The Hoya: November 5, 2013

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

Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 95, No. 19, © 2013

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Senior Day success

GU beat Seton Hall to secure a second place finish in the Big East.

EDITORIAL Two years after it was punished, the Voice deserves more space.

SPORTS, A10

OPINION, A2

SCOOTERS Students will be able to rent Hoya Saxa Scooters to help navigate campus.

ABORTION CLASS A GULC course involving a pro-choice group has drawn criticism.

NEWS, A6

NEWS, A5

ANC OKs Dorm Proposals Unanimous board approves updated construction plans Suzanne Monyak Special to The Hoya

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

GUSA President Nate Tisa closes two weeks of contention Monday night, signing a revised GRLF authorization next to bill co-sponsor Seamus Guerin.

Tisa Signs Revised Version of SIPS Bill Madison Ashley

sion that we’re making today.” Tisa’s veto was the first from a GUSA president in three years, and GUSA President Nate Tisa (SFS ’14) the move drew criticism from both signed a revised version of a bill he senators and SIPS board members, vetoed two weeks ago on Monday who claimed that Tisa did not bring night, allowing SIPS to extend grants up these concerns during the senas well as loans through its Green Re- ate approval process, rather waiting volving Loan Fund. until the bill arrived on his desk to The Georgetown University Stu- voice his discontent. dent Association senate unanimousTisa said that he signed the revised ly passed the revised bill Sunday eve- bill because of the language change ning, as it had with the original bill that referenced SAFE reform. two weeks earlier. At the time, Tisa “It has language that will stand said that the senate did not give the the test of the time,” Tisa said. “This bill proper attention, citing three is a good conclusion for an issue that main concerns: was blown a little vague language, out of proportion. a lack of transparIt’s a positive step, ency in the Social and we’re all ready Innovation and to move forward.” Public Service Fund Guerin said that approval process a rushed procedure and that the bill for the original bill did not go through was the primary the Finance and Apcause of the breaknate tisa (SFS ’14) propriations ComGUSA President down in communimittee. cation among the Although the new Act Concern- senate, executive and SIPS board. ing the Initiation of the Georgetown “It could have been done differUniversity Green Revolving Loan ently. This is a great point for us to Fund bears much resemblance to its learn from going forward,” Guerin predecessor, the new version cites said. “It’s important that we’re makthe history of Student Activities Fee ing informed decisions when we are Endowment reform, which provided deciding student financing here.” the money used to establish SIPS, SIPS Fund Managing Director and was written “in the spirit of the Ethan Chess (COL ’14) approved referendum” that displayed student of the new bill, though he had exsupport for SIPS in 2012, according pressed frustration earlier that the to co-sponsor Seamus Guerin (COL approval process stalled the fund’s ’16), chair of the GUSA Finance and plans. Appropriations Committee. Fin/App “It looks great,” Chess said. reviewed the new version of the bill. “We’re very satisfied with the pro“We see direct reference to lan- cess. There were a number of great guage and documents,” Guerin said. See SIPS, A6 “It’s a lot more of an informed deci-

Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown gained approval to construct its proposed Northeast Triangle residence and reclassify Ryan and Mulledy Halls as residential buildings from Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E on Monday, marking an important step in the university’s quest to accommodate 385 more students in on-campus housing by 2015. At the meeting, Georgetown’s Vice President for Planning and Facilities Robin Morey presented what he described as a “small variance request” of 17.2 feet to accommodate the Northeast Triangle. In the proposed variance, the dormitory would reach 30 feet from the border of Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, located on 35th Street, although the closest building on the Visitation property would be more than 600 feet from the new dorm. Under current plans for the new dorm, Georgetown will also maintain 33 percent occupancy of its acreage with buildings, comfort-

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Robin Morey, vice president for planning and facilities, reviews blueprints for the Northeast Triangle residence, which he called “unobjectionable.” ably below the 40 percent occupancy limit. “We believe this is unobjectionable,” Morey said to the board in his presentation. The board unanimously approved zoning variance to construct a building in the formerly designated green space in the Northeast Triangle while also unanimously grant-

For $370M, cars would link Union Station, Georgetown Johnny Verhovek Special to The Hoya

“GUSA will be sure to follow up with Residential Living to see if it’s a pattern,” Tisa said. “Doors are personal free-speech zones, and if you disagree with someone, you should express that in your own zone.” H*yas for Choice Board Member Vincent DeLaurentis (SFS ’17) has had his door in Darnall vandalized at least twice. “Every time they rip it down, I’m going to put it back up. I mean, there is an infinite amount of envelopes in the world, so I can always find another,” DeLaurentis said. After his condoms were torn down, he hung a sign that said, “Every time you rip this down, I’ll make a donation to Planned Parenthood,” which was also ripped off the door. “I’ll just keep upping the ante and put little jokes up like that,”

A D.C. Department of Transportation report encouraged the city to move forward on plans to construct a streetcar line that would connect Georgetown and Union Station at a cost of nearly $370 million. The Georgetown Premium Transit Alternative Analysis Study, which was released last week, included a detailed analysis of the necessity of expanding transportation options on the east-west corridor between Georgetown and Union Station, a route usually plagued by traffic and without any public transit options besides the Circulator bus. “The streetcar would supplement the pre-existing modes of transportation the city already has, and would serve an area that is full of public transportation-reliant residents, especially in the Georgetown neighborhood,” Georgetown Business Improvement District Transportation Director Jonathon Kass said. The study will be followed by an environmental review and approval process and then move to the design and construction phases. Geographically, the study focused on the neighborhoods that stand to benefit the most from the construction of the streetcar, mainly Georgetown, West End, Foggy Bottom, downtown and the area north of Massachusetts Avenue. The streetcar would run primarily along K Street NW, New Jersey Avenue NW, and H Street, and while advocates for its construction recognize the streetcar’s potential effect on D.C. neighborhoods, they

See CONDOMS, A6

See STREETCAR, A6

DANIEL SMITH/THE HOYA

Kevin Spacey, the actor known most recently for his role in the Netflix drama “House of Cards,” spoke Monday in Gaston Hall. See story A5.

Condom Representatives Suffer Vandalism Special to The Hoya

CLAIRE SOISSON FOR THE HOYA

Representatives post condom envelopes on their dorm doors. @thehoya

Envelopes on dorm room doors that contain condoms distributed by H*yas for Choice have been repeatedly vandalized in freshman residence halls, leading to intervention from the Office of Residence Life and the Georgetown University Student Association. Most of the incidents have occurred in Darnall Hall, especially on the fourth floor, but the problem is not limited to one dorm, according to H*yas for Choice President Laura Narefsky (COL ’14). “H*yas for Choice has never had openly malicious dealings with any of the anti-choice groups on campus,” Narefsky said. “This is a much more widespread, new phenomenon.” Designated H*yas for Choice con-

See ANC, A6

Crosstown Streetcar Proposed

SPACEY BEING FRANK

“[This act] has language that will stand the test of the time.”

Ashley Miller

ing Georgetown’s request to rezone Ryan and Mulledy — a Jesuit residence left vacant since 2003 because of an asbestos issue — from academic buildings to residential buildings. Associate Vice President for Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives Lauralyn Lee expressed

dom representatives keep envelopes with condoms on their doors that students can take for free when they need. Dorm-room doors are considered free-speech zones like Red Square, where H*yas for Choice often distributes condoms during the day. “The Office of Residential Living recently addressed reports from concerned students that personal items, specifically envelopes containing condoms, were removed from their room doors without permission,” Director of Residential Education Ed Gilhool wrote in an email. “Vandalism of any sort, especially of another student’s door, detracts from a sense of safety and inclusion and will not be tolerated.” GUSA President Nate Tisa (SFS ’14), who identified expanding freespeech zones as a main goal for his time in office, agreed that maintaining free speech is a priority. Published Tuesdays and Fridays

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