GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S NEWSPAPER OF RECORD SINCE 1920 thehoya.com
Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 93, No. 9, © 2011
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2011
BEYOND THE MUSIC
BIG TEN BATTLE
Foster the People, of “Pumped Up Kicks” fame, teams up with Grassroot Hoyas on a tour with a conscience.
The men’s soccer team draws with Penn State in a scoreless double-overtime match.
GUIDE, G8
SPORTS, A10
Victims Concert Protests DC Noise Ordinance Fight for A Voice MATTHEW STRAUSS Special to The Hoya
Support groups help students cope with sexual violence’s aftermath BEBE ALBORNOZ Special to The Hoya
When Mia Ramos, a survivor of sexual assault, spoke about her experience before a crowd of more than 50 students Wednesday night, the statistics on rape became more than mere numbers. Ramos was the featured speaker at “R U Ready,” an event sponsored by Take Back The Night to spur awareness of sexual violence on campus. Ramos’ experience is in accordance with a startling national trend — statistically, 20 to 25 percent of women and 3 percent of men experience sexual violence during their time at college. But unlike in Ramos’ case, most perpetrators of sexual violence know their victims before the incident. They can be acquaintances, classmates — even boyfriends or girlfriends. According to data released on Sept. 15 by Knowledge Networks and the Love is Not Abuse Campaign, 43 percent of college women who date have endured violent or abusive behavior from their partners. The survey reported that 22 percent of dating, college-aged women have suffered actual physical abuse, sexual abuse or violent threats. According to Laura Kovach, director of the Georgetown University Women’s Center, dating abuse can be especially harmful because it is difficult to identify. “Signs of physical abuse can be easy to spot in the form of bruises and broken bones. Emotional and psychological scars are more difficult to see,” she said. These more under-the-radar forms of emotional abuse include harassment over Facebook, Twitter, text messages, emails and other forms of social media. Kovach said that when a victim feels overwhelmed or does not know where to seek help, relationships can quickly escalate into violence. “The victim is not in control — the abuser has the power,” she said. This is a common problem for victims of abuse: More than one third of respondents in the Knowledge Networks’ survey said that they did not know where to go for on-campus See ABUSE, A5
LEONEL DE VELEZ FOR THE HOYA
Harmony, an a capella group, performed on White-Gravenor patio Thursday at the Noise Concert sponsored by DC Students Speak. The event was meant to protest the noise ordinances that went into effect in February. See video at thehoya.com.
Taking to the Hill, GU Lobbies Congress
Gathering on the steps of White-Gravenor Hall to protest the District’s late-night noise ordinance, 39 students from area universities voiced their concerns at DC Students Speak’s “Noise Concert” Thursday night. Held from 9 p.m. to about 9:50 p.m., the concert was meant to underscore student disatisfaction with the noise regulations instituted in February that prohibit residents from making any loud noise between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. that could bother one or more neighbors in their homes. Violators of the law can be fined up to $500 or face up to 90 days in prison. “We think that the noise ordinance is questionably legal [and] not in the interest of students or D.C. residents,” said Scott Stirrett (SFS ’13), chair and founder of DC Students Speak, a District-wide organization that aims to represent the See NOISE, A7
INDIAN AMBASSADOR TALKS REGIONAL IDENTITY
BRADEN MCDONALD
port a variety of social justice causes. Fleming and his two-person Behind every federal govern- lobbying specialist team head ment dollar granted to George- the efforts while maintaining town is an array of staff and the university’s official relastudent lobbyists engaged in an tionships with Congress; facongoing dialogue with Capitol ulty, staff and University President John J. DeGioia have all Hill. The majority of the Office given testimonies to add to the of Federal Relations’ lobbying university’s voice. Most recentefforts are dily, Georgetown rectly linked to the financial “We work closely with became a vocal supporter of interests of the the president’s office the Developuniversity and ment, Relief its students: to see how we want and Education petitions for to position letters ... ” for Alien Mimore federal aid, letters urgSCOTT FLEMING nors Act. Associate VP for Federal Relations “President ing continued DeGioia has funding for the Scholarships for Education and been very engaged in supportEconomic Development Pro- ing the DREAM Act,” Fleming gram and statements challeng- said, noting that the president ing proposed cuts to foreign is often the university’s most recognizable lobbyist. language education. Lobbying initiatives often “We focus on issues related to the university,” Associate Vice originate in the President’s ofPresident for Federal Relations fice, but the Office of Federal Scott Fleming said. “We don’t Relations is always heavily inrandomly take a stance on non- volved in developing the university’s official stance. issues.” “We work closely with the But in recent years, Georgetown has extended its efforts president’s office to see how we beyond issues of financial aid and education funding to supSee LOBBYING, A5 Hoya Staff Writer
CHRISTIE SHELY/THE HOYA
Nirupama Rao, Indian ambassador to the U.S., discussed her country’s role in building a regional South Asian identity on Tuesday in Gaston Hall. See story on A6.
Till Class Do Us Part: Married Faculty Balance Work, Home Lives ELIZABETH GARBITELLI Hoya Staff Writer
COURTESY WAYNE DAVIS & KATHRYN OLESKO
Professors Wayne Davis and Kathryn Olesko on their 25th wedding anniversary. The pair have been a married couple teaching at Georgetown for over 30 years. Newsroom: (202) 687-3415 Business: (202) 687-8350
Kathryn Olesko and Wayne Davis have many things in common. Both professors hold leadership positions within their respective departments. Both are heavily involved in the campus community. But what many of their students never knew is that they have been married for more than three decades. There are at least five known professor couples on campus, but according to Georgetown professors, the number of couples among their ranks often remains hidden — for better or for worse. Olesko teaches in the history department and is the director of the Master of Arts in German and European Studies program. Davis chairs the philosophy department, teaches and has served as president of the Faculty Senate since 2001. Although Published Tuesdays and Fridays
they have been together for nearly 35 years, Olesko and Davis said that many on campus have no idea they are married. “Since we had different last names, no one really linked us together,” Olesko said. For Pietra Rivoli, a professor of finance and international business professor, the Hilltop was where she met her husband, Dennis Quinn, after he started teaching at the McDonough School of Business in 1987. For Rivoli, the benefits of being married to a fellow professor far outweigh the challenges. “There are many practical benefits,” she said. “You can almost always get a ride to work if you need one, and our vacations always match. Negatives? Not yet. But you can ask us in 2020, which will be our 30th anniversary.” For reasons of scholarly publication, Olesko explained, many female
professors often keep their maiden names. Olesko said that because she and her husband work in separate departments, they rarely eat lunch together. Different schedules also prevent them from commuting together. Catherine Tinsley, a professor in the MSB and director of the Georgetown University Women’s Leadership Initiative, often finds herself in the same predicament. Although she is married to fellow MSB professor John Mayo, Tinsley said it’s unusual for them to spend time together at school. “It is surprising how infrequently we can even carpool together,” Tinsley said. For Olesko though, this is all part of a conscious choice. While she and her husband have served on a few committees together, she said they See MARRIED, A7
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