We Must Bring Back LearnLink Conference
In fall 2012, Emory began phasing out LearnLink. As a current freshman, I never used LearnLink when it was at its prime. However, I still have a few classes that use it. From my limited use, I have concluded that while many people are right in calling LearnLink outdated, it performs a necessary function that no replacement has managed to do. It may be old, but it’s easy to use, and it gets information across quickly. I understand that the University was in need of a new email client. Office 365 is okay, but the switch to it has caused…
A Troubling Future: Printing Assault Rifles
Did you know that it is now possible to make parts of an assault rifle with a 3D printer? Cody Wilson, a law student at the University of Texis has designed, printed and successfully tested the lower half of an AR-15 receiver. He has also designed and tested a 30-round box magazine, which may soon become illegal if a proposed ban on high-capacity ammunition clips succeeds in Congress. Although Wilson’s designs comprise only a small portion of all the parts required to assemble a functioning assault rifle, the implications of his work are chilling. Gun control and Second Amendment rights…
Our Opinion: Elections Rules Should Address Social Media
This year’s Residence Hall Association (RHA) presidential election first resulted in a run-off between RHA Vice President of Programming and College sophomore Jessica Simon and RHA Publicity Chair and College sophomore Akshay Goswami. But after Simon filed cheating allegations again Goswami, who had received the most votes, the RHA Election Committee found ambiguities in RHA’s election policies. The rules state that a candidate may present a challenge within 24 hours after the election but had failed to specify whether the term “election” referred to the run-off or general round. A new general election will take place as a result. As…
Getting More Than A Degree
Lately, I’ve been having a mid-life crisis. Growing up, I was always told one thing: just make it past this. Sacrifice a little longer, and it will all be worth it. In high school, it was studying a little longer, taking on more activities, giving up time with friends. But it was worth it because these actions would lead to acceptance into a good school, right? Then I got into a good school. Emory University offered me many opportunities to take the next step and pursue my dreams upon graduation. But this wasn’t the end either; this time, it was…
Continuing the Conversation on ‘White Privilege’
Last week, I wrote a column for the Wheel that discussed the concept of societal privilege. Particularly, I criticized the concepts of white and male privilege and how they can often be (and in my case, actually were) used in political or social discourse to discredit or dismiss the positions of others. After a small corner of the internet exploded in response to what I had written, I felt it was necessary to follow up on a couple of points. Two major critiques were leveled at me both online and in a printed response by Ryan Gorman in Tuesday’s edition…
A Call to Action: Why Relay?
Deafening stillness, interspersed with sniffles, emanates through McDonough Field as you walk alongside 800 individuals in silence around the flickering luminaria track. Your heart fills with grief as the faces of those who have passed flash across the giant screen as Alex Riddle’s voice and guitar strings perfectly accompany the somber mood. Your eyes moisten with tears or you struggle to hold them back, feeling a welling in your heart that aches all the way to your throat. You compose yourself and make your way toward the table in front where an empty chair sits before you, representing all of…
Wagner Is Unfit to Lead
What is a vote of no confidence about? It’s not about whether Wagner is a bad guy, and it’s not about whether he has made mistakes. Nor is it about whether he has ever done a positive thing for Emory. It’s about whether one has confidence in his future leadership. I urge both the faculty and the Laney Graduate Students to submit a vote of no confidence in Wagner, and I aim to demonstrate in this piece that any reasonable understanding of confidence rejects Wagner. I believe Wagner’s recent article in Emory Magazine featuring the Three-Fifths Compromise is sufficient to…
Ridding All Forms of Oppression
Oppression has many forms. Sadly, it has endured throughout the ages, especially in America. So, what constitutes oppression? According to Merriam-Webster, oppression is the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel or unjust manner. The mistreatment of black people in American society proves to be an act that stunts the intellectual and social growth of people. Racism and other prejudices are not oppressive until they are put into law. When laws are in place that uphold the oppression of a people, much of the blame falls off the shoulders of the people of the country and onto the…
Our Opinion: Dooley’s Week A Major Success This Year
Saturday night’s Dooley’s Ball, featuring electronic dance music DJ 3LAU, signaled the end of this year’s Dooley’s Week, hosted annually by the Student Programming Council (SPC). This year’s theme was “Dooley as the Romans Do” and culminated in an attempt at Dooley’s Ball to break the Guinness World Record for hosting the largest toga party. The week began on Monday with Taste of Emory, a showcase of restaurants from the local community. It was followed by a performance called “Dooling Pianos” on Tuesday, Wonderful Wednesday and a performance by comedian Hannibal Buress on Thursday. Friday night’s Spring Band Party featured…
Emory Needs Diversity
One of the most disturbing trends in the United States in recent decades is the lack of socioeconomic mobility. A core aspect of the American dream is a merit-based society where hard work will lead to greater economic prosperity. Yet even though Americans believe in this ideal — a 2013 Brookings Institute survey found that a higher rate of Americans agreed with the statement “people are rewarded for intelligence and skill” than any of the 27 countries surveyed — this ideal hasn’t matched the reality in recent decades. That same survey also found that income inequality was increasing and becoming…
