GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S NEWSPAPER OF RECORD SINCE 1920 thehoya.com
Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 101, No. 9, © 2019
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
Basketball Preview
Learn about the men’s and women’s hoops teams as the 2019-20 season gets underway next week.
EDITORIAL GUSA has implemented necessary internal reform but lacks timelines in advocacy goals.
THE BEE’S KNEES Georgetown is applying to become the first Bee Campus in the District.
OPINION, A2
NEWS, A8
New GU Initiative Francis, Olvera Reflect on Term Progress Seeks Partnerships The pair hopes to push the university to enact further change With Descendants KATRINA SCHMIDT AND CADY STANTON Hoya Staff Writers
MYROSLAV DOBROSHYNSKYI Hoya Staff Writer
Georgetown University will launch an initiative supporting community-based projects with GU272 descendants after a student referendum in April voted in favor of a reconciliation fund to benefit the descendants. The initiative, which will include an advisory board composed of faculty, students, alumni staff and descendants, will support new projects focused on education, research
and service under the advisement of the descendant communities, University President John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95) announced in a campuswide email Tuesday. However, the initiative will not incorporate the fee proposed by the April student referendum. In addition to the primary projects of the initiative, the university will also form two additional advisory groups to continue the university’s academic and research initiatives See GU272, A6
KIRK ZEISER/THE HOYA
The university has announced a community-based projects initiative in place of implementing a semersterly fee voted on in an April referendum.
Georgetown University Student Association President Norman Francis Jr. (COL ’20) and Vice President Aleida Olvera (COL ’20) are hard-set on achieving their campaign promise of institutional reform, whether these goals come to fruition during or after their terms as executives. Focusing on the transparency and accessibility of their administration, Francis and Olvera have worked toward fulfilling their campaign priorities laid out earlier this year. In their term, the executives have attempted to implement change within their positions while also focusing on laying a framework for the president and vice president to come after them. Francis and Olvera were elected in February with 51% of the vote in the final round of voting. The pair’s election cycle saw a voter turnout of 32%, or 2,185 students casting votes: the lowest voter turnout in a GUSA executive election since 2007, which saw 2,121 votes. Halfway through their term as GUSA executives, Francis and Olvera sat down for an interview with The Hoya on Oct. 27 to reflect on their administration’s accomplishments, their expectations for the rest of their term and long-standing issues on campus, including the GU272 referendum.
MAGGIE FOUBERG/THE HOYA
Georgetown University Student Association President Norman Francis Jr. (COL ’20) and Vice President Aleida Olvera (COL ’20) sat down for an interview with The Hoya on Oct. 27.
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY
During their campaign for the executive seats earlier this year, Francis and Olvera ran on a platform of “T.R.A.P.”: transparency, reform, accessibility and progress. To increase the transparency and accessibility of the administration, the pair has implemented two new online platforms for the organization — bitly.com/gusa-library and
bitly.com/gusa-comment — for the student body to use. The executives created the first online platform, which publishes all meeting notes and executive press releases, to distribute their administration’s work, while the second serves as a place to receive student feedback. “That’s one of the big things that we launched that not a lot of people know about,” Olvera said. “We could probably do a better job of publicizing it.
That’s something that we really, really wanted to focus on around transparency.” Staying true to its campaign priorities throughout the rest of its term remains the goal of the administration, according to Olvera. “We haven’t lost touch with what we ran on, and I think it’s been really great that we’ve actually continued doing that same See FRANCIS/OLVERA, A6
Hong Kong Protests Spur Alumni Celebration Relocation GRACE BUONO Hoya Staff Writer
John Carroll Weekend, an annual alumni celebration set to take place April 16 to 19, 2020, will no longer be held in Hong Kong as a result of the city’s ongoing political unrest. The Georgetown University Alumni Association announced its decision to move the four-day event in an Oct. 23 update on the JCW website. Though the celebration, which is open to all alumni, will no longer be held in Hong Kong, JCW is still set to take place the same weekend. The university has not yet announced the new location. JCW typically features unique city tours, dozens of educational panels and social events. The weekend culminates with a banquet, celebrating the recipients of the John Carroll Award and Patrick Healy Award, which are awarded to alumni whose achievements exemplify the ideals of Georgetown and its founder, John Carroll. While JCW has been held across the United States and internationally in cities like Rome and Madrid, the event has never been hosted in Asia. After a successful international alumni reunion in
FEATURED
Hong Kong in 2015 and other regional Georgetown events, bringing JCW to Asia was the next step, according to Executive Director of the Alumni Association Julia Farr (CAS ’88). “We have been developing our relationship with our community in Asia for many years,” Farr said in an interview with The Hoya. “This is a great time where we can go and have a wider celebration.”
“We’re deeply committed to our alumni in Asia. We’re going back. And when it’s the right time, we’ll plan for this again.” JULIA FARR (CAS ’88) Executive Director, Alumni Association
Joan Shang (SFS ’08), the president of the Hong Kong chapter of the Alumni Club, wrote that she was eager to share her city with fellow alumni. “I was quite happy for the opportunity to present my
city to my fellow Hoyas from all over the world, though also quite aware of the logistical challenges of planning an event from halfway across the world,” Shang wrote in an email to The Hoya. The Hong Kong weekend was expecting 1,200 alumni from across all of Georgetown’s nine graduate and undergraduate schools. But, over the past few months, alumni began notifying the Alumni Association that they would no longer attend the event given the ongoing political protests in Hong Kong, which have continued since June, according to Farr. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam introduced legislation in February that would allow criminal suspects to be extradited from Hong Kong to mainland China, igniting massive protests across the city. Lam has since withdrawn the bill, but protestors continue to call for institutional reforms in Hong Kong, such as addressing police brutality and increasing democratic freedom. Ultimately, the event was canceled because of the logistical challenges that the uncertain political environment posed for an event of See JCW, A6
KASSIDY ANGELO FOR THE HOYA
Call Your Mother, a popular Petworth bagel deli, is at the center of local debate as officials weighed granting the Georgetown location an exception to zoning rules.
2 Local Government Officials Oppose New Bagel Deli Location JAIME MOORE-CARILLO Hoya Staff Writer
Two prominent local government leaders recently penned letters opposing Call Your Mother’s planned opening at the corner of 35th and O streets, despite an earlier vote to allow the deli to operate in the residential neighborhood. Georgetown’s Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E Commissioner Rick Murphy and Washington, D.C. Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) wrote to the Board of Zoning Adjustment call-
ing for the denial of a pending zoning application that would allow the deli’s opening. The BZA, which approves exceptions to zoning rules, was scheduled to hear the deli’s case Wednesday. On Wednesday, the zoning board postponed its ruling to Dec. 4 to gather more information on how Call Your Mother, which already has a popular Petworth location, could address concerns, according to the deli’s founder and owner Andrew Dana. “Obviously we wished they had made a decision yesterday because we are paying
rent on the space and have already hired some people for this,” Dana said in a Thursday interview with The Hoya. “We promise we’re going to be good neighbors, and this worst-case scenario that the neighbors are worried about is simply not going to happen.” Four residents who live near the intersection also wrote to the BZA in opposition to the deli’s opening. However, five supporters submitted letters expressing their approval of the project. See CALL YOUR MOTHER, A6
NEWS
OPINION
GUIDE
Gillibrand Visits Campus The former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate spoke on the importance of diversity in public service. A5
Wealth Redistribution Haley Talati (COL ’20) argues that the Bible encourages governments’ role in alleviating income inequality. A3
Acceptance on the Airwaves Children’s media have begun including LGBTQ representation into their shows, presenting more diverse stories. B2
NEWS
OPINION
GUIDE
First Dharmalaya The first consecrated multi-Dharmic space on a U.S. college campus will open in Copley Hall in spring 2020. A7
CAPS Fails Students Elena Evans (COL ’22) details how CAPS failed her when she most needed support. A3
A Soulless Icon Kanye West’s new album “Jesus Is King” fails to live up to the artist’s legacy or redeem his divisive behavior. B4
Published Fridays
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A2
OPINION
THE HOYA
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
THE VERDICT Spooky Johnson — Prime Minister Boris Johnson has entered the top 10 Halloween costumes in the U.K. this year, joining the likes of Joker, Pennywise and Spider-Man. The same study found many families in the U.K. are drawing inspiration from Brexit for their costumes this year.
Founded January 14, 1920
EDITORIAL
GUSA Execs Rebuild Student Trust When Georgetown University Student Association President Norman Francis Jr. (COL ’20) and Vice President Aleida Olvera (COL ’20) were sworn in last spring, they inherited their office amid high levels of student apathy toward GUSA. The pair campaigned on a platform of “T.R.A.P.” — transparency, reform, accessibility and progress — and have had more success accomplishing the first two aspects of the platform than the latter. While the pair has pushed for increased transparency and implemented mandatory bystander training in GUSA that seeks to change the culture of the organization, such internal reforms have not translated to success in advocating for students.
REBUILDING A DYSFUNCTIONAL GUSA
Coming into their administration after previous administrations’ failure degraded student trust, Francis and Olvera had an uphill battle. Thus, accomplishments of this administration must be evaluated in light of the problems of GUSA that they inherited. Francis and Olvera took office in the first GUSA election after the resignation of resident Sahil Nair (SFS ’19) amid allegations of sexual misconduct; no complaints were filed against Nair through the Title IX Office or the Office of Student Conduct, according to Nair and confirmed by a university spokesperson. Vice President Naba Rahman (SFS ’19), Chief of Staff Aaron Bennett (COL ’19) and nine other senior staff members also resigned amid allegations against other members of mishandling Nair’s misconduct. While President Juan Martinez (SFS ’20) and Vice President Kenna Chick (SFS ’20), who were appointed after Nair and Rahman’s resignation, did a laudable job, especially in valuing student activism and communicating with the student body, their predecessors had severely tarnished GUSA’s reputation. When Francis and Olvera were elected, trust in GUSA was low. 38.9% of students indicated their trust in GUSA as weak, while only 2% indicated strong trust in the organization, according to a February 2019 poll of 615 students by The Hoya. In light of the challenges the Francis-Olvera administration faced, the pair has made strides in rebuilding trust in GUSA.
ENACTING INTERNAL REFORMS
The strong internal reforms that Francis and Olvera have implemented show promise of improving the culture within GUSA. The pair’s actions go a long way to fulfill the first two aspects of their campaign promise, transparency and reform. The administration has improved GUSA transparency by publishing all their meeting notes, implementing a student feedback form and posting a biweekly brief from the executive on its Facebook page. By providing students with more information on GUSA’s operations, the executive has created more opportunities for student involvement. However, as Olvera herself acknowledged in an Oct. 27 interview with The Hoya, the executives can improve their efforts to publicize information. The pair has created two new online platforms to connect with the executive — bitly.com/gusalibrary and bitly.com/gusa-comment — but they have been poorly publicized. The quality of the executive outreach is also inconsistent, with meeting notes ranging from detailed and informative to unintelligible without context. To further fulfill their promise of transparency, Francis and Olvera should better advertise their efforts by posting links to their online platforms on social media or in their weekly email to the student body. The administration must also ensure that all meeting notes posted are detailed and understandable for students who had not attended the meeting. The current administration’s most notable achievement is in reforming the culture of GUSA. Under Francis and Olvera, GUSA has implemented a policy requiring all members of the student government to attend bystander training, a program coordinated by Health Education Services to address sexual misconduct. The university only requires three members of university-recognized student organizations to attend training. GUSA members who fail to complete requirement will have a mark next to their names on the association’s website indicating they have not attended training, according to Francis and Olvera. The pair will also work with GUSA’s chief personnel officer to schedule makeup sessions in case of high demand. Problems of sexual misconduct have occured within GUSA and on campus, as indicated by the 2019 Campus Climate Survey that shows 31.6% of undergraduate women, 11.6% of undergraduate
men and 31.3% of gender nonconforming undergraduates have experienced assault since entering college. Francis and Olvera’s insistence on comprehensive bystander training is certainly a step in the right direction. The administration’s efforts to make GUSA more transparent and implement bystander training within the organization are commendable. Such actions show that the executives are not afraid of being held accountable for their actions and encourage student trust of the organization.
LACKING TIMELINES, COMMUNICATIONS
The remainder of Francis and Olvera’s platform — accessibility and progress — have seen fewer accomplishments from the administration. On accessibility, the executive has partnered with the Center for Multicultural Equity and Access on its textbook co-op, through which students can borrow books for free. The administration is seeking to enroll Georgetown in the Capital Bikeshare program by the end of November, in which students can pay $25 for unlimited 30-minute rides. Such initiatives, though relatively small, improve academic and transportation accessibility for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. However, campaign promises made by the pair in February still lack tangible timelines. For example, the pair planned to increase signage of accessible routes on campus, but this policy goal is not seen on GUSA’s website, nor has the executive provided a timeline. The idea of an academic forgiveness program, which Olvera mentioned in their interview, also sees no timeline. When proposing new initiatives, the executives should ensure they are not making empty promises and should work as much as possible to establish a timeline of action. The executives also have an obligation to push for more transparency in the university’s Title IX Office, a significant issue affecting the student body. The Title IX Office has been understaffed since former Title IX Coordinator Laura Cutway departed in June 2018. After a yearlong absence in the coordinator position, the university promoted former investigator Samantha Berner to fill the coordinator role in July, leaving the investigator position empty. Francis and Olvera have been emailing Vice President for Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Rosemary Kilkenny (LAW ’87) and Berner asking for updates regarding the current investigator hiring process, according to Francis. The executives said they will continue to follow up with the university on this issue. Continued demand for university action is important but inadequate for the GUSA executive. As students with the privilege of communicating to university administrators on a regular basis, Francis and Olvera need to move beyond what other students are able to do. The pair must demand action from the university and communicate any updates to the student body through email or social media. If the university is uncooperative, the executive shoulodmake that clear to students so students can support GUSA in demanding more university transparency. The GUSA executives have noticed the university’s lack of response to their current communications and are pursuing other avenues to confront the university. This recognition bodes well for the organization’s advocacy but, as the executives pursue these more assertive tactics, they should share the information they learn with students to allow more pressure to be placed on Georgetown in case of inaction.
MOVING FORWARD
Halfway into their term, Francis and Olvera’s biggest accomplishments seem to be reform within GUSA. In light of the poor performance of the Nair-Rahman administration before them, such a feat should not be overlooked. Moving forward, this editorial board urges the GUSA executive to institutionalize these positive internal developments to pass along to its successors. The next GUSA administration should not have to start from scratch; rather, it should be able to build upon the current executive’s improvements to the organization. This editorial board also urges the executives to use the remainder of their term to achieve more policy goals. Their initiatives are commendable, and their stance on the Title IX Office is admirable, but, as they move forward with policy goals and conversations with university administration, Francis and Olvera should establish clear timelines for their policy goals and keep students informed about their communications with university administration.
Maya Gandhi, Editor-in-Chief Academics Desk Editor Graduate Desk Editor Campus Life Desk Editor Campus Life Desk Editor City Desk Editor Deputy Sports Editor Steven Botsoe Deputy Guide Editor Michelle Brown Deputy Guide Editor Yu Young Lee Deputy Guide Editor Zain Sandhu Deputy Guide Editor Megan Wee Deputy Guide Editor Max Hamid Deputy Opinion Editor Rebecca Stekol Deputy Opinion Editor Afua Nyantakyi Deputy Features Editor Karena Landler 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
Dobroshynskyi Madeline Charbonneau, Executive Editor Myroslav Amy Li Sana Rahman Kiera Geraghty, Executive Editor Riley Rogerson Connor Thomas Amber Gillette, Managing Editor Joanna LaCoppola
Katrina Schmidt, News Editor Cady Stanton, News Editor Jake Wexelblatt, Sports Editor Allan Navarro, 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
Faris Bseiso, Bianca Corgan, Joshua Levy, Haley Wint, Joseph Yacovone, Grant Zangwill
Contributing Editors
Susanna Blount, Will Cromarty, Erin Doherty, Harrison Hurt
Getting Grilled — An Albany dog named Coco was stuck inside the grill of a startled driver’s Chevy Cruze after the dog escaped and was narrowly struck. The driver traveled for nearly 45 minutes before realizing the shiba inu, who sustained only minor injuries, was along for the ride. Crazy Rich — Police are looking for a Nebraska man who recently attempted to open a new account using a fake $1 million bill. Despite the best efforts of the teller, the man refused to accept the bill was fake but eventually left with his bill and no account. WW-Jeez — On his way to the WWE “Crown Jewel” event in Saudi Arabia, Hulk Hogan experienced a severe delay in Iceland, as his plane’s brakes melted upon landing. Hogan, who was otherwise stranded in Iceland, happened to have a pilot friend in the area who helped him complete his journey on time. Candy Compromise — After receiving a great deal of criticism regarding its policy, a town in Virginia has raised the legal trick-or-treating age to 14 from 12. After becoming the butt of many jokes, the local government in Chesapeake, Va., worked tirelessly in the past year to enact these changes.
EDITORIAL CARTOON by Advait Arun
HOYA HISTORY: October 26, 1973
GU Dems Demand Nixon Impeachment Despite President Richard Nixon’s agreement to turn over the Watergate tapes, Georgetown University’s Young Democrats still plan to participate in a protest calling for the impeachment of Nixon, organized for tomorrow at noon. The organizers expect 10,000 protestors to assemble at Lafayette Square, across the street from the White House, to participate in the march down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol. Although Nixon agreed to comply with John Sirica’s demands for the tapes, the Young Democrats feel there are sufficient charges against Nixon to warrant his impeachment. Rieffe stated that besides
attending “the mass march from Lafayette Square to the Capitol, we are going to run a letter writing campaign to persuade members of Congress to impeach the President.” The letters will be aimed at “house members especially,” Rieffe said. “For it is in the House that impeachment must come.” Though he believes Nixon’s latest decision “will not deter the move for impeachment,” when asked what the chances for impeachment were he replied, “Very low, I can’t see Congress taking such bold action.” When asked why the Young Dems are marching tomorrow if they don’t believe Nixon will be impeached Rieffe replied, “To discount Nixon and oth-
er Republicans. Discrediting him will give Democratic candidates a better chance (of being elected).” Nixon’s surrendering of the tapes has cooled down the movement for impeachment. This decision came after a caucus of House Republicans deciding they would not back up Nixon or block impeachment if they did not hand over the tapes. Many congressmen are also calling for the reinstatement of Archibald Cox and the Office of Special Watergate Prosecutor, and some are still seeking impeachment on various other grounds.
Wayne Saitta and Jeff Hrapsky Hoya Staff Writers
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OPINION
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
BETWEEN THE LINES
THE HOYA
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AS THIS JESUIT SEES IT
Haley Talati
Battle Wealth Disparity
S
ince the congressional elections of November 2018, a number of young, progressive new legislators have aimed to reshape public discourse surrounding wealth redistribution. Perhaps most prominently, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) garnered attention for proposing a marginal tax rate of 70% on income over $10 million. Ocasio-Cortez was met with backlash from conservatives who argued that such policies are unfair and “castigate” the rich. Such arguments reflect the tendency of many conservative Christians to oppose governmentsponsored welfare programs in favor of helping the poor through intermediaries that include the family, the church and individual charity. To defend these views, they often cite passages from the Gospels in which Jesus compels his followers to give secretly to charity through religious alms. However, the Gospels’ support for voluntary wealth redistribution does not imply a prohibition against government programs that address the same goal, and a closer reading of passages such as Matthew 19:24 and 25:31-46 provides a defense of mandating that the rich contribute to them generously. In the Gospels, wealth redistribution is consistently portrayed as morally good: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor,” according to Matthew 19:21. The overarching notion of challenging inequality is not the disagreement at stake — it arises more specifically over governments’ rights to facilitate wealth transfers, which some Christians argue is unbiblical. While verses like Matthew 19:21 name the pertinence of acts of charity, the importance lies in how effective they are at actually helping their intended recipients. This idea is evidenced by Jesus’ explicit self-identification with those in need in Matthew 25:3146 — the centrality of this idea of providing the poor with the basic necessities of life and suggests that the importance of welfare, lies in its impact. Wealth redistribution doesn’t exist so the rich can feel a sense of moral comfort — it should
have concrete effects on the well-being of those it aims to benefit. Given that actions from families, churches and charity programs have not solved financial inequality, the Gospels’ basic message must support government-sponsored wealth redistribution programs to better address this problem. If voluntary programs are not working, these texts point to the government’s obligation to step in. The idea of fixing inequality through voluntary donations hasn’t taken shape in reality — compulsory systems of taxation are the only realistic option. The Gospels not only discuss the mandate to help the poor, but also condemn extreme wealth accumulation: Jesus states that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” in Matthew 19:24. If conservative Christians truly want to live by the Bible, they should have no qualms with rich Americans surrendering a large proportion of their wealth to government programs. The spirit of these biblical passages clearly carries broad implications about implementing fair tax rates and financing projects that take on income inequality. Individual charitable donations cannot realistically make a dent in the massive problem of financial inequality. Requiring people and corporations with exorbitant amounts of money to pay taxes at a reasonable rate would be a much more effective means of addressing this problem. Many conservative Christians ignore the unavoidable fact that the Gospels’ mandates to help the poor are not theoretical notions but rather concrete calls to action. They readily assert, regarding other political topics, that the government should be able to enforce whatever the Bible has to say. A careful reading of the text confirms what progressives know well: If public goodwill cannot solve a problem as significant as financial inequality, the government can and should step in to do so.
But extensions are also good, and, when they are needed, given and used, they remind us of the deeper truth that our lives are bigger than any one assignment or even several assignments.
Acknowledge Importance of Extensions
Fr. Matthew Carnes, S.J.
L
ate October and early November signal the start of a special season here at Georgetown. No, I do not mean the start of fall, although I do always savor the increasingly brisk mornings. Rather, the special season I hail is what I have come to call “extension season.” It is the time when the best intentions and most fastidious planning of generations of students inevitably run up against the accumulation of assignments, the hard limits of days that only last 24 hours, bodies that need rest and flu bugs that seem to detect when the immune system is at its weakest. I have found that extension season occurs nearly like clockwork at this time each year.Rather than become angry Haley Talati is a senior in the Col- about these requests, though, lege. BETWEEN THE LINES appears I have come to see it as one of online every other Wednesday. the most important, and often
misunderstood, times in each of our journeys through the year. Maybe because it often creeps up on us, striking when we had hoped to be on top of everything, it embodies a particular kind of wisdom. It invites us to see — and embrace — our human limitations and to share those limitations with one another in a spirit of honesty and compassion. Now, I should be clear. Extensions are not a part of every student’s experience every semester, and they probably should not be. Deadlines are good — for both teacher and student — and we do well to keep them most of the time. But extensions are also good, and, when they are needed, given and used, they remind us of the deeper truth that our lives are bigger than any one assignment or even several assignments. They put class, papers or exams into perspective in a way that we would rarely choose if this stressful time did not require it. Over the years, many of the most thoughtful, self-reflective conversations I have had with students occurred when they realized they needed an extension. In some cases, it has allowed students to voice how their commitments are
VIEWPOINT • EVANS
becoming unmanageable, and the extension is a first step toward reorienting their energies. In other cases, the moment has come when they recognize their physical or mental or emotional health is suffering, and taking some extra time and, in some cases, getting additional care, is what they need to be able to live to the fullest. In other cases, something has come up in the student’s family or relationships, clubs, internships, service or jobs that just makes staying focused on my class impossible. But I also know how hard it is to ask for an extension. I remember well the first time I went to a professor — one of those whom I most respected — to sheepishly ask for a two-day extension on a paper. It felt like a total failure to me, and I was sure he would be disappointed at my apparent lack of planning or dedication to his course. To make matters worse, I wondered if, after this extension, he would think less of me and perhaps not want to have me in his much-coveted seminar. To my absolute surprise, he granted the extension, no questions asked. Then, with his usual good humor, he told me two obvious truths: First, there was no way he could read all the papers
on the first day; second, it would be far more satisfying for him to read something that I considered my best work. The extension, which was just a few days long, was like opening a valve on my overstressed, overpressured self. Jesuits often speak of one of St. Ignatius’ directives — the “presupposition” — in which we give people the benefit of the doubt in what they say and do. Extensions, when we trust ourselves enough to ask for them and give them, and are kind enough to accept the real human limitations that give rise to them, do the same. Sometimes I wish there were a way for us to live in the spirit of “extension season” every day, helping ourselves and others feel free from the stresses to which we often given outsize importance in our lives. If we did, we would truly be free to do our best work and to be our best selves. Fr. Matthew Carnes, S.J., is an associate professor in the department of government and the School of Foreign Service, and he currently serves as the director of the Center for Latin American Studies. AS THIS JESUIT SEES IT appears online every other Tuesday.
INTERFAITH INSIGHTS
Address CAPS Service Failures Bridging Islam Sectarian Divides
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fter winter break last year, I returned to campus and almost immediately knew something was wrong. Within the first few days of the semester, I found myself teetering between overpowering tears or feeling absolutely nothing. Unfortunately, this situation was not new to me — I’ve struggled with anxiety, depression and chronic physical illnesses my whole life, but this time the sudden intensity scared me. My family history is full of various mental illnesses, so I knew that sometimes these feelings just come and go, especially when there’s a genetic chemical imbalance in play. Two weeks later, I knew I had to try something because, instead of looking forward to weekends and parties, I spent more time thinking about dying. Nothing in my life was actually wrong, yet I felt like living was no longer sustainable. I wanted to walk into Counseling and Psychiatric Services and feel the weight off my shoulders. I needed to know I wasn’t the only person fighting for me. I waited about two hours to be evaluated by CAPS. I was frustrated, but I understood, as CAPS has 19 clinical staff members to serve Georgetown University’s over 15,000 students. When I was finally seen, I couldn’t hold in the desperation. I answered the questions, and, with every answer, the risk factors for self-harm and suicide piled up higher and higher. I have chronic illnesses: two to three times more likely to attempt suicide. Family history of mental illness: 2.5 times more likely. One month before, I had lost a very close family mem-
ber—his intense depression and mania stopped him from taking the anticoagulation medication that would’ve prevented the multiple strokes that killed him. I specifically said that I didn’t think I could live anymore and that I had cut within the last week. I was told to email if I wasn’t contacted within two days. I went on a Friday, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt. When I hadn’t heard anything by the next Thursday, I emailed. Nothing. The next day, I sent another saying I was copying my mom on the email because she was very concerned. Two days later I got a response. They said I would get an appointment with an inhouse psychiatrist within two to four weeks, but in the interim I could try contacting two therapists in the city. I called the hospital three times, leaving voicemails each time, but never heard back. When I tried the numbers CAPS had recommended, the two therapists were not taking new patients or didn’t take insurance. I called CAPS about the situation, and I never heard anything. I never got any emails about other options or about the appointment I was supposedly getting. I didn’t know what to do, so my mom called my primary physician at home and assured her I would see a psychiatrist as soon as possible, but we didn’t know how long it would take. Within two hours, I had a prescription ready at CVS. I am extremely lucky to have parents who believe in the seriousness of mental illness and that I have a general practitioner who was willing to prescribe anti-anxiety and antidepressant medica-
tion from hundreds of miles away. Without the medication, I don’t know what I would have done. I doubt I would be back at Georgetown this year, and I don’t know if I would be anywhere at all. As someone studying to be a doctor, I know physicians have varying levels of responsibility to follow up with patients who exhibit suicidal tendencies. Washington, D.C. allows breaches of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and privacy laws to prevent someone from harming themselves or others. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline published a document in 2018 detailing the standards of care for patients with “elevated risk”: engage the patient with psychological or psychiatric treatment, make the first contact within 24 hours and make the second contact within seven days. CAPS did not follow a single one of these standards. Allowing me to walk out of the CAPS office and relying on me to follow up was the first act of negligence. It’s hard enough to ask for help when you’re in a dark place, let alone beg those who should be helping you to do their job. The most concerning part of my experience was that CAPS never contacted me, even though the referrals were a dead end, and my family was worried enough to call them. What is even worse is that I’m not the only person with a story like this. If nothing changes, next time there might not be anyone to write about it. ELENA EVANS is a sophomore in the School of Nursing and Health Studies.
Zane Chowdhry
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n the confines of my home in the suburbs of the Pacific Northwest, some of my earliest memories included learning the basics of Islam. I remember my mother singing me to sleep with zikr, my grandmother patiently teaching me to read the Arabic of the Quran. Yet outside of my home and our mosque, I never knew any other Muslims. My entire understanding of Islam was colored by the carefully manicured image of my loving Muslim community, leaving me unaware of the strife they had endured. As I grew older, I began to hear stirrings that I was not only different from my elementary school classmates, but also from the “other” Muslims. When I learned about the conflicts between Sunnis and Shias in my worldhistory class, I was confused: I couldn’t classify myself in the presented dichotomy of Islam. I only knew that I was an Ahmadi but I had trouble understanding why I didn’t know any Sunnis or Shias. Almost all Muslims believe in the advent of the Mehdi, a promised reformer, and the second coming of Jesus, who are prophesied to appear in the latter days of the world by the Prophet Muhammad. As Ahmadis, we believe these prophecies and other aspects of faith are metaphorical and that the Messiah has already appeared in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian in the late 19th century. Ahmad stressed reverence
to the pious example of the Prophet Muhammad through personal faith, peace and love. He rejected violent interpretations of religion and instead emphasized defending and spreading the teachings of Islam through logical argumentation and deep study. Yet Ahmad claimed to be a lesser prophet of God and was therefore accused of violating the status of the Prophet Muhammad as “Khatam-un-Nabiyeen” or the “Seal of the Prophets.” Through mass political movements and propaganda, an amendment to the Pakistani constitution in 1974 declared Ahmadis as “non-Muslims.” In 1984, the government forbade Ahmadis from “posing” as Muslims. As a result, Ahmadis have lost the right to practice Islam. Saudi Arabia and other Muslim nations have followed suit, banning Ahmadis from attending the sacred Islamic pilgrimage, the Hajj. Throughout middle and high school, I watched members of my religious community on the news murdered, jailed and boycotted because of their faith in Pakistan, Libya and Indonesia. I heard my older cousins talk about how they had been ostracized and verbally abused by Muslim Student Associations in America once their Ahmadiyyat revealed itself. Through internalizing the suffering of my loved ones, I compartmentalized that all other Muslims hated Ahmadis. When I moved across the country to attend Georgetown University, I ended up matching with another Muslim for a roommate while avoiding mentioning faith at all when interviewing each other. Right before my parents left me after New Student Orientation, my father pulled my roommate’s father aside and admitted what we were to him, as if my identity were a dirty secret that should be shared on a need-to-know basis.
My roommate didn’t seem to care but nonetheless had many questions. Hugging me goodbye, my parents warned me not to get involved with the Muslim Student Association because of the hurt that other Ahmadis felt during their time at university. I initially brushed off claims that the MSA and Muslim Life were for any people who considered themselves Muslim as they presented themselves. I knew at many universities the “except if you’re Ahmadi” clause was implicit in any such claims from accounts of other Ahmadis. However, on the persistence of my roommate, I became majorly involved in Georgetown’s vibrant Muslim community. Our similar value sets, backgrounds and the warm welcome of upperclassmen, despite some initial suspicion, cemented my place in Georgetown’s MSA. During my freshman year, I was initially energized to teach other Muslims about my community and learn about theirs. But, over time, I became tired of having to constantly explain myself and remove the myriad misconceptions and lies that were fed to older generations. Through the years, I’ve come to accept that Georgetown will never be able to offer me a community that satisfies my spiritual needs like my Ahmadi community. Yet I was able to find a community with common Muslim values that gives me hope that the sectarianism that plagues my parents’ generation can be lessened though deliberate exposure to other traditions. Rather than accept the broken state of intrareligious affairs, my generation can begin to chip away at the lie of inherent conflict between sects. Zane Chowdhry is a junior in the School of Foreign Service. INTERFAITH INSIGHTS appears online every other Wednesday.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE A team of students, faculty and staff members applied for Georgetown to be designated a “bee campus” to support and sustain bee populations on campus. Story on A8.
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Hopefully we can cut down any drama and make sure these processes seem free, clear, open.” Ethics Committee Vice Chair Chris Ziac (COL ’22) on GUSA ethics reform. Story on A8.
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Fanatic Christian protesters berated Georgetown students near the front gates Tuesday, calling for them to repent and be born again. One student brought an electric guitar and amp to the front gates and played over the agitators’ megaphones.
YOU’LL NEED TO REPENT AFTER WEARING THESE I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to be a sexy student guard and failing to do good, I have sinned against the GOCard. I firmly intend to visit the link below. blog.thehoya.com
Students Start-Up New Culture for Entrepreneurship ADAM PACK
Hoya Staff Writer
When professor Jeff Reid arrived at Georgetown University’s campus 10 years ago from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, student entrepreneurship was not an integral part of Georgetown’s identity. “For more than 200 years, Georgetown has attracted bright, ambitious young people looking to change the world,” Reid said. “Some of those went on to become entrepreneurs, but it was not a part of the campus culture when I got here 10 years ago.” Since Reid arrived in 2009, he has served as the founding director of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, focusing on expanding entrepreneurship throughout all four undergraduate schools. While the initiative has made noticeable progress in expanding resources and opportunities to students, many student entrepreneurs still face obstacles to starting their own businesses on campus. In an attempt to bridge the gap between the institution and individual students’ initiatives, student-led organizations like UHustle and Georgetown Ventures are helping provide a new platform.
REVITALIZING ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, started in 2009, helped kick-start the academic, internship and startup stipend programs for students. The initiative aims to help students eventually start their own businesses and grants them entrepreneurial resources, like mentorship and networking opportunities. It also allows all undergraduate students to take any of the 12 entrepreneurship-oriented classes ranging from “Law, Business, and Entrepreneurship” to “Imagination and Creativity.” Students can also join the Entrepreneurship Fellows Program and apply for funding through the Startup Stipend Program as undergraduate seniors, according to the Georgetown Entrepreneurship website. Through EFP, students can pair up with one of 23 entrepreneursin-residence. Some of the fellows include CEO of KUSI Training Talia Fox and Founder and CEO of Powerhouse Women Fiona Macaulay, who are both experts on leadership within the entrepreneurship field. Creating an entrepreneurial space is important for all students, no matter what their longterm goal is, according to Reid. “This is not just a program for students who want to start a
company right now,” Reid said. “Sometimes, students think entrepreneurship is only for somebody who has a brilliant idea to change the world and is ready to take a ton of risk right now; we certainly love those students, but a lot of our students are interested in some other way to use entrepreneurship in their life.” Another new addition to the entrepreneurship community at Georgetown is the entrepreneurship minor, which first opened for students in the McDonough School of Business last year. The new minor saw its first graduating class of eight students last May, according to Reid. Outside of the classroom, the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative hopes to give entrepreneurs the opportunity to bring the knowledge learned within their classrooms out into the real world through pitch competitions. Georgetown Entrepreneurship sponsors four different pitch competitions a year: the Social Impact Pitch Competition, Rocket Pitch, Georgetown Entrepreneurship Challenge and Bark Tank. Pitch competitions are a chance for student entrepreneurs to get more perspective on their ideas, according to Reid. “Pitch competitions are a great way to test your ideas to see if people like it,” Reid said. “There will be entrepreneurs-in-residence, some other alumni, mentors and investors — people in the audience who we encourage to help our Georgetown entrepreneurs.” Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative’s annual Bark Tank competition is the biggest pitch competition of the year, with $100,000 in prize money divided among the winners. For Katie Crager (COL ’22), the Entrepreneurship Initiative was crucial to helping start her business, Undiagnosed Tees, a clothing company promoting innovative content to raise mental health awareness. Through the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Challenge competition, she won $2,500 for being an undergraduate finalist and was able to reach an audience on campus receptive to her brand. “The pitch competition gave us a real legitimate audience for what we are trying to put out there and helped us raise awareness of Undiagnosed Tees,” Crager said. “We just want traction and engagement around our brand. This is a student-run effort, but ultimately it’s about bringing mental health visibility to the forefront of the conversations we are having.” Reid also started a new summer internship program called
the Summer Launch Program, which works with a select cohort of undergraduate students to find them summer internships with high-growth companies in the Washington, D.C. area. Applications are open to all undergraduate students, and applications for next summer open in the spring. Georgetown will pay for student housing while companies will contribute stipends for the students, who will work at different firms but come together to discuss their experiences and learn from their peers, according to Reid.
NONTRADITIONAL BUSINESSES
Often, the resources and opportunities given to student entrepreneurs come from university settings like internships, classes and competitions. As a result, student groups are working to expand accessibility to students who might not view themselves as entrepreneurs or be aware of the resources Georgetown Entrepreneurship has to offer. UHustle, a student-led startup, was first started to help create an organization focused on providing a platform for aiding student entrepreneurship on campus, according to UHustle Founder and CEO Christy Felix. “We wanted to build a platform where people from all backgrounds could create a sustainable lifestyle from and find some financial independence from,” Felix said. Through the help of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, UHustle was able to win $13,250 in prize money from four pitch competitions to use in helping their vendors. Through UHustle’s work to give students the opportunity to market and buy services on their website, more than 50 students are currently engaged in side hustles, according to Felix. UHustle’s vendors participate in diverse side hustles, offering everything from career coaching sessions to DJ services to conch catering. The UHustle team hopes to help student entrepreneurs attain business development skills, such as profitable price-setting and developing marketing strategies, to allow students to sustain themselves while in college, according to Felix. “We want to give our hustlers business skills without having them feel the need to be an entrepreneur full time,” said Felix. For some incoming freshmen entrepreneurs, UHustle is a lifeline for students who want to make money off their passion but are not familiar with the Georgetown environment, according to
Daelyn Waters (COL ’23), a burgeoning videographer. Without the work of Felix and her team, Waters would not have been able to reach different audiences to pursue her love of filmmaking, she said. “I really love the amount of opportunities UHustle has,” Waters said. “They open a lot of doors, and being a freshman here and seeing the amount of exposure I’m getting here has been really great.” In Crager’s case, although she won funding from the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Challenge pitch competition to invest personal capital in her business, UHustle has also been extraordinarily helpful in helping Undiagnosed Tees reach new audiences and connect with other student entrepreneurs. While UHustle is primarily concerned with maximizing students’ incomes and expanding their audience, Georgetown Ventures is focused on providing guidance to help student companies expand their operations beyond Georgetown. Georgetown Ventures is another entrepreneurship club actively engaged in helping student entrepreneurs develop startups on campus. Georgetown Ventures offers expertise to students in two distinct programs: LaunchPad is a program for students who have an idea of a startup and would like to explore it in a curriculumbased approach, while the Venture Accelerator is for students who already have a business and are looking to expand or improve their operations. Georgetown Ventures has driv-
en entrepreneurial change within the Georgetown community, according to Salome Mikadze (MSB ’22), who has received consulting from Georgetown Ventures to aid in her work as the COO of Movadex, a design and software development company originating from Ukraine. “They are giving us their expertise and helping Movadex learn how to break into the American market,” Mikadze said.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES
Even with the support of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, however, student-led organizations continue to face institutional barriers when looking to expand their missions. Throughout the process of building UHustle, the team has become ensnared in violations while attempting to help student entrepreneurs on campus navigate university rules regarding entrepreneurship. “There are a lot of policies hurting students running their own businesses on campus,” Sinclaire Jones (MSB ’21), UHustle chief administrative officer of the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, said. “In terms of rules we’re violating, technically as a revenuegenerating company, we are not allowed to operate on campus without permission.” Startups are prohibited from using any Georgetown resources to carry out business operations on campus, including hiring, banking and product manufacture, according to the Student Startup Manual. While UHustle has still not received full permission from the university to operate on campus
as a revenue-generating company, the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative has given the organization support in the interim, according to Felix. “They give us guidelines for entrepreneurship on campus, so we can avoid getting into trouble with the university,” said Felix. “They are my advocate. When I held the Hustle Fair last September, they said, ‘If anyone tries to interfere with you, we will advocate for you.’” The Georgetown University Student Association has also offered opportunities through its entrepreneurship policy team, such as network-building events for student entrepreneurs. This year, however, students have not seen the same level of involvement. The newly appointed chair of the team is Eddie Galvan (MSB ’23). Layla Weiss (MSB ’22), a former GUSA entrepreneurship chair and vice chair of the finance and appropriations committee, and senator Peter Hamilton (COL ’20) are also members. Weiss served as the entrepreneurship chair under the last administration. Initiatives listed on the GUSA website, such as weekly Entrepreneurship Hangouts, opening up space to student entrepreneurs in Regents Hall and creating an entrepreneur social media network are no longer being implemented, according to Weiss and Hamilton. “The issue with Georgetown right now is that Georgetown is doing a great job of holding up resources, but we believe they need to focus on accessibility,” Hamilton said.
@GEORGETOWNENTREPRENEURSHIP/INSTAGRAM
The Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, which started in 2009, aims to connect entrepreneurial students to resources like mentorship, networking opportunities and pitch competitions.
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Prioritize Gender Equality New MSB Certificate Combines In Politics, Gillibrand Says Management, Jesuit Values ELLA HETFIELD
Special to The Hoya
Former presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) emphasized the importance of diversifying political leaders and supporting legislation to ensure equality at an event in the Reiss Science Building on Oct. 30. The event, titled “A Conversation with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand,” was presented by the department of women’s and gender studies, Georgetown University College Democrats, GU Women in Leadership and the GU Institute of Politics and Public Service. Donna Brazile, a political strategist who was the first African American woman to direct a major presidential campaign, and women’s and gender studies professor You-Me Park, moderated the event. Gillibrand dropped out of the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee race two months ago after she failed to qualify for the third debate. Gillibrand was optimistic as she reflected on her failed presidential campaign, noting the importance of unifying Americans. “I was not able to win the nomination, but I learned a lot and what I learned is that there is far more that binds us than what divides us,” Gillibrand said. “I will be able to bring those ideas back to the U.S. Senate, bring people together, get things done.” Throughout the event, Gillibrand emphasized the need for greater diversity in American politics, with a focus on women’s representation. In 2012, Gillibrand founded Off The Sidelines, a leadership PAC that works to recruit, mentor and finance women to run for political office. The national program has raised nearly $5 million to provide women candidates
with the resources they need to win, according to the organization’s website. The gap between the number of male and female politicians is that women are often more hesitant to enter the field, Gillibrand said. This disparity means encouraging women to run for office is incredibly important, according to Gillibrand. “What I’ve learned over time is what it takes is asking women to run, telling them your ideas and your values and your priorities matter,” Gillibrand said. Though some see holding political office and balancing family demands as a barrier to being in office, these demands have allowed her to become a better advocate for her constituents, according to Gillibrand. “A lot of times I get really angry or emotional or compassionate about an issue because I imagine it happening to my kids,” Gillibrand said. “It strengthens me, it makes me a better legislator and I think it creates more common ground with people in my state so I can represent everyone’s family as if they were my own.” Gillibrand, who has been a member of Congress since 2007, faced barriers and discrimination as one of the few female freshmen members of Congress. Many of her male colleagues made comments about her appearance, her pregnancy and her exercise habits, according to Gillibrand. “Women are really penalized. Whether someone is commenting on you favorably or negatively, it undermines you,” Gillibrand said. “Because when your looks are being commented on, then your ideas, policies and statements aren’t.” Gillibrand said her moth-
er’s role as an attorney for members of the gay community in her hometown of Albany, N.Y., inspired her to advocate for legislation for LGBTQ equality. The senator worked heavily on repealing the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which was in place from 1994 through 2010 and barred openly gay individuals from serving in the armed forces but prevented discrimination against those who were closeted. As one of the first statewide elected leaders in New York to support gay marriage, Gillibrand continues to fight for equality through her work on the Equality Act and the Violence Against Women Act. Both pieces of legislation have passed through the majority-Democrat House of Representatives but have been blocked in the Republican-controlled Senate. Gillibrand hopes to pass these bills by flipping the Senate to be majority Democrat in the 2020 election. While Gillibrand has not endorsed a presidential candidate, Gillibrand plans to before the New York primary. “I am very proud of my Democratic colleagues. I am very grateful that all of them feel that this is a mission and an urgency to run and to take on Trump,” Gillibrand said. “Obviously all of them are a billion times better than Trump, so whoever our nominee is, they will be someone I can support and help and really try to make sure they get elected.” Gillibrand would strongly consider accepting a cabinet position if a Democrat wins the presidency, she said. “I want to make a difference in people’s lives, and if I’m asked to serve in a different capacity than I have before, I will always consider it,” Gillibrand said.
RACHEL FRIEDMAN Hoya Staff Writer
The McDonough School of Business concluded the first iteration of a new certificate this week in Rome for senior-level church leaders that combines management education and Jesuit teachings to promote ethical leadership. The certificate in Discerning Leadership aims to provide senior church officials with the tools to become ethical and effective leaders and to increase their capacity to implement positive change through their organizations, according to the announcement. The program was developed in partnership with the General Curia of the Society of Jesus, the headquarters of the Jesuits, and Le Moyne College, a Jesuit college in Syracuse, N.Y. During two weeklong sessions held from May to October, participants took courses that focused on areas such as teamwork, building trust in one’s leadership and handling challenging conversations, according to a university news release Oct. 25. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the program strives to demonstrate how spiritual and ethical considerations are vital components of effective leadership, according to Graduate School of Arts and Sciences professor Jeanine Turner, who taught in the inaugural program. “We often compartmentalize our spiritual life from our everyday work life and this course shows the importance of integrating both,” Turner wrote in an email to The Hoya. The certificate’s valuebased approach to leadership and education is reflective of Dean Paul Almeida’s goals for the MSB, according to management profes-
sor Brooks Holtom, who also taught in this year’s program. “This program is an example of Dean Paul Almeida’s vision for the MSB to be ‘the best in the world AND the best for the world,’” Holtom wrote in an email to The Hoya. The certificate was also developed to address a lack of formal leadership education among church officials, Holtom said. Many of the program’s participants had little training in financial management practices or human capital development, according to Holtom. The core curriculum focused on strategy, adaptive leadership, communication and discernment, and the Jesuit principle of leaving space for God to lead. In addition to the core classes, participants selected courses based on the unique leadership challenges they face within their positions, according to the news release. The curriculum aligned closely with the Jesuit values that guide Georgetown, according to Almeida. These values are inherently conducive to effective and ethical business practices, Almeida wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Whether you are leading a Fortune 500 company or a province of the Jesuits, care for others, diversity of thought, and contemplation are important tools for leading in a way that benefits the common good,” Almeida wrote. Almeida is optimistic that the program’s participants will be equipped to make a positive impact in their positions with the tools they gain from the certificate, he wrote. “We are hopeful that these women and men can return to their organizations around the world as stron-
ger leaders who are more confident and empowered to make a difference,” Almeida wrote. Leaders should have the confidence to combine management and leadership skills with the moral and ethical values found within church teachings, according to John Dardis, S.J., general counsellor for discernment and apostolic planning at the General Curia of the Jesuits. “The Church has so much to offer, so much wisdom that can be broadly applied when paired with modern business skills,” Dardis said in the news release. “We want to positively impact current and future generations of global leaders. We want to play our part in building a hope-filled future.” While the certificate is currently only offered to seniorlevel church officials, the program’s leadership hopes to, one day, make it available to leaders in the broader business world. The certificate will be offered again next year, once again in partnership with the Jesuit Curia and Le Moyne, according to Almeida. The program is also currently working with the Esade Business & Law School in Spain to create a curriculum for Spanish speakers to reach a more diverse community of leaders and have an even greater global impact. Almeida hopes that the program’s impact does not end with the conclusion of the two weeks of study in Rome and encourages future collaboration among its participants. “In addition to learning from the program, our aim is to unite a strong network of leaders -- just as we do in the Georgetown alumni community -- so that they can continue to learn and grow together,” Almeida wrote.
GUSA Senate Advocates Sustainable Academic Policy
LXR Residents Regain Hot Water Access After 2 Weeks
CLARA GRUDBERG
CALLIE DIMODICA
Hoya Staff Writer
The Georgetown University Student Association senate passed a resolution urging Georgetown University to implement paper-free academic practices to improve sustainability and accessibility in an academic setting in a meeting Oct. 27. The bill, introduced by Senate Sustainability Chair Leo Rassieur (COL ’23), calls for professors to make it possible for students to access all readings and submit all assignments digitally with an option for students to print material, according to the resolution. The resolution permits printing when assignments are too lengthy for the professor to scan or when they are digitally unavailable. The resolution, which the university is not bound to enact, aims to address inconsistent policies on the use of the learning management platform Canvas across academic departments, according to Rassieur. “There are some teachers who will do everything online,” Rassieur said. “They’ll use Canvas and email, and you can do the whole class without printing a single piece of paper. But then there are teachers who are the exact opposite, where you can only bring printed materials to class, for example, or you can only submit papers if you
print them out.” The resolution was co-sponsored by Senator Zahra Wakilzada (COL ’23) and Senator Mikail Husain (COL ’21), as well as two campus environmental sustainability organizations, Georgetown University Fossil Free and the Georgetown Renewable Energy and Environmental Network. The resolution was created in response to the wasteful accumulation of paper for submitted assignments and readings, according to Husain. “I thought it was super wasteful that some classes would require paper submissions of assignments, readings or other school related things, especially when so many students would prefer to use electronic versions instead,” Husain wrote in an email to The Hoya. The resolution also seeks to remedy the financial obstacles created by printing policies, which can be a burden for some students in the cost of printing using university resources, according to GUSA Executive Sustainability Chair Rowlie Flores (COL ’22). “In my opinion, this is not just a sustainability issue,” Flores wrote in an email to The Hoya. “I don’t think all professors know that printing of class materials is not free and these costs accumulate throughout the semester.”
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The bill was introduced by Senate Sustainability Chair Leo Rassieur (COL ’23) in an effort to increase sustainability in classrooms.
Forming and passing this resolution attests to the effectiveness of collaborations between sustainability-focused student organizations and GUSA, according to GUFF member and GREEN official liaison Victoria Boatwright (COL ’22). “It’s always good to pass resolutions like this, but I think that it’s also really important to have a whole network on campus of environmental groups; that’s one thing I found with this resolution that I’d never really seen before,” Boatwright said. GUSA’s sustainability policy team’s past projects include the Go Plastic-Free initiative, in which GUSA collaborated with the Office of Sustainability to host training sessions for student organization leaders to learn about plastic use reduction. Although the resolution focuses on creating a standardized, paper-free system, the resolution would maintain a printing option in cases where students are unable to access digital academic material for accessibility or financial reasons, according to Rassier. “Our goal is to create a more uniform system that would lean much more heavily to the paper-free side of things,” Rassieur said. “There are so many situations where that’s not going to be possible, someone might not have access to an electronic device or for accessibility reasons, they might not be able to use an electronic device.” Rassieur will meet with the provost’s committee Nov. 6 to discuss potential next steps in implementing paper-free academic practices, he said. “We hope to continue the negotiating process with the faculty senate and with the Office of the Provost,” Rassieur said. “The resolution is sort of the launching pad for that.” The resolution’s passage is a step toward implementing paper-free policies across all divisions of the university, and it showcases the demand for environmental accountability within the student body, according to Rassieur. “This is one part of a really grand scheme to make the university paper-free,” Rassieur said. “The whole reason behind the resolution is that we can show, as students, that we care about sustainability and accessibility in the classroom.”
Special to The Hoya
Residents in LXR Hall experienced intermittent hot water shortages over the course of the past two weeks until the Office of Planning and Facilities Management fully restored hot water access Oct. 26. Students began noticing an insufficient volume of hot water beginning around Oct. 15, according to LXR residents Danny Livingston (SFS ’22) and Caroline Finn (COL ’22). Residents filed at least five work requests with facilities within the first week of the hot water disruption beginning Oct. 22. The total number of requests remains unknown. While residents did not experience a full hot water outage, students endured consistently low water temperatures in recent weeks, according to LXR resident Tina Yin (SFS ’22). “It wasn’t that there wasn’t hot water. The water just wasn’t hot enough for me to have a warm shower,” Yin said. “There was a day last week where I literally went to Yates to shower because for 48 hours, the water wasn’t hot enough.” The hot water disruption also corresponded with the recent drop in temperatures, according to LXR resident Christina Luke (SFS ’22). “I remember being really surprised when I took my first cold shower,” Luke said. “When the water went out again more recently I started to get really concerned because it is getting close to winter.” This is the second time residents have dealt with a lack of access to hot water since moving into LXR in August. The first hot water outage took place in early October and lasted only a few days, according to Luke. While residents hoped this hot water disruption would also be quickly resolved, the more recent outage persisted and became more severe than the first instance, LXR resident Sheila Foley (COL ’22) said. “I didn’t mind too much at first, but I started to get frustrated when each shower I took started to get colder,” Foley said. “Every shower was colder than the last.” Facilities investigated the
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LXR residents began experiencing an insufficient volume of hot water beginning around Oct. 15. The issue was not resolved until Oct. 26. water heaters in LXR on Oct. 24 after learning that water in the building was not reaching desired temperatures, according to Vice President for Planning and Facilities Management Benjamin Kuo. Facilities workers made adjustments to the water heater and continued to work to troubleshoot the issue over the next few days. The issue was fully resolved Saturday morning, according to Kuo. Georgetown University is continuing to work to improve its response time to reported issues, according to Kuo. “We apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused,” Kuo wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We recognize the root of the issue and are working to put things in place to prevent such delay in the future.” Students were frustrated by the lack of communication from maintenance or Residential Living about the hot water problem, Luke said. “Last year I lived in VCW and whenever they worked on the plumbing or pipes they would notify us,” Luke said. “It would have been nice to have been communicated
with when the hot water stopped working.” The hot water issues in LXR come after several infrastructure-related issues during the past year, including an unexplained complete water outage across Darnall Hall, Arrupe Hall and Henle Village last February. More recently, two elevators in Harbin Hall malfunctioned, with one elevator falling one floor and trapping a student inside for nearly two hours. Additionally, about 85 students were relocated from their top-floor apartments in Alumni Square in February because of structural issues concerning the ability of the apartment roofs to withstand heavy snow or strong winds. Students deserve better dormitory conditions and clear communication from the university regarding facilities-related issues, Foley said. “As students who pay an expensive price for room and board, faster and more considerate communication from facilities should be expected,” Foley said. Hoya Staff Writer Amy Li contributed reporting.
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New GU272 Initiative Will Not Include Fee Evans Objects to New Georgetown Call Your Mother Storefront
GU272, from A1
and public history efforts, two university projects focused on expanding understanding and memorializing Georgetown’s history as it relates to slavery. “This work will be grounded in our academic mission of education, research, and service; will provide opportunities for student leadership; and will be guided by extensive consultation and engagement with Descendants,” DeGioia wrote. In April, 66.1% of students voted “yes” on the GU272 referendum, which called for Georgetown administrators to add a $27.20 semesterly fee to students’ tuition. The fee would establish a fund to benefit 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 had a 57.9% turnout — the highest turnout in recorded student government electoral history. The university plans to establish the initiative without implementing the semesterly fee, but funding for the new program will be comparable to or higher than the amount that would have been raised by the proposed fee, according to DeGioia. “The University will ensure that the initiative has resources commensurate with, or exceeding, the amount that would have been raised annually through the student fee proposed in the Ref-
erendum, with opportunities for every member of our community to contribute,” DeGioia wrote. Before deciding on the details of the initiative, the university held conversations with Georgetown’s board of directors, the descendants, alumni, faculty, student leaders and staff on the ideas put forth in the referendum, according to the email. Projects will be funded beginning next fall, matching the timeline outlined in the April referendum. The GU272 Advocacy Team, an on-campus student group that raises awareness for descendants and created the referendum, said the proposed initiative delegitimizes and undermines student effort. “The decision outlined by President DeGioia, as detailed in the statement released, was made without student or descendant input and directly negates the wishes of the 2541 students who voted in favor of the referendum,” the group wrote in a Facebook statement. “The suggested action, including the proposed advisory group, contains no clear criteria, accountability measures, or transparency with regards to construction or implementation.” The university’s announcement came as a surprise to Georgetown University Student Association President Norman Francis Jr. (COL ’20) and Vice President Aleida Olvera (COL ’20), who had both engaged in discussions with the Georgetown administra-
tion after the April referendum. “Despite months of meetings and talks, this is the first that many of us are hearing about this advisory group and while we like the fact that action is being taken, we ultimately want the actions described in the referendum,” Francis and Olvera wrote in an email to The Hoya. “The fund should be mandatory and not voluntary because this is a debt that we need to repay and the undergraduate student body voted to pay for it.” Earlier this month, students protested during on-campus meetings of Georgetown’s board of directors. The board held at least three meetings that week — both with and without student representatives — during which members discussed the referendum’s results but did not provide a concrete timeline regarding the next steps. The board held similar discussions at its June meeting, which also resulted in no concrete timeline. Georgetown is not obligated to enact the results of student referenda and thus is not bound to enact the fee. The university has met some of the recommendations outlined in the 2016 report by the Working Group on Slavery, Memory and Reconciliation, which was formed in fall 2015 by the university to facilitate dialogue in the Georgetown community about the legacies of slavery. The advisory group and fu-
ture efforts toward reconciliation will attempt to center descendant narratives as the project moves forward, according to DeGioia. “All of these steps will be taken with the deepest respect and consideration of Descendant perspectives and while ensuring that the process of Dialogue underway continues to be supported and prioritized,” DeGioia wrote. In September 2019, the university began a search for candidates to work as the librarian for Collections on Slavery, Memory and Reconciliation, started the effort to hire an archivist focusing on the Maryland Province of Jesuits and issued an apology for the sale of the 272 enslaved people in 2017. The university’s decision to commit resources to the new initiative presents an opportunity for members of the Georgetown community to make a positive contribution, according to professor Adam Rothman, who served on the working group and is the curator of the Georgetown Slavery Archive. “It will be exciting to see what develops and how students join into collaborations with the descendant community,” Rothman wrote in an email to The Hoya. “I think that faculty can play an important role by designing curriculum to foster learning, reflection, and action that draws from and is inspired by our history and that of the GU272 descendant community.”
GUSA Executives Tout Transparency Efforts FRANCIS/OLVERA, from A1 work we were doing when we were campaigning,” Olvera said.
GU272 AND RELATIONSHIP WITH UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION
Since the outset of their term, Francis and Olvera have been outspoken supporters of the GU272 referendum, which was first designed and proposed to GUSA by the GU272 Advocacy Team, an on-campus student group that raises awareness for descendants. The student referendum, which passed in April, calls on Georgetown University to raise tuition by $27.20, a semesterly fee designated to benefit the descendents 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 university announced a new reconciliation initiative Oct. 30 supporting community-based projects with GU272 descendants, including an advisory board designated to back new projects under the advisement of the descendant communities. The initiative will not implement the semesterly fee outlined in the student referendum. The pair have set monthly meetings with Joseph Ferrara, university vice president and the point of contact for the university’s work on the referendum, according to Olvera. The executives have kept the GU272 Advocacy Team in the loop during these meetings and have invited them to send a representative to the discussions with Ferrara. The executives support the university’s efforts toward reconciliation but voiced concerns that student perspectives will not be properly considered in this initiative, the pair wrote in an Oct. 31 statement to The Hoya. “As undergraduate students, we voted to pay for this fund, and we were expecting to be able to have representatives from our body be a part of this fund and its allocation process,” the executives wrote in the statement. In meetings with administrators, Francis and Olvera have frequently brought the referendum to the attention of the board of directors with the hope that they will prioritize student perspectives on the topic, according to Francis. “We’ve been very adamant, especially in our meetings with admin, about bringing this up as much as possible, since the students are overwhelmingly supporting this initiative,” Francis said. While grabbing administrators’ attention can be a challenge, the pair is looking for creative ways to encourage action on the part of the university’s administration by increasing the intensity of their requests, according to Olvera. “The work that we’ve been
doing for it has been, you know, taking advantage of the position that we’re in to bring it up to the people that matter the most,” Olvera said. “When we start yelling is usually the time that people will pay attention. Administration can be kind of a pain to work with, but what we’ve been doing is just yelling — yelling louder.”
PARTNERING WITH STUDENT GROUPS
Francis and Olvera touted their outreach to a range of student groups, both to work on specific policy initiatives and to discuss how GUSA can help these organizations achieve their goals. The pair has met in an official capacity with 28 student organizations, including Students of Georgetown, Inc., commonly referred to as The Corp, Georgetown United Against Police Aggression and H*yas for Choice, according to Francis and Olvera. The pair recontacted groups with which they have not yet had the opportunity to meet this week after discussing the topic during their interview with The Hoya, according to Francis and Olvera. Francis and Olvera encourage their policy chairs and other team members to reach out to relevant student groups to collaborate on initiatives. Currently, their administration is working with Hoya Blue, a student group that promotes student athletics, on an initiative to light Healy Hall blue when Georgetown wins athletic events, as well as with The Corp on an effort to sell nicotine alter-
natives on campus.
WORKING ACROSS GUSA
While broad campus outreach to student groups has been a primary goal for Francis and Olvera, improving internal relationships — particularly between the GUSA executive and the senate — is another key aim. The senate and executive have previously had a sharp divide both professionally and personally, according to Francis and Olvera. The executive pair has worked to bridge that gap, attempting to collaborate on policy and planning social events for both bodies. Recent discord between GUSA branches, however, has demonstrated that differences still exist. Last week, the senate voted to dissolve the GUSA Fund, an executive-nominated committee that historically distributed a small part of the GUSA budget on an as-needed basis to student groups. Francis and Olvera opposed the move, though they said they intend to sign the bill to honor the senate’s vote. “While we were really disappointed to see that the senate didn’t agree that [the GUSA Fund] would fall under us, one thing that we are really pushing forward is to see how we can continue the reform through the senate,” Olvera said. The senate and executive leadership teams have had a positive working relationship this year, according to Sen-
ate Speaker Juan Martinez (SFS ’20). But Martinez, who served as GUSA president for six months in the previous term, noted that he could not elaborate on other senators’ experiences. Martinez encouraged senators to be more engaged in their own policy projects this term, which may contribute to the senate’s independence this year. “I do not believe the blame for the lack of coordination falls on Norman, Aleida or myself, but rather on the structure of GUSA that currently exists,” Martinez wrote in an email to The Hoya. In recent months, students have voiced a general distrust and apathy with GUSA, and a student poll by The Hoya in February found that only 2% of respondents rated their trust in GUSA as strong. Francis and Olvera have made conscious steps for reform that they intend to pass on to the next executive, setting a framework for institutional change they see will outlast their term. While bureaucratic red tape, particularly from the university administration, often limits policy progress, Francis and Olvera hope the changes they have made to the executive’s accessibility and transparency are moving GUSA in the right direction. “We want student voices to be involved in the conversations that matter,” Francis said.
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GUSA President Norman Francis Jr. (COL ’20) has designated goals to improve academic, physical and mental accessibility for students in the second half of his executive term.
CALL YOUR MOTHER, from A1 The Georgetown ANC 2E voted 6-2 on Oct. 3 to allow Call Your Mother to open its second location two blocks from Georgetown University’s front gates. However, as a restaurant, Call Your Mother requires a zoning variance — an exception to the zoning guidelines — for the 3428 O Street NW location, which is considered to be in a residential neighborhood. Murphy and Joe Gibbons, who Murphy says supports his letter’s argument, were the two ANC commissioners who voted against recommending that the deli be issued its 10year variance. The variance would allow the deli to operate in the R-20 residential zone, Georgetown’s protected residential and historical area, and must be ratified by the BZA. The popular bagel deli had previously hoped to open its second storefront this October on the ground floor of a bright pink two-story building that formerly housed GreenWorks Florist. GreenWorks closed in late May, according to The Georgetowner. Though it still owns the building, GreenWorks has moved its inventory to other locations, according to a company spokesperson. Call Your Mother’s opening would degrade residential life in the neighborhood, Murphy wrote in his Oct. 22 letter. “The issuance of the requested variance would inevitably have a negative effect on the quality of life of the residents in the near vicinity,” Murphy wrote. He argued that the deli would fit best in a designated commercial zone. “If Call Your Mother were planning to move to a location on or near Wisconsin Avenue or M Street that is zoned for commercial use, I would be leading a brass band to greet them,” Murphy wrote in an email to The Hoya. “As it is, Call Your Mother is asking to be permitted to open in a zone that was created ‘to retain the quiet residential character’ of the neighborhood.” Murphy’s Oct. 22 letter came on the heels of a similar letter Oct. 17 from Evans, who repre-
sents Georgetown. The hit deli, recently listed on Bon Appetit’s top 50 nominees for best new restaurants nationwide, would attract unwanted disturbances, according to Evans. “Large crowds will mean that sidewalks will be blocked by customers. Large crowds will also mean there will be more trash which will inevitably attract rats,” Evans wrote. “This business requires frequent truck delivery of goods needed to keep the shop supplied. This, along with customers who drive to the location, will result in more traffic congestion.” Evans also recommended that the restaurant be relocated to a commercial space, but Dana contends that locations on Wisconsin Avenue are unaffordable for the budgetfriendly Call Your Mother, according to The Georgetowner. Other commissioners expressed excitement for the deli’s arrival to the neighborhood. Call Your Mother’s opening at the intended location would greatly benefit students in the area, according to Commissioner Matias Burdman (COL ’21). “Call Your Mother bagels would provide a cheap, quick, and high quality dining alternative for students who otherwise struggle to find good and affordable food in the neighborhood,” Burdman wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Furthermore, I believe that although the concerns of the neighbors are valid, many of them can be mitigated by measures such as frequent trash collection and modified delivery hours (the owner of Call Your Mother expressed his willingness to do both).” Call Your Mother will focus on minimizing the impact of noise and trash it generates on the community when it opens, according to Dana. “We are constantly thinking through how we can take and fulfill orders as fast as possible to cut down on any potential lines, and we will go above and beyond to ensure there are no noise, or trash impacts,” Dana wrote in a message to The Hoya. “All I can say is we hope to figure out a solution ASAP.”
2020 John Carroll Weekend To Find New Location JCW, from A1 this size, according to Farr. “We don’t know what will be happening in April 2020,” Farr said. “With great hope that this subsides for their community, but without knowing how things were going to be one way or the other, again logistically, and knowing that very fact could be influencing our alumni not to be going — that is why we couldn’t go forward.” First held in 1952, JCW has grown from a single regional awards dinner to a multiday international event. An event of this size takes up to two years of planning, according to Farr. The 2019 JCW in Boston included over 75 different programs for alumni to attend, including walking tours and panels led by esteemed university leaders and faculty. Given the ongoing protests, Shang understands the university’s decision. “As this is a global event we are expecting people to fly in from across the world, and while local residents are quite used to the inconveniences of the protest, it would be too much to expect international speakers and visitors to accommodate those inconveniences,” Shang wrote. The recent political turmoil in Hong Kong has also spurred discourse on Georgetown’s campus. In early September, anonymous writers left chalk messages supporting ongoing Hong Kong protests in Red Square, leading to a series of back-and-forth notes debating Hong Kong’s relationship with China. In the wake of the chalk debate, Hong Kong native and second-year doctoral
student in the department of history Jeffrey Ngo advocated for continued public demonstrations at a Sept. 25 event hosted by the department of history. The decision to relocate JCW did not come as a surprise, according to Shang, given the unrest and impact it has had on events planned in the city. “To be honest, all kinds of events have been cancelling left right and centre since mid July,” Shang wrote. “It has constantly been at the back of our minds that this might happen. However, there was always the faint hope that compromises might be made and things might calm down sooner rather than later, for the sake of our city, but so far this has sadly not been the case.” JCW has taken place every year since the event’s creation in 1952. The Alumni Association plans to hold a future JCW in Hong Kong, according to the Oct. 23 online announcement regarding the weekend. “We are grateful to the Georgetown community in Hong Kong, whose members have been enthusiastic and thoughtful partners from the moment we set our sights on the city as a John Carroll Weekend location,” the announcement read. “It remains our intention to hold John Carroll Weekend in Hong Kong in the future.” Other alumni programming will continue to take place in Hong Kong throughout the year, Farr said. “We’re deeply committed to our alumni in Asia,” Farr said. “We’re going back. And when it’s the right time, we’ll plan for this again.”
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GU To Open First Dharmic Early Alzheimer’s Can Lead Space on a US College Campus To Overspending, Study Shows ASHLEY ZHAO Hoya Staff Writer
Georgetown University Campus Ministry approved a proposal this month to create the Dharmalaya, the first consecrated multi-Dharmic space on a U.S. college campus, which is set to open by spring 2020. The Dharmalaya will be dedicated to all Dharmic traditions, including Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh practices, according to Brahmachari Sharan, director of Dharmic Life and Hindu spiritual advisor. The new space will be established in the former location of the Muslim Prayer Room in the Copley Hall basement. The Dharmalaya will be used for small student groups, classes, reading groups, meditations and traditional Dharmic observances, according to an email Dharmic Life sent to students in its newsletter Oct. 25. Fundraising for the new Dharmic space is still ongoing, and the Dharmalaya’s official opening is projected for the end of next semester, according to Sharan. The new designated space on campus will help the representation of Dharmic tradition at Georgetown while also benefiting the larger Georgetown community with individuals of all faiths able to utilize the space, according to Hindu Student Association President, Darshil Shah (MSB ’20). “The fact that a space like this exists on a Jesuit campus serves a huge purpose to all students over here, especially those that identify as Hindu or Jain or Buddhist or Sikh,” Shah said. “I think it’s
a good disconnection for the rest of campus as well. If you ever find you need a place where you want to go and just sit down, relax and be peaceful, I think that’s what this place is going to serve to do.” Dharmic Life activities and services on campus are currently held in Makóm, the Jewish gathering space in the Leavey Center. Sunday night Āratī services, a Hindu practice featuring meditation, are Dharmic Life’s most popular services with around 70 community members attending each week, according to Shah. The Āratī services may continue to be held in Makóm, but other smaller religious functions will be designated for the Dharmalaya because of space limitations. The creation of the Dharmalaya represents the Georgetown community’s focus on understanding other religions and cultures, Sharan said. “I think it represents Georgetown’s earnest desire to understand more about the world, starting with understanding its students,” Sharan said in an interview with The Hoya. “I know that there are many things that the university could improve, and I hope that this is one step in the right direction.” Although the Dharmalaya proposal was approved earlier this month, the Hindu Student Association has been advocating for the creation of a distinct space for Dharmic traditions since 2010, according to Sharan. “They came up with the idea of a Dharma meditation room, in which shrines
honoring Jain tradition, Buddhist tradition, Hindu tradition and Sikh tradition would be included,” Sharan said. “This part of the project has been more of a recent, final kind of finishing on it, but in terms of the desire for the room, it’s been something that’s been around since at least 2010.” Last semester, the Campus Ministry group previously known as Hindu Life was renamed to Dharmic Life to be more inclusive of all Dharmic faiths, Sharan said. Since the creation of Dharmic Life, smaller Dharmic tradition student groups have had increased access to resources and have gained a larger presence on campus, according to Buddhist Student Association Co-President Anna Naiyapatana (SFS ’21). “The Buddhist Student Association used to be very small and doesn’t have a chaplaincy to really assist them with their promotions or their activities in the same way that bigger groups have access to,” Naiyapatana said. “By creating this Dharmic Life community, now kids who belong to other religious minorities who fall under this category also have a voice and support.” Aside from offering a safe and sacred place for members of the Dharmic Life community, the space will also serve as an educational resource for all members of the Georgetown community, according to Sharan. “The spiritual traditions of the Dharmic traditions, they are only ever going to be meaningfully accessible if there is an authentic representation on campus,” Sharan said.
ELIZABETH BRENNEMAN Special to The Hoya
Early stages of Alzheimer’s disease weaken cognitive abilities to make responsible financial decisions before diagnosis, according to a new study released by the Georgetown University Medical Center on Oct. 24. The study, published in the journal Health Economics, used data from Medicare claims between 1992 and 2014 and the National Institute on Aging’s health and retirement study to track changes in household finances prior to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Interim Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Studies Carole Roan Gresenz was the lead author of the study, which was coauthored by Jean Mitchell, James Marrone and Howard Federoff. The study’s results show that substantial financial losses occur in households in the time leading up to diagnosis and are particularly concerning given the financial strain of medical bills and caregiving that follows a diagnosis, according to Gresenz. “Significant limitations and rapid declines in financial capacity — including the ability to manage money, invest wisely, pay bills on time, and control spending — are a hallmark of individuals with early stage Alzheimer’s Disease,” Gresenz wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Prior to diagnosis, these financial decision-making limitations may not be fully appreciated or recognized.” Alzheimer’s disease and forms of dementia are often made visible through a change in a person’s financial decision making, so early diagnosis may be very effective when it comes to minimizing the financial fallout of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, according to Gresenz. “A diagnosis can serve as a trigger for families or loved ones to
SCHOOL OF NURSING AND HEALTH STUDIES
Interim Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Studies Carole Roan Gresenz was the lead author of the study. institute checks and balances on an individual’s financial decision making,” Gresenz said. “Thus, earlier diagnosis may help avert adverse financial outcomes.” Moving forward, Gresenz and her colleagues are working to match credit data with Medicare data to potentially develop a system that uses financial information to identify people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. “I’m hopeful that there will be a simple way to screen for individuals who may fit into the potential pre-clinical [Alzheimer’s disease] category, to discern whether they have still the cognitive ability to make good financial decisions,” Federoff said in an interview with The Hoya. “This type of research, which heralds a previously unknown worry, should probably be put on the front-burner so people can understand it.” Alzheimer’s has been the focus of many recent studies, such as the Alzheimer’s Prevention Trials Webstudy, co-sponsored by the National Institute on Aging. The online study seeks healthy participants between the ages of 50 and 85 whose cognitive skills are tested every three months, using changes in performance to flag individuals who demonstrate a high risk of developing Alzheim-
er’s disease. Awareness of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Trials Webstudy could be raised by the concerning results of the financial study, which would aid the APT Webstudy in its mission, according to Brigid Reynolds, clinic coordinator and clinical trial nurse practitioner for the Memory Disorders Program at Georgetown. “Research such as this would improve enrollment in this web study,” Reynolds said in an interview with The Hoya. “My biggest wish is that research like this will just increase recognition for people about this as a problem and get people to come in earlier.” While the research done on Alzheimer’s disease has not produced a cure or a definitive way to identify the early stages of the disease, Reynolds hopes that the progress made will have a positive effect on the way the disease is treated and identified going forward, he said. “We hope to discover a diseasemodifying treatment to halt or slow the rate of decline in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders and hope to discover ways to improve quality of life for people with Alzheimer’s and their families and caregivers,” Reynolds said.
Study Shows How Pharmacology Professor Dies at 74 Brain’s Visual Processing Can Fail SANA RAHMAN Hoya Staff Writer
ELIZABETH BRENNEMAN Special to The Hoya
A crash in visual processing can occur when the brain is overwhelmed with more information than it can handle and visual stimuli do not make the full journey to and from the front of the brain, according to a study published by Georgetown University neuroscientists Oct. 23. The study aimed to explain why humans sometimes forget images they just saw, a phenomenon the researchers dubbed a “crash in visual processing.” Georgetown neuroscience professor Maximilian Riesenhuber was the senior investigator who conducted the study along with investigators Patrick Cox (COL ’08, MED ’17), Clara Scholl (MED ’15) and lead author Jacob Martin, a Georgetown postdoctorate fellow. The human brain can process up to 70 images per second, according to an Oct. 23 Georgetown University Medical Center news release. However, prior studies have shown that people are rather poor at detecting objects that appear close together in time, a contradiction the study sought to reconcile, according to Riesenhuber. “Our study shows a specific limitation of the visual system and explains why our consciousness cannot keep up,” Riesenhuber said in a GUMC news release. “When someone tells you they didn’t see something that occurred in a chaotic situation, maybe they did, but they didn’t know that they did.” The researchers displayed a series of 12 images per second and recorded the participants’ memory of the contents of the images using electroencephalography tests, which record electrical activity in the brain. The study determined that visual crashes ultimately result from an interference of the feedback wave, otherwise known as the process of image recognition and understanding. When the human eye detects something, the visual signal travels along a pathway that starts at the back of the brain and moves towards the frontal cortex, according to the report. This is known as a
feedforward wave. After reaching the frontal cortex, the signal is sent back to the back of the brain, making the brain conscious of the processed stimulus. This is known as a feedback wave. However, if an individual sees another image before the signal processing is complete, a visual crash occurs. Besides identifying where cognition can falter, the study’s findings also shed light on methods for improving cognition, according to the news release. “The researchers say their conclusions not only are relevant to how, when and where capacity limits in the brain’s processing abilities can arise, but also have ramifications that span consciousness to learning and attention,” the news release said. Understanding how the feedforward and feedback signal loop work could ultimately help facilitate learning and cognitive processing. Changing the manner in which images are presented increases people’s ability to detect successive images by 73%, according to the report. This finding shows the possibility of improving the brain’s ability to process visual stimuli, according to Martin. “We were able to improve participants’ detection and categorization performance by presenting the animal images so that the feedback process of one avoided the feedforward process of the other,” Martin wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Taken together, the results paint a picture that describes human visual processing as a dynamic system in which multiple items (e.g. animals) can potentially coexist and intermingle together in different parts of the brain.” Neurotechnology can be used to highlight the connection between neural processes and human consciousness and awareness, Riesenhuber wrote. “We want to understand how the three pounds of fat between our ears do these amazing things that allow us to survive in a complex world, and to see how our brain function can be improved,” Riesenhuber wrote. “The study advances our understanding of how the brain relates to the mind.”
Barry Wolfe, co-director of the Ph.D. program in pharmacology and physiology and director of M.S. graduate studies, died last weekend. Wolfe was 74. Wolfe served as the vice chair of the department of pharmacology and physiology and was the longest serving director of the interdisciplinary program for neuroscience in the Georgetown University Medical Center. Wolfe was also the founding director of the graduate program in pharmacology. Wolfe is survived by his wife Jacqueline Crawley, an internationally-known behavioral neuroscientist at the University of California, Davis, his son Andy Wolfe and daughter-in-law Melinda Diver, who are both also biomedical scientists. Barry Wolfe’s first grandchild was born in March. Wolfe’s caring, astute and kind personality resonated with both students and faculty, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology Director Ken Kellar said. “He was an insightful, very smart, but gentle, colleague who treated everyone very nicely,” Kellar said. “People flocked to him, just a wonderful person.” Among faculty, Wolfe motivated others to push boundaries though their teaching and inspired them to think creatively in research, according to CoDirector of the Ph.D program in Pharmacology and Physiology Patrick Forcelli. “We all respected him immensely as a teacher, but also a leader,” Forcelli said. “He pushed us to be our absolute best in terms of our teaching and our graduate training. But also, he had a sort of curiosity. He was the kind of person you wanted to go to when you had a grant you were trying to work on and you needed some advice.” As a teacher, Wolfe was a mentor who was always available to discuss with students about their research, academic experiences and personal lives, according to Hannah Hathaway (MED ’14), Wolfe’s former Ph.D student. “Barry always had his door open. He spent hours talking with me about experiments, graduate school, statistics, life … everything,” Hathaway wrote in an email to The Hoya. “He was supportive and at the same time pushed students to be their best. He was an amazing mentor.” Wolfe was the “social glue” of the department, according to Kellar and Forcelli. Wolfe planned Friday night movies for students and faculty, and would sample cheeses at Trader Joe’s to serve alongside the classic movies he enjoyed. Wolfe organized barbecues on
the medical center podium a few times each year and the annual department retreat, where he would prepare food — including barbecue — for the group. Wolfe’s personal interests were broad, including astronomy, sailing, snorkeling and ceramics, according to Kellar. “We enjoyed science together, we enjoyed research together, but he was so much more than that,” Keller said. “He was an amateur astronomer, he built his own telescopes. He had many hobbies, including pottery, which he was very good at.” Wolfe went every Thursday night to an arts center in Bethesda, Md., to craft his pottery. He enjoyed crafting small bowls and coffee cups, which he would gift to his friends. Astronomy was Wolfe’s nonpharmacological scientific passion. Wolfe regularly went to the darkest locales throughout West Virginia and Virginia to stargaze, and he traveled internationally for the best astronomical experiences, according to Kellar. “He would make arrangements to travel to places where the eclipse would best be seen,” Kellar said. “Five or ten years ago
he went to Chile because that was going to be the best place to see the eclipse. He was a man of many talents.” Prior to joining Georgetown University’s faculty in 1989, Wolfe served as a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Colorado Boulder, according to an email sent by Medical Center Executive Dean Edward B. Healton. Wolfe attended the University of California, Los Angeles for his bachelor’s degree in chemistry, California State-Northridge University for his master of science in chemistry and the University of California, Santa Barbara for his doctorate in philosophy in chemistry, according to the email. In his renowned research, Wolfe focused on the regulation of neurotransmitter receptors and signal transduction mechanisms, publishing around 150 research papers, according to Kellar. Wolfe was a trained cellular and molecular neuropharmacologist who worked to develop antibodies for certain receptors to help identify receptor types and locations in the brain, Kellar said. The field studying neurotransmitter receptors is only about
40 years old, and Wolfe was a pioneer in his field and laid the groundwork for much of today’s research, according to Kellar. Wolfe’s clear teaching style helped students learn complex material and helped make the content easier to understand, Forcelli said. “Students, the first thing they probably noticed about him was that he was an exceptional teacher,” Forcelli said. “He is one of the best teachers I have ever met. He had a way of taking very complicated material and made it digestible and approachable for students.” The department of pharmacology and physiology will honor Forcelli’s legacy by continuing to focus on the sense of community that Wolfe created within the department, according to Forcelli. “I think that one of the things that I think he really cared very deeply about was maintaining the sense of community and collegiality and friendship in our programs between students and faculty,” Forcelli said. “I think that’s something that has had a permanent impact on the way we work here and I think that we will keep those going.”
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Exhibition Celebrates 50 Years Laudato Si Grant Recipients Will Of American Studies Program Apply for Bee Campus Designation LIANA HARDY
Special to The Hoya
Georgetown University’s American studies program is celebrating its 50th anniversary with an exhibit in Lauinger Library to recognize the program’s history as the oldest interdisciplinary program in the College. The exhibition, titled “American Studies: 50 Years of Interdisciplinary Connections,” is located in the Kerbs Exhibit Area on the third floor of the library and will remain on display until Jan. 31. The American studies program will also hold events this weekend, including receptions, panels and lectures by faculty and alumni to conclude its 50thanniversary celebration. The American studies program is an interdisciplinary major that educates students on various perspectives on power, identity and culture in American society. The program prepares students to confront complex cultural issues with both historical and contemporary perspectives through their coursework, according to American studies professor Randall Bass. “I think American studies brings an intrinsic and critical lens to the questions of power and identity,” Bass said in an interview with The Hoya. “People that graduate from American studies often have a sense of how to bring different kinds of frameworks about the past and present to bear on almost any context to understand the many layers of cultural situations.” Since the program’s founding in 1969, American studies has grown significantly. During the first decade, only 73 students graduated with a degree in American studies. In contrast, 237 students have declared their major in the program since 2010, according to the university’s website. Despite the increase in students studying the discipline, the American studies program remains a small, tight-knit community, according to professor Brian Hochman, the director of the program. “There’s a real sense of community among each class because all students take classes together,” Hochman said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “They’re all very invested to each other.” Students in the American studies program, who are all required to write a senior thesis, are committed to investing the
time needed to succeed in the program, according to American studies professor Caetlin Benson-Allott. “I think because all of the students start the program knowing that it’s going to culminate in their own individual research project, there’s a lot of investment,” Benson-Allott said in an interview with The Hoya. “Students are always thinking about what their stake in the program is, what their thesis will be and how they’re going to make the major their own at the end of it.” The American studies program allows students to register for cross-listed courses from related fields, such as English, history and sociology, as electives to count toward their major in addition to their core classes. The cross-listed courses provide students with the ability to create individualized degrees. The flexibility of the program is one of its best features, according to Ivan Jimenez (COL ’21), who is majoring in American studies. “Of the best aspects, the biggest one is complete academic freedom,” Jimenez said in an interview with The Hoya. “If you have an interest within American culture that you want to pursue, you can basically take any classes that you can find connections at.” Interdisciplinary programs like American studies will likely be the future for Georgetown academics, according to Bass. Last month, the university promoted interdisciplinary studies with the creation of
the Bachelor of Science in business and global affairs degree, a joint program with the School of Foreign Service and the McDonough School of Business. Additionally, in the spring 2015 semester, the university launched a global business major and fellowship, a joint program with the SFS and the MSB that sought to combine coursework from both schools. In recent decades, the American studies program has adjusted its structure to offer students more choices and incorporate more disciplines, according to Bass. “The program changed a lot in expanding the number of disciplines, giving students a bit more flexibility and bringing in more faculty to teach in the program,” Bass said. “Like any other program, the content has refreshed itself every single year.” The program has remained stable and strong over the past 50 years and will continue to do so in the future, according to Hochman. Moving forward, the program will likely continue to tweak aspects of its curriculum to include more perspectives, according to Hochman. “I think one of the things that the program needs to do, one of its challenges, is to retain a sense of tradition while also keeping up with the direction of the field of American studies,” Hochman said. “For me, and this is just my opinion, it is reinfusing our curriculum and our faculty population with the field of ethnic studies.”
MAGGIE FOUBERG FOR THE HOYA
Lauinger Library is celebrating the oldest interdisciplinary program in Georgetown College with an exhibition in the third floor lobby.
GIULIA TESTA Hoya Staff Writer
A team of students, faculty and staff is applying for a designation this fall that would recognize Georgetown University’s commitment to protecting pollinators by making it the first “Bee Campus” in Washington, D.C. The designation is granted by the Xerces Society, an international organization that focuses on the conservation of organisms essential to biological diversity and the wellbeing of ecosystems. If given the designation, Georgetown will join more than 80 other educational institutions as a Bee Campus, which requires the university to make seven commitments in support of bees and other pollinating insects. To become a Bee Campus, Georgetown must establish a committee of students, faculty and staff as well as host awareness events, sponsor student service-learning projects, offer pollinator-focused workshops, post signage to educate the campus, maintain a website and apply annually for a renewal, according to Bee City USA. Science, Technology and International Affairs Professor William Hahn, who is the Bee Campus project lead, stressed the significance of Georgetown becoming D.C.’s first Bee Campus by being dedicated to conservation efforts. “Washington DC is already a Xerces Society Bee City so it is natural to have Georgetown as a Bee Campus,” Hahn wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Being first in the area shows leadership and commitment to environmental action.” As a top university, Georgetown has the responsibility to support environmental conservation efforts, according to Allyse Smith (NHS ’21), a member of Hoya Hive, Georgetown’s beekeeping organization. “Georgetown is recognized as a leading institution in many ways so it is important that the campus supports a healthy ecosystem,” Smith wrote in an email to The Hoya. “By becoming an established Bee Campus, it is a commitment to protecting pollinators and local plants.” Hoya Hive, which is a part of the Georgetown Renewable Energy and Environmental Network, maintains two
bee hives on campus near the Observatory. The current hives were installed in May 2018. Through the Xerces Society’s Bee Campus program, the university hopes to protect native pollinators and increase awareness regarding conservation issues, according to Hahn. “We are using this framework to coordinate existing activities at Georgetown (gardens, the student beekeeping club Hoya Hive, ecology and other courses, etc.) to further develop the campus as an environmental education resource,” Hahn wrote. The Bee Campus program places a particular value on education, according to Pharmacology and Physiology Professor Adriane Fugh-Berman, who is on the Bee Campus committee. “Many urban students know little about plants and pollinators, so this is a wonderful opportunity for teaching and learning about native bees, other pollinators, and how important they are to the future of food,” Fugh-Berman wrote in an email to The Hoya. The project will offer students more application-based learning in the classroom that will give them real-world experience, Hahn wrote. “As we develop our project students will be able to participate in courses and other activities centered on pollinator biology, hands-on beekeeping, biodiversity studies, urban sustainability, and food/ agriculture,” Hahn wrote. One course, “Conflict and Coexistence: At the Interface of Humans and Nature,” allows students to connect material learned in class to real problems happening in the world, according to STIA Professor Cynthia Wei. “This campus pollinator project (of which Bee Campus USA is a part) has provided a nice opportunity for students in my course to contribute to an ongoing conservation project on campus, and to connect what they are learning in class to a real-world problem,” Wei wrote in an email to The Hoya. The overall project is a rewarding experience because it integrates student interests with what they are learning in classes, according to Smith. Elizabeth Nguyen (SFS ’21), president of Hoya Hive, said the initiative aligns perfectly
with what she is currently studying and will help her achieve her goals for conservation beyond Georgetown. “In the future, I hope to work on the intersection of sustainability and development so being a part of the Bee Campus project gives me insight into how we can best implement strategies benefitting both ecosystems and human needs through increased pollination for crops and the ecosystem services the natural world provides,” Nguyen wrote in an email to The Hoya. The Laudato Si’ Fund, a $300,000 fund that supports sustainability projects and programs that create a healthier and more biologically diverse local ecosystem, has been used to achieve the Bee Campus initative’s goals. The Bee Campus project received a grant of $26,153, according to Hahn. The grant has allowed the initiative to develop a program website, which is expected to be launched by the end of the semester, and cultivate gardens in different locations, including under the Leavey Esplanade and on the medical campus podium. The funding was also used to develop new beekeeping courses and include students in activities like beekeeping, native plant gardening, honey harvesting and community outreach, according to Hahn. Additionally, receiving the Laudato Si’ grant further publicized Georgetown’s pollinator protection efforts, according to Nyugen. “The publicity has also been great for both the club and the overall initiative,” Nguyen wrote. “The goals of Bee Campus are really to reach as many people as possible in order to protect our native pollinators and the Laudato Si’ fund has provided us with the resources to impact more people and thus more pollinators as well.” Georgetown plans to submit its full request to become a Bee Campus to the Xerces Society this semester and hopes the conservation project will continue in subsequent years. “We will continue to develop our activities and the full request to Xerces for Bee Campus recognition will be sent in this Fall,” Hahn wrote. “The overall project (gardens, courses, etc.) will hopefully continue for many years.”
GUSA Reforms Ethics Committee Renovations to the Neglected To Include Nonvoting Students Holy Rood Cemetery Underway HARRISON MCBRIDE Hoya Staff Writer
The Georgetown University Student Association senate voted in favor of an amended bill that would include student body members on the GUSA ethics and oversight committee, which aims to improve the internal accountability of the senate and GUSA’s executive branch. Ethics Committee Chair Zev Burton (SFS ’22) and Vice Chair Chris Ziac (COL ’22) introduced the initial bill at the meeting, citing the necessity of third party students in enforcing the accountability of GUSA members. While the first iteration of the bill, which was also introduced at the Oct. 27 meeting, altered the GUSA bylaws to include more student body members than senate members on the committee, senators voiced concerns about representation of senate members in the new structure. Senator Peter Hamilton (COL ’20) introduced the “5-5 Compromise Amendment,” named after a proposed split of five senators and five nonsenators on the committee, to address these concerns. After the introduction and passage of Hamilton’s amendment, the final bill passed the Senate in a 25-2 vote after over an hour and a half of debate. Hamilton’s amendment also altered the bill to allow the two executive liaisons voting privileges on the committee. The amendment served to balance the voting power of senators and the student body committee members on the committee from the original bill, according to Hamilton. “The reason I introduced the amendment was because it was very clear to me that the way the bill was in its current iteration wasn’t gonna get that many votes,” Hamilton said in an interview with The Hoya. “The sen-
ate has more important things to be focusing on than to spend an hour and a half debating the structure of one ethics and oversight committee.” Under the new structure, the committee will consist of six senators, including the chair of the committee, two executive liaisons and three student body representatives. Each committee member will have the ability to vote, and the committee chair’s vote will be used as a tiebreaker when needed. The new framework diverges from the previous committee structure, which consisted of five voting senators, including the chair and vice chair of the committee as well as the vice chairs of the other major senate committees. While executive liaisons to the committee have always existed, they did not possess the ability to vote on measures. Two senators, Harrison Nugent (SFS ’20) and Eric BazailEimil (SFS ’23), voted against the bill. Bazail-Eimil is preparing to challenge the legislation in the coming weeks with the GUSA constitutional council, the body of GUSA that determines whether legislation adheres to the GUSA constitution. Giving executive liaisons the right to vote on the committee effectively gives the power of impeachment to the executive branch, which would be unethical since members of the executive branch should not have the power to oversee impeachment proceedings within the same area of GUSA, according to Bazail-Eimil. Despite planning to bring the measure to the constitutional council, Bazail-Eimil still supports general reform efforts to the ethics and oversights committee. “I’m very supportive of chairman Burton’s efforts to crack down on a lot of the other fail-
ures of the ethics committee,” Bazail-Eimil said in an interview with The Hoya. “My issue is with whether the committee as a structural body can be constituted like that.” The senate ethics and oversight committee was originally created in October 2018 to monitor potential conflicts of interest and track senators’ attendance records at meetings. During the transition senate, transition ethics and oversight committee chair Leo Teixeira (COL ’21) led a working group to assess and provide recommendations on ways to improve the committee. Burton, along with Ziac, who served on the working group before being elected to an at-large senate seat this fall, incorporated the working group’s recommendations in the original bill that was introduced Sunday, according to Ziac. Burton hopes to confirm the executive liaisons to the committee within the coming weeks and complete an application process for the student representative positions, he said. “Hopefully by, if not this Friday, but the next ethics and oversight meeting next Friday, we will have a full, functioning and honest committee,” Burton said. As the committee’s vice chair, Ziac believes the legislation’s changes will benefit students across campus with the implementation of new student representatives. “For one thing, it provides another opportunity for students interested in GUSA to get involved with GUSA through being student reps.,” Ziac said in an interview with The Hoya. “I think that by having this committee more standardized and more representative of GUSA and the student body, hopefully we can cut down any drama and make sure these processes seem free, clear, open.”
HANSEN LIAN Staff Writer
Holy Rood Cemetery, which was one of the nation’s largest burial places for enslaved black people, is undergoing extensive renovations to restore its historic grounds. Georgetown University and Holy Trinity Catholic Church have partnered to oversee the restorations at Holy Rood announced in November 2018. The first stage of initial renovations is set to be completed in early 2020 with more work to come later in the year. Holy Rood, located on Wisconsin Avenue, was established in 1832 by Holy Trinity Catholic Church. The people buried at the 186-year-old cemetery include up to 1,000 freed and enslaved black people, Revolutionary War veterans, priests and members of the Georgetown community. Georgetown has managed the maintenance of Holy Rood since 1942. The university has drawn criticism from neighbors, students and other community members for its management of Holy Rood. The cemetery has fallen into disrepair since at least 2009, marred by vandalism, litter and decay, according to The Georgetown Metropolitan. In 2018, Georgetown and Holy Trinity announced extensive plans to restore the cemetery, including plans for a 645-niche columbarium, a building used to display funeral urns, and the establishment of a Perpetual Care Endowment to fund future maintenance projects. Construction on a new columbarium is already complete. Sales of niches for funeral urns in the columbarium will help sustain maintenance going forward, according to university spokesperson Ruth McBain. “A portion of the proceeds
from columbarium niche sales helps fund a Perpetual Care Endowment for the cemetery,” McBain wrote in an email to The Hoya. Georgetown and Holy Trinity are financially committed to improving and maintaining Holy Rood in the future, according to Grace Bateman, a leader of the restoration effort and Holy Trinity parishioner. Georgetown agreed to fund up to $500,000 in deferred maintenance at Holy Rood, and Holy Trinity agreed to fund up to $250,000 in landscaping and other improvements, according to Bateman. “All of these investments, plus, income from the Perpetual Care Endowment that has been established, will insure that the work now underway at Holy Rood won’t be a ‘one-time fix,’” Bateman wrote in an email to The Hoya. The university’s faltering maintenance of the cemetery has been met with reproval for decades. In 1984, then University President Timothy Healy, S.J., proposed that Georgetown remove the graves and develop the property for different purposes in the future. Healy faced accusations of disrespecting the dead and dropped the idea, according to The Washington Post. The university has made consistent efforts, however, to improve Holy Rood, according to McBain. “In 2002, the University rebuilt the stone retaining wall. In 2010, Georgetown and Holy Trinity Church began a joint effort to restore and improve the cemetery grounds,” McBain wrote. “Since the work began, Georgetown has erected a gate and plaque, and the Holy Trinity Church’s work includes the installation of ornamental iron fencing and enhancing the entrance hardscape and landscaping.”
Although Georgetown and Holy Trinity could have done more to maintain the cemetery, both institutions have played a critical role in its upkeep since its founding, according to Bateman. “Holy Trinity’s funds for maintaining the cemetery became scarce, especially during the hardship of the Depression. Fortunately, Georgetown University, which still held title to the cemetery, stepped in to provide basic maintenance,” Bateman wrote. “Both Holy Trinity and the University could have done a better job maintaining the Holy Rood during past times, but the partnership between the two institutions actually saved the cemetery from further decay.” The restoration’s success is evidence that, despite Holy Rood’s complicated history, Holy Trinity and Georgetown are working in the cemetery’s best interests, according to Bateman. “The fruits of the long-standing partnership between Holy Trinity Catholic Church and Georgetown University are already evident at Holy Rood Cemetery,” Bateman wrote. “Not only the improvements to the physical environment that are beginning to emerge, but reconnecting current and future parishioners and members of the University community with this beautiful and sacred space.” The renovations are a welcome sight after years of disrepair, according to Carlton Fletcher, who has been a Glover Park resident for over 45 years. “I was delighted to hear of Georgetown University and Holy Trinity’s project, and I look forward to seeing it come to fruition,” Fletcher wrote in an email to The Hoya. “I think that I am like many others who have passed Holy Rood over the years and wondered why it appeared to be in such a sorry state.”
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
NEWS
THE HOYA
A9
A10
SPORTS
THE HOYA
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
FIELD HOCKEY
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Georgetown Extends Losing Streak Against Providence KELTON MILLER Hoya Staff Writer
The Georgetown field hockey team fell to its conference rivals Providence in a 2-0 loss on the road in Providence, R.I., last Friday. The loss puts the Hoyas at 5-12 on the season and just 1-5 in the Big East conference. The Providence Friars, on the other hand, were propelled to 11-5 overall and 4-2 in the conference. The game qualified Providence for the Big East Field Hockey Championship, which will be held in Hamden, Conn. from Nov. 8 to 10. Georgetown now sits at seventh in the Big East, putting it well out of reach of contention for the top four spots. Those four teams advance to the tournament, as the Hoyas will all but certainly end their season before then. The Hoyas managed to get off a decent total of seven shots, five of which were on target. Friar graduate student goalkeeper Lydia Rice, however, was able to keep all of these attempts out of the cage. In this effort, Rice earned her fifth shutout victory of the season. Providence outshot Georgetown with 12 shots, seven of which were on tar-
get. Georgetown sophomore goalkeeper Ciara Weets managed to stop five of these shots, but two shots managed to escape her. Despite not capturing the victory, this game brings her season total up to an impressive 77 saves. The game started out rather slowly in a scoreless first quarter, despite Georgetown freshman forward Ellie Maransky having a shot at goal a short ten minutes into the game. The drought was broken by Providence senior Mary O’Reilly as the forward netted a goal in the 25th minute directly off a rebound following a save by Weets. Extending their lead, the Friars’ second goal was scored in the 53rd minute by Friar sophomore forward Amanda Collins off of a crossed assist from graduate student defense Corinne Kenney. The most successful part of the game for the Hoyas was the third quarter. The Georgetown defense prevented any goals from being scored, while the offense also outshot Providence 4-3. This momentum never materialized into a muchneeded goal for the Hoyas, however, and Providence maintained its two-goal lead.
The biggest imbalance of the game came in the penalty corner count. Providence was able to win six corners, whereas Georgetown only won two. These totals speak to the offensive pressure Providence was able to impose upon Georgetown, and the number of infractions the Friars were able to force the Hoyas into committing, with the Friars’ advantage when it comes to experience taking form in a reduced penalty total by the better disciplined team throughout the game. Georgetown currently finds itself in the middle of a nine-game losing streak, the conference’s longest, which they will look to snap Friday, Nov. 1, in an away game against UConn. This game will be a significant undertaking for the Hoyas, as the Huskies sit at the top of the conference with a perfect 6-0 Big East record and an imposing 14-3 overall record amid strong opposition throughout the season. Two days after their game against UConn, Georgetown will travel to play Sacred Heart on Sunday, Nov. 3. This road battle will be their last game of the season as all momentum has run out for the Hoyas.
FILE PHOTO: ELLIE STAAB FOR THE HOYA
Junior midfielder Kylee Cunningham, 15, and senior back Ashley Leverrett, 8, are among the Hoyas leading a charge out of their goal in a recent home game duringa the latest losing streak.
OLIVIA CHUANG FOR THE HOYA
Georgetown junior forward Jenna Menta, center, drives the ball past a DePaul defender along the left side of the field. On the year, Menta has recorded three goals and four assists to go with six shots on goal.
GU Falls to Blue Demons, Ending Unbeaten Streak RACHEL GAUDREAU Hoya Staff Writer
DePaul forward Morgan Turner fought off the Georgetown defense in the 92nd minute of play to slot a ball past freshman keeper Anna Leat inside the far post. The golden goal secured the Blue Demons’ 1-0 victory over the No. 14 Hoyas and ended the Hoyas’ undefeated run in Big East play. Both teams put forth strong defensive efforts to shut down offensive opportunities by the opponent on Thursday, Oct. 24 at Wish Field in Chicago. In the second half, the Georgetown (10-3-3, 4-1-2 Big East) defense held the Blue Demons (7-6-3, 4-2-1 Big East) to zero shots on goal while the Hoyas recorded a pair of shots themselves. The game saw little offensive action throughout regulation time, with Georgetown tallying five shots with one on net and DePaul recording three shots with none on frame in the first 90 minutes of play. The Blue and Gray also had the advantage in corner kicks, earning four throughout the match to DePaul’s two. Georgetown’s most promising play came in the 84th minute when senior defender Meaghan Nally put a shot on
VOLLEYBALL
net that ultimately found the hands of the DePaul keeper, sending the game into overtime. This match marks the third consecutive overtime match played by the Hoyas and their first overtime loss of the season. Following their loss to DePaul, Georgetown returned home on Sunday, Oct. 27, to challenge Seton Hall (1-13-1, 0-8-0 Big East) at Shaw Field. The Hoyas looked to build upon their performance against the Pirates in the 2018 season as they emerged with a 4-0 victory. From the whistle, the Blue and Gray challenged the Pirates’ defense with a total of seven shots and five corners in the first half. The Georgetown defense also denied Seton Hall a shot in the first half while allowing just one corner in the process. Despite the Hoyas’ offensive pressure, the Pirates’ defense rejected their advances throughout the first 67 minutes of play. Georgetown finally broke through in the 67th minute when graduate forward Amanda Carolan connected with sophomore defender Jenna Royson, who buried the ball in the back of the net. With a 1-0 lead, the Blue and Gray continued its offensive momentum by notching three more goals in the fol-
lowing minutes. In the 69th minute, Carolan tallied a goal of her own by heading an assist by junior forward Jenna Menta past the Seton Hall keeper. Menta added a third goal in the 80th minute after receiving an assist from senior midfielder Carson Nizialek and powering past defenders in the box to put the ball away. Sophomore forward Caitlin Moon closed out the match with a goal in the 84th minute to lead the Hoyas to a 4-0 victory. On the day, Georgetown put up 22 shots with nine on frame to Seton Hall’s zero and had a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks. The Seton Hall keeper put up five saves in the match and Georgetown junior keeper Alyssa Navarette remained unchallenged in net. The shutout marks the team’s ninth shutout this season. Since the match, Nally has earned recognition on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll for her contributions to the Georgetown defense that held DePaul and Seton Hall to a collective single shot on goal this past week. Georgetown returns to action one final time this regular season to face St. John’s in its last conference match. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Shaw Field this Thursday, Oct. 31.
TAILGATES AND TRADITIONS
Hoyas Drop Road Matches LSU Affirms Supremacy Against Xavier and Butler Over Rest of the Conference TIAN SHI
Hoya Staff Writer
The Georgetown women’s volleyball team traveled to the Midwest to play two big games against Xavier University on Friday, Oct. 25 and Butler University on Sunday, Oct. 27. In a five-set loss to the Xavier Musketeers and a three-set loss to the Butler Bulldogs, the Hoyas regressed to a season record of 12-12. After the Hoyas took an early lead in the first set on Friday evening, the Musketeers climbed back, fighting neck and neck with the Hoyas until Georgetown took a lead toward the end, finishing 25-21. The second set saw the Hoyas improve their performance as they maintained their initial lead throughout the set, winning 25-19. The third set brought trouble for Georgetown as Xavier grabbed the lead and quickly finished the
set at 14-25. The Hoyas fought back in the fourth, before being unable to reclaim the lead, losing in a tiebreaker at 25-27. Despite frequent fifth-set substitutions, the Hoyas were unable to grasp the lead and lost the last set 11-15. Friday’s five-set match marked their eighth of the season. After the 5-set match on Friday, Georgetown has played eight fiveset games this season, with five of the nine Big East matches going to five sets. Freshman Peyton Wilhite and junior Riley Wertzberger posted career highs in kills, with Wilhite bringing in 18 and Wertzberger finishing with 17. Senior outside hitter Iva Vujosevic earned her ninth double-double for the season, finishing the game with 12 kills and 11 digs. Senior Margo Snipe posted seven kills at a 0.462 clip while freshman Makayla Serrett managed seven kills without an attack error. Junior Margo
KASSIDY ANGELO FOR THE HOYA
A Georgetown lineup plans schemes for the upcoming play in the middle of a recent home match for the Hoyas.
Pivonka ended the game with a team-high of 43 assists. After the close matchup against Xavier University, Georgetown traveled to Indianapolis to compete against Butler University on Sunday afternoon. The Hoyas went into the first set sticking with the Bulldogs until the midway point when the Hoyas lost a handle on the set. The Bulldogs eventually ran away with the win by a score of 13-25. The second set progressed similarly, with Georgetown and Butler playing head-to-head until the Bulldogs managed to gain a slight advantage over the Hoyas. The Hoyas remained unable to claim the lead, losing the second set 20-25. The third set brought similar troubles, but after an early lead from the Bulldogs, the Blue and Gray fought back with six consecutive serves from Vujosevic, reducing the deficit to 13-15. The two teams went head-to-head, playing until setpoint four times. This streak ended with an attack error by Elissa Barbosa and a bad set by Ellie Watkins which ended the set 27-29 as Butler took the pivotal set. The loss against Butler brought Georgetown’s conference record to 2-7. Wilhite ended the game posting the most kills across the board and one block. Vujosevic finished with eight kills, three aces, two assists, and 11 digs. Both Wertzberger and Serrett secured two blocks. Pivonka added 17 assists to her record in addition to six digs. The Hoyas will play Villanova University in two back-to-back games, first returning to Washington, D.C., to play Villanova at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1. Afterward, the Hoyas will head to Villanova, Pa. to play the Wildcats on their home court at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3.
James Travis Fall is in full swing as temperatures get lower and my jackets get thicker. Despite my best efforts to dress warmly this weekend, I was still quite chilly. Thankfully, SEC football is beginning to heat up and help keep me cozy. The most important game of this past weekend ended in then-No. 2 LSU eking out a three-point victory over No. 9 Auburn. This catapulted the LSU Tigers to the number one spot in the country. It was an impressive win, but for the first time, LSU’s offense looked good, but not exceptional. Despite Auburn’s losing and dropping out of the top 10, they still have a chance at a promising bowl season. Should they win out, which would require beating No. 8 Georgia and No. 2 Alabama, they will be guaranteed a New Year’s Six bowl game. They would also have a small chance at making the playoffs if these wins are impressive enough, given the opposing teams’ rankings at the time. While Auburn tries to figure out how to move forward, LSU knows exactly what it has to do next. In two weeks, LSU must go to Tuscaloosa and beat Alabama at home. Thankfully, it has this weekend off to prepare; however, fitting for Halloween, Alabama also has
the weekend off to prepare. For them, this means just as much ritual sacrifice as it does practice. This matchup will more than likely determine the SEC West champion, as well as who heads to the conference championship on the division’s behalf. The biggest question about this game is whether or not Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will be recovered from injury and ready to play. Still, with the SEC West championship being the most important game of the regular season, expect both teams to bring their A-game. While the SEC West championship is clearly a race between two top teams, the SEC East is more competitive and less impressive. Despite Missouri looking surprisingly competitive for a while, a loss to Kentucky quickly dampened any hopes of a Cinderella season. Missouri’s next two games — the only remaining ones they are not favored to win — are against Georgia and Florida. Though Missouri certainly has a shot at winning both, nobody will watch those games expecting a Tiger victory. Kentucky is past its hard games and should be favored in the last four games to close out the season. An eight-win season is certainly something for them to feel satisfied about. Another team likely to finish with a similar record is Texas A&M. They have two easy games followed by games against LSU and Georgia that they are expected to lose. While Texas A&M Coach Jimbo Fisher’s record for his first two seasons isn’t quite what his salary would imply, there
is reason to get excited about next year. Another second-year coach who isn’t quite meeting expectations is Mississippi State Coach Joe Moorhead. The Bulldogs have a 3-5 record with only three winnable games left — I’m going to preemptively assume a loss to Alabama — so a chance at a bowl game looks like it will come down to a rivalry game matchup against Ole Miss. Ole Miss will likely not make a bowl game at the conclusion of this season; they will be focused on bringing Mississippi State down with them. If Joe Moorhead loses to Arkansas or, in a divine miracle, to Abilene Christian, next season will likely be his last to prove himself. Arkansas Coach Chad Morris likewise needs to win this game if he wants a chance at another season. Looking to this weekend, the most important game by far is the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, or the Georgia-versus-Florida game. Both teams have only one loss in the SEC, and this game should determine the winner of the SEC East championship. Georgia’s offense looks extremely questionable, and the Bulldogs will have to play better than they have in the past few weeks if they want to win. Georgia is favored, but this game should come down to the wire. The rest of the close games next week are between teams trying to keep a shot at a bowl game alive.
James Travis is a junior in the McDonough School of Business. TAILGATES AND TRADITIONS appears online and in print every other Friday.
SPORTS
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
MEN’S SOCCER
THE HOYA
A11
WORLD SERIES
Nationals Win World Series in 7 Games NATIONALS, from A12
MAGGIE FOUBERG/THE HOYA
Junior defenseman Sean O’Hearn launches a clearance in a recent Georgetown home match. O’Hearn has started every game this year.
GU’s 7th-Straight Shutout Results In Definitive Win MARQUETTE, from A12
of the second half, the Hoyas had a number of opportunities to add to their lead. The best chance came in the 60th minute after Beer found sophomore forward Zach Riviere in the box. However, Riviere’s ensuing shot hit the crossbar. The game ended with Georgetown with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Marquette to remain in first place in the Big East. “[Marquette] is the team I picked to win the league going in,” Wiese said. “They have a lot of injuries so they’re not quite what they should be. But this is a really good team with some really talented players.” Following the game, the Hoyas moved to the top spot in the Rating Percentage Index rankings. Nikopolidis and junior goalkeeper Ethan Koehler split time in net to deny the Golden Eagles from scoring and preserving the Hoyas’ seventh consecutive shutout. Georgetown will return to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when they travel to Philadelphia to take on Villanova in a Big East matchup.
Georgetown from grabbing a third. In the 39th minute, the Golden Eagles came close to getting on the scoreboard following a set-piece when Nikopolidis was beaten to the cross by a Marquette attacker whose header went just over the crossbar. In the final minute of the half, junior midfielder Jack Beer hit a shot from outside the box that was struck well and beat Stern before clattering off the crossbar and bouncing out of play. Georgetown headed to the half with a 2-0 lead. As they extended their lead in the 55th minute, the Hoyas ensured that Marquette would have no chance to make the game competitive again. Montes received the ball in the midfield and played Achara in down the left-wing. Achara then played the ball square to junior forward Derek Dodson who was making a run to the middle of the box. Dodson calmly placed the ball in the back of the net, giving the Blue and Gray a 3-0 lead. Throughout the remainder
never regaining his all-star form. Nevertheless, key seventh-inning home runs by Rendon and Kendrick opened up the scoring for the Nationals, eventually winning the game 6-2. This storybook season reached a victory that seemed unlikely on many occasions, including when the Nationals trailed three games to two in the World Series. This championship is D.C.’s second this year, as the Washington Mystics also took home the WNBA championship.
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Washington Nationals second baseman Howie Kendrick is among the first to rush the mound after the Nationals’ Game 7 victory.
FOOTBALL
Hoyas Allow Game-Winning Field Goal
Sophomore wide receiver Joshua Tomas turns upfield with the ball in an Oct. 19 matchup with the Lafayette Leopards. Against Lehigh, Tomas caught seven passes for 54 yards, including one touchdown. His longest reception of the afternoon matchup was 21 yards.
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the churning legs of Hill. Freshman running back Nate Hope ended up punching it in from the 1-yard line, with the extra point extending the Lehigh lead to 24-16 after the drive killed more than nine minutes of the clock. Georgetown faced a tall task from its own 10-yard line, with fewer than three minutes to play. After gaining only 18 yards through their first seven plays, however,
a third down conversion followed by a 48-yard completion set Lehigh up nicely to win at the Georgetown 9-yard line with well under a minute to play. The Mountain Hawks ran out the clock and converted the 27-yard field goal as time expired, defeating the Hoyas by a final score of 27-24. Johnson stood out for the Hoyas throughout, completing 20 of 30 passes for 267 yards with three touchdowns and zero turnovers. The Hoyas’ leading receiver was
Dereus, who had 155 yards and a touchdown on the back of his 72-yard touchdown late in the game. Next for Georgetown is Colgate (1-8, 0-3 Patriot League) on Saturday, Nov. 2, as the regular Patriot League contenders face continued struggles throughout the season. The Hoyas look to right their ship, as a potential Football Championship Subdivision playoff bid representing the Patriot League remains well within reach.
EVOLUTION OF BASKETBALL
GILLIGAN, from A12
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Johnson unleashed a bomb to senior wide receiver Michael Dereus who hauled it in on his way to the house for a 72-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 24-22. With over 7,000 fans in attendance attentively watching the two-point conversion attempt by the Hoyas, Johnson found freshman running back Joshua Stakely in the end zone to tie the game with 76 seconds to play. Despite the Hoyas forcing incompletions on the next two days for the Mountain Hawks,
Rookies Carry NBA Further From Positions
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in Houston, and the Astros took the next three in D.C. The Nationals then wrapped up the series with the latest two victories back in Houston. Game 7 featured a marquee pitchers’ duel between former Cy Young winners Max Scherzer for the Nationals and Greinke for the Astros. Scherzer was initially slated to start Game 5 before being a late scratch with an injured shoulder on the morning of the game. Scherzer showcased this injury rust, allowing two early runs in the second inning and
FILE PHOTO: KIRK ZIESER/THE HOYA
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first overall pick to win the award for the team that drafted him. The Nationals also relied heavily on star left fielder Juan Soto, their highest ranked prospect, who turned 21 earlier this week. Soto hit .277 and hit five home runs throughout the postseason run, including three in the World Series. Thirty-six-year-old veteran second baseman Howie Kendrick was the surprise leader of the Nationals throughout their postseason run. The former Los Angeles Angel hit a two-run goahead home run in the National’s do-or-die National League Division Series Game 5 on the road against National League favorite Los Angeles Dodgers, who won 106 regular season games. Kendrick went on to win National League Championship Series MVP following his performance in the Nationals’ four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals. This victory marks the first World Series championship in the history of the Nationals franchise, including the years spent as the Montreal Expos from 1968 to 2004. No team from Washington, D.C., had appeared in the World Series since the Washington Senators lost to the New York Giants in 1933. The Washington Senators also won the World Series in 1924, taking down the New York Giants in seven games.
The Nationals finished the regular season with a record of 93-69, earning a wild card berth. They defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Wild Card Game, the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS and the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS to secure the National League Pennant. Washington came into this series as underdogs, an upstart team with moderated expectations going up against a Houston Astros team that seemed on the verge of a dynasty. The last few Astros’ teams featured the same strong core of second baseman Jose Altuve, outfielder George Springer and third baseman Alex Bregman. The Astros’ young and talented core led them to a 2017 world series victory before they appeared in the American League Champion Series against eventual champion Boston Red Sox in 2018. Since their World Series victory, the Astros have also developed one of the most formidable starting rotations in baseball led by 2019 American League Cy Young Award favorites Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander, as well as former Cy Young winner Zach Greinke, who pitched a stellar outing in the Game 7 loss. This World Series marks the first seven-game series in U.S. sports history in which the road team won every game. The Nationals took the first two games
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if the Lakers would meet certain defeat in this game. However, these speculations proved wrong; not only did Johnson play well, he was the best player on the court. He boasted a stat line of 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists as the Lakers took home the finals and Johnson won the finals MVP. Johnson’s performance would foreshadow the future of the NBA. Years later, this performance introduced teams to the idea of positionless basketball. Specifically, positionless basketball has come to factor significantly into today’s league. Focusing on the past few seasons, one of the biggest phenomenons is the point forward. This terminology describes the practice of forwards bringing the ball up the court and almost acting as if they are the point guards themselves. One player who brought about this concept is LeBron James, who has a similar size and strength to
Magic Johnson, though his tendency to post up opponents and defend forwards prevents him from being a point guard. Additionally, his teams throughout his career have always featured at least one traditional point guard. However, since joining the Lakers last year, LeBron has established himself as the primary ball handler. Although James is a small forward, he developed his passing game to the level of a point guard, frustrating his defenses with his ability to do anything on the court. Beyond LeBron, reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has also established himself as the main ball handler on the Bucks despite a nearly 7-foot frame. Last season, specifically in the playoffs, Antetokounmpo would bring the ball up the court for the Bucks and ultimately create a spacing nightmare for defenses. However, Antetokounmpo met his match against fellow superstar point forward Kawhi Leonard in the Eastern Conference finals.
In today’s game, positions in basketball have been flipped on their heads. Forwards bringing the ball up and centers shooting from well behind the threepoint line have fully redefined the game, changing the philosophies of coaches and players who have been in the league for much longer than the revolution’s roots. Players abandoning traditional ways to play a position has allowed the game to become more free and spaced out, with teams depending on the three-point shot more than ever before. Beyond this change in offensive philosophy, NBA teams are searching for a different type of player nowadays. If you are not a Swiss Army knife — capable of playing multiple positions and taking on various roles — then you are not valued as highly, forcing players to develop skills which are not traditionally associated with their positions, such as guard Marcus Smart developing a serious post up game or center Nikola Jokic becoming one of the
league’s elite passers. The 2019 NBA draft made this trend incredibly clear. Two of the top three picks are completely positionless players. Zion Williamson, drafted No. 1 overall, can play any position on the court. His physicality and vertical leap allows him to match up comfortably against centers, like he did with 7’6” Tacko Fall in the NCAA tournament. However, his dribbling ability and vision allow him to confidently bring the ball up the court. Beyond this, RJ Barrett, the third overall pick, is a 6’6” shooting guard, but is comfortable matching up anywhere from the first through fourth spots. Although there are still many traditional players in the NBA, the future of the league looks to be shifting toward positionless basketball.
Shane Gilligan is a junior in the college. EVOLUTION OF BASKETBALL appears online and in print every other Friday.
Sports
Football Georgetown (5-3) vs. Colgate (1-8) Saturday, Nov. 2, 12 p.m. Cooper Field
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
Georgetown traveled to the Midwest, where they dropped a five-set match at Xavier and a three-set match at Butler.
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WORLD SERIES
NUMBERS GAME
TALKING POINTS
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My approach wasn’t any different — trying to get them back in the game more to develop their skillset.”
Men’s Basketball Head Coach Patrick Ewing (CAS ’85)
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Consecutive shutouts recorded for men’s soccer, regardless of the goalie in net.
MEN’S SOCCER
Hoyas Blank Marquette in Latest Win DREW SEWALL Hoya Staff Writer
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Washington Nationals third baseman and MVP candidate Anthony Rendon strikes a ball into the outfield during a Nationals victory.
Nationals Defeat Astros for 1st World Series Title ALLAN NAVARRO AND JAKE WEXELBLATT Hoya Staff Writers
The Washington Nationals won their first World Series championship in franchise history Wednesday, defeating American League champion Houston Astros in seven games. The Astros were the MLB’s best regular season team, finishing with a final record of 107-55. Early in the season, the Nationals were often written off, sitting secondto-last in the National League on May 23 with a 19-31 record following a sweep at the hands of the New York Mets. Throughout the regular season, the Nationals were led by
the offensive prowess of third baseman and regular-season MVP candidate Anthony Rendon, who batted .319 with 34 home runs and 126 runs batted in. Throughout the postseason, the Nationals’ best player was homegrown starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg, the first overall selection in the 2009 MLB draft. Strasburg became only the second pitcher in MLB history to record five wins over the course of the postseason, finishing with a 5-0 record and 47 strikeouts across 36.1 innings pitched. Strasburg’s performance throughout the series in Games 2 and 6 secured him the World Series MVP award, becoming the See NATIONALS, A11
Following a big victory over No. 4 St. John’s, No. 7 Georgetown continued their undefeated run in Big East play and defeated Marquette 3-0 in a dominant home performance on Senior Day. In their penultimate regular-season home fixture of the year, the Georgetown men’s soccer team (13-1-1, 6-0-1 Big East) shut out the Marquette Golden Eagles (77-1, 3-4-0 Big East) on Shaw Field. The Hoyas controlled the pace of play early, and it quickly became apparent that Georgetown would not start sluggish following their big victory over St. John’s. Head Coach Brian Wiese was proud of the team’s continued motivation and intention throughout their winning streak. “We worry about complacency setting in. This group, to their credit, hasn’t had a single match all year where we haven’t come out with the intent to play well,” Head Coach Brian Wiese said in an interview with GUHoyas. “They show up and they’ve got to play and perform.” In the 17th minute, the Hoyas got on the scoreboard courtesy of a Golden Eagles’ own goal following a brilliant piece of individual skill from junior midfielder Jacob Montes and a quick combination play between Montes and graduate midfielder Ethan Lochner. “I got the ball. There was a player on my back so I turned on him,” Montes said. “Then
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Sophomore goaltender Giannis Nikopolidis launches a punt in the Hoyas’ senior day victory over the Marquette Golden Eagles. Throughout the match, Nikopolidis recorded three saves in his fourth-straight win. I saw Ethan in the split and we played a one-two, and it was a little tricky to get through. And obviously the defender hit it in for me. It’s always good to get the goal early for the team, so it was a good start.” Less than two minutes later, Georgetown doubled its lead when senior defender Dylan Nealis was taken down in the box earning a penalty kick. Senior forward Achara stepped up and buried the penalty kick into the bottom left corner of the net despite Marquette goalkeeper Ce-
FOOTBALL
drik Stern’s diving effort. In the 24th minute, the Golden Eagles had their first chance of the game when they caught sophomore goalkeeper Giannis Nikopolidis out of net and shot from midfield. Although Nikopolidis was beaten, the shot went just over the crossbar and the Blue and Gray kept the shutout. As the half wore on, Georgetown continued to control possession. However, both teams traded chances toward the end of the half. Nealis found himself in
space down the right-wing and played a perfect pass to freshman midfielder Dante Polvara who was standing at the top of the box. However, Polvara’s one-time effort was right at Stern who made the save. Minutes later the Hoyas had another great chance as freshman forward Will Sands beat a man and got in down the left-wing. Sands got his shot off but Stern made another nice save, this time with his foot, to deny See MARQUETTE, A11
EVOLUTION OF BASKETBALL
Shane Gilligan
NBA Continues Drift Into an Era Without Positions FILE PHOTO: KIRK ZIESER/THE HOYA
Junior offensive lineman Daniel Horne, 63, clears a pocket for senior quarterback Gunther Johnson, 10, to unleash a pass downfield in a recent home game. Against Lehigh, Johnson had a strong performance, passing for 267 yards and three touchdowns.
GU Falls at Lehigh Despite Comeback JAKE WEXELBLATT Hoya Staff Writer
The Hoyas fell in an intense Patriot League battle against Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa., when a 27-yard kick from Lehigh senior kicker Austin Henning sealed the 27-24 victory for the Mountain Hawks as time expired. The Hoyas trailed by as many as 10 points early in the game before scoring 16 unanswered to put serious pressure on Lehigh. However, the Hoyas left too much time on the clock after scoring with 1:23 to play in the fourth, letting the Mountain Hawks avenge their 22-16 double overtime loss on the Hilltop last season. The Mountain Hawks (4-3, 3-0 Patriot League) came out of the gates in full throttle, scor-
ing on each of their first two drives of the afternoon with a combined 118 yards on 16 plays. The first drive ended in a made 36-yard field goal and the second drive culminated in a 32-yard touchdown for true freshman running back Zaythan Hill. The Georgetown offense sputtered throughout the first quarter, unable to move the ball more than 20 yards in a given drive until the second quarter. With just over 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter, Georgetown finally got good starting field position at the Lehigh 44 yard line after a fumble recovery by sophomore defensive back Delano Salgado. While this forced turnover did not lead directly to any scoring by the offense, it completely flipped
the field position battle as the next drive saw the Hoyas start at their own 46-yard line and drive down to the 6-yard line where senior kicker Brad Hurst hit a 23-yard field goal to cut the deficit to seven. After a short drive for Lehigh that ended in a punt of just 30 yards, Georgetown ran out the clock to end the first half as Lehigh led 10-3 on the scoreboard. Still facing a seven point deficit, Georgetown opened the second half by forcing a three and out. On the ensuing drive, senior quarterback Gunther Johnson completed all four of his passes as junior running back Jackson Saffold rushed five times for 27 yards on a drive that culminated in a 3-yard pass from Johnson to sophomore wide receiver Josh-
ua Tomas. Hurst missed the extra point, though, so Georgetown remained trailing 10-9. The next three overall possessions were all three and outs, before Georgetown strung together a five-play, 53yard drive that ended as Johnson floated a beautiful pass to sophomore wide receiver Cameron Crayton in stride. Lehigh’s ensuing possession carried it into the fourth quarter as its 11-play touchdown drive took more than five minutes off of the clock. After Georgetown was forced to punt on its next drive, trailing 17-16, the Mountain Hawks executed a masterful 15-play drive behind the arm of senior quarterback Tyler Monaco and See LEHIGH, A11
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Throughout the history of the NBA, positions on the court have been very distinct. Each position had its own specific job, and players in each role had to have particular abilities and physical characteristics. Point guards were the smallest players on the court and had to play the role of a floor general. On the other hand, centers were the biggest players on the court, they lived in the paint and their main focus had been rebounding. This traditional game of basketball has come to change, however, since the inception of the association in 1946. One of the first players to successfully challenge the identity of the game was Magic Johnson. Johnson was a point guard by virtue of his skill set and role in the offense. He was also 6’9”, which was significantly taller than any other point guard and made him a matchup nightmare, forcing teams to find players who could match up with his size, speed and skill, each of which would involve assign-
ing a different player to defend him. Teams were either forced to guard him with their smaller point guard, or insert a bigger player into the lineup to handle him but pay the price of not starting their best point guard. To make matters worse, Johnson was arguably the best player in the league. Johnson showed the true extent of his versatility in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA finals when he played for the Lakers. Star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was unable to play alongside Johnson in the pivotal Game 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers because of an injury. The Lakers were aiming to avoid Game 7 by sealing the series in 6 games and had to deal with the threat of 76ers center Darryl Dawkins. Instead of starting their backup center, the Lakers elected to start Johnson at the position. It was unheard of to play a point guard at center, since the two positions were generally furthest from each other in height. It seemed as See GILLIGAN, A11