ATLANTA — Emory University's undergraduate students passed a referendum expressing "no confidence" in its president's leadership earlier this week, according to a spokesperson.
This news follows as the university continues to be a focal point in Atlanta for a nationwide protest movement supporting Palestine over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. It also comes after the faculty senate for Emory University's College of Arts and Sciences passed a vote of no confidence in President Gregory L. Fenves.
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A university spokesperson said the votes that occurred are non-binding and are determined by a simple majority of those who vote.
According to the Student Government Association, the vote was conducted to allow students to freely express their opinions on whether they had confidence in the president.
There were 3,401 votes cast, which makes up 41.9% of the 8,102 eligible voters. Of those votes, 2,499 indicated they had no confidence in the president, 844 indicated they had confidence, and 58 abstained from voting.
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A chair for the election board also stated that the turnout rate was higher than in typical elections. The turnout rate in most elections for them is usually 1,000 to 1,800 voters.
The university spokesperson said that, in general, 31% of the total undergraduate student body voted in favor of the motion.
"While we take any concerns expressed by members of our community seriously, Emory community members are sharing a wide range of perspectives that are not reflected in the motion passed by SGA," the spokesperson said in a statement to 11Alive.