Emory graduate students hosted a rally on the steps of the Administration Building on Monday in light of the University's decision to suspend graduate programs in economics and Spanish and shutdown a number of other programs. The rally provided a forum for graduate students to air their grievances and offer solutions to rectify the elimination of these programs.
The Emory Wheel commends the rally for being exceptionally well-organized and peacefully executed, in light of other, more incendiary protests that have occurred in recent memory. Not only was the rally carried out in a mature and respectable manner, but also those students and faculty members in attendance were involved and constructive. People who spoke articulated their concerns clearly, consistently provided constructive criticism and, most importantly, were open to dialogue with the administration. Students planning rallies or protests in the future should follow the graduate students' example closely. The graduate students who organized Monday's rally will also be hosting another rally today at noon. We have faith that this rally will be as successful as the previous.
Furthermore, we feel that the elimination of Emory's graduate program in economics is a needless loss that will have negative effects for the University. By cutting the graduate economics program, Emory has seriously hindered the research opportunities available to students and professors. Traditionally, graduate students have been key resources in aiding professors with their research and any excess work the professor might have as a result of teaching classes. Without graduate students who assist professors in their work, professors will be forced to handle a significantly increased workload. Any excess work required of economic professors will limit the amount of time they can dedicate to their undergraduate classes and research.
However, this is not the only inconvenience that undergraduates will suffer at the hands of the University's suspension. Graduate-level research is an integral part of the undergraduate economics student's learning process and, by eliminating this opportunity, Emory is providing its students with an incomplete - and insufficient - educational experience.
We acknowledge that there is still much to learn about the recent department cuts and that the lack of information has caused some confusion amongst students and faculty members. In order to help clarify the details of this situation, we urge the Emory Student Government Association to organize a town hall meeting with Dean Forman and other members of the administration involved with the changes. We believe that this will be an excellent opportunity for members of the Emory community to voice their concerns and for the administration to elucidate its plan. The town hall meeting has the potential to be immensely constructive, provided it is well organized and conducted civilly.
The above staff editorial represent the majority opinion of the Wheel's editorial board.
