARDSON Hoya Staff Writer

University President John J. DeGioia announced the creation of Global Futures, a two-year-long initiative formed from a university-

JACK BENNETT Hoya Staff Writer

The university registrar removed almost 20 courses that failed to meet an eight-student enrollment minimum prior to the add-drop period, in accordance with recent policy from the Office of the College Dean.

According to University Registrar John Q. Pierce, the courses were cut because of low enrollment.

Jeff Connor-Linton, the associate dean of faculty and strategic planning, said that the cancellation process had minimal impact on students, because it occurred before the beginning of the adddrop period.

“Spring 2015 course enrollments were evaluated in November, after preregistration closed for students but See REGISTRAR, A9

wide collaboration that will engage the community in four global themes: development, governance, security and environment, on Jan. 15.

The initiative, led by Vice President for Global Engagement Thom-

COURTESY SARAH RUTHERFORD

Vice President for Global Engagement Thomas Banchoff will spearhead the two-year Global Futures initiative, announced Jan. 15.

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as Banchoff, was developed over a six-month period by multiple university departments, including the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost and a variety of campus graduate and undergraduate programs.

“In the time since I took the role [of VP for Global Engagement], I’ve been working with colleagues to explore how we can build on Georgetown’s strengths around global questions and take advantage of our D.C. location to build a platform to explore those issues,” Banchoff said. “That’s what led to the initiative.”

According to Global Engagement Communications Manager Sarah Rutherford, the initiative is part of the university’s efforts to engage in global issues.

“Georgetown is developing the model of an engaged global university,” Rutherford said. “This initiative is one of our first opportunities to advance as an engaged global university in terms of our teaching, research and outreach activities.”

Global Futures activities will revolve around one major theme each semester, beginning with development in spring 2015. The four semesters will be unified by four smaller, cross-cutting themes: religion and ethics, migration and cities, gender and diversity, and health and family.

“The idea was to choose four themes that are critical in today’s world. In other words, they’re topics that are on everyone’s mind and will shape the global future,” Banchoff said. “We wanted to choose topics that would be of interest to faculty and students, but we also wanted to have a chance to explore the intersections between those themes over two years, which is the initiative extends more than one semester.”

To engage the Georgetown community in each theme, the initiative will bring a variety of world leaders to speak. For spring 2015, the university has partnered with See INITIATIVE, A9

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OPINION

THE HOYA

Friday, January 16, 2015

THE VERDICT

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Herald Angels Sing — The Washington National Cathedral will be hosting a week of free concerts inspired by the history of ancient cathedrals and medieval times.

Rightful Divestment C

Don’t Stop the Presses — The French magazine Charlie Hebdo published its first issue since the incident this Wednesday. Washington will be receiving a limited 30 copies of the initial pressing.

C C

Appealing to the People — Mayor Muriel Bowser recently announced the formation of the Office of Talent and Appointments, which will recruit local residents for positions in her administration.

Founded January 14, 1920

EDITORIALS

On June 25, 2013, President Barack Obama spoke from the steps of New North and announced a major plan to combat climate change.

Obama’s remarks emphasized the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to invest and use renewable energy and to create a future that is marked by a cleaner, safer and more stable environment for the upcoming generations.

This, in light of an increasingly dire environmental landscape, was lauded as a call for serious introspection, re-evaluation and action on the part of the students of Georgetown University and the American people they represented.

Several months after a proposal was submitted to the Committee on Investments and Social Responsibility by the on-campus student group, GU Fossil Free, CISR is now scheduled to vote this morning on recommending to the administration the proposal to divest the university’s endowments from fossil fuels.

Around the time of Obama’s visit to campus, University President John J. DeGioia commented that Georgetown’s commitment to solving the climate problem rendered its campus a fitting location to unveil the plan.

Likewise, Georgetown’s Environment Initiative, which received a gift of $20 million to conduct interdisciplinary research on the environment, bolstered Georgetown’s appearance as an environmentally friendly university and a leader among its peer institutions in the field of conservation.

That being said, a decision from CISR not to divest would make Georgetown one of the first institutions to vote no and would likely set a tone for divestment decisions in the future. In truth, such an outcome would ultimately indicate that Georgetown has contracted a case of civic responsibility amnesia.

Georgetown’s environmentally friendly image aside, a decision not to divest is sure to clash with the core Jesuit values

that define the unique insight that both students and faculty apply to higher education and its value.

Historically, Georgetown prides itself on the Jesuit principles that invite students to reflect, to serve by being men and women for others and to fight for social justice. These tenets that the university community strives to embody both inside and outside the classroom would be directly in conflict with a decision to decline divestment.

The somber fact that Georgetown’s endowment, last stated to be $1.2 billion at the end of 2013, pales in comparison to most other universities’ endowments such as Yale’s, which was as high as $23.9 billion in 2014, gives context to university officials’ concerns of divestment.

However, Georgetown is a university that is known for thriving in spite of a smaller endowment Furthermore, it has always prided itself on its reputation as a principled and morally concerned community, eschewing monetary greed.

Especially considering Georgetown’s strong Jesuit tradition, one should think the university would be influenced to remain “poor” but principled, rather than be perceived as materialistic.

Not divesting would tremendously mar this image of Georgetown and demonstrate that administrators have found themselves succumbing to pressures that are not in line with Georgetown’s identity.

Moreover, recent news has made it increasingly clear that now is the crucial time to divest. With oil prices dropping as low as $49 per barrel, it is apparent that fossil fuels are a volatile market and are currently a subpar investment.

Georgetown would likely be better served by investing in other markets that are not only more stable but also perpetuate Georgetown’s commitment to social justice.

There remains for Georgetown a clear choice — divest or disappoint.

C

Faltering Spaces — The D.C. General Homeless Shelter has now reached its full capacity, raising questions about the city’s resources available to those still in the cold.

We’re Survivors — The “House of Cards” trailer debut kicked off a new season of Frank Underwood’s brooding, gratuitous shots of the American flag and concerned-looking characters.

EDITORIAL CARTOON by Ben Costanza

Major Clutter The School of Foreign Service has implemented a new global business major to attract students interested in exploring the behavior of firms in the international framework. In the initial round of applications, 12 applicants were accepted to the program.

The major is designed, as stated in several information sessions open to interested students and press releases by the SFS, to allow Georgetown students to develop the skills and experience necessary to make the move between the private and public sectors with knowledge of business, politics, economics and culture.

An adjoining fellowship, the Global Business Fellows, was also created to introduce students with different majors in the SFS and the McDonough School of Business to the same field with a capstone course.

While the nascent major is still currently in the exploratory stages, there are important questions to ask about its role in the SFS academic curriculum and what it will come to mean for the university’s long-term development, in relation to both its other undergraduate programs and its standing among other universities.

The MSB’s international business major and the SFS’s international business diplomacy certificate have separately enjoyed prestige in the past years. The careful, unique tailoring of each of these programs is one of the large factors that led to each program’s success. Therefore, it must be considered whether adding a major with a similar moniker and purpose could dilute each program’s individual brand name.

Furthermore, employers are risk-averse, and may be hesitant to recruit a student whose major is so new that it has no track record or prestige of which to speak. If this new major is to achieve the level of

Carolyn Maguire, Executive Editor Alexander Brown, Managing Editor Jess Kelham-Hohler, Online Editor Katherine Richardson, Campus News Editor Kshithij Shrinath, City News Editor Kara Avanceña, Sports Editor Hannah Kaufman, Guide Editor Jinwoo Chong, Opinion Editor Daniel Smith, Photography Editor Shannon Hou, Layout Editor Zack Saravay, Copy Chief Emily Min, Blog Editor Molly Simio, Multimedia Editor

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Jinwoo Chong, Chair

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prestige and competition that Georgetown normally boasts in related fields, the SFS must take the correct steps, like that of gathering significant faculty support to ensure global business students have convenient access to mentorship, especially for the first few pioneering graduating classes.

The major itself has valuable potential.

Given enough time and energy, It may reduce anxiety for SFS students seeking to pursue a business-intensive career, and minimize the likelihood of intraschool transfer, but it is just as likely to cause confusion and frustration.

While the first class for the major is relatively small, it could create significant imbalances for class registration in the future, particularly given both schools’ already tightly-packed courses.

The university already offers an entire school dedicated to business, four different economics degrees and a wealth of business-related certificates and majors.

With the new global business major, the Class of 2019 will find a daunting and indiscernible academic curriculum to traverse once it arrives on campus next fall.

That said, this major lies at the intersection of two of Georgetown’s greatest and arguably most marketable strengths: business and international relations.

It therefore has a great potential for growth if it is properly developed with the appropriate resources and energy.

In order to exploit this potential, SFS administrators should work on developing the major’s identity, clearly elucidating the major’s purpose, its distinctive qualities and the competitive advantage that it can offer to students.

The SFS must more clearly communicate with its students if it hopes, with this new major and fellowship, to maintain the academic excellence for which Georgetown is known.

This week on

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Former Houston Astros shortstop turned post-baccalaureate pre-med student Jimmy Howick prepares for a new phase of his career.

As I find my feet, there will be so much to learn. As I do, I’ll rely on the

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Here at Georgetown, we Hoyas hold ourselves to high standards. Daily, we live out our commitment to resiliency, teamwork, and overcoming adversity.

We dedicate our hearts and minds to our respective games, push ourselves to succeed, celebrate when we do, and learn how to grow when we don’t.”

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OPINION

Friday, january 16, 2015

Hoya Historian

THE HOYA

A3

VIEWPOINT • Hu

Navigating the HB1 Visa Cap ‘I Matthew Quallen

Jesuit Ideals Facing the Slave Trade I

n 1838, Thomas Mulledy and the Maryland Jesuits sold 272 slaves, in part to pay building debts at the schools they had established, including Georgetown. But what would happen next?

The sale came following a growing discontent referenced in “Georgetown, Financed by Slave Trading” The Hoya, A3, Sept. 26, 2014]. The Jesuits, however, had a plan, Before they agreed to sell the slaves, they formulated a list of conditions.

These men believed they could produce a set of circumstances that would soften slavery and make something humane from our least humane institution. These conditions governed how, when and to whom the Jesuits would sell their slaves. But it was an impossible task; slavery could not be defanged, and even if it could, the Jesuits were too irresolute to do it.

What conditions did they put forth?

First, the slaves were “not to be sold except to proprietors of plantations.”

It was a simple enough condition to keep; they sold the slaves to Henry Johnson and Jesse Batey of Louisiana.

Second, the Jesuits decreed, “it must be stipulated in the sale, that the Negroes have the advantage of practicing their religion, and the assistance of a priest.” Like many slavers, the Jesuits used Christianization as a rationale for slavery. They believed they could make the slaves moral and better off. One wrote: “If these unhappy people had good masters, they would then be in a comfortable situation. They would be saved from a habit of indolence.”

Nevertheless, the Jesuits failed to implement their paternalistic impulse.

Writing in 1848, Fr. Van de Velde, S.J., asked that the Maryland Society of Jesus provide $1,000 to construct a church on Henry Johnson’s Louisiana plantation. The slaves, he complained, had been “abandoned.”

But Van de Velde did not seem convinced he would succeed. “If I am annoying you,” he wrote, “I am certain that you will pardon me for it.” Gadfly as he was, Van de Velde had already written three other letters requesting funds. There is no reason to believe Maryland Province fulfilled his request.

Third, they stipulated that, “husbands and wives be not at all separated, and children not from their parents.”

But, in letters to the Jesuit superior general, the archbishop of Baltimore Samuel Eccleston levelled the damning accusation that indeed the families of slaves had been separated.

A fourth condition — equally inoperative — also proscribed the separation of families.

Fifth, it was insisted that, “those who cannot be sold or transported on account of old age or incurable diseases be provided for as justice and charity demands.” Even so, at least 17of the slaves penned onto ships to make the sweltering voyage to Louisiana were over the age of 60. One slave — Daniel — was even 80 years old.

Of the five conditions the Jesuits set forth for the sale, only one was upheld — hardly a record of success. Their failure reflects the unrealistic expectations they held about slavery.

Many of them wrongly understood slavery as a type of ministry, and did not recognize it as an oppressive system of ownership. In addition, many of them drew distinctions between the international slave trade and domestic slave ownership; we now recognize that distinction as facile.

An 1843 letter from Baltimore captures this sentiment. It warns Catholics to not, “misconstrue the Pope’s denunciation of the African slave trade into a denial of the compatibility of domestic slavery as existing in this country.” One could be an upright Catholic and still own slaves, or so they believed.

But life after the sale was never what they promised. The slaves Georgetown sold probably had lives very similar to those lived by other slaves in the Deep South, though there is little concrete proof of the matter.

Undoubtedly, they faced long hours of work, separation from their families, horrific forms of discipline and many years of exploitation. Many of them may have resisted. Many of them probably achieved their freedom. And many of them probably died slaves, victims of an institution whose evils Georgetown and the Maryland Jesuits never fully understood — of that fact at least, we can be certain.

Matthew Quallen is a junior in the School of Foreign Service. Hoya Historian appears every other Friday.

know this is a bit far away, but …” My heart sank as I saw the all-too-familiar question coming, “What’s your plan after graduation, going back to China or staying in America?” To leave or to stay, this classical question for newcomers never fails to engender my American peers’ curiosity. But for my fellow international students, it is all too real of an important life decision that we must ultimately make for ourselves.

Well, not exactly. For those who choose to remain in the country, a lottery system has the final say over their fate --- an annual distribution of the 65,000 H1B visas that allow bachelor-degree-holding foreigners to work temporarily in the United States. In the midst of heated debates on Obama’s immigration executive and undocumented aliens, I am surprised by how little people care about or even know of the H1B quota, a policy that randomly bars high-skilled foreign workers out of America’s labor market and brutally crushes the American Dream of those international students already offered a job.

Planning for the future, I find myself utterly frustrated by the complex process that leads to a legal American job. During my entire stay in America, I can only intern under an OPT visa for a maximum of 12 months and in major-related areas. Not intending to major in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math, I am also bidding goodbye to a luxurious 17-month Optional Practical Training extension for my idealism.

Additionally, underneath the H1B visa, I am required to find an employer who is willing to testify my irreplaceability by an American, to hand in my visa application on the exact date of April 1 and to take the risk that I might be suddenly sent home and unable to work out of bad luck.

My concerns are no freshman paranoia. Sharing an apartment with a Chinese graduate student at Johns Hopkins this winter break, I

For those who choose to remain in the country, a lottery system has the final say over their fate. witnessed her struggles finding a job four months after graduation: “Most companies don’t sponsor visas,” she said, “As soon as their interviewers know about your status in a telephone interview, they simply cut the conversation.”

The rejection comes even more painfully when one already holds a hard-won job offer. This year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services closed off H1B visa application after receiving 172,500 qualified petitions, including those from advanced degree holders, but only accepted the total cap number of 85,000 through a computer-generated random selec-

tion process. For those rejected, the bitter choice is between obtaining other visas through education or marriage and flying home for another round of job hunt.

It is true that international students should know what they are signing up for when they choose to study abroad. And of course, the United States should protect its own citizens, instead of foreigners, from unemployment as its top priority. But what I wish to question here is the necessity of a H1B visa cap to protect American workers and the inconsistency of a quota system with America’s self-definition as a country of immigrants.

THE RIGHT CORNER

The justification for a H1B visa cap can be summarized in one sentence: “One more job for a foreigner is one less job for an American.” Sounds reasonable, but what if there simply aren’t enough Americans who meet a job requirement? The Labor Condition Application answers this question. A prerequisite for any H1B visa application, it ensures a wage higher than the “prevailing wage” for foreign workers and bans them from replacing any equally capable U.S. citizens.

In this sense, those 87,500 high-skilled job vacancies created by the visa cap mean nothing but a heavy financial loss for America’s private sector.

Furthermore, the existence of a quota reminds me of the discriminatory immigration quota based on national origins in 1920, except that the international students nowadays seek not a passport but simply a job that contributes to America’s economy and hones their skills. When John F. Kennedy spoke on the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 that abolished quotas for Italian immigrants, he stated his conviction, “that all people can make equally good citizens, and that what this country needs and wants are those who wish to come here to build their families here and contribute to the life of our country.” And that inclusiveness for talents without discrimination constitutes America’s central appeal for me.

Indeed, I should feel lucky with just the mere possibility of a choice.

But I would hate to think that I am welcomed into a prestigious American university as a symbol for campus diversity or as a financial source, that I am no longer desirable as soon as I wish to receive any monetary payments for a skilled employment college leads to and that my own important life decision to “leave or stay” will jokingly end up being settled by a lottery.

XINLAN HU is a freshman in the College.

VIEWPOINT • Gadea

An Era Defined by Investing in a USPhantom Recession India Partnership

A

t the beginning of every year, any substantial increases in wages pundits and commentators in over six years. As Federal Reserve feel compelled to sum up the Chair Janet Yellen discussed in Auentire previous 12 months’ happen- gust of last year, the wage stagnation ings into easily digestible tidbits largely is partly because of delayed effects of for click-bait. Simplifying an entire the recession.

Rather than cutting wages, busiyear’s worth of events into a few hundred words is a large and unnecessary nesses instead opted to stop giving task, but they somehow still manage raises. Since prices have continued to tell us what the biggest stories were to rise though, this means a real reand what really shaped the news. The duction in living standards.

No wonder a Federal Reserve study consensus from the chattering classes on the 2014 economy seems to be that found a third of Americans feeling it’s all coming up roses. Pointing to a that they are worse off than before handful of selected numbers rather the recession, and another poll by than looking at the whole picture, they the Public Religion Research Instiinsist that 2014 was a great year to find tute found 72 percent believe we are still in a recession. a job.

The truth is many Americans, espeWhile five percent GDP growth, astoundingly low gas prices and a 5.6 per- cially our generation, are still facing cent unemployment rate surely come significant hardships and an econoas good news, these numbers need to my that is not working for them. Over be looked at in their proper context. It the past several years, our generation has been over five years since the reces- has incurred unprecedented levels of student loan debt sion officially ended with less of a guaranand yet only now are tee that this will lead we just beginning to us to the “Promised get a small glimpse into Land” of financial stawhat an actual recovbility and home ownery might look like. ership like it did for Using these few inour parents. As Pew dicators to make blanResearch found, we ket statements on the are more likely to live overall health of the Mallory Carr in our parent’s baseeconomy is largely misments than previous leading and does a disgenerations were, and service to the millions Five years after have larger amounts who continued to face recession, the of debt. significant struggles Tens of thousands throughout the past economy still struggles. of pages of governyear.

Although enough jobs were creat- ment regulations are added year ed last year to lower unemployment, after year, strangling businesses as many of the jobs created were part they face more and more hurdles to time. According to data from the Bu- growth at every turn. Additionally, reau of Labor Statistics, almost seven the United States continues to have million people are working part-time an insensible and overly complicatnot by choice, but because they still ed tax code for both businesses and individuals, which further chokes cannot find full-time work.

For them, the “American Dream” growth.

The impact of these, especially has been put on hold.

Instead of finding the full-time when combined with the burdens work needed to support themselves imposed by the Affordable Care Act, and their families, they are forced has undoubtedly strained the econoto settle for reduced hours and often my, holding us back from reaching our full growth potential and causjuggle multiple jobs.

A lower labor force participation ing us to underutilize our resources. rate has also contributed to de- With an out-of-control administracreased unemployment. A smaller tive state running rampant and proportion of Americans are partici- wreaking havoc on the economy, it’s pating in the labor force today than no surprise most Americans still feel when “Star Wars” was released in we have yet to get out of the Great Recession that ended half a decade theaters.

Although many attribute this to ago.

Rather than jumping the gun on the aging baby boomer generation, even the White House only blames celebrating what a great economy we about a third of the drop in partici- supposedly saw in 2014, we should pation on their retirements. Most look at the experiences of most of the decline is due to current eco- Americans and focus on making an nomic conditions and changing economy that works for everyone. policies.

Even those who have been able to Mallory Carr is a senior in the hold onto or find jobs continued to College. The Right Corner appears suffer in 2014. They have not seen every other Friday.

S

ince 2011, the Obama administration has utilized a program called “Pivot to Asia,” where, through diplomacy and trade, it aims to balance the growth of Chinese power and influence and capture (and leverage) the growth of emerging markets for gains in the American economy.

In line with the motives of the program, the United States has the opportunity to alter the landscape of global politics if it invests in an alliance with India If the United States builds a unique multifaceted partnership with India, the cooperation would be transformative on an economic and political level and could possibly improve global security.

S e c u r i t y, however, is the first concern of the United States. India lies at the edge of the Middle East, where Islamist terrorism, political instability and sectarian violence wreak destruction upon local communities.

But India offers a strategic position for alleviating this situation.

With its proximity to the region, further economic and infrastructural investments will improve India’s development and allow it to expand its own corporate network.

It is true that Indian businesses operating in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Oman contribute positively to the daily lives of local inhabitants. With more business opportunities and higher wages, the new soft power of India could decrease the tensions that poverty contributes to.

While the new agreements aim to increase investments, they also seek to create a framework of climate change action to coincide with further trade and business investments. Addressing those concerns through this new trade partnership allows for new economic development to benefit the two countries and, potentially, the world. Furthermore, the security objectives of the United States are also fulfilled. Secretary of State John Kerry recently spoke at an economic conference in India called Vibrant Gujarat Summit, urging immediate action: “Global climate change is already violently affecting communities, not just across India but around the world. It is disrupting

commerce, development and economic growth. It’s costing farmers crops. It’s costing insurance companies unbelievable payouts. It’s raising the cost of doing business.

And, believe me, if it continues down the current trend line, we will see climate refugees, fighting each other for water and seeking food and new opportunities.”

The BBC writes that a current deal by U.S. diplomats is intended to include points on solar energy and increas rural electrification in India. These furnish the goals of more business and further action against climate change. By projecting the issues that global climate change may cause and working with India to address those issues, the United States has the unique opportunity of creating environmentally conscious economic growth.

Development in India will bring more resources to the government of the future most populous country. With those resources, India has the chance to establish a military presence that will balance Asia.

Economic growth, tax revenues and income streams will increase, providing India with the capital to invest in top-of-the-line military hardware and the means to better train its soldiers. With a stronger and more active Indian army, China’s military influence will have a regional counter point.

Furthermore, the India of 50 years from now will almost be unrecognizable in terms of development and growth. With technological advancements, India will have the capacity to assert its power. As an ally, India can help the United States in its military goals through cooperative intelligence, joint-military task forces and other operations.

“Together, we can create an environment where all of our companies play leading roles in bringing cutting-edge technologies, equipment, capital, and know-how not just to India but to countless countries that need this growth and development now,” Kerry said.

India lies at an intersection of global affairs. If America wants to reap the rewards, it needs to invest now.

India lies at an intersection of global affairs. If America wants to reap the rewards, it needs to invest now.

James Gadea is a junior in the School of Foreign Service.

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There are far too few lawyers who are comfortable speaking with engineers.”

Center on Privacy and Technology Faculty Director David Vladeck on a new GULC-MIT partnership.

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Jones Honored With John Thompson Jr. Award

Gonzalez Awarded for Service

MAUREEN TABET

Four years ago, Adan Gonzalez (COL ‘15) rolled his bag to the airport on his way to start his freshman year at Georgetown University. Even though he had not yet arrived on campus, he already felt different.

“At the airport I had one carryon luggage [piece] and I couldn’t afford the fee,” Gonzalez said. “I was left with ten dollars in my pocket for two weeks. So I imagined one day I would make this experience different for someone else. That led to the Trailblazers Program.”

The Trailblazers Program, which provides students with free luggage, is just the latest of Gonzalez’s initiatives that are part of a nonprofit he created in 2012 called Si, Se Puede. The organization provides students with academic advice, helps them discover scholarships and encourages them to participate in community service programs.

In November, Gonzalez received the most votes in the Coors Light Líderes Program Competition and won $25,000 to fund his organization’s efforts.

The Coors Light Líderes Program, which launched in 2006, celebrates leadership within the Hispanic community and nominates 12 Hispanic leaders each year to compete for the award.

Gonzales will use the money to develop a Latino leadership project in collaboration with AVANCE-Dallas, a nonprofit organization that provides educational support for those at risk in the community.

“Adan is a tireless advocate for his community. We are delighted to recognize his work and partner with him on a program that will benefit Latino families and the local community,” Director of Community Commerce and Partnerships for the MillerCoors Brewing Company Alberto Senior wrote in a statement.

Gonzalez chose to partner with AVANCE-Dallas because as a young child growing up in Dallas, he benefitted from the organization’s services.

“Everything comes full circle, I was part of that program 16 years ago so being able to represent them in this capacity was cool. … Early childhood education is lacking in the country, it’s a big factor of why our public education is suffering” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said that his desire to provide educational support to

Hoya Staff Writer

Bread for the City CEO George Jones will receive the John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award for his work as an advocate for the fight against poverty.

The honor, which recognizes a community member who has significantly affected D.C. residents and has been a leader in solving issues in the District, will be given to Jones at the Kennedy Center on Jan. 19 as part of Georgetown’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration.

Bread for the City, a local nonprofit organization which has locations in Ward 2 and Ward 8, aims to assist city residents in need of a variety of resources, including food, clothing, medical care and legal services. Under Jones’s leadership, Bread for the City has grown tenfold, from an agency with a budget of $1.5 million when he was hired in 1996 to a $10.5 million organization today.

“We’ve expanded our facilities, our reach in the D.C. community and the services we offer. These developments have allowed us to serve our clients more holistically than ever before,” Jones said.

“When I came to Bread 19 years ago, I never imagined we’d be growing our own produce, offering yoga classes or leading community media trainings.”

Molly Cielinski (COL ’17), a weekly volunteer with the organization, echoed Jones’s sentiments and said the organization goes beyond just providing food and clothing for D.C. residents in need.

“It often acts as a sort of community center, a place of safety and of advocacy for people. I have seen many of the same people come in week after week just to speak to the women behind the desk who have become prominent figures in the community,” Cielinski said.

Bread for City COO Jeannine Sanford said Jones has been a driving force behind the organization’s progress and development in recent years.

“We’re starting to dedicate resources and energy to alleviating the conditions that perpetuate poverty, and not only addressing the symptoms, but trying to get at the causation. [Jones] has really been a champion for digging into that,” Sanford said.

Additionally, Sanford praised Jones’ leadership style.

“It’s great to work with him on a dayto-day basis,” Sanford said. “He’s steady, even-tempered. He has his eyes on the prize. He asks the good questions, he makes you feel like you can take chances. He is the epitome of leadership.”

In the same way his staff appreciates him, Jones said he is proud of the work they are doing.

“I am extremely proud that seemingly every week someone in the community — a resident, someone at another

nonprofit, even government officials tell me of the high quality of the work the dedicated staff of Bread for the City does day in and day out,” Jones said.

“More and more of our staff members are spending time advocating for the public policy reforms that will bring about economic justice for those living in low-income communities.”

Jones’ passion for community service has been evident throughout his life: he previously served as a case manager for the homeless and people suffering from mental illness in Los Angeles, Calif. In 1995, as Jones began to look for opportunities to move back to his home state of Virginia, he learned of an opening for executive director of Bread for City.

“I’ve always felt called to work in a setting that served the community,” Jones said. “I came in and met with [Bread for the City’s] staff and board of directors, and I jumped at the chance when they offered me the opportunity to lead the organization.”

After being on the ground, Jones said he understands the importance of including clients in decision making; the organization invites Bread for the City clients to serve on its board of directors to help guide the organization’s advocacy.

“We have a client advisory council that provides input about the issues they care about, and our staff helps our clients testify before the D.C. City Council and other government leaders to directly address the challenges they often face living in low-income communities,” Jones said.

He added that he is touched to be receiving the Thompson award this year and credited much of his success to the Bread for the City staff.

“I’m extremely humbled to be the recipient of this award, largely because of who the award is named for, John Thompson, Jr., and whose legacy it honors — my personal hero, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Jones said. “More importantly, I think this award is a testament to — and calls much deserved attention to — the very important work that our staff, Board of Directors and volunteers do to make a difference in D.C.” As a result of Jones receiving the Thompson award, Georgetown and Bread for the City will enter into a yearlong partnership, primarily coordinating on racial equity. Jones noted that Georgetown officials have expressed interest in attending racial equity trainings with the nonprofit.

“Our racial equity work centers on our effort to help reverse the socioeconomic disparities facing communities of color, greater unemployment rates, shorter life spans, lower incomes, higher incarceration rates, et cetera,” Jones said. “Perhaps the University will agree to partner with us in hosting community dialogues designed to mobilize the cause of economic justice for people of all races.”

EMMA RIZK

Hoya Staff Writer

COURTESY ADAN GONZALEZ

Adan Gonzalez (COL ’15) won a $25,000 award to fund his service efforts to help young people in Texas excel academically. impoverished youth comes from difficulties he faced during his childhood.

“When I was in middle school I saw my dad crying for the first time because we couldn’t pay the rent and we were about to lose our home … That’s the reason I’m here,” Gonzalez said. “All that struggle, I’m here because of that.”

In addition to starting Si, Se Puede, Gonzalez has logged over 12,000 hours of community service, served D.C. schools as an assistant teacher and worked as a White House intern.

“It’s worth it, every moment of it, every struggle, because I see the impact at home in my community,” Gonzalez said. “They are living a journey through me that no one ever thought was possible. I never thought it was possible.”

Carmen Marsans, senior vice president of client services at the Hispanic public relations firm Comunicad, has worked with the Coors Light Líderes program for several years. She said that Gonzalez has made a true impact on his community.

“I have asked a lot of people in Dallas about this network and it is helping so many other Latinos be able to have at least the knowledge that someone cares for them,” Marsans said.

“As far as I can see, I think that

Adan is going to go places, and I think that Adan may very easily have his name be resonating for many years to come because he has that fire and that commitment. He really wants to do it for his family and his parents and as a mentor to his brother and for others. That is why we chose him.”

Gonzalez said that although he hopes to inspire others, his main goal is to work beside his neighbors and friends to build a better community.

“A lot of people point at me and say I’m special and say, ‘He’s from the hood, he’s made it out,’ but my goal is to make ‘hood’ a place people want to be part of,” Gonzalez said. “According to numbers, I grew up in poverty.

I hate the word ‘poverty’ but if that’s what they call it so be it.”

One person who has been a part of that journey his entire life is Gonzalez’s younger brother Eric. Although he is only 12 years old, Eric has had a profound effect on Adan.

“He is always pushing me to try harder … When he first started he would go in to talk to my teachers and give speeches at my school and I would be so embarrassed because I wasn’t used to it, but then everyone started congratulating me because I have a brother like him,” Eric Gonzalez said. “Now, I’m proud of him.”

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friday, january 16, 2015

DC Council Faces Growing Winter Homelessness Crisis maureen tabet Hoya Staff Writer

Pressed by a potentially severe winter and rapidly decreasing shelter space, the D.C. Council is considering further action to combat the problem of homelessness, already having tweaked the operation of shelters this winter.

According to a report from the Washington City Paper, D.C. General, the city’s largest homeless shelter, was near capacity, housing 230 families out of a maximum total of 248.

Additional shelter space in two motels provided 310 total spaces, of which 251 have been filled thus far. The D.C. Council has begun negotiations for additional space with a third motel.

Kate Coventry, policy analyst for the Fiscal Policy Analyst, said that despite the limited space, this year’s experience has been better than 2014, when the inability to anticipate demand for shelter services led to the motels becoming oversaturated.

“In the past … there hasn’t been as much onsite staff [at motels], there was staff that would travel to the spaces,” Coventry said. “Also, contracting for entire motels is more transparent about how many units we have available, because we contract for a certain number of units versus renting them on an as-needed basis so that’s good for planning. I can tell you how many families were in shelter two nights ago and how many spaces we have left.”

However, the shelter at D.C. General and the motels are intended to be used as emergency shelters. To keep emergency capacity, the D.C. Department of Human Services aims to move about 65 families per month from the shelter into more permanent housing but only managed to relocate 79 families in November and December, leaving a increasingly worrisome problem for the long-term stability of the shelters. Accordingly, much of the rhetoric surrounding the new administration of Mayor Muriel Bowser has focused around finding permanent, long-term solutions for the housing problem.

“My focus is not on creating more shelter but on creating new housing opportunities,” Bowser said to The Washington Post.

Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) attributed this new focus of city government to the results of last fall’s elections.

“I think you’re going to see a radical change [in homelessness]. You have a council now and a mayor that are committed to ending homelessness in the District of Columbia and that’s what we’re going to try to do,” Grosso said.

“I think you’ve seen a strong commitment from Muriel Bowser on trying to get to a place where we have a housing-first approach where we are taking the homeless and we are working closely with them with all of the services that are needed to get them into permanent housing so that they can stop having to live on the street.”

Grosso said that disagreement between former Mayor Vincent Gray and the former coun-

cil prevented the passage of legislation regarding homelessness in the past.

“The former mayor had an idea about how he was going to handle the crisis and I think he had some good ideas. What happened was the council worked with advocates to try to get something that would work for all people that were homeless, and in the end the mayor just didn’t agree with our approach,” Grosso said.

One such example was the dispute over the legislation passed by the council in November that changed the operation of shelters this winter. The Dignity for Homeless Families Amendment Act calls for private and safe rooms for all families, newly defining a private room as one with a door that shuts and locks. Additionally, the bill calls for shelters to open 24 hours a day so families do not have to reapply to stay every night. Shelters in the District have historically had hours of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Although Bowser supported the bill, Gray urged the Council to oppose it, worried that it would divert investment from permanent solutions for housing.

“The proposed bill will mandate additional investment in shelter at the expense of investments in affordable housing and other more permanent housing solutions. This legislation will throw the District back to an era when streets were lined with hotels filled with homeless families,” Gray wrote to Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) in a letter Oct. 28.

Grosso also said that Gray had misinformation about costs of potential plans when approaching this issue during his term.

“He was bent toward saying people need to start stepping up and taking care of themselves more than the government needs to continue to help people get on their feet again,” Grosso said. “He had bad advice that it would cost millions and millions of dollars to do this when in fact there had been some fiscal analysis that it wasn’t going to cost that much.”

With the motels providing some measure of stability for this winter, Grosso pointed to the work done by Friendship Place as a long-term way to transition to more permanent housing.

The private organization committed to ending homelessness has taken over multiple shelters in the District over the past few years and employed a new strategy to homelessness.

Called a “wraparound” strategy, the organization provides 24-hour care as well as health and psychiatric services. In 2013, Friendship Place provided 701 free primary care consultations and 329 free psychiatric consultations, helping to move people out of shelters into permanent housing.

“The way we’re handling homelessness in the District this year is going to include a lot more wraparound services than it has in the past so people are going to have their problems addressed immediately,” Grosso said. “They’re going to be able to get into housing and then they’re going to have the backup services that they need to stay on their feet. I think you’re going to see a radical change.”

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Project Revives Religion andrew Wallender Hoya Staff Writer

The Francis Project, a new initiative created in October that attempts to foster oncampus dialogue about human dignity, held its first campus-wide event Monday evening in the Healey Family Student Center.

Around 30 to 40 people attended the event, which featured a talk by Vice President for Mission and Ministry Fr. Kevin O’Brien and a showcase of how groups on campus are working toward human dignity. Four groups were present to speak with students: Students Stopping the Trafficking of People, GU Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters of Georgetown University and Georgetown Right to Life.

The initiative will serve as a forum to bring together groups of all different religious backgrounds who share the common goal of recognizing the significance of human life, according to O’Brien.

“The Francis Project takes its inspiration from Pope Francis because he articulates for Catholics and non-Catholics, by both what he says and what he does, a message of human dignity that we want to make sure we share on campus,” O’Brien said. “It is to support natural life from conception to natural death in all forms and to defend human dignity of all peoples. That’s the inspiration.”

Andrea Price (COL ’14, GRD ’15), who is currently leading the Francis Project, said that she hopes the discussion that will result among students will make the often misunderstood position of pro-life more clear.

“Usually when you’re talking pro-life, people go right to the abortion issue,” Price said. “But the Francis Project is hoping to promote awareness of the Catholic notion of pro-life at Georgetown. The Catholic notion of pro-life is that life is sacred and special and that humans deserve dignity from conception to natural death and at all moments in between.”

The Francis Project is still in development, so it does

not yet have a set number of groups with which it will collaborate throughout the year. Other details of the initiative, too, such as how often the group will come together have yet to be decided, though Price said the biggest goal is to provide a safe space for discussion.

“This is not to create a new group, but really to network students and groups that are already active in promoting human life and human dignity, and most particularly not just religiously based groups,” O’Brien said.

Price knows first-hand the difference having an open and understanding environment for dialogue can make.

“Personally, as a freshman I was afraid to talk about pro-

“The Francis Project will make mental connections ... to put your faith into action.”

ANDREA PRICE (COL ’14, GRD ’15) Leader of the Francis Project

life issues on campus because I was afraid of being verbally attacked or being judged,” Price said. “It took me a long time to find a safe space to discuss these types of things and know that I was respected and that I was being listened to.”

Georgetown has received criticism in recent years by alumni and fellow Catholics who say that Georgetown is not Catholic enough. Most notably, William Peter Blatty (C ’50), the author of “The Exorcist,” filed a formal complaint with the archbishop of Washington this year regarding the operations of Georgetown, which the Vatican responded to as well-founded concerns.

Price said that she was hopeful the Francis Project would give students and alumni a more favorable view of the university’s religious identity.

“Hopefully the Francis Project will make mental connec-

tions … between our social justice work, which has roots in Catholic social teaching, and also the Catholic identity of the university,” Price said. “It’s one thing to have crosses in the classroom or have masses every Sunday or every day here, but it’s another thing to put your faith into action.”

The project will also attempt to bring one prominent speaker to campus each year to talk about themes relating to human dignity, O’Brien said.

The environment of excitement and interest at Monday’s event was a hopeful sign for the future endeavors of the Francis Project, Price said.

“I had a lot of people coming up to me and asking, ‘What’s next? What’s next?

This is so great, we can’t wait for the next thing,’” Price said. “That was really great for me to hear. So the event was definitely a positive experience, and it just made people interested and hungry for more of these issues.”

Clare Murphy (SFS ’18), president of Students Stopping the Trafficking of People, represented her group at the showcase and said that she looks forward to collaborating with The Francis Project to provide a chance to dialogue about the value of human life.

“Our group participating in The Francis Project will be able to bring attention to the issues of promoting human dignity as a whole,” Murphy said. “And specifically for our group, it will hopefully be able to bring attention to the issue of human trafficking and modern day slavery by getting students to start thinking about what that issue is and the dignity that is in every person.”

Celia Calano (COL ’18) said the event was helpful for her to find ways she could get involved in promoting human dignity on campus.

“I learned more about Pope Francis’ involvement in human dignity and about the issue in general. And I learned about clubs at Georgetown that I might not have known about already,” Calano said.

GUSA Negotiates Treaty tom garzillo Hoya Staff Writer

A Georgetown University Student Association senate proposal released Jan. 11 aims to strip the residency requirement for the District’s Boards and Commissions, which would thereby allow Washington, D.C., college students to participate in local government.

The proposal, introduced

by GUSA senate Speaker Tyler Bridge (COL ’17) and ViceSpeaker Abbey McNaughton (COL ’16), also aims to create a Mayoral Task Force in Higher Education that would bridge the gap between public service and university students.

“We want to be involved and have a bigger stake,” Bridge said. “Plus, we’re college students. We have a passion for these things.”

Currently, only D.C. residents are allowed to serve on D.C. Boards and Commissions, meaning that students who are not residents of the District are not permitted to serve in this capacity.

There are over 100 boards and commissions in the city, dealing with a variety of District issues that range from stopping the spread of HIV/ AIDS to the Commission on Fashion Arts and Events.

According to GUSA Vice President Omika Jikaria (SFS ’15), this issue was brought up during the election cycle last fall. After conversations with other D.C. student governments, it became clear that there was widespread interest in this proposal.

“The city of D.C. would greatly benefit from allowing students access to Boards and Commissions as they inform a lot of the work the city government pursues,” Jikaria said. “Especially in D.C., university students make up a large constituency and are as affected by policies of the city as are permanent residents.”

The GUSA senate sent the proposal to the student gov-

ernments of American University, Catholic University, Gallaudet University, Howard University, University of the District of Columbia, George Washington University and George Mason University.

Once all schools have signed, the proposal will be sent to both the D.C. Office of Boards and Commissions and the Office of the Mayor.

“If we’re all trying to do something for the betterment of us all in the same community, it’s a no-brainer to work collectively,” Bridge said.

One of the main argu-

“We want to be involved ...

We’re college students. We have a passion.”

TYLER BRIDGE (COL ‘17) GUSA Senate Speaker

ments against allowing students on Boards and Commissions is that the positions deal exclusively with D.C. issues, and therefore should only be available to legal residents. GUSA President Trevor Tezel (SFS ’15), however, said that students would still be valuable assets, regardless of their residence status.

“What that fails to consider is that we have about 80,000 students living in the District, which is over a tenth of the District population,” he said. “In order to give them a stake in the process, and in order for D.C. politicians to tap into a non-used reservoir of political support, making these forums easier to participate in is a must.”

The majority of the D.C. Boards and Commissions positions are unpaid, but Tezel said that he does not think this will dis-

courage students from applying.

Students regularly express interest in District politics, be it through registering to vote or running for positions on the Advisory Neighborhood Commission.

“A lot of students are saying that this is something important,” Tezel said. “I want to make sure the city is governed in a way that supports university interests.”

Both Bridge and Tezel said that Deputy Director of the Office of Boards and Commissions David Walker has been helpful in the process.

Walker could not be reached for comment.

Bridge also discussed a possible tie-in between this proposal and the Center for Social Justice’s Fourth Credit Option for Social Action. If a student were to serve on a board or commission that integrated their academic studies, they may be eligible to receive an additional credit in the corresponding course.

“The fourth credit option is a new program in the CSJ where students can apply to the program, and through service that works with their academic schedule, they can get a fourth credit added to their class,” Bridge said. “Say your interested in socioeconomic diversity, and you do work with a committee dealing with homelessness, you can apply to the CSJ for credit and really tell the story of how those things worked together.”

Georgetown will send a student delegation to this weekend’s town hall-style meeting with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to discuss this proposal and other ways for the university to interact with the District.

“It works well with the mission of Georgetown, and its mutually beneficial,” Bridge said. “It’s good for us, and the city has people who are dedicated, committed and innovative. We want to serve, and it doesn’t make sense why we shouldn’t be allowed to.

B eat ’Nova

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015

GULC Offers Joint Course with MIT CHARLOTTE ALLEN Hoya Staff Writer

COURTESY CONNOR BERNSTEIN

Connor Bernstein (COL ’16) (right) started a company five years ago that sells unique and innovative science experiments for children. The kits include experiments such as making crystals and growing plants.

Student Builds Science Kits MICHELLE MCCANN Hoya Staff Writer

At the ripe age of nine Connor Bernstein (COL ’16) created his own business.

And now more than a decade later, he has kept at it, growing what was once a schoolyard operation to a company with national reach.

Bernstein grew up with an interest in science and enjoyed performing experiments with activity kits as a child. But he was often frustrated and disappointed with the quality of the experiments.

“They were expensive,” Bernstein said. “They were hard to use. The instructions were bad. They were overpriced and not kid–friendly.”

Rather than continuing to use these flawed kits, or giving up all together, Bernstein began making his own science kits and sharing them with friends as a fourth-grade student. As more and more people took an interest in his kits, Bernstein was able to turn this hobby into a business with his parents’ help.

“I made kits in my living room at home and sold them at local street fairs and craft shows in Chapel Hill, North Carolina,” Bernstein said. “The very first street fair that I sold at … I pretty much sold out. I had brought either 80 or 100 kits I had made myself.

They were really popular.”

He continued making and selling these science kits locally as an elementary and middle school student, and named his company Connor’s Kits for Kids. In 2009, he formed an LLC as a freshman in high school, and worked with a marketing firm to help develop a logo, product packaging and a website: www.kitsforkids.com. He worked with sales representatives throughout high school and sold his kits to toy

stores around the country.

Bernstein believes that what makes his products unique and superior to the kits that frustrated him as a child is that the experiments are easy to follow and can be performed again and again. The kits allow children to perform a variety of experiments, including making crystals, growing plants and making polymer slime. They retail for under $20 each.

“Everything is included to do the experiment multiple times, so they can actually experiment and change things around, and they can do them fairly independently because the instructions are very kid-friendly,” Bernstein said.

Bernstein is a fellow in the Entrepreneurship Fellows Program, a program developed to help students pursue entrepreneurial careers through various courses and co-curricular activities.

“I’ve been able to take a lot away from the [Entrepreneurship Fellows] classes in terms of how I approach new ideas and new opportunities and how to run the company,” Bernstein said.

“It’s really helped me cultivate skills that are useful and that I can apply to my company.”

Jeff Reid, founding director of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, has worked closely with Bernstein as an Entrepreneurship Fellow and believes Connor’s Kits for Kids is a strong and promising venture in the education marketplace.

“With the country’s emphasis on science education, I would expect his company to continue to be really successful,” Reid said.

Reid also commended Bernstein for his emphasis on the student experience in using his science kits.

“Many studies have shown that

when a young student enjoys what they’re learning, they’re going to learn a whole lot more,” Reid said. “What Connor has done is really focus on the experience of the kids, he’s made it more fun for kids to engage with science.”

Bernstein handles all the marketing and management for Connor’s Kits for Kids himself. He recruited several interns from the Entrepreneurship Fellows Program, as well, to work with the company this semester, which he will be spending abroad.

Alyssa Lovegrove, associate director of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative and adjunct professor in the entrepreneurship program, has advised Connor in the program and is working with him this semester to coordinate the interns.

“He has an opportunity to really grow this company, but it’s really been just him so what he’s been trying to do is create a deeper team so they can go deeper faster,” Lovegrove said. “I think the company has a lot of further growth potential, so I’m excited to see where it goes.”

Bernstein plans on expanding Connor’s Kits for Kids by developing more products and continuing to break into the education market, selling to schools and educational programs.

Reid said he has high hopes for Bernstein and Connor’s Kits for Kids.

“Connor is a great example of a Georgetown entrepreneur,” Reid said.

His company is successful in making money, but it’s also successful in making a difference in the world.

He’s helping to educate young people about science, and that’s a great thing for society. And that’s what entrepreneurs do — they create value and improve society.”

Georgetown University Law Center and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced a partnership to offer a joint course to law and engineering graduate students this semester. The course will examine the legal and technical aspects of modern privacy problems and draft models of state privacy legislation.

The first session of the class was held at MIT on Wednesday, and the following classes will be switch campuses based on which professor is leading the lecture, collaborating via video conferencing. GULC Center on Privacy and Technology Faculty Director David Vladeck and Executive Director Alvaro Bedoya will teach the Georgetown half of the course, while Daniel J. Weitzner, director of MIT’s Cybersecurity Policy Initiative, and Hal Abelson, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, will lead the MIT side. The joint program currently has 12 GULC students and at least 10 MIT students enrolled.

According to Bedoya, the primary aim of the course is to improve communication between lawyers and engineers.

“There is a really big problem in the world of privacy,” he said.

“There are far too few lawyers who are comfortable speaking with engineers, and far too few engineers who are comfortable speaking with lawyers.”

With increased privacy problems such as the hacks of the consumer databases of Sony, Target and Home Depot last year, Vladeck added that lawyers should be more knowledgeable about technology and engineers about policy. Having worked with Weitzner during his time at the Federal Trade Commission, Vladeck collaborated with him to introduce the course.

“We often discussed the difficulty that lawyers had in understanding the difficult technical issues that often drive privacy policy and the difficulty that technologists had in understanding the policy issues that underlay their work,” he wrote in an email to THE HOYA. “So we started thinking that when returned to

academia, we’d try to put together a class that brought law students and technology students together and had them collaborate on projects, with the aim that the lawyers would become literate in the technology, and the technologists would become literate in policy.”

Jim Davy (LAW ’15), who is enrolled in the class, cited the increased importance of information privacy as driving his interest in the class and expressed his excitement to collaborate with MIT students. “[The class is] the opportunity to get out of the classroom and work on these issues in a more practical context,” he wrote in an email.

“That we’re doing it with MIT — connecting the legal part of the subject directly to the technology part — is hugely appealing as well.”

At the end of the course, the students will present their research and findings to a panel of experts and the panel will evaluate the most promising proposals.

“The goal is to get lawyers and engineers in training to realize that they can’t tackle privacy problems alone.” Bedoya said.

Both Bedoya and Vladeck were optimistic about the program, hoping to offer similar courses in the future.

The course is part of GULC’s increased emphasis on technology and privacy concerns. In addition to the MIT collaboration and the formation of the Center on Privacy and Technology, the law center also announced Tuesday that Paul Ohm, a former senior policy adviser to the Federal Trade Commission and foremost expert on law and technology, would join the center’s full-time faculty. Vladeck pointed to the developments as optimistic signs for the future.

“If all goes well, I would hope to institutionalize and expand this collaboration,” Vladeck wrote. “From the perspective of the law school, I think that helping our students develop competencies in emerging areas like cybertechnology will make them better and more effective lawyers, better and more effective policy advocates, and will help them in this highly dynamic legal job market.”

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news

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015

By SCHOOL

By Gender

NHS, 1,041

MSB, 3,322

SFS, 3,513

College, 11,510

Women, 11,463

Men, 7,963

Applicant Numbers Stable ADMISSIONS, from A1 The largest number of applicants came from, in descending order, California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Florida. However, New York, New Jersey and Maryland, along with the other states of the Middle Atlantic and Northeast region of the United States, saw decreased application numbers, while California, Florida and Texas sent more applications than last year. “[The trend is] largely declining white students in that part of the world. Those have been the primary feeders, the largest feeder states,” Deacon said. “Fortunately, for Georgetown, international [students], California, Florida and Texas have moved significantly up the list, and that’s where the population growth is coming from.

Fortunately, we have a brand that’s

visible in the growing areas to offset the declining areas where it’s traditionally been.”

The peak high school graduating class in the United States came in 2011: the number of high school graduates since that year has declined by five percent. During that same period, Georgetown’s application numbers have increased by a total of two percent.

The overall acceptance rate is expected to stabilize at a similar level to last year’s 16.3 percent. During the early action acceptance period in December, Deacon explained that admissions committees chose to reserve more space for students applying in the regular cycle, leading to a small decline in that acceptance rate.

The lower early acceptance rate flies in the face of a national trend among elite institutions to accept more students early. A recent

Bloomberg article explained that early acceptances privilege affluent students in comparison to the regular decision process, since they make up a larger proportion of the early pool.

“The implication of that is significant. The more people you take early, the more likely there is to be a higher percentage of paying students, and the more you’re squeezing out at the other end. That would be a cynical way of reducing the amount of financial aid,” Deacon said.

“It’s just another example of admissions becoming a business.

We’re philosophically similar to where we were twenty years ago, saying that we should be student-centered, rather than institution-centered.”

Decisions for the regular application period will be released near the end of March.

Courses Dropped by College rEGISTRAR, from A1 before students were finally placed in courses,” Connor-Linton said.

“Based on review of the preliminary assignment of students to courses and previous enrollment patterns, department chairs determined which low-enrolled courses needed to be canceled.”

Students who registered for under-enrolled courses were notified of schedule changes prior to the beginning of the semester, ConnorLinton said.

“Students who had registered for a canceled course were enrolled in another section of that course or in one of their alternate courses,” Connor-Linton said. “Since students received their spring 2015 schedules in December, no courses have been cancelled due to low enrollment.”

Connor-Linton said that the cancellations were to ensure the quality of courses offered by the College.

“The College and the registrar have a careful process to ensure the reliability of course offerings and maximize the breadth and depth of the curriculum while maintaining necessary minimum levels of enrollment,” Connor-Linton said.

Pierce agreed that the cancellation policy was necessary to ensure a sensible allocation of faculty and resources.

“If there’s a reason to have it then that’s fine, sometimes when you reflect on it there really isn’t

a reason to have such a course,” Pierce said. “The faculty member who’s teaching it could be made more available in a different setting.”

According to Pierce, classes were also cut to ensure that the university is spending money effectively on courses.

“The pressure to invest money into all sorts of things grows constantly and so one of the ways to address that is to be as prudent as possible in the use of the resources that we have.

That doesn’t mean that you start cutting things recklessly,” Pierce said.

Additionally, around half of courses in the College are exempt from the low enrollment minimum.

“Many courses are exempted from enrollment minimums -- for example, courses required for a major and beginning and intermediate language courses,” Connor-Linton said.

Pierce said that the registrar also ensured that core curriculum classes were not cancelled. “[The] list was overviewed by the deans and the registrar and any course that we felt were part of the undergraduate core,” Pierce said.

“Then what remained was sent to departments for them to review and if they felt the course was needed by a major and only after all of that did they come up with the course that were cancelled.”

Although the eight-student minimum was only instated this year, the registrar has cancelled underenrolled courses in the past.

“We always have some cancelations and additions and changes at various stages in the process,” Pierce said. “What’s different is the College deans requested that departments in the College pay closer attention than they have in the past to courses that are under -enrolled, that is under eight [students], and justify to the deans the values of such a course.”

Some students were bothered by the decision to cut courses. Laura Greuring (SFS ’18) said that one of her own courses, North African Literature, narrowly avoided being cut.

“A class that I was in only got two people in it, but they offered to turn it into an individual tutorial so it actually had the opposite effect, but if they would have cut it I would have had a feeling that that was unfair,” Greurig said.

“The registrar offered to cut it but the department decided to maintain. So I guess we were lucky.”

Greurig said that cutting courses due to low enrollment was a poor decision.

“I think that for the students that are really passionate about those classes it’s kind of unfair that just because some students don’t take the same interests as they do, they’re cut,” Greurig said. “Especially at a big university like Georgetown, you’d think Georgetown has the possibility to move some funds around to be able to support the class.”

Program to Engage Community INITIATIVE, from A1 the World Bank Group, and will receive a total of four lectures from President Jim Yong Kim and Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Kaushik Basu, who will deliver two lectures each. Rutherford and Banchoff could not provide information on future speakers because the details have not yet been finalized.

“Our idea is to invite world leaders to campus and to encourage them to set out a vision based on their expertise for dealing with global issues and global challenges and to address the policy implications but also some of the ethical implications of the choices that we face,” Banchoff said.

Rutherford said Georgetown’s reputation made the partnerships between large organizations such as the World Bank possible.

“We’re able to work with World Bank Group in part because of our D.C. location, which makes it easy for those leaders to come to Georgetown and give lectures, and because of Georgetown’s reputation of academic excellence and Jesuit identity, which gives us expertise and interest in addressing pressing issues,” Rutherford said. “It’s a draw for world leaders to come to Georgetown.”

In addition to speaking events,

the initiative will also include an academic aspect that gives students and faculty research grants and incorporates the four themes into both the undergraduate and graduate curricula.

The initiative has set aside $25,000 for spring 2015 research grants, for which students and faculty can apply online by Feb. 3 . Each applicant may receive up to $7,500 for topics that address one of the four Global Futures themes or cross-cutting themes. This money comes from the Office of the Vice President for Global Engagement’s existing budget.

The initiative also includes a Global Futures Curriculum Studio formed in collaboration with the Designing Future(s) of the University Initiative founded in November 2013. The studio will encourage faculty members to incorporate global perspectives and the four themes into their courses through workshops and seminars.

“We want to bring faculty and students together to think about how to further integrate these topics into the curriculum,” Banchoff said. “Obviously, they’re already there, but we want give faculty the tools that we can to do that more effectively going forward.”

The last component of the initiative is a Global Futures blog that will allow the university community and the outside

world to discuss current events, ideas and themes. The blog, which launched Jan. 1, features posts from Georgetown faculty members and administrators with backgrounds in each theme.

According to Banchoff, the program as a whole will provide a platform for discussion, but will also elevate the university’s status in regards to global studies.

“I think it’s an opportunity for us to highlight our strengths for an external audience like the academic excellence we have across disciplines in dealing with global questions,” Banchoff said. “But also I think it’s an opportunity to foster more collaboration within the university around these issues, across campuses, across schools, but also between faculty and students going forward.”

In a statement sent to the university Jan. 15, DeGioia expressed his excitement for the inauguration of the initiative.

“The challenges we face today as a global community are more complex than ever, transcending national and cultural boundaries,” DeGioia wrote. “… Through the Global Futures framework, we will bring the resources of our university’s distinctive tradition — our academic excellence, our history of broad global engagement — to bear in advancing thoughtful solutions that lead to a better future for all people.”

THE HOYA

A9

CISR to Vote on Divestment Proposal CISR, from A1 action that reflects the university’s Jesuit values.

“We are framing the [rally] as a marriage between the CISR and Georgetown’s values,” Lazarus said. “Georgetown holds its Catholic and Jesuit values highly and we believe divestment from these top 200 fossil fuel companies will make Georgetown follow its core principles.”

According to GU Fossil Free and CISR member Caroline James (COL ’16), the committee will most likely vote against divestment for fiduciary reasons. CISR has been working with GU Fossil Free to develop their proposal for almost two years. Other members of CISR declined to comment before the vote.

“I’m anticipating a ‘no’ vote with the exception of one or two ‘yes’s … which disappoints me,” James said. “Based on our dialogue with CISR so far … I think where they are feeling conflicted is in whether or not it’s moral to move so much money around, and if there is in any event the [risk of the] endowment being hurt if we were to divest.”

However, James said that most voting members in CISR are in agreement with GU Fossil Free’s reasons for divestment.

“It doesn’t seem to me that anyone doubts the moral implications of what we’re saying, being that investing in companies that are directly hurting many disadvantaged populations and destroying ecosystems around the world is a bad thing,” James said.

Approximately 10 percent of Georgetown’s endowment fund, which consists of $1.2 billion, is invested in fossil fuel companies. However, James expects a larger portion of the fund to be affected after divestment because many of the companies are in mutual funds with Georgetown, which would force the university to divest from the entirety of the funds. The university’s Investment Office also declined to comment before the vote. The Georgetown University Student Investment, a student group that manages over $500,000 of the university’s endowment, also declined to comment on the issue.

“Because of the way that commingled funds work, a lot of these funds are not simply invested directly in various companies. Rather, they are invested in larger funds that happen to include fossil fuel stock,” James said.

“While I can’t give the exact number, it would be a much greater amount than 10 percent of the divestment.”

Despite the financial burden that divestment could place on the endowment, James said that GU Fossil Free has presented a list of alternatives to investing in fossil fuels.

“We very much do not think that divestment would be hurtful to the endowment. In fact, we think that it could be helpful because, with plummeting oil prices, the energy sector isn’t doing so hot lately.” James said.

“In fact, a growing number of funds managers are now offering fossil free funds. So it would not at all be impossible to move those funds around.”

Center for the Environment Director Edward Barrows stressed the urgency of divesting from fossil fuel companies and investing in alternative energy.

“I personally think [that] humanity should move to investing much more in renewable, green energy sources as soon as possible, and move away from using polluting fossil fuels,” Barrows said. “Humans now know better and should stop shooting ourselves in our feet by using harmful fossil fuels.”

Barrows added that student groups should initiate dialogue with the administration to move towards environ-

mental sustainability.

“Student discussions with the Georgetown administration should help the university to become greener,” Barrows said.

James said that she feels more optimistic about GU Fossil Free’s meeting with the Board of Directors in February than she does about its relationship with CISR. GU Fossil Free met with University President John J. DeGioia Nov. 25 to discuss its mission and discuss CISR’s vote, which was originally scheduled for the end of the academic year. Before the November meeting, DeGioia met with CISR Chair and Associate Dean for Transnational Programs Jim Feinerman to encourage an earlier vote and succeeded.

“I don’t think that it will matter to whether or not we get a ‘no’ [from CISR], because I think that both President DeGioia and many members of the board of directors are aware of the fact that divestment has swept the nation pretty quickly considering that it was one that only started a couple of years ago,” James said.

Nine universities worldwide, including Stanford University, Pitzer College and University of Glasgow have committed to divestment.

James added that the Board of Directors may be more interested in improving the university’s image as an environmentally conscious school, following the footsteps of other universities in the country. She cited the divestment attempts at Harvard University, which failed after the university refused to withdraw investment from fossil fuel companies and subsequently invested $79.5 million into fossil fuel companies, which has led to heavy media coverage.

“I don’t think that [Georgetown will face the] publicity difficulties that Harvard has encountered,” James said.“If we were to present this to the board, they wouldn’t so much be thinking about what CISR’s recommendation was, but rather how Georgetown would be portrayed, and how it would be very much praised, especially in its Catholic identity.”

Recently, the Online Schools Center ranked Georgetown at number 29 on its list of the top 50 greenest schools in the country, which evaluates universities on criteria including sustainability, clean energy, recycling and student programs focused in environmental conservation.

In 2012, President DeGioia pledged to cut the university’s carbon footprint in half by 2020 through the conversion from fossil fuels to renewable energy on campus.

However, Lazarus said that in order to qualify as a green school, Georgetown must divest from fossil fuel companies.

“Even though Georgetown has committed to reducing its carbon footprint on campus through green energy initiatives, Georgetown is still investing in the same companies and fuels it is moving away from,” Lazarus said. “Divestment would act as the next step, following the series of environmental initiatives President DeGioia has supported and Georgetown’s foundational principles value.”

Regardless of the outcome of the CISR vote, GU Fossil Free will continue to campaign for the university to divest.

“Even if we were to get a ‘no’, GU Fossil Free’s campaign would be proceeding more strongly than ever,” James said. “We’ll rally and petition and point out the fact that CISR, whose job in title literally includes social responsibility, will have only satisfied the investments part of their title and not the social responsibility part, so we’ll definitely be talking about that if the ‘no’ vote happens.”

Marijuana Initiative Sent to Congress MARIJUANA, from A1 November, well before the passage of the spending bill.

“The District’s examination agrees with our analysis that the initiative was enacted when voters approved it and will take effect at the end of the 30-day congressional review period,” Norton Communications Director Benjamin Fritsch said.

This question of interpretation could lead to a judicial battle if the legislation is enacted and opponents attempt to strike it down behind the omnibus bill.

Mendelson did not call the decision a political maneuver, explaining it instead as his legal obligation.

“I have no choice,” Mendelson said in an interview with the Washington Post.

“The law says that I must transmit the measure. That is all I am doing.”

Despite the possibility of Congress rejecting the initiative in the next 30 legislative days, a mechanism that has been used only three times in the last 40 years, D.C. Cannabis Campaign Chairman Adam Eidinger, who introduced Initiative 71, explained that opponents to the legislation were pointing to the omnibus bill as the most

likely obstacle to the initiative’s passage.

“Rep. Andy Harris and a handful of others have been out there saying that they already passed a law addressing this, that D.C. shouldn’t revisit this.

They need to talk to a lawyer and read the bill they passed because the bill they passed does not address us at all,” D.C. Cannabis Campaign Chairman Adam Eidinger said. “They’re avoiding the issue for political reasons. They do not want to have to put a resolution forward because then it would be very clear who’s doing it.”

Eidinger added that if any resolution of disapproval were introduced, his organization would mobilize protests.

In preparation for legalization, the D.C. Council passed legislation in October authored by Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) that sealed the criminal records of anyone convicted for marijuana possession. Grosso also had proposed legislation to enact a tax-andregulation system similar to those in Colorado and Washington, anticipating that the system would be created and set up in 2015. This legislation has been frozen by the spending bill, preventing any implementation of such a system for the time being.

A10

SPORTS

THE HOYA

Friday, January 16, 2015

Swimming and diving

Women’s track and field

Hoyas Prep for Meet swim, from A12

SYRACUSE.COM

On the women’s side, freshmen Christine Ryan, Kirstin Peterson and Molly Fitzpatrick have all featured heavily in the Hoyas’ continued success and were instrumental in a strong third-place overall finish at the Bucknell Invitational.

The Big East championship is right around the corner, with a start date of Feb.18 at Ithaca College. The impending competition weighs heavily on the minds of all of Georgetown’s swimmers and divers.

Sophomore Ryan Manahan earned the Big East male track athlete of the week honor upon finishing the 800m event in 1:50.73, the fastest time in the 800m event nationwide this season.

“Personally, you do this sport with the intention of getting better each year, so that’s the end goal,” Romanov said. “But especially as a team, we got second in the Big East last year and it’s exciting, we’re hoping to build on that.”

Holder is also excited by the prospect of a high finish in the championship.

“The goal is to win,” Holder said. “We’ll see if we have the firepower. A lot of it depends on where we stack up, but I expect us to score more points this year than we did last year for both teams.”

saxa synergy

Focus on Progress, Not Results Iverson Left Colorful, Divisive Legacy Nadav Senensieb Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown men’s and women’s track and field teams will travel to Penn State’s campus in State College, Pa., this Saturday to compete in the Penn State Relays. Each team will participate in its third meet of the indoor season after the Hoyas’ men’s and women’s teams both came in second place in the Father Diamond Invitational last weekend behind stellar performances from individual athletes on each team.

The Hoyas were satisfied with the results from last weekend’s meet and are looking forward to the new challenge that they will face at Penn State.

“I thought we completed really well,” Director of Track and Field Patrick Henner said. “I was really pleased, from [senior] Rich D’Ambrosio [earning a personal record] in the long jump to the [800-meter] to the mile.”

Both teams and their individual runners are picking up accolades and setting records to start off their season. The women’s team is currently ranked No. 10 in the country, and sophomore Ryan Manahan and senior Hannah Neczypor were named the Big East male and female track athletes of the week, respectively. Manahan finished first in the 800m run with a time of 1:50.73, marking the fastest time in the 800m event in the nation this season. Neczypor finished first overall in the mile run and first among collegiate runners in the 800m run.

“It is an honor to be named the Big East Conference female track athlete of the week. I love being

part of such a strong and hardworking team, and I couldn’t wait to be back training and racing with them after winter break,” Neczypor said.“Working together as a team allowed for a strong start of the season at this past meet, and I am very excited for what is ahead this year.”

Despite the success of the team and its standout individuals, Henner is not as focused on results as much as on improving how Georgetown competes at its meets.

“I was very happy across the board,” Henner said. “To me, the George Mason [Father Diamond Invitational] was on a nice, flat track, but [the track at the Penn State relays] is a fast bank-track and there might be a little bit better competition. We’re not really that worried yet about putting up fast times, but we just want to get out there and compete well on a fast track.”

At this point in the season, the Hoyas are concentrating on improving their times, and will continue to develop both the stronger and weaker points of their teams.

“I think we just need to continue to work across the board, whether it’s [senior] Tyler Smith in the short sprints or Jody-Ann Knight, the freshman sprinter who is doing a great job,” Henner said. “Our middle-distance group on both the men’s and women’s sides is one of the best in the country. So all those different areas we’re looking to do well in.”

Georgetown is also looking to improve in the field events. At the Father Diamond Invitational, D’Ambrosio finished fourth in the long jump, but no other Hoya finished in the top five in their respective events. While the Hoyas will compete in those events, significant short-term success

remains unlikely.

“That’s definitely an area that has not been our strong point,” Henner said. “We just hired a new coach and we are going to definitely try to build a horizontal jumps program, the long jump and triple jump. But across the board it’s probably going to be a tough area for us to be a great field event squad just because we don’t really have areas to practice some of the field events.”

Even if they do not show as much progress as they would like in the field events during the indoor season, the Hoyas will still have the opportunity to prepare for the outdoor season, which starts in late March.

Henner has made sure his team understands this, and the team is going into meets focused on improving rather than pressuring themselves to win now.

“I think as a team and individually we are looking mainly to give a solid effort,” senior Annamarie Maag said.

“Because it is so early in the season, we are really just focusing getting more sharp with each race. This will benefit us most later in indoor and into the outdoor season as well, as May and June are our main focus.”

“The goal for some will be to get a qualifier for the indoor national meet, while the goal for others will be to just focus on competing and putting in a great effort,” junior Ahmed Bile said. “Collectively the goal as a team is always to compete hard, put forth a great effort and win races, so that’s what we’re going to do.”

The Penn State Relays start Saturday at 11 a.m. and will continue throughout the afternoon at the Ashenfelter III Indoor Track at Penn State.

santamaria from A12 The governor pardoned Iverson after four months in prison, but his freedom was limited. He could not finish his senior year at Bethel and had to attend a correctional high school for “at-risk” students as he watched his hopes of playing college basketball dwindle.

But Iverson’s mother, who raised him alone and moved from job to job throughout his childhood, had one last card up her sleeve. She convinced Head Coach John Thompson Jr. to meet Iverson and offer him a full scholarship to Georgetown University.

During his freshman year, Iverson helped Georgetown advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, earned the Big East Rookie of the Year honor and averaged 20.4 points, 3 assists and 3 steals per game. Iverson found greater success the following season, increasing his scoring average to 25 points per game and earning First Team All-American honors as he led the Hoyas to an Elite 8 appearance before leaving for the NBA in 1996.

Iverson’s success at Georgetown was particularly surprising as he was playing for a perennial powerhouse known primarily for forming excellent big men — but Iverson proved he would be the exception to Georgetown’s basketball tradition. Listed at exactly 6 feet and a mere 165 pounds, Iverson was the definition of tiny — but none of that would matter for the headstrong guard.

As the Philadelphia 76ers watched the draft lottery roll by and finally heard the last team called, they knew they had just won the drawing for the right to draft the Hoyas’ star guard. Drafted first overall, expectations were high for Iverson, but many questioned his attitude and behavior.

Still, the results were unquestionable. No one had ever seen anyone play like Iverson, from the way he dribbled, the way he passed

and the way he somehow soared for putback dunks. Philadelphia was set ablaze with the ferocity of every crossover, the ripple of every swish—and, unfortunately, the clamor of Iverson’s candid and infamous press conferences.

Though Iverson’s success on the court was unparalleled, Head Coach Larry Brown became frustrated with his defiant behavior.

Iverson skipped practice, prompting his infamous “We talkin’ bout practice, not a game, practice,” spiel, which has since remained an unforgettable audio excerpt.

In 2000, Iverson’s trade to the Detroit Pistons was all but completed, but fate gave the tumultuous Brown-Iverson relationship another chance.

In the 2000-2001 season, the two mended their breaks, and Iverson led the league in scoring with over 31 points per game, leading an otherwise mediocre 76ers team all the way to the NBA Finals. Before losing the series to the Los Angeles Lakers, Iverson singlehandedly dismantled the Lakers’ supposedly impenetrable defense with a 48-point performance in an overtime thriller, handing the team its only playoff loss.

Though Iverson’s playoff performance peaked in 2001, he continued to dazzle fans until his retirement in 2010, fittingly with the 76ers, despite playing for three other teams throughout his career.

As Iverson held up his hand to his ear on May 2, 2014 to hear his favorite song one last time, 20,000 Philly fans cheered on, playing the tune for arguably the greatest scorer to ever play the game. And as his iconic number 3 ascended into the rafters, the storied career that almost never was became the storied career that always will be.

Hoya Saxa, Allen Iverson.

Paolo Santamaria is a freshman in the College. SAXA SYNERGY appears every Friday.

sports

FridaY, january 16, 2015

The water cooler

THE HOYA

A11

women’s basketball

Playoff Expansion Hoyas Pursue Road Win in Ohio Needed in Football O

By Aidan Curran Hoya Staff Writer

n Monday, for the first time tee would ease some of the current in its 150-year history, college recruiting disadvantages many nonfootball crowned a legitimate Power 5 schools face because they and undisputable champion. By cannot realistically talk about comnearly every account, the freshly in- peting for a national championship stituted college football playoff was a due to their present exclusion.

Fans and athletes would also smashing success and there cannot, nor should there be, any dispute that benefit from an expansion to eight teams. For the players it’s simple — Ohio State is a deserving champion.

For years, fans, coaches, players more teams in the playoff means and pundits alike clamored for a having a greater chance to compete playoff to replace the controversial for a national championship. This Bowl Championship System, and year proved how important every single week of the seanow that the wish has son truly is, and doufinally been granted, it bling the size of the is time to expand; havplayoff will do nothing four teams in the ing to diminish the playoff was a start, but games’ importance. eight is a necessary imFor the fans, not only provement. do the odds of their There are only two Ippolito favorite teams making teams — Texas Christhe playoff increase tian University and Bayeight additional lor — that can be bitter College football when schools are eligible about the playoff selection. Both Big 12 teams should expand to for the playoff, but the playoff commitfinished with identical records, but the Big eight-team playoff. tee’s emphasis on the strength of each team’s 12 presented the two teams as co-champions for the play- schedule will continue to incenoff selection committee to consider. tivize schools to beef up their outAfter neither cracked the top four in of-conference schedule with highthe committee’s final poll to deter- quality opponents. If top teams play mine the playoff participants, the each other during non-conference conference applied Baylor’s head-to- play in the regular season, the playhead victory over TCU to officially off committee will be more readmake Baylor conference champion. ily able to make direct comparisons Meanwhile, the four champions of among every team’s record, which the nation’s other Power 5 confer- would make determining the playences, the ACC, SEC, Big 10 and Pac- off teams much easier.

Players could also benefit from 12, qualified for the playoff.

The situation that unfolded out the increased revenue that addiof the Big 12 has two easy solutions. tional games would generate. While First, conferences should simply be paying college athletes is a comforced to declare a champion. There pletely separate issue, the NCAA has is good reason to believe that if Big slowly approved changes that allow 12 officials had designated Baylor or schools and conferences to provide TCU as the conference champion, more for athletes, including benthat champion would have been in efits like guaranteed scholarships the playoff because Ohio State, the due to the costs of injury and unfourth seed, leapfrogged No. 5 TCU limited meals.

Forbes estimates that an eightin the committee’s final poll. Before the season began, the playoff com- team playoff would generate bemittee made it explicitly clear that tween $250 and 300 million more it valued conference champion- than the current four-team model. ships, meaning that the Big 12 has More revenue for the event means no one but itself to blame for what more money going to conferences and schools. Instead of hiking tuunfolded.

The second solution is even sim- ition, forcing students to buy athpler: expansion, which would be letic tickets or cutting classes and easy to implement and would pro- departments, this additional revduce several benefits. First, adding enue could ease the financial burfour more teams to the playoff pic- dens of many schools and stop the ture would allow for each Power pain from trickling down to the stu5 conference champion to have dents they are ultimately supposed a guaranteed spot in the playoff. to serve.

Monday marked the beginning of Next, the remaining three slots essentially become wild-card slots a bright new era for college football, that could be claimed by anyone. but expanding the playoff to eight College football could even go a teams could ensure a golden age for step further and reserve one spot decades to come. for the highest ranking non-Power 5 team to provide more access to Michael Ippolito is a sophomore in high-achieving programs like Boise the College. the water cooler State or Notre Dame. Such a guaran- appears every Friday.

After an up-and-down weekend that included a win over the Providence Friars and a loss to the Villanova Wildcats, the Georgetown women’s basketball team (4-13, 2-3 Big East) will look to rebound when the team travels to Cincinnati, Ohio, to take on Xavier (116, 3-3 Big East) on Friday.

This is the first time the Hoyas have faced the Musketeers this season. Both teams rank in the middle tier of the conference standings, but each team has a chance to make a run in the second half of the season and catapult itself into contention.

“It’s very important, to [Head Coach Natasha Adair] and to us,” junior guard Katie McCormick said, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming weekend games. “We need to keep it going, and I think getting these next two wins would boost us and I think we can get a roll going.”

Xavier has the fifth-bestscoring offense in the Big East, averaging 65.9 points a game. The Hoyas will have to limit the number of fouls they commit, as Xavier has the second highest free throw percentage in the conference at 71.4 percent. Georgetown will also look to score down low, as Xavier has a strong perimeter defense; the Musketeers allow their opponents to make only 30.6 percent of their three-point shots, good for third in the Big East.

Because of Xavier’s strong perimeter defense, junior forward Dominique

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Men’s Basketball

Dunham to Challenge Defense

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adapt to its new, more competitive conference. Only three years ago, the Bulldogs had made back-to-back Final Four appearances, nearly defeating the Duke Blue Devils in the finals in 2010, under former Butler head coach and current Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens.

However, in the years following their improbable NCAA performances, the Bulldogs have since been humbled — in their first season in the Big East last year, they finished 4-14, second to last in the conference. “[There are] a lot of similarities, and there are a few differences. It’s really that simple — the personnel is the same; at their core, their energy is the same,” Georgetown Head Coach John Thompson III said of the brand of basketball currently being employed

by Stevens’ successor Brandon Miller, who played point guard at the school from 2000 to 2003. “To beat them, you have to negate. You’re not going to take away, but if you limit their strength, which is their rebounding, and limit how they spread you out, [we can] get easy baskets in transition.”

Leading the Bulldogs’ offense is junior guard Kellen Dunham, who has shot 46 percent from the field and 47 percent from beyond the arc on his way to a team-high 16.8 points per game. Butler combines Dunham’s shooting prowess with a mix of undersized, yet versatile forwards to spread defenses out and create matchup problems.

“Dunham is an elite shooter and he gets [his shot] off fast, and they do a very good job of getting him shots,” Thompson said. “But they have basketball players — they have scorers. It’s not

just, ‘Let’s stop this shooter.’ They have guys that can make plays across the board.”

Georgetown’s nonconference wins over Florida and Indiana have not held up as well as Hoya fans might have hoped because of the Gators’ and Hoosiers’ struggles in recent weeks.

In the short-term, a win Saturday would set Georgetown up nicely to welcome No. 5 Villanova on Monday night. Although the conference schedule is young, this two-game stretch could be crucial for the Hoyas’ March Madness resume.

“There are some bigger games with Butler and ’Nova on the schedule this week,” Mikael Hopkins said. “It’s the Big East conference, so a lot of times teams are definitely trying to protect home court, so when we go out there, we’re going to try to remain undefeated in the Big East at Verizon.”

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Last issue’s solutions

Cotton Recovers, Runs for GU cotton, from A12

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handler when Burton is on the bench, to handle the lead guard duties. The 5-foot-5-inch freshman point guard Justyce Swango could also see a chance to earn some minutes as another option for Adair off the bench.

Xavier is a spot above the Hoyas in the Big East standings in sixth place.

The Musketeers are coming off a recent loss to the DePaul Blue Demons, 84-61, despite nearly doubling their first half scoring output in the second half. The Musketeers are led by junior forward Briana Glover, who averages 11.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. Glover is joined in the starting lineup by sophomore guard Raeshaun Gaffney, junior guard Jenna Crittendon, sophomore forward Leah Schaefer and senior guard Maleeka Kynard. Georgetown will have a stark height advantage over the Musketeers as Xavier has three starters that are 5-foot9 or shorter, another reason that Vitalis and Woodard, who each stand at 6-foot2, should play key roles in Friday’s game.

If the Hoyas can earn two wins to cap off their three-game road trip, they would have a 4-3 conference record, which could put them in position to contend for the Big East conference championship. However, according to McCormick, the Hoyas need to bring a constant high energy level in order to seize this opportunity.

“Consistency. We definitely need to work on that in both halves. We came out really strong against Villanova in the first and in the second we kind of let up.

Defensively [and offensively], we need to stay consistent,” McCormick said.

Sophomore forward Faith Woodard will head to Cincinnati, Ohio after a 11 rebound effort in the Hoyas’ loss to Villanova. Woodard is averaging 7.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Blue and Gray this season.

butler, from A12

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Vitalis and sophomore forward Faith Woodard — who had a strong game on the glass against Villanova, tallying 11 rebounds — will be called upon to provide an impact on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. McCormick, coming off a strong performance against Villanova on Sunday, will have to work extra hard to get open from long distance. McCormick scored 12 points, going 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, in the loss to the Wildcats.

Starting freshman point guard DiDi Burton will be a key player for the Hoyas against Xavier. Burton did not practice with the team on Wednesday due to minor aches and injuries, but she will be available to play with the team this weekend. The small, shifty point guard has been instrumental in running the Georgetown offense so far. Adair described her as being “like a spitfire.” McCormick made note of Burton’s passing ability when talking about her own performance against Villanova.

“She fed me the ball a lot, especially in transition,” McCormick said.

On Friday, the freshman point guard was instrumental in breaking Providence’s full-court press, which the Friars employed in order to try and slow down the fast-paced Hoyas.

“As a point guard, my responsibility is to start the break in transition. As far as half court sets, it’s my job to tell everyone where they’re supposed to be,” Burton said when asked about her role in the offense.

The Hoyas can also look to McCormick, who has been the primary ball-

returned to school in the fall prepped and enthusiastic for the ensuing season.

“Over the summer I was feeling some pain and I thought it was just the stress fracture, and I was getting fevers randomly but didn’t think much of it,” Cotton said. “I guess in September or October it started getting really painful at some points, but then it would subside and be fine.”

However, the temporary injury transformed into a much more serious condition. At first, Cotton brushed off occasional fevers and temporary pain as minor aches and discomforts. However, one night, Cotton’s pain escalated to an extreme level. Lying in her bed feeling completely immobile, she realized that something was very wrong.

“I was lying in bed and my roommate was down the hallway. … I could just barely move in my bed, so I was like, ‘Okay, this is not normal,’” Cotton said. “So, I somehow got myself out of bed and I told Haley, my roommate, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I need to go to the hospital.’”

For Cotton, her two-week stint in the hospital was a blur. The turn of events stretching from her initial severe pain to her treatment and eventual release became a surreal experience. Even her diagnosis itself is hard to recall.

“I didn’t have any idea of what it was, so I guess I didn’t think much of it. I think I was more like, ‘What the hell is going on?’ Mostly, I think I just wanted to feel better and get out. I just [wanted] this to be over,” Cotton said.

Staph infections, caused by the staphylococcus bacteria, are often treatable and occasionally even harmless. However, they can quickly develop into much more serious conditions, as evidenced in Cotton’s case. Cotton recovered and returned to Georgetown this past fall ready to compete.

By the numbers, the remarkability of Cotton’s comeback speaks for itself.

She finished 19th overall at the James Madison University Open Invitational. Later on, she went on to finish first overall in the women’s 6K race at the Indiana State University Pre-National Meet in Terre Haute, Ind., the location of the NCAA Championship course.

Cotton continued her success by being one of the top 15 runners at both the Big East Meet and Mid-Atlantic Regional Meet.

“It was incredible — I couldn’t have asked for more,” Cotton said of her remarkable return. “It obviously felt really good to do what I’ve always loved doing. At some points in the hospital they were saying, ‘You’ll never be able to run again,’ which was terrible to think about.”

“We were just surprised at how much she could do. To run in our top seven is really difficult to do,” Smith said in regard to Cotton’s participation in the NCAA Championship for the Hoyas.

As an athlete that also competes in indoor and outdoor track and field, Cotton will continue to race throughout the remainder of the year along with the rest of Georgetown’s cross-country and track and field athletes.

“I think she’s just a great inspiration to the team, about persevering through difficult times,” Smith said.

“When something seems hopeless, to continue to have hope.”

SPORTS

Swimming & Diving American at Georgetown Saturday, 4 p.m.

McCarthy Pool

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The Hoyas will look to reach .500 in conference play when they play Xavier on the road today.

See A11

TALKING POINTS

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NUMBERS GAME

At some points in the hospital they were saying, ‘You’ll never be able to run again.’”

JUNIOR RUNNER SARAH COTTON

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The number of bulldogs that will be present at the men’s basketball game at Verizon Center on Saturday.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Bulldog Battle to Break Big East Tie DILLON MULLAN Hoya Staff Writer

Bulldog and basketball fans alike have good reason to turn their attention to Verizon Center this Saturday for the 5 p.m. tipoff between Georgetown (11-5, 3-2 Big East) and Butler (13-5, 3-2 Big East). Butler and its Bulldog ‘Blue III’ along with Georgetown and skateboarding Jack are part of a five-team logjam behind Villanova (16-1, 4-1 Big East) for second place in the Big East.

Strangely, these Big East foes have already played each other this season. On Nov. 28, the Bulldogs handed the Hoyas a 64-58 at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas. This unconventional meeting

occurred because the tournament pool was selected before Butler joined the Big East.

“Last game we were really aggressive. It was a battle the entire game — we just came up short, so I expect it will be another good game come this Saturday,” said freshman forward Isaac Copeland, who had his best game as a Hoya in the loss with 16 points and four rebounds. “It depends on the game — anybody can show up, and it was my game that game. I just found the rights spots, and my teammates found me.”

Butler is simultaneously trying to return to its former glory and See BUTLER, A11

JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

Junior Sarah Cotton overcame a nearly fatal staph infection last year and bounced back to contribute to Georgetown cross-country’s fourth-place finish at the NCAA Division I Championship.

Cotton Beats Staph Infection MADELINE AUERBACH Hoya Staff Writer

This past fall, Georgetown junior cross-country runner Sarah Cotton helped the Georgetown women’s cross-country team to a fourth-place finish in the 2014 NCAA Division I Championship. Finishing seventh among the Hoyas and 121st overall in the runner pool with over 250 runners, the Madison, Conn. native played a key role in her team’s success at the cross-country championship.

Judging from Cotton’s successful

SAXA SYNERGY

results in the championships, it is difficult to believe that just a year earlier, she was lying in a bed at the Georgetown University Hospital.

Weak and suffering from a 108.5-degree fever, a staph infection had spread into Cotton’s bloodstream.

The infection threatened her career as a Georgetown athlete and her life.

“It was really scary — just incredibly frightening that the illness had manifested itself in such a way that, if not cared for, it could be lifethreatening,” Head Coach Michael Smith said. “The second time I was in the emergency room with her,

she was really not doing well at all.

I’d just never heard of a fever that high ever, so I felt scared, and I just wanted to help her.”

After racing multiple competitions in the spring 2013 outdoor track season, Cotton suffered a stress fracture in her pelvis — more specifically, her sacrum — in the early summer. The injury necessitated considerable time off from running.

Though the obstacle meant a minor bump in the road of Cotton’s career as a Georgetown athlete, she See COTTON, A11

BATTLE OF THE BULLDOGS

Paolo Santamaria

Iverson Relied on 2nd Chance SWIMMING & DIVING C Hoyas to Host GWU, Davidson for Senior Day FILE PHOTO: KRISTEN SKILLMAN/THE HOYA

Pictured during their meeting last year, Big East rivals Jack (left) and Butler Blue III faced off again Jan. 16, prior to Saturday.

onsensus All-American. Three-time First Team All-NBA. Eleven-time AllStar. Four-time scoring champion.

All-Star game MVP. League MVP. Cultural icon, cultural disaster, loudmouth, leader, legend, hero… the list goes on. Allen Iverson’s career was full of both success and controversy at extreme levels. As he lifted the Philadelphia 76ers to new playoffs heights and changed the way basketball is played, he also cemented his image as a thug, a bad-attitude superstar and a train wreck for any team that tried to sign him. Nevertheless, none of hisprofessionalsuccesswouldhavebeenpossible without second chances — with one of the most significant opportunities coming in the form of a Georgetown scholarship.

In 1975, 15-year-old single mother Ann Iverson gave birth to Allen in Hampton, Va. From the outset, Iverson’s life was to be one of struggle, but it was in sports that he found solace. Iverson rose to stardom at Bethel High School as a running back and quarterback on the football team and point guard on the basketball team. He was named the Associated Press’ Player of the Year in both sports after leading his teams to state championships. Iverson’s future looked bright, but his dreams came to a halt at age 17 when he was convicted of maiming by a mob and sentenced to 15 years in prison, with 10 years suspended.

See SANTAMARIA, A10

FILE PHOTO: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

Freshman forward Isaac Copeland will look to repeat his 16-point performance from the Battle 4 Atlantis when GU faces Butler on Saturday.

TANNER GARRITY Hoya Staff Writer

FILE PHOTO: MICHELLE LUBERTO/THE HOYA

After a busy winter break that involved training and trip to Puerto Rico, the Georgetown swimming and diving team will host a meet at home.

Visit us online at thehoya.com/sports

The Georgetown swimming and diving team heads into this weekend’s set of matchups with leveled confidence as it gears up for bouts with crosstown rivals American today and George Washington and Davidson tomorrow.

The weekend is one of the Blue and Gray’s last nonconference hurdles before the aquatic athletes can sink their teeth into its Big East schedule.

The last time the Hoyas saw action was Dec. 6 against the Bisons and Lady Bisons of Howard, a home meet in which the men’s and women’s teams secured dominant victories of 162-39 and 136-72, respectively. This meet was the last of the 2014 campaign.

The trip, which took place from Dec. 30 to Jan. 6, kept the team honest and prepared it to head into an undeniably significant stretch of its schedule.

Head Coach Jamie Holder agreed with the sentiments of his captain.

“We’re definitely ready to swim fast,” Holder said. “We got some good training down in Puerto Rico and this week-

end is going to be the next stepping stone towards conference matchups.”

Holder and Romanov are also in agreement on the vehicle that will push the Hoyas to success down the stretch.

“All year long, a lot of our underclassmen have been stepping up, but it’s going to take a team-wide effort,” Holder said.

That team-wide effort will include Romanov and his co-captains, though when asked about personal goals, he talked about his teammates.

“All of our freshmen have had phenomenal years,” Romanov said. “They’re going to be the group that carries the team forward.”

On the men’s side, a list of standout freshmen includes Chandler Hinson and Daniel Ross. Hinson joined the Blue and Gray’s 400-yard freestyle relay squad at the Bucknell Invitational in November to help the team earn a fifth-place time of 3:07.20. Ross’ victory in the Howard meet, a 10:04.48 clocking in the mixed 1000 freestyle, also indicates a future of success.

See SWIM, A10