In the News: November 13, 2023 Weekly Recap

●       (11/6 – 11/11): SHAG held their annual Sex Week program, featuring talks that ranged from the female orgasm to sexual consent. CLICK HERE for a summary of events.

●       (11/7) The Lexington City School Board met on Tuesday to discuss revisions to their book-review policy following a September “book ban” controversy at the local middle school. CLICK HERE for a full summary of Tuesday’s meeting.

●       (11/8): Author Robert Kaplan spoke on Wednesday about Middle Eastern regimes and Israel at a talk titled “Between Empire and Anarchy from the Mediterranean to China.” CLICK HERE for a summary of his talk.

●       (11/6): A sign placed by students in front of the 900 Palestinian flags on Stemmons Plaza was taken down hours after being installed on Monday, November 6 due to multiple complaints about its use of the word “martyrs.”

The Palestinian flags were initially placed on October 31 in a location similar to where Hillel leaders and supporters had previously placed 900 Israeli flags.On Saturday, November 4, however, an unidentified alumna uprooted the Palestinian flags — whose placement had been approved by the Office of Inclusion and Engagement — sources told The Spectator. Approximately ten pro-Palestinian students replanted the flags on November 5.

A revised sign that replaced the word “martyrs” with “civilians” was installed on Friday, November 10. The flags are expected to be taken down by the end of today.

●       (11/6): The W&L History Department has been conducting interviews for a new professor of Soviet and Eastern European History, as the current professor, Richard Bidlack, is retiring. Monday’s talk focused on the impact and legacy of the Chernobyl disaster. The third and final candidate will lecture to students and professors later this week.

●       (11/8): Students and faculty celebrated National First-Generation College Students Day on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Community members were invited to enjoy a buffet of various breakfast and lunch foods at Hillel House, as well as meet several first-generation college students and faculty. The Office of Inclusion and Engagement (OIE) facilitated the event and distributed stickers, journals, and drawstring bags branded with the “First Gennies” logo.

●       (11/8): College Republicans hosted a watch party for the Third Republican Primary Debate on Wednesday. Around 25 students attended the event, a slight decrease from the previous debate. Attendees also discussed the election results of the previous evening, which disappointed Republican expectations.