Editorial Board
The Editorial Board is the official opinion of the Georgetown Voice. Its current composition can be found on the masthead. The Board strives to publish critical analyses of events at both Georgetown and in the wider D.C. community. We welcome everyone from all backgrounds and experience levels to join us!
7” of rain and barely a wet vac in sight
When it rains, it pours. And when Tropical Storm Hanna finally hit the District of Columbia late into the night last Friday, Georgetown, along with the rest of the District, got drenched. Hanna’s seven inches of rain cut off roads, broadened the muddy Potomac, and flooded the apartments and townhouses of unlucky Georgetown students. According to University Spokesperson Julie Green-Bataille, Facilities prepared for the storm as it slowly made its way up the coast toward the Hilltop, gathering sandbags, pumps, wet vacuum, plastic sheeting, and tarps, and putting extra staff on duty on Saturday. Unfortunately, their preparations proved no match for Hanna, leaving many students to fend for themselves as they waited for ultimately unsatisfactory assistance. The next time it’s faced with a storm of Hanna’s magnitude—a rare occurrence, but a dangerous once nonetheless—Georgetown should do more to protect itself and its students from the fallout.
By the Editorial Board September 11, 2008
New Leo’s takes it down a notch
Georgetown students who returned to campus this fall expecting a new, improved Leo J. O’Donovan Dining Hall must have been sorely disappointed. New? Yes. Improved? Not by a long shot, what with the tacky décor, cluttered downstairs floor plan, and uninspired food. Dining Services needs to restore order to the design of Leo’s and improve the food instead of ruining the décor next time they’re planning renovations.
By the Editorial Board September 4, 2008
Evans for Ward 2 Councilmember
There’s at least one election this year where more of the same is a good thing: the Democratic primary for Ward 2 Councilmember. Next Tuesday, residents of Ward 2 will head to the polls to choose between Councilmember Jack Evans, the 17-year incumbent, and Cary Silverman, the president of the Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association and a former ANC commissioner. (In a ward where Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly 5-to-1, the Democratic primary almost certainly determines the general election winner.) While Silverman brings a refreshing focus on community improvement to the campaign, the Voice’s Editorial Board endorses Councilmember Evans, who has proven himself an effective advocate for Ward 2 during his 17 years on the Council.
By the Editorial Board September 4, 2008
Making a difference, one bite at a time
Former convicts running a catering business—sound like the culinary version of Con Air? So one might think, but think again. It’s actually a description of the Corp’s newest business partnership.
By the Editorial Board September 4, 2008
Van Slyke needs to address his past
Boasting an impressive blend of academic background and practical experience, Dr. Jeffrey Van Slyke, Georgetown’s Director of Public Safety since June 1, seems like an ideal candidate on paper. However, as the Voice’s cover story this week details, a number of controversies in Van Slyke’s past raise questions that he needs to address before the Georgetown community can put their trust in him.
By the Editorial Board August 28, 2008
Celebrating the new LGBTQ center
It took a horrific hate crime, numerous protests by GU Pride, and countless hours of meetings between dedicated administrators, faculty, and students, but on Tuesday Georgetown finally took a giant step forward with the official opening of the LGBTQ Resource Center. Located on the third floor of the Leavey Center, the center marks a new chapter in Georgetown’s history as it strives to become a truly inclusive university for all of its students, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. The center promises to become a vital resource for LGBTQ students at Georgetown and all those who helped create it should be commended for their tireless dedication to helping Georgetown address the needs of all of its students.
By the Editorial Board August 28, 2008
DCPS loses with Capital Gains program
“School is Money,” the original name of a D.C. Public Schools pilot program being instituted this fall wasn’t referring to the intangible value of an education, nor was it trying to relate to students using slang. Rather, it was alluding, quite literally, to the program’s substance: paying students—up to $100 each every two weeks—for good academic performance, behavior, and attendance. Since renamed Capital Gains, the initiative is modeled after a program underway in New York City and has been championed by DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee in a press release as an effective way to “re-engage students and increase their potential.” Though Rhee has shown a refreshing willingness to shake-up DCPS, Capital Gains misses the mark. The program is a cynical vote of no-confidence in the District’s students, a waste of scarce resources, and an abandonment of every educator’s true mission: teaching students to love learning for its own inherent value.
By the Editorial Board August 28, 2008
DPS needs to regain students’ trust
It will take a vast overhaul, one which DPS seems to be committed to making, for the University to regain students’ trust and make them once again feel safe on campus.
By the Editorial Board August 22, 2008
Down with the national drinking age
Georgetown demonstrated a commitment to addressing the problem of binge drinking on campus last year when it enacted the one-keg-per-party limit, the party registration rules, and harsher penalties for alcohol infractions. It’s time for Georgetown to reaffirm that commitment by signing onto the Amethyst Initiative.
By the Editorial Board August 22, 2008
Baby steps for GUSA and its fellows
Dowd managed to get the GUSA Summer Fellows program up and running by the start of the summer, giving five students with unpaid internships free Georgetown housing for the summer. It’s an encouraging sign from the usually ineffective GUSA.
By the Editorial Board August 22, 2008