GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S NEWSPAPER OF RECORD SINCE 1920 thehoya.com
Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 96, No. 2, © 2014
FRIDAY, august 29, 2014
THE STORY OF LAU
COMMENTARY One student’s story of why to prioritize mental health over ambition.
The history of Georgetown’s “ugly” library and how it got that way. GUIDE, B1
BARBARA BODINE An interview with the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy’s new director.
DONATION Former star Jeff Green gave $1M to the Thompson Athletic Center.
NEWS, A4
OPINION, A3
SPORTS, B10
Trans Policies Progress
Housing, GOCard names considered by administrators Maddy Moore Hoya Staff Writer
MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA
Students and professors joined this week to reflect on the crisis in Ferguson, Mo. Students organized a vigil, left, for Michael Brown, who was shot by a police officer earlier this month. Maurice Jackson, right, discussed the meaning of the ongoing situation on a panel in Gaston Hall.
Georgetown Community Reflects on Ferguson Elaina Koros Hoya Staff Writer
A student-led vigil and a panel discussion between university scholars this week spurred reflection and action on Georgetown’s campus, two and a half weeks after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. “It’s been 50 years since Freedom Summer, 50 years since the Civil Rights Act, 50 years since Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize, and what we’ve experienced in the past two weeks is a recognition of the unfinished work of this republic, the unfinished work of seeking
Hindu Chaplain Hired Katherine Richardson Hoya Staff Writer
Georgetown will welcome its first Hindu chaplain, army captain and chaplain Pratima Dharm, in October. After Dharm retires from active duty, she will begin working part time with students, professors and the Office of Mission and Ministry. Dharm currently serves as the first Hindu chaplain in the U.S. Army and has worked at army bases and hospitals around pRATIMA the world for eight DHARM years, including a yearlong deployment in Iraq. She is the head conflict resolution/resiliency and suicide prevention chaplain at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Dharm will join Campus Ministry’s staff of Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Orthodox and Protestant chaplains. According to Vice President for Mission and Ministry Fr. Kevin O’Brien, S.J., a group of students and administrators helped select the new chaplain from a competitive pool. “We’ve been looking for a Hindu chaplain for a couple of years now, and we’ve been talking with students about identifying a Hindu chaplain and the type of chaplain they want,” O’Brien said. “It was a competitive open search, but she was identified because of our contacts with the local Hindu community.” The selection committee included three of the past presidents of the Hindu Student Association, including current president, Smiti Mohan (MSB ’15) and former president Ronak Parikh (MSB ’12). According to Mohan, the administration strongly valued student input during the decision-making process. “We are the individuals with the See CHAPLAIN, A6
to realize the American Dream, the unfinished work of the American idea, the unfinished work of the American project,” University President John J. DeGioia said at Tuesday’s vigil. “Two hundred and thirty-eight years later we recognize that the work of this republic is unfinished.” The Black Leadership Forum organized the vigil, which included comments by assistant professor of history Marcia Chatelain, who has been organizing online discussions about how to teach students about Ferguson through the hashtag #FergusonSyllabus, associate professor of history and African-Amer-
ican studies Maurice Jackson, Rev. Raymond Kemp, DeGioia and various student speakers. “I look here and I see what is wrong with America, but you young people — you are going to save the future of America,” Jackson said at the vigil, reflecting on solutions to white privilege and police militarization. Continuing the conversation on Thursday evening in Gaston Hall, Provost Robert Groves moderated a panel discussion with universityaffiliated scholars including Chatelain, Jackson, sociology professor Michael Eric Dyson, government professor Douglas Reed and George-
town University Law Center professors Paul Butler and Peter Edelman. Groves began the forum by acknowledging the emotional gravity of the situation. “In Ferguson, we’ve all seen video images that shocked us, another life cut down, never to fulfill its promise,” Groves said.“And so it’s understandable that our first responses are emotional. As we continue to reflect, we must engage new ideas and perspectives that deepen our understanding. So it is important, I think, that we bring to bear at this moment, at this time all the knowlSee FERGUSON, A6
Freshman Violations Hidden Molly Simio
Hoya Staff Writer
First-time violations of some Code of Student Conduct regulations that occur during freshman year will no longer be visible to employers and graduate schools on a student’s disciplinary record, after changes to the code implemented this summer that the Office of Student Conduct is expected to announce today. A first-time violation of certain noise and alcohol policies will be kept as an internal record, rather than a disciplinary record, provided that the student completes sanctions and has no additional conduct violations over the rest of his or her time at Georgetown, the university will announce today, according to Georgetown University Student Association President Trevor Tezel (SFS ’15). “This policy addresses students who may have had a lapse in judgment and/or decisionmaking during their first-year [sic] of college,” reads the re-
vised code of conduct, which is already available online. “It encourages students to take responsibility for their decisionmaking by giving tangible benefits to those students who learn from their mistakes and demonstrate better decision-making throughout the remainder of their Georgetown career.” While the Office of Student
“It encourages students to take responsibility.” REVISED CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT
Conduct may disclose requested information from a student’s disciplinary record with potential employers or graduate schools, provided that the university receives written consent from the student, information from a student’s internal record will not be shared with anyone outside of the university.
“Now, essentially, if you get a first-time alcohol violation as a freshman and you don’t receive an additional violation, that won’t appear on your record. It will be maintained internally by the university,” Tezel said. Upon completion of sanctions, the violation will be transferred from the student’s disciplinary record to the university’s internal records. The first violation will, however, reappear on the student’s disciplinary record if the student commits any further conduct code violations. This policy applies to on-campus noise violations and on-campus alcohol violations, including possession or consumption of alcohol and the possession or use of alcohol-related paraphernalia, and does not extend to transfer students during their first year at Georgetown. If a freshman commits multiple infractions during the same incident, all of the violations from that incident will be removed from the student’s disSee VIOLATIONS, A7
In a move signifying some progress in university policy toward transgender students, the university has placed a transgender student in housing with other students of the same gender, amid ongoing conversations about changing housing and registrar policies that affect transgender students. Since meeting with university officials for the first time last April to discuss transgender issues, student LGBTQ activists have addressed an array of topics, including the representation of transgender students’ preferred names on their GOCards. Celeste Chisholm (COL ’15), a former trans* representative for GU Pride, said that when she returned to campus this fall after studying abroad last spring, the changes in the university’s responses to transgender students felt sudden. “I’ve actually seen more of a sharp change,” Chisholm said. “For one thing, I used to be housed in the basement of Copley Hall by myself in the handicapped room that was obviously meant for wild cards, and my junior year I was housed in McCarthy Hall in the boys’ section. But this year they actually housed me with three other girls in Village B. It’s great. It’s wonderful and nobody cares.” In the past, Georgetown’s policy has been to house transgender students with students of the gender they present as “full time,” although “full time” was not always clearly defined, according to transgender students. This is related to Georgetown’s policy to not recognize non-binary genders, which Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson expressed last year, spurring some negative student reaction. Chisholm’s housing fits with the “full time” policy. Lexi Dever (COL ’16), the current GU Pride trans* representative, said she is living in a single in Copley Hall, and not the basement room Chisholm was given a few years ago. Gender-neutral housing, which would allow students to live with roommates of any gender, has been a point of student advocacy and a focus of some Georgetown University Student Association candidates’ platforms in the past few years, to limited avail. During last year’s GUSA vice presidential debate, all candidates said their tickets would support gender-neutral housing. Dever said the presence of openly transgender students on campus has helped to advance these policies. “Right now we have four or five openly transgender students at Georgetown for the first time,” See TRANS, A6
Campus Staff Adjusts to DC Wage Increase Chris Balthazard Hoya Staff Writer
Although non-student employees at Georgetown have so far been unaffected by this summer’s minimum wage increase from $8.25 to $9.50 in Washington D.C., as they currently earn more than the new wage rate, some Georgetown employees still fear the potential threat of lay-offs and reduced hours as the minimum approaches $11.50 in 2016. Tiffany McGriff, a cashier at O’Donovan Hall, currently earns a salary exceeding the $11.50 minimum wage. However, she expressed her fear that the future hikes could cause budget cuts that might limit her hours, which currently stand at 37. “It’ll probably affect me but it hasn’t affected me now. Probably
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next year it might affect me but I hope it doesn’t,” McGriff said. “Because right now I’m not looking forward to budget cuts; I can’t afford budget cuts. But my hours have been good.” McGriff particularly pointed to higher-salaried workers, who she believed would see their hours furloughed to offset the increased costs. “I think they’re going to furlough the ones that are actually making more money,” she said. “Now for the ones that are making minimum wage, they’re going to give them roughly no more than 35 hours. They’re not going to get 40.” However, despite her fears, she supported the minimum wage increase as a basic necessity. She gave the example of her daughter, a 2010 Strayer University graduate with a degree in business administration, Published Tuesdays and Fridays
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Most campus workers will not see immediate changes to their wages, but some expect cuts to hours when the wage rises further next year. See WAGE, A6 Send Story Ideas and Tips to news@thehoya.com
A2
OPINION
THE HOYA
FRIDAY, august 29, 2014
C Founded January 14, 1920
EDITORIAL
Constructing Better Access C This year will surely be one of the most inconvenient for Georgetown students in recent memory. With construction crews ready to start on a variety of projects around campus, blocked pathways and roundabout routes will be a hallmark of this year. But the inconvenience of extra walking time will be especially exacerbated for handicapped students. Current plans for long-term construction on campus will block pedestrian pathways, many of which were key to making campus wheelchair accessible, in spite of the Hilltop’s already challenging topography. With construction on the Northeast Triangle posed to close off the pathway between Red Square and the Leavey Center for two years, and construction on Ryan and Mulledy halls to constrict pedestrian traffic on the walkway between O’Donovan Hall and Lauinger Library for one year, available alternatives for handicap students and campus visitors will be essential. Thankfully, campus administrators have considered and included contingencies for handicap accessible pathways throughout construction, although not all contingencies are compliant with
Americans with Disabilities Act standards. Elevators in Regents Hall and the new Healey Family Student Center will provide alternatives to the closed walkways, but more awareness about those alternatives is needed. Furthermore, campus visitors who do not receive email updates on construction projects are equally entitled to information about Georgetown’s handicap accessibility. Updated campus signs that will reflect pathways closed for months on end will help these visitors navigate campus. Especially for prospective students, parents and other visitors, inaccurate maps of campus pathways provide a disservice that could make our guests uncomfortable and frustrated. It is vital that administrators release updated information as soon as possible to allow time for students to understand how their day-to-day routine will be affected. This is especially true with the physically handicapped, as it is important that those affected can find walkways that allow them to traverse campus in a timely and comfortable manner. Throughout this construction process,the university should keep handicap accessibility a top priority.
Senior Housing Certainty
hoping a fickle university housing lottery finished in their favor or leasing a room miles away from campus to avoid the high rent in West Georgetown or Burleith. Beginning this academic year, students whose financial aid includes the cost of room and board will be assured the opportunity to make use of their coverage throughout their entire time at Georgetown. Seniors who have had their housing covered for the previous three years, of course, should not have their financial security left to chance. In this instance, the university’s work on one issue — town-gown relations — will work symbiotically alongside another — socioeconomic diversity on campus. As the university has worked to house more students on campus, it is encouraging to see that these efforts can be used to improve another aspect of university life as well.
No week of a student’s life is more socially excruciating than the first week of college. The new liberties associated with living on one’s own, combined with the pressure to find friends within the first few weeks of college, can lead to understandable lapses in judgment, especially when it comes to underage consumption of alcohol. While school policies should discourage these activities, long-term punitive action against students for early violations is unfair and overly demanding. With last May’s amendments to the Code of Student Conduct, the university has addressed this concern. The changes in the policy, expected to be announced campus-wide soon, address the documentation of the first noise or alcohol violations for first-year students. Instead of recording the first violation on a student’s disciplinary record — which is available to potential
employers — the first violation will now be recorded only on internal records. While some might condemn this policy as one that absolves freshmen of responsibility in a way that will encourage underage drinking, this change makes the policy fairer but not necessarily more lenient. Freshmen will still be held responsible for completing sanctions, and first-time drinking violations will be taken into account for determining the consequences of second- and third-time violations. However, the significant portion of this policy amendment will rightly absolve students from explaining freshman-year shenanigans to their future employers. It is an important part of one’s college career to learn to act responsibly. This amendment to the Code of Student Conduct makes punishments fairer and more understanding of the pressures of freshman year.
Coors Light Clemency
Mallika Sen, Executive Editor Robert DePaolo, Managing Editor Ian Tice, Online Editor Molly Simio, Campus News Editor Suzanne Monyak, City News Editor Carolyn Maguire, Sports Editor Jess Kelham-Hohler, Guide Editor David Chardack, Opinion Editor Michelle Xu, Photography Editor Michelle Cardona, Layout Editor Zack Saravay, Copy Chief Emma Holland, Blog Editor
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Katherine Richardson Deputy Campus News Editor Deputy City News Editor Kshithij Shrinath Deputy Sports Editor Sam Abrams Sports Blog Editor Max Wheeler Deputy Guide Editor Allison Hillsbery Opinion Blog Editor Jinwoo Chong Deputy Opinion Editor Kit Clemente Deputy Opinion Editor Ben Germano Deputy Photography Editor Julia Hennrikus Deputy Photography Editor Daniel Smith Deputy Layout Editor Lucie Felder Deputy Layout Editor Kennedy Shields Deputy Copy Editor Jackie McCadden Deputy Copy Editor Sharanya Sriram Deputy Blog Editor Emily Min
C C
A Lagging Leo’s — It seems Leo’s has restricted customization options that were available last year in both the wok and panini lines. Trash Be Gone — Metropolitan police officers will be issuing fines to pedestrians who are caught littering in public spaces or someone else’s private property in September. After an initial $75 notice of violation, a D.C. Superior Court will issue those who are convicted an additional fine between $100 and $250. Insensitivity Emeritus — Former George Washington University President Stephen Trachtenberg implied that “women who drink too much” are a primary reason for sexual assaults on college campuses in an interview on the Diane Rehm Show on Tuesday. Summer Suit — After telling Vanity Fair that he typically only wears black or blue suits, President Obama garnered significant fanfare Thursday when he stepped up to the podium in the White House briefing room wearing a tan suit. Flashy Commutes — Three instances of flashing on the Metro have been reported in the past two weeks. Victims describe a man with a blue duffel bag who has struck between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the Red and Orange lines.
A LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD US ... @sarahkaplan48 August 28 Best part about the new @thehoya recruitment video? Seeing that pop’ems are still an office staple. @ErinMeadors August 27 13 Years In, DeGioia Outlasts Predecessors in President’s Office — @TheHoya. He came in w/the best @2005hoyas! @MaryamHenson August 26 Wonderful piece from @DrMChatelain @Georgetown in @ thehoya on #FergusonSyllabus #fergusonfreedomlibrary #Ferguson Get educated and involved! @sudoltj August 24 @thehoya: New Student Guide has everything for new students’ freshman year. Wow, that was me 40 Hoya falls ago!
Although Georgetown has long boasted that it meets 100 percent of students’ demonstrated financial need, this aid still came into question for some seniors. Because housing eligibility is not guaranteed for seniors, some students have gone months without knowing where they are going to live, or if their financial aid will cover their living costs. However, the university announced this month that those in the highestneed categories will be guaranteed oncampus housing for all four years of their undergraduate studies. This is a necessary step to ensure the university’s commitment to meeting financial need holds through from freshman convocation to graduation. Previously, seniors whose room and board had been covered by financial aid were, paradoxically, not guaranteed university housing at all. They were consequently left with the choice between
Emma Hinchliffe, Editor-in-Chief
C
THE VERDICT
@JRabar007 August 24 Just donated my @GUAlumni Loyalty Society $10 to @thehoya. Put it towards buying a new iMac. Or a stapler. You guys deserve it!
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
‘I Am Ready’ Should Do More To the Editor: While I am encouraged to see that New Student Orientation now includes an education component on sexual assault (“Anchors Aweigh for NSO 2014,” A7, Aug. 26, 2014), I hope to see a continued and aggressive effort to combat this problem. Transparency and a clear message about the university’s commitment to prevention, punishment for offenders and support for victims are critical. Georgetown’s motto, “cura personalis,” promises care for each student as a whole person in a community of “women and men for others.” The principle of beneficence demands that we act to help others in the face of a known threat or harm, and university administrators across the country know that within weeks of stepping on campus as freshmen, some number of students become victims of sexual assault by other members of the student body. This “Red Zone,” between
Remembering More Than Tombs To the Editor: Re: “McCooey, Tombs Founder, Dies at 83,” A1, Aug. 26, 2014 One other contribution that Richard H. McCooey made to Georgetown was his part, with others, in helping to establish and maintain SursumCorda, a Department of Housing and Urban Development-subsidized apartment complex in which, since 1970, generations of Georgetown students have instructed K-6 children in language arts. It was a contribution he recalled vividly some years ago, when in the course of conversation concerning the community, he revealed that SursumCorda’s
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arriving on campus and Thanksgiving break, is well-targeted early in the year, so the NSO program is a positive step, though the program’s name, “I am Ready,” is hardly clear on the point of sexual assault prevention. If we are to destigmatize sexual assault and dissuade would-be perpetrators, we must speak in direct terms. All institutions, perhaps especially Catholic ones, should encourage open dialogue and work to remove sexual assault from the shadows. Silence encourages continued abuse and allows perpetrators to act with impunity. We must not mince words or stay silent if we hope to achieve a true climate of cura personalis, in which all respect their fellow students’ capacity for consent, victims are embraced and come forward without fear and justice is served. All Georgetown parents, myself included, should demand that the university maintains its focus until these goals are achieved for all students.
Consultants Nick DeLessio, Kevin Tian, Christina Wing, Simon Wu
highly unusual townhouses had come about because the architecture contract had been carefully put out to tender, so that the final design departed markedly from the practices then usual. It was his work, along with that of others, that provided the form that has now served the community for some 44 years. I remember our conversation as formal and courteous, and I well recall the gentle and perceptive man who contributed so much to his university. John C. Hirsh Professor of English
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Sheena Karkal, Chair
Michal Grabias, Emma Hinchliffe, Hanaa Khadraoui, Hunter Main, Zach Singer, Laura Wagner Letter to the Editor & Viewpoint Policies The Hoya welcomes letters and viewpoints from our readers and will print as many as possible. To be eligible for publication, letters should specifically address a recent campus issue or Hoya story. Letters should not exceed 300 words. Viewpoints are always welcome from all members of the Georgetown community on any topic, but priority will be given to relevant campus issues. Viewpoint submissions should be between 600-800 words. Send all submissions to: opinion@thehoya.com. Letters and viewpoints are due Sunday at 5 p.m. for Tuesday’s issue and Wednesday at 5 p.m. for Friday’s issue. The Hoya reserves the right to reject letters or viewpoints and edit for length, style, clarity and accuracy. The Hoya further reserves the right to write headlines and select illustrations to accompany letters and viewpoints. Corrections & Clarifications If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, contact Executive Editor Mallika Sen at (310) 918-6116 or email executive@ thehoya.com. News Tips Campus News Editor Molly Simio: Call (201) 661-1440 or email campus@thehoya.com. City News Editor Suzanne Monyak: Call (404) 641-4923 or email city@thehoya.com. Sports Editor Carolyn Maguire: Call (908) 4471445 or email sports@thehoya.com. General Information The Hoya is published twice each week during the academic year with the exception of holiday and exam periods. Address all correspondence to:
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OPINION
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014
THE HOYA
A3
VIEWPOINT • DuBois
THE SENSIBLE CENTRIST
Tricia Correia
The Need To Rename Feminism A
s those who reject feminism distort the definition of the movement, so too do those at the other extreme who use feminism to advance their elitist, man-bashing agendas. At what point does a distorted definition become the true definition? In today’s Western culture, words become colloquialisms more quickly and easily than ever before. Modern slang has evolved such that new words pop up every day, and sources like Urban Dictionary are necessary to keep up with the modern interpretation of many words. I recently read an article titled “10 Words That You’ve Probably Been Misusing” that struck a note with me. As it turns out, I was misusing over half the words on the list. For example, the word “terrific,” which, today, has become synonymous with the word “great,” actually means “of great size or amount” or “causing terror.” Somewhere along the way, the word was used incorrectly over and over, and the definition became so distorted that the word took on a new meaning. This is what happened to “feminism.” A 2013 poll found that just 16 percent of men and 23 percent of women in the United States identify as feminists. Yet, that same poll found that 82 percent of all Americans agree that “men and women should be social, political and economic equals,” a fact that illustrates the difference between the connotations of the word and its true meaning. In The Daily Beast article “You Don’t Hate Feminism, You Just Don’t Understand It,” Emily Shire writes about the Women Against Feminism movement and their social media presence. On this subject, Shire writes, “One woman posted ‘I don’t need ‘feminism’ because I believe that men and women are EQUAL, not that women should belittle men.’ Those posts hurt a bit more because they reveal how deeply misinterpreted feminism is.” I agree that posts like the one Shire recounted reveal how deeply misinterpreted feminism is. However, Shire’s elitist attitude and tone, through which she attempts to educate readers on her proclaimed “true” definition of feminism, belittles any women who hold alternate definitions of feminism from her own, and treats Women Against Feminism as a group of ignorant women. Furthermore, throughout the article, Shire never concedes that the majority of the posts on the Women Against Feminism Tumblr page are not misogynistic, but rather, are feminist. The aforementioned post reads, “I believe that men and women are equal.” When a young woman who believes in equality of men and women feels she does not need feminism, it should not reflect poorly on her, but should instead reflect poorly on feminism. I argue this because I can see where the Women Against Feminism movement gets its momentum. My naive 18-year-old self used to proudly claim that I was not a feminist because, at the time, I associated feminists with elitist, man-bashing women. I too believed and still believe in the equality of men and women, and yet today I am still hesitant to claim that I’m a feminist. And if I — an educated, socially liberal businesswoman — am hesitant to say I am a feminist, it is painfully clear that feminism needs some help with marketing and public relations. Feminism has become so misinterpreted by today’s world that it has taken on a new meaning. Just as “terrific” now means “great,” for many people, “feminism” means “bra-burning misandry.” It is time to give feminism a new name and a new image. And, why not use “Women’s Rights” as the name for this movement? Yes, women now have the right to vote, the right to independence from their husbands and the right to wear pants, to name a few. But there are many rights women still do not have today that men do. Reproductive rights, maternity leave, childcare and the gender pay gap are all major issues that hinder true equality for men and women in America. These rights are yet to be won for women and still need to be fought for. Putting the needs of today’s women in the perspective of women’s rights is indeed more powerful than the feminist perspective. The fact that women still lack certain rights in 21st-century America is abhorrent. Framing women’s causes in this light provides more momentum for advocacy and a clearer, more united definition of the cause. Let us fight together as united women’s rights advocates, not as fragmented feminists. Tricia Correia is a senior in the McDonough School of Business. THE SENSIBLE CENTRIST appears every other Friday.
I
Finding Success, Keeping My Sanity
remember the first time I visited Georgetown. It was the summer before my senior year of high school, and the campus was flooded with the incoming Class of 2014. There was so much life and excitement; balloons, music and cheers surrounded me as I walked through the iron gates. I slipped in with the crowd of new students and was greeted with the satisfaction that I had found “my people.” My people. That’s what I lovingly called them as I roamed through the crowds of families toting suitcases and stacks of textbooks. I meant it to describe the novel sense of belonging with which the campus filled me, like I had found home for the first time. That day, as we left this place of glamour and hope, my dad noted that he did not think the people there had looked happy. Was he kidding? Had we been on the same campus? It was not until three years later, when depression, anxiety and a stubborn eating disorder led me to take a semester leave of absence that I understood the discrepancy: The students had been busy. Busy, determined and consumed with what needed to be done. And at the time, that encapsulated happiness for me. I viewed this community of worker bees as the pinnacle
of success and self-fulfillment, and I made an unconscious promise to myself that day that I would be like them, no matter what it took. Swept up by an uncontrollable urge to be the best, I twisted and bent myself until I was barely recognizable. I had to have the highest GPA, the hottest body, the most desirable internship, the best sense of humor, the cutest clothes and the most impressive resume. I concocted an image of success that was impossible to achieve: one that idealized perfection above my health and happiness and viewed any mistakes as irredeemable flaws. And it broke me. I abused my body and mind until I could barely drag myself out of bed in the morning. Convinced that I had failed, I walked away. I do not blame Georgetown. Georgetown has delivered me nothing but valuable opportunities and experiences. Yet it is the very traits that draw us to such a prestigious university that often impede us from being truly successful. I, like many of my peers, have a predisposition to mental health
issues that can be exacerbated in competitive environments. My drive to succeed, my motivation to improve, my appetite for knowledge and my conviction that I can have it all and be it all nearly drove me to lose it all. You see, eating disorders are not about the number on the scale, the amount of calories consumed or the size jeans you can fit into. Eating disorders rely on these arbitrary numbers as a substitute for a perpetual sense of dissatisfaction with oneself. They are about control when the world feels chaotic, perfection when you feel inadequate and routine when you are faced with uncertainty. They parade themselves as a stress-reliever, a coping mechanism and a flawless path to a flawless life. And they eat away at you — every bit of confidence, self-assurance and pride you held in yourself — until you are hollow. They skew your reality to ensure that all you see in the world are problems — your weight being the biggest one. They become your own personalized parasite, feeding off your insecurities.
My conviction that I can have it all and be it all nearly drove me to lose it all.
When I left Georgetown, I thought that I needed to fix myself before I could come back — like I wasn’t good enough to be there with everyone else. At some point over my semester leave, my view changed. I didn’t need to fix myself; I needed to heal myself, reconstruct my identity and prepare myself to stay strong in an environment that tempts me to break. Today when I look at Georgetown, I see just as much life, excitement, glamour and hope as I did on that first visit. But I also see it with a new degree of reality. Instead of thinking about how I fit myself into this campus, I think about how I can make Georgetown fit me. How this university can help me to realize the dreams I have for myself, rather than how I can mold my aspirations to fit an idealized image of success. As I stand here just nine months away from my college graduation, it is almost humorous how, after nearly killing myself trying to map it all out, my journey looks almost nothing like the smooth and straight path I had planned. But this road, with all of its bumps and curves, feels much more like me. And I would take that over perfection any day. KATIE DUBOIS is a senior in the College.
HOYA HISTORIAN
VIEWPOINT • Cona
For DeGioia’s Legacy, In Protest of Student Activism’s Departure Faith Above Politics
T
he purpose of a Catholic and Jesuit education is perhaps best summarized by the words etched upon the entrance of Lauinger Library: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). The search for truth is the root principle of a Catholic and Jesuit education and animates the spirit of Catholicism, setting us free to serve the common good and drawing both Catholic and non-Catholic students to Georgetown University. Our Catholic and Jesuit identity makes Georgetown unique and distinct among institutions of higher learning. Georgetown is guided by this spirit of seeking the truth and serving our fellow man in its prominent role of engaging the public sphere on a broad range of issues from our Catholic perspective, which President John J. DeGioia recognizes. The recent editorial, “A Legacy in Progress” (The Hoya, A2, Aug. 26, 2014), would like to ignore DeGioia’s important contributions in strengthening our Catholic heritage that drive this pursuit of truth. The editorial board distorts DeGioia’s legacy by pushing for a greater distance from our Catholic identity, a position that reduces his achievements to mere political and private issues. The editorial suggests that the greater part of DeGioia’s success has not been facilitating a better learning experience for students, but providing access to abortion and contraception under the guise of women’s health care. As students, we should not seek to undermine the very identity of our school’s faith tradition, which is intimately tied to the presence of the Jesuits. Our Catholic mission is what makes us who we are. It does not bind us under rigid dogmas, but frees us to do good and serve one another. I believe that DeGioia recognizes this and will be remembered for his love of Georgetown’s heritage and Jesuit identity. This is seen most clearly in his support of the newly launched Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, the Religious Freedom Project and The Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs. We students must support him and show our love of Georgetown’s
faith tradition and the Jesuits. We should welcome DeGioia’s efforts to support our heritage and the educational mission of the Jesuits, regardless of our individual faith backgrounds. For the past 500 years, the Jesuits have cultivated ideals that resonate in the hearts and minds of college students. Their relentless pursuit of the truth, justice and the magis has, as St. Ignatius said, “set the world on fire.” We students of Georgetown also recognize this same character among our Jesuit professors and chaplains. Copley Crypt on weeknights at 10 p.m. boasts a packed chapel of students quietly in prayer for nightly Mass. Fr. Pat Rogers’, S.J., last nightly Mass was standingr o o m - o n l y. Students have selected various Jesuit professors such as Fr. Stephen Fields, S.J., and Fr. Matthew Carnes, S.J., for academic teaching awards. Fr. James Schall’s, S.J., last lecture in 2012 drew an audience in Gaston Hall that rivaled attendance records for the most famous politicians and celebrities. Our university-wide Masses such as the Mass of the Holy Spirit, Advent Mass and Jesuit Heritage Week Mass are jam-packed. Why is this? Why are the Jesuits so popular on campus? Is it only because they are intelligent, funny and cool? Or is it because they bring something much deeper to students? The Jesuits bring to us the peace and truth that we are seeking as students in a world of high stress, temptation and anxiety. The Jesuits bring to us the best of Catholic education throughout the centuries. They bring to us the love of God and the truth that sets us free. President DeGioia recognizes the contributions that the Jesuits have made on campus. He will be known for strengthening the Society’s presence and our Catholic and Jesuit tradition, which not only dates back to John Caroll in 1789, but to the first Jesuits some 500 years ago. Let us not reduce DeGioia’s legacy to personal and private political motivations, which would abandon the very heart of Georgetown — the Society of Jesus.
DeGioia will be known for strengthening the presence of the Society of Jesus on campus.
LOUIS CONA is a senior in the College.
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he face of a gleeful student More recently, students’ furious protester graced the cover of response to the university’s bungled the March 13, 1969 issue of handling of a hate crime pushed THE HOYA. A member of the Class of the Out for Change campaign into 1972, the student held up a burn- high gear, resulting in the expansion of programming for LGBTQ ing issue of this same paper. In a strong demonstration that students that took place in 2007. But, students don’t always find week in Dahlgren Quad, students distributed Students for a Demo- something to be furious about. cratic Society paraphernalia and, Even if the students behind the alongside THE HOYA, torched an divestment campaign launched by effigy of “Joe Hoya” — a symbol of GU Fossil Free channel this radical everything they had come to hate. spirit, they hardly command the Before the year ended, students same attention. Have Georgetown would topple Georgetown’s first it- students simply become less willeration of student government, oc- ing to pressure the administration cupy classrooms, go on strike and in recent years? lay the foundation for a lawsuit Maybe they have. against the university. For one, Georgetown has become I have never parmore expensive. ticipated in a sit-in Students paying or gone on strike. $60,000 a year to Neither have my pass through a friends. We were credentialing facradical once. So tory make poor what happened? muckrakers. Many For one, the stuof them would dents making derather find steady mands met with jobs than protest Matthew Quallen some degree of in a period of grave success. They estabeconomic uncerlished successful Students don’t always tainty. The great institutions. The of protest find something to be zeitgeists new undergraduthat animated the furious about. ate student govern’60s and the ’80s ment — another have also faded for forerunner of the Georgetown Uni- many students. versity Student Association — reEven the Occupy movement has placed the fractious and conserva- faded, leaving Georgetown stutive Yard government. Students of dents with few obvious examples Georgetown Inc. came into being of civic organization to consult. to fund student lawsuits against Instead, we have a spate of leftthe university. Women joined men over institutions, which have not studying in the College. retained their salty character. The History marched along, too. Corp, which once sold bongs and Students gained distance from the attempted to sell condoms at the political boiling over that followed height of the AIDS crisis, no longer the assassinations of Martin Luther finances student rebellion. Instead, King Jr. and Robert Kennedy. The it sells coffee. war in Vietnam came to a close. Does this pose a problem? Not Students, it would seem, had less for students who have abandoned to be radical about. the pursuit of justice. If we do not But radicalism among students see injustices in our lives and uniwas not only restricted to the late versity, why protest? 1960s. In the 1980s, students set up However, for those students who a shanty town on Copley Lawn to seek to reform our university and protest apartheid in South Africa, the world, this transformation demanding the university divest must be tremendously frustratits endowment of holdings in that ing. These students remember that nation’s economy. students can march, students can Instead of complying with those strike, students can write and yell students’ wishes, the university and fight. They remember that at demolished their structure. Stu- the pivotal moments in history, dents and faculty were enraged students have proven a potent poand ultimately prevailed upon the litical force. I hope that they can university to divest. For many years, remind us how decisively students gay students at Georgetown sought can move when they are angry. the right to organize. By the time the university did recognize GU Matthew Quallen is a junior in the Pride, it had become entangled in School of Foreign Service. HOYA a decade-long legal battle that went HISTORIAN appears every other Friday. all the way to the Supreme Court.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Admission to the Corcoran Gallery will be free until construction begins in October. See story on A7.
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Rev. Gregory Schenden, S.J., delivers a homily at the Mass of the Holy Spirit on Copley Lawn on Tuesday afternoon. The annual Mass begins the academic year and shares the offerings of Campus Ministry with students.
THE ARTISTS AT KICKBACK Find out more and hear a song from the artists who will be performing at Kickback this weekend. blog.thehoya.com
Career Diplomat Charts Future for Institute Ambassador Barbara Bodine joined the School of Foreign Service as the director of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy on July 1. The former ambassador to Yemen left the United States Foreign Service after a 33-year career, which included a stint as administrator of the Baghdad area in 2003. Bodine revealed her plans for a resurgent ISD and reflected on her eventful career as a diplomat in the Middle East. What drew you to Georgetown specifically? You’ve been a resident at several universities and had a long career in the Foreign Service, but why Georgetown, and why the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy? It’s a world-class university. I’ve worked with the institute off and on for a very long time now with several of the previous directors. I’ve always been an admirer of the institute. And to be honest when somebody told me that this directorship was coming open, I got my application in as fast as I possibly could. The mission of the institute is something I deeply believe in and to be associated with this university? Absolutely. What exactly do you envision the role of the ISD to be? How would you characterize the institute’s role in
the past few years and do you see it moving in a different direction? I think rather than talking retrospectively I’d like to talk prospectively. The two operative parts of the title are “study of” and “diplomacy.” The short version is, my first goal is to reweave the institute into the School of Foreign Service and into Georgetown University. I do think over the last couple years it went further and further away. Most students didn’t know it existed, a lot of faculty didn’t know it existed, and to the extent that people knew it existed, they didn’t know what it did. So, to bring its profile back, how do you do that? I want to do some working groups on ongoing major issues and one that we’ve talked about … is doing something like, “How do you manage Putin’s Russia?” What brings you to academia after having a very active role in the Foreign Service, in policy and practice? As opposed to going to work for a defense contractor and making a lot of money? I think, first of all, I still love the policy world and policy issues, and if you can’t do it in the government, being at a school of public policy where everyone else is as interested in the same things as you are is a great environment. I truly enjoy
working with students. … I had a terrific career. It’s time for somebody else to go off and have that career and if I can share some lessons and insights and help the way that people helped me when I was a junior officer, that’s terrific. There’s a little bit of handing the torch off. Could you tell me a little bit about your career in the Foreign Service? On one level, I didn’t know what I was getting into. I’m from southern California and I didn’t have a lot of experience with the world of diplomacy. So I liked the idea of diplomacy, I liked the idea of the Foreign Service, but I didn’t know what it was. I did know that I liked policy, I liked international policy, I didn’t want to be an observer to it. At the end of the day, the decisions are made in the government. That’s where it actually happens. Influence, information analysis systems, all of the stuff coming from everybody else, absolutely. But the actual decision — I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to make a difference. I ended up with a life and a career that was so much better, so much more fun, so much more meaningful than I could ever have imagined. You were in Iraq or Kuwait during the
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Former Ambassador to Yemen Barbara Bodine became the director of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy on July 1, after a 33-year career with the United States Foreign Service.
Gulf War, right? In the Gulf War I was in Kuwait when the Iraqis invaded. I was a hostage for five months. The U.S. government was able to negotiate with the Iraqi government for all the dependents and nonessential personnel to leave Kuwait and Iraq and go home. But we had 3,000 Americans trapped in the city and so the ambassador and I said, “We’re not going to leave.” We weren’t quite sure what we were going to be able to do but we felt it was immoral to get out, so we stayed. The Iraqis were not happy so they locked us in our embassy compound and cut off the water, food, electricity, plumbing and everything else. We spent five months that way. But we got every single American out. We had a palate of tuna fish. For five months, I had tuna fish for lunch and for dinner every day for 137 days. I have not eaten tuna fish since. My cats do not get tuna flavored treats. I have a tuna-free home. Even today I just can’t do it. You were in Kuwait during the invasion and were ambassador to Yemen around the USS Cole bombing and also you administrated the Baghdad area in 2003. Those were under three different presidents, three different policies and different parties. The Foreign Service is supposed to be apolitical, so how do you balance all those different situations? I was also in Baghdad during the Iran-Iraq War. I think the Foreign Service is apolitical. When you become a Foreign Service officer, you take an oath of office which is actually the same one the president takes. You take your oath of office to uphold the Constitution. You’re not taking an oath to the president, or to a party, you’re taking an oath, as someone explained to me, to “we the people” and your job is to serve the national interest. … There are still these broader national security goals, but if I go in and I am the representative of the U.S. government, the people I’m talking to don’t really care what Barbara Bodine’s views are. They want to know what the U.S. government policy is, and that’s what you’re representing, and that’s also what you’re trying to further sometimes by being very candid back to Washington. Because you administrated in Iraq in 2003, what do you predict will happen in the near future and do you have any policy prescriptions? Iraq is going to be with us for a very long time. … I don’t think anyone wants it to divide. I do agree with those that say the primary problem is a political one and I
would say that in addition to the very real question about invading in the first place, how many troops we invaded with, did we have enough troops to stabilize the country? No. Did we have a plan for the day after? No. Did we make some fundamental mistakes like sectarianizing the government? Yes. So a lot of these go back to 2003. The other issue is a political-diplomatic issue that Maliki was not held, I think, strenuously enough to create an inclusive and representative government, and he became increasingly sectarianized, increasingly despotic to the point where when ISIS came in, they were leaning on an open door. You were also very intent on advancing women’s education and other rights, what do you foresee in that? The status and role of women in the Middle East has always been better than portrayed here, and it’s also been getting better. Has it reached some sort of nirvana? No, and neither have we. When we have this thing down perfect, I will be far more judgmental about other people, but we have a long way to go, too. Women today are remarkably better educated than their mothers, certainly their grandmothers. They’re much more involved in working outside the home than the home, they have a far greater political role than before. It has changed fundamentally. Is there going to be pushback? Absolutely. … There’s a long way to go, but it’s gone much further than we give them credit for. The fact that women were so visible in the Arab Spring is actually a reflection of changes that started 20 years ago. These were the daughters of the women who had first pushed through, who thought “I have a perfect right to be on the frontlines of the Arab Spring.” I’m always cautious, but I’m generally optimistic. Did you experience pushback being a woman in such a high position in the Middle East? No. I think it’s been overblown very badly. I ended up spending over 30 years in the Middle East. I would not have done that if I wasn’t effective, and I didn’t enjoy it. The fact is that the Middle East bureau for decades had the highest percentage of women officers in every single embassy. Do you plan on staying at the ISD for a while? That’s a question for the dean. I plan on staying for a while. I took my last job for a year, and I ended up staying for seven. I joined the Foreign Service for 10 and stayed for 33.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014
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Qatar Program Bridges CCT Gulf SUZANNE MONYAK
“Qatar is a remarkable country that is going through huge changes and having a huge influOver the summer, a group of ence given the size of the counmaster’s candidates in the School try, so for our students to be able of Foreign Service’s Communica- to experience that was transfortion, Culture, and Technology mative,” Lightfoot said. program travelled to the School Osborn agreed, adding that it of Foreign Service in Qatar to par- was important for students to ticipate in a new graduate-level see new technological innovaprogram, New Communication tions coming out of the Middle Technologies in the Arab World: East, challenging their prior Perspectives from the Gulf. assumptions that most technolThe three-week intensive pro- ogy comes out of the West and gram, running from May 18 to is merely adapted to Eastern culJune 5, aimed to allow its stu- ture. dents to witness and experience “We wanted to flip that [asfirsthand the globalization and sumption] on its head,” Osborn technological innovations of said. “We wanted students to see the Middle East. The students how development is occurring had the opportunity to attend in the Middle East, experience the eighth anit and reconnual Al Jazeera sider their own Forum, which notions of what allows students they think develto interact with opment is, and political and methen be able to dia leaders from take that experiaround the reence and synthegion. size it and bring Assistant proit back down DAVID LIGHTFOOT fessor of commuto the United CCT Program Director nication, culture States.” and technology J. R. Osborn said Osborn stressed that technothe forum was the central event logical innovation is not only of the trip. focused on what is to come, but “That was a wonderful key mo- also how to encourage dialogue ment as we bridged the aspects of and communication, as well as the program,” Osborn said. to create technology to repreProgram director David Light- sent and preserve history. foot agreed, lauding the forum “One thing that being in Qaas a unique opportunity for tar really let us do was examine Georgetown’s graduate students these new technologies, how to broaden their horizons. they bring together all aspects “They were delighted ¬— the or- of past, present, and future,” he ganizers were delighted to have said. CCT students there participating, Corey Boling (GRD ’15), a stuasking questions, so it was a ter- dent who attended the program, rific learning experience for the praised the program for its abilstudents and a terrific way for ity to push students out of their them to engage with people from comfort zones and present them different countries and different with a new perspective. branches of journalism,” Light“Georgetown’s M.A. in CCT is foot said. so much more than the dynamYuting Liao (GRD ’15), a student ic lectures, innovative assignwho participated in the program, ments and thought-provoking agreed. discussions one would expect “We had very rewarding dis- from such an interdisciplincussions with media practitio- ary program,” he wrote in an ners, communication experts, email. “It’s an opportunity to researchers and technologists,” push the boundaries of what is she wrote in an email. possible, to anchor emerging According to Lightfoot, the technologies and developments chance to study media and tech- in theoretical conversations and nology in Qatar was especially to truly tackle the ideas and ideunique since Qatar is a country als that dominate today’s media undergoing rapid globalization. landscape.”
Hoya Staff Writer
FILE PHOTO: KAYLA NOGUCHI/THE HOYA
Caroline James (COL ’16) tables for GU Fossil Free in Red Square. The organization recently released a 35-page proposal advocating for the university’s divestment of its endowment from fossil fuel companies.
Fossil Free Releases Proposal KATHERINE RICHARDSON Hoya Staff Writer
Georgetown University Fossil Free, a student campaign group focused on petitioning the university to divest its endowment from fossil fuel companies, has released its completed 35-page proposal. The group of about 10 students has worked on the proposal for over a year with the university’s Committee on Investments and Social Responsibility, professors and administrators. According to GU Fossil Free’s media contact, Chloe Lazarus (COL ’16), the campaign hopes that CISR will approve the proposal, which can then be presented to Georgetown’s board of directors for final approval. “We’re asking Georgetown to divest its investment in fossil fuel companies,” Lazarus said. “We’ve been working with the CISR for that amount of time as well, and they’ve been giving us tips and suggestions on how to approach this so that the board will agree to it. We’re asking them to divest from fossil fuel companies and reinvest in socially responsible companies, and we hope this includes renewable energy companies.” GU Fossil Free is keeping the companies it hopes the university will invest in confidential, but each company has been extensively researched and chosen by GU Fossil Free and its
partners, Lazarus said. In the proposal, GU Fossil Free employs thorough research and comprehensive sourcing to outline why the university should divest from fossil fuels. According to Lazarus, divestment is a moral necessity, a financial benefit and a political tactic. “The carbon bubble is going to burst soon, and it’s actually financially better for Georgetown to switch its investments to longerlasting companies, rather than companies that are about to crash,” she said. “We also have such a pull with the political spectrum but also with this religious spectrum and we kind of have to use our place here to promote these kinds of things that aren’t really being focused on.” In order to develop the proposal, GU Fossil Free enlisted the CISR for help with more technical investment terms. “CISR has been pretty important and helpful for us being able to understand how to approach this proposal,” Lazarus said. “We don’t have a lot of professional experience with investments and so we really are thankful for CISR’s contributions on what to approach, how to approach it, how best to express that desire, but at the same time, GU Fossil Free would like to make our proposal our own.” The Georgetown University Student Association has publicly sup-
ported GU Fossil Free’s proposal and divestment from fossil fuels since November 2013. GUSA President Trevor Tezel (SFS ’15) said he fully supports GU Fossil Free’s mission. “I was able to read through the proposal, and I was incredibly impressed and won over by the objectives of the group,” Tezel said. “I had been previously, but any doubts in my mind that Georgetown should divest from fossil fuels were put to rest with that report. … In my opinion, when the time is right, I am hoping that senior university officials will take the conversation of divestment seriously and that that conversation will happen on every level, from the committee on investments of social responsibility all the way up to the university board of directors.” If GU Fossil Free’s proposal is accepted by the board, Georgetown will join the 13 universities, including Stanford University, currently in the process of divestment from fossil fuel companies. According to GU Fossil Free’s recent press release, GU Fossil Free hopes to see Georgetown become the first Jesuit university with an endowment exceeding $1 billion to divest from fossil fuels. “Through divestment, Georgetown can make a strong statement… and reassert itself as a leader among our peer institutions,” Tezel said in a press release.
“Qatar is a remarkable country.”
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Trans Policies Advance First Hindu Chaplain TRANS, from A1 Dever said. “We have actual students fighting for their actual rights. This is simultaneously getting more things done and building awareness among the whole community.” One issue that student activists are also discussing with administrators is how GOCards identify transgender students. Many transgender students are called by something other than their legal name, and their preferred names are oftentimes placed in parentheses or quotation marks on the ID cards. “I still have those parentheses, and it’s terrible. It’s uncomfortable because you are basically outing yourself to everyone you interact with,” Chisholm said. “These aren’t nicknames of ours. They are the names that we go by every day. It’s a real name.” Student advocates and the University Registrar are working to expand this policy for now so that all students who regularly identify with a name other than their legal name can have their preferred name included on their GOCards in quotes or parentheses in order to prevent transgender students from being singled out. Currently, students have to go through LGBTQ Resource
Center Director Shiva Subbaraman, who then contacts the University Registrar, in order to add acknowledgement of their preferred names on their GoCards. “We are hoping to make it so that it doesn’t have to always be Shiva. It could be a chaplain, a professor or any university member who can advocate for the student to say that their preferred name is something they are really serious about,” Dever said. In response to these concerns, the University Registrar is working toward being more inclusive and accommodating to the needs of transgender students at Georgetown. “Whatever we decide to do would have to accommodate the needs of individual students for privacy and flexibility around a very emotional issue and at the same time allow the university to have accurate academic records, but I don’t see any reason why we can’t find a way to accommodate both of those imperatives,” University Registrar and Assistant Provost John Q. Pierce said. The most significant change, however, has been in the overall culture at Georgetown. “Our students are at heart very understanding people,” Chisholm said. “The biggest
change I’ve seen is the culture surrounding these issues and how the bureaucracy of Georgetown is allowing for students to make these interactions with trans students, and I think that’s the most important part.” This year’s New Student Orientation included a conversation about gender and gender identity during training for orientation advisors. “As an OA, we did spend some time during training discussing the topic of the gender pronouns that our new students might identify with. There was a concern among staff that we weren’t creating a welcoming enough environment for transgender students,” Orientation Adviser Alexandra Smith (COL ’17) said. “I’m proud to be at a place where we can have these discussions, but there’s a long way to go before that’s an integrated and central part of all university policy.” Both university officials and student activists within the LGBTQ community plan on continuing these conversations throughout the semester to make Georgetown a safer and more accepting place for transgender students. “I’m not sure if we agreed to a clear solution yet, but I know that there is a clear solution,” Chisholm said.
Joins Campus Ministry
CHAPLAIN, from A1 most working knowledge about the process, the needs of the Hindu community and what the role of a Hindu chaplain would look like at Georgetown,” Mohan wrote in an email. “However, HSA boards have been discussing the hiring of a chaplain since my freshman year. It was very exciting and we were thrilled that Campus Ministry valued and placed such an emphasis on including our student feedback in their decision process.” O’Brien said that Dharm is the best candidate for the job because of her multicultural and multi-religious background. “She brings a unique mix of religious sensitivities to the position. She is a woman steeped in her own Hindu tradition, yet she has also been engaged deeply with other religious traditions, first as an Army chaplain, which serves all traditions,” O’Brien said. “She has had deep engagement with Christians and Muslims and Jews, so she brings a really unique set of experiences, which makes her sensitive to our interfaith engagement on campus.” As a chaplain, Dharm will provide counseling, Hindu worship services and blessings to any member of the Georgetown community who seeks her guidance. “[I will] help the students understand and be in touch with their faith traditions and their culture,” Dharm said.“The Indian culture and Hindu culture is very deep and very ancient, and to be able to have some continuity, even on a campus, is very important.” Dharm said that her experience with young people in the army has prepared her well for helping students with the stresses they face on college campuses. “On active duty, the actual population that we take care of and administer to are the young
Ferguson Prompts Campus Reflection FERGUSON, from A1 edge and wisdom of those who devoted their lives to the study of race and intergroup relations.” Butler continued the discussion by explaining the laws and structures that give power to police departments in America. He referenced Section 1033 of the National Defense Authorization Act, which provides police departments with surplus military equipment, such as grenade launchers and tanks, for free. “When these departments get this equipment, they have to use it within the year, otherwise they have to give it back to the Pentagon. So think of the perverse incentives that provides the police,” Butler said, stating that the American people also have legal protections including the right to film the police and the right to protest. Chatelain commented on the national impact of Brown’s death, citing the persistence of Ferguson protestors. “We no longer think of social unrest as a problem of sociologists but as a problem of all engaged people,” Chatelain said. “You’re seeing this from an interdisciplinary lens. This isn’t just an economic problem and this is just not a problem from lawyers, but it’s a problem for all of us.” Stating that poverty and racism drive tragedies like Brown’s death, Dyson said that there are excruciating conflicts in cities like Ferguson between residents and people like police officers who occupy social and urban spaces. “The problem with the police is when they show up, they often can’t make a distinction between who was the ostensible criminal and the criminalized black person. That’s because there’s a preconception of what black people are likely to do,” Dyson said. “The criminalization of black people is a devastating consequence of four centuries of rejection and repudiation of the humanity of black people. What we saw there was the inability to see a black person as a human being.” Butler and Dyson expressed disappointment in President Barack Obama’s lack of commitment to racial justice, stating that politicians need to lead national change and that programs like education initiative My Brother’s Keep-
soldiers. The issues are pretty much the same,” Dharm said.“There are issues of identity that we deal with and issues of suicide, which is very rampant in the Army. … There’s a lot of stress related to starting a new career in the army, and here too, with the academics. … [We are] bringing them the grace of God, the aspect of faith and the aspect of grace in all of our counseling and guidance.” Mohan said Dharm will provide the HSA with a figurehead and role model in the years to come. “I’m very excited for the HSA community to have a mentor and role model,” Mohan wrote.“I’m also excited to increase the awareness and presence of Hinduism on campus as the number of Hindu students grows exponentially each year.” As the first Hindu chaplain, Dharm will add a new facet of religious diversity on campus, O’Brien said. “From its founding, Georgetown has committed itself to service of students of different faith traditions,” O’Brien said. “We are proud of our Catholic heritage, but to be Catholic in the world today is also to engage in substantial interreligious dialogue, and our hiring a Hindu chaplain to serve on our staff reflects this age old commitment to the service of students of all faiths and to interreligious dialogue.” Dharm said she is pleased to help the university on its way to a more diverse and culturally eclectic community. “It is very important to note that Georgetown has a tradition of diversity and celebrating diversity, and I think that this is a step forward in that,” Dharm said. “You couldn’t go more into diversity, you have to always only step forward. Each step that we take is a lesson for us all as a community. There will be many more steps that I am confident Georgetown will take.”
DC Wage Affects GU Employees WAGE, from A1
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A student-led vigil began a week of prayer and reflection among Georgetown students and faculty on the ongoing crisis in Ferguson, Mo. er are inefficient and misguided. “We need to make our leaders more accountable for race, starting with President Obama. When he was elected … there was measured optimism that he would make racial justice part of his platform and he has not. Now, when he reluctantly talks about race it seems more like he’s explaining to white people how black people feel. We need less translation and more real leadership,” Butler said. “Barack Obama is a brilliant man and if he uses his last two years of presidency to focus on racial and economic inequality, what a wonderful legacy that would be.” Reed recommended changes at the university level, noting the absence of students and professors of color in Georgetown’s classrooms. “The university does two things primarily — research and teaching — and if we’re really going to be serious about
this we need to invest in the programs and the capacity of the faculty to do research on this. In American government, my department, we don’t have someone who teaches on race,” Reed said. “That absence leads to an absence of knowledge at the university that has consequences.” Students, who filled Red Square for the vigil and packed Gaston Hall for the panel, expressed support for university and student efforts. “Anything like this is important, just like the Trayvon Martin case. We want to shed light on any injustice at Georgetown, as the type of school that we are and the importance we have to the country,” Jabril Trawick (COL ’15), who attended the vigil, said. “I think that our doing this helps open our eyes toward justice. This is important because it influences other people; it influences other universities. It’s great to be a leader in something like this.”
Freshman Alcohol Violations Hidden From Record VIOLATIONS, from A1 plinary record in compliance with the new policy. Students are typically required to complete an educational requirement, pay a fine, undergo housing probation or complete work sanction hours as a penalty for such violations. “The new policy ref lects a movement that the Office of Student Conduct has made in the past year or two toward educationally based assignments in order to assess learning from past violations,” Tezel said. In addition to the first-year record policy, the Office of Student Conduct created a provision to the Code of Student Conduct stating that students of any year will no
longer receive fines from the Office of Student Conduct for their first trash or property maintenance violation. Students are usually fined by the D.C. Department of Public Works in addition to the Office of Student Conduct for trash violations. “We were advocating on the behalf of eliminating the fine because it was kind of a common sense idea that the residents are already being fined by the city for this and it’s unfair for the students to reCODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT ceive an additional fine for a trash violation,” Tezel said. Work sanctions and educational assignments will still be issued as penalties for first-time trash and property maintenance violations.
“This policy addresses students who may have had a lapse in judgment.”
currently working at a job in security and a second job at Safeway. “You can’t make a living off $9.50. Especially if you’re working five, six hours, sometimes you might get seven or eight hours. So it’s not livable. You can’t live off that,” she said. “My daughter was like, ‘I went to college for nothing, because I can’t find anything in my field.’” Fernandez McPherson, a utility worker at Leo’s, saw an increase in his wages when he came to Georgetown and was pleased that other workers in the District will see a similar increase. “I started off, it was $5.25, then it was $7.25, $7.55, then $8.25. Then I came here and it was $11.60,” McPherson said. “So that had a major impact on me … I get a raise every six months.” Aramark, which operates the dining hall, could not be reached for comment. Since many Georgetown employees already earn more than $11.50, some employees hope that they will see proportionate raises in their salary as the District’s minimum wage increases. “When I first started they started us off at $12, so that feels like our minimum wage. So if they increase it, it would be nice for them to increase ours as well,” said an AlliedBarton dormitory security guard, who wished to remain anonymous. “Since we’re already above what they’re increasing it to, I don’t think they would. But
it would be nice for them to at least push it up a notch.” Those opposed to raising the minimum wage argue that prices of goods will automatically skyrocket to offset the cost of paying workers more, forcing the D.C. wage to be indexed to local inflation. However, Georgetown University Bookstore Director Janet Uzzell said that the bookstore would not likely raise prices as bookstore prices would not be affected by a higher wage. “Prices for goods that we sell are predetermined,” Uzzell said. “I think in some cases there would be a need [to raise prices], but I think the associates appreciate that they’re making a better wage. Wages aren’t always tied into better associates, but I think it does contribute.” While Uzzell said that the Follett Corporation, the management provider for the bookstore, would have to raise wages for some of their associates, she maintained that the added pay would not significantly affect the bookstore’s budget. “Does it eat into the budget?” she said.“Yes. But I think we have a better associate working, so a better associate means a better customer experience. And that means better sales, so it offsets each other. But it doesn’t mean that we automatically raise prices to cover wages.” The increase will affect student employees, who do earn minimum wage in many jobs.
NEWS
friday, august 29, 2014
THE HOYA
A7
FILE PHOTO:ALEXANDER BROWN
Entry to the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art and Design, at 500 17th St. NW, will be free until the gallery closes for renovations Oct. 1. The Corcoran is merging with The George Washington University and the National Gallery of Art after plans were approved by a D.C. Superior Court judge in mid-August.
Corcoran Gallery Offers Temporary Free Admission
Suzanne Monyak Hoya Staff Writer
After the highly contested merger of the Corcoran Gallery of Art with both the The George Washington University and the National Gallery of Art was approved by a D.C. Superior Court judge, admission to the Corcoran will be free of charge for the first time in 145 years. Formerly the oldest independent private art gallery in the District, the Corcoran has struggled financially in recent years. The gallery ran deficits in 11 of its last 13 years, finishing its fiscal year last year with a deficit of $5.5 million in 2013 and with $9.2 million in 2012. In 2011, the gallery experienced a seven-year low of just 85,000 visitors, finishing that fiscal year with a $7.2 million deficit. The museum announced its proposal to merge with GWU in February of this year, prompting initial backlash from certain members of the art community, including students, faculty and staff of the Corcoran, among others, who
hoped to preserve founder William Corcoran’s original vision of an independently run art gallery. After battling it out in court, Judge Robert Okun ruled Aug. 18 that it would be “impracticable” for the Corcoran Gallery to continue running as usual. “This court finds it painful to issue an order that effectively dissolves the Corcoran as an independent entity,” Okun wrote in his 149-page decision.“But this court would find it even more painful to deny the relief requested and allow the Corcoran to face its likely demise — the likely dissolution of the college, the closing of the gallery and the dispersal of the gallery’s entire collection.” The National Gallery of Art will now take control of the Corcoran’s 17,000 pieces of art, of an estimated worth of approximately $2 billion. The National Gallery will eventually keep a portion of the artwork, and the rest will be donated to other museums. Now under the control of the National Gallery of Art, the Corcoran
ceased charging its $10 admission fee on Aug. 22, continuing during the month of September, until the gallery closes Oct. 1 for renovations. How the Corcoran College will be integrated with GWU has yet to be decided, GWU President Steven Knapp told The Washington Post. National Gallery of Art publicist Mimi Carter noted that the recent free admission has sparked a rise of visitors to the museum galleries. “We’ve already seen a three- to five-fold increase in museum attendance at the gallery, and we expect this will continue through the month of September,” Carter said. She added that the free admission has encouraged a wider demographic of newcomers to the Corcoran. “I think what’s interesting is that you are just starting to see an increase in all of the demographics — young, old, tourists, locals, lunch-goers — so that’s been exciting,” she said. Georgetown art professor Elizabeth Prelinger voiced her support
for the court’s ruling. “I personally support it very much because the Corcoran had very unfortunate management over the years and has been in a lot of different difficulties, mainly financial ones,” she said. “I think that this will be the best possible solution … both to keep it connected in the art world, but also to keep some semblance of its previous being by having contemporary art from the National Gallery be shown in its rooms.” She acknowledged the case of the Save the Corcoran group, who advocated against the dissolution of the Corcoran’s independence, but said she felt the merger was the best solution to preserve the museum’s artwork for the future. “It’s difficult when you have a museum, a gallery, that has had such a long history, and you know a single collector who named it … so it is the end of an era, but it’s also the beginning of a new one,” Prelinger said. Assistant Director of Georgetown’s Art and Museum Studies Program Alana Housholder agreed
that the NGA’s much-needed financial support for the Corcoran was a major benefit of the merger. “The advantage of being connected with the National Gallery is that they have the money to care for the collection, so they can use the right lighting, and the right humidifiers, the right air space, the qualifications that are needed for different kinds of artwork,” Housholder said. Despite the Corcoran Gallery’s loss of independence, Carter stressed that the agreement will still uphold William Corcoran’s intentions as best as possible by making the artwork more accessible to the public, a value he always upheld. “I think it’s important to focus on the fact that with the NGA Corcoran building, one of the main goals of the agreement was that the art in the Corcoran collection would be more accessible to the public. And by making the museum free, we are achieving one of the main goals of the historic agreement between the National Gallery of Art and George Washington and Corcoran,” Carter said.
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THE HOYA
fRIDAY, August 29, 2014
Free Speech Updates Need UberBLACK Prices Raised UberX Cuts Clarity, Students Say Rates by 15
Katherine Richardson
paigns. “As has been the case every year, individual students or groups without access Although the university issued a re- to benefits can set up in Red Square,” Covised speech and expression policy in hen Derr wrote in an email. “This year May, the Georgetown University Student in planning for inclement weather the Association and other student organiza- organizers of the SA Fair—the Council of tions are calling for even more extensive Advisory Boards—has decided to have a access to benefits reform across cam- rain date instead of a rain location, so in pus, and clearer communication of the the case of bad weather the SA Fair will boundaries of new free speech zones. move to Sept. 7, and Red Square will conThe revised policy designates spaces tinue to be the location for individual such as Regents Lawn, the lobby of the students with a viewpoint to express or Leavey Center and the Healey Family groups without access to benefits.” Student Center as free speech zones for This restricted access to benefits for students to table, stage protests and certain student groups will become a share ideas, but fails to specify the ex- major focus for this year’s GUSA staffers, act locations of zones outside residence Tezel said. halls. “We are about to be engaging the adAccording to GUSA President Trevor ministration on it [access to benefits] in Tezel (SFS ’15), the Office of Residential a very serious way,” he said. “What we’re Living has not yet produced a map of looking to do in some form or another acceptable free speech is to ensure that groups zones, despite multiple like H*yas for Choice, requests. even if they don’t re“Somewhat unforceive funding from the tunately, the Office university, still deserve of Residential Living to be able to express hasn’t gotten back to us themselves as one of on the areas in front of many voices that takes residence halls that stuplace in the campus ABBY GRACE (SFS ’16) dents can table,” Tezel dialogue.” said. “The free speech GUSA will continue memorandum of understanding was discussions about access to benefits with finalized in May and this is something university administrators, and Tezel said we were trying to work out over the sum- that he hopes to increase access to tamer. I think the delays can be attributed bling at the fair, reserving spaces such as in part to the shifting construction land- Copley Formal Lounge for events, comscape and the lack of certainty of what munal storage space and Center for Soareas would be cut off.” cial Justice van rentals for unrecognized H*yas for Choice President Abby Grace student groups. (SFS ’16) said that the organization, “Recognized student organizations which is not recognized by the univer- should have preference in reserving [Ofsity, has requested a map multiple times. fice of Campus Activity Facilities] space, Without a map, Grace said that she is reserving vans and everything else, but worried about being removed from Sun- especially if we are allowing outside venday’s Student Activities Fair. dors to take advantage of space opportu“If we’re confronted by GUPD, we nities at Georgetown, it’s really a shame want to have something issued from that we’re not providing that same opthe university clearly labeled, showing portunity to groups of students,” Tezel that we’re allowed to be there,” Grace said. said. “As of today, they still haven’t gotGrace said that H*yas for Choice will ten back to us. … I get that things are also advocate for access to benefits rebusy with construction and move-in form in order to expand free speech on and whatnot, but at the same time, if campus. you’re going to say that you’re opening “There’s still issues with people not benew zones, you can’t just say that they’re ing clear on the policy, and I think that there but not provide clear guidelines as what we are going to be demanding this to where they are.” semester is regardless of what a policy According to Assistant Dean for Stu- says — if its enforcement is not clear, dent Engagement Erika Cohen Derr, stu- you might as well not have the policy,” dent groups without access to benefits Grace said. “We believe that we are here can only table in Red Square during the to hold people accountable. We respect fair, separate from university-affiliated that the university does have religious organizations on Copley Lawn. Groups affiliations, but at the same time, we without access to benefits include frater- think that the university should respect nities and sororities, student businesses, the innate right of every student to freeclubs in development periods and cam- dom of speech and expression.” Hoya Staff Writer
“There’s still issues with people not being clear on the policy.”
Percent
Kshithij Shrinath Hoya Staff Writer
Uber, the app-based transportation company, dropped its rates for the discounted uberX serive while raising prices for the signature UberBLACK cars, effective Aug. 18. Originally Uber’s only service, this high-end town car service now charges a minimum of $15, with a $7 base fare that adds $3.40 per mile traveled in the vehicle, approximately a 7 percent increase on previous rates. The cancellation fee also doubled from $5 to $10. “As UberBLACK is our premium rider experience, we are continually striving to have it be recognized as the go-to luxury ride in D.C.,” Uber spokesperson Kaitlin Durkosh wrote. “The goal of the initiative is higher earnings for partners and higher quality for riders.” The service also permanently cut its uberX prices by 15 percent this month, making it 30 percent cheaper than a local taxi, according to Durkosh. Durkosh stressed the importance of having a variety of transportation options for any person’s budget. “Riders really love having multiple options available via the Uber platform and at various price points,” she wrote in an email. UberX, Uber’s most popular service in D.C., has a consumer base of mostly young people under the age of 40 looking for inexpensive transportation, making the ridesharing service a popular option among Georgetown students. “I did notice the price change when I took uberX last week, and it will probably make me more likely to take it because uberX or taxi is all I use anyway,” Sohum Patel (MSB ‘17) said. Audrey Fangmeyer (NHS ’17), however, said that while she noticed the price cut, she did not see herself using uberX more because of it. “I noticed the change, got an email from Uber and 15 percent is a significant price cut, but as it is I don’t use Uber or uberX very often, so I don’t see the change affecting me,” she said. She pointed to the popularity of the uberX service as an affordable alternative to the pricier town cars.
FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA
While UberBLACK, Uber’s premium car service, saw a 7 percent rate increase, uberX riders can enjoy a 15 percent rate cut. The cheaper option began serving the D.C. area in August 2013 and features hybrid and mid-range cars. Because of the presence of other available cheaper options, students were unconcerned by the price hike. “I don’t really use the town cars, and uberX is cheaper anyway, so the price changes wouldn’t really affect me,” Aaron Wen (SFS ’17) said. Founded in San Francisco in March 2009 by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, Uber, along with other unregulated ride-sharing companies, has recently come under fire for offering inadequate insurance to its riders, incomplete background checks on drivers and minimal driver training and vehicle inspection. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles issued a cease-anddesist letter to both Uber and Lyft, another ride-sharing company, on June 5. While D.C. Taxicab Commission spokesperson Neville Waters (GRD ’91) said that no such plans are underway in the District, the DCTC has proposed regulations on Uber’s service, including
a proposal in April to limit the hours of Uber drivers without a taxi license, mandate background checks and require insurance provided by the company. Despite the various regulation battles, Waters said that the DCTC has not changed its rates since the rise of Uber and that the commission was uninvolved in the rates set by the company. “We don’t engage in regulating in any digital dispatch rates,” Waters said. “It’s a competitive marketplace.” Waters stressed the need for more regulations on these ridesharing companies, specifically the need for an inventory of drivers to keep better tabs on the companies, “We’re hopeful that we’re going to a resolution soon once the city council is back in session that will allow us to enforce against illegal street hails,” he said.“These digital dispatch services—their vehicles should not engage in street hails. They can be booked by electronic purposes, and you know, to help enforce against the hails, we want to have an inventory of who’s driving for these companies.”
NEWS
friday, August 29, 2014
THE HOYA
A9
High Rent Forces Out Georgetown Favorites RETAIL, from A10 will remain in business. “I’m really going to miss Chadwicks, I’ve been working here for six years now and I can really say these people have become family to me,” said a former Chadwicks employee who wished to remain anonymous for professional reasons. “Not only are our customers amazing people, most of them have been loyal Chadwicks customers for years, some even decades… Georgetown will definitely be losing a great restaurant next week.” However, another Georgetown institution, Mr. Smith’s, is poised to take Chadwicks place in early September. The move stems less from a desired geographic shift than a necessary financial one, with Mr. Smith’s taking over the property in early September, according to their website.
“Our landlord raised the rent on our current property and we could no longer afford it, so we bought out Chadwicks’ lease,” said Juan Andino, Mr. Smith’s general manager. Ernesto Carrasco, a manager at Mr. Smith’s, believes that its move is indicative of larger changes in the area. “It’s going to lose a lot of local businesses, and big franchises are going to come in,” Carrasco said of increased rents on M Street. With increased pressure to retain old customers and secure new ones, Mr. Smith’s will be modifying its business strategy as well as its address. “As soon as we take over Chadwicks, we have to figure out what strategies they have going on and look at our strategies and make it the best of both worlds,” Carrasco said. “However, we are going to keep the piano.”
Neyla, a Mediterranean restaurant, closed Aug. 17 after losing its lease. According to The Georgetowner, Neyla, which had been at its N Street location for 15 years, is still
“It’s going to lose a lot of local businesses, and big franchises are going to come in.” ERNESTO CARRASCO Manager at Mr. Smith’s
actively looking for a new location in the Georgetown area. “Neyla’s closing was based on many factors — primarily rents getting higher and not being able to
sustain the higher costs because Neyla was only open for dinner,” Renie Freedman, director of marketing for Capital Restaurant Concepts, parent company and creator of Neyla, said. However, Freedman does not see the closing as indicative of M Street becoming overly commercialized. “Last year I saw that a lot,” she said of franchises and chains taking advantage of all the empty storefronts. “But this year it’s going to go back. It’s dependent upon what landlords want, if they want boutique stores.” But while old Georgetown favorites close, the retail makeover of the neighborhood continues with the planned openings of Forever 21, Free People, Alice + Olivia and the already opened Kate Spade. Taking H&M’s old location on 3222 M St. in The Shoppes at Georgetown Park, Forever 21 will soon welcome customers as chains and stores
appealing to a younger demographic continue to move into Georgetown. Free People will be opening at 3009 M St., replacing Italian restaurant Fino Italiano. The chain is owned by Urban Outfitters Inc., the parent company that already has Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie locations on M Street. An opening date has yet to be confirmed. Alice + Olivia, an upscale clothing boutique, will be opening in place of Qdoba. Known for trendy and eccentric designer pieces, the store has already secured a 10-year lease on M Street, the first Alice + Olivia in Washington. On Aug. 16, Kate Spade moved to Juicy Couture’s former location. Sister brand Kate Spade Saturday may also be making an appearance in Georgetown as well, taking over Kate Spade’s former location on Wisconsin Ave., although the brand has yet to confirm.
WHAT’S COMING & WHAT’S GOING
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5 NEYLA 3206 N St. NW
3303 M St. NW MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA
KRISTEN SKILLMAN/THE HOYA
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FILE PHOTO: NATASHA THOMSON/THE HOYA
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3009 M St. NW PRINCE OF PETWORTH
PRINCE OF PETWORTH
BUSINESS FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014
BUSINESS BITS ALTA GRACIA
Georgetown professors John Kline (SFS) and Edward Soule (MSB) announced in their Alta Gracia Research Report that the clothing manufacturer will break even this year and reach profitability in 2015.The apparel company, based in the Dominican Republic, pays its workers a living wage, maintains high safety and health standards and recognizes legitimate collective bargaining agreements with labor unions — it is the only company in the developing world to do so. Although the feasibility of this was questioned, the report illustrated the realistic sustainability of the company’s business model.
M Street’s Retail Takeover
DAVID BROWN Hoya Staff Writer
As students settle in on the Hilltop this week, they may notice sweeping changes to Georgetown storefronts. Over the summer, local businesses — most notably restaurants — have announced closure as new retailers prepare to take their place this fall. Serendipity 3, Chadwicks and Neyla are among those now absent from the familiar landscape of M Street, while Forever 21, Free People, Kate Spade and Alice + Olivia, are preparing to, or have already,
opened their doors. Serendipity 3, an American restaurant and dessert mecca on the corner of M and Wisconsin, closed over the summer because of a lawsuit with its landlord. Celebrated for their frozen hot chocolate, fried Oreos and $1,000 sundae, the licensed New York chain restaurant opened in 2011 and ended its run after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to BizJournals.com. As stated by the Washington City Paper, outstanding rent and utility fees totaled over $100,000, and the Washington Business Journal reported the company owed around $2 million to
creditors. Serendipity was primarily in debt to 3150 M Restaurant Group LLC, managed by Charles Britton Swan Jr., who owns Rhino Bar & Pumphouse on M Street. Chadwicks, a casual dining restaurant on K Street, will close Aug. 31. Open since 1967, the eatery is known for its popular daily happy hour deals, bottomless champagne brunches and reputation as a classic date night location. Currently, there are no plans for the Georgetown location of Chadwicks to reopen, although the Alexandria location See RETAIL, A9
Map: What’s coming and what’s going See A9
OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Office of Professional Development will open this September to provide undergraduate business students with a new career information resource. In addition to the Cawley Career Education Center, which is available to all Georgetown students, the office will offer programming specifically designed for business students, such as coaching, mentoring and career counseling. The office is part of an effort by MSB administrators to better prepare students for their careers after graduation.
NEW FACULTY
The McDonough School of Business welcomed eight new full-time faculty members this fall. Including new professors specializing in finance, management, marketing, OPIM and strategy, these faculty members will provide a fresh mix of academic and industry experience to the MSB as they educate students in the globally minded and holistic McDonough approach.
MSB RANKINGS
USA Today and Poets and Quants have ranked the McDonough School of Business No. 6 and No. 11, respectively. Based on overall quality of the school, number of graduates and starting and mid-career salaries, the rankings cement the MSB’s reputation as a top-tier business program. Poets and Quants ranks schools based on a system combining the rankings of US News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek, compared to the school’s national rank in the annual US News list. ERICA WONG/THE HOYA
Hilltoss Faces Delayed Opening
COMMENTARY
Meta-Startup Aids Potential Investors W
KIM BUSSING Hoya Staff Writer
hen the idea for Trendify fy’s potential. In a matter of weeks, dawned on me in Febru- Eamon taught himself the requisite ary, I envisioned software programming languages for any that could analyze historical data tasks that needed to be completed. to predict whether any given start- Over the course of the summer, Zoe up would succeed and determine built our social media following to potential pitfalls that the startup over 2,500 fans, including investors, would face. The implications of this entrepreneurs and students. Somehow, a little idea I had in technology escaped me, as did the interest and demand it would gen- a Village C East dorm room on a cold winter day had evolved into erate. Although the abnormal level of something worth building a team snowfall this past winter certain- around. The more we worked on Trenly interfered with many people’s plans, it forced me to stay inside dify’s software — tentatively called Bullseye — and the and commit to an closer we got to idea that would soon launching, the more evolve into an obsespeople seemed intersion. ested in our company. At first, Trendify After I received a reconsisted of manual search grant from the data entry into a simMcDonough School ple Excel spreadsheet: of Business, startup enough to isolate showcases and news basic patterns and Rahul Desai sites began to take convince people that an interest: Poets such a thing lay in and inquired the realm of possibiliThe implications of aboutQuants our prediction ty. As it began to grow, its expansion de- Trendify’s technology engine, while Startup Dynasty and Gritway manded a team larger escaped me. ran profiles on us. than just myself. I persuaded Eamon Cagney (COL Finally, Molly Greenberg of InThe’17), whose aptitude for computer Capital wrote an article about our science is only surpassed by his company’s development, highlightdrive, to become Trendify’s chief ing the potential impact of Trendify technology officer in March. Zoe Ep- on the current business world. Trendify is now securing strong stein (COL ’17) then became our vice partnerships, including accounting president of marketing. Despite its successful start, Tren- help from Raffa, P.C. and tentative dify faced many early trials. Al- legal advice from the Georgetown though it made it to the final round University Law Center’s Entrepreof the Startup Hoya Challenge, Tren- neurship Practicum. Further, Vicdify didn’t win, losing not just the toria Chai (MSB ’15) has done some prestige but also the $5,000 in prize amazing user interface work for us, money that would have proved in- so that our free, private beta test credibly helpful. Our data science can launch early this semester. Exadviser, who we thought would be periencing robust demand, we’ve instrumental in building the tech- had to cap our beta at 50 users. nology, decided he would rather With this help, we can inspire innofocus on his doctorate and job than vation together. work with college students. Despite these troubles, neither RAHUL DESAI is a sophomore in the Eamon nor Zoe lost faith in Trendi- McDonough School of Business.
Last spring, The Corp’s newest endeavor, Hilltoss, debuted at the Georgetown University Farmer’s Market. A response to student demands for healthier options on campus, the salad and smoothie storefront will open Nov. 1. While originally scheduled to open in conjunction with the Healey Family Student Center on Sept. 5, the storefront’s delayed opening is primarily a result of switching restaurant consultants, a decision made the previous November by former Students of Georgetown Inc. CEO Lizzy Macgill (COL ’14) and former Hilltoss Director Ellen Wilcox (COL ’14) over disagreements about plans for the storefront. “They were having issues with communication, and so because we had to redraw a lot of the designs, it just pushed the project back,” Corp CEO Sam Rodman (MSB ’15) said. The revised opening plans are still on schedule. Although most of the work being done in regard to construction has been off-site, Rodman is confident Hilltoss will be able to debut on the expected date. “They’re very close to wrapping on the main building, and they’ll probably do the bulk of our construction during the two months before opening,” Rodman said. “So right now we’re completely on track to open on Nov. 1.” The challenges posed by building a student-run business from the ground up have not been restricted to relationships with restaurant consultants. “We’re students taking on a construction project of a pretty large magnitude. This is a project that’s essentially been in the works for three years, so we have learned a ton along the way,” Rodman said. “Obviously, though, there’s something new that we encounter that we have to think through every single day.” Managing the number of employees has been difficult. While quicker service and longer hours will mandate more workers, the current staff is relatively small, amounting to only 40 members, approximately one-third the size of
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Hilltoss prepared salads at last semester’s farmer’s market. The storefront is currently preparing for its official opening in November. other Corp locations. “Vittles has 60, 65 employees at its peak. You can’t hire 70 people all at once,” Rodman said. “You have to find a way to scale up while keeping your hours reasonable and your store profitable all at once.” Upcoming hiring periods will work to expand the staff, primarily by overhiring for the next two years, but current employees are not impeded in their work because of a lack of physical storefront. “We have a schedule built out for every single week,” Hilltoss Director Dana Mitchell (MSB ’15) said, of upcoming campus engagement events. “For example, when the actual facility opens on Sept. 5, we’re going to be serving samples right in front of our store.” Employees are directly involved in planning the events, as well as preparing salads on the actual day. However, students should not expect to purchase a Jay Gatsby or other popular options at the Farmer’s Market this semester. With extensive marketing plans for the fall, opportunities to get a salad before the
opening of the store will be restricted. Upper management is focused on branding and promotion so that when November rolls around, students will choose Hilltoss over Salad Creations or Sweetgreen. “Most new stores wouldn’t try to launch a marketing campaign of this length and scope, but because Hilltoss is a new service on campus, we just really want to put our product at the forefront of all of our marketing,” Rodman said. “We want to make sure our customers are bought into the idea of consuming a delicious, healthy Hilltoss salad before the store even opens.” Further marketing pushes will include social media and print campaigns, as well as partnerships with various student groups, such as Georgetown Individuals Vocal and Energetic for Service, which does random acts of kindness around campus. “We love being able to really surprise the community and show the community we’re here for you and the point of doing this is to serve a need of healthy food,” Mitchell said.