On Monday Oct. 8, Campaign Georgetown will begin a campaign asking students to contact Mayor Anthony Williams concerning violations of students’ rights. Campaign Georgetown, aided by the Georgetown University Student Association and other student organizations, will go door to door to inform students of discriminatory conditions passed by the Board of Zoning Adjustment and encourage them to participate in an e-mail campaign.
Before accepting the University’s 10 Year Campus Plan, the BZA asked Georgetown to acknowledge that it is a student’s privilege, not right, to live off-campus. The BZA also demanded a report of all off-campus student violations be given to landlords and government agencies and that the University release all student license plate numbers to the city.
Georgetown has filed a lawsuit against the BZA claiming these demands violate privacy and human rights laws. The lawsuit is currently pending action.
“We believe that students should be treated as any other member of the community and not be targeted based on matriculation and age,” said Marty LaFalce (CAS ‘03), a GUSA junior class representative and a coordinator of the campaign.
According to Philippa Sparg (SFS ‘03) an e-mail campaign is the “easiest way to get the most number of people involved.” Sparg said Campaign Georgetown will provide a form letter for students to e-mail to Williams or point that students can draw from in their own letters.
ANC Commissioner Justin Wagner (CAS ‘03) said Campaign Georgetown will stress the positive contributions students have made to the community.
“We do a lot of good in this community … Over 25 percent of students are involved in service weekly,” Wagner said.
Sparg said Campaign Georgetown planned the e-mail campaign to contact the mayor because Williams will attend a Volunteer and Public Service luncheon at Georgetown during inaugural weekend festivities, Oct. 13-14.
Information tables to educate students about student discrimination issues will be set up throughout the week in Red Square. E-mail terminals for student use will be set up in Sellinger Lounge and in New South.
According to Wagner, students should be the “voice of reason” in the debate between the University and the neighborhood.
“Unfortunately we’ve sometimes been forgotten in the past … we want to put students on the political radar screen,” Wagner said. “There are over 50,000 university students in D.C … we can have political influence,” he said.
