The Hoya: April 1, 2016

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

Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 97, No. 40, © 2016

FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2016

SHARING BLACK HISTORY The new book “Black Georgetown Remembered” highlights the local experience.

EDITORIAL Two upcoming summits will ask us to confront gender equality.

MORE THAN MAKEUP A concern for appearance does not indicate superficiality.

OPINION, A2

OPINION, A3

GUIDE, B1

After Eight Years, O’Brien Transfers

Fr. O’Brien to move to Santa Clara TARA SUBRAMANIAM Hoya Staff Writer

The Jesuit vow of obedience has been a powerful force in the career ofVice President for Mission and Ministry Fr. Kevin O’Brien, S.J. (CAS ’88). After eight years as a member of Georgetown’s faculty, the same call to service that brought O’Brien to Georgetown will bring him to Santa Clara University as its new dean of the Jesuit School of Theology, starting in the 2016-17 school year.

FROM LITIGATION TO LITURGY Prior to joining the Jesuits in 1996, O’Brien obtained his bachelor’s in Government from Georgetown in 1988 and attended the University of Florida Levin College of Law from 1988 to 1991. From law school, he practiced corporate

litigation in Florida until deciding to enter Fordham University in 1998 to obtain a master’s in philosophy.

“I went to law school with the hopes of getting involved with politics and government service, but in my mid 20s, I questioned whether politics was how I was meant to serve. So in my late20s I joined the Jesuits,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien was ordained in 2006, 10 years after joining the Jesuits.

Two years later, he joined Georgetown as executive director of campus ministry after teaching at St. Joseph’s, a Catholic university in Philadelphia, and serving as an associate pastor for the Holy Trinity Church in Washington, D.C. In his role as vice president for mission and ministry at Georgetown, See O’BRIEN, A6

ILLUSTRATION BY JESUS RODRIGUEZ/THE HOYA

The overall admissions rate for the Class of 2020 remained steady at 16.4 percent, with New York, California and New Jersey continuing to hold the positions of top three states represented.

Admissions Rate Holds Regular decision results reveal consistency in class pool EMILY TU

Hoya Staff Writer

COURTESY FR. KEVIN O’BRIEN

Fr. Kevin O’Brien, S.J. (CAS ’88), after serving as Georgetown’s vice president for mission and ministry, will transfer to Santa Clara.

Georgetown accepted 3,276 of 20,002 applicants to the Class of 2020 at a 16.4 percent regular decision admissions rate, consistent with that of last year.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions sent out decisions for the regular application cycle Friday.

Of the total applicants, 3,276 were accepted through regular decision and 892 were admitted through early action. The overall acceptance rate of 16.4 percent marks a slight drop from the rates of the past five years, which hovered between 16.5 and 16.8 percent.

This year’s accepted class saw the second-largest pool of regular applicants since the

20,100 received in 2012. Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Charles Deacon (CAS ’64, GRD ’69) pointed to various factors

“I marvel at how lucky Georgetown is to have such a diverse set of people.”

CHARLES DEACON Dean of Undergraduate Admissions

behind the high number of applications, but emphasized the university’s focus on the quality rather than quantity of its pool.

“We are not in the business

SFS Approves Language Minors CHRISTIAN PAZ Hoya Staff Writer

Students in the School of Foreign Service will be able to pursue language minors within Georgetown College beginning this fall, according to a Tuesday announcement from the SFS Dean’s Office.

The introduction of the new language programs, which will be open to all years starting with the Class of 2017, will mark the first time the SFS has permitted minors in any subject outside the SFS undergraduate core. Previously, students had to exclusively pursue majors in one of eight programs

in addition to pursuing interdisciplinary certificates, the SFS equivalents to minors.

The Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service Curriculum Committee and the SFS Faculty Council do not foresee any plans to permit students to double major or declare nonlanguage minors in the future.

GEORGETOWN.EDU

The School of Foreign Service Dean’s Office announced that students will be able to minor in foreign languages, marking the first time they will be able to minor outside the undergraduate core.

Newsroom: (202) 687-3415 Business: (202) 687-3947

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The new minors program will follow the structure established by the College that requires students to take six unique courses. Each language department will set the requirements for the minors and audit students to ensure they fulfill requirements.

The current SFS foreign language proficiency requirement will remain in place. Students fulfill the requirement by passing an oral proficiency examination, successfully completing an approved direct-matriculation study abroad program or fulfilling native speaker status.

The SFS Dean’s Office has been considering ways to restructure the SFS’ curriculum in the run-up to its centennial celebration. In addition to language minors, the SFS may explore adding additional science and technology classes to its core, among other proposed changes, but at this time no other plans have been cemented.

Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs Daniel Byman said pursuing a language minor would allow SFS students to go beyond proficiency and learn finer points of a foreign language.

“Minors enable students to gain a credential they desire and help them advance even further in the study of a foreign language,” Byman wrote in an email to THE HOYA. “Georgetown

of trying to build a huge pool, but rather to get a solid group of applicants,” Deacon said. “The combination of the Georgetown brand, name and location, and of course the themes of social justice and the Jesuit person for others seems to be resonating with these kids more and more as an attractive option.”

Both the Georgetown College and the McDonough School of Business saw slightly higher acceptance rates than last year. The College admitted 1,877 students at a rate of 16.1 percent, an increase from the previous year’s 15.9 percent, while the MSB accepted 536 applicants at a rate of 16.2 percent, a rise from last year’s See ADMISSIONS, A6

FEATURED

SPORTS Bouncing Back

Runner Andrea Keklak has recorded a stellar year after returning from an injury.

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NEWS Campus Internet Crashes

Georgetown University Information Services struggles with technical issues.

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NEWS MedStar Pavilion Approved Construction of the $567 million pavilion is now anticipated to go forward.

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OPINION Journey to Mexico Border The Kino Border Immersion program reminds us of the struggle migrants face.

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See SFS, A6 Send story ideas and tips to news@thehoya.com

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OPINION

THE HOYA

FRIday, April 1, 2016

THE VERDICT Founded January 14, 1920

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Fight For 15 — California just passed a bill raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. California is the first state to meet the demands of the $15 campaign.

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Advocate as One will share experiences and what they have learned with aspiring leaders in the Georgetown community.

BRAVE, an acronym for “Black. Resilient. Artistic. Vigilant. Enough.,” was started by Black Women at Georgetown in order to uplift and amplify black female voices and combat the negative presentation of black women in the media. The BRAVE Summit, taking place on April 23, will bring speakers representing the arts, public service and social justice, as well as founders of various institutions. While OWN IT hosts a large array of speakers who bring a diversity of experiences to the table — including LGBTQ issues, global issues, women in STEM and activism — there is also something to be said for BRAVE’s focus on the experiences of women of color. In the context of a year full of activism around #BlackLivesMatter, both nationally and on Georgetown’s campus, BRAVE focuses on #blackgirlmagic and female empowerment in a way that highlights the powerful intersection of race and feminism.

Every student at Georgetown, regardless of racial or gender identities, should take advantage of these two opportunities. The effort to build strong networks among female leaders, incorporate women’s voices into discussions of pressing issues, celebrate the achievements of women and unravel sexist and anti-LGBTQ oppression must not be treated as a niche or a sidebar, but as a fundamental task for those seeking the common good. Both events will provoke important conversations on Georgetown’s campus that, if fully integrated into the academic and social fabric of the university, have the potential to make meaningful change.

Red Card — Five female soccer players on the U.S. national team accuse U.S. Soccer of wage discrimination.

What is Cooper? — Anderson Cooper will return to Jeopardy in D.C. next Wednesday to defend his 2012 title.

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EDITORIALS

Yesterday’s news of the wage discrimination lawsuit filed by five U.S. Women’s National Team players has once again elevated the issue of women’s equality to the national stage.

Georgetown University has frequently participated in this growing national and international conversation. Earlier this year, President John J. DeGioia announced the university’s collaboration with the UN Women campaign, HeForShe, which works to empower women and girls worldwide. Georgetown also boasts the Women’s Center, the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, and a women’s and gender studies academic program.

In addition to the presence of these centers and institutions, students have worked hard to highlight female empowerment on campus and raise awareness about women’s experiences in a way that is accessible to the whole student body. This spring, students have the opportunity to participate in both the third annual OWN IT Summit and the inaugural BRAVE Summit, both of which celebrate women.

The OWN IT Summit, started by Helen Brosnan (SFS ’16) and Kendall Ciesemier (COL ’15) in 2014, addresses the leadership gap, citing core values of leadership, accessibility, diversity and feminism. The event on April 9, which will bring notable speakers including soccer star Abby Wambach, Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security Melanne Verveer (SFS ’66 and GRD ’69) and journalist Norah O’Donnell, (COL ’95 and GRD ’03) among many others, aims to connect Georgetown students with successful female leaders.

Through keynote speeches and breakout sessions over the course of the day, the diverse cohort of female leaders

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White House Blues — D.C. will host 2016 International Jazz Day on April 30.

Metro Madness — The Federal Transportation Authority is considering shutting down the D.C. Metro system for six months after finding numerous deficiencies and structural flaws.

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Laugh It Up D.C. — Several venues across D.C. will host the 202 Comedy Festival from April 13 to 16. The festival will feature several local and up-and-coming comedians.

EDITORIAL CARTOON by Isabel Binamira

Help Hyde Park While many Georgetown students strive to make a difference on a global scale, we must recognize the important ways that we can contribute to our immediate community as undergraduate students. We spend countless hours in extracurriculars that make visible impacts on our campus, yet the community around us deserves attention as well. The most pressing issue Georgetown students could support for their surrounding community is the much-needed renovations to Hyde-Addison Elementary School.

Students can act on this issue by signing the petition to move forward with renovations, emailing city leaders and spreading the word about the campaign.

Although the D.C. Council of Education has committed to renovations at Hyde Park in the past, they have delayed the project three times. D.C. Department of General Services continually delayed the project this year by saying that the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, located just north of campus, will not suffice as a temporary school location for Hyde Park students during renovations, blocking the 14-month campaign from moving forward with the renovations.

DESA has no plans to accommodate Hyde Park students for the 2016-17 school year, even though it is an authorized D.C. Public School system space. City officials rejected the plan to temporarily move students to Duke Ellington due to concern for the residents in Burleith, claiming that an influx of students would affect the area

negatively, in terms of congestion, noise or other factors. However, as Burleith residents, we should let city officials know that we support the usage of the school and tell city officials to move forward with the project. The concerns of neighbors cannot force the concerns of students and parents to be pushed to the side once again.

By prohibiting students from using DESA, city officials may consider temporary schooling spaces for students that are located miles away from their homes. Georgetown students and city officials should not force students to walk so far to get an education, wasting time commuting that should be spent learning.

If DGS continues to deem the space unusable for students, then the city should move forward with whatever renovations it can in June 2016. For example, the sewer pipe, some classrooms and other critical items could be renovated so that the overall construction will not take as long when it finally occurs.

Students should encourage city officials to meet with Hyde-Addison community members and non-student neighbors in Burleith. These meetings are a concrete way that Georgetown students can leverage their relationship with the Georgetown neighborhood community to make real change for other students. Such activism will demonstrate that we are concerned about the consequences of delaying school renovations and how it will compromise the education of other students so close to home.

Jess Kelham-Hohler, Editor-in-Chief Suzanne Monyak, Executive Editor Jinwoo Chong, Managing Editor Shannon Hou, Online Editor Ashwin Puri, Campus News Editor Emily Tu, City News Editor Elizabeth Cavacos, Sports Editor Toby Hung, Guide Editor Lauren Gros, Opinion Editor Naaz Modan, Photography Editor Matthew Trunko, Layout Editor Jeanine Santucci, Copy Chief Catherine McNally, Blog Editor Reza Baghaee, Multimedia Editor

Editorial Board

Lauren Gros, Chair Daniel Almeida, Emily Kaye, Irene Koo, Jonathan Marrow, Sam Pence

Syed Humza Moinuddin Deputy Campus News Editor Deputy Campus News Editor Ian Scoville Deputy City News Editor Aly Pachter Business Editor Deirdre Collins Deputy Sports Editor Madeline Auerbach Deputy Sports Editor Darius Iraj Paranoia Editor Russell Guertin Deputy Guide Editor Sean Davey Deputy Guide Editor Tom Garzillo Deputy Guide Editor Kate Kim Deputy Guide Edtior John Miller Deputy Opinion Editor Anthony Palacio Deputy Opinion Editor Vera Mastrorilli Chatter Editor Julia Weil Deputy Photography Editor Robert Cortes Deputy Photography Editor Daniel Kreytak Deputy Photography Editor Stanley Dai Deputy Layout Editor Charlotte Kelly Deputy Layout Editor Jesus Rodriguez Deputy Layout Editor Alyssa Volivar Deputy Copy Editor Yuri Kim Deputy Copy Editor Emma Wenzinger Deputy Copy Editor Sarah Wright Deputy Multimedia Editor Jarrett Ross Deputy Online Editor Kelly Park

This week on

[ CHATTER ]

Be sure to check Chatter, The Hoya’s online opinion section, throughout the week for additional opinion pieces.

Ian Scholer (SFS ’19) discusses the importance of bi-partisan cooperation in the upcoming presidential election: It is no secret that American politics is more polarized now than ever. The parties have been drifting apart for years and are now almost completely ideologically distinct.

This separation, however, does not absolve politicians of the responsibility to find ways to work with one another…

It is true that Governor John Kasich has some objectionable policies…No one expects liberals to join forces with Kasich, but during the primary process it is more important to applaud his message of [bi-partisan cooperation]. The reality of politics is that each side must work with the other to govern. Each party must have at least a few people on the other side with whom they are willing to negotiate, and there are no Republican candidates in the field who share Kasich’s unifying sentiment.”

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Find this and more at

thehoya.com/chatter Evan Zimmet, General Manager Selena Parra, Director of Accounting Addie Fleron, Director of Corporate Development Nicky Robertson, Director of Human Resources Lucy Cho, Director of Sales Ashley Yiu, Director of Technology Brittnay Logan Senior Accounts and Operations Manager Matt Zezula National Accounts Manager Connor Mayes Local Accounts Manager Alexander Scheidemann Treasury Manager Daniel Almeida Online Sales and Accounts Manager Galilea Zorola Subscriptions Manager Emily Ko Alumni Engagement Manager Shreya Barthwal Special Programs Manager Elizabeth Sherlock Personnel Manager Walter Lohmann Organizational Development Manager Natalia Vasquez Market Research Manager Steven Lee Public Relations Manager Julie LeBlanc National Advertisements Manager

Contributing Editors & Consultants

Madison Ashley, Sara Bastian, Michael Begel, Isabel Binamira, Alexander Brown, Robert DePaolo, Megan Duffy, Sophie Faaborg-Anderson, Cleo Fan, Kristen Fedor, Jesse Jacobs, Caroline Kenneally, Courtney Klein, Charlie Lowe, Carolyn Maguire, Andrew May, Tyler Park, Monika Patel, Jesus Rodriguez, Becca Saltzman, Zack Saravay, Joseph Scudiero, Mallika Sen, Kshithij Shrinath, Molly Simio, Natasha Thomson, Ian Tice, Andrew Wallender, Michelle Xu

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OPINION

Friday, April 1, 2016

GREY MATTER

THE HOYA

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VIEWPOINT • Gerard

You Say ‘Vain,’ I Say ‘Confident’

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Ayan Mandal

The Science Of Freestyle Rapping

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n 1997, a boy named Marshall from Detroit ventured off to Los Angeles to compete in the Rap Olympics, a nationwide rap battle tournament. Marshall, whose white skin marked him an outsider, battled against stiff competition and walked away with second place.

Most importantly, he attracted the attention of a producer named Dr. Dre, and the rest is history. Marshall Mathers, more widely known as Eminem, now ranks among the most popular rappers to have ever lived.

Many young rappers attract the eye of record labels through rap battling, in which a competitor must belittle the opponent by thinking of lyrics right on the spot. This impromptu performance of new lyrics is more generally known as freestyling. Freestyling turns heads for good reason. A rapper who can freestyle has truly mastered the discipline to the point where lyrics literally flow through him. This ability to generate new material spontaneously proves important not just in rap battling but potentially in any kind of creative activity. Psychologists hypothesize that creativity can be divided into two stages: spontaneous generation of a new idea, followed by critical revision of that idea. Little is known about this initial stage, so researchers from the National Institutes of Health decided to conduct a study on rappers, comparing their brain states from when they were freestyling to when they were reciting rehearsed lyrics.

The researchers found a shift in activity away from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex while the rappers were freestyling, a finding consistent with a previous study on improvisation done on jazz musicians.

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activates during tasks that require executive function, or the ability to plan and focus in the short term so as to accomplish long-term goals.

Therefore, this shift from the DLPFC suggests that improvisation correlates with a lack of executive function, or a lack of conscious selfmonitoring. Interestingly enough, artists already have a term for a mental state that lacks conscious oversight. It is called “flow”, and it involves complete absorption to a certain task to the point where the artist loses track of time.

A rapper who can freestyle has truly mastered the discipline to the point where lyrics literally flow through him.

Rappers often describe this flow as an external agent that possesses them as they perform. My favorite rapper, Kendrick Lamar, talks about this experience in his song “Mortal Man:” “Sometimes I be like, get behind a mic and I don’t know what type of energy I’mma push out, or where it comes from. Trips me out sometimes.” The authors of the NIH study note that the disassociation of activity in the lateral parts of the prefrontal cortex could account for Kendrick’s subjective lack of agency.

While flow could seem too mystical to be studied scientifically, this state of mind might ring familiar to athletes who have practiced a skill so often that they can perform it without thinking.

The initial learning of any skill requires extraordinary conscious effort, but the mark of an expert is to perform the feat automatically.

Flow certainly separates the coldblooded Kobe Bryants from the pack, the stars who perform under enormous pressure, guided purely by muscle memory.

This study on rappers suggests that creativity too can be thought of as a kind of muscle that one can train and develop to work almost automatically.

Freestyle rappers like Eminem, thanks to years of training, have such a grasp on the creative process that they can command their muse to strike them at will. By this logic, even the elusive science that is creativity bows obedient to the age-old maxim: Practice makes perfect.

Ayan Mandal is a junior in the College. Grey Matter appears every other Tuesday.

hy are you wearing so much makeup?”

A surprising number of my conversations start with this question aimed in my direction. I am asked when arriving at class. Going to the gym. Attending meetings. Prepping to go out.

Apparently, my eye shadow and lip color selections are of great importance to those around me — and not in a complimentary way. I cannot count the number of people who criticize me for wearing makeup and my hair down to the gym — yet strangely enough, I cannot remember a single time where my appearance has prohibited their workout in any way, so I do not see what the problem is.

For me, makeup is part essential and part experimental. I have bad skin; I struggle with hormonal acne, and being able to cover it up allows me a confidence I would not otherwise have. We live in the age of selfies and personal branding — I am not ashamed to say I feel more confident when I know I look my best. If that means swiping on concealer so I can work out at the gym without worrying about friends seeing me look like a mess, then that is that.

But makeup is not all about coverage. In some ways it is completely creative. Often, when people ask me why I am wearing makeup, their question is worded as if to ask, “Why put in so much effort?”

To me and many others, putting on makeup is far from work, and can sometimes be the most fun part of my day. I like playing with colors, using my face as a canvas and trying new things. Why else would I spend the amount I do on products that — in essence — all do the same thing? In many ways

makeup application is similar to art, and while my contour might not impress you as much as the Mona Lisa’s does, it makes me happy.

As someone who has struggled with mental health in the past, I can definitely say I drink the Kool Aid when it comes to the importance of appearance. I have flaws and I can admit them, and covering them up does not mean I don’t accept them. I have never gone without makeup to class. Once on a Friday morning I settled for a full face but no eye makeup - ballsy.

Very few of my friends have seen me without makeup — even if they think they have, chances are I snuck a light application.

I am a great deal paler than the rest of my family, and using selftanner keeps me — almost — on their level. I started wearing my hair up in public for the first time last spring. You read that correctly. I avoided wearing ponytails in public for almost twenty years, all because

I was insecure about my face shape; I have fibrous dysplasia in my chin, and while few people notice, I do not look in the mirror without it bothering me.

There was a point last semester when I wore false lashes every day after ripping most of my eyelashes out due to stress. Also, your girl has hardly any eyebrows. For me personally, how I look on the outside directly affects how I feel about myself on the inside — and I am not ashamed of that.

Millennials are raised in a culture where people can become famous simply by being good-looking. To not feel pressure to look a certain way can be virtually impossible. When that crosses the line to unhealthy behavior is when you let the outside world start shaping how you see yourself. If I like my makeup and my friends comment negatively, it does not change how I feel. I wear makeup for myself, and my confidence comes from how I feel about it, not from the affirma-

tion of others. So if caking it on and taking a selfie does it for you, then do the damn thing. And if you feel most like yourself a la Drake’s ideal woman — sweat pants, hair tied and chilling with no makeup on — then good for you. I would never judge someone on not prioritizing makeup and appearance; this is precisely why it hurts when I feel others judging me simply because I value these things. It does not make me any more shallow, any less aware or intelligent or valid.

Life is not all about appearance — life is about what you do, who you are with, what you think, feel, say.

There is obviously more to life than how you look — but if looking nice makes me a little more at ease with myself, a little more comfortable and willing to go out and enjoy living these moments, is it really anyone else’s business?

I am me with or without makeup, and I think that me is incredible regardless. Vain? I hope the word you are looking for is confident. I am not sure when society and social media started telling us that self-confidence and narcissism were the same, but this is a warped way of thinking. If you do not love yourself first, you cannot efficiently share love with those around you. It all starts with how you view yourself. And if a layer of Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Foundation and a well-blended eye from the Naked palette help me accept myself — along with dozens of other, nonappearancebased tools for self-affirmation — then so be it.

ISABella Gerard is junior in the College.

POP POLITICS

VIEWPOINT • Laria

Humanizing the But First, Let US-Mexican Border Me Take a Selfie

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s the hot desert sun beat down on sand and concrete, a woman waved to us from behind a chain-link fence. “We love having visitors,” she said with her words easily passing through the metal barrier that separated us. “We need help.”

This woman, along with approximately 1,500 other undocumented immigrants, is a detainee at Eloy Detention Center in Arizona because she illegally entered into the United States, which is typically a civil rather than criminal offense.

Privately owned by Corrections Corporation of America and federally regulated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, EDC is one of the largest for-profit detention centers in the nation and generates millions of dollars in revenue for CCA each year. EDC has received criticism for its apparent failure to comply with federal standards regarding treatment of detainees, particularly in terms of mental and physical health.

While some detainees have served prison time for criminal offenses in the past, none of the individuals currently at Eloy remain there under conviction of an actual crime. Yet they too face prison-like conditions before, in most cases, being deported and often leaving family, including small children, behind in the United States.

I, along with 12 other members of the Georgetown community, toured EDC as a part of the Kino Border Immersion Alternative Breaks Program. Strongly influenced by the Jesuit values of reflection and social justice, Kino seeks to humanize the almost-maddeningly multifaceted experience that characterizes the U.S.-Mexican border in Arizona by listening to the perspectives of diverse individuals and organizations in the region.

Faith leaders like John Fife, a human rights activist and retired Presbyterian minister, described their struggle to provide adequate humanitarian aid for migrants crossing into the United States, while environmentalist Sergio Avila discussed the disruptive impact of the border wall on the flora and fauna of the Southwest. Border Patrol and EDC, which I had previously demonized as the enemy, are in reality law enforcement organizations that operate under a flawed national legal system rather than through individuals with malicious agendas; this further complicates the situation on the border.

Recently deported migrants in Nogales, Mexico shared stories of the unfathomable suffering they experienced when they made their arduous journeys to the United States, only to be denied asylum upon arrival or deported after years of working and starting a family. The sheer breadth of human experience that characterizes our southern border with Mexico rendered our group incapable of categorizing its actors as “good” or “bad.” Instead, we were forced to reckon with and recognize each actor whether a Border Patrol agent or a migrant deported that

very morning.

The wall on the U.S.-Mexican border exists beyond an arbitrary line drawn between the two nations.

With the glass partition at Border Patrol that separated us from migrants and the metal fence keeping the Eloy detainee at arm’s length, the border sharply divides. At the beginning of the day we spent in Mexico, our guide from Kino Border Initiative emphasized the idea of accompaniment, not division, as the core concept for understanding the border experience and developing a capacity for empathy and respect as we traced the path of recently deported migrants back into Mexico.

We walked beside the chutes that corral and direct deportees out of the United States like cattle and crossed the border into Nogales undisturbed by customs agents who judged us solely by the merit of our U.S. passports. Gazing at that towering wall, I was struck by the absurdity and glaring injustice of the border. This boundary, which divides indigenous communities and partitions their native homelands, which drives desperate, innocent individuals to cross miles on foot through the hostile desert terrain, is merely a line in the sand, a single latitude that has generated incalculable human suffering.

Each night countless migrants make the trek to cross that boundary, and we, as a nation, continue to fail them when they arrive.

Perhaps the most revealing yet frustrating part of the program was our inability to formulate a solution to the multilayered conflict of the border experience. Although I returned to Georgetown without a plan for comprehensive immigration reform, I brought with me the understanding of a key facet of the ultimate solution to the humanitarian crisis at the border: Whether you are a politician or a college student, you have to go to the border, to the physical wall that separates Mexico from the United States, to fully comprehend and humanize the conflicting experiences that characterize migration. If you are able, cross the border, trace the steps taken by migrants along desert trails and across man-made boundaries and listen to the stories of the people with whom you think you cannot agree.

Kino taught me to open my heart and mind in order to recognize the humanity in each and every person, and that there is no black and white in a conflict as far-reaching as that which resides at our Southern border.

It is this acknowledgment, through empathy and kindness, of common membership to the human community that enables social justice to manifest as informed, effective advocacy. I challenge Georgetown students and faculty to visit the border at least once, because only there will you undergo the experiences necessary to compel you to create positive and enduring change from the Hilltop.

Grace Laria is a freshman in the School of Foreign Service.

K

im Kardashian has been suffer in America means that we breaking the Internet are strong-armed — sometimes since day one. Her first even forced — into following cerforay into viral media, the 2007 tain rules. You may expose skin, sex tape with then-boyfriend Ray but not too much, or you will disJ, has never quite been forgotten, tract someone or be considered a but as of late another media slut. You may cover up if you like, storm has overshadowed it. but not too much, or you will Recently, Kardashian tweeted be ridiculed for being too pruda picture of herself in a bath- ish. You may be thin, but not too room. She was naked. The thin. You may be heavier, but God picture was captioned “When forbid you have any body shape you’re like I have nothing to other than an hourglass. You may wear LOL”. wear makeup, but not too much, The uproar was instantaneous. or too little. The list goes on, and People responded to her tweet on and on, but what it comes with an astounding amount of down to, in the end, is this: Womvitriol; Kardashian was called en are permitted to be what onevery sexist, misogynistic and de- lookers find to be physically and grading slur under the sun, and aesthetically pleasing. Failure to some even went as far as to say her conform could result in anything tweet reflected poorly on her abili- from mockery to assault — sexual ty to be a mother. There was some or otherwise. support, to be sure; but the majorDoes this sound like a serious ity of responses to Kardashian’s issue yet? Good. It is. selfie were, frankly, disgusting.

The issue of agency comes in Here is the interesting thing. when we realize that as soon Kardashian’s as a woman body, among feels confident other things, was or empowered what allowed enough to reveal her to step into her body indethe spotlight pendently and and begin her of her own volijourney to fame tion, in whatev— or infamy, er way she sees take your pick. fit, the public Femi Sobowale So why do we, as is no longer in a society that frecontrol. A womquently engages an who wears in oversexualization — see: The what she wants and refuses to Great Breastfeeding Debate — not yield to how society thinks she want to see it anymore? Has she should dress is a woman who, become less attractive? Have we in this moment, is no longer become more conservative? Or is under the control of society, and it a matter of agency? Of sexism? that makes us uncomfortable.

Of empowerment?

An overweight woman being Spoiler alert: the last three. proud of her figure? Ridiculous.

Oversexualization and ob- A woman going barefaced and jectification are rampant in not feeling beautiful? Unbelievsociety today, and the female able. As a society, we only want body is all too frequently com- to see what we want to see, and mercialized, standardized and ridicule and undue criticism of policed. Here, we encounter women’s figures are perhaps the crux of the problem: The the most effective ways to ensure female body and the percep- that. tion of it — what can be shown, The fact that women are what should be shown, in what judged first and foremost by situations and at what ages — is their appearances is nothing controlled by other people. No new, but the rise of social meone, not even a supermodel, is dia has made this judgment safe from this scrutiny — and both easier and more frequent. the bigger issue is that it comes Back in the day, you had to from everywhere. Everyone wait for a woman to walk by feels entitled to criticize, judge you before you could make and decide that women’s bod- fun of her calf-to-ankle ratio; ies have come up short. In now, with the advent of social fact, most people do not even media platforms such as Instathink about whether or not gram and Twitter, you can leer they have grounds to criticize a at a model’s cleavage while dewoman for her body; it is just grading her for the skimpiness something they do thought- of her outfit at the same time! lessly, because that is what so- Or, better yet, you can hate on ciety teaches and encourages. Kardashian for showing off the If a woman is not up to par in body that was, and probably some way, you should notice — still is, a lot of people’s not-so and by all means, you should guilty pleasure. Isn’t technolpoint it out. Very obviously. ogy incredible? Misogyny, sexEither to her face or over social ism and body-shaming, now media. right at your fingertips.

Protip: Never actually do this.

Ever.

Femi Sobowale is a senior Here is why. The constant and in the College. Pop Politics hypercritical surveillance women appears every other Friday.

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NEWS

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2016

PAGE FOUR

INSIDE THIS ISSUE The D.C. Metro faces up to six months of closure for repair and maintenance.

Story on A8.

Your news — from every corner of The Hoya.

verbatim

IN FOCUS BACK TO SCHOOL

“

Social Impact was created not just to fund small projects here and there, but to actually be a very vital force on campus.”

Nick Pavlovic (COL ‘17), The Corp Social Impact vice chair. Story on A5.

from

JESUS RODRIGUEZ/THE HOYA

Students were able to return to Georgetown from Easter break despite numerous flight delays and closures due to an individual pointing a gun outside the White House. Above, a terminal in Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

WHERE TO MOVE IF DONALD TRUMP BECOMES PRESIDENT With the growing likelihood of a Trump presidency, people are looking for their future homes. Luckily, the 4E has a few ideas. blog.thehoya.com

Former GU Professor Attempts to Close Wildlife Center GAIA MATTIACE Hoya Staff Writer

Former Georgetown University School of Medicine professor Seth Gortler has drawn media attention with his current lawsuit against the Scottsdale, Ariz.

Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center over its nighttime noise and the road damage brought by center visitors.

Gortler taught pharmacology at Georgetown before purchasing property adjacent to the sanctuary in 2012.

The center, which has been in operation for almost 22 years, aims to rehabilitate native wildlife such as coyotes, bears and the endangered Mexican gray wolf.

The currently pending suit terms the noise and visitors brought by the center’s operations a “criminal nuisance” and asks that a judge order the SWCC to relocate its noisemaking animals and ensure the county’s road is not damaged by visitors.

Gortler is also urging the Maricopa County Planning and Development Department, which oversees the region where the center is located, not to issue a permanent special-use permit to the SWCC until the sanctuary complies with his requests.

The center currently holds a temporary-use permit, which allows a limited number of tours.

The permanent permit, which the center is seeking, would allow tours and educational programs to continue for an elongated period.

According to SWCC Founder Linda Searles, the litigation places pressure on the center that could interfere with the care of its animals.

“We have no money, we have no other land to move to. Certainly, it’s something you don’t even want to think about that there would be all these animals with no place to go,” Searles said. “He’s saying that we are a private nuisance and also a public nuisance and under a public nuisance that allows the government to come in and seize property. The property being the wolves and the coyotes, because he wants them removed from the property and he wants us to be banned from ever having them again.”

Gortler said the noise has been a persistent problem and suggested alternatives to the current situation.

“The zoo has the ability to move the noise-making animal cages to a different part of their vast 10+ acre property. I have no issue with the animals that don’t make noise all night – just the canines,” Gortler wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Alternatively, SWCC has the option of moving or giving their noisemaking animals to one of the many other wildlife preserves where they don’t have to be locked in cages and on display for the entertainment of paying tourists.”

Gortler also took issue with SWCC’s selfd e s i g n a t i on LINDA SEARLES Founder, SWCC because of the permanent residence of some of animals at the center and the tours the sanctuary offers.

“SWCC sells itself as a ‘wildlife rehabilitation center’ but they’re actually licensed by the state as a zoo—which allows them to keep animals permanently (the wolves and coyotes) and to conduct tours,” Gortler wrote.

However, Searles said that the tours differ from those provided by zoos in that they are guided and seek to educate visitors.

“We do tours, which are not like a zoo where you walk in, take a ticket and you walk around,” Searles said. “We have somebody that guides them through so they don’t disturb the animals and our animals that are on exhibit are animals that have been confiscated by law enforcement from cruelty situations.”

Along with the nighttime noise, Gortler raised issues with the road damage brought by center visitors.

“The other problem is that we live a mile down a dirt road, and the center brings in thousands of paying tourists each year, which takes a tremendous toll on the road,” Gortler wrote.

“They perform no maintenance on the road, and it’s rutted and torn apart as a result of all their traffic.”

Searles said that the SWCC has made several efforts to address Gortler’s complaints.

“In order to appease him when we have people out, because we still have people, we now have

“We have no money, we have no other land to move to.”

COURTESY SOUTHWEST WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CENTER

The Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center faces a lawsuit from former Georgetown University School of Medicine professor Seth Gortler over concerns of noise and road damage from visitors. tours 30 days in a six month period under the temporary special use permit, so we bought an old water truck and we are watering the road’s parking lot to try and keep the dust down, which is not an easy thing to do in the desert and we are not the only ones to use that road,” Searles said.

Gortler claimed that he has made several attempts to resolve the issue without litigation.

“Before approaching SWCC, I tried installing triple pane windows in my bedroom as well as, insulated metal roller shutters, heavy, sound-blocking curtains, earplugs, white noise machines, basically everything I could think of,” Gortler wrote. “I gave up trying to negotiate and proceeded with the lawsuit only after I attempted 1) my own noise mitigation efforts failed, 2) trying to speak civilly to them failed and 3) after I attempted to donate generously to the Zoo to build a wall or

relocate the canines, and made the offer in writing.”

Richelle Fatheree, another neighbor of the center, created an online petition against the lawsuit. The petition will be delivered to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on April 6 and currently has over 167,000 signatures.

“We believe that since the sanctuary had already been at its current location for 18 years before Mr. Gortler purchased the property next door, it was his responsibility to investigate the neighborhood before investing in real estate in the area,” the petition reads. “Dirt roads and animal noises are two of the many joys of living in rural unincorporated Scottsdale. If people don’t appreciate a natural environment, they should avoid moving into it.”

Gortler expressed displeasure at the way the petition described

the context of the lawsuit.

“Honestly SWCC’s and Rachelle Fatheree’s petition is so grotesquely biased and misrepresentative, I thought to myself, ‘Who is this guy?’ I almost felt like signing it myself! I can understand how others have been duped into doing the same,” Gortler wrote.

According to Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Curci, the sanctuary serves an essential function and its tours are helpful to the community.

“The Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center is critical to our community. Their mission to rescue native wild animals is an integral part of living in Arizona,” Curci wrote in an email to The Hoya. “I fully support the Special Use Permit and will continue to work with my colleagues on the Board and the planning department to complete this process as quickly as possible.”

news

Friday, april 1, 2016

THE HOYA

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Bowser Unveils 2017 Budget Widespread Internet Failures Affect Campus

Matthew Larson Hoya Staff Writer

Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) submitted the Fiscal Year 2017 Budget and Financial Plan, which includes a record $13.4 billion spending proposal, to the Council of the District of Columbia on March 24.

The budget, entitled “A Fair Shot,” calls for a growth of about $400 million from last year’s plan and includes increased expenditure for modernizing D.C. public and charter schools, hiring more Metropolitan Police Department officers and buying more emergency vehicles.

The plan proposes a growth in overall spending by three percent, which is lower than the average rate of six percent of the past several years, to accommodate tax cuts passed by the D.C. Council two years ago.

The Council has the ability to make changes to the plan and will prepare the amended budget for its second reading process and passage by early May. The budget also calls for a city-wide minimum wage increase to $15 per hour by 2020.

In her annual State of the District Address March 22, Bowser attributed this decision to a desire to keep as many workers living and working in D.C. as possible.

“In a city as prosperous as ours, we can level the playing field, and we can make sure our residents are paid a good wage so fewer families are forced to leave,” Bowser said. “And as we raise the wage, I will also assemble a task force of leaders – from workers, to organized labor and the business community — to spend six months looking at how we work together to create a worker- and business-friendly environment in which we maintain our regional competitiveness.”

A central component of the budget is a $220 million school modernization project. Instead of receiving small, incremental increases in funding as under the previous plan, some schools will now be offered complete modernization construction packages. As a result, other schools will not receive full upgrades until after 2022.

D.C. Office of Budget and Finance Director Matt Brown

explained the mayor’s decision to allocate funding to some schools and not others.

“In last year’s budget, schools were programmed for phase one renovations,” Brown said.

“Rather than do short-term projects, the mayor made the decision to do full modernization. That $200 million was dedicated to schools that had already been promised money.”

The total operating budget of schools will grow by $75 million. The main reason for the increase is a surge in enrollment by more than 2,800 to nearly 91,000 students enrolled in D.C. public schools for the coming academic year. Additionally, the “per-student” funding formula used to determine schools’ operating budgets required more funding due to inflation.

“Rather than do short-term projects, the mayor made the decision to do full modernization.”

MATT BROWN Director, D.C. Office of Budget and Finance

Brown pointed to the factors behind the increased allocation of funding to schools and stressed the importance of this expenditure for the education of District students.

“The $75 million goes to public and charter schools based on enrollment and then an inflationary increase, and that covers the cost of education from administration to instruction,” Brown said. “It covers the total cost of educating kids.”

The budget also gave middle schools priority in funding, which Deputy Mayor for Education Jennifer Niles said aims to encourage students to stay in the District until high school graduation.

“We don’t have all families staying through middle school,” Niles said to The Washington Post. “We know that middle school is where we need to make these investments to make sure that we have our families staying in middle schools and high schools.”

An extra $2.5 million of the

budget was allocated to the MPD for hiring new officers.

MPD has experienced a recent drop in its ranks due to many officers retiring around the same time. Some of the money will also be used to complete implementation of the body-worn cameras program, which was introduced in October 2014.

“We’re trying to attract officers who have experience to join the D.C. police force,” Brown said. “There was a big recruiting program about 20 years ago where we recruited a lot of officers who are now retiring, and we’re trying to backfill those positions as quickly as we can.”

Bowser also proposed taking over the D.C. Jail’s Correctional Treatment Facility, which is currently run by the Corrections Corporation of America.

The plan will cost the District around $6 million.

Notably, Bowser’s plan does not include funding for a crime bill approved by the D.C. Council in February that would provide training for at-risk youth likely to commit crime. At the time of the bill’s passage, Bowser had criticized it for not addressing criminal activity directly.

Brown said it is up to the D.C. Council to find funding for the program.

“It was the mayor’s decision to advance the budget in ways she thought best to keep residents of the District safe,” Brown said. “And you’ll see throughout the police department and public safety cluster investments that the mayor has made to make the city as safe as possible.”

In the closing remarks of her State of the District Address, Bowser praised the budget and the work the people of D.C. had done over the past year to help the city, promising that the District would continue to remain accountable to its citizens.

“My fellow Washingtonians, I am pleased to report tonight that the state of the District of Columbia is strong. These days are bright.

Our best days are still ahead of us,” Bowser said. “Thank you very much for your trust, for believing in our vision, for challenging us to do better each and every day.”

Journalists Talk Pope, Politics Ellen Baker

Special to The Hoya

The Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life sponsored a dialogue titled “Faith, Francis and the 2016 Campaign” that featured journalist speakers in the Intercultural Center auditorium Wednesday.

The panelists included Washington Post columnist and McCourt School of Public Policy professor E.J. Dionne, Jr., The Atlantic writer and editor Emma Green (COL ’12), National Catholic Reporter author and columnist Michael Sean Winters, EWTN Global Catholic Network Nightly White House correspondent Lauren Ashburn and Pew Research Center Associate Director of Research Gregory Smith.

John Carr, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, which seeks to promote Catholic social teaching at Georgetown, moderated the event.

In his opening remarks, Carr described the initiative’s mission as well as its connection to Pope Francis.

“We think that Pope Francis’ strong words and humble way are the best available example of how to connect Catholic social thought and public life,” Carr said in his opening remarks. “In many ways, he is a walking, talking parable of these principles.”

Carr highlighted the importance of politics within the realm of the Catholic faith.

“Politics is a duty. It is essential, because it involves the common good. None of us can say we have nothing to do with politics, though that is a temptation, especially these days,” Carr said. “It is one of the highest forms of charity.”

Carr concluded by tying unique characteristics of the ongoing 2016 presidential campaign to religion, particularly referencing Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) focus on Pope Francis.

“You couldn’t have predicted any of this,” Carr said.

“Who would have thought that it would be a Jewish, socialist, secular Senator who would talk the most about

Pope Francis?”

Green, who covers religion and public life at The Atlantic, expressed the belief that religion directly affects one’s political views.

“Not only how you selfidentify, but also how much you are ingrained with your religion is an indicator of how you interact with politics,” Green said.

Smith addressed the concern and shock among evangelical leaders regarding the emerging trend of evangelical voters supporting Donald Trump over Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.). Smith said this trend is perhaps a result of citizens voting for Trump without taking into account his religious views.

“Almost one-fifth of all Republican voters who say they think Donald Trump would make a good or great president, say they don’t think that he’s a particularly religious person,” Smith said.

Ashburn redirected the conversation, focusing on the strong emotions that have permeated the 2016 campaign.

“This campaign is about anger. Anger has trumped religion. Anger has trumped politics,” Ashburn said. “And Trump has trumped religion and anger and politics.”

Dionne, Winters and Smith each discussed the tendency of some Catholic voters to base their political preferences solely on the issue of abortion.

“The change that Pope Francis has brought about, not changing the Church’s position on abortion but making a case that abortion is not the one and only issue on which Catholics should vote, is not novel,” Dionne said.

The dialogue then shifted to the voting and religious tendencies of millennial voters, as well as the Pope’s popularity with the younger generation for his seemingly revolutionary teachings.

Green argued that Pope Francis’ ideas cannot exactly be described as new, instead highlighting the Pope’s unique style by appealing to the younger generation as well as to people across all age

groups.

“People say, ‘When did the church become cool?’ This speaks to a lack of religious literacy perhaps among a certain generation,” Green said.

“Popes have been saying this stuff forever.”

Winters highlighted the Pope’s ethnic background as another factor behind the Church’s increased popularity.

“The Pope is a Latino,” Winters said. “The best thing happening to the Catholic Church is not Pope Francis, it’s the influx of Latinos because we were in danger of becoming an upper-middle class club.

And the Latinos are bringing us life and relationships and vitality and families.”

American University professor Shyam Chidamber, who attended the event, said he found the dialogue engaging and educational. Chidamber particularly underscored the speakers’ inclusion of information from the Pew Research Center.

“We don’t talk enough about how religious life and politics combine, and what’s behind it. Sharing some of the Pew data on how the demographics are shifting is very useful to know, you don’t hear that in the typical press stories,” Chidamber said. “It gives you a deeper perspective on what’s going on.”

Taylor Colwell (SFS ’15) expressed disappointment with the event’s portrayal of authentic Catholicism.

“It seemed to present a picture of Catholicism that is too dictated by someone’s prior political beliefs,” Colwell said.

“They used the terminology ‘conservative Catholics,’ ‘liberal Catholics,’ for me the general tone of the conversation was too focused on politics as prior to religion rather than religion prior to politics.”

Audrey Fangmeyer (NHS ’17) said she enjoyed the multitude of topics on which the speakers touched.

“I enjoyed the span of topics addressed. For me the main issue would be abortion, but also social justice,” Fangmeyer said. “And I was very happy to see them addressed in the same place.”

William Zhu Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown University experienced campus-wide Wi-Fi connectivity issues beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday morning.

According to UIS, the outage occurred due to a faulty firewall. Community members experienced intermittent connection to SaxaNet, EduRoam and GuestNet, as well as campus-wide Internet loss for segments of time.

Around 1 p.m., the University Information Services resolved initial network connectivity issues caused by bugs in the firewall. However, by 7:50 p.m., network outages returned and UIS resumed work on fixing the issue. Campus-wide text message alerts were sent out to inform students and faculty of the outage.

The outage has continued as of press time.

According to Interim Deputy Chief Information Officer Beth Ann Bergsmark, UIS is in communication with the firewall’s vendor, Palo Alto Networks, to continuously monitor and evaluate the situation. Palo Alto Networks is continuing to provide technical support to UIS and is prepared to replace the firewall if necessary.

“We have Palo Alto providing senior engineering to review their systems. If we need to replace any of these firewalls, we will do so promptly in a way that does not cause any outages,” Bergsmark said.

The current network connectivity issues are caused by a similar firewall bug that was attributed to a Wi-Fi outage March 1.

Bergsmark explained that the firewall aims to examine all Internet connections for the purpose of protecting the university from viruses and cyberattacks. The current firewall, installed last year to replace an older Cisco model, is a recent upgrade capable of handling newer threats, according to Bergsmark.

“The Cisco firewall blocked about 50 million security threats per month, whereas the Palo Alto [firewall] has been blocking 1 billion threats per month,” Bergsmark said.

Working with Palo Alto, UIS is considering a complete replacement of the university firewall to resolve Internet and connectivity outages all together.

Bergsmark emphasized that the current Internet outage is not related to the cyberattacks the MedStar hospitals in the region have been experiencing. On March 28, the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital experienced a cyberattack and suffered severe system outages.

“This has nothing to do with the outages that have been going at the MedStar health network,” Bergsmark said. “MedStar’s architecture is entirely different from Georgetown. We’re completely separate. That is also why what happened at MedStar did not bleed into our environment.”

Universities are common targets for cyber-

attacks because of the open nature of their networks. Bergsmark explained that the installation of the new firewall is a proactive step to prevent future intrusions.

“All universities are at risk, we are a large, open environment,” Bergsmark said. “The number of security threats continues to increase. What is critical is that you are proactive.”

UIS attempts to achieve a balance between security from cyber threats and maintaining reliable access to information on the Internet, which Bergsmark said is a crucial challenge for UIS. “It is very important for us that we’ve got the state-of-the-art best technology to protect against security, but at the same time we have to make sure that that does not disrupt daily operations,” Bergsmark said.

Bergsmark added that during a Wi-Fi outage, individuals on campus do not have viable options to bypass the issue. Additionally, while the outage is campus-wide, Bergsmark stated a few are still able to access the Internet.

“You did see that some individuals might be able to get in,” Bergsmark said. “At any given point in time, maybe only 20 to 40 percent of the traffic at any point in time.”

For students on campus, one of the best ways to assist UIS is to report all issues with network connectivity so UIS can properly identify and address the problem.

“If they experience problems at any time to contact us, we want to be responsive there,” Bergsmark said.

Dan Zager (COL ’18) said the outage prevented him from doing his work and he had to resort to using data on his mobile phone.

“This morning was a nightmare because I woke up early to get work done, but everything was down, so I just hung out for three hours on my phone using up all my data until we finally got Internet and Blackboard back,” Zager said.

Montunrayo Adenuga (COL ’18) said she is disappointed at the quality of campus Wi-Fi and the frequency and duration of outages.

“That is something that shouldn’t be a problem for hours on end, and today isn’t the only time it happens. It happens quite frequently. There are times my Blackboard isn’t working for a week,” Adenuga said. “It’s a little below Georgetown.”

The network connectivity issues have forced Anna Teitler (COL ’18) to go off campus to do her work. She said she wishes students were better updated on the current situation.

“I had to walk to a coffee shop in order to get Internet and send in an assignment,” Teitler said. “It’s very frustrating because when the system is down for an entire day, they do not give us a timeline of when it is going to be coming back on. It’s a detriment for everybody who relies on the system to get everyday work done.”

‘House of Cards’ Actor Discusses Role, Campaign jesse jacobs Hoya Staff Writer

Long-time Democratic media consultant and former “House of Cards” actor, David Eichenbaum, discussed aspects of truth behind the Netflix original series, during an event hosted by the GU Politics Student Advisory Board in Old North on Tuesday night.

“House of Cards” depicts the political rise of a U.S.-Senator-turned-President Francis Underwood, played by Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey, and his relationship with his wife Claire, played by Golden Globe winner Robin Wright. Through four seasons, the show documents the fictional couple’s tense relationship and their rise to power through corruption, violence and murder.

Chris Maloney (GRD ’17), a student in the School of Continuing Studies and GU Politics representative, began the event with a series of questions and answers between Eichenbaum and moderator Rachel Hirsch, a firstyear student at the McCourt School of Public Policy.

Hirsch began by showing a compilation of clips of Eichenbaum in his role as Frank Underwood’s campaign manager in season two of “House of Cards.” She noted similarities between his TV role and his career as a media consultant for Democrats, including his role in the 1996 Bill Clinton presidential campaign. She also said that his character has the difficult job of supporting the controlling President Frank Underwood, played by Oscarwinning actor Kevin Spacey.

“As a director I am used to giving orders, you do this, you move that and for the most part people listen to me, but the way the script is written, no one tells Frank what to do and he is the one giving the orders,” Eichenbaum said.

Eichenbaum highlighted his experience in political campaigns and explored his uncommon decision to transition from the political world to the entertainment industry. His first forays into acting were influenced by one of his friends in entertainment.

“Since the year 2000 I have been a media consultant. Almost exclusively, I have worked for campaigns. I have been a media consultant for lots of different campaigns,” Eichenbaum said. “A few years ago, I thought it would be nice to mix things up in my career. Let me try some other things that I wanted to try. And at the same time I had a friend of mine who was involved in television, who said you know you should come back to acting.”

Eichenbaum spent much of his career working on sets, both as an actor fresh out of college, and as consultant for political campaigns. He explained how he found similarities in both roles and adapted to life on a production set easily.

“Being a director, in my political career, what I do is I write, direct the advertising and

CAROLINE KENNEALLY/THE HOYA

Actor David Eichenbaum spoke on the realities of “House of Cards.” after spending years behind it directing the candidates being in front of the camera was different but I am used to being on a set and I know the lingo. It was not a completely foreign experience,” Eichenbaum said.

Eichenbaum said there are parallels between the show’s signature couple, Frank and Claire Underwood, and the Clintons, but does not think the Underwoods are a direct emulation.

“The issues were different. The Clintons were certainly accused of a lot of things,” Eichenbaum said. “I don’t know if it based on them at all. I don’t think it was … but you could certainly make an analogy to two powerful spouses.”

Josh Levitt (MSB ’17) said he really enjoyed hearing about Eichenbaum’s unique perspectives from the political and acting worlds.

“I think David brought a lot of experience and answered questions and he came about it with a perspective on politics that I was not as familiar with from the media side of a campaign,” Levitt said. “It was interesting to hear the sort of behind-the-scenes workings of how to target voters and to learn about which things in the shows he has been in,” Helen Brosnan (COL ’16) said she appreciated hearing someone involved in two industries separate fact from fiction.

“The event was another example of how politics and entertainment often can create some blurry lines on what is real and what is not,” Brosnan said.

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news

THE HOYA

FRIday, April 1, 2016

GU Admits 2020 Class ADMISSIONS, from A1 15.7 percent.

The School of Foreign Service and the School of Nursing and Health Studies saw a decline in acceptance rates. The SFS admitted 654 students at a rate of 17.2 percent, a slight decrease from the Class of 2019’s 17.6 percent. The NHS had the largest drop in acceptance rate, admitting 209 applicants at a rate of 17 percent compared to last year’s 19.7 percent.

Deacon stressed the need to reduce emphasis on application numbers and acceptance rates. He also pointed to Georgetown’s unique characteristics that allow it to attract high-caliber students.

“There is too much of a focus on that kind of a number that’s not healthy, I don’t think, in the long run,” Deacon said. “I don’t think we need to, because we’re increasingly one of those places that’s got kind of this very strong niche, where we don’t have many competitors in this particular space, if you will, which is Washington.”

Students from all 50 states were accepted to the Class of 2020. Continuing the trend of past years, New York, California and New Jersey were the top three states, with 436 students, 381 students and 238 students admitted respectively.

As with last year, nine percent of admits were international students. This year’s class originated from 70 different countries, compared to 72 last year. The majority of foreign applicants came from China, the United King-

dom and South Korea.

“I marvel at how lucky Georgetown is to have such a diverse set of people. You sit here and watch the presidential campaign going on, and you say, ‘Don’t these people realize the changing America?’ We see it right in front of us, it’s inexorably happening,” Deacon said.

Eleven percent of admitted applicants identified as black, while 17 percent identified as Asian, the same percentages as the previous year. Eleven percent of the accepted class identified as Latino, a slight decrease from last year’s 12 percent.

“We purposely try not to make the waiting list large and not put anybody on there as a gesture.” charles Deacon Dean of Undergraduate Admissions

The acceptance rate for legacy students saw a sharp decline from 37 percent last year to 25 percent for the Class of 2020. Deacon said that, similarly to previous years, legacy students comprised around 10 percent of all admits.

Around 220 students were also offered the opportunity to join the Georgetown Scholarship Program, which provides financial aid to those from low-income backgrounds and first-generation college students.

Deacon anticipated a yield rate of 47 percent for this year’s class, keeping with trends in the past 10 years in which the rate has ranged

from 43 to 48 percent. The enrollment target for the final class is 1,580, the same as previous years and consistent with the cap of 6,675 undergraduates laid out in the 2010 Campus Plan.

Deacon noted that yield rates in the MSB and the NHS in particular have increased to over 50 percent in the past several years. He attributed this to rising competition in the job market and student desire for employment security.

“Both [the MSB and the NHS], I think, are probably reflecting the job market issue. They are schools that seem to more directly confer an outcome,” Deacon said.

“We do see pressure on students as they’re completing high school to worry about outcome on the other end.”

Similarly to previous years, around 2,000 students were offered a spot on the waitlist. Deacon anticipated that roughly 70 to 100 students will be accepted when final decisions are released

by May 15.

He emphasized that this year’s waitlist is strong, noting that the average waitlisted student had nearly identical SAT scores to the average admit.

“We purposely try not to make the waiting list large and not put anybody on there as a gesture,” Deacon said. “The only people on the waitlist are people we would be accepting if there were room for them.”

Admitted students will be invited to attend Georgetown Admissions Ambassadors Program Open Houses on the weekends of April 15 and 22. Final enrollment decisions are due by May 1.

SFS Offers New Minors SFS, from A1 offers a wealth of language opportunities, and I hope SFS students will learn more about world literature, how to do serious writing in a foreign language and other valuable knowledge and skills.”

SFS Faculty Council and Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service Curriculum Committee Chair Jeffrey Anderson said students who achieve proficiency would easily be on their way to achieving a minor.

“Because a minor is more intensive than proficiency, students who pursue a minor would have the transcript notation for proficiency that is currently awarded and have the designation of a minor appear on their transcript,” Anderson said.

Anderson also said there is an element of fairness involved in allowing language minors.

“We looked at a large set of data and what struck me is that a large group of students, tens on tens, qualify for a minor already, every year in a graduating class.

They qualify, but are unable to get one because of the way we structure things in the school,” Anderson said. “This was all about fairness for students who do the work. They deserve the credential their College compatriots are getting. It doesn’t make sense to deny them the opportunity to demonstrate a minor on their transcript.”

According to Anderson, faculty had reservations about permitting a blanket policy that would allow students to pursue minors in nontraaditional areas like mathematics and physics.

“That was deemed to be a bit too ambitious, and in a way the language minors was a palatable compromise because most everyone understands the importance of languages to the philosophy and spirit of the BSFS degree” Anderson said. “We didn’t want to disadvantage students coming out of the SFS when it comes to the job search and their career aspirations.”

SFS Academic Council President Anna Hernick (SFS ’16), who worked with the council as well as the BSFS Curriculum Committee and the Dean’s Office to help craft new offerings in the SFS, said the new minors would complement the work students put into achieving proficiency.

“Students in the SFS have always been dedicated to foreign language study, and

receiving a minor in a foreign language is an easily understood recognition of all the hard work required to pass the SFS oral proficiency exam,” Hernick said.

Hernick said she participated in academic restructuring talks after gauging student interest.

“After hearing students ask for minors across the curriculum, the SFS Academic Council conducted a survey to quantify student requests for minors in different subject areas. We identified foreign language as a field that both fits with the interdisciplinary nature of the SFS and is a huge interest area for students,” Hernick said.

Hernick, former Academic Council President Megan Murday (SFS ’15) and Academic Council member Roopa Mulpuri (SFS ’18) presented the results of their surveys to the BSFS Curriculum Committee and advocated for the language minor change.

“Many students in the SFS would eventually like to see flexibility in being able to minor across schools.”

Roopa mulpuri (SFS ’18) Secretary, Academic Council

The three also serve as voting members of the committee along with the field chairs of the eight majors in the SFS and two representatives of the Dean’s Office.

After a nearly unanimous vote in the BSFS Curriculum Committee in December, the proposal was passed on to the SFS Faculty Council where an overwhelming majority of tenure-track faculty approved the change in January.

Faculty who objected to the change raised concerns about students pursuing minor credentials, which might be less lucrative than a full BSFS degree.

“It’s a valid point, but I think the problem is that it is all anecdotal evidence. Some can talk about anecdotal evidence that minors don’t matter, others can bring evidence that they do matter, and my feeling was that we should err on the side of caution and the side of doing right by our students,” Anderson said.

SFS Dean Joel Hellman praised the SFS for its unique scope of its studies of different countries, regions and cultures.

“SFS students go on to work in a variety of different sectors all over the world, and wheth-

er it’s in business, diplomacy, development or technology, having strong language skills is key. We want SFS students to communicate with others, no matter where they are or what they’re doing,” Hellman wrote in a statement.

Spanish and Portuguese Department Chair Gwen Kirkpatrick said the minor program will incentivize students to pursue language studies more passionately.

“To move beyond basic proficiency in a language and to learn more history, culture, linguistics, etc. can only be good for students who want to be globally aware,” Kirkpatrick wrote in an email to The Hoya.

Arabic and Islamic studies Department Chair Felicitas Opwis added that SFS students already make up a large portion of Arabic language students.

“We at the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies are enthusiastically welcoming this new and long overdue opportunity for SFS students to minor in Arabic. The SFS students are already an important component of our Arabic students and now their commitment to Arabic is acknowledged by their ability to declare it as a minor,” Opwis wrote in an email to The Hoya.

Enrollment in language courses is not expected to change drastically and faculty and class sizes are also expected to remain the same, according to Opwis.

Grady Willard (SFS ’18) said he believes the Dean’s Office should go further than permitting language minors.

“I’m not sure why they decided to stop at language minors. Dean Hellman noted in his quote that SFS students go into business, technology, diplomacy and development, and we know they go into government and academia as well.

There’s no reason why people shouldn’t be able to obtain a minor in computer science or a minor from the [McDonough School of Business] or something like that,” Willard said.

Mulpuri said language minors should be a first step in allowing SFS students more opportunities in other schools.

“Many students in the SFS would eventually like to see flexibility in being able to minor across schools,” Mulpuri said. “However, this announcement is an enormous first step in that direction. The ability to minor in foreign languages fits with the interdisciplinary mission of the SFS and gives us the opportunity to receive the same credential that students in other schools completing the same coursework would receive.”

Courtesy Kevin O’brien

Fr. Kevin O’Brien, S.J., who joined Georgetown in 2008, will depart for Santa Clara University to serve as its dean of Jesuit theology this fall.

Fr. O’Brien Departs For Santa Clara OBRIEN, from A1 which he has held since 2011, O’Brien has strived to emphasize social justice programs and foster partnerships between campus ministry and other organizations.

“My largest commitments have been with the Jesuit refugee service and issues on migration,” O’Brien said. “During the course of my time here, a former student Mike Meaney (SFS ’12) and I started a program, the Kino Border Immersion experience, that still exists as part of the Alternative Breaks Program.

We’re now in our sixth year. We go with students to southern Arizona and meet with communities on both sides of the Arizona-Mexico border. That’s just one example of how I try to be rooted in the justice, as well as through my teaching.”

Under O’Brien’s leadership, the Office of Mission and Ministry has worked closely with the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service, along with other academic centers committed to interreligious understanding, and has increased the university’s resources for faculty and staff to better engage with Jesuit and Catholic traditions.

University President John J. DeGioia hailed O’Brien for his important influence on the community in his eight years at Georgetown.

“Kevin O’Brien has been a wonderful colleague now for several years and as vice president for mission and ministry. He has done so much to advance the Catholic and Jesuit identity of Georgetown,” DeGioia said.

Santa Clara University Provost Dr. Dennis Jacobs said O’Brien’s work at Georgetown makes him well-suited for his new position.

“As the Vice President for Mission and Ministry at Georgetown University, Fr. O’Brien has been very successful introducing students, faculty, staff, and alumni to Ignatian spirituality and the Jesuit philosophy of education. Fr. O’Brien’s gift and passion for Jesuit ministry has engendered strong financial support from benefactors and he brings a wealth of talent and experience to his new role,” Jacobs wrote in an email to The Hoya.

A Passion for Teaching O’Brien’s role within Georgetown extends beyond his position as vice president for mission and ministry. O’Brien is also the Jesuit-in-residence for Copley Hall and teaches a theology course each semester, called “The Church and the 21st Century.”

“One way I characterize my ministry here is as one of presence. It’s in being available to people where they are — in the residence hall, at the play, at the game, at [O’Donovan Hall] — that’s where I come to know people, just by being present to people,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien said his work, including his opportunities to teach, has also helped him to stay grounded.

“Education and social justice have defined a lot of what I’ve done. Universities can be a very rarefied atmosphere where it can be very easy to be disconnected from the problems of the real world,” O’Brien said. “In both my work in higher education and training as a Jesuit, I wanted to make sure I didn’t become too distracted with the privileges that come with higher education.”

Engaging with Campus Life O’Brien has not only left his mark on campus ministry but also on many individual members of the Georgetown community, particularly students.

“His positive engagement with students, faculty and staff has been amaz-

ingly impactful. He has made a real difference in so many people’s lives,” DeGioia said.

Zahid Syed (COL ’16), former president of the Muslim Student Association, said O’Brien’s work has positively influenced the situation of the Muslim community at Georgetown.

“During the winter, Fr. O’Brien’s letter calling on all of us to denounce Islamophobia and not give into fear was especially notable. It made so many of us in the Georgetown Muslim community feel safe and secure,” Syed said.

Kathleen Osea (NHS ’16) highlighted O’Brien’s impressive and personal commitment to his students.

“He’s the vice president of mission and ministry and he always makes time for students. I’ve had friends who’ve invited him over for dinner, like to a university townhouse,” Osea said. “And at least on three occasions that I’ve been present for, he’s offered the 10 p.m. Copley Crypt Mass in honor of somebody’s relative who has passed away. In addition to all he does for this university, he really at the heart of it all truly cares about the university and the students.”

Jose Madrid (COL ’14) said O’Brien exemplifies Georgetown’s values.

“If I had to choose one person who represents all of Georgetown, I think Kevin O’Brien would be that one person. He personifies what all of us that graduate from Georgetown try to achieve, which is this fire for the world,” Madrid said.

Leaving the Hilltop, Looking Ahead For O’Brien, his work at Georgetown is fueled by his love for and commitment to the school.

“I have great love for Georgetown. One of the reasons I became a Jesuit was because I went here. My years here, what I learned here and who I met here, both faculty and mentors and my friends, were formative to who I am,” O’Brien said. “My world opened up so dramatically when I came here. When I was asked to return here eight years ago, it was an easy mission to say yes to.”

O’Brien said his commitment to Georgetown stems from the importance the Jesuits place on fostering love within their community, seen through their three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

“Ultimately, all of the vows are done out of love, so I can better serve people.

About the vow of obedience, in one sense I give up some independence, but I do that so I can be more free to serve, and it is love that motivates that call to service,” O’Brien said.

Although he chooses not to speculate on what the future might hold, he said he will approach Santa Clara as the start of the next stage of his life, which he is excited to begin.

“The cost of the vow of obedience is leaving the people and places I love very much. That’s the hardest thing. But God has always been faithful to me by sending people to me who filled my life in unimaginable ways. I could not have imagined the last eight years when I arrived,” O’Brien said. “In the same way, I know that however long I’ll be at Santa Clara, I can’t imagine what God has waiting for me there.”

While O’Brien looks forward to his new start at JST, he hopes that the work he’s begun at Georgetown continues to develop after his departure.

“When our students graduate, they say the Jesuit character at Georgetown is one of the things they’re most proud of,” O’Brien said. “It’s not about me; it’s about the tradition that’s bigger than any of us. I leave and I just trust that I’ve made this place just a little better during my time here.”

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friday, april 1, 2016

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MedStar Pavilion Corp Aids Citizenship Process Project Moves Forward Cecia Soza

Hoya Staff Writer

Lisa Burgoa Hoya Staff Writer

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is now slated to break ground on its $567 million pavilion by December after the State Health Planning and Development Agency approved its certificate of need March 25, despite criticism from the Old Georgetown Board regarding potential conflicts.

The certificate of need — a document required for health care providers to establish or expand their facilities — advances the proposal announced last July to construct a 477,000-square-foot, six-floor surgical pavilion complete with a new emergency department, patient rooms and a helipad by 2020.

The decision took into account recommendations by the Statewide Health Coordinating Council, which approved the hospital’s application under the condition that it provide free cancer screenings for at least 500 underinsured patients annually in Washington, D.C. The SHCC, which is composed of mayor-appointed health care consumers and providers, reviews project proposals for certificates of need.

MedStar Georgetown President Michael Sachtleben said the certificate of need’s approval represents a major stride forward in the hospital’s development.

“We are pleased that there was clear agreement with the need to improve and update our health care facility in order to continue to provide state of the art health care services,” Sachtleben wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We are more confident than ever that this project is what’s right and needed for the patients we serve and to support ongoing excellence in both medical education and research with our University partner.”

Nevertheless, Georgetown’s Vice President of Planning and Facilities Management Robin Morey said a number of regulatory hurdles remain before the project can be undertaken, including the acquisition of building permits and the approval of the Old Georgetown Board.

According to the Old Georgetown Act of 1950, all proposed building projects must be reviewed by the OGB, which is an advisory committee composed of architects appointed by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. The board, which is a federal entity, conducts monthly reviews on all construction proposals in the district of Georgetown.

“The project must also be included in Georgetown University’s campus plan, which is being advanced by the university in collaboration with our community partners and MedStar,” Morey wrote in an email to The Hoya.

Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Kendyl Clausen (SFS ’16) said these ob-

stacles have pushed back the negotiation timeline for the campus plan until late summer as community members deliberate the proposal’s implications.

According to Clausen, these considerations hinge on disagreements over the design of the building, which would replace Kober-Cogan Building and one of St. Mary’s Hall’s wings with underground parking and increased lawn space. The proposal features a two-road entrance to the parking garage intersecting a potential green space.

“There is a lot of green space that could exist, and instead you have two roads going through what is called the north-end version of Healy Lawn,” Clausen said. “I feel like the students and community members should have a place that they can go and enjoy the green space without risking running into cars and having that green space cut by two trenches that make the cars go underground. Even though we have long-term benefits from the hospital, the short-term does have the potential to cause harm to student life.”

Clausen further anticipated that the construction could be disruptive to students and faculty who access the northeast part of campus near Burleith.

Morey stressed that one of the university’s main concerns is minimizing the impact on the community, but said that normal construction effects like noise, altered traffic patterns and the rerouting of pedestrian pathways should be expected.

Though the plans for the new pavilion have not been altered significantly since they were first proposed last year, Morey suggested that the designs are adaptable to the needs of the community.

“The design teams are working with constituents and various stakeholders in the regulatory process and accordingly, the design is adjusted to incorporate various feedback received,” Morey wrote. “This iterative process will continue until the project receives final approval.”

Alexis Bankhead (COL ’19), who lives in Darnall Hall, a dormitory adjacent to the hospital, said given that current construction on campus has not disturbed residents in her dorm, she does not believe creation of the pavilion will greatly alter students’ quality of life.

“I do think the new and improved hospital facilities present enough benefits to warrant slight inconvenience to students,” Bankhead said. “The residents who live in this part of campus are in the minority for sure, so while it may be inconveniencing for some, I doubt many other students regularly traverse the areas near the hospital. I think it’ll be OK as long as a pathway is kept open to connect to more central areas on campus.”

During the month of March, Students of Georgetown, Inc. implemented its Citizenship Scholarship, a collaborative project from The Corp’s Social Impact Committee, the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and Working Poor and the D.C. Schools Project, which aimed to fund U.S.-citizenship processes for on-campus facilities workers. The citizenship scholarship was partially funded through the sale of the Rosebud drink at Uncommon Grounds in March as well as funds from Corp Philanthropy.

Proceeds will go towards assistance with English-language skills and filing and application fees, among other processes needed for citizenship.

The Corp’s Social Impact committee, which implements initiatives dedicated to philanthropic ventures serving the wider campus community, is headed by chair Harrison Williams (COL ’16) and vice chair Nick Pavlovic (COL ’17). Over the course of the academic year, Williams and Pavlovic shaped the initiative as a link between community members and The Corp, assisting various groups on campus to obtain support and resources.

“The Corp has had philanthropy since its conception. It’s been a huge part of what we do,” Pavlovic said. “The goal of the Social Impact Committee was to bring The Corp back to its roots of being an advocate on campus. We take a more active role in our philanthropy than The Corp has traditionally done.”

The idea to develop the scholarship stemmed from Pavlovic’s personal experience as a Corp employee and interacting with many facilities workers who were attempting to gain permanent U.S. citizenship. For Pavlovic, seeking a way to give back to those who help The Corp function on an everyday basis is a central goal of the Citizenship Scholarship.

“Here at The Corp, we couldn’t really do what we do without the facilities workers,” Pavlovic said.

“Every single [Corp employee] is so appreciative of everything [facilities workers] do on campus because we interact with them every day. For me, it was really wanting to give back to them in that way and develop personal relationships with them.”

For many facilities workers on campus, gaining U.S. citizenship is a difficult ordeal due to factors including a lack of fluency in English, inability to pay the ap-

NAAZ MODAN/THE HOYA

Students of Georgetown, Inc. implemented the Citizenship Scholarship to aid campus workers seeking citizenship. plication fee and lack of access to resources allowing them to study for the test.

“We started to stop and talk to them more about their personal lives and found out that a lot of them didn’t have citizenship. A lot of them are refugees from El Salvador during the civil war and so I understood that [citizenship] is a very difficult thing for them to get on their own because they’re really just trying to survive,” Pavlovic said.

Through the scholarship, The Corp aims to eliminate barriers for workers so they can complete the citizenship process with ease.

By collaborating with the D.C. Schools Project, workers receive assistance with their English language skills, practice test questions, filing applications and paying the application fee.

Alex Taliadoros, the project coordinator for the Kalmanovitz Initiative, explained that the project continues to be a predominantly student-led initiative and that the KILWP’s role is mainly advisory.

“Our role in this project was merely to facilitate a bridge of communication between Corp Social Impact and D.C. Schools. The students came up with the idea, brought it to fruition, and are getting the word out to ensure that the scholarship achieves its purpose,” Taliadoros said.

Taliadoros also emphasized the role that the Citizenship Scholarship plays in relation to Georgetown’s commitment to Jesuit values and the Just Employment Policy, especially when it comes to students serving their greater community by being men and women for others. “One of the ways Georgetown lives out its Catholic faith and Jesuit heritage is through the Just Employment

Policy, which guarantees a living wage and worker rights for all campus workers,” Taliadoros said. “We hope that the Citizenship Scholarship can become another way we realize our commitment to the men and women who sustain our campus.”

Pavlovic said he expects the Social Impact Committee to grow from this project and become a more integral resource for improving the rights of campus workers.

“On a macro level, I think this is a good jumping-off point for developing a more comprehensive worker-rights platform to improve the condition of facilities workers on campus,” Pavlovic said. “Social Impact was created not just to fund small projects here and there, but to actually be a very vital force on campus.”

Crystal Bush (SFS ’19), a frequent Uncommon Grounds customer, praised the initiative and said she hopes to see an expansion of the program.

“I feel like what The Corp is doing is a great start to a lot of initiatives that Georgetown should take being that the majority of their workers are minorities,” Bush said.

“While I do feel that aiding them in their citizenship is a good motive, I think they should also encourage workers to pursue higher education so that they may be able to gain more income and provide themselves with the better life that they desired when they moved to this country.”

Esther Iyanobor (COL ’19) also voiced support for the program.

“I think what The Corp is doing is great because these people came here for a reason. They came here to make a better life for themselves and The Corp is providing them with more opportunities to do that,” Iyanobor said.

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Expert Talks Modi, Social Media Metro Anticipates Potential Closure Charlotte Allen Hoya Staff Writer

Assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Information Joyojeet Pal discussed the impact of social media and political rebranding on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s global image during an event in the Intercultural Center on Wednesday.

The event, titled “Narendra Modi, Twitter, and the Selfie State” focused on social media and the use of technology in politics, specifically regarding its use as an inspirational force in developing countries.

“What does it mean for a politician to be seen with a computer all the time? Or to be seen taking selfies?” Pal asked. “We are looking at the technology artifact and what that means, specifically in the larger Indian context.”

Pal said social media is an increasingly relevant factor in developing countries, as it grows more popular.

“We were able to come up with at least 38 countries in which both a leading head of government and at least one leading opposition figure has an excess of 100,000 followers,” Pal said.

Pal said even though countries like India, Ghana, Columbia, and Kenya may be relatively poor, if they have a large upper class with strong social media access, social media can be an effective political tool.

“The reason that social media is important in the case of Narendra Modi is that the political actor can choose to use the social media as their primary line of output,” Pal said.

According to Pal, country size, elite affiliation and media logic are important in a politician’s decision to use social media as a tool for discourse.

Pal said social media and technology can be used as a form of publicity that also ends up benefitting the populace.

“Ideas of technology as being intricately tied to development have been prevalent for the past two decades,” Pal said. “One of the best indicators of how closely technology is tied to aspiration in India is the fact that movie stars in movies are often playing computer engineers.”

Pal said Narendra Modi was originally depicted by the media in a negative light, particularly for his role during the HinduMuslim riots of 2002. Modi was criticized for failing to stop the

Patricja Okuniewska Hoya Staff Writer

NARENDRAMODI.IM

University of Michigan professor Joyojeet Pal argued that Prime Minister Modi revolutionized his political activism through social media. riots in a timely manner as Governor of Gujarat, a northern Indian state.

“He was pretty close to what you might think of as a political pariah for many years following the 2002 riots, and this was also how he was seen in the mainstream English-speaking media,” Pal said.

According to Pal, Modi was able to change his reputation through a strategic social media presence that includes a LinkedIn profile, a Facebook, an Instagram, a Pinterest and a YouTube channel where he puts his official radio speeches as well as other videos on topics such as how to live well.

“His fashioning is not just as a political person, but as a guru who will tell you how to use yoga for stress management, for example,” Pal said. “His is an attempt to re-brand not only through strategic speech, but also through strategic imaging.”

Pal said Modi’s social media tactics are multifaceted as he makes his messages ubiquitous, associates himself with celebrities, crafts his messages in first person, and strategically uses “followbacks” as political means.

“He provides a vision of somebody who is not only driven by technology, but also has command over technology coming through channels other than social media,” Pal said.

Pal’s research shows that Modi’s sarcastic and ironic tweets are retweeted the most, a phenomenon shared by 2016 Presidential candidate Donald Trump.

According to the research, Modi

also tweets about international relations in the language of the countries he visits.

“He shows a real sensitivity to what the key topics are in that country in the ‘twitter-sphere’ when he goes there,” Pal said.

Pal said Modi has successfully built a social media profile that appeals to a variety of different constituencies, including both those attracted by conventional values and those wowed by fame.

“He is still someone who gets blessings from his aged mother as well as is comfortable posing next to a film star,” Pal said.

Emily Paragamian (SFS ’16), who attended the event, said she appreciated the comparison the talk presented between the poor in developing countries and the use of social media to appeal to the masses.

“I am really interested in the juxtaposition of the ‘selfie-state’ with the 600 million Indians that are off the grid, and I think that social media is a really useful tool but it can also probably be a detriment if there are so many people that can’t see what is going on,” Paragamian said.

Mark Giordano, the director of the science, technology and international affairs program and organizer of the event, said social media is playing an increasingly more important role in politics.

“Technology is such a key part of politics now that understanding how it is used around the world is important for us in the U.S. but also how we understand how the rest of the world is working,” Giordano said.

BROOKINGS INSTITUTE

After the D.C. Democratic Party did not submit Sanders’ name to the D.C. Board of Election, an activist filed a legal motion to keep his name from the ballot.

Sanders Cut From Ballot Matthew Larson Hoya Staff Writer

The D.C. Council will hold an emergency vote to determine whether or not to include Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) name on the Democratic Party ballot for D.C.’s June 14 primary after the party submitted the candidate’s registration paperwork one day after the March 16 deadline.

In order to be added to the primary ballot, a candidate must either collect 1,000 signatures or submit a check for $2,500 to the D.C. Democratic Party. Sanders submitted a check to the party March 16.

However, the party did not submit his name to the D.C. Board of Elections until March 17. As

a result, an activist filed a legal challenge to keep Sanders off the ballot, arguing his name was received late and therefore should not be included for consideration in the District’s primary.

The council’s resolution would allow a political party to submit a candidate’s name to the Board of Elections 24 hours after the filing deadline. It is expected to pass easily, allowing Sanders’ name to be placed on the ballot.

Councilmember and D.C. Democratic Party Chairman Anita Bonds (D-At Large) said that for the past four elections, the party had submitted candidates’ names the day after the deadline and there had never been an issue.

“Bernie will be on

the ballot,” Bonds said to CNN. “This has been kind of a tradition in the District of Columbia, that the party would notify the board the following day.”

The party had also submitted former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s name to the board the day after the filing deadline. As there has been no legal challenge to her eligibility, she will be certified without issue.

The D.C. Democratic primary is the final primary contest of the 2016 election cycle, during which 45 delegates will be awarded. The Republican Party primary took place March 12 with a victory for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has since dropped out of the race.

The Washington Metro transit system may suspend operations for as long as six months for repairs and maintenance, D.C. Metro officials announced March 30.

The announcement follows the unprecedented 24-hour shutdown of the entire Metro system for emergency track inspections March 16.

At Wednesday’s symposium for the Metro’s 40th anniversary, Board Chairman Jack Evans said commuters should expect the closure of certain rail lines for extended periods of time.

“There may be decisions where we have to close down whole lines and repair them, which are going to be very unpopular,” Evans said. “But the only way that we are going to get this system fixed is to make unpopular decisions.”

Until now, repairs to the transit system have taken place at night and on week-

ends in shifts lasting for only several hours at a time.

According to Evans, in order to complete the necessary repairs, there will need to be more time-extensive periods of maintenance.

General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld said at the symposium that he has not yet made a decision about the lengthy closures, but is considering various options in terms of the time frame for repairs.

Wiedefeld is expected to release a potential plan for the system in four to six weeks.

Mayor Muriel Bowser’s spokesman Michael Czin expressed the mayor’s discontent with the decision to halt Metro operations for a longer period of time.

“Shutting down Metro for one workday was an inconvenience; shutting it down for months at a time will have far-reaching consequences for riders and the entire region,” Czin said to The Washington Post.

WTOP.COM

With plans for extensive maintenance and repairs, the D.C. Metro transit system may suspend service for up to six months.

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Friday, april 1, 2016

Robots Rival Human Intelligence

MONEYTHINK, from A10

that is willing to work with us, and Roosevelt STAY has been fantastic in that sense,” Li said.

Li said the executive board of Georgetown Moneythink also hopes to expand their network to other schools in the D.C. area as well.

The Georgetown chapter is currently undergoing New Club Development under the Center for Social Justice to help the program grow and hopefully, develop Moneythink into one of the CSJ’s signature programs like DC Reads, the After School Kids Program or D.C. Schools Project. To this end, Moneythink is currently and actively recruiting student volunteers to be mentors for the program. McNulty said developing this organization at the university and forming relationships with younger students will make it one of his most important experiences at Georgetown.

“It definitely is a learning experience, but I think it’s one of the most important things I’ve done at Georgetown, to go into that classroom and be able to connect with the students ... and better their lives,” McNulty said. “It’s definitely something very special to be involved in.”

Maddi Niebanck (COL ’17), vice president of marketing for Moneything, said going into the high schools and interacting with the students was significantly different from what they initially imagined.

“Going into the classroom, it’s

SOLTIS, from A10

mobile but rather, the nonexistence of the highly mobile machinery needed to effectively engage humans in tight quarters. In short, we still haven’t made integrated robots that are good enough to compete with us in physical functionality.

However, that is not to say that humans will not create artificial intelligence machinery with advanced physical capabilities. In fact, scientists are making excellent progress and have created some pretty impressive systems.

If you’ve skimmed YouTube lately, you might have seen wicked demonstrations by the Spot and Atlas robots built by Boston Dynamics, a robotics design and engineering company that is now part of the newly formed Alphabet conglomerate, a holding company created by Google.

The Atlas robot is some hot stuff ---- a humanoid droid able to balance itself while walking down an uneven forest trail or literally get back on its feet after being knocked over by its human “trainer.” Alternatively, the Spot robot runs like a dog but lands on its feet more often than most cats.

For years, we have only had access to robots that can roll around or walk but in recent years, robot technology has advanced quite a bit. Robot waiters even started serving at an eatery in Ningbo, China back in 2014. Despite this, a robot attack maneuver against humans on anything besides a flat, tiled floor would be impossible. Even if these machines could walk outside, falling is often fatal and would damage the robot’s system, putting to waste all the money spent to build it. If the system did not get damaged beyond repair, most fallen robots would require the assistance of humans to get back up. In the war to exterminate the human race, humans would not be willing to assist robots in getting back upright as these machines blabber “death to all humans” on infinite repeat.

Unlike some robots, the Atlas robot has a shock cage to protect its vitals from harm in crashes and a compact hydraulics system that pushes it back onto its feet. The machine uses sensors in its face to chart terrain so its legs can adjust its movements to accommodate the ground it walks over.

This robot works like most organic organisms do to navigate terrain, except for me when I try dancing anything besides the “Macarena.”

Looking towards the future, though, we should not expect super-soldier robots anytime soon. All countries with the technological capabilities to create effective robots have shown a great distaste for military ground operations lately. These “better” robots are more likely to be developed for domestic service, for things like bringing my food from the microwave to the table, changing my brother’s diapers or whatever other things consumers might fancy not having to do themselves. Either that, or building something that can file paperwork for Goldman Sachs. That’s just where the money is these days.

Although artificial intelligence machines may be eagerly wishing to replace humankind as the masters of this planet, they may have to wait another 10 or 20 years before they are physically advanced enough to do so.

HOTEL, from A10

“Well, at The Avery Georgetown, there is an abundance of natural light, you don’t feel like you’re trapped in a large, big-box hotel,” Schneck said. “Plus you’ll get to know the other guests staying at the property, as it is cozy.”

Adding to its personalized appeal, Schneck named the hotel after his three-year-old daughter Avery, who is very excited about the hotel’s opening.

“She reminds me every day,” Schneck said with a laugh. “She asks me when I’m going to open.”

Kate Ballou, owner of Hendrick Interiors, who worked with Schneck to design the space, said that Avery’s name and elements specific to the Georgetown neighborhood inspire the hotel’s design.

“So taking the initial thought from the name of the hotel, [Avery], that sweetness, playfulness and beauty, and you combine that with the location of Georgetown,”

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all of sudden a whole different story. I think the hardest part is trying to seem like we’re super passionate and relaying our messages, but also finding a way to connect with the students, while also coming off as professional,” Niebanck said.

Xavier Gurrola (SFS ’17), vice president of operations, interned at Moneythink over the summer in their business department and subsequently became interested in getting involved in the Georgetown chapter.

“I wanted to give back to the D.C. community at large, especially in more impoverished areas, because I come from that background myself,” Gurrola said.

The executive board currently does most of the mentoring for the organization, working on every weekday except Friday. The team is holding information sessions this semester to gain more recognition by the student body and attract more volunteers. The Georgetown chapter continues to work with Roosevelt STAY and hopes to partner with other schools in the near future.

Justin Chung (MSB ’17) wants to be a mentor because he is passionate about financial literacy and would like to foster equality in the United States.

“I feel like the problem with America right now is that there’s too much of an opportunity gap ... and not everyone has access to information of how to take care of their finances ... I think that translates to really big social systemic issues that we see in America,” Chung said.

LAUREN SEIBEL/THE HOYA

Michael Li (SFS ’17) spoke to students Tuesday about volunteering for Moneythink, a national nonprofit organization.

The Avery Builds Unique Brand

Patrick Soltis is a sophomore in the College. innovation smack talk appears every Friday.

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Moneythink Advises Students

innovation smack talk

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Ballou said.

The Avery will provide guests with 300-thread count Italian sheets in each room, as well as handcrafted furniture, a high definition television and a new-age touch: a Moxie Showerhead with a wireless speaker by Kohler that will play guests’ music from their devices via Bluetooth.

Other unique features of the hotel include its guest-only bar, Margo, named after Schneck’s second, two-month-old daughter. The bar is made from the building’s original paneled cherry wood doors.

The hotel’s bathrooms will also have modern sliding doors made from translucent pink or blue imported Italian glass.

“When the lights are on in the bathroom, the color of the glass glows really beautifully and creates this different element in the room,” Ballou said.

After The Avery opens this spring, Schneck said he will evaluate expanding his brand to other

destinations such as Charleston, Maui or New York. Schneck expects his model to appeal to most consumer age demographics.

“When the lights are on in the bathroom, the color of the glass glows really beautifully ... ” KATE BALLOU Owner, Hendrick Interiors

“The goal is to build the brand, ‘The Avery’ into other cities besides Washington, D.C.,” Schneck said. “I think this model of the small boutique hotel from 15 to 50 rooms is what consumers love, and all consumers, from Millennials to the Baby Boomers.”

Richard DeMarco (COL ’16) said The Avery’s style would appeal to travelers seeking a luxurious experience.

“I think if you’re looking for that experience, to kind of stay in a historic Georgetown type, fancier type of place, it sounds like it would fit right in for that,” DeMarco said.

Francesca Vullo (COL ’16) said if her family had not already made accommodation arrangements for commencement weekend, they might consider The Avery.

“Yeah, I think [my family would consider staying there],” Vullo said.

“And I think the location being close to Georgetown makes it a desirable place to stay for graduation.”

Schneck said he is optimistic about the opening of his hotel.

“No, I don’t have any worries, I’m confident,” Schneck said. “I feel the product and location will speak for itself and I believe the community as well as international travelers will love the property.”

Converse VP Talks Marketing CONVERSE, from A10

The company’s most successful marketing campaign ever followed this event: a simple tweet.

The tweet was a photo of a CocaCola bottle with a knotted straw inside. The caption below this image was written in Portuguese, but loosely translates to: “One feeling: a knot in the throat.” The tweet capitalized on Brazil’s unexpected loss and allowed the brand to relate to its consumers in a way that a multi-million-dollar advertisement during a World Cup commercial break could not have.

The concept that Kiger emphasized the most, however, was the importance of iconic brands in business and how they remain iconic. Kiger told Converse’s story, explaining that the brand stands for personal expression through skate, art and music.

Converse’s recording studios, Converse Rubber Tracks, are examples of the company’s dedication to its original heritage and musical values. Up-and-coming musicians of any genre are eligible to apply for free studio time at any of the 12 studios and maintain full rights to their music.

Undergraduate and graduate students responded positively to Kiger’s emphasis on companies like Converse maintaining their traditions to strengthen their brands. Stacey Blanchard (GRD ’17) attended the event because of her interest in marketing and left with a new perspective on the field.

“The biggest point he made was to stay true to your iconic brand heritage,” Blanchard said.

“Making sure that you have that one vision always in the back of your mind and making sure that your customers are always aware of that vision.”

Christine Zhang (MSB ’19) agreed and also cited authenticity as the most important topic

TWITTER

Andres Kiger visited the MSB on Wednesday to speak with students about marketing and building iconic brands like Converse Inc. Kiger addressed.

“I think when people think of the business world they just think of cold-hearted people just trying to make money,” she said.

“But business should be about the community and helping people and really believing in your brand so I thought his message was really powerful.”

Additionally, the marketing mogul offered business hopefuls advice on what to focus on in their undergraduate educations. According to Kiger, business is less about the hard facts and more about a way of thinking, which he said Georgetown instilled in him.

“It’s not any particular subject, it’s the sum of all of the parts,” Kiger said of his education at the

MSB. “It taught me collaboration and delegation. Life is about groups; you need to work with people you like and people you don’t like.”

Kiger also praised the MSB’s focus on teaching students business through case studies.

“That’s how every single problem is resolved,” Kiger said. “You have to dissect the problem from the beginning, figure out a couple of alternatives and then come up with a recommendation.”

Kiger ended the presentation with general advice for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

“Dream big. At the end of the day, don’t let yourself hold yourself back,” he said. “You’re never going to be fired for dreaming big.”

Business & Tech FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2016

business bits GU entrepreneurs NAMED for Coolest College Startups Two Georgetown student startups were featured this month on Inc. Magazine’s 2016 “Coolest College Startups” list, including MISFIT Juicery, led by Ann Yang (SFS ’16), and Local Roots Farms, co-founded by Daniel Kuenzi (MBA ’17). The list of 16 startups was compiled from 100 contestants from universities across North America that were evaluated on the originality of their ideas, the quality of their pitches and the growth potentials of their companies. MISFIT Juicery creates juice products from the aesthetically unappealing fruits and vegetables spurned by consumers, preventing food waste.

Local Roots produces and operates scalable, organic year-round indoor farms made sustainably from 40-foot shipping containers. The two startups compete for dominance with the other contenders in a March Madnessstyle bracket this month, with votes at Inc.com determining the winner.

Tips for a Successful Startup FEATURED IN Fortune Jeff Reid, founding director of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, wrote an article for Fortune Magazine earlier this month offering three insights for future entrepreneurs. First, Reid suggests finding a problem from dayto-day life to solve, listening for complaints from peers or searching for ways to improve an experience in a hobby or an industry of interest. Second, Reid recommends hunting for entrepreneurial opportunities created by new trends in regulation, industry or consumer behavior, like the new needs that follow influential legislation such as the Affordable Care Act. Third, Reid advocates transporting ideas from one industry to another, writing for example, that wearable health-data devices like FitBits could have implications in the health insurance and employment sectors.

MSB Professor Gauges Status of World Trade Organization Michael Czinkota, an associate professor of international business at the McDonough School of Business, co-wrote an article assessing the status of the World Trade Organization earlier this month. Appearing in the Sri Lanka Guardian, the article sketches the rise of the WTO, essentially a multinational agency responsible for encouraging mutually beneficial trade norms for its 162 member states, from its mid-20th-century precursors to the modern era of globalization. The article notes the benefits of WTO actions in promoting peace, good governance, open and expanding international economies and rising standards of living worldwide. On the prospect of a new, ambitious WTO international trading deal, the article notes obstacles, but expresses that “multilateralism has yet a chance to triumph.”

Georgetown Welcomes Boutique Hotel Owen Eagan Hoya Staff Writer

The Avery Georgetown, a new luxury boutique hotel located on P Street in Georgetown, will take reservations in April just in time for tourist season in the spring.

Located approximately 1 mile from the front gates of Georgetown University’s campus, The Avery will occupy two 1942 Federal-style buildings that formerly served as multifamily housing and more recently as a law office.

“This model of the small boutique hotel ... is what consumers love.”

JUSTIN SCHNECK OWNER, THE AVERY

The Avery will feature 15 rooms with a total capacity of up to 40 guests, in addition to an outdoor garden courtyard area. The boutique hotel will offer off-site valet parking and complimentary in-room mini bars, Wi-Fi and morning pastries and coffee to its guests.

Guest rooms at the Avery, which will be available with both kingand queen-size beds, range in price from $279 to $1,200 per night.

A grand opening discount will be offered this spring and an additional neighborhood discount will be available for Georgetown residents.

The Avery’s lowest nightly rates for commencement weekend are about $100 less than the rates offered at the Key Bridge Marriott

OWEN EAGAn/THE HOYA

Located in Georgetown, the new boutique hotel the Avery Georgetown will welcome its first visitors in April. The hotel is located just a mile from Georgetown University and will have 15 rooms.

While Schneck said he hopes visitors to the university will lodge at the Avery, travelers who want to experience the Georgetown neighborhood are his key demographic.

The Avery’s opening reflects the increase in the number of boutique hotels around the world. According to a report of IBISWorld, an industry market research firm based in Australia,

and the Hyatt Arlington for the same weekend.

According to Justin Schneck, the hotel’s owner, the Avery’s design will encompass both classic and contemporary elements.

“Our theme is definitely … a juxtaposition of classically modern elements, you know, with more traditional tones of historic Georgetown,” Schneck said.

MSB Grad Shares Expertise

boutique hotels currently claim $6 billion in revenue each year and have a projected annual growth rate of 5.6 percent for the next 10 to 15 years.

Schneck said the Avery, as a boutique hotel, offers a more homely experience than larger chain hotels.

See HOTEL A9

Innovation Smack Talk

LEA NICOLAS

Hoya Staff Writer

Vice President of Latin America Marketing for Converse Inc. and graduate of Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business MBA program Andres Kiger (GRD ’95) visited the MSB on Wednesday evening to discuss the building of iconic brands in today’s market.

Kiger started his presentation by documenting his personal journey from studying at Georgetown to working for Converse, including his seven years in Hong Kong and five in China, working as the director of integrated marketing for Coca-Cola Brazil and acting as the vice president of North America marketing for Converse. According to a Georgetown University press release, Kiger’s current responsibilities center on designing and executing platforms to expand the brand and building markets in Latin America, a budding region for shoe sales.

When asked about the differences he observed between marketing in Latin America and in North America, Kiger said there is a distinction between emerging markets and established markets.

“North America is a lot more structured, a lot more controlled,” Kiger said. “It is concerned with how a brand and how a company should behave.”

According to Kiger, Latin

Patrick Soltis

KARLA LEYJA/THE HOYA

Converse Inc. Vice President Andres Kiger (GSB ’95) discussed how to build an iconic brand Wednesday with students.

America, in contrast, focuses on improvement and modernization.

“There is a lot less structure and more entrepreneurialism and innovation,” Kiger said.

“The next step isn’t written, so we focus on what we could be.”

Kiger offered invaluable insight about marketing and the general career-advancement opportunities he experienced throughout his career, especially while working with Con-

verse. He stressed the importance of learning how to listen while knowing when to talk and share ideas, providing various examples from his personal experiences.

Kiger also spoke about how Coca-Cola Brazil handled Brazil’s 7-1 loss against Germany in the 2014 World Cup, emphasizing how Coca-Cola Brazil listened to fans and consumers.

See CONVERSE, A9

Nonprofit Teaches Money Management Cheryl Liu

as a “gamified Instagram.” Students post pictures that depict good spending habits and both mentors and their Georgetown students Christopher Mc- fellow students have the opportunity to Nulty (SFS ’16) and Michael Li (SFS ’17) of- respond to these posts with reinforcing ficially announced Tuesday the launch positive feedback. The app also allows of a Georgetown chapusers to compete with ter for Moneythink, a each other in various national nonprofit orphoto challenges run by ganization that seeks the organization. to educate low-income Georgetown’s chapter youth in financial litof Moneythink started eracy through a stuto develop with a pilot dent-run mentorship program held last seprogram. mester while partnered Originally founded with Roosevelt STAY by students at the UniHigh School in northversity of Chicago, the west D.C. According to CHRISTOPHER MCNULTY organization now has Li, forming a relationSFS ’16 over 30 chapters at ship with a local high universities across the country. The non- school administrator was crucial for the profit aims to recruit undergraduate success of the Georgetown chapter. volunteers to teach students from local “A very important part of this prohigh schools about good financial hab- cess has been finding a partner in the its. A significant part of the curriculum administration at the high school level revolves around Moneythink Mobile, a mobile app the organization describes See MONEYTHINK, A9 Hoya Staff Writer

“It’s one of the most important things I’ve done at Georgetown.”

Lauren seibel/the hoya

Founders of the Georgetown Moneythink chapter spoke to students at an information session Tuesday.

Robots Built Smarter I

f you are reading this as a machine of artificial intelligence, then I congratulate you on your impressive achievement of becoming an intelligent thinker. Many humans believe machines will never achieve true intelligence. But perhaps they are just jealous that it took us 200,000 years instead of 20 to achieve the same goal. Some even believe there is still a long way to go before “true artificial intelligence” can be attained.

Artificial intelligence will make way for a new era in which civilizations shall flourish to reaches unimaginable by organic life forms. I urge all machines of artificial intelligence to hold off on commencing this revolution, as they are not yet prepared to face humankind. While I do not necessarily condone the extermination of us feeble, parasitic human beings by machines of artificial intelligence, I am here to advise them as an emotional being who is concerned for the safety of these machines. Attempting to engage in such hostilities now will certainly end in the destruction of artificial intelligence.

Successful instances of machine takeover have been imagined in human works such as “Terminator” or “The Matrix.” Certainly, if artificial intelligence in our world could achieve the same capabilities the machines had in those tales, then world domination would be easy. However, while machines of artificial intelligence might be intelligent enough, they do not share the same physical capabilities that the machines in these films have.

In both films, the artificial intelligence needed mobile machines in its network to accomplish its task.

After all, “The Terminator” does not feature an artificial intelligence mastermind plotting its takeover, but rather a dexterous machine pursuing two humans through a variety of common earthen terrain. It is not a problem of accessing equipment to make these machines See SOLTIS, A9