Hateful rhetoric has no place at Emory University, yet, the University continues to struggle with addressing acts of racism in a meaningful way. On Jan. 10, an unknown individual wrote the N-word in the snow on McDonough Field, sending a chilling and hateful message through the Emory community. For Black students, this act of vandalism is more than an isolated incident: It is a painful reminder of the broader political climate that emboldens such behavior. Yet, while students have expressed feelings of fear and hurt over the incident, the University’s response has been frustratingly lackluster in their delayed and limited statements. Despite being a three-time Higher Education Excellence in Diversity-recognized “Diversity Champion,” Emory practices selective outrage when it comes to hateful speech. The administration should be held accountable for its shaky commitment to supporting the Black community during its times of need.
“This hateful act is heartbreaking to me, and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” University President Gregory Fenves said in an Emory News Center update. “There is simply no place for racist language on our campus.”
However, this announcement only appeared as a quote in a short article nearly a week after the incident — not in a campus-wide email with the full force of Fenves’ support and signature. In the past, Fenves has shown that he is willing to publicly, immediately and directly condemn hateful speech. In October 2023, Fenves criticized the chants of a pro-Palestinian protest in a university-wide email, labeling them as “antisemitic.” Similarly, last spring, in the midst of the pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus, Fenves sent a series of direct emails denouncing the protest rhetoric as “deeply disturbing” and “unacceptable” to the Emory community, the first coming only hours after the protests began. Eight years ago, during President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, students protested pro-Trump chalkings and were granted a meeting with then- University President Jim Wagner, who promised changes made to Emory’s “bias incident reporting and response procedure” in a letter to the students. Yet, in the wake of this blatant racism on McDonough Field, many students are left wondering why this act did not warrant the same decisive response as the protests last year or the pro-Trump chalkings.
This is not the first time that Emory’s commitment to protecting marginalized students has come into question. In April 2024, Palestinian Legal and the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a civil rights complaint against Emory on behalf of several student groups alleging violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The complaint included allegations concerning harassment and discrimination against students of certain backgrounds, including Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and Black students. According to OCR’s investigation, Emory failed to respond to “a hostile environment” for Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students. Most recently, on Jan. 16, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) wrote a letter stating that Emory would be settling the complaint and will be implementing corrective measures. Combined with the administration’s inadequate response to this recent N-word incident, these concerns show that Emory’s commitment to diversity is less substantive than what one would expect from a “Diversity Champion.”
For Emory’s Black students, the administration’s response to this act of racism is a disservice. Despite 13% of Emory’s students self-identifying as Black or African American, many Black students and organizations have voiced that they have not been afforded enough institutional support during moments of crisis on campus and that resources to address incidents of racism remain insufficient.
“The frequency and severity of racist incidents on this campus are escalating, yet the administration and Emory Police Department have failed to take meaningful action,” Emory’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Emory Black Student Alliance (BSA) wrote in an Instagram post. “The lack of stronger security and accountability measures leaves Black students vulnerable and unheard.”
Black students at Emory deserve the same institutional reaction for hateful acts directed at them as other marginalized groups, such as Jewish students. In 2014, when offensive graffiti, including swastikas, were found on the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity house, a Jewish fraternity, the Emory Police Department involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate the incident. Additionally, university religious leaders and Campus Life officials provided continuous support to the affected students. Fenves should follow the example of Wagner, who improved DEI initiatives and resources on campus in response to hate, while investigating the incident on McDonough Field.
By delaying its statement, University administration invalidates the unease felt by Black students following the incident and diminishes the gravity of the situation. Fenves and other University administrators have a responsibility to directly, strongly and quickly condemn hate against Black students as part of their professed commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Furthermore, the University must be more transparent about its investigation into this act of racism and implement enhanced safety measures to prevent future incidents. According to Assistant Vice President of University Communications Laura Diamond, EPD is reviewing security footage to identify the perpetrator. Emory's Department of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance is also currently investigating the incident. While the university is taking steps to address the situation, it is insufficient to soothe the worries of students hurt by this incident. While organizations like Emory NAACP and Emory BSA have offered students support, they are led by and composed of Black students, demonstrating how the burden of care is often left to members of the targeted community — even when it should be the University.
With a more robust and timely statement of condemnation, Emory and Fenves could have shown their support for the broader Black community at Emory and would have exemplified true championship of diversity. While there is no remedy for the University’s decisions about this incident, ensuring transparency following the investigation and more attention to similar hatred in the future, Emory can start moving past simple performance. By investing in more DEI initiatives like the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation initiative at Emory, community members can begin to directly tackle racial discrimination on campus.
Administrative actions become especially crucial under Trump’s administration, whose previous presidency led to an increase in reported hate crimes. The rise of anti-DEI movements align with the spike in hate crime incidents following Trump’s 2024 victory. Legislation dismantling DEI in higher-education institutions has gained ground, particularly in the South. Georgia implemented new public school rules on DEI, and Alabama enacted a law banning DEI offices in public colleges. This increasingly common rhetoric is worrying, especially as Trump enters office. To prevent history from repeating itself, Emory must stand up for its Black students — not just in response to incidents, but as an ongoing priority.
If you or someone you know experienced hateful language or slur use, you can call the Emory Police Department at (404) 727-6111 or reach Emory’s Counseling and Psychological Services at (404) 727-7450. You can reach the Atlanta Police Department at (404) 614-6544.
The above editorial represents the majority opinion of The Emory Wheel’s Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is composed of Editor Marc Goedemans, Carly Aikens, Hunter Buchheit, Allie Guo, Ethan Jacobs, Carson Kindred, Mira Krichavsky, Justin Leach, Eliana Liporace, Niki Rajani, Josh Rosenblut, Ilka Tona and Crystal Zhang.
