The Student Government Association (SGA) convened on Tuesday, Nov. 11 for its 14th meeting of the semester. After the session was called to order, the meeting facilitated two discussions with University offices.
The first discussion was a virtual presentation headed by the University’s Office of International Services (OIS). The OIS works with international students and staff affiliated with the institution, especially regarding the visa needs of international affiliates. On behalf of the OIS, the University’s Director for International Students Dacia Gauer and Associate Vice Provost for International Students Jim Brailer led the discussion. They discussed the services they provide to international students, and highlighted some resources.
The second discussion was facilitated by the director of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Agora Institute, Hahrie Han. This discussion drew controversy, and caused multiple demonstrators to attend the meeting in protest. Demonstrators in attendance criticized SNF Agora’s appointment of Johnnie Moore to the title of visiting fellow. Moore is the former executive of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an aid organization condemned by many groups such as Doctors Without Borders due to a noted increase in Israeli military violence around GHF aid sites, despite the GHF nominally functioning as an aid organization.
At the SGA meeting, demonstrators gathered both inside and outside the Hackerman lecture hall, protesting Han’s attendance and SNF Agora’s actions.
Because of his association with the GHF, many in the Hopkins community have criticized SNF Agora’s hiring of Moore. Some attendees were also seen wearing keffiyehs, a headdress often associated with Palestinian identity. Flyers were passed out highlighting the demands of the demonstrators, citing moral standards as well as claiming that Moore’s appointment stood to harm the University's academic reputation.
Many demonstrators outside the lecture hall were seen holding signs against the hall’s transparent back wall. Multiple signs saying “Let us in” were visible, along with a large sign reading “Free Palestine” and other signs criticizing Han.
The exact reasons some demonstrators were not allowed within the classroom were not immediately clear; however, attendees had to check into the meeting on HopkinsGroups, with staff at the door confirming whether attendees were undergraduate students.
When asked by The News-Letter to comment, the SGA confirmed that only undergraduate students of KSAS and WSE are permitted to attend their meetings.
“[SGA] meetings being ‘open to the public’ means that our meetings are open to all undergraduate students currently enrolled in KSAS and WSE,” said representatives of the SGA in an official response.
Han’s discussion, which largely surrounded the functionings of SNF Agora instead of the recent controversy, then turned to a Q&A session, in which questions were not allowed to be submitted anonymously. Representatives of the SGA later confirmed the barring of anonymous questioning be official policy for any visiting speaker.
Multiple attendees asked questions about Moore’s appointment, and she often said she was unable to provide comment on specific cases. However, when one student asked a question about student input when it comes to SNF Agora’s actions, Han briefly discussed Moore’s involvement in the GHF.
“As The New York Times reported, [Moore] hasn’t been in that position for a couple months,” she said.
After the Q&A session, demonstrators in the hall voiced their dissatisfaction with Han, accusing SGA of censoring the meeting as well as Han of ignoring student voices and not staying true to SNF Agora Institute’s dedication to democracy. The demonstrators were heard chanting “Democracy means accountability.” This, in turn, led to a brief stir in which SGA leaders quickly attempted to shut down the demonstrators voicing their concerns as Han was leaving the lecture hall.
Among the commotion, one voice could be heard shouting “Call 911.” No parties appeared to have been harmed in any way, so it is unclear why this occurred, it also remains uncertain if members of the Johns Hopkins Police Department were alerted of any of Tuesday’s events.
After this, the meeting moved into legislative procedures. After transitioning to a closed setting, the committee moved into bill reading. The first bill surrounded the purchasing of thank you cards for the SGA to show appreciation for the University’s broader community. The second bill covered SGA tabling activities at Lighting of the Quads. After both bills passed, the committee moved into cohort time, and then adjourned.
