[SGA Bridging Gaps]

Uniting the varying viewpoints, cultures, and

perspective to bring together the Emory
community
Stephen Ratner, Representative At-Large
Alex Kappus, SGA President
Table of Contents

Overview.......................................................................................................... 3

Progress........................................................................................................... 4

Moving Forward: Suggestions.......................................................................... 6




Articles and Legislation ................................................................................... 7





 2

Overview

The SGA Building Bridges program was founded with the intent of fostering a dialogue on
campus that would allow for freedom of expression. Its intent is to bridge the gaps between
groups and organization on campus and provide a location on campus where all opinions
are recognized and respected.

An initiative which The Emory Wheel calls an “encouraging first step” that “speaks to a
positive mindset currently within student government,” the SGA Building Bridges
Program seeks to found a location on campus that will act as a traditional spot for
freedom of expression.


 3

Progress
In October 2009, the SGA Building Bridges Program held its first open event. This
event featured the Young Democrats of Emory and the College Republicans of Emory—an
event that fostered a respectful dialogue on healthcare reform. At its high point, it received
about forty-five stationery viewers, not to mention the hundreds of viewers who walked by
Cox Amphitheater and heard the discussion.

At this event, President Wagner attended and even posed a question to the
representatives from each organization. He praised the event and spoke in favor of the
SGA’s efforts in creating a spot for freedom of expression on campus. Chairman of the
College Republicans Scott McAfee called the spot a “great idea to bring to Emory”
and President of the Young Democrats of Emory also spoke favorably of the event.

Since then, we have attempted to have several programming events in the spot, but
weather has prevented us. For the Spring 2010 semester, we have planned events
with The Emory Wheel, Student Programming Council, and again with the
Young Democrats of Emory and College Republicans of Emory. We are also working
towards increasing voter awareness on campus through election week events for
student government. We also work with cultural and musical groups on campus to
get them to perform in the name of expression.

The founding of the program passed the SGA 43rd Legislature unanimously and
also received funding unanimously for $50 per event in the Spring 2010 semester.


 4

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 5

Moving Forward: Suggestions
1. Rain Location

The SGA Building Bridges Program is working to ensure that the DUC Commons will be
constantly available to us at our request as a rain location. This spot also has the appealing
nature of the Cox Amphitheatre venue. Students can observe as they pass by and there is
high traffic. In the future, whenever there is rain or inclement weather, we will move inside
to the DUC Commons.

2. Develop credibility on campus

As we continue to work with groups, we must encourage organizations on campus to come

to us to hold events. We can do this by promoting our current events and also establishing
relationships with past groups to repeat organizational involvement. We must encourage
the groups we work with to spread the word about their involvement and encourage other
groups on campus to get involved as well. Ultimately, we hope that organizations and
individuals will come to us and we can act as a facilitator of this freedom of expression on
campus.

3. Open spot to individual students as traditional area for freedom of

expression

The area must also be open to individual students in a “soapbox” fashion. This will require
finding vocal students to speak at the spot on issues of the day. The SGA and our
moderators should work to providing controversial and interesting topics for students to
comment on at the high traffic times during the day.

4. Spread awareness through organizational meetings and administrators,

offices

We must continue to spread awareness through emailing and corresponding with all SGA-
chartered and College Council-chartered organizations by contacting their presidents and
explaining to them how they can become a part of this initiative. Ultimately, this will allow
for them to know the venue is open and bookable through the SGA and they can participate
in the program with our full resources and support behind them.


 6

Articles and Legislation

Open Forum Created at Cox

By Alice Chen
Posted: 10/01/2009

In response to a previous religious conflict on campus, Student Government Association

(SGA) has formed Bridging Gaps, a program that aims to spur healthy and productive dialogue
and discussion on campus.

Last year, the Emory Advocates for Justice in Palestine (EAJP) faced threats and vandalization
of property in response to the group’s participation in the International Week Against the
Apartheid Wall.

SGA President Alex Kappus said that this event prompted the need for civil communication.
Originally, he said, the idea was to create a free-speech zone, but that the real value comes in
when ideas are exchanged between those who disagree.

“You can stand up and make a statement, but if you don’t draw the opponent in and have them
listen, you won’t be able to convince anybody,” Kappus said.

After speaking with several campus departments as well as University President James W.
Wagner and Senior Vice President and Dean for Campus Life John Ford, Kappus said that
SGA opted for a public forum environment that he said he hopes will prompt more open
discussion amongst students.

“We’re trying to increase dialogue on campus and the visibility of dialogue on campus,” he
said.

Bridging Gaps will take place on the steps by Cox Hall and the Cox Hall Bridge, from which
Kappus said the name was derived. He said that the area was chosen for its high traffic,
particularly during the lunch hours when the forum will be held.

The first of the public discussions will be between the Young Democrats of Emory and the
College Republicans. Young Democrats President Stanton Abramson said that the two groups
will be discussing health-care reform.

In addition to mainstream controversies, the program will also address social justice issues
and current events in the world as well as at Emory. Kappus met with the Barkley Forum for
topic ideas.

 7

“The Young Democrats and the College Republicans have joined together in the past to have
 debates where a professor moderates for us,” Abramson said, “but Bridging Gaps is really the
first time we’ve participated in such a public forum.”

College Republicans President Scott McAfee said that he thinks the program will help more
students get involved by bringing the discussion to the people rather than having the debate
take place in a classroom where it may be more difficult for students across campus to
participate.

“I think the best part of this is that it gets in touch with students who maybe aren’t as obsessed
with politics as we are,” McAfee said. “I like these open-air discussions. It’s like the free-
speech zone in Hyde Park in London. It’s a great idea to bring to Emory.”

He said that students can jump in with questions as they’re walking past and have both sides
there to explain.

The spirit of the program, according to Kappus, is to provide academic discourse through
which students can express their opinions and to see if there is any common ground between
two arguments on which different people can agree.

“At the end, we hope the two groups can agree to disagree,” Kappus said. “We hope they can
rise above the conflict.”

SGA will meet with the groups before the debates take place in order to educate them on the
goals of the forum.

The debates will be moderated by impartial students in order to guarantee a fair discussion.

Kappus said that there will be a whiteboard in between the two groups during the event on
which students will be able to write down the ideas on which they agree.

As the program continues, Kappus said that SGA will develop a website on which students
may continue communication. Each group will send in main points to be posted on the
website, which he hopes will generate online discussion.

Bridging Gaps will take place every other week. During the other weeks, the steps outside Cox
Hall will host arts-related performances such as poetry readings and musical showcases, he
said, adding that he hopes the steps will serve as a “community-gathering place.”

Over time, he said that the goal is to have both graduate and undergraduate students
participate in the program.

“We want to create a tradition on campus where students can discuss controversial topics and
current events,” Kappus said.


 8

Our Opinion: Promoting Engagement
By The Editorial Board
Posted: 10/01/2009

There are certain basic values everyone can agree on. Dialogue? Wonderful. Active civic
engagement? Lovely. A well-informed student community? Where can we sign up?

But it’s going to take more than wishing for these things to make the Student Government
Association’s new Bridging Gaps program, which will both create a free speech zone on
campus at the Cox Hall amphitheater (the distinction, we must note, is rhetorical only; free
speech and the exercise thereof will remain encouraged on the rest of Emory’s campus as well)
and promote discussions between individual students and organizations on a variety of issues,
a success. The impetus — and need — for this move is readily apparent; it was only a year ago
that Emory Advocates for Justice in Palestine faced violent threats and vandalism after
proceeding with their own sensational public display, a physical barrier placed in the middle of
Asbury Circle meant to represent the wall separating the West Bank from Israel. And by
planning to have moderated debates within this free speech zone, hopefully future over-heated
exchanges can be avoided in favor of productive dialogues. However, there are several reasons
to be skeptical, at least initially.

The first official “debate” in the free speech zone, as a part of the Bridging Gaps initiative, is
planned to include Emory’s College Republicans and Young Democrats. And while we are sure
that both these groups are highly willing and able to conduct a civil, productive discussion, it is
harder to see how such discussions in the new free speech zone will bring in and significantly
engage more otherwise uninterested students than would a more formal discourse. College
students, and especially Emory students, are notoriously busy; it seems unlikely that many
would carve time out of the middle of their days to stop and watched staged debates in the
middle of campus if they would not have gone when they were held in the evening inside a
comfortable lecture hall.

With that said, this initiative is an encouraging first step, and speaks to a positive mindset
currently within student government. Hopefully, the same student legislators and leaders who
helped this idea get off the ground will continue to work hard to promote the new free speech
zone, and make sure that students are not only aware of its existence, but understand its
possible benefits both as a place to express themselves and as a place to listen to others do
likewise. We would like to see the SGA continue to do its best to give the free speech zone a
push-start; establishing clear incentives for using the free speech zone (at least when it’s still a
novelty) and finding a highly diverse group of students who might want to make frequent use
of the area would go a long way towards making the program a success.

Ultimately, it’s crucial to keep in mind that the success of the free speech zone will not be


 9

 measured by how much it is utilized by the same student groups that are always active on
campus or by the planned events the Bridging Gaps program is able to stage. For the free
speech zone to be a true success, it will need to be trafficked by students who otherwise would
not have their voices heard — or chalked — within the larger Emory community. The greatest
benefit of such an initiative is not that it will provide yet another forum to the same voices
everyone is already used to listening to or tuning out at their convenience — it’s that it may
provide that needed first step to help break new — and older — Emory students out of the
bubble in which many begin their college careers.

The above staff editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s editorial board.

Resolution
submitted
by
Alex
Kappus
and
Stephen
Ratner:
“Resolution
to
establish
the

Cox
Amphitheatre
as
a
location
on
campus
dedicated
to
freedom
of
expression
and
a

place
where
the
SGA
can
facilitate
a
bridging
gaps
program
to
foster
civil
discussion
and

initiate
a
campus
tradition.




Whereas,
the
Emory
University
strives
to
be
a
destination
university
open
to
intellectual

growth;
and,

Whereas,
the
Equal Opportunity and Discriminatory Harassment Policy at Emory states:
“Emory
University
abides
by
the
values
of
academic
freedom
and
is
built
on
the

assumption
that
contention
among
different
views
is
positive
and
necessary
for
the

expansion
of
knowledge,
both
for
the
University
itself
and
as
a
training
ground
for

society
at
large.
Emory
is
committed
to
the
widest
possible
scope
for
the
free

circulation
of
ideas.”

Whereas,
It
is
in
violation
of
Emory's
Undergraduate
Code
of
Conduct
to
interfere
with
"the

rights
of
others
to
free
expression";
and,

Whereas,
It
is
also
still
understood
that
under
the
current
policies
at
Emory
University,
not
all

behavior
will
remain
unpunished.
Freedom
of
speech
applies
as
long
as
that
speech
is

not
deeply
offensive
to
another
person,
as
long
as
it
does
not
attack
their
dignity
as
a

human
being.
For
that
reason,
certain
actions
and
words
can
result
in
a
Conduct
Code

hearing;
and,

Whereas,
The
current
student
body
expresses
itself
politically
through
service,
voting,
and

fund
raising;
and,

Whereas,
Emory
University,
at
different
points
in
history,
has
been
a
politically
active
campus

in
regards
to
public
demonstration;
and,


Whereas,
The
recent
trend
of
public
displays
of
protest
and
action
at
Emory
are
rare;
and,



Whereas,
Last
year’s
incident
of
the
“Palestinian
Wall”
resulted
in
poor
reaction
from
the

students
over
a
controversial
issue;
and,

Whereas,
It
could
be
noted
that
a
contributing
factor
to
the
undesirable
reaction
was
due
in

part
to
Emory’s
students
not
being
accustomed
to
regular
public
displays
of
opinion;

and,

Whereas,
Various
area’s
of
Emory’s
campus
can
already
be
reserved
for
public
displays
of

opinion;
and,



 10

Whereas,
It
is
noted
that
there
is
not
currently
a
location
traditionally
pinpointed
for
protest

and
hearty
discussion;
and,

Whereas,
The
SGA
hopes
to
designate
a
visible
home
on
campus
to
encourage
and
promote

healthy
activism;
and,

Whereas,
The
Cox
Amphitheatre
is
an
optimally
located
place
on
campus
for
students
to
draw

attention
for
their
viewpoints
and
reach
a
wide
audience
of
traffic
to
engage
each

other
as
well
as
reach
common
ground
;
and,

Whereas,
Declaring
this
location
one
where
student’s
voices
and
opinions
on
issues
might
help

to
increase
student
involvement
in
this
form
of
engagement;
and,

Whereas,
This
location
would
be
reserved
in
advance
through
the
Dobbs
University
Center

meeting
services
office
but
coordinated
by
SGA;
and,

Whereas,
SGA
will
actively
promote
this
location
and
its
mission
of
freedom
of
expression;
and,

Whereas,
The
SGA
will
ensure
the
civility
of
the
discussion
being
held
on
the
Cox
Amphitheatre

and
will
refrain
from
endorsing
any
one
particular
viewpoint
or
forcing
any

predetermined
conclusions;
and,


Whereas,
The
SGA
will
only
provide
the
involved
groups
and
students
with
a
location
on

campus
that
they
can
work
towards
the
aforementioned
ends
and
facilitate
the

process
of
student
engagement
and
civil
discussion;
and,

Whereas,
The
leaders
on
SGA,
along
with
Student
Life
Committee,
will
implement
the
attached

terms
and
conditions
of
the
Cox
Amphitheatre
Location;
and,

Whereas,
The
leaders
on
SGA
will
present
to
the
legislature
their
initial
plans
for
the
dedicated

spot
on
campus
and
how
it
will
be
used
for
the
purposes
of
our
pilot
Bridging
Gaps

program;
and,

Whereas,
The
SGA
has
been
granted
permission
by
the
relevant
administrators
on
campus
to

use
the
Cox
Amphitheatre
for
the
aforementioned
purposes.






Therefore,
let
it
be
resolved
that
the
43rd
SGA
Legislature,
representative
of
the
entire
Emory

University
student
body,
fully
supports
the
implementation
of
a
new
tradition
on
campus
in

the
form
of
the
dedication
of
the
Cox
Amphitheatre
as
a
location
on
campus
devoted
to

freedom
of
expression
as
well
as
the
SGA
Bridging
Gaps
program.




Bill

submitted
by
Stephen
Ratner,
Ashish
Gandhi,
Alex
Kappus
to
fund
the
SGA
Building

Bridges
program
in
an
effort
to
promote
freedom
of
expression
around
campus.



Whereas,
the
43rd
SGA
Legislature
approved
the
creation
of
this
program
and
the


identification
of
its
venue
(Cox
Amphitheatre)
as
a
traditional
symbol
for
freedom
of

expression
earlier
in
our
term;
and,

Whereas,
SGA
legislators
and
executive
board
members
have
worked
together
to


bring
to
fruition
this
program
and
have
courted
and
received
approval
from

administrators,
students,
and
organizations
around
campus;
and,

Whereas,
the
Building
Bridges
program
sponsored
our
first
event
last
semester
with


Young
Democrats
of
Emory
and
College
Republicans
of
Emory
to
discuss
the
issue
of

healthcare
reform;
and,


Whereas,
the
first
event
fell
on
receptive
ears
and
President
Wagner
attended
to


pose
a
question
to
debaters
and
praised
the
program,
the
SGA,
and
its




 11

 mission;
and,

Whereas,
after
planning
the
Spring
2010
semester
and
assessing
the
coverage
and


anticipation
of
the
program
during
Fall
2009,
we
believe
initial
funding
is


necessary
to
promote
the
mission
and
increase
awareness
of
our
goals;
and,


Whereas,
it
is
vitally
important
for
the
SGA
to
financially
back
initiatives
that
it


has
deemed
worthy
and
necessary
or
put
at
risk
our
credibility
about
issues
and

missions
that
we
have
endorsed;
and,


Whereas,
the
amount
of
funding
the
program
requests
is
minimal
in
relation
to
the


current
financial
standing
of
the
SGA;
and,


Whereas,
any
questions
associated
with
the
program
and
its
planned
programming


can
be
answered
by
the
bill
authors
as
well
as
requesting
materials
of
our
scheduling

and
event
planning;
and,


Whereas,
the
benefits
of
expanding
and
promoting
freedom
of
expression
towards


the
end
of
advancing
a
mutuality
of
respect
and
understanding
for
diverse
backgrounds

(race,
religion,
economic
status,
etc.)
far
outweigh
the
minimal
costs.

Therefore,
the
SGA
will
allocate
$50
per
anticipated
event
for
a
total
of
$250
for
the


programming
involved
with
SGA
Building
Bridges
for
the
duration
of
the
Spring
2010

semester
to
aid
with
advertising
and
costs
associated
with
running
the
program.










 12