The Hoya: September 29, 2017

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

Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 99, No. 5, © 2017

friday, september 29, 2017

A GEORGETOWN LEGEND

The legacy of Yarrow Mamout, a former slaveturned-entrepreneur, lives on in Georgetown.

EDITORIAL Georgetown must keep protections for survivors while reaffirming the importance of due process.

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MEMORIAL EFFORTS The D.C. Council is considering a bill to memorialize women and people of color.

OPINION, A2

NEWS, A5

LGBTQ Resource Center Sessions Decries Free Speech Climate GULC students, faculty protest attorney general’s visit Celebrates 1st Decade Of Advocacy, Progress Jesus Rodriguez Hoya Staff Writer

Marina Pitofsky Hoya Staff Writer

A decade ago, LGBTQ students at Georgetown had few places to turn for support. Before the advent of the LGBTQ Resource Center, students could only go to informal social networks — usually in secret.

Ten years later, the LGBTQ Resource Center celebrated its anniversary in a panel Wednesday highlighting the campus’s great leaps in LGBTQ inclusion. The panel included current and former university administrators in addition to alumni who were leaders of the Out for Change Campaign, Connor Cory (COL ’10, LAW ’16), Julia Reticker-Flynn (SFS ’08) and Jason Resendez (COL ’08).

“A lot of what we would do was gather off campus. People just did not feel comfortable being out and open on campus, so we relied a lot on informal networks.”

CONNOR CORY (COL ’10, LAW ’16)

Student activists founded the Out for Change Campaign in 2007 after years of discontent in the campus’s LGBTQ community, which came to a head after a Georgetown student was arrested for an alleged homophobic

hate crime against a fellow student.

Cory, a former student who was active in the original campaign, said the campus climate for LGBTQ students had been lacking long before the alleged attack. Without on-campus support for LGBTQ students, queer students were forced to form informal support networks of their own.

“Everything was so hush-hush,” Cory said. “A lot of what we did was gather off campus. People just did not feel comfortable being out and open on campus, so we relied a lot on informal networks.”

Reticker-Flynn, another student involved in the original campaign, said LGBTQ students accustomed to limited visibility were skeptical that the university would act — particularly after the university took weeks to publicly announce the incident.

“The skepticism came from the fact that we had spent three weeks in silence. It’s important to remember that that silence showed that it wasn’t clear that the university values LGBT young people,” Reticker-Flynn said.

For LGBTQ students, Resendez said, the university’s underwhelming response felt like a sign of disregard from an institution they valued deeply.

“It was about feeling included and part of a community that, for a lot of us, we invested a lot in Georgetown. I’m a first-generation college student. Georgetown was a lifeline for me and my family,” Resendez said. “So for that institution to turn its back on you, that they didn’t value your public safety and its actions embodied that value, that was traumatic.”

See CENTER, A6

JESUS RODRIGUEZ/THE HOYA

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, top left, addressed a group of GULC students and faculty Tuesday, while protesters knelt to denounce the event’s restricted nature.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions defended free speech rights on college campuses and condemned protesters who have tried to curtail them at an invitation-only Georgetown University Law Center event Tuesday.

Law students protested the event’s organization for being overly selective after more than 130 students who had registered for the event were restricted from attending it, limiting the audience to students affiliated with the host Center for the Constitution, a Law Center program with the mission of educating students on remaining “faithful” to the Constitution’s text.

Sessions, whose remarks were followed by a question-and-answer session with constitutional law professor and Center for the Constitution Director Randy Barnett, warned that freedom of expression is “in retreat” on college campuses.

“Protesters are now routinely shutting down speeches and debates across the country in an effort to stop the forces that insufficiently conform to their views,” Sessions said. “This is not the great tradition of America.”

Free speech on college campuses has become an issue of national interest following protests at University of California, Berkeley, where student groups invited conservative commentators Milo Yiannopoulos and Ben Shapiro. Similar incidents have occurred at Middlebury College and California State University, Los Angeles.

Georgetown was also the subject of criticism in 2016 over a Lecture Fund event with speaker Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, due to the university’s history as the oldest See SESSIONS, A6

Bowser Seeks 2nd Mayoral Term, Promises Social, Economic Growth

GROUND OPENING

Matt Larson and Joe Egler Hoya Staff Writers

WILL CROMARTY FOR THE HOYA

Uncommon Grounds reopened in its new location on the second floor of the Georgetown University Bookstore this Monday. Story on A9.

featured

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced her intent to run for re-election in 2018, pledging to use the capital’s growth to benefit more District residents, especially as the economic gap between white and minority residents grows.

Bowser, who began her term in 2014, announced her decision via her personal Twitter page in a short video Sept. 22.

According to Wesley Williams, public affairs manager for the Office of Campaign Finance, Bowser will face several other candidates. The first filing deadline is Dec. 11, 2017.

“Currently we have six,” Williams said, noting the number of candidates who have already filed for the 2018 mayoral candidacy.

Two candidates challenging Bowser are James Butler (D) and Dustin Canter (I).

The most well-known potential candidate to face Bowser would be former Mayor and current councilmember Vincent Gray (D-Ward 7).

Bowser defeated Gray, then the incumbent mayor, in 2014 in the Democratic primary after it was announced that Gray was under investigation for improper use and procurement of campaign finances.

Prosecutors eventually dropped charges against Gray, who has not yet ruled out a run to return to his former office.

FILE PHOTO: SPENCER COOK/THE HOYA

See ELECTION, A6

Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced last Friday she would seek re-election.

Her campaign is rooted in continued social and economic progress.

NEWS

OPINION

SPORTS

Powell to the People Former Secretary of State Colin Powell reinforced the United States as a “nation of immigrants” in a speech Wednesday.

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A Difficult Journey The Out for Change campaign’s path to success was not as simple as it is often described.

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Football Foes The football team will host Harvard at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

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NEWS Jayapal in the House

opinion Pilgrim’s Progress

SPORTS Win-Win

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (CAS ’86), the first Indian-American congresswoman, addressed students Monday.

A4 Published Fridays

Even if you do not stray far from campus, experiencing life as a pilgrimage can be transformative.

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The women’s soccer team opened its conference schedule by defeating St. John’s and DePaul this week.

A12 Send story ideas and tips to news@thehoya.com

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OPINION

THE HOYA

friday, september 29, 2017

THE VERDICT

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Uphold Survivor Protections The Department of Education’s withdrawal of the 2011 “Dear Colleague” letter earlier this week will bring about a shift in policy surrounding sexual assault on college campuses nationwide. As new guidelines are put in place over the coming months, Georgetown University has the opportunity to dictate its policy largely at its own discretion. In doing so, the university should uphold the tenets of the letter that will support survivors — most notably the lower evidentiary standard put forth for sexual assault cases — while rejecting other guidelines in the letter that infringe upon students’ rights to due process.

The “Dear Colleague” letter, issued by the Department of Education under former President Barack Obama, established new standards for colleges and universities adjudicating cases of sexual assault. Perhaps the most notable of the guidelines lowered the burden of proof in these cases: The letter dictated that universities should use a “preponderance of evidence” standard — also known as the “more likely than not” standard — to evaluate sexual assault complaints and determine disciplinary action; previously, these cases used the higher “clear and convincing” evidence standard, which is used in criminal cases and for other disciplinary infractions at Georgetown.

The recent rescission of the “Dear Colleague” letter and its impending guidelines will likely de-emphasize survivor-centered policies. If Georgetown were to reverse the standard, it would signal to sexual assault survivors that the university does not prioritize them, particularly as Department of Education policy shifts away from protecting survivors.

The importance of maintaining the lower burden of proof can be seen in the numbers: The Federal Bureau of Investigations estimates that between 2 and 10 percent of sexual assault reports are false allegations. Conversely, only 12.5 percent of incidents of rape were reported to any official, according to a 2015 study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the vast majority of rapes go entirely unreported. While it is undoubtedly important to ensure due process in these proceedings to prevent wrongful convictions, the statistics show that, in terms of real-life consequences, it is more important to protect and advocate for sexual assault survivors.

As such, the university ought to use its discretion to uphold the lower evidentiary standard put forth by the “Dear Colleague” letter, thus reaffirming its commitment to sexual assault survivors. While the Department of Education plans to release new guidelines in the coming months, the interim guidance gives schools the option to continue using the “preponderance of evidence” standard. Georgetown should do so.

Policy surrounding sexual assault on college campuses must be considered carefully due to the severity of the issue and the already underreported status of such crimes. While due process rights are important principles to which we should commit ourselves, the tangible consequences that reverting the standard would have on sexual assault survivors must be our priority, and therefore should in this case trump our due process values.

A reversion back to the “clear and convincing evidence” standard would not happen in isolation. University campuses are already rife with cultural and societal stigmas surrounding sexual assault, and reverting the burden of proof would only reinforce the difficulties facing survivors by implying doubts about their stories’ credibility. Reversing the standard of evidence would not be perceived as a simple administrative change, but rather would likely have detrimental effects on survivors, including a probable decrease in the reporting rate.

The proper adjudication of sexual assault cases is vital to our community, and many of the guidelines proposed in the “Dear Colleague” letter are, to their credit, laudable in their efforts to ensure this. For example, the appointment of a Title IX coordinator and the requirement for schools to respond to reported cases of sexual assault are both positive steps in ensuring justice for survivors of sexual assault.

However, despite its numerous benefits, many of the guidelines in the “Dear Colleague” letter are detrimental to the due process rights of the accused. The withdrawal of these guidelines should encourage Georgetown to re-evaluate its own procedures, to simultaneously support survivors while ensuring due process.

The original letter’s guidelines stripped defendants in the sexual assault adjudication process of rights that would be afforded to them in an actual trial. For example, one provision of the “Dear Colleague” letter “strongly discourages” cross-examination, an essential part of the judicial process.

The letter also requires universities to allow accusers the ability to appeal not-guilty verdicts, essentially a form of double jeopardy. Moreover, it permits the university to levy disciplinary measures on defendants — including restrictions about where on campus they can go or what activities they can attend — before the conclusion of any adjudication process and sometimes even after the student has been found innocent.

These guidelines violate the standards of due process that these adjudication proceedings merit. As such, these harms done to the defendants should be redressed. Though the university should not revert the evidentiary standards, it ought to work to both clearly enumerate and properly uphold other due process rights for accused students, including protection from punitive measures before the conclusion of adjudication. In this way, we can work to reaffirm the importance of all students’ right to due process while also upholding our commitment to survivor-centered policies.

Correcting the adjudication process where possible is particularly important as universities are increasingly losing cases filed against them by disciplined students at an alarming rate. Earlier this month, a piece in The Atlantic

by Emily Yoffe discussed issues with universities’ sexual assault policies. It notes that, in the last several years, around 170 suits have been filed against universities by accused students alleging unfair treatment in sexual assault adjudication processes. Around 60 of these cases resulted in findings favorable to the students.

The American judicial system is predicated on the idea that the burden of proof lies with the plaintiff, and the benefit of the doubt with the defendant. Though universities are not mandated to live up to this standard, they should look to this standard in cases as serious as sexual assault, as it is in everyone’s best interest that these cases are adjudicated carefully. The change in the burden of proof from “clear and convincing evidence” to “preponderance of evidence” threatens the accused student’s right to due process by allowing for the possibility of a guilty ruling despite significant doubts.

Several legal groups have, over the last several years, expressed serious concerns about the lowered standard of evidence, as Yoffe’s piece discusses. The American College of Trial Lawyers, for example, issued a similar statement in April calling for the use of the “clear and convincing evidence standard” and arguing that, “under the current system everyone loses: accused students are deprived of fundamental fairness [and] complainants’ experiences are unintentionally eroded and undermined.”

Proponents often defend the lower evidentiary standard by arguing that the “preponderance of evidence” standard is typically applied in civil cases. Yet this defense neglects the severity of punishment that can be given in these cases, including expulsion. As this editorial board argued just last week, “The U.S. judicial system, in contrast [to the university], imposes higher levels of scrutiny for more severe punishments with the understanding that it is illogical to lower the burden of proof for those vulnerable to harsher penalties.”

Effectively, the implementation of lower evidentiary standards by the Obama-era Department of Education set a dangerous precedent of eroding due process, as do many of the guidelines of the “Dear Colleague” letter. Yet to revert the burden of proof back to “clear and convincing evidence” would be a mistake, as it would undoubtedly signal to survivors that justice for them is not a priority and as such could pose a severe threat to already low reporting rates of sexual assault.

Now that universities have implemented the “preponderance of evidence” standard, Georgetown and its peer institutions must stick to it, rather than risk the consequences that survivors would face from a return to the “clear and convincing evidence” standard. Though the lower evidentiary standards are an affront to our firm belief in due process, reverting the standard would ultimately be more detrimental in real life, in particular to survivors of sexual assault.

Toby Hung, Editor-in-Chief Ian Scoville, Executive Editor Marina Tian, Executive Editor Jesus Rodriguez, Managing Editor Jeff Cirillo, News Editor Christian Paz, News Editor Dean Hampers, Sports Editor Dani Guerrero, Guide Editor Meena Raman, Guide Editor Maya Gandhi, Opinion Editor Will Zhu, Features Editor Stephanie Yuan, Photography Editor Alyssa Volivar, Design Editor Emma Wenzinger, Copy Chief Tara Subramaniam, Social Media Editor Mike Radice, Blog Editor Jarrett Ross, Multimedia Editor Aly Pachter, Development Editor Lisa Burgoa, Public Editor

Editorial Board

Maya Gandhi, Chair Habon Ali, Alan Chen, Michael Fiedorowicz, Elsa Givan, Joseph Gomez, Josh Molder

Yasmine Salam Alfredo Carrillo Hannah Urtz Madeline Charbonneau Dan Baldwin Dan Crosson Mitchell Taylor Kathryn Baker Mac Dressman Noah Hawke Will Leo Yasmeen El-Hasan Kate Rose Elinor Walker Anna Kovacevich Karla Leyja Ella Wan Saavan Chintalacheruvu Grace Chung Mina Lee Catriona Kendall Juliette Leader Joshua Levy Catherine Schluth Charlie Fritz

Campus Life Desk Editor Academics Desk Editor City Desk Editor News Desk Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Opinion Editor Deputy Opinion Editor Cartoonist Deputy Photography Editor Deputy Photography Editor Deputy Photography Editor Deputy Design Editor Deputy Design Editor Deputy Design Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Blog Editor

Incisions In Concision — Twitter began beta-testing a 280-character limit to certain accounts across the platform, abandoning its signature 140-character cap.

From Airplanes to Rockets — B.o.B. started a GoFundMe called “Show BoB the Curve” with the stated intention of sending satellites into space to prove the flatness of the Earth. So far, he has raised nearly $4,000 — his goal is $1 million.

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Keeping Up With the Kid — Kylie Jenner announced she is pregnant with Travis Scott’s child. Not one to be outmatched by her sister, Khloe Kardashian announced she was also pregnant days later, and sister Kim Kardashian confirmed she is having a third child through surrogate.

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EDITORIAL

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Founded January 14, 1920

B Is for Billboard — “Bodak Yellow” makes Cardi B the second female rapper to top music’s most important chart without a feature. The first was Lauryn Hill in 1998 with her song “Doo Wop.”

Banned Book? — A Cambridge, Mass., librarian rejected first lady Melania Trump’s gift, given in celebration of National Read a Book Day. She described Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” as “racist propaganda.”

EDITORIAL CARTOON by Elinor Walker

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Why Are We Surprised?

A recent Pew Research Center study indicates that 73 percent of Jews in America believe that “remembering the Holocaust” is an essential part of what being Jewish means to them. As a student of the Holocaust, I always found that this statistic confounds non-Jews. To them, the Holocaust was a crime committed over 70 years ago, but to those of us who have relatives who were murdered during that era, the Holocaust is burned into our collective memory.

It is with that lens that, on the first night of the Jewish New Year, I received University President John J. DeGioia’s letter about the recent acts of anti-Semitism on our cam-

pus. Honestly, I wasn’t surprised at all. Anti-Semitism, in its modern form, has existed for hundreds of years. From democratic to totalitarian regimes, anti-Semitism flourishes during times of social upheaval and economic strife.

As millennials, we live in a constructed reality where we believe that pluralism and liberalism will always triumph over the “evil” of reactionaries, but that just isn’t true. So, I ask again, why are we surprised that this happened here?

On campus, I was heartened by the overwhelming condemnation of these acts by students, faculty and staff alike; however, we have to do more. At its core, modern anti-

Semitism is a racist ideology, and verbal condemnation just won’t cut it. As students, we must demand that action be taken to rectify the alarming rise of anti-Semitism on our campus. Facebook statements by our student government and emails from administration will do nothing to stem the rise of hatred. Instead, we have to reflect on who we are as a community, and we must mandate that more resources be devoted to educating ourselves about the horrors of an ideology that contributed to the murder of millions.

Jonathan Lanz (COL ’19)

CORRECTIONS The article “Beneath the Tombs: A Rich Art History” [The Hoya, Sept. 15, 2017, B2] misidentified Karen McCooey as an art curator for The Tombs. She is chief design consultant of karenmccooey.com.

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OPINION

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

THE HOYA

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VIEWPOINT • NGUYEN

AS THIS JESUIT SEES IT

Fr. Gregory Schenden, S.J.

Experiencing Life as Pilgrimage

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ast weekend, the Catholic Ministry hosted our Loyola retreat for first-year students at the Calcagnini Contemplative Center, Georgetown’s retreat center in Bluemont, Va. The Loyola program serves as the first in a four-year series of retreats — Loyola, Montserrat, Manresa and La Storta — named for key moments in the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

The aim of these retreats is to allow students to more deeply experience what is at the core of our heritage at Georgetown — the Ignatian spiritual tradition.

Foundational to our Ignatian heritage is the notion of pilgrimage. St. Ignatius, in his “Autobiography,” always referred to himself as the pilgrim. It was the manner in which he viewed himself near the end of his life.

The difference between a mere traveller and a pilgrim was explained to me once by a wise Jesuit in this way: A traveller, when visiting a town, city or other locale moves through the place. A pilgrim, on the other hand, will allow the place to move through them.

Such an understanding implies that each of us is transformed by the experiences of travel. We are always becoming something new, something unknown and, hopefully, more fully becoming our authentic selves. As Jack Kerouac said in his novel “On the Road,” “Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.”

I was asked while on the Loyola retreat whether it was necessary to travel abroad in order to experience life as pilgrimage. While physical travel surely provides opportunity for the transformative experience of life as pilgrimage, St. Ignatius recognizes that each day of our lives — from the thrilling to the mundane, from the joyous to the difficult — is necessarily part of our individual pilgrimages.

Pilgrimage becomes a mindset from which to approach our life and experiences. As we begin this academic year, we should seek to actively acknowledge the pilgrimage we are embarking upon and to embody the Ignatian principles that are

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fundamental to this journey.

Three key dispositions found in “The spiritual exercises” of St. Ignatius of Loyola are foundational in recognizing our life here at Georgetown as pilgrimage: indifference, presupposition of good and magnanimity.

In an Ignatian understanding, indifference is not a matter of not caring, nor is it passive. Rather, it is an engaged openness in seeking greater meaning in all aspects of life — health as well as sickness, wealth as well as poverty, joy as well as sorrow and the noise of our busyness as well as the silence of our communal contemplation. In those beautiful moments of silent reflection at Loyola, our newest Hoyas embodied that very indifference, that openness, to discovering deeper meaning in the midst of a new experience.

Moreover, in The “spiritual sxercises.” St. Ignatius insists that the foundation of the relationship between a retreatant and spiritual director is the presupposition of good in each other’s words and actions. It is often referred to as the “Jesuit plus sign” — giving the benefit of the doubt and listening in a spirit of authentic love.

Finally, for St. Ignatius, magnanimity is a prerequisite for one seeking to accomplish The Spiritual Exercises. Magnanimity is not mere generosity, but rather runs much deeper. It is an approach to life with an open heart and a generous, deep spirit — literally, with great soul.

Indifference. Presupposing the good. Magnanimity. All of these foundational dispositions reside in the virtue that is the core of St. Ignatius’ worldview — gratitude. As we continue on our pilgrimage that is this academic year, even if this transformative journey does not take us far from campus, we should all be mindful each day of these foundational Ignatian dispositions and seek to more fully live them out each day, in all that we do and in all that we are.

Fr. Gregory Schenden, S.J., is the Catholic chaplain at Georgetown University. AS THIS JESUIT SEES IT appears online every other Thursday.

On this anniversary of the Out for Change campaign, and in our current political climate, I find the movement in its entirety — the struggle and the success — more resonant than ever.

Coming Out for Change, 10 Years Later

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hen I attended Georgetown nearly a decade ago, the university’s relationship with LGBTQ students had been contentious for decades — a history rife with denied institutional funding for GU Pride, subsequent lawsuits and reported incidences of hate crimes against queer Hoyas.

In fall of 2007, a particularly egregious attack and the ensuing inaction by the university spurred the Out for Change campaign. A ragtag group of queer students and their allies rallied for the creation of an LGBTQ center, among other curricular and administrative demands. With a groundswell of support — including, eventually, from University President John J. DeGioia — the LGBTQ Resource Center formally opened in August 2008.

Today, the center’s director Shiva Subbaraman and the university have fostered Georgetown’s reputation as both an LGBTQ-friendly school and a Catholic campus. In October 2011, Paul Tagliabue (CAS ’62), the former commissioner of the NFL, donated $1 million to establish Georgetown’s Tagliabue Initiative for LGBTQ Life, which supports many of the efforts of the LGBTQ community, including a research grant award and the center’s annual retreat; a donation like this seemed inconceivable a decade ago. And this Wednes-

day, Sept. 27, the university will mark the 10th anniversary of the Out for Change campaign.

It is a great story — a feel-good narrative with a neat ending.

The campaign remains the most successful social movement I have been a part of and is a luminous, surreal memory of my days at Georgetown. Yet the story of the Out for Change campaign is often truncated to a simplistic story line. In sleek commemorative videos, university talking points and even in my own retelling of that pivotal semester, we gloss over the many challenges that our student movement had to endure.

Here is the narrative often told about the Out for Change campaign: There was an abhorrent assault, a series of studentled rallies and an eventually historic forum where our president announced the creation of the LGBTQ Resource Center.

Here are the plot points that are missing: not just one, but two reports of assault against queer Hoyas within the span of two months. The ire from Georgetown’s LGBTQ community was not just premised on the crimes themselves, but the university’s dangerously delayed response.

Our community — which receives Public Safety Alerts within hours of burglaries — waited three weeks for information about the first incident and four days for the second. This was undoubtedly a fight about the

safety of LGBTQ Hoyas, but it was also a call for more administrative accountability.

In the story of the Out for Change campaign, our demands were met by the united support of students, faculty and administrators. This is partially true; our petition and resolutions were signed by 1,600 students and had the backing of several faculty and staff members.

In reality, as with all movements, energy and membership waned as time progressed, and victories were few. When we stepped beyond “civil” dialogue and toward more assertive tactics, we received backlash. We rallied in Red Square and marched to DeGioia’s office, but still faced pervasive criticism of our actions.

For example, the editorial board of The Voice ran a piece titled “LGBTQ Talks Need Dialogue, Not Drama.” One wellintentioned queer student emailed our campaign with a loaded question: “Could this [recent assault] be a result of overly aggressive tactics and exclusive rhetoric that GU Pride seems to be fostering in the last month?”

As the September and October days became colder and shorter, our group of ardent supporters dwindled. After weeks of appearances in Red Square, a cancelled open forum with administrators and being turned away from Healy Hall during a peaceful march, our

organizing meetings could often be held on just two couches in the Intercultural Center.

At those meetings, I could remember a palpable, insatiable fatigue that could not be fixed with a cup of coffee from More Uncommon Grounds.

I often left with more questions than actions: Could we really change the course of a 200-year-old Catholic university? Would it not be easier to just return to being a student focused on school and the future?

Thankfully, under the strong, measured leadership of GU Pride Co-Presidents Scott Chessare (SFS ’10) and Olivia Chitayat (COL ’10), in addition to the support of many others, our movement never wavered, and instead we soldiered on and eventually achieved our demands, most notably the opening of the LGBTQ Resource Center.

On this anniversary of the Out for Change campaign, and in our current political climate, I find the movement in its entirety — the struggle and the success — more resonant than ever. This is a story of passionate students, long nights, painful failures and hard-fought victories.

This is a story that deserves to be told unabridged.

JENNIFER NGUYEN is a 2009

graduate from the College and a 2014 graduate from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

VIEWPOINT • CAMHI

TRANSFERMATIONS

Cut Repetitive Tax Rhetoric

Take the ‘W’ for Self-Care

s the administration of President Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress embark on their campaign for tax reform, which the president has touted as one of his top priorities, their rhetoric sounds eerily familiar.

“The goal is a plan that reduces tax rates as much as possible,” said a statement issued jointly in July by the White House, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and others.

McConnell noted in May that tax reform “will have to be revenue-neutral,” while Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in April that “the plan will pay for itself with growth.”

Yet this argument is almost indistinguishable from how nearly a decade ago former President George W. Bush defended his own tax policies, which cut income, capital gains and corporate tax rates across the board.

“Our tax cuts have fueled robust economic growth and record revenues,” Bush wrote in a 2007 op-ed in The Wall Street Journal. A 2001 report by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, similarly predicted that the Bush tax cuts would eliminate the United States’ debt by 2011. Both Bush’s defense and this prediction turned out to be false.

As we begin to learn more about the details of Trump’s tax reform proposal, the parts of the plan that we have heard about already spell bad news. The corporate tax rate will drop from 35 percent to 20 percent. Income tax rates will be consolidated into three brackets instead of the previous seven, and the top rate will drop from 39.6 percent to Bush’s rate of 35 percent. The lowest rate will actually increase from 10 to 12 percent, though the increase will be offset by a

doubling of the standard deduction.

With this structure, those in the top bracket will benefit by far the most; a cut in tax rates saves much more for wealthy people than others. Trump and the GOP say that this will stimulate such impressive growth that the cuts will more than pay for themselves, and conservative pundits such as Grover Norquist are “giddy” and think that the cuts “will turn the economy around.” Sound familiar?

As Trump and his Republican allies continue to boast their newly released tax plan, do not be fooled by their rhetoric. We have heard it all before.

Perhaps the messages and predictions are so similar because both Trump’s and Bush’s policies fit the classic Republican mold of trickle-down economics, a doctrine that has historically been a proven recipe for disaster.

A crucial component of the Republican argument on taxes is that increased prosperity for already-wealthy Americans will eventually spread to everyone.

If wealthy people get tax breaks, then they will spend and invest more, which will create jobs and thus allow wealth to trickle down to the middle class. Or so the story goes.

Historically, however, that theory has failed to pan out, since wealthy people are the least likely to take advantage of extra money. Moody’s Investors

Service 2010 data confirmed that when the wealthy are given tax breaks, they are more likely to save that money than to spend or invest it. As such, giving tax breaks to the rich is an ineffective way to stimulate the economy and a terrible way to improve the lives of those who need help the most. The wealth will not trickle down; rather, it will stay in the pockets of the wealthy.

One study by the Congressional Budget Office found that after 10 years, an income tax cut of 10 percent would only spur enough economic growth to recover, at most, 32 percent of the revenue loss from the cut. This is not an anomaly, as Politifact confirmed that virtually all economic research on the topic for the last 20 years has shown that tax cuts do not make up lost revenue.

Republicans will lecture about the supposed success of former president Ronald Reagan’s 1986 tax reform, but that argument is severely flawed.

Conditions during the Reagan era were ripe for economic growth, regardless of policy decisions. The labor market was astoundingly productive as baby boomers entered their prime years, and the economy was rebounding from a trough in the business cycle. During the Reagan years, it would have taken a catastrophe far beyond the forces of economic policy for growth to be sluggish. Today, as baby boomers begin to exit the workforce, those economic conditions do not apply to counteract the detrimental effects of trickle-down economics.

As Trump and his Republican allies continue to boast their newly released tax plan, do not be fooled by their rhetoric. We have heard it all before.

ALEC CAMHI is a sophomore in

the College.

B

efore transferring to Georgetown, I viewed a “W” on a transcript as a poorly disguised bad grade, a symbol of weakness.

Yet my time at Georgetown has taught me that a withdrawal means something quite different. To me, a “W” can represent one’s ability to prioritize mental well-being over academic pursuits. Still, I did not understand the true importance of a withdrawal until I needed one — and was nearly unable to get it.

Two months into my first semester at Georgetown, my mental health reached an all-time low. I didn’t eat. I constantly slept. Functioning properly was completely out of the question. Somehow up to that point, despite my declining mental health, I had been able to stay enrolled in 12 credits and remain on the women’s rowing team.

The structure that the team’s practices gave me was instrumental in keeping me somewhat functional.

To this day, I attribute my ability to stay at Georgetown during that semester to my participation on the team.

Still, by the end of October, my ability to function had almost completely disappeared.

After experiencing delays in treatment for my mental health, I did not have much left to give.

In just the span of those few weeks, my four classes became too much for me. This led to a series of painfully uncomfortable — yet ultimately necessary — conversations with one of my professors. I wanted to withdraw from one of my classes, but because I was enrolled in only 12 credits, the dean’s office had to approve my choice to drop to part-time student status.

Ultimately, withdrawing — a

choice I felt was best for my mental health — was not up to me.

The ability of the dean’s office to deny my withdrawal request did not change the fact that I was incapable of managing four classes. While my request was pending, I met with my professor to update him on the situation.

“Will you be able to officially withdraw?” he asked.

Brittany Rios

I did not understand the true importance of a withdrawal until I needed to get one — and was nearly unable to get it.

“I don’t know,” I responded. “But even if I can’t, I need to mentally withdraw from your class. I’ll do the best I can, but it’s not going to be much. It’s nothing personal, but if the dean’s office rejects my withdrawal request, I’m going to have to take the bad grade.”

A few days later, the dean’s office notified me that my request had been approved. I was relieved but also afraid.

My new status as a part-time student suspended my NCAA eligibility; I was not allowed to attend crew practices or competitions for the rest of the semester. I feared the little functionality I had left

would waste away without the support of my teammates or a structured life outside of my classes.

For a while, my fears were coming true. After the NCAA suspended my eligibility, I was the most dysfunctional I had ever been, but eventually my lightened course load allowed me to make small accomplishments for my three remaining classes.

Although I repeatedly considered taking a medical leave of absence that semester, I somehow finished the term with not only passing but good grades. Though my inability to compete with the crew team was difficult, I was still able to make progress — little by little — toward regaining structure.

As a result of this experience, a “W” on a transcript no longer represents weakness for me. My “W” is a visual demonstration of self-care — a recognition that cutting back the course load I had intended to take was the best choice for my health. It is also an acknowledgement that it is OK to do what is best for one’s health, even if the necessary actions are unconventional.

Understanding when I need help and being capable of articulating my needs are two of the most useful skills that I have learned during my time on the Hilltop. I hope that before their time here is up, all Georgetown students will realize the importance of self-care, and will grow to understand that taking a step back from Georgetown’s busy culture for the sake of their health — even when it is difficult — is ultimately a valuable choice.

Brittany Rios is a senior in the College. TRANSFERMATIONS appears online every other Monday.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Four dockless bike-sharing businesses have sprouted up around the District. Story on A7.

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There’s research that shows when there’s free public Wi-Fi available, tourists are more likely to look up stores and spend more money.

So that’ll help create retail jobs.”

Councilmember Brandon Todd Spokesperson Joshua Fleitman on a D.C. Council Wi-Fi Bill.

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WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Washington Redskins team owner Dan Snyder locked arms with football players Sunday night in solidarity with athletes across the United States protesting President Donald Trump’s criticism of athletes who knelt during the playing of the national anthem.

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First Indian-American Congresswoman Shares Experience SARAH WRIGHT Hoya Staff Writer

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (CAS ’86), a Democrat from Washington, attributed her career and political success to her time at Georgetown University as an immigrant student during a discussion in the Intercultural Center Auditorium on Monday.

Representing Washington’s 7th district — which includes much of downtown Seattle and its suburbs — Jayapal is the first Indian-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Georgetown University College Democrats, the Office of D.C. and Federal Relations, the Baker Scholars, the South Asian Society, the Georgetown Women’s Alliance, the LGBTQ Resource Center and the Institute of Politics and Public Service co-sponsored the event.

“The fight is not just political; it is personal.”

PRAMILA JAYAPAL Congresswoman (D-Wash.)

Jayapal first came to the United States from Chennai, India, to attend Georgetown as an undergraduate student to pursue a major in English literature.

Jayapal reflected on the difficulties of assimilating into American culture, as well as the learning opportunities she found in her classes.

“That English literature major and the liberal arts education that I got here at Georgetown is the basis for everything that I do today,” Jayapal said. “It is the basis for how I think about issues, about rational perspectives that are part of my conversations. It’s about how I communicate, about how I write.”

After graduation, Jayapal worked in a range of fields before entering the public sector in 1991. She briefly worked on Wall Street, received a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University and worked for a nonprofit based in Thailand as well as an advertising firm in western Ohio and eastern Indiana.

Jayapal said she benefitted from working in both the

public and private sectors.

“Doing the jobs that you don’t want to do is actually just as important as doing the jobs that you do want to do, because it teaches you something about yourself and what is important to you,” Jayapal said.

After a two-year fellowship in India, Jayapal returned to the United States during the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, during which Muslims, Arabs and South Asians were persecuted and threatened with deportation.

In response, she founded the nonprofit Hate Free Zone — now OneAmerica — and ultimately sued former President George W. Bush’s administration to stop the illegal deportation of 4,000 Somali immigrants and to end Arab and Muslim registration systems, which were part of her larger goals to reform the U.S. immigration system.

As an elected official, first in the Washington state senate and now as a congresswoman, Jayapal has worked to advance the rights of immigrants through the proposed Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program implemented during former President Barack Obama’s administration.

Jayapal said she feels called toward a personal mission to further immigrant rights.

“The fight is not just political; it is personal,” Jayapal said.

Once she entered public office, Jayapal found that she was often one of few women of color, if not the only one, in her sphere.

Jayapal emphasized the importance of diversity in representation and in government.

“The diversity of our experiences and our backgrounds and our voices mean that we do things differently,” Jayapal said. “We chair hearings differently, we craft different legislation, we tell different stories, we elevate different voices, we have connections to different communities.

We expand our democracy, because we allow people to see themselves in us.”

Jayapal credits her devotion to public service to the sacri-

fices her parents made to send her to the United States for college.

“It is that sacrifice that my parents made in allowing me to come here to Georgetown that is really the reason I’ve spent the rest of my life, the

last 25 years of my life, fighting for other people to have opportunity,” Jayapal said. “If I learned one thing at Georgetown, it was that we human beings are in service to a greater good.”

GU College Democrats

Chair Larry Huang (COL ’19) said the College Democrats invited Jayapal to speak at Georgetown because they thought her story would resonate with students who may have similar backgrounds.

“We want to bring people

to campus so that they can share their stories and inspire people,” Huang said.

“People can see themselves in her shoes and in her story in a way that they wouldn’t be able to see in many other elected officials.”

WILL CROMARTY FOR THE HOYA

Pramila Jayapal (CAS ’86). the first Indian American to serve in the House of Representatives, shared her story with students Monday. She currently represents Washington’s 7th district, which includes much of downtown Seattle and its suburbs.

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Powell Urges Openness to Immigration, Diversity Jeff Cirillo

Hoya Staff Writer

Colin Powell, former secretary of state under President George W. Bush, said the United States will “come through” its struggle to fully accept immigrants in a speech in the Fisher Colloquium on Wednesday.

“Right now we’re having some diversity problems because of certain political issues we can go into, but we’ll come through that,” Powell said. “We are a nation of immigrants. We are a nation of diversity. And we’ve had trouble with diversity over the years, and we still have trouble.”

Powell, who served as the nation’s first black Secretary of State, added that political circumstances will not stem the tide of an increasingly diverse society.

“Whether the political system likes it or not, it’s happening. It’s going to continue to happen. We are a vibrant economy because of immigration,” Powell said.

He also alluded to problems with U.S. immigration policy by comparing citizenship requirements in the United States to the strict policies in Switzerland and Sweden.

“You can go to Switzerland, and it’ll take you forever to become a citizen, and you probably won’t make it. Same thing with Sweden:

Look at the trouble they’re having with their immigrants. We have trouble with our immigrant policy, and I wish we could get an immigration policy that makes sense,” Powell said.

Powell’s remarks came in response to an audience question at an event titled “Leadership Without Authority,” the first in a McDonough School of Business speaker series of distinguished leaders. His speech included anecdotes from his 2012 book, “It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership,” and tips on effective leadership that he learned through decades of public service.

A retired four-star general who served in the Reagan, Clinton and Bush administrations after 35 years of military service, Powell was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army in 1958 as a member of the first generation of recruits to serve in a fully desegregated army.

Though America has a historically complex relationship with immigrants, Powell told the packed crowd that his own personal story is a testimony to the American dream. Born in Harlem to Jamaican immigrant parents who first arrived through Ellis Island, Powell went to school in the South Bronx and attended the City College of New York, a public university where 84 percent of

students are nonwhite.

“Most people were the first in their family to go to college, or even finish high school,” Powell said. “There ain’t no legacy students they have to take care of.”

In 2013, the college opened the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership in Harlem. Powell said he was proud to start as a “street kid” and achieve as much as he did. When he visits his alma mater, he tells graduating students not to send their own children there, too.

“Go find somewhere else to send them,” he recalled saying. “This school is for the Ellis Island kids.”

On leadership, Powell said good leaders do not gain authority through titles or formal powers, but through building relationships of trust.

“You don’t get authority from above, you get authority from the people whose lives you control. You can’t be a good leader if your followers don’t believe in you,” Powell said. “If you’ve created that bond of trust, they’ll do anything you ask of them.”

According to Powell, these bonds of trust give leaders power up and down the chain of command, whether they have formal authority or not.

He shared an anecdote from his time as national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan, when he was in the Oval Office briefing the president about a troubling situation. As Powell expounded on the complexities of the issue, the president remained silent, irking Powell, who expected

the president’s input.

Then, finally, the president hopped up out of his chair.

“And then he said, ‘Colin, Colin, look: The squirrels came and got the nuts I put out in the Rose Garden,’” Powell said. “He was telling me he trusted me, he hired me, he knew I could handle it.”

To work effectively with followers, Powell said strong leaders must first discover what their deputies are capable of handling on their own.

“Your job as a leader is to make sure you’ve identified that range, and then give it to them,” Powell said. “Trust them.”

Georgetown University

Colin Powell, the nation’s first black secretary of state, called on Americans to be more accepting of immigrants and embrace diversity as a core tenet of American values.

University Reaffirms Support For Sexual Assault Survivors madeline charbonneau Hoya Staff Writer

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

This statue of Confederate Gen. Albert Pike in Judiciary Square has been the center of D.C. leaders’ criticism. City officials have called on the National Park Service to remove it.

Council Considers Memorials To DC Minorities, Women christian paz Hoya Staff Writer

A bill proposing the construction of monuments to honor native Washingtonian women and people of color in each of Washington, D.C.’s eight wards will move forward to a public hearing on Thursday, Oct. 5, taking the next step toward becoming law.

The bill comes after D.C. leaders including Mayor Murial Bowser (D), Attorney General Karl A. Racine and half the D.C. Council signed a letter Aug. 15 to National Parks Service Acting Director Michael T. Reynolds urging him to remove a confederate stature in Judiciary Square.

The Charles Hamilton Houston and Other Diverse Washingtonians Commemorative Works Amendment Act of 2017 also proposes erecting a statue of Charles Hamilton Houston, a black lawyer and dean of Howard University Law School, who litigated cases dismantling Jim Crow laws pertaining to school segregations and housing covenants, in Ward 5.

Councilmembers Kenyan McDuffie (D–Ward 5) and Robert White, Jr. (D-At Large) introduced the legislation June 27.

“There is no doubt that Houston left an indelible mark on society and inspired generations of lawyers to pursue the cause of freedom and justice for the underprivileged,” McDuffie said in a press release June 27.

McDuffie, who has previously stated his support for the removal of a statue in

Judiciary Square honoring Albert Pike, a Confederate general and proponent of slavery and segregation, said the bill contrasts with ongoing debates over the status of memorials to Confederate generals around the country.

“My support to remove Albert Pike’s statue should be contrasted by my effort to erect a statue of Charles Hamilton Houston and other notable women and people of color,” McDuffie wrote in an email to Ward 5 residents Aug. 24.

Protests over the Pike statue erupted in the week following violence in Charlottesville, Va., where a white nationalist rally to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee descended into violence. Three people died in the violence’s aftermath.

White said the bill furthers efforts to highlight unsung heroes in Washington’s history.

“Statues are symbols that recognize great people and deeds throughout our nation’s history. The country is currently having a broad dialogue on the types of images we don’t want displayed in the public square,” White wrote in an email to The Hoya.

“In the District, we have an opportunity to highlight and display the positive contributions of the people who made Washington the city that it is today.”

The bill directs the D.C. Commemorative Works Committee, an oversight group that oversees maintenance of statues, memorials and historical sites in the District, to engage community

members in each of the seven wards that have not decided on a historical figure to highlight.

A spokesman for McDuffie’s office said the councilmember hopes the bill spurs construction of statues that reflect the racial and social demographics of the city.

The council is awaiting a report from the D.C. Office of Budget and Planning to analyze the financial costs of erecting new monuments, but a spokesman for McDuffie’s office said the councilmember hopes the Commemorative Works Committee is able to absorb the cost into its budget.

White said he hopes college students engage in the council’s process to pass the bill.

“We see evidence from recent events that when students engage our governments in a collective effort, they can force progress,” White wrote in an email to The Hoya. “It is important to uncover and tell the forgotten stories of the people of color and women who worked tirelessly to build their communities and make D.C. a city that welcomes all people.”

Currently the bill enjoys support from every councilmember except Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1).

Following the open hearing next week, the bill will move into the markup phase of the council’s legislative process, in which any amendments or adjustments to the legislation will be incorporated, sent back to the Committee of the Whole and voted on by the entire council.

Bowser, who has previously called for the removal of the Pike statue, must sign the bill for it to become law.

Georgetown University administration reaffirmed the university’s commitment to combating incidences of sexual assault and misconduct following the Department of Education’s decision to rescind Obama-era sexual assault investigation policies in a statement Sept. 22.

The department rescinded the 2011 “Dear Colleague” letter on Sexual Violence and the 2014 Questions and Answers on Title IX Sexual Violence. The policies advised schools to use a “more-likelythan-not” standard for adjudicating accusations of sexual assault or misconduct, and laid out appeals process standards for handling cases.

Georgetown’s sexual assault and misconduct policies will remain unchanged while the university awaits the Department of Education’s formal regulations, according to the statement.

“We will continue to focus on education and prevention, support for survivors, and prompt and equitable processes to respond to complaints of sexual misconduct,” the statement reads.

The department argued the “Dear Colleague” letter infringed on the rights of accused students by violating due process, according to the Department of Education’s interim guidance released last Friday while it creates new permanent protocols, which are not expected for several months.

“The 2011 and 2014 guidance documents may have been wellintentioned, but those documents have led to the deprivation of rights for many students — both accused students denied fair process and victims denied an adequate resolution of their complaints,” the letter said.

“This interim guidance will help schools as they work to combat sexual misconduct and will

treat all students fairly,” Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said in a Sept. 22 press release. “Schools must continue to confront these horrific crimes and behaviors head-on. There will be no more sweeping them under the rug. But the process also must be fair and impartial, giving everyone more confidence in its outcomes.”

Laura Cutway, Georgetown’s Title IX Coordinator, said the Department of Education’s changes have not affected the office’s procedures for handling sexual misconduct.

“Our current processes, procedures, and resources related to campus sexual violence, including the Sexual Misconduct Task Force recommendations, have not changed,” Cutway wrote in an email to The Hoya.

Cutway also said the changes have not affected the recommendations recently released by the Sexual Misconduct Task Force.

Several of the recommendations made by the Sexual Misconduct Task Force are already being enacted, according to Cutway.

Mandatory “Bringing in the Bystander” training for first-years is underway. The Coordinated Community Response Team established to monitor sexual misconduct issues in place of the Task Force had its first meeting Thursday. The university is searching for a new Sexual Assault Specialist to add to the Health Education Services team.

Additionally, the Title IX office itself has created awareness campaigns and now holds office hours to inform students about the Title IX reporting process and how to access resources.

“With these types of efforts, we hope to educate community members on the types of support and resources available through the Office of Title IX Compliance,” Cutway said.

Health Education Services, which provides resources and confidential counseling services

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for students who have experienced sexual assault, relationship violence or stalking, also remains committed to aiding students, according to Associate Director Jen Luettel Schweer. “[The policy change] has created much confusion and many questions about the commitment of the federal government to these issues,” Schweer wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We should all also continue to support the good work that Georgetown has already done for survivors around resources, reporting, trauma-informed systems, and education and training for our community.”

DeVos said the department does not yet have a solution to the issue of campus sexual assault, but it will be working to create a new set of guidelines.

“In the coming months, hearing from survivors, campus administrators, parents, students and experts on sexual misconduct will be vital as we work to create a thoughtful rule that will benefit students for years to come,” DeVos said in a press release last Friday. “We also will continue to work with schools and community leaders to better address preventing sexual misconduct through education and early intervention.”

Daria Crawford (COL ’20), Morgan Robinson (NHS ’20) and Kory Stuer (COL ’19), leaders in the Sexual Assault Peer Educator program, wrote that the policy change is “a sign that our government is not serious” about confronting sexual violence.

“These impending changes in policy signal to survivors and activists, who have worked for years to improve the protections offered by Title IX, that their trauma and commitment to ending sexual violence does not matter to this administration,” they wrote in a Sept. 13th op-ed for The Hoya.

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Ten Years Later, LGBTQ Resource Center Reflects, Looks Forward CENTER, from A1 However, Reticker-Flynn said the students were driven by a sense of hope that real, lasting change could finally be achieved.

“I was feeling both a skepticism but also a belief that something bigger was possible,” RetickerFlynn said. “There was also this possibility of coming out, and this was something we reiterated during our meetings leading up to the campaign.”

The Out for Change campaign called for the formal creation and staffing of the LGBTQ Resource Center, as well as a more effective security alerts system and other protections for LGBTQ students’ safety on campus.

The campaign garnered over 1,500 signatures, and in October 2007, University President John J. DeGioia agreed to its central demand for a resource center in a historic town hall.

DeGioia cited the town hall as a watershed moment in the university’s history, saying the campaign enabled the university to provide better support for its queer students.

“Present in that evening in October and in the work that followed was an extraordinary commitment by our community to build a more inclusive community, and by our shared conviction that we could and should do more to sup-

port our LGBTQ community,” DeGioia said. “We are at our very best when we recognize our responsibilities to one another.”

The LGBTQ Resource Center has since expanded to hire six staff members and to host awareness events such as OUTober, a monthlong celebration of LGBTQ students, and Lavender Graduation, a ceremony highlighting the contributions of LGBTQ seniors to the Georgetown community.

After receiving a $1 million endowment in 2011 funded by the Vice Chair of the Georgetown board of directors Paul Tagliabue and his wife, Chan Tagliabue, the center now funds research on gender and sexuality studies along with its central mission of providing resources for LGBTQ students.

DeGioia said Georgetown’s efforts to serve LGBTQ students continues 10 years after that event.

“While we recognize that there is always more work for us to do, we also recognize that the work we’re able to do today has been made possible by the efforts of those who have come before us and by the moments in time when our community has come together in extraordinary ways to deepen our commitments to one another,” DeGioia said.

Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson recalled that

in the fall of 2007 the university had to make significant changes to ensure the safety of LGBTQ students.

“Very difficult situations made clear that these gradual steps, while they moved us forward a bit, while they were well intentioned, were not the kind of transformative change that we needed to truly be the university we were being called to be,” Olson said.

Former Vice President of Mission and Ministry Fr. Phil Boroughs, S.J., said providing a space for the university to better recognize the needs of students was an important campaign achievement.

“So much of the conversations we need to have as a people on so many topics, but particularly this one, we really don’t start with concepts and ideas, as important as they are to educators,” Boroughs said. “We start with relationships because the context of relationships changes how we think about categories and ideas, and if we objectify people into concepts and ideas that are not based on who they are or how we know them, our conclusions never match the realities we hope for.”

Rosemary Kilkenny, vice president for Diversity and Equity, said the 1987 District of Columbia Court of Appeals decision in Gay Rights Coalition v. George-

SUBUL MALIK FOR THE HOYA

Jason Resendez (COL ’08), speaking at a panel celebrating the 10th anniversary of the LGBTQ Resource Center, recalls his role in advocating for the center’s creation as a student in 2007. town University gave students a reason to believe in change.

The decision mandated that the university provide queer groups with the same rights as other campus organizations, citing the D.C. Human Rights Act and the public interest in the “eradication of sexual orientation discrimination.”

“It really gave students a greater sense of purpose and a greater commitment with which they were going to continue to make sure there was complete change and transformation so that their voices could be hard,” Kilkenny said. “They could thrive and

they could be as successful as they wanted to be and to be recognized as human beings on this campus like everyone else.”

Resendez, a student involved in the original Out for Change campaign, said both the campaign and university ensured that queer students became a significant part of the Georgetown community as a whole.

“It was about feeling included and part of a community that, for a lot of us, we invested a lot in Georgetown. I’m a first-generation college student. Georgetown was a lifeline for me and

my family,” Resendez said. “So for that institution to turn its back on you, that they didn’t value your public safety and its actions embodied that value, that was traumatic.”

Resendez said the Out for Change campaign serves as an example for future change.

“The success of the campaign was our ability to draw connections between communities and between identities and between issues,” Resendez said. “That’s the only way forward, especially as we are continuously marginalized, the only way we can advance is to build community.”

Sessions Defends Free Speech Rights Amid protests, attorney general rebukes efforts to limit free speech SESSIONS, from A1

FIILE PHOTO: SPENCER COOK/THE HOYA

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced she will run for a second term, promising to sustain social and economic growth.

Bowser Announces 2018 Re-Election Campaign ELECTION, from A1 “Do you want me to make an announcement?” Gray asked at the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club on Sept. 11. “I haven’t ruled it out.

Let’s put it that way.”

Bowser highlighted her commitment to “D.C. Values” in her video and said Washington, D.C., has become more prosperous than it ever before under her leadership.

She also touted the promise of what Washington can still accomplish, imploring voters to re-elect her to sustain the District’s economic and social growth.

“Today, I ask for your support again,” Bowser said in her campaign video. “Washington, D.C., has never before experienced better days, and I know that together, we will see that our best days are yet to come.”

Bowser also listed her various accomplishments, such as pushing for an increase of the minimum wage, investing in affordable housing, implementing a body camera program for Metropolitan Police Department officers and investing heavily in District of Columbia Public Schools.

Bowser emphasized her ability to work with citizens of all backgrounds, noting that her main goal for the future is to grow the city’s middle class.

Bowser has made strides in education, as graduation rates at D.C. public schools have increased by more than three percent since she took office. Enrollment in public and charter schools in the District have seen a similar uptick.

In May 2017, Bowser announced a plan to increase per-pupil spending at D.C. public schools by two percent next year, as well as to introduce a “walkability” measure for D.C. public charter schools to give preference to students who live closer to a charter school than a public school.

“With hard work and commitment to our values and an ability to find common ground, together we are ensuring every resident has a fair shot at a pathway to the middle class,” Bowser said in the video.

“We are bringing about progress by investing in education, public safety and affordable housing.

We’re promoting and defending D.C. values.”

A poll conducted earlier this year by The Washington Post showed that 67 percent of Washington, D.C. residents supported Bowser, seemingly confirming her front-runner status in the coming

mayoral race. However, while 47 percent of respondents somewhat approved of her decisions as mayor. only 20 percent strongly supported them.

Bowser may see heightened criticism concerning allegations of corruption leveled against officials serving in her administration during her re-election campaign.

Bowser’s efforts to establish homeless shelters in each of D.C.’s eight wards were sidelined in 2015 after reports emerged that some of the sites to be leased were owned by prominent campaign donors. The mayor later amended the plan to open six shelters across the District.

Furthermore, City Administrator Rashad Young, a Bowser appointee, was accused by D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh (DWard 3) in May to have improperly pushed for a roadwork contract to be rewarded to construction company Fort Myer, a company that had donated to Bowser’s election campaign.

Bowser has denied any wrongdoing in these situations, and no malfeasance has been found.

“If that’s a one off, that’s one thing, but who knows if that’s something that happens more frequently,” Cheh said at the time regarding treatment from the mayor’s office of Fort Myer. “If that happens more frequently, then that ought to be looked into.”

Despite these incidents, Bowser will likely be the frontrunner when challengers decide to enter the race. In 2014, Bowser won with about 54 percent of the vote, with her next closest challenger, independent David Catania, a former at-large councilmember, receiving only about 34 percent of the vote.

Bowser said to Fox 5 D.C. in an interview that she was ready to face a primary or general election challenge and, despite her frontrunner status, would not take the race for granted.

Bowser said she would challenge anyone running against her to come up with a better platform for dealing with issues in D.C. “I’ve be challenged every single time,” Bowser said . “We are going to build our campaign to be ready for any and all challenges. And any challenger, especially one with a record of having been in public office, will also have to say, ‘What have we all done collectively to make sure as our city grows and more Washingtonians can participate in that progress.”

Catholic university in the United States.

Sessions contrasted the support some college administrators have shown students who disrupt unpopular speaking events with the efforts of Martin Luther King Jr. in ending segregation through his “unrelenting” words.

To safeguard the rights enshrined in the First Amendment, Sessions said, students must avoid ideological bubbles that stifle debate. Universities are harming that development by becoming “echo chamber[s] of political correctness and homogenous thought, a shelter for fragile egos,” Sessions said.

But students said the event ran contrary to the values it purported to advance given that Sessions only answered pre-selected questions submitted by a limited audience.

In an interview with The Hoya, Lauren Phillips (LAW ’19) said this contrast diminished the speaker’s credibility.

“To those of those who were not allowed to be in the room, it seems an awful lot like the one who had a fragile ego was the attorney general, because he could not stand the thought of having students asking questions that were not prescreened,” Phillips said.

Students first found out about the event through an Axios report Sunday night, and GULC sent out email invitations Monday morning to a list that included students who signed up for the Center for the Constitution’s email list, students in Barnett’s classes and other faculty. Other students who were not part of that list used the link, which was circulated through social media, to en-

ter the lottery for a seat at the event — the channel regularly used by GULC to accommodate large audiences for high-profile events.

About five hours after receiving an email congratulating them for winning a place in the auditorium, however, 134 students were told that since they were not part of the event’s initial invitation list, they would not have a seat at the event.

Student groups including the Black Law Students Association and Georgetown Law Students for Democratic Reform then wrote a press release announcing a protest against Sessions’ policies and the restricted nature of such a high-profile event.

“We, the disinvited, find it extraordinarily hypocritical that AG Sessions would lecture future attorneys about the importance of free speech on campus while actively excluding the wider student body,” the statement read.

Phillips, who co-authored the release, said students believed the list was carefully crafted to ensure a sympathetic audience, because it was limited to those who had an affiliation “either with this conservative center or this conservative professor.”

In the past, the Center for the Constitution has collaborated with conservative organizations such as the Federalist Society, the Fund for American Studies and the Heritage Foundation. In 2012, Barnett represented the National Federation of Independent Business in its constitutional challenge to former President Barack Obama’s health care law, the Affordable Care Act. GULC spokesperson Tanya Weinberg wrote in an email to The Hoya that it is up to event

organizers to determine audience selection and questions.

“What Professor Barnett chose to do was not atypical for high-profile speakers with limited time,” Weinberg wrote. “As was done for Justice [Ruth Bader] Ginsburg’s appearance, for instance, questions were solicited from students in advance and then the interviewer chose ones that were representative of the whole and pertinent to the event.”

Barnett explained that he limited questions to ones concerning free speech, but that there were so few that he had to write some of his own.

“My goal was to give the Attorney General the opportunity to make a public policy address on a topic — free speech on campus — that is at the core of the mission of the Georgetown Center for the Constitution,” Barnett wrote in an email to The Hoya.

An hour before the event, about 150 students and faculty members began to gather by the steps outside the venue. They posed the questions they had prepared for Sessions through a megaphone and later “took a knee,” a symbolic gesture made famous by NFL players during the national anthem at football games as an act of protest against police brutality and racial inequality.

The gesture was criticized by Sessions, who said freedom of speech should not come at the expense of respect for national symbols.

“It is a big mistake to protest in that fashion,” Sessions said.

“These players, with all the assets that they have, can express their political views other than, in fact, denigrating the symbols of our nation — our nation that provides the freedom to speak

and act.”

After Sessions finished his initial remarks, 10 students who were wearing #BlackLivesMatter shirts inside the auditorium stood up and placed tape over their mouths to silently protest the rest of the event.

Sessions also had a message on free speech for the protesters who were chanting outside the room.

“We will defend your views and the right to express them in appropriate and effective ways,” Sessions said. “I would urge you to understand and think about the very uniqueness of this right that we have.”

The conversation on Sessions’ appearance and free speech is slated to continue this afternoon at 2 p.m., when GULC Dean William Treanor is set to host a communitywide town hall.

“It is part of the mission of a great academic institution that we are able to express our views and engage in a civil debate,” Weinberg wrote. “For that reason, it is important that we come together as a community to talk about these issues.”

Imani Waweru (LAW ’18), the attorney general and spokesperson for the Black Law Students Association, said Sessions’ views were not received by the right individuals and highlighted the contrast between the theory taught and the practice of the law at GULC. “I wish that a wider community could hear what we had to say, but I guess we didn’t have that luxury,” Waweru said.

“When we are in an environment where we are taught about these principles, it only makes sense that we are given the opportunity to express these principles.”

jesus rodriguez/the hoya

Ten students wearing #BlackLivesMatter shirts sat inside the auditorium at the Georgetown University Law Center with tape placed over their mouths to silently protest Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ speech, which condemned the state of free speech on campuses.

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Four Companies Launch Dockless Bike-Share Program Emma Kotfica Hoya Staff Writer

Brightly colored bicycles have been popping up on street corners and curbs around Washington, D.C., in the past week, as various companies like Spin, LimeBike and JUMP have rolled out new dockless bike-share programs.

Unlike other bike-share programs that require users to leave bikes at designated docks, these bikes are tracked

by GPS and can be left nearly anywhere in the city after each use.

Among the companies to unveil this new program is China-based company Mobike. D.C. is the first city in the United States where Mobike has introduced this program.

“We are thrilled to call Washington D.C. Mobike’s first home in North America,” Mobike CEO Hu Weiwei said in a press release. “We look forward to working with more cities across the nation to make cycling the most convenient, affordable, and environmentally friendly trans-

portation option for residents and tourists alike.”

The bikes were modified to best fit the needs of D.C. cyclists, with several gears added and the shape of the bikes altered. One key component is the bikes’ built-in GPS functions that serve as a theft-prevention device, in addition to making it convenient for users to track the location of the bicycles.

In order to use the bikes, users must scan a QR code from the Mobike app, unlocking the front wheel. In order to return the bike, users simply slide a lever to lock the bike after parking it at an appropriate location.

Mobike and other dockless bike-share programs offer an alternative to Capital Bikeshare, a bike-sharing program with docking stations located around the city, including one outside the front gates of the university. Renting a Capital Bikeshare bike costs $2 for 30 minutes, compared to $1.50 for 30 minutes for a Mobike bike. However, if users park their Mobike bikes incorrectly, fines could reach

up to $100 per half hour.

Some D.C. residents are excited about the prospect of a dockless bike program. Lainey Giles (COL ’20) said that she has used Capital Bikeshare on warm days to get around the city, but had trouble finding a location to dock the bikes.

“What was frustrating about it was it was very difficult to find a place to return them. My friends and I tried several different stations and they were all full with people backed up, waiting to return bikes,” Giles said.

Giles said that she would be more likely to use bikes as a means of transportation if she did not have to worry about finding a place to dock them.

“I know that right now I would be hesitant to use Capital Bikeshare again, especially on a day when I thought that it would be really heavily used. But if I knew that I would have a place where I could definitely return it, I would be much more likely to use it again,” Giles said. “I think that if this new system works, it’s really promising

SARAH WRIGHT/THE HOYA

Four companies, including Spin, LimeBike and JUMP, have rolled out a dockless bike-share program in the District, in competition with D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare program. and I think that it would be a really exciting change.”

Mobike has said that they hope to expand their U.S. presence beyond D.C. in the future.

“We are working with a number of cities across the country and are confident this successful pilot will be the first of many partnerships, allowing us to make

cycling the most convenient and affordable choice for transportation all around America,” Mobike U.S. General Manager Rachel Song said in a press release.

SFS Launches Inaugural Centennial Fellows Class Charlotte Allen Hoya Staff Writer

TRADER JOE’S

California-based grocery chain Trader Joe’s is looking to open a store in Glover Park, in a renovated, mixed-use building that was occuped by hotel chain Holiday Inn until 2015.

Trader Joe’s Applies to Open Glover Park Location Marina Pitofsky Hoya Staff Writer

Trader Joe’s, the Californiabased grocer, has applied for a license from Washington, D.C.’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration for a location in Glover Park.

The application, scheduled for a hearing Nov. 27, cites 2101 Wisconsin Ave. NW as the address. The building, currently empty, was occupied by hotel chain Holiday Inn until 2015. The site is being remodeled into a mixed-use development with 225 apartments and additional space for retail shops, according to UrbanTurf, a blog dedicated to real estate in the District.

The application says the grocery will serve hot and cold meals, including salads, sandwiches, pizza, sushi, baked goods and non-alcoholic beverages, in addition to beer and wine.

The new Trader Joe’s location will neighbor Safeway

and Whole Foods Market on Wisconsin Avenue. Whole Foods has been closed for a year due to health inspection concerns and remodeling.

Whole Foods has seen slowing customer traffic and reduced sales over the last year, a problem Ajay Jain, an analyst at Pivotal Research, attributed to grocers like Trader Joe’s, according to CNBC. Whole Foods’s stock prices have fallen over 45 percent since 2015. Jain said retailers like Trader Joe’s and Sprouts Farmers Market offer organic options at lower costs than Whole Foods. Safeway’s stock prices have remained stable since 2015.

The news also comes amid concerns that over 11 percent of the District is now considered a food desert, according to the D.C. Policy Center. A food desert is a geographic area in which the walking distance to a grocery store is more than 0.5 miles, over 40 percent of households have

no vehicles available and the median household income is less than 80 percent of the federal poverty level in a family of four.

More than three-quarters of food deserts in the District are located in Wards 7 and 8, the most demographically diverse and economically strapped in the city. In 2016, nearly 70 percent of the city’s grocery stores were in the four wards with D.C.’s highest incomes, including Wards 1, where Georgetown is located, 2, 3 and 6. Ward 7 has two grocery stores as of March, and Ward 8 has just one.

Director of D.C. Hunger Solutions Beverley Wheeler expressed frustration with the lack of food options throughout the District in June.

“We’re not talking about high-end Harris Teeters.

We’re talking about reasonable groceries,” Wheeler told The Washington Post. “Can we get those stores east of the river?”

The Georgetown University School of Foreign Service will host four former diplomats and politicians this semester as the inaugural class of Centennial Fellows.

Former Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser S. Judeh; former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration Anne C. Richard (SFS ’82); former U.S. Ambassador to India Richard Verma and former Guatemalan magistrate Claudia Escobar will partake in panels and discussions, lend their expertise in classes and interact with Georgetown students.

The fellows will also work directly with SFS students selected as Junior Fellows. The groups of fellows will work together to organize a larger event, potentially a lecture or panel discussion, for the entire Georgetown community.

Richard said she was honored to enter this role at her alma mater and was amused at the prospect of working alongside Judeh, with whom she previously crossed paths as a student and professional.

“We ended up at conferences alongside each other, and I worked with his staff, and he was also very close to my bosses, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry,” Richard said. “So it’s funny that we were both at Georgetown as undergrads in the 1980s, and now we’re both back as Centennial Fellows.”

Executive Director of the SFS Centennial Will Layman said the fellows will contribute diversity and expertise to Georgetown.

“The program is bringing important global practitioners to SFS and Georgetown, inviting them to bring their expertise to the campus and bringing them into contact with students and professors,” Layman wrote in an email to The Hoya. “You can see in this first group of fellows great range in geography, strategic issues and method of engagement, and their passion to interacting with students and the community at large is unmistakable.”

According to Layman and SFS Senior Associate Dean Anthony Arend, the fellows were first nominated by SFS faculty, then reviewed by an Advisory committee of undergraduate and graduate student and faculty representatives. SFS Dean Joel Hellman ultimately selected the final group of fellows.

“The Centennial Fellows Program brings important voices to campus, amplifying Georgetown’s position as a leader in America’s most important international city.”

WILL LAYMAN Executive Director, SFS Centennial

Layman also said that the Centennial Fellows Program would bolster dialogue on important international issues, further cementing Georgetown as a leading institution.

“The Hilltop has always been a place where the big conversations can take place about the critical global issues,” Layman wrote. “The Centennial Fellows Program brings important voices to campus, amplifying Georgetown’s position as a leader in America’s most important international city.”

The SFS also launched the Junior Centennial Fellows Program in conjunction with the Centennial Fellows, allowing undergraduate and graduate students in the SFS to work on research and events with the fellows.

Arend said the program reflected the ideals upon which the SFS was founded.

“Appropriately enough, as the school celebrates its Centennial, it provides us an opportunity to reimagine how the school should adapt in preparing people for this new world,” Arend said. “In many respects it is the same question that Edmund A. Walsh was proposed in 1919 when the school was being created.”

Arend said that the Centennial Fellows program represents an opportunity to further students’ learning and comprehension of the complex world that lies beyond Georgetown.

“One thing we wish to do in the Centennial is to once again look at the world, a very changing and tumultuous world, and say ‘How can we best prepare people for this uncertain world?’” Arend said. “One way that we do it is bringing in distinguished practitioners of international affairs and provide them opportunities to interact with students, faculty and staff.”

With this in mind, Arend said the fellows’ different trajectories contributes to a larger picture of international affairs and politics.

“Someone like Nasser Judeh had to deal with the whole gamut of foreign affairs issues. Someone like Anne Richard dealing with migration, population and refugees as a focus is also a really critical part of international affairs — especially today,” Arend said.

“Claudia Escobar is someone who is dealing with important human rights issues and questions of governance and corruptions, and Ambassador Richard Verma brings not only an understanding of the foreign policy process, but also the understanding of the domestic process whereby foreign policy is made in the US.” Clare Ogden, program administrator of the Centennial Fellows Program, echoed Arend’s views on the importance of the fellows in helping the school reimagine education on foreign affairs.

“When SFS was founded in 1919, its goal was to address an uncertain, changing world.

Today, the world is no less tumultuous and uncertain,” Ogden wrote in an email to The Hoya.

“What the Centennial Program hopes to do is bring thinkers and practitioners to help the school re-imagine how Georgetown can best address a changing world and better prepare students and scholars to confront it.”

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Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Anne Richard (SFS ’82), a member of the inaugural SFS Centennial Fellow Class, addressed students at a launch event Sept. 22.

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Council Considers Teacher Raises DC Income Gap Vote to raise teachers’ salaries, approve contract occurs Oct. 3 Highlights Racial Inequalities Matt Larson Hoya Staff Writer

The Washington, D.C. Council is expected to vote on a proposed contract to raise D.C. Public Schools teachers’ salaries Oct. 3, following five years without a contract between teachers and the city’s public school system.

If approved, the contract between the District’s public school teachers’ union and city officials would raise the salaries of more than 4,500 teachers by 9 percent over three years. The current starting annual salary for DCPS teachers is $51,359.

The proposed yearly salary increases start retroactively from the 2016-17 school year, with a 4 percent increase for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, followed by a 3 percent increase the next year and a 2 percent increase the year after that. The raises for public school teachers would cost the city $61.6 million, plus an additional $51.2 million for public charter school teachers, who legally must receive salaries equal to their public school counterparts.

The D.C. Council’s approval is required to formally ratify the contract after a tentative agreement was reached between the teachers’ union and Mayor Muriel Bowser (D).

In a press release announcing the tentative agreement, Bowser noted that the city has invested billions into its school system in recent years. Bowser said approving the contract would bring an end to a distracting and contentious debate for teachers.

“For too long, our teachers have not been shown the appreciation nor presented the compensation they deserve,” the statement read.

“But with this agreement, together we will give our teachers their proper due and send a clear signal that we are all in for kids.”

Janae Hinson, deputy press secretary for D.C. Public Schools, said DCPS hopes the contract would encourage more teachers to continue working for the District.

More than 200 DCPS teachers quit their jobs during the 2016-17 school year alone, leaving vacancies that principals scrambled to fill. Hinson praised DCPS Chancellor Antwan Wilson, who began in his job in February 2017, as key to finding common ground for the city and teachers’ union.

“DC Public Schools is committed to creating an environment of opportunities and compensation that encourages educators to continue their careers in DCPS,” Hinson wrote in a statement to The Hoya. “We are confident that the new teachers’ contract will build upon that foundation by providing teachers with the additional professional compensation and benefits they deserve.”

Hinson commended other city and union leaders for being able to come to an agreement. She noted that ensuring teacher satisfaction and success would help DCPS fulfill its five-year plan for 2017-22 by helping more students gain proficiency in necessary skills such as reading and college preparedness.

On Sept. 8, 97 percent of voting Washington Teachers’ Union members approved the contract with the city. WTU president Elizabeth Davis praised city officials for working with the union to ensure what she said was a fair pay raise.

“DC school administrators, under the leadership of Chancellor Antwan Wilson, are signaling their willingness to take the first

step in beginning to develop a truly collaborative relationship with DC educators,” Davis said in a press release. “[We need] to ensure that all DC public school students receive the education they deserve.”

She said a section of the new contract that will allow teachers to have more control over their own curriculum is an important way to improve the quality of DCPS. “Many of our members remained on the job with no pay raise for the last five years because they love their students and believe they deserve the best,” Davis said. “They stayed

despite their frustration with an administration that failed to recognize that they have an important contribution to make when it comes to developing educational programs and policies.”

Davis said negotiations for the next contract between the WTU and the city would begin later next year if the contract is ratified by the Council. These talks will focus more heavily on finding solutions to the turnover rate for D.C. public school teachers, which a study by the Shanker Institute in 2014 found was nearly 25 percent annually.

Anne stonecipher for The Hoya

The D.C. Council plans to vote on raising teachers’ wages and approve a contract between city officials and the teachers’ union.

DC Rents Limit Growth, Study Finds Matt Larson Hoya Staff Writer

A renter in Washington, D.C. could lose over $8,000 a year in rent and utilities due to inflated housing costs, a recent study of renting habits found.

The study, conducted by National Equity Atlas, estimated rent and utilities should cost up to 30 percent of renters’ salary each year. However, the study found 48 percent of renters actually paid more of their salary on rent, meaning renters had less money to spend in their communities.

The study’s results varied depending on a city’s affordability and cost of living.

Though an average resident of Washington, D.C. would save $8,600 a year if they only paid 30 percent of their salary on rent, renters in El Paso, Texas would only save $4,000.

The average annual savings in cities in the U.S. would be $6,200.

Angela Glover Blackwell, CEO of PolicyLink, a parent company of National Equity Atlas, said high rents charged in different cities are costing the United States’ econ-

omy billions of dollars in money that could be spent elsewhere, such as on food or household expenses. The National Equity Atlas’ report stated renters nationwide pay $124 billion too much for housing in total.

“The data is abundantly clear,” Blackwell wrote in a press release on Sept. 12.

“Renters are the lifeblood of cities. If rents were affordable, renters could meet their basic needs like transportation, food, and child care and contribute even more to thriving communities. This would have a positive ripple effect throughout their regions.”

According to a study done

by GOBankingRates, the median rent in the District is $2,271 a month, with utilities costing renters $123.68 a month during their rental period. These prices are offset by lower costs of transportation compared to other cities, but D.C. still had the fourth highest rent of any city surveyed.

GOBankingRates also found in a similar study that an annual household earning of $80,273 was needed to live “comfortably” in the District

due to the city’s high cost of living. However, the median income of $70,848 fell short of that mark, meaning many lower-income residents are forced to go without basic necessities and cannot increase their savings.

“You don’t need to be rich in order to live comfortably — but you do need to make a certain amount of money,” the report said. “The key is to earn enough to cover the cost of your necessities, pay for non-essentials and build your savings.”

Complicating the problem of affordable housing is the fact that more people than ever are being forced to rent instead of buy a home. According to a Pew Research Center analysis, there are more than 43 million renters nationwide, translating to over 36 percent of households renting their home — the largest percentage since 1965.

Most renters do so because they are unable to purchase a home.

“About two-thirds of renters in the same survey (65%) said they currently rent as a result of circumstances, compared with 32% who said they rent

as a matter of choice,” the Pew study read. “When asked about the specific reasons why they rent, a majority of renters, especially nonwhites, cited financial reasons.”

Affordability for renters in D.C. could also be a problem in attracting and keeping new residents. A recent study by Apartment List, an online database that helps renters find apartments in their area, found that 77 percent of D.C. renters plan to eventually leave the city, with over half of those planning to leave citing high rents as their primary objection. “[Y]oung, educated workers flock to these expensive metros to work for a few years after college or graduate school, but don’t plan to settle down permanently,” the study read.

“Additionally, the rising cost of living may be putting additional pressure on renters to move out of coastal metros, such as Washington, D.C.” The study also found that renters from other cities are looking to move to the D.C. area due to abundant job opportunities. The city gained over 10,000 new residents last year, according to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s (D) office.

Marina pitofsky Hoya Staff Writer

Income inequality broadened between white residents and residents of color in Washington, D.C., in 2016, according to data from the United States Census Bureau’s 2016 American Community Survey.

The survey, which tracks quality of life metrics like diversity and commuting length, found the median annual income of the average black resident of the District is $37,891, just 30 percent of the median white income at $127,369.

The median annual income of black and Hispanic Washingtonians each decreased by over $4,000 between 2014 and 2016 while white incomes increased by over $2,000 in the same amount of time.

The data points to racial disparities in poverty levels. The overall poverty rate in the District is 18.6 percent, and the poverty rate for black Washingtonians was 28 percent in 2016.

Though the Hispanic poverty rate was below the District’s average rate at 17.8 percent, that rate has risen from 11.6 percent in 2015. White poverty rates only grew .03 percentage points between 2015 and 2016.

The racial disparities in the data reflect issues at the forefront of District leaders’ policy agenda. District Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) launched an economic strategy in March to address racial economic disparities in the District. The program is designed to increase local private sector gross domestic product by 20 percent by 2021 and ensure that all wards and demographic groups in the District see an unemployment rate below 10 percent.

“I am proud to share our new economic strategy, one that reflects DC’s values and helps ensure all Washingtonians share in our continued prosperity,” Bowser wrote in a press release on March 7. “Every day, we are showcasing how Washington, DC’s diverse and innovative community is driving our economy.

I am confident that this framework will accelerate our progress as a leader for inclusive prosperity by creating opportunities that are accessible to all, supporting longtime businesses and residents, and benefitting our most disadvantaged communities.”

Claire Zippel, a policy analyst at the District Fiscal Policy Institute, said the census data demonstrates a need for policymakers to address income disparities across the District.

“In the face of a strong economy, these widening disparities show how far DC has to go toward breaking down the barriers to economic opportunity faced by people of color,” Zippel said in a Sept. 14 press release.

Casey Goldvale, a policy analyst at the Georgetown University Law Center’s Center on Poverty and Inequality, said the racial disparities present in the

data point to broader economic issues in the District.

“To many of the researchers studying domestic poverty and inequality, the racial disparities in the recent Census Bureau data release are further evidence that the Great Recession disproportionately hurt people of color,” Goldvale wrote in an email to The Hoya.

“The drop in wages for African Americans started earlier and was even greater in magnitude than for non-Hispanic Whites, and now the recovery is slower.”

District leaders should focus on expanding affordable housing and investing in economic literacy programs and safeguards, Goldvale said.

“As the disparate impacts of the recession show, poverty and economic prosperity are both heavily influenced by housing and wealth.”

Casey Goldvale Policy Analyst, GULC Center on Poverty and Inequality

“As the disparate impacts of the recession show, poverty and economic prosperity are both heavily influenced by housing and wealth,” Goldvale wrote. “To help households who have already weathered economic storms, we should establish clear avenues for building and rebuilding credit and provide and advertise alternate forms of asset-building that can give households with little existing capital the opportunity to reduce risk and securely accumulate enough for an economically secure future.”

Goldvale added that policymakers should also engage in employment and wage regulation to increase incomes for all Washingtonians.

“To reduce wage gaps, raising the minimum wage to at least a living wage is essential. Further establishment and enforcement of strategies to equalize pay across racial, ethnic, and gendered lines is also important,” Goldvale wrote.

Nevertheless, the data reveals expanding economic opportunities for District residents overall. Between 2007 and 2017, the District’s overall median income grew from $63,000 to $76,000, an approximately 20 percent increase. Additionally, total personal incomes grew almost 3 percent between 2015 and 2016 and resident employment rates were up 2 percent over the same time period.

Panel Re-Evaluates Free Speech at Georgetown hannah urtz Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown University must continue to facilitate spaces for meaningful dialogue and open exchange of diverse ideas, according to a panel on free speech and expression held Tuesday evening in the Healey Family Student Center Social Room.

The panel, featuring Georgetown University Student Association President Kamar Mack (COL ’19), Assistant Dean for Student Engagement Erika Cohen-Derr, associate professor of government Fr. Matthew Carnes, S.J., and English department Chair Ricardo Ortiz, convened to discuss the ways that Georgetown can continue to provide outlets for free speech, while also addressing the tensions created between opposing student groups, diverging viewpoints and provocative speakers on campus.

In light of recent bias-related incidents involving antiSemitic graffiti and swastikas found on campus in LXR Hall and Village C West, the panel discussed how both students and faculty can ensure that students are comfortable expressing their own views and feel safe on campus.

Carnes expressed that it can be challenging — as both

a professor and a community member — to navigate the tension between the right of individuals to express themselves and their right to feel safe and respected on campus.

“There are some things that are our values that we absolutely believe in, about the dignity of each person and everyone’s inalienable right to be here, and how every member of our community — in their diversity — contributes to who we are.

Those are things that are nonnegotiable,” Carnes said.

The panel also discussed the course of action for polarizing or disagreeable speakers on campus.

Mack said that affirming the feelings and positions of dissenting student groups and individuals, particularly those from marginalized or disadvantaged communities, is one of the best ways to encourage free speech on campus.

“We also wrestle with the idea that Georgetown is a place where we need to encourage civil dialogue. The philosophy that I have looking at it is when there is speech that is not in line with the beliefs or values of individuals or communities in question, the response is always more speech,” Mack said. “The response is bring-

ing in alternative perspectives, whether that be a protest or demonstrations or a campaign. To the extent that we can encourage that, we like to do that.”

Cohen-Derr also emphasized the need to cultivate an inclusive mindset on campus that addresses the many sides to a belief or argument.

“The question that I always struggle with is: What are our collective responsibilities to one another?” Cohen-Derr said. “If a student group that espouses a certain view and wants to host a speaker that will really amplify that view and really put those views out there, what is that group’s obligation to those who would feel personally attacked, insulted, hurt, unheard or invalidated by that viewpoint?”

Georgetown has a comprehensive speech and expression policy that outlines guidelines for the “untrammeled expression of ideas and information.” The policy dictates that individuals may not obstruct or otherwise interfere with the freedom of others to express views they reject and holds the university responsible for promoting a lively and fearless freedom of deliberation and debate, while protecting that freedom when others attempt to

restrict it.

Carnes said that this policy and its preamble, written by Rev. James Walsh, S.J., illustrate the values that Georgetown holds and guides students and faculty alike in navigating the often murky waters of free speech issues on college campuses.

“It’s really rich and worth reading. It is a policy that both affirms our stance as a university and also our sense of community. I think it’s

worth reflecting on,” Carnes said.

The policy also requires any speaker that comes to campus to take questions from members of the Georgetown community. This policy both generates more speech and opens up exchange and ideas on campus, Carnes said.

Ortiz agreed that the university policies underscore the community’s commitment to creating an environment for the civil exchange of

ideas. He added that the policies have the power to reach into the classroom and influence discourse.

“For faculty, it’s really important to understand the relationship between these policies and what should happen in the classroom. The production of speech and knowledge [is done] through a set of processes that embrace a kind of freedom, openness and honesty and commitment to the truth,” Ortiz said.

File Photo: Erick Castro/The Hoya

A panel of students and administrators analyzed the state of free speech on campus, affirming the importance of protests, but scurtinizing the value of unpopular speakers.

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Uncommon Grounds Reopens in New Leavey Location Isabelle Groenewegen Hoya Staff Writer

Students of Georgetown, Inc.’s Uncommon Grounds coffee shop opened Aug. 25, almost a month after the start of the fall semester, on the second floor of the Barnes & Noble bookstore in the Leavey Center.

The opening was delayed by

a pending inspection by the Department of Health, required for all new restaurants in Washington, D.C. Uncommon Grounds, which had been located in Sellinger Lounge since its opening 23 years ago, moved into the newly renovated bookstore over the summer. This occurred as the interior of the Leavey Center saw major renovations, including the

installment of restaurants such as Crop Chop, a salad and smoothie shop, and Chick-Fil-A in the space formerly known as Hoya Court.

Some members of The Corp had initial concerns that the new site, which opens onto the Leavey Esplanade, was relatively unknown to students and would not get as much foot traffic. Members were also concerned that

competition from Georgetown University-contracted restaurants would exacerbate the issue.

Uncommon Grounds Director Leia Idliby (COL ’18) said she shared those concerns but felt more confident following the success of the opening day.

“I first heard about [the move] in December and I started to get a little nervous and worried

Will Cromarty for The Hoya

A successful opening day dispelled the concerns of Uncommon Grounds management over competition from Georgetown University-contracted restaurants and access to the Leavey Esplanade, according to UG Director Leia Idliby (COL ’18).

once I realized I was probably going to be director but now I’m super excited because it’s going really well. I’ve been getting a lot of compliments about the new space. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s really coming together,” Idliby said.

Uncommon Grounds announced Monday a series of promotions on its Facebook page to celebrate the re-opening. including an open mic night with free coffee refills on Tuesday, 50 percent off all breakfast items on Wednesday, lemonade pitchers for purchase on Thursday, as well as a free small espresso drink on Friday for those who had attended three or more UG opening events this week.

Idliby said that while open mic nights are an Uncommon Grounds tradition, immediate access to the Esplanade will allow for some alterations and improvements to the event.

“We’ve always had open mic nights on Tuesdays, but now that we have this open space we’re probably going to take advantage of it while it’s warm and sit outside,” Idliby said.

Uncommon Grounds Director of Marketing MacKenna Strange (COL ’19) said the new open space can help emphasize the store’s focus on the arts with a series of upcoming events, including poetry slams.

“My goal going into this semester is to revamp our appreciation for arts and making UG a more arts-centered location on campus.

So we’re doing a sleeve collabo-

ration and a poetry slam with Bossier, our first open mic night is tomorrow and we’re hopefully going to do an open mic night in collaboration with the Comedy Club,” Strange said.

As well as hosting arts events, the store will be open on Saturday as a flea market to raise funds for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

Calvin Griffin (COL ‘19), who is organizing the market, said the vicinity of the Leavey Esplanade means there is enough space to host a market.

“I really wanted to leave my mark on the new UG, and the new location gave me a cool opportunity to do something like that. I think it’s something Georgetown needs, because I know so many people who just throw out their clothes,” Griffin said.

Hoya Snaxa Manager Caroline Moley (COL ’18) said the new location will serve students better.

“I feel like it’s less distracting and more like a coffee shop. The other one had better foot traffic but the seating wasn’t as good and they didn’t have the esplanade,” Moley said.

Despite physical changes, Strange said employees of Uncommon Grounds wish for the coffee shop to remain the cultural center customers know it to be.

“I think that’s what separates UG from the other coffee shops on campus. Every Corp location has their own thing, their own brand and we are known for loving and appreciating music and being a space that’s not just academic,” Strange said.

DC Council Considers Bills To Promote Digital Literacy Joe Egler

Hoya Staff Writer

The Washington, D.C. Council is considering two bills this week that aim to make public wireless internet available to city residents to promote digital literacy. These bills are intended to close the gap between residents with and without Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi Task Force Act of 2017 proposes a task force composed of governmental and nongovernmental representatives whose goal is to research a plan for a public wireless internet network in the District. The second bill, the Digital Literacy Council Establishment Act of 2017, proposes the creation of a similar committee designed to research and recommend methods to improve digital literacy in education and the workforce.

The public Wi-Fi bill, currently under committee review, was introduced by D.C. Councilmember Brandon Todd (D-Ward 4) and four of the council’s 13 members.

The digital literacy bill is set to be marked up and amended this week.

Todd said during a press conference that a public investment in internet access and proficiency will yield outstanding results in this age of the digital economy and will close the skills gap for many of D.C.’s low-income residents.

The Wi-Fi Task Force would report policy recommendations to the Council by the end of 2018.

Meanwhile, the Digital Literacy Council would create two distinct policy plans for the City Council — one intended for workforce digital literacy and the other for public school students in the District — within six months.

Joshua Fleitman, spokesman for Todd, said improving internet

access is vital, as it permeates so much of daily activity.

“The world works around the internet these days. It’s not just about funny videos on YouTube.

It’s about access to study materials for students, access to capital, access to resources, small businesses, large businesses, nonprofits. Really, if you don’t have access to the internet, you are at a systemic disadvantage in today’s world,” Fleitman said in an interview with The Hoya.

Fleitman also emphasized that, beyond merely having access to the internet, D.C. residents need to have the tools to use it effectively.

The digital literacy bill is intended to achieve this.

According to Elizabeth Lindsey, the executive director of Byte Back, a nonprofit operating in D.C. that provides free technological education and computer training to residents, there is a large need for more widespread internet access in the District.

“Across this city, thousands of our neighbors wake up each morning without access to the digital tools that most of us take for granted. Reading the news on an app, paying a bill online, emailing a resume to a potential employer — for those without home internet access, these activities are not a simple part of a daily routine.

They are obstacles to overcome,” Lindsey said.

Lindsey explained the importance of bringing the internet to residents who have previously been excluded from using it.

“One of our students would spend entire evenings in a Byte Back computer lab studying for his computer networking exam, leaving only when the office closed after tutoring hours. He didn’t have access to the internet at home. Despite this barrier, he passed his exam — but

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imagine what he could have accomplished if we broke that barrier down,” Lindsey said.

Lindsey said that with greater access and education, low-income residents will be able to compete with more privileged residents in the digital economy.

“One of our beginner students, who used the internet for the first time at age 65, said, ‘I felt like I was being left behind. It seemed like everywhere I looked, on billboards, in magazines, recorded in the phone messages of different offices I was calling, people were telling me to go to some address called ‘www’ for more information,” Lindsey said. “It’s so important that this bill incorporates not just the expansion of Wi-Fi access but also a digital literacy component.”

According to Lindsey, these measures will also spur job growth within the District.

“With education comes opportunity, and that’s what we see every day at Byte Back. People who have faced sometimes years of unemployment and underemployment are able to attain living-wage jobs after getting the training they need to succeed in the digital economy,” Lindsey said.

Fleitman said that this legislation will likely improve conditions for both businesses and employees, especially as it relates to tourists in D.C. “There’s research that shows when there’s free public Wi-Fi available, tourists are more likely to look up stores and spend more money. So that’ll help create retail jobs. So much of this opportunity is based around the internet and having digital literacy skills. So, it’s about job growth. It’s about quality of life. It’s about bridging the digital divide. It’s about all those things,” Fleitman said.

Juan Manuel GalÁN/Facebook

Juan Manuel Galán (GRD ’03), third-term Colombian senator in the Liberal Party and presidential pre-candidate, returned to his alma mater Friday to discuss Colombian politics.

Colombian Pre-Candidate Hopes to Consolidate Peace Alfredo Carrillo Hoya Staff Writer

Protecting victims, policing illegal assets and building strong local institutions are the next steps Colombia should pursue to accomplish the objectives laid out in the Peace Accords, Liberal Party Senator and presidential pre-candidate Juan Manuel Galán (GRD ’03) said at a discussion in McGhee Library on Friday.

Galán, who is currently in his third term as a Colombian senator and serves as the president of the Commission on the Law of Victim’s Rights, commended last year’s deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The negotiation ended a civil war that had lasted for 53 years.

He said, however, that the next parts of the process — prosecuting wrongdoers, remunerating victims and integrating the FARC into the political system — will be complicated to navigate.

“One of the biggest challenges that we’re facing right now is the transitional justice. That is the heart of the Peace Accords,” Galán said. “The way we implement this transitional justice is going to ensure the success or the failure of the Peace Accords.”

Galán said that all eight million people internally displaced by the civil war have the right to know the legal implications of their respective cases and receive appropriate compensation, for which he put forth legislation that would give such powers to an appointed tribunal.

“That is going to be a big challenge for this transitional tri-

bunal,” Galán said. “But it will ensure that every victim will be protected and will have the guarantee of accessing the truth about their own issue and have also the guarantees of non-repetition and justice.”

He added that the government would seek for compensation to come from the FARC’s own assets as part of a process to procure all the group’s physical and monetary possessions.

“The government has been very timid, very shy on chasing these assets, but it’s a crucial issue, not only to ensure that the victims have reparation, but to ensure that the FARC do not have an unjust advantage as a political party in the next elections,” Galán said. “We have to insist that the main effort of reparation has to be on the FARC to their victims with their assets.”

Looking beyond the shortterm objectives, Galán said that land and tax reform are needed to build strong, sustainable political institutions at the local level, thereby combating corruption and instability. Then, Colombia could achieve a more democratic political system, a more competitive economy and a more equal society, he said.

Galán also addressed the fight against drug trafficking, saying countries should focus not only on prosecuting traffickers, but also confronting the social issues of poverty and drug addiction.

“Building up this debate would give us the result of having a different approach, especially towards the weakest links of the chain of the drug issues, and the weakest links are the

consumer, the addict, the problematic user of drugs and the peasant who is cultivating the coca plant,” Galán said. “We need a public health approach, a human rights approach.”

Speaking on United States-Colombia cooperation on the issue of drug trafficking, Galán said that even though U.S. President Donald Trump recently threatened to decertify Colombia as an ally, Colombia hopes to establish a connection with the U.S. Congress to promote a comprehensive framework for cooperation.

“We’re trying to set up a more constitutional, official framework of meeting between the Colombian Congress and the U.S. Congress, trying to build up an agenda, trying to share information, use new forms in drug policy, and not going back 30 years, starting to talk about again aerial spreading of crops,” Galán said.

For the Liberal pre-candidate, everything ties back to a broader drive for modernization. Without the FARC consuming all its focus, Galán said that Colombia can address other contentious issues.

“For 50 years, we have a level of violence and internal conflict and everybody said, ‘No, this is the priority, we have to face this menace, this challenge, we cannot think about any other thing,’” Galán said.

“Now that we don’t have this conflict, there’s nothing that makes us think about other things that are more important than these reforms, especially the main causes of this conflict: the land reform and the political participation.”

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men's soccer

Hoyas Control Possession, Defeat DePaul on the Road Matt sachs

Hoya Staff Writer

DERRICK ARTHUR/THE HOYA

Senior midfielder and team captain Christopher Lema has notched two goals and one assist for the Hoyas this season. In 2016, Lema was named First Team All-Big East.

The No. 14 Georgetown University men’s soccer team (6-11, 1-1 Big East) won its second straight game Saturday, defeating DePaul University (3-51, 0-1 Big East) 2-1. Freshman forward Derek Dodson scored both Hoya goals, including the game winner in the 89th minute that broke a 1-1 tie.

Dodson has recently received more playing time because of the injury to starting sophomore forward Achara. Currently, Dodson has the secondhighest number of goals with three goals. With his excellent performance in the win over DePaul, as well as over Stony Brook, Dodson was named the Big East Freshman of the Week.

Georgetown managed to stay aggressive and control the pace against DePaul, but could not convert its chances early on and soon fell into a deficit. In the 14th minute, DePaul earned a penalty kick after a tough one-on-one

tackle by junior goaltender JT Marcinkowski. Graduate student forward Stijn van der Slot converted the penalty for the Blue Demons to give them the early 1-0 lead.

With excellent performances against Depaul and Stony Brook, Derek Dodson was named Big East Freshman of the Week.

As the first half went on, the Hoyas drew closer to scoring, outshooting the Blue Demons 18 to 9. It was not until late in the first half when the Blue and Grey finally broke their scoreless rut. In the 42nd minute sophomore midfielder Dylan Nealis delivered a cross to the near post, reach-

ing Dodson, who sent the ball into the net.

The Hoyas dominated possession in the second half, but despite taking shots on goal, they could not break the tie until late. In the final stretch of the game, DePaul had back-to-back corner kick opportunities that were both stopped by the Georgetown defense.

Finally, with one minute left in regulation, Dodson came through again for the Hoyas.

This time, Dodson took a cross from the foot of senior midfielder Declan McCabe and drove it into the left near side of the goal.

The victory was the first Big East win for Georgetown this season.

The Hoyas now head home and have a week to rest before hosting the Marquette Golden Eagles (1-6-1, 1-1 Big East) this Saturday. Last year, the teams battled to a 1-1 draw in Milwaukee.

The game is set to kickoff at 1 p.m. at Shaw Field. Live streaming of the game can be found on the Big East Digital Network.

sailing

Nothing but net

Man City Typifies Dominance 3 Women Earn National Championship Qualifications Vanessa Craige & Paolo Santamaria

T

wenty-four is a recognizable number. There are 24 carats in pure gold; there are 24 hours in a day; and there have been 24 goals scored in the month of September by Manchester City. In six games, Man City has tallied an average of four goals per contest en route to winning each one. More impressively, over the course of those six games, the Citizens have conceded only one goal.

While this streak is undeniably noteworthy, Man City has yet to play a full-strength top-six side from last season in those games — their match against Liverpool featured a questionable red card against star Sadio Mané in the middle of the first half.

Enter this Saturday. Last season’s Premier League champions, Chelsea, host red-hot Man

City in a contest that could have long-term implications in the league: Chelsea has won seven of its last eight contests and currently sits in third place in the league.

Regardless of Saturday’s result, however, is the truth behind the strength of the Citizens. They have assembled their team almost exclusively by buying other team’s players, all thanks to the funding of Sheikh Mansour. After winning the league in 2012 and 2014, Man City has seen a huge drop-off in their success. While they are regular Champions League competitors, they have failed to win it after they seemed destined for a rise to absolute stardom and dominance.

Of course, many of their problems stemmed from their defensive woes — woes that dropped them out of title contention last season. Last transfer window, Man City did what they often do: spend. They acquired several defenders and defensive-minded midfielders for a total of nearly £210 million.

As is tradition with Man City, many pundits questioned whether these moves would truly fix longtime defensive issues or just patch up problems with big names. Six games are

hardly an indicator of success — and the Chelsea game could very well dampen the fires — but Man City has arrived.

It is unheard of to call the Premier League title race this early in the season, but Man City has the tools and, most importantly, depth to continue its streak. Furthermore, its challenges in the Champions League group stage are nonexistent, so the fitness of its top players — Sergio Aguero, Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva — should be sorted.

But while Man City has improved itself dramatically — Gabriel Jesus comes to mind here — it frequently loses steam after Christmas, much like the inevitable midseason form drop that Arsenal experiences.

Defensively, Man City still does not have the same firepower as Chelsea, and Manchester United is more than capable of outscoring its fiercest rival.

While Man City will likely finish in the top four, it remains quite possible that the team will inexplicably fall apart once more.

Paolo Santamaria and Vanessa Craige are seniors in the College and School of Foreign Service. Nothing but net appears every Friday.

dan crosson Hoya Staff Writer

Three members of the Georgetown University women’s sailing team qualified for the Intercollegiate Sailing Association’s Singlehanded Nationals this past weekend at the Middle Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association’s Women’s Singlehanded Championships at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Senior Lola Bushnell, freshman Carly Broussard and junior Haddon Hughes finished first, fourth and fifth, respectively, to qualify for the ICSA Singlehanded Nationals that will take place during the first weekend of November at the University of South Florida.

The other women who qualified for nationals were Lenox Bucher, a sophomore from the University of Pennsylvania, and Riley Legault, a junior from The George Washington University. Legault finished one point ahead of Broussard to come in third place.

Sophomore Macey McCann finished sixth and senior Rose Edwards finished eighth.

Both narrowly missed the threshold to qualify.

Georgetown Head Coach Michael Callahan (SFS ’97) praised his team for its success, especially given tough weather conditions.

“We're a deep team, so we have a lot of people who can go out and do well. I think the reason we have done so well so far has really been because of our depth.”

Michael Callahan Head Coach

“Overall, very pleased three of the five spots went to Georgetown girls,” Callahan said.

“There wasn't a lot of wind this weekend anywhere on the Chesapeake Bay. It was a really trying regatta — really difficult regatta to stay consistent.

We're just happy to have gotten three. It could have been tough with the crazy conditions.”

According to Callahan, the slow winds on the Chesapeake Bay affected the way

the Hoyas handled the race.

“There is sort of a randomness factor that comes into it, where the wind is so patchy that all of a sudden a little puff of wind will appear and a couple boats will get it and a couple boats will not, and that can really change the outcome of a race,” Callahan said.

The Hoyas have enjoyed a fast start this fall. They previously won eight of 14 races at the Navy’s Women’s Radial Regatta in Annapolis earlier in September. Callahan attributed his team’s continued success to its depth.

“We've done well in the events that we've competed in, so we have had a lot of individual success,” Callahan said. “We're a deep team, so we have a lot of people who can go out and do well.

I think the reason we have done so well so far has really been because of our depth.”

The Hoyas are back in action this weekend in the MAISA Match Race Championships in Annapolis and the Tom Curtis Regatta in Washington, D.C. Both events will take place Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

what's the call?

Should Closers Really Close?

Ben Goodman

I

t is the top of the ninth inning, and a packed Yankee Stadium casts its hopeful gaze toward centerfield. The home team is winning and only needs three more outs to secure victory. Then, the first foreboding notes of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” blare throughout the stadium, sending Yankee fans into a frenzy. As reliable as clockwork, Mariano Rivera jogs out from the bullpen to record three outs and a personal save.

Pitchers like Rivera and Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley before him popularized the position of “closer.” The closer is a team’s best relief pitcher and is almost always used in the final inning to finish off the opponent. Although Rivera developed a nearly mythic reputation from closing, MLB managers should not mindlessly confine great pitchers like him to the ninth inning.

What is a relief pitcher’s job, anyway?

Most basically, of course, it is to record outs and avoid giving up runs. But more specifically, relief pitchers need to relieve.

When starting pitchers — presumably the team’s best overall pitchers, since they pitch the most — leave the game, the team must somehow compensate, plug the hole left by the starter and survive until the end of the game.

Relief pitchers need to be as starter-like as possible in terms of effectiveness, especially in crucial situations, such as when the

opponent puts the tying or goahead run in scoring position.

But this begs the question: why is the ninth inning necessarily the most important situation a relief pitcher needs to face?

Simply put, it is not. In fact, important situations are barely related to the time of the game in which they occur.

It is easy, slippery thinking to assert that the ninth inning is “the big inning” because that is when the opponent has its last chance; fans perk up from their food comas, batters lock in more than ever and anticipation builds.

The truth is that the game’s biggest moment is never scheduled .

What if a team leads by a run in the sixth inning? The starting pitcher tires, leaving the game and two men on base, and the opponent’s cleanup hitter is due next. It is incredibly likely that the game hinges on this at-bat, not the ones in the ninth inning. The best relief pitcher — the closer — should be used right now, even if it is the sixth inning, because this situation represents the biggest threat to the team’s slim lead.

Conventional wisdom cannot be this wrong, right?

Critics opposed to bringing in the so-called closer before the end of the game warn against the unspeakable horror of “wasting” the team’s best relief pitcher. They correctly assert that if the closer pitches in the sixth inning, he won’t be available for the ninth inning — you can’t have it all.

But the sixth inning may frequently end up more important than the ninth inning .

Moreover, the inning does not determine the significance of the situation. For as many times as a game actually boils down

to a nail-biting ninth inning, there will be an equal or greater amount of times when it does not.

Consider the following scenario: the team keeps its closer rested in the huge moment in the sixth inning. Another relief pitcher is called upon and does record the key out — keep in mind that when the scenario is iterated, this relief pitcher will be less reliable than the closer on average — but then the team stretches their lead to five over the next three frames. By the time the ninth inning comes around, the lead is so large the manager does not even bother putting in the closer. Having the closer sit idly in the bullpen is simply a waste.

So, what should the correct strategy be?

Clearly, managers hope their starting pitchers can stay in the game while pitching well as long as possible. After that, however, managers need to eschew roles and time-slots and simply manage in the moment. This analysis does not include the factors of injuries and season management; 162 games makes for a long endeavor, and Wednesday night games in April may not call for wearing out the best relief pitcher’s arm.

Still, a manager should not hesitate to use the team’s best relief pitcher in what seem to be turning points. Games are decided by a few monumental swings. Managers need to actively look for these moments to maximize their closers’ contributions toward victory, rather than wait around until the ninth inning.

Ben Goodman is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service. WHAT's the call? appears every other Friday.

GUHOYAS

The Hoyas won eight of 14 races at the Navy's Women's Radial Regatta to start the 2017 season strong. Three women qualified for the 2017 Fall National Championships.

SPORTS

friday, september 29, 2017

Hoyas Claim Top Spot in Big East Wish Field on Thursday night.

“Momentum is everything.

If you don’t win your first game, then there’s extra pressure on you to win your second game, and if you don’t win your second game, all of a sudden now you’re in a spiral,” Nolan said before the game.

“Momentum is everything. If you don’t win your first game, then there’s extra pressure on you to win your second game.”

DAVE NOLAN Head Coach

Farrell recognized the chal-

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lenges of competing in the Big East Conference and how important it is for Georgetown to focus on one game at a time.

“The Big East is a tough conference,” Farrell said before the game. “Each game is a Cup Final, so just use that mentality, and keep it going all the way through.”

Georgetown was led by senior midfielder Rachel Corboz, who kicked off the scoring at the 27th minute, and redshirt sophomore forward Amanda Carolan, who found the back of the net in the 37th and 43rd minutes.

The Hoyas added a fourth goal three minutes into the second half to conclude the scoring for the game. This victory extends Georgetown’s streak of shutouts to six.

Georgetown squares off against Seton Hall (3-6-1, 0-2 Big East) this Sunday at 1 p.m. at Shaw Field.

Freshman Luke Ross finished third to give Georgetown the top three finishers in the flight.

The Hoyas continued their strong play into the doubles matches, as Georgetown won both the B and C flights. Chen and Lee teamed up to win the B flight, while junior Will Sharton and Ross joined to win the C flight.

The men’s team features five freshmen this year, and their addition has helped the Hoyas get off to a strong start.

“When you get your leaders working in unison with the freshmen and all doing well, that is a great thing. That’s what you want to see. And that’s what we had happen

this weekend,” Ernst said.

Although the team is just a few weeks into the fall season, Georgetown’s performance in the Joe Hunt Memorial shows promise for the rest of the fall season. However, the team will not return to action until Oct. 19 when the team travels to Lynchburg, Va., to compete in the ITA Regionals.

The Georgetown women’s team also played well over the weekend in the Harvard Fall Classic. The Hoyas competed in singles and doubles matches, some of which featured a duo of a Georgetown and Harvard player. Overall, the Blue and Gray finished 8-2 in singles and 4-2 in doubles.

“At this point in the season, they need matches, and we got a lot of matches as well

as close matches, which at this time in the fall is really all you can hope for,” Assistant Coach Courtney Dolehide said. “They fought really hard, so it was a great weekend.”

In particular, junior Risa Nakagawa has continued her strong play. In singles, Nakagawa picked up straight-set victories against opponents from Boston University and the University of Delaware.

She also teamed up with senior Daphne de Chatellus in a dominant 6-1 doubles victory over Boston University.

“Risa Nakagawa has the ability and experience to [make a run this year]. She still is a little bit under the radar because she plays for Georgetown and not Virginia or

Duke or Virginia Tech. She could do it. She could break through and go on a run. She’s one of the best kids I’ve ever coached as a person,” Ernst said.

The Georgetown women’s team will also have an extended break before their next match. The team will compete next in the women’s ITA Regionals hosted in Blacksburg, Va., which is scheduled to start Oct. 12, one week before the men’s ITA Regionals.

Although the season is just underway, both the men’s and women’s teams are off to a strong start. “As a program, we have fabulous kids.

All want to work hard; all are bought in to winning the Big East title. I’ve never had that,” Ernst said.

Football

GU Looks to Contain High-Powered Offense HARVARD, from A12

and Tim all the time. So it is not so much of an adjustment as it is a next-man-up thing.

We have a lot of confidence in Clay coming into this week,” Williams said.

Meanwhile, Harvard is looking to extend one of the best runs in college football history.

The Crimson have an 82 percent win rate and 16 straight Ivy League Championships.

The Crimson defense is led by senior safety Tanner Lee, a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. He spearheads a stingy defense that forced three interceptions but allowed over 300 yards through the air.

Offensively, Harvard is led by dual-threat fifth-year quarterback Joe Viviano and junior running back Charlie Booker, who both played large

roles in a 45-28 win against Brown (1-1) last week. The Crimson displayed a balanced attack, rushing for 200 yards and completing 80 percent of their passes for 222 yards.

“We bring people here from a national scope, but we’re about defending this place.”

ROB SGARLATA Head Coach

Hoya senior linebacker Cameron Seward said the defense would remain focused on improving its own play and staying confident in the unit’s ability to matchup with anyone.

“We have the utmost con-

fidence in our DBs and our defense, especially when we work to get a rush on the quarterback and have our linebackers help,” Seward said. “We aren’t going to do anything differently, just keep focusing on doing our jobs and make sure we’re filling our gaps and our responsibilities.”

Sgarlata said the Hoyas are looking to prevent big plays from a dangerous Crimson offense.

“Harvard is very balanced and well-coached. They do a ton of different things out of the same personnel group.

We’re looking to eliminate some of the big plays this weekend and improve our third-down defense. I think that both those things will be keys to the game this weekend,” Sgarlata said.

Georgetown faces Harvard

at the historic Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, located just east of the Capitol Building. This is the first opportunity for this senior class and the rest of the team to play in a large venue while wearing the Blue and Gray.

Sgarlata noted that this is a huge moment for the program to live up to one of its mottos “Defend the District.”

“Georgetown has a national name, and we’re a place known worldwide. We bring people here from a national scope, but we’re about defending this place and taking pride in the program. So to go down to a historic stadium like RFK and make a statement about defending the District, we hope it’s the first of many games for us down there,” Sgarlata said.

Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday at RFK.

GUHOYAS

Sophomore defender Meaghan Nally has played in all 11 of the team’s games this season and has scored two goals on eight shots.

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Senior running back Alex Valles leads the team with 68 rushing yards on 12 carries on the season. Last season, Valles gained 606 all-purpose yards including a team-high 462 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

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NBA Super Team Talent Crowds the West RAMLOW, from A12

will be meshing offensively and executing defensively.

On the offensive side of the ball, the three newly united stars are all top-tier players individually. However, Westbrook and Anthony have reputations for being ball hogs.

By contrast, the Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs — the other contenders in the West — are both known for their quick ball movement. If Westbrook, Anthony and George develop passing chemistry, they will be much more likely to compete in the playoffs.

On the defensive side, Carmelo is known for his relaxed play. This will be a serious issue

for the Thunder, especially in matchups with the Warriors.

Anthony will need to guard Durant, which looks like a serious mismatch. Anthony has the size and speed to get the job done, but the question is whether or not his heart will be in it.

He has never played with a player of Westbrook’s intensity.

In terms of defensive concentration , it seems to come down to whose personality will rub off on whom.

The Thunder gave up a talented defender by trading Victor Oladipo for Paul George, also an excellent defender. George’s defensive play was slightly better before his serious leg injury in 2014, but is close to returning to

that form.

Depth remains a question mark for the Thunder. Although each move that Presti has made in the past couple years has ultimately benefited the team, he has had to give up a lot of periphery pieces to form that nucleus of stars.

As a result, we probably will not see a lot of scoring from the role players on the Thunder, which is not necessarily terrible for them. However, they will need solid defense and passing from these non-stars to shore up the edges of the squad and keep the team from becoming vulnerable.

The other solid teams in the Western Conference — the San Antonio Spurs, the Houston

Rockets and perhaps the Minnesota Timberwolves — all have a chance to challenge the supremacy of the Golden State Warriors. None of them, however, have assembled a squad that has three stars with the talent level of the Thunder’s new big three.

While it may seem likely that the Warriors will retain their hold on the Western Conference and go on to win the NBA Finals, their path will certainly be more difficult this year than in the past. And if any team is going to give them a run for their money, it will be the Thunder.

Hugh Ramlow is a junior in the College. THE ZONE appears every other Friday.

Sports

Football Georgetown (1-2) vs. Harvard (1-1) Saturday, 2 p.m.

Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium

friday, september 29, 2017

The men’s soccer team defeated DePaul 2-1 on Saturday to win its second straight game.

See A10

“

Georgetown has a national name, and we’re a place that is known worldwide.”

HEAD COACH ROB SGARLATA

Tennis

Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown men’s tennis team recorded a dominant performance in the Joe Hunt Memorial Invitational over the weekend, with the men’s team finishing 30-11 in singles and 16-3 in doubles. Meanwhile, the women’s team finished 8-2 in singles and 4-2 in doubles at the Harvard Fall Classic.

In the singles A flight, senior Peter Beatty recorded a 7-5, 6-4 victory in the finals after battling back from a oneset deficit in a highly contested semifinal match. Freshman Connor Lee soared to victory in the singles C flight, winning all four of his matches in straight sets. “[Beatty] is our captain and

has been for three years, and he had a great tournament, winning the [Joe Hunt Memorial] tournament there,” Georgetown Head Coach Gordie Ernst said. “He wants to do something. He’s not one of these seniors who is coasting.

He wants to leave his mark.”

The D flight featured Georgetown teammates going head to head in the finals for the flight championship.

Freshman Charlie Sharton bested junior Michael Chen in a competitive two-set match that ended with a tiebreaker in the second set. Coming into the match, Sharton was dealing with back spasms and considered dropping out of the finals.

See INVITATIONAL, A11

LUC NIKIEMA FOR THE HOYA

Fifth-year quarterback Tim Barnes has completed 42 passes on 80 attempts for 478 yards this season. Barnes also has two touchdowns and three interceptions. Against Columbia, Barnes left the game late in the first quarter due to injury.

GU to Face Harvard at RFK Stadium Cameron Perales Hoya Staff Writer

FILE PHOTO: STEphanie yuan/the hoya

Junior Risa Nakagawa has won her past six sets en route to three straight match victories. The women’s team went 8-2 in singles last weekend.

6

The number of consecutive shutouts for the women’s soccer team.

Football

Hoyas Rest After Successful Weekend Christopher Gay

NUMBERS GAME

talkING POINTS

MEN’s soccer

After suffering a 35-14 away defeat against Columbia on Saturday, the Georgetown football team has a chance for redemption this week as it takes on Harvard, a perennial Ivy League juggernaut.

Harvard (1-1) is the second of three straight Ivy League opponents on the Georgetown (1-2) schedule, as the Hoyas look to continue building on a strong series of performances before heading into Patriot League play.

The Georgetown offense

will look to build on some success found early and late in the game against Columbia. The Hoyas moved the ball well early on but missed two field goals.

Later in the contest, fifthyear quarterback Tim Barnes suffered an injury and junior quarterback Clay Norris took over. Georgetown drove the ball the length of the field and scored from the 2-yard line.

Norris also completed an 83-yard touchdown to sophomore wide receiver Michael Dereus late in the fourth quarter. Head Coach Rob Sgarlata said he was pleased with

the team’s success late in the game and wants the team to find that rhythm regardless of the game circumstances.

“Last week we had a better start on offense with two 8-plus play drives that got us down there, but we missed two field goals. So what we worked on this week was controlling our own destiny — working on the little things so that when you go down 7 or 14, you can come back and score and stem the tide and keep working into the second half,” Sgarlata said.

With Barnes working back to health after sustaining a concussion against Columbia

(1-1), Norris will once again be called upon to start for the Hoyas. Norris started six games this past season after Barnes went out for the season with an injury. Barnes went 110-199 for 822 yards and two touchdowns last season.

Junior wide receiver Brandon Williams has confidence in Norris’ ability to pilot the offense. “[Norris starting] is not too much of an adjustment because we practice with all the quarterbacks, so we’re used to getting throws from Clay, Joe See HARVARD, A11

the zone

Women’s Soccer

Conference Wins Extend Shutout Streak Emily Dalton Hoya Staff Writer

The No. 17 Georgetown women’s soccer team notched a 1-0 victory over St. John’s in its Big East Conference opener Sunday and defeated DePaul 4-0 on Thursday.

Junior forward Caitlin Farrell scored a late goal inside the upper far post to lift the Hoyas (8-2-1, 2-0 Big East) over the Red Storm (4-5-1, 0-1 Big East). The Hoya defense did not surrender any scoring chances in the final nine minutes.

Coming off a 2-0 victory over Towson (3-6-2, 0-1 Colonial Athletic) last Sunday, Georgetown controlled possession for most of the game but struggled to find the back of the net during the first 80 minutes of play.

“We had plenty of the ball.

We had the ball in all of the spots we would want. We just couldn’t quite get that final pass,” Georgetown Head Coach Dave Nolan said. “They were blocking passing plays and blocking shots. They were forcing us to take bad shots, and that’s the sign of a wellcoached team.”

Regarding the team’s offensive struggles, Nolan said that the Hoyas could have been a little more patient, but he recognized that nerves might also have been a factor.

“For us, we needed to be a little bit more patient. I think we were a little bit nervy. The first conference game is always a little bit nervy. We had a tough game with them last year. We tied with them up at St. John’s, so we knew it was going to be a good game,” Nolan said.

Nolan credited St. John’s Head Coach Ian Stone for his

Hugh Ramlow

Thunder Pose Real Threat to Warriors

I

GUHOYAS

Senior midfielder Rachel Corboz has scored five goals to go along with five assists for a teamhigh 15 points this season. Corboz was a First Team All-America selection last season. consistency when it came to preparing the Red Storm for challenging the top 20-ranked Hoya squad.

“It’s tough. They’re a good team. They’re a very wellcoached team. Ian is certainly one of the best coaches in our conference, if not the country, and he does a very good job preparing his team for games,” Nolan said. “He’ll always give his team their best

chance to win a game, and he did that today.”

Farrell said that, despite some of their struggles, the Hoyas believed they would eventually break the tie late in the game.

“We were struggling a little bit in the final third just making all those connections happen, but we knew eventually we were going to break them down, and we were going to

get that goal, and that ended up happening, which was great,” Farrell said. “We really came through in the end, which was good.”

The Hoyas travelled to Chicago for their next conference game against DePaul (4-6-1, 0-0-2 Big East), notching their first conference away victory of the season with a 4-0 win at See DEPAUL, A11

Visit us online at thehoya.com/sports

n the past, I have publicly lamented recent trends in the NBA. I argued that the “super team” that the Golden State Warriors built by signing Kevin Durant in 2016 made the league look less competitive and more boring than ever before. And the addition of Durant to an already record-breaking team happened in a league that has always struggled to look competitive and captivate attention during the regular season.

But new drama and interest has brought resurrected life to the NBA. Through a couple pieces of front-office wizardry, Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager Sam Presti has successfully brought in two superstar players this offseason: Paul George and Carmelo Anthony.

George and Anthony will start alongside point guard Russell Westbrook, whose feud with Durant, his former friend and teammate, is now the most intriguing personal rivalry in the game. Over the past two years, Westbrook bore nearly the entire burden of facing Durant and Golden State. Now, Presti’s trades appear as if they will take some of the load off Westbrook.

But make no mistake: The Warriors will still be heavy favorites to win the Western Conference. Westbrook, George and Anthony are great players, but on paper they do not match the production by Warriors’ stars Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

For two years, Russell Westbrook bore the entire burden of facing Golden State. Now, Presti’s trades will lighten Westbrook’s load.

Motivation will likely no longer be a problem for the Thunder in the upcoming clashes with their Western Conference foe. Oklahoma City loathes Durant following his unexpected and widely criticized move to Golden State. Recently, the player added fuel to the fire by publicly attacking Thunder Head Coach Billy Donovan and his former teammates on Twitter.

The issue for the Thunder See RAMLOW, A11