GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S NEWSPAPER OF RECORD SINCE 1920 thehoya.com
Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 98, No. 24, © 2016
Tuesday, december 6, 2016
CONTINUED DOMINANCE
The women’s basketball team extended its winning streak to five games Sunday.
EDITORIAL GUSA must work to ensure fairness in its future referendums.
THE ‘ALT-RIGHT’ IN DC The white nationalist movement hosted an event in DC last month.
OPINION, A2
NEWS, A4
SPORTS, A10
Council Postpones Release of Results Inquiry into GUSA senate restructuring vote continues Jeff Cirillo
Hoya Staff Writer
The results of last Thursday’s Georgetown University Student Association senate restructuring referendum will not be released or certified before winter break, after the GUSA Constitutional Council extended its enjoinment of the Election Commission at a public hearing yesterday. The ruling comes on the heels of a complaint of unlawful electioneering filed late Thursday evening. The complaint alleged that GUSA members violated the association’s constitution and bylaws by electioneering at polling stations, offering food at polling stations as bribes, placing an excessive amount of “yes” posters at polling stations and locating tabling stations outside permitted tabling zones. The Election Commission normally has 72 hours after the end of voting for the referendum to release the results, which slotted
the release for Sunday at 11:59 p.m. However, this evening’s decision ensures the enjoinment will remain in place until the council announces its formal opinion on the complaint by Jan. 20. GUSA bylaws require the council to release its formal opinion 10 working days after the case is heard, excluding final examination periods and holiday breaks. The council said it plans to write its decision during winter break. The commission first announced it would hold the results early Friday morning after the Constitutional Council initially received the complaint alleging campaign violations. The decision to continue holding the election results past the typical deadline was announced at 6:08 p.m., several hours after the council held the public hearing on the complaint. See GUSA, A6
STEPHANIE YUAN/THE HOYA
At an event hosted by the McDonough School of Business in Gaston Hall yesterday afternoon, Vice President Joe Biden discussed the positive effects of financial regulation on the economy after the 2009 financial crisis.
Biden Cautions Against Deregulation Ian Scoville Hoya Staff Writer
To ensure the 2009 financial crisis does not repeat itself, the United States should keep financial regulations in place after President Barack Obama leaves office, according to Vice President Joe Biden in a speech in Gaston Hall on Monday. “On almost every measure, Americans are better off today than they were years ago, but there are still a lot of people being left behind,” Biden said.
“It wasn’t an accident. It happened because we made some very tough, very unpopular decisions, and things turned out to be the right call on balance.” President-elect Donald Trump said during his campaign he would repeal the the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in 2010, which introduced a series of regulations designed to prevent a recurrence of the causes that led to the Great Recession. Paul Volcker, who was chairman of the Federal Re-
serve under President Ronald Reagan from 1979 to 1987 and chaired Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board from 2009 to 2011, introduced Biden at the event. Volcker characterized the country’s current economy as strong. “Our performance here in the United States stands out particularly in contrast to the rest of the industrialized world,” Volcker said. “To my mind, it’s very important we have reached the point, we have reached that point of full
employment, consistent with reasonable price stability, and the prospect we can maintain that in the months and years ahead.” However, Biden argued there are still groups of Americans not benefitting from economic growth. “There’s a lot of people we should be paying attention to, but quite frankly, neither party paid enough attention to. I know every time I talk about it, it’s ‘Middle Class Joe’ again,” See BIDEN, A6
Fake News Prompts Pizzeria Gun Scare Campus Plan Receives Approval Aly Pachter Hoya Staff Writer
Hannah Urtz
A man was arrested Sunday afternoon after walking into a pizzeria in Northwest Washington, D.C., with an assault rifle and discharging his weapon, citing a desire to self-investigate a false online conspiracy theory linking the pizzeria to a child sex trafficking ring, according to the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. Edgar Welch, 28, from North Carolina told police he had driven from North Carolina to the D.C. restaurant, Comet Ping Pong, because of “Pizzagate,” a theory falsely accusing the restaurant and its owners of housing a child sex trafficking ring led by former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her campaign chief, John Podesta.
“There’s no denying the corrosive effect that some of these false reports have had on our political debate.” BARBARA FEINMAN TODD Director, Journalism Program
Welch entered the building about 3 p.m., pointed a weapon at an employee of the restaurant, who fled and notified the police, then discharged his weapon inside the building, according to a statement released by MPD on Monday.
featured
Hoya Staff Writer
MV JANTZEN
Edgar Welch was arrested Sunday for discharging an assault rifle at the Comet Ping Pong pizzeria after reading an online conspiracy theory about the restaurant. After about 45 minutes of searching the building, Welch surrendered peacefully to the MPD. “Two firearms were recovered inside the location. An additional weapon was recovered from the suspect’s vehicle,” the statement reads. “There were no reported
injuries.” After a Monday court hearing, Welch is being held in jail and has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, along with three other weapons charges.WelchcarriedanAR-15assaultstyle weapon as well as a rifle and a folding knife while conducting
his search of the restaurant. Patrons inside Comet Ping Pong fled the restaurant as other businesses nearby went on lockdown at the recommendation of District police. See SHOOTING, A6
The Washington, D.C. Zoning Commission unanimously approved Georgetown University’s 20-year campus plan in a hearing Dec. 1, ending a four-yearlong process led by the Georgetown Community Partnership. The 20-year plan, which prioritizes student housing renovations, outlines future academic spaces and plans revitalized on-campus student life, spans from January 2017 through 2036, making it the longest standing campus plan in Georgetown’s history. Under the D.C. zoning code, all universities in the District are mandated to obtain formal approval of their campus plans by the Zoning Commission. The GCP, a group developed after the 2010 Campus Plan’s contentious drafting and approval process between neighbors and the university, participated in discussions with representatives from the Georgetown University Student Association, university administrators and neighborhood representatives from local citizens’ associations and advisory neighborhood commissions. The plan emphasizes the main campus as a hub for student activity and life, including the creation of a student life corridor extending from O’Donovan Hall to the Leavey Center, while focusing on the improvement of existing liv-
ing spaces, rather than the construction of new buildings. Renovation plans include improvements to Village A, the Alumni Square apartments and Henle Village, as well as the creation of a green space on the north side of campus between Darnall Hall and the Medstar Georgetown University Hospital.
“This time around, students were very much a part of the process.” ENUSHE KHAN (MSB ’17) President, GUSA
GUSA President Enushe Khan (MSB ’17), who sits on the GCP Steering Committee and the GCP’s Master Planning Working Group, made up of students, administrators and neighbors to draft the campus plan, said this year’s process better incorporated the wishes of all parties involved. “This time around, students were very much a part of the process. We maintained open communication with university administrators and neighbors, and we focused on coming to shared agreements,” Khan said. “This plan was See ZONING, A6
NEWS
OPINION
SPORTS
Trump’s Effects Examined The SFS began its weeklong series of discussions on responses to Donald Trump’s presidency Friday. A5
Informing Gender Issues As gender inequality persists worldwide, campus initiatives can help to combat gender violence. A3
Record Weekend The swimming and diving team saw four school records broken at the Bucknell Invitational this weekend. A10
NEWS Residents Charged for Chairs
opinion A Lasting Legacy
SPORTS Home-Field Advantage
Residents of Henle Village were charged for the vandalism and theft of four communal chairs. A5
Obama’s hallmark legislation will likely survive President-elect Donald Trump’s term. A3
Published Tuesdays and Fridays
The MLB has finally gotten rid of the connection between the AllStar Game and the World Series. A10
Send story ideas and tips to news@thehoya.com
A2
OPINION
THE HOYA
Tuesday, DECEMBER 6, 2016
THE VERDICT
C EDITORIALS Engage Without Interference C C
Glamorous Gala — President Barack Obama attended his final Kennedy Center Honors Gala this Sunday, which recognized stars including actor Al Pacino and rock band the Eagles.
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Unfortunate Illness — Former U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, was forced to cut short his trip touring the South Pole due to altitude sickness and fluid in his lungs. He will remain in New Zealand until he recovers.
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Nights of the Nutcracker — The Washington Ballet is putting on its annual production of “The Nutcracker” at the Warner Theater until Dec. 24! Be sure to check out this holiday tradition.
Founded January 14, 1920
Last Thursday’s Georgetown University Student Association referendum were marked by a constitutional suit filed against members of GUSA’s leadership amid allegations of bribery, electioneering and manning illegal polling stations. Students campaigning against the second of the two referendums argued representatives from GUSA attempted to influence voters by offering food at polling stations, along with an excessive number of “Yes” campaign posters at stations and placing certain polling tables outside of designated zones. In light of these complaints, it is easy to overlook the positive signs that arose from the election. The smoke-free campus and GUSA senate reform referenda saw election turnout reach 41 percent — well over the 25 percent threshold necessary for both referendums to be binding. Given these different results and issues from the referendums, there are two main takeaways GUSA should keep in mind. First, Georgetown needs more referendums to bolster engagement with student government, and just as importantly, GUSA must maintain neutrality in these elections to ensure a fully democratic process. This editorial board believes GUSA needs to resolve the current ambiguity of its bylaws toward neutrality, and officially bar itself from endorsing one side in a referendum vote. While individual senators should be allowed to promote their own initiatives, institutionwide endorsements have the capacity to unduly skew the results of an election. The current absence of regulations surrounding this is concerning, and must be addressed by GUSA’s leadership. Referendums often provide the only engagement most students have with GUSA’s policies. Compared to the relatively high turnout rate for the referendums, only 5.63 percent of students voted in last spring’s GUSA senate elections. As evidenced by the high turnout rate and popularity of social media campaigns during the referendums, students are demonstrably eager when given the opportunity to voice their input on policy issues that affect them. On a fundamental level, referendums have the ability to connect GUSA with its constitu-
ents. They keep the organization accountable to the student body’s attitudes toward matters such as divestment from fossil fuels, preregistration and most recently, smoking on campus. Most importantly, referendums extend decisionmaking to a broader segment of the student body beyond GUSA policy teams and senators, assuring that a diversity of thought and background is honored when determining policy. However, when GUSA chooses sides in these referenda, which occurred last week when both branches of GUSA elected to endorse the senate restructuring plan, the vote plunges into ethically dubious territory. Already, there are stories of students swayed by the disproportionate number of “Yes” posters at polling stations, and although GUSA’s bylaws are notably silent on maintaining neutrality during referendums, the situation definitely presented the appearance of a conflict of interest. There is a clear hypocrisy when student government asks for its constituents’ opinion while some GUSA simultaneously tell students what and how to think. A referendum ought to serve as a genuine inquiry of the student body to gauge its positions on different issues, not as a political tool for student government insiders to reinforce a preconceived policy agenda. In creating and presenting its senate restructuring plan, GUSA already performed a tacit endorsement. To GUSA’s credit, the organization showcased transparency in calling the endorsement to an explicit senate vote. But the organization’s overt campaigning in favor of the restructuring initiative subverts the fundamental purpose of a referendum — to hear what students have to say, and actually listen. GUSA has the opportunity to raise student engagement and check its own power. This editorial board calls GUSA to plan more referendums in the future, but at the same time, abstain from injecting itself into voters’ decision-making during the process. Perhaps new clauses in the GUSA bylaws should stipulate measures to prevent incidents in the future in order to maintain the fairness of any vote. If GUSA can prevent such mistakes from occurring in the future, only then can campus advocacy truly represent the interests of its student body.
Stop Right There — Construction of the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline has been halted after a decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The ruling is seen as a victory for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and others protesting the pipeline. Laugh It Off — Actor Alec Baldwin promised to stop his notorious “Saturday Night Live” impersonation of President-elect Donald Trump if Trump releases his tax returns. The pledge comes as a response to Trump’s criticism of the performance.
It’s a Boy! — Actors Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher announced the birth of their second child, Dimitri Portwood Kutcher, on Friday. The couple, married since July 2015, also has a daughter, Wyatt.
EDITORIAL CARTOON by Elinor Walker
Make No Exception for Nike With less than a month remaining before the expiration of Georgetown’s contract with Nike on Dec. 31, the university administration is confronted with a choice. It can either renew the deal and allow Nike to continue using the school’s name and logo on its products in the campus bookstore, or sever ties with the corporation. This decision comes with an added caveat: If approved, Nike will remain the only university vendor that is not required to abide by the university’s Code of Conduct for University Licensees. The code of conduct, which includes clauses on ethical, environmental and labor standards, literalizes Georgetown’s Jesuit values as a force of good. These standards are overseen by the Worker Rights Consortium, an international labor rights monitoring organization that helps enforce Georgetown’s and other universities’ contracts. These regulations establish Georgetown as a place not just for ivory-tower academics, but for values consistent with its Catholic pedigree. The university must value its own code of conduct and hold Nike responsible to it during these negotiations — or else drop the partnership. Currently, the university maintains two partnerships with Nike — one as a vendor supplying apparel to the campus bookstore, which is set to expire at the end of the month, and a separate sponsorship providing gear for the men’s and women’s basketball teams. Given the corporation’s checkered past of human rights abuses, including withholding wages and forcing workers to operate in squalid conditions detailed in a 2005 internal report, there is no reason Nike should be allowed to reject the WRC’s request to review its factories and remain on Georgetown’s contract, which occurred last November. The university cannot continue to make exceptions for Nike. If Georgetown is willing to circumvent its values for the sake of one vendor, the question inevitably rises as to why the university enforces its code of conduct in the first place. Without adjusting its contract to stipulate its compliance with the code of conduct, Nike
has no legal obligation to submit its factories in Southeast Asia to an independent audit. Students, including student-athletes, and the Georgetown administration have expressed their support for holding Nike accountable to the code of conduct. Last month, the campus workers’ rights advocacy group Georgetown Solidarity Committee orchestrated a three-day demonstration fcalled “Better Barefoot Than Nike,” which urged senior university administrators, including University President John J. DeGioia, to take off their shoes to protest the corporation. Though protesting a different contract with Nike that supplies athletic gear, last November, Athletes and Advocates for Worker’s Rights, an organization that comprises multiple sports teams and student advocates, implored the university to cut off the contract with a letter addressed to DeGioia. It also covered the Nike logos of their Georgetown athletic apparel in protest. In April, after months of campaigning, DeGioia acquiesced to the campaign spearheaded by studentathletes and submitted a letter to Nike stressing the importance of Georgetown’s code of conduct and urging cooperation with the WRC. However, merely penning a letter then assuming business as usual is not enough. Nike, a multinational corporation with $30 billion of annual income, can afford to conform to the ethical principles enshrined in Georgetown’s code of conduct without losing revenue. If Georgetown forces these ethical principles on Nike, the university would join a cohort of universities including Cornell University and Brown University which have had student-impacted contract negotiations with household-name brands such as Nike. Georgetown prides itself as an institution with a conscience that emphasizes dignity and integrity over its value as a brand. But in allowing Nike to conduct its affairs with no ethical oversight, the university becomes hypocritical, as it shows that its priorities lie with profits rather than its values. Georgetown can claim it holds Nike to task in honoring a code of conduct that protects the worth of every worker.
Toby Hung, Editor-in-Chief Cirillo Paolo Santamaria, Executive Editor Jeffrey Tara Subramaniam Jesus Rodriguez, Managing Editor Christian Paz
Ian Scoville, Campus News Editor Aly Pachter, City News Editor Sean Hoffman, Sports Editor Marina Tian, Guide Editor Lisa Burgoa, Opinion Editor Lauren Seibel, Photography Editor Alyssa Volivar, Design Editor Jeanine Santucci, Interim Copy Chief Kelly Park, Social Media Editor Alessandra Puccio, Blog Editor Jack Martin, Multimedia Editor
William Zhu Alfredo Carrillo Emily Dalton Dean Hampers Cynthia Karnezis Viviana De Santis Tom Garzillo Kate Kim Maya Gandhi Grace Laria Jacob Witt Stephanie Yuan Michelle Kelly Esther Kim Peter Shamamian Eleanor Stork Yuri Kim Sterling Lykes Emma Wenzinger Charlie Fritz
Deputy Campus News Editor Deputy Campus News Editor Deputy City News Editor Business Editor Deputy Business & News Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Opinion Editor Deputy Opinion Editor Deputy Opinion Editor Deputy Photography Editor Deputy Design Editor Deputy Design Editor Deputy Design Editor Deputy Design Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Blog Editor
[
“I
The Rostrum
have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the state, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party, generally. This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.”
President George Washington 1796 Farewell address
CORRECTIONS The article “GUSA Delays Senate Reform Results” [The Hoya, Dec. 2, 2016, A1] previously stated Ricardo Mondolfi (SFS ’19) was a GUSA senator and Student Activities Commission chair; he is a SAC commissioner and GUSA’s liaison to student organizations.
Daniel Almeida, General Manager Brittany Logan, Director of Accounting Emily Ko, Director of Corporate Development Gabriella Cerio, Director of Human Resources George Lankas, Director of Sales Galilea Zorola
Senior Accounts and Operations Manager
Editorial Board
Lisa Burgoa, Chair Jack Bennett, Ben Card, Jesse Jacobs, Naaz Modan, Anthony Palacio, Ashwin Puri, Andrea Roos, Ellen Singer
]
Contributing Editors & Consultants
Madeline Auerbach, Kara Avanceña, Reza Baghaee, Nick Bailey, Isabel Binamira, Jinwoo Chong, Deirdre Collins, Cleopatra Fan, Gabi Hasson, Shannon Hou, Charlie Kelly, Daniel Kreytak, Andrew May, Catherine McNally, Naaz Modan, Suzanne Monyak, Jesus Rodriguez, Zack Saravay, Molly Simio, Emily Tu, Andrew Wallender
Board of Directors
Kristen Fedor, Chair Daniel Almeida, Jinwoo Chong, Toby Hung, Arnosh Keswani, Selena Parra, Matthew Trunko Letter to the Editor & Viewpoint Policies The Hoya welcomes letters and viewpoints from our readers and will print as many as possible. To be eligible for publication, letters should specifically address a recent campus issue or Hoya story. Letters should not exceed 300 words. Viewpoints are always welcome from all members of the Georgetown community on any topic, but priority will be given to relevant campus issues. Viewpoint submissions should be between 600-700 words. The Hoya retains all rights to all published submissions. Send all submissions to: opinion@thehoya.com. Letters and viewpoints are due Sunday at 5 p.m. for Tuesday’s issue and Wednesday at 5 p.m. for Friday’s issue. The Hoya reserves the right to reject letters or viewpoints and edit for length, style, clarity and accuracy. The Hoya further reserves the right to write headlines and select illustrations to accompany letters and viewpoints. Corrections & Clarifications If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, contact Executive Editor Paolo Santamaria at (703) 409-7276 or email executive@thehoya.com. News Tips Campus News Editor Ian Scoville: Call (202) 602-7650 or email campus@thehoya. com. City News Editor Aly Pachter: Call (916) 995-0412 or email city@thehoya.com. Sports Editor Sean Hoffman: Call (703) 300-0267 or email sports@thehoya.com. General Information The Hoya is published twice each week
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OPINION
tuesday, DECEMBER 6, 2016
MILLENNIAL’S CORNER
THE HOYA
A3
VIEWPOINT • PFOTZER & SOSA
Martha Petrocheilos
Obamacare Endures Despite GOP Win
A
fter this election season, the Democrats have become America’s minority party in Washington, D.C. The Republican Party now controls the presidency, the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. What was expected by prominent political analysts like Nate Silver to be a decisive win for former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and a self-destructive Republican civil war instead turned into an overwhelming Republican victory. For some conservatives, this victory was founded in President Barack Obama’s failure to unify his party, swapping political compromise and party-building for his own self-promotion and leading to disastrous midterms. However, Republicans’ in-party division regarding the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, elucidated the notion that dismantling certain aspects of his legacy might not be an easy, unilateral GOP decision. Obamacare offers consumers discounts known as tax credits on government-sponsored health insurance plans and expands the Medicaid assistance program to include more people who cannot afford health care. Conservatives oppose Obamacare for the same reason liberals favor it: Through Medicaid expansion, it subsidizes insurance coverage for people of modest means by raising taxes on those who are more well-off. Conservatives tend not to be enthusiastic about redistribution. The GOP further opposes Obamacare based on the belief that the main driver of the government’s fiscal distress is the soaring cost of health entitlements like Medicare and Medicaid. Some members of the GOP think Obamacare’s efficiency gains are exaggerated and that Obamacare’s highly prescriptive approach to insurance will hinder cost-saving innovation, and be followed by soaring costs as it expands. While it is clear there will be dramatic changes in most areas of policy, the extent to which such changes can reverse Obama’s signature initiative, Obamacare, is highly
debatable. Opposition to Obamacare seems to have been mostly led by partisan considerations and skepticism toward parts of its implementation, rather than the very substance of the program. In fact, a number of leading Republicans have argued they would most likely replace, rather than repeal, Obamacare with something intrinsically similar. For example, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R— Wis.) has proposed a plan that would still subsidize coverage by offering tax credits to help those seeking to buy insurance. Despite controlling every branch of the federal government, the GOP would be unable to repeal and replace Obamacare without Democrats, as the Senate majority can only pass a bill that changes taxes and spending. Republicans need a 60-seat supermajority in the Senate to break a Democratic filibuster. When the new Congress starts in January, Republicans will hold 52 Senate seats. Even if Republican senators did not need Democrats to repeal Obamacare, it seems unlikely they would choose to entirely replace it. A Kaiser Family Foundation Poll found that the percentage of Republicans who support a full repeal has dropped from 69 to 52 percent since a month before the election. Republicans are reticent to deny medical treatment to potentially millions of Americans. If the GOP loosens regulations by allowing insurers to sell cheaper plans to young consumers, older people and those with medical conditions will have to pay more, which would spur public outcry. In this way, the GOP is scared of facing political accountability for making health care unaffordable for millions of already insured Americans. Therefore, although Obama’s legacy may appear to be under threat by a Republican-dominated Washington, his hallmark legislation of Obamacare will likely survive Trump’s administration.
Martha Petrocheilos is a student at the Law Center. This is the final installment of Millennial’s Corner.
We are horrified but not surprised at the incredibly high rates of sexual assault on campus and call our fellow Hoyas to act in response by becoming involved in campus initiatives.
Strengthen Fight Against Gender Violence
“W
omen’s rights are human rights, and human rights are women’s rights,” former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton declared at the 1995 U.N. Council on the Status of Women. More than 20 years later, this pivotal speech is still referred to as a global wake-up call regarding daily violations against women’s basic rights. Further, Clinton’s loss in the presidential election should by no means lessen or discourage the efforts of advancing the status of women. It is now more important than ever that we continue fighting. The international community is currently in the midst of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign, a U.N.-sponsored initiative that calls for the elimination of all forms of violence against women. The campaign kicked off Nov. 25 with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, a day of remembrance for female victims and survivors of violence, and runs until Dec. 10. According to U.N. Women, today, 35 percent of women and girls experience some form of physical or sexual vio-
lence in their lifetimes. More than 700 million women alive today were married as children, with one in three married before the age of 15.
All people, regardless of gender, have the right not only to safety but also to support. In response to these harsh realities, it is important to reinvigorate the idea that all people, regardless of gender, have the right to not only safety, but also support. Across the United States and the world, universities and community centers are showing solidarity and marking days of action with events, walkouts, rallies and speaker series. Members of this tightly connected global community have the responsibility to be impactful globally by acting locally. On campus, there are movements to stop the global problem of sexual assault. Hoyas have also taken a stand in support of human rights with the movement to prevent sexual assault and support sur-
MENTAL MUSINGS
vivors. After the 2016 Georgetown Sexual Assault and Misconduct Climate Survey, which revealed that 31 percent of female undergraduates experienced non-consensual sexual contact since entering Georgetown, new initiatives have emerged on campus aiming to prevent violence against women and to assist those who survived such violence. In response to these results, President John J. DeGioia called for urgent action: raise awareness of campus resources, implement a required annual training and establish a new Sexual Assault and Misconduct Task Force comprising students, faculty and staff. Even before the survey was released to the Georgetown community, student activists have led and continue to lead a wide variety of efforts that include the Sexual Assault Peer Educators, who lead peer-facilitated discussion, training and education; Take Back the Night, a student advocacy group committed to the fight against gendered violence; Are You Ready?, a program hosted in the fall semester; and I Am Ready, a performance held during New Student Orientation. As members of the George-
town community, we are horrified but not surprised at the incredibly high rates of sexual assault on campus and call on our fellow Hoyas to act in response by becoming involved in the countless initiatives available on campus. We must become a space where women can feel respected, safe and supported, instead of attacked and belittled. Worldwide, individuals and groups participate in the 16 Days Campaign by strengthening local work efforts, providing strategysharing forums and demonstrating solidarity. But it is important that we also focus efforts in addressing the fact that the global problem of sexual violence is not at all removed from campus life. We have the responsibility to have a greater impact on humanity than ever before in history. So use your power as a member of the community to speak up and act to end violence against women by becoming involved on campus, because 16 days of awareness simply is not enough.
AlLison pfotzer is a junior in the School of Foreign Service. CarolinA sosa is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service.
VIEWPOINT • DONOVAN
Achieve Flow, Maintain Focus Defending Lives Worth Living
W
e all recall times when we just hoped we could zone in on the moment, focus on a given assignment without distractions, with the distilled clarity of Bradley Cooper’s character in the 2011 movie “Limitless.” The reality is that we all have at some point achieved this state of consciousness. I distinctly remember feeling close to 100 percent focus once when I was studying for a math exam from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. — no lunch breaks, only math the entire time. I did not know then what that entire experience was called, but, not surprisingly, such experiences of losing the sense of time and being able to dive in head-first in the moment has been of interest to many scientists. While this altered state of consciousness appears to stem from factors as simple as mood, the reality is that achieving this kind of focus is really a matter of complex, interlocking elements combining the anatomy and chemistry of the brain as well as one’s surrounding environment. And it is no accident, either — simply by adjusting certain aspects of their lives, people can achieve this state of perfect clarity. According to acclaimed Univeristy of Chicago psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the flow state can be explained as an optimal state of consciousness where we feel our best and we perform our best. It is a state in which one gets so focused on the task at hand that everything else seems to disappear, and time itself seems to shorten. It is that feeling you get when you feel you are at the top of your performance.
There is an entire set of neuroanatomical changes that occurs when one approaches the flow state. During the flow state, areas of the brain such as the prefrontal cortex actually slow down or deactivate. When this area, which is responsible for one’s sense of self and other higher cognitive abilities, shuts down, one enters an altered state, be it dreaming, meditation or flow.
Sudhanshu Sisodiya More specifically to the flow state, the part containing one’s “inner critic” goes almost silent. The slowing down of activity in the prefrontal cortex explains why time seems to shorten as much of time conceptualization occurs in that part of the brain. It is these physical changes that explain the sense of liberation and peaking creativity. Along with neuroanatomical changes, neurochemical changes also occur in the flow state. Chemicals such as norepinephrine, dopamine, anandamide, serotonin and endorphins are released, which make us able to process information more quickly. They also affect motivation by basically helping us feel better, making flow a very intrinsically pleasurable state of mind. There are around 17 triggers for flow, three of which
are self-evident. High consequences and risk force us to focus. Risk need not be physical in any sense given the fact that the brain finds it hard to distinguish between social and physical fear. A second environmental trigger is deep embodiment, which involves attunement with multiple sensory streams simultaneously. Deep embodiment at its core is a more mindful focus on the present. Yet another factor is a rich environment, which involves a certain degree of unpredictability and learning through doing. The flow state is not so random that modifications cannot be made in one’s life to achieve this focus. In order to trigger flow, one only needs to simulate an environment conducive to flow with the elements of risk, deep embodiment and other stimulating surroundings. It is important to know that flow is not binary, but rather a cycle of struggle, where first it takes longer to process information; release, where you divert your mind from the problem; flow, the state of optimal performance; and finally, recovery, where you return back to normal. Achieving the flow state represents entering a state of lessened inhibition and the silencing of an inner critic that constrains one’s potential. This state proves that only by getting out of your head every once in a while can you really plumb the depths of your mind.
Sudhanshu Sisodiya is a freshman in the College. This is the final installment of MENTAL MUSINGS.
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or those who espouse the values of Georgetown and its Jesuit tradition and teachings, the most cogent argument against physician-assisted suicide is that it is morally wrong and a clear violation of the fifth commandment not to kill others or oneself. Today, the issue of physician-assisted suicide awaits Mayor Muriel Bowser’s (D) signature after the Nov. 15 vote when the D.C. Council approved the Death with Dignity Act of 2015. Under the act, desperate patients who are terminally ill have the power to request a new lethal prescription from a willing physician. The law requires that they take it voluntarily and self-administer the drugs. The case for supporting or not supporting the act, however, does not even need to involve religious discussions. Assisted suicide sets a new and perilous precedent for patients who might seek it out, both for those who rightfully fear it and for the medical profession that is supposed to administer it. The burden of bringing about rapid shifts in moral values, creating such a dangerous precedent and permanently altering the role and nature of the medical profession should not be imposed on society by a small group of politicians. According to the Oregon Health Department, located in a state where physicianassisted suicide has been available the longest in the United States, the primary reasons for patients to seek assisted suicide are fear of being a burden, fear of los-
ing autonomy and fear of loss of control of bodily functions. All these factors were listed before fear of pain. Those who are not pursuing an early death are frightened by this tectonic shift in attitudes of care. This is why the law was opposed by organizations such as True Dignity, which is concerned for the disabled, the mentally ill and, especially in the District of Columbia, people of color who have never had access to sufficient medical care. They all know that if some lives are labeled as not worth preserving, it becomes a danger for us all. Those who are burdened with the need to provide care, both financially and emotionally, will correctly perceive that death is costeffective. Extending the option of physician-assisted suicide puts a price tag on life, and opens the door for the well-being of a sick individual to be compromised. Belgium and the Netherlands, where assisted suicide and euthanasia have been practiced longer than in the United States, also base their arguments on the principles of compassion and autonomy. Accordingly, they have begun to euthanize those who suffer from nonterminal afflictions, including those with chronic depression, anorexia nervosa and the intractable loneliness of aging. This irresponsible norm should not be surprising: It is a soundly logical extension of the autonomy argument, which D.C. law risks instituting. In the words of Dr. Edward Trudeau, founder of
a tuberculosis sanctorium in the 1800s, the role of the physician has been “To cure sometimes, to relieve often, and to care always.” This is why the American Medical Association still holds that assisting in suicide “is incompatible with the role of the physician.” Such a change in the physician’s commitment inevitably alters the doctorpatient relationship and the trust it requires. Thus, patients may not always be able to believe that doctors are always working only to provide comfort and prolong their lives to their benefit. There would be concerns of some doctors beginning to look at some patients as “lives unworthy of living” — a term used by Nazis to describe groups they believed to not have the right to live. The mistrust generated by this mindset is even more detrimental when considered in the greater context of the deception this law already requires of physicians. They may not list assisted suicide on the death certificate, but they must certify that death occurred from the underlying illness that otherwise would have resulted in death, wherein the complexity of the issue dissolves into the simple truth: There is nothing that can even remotely justify the approval of physician-assisted suicide.
G. Kevin Donovan, M.D., M.A., is a director at Pellegrino Center for Bioethics and a professor of pediatrics at Georgetown University Medical Center.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE The Washington Monument will remain closed until 2019, two years later than its planned reopening. Story on A7.
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IN FOCUS BEI BEI RETURNS
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Much to my surprise and dismay, refugees coming into the United States became a political football. We don’t know what the next administration will do.” Anne C. Richard, Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration. Story on A7.
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Bei Bei, the 1-year-old giant panda at the National Zoo, returned to public display Monday after undergoing emergency surgery to remove a lemon-sized mass of bamboo in his intestine.
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District, Nation Sees Increased ‘Alt-Right’ Presence CHRISTIAN PAZ Hoya Staff Writer
A recent increase in reported bias-related incidents at Georgetown mirrors a national increase in hate crimes since the election of President-elect Donald Trump, increasing concerns about the role of the so-called “alt-right,” also known as the “alternative right,” and the presence of white nationalist groups in Washington, D.C. Since Trump’s election in November, the Georgetown University Police Department has reported at least three biasrelated incidents, which have occurred both on and off-campus and involved students of color or LGBTQ students. In a Nov. 13 instance, a student wearing a scarf similar to a hijab over her face on the 3700 block of Prospect St. NW was shoved, forced to the ground and told to take her scarf off. This incident, along with another in which a student of Asian descent was spit upon while walking on the 3200 block of Prospect St., prompted an official response from GUPD Chief Jay Gruber and Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson. In both cases, the perpetrators were reported to be a group of four to six white men. “Like many of you, we have also heard of other bias-related incidents in recent days,” Gruber and Olson wrote in an email to the university community. “We are troubled by these reports and are taking steps to support our students.” A RISING FORCE IN THE DISTRICT The alt-right is the general name now used by populist right-wing movements comprised of various white supremacists and white nationalists who emphasize anti-establishment conservatism while prioritizing the protection of the white race in the United States. The term was coined by Richard Spencer, the white nationalist who founded AlternativeRight.com and now serves as the president of the National Policy Institute, a Virginia-based white nationalist think tank. Spencer’s organization recently faced criticism after The Atlantic published a video of the annual NPI conference hosted Nov. 19 at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown D.C. with 275 audience mem-
bers. The video showed audience members seemingly raising their hands in Nazi salutes. “Hail Trump! Hail our people! Hail victory!” Spencer said to the crowd. Spencer’s speech compared media figures to creatures, criticized minority groups and questioned the humanity of Trump’s opponents. “It’s not just that they are leftists or cucks. It’s not just that many are genuinely stupid,” Spencer said. “Indeed, one wonders if those people are people at all, or instead soulless Golems, animated by some dark power to repeat whatever talking points John Oliver said the night before.” That same night, a group of alt-right supporters gathered at the Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant in Friendship Heights for a dinner sponsored by the NPI, where attendees were photographed making Nazi salutes and an attendee sent out a tweet with a caption reading “Sieg Heil.” The following Monday, Nov. 21, the 51-chain restaurant President Steve Provost issued an apology on Facebook. “This was a last minute booking made Friday afternoon, and the reservation was made under a different name, therefore we were not aware that NPI was dining with us or what the group represents,” Provost wrote. “This expression of support of Hitler is extremely offensive to us, as our restaurant is home to teammates and guests of every race, religion and cultural background.” UNIVERSITY FACULTY CONCERNED Michael Kazin, a Georgetown University history professor, noted that alt-right’s increased visibility is a response to identity politics, which is the usage of race, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity to intersect with political activism. “There is a sense in this culture in people protecting an identity and looking at an identity, being part of cultural traditions, that’s something which has become quite legitimized in America since the 1960s,” Kazin said. “Not surprisingly, people like Spencer and others who identify with that kind of politics, whether truly or not, have picked up on this wave presenting itself.”
Georgetown University Director of Jewish Chaplaincy Rabbi Rachel Gartner said she sees a vast contrast between alt-right politics and the mainstream political debate. “We can all agree that conservative politics is one thing and that the ‘alt-right’ is another thing entirely. If my concerns with the alt-right were about conservative versus liberal politics, I wouldn’t feel the strong need to speak out when asked about this,” Gartner wrote in an email to THE HOYA. “But that’s not what we’re talking about here.” Gartner said the presence of the alt-right in D.C. has brought anti-Semitic discrimination back into the national spotlight. “Things are happening, right here, in our very own DMV area, and across the country. Don’t believe any spin that says otherwise,” Gartner wrote. BIAS-RELATED INCIDENTS INCREASE This racially charged discourse has impacted minority groups and children in schools across the country, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s #ReportHate submission system. The SPLC has reported 867 bias-related incidents and hate crimes as of Nov. 29, an increase from the 201 incidents reported as of Nov. 11. These instances include anti-black, anti-women and anti-LGBTQ incidents. In schools, the SPLC has confirmed the so-called “Trump effect,” a term coined by former Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton, describing an increase in bullying and discriminatory acts toward minority students. A Nov. 28 SPLC report written by Maureen Costello noted the 2016 presidential election has led to 90 percent of educators reporting their school climate has been negatively affected and 80 percent describing a heightened anxiety and concern from students and their families. The survey consulted over 10,000 teachers, counselors and administrators across the nation to find these results. STUDENTS ON GUARD Georgetown students have demonstrated apprehension toward the increased visibility of the alt-right in the District.
THE NATIONAL POLICY INSTITUTE
Richard Spencer, who coined the term “alt-right,” came under fire for hosting a conference in D.C. that centered around white nationalism and white supremacy. Grant Olson (COL ’19) said the NPI convention last month shocked him. “As a Jew, seeing this kind of gathering is incredibly disgusting and racist. How we, as a nation, can so easily fall back into dangerous nationalist, white supremacist tendencies shocks me to my core,” Olson said. “I know that the First Amendment defends their right to say what they want, but we can’t convince ourselves that it’s okay to let this kind of hate speech into the public forum.” Georgetown University College Democrats Vice Chair Meredith Forsyth (SFS ’19) said the offensive language used by supporters of the alt-right should be concerning regardless of political persuasion. “Right here in D.C., there are now right-wing extremists promulgating their narrative of white supremacy and hatred, and their voices have been amplified and even normalized by Donald Trump’s rhetoric and behavior,” Forsyth wrote in an email to THE HOYA. Georgetown University College Republicans Vice Chair Samantha Granville (COL ’17) said she rejects the alt-right
and said she regrets this movement has impaired the work of mainstream Republican outreach. “Membership outreach for GUCR has always been a difficult job, and the influence of alt-right groups does not help the problem,” Granville wrote in an email to THE HOYA. “Conservatism is certainly not supposed to be rooted in exclusion based on gender, religion, race or sexuality. ” Muslim Students’ Association President Khadija Mohamud (SFS ’17) said she found the discourse used by the Trump campaign and alt-right figures disheartening. “As a Black American Muslim, I refuse to accept that I am any less American than my fellow compatriots due to the color of my skin or my religious beliefs,” Mohamud said. Georgetown University Student Association President Enushe Khan (MSB ’17) said the public visibility of the alt-right and Trump’s election have increased concerns among minority student groups. “As an institution, we need to be aware of any communities who feel vulnerable on our
campus, and we need to actively engage and support them,” Khan said. Still, some students disagree with the mainstream characterization of the alt-right. Michael Parmiter (MSB ’18) who does not identify with the movement, said it is more than just the group that gathered in Washington last month. “I see the alt-right as a reaction to the dysfunction in Washington,” Parmiter said. “I see it as an extension of the Tea Party. The alt-right people are not Republicans in the traditional sense of the word.” Still, Mohamud said she is optimistic Americans, especially students, will reject racist attitudes, citing an instance of another student offering to walk her home from Lauinger Library. “I’ve never received so many texts from friends who are nonMuslims, people I haven’t even spoken to in so long, people asking me in Lau if I want them to walk me home, going out of their way to do stuff like that — that gives me hope,” Mohamud said. “I refuse to accept the fact that as Americans we will tolerate bigotry.”
Tuesday, december 6, 2016
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Georgetown College Announces 4 New Minors for Spring Yasmine Salam Hoya Staff Writer
Georgetown College plans to introduce four new minors, including Creative Writing, Persian language, Turkish language and Religion, Ethics and World Affairs, beginning next spring. Students in the college can currently select from minors in 44 areas of study, in addition to seven School of Foreign Service regional studies certificates. A group must bring a proposal to the College Dean’s Office to create a minor before it is considered by three or four members of the College Academic Council. The minor must then be approved by the entire executive committee. The minor must then be approved by the Main Campus Executive Faculty, a body consisting of 57 faculty members and two students. Each of the new minors will require six courses. The minors in Creative Writing, capped at 20 students, and Religion, Ethics and World Affairs will require an application process and involve a capstone seminar, where students complete a project to conclude the minor. English majors will not be able to minor in Creative Writing due to the overlap in courses. Professor of English David Gewanter, who helped develop the new Creative Writing minor, said the new minor builds upon the existing courses offered in the English department. According to Gewanter, the
new minor will offer students an opportunity to delve deeper into their writing skills. “We’ve had an array of creative writing courses that have been filled up and have been very popular for a number of years,” Gewanter said. “The idea of the minor is to try to put them in a sequence so that you can build up towards writing a longer manuscript about something that intrigues and challenges you.” Gewanter said a creative writing minor is important to foster a writing community that can impact students in the long run. “It’s a very hands-on, interactive program. The issue of having a writing community is crucial and the ones you establish in school follow you for time afterwards,” Gewanter said. “I am still in touch with people I took poetry workshops with in the 1980s and we are still sharing manuscripts.” Persian Language and Culture Program Director Farima Mostowfi said the Persian language minor reflects the significant role the language plays on a global level. “More than 110 million people worldwide speak Persian,” Mostowfi said. “Creating a Persian minor will enable students to communicate, interact with and form relations with those coming from an important region of the world when they become the leaders of tomorrow.” Mostowfi also said the new minor recognizes the rising interest in the university’s Per-
Clara Mejía Orta FOR the hoya
Last week, Georgetown College announced that it would introduce four new minors for the spring semester, including creative writing, Persian language, Turkish language and religion, ethics and world affairs. sian program. “I have been trying to create this minor for 5 years. There were a lot of students that could validate 14 plus credits in Persian and we were not able to recognize this or give them a certificate or anything,” Mostowfi said. Georgetown student demand for Persian has risen sharply in recent years, according to Mostowfi. Between 2013 and 2014, enrollment for “Beginners Persian” rose 257 percent. This fall, 40 students are enrolled in classes across the Persian program. In another language with growing interest, Turkish minor students can reach inter-
mediate level in the language accompanied by coursework in Turkish studies approved by the department. Turkish Language and Culture Program Director Sylvia Önder said she was glad Turkish studies is receiving more recognition with the creation of its new minor in the college. “At Georgetown, we have a special history of nationallycompetitive Arabic programs, and Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish have been housed within the Arabic programs,” Önder wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We are grateful for the hospitality, of course, but are glad to have more official recognition of our programs
through the minors.” Önder said Georgetown’s efforts to recognize smallerlanguage programs reflect the university’s commitment to a thorough liberal arts education. “Now that there are minors in Turkish and Persian — both college students and SFS students can gain a mark on their transcript that will be reflective of a specific type of global education that is so sought after in professional life,” Önder wrote. Michael Kessler, the managing director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, said the new REWA minor will ad-
dress contemporary global issues. Religion, Ethics and World Affairs was previously a Berkley Center program only available to SFS students as a certificate program. The new minor makes the program accessible to college students as well. “Students at Georgetown today are training to be the next generation of leaders and will face complex challenges about the role of religion in politics, economic and social development, international relations,” Kessler wrote in an email to The Hoya. “The REWA certificate is a stellar opportunity for students to engage these issues in a sustained way.”
SFS Hosts Discussion Series Following Election Results Jesus Rodriguez Hoya Staff Writer
MATTHEW TRUnKO/THE HOYA
Students living in Henle Village have raised concerns over being charged for four chairs that were vandalized in the Henle Village courtyard.
Students React to Chair Fine Henle residents charged for vandalism
MATTHEW TRUNKO Hoya Staff Writer
Henle Village residents and the Georgetown University Student Association have raised concerns over university spending after residents were charged a total of $2,234.08 after four chairs in Henle Village common space were damaged by vandalism. According to an email to Henle residents, each chair cost $558.52 with each individual resident being charged $5.28. The chairs were purchased as part of a project to develop outdoor space at Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Hall. Henle Community Director Jillian Sitjar notified students living in Henle Village in an email on Oct. 27 of the vandalism and theft. “Recently, Henle Village received outdoor furniture consisting of 6 tables and 24 chairs. However, due to vandalism, 8 chairs have been damaged or removed from the courtyard over the course of the past three weeks,” Sitjar wrote. Henle residents were notified Nov. 8 that four of the eight chairs were returned, but that they would be charged for the remaining four missing or damaged chairs. Following the charge, a number of Henle residents voiced their concerns to the Office of Residential Living. Henle Village Resident Michael Chapman (COL ’18), who wrote an email to the Office of Residential Living voicing his concerns, said
he was concerned that Residential Living was charging students who were not involved in damaging or removing the chairs. “I find it very unfair that they are charging students who may not have had any impact on the chairs being broken and may not have even used the chairs for something that could have been done by anybody on campus,” Chapman said. GUSA Chief of Staff Ari Goldstein (COL ’18) said the costs of the seats raise concerns over how the university spends its money. “I must have gotten 10 texts and emails from people who were living in Henle and they wanted GUSA to do something about this because it was such an obviously egregious example of misspending,” Goldstein said in an interview with The Hoya. Goldstein said the charge points to a larger issue of university spending. “I just don’t know what the industry standard is for chairs, but I think it fits into a pretty obvious pattern of misspending across the board,” Goldstein said. Senior Director for Strategic Communications Rachel Pugh said the chairs were selected by a design committee for both their value and aesthetic. “These chairs were selected by a design committee consisting of architects, students and university staff and through a furniture forum during the design process,” Pugh wrote
in an email to The Hoya. “This selection represented the best overall value per the selection committee when considering durability, architectural characteristics, price and quality.” Henle Village resident Bailey Page (MSB ’18) said she was concerned that students’ money was being spent on something students do not necessarily want or need, rather than renovating Henle. “I think it’s kind of ridiculous that we didn’t ask for these chairs,” Page said. Henle Village resident Matt Wang (MSB ’18) said the fact that non-Henle Village residents could have damaged or removed the chairs raises further concerns about the charge. “We know this chair vandalism happened and there is no evidence to pointing towards who’s done them. It just remarks that anyone can come onto campus and do anything to the stuff we leave outside,” Wang said in an interview with The Hoya. Wang said even if the vandalism was done by a Henle Village resident, the high charge of the chairs would still raise concerns. “Well I feel that the vandalism was definitely something that needed to be asked about or taken care of,” Wang said. “If it was more about the cost of the chair rather than the actual incident, I would understand us having to pay for it but the fact that each chair cost $400, $500 is a bit ridiculous.”
Students continue to voice the need for increased campus dialogue about the ramifications of the election of President-elect Donald Trump to the presidency, specifically on issues concerning minority students, in a weeklong series of discussions organized by Georgetown School of Foreign Service faculty members and SFS student leaders. Seven small-group conversations began Dec. 2 and will continue through Dec. 9. The discussions attempt to pay special attention to vulnerable communities. The initiative is expected to focus on personal narratives as a reactionary response to a rise in hate crimes against minorities both nationwide and on campus. Two off-campus bias-related attacks against students were reported in mid-November. According to SFS Dean Joel Hellman, the initiative particularly resonates in the SFS because of its focus on globalization and multiculturalism. “Our faculty have very strong views and felt the need to discuss — not only in the classroom but outside — about how are we going to react and what role should we be playing in the shifting dialogue on globalization,” Hellman said. “Students also felt a lot of uncertainty about what this means, especially at a place where they came to study global affairs and global integration.” Students had the opportunity to register for discussions via an email from the SFS Dean’s Office announcing the initiative. SFS Academic Council President Devika Ranjan (SFS ’17) said the response from students represented overwhelming interest and engagement.
The SFS Academic Council organized many of the logistics of the discussions. “About 100 people signed up in a period of two days, so many that I unfortunately had to turn people away,” Ranjan said. “I am so, so glad people are enthusiastic about participating in these discussions and want to grapple with the more personal narratives that are deeply tied to our politics.” The discussions are being led by government professor Anthony Arend (SFS ’80), Fr. Matthew Carnes, S.J., African studies professor Lahra Smith, history professor Marcia Chatelain, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs Dean Daniel Byman and Arab studies professor Fida Adely. Carnes, who teaches comparative political studies, said the need for these conversations began the day after the election, Nov. 9. “I just had a sense, from talking to a few students, to talk about things. In my own classroom, we did a fairly lengthy discussion where I asked students to write down their feelings for a couple of minutes and invited them to share them — issues, fears, hopes,” Carnes said. “It was a very changed environment that moved them and challenged them in a lot of ways.” Arend, whose group met Monday evening in McGhee Library, said students came to his discussion with respect and curiosity. “A number of important issues were raised, such as what role does the university play in truth, how we can be citizen journalists, what will be the implications of the new administration for foreign policy,” Arend said. “All of us in the community want to hear each other but also to make
sure that all of us understand that this is a place where we can all feel comfortable and welcome.” Zachary Oschin (SFS ’20), who attended Arend’s discussion group, said the group fostered an environment for reflection and engagement in significant issues. “We have all felt very overwhelmed by the recent events and it felt like an important experience to be able to connect about our fears and expectations,” Oschin said. Ranjan said the purpose is to humanize the effects of the election based on the power of personal narratives. “In the SFS, we are very good at policy discussions, but often we neglect to understand how these policies reflect real lives,” Ranjan said. While the policies of a Trump administration remain largely unknown, Hellman said he does not expect the historical relationship between the SFS and the federal government — specifically with the Department of State — to change. “We are a school that has a long history of training people for globally engaging public service and that is not going to change,” Hellman said. “That commitment that we have to keep training a cadre of specialists who really understand the world and know how to engage the world is not going to change at all.” Carnes said he is hopeful that these dialogues will drive the Georgetown campus to approach civil discourse in a more productive and inclusive way. “My hope is that all of us as a community could gain a shared understanding,” Carnes said. “The key is the ability to listen well and to construct a new kind of unity and reconciliation.”
FILE PHOTO: MICHELLE LUBERTO/THE HOYA
The School of Foreign Service is hosting a series of discussions for students on issues concerning minority students in light of President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.
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tuesday, december 6, 2016
Biden Urges Policy Consistency Council Delays BIDEN, from A1
Biden said. “But the truth of the matter is, a lot of people got hurt, and many are still not back.” Biden said many politicians initially underestimated the severity of the recession. Biden said he was often criticized for referring to it as the “Great Recession.” “Credit markets, credit markets dried up, making it almost impossible for small businesses to keep their doors open and meet payroll. Prospective homeowners to get a mortgage, car buyers to get a loan and right before election day, Lehman Brothers collapsed, unleashing a fear — a real fear — that the whole financial system could collapse,” Biden said. The unemployment rate hit 10 percent in Oct. 2009, with almost 8.8 million lost jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Biden said it is important to remember the crisis was caused not by everyday Americans, but by bankers and a lax regulatory system, when looking to develop policy following the election. “The reason to remember how it happened is not to hold people responsible; particularly, it’s to make sure we don’t commit the same problems again,” Biden said. “It was a direct result of short-sighted, irresponsible, and — I would argue — greedy actions by Wall Street. And Washington’s lacks of regulation over a 20- to 30-year period. Barack and I knew that fixing the real economy
meant stabilizing and fixing the financial system.” America’s regulatory systems were not strong enough to prevent the behaviors resulting in the recession, according to Biden. “We knew our regulatory system was outdated. Designed decades ago and designed decades ago, it was ill-equipped to monitor the modern-day economy,” Biden said.
“I understand, when the middle class does well, everybody does well. The wealthy do very well and the poor have a way out.” joe biden Vice President of the United States
The 1999 repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act, a 1933 law that prevented banks with deposits from engaging in the investment business, was a significant contributor to the financial crisis, according to Biden. Many banks made loans they knew consumers could not repay, causing financial problems when consumers were unable to pay back loans. “Across the board was insufficient regulatory infrastructure. A shadow banking system was allowed to operate with limited oversight
— the lack of systematic regulator overseeing the whole system,” Biden said. “Collectively, this wasn’t about allowing banks to take on more risks, it was about shifting the risk from the banks to the governments and taxpayer.” Biden also shed light on the gravity with which he holds his vote to repeal GlassSteagall when he served in the Senate. “This was a debate inside the White House whether I should say this, but I have never not said what I believe, that was the worst vote I ever cast in my entire time in the United States Senate,” Biden said. Biden emphasized the importance of maintaining proper regulations to ensure a recession does not hit the middle class again. “I understand, when the middle class does well, everybody does well. The wealthy do very well and the poor have a way out,” Biden said. “It’s what holds together the social contract: a growing middle class.” The regulations introduced by Dodd-Frank, which have protected the economy for the past few years, are now being taken for granted, according to Biden. “Let’s at least make sure that the umpire is on the field calling balls and strikes and wearing a striped shirt. That’s why we can’t allow the repeal of Dodd-Frank,” Biden said. Biden said compensation for company executives must also be more tightly regu-
lated. “We need to ensure that the executive compensation doesn’t go back to encouraging executive risk-taking, in short term. I’ve spoken a length about stock buybacks by publicly traded companies, how CEOs don’t have the incentive to build for the future, but rather swing for the fences today,” Biden said. “They’re not bad guys or bad women, the processes incentivize actions.” The government must continue to implement regulations introduced by Dodd-Frank, according to Biden. “We need to complete the remaining SEC rules created by Dodd Frank, like limits on incentive-based compensation in financial companies. Like Chairman Volcker said, we also need to address the threat posed by a bottomless, short-term debt. And as evidenced by the recent concerns about retail banks, we need to step up our monitoring and enforcement activities,” Biden said. “Look at Wells Fargo.” Ensuring there is effective regulation should be a common-sense policy for both Democrats and Republicans, according to Biden. “Millions of families pay the price for reckless and irresponsible policies, and our regulators need to have the resources to catch this activity before it gets out of control,” Biden said. “It’s pretty basic, you know, like me, you don’t have to be an economist to understand this.”
Conspiracy Theories Spurred Gunman SHOOTING, from A1 Comet Ping Pong owner James Alefantis and his employees have received menacing messages and death threats online since days before the Nov. 8 presidential election. Users on the online message board 4chan found communication between Alefantis and Podesta discussing a fundraising event for Clinton in the latter’s emails, which were leaked by anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks. The theory gave rise to fake news articles appearing on Facebook and websites such as The New Nationalist and The Vigilant Citizen. Alefantis denounced the allegations of a child sex trafficking ring being run out of his restaurant, emphasizing that the conspiracy theories were not without consequences in a statement on Facebook on Sunday night. “I hope that those involved in fanning these flames will take a moment to contemplate what happened here today, and stop promoting these falsehoods right away,” the statement reads. Georgetown journalism program director Barbara Feinman Todd condemned the rise in fake news stories while highlighting the dangers these stories pose. “Fake news is suddenly become this huge thing. I don’t
know if it crept up on us or what, but it suddenly has really serious consequences that we have seen played out at Comet Ping Pong,” Feinman Todd said. “As of what happened on Sunday, it’s become life-threatening.” In his Monday press briefing, White House Press Secretary Joshua Earnest also addressed the role fake news played in motivating Welch, saying he was troubled by the prospect of violence erupting due to false information. “There’s no denying the corrosive effect that some of these false reports have had on our political debate. And that’s concerning in a political context. It’s deeply troubling that some of those false reports could lead to violence,” Earnest said. “How people understand what’s happening in the world is important to the functioning of our democracy.” The propagated false news also reached Michael Flynn Jr., the son of retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who President-elect Donald Trump announced as his pick for his national security adviser Nov. 18. Michael Flynn Jr., who has served as his father’s chief of staff and top aide, tweeted about the incident Sunday night. “Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, it’ll remain a story. The left seems to forget #Pod-
estaEmails and the many ‘coincidences’ tied to it,” Michael Flynn Jr. wrote. Earnest addressed Michael Flynn Jr.’s reaction to the incident, emphasizing the value of the truth for those in government and their families. “I’m not here to issue any specific challenges to the incoming administration on any topic,” Earnest said. “I think we all hold a responsibility, regardless of whether or not we are planning to serve in a government position or if one of our family members is planning to serve in a government position, that we shouldn’t be propagating false things that could inspire violence.” Feinman Todd highlighted the importance of investigating the sources by which people receive their news, especially given the heightened visibility of fake reports. She suggested students consider the sources, media outlets and facts of each article they read. “It’s extremely upsetting and as a journalism professor, I feel that it makes my job that much more critical,” Feinman Todd said. “There are plenty of fabulous reporters out there and they’re doing great work. The scary thing is that it doesn’t seem to matter that much. Facts just don’t seem to matter. And this whole Comet Ping
Pong story is a very clear and scary illustration of that.” Georgetown University Police Department Chief Jay Gruber warned against fake news as a potentially dangerous concept and predicted that the trend would not likely disappear. “False news can be very dangerous. News items should be confirmed and reconfirmed if not from a mainstream media source,” Gruber wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Fake news problems will likely persist.” Feinman Todd added that another way to fight back against the false news that gave way to the incident at Comet Ping Pong is to support the businesses threatened or endangered by such reports. “I just ate there about a month ago with another professor and another friend. They have great pizza. Everyone should go. Everybody is talking about how can we support the truth — well, I think we need to support Comet Ping Pong for one thing. I think that’s a lot more effective than just clicking ‘like’ on Facebook,” Feinman Todd said. “I think we all need to eat some pizza, which is how this all started.”
Hoya Staff Writer Christian Paz contributed reporting.
Voting Results
GUSA, from A1 GUSA Senators Jasmin Ouseph (SFS ’19), Isaac Liu (COL ’20) and Charles Hajjar (MSB ’20), GUSA Free Speech Policy Team Chair D.J. Angelini (MSB ’17), GUSA Dining and Auxiliary Services Policy Team Chair Mark Camilli (COL ’19) and Dylan Hughes (COL ’19), who is unaffiliated with GUSA, filed the complaint Thursday evening. GUSA Senate Speaker Richie Mullaney (COL ’18), GUSA Chief of Staff Ari Goldstein (COL ’18) and GUSA Senator William Morris (COL ’19), who represented GUSA as respondents at the hearing, said the results should be released by the Election Commission. According to Ouseph, there is evidence that the electioneering was intentional and planned by GUSA. “There is substantial evidence of people being encouraged to vote ‘yes’ at the GUSA polling stations that were set up last Thursday. There’s also evidence of GUSA leadership explicitly stating that the primary intent of polling stations was to mobilize voters and get club funding reform passed,” Ouseph said at the hearing. “The overall majority of people who were staffing these tables were supporters of the amendment.” In an email sent Wednesday obtained by The Hoya, GUSA members manning the polling booths were told they were allowed to explain the referendums, but that they could not force voters to vote for or against the referendum. The petitioners also testified that several of the polling stations prominently featured “yes” flyers, without a comparable number of posters espousing the opposite view. “All of this indicates that there was a premeditated effort by GUSA leadership to sway the vote at polling stations,” Ouseph said. Mullaney said the volunteers’ conduct at polling stations was legal because the bylaws prohibiting electioneering at polling stations only apply to candidates and contain no restrictions on campaigns for referendums. “First, that the use of polling stations was unconstitutional — we believe this claim is incorrect due to the bylaws and well-established precedent. In the bylaws, it does state that candidates or anyone acting on behalf of a candidate cannot set up polling stations with electronic equipment. In a referendum, there are no candidates,” Mullaney said at the hearing. “There are no rules in the bylaws governing the campaigns of referenda.” GUSA Election Commissioner Aiden Fletcher (SFS ’17), who argued on behalf of the respondents, said the electioneering was not in keeping with the spirit of campaign rules, but did not violate the bylaws or constitution in their current forms. “The bylaws were very narrowly interpreted. It was a very strict reading, and it
didn’t align perhaps with the values of what I think makes an ethical campaign. And the restrictions we’ve put on candidates should definitely apply to referendums,” Fletcher said. “I’m saying should, because I do not think they currently do. You can see that GUSA was out of sync with the spirit of those rules, but they were totally within the bounds with what they did. I don’t think there’s any constitutional standing or bylaw standing to prosecute.” The petitioners also argued that one of the polling stations was set up in front of O’Donovan Hall, outside the free-speech zones designated in the university’s Speech and Expression Policy, making them improper. Because the interior of Leo’s is a free speech zone, the location of the polling station outside Leo’s is not relevant, according to Morris. “It was set up on the lefthand side of the door. The other side of the door is a freespeech zone, and inside is also a free-speech zone,” Morris said. “So if we’re really debating over moving it over 20 feet as the issue of this referendum, I don’t know if that is as pertinent.” Neither the outside nor the inside of Leo’s is listed as freespeech zones in the university’s Speech and Expression Policy. The only free-speech zones listed that do not require special permitting are public squares and certain locations outside of Lauinger Library, Henle Village, Darnall Hall and the Healey Family Student Center. All the other polling stations set up by GUSA were within free-speech zones. The table outside Leo’s was removed for logistical reasons before the illegality of the polling location was brought to the attention of the volunteers. Mullaney said he would support a discussion of changing or clarifying campaign rules in the future, but that under the current rules, GUSA acted legally and with good intentions. “I agree that while we can think that certain actions are probably inappropriate from GUSA, that is separate from the legality of the actions themselves, which I believe were absolutely allowed by the constitution and the bylaws and GUSA acted in completely good faith,” Mullaney said. In an interview with The Hoya, Camilli said the bylaws, though narrowly worded in reference to candidates, were clearly intended to regulate campaigns generally. “Although the constitution bylaws don’t explicitly state much on referenda, it’s pretty clear that the restrictions they’re trying to place, even though it might explicitly be defined for candidates in presidential elections, is trying to apply to campaigning in general,” Camilli said. “Really what we’re getting at is violating the spirit of the law is also violating the law.”
DC Zoning Commission Approves Campus Plan ZONING, from A1 unanimously approved, because the students, neighbors and university were able to find shared interests and focus on solutions that help everyone.” The GCP consists of different working groups focusing on specific parts of the campus plan and eventually makes recommendations to the Steering Committee, which is composed of representatives from Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E, ANC 3D, the Citizens Association of Georgetown, the Burleith Citizens Association, the Foxhall Village Citizens Association, Vice President for Government Relations and Community Engagement Christopher Murphy (GRD ’98), Vice President for Planning and Facilities Management Robin Morey and GUSA. GUSA Deputy Chief of Staff for Master Planning and Community Engagement Zac Schroepfer (MSB ’19), who was elected as a student commissioner for ANC2E on Nov. 8, said the length of the plan will allow it to be more effective throughout its duration, adding that student interest in improvements to living spaces was reflected in the plan.
“If you were to create a campus plan with such a short term, you’re going to be impeding the planning process. It’s much better to create a longterm plan and then actually follow through with that plan,” Schroepfer said. “What the students saw as super important was renovating our existing buildings to create enhanced living spaces where students actually want to live and learn.” This emphasis on improving on-campus residence halls also aligns with the interests of the Georgetown neighborhood community. According to Schroepfer, neighbors would like to see a more distinct separation between the campus and the Georgetown neighborhood. “One of their main goals is to have less students out in the neighborhood and have campus be more of a central hub of living space,” Schroepfer said. GUSA Chief of Staff Ari Goldstein (COL ’18) said a main concern throughout the campus planning process was student engagement. During the negotiations for the 2010 Campus Plan, which was not formally approved by the D.C. Zoning Commission until 2012 due to disagreements between neigh-
bors and administrators and included the reinstatement of the third-year on-campus housing requirement, students were not able to give their input throughout the planning process, according to Goldstein. “There was a lot of bad will from the last plan between students and neighbors and administrators,” Goldstein said. “There was this belief that student interests were fundamentally opposed by the neighbors and administrators, who are really the ones in power in this process.” GUSA leaders sought to create a collaborative process between each of the parties involved. The GCP was founded in 2012 to allow for such a process. Schroepfer credits the success of this most recent campus plan to the creation of the GCP. “Historically, it’s been a lot of people having these ideas and fighting them out in front of the zoning commission. But with the creation of the GSP, to facilitate this conversation, students and neighbors and administrators all came together in the same room to share their perspectives,” Schroepfer said. Goldstein said the new plan marked an increase in student engagement in the process and
georgetown university campus plan
The Washington, D.C. Zoning Commission approved the 20-year campus plan with the collaboration of students, administration and neighbors in Georgetown. steps toward improved relationships with the greater Georgetown community. “We are in a much better place than we have ever been before,” Goldstein said. “Having these good relationships allows us to advance student interests and get things done in a way that weren’t otherwise able to.”
University President John J. DeGioia said the commission’s approval reflects the efforts of the community members, students, faculty and staff involved in crafting and creating the plan. “I am deeply grateful to all those who came together through our Georgetown Community Partnership,” De-
Gioia wrote in an email to the university community Dec. 5. “Developing a comprehensive plan that meets the needs of all stakeholders is challenging, and the unanimous approval by the D.C. Zoning Commission reflects an extraordinary commitment to dialogue and engagement from all who were involved.”
news
Tuesday, december 6, 2016
THE HOYA
A7
The Hoya Staff Transitions William Zhu Hoya Staff Writer
The Hoya published its first issue today after transitioning to a new editorial and publishing staff for the spring semester Saturday. Toby Hung (COL ’18), the executive editor for the fall semester, began his yearlong term to serve as the 143rd editor-in-chief of The Hoya, taking over from Jess Kelham-Hohler (COL ’17). Hung said he is eager to facilitate more dialogue on campus regarding a variety of issues. “Over the past two-anda-half years, I have witnessed multiple facets of The Hoya’s role on campus, from igniting much-needed dialogue to sharing the diversity of stories at Georgetown,” Hung said. “I look forward to working with our staff to realize our fullest potential as an organization that serves the entire university community.” Paolo Santamaria (COL ’18), who served as sports
editor in the fall, will take Hung’s place as executive editor for a semester-long term. Santamaria said The Hoya will strive for innovation and break from tradition to achieve its full potential.
“I would be lying if I said the responsiblity of executive editor didn’t terrify me.” PAOLO SANTAMARIA (COL ’18) Executive Editor, The Hoya
“I would be lying if I said the responsibility of executive editor didn’t terrify me, but at the same time, we at The Hoya, in order to even approach the ceiling of what we are truly capable of, must ready ourselves to break out of traditions that we have long held,” Santamaria said. “I’m ready to help cham-
pion that cause alongside the best group of coworkers at Georgetown.” Jesus Rodriguez (SFS ’19), who served as layout editor in the fall, will serve as the new managing editor for the upcoming semester. “The Hoya is uniquely situated to renew its commitment to journalism and to the greater Georgetown community,” Rodriguez said. “I consider myself extremely lucky to be part of that commitment and continue a tradition that is 97 years in the making.” Daniel Almeida (MSB ’18), who was director of sales in the fall, will serve the general manager position for a year-long term, replacing Evan Zimmet (MSB ’17). “I am happy to begin my term surrounded by some of the most competent and passionate individuals Georgetown has to offer,” Almeida said. Kristen Fedor (COL ’17) will be continuing her yearlong term as chair of the board of directors until April 2017.
Washington Monument Closes Down for Repairs Elevator to undergo $2.3 million restoration
May teng
Hoya Staff Writer
The Washington Monument is to remain closed until 2019 due to repairs, the National Park Service announced Dec. 2. The monument has been closed since Aug. 17 following three previous closures, including a three-year period following a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in 2011, which occurred 84 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., yet nonetheless cracked the monument. Initial repair evaluations estimated a nine-month time frame to update the monument’s elevator, which broke down several times in the past year. New repair proposals estimate the monument will remain closed for at least two more years. The repairs are composed of two main components: modernization of the monument’s elevator and updating the screening facility. National Parks Service Public Affairs Officer Michael Litterst said both renovations are crucial to maintain the monument’s sustainability. “The modernization of the elevator is absolutely necessary given the number of times it broke down in the past year,” Litterst said. “We can’t simply operate with a hope and a prayer that people won’t
get stuck. The screening facility, is as well, is a necessity.” The monument, a 555foot obelisk, has used a temporary security screening area since 2001. The National Parks Service plans to construct a permanent screening facility. D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) is optimistic repairs will lead to safer access to the monument for visitors. “The much-needed modernization of the monument’s elevator will resolve the chronic problems that have forced repeated shutdowns of the monument, many of which occurred during peak tourist season,” Holmes wrote in a Dec. 2 statement. Businessman David Rubenstein, founder of The Carlyle Group, a D.C.-based global private equity firm, pledged to fund the $2-3 million project of modernizing the elevator. Rubenstein said helping restore the monument is a personal honor. “The monument has become a symbol of our country, and reminds everyone of the towering strengths of our first president,” Rubenstein wrote in a statement. “I am honored to help make this symbol safely accessible again to all Americans as soon as possible.” Rubenstein already donated $7.5 million for re-
pairs following damages from the 2011 earthquake, and donated $18.5 million for restorations to the Lincoln Memorial earlier this year. However, the NPS has not yet secured funding for renovations of the screening facility. Funding information for the screening facility is set to be released in the 2017 fiscal budget release. “It’s just a matter of when we get the funding and then we can start,” Litterst said. “I can’t speculate on when Congress may take action on that funding.” There is no concrete timeline for the project because the NPS said it must first receive funding from the passing of the 2017 fiscal budget before it can publish a start date for the repairs schedule. “We certainly share the public’s frustration at the closure for such a long time, but the updates are certainly necessary,” Litterst said. Students have also expressed regret regarding the closure of the monument. Kendall Place (COL ’20) said though she understands safety concerns, she wanted to be able to access the monument. “I’m a little disappointed,” Place said. “The Washington Monument is a symbol of our country, and it means a lot to people. But safety’s first.”
REFUGE RESETTLEMENT WATCH
Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration Anne C. Richard said the global refugee crisis led to an alarming lack of education for refugee children.
Expert Urges Refugee Action Secretary stresses importance of education
Hannah Urtz Hoya Staff Writer
A lack of access to education for refugee children is one of the most significant consequences of the global refugee crisis, according to Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration Anne C. Richard in a discussion hosted by refugee advocacy group No Lost Generation on Thursday. “The number of child refugees has more than doubled in the past 10 years,” Richard said. “The most insidious problem, we believe, it that refugee children are robbed of an education. I remember meeting young people in refugee camps and I thought, what a waste for them to be here, along the Turkish-Syrian border instead of school.”
“The number of child refugees has more than doubled in the past 10 years.” ANNE C. RICHARD Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration
Rachel pugh Senior Director for Strategic Communications
FILE PHOTO: ERICK CASTRO/THE HOYA
According to the National Park Service, the Washington Monument will remain closed for an additional two years, despite predictions that it would reopen in May 2017.
The event, moderated by Georgetown University research professor Elizabeth Ferris in Copley Formal Lounge, explored the Obama Administration’s goals, challenges and successes in dealing with the global refugee crisis. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 4.8 million refugees have fled to countries in the Middle East, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq since the Syrian civil war began in March 2011. One million have requested asylum in Europe. The United States runs the largest refugee resettlement program, resettling over 3.3 million refugees since 1975. Obama expanded this program in his administration, pledging to accept over 100,000 refugees by October 2017. The U.S. State Department funds a number of programs to assist refugee children and adolescents in receiving an education. Both Turkey and Lebanon have pledged to create more opportunities for Syrian children to go to school, an effort that was encouraged and supported by the United States.
However, President-elect Donald Trump’s statements have created doubt for Richard about the future of the program. “Much to my surprise and dismay, refugees coming into the United States became a political football. We don’t know what the new administration will do,” Richard said. One of Trump’s campaign proposals was for “extreme vetting” of refugees and Muslims coming into the United States. Trump also called for temporarily banning all Muslims from entering the United States in Dec. 2015, before beginning to walk back the policy in June. According to Richard, refugees already undergo very comprehensive evaluation and vetting. “We actually do a very thorough job screening refugees, so my hope is that when the new Secretary of State comes in and sees all the steps involved, they will come to believe that we do a very good job in our vetting,” Richard said. Richard said students should look to get involved with refugee advocacy by pursuing internships with NGOs and the State department, working as online tutors for refugees and organizing fundraising events. Students have the ability to make a positive impact in the crisis, according to Richard. “The scale of this crisis means we need more. We need students to get mobilized and informed to make a difference,” Richard said. “We need your wisdom, your creativity, your enthusiasm, your technological wizardry, your power to innovate and your prowess with social media.” Richard said students should also look for local opportunities to help refugees, rather than opportunities to help refugees abroad. “I find that college students always want to jet off to some far-flung location and have some life altering experience, but I always suggest they start by going down the street and finding some local refugee student going to a nearby high school,” Richard said. “You don’t have to get a plane ticket to help.” No Lost Generation is a movement of student activists founded to support refugees by promoting awareness, fundraising and creating education resources for refugees, according to the group’s page.
The No Lost Generation initiative was launched in 2013, with Georgetown’s chapter launching at the beginning of this academic year. Since then 49 chapters have been established at universities across the nation.
“The scale of this crisis means we need more. We need students to get mobilized and informed to make a difference.” ANNE C. RICHARD Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration
According to the Georgetown chapter’s founder and Executive Director Elana King-Nakaoka (COL’19), the organization works in conjunction with the State Department to raise awareness about the plight of refugees. “I’m passionate about building the organization here on campus because I feel that while many Georgetown community members care about the refugee crises, the gravity of the situation can feel overwhelming,” King-Nakaoka said. King-Nakoaka said the event aligns with the goals for No Lost Generation on campus. “We wanted to host a moving and informative lecture on campus that both raised awareness about the global refugee crisis, and focused on just how students can get involved and make their voices heard,” King-Nakaoka said. Sindrel Al-Hamsi, a Syrian exchange student from Damascus who is in the United States through a fellowship program with the U.S. State Department, said she was moved by the outpouring of support and advocacy demonstrated throughout the discussion. “You see images of us dirty and looking like we smell, but it didn’t used to be this way. We are sophisticated and educated people, and we just look this way because we have had to walk for miles and miles to reach safety,” AlHamsi said. “Really, I just wanted to come here to say thank you.”
A8
SPORTS
THE HOYA
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016
THE BEAUTIFUL GAME
FEATURE
Blues Thrive Under Conte Corboz Legacy Continues L
ast year’s Premier League was unlike any other, and for very good reasons. Besides Leicester City’s stunning rags-to-riches story, it was also noteworthy for the rapid decline of the defending champion, Chelsea. Sitting in the relegation zone at one point, Chelsea finished the season in tenth place. Nonetheless, it was a complete shock to see virtually the same title-winning team languishing in the middle of the table. This season’s Chelsea team could not be more different. Under new manager Antonio Conte, the Blues have taken the league by storm, with their closest competitor, Liverpool, one full point behind them. With eight wins in a row, it looks as though the title is within Chelsea’s grasp. Chelsea’s change in fortune is even more remarkable considering the Blues’ sluggish start this season. At one point, following a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal, Chelsea was eight points behind first place. Unlike the meltdown under José Mourinho that saw the Portuguese manager being shown the door less than a year after winning the title — not to mention the work ethic of the entire team getting called into question — Conte’s Chelsea has rallied to look like the Chelsea of the past. A large part of Chelsea’s success is due to Conte’s influence, who was brought in by capricious owner Roman Abramovich to many fans’ dissatisfaction. Even some players themselves wanted Abramovich to keep caretaker manager Guus Hiddink, who kept Chelsea from getting relegated, instead of hiring another Mourinho-esque manager.
It is safe to say that these doubts have all been squashed thanks to Conte’s patience and determination that has shown he is indeed the man for the job. Under the Italian, several players who struggled to prove themselves under Mourinho have become integral parts to Chelsea’s latest title charge. Midfielder Eden Hazard, a virtually invisible player last season, is perhaps the best example of Conte’s positive coaching. Under his management, Hazard has been one of the team’s most consistent players, rediscovering his old scoring ways.
Vanessa Craige To name another, Diego Costa has also improved under Conte’s rule. Costa currently leads the league with 11 goals in 14 games. But perhaps the temperamental striker’s greater achievement is that he has largely managed to stay out of trouble. Reviled at times for his unsavory actions towards opponents, Costa has kept his head down, collecting only four yellow cards this season. Even Cesc Fabregas, who contemplated leaving the team in the summer after a disastrous season, has found himself rejuvenated under Conte’s leadership. He is once again in the starting lineup. However, this may change after Fabregas’ role in the ugly brawl during Chelsea’s thumping of Manchester City, which resulted in two City
players getting shown the red card in the final minutes. Perhaps what is most endearing about Conte is his willingness to include club icon John Terry in his plans. At the end of last season, it seemed as though Terry was on his way out, but Conte was adamant about keeping the club captain. While various injuries have kept him out of the starting lineup, it now appears that Terry is indeed on his way out of Chelsea. It is admirable, nonetheless, that Conte would go so far for a player well past his prime. On the whole, Conte has done an excellent job reviving belief in Chelsea once more. While critics attribute Chelsea’s success to an easier schedule — like Liverpool, Chelsea has no European football to worry about this season — the fact is that Chelsea has consistently beat other title contenders, including Manchester City and Tottenham. Chelsea has only lost to Arsenal and Liverpool so far, and both defeats came early in the season. While there are a few kinks that need to be worked out — namely why Conte brought back defender David Luiz, who rivals Alberto Moreno in terms of being unable to defend sometimes — this is a Chelsea team to keep an eye on. With a relatively easy December schedule ahead, it looks as though Chelsea will further solidify its grasp on first place — a remarkable change for a team that started 2016 in crisis.
Vanessa Craige is a junior in the School of Foreign Service. This is the final installment of THE BEAUTIFUL GAME.
THE FRONT RUNNERS
Retirement Preserves Pride N
ico Rosberg finally did it. After a cutthroat season that pit Rosberg against his Mercedes teammate and reigning two-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, the 31-year-old German followed in his father Keke Rosberg’s footsteps to earn the title of 2016 Formula 1 World Champion. The world was Rosberg’s oyster. Then five days later, Rosberg gave it all up. On Dec. 2, Rosberg shared a five-paragraph message on his social media accounts with the cryptic caption, “I have a message for you.” In the letter, Rosberg described his elation at reaching his “one dream” that motivated him during his 25 years of racing, as well as the toll that this season took on him and his family. Then, at the end of the third paragraph, Rosberg shocked the world: on the heels of his World Championship, Rosberg announced his retirement from Formula 1. Astounded fans and commentators alike questioned his decision, considering Rosberg had just won his first World Championship. He was still racing for Mercedes, the Formula 1 Constructors Champion for three years in a row. Future World Championships were not out of the question. So why quit now? An adage has an answer for that: “Quit while you’re ahead.” Such a strategy, of course, is easier said than done. The perfect time to leave an illustrious career is elusive in both sports and politics. It demands that a person decide between leaving now with what you have — effectively giving up on the promise of future success — or take a gamble on the future, risking a legacy. Rosberg’s choice to go out on top involves the least risk for his future legacy, but also gives up on the potential for a huge reward. By choosing to retire early, Rosberg avoids questions about his declining career in favor of protecting his legacy as a World Champion racer — but he also gives up his chance to put more accolades under his belt. As rare as Rosberg’s decision was in the high-stakes highrewards world of professional sports, it is perhaps even rarer in politics, where ego and ambition keep politicians of every stripe from stepping down
from their positions. One name, though, stands out in U.S. history specifically because he chose to retire even when he could have continued his political career. This figure is our nation’s first president, George Washington, who declined to run for a third presidential term. Washington’s choice to limit his presidency to two terms not only undeliberately established the twoterm constitutional limit that would apply to U.S. presidencies until 1940, but also painted Washington as a selfless public servant in American history.
Kara Avanceña At the opposite end of the spectrum is the idea of “going past your prime,” or retiring far after a revered figure’s career has reached its peak. These powerful figures continue their careers and perform extraordinarily well, but their latest victories pale in comparison to their previous successes, which spark debates over whether these figures should have retired earlier. Tennis legend Roger Federer provokes such questions because of his respective decisions to continue competing past his prime years as an athlete. Certainly, Federer continues to be one of the best tennis players in the world. Considering Federer has not won a Grand Slam title since 2012 but continues to play today, his decision to continue opens the door to questions about quitting earlier. In contemporary politics, Hillary Clinton too presents a conundrum. When Clinton left her post as Secretary of State in 2013, her favorability rating was 64 percent — one of the highest approval ratings she has had since she began life under public scrutiny. During her run for president four years later, Clinton’s favorability ratings dipped to as low as 41 points — the lowest it had been since the early 1990s. Clinton still made history as the first female presidential nominee for a major political party. But she also leaves with scandals attached to her name — “Hillary Clinton e-mails”
surely ranks among 2016’s worst products — that may spark the question of whether this presidential run was worth it. Then, perhaps more painfully, there are figures who retired, then returned with varying degrees of success. The most successful among them are basketball legend Michael Jordan and California governor Jerry Brown. Jordan retired in 1993, but returned to basketball two years later to win three straight championships with the Chicago Bulls. Brown served as California’s governor for six years in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s and retired from politics in 1992 after two failed presidential runs. He has since returned to politics and currently serves as Governor of California once again. On the less successful side of un-retired figures are Michael Jordan, again, and U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner. Jordan retired after winning his three championships with the Bulls and earned all the goodwill an NBA player can attract, only to return to the NBA in 2001 for two lessthan-stellar seasons with the Washington Wizards that prompted Kanye West’s notso-unwarranted, “We should have never ever let MJ play for the Wizards” line. Weiner, on the other hand, has retired twice, and neither time with grace or honor. In 2011, Weiner stepped down from his position after news broke that he was sending sexually explicit photos of himself to several women. Weiner returned to politics five years later to run for Mayor of New York City, only to mire himself in more sexting scandals and earn him the public scorn of Vice President Joe Biden. Looking at these cases, it is hard to determine if there is such a thing as the perfect time to quit. There will never be a way to determine how individuals’ reputations would be different if they decided to retire early rather than continue playing. But, at the very least, all these great figures — and their fans — can ask for is the chance to be able to leave on their own terms, whatever those terms may be.
Kara Avanceña is a senior in the School of Foreign Service. This is the final installment of THE FRONT RUNNERS.
CHRIS BALTHAZARD Hoya Staff Writer
Sibling rivalries are competitive. In the case of junior midfielder Rachel Corboz, the rivalry is with her older sister Daphne Corboz, and their competition comes at the highest levels of women’s soccer. This season, Georgetown’s (20-3-3, 6-1-2 Big East) success has given Corboz a leg-up in the sibling rivalry. “They have both told me they’re pretty jealous about how far I’ve gone, and that we’re in the Final Four,” Corboz said of her siblings, Daphne and Mael. “Neither of them have made it that far.” Corboz — who ranked first in the nation in assists this year — has led the Hoyas to a dream of a season, in which the team lifted its first Big East Championship trophy and qualified for its first College Cup. Her playmaking, pass-pinging style has melded beautifully with Georgetown’s multifaceted attack, and her passing and technical ability has unlocked previously steadfast defenses all season. Her 16 assists in a single season rank second in program history. And when the Hoyas have needed it most, her long-range finishes, often from free kicks, have become the norm. “My brother, Rachel and I have always worked on free kicks and corners, and Rachel used to always have this knack for scoring,” Daphne Corboz said. “We’ve seen it before. Mael and I are not surprised at all that Rachel has been putting away these free kicks and corners because she was always very good at it.” The Hoyas traveled to San Jose this past weekend to take their place as one of the country’s best teams in the fight for a national title, and Daphne Corboz, who recently won the Football Association Women’s Super League trophy with Manchester City, knew she had to be there. “I am extremely proud of what Rachel’s done and the program,” Daphne Corboz said. “When I left it was really unimaginable for us to reach the Final Four and this year they’ve done it. And they’ve beaten a lot of really good teams twice.” Corboz has racked up individual honors this season, including a recent selection as a MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, one of 15 players still in contention for the sport’s highest individual award. She was also named an NSCAA First Team All-American. But beyond any individual accolades, Corboz has grown impressively into her role as a leader on the team. “When I played with Rachel as a freshman, she was your typical freshman. Having me there, I was very hard on her, and Dave will attest to that,” Daphne Corboz said about Head Coach Dave Nolan’s perspective on
their relationship. “I think I knew how good she was and I knew she was one of our best players even as a freshman, and she needed to play that way.” Now, having led the team to the most wins and goals scored in program history, Corboz, always the shyer of the two, has shown Nolan and the team her ability to lead. After a disappointing 2015 campaign, Corboz helped keep the team motivated and driven through spring, summer and preseason trainings and workouts by coining the phrase #whywesweat, embodying a commitment to win the Big East Championship; a 2-0 victory over Marquette on a sunny November day at Shaw Field sealed the deal. “Last year we didn’t have the season we were hoping to have,” Corboz said. “We lost in PKs in the semis of the Big East and then the first round of the NCAAs, so coming into this season we all wanted revenge and to prove we were better than what we did last year. And that has led us to some of this success we’ve had this year.” Corboz provided one of the early moments of the season on the road against then-No. 12 Rutgers. Less than a minute into overtime, she found herself in space a few yards outside the box, and hammered a shot over the keeper to deliver Georgetown its first marquee win of the season. In the next couple weeks, the team would go on to beat No. 3 Virginia and No. 1 West Virginia. The victory over UVA was punctuated by the Hoyas’ winning goal, a Corboz free kick from 30 yards out that sealed what was then the biggest win in program history.
Her 38 points on the season rank third in Georgetown single-season history, behind only Daphne Corboz in 2012 and 2014, with 44 and 42, respectively. In the Corboz household, soccer has always been a family affair. Competitive matches of soccer and tennis at their New Jersey home often pit Mael and Daphne Corboz against Rachel and Michel Corboz, their father. Mael Corboz, who played soccer for the University of Maryland, now plays in Europe with MSV Duisburg in the third division of the German Bundesliga. Nolan realizes the influence the Corboz family has had on Georgetown women’s soccer, and joked about wanting more Corboz sisters that could one day play for the team. “I wish her parents had more kids,” Nolan said. “I’m tempted to send a bucket of oysters to the Corboz household, but I think Mrs. Corboz wouldn’t be happy. My greatest regret is that they actually wasted time having a son. They should have had three daughters.” In fact, in deciding between Georgetown and the more local Rutgers University, a major factor for Corboz was the desire to play with her sister. The two went to different high schools, so the opportunity was a rare one. For Nolan, despite the differences between the two, which include Corboz’s greater proclivity for passing and Daphne’s affinity for being heard before seen, there remains one clear similarity between the two. “They both really love the game,” Nolan said. “The happiest that they will be is when they’re on a soccer field.”
COURTESY GUHOYAS
Junior midfielder Rachel Corboz has started in 64 games over her three-year collegiate career at Georgetown.
SWIMMING & DIVING
Hoyas Rewrite Record Book EVAN MORGAN Hoya Staff Writer
The Georgetown swimming and diving team saw four school records, three individual event victories and two NCAA championship qualifications at the three-day Bucknell Invitational this past weekend. Headlining the successful competition were senior Katie Duncalf and junior Molly Fitzpatrick, who both registered dominant individual performances on Sunday. Duncalf, competing in the 200-yard backstroke, bested her preliminary time of 2:00.61 by over two seconds in the final, finishing with a school-record and NCAA qualifying time of 1:58.37. Overall, the women’s team placed fifth out of nine teams, earning 968 points, while the men’s squad also finished fifth with a total of 870 points. Towson completed a sweep of the invitational, winning both men’s and women’s team events. Georgetown men placed behind Towson (1271.5 points), La Salle (1049), North Dakota (983) and Fordham (932.5). Meanwhile, the women trailed Towson (1298.5 points), Bucknell (1268.5), North Dakota (1124.5) and Fordham (1096.5). Complementing Duncalf’s impressive race, Fitzpatrick
registered a duo of school records — one on Saturday and Sunday in the 100 and 200yard backstroke events. After Fitzpatrick set a school record in the 100-yard preliminary with a time of 1:02.08, she set a new record time in the final and qualified for NCAA championships, touching the wall after 1:01.69. The following day, Fitzpatrick continued her dominance in the backstroke competition, dominating her opponents by over six seconds in the 200-yard final with a time of 2:13.52. The Blue and Gray rounded out their record-setting weekend in the 400-yard medley relay as Duncalf, Fitzpatrick, senior Molly Gaynor and freshman Morgan Conley touched the wall after 3:45.76, cementing themselves in the Georgetown record book. The men also enjoyed successful performances amid the fifth-place finish, highlighted when senior Martin Vanin set the Hoyas’ fourth school record of the invitational in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 49.17. Senior David Chung finished right on Vanin’s heels in the event, touching the wall 1.5 seconds after his teammate with a sixth-place time of 50.48. Contributing to the strong weekend for the Hoyas, sophomore Jacob Kohlhoff took
fifth in the 100-yard butterfly on Saturday. The sophomore bested his preliminary time by over half a second, clocking in at 1:42.11. Other performances from the men include a sixth-place position in the 200-yard medley relay, which featured a time of 1:32.33 from the quartet consisting of junior Edward Spinelli, sophomore Arthur Wang, Vanin and senior Will Leach, along with an eighthplace finish from Wang in the 100-yard backstroke. While the swimming team rewrote the program’s record book, the diving team also contributed to the Hoyas’ strong effort. The strongest of which came from senior Jared Cooper-Vespa, who finished runner-up in the three-meter dive. Cooper-Vespa was recently named the Big East Male Swim and Dive Athlete of the Week for his performance against Old Dominion on Nov. 13. Capping off the diving team’s invitational were sophomore Ryan Blom, who took fourth in the one-meter dive, and freshman Elizabeth Miller, who finished seventh in the women’s one-meter event. The Blue and Gray are back in action in the Golden State when they travel to California for their annual winter-break trip. Their next competition is Jan. 6 against Pepperdine.
SPORTS
Tuesday, DECEMBER 6, 2016
THE HOYA
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women’s soccer
THe stove
Best Record Gets GU Bid for Championship Falls Short Game 7 Advantage TROJANS, from A10
SCHLARP, from A10
two-hand touch football in the NFL’s Pro-Bowl in Hawaii. Selig wanted to make baseball’s showcase game competitive. He wanted to add meaning and make players care. After 14 seasons of this format, however, it has become apparent that the implications attached to this game were far from ideal. To demonstrate the frivolous nature of this now former rule, look no further than the most recent 2016 season. A home run hit by a Kansas City Royal off of a San Francisco Giants’ pitcher, played in a stadium in San Diego in July, determined that Game 7 of the World Series would send a team from Chicago to a stadium in Cleveland in November. Many can argue that the change in itself is meaningless. Crowd noise might be less influential in baseball than it is in any other sport. While this may be a true statement, baseball is the only sport where the dimensions of a team’s home field can be so unique. Baseball teams literally build their rosters with players that will thrive more in their home park than they might otherwise. A ball hit out over the left-field wall in Nationals Park may not be a homerun in Fenway Park due to the Green Monster. Houston’s Minute Maid Park had a hill in center field until this past season. The uniqueness of ev-
ery team’s ballpark adds character to the nation’s pastime. In basketball, the rim is always ten feet above the floor. In football, 100 yards always separate the end zones. In other sports, the rules are the same, regardless of what field the game is played on — but not baseball. In addition to playing with the unique quirks of one’s home baseball stadium, where the game is played in Major League Baseball determines the rules of the game. If the game is played in a National League park, the pitcher must hit. If the game is in an American League stadium, designated hitters must be used. Forcing teams to change a winning strategy that has worked for them all year based off of the results of an all-star game was ludicrous. For a league which built an all-star game around the slogan, “This time it counts,” now the whole season counts. No longer will a game that has no relevance to regular season standings have a potentially monumental impact on postseason success. Teams now have late-season incentive to continue to push into the postseason. As baseball and its hot stove continue to hide in the depth of the winter months, let’s not fail to recognize the recent progress of its new CBA.
Thomas Schlarp is a sophomore in the School of Nursing and Health Studies. This is the final installment of The Stove.
they were able to spread their offense pretty wide. Just being able to manage that was more difficult. But even so, defensively I think we handled them pretty well except for a couple of moments that they had.” The Hoyas came to the College Cup prepared to compete and were certainly not just happy to be there, but, in reflection, the season appears as a major step forward for the program on the whole. Georgetown had only advanced past the second round of the tournament once before, and the programs’ first Big East championship marked the major strides made by this team. “This has been a really exciting season for us, just coming in knowing that we could do something big and then actually doing it,” graduate student forward Crystal Thomas said. “Like we said before, it’s come down to the whole team being on the same page. It was all about all 28 of us. We had some really great leadership and we were able to win some really big games.” The team set program records for wins with 22, goals scored with 61 and shutouts with 17. Mid-September saw the beginning of a special season, when the Hoyas followed a stunning overtime winner from Rachel Corboz over then-No. 12 Rutgers with a comeback 3-2 upset of then-No. 3 Virginia. The two wins came before a 1-0 double overtime victory over then-No. 1 West Vir-
ginia, handing the Mountaineers their only loss of the season at the time. Offensively, the Hoyas posed a dynamic threat from all over the pitch, finishing second in the country in goals scored. Senior forward Grace Damaska led the team with fourteen goals, the secondmost in a single season in Georgetown history, and provided constant pace on the left wing, earning a spot on the All-Big East First Team. Another bright side of the season was the breakout performance of redshirt sophomore forward Amanda Carolan. Carolan, who provided an expert finishing touch in front of the goal, was named Big East Freshman of the Year, notching ten goals for the season. Much of the Hoyas’ success stemmed from their defensive midfield and ability to quickly turn defensive stops into offensive opportunities. The defense — which outside of an eight-minute second-half hiccup against Stanford and a poor first half against DePaul conceded just eight goals all season — developed together well as the season progressed. Sophomore goalkeeper Arielle Schechtman, in her first season with the team after transferring from UCLA, earned the second-most shutouts in the country and the most in Georgetown history, controlling her box aerially with height and a willingness to claim crosses. Elizabeth Wenger, who was selected to the All-Big East Second Team, and junior defender Drew Topor
along with graduate student Corey Delaney, were mainstays on the back line.They all provided major contributions to the streak of 748 minutes early in the season during which the Hoyas did not concede a goal. Three-time captain Paul regained her starting position after an early injury sidelined freshman Sarah Trissel. Paul earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-American honors in her return from multiple knee injuries, and scored one goal on a volley from outside the box straight off a corner. More than the victories
or the individual honors, though, Nolan has spoken extensively all season about the girls themselves, a team full of personality fueling the extraordinary run to the top. “I told them they played really well tonight, particularly in the first half,” Nolan said on Friday. “I just told them I was really proud of them, proud of them for tonight, and showed people who watched what a good soccer program Georgetown is. I told them they were a credit to themselves for all the hard work they put in this year, from the first day of preseason right through here.”
COURTESY GUHOYAS
Graduate student forward Crystal Thomas had one shot on goal against USC on Friday.
Women’s Soccer
Hoyas Reflect on Accomplishments at Rally SOCCER, from A10
In addition to Coach Nolan, graduate student defender and captain Marina Paul also spoke to the Georgetown faithful, reflecting on the historic season and the team’s success. “This group of young women standing behind me is a unique and incredible group of women,” Paul said of her team. “They embody hard work, excellence and what it truly means to have a strong sense of character, and I think these values are very symbolic of what it means to be a Hoya and we will always be for-
ever proud to be Hoyas and to play for our school with pride.”
“This group of young women standing behind me is a unique and incredible group of women.” Marina paul Graduate Student Defender
Under Paul’s leadership, the Hoyas backline held their opponents scoreless in the first four rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The first and only goal con-
ceded by the Hoyas’ defense was the lone goal in their semifinal match against the USC Trojans. Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson attended the event to show his support for the team. “Our women’s program has been a great example of great sportsmanship, great academic success, great competition for years and to see them reach this new height is very exciting,” Olson said in an interview following the event. “It’s clear that the women on this team also embody just great character, great heart and
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versity, and I’m just excited to be here to witness it,” Steinberg said.
“It’s clear that the women on this team also embody just great character, great heart and great drive.” Todd olson Vice President for Student Affairs
With the historic season ending, Nolan realizes the impending consequences that come from having a great senior class.
“The hardest part of this whole thing is when you have to say goodbye to seniors, especially when they’re a good group, and this has been a great group,” Nolan said of the players who will graduate this year. However, he has faith in the lasting impact of this group of leaders. “It certainly made their senior year a little more memorable,” Nolan said. “It will drive on next year’s seniors to try and have a special year.”
Hoya Staff Writers Madeline Auerbach and Tara Subramaniam contributed reporting.
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great drive and I’m very enthused that they made it this far.” Among the students who showed their support for the team was Hoya Blue Communications Director Jacob Steinberg (COL ’18). Holding a leadership position in the official student section of Georgetown athletics, Steinberg followed the success of the team all season long. “It was a historic run they went on. Anytime you have a team that’s one of the four best — you know in all of American collegiate soccer or all of American collegiate sports — it’s an exciting time for your uni-
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Hoyas End Road Trip on High Note DELAWARE, from A10
reference to the senior guard and senior forward. For Delaware, sophomore forward Nicole Enabosi scored a game-high 19 points with a game-high 12 rebounds, giving her a doubledouble. The sophomore also had a game-high three blocks and a team-high three steals. “We told our kids that [Enabosi] was going to be a tough matchup. Nicole is athletic. She is versatile. She rebounds the ball like crazy. She’s also just that fearless scorer,” Adair said. The opening quarter of the matchup was tightly contested. The score was tied on four different occasions, with no team ever leading by more than three points. At the end of the first ten minutes of play, the score was set at 11-11. However, the Hoyas came out strong in the second and scored six straight points to take a 17-11 lead. With 2:43 remaining in the first half, two free throws by senior guard Tyshell King gave Georgetown its first double-digit lead of the game. The Blue Hens managed to cut the deficit to seven points just before time expired in the half and went into the locker room trailing 28-21. “We fine tuned some things [in the second quarter] and just focused on being where we needed to be defensively and just making it a little harder for [Delaware] to run their offense,” Adair said. “I just challenged our kids to just tighten up their focus and they responded.”
Delaware scored the first four points of the third quarter, cutting Georgetown’s lead to three. The Hoyas responded, extending their advantage to nine points with 2:07 left in the period. The Blue Hens threatened again as the quarter was closing, pulling within four points with nine seconds remaining. However, a layup by White as time expired pushed Georgetown to 38-32 heading into the final ten minutes. The Hoyas came out on fire to start the fourth quarter, going on a 9-2 run, giving them a 13-point lead — their largest of the game. Delaware refused to go down without a fight. The Blue Hens put together a 12-2 run to pull
within three points with only 1:27 remaining. Woodard, who scored only three points so far, responded for the Hoyas with a gamechanging three pointer. Delaware had two chances to score on its next offensive possession, but missed both a layup and a three-pointer. The Hoyas came away with the defensive rebound, and White was fouled with 11 seconds remaining in the contest. The sophomore sunk both free throws, pushing Georgetown’s lead to eight. The Blue Hens were unable to score in the closing seconds of the game, and when time expired, the Hoyas led 54-46. “The one thing with this team is, having been in some
of these back and forth battles, you don’t see us on our heels. You don’t see that look in their eyes of fear or desperation,” Adair said. “I’m just proud of my team to just grind it out and use all the grit that we had in us on the road against a tough Delaware team to make the plays down the stretch that we needed to make to get the win.” Georgetown returns to McDonough Arena on Thursday against George Mason (5-4, 1-0 A-10). It will be the Hoyas’ first home game since they defeated George Washington (7-2, 1-0 A-10) in the season opener. “I am so excited and God knows I’m ready to be back home,” Adair said. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
FILE PHOTO: CLAIRE SOISSON/THE HOYA
Sophomore guard Dionna White scored a team-high 18 points and added six rebounds in Georgetown’s 54-46 win over Delaware on Sunday.
Sports
Women’s Basketball Georgetown (6-2) vs. George Mason (5-4) Thursday, 7:00 p.m. McDonough Arena
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
talkING POINTS
TRACK & fIELD Georgetown men’s and women’s track teams began their winter season over the past weekend. See features.thehoya.com
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Women’s Basketball
Hoya Staff Writer
The Georgetown women’s basketball team extended its winning streak to five games Sunday, closing out a seven-game road swing with a 54-46 victory over Delaware. “We want to be road tested,” Head Coach Natasha Adair said. “We learned to play through adversity, whether it was playing in another team’s gym or on a neutral site and our kids for sure grew up during this road swing.”
“We learned to play through adversity, whether it was playing in another team’s gym or on a neutral site.” Natasha Adair Head Coach
Sophomore guard Dionna White led the Hoyas’ (6-2 Big East) offense against a tough Blue Hens (5-3 CAA) defense. White, who is currently averaging a team-high 15.8 points per game, scored 18 against the Blue Hens. The sophomore was perfect from the free-throw line and corralled six rebounds. White got the job
done on the defensive end of the floor as well, adding a game-high four steals and one block. Additionally, five of her six boards were on the defensive glass. “Dionna White prides herself with defense,” Adair said. “She’s a hardnosed defender and sometimes that gets lost because she does fill up the basket with her offensive contributions. She’s just that versatile player that can play both sides of the ball.” Although they did not have an answer for White, the Blue Hens were able to contain the Hoyas’ two other offensive threats. Senior forward Faith Woodard, who averages 15.6 points per game, and junior guard Dorothy Adomako, averaging 13.6 points per game on the season, were both held to single-digit scoring. Senior guards Mykia Jones and Jade Martin filled the offensive gap, scoring nine and eight points, respectively. “We talk about the versatility of this team. We have certain players that may have off nights, but then you have Mykia Jones, who has stepped up as of late, to come in and really contribute and kind of put the team of her back and then you have Jade Martin, who was a big spark,” Adair said in See DELAWARE, A9
Credit to my kids. They’ve been a joy all year. I’m so proud to coach them.” HEAD COACH DAVE NOLAN
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The number of individual school records broken by the women’s swim team this weekend.
Women’s Soccer
Hoyas Extend Streak to 5 Games Molly O’Connell
NUMBERS GAME
Courtesy Guhoyas
Graduate student defender Marina Paul started in 21 of the season’s 26 games and scored four goals this year. The Hoyas’ defense conceded only one goal during the NCAA tournament.
Historic Season Ends in Final Four CHRIS Balthazard Hoya Staff Writer
As the University of Southern California celebrated on the far side of Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Calif., Head Coach Dave Nolan spoke to his exhausted, teary-eyed team in the postgame huddle last Friday. “The last thing I told them was just look around, look at your surroundings: if we’re going to finish, we’re going to finish here. There are worse places to finish,” Nolan said following the disappointing 1-0 loss in the semifinal stage.
“Credit to my kids. They’ve been a joy all year. I’m so proud to coach them.” The most successful season in Georgetown women’s soccer history came to a close Friday night in front of 4,293 fans, as the No. 2 Hoyas (20-3-3, 6-1-2 Big East) fell to the No. 7 Trojans (19-4-2, 8-2-1 Pac-12). The game’s lone goal, a turn in the box and finish to the lower-left corner by USC senior forward Katie Johnson, ended a season in which Georgetown won its first Big East championship in program history and reached its first College Cup, outscoring its opponents
7-0 leading up to its final game. Georgetown’s first-half control of possession and chance creation ceded to a second half in which the opportunities simply dried up; the Hoyas had conceded just once in the previous month and had not failed to score a goal since Oct. 6 at St. John’s (11-4-5, 5-2-2 Big East). The Hoyas were not too familiar with playing from behind. “The difference was possibly the shape we play in and the shape they play in,” Nolan said. “In the first half we gave them a lot of problems with our midfield three.”
Women’s Soccer
A halftime adjustment from USC congested the middle of the field and prevented Georgetown from sustaining much of an offensive rhythm. Graduate student defender Marina Paul, who had perhaps Georgetown’s best chance in the 28th minute sending a diving header just wide, considered the Hoyas’ defensive performance a strong one. “Variability makes it more difficult on the defense,” Paul said. “But they also have very different spacing that we haven’t really seen before, and See TROJANS, A9
the Stove
Thomas Schlarp
Agreement Amends All-Star Game
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anna kovacevich/THE HOYA
The Georgetown community welcomed home the women’s soccer team after the program’s first trip to the College Cup. The Hoyas fell to the eventual national champions USC 1-0 in the semifinal game.
Campus Celebrates Successful Season Sean Hoffman Hoya Staff Writer
Upon completing the most successful season in program history, the women’s soccer team saw the Georgetown President’s Office invite the Georgetown community to a welcoming rally for its return to campus. On its first trip to the College Cup, Georgetown’s (20-3-3, 6-1-2 Big East) quest for a national championship came up short; however, the team’s season is still one to be celebrated.
“It has been an amazing year for our women’s soccer program and the accomplishments, the history. They’ve made all of us here at Georgetown extremely proud to be associated with them, to support them and really proud to watch their personal and team achievements,” Georgetown Director of Athletics Lee Reed said in his opening remarks. The team stood on the Healy Hall steps as Reed, University President John DeGioia, women’s soccer Head Coach Dave Nolan
and graduate student defender Marina Paul addressed the crowd of students, faculty and staff. Signs reading “2016 NCAA College Cup Big East Tournament Champions” flanked the main wreath on Healy Hall. “Over my time here, I’ve come to realize what a special place Georgetown is and what special people we have here,” Nolan said as he addressed the crowd. Despite the disappointment that came with the loss to the eventual national champion, University of
Southern California (19-4-2, 8-2-1 Pac-12), Nolan praised his team’s hard work and dedication throughout the season. “I couldn’t be any prouder,” Nolan said of his team in an interview with The Hoya. “We would have liked to have gone on and gone a little bit further, but at the end of the day of the 362 schools, there was four competing for a national championship and we were one of the four, which is pretty cool.” See SOCCER, A9
Visit us online at thehoya.com/sports
s the sports media cycle zoned in on the College Football Playoff, Rob Gronkowski’s third back surgery and the continued dominance of the Dallas Cowboys, perhaps the most important buzzer beater of the entire sports year went almost completely unnoticed. With the clock ticking down to just four hours remaining before an ensuing lockout, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players’ Union agreed to a new fiveyear collective bargaining agreement. The deal allows baseball to boast a 26-year stretch without a labor dispute — an impressive feat in American sports leagues — and continues to ride its recent momentum from this year’s historic World Series. While much of the league will remain status quo with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, baseball finally changed one of its biggest and longest-standing mistakes: the MLB All-Star Game. The new collective bargaining agreement signed late Wednesday night finally eliminated the idea of home-field advantage being attached to the All-Star Game. Now, the pennant winner with the
best regular-season record will be awarded the influential World Series Game 7, and the All-Star game includes a larger financial compensation for the winning team, still incentivizing the game’s best to compete at a high level.
Baseball finally changed one of its biggest and longeststanding mistakes: the All-Star Game. In 2002, then-MLB Commissioner Bud Selig grossly overreacted to a 7-7 tie in the league’s All-Star Game. Fearing the game would lose its legitimacy, Selig attached World Series ramifications to the game, rewarding the winning league’s World Series representative with home-field advantage. Selig’s initial decision made sense at the time. He understood what we as fans suffer through when we watch 300 points scored in the meaningless NBA All-Star Game, or watch a glorified version of See SCHLARP, A9