Editorials

Opinions from the Voice’s official editorial board.

Editorials

In compliance, at last

On Monday, April 14, the D.C. Zoning Commission finally gave preliminary approval of the construction of the University’s new MBNA Performing Arts Center, ending a semester-long fight between the University and local residents’ groups. The Commission’s decision should be applauded for allowing Georgetown to better serve its students and community, if not for its tardiness.

By the April 24, 2003

Editorials

Trusting students and faculty

In the coming months, faculty at the University of California will vote on whether or not to institute a ban on professors dating their students. The ban will only apply to relationships between students and professors who have an academic relationship; the idea is to prevent a possible abuse of power by faculty members who find themselves responsible for turning in their date’s grades.

By the April 24, 2003

Editorials

Support the court

The Bush administration refuses to join the International Criminal Court, which was officially founded last month and selected Luis Moreno Ocampo as its first prosecutor this week. Though the war in Iraq has eclipsed this issue, the International Criminal Court remains pertinent.

By the April 24, 2003

Editorials

A diverse requirement

On April 2, the College dean’s office issued the spring edition of The College, the online newsletter for students. An easy-to-ignore section near the top, pointed to the possibility of a major shift in the way the College approaches core requirements. Associate Dean Anne Sullivan is conducting a review of the College curriculum measuring the number of diversity-related courses offered.

By the April 10, 2003

Editorials

A major choice

While students in the School of Foreign Service are often stereotyped as workaholic pre-professionals, it is becoming increasingly easier to manage the school’s curriculum. The SFS requires a core of 16 classes, a 10-12 class major, many of which have been recently reduced, and proficiency in a foreign language.

By the April 10, 2003

Editorials

A Sweet choice

Goldman Sachs called. They’ve heard that you’ve been doing great things in the MSB and offer you $1 million to leave Georgetown a year early and work for them. All your life you have prepared to work at Goldman Sachs, so you seriously consider their offer.

By the April 10, 2003

Editorials

In the affirmative

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard the first oral arguments for and against the University of Michigan’s affirmative action program. Through this program, the University of Michigan is fulfilling its educational responsibility to promote diversity, racial or otherwise, in the student body.

By the April 3, 2003

Editorials

I-not-Weak

Last Saturday, the Georgetown Program Board hosted a Nappy Roots concert to a severely under-capacity crowd at McDonough Arena. On the same night, Georgetown’s Club Filipino held their annual cultural show and dinner “Bayanihan Dalawa” in a packed Copley Formal Lounge.

By the April 3, 2003

Editorials

Say uncle, ‘Uncle’

In the past months, the newly formed Emergency Response Team has consistently presented preparedness plans long on mirage, but short on specific improvements to student safety. The announcement last week of changes to the University’s Caller ID policy, however, provides a welcome change to the ERT’s mostly illusory accomplishments.

By the April 3, 2003

Editorials

Meaningful speech

Most politically-minded groups on campus have responded to the war in Iraq in the same way they respond to everything: a flurry of fliers, a liberal chalking of Red Square and possibly a poorly-attended lecture or two. It’s the ante, and, in its repetitiveness, is easily ignored.

By the March 27, 2003

Editorials

Town-gown terrors

Last week, Georgetown residents identified disorderly behavior by students as the worst quality-of-life issue in the neighborhood at a joint meeting called by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Citizens Association of Georgetown. Residents cited noise, vandalism and disorderly conduct by students as the primary problems and urged police to take action.

By the March 27, 2003

Editorials

Representing you

On Monday, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams signed a bill that gives the District the first presidential primary vote for the 2004 election. The measure, first proposed by Ward 2 City Council member Jack Evans, would move the District’s primary to Jan. 13, 2004, two weeks before the New Hampshire primary and a week before the Iowa caucuses.

By the March 27, 2003

Editorials

Same work, same wage

Every morning, Georgetown students walk into clean, sanitary classrooms and bathrooms all over campus. They have air-conditioned dorm rooms in the fall and clear walkways in the winter. But even as students are enjoying these indispensable services, many of those who provide them are not paid enough to feed and house their families and access basic health care.

By the March 20, 2003

Editorials

GUSA administration successful

Outgoing GUSA executives Kaydee Bridges (SFS ‘03) and Mason Ayer (SFS ‘03) have led one of the most successful administrations in recent memory. They achieved a variety of their goals, and made progress on a variety of issues. Above all, they have demonstrated an understanding of both University bureaucracy and students’ needs.

By the March 20, 2003

Editorials

Emergency unpreparedness

February brought a flood of e-mails and letters from the administration to faculty, students and parents about the state of safety at Georgetown. When the federal government raised the “terror alert” to orange, the University responded by overloading students with unnecessary information and justifications of its policy since Sept.

By the March 6, 2003

Editorials

Don’t call 911

On Jan. 15, emergency operators put on hold residents, who were trying to report what became a fatal house fire in Dupont Circle for over two minutes. Records show there were 13 emergency operators on duty at the time, but it is not clear why calls reporting the fire were not answered.

By the March 6, 2003

Editorials

No fly zone

Next time you only have two dollars and are dying for a Chicken Madness, think twice before overcharging your credit card at Wisemiller’s: It might effect your ability to fly any time soon. In the government’s latest move to tighten security, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s new Computer Assisted Passenger Screening System (CAPS II) will assign a threat level in the form of a color to everyone who purchases an airline ticket.

By the March 6, 2003

Editorials

GUSA: Clean up your act

Georgetown University Student Association elections are never a flawless process, and there has already been one especially ugly election this year: The returns from the election for first-year GUSA representatives were not certified by the assembly until almost a month after the election was over.

By the February 27, 2003

Editorials

Empty promises, not empty beds

In anticipation of the 780 beds to be provided next fall by the newly-completed Southwest Quadrangle, Director of Student Housing Services Shirley Menendez told students in an Oct. 31 e-mail that the University would “have enough space to accommodate all students who want to live on campus.

By the February 27, 2003

Editorials

We’ve got better Facilities

Last Monday morning, in the wake of D.C.’s 18-inch snowfall, a lone member of Georgetown University Facilities Management’s townhouse crew stood at the corner of 37th and O Streets in front of the Village B apartment complexes, shoveling. He didn’t stop until he reached N Street, clearing the entire walkway by himself.

By the February 27, 2003