The Observer, Volume LI, Issue 4, 9/13/19

opinion observer.case.edu A&E: Post Animal comes to Mather Memorial for WRUW’s Studio-A-Rama (pg.

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friday, september 13, 2019 volume LI, issue 4

Observer

Marthe Cohn, WWII Jewish Spy, to talk at CWRU

Fall in rankings highlight graduate debt Nathan Lesch Director of Print

French-Jewish spy Marthe Cohn in the 1930s. Courtesy of The Daily

“Anybody can make a difference if they want to do it, you have to be engaged.”

Grace Howard News Editor “Do I look like a spy?”

Marthe Cohn was accused of espionage almost immediately upon entering Germany for her first mission. She was only 24 years old when she joined the Intelligence Service of the French 1st Army. When she was questioned about whether she was a French spy at her first stop in Germany, this was all she could reply.

“Many times, every time I was able to get out of trouble by answering the right thing,” Cohn said. Born in Metz, France, to a Jewish family, Cohn risked her life daily posing as a German nurse to gain information on German military movements and civilian attitudes. The French Army had very little information about what German civilians were doing and how they were responding to World War II, and it needed Cohn to find out.

Cohn was one of seven children. Her family had grown up in hiding from the Nazis and were active in the resistance. Cohn’s older sister Stephanie was arrested by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz, where she was able to help the children in the camps with her medical background. Though Cohn’s family was planning a rescue attempt, when Stephanie heard about the plan, she refused to leave, saying that she was doing more where she was.

After the Liberation of Paris in 1944, Cohn joined the French Army and was assigned to a regiment in Alsace, France. She did not initially join with the intention of becoming a spy, but an officer in her regiment found out she was fluent in German and recruited her into the position.

It was not possible to have men pose as spies because in Germany, all males over the age of 12 were recruited into the army, so any men in civilian clothes would draw attention.

TO COHN | 2

Marthe Cohn with medals awarded by the French military for her espionage activities against the Nazis in WWII. Courtesy of The Daily

The 2019 Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education (WSJ/THE) College Rankings report saw Case Western Reserve University fall 13 places, from 39th to 52nd. It is alleged that changes in ranking metrics caused this drop.

WSJ/THE began considering graduates’ average debt instead of graduates’ default rates. CWRU was not the only university to see a significant drop, as George Washington University, Tulane University and Northeastern University also saw their rankings decrease.

In the WSJ/THE rankings, CWRU’s decline due to its higher average graduate debt was partially offset by increases in graduates’ salaries, publications per faculty member and the variety of academic subject offerings.

In contrast, the 35th edition of the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, which was also released recently on Sept. 9, saw CWRU move up two places into the 40th slot. CWRU’s small climb in the U.S. News rankings occurred because of improvements in the academic qualifications of the new class, selectivity, graduation rate and faculty resources.

According to President Barbara Snyder, the Student Success Initiative is mainly responsible for enhancing the undergraduate experience and thus contributing to improvements in the U.S. News ranking. The Student Success Initiative includes the navigator advising system, and it came out of research done by the Office of the Provost.

“After extensive research regarding comparable efforts on other campuses, leaders within the Office of the Provost presented a proposal to President Snyder and the Board of Trustees,” said Provost Ben Vinson III in an email. “The proposal was so compelling that President Snyder committed the entirety of a leadership award she had received be used to support the effort, and the board directed that all of that year’s commitments to its strategic initiative fund also go to the initiative.”

The Student Success Initiative was not created in response to rankings pressures, according to Vinson.

The WSJ/THE rankings highlight the growing problem of student debt. Since the changed methodology in the WSJ/ THE rankings was applied to all colleges ranked, dropping 13 places means that CWRU is doing worse in terms of graduates’ average debt than many of its peer institutions.

According to Vinson, however, CWRU’s graduates’ average debt is not drastically different from its peer universities, and instead, the ranking’s drop is due to how little separates the nation’s top universities.

“The change in methodology has such a significant effect because of how tightly bunched the nation’s leading universities are in terms of their performance on a range of statistical measures,” Vinson asserted.

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news SEXPOpalooza aims to create conversation about safe and consensual sex

Jordan Reif Staff Reporter Last week, over three hundred students rose to the occasion to have open conversations about sex and sexuality at the annual SEXPOpalooza event. Co-hosted by Sexual Assault and Violence Educators (SAVE) and Greek Life, the convention fostered discussions about safe and consensual sex through partnerships with a variety of organizations from Northeast Ohio. Present among the tables were Planned Parenthood, the on-campus LGBT center, NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, Period., Ohio Smart and the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center.

Each table engaged students with discussions and demonstrations about safe ways to be sexually active, while distributing free condoms, lube and stickers, and entering students in raffles to win sex toys. This year, after reviewing feedback, the organizers invited drag queens and started selling T-shirts.

Kat Taylor, a fourth-year student on the Interfraternity Congress-Panhellenic Council (IFC-PHC) and a volunteer at the event, said she hopes students “learn more about how to have these challenging conversations [about sex].” Especially, she said, because conversations about sex and sexuality are “things that our society says are taboo.” Taylor believes the event is an opportunity for students to educate themselves and carry what they have learned with them, acting as “future catalysts” for similar discussions.

All of the organization representatives hoped to encourage sex-positivity while prioritizing offering services to ensure students are being safe.

A representative from Ohio Smart, Northeast Ohio’s longest running social and educational Bondage, Discipline, Sadism, and Masochism (BDSM) organization, was at the event with a variety of toys, some available at grocery stores, and others requiring custom orders from kink vendors. Answering questions and offering brochures of information, Ohio Smart let students know that they offer events and classes as well as having a physical space to “do BDSM safely and as informed as possible.”

The Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (CRCC), represented by Marissa Pappas and CWRU fourth-year, Guatham Chitturu, fostered discussions around consent. “Consent is the foundation of all things sexual,” Pappas said, “Today we are talking about what consent means and especially what it means to individual people.” CRCC offers services—including a 24/7 hotline and counseling services—for both survivors of sexual violence and the people who support them; all of these services are free of charge. Chitturu added that it is important for people, students included, to be aware that sexual violence happens and is a prevalent issue here. “People think that if it doesn’t affect them, then it’s not important,” he said, encourag-

FROM COHN | 1

Cohn was already a registered nurse when she joined the army; she had been in school during the war. In preparing to gather intelligence in Germany, she underwent intensive training in understanding movements of the German army, learning how to use arms, read maps and write and decipher code.

Cohn noted that her days were filled with a huge amount of walking. She could not take the train anywhere as the German military frequently checked ID cards, and Cohn was nervous that her French Army-forged card would not hold up under the scrutiny.

When asked how she managed to gather the courage to undertake such a dangerous position for so long, Cohn answered, “we had lived through five years of terror, absolute terror every minute. And it was absolutely normal that every one of us wanted the Germans out of our country as fast as possible.” She continued, “I was not more prepared to do this work than anyone else. But when I was given this job, I did it and tried to do it the best I could.”

There was never a moment of rest for Cohn, never a moment of monotony. “I was constantly under fear for my safety. I never had a moment of peace.

I got in trouble many times, and was able to get out of trouble by answering the right thing.”

Cohn credited her ability to say the right thing in large part to her childhood. She grew up in a town only 35 miles away from the border with Germany, and because of this knew how the Germans thought and felt.

When Cohn first entered Germany, she passed through the Swiss border and reached her place of lodging for the night. The young woman who opened the door was very hospitable and welcoming. Cohn said that she had a good night’s sleep, but when she woke up the next morning and went to the kitchen, she saw that something was wrong with her hostess, who appeared very upset. Her hostess saw Cohn’s torn stockings and Students learn about safe sex practices at SEXPOpalooza wondered if she was a spy who had 2019. Chris Heermann/The Observer entered through Switzerland. “We are constantly warned that people call in ing people to be more aware, have empathy and be sympathetic from Switzerland and come spy on us. to the issues of people around us. Pappas reminded students, Fraulein, I know a spy.” Cohn reached “We are here for you, no matter what. We believe you.” out her two arms, bent and asked jokIn a similar vein, there were representatives from NARAL ingly, “Do I look like a spy?” The two Pro-Choice Ohio and Planned Parenthood. The latter organization women would go on to become very demonstrated contraceptive options and shared information over- good friends. viewing comprehensive sexual health. NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, Many years after the war, Cohn was a nonprofit organization working throughout northern Ohio, fo- awarded the Medaille Militaire, a prescuses on grassroots advocacy to protect a person’s right to choose. tigious French medal of honor (1999), Organizer Hannah Servedio shared that sometimes college cam- the title of Chevalier of the Order of puses can be very secluded from the community, but that many the Legion d’Honneur (2002) and the students want to have important conversations and ask questions Cross of the Order of Merit of the Fedabout healthcare, contraception, family leave and abortion access. eral Republic of Germany, Germany’s Servedio’s comment was emblematic of the climate erected highest honor, among other decoraby all of the representatives and volunteers, and emboldened by tions for her work during the war. the students in attendance. All of the tables sought to be resources Marthe Cohn will be speaking at for students to join, discuss, question and understand how to have CWRU on Sept. 18 at the Maltz Persafe, consensual and pleasurable sexual lives. They firmly pro- forming Arts Center from 6:30-8 p.m. moted a sense of community and offered spaces where people of Tickets are free but required for the all different identities and sexual preferences can feel comfortable event. and have a safe environment.

“The only way to make sex and sexuality more accepted in so- AN EVENING WITH ciety is to continue talking about it and normalize it,” said Eileah MARTHE COHN Pye, assistant vice president of citizenship for the IFC-PHC and co-chair of SEXPOpalooza, reminding students that “just because September 18, 2019 at 6:30 PM SEXPO[palooza] is over, doesn’t mean that the conversations @ Maltz Performing Arts Center should stop.”

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observer.case.edu FROM VINSON | 1

Additionally, Vinson said that some of the universities CWRU considers its closest peers also dropped in the rankings due to the criteria change.

“The average debt of CWRU’s graduates is higher than some peers, and lower than others,” Vinson noted. “For example, Carnegie Mellon [University]’s average graduate debt is nearly $2,000 higher than ours.”

Carnegie Mellon’s ranking also dropped significantly in this year’s ranking, from 16th to 25th.

In terms of addressing graduates’ average debt, Vinson said CWRU has taken measurable efforts. Since 2016, CWRU has met full demonstrated need in admissions. Vinson believes this will reduce graduates’ average debt when students ad-

mitted under this policy begin to graduate.

Undergraduate Student Government (USG) President Marin Exler recognizes that college graduates’ debt is an important national issue, but cautions that ranking mechanisms are unable to provide a robust picture of a university.

“Transparency about the cost of college is essential, however, what the metrics fail to consider is the ratio between actual starting salaries and average graduation debt,” said Exler, via email, in relation to the WSJ/THE rankings.

USG has consistently attempted to address student debt, most notably through a four-year tuition-lock program, according to Exler. However, even tuition-lock policies have flaws. Oftentimes, university tuition merely starts out higher to counteract the tuition-lock.

Ultimately, there are no easy solutions

to rising student debt.

“We are still exploring different initiatives regarding the cost of college, and hope to work collaboratively with the administration to help alleviate student burden,” Exler pledged.

Regarding the impact of the WSJ/ THE ranking, Exler does not believe CWRU’s drop will be particularly impactful.

“One college ranking does not showcase how our incoming students continue to be more and more academically accomplished and how excited they are to be a part of the CWRU community,” she said.

According to Exler, a physical campus visit is still the best way for prospective students to understand the opportunities and experiences they can have at CWRU.

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The Last Editor Doug Smock on the final days of the Reserve Tribune and the beginning of The Observer Matt Hooke Executive Editor Two years after the Case Institute of Technology (CIT) and Western Reserve University (WRU) came together to form the school we all know now as Case Western Reserve University, there was still no newspaper representing the now unified school.

Instead, the two newspapers that represented the technical institute and liberal arts college stayed separate. The Case Tech for CIT and Western Reserve Tribune for WRU existed as separate entities; a joint issue was published, but many people who resisted unification wanted to preserve the status quo.

“A lot of resistance developed at Case,” said Doug Smock, the last editor of the Reserve Tribune. “Case was a much more conservative old-fashioned school, it was a good engineering school but a little insular. The provost and the administrators were against any combination of things with Western Reserve. Some of them were just afraid they would lose their jobs. There was a bit of arrogance as well, Case thought they were better than Western Reserve.”

The animosity went so far that the Case athletic director refused to combine the athletic programs, leading both schools to

cut teams entirely due to the lack of athletes.

Despite this resistance, Smock succeeded, along with Case Tech editor Blake Lang, in creating The Observer in 1968 as a paper that would represent both universities.

Case Tech remained in print until 1979, a stark reminder of the divide between science, technology, engineering, math and the humanities that still plagues CWRU. Smock never got to experience the fruits of his labor, as he did not become editor of The Observer. The battle to create the paper led to “blood on the floor” according to Smock and he did not wish to burden the new paper with old baggage.

“I wanted to give those guys the freedom to do a whole new paper,” said Smock.

As editor of the Western Reserve Tribune, Smock focused on covering the community outside of the university. His coverage was influenced by his time at the Cleveland Call & Post, an African-American-owned newspaper led by the legendary Editor William O. Walker. It was known for its coverage of the social issues facing African Americans in Cleveland.

The fire at Commodore Place Apartments was caused by was likely caused by improper disposal of smoking equipment. No one was injured. Courtesy of Cleveland Fire

“It was the summer of the Glenville riots after MLK was killed,” said Smock.

“National guardsmen were staying in our dorms. There were bayonet holes in our ceiling.”

“After that experience, I felt a lot of responsibility to cover our local community,” said Smock.

The article Smock said he is most proud of is an article about playgrounds.

He wrote an editorial about how CWRU athletic fields were off-limits to neighborhood children, forcing them to play in the crowded streets. The editorial is the historical article for this week and can be found below this article.

“A fifth grade class wrote me a letter and thanked me for the editorial,” said Smock.

Smock worked with reporter Jordan Del Monte on a follow up to that editorial. He walked with Jordan around the E. 115th St. field asking children where they played and what they thought about being forced off CWRU facilities.

“I was kicked off twice. It’s just about the only place we can play other than the

streets,” said fifth-grader Johnny Cauley.

“They shouldn’t make fields like that if they’re not for everyone.”

“Urban Renewal was big then and [University Circle Inc.] was moving people out of their homes,” said Smock.

“I said let’s be good neighbors. Let’s give kids the opportunity to play somewhere.”

Even now, CWRU does not allow the public full access to use athletic fields.

People are allowed to run on the track surrounding the DiSanto football field. Community members with a CWRU community card, something only people over 18 can receive, can access the outdoor tennis courts and basketball courts.

Smock went on to pursue writing as a profession. He was a staff reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, covering business for seven years. He left the paper during an 11-month strike to work for book publisher McGraw Hill and several magazines.

“I always wanted to be a journalist,” said Smock. “Working at the college newspaper was the first time I ever did it. I was like a kid in a candy store.”

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Roundtable on genre Matt Hooke Executive Editor The crowd bled out of Guilford Parlor into the English department lobby for a “Roundtable on Genre,” focusing on tragedy, pastoral and the American sonnet. The panel featured three members of the department: Associate Professor Maggie Vinter, Lecturer Denna Iammarino and Ph.D. student Cammy Ring.

The panel was part of the English Colloquia series of talks that occur every Friday at 3:15 p.m. Vinter said the series started in 2013, as “we wanted to bridge some of the gaps between the literary scholarship and creative writing.”

The three academics discussed how awareness of the conventions of these three genres can affect the ways authors use them to surprise modern audiences and how literary critics should analyze them. All three genres are associated with 16th-century England.

Pastoral poetry, such as the poems of Edmund Spenser, is devoted to an idealization of rural life and the natural world. Iammarino discussed how poets used the genre to discuss more pressing environmental issues like global warming and deforestation.

The sonnet, traditionally a 14-line poem with 10 syllables per line, is most recognizable through William Shake-

speare’s use of the form. The sonnets of Shakespeare are a key part of British national identity. In the British cultural garden in Cleveland, there is a bust of the playwright’s head. American poets either use the form to celebrate American myths or prove them wrong.

The sonnet form was picked up by American poets like Billy Collins, who used the form as a way to mythologize America as a place of new world innovation. Ring pointed out that this is a simplistic view of America, as rebellion is not an ideal unique to America by any means. Ring said that white America’s myth of itself, based on the idea of new world innovation, excludes black Americans.

Now, the sonnet form has been claimed by many black and gay poets.

The aforementioned Hayes uses the sonnet to create political work, adapting a form often considered solely useful for declarations of love as a way to advocate for social change.

“I lock you in an American sonnet that is part prison, part panic closet, a little room in a house set aflame,” writes Hayes in his “American Sonnet for My Past and Future Assassin.”

Unlike the other two genres that have fairly clear definitions, Vinter argued

that tragedy is nearly impossible to define, citing how thinkers from various cultural contexts have different definitions of tragedy.

“Tragedy is a hard thing to define because the word has been applied to so many different objects over such a long period of time,” said Vinter. “There’s no consensus about the property medium product or subject matter, but over the years, tragedy has been associated with extreme depictions of sorrow.”

Unlike pastorals or sonnets, which are defined by specific subject matter and a certain poetic structure, tragedy is defined by the emotion of sadness it causes in viewers. Tragedy has its origins in Greece; Aristotle defines tragedy as a work that causes a catharsis of emotions through pity and fear. He considered the play “Oedipus the King,” where the titular character kills his father and marries his mother, as the perfect tragedy.

“If the definition of tragedy is by some degree extra-literary, focusing on the response of the audience, how do we talk about that as literary scholars?” questioned Vinter. “What do you do with audience members who react with unexpected or inappropriate emotions to tragedy?”

Vinter focused on Shakespeare’s “Titus Andronicus,” a play many consider one of his most gaudy and violent. The play depicts a series of revenge killings between Andronicus, a Roman General, and Tamora, queen of the Goths. Vinter argued that the play contains an investigation of what emotions make events tragic, with characters sometimes expressing inappropriate emotions. Andronicus, for example, starts laughing after his hand is cut off by Aaron.

The talk ended with a question and answer session. Each scholar’s conversations offered examples of how genres are not static things. Throughout literary history, artists across disciplines use their knowledge of tropes to deconstruct them, breathing new life into old forms.

For the academics themselves, the session provided an opportunity to see how the development of other genres can parallel or contrast the one they are studying.

“It’s always tempting to stay trapped in your silo and only read stuff related to what you’re working on,” said Vinter, “but listening to someone talk about American sonnets, something I don’t know very well, sparks ideas for me that I can use in my research. It’s very beneficial.”

Normalcy and catastrophe: Paul Schroeder, beloved Hurricane Dorian’s impact CWRU professor, retires on students

after 14 years

Veronica Madell Contributing Reporter “When you live there, it’s just a normal thing that happens. You evacuate, you come back, you fix the damages.

It is just part of the culture,” secondyear Case Western Reserve University student Savannah Walters says of her experience living in Charleston, South Carolina. She even remembers receiving a “super casual” booklet on hurricane procedures when her family moved to the city.

This experience of catastrophe turning into normalcy has become commonplace for students living in hurricane-prone areas. However, for some areas such as the Bahamas, Hurricane Dorian was anything but normal.

Dorian was a Category 5 storm that stayed in the Bahamas for more than 40 hours. The death toll has risen to 50 people, and 70,000 are left without homes. Help is pouring in from cruise lines, airlines and the Coast Guard to aid in search and rescue as well as with supplies. Recovery is estimated to take years.

Dorian’s path continued across the Atlantic, where fortunately the storm weakened. It hit the coastal regions of Florida, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Canada as a post-tropical cyclone with a maximum of 57 mph winds. This still caused thousands of people to evacuate their homes. As Walters said of her hometown, “Everything shut down, no work, no school, no anything because you can’t go anywhere.” Walters’ mother had to evacuate her home and stay with friends in the northern part of the state, waiting to see what the damage to her home and town would be.

Another CWRU student, Winston Kam from Lake City, Florida shared

his similar experience during hurricanes. While Dorian did not touch down in Lake City, the town’s central placement in the state at an intersection of highways makes it a hub during hurricanes. Throughout hurricane season, the town’s fairgrounds store equipment from AT&T, Florida Power and Light, and other electrical companies, waiting for disaster to strike. In addition to sending out help, the town receives evacuees from coastal areas. During the worst hurricanes, the school gymnasium opens to house anyone in need of shelter.

When Kam described putting planks on windows and the grocery stores selling out, he just shrugged. “We’re used to it.” He likened it to the snow in Cleveland; instead of snow days, they have hurricane days. During those days, he said, “You read, watch TV until the satellite stops working.”

When the power goes out, you have flashlights. Walter’s mother had a similar experience during her evacuation.

While stuck inside, all she could do was bake. She baked five batches of cookies and three pies. As Kam noted, after all the preparation, anticipation, and fear of a hurricane, it just becomes a rather boring waiting game, waiting to see just how bad this one would be.

It could be the extra rain and wind that Kam’s town experienced. It could be the three feet of flooding in downtown Charleston. Or, it could be a Category 5 storm that takes away everything you know. One storm, Dorian, can manage to do all this. As Walters noted, the hard part is not knowing.

After a storm like this, there is nothing left to say but this: “At least this time, it wasn’t catastrophic.”

Anna Giubileo Staff Reporter “Don’t have an idea of what you want to do,” shared Paul Schroeder, visiting professor of political science at Case Western Reserve University, about finding one’s path in life. He has held this position for 14 years, though this year will be his last.

“My wife and I have done something different every 7-8 years. It’s time,” explained Schroeder.

Schroeder has had a long and varied history of careers, drifting far from his original goal.

Originally, he got his degree in zoology and planned to follow in his family’s footsteps by going to either dental or medical school. However, on the spring Friday he received his rejection letter from dental school, he “ran over to the journalism school and signed up for their masters program.” Schroeder got the opportunity to travel to China as a state correspondent, and from there was “bit by the China bug”—he knew he had to continue to visit.

Schroeder’s passion for the topic clearly has been a leading influence in his actions over the years, especially in how he completely reworked the political science department and created an Asian politics subfield at CWRU. However, the story of how he ended up as a professor hits the hardest.

Lance Corporal Edward August “Augie” Schroeder II died in Iraq in August, 2005, at the age of 23. It was in memory of their son that Schroeder and his wife created Families of the Fallen for Change, an anti-Iraq war peaceful protest group. They would

go across the country speaking to government representatives, families and constituents in an effort to begin the process to pull out of the Iraq war. “[Augie is] why I still get dressed up everyday,” said Schroeder in reference to his monogrammed collared shirt, tie and slacks, with his suit jacket hanging on the door behind him.

It was several months into their work with Families of the Fallen for Change when Schroeder and his wife realized they had no source of income, which was beginning to pose a problem.

“I reached out to my friend at Case Western who was taking a short leave of absence to see if she had anyone to fill in her place while she would be gone. They hired me, and I haven’t left since.”

However, Schroeder’s hardships did not end there. In 2007, his daughter Amanda was diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2016, she passed away, leaving behind her husband and two children.

Once he retires, Schroeder plans on dedicating more of his time to writing, primarily about his interests in Chinese foreign policy and politics. He is also interested in working more on his urban backyard farm during the nicer months, where he and his wife grow a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Memorial videos for Augie and Amanda are posted online for those interested in learning more about their life, titled “Hole in the Soul Augie” and “Free to Be Amanda” respectively.

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arts & entertainment Studio-A-Rama excites University Circle for the 37th time Matt Hooke Executive Editor

Surfer Blood performing at WRUW’s annual Studio-A-Rama Matt Hooke/ The Observer For 10 hours on Saturday, Sept.

7, the outside of Mather Memorial Building transformed from a staid lawn for study sessions into an all-day music festival as WRUW launched its annual Studio-A-Rama.

If the Hessler Street Fair, with its tie-dye shirts and Grateful Dead cover bands, is as a reflection of the flower power movement of the late ’60s, then WRUW’s Studio-A-Rama, with attendees sporting stick and poke tattoos, green hair and denim vests adorned with patches from a countless number of bands, is a reflection of the early ’80s punk movement.

The festival started in 1982 to thank listeners for supporting the station and to promote local bands. Unlike most music festivals, there are no regulars at Studio-A-Rama; bands can only perform once every four years. This ensures a constantly ro-

tating line-up in which no two years are the same.

This year marked a return to Mather Memorial after a brief stint at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MOCA). MOCA was not a terrible venue, but it felt right to see the festival founded to celebrate WRUW performed outside the building where its studio broadcasts music of all genres, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Mather Memorial created a natural concert space, the risen stone platform at the base of its central tower created a perfect stage, with the neighboring hallways funneling the crowd toward the bands. The lawn allowed listeners to sit down and picnic, unlike the concrete platform of Toby’s Plaza last year.

The lineup featured eight local bands, one “Ohio heritage band” Electric Citizen, and two national

acts, Surfer Blood from Florida and Post Animal from Chicago.

Around 80 bands apply to be a part of the festival according to Neal Filsinger, a WRUW executive staff member and one of the organizers of Studio-A-Rama.

“Studio-A-Rama is a good representation of a range of guitar music,” said Filsinger, who hosts Dare Waves every Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. “It’s not all punk. It’s not all indie. It’s not all heavy metal.”

WRUW programmer and fourthyear student Jimmy Wagner had a sore neck after the show from headbanging so hard.

“It involves the entire community,” said Wagner. “It’s open to everyone, it’s free, and it features a bunch of great local bands.” This offers a true Cleveland experience to Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) students, not from the area and invites community members to connect with the CWRU campus and, of course, WRUW. Garage rock band King Buu began the festival at 2 p.m. The second group Cotton Ponys offered a unique take on garage rock. Their psychobilly inflected music felt like three chords and a cloud of dust. Lead singer Macy Franco used an organ sound that resembled something out a ’50s horror movie. Lyrically the band went from serious topics, such as abortion, to songs about cute animals.

“I like that it doesn’t transition well,” said Franco about the band’s lyrics. “I like throwing the crowd off.”

Akron-based surf rock band The Beyonderers, played Dick Dale-inspired surf rock with a metal twist.

The all-instrumental set showcased a relentless driving sound and the gui-

tar pyrotechnics of Dave Rich.

Cincinnati-based band Electric Citizen was the first of the three bands from places other than Northeast Ohio to perform. The band had a throwback 70s hard rock sound, especially artists like Black Sabbath and Iggy Pop, whose song “I Wanna Be Your Dog” was used for soundcheck. Singer Laura Dolan, who was clad in all leather and moved around the stage, even breaking down to the floor of the stage, had a stage presence reminiscent of what Pop brings to his live performances.

“We’re bringing that music into the modern world. We have the advantage of decades of rock’n’roll to draw from,” said Dolan.

Surfer Blood was effortlessly catchy. The indie-rock hit “Floating Vibes” with its melodic guitar riff was recognizable to much of the crowd.

Headliner Post Animal had some of the best technical chops of the night. Their dual guitar leads made even basic melodies sound fresh and powerful. Four members of the psychedelic band, the bassist and three guitarists, could sing and would sometimes trade vocals after each verse creating a great sonic variety.

After 9 hours and 45 minutes, the festival was missing something that is a staple of most great hard rock concerts.

A mosh pit.

During Post Animals’ last song, something snapped in the crowd that had previously been still. The mass of people parted, and in front of the stage, the pit came roaring up like a volcano. The stone angels lining the gothic structure stared down at the wild collection of flailing arms and limbs bashing into each other in a pure expression of energy.

Post Malone demonstrates his versatility on new album Aimee Wiencek Contributing Reporter This past Friday, Austin Richard Post, better known as Post Malone, released his highly anticipated third studio album “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” which is already predicted to reach number one on the charts.

Post Malone, 24 years old, is quickly becoming one of the biggest artists of our generation. He produces songs that show elements of multiple genres from hip-hop, pop, grunge and electronic while also expressing a wide range of emotions.

Malone considers himself to be “genreless,” as he is able to offer his listeners a fresh and versatile range of songs.

The album is packed with 17 tracks featuring a variety of artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Future, Travis Scott, SZA and Halsey, among others. Leading up to the album’s launch, a few singles were re-

leased including “Sunflower,” “Wow.,” “Goodbyes” and “Circles,” three of which were top-five hits. The album was released just days after his music video premiere for his newest single “Circles,” featuring Malone as a knight in a medieval town.

There is no doubt that “Hollywood’s Bleeding” is an emotionally packed rollercoaster. Malone takes his listeners on a personal journey, singing about his failed relationships and offering skepticism of those around him, as well as providing songs that are charged with feelings of anger, sadness, happiness and hopefulness.

The insights, thoughts and experiences of Malone’s life are portrayed through a mix of slow, upbeat, sentimental and energetic musical styles. There is a song on the album for everyone. “Die for Me”

and “Saint-Tropez” offer up your typical hip-hop sound, while “Circles,” “Staring At The Sun” and “Internet” are created more along the lines of ballads, whereas “Allergic” and “A Thousand Bad Times” offer up a more-lively pop take.

Malone is very vulnerable throughout the album. Through his strong lyrics, listeners begin to enter into his mind and are able to relate to his wide range of experiences, anywhere from feeling taken advantage of, being hurt by a relationship or the toxicity of one’s environment.

The album’s title track, “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” sets the scene perfectly for the rest of the album with lyrics such as, “Dyin’ in our sleep, we’re livin’ out a dream. We only make it out alone.”

Similarly, in other tracks such as “Goodbyes,” “Circles,” “Take What You Want,”

“Myself” and “On The Road,” Malone self-reflects on different experiences in his life. On the other hand, you can see his inspirational side in “I’m Gonna Be,” where he sings about being what and who he wants to be, ignoring the opinions and comments of those around him.

Compared to his other albums, it appears that Malone is truly opening up with deeper lyrical meanings that feel more substantial than songs he has released in the past. Malone admits in an interview with Apple Music that “I just want to make songs that ... tell stories and are genuine to me that I think is really awesome.”

Not only are his songs genuine, but they are also relatable to his listeners. As a result, “Hollywood’s Bleeding” is one of the most powerful albums he has released to date.

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Best places to eat on campus on a special meal swipe Ryan Yoo Director of Design Although the food on campus is massively overpriced, here are some of the best places you can eat at on a special meal swipe:

Dunkin’ Dunkin’ (originally known as Dunkin’ Donuts) is located between Constantino’s Market and the CWRU Bookstore. Dunkin’ offers cheap coffee along your way to class. It’s only $1 if you bring your own mug. Dunkin’ also offers a breakfast meal swipe plan, great for getting a quick bite to eat on your way to your 8:30 a.m. class.

The meal swipe comes with a medium-sized drink, a sandwich, and a doughnut or hash browns.

Good for: On your way to class Rating:

Tomlinson Marketplace Tomlinson Marketplace, located in the basement of Tomlinson Hall, is a convenient place to get decent food when you’re on the Case Quad.

The food court offers a variety of options, including tacos, a grill station, salads and Subway. On a special swipe, you can get three Barriosized tacos with a variety of options of fillings and toppings. Another good meal swipe option is a performance bowl. The performance bowl includes a salad or carbs base, with added protein and vegetable options.

You can also use your special meal swipe at Subway, where you can get a six-inch sandwich, a drink and two cookies or a bag of chips. Note that Tomlinson does close at 2 p.m., and is only open during the weekdays, so you can’t count on eating here in the evening or on weekends.

Good for:When you don’t want to walk to Uptown or when you’re sick of Fribley, Bag-It/Grab-It and Leutner Commons Rating:

The Den The DEN by Denny’s, colloquially known as The Den, is a great place to hit up after a hard night partying on Hessler Road or a study session at the Kelvin Smith Library (KSL) cramming for an 8:30 a.m. exam. Although the options on the meal plan have decreased within the last couple of years (throwback to being able to get a Den Burger or a Guacamole Grilled Chicken Burrito on a meal swipe), the Den still offers a variety of options on the meals plan, including the Grand Slam Combo, Little Den Burger and Southwest Chicken Salad Combo. The Den is open until 2 a.m. every day of week, so it’s a great place to hit up in the afternoon and in the evenings.

Tomlinson Marketplace offers a variety of dining options on the meal plan, including Subway, tacos, and the Performance Bowls Ryan Yoo/The Observer

Good for: Post-late night study session at KSL/After partying Rating:

The Jolly Scholar The Jolly Scholar (Jolly) offers decent meal swipe options. You have the option of ordering off the appetizer menu, such as wa soft pretzel with queso. All of the meal swipes (except for the milkshake) come with a fountain drink. It’s a quick walk away from KSL and the Tinkham Veale University Center and is perfect for treating yourself to something savory or sweet late at night. Appetizers are available until Jolly closes at midnight on Sundays through Wednesdays or at 2 a.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays.

Good for: Treating yourself Rating:

The Den offers student late night dining options on their meal swipe menu, great for late night study sessions at KSL or after a night of going out. The Observer Archives

After 37 years, “Night of the Living Dread” goes off air Matt Hooke Executive Editor For 37 years, 31 of them on WRUW, Rich Lowe has been playing obscure 45 records and gushing about reggae artists who often never left the island nation that birthed the genre. On Friday, Sept. 6, Lowe signed on for the last time at 7 p.m. for a special twohour broadcast of “Night of the Living Dread” outside of Mather Memorial Courtyard.

The outdoor DJ set gave listeners the chance to relax and say goodbye to a mainstay of Cleveland radio in person. It felt like a family giving their last regards to a relative moving away; Lowe is not retiring from reggae—his podcast and website ReggaeJamaicaWay will continue to provide a platform for Lowe—but a podcast lacks the attachment to place that a radio station has. The gothic architecture of Mather could have given the event the feeling of a funeral, but instead, it was a celebration of Lowe’s time in Cleveland.

“I think we’ll see you again,” said Filthy Rich, a member of the WRUW tech group that helped set up the event.

At WRUW, Lowe played a key part

in getting the transmitter upgraded to 15,000 watts in 2002. He worked for the Cuyahoga County government, and was able to navigate the bureaucracy necessary to set up a transmitter tower.

One listener, Mel Fernandez, started following Lowe when he moved to Cleveland from Zimbabwe 25 years ago.

“He is a fountain of knowledge,” said Fernandez. “He knows all the artists, has spoken to a lot of them and knows all the history.”

His last set effortlessly displayed the diversity within the genre, shifting from the doo-wop that inspired the originators of the reggae, to electronic dub, classics and even punk music inspired by the signature sound of Jamaica.

Lowe has interviewed hundreds of artists over the years, from classic fifties singers, to radio DJs and musicians. He has four main secrets for interviewing: never ask the big questions up-front, never act like you’ve lost it, talk to people for as long as you can and never ask the obvious question.

“There was a guy who sounded just like Beres Hammond (famous 90s singer known for his Lovers Rock style). His name was Glenn Washington,” said Lowe. “In that interview, I’m never gonna ask him about Beres Hammond. Don’t ask the obvious question because they’ll be waiting for you to ask that question, and that creates a very positive tension that allows you to be genuine to that person.”

Lowe has recently focused on preserving the history of Jamaican music.

His book about the late Lloyd Daley, a legendary record producer who pushed the genre in a more socially conscious direction will be released in the next few months.

“The golden era of reggae music was the 1950s,” said Lowe. “If you were 20 in the 50s, you’re almost 90 now. The whole generation, I hate to say it, is passing away. One of my goals is to gather some great gems of information about Jamaican culture and communicate them.”

How did a self-described white kid who stole his brother’s fake ID to get into clubs grow to earn the respect of

so many Jamaican artists?

“You have to drink the beer, eat the food and after a while, you can gain their trust,” said Lowe. “I’m always respectful, always respectful. This is important to me, so I don’t mess around. There’s a saying in Jamaica that you have to live good. People can sense that.”

David Smeltz, the founder of one of Cleveland’s first reggae bands, I-Tal, said Lowe promoted local bands and events important to the West Indian community when no one else did.

“He gave credit to where credit was due,” said Smeltz. “That being, to the Jamaican musicians and community that created it.”

The last song Rich Lowe played on WRUW was “I’m Still Waiting” by Delroy Wilson. The final line on the last “Night of Living Dread” is Wilson asking with fear in his voice, “Do you really love me, too?”

The smiling faces, shared memories and emotional goodbyes answered, “Cleveland loves you too, Rich Lowe.

Cleveland loves you too.”

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9/13/19

opinion

EDITORIAL

One-dimensional ethnic holidays meant to increase cultural accessibility Editorial Board The Mid-Autumn Festival marks the night of the brightest full moon of the year, representing a time of harvest and plenty, of spending time with family and loved ones in many Asian cultures. In a 51 percent white campus student body, however, the Mid-Autumn Festival and other ethnic holidays could easily be reduced to campus celebrations highlighted only for their free food. Although this is an extreme view on how students view these cultural holidays, members of the Case Western Reserve University community should stay aware of how they appreciate and participate in other cultures’ celebrations.

For many students, coming to CWRU is the first chance they have to be exposed to other cultures and different customs, and for them, these large, campus-wide celebra-

tions are beneficial for their educational and cultural value. However, these holidays, at their core, should be a celebration for students in the culture, who share the celebration with everyone on campus. In recent years, the heart of these events has strayed further from the actual celebration of the holiday and become an event centered around food and little else.

This is not to say that these events are not welcoming, open spaces for students to celebrate cultural holidays. However, boiling the events down to food and a very basic form of the history behind the holidays, as seen in the signs across the Binary Walkway, may not be the best approach to celebrating diversity on campus.

It is true that often, the best way to introduce others to a new cultural

tradition is through the food associated with it, but when food is the only draw for students to attend the celebration, the purpose of holding the event is defeated.

This is not the only form of reduction in these holidays, as many holidays that are celebrated on campus are actually the amalgamations of various cultures’ celebrations that fall at the same time of year. At this time in the fall, several Asian nations all celebrate Harvest Festivals, but the Mid-Autumn Festival represented at CWRU is mainly Chinese.

Reducing the different Asian festivals to one interpretation not only marginalizes students who celebrate a different form of the holiday on campus, but also only depicts one form of the holiday and perpetuates the pan-Asian myth of how all Asian cultures are the same.

For other festivals like Holi, the celebrations are also greatly altered for the CWRU campus and simplified in an attempt to increase student participation.

What this issue ultimately comes to is that there should be no tradeoff between the simplicity of a celebration and its accessibility. Paring down a holiday and its associated celebrations does not help anyone— it perpetuates the overly simplified view of different cultures in the United States and deprives ethnic students the opportunity to celebrate holidays that are important to them and their cultures properly. We do not need to flatten cultures into onedimensional representations to make a celebration universally accessible; we only need open-minded individuals who are willing to celebrate respectfully.

Reif: The real cost of two-day shipping Jordan Reif Staff Columnist With an academic email address, students and faculty across America—Case Western Reserve University included—can get six months of free Amazon Prime and, after that expires, a discount on the membership fee. The membership includes video streaming services, free two-day shipping and other notable deals. The corporation has revolutionized people’s expectations of online shopping and delivery.

The expedient nature of Amazon’s two-day or one-day shipping has forced other markets and corporations to change practices in an attempt to keep up with the demand of immediate delivery. However, the cost of such services, hidden from the public eye, is unbearable to the people who toil in Amazon warehouses worldwide.

In 2011, Amazon workers were forced to work in a 114 degree warehouse in eastern Pennsylvania. Rather than cooling the factory or opening up doors, Amazon’s response was to post paramedics outside of the facility to treat dehydrated and fainting employees.

Four years later, an investigation by the New York Times found that the working conditions at Amazon were absolutely Dickensian. Employees inside the company were forced to work long hours (with one woman not sleeping for four days straight), were questioned if they did not immediately answer messages sent after midnight and were instructed on how to send secret feedback in order to sabotage other workers. Furthermore, workers who were suffering from cancer or miscarriages were pushed out of the company instead of receiving appropriate time to recover. The work environment set up by Amazon’s leadership principles has created a culture of perfectionism, pushing for all employees to be one with the system, or an Amabot—a robot.

In the years since, conditions remain atrociously unchanged. Workers’ fear of losing their jobs due to time away

from the assembly line has resulted in reports of workers being forced to urinate in bottles, rather than being allowed the time to go to the bathroom.

A survey of United Kingdom Amazon workers found that the incidence of depression and anxiety increased after starting at the company and that, knowing what they now know, over 80 percent would not apply for a job there. Some employees reported receiving strikes on their records (receiving a certain amount resulted in termination) because of complications with a pregnancy or being physically unwell. Such conditions are upheld in the U.S. as well, where workers report feeling “like a trapped animal,” or “living in a prison.” One worker, 57-yearold Thomas Becker, collapsed at a warehouse in Illinois, and 25 minutes passed before anyone called emergency services, after which Becker died.

As Amazon continues to expand its services to meet and exceed customers’ expectations, it does so at the expense of basic protection and human rights for its workers. A report from the New York Times last week found that Amazon protects itself from any liability caused by their delivery contractors. In January, a 9-month-old girl, Gabrielle, was killed at the hands of an Amazon truck because of the company’s promise of immediate delivery. Between the corporation’s purposeful omission of the Amazon logo on its delivery vehicles and their efforts to make the connection between delivery service crashes and the company untraceable, Amazon is rarely held responsible for any damages caused by its delivery service.

In response to critiques of working conditions, Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, reacted by saying that such testimonies “[don’t] describe the Amazon I know.” Which, to his credit, is likely true, considering the Amazon he knows makes him $2,489 every second. An Amazon employee would have to work 24 hours a day for

68 years to make what Bezos makes in a single hour. And further, Amazon is among the top corporations whose workers—one in 10 in Ohio—rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), otherwise known as food stamps. While Amazon is not unique among corporations in the pay gap between its CEO and its workers, there is still no excuse for what we see happening at this American company.

It could be leading the fight for fair and equal pay, treatment and benefits, but instead it stands proudly while its policies worsen workers’ quality of life and the company fails to pay their fair share of taxes. Last year, for the second year in a row, Amazon did not pay a single dollar in federal income taxes, despite making over $11 billion in profit.

Not only are Amazon’s working conditions horrific, but as a corporation leading and feeding our capitalist desires, they influence the whole system.

Other retail corporations are following

suit in horrible treatment of workers just to compete with Amazon’s sales, guaranteeing highest speeds of delivery for the lowest financial costs. For some workers, like 23-year-old Erica Hayes, that means being forced to lift heavy boxes—despite strict counterinstructions from her physician —resulting in a miscarriage.

As long as Amazon has a base of millions of people—over 100 million just subscribing to Prime in the United States alone—it will not need to treat its employees with respect or dignity.

I urge us, as a campus, to think about the consequences of our purchases before we add another item to our cart, or pay the next month’s fees for “the best of shopping and entertainment,” the world has to offer. Because believe me, there is much better out there.

Jordan Reif is a second-year student studying political science on the premed track.

Amazon warehouses often force their workers to work in “Dickensian” conditions or else face unemployment. Courtesy of Flickr

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Editor’s Note: My Hispanic heritage Matt Hooke Executive Editor My living room has the usual markers of a college hipster crash pad, the alcohol bottles as decorations on the wall, the collection of musky used vinyl records, the stacks of books on the shelves. But my room has one important outlier: On the wall, encased over a Spiderman II poster, is a soccer jersey, the signatures now faded from years of proud display.

It’s the Ecuadorian national team of 2010—a neon yellow shirt with dashes of red and blue around the national seal as their canvas. In the center is a signature from my favorite soccer player Ivan “Bam Bam” Hurtado. As a below-average rec soccer player, Hurtado was my hero.

What I lacked in ball skills I made up for in quickness and a determination that was (and still is) equal parts foolish pride and a complete lack of self-preservation.

Naturally, my coach had me play defense.

The only problem for a young defender looking for role models is that there are not that many notable players to model yourself after. The glory usually goes to those who score the goals, not to those who stop the shots crossing the goal line. While watching the Ecuadorian national team live on TV with my

mother and grandmother, I realized that Hurtado, a defender, was their captain.

There was hope.

My mom, whose parents moved here from the small South American nation in the 1950s, saw my burgeoning fandom and called up a relative in the city of Guayaquil who worked for the national team. Weeks later there it was in all its glory. I wore it once and realized I could never wear it again. What if an errant splash of tomato sauce or something marred it forever?

Hurtado’s jersey is an instant reminder of my family, which then sparks another, less intangible memory: the smell of my grandmother’s cooking.

Culinary historian Michael Twitty wrote in his fantastic book “The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South” that “people use food to tell themselves who they are, to tell others who they are and to tell stories about where they’ve been.”

I come from a long line of fantastic cooks. Two of my family members on my mother’s side, one in Ecuador and one in Ohio, have created restaurants. The last time I went to Ecuador at the age of 12, I remember going to my cousin’s hole in the wall

Kuntzman: Social media is a breeding ground for fake charities Caroline’s Corner Caroline Kuntzman Contributing Columnist Following any natural disaster, social media is often flooded with posts regarding statistics about the damage, news clips featuring the damage and advertisements for ways to help the victims. While the spread of such information can be very beneficial for raising awareness to provide aid to those affected by disasters, it also makes it easy to spread false information. In particular, fake charities have cropped up across social media, which use misinformation to garner attention.

These fake charities generally take the form of a single picture post with instructions that prompt social media users to like or share a post for a sum of money to be donated to a given cause.

At first glance, it seems like these posts should be shared. It seems like such an easy way to help people; who wouldn’t like or share the post?

However, posts like these often do nothing for causes. Over the summer, a viral ‘charity’ post was debunked as fraudulent after an Instagram user shared a screenshot of their conversation with the creator of a post claiming to help people in Sudan. Unfortunately, posts like this aren’t always identified and taken down, and instead continue to be circulated by well meaning people.

Identifying posts like these is not always easy, but there are usually a few tell-tale signs. The first is that the post usually will not provide any explanation for who will be providing the funds and merely state that money will be donated to a specific cause. The post will not specify what organization is meant to benefit from these donations either, instead stating a broad cause that the money will go toward.

Some users do not think sharing these posts is harmful. Regardless of whether or not the posts actually make a differencew, sharing them still raises awareness and may generate more donations to real charities. However, the issue with this mindset is that it ignores the fact that people who think they already did something to benefit charity are satisfied that they have done their part. These people will no longer provide aid if they think they already did something to help that cause. These fraudulent messages create the illusion that deserving causes are receiving far more aid than they actually are, and they may discourage people from actually helping.

As we continue to share information online on social media, it is likely that fake charities will continue to appear.

Social media users may not be able to stop them from being created, but this doesn’t mean that they are powerless. To help prevent the spread of fake charity posts, make sure to fact check posts. If it has an organization listed, look up the organization to see if it is real. If you’re still uncertain about the credibility of a post, don’t share it. Instead, see if there is something credible about the subject available. If you see someone sharing information that seems fake, let them know.

If used correctly, social media can be a powerful tool to share information. In order for it to remain one, users need to be attentive to what they share and make sure to contain the spread fraudulent posts.

Caroline Kuntzman is a first-year English and political science student.

She is probably reading right now.

eatery in Guayaquil, La Chinita.

The name is a reference to two things, a distant Chinese relative in my family’s past and my cousin’s nickname as a child. She, like many of my family members, have epicanthic folds that give the eyes a slanted appearance, a trait stereotyped as Asian but common in Native American populations as well. Guayaquil is the largest city in Ecuador, a bustling city of two million people on the coast. My cousin got much of her business by catering to local office and business events. Outside of family, the aspect of the city that most excited my childhood imagination was Parque Seminario or Parque de las Iguanas. Despite being in the center of downtown, right outside of the Catedral Metropolitana De Guayaquil, the park is home to dozens of iguanas freely roaming its grounds.

In Ecuador, where plantains are the staple crop, farms growing the banana-like fruit that’s often cooked like a vegetable line the coast. Tostones y queso or fried green plantain slices/chips and cheese were a constant presence in my house growing up. At La Chinita, I saw the origin of my grandmother’s love for soup when a scalding hot dish of Caldo de bolas de Verde, a plantain dumpling

soup, arrived at my table.

My favorite dish from home, the thing I always ask for when I drive back for a weekend, is Sango de atun. It is a dish made of grated green plantains, refrito, fresh cilantro and a can of tuna served over rice. Simple and delicious despite resembling baby food. To me, there is nothing like the warm savory plantain meeting the meatiness of tuna with an acidic splash of lemon juice or hot sauce.

As long as that splash is nowhere near my Hurtado jersey.

Now that I’ve written some stories about where I’ve been and who I am, I invite all of you to do the same. Hispanic Heritage month starts on Saturday, Sept. 15. I can only speak to a small fraction of the Hispanic American experience, so I want to invite anyone reading this to consider The Observer a forum for your story. Talk about a dish that fills your soul, something that reminds you of home and family. If you want to share your own story, consider these pages that you hold in your hand, or this website that you see on your screen a place to do so.

I cannot wait to read about your story, in the words of Univision astrologer Walter Mercado, “con mucho mucho amor.”

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9/13/19

Richards: Package pandemonium in the area office Asking the real questions Jason Richards Staff Columnist Package pandemonium.

There is no other way to describe the current situation in the package room at Wade Commons. The moment you step in the door (after waiting in line for 10 minutes to get to the door), you get a first-hand experience of the outdated package system Case Western Reserve Uni-

versity uses.

There are packages overflowing in just about every spot of the room they will fit. Packages to the left, packages to the right, packages stacked halfway to the ceiling—it’s not a sight for the claustrophobe in you to marvel at.

Last week, I went to Wade Com-

The area office in Wade Commons is overfilled with packages, causing problems for many students. The Observer

mons pick up a computer part that [U]Tech needed to fix my laptop.

Obviously, being without a laptop became a problem for my classes, so this was a time-sensitive package.

My part was delivered to Wade on Friday at 9:55 a.m. However, I didn’t get the notification that I could pick up my package until Tuesday at 4:36 p.m.

The problem lies in the outdated system used for scanning packages into [HARLD], the Housing and Residence Life Database, that keeps track of student packages. According to one employee, Wade Commons alone is coming up on 4,000 handwritten in packages this semester.

Four. Thousand.

That’s a lot of packages. And to be individually typed into the system? There’s a reason your Amazon Prime-shipped shower loofa has been delivered for four or five days without notification from your favorite pen pal [HARLD] in your inbox.

However, hand-logging packages in the office is only one problem of many. Another student in front of me in line had come to pick up her textbooks. One employee, of only two present at the time, looked for her package for about five minutes before returning, bearing the news that her package was misplaced and that it would be added to the “lost package spreadsheet.”

The fact that there is more organization dedicated to lost packages than the pool of packages sitting in the corner should indicate a problem that needs fixing.

It’s a compounding problem that increases with each delivery truck that drops a load of packages in another spot of the room. Without an efficient system of getting packages in the system and the lack of em-

ployees, a solution can’t catch up to the problem.

I believe a solution is accessible, and University Housing has made advancements in the past that have slightly improved the ongoing problem.

At the beginning of the last school year, CWRU implemented Amazon lockers in Leutner Commons and Fribley Commons for the north and south sides of campus respectively.

Students can have their packages shipped to the lockers, and can access their package by entering a code linked to their package on the locker’s control panel. These lockers, though, are operated by Amazon and are for the exclusive use of Amazon packages.

In 2017, University Housing introduced a package room in which students could enter with a code and grab their package. However, this posed significant security problems, as nobody’s packages were locked up. This was revised last semester, with Packcity lockers replacing the shelves for UPS packages, working in the same way that the Amazon lockers do.

Though these two systems have proven capable of handling general package traffic, there just isn’t enough space for the ever-increasing amount of packages delivered with increasingly frightening efficiency.

Four thousand packages in just two weeks of classes is a lot to handle logistically, and though University Housing has made advances toward better systems, the university must put forth more effort to tackle this large-scale problem.

Jason Richards is a third-year computer science major. He enjoys programming, biking and spending his money on Chipotle.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

In last week’s issue of The Observer, the staff box incorrectly listed Claire Nordt as the sports editor instead of Medha Nayak. The Observer apologizes for this error.

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 at (216) 302-4442 or e-mail observer-ads@case.edu.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be e-mailed to observer@case.edu or submitted on our website at observer.case.edu. Letters can be mailed to Thwing Center 11111 Euclid Avenue, Suite 01, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. For policy and guidelines related to the submission of Letters to the Editor, refer to observer.case.edu/submit-a-letter.

The Observer is a proud member of CWRU’s University Media Board. Follow The Observer on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @cwruobserver.

To the editor of The Observer: Readers of the lead article on Sept.

6 about the finding of a 3.8 millionyear-old skull will be interested to know that a Case Western Reserve University graduate contributed equally to the publication in Nature describing the find. Stephanie Melillo first worked with Dr. HaileSelassie as a physical anthropology major here. She went on to earn her Ph.D. at Stanford University and now works at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.

CWRU undergraduates regularly

have the extraordinary opportunity to do fieldwork with Dr. Haile-Selassie and other paleoanthropologists on our faculty. We can look forward to more important discoveries from our alumni.

Sincerely, Cynthia Beall Professor of Anthropology Letters to the editor may be edited for clarity and brevity. The Observer attempts to print all correspondence received, but space and date of publication are not guaranteed.

the observer

established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of case western reserve university executive editor & publisher MATT HOOKE directors of print WON HEE KIM & NATHAN LESCH directors of design RYAN YOO director of web & multimedia JACKSON RUDOFF director of business operations SARAH PARR layout designer LESLIE SERN development editor EMILY YOUNG social media editor DALLAN GOLDBLATT web editor PRESTON WILLIS photo editor CHRIS HEERMANN adviertising manager JUSTIN HU accounts manager SHIVANI GOVANI marketing manager BRADLEY SCHNEIDER

news editor GRACE HOWARD a&e editor YVONNE PAN opinion editor CAROLINE ZHU sports editor MEDHA NAYAK copy editor AURA ROSSY

sports

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ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Nicholas Kamlet Staff Reporter Gianna Lambert is a first-year right-side hitter on the Case Western Reserve University volleyball team. In just her first year at CWRU, she has already seen significant playing time, turning in 24 kills in just six games. She loves being a part of volleyball because of the constant support that everybody provides. Lambert is currently interested in biomedical engineering but that may change to other medical-related majors. Outside the classroom, she likes to watch television and relax.

What is your favorite part of being on the volleyball team? Why? My favorite part of being on the team is the instant amount of support you get from all the girls; they all want to help each other succeed in everything both on and off the court.

What are your favorite free time activities? Why? I’m originally from California, so during my free time, my friends and I could go to the different beaches almost year-round and we loved finding different areas to go thrift shopping.

Playing sports at CWRU is pretty time consuming, but I just started watching “Toddlers and Tiaras” again when I have time to relax.

Do you have any games that you remember being particularly special? Why? The only game I can think of was during my sophomore-year of high school when I was actually ineligible to play because I had transferred high schools. Usually, people didn’t come to our games, but the stands were filled and everyone was cheering the team on. I just remember sitting with the rest of the bench screaming as loud as we could and thinking about how I wanted to be as good as the girls on the court one day.

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Cross Country crushes at Calvin Chris Heermann Photo Editor

This past weekend the Case Western Reserve University men’s cross country team competed at the Knight Invite at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The team finished third out of 24 teams, an impressive accomplishment for the team considering the formidable competition. Finishing first for the Spartans was fourth-year David Hall, with a time of 25:43.2. Hall finished 18th overall and was later awarded the coveted UAA Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week for his remarkable performance. This is Hall’s first UAA Athlete of the Week Honor award and the program’s first since Sam Merriman in 2015. Also, scoring for the Spartans was second-year runner Spencer Weigand (25:44.9), and first-year runners Jack Begley (25:47.4), Robert St. Clair (26:14.9) and Joe Jaster (26:24.3). Other top finishers include third-year Yoshmar Pinal-Alfaro, who finished 75th, secondyear Logan Singer, who finished 86th and thirdyears Eric Rachita and Dmytro Blundell who finished 98th and 120th, respectively.

Placing highly at the same course where the regional competition is to be held bodes well for the Spartan’s postseason prospects. With such a young group in the top five, it seems as though CWRU

Men’s XC is developing into a program that will compete at the national level for years to come.

For the second week in a row, second-year Jana Fisher of the Women’s XC team led the Spartans as they competed, securing 14th overall with a time of 22:37.5. Close behind was first-year runner Stephanie Wroblewski with a time of 22:49.4.

Wroblewski finished 24th in the crowd of 200 runners. Next to finish was third-year Kiera Olson (23:12.4), followed by second-year Susanna Henry (23:21.4) and first-year Melissa Phung (23:25.6).

Also competing in the varsity race were third-year runners Grace Kemerer and Olivia Battistoni, who finished 64th and 71st with times of 23:38.3 and 23:53.4. Finishing right behind Battistoni was fourth-year Vanessa Pasadyn, placing 73rd. The women’s cross country team placed fifth overall, taking down John Carroll for the second time and all but cementing their place in next week’s regional rankings, which come out Sept. 18.

Both the men and women’s teams will be competing at the Allegheny XC Classic hosted by Allegheny College this Saturday. The men’s race will begin at 10:00 a.m. and the women’s at 10:45 a.m.

Spartans try to move on after inconsistent weekend Andrew Ford Staff Reporter On Friday, Sep. 6, the Case Western Reserve University volleyball team rocked Horsburgh Gymnasium with a magnificent offensive display that quickly sent rival John Carroll University home.

The same could not be said for Saturday.

The Spartans suffered a pair of disappointing losses, both in five sets, at the hands of Muskingum University and SUNY Geneseo.

“Any time you go five sets and lose, it’s disappointing because you know you’re in the match,” Head Coach Karen Farrell said after Saturday’s performance.

However, Farrell was pleased with the effort and intensity she saw on Friday’s game. After opening the season with a tough loss one week prior, CWRU executed with near perfection most of the night. John Carroll had to take an early timeout after the Spartans jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead in the first set. CWRU dominated the rest of the set en route to a 25-11 win, capitalizing on many John Carroll mistakes. The second set was much of the same, this time a 25-16 victory, capped off by two powerful kills by fourth-year outside hitter Brianna Lemon. The Spartans finished off the Blue Streaks with a 25-22 win in the last set.

Fourth-year setter Faith Ellis contributed 17 assists in the match. Lemon added eight kills and eight digs and fourth-year outside hitter Karley King had nine kills.

However, that momentum could not be fully carried over into the next day. The Spartans started the match against Muskingum strong, winning two of the first three sets, yet they could not seal the deal in either

of the next two sets, falling 22-25 and 12-15.

Individually, there were some solid performances. Third-year defensive specialist, Jana Giaquinto, recorded a team-high 18 digs. Farrell raved about fourth-year, middle hitter Haley Sims and third-year, middle hitter Katie Kaminski in this match. Sims led the Spartans with 16 kills and a .538 kill percentage, and Kaminski added 12 kills of her own. King and Lemon combined for 24 kills as well.

While the Muskingum game ended in emotional defeat, the Geneseo match proved even more deflating. In the first two sets it appeared CWRU had recovered. They came out of the gates fast, winning 25-12 and 25-13 and appeared on their way to a commanding victory. Then, Geneseo climbed back set-by-set, gaining momentum and not ceding it.

Coach Farrell had words of encouragement for her team.

“We can’t sit there and mope about our performance. We have to get back out there and try to be stronger mentally, try to be more consistent and effective with our skill set,” said Farrell.

VARSITY WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL CWRU Mount Union

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September 13-14, 2019 DoubleTree Invitational at Carnegie Mellon

Where did you get your passion for volleyball? Any good stories?

Honestly, I started playing volleyball because my sister did and I wanted to be better than her at it; we used to turn everything we did into a competition. Even though she stopped playing during high school, I kept playing. Unlike other team sports where one person can carry an entire team, volleyball gives every player on the court a role and forces them to work together to win.

Women’s Volleyball won on Friday at Horsburgh Gymnasium, but lost twice on Saturday. Courtesy of CWRU Athletics

sports Spartan Men split second week David Chang Staff Reporter The Case Western Reserve University men’s soccer team was under pressure this weekend, dropping their first away game against Capitol University 0-1 in overtime, but bounced back at home against the College of Wooster with a 2-1 overtime victory. This set a positive record of 2-1-1.

In the game against Capital, both teams started slow, with defenses blocking shots, forcing shots wide and fighting for possession of the ball. Capitol was close to scoring off the corner at the 33rd minute, but the Spartans were able to fend off the attack and regain possession. A shot was then traded by third-year Seldon McGruder. Tensions rose in the second-half when both Magruder and opposing player Brian Woo received yellow cards after Magrud-

er stopped the breakaway forward from scoring following a missed shot by forward Zachary Senft. A minute into overtime, a cross caught Spartan second-year goalie Charlie Fink off-guard and found its way to the net. Fink finished the game with five saves, while the Capitols led in shots, 15-8 to the Spartans.

With three games in overtime under their belt, the Spartans looked to turn the tides against Wooster. Wooster laid fire first, taking a header then setting up a corner. At the six-minute mark, Fink managed to save a shot but another opposing player shot on the recovery to the lower right corner of the goal. After being scored on, Case, being fired up, took three shots in the next minute but was blocked or was too wide. Eventually, at the 21st-

minute mark, third-year Connor Weber’s corner found third-year defender Nathan Ekberg, who connected the pass to firstyear Rafael Perez for the goal. Perez collided hard with the opposing goalie but was ultimately fine and kept playing after his second goal of the season. Both teams tried to get on top, with Fink closing the half with two solid saves. The Spartans dominated possession of the ball in the second-half but converted none of the shots. Wooster came close with a corner but barely missed the goal.

Not satisfied without a victory, the Spartans fired all engines during crunch time, with Senft taking two shots but both were saved by the opposing goalie. During the fourth minute of overtime, a cross from Magruder chipped off the defender

into first-year Matt Vatne. He took the open opportunity to chip in a curved shot at the left side of the ten-yard line. Filled with glee, Vatne grabbed the shoulder of fourth-year forward Garret Winter and fell down, as his teammates pounced in to celebrate.

The Spartans’ next match will be against Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.

VARSITY MEN’S SOCCER CWRU Geneva

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September 14, 2019 at Ohio Wesleyan

Second-year, Henry Barnes, charges after the ball in one of their soccer games. Courtesy of CWRU Athletics

Women’s Tennis bounces into their first game of the season Medha Nayak Sports Editor The Case Western Reserve women’s tennis team hit off their season at the Oberlin Invitational. This tournament lasted three days, from Friday, Sept. 6 to Sunday, Sept. 8, and took place in Oberlin, Ohio.

In the 2018-2019 season, the women’s tennis team placed seventh at the University Athletic Association Championships. The Spartans also received a score of 8-11 last season. The women’s tennis team will be looking to better their performance this year.

The 2019 team consists of many returning members. The women’s top player, third-year Madeleine Paolucci will be returning this year.

Last year, Paolucci became the first All-American singles player in the women’s tennis program after she won the first round at the NCAA Championships. She finished the season in 18th place among all NCAA singles players, and she

placed fourth among singles players in the central division.

For doubles play, the team of Paolucci and third-year Nicole Cardwell got their second All-UAA recognition with an All-UAA Second Team recognition for their first doubles (no.1) in the 2018-2019 season. The duo of Paolucci and Cardwell finished their last season ranked fifth in the central region.

Third-year tennis player, Mira Amin received an All-UAA honorable mention for her no. 3 singles results. Amin has a singles record of 30-19. Also returning to the team are second-year players Eliza Georgiades, Nidhi Jha, Sneha Karnam and Shreyaa Mukund. These players will elevate the team by adding one year of experience.

New to the team are first-years, Rupika Pendyala, Shreya Ramani, Savannah Bright and Nina Hoog.

Third-year Trisha Sundaram is also

new to the team. Prior to Case Western Reserve, Sundaram transferred from Emory University where she played on their tennis team.

This year, CWRU’s women’s tennis team is coached by Kirsten Gambrell McMahon. This is her seventh year coaching the women’s tennis team. McMahon was promoted to head coach in July of 2013. During her first year coaching the women’s team, she led them to the highest ITA ranking at 22nd the program had ever been at that time. She also helped the women’s team qualify a player for the NCAA Championship Tournament for the first time in the program.

In the past, she played on DePaul University’s NCAA Division 1 tennis team and was a standout player.

She also instructed tennis at Avon Oaks Country Club, North Olmsted Recreation complex, and many others. With numerous playing and in-

structing experience, Coach McMahon has clearly made a distinct mark on the program.

The women’s team successfully opened the 2019-2020 season this past weekend at the Oberlin Invitational. The top-scoring player was Sundaram who boasted a score of 3-0 in singles. Following Sundaram, Mukund had a record of 3-1 in singles. Amin, Cardwell, Georgiades, Jha and Ramani got records of 2-1 in singles. In doubles, the Spartans had a combined score of 12-5. All players scored at least one win for the team. In a doubles match, Paolucci and Bright went 3-0. Also, the team of Amin and Mukund received a record of 2-0 this weekend.

The women’s tennis team will be back competing this weekend on Sept. 14 and 15. The next tournament will be hosted by Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio for the Kenyon Invite.