Emory University fell to No. 22 in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report’s (USNWR) “Best Colleges” ranking for national universities, following five consecutive years of Emory being ranked No. 21.
on the undergraduate experience. It’s really exciting for me to be able to turn my energies toward partnerships with campus life to ensure that we are offer ing undergraduates a fully integrated educational experience. It also means promising and ensuring a connection between what happens in the class room and the experiences students have beyond the classroom, whether it’s in study abroad, internships or engage ments with the new Pathways Center. The second is to continue to support and accelerate our research mission and seize opportunities to inspire our faculty to produce path-breaking research with real impact. The third is to advance our campaign strategic plan, our capital campaign and engage deeply and closely with our alumni and other supporters to help fuel the engine of the University.
Interim Emory College Dean sits down with The Wheel
Biden’s three-part plan will provide targeted debt relief, with up to $20,000 in debt cancellations to Pell Grant recipi ents — students who have demonstrated financial need and have not earned their bachelor’s degree — and $10,000 to nonPell recipients. High-income individuals in the top five percent of incomes will not benefit from the loan relief.
The last time Emory’s rank dropped was in 2017, when the University lost its No. 20 spot in the USNWREmory’srankings.No.22 position is the University’s lowest rank in decades.
Emory Wheel: What about your past roles at Emory, as executive associ ate dean and Goodrich C. White WGSS professor, have prepared you for this new role?
Goizueta Business School’s rank improved by one position, now rank ing No. 13 for undergraduate busi ness programs.
CF: One of the greatest things about Elliott’s leadership was that he recruited and supported his team to be leaders in their own right. He invested a lot of his energy in faculty diversity, for example, and he let me take that ball and run with it in some exciting new directions. In the six years I served in the senior associate dean of faculty role, I helped us hire hundreds of new faculty, many of whom are faculty of underrepresented groups. Elliott empow ered me to be creative.
In addition to borrowing between $3,000 to $4,000 per semester since enrolling at Emory University, Abri Rochte (24B) pays her tuition with her own money each“It’ssemester.always a bit frustrating,” Rochte said. “Every year, I have to take out slightly more loans. I think that’s because the fed eral system allows you — but also makes you — take more loans each year.”
Carla Freeman, former execu tive associate dean of Emory College of Arts and Sciences (ECAS), Goodrich C. White Professor of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) and associated faculty in Anthropology and Latin American and Caribbean Studies, assumed the role of interim dean of ECAS. She replaced Michael Elliott, who assumed his new role as president of Amherst College (Mass.) on Aug. 1 after leaving his position as dean of ECAS.
under U.S. President Joe Biden’s loan for giveness plan, Rochte qualifies for up to $20,000 in loan forgiveness.
Since 1980, the cost of attending both private and public four-year universities has nearly tripled, with almost a third of
Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) and Georgetown University (D.C.) are now tied for No. 22 with Emory. Georgetown also ranked No. 22 last year, while Carnegie Mellon ranked No.The25.
“The new rankings are the latest indicator of Emory’s leadership in high er education,” Assistant Vice President of University Communications and Marketing Laura Diamond wrote in an email to the Wheel.
No. 20-ranked University of California, Berkeley rolls a bowling ball at Emory University, Carengie Mellon University (Pa.) and Georgetown University (D.C.), who are now tied for No. 22.
Since 1919 EMORY LIFE BIKE CLUB EXPLORES ATLANTA NEIGHBORHOODS OPINION ATLANTA TRANSPORTATION EMBEDDED WITH RACISM SPORTS EARLY MORNINGS, LATE NIGHTS FOR GRAD ATHLETES BACK PAGEPAGE 9PAGE 6 PAGE 7 Wednesday, September 14, 2022Volume 103, Issue 10 Printed every other Wednesday
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Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing took the No. 2 position in the undergraduate nurs ing rankings, up from a No. 4 tie last year with the University of Michigan School of Nursing and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Nursing. Last year, the Duke University School of Nursing (N.C.) and the University of Washington School of Nursing tied at No. 2. The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing remained No. 1.
See FREEMAN, Page 3
“I wish they made it more obvious that the cutoff was loans from June 30, but I’m thankful that there’s loan forgiveness at all,” Rochte said. “I think it’ll cut my total amount that I owe upon graduation in half.”Biden announced on Aug. 24 that the federal government would cancel $10,000 of student debt for low- to middle-income borrowers. According to an Aug. 24 state ment released by the White House, Biden will implement a three-part plan to pro vide more “breathing room” to the United State’s working families.
Since 1994, Emory’s rank never fell below No. 21 — until now.
University of California, Berkeley, which ranked No. 22 last year, tied with University of California, Los Angeles at No. 20 this year, pushing down Emory from its previous rank.
EW: Former Dean Michael Elliott “made major strides in faculty diver sity and eminence, undergraduate lib eral arts education, philanthropic sup port and recruitment of top students,” according to the Emory News Center. How will you continue Elliott’s legacy as interim dean?
Nica Leu Ng/coN tributiNg iLLustrator
Emory
H a tieN NguyeN/seNior staff iLLustrator
borrowers having debt but no degree due to their inability to keep up with cost of attendance.Theburden falls disproportionately on Black borrowers. A typical Black borrower who started college in 1995 still owes 95% of their cumulative borrowing total.
The plan will also “[hold] schools accountable when they hike up prices” and cut monthly payments in half for under
EW: You have been directly involved in efforts to bring in new faculty hires belonging to identities historically underrepresented in academia. Where do you see the current state of faculty diversity and how will you continue this work?
University’s Independent Student Newspaper P PAGE 2
Biden’s loan relief cancels up to $20,000 in student debt, afects Emory students
See STUDENT, Page 3
Carla Freeman: That’s an easy one and a fun one to answer. Fundamentally, if you were to ask me who you are, I am an anthropologist. That is the lens with which I navigate the world. In many ways, I have discovered that being an anthropologist gives you a really good toolkit for being a dean. I love to teach, and I really love working with undergraduate students. Like most professors, one never imag ines the life of a dean when you’re enjoy ing that beautiful combination between research and teaching. The nature of my work focuses on the meaning and struc tures of work in people’s everyday lives. You occupy this really wonderful position of combining the creativity and curiosity that you can bring to the classroom, to the research. It’s incredibly meaningful to be able to support and work with some of the world’s greatest scholars and teachers.
EW: What are your plans as interim dean of ECAS?
By MAtthEw chupAck Executive Editor
— Contact Matthew Chupack matthew.chupack@emory.eduat
Emory now ranks No. 22, lowest position since 1994
In an interview with The Emory Wheel, Freeman shared her thoughts on a wide array of topics, including diver sity and student engagement. Responses have been edited by the Wheel for clarity.
USNWR included a new rank ing this year for students graduat ing with the “Least Debt.” Emory is ranked at No. 40 with an average federal loan debt after graduation of $16,556.Emory is also identified as No. 21 for both the undergraduate teach ing program ranking, which is based on faculty’s commitment to teach ing undergraduates in a “high-qual ity manner,” and the “Best Value” schools based on academic quality and cost.
CF: In my executive role, I have had the opportunity to work really proactively
The Emory Wheel
NEWS WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO K NOW ABOUT SGA A&E ANCIENT GEMSTONES GLIMMER AT THE CARLOS
As of this semester, Rochte has taken out close to $16,000 in federal loans. But
CF: There are three main goals or promises that I have set for myself in this role. One is that the spotlight is
By AshlEy Zhu Politics Desk
According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, the medi an post-graduation debt for Emory gradu ates is $16,556, and approximately 25% of Emory students receive federal loans.
Though SGA cannot pass a bill for many issues that are at the hands of administration, SGA does have the power to make direct changes to stu dent finances through the student activities fee, which is under their control. Each student pays $117 per semester, which SGA divides between the four divisional councils. The councils then use the money to fund clubs. SGA also funds six executive agencies, which include the student programming council, media coun cil, Outdoor Emory, club sports, Emory Entrepreneurship and Venture Management and TableTalk.
Legislators make up the legislative branch, which Stegall manages. If she is not able to fulfill her role because of situations like medical leave, Khegan Meyers (24B) would take over because he is the ranking member.
To make changes to legislation — such as changing the cost of the student activities fee — SGA has to pass a bill. For example, in August 2020, SGA voted to pass a bill to cut the student activities fee by 25% amid a wave of canceled events during COVID-19. Stegall added that SGA later voted to cut the fee com pletely the following spring. Bills are also used to edit governing documents.
Wang added that they are excited for the opportunity to be the first to hold the position.
“A lot of people are just like, 'Oh, you've heard the idea now, why hasn't it changed in a couple of months or a couple of weeks?'” Stegall said. “It's because you have to do the research and admin like to know numbers.”
SGA implements sustainability initiative, discusses upcoming year
“Taking all of those puzzle pieces and putting it together to be able to actually do something concrete with student concerns is the best way that I could put it,” Stegall said.
“Part of it will be hopefully working with Emory admin to properly adjust to their climate action plan, as well as communicating what certain needs on campus are coming up and what concerns they should be aware of,” Marchuck said. “The committee will
“Climate change and environmental justice is one of the biggest problems our generation faces,” Wang said.
Marchuck also hopes to pursue elec tion reform following last year’s SGA presidential election, which was marred by controversy surrounding the clarity of SGA’s code of election documents and how to handle a “no confidence” win.
The executive branch includes the chiefs of staff, who oversee the branch and communicate with Marchuck to help the executive cabinet carry out initiatives and connect with administration.Othermembers of the executive branch include the secretary, who is in charge of keeping track of atten dance and records in addition to serving on the Board of Elections, the attorney generals, who oversee the governing documents, various vice presidents across disciplines such as finance, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI), tech nology management and communi cations, a Residence Hall Association liaison and a Student Alumni Board liaison.The
“If there's a consistency among the other divisional councils about the same types of concerns, that's when we address it,” Stegall said. “So our things are very much university-wide instead of specifically to one campus or one divisional Council.”
Judicial Branch
— Contact Madi Olivier madi.olivier@emory.eduat
When SGA advocates for a change on campus, legislators will vote to pass a resolution. Although a resolution
The Emory WheelNEWS2 Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Once SGA decides to take on an issue, they cannot simply vote to make an Emory-wide change, which Marchuck said is a common miscon ception. In reality, SGA’s job is to gath er research about the issue through means such as student surveys, data analysis and student experiences, which they then present to the admin istration to advocate for change.
Resolutions and bills are voted on by 15 legislators. An additional legislator, the Speaker, only votes if another legisla tor is absent and a tiebreaker is needed.
Catherine Wang (24C) was named SGA’s first vice president of sustain ability. They are an environmental sci ence major and have been a member of the Emory Climate Reality Project since they were a first-year student. They also helped design the interdisciplinary stud ies course “revolution in the anthropo cene,” which discussed science fiction, environmental justice and economics, and acted as a teaching assistant.
“I want to make sure that OSI has the student support that they need and just support in general, adminis tratively, and if not, rallying students to make sure that OSI has the support due to the important work that they do,” Wang Explainingsaid.that the sustainability committee will be dedicated to advocat ing to University administration about student concerns and policy changes, SGA President Noah Marchuck (24C) told the Wheel that sustainability is one of his main goals for the year.
By MAdi oliviEr News Editor
Representatives from each divisional council — called legislators — express concerns about their school to SGA.
“I’m really glad that the SGA rec ognizes this as a need,” Wang said. “There is a lot of interest in the popula tion and there’s a need for Emory to do better at sustainability, so I hope to be a liaison between the different campus organizations, offices, professors and students who want to make this cam pus more Althoughsustainable.”theynoted they are still early into their role, Wang said their goals include increasing student engagement with sustainability and communicating with offices on cam pus promoting sustainability. They also hope to work with Plastic Free Emory and the Office of Sustainability Initiatives (OSI) to reduce single-use plastic on campus, such as during the Emory Farmers Market.
Elections Board chair and vice chair also reside in the executive branch. The Board of Elections is a neutral party that oversees all SGA elections.Several committees exist within the executive branch. They consist of communications, DEI, governing docu ments, sustainability, finance, student concerns and Oxford-Atlanta relations.
a LLy Hom/PHoto editor
be following through on those initia tives and helping gather that research.”
Speaker of the Legislature Alyssa Stegall (21Ox, 23C) described SGA as a puzzle made up of individual pieces of the University, such as different student organizations and administration. She explained that SGA is the culmination of these pieces and acts to represent students and Emory as a whole.
SGA has 16 legislators: eight from CC, three from Oxford, three from BBA and two from ESNA.
The last branch of SGA is the judi cial branch, which is made up of the Constitutional Council. The Council hears and decides any cases regarding the constitutionality of SGA or any undergraduate student group and is headed by a chief justice, who presides over six associate justices.
Executive Branch
“When it comes to looking for more systemic changes, or more pol icy changes, we can't control that,” Marchuck said. “We bring that to peo ple who are higher up and have the power to make those changes.”
does not make any immediate chang es, Stegall explained that it catches the attention of “Especiallyadministration.ifithasunanimous con sent, it shows admin … 'Hey, this is like a very, very pertinent student concern at the moment,’” Stegall said. “This should be put at the top of your priority list.”
“A bill is something that creates concrete change,” Stegall said.
SGA also has an executive branch, which Marchuck leads. His main role is managing behind-the-scenes aspects of SGA that are not in the legislature, such as finances, govern ing documents and programming. He also acts as the main connection to University administration.
Marchuck recently established an electoral reform commission, which is dedicated to editing the election docu ments. Although Marchuck said he could not discuss specific changes that are being made, he noted that the revisions will likely be completed by November so the legislature can vote to implement the updated governing documents before SGA’s spring elections.
Marchuck added that applications for the first-year council will open at the end of the month. The council meets weekly with a member of SGA to discuss their role and how to get involved further. First-year students on the council also get to carry out their own initiatives.
“It's the best way to get involved in student government because you also learn about the inner workings of it while finding your own footing and seeing what it is that you're interested in,” Marchuck said.
Emory University’s Student Government Association (SGA) voted to instate a sustainability vice president and committee during their Sept. 12 meeting after students expressed concern about SGA’s “lack of focus” on sustainability ini tiatives, according to Bill 56sl18.
Breakdown of SGA
Marchuck noted that this process can take upwards of several years before a permanent change is made. For exam ple, when multiple students complained to SGA about the lack of menstrual products in bathrooms, they spent four years working with the administra tion on the Free Menstrual Products Initiative, which launched in fall 2021.
SGA is made up of representatives from the four divisional councils, which each serve one of Emory’s undergradu ate schools — College Council (CC), which represents the Emory College of Arts and Sciences, the Emory Student Nursing Association (ESNA), the Bachelor of Business Administration Council (BBA) and Oxford SGA.
Legislative Branch
PHoto courtesy of emory uNiversity
knowledge and a profound love for this place as a member of the faculty and as a parent.
and the Democrats in Congress weren’t delivering on the promises that they ran on in 2020. She said that the plan is tar geted toward young voters, who histori cally have much lower turnout than older generations.“Thisissomething that can be used on the doors and on the phones with peo ple to excite them about why you should vote Democratic, then he wanted that,” GillespieAssociatesaid.Professor of Political Science
Communications and Marketing Laura Diamond wrote in an email to the Wheel that the program is expected to double the number of students whose need-based loans are replaced by grants at Emory, bringing the number to 3,055 undergrad uate
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than that — we see that it’s a struggle and a challenge. All of us feel a really deep sense of compassion and concern for our students in their whole selves.
“I still had to take a lot of loans, so I don’t even know what that was about,” Rochte said. “I would love to get a followup. … I don’t know anyone who has actu ally had their financial aid changed from that.”Rochte added that she should qualify for Emory’s supposed loan replacement grant, but she still has thousands to cover on her own. She said it’s unclear if the University did not cover enough, or if they did not give her anything at all.
Emory College Interim Dean Carla Freeman assumed her role on Aug. 1.
Freeman vows to enhance opportunities for diversity
Founded in 1919, The Emory Wheel is the fnancially 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.
Professor of Economics Caroline Fohlin said that there are likely many Emory stu dents who were student loan borrowers and will be benefiting from the plan. From that standpoint, some individuals will get an additional boost in income through the loan forgiveness plan.
The statements and opinions expressed in the Wheel are those of the authors and do not necessarily refect those of the Wheel Editorial Board or of Emory University, its faculty, staf or administration.
Keeping his campaign promise
“Butnoted.there’s so many dynamic factors in play, so it’s not like you’ll be able to pin down the extent to which this policy will increase inflation,” Fohlin said.
CF: My first goal in working with students is this sweet spot of helping students con nect their academic experience with other domains of the experiences we want them to have beyond the classes, to see that rela tionship as completely entangled with each other. For me, the important message is that all of this is part of student flourishing. The experience in the classroom and beyond the classroom has to be understood as com pletely intertwined, and that’s what produces a meaningful education and helps the stu dents learn as much about the world and the disciplines as about themselves.
EW: What do you want Emory students to know about you?
— Contact Eric Jones eric.jones@emory.eduat
The Wheel is also available online at www.emorywheel.com.
“Thestudents.expanded Emory Advantage pro gram is just one aspect of Emory’s ongo ing effort to support students,” Diamond wrote. “In all, Emory provides more than $350 million each year for institutional grant and scholarship aid for undergradu ate, graduate and professional students.”
CF: I would like for the intellectual heart beat of this campus to be even more of a socially engaged, academically engaged and civically engaged place. It could mean that all of our faculty could easily afford to live in the neighborhood. Or that all of our students could live on this campus. If I could build enough housing, I would want students here for all four years.
CF: All of our affinity groups, I hope and expect, will be fully engaged in a wide array of cultural events, around the election, academic gatherings on campus and art events in the city of Atlanta. I think there are lots of opportuni ties for our most diverse array of students to engage on campus and beyond that enrich us in totality as a community. I love meeting people in the dining hall, in the Carlos Museum or on the quad, who come from very different back grounds. I would love to hear from students more about how we can support those kinds of interchanges among our very diverse groups of students. One of the things I would really like
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EW: How do you plan to interact with students, and how do you plan to implement student input in your policies?
“He didn’t want to discourage some voters from showing up because they didn’t feel that he was acting on the inter est he had run on,” Gillespie said.
to $125,000 — which is about twice the median income in the United States — can qualify for loan forgiveness. The average starting salary for graduates with a bach elor’s degree is $55,260, a number that is also well below the income cap.
EW: How do you see Emory implementing more diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on campus?
Business (404) 727-6178
— Ashley Zhu ashley.zhu@emory.eduat
“I'd like to be invited to the dining hall and have lunch with students on a regular basis. I'd like to have an open-door table at the student center and have a chance to engage students who would like to sit down with me.”
CF: I have to begin my response to that by saying that I would not be here were it not for Eleanor Main and a handful of pow erful, strong, brave and generous Emory women leaders. I stand on the shoulders of those women. Not only am I a new woman leader for the College, but my senior associ ate dean of faculty, my senior associate of research and my senior associate dean of the undergraduate program are all women leaders. I think it is quite remarkable, if not unique, that Emory College has in its top leadership positions all serious women scholars, teachers and leaders. There are
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Associate Professor of Political Science Andra Gillespie said that Biden aims to keep his initial campaign prom ise to forgive student loan debt from public colleges and universities.
Theplan.pause on student loan payments during the pandemic, which started in 2020, is still leaving visible impressions on the economy, Fohlin said. People were getting temporary short-term cash flow, which likely contributed slightly to infla tion in terms of greater spending power, Fohlin
Zachary Peskowitz added that whenev er a policy is easy to understand, highly important and offers benefits to particular groups of people, there is a good chance that it will increase votes for the politicians who take credit for that policy.
CF: I think new leadership brings new experiences and new ideas. What excites me is that I bring both a deep familiarity and a profound love of Emory to this new role, so I feel both like an insider and an outsider. I feel I can support all of the other new deans, and I am really excited about building closer rela tionships. They are all pretty new to Emory, and in many ways, I feel I have an opportu nity to engage their new ideas and their fresh perspectives while also marshaling a deep
CF: I want them to know how passionately I care about the full educational experience.
EW: The last woman to serve as ECAS dean was Eleanor Main in 1987, when she served for seven months. What is it like to be the first female dean in a few decades?
Economic effect
Rochte was initially excited to hear about Emory’s new changes, and she antic ipated that the University would substitute something else to replace loans. However, she currently owes close to $1,000 more this year than she previously has, with no observable changes to her financial aid.
“There’sadded.so many other factors going on in the economy right now, because COVID is still causing lockdowns in China and other kinds of supply chain disrup tions,” Fohlin said. “And we’re seeing a big increase in interest rates from the [federal government].”Thereisreason to believe Biden’s loan forgiveness plan will cause more inflation, Fohlin
Continued from Page 1
“It’s plausible that turnout will increase particularly among beneficiaries, and that it will help Democratic candidates in the midterms,” Peskowitz said.
EW: Along with your appointment, other dean positions have been recently filled at Oxford and in the schools of public health and business. What is it like to be part of a new era of leadership at Emory and what do you anticipate this new leadership will bring to the community?
According to Gillespie, Biden is attempting to energize Democratic vot ers who felt like the Biden administration
Fohlin added that it is difficult to antici pate the wider macroeconomic effects of the
with a more interesting and a more diverse array of faculty and then see moments of opportunity to support them in distinctive ways. I’ve been able to work with incred ible faculty like Charles Howard Candler Professor of African American Studies Carol Anderson, who I have watched first-hand transform the lives of her students in addi tion to creating a whole new discourse in the American context for examining the history of race and racism in America. We are on an upward trajectory, and there is always more work for us to do. The goal here is that we bring new faculty to campus, and they are going to help chart a new vision for our future.
EW: I know a lot of students have raised concerns about mental health on campus in the last year. What are your plans to address this as dean?
CF: This is a struggle that every campus, every nation, every community is struggling with. The challenge is real. We now have a new Associate Vice President for Health, Well-Being, Access and Prevention, James Raper, and I think this is his single greatest challenge and opportunity: to more system atically meet the needs of our students. We recognize that this is a widespread and pro found challenge. It’s hard for me to say more
Editor-in-Chief Brammhi bbalara@emory.eduBalarajan
— Carla Freeman, Emory College Interim Dean
ways in which I think and I hope we bring a particular kind of spirit and mode of engagement that will feel fresh and new and inspiring.
graduate loans, according to the White HouseBiden’sstatement.plan comes seven months after Emory announced in January that need-based loans would be eliminated and replaced with institutional grants and scholarships for the 2022-23 aca demic year. This expanded the Emory Advantage program now offers institu tional grants instead of loans and gives students the opportunity to graduate debtAssistantfree. Vice President of Emory
Student loan forgiveness used as Democratic campaign strategy
EW: What parts of the student experience do you hope to improve as dean?
CF: I want to form my own dean’s work ing group, a kind of roundtable of students, and hear what’s on people’s minds. I would like to try to tap students who are not already visible leaders but students who are inter ested in contributing their ideas, experiences and vision. I’m interested in putting together a diverse group of students as one source of input. I really like spending time with stu dents. I’d like to be invited to the dining hall and have lunch with students on a regular basis. I’d like to have an open-door table at the student center and have a chance to engage students who would like to sit down with me.
The income cap is also comparatively high, Fohlin noted. Those who earn up
EW: If there is one thing you could change at ECAS regardless of the feasibility, what would it be and why?
Continued from Page 1
The Emory Wheel NEWS Wednesday, September 14, 2022 3
to hear more from students about is how we are doing as far as creating opportunities that not only enhance our diversity but enhance opportunities for interchange.
receivedanhonorarydoctoratein scienceandtechnologyfromCMU andgavetwocommencement addressesoncampus.Lastyear, Amazongave$2milliontoCMUto supporttheComputerScienceAcademyattheschool.Butjustbecause Bezosisasignificantfigureandhas tiestoCMUdoesn’tmeanCMU shouldstopprotectingtherightto freespeech.
Iftheytrulyrespectfreedomof expression,CMUshouldextendan apologytoAnyaforostracizingher. Tobeclear,thisdoesn’tmeanwe supportherusageofcertainderogatorylanguage,butonceagainpromotefreeexpressionandnotpublicly chastisingprofessorsandexacerbatingthevitriolshewasalreadyfacing. TheUniversityshouldinsteadseekto encouragediscoursesurroundingthe monarchyandutilizeAnya’stweetas astartingpoint.Freespeechisn’tjust thelegalrighttosaywhateveryou want—it’suniversities’jobtouplift, notderide,suchspeechwhenit happens.
COURTESYOF FLICKR/BIBLIOARCHIVES Anya’scritiqueshouldremindustoexaminethequeen’sdeathwith nuance,ratherthanuncriticallyrushtothemonarchy’sdefense.
Ultimately,CMU’scondemnation ofAnya’slanguageisamenacing signalagainstfreeexpressionon campusesnationwide.Insteadof creatingdiscoursewherestudents andfacultycouldcritiqueAnya’s perspectivesoncolonialsymbolism, theUniversitychosetodiscredither. Theydecidedtoupholdthemost powerfulmonarchyintheworldand usetheirinstitutionalpowerto condemnaNigerianwomanexpressinghergriefovertheatrocitiesthe Britishempirecommittedagainst herfamily.
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CMUandTwitterwouldhavebeen justifiedinlashingouthadAnya’s tweetsthreatenedtoharmanyone, buttheydidn’t.Infact,Anyawas simplypointingoutthetruthofthe monarchy’segregiousactions.Asshe andmuchoftheworldarefamiliar,
TheaboveeditorialrepresentsthemajorityopinionoftheWheel’sEditorialBoard. TheEditorialBoardiscomposedofRachelBroun,SaraPerezandBenThomas.
TwittereventuallyremovedAnya’s tweet,butnotbeforeCMUreleaseda publicstatementcriticizingher, assertingthatwhile“freedomof expressioniscoretothemissionof highereducation,theviewsshe sharedabsolutelydidnotrepresent thevaluesoftheinstitution.”Hundredsofusers,includingJeffBezos, executivechairmanofAmazon,also respondedwithangerandrevulsion. Butatthesametime,countless students,facultyandstaff,which haveaccumulatedmorethan4,300 signatures,outpouredsupportfor theprofessor.AtCMU,however, academicexpressionappearsonlyto befreeasitsalignmentwiththe institution’sinterests.
HoursbeforeQueenElizabethII’s deathlastweek,BuckinghamPalace announcedthatdoctorswere“concerned”forherhealth.Reactionson socialmediaweremanyandvaried, butoneinparticularsparkedundue outrage.WhenDr.UjuAnya,a professoratCarnegieMellonUniversity(CMU)(Pa.),tweeted,“Iheard thechiefmonarchofathieving rapinggenocidalempireisfinally dying.Mayherpainbeexcruciating.” Thebacklashwasbrutaland immediate.
CMU’sfreedom ofexpression policylimits speechonlyon the“basisofthe lawand…toprotecttherightsof othermembers oftheUniversity communityand toensurethe normalfunctioningoftheUniversity.”Herwords wereanexpressionofgriefand resentment towardan empirethatsystematically destroyedher people.Shehas therighttofeel outragedandto publiclyexpress herindignation. Hercritique shouldhavebeen aneducational opportunityfor peopletoexaminethereactionstothequeen’sdeath withnuance,ratherthanuncritically rushtothemonarchy’sdefense.
CMUshouldworktowarddecolonizingtheirbeliefsandthinkcriticallyabouthowtoengagewith professorsafteronlinebacklash.If theydon’t,theirreputationasan institutionupholdingacademicfreedomwillforeverbetarnished.
EDITORIALS
thequeenwasapowerfulsymbolof thehorrificallyviolentBritish empire.Fromstate-sanctionedviolenceduringthe1950sMauMau rebellioninKenya,toIreland’s BloodySunday,tothePartitionin India,theBritishmurderedthou-
D������� W���U�? W�����L����� T����E�����. Submithere: emorywheel.com/op-edsubmissions/
Inthehoursafterhertweetwent viral,Anyahadtoshutdownthe contactsectionofherwebsiteand reportedthatshehadreceived“hundredsofhatefulmessages”in responsetohertweets.AsAnya,a Nigerian-bornprofessorexplained, hertweetwas craftedwiththe violenceofcolonialismperpetratedinNigeria inmind.Her familysuffered underthebrutalityofBritish colonialism,justifyinghercritiqueoftheinstitutionthatsupportedthatwar. CMU’sresponse isespeciallytroubling,consideringtheUniversity’sown reportedengagementwithanticolonialismin theUniversity’s CenterforArts. Whenanticolonialperspectives workforthe imageoftheuniversity,theypromoteit.But whentheirfacultydirectly addressesthe ruleofanempire whichcolonized theirhomeland,CMUchoseto aggressivelyandswiftlycondemn them.CMU’sresponsewasunproductive,andinsteadofencouraging userstocriticallyengagewithAnya, theychosetojoininonthedogpile, validatingtheverbalabuseshe
condemningher.
BeyondthecontentofAnya’s tweets,CMU’scondemnationisa frightening exampleofthe restrictionoffree expression.
TheQueenisdead.It’sokaytocondemnher.
AccordingtoCMU’sownstatement,“freedomofexpressionmust atoncebefiercelyguardedand genuinelyembraced.”Butbypublicly ostracizingAnyainabriefphoto statement,CMUhasbetrayeditsown freedomofexpressionpolicy,and sentadangerousmessagetoAnya’s facultypeers.Insteadofembracing thediscourseAnyacreated,CMU propelledtheprofessorintoadangerousandharmfulpositionby
Significantpublicfiguressuchas BezosalsoputpressureonCMUto condemntheprofessor.Theirties datebackto2008,whenBezos
sandsacrosstheworldtothetuneof “GodSaveTheQueen.”Comparedto that,Anya’stweetwasn’tharmfulor violent.Itwasnecessary.Butfor CMUandTwitter,itwassimply inconvenient.
BysinglingAnyaoutwhilethousandsofuserswerediscussingthe queen’sdeath,CMUsentaclear message:donotcriticizethe establishment.
Normalizetherapyanddestigmatizedrugs,butdon’tforgettobehappy Crossword “Touchdown!”
ByMirandaWilson
Pediatriciansanddoctorsacross thecountrynowfaceaharrowing issue:addressingmentalhealth crises.Yettheformaltrainingthey havereceivedfailstosufficiently covertheneedsteenagersareseeking.Newquestionsemerge.Whatis thementalhealthcrisisthatyoung adultsarefacing?Therootcauseof anxiety,depressionandsuicideare soindividualizedyetsoglobalized thatnotonesinglecurecanbe available.Medicationmighthelpin theshortterm,butitwon’talleviate thesocialpressuresthatconstantly surroundus.Medicationcan’ttreatit all.Wearetreatingteenagersand youngadultswithmentalhealth
Butwiththeriseinadsfor antidepressantpillsonsocialmedia, thenormalizationofmedicationand the“Antidepressants''sectioninthe NewYorkTimes,thementalhealth crisisdemandsourattentionmore thanever.Whileit’simportantto increaseourcomfortwithantidepressants,westillmustwonderifas asociety,weareoverprescribingand undertherapizing.Myargumentisn’t againsttheusageofmedication.I’m notadoctorandIcan’tmakethat judgment–professionallyor morally.Instead,Ifinditprudentto acknowledgethatbydecreasing stigmatizationofprescribingantidepressants,weincreaseourreliance onthesedrugswithblindbeliefsin itsefficacy,despitenotenoughsolid researchandmoretestsnecessaryto backitup.
TheEmoryWheelWednesday,September14,20225
Whilestudiesarenotobjectively conclusive,someresearchersfrom theUniversityCollegeLondonhave claimedtheeffectofantidepressants andothermentalhealth-aiding medicationhasnomoresignificant benefitsthanthatoftheplacebo.The long-termeffectsofpolypharmacyin adultsaswellasthequalityoflife post-medicationhavenotbeen sufficientlystudied.Ina2022study thatcomparedthequalityoflifeof Americanswithdepressionwhotook antidepressantsandthosewhodid nottakemedications,theresearchers foundnosignificantdifferences.In fact,aftergettingoffmedication, peoplecanalsoexperiencewithdrawalsymptoms,leadingtoa greaterriskforheartattacksand strokes,aswellassideeffectslike nauseaandweightgain.Pharmaceuticalcompaniesmustreconcilewith thelossofqualityoflifeinthelong term.Butmostdrugshavereduced effectsovertime.Ifpatientsswitched tonewmedicationeverytimedrugs stoppedworking–perhapsusing medicineonlytestedforschizophreniabutnotfordepressionoranxiety –thelong-termconsequencescan’t bepredicted.So,addingtothelong listofunknowns,notenough researchhasbeendonetoknowthe consequencesoftakingmultiple drugsnotfortherightcause.Some drugs,suchasLamictalandEffexor, comewithwarningsofsuicidal behaviorandgrowthrestrictions. Othersareaddedtoprescriptionlists withoutbeingeffectivefortheright
Inmyresearch,Ireadarticlesand articlesaboutstoriesofpeople— evenyoungchildren—whoare changingprescriptionsoverandover againbecausenothingisworking. Accessibilitytosuchawiderangeof drugchoicesgivesdoctorsleewayto mixandmatchastheyseefit. Certainly,weshouldn’tblamethem fordolingmedicineoutthewayI handoutMilkyWaysduringHalloween–theyaredoingtheirbestto providehelptopatientsdesperately seekingtheirassistance–butthese storiesofferacriticallookatthestate ofmentalhealthcareinoursociety today.A13-year-oldgirlwentfrom takingAdderallandPaxiltotryingto comeoffoneortheother,leadingto behavioralissuesanddepression, whichfailedtoaddressanyofthe strugglesshehadatthestart.
issuesasguineapigs,capitalizingon mentalhealthtotestoutnewdrug discoveries.Peoplepayformedicine becauseit’saneasier,oftencheaper solutiontotherapy.Excusestoavoid therapycancomeinavarietyofways –toomuchwork,notenoughtimeor itsimplyisn’timportantenoughto makeitonourlistsofpriorities.But westillwanttofeelbettermentally, sowetakeahandfulofpillsinstead.
Thesituationfeelshopeless,a crisiswithoutoneclearanswer.But thethoughtofchildrenandyoung adultstakingprescriptionpills–handfulsofthem–foryears,decades andperhapstherestoftheirlife, shouldwarrantalittlemoreconcern andfear.Peopledeservetofeel better,butnotatthecostoftheir future.
SophiaLing(24C)isfromCarmel, Indiana.
SophiaLing ACROSS 1.Cuisineknownforitstomyumsoup 5.Mary’spet,ofthenurseryrhyme 9.Emory’sonlyundefeatedsport (with57down) 13.Workfor 14.“Pieceofcake,”e.g. 16.Wordbeforewolforsurvivor 17.Rimofacup,e.g. 18.Speak 19.Ablackcat,e.g. 20.Artdecoarchitecturestyleknown foritsroundedcornersandflatroofs 22.Typeofroadturnthatresembles anaccessory 24.MLBcatcherBuddy 26.Youcanoftensignupforafree one 27.“__coming,isn’tshe?” 30.Dirtied 32.WhoEmorystudentscheerfor 34.Whatoneneedsforyoga 35.Spanishwordforlove 39.AlamoGroupstockcode 40.Usedacopymachine 43.StefaniJoanneAngelina Germanotta 44.“Ilosta__!” 46.Groupforlawyers(abbr.) 47.WhatonemightuseforZoom meetings 49.WhoBaltimoreanscheerfor 52.Hunts 53.Ahomeforahamster 55.Subjectthatisprohibited 57.Elementwithatomicnumber35 59.Felinesnoozes 63.Havingthemeansto 64.Swingsadriver 66.Seedfoundinsomejuices 67.BookseriesbyTolkien(abbr.) 68.Chipotle2015outbreak 69.“Onthe__”orfeelingexcluded 70.WW2USpropagandaslogan againstmisinformation(acronym) 71.“__who?” 72.Adriatic,Mediterranean,Red DOWN 1.“There’snoIin__” 2.Angel’sheadpiece 3.Oppositeofhumid 4.Stateofdanger 5.WhoDetroiterscheerfor 6.“IHave___,”famousspeech 7.Tobelost 8.“Idon’twanttochoose,I’llhave__” 9.LocationofDisneyWorld 10.__Loompa 11.Irishlastnamethat’sahomophone ofbasketballplayerShaquille 12.Stateknownforitsmusicand whiskey(abbr.) 15.Crockpotmealnotmeantfor vegetarians 21.CommonValentine’sgift 23.Oppositeofcalmness 25.Remainingpiece 27.Couchorstool 28.Videogamewiththesamename as2down 29.Brandofwafflesreferencedinthe show“StrangerThings” 31.__Diego 33.Rummage 36.Heavyclubwithspikes 37.“Nothanks,I’m__” 38.WhoLosAngeleanscheerfor 41.Honest__,nicknameforLincoln 42.NotKaldi’satESC 45.Peoplewhotrytomisdirectblame 48.WhoDenveritescheerfor 50.Sectionofataxreturnform (abbr.) 51.Baseballtermreferringtoa sacrifice 53.Spanishwordfortree 54.CWhoIndianpolitanscheerfor 56.Startingpoint 57.See9across 58.“Butwelove__other” 60.Certainshadeofcolor 61.Mediterraneanflatbread 62.Cheek 65.Friendor__? Scanfor answershere!
Aswenavigatethroughcollective traumaslikethepandemic,ourpill usagecontinuestoriseexponentially. Since2017,there’sbeena41% increaseinteenagersusingantidepressants.Almosteverycollege studentIknowhaseitherflirtedwith themorisactivelyontheseprescriptiondrugs;butthelong-termramificationsofthedrugs–especiallyin combination–arealmostcompletely unknown.Towritethisoffasnormal discountsthemagnitudeofthe situation.
atanygiventime.Inseverecases, doctorshavebeenknowntodoleout morethan10medicationsatonce.
dependingonwherethepatientlives andtheirinsurance.Buthere’sthe catch:thetreatmentmightnoteven work.
disorders.Thetemporaryeffects mightrelievethementalpainfora moment,butwillmedicinebeableto lastforever?Wedon’tknow.
Whilemostcollegestudentsmight notbefamiliarwiththebrandnames ofcancertreatmentdrugs,theyare nostrangertonameslikeZoloftand Prozac.Polypharmacy,theactof takingmultiplemedicationsatonce, isalsonothingnewoncollegecampuses;wethrowaroundmedication likearagdollrippedtoshredsbya hyperactivepuppy.
In2020,theNationalAllianceon MentalIllnesssurveyedthat21%of U.S.adultsexperiencedmental illnessand16.5%ofthemhadtaken medicationtocurbtheirsymptoms. Butastheratesofpeopleexperiencingmentalhealthissuessoar,sodo thenumberofpsychiatricdrugsa teenagermighthaveintheirsystem
Psychiatry,initofitself,is shroudedbysocioeconomicdivisions,sometimesleavingmedication astheonlyoption.Treatmentstothe brainandmentalhealtharenotas easilyaccessiblesincetheyaren’t oftencoveredbyinsurance,andmost therapistsliveinwealthierareaswith complicatedhealthcosts.Butthat alonedoesn’tchangethatmorethan 111millionAmericansarelivingwith limitedmentalhealthcare.Specializedtreatmentsaresignificantlyless developedinruralareasoftheU.S. Onlygainingmoretractioninrecent years,theavailabilityandaccessibilityofmentalhealthprofessionals continuestosuffer,andmost providersdonotworkinatraditional healthinsurancesystem,leaving patientstopayout-of-pocketcosts theycannotafford.Treatingmajor depressioncouldcostatleast $10,800annually.Takethishypotheticalexampleofapersonsuffering fromdepression.Sayadoctorhas prescribedthemZoloftandProzac–theaverage30-daycostofboth wouldtotalupto$819.Certainly,a precisecostwouldbedependentona numberoffactors.Now,addinthe costoftherapy,eachsessionofwhich couldcostatleast$100anhour,
Theratesofmentalhealtharenot goingdownanytimesoon.Along withtheincreasedculturaltolerance ofusingmedication,peopleare becomingmoreopentotalkingabout theirproblemsandmedicationisthe easy,immediateimprovementtothe negativeanddepressingfeelingswe face.Notonlyareyoungadultsfacing theworstmentalhealthcrisisofthe century,butthepolypharmacytechniqueshavealsonotbeentested enoughtoprovetheirefficacy,safety oranysortoflong-termimpact.
todaythe“SweetAuburn''neighborhoodisfilledwithboarded-up buildings,homelessnessandhigh crimerates.Theconstructionofnew highwaysforcedfamiliesandbusinessesindowntownneighborhoods torelocate,destroyingboththe collectiveidentityandeconomic progressthatAuburnAvenue’sBlack communityhadbuilteventhrough thecity’sJimCrowera.
canDream”foritsmajority-white communities–minimalpoverty,low crime,suburbanhousesandgood schools–allthewhileitscommunitiesofcoloraresubjecttocyclical povertyandchronicallyunderfunded educationalandeconomicsystems.
From1960-1980,almost 160,000ofAtlanta’swhite residents–morethanhalfof thecity’swhitepopulationat thetime–fledthecityin searchofbetteropportunitiesinthe burgeoningsuburbs.Asaresultof “thewhiteflight,”theboundariesof themetroAtlantaareaexpandedto thecurrent13countymega-regionit encompassestoday,creatingasocietythatpreferslongcommutes insteadofaraciallyintegratedcity.
Now,let'sgetbacktothemain question:whydoAtlantansdespise thearea'spublictransportationservices?Whileracistroad-buildingand thegrowthofcarsplayanessential roleinunderstandingthisdecadesolddilemma,thepolicyfailuresof MetroAtlantaRegionalTransportationAuthority(MARTA)cannotbe understatedintheircorrelationto thetrafficjamsthatplagueourcity.
publictransportationservicesinthe worldandoursinAtlantacanbe answeredinoneword:funding.The MARTAwascraftedtodrownitself financially,anddecadesofbureaucracyinthecity,stateandfederal governmentshavedonenothingto
addresstheflounderingorganization.In1971,racistpolicymakers addedlimitationsthatblockedstate fundingfortheMARTAandplaced theburdenofitsbudgetonthecity governmentandonlytwomajorityBlackmetroAtlantacounties.With almostalltheMARTAmoneyflow-
inginfromlocalgovernments,the agencyhashadatoughtimefunding itsoperations,leadingtoamyriadof unresolvedissuesthatinhibit Atlantansfromproperlyaccessing publictransit.That'swhythe MARTAspendsmorethanhalfofits tax-generatedfundingonsustaining itscurrentoperations,ratherthan investinginrepairsandnewer,more efficientservices.
Atlantatrafficisn’tjustinconvenient,it’sracist
or15%higherthanexpected.ComparethattoNewYorkCity,where busandtrainticketpricesarecapped at$2.75,andit’sreallyeasytosee whytheMARTAiswidelyunpopular inAtlanta.Whilecheaperpriceshave incentivizedalmost56%ofNewYork Cityresidentstousepublictransit daily,theunaffordability,unreliabilityandinaccessibilityassociatedwith theMARTAhaskeptdailyridership levelsatabout3.5%ofthemetro Atlantapopulation.
RaajKumar
Theinconveniencesassociated withAtlanta'shighwaysandpublic transportationserveaspowerful remindersoftheracismembedded into our
TofullyunderstandAtlanta's transportationdebacle,itisnecessarytoventurebacktothelate1950s —atimeofheavycultural,political andinfrastructuralchangeacrossthe southernU.S.In1956,theEisenhoweradministrationpassedthe NationalInterstateandDefense HighwaysAct,whichenableddozens ofcity-connectinginterstatestobe constructedacrossthenation.
TheEmoryWheel Wednesday,September14,2022 6
Sincetransportationinvestment increasesaccesstoresourceslike jobs,healthcareandeducation,the formationofhighwaysinthemetro Atlantaareaseemedlikeanexcellent waytocreateequitableeconomic growthintheregion.However,due toracistroadplanningandthe proliferationofcarsinwhitehouseholds,mega-highwaysintheAtlanta areadirectlycontributedtothecity's serioussegregationproblem.
Inordertoescapetheworsening economicconditionsthatstruck muchofDowntownAtlanta,many residentshoppedintheircarsand
city'score.
Longcommutesaremorethan justanannoyance;theyarecomplex sociopoliticalissuesdrivingAtlanta awayfromgrowthandopportunity. Theindirectsegregationcausedasa resultofirresponsibleurbanplanningdirectlycontributes totherampantinequality inthestatusquo:80%of Blackchildrenlivein areasofhigh-concentratedpovertycompared toonly6%oftheirwhite counterparts.
WhileAtlantaisdesignedinthe sameformatasmanyothermodern metropolises–Paris,London,Tokyo
droveawayfromthecity.Owninga carbecameanAmericanstatus symbolinthemid-1900s.Carsprovidetheirusersprivacyandluxury–twoqualitiesthatoursocietyidolizes. Asroadswerebuiltacrossthenation, theautomobileindustryexploded, correspondingtomassive increasesincarownership.
Enduringthelongandstuffy shuttleridefromCovingtontoDruid Hillsisariteofpassagealmostall Oxfordstudentswillhavetomake onceintheirtwoyearshere.Whether visitingfriendsontheAtlantacampus,attendingaclubmeetingor exploringthecity'svibrantsocial scene,Oxfordstudentsoftenfind theirplansdelayedbyhoursdueto thestandstilltrafficpresentonInterstateHighway20(I-20)atalltimes oftheday.Infact, studentssometimes evenendupgettingan Uberordrivingthemselvesintothecity ratherthanutilizing EmoryUniversity's crowdedandunpredictablepublictransportationservices.
Drivinggives humansasenseof security.Wefeelat peaceinacarknowing thatwecanarriveata placeonourowntime, freeofthehassleof longwaittimesand awkwardinteractions withstrangers.This samesentimentpermeatesthedecisionmakingcalculiofa majorityofAmericans. Nowhereisthisideologymorepresentthan inthemindsofresidentsoftheAtlanta metroarea—andour ferventprioritizationof carsillustratesthe inherentsegregationat thecoreofourcity's urbanplanning.
However,carownership ratesvariedamongstracial demographics.Duetoracial discriminatoryloansand insuranceplans,Blackownershipofmotorvehicleshas laggedcomparedtowhite peers.Historically,white Atlantaresidentshavebeen upto25%morelikelytoown anautomobilethantheir Blackcounterparts.Thus, therapidexpansionofcars acrossAmericaenabled whiteAtlantanstomove furtherawayfromcitylimits,increasingthesizeofthe suburbanpopulationwhile alsoindirectlysegregating diverseneighborhoods.
Thedifferencebetweenthebest
Atlantagrantsatasteofthe“Ameri-
First,theurbanplannerswho designedthelayoutoftheinterstates utilizedtheinfrastructureprojectsto destroyBlackeconomiccentersand separatewhiteandBlackneighborhoodsfromoneanother.TheDowntownConnector–aseven-mile stretchthatmergesI-75andI-85–servesasthemostnotableexample oftheracismintertwinedinto Atlanta’shighwayplanning.The DowntownConnectorrunsdirectly throughthecenterofthecity, straightthroughanareaonceknown as“themostprosperousBlackbusinessdistrictintheworld”duetoits abundanceofthrivingBlack-owned mom-and-popshops.However,
Atlantagrantsataste ofthe“AmericanDream” foritsmajority-white communities–minimal poverty,lowcrime,suburbanhousesandgood schools–allthewhileits communitiesofcolorare subjecttocyclicalpoverty andchronicallyunderfundededucationaland economicsystems.Effectivepublictransitcan helpreversethistrend, enablinganyAtlantanto accesstheservicesand resourcestheyneedto improvetheirqualityof life.
COURTESY OF MIA USMAN
Atlantahasfailedmiserablyinthis realm.Infact,accordingtothe MARTA'sownperformanceindicators,theagencycurrentlyneeds improvementonreducingdelays, averagebusfaresandincreasing overallridership.Almost20%of rideslastMayweredelayedandthe averagebusticketwasabout$8.50,
Atlantatrafficisstuffy,butbeyondlogisticalinconveniencesliesahistoryofsegregation,racismanddivision.
andBeijing–itlacksthebasicpublic transportationservicesstandardin everyothermajorcityworldwide.An urbansprawlneedsfreeandabundantbuses,trainsandbikestoeasily connectthecity'sdifferentlocations.
ToputAtlantaontherighttrack, ourcurrentleadersmustprioritize equitabletransportationinvestments togenerateamoreprosperous,safer anddiversefutureforall.
RaajKumar(23Ox,25C)isfrom Westborough,Massachusetts.
Thegemsfeaturedepictionsof animals,rulersandgodsfromGreek andRomanmythology.Theiruses aremultifold—fromsealingstamps toamuletsandjewelry.Inancient Rome,gemstonesembodiedan interplayofthepublicandprivatelife andweresymbolsofsocialstatusand wealth,plaquesattheexhibit informedviewers.Underneaththis exterior,gemstonesalsoactedas personalemblems,theirqualities formingassociationswiththe owners.
Engravedgemstonesfellintotwo types:intaglios,whichdisplayed imagescreatedbyincisionsonthe stoneandwereusedaswaxorclay sealings,andcameos,whichhad imagescarvedinreliefandwere moreornamentalintheiruse.Gems usedtoimpressclaysealingsonto officialdocumentssymbolizedluxury,asliteracywasararesignofhigh socialstatus.Socialclasswasso crucialthatglassgems,amore affordableoptionforthenon-elite, rapidlygainedpopularityinthe Hellenisticperiod,promisingdeceptivegrandeur.
BY SAM SHAFIRO ContributingWriter
Stereolabcompilation highlightslesser-known records
Recently,itseemsthatinnovation inart,andspecificallymusic,is comingtosomewhatofadecline. SongsfrompreviousdecadesconsistentlyreachthetopoftheBillboard Hot100andwhenartistsdoinnovate,theindustryisslowtocatchup.
OzzyOsbourneremains immortalon‘Patient Number9’
gems’makersinsteadoftheirowners.Iwishthiselementwasexplored moreintheexhibit.However,the exhibitnotesthatthegemsdonot have“documentedarchaeological provenance”andtheirhistorycannot betracedbeyondthedealers’ acquisition.
BY EASTON LANE ContributingWriter
See LEGENDARY,Page 8 See CLASSIC,Page 8
Inthisway,wearingagemstone waslikedonningamask,andwithit,
Fromtheband’sinceptionin1990, Stereolabhasrefusedclearcategorization.Theireccentricincorporationofelementsacrossthepantheon ofmid-20thcenturymusichistory givestheirmusicbothavintageand timelessfeel.Theirextensiveuseof theMoogsynthesizerharkensbackto electronicmusicpioneerJeanJaquesPerryandhisheydayinthe
Theexhibithighlightedthatminerswereenslaved,imprisonedand oftenunderageindividualswho workedunder“life-threatening conditions”—animportantfactorto notewhilecelebratingthehistorical significanceofthegems.Iwondered aboutwhatwemightlearnaboutthe periodthroughthestoriesofthe
Thegemstonesaresmalland encasedincirculargrooveswithin largersquarecases.Magnifying glassesencourageyoutoinspect theirdelicatecarvingsandminiature imagesindetail.Eachdisplayof gemshasalabelwithabriefdescriptionofitsimageandQRcodesto scrollthroughamoredetailedanalysis.Withthesetup,viewerscould immediatelyhavetheirquestions answeredorlearnmoreaboutsymbolismthatmaynotbenoticeableat firstglance.
In“FingerRingwithIntaglioGem depictingHermesSeatedatan Altar,”thepowersofamethystasa loveelixircombinewiththeimageof Hermes,whousesunderworldforces tobindtwopeopletogether.
Asidefromitsunderstatedsocial commentary,thethemesof Osbourne's2020album“Ordinary Man”andthisreleaseemphasize Osbourne’sstrugglewithmortality andposthumouswonders,though “PatientNumber9”islessovert. Trackslike“Immortal”mayeulogize theforgotten,butOzzyspendsthe majorityofthetimecelebratinghis ownbrandofimmortalityover
“SimpleHeadphoneMind”and “Trippin’WithTheBirds”arethe album’sfirsttwosongs,written duringacollaborationwiththe BritishgroupNurseWithWoundin the1990s.Theroughlyhalf-hourof musicbetweenthetwotracksisa disorientingfalldowntherabbithole ofexperimentalelectronicathathas attractedmuchacclaimfrommusic critics,ifnotfromfirst-timeStereolablisteners.Theseventhtrack, “RobotRiot,”isamuchbetterstart forthosenewtotheband.Originally composedtoaccompanyasculpture byartistCharlesLong,itfeaturesthe aforementionedmotorikbeataswell asLætitiaSadier’ssoothingvocalsat theirbest.
OURTESYOF THE C
album’sopeningtitle-track,a7minute,arena-shakinganthem. Osbourneperformedthetrack, whichhasalltheballadryofaclassic like“NoMoreTears,”onSept.8that theBuffaloBillsvs.LosAngeles RamsHalftimeshow.Builtontwo mainguitarpassagesandasecond halfloadedwithJeffBeck’smelodic shredding,“PatientNumber9” pushesthelimitsofhowcathartic triumphcanfeel.Thetitlereferstoa fictionalpatientinamentalhospital, whosedesperationtobreakfreefrom theconstraintsofanonsensical prisoncanbereadinmanyinterestingcontexts,especiallywiththe announcementthatOzzyandKelly Osbourneplantomovebackto EnglandfromLosAngeles.
Theshowcasealsoexploresthe usesofgemstonesasprotectiveand medicinalamulets.Thesegems featuredeitieslikeHekate,thegoddessassociatedwithmagic,and mythicalmonsterslikeMedusato wardawaydanger.Theamuletswere alsousedinspellstobringluckor healingtotheowner;imageryofthe godChnoubiswasthoughttocure abdominalailments,andstones madeofredjasperwereprotective againstcolic.
1960s.Stereolabwasanessential contributortothepopularrevivalof theinstrumentamongexperimental bandsinthe1990s.Theiruseofthe motorikbeatmadefamousby krautrockofthe1970sgivestheir musicanopen-roadenergy.And theirbeautifullysurrealistlyrics, whenlayeredovertheirmostly easy-listeningstyle,giveseverything aeuphoricdream-likeaura.
Itookmytimewiththedisplays, flittingbackandforthbetweenthe easy-to-follownumberedsignsand theallureofagleamingcrystal.In particular,Iwasstruckbythe emeraldsandamethysts,discovering thembothtobecoveted:theformer foritsrarityandthelatterforitsrich colorandroleinlovespells.
Althoughthecarvingscreate lasting,physicalsnapshotsofahistoricalperiod,theirimagesresist beingsuspendedintime.“Makingan Impression”placesthestories embeddedinandaroundthecarvingsinconversationwithourchangingcontextandbeliefs.
MUSEUM
ContactMitaliSinghat mitali.singh@emory.edu
Throughouthisstoriedcareer, Osbournehascollaboratedwith someofthebestguitariststoeverlay downariff,andhisinfluencemakes astrongimpressionon“Patient Number9.”Notonlydolongtime bandmatesTonyIommi(BlackSabbath)andZakkWyldemakemultiple appearances,butsuperstarslikeJeff Beck,EricClaptonandMike McCreadyarealsofeatured.If “PatientNumber9”isOsbourne’s finalalbum,he’sgoingoutonhis terms.
Amidthisbackgroundofcultural stasis,thepost-rockanglo-french bandStereolabreleasedthecompilationalbum“PulseoftheEarlyBrain'' onSept.2.Itisthefifthinstallment inthegroup's“Switched-On''series, whichgathersotherwisedifficult-tofindmusicfromtheband’svast musicalcollection.Asanarchival project,“EarlyBrain”doesnotsolve theneedforupheavalinmusicand arts.Thealbumisclearlysteepedin history,bothofmusicandofthe banditself.However,incompiling importantsongsfromacrossthe group’sinnovativehistory,“Early Brain”providestheblueprintfora distinctivesoundthatpushesmusical boundarieswhilepayinghomageto itspredecessors.
atemporarynewpersonality.The exhibitlinksthisideatoAphroditein “IntaglioGemDepictingAnArmed Aphrodite”inwhichshecanbeseen wearingamask,inplaceofahelmet.
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Manyimagesbridgethepolitical andthedivine.Popularizedduring Augustus’rule,thegodApollo signifiedwealthandsuccess,forming anassociationwithpower.Hercules embodiedstrengthandprotection, lendingthosequalitiestothewearer. Thisexerciseinmanifestationiswhat makesthegemssparkle;theirmagic liesintheirabilitytotransportthe wearerintoadifferentreality.
Othertracksworthhighlighting include“PlasticMile[Original]”and “Cybele’sReverie[LiveattheHollywoodBowl],”bothofwhichhave beenreleasedpreviouslyindifferent versions.Thesere-releasesgivethe songsnewandexcitingdimensions, withtherenditionof“PlasticMile”
Forexample,gemstonesfeaturing imagesofdeitieswouldbewornto embodytheirtraits.Gemsfeaturing imagesofthegoddessAphrodite wereusedtodrawonherbeautyand seductiveappealandamplifythe wearer’sowndesirability.
C ARLOS
BY MITALI SINGH StaffWriter
Osbournehasalwayshadaflair forthecatchy,larger-than-lifechorusesandlife-affirmingriffs,andthat approachisthefoundationofthe
Theyearis2022and,somehow, the73-year-oldOzzyOsbourneisstill rockinghard.Knownbyfansasthe “PrinceofDarkness,”Osbourne continuestoliveuptothemoniker, boastinga50-plusyearlongevitythat bordersonsupernatural.“Patient Number9,”releasedSept.9,stands asthesoloartist's13thstudioalbum, notcountinghisother9releasesas thefrontmanofBlackSabbath.
‘MakinganImpression’explores socialstatusinancientgemstones
Colorandtheinterplaybetween lightandshadowwereimportant qualitiesinthegemstones.In “IntaglioGemdepictingaSatyr HuntingGameBirds,”thechrome chalcedonystoneappearstomove whenturnedinthelight.Ifound myselfengagingwiththeexhibit throughthequestionsruminatingin mymind.Arethegemstonespieces ofnaturewornasamemoryand reminder?Aretheyluxuryinexcess? Aretheysymbolicofoppression?
Alabelstrategicallypositionedat theverybeginningoftheexhibit proposesacontrastingthought attributedtotheRomanauthorPliny theElder:“Whilegemstonesexemplifythebeautyandcreativityof nature,man’sdesiretomineisan abuseofnature.”Thisquoteservesas aprodtoconsiderthestoriesofthe gemstonesbeyondtheiraesthetic appeal.Theexhibitprovides glimpsesintoantiquity,thelivesof itspeopleandtheirreligiousand politicalbeliefs.Aimingtoeducate visitorsaboutthecreationanduses ofthegemstones,theexhibitalso displayspanelsofinformativetext andexcerptsfromwritersofthetime. Mapstracethesourcesofgemstones tohelpvisualizetheinfluenceof differentregionsandcultures.With itsrootsinMesopotamiaandthe IndusValley,thepracticeofgemstonecarvingflourishedacrossthe ancientMediterranean,gaining prominenceinthefirstcenturyB.C. undertheRomanEmpire.
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Thefigureinthegemappearsto befloating.Thetinyincisionsblend intosmoothstonecoloredadelicate shadeofhoneyamber,holdinga mythicalsea-nymphinitsyellow water.Thisisjustoneofthemany engravedgemstonesondisplayatthe CarlosMuseumdepictingfiguresand scenesfrommythandantiquity.The newexhibit,“MakinganImpression: TheArtandCraftofAncient EngravedGemstones,”openedAug. 27andwillrununtilNov.27.The exhibitiscuratedbyRuthAllen,the CarlosMuseum’sGreekandRoman artcurator.
Borderingonrobotic,Osbourne’s distinctcroonfindsitselfsurrounded bylayersuponlayersofvocal processing,capturingonlyafragmentofthedebaucherousmirththe rockworldhaslovedsince1970. Overproduction’simpersonaltouch evenfindsawaytosubtractfrom instrumentalperformances,slatheringtheguitarsinsuchapristine coatingthatstylisticnuancesare swallowedupinvoidsofdistortion.
Grizzly’(1976)
Althoughlackinginoriginality, “Grizzly”istheperfectfilmforthose whoenjoythestoryof“Jaws”but wantmoreofarelaxedviewing experience.
OzzyOsbourneisalreadyimmortal,and“PatientNumber9”isa bonusentryinadiscographythatwill godownasoneofthemostinfluentialinrockhistory.
AfteraUFOcrashesintoapond, mosquitossuckthebloodofthe deadaliens,begingrowingexponentiallyinsizeandattackvisitorsofa nationalpark.It’suptothenewlyinstatedparkrangerMegan(Rachel Loiselle),herboyfriendRay(Tim Lovelace),extraterrestrialresearcher Parks(SteveDixon),immaturepark rangerHendricks(RonAsheton) andbankrobberEarl(Gunnar Hansen)toexterminatethemutated pests.
WhenIfirstwatched“Mosquito,” Iwentinwithlowexpectations. However,Iwassurprisedbyhow engagingandcreativethedesigns were.Don’tgetmewrong,ithasits fairshareoftrashydialogue,andthe plotisnothingnew.However,where itlacksinwriting,itmakesupforin itscastandpracticaleffects.Gunnar Hansen,well-knownforhisroleas
Ofcourse,no discussionof“Early Brain”wouldbe completewithout recognizingtracks threethroughsix, whichtogether makeup“Low-Fi,” Stereolab’sthirdEP.Rightfullythe mostcriticallycelebratedofStereolab’ssongs,theyshowcasetheband intheirmorerock-forwardphase. TheyalsofeaturewonderfulinterplaybetweenthevocalsofSadierand thelateMaryHansen.
Fromaninstrumentalperspective,it’snearimpossibletofinda performancethatisn’tair-tight.In additiontoOsbourne’sentourageof all-timegreatguitarists,“Patient Number9”alsofeaturesperformancesfromworld-renowned bassistsRobertTrujillo(Metallica) andDuffMcKagan(GunsN’Roses), aswellasinstantly-recognizable drummers,ChadSmith(RedHot ChiliPeppers)andthelateTaylor Hawkins(FooFighters).Thesestar musicianselevateoneanotherwith theinfectiousenergythatcomes fromtheabilitytoeffortlesslyjamon afantasticriff,elevatingOsbournein theprocess.However,at13tracks and61minutes,eventhisstar-studdedsupportingcastcan’tjustifythe album’sindulgentrun-time—especiallysincenoneofthesongsstrayfar fromhardrocktropes.
Yetthevalueof Stereolab’smusic, specifically“The PulseofTheEarly Brain,”isinprovidinganexampleof effectivelytimelessartthatisin conversationwithitspredecessors whileexceedingthem.Itistherebya sortofsign-off,alasthurrah.“Early Brain”highlightswhatmadethe bandgreat,representinganartistic spiritofingenuity.Simultaneously, thearchivalprojectsymbolically condemnsStereolabtotheannalsof musichistory.Itisaninstruction manualforescapingthecultural malaiseinwhichthealbumitselfis trapped.
Thealbumhums withawarm energythat engulfsyouevery timeyoupress playonatrack.
matterhowmanygenresittraverses. Stereolabisnottheanswertothe lullinartisticinnovation.Since breakingupin2009,thebandhas notreleasedanynovelmusic.Even afterreformingin2019,theirfocus hasbeenonarchivalreleases throughthe “Switched-On”series. Theband’smembers areintheirfifties,no longerthecareless youthstheywerea fewdecadesago.
Thereoncewasamannamed Eythen, WholikedBlu-raysformorethan onereason.
‘Mosquito’(1994)
Now,youmaybewondering,
“Eythen,youjustgavethewhole plotofthemovie.WhyshouldI watchit?”While“Jaws”isaclassic thrillerthatkeepsusontheedgeof ourseats,“Grizzly”requiresless focus.It’sthekindofmovieyoucan putonataparty,watchforabit, minglewithpeople,returntothe filmandstillunderstandwhat’s goingon.Plus,while“Jaws”uses bloodsparingly,relyingmoreon suspensetoscareviewers,“Grizzly” isfilledtothebrimwithschlocky gore,whichissuretoelicitatleasta fewchuckles.
“Blades”isaself-awarehorrorcomedythattreats“Jaws”asamuse tobeexplored,questionedand expandeduponratherthanstrictly copied.
Legendarymetalartisthasn’t losthistouch
Leatherfacein“TheTexasChain SawMassacre”(1974),playsan intimidatingcriminalmastermind thatmakeseverysceneoozewith tension.And,whileIexpectedawkward,obviouslyfakemosquitopuppets,Iwaswrongagain.Notonly arethemosquitoesanimatedusing stop-motion,buttheyalsousecell shadingtoemphasizethesheersize oftheswarm.
‘Blades’(1989)
O.K.,Ineedyoutohearmeout aboutthisone.I’verecommended filmswithmutantmosquitoes, aggressivegrizzlybearsandthe AbominableSnowman,butthisone isthemostabsurdoutofthebunch.
So,imagine“Jaws,”butinsteadof thetreacherouswatersnearAmity Island,it’sthegreengolfcoursesof TheTallGrassCountryClub.And, insteadofamassiveman-eating shark,it’sasentientlawnmower. Areyoustillhere?Thenyoushould checkout“Blades”(1989).
There’snoreasonthatOsbourne can’tretirerightnow,butthat’sthe cruxofhisinsistenceonreleasing records54yearsintohiscareer;he doesn’tmakemusicbecausehehas to—hemakesmusicbecauseit’s whatheloves.Andwhowouldpass upanopportunitytodowhatthey lovedfortherestoftheirlife?
Releasedin1976,“Grizzly”is whatwouldhappenifyoureplace thehighseaswithanationalpark andBrucethesharkwithaprehistoricgrizzlybearwithatastefor humanflesh.Otherthanthat,the filmplaysoutinthesameorderas “Jaws.”Afterthedeathoftwo campers,parkrangerMichaelKelly (ChristopherGeorge)suggeststhat theowner,CharleyKittridge(Joe Dorsey),shouldclosethepark,but Kittridgerefusesbecauseheprioritizesprofitoversafety.Frustratedby this,KellyreachesouttonaturalscientistArthurScott(RichardJaeckel) forbackgroundonthebear.Scott andKellysearchforthebear,eventuallyhavetofightitandthefilm endswiththegrizzlybeargetting blownup.It’s“Jaws,”butwitha grizzlybear.
Despiteitsmissteps,“Patient Number9”isanimpressiveeffort froma73-year-oldOsbourne,reflectingmuchofthewide-eyedfantasy androckinggrandeurofhis 1970-2000prime.Withthehelpof superstars,there’sstillarena-rock magictobefoundonnearlyevery track;OzzyisstillOzzy—wildand playfulasever—butonehastoask whenit’stimeforthePrinceof Darknesstolethislegacyspeakfor him.
ContactEastonLaneat easton.lane@emory.edu
While“Grizzly”usesthefeatures of“Jaws”toestablishanew,scary creature,“Blades”usesitforcomedy.Thesightofasentientlawn mowermakingitswaytowardanew victimisabsurdtothepointthat onehastolaughatit.
fromitsdenialoftheabundantly clearfactthatOsbourne’svoiceisn’t whatitoncewas.Theyoung,howling tempestthatdrewtheoriginalmetalheadstotheatricalclassicslike “BlackSabbath”and“Symptomof theUniverse”mightberecognizable on“PatientNumber9”—butonlyin dilutedform.
Throughoutthevastarrayofstyles ondisplayin“EarlyBrain,”an unmistakablyunifying“Stereolabesque”qualitytieseverything together.Thealbumhumswitha warmenergythatengulfsyouevery timeyoupressplayonatrack.This peculiaritygaveStereolabitsindie fame,andalsochainsthebandtoa particularsounditcannotescape,no
Overthedecades,the“creature feature”genrehastakencountless forms,mergingwithotherfilmcategories,suchasslashers,andusing self-awarenesstodissectitself.To kickoffthefirstentryformycolumn,hereareafewofmyfavorite creaturefeaturesinmyBlu-ray collection:
distinctlyupbeatriffs.Elsewhere, evocativetitleslike“GodOnly Knows”and“DeadandGone” referenceadifferentaspectofinner conflictasOsbournecontemplates themodernworldandhisplace withinit.Amongthemostpersonal songsontherecord,theaforementionedtracksfeaturesomeofthe mostmemorablechorusesand heart-tuggingguitarmelodies.Other highlights,unsurprisingly,come fromnewcollaborationswithTony Iommi,thegodfatherofheavymetal. Thedevilish,dissonantsimplicityof “NoEscapefromNow”and“DegradationRules”callsbacktotheglory daysofBlackSabbath,when OsbourneandIommiweretaking rock‘n’rolltoplacesithadneverbeen before.In1970,thesesongswould havebeenground-breaking;in2022, theycouldbeconsideredalessextremeconglomerationofgenres likesludgemetalanddoom—both ofwhichtookrootfromBlack Sabbath’sboundary-pushingsoil.
“PatientNumber9”alsosuffers
Classicbandrevisitslegacy
Eythen’sBlu-rayemporium: creaturefeatures
ContinuedfromPage7 ContinuedfromPage7
Assomeonewhowasalmostan entomologist,IcantellyouthatI despisemosquitoes.Inallmyyears ofliving,Ihavenevermetabugso obnoxiousandtorturous,withtheir swervingflightpatternandsharp proboscis.Luckily,giventheirsize,a simplewaveorapairofthickpants willusuallysendthebloodthirsty creatureinanewdirection.But, imagine,ifyouwill,thereexisted swarmsofgenetically-mutatedmosquitoesthesizeofGoldenRetrievers withspear-likeproboscises.Would humanitysurvive?That’sthequestionourcharactershavetoanswer inGaryJones’1994film“Mosquito.”
TheEmoryWheel Wednesday,September14,2022A&E 8
Ifyou’relookingforafilmthat won’tfailtoexciteyouwithsome wickedmoviemonstermagic,thenI recommend“Mosquito.”
ContactSamShafiroat sam.shafiro@emory.edu
Similarto“Grizzly,”“Blades”followsthenarrativestructureand beatsof“Jaws.”Teenagersendup mysteriouslydead,andex-progolf playerRoyKent(RobertNorth)suggeststhatcountryclubownerNormanOsgood(WilliamTowner)close theclubandcancelthegolftournament,butherefuses.It’snotuntila childisattackedbythelawnmower thatNormangivesin,andit’sleftto Roy,fellowgolferKellyLange(VictoriaScottD’Angelo)andtough groundskeeperDekeSlade(Jeremy Whelan)toputanendtothis mechanicalmower.
Acollectionthatgrew Morethanheknew Nowhisshelvesarefacing repletion.
BY EYTHEN ANTHONY ArtsandEntertainmentEditor
In1975,StevenSpielbergreleased hisseminalaction-thriller“Jaws,”a summerblockbusterconsideredone ofthemostcritically-acclaimedcreaturefeatures.However,withafilm aspopularas“Jaws,”thereare boundtobepeoplewhowishto emulatethosenarrativebeatsand classicmoments.Whilemostdirectorswhowouldgoontocreate “Jaws”rip-offswouldkeepashark astheprimaryantagonist,thereare afewexamplesofrip-offsveering awayfromtheaquaticsetting,which I’lltouchonagainlater.Fornow, let’stalkaboutWilliamGirdler’s film“Grizzly.”
thatfeelslikeitishoveringatthe edgeofchiptuneandfanfavorite “Cybele’sReverie,”whichhasthefull energyofliveperformance.Eventhe album’slesscriticalsongs,like“Yes Sir!ICanMoogie,”referbacktothe seeminglyeffortlessblissthatmakes Stereolab’smusic feelbothdatedand enduring.
ContactEythenAnthonyat eythen.aaron.anthony@emory.edu
CHAU NGUYEN /CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR
Yes, I am back at it with the noodles because I staunchly believe noodles are one of the most versatile foods to exist—behind eggs, maybe. This res taurant is next to another great sushi place, Kura Revolving Sushi, as well as the biggest H-mart somewhat near Emory’s campus. It is also home to a number of karaoke bars, boba stores and a whole Asian strip mall.
He suffered minor injuries but had PTSD from the event for five months and didn’t get back onto a bike until thisDespitesemester.Atlanta’s lack of bike-safe streets, Song said he hopes to con tinue to be a part of the community he learned to love his freshman year and explore the Druid Hills neigh borhood around Emory that students don’t often see.
As the only restaurant in Atlanta to make New York Times’ Top 50 Restaurants in 2021, Lyla Lila guar antees itself a place on my list. Yes, part of it is because it’s the New York Times, but also because elite restaurants sometimes don’t live up to the hype yet still are worth trying (I’m looking at you, Gordon Ramsey’s LondonLuckily,restaurant).LylaLila is worth it — but only for splurge-worthy moments, like an anniversary, a birthday or a coveted job promotion. It’s situ ated on a street corner in Midtown not too far from campus. The ambi ance is romantic, complete with white tablecloths, vested waitstaff and faux candles, so make sure to dress at least business casual. Like any fine dining establishment, you’ll need to reserve your table ahead of time.
The restaurant is rather square and large, with very classic Chinese noodle shop vibes. The kitchen is in the back, and the smoke from the woks is visible even from the front of the store. Prices are rather reasonable, especially given the amount of food available.
One of my all-time favorites—and the certifiable best first date meal—is sushi. If you’re tired of Wagaya in the Village or want to impress someone and take them out for the first time, try Nakato, not too far from Campus Crossings.Infront of the restaurant, the neatly trimmed greenery and stone steps leading up to the round archway are reminiscent of kanso and tradi tional Japanese architecture. Inside, the tables are intricately placed and separated by unfolding paper screens. The sushi bar in the far corner is constantly busy, and the paper cranes hanging from the ceiling reminded me of my grandmother and the string of orgami cranes I made for her before
By Xavier StevenS Emory Life Editor
sophia Ling / the emory WheeL Ten Seconds Yunnan Rice Noodle in Doraville, Ga.
At the time of the club’s founding, Kasavan did not consider the campus bike-friendly as there were few bike racks and pumps for students to use.
somethingBenjaminnew.”Kasavan (23L) founded the Bike Social Club in 2016 with the same model in place today.
Budget well here, as nothing is cheap. The portions may look small, but they will fill you up more than you expect.
Emory Life
Cost:Nakato$$$
A crowd of 17 Emory students wheeled their bikes over to the 1 Eagle Row parking deck on Saturday after noon. They meet in front of the Fixie bike shop every other weekend with the common goal of all college stu dents — obtaining free food.
Bike Social Club hosts casual rides, advocates safer routes for campus cyclists
By Sophia Ling Executive Editor
Song and the club have grown fond of the scenery around Emory, specifi cally its hills.
include a bike lane along the east side of campus.Thechange, however, created only 0.4 miles of a dedicated bike path from North Decatur Road to Haygood Road, abruptly ending at the intersection of Haygood and Clifton.
Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall
— Contact Sophia Ling sophia.ling@emory.edu.at
Along with its planned rides, the
Ten Seconds Yunnan Rice Noodle
Cost: $$
In 2021, Song was hit by a car on Clifton Road as he attempted to cross over to the bike lane.
tomers have a list of different types of noodles to choose from, ranging from very spicy to mild. Each dish comes with an assortment of vegetables and add-ins, the hot soup base, and the raw noodles for you to cook in front of you. Effectively, it’s like an indi vidual mini noodle hot pot. I had far too much fun dumping things into hot water, and the waitresses were patient in explaining how to cook the noodles as well. The best part? Everything is customizable.
This is Emory Bike Social, a loose group of student bikers who gather to ride all over Atlanta together. The club has traveled to the Beltline, Edgewood, Ponce City Market, Little Five Points and more, each trip with a different restaurant as the destination.
“I actually love the hilly routes because you have the ups and downs,” he said. “It feels like your everyday life has its ups and downs and you can’t always see the horizon at the end.”
In a 2022 study done by real estate data company Clever, Atlanta ranked as the third-worst city for bikeability, with factors of bike trails and workers commuting falling well behind other large“Thecities.University’s support of bicy cling is a lot for image,” Kasavan said. “Clifton Road looks much prettier, but [riding around campus] is not actually safer in any way.”
The group set off on their bikes, along a familiar route that runs through Emory Village, past the Fernbank Museum and through the hills and valleys of Decatur neighbor hoods. In a little over 20 minutes, the group arrives at Jeni’s Ice Cream.
“The emphasis was to make a noncompetitive club but to meet people on campus who also love biking,” Kasavan said. “We chose the name of the club very carefully to be emphatic of that.”
Bike Social Club now participates actively in the Fixie with two dedicat ed mechanics on its executive board. The club also has an active relation ship with the University’s Office of Transportation to create bike-friendly initiatives on campus.
From the outside, the wooden exten sion of patio seating gives Teen Beach vibes, with the string of lights hang ing from bent telephone poles. Being across the street from the Beltline is
Besides the regular appetizers, cus
Satisfy your cravings with Atlanta’s diverse culinary scene
Vegan.“Getting on a bike is a much easier way to learn about a neighborhood,” Song said. “If you sit in a car, you don’t slow down enough to see what’s around you, to notice this tree or that building.”Spotsfill up quickly for rides, with the club posting a sign up form on their social media for anyone to join. If you don’t have a bike, the club has five set aside to borrow for the day. The mix ture of food and exploration draws in a wide variety of bikers, Song said.
Theattend.”clubhosts several rides each semester with easier routes that go through the neighborhoods around Emory on the way to Atlanta favorites. For the first ride of the year, students explored Freedom Park and stopped by the King Center on the way to Slutty
Beyond that point, bicyclists are at the will of Atlanta’s notoriously deadly roads for bicyclists.
an added bonus if you’d like to pet some dogs as you enjoy your meal. The general ambiance is definitely meant for large groups of family or friend gatherings.Iordered the fried chicken bis cuit and a black coffee. Though I was slightly disappointed by the coffee, the biscuit came out still sizzling in a mini cast iron pan. From the texture to the taste, everything was delicious and well cooked. The whole restaurant embodies Southern hospitality at its finest and is a must-try for anyone from out of town looking for a hefty, well-priced meal.
The restaurant is famous for its pastas, with ingredients sourced close to Georgia’s Sapelo Island. I tried the squid ink spaghetti and the tiramisu,
SOPHIA’S SMORGASBORD
Lyla Cost:Lila$$$
“[Bike Social] takes you to great places, but along the way, you have Atlanta’s scenery, you can chat, and you can make fun memories as a group,” Song said. “That’s where I see the value, and that’s why everyone from both competitive and casual bike riders
The ups and downs of biking at Emory
The Bike Social Club in Little Five Points on the way to plant-based bakery Cinnaholic.
The Emory Wheel
Wednesday, September 14, 2022 | Emory Life Editors: Oli Turner (omturne@emory.edu) and Xavier Stevens (xsteven@emory.edu)
“All the rides are memorable because you always have an interest ing mix of people,” Song said. “About 60% are good old friends of the club, and 40% are new faces excited to try
Jeni’s in Decatur is a classic, said Davy Song (23C), Bike Social Club’s president. It was his first ride with the club his freshman year, and the sim plicity of exploring Atlanta with others and getting free food at the end kept Song coming back.
At the time, there was no bicycling club for undergraduates, and bicycling communities were just starting on campus.TheFixie, the free bicycle repair shop on campus, was just founded in 2014 and solely run by the bicycling club for graduate students, the Emory Spokes Council.
— Contact Xavier Stevens xsteven@emory.edu.at
Courtesy of Davy song
both flavorful and well-seasoned. Their pasta is hand-made and they offer lots of varieties, including pap pardelle, ravioli and lasagna. Beyond pasta, the menu boasts a couple of main plates, such as lamb, scallops and steak. Though the website claims to be vegetarian-friendly, not many of its dishes are meat-free. However, the servers are more than happy to adjust for dietary restrictions.
sheThepassed.overall energy of Nakato is homey and peaceful, almost like walk ing into a completely different world, but it has a more formal dress code, so ditch the hoodie and t-shirt. Its history goes back 50 years in Atlanta, as a family business that continues to maintain the high standards of Japanese hospitality.
As someone who once wrote an impassioned diss about the word “brunch,” I can’t believe I’m reviewing yet another brunch restaurant. I came here for the first time for a friend’s birthday. The gravel path leading up might be a little confusing to navigate, but trust the map and you’ll find it at the end of the road.
All of the ingredients from Nakato are imported off the coast of Japan, evident by the freshness of the sushi rolls that I tried. Overall, the restau rant is really quiet and tranquil. You even get a hot towel to wash your hands before eating.
The University has since worked with both undergraduate and gradu ate clubs to approve bike racks around campus and even proposed to build a bike hub in the WoodPEC, which has yet to Theprogress.University most notably expanded Clifton Road in 2017 to
Cost: $$
Jenna Krumerman (23C) said that the app has actually made her “more pres ent” on campus as she’s navigated to new spots on her search for Pokemon.
Hua was inspired by documentary footage she had seen of Chairman Mao, the founder of the People’s Republic of China and leader from 1943 to 1976, with a group of young girls at a ballroom dance for Party officials. After more research, Hua discovered these teenage girls lived in the palaces and attended dances with political leaders that sometimes led to sexual interactions.
This review contains spoilers.
Rating:elements.2/5stars — Contact Miranda Wilson miranda.wilson@emory.edu.at City’‘Forbiddenmissesmarkwith fictionalized MIRANDA’ShistoryBOOKSHELF
“The outside component is huge and it motivates me to maintain an active lifestyle,” Robertson said. “For new players, especially on college cam puses, I really like that it helps you notice things about your surroundings that you wouldn’t otherwise.”
the raid, our best Pokemon lined up and ready to go. A timer counts down from 120 seconds and, while we wait for the battle to begin, there’s light banter and casual conversations about upcoming events. You’d think there would be some anxiety when facing off against such a powerful Pokemon, but instead there’s confidence in the air.
Similarly, the way Hua character izes the Chairman seems unrealistic. She does mention in the author’s note that she included several evidenced details, like Mao’s use of sleeping pills and his bouts of depression. However, his dialogue, mannerisms and unre alistic decisions throughout the novel seem like a fabrication to fulfill the plot of the book. Because Mei ends up being the catalyst for the Cultural Revolution, Hua has to characterize Mao as a mentor and invent certain political decisions on his behalf.
In the summer of 2016, along with many people around the world, I became hooked on the newest mobile game: “Pokemon Go.” Released by Niantic, “Pokemon Go” merged our world and the Pokemon universe by allowing us to interact with our sur roundings, catching Pokémon and earning rewards like health potions.
withagaintheyunderstandingtherepartedgoodbyedisappearing,signifyingtheendofRaidDay.Aseveryonewavedandways,wasanthatwouldreturnanddoitalloverthesame,ifnot
Despite the first-person perspec tive, it is unclear what Mei is thinking when she escapes from the Capitol, and readers are never given a clear reflection. Portions of the book are written after much time has passed between Mei’s experiences in the Capitol and her current life, and the narrative would have benefited from a holistic contemplation of Mei’s feelings towards that time in her life.
A special space was created that day, united by this common interest in Pokemon tips and new Pokedex entries.Lopez said that the club helped her to reconnect with other students again after a “really weird” fresh man year defined by the COVID-19 pandemic.“Iwasbasically all alone again for the second time on campus,” Lopez said.“Without joining in on Pokémon GO and without meeting some of the really great people I’ve met through it, I would still probably be struggling.”
Given the frequency of server crashes and the growing number of people playing while driving, the craze was coming to a close, and in the spring of 2017, I said good bye to “Pokemon Go” for
more, enthusiasm.
“From the beginning, the Chairman had believed in us, believed in the power and rage of a teenage girl.”
By eythen anthony Arts & Entertainment Editor
Fountain, the fountain outside of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center.
The clock struck five and the Deoxys began
while. I redown loaded “Pokemon Go” in the spring of 2022 because I was walking more than I had before, and I was surprised to see all the updates that had been made. There were new Pokemon, a quest feature and a “buddy system” that allowed you to receive Pokemon candies for walk ing around, some of which require collaborating with other players. If I wanted to complete the quests, I had to meet new players, which led me to discover Pokémon GO Emory.
a tien nguyen /
The Emory Life section is seeking writers to cover campus features and profiles! The Emory Wheel Scan this QR code or contact us at xsteven@emory.edu or oli.turner@emory.edu!
The raids continued to The Joseph B. Whitehead Family, a collection of paintings inside the Whitehead Biomedical Research Center, then the Health Science Center and back to The Joseph B. Whitehead Family. With each win came not only adrena line, but the club members’ immediate desire to do it again.
I met with eight members of Pokemon GO Emory for Raid Day on Sept. 11. Founded in 2019, Pokemon GO Emory is a student organization that builds community across cam pus through one shared interest: “Pokemon Go.” Members not only participate in group activities, such as raids, but also communicate with one another about upcoming events and nearbyPokémon they have caught. Faith Lopez (24C), the treasurer of Pokémon GO Emory, pointed out that the app isn’t designed to be an isolat ing“Somethingexperience. about ‘Pokemon Go’ is that it requires some community involvement,” Lopez said. “It’s not meant to be played in a vacuum, it’s not meant to be played by yourself.”
In “Forbidden City,” Hua’s fictional ized character, Mei Xiang, is plucked from her village and taken to the Capital to be a part of Mao’s troupe. Mei quickly becomes the Chairman’s favorite, and she becomes his per sonal aide and confidant. The climax of the book occurs when Mei helps Mao trick the President into believ ing she is a university student, turn ing the President against students of China and kick-starting the Cultural Revolution.Unfortunately, Hua’s novel falls short in developing the relation ship between Mei and Chairman Mao. The author presents an inter esting “what-if” scenario, but Mei’s quick ascent from a normal villager to the Chairman’s confidant comes across as unbelievable, considering the Chairman’s tendency to distrust everyone around him.
— Contact Eythen Anthony edu.eythen.aaron.anthony@emory.at
While Robertson said he hopes to draw in more funding for the club, right now he’s primarily focused on ensuring that the club continues to thrive long after he leaves Emory.
period, but Mei is broken from the spell of propaganda very abruptly. Even though she has witnessed the Chairman’s malevolence before, she decides he does not care for the coun try’s well-being at a seemingly ran dom time — a nation-wide rally —and decides to leave.
By Miranda WiLSon Staff Writer
“As a graduating senior, I’ll be happy to maintain technology in the form of Discord after I graduate, but there will need to be a new president when I leave,” Robertson said.
As the timer reached zero, our fin gers raised above our phones and, with laser-like focus, we began tapping against the screen. A cacophony of fin gernails striking against our phones could be heard by those nearby, along with chants of excitement as the boss’s health got lower and lower. And, as quickly as it began, the Deoxys had been defeated. We celebrated with the occasional high five, and, like clock work, we continued to a new gym for our next raid.
ary Pokemon for the chance to add them to their collection. The focus of this Raid Day was on Pokemon #386, Deoxys.Westarted our quest at the fourfaced clock by the Clairmont tennis courts. That’s when I met, among the members that attended, the club’s president and founder, Miles Robertson (23C). Robertson, who was in Canada during the app’s release, described himself as a “Negative Day 1 Player,” as the game wasn’t available in other countries yet. Robertson praised the app, not only for its physical health benefits, but also the increased aware ness of his surroundings.
While “Pokemon Go” will likely never reach the peak hype it had in 2016, clubs like Pokémon GO Emory remind us that the app isn’t dead. It’s growing, evolving and fostering positive communities on campus and beyond.
The Chairman is also romanti cized, not just in Mei’s own mind, but through his words throughout the novel. He comes across as caring at times, and it is hard to believe that someone as busy and determined as Mao would have had the time to show the inordinate compassion to a servant seen in this book.
Raid Days are special events where, for three hours, players have the opportunity to battle against legend
Pokémon GO Emory: the lively campus community catching ‘em all
Hua’s decision to shine light on an underrepresented group in China’s history is commendable, and the con cept intrigued me to read further. She explores themes of grief and family with raw and powerful prose. If this book was purely fiction, it would have struck a different chord. However, its lack of historical accuracy and authen ticity made it hard for me to appreciate the other
The app developed a cult following quickly, not only because of the rec ognizable nature of Pokemon, but also for the game’s simple model. Someone who’s never played a Pokemon game could easily download it and begin collecting. It was the perfect environ ment for casual and committed play ers to engage with one another.
Courtesy of vanessahua Com Vanessa Hua’s “Forbidden City” depicts a historically inaccurate China under an unreaslitic Chairman Mao.
We all entered the waiting room for
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We caught the shuttle and made our way to Emory’s Atlanta campus to continue our Raid Day, first stop ping at the Dooley statue, where a new member joined us on this Pokemon gym crawl. Our next stop was Lawley
Vanessa Hua’s 2022 novel, “Forbidden City,” is a work of histori cal fiction that required over a decade of research into Chairman Mao’s leadership of China, according to the author’s note at the end of the book.
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The idea of a young girl being the cause of the Cultural Revolution is compelling, but it’s a falsehood. The Cultural Revolution was caused by a pervading sense of distrust through out society, propaganda that was tar geted at impressionable youth and years of political strategizing. It would have been more true to historical fic tion to have Mei play a pivotal role in this larger social movement, instead of positioning her as a singular catalyst in this Mei’scause.character development from obedient servant to rebellious escapee is also rushed. Hua does delve into the psychology around the worship ing of Chairman Mao during this time
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athletes receive their dues should be a priority for institutions like the Big Ten who have the capital to do so. Instead, a disappointingly small number of schools have stepped up and commit ted to paying student-athletes a mod
Early mornings, late nights: the life of grad student-athletes
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lighted the central conflict at the heart of college athletics: while the stakes continue to get higher for university administrators, they never budge for student-athletes.Attheendof the day, only a select few advance to the professional leagues; the rest obtain their degrees and step away from competition as they enter a new career. Conference administrators should be doing everything in their power to make athletes’ precious four years of eligi bility as worthwhile as possible, both on and off the field. Their failure to even pretend they are acting as such is a dismal acknowledgement that to them, student-athletes are merely expendable cogs in an exploitative economic machine they helped to build.
everyday interaction to foster that rela tionship and connection before my 8 a.m.Whileclasses.”not in graduate school, Lauren Bandera, a captain on the vol leyball team, is at Emory for an extra semester. She is able to underload on her coursework and use her extra year of eligibility to compete for another season. Bandera transferred from Georgia State University to Emory during her sophomore year. Despite being one of the oldest on the team, Bandera enjoys spending her extra semester with her teammates.
As a former basketball player, one of London’s biggest strengths is his incredible ability to make catches in
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est bonus. At most colleges, athletes are resigned to putting grueling hours into a job for which they never receive compensation.Thedrama that has ensued in the wake of the Big Ten shakeup has high
@ Julius Johnson Invitational @ Elon Fall Invitational v. Sewanee @ Hampden-Sydney College
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said. “It has definitely been a change now that I am in graduate school. At the same time it has been cool to meet the freshmen and still have some connection to the youthful side that they bring to the team. It has overall been good to me and has kept me open-minded.”BecauseThompson’s classes start at 8 a.m., he is not able to run with the team during the week. Instead, he has to run at 6 a.m. before his classes. Despite this, Thompson tries to make the most of it by build ing close connections with his new teammates.“Otherthan waking up early and not being able to practice with the team it has been pretty manageable,” Thompson said. “I still briefly attend practice everyday at 7 a.m. because I run everyday before practice, check in with the coach, and then say good morning to the team. I still get that
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“I came and introduced myself to the freshmen who are also in the same boat of being new and not integrated into the social groups,” Hu said. “ It’s reminiscent of my college days and really fun. When you’re going into a new team environment it’s normal to feel different but it does get better with time. I’ve tried to be a good teammate and get to know them on a more per sonal level. It’s just been getting better andJustbetter.”like Hu, Ethan Thompson is a graduate student on the cross country and track & field teams. He is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and is in the Doctor of Physical Therapy pro gram at the Emory University School of Medicine. Thompson ran cross country and track all four years of
Bandera mentioned how grateful she feels to devote most of her time to volleyball since she is only enrolled in two classes for her final semester. Bandera expanded upon her leader ship role and how she hopes to set a high standard for the program. As the oldest and one of four captains, she feels she is a role model for the
@ Sewanee: The University of the South
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@ Elon Fall Invitational v. University of Chicago (@ UAA Round Robin #1)
To fill the void left by Ridley, Atlanta selected Drake London, a wide receiver from University of Southern California, as the eight pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. London was
the first receiver selected, and the Falcons are depending on him to step up as the primary wide receiver on the team. Despite missing USC’s final four games with a broken ankle, London still was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year.
the portion of tuition not covered by a scholarship. In a system powered by the success of basketball and foot ball players, most of whom identify as members of historically marginalized populations, ensuring that student-
managed to break Jones’ franchise record for most receiving yards as a rookie.The Falcons received criticism for drafting cornerback (CB) AJ Terell 16th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, but Atlanta had the last laugh. After a promising rookie season, Terrell took his sophomore season to the next level. According to Next Gen Stats, Terrell led all CBs with the lowest comple tion percentage allowed and lowest yards per target allowed in the league. To put this into perspective, Football Outsiders has Terell’s 3.3 yards per pass allowed as the best mark in the NFL since 2010. Pro Football Focus has Terell ranked as the third-best outside cornerback in the NFL coming into the 2022 season. To put it bluntly: he is very good.
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— Contact Ethan Mayblum ethan.mayblum@emory.eduat
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Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota during a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 27.
Terell leads defense into 2022
@ Elon Fall Invitational v. Case Western Reserve University (@ UAA Round Robin #1)
@ University of Lynchburg @ Washington & Lee University
— Contact Claire Fenton claire.fenton@emory.eduat
“The dynamic is one that I was new to and I wasn’t sure how it would be,” Bandera said. “It has kind of surprised me that I feel very close to most of them. I think age doesn’t really mat ter. Maturity-wise it has kind of been shocking in the sense that I respect all of them and don’t feel that age gap. I truly enjoy that.”
for this 2022 season at a minimum, forcing the Falcons to search for new receiving talent.
— Contact Eric Jones eric.jones@emory.eduat
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traffic. He finished the college football season with 19 contested catches, six more than any other collegiate player that season. In recent years, rookie wide receivers like Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase have made imme diate impacts on their teams, so all eyes will be on London to see if he can become a major contributor to
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The Michigan and University of Iowa football teams face off in Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Nov. 17, 2012.
Atlanta’sDespiteoffense.some major changes, the Falcons still have starters returning this season. There are two tight ends in NFL history to have over 1000 yards in their rookie year; one is hall of famer Mike Ditka, and the other is the Falcons’w very own Kyle Pitts. But while Pitts is a tight end, wide receiver records were not out of reach as he
While Terell received some recog nition in the form of a second-team All-Pro nomination, he was inexcus ably snubbed from the NFL top 100 players list this offseason. An appall ing eight other cornerbacks were all selected to the list, which is voted on by NFL players, over him. Fans can look to Terell to continue his out standing play this season, and hope fully earn some more respect from the league. arn some more respect from the league.
Big Ten ‘superconference’ antithetical to amateurism
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his undergraduate experience, and chose to exercise his extra year of eli gibility to continue doing something he Thompsonloves. discussed his simultane ous adjustment to a new school and a new“Itteam.was nice in the sense that my program started in June so I was able to have exposure to the program before the season started,” Thompson explained. “During that time I got to run with my teammates who were liv ing here over the summer as well. So I kind of got a slow exposure to the team which was really nice to have some ongoing relationships before I had met the full blown team at our preseason camp.”Thompson also discussed the transition to participating on a col lege athletic team as a graduate student.“Ihave really enjoyed it,” Thompson
She shared her thoughts on the social framework of the team.
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program.“Because of my situation, I can spend more time on volleyball,” Bandera said. “They have me in lead ership roles. Now that I have more time I can go the extra mile on more things like checking on the under classmen. In the past, my course load varied depending on how much time I could work with. It’s really nice to have that last semester light on classes.”
superconference argue that increased media exposure will bestow indirect benefits on Big Ten athletes. To hear Ohio State University athletic director Gene Smith tell it, student-athletes already get paid; that is, if the “help they receive from trainers, strength coaches, sports psychologists, nutri tionists and academic counselors” is considered valid payment. After all, if the Big Ten hopes to entice elite head coaches who can compete with the SEC’s Nick Saban (Alabama) and Kirby Smart (University of Georgia) –whose annual salaries total $11.7 mil lion and $11.25 million, respectively – the athletic departments must soak up every last Unfortunatelydrop.for the Big Ten, none of those perks can pay an athlete’s bills. Playing mini golf in the athletic facilities after practice may be fun, but it doesn’t pay for housing fees, food or
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In the ensuing months, seeming ly every sports outlet had publicized their opinions, theories and analyses on the future landscape of college sports, demonstrating a passion and thoroughness media normally reserve for presidential elections. It’s easy to let the drama and dollar signs dis tract us from the casualties of such opportunistic conference-hopping: the student-athletes, who are often after thoughts in the very business their unpaid labor keeps afloat.
their importance, robs athletes of the chance to battle for bragging rights and earn a place in their school’s ath leticAlthoughhistory. UCLA and USC are fan tastic fits for the Big Ten on paper, their geographical distance from the nebulus of the other member schools makes them an inconvenient outli er. Currently, the most western nonCalifornia school is the University of Nebraska which, located in Lincoln, is still at least a three-hour flight from Los Angeles. The east coast desti nations like Maryland, Rutgers and Pennsylvania State University are even greater travel nightmares.
That’s why the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Southern California’s (USC) joint decision to leave the Pac12 Conference – a lopsided group of teams largely dominated by a select few along the pacific coast, including UCLA and USC – and enter the realm of the Big Ten in 2024 rocked the sportsCaliforniaworld.
C ourtesy of Cl A ire Hu (left), l Auren BA nder A A nd et HA n tHompson
The pandemic granted NCAA ath letes the ability to compete in their respective sport for an extra year as a result of interrupted athletic sea sons. The decision to use the extra year of eligibility is up to the athlete. At Emory University, different sports are seeing student-athletes use that extra year to continue playing, some of whom are doing so while in gradu ateClaireschool.Hu, a first-year graduate student at the Emory University School of Medicine, attended California Institute of Technology (Caltech) for her undergraduate stud ies. While at Caltech, she ran cross country and track & field, and want ed to continue competing during her first year in medical school across the nation.
“I also have my foot in a lot of different locations,” Hu said. “I have my MD-PHD cohort, I have my medi cal school classmates, and I have my teammates. I think having that support system and having multi ple different sources of support and investing in a few different places is good in the sense that I can get what I need emotionally from whoever’s available.”Huisthe only female graduate stu dent in the cross country program.
In a year where the Atlanta Falcons are projected to have the second-worst record in the NFL, the 2022 season isn’t expected to look pretty for the so-called “Dirty Birds.” The Falcons recorded only seven wins in the 2021 season, a number not expected to be exceeded this year. That said, the Falcons have made some major chang es to their roster and can rely on key players on the offensive and defensive sides. Overall, Falcons fans can expect an uneventful season with a few bright spots shining through.
The most notable change to the 2022 Falcons team is the departure of franchise quarterback Matt Ryan. After winning Offensive Rookie of the Year once he was drafted in 2008, “Matty Ice” has been a constant for Falcons fans for the past 14 years. Throughout that time, Ryan shattered franchise records while amassing the eighth most passing yards and ninth most passing touchdowns in NFL history. The list of Ryan’s accolades during his tenure with the Falcons is lengthy to say the least, making his departure to the Indianapolis Colts this offseason all the more shocking to fans. However, the team’s lack of success on the field may have been the final writing on the wall.
Even though being able to run for Emory’s cross country team came later, Hu is very glad she is able to par ticipate. With a strong support system, she is confident in being able to bal ance her rigorous medical school tasks with running.
In Ryan’s place, Atlanta brought in former second overall draft pick Marcus Mariota. After being draft ed by the Tennessee Titans in 2015, Mariota was eventually replaced as
financially successful men’s sports the hardest. At least football and basket ball players get to perform for sold-out crowds and see their faces on ESPN every week to soften the blow. Athletes in other sports won’t reap the benefits of the increased exposure to such a satisfying degree.
When the Ohio State University and University of Michigan football teams faced off in their annual Big Ten Conference rivalry game on Nov. 27, 2021, 15.89 million viewers tuned in to FOX. Another 111,156 filled Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor – the larg est stadium in the United States and the third-largest worldwide – while thousands of fans tailgated outside the venue and nearly 200 miles away in Columbus, Ohio.
In Week 8, Ridley announced that he would be stepping away from the game due to mental health reasons. The Falcons handled the situation admirably, with Arthur Smith pledg ing his support to Ridley and the team giving him space. Ridley sat out the remainder of the season, but things took a drastic turn when he was sus pended indefinitely in March 2022 for betting on NFL games while he was away from the team. The indefinite suspension makes Ridley ineligible
See EARLY, Page 11 See TERELL, Page 11 NCAA
As the Big Ten arrangement current ly stands, the 2024 addition of UCLA and USC will bring the total member count to 14. Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren’s promise to embrace an “aggressive” expansion policy moving forward opens the door for that num ber to climb even higher. Part of what fuels the intensity of college sports are the highly-anticipated rivalry games, often intra-conference matchups, that pit teams against one another year after year. The feasibility of scheduling them every year will evaporate if the Big Ten becomes so large that its mem bers can’t cram all those games into a single season. Eliminating the rivalry games, or at the very least diminishing
What’s more, the weather chang es dramatically outside the confines of the west coast. Imagine the shock the west coast athletes accustomed to average lows of 48 degrees in January, the average high for a November in Ann Arbor, Michigan, will experience upon leaving their sunny California oases to play games in freezing winds and steady snowfall.
While she knows that medical school is demanding, Hu still has a strong passion for running. After seeing how the cross country season goes, Hu plans to make her decision about track & field because of her demanding curriculum.
Student-athletes are afterthoughts in billiondollar collegiate sports industry
By ethan MayBluM Staff Writer
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“If I can manage [time] well during the last two weeks of cross country, I might consider doing track,” Hu said. “The coaches have been very flexible withHume.”mentioned that continuing her athletic career was not the deciding factor in her medical school applica tion process. Instead, she focused on her research interests.
Given that football and basket ball – mostly men’s but also women’s, though to a much lesser extent – drive conference membership decisions, all other sports get sidelined when ath letic executives chase after money. The downsides of the new Big Ten forma tion will hit women’s sports and less
As college athletic conferences like the Big Ten dig their foothold even deeper in the sports landscape, it becomes harder to stomach the reality that the student-athletes run ning the show may never directly receive a dime of that media contract money. It was only last summer that the Supreme Court declared that the NCAA’s borderline criminal bans on student-athletes profiting off their name, image and likeness (NIL) were unconstitutional. Although plenty of high-profile athletes, including University of Alabama quarter back Bryce Young and University of Connecticut guard Paige Bueckers, have obtained lucrative, long over due sponsorships, the vast major ity won’t. The new NIL rules are an important step in returning agency to student-athletes, but in practice they provide meaningful financial benefit to a scant few.
letes whose labor makes it all possible under the paper-thin guise of acting in their best interests.
ests and what I wanted to do, I thought Emory was a better fit.”
I received two interview offers, one from Boston University and one from Emory. I was able to interview at both schools. Based on my research inter
Governor Gavin Newsom publicly scorned UCLA for neglecting to consult with its partner the University of California, Berkeley. Within days, rumors that the University of Oregon and the University of Washington were considering a similar move left the rest of the Pac-12 panicked and on the verge of collapse. The Big 12 scrambled to meet with remaining Pac-12 con tenders Arizona State University, the
the starter in 2019 and hailed as a draft bust. After two years as a back up quarterback with the Las Vegas Raiders, Mariota is reuniting with cur rent Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, who was the offensive coordinator of the Titans in 2019. With an impressive performance in preseason, Mariota is looking to rekindle his career and make the most of his second chance as an NFL starter, but filling the void left by Ryan will be extremely difficult.
Mariota steps in for Ryan as Falcons QB
Graduate student-athletes (from left) Claire Hu (cross country), Lauren Bandera (volleyball) and Ethan Thompson (cross country) in competitions for Emory this fall.
“Sports did not particularly influ ence my decision,” Hu said. “I applied MD-PHD, a very selective process.
Grad athletes bring leadership to Emory
The Big Ten is perhaps the most prestigious athletic conference in the NCAA. Its member schools routine ly snag the top-ranked high school prospects and cater to alumni bases that easily tally television ratings higher than those of global sport ing. The conference’s success recent ly earned them a $7 billion media rights agreement predicted to shower each member with up to $10 million perUnsurprisingly,year. college administra tors routinely sign on the dotted lines without consulting the student-ath
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Swapping Ryan for Mariota wasn’t the only major change for the Falcons. Last season, after wide receiver Julio Jones left Atlanta, the Falcons looked to Calvin Ridley to join the team as the next up in a long line of elite wide receivers. Ridley already played the part in prior seasons, ending the 2020 season tied for ninth in receiv ing touchdowns and fourth in receiv ing yards. Unfortunately, Ridley didn’t seem like himself to start off last sea son, putting up only 281 yards and two touchdowns through five games.
Being a Big Ten school includes more than just financial perks: matchups against the most competitive teams in college sports, broadcasts on major television networks and access to an avidly loyal fanbase. It’s an opportu nity schools would be foolish to pass on, and one none have been afforded since Rutgers University (N.J.) and the University of Maryland joined the conference in 2014.
By eriC Jones Staff Writer
Still, proponents of a Big Ten
University of Arizona, the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Utah, hoping to snatch up the remain ing lucrative programs.
The 2022 Winter Olympics, a mul tiweek affair designed to showcase the pinnacle of athleticism, pulled in an average of 11.4 million primetime viewers across NBC’s networks.
By Claire Fenton Sports Editor