Since 1919
The Emory Wheel Emory University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Volume 104, Issue 11
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Printed every other wednesday
Biden visits Israel, Jordan as tensions rise on campus
Jenna Daly/Managing eDitor anD a lya K houry/Contributing PhotograPher
Students gather under umbrellas on Oct. 11 to mourn Israelis killed in the Hamas attacks (left). Members of the Emory community listen to a speaker during the vigil in honor of Palestine on Oct. 13 (right).
By Hilary Barkey Contributing Writer U.S. President Joe Biden is visiting Israel this morning after being invited by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This is Biden’s latest show of support for the country during the recent outbreak of violent conflict between Israel and Palestine, sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. His visit is paired with his assignment of around 2,000 military troops to prepare for possible deployment to aid Israel. Avery Adelman (24C), co-presi-
dent of Emory Hillel, expressed support for Biden’s visit. “Biden is in line with American values for the past 70 years strongly supporting Israel and I support that stance,” Adelman said. Emory Israel Public Affairs Committee President Sophie Kalmin (26C) said that this trip may be an indicator of political progress, even while it is only “delaying the violence” between Israel and Hamas. “We’re going the diplomatic route versus the violence route, and to see Biden doing that on behalf of the U.S.-Israel relationship … makes me
Ph.D. students head to polls to vote on potential unionization
JaCK rutherforD/Staff PhotograPher
A sign designates a polling location for the Ph.D. student unionization election.
By ilaH ross Contributing Writer Emory University Ph.D. students will cast their final votes today to decide whether or not to form a majority union, with polls closing at 7 p.m. Voting began yesterday after seven years of advocacy by EmoryUnite!, a student-led union based out of Laney Graduate School.
Students can expect to learn the election results by mid-November. If at least 50% of voters choose to unionize, EmoryUnite! will officially be recognized as a majority union under the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). “The biggest and most official next step that will take place if we are to
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feel a little bit better,” Kalmin said. “It’s comforting.” However, a member of Emory Students for Justice in Palestine (ESJP) said she does not expect anything good to come from Biden’s visit. Members of ESJP requested to stay anonymous due to safety concerns. “Emotionally it’s just been really hard,” the ESJP member said through tears. “The president has already shown who he supports. I don’t expect anything from him going. It’s all talk. It’s always all talk.” Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas was originally scheduled to attend the Jordan meeting but canceled after an airstrike blew up a hospital in Gaza, killing an estimated 500 people. The ESJP member said Biden’s words and actions have sparked Islamophobia across the United States, including the recent murder of a Muslim child in Illinois. “What the country is realizing, and the administration of the country is realizing, is that this is so much more serious than what they’ve made it out to be,” the ESJP member said. “Because of [Biden] and because of
all the words he has said, it has led to this. It has led to the deaths of people in America.” Division on campus Biden’s planned visit comes amid division on Emory University’s campus about who to support in the conflict. Assistant Professor of Middle Eastern and Jewish Studies Geoffrey Levin, who also serves as the director of undergraduate engagement for the Tam Institute for Jewish Studies,
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Dining prices increase at Emory By allison MarksMan Contributing Writer Prices have recently increased between 4.5% and 6.5% on average across Emory University’s dining locations, falling in line with national inflation trends. Groceries themselves have become more expensive in Atlanta this year, with food prices having increased 5.5%, according to the Consumer Price Index. Campus Life’s Executive Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives Sara Tanner attributed this spike in prices to inflation. She wrote in an email to the Wheel that price increases vary depending on the product. The money students spend on dining plans and meals on campus contributes to utilities, staff, equipment maintenance and food costs, Tanner said. At Kaldi’s Coffee, the items that remained on the menu between 2021 and 2023 saw an average price increase of 9.7% over the two year period. The price of Kaldi’s cold brewed iced coffee and avocado toast rose 22.3% and 21.7%, respectively, while the price of the breakfast burrito and steel cut oats remained the same. Irene Chiao (25N) said she noticed Kaldi’s increased prices and is worried
Students order food from Faraya in Cox Hall. about affording the new costs. She because then I just keep running sometimes packs meals from home as through them,” Frieden said. Despite student concerns, Tanner a result, which takes away time from noted that the University has seen an studying. “It’s kind of stressful,” Chiao said. “I increase in the number of dining visits feel like I have to work more at my job, across campus compared to this time last year. pick up more shifts.” Emory Dining is aiming to keep Students have also noticed price increases at Cox Hall’s food court. meals affordable for students while Emory increased the food prices at ensuring they remain high qualiFaraya, the Lebanese restaurant locat- ty, Tanner said. She added that the ed inside Cox, by 3% compared to Office of Financial Aid also factors last year, Faraya worker David Hamen the cost of food into financial aid packages. said. “We will continue our efforts to Becca Frieden (26C) said she noticed that her meals at Maru, which provide students with the best possible is also located in Cox, have also been dining experience,” Tanner wrote. more expensive this year, causing her to run out of Dooley Dollars faster. — Contact Allison Marksman at “I feel guilty adding more Dooley allison.marksman@emory.edu
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oii turner/Managing eDitor