Editorials

Opinions from the Voice’s official editorial board.

Editorials

GOP defense of DOMA deflects real issues

When the Justice Department announced in late February that it would no longer defend the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, a law prohibiting federal or interstate recognition of same-sex marriage, it put itself on the right side of the struggle for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans.

By the April 28, 2011

Editorials

Dialogue on sexual health issues works

Earlier this month, Georgetown’s Health Education Services rolled out a new initiative to foster improved sexual health education on campus. Although the process is not complete, it is encouraging to see that H*yas for Choice was involved in the creation of a program that would both improve sexual health education at Georgetown and respect the University’s Catholic identity. If this plan gets off the ground, it will demonstrate that student engagement with the University on touchy issues like sexual health can succeed.

By the April 28, 2011

Editorials

Endowment Commission shows its chops

In its final vote on Tuesday night, the Student Activities Fee Endowment Commission made the right move in recommending close to full funding for the Healy Pub, an idea backed by widespread support from students, but it should also be applauded for putting together a set of proposals that responds to popular demand for student space without ignoring the other diverse and creative proposals put forth by the student b

By the April 28, 2011

Editorials

Vote Bryan Weaver for D.C. City Council

From the oppressive new D.C. noise law to the fight over the 2010 Campus Plan, Georgetown students have learned just how overbearing the District government can be. This month’s special election for the D.C. City Council’s at-large seat is an opportunity for students, who make up one-eighth of D.C.’s population, to change that, showing lawmakers their importance to this city. Bryan Weaver (D) of Adams Morgan is the best advocate for students among the wide field of candidates, and he is the right choice on Election Day for students seeking to stop more anti-student measures.

By the April 14, 2011

Editorials

Slashing spending won’t solve budget woes

In the aftermath of last week’s cliffhanger budget deal, pundits focused on the size of the cuts, about $38 billion. But while that number sounds large, it is small compared to the cuts that will be debated in the coming weeks, as Republicans try to pass parts of Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R–Wis.) long-term budget plan.If Democratic and Republican leaders really care about shrinking the federal debt and improving employment prospects they will drop the foolish narrative of austerity that has prevailed in recent months. The American economy needs growth, and massive spending cuts will do nothing to bring that about.

By the April 14, 2011

Editorials

Students deserve more at campus concerts

Although it scarcely seemed possible after letdowns like Coolio, Third Eye Blind, and T-Pain, the Georgetown Programming Board hit a new low with its most recent concert, the underwhelming Kevin Rudolf and his even more obscure openers. The disappointing lineup drew hardly any student enthusiasm. In a pre-concert poll on Vox Populi, just eight percent of respondents said they were excited about the concert, and 30 percent chose the “Who is Kevin Rudolf?” response.

By the April 14, 2011

Editorials

No more futile concessions on Campus Plan

Last week, the University announced a series of concessions in the bitter fight over the 2010 Campus Plan, including the addition of 250 undergraduate beds either on-campus or at a satellite location and the introduction of a hard enrollment cap of 15,000 students. Administrators agreed to these conditions after weighing suggestions from the District Department of Transportation, the Office of Planning, and the community. However, signals from the Advisory Neighborhood Commission and lessons from previous campus plans show that such concessions are nothing more than useless and unwise capitulations.

By the April 7, 2011

Editorials

Erasures controversy reveals Rhee’s errors

When Michelle Rhee resigned as chancellor of D.C. Public Schools last fall, she left behind a legacy of school closings, teacher accountability, and rising test scores. But those apparently weren’t the only marks left during Rhee’s tenure. According to a report from USA Today last week, classrooms in 96 schools were flagged for an inordinate number of erasures on correct answers on the 2008 D.C. Comprehensive Assessment System. Over the past three years, dozens of D.C. schools have seen a statistically abnormal amount of corrections on standardized tests, implying that teachers possibly cheated to significantly improve test scores.

By the April 7, 2011

Editorials

Student interns deserve pay and class credit

Few things are more coveted at Georgetown than a prestigious internship. Landing one has been universally accepted as the best way to secure a paying job after college. Unfortunately, students on the Hilltop find themselves constrained in the internship search by the University’s burdensome requirements for internship accreditation, along with employers’ growing preference for unpaid interns. Getting employers to fairly compensate interns will require action by the Federal government, but more immediately, Georgetown should reform its accreditation process and stop funneling students into menial, unpaid positions.

By the April 7, 2011

Editorials

Funding proposal for Healy Pub holds promise

No proposal to spend the $3.4 million Student Activities Fee Endowment has received as much attention as the “Bring Back Healy Pub” movement, and for good reason. The proposal is well thought-out and shows great promise for the University’s campus culture. Crucially, it would provide students a place to meet and socialize other than Lau 2. Both the endowment commission and the Georgetown community should embrace this historic opportunity and bring back the Healy Pub.

By the March 31, 2011

Editorials

Uribe’s tenure offers lesson for University

As Álvaro Uribe approaches the end of his yearlong appointment as a Distinguished Scholar in the School of Foreign Service, his tenure offers some clear lessons for the administration on how to handle high-profile and controversial guest scholars. When Uribe arrived, there were reasonable concerns about his record on human rights, but the University promised that the ex-Colombian president would provide students with a “unique perspective” and be a catalyst for fruitful debate. Instead, the administration has sheltered Uribe, preventing the type of open and honest interaction with students that could have justified his appointment.

By the March 31, 2011

Editorials

At 35, Metro should continue focus on growth

Thirty-five years ago this week, the Washington Metro opened for business. The original system was a mere 4.6 miles and consisted of five stations from Rhode Island Avenue to Farragut North. Today, Metrorail is a 103-mile system with 86 stations and an annual ridership in the millions. Its growth is impressive, but it is threatened by the organization’s growing budget shortfall, which is estimated at above $40 million dollars. If the Metro wants to continue serving the city, it should embrace opportunities to expand its reach, while making selective cuts to close the budget gap.

By the March 31, 2011

Editorials

SNAP suffers from arbitrary enforcement

Although the stated goal of the Student Neighborhood Assistance Program is to protect students’ safety, for most students, the sight of SNAP’s flashing yellow lights is a distressing one. On Thursday and weekend nights around Georgetown, SNAP is more often seen as a dour party police. By minimizing the interactions between Georgetown students and the Metropolitan Police Department, SNAP serves a legitimate purpose within the West Georgetown and Burleith neighborhoods. But the program has some unfortunate policies too, such as breaking up parties when there has been no complaint from neighbors, which must end.

By the March 24, 2011

Editorials

Taxing universities won’t solve D.C. budget woes

With the District of Columbia facing a steadily rising $300 million budget shortfall, it is understandable that D.C. officials are looking for novel ways to raise revenue. However, D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh’s (D-Ward 3) recent proposal to strip Georgetown and other universities in the District of their tax-exempt status is not the answer. Georgetown is, after the federal government, the largest employer of D.C. residents, and taxing the financially constrained institution will only hamper its growth and ability to employ new workers.

By the March 24, 2011

Editorials

Bringing newspapers to campus worth the cost

When the Collegiate Readership Program was abruptly canceled this past September, Georgetown lost a valuable program. It was heartening to see the newspapers return a few weeks ago. The readership program also returned with some much-needed reforms that will help lower the program’s cost and ensure that more undergraduates have access to the papers. At an initial cost of $6,500 per semester, the price tag for the initiative is large, but it is easily one of the wisest purchases the Georgetown University Student Association has made.

By the March 24, 2011

Editorials

Georgetown science facilities need renovation

The global challenges of the coming decades, from climate change to the growing strain on water and food resources, will require innovative scientific research. The continuing global relevance of American colleges and universities rests heavily on their ability to break new ground in confronting these problems. The promise of adding 35 new science faculty and the construction of an entirely new science center show an encouraging commitment to the sciences, but Georgetown must do more to support a field that is increasingly crucial to the direction of the world’s economic, social, and political future.

By the March 17, 2011

Editorials

Support federal funds for National Public Radio

The past several weeks have been bad ones for National Public Radio, as congressional Republicans continued their relentless effort to cut the organization’s funding. Under the guise of fiscal prudence, Republicans have deemed federal money for NPR wasteful, but in reality that verdict is the result of shrewd political calculation. If Republicans manage to slash federal funds for the program they will damage news media standards and lower the level of public awareness in America, all to cut an almost negligible expense from the federal budget and strike against a media outlet they view, incorrectly, as an adversary.

By the March 17, 2011

Editorials

Broad focus key for Endowment Commission

This past Tuesday was the first meeting of the Commission on Student Activities Endowment Reform, which has been tasked with spending the $3.4 million left over after SAFE reform passed last fall. The group will meet once every week until Apr. 25, when they will submit their plan to Georgetown University Student Association’s Financial Appropriations committee. The committee should keep some key things in mind as they begin their work. Specifically, committee members should appreciate the importance of looking at the big picture, making a long-term impact, and listening to the students, who this money really belongs to.

By the March 17, 2011

Editorials

SAC makes changes, but more are needed

This past Monday the Student Activities Commission passed a constitutional amendment allowing it to amend funding guidelines partway through the semester. This change and another reform meant to improve the appeals process were in response to vocal discontent with SAC’s new funding process. But this was a small step, and true reform will require SAC to scrap its new programming arc approach, while increasing its transparency and feedback to clubs.

By the March 3, 2011

Editorials

Support bill to make birth control more accessible

Georgetown students may complain about the inability to buy any form of birth control on campus, but for some D.C. residents contraceptive medicine is even less accessible. However, a bill before the D.C. City Council would enable women to obtain the pill directly from a pharmacist. The D.C. Council should pass the bill, ensuring that as many of the District’s women as possible are able to take control of their reproductive health.

By the March 3, 2011