Since 1919
Emory University’s Independent Student Newspaper
The Emory Wheel
Volume 100, Issue 21
Christchurch shooting Vigil
student government
Ben Palmer Elected SGA President By Madison Bober Copy Editor
Ben Palmer (18Ox, 20C) won the runoff election against Zion Kidd (21B) on Tuesday to become the next Student Government Association (SGA) president. Palmer earned 958 votes (55.25 percent) and Kidd earned 776 votes (44.75 percent). Ben Palmer (18Ox,20C), Student Government Association PresidentElect Ayushi Agarwal/Photo Editor
A total of 1,734 students voted in the runoff. In a runoff for BBA Council vice president, Stephen Mattes (20B) won against Lyndsey Garbee (21B) with 151 votes (50.67 percent) against Garbee’s 147 votes (49.33 percent). According to the Code of Elections, a runoff election occurs after no candidate secures over 50 percent of votes in the open election. The winner of the runoff must only win by a plurality. Palmer said in an interview with the Wheel that he is looking forward to jumpstarting his presidential obligations. “We have to fill the [SGA] executive board … and reach different [clubs] that have been marginally excluded from student government,” Palmer said. “There are also things in the elections code that need to be rectified, namely with the Engage transition.” Palmer stated that the biggest dif-
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Wednesday, March 27, 2019
ference between his platform and the previous administration’s agenda is that there will be no “power vacuum” related to decision making. Instead, he said his presidency will be focused on making slower, informed decisions. “The moment there’s a crisis or internal issue, I’m not going to immediately lash out with a big email blast … or make a unilateral decision,” Palmer said. “I hope [SGA] will become a positive reflection of the student body and of Emory as a whole.” Former SGA President Dwight Ma (17Ox, 19C), who fired Palmer from his position as chief of staff in October 2018, said he does not believe Palmer will be a good representative of the student body. “I doubt Ben’s ability to keep his promise to the student body, as he has a tradition of not following his promises,” Ma said. “After he was removed as chief of staff, he was very unethical … he cannot represent the student body.” Kidd did not respond to comment by press time. Zion Kidd (21B), Republican candidate for Senate emerged victorious Tuesday Ayushi Agarwal/Photo Editor
The initial election exhibited various voting access issues, Elections Board Chair Justin Cohen (20C) said. Some freshmen were initially unable to vote, and for many students,
See engage, Page 2
Nassem Yousef/Staff
Students gather outside Cannon Chapel on March 20 to stand in solidarity with the victims of the Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand. The vigil featured speakers from various student organizations.
university
Admissions Rate Drops to 15 Percent By Ana Kilbourn Contributing Writer
Emory’s admission rate dropped 3.5 percentage points this year to 15 percent, according to Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Enrollment and Dean of Admission John Latting. “That’s pretty big,” Latting said. “It’s only a 3.5 percentage point difference but it actually is a 19 percent change in admit rate. We’re admitting almost 600 fewer students.” The number of admitted students increased by 9 percent. A total of 30,017 prospective students applied to the College of Arts and Sciences, a record high. Oxford College admitted 3,432 students. Approximately 17,500 applied to
both Oxford and Emory College. Approximately 10 percent of the admitted class are first-generation college students. This year, the average, unweighted GPA for Emory College admitted students was 3.86, a 0.1 increase from the previous year. The median for last year’s admitted class GPA was 3.91 and this year’s class has a median of 3.92. The average SAT score for incoming freshmen is 1471 while last year’s incoming students averaged a score of 1459. This year’s median SAT score is 1490. Last year the score was 1480. The mean ACT score for a 2018 admit was 32.9 while in 2019, the mean was 33.1. Considering the highest score given per applicant, this year’s median ACT score 34 and in 2018 it was 33.
University senate
greek life
Former AEPi House Trashed
Latting said the admissions office hopes to reach its target of enrolling 1,370 incoming freshmen. The predicted yield rate of admitted students who will enroll is 30.4 percent. Last year, the yield rate was 28 percent. “Emory is getting a bit more successful over time at enrolling the students it admits,” Latting said. “We’ll see in the month of May.” California applicants received more acceptances than any of the 49 states represented, including Georgia. The number of high schools represented in this year’s cycle of admissions was 2,562. Latting said that the University accepted a lower number of students
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conference
Speakers Examine Safe Spaces
By Calen MacDonald Staff Writer
By Grace Morris Contributing Writer
Less than a day after the brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) were told to vacate their home at 17 Eagle Row, their house was trashed. The Office of Residence Life and Housing Operations reported the property damage to Emory Police Department (EPD) which is actively investigating the case. According to
University professors, campus leaders and Emory students discussed free speech and academic freedom at a conference hosted by Emory Campus Life at the Emory Conference Center from March 21 to 23. About 125 people attended the event. The conference consisted of multiple panels and lectures, which focused
See tables, Page 2
NEWS Free Speech
Priyam Mazumdar/Staff
The University Senate elected Professor of Organization and Management Giacomo Negro as its next president on Tuesday. Vanda P. Hudson was elected secretary.
See northwestern, Page 2
Editorial It’s
Sports Women’s Swim
Time For Emory to Go Test Executive Order Promots Univ. Review ... PAGE 4 PAGE 2 Optional ...
A&E Emory Dark Arts
Hold Showcase for Mental Illness ... PAGE 8
Emory Life Plant
Based Has the Meal You’ve And Dive Win 10th Straight Been Kneading ... Back Page PAGE 12 NCAA Title ...
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News
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Tables Overturned, Mattresses Shredded at AEPi
The Emory Wheel
Northwestern Provost: Class Should Not Be Safe Space Continued from Page 1
Nassem Yousef/Staff
Among the damages discovered in the former Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) house at 17 Eagle Row were unidentifiable liquids inside the walls and destroyed furniture throughout the house.
Continued from Page 1 the police report, a University employee discovered the damage when he entered the house to conduct routine clean-up and maintenance. The 21 former members of AEPi living at 17 Eagle Row were told to vacate the house on March 6 following the suspension of Emory’s AEPi chapter for suspected hazing, the Wheel previously reported. The damage, which affected all four floors of the house and its exterior, was sustained between the night of March 6 and morning of March 7. The employee found the house floor littered with beer cans, overturned trash cans and food. He also found flipped dining room tables and chairs, according to the
report. The employee also found a 2-by-2foot hole in the stairwell on the main floor, which someone had either urinated or poured liquid in, according to the report. A different hole was created in the wall where a TV screen was ripped out. Chairs were thrown off of the balcony onto the rear deck. Several kitchen cabinet doors were torn from their hinges and the stuffing from some mattresses was torn out or shredded. Director of Housing Facilities and Operations Jonathan Cooper, who reported the incident to EPD, said he could not immediately determine the estimated repair costs. Cooper declined to provide a comment for the Wheel.
Total Applications Increase by 9 Percent
Continued from Page 1 from Georgia, citing the school’s goal of being a “global institution” and the increasingly diverse demographics of the class of 2023. Accepted applicants spanned 106 different nations and spoke 81 different first languages. Latting said these statistics exhibit an “amazing level of diversity.” Latting said the growing applicant
pool demonstrates a rapid increase in interest in Emory. “Later classes will start looking and getting a sense of the quality of students admitted and enrolling,” Latting said. “We’ll see Emory is really at the forefront. It’s really among a top group of institutions.”
— Contact Ana Kilbourn at ana.marie.kilbourn@emory.edu
W
Have a tip for the news team? Contact Isaiah Poritz at iporitz@emory.edu
EPD Sargent Ryan Andrews told the Wheel on March 22 that the police investigation is active and investigators do not yet known if charges will be pressed. When asked if Emory had assessed the house’s condition, Senior Director for Communications in the Office of Campus Life Tomika DePriest wrote in a March 11 email to the Wheel that “Emory’s facilities, including residence halls and fraternity houses/sorority lodges, are regularly assessed as part of the University’s maintenance operations.” Former AEPi President John Stark (21B) did not respond to request for comment.
— Contact Calen MacDonald at calen.c.macdonald@emory.edu
on topics including safe spaces, sexual harassment and academic freedom of expression on college campuses. Northwestern Provost Jonathan Holloway, who served as a speaker in the first panel of the conference, expressed mixed feelings about safe spaces on campuses. “I do not think the classroom should be a safe space,” Holloway said. “But I do think that there should be places on campus where people can go where their existence is not challenged.” In 2015, Holloway, former dean of Yale College (Conn.), found himself in charge of addressing a dispute surrounding freedom of expression in Halloween costumes on Yale’s campus. Holloway said he believed that students should not wear costumes that could be considered culturally insensitive, although he encouraged respectful discourse if students deemed it necessary. Zach Raetzman (19B), who serves on the University Senate’s Committee for Open Expression, attended the event both as an audience member and a panelist. Raetzman emphasized the need for changing the way people talk about safe spaces. “People often say that we need to have safe spaces everywhere or we can’t have safe spaces anywhere,” Raetzman said. “I think that there needs to be a long discussion as to what barriers are appropriate at what times and in what places to participate in certain circles.” Keynote speaker and Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory Deborah Lipstadt argued for a free
exchange of ideas in order to promote the idea of a university as an environment for academic discourse. Lipstadt explained that when universities reject speakers who make some of their students uncomfortable, they are failing to “understand what a university’s true meaning is.” Nancy Leong, panelist and professor of law at the University of Denver, discussed sexual harassment as an issue regarding freedom of speech, rather than an issue solely of discrimination or equality. Leong explained that victims of sexual harassment may face restricted freedom of speech from pressures to remain silent. “We need to recognize that there are a range of speech interests at stake here,” Leong said. “I think that speech interests related to victims of sexual harassment are sometimes under-discussed, but due process concerns also implicate other speech interests.” President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education Greg Lukianoff discussed the need to teach others about their free speech rights, especially during freshman orientation. “We can’t condemn students for not appreciating freedom of speech, when no one has explained it to them,” Lukianoff said. Riley Gulbronson (19C) attended the event to learn how professionals at other universities handle incidents in which students’ free speech is at risk. “I think [we need to make] everyone aware of ‘these are your rights, this is what the government classifies as hate speech,’” Gulbronson said.
— Contact Grace Morris at grace.morris@emory.edu
Engage Univ. Reviewing Causes Early Issues Free Speech Policies national
Continued from Page 1 Microsoft Outlook marked an email containing the link to the online ballot as spam. Some of the issues in the first election stemmed from SGA’s update from OrgSync to Engage. Cohen said the Elections Board wasn’t responsible for the decision to update, and said he did not know how many people received the email in their junk folder. Cohen said that the Elections Board did not believe the problems alone warranted an extension of the deadline. Another change on the online ballot came through a self-selection option, in which voters could selfselect their class year to receive a ballot with their respective class candidates. Previously, voters automatically received a ballot that contained candidates they were eligible for according to the amount of credit hours they obtained. “The self-select page was the best option to make sure that voters are voting for their respective class,” Cohen said.
— Contact Madison Bober at madison.bober@emory.edu
By Isaiah Poritz and Carson Greene Asst. News Editor and Staff Writer
Emory is currently reviewing its free speech policies after President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order requiring universities to enforce free speech. “We will review [the] Executive Order, as we believe that robust discussions about important issues, including discourse about freedom of expression, are essential to our nation’s future,” the March 21 University statement reads. The order mandates that universities may only receive federal grant money if they enforce free speech on their campuses. In coordination with the Office of Management and Budget, 12 federal agencies will enforce the order and free speech-related policies on college campuses, according to the Washington Post. Trump said that the order is designed to stop “rigid far-left ideologies” from dominating college campuses and to protect First Amendment rights of students. The University’s statement cited the Emory’s Respect for Open Expression Policy which was last revised in September 2018. The policy establishes a Committee for Open Expression which provides counsel to Emory community members on conflicts related to free speech and dissent.
The statement notes that the University is committed to achieving economic diversity with the help of federally funded grants and scholarships, like the Pell Grant, for lowincome students. However, the executive order states that the new conditions placed on federal research or education grants will not include student aid programs that help pay for tuition and fees. In January 2018, Emory received a “green light” rating from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for free speech policies, the Wheel previously reported. FIRE is a non-profit organization that works to defend individual rights at American colleges and universities. A green light rating means that FIRE does not see “any serious threats to students’ free speech rights” in the university’s policies. According to the FIRE website, 49 schools have acquired green light ratings. Emory garnered national news attention in 2016 after students and University administrators reacted to messages written in chalk supporting then-presidential candidate Trump. As a result, conservative student groups and media outlets criticized the school for failing to uphold free speech principles.
— Contact Isaiah Poritz and Carson Greene at isaiah.poritz@emory.edu and crgree5@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel
News
Crime Report
Compiled By Valerie Sandoval On March 8 at 8:04 a.m., Emory Police Department (EPD) responded to a call regarding stolen property at the Robert W. Woodruff Library. The complainant, an Emory student, reported that she was studying in study room 103 at about 9 p.m. the night before. The complainant accidentally left her backpack containing a Canon camera and iPad Mini in the room. The complainant returned to the room at 7 a.m., but discovered the camera and iPad were missing. The total value of the missing items is $2,420. The case has been assigned to an investigator. On March 10 at 9:50 p.m., an EPD officer was patrolling the area near North Decatur Road and Clairmont Road when a DeKalb County firefighter flagged him down. The firefighter said there was a male in a nearby parking lot who appeared to be intoxicated and starting fights with people. The officer observed the subject shouting at others and drove toward him. The subject began walking away from the officer but was asked to stop. The subject complied and began to pour out the contents of a Steel Reserve beer can he was drinking. The subject was arrested for public intoxication and transported to DeKalb County Jail. On March 11 at 12:47 p.m., EPD responded to Callaway Memorial Center in reference to property damage. The complainant, a department administrator, reported shattered beer bottles and damage to the walls of a student lounge. The damage appeared to have been caused by beer bottles from a nearby cabinet that were thrown against the walls. When the officer arrived, the glass had already been cleaned up and the damage had been patched over. A similar incident, according to the complainant, occurred a few month prior in the Spanish and Portuguese Department, located on another floor of Callaway. The case has been assigned to an investigator. On March 13 at 8 a.m., an Emory employee approached an EPD officer to report harassing communications. The employee said the ex-girlfriend of her current boyfriend has been sending her threatening text messages, calling her mobile, calling her workplace and messaging her on Instagram. Both the complainant and the subject have children with the complainant’s current boyfriend. The com-
plainant said the harassment began around eight months ago. The complainant showed the officer screenshots and videos of the conversations she had with the subject. At one point the two agreed to meet and fight with each other. The officer gave the subject information to obtain a temporary protective order. The employee notified her management staff of the situation and stated that should she or anyone at the location hear from or see the subject, they should immediately contact EPD. The case has been assigned to an investigator. On March 14 at 2:20 p.m., EPD received a report of stolen property. The complainant, who is unaffiliated with Emory, said she was on the sixth floor of Emory Clinic Building B when she placed her purse between the wall of her cubicle and her chair. At 2 p.m., she discovered her wallet missing from her purse. She received a phone call from her bank notifying her of two failed attempts to purchase Lime scooter credits, the first for $50 and the second $20. The complainant told officers she was in the process of deactivating her credit cards. The total value of the missing items is $27. The case has been assigned to an investigator. On March 18 at 3:55 p.m., EPD received a theft report via telephone. The complainant, an Emory student, said she left her Acer laptop in her Hopkins Hall room on March 8 at 4 p.m. When she returned on March 17 at 10 p.m., she discovered it missing. The complainant did not observe any signs of forced entry and none of her belongings appeared rifled through. The laptop is valued at $600. The case has been assigned to an investigator. On March 18 at 7:23 p.m., EPD responded to the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts in reference to a theft. The complainant, an Emory student, said she left her handbag on a bench on the first floor at 5:30 p.m. When she returned at 6:30 p.m., the bag was missing. The bag contained an Apple MacBook Pro and an iPhone 7. The complainant used the Find my iPhone application on a friend’s phone to track her phone’s location and determined it was somewhere near Schwartz. The complainant and the officer searched the inside and outside of Schwartz but were unable to locate the phone. The complainant believes her bag may have been picked up by a faculty member and stored in an office for safekeeping because the phone’s location had not changed
News Roundup
during the thirty minutes since she located it. The total value of the missing items is $1,720. The case has been assigned to an investigator. On March 19 at 8 a.m., EPD responded to the Emory mail processing center in reference to a suspicious package in the mailroom. The complainant, an employee, said the package was delivered by USPS on March 18 sometime between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. and addressed to an Emory student. The complainant said he smelled an odor coming from the package that he suspected to be marijuana and used an X-ray machine to view the contents. He observed two square-shaped objects that he believed to be edibles. The complainant also noticed the stamps were on the left side of the package rather than the right and there was no return address. EPD seized the package and gave it to a detective for investigation. On March 19 at 1:15 p.m., EPD responded to a theft report via telephone. The complainant, an Emory student said he left an LG FJ5 bluetooth speaker and a DDJ-SR2 controller turntable on the balcony of the Kappa Sigma house on March 8 at 3 a.m. When he returned on March 15 at noon, the items were missing. The complainant said the turntable belonged to him and the speaker was purchased by the fraternity. The turntable is valued at $500 and the speaker $250. The case has been assigned to an investigator. On March 19 at 7:54 p.m., EPD responded to a fraud report. The complainant, an Emory student, said she received a message through her Emory email from a man who claimed to work for Disability Resources and Educational Services. The subject offered the complainant a job in the email which she applied for and was told she got. The subject emailed her resale checks in the amount of $950 and she deposited them into her bank account. The subject then asked her to buy Steam gift cards with the money given to her. The complainant was unable to access the money given to her and used $250 of her own money to purchase the gift cards and gave the transaction information to the subject. Then, the subject stopped responding to her emails. The complainant called her bank to report the incident. The case has been assigned to an investigator.
— Contact Valerie Sandoval at valerie.sandoval@emory.edu
Honor Council Report By Emma Simpson Staff Writer The Honor Council found a senior in a humanities course responsible for plagiarism on a midterm paper. The student used online sources for various portions of the assignment but did not include a bibliography. In an administrative hearing, the student accepted responsibility and shared documentation of “substantial personal challenges” with the Honor Council. The Council refused to consider the document as evidence but used the information as compelling reasons for mitigation of the student’s punishment. The student received a zero on the assignment, a one-letter grade deduction in the course and a two-year mark on their record.
The Honor Council found a senior in a humanities course responsible for plagiarism on an essay. The professor looked at an online source cited in the paper and found that the student’s entire paper, including the title, was copied verbatim from that source. In an expedited hearing, the student received a zero on the assignment, a two-letter grade deduction in the course and a two-year mark on their record. Because this course was used to satisfy the continued writing requirement, the Honor Council also added that the final grade in the course could be no higher than a C, as students are required to demonstrate an understanding of the writing process and appropriate use of sources in continued writing courses. The Honor Council found a senior in a social sciences course responsible
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
for plagiarism on a PowerPoint presentation based on a previous essay assignment. Many portions of the presentation quoted information that was not cited. In an administrative hearing, the student explained that she received no instructions about citing sources in the presentation and thought that it was not necessary since it was the same information cited in the paper. The Honor Council determined that the sources should be cited regardless of specific instruction. The Honor Council recommended a zero on the assignment, a one-letter grade deduction in the course and a two-year mark on the student’s record.
— Contact Emma Simpson at emma.simpson@emory.edu
Compiled By Ethan Brock Uni ver sit y S enate E lects President and Secretary The University Senate elected Professor of Organization and Management Giacomo Negro as president and Vanda P. Hudson as secretary for the 2019-20 academic year on Tuesday. Negro also holds a Goizueta term chair and a courtesy appointment as associate professor of sociology. Senate President Jason Schneider declined to release the vote count. Hudson, the secretary-elect, is the senior operations manager for the Office of the Dean in the Rollins School of Public Health and has served three consecutive terms on the Transportations and Parking Committee. For the first time, the Senate used Zoom, a new remote ballot system allowing absentee voters to cast their votes electronically. Mueller Concludes Investigation into Trump Campaign On March 24, Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian government interference in the 2016 presidential election, stating that Mueller did not find evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Barr also said that Mueller lacked sufficient evidence to prosecute the president over obstruction of justice charges although the special counsel did not exonerate Trump, according to CNN. Trump, who has long criticized the investigation, wrote on Twitter that the report was evidence of “total exoneration.” He has repeatedly called the investigation a “witch hunt.” U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) stated they wanted Mueller’s full report released to the public. Pelosi and Schumer also questioned Barr’s potential bias in the investigation. Two Parkland Survivors Commit Suicide Police officers in Coral Springs, Fla., responded on March 23 to the apparent suicide of a sophomore at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the location of the February 2018 Parkland, Fla., shooting, according to The Miami Herald. The student’s name has not been released
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and the death is under investigation. This event occurred less than a week after Sydney Aiello, a recent graduate of Stoneman Douglas, killed herself on March 17. Aiello was diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder after the shooting, according to CBS Miami. Aiello was 19 years old at the time of her death. Protesters Call for Second Brexit R eferendum Protesters in London congregated on March 23 in Parliament Square, demanding that the government issue another referendum on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, according to CNN. The initial referendum for Brexit passed by 51.9 percent of the vote in favor in June 2016. The protest, dubbed the “Put it to the People” march, was organized by the People’s Vote Campaign, an organization of politicians and advocates from the Labour Party and Green Party. London Mayor Sadiq Kahn and Labour Party Deputy Leader Tom Watson addressed the crowd to argue for a second referendum. The movement has also gained traction in an online petition on the U.K. Parliament’s website, calling for the government to “revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU.” The petition had approximately 5.8 million signatures as of Tuesday. Midwestern Floods Show No Sign of Stopping Heavy flooding of the Mississippi River and its tributaries has forced residents of cities across the Midwest to evacuate. The high water levels are a result of rapidly melting snowpacks in the north and increased rainstorms in the past few weeks, according to the National Weather Service. Man-made levees built to prevent flooding have failed, resulting in damages of around $3 billion in property and agricultural losses, according to The New York Times. Unsold grain, livestock and crops such as corn and soybean were destroyed by floodwater, according to CNN. With high chances of more severe flooding in the future and the difficulty of rebuilding levees to protect their crops, many farmers will struggle to replant their seeds for next season, CNN reported.
— Contact Ethan Brock at ecbrock@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel Volume 100, Number 21 © 2019 The Emory Wheel Alumni Memorial University Center, Room 401 630 Means Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322 Business (404) 727-6178 Editors-in-Chief Nicole Sadek and Niraj Naik nwsadek@emory.edu and nhnaik@emory.edu Founded in 1919, The Emory Wheel is the financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University in Atlanta. The Wheel is a member publication of Media Council, Emory’s organization of student publications. The Wheel reserves the rights to all content as it appears in these pages, and permission to reproduce material must be granted by the editor-in-chief. The Wheel is printed every Wednesday during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions. A single copy of the Wheel is free of charge. To purchase additional copies, please call (404) 727-6178. The statements and opinions expressed in the Wheel are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Wheel Editorial Board or of Emory University, its faculty, staff or administration. The Wheel is also available online at www.emorywheel.com.
Corrections
• In last week’s issue, “Jacobson Combines Data and Dance” incorrectly
states that TADA stands for The American Dance Academy. In fact, TADA stands for The Atlanta Dance Academy.
The Emory Wheel
Opinion
Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Opinion Editor: Madeline Lutwyche (madeline.lutwyche@emory.edu)
To Increase Diversity, Emory Must Go Test-Optional In light of the recent national scandal surrounding college admissions, we should address the pervasive ways in which wealthy students are at an unfair advantage in the college admissions process. While Emory was not involved with this particular scheme, its standardized testing requirement demonstrates the influence of wealth on its admissions process. Emory College admitted a slim 4,512 out of 30,000 prospective students this year — a 15 percent admissions rate. The mean SAT score increased by 12 points to 1471 out of 1600. As admissions rates across the country continue to fall, Emory must keep its admissions process as fair as possible. To reduce the influence of wealth in that process, we urge Emory to become test-optional. Although Emory claims to have a holistic admissions process which takes into consideration all aspects of the application, it still requires standardized test scores. These exams measure privilege more so than aptitude, as they are often far more representative of students’ ability to take advantage of the system rather than their intellectual ability. Expensive preparatory classes and exclusive tutors provide wealthy students a leg up on these tests, while registration fees can make even taking the exams at all a challenge for low-income students. Even if they can afford these expenses, students who work part-time or full-time jobs to support themselves and their family have less time to study for these extracurricular tests. Emory has a vested interest in increasing its racial and economic diversity. According to the 2017-18 Common Data Set, 41 percent of Emory’s degree-seeking undergraduates are white, while only 8 percent are black or African American, and 9.4 percent identify as Hispanic/Latino. Additionally, only 20 percent of Emory freshmen came from families that were eligible for federal Pell grants in 2017-18. That number is higher at Emory than at some peer institutions. But roughly 60
GSGA ENDSORSEMENTS
Long Equipped for Presidency
In the uncontested race for Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA) president, the Wheel’s Editorial Board endorses Cody Long (20L). Long’s prior experience in student government at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, coupled with his concrete proposals to improve GSGA’s accessibility, make him a qualified candidate for the job. If elected, Long should follow through with his plans to improve engagement and communication within GSGA. Long’s years of experience serving in student government organizations would greatly supplement his abilities as GSGA president. As an undergraduate at North Carolina State University, Long served as president of the Student Senate, and he currently serves as vice president of academic affairs for the Emory Law School Student Bar Association (SBA). Long is a strong student advocate, and says that if students are not involved in administrative conversations, they’re vulnerable to decisions they oppose. Long also presents beneficial and achievable proposals to improve both GSGA’s outreach and internal cohesion. If elected, he promises to meet regularly with the deans and presidents of each graduate school for direct suggestions and feedback. He has thorough knowledge of GSGA’s gov-
erning documents and structure, as indicated by his proposal to prevent the GSGA chief of staff — traditionally an executive position — from serving as the organization’s legislative leader. Long also promises to swiftly update GSGA’s outdated OrgSync page. If elected, Long should to reach out to other graduate divisions, so that he is adequately prepared to represent students from every division. Long’s experience serving as a College fraternity house director demonstrates his involvement in the greater Emory community. But the Editorial Board advises Long to more closely study issues which affect other graduate divisions. Specifically, Long should consult with Laney Graduate School students on the controversial issue of unionization, and he should work with the voluntary graduate student union EmoryUnite to ensure fair pay and working conditions for students who also work for the University. Additionally, Long should examine whether more GSGA funds can be directed toward research grants and funding for conference travel, both of which are frequent requests from graduate students. Long’s experience and proposals make him a strong choice for GSGA president. If Long follows through on his proposals to communicate with every graduate division and examine issues
percent of the U.S. population is eligible for Pell grants by earning less than $75,000 per year. Such numbers mean that minority and low-income students are underrepresented, and often unsupported, in the Emory community. These statistics also may discourage minority students from applying to Emory, as students may prioritize schools with larger minority communities instead. Furthermore, recent research suggests that racial discrimination afflicts standardized testing even past the preparation stage. The SAT was created in 1926 by psychologist Carl Brigham in an effort to prove the intellectual superiority of white people. Research from the National Education Association shows that African American, Latino, Native American and Asian students continue to experience bias in standardized testing. Therefore, the reliance on these tests as a factor in college admissions makes the process even harder for low-income students and racial minorities. While some argue that standardized testing creates a level playing field from which colleges and universities can accurately compare students from different schools by the same standard, the implementation of this practice is not an equal comparison. Some of Emory’s peer institutions have already taken steps away from standardized testing. George Washington University (D.C.) became test-optional in 2015, which did not negatively affect enrolled students’ academic success. At Wake Forest University (N.C.), the same result was found, in addition to increased diversity. The University of Chicago also stopped requiring standardized test scores last June. The current admissions process is skewed toward the elite while remaining a battleground for the many. If Emory is committed to its values of diversity and inclusion, the admissions process must change to reflect those values.
Thul More Qualified to Serve in Student Gov’t In the two-person race for Graduate Student divisions is vital, and, as Thul pointed out in an Government Association (GSGA) vice president, interview with the Wheel, GSGA cannot sucthe Wheel’s Editorial Board endorses Taylor cessfully represent its constituents if all graduThul (17G, 19N, 22G) with some reservations. ate students’ needs are not addressed properly. The fact that both Meghna Ravi (23G) and Her proposal to establish a GSGA newsletter Thul declared their candidacies after the initial for graduate students is a key step in improving declaration deadline suggests an overall lack communication, but she must develop a conof interest in the vice presicrete plan to update GSGA’s dent position. That being said, outdated OrgSync website, While Thul is more Thul is the more qualified of which hasn’t been updated qualified than Ravi, the two. since April 2017. she should adopt Thul served as GSGA vice While Thul is more qualipresident of social affairs this fied than Ravi, she should Ravi’s support for year and organized many EmoryUnite, the Emory adopt Ravi’s support for large-scale social events, EmoryUnite, the Emory volvolunteer graduate including formals. unteer graduate student union student union. She is currently a student which helped some graduate in both the Laney Graduate students receive dental coverSchool and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School age and an earlier pay period in August rather of Nursing, which will help her bridge the than September. communication gaps between Emory’s various Thul has shown clear enthusiasm and sufgraduate programs. Thul is the only candidate ficient experience for the position, and she has with prior GSGA experience. the Editorial Board’s support in the race for Her platform centers around improving GSGA vice president. communication between the graduate diviHowever, she should commit to updating the sional councils, distinguishing her from Ravi, organization’s website in a timely manner. We who did not submit a platform to the Wheel. hope that Thul can help make GSGA a better Communication between GSGA and graduate advocate for the graduate student body.
The above editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is composed of Zach Ball, Jacob Busch, Ryan Fan, Andrew Kliewer, Madeline Lutwyche, Boris Niyonzima, Omar Obregon-Cuebas, Shreya Pabbaraju, Madison Stephens and Kimia Tabatabaei.
The Emory Wheel Nicole Sadek, Niraj Naik Editors-in-Chief Richard Chess Executive Editor Isaiah Sirois Managing Editor
welcomes
Christina Yan Managing Editor Madeline Lutwyche Opinion Editor A lex K lugerman Emory Life Editor Ayushi Agarwal Photo Editor Madison Bober Copy Editor Seungeun Cho Copy Editor Isaiah Poritz Asst. News Editor Shreya Pabbaraju Asst. Opinion Editor Zach Ball Asst. Opinion Editor
A desola Thomas Asst. A&E Editor Ryan Callahan Asst. Sports Editor Forrest Martin Asst. Photo Editor Jacqueline Ma Asst. Copy Editor Aditya Prakash Associate Editor Devin Bog Associate Editor Jesse Weiner Associate Editor
The Emory Wheel
Volume 100 | Number 20 Business and Advertising Joshua Papson Business Manager Mileen Meyer Design manager Business/Advertising Email: wheelbusinessmanager@gmail.com
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 500. 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 Emory Wheel Editorial Board or Emory University. Send emails to michelle.ann.lou@emory.edu or postal mail to The Emory Wheel, Drawer W, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322.
Letters to the Editor Submit here: www.emorywheel.com/op-edsubmissions/
The Emory Wheel
OP-ED
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
5
Congress Must Abolish Confront Bigotry Rigged Electoral Rep. Omar’s Controversial College Tweet a Repubican Scapegoat Sun Woo Park from parts of the right wing over the past few years. Republican politicians are in Over the last few weeks, a bipartisan no position to claim the moral high assortment of congressional leaders ground in disavowing perceived bighave panned Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) otry from Omar, given their silence for her Feb. 10 tweet condemning the in regards to recent statements and financial influence of the American actions from members of their own Israel Public Affairs Committee party. (AIPAC) on American politics. This In a speech following the neointense criticism has taken a variety of Nazi march on Charlottesville, Va., in forms — from calls for her resignation August 2017, Trump proclaimed there to an anti-hate House resolution in were “very fine people on both sides” which the initial draft singled Omar of the protests. Rep. Steve King (R-IA) out specifically. has made numerous remarks sympaThe responses to Omar’s comment thetic to white supremacists and met by both Democrats and Republicans with a far-right Austrian organization papers over the white nationalist rhet- with Nazi ties in October 2018 during oric that has been rising steadily since a trip funded by a Holocaust memorial President Donald J. Trump’s election. organization. Such terrorism poses the most direct King has seen next to no punishthreat to the safety of ment from Republican Jews and Muslims in party leadership for America. his bigoted actions Yes, politicians must Omar’s concern beyond a meaningless about the power censure resolution work to root out antiAIPAC exerts over the temporary terSemitism in our govern- and politicians is echoed mination of his comment, and it must be by many on the left. mittee assignments. The organization is Let’s not forget the a part of our national the largest pro-Israel relentless lies about discourse, but it cannot former President lobbying group in the take priority over more Barack Obama during United States and contributes relatively pressing threats to both the 2008 campaign large sums of money and throughout his groups in the U.S. to candidates from presidency in which both parties. In 2018, many conservathe committee spent tives accused him of over $3.5 million on lobbying efforts secretly practicing Islam despite being directed at both Democratic and a Christian in public. Remember these Republican politicians, a figure that things the next time a GOP politidwarfs the financial influence of other cian or conservative pundit denounces organizations; Planned Parenthood what they view as hateful language spent only $1.1 million during the coming from the left. same year. AIPAC’s aggressive advoDangerous white supremacist cacy campaigns have lent credence movements have voices of support in to the combative, right-wing politics Congress, the White House, online and of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin in our local communities. Netanyahu. We must not let a feckless tweet Netanyahu, who repeatedly sought from a freshman congresswoman to undermine the Obama administra- drown out the immediate threat these tion’s opposition to West Bank settle- groups pose to Jews, Muslims and ments, is on the brink of being indict- other religious and racial minorities in ed for corruption. More recently, he our country. helped forge a coalition between his Anti-Semitism is a scourge that Likud party and the far-right extrem- continues to plague the world, and ist Otzma Yehudit party, a political it is a scourge that we as Americans move even AIPAC felt compelled to should fight against at every opporpublicly oppose. tunity. Omar has apologized for her Omar’s tweet was absent-minded tweet, and she should seek to build and arguably hurt her credibility bridges between her office and the with many in the Jewish community, Jewish community. We must remain including some on the left. Therefore, critical of her and other politicians it should not be surprising that the who make statements that could be tweet has drawn ire from some lib- genuinely perceived as anti-Semitic. erals. Given the current state of our That being said, we cannot allow country’s political polarization, it is our leaders to use this instance as even less surprising that so many on a distraction from the more direct the right were quick to label Omar as a threats to both the American Jewish blatant anti-Semite. and Muslim communities, most notaThe intense scrutiny on Omar’s bly by right-wing, white supremacists comments by the media and elected and the politicians who refuse to conofficials has unfortunately distract- demn them. ed from bigoted attacks on Omar’s Yes, politicians must work to root Muslim faith. out anti-Semitism in our governAs media coverage condemning ment, and it must be a part of our the congresswoman for her criticism national discourse, but it cannot take of Israel ramped up, an anti-Muslim priority over more pressing threats poster was displayed in the West to both groups in the U.S., especially Virginia State Capitol that attempted in the wake of the Pittsburgh synato connect Omar to the Sept. 11, 2001, gogue massacre and the recent mosque terrorist attacks on account of her shooting in New Zealand. It is time religion. that our elected officials’ actions start The exhibit was set up by the anti- speaking louder than their words. Islam hate organization ACT for America for the State Capitol’s GOP Zach Ball (21C) is from Day celebration. The event was but Griffin, Ga., and Jake Busch one of many displays of Islamophobia (22C) is from Brookhaven, Ga.
Zach Ball & Jake Busch
Shreya Pabbaraju/A sst. Opinion Editor
The End of Kaldi’s Fascist Expansion Ryan Fan The Depot by Kaldi’s Coffee has reached its Stalingrad moment at the peak of its fascist expansion. Kaldi’s failed its health inspection by the DeKalb County Board of Health on March 15, receiving 60 points out of 100; the minimum score to pass is 70 points. According to the inspection report, the coffee shop stored raw food next to cooked food; contained expired black beans, kale and turkey; and used dirty dishes as if they were clean, according to the report. During the inspection, the main cook was “constantly pulling up pants while making food,” according to the report. Kaldi’s will receive a follow-up inspection from the Dekalb County Board of Health on March 26, and its fate as one of Emory’s prime dining locations hangs in the balance. The failed health inspection is a significant shock to Kaldi’s successful four-year tenure at Emory. Kaldi’s, which also boasts locations in Cox Hall and the School of Medicine, has become a staple of Emory University. Although not specifically requested by student demand, Kaldi’s has the most locations on Emory’s campus of any vendor, and every time I step into the Depot between 9 p.m. and midnight, it’s full. I’m not the first to describe the expansion of Kaldi’s as “fascist.” In an op-ed for the Wheel, Zachary Issenberg (17C) provocatively labeled the fact that Kaldi’s has three locations — two of which are within a 5-minute walk of each other — as fascist. “I did not necessarily choose this term so much as the term chose the situation,” Issenberg wrote. “Who asked for this? Who does this benefit?” As a College senior, I witnessed the end of Zaya Mediterranean Cuisine during my freshman year and the unstoppable rise of Kaldi’s that followed. Zaya, which occupied the current Depot location, was usually packed with students too, and the Wheel Editorial Board once called it “one of the most convenient spots on campus,” so it’s unclear why Emory had to replace it with Kaldi’s in the first place. I would even go as far as to say that any dining location that serves coffee and stays open late would achieve the same level of success that Kaldi’s currently does.
I can attest that most drunk, hungover or stressed Emory students recovering from poor decision-making do not usually care about the quality of food or coffee they consume. To paraphrase an op-ed by Tyler Zelinger (17B), who cares about the difference between coffee from Kaldi’s or coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts when you have a raging hangover or multiple assignments and endless exams to study for? Zelinger continued his article by reiterating that no students asked for the increase in quality from Dunkin’ Donuts or Zaya to Kaldi’s. Many of us, especially low-income students, can’t afford to pay $2.50 for a soda, $3 for a yogurt parfait or $9 for a less-than-satisfactory breakfast burrito. Kaldi’s poor performance on the health inspection is no exception among Emory dining locations, as Cox Hall received a “C” grade on its health inspection last October. Part of the appeal of Kaldi’s, however, is that it supposedly offers higher quality food compared to Zaya or Dunkin’ Donuts. But when Kaldi’s poor health practices risk pathogens from raw food contaminating its dishes, it is hard to believe Kaldi’s is truly better than its predecessors. Combined with the lack of affordable food options, students are forced to cough up more money for potentially unhealthy and unsafe food. It is not failure but hypocrisy that should damn Kaldi’s and encourage Emory students to revolt against the restaurant’s monopoly over accessible dining locations on campus. An Emory student might be able to forgive a poor health inspection grade, but not a failing one from an establishment that charges $9 for avocado toast with bacon. I’d rather hedge my bets and eat at Cox Hall, because paying $4 for two tacos at Twisted Taco is much more satisfying, more economically feasible and apparently healthier than the allegedly high-quality Kaldi’s. Kaldi’s’ failed health inspection rips away the facade of quality that would have justified its unaffordable prices. While its Depot location may offer students a convenient study space, the Emory community should resist its exclusionary dominance of the accessible coffee shop market. Ryan Fan (19C) is from Stony Brook, N.Y.
While most other democracies elect their heads of state through a popular vote, the Electoral College makes American democracy distinct. The president of the United States is elected by a body designed to advantage the votes of those from smaller states. However, prominent politicians such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) believe the Electoral College should be abolished. While I am not particularly a fan of Warren, I must say, she is right. Critics of the Electoral College claim that the process undermines democracy. Although Trump defeated 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton 304-227 in electoral votes, he lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes, a margin of 2.8 percent. The Electoral College has helped enable the polarization of American politics. Statistics compiled from the 2016 presidential election reveal that urban voters have become increasingly liberal and align with the Democratic Party while rural voters have become increasingly conservative and side with the Republican Party; the Electoral College worsened that divide. As the recent presidential election implies, candidates now focus more on energizing their base and campaigning in swing states as opposed to focusing on the country as a whole. For example, Clinton wrote off the more rural counties while campaigning in the Rust Belt. The conservative National Review supports the Electoral College, claiming that the institution “guarantees that candidates who seek the only nationally elected office in America must attempt to appeal to as broad a geographic constituency as possible.” This means that candidates must have wide appeal to rural and urban voters alike, instead of “retreating to their preferred pockets and running up the score.” But this has already happened: America has become increasingly polarized and the two parties differ not just on their party platforms but also in their cultural and racial makeup. If anything, it is the Electoral College that has enabled this, as Republicans now represent most of rural, agrarian America whereas the Democrats represent urban, cosmopolitan America: Polarization enables overrepresentation. Unfortunately, abolishing the Electoral College seems impossible in current circumstances. Opponents would either have to pass a constitutional amendment with support from two-thirds of the House and Senate and approval from 38 states or they would have to convene a constitutional convention with the approval of 34 states to change the system. Neither seems likely, as the issue has become very partisan; many Democratic states support the Electoral College’s abolition while Republican states will do anything to defend it. If Warren secures the Democratic nomination, she will probably have to do what Clinton couldn’t by winning both the popular and electoral vote. In order for the Electoral College to be abolished, Democrats will have to win, and win bigly. Sun Woo Park (19Ox, 21C) is from San Jose, Calif.
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The Emory Wheel
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The Emory Wheel
Arts Entertainment Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor: Adesola Thomas (adesola.thomas@emory.edu)
horror review
emory dark arts
Club Creates Space for Mental Health Talks By Aidan Vick Staff Writer
Courtesy of universal pictures
Adelaide Owens (Lupita Nyong’o) sees her doppleganger terrorize beachgoers in ‘Us.’
Peele Critiques U.S. in ‘Us’ By Adesola Thomas Asst. A&E Editor
Horror is often unfairly written off as an unsophisticated film genre that only captures the audience’s attention through cheap tricks, tired plots, and buckets and buckets of blood. But Jordan Peele’s emotionally compelling 2017 megahit “Get Out” exemplifies the notion that horror films have always had the capacity to captivate and even provide poignant political commentaries. Although his highly anticipated sophomore project, “Us,” is a success overall, it lacks the focus and clarity of Peele’s debut. The film loses its conceptual precision as it progresses into its second and third act, but the psychological intrigue and surprise ending nonetheless make it a powerful and worthwhile allegorical terror ride. “Us” follows the Wilson family’s journey to their summer home in Santa Cruz, Calif. Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) and Gabriel (Winston Duke)
hope to provide their track star daughter Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and wallflower magician son Jason (Evan Alex) a vacation full of bonding by the boardwalk. But their plans are complicated by Adelaide’s lingering suspicion that something evil is stalking her. Her paranoia is revealed to stem from a traumatic childhood experience at a hall of mirrors at the very same boardwalk attraction that she and her family have now returned to. Eventually, Adelaide chooses to cut their trip short. However, before they can leave their summer home, a foreboding family of four arrives on their driveway. Despite Gabriel’s best effort, these individuals, called the Tethered, force their way inside the summer home and threaten the Wilsons’ lives. While the home invasion, cat-and-mouse murder plot is a familiar premise within the genre (“Scream,” “You’re Next”), Peele breathes life back into the concept with a clever twist. The Wilsons band together — as one might have guessed — to take on their home invaders, only to soon realize that the invaders are
Concert review
NetfliX sCI-FI ANTHOLOGY
Grade: A-
physically identical to themselves. The Wilson family must not only triumph over their demented doppelgangers but also to ask what it means to kill versions of themselves. When asked who they are, Red, Adelaide’s Tethered twin soul, says that she and her fellow doppelgangers are “Americans.” While that response may initially puzzle some, this line excellently reflects the film’s political commentary. The Tethered are a group of individuals forced to live half-lives underground, out of sight and within the margins of society. What at the surface may appear to be an invasion of the body-snatchers-esque horror flick, is — in Peele fashion — a multilayered commentary on class inequality within the United States, or “Us.” While the premise of “Us” and the film’s ostensible aims may seem heavy, Peele and his cast do a phenomenal job at relieving moments of tension with side-splitting comedy. Duke’s performance as Gabriel gives off supreme dad vibes; he is well-intentioned but embarrassingly out of touch with the
See Jordan, Page 8
If you ask Emory Dark Arts member Ramona Li (20B), we have sanitized mental health stories for far too long. Li, who delivered the opening remarks for Emory Dark Arts’ biannual mental health showcase, discussed the importance of creating spaces for people to share their stories without judgment ostigma. The “Mental Health and Well, Being Showcase” was one of those places. The event took place at the Cannon Chapel on March 23 and was one of the most well-attended Dark Arts showcases in recent years, according to Li. According to the group’s Facebook event, the showcase aimed to provide students a space to share their experiences with and speak freely about mental illness to destigmatize the topic on campus. Each of the night’s performances explored an aspect of living with psychological disorders, including others’ responses and the experience of seeking counseling. The types of mental illnesses represented included depression, anxiety, eating disorders, addiction and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The show itself consisted of a set of 16 performances, bookended by opening and concluding remarks, and an optional post-show discussion to give audience members a chance to join the conversation. Most of the night’s performances were based in music or poetry, but the showcase also included a comedy skit and a short film. For the opening act, Emory’s Jewish a cappella group ChaiTunes performed a medley that included melodic renditions of the Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and Linkin Park’s “One More Light.”
Their version of “I Want To Hold Your Hand” was noticeably slower in tempo than the original, and their lofty vocal harmonies lent the tune a sense of sobering melancholy absent in the classic version. Following ChaiTunes’ medley, Carlos Aparicio (22C) performed “F. Lonely,” an original rap about depression and addiction. During the performance, Aparicio engaged the audience by waving his phone flashlight back and forth, inspiring them to do the same. Later, Rhiannon Davis (22C) presented two found poems, a form of poetry that combines and reframes words, phrases and passages from other sources. The first was called “As It Is,” and the second, titled “Dearest,” synthesized letters that Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath and Vincent van Gogh wrote shortly before their respective deaths.At intermission, attendees were encouraged to view the visual arts display, which included several original pieces and a collection of photos taken of students around campus who had written messages about mental health on blackboards. Dark Arts kicked off the second half of the showcase with the short film “Therapist Speed Dating,” which recently won the Emory 2019 Campus MovieFest Silver Tripod Award for Best Story and Jury Award, which is awarded to each participating school’s four best films. Directed by Samah Meghjee (18Ox, 20C), the comedy follows Sara, a woman with social anxiety, who participates in a speed-dating event. There, she has 60 seconds to matchmake with counselors. Several of the therapists try to sell her Zoloft, a prescription medication used to treat several types of psychological disor-
See Dark, Page 8
Food Documentary
Bedroom ‘Love, Death & Robots’: Brilliant, Banal ‘Chef’s Table’ Pop Prince Feeds the Takes Soul ATL By Calen MacDonald Staff Writer
Grade: D+
By Mariam Akbar Contributing Writer
Grade: ATerminal West, an Atlanta favorite, was completely sold out for weeks as dozens of fans anticipated Conan Gray’s show on the night of March 24. Gray, along with his opener, girl in red, have both surged in popularity rather quickly. Neither artist has been releasing music for more than a year or two, yet they have embarked on tour with multiple sold-out show dates. Gray initially built his fanbase through his YouTube channel, uploading his first video in February 2013 and amassing over 1.2 million subscribers. This past February, Gray opened for
See Conan, Page 8
As a Netflix sci-fi anthology series, “Love, Death & Robots” will inevitably draw comparisons to the uber-successful “Black Mirror,” but the two lack any similarities beyond genre. While “Black Mirror” unifies its disparate episodes with a common tone, “Love, Death & Robots” lacks such thematic cohesion. The result is an inconsistent series that hits outstanding highs and appalling lows.Created by Tim Miller and acclaimed American director David Fincher, the 18-episode first season of “Love, Death & Robots” explores various unrelated stories, including an underground monster fight club, mech-clad farmers protecting their crops from aliens, a cyborgled caravan heist, and a nighttime encounter between two salesmen and the ghosts of ancient fish. While the animation, like most aspects of “Love, Death & Robots,” is inconsistent, these ever-changing visuals work to the series’ benefit. There are episodes rendered in 3D animation, 2D animation and even one that blends live-action and animation.“The Witness” is arguably the most beautiful episode with
its comic book-inspired style that is awash in neon light. Other standouts include “Three Robots,” which illustrates a beautiful vision of a postapocalyptic Earth, and “Zima Blue,” which displays a vibrant, angular 2D style. The animation only really falters in “Shape-Shifters,” in which the character models and animation look stiff and inhuman, as if pulled from an early 2000s video game. This rigid style isn’t up to par with the other episodes and is an unfortunately jarring change. For better and for worse, each episode is less than 17 minutes in length. Many episodes struggle to tell a satisfying story in this limited time frame. The biggest offender is “When the Yogurt Took Over,” which runs a measly 6 minutes and only scratches the surface of its premise: Earth dominated by sentient yogurt. Still, a few episodes excel within their limited run times. In particular “Sonnie’s Edge” and “Lucky 13” masterfully balance exposition and plot.In most episodes, the limited run time is spent barreling toward a last-minute twist that rarely pays off. “Sonnie’s Edge” is the most effective example of this formula, while “The Dump” is probably the biggest failure, hinging entirely on a twist that unravels in the episode’s
final 30 seconds. The twist itself is so unimaginative and predictable that the entire 10-minute episode feels like a waste. With such little time per episode, “Love, Death & Robots” banks on big twists to put a compelling capstone on each narrative. While the twists that land are immensely satisfying, the many that fail result in boring episodes that slowly roll toward easily foreseen conclusions. Even the episodes that break this twist-based formula are hit or miss. “Sucker of Souls” and “The Secret War” fall short of creating any real plot, devolving into a tired scenario where unremarkable characters flee from a generic monster. In particular, “Sucker of Souls” is a massive failure — its 13-minute run time begins with a useless in medias res opening where the characters are running from an unseen monster. The episode then flashes backward in time, where it flails through the remainder of its length without any clear direction.Even for a series that brands itself as NSFW, the nudity and gore in “Love, Death & Robots” seem gratuitous. “The Witness” and “Good Hunting” are especially bogged down by unnecessary, overzealous nudity while “Sucker of Souls” and “Shape-Shifters” sacri-
Volume 6 of Netflix food documentary series “Chef’s Table” turns food porn into a meditative exercise through brilliant cinematography and a faultless score. Each episode explores myriad aspects of the featured chef’s life and identity, creating a strong, emotional attachment between the viewer and the chef. Unlike past seasons, Volume 6 veers away from the somewhat distant lives of glitzy Michelin-starred chefs like Massimo Bottura and Ana Ros. Instead, it focuses on the complex lives of four up-and-coming chefs and how food has shaped their identities. Contrasting the increasingly
See New, Page 8
See NETFLIX, Page 8
By Aditya Prakash Associate Editor
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A&E
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
The Emory Wheel
Netflix Series Spotlights Homegrown Chefs
Continued from Page 7
ing each narrative more relatable. commercialized cooking entertain- These humble chefs verbalize their life ment industry, Volume 6 swerves stories in profoundly poetic and philin the opposite direction from the osophical ways. In Dario Cecchini’s toxic competition of “MasterChef” story, you see the story of an Italian and the ubiquity of easy Tasty reci- butcher and environmental activist. pes on social media. Whereas shows One is not so much taken aback by his like “MasterChef” put participants fame or accomplishments as much as in intentionally difficult situations one is left attempting to reconcile farm in order to cultivate drama, “Chef’s animal welfare with the global depenTable” presents raw, slow-burn nar- dence on meat. With Sean Brock, ratives from each chef, accompanied viewers can see the merits and fatal by stunning panoramas of cities and flaws of perfectionism — an analysis countrysides. All the tension comes especially pertinent for an Emory stufrom the chefs’ personal lives, rather dent flooded with schoolwork. Through Asma Khan, we thoughtthan from the staged drama of a comfully explore balancing petitive cooking show. our passions with the Motifs or ingredients interests of our loved central to certain The show’s ones. dishes are introduced emotional Each episode in early on and referenced crescendos may Volume 6 tells a story throughout the course leave you unable about a chef while of each episode. This to explain to your sparking the question culminates in a cathartic visual portfolio of a roommate why you of finding happiness in chef’s repertoire, tran- are crying about foie an often chaotic world. Slow, panning shots of scending the standard gras on grits. food and people in conof Tasty videos by helpjunction with soothing viewers appreciate ing orchestral sounds food and cooking as more than just a means to a full stom- capture the spirit of each chef and ach. The episodic structure and added create a therapeutic and emotional emphasis on personal over culinary atmosphere. At its core, “Chef’s Table”: identity have become central to the Volume 6 celebrates the aestheticism intimate biographies of “Chef’s Table.” and soothing zen that make food porn The show’s emotional crescendos may popular and addictive. If you are in the mood for culinary leave you unable to explain to your roommate why you are crying about entertainment with a calming aura foie gras on grits, but they probably similar to that of “The Joy of Painting” don’t know the role that the dish plays and “Planet Earth,” consider “Chef’s in Chef Mashama Bailey’s reconcili- Table” for your next Netflix binge. Just ation of her Southern roots with her don’t watch it on an empty stomach. identity as a chef. Volume 6’s cohort of chefs is significantly less ornamented — Contact Aditya Prakash at than those of previous seasons, makaditya.prakash@emory.edu
Mariam A kbar/Contributing Writer
Texas native Conan Gray plays for a sold out Atlanta crowd during his first headline tour.
Conan Gray Brightens Terminal West
Continued from Page 7 renowned pop-punk band Panic! at the Disco. Barely three weeks later, he began his tour, “The Sunset Shows,” in support of his first EP, “Sunset Season.” When Gray jumped on stage, the mostly teenage crowd instantly greeted him with an outstanding roar. The recent signee of Republic Records fervently launched into his hit song, “Generation Why.” The song is a play on Generation Y, a term that typically holds negative connotations for people under the age of 30. The pleasant pop melody is slightly misleading, as the song only reveals its true attitudes through the lyrics, which discuss the negativity and stigma surrounding Generation Y. Most of the songs on Gray’s EP follow a similar formula — they sound delightful enough to engage listeners, but also profound enough that the listener wants to keep listening to unpack their meaning. I felt the same way about the next song, “Greek God.” A more lighthearted version of a diss track, the song is a subtle retaliation against the mean girls and guys in high school. The Texas native also performed an unreleased song, “Comfort Crowd,”
include it in their closing statement of a monologue, they eventually realize that there is no easy solution. The skit was a hilarious send-up of quick cures for depression, with stellar performances from both actors. The rest of the show consisted of readings and musical performances, including a letter about body image and eating disorders written by Darby Rosenberger (21C) and a cover of All Time Low’s “Missing You” performed by Gabrielle Ruban (22C). All in all, the event succeeded in providing the open, honest dialogue on mental health that it had strived to, and the audience’s radiant positivity and acceptance were wonderful to witness.
fice plot for blood splatters. However, the occasional episode beats out the perfect rhythm of shock and drama. “Helping Hand” is so gruesome that it’s nearly impossible to watch, but its gore accentuates the intensity of the struggle that Alex, an astronaut, faces as she tries to survive while drifting alone in space. “Sonnie’s Edge” features nudity, but doesn’t fixate on it — unlike in “The Witness,” which sees its protagonist run around completely nude for the majority of the episode. Ultimately, “Love, Death & Robots” may carve itself a unique niche in the sci-fi anthology genre thanks to its bold animation choices, but it has little else to offer. Every time it nails an episode (see “Sonnie’s Edge” and “Lucky 13”), it fails to stick the landing on the next one. The series could have benefitted from giving some of its episodes the axe in favor of greater focus on its standouts.“Love, Death & Robots” tries to be too many things, and, in doing so, fails to be the one thing it needs to be: entertaining. Some episodes are worth checking out, but the series itself is a tiresome slog.
— Contact Aidan Vick at aidan.vick@emory.edu
— Contact Calen MacDonald at calen.c.macdonald@emory.edu
A idan Vick/Staff Writer
Dark Arts Promotes Mental Health Dialogue
Continued from Page 7 ders, including depression, obsessivecompulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. One therapist even inquires about her chakras and her incense preferences. Although she finally meets a therapist who works for her, she ultimately chooses to buy Zoloft rather than schedule a session when she realizes how much the sessions will cost her. “Therapist Speed Dating” effectively comments on the issues that individuals with depression face when seeking affordable treatment. Mark McGovern (22C) and Ariel Brown (22C) took to the stage next for a comedy skit called “Mark and Ariel’s Mental Art M.A.M.A.” Though two main characters initially seek a cure for depression so that they can
her,” “summer depression,” “i need to be alone” and “girls.” The musician champions embracing one’s own sexuality. Her audience clearly felt the same way; several fans sported LGBTQ pins, flags and clothing. This contributed to the positive vibes that pervaded the concert, with concertgoers offering to share hair ties, throwing around balloons and feathers boas, and yelling “yes, queen!” through both artists’ performances. Both 20-year-old artists have carved niche audiences with their dreamy bedroom pop music. Overall, Gray and girl in red provided the teenagers in attendance (and their parents) a wholesome night with no pressure to drink — a night to just sing along and enjoy the music. Leaving the concert, I felt that I had to tell everyone I know about Conan Gray and how pleasantly soothing his music is. I cannot recommend Gray’s EP or his performances enough, and I am positive that this tour will draw the attention of so many more to his incredible sound.
Continued from Page 7
nate America, like the alt-right. The film’s weakness and strengths both reside in this ambiguity. “Us” is a constellation of fright-filled sequences and teary-eyed, stomachchurning scenes that can be interpreted as socially resonant in multiple different ways.This ambiguity mostly works, providing audiences a chance to assemble puzzle pieces so distinctly shaped that we forget to care about how imprecisely they sometimes fit. But it also means that “Us” is not always a tidy film, and not nearly as tidy as its predecessor “Get Out.” The world Peele builds is effectively unsettling, but the film left me with more logistical questions about the Tethered than it seemed prepared to answer. During some moments of the film, I gained the feeling that Peele and I were both uncertain what existed in the world of the film outside of the frame being shown. This incomplete rendering made it difficult to fully suspend disbelief and lean into fear. Nyong’o’s performances, the Tethered’s eerie chortles and clicks, and the film’s varied social commentary on modern America make for another formidable Jordan Peele horror movie that is well worth your time, if not Oscar-worthy.
— Contact Mariam Akbar at mariam.akbar@emory.edu
New Sci-Fi Jordan Peele Masters Series Horror in New Film Blows
Continued from Page 7
ChaiTunes performs in Cannon Chapel at the ‘Mental Health and Well, Being Showcase’ hosted by Dark Arts.
which he described as a nostalgic ode to the oldest of friends. He closed the set with his most popular song, “Crush Culture.” The ballad presents an alternative to the typical love ballad by criticizing the “crush culture” that many feel so pressured to participate in. Popular Western media has reiterated the idea that young people should either be in or want to be in a relationship. The song is an anthem for those aware of the “toxic” crush culture, and they received his commentary with open support. Toward the end of the night, the audience joined in with Gray to sing about their independence from the toxicity of “crush culture.” The Norwegian singer, girl in red, opened for Gray by jumping onstage to the beat of her song, “i wanna be your girlfriend,” a clear fan favorite based on the crowd’s screams and applause. Since the singer only has nine songs to her name, her set was understandably shorter. However, she used every minute of her time, bantering like a typical socially awkward millennial with the audience and talking about her day and what she loved about Atlanta. She interspersed these anecdotes through her set, which included songs “forget
youth, even dabbing on occasion. But his presence was ultimately eclipsed by Adelaide, whose chilling backstory and fortitude during moments of panic had me side-eyeing Gabriel’s ineptitude during the family’s struggle to survive. The comedic relief he provided certainly enriched the film but also made his intermittent cluelessness annoying to watch. I found myself swatting his character to the side Frances McDormand-style.Nyong’o’s dual performance as Adelaide, the Wilson family’s matriarch, and Red, her Tethered counterpart, was superb. I cannot emphasize enough Nyong’o’s skill at being scary. Red’s chainsmoker voice and ghostly soliloquies, paired with Adelaide’s guttural yelps amid murder, are disturbing in the best way. The film’s emphasis on the slight income disparity between the Wilsons and their wealthy white frenemies, Kitty (Elisabeth Moss) and Josh Tyler (Tim Heidecker), convinced me that their above-ground monetary squabbles juxtaposed the squalor that the Tethered lived in. But a compelling argument could be made that the fire-red jumpsuit uniforms of the Tethered — and to a lesser extent their coffee-colored Chacos — represent any number of fringe political groups who have championed crimson and sought to domi-
— Contact Adesola Thomas at adesola.thomas@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel
Emory Life
Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Emory Life Editor: Alex Klugerman (alex.klugerman@emory.edu)
KOREA WEEK
ADVICE
Doolino Knows Best: Keep It in the Family
With spring break starting to feel like a distant memory and finals still a while away, it’s an in-between time of year at Emory. But don’t fret — there’s still a lot of advice left to give during this lull.
Forrest M artin/A sst. Photo Editor
Sang-mi Choo (right) discusses the making of her film, “The Children Gone to Poland,” on March 26. The film was screened for Korea Week, sponsored by the Korean Undergraduate Student Association (KUSA) and Korean International Students at Emory (KISEM).
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Custodian Brings Life to Sacred Spaces By Ryan Fan Editorial Board Member
The Cannon Chapel will soon have to find a new keeper of the cross. When custodian Gerald Alford isn’t around, moving the Cannon Chapel’s 10-foot-tall cross takes two people or more. The staff almost exclusively reserves the task for Alford, who can do it on his own. However, Alford won’t be the man on the job for much longer. He retires in January 2020 to become the fulltime coach of an Athletic Amateur Union (AAU) basketball team, a position he currently only holds part-time. Outside of Cannon Chapel, Alford is the head coach for Georgia Ballers, an AAU basketball club that has placed over 300 student athletes in various colleges, including the University of Georgia and the Georgia Institute of Technology. I met Alford at the Chapel at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 8 to get a sense of his unique daily routine. Prior to Emory, Alford attended University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and ran his own private janitorial company. For the past eight years, Alford has served as the designated custodian for Cannon Chapel, and is often the only custodian serving the building. In addition to regularly moving the cross and cleaning the building, Alford also moves the 9-foottall, 80-pound menorah on the Jewish High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. He ensures that any event in the chapel is ready to go, and it’s his quest to make sure the task is done right. Moving the cross is a tall order for two custodians, let alone one. But every Monday morning and Thursday night, Alford does it alone. The bronze cross stands about 10 feet tall and 3 feet wide, and Alford claims it weighs “easily 60 to 70 pounds.” I tried to lift it but struggled and failed, unable to balance it. “It’s real top heavy,” said Alford of the cross. “You got to make sure it’s balanced.” On Thursday evenings, the cross has to be taken down and stored, and on Monday mornings, the cross is put up in the center of the sanctuary. While Alford brushes off the difficulty
of putting up the cross, it requires a keen sense of coordination in addition to pure strength. I noticed two hooks in the balcony of the sanctuary to hang the cross: if Alford misses either one, the cross could drop 20 feet and break. “It would be a pretty easy way to lose your job,” said Alford, thinking of the possibility. I stumbled upon Alford and another custodian, Sherell Copelin, on a Friday morning, slouched on chairs during a break in the sanctuary area of the Cannon Chapel. Alford stood up, and I could see how he could do what other custodians could not: he is a little over six feet tall , and muscular. Gerald Alford, Custodian at Cannon Chapel
Ryan Fan/Editorial Board
He showed me his Friday morning routine to set up for the Muslim Jummah prayer service: removing all chairs from the sanctuary and moving handcrafted screen dividers to separate the sexes. He showed me the ablution rooms used for members of the Muslim community, recalling scenes of Muslim students preparing for prayer, standing on top of sinks and washing their feet. A 2013 renovation of the building added the ablution rooms to help Muslim worshippers wash for prayer. For Alford, the renovation eased cleaning the bathrooms, as worshippers no longer stood on the sinks to wash their feet. For Coordinator of Site Operations at Cannon Chapel Sara McKlin, Alford is the go-to person whenever the sanctuary has an event requiring a special setup. Because of him, she encounters no conflict in setting up events for different faith groups. “He really takes ownership of the building and the routines,” McKlin said. “He just does things really seamlessly without having to be reminded … and takes pride in having things right.” I ran into Alford again later that afternoon when he was single-
handedly moving, carrying and cleaning the folding tables prepared for a 100-person event. He politely brushed away a student who asked if he needed help. “He’s always right there when you ask him to provide something, and he does good work,” Candler School of Theology Multimedia Specialist Stanley Taylor said. “He has a great attitude, and it’s always good to see him come in.” Alford promptly arrives to work at 6 a.m. and leaves around 3 p.m. each day. Moving the heavy cross and menorah are as routine as his 37-minute commute. Alford says he vastly prefers his work at the chapel to his previous custodial positions at fraternity houses and residential dorms. He begrudgingly recalled cleaning two inches of Jello coating off the floor while the strong stench of vodka hung in the air of a fraternity house. During his time at the chapel, Alford has amassed many fond memories, such as the time when he moved the menorah down for an event in 2018 and saw it completely covered in mold. He cleaned it without being asked, performing an extra favor for the chapel and even endangering himself to mold exposure. “It wasn’t my job, but I spent two hours cleaning that thing,” Alford said. “It’s because I love working here.” In July, the Cannon Chapel has trouble: Alford goes on vacation. In the summer, he travels with his athletes, hellbent on helping them acquire scholarships. For him, it’s a way of giving back to the community. But come next January, the Cannon Chapel will have to find a replacement for all the work Alford does although it is likely more than one replacement will be needed to take on the task. “Gerald is one of the key people who brings life to the multi-sanctuary use in Cannon Chapel,” founder of Emory’s Muslim Student Association Isam Vaid (93O, 95C, 99PH) said. “His smile captures the care, consideration and dedication that resonate with all who encounter him.”
— Contact Ryan Fan at ryan.fan@emory.edu
Dear Doolino, Dark clouds are forming over the food options at Emory. A few weeks ago, The Depot by Kaldi’s Coffee failed a health inspection, earning a 60/100. Cox Hall isn’t faring much better: they got a 76/100 on their inspection in October. I know they passed it later on, but that’s not the point — can I trust them ever again? How am I supposed to enjoy my turkey avocado sandwich knowing that there’s meat sitting in Kaldi’s kitchen that’s seven days past expiration? It’s not even that impressive of a sandwich when they use unspoiled ingredients. I didn’t think the dining options could sink any further, yet here we are. Will I have to spend the next three years eating at *shudders* the Emory Student Center? Please help, Hungry and Afraid Dear Hungry and Afraid, “Hakuna matata. These two words will solve all your problems,” Pumbaa of “The Lion King” once said, and he’s not far off. Hakuna matata means “no worries,” and it’s just the solution to your food-xiety. Why constantly wonder if the food you buy at Cox with your hard-earned Dooley Dollars is going to make you sick, when you could simply stop caring? Food poisoning? No biggie, walk it off. It’ll probably help you lose those last five pounds. Just wait until you start preparing your own food — then you’ll have something to complain about. If the matata lifestyle just isn’t your thing, and you insist on being a worrywart, then I can see how the lack of food safety standards at Emory can be alarming. Take matters into your own hands — I suggest you bring a blowtorch with you whenever you go to Kaldi’s or Cox Hall. The next time you order that spoiled, uncooked turkey avocado sandwich, simply cook the meat yourself. Once the sandwich is burnt to a crisp, you’ll know firsthand that the meal is up to Food and Drug Administration food safety standards, and you’ll be free to munch away. It’s the same concept as boiling water — just heat those germs away! It’s a bit makeshift, but until Cox and Kaldi’s get their acts together, it’ll have to do. Stay safe out there, Doolino Dear Doolino, I’ve got family trouble. My little brother, a current senior in high school, has just been admitted to the Emory University Class of 2023. The problem is, my little brother is the absolute worst. He can’t go two seconds without replicating a Fortnite dance or dabbing to his haters. Even I know those memes are dated. I am willing to do anything in my power to keep him from besmirching our illustrious campus. I’ve already tried a few things, but have repeatedly failed. Just the other day, I whipped out my crafting supplies and paged through several maga-
Doolino, columnist, “Doolino Knows Best”
zines, cutting out letters as I went. Then I used them to assemble an anonymous message saying, “Harry Potter must not go to Emory School of Witchcraft and Chemistry this year. He must stay where he is safe. He is too great, too good, to lose. If Harry Potter goes to Emory-warts, he will be in mortal danger.” Oh, I forgot to mention that my brother’s a self-proclaimed “Potterhead.” See, he isn’t ready to go to college, especially with me — he’s essentially a 12-year-old who does nothing but embarrass me. Hoping this would dissuade him, I slipped the note under his door, signed by Swoop the House Elf. It just ended up encouraging him. He kept saying something about finding a Chamber of Secrets, somewhere in the B-school. There was one other thing I tried, which was bribing the admissions committee to not accept him. If the reverse worked for Aunt Becky, why not for me? I promised to swipe the committee into the DUC anytime they wanted, but they still wouldn’t listen to me. Maybe it’s slightly illegal, but that’s the least of my worries. Beyond that, I’m out of ideas. He’s got other options for school, so it’s not like I’m trying to shut him out of a good education. What can I do to ensure he never steps foot in Druid Hills? Sincerely, Mildly Fratricidal Dear Mildly Fratricidal, Though a little sibling rivalry is healthy, I think you’ve taken it a bit too far. Your brother is his own person, and if he wants to go to Emory (and rep the ATL), that’s his decision. Think about what you’d be denying him if you or your family didn’t let him come here. He’d never get to attend meaningless events for PACE 101, spend $300 a semester on Ubers to Atlanta or miss class because there’s a 5 percent chance of 1 millimeter of snow. He’d never see the mummies at the Carlos Museum, attend the Carter Town Hall, read a paper copy of the Wheel or intermingle with Tibetan monks. In short, he’d never be as cool as us Emorians. Also, bribing the admissions committee is definitely illegal, but if you ever find yourself in legal trouble, you know who to message. My hourly rate is $1,000 with the friends and family discount. Your Dobby-inspired letter is at least legal — just don’t go as far as Dobby did in preventing your brother’s attendance at Emory. If never hearing those glorious Cox Hall bells chime every 15 minutes is the cruel fate you want for your brother, there’s nothing more I can say to dissuade you. Please reconsider, Doolino For your day-to-day qualms and minot life crises, send questions to doolino.emory@gmail.com
10
EMORY LIFE
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
The Emory Wheel
FOOD REVIEW
Atlanta’s First All-Vegan Pizzeria Lands a Tasty Win
Caroline Silva/Contributing
Plant Based Pizzeria’s Philly Calzone features Beyond Sausage as a subsitute for traditional Philly Cheesesteak.
By Caroline Silva Contributing Writer As a vegan, it’s often difficult for me to dine at restaurants without changing a dish past the point of unrecognition, so you can imagine how overjoyed I was to find Virginia Highland’s Plant Based Pizzeria — Atlanta’s first all-vegan pizzeria, and one of the few restaurants where I could order any dish without modifications. In attempt to give the restaurant a fair chance and also overindulge on a dearly missed comfort food, my five friends and I opted to share several different pizzas. Beginning with the classic cheese pizza, we were all struck by the obvious
difference between traditional wheat pizza dough and the restaurant’s spelt flour dough, giving the dough a nuttier and earthier flavor profile. While the texture of spelt flour dough is meant to be light and airy like its regular wheat cousin, Plant Based Pizzeria’s dough was tough, chewy and dense, with an especially thick crust. The classic cheese flavor saved the pizza. I shared the pizzas with my non-vegan friends, and even they were surprised at how similar the vegan cheese tasted to normal cheese. Although we would have preferred more cheese on our pizza, there were no complaints about the flavor. The cheese substitute melted in my mouth before giving way to a flavorful
roasted basil tomato sauce that added a kick of spice to the otherwise classic flavor combination. Considering meat is a staple of American pizza, we also opted for the Vegan Meat Lovers pie. Though we went in with low expectations of the vegan meat alternatives, we were all stunned by the resemblance of the Beyond Sausage and Burger to real meat. The pizza was generously sprinkled with extra cheese to counter the large amount of crispy Beyond Sausage. The extra layer of cheese delicately melted over the spicy sausage, balancing the flavors and the slightly dry faux meat. Prior to going vegan, spinach and artichoke dip had been my go-to appetizer. After going without my favorite dip for several months, I was excited to try Plant Based’s pizza of the same flavorful combination. Classic non-vegan spinach and artichoke dip is crafted from cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise, along with the titular ingredients. And although Plant Based’s tasty reinterpretation of the bitter spinach and the sweet artichoke delivered just like old times, the absence of vegan cheese on this pizza was quite sorely felt. Next, the delicate appearance and saccharine aroma of the Georgia Peach pizza impressed us all. The toppings, comprised of Beyond Sausage, vegan mozzarella, roasted peaches, red onions and jalapenos, were reminiscent of a peach salsa, especially with the initial sweetness from the fruit’s roasted sugar, followed by the intense heat from the jalapenos. The peach moistened the otherwise dry dough and distracted
us from the dough’s tough texture. A perfect combination of sweet and spicy, this was by far our favorite pizza. Although we expected the pizza to be superb, what impressed us most was the Philly calzone. The ingredients are that of a traditional Philly cheesesteak sandwich, using Beyond Sausage as the faux cheesesteak. There was no trace of dense dough in this unexpectedly deliciously cheesy meal. The outer crust of the calzone was crispy and produced a satisfying crunch as I cut it into slices. Oozing with melted vegan mozzarella, the calzone was moist enough to combine all the ingredients into one flavorful bite. The vegan sausage, previously quite dry on the Vegan Meat Lovers pie, was perfectly moist and tender within the calzone.
“Oozing with melted vegan mozzarella, the calzone was moist enough to combine all the ingredients into one flavorable bite.”
Roasted basil tomato sauce, which was packed into the calzone, also served as a chilled side dip, a tangy addition to the mouthwatering interpretation of the beloved classic. At 12 inches and serving about three people, the pizzas were of decent size. However, the price for one 12-inch pizza is quite expensive,
Plant Based Pizzeria Virginia Highland
with the cheapest option being $16 for a cheese pizza. We ended up spending closer to $60 for two full pizzas and a calzone. Thankfully, this was plenty of food to split among six people, and we were all satisfied with the unexpected authenticity of the vegan cheese and meat. Despite being located within walking distance from Ponce City Market, Plant Based Pizzeria is still a hidden gem. It’s tucked away in an uninspiring beige rectangle of a building with barely a storefront sign to its name. The restaurant itself does not offer a dine-in option, so my friends I headed back to campus to eat our food. The waiting area was underwhelming and seems unfinished, with exposed plywood walls graffitied with punchy vegan jokes, a long booth seat and turf covering much of the wall. Though the restaurant staff promised me and my friends a wait time of 20 minutes, we actually waited about 40. Plant Based Pizzeria is slightly inconvenient to the average college student on a budget, especially if you don’t own a car. Were it less expensive and offered delivery, I would consider buying pizza from them again, but for now, your average pizza delivery with no cheese hits the spot just fine too.
— Contact Caroline Silva at ccsilva@emory.edu
Crosswords By Aditya Prakash and Isaiah Sirois
Across 1. Petite, tiny. 6. Very doable class. 7. To cost __ ____ and a leg. 8. Insincere but slick. 9. College slang for booze.
Down 1. Red, Dead. 2. Comic specific to the West Pacific. 3. “Perfectly balanced __ ___ things should be.” 4. Line in a song. 5. Baby sheep.
Across 1. Lukewarm; not very enthusiastic. 6. Dodge. 7. “Cleanup on _____ three.” 8. Assessed. 9. Home of “Yoshi’s Island” and “Super Mario World.”
Down 1. Rips; product of sadness. 2. Bougie bottled water. 3. Glue; copy and _____. 4. Present tense of doing nothing. 5. Proof of home ownership.
SCHWARTZ CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS presents
16th Annual Emory Student A Cappella Celebration
BARENAKED VOICES AHANA | Aural Pleasure | ChaiTunes Dooley Noted | Emory Concert Choir The Gathering | No Strings Attached Oxapella | Suri
Thursday, March 28, 7:00 p.m. Emerson Concert Hall Schwartz Center for Performing Arts Box Office: 404.727.5050 | arts.emory.edu | Tickets: $5 Proceeds benefit Emory HelpLine and Active Minds
SportS
The Emory Wheel
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
11
Browning Aiming for Men Finish Swoop’S Another NCAA Title Second at Scoop
Continued from Back Page
with respective scores of 6-2, 6-2 and 6-1, 6-4. In doubles play, Emory went 2-1 against the Banana Slugs on Saturday. Sophomore Hayden Cassone and freshman Antonio Mora secured a dominant 8-2 victory, while senior James Spaulding along with sophomore Will Wanner squeezed out an 8-6 victory. Seniors Adrien Bouchet and Jonathan Jemison were defeated 8-7 in an extremely close match. Freshman Antonio Mora said he feels like the team did not get off to the best start this season but that they have worked incredibly hard to get back on track. “I’m confident with our squad we will be one of the favorites [to win NCAAs],” Mora said. “It’s a long season, and there’s still a lot of work to be put in.” on Sunday, Emory lived up to its No. 4 national ranking with a win over No. 5-ranked Williams. the Eagles came away with wins in four of the six singles matches, three of which went to a third set. Jemison rallied for a 5-7, 7-6, 6-1 win to improve his record to 15-2 this year. Cassone moved to 10-5 following his 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 victory and Esses battled back from a tough first set
to defeat his opponent 2-6, 6-4, 6-0. Bouchet added the fourth singles win in straight sets, beating his opponent 6-3, 7-5. Spaulding and Mora each lost their matches with scores of 6-2, 6-2 and 6-3, 7-6, respectively. In doubles play, Emory went 2-1 once again. the No. 1 duo of Jemison and Bouchet earned an 8-6 win which raised the pair’s season ledger to 15-4. Spaulding and Wanner notched the other doubles victory with an 8-3 triumph, while Cassone and Mora were defeated 8-6 in their matchup. Head Coach John Browning said he believes the team is getting better with each match and that they have the ability to come away with another national championship this season. A championship run would earn the Eagles their fifth national title and their third in the last six years. “Every game is a work in progress, and we are headed in the right direction,” Browning said. “our ultimate goal is to win the NCAA tournament, and each day we need to get mentally and physically stronger in order to put us in that position.” the Eagles now sit at 8-2 on the season. Emory returns home for a match against Kalamazoo College (Mich.) on March 28.
— Contact Chris James at chris.james@emory.edu
NCAAs
Continued from Back Page individual championship of the meet after he won gold in the 500-yard freestyle on March 20. Kolleck kept up the momentum by winning the first-ever individual national title of his career in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 43.3 seconds. “Before [the freestyle], I just tried to swim my race not worrying about the grander scale of things,” Kolleck said of his win. “I knew I had a 43.3 in me, and I just went out and executed.” Completing the comeback was freshman Jason Hamilton, who also earned his first-ever individual title by winning the 200-yard breaststroke in 1:57.34. the Eagles finished as national runner-up in the final event of the meet, the 400-yard freestyle relay, to beat Kenyon in the individual event and the championship meet. Next year, the Emory women’s team will attempt to earn their 11th straight national championship, while the men seek their second title in four years. Ultimately, both teams have the pieces in place to accomplish their goal, as many swimmers will return to compete.
Continued from Back Page the bottom half of the fourth, Emory extended the lead to 8-2 by adding two more runs in the sixth. However, Covenant still had some fight left in them and produced a five-run sixth inning to cut the lead to one. Emory used their final at-bats productively and once again established a larger lead with a three-run seventh inning. Senior pitcher toko Miller took the mound for the Eagles. Miller retired the Scots in order in the bottom of the seventh, and Emory completed the sweep against Covenant with an 11-7 win. Head Coach Adrianna Baggetta was delighted with how her team
Opponent
another large and early lead. LaGrange cut into the Eagles’ five-run advantage with a three-run fifth inning but couldn’t complete the comeback. Emory now boasts a 12-4 record and have won 10 of their last 11 games. Miller believes the team is currently in a great position to achieve a lot this season. “this team is the strongest I have seen over my four years and has the potential to win [a national championship],” Miller said. the Eagles return for an away double header against Berry College (Ga.) on March 27.
— Contact Charlie Scruton at charlie.scruton@emory.edu
Time
Wednesday
Baseball
Piedmont
3 p.m.
March 27
Softball
@ Berry
tBA & 7 p.m.
M Tennis
Kalamazoo
2 p.m.
Thursday March 28
Friday March 29
Saturday March 30
Track and Field
Emory Classic
All Day
Softball
Carnegie Mellon
2 p.m. & 4 p.m
Baseball
Brandeis
3 p.m.
M Tennis
DePauw
5 p.m.
Emory Classic
All Day
Track and Field W Tennis
DePauw, Wash. & Lee 10 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Baseball
Brandeis
12 p.m. & 2 p.m.
Softball
Carnegie Mellon
1 p.m. & 3 p.m.
Sunday
M Tennis
Johns Hopkins
11 a.m.
March 31
Baseball
Brandeis
12 p.m.
Monday
Golf
@ Huntingdon Spring
All Day
Tuesday
Golf
@ Huntingdon Spring
All Day
April 2
Baseball
Birmingham-Southern
3 p.m.
April 1
— Contact Alex Moskowitz at apmosko@emory.edu
Miller Happy With Team’s Poise, Confidence responded to Covenant’s late push. “there is less of a panic when a team scores a run [against us],” Baggetta said. Emory then returned home for a double header against a hot LaGrange team riding a six-game win streak. Emory wasted no time in the first game, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning thanks to an rBI single from Wilson and a sacrifice fly from senior shortstop Cassie Baca. Miller, back on the mound for the Eagles, pitched a complete-game, allowing just three hits and one run. In the second game, a four-run third inning highlighted by freshman outfielder Baylee Wall’s two-rBI single propelled Emory to yet
Sport
*Home Games in Bold
Track and Field Wins Several Individual Events
Continued from Back Page
ing the invitational. Sophomore John Cox won the 5000m run with a time of 15:21.68 and Crockett won the gold in the javelin event with a distance of 48.94m. the team of sophomores thomas perretta, Jacob Hedgepeth, Jonathan rosenfeld and freshman William McGuire turned in a time of 7:56.43 in their 4x800m relay victory. McGuire also claimed a second-place finish in the 1500m run with a time of 4:02.53. Crockett talked about the keys to his performance and his excellent prepa-
ration for the event this past week. “I wanted to stay relaxed and go out there and have fun with it,” Crockett said. “I’m still working on my approach and not worrying about faulting. I needed be aggressive and not hold back.” Crockett and the rest of the team will hope to continue its strong form when the Eagles host the Emory Classic from March 29 to 30 at the Woodruff physical Education Center.
— Contact Anirudh Pidugu at anirudh.pidugu@emory.edu
Fan Support, Belief Underpins USMNT World Cup Hopes Continued from Back Page a tremendous competitive edge in their consistent stream of talent compared to other countries such as Spain.. In 2018, the U.S. had over 1 million youth female players, whereas Spain had just 20,000 players. Funding shortages are a major issue for such footballing giants like Spain or Brazil that lack similar title IX policies. Brazil’s men’s team has won a record five World Cup trophies, while the women’s team is the most successful women’s team in South America with six Copa America trophies. Yet the Brazilian women’s team have still had to deal with a lack of resources despite their success. Former Brazilian women’s team captain Aline pellegrino struggled with institutional gender discrimination and eventually quit the team for a steady paying job. So in contrast, credit must be given to the American government for supporting women’s athletics. And that support isn’t just institutional, as the 2015 Women’s World Cup final became the most-watched soccer game in U.S.
television history. Despite this massive achievement for women’s sports, debate still remains over how to provide the USWNt the same level of marketing and pay as the USMNt with the greater global demand for men’s soccer. But why has the USMNt failed to impress for much of its existence? For one, the talent pool has been plagued by bureaucratic power struggles and needless inefficiency. At the heart of this issue are lower-division soccer organizers like the National premier Soccer League (NpSL), American Soccer League (ASL) and United premier Soccer League (UpSL), who have fought bitterly to monopolize the talent stream into the USMNt rather than to collaboratively coexist. Moreover, when American soccer organizations and teams disagree, they sue with remarkable ease and further polarize opposing parties rather than negotiate terms for the greater good of American soccer development. the USMNt has also not matched their female counterparts because of their culture of complacency. Unlike
the USMNt, the USWNt has constantly had to fight for equal status in the U.S., whether it be for equal playing conditions or equal pay. this fighting mentality has become ingrained in the women’s team. Some USMNt players and coaches have admitted that a lack of motivation and fighting spirit are reasons why the team failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. “After having been with U.S. Soccer after 30 years, it’s disappointing to me that it seems that we’ve lost the fight for the last three or four years,” former USMNt Assistant Coach and thenUSMNt U-20 Manager tab ramos said, speaking to ESpN in 2018 about USMNt’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. When the team failed to qualify, some critics argued that the USMNt relied too much on retaining aging players at the cost of developing talented youth. Without younger players to challenge them, the veterans grew complacent. However, since the wakeup call loss to trinidad and tobago, the USMNt has made notable progress in youth development. the revitalization
of the squad resulted in promising results against major national teams, including a pair of 1-1 draws against 2016 European Champions portugal in November 2017 and against 2018 World Cup Champions France in June 2018 (notably, many of those same French players starred during the World Cup). MLS academies have invested more resources into developing youth talent and as a result, the USMNt now features more young and skilled players. Stars like Christian pulisic (who recently signed for Chelsea F.C. in a fee that made him the most expensive American soccer player ever) and a wave of American youngsters are getting valuable experience playing in more competitive leagues abroad. overall, American soccer fans can be optimistic U.S. teams can bring home more trophies. the USWNt is in a great position to defend their 2015 Women’s World Cup title, currently occupying the top FIFA ranking. Moreover, the USWNt was drawn into a favorable group, with Sweden being the only serious threat
to the USWNt getting past the group stage. the USMNt should look to recent underdogs and 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia as proof that soccer is fueled by both belief and talent. If the USMNt qualifies for the 2026 World Cup, the support of American crowds will majorly factor into the USMNt’s success. the 1994 World Cup, the last edition hosted by the US, smashed numerous World Cup attendance records en route to becoming the most attended World Cup in history. the support of American fans played a role in the US advancing to the round of sixteen for the first time 23 years ago. Despite historical failures, given the modern American passion for soccer and the rise of young prospects, the USMNt is on course to redefine American soccer and potentially has the best chance to make their most successful run in any World Cup in 2026.
— Contact Sammy John at sammy.john@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel
Sports
Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Assistant Sports Editor: Ryan Callahan (ryan.joseph.callahan@emory.edu)
MEN’S TENNIS
SWIMMING & DIVING
SOFTBALL
Eagles Win Key Matches Out West
Consecutive Matchups End in Set Of Sweeps
By Chris JAMes Contributing Writer
By ChArlie sCruton Contributing Writer
the Emory men’s tennis team had a successful two-match trip in Claremont, Calif. this past weekend, coming away with victories over the University of California (UC), Santa Cruz Banana Slugs on March 23 and the Williams College (Mass.) Ephs on March 24. the Eagles defeated UC Santa Cruz 7-2 and took down Williams 6-3, extending their winning streak to four. In addition, Emory senior Adrien Bouchet was named Men’s tennis Athlete of the Week by the University Athletic Association. the Eagles dropped just one match in singles play, winning their remaining five matches in straight sets. Cassone took the unfortunate 7-6, 6-4 loss. Despite the doubles loss, Jemison and Bouchet each won their singles matches with identical scores of 6-3, 6-1, and Mora triumphed with a commanding 6-2, 6-0 victory. Freshman Andrew Esses and senior James Spaulding rounded out the victories
See BroWNINg, page 11
Courtesy of emory AthletiCs
the fifth overall for her career. the men’s team also came from behind to surpass Kenyon by a margin of just half a point, as they finished first in three of the final six events. Senior team captain trey Kolleck was confident throughout the meet. “During the first three days, we shaved off 100 points, and I knew that we were definitely going to beat them,” he said. the Eagles’ second-place finish behind Denison University (ohio) marks the fourth consecutive year that they have finished within the top three at the national meet. the comeback began when senior thomas Gordon defended his 1,650-yard freestyle championship, marking his second
the Emory women’s softball team continued their impressive season, recording sweeps in a pair of twogame series against Covenant College (Ga.) on March 21 and LaGrange College (Ga.) on March 24. the Eagles were dominant in their first game against the Covenant Scots and forced the mercy rule with an 8-0 lead after five innings. Sophomore pitcher Madison Schaefer cruised to her fourth win of the season with a two-hit complete game. Junior second baseman Sarah Katz was the star of the show offensively with two extra-base hits, including a three-rBI triple in the third inning that put the game out of the Scots’ reach. the second game proved far less one-sided than the first as Emory held a narrow 2-1 lead through the three innings. In the top of the fourth inning, a pair of two-rBI hits by senior catcher Lana Herrmann and senior outfielder Jenna Wilson opened up a convincing 6-1 lead for the Eagles, and despite giving up a run in
See MEN, page 11
See MILLEr, page 11
Members of the women’s swimming and diving team celebrate after winning their 10th straight NCAA Division-III championship and 12th in program history.
Championship Streak Extends to 10 By Alex Moskowitz Staff Writer
this past weekend, the Emory women’s swimming and diving team captured its 10th consecutive and 12th overall NCAA Division III title while the men’s swimming and diving team finished as the national runner-up for the second consecutive year. Both the women’s and men’s teams came down to the wire, with the Eagles edging out Kenyon College (ohio) in both competitions for second place in the men’s and first place in the women’s championship. In the women’s competition, the title came down to the final two events. Kenyon grabbed the lead in the third-to-last event after beating the Eagles in the 200-yard back-
stroke. However, the Eagles would not be denied and regained the lead with a strong performance by senior Ashley Daniels in the 200-yard breaststroke. With one race left and the title up for grabs, seniors Fiona Muir, Meg taylor, sophomore Lucy Daro and freshman Zoe Walker finished runner-up in the 400-yard freestyle relay to seal the victory. In total, Emory collected 488 team points across the four-day meet, edging second-place Kenyon by only nine points. this was the narrowest victory margin in the 37 years that the NCAA Division III women’s national tournament has existed. Individually, Muir stood out for her first-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle. the win also marked Muir’s third consecutive title in the event and
TRACK & FIELD
FEATURE
An Odd State of the Union: U.S. Soccer By sAMMy John Staff Writer
Courtesy of emory AthletiCs
Junior Isabel Saridakis pole vaults during the Emory Invitational this past weekend. This attempt by Saridakis set a new school record at 3.75m, besting the previous mark of 3.68m.
Emory Defends Home Turf By Anirudh Pidugu Staff Writer
the Emory track and field teams started their outdoor season on a high note with a first-place finish out of 30 teams on the women’s side and a fifthplace finish out of 27 teams on the men’s side at the Emory Invitational this past weekend. Freshman patrick Crockett said the team felt very good with the start of the season and that morale was high at the moment. “Getting fifth place for us is big for us,” Crockett said. “In the indoor’s [championship], we got seventh place so it’s a nice bump up. We are very proud of this performance and looking to keep getting better each
week.” on the women’s side, the No. 12-ranked Eagles won the meet with 122 team points and several impressive performances. Junior Isabel Saridakis broke her own school pole vault record of 3.68m with a height of 3.75m, a mark that is currently first in all of Division III. Senior Dani Bland impressed with wins in the 100m (11.95) and 200m (24.78) dashes, with her 200m dash time placing her second nationally. other event winners included sophomore Susannah Martin in the 10,000m run (37:51.99) and the team of senior Kayla o’Shea, junior Ileana Zeissner, sophomore olivia Hoekendijk and sophomore Ana
Morris in the 4x800m relay. the group ran the relay in 9:51.47, emphatically beating the rest of the competition with the next team from tennessee Wesleyan University finishing 14 seconds later. Senior Dilys osei rounded off the impressive performances with a second-place finish in the 400m hurdles (1:03.52), missing first place by just three-tenths of second to sophomore Abigail Kirkland from the University of North Georgia. While the women entered the event with high expectations, the men came in ranked 191st. Despite their low ranking, the team still managed to capture three first-place finishes dur-
See TrACK, page 11
Much to baseball fans’ chagrin, Americans seem to love soccer just as much as “America’s pastime.” According to a 2018 Gallup poll, Americans name soccer as their favorite sport within 2 percentage points of Americans who name baseball. this love of soccer has Americans investing more resources into Major League Soccer (MLS) academies capable of developing elite players. Despite all this, the men’s trophy count has been lackluster. But American fans still have a World Cup-winning squad to root for: the U.S. women’s national team (USWNt). Disaster struck the men’s team in 2017. trinidad and tobago, a country over 50 places below the U.S. men’s national team (USMNt) in FIFA rankings, defeated the USMNt, meaning the U.S. failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1985. Also in 1985, the USWNt played their first competitive game and has since grown into one of the most powerful dynasties in all of American national sports. In 30 years, the USWNt has won three World Cup trophies and four olympic gold medals and. the USWNt is the most successful team in both premier sporting events,
while they have dominated the FIFA women’s rankings in the 21st century. they’ll look to continue their leading performance in this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup. In stark contrast, the USMNt has never won a World Cup in over 100 years of competing. the USMNt achieved their highest ranking of fourth place in 2006, and the team currently sits in 25th. Disregarding FIFA’s questionable methodology in obtaining those rankings (some question why Switzerland is ranked higher than Spain), the USMNt has consistently underperformed. So why is the women’s team so much better relative to the men’s team? on the one hand, women’s soccer is somewhat less competitive than men’s soccer. Women’s soccer features 50 fewer FIFA ranked national teams than men’s. While the USMNt would be happy with a draw against any of the top 30 teams, the USWNt considers any result other than a victory against any team as a failure. Additionally, title IX, the 1972 civil rights legislation enacted to increase gender equality in college education, has provided scholarships to players looking to eventually turn professional. As a result, U.S. women’s soccer has
See FAN, page 11