A2
OPINION
THE HOYA
friday, February 16, 2018
THE VERDICT
Vote Sirois and Doherty In a campaign season marked by mediocrity and similarity, only one ticket rises above the pack with a demonstrated grasp of the issues facing Georgetown students and an ability to include minority voices. All four tickets competing for executive positions in the Georgetown University Student Association are running on platforms that have flaws that must be addressed if they are to effectively serve the student body. Still, only one ticket has shown the competence to truly address its shortcomings. This ability, combined with their detailed policy platform and a willingness to work with students from every corner of Georgetown, make Josh Sirois (SFS ’20) and Casey Doherty (COL ’20) students’ best choice on the ballot Feb. 22. In a field of mediocre opponents, Sirois and Doherty stand out. They have proposed policies that will benefit often-ignored communities at Georgetown. Sirois’ plan to put a wheelchair-accessible entrance on the first floor of Lauinger Library is an actionable, commonsense idea that would measurably improve accessibility on campus. Sirois and Doherty have already proposed realistic ways to make Georgetown more affordable. Their proposal to create an online textbook hub for students to buy and sell textbooks with their peers has potential, if the candidates are able to mobilize the student body behind their cause. Sirois and Doherty have faced numerous criticisms for running as sophomores. However, they have proven to be more qualified and prepared than their opponents. Their track record — Sirois has been a senator since his first term at Georgetown, while Doherty has served on GUSA’s Federal and D.C. Relations committee — shows they are able to effectively represent the entire student body. The principle of empowering the voices of marginalized students strengthens Sirois and Doherty in comparison to the only other ticket with a detail- and policy-oriented campaign: Hunter Estes (SFS ’19) and Richard Howell (SFS ’19). Estes and Howell have distinguished themselves from the pack by emphasizing a schoolwide commitment to service. Many of their community-driven policies, such as a mandatory service day for all groups recognized by the Student Activities Commission, should be seriously considered by the eventual winners, whomever they may be. Other ideas, such as a tuition freeze policy, in which a student’s tuition would remain the same throughout their years at Georgetown, demonstrate a genuine, but naive, desire to make Georgetown affordable. However, the GUSA executive’s most important role is to represent and work with all students. While Estes and Howell claim they will cultivate a welcoming Georgetown community, Estes’ actions as a GUSA senator indicate his inability and seeming unwillingness to include all students. While serving as a GUSA senator in January, Estes was the only senator to vote against Resolution Number 1-29-17-3, according to GUSA senate voting records and three then-senators. The resolution condemned President Donald Trump’s travel ban against seven Muslim-majority countries and urged the university to provide resources to community members “affected adversely by this Order.” When asked in an interview with The Hoya how he would reconcile his voting record with his professed desire to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all Hoyas, Estes claimed he did not recall the bill regarding the travel ban. In a subsequent email to The Hoya, Estes clarified that his problem with the resolution “was not its support for community members, but [Estes] found that the wording of part of the resolution mischaracterized the nature of American defense policy.” Estes was also the sole vote in opposition to an April 2017 GUSA senate resolution supporting the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and students affected by its termination, according to GUSA senate voting records. DACA is an administrative program established by former President Barack Obama that provided work authorization and legal protection to about 800,000 immigrants without documentation who were brought to the United States as children.
Estes’ advocacy for Georgetown’s LGBTQ community is also dubious, as represented by his support of Love Saxa, a pro-traditional marriage group that rejects LGBTQ relationships. Last semester, he served as the group’s vice president and advocated on its behalf in front of a Student Activities Commission hearing prompted by questions of Love Saxa’s intolerant views. The detail-oriented and only nominally inclusive campaign run by Estes and Howell has found its polar opposite in the ticket of Sahil Nair (SFS ’19) and Naba Rahman (SFS ’19). Nair and Rahman are strong, intelligent campus leaders whose campaign centers on a vision for a more approachable and inclusive GUSA. However, that sentiment seems to be the extent of their platform’s specificity. Holding this year’s truest claim to the coveted moniker of “outsider ticket,” Nair and Rahman have adamantly advocated for a GUSA that works with various campus stakeholders. In stark contrast to Estes and Howell, they could effectively incorporate the desires of underrepresented groups. Conversely, Sirois has two years of concrete policy experience within GUSA, and Doherty demonstrated a complete understanding of a comprehensive platform that addresses accessibility, sexual health and affordability in an interview with The Hoya. By contrast, Nair and Rahman have only a surface-level understanding of university policy processes and lack meaningful relationships with any relevant university administrators — facts raised by the candidates in an interview with The Hoya. Past administrations have proven that these two qualities are crucial to the success of an executive’s policy agenda. This critique is not delivered strictly due to the candidates’ status as GUSA outsiders — outsiders can deliver new, creative perspectives. However, Nair and Rahman’s platform promotes a continuation of status quo accountability and inclusion policies, devoid of fresh proposals. Under their website heading “This is Our Vision,” they write, “everyone has their own definition of what it means to achieve.” However, their platform hardly indicates how they plan to catalyze the achievement of others. Sirois and Doherty have been far more clear on their priorities; they have also demonstrated a commitment to approach their work with purpose and sincerity. The ticket of Logan Arkema (COL ’20) and Jonathan Compo (COL ’20), on the other hand, is best known for its commitment to carrying out GUSA duties as Batman and Robin. Arkema currently serves as an elected GUSA senator, representing West Campus as the Dark Knight. In this capacity, he has worked effectively with his colleagues on several policy priorities, most notably workers’ rights. His platform, which he presented to The Hoya as a “Victory Contingency Plan,” also addresses affordability, specifically calling for reform in the area of textbook costs. Yet, Arkema noted his goal was not to win, but rather to “highlight common shortcomings among the more ‘serious’ campaigns, and push them to address those shortcomings.” Arkema and Compo’s intentions are largely good, though their satirical approach to campaigning is a legitimate reason for concern. GUSA is a necessary tool for advancing the interests of students; it requires leaders who are prepared to seriously consider those interests upon entering the office. Arkema is not fully prepared to recognize the necessary limits of well-executed satire – when asked if he would use the Batman voice to address the community regarding issues like hate crime against students, he was indecisive. While Arkema has demonstrated some capacity to govern, he does not take the job of GUSA executive seriously enough to merit votes. If Sirois and Doherty incorporate some of Estes and Howell’s ideas while organizing around Nair and Rahman’s driving force of inclusivity, they have an opportunity to bring substantial, positive change to Georgetown. For their sufficient preparation for the job, their forward-looking solutions and their sincere desire to represent all communities at Georgetown, this editorial board endorses Sirois and Doherty for the positions of GUSA president and vice president. They are the best choice students have.
Ian Scoville, Editor-in-Chief Maya Gandhi, Executive Editor Christian Paz, Executive Editor Emma Wenzinger, Managing Editor Jeff Cirillo, News Editor Hannah Urtz, News Editor Dan Crosson, Sports Editor Mitchell Taylor, Sports Editor Kathryn Baker, Guide Editor Mac Dressman, Guide Editor Will Simon, Opinion Editor Lisa Burgoa, Features Editor Anna Kovacevich, Photography Editor Saavan Chintalacheruvu, Design Editor Janine Karo, Copy Chief Katie Schluth, Social Media Editor Charlie Fritz, Blog Editor Anne-Isabelle de Bokay, Multimedia Editor
Editorial Board
Will Simon, Chair
Alexandre Kleitman, Grace Laria, Tanner Larkin, Emma Lux, Daniel Wassim, Alexandra Williams
Will Cassou Madeline Charbonneau Erin Doherty Yasmine Salam Yasmeen El-Hasan Allie Babyak Ben Goodman Josh Rosson Noah Hawke Will Leo Noah Levesque Julia Yaeger John Crawford Yumna Naqvi Adam Semprevivo Will Cromarty Amber Gillette Subul Malik Caroline Pappas Grace Chung Anna Kooken Mina Lee Susanna Blount Anna Dezenzo Catriona Kendall Juliette Leader Joshua Levy Laura Bell
Academics Desk Editor City Desk Editor Events Desk Editor Student Life Desk Editor Deputy Features Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Guide Editor Deputy Opinion Editor Deputy Opinion Editor Cartoonist Deputy Photography Editor Deputy Photography Editor Deputy Photography Editor Deputy Photography Editor Deputy Design Editor Deputy Design Editor Deputy Design Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Copy Editor Deputy Blog Editor
Contributing Editors
Dean Hampers, Meena Raman, Lauren Seibel, Alyssa Volivar, Sarah Wright
Olympic Rip Off — U.S. figure skater Adam Rippon complained on Twitter about the condoms at the Olympic village. Rippon commented, “I thought they’d have like Olympic rings on them or they’d be all different colors, but no. It’s all a myth.”
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The Greatest Thing Since … — Missouri House Rep. Rusty Black (R) proposed a bill to the state legislature that would declare July 7 as the state’s “Sliced Bread Day.” Black says he thinks the bill stands “a pretty good chance” of becoming law.
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EDITORIAL
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Founded January 14, 1920
Just Keep Tweeting — Twitter turned a profit for the first time in its history, according to its most recent earnings report. However, the company continues to face problems with fake accounts that spread misinformation.
Not a Turkish Delight — Turkish President Recep Erdogan threatened to deliver an “Ottoman slap” to U.S. troops in Syria. U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert laughed at the threat during a press conference.
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Fifty Shades of Green — “Fifty Shades Freed,” the third installment of the blockbuster “Fifty Shades” film series, earned $38.8 million in its opening weekend. The “Fifty Shades” franchise has now amassed over $1 billion worldwide.
EDITORIAL CARTOON by Adam Semprevivo
HOYA HISTORY: Feb. 13, 1949
Curfews to Be Ended for Women Residents Corresponding to a series of revisions in the policies of the Women’s Residence Council, curfew for all women residents will be lifted, on a temporary basis, from Feb. 17 to April 2. This trial period will determine the feasibility of permanently abolishing all curfews for women starting with the fall semester next year. With hardly a revolutionary step, Georgetown is following a precedent set by many other schools, including Dumbarton and The University of Maryland, where policies of students’ maturity are replacing policies of students’ restriction. Harriet Cognetta (GUNS ’70), chairman of the Revisions Committee of the Residence Council, characterized the revisions by saying, “It’s a change that everyone has seen
coming.” Each of Georgetown’s four undergraduate levels has its own set of hours. For freshmen, limits are midnight on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends; for sophomores curfews are set at midnight and 1:30 a.m.; for juniors hours are midnight and 2 a.m.; seniors are required to be in by midnight on weekdays and on weekends at 2 a.m. or have a friend wait to let them in while the doors are locked from 2 to 7 a.m. Under the new system, the doors to the women’s dormitories will be locked after midnight on weekdays and after 2 a.m. on weekends, but there will be a security guard on duty to admit any girl who comes in after that time. Girls will be asked to sign out if they intend to be out af-
ter the doors are locked, and all must return by 6 a.m. When the trial period is over, the program will be taken before the Women’s Student Personnel Policies Committee before it is approved by a vote of the Women’s Residence Council. If approved, the new regulations will go into effect beginning with the fall semester. Curfews, however, may be retained during the first semester of the freshman year, though such a move is still studied. In summing up the new curfew policies, Miss Cognetta said, “While this is merely an experiment, we do feel that the girls are responsible and mature and should be able to decide their own curfew. Everyone concerned is confident that this will work well in every aspect.”
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