The Observer, Volume LV, Issue 14, 12/08/23

Opinion: Editorial: CWRU Department of Theater fails to support its undergraduate theater students (pg. 6) Friday, December 8, 2023 Volume LV, Issue 14 Est. 1969

NEWS

SAGES department to offer more USNA courses following shortage

Unable to get USNA courses, students express frustration Zachary Treseler News Editor When the Class of 2021 went to register for courses for next semester, they saw an all too horrifying sight: The Think About The Natural World (USNA) classes were nearly filled. Within the snap of a finger, the 11 USNA courses were filled by a handful of third-year students. This is an ongoing and frustrating headache for students, but the Seminar Approach to General Education and Scholarship (SAGES) department says this problem is under control.

On Nov. 20, Dr. Erika Olbricht, interim director of SAGES, and Professor Peter Shulman, associate provost for curriculum, sent an email to students saying that they will add more USNA courses in the coming days. Later that day, the number of USNA classes increased to 18, and as of now, there are 25 USNA courses.

One of those students is thirdyear cognitive science major Gina Roman. “I attempted to sign up for one of the classes that intrigued me, but I unfortunately did not get into it as seats filled up really fast,” she said.

In one instance this year, a SAGES professor wrote to a student claiming they received 40 permission requests to join their USNA class.

USNA courses are part of the outgoing SAGES curriculum that requires all Case Western Reserve University students who matriculated prior to August 2023 to complete University Seminars in three thematic areas: USNA, the Symbolic World (USSY) and the Social World (USSO). Students must take a firstyear seminar in one of these areas and then take the remaining areas as additional University Seminar courses throughout the year. This is in addition to a Departmental Seminar and Capstone. Students who matriculated after August 2023 follow the Unified General Education

Requirements (UGER), the general curriculum replacing SAGES. “We are monitoring student USEM [University Seminar] needs very closely and working first, to ensure that all students can enroll in the categories of courses they need to graduate on time and second, to plan for future offerings so students find the right number of courses to meet their needs in a given semester,” Olbricht and Shulman said.

“While these numbers aren’t meant to be a secret, we have not yet begun to work with the schools and the [c] ollege to coordinate course offerings for future semesters (fall 2024 and beyond) and we cannot share them publicly before we have had those conversations.”

Olbricht and Shulman also noted that “USNAs have always been in the highest demand relative to other USEMs because more faculty across the university have taught USSYs and USSOs than USNAs.” This is coupled with an increase in the overall student population and fewer faculty offering FSNAs, the first-year version of USNAs. “It’s important to note, though, that adding up all sections of USNAs offered during the fall and spring semesters, this year will have the high-

est number of USNAs in the past five years, and probably ever,” Olbricht and Shulman are keen to point out.

An analysis of data from SIS and the Registrar’s Office found that since 2008, the university has availability in SAGES classes for between 8% to 14% of the undergraduate student body. In 2021, there were only seats for 9.97% of the student body in USNA courses. In the current academic year and the previous one, there were seats for 12% of the student body in USNA courses.

Many students are relieved that they could at least take their USNA seminar as a first-year student.

“I don’t think I’ve ever believed in the butterfly effect more than I have over the last three semesters, when I have failed to get a USNA,” one student said. “Perhaps if I managed to get one, I would be much less fixated on having to complete the rest of my requirements and not seeing my GPA decreasing exponentially because of that.”

The SAGES department’s website advises students to finish all of their university seminars before the end of their second year. According to Olbricht and Shulman, “this timeline was the expectation and most students met it.” However, they said

this timeline is no longer realistic given the seminars’ capacity constraints.

“From what I have noticed, there has been a panic among some juniors about being able to finish the SAGES program in time. Class registration is a pretty stressful process in general,” Roman said.

“We understand that this situation has been frustrating to students who often have to plan many semesters in advance for what courses they need to take,” Olbricht and Shulman said. They said University Seminars will be offered through 2025. Students can take UGER’s Communication-Intensive Courses to fulfill their USNA requirement.

Roman would like to see more flexibility in the process of getting into USNA classes. “Although there is something to be learned from any class or experience, it is more comforting knowing that you have more freedom to make such decisions,” she said.

Olbricht and Shulman said, “If you are still in need of a USNA, keep looking in SIS as a few more are being added for the spring semester.

And if you still haven’t gotten one, know that we’ll be ready to meet demand come next fall.”

Tyler Vu/The Observer

SPORTS

No. 8 men’s basketball improves to 6-0, Kahl reaches the 1,000-point mark Marvin Lee Staff Writer The Case Western Reserve University men’s basketball team hosted two non-conference opponents last week, Capital University on Wednesday Nov. 29 and Kalamazoo College on Saturday Dec. 2. CWRU put up a fight against previously unbeaten Capital, winning 94-87. The matchup with Kalamazoo, whom CWRU beat by 35 last year, was

surprisingly close through the first half.

However, the Spartans pulled away in the second half, finishing a triple digit game for the second time this season with 100-73.

Graduate forward Colin Kahl surpassed 1,000 career points with a layup with 7:51 to play in the Kalamazoo matchup. Kahl was named the UAA Athlete of the Week for men’s basketball for his efforts in both games. He averaged 22 points, 8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2 blocks over the two con-

tests, while shooting 73.9% (17-23) from the floor, 55.6% (5-9) on 3-point attempts and 71.4% (5-9) from the free throw line.

CWRU has now won 26 consecutive non-conference games in the regular season. The Spartan’s strong start to the season continues to be reflected in the national polls, as they moved up to number 8 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll. CWRU is now the highest-ranked UAA team, as they are one spot ahead of conference foe New York University.

The matchup with Capital was expectedly tough. The Comets were 6-0 coming into the game and lost narrowly to Division I Howard University in a pre-season scrimmage. The Spartans started off firing on all cylinders and it looked like they wouldn’t have any trouble in this Wednesday night showdown.

Continue reading on page 7

Life

The Case Western Reserve Observer Friday, December 8, 2023 observer.case.edu Volume LV, Issue 14

Now streaming on Netflix, “May December” is a hard watch, but one well worth it Kate Gordon Life Editor “May December” is not a movie for the faint of heart. More a character study than anything else, the film hones in on the inner lives and relationships of its three leading characters: actress Elizabeth (Natalie Portman) as well as husband and wife Joe (Charles Melton) and Gracie (Julianne Moore).

Elizabeth, who is playing Gracie in her upcoming movie, has come to visit the couple in their large, waterfront home in Savannah, Georgia in the hopes of getting to know them better. But what has this picture-perfect suburban couple done to make them the subjects of an upcoming feature film?

The answer is nothing short of horrifying. Gracie, decades older than Joe, met and began a relationship with him when he was in the seventh grade. The pair was all over the tabloids, even as Gracie’s trial wore on and she eventually went to jail—while pregnant with Joe’s baby. In the film’s present day they now have three children together, the younger two in the midst of graduating from high school. They claim to be in love. Worse still, Gracie and Joe’s story is closely based on the real-life case of Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau. Letournau, a teacher, sexually abused Fualaau, her 12-year-old student. They eventually got married and had two kids together. Moore exaggerates Letournau’s real-life vocal

tics, turning her “loose upper palate” into a full-on lisp, and the filmmakers even incorporated some of Letourneau actual quotes into the film’s script.

Portman, Moore and Melton take this obviously disturbing premise and run with it as far as they can. Portman’s Elizabeth is overly involved in her craft, mimicking Gracie’s mannerisms to an unsettling degree. She, too, starts to speak with a lisp, and positions her body to match Gracie’s when no one else is around. She follows Gracie everywhere around Savannah and even gets into contact with her children from her previous marriage without Gracie’s permission.

One of the funnier parts of this dark, unsettling movie is that Elizabeth is honestly a terrible actress—and I do not mean Portman herself, who does a great job of portraying an unskilled actor. Elizabeth’s Gracie voice is exaggerated and breathy, and this movie that she has been researching so much for is equally bad. Portman herself says about the movie within the movie: “They’re shooting a tacky scene. You can tell that it’s intentionally not the highest quality. It’s like—all of this drama and interfering with someone’s life for this movie? It puts a cap on the tragedy of it, of what people are willing to do for their alleged art and the

Natalie Portman (left) and Julianne Moore (right) star in “May December,” which is based on the real-life predatory relationship of Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau. Courtesy of Netflix

tumult they can impose on someone else’s life.” Gracie is no saint, but what Elizabeth is doing to her—and more so, to Joe—definitely crosses a line.

Moore is a fine actress as well, and plays nicely with Portman, but the other performance that really wowed me was Melton’s. Up until now, his best-known roles have been Reggie from “Riverdale” and the male lead in “The Sun is Also a Star”—two productions that are definitely not of the finest caliber. But in “May December,” Melton’s portrayal of someone coming to terms with their own abuse is nothing short of fantastic. For most of the movie, Joe is withdrawn and acts like an overgrown child, doing whatever Gracie tells him to do. But towards the end, as Joe realizes that what has happened to him is not acceptable, Melton makes the audience feel the full weight of his character’s anguish. As the New York Times writes, he “gives the movie its slow-building emotional power.”

All in all, “May December” is a chilling watch, but one that’s well worth it.

Though the subject matter is quite serious, it’s handled in a way that is both delicate and nuanced, as well as accessible to the average viewer. It balances its more emotionally weighty moments with lighter, humorous ones that still manage to not to take away from the film’s dark tone. If you’re interested in seeing some great actors at their very best, then I would highly recommend that you check out “May December,” currently streaming on Netflix.

MaDaCol performance dazzles and inspires students Zachary Treseler News Editor Last week, the Mather Dance Collective—abbreviated MaDaCol—held its annual performance show at the Mather Dance center, performing an engaging series of three dance numbers. This completely student-run production highlights the impressive artistic talent here at Case Western Reserve University, where students perform in addition to working towards their other academic pursuits.

MaDaCol’s $10 fee was beyond worth it just for the dances themselves, let alone for the opportunity to see many of my friends and classmates performing.

I thought that arriving 15 minutes early would be enough. However, I did not realize how fast these shows sell out: Mather Dance Center is a small performance venue, and I had only three seats left to choose from.

Settling in, I skimmed through the full color program to pinpoint which of my friends were in which production.

The lights faded to black as the first performance came onto the stage, titled “Here + Now.” The piece had calming blue lighting and an uplifting piano soundtrack, reminding me of the Piece de Nocturne that I saw at Playhouse Square a few months ago.

To reflect the performance’s mood shifts, the tempo of the piano music would change, which gave individual

dancers the spotlight and allowed them to show off some truly spectacular moves. One other thing I loved about this piece was how it mixed ballet moves with walking, creating a contrast between the two in order to highlight tone shifts and other emotional changes.

The second piece, “Convergence of Souls,” had a much faster and higher energy musical accompaniment.

This quicker beat was accentuated by the use of red lighting on stage. What stood out to me were the partner dances. There was very rarely a time when an individual would be dancing alone; instead, they were always accompanied by another member of the dance troupe performing in sync.

I found this effect to be really mesmerizing and quite impressive.

Lastly, there was “Sonder.” If MaDaCol’s first piece was known for a lot of individual movements, and the second piece for its partner dances, “Sonder” was characterized by its large group numbers. Anywhere from three dancers to the entire performance group would perform in sync, almost as if they were in a military parade. What was unique about this showing was how it was made up of two different dances, separated midway through the performance when the lights faded to black. What I loved about this choice was that the two dances were clearly connected— not only did they employ the same dancers and dance style, but also

there was a common move which linked everything together.

All in all, seeing a MaDaCol production is a phenomenal way to engage with student arts. It was done in such a professional way that it easily

could have been shown in Playhouse Square. It is remarkable to think that these performers can both excel in their artistic endeavors while also succeeding academically in unrelated fields.

Fun Weekly Horoscope

The Case Western Reserve Observer Friday, December 8, 2023 observer.case.edu Volume LV, Issue 14

Medium

Sudoku

What We've Been Listening To

The signs as USNA courses you did not get into

My House Beyoncé

Aquarius USNA 287J: Transportation in American Life

Kate Gordon

Vanishing Grace (Childhood) Gustavo Santaolalla, Alan Umstead

Pisces USNA 290I: The Biology of Creativity Aries USNA 290E: Viruses and Human Disease

Beau Bilinovich

I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A "Rap" Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time André 3000

Medium

Khushali Desai

Taurus USNA 289R: Science on Trial

Making Money Camera Obscura Auden Koetters

Gemini USNA 289E: Medieval Robots

MALINDA Galway Girl

Zachary Treseler

Moog City C418

Cancer USNA 290K: The Neurobiology of Trauma

Elie Aoun

Leo USNA 290M: Humans vs.

Computers: Will Artificial Intelligence Write Us Out of Existence?

Maze

Virgo USNA 288I: Beyond Silicon Valley: Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies Libra UNSA 287H: Plants in Medicine Scorpio USNA 290L: The Science and Practice of HighImpact Teamwork Sagittarius USNA 289U: Pipes, Potholes, and Pathogens: Infrastructure Issues in the USA Capricorn USNA 288B: The Green Energy Transformation in Germany

Overheard CWRU

Compilation of out-of-pocket things heard across campus

Tyler Vu/The Observer

"Money is good."

"Casual pickle enjoyer."

"Words can hurt."

"Devout pickle enjoyer:"

"That was tangy pizza."

"I just got bodied by that exam."

Opinion

The Case Western Reserve Observer Friday, December 8, 2023 observer.case.edu Volume LV, Issue 14

“Just take a summer class” and why it’s not that simple Hannah Johnson Staff Writer Last semester, I planned to take a class during the summer.

I researched nearby schools that offered the class I was looking for and came up with a couple of comparable options. After calling each of the schools for extensive details, going through their online course catalogs, messaging the professors and acquiring information on the cost of the class, I figured I was ready to get my summer course approved. I emailed the academic representative at Case Western Reserve University and received a one-sentence email that informed me that the university does not accept web-based courses.

Considering I already had an internship for the summer, I figured an online course would be the easiest to take, but I was still undeterred. I went back online to do more research, finding a couple of courses that I could take in person in my hometown or somewhere close enough to drive to. I ended up on the phone with multiple student offices at different schools and even directly with a couple of the professors to hear about their specific classes. This research took place over several days and took up hours of my time. Once I had finally secured the syllabuses to these in-person courses, I sent them over to the academic representative again for review, and received another one-sentence email: I needed a daily syllabus with the

topics that would be covered.

This was surprising to me for two reasons. One, not all professors include daily information on their syllabuses, and two, taking the course at a different school would not even give me a letter grade in the class at CWRU—instead, I would only receive credit if I managed to pass the class with a grade of C or higher After learning all this, I decided to look into what taking the course at CWRU would be like—and if it would even be beneficial for me to take another class altogether. What I found was shocking: I would have to pay an exorbitant amount of money out-of-pocket in order to take any summer classes at all. For the summer of 2023, the price per credit hour was $1,272 for courses numbered 100 to 399. This is the 50%-reduced rate, yet for a single fourcredit class, this already puts a student at $5,088. This doesn’t even cover the on-campus costs for room and board if you were to stay at school over the summer. You would have to pay for your living arrangements and food During summer 2023, there were no meal plan options for on-campus students. Additionally, the dining hall hours were significantly reduced, with most places opening around 8 a.m. and closing around 2 p.m. A friend of mine mentioned having to get food via delivery or by paying a rideshare fee to grab groceries because she doesn’t have a car. Moreover, the retail shuttle that runs on the weekend during the school

year wasn’t in service during the summer, a great disservice to students who stayed on campus.

One of the biggest problems associated with taking summer classes is the cost. Many professors seem oblivious to the high cost of this school, often telling my classmates to take an online class during the summer if they were unable to get the class they wanted during the regular academic terms—even if they were behind schedule in their studies and needed the course for their major.

A friend of mine recently shared an email one of her professors sent her after she voiced, in detail, her concerns about not being able to take a class she needs in order to graduate. The professor callously told her she should just take the class during the summer because, after all, the rates would be reduced anyway.

I don’t know who these professors think we are or what kind of money we have, but 47% of CWRU students are on financial aid. Sure, we can take summer classes, but that means we’ll graduate with mountains of debt. Heaping on extra money and time instead of working with students individually to create an accurate—and attainable—four-year plan should not be the way our school promotes education.

Additionally, I don’t know many people who want to spend their summers taking classes that they need in order to graduate school in the traditional four-year time span. Summers are supposed to be spent gaining real-world exposure. While college is incredibly

important in allowing students to gain knowledge and experience away from the family and friend bubbles established in middle school and high school, it lacks some of the integral parts of experience in a certain career path that only an internship or job can provide.

How are we supposed to use the summer to gain experience that we can apply to our future careers if we’re playing catchup with summer classes we can’t afford?

Older adults in established career paths love to say, “Enjoy your life now before you have a nine-to-five. Enjoy your summers before you join the workforce permanently and find out what having a real job is like.” But let’s be serious: Overloading on college credits during the summer or being forced to remain on campus to take a class stops students from enjoying this supposed “young-adulthood freedom” that we’re expected to be so grateful for.

No student should have to take a summer course because there weren’t enough seats during registration for them to get a course necessary for their major. No student should have to take a summer course on campus when they only see their family and hometown friends two to three times a year. No student should have to spend an exorbitant amount of money to take classes at inconvenient times at an already overpriced university—and no student should be thwarted time and time again when they try to take classes elsewhere and have them transferred over.

Leadership lessons we can learn from sports Catherine Choi Staff Writer As I attend college, I have faced many challenges where my leadership was put to the test or I was discontent with that of others. As an introvert who does not enjoy being the center of attention, taking on a leadership role was not easy. However, after taking the lead on a group project because people weren’t doing what they were supposed to do, I have realized the importance of being a leader. Although many think that the most important contributions of a leader are their skills and knowledge, it turns out this is rarely enough. Leaders often require qualities that parallel those seen in sports.

An important aspect of a good leader is the ability to take risks and to speak up for their people. On Dec. 3, the commissioners of the Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference lobbied the legislature to expand the rights of college athletes by setting a national standard on how college athletes can make profit. Their main claim was that attempts by athletes to make profit can lead students to prioritize the most lucrative contract over a more fitting school for them. This trend can damage the nature of college sports, and so there must be measures in place to protect them. Although it may take a long time for legislative changes to

be implemented and it is difficult to persuade the public to agree to such a rule, standing up for others despite likely objections and possible retaliation is an example of what it means to be a successful leader. Privilege comes with great responsibility and one must know how they can use their privilege in a way that benefits everyone, not just themselves.

Another important aspect of a good leader is the endeavor to bring positive changes and improvements.

University of Oregon’s women’s beach volleyball team and six members of the women’s rowing team have recently sued the school for Title IX violations, claiming that the school discriminated against female athletes in regards to facilities and funding.

According to the athletes, they were less likely to receive adequate training, opportunities and income.

They further claim that the lack of resources in the “name, image and likeness” (NIL) marketplace and the pursuit of a professional career has hindered its female athletes from making profit and establishing a successful career. By taking this step forward, the players and their coaches are taking an active role to persuade other schools to increase funding and improve the quality of female sports.

Not only are these people trying to make their own lives better, but they are also encouraging others to stand up for themselves to make positive changes. A good leader must be able to represent their community mem-

bers and continuously strive to make positive changes with a strong passion for their field.

Since the 1990s, Manchester United has been on the top tier of European soccer with its numerous titles and its legendary players. However, since 2013 when Sir Alex Ferguson retired from management, the team has suffered from poor performance due to ineffective managers and insufficient support from the owners.

Although the team’s decline has been ongoing for almost a decade and its former glory is nowhere to be seen, this season especially sheds light on current manager Erik ten Hag’s incapability as they are in danger of getting eliminated in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) competitions and are performing poorly in the league. On the other hand, since Jürgen Klopp was appointed as Liverpool FC’s manager in 2015, the team has been able to escape from hard times and regain its fame. After three years of rebuilding, the team won its sixth champions league trophy, the Premier League trophy, in almost 30 years. Thus, the team’s former glory that had faded for many decades has been restored.

Such a difference in results is mostly due to how the managers approach their role.

In an interview, Klopp emphasized the importance of dedication, commitment, trustworthiness and empathy. Since his arrival to the team, he has set high but attainable expecta-

tions, constantly showed his dedication towards his squad, established a winning mentality for his players and has been able to make emotionally challenging decisions in the direction that best advances the team. He communicates with his players in an empathic and friendly attitude rather than be portrayed as an authoritative figure, thus gaining respect and creating unity. On the other hand, ten Hag has been making headlines for rumors regarding conflicts with key players with ego issues that cost the team its performance, overpaying on transfers for unqualified players—especially the ones that he coached in Amsterdamsche Football Club (AFC) Ajax—demanding excessive power and authority even in areas where he does not have any expertise. Although the skills and work ethic of each team member is important, a good leader must also be able to bring people together and understand the gravity of the power they hold.

Although many perceive sports only as a form of entertainment, I have found it also teaches us valuable lessons. Both in team sports and in everyday life, it is crucial that people conduct their jobs with professionalism and are willing to work with others towards achieving a common goal.

Leaders must be able to acknowledge that their power is given to them as a tool to do their job well—not as a tool to achieve personal gains—and teammates must respect their leader’s authority.

Opinion 5

observer.case.edu

Bridging realities: Unveiling the urgency to advocate for Palestine Salsabeel Salem Staff Writer Fractured concrete crashes against the blood-stained pavement as sirens wail for help, maneuvering between dead bodies and fallen buildings to arrive at the scene. In Jabalia refugee camp, an eight-year-old boy, tears streaming down his smokeladen cheeks, carries a headless body from the rubble—the aftermath of the third major bombing in a week, targeting the Al Fakhoura school on Nov. 18. Leaving at least 50 women and children slaughtered and even more injured, this place of refuge for displaced Palestinians is only one of hundreds of sites Israel has attacked since the outbreak of the IsraelHamas War, advancing its mission of eradicating Palestine.

Meanwhile, nestled in the comforts of Cleveland and located quite conveniently on the other side of the globe we lie: the Case Western Reserve University community. I remember waking up at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18 to volunteer. I made a thankful pumpkin with my residents that day. Immediately after, I stopped at my dorm to pick up my backpack and headed over to Thwing Center to study for my physics exam.

Around 7 p.m., I meandered my way over to Indian Flame for dinner with one of my roommates. After dinner, we headed back to our dorm to get ready for a Christmas-themed game night hosted by a mutual friend.

On the same day that hundreds of people mourned the loss of their loved ones due to continued genocide, much of CWRU campus had a day comparable to mine: safe and worry-free. Much of the problems we face in our daily lives revolve around small things such as being late for class or getting a bad haircut. Fortunately, the typical CWRU student is not worried about an airstrike attacking Cleveland Clinic while volunteering on a Saturday morning. Since we live in a reality that in no way resembles the conditions in Palestine, empathizing with those suffering on the other side of the world can be hard.

While grief for losing a loved one is universally understood, the scale

of the crisis in Gaza, with a death toll surpassing 16,000 in these past two months, makes empathy harder to muster. Our experiences—void of the grim realities faced by Palestinians— limit our understanding, hindering a full emotional connection. The ability to empathize comes from one’s own understanding of the emotions others experience. Part of that is also understanding what may be triggering those emotions and then having the courage to share those feelings. Since our reality does not consist of passing a mound of rotting, decapitated corpses on our way to the grocery store or leaving our families at a minute’s notice due to an alleged bomb threat, we can only understand what the people in Gaza are experiencing to a certain extent. And this prevents us from truly connecting emotionally.

As the barrier to empathy grows, detachment becomes easier. It is true that how you go about your day isn’t necessarily affected by a genocide taking place on the other side of the world. Any student could have a Nov. 18-esque day like mine without Palestine crossing their mind. But it should. It should cross your mind.

Genocide should bother you. As humans, before ethnicity, religion or student status, we share a moral obligation to stand against all injustices.

As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

So as the fight to empathize rages on, we must not get caught up in the privileges of our reality. For as humans, we must see each other and our loved ones in others. Even if their skin color may be different or their culture diverges from ours, humans must support humans. If we can’t feel the pain of a mother who just found her mutilated son under a pile of rubble, and if we can’t understand the fear of abandonment simmering as militants continue to tear families apart, then we can at least feel anger.

Let the anger fuel your fight. If we are so privileged to be nestled on the other side of the world in the comforts of the CWRU community, then we must use our privilege to fight for Palestine.

Fight for the mothers who have lost their babies in devastating air strikes.

The Case Western Reserve Observer Established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of Case Western Reserve University

Shivangi Nanda Executive Editor & Publisher PRINT Elie Aoun Director of Print Téa Tamburo News Editor Zachary Treseler News Editor Kate Gordon Life Editor Beau Bilinovich Opinion Editor Puneet Bansal Sports Editor Lexy Jensen Development Editor Rebecca Warber Copy Editor Darcy Chew Copy Editor Sara Khorshidi Copy Editor Sarah Karkoff Copy Editor DIGITAL MEDIA Joce Ortiz Director of Digital Media Nandana Vinod Social Media Manager Aambar Agarwal Social Media Editor Shejuti Wahed Social Media Content Creator & Video Editor Clay Preusch Photo Editor Noah Henriques Web Editor DESIGN Auden Koetters Director of Design Anjali Bhuthpur Layout Designer Phuong Nguyen Layout Designer Bowen Zhang Layout Designer Lucas Yang Graphic Designer Tyler Vu Graphic Designer BUSINESS Khushali Desai Director of Business Operations Sophia Ran Business Manager Cayley Ng Business Manager The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer reports news affecting students and provides an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are typically written by the opinion editor but reflect the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. Opinion columns are the views of their writers and not necessarily of The Observer staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer via e-mail at observer@case.edu.

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Fight for the families scrambling to find a new place to take shelter. Fight for the healthcare workers tired of being drained of resources and assistance. Fight for Palestine.

Everyone should have a personal

stake in what’s going on in Palestine.

For in its essence, Palestine’s people are everyone’s people. For if that were your baby carried from the rubble on Nov. 18, you would want the world to pay attention, too.

LTTE: From the students of Michael Sachs CIM Trumpets Dear Members of the Board, In recent months, the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) has lost credibility in the world of elite music education. All alumni have been concerned about the institution’s path, and now, after the terrible and avoidable resignation of Michael Sachs, it is clear to us that CIM is in crisis.

We are Cleveland Institute of Music alumni and current and former students of Michael Sachs. We represent over 30 years of achievement at the Cleveland Institute of Music and

the global reach of Michael’s pedagogy. Collectively, we perform with the world’s top ensembles, teach at top music programs, run some of the country’s most notable ensembles and serve as industry leaders in fields outside of music.

Michael has been the heartbeat of the brass department for decades and is an irreplaceable asset to the Cleveland Institute of Music.

He has molded the culture of your world-renowned institution, which is largely based on the unique and ample access to him and the Cleveland Orchestra. Michael’s renown as an educator, his enormous reach as

an author, the reputation of his students, his incredible sound and his unique insight into one of the world’s greatest ensembles inspired us all to pack up and chase our hopes and dreams in Cleveland’s University Circle.

The fact that Michael’s character and intentions at CIM are being questioned is unfathomable. Michael has a proven record of helping his students balance the incredible demands of life as a performer with the well-being, mental health and conditioning required to lead a happy life.

By following his example, his students learn that being ethical, finely

tuned collaborators and listeners on and off stage are all pieces to the picture of success. The accomplishments of his students are a testament to the efficacy of his work at CIM. We implore you, as board members entrusted with steering our beloved institution, to examine closely the priorities of CIM and the recent events that have disrupted decades of achievement. We write to you with hope and optimism that there is a path in which CIM’s relationship with Michael and his students can be restored. We all want to remain proud alumni of the Cleveland Institute of Music.

6 Opinion

Friday, December 8, 2023

EDITORIAL

CWRU Department of Theater fails to support its undergraduate theater students Editorial Board On Wednesday, Nov. 29, theater students at Case Western Reserve University reached out to College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Lee Anne Thompson, as well as several Department of Theater faculty, with concerns they had about the audition process and overall function of department productions.

To consolidate their thoughts, students drafted an open letter which was circulated and signed by more than 60 theater and non-theater majors across campus.

In the letter, students brought attention to the casting choices made for two of the Theater Department’s undergraduate shows, “John Proctor is the Villain” and the department’s first-ever musical “Cabaret.” Some of the leading roles are to be played by students in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Master of Arts programs— and even an alum who was part of the staff casting the show. Students feel that by not casting undergraduate students it “sends the message that the director does not have confidence in the undergraduates’ ability to perform this musical well.”

Students explained that auditions for “Cabaret” were conducted “with large amounts of intentional secrecy towards the undergraduate students.” In one instance, a group of students from the MFA program arrived at the Maltz Performing Arts Center 30 minutes late and were whisked into the Roe Green Theatre for callback auditions.

Forty minutes later undergraduate students found out that they would not be progressing to the reading portion of the callbacks, as the director was now busy with MFA students. It is also noted that this is not the first time that MFA and alumni were cast for undergraduate shows—the same thing happened during the 2021 production of “Arcadia.”

To rub salt in their wounds, undergraduate students were promised opportunities to work with MFA professors on MFA productions, which are done at Cleveland Playhouse, but many claim they have yet to actually receive these opportunities. As a result, the fact that MFA students are taking away roles from undergraduates who already have only a limited number of “Eldred Theater” productions is beyond ironic and unfair. As the letter puts it very bluntly: “[T] he situation is that undergraduate students have paid and continue to pay for the opportunity to hone and perform their skills, but have had those opportunities squandered by those who already have their own seasons, of which the undergraduates have never had access to as long as they have been at CWRU.” The payment refers to the fact that MFA students receive a stipend from the Theater Department, while the majority of undergraduate students pay tuition.

In response, Katharine Bake-

less Nason Professor in Theater and Drama Jerrold Scott provided a letter acknowledging students’ concerns and sharing his perspective of the situation. Framing the response much like an apology for a lack of transparency, Scott offered some explanation about the “secrecy” of MFA and alumni casting in “Cabaret,” and, more generally, the thought process behind the Department of Theater’s productions. He highlighted the fact that the way these productions are funded the department allows every CWRU student—regardless of their program or affiliation—staff, alumni and “outside guests that have some university affiliation or connection” to participate. Scott further elaborated on the structure of a BA in Theater as compared to a BFA, claiming that “a BFA program, by contrast, requires students to audition to just participate in the program itself, limiting the accessibility of the wider university student to the work significantly, and necessitating that that group of students has very little freedom to choose how they spend their creative time once enrolled.”

He goes on to suggest that shows run by student groups such as Players’ Theatre Group and Footlighters are competitors to depart-

ment productions, highlighting that the department has faced its own frustration from undergraduates. Despite student concerns in the original letter, Scott did little to address ways to improve department productions or the quality of education for undergraduate theater students. Frankly, the response letter was quite defensive, and did not seem to understand the gravity of the situation for undergraduates students, especially those considering a full-time career in theater.

This is not the first time a department has wronged students—and it likely won’t be the last. Between the events incited by President Eric Kaler’s statements regarding the Israel-Hamas war and the continuing challenges between students and administration at the Cleveland Institute of Music, there have been a series of campus-wide instances of students challenging the institution that they pay to attend. The university has an obligation to support its students. The question then becomes what we can do to help in both this specific situation and the other instances of students standing up to administrators.

At The Observer, we are always trying to empower student voices

and amplify student perspectives in our work. To see the CWRU community come together with such passionate fervor gives us hope for this next generation of change. On an individual level, it is important to advocate for our peers, whether by signing a petition, attending a protest or listening to an affected friend. While we believe that each student has the right to interpret each situation and come to their own conclusions, we also recognize the importance of listening to our student body and making documentation concerning these issues more widely available.

As the semester draws to a close, we wanted to take this moment to honor our students, faculty and others who have come together to support these causes: changes to campus infrastructure, standing up to administration and advocating for respect and equality for all people. The world—even our small campus community—is unjust, but every small change we make together is a step toward a better future. We hope the feeling of unity and togetherness that has enveloped our campus will be a constant—because thinking beyond the possible requires us to work together, be together and use our shared strengths for good.

Lucas Yang/The Observer

Sports

The Case Western Reserve Observer Friday, December 8, 2023 observer.case.edu Volume LV, Issue 14

Men’s basketball from page 1 But then the Comets came back.

They would go on a series of runs until taking a 31-23 lead with 5:55 remaining in the first half. CWRU’s saving grace would be third-year guard Sam Trunley, who scored 11 points off the bench in the first to fuel a 20-4 Spartan run over the final 4:16 of the half.

This culminated in a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Trunley as he dribbled down the length of the court with the seconds ticking off the clock and pulled up for a deep shot that sent the team into the locker room motivated and ready to fight for the final 20 minutes of play. The score was 48-39 at the half with the Spartans leading.

The late run in the first half woke the sleeping giant, as CWRU went on another run to start the second half. A 14-0 run brought the score to 71-50 with 12:53 remaining. Basketball is a game of runs and the Comets responded just as they had early in the game. They chipped away for the next nine minutes of play until it was a two-point game with just under four minutes to play. Graduate student guard Preston Maccoux would respond with a 3-pointer at 3:15 remaining to bring it back to a twopossession game, continuing a gamelong 3-point onslaught from the Spartans culminating in 13 points.

Kahl and Trunley continued this by hitting 3-pointers of their own to bring it back to a somewhat comfortable margin. Free throws down the stretch sealed the game for the Spartans, as Trunley helped secure the win while bringing up his tally to a career-high 24 points. He made 5 3-pointers and went 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Trunley added 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal to cap off an impressive performance off the bench for CWRU. Kahl made a big impact as well, scoring 18 points and adding a team-high 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. The final margin was 94-87 Spartans.

The second game was much less dramatic than the first but similar as

both matchups featured ultra-competitive first halves. The Saturday afternoon game against Kalamazoo started as a back-and-forth affair, with neither squad mustering anything resembling a comfortable lead through 12 minutes of play. Coincidentally, that’s when Kahl started to go on a tear. He scored 7 unanswered points as part of a 9-0 Spartan run that gave them a 36-27 lead. Kalamazoo responded in turn, and it took an 8-2 CWRU run to re-establish a decent lead going into the half. The score was 46-36 as the teams headed into their locker rooms.

A strong start to the second half from the Spartans blew the game open. CWRU knew they were the much better team and they acted like it as Kalamazoo fell victim to a lethal Spartan offense. Kahl, who entered the game with 980 points (907 of which he scored during his four years at Sewanee: The University of the South), continued his offensive tear

in the second half and surpassed the thousand-point mark with a layup at the 7:51 mark in the second half.

Right before converting the shot, Kahl had a cut on his knee hastily bandaged up during a timeout so he could return to play. He obviously wasn’t affected at all, as he lumbered back over the court and proceeded to muscle his way to a basket that was announced as bringing him over the thousand-point mark at the next timeout. Kahl’s teammates quickly interrupted Head Coach Todd McGuinness’s remarks to congratulate him on this feat. More Kahl heroics pushed the lead to 84-57 with 6:36 to play, after which the reserves were ushered in.

As the game came to a close, firstyear forward Elvin Stowell checked in and registered his first collegiate minutes. Fellow first-year guard Charlie Fox hit a jumper and a 3-pointer in quick succession to put CWRU ahead by 30, 97-67. The bench went crazy

During the CWRU men’s baskball game against Kalamazoo College, graduate student forward Colin Kahl surpassed the 1,000-point mark of his basketball career.

Courtesy of Tim Phillis/CWRU Athletics

for another milestone reached in the game: first-year guard Jake Sambuchino’s first collegiate point in the form of a 3-pointer that put the Spartans at 100 points even.

CWRU won by 27 as they triumphed over Kalamazoo 100-73.

Kahl had a monster game, finishing with a season-high 26 points on 10-13 shooting overall and 3-6 from behind the arc. He also added a team-leading 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks.

Kahl was held back for an interview and was greeted with a shower when he walked into the locker room as his teammates celebrated his achievement by pouring water on the smiling Kahl.

Graduate guard student Anthony Mazzeo continued his strong start to the season as he added 18 points, while third-year forward Umar Rashid scored 16 and Trunley finished with 10, making it back-to-back double-digit scoring efforts off the bench for the third-year guard.

Season-highs were omnipresent for the Spartans, as CWRU finished the game shooting 56.7% (38-67) from the floor and 48.5% (16-33) from 3-point range, both season-best marks. The Spartans also notched 23 assists, 9 blocks and 6 steals as a team, all season-highs for the nationally ranked squad.

The Spartans will now start a stretch of six away games, highlighted by the 2023 D3hoops.com Classic in Las Vegas from Dec. 28-29. There, CWRU will face the current fourth ranked team in the nation, Oswego State, as well as Clark University. The next home game will be Friday, Jan. 12, as they host NYU. The pieces continue to mesh and it seems that in every game someone new steps up. For now, we can expect more of the same from the Spartans as they look to wrap up the non-conference schedule the same way they started it. And as we turn the page to 2024, the Spartans will move into the gauntlet that is UAA conference play.

Spartans go perfect on homestand, improve to 5-3 Paola Van der Linden Costello Staff Writer The Case Western Reserve University’s women’s basketball team wrapped up its non-conference home schedule with two games, improving to 5-3 after two consecutive wins at Horsburgh Gymnasium. This also marks a three-game win streak for this team.

After beating Allegheny College 73-55 the week prior, they defeated University of Mount Union 63-59 on Nov. 28 and Kenyon College 72-29 on Dec. 1.

The Spartans were quickly down 2 after a layup from Mount Union but that deficit didn’t last long, as a free throw by fourth-year forward Kayla Characklis and a jumper by fourthyear guard Sarah Mitchell put CWRU back in front. After taking the lead with 8:28 left in the first quarter, the Spartans remained ahead for most of the game. In fact, a jumper by Characklis and a 3-pointer by third-year guard/ forward Emily Plachta had the Spartans up by 4 only a minute after.

Mount Union tried to recover and

tied the score 8-8 with 5:35 left on the clock, but that was the closest they would get to taking the lead for the rest of the game. On the next two possessions, Mitchell made two layups which gave the Spartans a 4-point lead.

The Spartans took the largest lead of the quarter of 12 after two free throws

by Plachta. Throughout the rest of the game, Mount Union tried to catch up, getting as close as 4 points with 3:18 left in the third quarter after a three pointer. However, the Spartans continued with their good gameplay and were up by 10 at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Spartans obtained their largest lead of the quarter with 7:17 remaining after two good free throws by Mitchell gave them a 14-point advantage. However, Mount Union recovered and reached within 2 points with 12 seconds left on the clock.

After a foul on Mitchell with 11 seconds remaining and two successful free throws, the Spartans took a 4-point lead which ultimately gave them the win of the night. Mitchell led both teams with 16 points and 7

rebounds. Characklis added her first double-double of the season and ninth of her career with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Plachta also added 13 points and 3 rebounds. The team shot overall 43.1% (22-51) from the field goal range and 23.1% (6-26) from the 3-point line.

The Spartans outperformed Kenyon on the court Friday night, marking the greatest win difference of the season with a finishing score of 7229. First-year guard Jordyn Call led all players with 16 points and added 3 rebounds. She shot 75% from the field goal range and 66% from the 3-point line. She also contributed to almost half of the bench points obtained by the team. Characklis added 14 points and 3 rebounds to the game. Mitchell and Plachta had 8 and 7 points, respectively. The team shot 48.3% (28-58) from the field and 47.4% (9-19) from 3-point range, significantly more than Kenyon who only managed to score 24% (12-50) from the field goal range and 7.7% (113) from beyond the arc.

The game started with a 3-pointer

by Plachta followed by another by

graduate student forward/center Kate Montgomery, giving the Spartans a 6-0 lead within the first 90 seconds of the game. By the end of the first quarter, the Spartans were up 16, a lead that kept growing into the second quarter.

By the end of the half, a 3-point shot by third-year guard/forward Lucy Vanderbeck gave the Spartans a 34-point lead. The Spartans were able to continue scoring consistently with 44 points in the first half and 28 more in the second half. The Spartans also took advantage of the opportunities the Owls were giving them, scoring 19 in points from turnovers.

Ultimately, this team dominated Kenyon on all fronts.

The Spartans will be traveling to Granville, Ohio for a 1 p.m. game against Denison University on Saturday Dec. 9. They will then take a break until the D3December Clasico hosted in Puerto Rico where they will be facing Emmanuel College on Dec. 20 and Norwich University on Dec. 21 before starting their conference play in January.

8 Sports

Friday, December 8, 2023

Men’s soccer falls in second round of NCAA tournament Puneet Bansal Sports Editor The Case Western Reserve University men’s soccer team qualified for the NCAA Division III Championship tournament for the second year in a row and reached the second round to match the second-furthest run in program history. Unfortunately, the Spartans couldn’t push any further since they fell to the State University of New York at Cortland in a penalty kick shootout on Nov. 12.

The Spartans started off their postseason in Cortland, New York against Hobart College on Nov. 11. In the first 26 minutes the Spartans and the Statesmen were held in a stalemate.

Both teams had the opportunity to take the first lead, with Hobart attempting six shots to the Spartans’ four. Eventually, third-year forward Kysen Kroeger broke the ice. Although fourth-year defender Alex Lippiatt missed his free kick, Kroeger was able to find the deflected ball and shot it into the back of the net for a 1-0 Spartan lead.

Kroeger notched his third goal of the season while Lippiatt recorded his sixth assist.

The Statesmen responded quickly in the 34th minute with a shot from 25 yards to tie the score 1-1.

While the Spartan defense clamped down and limited Hobart to just one more shot attempt for the rest of the half, the CWRU offense continued to flow, connecting again in the 44th minute of the first half. Back-andforth passes from second-year forward McLaren Baggett and fourth-year midfielder Matt Vatne set up third-

year midfielder Lukas Dalakis for a shot from the top of the box. Dalakis finished off the beautiful play, drilling the ball into the net for his second goal of the year. The first half ended with the Spartans up 2-1.

The Statesmen came out with a sense of urgency, attempting three shots in less than 15 minutes of action.

But it was the Spartans who found the back of the net for the third time, with fourth-year defender Jad Oglesby scoring his first goal of the season.

Oglesby took advantage of a three-ontwo breakaway and shot the ball just below the crossbar to give the Spartans a 3-1 lead.

Hobart responded in less than two minutes to cut the lead to 3-2 for the Spartans. Nonetheless, the Spartans held on and controlled the tempo. Hobart attempted just one more shot for the rest of the game and CWRU went on to win the match 3-2.

Second-year goalie Bradley Winter anchored the Spartan defense, recording four saves to top off his first career postseason victory.

The next day CWRU faced off against sixth-ranked Cortland in their highest stakes game of the season. The match lived up to the excitement that comes with postseason. Unfortunately, it didn’t end in the Spartans’ favor.

The two teams went back and forth, but the game remained scoreless for the first half. Cortland held an offensive advantage and outshot the Spartans 6-4. The floodgates finally opened for Cortland in the second half, where they capitalized on a penalty kick to break the scoreless tie. Less than 12 minutes later, CWRU answered back with a goal from first-year midfielder

Adam Pluszczyk. From a free kick attempt, the Spartans kicked the ball into the box, where Pluszczyk was in position to collect it and shoot it past the goalie for his first goal of his career and for the 1-1 tie.

In the last 20 minutes of the match, neither team was able to get ahead.

The Red Dragons attempted one shot to the Spartans’ three.

Neither team attempted a shot in the first overtime period. CWRU missed their chance at the game in the second overtime with a high-sailing shot. After 110 minutes, the teams moved to a penalty shootout.

For the Spartans, Vatne, Lippiatt and fourth-year defender Josh Cook converted their attempts. But it was not enough to top Cortland, which went perfect on their five shots to win the game.

The Spartans ended their 2023 season with a 10-3-4 record for the second year in a row. The team went 3-2-2 in conference games while averaging 13.1 shots per game and holding a shots-on-goal percentage of 0.404.

Vatne, Cook, Lippiatt, Winter and fourth-year midfielder Jacob Salmon earned All-UAA honors. Vatne and Cook were named to the First Team, Lippiatt and Salmon to the Second Team and Winter as an honorable mention. Cook, Kroeger, Lippiatt, Salmon, Vatne and Winter were also named to the CSC Men’s Soccer Academic All-District Team for maintaining above a 3.50 GPA. Vatne earned the United Soccer Coaches All-Region VII First Team honors and received the organization’s All-America Second Team honors.

Iagnemma takes 18th place finish at NCAA Championships Puneet Bansal Sports Editor In Newville, Pennsylvania, second-year Lauren Iagnemma was the sole representative of the Case Western Reserve University cross country teams on the brightest stage of the season. Running among the top Division III athletes in the nation, Iagnemma came in at 18th place at the NCAA DIII Championships on Nov. 18.

To qualify for the National Championship, Iagnemma and fellow Spartan runners competed in the NCAA DIII Great Lakes Region Championship on Nov. 11. Iagnemma notched a second place finish out of 269 runners with a career-best time of 20:43.9 in the women’s 6K race. She finished just a tenth of a second behind the regional champion Meghan Owens of Centre College. Her career best time, which was 49 seconds faster than her previous mark, earned her the first All-Region honor of her career.

Fourth-year Grace Jackson was the next CWRU runner to finish, coming in at 33rd with a personal record of 21:50.5, also earning All-Region honors for the second straight season. The remaining five CWRU athletes also notched career-best times: second-year Arianna Holbrook at 48th (22:15.1), third-year Marquis Globokar at 66th (22:32.6), second-year Ayla Grabenbauer at 72nd (22:37.0), second-year Julia Hluck at 94th (23:02.1) and Anna

Avila at 116th (23:26.1).

Overall, the team earned an 8th place finish out of 40 total teams, recording a score of 221. Calvin University won the meet with a score of 90.

The men’s cross-country team also performed well, placing fifth out of 40 teams at the regional championship in Norton, Ohio. Fourth-year Stephen Henry crossed the finish line first for the Spartans, coming in at 26th out of 278 runners with a career-best time of 24:37.2. This was a 7.6-second improvement over his previous best time. Third-year Nate Gilbert came in next, taking 31st place in 24:42.9, beating his previous best time by 43.1 seconds. Henry and Gilbert both secured All-Region honors.

Third-year Aidan Nathan finished 36th (24:47.6), thirdyear Mike Lombardi came in 42nd (24:52.5), third-year Luke Kishna placed 47th (24:56.3), first-year Seth Tivakaran took 70th (25:09.1) and first-year Jacob Slater took 76th (25:13.5).

The men’s

team scored 182 to earn fifth place at the meet. John Carroll University, who hosted the event, earned the title with a score of 69. The men’s team athletes did not receive bids to the National Championship.

Iagnemma traveled to Pennsylvania to compete in a field of 292 runners for the championship. She came in 18th after completing the distance in 21:25.6, which was the second fastest time of her career. Iagnemma paced the race very well. After the first mile, she was in 65th place (5:45.0) but moved to 34th in the second. By the 5,000-meter mark, she moved up to 25th and passed seven more runners to finish 18th.

The 18th place finish was the third-highest ever by a CWRU women’s cross country runner at the championship. CWRU alumni Justine Jeroski finished 11th in 2010 and Elaine Simpson came in 14th in 2009. The finish earned Iagnemma her first ever All-America honors, marking the ninth time in program history a Spartan earned All-America honors.

Fiona Smith of St. Benedict won the championship title with a time of 19:54.1. Carleton College took the team championship after scoring 151.

Second-year Lauren Iagnemma earned her first ever All-America honors due to her performance at the NCAA Championships.

Courtesy of d3photography.com

Scores and Upcoming Games

Men’s Basketball

CWRU vs Capital (11/29) - W 94-87 CWRU vs Kalamazoo (12/2) - W 100-73 CWRU at Adrian (12/9) CWRU at Hiram (12/11) CWRU at Earlham (12/17) 2023 D3hoops.com Classic - Las Vegas, NV CWRU vs Oswego State (12/28) CWRU vs Clark University (12/29) CWRU at CMU (1/6) CWRU vs NYU (1/12, 7:30 p.m., Horsburgh Gymnasium) CWRU vs Brandeis

Women’s Basketball CWRU vs Mount Union (11/28) - W 63-59 CWRU vs Kenyon (12/1) - W 72-29 CWRU at Denison (12/9) D3December Clasico - San Juan, Puerto Rico CWRU vs Emmanuel College (12/20) CWRU vs Norwich University (12/21) CWRU at CMU (1/6) CWRU vs NYU (1/12, 5:30 p.m., Horsburgh Gymnasium) CWRU vs Brandeis (1/14, 1 p.m., Horsburgh Gymnasium)

Wrestling CWRU at Baldwin Wallace Invitational (11/18) - 2nd of 13 teams (136.5 points) CWRU at RIT Invitational (12/2) - 4th of 14 teams (115.0 points) UAA v. OAC Challenge (Veale Athletic Center) CWRU vs Mount Union (1/6, 11 a.m.)

CWRU vs Ohio Northern (1/6, 12:30 p.m.)

CWRU vs Heidelberg (1/6, 2p.m.)

Claude Sharer Duals (Veale Athletic Center) CWRU vs Otterbein (1/13, 11 a.m.)

CWRU vs Washington & Jefferson (1/13, 12:30 p.m.)

CWRU vs Mount St. Joseph (1/13, 2 p.m.)