The Emory Wheel
index
Emory Events Calendar, Page 2
Police Record, Page 2
Arts & Entertainment, Page 9
Crossword Puzzle, Page 8
Staff Editorial, Page 6
Sports, Page 11
Since 1919
The Independent Student Newspaper of Emory University www.emorywheel.com
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Volume 96, Issue
36
Every Tuesday and Friday
celebrating chinese new Year
Student Government
SGA Amends Gender Legislature Pronouns in Constitution Changes Code of Elections By Rupsha Basu News Editor and Luke White SGA Beat Writer
O
Erin Baker/Staff
n Saturday, Feb. 21, the Emory Chinese Student Association hosted their annual Lunar Banquet at the Omni Hotel. The Lunar Banquet celebrates the Chinese New Year and features Chinese food and cultural performances.
conference
Students Lead Race Activism Conference “How do we move from #Ferguson to actual tangible freedom?” Nineteen-year-old Atlanta resident and social activist Elle Lucier asked a room of 45 students that question in the Mathematics and Science Center on Saturday, Feb. 21 during Emory’s first Black Student Conference, “Black at Emory: Activism in a ‘PostRacial’ Society.” Allowing the question to hang in the air, Lucier pressed play on a YouTube video where she stood behind a podium, addressing hun-
dreds inside Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church. “We want human rights for black, brown, undocumented — get a pen and write it down if you can’t remember — transgender people!,” she shouted as the crowd roared. In the video, Lucier, who founded the social-media driven civil rights coalition #ItsBiggerThanYou, listed demands put together by community organizers and leaders all over the country in response to the 2014 events in Ferguson, Missouri, speaking at the invitation of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on a national NBC broadcast.
EBOLA
campus life
By Sarah Husain Staff Writer
Lucier’s lecture, titled “From Slacktivism to Activism: Is Social Media Effective?” was one of four workshops featured at the conference, which was primarily organized by College junior Casidy Campbell. Approximately 70 people attended the conference, which aimed to discuss effective activism as well affirm the identities of black students occupying white spaces, according to Campbell. Campbell began thinking of holding such a conference after she was accepted into the Vision in Action
See conference, Page 4
The 48th Legislature of the Student Government Association (SGA) unanimously passed an amendment on Monday that will remove all instances of language that impose gender binaries, such as “he” and “she,” within the Constitution. Since the bill is an amendment, it must pass two-thirds of the legislature or 26 votes — whichever is greater — and then must be approved by a majority of students voting in a University-wide referendum in order to take effect. The amendment proposes that all instances of gender-specific language, such as the pronouns “he” and “she” and variations thereof, be changed to “they,” “them” and “their” to accommodate those who hold non-binary gender identities. According to College senior and Emory Pride President Kolia Kroeger, who identifies as non-binary and uses pronouns such as “they,” “them” and “their,” those pronouns are sufficiently inclusive for all gender-identities. Gender-inclusive language is meant to accommodate those whose gender identity cannot be categorized as “male” or “female” and those who reject standard masculine and feminine pronouns. College junior and SGA President Jon Darby, who co-authored the bill along with College sophomore and SGA Campus Services Chairman Max Zoberman, explained that the
By Naomi Maisel Senior Staff Writer A panel examined the ethics and multifaceted nature of the Ebola virus pandemic at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School on Monday. Approximately 40 students, staff and faculty attended the panel, titled “Ebola and the Law in the U.S. and West Africa: Treatment, Vaccine Development and Ethics,” as three panelists described the virus’ many ethical, political and economic repercussions in a classroom on Goizueta’s top floor. Sita Ranchod-Nilsson, the director of the Institute for Developing Nations (IDN), said she put together the panel along with Robert W. Woodruff Chair in Nursing Professor Deborah Bruner and Pamela Scully, a professor of the department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies and a professor of African Studies. The panel consisted of Scully as well as Polly Price, an Emory Law School professor and recipient of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Public Health Law research grant and Paul Wolpe, a professor in the departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Sociology, and Director of Emory’s Center for Ethics and first Senior Bioethicist for the
See speakers, Page 5
A new program pairs students and Emory police officers together for a cup of coffee and donuts. Residence Life and Housing (ResLife) and Emory Police Department (EPD) have partnered for Coffee with a Cop, a national community outreach program based on police and community members joining in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues, build relationships and enjoy coffee, according to Coffee with a Cop’s website. College senior Erdong Chen, director of the EPD Cadet Program and a Resident Advisor (RA) at Clairmont Campus, wrote in an email to the Wheel that he used his dual positions within EPD and ResLife to coordinate the program. According to Chen, Coffee with a Cop began in fall 2014, and the initial events took place in community spaces such as the Dobbs University Center (DUC). Chen wrote that EPD wants to increase its exposure by offering the program through residence halls. This marks the first time EPD is partnering with ResLife for the Coffee with a Cop program, according to EPD Captain Cheryl Elliot. Elliot wrote in an email to the Wheel that EPD decided to partner with ResLife to increase the opportunities for interaction between campus police and the undergraduate community. “There are so few opportunities for the community to get to know us, and for us to share who we are,” she added, noting that communities such as the freshman Living-Learning
News British Poet Laureate gives reading at Emory ... PAGE 3
Communities work to achieve a similar goal, linking academic and residential life using different residence hall themes. “It is important for us to come to the residence hall and continue the Living and Learning experience.” Elliot also wrote that the program would be a continuation of EPD’s community-oriented approach to policing, and that she hopes the program will “[allow] the people we serve to understand our commitment to a safe place for our community.” During Coffee with a Cop, members of EPD will provide coffee and donuts and engage in conversations with the campus community over any issues they would like to discuss, according to College senior Sasha Palmer, a senior RA helping facilitate the program’s implementation. According to Palmer, she is working on an event that will take place in Few and Evans Hall on March 16 at 6 p.m. by coming up with potential questions and overseeing outreach to our community. Palmer added that residents she has spoken with are excited for the program. “I believe this program will bring our community closer together in both the understanding of what our officers do on a daily basis to keep us safe and in creating a relationship between students and officers,” Palmer wrote in an email to the Wheel. College freshman Orli Hendler said that she thought the program would be positive, especially as Hendler said she doesn’t often see EPD around campus except the occa-
See Officers, Page 4
OP-EDs Car
culture restricts human interactions
...
PAGE 6
The Student Government Association (SGA) amended the elections code to allow SGA election candidates to campaign with running mates starting in 2016, amended its Constitution and voted to give the TableTalk initiative a University-wide charter. The Code of Elections, which is a document that outlines the rules and regulations for University elections, currently disallows candidates to run on the same ticket or campaign together and also disallows “party candidacy,” or running as part of a political party. College junior and SGA President Jon Darby presented a bill that would amend the Code of Elections to allow joint candidacy. The text of the bill argues that the current rules could yield a situation where a President and Vice President are elected who vastly disagree with each other or have distinct or opposing visions. The bill stipulates that candidates for President and Vice President of SGA can participate in party or joint candidacy. However, the text does not
See amendment, Page 4
See sga, Page 5
By Rupsha Basu News Editor
the Vagina Monologues
Panelists EPD, ResLife Partner for Discuss “Coffee With a Cop” Ethics of Ebola Virus By Annie McGrew Asst. News Editor
idea for the amendment came to him on National Coming Out Day last year, when he was asked to consider what he could do to make the Emory community more inclusive. “It struck me when I was reading through the Constitution that there were lots of ‘he or her’ and ‘she or him,’” Darby said. “I didn’t think those were very inclusive pronouns, and I knew that [this change] was something very tangible that I could do to make the realm of student government more inclusive to people who may not identify with those pronouns.” According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, non-binary identities include those individuals who are genderqueer, a term for those who identify as neither entirely male nor entirely female, or gender nonconforming, a term for those whose gender expression does not conform to expected societal gender roles, among others. The movement for gender-inclusive language has evolved and at times goes head-to-head with advocates for English grammar. Using “they” pronouns to refer to singular people, some critics have argued, is grammatically incorrect because “they” is standardly used to refer to multiple people. “The reason I wrote it that way is because when I talk to people about this issue, they normally get really hung up on the singular ‘they,’” Darby said. “It’s strange to use ‘they’ in a singular form, but I didn’t think that was a good enough reason to not have an inclusive pronoun.”
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Melissa DeFrank/Staff
ollege sophomores Christina Archer, Amina Dunn and Hilleary Gramling and College junior Becky Han perform in The Vagina Monologues in Harland Cinema this past weekend. The performance was produced by Emory student group Feminists in Action.
academics
Emory Offers New Online Courses By Lydia O’Neal Asst. News Editor For the first time, Emory College and Oxford College students can take up to six online classes during the University’s two summer sessions through a new program, Emory College Online (ECO). Students can enroll in the ECO summer courses through the Online Pathway for University Students (OPUS), the same way they would enroll in any summer course, until the class has reached its maximum of 20 students, according to Senior Associate Director of Summer Programs Mollie Korski. She added
A&E The Vagina Monologues sells out three nights ... PAGE 9
that if the classes fill up quickly, more sessions may be added. Though this year marks ECO’s summer debut, the program began last fall as a replacement for the discontinued Semester Online, a for-credit online course consortium where students could take classes offered by dozens of elite schools, including the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, Washington University in St. Louis (Wash U), Georgetown University and the University of California (UC), Berkeley. Emory joined the collection of universities offering Semester Online courses at the start of the fall 2013
Sports Men’s tennis
ITA indoor championships ... Page 11 finishes second in
semester, but was forced to drop the program the following spring. 2U, the for-profit company that presided over Semester Online, terminated the course pool in the spring of 2014 in favor of creating full undergraduate degree programs online, according to an April 2014 Inside Higher Ed article. “Through our association with [2U], we had the opportunity to create online courses,” Sally Gouzoules, associate College dean of International and Summer Programs, said “It wasn’t just a new experience for the administration, but [it was]
See EMORY, Page 3
Next Issue
Wheel -moderated student election debates ... Friday
2
News
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
News Roundup
police record
• On Feb. 16 at 10:30 p.m., Emory Police Department (EPD) responded to a call from Smith Hall about a drug paraphernalia violation. Campus Life notified EPD of a strong odor of marijuana coming from a room at the location. Officers arrived on the scene and entered the room. They noticed a glass pipe and marijuana ashes in plain view. The individual who lived in the room was not cited because there was a lack of any substance other than the residue. Officers confiscated the pipe and the ashes. • On Feb. 17 at 7:18 p.m., EPD responded to the Dobbs University Center regarding a dispute involving a Sodexo employee. There were no signs of threats or physical harm. A person at the scene was complaining about Sodexo’s past behavior towards their employees, and the individual was asked to leave the area.
• On Feb. 18 at 9:21 p.m., EPD responded to a call regarding a noise complaint on the fourth floor of Building D at Clairmont Campus. The complainant said that there was very loud noise on the floor and contacted the Resident Advisor. The Resident Advisor notified EPD of the complaint. When officers arrived, they spoke with the complainant and the individuals who were making too much noise. The individuals agreed to turn down the music.
— Compiled by Crime Beat Writer Brandon Fuhr
• On Feb. 18 at 1:46 p.m., EPD responded to a call at Clairmont Campus’ Building E regarding an individual trying to get through a door. The individual on the other side of the door would not let him in. By the time officers arrived on the scene, the individual banging on the door was gone. Campus Life was notified.
Corrections “Rushdie Chosen as 2015 Commencement Speaker,” a news article printed in our previous issue,
mistakenly stated that there would be “150,000 attendees “at Commencement this year. This should have read as “15,000 attendees.”
The Wheel reports and corrects all errors published in the newspaper and at emorywheel.com. Please contact Editor in Chief Priyanka Krishnamurthy at pkrish4@emory.edu.
The Emory Wheel Volume 96, Number 36 © 2013 The Emory Wheel
Dobbs University Center, Room 540 605 Asbury Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322 Business (404) 727-6178 Editor in Chief Priyanka Krishnamurthy (404) 727-0279 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 published twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays 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.
The Emory Wheel
National, Local and Higher Education News • An Egyptian court sentenced pro-democracy activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who gained fame as a campaigner against military trials of civilians during the country’s 2011 uprising, to five years in prison Monday for violating a protest law. Two alJazeera journalists who were accused of helping the Muslim Brotherhood organization appeared at the court the same day for retrials, which were adjourned and set for March 8. • Dark comedy “Birdman” took home Best Picture at the 87th Academy Awards on Sunday night, while Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu won Best Director for the film. “The
TUESDAY
Theory of Everything” lead actor Eddie Redmayne won the Oscar for Best Actor and Julianne Moore, the star of “Still Alice,” won the Best Actress award. • In light of Somali militant group Al-Shabab’s Saturday release of an online video urging Muslims to attack shopping malls in the U.S., Canada, Britain and other Western nations, U.S. Homeland Security Chief Jeh Johnson on Sunday warned shoppers to be vigilant. Johnson singled out Minnesota’s Mall of America, one of the nation’s largest, as a possible target. •The
Food
and
Drug
Administration (FDA) allowed DNA test startup 23andMe to advertise a mail-order for its product, which screens for Bloom syndrome, an inherited disease most common among people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. The decision reversed the FDA’s ban of 23andMe’s $99 saliva collection tests in 2013. • Friends and family held a candlelight vigil Saturday for DeKalb native and University of Oregon freshman Lauren Jones, who died suddenly on Tuesday after contracting a form of meningitis at her school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday that it would vaccinate 22,000 students at the uni-
versity to prevent other meningococcemia deaths there. • A former police officer shot dead Habersham County, Georgia Sheriff Joey Terrell and Deputy Sheriff Bill Zigan, as well as an unidentified woman and man at the shooter’s home, before possibly shooting himself on Sunday evening. It is unclear whether former Gainesville Police Officer Anthony Giaquinta turned the gun on himself or was shot by law enforcement.
— Compiled by Asst. News Editor Lydia O’Neal
Events at emory
Event: EndNote Introduction Time: 11:30 a.m. Location: Woodruff Library 312 Event: Emory College Wellness — Cooking Demo: Soups/Stews Time: 12 p.m. Location: Few Hall Demo Kitchen Event: Rosa Puertollano, PhD — “Lysosomes As Novel Regulators of Nutrient Sensing & Energy Homeostasis” Time: 12 p.m. Location: 5052 Rollins Research Center Event: Cleaning Your Data Time: 2 p.m. Location: Emory Center for Digital Scholarship, Woodruff Library Event: “How to Reverse Engineer a Supernova: Using Supernova Remnants to Understand Supernova Progenitors and Their Environments” — Dan Patnaude Time: 2:30 p.m. Location: Mathematics and Science Center Event: Gilman Scholarship Advising Hours Time: 3 p.m. Location: Candler Library 200
Event: International Transient Study Open Office Hours Time: 3 p.m. Location: Candler Library 200
Event: Copyright & Your Electronic Thesis or Dissertation Time: 4 p.m. Location: Woodruff Library 314 Event: Disability Studies Initiative Panel: “Disability Rights as Human Rights” Time: 4 p.m. Location: White Hall 207 Event: Queer & Asian Discussion Group Time: 5:30 p.m. Location: Office of LGBT Life, DUC 232E Event: “What’s Eating Katie?” The Musical Time: 8 p.m. Location: Harland Cinema in the DUC
WEDNESDAY Event: Cleaning Your Data Time: 10 a.m. Location: Emory Center for Digital Scholarship, Woodruff Library Event: IES Abroad-CIPA Semester Study Abroad Info Session
Time: 10 a.m. Location: Candler Library 200
Event: Copyright & Your ETD — Sciences/Health Sciences Focus Time: 11 a.m. Location: Woodruff Health Sciences Library Classroom Event: Music Videos and Ethnic Media in Yunnan, China Time: 12 p.m. Location: Anthropology 206 Event: Lecture: N. Gregory Mankiw Time: 3 p.m. Location: White Hall 208 Event: Emory Disability Studies Initiative: Care Ethics Roundtable Time: 4 p.m. Location: Center for Ethics 102 Event: Trans-forming Gender Discussion Group Time: 5 p.m. Location: Office of LGBT Life, DUC 232E Event: Peruvian Food Workshop Time: 5 p.m. Location: Spanish House Event: Bisexual / Pansexual Discussion Group Time: 6:30 p.m. Location: Office of LGBT Life, DUC 232E
Event: International Career Networking Night Time: 6:30 p.m. Location: Miller-Ward Alumni House Event: “42” (2013), Film Screening Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: White Hall 208 Event: “Deciphering the Hunger Code: Breaking Free From Struggles with Food, Fat, and Dieting” — Anita Johnson Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: White Hall 101
THURSDAY Event: “A General-Economic Model: Materialism in Freud and Bataille” — Andrew Kingston Time: 11:45 a.m. Location: Candler Library 101 Event: Tenenbaum Family Lecture in Judaic Studies 2015 “Becoming Frum: How Newcomers Learn the Language & Culture of Orthodox Judaism” Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: Carlos Museum Reception Hall
The Emory Wheel
News
SEx WEEk
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
3
creative writing
British Poet Laureate Reads on Love, Feminism By Emily Lim Staff Writer
A
Melissa DeFrank/Staff
s part of the events for Sex Week, Dr. Andrew Francis presented his research on sexuality through the lens of economics, where students engaged in educational activities. Sexual Health Advocacy Group (SHAG) hosts the week of events, which focus on safer sex.
Award-winning Scottish poet and playwright Carol Ann Duffy delivered a poetry reading in a packed Glenn Auditorium last Saturday afternoon, as part of the 10th season of the Raymond Danowski Poetry Library Reading Series. Duffy, who in 2009 was the first openly gay poet to be appointed poet laureate of the United Kingdom, read poems from the comical to the somber that were taken from her books, such as “The World’s Wife” (1999), “Rapture” (2005) and “The Bees” (2011). Over 500 Emory students, faculty and staff attended the reading, which was sponsored by the Emory Libraries, the Creative Writing Program at Emory, Emory’s Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (MARBL) and the Hightower Family Fund. Kevin Young, the Charles Howard Candler professor of English and Creative Writing and curator of the Raymond Danowski Poetry Library, introduced Duffy to the audience. “Duffy writes about timeless love in a contemporary world,” Young said. “Love changes not just our-
selves, but our language.” For an hour, Duffy read a range of poems from the lighthearted “Mrs Darwin,” to the elegy dedicated to the 96 victims of a stampede at a British football stadium in 1989 entitled “Liverpool.” Duffy also explored feminist themes by reciting persona poems written from the perspective of the wives of key mythological or historical figures, such as in “Mrs Midas,” “Mrs Tiresias” and “Mrs Faust.” From her book Rapture, which explores a love affair, Duffy read her poem “Tea.” Books and limited edition broadsides were available for sale at the event, and Duffy signed books after her reading. According to Young, the Raymond Danowski Poetry Library Reading Series has hosted speakers since 2005, such as Nobel prize-winning Irish poet Seamus Heaney, former United States Poet Laureates Natasha Trethewey and William “Billy” Collins and American poet, essayist and playwright Elizabeth Alexander. Since 2004, Emory has housed the Raymond Danowski Poetry Library, which has a 75,000-volume collection of rare editions of contemporary poetry, and was assembled by collec-
tor Raymond Danowski over a period of 25 years, according to the MARBL website. The collection highlights include a first edition of T.S. Eliot’s Prufrock and Other Observations, a copy of poet Sylvia Plath’s Ariel as annotated by Anne Sexton and collections of the works of W. H. Auden, Gwendolyn Brooks, Charles Bukowski, Allen Ginsberg and William Carlos Williams, among others, according to the website. Richard Hofmann, graduate student and Emory Creative Writing Fellow in Poetry, explained in an email to the Wheel why he finds Duffy’s poems unique. “Duffy’s poetry stands out, I think, for its dramatic situations,” Hofmann wrote. “Even in her short poems, even in sly and funny poems, Duffy is able to create what feels like a fully realized emotional world.” College junior Ryan Sutherland said that reading Duffy’s poems was a different experience from hearing them read by Duffy. “[It was] so much different.” Sutherland said. “It was night and day, it was comedic and casual in a way that writing could not express.”
— Contact Emily Lim at emily.lim@emory.edu
Emory College Online to Make Emory More Competitive, Gouzoules Says Continued from Page 1 also an experience for College faculty, and it was on the whole a very positive one.” Gouzoules said she thinks the creation of ECO makes Emory a more competitive institution. “I think Emory was a little late to the table, but now we’re here,” she said. “It’s becoming a very common thing for universities to offer online courses to their students.” Georgetown, a former Semester Online consortium member, currently offers six of its own summer online courses, but no for-credit semesterlong online courses. UNC Chapel Hill students can enroll in more than 70 different Carolina Courses Online (CCO) classes for credit in the fall, spring and summer. Wash U, on the other hand, offers six online courses and six hybrid
courses, which meet several times over the course of the session, during the summer. UC Berkeley Extension offers at least 150 online classes, both fixed-date courses, which include specific start and finish dates, and continuous enrollment courses, which require 30 to 180 days to complete. Gouzoules said she hopes to see the number of available ECO courses multiply over the next year, with 15 to 16 courses available for the summer of 2016. Two of the upcoming summer ECO classes are Baseball and American Culture (AMST 322W/ ENG 389W) and Drugs and Behavior (PSYC 323), which were offered through Semester Online during the 2013-2014 academic year, according to Korski. The other four upcoming courses, Culture and Society (SOC 221), Biochemistry I (BIOL 301), Human
Physiology (BIOL 336) and Sociology still teaches online, said he loves the of Sex and Gender (SOC 225), are online platform, as he can interact currently being developed by their with students more easily and better respective instructors with the help remember their names. of Emory’s Center “The Semester for Interactive Online people used Teaching (ECIT), to claim in advance Korski said. English “If you’re at home, if you that there’s no back Professor William have to take a semester row, and I’ve found Gruber, who taught that’s true — you do off ... you can do the Baseball and feel in some ways classwork on your own like you’re really American Culture through both part of a group,” time.” Semester Online Gruber said, adding and ECO, said he — Joshua Niemtzow, that 12 students have hardly changed his already enrolled in College junior course between the his class. two programs. Still, Gruber and Gruber said he had to adjust the Oxford College Professor Jennifer semester-long class to fit it into the McGee, who, along with Goodrich C. six-week summer session by trim- White Professor of Psychology Darryl ming down readings and eliminating Neill, taught Drugs and Behavior for weekly quizzes. both ECO and Semester Online, said Gruber, who retired in 2013 but they miss the latter platform’s ability
to connect them with students at other schools. “This could be a really good thing, because you get people from all kinds of different backgrounds,” McGee said. However, she said she found that the online platform allowed for less interaction with students than she would have with a regular, inperson class setting, which she saw as a negative factor. McGee also noted that, unlike ECO, Semester Online was not available to Oxford College students. “At Oxford, a lot of the complaints we hear are that [students] have a hard time taking courses for their majors, and this can help with that,” she said. College junior Joshua Niemtzow, who took Gruber’s course through ECO in the fall, said the class was one of his favorites that he had taken at Emory. “I wouldn’t say the online setting
was a plus, but it was a very good online program,” Niemtzow said. He added that he had a decent amount of contact with Gruber and the 12 other students taking the course. For weekly video discussions, he said, 11 to 12 of the students would consistently participate. “It’s great for a lot of different purposes,” Niemtzow said of the online platform. “If you’re at home, if you have to take a semester off, if you have work, you can do the class work on your own time.” College junior Hunar Amedi, another student who will be taking Gruber’s course this summer, agreed. “During the first summer session, I’ll be working at an internship, and during the second one, I’ll be traveling, so this is perfect for me,” Amedi said.
— Contact Lydia O’Neal at lmoneal@emory.edu
4
The Emory Wheel
News
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Amendment of Symbolic Officers To Nature, Kroeger Says Connect With Continued from Page 1
Mark Igbinadolor/contributor
College senior Jordie Davies (above) presented research on online and offline activism at “Black at Emory: Activism in a ‘Post-Racial’ Society,” a student-led conference held on Saturday, Feb. 21.
Conference Speakers Recall Events in Ferguson Continued from Page 1 (VIA) program, part of the Office of Student Leadership and Service (OSLS), during her sophomore year. The VIA program allows four to seven students with visions for social change to put those ideas into action each year. Other VIA students include College junior Lukas Olson, who in 2014 envisioned a world where education was accessible to everyone, and OSLS provided up to $750 of funding to bring that vision to action. OSLS paired Campbell with a faculty mentor, Professor of African American Studies Nagueyalti Warren. From there, Campbell began a year-long independent study with Warren to flesh out the details of the conference she wanted to put together. OSLS along with Emory’s Black Student Alliance provided her with the $2,000 needed for the conference. “The conference came out of me wanting to reach out to groups of students, [to] make ideas that I’m aware of available,” Campbell said. “Because I’ve taken certain classes, and because I’m an activist and I always share these different kinds of conversations, ... I wanted to make them accessible to people who may not know about these types of discussions or want to talk about these different types of things. I’m all about making academia accessible.” The conference evolved from the Black at Emory movement, which began last year as a means for black students to talk about their racialized experiences at Emory, Campbell said. She added that she saw the conference as a continuation of that movement. “This [conference] is a safe place for [black students] to say, ‘Hey this is what I’m going through at Emory’ and then find the words, the language [they] can use, to sort of articulate that experience that [they’re] going through,” Campbell said. “Now how can I say, ‘Hey administration, ... this is what I’m going through, and I need you to create [and] change the culture here at Emory to recognize that.’” One of the conference’s workshops dealt with that issue directly. “Activism on Campus: Working with Administration” led by Gen Y Project Founder Chijioke Ebbis, focused on the kinds of arguments students and race-related language students could use to effectively discuss race issues
when addressing Emory administration members. Gen Y is a program to empower and educate black youth in their communities. “This workshop showed us how we can challenge racism in a nonhostile way,” College junior and Conference Planning Committee Member NaVosha Copeland said. “It armed participants with the tools to address administration.” Workshops also showcased leaders presenting their relevant academic research. Workshop leader and Emory Sociology Graduate Student Marisela Martinez-Cola presented research on the formation of identity in “Race and Identity: Formation in the University” and then engaged students in discussion on the subject. College senior Jordie Davies also presented her research on online
“This [conference] is a safe place for [black students] to say, ‘Hey this is what I’m going through at Emory’...” — College junior Casidy Campbell and offline activism during the “Slacktivism to Activism: Is Social Media Effective?” workshop. The conference wrapped up with a keynote panel session that featured Assistant Director for the Center for Women Chanel Craft Tanner and journalist Nsenga Burton, founder and editor-in-chief of TheBurtonWire. com, an online news site that covers news of the African diaspora. Burton is also the chair and associate professor of Communications and Media Studies at Goucher College in Maryland and frequent contributor to The New York Times, The Huffington Post and Ebony magazine. After each speaker described their backgrounds and activism, Craft Tanner and Burton took questions from student moderators Campbell, College senior Shana McFadden and later from the audience. Questions ranged from examples of challenges the speakers have faced in their activism to how they have handled the events in Ferguson, where white police officer Darren Wilson shot dead 18-year-old black
man Michael Brown in August. “I haven’t written a word about Ferguson,” Burton responded. “I have nothing to say. I have nothing productive to say. What’s in [your heart], it’s going to come out no matter what you’re writing, and I can’t afford any more death threats.” Burton explained that she constantly receives hate mail for the controversial pieces she has written challenging racism in the United States and internationally. Though the conference began at 8:30 a.m., students remained active and engaged in their workshops and discussions until the end of the conference at 6 p.m. The speakers’ moving statements often inspired snapping and clapping, as well as dozens of students furiously scribbling into a notebook as if a recommendation had just been given. “The conference was really well planned, and the speakers were all phenomenal,” College freshman Nathyia Watson said. “The discussion was also very thought-provoking.” Campbell explained the importance of the “allies,” or non-black students and students who had not been in that space before, in discussions, but also their general presence at the conference. “I think allies here have been very fruitful with their ideas and also in their allyship,” Campbell said. “When you’re an ally, you’re purposely putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation. It’s supposed to make you uneasy, make you think about certain privileges. When you’re a minority student at Emory, you’re uncomfortable everyday. In a simple conversation, you can experience aggression. I don’t call them microaggressions because they’re just aggressions to me. So it’s important for allies to understand that this is not a safe space for them — they’re supposed to feel uncomfortable.” Emory students were not the only attendees. A handful of students from Agnes Scott College and Georgia State University (GSU), as well as some non-students, attended the conference. “It’s a great time to be in Atlanta for social change,” GSU doctoral candidate George Greenidge, Jr. said. “The Atlanta universities are coming together to figure out how to get the change we want. But Emory has really taken the ball and rolled with it.”
— Contact Sarah Husain at shusai5@emory.edu
College junior and Vice President of Emory Pride Nowmee Shehab, who is also a member of Emory Pride, also noted the irrelevance of grammar rules. “Language is fluid and changes everyday,” Shehab said. “I think having gender-inclusive language in our Constitution should be prioritized over following an outdated and elitist idea of linguistic rigidity.” The actual text of the amendment expresses the need for a governing document that does not marginalize certain groups on campus with outdated wording. Furthermore, the amendment gives context for the move by referencing various sources that attest to the fact that gender is a social construction, that gender-inclusive pronouns are grammatically correct and viable and that organizations such as Facebook have already adopted “they/their” as a substitute for “he/ she” and “his/her.” Darby said that through the process of researching the use of “they” as a singular pronoun, he learned that the singular “they” is not only grammatically correct but is also highly practical and expedient in certain circumstances. In an effort to anticipate arguments about this specific use of the singular “they,” Darby cited some of this research within the text of the amendment. “This [amendment] represents a change in ideology,” Zoberman said. “This doesn’t affect anyone’s pocket, this doesn’t affect anyone’s life ... This would be the University’s way of putting its money where its mouth is and saying ‘we’re ready to be better.’”
However, Kroeger said they were concerned that the amendment does not go far enough to demonstrate that Emory is committed to education and inclusion. “I think the change is of huge symbolic nature,” Kroeger said. “However, I hope that Emory is dedicated to actually educating students on social issues rather than remaining content with symbols as the institution has in the past.” Shehab also expressed concern about discrimination on campus. “Trans and genderqueer people face extreme marginalization in society and, even within our Emory bubble, face exclusion and discrimination,” Shehab said. According to Darby, despite the difficulty of passing amendments, — he noted that the Constitution had not changed much in recent decades — he was optimistic about the likelihood that this amendment would be approved. “I’m hoping that with this particular amendment, people see that we’re trying to create a more inclusive community and make sure that people feel welcome,” Darby said. Zoberman emphasized the importance of passing the amendment. “We [must] show that we are ready to be a modern University with modern ideas,” he said. “If there was serious legislative opposition, it would be disgraceful.” At the meeting, there was no debate regarding the amendment, and the bill passed unanimously without any dissent.
— Contact Rupsha Basu at rupsha.basu@emory.edu and Luke White at william.white2@emory.edu
Students
Continued from Page 1 sional car driving down Eagle Row. “I like interacting with people who have had interesting or different experiences than me,” she said. As for marketing the program, Elliot wrote that there will be Coffee with a Cop set-ups everywhere — at academic buildings, in residence halls and outdoors.
“I like interacting with people who have had interesting or different experiences than me.” — Orli Hendler, College freshman Every officer has received training in the program’s purpose and how to conduct the program, according to Elliot. “I want to emphasize this is a Police Department program. This includes Fire Safety, EEMS [Emory Emergency Medical Service], our Administrative assistants, Police Cadets, Communications Dispatchers, Community Service Officers, Detectives, supervisors and officers,” Elliot wrote. She added that the EPD officers “are excited about sharing who we are and building a broader view of who we are and how committed we are to the safety of the community we serve.”
— Contact Annie McGrew at anne.elizabeth.mcgrew@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel
News
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
5
SGA Charters TableTalk, Funds TEDxEmory SGA also voted to give the other divisions. TableTalk Initiative, a student orgaThe Legislature passed the bill specify whether the candidates are nization that facilitates conversations unanimously with a vote of 24-0-0 required to choose a running mate, between members of the commu- and also agreed to fund TableTalk’s meaning some tickets would have nity that don’t normally interact, a proposed 2015-2016 budget of $3,450. two candidates and others just one. University-wide charter under SGA. Another student organization, Some members of the Legislature, SGA Chief of Staff and College TEDxEmory, also asked SGA for such as Goizueta Business School junior Adam Goldstein, who also funding for its annual student-orgasenior Jaanki Patel, helped found nized speaker event this weekend. were concerned that TableTalk, authored However, according to SGA Vice requiring a running the bill and said President for Finance and College “Our national mate would disthat the organiza- senior Patrick O’Leary, TEDxEmory government doesn’t get tion spans across had leftover funds in an account that suade people from running. anything done because all divisions, mean- made up for the original amount SGA Campus it qualifies for of funds it needed. Originally they run on a platform ing Services Committee Un ive r sit y-w id e TEDxEmory asked for around together.” Chair and College status and that $6,000 from SGA, but the account sophomore Max participation in contained around $7,000. Zoberman advocatInstead, the Legislature voted to — Cameron Duncan, CampusCouches, ed for requiring a SGA sophomore representative one of the cam- amend the bill to give TEDxEmory running mate, statand College sophomore paigns of the $1,500 in overdraft protection funds. ing that not doing TableTalk initiative, This means that TEDxEmory has so would defeat the usually includes $1,500 in case they over-withdraw purpose of the bill around 10 graduate from their existing accounts so they since it could still student members. can guarantee free admission to the yield a President and Vice President Goldstein added that chartering TEDxEmory event for all students. that have opposing visions. for the organization is necessary in The bill passed unanimously withCollege senior and SGA College- order to sustain itself after the current out dissent. wide Representative Aaron Tucek SGA administration, who has providFinally, the Legislature also suggested starting a broader conver- ed substantial funding for the orga- passed a bill that would amend the sation about whether Legislatures nization from its executive account, Constitution to ensure that all “Issues should have cohesive agendas and leaves office. of Significance” platforms and allowing legislative Some members are subject to pubcandidates to affiliate themselves of the Legislature “It’s a little dangerous lic scrutiny. The with a ticket. were concerned that bill defines “Issues However, SGA Sophomore TableTalk does not to not allow the student of Significance” Representative and College sopho- necessarily need body to pick and choose as changes to more Cameron Duncan quickly a University-wide the two most important the Constitution, responded with disagreement. charter to sustain bylaws, codes, govexecutives of the student erning documents “Our national government doesn’t itself. body.” get anything done because they run Only four other related to fee colon a platform together,” Duncan said. o r g a n i z a t i o n s lection, how offices But the overwhelming concern have University— Cara Ortiz, are chosen and the among legislators with requiring run- wide charters, SGA senior representative and number of divisional ning mates was that strong candidates which are Student College senior councils. who did not have a running mate in P r o g r a m m i n g The bill promind would not be allowed to run. Council (SPC), poses that changes While College senior and SGA Media Council, to any of the listed Senior Representative Cara Ortiz Outdoor Emory Organization (OEO) items should be appropriately pubthought allowing joint candidacy and Club Sports. licized to the student body through was a good idea, she shared some Goldstein said that having a char- email informing students of the variconcerns. ter would allow them to apply for ous stages in the SGA bill-passing “It’s a little dangerous to not allow funding through the standard bud- process. the student body to pick and choose geting process for all chartered The bill also proposes that these the two most important executives of organizations. issues be subject to a public forum the student body,” Ortiz said. “The SGA Student Life Committee for the issue to be debated, which student body should be able to vote Chair and College junior Elyse Lee ought to also be publicized to the on them individually.” asked Goldstein whether having a student body. The Legislature passed an amend- charter under College Council (CC), The Legislature voted to pass the ment that changed the language so which oversees clubs in the College, bill unanimously. This amendment that it did not require candidates to would affect their activities. will be subject to a student-wide refchoose a running mate. Goldstein responded affirmatively, erendum because it amends language The amended bill passed unani- stating that if TableTalk were funded in the Constitution. — Contact Rupsha Basu at mously, with two abstaining, for a under CC, it would be ineligible for rupsha.basu@emory.edu vote of 22-0-2. funding if it involved students from
Continued from Page 1
Hagar Elsayed /Photo Editor
Pamela Scully, professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies and African Studies, speaks at “Ebola and the Law in the U.S. and West Africa: Treatment, Vaccine Development and Ethics.”
Speakers Cite Economic, Political Consequences of Virus Continued from Page 1 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). After introducing the panelists and the event, Scully thanked the IDN for organizing the event in conjunction with the Institute of African Studies and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. Price first presented her take on the ethics surrounding the epidemic. She described the wide array of actors who each play a part in global and public health decisions. She explained that while government involvement in public health measures is important, government responses are, for the most part, inadequate. She discussed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) place in the epidemic. According to Price, WHO labeled the virus as a “public health emergency of international concern,” the third time the organization has used such a label to describe an outbreak. Although Price called government involvement an important factor in health interventions, she questioned how much is too much government authority, and how much is too little. For example, she cited the United States’ border control’s barring the entry of any suspected contaminated non-citizen, while all citizens had to be offered reentry. All U.S. citizens who were allowed reentry into the country could be immediately isolated against their will if believed to be contaminated with the disease. Price then focused the conversation on Emory, explaining how the Liberian government’s consent for the first two Ebola patients to come to
Emory was monumental, considering the governmental and non-governmental organizations’ interventions that had proceeded since their arrival. Price supplemented her presentation with photos of the planes carrying the first two Ebola patients treated at Emory. A problematic aspect of the intervention process, Price explained, was bringing aid to the West African nations in distress, as only one airline, Phoenix Air, is allowed to transport Ebola patients. This is because planes’ carrying capacities have been checked and approved by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Defense. Price also reviewed the great economical debates that became a part of the Ebola epidemic. She cited Minnesota’s decision to monitor 232 travelers, none of whom developed Ebola. The entire intervention cost them over $2 million. Lastly, Price accused the November election of using Ebola for selfish, political purposes. According to Price, the Ebola pandemic was “all over the news” before the November election and is now hardly seen. Wolpe, the following panelist, described the importance of differentiating between different types of ethics when considering public or global health interventions. He used the campaign to stop cigarette smoking as an example, and asked whether governments should incentivize people to stop smoking or create mandates that make it harder for them to smoke at all. Wolpe discussed the agreement between the WHO and Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) to use “unproven interventions” in such cases. Though the interventions were available, ethical conversations took place when officials decided to whom they would give vaccinations, he said. Wolpe also examined possible public perception that officials decided to vaccinate Dr. Kent Brantly because of his status as a white male, regardless of whether or not his vaccination made the most sense. He also talked about ethics in hypothetical situations, such as possible scarcity of vaccines during a flu epidemic. After Wolpe finished his speech, the panelists allowed questions from the audience. After the questionanswer session, the audience erupted in applause. This event was one of seven in a series meant to highlight the interdisciplinary nature of the Ebola pandemic and other diseases, RanchodNilsson said. She added that the series was first planned in November 2014, when Ebola was front and center in the Emory community. According to Ranchod-Nilsson, the purpose of the series is to utilize and showcase the abundant expertise present at Emory in a wide variety of departments. She added that the initiative was a response to the Coalition of the Liberal Arts’ (COLA) goal to increase “intellectual tailgating” and bring together different areas of academia at Emory. Ranchod-Nilsson said that this type of work is relevant not only to Ebola, but all diseases. She added that “we have a lot to learn.”
— Contact Naomi Maisel at namaise@emory.edu
Editorials The Emory Wheel
Tuesday, February 24, 2015 Editorials Editor: Rhett Henry
Contribute
Email: crhenr2@emory.edu
Our Opinion
Commencement Speaker Selection Process Flimsy
Last week, the University announced Salman Rushdie as this year’s Commencement speaker. While Rushdie is a world-renowned novelist, and we appreciate the opportunity to hear him speak, we take issue with the process by which the University chose him. We also wish to express concern that the University has chosen a speaker who may have been accessible to Emory students outside of Commencement. According to a Feb. 20 Wheel article, Vice President and Deputy to the President Gary Hauk forms a committee of about 20 third-year students — who are nominated by deans and faculty members — each spring to help select a Commencement speaker for the following year. The committee works together to come up with a list of eight to 10 potential speakers. However, the University has only successfully recruited someone from this list about twice in the past eight or nine years, according to Hauk in the article. This year, the committee was not consulted about the decision to choose Rushdie. While we acknowledge the difficulty of making this decision, the fact that the committee was not consulted demonstrates a lack of transparency in the decision-making process in selecting the Commencement speaker, in addition to diminishing student autonomy over who their Commencement speaker will be. Additionally, the University has been able to secure a speaker from the committee’s list a few times, which suggests that the lists submitted by the committee may not have been attainable in the first place, consequently providing the University with little assistance in making a decision. In addition to the process by which Rushdie was selected, we are concerned that Emory has chosen a Commencement speaker who seniors and graduating students have likely already had a chance to hear speak during their time at Emory. We believe the University should be choosing speakers from which students would not usually have access to learn. Instead, the University should choose speakers who share Emory’s vision but do not necessarily have regular contact with the University. Given these problems, we make the following suggestions. The committee and University should work together to make an effort to understand why the committee’s suggestions are so rarely chosen and find a way to ensure that the committee has more of a say in the decision in the future — whether that means making a more practical list on the part of the committee or making more of an effort to incorporate student input on the part of the University. In the article, Hauk said that the University is looking to use the Emory Bubble to solicit more student opinion on the Commencement speaker in coming years. The University should have used social media to crowdsource these opinions much earlier, and we additionally feel that the Bubble is not the most effective tool to reach the greatest amount of student opinion. Tools like Facebook or email surveys would work much more effectively. Additionally, Hauk and the committee should begin the search for candidates earlier than a year ahead of time, as many prominent people who would be good selections for Commencement — or who may be on these committee lists but end up with scheduling conflicts — have busy schedules that fill up months, or even years, in advance. The University should also make an effort to tap into connections that people in the Emory community may have. Professors and faculty have many connections in their specific fields, such as when director David Gordon Green came to Emory in 2014, and students may have connections at home. Finally, while we have had a good diversity of speakers in the past, the University should heavily consider bringing more female commencement speakers. In the past 10 years, Emory has had three female Commencement speakers — Marian Wright Edelman in 2006, Janet Napolitano in 2011 and Rita Dove in 2013. Greater inclusion of female Commencement speakers for Emory’s ceremonies could help reflect the diversity of Emory’s student body. While we are appreciative and grateful for the opportunity to have a renowned and accomplished speaker like Rushdie send our graduating students off at this year’s Commencement, we feel that the University should work further to incorporate more student voices into this decision in order to create a truly special experience at the event.
Zach Elkwood
Zach Elkwood is a member of the Class of 2015. His cartoons appear in every Tuesday issue of the Wheel.
Ben Perlmutter
China Sees Value in Space Exploration
Gender Neutral Pronouns Necessary for Inclusivity In recent years, “inclusion” has been a buzzword at this University, but concrete steps on making our University more inclusive in reality have been limited. However, Emory students have recently taken action to make that word a little more real. The 48th Legislature of the Student Government Association (SGA) unanimously passed an amendment on Monday that will change all instances of gender-specific language within the Constitution — such as the pronouns “he” or “she” and “his” or “hers” — to “they,” “them” and “their” in order to be more inclusive towards students with non-binary gender identities. The bill must now win a majority in a University-wide referendum in order to take effect. We applaud this genuine effort for greater inclusion in the Emory community. The continued normative use of the gender binary in our institutions is a manifestation of gender prejudice and exclusivity against people living outside of the binary genders of “man” or “woman.” Pronouns such as “they,” besides being used as a specific set of pronouns, are able to act as a neutral way to account for the unaccountable variety of different gender identities. The use of the singular “they” is disputed almost exclusively on grammatical grounds. Its opponents, pointing fingers at grade school English textbooks, adamantly claim that “they” is grammatically incorrect. Strictly speaking on traditional grammatical grounds, they have a point. However, there already exists in spoken English a common precedent of using the singular they, which has been used as a part of modern English since Shakespeare, and examples of its use can be found in the works of Jane Austen and Walt Whitman, among others. Finally — and most importantly — when considering the actual lived identities of people, it is disingenuous, not to mention disrespectful, to claim that the constructed rules of grammar prevent recognizing non-binary genders. Besides, it is only a matter of time before the rules of grammar change to accommodate the inclusivity of non-binary gender identities. We at the Wheel hope that the University recognizes the importance of extending inclusivity to all members of our community and will vote to pass the upcoming referendum, acting on one step in a long process of furthering the work of gender inclusivity at Emory and disrupting longstanding patterns of prejudice. The above staff editorials represent the majority opinion of the Wheel’s editorial board.
The Emory Wheel Priyanka Krishnamurthy EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sonam Vashi Executive Editor Elizabeth Howell Managing Editor Copy Chief Benazir Wehelie News Editor Rupsha Basu Editorials Editor Rhett Henry Sports Editor Zak Hudak Student Life Editor Stephen Fowler Arts & Entertainment Editor Samuel Budnyk Photo Editors Hagar Elsayed Features Editors Nicholas Bradley Ryan Smith Digital Editors Tarrek Shaban Harmeet Kaur Dustin Slade Online Editor Jake Siu
Special Sections Editor Jenna Kingsley Social Media Editor Dana Youngentob Asst. Copy Chief Shalvi Shah Asst. News Editors Lydia O’Neal Annie McGrew Asst. Editorials Editor Erik Alexander Asst. Sports Editor Elana Cates Asst. Student Life Editor Hayley Silverstein Associate Editors Karishma Mehrotra James Crissman Alex Jalandra Editor-At-Large Bennett Ostdiek
Volume 96 | Number 36 Business and Advertising Chris Tsui BUSINESS MANAGER Maggie Daorai Sales Manager Alyssa Posklensky Design Manager Account Executives Bryce Robertson, Lena Erpaiboon, Salaar Ahmed, Christopher Przybylski, Annabelle Zhuno Business/Advertising Office Number (404) 727-6178
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 limited to 700. Those selected may be shortened to fit allotted space or edited for grammar, punctuation and libelous content. Submissions reflect the opinions of individual writers and not of the Wheel’s Editorial Board or Emory University. Send e-mails to pkrish4@emory.edu or postal mail to The Emory Wheel, Drawer W, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga. 30322.
Priyanka Pai | Staff
The Chinese government is rife with corruption, commits horrible human rights abuses, bullies its neighbors and promotes environmentally degrading and polluting policies, among other offenses. But while the Chinese government, led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has many flaws, it’s making remarkable progress in the field of space exploration. As the American space program drifts directionless and is in a persistent hunt for funding, the Chinese space program is focused and flourishing. If the CCP maintains its focus on space exploration and its current plans stay on track, China is poised to have one of the greatest, if not the greatest, space program in the world in the 21st century. The CCP is firmly committed to making China a premier power in outer space in their quest to solidify China as a premier superpower. And, because China is an authoritarian state, the CCP is able to push its vision without opposition. While the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has to constantly plead to Congress for money in the United States for its next project, the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) has no such issues. Because the CCP supports CNSA, it is able to operate with far less budgetary concern and is able to focus on a long term agenda. China’s quest to become a space power on par with the United States has made dramatic progress in recent years. In the realm of human space flight, China has gone from putting its first taikonaut (the Chinese name astronaut) into space in 2003, to its first spacewalk in 2008, to building and manning a spacelab in 2012. In the coming years, there are plans for a permanently manned space station by 2020, a probable moon visit by 2025 and maybe even a mission to Mars — although the manned missions to the moon and Mars have never been announced formally. In the realm of robotic space exploration,
the CNSA has made even more dramatic progress. China has engaged in unmanned space activities since the 1950s as part of the Cold War, but its program lagged far behind that of the United States, the Soviet Union or any European countries. But, as China has emerged as a true great power since the turn of the millennium, the Chinese space program has likewise become more world-class. In 2003 and 2004, CNSA and the European Space Agency (ESA), launched two satellites to study the Earth’s magnetosphere. Then, in 2007 and 2010, CNSA sent two probes to the moon to take pictures. In 2013, making news around the world, the Chang’e 3 moon rover landed on the moon’s surface, where it still resides. Going forward, CNSA plans to send an unmanned mission to Mars by 2020 and launch an x-ray telescope in space. CNSA is also in the middle of building a satellite navigational system of its own, like the American GPS or the Russian GLONASS, called the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. As of now BeiDou covers the Asia-Pacific region, and it will cover the whole globe by 2020. Next year, CNSA plans to launch the Tiangong-2 spacelab, in which taikonauts will conduct science experiments. A new launch facility was just completed on Hainan Island, in the South China Sea. This new facility will be able to launch bigger rockets than any Chinese bases currently can, setting the stage for many of these future missions. All of these cosmic developments ensure that China will have a world-class space program in coming decades. This promise is in sharp contrast to the American space program, which Jeffrey Plescia, chairman of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group, says, “has been floundering around for decades, trying to figure out what to do.” While during the 1960s, and to a lesser extent 1970s and 1980s, the United States dreamed of going to the moon and pulling
ahead of the Soviet Union in the space race, American efforts in space have been fairly directionless since the end of the Cold War. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama have both talked of sending American astronauts to Mars by the 2030s, but given the current state of NASA’s efforts, this seems like an increasingly unlikely prospect. Congress does not like giving money for space exploration, given the long time horizons of space exploration missions — years, if not decades — and their diffuse benefits. It’s very hard to measure the benefits of space exploration’s contributions to science and the inspiration that it instills in the American public. Maybe though, if China starts to surpass the United States, in the caliber of its space program, the United States will feel incited to catch up and return to a focused and vibrant space program. The United States, in its incessant quest for global preeminence, likely would not tolerate a China superior to it in the cutting edge field of space exploration. Another space race could take off between the United States and China. The space race of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was fueled by nuclear paranoia and the ever-present specter of mutually assured destruction. Today, tensions between the United States and China are not nearly as high as those of the Cold War. There is virtually zero threat of nuclear war between the United States and China. Therefore, if a new space race is to emerge between the United States and China, it will be on much less threatening terms. It would reinvigorate American efforts in space. China’s fledgling space program should be seen as a model. Not only will it advance humanity’s efforts to explore the cosmos, it will also hopefully reinvigorate the United States to do the same. Ben Perlmutter is a College junior from Chappaqua, New York.
The Emory Wheel
Op — Ed
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
7
Edmund Xu
Walking, Not Driving, an Enriching Experience
Imagine yourself walking down a sidewalk. The street is full of little shops and restaurants, little boutiques and family-run bookstores alongside family restaurants and mom and pop ice cream shops. You live in an apartment above one of the stores, and from your balcony, you can see a small park across the street. You hear the laughter of children who are climbing the public art sculptures and swinging on the playsets. Elderly men gather to play chess, busy professionals rush across the grassy lawn while chatting on their cell phones and dogs bark with pleasure as they race to catch the tennis ball flying through the air. You are walking to work, a commute which takes roughly 15 minutes. You could use the time to quickly go through your emails or catch up on the morning’s news on your phone. Sometimes you share pleasantries walking alongside your elderly next-door neighbor, who is taking her grandson to school. The sounds of human life fill the air around you: the laughter emanating from the couple on a nearby bench who just shared an inside joke; the young girl crying because her mom wouldn’t buy the ice cream cone; the humming of the delivery man as he sings his favorite ‘90s tune. You blink, and suddenly, you find yourself thrust back to reality. You are sitting in traffic all by yourself, listening to the bland NPR broadcaster as he interviews a congressman about the latest bill winding through Congress. You hands weakly grip the steering wheel as you stare intently forward while lightly pressing the gas pedal every few seconds. Your commute takes an hour because you live in a suburban community far from the distant office park where you work. You can’t check your email, or read the newspaper, or idly chat with the stranger you just met on the bus. Instead, you are inching along in a metal box, spewing greenhouse gases into the air. All around you, there are other people miserably sitting in their own metal boxes. But other than the sound of the congressman on the radio, you are all alone. Cars are turning us all into misanthropes.
Valerie Reneé | Flickr
When we are inside our own personal metal box, everything outside of it becomes a nuisance. Pedestrians, bicycles, pets, traffic lights, cops and other cars are all obstacles that are slowing us down. When we are in a car, it seems as if every inch is important, even if it means blocking the intersection and those 50 riders on the shuttle trying to cross be damned. I am not arguing that the automobile is an inherently destructive technology. It has aided humanity tremendously by making transportation easier, quicker and possible for a larger number of people than ever before. But society has allowed cars to take over our lives to such an extreme extent that it has destroyed our communities. Before the advent of the automobile, humans lived in places
MLK Day Event A Huge Success Kiran Sonty This past Martin Luther King Jr. Day, over 400 students participated in Emory’s Day On, a comprehensive set of service projects hosted by Volunteer Emory. A slew of local organizations, including the Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House, Trees Atlanta and Habitat for Humanity, came out in support. I participated in this event alongside my fellow brothers of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, improving the local Benteen Park with Park Pride. Watching so many of my peers making use of the University holiday to collaborate to serve the city of Atlanta filled me with hope. I ended the day with an increased appreciation for both the legacy of social justice that is attributed to King and the limitless potential of our generation to improve our local communities. The enthusiasm for service and change that I saw Emory’s Day On reminded me of how much we can accomplish together when we commit ourselves to these ideals. The total number of rocks I picked up individually on the baseball field that day may not have been impressive, but a significant amount of garbage was removed from the facility by the sum of us volunteers. While the statistics of events such as Emory’s Day On are very impressive, one of my favorite things about Emory is that this spirit of service continues throughout the year. There are many individuals here at Emory who work with partner organizations on a regular basis. The culture here does not merely recognize the importance of community service — it encourages us to grow into citizens who are deeply and personally invested in the communities around us. Students have an abundance of opportunities to improve the community institutions in the cultural mecca of Atlanta. I have seen so many of my peers go beyond the hours that may be required for a class or organization to truly immerse themselves in projects that will better the neighborhoods that surround them. For example, my fellow fraternity brother and Alabama Resident Advisor Andrew Block (‘16C) takes his residents and friends every week to Stride Ahead Inc., an equestrian therapy center associated with Little Creek Farm of the DeKalb County park system. “My favorite part of volunteering is not just the work that we do, but also the connections that you make with fellow Emory students,” he said. “Regardless of year or background, you can learn a lot about someone and who they really are when you are volunteering with them.” This is key for personal growth as all of us move into adulthood, but it’s also crucial if we want to create a country that offers equal opportunity to every single one of its citizens. Through our service here, we lay the groundwork for the future activists and leaders we will become. In my time at Emory, it has been nothing but a pleasure assisting in classrooms of all ages with my fraternity brothers at Whitefoord Elementary School, located nearby in Edgewood. We act as teachers’ assis-
tants and help the students complete a wide variety of educational activities. Sometimes I help them complete assigned worksheets. Other times, I take part in classroom activities such as counting aloud or singing educational songs. Once, I assisted a third grader with writing a comprehensive paper on the Affordable Care Act, personally learning a lot about this policy in the process. While I am very grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these children, I was particularly moved when I noticed that students who were a part of Volunteer Emory had also coordinated their own trips to assist at Whitefoord as well. It became immediately clear to me that the Emory student body has an intimate relationship with the local Atlanta community. My personal experiences volunteering as a tutor in Atlanta Public Schools drove me to get further involved with Teach For America (TFA) — a national organization that recruits and prepares college grads to teach in highneed public school classrooms and join the movement for educational equity in this country. I first got to know TFA through my work at its teacher-training program based in assorted public schools throughout Atlanta last summer. Now, as a representative for the organization here on campus, I get to talk to Emory students about TFA’s mission and my own convictions about the right of all kids to have access to a quality education. When I do, I see the same level of passion in their faces that I feel in my heart. The students on this campus know the barriers low-income kids in Atlanta and across the country face. They know those barriers are the result of systemic injustice. In Atlanta Public Schools, children in low–income communities are more than twice as likely to attend a school that is not making adequate yearly progress compared to their peers in higher income areas. But Emory students also know that we can knock those barriers down with directed actions that have a localized impact on the surrounding community. Whether it’s through TFA or another pathway or organization, they know we each have a role to play. After meeting many of the student leaders that have made community service an integral part of their daily lives, I am confident that the legacy of King to advocate for social justice will live on at Emory University after reflecting on not only the contributions of my peers during Emory’s Day On, but after also realizing how many of them have continued to make sustaining contributions to the local community through their undergraduate years. For those of us who are upperclassmen, the next step is to make sure we continue that legacy after we leave campus. Wherever my fellow Emory students find ourselves after graduation, we must commit ourselves to serving the next generation and empowering them to become leaders and activists themselves. Together, we can continue to write the legacy that King and so many others started for us decades ago. Kiran Sonty is a College junior from Boynton Beach, Florida.
that were oriented around interaction among one another. Vestiges of this mindset is still alive in some of the older European cities, but almost everywhere in the United States today is dominated by cars. Almost every planning decision made today has made the car a priority, to the detriment of streetscapes, sidewalks and public transportation. The word “pedestrian” has even become a synonym for “dull” and “boring”. Unfortunately for us, this mindset has destroyed the life of our cities. After all, everything that makes an urban pedestrian happy: festivals, parades, street performances, pop-up bazaars, reliable public transportation and crowds, are the exact same things that make drivers miserable. Buses get in the way, parades cause street closures and the presence of pedestrians lower speed limits.
Cars are unable to participate in the gives and takes that characterize human interactions on a busy and vibrant street. Instead, what makes cars happy are parking spaces and a wide expanse of empty asphalt. However way you look at it, there is a fundamental disparity between the needs of a car and the needs of a human. Bill Lindeke, a street-life blogger from St. Paul explains it best: “Outside a car, more is good. Inside a car, more is bad.” I think that it is time to begin thinking about reshaping our primary modes of transportation. It is getting increasingly difficult to sustain the demands of an automobile-centric planning strategy. Cars are allowing people to live further and further away from their jobs, clogging our interstates with idle, pollutionspewing metal boxes that physically divide us
from our fellow humans. On the other hand, we can support a movement towards walkability and transit-oriented development that has sprouted up all over the country, including here in Atlanta. What would life in such a pedestriancentric neighborhood be like? I will use an example that we’re all familiar with: the Emory campus. Emory University, like many residential campuses, is a microcosm of the pedestrian neighborhood. Everyone on campus walks everywhere, whether they are students, professors or hospital staff, because all possible destinations, like the library or dining facilities, are within walking distance. When a person travels between point A and point B at Emory, they have the possibility of running into a friend or two, the farmer’s market, an impromptu a capella performance, or Wonderful Wednesday. This allows for the opportunity to catch up with said friend, buy that weekly Blue Donkey coffee on the way to class, or enjoy some music and conversation at Wonderful Wednesday. It allows for impromptu activity and some unexpected excitement that I think everybody needs once in a while. This kind of spontaneity and liveliness is not possible from within a car. A driver’s first and foremost objective is to get to their final destination as quickly as possible. If Emory were a car-centric campus, then we as drivers would miss all of the wonderful things that are possible when humans are allowed to interact with one another in a public space. When we drive, we are electing to separate ourselves from the outside world. When we walk or bike, we are choosing to become participants in a dynamic community that always leads to incredible experiences and lasting memories. I understand that sometimes we just want to be alone, or that we are late for a meeting. But on those lazy Saturday mornings during school breaks, think about stretching your legs for a stroll around your neighborhood. You may be surprised by all of the things you’ve missed. Edmund Xu is a College senior from Los Altos, California.
ISPs Threaten Freedom of Information Mariana Hernandez | Staff
Morgan Roberts The creation of the Internet has certainly been a game changer for humankind, and it has had a profound impact on the way we live our everyday lives. The way we learn, socialize, work and shop has been affected by the Internet. More recently, during the Arab Spring, social media played a role in an entire people’s fight against oppressive governments. The Internet has created a great deal of potential for sharing ideas, cooperation and creating a more educated public. Therefore there is too much good at stake to allow Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to manipulate the flow of information for their pursuit of wealth, which is exactly what is starting to happen, and will continue to reach new extremes if the federal government does not push for regulations. Currently content providers such as Netflix are charged extra by ISPs for preferential connection speeds. This means that Netflix has to pay ISPs extra to get reliable service and make sure that when you stream a movie or television show, you get the best possible service. Seeing there are already fast lanes for information on the Internet, what’s stopping ISPs from creating slow lanes for content providers who don’t pay? According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), most people get high speed Internet connection from a handful of telecommunication giants such as: Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, Time Warner, Cox and Charter. This means that without proper regulation, these giants have far too much say over what content they choose to promote by either providing content they profit with at higher speeds, or slowing the connection down for content they don’t profit with. Luckily there is bright side. President Obama has shown his dedication to net neutrality by urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to protect it: “An open Internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life,” he said in a statement. The President’s urging has worked, and Tom Wheeler, chairman of the FCC, is pro-
posing “the strongest open Internet protections ever proposed by the FCC.” According to The New York Times, Wheeler proposed regulating the Internet as a public utility: “The open Internet order, the FCC officials said, will give the commission strong legal authority to ensure that no content is blocked and that the Internet is not divided into pay-to-play fast lanes for Internet and media companies that can afford it and slow lanes for everyone else.” The FCC votes on the issue on Feb. 26. The proposal will enforce the principles of net neutrality under the Title II of the Telecommunication Act by reclassifying the high-speed internet service as a telecommunication service. The FCC proposal is truly groundbreaking for several reasons. The Internet is still a legal grey area, and legislators aren’t quite sure what to do with the expansion of services provided on the Internet. For example, legislators have done little to safeguard 4th amendment rights to Internet communication. Seeing how the Senate Intelligence committee mishandled the National Security Agency’s domestic and foreign surveillance programs raised some serious questions on how fourth amendment rights extend to the Internet, and the lack of legislation dealing with the issue. If the FCC succeeds, the legal precedence set would be a huge step in right direction, and future lawmakers will have more ground to stand on when sculpting legislation concerning the Internet. If given the opportunities, ISPs could regulate what we can access on the Internet, and exploit this power to increase profits at the public’s expense. Freedom of information is a catalyst for the evolution of society and its institutions, and net neutrality is the path. An Internet unfettered by content restriction creates the opportunity for a more educated public by providing a gateway to information that would otherwise be hard to access. The Internet opens doors for people who struggle to afford an education, creating a better educated workforce. A well-educated public means more educated voters, creating potential for better governments. This being said, even assuming the vote
goes well, Wheeler’s proposition wouldn’t be out of the woods. In 2014, a Federal Appeals court struck down FCC net neutrality regulations, which would have stopped ISPs from “blocking of prioritizing Web Traffic,” according to the Washington Post. The opposition was led by Verizon, who was protecting its ability to charge content providers for preferential service. On top of the courts, GOP net neutrality legislation could chip away at the FCC’s power to regulate the Internet, which would put future internet regulation in Congress’ hands, which Wheeler argues would harm the future of the internet. With a republican controlled House and Senate, Wheeler could be facing an uphill battle in Congress over the future of net neutrality. Continuing to allow ISPs to regulate and manipulate content on the Internet sets a scary precedent. Throughout history, oppressive regimes restricted information from their people, the most notorious example being the Nazi regime, which burned books that supported ideas that weren’t part of its ideology. While comparing Comcast to the Nazi regime is ridiculous, this is an extreme example of what information restrictions have been used for in the past, and it should serve as a cautionary tale for what can happen if any entity is allowed to manipulate the Internet. We still have quite a long way to go before this modern day book burning becomes a reality, but the government has an obligation to stamp out the possibility now to protect first amendment rights and the integrity of the Internet. As a student here at Emory, I have developed a great appreciation for the immense amount of information resources the University has made available to me. The Internet has proven its potential as a vast resource for information that, if restricted, would be counterproductive to society’s intellectual development. If the FCC beats its opposition, we can relax and realize that the Internet is a place where commerce, competition and ideas thrive. We can continue utilizing the Internet to create a better climate for cooperation that would forward interest for all humankind. Morgan Roberts is a College freshman from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
8
The Emory Wheel
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Crossword Puzzle The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Edited by Will Shortz Across 43 Comfy bit of footwear 1 Lead-in to cent 44 Certain dash or annum lengths 4 Passé 45 “Evita” role 10 Key of 46 Super Bowl Schubert’s gains Symphony No. 9: Abbr. 50 “The Merry Widow” 14 Lumberjack’s tool composer 15 Ivanhoe’s love 52 “Tommy,” for one 16 Alternative to 56 Tireless worker? Drive or Road 58 Managed 17 Scribble (down) 59 Bad to the bone 18 Dish with croutons and 60 What the starts Parmesan of 18-, 24-, 37cheese and 52-Across can provide? 20 Commotions 63 “Evita” role 22 Madrid month 64 Part of a parka 23 Lab bottle 65 Laundry worker 24 Pull-down 66 ___ stage sleeper 67 English princess 27 Daytime ___ who competed 29 Houston athlete in the 1976 30 Peculiar Olympics 32 Action film 68 In a rational way weapon 69 Old ___ (Yale, 33 Social Security affectionately) criterion 35 Okla. City-toDown St. Louis 1 Word before top direction or party 36 Verb with “vous” 2 Book of the 37 Evian competitor Bible or an event 41 Barnyard bleats described in it 42 Guernsey chew 3 Comeback
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60
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The Emory Wheel
Arts Entertainment Tuesday, February 24, 2015 Arts & Entertainment Editor: Samuel Budnyk (samuel.ross.budnyk@emory.edu)
Student Production
Emory Jazz Festival
‘Vagina Monologues’ Effective, Not Ideal Emory Big Band and
Motley Trio Jazz It Up
By Samuel Budnyk Arts & Entertainment Editor
The annual production of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, staged by student gender-focused organization Feminists in Action, presented to a sold-out house all three nights in Harland Cinema. The performance proved both powerful on a personal level yet bothersome on a textual level. As it was my first time seeing the Monologues, I was not quite certain what to expect. I knew that the piece generates a wide spectrum of reactions, a work that produces controversy while also having a devout, enthusiastic fanbase. It has been both villainized and glorified. It could prove to be anything. Arriving early for the opening Friday night performance, I took my seat at the end of an aisle, watching as the rest of the audience began to pour into the Cinema. It was a very diverse crowd, drawing both Emory students and members of the surrounding Atlanta area, with a wide range of ages and races represented. This was a community event, not merely an Emory one. As the lights dimmed, the show opened with the entire cast entering the room, lining the walls to both the audience’s left and right, and beginning a stereoscopic, antiphonic discussion on the word “vagina.” It was an effective opening, as the crowd could be seen quickly swiveling their heads back-and-forth to catch a glimpse of whichever woman had begun speaking; the audience was not able to sit still, forcing an engagement with all those present. After the whole of the cast had climbed onto the stage following the delivery of their opening lines, the play quickly progressed to its monologues. The Vagina Monologues are
Business School senior Kelsey Freedland performs the monologue entitled “Reclaiming Cunt.” Student organization Feminists in Action staged The Vagina Monologues over the weekend.
Film Speculation
the arts in atlanta
By Maggie Pavleszek Contributing Writer
Melissa DeFrank /Staff
intended to raise awareness of issues arising from gender, and I feel it did a fantastic job of this. The cast, consisting primarily of undergraduate students from Emory College, was at ease with their roles and with the hundreds sitting in front of them. Ensler’s writing lent itself to an informality that made every monologue seem very personal and as if it was individually addressed to you. Some of the most powerful moments were those based on interviews Ensler conducted with those that are transgender and had experienced horrific discrimination because of their gender identity, and with those women who had experienced rape in the course of the conflict in Bosnia. Those dialogues were difficult to listen to because they did not shy
away from the graphic details of the violence inflicted upon them by their assailants. It would have been near impossible for any person in that audience to not feel some disgust or pain at what was being described on stage; the actors moved and spoke with such emotion that it would require a true human disconnect to not be left on the verge of tears. It was powerful. With all the relatable, colloquial language and simple empathy present in Ensler’s writing, there were a few aspects of the play that were disturbing and worthy of critique. Placed near the end of the work, the monologue “The Little Coochi Snorcher That Could” was wholly inappropriate in the context of the greater Vagina Monologues. While
some of the works explored sexual violence as an awful reality that thousands of women face every single day, this particular monologue described a sexual relationship between an obvious child, who refers to her vagina as a “coochi snorcher,” and a 24-yearold woman. As I sat listening and watching the monologue, I was saddened. It was very clear what was happening; a little girl was being sexually exploited by an adult, but out of nowhere, at the conclusion of the monologue, it is described as a positive experience. Immediately after the play, I began researching the dialogue, assuming that I had misheard some aspect that made it clear that it was between
See ACTORS, Page 10
Emory’s Big Band and the Motley Trio, featuring special guest Alex Lattimore, took the stage on Jazz Fest’s second day in the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts and showcased the talent of the students and the stunning genre of jazz music. Director of Jazz Studies at Emory Gary Motley led the Motley Trio on the piano, with Rodney Whitaker on bass and Carl Allen on drums, filling the Trio to the brim with leading jazz musicians. Sixteen Emory students comprise the Big Band, also led by Motley, and the band is made up of 13 brass instruments, piano, bass and drums. Before the performance began, President of the Emory Jazz Alliance Hank Siegelson introduced the performers and the goals of the Emory Arts program for jazz. The Emory Jazz Alliance aims to support jazz education and performance at Emory, according to Siegelson. He also ensured that jazz will be a part of Emory Arts forever, and the audience seemed to wholeheartedly agree. The Motley Trio started the show without a word of introduction. Instead, Motley greeted the audience with a piano riff. Whitaker and Allen joined in after a minute, and as the three musicians came together, people began tapping their toes and nodding their heads to the beat. Motley used every piano key to his advantage and the sounds of the three instruments blended together
wonderfully. Motley composed all songs performed and had rehearsed them with the Trio for only a short time, but there was no indication of this in the performance. After three songs, Motley approached the microphone and said to the audience, “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you sitting there.” With a chuckle from the audience, Motley spoke about the other members of the Trio and Regina Carter, a famous jazz violinist who had performed the previous night along with the Trio. She also, along with the Trio members, taught and shared her passions with students in the Jazz Studies program through improv performance and composition workshops. Motley then introduced the special guest for the evening, Alex Lattimore. Lattimore is an accomplished jazz vocalist and horn player whose solo album, Promise, was considered for Best Jazz Vocal album at the 2008 Grammy Awards. He accompanied the Trio with vocals for three more songs. If anything had been missing from the Trio’s performance, Lattimore’s smooth, deep voice was exactly that. His voice beautifully accompanied every piano note, plucked string and drumbeat. After the Motley Trio and Lattimore performed, the Big Band filed onto the stage. The first song, “This I Dig of You,” mirrored the smoothness of the Trio’s performance with the piano and bass. The addition of the brass instru-
See STARS, Page 10
Marvel’s College Night at the High Museum Showcases Students, Art Studio Snags Spider-Man By Julia Munslow Staff Writer
By Jake Choi Staff Writer What was once thought to be impossible is now happening. On Feb. 9, 2015, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Marvel Studios announced that Spider-Man will now appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the home of prominent superheroes like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Hulk. The funny thing is that this wasn’t supposed to be the plan at all. After it acquired ownership of SpiderMan in film, Sony was known to be fiercely protective of the most popular Marvel superhero. No one really expected Sony to loosen its reins on this franchise anytime soon, much less lend its character to another company. In fact, the entire purpose of The Amazing Spider-Man reboot in 2012 was so Sony could keep SpiderMan as its property. When 2012s The Amazing Spider-Man, starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, was a critical and financial hit, Sony made plans to make an entire SpiderMan cinematic universe, featuring a plethora of supporting characters and villains — not unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). After releasing the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man, they were planning to make third and fourth installments for the franchise, and finally cap it off with a Sinister Six movie. The Sinister Six movie was supposed to be a villain team-up of Spider-Man’s villains (sort of like an anti-Avengers) to fight Spider-Man. It was a solid plan for Sony that was guaranteed to make the company lots of money, and people were expecting smooth sailing. So, what happened? Well, it
See THROUGH, Page 10
While artistic ability isn’t for everyone, it won’t stop you from appreciating art. The High Museum of Art gave college students the opportunity to do just that on Saturday, Feb. 21 at the museum’s College Night. Not only were the Museum’s galleries open to explore, but the evening event included dance performances, live music and a scavenger hunt. The event also allowed guests to explore “Imagining New Worlds,” a new, collaborative exhibition where Brooklyn artist José Parlá and Atlanta artist and Emory Graduate Institute for the Liberal Arts (IDA) doctoral student Fahamu Pecou respond to works by the Surrealist movement’s Wifredo Lam. Since most visitors did not come until later in the night, arriving early allowed for exploration of the art exhibits without dealing with crowds. Since this was my first visit to the High Museum, there was a bit of pressure to visit all of the floors. However, I still wanted to catch all of the performances and to experience as many of the events of the night as possible. Walking through the different floors before the performances began, it was satisfying as a first time visitor to be able to explore the wide variety of art. The museum showcased everything from Renaissance paintings to 19th and 20th century art. However, many of the college students seemed to enjoy the section with Modern Art, experimenting with the mirrors and taking photos in front of the artwork. Aside from the art gallery, the event also included a hands-on project where guests could decorate matchboxes to bring home as keepsakes. Although not every person crowded around the small table could claim massive artistic ability, the activity motivated college-aged students to get their hands dirty, diving into a pile of beads, glitter and sharpies in a manner that felt reminiscent of the arts and crafts days of childhood. Another success was the photo booth, complete with strange props and a vibrant background. College
Julia Munslow/Staff
The High Museum of Art hosted its annual College Night on Saturday, Feb. 21, drawing hundreds of students from local colleges. Programming for the night featured arts and crafts and performances by student groups.
Night also included stations for airbrush tattoos and temporary hair dye. While amusing, once completed, there was no need to return, allowing for the art in the museum and the performances to be the true focus of the night. The student performances took place in an open area on the ground floor, visible from any level of the stairs leading up to the museum’s exhibition area. While it was nearly impossible to watch some of the performances from the higher levels without failing to see the intricacies of the group’s display (particularly the dance performances), some were quite easily appreciated from even the top floor, such as the live music performances. Tekstyles, Georgia Institute of Technology’s breakdance group, showed off their physical abilities, demonstrating a wide range of dance styles, ranging from breakdance to popping to house. The group per-
formed as a complete ensemble while also giving individual members moments to shine by themselves. While each member was a part of the group, it was clear that each one also had a personal style, adding a unique flair to his or her solo. Another group from Georgia Tech, BuzzBeats, also drew plenty of applause from the audience. The beatboxing group opened with a fun freestyle, then extended an invitation to anyone in the audience who wanted to rap to come onstage and join the group. Surprisingly, an enthusiastic volunteer jumped up immediately. Grabbing the microphone, he began to cover “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z. BuzzBeats joined in, even continuing the song after the volunteer left the stage. After a quick freestyle, the group ended with two covers: The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” and Jason Derulo’s “Talk Dirty.” The enthusiasm and talent of the group
quickly had the audience smiling and nodding along. The performances also included a fashion show that featured designers from colleges in and around the Atlanta area. All of the designers took their inspiration from the art at the High Museum. As someone who is very much unaware of the fashion world, it was satisfying to see the work that college students are creating today. The last performance of the night was by Emory’s own hip-hop group, TrickaNomeTry. The all-male dance team elicited both applause and laughter from the audience, bringing comedy as well as talent. While there were the formal, scheduled performances of the night, the most surprising and gratifying shows seemed to happen spontaneously. Those who performed were constantly breaking out their dance moves and drawing the attention of
those nearby. Though they were not officially performing, the dancers seemed to be having just as much fun, showing off and teaching those from other schools. Perhaps these were truly the best performances of the night: impromptu, entertaining and organic. Although the formal performances were incredibly enjoyable, it left little time for those who watched to continue to tour the museum, forcing guests to rush through any unexplored exhibitions. While I also felt the pressure to see every part of the museum despite the small amount of time left at the end of night, for a first visit to the High Museum, College Night seemed to introduce students to the museum in a new and interesting way — involving those who may not have visited outside of the event and creating an incredibly satisfying experience for all.
— Contact Julia Munslow at julia.munslow@emory.edu
10
Retro Sci-Fi
‘Battlestar Galactica’: A Forgotten Classic
By Vikrant Nallaparaju Contributing Writer Remember that episode of “The Office” where Jim is making fun of Dwight by imitating him and says, “bears, beets, ‘Battlestar Galactica’?” While many people have heard of “Battlestar Galactica,” most people don’t know that it’s actually a reboot of an older series from the late 1970s. I’ll just say this up front: I love the original 1978 “Battlestar Galactica” series. Was it overflowing with ‘70s sci-fi cheesiness? Yes. Were the tone and setting very similar to the first “Star Wars” film? Yes. However, what the original “Battlestar Galactica” lacked in originality, it made up for in heart and great stories. During its mere one-season run, the show tackled themes of sin, age and honor, all within a sci-fi/fantasy universe that was equal parts “Star Wars” and “Lost in Space.” The central premise of the show is fairly simple. Evil robots, called Cylons, have been waging a war with humans for decades. On the eve of what seems like a peace treaty, the Cylons use the negotiations as a ruse to attack the last human colony, Caprica. The last humans are forced to flee aboard the Battlestar Galactica, a massive starship that leads many smaller ships in an interstellar caravan across the galaxy to a search for a new home. The humans decide on “Earth,” where a small group of humans settled centuries ago. While this basic idea seems hokey on paper, the show producers forged many great stories when they weren’t hampered by broadcast standards and interference from executives to make the show more of a family-friendly affair. One of my favorite episodes is “The Long Patrol.” In that episode, Lieutenant Starbuck, played by Dirk Benedict of “The A-Team” fame, crash-lands his ship on a prison planet, where all the prisoners are forced to serve lifetime sentences for the crimes of the ancestors. As such, all the prisoners are given names like “Assault 9” and “Adulteress 58.” The other prisoners believe that Starbuck is an “original sinner,” and his lineage will suffer for his crimes. The idea of being born into crime was very dark subject matter for a show that was otherwise marketed as a show for all ages. At the same time, however, these were the kinds of ethical questions good science fiction raises. Are people born into lives of crime? Is there a system in place in which some people are forced to repeat the crimes of their parents?
The Emory Wheel
arts & Entertainment
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Seeing this episode for the first time really made me question they way we view justice as a concept within our society and whether it’s truly an effective system at all. Sadly, despite offering great programming like the above episode, the show’s days were numbered from the beginning. In addition to having special effects and stage settings that just weren’t feasible on a television budget, the increasing pressure of the studio to make the show more kid-friendly created a lot of tension between the show’s creators and studio executives. Ultimately, the show was cancelled after one season but has since become a cult classic around the world. The rise of online streaming and Netflix have allowed an all new generation of fans to discover the series and the rich universe it had developed. When the 2004 revival series came around, many of the central ideas/characters of the show were changed. The Cylons were created by humans rather than being made by aliens. The Cylons were now able to disguise themselves as humans. Benedict’s cocky, womanizing Starbuck was replaced by Katee Sackhoff, playing a darker, more emotionally tormented version of the character, something Benedict and many other fans objected to. As for me, the original 1978 “Battlestar Galactica” is still my favorite version. I felt the 2004 series was too selfconscious of its own setting and took the characters a bit too seriously, playing many situations for melodrama which I simply wasn’t a fan of. While the original series had its moments of soap opera antics, they usually took a backseat to developing good interactions between the characters and crafting compelling plots for each episode. Sure, not every episode was perfect and even I chuckle at some of the dated 1970s dialogue, but it was clear that the show’s creators were really working to make something greater than the “Star Wars” clone that many derided it as. In the end, the original “Battlestar Galactica” was simply a show ahead of its time. In the modern television climate in which shows like “The Walking Dead” and “Game of Thrones” utilize elaborate sets and effects, the show may have been able to survive beyond its untimely one-season demise. However, the show still has a legacy as one of the all time greats of science fiction television, and I highly recommend checking it out.
— Contact Vikrant Nallaparaju at vnallap@emory.edu
Through Marvel, Spider-Man Has Another Chance Continued from Page 9 turned out that The Amazing SpiderMan 2 was a massive piece of turd. Just kidding. It wasn’t that bad. In fact, even though I thought it had many problems, I still had fun watching it. However, it was still a step back in terms of progress in Sony’s Spider-Man cinematic universe plan. It was the lowest grossing movie in the series, and the collective opinion of both the critics and public seems to be that it’s the worst Spider-Man movie after Spider-Man 3, and that is obviously not a good thing. People were wondering what Sony would do with its property and whether the sequels would still be happening. And then the Sony hacking-scandal happened. In winter of last year, The Interview was a comedy that generated controversy. In response, a group calling themselves the “Guardians of Peace” hacked Sony and later threatened to set bombs in various theaters that would show The Interview. As a result of that hacking, emails of Sony officials, including those of Sony chairwoman Amy Pascal, were leaked. Controversial statements from the private emails showed that Sony and Marvel had
talked about the possibility of lending Spider-Man to Marvel Studios, although the negotiations had ceased. However, due to public scrutiny and the underwhelming results of the franchise, it seemed that Pascal and Sony didn’t really have a clear plan anymore. Therefore, it was a pleasant surprise when Marvel announced that Spider-Man is appearing in the MCU. The deal made between these two companies states that SpiderMan still belongs to Sony. However, the character will be integrated in the MCU, with Sony continuing to finance, distribute and have creative control of the future Spider-Man films. In addition, the MCU might bring in characters of their own franchise to future Spider-Man films. The final result is quite exciting, especially because this means that a new Spider-Man movie is planned to come out on July 28, 2017 as part of the MCU’s Phase Three. Interestingly, even though Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 sequels have been cancelled, the Sinister Six spin-off is still on the schedule. This also means that, for better or worse, this will be the second reboot of the Spider-Man franchise, making
this the third Spider-Man we’ve seen since 2000. Even though Sony appears to have most of the control of the SpiderMan franchise, we have to remember that with its current success, Marvel Studios doesn’t necessarily need Spider-Man in their universe. Of course, it will be interesting to see how Spider-Man will fit into future Marvel movies, especially for Captain America: Civil War because Civil War was the event where Peter Parker revealed his secret identity and had to choose sides between Captain America and Iron Man. Therefore, this decision is an added bonus for both Marvel Studios and comic book film fans, as we will finally see our favorite wall-crawler fighting side-byside Iron Man and Captain America. The tradeoff is, that with the inclusion of the new Spider-Man film, the release dates of the other Phase Three films will be pushed back. As for the new Spider-Man movie in 2017, it has been announced that Garfield will no longer be playing Peter Parker. Actually, there has been discussion whether the next Spider-Man movie will even have Peter Parker as Spider-Man. After all, we don’t need another origin story
Concert Review
Kina Grannis Delivers Stunning Performance By Rashika Verma Contributing Writer Having never been to a live music concert before, I had high expectations for my first one. I always knew that I would prefer a more intimate performance to one at a giant stadium with thousands of people, but I didn’t know exactly how amazing it would feel to stand in a crowd of less than 100 people and just appreciate the music. The Vinyl, a small venue in Midtown, was the perfect place for musicians Kina Grannis and Imaginary Future (also known as Jesse Epstein, Grannis’ husband). Both have risen to fame from their videos on YouTube, which feature them singing cover and original songs, sometimes with other members of the YouTube music community. Their music is uniquely their own, playing up both of their strengths as vocalists while also showcasing their talent as guitarists. While waiting for the show to start, my friend and I met a couple who had been fans of Grannis for years and had even gotten married to one of her songs. We also talked to another fan who had been to every one of Grannis’ appearances in Atlanta since she began touring. Overall, the atmosphere during the concert was definitely one that was
centered around everyone’s appreciation for the musicians. The show opened with Imaginary Future taking the stage and charming us all with his bad jokes before singing some of his original works. His music is slow and contemplative, and his voice has a raw sound in which you can really lose yourself. The emotion is palpable in every word, and the way he completely commits to his performance really adds to the soulful nature of his music. In the dim lighting of the venue, with just a single spotlight on the singer, everyone was able to tune out the world and just listen. He sang five songs from his first album, Fire Escape, my favorites of which were “Fire Escape” and “Chasing Ghosts.” But it wasn’t too long after he finished his set that Grannis burst onto the stage with “Dear River” from her new album Elements. Grannis first rose to fame when she entered (and subsequently won) the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl competition in 2008. While she also won a record deal with that win, she soon left the company so that she could pursue her own unique sound, not the one the record company wanted her to have. At the concert, Grannis delivered an eclectic mix of her works, drawing from her new album while also throwing in fan favorites such
as “Valentine” and “Message From Your Heart,” for which she called up six lucky audience members to sing on stage with her. She even treated fans to her popular cover of “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood, stripping the song down to its vocals and delivering an impassioned performance of the indie-rock song. But the highlight of the night was undoubtedly the chemistry between Grannis and her husband. The two could not stop looking over at each other while they were singing, and their relationship from high school sweethearts to husbandand-wife was reflected in their music. Their collaboration “I Knew This Would Be Love,” which has over a million views on YouTube, was especially beautiful as their voices complement each other’s perfectly. While Grannis was the headliner, Imaginary Future really stole the show for me with his indie-inspired music. dI think I have found a new anthem in his song “Fire Escape,” which has been playing non-stop in my room for the past week. Grannis and Imaginary Future showed the world that at the end of the day, all you really need to make good music is a little bit of inspiration and a whole lot of love.
— Contact Rashika Verma at rashika.verma@emory.edu
Stars Perform Spectacularly at Emory Jazz Festival Continued from Page 9 ments gave a sense of structure to the performance’s previous effortless quality. Every song performed by the Big Band built on the amazing position with which the Motley Trio left the audience as well as on every subsequent song. Whitaker and Allen joined the Big Band and then Motley returned to his
Comics
place at the piano. This exemplified the goal of Jazz Fest. It was the integration of generations and passions for the genre. Jazz has the ability to sound completely effortless, masking the precision and structured rhythm. This performance showed both of these aspects of jazz with the smoothness and calm of the performance of the Motley Trio and the structured aspect that is associated with the Big
Band style. Big Band music is very closely associated with jazz, so the performances of the two groups allow for this dichotomy within jazz to shine through. Each performance built on the last, as indicated by the applause from the audience. The excitement and applause of the crowd was just as important to the music as the bass, piano and brass.
The Jazz Fest audience was fully invested in the performance and in support of the Emory Jazz Alliance. With this performance and Jazz Fest at Emory in general, Motley achieved the goal of the Jazz Studies program and the Emory Jazz Alliance. With this performance, the promise of the president of the Emory Jazz Alliance could not be denied. Jazz will be a part of the Emory Arts
program and the Emory community forever. After his performance, Lattimore told Motley, “Thank you for keeping this kind of music alive.” The audience seemed grateful for this as well, and through this performance, Emory musicians certainly played their part in keeping jazz alive at Emory.
— Contact Maggie Pavleszek at mpavles@emory.edu
involving a radioactive spider and the death of Uncle Ben. Some are hoping that Miles Morales, a half-Black, half-Hispanic teenager around the age of 13, will be the next SpiderMan, just to freshen things up. Others want to keep Peter Parker, but shorten or ignore the origin story altogether. Fans are already speculating on who can be the next Web-slinger. Some potentials include Logan Lerman (“Fury,” “The Perks of Being a Wall Flower”), Taron Egerton (“Kingsmen: The Secret Service”), Dylan O’Brien (“The Maze Runner,” “Teen Wolf”) and Donald Glover (“Community”). Since Marvel is apparently looking for a young Spider-Man in high school, only time will tell which actor the producers will pick. This business movie is not only huge for Marvel Studios and Sony, but also the comic book fandom as a whole. We’ve dreamed about this move ever since Nick Fury appeared in the post-credits scene of Iron Man in 2008. With the huge onslaught of comic book movies coming out this decade, Marvel movies have become a cultural empire, and it’s simply “amazing.”
— Contact Jake Choi at hahn.choi@emory.edu
Actors Amazing, Text Tanks Continued from Page 9 consenting adults — and it became very clear that it was not. The event was treated as a mere exploration of one’s sexuality, even though the girl had been plied with alcohol before the assault. There was no inkling of consent present at all. While the script had been toned down from the original version, which stated “ ... if it was rape, it was a good rape,” the monologue raised numerous issues for me as a male. It described a non-consensual, criminal sexual relationship between two women as positive while many consensual heterosexual relationships were described in harsher or less favorable language. This detracts from the Monologues. “The Little Coochi Snorcher That Could” should either be excised from any future performances of The Vagina Monologues or revised further to remove any element of rape from this tale if Ensler truly wants this to be a positive story. The women that performed in this section did a wonderful job; it is a shame that the material they had been offered was so offensive to our common dignity. I greatly enjoyed my first Vagina Monologues, and I feel they can serve as a vehicle to expose men and women to these very real, very under-understood (or even known) issues. I praise both the production team and the women that acted in the performance — they did a truly spectacular job that deeply affected me as an audience member. Only the playwright can right the issues with the current text, and I hope that by next year’s V-Day, a new version might be out that will better present and represent the play’s message.
— Contact Sam Budnyk at sbudnyk@emory.edu
DC Comics Is Long Past Its Prime, Difficult for Fans to Follow By Sam Ready Staff Writer
DC Comics is ending its bold “The New 52” lineup, at least in name, after the multi-franchise crossover event the “Convergence” is over. The name is gone, but the already problematic 52-dimension multiverse will stay ... for now. And if you’re at all surprised, you clearly haven’t been paying attention for the last few decades. Though purported to be the singular, final iteration of DC’s ever-changing multiverse, The New 52 has proven to be just another one of DC’s long string of gimmicks starting with the Crisis on Multiple and Infinite Earths and in fact proven the exact opposite point that it set out to make: the DC Multiverse and its 80-year menagerie of countless alien planets, alternate dimensions, increasingly mutable characters and absurdly convoluted timelines is fundamentally unstable and has no attention span. There was a time when, like a loyal sports aficionado, I couldn’t praise any works by Marvel or Image Comics or even Dark Horse without
following it up with an obligatory “but DC is the best.” But it really isn’t. How many times has it been now that DC has made a massive and controversial change only to noncommittally retcon it at the first opportunity? In the last 25 years DC has killed Superman and brought him back — twice. Batman’s mythos has lost and regained Wayne parents’ assassin Joe Chill. The cute “Flash-of Two Worlds” homage to comics past snowballed into Crises of Multiple and Infinite Earths, Zero Hour, Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis and a dozen other epics that are impossible to follow (and not just because the numbering kept getting reset across all titles to match the rebooting). The Barry Allen Flash died — not that anyone remembers — and as for Supergirl, the original died, the replacement died and then the original was reimagined. Barbara Gordon turned from spunky sidekick Batgirl into paraplegic computer genius Oracle and back again ... and again? I can’t remember. Gotham City was ravaged by an earthquake and Bruce Wayne was
framed for murder. Lex Luthor became president and declared war on Superman and Batman as public enemies. The Green Lanterns dragged everyone into the Brightest Day and Blackest Night messes that no one can seem to sort out, and Darkseid and his Fourth-Worlders got entangled in franchises they had no business in, as when they killed Batman — Or was he just lost in time? Did they ever clear that up? Krypton got un-destroyed. Superman adopted General Zod’s son and Batman conceived and raised an illfated fourth Robin by Talia al Ghul. The Flashpoint Paradox changed everything across the board, which was actually pretty cool. Except don’t worry, none of that really happened — see, we’re starting over; it’s The New 52! ... And Superman is with Wonder Woman now and has a new costume and a new power. For so long now it’s been the same game: making a massive move that changes everything and then forgetting that it ever happened; in all cases requiring that everyone buy a lot of new comics and then disregard them as no longer canon.
As it has been for decades, Marvel is the artists’ collective and DC is the faceless corporation. To clarify for less-informed readers, DC is the one with Superman, Batman and the Justice League, including the Flash and Greens Arrow and Lantern, and Marvel is the one with Spiderman, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, including Iron Man and Captain America, and the X-Men, including Wolverine and Deadpool. That’s not to say that Marvel is any saint; they’ve got a few reboots on their hands, including one in the works coming up after the new Secret Wars retelling, and Bob Kane screwing over Batman co-creator Bill Finger for full credit is not the only time something like that has happened in big-name, top-shelf characters (cough Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.) But when Marvel wanted to feature a gay wedding, they used X-Men member Northstar (introduced in the ‘70s and come out of the closet in the ‘90s and married in the 2010s) whereas when DC wanted to compete with those sales they simply rebooted Green Lantern Alan Scott from wise, 60-something year old
veteran superhero and mentor (first introduced in 1940) into fabulous, 20-something jetsetter and gay groom-to-be (a complete archetypal change — as if they had to make him young and trendy for him to be gay), seemingly forgetting in the process, by the way, that old Alan Scott’s superhero son Obsidian was already gay but apparently just too obscure. Or take for example the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a long multiphase plan that started with Iron Man and took the slow route over several years and phases to the Avengers, as compared to DC’s awful “Man of Steel” and their apparent plan to jump straight into the Justice League after its sequels “Batman vs. Superman: Enter the Knight” and “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” featuring Superman, Batman, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Aquaman and what could only appear to be Doomsday; isn’t that a mouthful! Marvel takes it slow. DC is just impatient. The only reason I stuck around with DC as long as I did is that I liked the characters; Batman and the Justice League, especially.
But I can’t put up with DC’s socalled “canon” even for the “Dark Knight”: for the last several years the only DC I will buy is Batman trade paperbacks — thematically driven, non-canonical one-offs by Joseph Loeb, Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Kevin Smith and the like that stand alone from DC’s insane alternate-history-of the-week formula. If a DC story sounds interesting, I wait for it to come out compiled, vetted and reviewed in an anthology. If a DC story offends me, I wait a week for them to change their minds and play revisionist history with George Lucas. DC may have invented the rules, inventing the superhero genre with the creation of Superman and then Batman in 1935, but 80 years later, Marvel runs the game, and the truth is, it has for some time. And, if not Marvel, then someone else, but certainly not what’s left of Detective Comics, which, after jerking around its readers for decades with unfollowable nonsense, has long-since outlived its importance and my patience.
— Contact Sam Ready at sready@emory.edu
E
The Emory Wheel
Sports
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
On Fire
agle xchange Wed 25
Thurs 26
Swimming Women’s Men’s & Diving Basketball Basketball
Tues 24
“Welcome to the 87th Oscars.” — Doogie Howser
Sat 28
vs. Rochester 2 p.m. Rochester, N.Y.
vs. Rochester 12 p.m. Rochester, N.Y. NCAA Regional NCAA Regional Diving Diving Championships Championships All Day All Day San Antonio, Texas San Antonio, Texas
Softball
3n2 Classic 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. WoodPEC vs. Oglethorpe 2 p.m. WoodPEC
Golf
Baseball
Fri 27
Callaway Gardens Invite TBD Pine Mountain, Ga.
Continued from the Back Page
WOmen’s Tennis Track & Field
Courtesy of Andrew Hodowanec/The Case Western Observer
Junior forward Will Trawick defends a Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) player at their game this past Friday.
Squad Awaits NCAA Tournament Selection
ting four of their first five shots as they established an eight point lead early on. From the beginning, it was clear that it was going to be a very physical game, and a gritty first half included a lot of pushing, shoving and flying elbows. However, much of the contact went uncalled, which would prove to play into Emory’s favor. Carnegie Mellon was sluggish from the opening tip, as sloppy passes and careless errors resulted in 13 turnovers in the first half. The Eagles struggled shooting-wise in the first half, making only 30.8 percent of their shots, but the team was able to maintain the lead by playing their usual aggressive defense and using the fairly loose officiating to capitalize on their size and strength advantages. The Tartans shot 46 percent from the field, but the Eagles’ full court press on defense caused a lot of problems for the Tartans. The Eagles’ active hands led to countless deflections and seven steals, including three by Florin. A three pointer by junior guard Davis Rao with 4:15 left in the game put the Eagles up 30-20, their largest lead of the half. However, the Tartans went on a 9-0 run, narrowing the gap to 30-29 at the half. The Eagles’ scoring was evenly distributed, with each starter contributing four to six points in the first half. The Eagles grabbed 10 offensive rebounds and attempted 13 more shots than Tartans, but led by only one at the half. Senior guard Seth Cordts led Tartans scorers with 11. Carnegie Mellon opened the second half with a basket to put the Tartans ahead 31-30, their first lead of the game. Trawick answered with a three-pointer to put Emory ahead 33-31. Both teams traded baskets over the next five minutes, a span which included five lead changes and three ties. After a 7-0 run, the Tartans held their largest lead of the game, with just under 14 minutes remaining. A three pointer by Terry brought the Eagles within one, ending the Tartans’ run. Both teams battled for control of the lead while the Eagles
Junior Ilene Tsao guards against a Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) player. Tsao reached double-digit scores for both the Eagles’ away games this past weekend.
Eagles to Finish UAA Play With Rochester
UAA Indoor Championships All Day Chicago, Ill.
Continued from the Back Page
Courtesy of Andrew Hodowanec/The Case Western Observer
vs. Methodist 1 p.m. WoodPEC
vs. Georgia Gwinnett & Berry 2:30 & 6 p.m. WoodPEC
continued to exploit the Tartans’ inability to break the full court press, coming up with five more steals. Emotions were flying on both sides, as the physical play kept up in the second half, but the Eagles were unfazed and continued to play with poise and control. “We kept our composure and powered through and didn’t let anything bother us,” Foster said. With the Eagles trailing 51-52 and just over nine minutes remaining, Florin converted a three-point play, retaking the lead for Eagles, which they would hold for the rest of the game. Four consecutive three-pointers by the Eagles, including three by Rao, extended the lead to nine with just over six minutes to play. The Tartans struggled from behind the three point line and were unable to answer back, ultimately losing to the Eagles 63-75. The Eagles used 17 free throws and eight three-pointers to pull away in the second half, despite shooting only 34.9 percent from the field and making two fewer field goals than the Tartans. Rao finished with 17 points, to lead the Eagles, Florin contributed 13 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals and Terry added 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals. Head Coach Jason Zimmerman emphasized how proud he was in his team’s performance in the last two games. “It was a tough weekend and we really proved what we’re made of,” Zimmerman said. Zimmerman also praised his team’s maturity over the course of the season. “We started off 1-2 in our first three league games and to come back and win at least a share of the division really shows our growth as a team,” he said. The Eagles take on the University of Rochester (N.Y.) on Saturday at the WoodPec at 12 p.m. with a chance to win the league outright and guarantee a spot in the NCAA Men’s Division III Tournament. — Contact Joseph Shapiro at
joseph.elliott.shapiro@emory.edu
11
Over the third and fourth remaining minutes Sayyid made back-to-back rebounds and Dumbei added another to give the Eagles a 60-54 lead. With 13 seconds on the clock, the Spartans narrowed the deficit to two points, but Kaniut fired back with a perfect free throw. Case junior forward Laura Mummey added another two to the scoreboard with a second left, but the buzzer went off before the Spartans could overcome the Eagles one point lead. “It was fatigue and they made some adjustments,” Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty said. “They made some run outs on us in the second half, and they got more aggressive on the glass.” Sayyid and junior Ilene Tsao led the Eagles’ scoring effort with 20 and 10, respectively, while Tsao added four assists. Tao and Egbuna knocked down eight boards a piece, followed by Sayyid with seven. On defense, Tsao notched four steals and Sayyid forced six turnovers. “We take the lead and just the composure, fire and will that our players showed, to lose the lead and take it back for the win,” Thomaskutty said. The Eagles went into Sunday’s game with a 12-11 record against the CMU Tartans’ 11-12. CMU freshman guard Anna Novak set the tempo only 30 seconds in with a threepointer. Two minutes later, a Sayyid three-pointer tied the score at five. The Tartans retook the lead and held it for the next two and a half minutes, but a jumper from Tsao tied the score at 13-13 with 14:45 on the clock. The
Tartans again took the lead, but with 11 minutes remaining in the half, Dumbei and Sayyid knocked in two consecutive shots to take the lead at 19-18. Both teams’ offenses heated up in the final minutes of the first half, but the buzzer rang with the score at 35-39, CMU. Tsao and Dumbei led the Eagles’ scoring effort in those first 20 minutes, bringing in 12 each. Sayyid, who had put up nine points, left the game due to an injury. Additionally, sophomore guard Michelle Bevan had not traveled with the team due to a concussion. Tsao added three assists, and Egbuna and freshman forward Mikaila Schmitt had four and three rebounds, respectively. The second half swung in favor of CMU, led by sophomore center Lisa Murphy, who put up 21 throughout 20 minutes. Egbuna followed Sayyid to the bench with another injury. “We already didn’t have Michelle Bevan going into the game and losing [Sayyid] and [Egbuna] in the middle of the game rattled us a little bit,” Tsao said. Tsao answered with 16, followed by eight from sophomore guard Fran Sweeny. Despite those efforts, the game came to a close with a 74-85, CMU score. “Coach said in the huddle, we always prepare for adversary,” Tsao said. “Before the game, she was saying that we cant do this along. It’s a team effort. I took what she said and decided I needed to step up and do it for [Sayyid] and [Egbuna].” “[Tsao] probably had the best weekend of her career,” Thomaskutty
said. “We had two players leave the game for injury and Ilene put the team on her back.” Tsao’s 28 total points were the most from an Eagle this season and the 16th most in the program’s history. She also led the Eagles in assists with five and was followed in points by Egbuna with 15. Egbuna also knocked down an impressive five boards for the Eagles. “[Tsao] probably had the best weekend of her career,” Thomaskutty said. “We had two players leave the game for injury and Ilene put the team on her back. Everyone picked up their game. I can’t say enough, my team does not quit. I’m very, very proud of the way they played yesterday.” The Eagles will close out the regular season at home this Saturday against the University of Rochester (N.Y.) Yellowjackets. “Rochester is a huge team. Playerfor-player, they have at least six inches on us,” Thomaskutty said. “It’s not so much about the opponent as it is about getting better. It’s a two-year plan. We don’t lose anyone, and want to build towards next year and finish on the right note. Tsao echoed Thomaskutty and emphasized that the final game will decide whether the Eagles finish the regular season with a winning or losing record. “These games are crucial because they lead into our postseason and preseason next year,” she said. “It shapes type of swagger we’re going to bring into next year.” — Contact Zak Hudak at
zachary.j.hudak@emory.edu
Your On Fire correspondent’s possible gambling addiction resurfaced with his (or her) Oscar bracket last night and a Venmo charge of $500. Your On Fire correspondent would like to know what strain of marijuana the Board of Governors smoked when they chose to not even nominate “The Lego Movie,” for both Best Animated Feature, let alone Best Picture. And he (or she) would also like to know where he (or she) can purchase some of said marijuana. But your On Fire correspondent does not make his (or her) living as a film critic. He (or she) makes said living as a sports critic. Therefore, our loyal readers, your On Fire correspondent presents the “All Time Sports Movie Oscars.” (Note: The unqualified editors of The Emory Wheel insisted that this list, like the Oscars, create unnecessary suspense, so this will merely be Part One of a two-part award ceremony.) 1. The Film That Fills Your Throat With the Most Nostalgia: “The Sandlot” This is a film about boyhood, about mischief and Babe Ruth. Now, your youthful On Fire correspondent was not alive back in 1962, when this film takes place, but he (or she) sure as hell played baseball every day of his (or her) summers. In fact, your On Fire correspondent was to Derek Jeter as Scotty Smalls is to Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez, only your On Fire correspondent’s bromance with DJ is a little stronger. 2. Best Locker Room Speech: Coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) in “Miracle” “Great moments are born from great opportunity.” Need your On Fire correspondent say more? 3. Best Sports Film With Live Action and Animation: “Space Jam” How is this even a contest? Bugs is hilarious. The aliens are horrifying antagonists. Lola Bunny is the second hottest animated chick — of course, after Jessica Rabbit in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” — to ever set foot on a live action/animation set. Bill Murray is a heart throb. And MJ deserved his own award for his perfect combination of swagger and bad acting. (Bonus: if you Google “Space Jam,” you’ll find the film’s original 1996 website, and it’s fucking awesome.) 4. Best Beam Routine in a Movie: “Stick It” Blood, sweat, tears and leotards. “Stick It” is the best gymnastics movie of all time. The story of a young, rebellious girl sent to gymnastics training camp instead of jail. Could a person ask for much more?!
Courtesy of Emory Athletics
Junior Mikayla Carnley swims at the Emory Invitational. Carnley secured a provisional qualifying time in the 200-yard backstroke for the NCAA Championships. The Championships will be held next month, with the Eagles training hard until then.
Swim and Dive Prepare for NCAA Championships Next Month Continued from the Back Page seconds, and got his time down for the finals, coming in first with a time of 56.30 seconds. In the 200-yard butterfly timed trial, Galvin swam a 1:51.82, and also got his time down for the finals, winning with a time of 1:50.17. Many freshmen added the other ‘B’ cut times. Freshman Oliver Smith recorded a 20.71 seconds timed trial in the 50-yard freestyle. Freshman Aaron Schwartz added a cut time in the 100-yard breaststroke timed trial, finishing in 57.14 seconds. Freshman Brandon Shinsato recorded 1:49.74 minutes in the 200-yard backstroke. Freshman Wes Duke added with his 1:51.33 time in the 200-yard backstroke preliminaries. Senior Kevin Flood also contributed with his 1:51.98 time in the 200-yard butterfly. Freshman Rebecca Upton led the Emory women, recording ‘B’ cut times in both the 400-yard individual medley preliminaries, placing second
with a 4:29.20 time, and the 100-yard butterfly, finishing first in the finals with 56.95 seconds. Junior Mikayla Carnley added a provisional qualifying time in the 200-yard backstroke timed trial with a time of 2:03.73. Freshman Ming Ong also contributed in the 200-yard butterfly timed trial with a 2:05.28 time. In the 400-yard individual medley preliminaries, Newsum-Schoenberg (4:26.49) and senior Nancy Larson (4:36.36) each contributed a qualifying time. Freshman Phoebe Edwards with her 2:05.37 time in the 200-yard backstroke and senior Lexi Tutor’s 2:24.29 time in the 200-yard backstroke each qualified as well. Besides the cut times and qualifying marks, Emory placed first in all but five event finals. Other first place finishes were by Carney in the 500-yard freestyle (5:03.33), junior Megan Freeman in the 200-yard individual medley (2:10.02), senior James David in the men’s 200-yard indi-
vidual medley (1:59.32) and the 200yard breaststroke (2:15.98), freshman Kike Afolabi-Brown in the 50-yard freestyle (24.32 seconds) and the 200-yard freestyle (1:53.34), freshman Ollie Smith in the men’s 50-yard freestyle (21.28 seconds), freshman Alexandra Brown in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.27), freshman Sia Beasley in the 100-yard backstroke (58.62 seconds), junior MacKenzie Brosnahan in the 100-yard freestyle (52.48 seconds) and freshman Alex Hardwick in the men’s 100-yard freestyle (46.33 seconds). The Eagles now await the announcement of which swimmers have been selected to swim at the 2015 NCAA Division III Championships. Selections will be announced tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 25) at 10 a.m. on ncaa.com, with an unofficial psych sheet due later that day. The NCAA Championships are scheduled for March 18 through 21 in Shenandoah, Texas. “It’s definitely a confidence boost-
er to go into the NCAAs with a big win like this,” Newsum-Schoenberg added. “We still have a few weeks before the Championships so we will keep up the good work and get in some good practices.” The women’s team has won the NCAAs for the past five years in a row, while the men have had nine third-place finishes at the Championships. “It’s very humbling to have that legacy of wins, it has set us up for where we are now,” NewsumSchoenberg said. “But, every meet is a new meet, every day is a new day, and we will go in with confidence, but not too much confidence because you never know what could happen. Plus, everyone else is working just as hard as us so it will be a challenge.” Emory’s divers will be back in action on Friday and Saturday in San Antonio, Texas for the NCAA Region Two Diving Championships. — Contact Elana Cates at
elana.cates@emory.edu
Sports The Emory Wheel
Tuesday, February 24, 2015 Sports Editor: Zak Hudak (zachary.j.hudak@emory.edu)
Men’s Basketball
Men’s Tennis
Squad Takes Second in National Tourney By Jacob Spitzer Staff Writer
Courtesy of Andrew Hodowanec/The Case Western Observer
Senior guard and captain Mike Florin dribbles the ball away from a Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) player. Florin and the Eagles defeated both Case Western and Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) this past Friday and Sunday.
Team Takes Two on Road Trip By Joseph Shapiro Contributing Writer
The men’s basketball team defeated two University Athletic Association (UAA) opponents this weekend. The Eagles beat the Case Western Reserve (Ohio) Spartans 71-65 and the Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) Tartans 75-63. With the wins, the Eagles clinched at least a share of the UAA title. The Eagles played their first game of the weekend against Case Western. Emory made the scoreboard first with a three-pointer by junior forward Will Trawick. Senior guard and captain Mike Florin led the way with 14 points, and the Eagles held a fourpoint lead at the half. The Spartans struggled shooting in the first half, making only 29.7 percent of their shots, but they were able to keep the score close thanks to 12 points from
senior forward Dane McLoughlin, who contributed three three-pointers. The Spartans continued to keep the game close, and with seven minutes remaining they took their first lead of the game off another three pointer by McLoughlin. Over the next six minutes, both teams traded baskets, and the Eagles retook the lead when senior forward Alex Foster buried a deep three-pointer over two Spartan defenders to give the Eagles a 65-62 lead with 41 seconds left. Trawick sank five of his six free throw attempts in the final minute and the Eagles held on to win 71-65. “We really stepped up late and made some big shots and knocked down our free throws,” Florin said of his team’s ability to hold the lead down the stretch. Foster led the way with 20 points and five rebounds, Florin contributed 17 points, three assists and three
steals, and Trawick added 12 points and four rebounds. Emory’s sophomores — guard Jonathan Terry (six points, three rebounds and three steals) and forward Austin DaGue (eight points, four rebounds and four blocks) — provided big contributions off the bench. “This game was a grinder, and we didn’t play that great offensively, but we just kept our head up and stuck to our gameplan,” Foster said. On Sunday, the Eagles traveled to Pittsburgh to take on Carnegie Mellon in a game with significant repercussions for both teams. Emory needed a win to guarantee them at least a share of the UAA title, while Sunday’s match would be the final home game for the Tartans’ four seniors. The Eagles started off strong, hit-
See Squad, Page 11
This past weekend, the Emory men’s tennis team competed in the ITA National Indoor Championships in St. Peter, Minn. The team won its contests against Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) and Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) on Friday and Saturday, but fell to Trinity University (Texas) in the championship series on Sunday. Against the Carnegie Mellon Tartans, senior Alex Ruderman played first singles once again coming back after losing the first set 7-5 to beat junior Abhishek Alla 6-0, 6-2 in the following two sets. Senior Eric Halpern played second singles and lost to senior Christian HeaneySecord 6-2, 7-6, 6-4. Emory junior Rafe Mosetick played third singles and defeated sophomore Kenny Zheng 7-6, 7-6 to take the match in straight sets. In the doubles competition, Ruderman partnered with senior Ian Wagner to take the first doubles position and defeat senior Bryce Beisswanger and junior Yuvraj Kumar 8-4 in an eight game proset. Halpern and freshman Scott Rubinstein played second doubles, taking a 8-6 loss. Mosetick played with freshman David Omsky, who continued his strong premier season in the third doubles division defeating the team of sophomore Kunal Wadwani and Heaney-Secord 8-2. ”These are the weekends that we have to train for, because when you get to the conference tournament and Nationals at the end of the season, you have to be ready to play three matches over the span of three days,” Ruderman said. “It was definitely more than we were used to thus far, but we have to be ready for it, and our team seemed to be in pretty good shape.” In the next match against the Washington Bears, Ruderman once again came back after losing the first set 3-6 to defeat sophomore John Carswell 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in first singles. Halpern bounced back after losing his previous two matches to defeat senior Ross Putterman 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the second singles spot. Mosetick played third singles once more defeating sophomore Jeremy
Courtesy of Emory Athletics
Junior Rafe Mosetick runs to hit the ball. Mosetick was named the University Athletic Association (UAA) Athlete of the Week this past week.
Bush 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. Singles four, five and six spots all were wins for the Bears tying up the singles competition at 3-3. “Our top three singles players all lost the first set of our match and all came back and won in three sets to clinch the match,” Ruderman said. “ I think that was a big statement to how resilient our team is.” The Eagles swept the doubles competition, winning all three matches. Wagner and Ruderman defeated Putterman and Bush 8-4. Rubinestein and Halpern defeated senior Kevin Chu and freshman Jason Haugen 8-4 as well. Mosetick and Omsky finished up the doubles competition winning 8-3 against freshmen Shaun Berman and Johnny Wu. “WashU was a big rivalry match. They’ve been our biggest conference rival since I’ve been at Emory, and long before that,” Ruderman said. “Going into the match, they were the higher seed, and we played some outstanding doubles.” In the title competition, the Eagles
Swimming & Diving
fell to the third-ranked Trinity Tigers 5-4. In first singles play, Ruderman fell to junior Adam Krull, 2-1. Trinity senior then defeated Halpern, again in the third set. Mosetick defeated sophomore Jordan Mayer 2-0, and the Eagles took two of the remaining three sets. In first doubles play, Ruderman and Wagner defeated Mayer and senior Aaron Skinner, 8-5. In the second and third sets, however, the Eagles fell to the Tigers. “This was the competition that we’re going to have to be ready to compete against,” Ruderman said. “The fact that we were able to keep up with them was a good sign, but also a sign that if we’re going to win a National Championship, we’re going to have to get a lot better.” The Eagles’ record is now 4-1 on the season, and they will continue their play at Troy University (Ala.) on Saturday, March 7. Sports Editor Zak Hudak contributed reporting. — Contact Jacob Spitzer at
jacob.alexander.spitzer@emory.edu
Women’s Basketball
Women Beat Case, Fall to Carnegie By Zak Hudak Sports Editor
‘B’ cut times at their last meet before going into the NCAA Championships next month. Seven Eagles on the men’s team captured the ‘B’ cut times. Freshman Michael Grenon and junior John Galvin led with two ‘B’ cut times each. In the 100-yard backstroke timed trial, Grenon swam in 56.51
The Emory women’s basketball team bounced back from the previous weekend’s two losses with a nail-biting 61-60 road victory over the Case Western University (Ohio) Spartans last Friday. The following Sunday, however, the team was unable to hold off a Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) attack and fell 85-74. The Eagles, 11-11 at the start of their game against the then 7-15 Spartans, took the lead early with a free throw from freshman center Dumebi Egbuna and a layup from junior guard Khadijah Sayyid. The final points in the first half came off a layup from sophomore guard Shellie Kaniut, and brought the Eagles’ lead to a comfortable 11 points. The Spartans came out of the locker room hot in the second half, senior guard Brooke Orcutt sinking a three-point jump shot to start a scoring rally over the next five minutes of play. With 15 minutes on the clock, the Eagles 31-20 halftime lead had narrowed to 33-29. The Spartans remained narrowly behind until five free throws and a layup put them on the leading side of a 48-50 score. Two baskets from freshman forward Lauren Weems and another from Sayyid gave the Eagles a four point lead, but the Spartans battled back.
See Swim, Page 11
See Eagles, Page 11
Courtesy of Emory Athletics
Junior John Galvin swims in the butterfly event at the Emory Invitational. Galvin added two NCAA ‘B’ cut times, helping the Emory Eagles win the invite against Birmingham Southern College (Ala.). The Eagles now are preparing for the NCAA Championships.
Eagles Dominate at Last Meet Before NCAA Championships By Elana Cates Asst. Sports Editor This past Friday and Saturday, the Emory men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams hosted Birmingham Southern College (Ala.) and Rhodes College (Tenn.) for the Emory Invitational. The Emory men impressed with a total 237 points, defeating the
Birmingham Panthers’ 55 points on the men’s side. The Emory women’s team beat the Panthers 379 to 49 points. Rhodes’ team did not place, only having one athlete compete. “Birmingham is a relatively new program, and I commend them for coming after our team,” senior Mckenna Newsum-Schoenberg said. “They didn’t have their whole team there, and we did, so we definitely
had the advantage. But, it was a fun, cool environment to have everyone cheering for each other, no matter which team. It was a supportive environment to get some last cuts before the NCAAs.” The Emory Invite was the last chance to get cut times for the NCAAs. Emory invited Birmingham so that the cut times would count for the NCAA, not necessarily to com-
pete with the Panthers, sophomore David Tao said. “The main focus was getting those cut times, not to compete against Birmingham,” he said. “Now that people gained those cuts, practices are going to go up [in intensity] for a little, but before the NCAAs we will calm down a bit and rest for the competition.” Emory also racked up 17 NCAA