The Hoya: March 30, 2012

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GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S NEWSPAPER OF RECORD SINCE 1920 thehoya.com

Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 93, No. 41, © 2012

friDAY, march 30, 2012

AT A CROSSROADS

BUSINESS Crêpe Amour and Georgetown Wing Co. are closing Sunday.

The history of the university’s crucifixes tells a story of evolving Catholic identity. GUIDE, G8

RANKINGS The MSB dropped four spots in Businessweek’s rankings.

NEWS, A4

NEWS, A4

Hoya Staff Writer

“Hollis did what Hollis does.” Those words, uttered by Head Coach John Thompson III in December after junior forward Hollis Thompson swished a game-winning three-pointer against No. 12 Alabama with 1.2 seconds left, will be remembered for a long time. On Tuesday, Georgetown announced that Thompson will forgo his senior year, in order to declare for the NBA draft. In doing so, he automatically forfeited his amateur status because he also declared for the draft last year as well. In the fall, Thompson said he had gained valuable insights about his skills during draft workouts. And though he is only a junior, Thompson III expected this to be Thompson’s final year as a Hoya. “We fully anticipated he would enter the 2012 draft after this season,” Thompson III said in a press release. “He is an extremely hard worker, and we wish him the best as he takes his next step.” Thompson finishes his career as Georgetown’s all-time leader in three-point field goal percentage with a 44-percent mark and ranks 12th all-time with 128 threepointers made. His most notable attribute, however, may have been his ability to thrive in late-game situations. One of his most memorable moments

came at the end of the Alabama game, and another took place against No. 20 Marquette at home later that month when the Hoyas capped a shocking comeback after having been down 17 with less than 12 minutes remaining. Thompson’s length alone made it extremely difficult for defenders to disrupt his shot. The 6-foot-8 forward led the Big East this season in three-point field goal percentage with a 43 percent clip and recorded 12.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, second and third on the team, respectively. Along with seniors Jason Clark and Henry Sims and sophomore Nate Lubick, Thompson started every game for the Hoyas. He played in 99 total contests in his three years on the Hilltop, starting in 57. Despite opening the 2010-2011 season in the starting lineup, Thompson was switched out for then-freshman Nate Lubick midway through the year and proved more effective off the bench. Last year, his abilities were limited, as he served more in the post due to the Hoyas’ limited size. This year, however, Thompson broke out in his natural position on the wing. Thompson quickly emerged as one of the conference’s most lethal offensive threats early this season, replacing sharpshooter Austin Freeman as the See THOMPSON, A11

SPORTS, A12

Landlord Pledge Criticized

Thompson Elects to Enter 2012 NBA Draft Michael Palmer

WOMEN’S LACROSSE Georgetown scored eight straight goals to cruise past American Tuesday.

DCRA says lack of participation renders GU landlord pledge ineffective Sarah Kaplan Hoya Staff Writer

Six months after the debut of the university’s landlord pledge — an agreement that calls on landlords to abide by D.C. regulations — some city officials are questioning its impact. Since the initiative was announced last October, 36 landlords representing 93 properties have signed the pledge. According to Helder Gil, a spokesperson for the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, more than 1,250 rental properties are registered in the 20007 zip code, which includes the neighborhoods of Georgetown, Burleith and Foxhall Village. He estimated that at least 100 properties FILE PHOTO: CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA

Thompson scored 23 points in his final game as a Hoya.

GINGRICH SPEECH ON SOCIAL SECURITY DRAWS FULL AUDIENCE, PROTEST

See LANDLORDS, A5

Graduate Applications Increase 4.5 Percent Carly Graf

Hoya Staff Writer

As the university works to reconcile aspects of a traditional liberal arts education with growing research programs, striking a balance can be a particular challenge for its graduate programs. Gerald Mara, dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, hopes to settle the score by boosting the university’s reputation for academic research at a time when graduate application numbers continue to rise. “I want to pay particular importance to the Ph.D. programs, because graduates of these programs often associate with us as a research university,” Mara said.

Applications to Georgetown’s graduate programs are up about 4.5 percent this year compared to 2011, according to Mara, which may be due in part to a nationwide trend of those unable to find jobs deciding to return to school. “In times of economic downturn, graduate programs tend to see their application rates rise due to the difficult job market,” Mara said. Though applications increased in number, debt incurred by graduate students and the potential long-term financial consequences is still a concern to many. According to Mara, the university’s current capital campaign may help See GRADUATE, A5

GEoRGETOWN SCORES NEW RECRUIT LEFT: CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA; RIGHT: CHRISTIE SHELY/THE HOYA

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich outlined his plan for Social Security reform Wednesday in Gaston Hall (left). His talk sparked a student demonstration on Copley Lawn. See story on A6.

Justice for All: GU Law’s First Women Elizabeth Garbitelli Hoya Staff Writer

When Agnes Neill Williams (LAW ’54) stepped onto the Georgetown Law Center campus for the first time, she broke 81 years of tradition. In 1951, Williams became part of the first class of women to enroll at the law school. “That was the beginning,” she said. “It was a little bit intimidating, [but] it was exciting to be a pioneer.” Since it opened in 1870, the Law Center’s student body had consisted exclusively of men. “The school’s administrators expressly asserted that the law was a male profession with a bylaw closing the school to women,” the law center wrote in its self-history, “The First 125 Years: An Illustrated History of the

Georgetown University Law Center.” Though by 1950 many area schools had opened their doors to women — The George Washington University did so in 1913 — and women were

“The beginning ... was a little bit intimidating, [but] it was exciting to be a pioneer.” AGNES WILLIAMS (LAW ’54), one of the first eight women to enroll at the Law Center

slowly being admitted to Georgetown’s graduate programs, the idea of a coed law school was unthinkable to administrators. But in 1950, the university quietly

Newsroom: (202) 687-3415 Business: (202) 687-3947

announced the decision to admit women in an official bulletin released in the Georgetown Law School annual catalog. “In view of the success women have achieved in many professional fields including law, Georgetown Law School has decided to break with tradition and accept women applicants,” the bulletin read. The decision sparked a backlash. Joe Gaghan, a professor at the time, was among the strongest opponents to the new policy. “I remember when the question came up, Dean [Hugh] Fegan and I rode a white charger up and down the corridors demanding that we retain the school as the last stronghold of masculinity,” he told professor Wendy See WOMEN, A6 Published Tuesdays and Fridays

COURTESY GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

Jack Jr., a bulldog puppy who will one day succeed Georgetown’s current mascot, will arrive on campus for training April 13. Send Story Ideas and Tips to news@thehoya.com


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