Content Warning: This article contains references to gun violence.
Over the summer, Emory University has made national headlines and faced challenges both on and off campus, including major leadership turnover, new lawsuits and a fatal shooting in front of Emory Point
Fenves steps away from presidency
Two weeks after former University President Gregory Fenves delivered remarks at the University’s May 12 commencement ceremony, a university-wide press release announced Fenves’ departure from his role as University president. The Emory Board of Trustees appointed Board of Trustees Vice Chair and former Supreme Court of Georgia Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears (80L) as interim University president starting on Sept. 1. Fenves plans to remain at Emory as the University’s sixth chancellor. As chancellor, Fenves will take on a new leadership role less focused on daily affairs and more occupied with externally-facing University operations, according to the press release.
Fenves served as president for five years and oversaw Emory through a pandemic, mass protests and political turmoil affecting U.S. universities. However, Fenves’ five-year term is dwarfed by the term length of presidents at the university’s peer institutions. Over the past 25 years, Emory has experienced constant turnover in its leadership. The University has already had five presidents since 2000, whereas peer institutions have averaged 2.7 presidents during the same period.
However, Fenves was not the only high-ranking official at Emory to leave his position this summer. The University also announced in a press release on July 1 that Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Vice Chair of the Emory Healthcare Board of Directors Ravi Thadhani would step down and leave his position on Aug. 31. Since the role of executive vice president for health affairs was created in 1996, five people have held office, making the average tenure 6.25 years. Thadhani was in the position for two and a half years, the shortest term to date. The University announced Emory Healthcare CEO Joon Lee’s appointment to Thadhani’s office.
Former Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Ravi Bellamakonda also left Emory in December 2024 to join the Ohio State University. The University extended the search for a replacement provost after initially expecting to replace Bellamakonda by the end of the spring semester.
Campus Life leaders leave positions, student government operations remain paused
Following this string of leadership turnover at Emory, the Emory News Center announced in July that major Campus Life administrators, including Senior Vice President and Dean of Campus Life Enku Gelaye, Associate Vice President for Belonging, Engagement and Community and Dean of Students Kristina Bethea Odejimi, Associate Vice President for Health, Well-being, Access and Prevention James Raper, and Chief Business Officer and Assistant Vice President of Campus Life Lina Vargas would be leaving their positions.
Amid these vacancies, the University announced in a press release that Heather Mugg, associate vice provost for undergraduate affairs, will lead the Campus Life teams in areas of “health, well-being, belonging and community.” Erin Herting, associate dean and chief business officer of Emory School of Law, will serve as the interim chief business officer and support the administrative functions of Campus Life’s financial team.
SGA Speaker of the Legislature Sohan Bellam (26C) said that administrators have not shared any plans to replace these leaders, claiming the departures were a “functional elimination” of the division.
Following these announcements, Emory Student Government Association (SGA) President Tyler Martinez (26C) and SGA Executive Vice President Zoe Grotjan (24Ox, 26B) told The Emory Wheel that the high volume of leadership transitions calls into question the University’s transparency and jeopardizes the well-being of students. Provost and Interim Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Lanny Liebeskind sent an email to all students on July 21 that said University leadership remains committed to student “growth, wellbeing, and academic progress.”
Student leadership groups were also subject to similar transparency concerns at the end of last semester. Emory University’s Office of Student Conduct suspended SGA and College Council, a subdivision of SGA, on April 14 for alleged actions “potentially constituting discriminatory harassment.” Entering the fall semester, Associate Director of University Communications Rachel Smith wrote in an email to the Wheel that SGA and College Council operations are “paused,” pending a review. It is unclear when SGA and College Council will resume operations.
Emory makes national news for grant terminations
University leaders have continued to fight to maintain Emory’s federally subsidized research grants and funds. A disclosure report filed on July 21 found that Emory has spent more than $500,000 on lobbying the federal government, a record-breaking amount for the University. The federal government has terminated $92 million in grants for Emory since March.
CAIR-GA lawsuit
Following pro-Palestinian protests in April 2024, Emory continues to face new legal challenges due to its management of the protests and student conduct. The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Georgia) announced on Aug. 4 that it is suing Emory on behalf of suspended medical student Umaymah Mohammad. Emory School of Medicine suspended Mohammad for violating “professional conduct” after accusing a professor who volunteered in the Israeli Defense Forces of “participating in aiding and abetting a genocide.”
CAIR-Georgia claims Mohammad’s suspension, which came after she participated in the April 2024 Emory Quadrangle encampment and other pro-Palestine demonstrations, violated the school’s conduct code at the time. This lawsuit is ongoing. Earlier in 2025, the University was involved with another lawsuit filed by CAIR-Georgia. In January, Emory settled with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights when it was accused of and sued for discriminating against Muslim students.
Emory Point shooting
In a crisis that made national headlines, a shooter near Emory Point on Aug. 8 triggered a “police emergency” across campus and the surrounding area. The deceased gunman, 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, shot and killed responding DeKalb County police officer David Rose. White, a former U.S. soldier, fired shots that hit nearby Centers for Disease Control (CDC) buildings. He died from gunfire injuries at the scene. The University messaged the community on Aug. 8 to “RUN, HIDE, FIGHT” and by the morning of Aug. 9, the Atlanta Police Department lifted the emergency status and cleared the area.
While news outlets reported that the shooting was linked to the CDC, authorities have not confirmed a motive. The incident occurred right outside the Emory Point, where many Emory students live, raising safety concerns among community members.
As students return to campus this week, Emory’s community will feel the aftershocks of the changes and challenges of this summer, continuing to influence the upcoming school year.
If you or someone you know is struggling in the aftermath of gun violence, you can reach Emory’s Counseling and Psychological Services at (404) 727-7450 or https://counseling.emory.edu/ or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Disaster Distress hotline 24/7 at +1 (800) 985-5990.
Jacob Muscolino (he/him) (28C) is a News Editor at The Emory Wheel. He is from Long Island and plans to major in History and Psychology. Outside of the Wheel, he is involved in Emory Reads and Emory Economics Review. You can often find Jacob watching the newest blockbuster for his Letterboxd, dissecting The New York Times and traveling to the next destination on his bucket list.
