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Monday, May 13, 2019 I Vol. 116 Iss. 2 AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER • SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904 WWW.GWHATCHET.COM What’s inside Culture Opinions Sports Check out The Hatchet’s The editorial board Softball declared A-10 Commencement Guide comments on lack of champions, marking its fi rst for tips on how to make student representation in conference championship in the most of this week provost search program history Page 2 & 3 Page 4 Page 10 ‘IT’S TIME FOR US TO MOVE’ Federal judge rejects motion to dismiss pay discrimination lawsuit EMILY MAISE The complaint alleged SPORTS EDITOR that Williams received low- er compensation for work A federal judge denied than her male co-worker, the University’s motion Michael Aresco, the former Wednesday to dismiss a assistant athletic director lawsuit alleging offi cials for operations, events and paid an employee less mon- facilities. ey on the basis of sex. The complaint also con- The U.S. Equal Employ- tends she was denied op- COURTESY OF BETH ETHIER COURTESY OF BETH ETHIER ment Opportunity Com- portunities of employment mission fi led a lawsuit advancement and was against GW in September treated diff erently within 2017 alleging that Sara Wil- the workplace because of liams, the former executive her sex. Williams alleged assistant to former athletic that she was told to “per- director Patrick Nero, was form job duties that Aresco paid about $40,000 less either failed to perform or than a male co-worker who was incapable of perform- held a similar position. ing” and completed tasks The University motioned like “running personal er- to dismiss the case in No- rands,” according to the vember 2017 citing a lack of complaint. evidence, but a U.S. District Aresco did not return Court judge denied the mo- multiple requests for com- tion, ruling that the EEOC ment and is no longer em- COURTESY OF BETH ETHIER ALEXANDER WELLING | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR had provided suffi cient evi- ployed by the University, More than 15 faculty members and graduate students said “systemic” improvements to the psychology department building are needed dence to support its claims. according to his LinkedIn to address issues like poor ventilation and stains caused by pipe bursts. “Upon consideration of p r o fi l e . the briefi ng, the relevant Williams declined to legal authorities and the re- comment through Jessi cord as a whole, the Court Isenhart, the attorney rep- ‘Rancid’ psychology building ‘embarrassing’ denies the motion of defen- resenting the case. Isen- dant The George Washing- hart said the EEOC was for University, faculty and students say ton University to dismiss “pleased with the ruling the complaint or, alterna- and should be moving for- tively, stay proceedings,” ward with the case” but JARED GANS “Bottom line – it’s time ber of the department fi led chair, said administrators U.S. District Court Judge declined to comment on ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR for us to move,” Rohrbeck an anonymous complaint to told him that the HVAC im- Colleen Kollar-Kotelly the details of the case or the said. the Occupational Safety and provements were no longer wrote in the opinion. EEOC’s next steps in pur- This month’s sewage More than 15 faculty Health Administration fol- budgeted for the summer. University spokeswom- suing the case. overfl ow in the psychology members and graduate stu- lowing the sewage overfl ow “We’re appalled,” Rohr- an Maralee Csellar said Two months after the department building at 2125 dents said “systemic” im- two weeks ago. Last week, beck said. “A couple people the University was “disap- fi ling of the lawsuit, the G St. is business as usual for provements to the building Brian Lee, the director of said this gave them hope, pointed” with Kollar-Ko- University motioned to Cynthia Rohrbeck, an asso- are needed to address issues Health and Emergency and they were just aston- telly’s decision. dismiss the case, saying ciate professor of psychol- like poor ventilation and Management Safety, sent a ished that now it isn’t hap- “As the court made the EEOC did not provide ogy. smell and stains caused by letter to OSHA explaining pening.” clear, the EEOC still must enough evidence to sup- Almost 10 years ago, pipe bursts. If the problems that a professional cleaning University spokeswom- prove its case,” Csellar said port that there was pay Rohrbeck watched as sew- are not resolved, offi cials company removed the sew- an Maralee Csellar said in an email. “The Universi- discrimination. Offi cials age fl owed from the third- should relocate the depart- age and other contractors the Division of Operations ty looks forward to demon- also requested a stay of fl oor bathroom about 20 feet ment, they said. will begin to replace dam- and Health and Emergency strating that we acted fairly proceedings, which would down the hall to her offi ce. Rohrbeck said Beth aged tiles this week. Management Safety staff and lawfully.” prevent the case from mov- Stains from that incident are Ethier, the operations co- She said an anonymous worked to clean the sew- Csellar declined to say ing forward. still visible in her offi ce. ordinator for the psychol- faculty member also fi led age leak by scrubbing the the University’s next steps Kollar-Kotelly, the This academic year ogy department, has fi led an OSHA complaint in De- fl oor and removing calcium in the case, what the case judge, denied the motion alone, sewage pipe bursts 30 to 50 FixIt requests for the cember related to poor air buildup in pipes for days af- proceeding means for the and did not grant a stay of have occurred twice, caus- building this academic year ventilation, but the agency ter the building’s occupants University and if offi cials proceedings Wednesday, ing damage to bathrooms, for issues that she said may concluded its investigation notifi ed the University on are willing to settle. allowing the case to prog- hallways and offi ces. But the have aff ected occupants’ after an inspector decided May 1. Williams, who current- ress. building’s sewage overfl ow health. She said there have that the temperature in the She said staff members ly works at GW as an as- She said in her opinion is among several problems been water leaks and mold building’s rooms was satis- will work to remove and sociate within the Business that the EEOC and GW the psychology department in the building throughout factory. replace aff ected fl oors and Management and Analysis disagree that Williams and is currently facing, includ- her time at GW, which has Rohrbeck added that of- carpets in the next few Group, fi led a complaint Aresco had similar enough ing mold, a malfunctioning prompted some professors fi cials originally planned to days. After the work is with the EEOC alleging positions to be paid equal- air conditioning system and to stop working in the build- replace the HVAC systems completed, an outside con- that during her two years of ly, adding that the EEOC’s pests like rats and cock- ing. in the building this summer tractor will test for sewage employment in the athletic claims are “suffi cient” for roaches. “Some people have been to improve ventilation and contamination and check department, the University the court to continue pur- Now, after years of hun- saying, ‘Maybe we shouldn’t abate extreme temperatures the building’s air quality, violated the Equal Pay Act suing the case without dis- dreds of FixIt requests, more come back into the build- in some of the building’s she said. and Title VII of the Civil puting each job description. than 10 members of the de- ing now until we know it’s rooms. At a department Rights Act, which prohibits partment are demanding a safe,’” she said. meeting last week, John employers from discrimina- new building. Rohrbeck said one mem- Philbeck, the department’s See FACILITIES Page 5 tion on the basis of sex. See STEPS Page 9 Offi cials to hire new Food Institute director amid decline in projects JARED GANS & Goldman said offi cials not really involved” with the CIARA REGAN will hire a non-tenure track institute. STAFF WRITERS professor to lead the institute Food policy experts said who will likely start in the the new director should de- Eleven months after its position next spring. The di- termine the institute’s main last leader’s departure – and rector will fi nd donors to sup- research goals and have a amid a sharp drop in the port the institute’s research strong background in philan- number of projects it has and will have the ability to thropy to hit the ground run- sponsored – the GW Food keep the institute’s previous ning with fundraising. Policy Institute will receive focuses on topics like sustain- Patty Lovera, the assistant a new leader next academic ability and food deserts or director of Food and Water year, offi cials said. add new policy areas to the Watch, a nongovernmental Milken Institute School institute’s scope, she said. organization that advocates of Public Health leaders said “They will hopefully for food and water-related they will launch a search this bring something exciting and issues, said the institute pro- fall for a new director of the new and a little diff erent than vides a forum for faculty from Food Policy Institute, which what we had before,” Gold- diff erent academic disci- facilitates research between man said. plines to approach food-relat- staff , faculty and students She said many of the insti- ed issues like food insecurity on food-related issues.

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