Since 1919
Emory University’s Independent Student Newspaper
The Emory Wheel
ELECTION
UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS
By Julia Munslow Executive Editor
Ruth R eyes/Photo editoR
More than 100 Emory community members joined thousands of protesters in the Atlanta March for Women and Social Justice Saturday.
Emory Joins Atl. Social Justice March By alex KlugerMan Staff Writer More than 100 Emory community members joined thousands of protesters in the Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women Saturday. One of hundreds of demonstrations worldwide, the march called on President Donald J. Trump and his cabinet to focus on social justice issues such as reproductive and civil rights. Approximately 60,000 people shut down the streets of downtown Atlanta as they marched from the Center for Civil and Human Rights to the Georgia State Capitol building. At the Center, they heard from
ADMINISTRATION
local lawmakers and activists who encouraged battling leaders and policies that they said threaten rights of underrepresented groups. Marchers from Emory attended to advocate for the protection of minority rights — women and LGBT and Islamic communities in particular — from the new presidential administration whose platform calls for legislation that they say could threaten these groups’ civil liberties and freedoms. Students, faculty and alumni from across Emory advertised the event through flyers and Facebook events, organized transportation to the march and made signs for the protest in efforts led by Associate
Professor in the Practice of Youth Education and Peacebuilding Beth Corrie, Assistant Professor of Philosophy Dilek Huseyinzadegan and Assistant Director of the Office of Residence Life Courtnay Oddman. Three shuttles funded by several Emory offices, including ResLife and Emory Alumni Association, transported Emory affiliates from Clairmont campus to the Center for Civil and Human Rights, where the march began. All 250 spots on the buses were reserved by Friday, but only about 175 people took the shuttles Saturday, Corrie said. The Wheel could not
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Emory University will not declare itself a “sanctuary campus” but will continue supporting undocumented students, according to a Jan. 18 allEmory email from Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Stuart Zola and Senior Vice President and Dean of Campus Life Ajay Nair. The decision to not designate Emory as a sanctuary campus prompted Sanctuary Coalition at Emory, an organization that consists of undocumented students, student allies, faculty and staff, to call on University President Claire E. Sterk to sign a letter drafted by the Coalition. The Coalition letter contained a pledge to designate Emory a sanctuary campus and to enact three policies that would “demonstrate the University’s commitment” to the education and protection of its undocumented students. The Jan. 18 email listed initiatives the University has started or completed to support undocumented students through statements of legal and administrative support, privacy rights, financial aid and dialogue. Emory developed a Progress Report on the status of its actions to sup-
SGA
Undergrads, Grads Divided Over Split
port its undocumented students. The report, according to Senior Director for Communications Tomika DePriest, was created from an Nov. 20 petition sent to administrators by students and community letters last fall, asking Emory to designate itself as a sanctuary campus. “In their public statements, Emory University administrators have highlighted resources that already exist,” the Coalition wrote in a Jan. 18 Facebook post published after administrators sent the Jan. 18 email. “However, they have not declared policy changes that would better support undocumented students, now or in the future.” The post included the Coalition’s letter, which urged Emory to pledge lawful non-cooperation with federal immigration authorities, admit all academically qualified undocumented students regardless of their immigration status and provide mental health services and pro-bono legal services to students with families of mixed documentation status. The Coalition asked Sterk to sign the letter by her Feb. 8 inauguration as University president. The Coalition sent the letter to Sterk Jan. 18, according Coalition member and College
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GREEK LIFE
By Michelle lou News Editor
This interview was by Zak Hudak, Julia Munslow, Elana Cates and Annie Cohen. This interview was transcribed by Michelle Lou. In her first four months as Emory University’s 20th president, President Claire E. Sterk faced a U.S. presidential election that shook the school, a movement to designate Emory a sanctuary campus and a changing Emory administration. In an interview with The Emory Wheel, Sterk discussed political expression and her role as president. This is an edited transcript. The Emory Wheel: What does
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NEWS SGA DiScuSSeS
PotentiAl new unDerGrAD Structure ... PAGE 4
With the University-wide referendum to split the Student Government Association (SGA) into autonomous undergraduate and graduate branches less than a week away, the majority of undergraduate students The Emory Wheel interviewed were either unaware of or indifferent to the vote, while graduate students largely supported the split. The Wheel spoke to 30 randomly selected students, including undergraduate and graduate students from all divisional schools. Of the 15 undergraduates interviewed, two knew about next week’s referendum and what the restructure bill entailed, but only one planned to vote. Eleven of the 15 graduate students interviewed knew about the referendum and indicated they plan to vote online next week. SGA efforts to publicize the referendum included a Facebook campaign, informational town halls, flyers, postcards and a website detailing the bill, referendum and transition timeline. SGA President and College senior Max Zoberman said that SGA decided
SGA president and college senior Max Zoberman (center) proposes a new undergrad government structure Monday. to host public events and create digital insufficient. “SGA is really bad at letting stucommunication to educate students about the bill after a poorly publicized dents know what’s going on in their referendum to increase the student organization,” Syz said. “They should make their emails more readable and activities fee did not pass in 2014. “We’re doing our best to learn from also try to explore new channels of the mistakes of 2014 with the student communication that students actually experience fund referendum that went use.” Syz said he does not plan to vote in miserably wrong,” Zoberman said. “We did not put in the effort to explain the referendum. Candler School of Theology graduit to people.” Goizueta Business School sopho- ate student Kelsey Spinnato said she more Jay Syz said that SGA’s efforts to publicize the referendum were See undErGrAdS, Page 5
A&E FinAl ePiSoDeS oF
EMORY LIFE
‘Sherlock’ Prove cliche, weAk ... PAGE 7
By Brian savino Arts & Entertainment Editor Michelle lou/News editoR
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Fraternities Delta Tau Delta (DTD) and Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp) will both live in the 15 Eagle Row house during the 2017-18 academic year, according to Marlon Gibson, director of sorority and fraternity life. DTD and SigEp agreed to share the house in a Nov. 10, 2016 meeting about on-campus housing for fraternities with Gibson, Assistant Vice President for Community Suzanne Onorato, representatives from all Emory fraternities and fraternity Beta Theta Pi’s national foundation and administrative office. The house, currently occupied by
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DeFeAtS DeltA StAte, weSt in My Belly GetS GlowinG unDocuMenteD StuDent’S AGE 12 P FloriDA ... reviewS ... Back Page PAGE 10 tAke on iMMiGrAtion ...