Associated Student Government senators unanimously passed emergency legislation Wednesday to hold a teach-in on Martin Luther King Jr. Day that will include speeches from professor David Zarefsky and lecturers Lane Fenrich and Mark Sheldon.

The teach-in will include discussions about civil rights issues and is meant to open communication between students and other members of the Northwestern community.

“Here’s a chance to have students embrace diversity in an intellectual manner,” said ASG’s Academic Vice President Prajwal Ciryam, a Weinberg junior. “Everyone will learn a lot from it.”

The day-long program will bring more than 60 Evanston middle school students to NU to discuss the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s leadership and civil rights initiatives. Martin Zacharia, chairman of the Eva Jefferson Civil Rights Program for MLK Day, encouraged senators to participate in the day’s activities and mentor Evanston middle school students.

“Mentors play a major role in the development of children into adults,” said Zacharia, a Weinberg junior. “Without mentors, children have no one to emulate.”

ASG also will sponsor a pep rally before the men’s basketball game against University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on Saturday. During the rally, students will be able to win gear from NU.

ASG’s Executive Committee promoted the anti-abortion student group Students for Life to T-status Tuesday night, said Executive Vice President Howard Buffett, a Communication junior. T-status groups are not officially recognized by ASG as student groups and do not receive funding through the Student Activities Finance Board but can use select resources on campus.

— Jason Prager and Michelle Ma