Dear readers,
Micah Cohen argued in a recent Emory Wheel op-ed that Emory University should sign U.S. President Donald Trump’s compact because it ensures fair admissions and diversity of thought. Contrarily, I believe signing the compact would hurt our campus by granting the Trump administration broad power over free speech.
Cohen states that by signing the compact, Emory would ensure fair admissions. But, the Supreme Court ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (2023) ended affirmative action, deeming it unconstitutional. There is zero evidence that Emory still uses affirmative action, and Interim University President Leah Ward-Sears (80L) confirmed the University’s compliance with federal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies in a recent interview with The Emory Wheel. Without evidence that the University has continued affirmative action, Cohen’s argument that the compact ensures fair admissions is invalid.
Cohen also asserts that the compact would ensure a “marketplace of ideas” and regulate “potentially violent protest(s)” like the April 2024 pro-Palestinian encampment on the University Quadrangle. Regulating protests in order to prevent “potentially violent” events would threaten free speech, allowing Emory or Trump to theoretically stop any peaceful demonstrations they arbitrarily deem “potentially violent.” If someone disagrees with a protest, they should organize a counter-protest, not silence others. Stopping peaceful protests will not create the “marketplace of ideas” Cohen argues for — instead, it will stifle debate on controversial topics.
Most importantly, the University should not trust the Trump administration. Since the administration ignores court orders regarding deportations and waivers on releasing the Jeffery Epstein files, it is easy to imagine it exploiting the compact’s vagueness. With Trump’s contempt for protests, a No Kings protest or an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement rally could be deemed “potentially violent” by the administration, and under the compact, these protests may no longer be acceptable at Emory. While Cohen’s point about the vitality of federal money to Emory is correct, a preference for these funds at the cost of free speech does not make the compact worthwhile.
Contact Aidan O’Sullivan at aidan.o’sullivan@emory.edu
Aidan O'Sullivan (he/him) (26Ox, 28C) is a Political Science major from South Kingstown, Rhode Island. He is a big fan of the New York Giants, Mets, and Knicks. Outside the Wheel he enjoys playing sports like basketball and volleyball, spending time with friends, and reading. He is a part of the Oxford Student Government Association as a First Year Senator too.
