Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown Brings Jack Back

Georgetown Brings Jack Back

By Jean Weinberg Hoya Staff Writer

Jack the Bulldog, the eight-week-old puppy who is the school’s brand-new mascot, arrived on campus at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday wearing a blue Georgetown Forever ribbon around its neck. He was welcomed by a Healy Circle reception attended by a crowd of Georgetown students, many of whom were eager to pet the puppy.

Scott Pilarz, S.J., the English professor who is housing the bulldog in his New South apartment, Kathleen Long (COL ’99) of the Senior Class Committee and members of `Hoya Blue brought the dog to campus after picking him up at Dulles airport. The puppy was purchased for $1,500 on Tuesday from Trudy Hite of Majestic Bulldogs, a breeder located right outside Pittsburgh.

The ceremony to welcome the puppy consisted of music and a blessing of the dog, which Pilarz performed while Long held it. A mock red carpet, made out of red paper, was laid out for the puppy. After the blessing, Jack was placed in his litter box and carried to New South by Pilarz, Long, Michael J. Boyle (MSB ’00), a co-founder of Hoya Blue, and Trevor Rusin (SFS ’00), Chairman of Hoya Blue.

Hoya Blue and Pilarz purchased the puppy with funds from the revenues Hoya Blue collected last fall at Senior Night at F. Scott’s, as well as donations from the Community Action Coalition, the Students of Georgetown Incorporated, and the Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union. In addition to those donations, Long collected $900 in response to an e-mail she sent to students she had known during her college career.

An alumnus, Rob Andrews (GSB ’68), and two of his former classmates guaranteed Pilarz they would cover the $1,000 per year cost for the puppy’s food and care, if the students couldn’t raise enough money on their own. Long said there is “close to $10,000” in an endowment that has been set up for the puppy. The endowment will cover the future expenses of the dog, such as medical care and food supplies.

The dog’s current caretaker is Pilarz’s cousin, Mike Surovick. The puppy lives in Pilarz’s apartment, but Surovick helps to feed the puppy and take it for walks.

Pilarz said that the dog’s future caretakers will be chosen by Hoya Blue in the next couple of weeks and that copies of the keys to his apartment will be made for the caretakers.

When the puppy arrived in Pilarz’s apartment it was greeted by more students, John Glennon (COL ’99), GUSA president and Bethany Marlowe, associate dean of students.

Long was very happy about the dog’s arrival. “He is so friendly,” she said. Marlowe also said she was excited about the dog’s arrival.

The dog’s first official appearance at an on campus event, according to Pilarz, will be today at 3 p.m. in Red Square at the Senior Salute, an event that is part of Senior Parents Weekend. The dog will also be present at the MCI Center on Saturday at the basketball game against St. Johns, where he will make a brief appearance.

Pilarz said the puppy has been extremely friendly with the students and that “he’s having a great time. So far the puppy only has had “one accident on the rug.”

Which student groups are allowed to contribute to Jack’s purchase and upkeep has been a subject of debate. Martha Swanson, associate director of Student Programs said she was concerned about the idea of the Office of Student Programs making donations toward the purchase of the dog. The office of Student Programs provides funding through the Student Activities Commission for numerous clubs on campus, including GUSA, which had pledged a $500 donation toward the dog’s purchase.

Swanson said that her office decided that since student programming funds are extremely scarce, she wanted Student Programs to give money to more direct activities, not to a fund for buying a bulldog.

According to Swanson, no one has or will donate money from the Office of Student Programs to the fund for the puppy.

However, Long said “this is something the students are extremely excited about . [SAC clubs such as GUSA] should be allowed to contribute their funds because it fits under the realm of student initiative and building community.”

Mary Kay Schneider, director of Student Programs, said that there were better ways to raise the money, such as from donations of alumni and students. She said since SAC funds “are limited” she thought funds for the bulldog should not come primarily from SAC. She said she “doesn’t want SAC to get a bad rap.” She thought the controversy over GUSA’s prohibited donation “made them [SAC] look bad.”

Swanson said that the fact that SAC froze GUSA’s funding last week was not because of their contribution to the “Bring Back Jack” campaign. According to Swanson, the events are “completely unrelated.”

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