Spring 2026 News Recap

By Nico Abreu, Executive Editor

January

GU Remains Invested in Fossil Fuel Company 5 Years After Divestment Commitment

In February 2020, Georgetown’s board of directors pledged to cease investment to and divest all current public holdings in fossil fuel companies within five years. After reviewing a November university security filing, The Hoya found that the university continues to hold 3.3 million shares, roughly 6% of the university’s public portfolio at the time, in at least one oil and gas company as of September 2025, nearly six years after the initial commitment.

Ph.D. Programs in Flux as GU Directs Admissions Reductions

At the direction of university administrators, the College of Arts & Sciences cut Ph.D. admissions for Fall 2026 and Fall 2027 as part of university-wide budget constraints. The Hoya broke this story in January after interviewing a dozen department chairs and faculty members across the College.

GU Students Protest Against ICE Presence, Condemn Violence in Minneapolis

A group of students from Georgetown’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) attended a city-wide protest that condemned the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deployments after an ICE agent killed U.S. citizen Renee Good in early January. Following the shooting, Georgetown students from Minnesota called for solidarity within their community and continued opposition to the aggressive immigration enforcement of the Trump administration.

February

GU to Overhaul IT Department

After interviewing several current employees and reviewing internal documents, The Hoya broke that Georgetown University planned to restructure its information technology (IT) department by June 1, threatening dozens of employees’ jobs. In early February, university administrators informed UIS employees that their positions would fall into three categories: no change, updated or repurposed. If placed in the “repurposed” category, employees would be given the option to apply for a different position or leave the university. Employees in this category would either start their new roles in different positions, if rehired, or be formally laid off by June 1.

GU Community Organizes for Khan Suri as Legal Team Seeks Relief From Deportation Order

A group of student organizers held a benefit concert Feb. 8 that raised more than $4,000 for formerly detained Georgetown University postdoctoral researcher Badar Khan Suri, following a November immigration court ruling that found him deportable.

GU Facilities Workers Begin Wage Talks in Contract Renegotiations

1199 SEIU, the union that represents Georgetown University facilities workers, began negotiating their contract’s financial clauses with university officials at a Feb. 25 bargaining session. Union representatives advocated for an increase in wages and stable parking rates for university bus drivers, sanitation workers, housekeepers, landscapers and other maintenance staff.

March

GU Republican Chapter Deletes Post About Muslim Americans After Community Backlash

Georgetown University College Republicans (GUCR) deleted a post on X that claimed Muslims are incompatible with a Christian vision of the United States. After condemnation from the university community across various social media platforms, several students left the GUCR messaging channel while others called for the organization to be reported through Georgetown’s bias reporting system.

Appellate Judges Appear Skeptical of Trump’s Bid to Redetain Khan Suri

Lawyers for the federal government and Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown researcher formerly detained by immigration authorities, sparred in appeals court over the Trump administration’s ability to redetain him. Two of the three judges appeared skeptical of the government’s argument that federal courts do not have any jurisdiction over immigration cases, but the case has yet to be decided. Khan Suri’s next hearing is scheduled for September.

GU Professor On Leave Since 2023 for Sexual Harassment, Inappropriate Conduct Allegations

In July 2023, Georgetown University physics professor David Egolf was accused of an inappropriate relationship with his student. After the student accused Egolf of grooming, the university placed Egolf on paid leave and he remains listed as an associate professor despite previous sexual misconduct allegations in 2013. Two years later, Egolf sued Georgetown, claiming that he was wrongfully barred from campus and that the university’s investigation was improper.

As US-Iran Conflict Intensifies, GU Students Navigate Departures From Middle East Programs

Following the beginning of U.S. strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) facilitated the departure of on-campus students and moved classes to a virtual program. In communications to students reviewed by The Hoya, GU-Q helped coordinate the safe departures of non-resident students while operating remotely, including chartering buses from campus to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the nearest open airport.

April

RA Union Alleges Union Busting, Unfair Residential Living Policies

After a set of policy changes for Georgetown University resident assistants (RAs) in Fall 2025, the Georgetown Resident Assistant Coalition (GRAC) is accusing the university of weaponizing the union’s collective bargaining agreement to worsen living conditions and punish RAs. In an April 20 letter to the university, OPEIU Local 154, the RA union’s representation, demanded Georgetown stop “union-busting actions.” The university disagreed with the union’s characterization of the policy changes and reaffirmed its commitment to good-faith engagement with GRAC.

GUTS Drivers, GU Officials Reach Agreement on Bus Pickup Location

After a four-month dispute with the bus drivers’ union, Georgetown University confirmed that Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle (GUTS) drivers will not be required to travel to an off-site depot in Maryland every day. The dispute follows months of controversy as the university seeks to subcontract drivers and revoke their status and benefits as direct university employees. In January, university officials said they expected drivers to begin picking up and dropping off buses at a Hyattsville, Md., location rather than at the Hilltop Campus, prompting the union to send a cease-and-desist letter. Drivers had protested that the move to Maryland would cost them time and money, which they said disrespected their position as university employees.

GU-Q Dean to Step Down

Georgetown University in Qatar’s dean, Safwan Masri, will step down in July 2027 following a one-year leave of absence. Masri has served as GU-Q’s dean since 2022 and will pursue research during the 2026-27 academic year before formally ending his term July 31, 2027. Clyde Wilcox, a government professor who served as interim dean before Masri, became acting dean June 1.

May

CAS Employees Dispute Staff Centralization Plan

Georgetown University’s College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) will reorganize departmental administrative staff, requiring that they report to the Office of the Dean instead of a specific department. Under the plan, which CAS Dean David Edelstein announced at an internal meeting April 27, staff members may be assigned to new or multiple departments but will retain their employment. College leadership said the plan will standardize department support and create additional promotion pathways, but staff say the changes lack transparency and do not respect their experience or qualifications.

Summer

Financial Aid Lawsuit Against GU to Proceed as Class Action Case

In a June 1 decision, a federal judge ruled that an antitrust lawsuit against several elite universities, including Georgetown University, met the requirements for a class action case. The lawsuit, filed in 2022, alleges that the 568 Presidents Group, a group of universities that share a financial aid formula, illegally colluded to fix prices and reduce students’ aid packages. The designation as a class action suit allows a larger group of students to collectively seek compensation from the universities.

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