Since 1919
Emory University’s Independent Student Newspaper
The Emory Wheel
Volume 98, Issue 01
Printed Every Wednesday
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
FREE SPEECH
COMPLEX CONQUERS
UChicago Dean Calls For Total Free Speech
LAWSUIT
Employees Sue Emory Over Retirement Plan Fees
By Jacob Durst Breaking News Editor A provocative letter sent last week to all incoming freshmen at the University of Chicago (Ill.) recently became the center of a national conversation about freedom of expression. The letter, which describes the University’s freedom of expression policy, condemned “trigger warnings,” “canceling controversial speakers” and “the creation of intellectual safe spaces.” The letter has generated both praise and criticism nationwide, while prompting a broader conversation about freedom of expression on college campuses. While the letter is not announcing policy change, it reiterates the University’s already stated and practiced policy regarding academic freedom of expression. In addition to the letter, every incoming student received a booklet intended to serve as a primer to the University’s “history of debate, and even scandal, resulting from [their] commitment to academic freedom,” the letter said. Last semester’s “Trump chalkings” catapulted Emory into the center of a similar national conversation about the role of free speech on college campuses, and at Emory in particular. On March 22, about 40 Emory students protested chalkings around campus that referred to the current Republican presidential nominee. “Emory is committed to open expression,” Interim Dean of Emory College Michael A. Elliott said.
See UCHICAGO (EL), Page 2
By Anwesha Guha News Editor
S
Service Remembers Emory Students Killed in Bangladesh Attacks By Anwesha Guha News Editor
On Aug. 21, hundreds of Emory community members filled the Allen Memorial United Methodist Church at Oxford College to remember the lives of Abinta Kabir and Faraaz Hossain, who were killed this summer in the July 2 Dhaka, Bangladesh, terrorist attacks. This year, Kabir would have been an Oxford College sophomore and Hossain, a Goizueta Business School junior.
Michael Mandl will transition out of his role as Emory’s executive vice president for business administration today after 13 years of leading the University’s financial initiatives, he said in an interview with the Wheel. Peter Barnes, who currently serves as Emory’s vice president for human resources, will serve as interim executive vice president for business and administration, Mandl said. Barnes has worked at Emory for 11 years and expressed confidence in University operations. Mandl plans to create a client-driven company with Jack Tillman, who will transition out of his own role as Emory’s associate vice president for corporate development. The company, titled Mandl & Co., will “help institutions identify opportunities and then actually help to execute them,” Mandl
said. “We want to be part of the leadership and part of the institution and help guide them through taking action and getting things accomplished.” Both Mandl and Tillman will maintain relationships with Emory through Mandl & Co., which will be headquartered in Midtown Atlanta, Mandl said. He added that he and Tillman plan to remain involved with identifying Emory’s financial opportunities and suggesting strategies for asset allocation. University President-Elect Claire E. Sterk addressed the future of Emory’s partnership with Mandl & Co. in an all-Emory email. “I am pleased to report that Emory will contract with Mandl & Co. in order to have access to [Mandl’s] unique ability to identify value-creating opportunities that advance the institution’s mission,” Sterk wrote. Mandl’s and Tillman’s company will work to develop relationships with
NEWS family, friends
EMORY LIFE
... PAGE 3
See EMORY, Page 3
MEMORIAL
Mandl Leaves Emory
honor deceased alumnus
See MEMORIES, Page 3
Julia Munslow/Executive Editor
ophomore Advisor (SA) Joshua Barbosa (19C) leads The Complex residents, SAs and Resident Advisors to victory in Songfest, an annual singing and dancing competition between freshmen residence halls.
The ceremony began with a call to prayer and included stories by friends, teachers and family about Kabir and Hossain. Holding vases of yellow flowers, members of the Oxford Student Activities Committee, a programming organization in which Kabir and Hossain held leadership positions, then led a procession to the steps outside of Seney Hall, where an impromptu memorial was constructed immediately after the attacks. As community members walked through the Oxford Quadrangle, the bell tolled 39 times — 20 times for Hossain, who was 20 years old, and 19 times for
ADMINISTRATION
By Emily Sullivan News Editor
Kabir, who was 19. The procession from inside the church into the natural world symbolized Kabir’s and Hossein’s journeys into a spiritual world, said Oxford College Chaplain Lyn Pace, who helped to organize the procession. The memorial service followed the July 7 vigil, which followed the attacks. The Aug. 20 memorial was held largely for the student community, many of whom were off-campus during the summer, and live streaming was available for those not at the memorial.
A class-action lawsuit filed Aug. 11 alleges that Emory University breached its fiduciary duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to more than 41,000 employees by incurring excessive fees and retaining poor investments in retirement plans. The suit alleges the University failed to consider low-cost, highperforming alternative investment options and that its use of multiple recordkeepers resulted in excessive administrative fees. Schlichter Bogard & Denton filed the lawsuit in federal court on behalf of 12 employees who represent participants of the University’s 403(b) plans — retirement plans similar to 401(k) plans available for certain government and taxexempt groups and other non-profit organizations. The defendants are Emory University, Emory Healthcare, Inc., Emory Pension Board, Emory Investment Management and Vice President of Investments and Chief Investment Officer Mary L. Cahill. With this suit, Emory joins the list of several top universities also recently sued for allegedly mishandling their employees’ retirement plans, including Duke University and New York University (N.Y.U.). Emory’s retirement plans held over $3.5 billion in investments as of Dec. 31, 2014, and are considered “jumbo plans” for being
freshman guide to success
...
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Forman Moves to Tulane; Elliott, Zola Join Admin. By Zak Hudak Editor-in-Chief
Between former University Provost Claire E. Sterk taking former President James W. Wagner’s seat and the departure of Dean of Emory College Robin Forman and Executive Vice President for Business and Administration Michael Mandl, a game of musical chairs took place in Emory’s administrative offices. Forman, who oversaw the College since 2010, begins work today as senior vice president and provost at Tulane University (La.), a vertical move within the hierarchy of academia. Winship Distinguished Research Professor in English and American Studies Michael A. Elliott, who served as senior associate dean of faculty from December
OP-EDS editorial ...
THE FUTURE Elliott, who has worked at Emory for 18 years, said he plans to refine and implement a faculty strategic plan that was headed last year by Forman. Included in that proposal is a cluster hire in the natural sciences and mathematics of faculty who have demonstrated success mentoring underrep-
resented students in their respective fields, Elliott said. “The strategic plan is really about the aspirations of Emory College in terms of supporting faculty research in new ways and teaching in innovative ways out of classroom,” he said. “It’s a road map for the College’s future.” The English and American Studies professor said, too, that the liberal arts are guaranteed a safe place at Emory during his time in the position. “One reason I accepted this role is because there is a broad debate going on in the United States today,” Elliot said. “It’s important that we don’t defend the liberal arts so much as we demonstrate the value the liberal arts brings to our teaching and our scholarship.” A timeline for selecting a perma-
A&E The Wheel interviews SPORTS volleyball
Young the Giant drummer ... PAGE 8 PAGE 13
board responds to the uchicago letter
2009 to July 2014, will serve as the interim dean. Meanwhile, Sterk’s empty provost and vice president for academic affairs seat was filled in an interim capacity Aug. 15 by Stuart Zola, Yerkes National Primate Research Center director emeritus and professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral science in the Emory School of Medicine.
team hopes to take national championship
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2 Wednesday, August 31, 2016
NEWS
CRIME
Crime Report
Compiled by Brandon Fuhr Digital Editor On Aug. 22 at 2:25 a.m., Emory Police Department (EPD) responded to an intrusion at the Candler Mansion located on Emory’s Briarcliff Campus. When officers arrived on the scene, they made contact with five students who admitted that they were in the vicinity of the building, but did not enter it. The students were asked to leave the location. Campus Life was notified. On Aug. 22 at 1:44 p.m., EPD responded to a call from an Emory staff member regarding an individual wearing a polo shirt and blue jeans walking towards Michael Street Parking Deck with a handgun tucked into his waistband. Multiple officers responded to the area to search for the individual but were unable to locate the suspect. On Aug. 23 at 3:35 a.m., EPD responded to a call regarding an underage student under the influence of alcohol at Evans Residence Hall. The student said that she had consumed five shots of vodka in her room. Emory Emergency Medical Services (EEMS) and American Medical Response (AMR) arrived on the scene and transported the student to Emory University Hospital (EUH).
On Aug. 23 at 12:20 p.m., EPD responded to a call regarding a theft at the Woodruff P.E. Center (WoodPEC). A student said she had left her MacBook Pro in her purse on the fourth floor of the WoodPEC. When she returned later, the computer was missing from her bag. The laptop is valued at $1,300. The case has been assigned to a detective. On Aug. 25 at 10:32 a.m., EPD responded to a call regarding suspicious activity at the Woodruff Memorial Research Building. The complainant said that a female had been in the restroom for a long time and was carrying many items with her. The individual appeared to be homeless. A female officer arrived at the location and spoke with the individual in the bathroom. The individual left the building. On Aug. 26 at 5:27 p.m., EPD responded to a call regarding suspicious activity at the Woodruff Health Sciences Library. Workers in the building made a complaint regarding an older male individual who had been “stumbling around” and disturbing people. Library staff asked the individual to leave. The individual left without any further incident.
–– Contact Brandon Fuhr at brandon.spencer.fuhr@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel
Michael Mandl to Create Atlanta Asset Advising Company
Continued from Page 1
other universities, Mandl said. When asked for the names and locations of such universities, Mandl declined to comment. During their time at Emory, Mandl and Tillman worked together on various high-priority projects, including the construction of Emory Point and the development of the Library Service Center (LSC), a collaboration between Emory and Georgia Institute of Technology. Mandl said he considers the University to be a “fundamentally different place” as a result of the implementation of such projects. Of Mandl’s work on over 20 other projects, the development of the Emory Sports Medicine Complex stood out to Jon Lewin, executive vice president for health affairs at Emory and president, CEO and chairman of the board for Emory Healthcare. “[It was] like watching an artist to see [Mandl] work through the details of that deal,” Lewin said. He added that he would describe Mandl as a “consummate businessman … and a great negotiator.”
As Emory enters the 2016-2017 academic year, Mandl said that he expects to see a focus on the development of programs for faculty and students over the next few years. “I think that’ll be the primary emphasis of investment … as opposed to [construction],” he said.
“[It was] like watching an artist to see [Mandl] work through the details of that deal.” — John Lewin, president, CEO and chairman of the board for Emory Healthcare While Barnes said it is too early to discuss new programs or directions, he wrote in an email to the Wheel that he is “familiar with all aspects of the business [function] and with the expertise, capacity and skills of [his] colleagues.” “My primary goal is to build upon [Mandl’s] legacy and to support the new [University] president by leading a team of very talented, experienced and successful professionals in supporting our faculty, students and staff,” Barnes
added. Barnes noted that his most significant and personally rewarding undertakings included his work with the Work-Life Initiative Task Force, which encourages balance in the lives of Emory community members. Serving as the group’s co-chair, Barnes led initiatives that served “to strengthen a work-life culture that sustains personal growth, encourages professional development and enhances community and family life,” he wrote. Lewin has also worked with Barnes, and described him as a “master of human resources management” who will “help carry the University through until the appointment of a formal EVP for business and administration.” Sterk will lead this search, which is still in its early stages, Lewin added. Mandl, who has collaborated extensively on projects with Barnes, described the appointment as “a wise choice.” “[Barnes] cares deeply about Emory, [and] is committed deeply to its people and its mission,” Mandl said.
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NEWS
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
The Emory Wheel
Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Excessive Retirement, Administrative Fees Continued from Page 1 in the top one percent of highvalue contribution plans, said the lawsuit. As of Dec. 31, 2014, there were 20,261 participants in the Emory University Retirement Plan and 21,536 participants in the Emory Healthcare, Inc. Retirement Savings and Matching Plan. Both plans operate under a defined contribution model, in which funds composed of both employee and employer contributions are invested. The plans use three independent vendors for recordkeeping: Fidelity, TIAA-CREF and Vanguard. Both University and Healthcare retirement plans offer employees 110 investment options: 43 from Fidelity, 23 from TIAACREF and 44 from Vanguard. By offering three recordkeepers
and failing to take advantage of its multi-billion dollar endowment — which hit a record high of $6.7 billion last year — Emory lost negotiating power when determining recordkeeping fees, said the suit. This cost participants millions of dollars in administrative fees. In 2011, TIAA-CREF received $5.69 million from Emory in recordkeeping fees. In 2012, the amount increased to $6.16 million. “The Emory plan is excessively priced,” said Jerome Schlichter, founding and managing partner of Schlichter Bogard & Denton and attorney representing the Emory employees. “Under the law [ERISA] that applies to the University, [Emory] must make sure fees are reasonable and … that the investments are prudent.” The University has failed to uphold these obliga-
tions, he added. Emory wrote in a statement to the Wheel that it views multiple options in its retirement plans as beneficial to University and Healthcare faculty and staff. “Through our retirement programs, we offer access to a range of investment options to provide flexibility in meeting individual needs and retirement goals,” University Associate Director of Media Relations Elaine Justice wrote. “We are committed to these principles and operate our retirement programs in accord with federal law.” Plaintiffs declined to comment on the ongoing litigation. Schlichter recently filed classaction lawsuits in federal courts against other major universities with 403(b) plans for breaching fiduciary duties under
Memories of Two Lost in Dhaka
A FORMAN LEGACY OF MIXED EMOTIONS Forman’s Emory tenure began two years after the 2008 financial crisis. The College lost $8.5 million in 2011, his second year at Emory. The next fall, Forman announced Emory would begin a plan to “phase out” over the following years the College’s Division of Educational Studies, Department of Visual Arts and journalism program. The Wheel at the time also confirmed the Russian language program would be cut. The then-impending academic cuts — in addition to the release of 22 non-
tenured faculty members — sparked protests and an #EmoryCuts movement aimed at reversing Forman’s decision. In December of that year, following a 200-person protest on the Quadrangle and a six-hour, 100-person sit-in on the fourth floor of the Administration Building, Forman, Wagner and Vice President and Deputy to the President Gary Hauk met with seven students and three faculty members, but refused the group’s proposal to reverse the cuts. “President Wagner and Dean Forman have not only refused to meet with us in the future but have refused to consider any possible circumstance under which such a meeting would be necessary or productive,” Pat Blanchfield, a then-sixth-year graduate student in comparative literature, told the Wheel following the meeting. Despite undertones of cost-cutting, Forman maintained that the decision was made not to save money, but rather to re-allocate it to fields in which Emory could be a leader. “It’s not about cutting costs at all. It’s not about reducing expenses. Every dollar we free up from this reorganization will be reinvested in the academic mission,” he told the Wheel in 2012. One such program that has substantially grown not necessarily as a result of, but since the cuts is the Institute for Quantitative Theory and Methods (QuanTM), created in 2011. Forman tasked current Department of Political Science Chair and QuanTM Director Clifford J. Carrubba with designing the program. While it’s difficult to prove the 2012 cuts allowed for the QuanTM program’s creation, Forman’s re-allocation of resources has allowed Emory’s Political Science program to attract strong faculty members in the wake of four professors’ retirements over the past few years, Carrubba said. “As any good leader should do, he made tough calls,” he said. Meanwhile, former James M. Cox Jr. Professor of Journalism Hank
Klibanoff maintains that Forman acted with incomplete information, and points to the James M. Cox, Jr. Foundation’s withdrawal of a $1.35 million journalism endowment that funded his chair following Forman’s cuts announcement. Based on the cost of running the journalism program, Klibanoff calculated that the College saved around $180,000 a year. Vice President of Cox Foundations Nancy Rigby could not be reached for immediate comment. Klibanoff added that Forman’s decision to cut the journalism program came out of the blue; Forman had promoted Klibanoff to chair of the program less than a month before telling him it would be severed. Contrary to Klibanoff’s portrayal, Carrubba said Forman never made him feel like the latter’s employee. “[Forman] was great because he didn’t micromanage. He let people follow their passions,” Carubba said. Although much of the heat in response to the cuts was directed at Forman, the College Financial Advisory Committee, which was created while Forman’s predecessor, Bobby Jones, was in office, made recommendations which were used in Forman’s decision, and the plan was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees months before his announcement, he told the Wheel. Despite the criticism he has received over the past few years, Forman said he will most miss direct engagement with faculty and students at his Tulane job. “We went through a difficult time after the Great Recession as every other institution did … but we [now] have new buildings and new programs,” he said. “My thoughts keep returning to the people. I’m proud of the faculty and students we’ve recruited to Emory.” “Whatever small role I played in that, I’m most proud of,” Forman said.
–– Contact Zak Hudak at zachary.j.hudak@emory.edu
By Joseph Asaro Staff Writer
By Elana Cates Managing Editor
–– Contact Emily Sullivan at emily.sullivan@emory.edu
Emory’s Campus Life Pavilion opened earlier this month, replacing the former Black Student Alliance (BSA) house at 716 Peavine Creek, according to Senior Vice President and Dean of Campus Life Ajay Nair. The pavilion offers “flexible programming space … to students and others in the community,” said Nair. Program Manager of Emory University Planning, Design and Construction Charles Rossignol designed the new space, according to a presentation to the University last semester. The pavilion, located near Eagle Row and the Visual Arts Building, will provide a venue where events can be held on the west side of Emory’s Atlanta campus. The pavilion supports several types of events and holds a maximum of 300 people for concerts, 200 people for lectures and 120 people for dinners. Emory-affiliated groups and campus departments can reserve the venue online through the 25Live scheduling system. “Emory Campus Life is excited about the new pavilion and the flexible programming space it offers to students and others in our community,” Nair said. “The pavilion can accommodate guest speakers, musical entertainment, outdoor festivals, meals and more.” Dobbs University Center (DUC) and Office of Student Involvement, Leadership and Transitions staff members are currently familiarizing student organization presidents with the pavilion to help facilitate the new addition to the Emory community. Some groups, such as Residential Life and Housing and Orientation Leaders, have already used the space. The University Center Board and the Technology Store of Emory Barnes and Noble also sponsored a silent disco at the pavilion this past weekend. For alumni like Dorothy Bota (11C), campus life liaison for the Caucus of Emory Black Alumni, this venue holds significant meaning. Bota and
other BSA alumni created the Caucus June 2015 with the goal of continuing the BSA legacy by integrating it into the appearance of the Campus Life Pavilion, which have features such as a beam from the structure of the BSA house that was knocked down. A fraternity associated with Emory’s former dental school originally occupied the 716 Peavine Creek house. BSA occupied the house between 1986, 16 years after BSA’s establishment, and 2011. The BSA legacy will be represented in the pavilion through the inclusion of 13 stars in the pavilion, which will represent 13 African American students who integrated into Emory University in 1962 and 1963, said Bota. She added that the pavilion will also include a “steel beam and many wooden elements in the pavilion ceiling [that] were part of the structure of the Black Student Alliance house.” Last year, BSA relocated to 22 Eagle Row, but Bota said she feels the organization’s members still feel a strong connection to their former house. This past April, BSA hosted an event titled “Honoring the Legacy of the BSA House,” which memorialized the organization’s previous house. The event featured stories from alumni who had lived in the BSA house from 1986 to 2011. BSA plans to host events at the new pavilion, one of which will occur during Emory’s Homecoming Week in late September. Bota believed it would be an interesting return to campus for the event as there is a possibility of “mixed emotions” from BSA alumni. “The BSA house was not just another housing option for Emory students,” Bota said. “This house was the center of the black community at Emory: a place for bonding, freshman orientation, Essence, potlucks, movie nights and sometimes just an escape.” Nair said a memorial will be hosted February 2017 to honor the 13 African American students during Black History Month.
— Contact Joeseph Asaro at joseph.asaro@emory.edu
Ruth R eyes /Photo Editor
Emory community and friends honor the memories of Abinta Kabir and Faraaz Hossain at a Sunday memorial at Oxford College.
Continued from Page 1
The Wheel interviewed over a dozen students and professors who knew Abinta Kabir and Faraaz Hossain, the two Emory students killed in last week’s terror attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Here are a few of the memories they shared with us. ‘I WOULD ALWAYS SEE SNAPCHAT STORIES OF THEM’ “I would always see Snapchat stories of them. They both loved soccer, like Manchester United. [Abinta’s] roommate would sit there and record them goofing around or watching soccer games, always making fun of each other. [Faraaz] was kind of like a big brother. They were there for each other all the time. When Faraaz recruited her [for SAC], they had a bond that none of us had established with them yet. That’s a friendship that will last your whole life.” –Camilla Gallin, Oxford College sophomore, Student Activities Committee (SAC) member ‘I WAS NOT ALONE IN NOTICING FARAAZ’S ENERGY’ “As a student whose ‘passion’ might never lay in English literature, Faraaz nevertheless embraced the course with determined engagement and application. He consumed the multiple texts voraciously and, with humility and consideration for his peers, spoke intelligently about their impact.… I was not alone in noticing Faraaz’s energy, enthusiasm and social warmth and ease. He remains a
positive and respected presence on the Oxford campus. He exudes both confidence and humanity in equal measure.” –Excerpt from a Sept. 7, 2015 letter of recommendation to the Goizueta Business School by Kevin Quarmby, Assistant Professor of English ‘WE WOULD EVEN SING IN THE SHOWER SOMETIMES’ “I was close with Abinta, and she lived a couple doors down from me. Whenever I needed to talk to someone, I could always go to her. We would even sing in the shower sometimes and blast music in the communal bathrooms. She was soft-spoken and never got angry, even when we goofed-off during subcommittee meetings, she’d be patient with us.” –Daria Zarzeka, Oxford College sophomore, SAC member ‘HE WOULD LAUGH AND SAY IT BACK TO ME, ‘KI HOCHE’ ’ “When we first met, we were on the SAC retreat, and everybody had pushed their bunk beds together. I [asked Faraaz] where he was from, and he said Bangladesh. I told Faraaz my friend from home is from Bangladesh, and he [said] ‘Yes, I love it.’ This is the Bengali phrase I know, ‘ki hoche,’ [I told him]. It just means ‘What is happening?’ He was cracking up. He was fluent, and he started trying to teach me other phrases. Whenever I would see him, I would say ‘ki hoche,’ and he would laugh and say it back to me. ‘Ki hoche. What is happening?’” –Alicia Johnson, Emory College
senior, 2014-2015 President
–– Contact Anwesha Guha at
anwesha.guha@emory.edu Julia Munslow reporting.
contributed
Business School Graduate Jack Koval Dies at 22
Forman, Sterk Assume New Positions Campus Life Pavilion Opens, Maintains BSA House Legacy
nent dean of Emory College has not yet been released. Meanwhile, both Zola and Forman said they haven’t yet set their sights on university presidencies, although Sterk and Wagner each worked as a provost before becoming a president. Zola has moved into the provost and vice president for academic affairs position with substantial managerial experience — in addition to his Yerkes post, he has worked as the codirector of Emory Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and deputy associate chief of staff for research at Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center — but he has never worked in a purely academic administrative role. His work with Emory has consisted of bridging gaps between the University and those institutions, he said. Within Emory, too, he sees bridges to be built. “People in humanities grow up with telling stories,” he said. “People in sciences, less so. They look at facts and figures … I’d like to bring those two groups into a room and start talking about helping one another.” The University plans to identify a permanent provost and vice president for academic affairs in the spring or summer of 2017, according to an allEmory email sent on behalf of Sterk.
lars, according to The New York Times. Schlichter’s firm has litigated multiple lawsuits involving 401(k) plans. He settled other suits involving corporate fiduciary breaches in retirement plans, one case being a 2014 suit against Novant Health, Inc., a nonprofit hospital system. In addition to the $32 million settlement, Novant updated its plan operations by hiring an outside consultant, revising investment options and providing accurate communication, according to the Winston-Salem Journal. Schlichter said he hopes for similar changes in the universities’ retirement plan operations.
OBITUARY
CAMPUS LIFE
Continued from Page 1
ERISA, including Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), N.Y.U., Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Duke University and Vanderbilt University. Sanford Heisler, a law firm specializing in class-action suits, filed a similar class-action suit against Columbia University Aug. 16 for excessive retirement fees in its 403(b) plans, according to a press release. The surge in retirement plan litigation in these cases is correlated with increased employee knowledge and media coverage of retirement plans, according to Schlichter. Complaints allege that universities such as N.Y.U. and Yale have multiple recordkeepers, excessive fees and too many options in their retirement plans, which cost employees tens of millions of dol-
SAC
Vice
‘SHE WROTE ABOUT WANTING TO MAKE MORE MEMORIES’ “We had our last SAC subcommittee meeting, and ... [Abinta] had made us all these personalized goody bags with candy and handwritten notes. For mine, she taped two pieces together because it was so long. She wrote about wanting to make more memories. We always talked about how we were going to make a lot more memories together because we realized how compatible we were. We were excited for the new freshmen.” –Camilla Gallin, Oxford College sophomore, SAC member — Contact Julia Munslow at julia.munslow@emory.edu This article was published online July 11.
“A lot of people knew him, and knew he always had a smile,” she said. “He took time from his own schedule to help anyone … From the day he was born, we knew what we had was unlike anyone else.” Michael Bauman (16B), one of Koval’s close friends at Emory and with whom Koval traveled twice in the past two years, said the two planned to go on trips together annually. “It’s sad that those [trips] are obviously never going to happen, but I Jack Koval | LinkedIn am happy about [the two we did take] Jack Koval, a recent Goizueta and appreciate that they did happen,” Business School graduate, died in New Bauman said. “Those were the most York City after he was struck by a car special moments.” while crossing the West Side Highway Bryce Robertson (16B), Koval’s July 31. He was 22 years old. roommate when he died, remembered According to Koval’s mother and Koval’s tenacious spirit. father, Bobbi and Joe Koval, Koval was Robertson has been handling the struck by a vehicle while crossing the tragedy the way he thinks Koval himWest Side Highway crosswalk around self would: “The way I go about it is 2:15 a.m. the way Jack thought about life … After graduating with distinction Whatever life throws at you, you can and concentrations in both finance either get hit with it, or you can keep and mathematics, Koval interned with going … Jack would not just give up,” the New York City investment bank- Robertson said. ing firm Centerview Koval’s parents Partners in Summer hope the accident 2015, and was offered will create awareness a full-time position “Jack would not just regarding pedestrias an analyst at the an deaths caused by give up.” end of his internship, vehicles. which he accepted. “The frequency of He moved to New — Bryce Robertson (16B), pedestrians getting hit York the last week of Koval’s roommate by cars in Manhattan June 2016, and began when he died is unbelievably high,” his job July 6. His Koval’s mother said. apartment was locat“We’re hoping to creed on 12th Avenue and ate dignity for any 42nd Street, just four pedestrian who is hit blocks away from the accident, accord- by a car. Jack is so many more things ing to his parents. than just a kid jumping into traffic. Koval was a valuable member of How far he would’ve gone is only out business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi in the stars to know.” (AKPsi) during his time at Emory, said Koval’s parents held a gathering AKPsi President and B-School junior in their hometown, Rochester, New Grace Cleland. York, which over 300 people attended, “[Jack] was really one of the faces of according to his mother. Attendees the club,” Cleland said. “He was always traveled from all over the country to promoting [AKPsi] and had such a honor Koval. passion for learning.” In addition to the gathering in At Emory, Koval also served as Club Koval’s honor, his parents also set up Tennis’ recruitment chair and, later, a foundation in his name. The Jack D. its treasurer. He was also an executive Koval Fund for Business Clothing will member of Emory Entrepreneur and provide assistance to those in need of Venture Management (EEVM). proper business attire for interviews, “It’s really sad to know that we won’t working and more. get to see what he could have accomAccording to Koval’s mother, he plished and what impact he would always liked to look and feel good have had on the world,” said Aaron with regard to his choice of clothWeiner (15B), an Emory alumnus who ing. Bauman agreed, saying that Koval also worked at Centerview. enjoyed high-fashion products. Koval’s mother recalled a time “[The foundation] makes a lot of when her son helped a fellow student sense for Jack,” Bauman said. who was interviewing at a company Koval is survived by his parents, to which he was also applying. For Bobbi and Joe Koval. Koval’s mother, this epitomizes her — Contact Elana Cates at son’s constant willingness to lend a elana.cates@emory.edu hand.
The Emory Wheel
The Emory Wheel
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The Emory Wheel
Emory Life
Wednesday, August 31, 2016 | Emory Life Editor: Alisha Compton (alisha.bhatia.compton@emory.edu)
University of Chicago Student Dean stands for Academic Freedom
ResLife
Continued from Page 1
Hagar Elsayed /Photo Editor
(Left) Sophomore Advisor for Raoul Hall John Priddy performs with his residents. (Right) Turmilton residents and sophomore advisors dance to and sing the song parodies created by the sophomore advisors in Turman and Hamilton Halls.
Complex Conquers, Claims First Place in Songfest By Alisha Compton Emory Life Editor “Complex, we’re the best/X’s going in the air tonight/Don’t fight, gonna do Songfest right/Three halls, got it all/And Complex will never fall!” This roaring chant could be heard to the tune of “Tik Tok” by Kesha throughout the Woodruff P.E. Center (WoodPEC) Thursday, Aug. 25. And indeed, The Complex, a combination of freshmen residence halls Hopkins, Smith and Thomas Halls did “do Songfest right,” winning first place for its Songfest performance. “[Winning Songfest felt] amazing,” The Complex resident and College freshman Celine Joo said. “This is the best first year college experience that I could ask for.” Traditionally held the first Thursday after classes begin, Songfest is an annual singing and dancing competition among the freshmen halls. Each hall’s sophomore advisors (SAs) are in charge of Songfest preparation. SAs teach their residents dance routines to song parodies, the lyrics of which often boast their hall and taunt each of the others for their signa-
ture quirks, such as the old age of Dobbs Hall or lack of community in Raoul and Longstreet-Means Halls due to their size. In addition to The Complex’s win, Longstreet-Means Hall took first runner-up. Dobbs Hall received second runner-up and best lyrics. Alabama Hall won best tshirt design and Turmilton, a combination of Turman and Hamilton Halls, claimed best banner. Raoul Hall, the defending champion, did not receive any awards from the judges. The SAs began working on lyrics before arriving on campus, according to Raoul SA Aviva Dollin. Once on campus, they went over the lyrics, created choreography and taught routines to their residents. After hours of practice, the students performed their routines for a panel of judges. The panel was composed of individuals representing Emory students, faculty and staff. This year’s panel included University President-Elect Claire E. Sterk, Emory College Interim Dean Michael A. Elliott and Student Government Association (SGA) President and College senior Max Zoberman. “Even as [the SAs of The Complex] had different opinions, we
all had one common goal, and we came together to achieve that no matter what, and that was really special,” The Complex SA and former resident Alex Becker said. According to Becker, writing The Complex’s lyrics had barely started by the time school began, and changes were still being made just days before competition. After choosing the songs and completing the lyrics, they tried to pair those lyrics with dance moves that conveyed the literal meaning of the words as much as possible to help the residents remember the routine. “It was a lot of dedication, a lot of hours from the [Res Life] staff in general,” Becker said. “And then the [residents], they just picked it up so well.” The SAs’ and students’ hard work was reflected by awards handed out by the judging panel. “We have score sheets with numbers, and we sit down, and we look at the numbers, and then we talk about if we like the results and there’s discussion,” Zoberman said. “It was more of a scientific method than I anticipated it being, but it was really cool.”
See Songfest, Page 7
“I think you can see that in how the school has handled things in the past. The cornerstone of the liberal arts is the free and inclusive exchange of ideas, and the faculty and students of Emory show up every day trying to hard to incorporate that ideal.” In addition to the chalkings last year, Elliott referenced Emory’s defense of Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies Deborah Lipstadt, in the face of a defamation lawsuit from a Holocaust denier. Elliot also noted that Emory came to the aid of Thomas J. J. Altizer after his role in the “Is God Dead?” series of articles in Time magazine led to national outcry in the 1960s. More recently, Emory defended the selection of Ben Carson as commencement speaker in 2012. Carson, a former Republican presidential candidate, drew criticism from the Emory science community because he does not believe in evolution, although they never asked Emory to rescind his invitation to speak. Senior Vice President and Dean of Campus Life Ajay Nair said Emory’s and the University of Chicago’s policies are similar, but he considers it misleading to call safe spaces an infringement on freedom of expression. They are necessary, rather than obstructive, to create a campus truly amicable to freedom of expression, he said. “The idea that safe spaces somehow inhibit open expression is a flawed argument,” Nair said. “Safe spaces, in my mind, at least how they operate at Emory, encourage open expression, debate and dialogue because they ... empower students to be able to participate in larger conversations.” Student Government Association (SGA) President Max Zoberman reiterated Nair’s stance. “Safe spaces are places of identity, security, peace of mind and have almost nothing to do with intellectual sheltering,” Zoberman said. “Safe spaces were not originally in the context in issues of freedom of expression; they were literal spaces to provide support for students.” However, this view is not held universally among the Emory community. College senior Josh Goodman said that Emory’s failure to condemn both safe spaces and trigger warnings amounts to a restriction on their academic freedom.
“I would like to see Emory take a stand for all students to believe and express whatever they may feel,” Goodman said. “I would like to see Emory stand up publicly for freedom of speech, especially because the school has failed to do so in the past.” College senior Anais Hussung stated that trigger warnings in no way impede freedom of expression. “When universities and others talk about [trigger warnings] as an infringement on freedom, it seems like a non sequitur,” Hussung said. “[They] just let people know what is going to be talked about so they can take care of themselves. The whole debate feels contrived.” Trigger warnings, Hussung said, are a measure to accommodate people with trauma. Cahoon Family Professor of American History Patrick Allitt said he understands the history behind the notion of trigger warnings and safe spaces. He also noted that such complaints have the tendency to limit speech. “Censorship, even for a good cause, is still censorship and is likely to cause more harm than good,” Allitt said. At Emory, open expression is handled by the University Senate Committee for Open Expression, comprised of faculty, staff and students. The Committee’s purpose is “to promote and protect the rights of community members related to issues involving speech, debate, open expression and protest,” according to its website. In response to the Trump chalkings, the Committee issued a 12page report on whether the messages were protected by Emory’s Open Expression Policy. The report asserted that the policy protects both the content of the messages and the right of members of the Emory community to chalk on campus, although it did condemn the vandalism of various other messages across campus. Chairman of the Open Expression Committee and Emory Law School Associate Professor Alexander Volokh said that he does not believe the Open Expression Policy bans or demands trigger warnings and safe spaces. “The policy does not address trigger warnings or safe spaces,” Volokh said. “We are both free to have them and free to not have them. The policy, as it stands, forbids harassment and allows
See Emory, Page 7
Alumnus
Snehal Desai: The Experience After Emory University By Karissa Dzurik Contributing Writer
Snehal Desai (02C) was recently appointed Artistic Director of East West Players in Los Angeles. Desai spoke with the Wheel about what he’s learned from and since his time at Emory. [Being Artistic Director] is about moving East West Players to that next level as an organization and as a theatre of color. It’s continuing my work as an artist in terms of telling stories that affect
change. What I think theatre does — or what art can do — is that we [can] personalize and put a face and name to a story or situation that stays with you, that resonates. [Living] in L.A. now, there’s still a diversity disability component in terms of even getting a fair shot. [East West Players] is cutting new ground in that there really aren’t and haven’t been many role models [for theatres of color]. It’s not because the artists aren’t there or the talent isn’t there, but the opportunity has not necessarily
been there. What I’m proud of is that we’ve had to break through and lead the way [for theatres of color]. I was born and raised in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. It was a conservative community, which was not necessarily the place where I felt home. When you grow up in [a small town] you think that there are a limited number of options and places that you can go. Coming to a place like Emory, I ... was, in a really great way, overcome with opportunities and chances and things to do.
And what that really made me question was who I am and what I want to do. Growing up, I was kind of the outsider to a lot of my town. I was one of the few people of color and from an immigrant family, and that allowed me to see the world in a different way. So many [Emory] professors have this ability to see more in you than you see in yourself at that moment. All of them, in different ways, were able to see a career for me in theatre that I ... had not
been able to see. The best professors gently push you, but they’re also encouraging and supportive. Make sure that you’re not so focused on a job and career in your undergraduate that you don’t take the time to explore and push yourself and to try new things … I loved evolutionary biology — it really opened up my world. I finished my major a little early, and I ... was missing …
See Alum, Page 7
Wednesday, August 31, 2016 7
EMORY LIFE
The Emory Wheel Back to school
Studies, Snacks and Social Life: A Freshman Guide to Emory By Alisha Compton Emory Life Editor
“Oh, you’re a freshman.” This simple sentence is heard countless times as one walks through Emory’s campus in August and September. The start of a new academic year brings over a thousand new faces to campus. Whether this sentence is a response to questions of “Where is the library?” or “What time does the DUC close?” the “Oh” references the campus-specific information that freshmen tend to lack. Here are a few Emory basics for the class of 2020 as they join the Emory community. Academics: “Club Libs”: This phrase usually refers to Woodruff Library. The most important places in the library are the Matheson Reading Room, the first floor and the stacks. The reading room is located on the third floor, and although dead-silent, is popular for its Hogwarts-esque feel. Peet’s Coffee is located on the first floor and gives students the caffeine and nutrients they need to succeed (in exchange for Dooley Dollars). The first floor is a popular study spot, apart from Peet’s, because of its abundant whiteboards and lownoise environment. Although some prefer the stacks, it’s sometimes eery silence is understood to be a necessary evil during times of crisis (i.e. paper due the next morning that you haven’t started writing). The stacks are also rumored to be a popular place for “private dates” on
campus. Passing your classes: Emory is ranked 21st among national universities by U.S. News and World Report. Suffice it to say, school can be challenging. Luckily, Emory has resources in place to help students succeed academically. Mentoring programs, such as Chem Mentors, offer group study environments in which students who have previously taken those classes can help current students. Additionally, the Writing Center and EPASS Peer Tutoring offer individualized tutoring sessions by trained students at a time that the student chooses. All of these services are free. (Shocking, I know!) Food: The DUC: The Dobbs University Center is meal swipe central. Although it can become tiresome, by the end of first semester, most students will have mastered the DUC, whether that means taking advantage of the gluten-free line when time is of the essence, or using various lines to make new food combinations like cheesy fries. If you open up your mind (and maybe lower your standards a little), you may find that the DUC offers a whole world of possibilities. For upperclassmen, these once-hated swipes turn into a hot commodity. Dooley Dollars: Dooley Dollars can be spent at Cox, Kaldi’s Coffee, The Depot by Kaldi’s, Starbucks, Highland Bakery, the WREC and more. Freshmen tend to spend their 150 Dooley Dollars on Emory
favorites such as Blue Donkey and King of Pops. Dooley Dollars are highly valued because they provide an escape from the DUC, offer more convenient options and make purchases tax free. Social: The Row: Eagle Row is home to the fraternities and sororities on campus, as well as themed housing, including the Black Student Alliance (BSA) house and Media, Literacy and Arts Outreach (MLAO) house. The lodges, which house the sororities, do not have parties. If a sorority hosts a function, it will take place at another venue. In contrast, fraternities and the themed houses often have parties and other events on the Row itself. The fraternities at Georgia Tech host parties that Emory students frequent when the Row is having a quiet night. Clubs and Bars: Mansion Elan is a space that holds events a few times a year and is a favorite among underclassmen, as the events are 18+. For those who are 21+, Maggie’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill is perhaps the most classic Emory late night spot. Although Mags is often the place many students go after their first few parties, the bar could truly be a night out entirely on its own. Many upperclassmen spend their Wednesday nights at MJQ, a local club. Some even venture into Buckhead and other areas to try new bars and clubs for an adventurous nights out. — Contact Alisha Compton at acompt2@emory.edu
Julia Munslow /Exectuive Editor
Longstreet-Means Hall residents perform in the WoodPEC Thursday, Aug. 25.
Songfest Fosters Student Community
Continued from Page 6 Preceding the competition, Orientation Leaders (OLs) kicked off the event with a dance of their own. After every hall competed and the judges were deliberating, Lord Dooley made her annual Songfest appearance, wishing each hall luck. The OLs danced, but unlike the residents, did not sing. According to OL and College sophomore Laura Franco, OLs and OL captains, often with a background in dance, volunteer to choreograph the dances. Some students took away more than they initially expected to from this experience. “I’ve really gained a grasp of the Emory first-year experience,” Raoul Hall resident and College freshman Isabel Rodriguez said.
“This is something I’ve always heard about: Songfest for the first years. [It’s] definitely one of Emory’s most important traditions.” According to Franco, Songfest is about the energy in the room and consequently it’s crucial that the freshmen take the opportunity to be themselves, let loose and have fun. “I don’t think that freshmen coming in understand how significant their Songfest experience is going to be, but as a senior looking back, there’s a reason that people say that Songfest is one of the three major experiences that you remember,” Zoberman said. “The class of 2020 did it justice and honor, and I think it will be that exact same kind of priceless memory for them.” — Contact Alisha Compton at acompt2@emory.edu
Emory Community reacts to UChicago Dean’s Statment
Continued from Page 6
Photo Courtesy of Snehal Desai
Artistic Director of East West Players, a theater of color, Snehal Desai graduated from Emory in 2002.
Alum is Artistic Director of East West Players in Los Angeles
Continued from Page 6 that artistic place in my life, that balance. I didn’t want to graduate early, so I started taking more and more theatre classes, and I really found a home. We were on campus when 9/11 happened, and I think that was such a traumatic and transforming moment for the country. The sense of both community and camaraderie was so strong and affecting [on campus]. The administration, the professors and the student body really just [came] together in strength and solidarity, especially since so much of the student body is from New York. I
remember the vigil we had on the [Quadrangle] the next day. It felt like the whole campus was there, and we were still kind of reeling … That was one of the moments where I was so proud to be an Emory student ... I was so affected on 9/11 and in those days afterwards. I made lifetime friends [at Emory], and I think that’s important. You never know how that’s going to happen or where that’s going to happen or who it’s going to be, but some of the closest friends of my life have come out of my time at Emory. — Contact Karissa Dzurik at kdzurik@emory.edu
groups to meet in places where they can discuss important issues. Everyone has the right to express their social and political views in a respectful manner, but that doesn’t mean that people have to listen.” Volokh likened the policy to allowing people to put on “headphones” to blot out sound. He concluded that, overall, Emory maintains protections for freedom of expression, a sentiment echoed by Nair, Elliott and others. “[Through its Open Expression Policy], Emory has voluntarily committed itself to freedom of expression,” Volokh said. “We have the equivalent of First Amendment rights on campus.” Allitt, who teaches American intellectual history, noted that most of his classes require confronting
ideas that seem different or foreign compared to one’s own. “I think Emory takes freedom of expression very seriously,” Allitt said. “I have never been intimidated to say or teach what I think, despite the nature of my classes.” While the University may do nothing to inhibit freedom of expression, Zoberman said that he fears something other than administration may be hindering freedom of expression. “There is this sense of tension and anxiousness where students have things to say but are scared to say [them] because of [the situation] potentially flaring up,” Zoberman said. “The [administration] has made it clear [that it] will continue to protect our rights to express ourselves in any way we like. Students feel protected by the school, but not necessarily [by] the
student body.” While Nair and Elliott believe that Emory sufficiently protects freedom of expression, they both noted that the entire Emory community should be further educated on Emory’s Open Expression Policy. Elliott described the fight for freedom of expression as a process, rather than a one-time job. “Speech on campus, it’s not something you can annunciate once, it’s a process,” Elliott said. “You are always continuing to build on it.” Nair reaffirmed Emory’s maintenance of a strong policy. “I think what we need to enhance is the education about it, and a greater understanding about the principles of our policy,” he said. — Contact Jacob Durst at jacob.j.durst@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel
EDITORIALS Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Editorials Editors: Pranati Kohli & Brian Taggett
OUR OPINION
In Response to UChicago In a letter to incoming University of Chicago (UChicago) students, Jay Ellison, the dean of students in the College, outlined the University’s position on so-called “intellectual safe spaces.” Linking “intellectual safe spaces” with academic censorship, the dean condemned this practice in the name of maintaining freedom of expression. The letter additionally addresses “trigger warnings” and says the institution does not condone their usage. Given recent events at Emory that directly implicate the role of safe spaces and trigger warnings, notably the Trump chalkings which sparked a dialogue on free speech, this topic remains particularly relevant on our campus. A dialogue regarding safe spaces and trigger warnings is valuable in the reconciliation of intellectual curiosity with personal aversions. While we applaud UChicago’s initiative to preserve the freedom of expression as we, too, fully support this aim, we do not believe that the protection of freedom of expression and the concept of safe spaces mutually exclude one another. The safe spaces one creates should not limit speech; they ought to enable and further it. Such spaces should facilitate dialogue because in them discussions occur in a judgementfree manner, thereby allowing one the liberty to express a variety of perspectives freely and openly. Emory’s current approach to the idea of a safe space is laudable. Neither in the classroom nor around the broader campus is there an active, Administration-based policing of uncensored dialogue or opinions, and nor should there be. The Administration should continue to approach safe spaces with this laissez-faire attitude. If there is an interest to form an organization that can provide an outlet for marginalized groups to congregate, the University should facilitate it. Emory has championed this by maintaining a commitment to a student’s right to associate, with examples like the Emory Black Student Union and Centro Latino providing such spaces. It must be noted that the University does not directly create these organizations, but merely allows them space and financial support — and ensures that these spaces are open to any member of the broader community. UChicago’s interpretation of a safe space neglects to address a very crucial social facet of safe spaces. The letter attacks safe spaces as an official entity, but fails to acknowledge that a safe space, at least by Emory’s definition, is policed only by social means. Sure, safe spaces provide a discussion-oriented sphere in which myriad people can participate and voice various opinions. However, that isn’t to say that some perspectives would not be met with some level of social consequences. If one presents his or her ideas in a disruptive manner, it is within the realm of safe spaces and indeed, almost any space, for those present to request the offender to leave. The offender, however, is by no means required to comply and will not be subject to any official action unless they have broken any actual University policy or applicable legal statute. Similarly, within the classroom, it is within the professor’s prerogative to remove a student — but it ought not be within the bounds of the University’s authority. Emory’s hands-off approach to safe spaces should extend also to trigger warnings. We recommend that professors use these as tools merely as advisories intended to warn students about potentially provocative course content. Such a measure provides students the opportunity to decide if they want to continue with the course. Students who may be reminded of a past traumatic event should not use the system as an excuse to not complete an assignment or to skip a class, but rather to prepare himself or herself for a personally difficult discussion. But while we recommend that professors provide these warnings as clearly and as early as possible, they are not and should not be required to do so. Universities should not force professors either to include or to avoid these warnings. As a part of the professor’s freedom to teach their students as they deem necessary, they reserve the ultimate authority to decide whether or not to include a trigger warning. Ultimately, a university administration should allow for the development or usage of both safe spaces and trigger warnings, so long as they do not deviate from the aforementioned definitions. Freedom of expression is paramount in an academic community, and properly-run safe spaces can be used to reinforce its role in our everyday lives. The above staff editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s Editorial Board.
The Emory Wheel Zak Hudak Editor-in-Chief Julia Munslow Executive Editor Elana Cates Managing Editor Senior Editor/Digital Tarrek Shaban Senior Editor/Layout Hayley Silverstein Copy Chief Michelle Lou News Editors Anwesha Guha Emily Sullivan Breaking News Editor Jacob Durst Emory Life Editor Alicia Compton Arts & Entertainment Editor Brian Savino
Samuel R. Budnyk Managing Editor
Editorial Page Editors Pranati Kohli Brian Taggett Sports Editors Andrew Burnside Avery Yang Photo Editor Ruth Reyes Video Editors Hagar Elsayed Leila Yavari Associate Editor Brandon Fuhr
Volume 98 | Number 01
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The Emory Wheel welcomes letters and op-ed submissions from the Emory community. Letters should be limited to 300 words and op-eds should be at least 700. Those selected may be shortened to fit allotted space or edited for grammar, punctuation and libelous content. Submissions reflect the opinions of individual writers and not of the Wheel’s Editorial Board or Emory University. Send e-mails to zachary.j.hudak@ emory.edu or postal mail to The Emory Wheel, Drawer W, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322.
Test Scores Reflect GOP Shift MATTHEW RIBEL For centuries, humankind’s best and brightest have spent entire lifetimes toiling over profound, seemingly unsolvable questions — What is the meaning of life? Why are there working professionals who still insist on using Comic Sans? What happens to student performance in public school systems run by administrators that perpetuate an ideology antithetical to the very tenets of academia? Though the jury is still out on the first two, we may be nearing an answer to the third. A close reading of ACT, Inc.’s recent data dump turns up some curious trends. The average exam scores by state exhibit particularly strong regional clustering. The Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Washington — all of which have among the most consistently Democratic state legislatures — sit atop the list of highest-scoring states. Bringing up the rear of the rankings are some of the most consistently GOPcontrolled state houses in the country: Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi and much of the Midwest. Undoubtedly, evaluating educational attainment is a colossal and complex undertaking. Demographics and socioeconomics matter just as much, if not more than, the policy decisions of top leadership, and standardized test scores do not provide a full picture of success. Yet, I cannot immediately demur the potential storyline here. The relationship between state government partisan composition and educational outcomes should surprise no one. The first reason is straightforward enough: fiscal conservatives have rarely identified public education as a top spending priority. However, the second force at play is as inconspicuous as it is dangerous: a systematic rejection of expertise and evidence that has proliferated rapidly amongst an increasingly vocal conservative base. Over time, this ideology has infiltrated every level of the party’s geographic hierarchy, percolating with a top-to-bottom comprehensiveness that trickledown economists could only hope to achieve by way of divine intervention or ritual virgin sacrifice. At the state and local levels, this anti-intellectualism has manifested in a number of ways. Despite the near-unanimous consensus in the scientific community regarding the validity of the theory of evolution, in addition to scores of Supreme Court decisions condemning the teaching of intelligent design, there remain two states (Tennessee and Louisiana) in which all public schools are permitted to teach creationism. In 11 other states — all of which possess GOP-controlled legislatures — taxpayer-funded private and charter schools teach creationism in science classrooms alongside or in place of evolution. Negative sentiment on the right toward federal education standards has reached a high-water mark as tensions over Common Core continue to flare. Despite their careful crafting by many of the foremost curricular experts in the world, these baseline requirements are viewed by many not as a way to ensure that every American stu-
dent is learning important skills and gaining crucial knowledge, but instead as a vehicle for liberal indoctrination. The antipathetic response to federal mandates and nationalized curriculum has come from constituents and lawmakers alike, with many conservatives in Kansas beginning to label public schools as “government schools.” Simultaneously, Oklahoma legislators have proposed a bill that would ban AP U.S. History from public schools for failing to adequately promote American exceptionalism. This localized behavior does not occur in a vacuum — recognizing the national context is the crux of understanding from where lower-level politicians, and by extension grassroots constituents, receive their partisan cues. These state-level trends reflect a much larger, more important shift in Republicanism. Facing evolving demographics, conservatives on the national stage have been forced to steer the party toward right-wing populism. This has been achieved, in part, by a methodical demonization of the American intelligentsia, making those in the electorate without formal policy expertise feel as though they know best. Current GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s team of economic advisors has one lone member possessing a formal economics education beyond the undergraduate level. Rep. Lamar Smith, the Republican chair of the House’s Committee on Science, Space and Technology, is an ardent denier of climate change (in conflict with roughly 97 percent of scientific experts) and an avid bully of federally employed National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists. American universities, among the finest in the world, have been painted repeatedly as bastions of proselytizing Marxists by conservative commentators. The nomination of a man who possesses zero advanced know-how in any fields outside of fraud and bombast was only the next logical step in the GOP’s current trajectory. Trump is not an accident, and barring a dramatic course adjustment from national Republican leadership, he will certainly not be an aberration. The populist furor emanating from the conservative base also shows no signs of abating, with many questioning the integrity of the political scientists who specialize in polling and election forecasting. These pollsters are scientists above all else: professionals who meticulously apply time-tested quantitative methods to gauge public opinion. These were the same conspiracy theories touted in 2012, and most of us should remember how that went for the Romney campaign. These assertions are based in neither reason nor evidence, and they are wholly the product of top-down, inflammatory rhetoric. If current general election polling is any indicator (and it is, I promise), it seems as though the GOP’s electoral prospects are undergoing the same nosedive that red-state schools have been experiencing for years. Hammurabi would be content. Matthew Ribel is a College sophomore from Chantilly, Virginia.
The Emory Wheel
OPINION
Wednesday, August 31, 2016 9
A Third-Party Mayor, Not President BRIAN TAGGETT In the 2000 election, Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore. This, however, is an oversimplification for the authentic discourse of the election 16 years ago. Sure, Bush won the necessary 270 electoral votes to become president, but he simultaneously lost the popular vote. Even more significantly, a liberal propelled the conservative Bush to victory. Running with the liberally aligned Green Party, Ralph Nader appealed to a sizable number of the nation’s liberals and pulled away votes from Gore. Even though Gore was arguably the most environmentally conscious politician to run with a major party, uberenvironmentalists maintained their loyalty to the Green Party. With Florida as the tipping point in the electoral college, Bush tallied 2,912,790 votes, Gore 2,912,253 votes and Nader 97,488 votes. Much to the chagrin of Gore, Nader altered the election. If just over 500 of Nader’s supporters decided to vote with the mainstream liberal party instead of the third party, it would be Gore’s name in the annals of American presidents. Sixteen years later, we have a candidate just as capable of disrupting the election as Nader: Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson. Attracting a wide range of voters that include hardnose anti-government regulation conservatives and citizens simply in search of a better option than Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, Johnson may perhaps be more lethal to the other two candidates than Nader. While Nader split the liberals, Johnson can detract votes from both ideologies. With a conservative fiscal policy, a liberal social policy and a platform for military isolationism, Johnson has the potential to garner widespread appeal. In a CNN poll, six percent of the Democrats interviewed plan to support Johnson instead of Clinton. Even more noteworthy, 17 percent of the Republicans interviewed are voting for the Libertarian candidate. While Nader only split the liberals, Johnson can detract votes from both ideologies and take a sizable share of the popular vote. Johnson has met all the requirements to be on the ballot in all 50 states. In some national polls, Johnson is polling as high as 13 percent. He will be eligible to participate in the national debates if he polls at 15 percent before the nationally-televised event, in which case it is highly foreseeable that his supporters will multiply. However, the chances for Johnson only to detract votes away from the mainstream parties is far more likely than him ending up in the Oval Office. A vote for Gary Johnson — or any third-party candidate for that matter — is a vote against our current political system. With no major regional block that consistently supports a third party, a thirdparty candidate will not win a major election any time soon. This is not to discourage voting for a third party. In fact, given the underwhelming candidates that the two parties have provided us, it’s understandable why 47 percent of Americans are heavily considering voting third party. However, if one plans to vote for an outsider, they must understand the reality of our political system. In practice, the current American
political system is simply pitted against third-party candidates. Given the fundamental organization of our electoral process and the rare third-party achievement at local levels, major reform is needed in order to ensure lasting third-party success. With our first-past-the-post voting system in a which a single candidate wins all the electoral votes, it’s incredibly difficult for an outsider candidate to make a dent in our two-party dominated elections. So while a third-party candidate may do well in the popular vote, victory is non-existent in the electoral vote. For example, thirdparty candidate Ross Perot attained 19,743,821 votes, equating to 19 percent of the popular vote in 1992. However, since third-party support is mostly spread across the nation, rather than a more preferable clustering of votes, he did not win plurality in any state, meaning zero electoral votes. If third parties want to compete nationally, they must develop concentrated voting bases as opposed to thinly spread support. For example, let’s say Perot’s 19,743,821 voters were concentrated primarily in a handful of states as opposed to being divided across the nation. Perot would have then received electoral votes, making it actually possible for him to truly compete for the presidency. It’s the concentration of voters that matter — not the amount of supporters nationwide. This leads to the third parties’ need to develop local support. In order for there to be a President Perot, Nader or Johnson, there must be electoral success for third-party government officials beginning at the local level. Currently, such success is a rarity. In the 1,265 American cities with a population of at least 25,000 residents, only four mayors ran as thirdparty candidates. Amongst the 50 governors, Alaska’s Bill Walker is the only one not to be affiliated with either the Republicans or Democrats. In the House of Representatives, Gregorio Sablan, the nonvoting delegate from the Northern Mariana Islands is the only person out of 441 members that is thirdparty. As evidenced by this slim third-party success across the levels of government, a concentrated Libertarian, Green, Reform (insert any third-party) voting base is nonexistent. For substantial change in our two-party dominated political system, this needs to change. Developing a loyal voting base at local levels (as opposed to attracting straggler voters from other mainstream parties) is crucial for third parties to have meaningful success. Before third parties can reasonably set their crosshairs on the presidency, they must be able to build up consistent and concentrated voting bases—and not just in the Northern Mariana Islands. Brian Taggett is a College sophomore from Kalamazoo, Michigan.
C ourtesy of Flickr
K ikelola A folabi-Brown/Contributing
Kaldi’s at The Depot
The Consumptive Expansion of Kaldi’s ZACH ISSENBERG I must first and always admit I am a person bothered by the smallest inconveniences. Not because I am wholly ignorant to the plights of this world, but because it is from mulling over the miniscule, trivial issues I become content. So, picture me, a nebbish Emory senior on his first night back, looking for food at midnight because he forgot to eat earlier in the evening. Since freshman year, I knew there was always one alternative to the garlic stain on humanity known as Domino’s: Zaya’s. Also known as “Dooley’s Den,” the train depot that runs alongside Eagle Row was always reliable to the sobering and insomniac. I’m never going to say the food was perfect, but the ever-eclectic meal of gyro salad and cheesecake was a comfort to us all. To my consternation, I arrived at the Depot only to find the building shut down for remodeling. In my time away, the Powers That Be decided that we, the Emory community, required another Kaldi’s on campus. Maybe it’s the dismay of having to wait several hours for Rise-n-Dine, maybe it’s my general distaste for Kaldi’s. However, it’s been two weeks now, and I still have a sour taste in the back of my throat. This is not an essay defaming Kaldi’s in particular. Despite spending two months this summer drinking in the coffeehouses of Vienna, I do not feel capable of generating valid criticism on the brewing methods that the alternatively styled workers at Kaldi’s concoct. In the end, the difference between the food of Zaya’s and Kaldi’s is only the most futile difference in carbs and starches. It is not my job to condemn the oils that coagulate in Kaldi’s food — that is for the eventual prognosis of our digestive tracts in 20-or-so years to say. Rather, what concerns me is the expansion of Kaldi’s with two new locations within less than a fiveminute travel of each other. Yes, two. Kaldi’s has also conquered the cafe bar of the medical school. I understand that, for some, the use of the word “Anschluss,” the term for Nazi acquisition of neighboring land, is a tad provocative or a smidge “politically charged.” I
did not necessarily choose the word so much as the word chose the situation. The reasons for acquisition of territory in either case prod the same question: Who asked for this? Who does this benefit? I cannot testify an answer to either. Sure, I will peruse the Kaldi’s in the DUC before and after meetings for the Emory radio, WMRE, but this is less in support of the Kaldi’s state as it is in my inability to take more than the required number of steps home. But after the first few weeks, I required something different. The menu at Kaldi’s can only entertain me for so long. I happily walked the extra three minutes (I have long legs and duck feet) to either Zaya’s or the Rollins Cafe for more variety. I remember that in every step over and under the bridge that stretches behind Longstreet-Means Hall, I affirmed my want for something other than the Kaldi’s muffins, whose oils collect near the bottom, providing a headache for all who venture too deep. During those hectic weeks of junior year, it was the meager variety between a latté with heavy cream and soy-soaked sushi that provided the illusion of freedom in my banal schedule. It was these small measures of difference between meals that kept me going. This is not an attempt to paint myself as an exemplary eater. In one particular month, I subsisted only on the coffee and muffins of Peet’s. I am not here to postulate what is the best meal. But what I am here to say is that, after that month of love-handle fostering meals, it was the absolutely verifiable difference found in Zaya’s (newly added!) waffles that secured my sanity between my second and third midterm exams. I feel that the monotony of any particular schedule has us run the risk of losing something vital in our movement. The more often I sat at Peet’s, the more I felt permanently glued to my seat in the corner. This lack of difference does something to our will to experience, to travel outward. This is why I consider the procedural generation of more Kaldi’s a threat: This conglomeration of dining signifies an impotency of variance in our lives. Routine without mix-up hinders our ability to process and manage the stresses that
wear us down daily. I feel the intention behind the Anschluss is understandable, if misguided. I attended an Emory Dining meeting last May, where I asked if the white bread on campus could be replaced with whole grain and marble rye (my reasoning being that no one would notice anyway, so why not feed them a slightly healthier carb overload?). During the meeting, two students complained of the lack of availability of Kaldi’s at peak hours, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. specifically. I feel that, after the meeting, Emory Dining understood the complaint by this vocal minority to mean that more Kaldi’s meant happier Emory students. I would like to opine that you could put any dining experience with coffee and sugar in the DUC, and it will make a profit. The intention, I believe, is that Emory students would benefit from more of the same, almost-satisfying Kaldi’s experience. I would posit that I would have made a similar call-to-arms if it were Dunkin’ Donuts enveloping the campus like an adenoid. This was an obvious attempt to please the largest number of people with the most encompassing of experiences. But, I believe that even if one could somehow make the most encompassing and inclusive experience imaginable, people will still not agree. I know this from personal experience. I’ve worked in the Emory Radio to provide the most accessible concerts to campus, only to meet seniors outside an ongoing concert (with the performing musician next to me) who ask, “We have a radio?” It is a naïve endeavor to say one single dining experience, like that offered by Kaldi’s, will please everyone. Rather, it is the differences between experiences, however miniscule they may seem, that allow us to develop by what defines us rather than congeals us. This is not only an opinion of a dining experience that I will soon leave. What I push for is this understanding: Emory is best represented in the active celebration of variety, whether it is passionate conversation over passable coffee or drunken laughter from a desolate depot long past midnight. Zach Issenberg is a College senior from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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Arts Entertainment Wednesday, August 31, 2016 | A&E Editor: Brian Savino (brian.savino@emory.edu)
Comedy
‘Sausage Party’ is a Mixed Bag of Comedy Treats By Vikrant Nallaparaju Film Critic If someone pitched me a foodinspired, Pixar-esque film through the lens of Seth Rogen’s low-brow stoner comedy sensibilities, I never would have thought it would amount to anything good. After seeing Sausage Party, though, I can now say I wasn’t entirely wrong, but for reasons different than I expected. If you were on the fence about seeing the film, I would recommend it purely for the sake of experiencing one of the most batshit insane comedies in years. Unfortunately, however, Sausage Party lacks the punch present in most of Rogen’s work (Superbad, Pineapple Express), relying on obvious jokes too often for its own good and hoping that the audience will give in to its simple premise. In the film’s world, the food we eat is actually sentient, believing its purchase in grocery stores to be the passage to The Great Beyond where the benevolent “Gods” (humans) watch over it. Our leads are a hot dog named Carl (Rogen) and a hot dog bun named Brenda (Kristen Wiig) who are in love with one another. When the two are separated from their “God” during their purchase, Carl discovers that The Great Beyond is not the paradise that the food believes it to be, as humans actually massacre and eat the food after they leave the store. Carl takes it upon himself to find proof of this dark truth and expose The Great Beyond as a lie. Along the way, he and Brenda pick up friends: a bagel named Sammy Bagel Jr. (Edward Norton), a lavash named Kareem (David Krumholtz) and a taco shell named Teresa (Salma Hayek). If you see the obvious humor in the leads being a hot dog sausage and bun, then you’ve already heard 50 percent of the film’s jokes. Rogen’s knack for making smarter “bro” movies than his peers doesn’t seem to be on full display here, as he often goes for cheap gross-out gags and innuendos rather than allowing the absurdity of this film’s premise to provide the comedic weight. Not a scene goes by in which Carl and Brenda don’t make quips about “sliding into each other” or “giving [her] only the tip,” which is funny for the
Interview
Young the Giant’s ‘Home Of the Strange’ Is Lively By Maya Nair Staff Writer
Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Brenda (Kristen Wiig), Frank (Seth Rogen), Sammy (Edward Norton) and Kareem (David Krumholtz) are mesmerized by the world beyond their shelves. first 20 minutes but becomes tedious rather quickly. Where the film’s comedy does succeed, on the other hand, is in that other 50 percent in which it commits itself to a raunchy satire of the Pixar studio machine. The main fun of Pixar films, such as Toy Story, is in seeing interpretations of our interactions, pop culture and politics through the perspective of something familiar, such as our childhood toys or the bugs in our backyard. When Sausage Party commits to world building, it comes off graciously, gradually peeling back the curtains on a politically incorrect world in which each food item is exactly the cultural, racial or sexual stereotype you would expect. These moments had me laughing at every turn, from the Israel-Palestine conflict paralleled as a battle for shelf space between the kosher and halal foods to the international food aisle serving as a miniature Chinatown. Unfortunately, these jokes tend to be buried under a grafted-on and highly unnecessary exploration of the dangers of blind religious devotion that feels pointless at best and disingenuous at worst. Rogen’s brand of comedy often has heavy themes of friendship and loyalty amidst the
weed and sex jokes that make his work feel more authentic than that of your average Hollywood comedy writer, but none of that honesty seems to have found its way into Sausage Party. The attempt at exploring the destruction of false religious idols, loss of innocence and what even feels like an endorsement of atheism rings hollow in a film that should embrace how shallow it is rather than pretend that it is conveying a deep message. Nonetheless, , the cast is completely game for Sausage Party and even turns in a few surprising performances. As expected, Rogen essentially plays himself as Carl (take from that what you will). Wiig is passable as Brenda, though the character’s one-note story arc isn’t anything to write home about. She’s the staunch prude to Carl’s free spirit and is there to learn about the dangers of blind devotion, but rather than a comedic foil, she comes across more as a wet blanket. The true highlights are in the supporting cast, particularly Norton’s bagel version of Woody Allen and Salma Hayek as, I kid you not, a repressed lesbian taco. Nick Kroll portrays the vengeful villain of the piece, Douche, who, despite often feeling like a villain from a different film, man-
ages to make a literal douche actually feel like a serious threat in a movie, which is no small feat. It should be noted that the film’s R-rating is on full display, particularly in the last 20 minutes, in which it explodes into both a literal and figurative orgy of violence and sex. In many ways, this feels like the weakest part of the film because it takes a major tonal shift that breaks its own universe’s rules at times. While it’s not as explicit as something like Fritz the Cat, it undoubtedly pushes animation’s boundaries, but lacks any real purpose behind the uncomfortable sequences it shows to us. It feels more like a pissing contest with the Motion Picture Association of America than anything of actual comedic substance. Sausage Party is worth a look if you’re even slightly curious about how far the film is willing to go. However, you should temper your expectations if you’re expecting consistent comedy throughout. To borrow the obvious food analogy, Sausage Party is like a bag of trail mix — don’t expect it to be all M&M’s. Rating: B— Contact Vikrant Nallaparaju at vnallap@emory.edu
In an increasingly political world, indie rock band Young the Giant offers a unique and honest snapshot of modern America through their music. The members represent a melting pot of ethnicities — singer Sameer Gadhia is Indian, drummer François Comtois is French Canadian, bassist Payam Doostzadeh is Persian and guitarists Eric Cannata and Jacob Tilley are Italian and British, respectively. Young the Giant broke out in January 2011 with their self-titled debut album, a work that epitomized sitting on a California beach on a summer evening. The album landed them on the 2011 VMA’s and was a hit with fans and critics alike. Released in January 2014, Young the Giant’s sophomore album Mind Over Matter was heavier in production and drew comparisons to Coldplay’s and Phoenix’s arena-rock sound. Working with producer Alex Salibian and Jeff Bhasker on their third and most recent record, Home of the Strange, Young the Giant tackles themes of identity, love and youth with eloquent lyrics and instrumentation that allow Gadhia’s voice to shine. Effectively, the band has created an album that is uniquely and wholly expressive. The Emory Wheel talked to drummer François Comtois over email about Home of the Strange, which was released Friday, Aug. 12, by record label Fueled by Ramen. Hailing from Canada, Comtois later settled in Irvine, California. The multi-instrumentalist joined as the band as the bass guitarist before becoming their drummer in 2007. The band will start their fall Home of the Strange Tour on Tuesday, Sept. 6, in Cleveland, Ohio. Maya Nair, The Emory Wheel: This record feels like a perfect distillation of your first two albums while also being completely unique. What
See NEW, Page 14
Student Event
Best in Show 2016 Comeback Hits McDonough Field By Wadian Massoud Staff Writer
With a multitude of both new and returning students swarming onto Emory’s grounds, Best in Show took the stage Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. on McDonough Field, ending Orientation Week by showcasing Emory’s diverse pool of talented student groups, from religious dance to contemporary a cappella. Students gathered on the field, the summer air humming in anticipation of what was to come. Aural Pleasure, Emory’s oldest co-ed a cappella group, kick-started the night with a mellowed-down version of Halsey’s “Castle” soloed by College senior Cathy
Tang. Their soft, haunting voices mesmerized the audience into a silent reverie, providing a stark contrast against the upbeat Zuri and Vibez, African and Caribbean dance groups, respectively. The energy and dynamism of Zuri and Vibez fed off of each other. Zuri and Vibez performed one after the other, passionately expressing the cultures through their dances. The two groups bounced off of each other, showcasing lively back-to-back dances. Alternating between a cappella, dance and other performances, such as musical and rock songs, paid off, because it left the audience guessing what would be next on the program. From hip-hop, cultural and tap dancing to religious and traditional music,
there were a variety of styles and cultures for everyone’s tastes. The melting pot of performances featured in Best in Show beautifully represented the diverse student body at Emory, and students were able to appreciate various cultural and stylistic performances. Emory’s tap dancing group, Tap That, performed an upbeat dance routine to music, including Andy Grammer’s “Honey I’m Good,” while Persuasion, an all-female hip-hop crew, left their mark on the audience with a fast-paced routine that featured dramatic build-ups to climaxes that elicited frantic cheers. The girls’ sass and confidence emanated throughout their performance as they moved with
practiced precision accented by individual touches of sensuality. Although they moved in sync, each maintained her individuality. Brotherhood for Afrocentric Men (BAM) and Ngambika incorporated history into their performances by alternating between stepping and spoken word. Individual members stepped forward to inform the crowd of their organizations’ beginnings and goals through dialogue with one another and with the audience. Each performer’s distinct personality provided a distinct sense of authenticity and relatability — they cared about what they were saying. It mattered. Despite its length, the performance didn’t con-
tain a single dull moment due to both the unique call-and-response format between BAM and Ngambika and their pure inherent passion. To end the event, Karma Bhangra left the audience pumped and content thanks to their colorful Indian attire and a medley of constant shifting between traditional Indian and modern American music. Their dance utilized every part of their bodies, even extending to colorful sticks that they twirled around. Despite the obvious physical exertion required, the dancers moved flawlessly, all the while engaged and enlivened in their performance. During the vast majority of Best in Show, the audi-
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A&E
The Emory Wheel
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
14
Concert
Drake’s Open Attempt to Appease the Masses Succeeds By Avery Yang Sports Editor “Blew up and I’m in the A still.” Drake ad-libbed that line (original line: “Blew up and I’m in the city still,” the city being his hometown of Toronto) while performing “Still Here” during his Aug. 25 show at Philips Arena, one of many shows that he and rapper Future are playing around North America on their co-headlined Summer Sixteen Tour. But Drake was never in “the A” to begin with. Nor was he ever from Detroit, Kansas City, Philadelphia or any other city in which he’s likely
uttered some variant of that line — only one of a multitude of bars across his breadth of songs that reference his hometown of Toronto — so why does he feel the need to make his audience believe that he was ever from “the A”? Many performing artists use platitudes to gratify their audiences. But the ubiquity of Drake’s reference to “the A,” “A-town” or claims that he “feel[s] like this could be the best crowd on the Summer Sixteen Tour” seemed vain and contrived. With mild eruptions from the audience at each reference — which diminished over his two-and-a-half hour set — the affectation served as it was intended: a crowd
pleaser. And this banal, albeit mild, form of appeasement is the epitome of Drake’s performance. He appeases the masses — he gives the people what they want. He creates and popularizes slang words and phrases (“the six,” “woes,” “YOLO”), is hyper-aware of the potentially meme-worthy aspects of his lifestyle and does things that seemingly, almost innocuously, enter into popular culture whether Drake acknowledges his attempts to do so or not. His most recent album, Views, offers a perfect case study of that appeasement. Though cut in the ilk of musicians like Kanye West and Beyonce, both of whom have transformed their aesthetic and sound repeatedly as a means of adapting artistic expression, Drake decides to stay numbingly undeviating with his 81-minute album, content with its inevitable Billboard 100 No. 1 placing and the ancillary benefits that come with doing so. West’s progression from Late Registration (2005) to The Life of Pablo (2016) and Beyonce’s transition from a member of the Grammywinning girl group Destiny’s Child to her most recent solo album, Lemonade (2016), were byproducts of album to album, song to song alterations of tone — Drake would spit on that notion with Views. To use a baseball analogy, while West and Beyonce increasingly varied their secondary pitches into ballgames, despite the fact that their fastball was their best pitch, Drake pounded the plate with 97 mph bullets down the middle, confident that he could overpower hitters with his fastball alone. After a pair of wildly successful mix tapes in 2015 (If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late and What a Time
to Be Alive) Drake knew his latest work would chart well, so why change? He knew that Views’ album cover, a Photoshopped Drake perched atop the
— by myopically betting that his sound and voice will sustain through the changing tides of cultural influence. Through his modus operandi of
‘Views’ was the byproduct of a monoculture formed by people with an anti-monocultural mindset ... that Drake has attempted to cultivate. CN Tower in Toronto, would go viral. “Views already a classic,” Drake raps on Views’ “Hype.” By all indications, a bull market for Views was a foregone conclusion. Views was the byproduct of a monoculture formed by people with an anti-monocultural mindset, especially those who frequent the internet, that Drake has attempted to cultivate. The interminable “ATL!” vocalizations toward the crowd at Thursday’s show bear no difference. Drake willingly subjecting himself into a meme with Views’ cover is no different. In a world where musical monoculture is being rendered increasingly difficult by a changing media landscape (and is therefore considered kitsch by many), what Drake has built an empire out of is appeasing while appearing not to be. Akin to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, Drake has nonchalantly invaded aspects of culture and linguistic society across North America and the world under a facade of effortlessness. “I do my own propaganda,” Drake raps on Views’ “Hype.” Drake has satisfied many — for now
simplicity, authenticity and loyalty to his city; through his wide smile, hit records and courtside presence at Raptors games; through his affectations of implicitly referring to every city on his tour as his hometown and through an unchanging voice, Drake’s popularity is at an all-time high. And that’s the issue. For musicians to grow, stay relevant and thrive in a world where innovation and imagination is the currency, they must be malleable to subtle or overt creative change, especially if they, like Drake, are at their apex. Drake has routinely created words and phrases that are wildly popular for a short period of time, only to see the trend slowly dissipate as monoculture rears its ugly head. As soon as your great-aunt used the word “YOLO” in conversation and a large group of middle schoolers posted a video of themselves doing the “whip” in sequence, both became immediately corny, hackneyed and platitudinous. Let’s hope the same thing doesn’t happen with Drake. — Contact Avery Yang at avery.huang.yang@emory.edu
Courtesy of The Come Up Show
New Young the Giant Album Emanates Creativity Continued from Page 13 was the creative process like this time around? François Comtois: We started writing this album with no real timeline or plan in mind, which was very much like the writing process [for Young the Giant] the first time around. That mindset allowed us to feel more free and patient from a creative standpoint. That being said, we also have so much more experience now than we did back then, so we were able to stay more focused on what it was that we were trying to say and achieve with these songs. I think the biggest departure from both previous albums was a willingness to approach the songs as more of a collective rather than a group of individual musicians focusing primarily on their parts. That practice brought different perspectives [on] everything from lyrics and melody to the rhythmic identity of the songs. EW: You said your opening song, “Amerika,” was inspired by Franz Kafka’s unfinished novel of the same name. What about this novel spoke to you? FC: Amerika’s protagonist finds himself in a series of increasingly bizarre situations arranged by some unseen force. There’s a constant feeling of antici-
pation and uncertainty as you’re reading that felt so fresh and pertinent to us, especially given our own experiences touring America. EW: Could you tell me more about Titus, the character from “Titus Was Born,” and how he fits into the narrative of the album? FC: Titus is a stand-in for us as the storytellers. He’s born in a turbulent time and place, but goes on to try and make a (hopefully) positive mark on his surroundings. We wanted to introduce a character that could contextualize some of the first-person lyrics on the record without making it some grand operatic statement. EW: The theme of not growing up is interspersed throughout this album. Has that been a theme in your own life as you grow older? FC: Our generation is the recipient of some serious mixed messages. We’re told up to grow up and be serious as often as we’re told to stay young at heart and irreverent. The lyrics to our music have always been a reflection of how we choose to balance those incongruent pieces of advice in our own lives. EW: The title, “Home of the Strange,” seems to be a play on “Home of the Brave.” What makes first-generation Americans or immigrants strange? FC: The story of America is the
Ruth R eyes/Photo Editor
Emory Bollywood dance group SaRaas performed Aug. 26 at Best in Show on McDonough Field. Courtesy of Roadrunner R ecords
story of cultural hybridization. The message we are trying to convey is not that we as immigrants (0 to 100th generation) are strange, but that the practices and traditions that arise from a melting pot are a beautiful and bizarre amalgamation that couldn’t exist any other way. We think it’s important to embrace that. EW: What would you say to firstgeneration Americans who are conflicted about their identity and what they want to do in life? FC: Be true to yourself, there’s no rule that says that we all have to fit into neat cultural boxes. Take the values and ideals that speak to you and make them your guiding light. I know it’s easier said than done, but it’s worth striving for. — Contact Maya Nair at maya.santosh.nair@emory.edu
Best in Show Represents a Diverse Pool of Emory Students Continued from Page 13
another year. There’s no better way to close Orientation Week than with a ence remained quiet and reserved; yet splash of dance, a sprinkle of song and with their powerful finish to the event, a whole lot of welcoming. The incredible Karma Bhangra diversity that puncseemingly awakThe melting pot of ened the crowd with performances featured tuated the program — a capella, cultural the same liveliness hip-hop, that was present at in Best in Show beau- dance, the beginning of the tifully represented the musical theater — night. diverse student body presented a continuous unpredictNot only does at Emory ... [with] ability that kept the Best in Show celebrate the talents various cultural and audience engaged, of various students, stylistic performances. surprised and often exposed to new it also shows freshforms of performen a glimpse of mance art. Emory’s undeniable — Contact Wadian Massoud at spirit, zest and identity and reminds wmassou@emory.edu upperclassmen of why we returned for
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Volleyball
men’s Women’s men’s Women’s Cross Cross soccer soccer Country Country
thurs fri 2 1
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vs. Averett 3:00 PM @ Charlotte (N.C.)
sun 4
mon 5
vs. Cal Luthern 2:00 PM @ Univ. of Redlands
vs. Univ. of Redlands @ Redlands (Calif.) 2:00 PM
Sonny Carter Sonny Carter Invitational Invitational vs. Texas-Tyler vs. Maryville 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Watermelon Run 8:15 PM @ Berry College Watermelon Run 7:30 PM @ Berry College Emory Classic 4:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Emory Classic 1:30 PM & 4:00 PM
Continued from Back Page junior Cody Gardiner and junior Jason McCartney, the Eagles should have plenty of experience to go around. “Haley and Gardiner look to be defensive stalwarts for us,” Travis said. “McCartney will be a good attack player, along with junior Christian Meyers and sophomore Moustafa Khattab.” Meyers, named to the All-UAA Second Team for the first time last year (along with McCartney), will look to create opportunities on the attack alongside Khattab, who made a name for himself last year tying for fourth on the team in points.Transitioning from last year, it’s difficult to judge how far this team can go. “I am very excited about the coaching staff and the players we have in this program. As a caveat, we graduated eight seniors and we are going to be very young at a lot of positions, and it may take a while for us to gel,”
Cross Country to Start Thurs.
Travis said. For Gardiner, the task at hand is clear: “We hope to challenge for a UAA championship. Our seniors haven’t had the chance to get one at this point yet in their careers, so we would love to get one for them.” From the scrimmages that the team played prior to the start of the season, Travis was pleased with the goalkeeping and defensive units, but said that capitalizing on goal-scoring opportunities is an area in need of improvement as the team prepares for its first official game. Chemistry is often a factor that must develop with time and will certainly be a key element to observe as the season unfolds. The Eagles will open the season at home against the University of Texas at Tyler on Sept. 3, their first of two games in the Sonny Carter Invitational at the WoodPEC.
- Contact Kevin Kilgour at kevin.james.kilgour@emory.edu
Squad Stresses Team Over Self
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Continued from Back Page
the program to second place at the end of the meet. Sisario was also the second-highest scorer at both the UAA and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division-III Championships. In helping to inspire and direct the rest of the team both on and off the race course, senior Michael McBane has the potential to be a great leader. His hard work and dedication has been on strong display — he was recognized with the Coaches’ Award last year. McBane bounced back after tough injuries his sophomore year to become the program’s third best runner on four occasions, including at the NCAA D-III Championships. Similarly, junior Gabrielle Stravach received the Coaches’ Award after coming back from challenging injuries during her rookie campaign, becoming Emory’s No. 2 runner in three competitions including the Furman Classic, where she helped the team take first place thanks to her eighth-place finish. There are also younger runners trying to become much larger contributors now that they have found their places on the team. Take Shaw for example, who was named Most Outstanding Newcomer by the Emory program last year. He has been hard at work during the offseason, aiming to become faster and stronger to help drive the team to greater victories. “There’s a saying in cross country that June, July and August are the most important months.” Shaw explained. “That’s when you build your base.” With further improvement along with the excellent leadership of the program’s coaching staff, the Eagles can and hope to achieve continued success, including another trip to nationals. Their journey begins at the Waterbowl Run hosted by Berry College (Ga.) Thursday, Sept. 1, at 7:30 pm. - Contact Nicholas Vidger at graham.vidger@emory.edu
couple of years.” Indeed, the team’s chemistry — anchored by senior Captains Sarah Maher, Jessica Holler, Trinka and junior Captain Hannah Billings — is one of the many factors that fuel the team’s year in and year out contention for Division III’s national championship. The program has not won the championship since 2008. Players and coaches acknowledge the improvement the team must undergo in order to come out on top. “Our goal is to get one percent better every day,” McDowell said. “That’s our goal. If we do that, I think we have a really good shot to have a successful season.” The team opens the season ranked fourth overall by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, so expectations are high. The Eagles are the favorite to win the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship, making them the D-III team to beat. The team will be hard-pressed to replace first-team all-American setter Sydney Miles, who graduated this past spring, but McDowell has confidence that freshman Sarah Porter and Billings will fill the post admirably. “We have outstanding setters to replace Sydney Miles,” McDowell said. “[Billings and Porter] are sharing the setting duties, and both have done an outstanding job so far.” To McDowell, character is what will ultimately help the team rise to Division-III volleyball’s apex. “Our program would never sacrifice character for talent,” McDowell said. “This team has the potential to be really good, but we have a lot of work to do.” The team will start play on Friday, Sept. 2, when they host the Emory Classic against the University of St. Thomas (Minn.).
Perry Onaka/Contributing Photographer
Junior captain Melinda Altamore dribbles past Brandeis’ defenders at a home game last season.
Women Look to Improve From Last Season Continued from Back Page well as coming off the bench. In addition to the experience gained by the members of the team, the Eagles are adding eight freshmen. Because the team as a whole is now more experienced, Head Coach Sue Patberg has risen her expectations: “Last year, we were so young, and we really depended on the younger players. Now with the team being older and more experienced, we have a higher expectation this season.” “We are used to being one of the top teams in the conference, so this shows that we have to work harder, prepare better and be better after last year’s seventh performance,” she added. Only two seniors are returning to the Eagles this season. Because of the lack of seniors on the team, both defender Hannah Meyer and forward Cristina Ramirez are going to have to carry a larger burden. Ramirez — who led the team in goals and assists last season — is taking her role as a senior seriously this season. “My position is really to be a role model to the younger players on how they play and to make them better while also contributing on the field
myself,” Ramirez said. Meyer, a captain for the third straight year, was phenomenal on defense and was also the only member of the Emory squad who was named to the All-UAA First Team. “[The seniors] will have a huge impact on the team; they are great players on the field, but their leadership is equally important,” Patberg said. “They set the expectation and the tone for the program, which is going to be important to the culture of the team.” Along with Meyer, three returning players were selected for All-UAA awards. Juniors Melinda Altamore, Melissa Ardizzone and Anna Gurney received honorable mentions last year and are looking to improve this season. With eight starters returning, the Eagles will be better equipped for this season. Already, they have seen improvement in their scrimmages and are excited to get the season underway. Patberg expects the team to finish in the top three in the conference despite tough competition. The Eagles’ season begins against Averett University (Va.) Thursday, Sept. 1, in Charlotte, N.C. - Contact Andrew Burnside at aburns7@emory.edu
- Contact Avery Yang at ahyang2@emory.edu
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“I’m not sure it rises--no pun intended.” - Anthony Weiner
After a long hiatus because of intense on-campus activities involvement, a heavy course load, study abroad, job recruitment, a suspension due to attacking NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Twitter and other excuses people use for falling out of touch with their freshmen acquaintances, your On Fire correspondent is back and feeling rejuvenated. (Special thanks to Kobe’s doctor in Germany!) Summers are awful for sports. After the NBA championship, only baseball is on ESPN, and that’s dreadful. At least the Olympics made Summer 2016 somewhat bearable. Yet, after a long summer, we’ve reached pre-season football and are on the verge of having a real sport to watch once again. If the sports season were spending the night out, we’re at the point where we are getting out of the Uber and walking into Mags. However, sometimes the best story of the night takes place in the Uber itself. Summer ‘16 did just that. Below are the two stories from this summer that your On Fire correspondent would be talking about the morning after at Bagel Palace. Ryan Lochte’s night out Speaking of crazy rides during a night in town, Ryan Lochte wishes his was a little less eventful. Lochte felt the need to overcompensate for his inferiorities and start smashing things when he was clearly very intoxicated. By the way, if you haven’t heard, Lochte was the ringleader of a group of three U.S. swimmers who vandalized a gas station in Rio de Janeiro during the Olympics. Let’s ignore the fact that Lochte lied on national television, made Brazil look really bad and then embarrassed Team USA by taking precious tapedelayed NBA primetime coverage away from deserving U.S. athletes to do a close read of the situation. Your On Fire correspondent can rationalize questionable behavior outside of the Toco Hills Steak ‘n Shake, but once you graduate college, you lose a lot of sympathy. Lochte’s public relations nightmare is also going to affect his wallet, with lost endorsements piling up like a freshman guy’s laundry, and this loss is estimated to be worth over one million dollars. However, just as the Republicans continue to back Trump, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars will continue to keep Lochte on the cast as they keep digging themselves into a deeper and deeper hole. Draymond Green is following in Kim Kardashian’s footsteps Draymond Green has been having a rough couple of months. He was dealt a series of low blows, eventually leading to a suspension in Game 5 of the NBA Finals and got arrested in Downtown East Lansing for an “open palm slap.” So, what do you do when you’re down and need a PR boost? Why, just take a page straight out Kim Kardashian Marketing 101! Draymond accidently sent out a picture of his package on his Snapchat story. Yes, this was embarrassing, but it wasn’t all-bad for the all-NBA player. He got a huge uptick in followers on Snapchat, and it also created a lucrative opportunity for a post-NBA career. Draymond, everything will work out. In loving memory of Harambe.
The Emory Wheel
SPORTS
Wednesday, August 31, 2016 | Sports Editors: Andrew Burnside (aburns7@emory.edu), Avery Yang (ahyang2@emory.edu)
Men’s SocceR
Volleyball
Volleyball’s Goal This Season: Win it All By Avery Yang Sports Editor
Year and former goalkeeper for the Jamaican National Team, and it’s clear why the Eagles are optimistic about the future. Only six starters are returning to the team, but it would be foolish to overlook what should be a strong cast of returning players. Led by Captains senior Scott Haley,
While the Emory women’s volleyball team finished the 2015 season seventh overall and made a regional finals appearance, the team knows that there is possibility for greater accomplishment in the 2016 season. Their ultimate goal — as always — is to win a national championship. This season, they believe that goal is attainable. “I really love this team; [it has] great work ethic, [is] really coachable [and is] super disciplined,” Head Coach Jenny McDowell said. “I think we have a chance to be really good. I think it’s just going to take some time.” “We believe that every year we have a chance to win the national championship,” senior Captain Kathryn Trinka said. In talking to the team members — both players and coaches — a pervading theme seems to arise: the emphasis on team over the self. “It’s really fortunate, because we just recruited a group of really solid character players,” McDowell said. “This is probably the best team chemistry that we’ve had in the last
See Freshmen, Page 15
See Squad, Page 15
M ark Spicer/C ontributing Photographer
Senior forward Jason Andrejchak attempts to dribble the ball through Berry College’s defense during a match last season. Andrejchak was one of seven Eagles to appear in 16 games last season.
Fresh Start for Men’s Soccer
By Kevin Kilgour Contributing Writer
With less than a week remaining before the first home game of the season, Emory’s men’s soccer team is making the final adjustments to a roster bursting with new talent. Coming off a solid season in which Emory finished 9-6-2 and placed
fourth in the University Athletic Association (UAA) conference standings, the team’s future seemed uncertain given the loss of eight graduating seniors. Following the 2015 campaign, the Eagles need to find their identity in the upcoming season.Despite the uncertainty, the Eagles have added former MLS goalie Donovan Ricketts as an
Women’s Soccer
assistant coach and they have brought in a formidable recruiting class. According to Head Coach Sonny Travis, this is probably “the most talented freshman class we have ever had in [his] 10 years here at Emory.” Combine this with the addition of Ricketts, who boasts a resume that includes such accomplishments as two-time MLS Goalkeeper of the
Cross Country
Women, Men Ready to Start Season By Nicolas Vidger Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy of Emory Athletics
Junior Melissa Ardizzone heads the ball away from a Case Western Reserve player.
Soccer’s Juniors Endeavor to Lead Team By Andrew Burnside Sports Editor
Emory’s women’s soccer team kicks off this week with high expectations for the upcoming season. Last season, the Eagles recorded the team’s 27th straight season with a winning record, finishing 8-6-4. However, they struggled in the University Athletic Association (UAA) conference with a 1-3-3 record, finishing seventh in the conference.
The Eagles’ struggles last season were to be expected, as they only had six upperclassmen compared to 22 underclassmen. Now that the current juniors have acquired more experience, the Eagles are looking to be more competitive this season. The sophomores will also play a large role for the Eagles — they will be valuable in starting situations as
See Women, Page 15
Emory’s men’s and women’s cross country have experienced extraordinary success in recent years, including multiple consecutive trips to nationals and many other great feats. But this year, the program will try to continue its tradition of success while aiming to improve further and battle new challenges. Leading the way on the men’s side last year, Lukas Mees (16C) was named the Most Outstanding Performer after being selected as the University Athletic Association’s (UAA) Runner of the Week three times and becoming a member of First Team All-UAA (the first Eagle to receive the honor since 2009). He was also awarded U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s (USTFCCCA) South/ Southeast Region Athlete of the Year, and he finished in first place at the Regional Championships — a feat unaccomplished by an Eagle since 2003. “Lukas Mees is our best runner,” sophomore Bennett Shaw said. “Lucky for us, he actually has another year of eligibility. But I don’t think other teams know that, so hopefully that surprises them.”
Photo Courtesy of Emory Athletics
Senior Lukas Mees finishes first at the South/Southwest Regional Championships last year. Leading the women as a senior last year, Elise Viox (16C) was named the Most Outstanding Performer after she was the Eagles’ top runner in all eight of the season’s competitions, and like Mees, was selected as the UAA’s Runner of the Week three times and as the South/Southeast Region Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA. The departure of Mees, Viox and other seniors for both teams leaves an uncertainty of who will lead the teams as they go through the immense preparation necessary throughout the cross country season. However, every year, athletes
already on the team improve with more experience, and new freshmen enter the program to add to the team’s pool of talent. And this year’s seniors and juniors cannot be underestimated. Last year, senior Michael Sisario was recognized with the Most Improved Runner Award. This season, he will look to improve even more and continue to play a crucial role in big competitions like he did previously at Cthe harlotte Invitational when his 13th-place finish among all individual runners helped boost
See Cross, Page 15