THE GREAT DEBATE
Elon News Network and SGA
co-sponsor a town hall meeting
on free speech
Emmanuel Morgan
News Editor
@EMorgan704
Long before Washington Post colum
nist Kathleen Parker’s speech, a growing
trend of disconnection emerged at Elon.
SGA Executive President senior Kyle Porro
recognized this last spring after a heated
debate regarding inclusivity towards mar
ginalized students unexpectedly arose at a
typical weekly SGA session. Since then, he
and the senate have began to host town hall
meetings to encourage more dialogue with
students. SGA acts as the bridge between
students and the administration and Porro
has adamantly said he wants more interac
tion between senate officers and their con
stituents—the people they represent.
To solve this problem, SGA and Elon
News Network co-sponsored a conversation
last Thursday about the issue of free speech.
Porro and ENN Executive Director senior
Tommy Hamzik had been planing the event
for the month, and Hamzik said the timing
with Parker’s lecture and election season
meshed perfectly. Hamzik said the only way
to improve this situation was for students to
openly discuss their concerns, and with the
current events at Elon and in America, he
knew there would be students eager to voice
their stances.
“Our goal is to have a meaningful dia
logue and enact change,” Hamzik said.
“Kathleen Parker coming has sparked more
controversy and flare on our campus than
I can ever remember. Everyone on both
sides of the spectrum had varying opinions
on her and her being here, but I’m happy
we were able to have a good constructive
dialogue.”
(From left to right) Senior Carlos Andino, junior Spencer Wagner and senior Nick Rhyne engage in a deep discussion during the SGA-ENN town hall Oct. G.
Discussion among peers
Reactions from the 83-person town hall
meeting were mixed as numerous students
chimed in during the dialogue. Much of the
debate focused on Parker and her contro
versy, and from that spurred discussion
about Elon and its social climate towards
invited speakers and other issues. Discussed
topics included if students should have an
increased role in selecting speakers coming
to Elon and if the school should step in if a
speaker goes to far.
Senior Stephanie Scro, one of the most
spirited participants at the town hall, said
she and a group of friends were shunned
when they approached the administration
to discuss a petition to ban Parker’s appear
ance that was signed by more than 300 peo
ple. When Parker delivered Elon’s annual
Baird Pulitzer Prize lecture last Tuesday,
Scro approached the microphone to chal
lenge the columnist on her controversial
views on sexual assault. But Scro was unable
to finish her questions as Parker continually
interrupted her. And with Elon President
Leo Lambert present, Scro thought the most
powerful man at the university would rush
to defend a student.
She thought wrong.
“Leo Lambert was sitting in the audience,
and he did not stand up and grab the micro
phone,” Scro said. “He let that woman stand
up there and call me ‘boring ‘and belittle an
entire community.”
Because SGA and the administration
work closely together, Porro said it was
enlightening to hear directly from the stu
dents who feel slighted. SGA sessions are
normally only attended by senators and
now that students have an avenue to express
their feelings, Porro thinks real change will
start.
“One of the greatest responsibilities of
student government is that we are repre
senting the students,” Porro said. “It’s our
job to listen to what the students are saying,
and now everyone has an open platform to
tell us how we can best do that.”
Hamzik echoed Porro’s statement and
said he will do everything in his power as
head of student media to keep the conver
sation going.
“The biggest thing is that these dialogues
we’re having are important and we need to
continue having them,” Hamzik said. “We
can’t just post something on Facebook or
just go to the event. It’s about figuring out
what the issues are that come from this.”
Administration taking notice
While Porro and SGA act as ambas
sadors, the administration has heard the
students’ complaints and made a physi
cal effort to show their concerns in stu
dent affairs. Dean of Student Health and
Wellness Jana Lynn Patterson and Dean
of the School of Communications Paul
Parsons, both attended the town
Patterson scribbled notes in a no#
during the discourse so she could reuse
what was being said.
Dean of Students Smith Jackson
wrote a letter to the editor in the Pent' '
to “reaffirm we hold student safet)'®
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vent sexual violence and provide suppr -.
survivors,” which was one of the critii
against Parker by Elon students. Paa ’-
said she was proud of the convsr
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points made, such as if a contra ,
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were eye-opening. She said even the
administration is willing and able to.
is powerful to see students proactive
up a charge for change. Though thist
lar event will not fix all of the probfc
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lives are a great start.
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“It gives me hope — because mygener^
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Design Thinking encourages different approach to classr
Alex Hager
Contributor
@awhager
While many students at Elon
University worry about which
courses they’ll choose during reg
istration each semester, a new
program proposes an alternative
way to spend a semester. The
Design Thinking Studio in Social
Innovation gives students the
opportunity to forgo the tradition
al four-class structure and spend
the time collaborating with facul
ty and peers on a problem-solv
ing mission to tackle social issues.
Applications for the program are
now open.
The program compares itself
to a, “social change startup.”
While descriptions of the Design
Thinking Studio — which pilots
in spring 2017 — seem somewhat
vague, a lot of the program’s struc
ture depends on how students
shape it.
“It’s a really unique and very
new experience,” said Rebecca
Pope-Ruark, the program’s coor
dinator. “Students joining us for
the pilot semester will be true trail-
blazers. There is nothing out there
like our program, so in true design
thinking fashion, we’ll be learning
as we go and seeing what emerges
from the work.
Students will get to shape the
experience for the next set of stu
dents and really help us grow the
program.”
Elon’s program embraces a
new style of education formalized
at Stanford University. “Design
thinking” is described by the pro
gram’s website as a, “process that
can be implemented by anyone
to understand complex problems
and develop possible solutions, all
while deeply caring for the people
who are impacted by the problems
directly.”
The goal of design thinking
aims to teach students “soft skills,”
such as writing, presenting, ana
lyzing data and thinking creative
ly and collaboratively. The launch
of Elon’s Design Thinking Studio
hopes to give students the opportu
nity to acquire these skills that are
attractive to employers, but rarely
directly taught in classrooms.
Junior Alyx Bean, a student par
ticipating in the Design Thinking
Studio this spring, offered a unique
perspective on the program.
“This immersive semester offers
a very unique opportunity for stu
dents to integrate their academics
into real life situations,” Bean said.
“It is an excellent way to develop
proficiency in leadership and criti
cal thinking skills.”
The designers of the program
see it as a valuable way to put the
classroom benefits of a liberal arts
education to work in more of a
real-life environment.
“One of the most exciting
aspects of the program, in my
opinion, is that although stu
dents are still receiving academic
credit, the program will likely feel
almost nothing like taking tradi-
DESIGN THINKING SEMESTER
What: Gives students the opportunity to forgo the traditiit
four-class structure and spend the time collaborating will
faculty and peers on a problem-solving mission to tacklesiif
issues.
What you’ll earn:
• Two Advanced Studies in COR
• COR Capstone Seminars
• An ELR in service learning
• Three courses toward the professional writingstnfc
minor
Applications are available at
blogs.elon.edu/innovationstudio
tional academic classes,” Bean said.
And instead will offer students a
glimpse into what it might be like
to work in a career after gradua
tion. It is certainly
for education that f
collaborative and 1
ing approaches.”