Editorials

Opinions from the Voice’s official editorial board.


Editorials

Every career fair counts

Last Wednesday night, Vice President for Student Affairs Juan Gonzalez indefinitely postponed a progressive career fair that was scheduled to take place the following day in the Leavey Program Room. The Student Activities Commission-approved fair was organized by GU Pride and H*yas for Choice, a group not recognized by the University, and was to feature organizations such as Catholics for Free Choice, Amnesty International and Choice USA.

Editorials

Big Brother’s back again

In addition to those currently in use on M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, the Metropolitan Police Department has introduced even more security cameras across the city that threaten the rights of District residents. The new Joint Operations Command Center brings together video feeds from the newly-installed and the existing cameras to form the largest network of video surveillance cameras in the United States.

Editorials

Out with the old, in with the new

The Voice traditionally evaluates the performance of the outgoing Georgetown University Student Association executives by comparing their original campaign goals with their actual accomplishments. For former GUSA President Ryan DuBose (CAS ‘02) and former Vice President Brian Walsh (CAS ‘02), however, this kind of comparison would not provide a completely fair assessment of their administration.

Editorials

Winning ugly

In an 11th hour effort to sink The Yard referendum, members of the Georgetown University Student Association convened late Sunday night to draft and send out e-mails to students condemning the attempts to create a new undergraduate governing body. The various e-mails, which went out to almost every student University-wide, all used varying language but contained the same message: Don’t vote for the Yard.

Editorials

Two pages too little

Following several months of discussion between students and administrators, Vice President for Student Affairs Juan Gonzalez rejected the proposal to create a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender resource center. Gonzalez, who had remained silent for weeks on the issue, issued a formal written response to GLBT committee members last Tuesday.

Editorials

Vote Bridges/Ayer on Feb.11

Students need effective leaders for the Georgetown University Student Association—ones who don’t just promise change, but who can advocate and deliver tangible results. Our most effective advocates next year would be Kaydee Bridges (SFS ‘03) and Mason Ayer (SFS ‘03).

Editorials

Don’t play in The Yard

Students will vote Monday for a new student government, the Yard. We cannot endorse it for three reasons.

In the proposed Yard Commons, club leaders would be required to organize themselves into nine clusters, and each cluster would send a representative to the Council.

Editorials

GUSA Presidential Election Minutes: Feb. 3

Matthew Brennan (SFS ‘03)/Sean Hawks (CAS ‘04)

Brennan: so we bring a very good mindset to GUSA leadership. two viewpoints—I am a finance side, and Sean has a lot of GUSA experience. we have clear goals to achieve in the next year; if you look at our platform, its all things that can happen.

Editorials

DeGioia: there’s more to state

University President John J. DeGioia focused primarily on non-controversial issues in his first State of the School address Tuesday. He applauded the Georgetown community for how it handled the events of Sept. 11, praised the senior class for its unprecedented leadership and reaffirmed dedication to fostering strong faculty, facilities and financial aid programs.

Editorials

Responding without responding

Fortunately, University President John J. DeGioia responded last week to the Medical Center faculty petition protesting his decision to appoint current Executive Vice President Sam Wiesel to a new executive position in the Medical Center. Unfortunately, his response offered too many words with not enough substance.

Editorials

Improving our school

The reputation of the city in which a university is located can be as important as the reputation of the university itself. A Georgetown University located in a dilapidated capital known worldwide for its crime and bureaucratic nepotism is a far cry from a Georgetown University located in a safe, stable city.

Editorials

Give us a medical explanation

University President John J. DeGioia’s creation of a new executive position in the Medical Center raises several concerns about his decision-making process. DeGioia, who announced his intention to appoint current Executive Vice President Sam Wiesel to the post, has failed to clearly define the responsibilities of the new position and to address faculty concerns about it.

Editorials

Show me the money?please

Georgetown’s undergraduate tuition for the 2001-2002 academic year increased five percent from the previous year?from $23,952 in 2000-2001 to $25,152 this year. Compared to past tuition hikes, this most recent increase is not an outrageous or even out-of-the ordinary one.

Editorials

A lighter way to travel

The federal government has given the District $750,000 in research money to explore the idea of reintroducing light rail transportation into the city. Proponents, who include Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), say that light rail would be an effective alternative to the city’s current bus and Metro systems.

Editorials

One war’s enough

Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) stressed in his speech Monday in Gaston Hall that the war on terrorism “will not be over until Saddam Hussein is removed from power.”

Lieberman reminded audience members that Saddam already “has the means?chemical and biological weapons that he hasn’t hesitated to use .

Editorials

Ethics for Life

Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) stressed in his speech Monday in Gaston Hall that the war on terrorism “will not be over until Saddam Hussein is removed from power.”

Lieberman reminded audience members that Saddam already “has the means?chemical and biological weapons that he hasn’t hesitated to use .

Editorials

Plagiarism.com

The University announced last week that it will be introducing anti-plagiarism computer software from Turnitin.com. This new software is designed to aid professors in identifying student papers that have been copied or substantially paraphrased from online sources.

Editorials

Voting rights for all

This past March, Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) introduced the No Taxation Without Representation Act 2001 in the Senate and the House of Representatives. The bill is designed to gain voting representation for the District of Columbia.

Editorials

We’re watching you?too closely

Over winter break, Big Brother came to Georgetown. After years of discussion between business groups and the Metropolitan Police Department, the first of at least five video surveillance cameras which will be located in the area will be placed on the corner of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, N.

Editorials

Time to zone out

District taxicab drivers are firmly opposed to Mayor Anthony Williams’ new proposal that would replace the current zone system for calculating fares with a meter system, which is used in other major cities such as New York and Chicago.

Representatives from the D.