Vol-120-Iss-19 by The GW Hatchet

Monday, February 12, 2024 I Vol. 120 Iss. 19

WWW.GWHATCHET.COM

INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER • SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

What’s inside Opinions

The editorial board writes oﬃcials must prove they aren’t persecuting based on beliefs. Page 6

Culture

Married professors discuss shared passions and meetcutes. Page 7

Faculty senators press for transparency on impacts of MFA debt after continued losses TYLER IGLESIAS REPORTER

Chief Financial Officer Bruno Fernandes delivered a report on the financial status of the Medical Faculty Associates on Friday amid debates over the medical arm debt’s potential harm to the GW student experience. Fernandes delivered the report to the Faculty Senate in a closed-door session after senators voted to remove it from the public portion of the meeting due to its “sensitive nature.” Senators also passed a resolution that asks the Board of Trustees to evaluate the financial losses of the MFA — a group of physicians and faculty from the School of Medicine and Health Science and GW Hospital — and their potential effect on GW’s “underfunded areas.” Officials released the Q1 numbers of the MFA publicly as an addendum to the senate meeting agenda in December, which revealed that the organization lost $27 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024. The MFA, which owes GW $200 million, has lost $80 million in the last two fiscal years and is expected to lose another $30 million to $50 million by the end of FY 2024. The mounting debt has been a point of continual contention between senators and administration, and the resolution marks the second time senators have asked for more transparency on the MFA’s finances after

Sports

WNBA star Jonquel Jones among alumni inducted into GW Hall of Fame. Page 8

Students report stomach illnesses from dining hall food NICOLE AKUMATEY REPORTER

RYAN J. KARLIN REPORTER

SAGE RUSSELL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Sarah Wagner, the co-chair of the Educational Policy & Technology Committee, speaks at a Faculty Senate meeting Friday.

senators requested quarterly updates to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and the Faculty Senate Fiscal Planning and Budgeting Committee in a January 2023 resolution. The resolution calls for a report from President Ellen Granberg, Provost Chris Bracey and Fernandes by March 1, 2024 and Feb. 1 of each following year that

assesses the impact of the MFA’s ﬁnancial state on the University. Fernandes said in October that he did not expect the MFA to break even by the end of FY 2024, a reversal from previous predictions that the MFA would pay back its debt during the ﬁscal year. Sarah Wagner, the co-chair of the Educational Policy & Tech-

nology Committee, introduced the resolution requesting the Board evaluate the MFA’s debt and its eﬀect on schools like the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences. Wagner said the resolution was not an “attack” on GW’s medical arm but instead based on “concern” for GW’s success. See SENATORS Page 3

Beloved owners of McReynold’s Liquors sell store MAX PORTER

CONTRIBUTING NEWS EDITOR

The owners of McReynold’s Liquors have sold the beloved Foggy Bottom store. Matthew Kimwon, the owner of McReynold’s on the 1700 Block of G Street, said he and his wife Sophia are selling the store to travel to South Korea to take care of his sick mother. The new owner will take full responsibility of the store after two weeks of training, which begins Monday, Kimwon said. Kimwon said the new owner owns a “big” liquor store in Atlanta, Georgia. He said the owner will retain the McReynold’s

name and continue to sell liquor. Read last year’s proﬁle: If you’re a regular, you may recognize Matthew Kimwon and his wife, Sophia, who both work at the store and emigrated with their two children from South Korea to the United States in 2011. Owner of iconic local liquor store McReynold’s celebrates 10 years in business Under Kimwon’s ownership, McReynold’s has woven itself into GW’s campus fabric. Students toasted President Joe Biden’s election with bubbly and often commemorated their graduations with photos at the storefront. Kimwon has even tracked students’ evolving alcohol preferences – last

year, tequila was the Foggy Bottom favorite. “We have good memories, so we won’t forget,” Kimwon said. “You guys will stay in our hearts forever.” The store’s proximity to campus and 10 percent discount for GW students on lowalcohol beverages often attract students to peruse their eclectic liquor collection and expansive vape inventory. The Kimwons became the fourth owners of McReynold’s in 2013 after they emigrated to the United States from South Korea in 2011 with their two children, Kimwon said. He took over the store from a member of the church he attended in Maryland following the previous owners’ retirement.

Students have reported falling ill after eating at Thurston and Shenkman dining halls since the end of last semester and point to undercooked meat as the cause. More than a dozen students said they got sick after eating at the dining halls in Thurston and Shenkman halls since the end of last semester, with at least two seeking medical attention at GW Hospital. At least two students said they complained to GW Dining and dining hall management after getting sick, and at least four students said their illnesses caused them to miss class. Ella Weiss, a fi rst-year political science and criminal justice student, said she experienced stomach illness around Jan. 23 after eating meatballs and chicken in Thurston Hall. She said she went to the emergency room after experiencing intense nausea but left after not receiving help for several hours. She said her family contacted GW Dining to secure alternate meal accommodations outside the dining halls, but they “have not really been responsive.” Weiss said she skipped the rest of her classes the next day after almost vomiting in her fi rst class. She now avoids food from the two dining halls, opting for groceries using her GWorld dining dollars and meals from District House. “I just really don’t want to get sick again,” Weiss said. “So I’m kind of avoiding that.” University spokesperson Julia Metjian said officials have received reports of stomach-related illnesses and undercooked chicken in Thurston Hall. Metjian said a University investigation through the Student Health Center concluded the stomach-related illnesses were not caused by food poisoning from the dining halls. See OFFICIALS Page 4

Students seek more work after CLRE cuts hours

University’s federal research expenditures inch upward as GW falls in rankings

MOLLY ST. CLAIR

ANNA FATTIZZO

REPORTER

NICOLA DEGREGORIO REPORTER

When sophomore Ana Rees received her schedule for her Campus Living and Residential Education job on the Mount Vernon Campus in January, she thought there was a mistake. Rees was listed to only work five hours her first week back for the new semester, a sharp decrease from the weekly hours she expected. “I got my schedule and I was like, ‘Is this a mistake?’” Rees said. “I almost emailed them asking and then I didn’t. They never explained what was going on until afterward, until after we asked them.” CLRE officials increased student employees’ wages from $17 to $17.20, reduced students’ maximum weekly hours from 15

to 10 this semester and further cut some student workers’ hours by as much as two-thirds. More than half a dozen students in the positions said they’re now seeking additional employment and hope to reach the maximum allotted hours after officials limited the operation of hub desks to one student employee instead of the previous two per desk last semester. Kevin Stensberg, the assistant vice provost of student support and residential engagement, said officials conducted a “usage assessment” in the fall and decided to reduce the hub desks’ operation hours from 6 p.m. to midnight to 6 to 10 p.m. They also decided to close half of the 10 hub desks — tables across the Mount Vernon and Foggy Bottom campuses which provide students supplies like board games and cleaning materials. See CLRE Page 5

JERRY LAI | PHOTOGRAPHER An employee mans the Potomac House Desk.

STAFF WRITER

RORY QUEALY

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

GW’s federal research expenditures increased by about .32 percent in fiscal year 2022, but the University dropped in expenditure rankings among higher education institutions, according to a report at the Faculty Senate meeting Friday. The University’s federal research expenditures rose from about $161.35 million in FY2021 to $161.87 million in FY2022, but GW dropped from No. 91 to No. 95 in the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey. Faculty senators said they were concerned about delays in research approvals and payments for research staff, which Pamela Norris, the vice provost of research, attributed to staff turnover in the Office of Research, Integrity and Compliance. “Our federal research expenditures have continued to increase year over year over this time, but our competition is increasing at a quicker rate than we are, and thus our overall ranking relative to our peers has been decreasing in the recent past,” Norris said. Norris said a “significant” investment in research is necessary to continue GW’s trajectory of increased federal research expenditures and growth in rankings. Among peer schools, GW ranked eighth in federal research expenditures, with the University of Pittsburgh placing highest among peer schools in the 12th spot. GW, at No. 95, landed in the bottom half among peer schools but ranked higher than Northeastern, Tufts, Tulane, Georgetown and Syracuse universities. Faculty senate members asked Norris why GW fell in the research expenditures rankings. Philip Wirtz, a faculty senator and a professor of decision sciences and psychological brain sciences, said he is concerned GW isn’t spending federal funds to conduct research at similar levels as in prior years. He said the

SAGE RUSSELL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Pamela Norris, the vice provost of research, speaks during a Faculty Senate meeting Friday.

University used to have more consistent rankings year to year, reaching No. 81 in 2016 and 2017. “Are we headed in the right direction?” Wirtz said. “Are you anticipating that our ranking will get better, or where are we headed?” In response, Norris said she sees “optimism” for a “significant” increase in research expenditures in FY2023 because the federal expenditures are up by about 23 percent compared to this time last year, but it’s “hard” to say what GW’s “competition” will be doing. Faculty senators probed Norris on staffing turnover in the Office of Research, Integrity and Compliance, which they said impeded research approvals and GW’s ability to hire and pay researchers. Faculty Senate Executive Committee Chair Ilana Feldman said staffing issues led to “very long delays” in the Institutional Review Board — which has the authority to approve or disapprove research under Food and Drug Administration guidelines — approvals for faculty research. She said delays have inhibited faculty productivity and their ability to train students. Sarah Wagner, a faculty senator

and a professor of anthropology, said GW has issues paying research staff and consultants, adding that researchers who submitted invoices have gone six months before being paid. She said when GW cannot pay researchers, it is inflicting “reputational damage” on the University. “I’m staying up at night because I can’t pay folks, but also because it’s mortifying when you can’t, for people who have done work for your project,” Wagner said. “And it takes so many emails, and that takes me away from the fundamental thing of why I get into research in the first place, which is to do research.” Norris said the Office of Research, Integrity and Compliance has faced a “very large turnover” and is working to reorganize increased responsibilities. She added that changes in federal regulations around human research subjects, GW’s “diversified” research portfolio and work to meet requirements of the Associate of American Universities — which granted GW membership last summer — have caused the backlog in research approvals. See NORRIS Page 3

NEWS

February 12, 2024 • Page 2

News

THE GW HATCHET

THIS WEEK’S

EVENTS

GW COLLEGE DEMOCRATS VS. GW COLLEGE REPUBLICANS DEBATE

Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 8 p.m. | University Student Center Attend a debate between the members of the rival political parties.

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY Feb. 13, 1984

PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH MUSIC Wednesday, Feb. 14 | 7 p.m. | Phillips Hall Join a workshop with professor Shana Mashego on African American spirituals.

The GW College Republicans met with then-Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) to call for a constitutional amendment allowing prayer in public schools.

GW absent from DC’s top 10 taxpayers for second-consecutive year AN NGO

STAFF WRITER

The University is the top private landowner in the District, but it has not ranked in the District’s top 10 property taxpayers in the past two years. GW has a total real estate portfolio of more than $4.4 billion, including its educational and commercial buildings, according to data from the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue. As a nonprofit, most of GW’s properties fall under an educational tax exemption, including its residence halls, gym and parking lots, exempting the University from paying more than $27 million in property taxes across 82 of its property lots in 2023, according to records from the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue. About 30 percent of GW’s assessed real estate value consists of fully taxed properties that include office buildings, commercial retail spaces and residential spaces. In 2022, GW made over $40 million in rental property income. In 2023, the assessed value of GW’s fully tax-exempt properties was more than $1.7 billion, according to records from the Office of Tax and Revenue. Tax policy experts said nonprofits like GW receive tax abatements for the educational and research value they provide, but large-scale expansion can harm the communities immediately surrounding campuses. Adam H. Langley, the associate director of tax policy at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, said the general rationale behind universities’ tax abatements is that higher education provides massive benefits for society, like improving productivity and facilitating research. Langley said universities and other tax-exempt nonprofits should make payments in lieu of taxes, or PILOTs, to give back

AN NGO | GRAPHICS EDITOR

to the area they work in. He said some local governments have formed agreements with schools where they pay a fraction of what they would usually pay in property taxes to offset some of the costs of hosting higher education institutions. GW has not yet instituted a PILOT program. “The benefits are probably dispersed but the costs in terms of foregone revenue is borne fully by city residents,” Langley said. “So that geographic mismatch is one important reason for why nonprofits should be making PILOTs, including universities.” GW has been situated in Foggy Bottom since 1912, previously having been located between 14th and 15th streets NW above Florida Avenue. Former University Presi-

dent Cloyd Heck Marvin added nine structures to campus over his tenure between 1927 and 1959, and former University President Lloyd Elliott expanded campus between 1965 and 1988, but University President Stephen Trachtenberg signiﬁcantly bolstered campus real estate between 1988 and 2007. Between 1985 and 2002, GW acquired more than 35 Foggy Bottom buildings, including apartment buildings and private clubs. Residents opposed GW’s expansion into the neighborhood. Michael Thomas, the then-president of the Foggy Bottom Association, argued in a 2001 op-ed that the District’s elected oﬃcials should protect nonstudent residents “at all costs.” LaDale Winling, a history pro-

fessor at Virginia Tech University, said in the second half of the 20th century, the GI Bill incentivized higher education institutions across the U.S. to expand rapidly. Winling said residents living in the areas immediately surrounding university campuses were typically the lone dissenting voices. “The cost of that expansion happens block-by-block and neighborhood-by-neighborhood around universities,” Winling said. “And so certainly this is what neighbors in Foggy Bottom have been complaining about for decades.” Winling said perceptions that cities were in crisis, coping with high crime and poverty led to universities attempting to take control of their surroundings by expand-

ing their footprint between the 1950s and ‘80s. Universities extended their purview past their campus borders, taking their surroundings into their own hands. “Essentially, they were going to have to take over the surrounding neighborhoods,” Winling said. GW leases the ground at 2100 Pennsylvania Ave. to Boston Properties and its property at 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. to Westbrook Partners and MRP Realty. Davarian L. Baldwin, the founding director of the Smart Cities Research Lab at Trinity College, said universities can harm the affordability of nearby housing. He said in addition to paying PILOTs, institutions of higher education should engage with and benefit the communities in which they dwell. Today, Foggy Bottom is one of the most expensive places to rent in D.C. GW’s presence and the neighborhood’s desirable location have made it unaffordable for many long-term residents. “Universities can provide housing. So what would it mean if we say for every university development, you expand on 20 percent of that land has to be reserved for affordable housing for the longterm residents?” Baldwin said. “What would it mean if we say that if you are going to be the biggest employer in your community for low-wage workers, that you have to provide a living wage?” Baldwin said the factors that measure a university’s prestige, like low acceptance rates and luxury buildings, often contribute directly to them being more expensive and less accessible to lowincome and long-term residents. “How are you really serving the public good if, No. 1, you have a high rejection rate, No. 2, you have extremely high tuition and No. 3, you have unaffordable housing?” Baldwin said.

SGA Senate, reproductive rights advocates push for abortion pills in the SHC HANNAH MARR

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

JENNA LEE REPORTER

The Student Government Association Senate unanimously passed a bill Monday requesting the University provide medication abortion in the Student Health Center, increasing pressure on a demand oﬃcials have previously denied. SGA Sen. Caroline Motley (Grad-at-Large), who sponsored the Abortion Justice on Campus Act alongside GW Reproductive Autonomy and Gender Equity, said she is calling on University administrators to listen to the student government and serve as a “pioneer” by demonstrating abortions are normal. The bill requests ofﬁcials begin providing medication abortion through the SHC at the lowest possible cost and asks the Univer-

sity to commit to prioritizing comprehensive reproductive health care to reduce barriers to access. Medication abortion is an abortion method that involves taking mifepristone and misoprostol to terminate a pregnancy and accounts for more than half of all abortions in the U.S. Motley said if oﬃcials, including University President Ellen Granberg, do not approve their request for the medication in the SHC, the “pressure” will continue to mount, as students made the demand through multiple outlets, including a GW RAGE petition that has garnered more than 1,000 signatures from faculty, students and alumni. “She has the opportunity to do so, especially because she is the ﬁrst woman to serve in her role,” Motley said. Dean of Students Colette Coleman did not return to a request for comment on

SNAPSHOT

whether oﬃcials would implement medication abortion in the SHC. Members of GW RAGE plastered posters up around campus last week demanding Coleman and Granberg listen to students’ pleas and add medication abortion to the SHC. The bill’s passage comes as part of a broader national movement to provide increased access to abortion on college campuses after the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, which overturned the landmark case Roe v. Wade that federally protected abortion access. California and Massachusetts now require public colleges and universities to provide medication abortion on their campuses. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case concerning the restriction of when abortion pills can be prescribed and how patients can receive them, which may impact future access to medication

abortion on campuses. The University of Southern California and New York University are the only two of GW’s 12 peer schools that currently oﬀer medication abortion. NYU’s Student Health Center began stocking medication abortion in September following criticism from student organizations, according to the school’s student newspaper, the Washington Square News. Northeastern University reproductive justice advocates also launched a petition in October for their student health center to provide medication abortion. Maddy Niziolek, the co-president of GW RAGE, said the organization has been working to request the University oﬀer medication abortion since last April after they saw similar urban schools like Barnard College and USC prescribe students the medication. She said

KARSYN MEYERSON | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

From left to right, sophomores Shahaan Bashir, George Togman, Liyam Hermann, Braden Deckers and Asier Eczurra cheer during the Super Bowl.

RAGE’s request has been met with “pushback” from administrators because the SHC does not have an ultrasound machine — which officials argue is necessary to prescribe abortion pills — and because students have access to abortions in the District. Niziolek said RAGE provided administrators with resources and literature from the past decade that shows that ultrasound machines are not needed for medication abortion and that telehealth medication abortion has proven to be safe and effective. “For a long time, the biggest concern they’ve had is the ultrasound machine, which we have done a lot of work on providing additional resources on what the actual provision of medication abortion looks like,” Niziolek said. GW RAGE Co-President Stephanie Spector said after the Dobbs decision D.C. has become a “safe haven” for abortion seekers in the South, which has left abortion providers “very overwhelmed” and dramatically increased wait times for appointments. She said there are also a lot of logistical barriers for students who are looking to get an abortion, including financial restrictions, because abortions can cost anywhere from $100 to $500, even with insurance. “That’s just what students deserve,” Spector said. “There’s just a lot of lack of access in D.C. even given the position we are in with abortion access.” Eight clinics provide abortions in the District. Experts in reproductive health care and higher education said access to medication abortion on campuses can be useful to students who are unaware of how to otherwise receive reproductive care because 25 percent of women will get an abortion in their lifetime. Jessica Waters, an assistant professor of justice, law and criminology at American University, said the resolution is feasible to implement because abortion is legal in the District, but the SHC must be equipped

to provide follow-up care since students usually take the medication on their own. “Typically, there’s a follow-up appointment, just make sure everything went okay,” Waters said. “I don’t see any reason, if the health center is dispensing other types of prescription medications, they wouldn’t be able to do so safely here.” Waters said the main considerations for an administration implementing medication abortion are costs, safety and student health. “I would hope, and in my experience, the question that universities are asking is, ‘Is this good for our students? Will our students be safe? Will our students thrive under whatever it is we’re trying to do?’” Waters said. Jonas Swartz, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University, said college students face challenges in accessing abortions due to a lack of knowledge of state laws, difficulty accessing transportation and socioeconomic status, which is why college campuses can be the best place for students to access reproductive care. Swartz said medication abortion is becoming an increasingly popular method of abortion due to its safety and efficacy, but navigating insurance payments, training staff to offer counseling and the need for equipment like ultrasound machines are potential hurdles to implementing its access on college campuses. “We know that it’s safe,” Swartz said. “We know that it’s effective. And we know that among people who are seeking abortion that increasingly, they prefer to have a medication abortion.” Anne Michels, a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and family medicine at USC, said certain infrastructure is needed on campuses to offer medication abortion including trained staff, ultrasounds and education for students on long-acting reversible contraception methods, such as IUDs and hormonal implants, to aid students in their family planning process.

NEWS

February 12, 2024 • Page 3

THE GW HATCHET

Officials propose midyear changes to Code of Academic Integrity NATALIE NOTE REPORTER

Officials plan to implement changes to the Code of Academic Integrity in March to combat student conduct panel scheduling delays and address a rising number of academic integrity violations. Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities staff will request approval from the Faculty Senate and Student Government Association to alter the Code of Academic Integrity on or around March 1 to help staff resolve cases more quickly for students who need the course credit to graduate or register for their next semester. Christy Anthony, the office’s director, said at an SGA meeting Jan. 22 that proposed changes include reducing the size of student conduct panels and dropping the requirement that the panels convene for low-level sanctions. “To implement a change on or around March 1 is unusual, but I think that that would allow us to really minimize the impact on students who are awaiting graduation in particular,” Anthony said at the meeting. Anthony said the proposed changes are in response to SRR’s report of a 313 percent increase in academic integrity violations from fall 2021 to fall 2023. She said in an email that cases of cheating increased by 476 percent in fall 2023 as compared to fall 2021 and fall 2022. Anthony said artificial intelligence misuse, which is typically categorized as a cheating violation under the code, has contributed to the rise because faculty are checking for AI use and reporting more students. “I do think it is largely attributable to faculty attempting to assess and detect for that,” Anthony said at the meeting. Anthony declined to comment

on when SRR staff will ask for approval from the Faculty Senate and SGA to implement changes to the code. SRR did not ask for approval to change the code at the senate meeting Friday. The next senate meeting is scheduled for March 1. “At this time, we are consolidating feedback from the Faculty Senate committee and SGA Senate into a proposal to present at upcoming meetings,” Anthony said in an email. Students who challenge academic integrity violations are required to attend a student conduct panel — consisting of two volunteer faculty members and three students who hear and adjudicate the case — unless they receive a warning, according to the code. She said that as of fall 2023, 65 percent of cases were resolved without seeing a panel. “We have students who may have their graduation held up not because they haven’t completed courses but because we haven’t been able to adjudicate a case to assign a grade,” Anthony said at the meeting. Anthony said reducing the number of required panelists will help combat the low faculty participation rate that delays the hearing process. She said students need a quicker response time at the end of the year to make sure they receive the necessary class credits before graduation and registration. Anthony said in the meeting that SRR reported a 53 percent drop in faculty panelists from fall 2021 to fall 2023. She said SRR would need more than 74 additional faculty volunteers to meet the demand for panels. Anthony declined to comment on how many faculty members currently volunteer. “We could say that a panel is simply one student and one faculty member or one student and two fac-

Faculty senators ask for clarity on MFA’s role, impact on University From Page 1 “We are frustrated by encouraging words of turnarounds that have not materialized and by the uncertain past,” Wagner said. “The path forward in which enduring MFA losses on such a scale may end up jeopardizing GW’s educational mission, student experience and financial aid.” Katrin Schultheiss, a faculty senator and history professor, said the resolution provides a “structure” to convey the relationship between the MFA and the rest of the University. She said the resolution would clarify how the MFA’s situation relates to other University functions, like the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences’ FY 2024 budget cuts. “Personally, I’ve heard nothing but rumors about how the MFA is sinking this enterprise and sinking that enterprise,” Schultheiss said. “I think that’s inaccurate, but it’s rooted in not people not knowing. They don’t understand it.” Barbara Bass, the MFA’s CEO and the dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, said she is disappointed people are unfamiliar with the medical school’s structure, and that she takes the blame in that people are not “enlightened” on its structure. Bass said a clinical faculty practice like the MFA is critical to having a school of medicine. “I would hope everyone in a university or research-driven university must have clinical faculty of size and scale to meet the educational needs of the students,” Bass said. “The MFA, when it was formed, back at that time when it was separated from the University, was formed in its bylaws to serve exclusively the educational and training needs of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences of George Washington University.” Bass added that the organization pays back the money that it owes to the University at a rate that “contributes substan-

tially” to the University’s spendable revenue. “This is an extraordinary, unprecedented time in healthcare,” Bass said. “Where we really went off the tracks was during the pandemic, and we are rigorously finally having the chance to rebuild that.” After Faculty Senate Executive Committee Chair Ilana Feldman suggested the senate move the discussion on the MFA’s Q2 financial report into executive session, Jennifer Brinkerhoff, a faculty senator and professor of international affairs, asked Feldman about the status of filling in faculty who are not in the senate about the MFA’s finances. “I’m just a little bit concerned about the movement of the sensitive material into the executive session,” Brinkerhoff said. “A couple of faculty members have reached out to me as a member of the senate expressing concern about this impending move and wondering when the broader faculty and the Faculty Senate get to have better information about what’s happening with the MFA.” Jonathan Eakle, a faculty senator and professor in the Graduate School of Education and Human Development, passed an amendment to the resolution with an 11-9 vote that labeled graduate programs as underfunded, language that was already applied to undergraduate programs in the resolution. Tarek El-Ghazawi, a faculty senator and engineering professor, also passed an amendment 17-3 that asked the Board of Trustees and administration to assess the investment needed to “protect and enhance” research at the University. “Research is another arm in the formula of the whole organization that really needs to be taken into account,” ElGhazawi said. “Adding that would just bring in research at the same footing with education and everything, including the medical school and everything else.”

HATCHET FILE PHOTO

Christy Anthony, the director of the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities

ulty members,” Anthony said in the meeting. Anthony said another potential change is to drop the student conduct panel requirement for cases where the proposed sanction is below suspension. An individual SRR staff member would resolve the cases in the same format as the panels and rule whether a violation had occurred, which would then go to the dean of the school for approval. Anthony said if SRR were to implement this strategy, she would recommend adding a panel to the appeals process for cases that were originally addressed by an SRR staff member so that it can be reviewed by other community members. She

said the panel would include a student, faculty or staff member that reviews and provides a recommendation to the provost who makes the final decision. “This gives significant scheduling flexibility, it provides the decision to people who are regularly practiced in hearing cases, we would still get that community participation during an appeals panel,” Anthony said in the meeting. In March 2021, the senate and SBA approved changes to the code to treat cheating violations on smaller assignments less harshly and increase the consequences for severe academic integrity violations. The code was also changed to allow

deans to review findings from the hearings instead of the provost to help the quicken the process. Anthony said SRR is also considering removing the requirement that the faculty member who reported the student attend the panel. She said this would help SRR schedule panels more flexibly, but faculty and students may think cases are handled differently when the reporting faculty member is not present. “I do think you would start to see a perception of bias or different impact depending upon whether or not a faculty member attended to make their case,” Anthony said in the meeting.

Metro to renovate stretch near Foggy Bottom, close Red Line stations in summer FAITH WARDWELL SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority officials will temporarily close five Red Line stations this summer and renovate the stretch between the Foggy Bottom-GWU and L’Enfant stations this winter, according to a release Friday. WMATA officials announced a three-year construction plan spanning between summer 2024 and summer 2026, including additional construction during the winter holidays. The renovations will include upgrades to the signaling system, elevator and escalator maintenance and interlocking, which currently allows trains to cross from one track to another outside the Takoma station. The construction will also include leak mitigation, drain pumping station replacement and traction power cable installations. Officials planned the work around the Maryland Transit Administration Purple Line Project, which will build a new mezzanine on the platform of the Silver Springs station to link the Metro with the incoming MTA Purple Line. WMATA officials estimate renovations between the Foggy Bottom-GWU and L’Enfant stations to span about two weeks, aiming to make rides smoother by pouring new grout pads and replacing

FILE PHOTO BY ALLISON ROBBERT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPER A train pulls into the Foggy Bottom Metro station.

rail fasteners. The plan will cause isolated closures, but won’t close the full stretch between the two stations, according to the release. The release states that service could shift to four months of single tracking on weekends or late-night single tracking on up to 400 nights as an alternative to the two-week construction duration. The plan also outlines four other projected renovations spanning between summer 2025 and summer 2026, impacting the Blue Line between Franconia-Springfield and King Street, the Green Line between Congress Heights

and Branch Avenue, the Green and Yellow lines between L’Enfant Plaza and Fort Totten and the Red Line between Friendship Heights and Grosvenor-Strathmore. Scheduling track work during summer, winter and weekend hours has reduced service disruptions to Metro riders, with the impact to budgeted service declining by half within the past seven years, the release states. Detailed service plans including free express and shuttle bus replacements will be announced at least one month in advance of the plan’s projected closures.

Research administrator to meet with staff to troubleshoot payment issues From Page 1 She said she’s had meetings with human resources and is beginning to have meetings with principal investigators, or those who are responsible for trials or research grants, to map out and address issues in paying research staff. “I began with ‘This is the challenge I’m seeing and then how it impacts the research enterprise,’” Norris said. “And now they’re beginning to hear the specifics.” The University’s total research expenditures — coming from the federal government, state and local governments, business, nonprofit organizations and institutional funds — have remained consistent at about $250 million since 2018.

The University allocated 67.7 percent of research expenditures to health-related studies in FY2023, consistent with the share of research expenditures focused on health studies in the previous fiscal year. The University allocated a quarter of health-related research expenditures to medicine and health sciences, and social sciences accounted for 15.7 percent, while science and engineering received 13.7 percent, according to the report. Researchers saw an increase in active awards, or awards that expire after the fiscal year, with 2,448 in FY2023, the highest number since FY2014, according to the report. Highlighted awards include $12 million for kidney failure patient research from the

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and $12 million to research workforce development in engineering from the Office of Naval Research. “GW is emerging as a real leader in this workforce development space and I look forward to supporting other faculty that wish to stand in this arena,” Norris said during the meeting. Norris said she oversaw the creation of a new orientation system for researchers, called the Spark to Impact Series. She said this online video library of orientation materials, such as grant writing workshops, will be helpful for onboarding researchers and continued professional development. Norris said her office invested in “electronic infrastructure,” with im-

provements like securing an enterprise-wide license for LabArchives, an electronic tool for lab collaboration. Norris said her office also secured access to a federal relations firm, LewisBurke, to improve GW’s approach to federal funding opportunities. Norris said her office is working to increase experimental research opportunities for undergraduate students. She said students can get involved in research through work-study positions offered in certain labs. “Work-study students don’t have to go work in the library, in the cafeteria,” Norris said. “They can come work in your lab and your research projects and have a significant complete, could be a career-changing experience with them.”

NEWS

February 12, 2024 • Page 4

THE GW HATCHET

CRIME LOG DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY/VANDALISM

1959 E St. (Starbucks) 2/4/2024 – 6:45 p.m. Closed Case A Starbucks employee reported that a non-GW affiliated male threw a rock and shattered a storefront window.

No identifiable subject.

THEFT I/FROM BUILDING

Academic Center 2/6/2024 – 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Open Case A female student reported her laptop stolen after leaving it unattended in a classroom.

Case open.

THEFT II/FROM BUILDING

KAIDEN YU | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A student reaches for food at the buffet in Thurston Hall.

Metjian did not specify when the investigation took place, or the cause of the “stomach-related illnesses.” She said the University retrained staff and strengthened its quality-assurance procedures, which include monitoring cooking and holding temperatures. She added that GW will hire a “qualified food safety manager” to improve food quality further. “Food safety is our number one priority at GW Dining, and we are constantly monitoring and improving our training and quality control procedures,” Metjian said in an email. Students have posted several images of what appeared to be raw food at GW dining halls on Reddit, including one photo from a group chat of parents with children residing in Thurston Hall that appeared to show a pushpin baked into a cookie at the dining hall. The dining hall in Thurston, which opened in 2022, received six violations during an October 2023 inspection

by the DC Department of Health that required “corrective actions.” These violations included a lack of soap at a hand-washing sink, a leaky pipe and insufficient cooling of refrigerator drawers. The violations were resolved, according to a follow-up inspection. The Student Government Association created the Special Committee on Dining Reform last May to address student concerns over health violations in the dining halls, including the discovery of mouse droppings at The Eatery at Pelham Commons. Students with allergies also expressed concern over contaminated food in the dining halls last spring. Sophia Pan, a first-year interior architecture student, said she is now cautious while eating at the dining halls after she got sick from eating “old and gross” cream cheese at the dining hall in Shenkman Hall last semester. “The week after I got sick I kind of just stuck with District, Panera and Chipotle,” Pan said. “I just didn’t want to risk it for a bit.” Last March, students at Missouri State University reported under-

PHOTO ESSAY

cooked meat and improper refrigeration at their dining hall, which is run by Chartwells — the operator of GW’s dining halls. The company also runs dining at Suffolk University, which pledged in 2021 to improve the quality of its meal services after several students reported food poisoning. Georgia Raser, a first-year psychology student, said she contacted Matthew Thompson, the vice president of operations under Chartwells at GW, after she got sick from grilled chicken at Thurston Hall earlier this semester. Raser said Thompson called her but never again followed up with her. “We pay a lot of money for dining plans here, and we’re forced to have a dining plan,” Raser said. “That’s just not what we want to have to deal with.” Raser said now she only takes prepackaged items from the dining halls. “I’ve been going to the grocery store, eating out a lot, which I feel like it shouldn’t be forced upon students to feel like they have to spend more money than that outside of the dining hall,” Raser said.

Public Property on Campus (1900 Block of E Street NW) 2/7/2024 – 7:10 to 9:40 a.m. Open Case A female student reported her electric scooter was stolen.

Case open.

HARASSMENT (VERBAL OR WRITTEN)

Madison Hall Reported 2/8/2024 – Multiple Dates and Times Closed Case A female student reported being the victim of harassment by an unknown subject via text messages.

No identifiable subject.

DRUG LAW VIOLATION

Shenkman Hall 2/8/2024 – 2:34 p.m. Closed Case GW Police Department officers responded to a report of confiscated drug paraphernalia. The contraband was taken to the Academic Center where it was processed and stored in an evidence locker.

Referred to the Division for Student Affairs.

—Compiled by Max Porter

Officials considering possible uses for GW’s real estate, Granberg says ARJUN SRINIVAS REPORTER

KARSYN MEYERSON | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Case open.

THEFT II/OTHER

Officials deny food poisoning after reports of undercooked meat in dining halls From Page 1

Thurston Hall Reported 2/6/2024 – Unknown Date and Time Open Case A male student reported electronic devices and cash stolen from his room.

University President Ellen Granberg said at an event in Ross Hall on Wednesday that officials are considering how to use the University’s real estate portfolio to benefit students as they prepare a new campus plan. Granberg said she acknowledges School of Medicine and Health Sciences buildings are “aging,” adding that now is the best time to discuss physical plans for campus buildings ahead of GW’s renegotiations with D.C. officials in three years about the University’s campus plan. The conversation with moderator SMHS Dean Barbara Bass was hosted by the medical school. “It’s a good time to be having these conversations, and it’s definitely begun at the officer level,” Granberg said. “It goes through a significant process with community input, with campus input. So this will be something we’ll be able to share more about, I would guess, starting this summer.” Granberg said the University is considering how to utilize The Avenue, an apartment complex

also home to several retailers it recently purchased, to help provide new opportunities for undergraduate students. She added that the University is considering ways to utilize the several buildings it owns where the current occupants’ leases are running out, like a World Bank office building. Granberg said she wants to create new facilities where different schools can interact, like a lab area for engineering and medical students to collaborate on wearable technology, robotics and treatment. She added that she wants to create a professional development program within Academic Affairs so officials can more effectively pair faculty with jobs that match their talents. Granberg said GW researchers often go beyond publishing their research to find ways their research can be used in the real world, citing students in physical, occupational and speech therapy programs who worked with parents of children with physical and mental disabilities so the children could participate in the White House’s annual easter egg hunt as an example. “I believe that if we empower

individuals, and if we give them the resources and the tools that they need to succeed, and if we foster an environment that supports that and cares about that, then what we do is we collectively elevate the University,” said Granberg. Granberg said SMHS recently got FDA approval for the first basket clinical trials of two treatments for fatal mitochondrial diseases. When asked about campus safety, Granberg said officials have requested funding for creating “physical spaces” in places like the I Street Mall next to Ross Hall that are safer. Officials said they plan to conduct “major” landscaping, add lighting and reconfigure seating on I Street Mall this summer. She said officials are also working to better address incidents like when a homicide suspect escaped police custody at GW Hospital causing officials to issue an hourslong shelter-in-place order to students on the Foggy Bottom Campus. She also said she is working on creating a set of standards to more accurately decide when to close campus in the event of severe weather conditions.

KARSYN MEYERSON | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

University President Ellen Granberg speaks at an event in Ross Hall.

RACHEL KURLANDSKY | PHOTOGRAPHER

NEWS

February 12, 2024 • Page 5

THE GW HATCHET

Hillel launches fellowship to explore LGBTQ+ and Jewish identities JENNIFER IGBONOBA

CONTRIBUTING NEWS EDITOR

Leaders in GW Hillel unveiled a new fellowship program for students to explore the intersection between Jewish and LGBTQ+ identities Wednesday last week. The seven-week drop-in Gay Learning Fellowship called “GayLF” — a play on their Jewish Learning Fellowship where people can learn more about Judaism — allows students to discuss topics of gender, sexuality and gender expression through their LGBTQ+ and Jewish identities once a week in the Hillel building. The fellowship is one of four small group learning cohorts to learn about Judaism offered by Hillel, from Shabbat customs to Zionism and the establishment of Israel. Bernadette Itzkow, the social justice springboard fellow for GW Hillel, said she wanted to specifically teach about LGBTQ+ identity in Jewish communities because she felt the component was missing from interfaith, multicultural curricula in prior years. She added that she learned about GayLF through a cohort innovation group with Hillel International that introduced her to George Mason University’s Hillel Springboard Fellow Sydney Spanier, who created the GayLF curriculum. Itzkow said they shared each other’s resources about their initiatives and she “tweaked” the GayLF curriculum to tailor it to GW students. Each attendee is given a source sheet with

an excerpt from texts foundational to Jewish practices including the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, and the Mishna — the oldest collection of Jewish oral traditions — followed by discussion questions relating to the excerpt and their interpretation. “I wish this is something I had had in undergrad,” Itzkow said. “A huge part of my role here is providing things to students and being someone that I wish I had met sooner.” Itzkow said she received support from the leadership team at Hillel, other Hillel International springboard fellows and students who expressed an interest in participating in the cohort. She added that the development of the fellowship began two years ago. Itzkow said she worked closely with Dina Grossman, the president of Kehila GW — a student organization for LGBTQ+ Jewish students — last year being the organization’s staff supervisor, and hosted supplemental LGBTQ+ programming. Itzkow said they hosted a “Queer Happy Hour” at Dirty Goose — a bar in U Street — and a “Queer Movie Night” where attendees watched “Pitch Perfect” but wanted to find other ways to make the intersectionality between Judaism and LGBTQ+ identity. “It was like, ‘Okay, we have all these other avenues for how queer identity with its intersection of Judaism is manifesting. What is another avenue that we can go down that might reach

CLRE staff seek new jobs, tasks after cuts to schedules From Page 1 Stensberg said officials decided to reduce the maximum number of hours the 193 student employees in CLRE could work under the cutback in locations and hours of operation of the hub desks. “The CLRE team understands that the reduction in the hours may result in some students wanting to explore other work opportunities in addition to or in place of their current job with CLRE,” Stensberg said in an email. “Supervisors are working with these students to work on a transition plan that best fits the needs of that student.” Stensberg said officials in the Student Employment Office increased student wages by 20 cents per hour this semester to move “gradually” toward the new minimum wage in D.C. set to increase to $17.50 in July. The CLRE reformed student positions in the fall with the creation of community engagement assistant and adviser positions who live in first-year and upperclassmen residence halls, supporting full-time CLRE employees to put on programming and mediate conversations between roommates. Rees said she thinks CLRE officials overhired student staff at the start of the academic year and are now cutting hours in an attempt to get employees to quit. She said although student workers could technically only work a maximum of 15 hours last semester, she was able to pick up extra shifts and would sometimes exceed the limit. She said her hours have since dropped to between five and seven per week. “When I first started it, it was more like ‘I just need any job like I’ll take anything,’ but I really stayed because it was a very comfortable amount of hours and it paid well for not having to do actual, like a lot of actual work, like I could do my homework at the desk and that was nice,” Rees said. Sophomore Olivia Justice, a student working in 2109 F St., said because she is a federal work-study student employee she depends on the biweekly check and the ability to work the maximum 15 hours she was promised when beginning the job. She added that she pays for her own

tuition outside of what she gets from financial aid and is responsible for paying personal expenses like groceries, transportation, books and organization dues. Justice said she now works only about four hours a week, which is not enough to support her and make the CLRE job worth her time. She said CLRE officials did not consider students’ feelings in their email announcing the change in January, or offer the opportunity for students to share their thoughts and concerns on the hour cuts. “It’s absolutely ridiculous that an email was sent with no sympathy, with no regard, with no consequences for any of us student employees, FWS employees who genuinely depend on this biweekly check,” Justice said. Joanna Perez, a junior who works in The Dakota, said her community coordinator provided her with a list of tasks, like cleaning and helping write the weekly emails that go out to residence halls to help her and other student workers earn more hours. Despite the extra tasks, Perez is searching for a second job because the money she earns from her shifts isn’t enough to support herself. “I’m trying to look for another job because I don’t think that’s enough for me personally,” Perez said. “Especially, you know, I’m buying my own groceries. I’ve got to afford my own expenses.” A student working in Mitchell Hall — who requested to stay anonymous in fear of “backlash from management” because they want to be rehired next year — said as a nonFWS student, they have seen a noticeable cut in their biweekly paycheck, which has diminished the amount of money they are able to put toward groceries and overall savings each week. They said they now struggle to “find motivation” to continue working with CLRE with the few hours per week they receive. “It’s a huge bummer and it’s definitely made it very difficult for me to want to continue doing this job,” the student said. “It’s made it very difficult for me to recommend CLRE as a resource for students and as a potential employer for students. It’s just completely dehumanized me as an employee and everyone else that works here.”

JERRY LAI | PHOTOGRAPHER

The GW Hillel Building

more people or might resonate with more people?’ So that’s how we settled on this idea of a drop-in cohort,” Itzkow said. Itzkow said intersectional programming allows people to own every aspect of their identity and enter any space as their authentic selves. “It is really important that people feel prideful and safe and happy and can explore all facets of their identity in a multitude of ways, especially when it comes to your religious

understanding of self,” Itzkow said. Itzkow said at the cohort’s first meeting attendees read an excerpt from an article that discussed how reading the Torah as an LGBTQ+ person becomes “queer Torah study.” The article states that Jewish LGBTQ+ people interpret the text through a “queer lens of reading and connection” and bringing in their own experiences. The author takes Deuteronomy 22:5, a passage that

forbids cross-dressing, and interprets it through a “queerpositive” approach where the Torah tells observers to dress according to one’s gender identity. “It’s this idea that we need to hold space for the full and authentic human,” Itzkow said. “I think that specifically happens in college where people have the opportunity to seek out their own autonomy and agency and it’s so important to nurture that.”

TWEETED what if we kissed in front of the new gw campus bookstore ian on 2/2/2024

@BROATADO

Students design compost bin display in District House to promote waste management education ERIKA FILTER NEWS EDITOR

LIYANA ILLYAS REPORTER

Two students designed a new composting station installed in District House last month to promote sustainability on campus. Caylee Chan, a senior majoring in environmental sustainability science and public health, and Hannah Silber, a 2023 public health alum, added a compost bin that features pictures of compostable items, also known as a shadow bin, so students know what can be thrown out in January. The addition of the bin to the dining area was part of the Undergraduate Sustainability Research Fellows program and, in combination with the current back-of-house compost bins, expands the sustainability effort in the dining halls.

Chan said she and Silber audited the materials District House used to serve food in fall 2022. While they found most of the materials were compostable, there were no student-facing compost bins available in the residence hall basement. “We started to make a shadow box, and we did some research on some other universities that have sustainability programs in their dining halls, and we saw that they also use shadow boxes,” Silber said. “So we made this prototype that’s now in District.” Colin O’Brien, a sustainability associate in the Office of Sustainability, said the office has worked with GW Dining to provide supplies, signage and training allowing for back-of-house composting, totaling 20,000 pounds of compost per month. O’Brien said the Office of Sustainability worked with GW Din-

ing to ensure their materials were compostable. “The timing of the Undergraduate Sustainability Research Fellows shadow box project aligned perfectly with the discussions about implementing front-ofhouse composting at District House,” O’Brien said in an email. Chan said she and Silber designed the compost bin, but the Office of Sustainability provided advice and installed the physical prototype. “There’s so much behind the scenes of working with GW Dining and getting through all the hurdles we have to get through with facilities and staff who picks up the waste because everyone has to be trained properly,” Silber said. “Honestly, the Office of Sustainability is doing everything they can and they also have the Compost Educators, which is also a pretty big program

Caylee Chan, left, and Hannah Silber, right, pose with their newly adorned composting station.

now.” Silber said she hopes to encourage education to help students use oncampus compost centers. “I think familiarity is one of the biggest things that we want to achieve and want to give students the tools that they need to be able to feel a part of like the sustainability culture on campus,” Silber said. “If we could expand that as much as possible, and make it visible, that’s also our goal because one shadowbox isn’t as useful as we want it to be.” Silber said she hopes to expand the shadow boxes into additional units in District House and in the University Student Center. “It takes time for behavior to change,” Silber said. “So people who have been going to District for years or even if they’re new, they’re used to interacting with trash and recycling.”

ARWEN CLEMANS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

OPINIONS

February 12, 2024 • Page 6

Opinions

THE GW HATCHET

FROM GWHATCHET.COM/OPINIONS

“My wrist injury doesn’t have any connection to her autoimmune disorder, but dealing with a similar problem gave me so much more appreciation for how [my mom] was able to live a more-or-less normal life with her condition.” —NICK PERKINS on 2/7/2024

Cycle of protests, punishments leaves more questions than answers STAFF EDITORIAL

Students’ allegations that officials charged pro-Palestinian student groups with misconduct mean that GW’s “challenging times” are far from over. Students’ claims are twofold: They say the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities accused Students for Justice in Palestine of violating its suspension by attending the Student Coalition for Justice in Palestine’s events; they also say officials have charged the coalition with violating University policies. The effects of these alleged accusations won’t be confined to the parties involved. While officials attempt to move GW past the tumult of last semester, the disciplinary actions they take are only leading to more demonstrations. Or as one student said, “the accusations and the attempt to silence us will only make us louder.” Whatever their intentions, it’s as if officials are trying to extinguish the flames of campus unrest by pouring gasoline onto the fire. Pro-Palestinian students aren’t interested in discussing free speech with officials one day and being disciplined the next. They believe GW is repressing them and contributing to a conflict that has killed more than 28,000 people in the Gaza Strip through its alleged ties to defense companies. The University doesn’t have to answer students’ demands, but it behooves officials to prove they are not modern McCarthys persecuting students for the sake of their beliefs. Is any affiliation with SJP — from active membership to demonstrating against its suspension to simply aligning with its messaging —

HARPER DONALDSON | CARTOONIST

grounds for disciplinary action? Even if discussing specific SRR cases require a degree of confidentiality, that

Making peace with my junior jitters hat are your plans after graduation?

Zay Naeem Opinions Writer I will not graduate until 2025, but I cannot get away from this question. The pit in my stomach grows deeper every time a family member, acquaintance or even a stranger approaches me with this sentiment. I have no clue what I am going to do after graduation — and no clue what I want to do with my future. Now that I’m a junior, it feels like I’m expected to know exactly what career I want to pursue. Living in a city with successful politicians, bankers, diplomats and activists, it is impossible to stop thinking about future careers. D.C. feels fastpaced and relatively stiﬀ compared to my hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. There seems to be a set path, especially at GW: internships, organizations, college degree and then straight into the workforce. It seems like my peers have a ﬁ rm grasp on their chosen path. Internships, networking and LinkedIn connections are embedded in GW small talk — it is overwhelming to those who don’t know where to start. Over winter break, I was asked that tricky question on numerous occasions. With each ask, the imminence of my future started to feel like impending

Hatchet The GW

609 21st St. NW Washington, D.C. 20052 gwhatchet.com | @gwhatchet eic@gwhatchet.com news@gwhatchet.com opinions@gwhatchet.com photo@gwhatchet.com sports@gwhatchet.com culture@gwhatchet.com copy@gwhatchet.com multimedia@gwhatchet.com

doom. How can I be successful when I have little-to-no experience in the workforce at 21 years old? What employer cares about the various school organizations I am involved in? How can I stand out when I feel so ordinary? During an existential crisis, I realized these thought patterns are only doing more harm than good. I can stay stagnant, fearing my impending future, or I can jump into the present moment and start working harder. I have feared failure throughout my life, and this fear has held me back from various professional and personal opportunities. Failing is necessary for growth, as painful as it is. I still have more than a year left of university, and I suddenly feel trapped. All I can do right now is apply to internships and go to class. In 2023, I went from living across the world to moving back home to transferring to a brand new college, GW. But the chaos of constant change and mystery of the future was a comfort to me. I am getting restless now that I have reached my ﬁ nal destination, feeling overwhelmed by my future and uninterested in my present. While I was abroad in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I learned a simple yet rich saying: Mai pen rai, or “no worries.” But the true meaning of mai pen rai is if there is nothing you can do to change or remedy a situation, do not waste your time

shouldn’t stop officials from answering these questions. Are SJP’s members barred from participating in other stu-

dent organizations? If SJP’s members are involved with another organization, especially one consisting of several independent student groups, who is else subject to disciplinary action? (For its part, SJP has said it’s not part of the coalition.) Vigils, sit-ins and protests each pose some sort of disruption to the normal order of GW. But what crosses the line into “community disturbance” or “disorderly conduct?” And when officials restrict students from using campus facilities, where are they meant to go? The answers to these questions are the difference between when, where and how a student can speak their mind or whether they’re allowed to speak at all. So it’s unfortunate that the University has so far remained mum on what, if any, charges these organizations face. When students describe officials’ actions as “fascism,” it’s time to clear the air. Seeing is believing, and in the absence of any communication, it’s impossible to challenge pro-Palestinian students’ perception that GW is fundamentally opposed to their beliefs and their ability to express them. Officials can and should enforce the Code of Student Conduct: Students’ actions have consequences, after all. But it should be clear that protests only lead to more punishments and more punishments only lead to more protests — the exact opposite of the semblance of normalcy officials seem desperate to restore. A witch hunt, real or imagined, cannot bring GW together. It will only tear the University apart.

GW can prioritize diversity in admissions despite Supreme Court

feeling anxious about it. I have no choice but to be patient and fi nd comfort in my current lifestyle. GW itself is preparing its students to succeed in the future. Working within a diverse student body and being challenged by diametrically opposed views strengthens character. Living in a metropolitan environment and developing a daily routine is imperative for life after college. We are not here just to get a degree for future job prospects. Learning how to lead, collaborate and take constructive criticism are essential skills for a successful future. Hard work is not always reflected by GPA. It is shown through actions and what one decides to do with the knowledge they’ve accumulated over their college years. Comparing oneself to other students in an environment like GW can only do more harm than good. Some people have had a set path since middle school, and others change their minds every week. Rather than comparing yourself, draw inspiration and motivation from peers who have put in great amounts of effort to be where they are. I have found relief in knowing that I am not bound by my degree. Although I am still at odds with the question about my future, I can be at peace with where I am now — college. —Zay Naeem, a junior majoring in international aff airs, is an opinions writer.

he 2024-25 admissions season will be the first year without affirmative action at GW in decades after the Supreme Court ended race-conscious admission programs at universities across the country last June.

Nyla Moxley Opinions Writer When six of the court’s justices, five of whom are white, ruled to overturn affirmative action in universities, they agreed with white conservatives to stifle diversity in higher education. Race-blindness in college admissions is another way of simply saying “racial discrimination,” particularly when it comes to Black students. Affirmative action has long been a controversial policy, but its effects were never quite as extreme as its opponents claimed. In 2020, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce found Black, Hispanic and Native students were more underrepresented in 2020 than they were in the early 2000s at selective universities. White and Asian students were overrepresented in comparison. Affirmative action narrowed, but did not close, long-standing divides between Americans of color and white Americans, divides that have existed since the nascence of our country. And race-conscious admissions policies on their own couldn’t address inequities and institutional factors like redlining or the school-to-prison pipeline. But affirmative action did aid in steadily diversifying higher education. In 2020, the top dozen

public universities using affirmative action had an average Black-to-white student graduation rate gap of 6 percent. The top dozen public universities that did not use affirmative action had a 10.1 percent gap. While this percentage may seem menial, it is still an improvement that the court’s ruling now jeopardizes. U.S. college admissions being race-blind is a direct attack on students from racially marginalized groups who lack access to the same K-12 educational opportunities as white students. In contrast, the practice of race-conscious admissions aims to increase student diversity “in order to enhance the educational experience for all students.” After the court overturned affirmative action, University President Ellen Granberg, other University officials and the Student Government Association denounced the court’s ruling. The Office of the Provost also outlined additional strategies GW admissions officers should pursue to increase campus diversity, like creating essay questions that allow students to share more about their identity in addition to prospective student interviews. While questions that allow students to reveal family obligations like translating or taking care of siblings are a step in the right direction, they don’t fully encompass racialized issues like socioeconomic differences and Black juvenile incarceration rates. These questions are a starting point for an application that will enable students of color to address the systemic barriers they have faced. GW will also continue to measure an applicant’s “resilience” and “grit.”

These tactics are both needed after the court’s decision, but according to experts, they are unlikely to significantly increase diversity and still do not remedy the harm of the impossible feat that is raceblindness. The admissions office should also consider how an applicant’s cultural background makes them more appealing as a potential student, eliminate legacy admissions and remove barriers for students who have been a part of the criminal justice system because they typically have less eligibility for student loans, grants and workstudy funds. Considering our past and our present, GW must consider how to both increase and retain diversity now that admissions are race-blind — 10.3 percent of GW students were Black in 2023, while D.C.’s population is 45 percent Black. Former University President Cloyd Heck Marvin was infamous for his racist attitudes and support for racial discrimination in GW’s admissions and on its campus. I still have yet to be in a class that is not majority white, and white faculty severely outnumber Black faculty. Our moniker was only changed from the “Colonials” to the “Revolutionaries” last year, but this does not compensate for the fact that our school’s namesake was a slaveholder — in reality, we also need a new school name. Do not lose sight of GW’s history of vicious and institutionalized antiBlackness, especially now that it is paired with raceblind admissions. —Nyla Moxley, a firstyear majoring in journalism and mass communication, is an opinions writer.

Zach Blackburn, editor in chief Nick Pasion, print managing editor Jaden DiMauro, digital managing editor Grace Miller, managing director Nicholas Anastacio, community relations director Grace Chinowsky, senior news editor Erika Filter, news editor Ianne Salvosa, news editor Fiona Bork, assistant news editor Fiona Riley, assistant news editor Hannah Marr, assistant news editor Rory Quealy, assistant news editor Jennifer Igbonoba, contributing news editor Max Porter, contributing news editor Rachel Moon, contributing news editor Nikki Ghaemi, features editor Cade McAllister, events editor Ethan Benn, opinions editor* Riley Goodfellow, contributing opinions editor*

Paige Baratta, editorials assistant* Auden Yurman, senior photo editor Florence Shen, assistant photo editor – features Sage Russell, assistant photo editor – news Jordyn Bailer, assistant photo editor – sports Jordan Tovin, assistant photo editor – culture Sandra Koretz, sports editor Ben Spitalny, contributing sports editor Nick Perkins, culture editor Jenna Baer, contributing culture editor* Eduardo Gonzalez del Valle, contributing video editor Sophia Escobar, contributing video editor Cristina Stassis, copy chief Carly Cavanaugh, assistant copy editor Faith Wardwell, publishing assistant Anna Fattizzo, research assistant

Brooke Forgette, research assistant Dylan Ebs, research assistant Annie O’Brien, podcast host – culture Lizzie Jensen, podcast host – news Isabella MacKinnon, design editor Abby Keenley, contributing design editor Anusha Trivedi, contributing design editor An Ngo, graphics editor Ishani Chettri, web developer Peyton Rollins, contributing web developer Ethan Valliath, social media director* Anaya Bhatt, contributing social media director* Max Gaffin, contributing social media director * denotes member of editorial board

Submissions — Deadlines for submissions are Friday 5 p.m. for Monday issues. They must include the author’s name, title, year in school and phone number. The GW Hatchet does not guarantee publication and reserves the right to edit all submissions for space, grammar and clarity. Submit to opinions@gwhatchet.com Policy Statement — The GW Hatchet is produced by Hatchet Publications Inc., an independent, non-profit corporation. All comments should be addressed to the Board of Directors, which has sole authority for the content of this publication. Opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of The GW Hatchet. All content of The GW Hatchet is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without written authorization from the editor in chief. Cost — Single copies free. Additional copies available for purchase upon request.

Fe b r u ar y 1 2 ,2

4•

Page 7

THE

Culture

SCENE

VALENTINE’S DAY POP-UP Wednesday, Feb. 14 | Met Park | Free Create a handmade gift for your special someone at this pop-up craft market.

RELEASED

ANTI-VALENTINE’S DAY AFTER PARTY Saturday, Feb. 17 | Shipgarten | Free Unite with the lonely hearts club at this brewery’s outdoor shindig this weekend.

NEW TV SHOW: “ONE DAY”

THIS WEEK:

Meet the married professors of GW

BROOKE SHAPIRO

REPORTER

Long-term couples are an endangered species at GW. But if you look beyond the student population, you’ll see love is blooming on campus. Whether it’s in the oﬃces of Monroe Hall or during the commute to and from Foggy Bottom, faculty couples prove romance is alive and well.

The Study of Love

For Cathy Forster, a professor of geological sciences, and Jim Clark, a professor of biological sciences, working at GW allowed them to ﬁnally live together after nine years of a long-distance marriage. In 1987 a mutual friend of the two introduced them to each other in the crocodile collections of the Chicago Field Museum. They eventually tied the knot in 1998. Until 2007, Clark worked at GW while Forster worked at Stony Brook University in New York. But when the couple had children and childcare became a priority, GW’s geology department came to the rescue, hiring Forster. “That worked out really nicely for us and for geology because they got a new permanent professor rather than a rotating thing, and we got to live in the same city,” Forster said. Clark and Forster have been able to research and co-advise graduate students together, hosting biweekly paleontology discussions at their home. “We never get bored of each other,” Clark said.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JORDAN TOVIN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Cathy Forster, a professor of geological sciences, and Jim Clark, a professor of biological sciences, have fostered their marriage of more than 25 years within the bounds of campus.

Fostering Romantic and Economic Growth

For Irene Foster, a professor of economics, and James Foster, a professor of economics and international aﬀairs, maintaining professional independence is essential. After seeing each other around Purdue University’s Krannert Graduate School of Management, Irene and James oﬃcially met during spring break of 1985. James bought Irene and her friend a bottle of wine at which sparked a long-

lasting romance. “A month later I saw Irene again, and we haven’t been apart since,” James said. The Fosters worked at Vanderbilt University for almost 20 years before James was oﬀered a teaching position at GW in 2009. The Fosters moved to the District and Irene was hired at GW soon after. Working in the same department allows them to collaborate academically but the couple’s relationship does not deﬁne their professional lives. “When we were at Vanderbilt,

there were couples in our department and they always were together, ” Irene said. “We each wanted to be seen as individuals.” Irene and James still embrace certain aspects of working together, like joking to students that the other Professor Foster is “terrible” and giving a joint speech at an event for trustees and donors.

Cheering Across Disciplines

For Peter Loge, the director and associate professor at the School of Media & Public Aﬀairs, and

Zoe Beckerman, a teaching associate professor and vice chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Milken Institute of Public Health, the “shared playground” of GW connects their professional and personal lives. Though Beckerman’s sisterin-law was Loge’s boss, Loge and Beckerman did not formally meet until they both threw an engagement party for mutual friends. “Some of our first dates were political fundraisers because then I was helping run a PAC,” Loge said. “Very Washington story.” At the time, Loge was an adjunct professor and Beckerman was a law student in her 30s, so Beckerman would frequently cross H Street and crash Loge’s lectures. Today, the couple still brings each other up in classes. Beckerman said being able to share excitement with her husband over students’ successes is one of the best parts about both working at GW. “Their successes are our successes, and so it’s really, really fun to share the excitement when students go on to do great things,” Beckerman said. When Beckerman won a Bender Teaching Award, the ceremony took place in SMPA’s Jack Morton Auditorium, just floors below Loge’s office. “ I t w a s kind of cool to take the elevator downstairs and stand and applaud with everybody for Zoe,” Loge said.

Singles, try these solo Valentine’s Day activities to cure the blues JENNA BAER

CONTRIBUTING CULTURE EDITOR

It’s the most dreadful time of the year — if you’re single. You’ve already survived what feels like 50 diﬀerent national Boyfriend and Girlfriend days, but nothing hits quite as painfully as the love day to end all days: Valentine’s Day. Luckily, there are plenty of activities ideal for getting out your frustration and distracting from the red, white and pink void Feb. 14 brings.

Try your hand at axe throwing

Channel the rage from your latest heartbreak into the satisfying flinging of a hatchet at Kick Axe Throwing DC or Kraken Axes & Rage, D.C.’s only axethrowing bars. Kick Axe combines the mature vibes of a hunting lodge with the wholesome fun of an arcade as visitors can choose from flinging hatchets in the astroturf throwing ranges on their first floor or venture up to the second floor for “iceless curling.” Kraken, in contrast, is practically a gym

that oﬀers rage outlets from its axe-throwing ranges to wreck-it-rooms to pickleball courts. If you’re still harboring ill will toward your ex, use a memento of theirs as target practice, whether it be their photo or a poem you pretended to enjoy. Tape the token of your bygone relationship to the target and let loose. You’ll walk away feeling lighter.

Go on a ghost tour

If the single scaries are too much to bear, get a group of friends together and fight real demons on a tour of the District’s various haunted spots. DC by Foot offers daily haunted walking tours of Georgetown, Capitol Hill and a Lincoln assassination tour. Since the District is filled with ghouls, you can also create your own tour of D.C.’s spookiest sites. Instead of reflecting on that last situationship that might have been, make your way to the Octagon House, a historic home shaped like an octagon that is rumored to be haunted by former First Lady Dolley Madison, or the Exorcist Steps, made famous in the 1973 horror film, for a low-cost but heart-pounding thrill.

Eat and sing your heart out at Hill Country Barbecue Market

This Texas-style BBQ joint located in Penn

Quarter has an array of comfort food to choose from, including smoked brisket, sweet cornbread and mac & cheese. Remember, when you go on a date with yourself or your pals the rules of no messy foods no longer apply, so take advantage of the freedom of your singledom and tear into that sauced-up deliciousness. After gorging on brisket upstairs in the market, head downstairs for live band karaoke and live out your rock star dreams. Researchers have found singing both solo and in group settings can provide relaxation and improve interpersonal connections. You can sign up to sing alongside their in-house music group or stick to the crowds.

Reduce love down to a science

Profs and Pints, a lecture series that hosts college professors for lectures at various bars and cafés, is oﬀering two discussions on relationshiprelated issues at sports bar Penn Social. Monday, GW Associate Professor of Philosophy Laura Papish will be myth-busting misconceptions about love while periodically backed by the dramatic musical stylings of her husband, Chris, on the guitar.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JORDAN TOVIN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR The “Dune: Part Two” popcorn bucket can hold an arrangement of flowers — perfect for that special someone this Valentine’s Day.

Last-minute Valentine’s Day gift ideas for each relationship stage JENNA BAER

CONTRIBUTING CULTURE EDITOR

NICK PERKINS

CULTURE EDITOR

While the holiday of love is prime gift-giving season, it’s hard to know what sort of gift to give at diﬀerent points of a relationship. For all the many lastminute shoppers struggling with such dilemmas, here are the best gifts to get your signiﬁcant other depending on your relationship stage.

For your situationship: Clarify the ship or let it sink like the Titanic

If your partner continues to evade your questions about where your relationship is going, buy them a dictionary because it is about time you deﬁned this relationship. Make sure you circle, highlight and sticky note the term “relationship” just in case they don’t catch your drift. You may walk away from Valentine’s Day oﬃcially single, but at least you’ll no longer be stuck in romantic purgatory.

An axe-thrower winds up for a toss at Kraken Axes & Rage.

LEXI CRITCHETT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

For the first Valentine’s Day: Let your romance bloom

When you’re ﬁrst falling for someone, it seems like

your love is the only thing blossoming in the world. But in just a few weeks, D.C. will be taken over by blooms and blossoms, like the ones you’ve been feeling in your own heart. To symbolize the blooming of your new love, buy your partner a piece of cherry blossom-themed merchandise. You can take a traditional route, acquiring a pair of cherry blossom earrings or a LEGO cherry blossom set.

For the ex you want back: Win the Revolutionary War for their heart

Sometimes, you’re at the worst stage of a relationship — you got dumped, but you’re not over your ex. Rather than wallowing in your sadness, take action and unite your hearts together once more, just as George Washington did with the 13 colonies in 1776. If dishonesty was the initial relationship’s downfall, you can buy a box of chocolate cherries. Sweets are a classic way to warm a relationship as frozen as Valley Forge.

For your first anniversary: Gift a well-traveled keepsake

You’ve traversed together so much emotionally only the Metro’s trains can compare to how far you’ve come. Luckily, Metro sells a variety of knick-knacks honoring the interwoven lines of their transportation. Now, you too can honor the ups and downs of your relationship. Metro has a miniature version of all the colors of their train cars and a replica of their Xcelsior buses. Purchase the train of the line you take the most jointly to remind you all of your cherished time together.

For longer-term relationships: The “Dune: Part Two” popcorn bucket

Once you’ve spent enough time together, there is little mystery to be found in a relationship. Try surprising your partner with the hot new 2024 gift they’ve wanted for months but would never lavish upon themself: the “Dune: Part Two” popcorn bucket. An AMC Theaters exclusive, the container took the internet by storm last month. While the bottom is a normal popcorn bucket, the container is topped by a plastic sandworm and can double as a vase.

SPORTS

February 12, 2024 • Page 8

Sports

GAMES OF THE WEEK

THE GW HATCHET WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

GYMNASTICS

vs. La Salle Wednesday | 6 p.m. Women’s basketball will face La Salle on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Smith Center.

NUMBER CRUNCH

Friday | 7 p.m. Gymnastics will host the Pink/Barbie Meet on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Smith Center.

Hits for freshman infielder Mandy Lauth after the first weekend of play, tied for the most in the A-10

WNBA star Jonquel Jones among inductees into GW Athletics Hall of Fame GRANT PACERNICK REPORTER

The Athletics Department inducted athletes from seven different sports into the GW Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday night. The ceremony honored six individual athletes, including New York Liberty forward Jonquel “JJ” Jones, as well as the 1979 Atlantic 10 Championship baseball team. Current athletics teams, honorees’ teammates, coaches and families filled Betts Theatre to celebrate the inductees. The Athletics Hall of Fame was founded in 1959 and now has 193 members with the newly inducted 2024 class.

Carl Elliott

Men’s basketball point guard Carl Elliott, who is a two-time All-A-10 honoree, was also inducted. He helped lead the program to three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances for the only time in program history from 2006-08. Elliott also recorded the only triple-double in program history in 2007. In the 2005-06 season, the team was ranked sixth at its peak in the AP national poll.

1979 Baseball Team

Jonquel Jones

The only individual inductee in the 2024 class with professional pedigree, 2013-16 GW forward Jonquel Jones was drafted sixth in the 2016 WNBA draft and named league MVP in 2021. “To this day, I’m happy that I chose GW,” Jones said. She won A-10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year during her junior season in Foggy Bottom, just the fourth player in conference history to earn both accolades in the same season. Jones was also named an Associated Press All-American two seasons in a row.

Andrea Bolognesi

to their first A-10 Championship in the 2016-17 season, starting a run of success that has seen the Revolutionaries capture seven of the last eight conference titles.

A fellow All-American, men’s swimmer Andrea Bolognesi was also welcomed into the Hall of Fame. He came to Foggy Bottom from Italy in hopes of working in international affairs. Bolognesi led the Men’s Swimming and Diving program

While Elliott played his home games at the Smith Center, the 1979 baseball team played on the Ellipse, a rectangular field between the White House and the National Mall. The inducted team won the ECAC championship and became the first team in program history to win an NCAA tournament game. Athletic Director Tanya Vogel sat down with GW baseball alumnus and Athletics Hall of Fame member Mike Toomey to ask him about how the memorable season came to be. “We had a good mix of younger players that got brought in,” said Toomey. “We had a lot of players that were juniors and seniors. We had some good junior college players that solidified this ball club. We had great camaraderie. We had great chemistry. We had baseball players.”

Darden Wilee Women’s

gymnastics

star

Former GW star Jonquel Jones sits during the GW Athletics Hall of Fame induction.

Darden Wilee began her time at GW in 1998, where she earned second place in the A-10 all-around championship as a freshman and sophomore. During her senior year, she took home first place, earning the championship for her team. Wilee also took a minute to honor her former teammate Lindsey Ferris who passed away in 2006 at the age of 26. “She was the world’s greatest cheerleader of life, and I’m so indebted to her,” Wilee said. “So even though she’s no longer with us her legacy certainly lives on.” Wilee and Ferris were co-

RAPHAEL KELLNER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

captains of the 2001 number 21-ranked team that won the A-10 team championship and placed fourth at the NCAA regionals in the duo’s senior season. At the 2001 A-10 championship, Wilee placed first overall in the all-around.

Arnar Johannsson

Men’s soccer inductee, forward Arnar Johannsson, was part of the first team in program history to win an A-10 title, but he was perhaps best known for his goal scoring, tallying 40 goals over three seasons from 2001-03, third in program history. He credited his confidence

for being able to score so efficiently. “That hasn’t really been a problem in my life, believing in myself,” said Johannsson.

Autumn Taylor

Softball outfielder Autumn Taylor returned home once more to receive recognition for her collegiate career after serving on the sports medicine staff at GW. During her time playing for the Revolutionaries, she had 44 RBIs her senior year and was one of three players in program history at the time to be named to the NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region team.

Women’s basketball continues to struggle in loss against Richmond KRISTI WIDJAJA STAFF WRITER

RACHEL SCHWARTZ | SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Senior guard James Bishop IV cuts through the court during the game against Loyola Chicago.

Men’s basketball falls to Loyola Chicago, 6 consecutive losses BEN SPITALNY

CONTRIBUTING SPORTS EDITOR

SANDRA KORETZ SPORTS EDITOR

Men’s basketball (14-9, 3-7 A-10) were handed their sixth straight loss by Loyola Chicago (17-7, 9-2 A-10) in a contentious and injuryfilled 73-81 game Saturday. After ending the first half trailing 8 points behind the Ramblers, the Revs came back in the second and were up by 6 points with 5:10 left on the clock. But the Revs went on to blow the late-game lead, putting them at 12th in the Atlantic 10 as their losing streak chugs further along. The game was also in front of the home crowd as part of GW Palooza, with the 2024 inductees into the GW Athletics Hall of Fame being honored during the game. The Revs struggled to connect their shots in the first half, going 10-33 and shooting 30.30 percent from the field. Their poor performance extended to the 3-point line, where they shot just 26.7 percent, hitting only four of their 15 shots from beyond the arc. Senior guard James Bishop IV scored a total of 25 points through the game on six for 19 shooting, three for eight from beyond the arc and 10

for 11 on free throws. The Ramblers quickly opened the game 6-0 after back-to-back 3-pointers, and the Revs struggled to bounce back. The Ramblers had a successful half from beyond the arc, connecting on seven of their 15 3-point attempts. A 6-2 Ramblers’ run ended the half with a 37-29 score. The Revs fought back in the second half, slightly improving their shooting to go 11-27, good for a 40.74 percent clip. Bishop exploded in the period, scoring 19 points in the half compared to just 6 in the first. It was a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Maximus Edwards, however, that gave GW their first lead of the game, 53-51 with eight minutes left. GW was forced to close the game without two starters, however, with graduate student center and star-shot-blocker Babatunde Akingbola fouling out with nine minutes left. Redshirt freshman forward Darren Buchanan Jr., second on the team in points-per-game with 15.5 had to be helped off the court after getting injured at the 14-minute mark. He never returned to the game. Three free throws from Bishop helped to extend the GW lead to 7 with

five minutes left. But two 3-pointers on consecutive Rambler possesions helped them to retake the lead, with an and-one layup from graduate student forward Dame Adelekun putting the Ramblers 1 point ahead with 3:40 remaining. Bishop answered with a 3-pointer of his own to momentarily take a 7068 lead. But this would be the Revs’ last time in front with another andone from Adelekun, giving the Ramblers a 71-70 lead to respond to Bishop’s 3-pointer. The Ramblers went on a 9-0 run to cement their lead, with graduate student forward Antoine Smith Jr. and Edwards both missing 3-pointers to tie or take the lead. Head Coach Chris Caputo said despite the sixth consecutive loss, he feels as though his players are improving. “I’ve never lost six games in a row, it’s a first for me,” Caputo said. “It’s not really about the score right now, it’s really more about how we’re playing and I thought today we were kind of back to the way we played in the first four League games.” Men’s basketball will travel to Fairfax, Virginia, to take on George Mason at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Women’s basketball (9-15, 2-10 A-10) fell to Richmond (21-4, 11-1 A-10) 61-83 Sunday in Richmond, Virginia. The Revolutionaries battled against the Spiders on Dec. 30 at the Smith Center in the Atlantic 10 Conference opener where they lost in a close game by 4 points. Coming into this game, the Revs were set for a win against the secondranked Spiders, especially after getting back in the win column versus St. Bonaventure last week. But the Revs’ 34 percent shot efficiency caused them to unsuccessfully replicate last game’s win as the Spiders’ efficient shooting of 58.3 percent led to the blowout. Graduate student guard Essence Brown scored 14 points and notched three steals while sophomore guard Nya Robertson scored 12 points, shooting three for five on 3-pointers. Senior guard Asjah Inniss contributed 11 points alongside three steals. Graduate student guard Nya Lok put up a solid stat of 8 points, four rebounds and four assists. Inniss opened the scoring for the Revs with a 3-pointer with 7:55 minutes

left in the first quarter after converting Spiders’ senior guard Grace Townsend’s turnover into a steal. Lok continued Inniss’ scoring debut with a 3-pointer with 6:17 minutes left in the quarter. After a scoring drought that lasted more than two minutes, Brown’s fast break in the paint cut the Spiders’ lead to 3 points. The Revs and Spiders then engaged in back and forth with each team missing a 3-pointer prior to Lok successfully sinking one with 14 seconds left. From the jump, the Spiders took charge of the game, scoring 12 of their 16 points from the 3-point line, attempting four of five shots at the end of the first quarter. The Spiders continued to gain momentum throughout the second quarter after going on a successful 15-6 run to lead the game 40-26. The Revs initiated a 9-2 run twice during the third quarter, narrowing the deficit to 9 points. Despite their efforts, the Spiders’ proficiency in 3-point shooting posed a formidable challenge, thwarting the Revs’ comeback aspirations. The Spiders took the largest lead of the game with 26 points in the fourth quarter with 3 minutes left until the end of the game,

with the score being 81-55. The Revolutionaries were unable to maintain a lead at any point in the game. The Revs continued to focus on shots from behind the 3-point line, shooting 29 percent from the arc. But Spiders capitalized on the long-range shots, going 13 of 19 from the three. The Spiders shot six of eight 3-pointers in the second half. The Revs struggled to stop the Spiders’ sophomore guard Rachel Ullstrom, who scored 24 points off the bench. She shot nine of 10 shots, going 4-4 from the 3-point line. She contributed 8 points in the second and fourth quarters, helping the Spiders extend the lead to double digits in the second half and maintain their 20-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Revs were able to redeem 16 secondchance points compared to the Spiders’ 4 points. In addition, the Revs were 83 percent from the free-throw line and went 7-7 in the third quarter. The Spiders shot 70 percent from the line and struggled in the second quarter as they hit 5 of 9. The Revolutionaries will head back to the Smith Center to play against La Salle (7-16, 4-8 A-10) on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

FILE PHOTO BY KAIDEN YU | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Sophomore guard Nya Robertson defends the ball during a game against Rhode Island.