The Hoya: December 1, 2017

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

Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 99, No. 13, © 2017

friday, december 1, 2017

MADE IN DC

Celebrate local designers and ethical consumerism in this fall fashion issue.

EDITORIAL The Office of Global Education should make study abroad funding more transparent.

Q&A: VERVEER TALKS WOMEN’S WELFARE The former ambassador discusses global women’s issues and her career of advocacy.

OPINION, A2

NEWS, A5

B1-B12

Career Center Launches GUSA Rallies Support for ‘Dreamers’ Weeklong campaign marks continued support for Dream Act Internship Stipend Pilot Program Sarah Mendelsohn Hoya Staff Writer

Deepika Jonnalagadda Hoya Staff Writer

The Cawley Career Education Center plans to launch a pilot program granting 10 students a $1,500 stipend for working unpaid internships this spring.

The pilot program is the first major development in an affordability campaign initiated by Georgetown University Student Association President Kamar Mack (COL ’19) and Vice President Jessica Andino (COL ’18).

GUSA collaborated on the proposal with the Provost’s Office, the Cawley Center, the Center for Multicultural Equity and Access, the Center for

Social Justice and the Georgetown Scholarship Program.

Applications for the program, which ask about applicants’ parttime spring internships and how they contribute to students’ professional goals, are open until Dec. 6. The Cawley Center sent an email containing the application form to students Nov. 26. Juniors and seniors with demonstrated financial need are eligible.

According to Vice Provost for Education Randall Bass, a committee is slated to meet Dec. 12 to select the students who will be awarded stipends.

See STIPEND, A6

file photo: anna kovacevich/THE HOYA

The Cawley Career Education Center is set to launch an unpaid internship stipend program for 10 students this spring semester.

GUHereToStay, a weeklong Georgetown University Student Association campaign launched Monday, engaging students and administrators to urge Congress to pass the Dream Act of 2017.

The campaign marks GUSA’s latest and most aggressive efforts to push for a law protecting undocumented students from deportation after the Trump administration rescinded the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The campaign parallels months of university lobbying efforts led by University President John J. DeGioia.

The week consisted of events and social media initiatives including a phone bank, letter writing to members of Congress and a video, which raised awareness about the Dream Act and pressed Congress to pass the bill. GUSA worked with the Office of Federal Relations and Arelis Palacios, the associate director for Undocumented Student Services, to organize the week.

“They have helped us identify the needs of undocumented students on campus and target particular members of Congress who will be key in passing the DREAM Act,” Aaron Bennett (COL ’19), GUSA executive press secretary wrote in an email to The Hoya.

The GUHereToStay week also fetatured students signing cutouts of almost 500 butterflies, a symbol representing DACA recipients or “Dreamers.” The GUSA Federal and D.C. Relations Committee plans to turn these butterflies, signed Thurs-

ali enright/THE HOYA

The weeklong GUHereToStay campaign featured a “Dream Wall” in Red Square, where students wrote messages of support to the undocumented community. day, into a chain and deliver them to Capitol Hill today along with student letters to their representatives.

GUSA Cosecretary of Congressional Relations Chas Newman (MSB ’18) said the butterflies represent the depth of support for “Dreamers” on campus and demonstrate the effect that advocacy campaigns on campus can have on the federal government.

Introduced by Democratic Senator Dick Durbin (SFS ’66, LAW ’69)

of Illinois and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the Dream Act would extend and enhance the protections provided by the Obama-era DACA program rescinded by the Trump administration in September.

The bipartisan bill would offer protection from deportation and the potential for permanent residence to See DREAMERS, A6

Amid Allegations, Students Call for University Condemnation Will Cassou Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown students are calling on the university to condemn alumni and honored guests facing accusations of sexual assault and misconduct as the national wave of allegations against public figures prominent in politics and news media grows.

Alleged perpetrators with ties to Georgetown include journalist Charlie Rose, who received an honorary doctorate from the university in 2015, and actor Kevin Spacey, who was invited by the government department to an event about politics and ethics in 2013.

Former President Bill Clinton (SFS ’68), who has received renewed criticism over multiple misconduct allegations since serving as president, was also recently honored with a three-day symposium by the Georgetown Institute for Politics and Public Service.

“It is not enough to simply take down the picture of Kevin Spacey that used to be on the second floor of Healy Hall.”

Maria CORNELL (SFS ’20) Incoming Chair, Georgetown University College Democrats

Since an Oct. 5 New York Times article and an Oct. 10 New Yorker piece revealed the numerous instances in which film producer Harvey Weinstein engaged in sexual misconduct, several high-profile men, including Rose and Spacey, have also been accused of improper sexual

featured

conduct and assault. Many of these men have been fired after organizational and journalistic investigations.

Georgetown has yet to release any official or public response to these events, despite previously honoring Rose and hosting Spacey. Since the news of Rose’s allegations broke, both Arizona State University and the University of Kansas revoked honorary degrees Rose received.

Montclair State University in New Jersey is considering a similar decision.

Rose served as a morning news anchor for CBS and a newsmagazine host on PBS and delivered the College’s commencement address in 2015. In 2013, the government department invited Spacey to discuss politics and ethics with Ron Klain (CAS ’83), former chief of staff to former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Joe Biden.

Both Rose and Spacey urged students to prioritize living ethical lives. In recent weeks, 16 men have accused Spacey of inappropriate conduct according to Business Insider, while eight women have accused Rose of sexual misconduct according to The Washington Post.

The new national scrutiny on sexual misconduct has also raised criticism of how allegations are handled in the political realm. Both Clinton and President Donald Trump have been accused of multiple cases of sexual assault. Regardless, the university celebrated Clinton’s legacy Nov. 4 to 6 at GU Politics’ “Clinton 25” symposium, which lacked any scrutiny of Clinton’s alleged misconduct.

Both Georgetown University College Republicans and Georgetown University College Democrats reiterated their opposition to sexual assault and perpetrators, emphasizing efforts on their parts such as creating survivor-centric spaces and working with SAPE for training sessions on sexual assault prevention.

See ASSAULT, A6

FILE PHOTO: stephanie yuan/the hoya, FILE PHOTO: daniel smith/THE HOYA

Students are calling on Georgetown to condemn alumni and honored guests who have been accused of sexual misconduct, including former President Bill Clinton (SFS ’68), top, and actor Kevin Spacey.

NEWS

OPINION

SPORTS

DeGioia Takes on Tax Plan University President John J. DeGioia raised objections to Republican plans to overhaul the tax code.

A5

Hung on The Hoya Being a staffer of The Hoya is not easy — and that is what makes it so rewarding.

A3

Williams Resigns Former women’s volleyball Head Coach Arlisa Williams stepped down after the team finished 8-22 this season.

A12

NEWS Rhodes Scholar

opinion Fostering Humility

SPORTS Hoyas Stay Unbeaten

Deirdre Collins (COL ’17) was named a 2018 Rhodes Scholar, becoming Georgetown’s 26th Rhodes Scholar.

A9 Printed Fridays

In this period of political strife, Hoyas must step up as the ethical leaders of our nation.

A3

The men’s basketball team defeated the University of Maine 76-55 on Tuesday to improve to 5-0.

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

A2

OPINION

THE HOYA

friday, december 1, 2017

THE VERDICT

EDITORIALS

Re-Evaluate Study Abroad Fees Under the current system, Georgetown students who study abroad are often paying exorbitant fees for insufficient support.

Foreign students who matriculated directly into the London School of Economics’ one-year exchange program for the 2017-18 academic cycle were charged an annual tuition fee slightly above $25,000 at the beginning of the semester, according to the school’s fee tables.

Meanwhile, Georgetown students who matriculated into LSE this year through the university’s Office of Global Education are expected to pay the full price of Georgetown tuition, as mandated by the office’s current study abroad pricing scheme, effective as of 2005.

As such, unless they obtained a scholarship or transferred their financial aid package, these Georgetown students are paying $51,720 for the year abroad — more than double the program’s actual price.

Georgetown is the 18th-most expensive institution in the United States, the country with the highest average tuition fees for private universities around the world. As a result, one can expect that other study abroad programs offered

by Georgetown are similarly overpriced.

When students abroad raised these concerns last year, Rachel Pugh, Georgetown senior director for strategic communications, wrote an email to The Hoya, saying that these funds were used to cover the time and resources devoted to study abroad, including the support that students receive from Georgetown.

She added that this fee structure seeks to prevent students from choosing programs solely on the basis of cost (“Study Abroad Concerns Raised,” The Hoya, Nov. 8, 2016, A7).

This explanation fails to clarify or justify the university’s use of its students’ money.

It is difficult to imagine university services accounting for the total cost difference, particularly when the extent to which OGE supports stu-

dents on-site varies from program to program.

This ambiguity makes the lack of transparency in Georgetown’s administration of leftover revenue from tuition payments all the more concerning.

In addition, students, particularly those who would be unable to completely cover program costs without financial assistance or would be otherwise eligible for discounted prices at their chosen destinations, should not be deterred from engaging in such an experience by inflated costs.

If Georgetown truly aspires to make the financial aspect of studying abroad transparent and equal, OGE should replace its current pricing scheme with a competitive market system that reflects a program’s true cost and should charge an additional fee only to cover support services.

This fee should be tailored to each program.

With OGE already openly classifying the levels of on-site support across programs as “limited,” “moderate” or “comprehensive,” it is nonsensical to continue homogenizing programs by charging the same prices across the board.

Studying abroad is a valuable experience. Students not only gain access to additional academic opportunities, but also are given the chance to go beyond the university’s boundaries, discovering foreign countries and cultures and meeting people from different backgrounds.

A semester or year at a foreign university can lead students, particularly those who have never spent time abroad before, to the holistic education and growth enshrined in Georgetown’s mission and values.

Georgetown’s current fees succeed in providing equal conditions for studying abroad. But these equal conditions do not lead to equal opportunities.

By neglecting to provide this equality, the university fails to justify its maintenance of current study abrod financial schemes.

C C

C C

Founded January 14, 1920

C

Reviving Excitement — Eminem announced Dec. 15 as the release date for his new album “Revival” after disappointing fans who expected the release to be last Friday.

Dreamers United — Bambadjan Bamba of the highly anticipated movie “Black Panther” announced that he is a Defexrred Action for Child Arrivals program recipient, adding his support to the immigration fight.

Not Lovin’ It — McDonald’s has temporarily removed Buttermilk Crispy Tenders from its menu because of its inability to meet the unexpectedly high demand for the product.

Manning Down — The New York Giants benched quarterback Eli Manning, ending his streak of starting 210 straight games — the second longest in NFL history.

A New Record — Sue Finley became NASA’s longest-serving woman this week. The 81-year-old test engineer has been working for the agency since 1958.

EDITORIAL CARTOON by Elinor Walker

Amend Attitudes Toward Clubs As club selectivity continues to concern students and plague clubs across campus, it is time to recognize that the ultra-exclusivity of many of Georgetown University’s clubs is rooted in the fact that they blur their purported functions with their roles as social organizations.

To end club exclusivity, the most selective clubs at Georgetown must take steps to combat their current on-campus images, which often focus more on their social functions than their core missions.

As spring recruitment season approaches, clubs can achieve this goal by ensuring that their recruitment and application processes are focused on finding the most highly qualified candidates rather than those who would contribute to the club’s social scene. Yet, our community must also alter the way in which we introduce club culture to new students.

The Student Activities Commission has already initiated these conversations. The group hosted a Student Leaders Summit on Nov. 15 to discuss “the state of student organizations, inclusivity/exclusivity in our groups, and how to tackle the issue of ‘club culture’ on campus” as well as an open forum on club culture Nov. 30.

Following SAC’s example, we should keep the issue of club exclusivity in mind. Georgetown’s clubs, and the culture surrounding them, are often accused of being overly exclusive (“Stepping Away from Selectivity,” The Hoya, Sept. 1, 2017, A3) and woefully homogenous (“Correcting a Club’s Flawed Culture,” The Hoya, March 24, 2017, A3).

In the fall 2016 application cycle, the Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union had a meager 7.6 percent acceptance rate (“The Corp, GUASFCU Receive Record Application Rates,” The Hoya, Sept. 30, 2016, A7). Blue and Gray had a slightly higher acceptance rate at 10 percent that semester.

Students of Georgetown, Inc., which did not provide numbers for that semester, had an acceptance rate of 18 percent in fall 2015, according to The Hoya (“Corp, GUASFCU Receive More Than 600 Apps,” The Hoya, Sept. 25, 2015, A9).

This editorial board has also previously noted the absence of diversity in many major clubs, and continues to encourage clubs to enhance their outreach to minority students (“Diversify Club Outreach,” The Hoya, March 28, 2017, A2).

Such outreach efforts alone are insufficient to remedy either selectivity or a lack of diversity, both deeply-

rooted systemic issues. These efforts, though they may boost diversity, do nothing for the low acceptance rates many clubs still struggle with, as they increase the size of applicant pools.

Moreover, constraints on resources — whether in space, budget or training — mean that not every club is able to accept an increasing number of members as application pools grow. Last fall, the Corp and GUASFCU together received a record-breaking 750 applicants, up from the roughly 600 applications they received in fall 2015, according to The Hoya (“The Corp, GUASFCU Receive Record Application Rates”).

The root cause of club selectivity is Georgetown’s cultural notion that clubs are the most important part of our campus social fabric. This leads clubs to often market themselves as social organizations to attract swarms of new applicants, perpetuating a cycle that drives down acceptance rates and blurs clubs’ functions with their social roles.

Clubs and other extracurricular activities will always be an invaluable source of social connections.

The problem arises, then, when a club’s reputation as a social hub overshadows its stated mission.

The endeavors that Georgetown’s clubs take on — giving tours, running businesses, investing endowment funds, reporting the news — are important, fascinating enterprises that can attract talented and interesting people on their own merits. These enterprises should be the focus of clubs’ outreach and recruitment efforts.

By refocusing their on-campus roles to their original functions, clubs can distill their applicant pools to those truly interested in furthering the groups’ missions and, with these smaller applicant pools, can dismantle reputations of social exclusivity.

In recruitment processes, clubs should ensure that their emphasis is truly on finding the most talented and qualified candidates.

On a larger scale, however, our campus must change how we market club culture as a whole — particularly to the newest members of our community. By selling clubs to new students as the virtual substitute for sororities and fraternities at Georgetown — a comparison often made to incoming firstyears — we only perpetuate the erroneous focus of these groups.

To combat Georgetown’s perpetual problem of club exclusivity, we must all change how we talk about club culture. If not, we risk another slew of application cycles with low acceptance rates and low morale. Our clubs, and our students, deserve better.

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 Mitchell Taylor, Sports 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

Yasmine Salam Alfredo Carrillo Hannah Urtz Madeline Charbonneau Dan Baldwin Dan Crosson 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 Laura Bell

Campus Life Desk Editor Academics Desk Editor City Desk Editor News Desk 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

Editorial Board

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

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Members of the Georgetown Community, Students of Georgetown, Inc. would like to update you on a decision we’ve carefully considered over the past few months: going cashless at all our locations.

We firmly believe going cashless will enhance our ability to serve the community. On-shift operations will be more streamlined, providing faster, more efficient service. Cashless operations are also more environmentally sustainable, saving nearly 40,000 paper envelopes annually. Lastly, managing cash is surprisingly expensive.

Our projections indicate going cashless will allow us to give more back to the community through our philanthropic efforts, and increase our ability to offer competitive prices. The Corp currently distributes over

$85,000 in grants and scholarships to members of the Georgetown community every year, and we hope to expand these actions for years to come.

Our greatest consideration during this transition has been, and will continue to be, accessibility for all of our customers. We are students serving students, university workers, faculty and so many others. We want to inform as many people as possible before going completely cashless to make the shift as seamless as possible. In addition to a widespread awareness campaign over the next few months, we will institute a “gift card buffer period,” which will enable customers who have no payment option but cash to purchase a gift card to then use for transactions.

Presently, we intend to roll out the policy Feb. 1, while offering the gift card buffer option

Sincerely and Hoya Saxa, The Corp

For letters to the editor and more online content, visit thehoya.com/opinion.

Daniel Almeida, General Manager Maura McDonough, VP of Operations Emily Marshall, Director of Alumni Relations Brittany Logan, Director of Financial Operations Karen Shi, Director of Human Resources Sagar Anne, Director of Sales Galilea Zorola Tara Halter Brian Yoffe

through the end of that month.

As we prepare for this transition, we wish to meet with anyone who has an interest in speaking about the issue, especially any individuals who feel particularly affected by the decision. We hope to engage in constructive dialogue and seek creative, inclusive solutions for all.

If you would like to learn more about the decision or have feedback to offer, please do not hesitate to contact CEO Melina Hsiao, Chied Operating Officer Chris Caminiti and Chief Financial Officer Jared D’Sa at cashlesscorp@thecorp. org. The Corp board and upper management are excited about this initiative, with a firm belief that our community of customers will benefit from this shift for years to come.

Senior Accounts and Operations Manager Accounts Manager Accounts Manager

Board of Directors

Matthew Trunko, Chair Daniel Almeida, Toby Hung, Syed Humza Moinuddin, Selena Parra, Paolo Santamaria Letter to the Editor and Viewpoint Policies The Hoya welcomes letters and viewpoints from our readers and will print as many as possible. To be eligible for publication, letters should specifically address a recent campus issue or Hoya story. Letters should not exceed 300 words.

Viewpoints are always welcome from all members of the Georgetown community on any topic, but priority will be given to relevant campus issues. Viewpoint submissions should be between 600-700 words. The Hoya retains all rights to all published submissions.

Send all submissions to: opinion@thehoya. com.

The Hoya reserves the right to reject letters or viewpoints and edit for length, style, clarity and accuracy. The Hoya further reserves the right to write headlines and select illustrations to accompany letters and viewpoints.

The Hoya Georgetown University Box 571065 Washington, D.C. 20057-1065 The writing, articles, pictures, layout and format are the responsibility of The Hoya and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of Georgetown University.

Signed columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the editorial position of The Hoya.

Unsigned essays that appear on the left side of the editorial page are the opinion of the majority of the editorial board.

Georgetown University subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression for student editors.

The Hoya does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, disability, color, national or ethnic origin.

Corrections & Clarifications If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, contact Executive Editor Ian Scoville at (202) 602-7650 or Executive Editor Marina Tian at (480) 334-9672. Both editors can be reached by email at executive@ thehoya.com.

© 1920-2016. The Hoya, Georgetown University weekly. No part of this publication may be used without the permission of The Hoya Board of Editors. All rights reserved. The Hoya is available free of charge, one copy per reader, at distribution sites on and around the Georgetown University campus.

Editorial: (202) 687-3415 Advertising: (202) 687-3947 Business: (202) 687-3947 Facsimile: (202) 687-2741 Email: editor@thehoya.com Online at www.thehoya.com Circulation: 4,000

News Tips News Editor Christian Paz: Call (310) 4350181 or email news@thehoya.com.

Guide Editor Meena Raman: Call (201) 4681698 or email guide@thehoya.com Sports Editor Dean Hampers: Call (720) 5458222 or email sports@thehoya.com.

General Information The Hoya is published once a week during the academic year with the exception of holiday and exam periods. Address all correspondence to:

OPINION

friday, December 1, 2017

THE HOYA

A3

VIEWPOINT • FRAZIER & SÁNCHEZ

As this jesuit sees it

Fr. Mark Bosco, S.J.

For Hoyas, The Value of Humility

T

hese are tough times. Still, over the course of my first year serving in the Office of Mission and Ministry, I have been struck by how important Georgetown University can be during this period of political strife in our country.

As Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), one of the last living leaders of the 1963 March on Washington, said in our Dahlgren Chapel on Nov. 13, “What is at stake is the very soul of our nation, the soul of what it means to be an American.”

Or as one of my Jesuit brothers pondered out loud at dinner: “When have we last seen such mean-spiritedness, such a quest to humiliate each other in our public life as a nation?”

Whether it is the increase of tawdry Twitter posts, the sexual misconduct allegations from Hollywood to Capitol Hill or the defense by so-called Christians of Alabama senatorial candidate Roy Moore, who was accused of sexually assaulting minors, there is no doubt that meanness and humiliation have infected our nation’s soul.

Georgetown, rooted in Christian faith and founded on a Jesuit vision of inclusiveness, dialogue and service to the common good, can offer a moral compass for our intellectual and political engagement.

It does so in an important way — by fostering the virtue of humility.

The 2,000-year history of Christianity has, admittedly, had moments when it has acted in contradiction to the gospel of Jesus.

The violence of the Crusades; the terrible internal ruptures that left a deep wound in the separation of Christians into Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant; the collusion of some church leaders in the persecution of Jews — these are just some of the sordid highlights of a Christian community that has historically lost its way.

These failures exist even in our own community: Georgetown knows too well how slavery is written into its own wretched pages.

But there has always been a renewal from within — a soul-searching — that comes from people who engage the world with humility and remind us to return to its founder as its moral compass.

Whether St. Francis of Assisi and

St. Ignatius of Loyola in our distant past, St. Teresa of Calcutta and Pope St. John Paul II in the 20th century or Pope Francis today, the Catholic community is rich in leadership that calls us back to an honorable service of the common good.

These individuals’ lives pique our conscience and remind us of who we all are — made in the image and likeness of God. Our culture clings to power and vanity as signs of strength, forgetting the quiet, more powerful strength in humility before others. Through humility, we are reminded that we are not here to change or convert one another. For the Christian, that is the work of faith, as faith is a gift from God and is never expressed truly through power or superiority.

A humble encounter, like real dialogue, means valuing one another without giving up one’s own truth or one’s personal conscience.

Catholicism affirms that in the depths of one’s conscience, there is a law that does not impose itself upon us, but rather holds us to a deeper obedience. Always summoning us to love good and avoid evil, the voice of conscience speaks to the heart: Do this; shun that.

Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of every human person. It is — as the wellknown and influential Cardinal John Henry Newman argued — a light, an aspiration toward the good, a call to live the truth of human dignity, even when it contradicts the appropriate or normal.

This light, this truth, can only manifest in a humble heart: Only in humility can we recognize it in ourselves and admire it in others.

Conscience is the voice that has urged so many people to stand out against oppression and violence — to declare a road to freedom.

As a Jesuit university, we claim to offer a pedagogy of personhood, in which humility is a sign of authentic leadership. Hoyas must be the conscience of our time and the humble leaders in the days, months and years ahead.

Fr. Mark Bosco, S.J., is the vice president for mission and ministry at Georgetown University. As This Jesuit Sees It appears online every other Thursday.

Graduate workers at Georgetown have more than earned a seat at the table when the administration takes up issues that affect our living and working conditions.

Graduate Students Deserve a Seat at the Table

A

t a time when national publications like The Atlantic speak of a “Republican war on college,” it is imperative that graduate student workers have a say in their wages, hours and working conditions.

Over the past year, the Georgetown Alliance of Graduate Employees — a group of master’s and doctoral students representing every discipline at Georgetown University — has participated in over a thousand conversations with graduate student workers about unionizing to better their living and working conditions.

On Nov. 1, 2017, we announced that a majority of graduate student workers supported the creation of a graduate workers union at Georgetown. We have therefore asked the administration to formally recognize GAGE as the exclusive bargaining agent for Georgetown graduate workers.

We believe that the tax bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month only reaffirms the need for a graduate workers union to advocate with the administration on our behalf.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act represents an attack on U.S. higher education. The version of the bill that passed the House on Nov. 16 would redefine graduate workers’ tuition benefits as taxable income, tax private university endowments and eliminate the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit and the $2,500 tax deduction

for student loan payments. The American Council on Education reports that the bill would eliminate $65 billion in benefits for higher education over the next 10 years.

As noted in numerous publications including The Nation, The Washington Post and The Chronicle of Higher Education, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act represents a particular threat to graduate student workers’ livelihoods.

The bill would have “an apocalyptic impact on graduate student costs,” as our colleague Jewel Lipps (GRD ’22) wrote in an email to The Hoya on Nov. 17.

Many graduate workers would have to withdraw from their programs because their tax obligations would increase by as much as 400 percent while their stipend would remain the same.

Higher education is now a favorite target of the right. A recent Pew Research Center poll found that 58 percent of Republican and Republican-leaning respondents think that higher education has a negative impact in the United States.

Former Arizona Republican state legislator Frank Antenori encapsulated the sentiments of a growing anti-intellectual movement in a Nov. 25 interview in The Washington Post: “A lot of Republicans would say they go there to get brainwashed and learn how to become activists and basically go out in the world and cause trouble.”

This hostility toward higher

education suggests that even if the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act does not become law, the coming years could present Georgetown with many difficult decisions that affect graduate workers.

These decisions could influence not only our wages and hours, but also the shape of our community.

The Department of Education reports that 60 percent of all graduate student workers in the United States who benefit from Section 117(d) — the provision of the U.S. tax code responsible for the tax-exempt tuition waivers that these students obtain for assisting faculty with teaching and research — work in a STEM, science, technology, engineering or math, field. By negating this provision, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act could be a setback for long-standing efforts to diversify STEM fields by presenting even more obstacles for students seeking a higher education — especially for those who are already financially strained.

Meanwhile, a lack of diversity remains a pressing issue in STEM fields: A recent report by the National Science Foundation found that black, Hispanic and American Indian or Alaska Native students made up only 13 percent of those who receive doctorates in science or engineering fields.

We urge the administration to formally recognize and begin a good-faith bargaining process with GAGE. In particular, we ask that the administration respond

to our recent letter about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which called on the Office of the President to clarify the tax status of graduate students’ tuition benefits and — in the event waived tuition is made taxable — commit to maintaining graduate students’ current level of after-tax income.

Our labor is foundational to Georgetown’s mission as a Catholic and Jesuit university. We assist faculty with their courses and research, design and teach our own courses, present our work at academic conferences, apply for research grants and fellowships that enhance the university’s reputation and participate in charitable efforts that encourage good relations with the community.

After long and careful deliberation, a majority of us have decided that unionization represents the fairest, most effective and most democratic way for graduate workers at Georgetown to communicate with the administration about our interests as workers.

Graduate workers at Georgetown have more than earned a seat at the table when the administration takes up issues that affect our living and working conditions.

Chad Frazier is a doctoral candidate in the history department. Kathryn Sánchez is a doctoral candidate in the biology department. They are writing on behalf of Georgetown Alliance of Graduate Employees.

VIEWPOINT • HUNG

TRANSFERMATIONs

Remain Resilient Amid Challenges

Preparing for What Lies Ahead

I

arrived at my current, soonto-be-former position by accident. At 11:58 p.m. on Sept.

11, 2014, a mere minute before deadline, I submitted my application to join this nonagenarian newspaper on a whim, never expecting to be accepted, much less become its editor-in-chief.

Two weeks and one sartorially misguided interview outfit later, I joined The Hoya as a news writer. I have not looked back since.

Three years, two months and 10 days here have afforded me a multifaceted view of Georgetown. For all its undisguisable flaws and shrouded shortcomings, Georgetown is remarkable as an institution, and even more so as a community.

Every day at The Hoya, we have the opportunity to report on and lend a platform to students, faculty and administrators who seek to make this university a better, safer and more inclusive place. Sharing their stories has been nothing short of a fulfilling experience.

Yet college journalism is an enigma of an enterprise. For many of the stories that we publish, our audience and subject matter are one and the same.

When we decline to deliver puff pieces, we are criticized for not doing our jobs. When we cover our subjects in a manner that is unsatisfactory to them, in pursuit of objective reporting, we are accused of slanted journalism. We are written off by some readers as proponents of liberal bias and by others as upholders of unprogressive thought, whichever is more fitting to their ideological leanings.

The press is an easy target, because it cannot defend itself.

Publications seldom respond directly to criticism, for better or worse. That some of our readers take advantage of this, in light of the growing trend of mediabashing in national politics, is

unsettling to say the least.

Granted, many of the criticisms we receive are undoubtedly well-founded, and I will be the first to admit that. With every correction and clarification, we realize that our reporting and editorial judgment are far from perfect. As a training ground for journalists, we stress the need to learn from our mistakes, especially as journalism becomes an increasingly thorny practice.

What I have come to realize is that being a staffer of The Hoya is rewarding precisely because of the challenges we encounter in our work.

Over the past year, I have found myself frequently ruminating on what motivates our staff. Our writers, editors, photographers, designers, videographers and business staff devote countless hours of their weekly schedules to unpaid — and occasionally thankless — work, sometimes only to be rebuked by tactless readers, many of whom have never stepped foot in a newsroom.

Some nights, as I sit in our overheated office, sunken into a disfigured couch, I wonder whether this is genuinely a worthwhile pursuit.

Of course, I would be remiss to discount the plentiful perks of working at The Hoya. Here, I have met some of Georgetown’s most talented and tireless individuals, and it is a privilege to have worked with and learned from so many promising young journalists.

But if finding a community and gaining professional expe-

rience were my sole incentives, I — as someone who has no intention of pursuing a career in journalism — would have looked elsewhere.

What I have come to realize is that being a staffer of The Hoya is rewarding precisely because of the challenges we encounter in our work. The pieces we publish can effect change in policy and culture, and with that comes a certain accountability to our readers and fellow students. I have been proud to see our staff work with members of the community in bringing important issues to the forefront of campus dialogue.

And as for the critics, they are in fact the ones who push us to be more careful and vigilant reporters. Every anonymous comment on our website, every misunderstanding about the independence of our editorial board and every allegation of “fake news,” jocular or otherwise, reminds us that our standing as a publication depends on the relationship we have with our readers.

Ahead of our centennial, The Hoya has sought to redefine our role and value proposition. In the last year, we expanded to become an online daily publication, allowing us to connect with readers on a more frequent basis. As we evolve to meet the ever-changing standards of 21st century journalism, we also maintain our core responsibility of serving the community. I can assure readers that our best work is yet to come.

Lastly, to every staffer of The Hoya, thank you. Your work is important, and while it may be difficult at times, it is worthwhile. It has certainly been for me.

Toby Hung is a senior in the College and the 143rd editor-inchief of The Hoya. His term ends Saturday.

O

ften, colleges present themselves as microcosms of the real world, yet in many ways they do not resemble it.

The grades and accolades that we seek at college will not define our post-graduation selves as much as our perseverance through difficult times will. If we are too focused on the academic aspect of university, we can undermine this purpose.

As undergraduates, we have the opportunity to learn selfcare practices in a place where we have an extensive support system that we will not always have. It is an opportunity we would be foolish not to take.

Last Wednesday, I was sitting on my therapist’s couch as I have done weekly for two years.

My therapist always begins our sessions with a series of questions to gauge how I am doing.

A few minutes into the appointment, though, my therapist surprised me with a new question — one that I knew she’d ask at some point but that I had never fully thought out the answer to.

“Do you think transferring to Georgetown was the right choice for you?”

I fell silent. My eyes wandered around the room as I thought.

Much of my Georgetown experience has been absolutely miserable. There were the hours on end when I could do nothing but stare at the ceiling, the monthly antidepressant changes with unpredictable side effects, the episodes of uncontrollable crying and the far too many days I had hoped to die. I had spent most of my life at Georgetown wishing I were dead.

Perhaps remaining at my previous university would have prevented my already fragile mental health from worsening.

There, I could have succeeded

academically no matter how I was feeling, stuck around with the friends I’d made my freshman year and still achieved tremendous intellectual growth.

Even this semester, going to class and doing well academically at Georgetown are still difficult. My brain doesn’t work the way it once did, so my goal each semester has become simply to pass my classes. And though I’ve been here for nearly two and half years, I still have no definite place socially.

Brittany Rios

At Georgetown, I discovered the most about myself and, in doing so, figured out the self-care practices that work best for me.

My Georgetown experience has not been conventionally positive, but it has been incredibly worthwhile. Graduating from my first college, I still could become the intellectual I always thought I’d be. But I will graduate from Georgetown more fully human than my old university could have ever made me.

At Georgetown, I discovered the most about myself and, in doing so, figured out the selfcare practices that work best for me. Along the way, I’ve become more compassionate and empathetic. Had I not experienced a tumultuous transi-

tion to Georgetown, I certainly would be a completely different person today, presumably for the worse.

One thing is for certain: At my previous university, I would still be ashamed of my mental illness. At Georgetown, I felt that I needed to tell a lot of people — my deans, my friends and my coaches — what was going on to prevent self-harm.

Once I did, I was not ashamed anymore.

Letting people know about my depression at Georgetown has been integral to finding ways to improve my mental health. I’m not sure that I’d be prepared for the real world had I not needed to practice selfcare and to figure out what that looks like for me. Staying at my previous institution would have delayed, if not prevented, these realizations — and that is frightening.

We can never be certain whether our decisions will be beneficial or harmful, but we can learn how to take care of ourselves if they end up being harmful. And once we discover the self-care practices that work for us, we will truly be prepared for anything that lies ahead.

I am grateful to be leaving college with these realizations.

I will leave Georgetown much more prepared to deal with the challenges of the real world.

I was staring at a corner of the room, lost in thought, before I returned my gaze to my therapist.

“So, was coming here the right choice?” she asked again.

I laughed to myself in disbelief of the words I was about to say.

“You know what?” I said with a shrug and a half-smile. “I think it was.”

Brittany Rios is a senior in the College. This is the final installment of TRANSFERmations.

A4

NEWS

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

PAGE FOUR

INSIDE THIS ISSUE The D.C. Council proposed a bill to raise the D.C. sales tax to 6.5 percent in an effort to fund Metro’s needed repairs. Story on A8.

Your news — from every corner of The Hoya.

verbatim

IN FOCUS BURNING DESIRE

“

Intersectionality is responding to categorization, but it is not, in my opinion, challenging the categories.”

Pro-Israel activist Chloe Valdray on discussion surrounding the IsraeliPalestinian conflict Story on A8.

from our blog

SEXIER THAN SHELTON People Magazine’s choice for Sexiest Man Alive ruffled some feathers this year. Here’s 4E’s list of better candidates for the distinction.

STEPHANIE YUAN/THE HOYA

Hosted by the McDonough School of Business, Ken Burns stressed the importance of closely examining history from multiple perspectives during a discussion in Gaston Hall yesterday. Burns said various viewpoints facilitate comprehensive understanding.

blog.thehoya.com

Q&A: Outgoing Security Studies Head Evaluates Global Terrorism ALFREDO CARRILLO Hoya Staff Writer

Since 2010, Bruce Hoffman, the director of the Georgetown University Center for Security Studies, has overseen the program as it has grown to include about 400 students and over 100 faculty. The program is so large, Hoffman said, it is “almost a school in [its] own right.”

Hoffman plans to step down from his position at the end of the fall 2017 semester. School of Foreign Service professor Keir Lieber is slated to be his successor.

Hoffman, a counterterrorism and insurgency expert who has worked for the CIA and the RAND Corporation, is set to take a yearlong sabbatical, during which he plans to write a book on Reaganera counterterrorism policy. He expects to return to the SFS as a professor in January 2019.

In a Tuesday interview, Hoffman spoke to THE HOYA about the current state of terrorism, including the status of the Islamic State group, and about his experiences at Georgetown, in academia and in government.

He analyzed the challenges facing the United States and the policies implemented to address them, and reflected on the lessons his professional engagements — whether at think tanks in Washington, D.C., federal intelligence agencies or U.S. military headquarters in Iraq — taught him and how he has applied them to his leadership in the SFS. You have been researching terrorism and insurgency for decades. How would you describe the evolution of extremism since 9/11 and the current state of terrorism?

The biggest element of its evolution is that the distinctions that may have once existed between terrorism, guerrilla warfare and insurgency have all seemed to blend together these days. I see it as part of a continuum, where terrorism, at least historically, has been perpetrated by a small number of persons with an otherwise limited capacity for violence.

Guerrilla warfare is where the small group of persons is able to seize and control territory and exercise some sovereignty over a population, even for limited periods of time. This means they can recruit more openly; they have bases of operation; they train and deploy with more of a semblance of military command and control; and therefore they can attack defended targets in addition to undefended ones.

Terrorists basically attack undefended targets. Insurgency is a step up from that, where they’re engaged in mass mobilization and recruitment, but also communications operations where they’re fundamentally in a position now to calibrate the political, economic or even social organization of a society or of a country. Insurgents and guerrillas use terrorists’ tactics. Historically, or traditionally at least, terrorists haven’t had the numerical manpower or the firepower to engage in more ambitious operations.

We’re seeing that it’s at its weakest state in years, losing territory in Iraq and Syria. Do you think that IS will still remain a threat?

What do you think will be the next great terrorist threat that the United States faces?

Well, ISIS will certainly remain a terrorist threat, and that’s because I believe ISIS had already embraced a strategy before the collapse of the Islamic State and before the destruction of its caliphate to ensure its longevity and ensure it was able to sustain itself. That sustenance came from pivoting from being a proto-state and more of a conventional military force to engaging in terrorist attacks.

Unfortunately, the ISIS branches will prove to be as consequential as the parent organization. But this is, in essence, a page borrowed from al-Qaida’s playbook. Al-Qaida ensured its longevity by devolving authority and command-and-control responsibility to its franchises, as they were called back then.

What will be the next threat to the United States? It’s almost impossible to say. It’s safe to say terrorism hasn’t gone away, that we have to be continually vigilant because terrorists are constantly evolving and adapting and adjusting to thwart even our most consequential countermeasures. They’re waiting for us to relax our vigilance and lower our guard. So I think we have to understand that countering terrorism and preparing to defend against terrorism is one of the preeminent security challenges of the 21st century, and definitely not just the period immediately following the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

You talked about how these groups are waiting to take advantage of our counterterrorism measures when we lower our guard. You talked about the evolution of terrorism; how would you describe the evolution of counterterrorism?

Certainly we’re in a much different place than we were in

the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. The Department of Homeland Security didn’t exist; the National Counterterrorism Center didn’t exist; the Intelligence and Terrorism Act of 2004 that reformed the intelligence community had not been put into place. So certainly there’s been tremendous progress and strides made in countering terrorism.

The problem is, none of that is static. We’ve improved, but so have the terrorists. For the terrorists, their ability to attack is what gives them meaning; it’s their entire raison d’etre. [They] terrorize people and create fear and anxiety through their ability to attack, so they have to constantly adjust and evolve in order to stay a half-step ahead of our counterterrorism capabilities.

We shouldn’t be under any illusion that all of our successes to date since 9/11 in preventing major terrorist attacks in the United States means that the threat has receded.

The threat is still out there. It may be much lower, but it’s not zero, either.

Using your experience, how would you assess the Trump administration’s approach to counterterrorism and to national security, and how has it differed from the Bush administration’s or the Obama administration’s?

Remarkably, there’s enormous continuity. I don’t see all that many differences. The counterterrorism team at the National Security Council is one of the strongest and most competent I’ve seen.

That’s not to say others have been incompetent, but this I think is a particularly experienced and enormously capable group.

We’re very fortunate in the Security Studies program that we kicked off this academic year’s weekly seminar series by having the president’s adviser on counterterrorism from the NSC come speak with us and share some of his ideas from the counterterrorism strategy he’s building.

The last counterterrorism strategy was formulated and released in 2011, and obviously in six years there’s been a tremendous difference. I mean, the rise of ISIS, the stubborn resilience of al-Qaida, the spread of both ISIS branches and the sustainability of al-Qaida’s franchises — it changed things and necessitated the development of new national security policy.

What areas of U.S. counterterrorism strategy should be addressed for it to be more successful?

Certainly the domestic terrorist

threat. This is another example of why a new counterterrorism strategy was needed, because the domestic counterterrorism threat has definitely changed over the past six years and migrated away from a focus just on al-Qaida. We have to focus on ISIS; we have to focus on Shiite militant organizations; and not least we have to focus on white supremacists, extremist groups in the United States, which always have existed.

In fact, one of the first studies I ever wrote, 32 years ago, was on the threat of white supremacist extremist terrorism in the United States, so it’s not a topic I’m unfamiliar with. It’s always existed, but in recent years, it’s certainly gained in traction and also unfortunately in popularity, so it’s yet another threat we have to be very cognizant of.

If there is one experience that you could point out as being particularly enriching to you, which one would it be and why?

My time in Iraq showed me the importance of bridging theory and practice, and the challenges of policy formulation and then achieving its implementation. I don’t think I would have been as acutely aware of those had I not seen just the massive effort that the coalition provisional authority was undertaking in rebuilding Iraq.

It also taught me that you have lots of tactical successes along the way, but you shouldn’t confuse those with strategic victories. But I think what I would have not understood had I not been there is that those tactical successes are so difficult to achieve. I mean, they’re baby steps. But because they are so difficult to achieve, there is a natural proclivity to enhance their importance and see them as strategic victories, so you have to avoid that.

So that was enormously important.

Then, as I had said earlier, even the perspective of having been there, you still don’t know everything and you should never delude yourself that you have a complete picture. I mean this is why, in my own research, I find it’s so important to look at every different agency and every different perspective on policy being formulated, because you can’t just focus on one dimension because you’re only getting part of the story.

How have you brought your experience to leading the Center for Security Studies, in the design of the program and in deciding to hire the faculty?

I inherited a program that was

already extremely well-run and well-organized and that’s had a reputation as being the pre-eminent in the world. I think what I’ve been able to do is further build on that very solid foundation and achieve a number of very important milestones that have left the program in the position of strength, at least I hope that it’s in, today.

For example, the first question I always ask myself for anything that was done in the program is, how does this benefit our students? Because, after all, our mission is to train this new generation of policymakers and analysts, who would be thoroughly conversant in the challenges of the 21st century. The proof that we’ve succeeded in that goal is that at a time when master’s programs around the country are shrinking by about 20 percent, during my time as director, the Security Studies program expanded by about a third.

Looking beyond terrorism and counterterrorism as they stand today, what do you think are the biggest issues surrounding national security moving forward,

and how is Georgetown preparing students to deal with them?

Well, the biggest change that we’ve seen in the 21st century is firstly the increasing role of nonstate actors, as security threats in particular, but also the human dimension of security.

When I started studying security, or what was called strategic studies 40 years ago, it was all about states and really all about great powers. What we see is that the role of individuals now is so enormously important, and human security, whether it’s from violence or from climate change or from disease, for example, these are the biggest issues that we have that confront us today.

What’s fascinating is it doesn’t mean the old ones have gone away. It just means that the security issues of today and tomorrow have become increasingly more variegated and more complex and almost compound the existing or older security problems, so that we’re confronted with a vaster array of challenges than we ever have been.

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Bruce Hoffman, the outgoing director of the Center for Security Studies, reflected on his term and analyzed global terrorism.

news

friday, December 1, 2017

THE HOYA

A5

Q&A: Director Advocates DeGioia Criticizes GOP Women’s Well-Being Index Tax Reform Legislation Yasmine Salam Hoya Staff Writer

Iceland is the best country for women’s well-being, according to a new Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security index that measures women’s well-being around the globe.

The United States ranks 22nd overall, after Iceland the remaining countries in the top 10 are: Norway, Switzerland, Slovenia, Spain, Finland, Canada, Sweden, Netherlands and Singapore.

Launched at the United Nations on Oct. 26, the eve of the annual Security Council debate on women, peace and security, the Women Peace and Security Index draws on recognized international data sources such as representation in parliament and workforce participation to rank 153 countries on the condition of women and their empowerment in homes, communities and societies more broadly.

The United States’ score is depressed by high rates of intimate partner violence, more than 10 percent higher than the average for developed countries.

Founded in 2011, GIWPS examines and highlights the roles and experiences of women in peace and security worldwide through cuttingedge research. The index is a collaboration with the government of Norway and the Peace Research Institute of Oslo.

The Hoya sat down with Melanne Verveer (SLL’ 66, GRD’ 69), executive director of GIWPS to discuss the recent launch of the global index. Verveer served as the first ever ambassador of global women’s issues under former President Barack Obama. Dedicating her public service career to women’s rights and advocacy, Verveer said that the launch of this global index will radically change how women’s wellbeing around the world is calculated.

What was it like serving as ambassador under both the Obama and Clinton administrations?

I have been privileged to engage in public service in significant positions, as Chief of Staff to Hillary Clinton when she was first lady and later as the first U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues.

Both positions provided an opportunity to advance the United States commitment to progress for women and girls around the world. [My White House position] was a lifechanging post in terms of propelling me to be more deeply engaged on women’s rights.

As the inaugural U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues, my charge was to integrate a gender perspective

and women’s participation into all aspects of U.S. foreign policy, recognizing that no country could get ahead if it left half its people behind.

We cannot make progress on some of the most challenging global issues—from growing economies to sustaining peace, addressing climate change and supporting democratic governance—if women are constrained from full participation.

“If girls are enrolled in school but not safe in their homes or in school, we get an incomplete picture of well-being.”

Amb. Melanne verveer Director, Georgetown Institute For Women, Peace and Security

As a Georgetown alumna, what is something you learned from your time as a student that you carried with you in your career in public service?

My days as both an undergraduate and graduate student at Georgetown were a time to develop my interest in public service. I was excited, as were many of my generation, by the call of President Kennedy at the time, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” I wanted to be in Washington, where there was so much interest in government and in how we could contribute. Georgetown was a magnet for many leaders coming to campus to discuss the big issues of our time, and Georgetown’s ethos of “women and men for others” enhanced this interest and commitment.

What was the vision behind the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security’s creation, and what are its main goals today?

The call for women’s engagement in peace and security was recognized by the U.N. Security Council more than 15 years ago, but progress has been less than robust. When I was Ambassador, we formulated a U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. Many other countries had already done so, including the EU and NATO. Out of the experience of implementing the NAP, we recognized that far more needed to be done to illustrate the evidence based case for women’s engagement in peace and security through rigorous research, global leadership and developing the next generation of leaders.

GIWPS recently launched a new index that measures women’s

well-being globally. What sets this new index apart from other comparable indexes out there?

The index captures a more comprehensive picture of the women’s well-being. Gender indices are typically limited to indicators as whether women complete secondary education or are in paid work.

These aspects of inclusion are undoubtedly important but they are incomplete in the absence of justice and security.

For example, if girls are enrolled in school but not safe in their homes or in school, we get an incomplete picture of well being. Similarly traditional measures of security include an array of conflict indicators but ignore systematic bias and discrimination against women. This index brings together the dimensions of inclusion, justice and security into a single number and ranking. It therefore represents a major innovation in how we think about and measure women’s well-being bringing achievements in; for example, schooling and access to cell phones, together with data on violence against women.

Would you explain how the index takes the various factors into account when calculating the condition of women in a specific country?

The index captures three dimensions—inclusion, justice, and security—that are measured using publicly available data. Inclusion is measured by women’s achievements in education, employment and parliamentary representation, as well as access to cell phones and financial services. Justice is captured in both formal and informal aspects— extent of discrimination in the legal system, alongside a bias in favor of sons and exposure to discriminatory norms.

Security is measured by intimate partner violence, perception of community safety and organized violence (number of battle deaths.)

What do you believe is the most pressing issue globally that women face today?

Women continue to make progress globally but the progress is uneven. Violence against women is a pervasive scourge. We focused on the three dimensions because they best capture the well being of women. As one can see from the index, there is much work that remains to be done for women to have their rights protected and for them to participate fully in all aspects of their societies. Sustainable Development Goal 5 calls for gender equality and the empowerment of women. It is important in its own right and central to the achievement of the other goals. Clearly there is still a long road to go to achieve gender equality.

Bella Avalos and Mariel Mendez Specials to The Hoya

University President John J. DeGioia objected to provisions of the tax reform proposals in the House of Representatives and Senate, writing in a Nov. 21 email to the community that they “reduce the affordability of higher education.”

“We strongly object to any provisions that limit our ability to support our mission of education and research or that inhibit access and affordability,” DeGioia wrote.

DeGioia wrote that the university is “particularly concerned about several provisions that reduce the affordability of higher education, including provisions that would remove the tax-exempt status of employees’ and graduate students’ tuition benefits and prevent borrowers from deducting interest paid on student loans.

The university has voiced its concerns to members of Congress and is cooperating with other higher education institutions to make those concerns resonate on Capitol Hill, according to DeGioia.

Provost Robert Groves endorsed DeGioia’s comments Monday in a campus-wide email, and the Georgetown Alliance of Graduate Employees, formed by recently unionized graduate students, visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday, deliv-

RYAN BAE FOR THE HOYA

Tax Policy Experts Defend Reform Efforts Hoya Staff Writer

File photo: Lauren Seibel/THE HOYA

ship Tax Credit, which refunds families making less than $180,000 a year up to $2,500 per student for the first four years of post-secondary education.

The bills would also repeal the Student Loan Interest Deduction, a program through which students who have already graduated can subtract $2,500 from their student loan interest payments each year if they individually make less than $80,000 per year, or less than $160,000 if married.

Twelve million taxpayers benefitted from this provision in 2014.

But the reform would also affect the university’s financing, as the House’s version contemplates terminating private activity bonds, which are used by colleges and universities to build facilities.

Both versions would end the use of advanced refund bonds, which allow the university to refinance its debt at a lower interest rates.

DeGioia encouraged students, faculty, staff and family members to inform themselves about the situation, and directed them to the American Council on Education’s platforms for contacting Congress.

“Since the legislative process is evolving, I encourage you to stay informed of the latest developments through these resources,” DeGioia wrote.

Republican tax bills in the House and Senate could threaten the affordability of higher education, said University President John J. DeGioia in an email to the campus community.

Paula Hong

Former Ambassador Melanne Verveer, the executive director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, promoted a new index measuring women’s well-being worldwide.

ering letters denouncing the Senate tax plan to the offices of U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Steve Daines (RMont.) according to GAGE’s Facebook page.

The statement marks the third time DeGioia has voiced public opposition to Trump administration policies in the past year. He previously condemned the administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which threatens the legal status of about 690,000 immigrants without documentation. DeGioia also spoke out against Trump’s travel ban, calling its implications “significant and concerning” in a campus-wide email on Jan. 29.

Separate versions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, one of President Donald Trump’s flagship proposals since his presidential campaign, are working their way through the House and the Senate.

The House’s version passed Nov. 16 with 227 votes, while the Senate will continue debate today after clearing the Senate Finance Committee on Nov. 28 by a one-vote margin.

Both versions curtail government aid for students by cutting programs such as the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit, which allows families making less than $130,000 a year to claim a credit of up to $2,000 per year. The bills would also terminate the Hope Scholar-

The Republican Party’s current tax reform efforts will be passed into law, three tax policy experts said during a Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service discussion on tax cuts Tuesday.

Grover Norquist, president of anti-tax advocacy group Americans for Tax Reform, Tony Sayegh, an assistant secretary for the United States Department of the Treasury and Cathy Koch (GRD ’94), the Americas tax policy leader at consulting firm Ernst & Young, defended the GOP’s tax reform and tax cut efforts.

Sayegh and Norquist, both GU Politics fellows during spring 2017, addressed not only the difficulties of passing a tax reform bill in Congress but also their views on the current status of the Republican tax reform plan.

They emphasized the political opportunities and challenges of tax cuts and tax reforms.

Sayegh said that analysis of the plan’s overall effect on Americans must take into account President Donald Trump’s goals for economic growth.

“We would love to make the entire package permanent, and there was sincere interest in making the middle-class taxes better. We need to make people understand that we have expanded the zero-tax

bracket for the vast majority of the people, those who need it the most,” Sayegh said.

This conversation on tax reform came three weeks after Republicans in the Senate released their own version of the House of Representatives’ initial tax plan. Currently, the Senate would cut taxes on all seven tax brackets and raise after-tax incomes for all income groups in the short run, though tax benefits for lowerand middle-class Americans would expire after 2025.

The plan, one of Trump’s major legislative efforts, also would repeal local and state deductions, personal exemptions for family dependents and the Affordable Care Act’s mandate for Americans to purchase health insurance while cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 to 20 percent in 2019, according to ABC News.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Senate’s plan would add $1.4 trillion to the annual deficit over the next 10 years, which is an amount less than that of the House’s plan, which would add $1.7 trillion over the same period.

Koch said that any tax reform plan should prioritize reforming corporate tax breaks and reducing the current 30 percent corporate tax.

“Our corporate rate is way higher than any other industrialized countries and has the wrong incentives,” Koch said.

Norquist said that tax reform analysis should also take into account the unemployed population. Norquist said that an increase in employment similar to the trend under President Ronald Reagan’s administration would have a positive impact on the economy. The unemployment rate fell from 7.5 percent to 5.4 percent during Reagan’s term, due to significant economic growth and his support of tax cuts.

“We have 8 percent of unemployment if you count those who used to want to work but are or have been discouraged,” Norquist said. “The biggest winners in a percentage basis are those who get their jobs back and who come back into the labor force. I think it would be helpful to point out that the world is not yet perfect.”

The panelists agreed that they wanted to remain as optimistic as possible about the futures of tax reform and the national unemployment rate but conceded that there remains more work to be done.

“Where we are now is the worst possible place for 30-something million households. People say we are overestimating, but I am afraid that they won’t go over [this number].” Norquist said. “We’re going to see capital flows from around the globe at rates we haven’t seen because of the changes in capital reform.”

A6

news

THE HOYA

friday, december 1, 2017

GUSA Pilot Program to Provide Stipends for Unpaid Interns stipend, from A1 The program is funded by private philanthropy, the Provost’s Office and the Cawley Center.

The university plans to use use data collected from the pilot program to assess demand.

Mack and Andino hope to provide stipends to more low- and middle-income students in the future, possibly through the establishment of an endowment.

Mack and Andino campaigned on a platform that promised to make student life more accessible for students from all income backgrounds.

Mack said many unpaid internships offer valuable opportunities, but students often cannot afford to accept the internships over paid jobs.

“There are hundreds upon hundreds of nonprofits and

“It is important to see this program as part of a ‘whole institution’ approach to affordability that is being addressed by many units and leaders on campus.” randall bass Vice Provost for Education

government organizations in D.C. which provide opportunities for networking and professional development, but the ones that are unpaid often come at a huge opportunity cost for students,” Mack said

in an interview with The Hoya.

Mack and Andino developed the idea for the program at the end of the summer after researching similar programs available at other universities, including The George Washington University and Columbia University. They introduced the idea to the Provost’s Office and began planning its implementation this fall.

Mack and Andino have also been working with the Office of Student Financial Services, which is set to help determine applicant’s financial need.

One of the main challenges of implementing the program was acquiring adequate funding, according to Bass.

“Everyone deeply believes in the need for the program,” Bass wrote in an email to The Hoya. “The primary challenge was finding the resources— which includes not just the stipends but support for the staff resources to deliver it.”

Mack said it was also important that the program would not inflict any additional costs on students.

“We didn’t want to raise tuition as a result of this initiative,” Mack said. “We were looking to secure funding for the program in which we approached the Office of Advancement to find a funding mechanism that wouldn’t incur a direct cost to students.”

Another challenge involved with implementing the program was ensuring its sustainability. According to Mack, the program is housed in the Cawley Center to make it more sustainable, a structure that mir-

rors that of similar programs in other universities, as the center is the first stop for many students who are looking to pursue career development.

Missy Foy, Director of the Georgetown Scholarship Pro-

“There are hundreds upon hundreds of nonprofits and government organizations in D.C., which provide opportunities for networking.” kamar mack (COL ’19) President, Georgetown University Student Association

gram said an additional benefit of the Cawley Center running the program is that it is a sign of offices on campus getting more involved in assessing their efforts to support low-income students.

Bass said the program is one way the university is working to promote affordability.

“It is important to see this project as part of a ‘whole institution’ approach to affordability that is being addressed by many units and leaders on campus,” Bass wrote. “As a campus, we are trying to do everything we can to level the playing field for all Georgetown students, believing that ‘equity’ means not just equity of access to a Georgetown education, but equity of experience and outcomes.”

subul malik for the hoya

The Cawley Career Education Center plans to launch a pillot program offering stipents to students with unpaid internships, a plan proposed by the Georgetown University Student Association.

GUSA Lobbies for Dream Act After Honorees GUHereToStay campaign advocates replacement for DACA dreamers, from A1 immigrants and DACA recipients who do not have a criminal record, have high school diplomas, are currently attending school and have lived in the United States continuously for at least four years.

Members of Congress who support the Dream Act plan to vote on the bill in the coming week to establish a permanent replacement for DACA, which is set to expire March 5.

Rebecca Hinkhouse (SFS ’19), director of the GUSA Federal and D.C. Relations Committee, said the GUHereToStay campaign is more aggressive than previous efforts by GUSA to encourage Congress to pass the Dream Act. “Now that there’s a potential for the Dream Act to be passed in December, we wanted a big huge push,” Hinkhouse said. “We wanted

something bigger and better than just letter writing, and we wanted to educate students and engage students so we came up with this week of activities.”

The advocacy week came after months of working to advocate for protecting undoc-

“Since the deadline to renew DACA has passed, now we’re in a limited time frame to try to find a solution.” jessica andino (cOL ’18) Vice President, Georgetown University Student Association

umented students through DACA and now the Dream Act, according to Hinkhouse.

In September, GUSA partnered with the Office of Federal Relations and UndocuHoyas to hold an ongo-

ing letter-writing campaign called “Friends of Dreamers” in support of the Dream Act. The university administration has shown its support of undocumented students by establishing a role for a fulltime associate director for undocumented student services in September 2017. DeGioia has also expressed his support for “Dreamers,” condemning the termination of DACA and leading the administration’s push for legislation to protect undocumented students.

GUSA Vice President Jessica Andino (COL ’18), who has advocated for undocumented students, said this campaign highlights the importance of passing the Dream Act in the face of the fast-approaching end of DACA protections.

“It’s bringing light to how important the issue is,” Andino said. “Since the deadline to renew DACA has passed, now we’re in a limited time frame to try to find a solution, and it’s just increased advocacy

so people who receive DACA can receive those protections again.”

DACA currently protects about 800,000 undocumented immigrants from deportation. No new applications for protection under DACA were accepted after Sept. 5, and renewal applications for DACA status were not accepted after Oct. 5. Unless Congress passes a replacement bill, previous DACA recipients are expected to lose their protection over the next two years.

Scott Fleming, associate vice president for federal relations at Georgetown, said if the Dream Act does not pass, Georgetown’s advocacy efforts would continue.

“If, by some chance, the legislation isn’t final by the time Congress adjourns in December, we will, of course, continue vigorous advocacy after the first of the year as the March 5 deadline approaches,” Fleming wrote in an email to The Hoya.

ALI ENRIGHT FOR THE HOYA

The Georgetown University Student Association launched a weeklong campaign, GUHereToStay, advocating for the Dream Act of 2017, a permanent legislative replacement to the rescinded Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Accused of Assault, Students Question University Response assault, from A1 Allie Williams (SFS ’19), president of GUCR, said students must make active efforts to speak out against sexual assault even if the university does not condemn alleged assaulters like Spacey and Clinton.

“It is now on us, as Georgetown students and future leaders, to ensure that this abhorrent behavior is not tolerated and that we create a supportive community for survivors on the Hilltop and beyond,” Williams wrote in an email to The Hoya. “It is concerning that the university has not been more vocal in condemning prominent alumni, honorary degree recipients or honored speakers.”

Maria Cornell (SFS ’20), the incoming chair of GUCD, acknowledged that despite efforts by the university, GUCD believes more improvements could be made, such as beginning to provide rape kits at the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.

“We hope the administration will become more vocal on issues of sexual assault, and we hope that as a Catholic university, Georgetown will also use its position to elevate dialogue within the Catholic Church about sexual assault and abuses of power,” Cornell said in an interview with The Hoya. “It is not enough to simply take down the picture of Kevin Spacey that used to be on the second floor of Healy Hall.”

Avery Moje (COL ’19), special projects chair for Sexual Assault Peer Educators said she has seen more students want to speak about sexual assault on campus following recent allegations against prominent men. According to Moje, SAPE has been responding to the desire from students for SAPE to address the allegations by hosting a discussion on #MeToo, a Twitter campaign aimed at raising the awareness about the pervasiveness of sexual assault and an event on how to support survivors of sexual assault earlier this semester.

“Between myself and my other co-board members, we heard a lot of people requesting a space to have a conversation about what they were feeling, what they were seeing, and just some of the things they’d also been hearing, and so we thought to create that space, and, fortunately, we were able to,” Moje said.

Rachel Pugh, senior director for strategic communications, said the university is dedicated to preventing sexual miscon-

duct.

“Georgetown stands against any form of sexual misconduct and remains committed to comprehensively preventing and responding to sexual harassment, sexual assault, and relationship violence,” Pugh wrote in an email to The Hoya.

The university implemented mandatory bystander training this fall for all entering undergraduate students. The Sexual Assault and Misconduct Task Force also published its report Sept. 12 outlining bystander education recommendations.

The university is now working on implementing those recommendations, including mandatory bystander training for all students and updated training for faculty and staff.

Moje said many students are looking to SAPE to build on the foundation provided by bystander training and other university initiatives.

“We’re seeing that SAPE’s role is shifting into a space where we can really do more to get into these deeper conversations and to really look to what the community is asking for,” Moje said.

Professor You-me Park of the women’s and gender studies program at Georgetown said she observed a change in the attitude of her students in recent months.

“This is one of those moments when students really begin to feel that all this ‘legislative’ debates or mainstream discourse actually is about their own lives and intimate lives,” Park said.

Moje hopes that SAPE can continue to capitalize on students’ motivation to continue its efforts in the coming months.

“We’re hoping that going forward and into next semester, we can continue the momentum of looking to students for what they’re hoping to hear and what they’re expecting from SAPE and to have more events along the lines of the Me Too event and the supporting survivors event,” Moje said.

Leanna Syrimis (SFS ’18), president of mental health awareness group Project Lighthouse, said she hopes to have a more open climate and more dialogue on sexual assault in the coming months.

“With the current increase in media discourse about sexual assault, I sincerely hope that those who have experienced sexual assault will feel increasingly comfortable and believed when reaching out and seeking support,” Syrimis said.

News

friday, December 1, 2017

THE HOYA

A7

University Reports 5 Bowser Presents Homeless Housing Plan Mumps Cases During Fall Semester Erin Doherty Hoya Staff Writer

Katrina Schmidt Hoya Staff Writer

Five cases of mumps, a contagious disease preventable by vaccination, have been reported to the Student Health Center this semester.

Three of those cases occurred this month, leading Assistant Vice President for Student Health Vince WinklerPrins to send a public health alert to the university community Thursday. All five cases have affected undergraduate students.

“These cases have been contained, and as we have learned about each new case, we have coordinated with the D.C. Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control,” WinklerPrins wrote in the email.

Other local universities have also reported mumps cases. On Nov. 6, The Washington Post reported that Catholic University had four confirmed and three suspected cases while American University had two confirmed and four suspected cases.

Mumps is a viral disease transmitted by coughing, sharing items or other forms of close contact, according to the CDC. It causes swollen cheeks, fever, headache, tiredness and muscle aches, and complications can occasionally result.

The illness is preventable.

The MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, is required for new Georgetown students under the age of 26.

The vaccine is typically ad-

ministered in two doses, with the first dose around the age of one and the second dose at age four. For mumps, the vaccine is nearly 88 percent effective with both doses and 78 percent effective with just the first dose.

Cases of mumps rose nationwide in both 2016 and this year, with nearly 5,000 cases so far. The past two years have seen the largest mumps outbreaks since 2006, which saw over 6,500 cases nationwide.

Outbreaks are frequently tied to college settings, where students often live in close contact. Nearly half of the outbreaks from January 2016 to June 2017 occurred in college settings, according to the Washington Post.

Due to the sharp rise in mumps cases in recent years, a federal expert panel recommended in October an increase to three vaccine doses . The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices suggested the increase because many of the recent outbreaks have occurred in populations that are vaccinated at high rates.

Aside from vaccination, good health practices are beneficial for preventing mumps, as well as other illnesses.

Avoiding sharing items, regularly washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes are all methods to prevent spreading disease.

The Student Health Center urges students who suspect they have mumps to call the center as soon as possible and to self-isolate to prevent spreading the illness to others.

Four hundred Washington, D.C. residents experiencing homelessness are set to receive temporary housing during the holiday season following a citywide campaign that Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) unveiled Nov. 20.

Dubbed “Home for the Holidays,” the initiative is aimed at assisting the District’s homeless population, which is currently proportionally larger than other similarly sized cities across the United States. According to the 2017 Pointin-Time Count, a marker of the number of homeless residents on a given day, nearly 7,000 D.C. residents were without a permanent residence on January 25, 2017.

Home for the Holidays falls under a larger District-wide initiative, “Homeward D.C.,” a five-year plan launched in 2015 to end the chronic challenge of homelessness affecting D.C. residents.

Bowser unveiled the initiative with Laura Zeilinger, director of the Department of Human Services, at a lease-agreement signing between a District resident and her landlord on Nov. 20. The resident, who had previously been homeless, was the 72nd District resident to be matched with a landlord through the Home for the Holidays campaign.

“We are so excited about this effort because every resident of the District deserves a place to call home,” Zeilinger said at the unveiling. “During this holiday season, we are sounding the alarm for our landlords and our good neighbors to help make this happen for as many households as possible.”

Though the initiative was officially announced on Nov. 20, Bowser began promoting the campaign on social media and placing individuals in housing since Nov. 15.

The DHS will work to find safe, affordable and stable homes for families and individuals experiencing homelessness through

Jan. 15, 2018, when the campaign concludes. Bowser emphasized the importance of making effective matches between landlords and stakeholders to ensure that the housing placements are mutually beneficial and last beyond the holiday season.

“Through this campaign, we are calling on landlords across the city to work with us to get families in D.C. home for the holidays,” Bowser said at the event. “We have the right resources in place to find permanent homes for our most vulnerable houses, but now we need available, affordable units.”

To help encourage landlords to rent homes to homeless families after families receive a subsidy from the government, the DHS launched the Landlord Partnership Fund in October, a privately operated fund landlords can draw from to subsidize the costs of potential property damage that might be difficult for the new residents to cover. This initiative is cru-

cial for individuals who have been searching for affordable housing units, Zeilinger said “Our goal is really to promote access to housing that exists in our community for people who have subsidies and are working hard to exit homelessness, but are just being turned away from unit after unit,” Zeilinger said in an interview with the DCist Oct. 6.

In addition to looking for matches between landlords and stakeholders, the DHS is collecting donations of household items to assist the new residents in starting their homes.

Bowser announced her goals in 2015 as part of her Homeward D.C. plan.

“Together, we will end longterm homelessness in the District of Columbia,” Bowser said when she unveilled her plan in 2015. “By 2020, homelessness in the District will be a rare, brief and non-recurring experience.”

From 2016 through 2017, the

first full year of the implementation of the Homeward D.C. plan, the District’s overall rate of homelessness decreased by 10.5 percent. There was also a 22 percent decrease in homelessness among families and a 15 percent reduction in the number of veterans experiencing homelessness.

Bowser and the DHS are using these city-wide programs to work towards managing a problem that the District has struggled with for years. For Zeilinger, the new programs can be the necessary step to getting the D.C. homeless population into permanent residences.

“It is really rough on folks to be continuously rejected from housing opportunity after housing opportunity after housing opportunity when they’re trying really hard to get to a place of stability,” Zeilinger said. “We really want people to have a second chance.

They need a second chance.”

FILE Photo: SPENCER COOK/The hoya

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) unveiled a “Home for the Holidays” campaign Nov. 20 to provide permanent housing to 400 currently homeless residents of the District.

GULC Files Brief in Trump Twitter Lawsuit Bermudian Alumna Awarded 26th GU Rhodes Scholarship Will Cassou Hoya Staff Writer

A Georgetown University Law Center institute filed an amicus brief in a lawsuit earlier this month arguing that President Donald Trump violated the First Amendment by blocking constituents on Twitter.

Georgetown Law’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection filed an amicus brief Nov. 6 that contends that Trump’s Twitter feed constitutes a public forum. Columbia Law School’s Knight First Amendment Institute, a law institute focused on free speech, filed suit in July on behalf of itself and a group of plaintiffs who were blocked by Trump on Twitter.

“By opening the @realDonaldTrump Twitter feed to the general public, utilizing Twitter’s speech-enhancing features, and engaging in a robust back-and-forth with commenters, defendants have demonstrated their intent to designate the feed as a public forum,” the amicus brief reads. “It is imperative to protect robust democratic dialogue occurring online from this kind of government manipulation and exploitation.”

Amy Marshak, a law associate at ICAP, said the way Trump engages with the pub-

lic on Twitter makes his feed important.

“He doesn’t just announce policies to the public, so it’s not just that he uses it as platform for what’s called government speech, but also that he engages in a back-and-forth debate with them and that people debate back and forth with each other on this Twitter feed,” Marshak said.

Marshak said if Trump’s Twitter feed serves as a public forum, as ICAP and the Knight First Amendment Institute argue, blocking those critical of him would constitute viewpoint discrimination, a violation of the First Amendment’s protection of free expression.

Organizations do not typically submit amicus briefs in district courts, where the case is currently being argued and judged. However, Marshak said social media as a public forum is a new and important issue that needs to be addressed by elected officials at the local and federal levels, as increasing numbers of state actors are using social media to interact with their constituents.

“We think it’s important that courts get it right and understand that these are how people engage in public dialogue in the 21st century, and so we wanted to make sure the court had that per-

spective even at the initial decision level,” Marshak said.

Lata Nott, the executive director of the First Amendment Center of the Newseum Institute, said restrictions on speech in a public forum are permissible if they are not based on the content of what is being restricted. However, she said restricting speech on the basis of expressed viewpoints would violate one’s First Amendment rights.

“That’s the case the Knight Center is making. The people they’re representing who were banned, were banned after they made critical statements, and that would be viewpoint discrimination – banning people that criticized you, as opposed to banning people for using obscenities,” Nott said.

Marshak said the president’s behavior could ultimately limit the public conversation to only those who agree with his policies.

“That is really problematic for democratic dialogue, and for the ability to understand how the president is viewed and how his policies are viewed across the political spectrum,” Marshak said.

The amicus brief that ICAP filed also argues that Trump’s behavior on Twitter is reminiscent of authoritarian regimes.

“Part of their playbook is to curate their social media

presence, silence dissenting voices, to give the appearance of popular approval, and that is at the heart of what this First Amendment is trying to prevent,” Marshak said.

Regarding the lawsuit’s contention that Trump’s Twitter profile is a public forum, Nott said that public forums are usually public spaces such as parks and street corners, but the government has the ability to turn other spaces into public forums for a time, such as during a town hall at a school.

“There was a recent case at the district court level in Virginia that said that a government official’s Facebook account was a government forum, so I think there’s something there,” Nott said. “I can’t tell you how the case is going to turn out, but I don’t think it’s ridiculous.”

Nott said the way officials use social media would be key in determining whether they are public forums.

“If you had a government official who had a Facebook account where they primarily posted pictures of their grandchildren or wished people a happy Thanksgiving, [it would] probably be harder to argue that’s a public forum,” Nott said. “There’s obviously more of a case when you’re using a social media account in a way to engage the public on policy issues.”

ryan bae for the hoya

An amicus brief filed in district court by the Georgetown University Law Center Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection argues that President Donald Trump violated constituents’ First Amendment rights by blocking them on Twitter.

Erin Doherty Hoya Staff Writer

Deirdre Collins (COL ’17) was named the 2018 Rhodes Scholar for Bermuda, where she will work to promote environmental preservation and sustainable development after studying at Oxford University.

Collins, a native of Bermuda, was the only recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship from the island this year.

Rhodes Scholarships are the oldest international fellowships, Rhodes Scholarships and are awarded annually to 32 students from the United States, after an extensive application process.

Collins’ award reflects her commitment to her academics and advocacy, Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia said.

“On behalf of our entire Georgetown community, I wish to congratulate Deirdre on this extraordinary achievement,” DeGioia wrote in a Nov. 30 news release. “We look forward to the many contributions she will make to our global community as she engages more deeply in her studies in environmental science at Oxford.”

Rhodes Scholars are chosen based on academic achievements, character, commitment to others and leadership potential, according to the Rhodes Trust website.

Collins joins the list of 26 Georgetown Rhodes scholars, including former President Bill Clinton (SFS’ 68). There were four other Georgetown finalists, all of whom were women.

After graduating from Georgetown last spring, Collins returned to Bermuda, where she became a certified scientific diver. She is currently working as an investment analyst for the New York Green Bank, a state-sponsored fund that invests in clean energy.

Collins’ academic excellence and determination stood out according to her Georgetown professors.

Biology professor Heidi Elmendorf wrote a letter of recommendation for Collins’ Rhodes candidacy, commenting on her work ethic and intellect.

“She tackled every aspect of the [Foundations of Biology] course with intellectual vigor, mastered the work at hand, and then pushed of her own accord to reach a level of understanding far beyond what we expected,” Elmendorf wrote in her recommendation.

While at Georgetown, Collins served as business and technology editor for The Hoya, held leadership positions at GlobeMed, a student organization devoted to carrying out public health projects and

volunteered with Georgetown’s Afterschool Kids Program. Collins attributed her extracurricular involvement to making her a wellrounded student.

In addition to exceling in the classroom, Collins served as a research assistant in the Johnson Biosignatures Lab at Georgetown, which was led by Professor Sarah Stewart Johnson, a former Rhodes scholar, and assistant professor of planetary science with the biology department and the Science, Technology and International Affairs program.

Collins also interned with the Juneau Icefield Research Program, an education program located in Alaska and British Columbia, which she said reminded her of her passion for environmental advocacy.

“I find myself forlorn with nostalgia for a time when coral reefs and glaciers functioned imperviously to human impact – a time I have never experienced,” Collins wrote in her personal statement for the scholarship. “In each of these instances, I am unfailingly reminded of a time before the Anthropocene, when the Earth’s condition was not contingent on human activity.”

Collins, who has been interested in the environment since a young age, attributed her Georgetown academic experience to further inspiring her interest in biology and the environmental advocacy.

“The classes I took and the faculty I met at Georgetown were instrumental in helping me to engage in scientific field research,” Collins said in a university news release.

“They inspired me to wholeheartedly dedicate myself to a career in fighting climate change.”

Collins said she is looking forward to her Oxford education, where she hopes to study climate change to prepare herself to confront one of the world’s most pressing issues.

“I am driven to study climate change as it relates to politics, business economics and climate science because it poses an enormous threat to every continent on the planet,” Collins said in the release. “We have never seen a global issue quite like climate change. The decisions we make today will impact us decades down the line.”

Through her commitment to academics, service and her extracurricular life, Collins embodied the attributes of a Rhodes scholar while at Georgetown, her professors acknowledged.

“She embraced Georgetown’s mantra of ‘men and women for others,’” Elmendorf wrote. “Deirdre is a modern-day Renaissance woman.”

A8

news

THE HOYA

friday, december 1, 2017

DC Council Proposes Sales Tax Hike to Fund Metro Improvements Emma Kotfica Hoya Staff Writer

Alyssa Alfonso for the hoya

Sixty-five Georgetown students reserved appointments to obtain or renew their passports during a passport fair organized by the Office of Global Education on Nov. 17.

Office of Global Education Hosts Inaugural Passport Fair Kara Tippins

Special to The Hoya

Georgetown University students and faculty had the opportunity to obtain or renew their U.S. passports through the Office of Global Education’s first passport fair Nov. 17.

Part of OGE’s 2017 International Education Week from Nov. 13 to 17, a joint project of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education established to promote educational programs to prepare American students for global engagement, the passport fair was held in the Car Barn and hosted representatives from the U.S. Postal Service, who met with undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff to process their passport applications.

Sixty-five students reserved appointments through OGE’s web portal, and the event welcomed walk-in applicants. In addition to passport processing, the event provided students with the opportunity to consult with available study abroad advisers about their travel plans.

For applicants like De’Ara Graves (COL ’21), the event’s appeal was more than a matter of convenience, as OGE also funded scholarships for students who were unable to afford the $110 passport ap-

plication fee.

“I’ve been meaning to get my passport for a really long time, but my family couldn’t necessarily afford it,” Graves said.

Graves said she now hopes that obtaining her passport will take her one step closer to mastering Spanish through a direct matriculation program in Spain.

Approximately 46 percent of Americans held passports as of December 2016, according to a recent study conducted and published by Matt Stabile, founder and editor-inchief of travel site The Expeditioner.

Stabile said financial reasons may be a key prohibitive factor in the low rate of passport holders.

“One factor discouraging foreign travel is quite simply that it’s cost-prohibitive for the average American, many of whom are still reeling from the Great Recession,” Stabile wrote in the December 2016 report. “When factoring in the costs of traveling abroad from the U.S. (which tends to be much higher than other parts of the world given its location), even the cheapest international trip is simply beyond the means for the average American.”

Stories like that of Graves motivated OGE to organize the event after the USPS first pitched the idea to the office in January. Representatives

from the agency had recently participated in successful passport fairs at The George Washington University on Nov. 1 and George Mason University on Sept. 26.

Students with earlier time slots encountered a delayed process because USPS officials arrived 40 minutes late. As a result of the late start, some students had to reschedule their appointments or forgo their applications. Additionally, representatives from the State Department were initially scheduled to assist with the process but ultimately cancelled their appearance.

Despite issues in the event’s inaugural iteration, the OGE tentatively plans to host another passport fair in partnership with the USPS during next year’s International Education Week.

Other events from International Education Week included an international graduate alumni panel discussion and the 2017 Davis Chair Lecture, “A World of Everyone and No One: The Return of Piracy and the New Global Disorder.”

Susan Hochreiter, assistant director of operations and administration for OGE, said passports are crucial for students who wish to travel abroad.

“When you have your passport, it takes away one more barrier,” Hochreiter said. “We hope this makes it all the more available to students.”

The Washington, D.C. Council proposed a bill Nov. 7 to increase the city’s sales tax to 6.5 percent from 5.75 percent to fund repairs and other expenses for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority as the transit agency looks to fund capital improvement projects.

The proposal came before Metro announced a change to its policy Nov. 24, saying that it will no longer allow negative balances on SmarTrip cards, the system’s stored-value transit cards, in an effort to increase revenue.

The sales tax would apply to the greater D.C. region that is serviced by Metro, including suburbs in Maryland and Virginia. A panel of local leaders last April recommended a 1 percent increase, but the Council ultimately settled on 0.75 percent, as this was the lowest rate that would still provide the $500 million dollars the Council hopes to generate annually.

Starting Jan. 8, passengers will not be able to exit Metro stations unless they have at least $1.75 on their SmarTrip cards. Currently, Metro passengers who lack enough funds on their cards to pay for a trip can still exit a station when they tap their cards at fare gates; the fare they owe is subtracted from whatever balance they have. Still, exit machines only accept cash and coins — unlike regular fare-vending machines.

Metro cited a $25 million loss in revenue over the last 17 years for this change.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments published a report April 26 outlining the possible funding solutions.

“Local governments cannot afford the steep bill for Metro’s needed capital and maintenance program while simultaneously financing their jurisdictional needs for

schools and other critical infrastructure,” the report said.

“Doing nothing is not acceptable.”

WMATA lacks a dedicated funding source, relying on the D.C. government and seven other local and state jurisdictions for funding. In the past, Metro has relied on fare increases and service cuts to make up for its financial shortfalls, though these actions worsen WMATA’s declining ridership.

Three left-leaning think tanks — the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute, the Maryland Center on Economic Policy and The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis — published a report in August advising against the sales tax proposal, citing a greater impact on low-income families.

The think tanks reported that lower-income families could experience an effect five times greater than middle and upper-class families. The report suggests that each participating jurisdiction be given a revenue goal, but each jurisdiction would come up with its own plan to raise the money.

The think tanks also proposed a tax on corporations because “they can best afford to pay and because they have benefitted most from D.C.’s growing economy.”

Metro already increased fares last year, but it is against its policy to do so two years in a row, according to a spokesperson for WMATA. Metro declined to provide a statement on the tax increase, citing it as a government matter rather than a WMATA decision.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has proposed an alternate plan for fundraising, promising $500 million in Metro funding over four years fom Maryland if Virginia and D.C. agree to do the same. This proposal has been criticized for not providing the adequate funds necessary for the Metro repairs.

Hogan wrote a letter to May-

or Muriel Bowser (D) and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) about his funding proposal.

“The region can no longer avoid taking action, and the needs of the Metro system are immediate and overwhelming,” Hogan wrote. “When comparing each jurisdiction’s investments over the past three years, and by any logical measure, Maryland has not only been paying our fair share, but actually more than our fair share.”

Residents of the region have expressed disapproval of this new sales tax plan, especially those who do not live in the immediate D.C. area and those who do not use the Metro often.

Charlotte Lindsay (COL ’20) said that she does not think that the increase in sales tax is fair to all D.C. Metro area residents. The Georgetown neighborhood’s lack of a Metro stop means that she rarely uses the trains to commute through the city.

“I would say that it’s a little frustrating since sales tax is already pretty high here, and we don’t at all have easy access to a Metro,” Lindsay said.

“Almost one percent seems pretty high. Given that [the rates are] already pretty high, and D.C. already is an expensive city, I don’t think that that would be at all ideal.”

Metro’s Chief Financial Officer Dennis Anosike said in a Nov. 24 news release that Metro’s current economic needs were a factor in this decision.

“In an environment where every dollar counts, we are taking a common-sense approach to ensure that Metro is properly collecting the value of the transportation it provides in order to reduce the demand on Metro customers and the region for additional funding,” Anosike said.

The sales tax bill has been referred to the Committee on Finance and Revenue for further consideration. WMATA was unable to provide a statement as of Thursday night.

Pro-Israel Activist Urges New Perspective on Conflict elizabeth ash Hoya Staff Writer

An intolerant and divisive approach to debating the IsraeliPalestinian conflict impedes progress, said pro-Israel activist Chloé Valdary at a Nov. 28 discussion.

The U.S. conversation regarding the conflict, a decadeslong struggle between Israelis and Palestinians over the two sides’ competing claims to lands controlled

by Israel, pits proponents of Israeli security and self-determination against advocates for the rights of Palestinians.

Valdary, who works as director of partnerships and is a Shillman Fellow at the educational film production company Jerusalem U, said an oppressor-versus-oppressed framing misrepresents the conflict.

In an oppressor-versus-oppressed mindset, Valdary said, morality only supports victims.

She said Americans who supported Zionism out of a shared sense of oppression or intersectionality could no longer view Israel as relatable or even “moral” once it won statehood.

“If you see history through this very narrow framework, anything that falls out of these boxes, you

can no longer fight for, you can no longer stand for. It’s a worldview, in my opinion, that doesn’t allow for complexity,” Valdary said. “Instead of having that paradigm, why don’t we just empower everyone?”

She criticized the concept of intersectionality for reinforcing categorical labels of the “us-versusthem” mentality.

“Intersectionality is responding to categorization, but it is not, in my mind, challenging the categories,” Valdary said. “It is reinforcing the categories, in a sense, because it is making claims that I, as a person of color, have most assuredly experienced ‘x’ at the hands of someone who was white by virtue of being in the categories, in the skin colors that we have.”

Instead of intersectionality, Valdary proposed restorative justice, or repairing harm caused by misdeeds, and her “theory of enchantment,” which is the promotion of constructive discussions about differences to build compassion for a common humanity, as alternative paradigms through which to understand the IsraeliPalestinian conflict.

Valdary said she hopes to transcend the “us-versus-them binary” through this approach.

Richard schofield for the hoya

Pro-Israel activist Chloé Valdary said at a Nov. 28 discussion that tolerance is lacking in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict debate.

“Restorative justice tries to transcend that [us-versus-them] and ask the question, ‘How can we heal both of our communities?’ That is something I’m very much attracted to,” Valdary said.

If Israelis and Palestinians could stop seeing their losses as the other group’s gains, they could move toward healing, Valdary said.

Georgetown Israel Alliance President Sean Lerner (SFS ’20) and Vice President Tanner Larkin (SFS ’20) organized the event, hosted by the GIA and the Georgetown University Lecture Fund, to bridge what Lerner called a “racialized” divide in the Israeli-Palestinian discussion on campus.

“I’ve known about Chloé for a while. She’s pretty popular in the young pro-Israel world, especially on social media,” Lerner said. “We also recognized that there was a sort of element around the discussion of Israel-Palestine on this campus that was racialized in a way; there was a divide in the community.”

Valdary encouraged students to analyze the dilemmas Israelis and Palestinians face while recognizing that some of them are currently irreconcilable and to engage with organizations that bring together contrasting perspectives.

“We, as students and educators, need to volunteer for those organizations, seek out those organizations that are bringing Israelis and Palestinians together and creating dialogue,” Valdary said. “Dialogue that might not have all the answers, but… is much more interested in saying, ‘Even though you and I disagree about x, y and z, our goal is to foster compassion and empathy in the midst of profound disagreement.’”

Ultimately, Valdary said she hopes to redefine how people conceptualize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“We are so much more than these weird, objectified terminologies. I think we have to enter the conversation with the desire to lean in toward the other, so that we can see ourselves in them and see them in ourselves,” Valdary said.

File Photo: caroline pappas/the hoya

A panel of local D.C. leaders determined a 0.75 percent sales tax increase on Metro fares, the minimum amount necesssary to provide the necessary $500 dollars for Metro improvements.

DC Metro Worker Injuries Raise Safety Concerns Alex Mooney Hoya Staff Writer

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is responding to safety concerns following an injury sustained by a Metro worker performing a repair on the Washington, D.C. transit’s electrical rail system Oct. 31.

The worker suffered an electrical burn when coming into contact with a rail that was still electrified as a result of improper adherence to safety procedures by the maintenance crew, as previously reported by WTOP Nov. 24.

The rail worker’s injuries were not life-threatening, and the worker was released from the hospital after a few days.

The electrical burns raised general concerns about Metro’s repair safety procedures and worker protections, despite the injury being a result of worker error.

Bob Lauby, Federal Railroad Administration chief safety officer said that closely following safety procedures is crucial to avoiding incidents such as this one in a Nov. 24 interview with WTOP. “If there’s one frustration that we’ve all seen with Washington Metro [it’s that] there’s many, many instances of failures to follow the procedures that are put in place to protect both the public and the workers, and this is yet another example,” Lauby said.

D.C. Metro workers do not have insulated mats or tools to protect them from touching

the rail, which had not been checked to ensure the power had been turned off. The workers had attempted to turn off the rail using a controller at the rail’s control center, following regular procedure, according to Lauby. However, due to other rail work taking place in the area, more steps were necessary to turn the rail’s electricity off.

In response to the most recent injury, Metro will be adding warning logos to the computer screens in the Rail Operations Control Center, as well as stopping the use of the type of tool used in the incident, which allowed electricity to flow from the rail and burn the rail worker.

This incident is similar to one that took place in January, when two Metro employees sustained electrical shocks when a metal rod came in contact with an electrified rail.

Part of Metro’s ongoing safety efforts include strengthening the Roadway Worker Protection program, which provides “ontrack safety to provide employees working along the railroad with protection from the hazards of being struck by a train or other on-track equipment,” according to the Federal Railroad Administration.

“A comprehensive RWP program is part of the safety defenses designed to keep all roadway workers from harm while on the right-of-way,” a WMATA Safety Committee Report released Nov. 16 said.

The Federal Railroad Administration took control of D.C.’s Met-

ro safety in 2015, stepping into the oversight role in response to Metro not adequately addressing safety problems for its workers and passengers.

Two weeks before the worker was injured, Metro completed a safety review at the request of the local Amalgamated Transit Union.

Metro Chief Safety Officer Pat Lavin said it is important to address worker safety concerns as soon as they arise.

“Part of creating a safety culture means taking immediate action to address concerns raised by employees,” Lavin said in a Sept. 21 WMATA press release concerning metro safety reviews.

The Metro has also had a number of “safety stand downs,” a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety, since this event occurred, which are “consistent with Metro’s position that ‘safety trumps service,’” according to the Sept.

21 WMATA press release.

Lavin also said that unannounced safety audits on the Metro will begin in the coming months.

In addition to last month’s Metro safety review, two Congressmen, Reps. Anthony G. Brown (D-Md.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and the ATU Local 689 have introduced legislation which includes establishing new safety procedures on the D.C. Metro.

The legislation would create a new task force to review safety in Metro operations and would name this task force for train operators killed while on the job.

news

friday, december 1, 2017

THE HOYA

A9

Innovation Vital to Success, Entrepreneurs Say katrina schmidt Hoya Staff Writer

subul malik/the hoya

John Carr, top, director of the Catholic Social Thought and Public Life initiative moderated a panel with former White House official Melissa Rogers, bottom left, Bishop Robert McElroy and law professor Richard Garnett.

Panel on Religion Advocates For Bipartisan Cooperation Meena Morar Hoya Staff Writer

The Roman Catholic churches and communities in the United States must encourage bipartisan cooperation and promote religious freedom, said a panel of religious experts and community leaders in a Nov. 16 event.

The panel, hosted in Copley Formal Lounge by the Georgetown University Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, included Bishop Robert McElroy, former White House official Melissa Rogers and University of Notre Dame Law School professor Richard Garnett.

According to the panelists, U.S. churches have increasingly struggled to reconcile competing political ideologies in the current climate of political polarization. McElroy proposed the definition of solidarity from 20th century Jesuit priest and theologian Fr. John Courtney Murray, S.J., as groundwork for a solution.

“Solidarity is this: the recognition that we are graced

by God to live in the society in which we are members, and we all are debtors in that society,” McElroy said. “Until we come to a greater sense of that, I fear our dialogue will be empty, and I fear we won’t be able to mobilize effectively.”

The panelists reflected on the relationship between religious freedom and the democratic state, analyzing Murray’s writings and their applicability in the era of Pope Francis and President Donald Trump.

John Carr, director of the

initiative, moderated the discussion.

Panelists focused on the importance of fostering bipartisan conversations both within the church and in the larger community and of promoting solidarity and community by breaking through rigid political party lines.

Garnett directed the audience’s attention to Murray’s definition of democracy as depending on constant and constructive political discourse and conversation. Instead of arguing with a presumption of good faith, according to Garnett, the current political climate is characterized by ineffectual partisan “screaming.”

“Murray liked to quote this line that said, ‘Civilization is men and women locked together in argument,’” Garnett said. “He wasn’t naive in thinking that democracy requires constant niceness or constant agreement. … Murray thought that arguing really meant sympathetically occupying the position of the other, setting out one’s premises and one’s steps, listening to the response and engaging dialogue.”

Rogers, who directed the White House Office of FaithBased and Neighborhood Partnerships under former President Barack Obama, spoke to her own experience at a “purple church,” one that does not lean strongly liberal or conservative, and emphasized the importance of a community that fills church pews across party lines.

“We need to set up structures and ways to be in dialogue with people who have

different political views in our religious communities to remind ourselves that there can be good faith differences across politics and to support each other to try and work against this bitterness and this tribalism that’s driving our culture,” Rogers said.

Garnett said it is difficult to give the church the role of policymaker, as Murray would have distinguished between personal and communal approaches to religion.

“One of the challenges of religious freedom is the tendency to reduce religion and religious freedom and the fundamental right to a religious conscience to a private, individual, subjective experience. Murray would have always believed that religious faith and religious exercise has a communitarian and an institutional [nature],” Garnett said.

The panelists agreed the church should not have a major role in lobbying for specific legislation and mobilizing voters but should instead focus on fostering community and conversation. Without a mutual sense of trust among members of the church, McElroy said, there will be no political cooperation in the long term.

“The most effective contribution religious communities should make to America at this time is inviting and building bridges … and encouraging our communities to not buy into the tribalism but rather to walk with the other person and genuinely try to see it through their eyes,” McElroy said.

CLASSIFIEDS INDEX MISCELLANEOUS

Roomies Wanted. Beautiful rooms, a nice add on. Rent a room in Maryland with another person in Philly, New York, Boston, etc... for the weekend, week etc... Stay in High end mansions/ condos etc... Also finder fees for wonderful locations. Rent $1000 and up. Rooms ready in 4 months.

Call R. Davis 443-289-0518

Advertise with The Hoya Line Ad Rates Regular line classified ads are $0.50 per word.

Optional Extras Bold words: $1.00 per issue. Make individual words or an entire ad stand out.

Large headline: $1.50 per issue. One line of 16-point bold, centered and capitalized.

Two-line large headline: $2.50 per issue.

Boxed ad: $2.00 per issue. Add a one-point box around your ad.

Deadlines & Payment Copy and payment must be received by 12 noon, one business day before publication. All classified ads must be paid in full at the time of placement. Visa, Mastercard, cash or personal checks are accepted.

Cancelled ads may be removed from the paper if notification is made before deadline. No refunds will be given, but the unused portion of the payment will be held as a credit.

For more information, please email classifiedads@thehoya.com

Successful entrepreneurs should offer special products and learn from their experiences in the industry, founders of Washington, D.C. food startups said during a panel discussion on entrepreneurship in the food industry Tuesday.

Featuring the founders of Eat Pizza, JRINK and Snacklins, as well as the CEO of Union Kitchen, the panel focused on starting a food business and how to grow that business to a national level. Student entrepreneurship group StartupHoyas, Students of Georgetown, Inc., GU Eating Society and Spoon University Georgetown organized the event, which was the fourth installment of the Food Entrepreneurship Series, a StartUpHoyas initiative that allows food startup founders to share their experiences in the food industry with students.

The event also included samples of the panelists’ products.

Each of the three startups featured in the panel got its start at Union Kitchen, a food business accelerator that works with entrepreneurs to develop their products and scale their brand to a regional and national level.

Cullen Gilchrist, the CEO of Union Kitchen, said that major consideration for Union Kitchen when choosing new business partners includes the applicant’s ability to learn and be coached.

“We’re looking for a person that we think is an entrepreneur,” Gilchrist said.

“We think they’re smart; we think they’re going to hustle; they’re going to work hard.”

Gilchrist called the food industry a meritocracy, emphasizing that a food entrepreneur can be successful with good food and hard work.

“So much of culture is based around what we’re eating,” Gilchrist said.

The founders of Eat Pizza, JRINK and Snacklins each had distinctive paths to starting their brands, but they all noted the importance of being open to new ideas.

Andy Brown, the founder of Eat Pizza, a frozen pizza company, said he founded the business in January 2017. After partnering with Union Kitchen, Brown, a former DJ at The Tombs, went from having just a concept for “better” frozen pizza to having a product in regional Whole Foods markets in the span of three months.

Brown credits his swift success not only to the resources available to him through Union Kitchen but also to his own business strategy.

“As long as our product’s better and our price point’s competitive, we’ll continue to grow,” Brown said.

The concept of offering something other products do not is key for all of the panelists, who all credited their success to a unique aspect of their brand.

Shizu Okusa, co-founder of JRINK, a fresh-pressed juice brand, worked in the finance world before founding JRINK. The juice bar now has five locations across the D.C. area, including in Dupont Circle and Foggy Bottom with a sixth coming soon in Eastern Market.

Okusa said that she saw a “market opportunity” for JRINK in D.C. Initially, Okusa and her business partner made juice in addition to their day jobs but soon realized that D.C. did not have many fresh juice shops, despite the growing popularity of the beverage nationwide.

This market opportunity became the starting point for JRINK, which now sells its juices made-to-order, online and in-store.

Samy K, the co-founder of Snacklins, a vegan pork rind brand, got his start as a radio personality on the The Kane Show, a music radio program.

Snacklins began as a challenge from a friend to create a product that tastes like a pork rind, or “crackling,” but is vegan — a pork rind without the pork.

He succeeded with a recipe featuring mushrooms and yucca. Snacklins now come in three flavors: Chesapeake Baystyle, barbecue and soy ginger.

Samy K named two things as key for an entrepreneur’s success. The first is reliable employees.

“You need a good team behind you,” he said.

The second thing that Samy K named is a “willingness to continue learning.” Samy K described how much he now knows about chip bags that he previously did not because of his willingness to learn about a new aspect of his product.

Okusa also noted the importance of continuing to grow one’s knowledge, particularly for entrepreneurs.

“A good entrepreneur knows they don’t know everything,” Okusa said.

union kitchen

Moderator Alex Heintze, left, local entrepreneurs JRINK co-founder Shizu Okusa, Union Kitchen CEO Cullen Gilchrist, Eat Pizza founder Andy Brown, Snacklins co-founder Samy K, and moderator Brittany Arnett spoke.

Criminal Justice Experts Urge Prison Labor Reform Meena Morar Hoya Staff Writer

The prison labor system must be reformed to combat prison recidivism and include basic minimum wage rights, said a panel of ex-offenders and criminal justice experts at an event Tuesday.

Criminal justice reform advocate Sekwan Merritt and journalist Chandra Bozelko spoke to the benefits of their jobs in prison. They said they attained both tangible job experience and social skills.

Merritt worked in print and wood shops while imprisoned and now works as an electrician.

“You learn an employment skill; this skill is needed in order to combat recidivism,” Merritt said. “We have to teach ex-offenders how to provide for themselves. These jobs are a means to do that.”

Outside the job experience and skills learned, however, Merritt and Bozelko said that prisoners are not being respected as actual workers but rather are being exploited.

Merritt said Maryland Correctional Enterprises, the prison labor arm of Maryland state prisons, has seen large profits from prison labor.

“In [its] 2017 fiscal year report, [MCE] actually had sales revenue in excess of $58 million,” Merritt said. “When you have an excess of $58 million, and you’re paying workers 15 cents an hour, $2 a day, it seems a little exploitive.”

Merritt also noted the prices of prison commissary goods, with basic essen-

tials costing almost a whole month’s wage.

The panel, hosted in the Healey Family Student Center Social Room, also included David Fathi, director of the National Prison Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, and Arthur Rizer, national security and justice policy director at the R Street Initiative, a public policy think tank.

Marc Howard, director of the Prisons and Justice Initiative, moderated the conversation.

The panelists emphasized the power of educating incarcerated citizens with basic employment skills to fight recidivism and increase the likelihood of employment post release.

To address the problems with prison labor, Fahti said that state legislatures could amend minimum wage laws and other legislation to include wage rights for prisoners.

“The more prisoners are paid and protected just like other employees, the less risk that a desire for cheaper or more docile or more easily controlled prison labor will either undercut positions of free workers or distort the criminal justice system by creating a perverse incentive to maintain or even grow the prison population,” Fahti said.

Rizer, however, argued that the goal of prison reform is not to raise wages but instead to heavily focus on unemployment post release.

“It doesn’t offend me [to

get paid $2 a day] because I think that’s part of your punishment,” Rizer said. “What offends me is [prisoners] got out, they could not get a job.

For some reason, our society says that if you commit a crime, we are going to disinherit you from the American dream. That is the thing that we should talk about. Sixty percent of people that are released within one year are unemployed.”

On a more personal level, Bozelko felt transformed by her experience working in the prison’s kitchen, where she learned to “humble [herself],” ultimately making her “re-evaluate the way [she] saw other people.”

Bozelko pointed out the exploitation of prison laborers, connecting it to a lack of respect and value for all lowwage workers.

“I don’t think it’s that different than the exploitation of a low-wage worker who is not incarcerated,” Bozelko said. “When I look at the prison labor problem, I see it very differently. I see it as a larger issue of how we treat people who earn low wages, no matter whether they are legally protected by minimum wage statute or not, but also how we view labor and the value of work.”

Regardless of one’s primary focus, however, the panelists agreed that workers’ skills should be valued whether they are incarcerated or not.

“Workers are workers,” Bozelko said. “What they do should be valued, whether inside or outside.”

A10

sports

THE HOYA

friday, December 1, 2017

Swimming & Diving

GU Caps Season With Record-Breaking Performance at Bucknell Invite Mary Burke

Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown swimming and diving finished the first half of its season on a high note, as the men and women placed second and third, respectively, at the Bucknell Invite on Nov. 17 to 19.

The team broke nine program records at the tournament and improved significantly from last year’s performance, in which both the men and women placed fifth.

Head Coach Jack Leavitt credited the success to the team’s extensive preparation.

“We came in with a clear focus of what we wanted to accomplish, and we reached a lot of those goals. We circle this meet on the calendar as one we have to swim fast at and treat it as a dress rehearsal for the Big East Championship,” Leavitt said.

Senior Molly Fitzpatrick and freshman Drew Carbone were each honored as Big East Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week. It was Carbone’s second week in a row receiving this honor.

Fitzpatrick swept both breaststroke events with times of 1:01.65 and 2:13.37 in the 100and 200-yard events respectively. Carbone broke five school records over the tournament, including in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100- and 200-yard backstroke.

“We put in a lot of good work

in the fall, which we showed off this weekend and had awesome swims across the board,” Fitzpatrick said. “We will carry that as motivation through the rest of the season.”

This season, the team worked on increasing yardage and aerobic training to build stamina, according to Carbone. Before the meet, the team fine-tuned racing skills and focused on speed work.

“The team had a great meet, and it was a testament to our preparations. We all put the work in and it showed in the results,” Carbone said.

Carbone said the team showed both mental and physical stamina throughout the weekend in Lewisburg, Pa. “I had essentially 10 swims in one weekend, so I knew I needed to prepare for the yardage and the speed,” Carbone said. “It takes a lot of mental toughness to power through.”

Fitzpatrick said she maintained her energy by building excitement for her races.

“The 200-yard breaststroke is my favorite event,” Fitzpatrick said. “I focused on having fun and realizing that I have put in a lot of hard work. It was my last Bucknell Invitational, so I had to go for it and not focus on the fact that I had been racing two days prior.”

Fitzpatrick is using her last year on the team to enjoy her time in the pool with her teammates.

STANLEY DAI/THE HOYA

Freshman Evie Mauze came in second place in the 200-yard backstroke at the Bucknell Invite with a time of 2:00.47. The Georgetown men's team finished second and the women's team finished third at the Invite with nine records broken between the teams.

“I come [to the pool] every day to train and take as much advantage as I can of all of the opportunities I have here. I am having fun and remembering why I still like this sport so much,” Fitzpatrick said.

Carbone said he is confident in the team’s training, as it

What's The call?

looks to channel its momentum ahead of the Big East Championships in February.

“I have really enjoyed these first three months. We trusted the training, and it paid off.

I am excited and looking forward to continuing our performance,” Carbone said.

The team has been improving throughout the year, according to Fitzpatrick.

“We have really stepped it up this year,” Fitzpatrick said. “I am looking forward to seeing how that will evolve for the second half of the season, after already seeing big changes made since

the fall.”

The team is set to travel to Bermuda for a training trip over winter break and to return to competition Saturday, Jan. 13 against The George Washington University and American University at American’s Reeves Aquatic Center.

Women's Basketball

Hoyas Edge Wildcats, Rout Panthers Brendan Dolan Special to The Hoya

Ben Goodman

A Tribute to Eli: The End of an Era I

was a kindergartener in the spring of 2004, and, in my short life as a New York Giants fan, I had known only suffering.

After an epic playoff choke akin to Super Bowl 51 the previous season against San Francisco, the Giants ended the 2003 season with a 4-12 record, prompting the firing of Head Coach Jim Fassel.

I remember when my dad told me that star quarterback Peyton Manning’s younger brother Eli was entering the NFL draft. On draft day, I had a Little League teeball game, and on the car ride over I listened intently with my dad to the radio. The Giants had the fourth overall pick, and, to my dismay, the San Diego Chargers drafted Manning with the first pick.

Tears flooding my eyes, we arrived at the field, and I was reluctantly swept up into my tee-ball game.

When the game ended, I found my dad looking as though he was about to burst. In such significant news I would only comprehend much later, he explained that the Giants had drafted Philip Rivers and traded him — along with a boatload of draft picks — to San Diego in exchange for the one we wanted all along. In a drastic mood swing only a six-year-old is capable of, I nearly bounced off the walls. The Eli Manning era had begun.

Today, 13 years and seven months after my fateful tee-ball game, the Eli Manning era has likely ended. Benched amid an ugly 2-9 season and replaced by the unheralded backup, Geno Smith, Manning has been shown the door for this season. Considering his age and the direction of the franchise, it’s more than possible that he will never start another game for the Giants.

I could dissect the decision the same way the entire sports world will for weeks and months to come, but I would rather not. Manning the athlete I grew up watching, might be finished in New York, but he deserves a proper tribute.

Manning has had an unique career. Pundits cannot decide if he is destined for enshrinement in Canton or for the embodiment of mediocrity. He has won two Super Bowl MVPs and has led the league in interceptions three separate times.

Watching Manning was not always easy, but that is why he resonates with me so strongly.

Aaron Rodgers can make a far sharper pass under pressure.

Tom Brady’s resume and winning pedigree is peerless, and Manning’s own brother, Peyton, sure did collect gaudier stats, but Eli served as a role model for me in

my formative years.

True, it sometimes became hard not to laugh at Manning, with his herky-jerky mechanics, mindless interceptions, and vacuous expressions — the “Eli face” is a national meme at this point. And indeed, in his first few seasons, he was nothing but a laughing stock for the league. After his two magical Super Bowl runs in 2008 and 2012, however, I appreciated more deeply what set Manning apart.

Manning never boasted or bragged, never made outlandish predictions, certainly never threw his teammates or coaches under the bus, and rarely even made fiery speeches. In today’s NFL, these qualities may seem antiquated, but count me among those who will miss them. After all the ridiculing, it turns out that Manning’s reserved, sometimes expressionless demeanor helped him flourish in the crucible of the New York sports media, where hot-under-the-collar athletes are built up before wilting under the pressure.

Of course, there’s also Manning's longevity. Giants fans are lucky to have watched the same quarterback start for 210 straight games. 210. The New York Jets, on the other hand, will likely have a new quarterback by the time I am finished writing this column.

Through thick and thin, the Big Blue have had a complete rock in the most important position.

Manning’s durability has ironically saved time and effort over the years for the very management that now elects to move in another direction.

If a sports fan is lucky, he can latch onto a hero during his youth, a star athlete who perfectly coincides with his or her adolescence.

My grandpa had Jackie Robinson.

My dad had Tom Seaver and, later, Phil Simms. I had Manning. From age six to age 19, I have watched the same leader captain my favorite team in the world, and it’s been a pleasure.

As Giants fans, we will remember Manning starting game after game for us, taking sack after sack, absorbing bad headline after bad headline with a shrug as he resolved to do it all over again. We will remember the peaks too — to this day, I feel like I am still brushing the confetti from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis off my shoulders. Beleaguered, dissected and now benched, Eli Manning will go down as a champion — a two-time champion to be precise.

He deserves nothing less.

Here’s to you, Eli. Ben Goodman is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service. This is the final installment of what's the call?

After dropping three straight games and seeing their record dip below .500, the Georgetown women’s basketball team bounced back to 4-3 by defeating Northwestern and Florida International University this week.

The Hoyas’ thrilling 55-54 win over Northwestern proved to be their only bright spot during their stay in Nashville for the Challenge in the Music City over Thanksgiving weekend. The last-minute win came after double-digit losses at the hands of Auburn and Chattanooga to begin tournament play.

The tournament games saw the Hoyas produce their lowest offensive outputs of the season at 40 and 41 points, respectively.

Against Northwestern, the squad regained some of its firepower as it posted 55 points behind the work of senior forward Cynthia Petke, junior guard Dionna White and senior guard Mikayla Venson. The trio combined for 49 of the team’s 55 total points for the game.

“Anytime you see our three

leading scorers with the numbers that they had tonight, you’re going to probably see a win,” Head Coach James Howard said.

After letting an 11-point halftime lead slip away in the third quarter, the Hoyas showed serious resolve and prevented the Wildcats from running away with the game. Freshman forward Tatiana Thompson calmly nailed one of two free throws with one second remaining to give Georgetown its one-point victory.

The Hoyas returned home after Thanksgiving break to face the FIU Panthers. Georgetown came out of the gate slowly, and the score was tied at 31 at the end of the first half. Howard felt one reason for the mediocre start may have been the team’s packed schedule.

“In the second half, they came out with a lot more energy,” Howard said. “I could tell right away that in the first half that those three back-to-back games had played its toll on our legs. We looked sluggish.”

Howard urged his players to look within themselves to change the dynamic of the game.

“Deep down inside somewhere you have more,” Howard said.

“When you think that you’re defeated, you're not. Dig deeper.

Dig deeper because inside of you, you’ve got that second wind.”

“When you think that you're defeated, you're not. Dig deeper. Dig deeper because inside of you, you've got that second wind.”

James howard Head Coach

The team separated themselves in the second half by outscoring FIU 46-25, en route to the 77-56 victory.

The second-half explosion was due largely to three of the team’s main catalysts on offense — Petke, White and Venson — who accounted for 60 of the team’s 77 points.

Petke and White provided an incredible boost on the glass as well:

They snatched 29 of the group’s 49 rebounds, which proved to be instrumental in limiting FIU to 10 second-chance points.

Offensive efficiency has become a staple of White’s career as she scored her 1,000th point against the Panthers in her third season as a Hoya.

For Howard, the change in results over the last two games is due primarily to the uptick in offensive efficiency. He praised his team’s defensive effort throughout the season but admitted to some inconsistency on offense.

“During the losing streak, the ball wasn’t going in the hole. We missed a lot of good looks from George Washington, to Auburn, to Chattanooga, we had the same looks,” Howard said. “Tonight, we were able to finish, and defensively we’re still defending well, and we defended all three of those games in those losses.”

The Hoyas will look to build off these two consecutive victories when they host Minnesota on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. in McDonough Arena.

CAROLINE PAPPAS FOR THE HOYA

Junior guard Dionna White, top left, leads the team with 17.6 points per game and ranks second with 7 rebounds per game. White scored her 1,000th point against FIU on Wednesday. Senior guard Didi Burton, bottom left, has a team-high 28 assists on the season.

SPORTS

friday, december 1, 2017

THE HOYA

A11

men’s basketball

commentary

GU Remains Unbeaten Under Ewing Team Improves Despite Early Exit MAINE, from A12

SOCCER, from A12

generate chances, it was usually McCabe who would either find himself a scoring opportunity or create an opportunity for someone else.

McCabe exemplified his skill in key moments in the Big East championship game against Xavier (11-6-3, 5-4 Big East). With just over two minutes left in double overtime, McCabe stepped up and bent a free kick in from over twenty yards out, winning the Hoyas the Big East Tournament. For the season, McCabe led the Big East in assists with 10 and was named to the Second Team All-Big East.

The major contributions of freshmen players were also important factors in the team’s success. In addition to Dodson, Montes, O’Hearn and McCune also played a significant number of minutes for the team.

Montes was composed in the midfield and repeatedly played well in big situations. Not only did he score the winning goal against Maryland, but he also scored the only goal for Georgetown in the NCAA Tournament against SMU. Montes finished second on the team in assists and was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team.

O’Hearn and McCune also played well in the defense as wing-backs. O’Hearn was especially impressive in defense and was also named to the Big East All-Freshman Team.

Although Georgetown did lose in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, this season can certainly be considered a success. Having won eight more games this season than in 2016 and captured the Big East conference championship, the Hoyas should be proud of their progress.

The future is certainly bright for Georgetown with Head Coach Brian Wiese at the helm.

Although it will certainly be tough to replace the contributions of this year’s seniors, specifically those of Lema and McCabe, the Hoyas will return a number of key contributors next season. The whole backline, including Marcinkowski in goal, will return along with the dynamic duo of Achara and Dodson up top.

Overall, with another year for the freshmen to grow and mature as players, expect another highly successful season next year, with hopefully a longer NCAA Tournament run.

the stat sheet: the leadership and poise he showed in directing the backline.

The Hoyas’ backline as a whole deserves significant credit for its play. Junior captain defender Brendan McDonough and junior defender Peter Schropp formed a tough center-back pairing that would give opposing forwards nightmares.

In a 3-0 win over Butler midway through the Big East season, Schropp and McDonough marked Butler forward Brandon Guhl, the Big East leading scorer, so well that he was completely invisible throughout the game.

For his outstanding defending throughout the year, McDonough was named to the First Team All-Big East.

The wing-back positions had a bit more rotation: Freshman midfielder Foster McCune, freshman defender Sean O’Hearn and sophomore defender/midfielder Dylan Nealis all featured at different points throughout the year. No matter who was in the game, the Hoyas’ defense seemed to function seamlessly.

Having won eight more games this year than in 2016, the Hoyas should be proud of their progress.

As is usual in soccer, the midfield had a lot of rotation over the course of the season, but senior captain Christopher Lema was steadfast in his role as the leader of the midfield.

Always calm when he received the ball, Lema was a dependable player for the Hoyas.

Lema also took the majority of corners, set pieces and consistently generated good scoring chances with his shots into the box. He finished third on the team in both goals and assists with four of each and was named to the First Team All-Big East.

The other senior in the midfield, Declan McCabe, played further up the pitch and functioned as both a forward and midfielder. McCabe was a great creative presence and was a big factor in Georgetown’s dynamic attack throughout the year. When the Hoyas were struggling to

The Hoyas chipped away to extend their lead, staging a 9-0 run to make the score 6544, capped by a three-pointer from Blair. Blair led the Hoyas in the second half with nine points. As Maine tried for one last push, Johnson put the game out of reach, extending Georgetown’s lead to 20 with a three-point play. His 18 points marked the second time in the last four games that he has scored in double figures. “[My scoring] has been a result of [junior forward] Marcus [Derrickson] and Jessie being so good in the hole,” Johnson said. “They are double-teaming Jessie so a lot of times I’m open on the outside for the kick-out drive or shot.”

For the game, the Hoyas shot 46 percent from the floor and made 22 of 29 free

drew sewall is a sophomore

in the McDonough School of Business.

GABRIELLA WAN/THE HOYA

Junior forward Marcus Derrickson, top, is averaging 14.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season, while junior center Jessie Govan, bottom, leads the team with 18.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. Georgetown handily defeated Maine 76-55 on Tuesday.

SUDOKU

commentary

4 8 3 1 6 3 1 3 6 9 7 6 7 2 1 5 8

7 3 6 1

2

8 5 9 3 5

Last issue’s solutions

5 7 6 8 3 1 4 9 2

8 1 3 2 4 9 7 6 5

throws, the most they have attempted this season. On defense, they held Maine to 36.7 percent shooting and 13.7 percent from three-point range, the lowest percentage by an opponent this year.

Despite the win, Govan, who scored 16 points and added eight rebounds, said the Hoyas could have performed better.

“I just didn’t think we came out with our best punch today,” Govan said. “We played a little lackadaisical and went through the motions and that won’t prepare us for what is going to come next. So, we’re going to try and come out of the next game much stronger.”

The Hoyas will look to remain unbeaten as they host the Coppin State Eagles (0-6, Mid-Eastern) Sunday night at Capital One Arena. Fans can tune in live on Fox Sports 1 and listen locally on 106.7 FM at 6:30 p.m.

4 9 2 7 6 5 8 1 3

6 2 4 1 5 3 9 7 8

1 5 7 9 8 4 2 3 6

3 8 9 6 7 2 1 5 4

7 4 8 3 1 6 5 2 9

2 6 5 4 9 7 3 8 1

9 3 1 5 2 8 6 4 7

Program Suffers From Off-Field Issues SGARLATA, from A12

see the hashtag “#DefendTheDistrict” in many posts. That refers to Georgetown’s ability to defend its home turf in games, as well as securing top recruits from around the talented DCMaryland-Virginia area.

So far, the results have not been good at all. Of its roster of 98 players, only 14 players are from the DMV. Of those 14 players, only six were starters this season. For a coach who has placed an emphasis on establishing a pipeline to take advantage of the talent-rich DMV, the results through four years have been very discouraging.

The Hoyas’ talent deficit is clear, but there are solutions to bridge the gap between the Hoyas and their opponents, solutions that Georgetown

continues to turn its back against.

In 2013, the Patriot League decided to allow its schools to offer football scholarships. All seven schools jumped at the opportunity and began offering scholarships to players — except Georgetown.

With other Patriot League schools offering scholarships, Georgetown is placing itself at a clear competitive disadvantage by not following suit. Although that decision may have been made above Sgarlata, it is not fair to expect Georgetown football fans to continue to support a team that is not exhausting all its options to improve.

Prior to Georgetown’s 41-2 thrashing at the hands of Harvard at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium this season, Sgarlata spoke about the importance of

the game in relation to his goal of defending the District.

“Being able to go down to a stadium like RFK to make a statement about defending the District, it’s really special for us,” Sgarlata said. “Hopefully this is the first of many games we have down there.”

The Hoyas did make a statement — the wrong kind.

Throughout Sgarlata’s tenure, the Hoyas have played two or three games per season against Ivy League opponents.

In those games, Sgarlata’s team is 3-8. Against Harvard specifically, Georgetown has been regularly outclassed on the field, evidenced by a cumulative score between the two teams of 151-22 over the last four years.

It is important for a rebuilding team like Georgetown to schedule a couple of games

against tough opponents to get a true measure of how much they are progressing as a team. However, playing a 14-time Ivy League champion, Harvard, annually, where the games are usually decided by the end of the first quarter, only contributes to a culture of losing.

Change in the program has already begun after this season’s dismal results, as offensive coordinator Michael Neuberger was fired this week. If the Hoyas want to resurrect this program and stop being the bottom-dwellers of the Patriot League, further changes must be made, or else Rob Sgarlata could be the next man out. aidan curran is a senior in the McDonough School of Business.

feature

Search Begins for New Volleyball Coach WILLIAMS, from A12

Reed announced Williams’ resignation Sunday in a statement to GUHoyas.

“I’d like to thank Arlisa for her many years of service here at Georgetown, and her dedication to both the program and her student-athletes,” Lee said. “We are losing an experienced coach with a passion for teaching, and I wish her well in her future endeavors.”

Reed and the rest of the Georgetown athletics depart-

ment began a national search for a new head coach immediately following Williams’ resignation.

In the 2018 season, Georgetown will return 13 letterwinners, five of whom started this season and one of whom, junior middle blocker Symone Speech, was named to the allBig East Team on Wednesday.

This marks Speech’s second consecutive post-season honor after being named to the AllBig East Second Team her sophomore season.

She is among five other Hoyas who also won all-Big East honors with Williams as their coach, and she is one of three repeat all-Big East selections whom Williams coached in her time on the Hilltop. Dani White won back-to-back second team honors in 2012 and 2013, and Vanessa Dorismond did the same in 2009 and 2010.

None of Williams’ players were available for comment regarding her resignation.

Before joining the Georgetown staff, Williams served

for four years as an assistant coach at the University of Florida. While she was at Florida, the Gators reached two Final Fours and made an appearance in a national championship game in 2003.

In her undergraduate years, Williams was a recordbreaking middle blocker for the Badgers at the University of Wisconsin where she was an All-Region honoree in both 1990 and 1991 and a threetime all-Big Ten selection from 1990 to 1992.

SPORTS

Men’s Basketball Georgetown (5-0) vs. Coppin State (0-6) Sunday, 6:30 p.m.

Capital One Arena

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

NUMBERS GAME

TALKING POINTS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Junior guard Dionna White scored her 1,000th career point in Georgetown’s 77-56 win over FIU on Wednesday.

See A10

“

It’s good to have five different players in double figures to spread the wealth around.”

JUNIOR FORWARD KALEB JOHNSON

0

The number of Patriot League victories the football team finished with this season.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

COMMENTARY

Drew Sewall

Men’s Soccer Season Marked by Success

A

fter being picked to finish fifth in the Big East by the United Soccer Coaches, Georgetown surpassed expectations, finishing second in the Big East regular season standings and winning the Big East Tournament for the second time in their history. Season highlights included the Hoyas’ trip to College Park, Md. where they ended the Maryland Terrapins’ 31-game regular season unbeaten streak, winning 1-0 on freshman midfielder Jacob Montes’ late goal.

Despite this, an impressive 2017 season came to a sudden end for the Hoyas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Following a first-round bye, the No. 18 Georgetown Hoyas (14-42, 6-2-1 Big East) hosted the No. 11 SMU Mustangs (17-3-1, 5-1-1 AAC) at Shaw Field. Despite taking a 1-0 lead midway through the first half, the Hoyas conceded two fluky goals late in the game, including the game winner with 14 seconds left in double overtime, and fell 2-1 to the Mustangs.

The Hoyas were a balanced team throughout the year

with a dynamic attack and a stout defense. Up top, sophomore forward Achara carried the load. Despite being hampered by injuries and only playing in 11 games, Achara caused immense problems for opponents, tallying seven goals for the Hoyas.

Still, it was freshman forward Derek Dodson who was the most prolific attacker for Georgetown. Dodson scored ten goals for the Hoyas and was named Second Team AllBig East and Big East Freshman of the Year. Dodson dazzled with his timely runs and sharp goal-scoring instincts in the box. Led by Dodson and Achara, the Hoyas finished second in scoring in the Big East with 1.75 goals per game.

Even in the few games in which Georgetown struggled to find a goal, the stout Hoya defense usually stifled the opposition’s attack. Junior captain JT Marcinkowski was composed in the goal throughout the year, finishing second in the Big East with eight shutouts. Perhaps his biggest contributions to the team never showed up on See SOCCER, A11

GABRIELLA WAN/THE HOYA

Junior forward Kaleb Johnson, right, scored a game-high 18 points on 50 percent shooting from the field to go along with four rebounds in the Hoyas’ 76-55 win over the Black Bears. Johnson is averaging 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2 assists per game.

Johnson Leads Hoyas to 5th Straight Win MATT SACHS

Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown men’s basketball team continued its undefeated season Tuesday night, handily defeating the University of Maine 76-55 at home.

Five players scored in double figures for the Hoyas, including junior forward Kaleb Johnson, who posted a teamhigh 18 points.

“I think it’s a great thing; it shows our unselfishness as a team, and it’s good to have five different players

in double figures to spread the wealth around,” Johnson said.

The Hoyas (5-0) led from start to finish in the contest, gaining control over the Black Bears (1-6) by jumping out to an early 11-0 lead.

Maine struggled early and often, missing all 10 of its three-point attempts in the first half, while shooting only 32 percent from the floor.

Maine sent an aggressive Georgetown squad to the foul line early and often. For most of the first half, the Hoyas were in the double bonus

and made 11 of their 14 freethrow opportunities.

“We wanted to get the ball inside. [Our guys] did a very good job driving the gaps and getting fouls,” Head Coach Patrick Ewing said. “Fortunately, we made more of them than we missed.”

Freshman guard Jahvon Blair sent Georgetown into halftime up 40-24 with his steal and layup in the final minute. The Hoyas edged the Black Bears in points in the paint 24-14, but the Blue and Gray’s seven turnovers kept the game within reach.

In the second half, Maine scored quickly and contained Georgetown’s key weapons, including junior center Jessie Govan. Govan scored eight second-half points but only managed five shots from the floor as the Black Bears reduced the deficit to 48-38 with 13:12 left.

“Teams are going to start game-planning for me and double me and get me off my game,” Govan said. “I need to find the open shooters and open cutters.”

See MAINE, A11

COMMENTARY

FEATURE

Williams Resigns Amid Program Low BRIDGET MCELROY Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown women’s volleyball Head Coach Arlisa Williams resigned from her position Sunday, one day after finishing the 2017 season with a five-set loss to Creighton in McDonough Arena. It was the second time this season Georgetown was topped by the Creighton Bluejays after a four-set loss Sept.

22; similarly, on Friday, the Georgetown Hoyas fell in five sets to Providence at home.

Williams leaves Georgetown with an 8-22 overall record and a 2-16 record in Big East play for the season. Williams entered the 2017 season with the fourth most wins in program history, standing tall with 114 victories, before adding eight wins this season.

Aidan Curran

Sgarlata to Blame For Team’s Failures

F

“We are losing an experienced coach with a passion for teaching, and I wish her well.”

LEE REED Georgetown Director of Athletics

Overall, Williams accrued a 122-231 over 12 seasons.

She had two winning seasons in 2008 and 2011 and one even season in 2010. Under Williams, the Hoyas consistently found themselves finishing their season in the bottom half of their league, and they never advanced to the Big East Championship tournament.

Georgetown’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Lee

FILE PHOTO: CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA

See WILLIAMS, A11

Former Head Coach Arlissa Williams stepped down from her role in the Georgetown women’s volleyball team last weekend. Williams amassed an 8-22 overall record with a 2-16 Big East record this season.

Visit us online at thehoya.com/sports

our years ago, hopes were high on the Hilltop.

Rob Sgarlata had just been promoted to head coach from defensive coordinator of the Georgetown football program after former Head Coach Kevin Kelly resigned following a 2-9 season.

Sgarlata was a Georgetown football lifer who finished his playing career as one of Georgetown’s all-time leading rushers and served as team captain in 1993. Sgarlata moved onto the coaching ranks as an assistant coach in 1995. The young assistant was elevated to defensive coordinator in 2004, a position he held until he took over for Kelly.

Since Sgarlata took over four seasons ago, his tenure has not gone as planned.

The team has a record of 11-33 in Sgarlata’s four years at the helm of the program, and the future looks grim for Georgetown football after finishing 1-10 this season, including a winless 0-8 Patriot League record.

There is no question the wheels fell off for the Hoyas this season. Georgetown’s normally staunch defense, which Sgarlata has led for 13 years, took a major step back this season, allowing 27.2 points per game compared

to last season’s 23.2, good for fifth out of seven teams in the Patriot League.

In previous seasons, the team relied on its defense to bail out a struggling offense, which has finished sixth or worse in scoring in the Patriot League in every season since 2011. With the combination of an abysmal offense and a struggling defense, the result was an on-field product that lost to teams by an average margin of 16 points per game.

Sgarlata continues to make questionable decisions off the field that affect this program’s ability to compete.

Besides having on-field struggles, Sgarlata continues to make questionable decisions off the field that affect this program’s ability to compete on the field.

Sgarlata’s recruiting tactics have been lukewarm at best.

Look at Georgetown football’s Instagram feed and you will See SGARLATA, A11