Editor’s Note: After this piece was published, the Constitutional Council ruled that Ferguson was a member of the Elections Board. You can find the ruling here.
By now, many people in the Emory community have seen the Instagram post and Emory Wheel article making false claims about my involvement in the spring 2021 elections. As an advocate for the democratic process at Emory University and as former speaker of the Student Government Association (SGA) legislature and current BBA Council president, I was shocked and hurt when I learned of the misguided attempt to overturn the recent election. I am writing this open letter to the Emory community to defend myself.
Last week, Sunwoo Park (19Ox, 21C) filed a petition to nullify this year’s presidential and vice presidential SGA elections, claiming that I improperly campaigned for candidates Rhea Kumar (22B) and Nick Paschetto (20Ox, 22B). His claim of impropriety is based on his mistaken belief that I am a member of the Elections Board. However, I have never been nominated, appointed or approved as a member of the Elections Board. Park is misguided on this notion.
With even a modicum of research, Park would have discovered his claims are off base, and with a little fact-checking, the Wheel could have debunked his petition. It would have taken no more than 30 seconds for him and the Wheel reporters to look up the current Elections Board members. If Park and the reporters had any doubt after searching, a simple email confirmation could have resolved this issue. The context of Park’s petition is based on the following: Elections Board members are not allowed to campaign for SGA candidates. This is true. But I have never been an Elections Board member. Therefore, there is no prohibition against my campaigning for any of the candidates.
Here is the context that Park missed. I am currently the BBA Council president. As such, I also served this semester as the BBA Council divisional commissioner on request of the Elections Board Chair, Emily Shaener (23B). There are divisional commissioners from the College, Oxford and Nursing schools as well. The divisional commissioner position is entirely different from that of an Elections Board member due to the lack of nomination, approval process and waiver requirement. Divisional commissioners represent their divisions, whereas Elections Board members are selected by the SGA president and confirmed by the legislative body.
The Elections Board oversees elections. As part of this duty, Elections Board members sign a waiver that promises their neutrality. A divisional commissioner is not bound by any such waiver. As someone passionate about the future of the University, I felt compelled to help guide its future by endorsing Kumar and Paschetto.
Up until these false accusations were levied at me this past week, I have never questioned or regretted the hours I have spent serving the Goizueta Business School and the University community. I have put my heart and soul into student government at Emory and have acted consistent with my constitutional obligations. Yet, I am currently the subject of a social-media attack orchestrated by Park.
I would like to request that both Sun Woo Park and The Emory Wheel correct their mistake with as much zeal as when they first apprised such accusations.
Finally, because I care about the University and I love this community, I also want to acknowledge the hard work of Rhea Kumar (22B), Rachel Ding (20Ox, 22B), Amon Pierson (22C) and Nick Paschetto (20Ox, 22B). I detest that this situation has taken away from their ability to celebrate their victories, to celebrate their excellent campaigns and to start their important work of serving the Emory student body.
Emily Ferguson (21B) is from Cincinnati, Ohio.
Emily Ferguson (21B) is from Cincinnati, Ohio, majoring in business and political science.
Beautifully written and the message couldn’t ring more true – I’m incredibly proud of the respect the author still maintains after being constantly harassed these past few days
Hi Emily! Just a concerned student here, and I wanted to point out that you are fundamentally misinterpreting the SGA Code of Elections.
Article 1 of Part II: The Board of Elections states that: “There shall exist a Board of Elections of the Student Government Association (“Board”), an agency of the Student Legislature, which shall:”
and in subsection O states “Consist of a Chair, a Vice Chair, the Secretary of the SGA, a Treasurer, no more than three (3) Commissioners for the University, and a Commissioner for each Divisional Council. These individuals shall be known as the “Elections Officers.””
This clearly states that the Divisional Council Commissioners serve on the Elections Board, and are “Elections Officers”.
Article 2 of Part II is clearly titled “General Waiver for Elections Officers” which was clearly defined in the last section. In this section it states that “A nominee for any position on the Board must fulfill the following requirements in order to hold office:”. We have already established that Divisional Council Commissioners are members of the Board, thus you should have had to fulfill the requirements.
If you are able to show how you are exempt from this according to the Code of Elections you are welcome to, but this is false.
I encourage everyone to not trust me on my word, but read the Code of Elections yourself to see that this was disallowed.
The language in this article is inherently discriminatory and inflammatory. Due to cultures of American Sinophobia, East Asians have been stereotyped as “calculating.” Specifically, the line “Yet, I am currently the subject of a social-media attack orchestrated by Park. ” reinforces so many of these stereotypes, making Park sound like it was his intention to “attack.” Park was just a concerned member of our student government bringing up reasonable concerns. This language is bad and has an awfully subtle xenophobic tone. In this time of combatting Anti-East Asian hate, you need to do better.
…it literally isn’t but ok lol
written by someone who is white and never experienced racism before 🙂
Importantly, the Elections Codebook states the following [see below]. This says that Commissioners still act on BEHALF of the Board. You are still acting on an official capacity for the board. Therefore, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say you should have been neutral, or to at least own up to your mistakes.
Section 2. Responsibilities
A. Maintain communications from the Board to the Divisional Council.
B. Hold election information session for individuals interested in running for office in each respective Appendix and university-wide positions in a location that is most
convenient for their constituents.
C. Coordinate any candidate meet-and-greet or speeches/debates in a location that
is most convenient for their constituents on behalf of the Board. All events shall be open to the public. All candidates that are eligible to run in the division shall be eligible to participate in each event. Each Commissioner shall publicize and announce each event and the rules governing such event, at least twenty-four (24) hours beforehand.
D. Coordinate all division-specific elections, as on behalf oft he Board, in accordance with this Code. All decisions are subject to challenge in front of the Board or appeals in front of the Constitutional Council.
E. Work under the direction of the Chair.
This piece is at best a huge misinterpretation of the Code of Elections. At worst, it is a deliberate attempt to misguide the public with the guise of being in a position of authority. I’m leaning towards the worst.
This seems like a really misguided attempt to discredit someone who has a ton of evidence supporting his allegations. Also, just want to say about your last few sentences, bringing up valid concerns about the conduct of potential officers has little to do with “disrupting” their “victories.” I recommend that she actually read the allegations against the candidates and stop her own biases, especially given her friendship with some of the accused, from influencing what she is saying.
For everyone reading this, please read sunwoo’s document and the mountain of evidence behind it. ESP the part about secret societies and their role in all of this.
People use terms like “American Sinophobia” and “Anti-East Asian hate” too loosely. There is nothing in this article that implies anti-Asian sentiment. Anyone that suggests so is trying to instigate conflict and create drama where there is none. Certainly, anti-Asian sentiment is growing in the US, and it’s extremely concerning. However, it seems as though people use that as an excuse to claim, arbitrarily, that anyone who goes after any Asian has a vendetta toward all Asians. It is total nonsense.
boohoo social media attack boohoo i feel so bad. honestly dunno what’s happening but glad all u narcissistic over-serious useless sga members are finally under criticism for a complete disconnect with the emory general student body that 25% would vote ‘no confidemce’
Agreed! Why do the 30% of students in Emory Greek life seem to run almost every emory organization? How do they represent the non-greek associated students, who are the majority of the student body?? oh right— election fraud.
Emory deserves more honest student leadership. I hope that you, and the others complicit in this case, apologize to Emory’s student body with as much zeal as when you knowingly manipulated the elections.
I’m genuinely not sure what’s going on with the election stuff but I think calling this article (or anything Emily has said) “racist” let alone somehow hateful or violent is going too far. Nothing she’s said has involved Park’s identity, let alone his racial identity, at ALL. I understand there is an insane amount of despicable violence right now, and there’s undoubtedly bigotry in our own community. I can’t attest to Emily’s character outside of this situation because I don’t know her, but I don’t think you can call this article racist. That’s a baseless accusation as well as a very serious one that could have a negative impact on her career and life. Fire away at her for election manipulation, and if she says something actually racist, I’ll be the first to tear into her, but seriously? How is this post anti-Asian?
Anon, where in the comment did “another concerned student” write that she was anti-asian? can you read?
Are you white? Genuinely wondering because it’s so obvious. Have you ever been micro aggressed for your race? It’s apparent that associations of being “calculating” and “plotting” are used as a weapon of Sinophobia. It’s just what the USA has been doing for decades — if you’ve had the privilege of not noticing. You also keep saying anti-Asian as if we’re talking about all Asians — a microaggression in it of itself to the rest of the Asian community (lmao irony). We mean East Asians here. You’re really not helping yourself here.
white woman crying white woman tears when white woman is the one who committed election fraud
This sandbox squabbling is a graphic illustration of why adult supervision is still needed. The SGA should be abolished and all students should receive milk and cookies instead