Faculty in Emory University’s College of Arts and Sciences censured President James Wagner over a column he wrote that used the notorious three-fifths compromise as an example of how people with opposing viewpoints can work together toward a common goal.
Wagner has repeatedly apologized for “clumsiness and insensitivity” and said it was a mistake to use it as an example. The compromise, reached in creating the U.S. Constitution, counted slaves as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of distributing funds back to states and determining representation in Congress.
Some faculty members say Wagner’s apology didn’t go far enough. During Wednesday’s vote, faculty considered — but tabled — a motion for a vote of no confidence.
Meanwhile, students have scheduled a Rally Against Racism for Wednesday to protest Wagner’s column and other concerns on campus.
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