PhillyHoya
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Post by PhillyHoya on Jun 6, 2012 11:39:26 GMT -5
Feel free to move when appropriate but I figured it would get more views here initially.
Just got the email confirming today's anticipated news:
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
This afternoon I will join D.C. Mayor Vince Gray and the chairman of our Georgetown ANC, Ron Lewis, to announce that the university and our neighbors have reached an agreement on our campus plan.
I am confident that this agreement represents the interests of our entire community and aligns our long-term strategic plans with the goals of our growing city.
As many of you know, this has been a long process. In February, a leadership team from the university began a new set of negotiations with representatives from the neighborhood leadership to find common ground on our campus plan.
These very productive discussions have resulted in a plan that protects our ability to grow as a university, lays out a path for long-term planning and creates a new framework for effective partnership with our neighbors and the city.
I want to express my deep gratitude to the many members of our community who contributed to this important development in the life of our university.
So many have given of their time and energy to make this a successful achievement for Georgetown University and for the District. I am thankful for your continued commitment to our community.
As we celebrate this agreement alongside our neighbors and the city, we recognize that this is the beginning of the next step for our university. I look forward to continuing to work together both within and outside of our campus gates to undertake the work that lies ahead in the spirit of deep engagement and partnership.
Georgetown is a university, and it is a neighborhood. Today, we move forward as one.
John J. DeGioia President Georgetown University
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Jun 6, 2012 11:55:25 GMT -5
Dear Students,
I am writing with very good news. This afternoon there will be an announcement that the university has reached an agreement with neighborhood leaders on our campus plan. While details are still being finalized, there are many benefits for students, and I wanted you to hear about a few very important parts of our agreement. As you may know, in February the D.C. Zoning Commission instructed the university and our neighbors to work together to find solutions that would mutually benefit our entire community. As such, myself, Vice President for Public Affairs Erik Smulson and Chief Operating Officer Chris Augostini have spent many hours each week over the past few months meeting with neighborhood leaders and city agencies to reach agreement. The university entered these discussions with three key goals that must be included in any agreement.
* Preserve the university’s ability to grow * Set a new stage for long-term planning * Reset our relationship with the city and neighborhood for true partnership
I am pleased to report that our current agreement meets these standards. It puts us on a path that is based on long-term planning and aligns our strategic interests with the growth of the District. The needs of our students were present in every discussion we had. Making our campus a more comfortable and inviting place to live and socialize is a win both for students and for the local community. This agreement will allow us to provide more opportunities for students to live and socialize on our campus. Long-term planning provides immediate benefits – Our goal of creating a living and learning campus that centralizes student social life on campus will include the following benefits for students:
* Making our policies and our programs consistent with our goal of making campus a social hub * Assuring the priority of student-focused projects such as the New South Student Center * Providing more late night dining options, like food trucks on campus
Providing these benefits for students also comes with the understanding that students will be accountable for their conduct, both on and off campus. Our agreement will continue our commitment to conduct policies that recognize being a member of our community is a privilege and carries responsibilities and standards for behavior. Effective Partnership Includes Students – The mechanism for implementing our work together with our neighbors and city leaders will be a new Georgetown Community Partnership (GCP). This will include leadership from Georgetown and neighborhood groups and will consist of a committee structure to address key issues to find mutual solutions. Having the voice of students on the GCP is critical and we will ensure that students are included in this important new organization. You will hear more details in the coming days and weeks, but I wanted you to be aware of this very significant and positive step forward for our university before an official announcement is made. Students will be involved not only in the new Georgetown Community Partnership, but also in discussions over the coming year on how we move forward in planning student spaces, programs and policies. You have my best wishes for a great summer ahead.
Sincerely,
Todd A. Olson, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Affairs
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SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
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Post by SFHoya99 on Jun 6, 2012 14:27:41 GMT -5
HUGE! Even before you factor in conference uncertainty, this was a necessary thing. Good that the first hurdle is cleared; fundraising is next.
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PhillyHoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by PhillyHoya on Jun 6, 2012 14:31:42 GMT -5
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derhoya
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
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Post by derhoya on Jun 6, 2012 16:07:56 GMT -5
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Jun 6, 2012 17:31:38 GMT -5
I'm confused the only agreement that the articles state was reached was to use this committee from here on out. That doesn't read as everything being resolved at all.
Has the agreed upon committee already agreed upon a compromise campus plan? If so what was gained and what was lost from the campus plan as we last left it with the zoning commission?
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biggmanu
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Post by biggmanu on Jun 6, 2012 19:51:30 GMT -5
So they made a prototype committee for arguing and getting nowhere and not letting the students have a voice?
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Post by daymondmyles on Jun 6, 2012 20:24:59 GMT -5
People on this board suck sometimes. Enjoy the good news and stop complaining.
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Jun 6, 2012 20:56:43 GMT -5
The university says it's good news. But the only article from the Hoya on what actually was announced just says they formed a committee. It doesn't say they approved the campus plan. Is that actually what happened? Someone who speaks bureaucracy needs to explain what actually happened.
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hoyatables
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Post by hoyatables on Jun 6, 2012 22:00:09 GMT -5
No. The parties announced they had reached an agreement and explained that one component -- a major component -- of the agreement was that they would work more collaboratively and collegially in the future, building on the hard work that was done to reach agreement on the plan.
They also announced that the details would be shared tomorrow. It's good. For everyone. Including students.
The plan won't be "approved" until Zoning Commission reviews the agreement and accepts it. I would be very surprised if the Zoning Commission chose not to accept the agreement
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Jun 6, 2012 22:26:25 GMT -5
No. The parties announced they had reached an agreement and explained that one component -- a major component -- of the agreement was that they would work more collaboratively and collegially in the future, building on the hard work that was done to reach agreement on the plan. They also announced that the details would be shared tomorrow. It's good. For everyone. Including students. The plan won't be "approved" until Zoning Commission reviews the agreement and accepts it. I would be very surprised if the Zoning Commission chose not to accept the agreement What ensures the community will be collaborative and collegial? All evidence is to the contrary.
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Jun 7, 2012 0:00:43 GMT -5
No. The parties announced they had reached an agreement and explained that one component -- a major component -- of the agreement was that they would work more collaboratively and collegially in the future, building on the hard work that was done to reach agreement on the plan. They also announced that the details would be shared tomorrow. It's good. For everyone. Including students. The plan won't be "approved" until Zoning Commission reviews the agreement and accepts it. I would be very surprised if the Zoning Commission chose not to accept the agreement Thanks for explaining. It wasn't very clear from the articles in the Voice and Hoya. I have heard some of the alleged details. And I do think they did a fair job compromising if what I heard is true.
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Jun 7, 2012 0:21:36 GMT -5
So they made a prototype committee for arguing and getting nowhere and not letting the students have a voice? Im with you on this here and hate what the ANC does as much if not more than anyone, but the students could have a greater voice if they registered to vote in DC then ran and voted for students to be on the ANC. This just doesnt happen so the university picks the one student rep that represents the university's section of the neighborhood. If the students participated in the voting process more they could potentially have three seats on the ANC (or more, depends on where students are living and what the districts are)
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RusskyHoya
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In Soviet Russia, Hoya Blue Bleeds You!
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Post by RusskyHoya on Jun 7, 2012 10:18:36 GMT -5
So they made a prototype committee for arguing and getting nowhere and not letting the students have a voice? Im with you on this here and hate what the ANC does as much if not more than anyone, but the students could have a greater voice if they registered to vote in DC then ran and voted for students to be on the ANC. This just doesnt happen so the university picks the one student rep that represents the university's section of the neighborhood. If the students participated in the voting process more they could potentially have three seats on the ANC (or more, depends on where students are living and what the districts are) The University doesn't pick the student - (s)he registers as a DC resident and runs. Generally, the only ones within the campus SMD who vote are people like the Jesuits and Hall Directors, so the student usually gets somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 votes. I can't recall there being a contested election in my time here, but it theoretically could happen. With the post-Census redistricting, there will now be two student-only SMDs and so there will be two students on the ANC. Some of the district-drawing was "creative" - a more by-the-book redistricting would've put a third SMD into possible contention for a student seat, but that didn't happen. It's worth pointing out that at least at one point in the past, there was a grassroots movement to get students to register and vote in these elections, the famous 1996 Campaign Georgetown vs. Westy Byrd showdown.
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Jun 7, 2012 11:30:55 GMT -5
Even with this super-awesome committee being formed (or whatever the heck it is), is there anyone that truly believes Georgetown won't be going through this same tortured process when the 2020 plan comes around?
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TC
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Post by TC on Jun 7, 2012 11:55:19 GMT -5
I haven't read everything on this yet - is there any word what Georgetown did to buy the neighbors out in this? I don't mean literally buy them out, I mean what were the crazy concessions that were made? Free truffle delivery to Burleith? Yates passes for all?
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Post by HometownHoya on Jun 7, 2012 12:47:30 GMT -5
I haven't read everything on this yet - is there any word what Georgetown did to buy the neighbors out in this? I don't mean literally buy them out, I mean what were the crazy concessions that were made? Free truffle delivery to Burleith? Yates passes for all? Stopping a new Georgetown Cupcake - Burleith, instead causing them to move to Boston?
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Jun 7, 2012 12:56:10 GMT -5
I haven't read everything on this yet - is there any word what Georgetown did to buy the neighbors out in this? I don't mean literally buy them out, I mean what were the crazy concessions that were made? Free truffle delivery to Burleith? Yates passes for all? A chicken madness will now be known as the Ron Lewis Sandwich.
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Jun 7, 2012 13:18:04 GMT -5
Even with this super-awesome committee being formed (or whatever the heck it is), is there anyone that truly believes Georgetown won't be going through this same tortured process when the 2020 plan comes around? That's really the expressed goal of this thing - to create a "forum" in which issues can be hashed out continuously, rather than in high-stakes, 10-year increments. Actually, the hope is that for the next go-round, it will be a 20-year plan like what GW files (granted, their approach with their neighbors was less conciliatory and more predatory, as they gobbled up as much adjoining land as possible). There's always going to be some intransigents, but I think the majority of neighbors would just as soon have one less battle in their lives to fight. If this provides a pressure release valve and lets them feel like their concerns have been heard, I think it will be a positive. I won't claim optimism, but I'm not as pessimistic as I usually am. The chances of an on-campus arena being approved are still zero, though.
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hoyatables
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Post by hoyatables on Jun 7, 2012 13:21:17 GMT -5
Russky's got it right.
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