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What’s happening on campus and in D.C.

News

Still feuding with GUSA, SAC warns clubs of cuts

The Student Activity Commission may decrease allocations to clubs next year, SAC Chair Ethel Amponsah (NHS ‘11) warned in an e-mail sent to SAC-funded groups Tuesday. Amponsah told clubs that the Georgetown University Student Association currently plans to cut SAC’s budget by approximately 15 percent, which will affect club funding unless SAC agrees to all six of GUSA’s advisory board recommendations.

By March 18, 2010

News

Saxa Politica: Support student loan reform

As the House nears a crucial vote this week on the controversial healthcare bill, it appears more and more likely that Democrats will bundle influential legislation on student aid reform with the healthcare amendments they are attempting to pass using reconciliation. If passed, the bill would fundamentally change federal student loan programs by ending the practice of federally subsidizing private companies that give loans to students, instead giving federal loans directly to students.

By March 18, 2010

News

GUSA cuts SAC budget, pushes for change

The Georgetown University Student Association’s Finance and Appropriations Committee, which now has exclusive control over allocating the Student Activity Fee, is considering cutting funding to the Student Activity Commission unless the organization agrees to the reforms outlined in the Comprehensive Funding Reform bill GUSA passed in November.

By March 4, 2010

News

After a year’s break, class helps to rekindle The Fire This Time

The Fire This Time, the University’s self-described “students of color news magazine,” hit the newsstands Tuesday after a year-long hiatus. Since the paper’s last issue in spring 2009, its editors have worked to revamp the paper in a University class entitled “The Fire This Time Workshop,” taught by Professor Athelia Knight. The Fire was founded in the spring of 2000 following two ethnicity-centered attacks on Georgetown student. The new publication looked to provide another outlet for voices on minority issues.

By March 4, 2010

News

Hoya plans for independence

Georgetown’s Media Board expects the Hoya to become financially indepedent from the University within the year, though heads of the publication and University officials said a final decision has not yet been made. “We believe the Hoya will be going independent this coming year,” Alexander Pon (COL ’12) said in his presentation of Media Board’s request at GUSA’s Finance and Appropriations Comittee budget summit last Sunday

By March 4, 2010

News

United Feminists keeps its funding

Amid controversy over whether United Feminists should lose its access to University benefits for partnering with H*yas for Choice in the Plan A: Hoyas for Reproductive Justice campaign, Center for Student Programs Director Erika Cohen-Derr said that the University will not stop funding the group. Plan A’s demands, which include access to material resources such as condoms and rape kits at GU Hospital, comprehensive sex education, and free speech and open dialogue, were outlined in an open letter to President John DeGioia.

By March 4, 2010

News

City on a Hill: Capitol-izing on commuters

After two snow storms crippled the District, MSNBC pundit Chris Matthews had a question to pose on Hardball: “Why can’t the people who run this city deal with February?” Matthews went on to say D.C. “looked like Siberia without the Siberian discipline” and complained about—horrors!—needing an SUV to reach his studio. Matthews’s commute was especially long because he lives in Montgomery County, Md. That means that, whatever you think of his argument that the District should always be prepared for once-in-a-century snow, the tax burden of that preparation wouldn’t fall on Matthews.

By March 4, 2010

News

Angert wins GUSA reelection

Incumbent Georgetown University Student Association President Calen Angert (MSB ’11) and Vice President Jason Kluger (MSB ’11) won this year’s GUSA executive election with 50.1 percent of the vote, the GUSA Election Commission announced on Wednesday evening. A record-breaking 3,152 students—44 percent of the undergraduate student body—voted in the election, 543 more than last year.

By February 25, 2010

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Philly P’s remains open

Philly Pizza & Grill is continuing to operate despite a notice to vacate the premises issued by the District’s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs on February 19. In the notice, the DCRA said that if the restaurant did not immediately cease operations, it would request that the D.C. Attorney General’s office seek emergency injunction relief on or after February 22.

By February 25, 2010

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Georgetown is still not LGBTQ friendly enough, critics charge

A prominent national figure in a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender advocacy group is pressuring Georgetown’s administration to better ensure the safety of Georgetown students following what he characterizes is a feeble response from the University to the homophobic hate crimes that occurred on campus in the past few years.

By February 25, 2010

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Sex Positive Week returns without controversy

Wednesday at 1 p.m., two girls took turns reading aloud descriptive passages about the clitoris in Red Square, attracting the attention of students on their way to class. One of the passers-by included a bewildered Chris Wright (MSB ’11), who stopped to watch for a brief moment then asked his friend and teammate on the Georgetown basketball team, Jason Clark (COL ’12), “Am I hearing right?”

By February 25, 2010

News

Saxa Politica: Talking racism at GU

Recent Georgetown University Student Association presidential elections have been rife with controversy, but usually the problem is voting irregularities or last-minute disqualifications. This year, however, the main issue was accusations of racism.

By February 25, 2010

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On the Record with Councilmember David Catania

D.C. Councilmember and Georgetown alum David Catania (I-At Large; SFS ‘90, LAW ‘94) talked to the Voice on Wednesday about his run for re-election, his recent work on same-sex marriage and medical marijuana legalization, and his time at Georgetown. Voice: You recently introduced legislation authorizing same-sex marriage in the District, which ultimately passed the City Council in January. However, Congress has 30 legislative days to review the bill. Do you think there is any possibility that Congress will intervene in the matter?

By February 18, 2010

News

Appeal rejected, Philly P’s likely to close

Philly Pizza and Grill can be closed by the city at any moment, following Tuesday’s Board of Zoning and Adjustment hearing which rejected the restaurant’s appeal to reinstate its certificate of occupancy. In its decision, the BZA upheld the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs’ move to revoke Philly Pizza’s certificate of occupancy on the grounds that it is zoned as a sit-down restaurant, but in fact is operating as a fast food establishment.

By February 18, 2010

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Graduate unemployment rises

Georgetown graduates looking for jobs in the midst of the recession had less luck than their recent predecessors, according to a report released by the Georgetown Career Center on Tuesday. The percentage of graduates reporting employment within six months of graduation fell from 62 percent in 2008 to 57 percent in 2009, while the number of graduates still seeking employment rose from seven to 12 percent.

By February 18, 2010

News

City on a Hill: Marion Barry’s ninth life?

It’s time to play “Name That D.C. Councilmember.” If you were told a current councilmember propositioned a colleague for sex 562 times, paid his girlfriend with Council money, and then tried to stop her from talking to investigators, who would you think it was? If you guessed Marion Barry (D-Ward 8), you’d be right.

By February 18, 2010

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GUSA presidential campaign kicks off

After winning last year’s Georgetown University Student Association presidential election as sophomores, Calen Angert (MSB ‘11) and Jason Kluger (MSB ‘11) moved quickly on an ambitious—but often controversial—agenda. They are now running as incumbents for the first time in recent memory.

By February 11, 2010

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Landmark vote: GUSA consolidates power over activity fee

The Georgetown University Student Association Senate passed a bill to strip advisory boards of their votes in the allocation of the Student Activities Fee by a vote of 19 to four at their Monday night meeting. The bill, which faced strong opposition from the advisory boards, gives GUSA’s Finance and Appropriations Committee sole control over the allocation process. In the previous system, the seven members of the Finance and Appropriations Committee and one representative from each of the six advisory boards voted on allocating the funds from the fee at the annual spring Budget Summit. Under the new bill, however, members of the Finance and Appropriations Committee will analyze the advisory boards’ positions and then propose a budget, which must then be approved by two-thirds of the general Senate and by the GUSA president.

By February 11, 2010

News

Campus copes with blizzard

Amid a series of massive snow storms that have broken the 1899 record for seasonal snowfall in the District, Georgetown University has canceled classes at its campuses for a fourth consecutive day. In addition to preventing faculty and staff from safely reaching campus, the most recent blizzard has disrupted food deliveries and frustrated professors’ lesson plans. In an e-mail to the Voice, Provost James O’Donnell explained the University has been discussing potential closures with faculty every day, and that every day there are a few faculty who are in favor of keeping school open. But the general consensus has typically been in favor of closing the University, especially at the beginning of the week.

By February 11, 2010

News

With snow, businesses struggle

Many Georgetown businesses have struggled to stay open through the record-breaking snowstorms of the past week. Most businesses that have tried to maintain normal operating hours have had difficulty staying stocked and fully staffed. Many businesses—including Sweetgreen, Fed Ex, AT & T, Subway, Kitchen #1, Wingo’s, and Saxby’s—were closed Wednesday afternoon. Of the stores that remained open, many are struggling to get employees to work safely.

By February 11, 2010