GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S NEWSPAPER OF RECORD SINCE 1920 thehoya.com
Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 100, No. 26, © 2019
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019
Power of Spoken Word
Discover the creative and socially conscious community of spoken word artists in the District.
EDITORIAL Georgetown must expand GUTS coverage to increase student access to D.C.
HAGEL AT GU Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel advocated ethical leadership Thursday.
OPINION, A2
NEWS, A4
University Commits Stricter Penalties Set for Georgetown Day Party registration, sustained records among new regulations To Smoke-Free Campus by 2020 CASEY FERRANTE Hoya Staff Writer
MYROSLAV DOBROSHYNSKYI AND AMY LI Hoya Staff Writers
Georgetown University is set to ban the use of tobacco products on campus in August 2020, more than two years after students voted in a student government referendum to create a smoke-free campus. Smoking and other tobacco use will be prohibited within Georgetown University owned buildings and grounds, according to an April 25 campus-wide email announcing the policy. Prohibited items include all e-cigarettes, according to Charles DeSantis, Associate Vice President for Benefits, Payroll and
Wellness. Juuls and vape both fall under the category of e-cigarettes, according to The New York Times. This policy will apply to all students, faculty, staff and university visitors. Smoke Free Georgetown, a student-led group advocating for a smoke-free campus, petitioned the Georgetown University Student Association in October 2016 to hold a student-wide referendum on banning smoking on campus. After three years of advocacy leading up to the referendum in December 2016, the student body voted in support of the tobacco-free movement, with 49.6 percent of the entire student body voting in favor See SMOKE-FREE, A6
FILE PHOTO: JINWOO CHONG/THE HOYA
In 2016, students voted in favor of a referendum that endorsed banning the use of tobacco and smoke products on campus.
Students face new partyhosting regulations and modified definitions of conduct violations ahead of the 19th annual Georgetown Day, after an above-average number of calls to the Georgetown Emergency Response Medical Service in previous years. For the first time, students were required to register parties for the day a week in advance, and party hosts are required to wear a wristband during the event, according to an email sent to LXR Hall residents April 25. The email states that public intoxication can result in the Metropolitan Police Department administering a 61D Field Arrest Citation, a ticket that leads to an arrest on students’ public records. Students found breaching the Student Code of Conduct from April 26 to 28 will also not have their violations expunged from their disciplinary record unless they complete an additional 15 work sanction hours on top regularly assigned sanctions and — a change from previous university policy, according to university spokesperson Matt Hill. Regularly assigned sanctions vary based on Residential Judicial Council discretion. Failing to comply with university officials is a vio-
lation of the Student Code of Conduct, according to an email sent by Provost Robert Groves, Chief Operations Officer Geoff Chatas (CAS ’85) and Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson. Safety concerns come after an increased number of calls to GERMS on Georgetown Day in recent years. GERMS received approximately five times as many calls on the 2018 Georgetown Day than on an average day, according to GERMS President Brendan Rooney (COL ’20). “Last year, GERMS received 15 calls on Georgetown Day,” Rooney wrote in an email. “On a typical day, GERMS receives an average of 2 or 3 calls, with a few more than that on weekend nights.” Calls to GERMS on Georgetown Day in 2018 also surpassed all other campuswide celebrations, including six calls on St. Patrick’s Day and eight calls during homecoming in 2018, according to Rooney. University and neighborhood authorities will be active on campus throughout Georgetown Day, including the Student Neighborhood Assistance Program teams, the Georgetown University Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department and university officials. The Georgetown University Student Association also sponsored a Georgetown Day town
Schall Mourned by Former Students AMY LI
Hoya Staff Writer
Fr. James Schall, S.J., 91, a beloved former Georgetown University government professor, died April 17 leaving behind a legacy of dedicated teaching and writing on political philosophy. Schall’s death comes after a brief hospitalization, according to an April 18 email Rev. Ron Anton, S.J., sent to the campus community announcing Schall’s passing. The university is currently finalizing arrangements regarding funeral services for Schall. Born in Pocahontas, Iowa, in 1928, Schall entered the California Province of the Society of Jesus in 1948 after serving in the army immediately following World War II and was ordained as a priest 15 years later. He earned his doctorate in political philosophy from Georgetown in 1960 and returned to the university as a professor of political philosophy in the department of government in 1977, where he taught for 35 years until his retirement in 2012. As a three-time recipient of the Edward B. Bunn, S.J., Award for Faculty Excellence, an honor bestowed annually on a faculty member chosen by the senior class of Georgetown College, Schall’s classes were popular among the student body. Schall should be remem-
FEATURED
bered for his immense devotion to his students and the intellectual life he fostered at Georgetown, according to former student Cindy Searcy (COL ’04). “He devoted his entire life to the proposition that there is such a thing as Truth, and that we are capable of understanding it,” Searcy wrote in an email to The Hoya. “He cared for students as souls made in the image and likeness of God, each one entirely unique and worth knowing. I have never met anyone who so thoroughly lived what he preached.”
“He devoted his entire life to the proposition that there is such a thing as Truth, and that we are capable of understanding it.” CINDY SEARCY (COL ’04) Former Student
A man of faith, Schall pointed students toward the answers to the highest questions of life, according to former student Louis Cona (COL ’15). “Schall imparted the greatest lesson that a teacher can
give to his students,” Cona wrote in an email to The Hoya. “He helped us to recognize that our lives are a sheer gift. We don’t need to exist, but we do. We were made for glory.” Schall was a didactic professor, who aimed to teach lessons that were applicable outside the classroom as well, according to Colleen Dawson (COL ’10), a government major who took Schall’s popular “Elements of Political Theory” course. “I can’t say that I’m, at this point in time, a political philosopher, but I think that some of the things we learned in class are still with me — talking about friendship, what it means to be a good person, a good friend,” Dawson said in an interview with The Hoya. Schall focused on igniting students’ interest in the subject matter he taught, according to former student María Teresa Chamorro (COL ’12). “The point was not to test the student, but to spark in her a light-bulb, a curiosity about what is,” Chamorro wrote in an email to The Hoya. “What fascinated me about Fr. Schall’s classes was his philosophy on teaching, and for that matter, his philosophy about what life is all about.” A renowned scholar, Schall authored more than 30 books on religion and political philosophy in his lifetime, including “Another Sort of Learn-
ing,” a book that explores how to obtain an encompassing education both within and outside of academia. Schall also wrote over 40 columns and essays for The Hoya during his tenure. Schall, along with former Associate Dean Fr. Ryan Maher, S.J., and Executive Director of Campus Ministry Fr. Kevin O’Brien, S.J., alternated writing for a weekly column titled “As This Jesuit Sees It.” While a professor, Schall lived in Wolfington Hall and took a semester off from teaching in 2010 following a surgery for jaw cancer. Schall moved to a Jesuit retirement home in Los Gatos, Calif., after retiring in 2012, where he continued to write books and lecture for small groups. After a 35-year-long career teaching at Georgetown, Schall delivered his final lecture at Georgetown in Gaston Hall in December 2012. His last lecture was titled “The Final Gladness” and focused on the topic of friendship. Though he met hundreds of students and faculty during his time at Georgetown, Schall never forgot a person or their story, according to Fr. Matthew Carnes, S.J., an associate professor in the department of government and a longtime colleague of Schall. “He genuinely loved getting See SCHALL, A6
ILLUSTRATION BY: SAMUEL NELSON/THE HOYA
hall with administrators April 15. Students were able to submit anonymous comments and questions ahead of time about Georgetown Day for the town hall, which administrators could answer through Google Forms. Previous regulations failed to deter student misconduct, motivating the implementation of new policies for expunging student records, ac-
cording to Olson. “Approach from previous years was not fully effective. Staff are willing to help students who are in trouble,” Olson said in his response to student comments at the town hall. “This is a balancing act and the university is working hard to find that balance.” Georgetown Day began in See GEORGETOWN DAY, A6
LAVENDER GRADUATION
MARGARET FOUBERG/THE HOYA
Rev. Joseph Graumann Jr. (SFS ’11) delivered the invocation at Georgetown’s 11th annual celebration of graduating LGBTQ students. Story on A8.
NEWS
OPINION
SPORTS
Swipe it Forward Hoya Hub and The Corp are partnering to allow students to donate Flex dollars toward nonperishable food items at the food pantry. A5
Pursuing Passion A senior reflects on the importance of being confident in one’s interests, despite others’ judgment. A3
Left It Short The women’s golf team came in second in the Big East tournament after winning the past two years. A12
NEWS
OPINION
SPORTS
Alum Seeks Bail Mustafa Abdel-Wadood (GRD ’96) awaits a Nov. 4 trial after pleading not guilty to fraud charges. A7
Including Disability Democrats must take the disabled community into account when crafting health care reform. A3
Season High The men’s lacrosse team scored 23 goals in an away win, their most this season, marking the team’s 10th victory. A12
Published Fridays
Send story ideas and tips to news@thehoya.com
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OPINION
THE HOYA
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019
THE VERDICT
Pilot Sunday GUTS Service When Georgetown University students have time on Sundays to explore Washington, D.C., the lack of Georgetown University Transportation Shuttles limits students’ ability to travel into the city. Students have advocated for more accessible transportation into the District. While the administration has brought some changes, students still lack sufficient weekend transportation options. To increase weekend travel options for students, Georgetown should pilot Sunday GUTS service to Dupont Circle beginning in the fall semester. By connecting students to Metro service in Dupont Circle, students can then have easy access to the rest of D.C. Currently, GUTS buses run to Rosslyn, Dupont Circle, the Georgetown University Law Center, Wisconsin Avenue and Arlington during the weekdays. The only weekend offering, however, is a six-hour block of trips to Dupont Circle on Saturday afternoons. During the pilot program, the bus would run every 20 minutes during the day, which is less frequent than weekday service but more than 75% of Metrobuses with Georgetown stops. Throughout the semester, Georgetown would then study the demands of the added route and make adjustments to its GUTS bus service to best accommodate the community’s needs. To pilot Sunday GUTS service, the Dupont Circle route is the most reasonable start. Out of Rosslyn and Dupont Circle, the two GUTS routes that have Metro stops, Dupont Circle has boasted double the ridership, according to former Vice President for Planning and Facilities Management Robin Morey in an email to The Hoya in 2017. One pilot Sunday route would greatly alleviate travel difficulties without placing a heavy burden on Georgetown. As The Hoya’s editorial board noted in September 2018, Georgetown encourages students to take full advantage of the cultural and political opportunities D.C. offers, according to the “Campus Life” section of its website (“Subsidize Student Access to DC,” The Hoya, September 21, 2018, A2). When students have time to get off campus on weekends, though, the lack of GUTS
bus service makes travel more difficult. “When students come to Georgetown, they expect to go out and explore,” said Celia Buckman (SFS ’21), a student who often utilizes GUTS buses. “They would mostly do this on the weekend, but without a GUTS bus or Metro stop it’s pretty hard to access the rest of the city.” GUTS bus service is especially necessary on the weekends because of decreased public bus availability, according to bus schedules on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s website. The only travel alternative for students is ride-share services, which often carry a high price, and bike-share services, which are infeasible for long distance travel. To allow easier travel for students when they have time to explore D.C., Georgetown should expand weekend GUTS bus service. Despite the benefits, the university is still concerned about balancing cost with ridership, wrote university spokesperson Matt Hill in an email to The Hoya. However, by expanding access to Dupont Circle — and eventually other places — Georgetown makes a financially sound investment that has the potential to attract more prospective students. To achieve its stated mission to facilitate access to D.C, the university must account for the difficulty of finding transportation on the weekends. A Sunday GUTS service is the best way to improve Georgetown’s accessibility on the weekends. Uncertain demand could be an additional obstacle to expanding weekend GUTS services. A pilot program would alleviate this concern by allowing the university to gauge community interest before fully expanding weekend service. To maintain the same degree of accessibility during weekends and weekdays, Georgetown should fund a Sunday GUTS bus service to Dupont Circle in fall 2019. If the pilot shows high ridership, the university can further consider adding more weekend routes. Students should not be confined to campus during the weekends due to the lack of GUTS bus service. Instead, Georgetown should invest in weekend GUTS buses to better connect students to the city they live in.
Bunny Business — A man dressed in an Easter Bunny costume was involved in a three-person fight in Florida on Easter Sunday. A bystander filmed the fight, during which the bunny hit a man repeatedly until police arrived.
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Rat’s Life — Last Thursday, a homeless man in Australia was ecstatic when authorities reunited him with his pet rat, Lucy. Police used Facebook to connect the owner to a woman who had mistakenly taken Lucy, believing the rat was abandoned.
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EDITORIALS
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Founded January 14, 1920
Missing A Leg? — A California amputee who lost his leg in a skydiving accident lost his prosthetic leg after another skydiving trip on Sunday. It landed in a lumberyard, and its manager returned it to the amputee after posting a classified ad on social media titled: “Missing a leg?”
Street Hogger — A 250-pound pig caused chaos in New York State after it was spotted strutting across yards at 9 a.m. last Monday. Police were able to remove the pig from the neighborhood and referred the case to the town’s building department.
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Very Emutional — A New York State family found an emu wandering around their neighborhood on Easter Sunday. Fortunately for the bird, the mother had emus as pets when she was growing up, so she let the emu spend the night in her basement.
EDITORIAL CARTOON by Alexandra Bowman
Foster Respectful Discourse Rigorous debate is widely accepted as a vital part of students’ formative college years, when their beliefs can be challenged by exposure to diverse perspectives. Yet the attempts to suppress opposing viewpoints and hostile discourse around the recent GU272 referendum proves that Georgetown University students must do better to foster discourse that respects all viewpoints. (Full disclosure: editorial board member Rowan Saydlowski is a plaintiff in the suit against the GU272 referendum. Editorial board member Maya Moretta is a member of the GU272 Advocacy Team.) As a university community, Georgetown has affirmed a commitment to free speech, which is recognized in its extensive Speech and Expression Policy. “Discourse is central to the life of the university,” according to the policy. “To forbid or limit discourse contradicts everything the university stands for.” In the weeks leading up to the referendum vote, many students embodied the commitment to discourse, with a variety of views represented in the Georgetown University Student Association-sponsored town hall, according to an April 5 article in The Hoya (“Historic GU272 Referendum Set for Thursday Vote,” The Hoya, April 5, 2019, A1). However, other students have not lived up to the ideals outlined by the policy. Allegations arose of both ad hominem attacks and suppression of speech, both of which are not conducive to genuine and civil debate. Responding to a Feb. 16 viewpoint on The Hoya’s website, commenters, including a selfproclaimed student, referred to opponents of the referendum as racists (“Vote ‘No’ on the GU272 Referendum,” The Hoya, Feb. 15, 2019, A3). By attacking the character of the students rather than the arguments they’re making, students demonized and delegitimized opposing views simply by assuming racist intentions. Attacking the character of opponents of the referendum fails to address plausible criticisms raised by opponents. To engage in meaningful
discourse about sensitive topics like the referendum, students should focus on debating the validity of either side’s claims instead of attacking others’ character. In addition to efforts to attack the character of referendum opponents, flyers opposing the referendum were allegedly torn down multiple times, according to complaints filed to the GUSA election commission. Removing flyers based on their content constitutes censorship, an act that is antithetical to the university community’s commitment to encourage wide-ranging viewpoints. Destroying the property of opponents does nothing to further discourse. Red Square, a space dedicated to supporting free speech, should not have its purpose violated by students. As a community, we must protect the integrity of public free speech zones so that students always have a space in which their voice is welcomed. The value of Red Square is so significant that Georgetown has formally recognized it as a free speech zone in its Speech and Expression Policy. An effective exchange of ideas can only happen when students engage with opposing views instead of tearing them down. The solution to disagreement is rational discussion, not erasing a perspective. A rejection of good faith efforts at free discourse harms all students, not just those with unpopular opinions. By listening to those who do not share their views, students can better understand the nuances of their beliefs and strengthen their own argument. Moving forward, students should model discourse on the civil debate that happened prior to the referendum vote and avoid attacking opponents in an unproductive way. Students must work to uphold the values of free speech that are integral to our community and enshrined in Georgetown’s speech policy. To reaffirm our commitment to free speech, students need to choose civil discourse instead of unproductive attacks.
Maya Gandhi, Editor-in-Chief Madeline Charbonneau, Executive Editor Kiera Geraghty, Executive Editor Amber Gillette, Managing Editor Katrina Schmidt, News Editor Cady Stanton, News Editor Henry Mihm, Sports Editor Jake Wexelblatt, Sports Editor Suna Cha, Guide Editor Timothy McNulty, Guide Editor Doris Zhang, Opinion Editor Will Cassou, Features Editor Meena Morar, Features Editor Subul Malik, Photography Editor Samuel Nelson, Design Editor Katherine DeMatteo, Copy Chief Sheel Patel, Social Media Editor Jenna Ryu, Blog Editor Hector Herrera, Multimedia Editor
Editorial Board
Doris Zhang, Chair
Elizabeth Ash, Matias Burdman, Juliette Leader, Maya Moretta, Rowan Saydlowski, Jenny Xu
Myroslav Dobroshynskyi Academics Desk Editor Amy Li Graduate Desk Editor Sana Rahman Campus Life Desk Editor Riley Rogerson Campus Life Desk Editor Connor Thomas City Desk Editor Joanna LaCoppola Deputy Sports Editor Steven Botsoe Deputy Guide Editor Michelle Brown Deputy Guide Editor Allan Navarro Deputy Guide Editor Zain Sandhu Deputy Guide Editor Max Hamid Deputy Opinion Editor Rebecca Stekol Deputy Opinion Editor Taylor Kahn-Perry Deputy Features Editor Afua Nyantakyi Deputy Features Editor Yolanda Spura Deputy Features Editor Julia Alvey Deputy Photography Editor Margaret Fouberg Deputy Photography Editor Natalie Isé Deputy Photography Editor Kiki Schmalfuss Deputy Photography Editor Tarika Kumar Deputy Design Editor Mina Lee Deputy Design Editor Eloise Owen Deputy Design Editor Janis Park Deputy Design Editor Madeline Broderick King Deputy Copy Editor Chau Le Deputy Copy Editor Victoria Lei Deputy Copy Editor Nora Ma Deputy Copy Editor Grace Jaworski Deputy Social Media Editor Alexandra Matthews Deputy Social Media Editor Isabel Roemer Deputy Blog Editor
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Recognize Israel as Apartheid State On April 12, the leaders of Georgetown Israel Alliance published an op-ed in The Hoya titled, “Include Diverse Narratives in Israel-Palestine Debate.” The article’s authors accuse Israeli Apartheid Week, a series of events hosted by Students for Justice in Palestine during the first week of April, of presenting a “one-sided, divisive narrative, baselessly denigrating Israel as an apartheid state.” Israel, as it currently exists, is an apartheid state. Since 1967, Israel has ruled over the entirety of historic Palestine and divided residents into a hierarchical arrangement based on ethno-religious status. Jewish citizens of Israel are guaranteed full rights under the law. However, Palestinian citizens of Israel live under Jim Crow-like laws. Adalah, a human rights organization that advocates for minorities in Israel, has outlined over 65 laws that discriminate against Pal-
estinian citizens of Israel. Palestinians without citizenship are subject to military rule that routinely violates their human rights under international law, which includes Israeli soldiers systematically abusing Palestinian children and trying them in military courts without legal representation, according to multiple human rights organizations. Israel recently passed the “Jewish Nation-State Law,” which institutionalized its discriminatory policies against both non-Jewish citizens and Palestinians in the occupied territories. This law, Adalah explains, “guarantees the ethnicreligious character of Israel as exclusively Jewish and entrenches the privileges enjoyed by Jewish citizens, while simultaneously anchoring discrimination against Palestinian citizens and legitimizing exclusion, racism, and systemic inequality.” The limited and precarious
autonomy Israel grants the Palestinian territories does not change the fact that Israel is an apartheid state, just as the existence of semiautonomous Bantustans did not change the fact that apartheid existed in South Africa. In a statement from 2014, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, “I know firsthand that Israel has created an apartheid reality within its borders and through its occupation. The parallels to my own beloved South Africa are painfully stark indeed.” This statement, coming from one of South Africa’s leading figures in the struggle against apartheid, says it all. Narratives have power, and we cannot ignore their material impacts. We cannot allow the narratives of the powerful and the oppressed to be deemed equally legitimate. Mohammed Alhammami (GRD ’20) David Balgley (GRD ’20)
For letters to the editor and more online content, visit thehoya.com/category/opinion.
Tara Halter, General Manager Sarah Mihm, Director of Human Resources Brian Yoffe, Director of Financial Operations Molly Evers, Treasury Manager
Board of Directors
Will Simon, Chair Dan Crosson, Maya Gandhi, Tara Halter, Anna Kooken, Yasmine Salam, Hannah Urtz LETTER TO THE EDITOR AND VIEWPOINT POLICIES The Hoya welcomes letters and viewpoints from our readers and will print as many as possible. To be eligible for publication, letters should specifically address a recent campus issue or Hoya story. Letters should not exceed 300 words. Viewpoints are always welcome from all members of the Georgetown community on any topic, but priority will be given to relevant campus issues. Viewpoint submissions should be between 600-700 words. The Hoya retains all rights to all published submissions. Send all submissions to: opinion@thehoya. com. The Hoya reserves the right to reject letters or viewpoints and edit for length, style, clarity and accuracy. The Hoya further reserves the right to write headlines and select illustrations to accompany letters and viewpoints. CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, contact Executive Editor Madeline Charbonneau and Executive Editor Kiera Geraghty by email at executive@ thehoya.com. TIPS News Editors Katrina Schmidt and Cady Stanton: Email news@thehoya.com. Guide Editors Suna Cha and Timothy McNulty: Email guide@thehoya.com. Sports Editors Henry Mihm and Jake Wexelblatt: Email sports@thehoya.com. GENERAL INFORMATION The Hoya is published once a week during the academic year with the exception of holiday and exam periods. Address all correspondence to: The Hoya Georgetown University Box 571065 Washington, D.C. 20057-1065
The writing, articles, pictures, layout and format are the responsibility of The Hoya and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of Georgetown University. Signed columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the editorial position of The Hoya. Unsigned essays that appear on the left side of the editorial page are the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. Georgetown University subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression for student editors. The Hoya does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, disability, color, national or ethnic origin. © 1920-2019. The Hoya, Georgetown University weekly. No part of this publication may be used without the permission of The Hoya Board of Editors. All rights reserved. The Hoya is available free of charge, one copy per reader, at distribution sites on and around the Georgetown University campus. Email: editor@thehoya.com Online at www.thehoya.com Circulation: 4,000
OPINION
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019
INTO THE FEMININE GENIUS
THE HOYA
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VIEWPOINT • MAZUR
Ana Ruiz
Embracing Spirituality
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efore coming to Georgetown, I was only religious on Sundays. My family went to church every week without fail. However, once my mind shifted from church to schoolwork, I turned my Catholic switch off, not thinking about God for the rest of the week. Looking back, I cannot help but see how this separation of my faith from my “normal” life caused me to question its significance, creating a distance between me and God. I could not put my hand on the missing piece of spirituality until I came to Georgetown. Growing up in Mexico, where about 85% of people identify as Catholic, I felt it was normal to confidently believe and identify with one’s faith. Moving from Mexicali to Watertown, Wisc., at 7 years old, I found it increasingly harder to express my Catholic faith. None of my close friends were religious, let alone Catholic, so I internalized the notion that religion was a private matter. As I grew older, my closest friends began to convey antiCatholic sentiments and subtly direct them toward me. Though I told myself these comments were founded on misconceptions about Catholicism and were not truly aimed at me, I subconsciously distanced myself more and more from God and my faith because the relationships I had built were not supportive of it. Even my Catholic friends did not seem to take their faith seriously. The academic challenges of high school also did not help in keeping my faith in God strong. I couldn’t see how being Catholic would improve my friendships or help me succeed in school. Already doubting the importance of my faith, I thought I could take a break from it in college. I figured that it was natural for people to stray from their faith and rediscover it later in life, so I told myself that this break would help me get my life in order. But after spending a week talking about identities in my pre-orientation program, Young Leaders in Education About Diversity, I realized how important my Catholic identity and faith were to me. From the start of my freshman year, I became involved with the Catholic community on campus, through Catholic Faith Communities and Catholic Women. At Georgetown, which introduced me to Catholics my age who were
just as devout in our shared faith, if not more. It was so reaffirming to finally engage with peers who take their faith seriously, as I didn’t have that during my 12 years in Wisconsin. Finding this community encouraged me to go on Loyola, the Catholic freshman retreat. This weekend getaway changed my life. Experiencing Ignatian contemplation, the Jesuit method of prayer, for the first time at the Calcagnini Contemplative Center, I felt closer to Jesus than ever. After feeling detached, confused and lonely in my faith life throughout high school, I had finally discovered the missing aspect of my faith: a relationship with God. I realized that there was more to my faith than simply being religious; I also needed spirituality. It was one thing to attend Mass and pray out of obligation; it was another thing altogether to make an effort to talk to God about anything and everything. I began going to Mass and other Catholic events not out of obligation, but out of joy and a real sense of seeking God. I finally realized that I had been missing out on chances to become closer to God in my home life. I had been going through the religious motions mindlessly, thinking that attending church was all I needed to feel God in my life. Loyola helped me realize I truly need both spirituality and religious practices to get closer to God. Not one over the other, but the two hand in hand. I am not claiming that since Loyola all of my problems have been magically fixed. I am still working on implementing a daily discipline of prayer; I am still struggling with connecting my school work with my relationship to Jesus, and I still doubt if God even listens to me. But over this year, I learned that building a relationship with him takes a lifetime. I let my faith inspire my daily actions and thoughts, and I am slowly trying to be more confident in my Catholic identity. I am working on keeping my spiritual and religious aspects of my faith together through prayer and religious practice because I now know I need both to help me strengthen my relationship with God. Ana Ruiz is a freshman in the School of Foreign Service. INTO THE FEMININE GENIUS appears online every other Monday.
With the administration committing to steps to improve plastic recycling on campus, the responsibility now falls to students to support these initiatives by sorting and disposing of their recyclables appropriately.
Take Individual Initiative in Recycling
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anging from a tree above Red Square earlier this month, aluminum cans, water bottles and plastic containers clashed sharply with Georgetown University’s manicured landscape of and drew people’s attention to the problem of recycling that has long plagued Georgetown’s campus. Members of the Georgetown Renewable Energy and Environmental Network, led by Shelby Gresch (SFS ’22) and Lucy Chatfield (COL ’22), built this art installation entirely from discarded recyclables. Despite the rumors, controversy and memes highlighting the Georgetown administration’s past failures to recycle plastics, this installation was not a message directed at university administrators. In recent semesters, Georgetown has made strides to uphold its end of the bargain. New developments including a new recycling pilot program and the improvement of recycling bin labeling aim to improve the ease and clarity of recycling on campus. With the administration committing to actionable steps to improve plastic recycling on campus, the responsibility now falls to students support these initiatives by sorting and disposing of their recyclables appropriately.
GREEN members sourced materials for the installation from materials incorrectly sorted in recycling bins all across campus, both in dorms and nondorm buildings. As part of the project, GREEN conducted a recycling audit of five recycling bins in Kennedy Hall, finding that recyclable materials were, on average, incorrectly sorted 42% of the time. While systemic issues like the fossil fuel industry and deforestation are large players in environmental degradation, the individual nevertheless plays a key role in recycling, both by limiting the consumption of single-use plastics and by regulating their disposal. The effects of plastic refusal and recycling are not insignificant. The efficacy of recycling plastic relies heavily on the conscientiousness of the consumer, however. Recyclable materials thrown in the trash are sent to a landfill, and trash thrown in recycling bins renders otherwiserecyclable materials unfit for recycling. In either case, the result is the same: Plastics persist in landfills or oceans for up to 1,000 years, and more resources and energy are pumped into creating new products from raw materials. Unless properly disposed of, plastics have the potential to ac-
cumulate in patches of marine debris, or “garbage patches,” contributing to the deaths of 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals every year. With the growing issues of plastic pollution in our oceans and microplastic contamination of food and water sources, recycling is of critical importance in curbing the impact of single-use plastics. In the past, Georgetown students have been vocal about their displeasure with the university’s recycling policies, calling for increased transparency and a new recycling program manager. It is clear, though, that without student-led commitment to actively and correctly recycling plastic waste, these programs cannot thrive or expand. To demonstrate their investment in Georgetown’s commitment to recycling, students need to take action. Students should first strive to reduce their overall consumption of single-use plastics, supporting a cultural shift to sustainable lifestyles. Small steps like carrying a reusable water bottle or cup, carrying a reusable utensil set to replace plastic cutlery, and trading plastic straws for reusable metal or glass versions or forgoing straws entirely can all cut down on the plastic waste
students produce every day on campus. When they do elect to use recyclable materials, students should take care to empty and clean materials and sort them appropriately into the labeled single-stream recycling bins provided in Georgetown facilities. Doing so will reduce contamination, maximize the collection of recyclable goods and minimize the impact single-use plastics have on our environment. These are simple, easily integrated lifestyle changes that can have a dramatic influence on reducing the waste output of a major institution like Georgetown. Students have an obligation to make these changes and take responsibility for their plastic waste production out of respect for the health of the environment. Georgetown has provided the infrastructure. Now, it is students’ responsibility to use this infrastructure to take control of sustainability at the individual level and support the strides Georgetown has already made to ensure sustainability through recycling.
EMILY MAZUR is a sophomore in the College.
VIEWPOINT • HAWLEY
DISCUSSING DISABILITY
Remaining True to Passions
Include Disability in Policy Reform
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ne of my most formative college experiences didn’t even happen at Georgetown University: it came, unexpectedly, during a study session in an Adams Morgan cafe. A friend and I struck up a conversation with a federal prosecutor of white-collar crime. As bright-eyed, firstsemester freshmen, of course we each had an answer to the man’s inquiries about our own career plans. My well-traveled friend said her interest in international development and environmental issues would likely take her abroad and out into the field. “Maybe I’ll volunteer for the Peace Corps,” she imagined. “Anything but a desk job!” Our companion’s eyes lit up and applauded her vision of the future, impressed by her willingness to get her hands dirty to effect change. When he turned to me, I laid out my 10-year plan, which culminated in a law degree and judicial clerkship. I distinctly remember his response, “Don’t become a lawyer. None of my friends are lawyers. They’re boring. Do something interesting like your friend here.” I tried to shrug it off — after all, this man didn’t know me. Yet I carried his words around with me for the better part of four years before learning that I didn’t need to change my goals to entertain an audience. That word — “interesting” — stuck with me for a long time. It grew into a deep-rooted insecurity that in 15 years I would be dull company at a cocktail party. I could picture it: standing in an elegant black dress at some metropolitan rooftop bar, surrounded by the cultured sort who had won prizes, spoke multiple languages and lived in places I couldn’t identify on a map. I’d have little hope
of entertaining them. Doubtlessly, their blank faces would stare back at me when I shifted the conversation from Mongolian yurt living to the ramifications of comma placement and other legal technicalities. I was forced to consider that being “interesting” and pursuing my interests might actually constitute conflicting goals. Propelled by the fear of being boring, I set about seeking opportunities that would make me “interesting.” I spent weeks outlining a proposal for my passion project, conducting independent research on AIDS literature, and I won $5,000 to do it. Instead, I turned it down to work for a chocolate company in Italy because I believed it would make for the better, sexier story.
I aspire to be so much more than “interesting.” If my friends were asked to describe me, I hope they wouldn’t use that word at all.
When I got back to campus in the fall, I saw people’s eyes light up — just like the lawyer’s had at my friend’s plans two years earlier — when I recounted tales of prosecco-tasting tours and interviewing customers in Venice. I basked in the validation that I was finally “interesting.” But over the latter half of my Georgetown career, I have come to realize how misguided and silly my quest to charm imaginary cocktail compan-
ions has been. In seeking to impress friends and acquaintances with my glamorous, “interesting” experiences, I often found myself sharing things that, though they made for good stories, were not particularly meaningful. I tried to interest others, but I ended up boring myself. I aspire to be so much more than “interesting.” If my friends were asked to describe me, I hope they wouldn’t use that word at all. I want to be seen first as someone who is thoughtful, dependable, and a person of integrity — not someone who can pretentiously enthrall an audience with the cultural capital I accrued. The prestige of being “interesting” has lost its seductive power for me. Passion has taken its place — that unbottleable magic that lights up a speaker’s whole face. For me, puzzling through the finer points of the federal rules of evidence is more energizing and rewarding than sipping wine throughout the Italian countryside. Once I found my own spark, the dreaded fear of being boring melted away. I no longer let others’ expectations or life advice blow me off course. A relative told me at a family party in November that I should really go backpacking through South America this summer instead of studying for the LSAT. “You want to be someone interesting to sit next to at a bar when you’re 40, don’t you?” he said. Instead of renewing my old insecurity, I simply felt annoyed. Screw “interesting.” Becoming the person I want to be seems like a far worthier goal.
ANNE MARIE HAWLEY is a
senior in the College. This piece is part of the 2019 Senior Compass Series.
Anna Landre
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merican voters see health care as the most important issue facing our country today, according to November’s exit polls. In response, Democratic presidential candidates have promoted versions of Medicare for All and universal health care which, they say, will fix our broken system. Behind the promises, though, is the possibility that these plans will be devastating for disabled people — those of us who rely on health care the most. Even though it has long been one of the loudest constituencies in health care reform, the disability community is being marginalized in this debate. To create a system that provides adequate health care for all Americans, today’s reform proposals must take into account the needs of disabled people. Failing to heed some of the most salient voices in the health care debate would be a strategic mistake for politicians as well as a clear betrayal of the community that needs these reforms most. Democrats worked hard to ensure the Affordable Care Act included significant benefits for disabled Americans — a constituency which represents more than one-fourth of eligible voters, according to a study by Rutgers University. So when the time came to pass and defend the ACA, the disability community made its voice heard. Across the country, disabled activists participated in highprofile protests and “die-ins” on Capitol Hill, some of which
lasted for days. Many demonstrators were arrested multiple times over months of protests — but this strategy worked. Widespread public pressure generated by photos and media coverage of activists being forcibly removed from their wheelchairs by police was enough to derail repeal efforts. Disabled people have long fought for a fairer health care system, and have been strong allies to Democrats who do the same. Without the grassroots efforts coordinated across the country by disability rights groups, the ACA likely would have faced repeal. Strategically speaking, Democrats need the support of disabled Americans for more reform efforts to succeed. But today’s Medicare for All plans have a poor track record of including the needs of the disability community. Long-term services and supports, which provide disabled Americans the daily care and equipment they need, were even absent from original versions of Medicare for All. Luckily, advocates have since made progress in securing the inclusion of LTSS in major Medicare for All proposals. However, the fact that it was absent in the first place means that policymakers failed to consider disabled Americans as a priority during the policymaking process. These candidates have failed to live up to the values of inclusion that universal health care plans supposedly promise. Those who use and rely on our health care systems the most should not have to fight for a voice in this debate. Similarly, these plans fail to address the variance in quality and coverage of LTSS services across the country. Depending on where a disabled person lives, they could be denied access to specific benefits — an issue that disabled activists have tried to change for years. Such location-dependent coverage limits beneficiaries’ ability to acquire basic care, like an aide
to help them get out of bed or go to work. For example, in states like Florida or Alabama, disabled people of all ages are often forced into nursing homes because of the lack of coverage for basic inhome services. Cost-sharing is another critical issue that emerges in Medicare for All systems. Medicare covers only 80% of medical benefits. For someone who is relatively healthy, this coverage may only leave a small gap to be paid by the beneficiary. But for disabled people, whose care can involve expensive medications or complex procedures, it could send them into bankruptcy. In theory, Medicaid should cover the other 20% with its disability programs — but this only applies if the beneficiary is a lowincome person. This creates a disability poverty trap, as those people who aren’t low income to begin with will likely become so after being burdened with high costs of care. Today, this problem is responsible for the high poverty rates of disabled Americans. If Medicare for All truly aims to eliminate barriers to health care, policymakers need to address cost-sharing problems for disabled beneficiaries. Repeatedly, disabled people have had to fight to be included in policy debates that affect us as much as, or more than, other Americans. As some of the most practical experts on the problems with our health care system, Democrats need to include the disability community as they craft further plans for universal health care. Failing to do so would be devastating to the very Americans who need health care coverage the most, and would certainly fail to create a system “for all.” Anna Landre is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service. DISCUSSING DISABILITY appears online every other Tuesday.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Dr. Joshua Guzmán (SFS ’10) was the keynote speaker at a ceremony recognizing graduating LGBTQ students and allies April 25. Story on A8.
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IN FOCUS GU LAW HONORS NORTON verbatim
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We’re at the beginning stages of the e-bike revolution, and there’s no going back.” Christopher Jewell, a representative for Biking at Georgetown, on the rising popularity of electric bikes. Story on A9.
from our blog
GU GETS DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN The comeback of Jesse McCartney and Jay Sean was the duo Georgetown never thought it needed. Check out 4E for a breakdown of the GPB concert that rocked McDonough Arena. @GEORGETOWNLAW/TWITTER
Georgetown University Law Center Dean William Treanor, left, presented Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), right, with an artist’s depiction of a planned bench and memorial in her honor April 23. Norton was a professor at Georgetown Law for 36 years.
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US Military Must Learn From Past Mistakes, Hagel Says MYROSLAV DOBROSHYNSKYI AND MAX LEVINE Hoya Staff Writers
The military can counter domestic social injustices and correct foreign policy mistakes by increasing accountability and responsibility within its leadership, former Secretary of Defense and former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) said April 24. Hagel spoke at a fireside chat, an informal conversation sponsored by the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs and moderated by Cristine Pedersen (SFS ’16, GRD ’20), its graduate editorin-chief. Hagel spoke highly of the military’s ability to promote American interests in the face of challenging issues, albeit by emphasizing commitment to American values over making brash military decisions. The U.S. armed forces frequently involves itself in conflicts without considering the nuances of different backgrounds, according to Hagel, who served in the U.S. army infantry in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968. “We didn’t understand the people,” Hagel said. “We
didn’t understand the culture. We didn’t understand the dynamics in play.” Hagel identified mistakes in the American foreign policy of previous administrations toward countries like Afghanistan and Iraq, explaining the importance of culturally appropriate diplomacy to avoid unwanted consequences. Future alliances in international relations will be as necessary to American foreign policy as they have been in the past, according to Hagel. “Alliances are critical, if you work with people. That’s why we built the world order we did after World War II,” Hagel said. “We weren’t going to be able to fix every problem and bring everybody to the table and let’s all now agree.” Before the Trump administration, the military led the way with inclusion of the LGBTQ community, demonstrating that the military has the power to set the precedent for cultural change and acceptance in the future, according to Hagel. President Donald Trump announced a ban in July 2017 on transgender people serving in the military. Trump tweeted that there are “tre-
mendous medical costs” associated with services like hormone therapy, sex-reassignment surgery and legal processes involved with transitioning to justify the ban. Amid litigation over the policy in U.S. courts, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the ban to go into effect in January 2019. To uphold the military’s commitment to American values, politicians must put a greater emphasis on ethics, according to Hagel. “If you have a leader without character, it’s not going to end well. Character embodies integrity, ethics — not because it’s the law, but because it’s the right thing,” Hagel said. “Unfortunately, in our politics today, I think we have really blown through ethical politics in the U.S.” The U.S. armed forces is dedicated to respecting the dignity of every individual, which sets an example for the rest of the United States to follow on issues like racism and sexual misconduct, said Hagel. “You have a job to do in the military, and you’re not confused by that job,” Hagel said. “And you don’t care, if
you’re in combat especially, if the people around you are gay, transgender, black, white, Hispanic — not when you’ve gotten bullets coming at you.” The U.S. armed forces must take initiative in addressing sexual harassment, since reporting has increased beginning in 2013, according to Hagel. From October 2012 through June 2013, reports of sexual harassment in the mili-
tary increased nearly 50% over the same period a year earlier. Pedersen experienced sexual harassment while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps as an Arabic translator, which she detailed in The New York Times Magazine. In one instance, an inebriated office publicly kissed Pedersen on the cheek while she was in uniform. None of her harassers faced repercussions. Despite current problems
with the military and political polarization, the new generation of political leaders will have a positive effect on the country, according to Hagel. “I think there are very good people in politics, thank God for that,” Hagel said. “And I think the young generation that’s coming into politics are even better.”
Hoya Staff Writer Sana Rahman contributed reporting.
KAMAR MACK (COL ’19) Former President, Georgetown University Student Association
LEFT: GEORGETOWN JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, RIGHT: GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
Alliances in international relations will remain necessary to U.S. foreign policy going forward, according to former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. The U.S. armed forces frequently involves itself in conflicts without considering the nuances of different identities, and the military should remain dedicated to respecting individual dignity, Hagel said at an event April 24.
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Georgetown Set to Renovate Funding Cuts Reduce Access ICC and Reiss Buildings For Club Sports Athletes MYROSLAV DOBROSHYNSKYI
NISHANT BHAUMIK
Renovations are planned in the next year for both the Reiss Science Building and the Intercultural Center on an unreleased timeline to address structural and functional concerns in the two buildings. The renovations in Reiss and the ICC mark the first time the Office of Planning and Facilities Management has organized large-scale changes to address facilities concerns in academic buildings this year. Plans to renovate Reiss have existed since at least 2013, when university officials discussed the future of the building at an Old Georgetown Board meeting. Dean of the School of Foreign Service Joel Hellman held an event in February 2018 on the school’s upcoming centennial in 2020 that included a discussion on improving the ICC. At the event, Hellman said his team has worked with an architectural firm to develop three draft plans for ICC renovations that correspond with different levels of fundraising success for the school’s centennial push, ranging from about $30 million to as much as $150 million. The Reiss renovations, which are expected to be completed in the next year, will include revamping academic spaces, according to a university spokesperson. The renovations include a lab for the Georgetown Environment Initiative scheduled to be completed by fall 2019 and a new student study space in the Blommer Science Library area scheduled to be finished by summer 2020, according to the university spokesperson. In preparation for the intended renovation of Reiss, Blommer, located on the third floor of the building, will close permanently, and its materials will be relocated to Lauinger Library within the next six to 12 months. “Planning and Facilities Management is working closely with the Library to ensure the Blommer Library materials are relocated in a safe and secure manner as renovations commence,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to The Hoya. The library has suffered from flooding and damaged materials
Multiple Georgetown club sports teams expect obstacles to financial accessibility for students after the Advisory Board for Club Sports saw its funding decreased for the 2019-20 school year. The budget decrease for ABCS, which supervises the overall administration and policies for the 34 club sports on campus, was approved by the Georgetown University Student Association Finance and Appropriations Committee on March 17. Even though ABCS appealed the original draft budget, FinApp still reduced the group’s requested $309,755 budget by $88,755, granting ABCS $10,000 less than its 2018-19 allotment. The ABCS budget cuts will most directly affect club athletes who may now confront increased membership fees, which currently average $140 per year, according to ABCS treasurer Eric Diestelow (MSB ’19). However, ABCS plans to offer financial support for affected students to remedy this issue, Diestelow said. “Unfortunately, I believe the funding cut will be felt by individual athletes the most, as ABCS was forced to raise dues for many clubs to cover deficits,” Diestelow wrote in a statement to The Hoya. “Despite these dues increases, ABCS remains committed to financial inclusivity and will again offer dues assistance for any athletes indicating need.” Some club sports, like Club Rock Climbing, already require significant financial commitment for equipment and participation. Club Rock Climbing members paid $125 in club dues during the 2019 spring semester, a sum that did not cover additional equipment such as harnesses or climbing shoes, according to a Club Rock Climbing email.
Hoya Staff Writer
Special to The Hoya
FILE PHOTO: KIKI SCHMALFUSS/THE HOYA
Renovations in the Reiss Science Building are expected to be completed in the next year and will include revamping academic spaces. in the past, according to Rebecca Hollister (COL ’21), a student worker in Blommer. Blommer reportedly experienced water issues over winter break because of problems with pipes and cold weather, according to Hollister. “The periodicals and journals took the biggest hit—a lot of those were absolutely destroyed,” Hollister wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Some of the books were destroyed as well, but we were able to recover a good amount of materials.” In February 2019, a $75 million maintenance plan to alleviate building maintenance issues was approved by the Georgetown University board of directors. The plan comes after 85 students were relocated from their top-floor apartments in Alumni Square to the Georgetown Hotel and Conference Center over concern relating to potential structural issues in the apartment roofs. The deferred maintenance plan aims to improve the conditions of Georgetown’s existing infrastructure and would allocate an additional one-time $50 million attachment, as well as a phased increase in annual spending from $5 to $25 million over the next five years. The funds are set to be allocated to the university’s deferred maintenance budget, which includes projects that repair existing buildings instead of constructing new ones. In addition to renovating Reiss, facilities is asking administrators and students for feedback prior to conducting renovations in the ICC, according to an email sent to students April 11. No timeline or
details have yet been given, but the renovations are expected to improve the galleria and other common spaces in the ICC, according to the email. The SFS Academic Council developed plans for short-term ICC renovations in collaboration with the SFS Dean’s Office, the provost’s office, the MUG coffee shop, architects and other independent parties, according to the April 11 email. “Our goal is to improve the Galleria, the elevator bays, and other common spaces in the ICC, in order to make it a more functional and usable space,” the email said. Georgetown has experienced an increasing number of housing problems in student residences since the beginning of the 201819 academic year. Facilities responded to 361 mold-related work requests in residences between August and October of last year, more than double the number reported during that time frame in 2017, and students in Darnall and Reynolds Halls reported malfunctioning elevators last fall. While the renovations of Reiss include two projects currently scheduled for completion in fall 2019 and summer 2020, facilities will assess whether sustained renovations will be necessary, according to the university spokesperson. “Planning and Facilities Management is continuing planned renovations within the Reiss Science Building and will continue evaluating longer-term renovations in conjunction with academic and masterplanning efforts,” the spokesperson wrote.
The budget cuts could signal even greater costs for students on the team, according to Club Rock Climbing co-captain Rachel Angle (COL ’20). “The Club Climbing Team was disappointed with cuts to our budget for the 2019-2020 school year. Climbing is a costly sport, and we have been working over the past years to alleviate some of the financial burden for our members,” Angle wrote in an email to The Hoya. “The new budget will hinder our efforts towards reaching our goal of making the sport more accessible to the Georgetown community.” The recent renovation of Kehoe Field impacted GUSA’s funding decision for ABCS this year, according to GUSA Senator Harry Clow (MSB ’19), ABCS’ liaison to FinApp. The current renovations to Kehoe influenced GUSA to provide increased funds for club teams attempting to find alternative playing spaces for last year’s budget, but the scheduled end of renovations in August 2019 will allow teams to return to the field. The Georgetown women’s field hockey team plays on Kehoe Field, though numerous club and intramural sports teams also use the space. The completion of these renovations and demands from other club boards led to GUSA’s decision to cut funding for ABCS, according to Clow. “These cuts were made in large part due to Kehoe Field coming back online this coming fall,” Clow wrote in an email to The Hoya. “While I would have loved to see ABCS receive the same level of funding as last year at a minimum, I understand that we are working with limited resources and it is impossible to please everyone.” Club Hockey has seen an increase in dues from $450 during the 2015-16 academic year to $700 during the 2018-19 year. Club Hockey leadership
is also in budget negotiations with ABCS for the 2019-20 year, according to Club Hockey President William Bukowski (COL ’19). Club Hockey dues have risen, in part, because of the ABCS has not kept up with the growing needs of its teams, according to Bukowski. “It feels like club sports has grown massively, creating a need to stretch the same amount of money over more students,” Bukowski wrote. The ABCS budget cuts come despite two new club sports teams in the past two years including Club Wrestling and Club Table Tennis and the addition of Club Skiing for the upcoming year, according to Diestelow. Club Fencing also faces uncertainty in the coming weeks as the team continues to negotiate its budget with ABCS, according to Club Fencing Treasurer Mark Massa (SFS ’20). “We will have to ask for more money ad hoc, and we can’t be sure ABCS will have the funds,” Massa wrote in an email to The Hoya. “While it doesn’t necessarily compromise our operations, it does increase uncertainty and make leadership’s job harder.” Club Fencing has transitioned to a new budgeting model in which they receive their budget in a lump sum at the beginning of the year, according to Massa. “It does make it harder for club sports teams to adjust spending based off of unexpected needs, membership growth,” Massa wrote. Other student organizations including Outdoor Education, the Performing Arts Advisory Council and GUSA also saw budget cuts March 17 despite appeals. Outdoor Education received a 43% budget reduction from the group’s initial request. The final performing arts council budget was 33.3% less than originally requested, and GUSA received an allotment 93% less than requested.
FILE PHOTO: SOPHIE NUNN/THE HOYA
Anyone inside or outside of the Georgetown community can contribute to the Hoya Hub food pantry by donating on the university’s website. The food pantry will also stay open for the summer months.
Corp Collects Unused Student Flex Dollars to Stock Hoya Hub MEREDITH MILLER Hoya Staff Writer
Students will be able to donate unused Flex dollars to help stock the Hoya Hub food pantry this summer through a program co-hosted by Students of Georgetown, Inc., commonly known as The Corp. Individuals can participate in the Swipe It Forward Flex Donation Drive from April 28 to May 11 at two Corp locations, Vital Vittles and Hoya Snaxa. The drive will allow students to apply their Flex dollars toward purchasing bundles of $5, $10, $20, $50 or $100 associated with a variety of nonperishable food items. The Corp will purchase nonperishable food items with the proceeds and donate them to the Hoya Hub, an initiative of the Georgetown University Student Association that launched in October 2018 as an on-campus pantry offering free, nonperishable items to the Georgetown community. The initiative will enable the Hoya Hub to increase opportunities for individuals on campus to get involved in the program, according to Hoya Hub Co-Chair Julianne Licamele (COL ’21). “Currently, the Hoya Hub is run by students and was established because of student advocacy,” Licamele wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We thought that this drive would be a great way for us to engage our community and make people feel like they are contributing to a resource that helps their
peers.” The idea for applying Flex dollars in the initiative arose when a student asked the leadership of The Corp and the Hoya Hub whether they could use their additional Flex dollars that they had received as a result of their housing relocation to help the initiative, according to Leila Meymand (COL ’20), director of Hoya Snaxa. Students can also donate to the food drive through other payment methods, including debit dollars. Earlier this semester, 84 students received $200 Flex dollars each after being relocated from their top-floor apartments in Alumni Square to the Georgetown Hotel and Conference Center because of potential structural issues in the apartment roofs. Students were also upgraded to the All Access 7 meal plan by the university, with the option to to convert the plan entirely into Flex dollars for an approximate worth of $2,950. The Hoya Hub will likely benefit from the donations of students who have wanted to give back to the community but have been constrained by their finances, according to Meymand. “I imagine that many students would want to donate to Hoya Hub to support its mission of mitigating the effects of food insecurity, but may be deterred because they do not have the financial means to support the organization,” Meymand wrote in an email to The Hoya. “This new system, though, provides an easy way
for those students to give back to members of the Georgetown community.” In addition to participating in the Swipe It Forward Flex Donation Drive, anyone, inside or outside of the Georgetown community, can contribute to the Hoya Hub by donating on the university’s website. The Hoya Hub hopes the drive will bring attention to the fact that the pantry will stay open over the summer and remain functional during all breaks going forward, according to Licamele. “The drive also cuts down on waste, which the Hoya Hub has been trying to figure out ways to do,” Licamele wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Each semester, flex dollars that could be used on food, expire and do not roll over to the following semester.” Although this is only the first year of collaboration between the Hoya Hub and The Corp, this initiative serves as the beginning of future service-related partnerships between the two organizations, according to Lille Brown (SFS ’20), philanthropy chair of The Corp. “We anticipate a great turnout from the entire Georgetown community,” Brown wrote in an email to The Hoya. “As we engage with our Corp motto of students serving students, we are so looking forward to seeing the Swipe It Forward Food Drive come to fruition, and we look forward to growing our partnership with Hoya Hub in the future.”
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Smoking Ban Comes After 2016 Referendum SMOKE-FREE, from A1 of the ban. Mac Williams (NHS ’17), a campaign leader for Smoke Free Georgetown, said the administration’s message demonstrated a major improvement in prioritizing campus-wide health. “This announcement is a positive step toward transitioning the campus to being smoke and tobacco free, and sends a clear message that Georgetown takes health and wellness seriously,” Williams wrote in a message to The Hoya. The 2016 referendum results were intended to inform GUSA’s advocacy to the university and did not mandate university action or policy. Students had not received an update on the ban following the vote until the email from DeSantis on Thursday. The administration’s response, however, lacks sufficient policy information and has failed to incorporate all of student advocacy suggestions, according to Williams. “After reading the full statement however, I am left with several unanswered questions, and I hope the university provides greater detail in the very near future,” Williams wrote. “Ending the sale of tobacco products on campus and providing resources and medication for cessation were key pieces of our proposal, and the recent statement does little to provide specific information on these points. I urge the administration to offer more detailed communication.” This transition to a smoke- and tobacco-free campus comes af-
ter several years of planning by away from building entrances to the university, according to the reduce the risk of secondhand Thursday email. smoke. The ban would extend Any student with multiple the prohibition on smoking to infractions of the smoke- and all other areas of campus beyond tobacco-free policy may be con- those named in D.C. laws. sidered in violation of the Code This new policy may affect the of Student Conduct and will be sales of Students of Georgetown, subject to disciplinary action. Inc., commonly known as The Repeat violations by any faculty Corp, as the student-run orgaor staff member will be handled nization still sells tobacco prodthrough normal university pro- ucts in its Hoya Snaxa and Vital cesses, according to the smoke- Vittles locations. and tobaccoIn recent effree policy. forts to reduce Georgetobacco usage town will join on campus, thousands Casey Kozak of smoke(NHS ’20), free and GUSA policy tobacco-free chair for stucolleges and dent health, universities advocated for nationwide, The Corp to according to eliminate sales DeSantis. Peer of tobacco institutions products in that have their storeCHARLES DESANTIS Associate Vice President for Benefits, implemented fronts last OcPayroll and Wellness similar bans tober. include Yale Kozak atUniversity and tempted to the University of Pennsylvania. arrange a meeting through a Other locations within George- message to the personal email town have transitioned to being of former Corp CEO Alex Gong tobacco-free over the last 10 years (SFS ’20) last October to discuss such as MedStar Hospital, the the organization’s sale of tobacco Georgetown University Medical products. However, The Corp was Center and the Georgetown Uni- not planning on ending tobacco versity Law Center, according to product sales as of that time, forthe university website. mer Chairman of The Corp RicarIn accordance with Washing- do Mondolfi (SFS ’19) said in an ton, D.C. laws, smoking is pro- October interview with The Hoya. hibited in all indoor locations, The Corp did not respond to a including residence hall rooms, request for comment as of press apartments and townhouses and time. allowed only in designated outGUSA will continue pushing door areas, which must be 25 feet for a healthier campus and sup-
“This is a change that may significantly impact many members of our community.”
porting the needs of the student body, according to GUSA press executive Harper Thomas (SFS ‘22). “The Norman-Aleida administration’s first priority is always the well-being of the student body,” Thomas wrote in an email to The Hoya. “GUSA will continue to monitor the roll-out of this new policy and engage in dialogue with the student body to seek out ways of addressing any concerns or challenges that may arise.” The ban reinforces Georgetown’s commitment to Jesuit values like cura personalis, which calls for individualized attention of the needs of others, according to DeSantis. “This important initiative forward is an expression of who we are as a University and how we live out one of our most central values: care of the whole person,” DeSantis wrote. The Office of Faculty and Staff Benefits is also providing comprehensive support to individuals attempting to quit smoking through online links and direction to on-campus resources, according to DeSantis. “This is a change that may significantly impact many members of our community,” DeSantis wrote. “We hope to create a supportive transition by providing individuals with more than a year’s notice and access to a variety of tobacco and smoking cessation resources.”
Hoya Staff Writer Riley Rogerson contributed reporting.
FR JAMES V SCHALL/FACEBOOK
Fr. James Schall, S.J., taught in the Georgetown department of government for 35 years until his retirement in 2012.
Former Government Professor Dies At 91 SCHALL, from A1 to know people, and he did so with a humility and a real interest that are rare today,” Carnes wrote in an email to The Hoya. “I was touched about how he would always ask about my mom and dad after meeting them one time, and he always amazed me at his recall of students that he had taught years before.” In his classes, Schall taught classical authors, such as Aristotle, Aquinas and Plato. At a school such as Georgetown, where many students were focused on politics and current affairs, Schall wanted students to remember the value in studying history, tradition and old civilization, he said in a December 2012 interview with The Hoya. Schall saw intrinsic value in simple, humble scholarship, according to government profes-
sor and former colleague Joshua Mitchell. “Today in higher education, there are immense pressures to be ‘innovative,’” Mitchell wrote. “Fr. Schall was convinced, instead, that education worthy of the name required nothing more elaborate than important books, teachers who understood and loved them, and students whose deepest longings were brought to bear in their studies, and in their lives.” A true pillar of the community, Schall embodied the Jesuit ideals the university is founded on, according to Dawson, Schall’s former student “He represented, in my mind, what it means to be men and women for others,” Dawson said. “He cared for students beyond how they did on the final exam. He cared about them as people.”
Georgetown Day Sees Spike In Number of GERMS Calls GEORGETOWN DAY, from A1 2000 to increase community morale after a series of violent campus incidents, including a student’s death from injuries sustained in an on-campus fight. For the 2019 iteration, the Georgetown Program Board organized official Georgetown Day events from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Such programming has instilled a recommitment to the initial intentions of the event, according to Hunter Estes (SFS ’19), chair of the GPB Georgetown Day Planning Committee. “GPB is committed to putting on high quality, low cost events that are open to the entire Georgetown community,” Estes wrote in an email
to The Hoya. “We have seen a renewed commitment to the original spirit of the day, as we expand the institutional programming that occurs.” Club-sponsored Georgetown Day events exclude many students from the celebrations, according to former GPB President Zac Schroepfer (MSB ’19), who was not speaking on behalf of GPB. “Rather than students splitting off into club-based, or organization based social functions, we could focus attention around centralized programming where every Hoya can participate, regardless of identity affiliation,” Schroepfer wrote in an email to The Hoya. Students should attend
official GPB programming open to all students in order to promote a more inclusive community, according to Schroepfer. He recommended that club leaders move their events to later in the day so that students can first attend GPB events. “The goal of asking students to push parties back was the hope that more student leaders, and members of their clubs, would attend the official programming,” Schroepfer wrote. “By creating this shared experience of a centralized Georgetown Day, we can ensure that every Georgetown Student will feel a part of a community of Hoyas, wherever this programming might take place.”
FILE PHOTO: LAUREN SEIBEL/THE HOYA
Residential organizations and environmental groups informed students about campus sustainability intiiatives and provided free vegan food on Harbin Hall patio in commemoration of this year’s Earth Day.
Clubs Celebrate Earth Day With Sustainable Initiatives MAXWELL SHEREMATA Hoya Staff Writer
TOP: FILE PHOTO: AMANDA VAN ORDEN/THE HOYA, BOTTOM: FILE PHOTO: ALI ENRIGHT/THE HOYA
Georgetown University Police Department and other campus authorities will be active on campus throughout Georgetown Day to monitor and supervise student behavior in the neighborhood.
Student advocacy groups and residential organizations partnered to promote environmental awareness and the importance of sustainability at Earth Day events across campus April 23. Georgetown’s celebrations occurred the day after the annual Earth Day, a global movement featuring political action and advocacy that began in 1970. This year’s on-campus programming focused on promoting practical ways that Georgetown students can live sustainably. The main Earth Day event took place on Harbin patio, put on by a collaboration between residential organizations and environmental groups including the Georgetown University Student Association sustainability policy team, Georgetown Renewable Energy and Environmental Network and Harbin Residential Living. Representatives from the groups informed students about opportunities to get involved with sustainability initiatives on campus at the twohour event. Interhall Council provided free vegan chicken nuggets, burgers and cookies from HipCityVeg, a vegan restaurant chain, according to Interhall Council Vice President Katelyn Barr (SFS ’22). “I wanted to make sure the event provided accessible information and was geared towards the average college student,” Barr wrote in an email to The Hoya. “After all, we don’t want to seem like we are asking people to change their entire lives. Instead, we want to provide easy and simple ways to be more environmentally conscious every day.” Showcasing plant-based alternatives for foods can help
reduce an individual’s carbon footprint and combat climate change, according to Barr. “Animal agriculture adds a significant amount of carbon emissions to the atmosphere every day,” Barr wrote. “If everyone reduced their meat and dairy intake, even just through a simple goal like ‘Meatless Mondays,’ we could reduce carbon emissions and slow climate change.” The GUSA sustainability policy team, a student government subcommittee tasked with addressing environmental issues on campus, participated in the event by passing out sets of bamboo utensils as a green alternative to plastic utensils as part of their “Go Plastic-Free” campaign. Launched in February, the initiative includes semesterly training sessions for the leaders of student organizations and a pledge for those groups to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics. The policy team hoped to gain support and momentum for the campaign by tabling at the Earth Day event, according to GUSA Sustainability Chair Rowlie Flores (COL ’22). “Most of our focus for the last year went into our Go PlasticFree campaign where we pushed to get clubs to depend less on single-use plastics,” Flores wrote in an email to The Hoya. “People were curious about Georgetown’s current recycling and compost situation and I was able to get more signatures for the Go Plastic-Free campaign that I mentioned earlier.” In addition to the event held on Harbin patio, the Students of Georgetown, Inc., commonly known as The Corp, held their first ever two mile Earth Day run in the Georgetown neighborhood April 23. The event was in collaboration with Outdoor Voices, an athletic apparel store in Georgetown, that pro-
vided free hats to participants. The Earth Day run highlighted the benefits of exercising outdoors, according to Lille Brown (SFS ’20), philanthropy chair of The Corp. “The Corp’s goal in partnering with Outdoor Voices was to encourage students to celebrate Earth Week by being outside and being active,” Brown wrote in an email to The Hoya. The run served as a kickoff to other Earth Day promotions and activities The Corp will hold through the end of April. In addition to the run, The Corp has been promoting sustainability throughout the school year through a punch card promotion where students who use a reusable cup ten times at various Corp store fronts will receive their eleventh drink free of charge. Participating locations include Uncommon Grounds, The Midnight Mug, More Uncommon Grounds and Grounded. By encouraging community members to use reusable cups and by providing strawless lids, The Corp hopes to promote environmentally friendly habits among students, according to Brown. “We hope this promotion encourages greater sustainability and cup reuse habits among the student body,” Brown wrote in an email to The Hoya. On-campus Earth Day events serve as a way to celebrate the progress that has been made in protecting the environment but also to remind individuals of the work that still has not been completed, according to GREEN Vice President Henry Congdon (SFS ’21). “Creating a more sustainable future is going to require all of us, and Earth Day is an important time to celebrate what has been accomplished so far, and raise awareness of what still needs to be done,” Congdon wrote in an email to The Hoya.
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FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019
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New Branch of GU Medical GUSA Constitutional Council Center Appoints Leadership Hears GU272 Referendum Suit RILEY ROGERSON
JAIME MOORE-CARRILLO
Hoya Staff Writer
A center to promote public health and equal access to health care worldwide announced the appointment of its first directors April 15, as the Georgetown University Medical Center continues to expand its divisions focused on global health. The Center for Global Health Practice and Impact will aid countries in improving public health while providing Georgetown students opportunities for health research and practice, according to the center’s website. In particular, it will focus on supporting regions facing HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases. Dr. Deus Bazira and Head of the Center for Global Health Quality Dr. Mark Dybul will serve as co-directors of the center, which will expand Dybul’s past work in global health with Georgetown. Bazira is new to Georgetown, having departed from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where he led a program focused on global health and biosecurity. Bazira chose to join Georgetown to lead the center because of the university’s potential to advance the program and its historical connection to social justice, according to Bazira. “Every person regardless of their individual context and circumstance should enjoy good health and that all of us should work towards creating conditions that make global health equity a reality for all populations,” Bazira wrote. “Georgetown is best positioned to support our center make valuable, lasting and impactful contribution towards achievement of health equity as a noble goal.” The center, which will work with interdisciplinary schools, faculty and students, will focus its work in supporting marginalized groups, according to Dr. Edward Healton, executive dean of the Georgetown School of Medicine. “The Center’s programs focus on increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of public health interventions that seek to alleviate major causes of illness for millions of people around the world,” Heal-
Hoya Staff Writer
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
Dr. Deus Bazira, above, will create and co-direct Georgetown’s new Center for Global Health Practice and Impact, alongside Dr. Mark Dybul. ton wrote in an email to The Hoya. The center, which advances GUMC’s work in global health, will involve Georgetown students and faculty from across a broad range of backgrounds in its work, according to an April 15 news release. Georgetown’s location in Washington, D.C., provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with those studying areas like public policy or business. “We bring unique experiences and extensive networks in different countries that will allow broader GU community to get more involved in field level work to support the above mission of achieving global health equity,” Bazira wrote in an email to The Hoya. These opportunities will include research positions and internships for Georgetown students and students of other academic institutions in countries where the center works. On campus, the center will make its research accessible to students, according to Bazira. “Every project we design will as much as possible provide opportunities for learning and research to students at GU with interest in global health,” Bazira wrote. “The data we will generate will be available to students for their individual or team research projects. The School of Nursing and
Health Studies’ department of international health will utilize the research produced by the center in its own work, according to NHS Dean Dr. Patricia Cloonan. “The capacity that this new center will bring to Georgetown’s work in global health, such as our school’s Department of International Health and other university-wide programs, is exciting,” Cloonan wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We look forward to working together with center leadership to [identify] areas of intersection for our faculty and students.” The center’s opening is a part of a larger GUMC Global Health Initiative that saw the creation of the Center for Global Health Science and Security, a biosafety and biosecurity program, in May 2018. The center will continue to develop the mission of the former Center for Global Health Quality, which launched in 2017 to support countries facing health epidemics in building their own sustainable systems. This expansion will increase the capabilities of both the new center and the Center for Global Health Quality, according to Healton. “The work is complementary and collaborative, and Center brings great depth and reach,” Healton wrote.
The Georgetown University Student Association constitutional council is set to release its ruling on the suit challenging the constitutionality of the GU272 referendum ahead of the weekly GUSA senate meeting Sunday. The case, “Saydlowski and Castaldi-Moller v. Ethics and Oversight Committee, Election Commission, and GUSA,” was filed by Rowan Saydlowski (COL ’21) and Chris Castaldi-Moller (SFS ’21) to the GUSA constitutional council on April 14, hours before the GUSA senate was scheduled to confirm the results of the GU272 referendum. (Full disclosure: Saydlowski currently serves on The Hoya’s editorial board.) The constitutional council heard arguments about the suit in a hearing April 17. Before the hearing, constitutional council Chief Justice William Morris (COL ’19) faced a challenge to the constitutionality of his extended tenure on the council, as his term was intended to end with the election of the new GUSA senate. Morris responded to the challenge through an email detailing his qualifications for the position. The suit claims that the referendum is unconstitutional because of bylaw and constitutional violations by the election commission, the ethics and oversight committee, and GUSA. Students voted overwhelmingly in favor of a referendum to establish a semesterly fee that would go toward a fund allocated to descendants of the GU272, the 272 enslaved people sold by the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus in 1838 to financially sustain the university. The referendum, which passed with 66.1% of participating students voting yes, should be nullified to safeguard the student body and GUSA, according to Saydlowski and Castaldi-Moller. “It is through these two deeply important goals, the protection of the student body and
the preservation of GUSA’s institutional legitimacy, that we come before the constitutional council today,” Saydlowski said at the hearing. “The goals can be achieved only if the illegal referendum in question is overturned.” The hearing Wednesday was split into three sections to address each of the plaintiff’s main pillars in the case. Saydlowski and Castaldi-Moller made arguments for each of their points, following which former ethics and oversight committee Chair Dylan Hughes (COL ’19), representatives from the election commission, current GUSA President Norman Francis Jr. (COL ’20) and former President Juan Martinez (SFS ’20), representing GUSA, responded to allegations against each of their parties. The plaintiffs claim Hughes had a potential unresolved conflict of interest at the time of the referendum, as they both cosponsored the bill and oversaw referendum complaints. The suit claims that Hughes could have had a motivation to withhold disagreeing complaints. The chair of the ethics and oversight committee is not prohibited from endorsing GUSA senate candidates or referenda per GUSA bylaws, according to Hughes. “While I neither endorsed nor campaigned for either side of the referendum, I would have still been free to as chair,” Hughes said in their statement at the hearing. “While I alerted the election commission of every complaint I received, I am not mandated to do so. I have simply been given the power to do so.” Despite the claims of the document, the suit does not oppose the objectives of the GU272 Referendum, according to Saydlowski. “Nowhere in our suit do we combat the legitimacy of the ideas behind the referendum, nowhere do we make an argument that is partisan in nature,” Saydlowski said in his opening statement at the hearing. “This suit is about one thing and one thing only: that the process of
executing this referendum, the ethics and oversight committee, the election commission and GUSA as a whole violated their own constitution, bylaws and ethical guidelines.” The election commission, the GUSA body responsible for administering elections, improperly responded to election complaints, insufficiently publicized election rules and the details of the referendum and did not communicate important election details widely enough by only utilizing Twitter for spreading information, according to the suit. Among other complaints, the suit claims that the election commission confused voters about the portion of the student body needed for the referendum to pass. The election commission Twitter account incorrectly tweeted that the referendum approval threshold was 25 percent on April 7, but retracted the statement and issued a correction later that day. The series of tweets and corrections was misleading to voters and possibly suppressed voter turnout among those opposed to the referendum and energized those who supported it, according to Saydlowski. “Having occurred three days before voting began and only having been explained over Twitter, this caused widespread confusion among voters and differences in beliefs about the threshold requirements of the referendum,” Saydlowski said. GUSA also had no authority to issue non-amendment referenda, as no clear rules delineating such actions exist in the GUSA constitution or its bylaws, according to the suit. GUSA can legitimately issue referenda, however, according to an amicus brief submitted to the constitutional council signed by 150 Georgetown alumni. Alumni Kara Brandeisky (COL ’12) and Sam Ungar (COL ’12) co-authored the brief, which argues that referenda issued by GUSA have historically been an important way for GUSA to express students’ will.
Alum Mustafa Abdel-Wadood Arrested on Charges of Fraud KATRINA SCHMIDT Hoya Staff Writer
Arrested in a New York City hotel on April 11, Georgetown alumnus Mustafa AbdelWadood (GRD ’96) faces fraud charges for misappropriating millions of dollars at The Abraaj Group, the largest private equity firm in the Middle East. Abdel-Wadood, former Abraaj Group managing partner, pled not guilty, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Griswold (COL ’03) said at a federal court hearing April 11. With his trial currently set for Nov. 4 in New York, Abdel-Wadood sought bail Tuesday according to The National. While Abdel-Wadood is awaiting a decision next Monday over whether he will be allowed to leave southern New York jail, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said AbdelWadood is a “palpable” flight risk. An Egyptian national with dual citizenship in Malta, Abdel-Wadood and two of his former coworkers, Arif Naqvi and Sev Vettivetpillai face charges of fraud in the United States after a health fund within the company overvalued the company’s investments by more than half a billion dollars, according to Abdel-Wadood’s indictment. Before the private equity fund’s collapse, the $1 billion Growth Markets Health Fund invested in health care in emerging economies around the world. After having earned his BBA from American University in Cairo in 1991 and MBA from Georgetown in 1996, AbdelWadood was an executive in the field of investment management, corporate finance and business development throughout the Middle East region. Abdel-Wadood’s attorneys did not respond to a request for comment. The U.S. case against AbdelWadood includes “millions” of documents and computer files, secretly recorded calls and messages and a geolocation tracker placed on his phone, according to Griswold. Beyond his involvement in Abraaj, Abdel-Wadood is listed as a speaker at a past event with the City Alliance, a London-
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
Mustafa Abdel-Wadood (GRD ’96) allegedly misappropriated funds and overvalued his firm’s investments by more than half a billion dollars. based organization for Georgetown alumni in financial services, and the 2016 Georgetown University Africa Business Conference. The Growth Markets Health Fund not only invested in health care in growing economies but also raised money for U.S.-based philanthropic organizations and investors including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation alone invested $100 million in the fund, while attracting over $900 million of private sector investors, according to a Gates Foundation spokesperson. The Gates Foundation supported the philanthropic goals of the fund before its end, a Gates Foundation spokesperson said in an interview with The Hoya. “The fund itself—what it was focused on and what it still is focused on—it was really kind of a new approach for improving health care for folks living in Sub-Saharan African and South Asia,” the spokesperson said. Abdel-Wadood was previously represented by Benjamin Brafman, a well-known criminal defense attorney who represented Sean “P. Diddy” Combs and briefly Harvey Weinstein, but he no longer represents Abdel-Wadood, Brafman wrote in an email to The Hoya. Abraaj’s founder Naqvi was
arrested in London’s Heathrow Airport on April 10, and a court hearing to extradite him to the United States was postponed until April 26, according to The New York Times. Former managing partner Vettivetpillai was also arrested in London and faces an extradition request. While the McDonough School of Business confirmed Abdel-Wadood was an alumnus, they declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. Abraaj was founded in 2002 and over the next 16 years became an influential investor in emerging economies. The company held an esteemed position in global development and received the Oslo Business for Peace Award. Abdel-Wadood joined the firm in June 2006 and departed in March 2018, around the same time that rumors began to swirl about Abraaj’s alleged mismanagement. The firm has since become insolvent and now owes creditors over $1 billion, according to Bloomberg. Abraaj’s decline is the largest ever private equity insolvency case, according to Arabian Business. Currently, a range of investors are seeking to acquire Abraaj’s various funds in its portfolio, and TPG Capital was in talks to acquire the health care fund, according to The Wall Street Journal.
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THE HOYA
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019
Georgetown College Removes Annual Ceremony Recognizes Course Minimum Requirement LGBTQ Students and Allies AMY LI
ASHLEY ZHAO
A degree from Georgetown College will no longer require a minimum number of courses in an effort to alleviate the academic burden placed on students. Previously, students needed to take at least 38 courses in order to earn a College degree. Students must still complete 120 credits — a typical course is three credits — to graduate, but the minimum has been removed. This curriculum change affects all students graduating in fall 2019 or later, according to an April 23 email from the Georgetown College Dean’s Office informing College students of the update. The proposal passed April 15 in a unanimous vote of the College Executive Council, the College’s governing body comprised of faculty, deans and students, according to Jacqueline Crispino (COL ’19), a College Academic Council student representative. The College’s decision to amend degree requirements intends to achieve fairness across majors and eliminate unnecessary confusion in degree tracking, according to the email announcing the update. The previous course minimum was especially stressful for students pursuing degrees in the sciences, biology major Amelia Smith (COL ’22) wrote in an email to The Hoya. Smith, who is also on the pre-veterinary track, has requirements for her biology major, the College core requirements and the pre-health studies course recommendations. With the former 38 course minimum, meeting all these requirements entailed an overwhelming course load, Smith said. “This is the best news I’ve gotten all month,” Smith wrote. “As a pre-vet student myself, I can attest to the daunting academic rigor between vet school prerequisites, major requirements, and the college’s previous requirement for minimum course load. With fiveto-six credit science courses and intensive languages, you basically have to be at 20 credits [per semester] constantly to meet the previous course requirement.” The course minimum was separate from the credit mini-
In a celebration honoring over 140 graduating members and allies of the LGBTQ community Thursday, speakers and attendees at Georgetown University’s 11th annual Lavender Graduation emphasized work the university can continue to do to support the community on campus. The ceremony, hosted by the LGBTQ Resource Center and the Tagliabue Initiative for LGBTQ Life, featured keynote speaker Joshua Guzmán (SFS ’10), an assistant professor of gender studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, and was held in the Healey Family Student Center Great Room. Three undergraduate students, a faculty member, a staff member, a medical student and a law student were given awards for their contributions to the Georgetown community. Lavender Graduation sends an important message to the Georgetown community given the university’s previous history of overlooking its LGBTQ students, according to English professor and Department Chair Ricardo Ortiz. “It welcomes everyone at Georgetown to celebrate the important milestone of graduation for students who identify either as LGBTQ or as allies of the LGBTQ community,” Ortiz wrote in an email to The Hoya. “That’s a really powerful statement of recognition, solidarity and support for a community that had historically been at best neglected, at worst violently marginalized throughout the University’s history.” On-campus discrimination against LGBTQ students has historically been a frequent issue for the community. Following a string of hate crimes against LGBTQ students in 2007 that were not addressed publicly by the university, students responded by petitioning the administration for action through demonstrations in Red Square and sit-ins in the office of University President John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95). The actions eventually led to the establishment of the LGBTQ Resource Center in 2008. Diego Tum-Monge (COL ’19) won an award as Champion for the LGBTQ Community, Harry Clow (MSB ’19) as Bridge Builder
Hoya Staff Writer
Hoya Staff Writer
FILE PHOTO: ROCHELLE VAYNTRUB/THE HOYA
Many students enrolled in summer courses to meet the previous course requirement. Georgetown summer sessions cost $1,496 per credit. mum to graduate, causing some students to take costly summer courses to meet the minimum, according to College Vice Dean Sue Lorenson. Tuition for undergraduate summer sessions is $1,496 per credit, according to the summer sessions website. The change aims to eliminate this unnecessary financial hardship. “We were concerned about the potential financial hardship the course count might create for students who arrive at Georgetown without advanced credit,” Lorenson wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We notified all students who will be affected by the change, recognizing that it may affect some students’ plans.” The College Academic Council found through research that exceptions to the course number requirement are given to one-third of students in the College, which was a strong indication that the requirement should be removed, according to Crispino. “The 38 course minimum therefore was only a requirement for some of the students in the College,” Crispino wrote in an email to The Hoya. “How can a rule only be a rule twothirds of the time?” Managing course count adjustments and requests for exemptions placed a heavy admin-
istrative burden on the deans, according to Lorenson. Students who transfer from or study abroad at schools with different academic systems, Georgetown programs that entail courses with credits lower than the typical three credits, or other unique situations complicated the 38 course minimum for both students and faculty. “We make adjustments for transfer students who come from ‘4/4’ schools, for students who study abroad in different systems, and for students who take lower-credit classes which can be ‘bundled’ (like Core Pathways courses or music/theater performance courses),” Lorenson wrote. “These manual adjustments to the count are administratively time consuming and potentially error prone.” The curriculum change will give College students more scheduling flexibility and standardize Georgetown’s requirements with other universities’ requisites, according to Lorenson. “We recognized that the College’s degree requirements were anomalous,” Lorenson wrote. “A review of requirements at peer institutions revealed that we were were the only school to deal in the currency of courses and credits, instead of credits alone.”
and Angela Maske (NHS ’19, GRD ’20) for the Beyond the Gates award. Associate English Professor Christine So received the award for Faculty Commitment to the LGBTQ Community and Assistant Director for Residential Education Eileen Rodriguez was awarded Staff Commitment to the LGBTQ Community. Tum-Monge was recognized for his work with the LGBTQ Resource Center and Georgetown Scholars Program. Winning the award serves as motivation to continue working for the Latinx and LGBTQ communities, according to TumMonge. “For me, this award just accumulates everything that I’ve done and brings it in a space where I can say that I’ll keep fighting beyond this award that I share with the LGBTQ community here at Georgetown,” Tum-Monge said. The Lavender Graduation was first established in 2009, one year after Georgetown’s LGBTQ Resource Center formally opened its doors. Georgetown’s past committment to the LGBTQ community was disappointing, and the university was belated in establishing the necessary resources and support centers for its LGBTQ students, according to women and gender studies professor and Academic Director of the Community Scholars Program Elizabeth Velez. “I think that Georgetown came late to even having an LGBTQ center, and it’s so important for students to have this space where they feel like they’re understood
and they’re honored,” Velez said in an interview with The Hoya. “I think Lavender Graduation is important in terms of celebrating them for the four years they’ve been here doing this work.” There is still more that can be done to increase the visibility of and support for the LGBTQ community on campus, and the university should increase support for LGBTQ studies research by expanding supp, according to Ortiz. “There is no field of the arts, humanities, or social sciences, including law and policy (and even some natural sciences), where the study of gender and sexuality doesn’t have central relevance, and that fact should be more fully represented by Georgetown given its mission as a teaching-centered research institution,” Ortiz wrote in an email to The Hoya. Graduating students can take the values emphasized at Lavender Graduation with them as they transition into their lives after Georgetown, according to School of Foreign Service Dean Joel Hellman, who was present at the event. “I hope that spirit is something that continues to drive students in their professional lives as they graduate,” Hellman said in an interview with The Hoya. “This is a great transition for them into the next stage of their lives, and I hope they take the lessons of this Lavender Graduation, which is an important feature on campus, and put that into the next stage of their lives.”
MARGARET FOUBERG/THE HOYA
University president John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95), left, and SFS Dean Joel Hellman gave opening remarks at the event April 25.
Panelists Advocate Protection Increase Young Adult Labor Of Free Speech Rights in Prisons Force Participation, Yellen Says TAYLOR KAHN-PERRY Hoya Staff Writer
Fostering connections between incarcerated people and the outside world must be a key feature of criminal justice reform, panelists agreed at a discussion on the free speech rights of incarcerated Americans on Tuesday. The event, co-sponsored by the Georgetown Prisons and Justice Initiative and Georgetown’s Free Speech Project, was titled “Inside Voices: The Free Speech Rights of Incarcerated Americans” and moderated by Marc Howard, a government professor and the director of the Prisons and Justice Initiative, and Sanford Ungar, director of the Free Speech Project. Present on the panel was Joel Castón, a participant in Georgetown’s Prison Scholars Program through the Prisons and Justice Initiative. Castón has been incarcerated for nearly 25 years and has been studying under Marc Howard through the Prison Scholars Program. Dialogue between incarcerated residents and policymakers is crucial in ensuring the rights of those who are detained, Castón told Tuesday’s audience via Skype from the D.C. jail. “We must be able to know that our voices are not only being heard, but our perspectives are being taken under consideration, and it’s a twoway dialogue that ebbs and flows,” Castón said. “These things right here will help with safety in the prison.” Castón mentors younger residents in the D.C. Jail through “Young Men Emerging,” a program he founded which pairs inmates typically serving life sentences with incarcerated men between the ages of 18 and 24. The connections that YME helps create are crucial in making the transition from incarceration to the outside world successful, according to Howard. “If you are engaged, if you are connected, as he was, as
Joel is, you are ready,” Howard said. “If you are separated, if you are cut off, if you have no voice, if you have no opportunity, no technology from society, it’s going to be very, very hard.” The Prisons and Justice Initiative has seen multiple success stories with its participants recently. Halim Flowers, a participant in the Prison Scholars program and imprisoned at 17, was released early from jail March 21 after 22 years in prison as a result of his personal growth while incarcerated. “Making An Exoneree,” a Georgetown course offered by Howard, has also worked to exonerate wrongfully convicted individuals in the past including Valentino Dixon, who spent 26 years in prison after being found guilty of murder. Another member of the panel was Sekwan Merritt, a paralegal for Arnold and Porter who was formerly incarcerated. Merritt was sentenced to 25 years in prison for intent to distribute 2.4 grams of heroin in 2012. Through his own research, he discovered a Supreme Court case, Lafler v. Cooper, that invalidated his sentence in 2016. While in prison, Merritt was temporarily moved to solitary confinement in 2015 after asking to post an image with a quote he read in a book in the prison library, he shared on Tuesday’s panel. Merritt had not yet posted the quote when he was detained by five officers, moved to solitary confinement and told that he was attempting to incite a riot. The free speech rights of incarcerated Americans should not be unrightfully restricted by the corrections system, according to Merritt. “So when we speak about people incarcerated being able to write or, as I said, just at the minimal level, just even be able to think of change, it can be stopped at any given moment with the excuse that you’re trying to incite a population against the overregulation of the truth,” Merritt said. In most prisons, incarcer-
ated Americans are never briefed on the rights they have during their sentences, according to panelist Amy Fettig, deputy director of the ACLU Prisons Project. “We should be doing everything we can to make sure that people who are incarcerated are as close to the population on the outside as possible,” Fettig said. In most prisons, incarcerated Americans are never briefed on the rights they have during their sentences, and increased accessibility to incarcerated citizens could help protect their rights, according to Fettig. “We should be doing everything we can to make sure that people who are incarcerated are as close to the population on the outside as possible,” Fettig said. Free speech rights also include voting rights, which are almost universally denied to incarcerated Americans against international norms, according to Howard. “The U.S. is actually exceptional in denying people the right to vote while they are incarcerated, and it is completely exceptional beyond every measure in denying 6 million people the right to vote, and this is state-by-state, after they have served their time,” Howard said. Today, Maine and Vermont are the only two states where felons maintain the right to vote during their sentences. Incarcerated Americans have a strong desire to be involved in the political process, according to Castón. The perception of incarcerated people as active citizens is crucial in the reform process, Castón said. “I think that the way we excel is when you see us as concrete people, whether we are detained or incarcerated, you see us as a person, you see us as a human being, and I think that’s tied directly to the voting rights,” Castón said. “That we are still citizens, we just happen to be currently incarcerated, so our voices matter, our opinions matter.”
MYROSLAV DOBROSHYNSKYI AND MAX LEVINE Hoya Staff Writers
Creating jobs for younger Americans is crucial to the successful future of the economy, former Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Janet Yellen said April 15. Yellen emphasized developing appropriate monetary policy and ensuring a stable financial system in the wake of the crisisinducing economic downturn as chair following the 2007 to 2009 Great Recession, she said at the Tanous Family Endowed Lecture. The fund for the annual lecture, which was established by Peter Tanous (CAS ’60) in 2010 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Lauinger Library, organized the Lohrfink auditorium event. Serving as chair from 2014 to 2018, Yellen advocated for a focus on job creation as the economy recovered from the global financial crisis, she said at the event. “The financial crisis took a huge toll on the American economy. Unemployment reached 10 percent in 2009, which is close to the post-Second World War high, and nine million jobs were destroyed,” Yellen said. “With respect to monetary policy, my focus, first and foremost throughout my entire tenure, was on jobs.” Although a significant upturn in the economy has been seen since the financial crisis, the low number of Americans from ages 25 to 54 who are in the labor force is concerning, according to Yellen. Developing technologies and globalization have caused a lack of low-skill jobs in the United States, impacting the unemployment rate of people in their peak working years. “Prime-age labor force participation plummeted after the financial crisis,” Yellen said. “It’s still about half a percentage point below its precrisis level. It’s hard to note how much further it will rise because it’s been on a downward trend for about two decades, reflecting the disappearance of jobs for less-skilled
KIRK ZIESER/THE HOYA
Former Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Janet Yellen spoke on the 2007-09 financial crisis at an event April 15. workers due to technological change and globalization.” This generational disparity, however, is not the only challenge facing the labor market, according to Yellen. Yellen highlighted the racial inequality of unemployment rates in the United States, both before and during the recession. “The African-American unemployment rate stood at a notvery-low 8.3 percent in 2006; it rose to a horrifying 16 percent in 2009,” Yellen said. At the time of her historic appointment as the first female chair in February 2014, Yellen said she was eager to reinstate prerecession policies to spur economic growth as the American economy improved. “I hoped and expected that with the economy recovering from the financial crisis, it would prove appropriate to normalize monetary policy,” Yellen said. “Namely, to gradually scale back the enormous monetary policy measures that were put in place after the financial crisis.” Yellen was appointed as chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States, by President Obama in 2014 after years of experience working for the system. Yellen served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System beginning in 1994 under President Bill Clinton (SFS ’68), as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco beginning in 2004 and as the vice chair from
2010 until her appointment as chair in 2014. In addition to serving in highly experiential economic policy positions, Yellen also has a background in academia and research. She is a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Distinguished Fellow in Residence for economics at the Brookings Institution’s Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy. Looking forward, Yellen sees international cooperation as critical to increasing and enhancing large-scale economic growth. She coordinated with other countries through global finance organizations as chair to work to avoid the globalization of future crises. “We coordinated efforts here with those of other countries through the Basel Committee [on Banking Supervision], the Financial Stability Board, and the Group of 20 to ensure that efforts in one country to tighten standards will not be undermined through shifting of risky activities abroad,” Yellen said. The Fed is taking these measures and others to ensure financial markets can respond more swiftly and comprehensively to future economic declines to avoid global crises like the Great Recession, Yellen said. “One of the most important concerns now facing the Fed is how monetary policy can respond to a future downturn,” Yellen said. “It is something you will likely hear more about in the next few years.”
NEWS
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019
THE HOYA
A9
Brake Issues Prompt Capital Glover Park Rite Aid Closes Bikeshare E-Bike Recall After Disappointing Sales MOIRA RITTER
RILEY ROGERSON AND CONNOR THOMAS
Hoya Staff Writer
After users experienced multiple injuries because of brake issues, Capital Bikeshare is temporarily pulling its electric bikes from Washington, D.C. Capital Bikeshare’s parent company, Lyft, announced the change on the Capital Bikeshare website April 14 in a statement responding to rider reports of excessively strong bike brakes. Lyft has pulled its e-bikes from Washington, D.C., San Francisco and New York City after dozens of riders reported injuries within the last few months, according to The New York Times. Capital Bikeshare is offering exclusively nonelectric bikes until the electric bikes are evaluated for safety, according to a company spokesperson. “We just wanted to make sure everybody was safe,” the spokesperson said in an interview with The Hoya. “I assume during that time we are also going to be looking at the mechanics of the bike, making sure that each mechanic on the bike is safe for the customer.” Capital Bikeshare is owned by the United States’ largest bike-share system operator Motivate, which is a subset of the ride-sharing company Lyft. Motivate designed the bikes to use battery power to assist riders as they pedal. The company also operates Citi Bike in New York City and Ford GoBike in San Francisco, both cities where the company has also pulled e-bikes off the streets. All three companies released identical statements on their websites, acknowledging the strong brakes without mentioning the injuries. “We recently received a small number of reports from riders who experienced stronger than expected braking force on the front wheel,” Capital Bikeshare wrote in the statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are proactively removing the electric bikes from service for the time being.” Lyft was aware of reports of
Hoya Staff Writers
ROCHELLE VAYNTRUB/THE HOYA
Capital Bikeshare rolled out e-bikes as part of a pilot program in September 2018. Many riders reported injuries from overly strong brakes. injuries but a spokesperson for the parent company would not say how many, according to The Washington Post. An initial round of e-bikes was rolled out in September 2018 as part of a pilot program in D.C. called Capital Bikeshare Plus that ran through the month of November, according to The Washington Post. Unlike normal Capital Bikeshare bikes, the Plus bikes are battery powered and capable of reaching up to 18 mph, according to The Washington Post. Capital Bikeshare launched in 2010 when Arlington and D.C. made the decision to combine their bike-sharing systems. The operator has since grown in size and moved into more counties, with 500 stations and a fleet of over 4,300 bikes throughout the DMV area, according to the company’s website. The company announced March 18 that it was adding an additional 500 e-bikes to its fleet along with an additional $1 per ride charge for e-bike users. Public perception of e-bikes is evolving as the method of trans-
portation gains popularity, according to Christopher Jewell, a representative for Biking at Georgetown, a division of the sustainability office at the university that provides information about bicycling options for students. “We’re at the beginning stages of the e-bike revolution, and there’s no going back,” Jewell wrote in an email to The Hoya. “The ‘cheating’ stigma of e-bikes is starting to fade, and e-bikes will put to rest the notion that you have to be super fit and all geared up to be on a bicycle.” However, road accidents may slow the growth of e-bikes, according to Jewell. Cycling activist David Savolesh and a pedestrian were killed by drivers over Easter weekend. Salovesh, 54, previously advocated for protected bike lanes and safer roads for cyclists, according to the Washington City Paper. D.C. lawmakers introduced a bill Tuesday in response to these incidents that would expedite road safety improvements to Florida Avenue NE, where Savolesh was killed.
The Rite Aid store at 2255 Wisconsin Avenue is set to close May 18 following the purchase of thousands of Rite Aid stores by Walgreens in 2017, according to The Georgetowner. The Rite Aid pharmacies will close ahead of the store closing May 13. Walgreens originally planned to close 600 underperforming Rite Aids but could now close up to 750, according to Forbes. No business has been announced as a replacement yet. The Rite Aid employees were given little notice about the closure, according to the Georgetowner. However, Walgreens plans to relocate workers to other storefronts in comparable jobs, according to a Walgreens spokesperson. “We are committed to taking care of our team members throughout this process, and expect to have positions at other locations for the majority of store employees who are impacted. We will be making every effort to find the same or similar positions for team members,” a Walgreens spokesperson wrote in an email to The Hoya. The location is one of 1,932 Rite Aids nationwide that the company sold to Walgreens, according to a Walgreens spokesperson. Walgreens bought the stores and three distribution centers from Rite Aid for approximately $4.4 billion in March 2018 after an earlier merger deal fell through because of federal antitrust regulations, according to Forbes. Walgreens will transfer customer pharmacy records to their location at 3301 New Mexico Ave and customers have been notified of the change, according to the Walgreens spokesperson. Until the Rite Aid closes, most of its inventory is 50 percent off. Glover Park resident Thomas Shaw said he was a regular at Rite Aid because of the store’s competitive prices. “I would come here all the time because I had a Rite Aid card and they had really good deals,” Shaw said in an interview with The Hoya.
“I’m going to go to CVS now.” The 2255 Wisconsin Ave. Rite Aid location opened in 2016 and competes with a CVS across the street, which will remain open. Despite the 2016 Rite Aid opening, Glover Park resident and Georgetown history professor Judith Tucker has remained a loyal CVS customer. “The new one opened, I didn’t change my habits. I still come here,” Tucker said in an interview with The Hoya. The Safeway at 1855 Wisconsin Ave. offers consumers another option to purchase food and miscellaneous items. The Wisconsin Avenue Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle bus stops at the Safeway on its route through Glover Park, making the location accessible to students. Several Georgetown students were unaware of the Rite Aid location and instead frequented competitors. CVS and Safeway meet shopping needs according to Georgetown student, Alena O’Connor (COL ’22). “I didn’t even know there was a Rite Aid so I’ve never been to that. I’ve gone to CVS and Safeway about an equal number of times but CVS is always for smaller stuff whereas Safeway is more like actual grocery shopping,” O’Connor wrote in a statement to The Hoya. The Wisconsin and O Street CVS location is the closest pharmacy to Georgetown’s campus.
Six Rite Aid locations in Washington, D.C., remain open and are operated by Walgreens, according to the Walgreens’ website. The Rite Aid shutdown comes after a series of recent closures in Glover Park. A Starbucks across the street also closed in March 2018 and the neighborhood’s Whole Foods closed in March 2017 after a rat infestation. The Whole Foods had helped bring new residents and young families to the neighborhood, but its closure has hurt local businesses and decreased foot traffic, according to BisNow, a digital media company. In response, local residents have petitioned to bring it back. ReEnvision Glover Park, a neighborhood task force that has dedicated itself to revitalizing the Glover Park section of Wisconsin Avenue, said the closures have hurt small businesses in the area. “The recent vacancies of our anchor tenants (Rite Aid, Starbucks and more importantly Whole Foods) along the Glover Park portion of Wisconsin Avenue have been challenging not only for the community but also for the local mom and pop shops that have depended on the foot traffic that these national stores bring to the retail corridor,” the group wrote in a statement to The Hoya.
GLOVER PARK DC
Glover Park residents who fill their prescriptions at the Rite Aid will now have their pharmacy records transferred to a different Walgreens location.
Campaign Aims to Protect Historic Tidal Basin Site AFUA NYANTAKYI Hoya Staff Writer
A campaign to preserve the tidal basin launched April 3, as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Trust for the National Mall plan to collaborate in response to rising sea levels and heavy foot traffic that threaten the basin’s longevity. The campaign, “Save the Tidal Basin,” invites proposals for new initiatives to improve the basin’s condition. The campaign is establishing the National Mall Tidal Basin Ideas Lab, a platform for architectural and landscape design firms to present their plans to protect the basin. The tidal basin, an inlet between the Potomac River and Washington Channel, was initially built in 1887 as a means of harnessing the tides to flush sediment from the channel and maintain water levels in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, according to the Library of Congress. Increased tourism in D.C. and climate change-connected flooding threaten its future, though, according to the campaign. American Express, a financial services company, sponsored the $750,000 brainstorming campaign that has been in progress for the past three years. It asks for design firms to propose solutions to five specific challenges facing the site: security, circulation, hydrology, cultural landscape and visitor experience. Despite rapid city development in Washington, D.C., the sea wall surrounding the basin has undergone few renovations since its construction, according to CBS News. In light of climate change, however, officials are looking beyond simple maintenance for long-term, sustainable solutions. During high tide, flood waters rise over the sidewalks surrounding the tidal basin. Over time, this compromises the roots of the cherry trees planted along its banks, creating muddy and uneven walking conditions that pose safety and accessibility challenges to visitors, according to CBS News. Despite being man-made, the tidal basin is connected to the Potomac, making it as susceptible to changes in sea levels as natural bodies of water. This flooding is currently a daily occurrence and is expected to increase in frequency as sea levels
continue to rise, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. D.C. residents and visitors should understand the potential impact of climate change, both on water sources and the economy, according to Shelby Gresch (SFS ’22), head of recycling for the Georgetown Renewable Energy Environmental Network. “Rising (and warming) seas cause upstream salinization in deltas and tidal basins, create uninhabitable conditions for many aquatic species, increase magnitude and frequency of natural disasters, and consequently harm the economy,” Gresch wrote in an email. The area around the basin is suffering further damage from increased foot traffic, as its walkways are too narrow for visitors, according to The Washington Post. Consequently, visitors tread on the roots of cherry trees — which already face harm from brackish flood water. The tidal basin, home to thousands of the District’s iconic cherry trees, is visited by 36 million people each year — it is the most-visited national park — and development projects could total up to $500 million, according to the Trust for the National Mall. Officials say it is too early, however, to estimate the cost or say what departments will pay, according to The Washington Post. Underfunding of the National
Park Service’s annual maintenance budget worsens the effects of climate change, according to the NTHP. The park service requested $393,469 for facility maintenance for fiscal year 2020, $18,153 less than in fiscal year 2019. In addition to underfunding, previous efforts to address the park service’s $11.9 billion maintenance backlog have not been successful. This included an attempt during the 115th Congress to pass legislation to raise maintenance funds, according to National Parks Traveler, but Congress adjourned without a final decision. Although similar bills have been presented in the current Congress, no funds have been dedicated to maintenance. Without definitive action, private philanthropy continues to provide the majority of support for initiatives like the Ideas Lab, according to the National Parks Traveler. Restoring the tidal basin, which is 107 acres and 10-feet deep, may be the largest-scale project the Trust for the National Mall has ever taken on, according to the National Parks Traveler. The Trust for the National Mall has led several past restoration projects, including a 2014 campaign to restore Constitution Gardens, a 2018 initiative to replace the Lincoln Memorial Roof and recent work to refurbish the Washington Monument and the historic lockkeeper’s house.
MARGARET FOUBERG/THE HOYA
During high tide, flood waters rise over the sidewalks surrounding the tidal basin, creating muddy conditions and obstructing foot traffic.
A10
SPORTS
THE HOYA
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019
TRACK AND FIELD
BASEBALL
GU Loses to Navy, Recovers Georgetown Sees Top-10 With 2 Wins Over Rider Finishes, Personal Bests TIM ROTERMUND Hoya Staff Writer
The Hoyas returned home last weekend about two thirds of the way through the season and rebounded with two wins over Rider University after losing in blowout fashion against Navy last Tuesday. Defensive mishaps against the Midshipmen (31-14, 15-6 AAC) cost the Hoyas (13-26, 2-4 Big East) dearly at Terwilliger Brothers Field in Annapolis, Md. Georgetown committed three errors on a single play in the bottom of the first inning, allowing three runs to score. The Hoyas committed four more errors in the third, allowing seven runs to score and falling behind 12-1 after the third inning. The Hoyas’ offense underperformed as well, mustering a mere three runs over the course of the entire game. The lone highlights came from sophomore infielder Eddie Mccabe and junior first baseman Freddy Achecar III, who each had a pair of hits. The Midshipmen, in contrast, drove in five more runs, easily expanding their lead over Georgetown. The sum of these struggles was a 17-3 loss for the Hoyas. Georgetown bounced back after the blowout loss, however, winning both games of the Saturday doubleheader at home against Rider University. The Hoyas won the first game by a score of 12-7. The offense came back to life after the tough loss against Navy, producing 15 hits and 12 runs, which was Georgetown’s first
time scoring double-digit runs in the last 18 games, according to GU Hoyas. Junior right-hander Nick Morreale started the game, earning the win on six innings pitched and three runs allowed. At the plate, graduate student outfielder Kyle Ruedisili led the Hoyas with three hits and two RBIs. Achecar III added three hits of his own and an RBI.
Junior right-hander Nick Morreale started the game, earning the win on six innings pitched and three runs allowed.
Georgetown jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, thanks to a double from Ruedisili and an RBI single from senior infielder Ryan Weisenberg. Then the floodgates opened in the bottom of the second. The Hoyas cycled through the lineup, sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring seven runs, taking a commanding 8-0 lead. Sophomore catcher Ryan Davis opened the bottom of the fourth with a home run over the left-field fence. Georgetown tacked on two more runs in the inning, extending its lead to 110, effectively ending the game. The Hoyas scored one more in
the sixth as they cruised to an easy victory. The second game of the doubleheader was not quite as smooth, though Georgetown narrowly defeated Rider 10-9. Ruedisili remained hot, hitting a home run and driving in two runs. Davis hit a home run as well, and sophomore catcher Alex Gamache went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. The Hoyas led 5-3 through five innings. However, the Broncs (13-26, 4-8 MAAC) scored two runs in the sixth to tie the game and four more in the seventh to capture a 9-5 lead. Georgetown responded in the bottom of the seventh. With two runners on base, Davis pinch-hit and delivered a three-run home run to left field, closing the gap to 9-8. After two more runners reached base, sophomore outfielder Kai Nelson hit a fly ball to center. The Broncs’ centerfielder mishandled the ball, and the runners came home, giving the Hoyas a 10-9 lead. The Rider Broncs nearly tied the game in the top of the ninth. With two outs and a man on second, junior outfielder Sebastian Williamson singled to left field. The baserunner attempted to score, but Nelson launched a well-directed throw home, beating the runner and securing a win for the Hoyas. Georgetown will return to the field Wednesday, April 24, taking on George Washington at home. Big East play resumes this weekend, with the Hoyas facing St. John’s in a threegame home series.
SIDNEY LEE
Hoya Staff Writer
The Georgetown track and field teams continued their strong progress last weekend, competing in three meets. On Friday, one group of men traveled to Azusa, Calif., for the Bryan Clay Invitational, hosted by Azusa Pacific University, while only fifth-year Joe White traveled to Torrance, Calif., for the Mount SAC Relays at Mt. San Antonio College. Another coed group returned to Princeton, N.J., Saturday for the Larry Ellis Invitational, which took place at Princeton University. The weekend was marked by a number of new personal records and top-10 finishes across the three meets. All-American fifth-year Joe White was the only member of the team to compete in the Mount SAC Relays. White ran in the 800-meter race for the first time this outdoor season, posting a time of 1:46.31 to claim second place. All-American senior duo Spencer Brown and Nick Wareham both broke personal records at the Bryan Clay Invitational in the 1500m run. Among their field, which
boasted more than 160 runners, Brown finished with a time of 3:39.94 — almost two seconds faster than his previous best — to place 11th. Wareham, meanwhile, finished shortly behind his classmate in 3:44.54, achieving 28th place. The men’s team demonstrated its strength and consistency in sprint events at the Larry Ellis Invitational. In the 200m dash, sophomore Nate Alleyne finished in the top five with a time of 21.71. In the 800m run, graduate student Brennan Munley broke through the top 10 with a time of 1:52.28. Both of these athletes continued their strong work throughout the season as they have proved themselves to be some of the men’s team’s most reliable competitors. The women’s team had great success in a diverse set of events at the Larry Ellis Invitational. An individual highlight of the weekend came from graduate student Josette Norris, who surpassed her previous personal record in the 1500m run by 10 seconds and finished with a time of 4:13.77. In the 3000m steeplechase event, junior Meg Mathison
gave Georgetown yet another top-10 finish to place sixth with a time of 10:37.73, continuing her steady work recently by adding to what proved to be a strong showing by the Hoyas throughout the weekend. Three freshmen on the women’s side, Sami Corman, Eni Akinniyi and Cathilyn McIntosh, also concluded their first year competing for the Hoyas with impressive performances, going toe-to-toe with some excellent competition and delivering some of their best performances of the year in the process. Along with Norris, Corman broke a personal record in the 1500m run, turning in a time of 4:26.18. Akinniyi posted a strong second-place finish in the triple jump with 11.85m, a mere 32 centimeters behind Dashia Middlebrooks from American International, who ended up victorious in that event. McIntosh came up in the top 10 in the 800m run to claim ninth place. The Hoyas will return to the track starting Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April 27, for the Penn Relays, which will be hosted by the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
CREW
Hoya Women Take 3rd Place; Men Falter Against Penn JACK LYNCH
Special to The Hoya
Last weekend, the Georgetown University lightweight women’s rowing team faced Princeton in the Class of 2006 Cup. The Princeton Tigers bested the Hoyas in a day consisting of four 2000 meter duels on a choppy Lake Carnegie, boosted by a strong tailwind. The women’s openweight team travelled to the Cherry Hill Invite in Cherry Hill, NJ, where the varsity eight boat finished third in the Grand Final late in the afternoon. The men’s lightweight team also competed against Penn and Princeton this past Saturday in Philadelphia, where they struggled to find any success. The Hoyas’ first varsity eight boat fell by only 3.2 seconds in a time of 7:29.0, while the first varsity four was edged out by an almost identical margin, crossing the finish line in 7:24.7. The 2X sculling event saw the Hoyas dominate down the stretch, finishing with a strong time of 7:39.3, over 22 seconds in front of the Princeton pair. The 3V4 race produced an exciting spectacle with the Georgetown quad emerging victorious at 7:36.6 in between two Princeton boats.
Despite falling to the strong Tigers squad, the Hoyas put together a solid showing, marking the day with two victories and two competitive second place finishes against some of the best competition they will see all year. At the Cherry Hill Invite, three boats competed for the women’s openweight Hoyas. The first varsity eight boat topped its heat in the morning with a time of 6:57.77. This performance put Georgetown in lane 4 for the Grand Final where the squad captured third place, finishing a mere ten seconds behind victors Rhode Island. The women’s second varsity eight opened the day with a fourth place finish in the morning, qualifying the Hoyas for the Petite Final. Later in the day, the second boat registered a five second drop from its morning time, edging out a competitive field thanks to a second wind. Another Hoyas varsity squad secured first place in the event’s final heat of the morning session. The efforts of coxswain Ruth Axton, stroke Jackie Hall, Helena Jensen, Abigail Sauvign and Caroline Moffatt sent the Blue and Gray to the varsity four Grand Final. In a challenging afternoon race to close out the day, the Hoyas
were still able to drop a second from their morning victory time, earning fifth place in a time of 8:33.24. The outing in New Jersey was strong evidence of the progress of the openweight program, as well as the depth of the roster. The women’s openweight team return to action this Friday, April 26 at the Lake Wheeler Invite in Raleigh, N.C. In Philadelphia, the men’s lightweight team competed in three separate races on the Schuylkill River. The first race was an enticing one, with just two seconds between the finishing times of the teams. Georgetown finished second right behind Princeton with a time of 6:03.35, beating Penn by just 0.4 seconds. Junior coxswain Ryan Zuccala led the boat’s efforts combined with fellow junior Olivier Malle at stroke. The second and third races did not fare as well for the Hoyas, as they finished third in both races behind Princeton and Penn after falling back early. The men’s lightweight team will return to Philadelphia to compete against Temple Saturday, April 27, while the heavyweight team breaks a bit longer before traveling back to Philadelphia to race Penn and Cornell on Saturday, May 4.
GUHOYAS
The Georgetown openweight women's varsity eight boat rows on the Cooper River. The boat finished first in its heat and third in the grand final Saturday.
GUHOYAS
Freshman Eni Akinniyi lands a triple jump attempt Saturday. With a jump of 11.85 meters, Akinniyi finished in second place in the event, her third top-three finish this season.
UNDER REVIEW
Despite Historic 2018, Boston Red Sox Falling Short in 2019
Jeff Swanson The Boston Red Sox dominated amid a historic 2018 season, notching 108 wins during the regular season and ultimately capturing the World Series trophy. However, the Fenway Faithful are currently far from satisfied, with their team sitting at nine wins and 14 losses to start the season, despite only one injured player, starter Nathan Eovaldi, and having played only six of the 23 games against teams which qualified for the playoffs last season. Heading into 2019, the front office mostly kept the band together, only letting relievers Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel leave for other teams. Moreover, the Red Sox demonstrated their faith in the current roster in the form of long term extensions to pitcher Chris Sale, who signed a five-year contract for $145 million, and shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who will receive $120 million over six years. These extensions underscored that the same formidable starting rotation and potent offense which carried the Red Sox to their winningest season in the team’s history would drive the team’s success yet again. Furthermore, general manager Dave Dombrowski believe that these units would be strong enough to carry a below average bullpen led by unheralded pitchers such as Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier and Tyler Thornburg. Yet, the pillars of the team have crumbled as both the starting pitching and the offense have been abysmal, resulting in a lackluster 9-14 record. The Red Sox are 5.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, who lead the American League East. Quite honestly, the Red Sox are fortunate to
be this close to the rest of the extremely strong division, as they were able to reduce their deficit by three games after recently sweeping the Rays in a three game series at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. A deeper examination reveals that the Red Sox’s rotation has been nothing short of putrid, ranking last in the MLB in starters’ ERA at 5.62 and 25th in batting average allowed at .262. This dismal output is the disappointing output of a rotation that contains two Cy Young Award winners, David Price and Rick Porcello, Cy Young runner-up Chris Sale, postseason hero Nathan Eovaldi, and the talented yet enigmatic Eduardo Rodriguez. The rotation’s track record would point toward a positive regression going forward, even when accounting for the extended absence of Eovaldi, who underwent a procedure to remove loose bodies from his throwing elbow on Wednesday. Those stats are after starting the season with only four games allowing three or fewer runs, or good games from the pitching staff, which demonstrates that their lack of success has been truly consistent. Meanwhile, the offense has also been experiencing struggles with getting hits late in games when the plate appearances matter the most, aside from the exceptional individual performance of designated hitter J.D. Martinez, who last year came to Boston and performed as the best free agent signing for the Boston Red Sox since the legendary Manny Ramirez in 2001, and journeyman Mitch Moreland, who leads the team with seven home runs and 14 RBIs, with the Red Sox standing at 5-2 in games where he clears the fence. Mookie Betts, the reigning league MVP, has gotten off to a modest start this season, batting .239 with four home runs, 10 RBIs, and a .352 onbase percentage. However, the larger problem for the Red Sox is that three positions in their lineup
— catcher, center field and second base — are essentially sinkholes. Collectively, the batting average for Red Sox catchers is .200, center fielders is .182, and second basemen is .128 — an MLB worst. These spots are primarily occupied by Christian Vazquez, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Eduardo Nunez. The catching triumvirate of Vazquez, Sandy Leon and Blake Swihart, who has since been traded away, continued their trend from last season of being futile at the plate, though all three have proven themselves as worthy defensive catchers. Additionally, the Red Sox have very few internal candidates for replacement because their farm system is bereft after several years of win-now acquisitions. If the Red Sox offense is going to improve, it will be dependent on the flourishing of younger players such as Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi, and the hope that the other role players will hone their skills over time. In the short term, the Red Sox will have the opportunity to gain momentum in the AL East due to an upcoming rematch against Tampa Bay, as well as winnable series against the rebuilding Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles. However, these next few series precede a much more difficult stretch, which will comprise of two series against the Houston Astros, as well as one series each against the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees. Next month’s stretch casts a fuller picture detailing the Red Sox’s ability to compete in 2019. In the event that the Red Sox experience an extended slide, it will be time for the front office to consider waving the white flag in 2019 and trading away pieces such as Martinez, Moreland or possibly even Betts in an effort to rebuild the farm system and contend in 2020. Jeff Swanson is a senior in the McDonough School of Business. UNDER REVIEW appears every other Friday.
SPORTS
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019
MEN’S LACROSSE
THE HOYA
A11
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
GU Bounces Back to Beat Old Dominon WOMEN’S LACROSSE, from A12
The second half followed a similar pattern, the only diffeence being that Georgetown started off the scoring just 19 seconds into the frame. Old Dominion scored another two during this half, but Georgetown put up seven, including senior Lilliana Brown scoring
her first-career goal to end the game. As the final horn sounded, Georgetown had a 18-4 conference win. Georgetown’s loss to Maryland is certainly a setback. Given their seven losses, the Hoyas may struggle to find their way into the NCAA tournament, despite the fact that all seven of these losses
have come against teams with higher rankings. The win over Old Dominion, however, allows Georgetown to clinch its 13th consecutive Big East tournament berth, becoming the only team to hold the distinction of making every single conference tournament since its inception in 2007. A strong showing in the Big East
tournament could help the Hoyas secure an at-large bid into the NCAAs, while an outright victory would guarantee them a spot. Georgetown will close out its regular season on Saturday with an away tilt against Big East rival Marquette, where a win would help to ensure a second-place conference finish.
MARGARET FOUBERG/THE HOYA
Sophomore goalie Owen McElroy stands in cage on Saturday. McElroy tallied four saves in a half against NJIT.
Hoyas Display Depth in Big East Win Over NJIT MEN’S LACROSSE, from A12
ing to clear the ball following forced turnovers, as the team rounds into form preparing for a hopeful playoff run. Georgetown closes out their regular season next week with a Big East matchup against St. John’s. A win for the Hoyas is crucial, as a loss would greatly diminish their chances at making the Big East Tournament. While Georgetown should be favored to win this game based on the conference standings, a victory is far from guaranteed. The Hoyas have to limit their confidence, as Head Coach Kevin Warne said earlier in the year that “It’s college lacrosse. So anybody can beat anybody on a given day,” Warne said following Georgetown’s 13-10 home victory over Drexel on March 16, which now proves haunting in an essential game for the Hoyas as they take on the Red Storm. The St. John’s team defeated a High Point squad in February that is now ranked 11th nationally, proving them capable of defeating opponents at or beyond the Hoyas’ level. The Hoyas will need to overcome their past impediments, including failed clears or an overreliance on Bucaro and Carraway for scoring, if they want to avoid a similar fate against St. John’s. The game against St. John’s, which will be the last home stand for this senior class, will be played on Cooper Field on Saturday, April 27.
heavier stretch at the end of the regular season. At the face-off X, freshman faceoff specialist James Reilly won 15 of 23 (.652) draws, while junior faceoff specialist Alex Bean won 8 of 11 (.727) faceoffs, helping the Hoyas start possessions on a regular basis in positions where they are able to execute the plays which they have practiced. On defense, senior defenseman Drew Abate and sophomore defenseman Joe LiCalzi each caused two turnovers. Between the pipes, sophomore goaltender Owen McElroy played the first half and registered four saves. Freshman goaltender Chris Brandau and junior goaltender Jack Stephenson split the last two quarters. Brandau notched three saves and Stephenson four. The contest against the Highlanders was hardly a challenge for the Hoyas, but it was nonetheless a good opportunity to play good team lacrosse and get the whole roster involved. The opportunity to get four players involved in the scoring on a regular basis throughout the afternoon provided good practice for the final stretch of the season, where the team will need strong performances from all of its players, not just the stars. The past few weeks have seen the Hoyas put aside some of their early season struggles at the face-off X as well as fail-
KIRK ZIESER/THE HOYA
The Hoyas celebrate a goal against Old Dominion. With Saturday’s win, the team clinched a spot in the Big East tournament for the 13th consecutive year, becoming the only team to do so every year since the conference’s inaugural season in 2007.
WOMEN’S GOLF
2 Hoyas Finish in Top 10 at Callawassie WOMEN’S GOLF, from A12
Bogache carded three birdies on the back nine to launch herself into individual third place after two rounds, while Parsells finished Saturday with an evenpar 72. With just the final round remaining, the Blue and Gray sat
in second place behind Xavier. Despite a final round team score of 305, the Hoyas were not able to jostle past Xavier, who held a firm grip on the lead throughout the whole tournament and ultimately won by 14 strokes. After the Hoyas, Seton Hall placed third,
St. John’s fourth, Creighton fifth, with Butler in last. Christina Parsells finished off her strong performance with third place overall in the Big East Championship at 10over par through three rounds, while Ashley Fitzgibbons solidified her third consecutive top-
10 finish at the Big East Championship. Pendleton Bogache finished in 12th place, followed by sophomore Elizabeth Nguyen who tied for 13th and senior Alexa Popowitz who moved up two spots in her final round to finish in 17th.
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GUHOYAS
Sophomore Elizabeth Nguyen watches her shot at the Big East championship. Nguyen climbed five spots on Saturday after shooting a 5-over par 77 in the tournament’s second round, and she finished 13th overall on Sunday with a 18-over par 234.
DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT?
Nicklaus’ 18 Majors Still Safe From Woods ZANGWILL, from A12
historically remarkable field where the top 15 finishers at Augusta included 8 of the top10 golfers in the world, in addition to Woods, future Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson and rising star Xander Schauffele, according to the Official World Golf Ranking. While his assessment of the difficulty of major No. 15 is accurate, Kellerman and other general sports commentators lack an understanding of how difficult winning any major is in the current era of golf. Tiger is competing in an era where new stars are born every few years and technology available to all golfers has leveled the playing field over time. Topping a field of 80 or more of the world’s elite on three or four more occasions is far more difficult now than it was in Tiger’s prime from 2000 to 2005. Let us start with the most important number for Woods: 43. Only eight majors have been won by someone over the age of 43 and no one has won multiple majors beyond that age. For someone who wanted to win a major into the later years of their career, now would not be the time to try. Professional golfers are far better at younger ages than they used to be, peaking in their 20s, not 30s. The majority of the current top 25 golfers in the world are in their
20s and early 30s, with only Woods, Mickelson, and Paul Casey being over 40. Looking through a historical lens, the best group to compare Woods with is the other legends of the game, whose longevity do not support the idea that Woods will keep winning. Sam Snead won his last major at 41, Ben Hogan at 40 and Gary Player at 42. However, Nicklaus famously won his final major at 46, which was the Masters in 1986. None of these legends, however, had the physical or mental histories of Woods. It remains unclear whether a 15th major victory ensures that Woods has returned to full health. Woods may have held off the scars of his play in recent years, where he had leads in many tournaments, only being able to win at East Lake, with last year’s success following four years of repeated missed cuts, but that does not erase those scarring memories. Even leaving age out of the picture, Woods is not the golfer he once was; that guy who never missed big putts is gone. Woods missed a putt from under five feet which would have extended his match against Lucas Bjerregaard last month at the WGC-Dell Match Play Championship. Furthermore, he ranks a mediocre 70th on tour in Strokes Gained: Putting, indicating that 69 players on
tour are helping their standing against the rest of the field more than Woods is while on the green. While Woods was able to outlast his competitors at Augusta National, Kellerman and those who agree with him should remember exactly how it unfolded. Francesco Molinari and Brooks Koepka made crucial mistakes coming down the stretch, both finding the water on the back nine. Furthermore, Koepka’s three wins in the last eight majors should keep Woods’ fans, who throughout his redemption and recovery have become everyone who is a fan of golf, up at night going forward. The likelihood of all the chips falling in Woods’ favor again seems minimal with the greens and pin locations having become more difficult over time and Woods losing some of his legendary feel around the edge of the green. Woods can obviously compete with the best in the world but he has proved that he is only one of many good golfers. The current era prevents him from repeating his stretch in 2000 and 2001 when he completed what is known in the golf world as the “Tiger Slam.” That was a stretch in which he won the undisputed five most important annual tournaments consecutively, having won the 2000 U.S. Open, the 2000 Brit-
ish Open, the 2000 PGA Championship, the 2001 Players Championship, and the 2001 Masters Tournament, holding the titles to all five as he put on his green jacket that April. No amount of talent can guarantee majors anymore with there simply being too many elite golfers to know who will contend in advance. Just ask Rory McIlroy, one of the undisputed best golfers in the world when he is on his game, who is now going on his fifth consecutive year without winning a major. I concede that Woods has spent his life doing the impossible. Winning four consecutive majors, spending 13 years atop the world rankings and going seven years in a row without missing a cut are incredible feats. Sam Snead’s all-time tour win record, which Woods trails by just one and has the opportunity to beat every time he tees it up on a Thursday, seems more attainable and even expected. One record, Nicklaus’ 18 Major championships, the most important in all of golf, will not be Woods’. Thanks to that magical age of 43, a balky putter, and the deepest fields golf has ever seen, Nicklaus should sleep just fine at night. Grant Zangwill is a sophomore in the McDonough School of Business. DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT? appears every other Friday.
Sports
Men’s Lacrosse Georgetown (10-4) vs. St. John’s (4-9) Saturday, April 27, 12 p.m. Cooper Field
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019
Hoyas bounce back with two wins over Rider after losing by double digits at Navy.
See A10
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Hoya Staff Writer
MARGARET FOUBERG/THE HOYA
Junior Gibson Smith looks upfield. Smith scored his second goal of the season Saturday in the 23-7 conference win.
Georgetown, Led By Offense, Wins Against NJIT The Georgetown men’s lacrosse team earned its 10th win Saturday, beating the New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders. The game was an excellent opportunity for the Hoyas to fine tune their skills in what seemed destined to be a high scoring game and get the whole roster involved as the season nears its end. The Georgetown offense was rolling smoothly against NJIT, and Georgetown (10-4, 2-2 Big East) posted its highest scoring total since 1999. Thirteen different Hoya players were able to score against the Highlanders (2-12) 23-7 , the most of any of their games this season. Junior
Women’s Lacrosse Coach Ricky Fried To GUHoyas
attackman Jake Carraway led the offense with four goals and two assists for six points. Senior attackman Robert Clark, freshman attackman Dylan Watson and sophomore midfielder Kevin Petrillo each also produced at least three points for the Hoyas. A number of players contributed points for the first time this season: freshman midfielder Peter Thompson, senior midfielder Derek Altobello, junior midfielder Cullen Morgan, freshman attackman Mason Bonnie and junior attackman Justin Meichner. Notably absent was senior attackman Daniel Bucaro, who was allowed to sit this game out as the coaches let him rest to prepare for the See MEN’S LACROSSE, A11
The No. 24 Georgetown women’s lacrosse team fell at home to the No. 2 Maryland squad 17-8 last Wednesday, April 17. The team was able to recover with a decisive 18-4 victory over Old Dominion later in the week. Georgetown’s offensive effort against Maryland (16-0) was led by senior attacker Taylor Gebhardt and junior attacker Emily Ehle, who each contributed a goal and two assists. Junior attacker Michaela Bruno and senior midfielder Francesca Whitehurst added two points apiece for the Hoyas (9-7, 3-1 Big East). Senior goalkeeper Haelle Chomo posted seven saves. The defense forced 14 turnovers, but allowed the Terps to take 32 shots, while the Hoya offense only managed 21. The decisive Maryland victory was largely enabled by the team’s dominance over possession. The Terps managed to haul in 21 draw controls, while the Hoyas secured only six. The Hoyas jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first five minutes off scores from Bruno and senior attacker Morgan Ryan. Maryland responded with a goal of its own, but Georgetown answered with two more, putting the score at 4-1 just over 10 minutes into the frame. The scoring slowed down at this point, and the Terps slowly clawed back, outscoring the Hoyas 3-1 over the next 15 minutes of gameplay. Georgetown responded, however, with three goals in the final four minutes of the half. Entering halftime,
the scoreboard read 8-4 in favor of the Hoyas. Georgetown’s final goal of the first half would be their final goal of the game. Maryland dominated the second half, blanking Georgetown while scoring 13 goals of their own. The game would end in defeat for the Hoyas, with the scoreboard reading 17-8. Georgetown’s following game, against a much less formidable Old Dominion squad (3-13, 0-4), proved much less challenging.
The Georgetown women’s golf team traveled to Callawassie, South Carolina last weekend for the Big East Women’s Golf Championship, where they battled for their third consecutive Big East championship. The 54-hole tournament
took place over the course of three days on the Magnolia and Dogwood Courses at Callawassie Island Golf Club. The Hoyas competed against the five other schools that compete in the Big East women’s golf conference: Butler, Creighton, St. Johns, Seton Hall and Xavier. After a windy Friday, the Hoyas sat in third place behind
Xavier and Seton Hall. All players were able to complete at least 10 holes before the round was cut short because of inclement weather. Junior Ashley Fitzgibbons finished 13 holes before play was suspended for the day where she sat tied for third place at 4-over par. All teams finished their firstround play Saturday morning
town bounced back by hauling in 17 of the game’s 23 draw control contests. Neither team scored for five minutes, a drought broken by a goal from Ryan and two more from Whitehurst. This hot start set the tone for the half, which saw the Hoyas outscoring the Monarchs 11-2 and holding them scoreless for the final eight minutes of the frame. See WOMEN’S LACROSSE, A11
KIRK ZIESER/THE HOYA
GU Takes 2nd at Big East Championship Hoya Staff Writer
Whitehurst led the way on offense with four goals and three assists, while Gebhart tallied five points and Ryan added four more. In total, six Hoyas scored multiple points on the day, and the team enjoyed a 4211 advantage in shots. The Hoya defense made easy work of the Monarch offense, forcing 19 turnovers and allowing Chomo to get the win with only three saves. Following the possession struggles of the Maryland game, George-
Junior attack Michaela Bruno, left, carries the ball down the field Saturday. Bruno scored two goals in the loss to Maryland, and she contributed one goal and three assists in the win over Old Dominion.
WOMEN’S GOLF
JP HARRISON
23
Goals scored by men’s lacrosse, their highest scoring total since 1999.
Hoyas Fall Apart, Lose to No. 2 Maryland HENRY MIHM
Hoya Staff Writer
We have to come in and work hard every day.”
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
MEN’S LACROSSE
NICKY PISONI
NUMBERS GAME
TALKING POINTS
BASEBALL
before beginning the second round, with the Hoyas standing in third place after 18 holes. During the second round, the Hoyas made their move into second place due to stellar performances by senior duo Pendleton Bogache and Christina Parsells. See WOMEN’S GOLF, A11
GUHOYAS
Senior Pendleton Bogache strikes the ball at Callawassie. Bogache found herself in third place through 36 holes, but her 11- over 83 in the final round on Sunday meant that she finished 12th overall with a 17-over par 233. Visit us online at thehoya.com/category/sports
DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT?
Grant Zangwill
Is Nicklaus’ Major Record Back In Play for Woods? Sports fans and media from around the world tuned in with fascination during The Masters Tournament earlier this month when Tiger Woods made history by winning the green jacket, his first major championship in over a decade. The magnitude of Woods’ win combined with all that he has overcome from a physical standpoint, including multiple major injuries to his back, a torn ACL and multiple other neck and leg injuries, evoked emotion in writers, fans, competitors and the legend himself. The appreciation for Woods’ comeback did not stop with reflection on what we saw from April 11 to 14; it extended to predictions, as sports commentary often does. Max Kellerman of ESPN’s “First Take” was one of many in the prevalent sports media to weigh in on Woods’ renewed quest for Jack Nicklaus’ major championship record. Nicklaus won the four annual major championships a total of 18 times over the course of his storied career, the most in golf history. With Woods’ win earlier this month, he has upped his career total to 15, with the most recent being one of his most legendary, having defeated
fellow American Rocco Mediate in an incredibly rare 18-hole playoff at the 2008 U.S. Open at the legendary Torrey Pines in San Diego, Calif. Woodswon after five rounds at this course where he has achieved so many victories and created so many memories, all while suffering through a torn ACL, which he had suffered shortly before the even. Analyzing the chances of Woods reaching the Nicklaus’ golden record of being the best golfer on the biggest stages, Kellerman reasoned that Woods could conceivably compete in majors on a regular basis for the next decade. After all, the dominant force who outlasted everyone at Augusta National appears as good as ever. Well aware of the fact that 43, Woods’ current age, is well beyond when the peak of most golfers’ careers end, Kellerman asserted, “[Woods] is going to win [at least] three more majors before he is done.” Furthermore, Kellerman subscribes to the belief that this most recent major was the most difficult of all to win considering that Woods was fighting his own 11-year drought and a See ZANGWILL, A11