Now that almost two weeks have passed since Charles Smith (SFS ‘14) and his friend John Perrone were caught cooking dimethyltryptamine in Smith’s dorm room, a clearer picture of the dramatic, early-morning evacuation of Harbin Hall and their arrest has emerged. Unfortunately, very few of the facts we now know have come from Georgetown itself. Over the last 12 days, the University has frequently dodged important questions about the events of Oct. 23 or contradicted statements from legal authorities without any explanation. This attempt to downplay the significance of these events rather than provide students with accurate, timely, or complete information is unacceptable.
Ever since the emergency evacuation revealed that Harbin’s Hall’s fire alarms were not functioning properly, University officials have been tight-lipped about the specific steps they have taken to ensure that residence halls’ alarm systems are in working order. In a meeting with student reporters, Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson and University Spokesperson Julie Green Bataille were astoundingly dismissive of concerns about the system, saying simply that it had passed inspections before and after the emergency, and that the malfunction was “a one time problem.”
Since that meeting on Monday, Oct. 25, Olson and Green Bataille have failed to explain to the press or Harbin residents why an inspection before the emergency did not uncover the faults in the system, whether the subsequent inspection discovered the root of the problem, or even whether Georgetown has made any repairs to the system.
Olson also would not explain why he told parents of Georgetown students in an email that “there was never a health risk to students in Harbin” even though the D.C. Fire Department treated seven people in connection with the Harbin emergency and the Georgetown Emergency Response Medical Service treated three, two of whom required hospitalization. Police records, which indicate that officers found flammable liquids in Harbin 926, also contradict his statements.
In another inconsistency, Olson has repeatedly told the University community that reports of a strange odor led to the three arrests on Saturday. However, both the Metropolitan Police Department’s incident report and the D.C. District Court charging document from Perrone and Smith’s arraignment said that they were arrested after officers questioned another student who had purchased the legal drug K2 in their room.
The administration’s dismissive attitude and failure to explain why its statements contradict facts supplied by MPD are unacceptable. Georgetown may be concerned for its reputation, but its image is secondary to the responsibility it has to be straightforward about matters of public safety. Many students are unhappy with the way Georgetown handled the emergency. They have a right to have their questions about their safety and the University’s competence answered.
