Volume XLV, Issue 10: Nov. 1, 2013

the

volume xlv, issue 10 friday, 11/1/2013

Observer

Shakeup in the Circle Western Reserve Historical Society president Gainor Davis to step down and Cleveland Museum of Art director David Franklin resigns.

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Courtesy Brentdurken.com, Ideastream.org, Aaslham2012.badgestack.net, Mary Kate Macedonia/Observer

CWRU professor sues law school dean, university Faculty member claims he experienced retaliation upon reporting sexual harrassment

Lawrence E. Mitchell, dean of the Case Western Reserve University School of Law, is a scholar of the legal system from which he now must defend himself. Mitchell and Case Western Reserve are the defendants in a lawsuit filed by Professor Raymond Ku, a tenured School of Law faculty member.

Ku previously served as the law school’s associate dean for academic affairs.

Ku filed the lawsuit on Oct. 23 in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas; the case is assigned to Judge Peter J. Corrigan.

The suit alleges Mitchell committed sexually inappropriate acts while serving as dean of the law school, a role he has held since 2011, and that Ku was retailed against for reporting such acts.

According to Ku’s attorneys, Mitchell directed inappropriate gestures and comments towards females in the law school, including engaging in the public caressing

of a female colleague’s, who was wearing a summer dress, bare-skinned back. Additionally, Mitchell allegedly commented to staff members that one graduate student “wasn’t good for anything but keeping the bed warm.”

Ku’s attorneys allege Mitchell retaliated against the tenured professor for reporting the harassment by threatening to terminate his employment, dismissing him from the role of associate dean, discrediting him among his colleagues, refusing to consider him for an endowed academic chair po-

sition, docking his pay and discontinuing his co-directorship of the Center for Law, Technology & the Arts, a position he had served in for the past seven years.

Provost W.A. “Bud” Baeslack III, Faculty Diversity Officer John Clochesy and Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunity Marilyn Mobley were allegedly made aware of Ku’s claims of retaliation but did not intervene.

Following the filing of the lawsuit, Case

News

A&E

Opinion

Sports

pg. 2 Freshman owns haunted houses

pg. 12 Ancient art finds new home

pg. 13 Does first year advising work?

pg. 19 Cavs retool for playoff hunt

Tyler Hoffman, Executive Editor Sheehan Hannan, Director of Print Mike McKenna, News Editor

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Freshman owns, operates four prominent local haunted houses Julia Bianco Staff Reporter At the young age of 14, Case Western freshman Max Simon and his 17-year-old cousin, Nick Francis, made the decision to enter a “Good Morning America” contest for the best haunted house built on private property. They had no idea what a life-changing decision that would prove to be.

Fast forward a few years and the initial contest house has grown, to say the least. Today, Simon and Francis own and operate the Fear Experience, which features four haunted houses in Parma, Ohio, and brings in thousands of customers per year.

“We were dumb kids. We didn’t know any better,” he joked.

The first house was built in Francis’s backyard. Simon and Francis, who recently graduated from Ohio State University, had to beg their parents to help fund the project.

“I still have the picture of when we got the first lumber delivery. It was just a whole bunch of plywood. We sat on top of the pile and ate breakfast. We were just so excited,” said Simon.

The pair built a 1,400 square foot structure in their backyard, with a design based on their favorite classic haunted houses. The boys received the most online votes, but a misunderstanding about the rules disqualified them from the contest.

Simon and Francis didn’t let this set them back, though. They decided to open their house to the public for just one night. Word got around about the two young boys who had somehow managed to build a real haunted house in their backyard, and 500 people came to see their creation.

“It was just a local two lane street, and it was packed,” Simon recalled. “We learned a lot with that first house. It was just such a new experience.”

With the success of the first haunted house, Simon and Francis decided that it was time to expand. The next year, the pair commercialized the project, renting out a vacant grocery store in Toledo, Ohio. The new haunted house they built was bigger and better, and with the benefit of a commercial location and increased advertising abilities, Simon said they were able to attract “just” a few thousand people.

Over the years, the business has been constantly expanding. Today,

Courtesy Blind 7 Photography Freshman Max Simon, left, blue jacket, built a haunted house with his cousin, Nick Francis, at the age of 14 so that they could enter a “Good Morning America” contest. Their intial 1,400 square foot structure drew over 500 people in one night.

Today, they own and operate the Fear Experience, which features four haunted housed in Parma, Ohio.

Fear Experience features four separate haunted houses, each with a different theme—a classic haunted house, an old Southern mansion, a mental asylum and a 1960’s carnival theme.

“There’s a lot of attention to detail, and attention to quality,” says Simon.

The 90,000 square foot attraction is staffed by over 60 professional actors. According to Simon, it’s one of the biggest Halloween attractions in Cleveland.

“We begin construction on the first day of summer. This isn’t just a seasonal operation. It’s something that we work on all year round.”

Simon has big hopes for the possibilities for the Fear Experience.

“We’re hoping to expand to other cities next year, so I’ve been doing a lot of travelling, talking to other companies,” says Simon. In the next two weeks alone, he will be travelling to Texas and Columbus to talk to other haunted house

enthusiasts about the possibilities for Fear Experience.

As he gets older, Simon doesn’t want to be remembered as the 14-year-old boy who built a haunted house in his backyard. He wants to be remembered as a businessman who was able to build something that was innovative.

“Each year, we either add a new house, or we expand on the ones we have. The goal is always to expand,” says Simon.

“This year, we built this big, huge show.”

“We want to make our haunted houses like Hollywood sets. Our goal is to make them as realistic as possible.”

This year, the houses were open for 18 nights. Simon has no solid numbers on how many customers came through the door, but he knows that the houses are more popular than they ever have been before.

“We peak in mid-October,” he noted.

“Sometimes people wait for two or three hours to get in. I feel bad, because they

have to wait, but it’s just such a cool thing to see.”

With business booming, Simon is still managing a full course load of classes here at CWRU. He is majoring in computer science, with a minor in finance.

“There was one day where I couldn’t do my accounting homework because I was doing real accounting for the business,” he said. “It gets hard to balance sometimes. I can’t give my full attention to either work or school.”

Although sometimes work and school collide, Simon has already been able to use his computer science knowledge to help the business, building computer systems to help manage employees and handle payroll.

While Simon isn’t completely sure what he wants to do after graduation, he knows that he wants to combine his business and computer skills to run his own company.

SpartonTHON helps give kids an Extra Life with gaming marathon Brian Sherman Staff Reporter Extra Life, a 24 hour marathon of gaming supported by donations from friends and family, will be kicking off its events this week to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals. The event, similar to Relay for Life or Dance Marathon, directly benefits the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.

SpartanTHON’s Extra Life team has raised over $200 so far through their Extra Life page, led by Melyssa

Louwagie, who has herself raised $155.

A nationwide effort, last year’s Extra Life raised over $2 million worldwide to benefit players’ local CMN hospitals.

This year at Case Western Reserve University, SpartanTHON will put on several events throughout next week to invite the campus to join in their mission and support the participants who have signed up to do the marathon.

“We would’ve done the full 25 hours at once, but that’s a bit too much to ask of any CWRU student,” said SpartanTHON’s Extra Life Captain Ellyssa Chinnaswamy. “So, we’ve

decided to hold the marathon over the course of a week.”

This Wednesday, SpartanTHON will be holding a casual gaming night in the Jolly Scholar from 7-10 p.m., featuring Wii games, bingo, horse racing and other casual games. The Jolly Scholar will donate a portion of the proceeds from the night to Extra Life.

Following that, there will be a more intense gaming night in the Virtual Worlds Lab in the Olin Building on Friday, Nov. 8 from 7-10 p.m. As the Virtual Worlds Lab has all of this past generation’s consoles, this night is open

to both PC and console gamers. Gamers are invited to bring their own games and will be provided with snacks and drinks.

The final event put on by SpartanTHON is a poker tournament in the Wade Pioneer Room from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9. The tournament costs $5 to enter and has a $50 grand prize. Drinks and desserts will be provided.

“Extra Life at CWRU began last year with a pilot program in a single residence hall,” said Chinnaswamy. “It was very successful and I hope for this to become a CWRU tradition.”

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Church of the Covenant fosters dialogue on gun violence through sign, coalition Mark Patteson Staff Reporter

Every day, Church of the Covenant member Bob Jefferis combs through county coroner records to prep for the week’s update of the stark “gun death sign” located on the lawn of his church. The sign, which can be seen by passersby on Euclid Avenue, notes the number of gun deaths in Cuyahoga County since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.

This week, the count was raised from 118 to 120. ***

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efferis, a member of the church’s Task Force on Gun Violence, updates the count every Sunday. According to him, after the shooting at Sandy Hook, many members of the congregation noted that gun violence was a problem that could not keep being ignored.

“People are dying and we don’t think they need to die,” he said.

Following the Sandy Hook shooting, the church’s Social Justice and Outreach Committee created the Task Force on Gun Violence to encourage civil dialogue about the issue. Soon after, several members of the task force came up with the idea of the sign.

According to Jefferis, the sign and the Action Against Gun Violence campaign primarily intend to raise awareness and foster discussion about the issues.

“The initial step with the church was just to get people talking,” he said. “The sign was the first step to raise awareness. We aren’t looking to ban weapons or anything like that.”

Jefferis, who checks each county coroner report for gun deaths in accidents, suicides and homicides, emphasized that “there are real people behind this.” He said that the campaign tries to remind people of the local problem and still show that the universality of this issue.

The task force ultimately hopes to reduce gun violence by cultivating a sensible debate, contrasting with the highly hostile and partisan feuds that play out in Congress and the media.

“You need to have the discussion before there is meaningful policy change,” Jefferis said. “We are hearing from both sides. If one

Mary Kate Macedonia/Observer

less person dies because we talk about it, I see it as a positive step.”

In addition to the sign, the church and task force have arranged other activities to promote conversation, including speakers, discussion groups and book studies about gun violence. They have also encouraged congregation members to sign a petition and write letters to political leaders.

The sign itself seems to have attracted the notice of most students. Freshman Campbell Fitzhugh first saw it during orientation, two months ago. He said that watching the change over time struck him more than the number alone.

“The difference is more important than the absolute number to me,” said Fitzhugh. “I am more struck by the difference since I got here to now. I think it was 92 when I first saw it, and now it is 118. [A difference of] 20 is easier to picture than 90 or 100.”

The Church of the Covenant also belongs to the Multi-Faith Coalition to Reduce Gun Violence, a diverse group of over 40 Cleveland area faith communities. Last Sunday, the coalition hosted a summit which emphasized open, civil communication as the solution to gun violence.

In addition to raising awareness, the church used the summit to find a new home for the sign. On Dec. 15, just after the anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting, they will pass it on to another faith community in Cleveland. In the meanwhile, the Church of the Covenant will continue updating the sign and spread their message about gun violence through study, prayer and service.

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University Circle leadership shakeup Cleveland Museum of Art director resigns after extramarital lover commits suicide Jasmine Gallup Staff Reporter On Monday, Oct. 21, after only three years of working at the Cleveland Museum of Art, David Franklin became the fifth director since 2000 to leave the institution. Though museum board chairman Steven Kestner declined to comment at the time, he confirmed two days later that Franklin’s extramarital affair with former museum employee Christina Gatson, who committed suicide in April, was what led to Franklin’s resignation.

Gatson, 34, was the managing director of ChamberFest Cleveland, an annual chamber music festival. According to The Plain Dealer reports, the museum board became aware of the relationship between Gatson and Franklin in early October after receiving information in the form of the April 29 police report detailing the circumstances of Gatson’s suicide, the medical examiner’s autopsy report, and other information. The Cleveland Heights police report states that Franklin was the one to discover Gatson’s suicide, calling the police just after midnight Sunday, April 29.

Kestner, in his statement, declined to elaborate on how the information led to Franklin’s resignation.

Franklin’s departure leaves the

museum in an unenviable position, as they face both criticism and concern from the public. The museum, again without a permanent director, is two months away from opening its new West Wing galleries, containing Chinese, Indian, and Southeast Asian art. The event will signal the completion of an eight-year, $350 million expansion and renovation project, one of the largest in Cleveland’s history, and one for which the museum still has to raise over $90 million. In 2017, the museum celebrates its centennial anniversary.

For the time being, Franklin will remain as a consultant to the museum while the search once again resumes for a new director. During the search, which could take more than a year, Fred Bidwell, a trustee for the museum since 2009, will serve as interim director for the museum.

While Franklin’s staff change is certainly significant, visitors of the museum may be reassured by the museum’s recent decision to appoint Deborah Gribbon as the interim chief curator, following former chief curator C. Griffith Mann’s departure to work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This change, however, once again reflects another upheaval in the museum, as Jon Seydl, its curator of European painting and sculpture since 2007, will be leaving for the Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts.

Social Justice Institute to host think tank event for dialogue on current social justice issues Anastazia Vanikso Staff Reporter Starting Friday, Nov. 15 and continuing through Saturday, Nov. 16, Case Western Reserve University’s Social Justice Institute is sponsoring an intergenerational think tank in the Thwing Center called “Educating for Struggle: In the Academy, Schools, Prisons and Streets.” The purpose of the think tank is to educate students and encourage them to think about social justice on all levels.The experience will focus on fostering dialogue between the generations in order to find possible solutions to current social justice issues.

The opening keynote speech on Friday night will be given by Sonia Sanchez and Maytha AlhassenSawaha. Sanchez, who has many years of experience as a poet and author, is typically associated with the black arts movement, an artistic branch of

the black power movement. Sawaha is currently a graduate student, though she is also a published author. In their talk, the two women will explain how to learn from past social injustices and the approaches that were taken to fix them, take a look at current issues and attempt to find a way to solve these issues in the future. The session will then be opened up to the audience for questions.

Plenary sessions on the second day will delve more deeply into the subject. They focus on social injustice in the academies, schools, prisons and on the streets. Speakers on these issues will come from all backgrounds and generations, continuing with the intergenerational theme.

The closing session features hiphop artist Jasiri X, who uses his songs and social media to teach people about current social injustices. His talk will be integrated within a performance.

Students are asked to register online.

Corrections In the Student Executive Council Diagram on page 2 in the Oct. 18 issue, the Resident Hall Association was misidentified as a “Non-financial member.” The text should have read “Non-voting member.” In the same diagram, University Program Board was incorrectly referred to as “University Programming Board.”

The same mistake also occured in the headline and the article “University Programming Board refocusing Spot Night budget towards featuring more prominent artists” on page 3.

The infographic on page 3 in the Oct. 11 issue was not labelled correctly. It should have noted that it was depicting internal versus external expenditure for Media Board and each member organization.

The Observer apologizes for the errors.

Western Reserve Historical Society president to step down this winter Jasmine Gallup Staff Reporter Gainor Davis, president and CEO of the Western Reserve Historical Society, will be stepping down from her position this winter, ending her seven years of service at the Society effective Dec. 14. Davis, who came into the position with more than 25 years of experience, having led organizations such as the Vermont Historical Society in Montpelier and Barre, and the York County Heritage Trust, is making room for “fresh blood,” according to The Plain Dealer reports.

Kelly Falcone-Hall, the Society’s chief operating officer and senior vice president, will act as interim CEO while the Western Reserve Historical Society searches the nation for Davis’ replacement.

The Plain Dealer noted that Davis is going to be leaving the organization in better condition than she found it, having stabilized its finances and improved its overall functionality during her tenure at the Society.

Charity Navigator, a national organization that monitors nonprofits on behalf of donors,

currently gives the Western Reserve Historical Society four stars out of four, a three star improvement from their rating from 2007.

According to Charity Navigator, which rates non-profit organizations on both financial performance and degree of accountability and transparency, the Society currently spends 77 percent of its budget on “the programs and services it exists to deliver.”

In addition, it also has high fundraising efficiency, spending less than 10 cents for each dollar raised in charitable contributions.

The Society’s high accountability rating comes from their provision of financial and administrative information on their website, allowing members easy access to board meeting minutes, audited financials and their various policies on member privacy, CEO compensation and conflict of interest.

After all of the work Davis has done in service to the Society, improving management, monitoring and encouraging new initiatives for growth and expansion, and improving communication with the community, the Society eagerly looks forward to their 150th anniversary in 2017, which they hope will mark a new era for the organization.

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Spotlight on Research

Researcher lectures about Netherland’s euthanasia policy, potential US implications Kushagra Gupta Staff Reporter Currently, doctors try to keep you alive no matter, but that may soon change.

Dr. Gerrit Kimsma, a well-known medical practitioner from the Free University of Amsterdam lectured Monday on campus about his research on the legal and institutionalized practice of euthanasia in the Netherlands, and its potential implications for the United States.

Euthanasia differs from hospice care in the fact that in euthanasia, a physician, with the patient’s approval, intentionally ends a person’s life through medical means to end suffering. Physician-assisted suicide is currently legal in four states: Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont.

Euthanasia, however, is not legal in any state.

The federal government hasn’t passed a law allowing or regulating the procedure.

In the 1970s, the Dutch medical community was divided concerning the topic and the act was carried out in a masked manner. However, as time passed, the practice became more accepted in the medical community. A decade later, in 1984, the Dutch Supreme Court ruled that euthanasia was a legal medical option. The courts and other groups such as the Royal Dutch Medical Association closely watched the system. Most recently, a 2002 law set the parameters of when euthanasia can be used.

The law must be reviewed every five years.

While the results of the Dutch system are ever evolving, conclusions drawn from research on the topic may one day prove to be useful for the United States. However, some key distinctions must be taken into consideration. For example, political discussions in the United States involve defining individuals’ rights and what kind of limits are placed on them. In the Netherlands, however, an individual’s rights aren’t the emphasis when forming laws, but rather the needs of the people.

The 1984 court ruling in the Netherlands exemplified this concept. Dr. Kimsma said

Arianna Wage/Observer Dutch medical practitioner Dr. Gerrit shared his thoughts on the Netherland’s nationwide euthanasia policy. that the conclusion of his lecture noted, same time, since 2010, the current system consideration. Physicians or others who additionally must give approval refuse “The physician has the duty to protect has stirred some debate in the Netherlands. life, but the physician also has the duty to According to Dr. Kimsma, the system has two-thirds of euthanasia cases in the relieve suffering.” been working because of its transparency, Netherlands.

A new form of euthanasia seeks to reduce According to Kimsma, while physicians the infrequency of euthanasia procedures in the Netherlands attempt to balance both performed and because doctors make sure the role of the physician from decisionof these duties to stay in legal parameters, to accurately report any cases of the practice. making. The Euthanasia Society in the physicians in the United States are more The system has been studied Netherlands has been steadily increasing concerned with what options the patient has internationally, and while it seems to have pressure for families to have control over and what he or she desires. That mindset may been working, many new, younger persons euthanasia and even be able to carry it out with due process. The method that is point toward the acceptance of euthanasia at are calling for a more extensive approach. first glance; however, in the United States, For example, many say that for supported is an overdose of pain controlling the involvement of a physician is seen as psychiatric and Alzheimer’s patients, medication.

Over the next decade, researchers across taking the right of life from an individual. physicians should be lenient when deciding “Autonomy always dies with euthanasia, as to whether they fit the parameters of the world will be watching to see how this I just can’t see a justification,” Kimsma said. having the opportunity for euthanasia. affects the Netherlands and how the results The United States isn’t poised to nationally Indeed, some argue that those over 70 could be used to decide as whether euthanasia incorporate the practice anytime soon. At the years old should also be given a weighted can be systematized in other countries.

Watch out boo-low: Pumpkins to be dropped off Clarke Tower today Tanvi Parmar Staff Reporter Today from 4 to 7 p.m. (or when the pumpkins run out), students will be able to drop a pumpkin off the 11th floor of Clarke Tower for free at the Residence Hall Association Magnolia Community Council’s Jack Bash event.

“If destroying pumpkins doesn’t appeal to you, we’ve also got music, performances, food—it’s a fantastic time, not to mention a campus tradition,” noted Rebecca Haluska, the freshman Magnolia social coordinator.

The event has been bringing people together around Halloween for more than

20 years. Over the past years, Jack Bash has had many different configurations, but the unifying factor has been dropping pumpkins from the 11th floor of Clarke Tower.

Members of Magnolia Community Council hope that Jack Bash will help develop a strong sense of community among residents as well as give students the opportunity to do something they couldn’t do normally. They also noted that this year’s Jack Bash would not be possible without the support of the Residence Hall Association, the office of FirstYear Experience and Family Programs, University Program Board and The Office of Housing & Residence Life.

from Lawsuit | 1 Western Reserve issued a statement on behalf of the university and Mitchell. “This situation is categorically not an instance of retaliation,” the statement reads. “Professor Ku continues to hold a full-time, tenured faculty position at the School of Law. The lawsuit itself includes inaccuracies, as well as an inflammatory flier that has been found to be materially false.”

In addition to the acts alleged to have occurred on the Case Western Reserve campus, the suit draws attention to concerns supposedly expressed by the search committee regarding Mitchell’s time at George Washington University.

According to the court documents, the search committee was made aware that, while a professor at George Washington University, Mitchell divorced his wife to

marry a student, divorced the student and married a female law faculty member and divorced the female faculty member after the two adopted a child.

“The only question now is whether Case [Western Reserve] will continue to blindly back Dean Mitchell despite these circumstances, or whether it will live up to its own policies and ideals for the sake of its students, staff, and faculty,” Subodh Chandra, lead counsel for Ku, said in a press statement.

The law school professor is seeking an end to the alleged retaliation, admittance that the defendants’ conduct violates Ohio Law and unspecified monetary damages.

This is a developing story. As more information become available, it will be available at observer.case.edu.

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Outside the Circle A look at news outside of Case Western Reserve

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National 1. Federal judge strikes down controversial Texas abortion limits US District Judge Lee Yeakel struck down part of a Texan law prohibiting abortions last Monday. Yeakel said that the new law was preventing abortion doctors from doing what they thought was best for their patients, as well as dramatically reducing the women’s access to abortion clinics.

The controversial law required that abortion clinics have admitting privileges at a hospital within a 30 mile radius, along with mandating that they closely follow Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protocols when prescribing pregnancy-ending drugs.

Before these portions of the law were declared unconstitutional, lawyers for Planned Parenthood argued that the hospital requirement would close a third of hospitals in the state. With regards to abiding by the FDA’s regulations, the lawyers argued that not allowing doctors to vary from the original FDA dosage limited women’s treatment options and restricted their access to medical advancements.

For pro-choice advocates, the decision is a relief, and similar laws are being challenged all over the country.

—Anastazia Vanisko

International 2. Putin welcomes homosexual athletes to 2014 Olympics Despite a recent ban on promoting “homosexual propaganda” to minors, Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that gay and lesbian athletes are welcome at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. During a recent visit from the International Olympic Committee, Putin assured the chair, Thomas Bach, that everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, would feel at ease.

The population of Russia, however, is far less welcoming to the gay community than those of other countries.

Homosexuality in Russia was only recently decriminalized in 1993. A recent poll showed that many Russians do not believe homosexuals should receive the same rights as other citizens.

Due to these concerns, some individuals believe that the Olympic Games in Russia should once again be boycotted, but such demands have had little success. Russia hopes for the games at Sochi to be a chance for the country to show how far it has come since the 1980 Summer Games.

—A.V.

3. Storm batters Western Europe A devastating storm hit Western Europe, leaving thousand of homes without power and killing 15 people, as of last Monday. Winds over the North Sea were recorded at record-breaking speeds of 119 miles per hour.

Trains, ferry services and plane flights all had to be delayed, though they were expected to return to normal soon. Flood warnings were also released in some areas.

The United Kingdom especially suffered numerous power outages. Luckily, engineers were able to restore power to many homes, but they had difficulty reaching homes in the more remote areas of the country due to fallen trees.

Norway and Denmark both issued warnings since they are expecting winds blowing of more than 100 mph.

—A.V.

What in the world?

4. Poor college students now have a new travel option Those who find themselves living solely on ramen noodles to save money for their flight abroad now have a newfangled way to travel the world. One can now indirectly experience the far corners of the world through their stuffed animals, courtesy of the Japanese travel service Unagi Travel.

For a comparatively meager price ranging

from 20 to 55 dollars, depending on the distance of the destination, one can send their bedside buddy practically anywhere on earth. This saves you a wad of money, and cultivates a more culturally aware and tolerant perspective in your stuffed animal.

—Arielle Soffer

5. McDonald’s says goodbye to a longtime provider Heinz has been the ketchup provider to McDonald’s for the last 40 years, but this past Friday the fast food chain announced it would no longer be using Heinz ketchup in its franchises. This transition is a direct result of the change in administration that occurred at Heinz on June 10 when the

former Chief Executive Officer, Bernardo Hees, of McDonald’s longtime competitor, Burger King Worldwide, Inc., was named CEO of Heinz. Ketchup provided to McDonald’s by Heinz was used mostly internationally.

—A.S.

On the Beat

Only you can prevent fire alarms So by this point in the year, it has probably happened to you at least once, somewhere on campus: Your daily routine is suddenly jolted by a blaring horn that at first makes you think you are aboard a submarine under attack, until you realize it is a fire alarm going off. Fire safety is one of those topics that seem unimportant until something happens—then it’s really important. Therp are hundreds of fire alarm systems on campus, and they are there to ensure your safety, however inconvenient they may be at times. Below are some tips.

Alarms Almost all on-campus buildings have a fire alarm system. If one should go off, university policy is that you must evacuate the building. Note the word must: Evacuation of a building during a fire alarm is not up for discussion. Proceed calmly and swiftly out of the building, avoiding elevators, and wait for the all-clear signal.

University policy requires the notification of the appropriate fire department when an alarm goes off, so the shiny red trucks will be coming. Tampering with fire alarms anywhere on campus is a criminal offense.

False alarms Fortunately, most of our alarms fall into this category. The primary culprit in most

false alarms, especially in residence halls, is (bad) cooking. If you are using a stove or a microwave, keep your eye on your food until you’re done. Remember simple rules such as macaroni requires water and that microwaving things for 10 minutes does not make them taste twice as good as if their instructions say to microwave for five minutes. Staff can be as guilty of this as students. Excessive steam can be another culprit.

Open flames anywhere outside of labs are a bad idea, and items like candles are prohibited in residence halls. And if you should happen to host a late night party, onor off-campus, ensure that when the night is through, someone does a smoldering cigarette sweep before everyone goes to bed. This was the scenario that cost a John Carroll student his life the week before graduation in 2001. So keep an eye on the macaroni/coffee pot/space heater and remember the bear’s advice applies to campus just as well as the wilderness— only you can prevent fire (alarms).

On the Beat is a weekly safety column written by Sergeant Jeffrey Daberko & Officer Mark (The Crossing Guard) Chavis of CWRU PD. Send feedback to this or other columns at policecolumn@case.edu.

Police Blotter Oct. 14 to Oct. 28 Oct. 14 — Petty theft- Cell phone taken from office, Allen Memorial Library Oct. 16 —Bicycle theft- Bike taken from rack, Strosacker Auditorium Oct. 22 —Burglary- Locker opened by force & items taken, Veale Athletic Center.

Oct. 25 —Petty theft- Laptop computer taken from office, Kent Hale Smith Building.

Oct. 26 —Theft from auto- Auto entered and items taken, Wade Park Avenue.

On the Beat can be contacted at policecolumn@case.edu.

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Crossword Puzzle Across 1. Bit of dust 5. Unit of weight for gems 10. A young lady 14. Leave out 15. Small terrestrial lizard 16. Ancient Peruvian 17. Coffeepot 19. Leave in a hurry 20. Conceit 21. Anagram of “Peril” 22. Dishonor 23. Cocoyam 25. Located near the poles 27. Arrive (abbrev.)

28. Exploded fragments 31. A kind of macaw 34. Brown ermine 35. Citrus drink 36. Joke 37. An evil spirit 38. Goulash 39. Commercials 40. Drags 41. Go on a buying

spree 42. A gambling game 44. Missing In Action 45. Cut of beef 46. Lush 50. Step 52. Overact 54. Foot digit 55. Clue 56. Creator 58. A single time 59. Locale 60. Young girl 61. Equal 62. Venomous snake 63. Tall woody plant Down 1. Acted gloomily 2. Alpha’s opposite 3. Novices 4. And so forth 5. Some who phones 6. Another time 7. Be worthy of 8. Shapeless 9. Black gunk 10. Accident 11. Embodied

12. Fraud 13. Satisfy 18. A drama set to music 22. Thin strip 24. Male deer 26. By mouth 28. Filched 29. Biblical garden 30. Bawdy 31. Not fully closed 32. Start over 33. Confidence 34. Closed 37. Handguns 38. WW1 plane 40. Listen 41. Femme fatale 43. Hang around 44. Strong suit 46. Style 47. Fragrant oil 48. Hangman’s knot 49. Brusque 50. Store 51. Prong 53. Subconscious 56. Egg cells 57. Altitude (abbrev.)

COM ICS So as not to leave you hanging — it was a problem with select() calls.

Clock Tower

The Strong Collatz Conjecture states that this holds for any set of obsessively-hand-applied rules.

by Kevin Yong

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Philosofish

Kate Hart Ray Krajci

Horoscopes

Look, Confucius! I found a photo of my first college Smash Bros/Guitar Hero tournament on my flash drive!

You may have been dorky and awkward as a freshman, but, I admit, you did know how to have fun...

Aries After a hasty self-diagnosis with help from WebMD, your cold may have deteriorated into full on bronchitis. Be wary and listen to what your body needs.

Taurus Your weekend looks stellar, but next week sends ominous signals. Keep a balanced mind and body while it’s still smooth sailing.

And here‛s the first paper I wrote here.

Gemini

A generous C-, if memory serves.

Your phone, despite falling under the smart phone category, will render itself useless to your existential inquiries.

Cancer A new type of music might tickle your fancy this week. Roll with your mood and explore your Pandora suggestions.

I think I know why I stopped having fun.

Leo Throughout the next week, you’ll find a surprising number of insects crossing your path.

Often this is because your window has an inch-wide gap in it, but it may lead you to rethink the state of cleanliness in your room.

PhilosofishComics@gmail.com

xkcd

Virgo If you aim for the moon and fail, you’ll at least land among the stars. Without oxygen, gravity, or a sense of self.

Libra Could your lackluster midterm grades really be attributed to the amount of work on your plate? Or are they due to the fact that you can’t stop binge watching television series?

Scorpio

To get more knowledge.

plane queen ready realize rescue sews stab struggle submarine sweetheart tear train truth uncle unique unite waste

Wordsearch

above adjust alley aware better bullet dandy doubt dream environment eyed feelings hidden horse image lint needs

You could continue to walk around campus like you were granted the mighty Fabulous Freshman Walking Staff. Or you could just drop that stick you found outside of Leutner Commons and hang your head like the rest of the crowd heading to chemistry.

Sagittarius Your conviction is admirable, but no one cares about the liberal agenda.

Capricorn The next time you see a dear friend lost to time, you’ll hear an incredible amount of news that you don’t particularly care about. It’s called karma, and you’ll have to just suffer through it.

Aquarius While spitting cusses in a man’s face, you’ll realize that he really didn’t just spill his drink all over you and was just a passerby.

Think twice before opening your mouth this weekend.

Pisces You’ve been having some whacky dreams, man. Just remember they’re not real.

arts & entertainment

00 9

M.U.S.I.C. to host after-hours showcase

Katy Witkowski/Observer celebrate the performing arts.

Katy Witkowski Arts & Entertainment Editor Harkness Chapel, serenely framed by fall foliage, has seen many talented musicians grace its stage. The Cleveland Orchestra has recorded in the space that music department students and faculty usually perform and practice. But all will have the opportunity to play or support Case Western Reserve University talents in the acoustically-pleasing hidden gem of Mather Quad at Arts After Dark.

The Music Undergraduate Student Involvement Committee (M.U.S.I.C.) will

host the event, featuring many improvements from years past. Arts After Dark was previously called Music at Midnight and featured musical talent throughout the wee hours of the night. Professor Eric Charnofsky, advisor to the group, said that the previous 24-hour performance structure lent itself to a lull around 4:30 a.m., turning into an improvised jam session rather than a structured course of events. This year, the 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday night schedule is already full, featuring many student groups and individual performers.

“We want to showcase all performers on campus, especially those who aren’t studying music,” said Anton Spencer, president

of M.U.S.I.C. “We want to unearth unseen talent and bring it to the rest of campus.”

As a school that receives international attention for its science and engineering programs, its musical talents are not usually in the spotlight. A night spent relishing in music, theatre, dance and juggling will refocus sights on the often forgotten humanities.

The night-time performance will feature a portion of the cast of Footlighters’ production “Merrily We Roll Along,” Speakeasy songs and many individual performers.

Although the group mainly focuses on appealing to music undergraduate students, they wish to expand their membership base to those outside of the department. All are

welcome to perform, attend and become further involved in the organization.

In fact, M.U.S.I.C. hopes to encourage more community involvement through the arts. A Career Day is hosted every spring that features professionals who have either earned a degree in music or have pursued music as a career. The group also organizes a faculty recital, offering a rare opportunity to see professors play their preferred instruments. Other philanthropic and musicoriented opportunities are in the planning stages that would be open for all students.

Arts After Dark will take place on Nov. 9 from 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. Chipotle will be served throughout the event at no cost.

Arts After Dark November. 9, Harkness Chapel Tentative Schedule (subject to change) 9:00 - 10:00

10:00 - 11:00

11:00 - 12:00

12:00 - 1:00

Jordan Genovese Jake Anderson Spase Catana Freshman Five Alannah Kennedy and Jenna Applebee Classical Trio

Henry Hershey Ryan Rose and Carlisle Momberger CWRU Swing Club Addison Klinke

Solstice Hallie Dolin Cleveland Browns (not the football team) Sasha Juggling Club Sax and Trumpet duet

Footlighters James Du Fresh Baked Salad Speakeasy Joshua Schwarz Erina and Eddie The Juniper String Quintet Flute and Viola duets Natasha Rupani

1:00 - 2:00 Rachel Katz Samantha Gallup Vincent Disantis Flute Quartet Case in Point

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Nobel Prize winner comes to Case Western Thomas Cech, 1989 Nobel Prize for Chemistry winner, gives a talk on RNA Jessica Yang Staff Reporter On Oct. 17, Nobel Award for Chemistry winner Thomas Cech came to Case Western to give a talk about his well-known research on RNA. Held at Schmitt lecture hall as a part of the “Frontiers in Chemistry” lecture undergraduate and graduate, interested local Cleveland-area residents and more.

Dr. Blanton Tolbert, who introduced Cech, joked that he met Cech once and when Cech started his lecture, Cech joked that he’ll never forget Tolbert again since it takes two times to remember a name.

Cech began his talk with Tetrahymena

thermophila, the organism that he studied, and how he examined the RNA splicing mechanism when he discovered that an unprocessed RNA could splice itself. Almost a decade after his initial discovery, he found that RNA splicing was also going on in transcription, which was an unexpected result. In addition, he found that RNA has catalytic functions rather than just being a passive carrier of information. All these discoveries were a result of doing a particular mixed unspliced RNA from Tetrahymena thermophila with magnesium chloride and guanosine triphosphate. it altered the way scientists thought about the central dogma, since scientists origi-

nally thought proteins were the catalysts of biological reactions. Since Cech’s discovery, the catalyst RNAs were discovered and named “ribozymes.” It is this discovery that Cech and Sidney Altman, who almost concurrently came to the same conclusion that Cech did, won the 1989 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, when Cech was 41.

Despite the technicality of the presentation, Cech also managed to add humor throughout his talk, such as when he mentioned a protein daisy, a riff of the “love me, love me not” daisy game, that a graduate student gave him during a time when he was Cech then transitioned his talk to telomerase research, which also intrigues him. Telomerase is a substance that copies

telomere sequences and lengthens them.

Telomeres, which are affected by telomerase, are located at the ends of chromosomes and are shortened with each DNA replication. Normally, telomerase is not very active in most body cells, but it is reactivated in nearly 90 percent of cancer erase in cancer, Cech’s work is important to cancer treatment.

At the end of the lecture, Cech thanked the audience for coming as well as his colleagues and the people in his lab, who all helped him in his research, since their works helped him come to his conclusions about RNA as well as telomerase.

The Observer’s

The CWRU Film Society Presents:

of the Week

Featuring a live performance by Voyeuristic Intentions

Playlist

Jason Walsh Staff Reporter M.I.A. - “Y.A.L.A.” M.I.A. flips Drake’s Y.O.L.O. motto/hashtag into “You Always Live Again,” the newest single off her forthcoming “Matangi.” That album is due out Nov. 5, and is shaping up to be pretty excellent.

Pusha T - “Trouble On My Mind ft. Tyler, the Creator (Rustie Remix)” This remix is worth a listen just for the bass line that Rustie throws on the chorus. “Trouble On My Mind” came out almost two years ago, so I’m not sure why Rustie chose to release this remix now, but I’m glad he did.

Rick Ross - “Royals (Remix)” I guess the original version of this song, by someone named Lorde, is a big deal? I didn’t know it until a week or two ago when there was a big internet fuss over whether or not the song is racist. Now, in the irony of

the

all ironies, Rick Ross has dropped a remix of the track which complains about materialism and consumerism in music. He only raps for, like, thirty seconds, but still. Anything related to Ricky Rozay gets to be on this playlist.

Run the Jewels - “Get It” A few weeks ago, I wrote in these pages about how fantastic the selftitled debut mixtape from Run the Jewels is. El-P and Killer Mike are impeccable rappers and producers, and the mixtape that is the result of their collaboration is as good as you’d expect. “Get It,” off of said mixtape, now has a video which features of a lot of concert footage and shots of El and Mike being goofy.

Elliot Smith - “Trouble” This is not new at all, but Elliot Smith died 10 years ago this week.

His cover of Cat Stevens’ “Trouble” remains one of my favorite Elliot Smith songs, one of my favorite covers and one of my favorite songs of any kind.

Observer

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2 STROSACKER AUDITORIUM 7:00 PM, 12:00 AM

Tickets are only $4.

Come early for de-virginization exercises!

Want to write for Arts and Entertainment?

Email kew41@case.edu

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observer.case.edu

How to fix the horrors of Halloween costume prices Allison Duchin Staff Reporter

There is nothing spookier taking place this post-Halloween weekend than the horrible Halloween costume prices found at even the most discounted stores. Instead, this Halloween, try and think of ways to buy the minimal accessories to make a great costume by pairing them with already existing elements of your wardrobe.

Halloween costumes typically retail between 30 and 50 dollars and are often over-the-top, tacky and often not creative, so why take a hit to your wallet this year when there are simple and inexpensive ways to have an awesome and more unique costume? When randomly asking a small group of Case Western Reserve University students how much they spent on their Halloween costume this year, they were asked which one of the following three categories they fell into: $0-9, $10-20 or over $20; The majority of responses, at 56.3 percent, said that they spend less than 10 dollars on their

Halloween costumes. From the most expensive to the least, or no-cost, these Halloween do’s and don’ts will help you create your own version to some of the most popular costume choices.

Today.com reported that the most popular costumes searches from Google for this year’s Halloween includes some of the most beloved pop-culture icons, inclusive of “The Great Gatsby,” Miley Cyrus, “Breaking Bad” characters and the adorable Minions from “Despicable Me.” One easy way to make these costumes inexpensively is to go thrift shopping in the nearby stores of Coventry, which provide low cost and unique items.

To create a look for “The Great Gatsby,”

When it comes to beloved animated characters such as Minions from “Despicable Me,” Minnie or Mickey Mouse or some of the classic comic book heroes, of course there are big plush factorymade costumes, but how often will those get used? Instead, here are some ways to create these costumes from your closet.

For minions, all you need is a yellow shirt, glasses and overalls, or even just pants with suspenders; when you’re

dress, or simple accessories like a boa, long gloves or over-the-top costume jew-

pretty simple to make with a red skirt and white circular cutouts. This zerocost technique of making a costume also comes in handy when trying to personify a comic book character. All you need is the clothing with colors associated to the

pop-culture like the frequently Googled Miss Miley Cyrus, perhaps a few friends could choose to portray the starlet from different phases of her life, going back to her Hannah Montana days. Portraying a real person can easily be created by using clothing from one’s own closet, therefore minimizing costs.

Global bestselling author to speak at Town Hall Jessica Yang Staff Reporter On Nov. 4, author of “When China Rules the World: the End of the Western World and the Birth of a New Global Order,” Martin Jacques, will speak at the Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square as a part of the Town Hall of Cleveland speaker series, in part sponsored by Case Western Reserve University.

The Town Hall of Cleveland speaker series aims to bring “engaging, provocative and exciting speakers” to engage the public as well as to educate and inform. Now in its 82nd session, the Town Hall of Cleveland speaker series for this year includes Bob Woodward, who was a reporter on the Watergate scandal as well as a lead reporter for The Washington Post on the aftermath of 9/11, Michael Ruhlman, an award-winning food blogger and Jeff Hoffman, an entrepreneur and innovator as well as founder of Priceline.com.

Jacques is most known for his novel “When China Rules the World,” which is a global bestseller. The novel has been praised by key political pundits such as Fareed Zakaria, columnist for Time magazine

and host of Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN, as well as Harvard economic historian, Niall Ferguson.

On top of gaining key political pundit approval, Jacques’ novel has also raised gues that China’s future economic growth will change the economic landscape greatly and the decline of the Western dominance. Jacques argues that the Chinese will culturally, and this new modernity will be different from the one that most people are familiar with. He argues that Beijing will replace Washington, D.C as the capital of the world’s superpower, all without abandoning communist structure and Confucian values.

Jacques is a visiting senior research fellow at the London School of Economics and at Tsinghua University in Beijing, as well as a fellow of the Transatlantic Academy in Washington, D.C. When Jacques was at Marxism Today as an editor, the ential political publications in Britain.

At the lecture, Jacques will focus on his novel as well as key points he makes in it.

The Martin Jacques lecture is at 6 p.m. in the Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square.

the suspenders and glasses to channel Urkel from “Family Matters.” All Minnie Mouse needs is a red skirt with polka-dots on it, short white gloves a black shirt. Yes, a white and red polka-dot skirt

print out their logo and place it accordingly to their animated image.

In the long-standing college tradition of Halloween being a week long

celebration, having multiple costumes is essential, but it can quickly take a toll on your budget. A remedy for this dollar-destroying problem is like in case of using the suspenders in the Minion and Urkel costumes: Buy accessories that can be used for multiple costumes.

The easiest costumes to probably do this with are decade costumes, because many styles of decades often repeat themselves at later dates. For instance, things with fringe or bejeweled headbands can often work as accessories for both the 1920s flapper and 1960s hippie costumes .If you have already used up your good closet-made costume, raid (with permission) a friend’s closet and swap costumes for a night.

No matter what you pay for your Halloween costume this year, don’t let of the most creative costume ideas are the simplest ones, whether they’re puns, ironic, or simply goofy, the most important thing to keep in mind is that Halloween is the one time of the year that even the craziest thing, like seeing a shower not just okay, but embraced.

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Editor’s Choice

Special exhibit uncovers long forgotten art Maria Fazal Staff Reporter The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) is offering a rare opportunity to all interested in viewing exquisite ancient art. “Sicily: Art and Invention Between Greece and Rome” opened a month ago as the museum’s fall show and features an exceptionally vast collection of art, with over 150 pieces on display.

Shockingly, the exhibition was almost canceled due to negotiation issues between CMA and Sicily. Sicily, in a move some called extortion, requested CMA pay additional fees of $700,000.

However, despite the turbulence, CMA and Sicily were thankfully able to reach a compromise. David Franklin, director of the ly “broke the logjam” was the offer to loan CMA’s most renowned and prized pieces.

In return, CMA received the Sicilian art, among which is one of the world’s most astounding pieces of ancient art, the Motya Charioteer.

This piece may very well be considered the highlight of the exhibit. In fact, to have given it an entire room of its own.

The walls in this room also have cutaways, which assure viewers see the statue as soon as they enter the exhibition.

Maggie Popkin, an art history professor at Case Western Reserve University, says the charioteer is “one of the most famous

Greek statues in the world, and who knows when—or even if—Sicily will agree to let it travel to America.”

While most of us may not be able to distinguish Ancient Sicilian art from Ancient Greek and Roman art, Popkin, whose specialty is Ancient Roman art, can clarify this for us.

“Sicily was truly the crossroads of a number of cultures,” says Popkin. “Many of the objects in this exhibition show how ancient Sicilians took these diverse cultural traditions and forged them into something uniquely Sicilian. The Motya Charioteer, for example, [displays] an exciting pose, with virtuosically carved, clinging drapery.”

There are several more noteworthy items in the exhibition as well. Among these items are several gorgeous terracotta vases, the bust of a monstrous Cyclops and intricately detailed silver coins, which Popkin assures are not to be overlooked.

The other main exhibit in the show is the Phiale Mesomphalos, a golden libation bowl.

This piece is a surviving remnant of ancient culture that is comparable to only four other objects in the entire world.

Popkin believes CMA’s ability to acquire these internationally recognized objects is indicative of the museum’s high caliber. We often forget how lucky we are to have such a distinguished institution right in our backyard.

Members of University Circle should be sure to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The exhibition will remain at the Cleveland Museum of Art until Jan. 5.

Student tickets are available.

A touch of reggae: Wild Belle changes Spot Night’s pace he do that?”

Then, Wild Belle brought some cool to spare. Singer N. Bergman’s dark, sexy vocals

Anne Nickoloff Staff Reporter

The second thing you notice about Wild Belle: Elliot Bergman’s facial hair.

Wild Belle’s performance at Spot Night on Oct. 24 was sexy, slinky and chill. N. Bergman’s Duffy-like voice mixed with E. Bergman’s baritone saxophone toots, creating a new kind of reggae that mixed rippling beats with straining, almost rough vocals.

They were so relaxed on stage, and their music was so calming, that it would have been very easy to listen to them while relaxing at home or reading a book.

However, this kind of mood was not opener Saint Rich.

That’s not to say the music was bad; Saint Rich played some really great tunes. Mainly drawing their set from album “Beyond the Drone,” the band had precise unity and wild vocals. “Young Vultures” was a Rooneylike song with playful singing and a beachy melody, while “Black and Brown” was more dirty-sounding, with carefully regulated feedback behind some of the guitar parts. the band was its anger.

At one point, singer Christian Peslak crowd before rushing into the next song. Afexcept the fact that Saint Rich seemed to be upset enough for Peslak to lose his cool.

It wasn’t about the music anymore; the crowd jittered not with comments about the music, but with variations of “why did

Bingo!

cut tank top underneath a crop-top blazer.

She wore multiple rings, a glittering necklace and bracelets hidden under her sleeves. Even a small knife attached to her belt revealed itself through a few glints in the light.

“It’s too Late” brought the bearded E. Bergman out with his baritone saxophone, resulting with whoops and cheers for every throaty note. He is one of the few who can pull off a full scruffy beard and not look unkempt. As awkward as it is to say it, his saxophone playing was just as sexy as his sister’s singing.

Their eyes were the same color and shape, but you could tell the two musicians were siblings beyond physical features.

The two could communicate with a glance, and shared a common musical talent that meshed well within Wild Belle.

“I’m in Love,” a song dedicated to lovers, brought Peslak onto the stage to dance the whole night that he smiled and seemed to let go of his earlier frustrations. The two twirled around on stage, Peslak even belting out parts of the song into the microphone as N. Bergman held it up to him.

Wild Belle ended with “Keep You,” a reggae song that had N. Bergman’s indie voice bringing the genre barriers down.

Spot Nights had been getting into the habit of being crazy and exciting, but they don’t need to be off the wall to be good.

Wild Belle wasn’t really that wild. They were like a cool sip of ice cold water after returning home from a sunny beach; they were just what the audience needed.

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13

Editorial

Advisors, step up your game A few weeks ago, an editorial examined the results of the latest CWRU senior survey.

This week, the focus is on first-year students, who were also surveyed in a similar fashion last spring. It turns out, perhaps unexpectedly, that last year’s freshmen struggle with problems different from those of last year’s seniors.

Where CWRU’s seniors expressed dissatisfaction with participation in university decision-making, the current sophomores struggled with academic self-concept, student-faculty interaction and satisfaction with coursework. The student-faculty interaction metrics were at a disappointing 50 percent in 2011, which was the last time the YFCY survey was conducted. It was even lower this year with only 48 percent. Academic self-concept also went down from 53 percent in 2011 to 50 this year. Finally, satisfaction with coursework involved a dip from 47 to 46 percent.

These are alarming results and they are not entirely unrelated to each other – and they are even more relevant now that class registration time will soon be upon us. Looking at the results of the survey, it is evident that new students at CWRU need help with their course loads and academic lives in general. Only 41 percent of the surveyed students reported that it is easy or very easy to manage their time. 51 percent felt that their coursework is relevant to their everyday life. 49 percent communicated regularly with professors.

It looks like there is a lack of confidence when it comes to academics. The problem is not the fact that CWRU students do not get involved: according to the survey, plenty of students have had a leadership role or voted in a student election. And the responders were not apathetic about CWRU, either, as almost 90 percent indicated that they feel a sense of belonging at CWRU. These are both pleasing statistics, but they do not entirely compensate for the lack of seeking help with academics when needed. Somehow, though, new students at CWRU just have not found an effective way to be successful in academics. And the problem has its roots in advising.

What first-year students need at this point, based on the survey, is effective guidance.

55 percent of the surveyed students felt that a professor showed concern over the students’ progress. It is certainly understandable that a professor or another advisor has many advisees and limited resources to give undivided attention to every individual student. But advising students and being a role model and a supporter is still a part of their job.

According to the survey, last year’s freshmen also expressed confusion over the relevance of their coursework to their everyday lives. Isn’t one of the jobs of first-year advisors to provide first-years with the knowledge of how to make the most of their majors?

And who can provide the students with tips and advice to improve their academic skills if not advisors? 42 percent rated their intellectual ability to be average or below average. Even though this metric was not directly related to advising, it is something a good advisor could help a student with. Advisors would also offer tips for time management, which, as noted above, was one of the problems last year’s freshmen encountered.

Interestingly enough, CWRU freshmen reported an increase in social self-confidence with 73 percent rating theirs average or above average. This is a very positive trend and as such it should be fostered and improved further. The truth is, however, that if new students continue feeling as if their advisors do not provide the guidance they need or express concern, it can transfer into students’ self-perception. A problem in advising could have more serious consequences than one might think.

The draft of the new strategic plan emphasizes training faculty to be more effective and spontaneous when it comes to teaching. This is very important – but the university should make sure that first-year advisors closely follow the progress of their advisees and guide and help them with whatever concerns they may have. New students need someone to assist them with the huge transition from high school to college. In the future, CWRU should make sure that first-year advisors take that role. Otherwise, the incoming classes are doomed.

Editorial policy In the interest of maintaining the opinion section of The Observer, the editorial board would like to clarify the process for submission of columns and articles. Firstly, all decisions regarding the publication of articles is always discussed among the editorial board and are not made solely by any individual editor or director. Upon submission of manuscripts or pitches, The Observer does not guarantee the publication of submissions to the opinion section. Additionally, the editorial board reserves the right to accept or reject opinion pieces or articles at any time should the board deem it appropriate. If editorial modifications are made to an article, excluding changes involving AP Style and copy editing, the author’s consent is required. Decisions to carry a column or article are made based upon the first submitted draft. The Observer pays its columnists for the rights to their manuscripts, not their opinions. Any opinions expressed in the opinion section must strive for the highest standards of accuracy, consistent with the reporting of The Observer. Questions or clarifications regarding this policy should be directed to the Opinion Editor at observer@case.edu.

The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer exists to report news affecting and/or involving students and to provide an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer at (216) 368-2914 or e-mail observerads@case.edu.

The Observer is a proud member of the CWRU Media Board.

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 10900 Euclid Avenue, Suite A09, Cleveland, OH 44106. Letters need to include the writer’s full name, address, and telephone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters from organizations must contain the name of an individual for contact purposes. Writings may be edited for clarity and brevity, and while The Observer makes an attempt to print all correspondence; space and date of publication are not guaranteed. Letters over 600 words may be returned to the sender. Letters must be received by 5 p.m. on Tuesdays.

opinion Editor’s Note The church bells that mark each hour at Case Western Reserve University send broad, dramatic reverberations across the campus landscape. On the typical day, they mark an impending commitment, an approaching evaluation, the passage of time. But these past days have not been typical; they have been detrimental.

Case Western Reserve is now the subject of the worst kind of local, regional and national media coverage. The merits of our institution, such as academic excellence, investigative discovery and experiential achievement, are—for the moment—a recessed memory, shoved aside by startling accusations that have turned the spotlight from gleaming white to hostile red. Together they hold that Case Western Reserve knowingly allowed one of its core values—respect towards women—to be blatantly bruised and abandoned.

In a now public lawsuit against Lawrence Mitchell, the dean of CWRU’s School of Law, CWRU School of Law Professor Raymond Ku alleges Mitchell committed sexually inappropriate acts at the university since his deanship began in 2011.

The accusations hold that Mitchell directed inappropriate gestures and comments towards females in the law school, such as allegedly engaging in the public, bareskinned caressing of a female colleague who was wearing a summer dress. Additionally, Mitchell allegedly commented to staff members that one graduate student “wasn’t good for anything but keeping the bed warm.”

Ku contends he reported his concerns and the concerns of colleagues to university administrators, such as Provost William “Bud” Baeslack III and Marilyn Mobley, the vice president for inclusion, diversity and equal opportunity . According to the lawsuit, Ku’s reports resulted in retaliatory acts that included the stripping of his duties as associate dean of the law school.

In response to Ku’s lawsuit, the university released a defensive statement this past week. “This situation is categorically not an instance of retaliation,” the statement reads.

“Professor Ku continues to hold a full-time, tenured faculty position at the School of Law. The lawsuit itself includes inaccuracies, as well as an inflammatory flier that has been found to be materially false.”

The suit also draws attention to concerns allegedly expressed by members of the search committee prior to Mitchell’s hiring. “[A]ccording to Administrative Staff Member 2, the Search committee was aware that (1) while Dean Mitchell was a professor at George Washington [University], he divorced his wife to marry a student; (2) he then divorced the student; (3) he then married a woman who joined the law faculty; and (4) they divorced after adopting a child,” the court documents state.

Regardless of a potentially tumultuous past at George Washington University, Mitchell was welcomed to Case Western Reserve without reservation in 2011. “Lawrence Mitchell possesses the intellect, energy and enthusiasm required to lead our law school forward,” President Barbara R. Snyder said at the time of his hiring. “He is creative, collegial and absolutely committed to engaging students, staff, faculty and alumni.”

Despite The Daily and other friendly news outlets publishing positive articles about the institution this past week, one “oh shucks!” will always outweigh a thousand attaboys. For the moment, the actions or inactions that occurred at the law school will push aside the other, well-deserved merits of our institution.

As this story progresses, The Observer will continue to cover it without bias or reservation. After all, the only thing we know for sure is that life moves forward and this campus’ church bells will continue to toll. But rather than mark the passing of time, they will be signing each new crack in the presently embattled reputation of Case Western Reserve.

Tyler Hoffman --EXECUTIVE EDITOR

the observer

established in 1969 by the undergradute students of case western reserve university executive editor & publisher TYLER HOFFMAN director of design MEREDITH DYKEHOUSE director of web & multimedia KYLE PATTERSON director of print SHEEHAN HANNAN director of business & marketing PETER CHOI assistant director of business & marketing COLE MORRIS account manager ERIC HAUFLER ad manager CELIA TORRES news layout MEILYN SYLVESTRE a&e layout AMBER ALBERGOTTIE sports layout HEATHER HARGROW opinion layout EDWIN LO distributors SAGE SCHAFF DANIEL DOHERTY

news editor MIKE MCKENNA a&e editor KATY WITKOWSKI opinion editor NOORA SOMERSALO sports editor KATHLEEN WIESER multimedia editor ARIANNA WAGE copy editors ANNE NICKOLOFF, JENIECE MONTELLANO advisor BERNIE JIM

The editorial opinion takes a stand on a select campus issue that The Observer’s board of directors, the executive committee of the editorial board, considers relevant and consequently should be brought to the attention of the Case Western Reserve University community. The board consists of the executive editor and publisher, director of design, director of web and multimedia, director of print, director of business and marketing, and opinion editor. A member of the board meets with students, staff, faculty or any other persons who the board considers to be a subject matter expert. The board will then decide what stance to take on the issue, or if there are disagreements among the members, communicate them in the editorial. The meetings with interviewees occur off the record; no person will be directly quoted or referred to by their name. The editorial opinion does not in any way influence the work of the editors, reporters and staff of The Observer, nor does it represent the opinions of those interviewed for it.

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Dialogue is the basis for an intellectual community The meaning of Spartan life Jacob Martin A letter to the editor that ran in the Sept. 13 issue of this paper continues to baffle me. A disgruntled undergraduate student, apparently writing on behalf of “many other people” who were “extremely upset” with an editorial that appeared the previous week, asked The Observer “to apologize for [the] poorlyedited article.”

I respond to that student’s request with a simple yet deliberate “why?”

I do not wish to explore why that student will never get his apology because such an exercise is ridiculous for what should be obvious reasons. However, I do wish to explore the bigger question that flows from such a request that may shed light on why it is an unsettling thing to ask for, namely: What is dialogue?

What does it mean to engage in a dialogue? Clearly it is a form of communication, but in the context I’m talking about—an academic and intellectual context—it is much more than an exchange of words between people. It is an open exchange of ideas, concepts, thoughts, beliefs, values and opinions.

It is the ability to learn from our differences and grow as individuals.

Our campus is riddled with the antithesis of dialogue. The letter to the editor I reference to begins this piece is a perfect example. I do not believe an opinion that attempts to silence another opinion is productive dialogue.

This attitude is all over our campus, and I want to know why. Why are we repulsed by those who disagree with us?

Why do we condemn them? Why do we think we are always right? Why do we continue to stunt our growth because of foolish pretentions?

I earnestly try to listen to and entertain all viewpoints that come my way. Of course I often fail; I am human. But the effort is just not present among too many CWRU students.

Whenever I feel overly confident I humble myself in different ways. One way is I think to myself, if you left school right now, you’d have no degree, you’d have no credentials and you would not qualify for a decent job according to societal standards. So do the same.

Humble yourself by putting your entire

being into perspective.

The egotism needs to go—there’s no room for it at CWRU. Engineers are not better than humanities majors, Euclid Avenue does not divide the university in two and you are not always right.

We are a community of colleagues pursuing the common goal of learning and gaining knowledge. It’s time we start acting like it.

We can always learn through collaboration. The way a marketing, biomedical engineering, history or physics major will approach a given problem is always going to be different, but that doesn’t mean one is correct and the other isn’t.

Nor does that mean the problem can’t be solved with a hybrid solution of these differing disciplines.

CWRU is a research institution and should inherently promote dialogue.

The format of all research depends on this notion of dialogue. When conducting research, as in preparation for a paper, one is effectively hearing the conversation of past scholars on a given topic. The goal is to then formulate your own topic and enter into the running dialogue of scholars.

This is how we learn and develop our abilities. This research model is how we should treat others: Listen to what they say, prepare our own comments, enter it into the greater dialogue and accept both positive feedback and constructive criticism.

But this is not what we do. We ridicule, condescend and belittle each other.

We disrespect contrasting opinions and write them off as stupid and wrong. Again I ask you, why do we do this? Why are we so afraid of healthy disagreement and fruitful conflict? We should seek these kinds of exchanges out because we learn best through comparing and contrasting.

Dialogue is the most important tool to a thriving community. We must abandon all affectations and commit ourselves to the noble pursuit of knowledge. Sometimes that means humbling ourselves and listening to another’s opinion, especially one we don’t agree with. This is how we grow, not only from curious scholars to learned intellectuals, but also from immaturity to maturity.

Jacob Martin wants to know why two days of no classes is considered a “break” when professors just assign extra work?

Hard work demands support Boosting the CWRU community Heather O’Keeffe As a tour guide, when I am asked by families what my favorite part of Case Western Reserve University is, without hesitation I reply, “the students.” The 4,386 undergraduate students who live, work and play on this campus make it so amazing. Each individual is immensely motivated and hugely driven, already accomplishing amazing feats.

In fact, my “a-ha” moment when I first arrived at CWRU that affirmed my decision to come here was during the welcome speech to the class of 2016. I sat in awe as President Snyder listed off the incredible accolades of my newly acquired peers.

While I love the involvement and dedication of CWRU students, too often we become too focused on our own goals and forget to acknowledge and appreciate the accomplishments of the other 4,385 students on campus. Most students here love the anomaly that is CWRU, but unfortunately this love does not always equate to school spirit and support of our peers.

I, like most other CWRU students, am involved in plenty of extracurriculars.

One of my favorite activities on campus is actually related to academics: my sports medicine minor clinical hours. I have devoted many hours to taping ankles and filling water bottles to gain insight into the world of sports medicine.

Through these clinical hours I have witnessed firsthand just how hard our student athletes work. If you are a student athlete or have a friend who is an athlete at CWRU, then you can attest to this fact.

Between early morning lifting sessions, team internal bonding activities, team meetings and late night practice sessions, student athletes are always busy. While I am debating whether to watch Netflix, take a nap or be productive, they are headed to a two-hour practice. It is a huge commitment and even though CWRU is only involved in Division III varsity athletics, the efforts of our student athletes demand more support than the lackluster smattering of fans throughout the stands.

This past Sunday, the junior varsity

football team played John Carroll University. Few are probably aware the game transpired, much less what the score was (CWRU handedly won, for the record). Even though the level of football could not compare to the NFL games playing on TV, the JV football game was still exciting. The players were focused and excited to play: They trained hard this past week in practice for this moment to take the field and to play football.

I enjoy watching people get rewarded by their hard work, accomplishing their goals and doing exactly what they want to be doing. Thus, my favorite moment of the football game was when a player, who returned from injury, made a fantastic one-handed reception in the end zone for a touchdown. The reception was no doubt skilled, but knowing that the athlete had bided his time while injured and worked hard during rehab to get to that moment made the catch all the more excellent.

If football or any of the other 18 varsity sports here at CWRU are of absolutely no interest to you, then that’s okay. There are numerous activities CWRU students devote their precious time to that could use more support from within the community.

So go to a research symposium and listen to your friend present their summer research project; go to the talk your classmates’ organization is hosting; cheer on your suitemate as she kills her first solo in her acapella group; attend your roommates’ sororities’ charity event; take a walk through Thwing once a week and enjoy any of the number of events going on.

Hard work is the norm at CWRU, whether it be in the classroom, with a club or on the playing field. We put in the hard work because we believe in the outcome, because the end is well worth the means. That moment when our goals are realized and our dreams become our accolades are much sweeter and by far more gratifying when we can share our accomplishments with our friends and know we have the support of our peers.

Heather O’Keeffe is a second year student studying biomedical engineering and sports medicine. She tapes a mean ankle and is super stoked to be a Power Ranger for Halloween.

Intelligence, CWRU Style Un-sCWRU your lifestyle Theresa Smetona B’s are always undeserved, and receiving one is sufficient reason to cry or threaten the professor with retaliatory action.

You not only are more knowledgeable than the rest of your classmates, but you probably are better informed than any given professor as well.

As an engineering student, you are undoubtedly smarter than all the plebeians who attend classes on Mather Quad.

You’re pre-med and thus allowed to throw fits in which you stress about your privileged life and the weighty responsibilities that attend your incredible intelligence.

Having a lab report due means any friend’s problems or basic human duties become insignificant.

Tweeting about being at Kelvin Smith Library affirms your dedication and hard work, and points to your future success.

Complaining about your work load and

bragging about your all-nighters puts you in the cool kids club.

You are exceptionally smart and talented, and are entitled to flaunt your intellectual superiority in any way you please, the more frequently the better. In short, you are a student at Case Western Reserve University.

At what point did accepting any of the above become a matter of course at CWRU? Parading around campus while boasting about your extracurriculars or future career plans is really not advisable behavior. No one is impressed. Given that we were all accepted into the same university, chances are that everyone has a relatively comparable intelligence level and a similarly extensive list of achievements. So you have a good GPA; would you like a cookie? So you “aced” your MCAT; sorry I don’t have a gold star to give you.

This is not to say that you should not be proud of your accomplishments. If you just got into graduate school or received a research fellowship, congratulations on all of your hard work! But constantly letting the rest of us know that you are being “re-

cruited by several law schools” is unnecessary and obnoxious.

Everyone is focused on academic success, but how many of us truly embrace the spirit of learning? Many students enroll in 101-level foreign language classes in which they are already quite proficient, simply because they want an easy A—a complete waste of tuition dollars and time.

As CWRU students, we have a tendency to become entrapped in an academic bubble, in which we gauge our worth by cumulative GPAs and the amount of time spent on homework. But we are so focused on living the so-called demanding life of a CWRU student that we ignore what is going on in the world around us. The other day, a peer asked me who Angela Merkel was. Sadly, this type of comment is completely routine. How can we complacently consider ourselves as worldly, successful individuals when our knowledge and experience is so limited?

Intelligence is multi-faceted, and is not solely defined by the ability to correctly remember a chemical reaction. What about social intelligence? What about cu-

riosity? What about cultural cognizance?

Instead of only emerging from your room to go to Kelvin Smith Library, why don’t you lift your head from your books once in a while and really look at the world around you? Read the news. Catch up with political debates, both in our country and others. Go to Severance Hall. (This comment was inspired by a group of students who were complaining that they had to go listen to one of the best orchestras in the country and suffer through an hour of “boring classical music.”) Once you graduate, the vast majority of people will not be impressed by a high grade in thermo, but they will remember an ignorant comment about a cultural custom or political dispute. So let’s stop relying on a heavy course load as a method of self-validation and start caring a little more about what’s happening outside our bubble.

Theresa Smetona is a senior majoring in Spanish and English. In her free time, she likes to drink coffee and consider the possible benefits of her future unemployment.

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observer.case.edu

Holy Carp!

Keeping perspective Ashley Yarus

Earlier this week, four grass carp were found in the Sandusky River, right here in Northern Ohio. The U.S. Geological Survey has confirmed that these carp were bred in the Sandusky River, the first confirmation that a species of Asian carp is now living and breeding in the Great Lakes watershed.

Since Asian carp are an invasive species, and a rather detrimental one at that, these findings are a bleak omen for the future health of the Great Lakes, and especially Lake Erie.

Asian carp were brought to the US in the 1960’s to control algae and unwanted plants in controlled areas. Four species of Asian carp—bighead, silver, grass and black—escaped into the wild and have become established in the Mississippi River Basin as well as areas of the Midwest. While the Mississippi River Basin has been dealing with an established Asian carp population for a few decades now, the Great Lakes have yet to be impacted by this species.

Bighead and silver carp are prolific breeders and consume large quantities of plankton. By impacting the microscopic diversity of an aquatic system, established carp seriously disrupt the food chain of a water body. The introduction of carp could have a butterfly effect wherein their increased population and associated consumption blossoms into a full-scale destabilization of the fishing industry at work in the Great Lakes. This industry has an approximate value of $7 billion. On an environmental level, the introduction of an invasive species most likely correlates to a loss

of habitat and spawning space for native species.

Now, if you’ve read all of this information, you may be questioning its relevance to you. Well, here it is: The Sandusky River is a tributary to Lake Erie and if the Sandusky has grass carp, Lake Erie may be on its way to a carp issue, which is a problem not easily fixed.

In fact, the proliferation of carp into the Great Lakes is such a pressing concern that the Obama administration has spent around $200 million to keep carp out of the Great Lakes. You may note that this is quite a large sum of money to prevent the spread of some fish, but the ramifications of Asian carp in the Great Lakes is beyond prediction. One can never to too cautious about invasive species.

Here in Cleveland, we may not value Lake Erie all that much. The water is cold. Its size brings us weather that is alarmingly horrible, things like thunder hail for instance. Its toxicity is a bit questionable since the Cuyahoga River—which caught on fire and sparked nationwide outrage just a few decades ago—happens to feed the lake. Mostly, industry marrs its lakefront and it is not the most beautiful thing to behold.

No matter these flaws, Lake Erie is a resource worth protecting and its health is impacted much more by our treatment than we realize. I’m sure there are motions at work to beautify Cleveland’s lakefront, but I think now is a time where we focus on the aquatic health of our lake. At a time like this, when we are aware of an imminent threat, we must move to protect our resources. With the consequences unknown, the stakes have never been higher.

Ashley Yarus is a second-year student studying chemical engineering.

October’s Student Leaders of the Month Award The Student Leadership Journey Council (SLJC) presents the Student Leaders of the Month Award for October.

Erika Brentar is a third year management student concentrating in marketing from Mentor, Ohio. She is a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, director of concerts for the University Program Board, an Orientation Leader and a cochair on the Springfest planning board.

SLJC recognizes and awards Brentar for making a positive difference on CWRU’s campus, bringing spirit and leadership skills to all she is involved with.

SLJC interviewed Brentar to find out more about herself and the work she does: On her role in UPB: Brentar plans the weekly Spot Night performances on Thursday nights and the homecoming concert as director of concerts.

On UPB’s campus influence: According to Brentar, UPB has a mostly financial impact, but suggestions and mentoring are also available for groups.

They also help small groups who may have very little funding which can really boost their impact.

On role models: Brentar’s dad is her biggest role model.

She says, “Everyone got along with him.

He could be anyone’s best friend.” She wants to be someone that people know that they can come up and talk to.

On collaboration: “Within UPB, we all collaborate together as a group,” says Brentar, who has been on the board for three years, and is now the director of concerts on the execu-

tive board. She strives to make sure everyone’s voice is heard. She believes the whole campus has a voice worth listening to. Cosponsorships are important for student organizations, and UPB helps with promotions and putting on their events.

On next year’s Homecoming concert: “Vertical Sound, our production company, said ‘You guys have reached the peak.’ I’d like to top it but I think it’s going to be tough,” she said. Regardless, Brentar plans to remain involved with all of her current commitments, and hold her position on the executive board of UPB. On advice: “Don’t be afraid to just take charge. I wish I had known that everyone’s opinion matters, no matter how new you are at something. That’s what new people trying to join clubs really need to understand,” says Brentar.

Part of our mission in SLJC is to recognize those student leaders and groups that use their talents to promote growth in our community. The Student Leaders of the Month and Student Organization of the Month Awards are our way of celebrating the wonderful people and groups at CWRU. Keep an eye out for future awards. Know someone or a group that deserves to be awarded? Please email akc48@case.edu for more information.

SLJC is a group dedicated to creating a community among student organizations and student leaders. We work with the Office of Student Activities and Leadership to provide resources, support and recognition so that our community will grow.

Creating community: throw money at it The elephant in the room Andrew Breland Last weekend, as part of Case Western Reserve University’s mock trial team, I had the opportunity to compete against other schools at Eastern Michigan University. In addition to competition, being around other college students provides the valuable opportunity to share experiences, establish contacts and, dare I say, make friends with students from across the country.

But even as I say this, I have a caveat. Out of the 20 or so members of the CWRU team that attended the tournament, I can count on one hand the number that conversed with other schools outside the moments where we were awkwardly alone in a room.

I don’t mean to fault any of my teammates here. I just believe that we come from a culture that undervalues the notion of human interaction beyond what is necessary. That’s a CWRU thing. And it’s wrong. But most importantly, it’s our own failure.

Long gone are the days (were there ever any?) of students sitting on the grass, atop Merging or in a common room to discuss life.

Not class. Not that professor you all fear. Not the research competition this weekend. Just life. The little things.

At CWRU, too often I hear students define themselves, their roommates or friends as quiet, closeted nerds, uninterested or unenamored, by the myriad of excitement that surrounds them, even when it looks like there is nothing to do.

Earlier this year in a very contentious piece, I wrote that I sleep little, due to a too-packed schedule, that is created in part due to classes, extracurriculars, practice and my perhaps foolish attempt to keep a social life. Critics of that piece argued that I put myself through the pain, that I cause my own grief. And with those critics, I don’t disagree. In fact, I admit that a lot of my problems would be solved if I stopped doing things. Isn’t that the case with anyone?

I want to argue that as students at CWRU, we lose out on the experiences that other universities offer. I’m not referring to the all night “real” parties, easy work and job prospects, though some of those would be nice. I am referring to the camaraderie, the community and the togetherness that friends at other schools have told me about. A sense of oneness that we don’t have. There should be a community of like-minded individuals, equivalently involved and equivalently intrigued, to enjoy and foster. By comparison, at CWRU, one is more likely to find a student either involved in everything or nothing, rather than a healthful balance in all of our lives.

And that’s why I feel the need to converse. Why, if I cannot experience a community here, can I not have one on a wider scale? This is why I get to know the people I compete against. While there is an immediate connection and easy information

to exchange, I also know that they bring a background entirely different than my own.

I do this not to get sympathy for the CWRU kids, but to see how things work for everyone else. Whether I meet a graduating senior at Fordham, a junior at EMU or a jaded freshman from Miami University, each and every student will have an experience valuable to my learning, and insight into the issues and problems we face here.

And what a time it is to talk.

Our university faces immense pressure, change and difficulty. Construction is nearing completion on the Tinkham Veale Center, or more accurately described by one professor as a “monument to self-absorption,” a building that, no matter your thoughts, will permanently change the way students move about campus. The university is compiling a new strategic plan that will guide the university’s actions for years to come. What happens if that is messed up? Buildings on campus continue to grow old, fall apart and remain in disrepair while campus authorities turn the other cheek.

In people, we fail to attract bright minds as students or professors, for permanence or even a visit. And those we do have, have their unique flaws. See the lawsuit filed against the new law school dean for more on that one.

To many, CWRU is still “that school.”

This semester I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with a number of professors on this subject. And frankly, their opinions vary little from my own. Professors, independent of department, feel they are mismanaged, ignored and that the university remains stagnant while all the schools around us soar to new heights. They all have differing approaches to managing this problem, ranging from throwing money at it, to throwing more money at it, but they all believe in one thing—the idea that CWRU will always be “that school.” Any attempts at fixing that image, including intervention with the freshmen, SAGES and throwing even more money at it never has solved the problem.

But I refuse to remain pessimistic. I think the university can grow. We can foster the kind of community and intellectual atmosphere we so desperately need. But before we can implement it ourselves, we have to see what everyone else does. Reach out, talk to friends and reconnect with the guys from high school. Their experience is not your own and there is plenty to be learned from other people. Maybe, through the fostering of these relationships we can build a sort of community at this school, beyond the stagnant non-involvement and interest we’ve seen thus far. Or think about it this way: It’s better than throwing more money at it.

Andrew Breland is a double major in political science and English, planning on getting a master’s degree in political science before attending law school. He is the vice president of the Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity and the treasurer of CWRU’s undergraduate mock trial team.

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16 opinion

Letter to the Editor To the Observer and CWRU Community, First, I am 22 years old and a fourth year student. I turned 21 at the beginning of my junior year and have been legally (and responsibly) enjoying alcohol since. Except for a beer with my dad, I never drank unless my parents bought me the alcohol. I have moral problems with underaged drinking, it simply was something that I chose not to do. Besides, people watching is really fun at parties.

The main issue I take with Maia’s piece is the same issue I take with so many other articles like this: I am tired of students whining about things they actually have control over or things they frankly know nothing about. For example, Maia implies that RAs like “stalking vodka-breathed kids” and instead should “urge sober students to keep their living areas cleaner.” Has Maia ever talked with her RA? I’ve lived with RAs over the summer and know several of them. I won’t pretend I fully understand the entirety of their job but almost none of them seem to like policing drunk students. When do they find out about these things? When they go on their rounds, while “making sure every one is healthy and happy,” to use her words. The RAs I know deeply care about the well-being of their residents. They would go out of their way to ensure the safety of their residents and unfortunately, sometimes that includes calling for a transport. Vomiting due to alcohol can be indications of something much more serious.

She states that “the RAs should really extend the same courtesy of independence to us.” Not that every student in the Village makes the best decisions when it comes to alcohol, but most Village residents have had time to mature.

This isn’t something that you can teach in a seminar, not that many freshman would listen, lets be honest. Older students have earned their independence.

Freshman are awesome, but being 18 doesn’t magically teach you all the workings of the world. Spoiler alert: turning 21, 34, 57, or 91 do not give the answers either.

Next, just because the alcohol is there doesn’t mean you have to drink it.

Yes, I understand that college is a time of discovery, and I agree with her statement that putting 18 year olds with 21+ year olds seems ridiculous. But choosing to drink is a choice that you get to make. Alcohol makes decisions harder, but there existed some point in the night where you were sober and alone made the choice to take a first drink. You need to be responsible for this decision and every one you make after it.

In regards to her question: Why doesn’t the university, as a private institution, lower the campus drinking age to 18? You know what, lets do that. Lets lower the drinking age to 18 since clearly we don’t have any ties to the State of Ohio or Federal Government. Students could lose state/federal aid scholarship, our school could lose its non-profit status to non-compliance, and state/federal funding to labs and research could decrease. But at least then, freshman would be able to ‘legally’ do what they do already. Freshman would magically be able to make better decisions regarding alcohol.

CWRU Housing actually has a pretty lenient policy with regards to underaged drinking. My brother went to Baylor University in Texas. It is extremely baptist and has a zero tolerance policy for any alcohol on campus. Students can get heavily sanctioned and even expelled for alcohol offenses.

I’ll leave all y’all with this. Universities can offer us all the information in the world. It is our responsibility to learn, process, and practice.

11/1/13

Letter to the Editor After working as a member of residence life for three years, I was shocked by the article most recently published by The Observer concerning under-age drinking on Case’s campus. Maia Delegal’s opinion of responsibilities and duties of resident assistants is horribly misconstrued.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with what it is like on the other side of the incident, allow me to shed some light on the matter. As a resident assistant, my year begins nearly three weeks before your academic year starts. We arrive in early August for two weeks of training during which we cover a wide spectrum of topics ranging from diversity training, to the University’s Residence Life policies, to conflict mediation to successful program planning. Not only do we spend nearly 12 hours a day in training, we are responsible for preparing the floors for the arrival of our residents. This includes room checks as well as crafting door decs and bulletin boards, all in an effort to create a welcoming environment for the new academic year.

While our responsibilities include creating a safe, healthy environment in which our residents can thrive academically, socially, and psychologically, we also are responsible for up-holding the University’s policies. This includes reporting under-age drinking and seeking medical attention for our residents who are in need of it. What you may not realize, our responsibilities to our residents do not end with the phone call to Case EMS. Rather, we follow up with our residents as well as bear the brunt of worried, upset parents who call our supervisor’s in response to their child’s misdeed.

I acknowledge that under-age drinking is a part of college culture and will not disappear anytime in the near future. As far as education is concerned, if you paused for a minute, you might realize your RA most likely will or already has hosted a program targeted to educate their students on alcohol consumption safety. We understand that this is a part of the “college experience” and hold a responsibility to remind our residents and enforce University policy; however, we also work to educate our residents on safety if they choose to drink.

I ask in the future to think before your speak. RAs are not police officers and the last way we want to spend our Saturday night is dealing with an alcohol related incidence, much less an alcohol transport. We spend countless hours training prior to the start of the school year as well as throughout the remainder of the year ensuring we create a safe, welcoming, and healthy environment in which our residents’ live. However, this is not a one-way street. Residents have a responsibility to maintain these qualities as well; this is your home for the academic year as well. While we are available for roommate conflict moderation and helping deal with hygiene concerns on the floor, our duties do not end there. We are not “out to get you.” We just want to ensure you are able to thrive during your time at Case.

McAllister Castelaz

Letter to the Editor

Collin Williams

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I would like to present additional information concerning the recent investigation into Student Activities Fee (SAF) money. Why did this paper not report on the advantages presented to itself due to their allocation of SAF money? The Observer staff gets paid for the work that they do-unlike a majority of other student organizations.

Yes, the money for student staff doesn’t come directly from the SAF-it comes from advertising revenue. The rules surrounding the SAF specifically state that it can’t be used for student salaries. Some of this revenue comes from student groups however. The SAF money is used for operating costs while this ad revenue has a final resting place in students’ pockets.

So how fair is it for this paper to criticize other student groups about their spending when the staff is using the SAF to create a loophole so they can put some cash in their pocket?

What specifically does this organization do that sets them above the others? Work long nights? No, everyone does that. Writes intellectually illuminating articles? Yes, my whole stance on bro tanks has completely changed forever. Thanks guys. I think it is time for this paper to reset itself and remind themselves that they are a college newspaper-not a professional organization. You don’t need a money incentive to get people to write articlesyou need to find the passionate people. Members of the other SEC organizations don’t do the things they do for money-they do it because they are passionate about making a change and because they want to give back to the CWRU community. And don’t try to argue that other schools pay their officers-you go to Case Western Reserve University and you were formed to serve the students of this university by delivering news-not ill-informed opinion articles or flashy headlines about the Student Center that we knew about last semester.

So, Mr. Editor, I implore you to start a culture of fair and passionate reporting. Also, while you are at it, as chair of Mediaboard, help the rest of your organization figure out if all of those student salaries really need to be paid. I know this will be hard while you are out spending the $3,000 you’ll make this year (as a library assistant, I’ll make a little over $2,000 this year), but I’m sure you’ll find a way. You better- as we are (indirectly) paying you enough to do so.

Cheers, Theo Smith Past Student Group President Current Greek Life Officer

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sports | 17

Case Cycling shows strength in cyclocross during winter season Team uses spinning sessions to train through cold weather Katie Wieser Sports Editor The Case Western cycling club is not letting the crisp fall weather deter their progress as they enter into the cyclocross portion of their season, competing in the Northeast Ohio CX series of events leading up to the regional collegiate championships in December.

The team concluded their track events last month with the Case team taking 15th place in Division III at the USA Cycling Collegiate Track Nationals race.

This is a relatively new event for the team, though many riders are familiar with the style. Graduate student Jenna Tomasevich and senior David Takahashi competed in the race, scoring enough points to propel the team to their second national ranking.

The team participated in two prelimi-

nary track matches with seven racers. The national qualifying meet took place at the Cleveland Metrodome. The Case Cycling team claimed the top spot as several students placed in the top ten riders. The resulting high scores put the Case Western team on top of all schools in the midwest in both Division I and Division II. The group looks to keep this momentum going through cyclocross, which is a mix of mountain biking and road biking techniques. With five of the races completed, several Spartan racers have shown success in the hybrid races, including Alex Kloss, Matthew Swartwout, Evan Guarr, Daniela Mehech and Rebecca Schur.

The team training will also be changing with the outside temperature. The normal weekly schedule for the club includes multiple group rides, some at a racing pace and others rolling at a more recreational speed. During the winter

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months, the club starts organizing a spinning class, which will take place in the squash courts at Veale. These sessions are open to the campus for a fee, which includes entry to as many sessions as desired.

Club president Eric Silverman is excited for the opportunity for more students to become involved in cycling activities.

The training format also allows the team to become closer as a group. “During the spinning classes, less experienced riders can be right next to nationally ranked cyclers.” Silverman explained, “The whole group comes together in the winter because you can all stay and train together.” This also provides a valuable resource for recreational riders who may be interested in racing in the future to get valuable advice and feedback from their more experienced peers.

The spinning class is one of many services the club uses to spread the knowl-

edge and enjoyment of cycling through the CWRU community. The club also has a seasonal bike tune-up event on the quad and offers this service to students any time through the e-mail fixmybike@ case.edu, providing reasonably priced and convenient repairs.

Silverman is looking for students to become even more involved with the club with coordination to improve pedestrian/bicycle movement through campus.

Since many members of the club ride their bikes between classes, there is a vested interest in coordinating with undergraduate student groups.

The club will post notices regarding the spinning sessions and other events on their Facebook page at facebook. com/CaseCycling. They will be hosting the NEOCX season finale in December which will be a great chance for people who are unfamiliar with cycling to experience the excitement of an indoor race.

Case hockey club opens league play with split record Look to capitalize on core of returning players to dominate CIHA League Katie Wieser Sports Editor The Case ice hockey club started their league season last weekend with a home match versus Allegheny College and an away game at Gannon University. The team split the weekend with two exciting games against these divisional rivals.

The first home game was also a breast cancer awareness event, with the team sporting pink stickers and tape on their equipment. The Spartans didn’t waste any time capitalizing on the home-rink energy and excitement as they scored three goals in the first period. Two of these were from Will Brenn, with the third coming from Jonathan Greenberg with a critical assist by Will Zacher.

Despite some unfavorable penalties resulting in power play opportunities for the Allegheny team, the Spartans kept the pressure on, scoring four more goals before the half. The team continued dominant play through the third and fourth periods, scoring five straight goals in the second half. Jason Pickering logged his first three-goal hat trick of the season along with an assist.

Other scorers for the CWRU team were Zacher with two goals in addition to his assist, Evan Martin with two goals and Anthony Perugini and Dean Kelly, each with one score apiece. Goaltender Patrick Thomas had 23 saves for the game, which resulted in a 12-4 win for the Spartans.

The second match of the weekend saw a larger challenge as the team was facing off against Gannon University. Road games tend to be difficult for the team as many players are unable to attend due to other commitments. Despite the short bench, the Case team started strong with the only score from either team in the first period coming from Nick Smith off a Brenn assist.

Exhaustion set in during the second period when the opposition stepped up

their energy and scored six goals in the 15-minute span compared to the sole score by Brenn for the Case team. Despite challenging and aggressive play by the Spartans, they were unable to capitalize on their shots taken and lost the game 7-2. Goaltender Cam Gutman kept the team in the hunt with 45 saves on the day.

Thomas, the club president, is optimistic about the chances for success within the Collegiate Ice Hockey Association league. Despite a challenging schedule of 12 games over the course of seven weekends, the team has a strong group of returning players. “This year it’s great because we have a really strong core group,” Thomas said, “we have a lot of players returning from last year, so it looks like it’s going to be a really competitive season. Lots of games are going to be close.”

The key to success in the league is strong home play. “It’s a huge advantage to be able to play on your home ice. You have your family and friends there and you can get to the rink to get ready before the game starts,” Thomas said. Since the team is usually travelling for a few hours for their away matches, and operating with a club budget, they are limited in the time they can allow to warm up before each game. The advantage of time is critical in the competitive matchups facing the team this season.

The team is attempting to capitalize on as much home-rink energy as possible by offering a shuttle service to their rink in Cleveland Heights on game days. Acknowledging the difficulty for students to attend off-campus events, the club coordinated with the Greenies to shuttle fans to the Cleveland Heights Recreation Center from Fribley before every home game.

The Spartans have more competition coming up as they face off against Allegheny University again at home on Friday and the University of Pittsburgh at their rink on Saturday.

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Men’s soccer struggles in conference play JP O’Hagan Staff Reporter The Case Western men’s soccer team rebounded from a harsh loss at Washington University in St. Louis with a strong win in the windy city of Chicago. The team advances to 6-4-4 and remains confident that they can finish the season strong. “If we play to our level, we can win any game,” head coach Brandon Bianco said.

The Spartans started last week with a rough loss to Washington University in St. Louis, dropping the match 4-1. While Chris Cvecko scored his sixth goal of the season, it wasn’t enough. Just seven minutes into the match, the Bears found the back of the net off a well-placed assist. They added to their lead in the 23rd minute. However, Cvecko scored about a minute later to cut the Washington lead to one. The Bears commanded the second half scoring twice to handily give the Spartans their second loss of the conference play. Ari Lewis returned to start between the posts and finished with three saves. “We played well despite the result,” said Bianco.

The team bounced back from the defeat by handily beating the University of Chicago 4-0 just two days later. The Spartans dominated the first half and started the scoring with Cvecko assisting Matthew Zembas, who was able to chip the ball over the Chicago keeper and into the net. Twin goals less than two minutes

apart later in the half by Logan Glosser and Taylor Fletcher put Case up by three.

Five minutes into the second half, Zembas put the last nail in Chicago’s coffin scoring his second goal of the match and sixth of the season on Cvecko’s second assist. The Case defense remained steadfast following Zembas’ second goal to close out the game, a splendid win for the Spartans. Frank Candau faced just three shots between the posts to earn the shutout.

Bianco commended his players saying, “Chris Cvecko has lead the team, Matthew Zembas is coming into his own and Ryan Meyer has solidified the backfield, but the whole team has played really well.”

The Spartans returned home to a nearly two-week break. With no games scheduled, the Spartans have found ways to stay competitive and avoid becoming stagnated. One of these ways was to hold an Alumni game. A few former players came in to keep the team in a competitive spirit this past weekend and the team answered in the short hour-long game winning 6-0. The game was a part of keeping the team committed to excellent play for the rest of the season. “We are focusing on us,” Bianco said.

Hoping to carry the momentum of the big win into the remainder of the season the Spartans will start that crusade Friday night against Carnegie Mellon here at home. After Carnegie Mellon Case will finish the season playing Emory and then Rochester. “All three are big,” said Bianco, “They all provide a challenge.”

Spartan women’s soccer wins thrilling match at home JP O’Hagan Staff Reporter The Case Western women’s soccer team, who went 1-2 over the past two weeks, looks to finish strong in UAA play.

After two losses on the road against Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Chicago, the Spartans started a two-game home stand with a strong win versus Denison. The team is looking to build off the win, which places them a game above .500, to gain momentum and head into the end of the season.

The Spartans started their road trip last week against nationally ranked Washington University in St. Louis. The powerhouse, losing two to nothing, blanked the Spartans.

Washington scored once in both halves. The Spartans battled back for the rest of the game but were unable to break through. Washington commanded the game with a 14 shot advantage. Despite giving up two goals, the defense played well, with keeper Abbey Smith making seven saves, a season high.

In their final road game of the season, the Spartans traveled to the windy city to play the University of Chicago. Case Western fell against the Maroons by a score of one to nothing, making their current UAA conference record 0-3-1. In another close game, the Spartans failed to find the back of the Chicago net despite strong play. The Maroons score the only goal while the Spar-

tan defense had another strong match and Smith tied her season high saves tally from two days before with seven saves between the posts. “We just need to find more consistency,” coach Tiffany Crooks said, “I’m happy that we are competitive, but we’re striving to get the breakthrough goal and win those games.”

The team returned home to Case to regain their footing. They found their hold in dramatic fashion with lead of senior co-captain Leah Levey. The game gave the Spartans a 2-1 victory in their non-conference finale.

Jessie Sabers scored the Spartans’ first goal in the 12th minute of the match. Sabers collected a cross from Levey and fired the ball past the outstretched arms of the Denison keeper into the bottom corner.

The lead held fast until fifteen minutes into the second half, when Big Red found the equalizer on a low cross which was poked in by a sliding Jessica Skelly to beat Smith.

The two teams battled back and forth until Levey’s heroic goal in the last 2:41 in the game gave the Spartans the victory. “All wins create momentum. We’re hoping to ride that performance into this weekend’s games,” Crooks said.

Case Western will continue its home stand for the rest of the season when they play Carnegie Mellon Friday night at home. The Spartans will look for their first win of UAA play and look to keep momentum and finish the season strong.

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Editor’s Choice

Spartan Volleyball looks to break even Katie Wieser Sports Editor The Case Western volleyball team competes in their last non-conference match versus Wooster College this Saturday at the Veale Center. The squad looks to improve on their 14-15 record to break even before competing in the conference championship on Nov. 8 and 9.

The Spartans wrapped up their preliminary play with Round Robin #2 during fall break. The team was able to split the matches over the weekend and ended sixth in the UAA rankings ahead of the University of Rochester and Brandeis University.

The team performed especially well in straight-set wins versus the two lower-ranked schools, but also showed signs of promise in a competitive match versus No. 2 Chicago University. Despite not winning a set in the match, the Spartans lost each by a margin of less than 10 points, the first and second sets being won by the minimum of two points each.

The team was mostly healthy for the tournament and benefited from excellent play by starters including Carolyn Bogart with 32 kills and 38 digs, Katie Best with 64 digs and Robyn Marks with 77 assists and 28 digs over the course of the tournament.

Coach Karen Farrell was pleased with the level of play demonstrated in this second conference tournament.

“We definitely played significantly better in the second Round Robin,” Farrell

said. “We’re showing a lot of improvement over the weeks, we just have to minimize the mistakes.”

Farrell is referring to several instances over the course of recent matches that revealed the Spartans’ tendency to fall into large scoring deficits during a set, making it difficult to recover, despite strong play. This is an aspect that contributed to the lack of consistency in the team’s playing.

Last weekend, the Spartans continued to show signs of success with a split record coming out of the non-conference tournament at Allegheny College. The team lost their match on Friday evening versus Wittenberg College, winning one set of the four against the conference champion. The successful set for the team featured aggressive play, with few points coming off of errors. The team used that momentum in the second day of the tournament, out-playing the Allegheny home team with confidence and winning in straight sets.

Farrell is optimistic regarding the team’s chances to obtain a .500 season record before the UAA Championship.

Wooster College is a good matchup for the Spartan squad as they finish their regular season here at home. The home crowd may give the team the confidence and energy they need to go into next week playing their best volleyball.

The team will have to face off against four-seeded Emory University in the first elimination round. In order to improve their sixth-place ranking, the Spartans will have to win at least two matches during the tournament.

Cleveland Cavaliers in the hunt as NBA season opens The team looks to earn their first playoff berth in the post-Lebron era David Hoffman Staff Reporter The last few seasons have not been kind to the Cleveland Cavaliers, to put it mildly.

They have barely sniffed the playoffs since Lebron James left town. However, with some talented and hungry new players taking the league by storm, the Cavs believe this could be the year they finally return to relevance in the NBA. With the Eastern Conference currently in a state of flux aside from its top five dominant teams, the last three playoff spots are up for grabs. It’s up to Kyrie Irving and his improved young and supporting cast to step up to the challenge and give Cleveland the playoff basketball that it has so zealously desired since “The King” left Quicken Loans Arena for South Beach in the summer of 2010.

Speaking of Irving, his health will be crucial to the team’s playoff chances. Last season Irving only managed to play in 59 games, or roughly three-quarters of the schedule.

When healthy, Irving has consistently proven to already be one of the best players in the NBA. Now entering his third season in the league, he looks to become a more complete player as the supporting cast around him continues to improve.

That improved supporting cast features one of the highest risk and high reward players in the league in Andrew Bynum. Like Irving, Bynum has shown the ability to dominate on the court and take over a game. However, his knee issues are well-documented and last season in Philadelphia he failed to play in a single game. Bynum is seeking redemption this season with the Cavs. The thought of hinging your hopes on the health of Irving and Bynum

is a scary proposition, but these two young stars could potentially keep the Cavs in the playoffs this season and for years to come.

In addition to Bynum, the Cavs also welcomed Jarrett Jack into the fold to improve upon their admittedly meager bench depth from last season. Jack is coming off a fantastic year with Golden State, where he provided a spark off the bench time and again throughout the season. His performance garnered a third place showing in the voting for Sixth Man of the Year.

The Cavs are confident he can provide them with that same spark, enabling them to give Irving some rest and avoid the injury risk associated with playing too many minutes. A repeat performance from Jack is certainly possible, and would go long way toward fulfilling the team’s quest for a playoff berth.

Finally, the Cavs are welcoming back Mike Brown as their head coach. Brown previously served as the Cavs’ head coach from 2005 to 2010 and had a highly successful run with the team, which culminated in a trip to the NBA Finals. However, Brown does not have Lebron James on his side this time around. He will need to muster the most out of his players and his defensive schemes to have any hope of success in the foreseeable future. The Cavs are hoping that his defensive prowess can translate into better team defense on the court. It’s yet another factor that will determine the team’s fortunes for this season.

There’s no doubt that the Cavs are facing an uphill battle to make the playoffs this season. Despite their new additions supplementing the core players already in place, they will need a few breaks to get there. In contrast to recent years, however, this edition of the Cavs certainly has a shot.

Spartan cross country overtakes personal records during Inter-Region Rumble Katie Wieser Sports Editor The Case Western cross country squads shone against regional and conference opponents during the Inter-Regional Rumble at Oberlin College on Oct. 19. The men’s team took fifth place in the meet and the women’s team came in fourth out of the 34 schools participating. Several Spartan runners had high individual results with sophomore Kelsey Aamoth claiming second place in the race and senior David Dixon leading the men’s team in eighth place overall.

The men’s team was hoping to challenge University Athletics Association rivals New York University and Rochester University to prepare for the UAA championship meet this weekend. Dixon’s time of 25:31.6 for the 8,000-meter race was the fastest of the team, followed by Gilad Doron in 37th, Timothy Travitz in 39th, Wyatt Hoch in 42nd and Tony Spalding in 56th place out

of 288 runners with a time of 26:29.6.

Doron logged a personal best race time at the meet, finishing more than 20 seconds faster than previous races. He was able to capitalize on the team support system in place during the race to push his personal boundaries. “Mentally, I was a lot more focused than usual, I was more committed to stick with the leaders,” Doron said. Cross country is a mental exercise in motivation and drive; Doron rose to the challenge at Oberlin and is looking to use this strategy for a strong finish in his first large-level meet with the team. Having a personal training regimen in addition to team training means that he hasn’t taken more than two days off in several months. He is hoping this training will continue to pay off.

The women’s team also lived up to their potential as they beat out regional foe Oberlin College and conference rival Rochester. Aamoth was edged out for the top spot by one second as she earned a second place finish with a time of 21:55.5.

She was followed by Erica Bauerbach and Kristen Ruckstuhl who packed up for a back-to-back finish in 29th and 30th, respectively. Completing the top five scorers were Dana Jeter in 43rd place and Lydia Greene in 58th out of 287 runners with a time of 23:07.6.

Aamoth was also pleased with the group’s finish. Knowing she could challenge for the top spot, she tried to move ahead as much as possible, but knew that the leadership on the team could help all the runners achieve their best results. Aamoth logged a personal best time for the season and the team was able to edge out other teams with similar levels of skill.

She is hoping to keep the team strength going in the UAA championship meet.

Coach Kathy Lanese is also pulling for a strong showing from both teams. The UAA is one of the most challenging conferences in the nation in regards to cross country performance. The Cross Country National Coaches’ Poll puts six of the conference’s men’s teams in the lists for the

top 35 squads in the country. Case Western is among this talented group, bringing in the 35th spot behind Washington University, NYU, Chicago University, Carnegie Mellon and Rochester. The women’s squad faces a similar challenge with six nationally ranked teams. They are placed 20th in the poll behind NYU, Chicago and Washington, but leading Brandeis and Rochester.

The UAA championship will be a challenge due to the competitive field as well as the difficult terrain. The course will feature an uphill battle for the runners in the second half of the race and the fall weather could prove to be a negative factor as the Spartans fight for a top spot. Lanese is confident, however, that the team can rise to the occasion.

“Rankings are rankings, but they’re meant to be challenged,” Lanese said,”if we go in and meet our ranking, fine. But I think we can do better.” The main priority for the team is to run the best race possible to prepare for the NCAA battles ahead.

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Swimming and diving plunges into season Katie Wieser Sports Editor The Spartan swimming and diving teams weathered a tough opening weekend at Carnegie Mellon University with both the men and women’s teams losing to the conference rival. The men’s team lost by a score of 178-108 and the women’s team lost 191-101.The meet was one of the more difficult ones that the teams will face in the first part of their season, as many University Athletics Association teams are highly competitive.

Despite the loss, the team competed well in several key areas. Daniel Jacobson won both of the men’s diving events and the men’s team competed particularly well in the 1000-meter freestyle, with three Spartans placing in the top four.

Aaron Tam claimed first place with David Merriman and Andrew Henning finishing in third and fourth, respectively. Tam also won the 500-meter freestyle event.

Eric Haufler took the top spot in the 100-meter freestyle race and Sean Nickley won the 100-meter backstroke. The CWRU 200-meter freestyle relay team, comprised of Heath Hudgins, Nick Clyde, Haufler and Gus Bailey also recorded the fastest time of the day to keep the CWRU team in the running for the win.

On the women’s side, senior Maggie Dillone won both the 200- and 100-meter butterfly races and Sara Tillie boasted the fastest time in both the 200-meter freestyle race and the 200-meter individual medley.

Tillie and Dillone were also members of the winning 200-meter freestyle relay team, which also included Rebecca Pakradooni and Hannah Saunders. The relay was a very successful event for the Case team as they also claimed the second-place spot in the event.

Both the men and women’s team demonstrated strong individual swimming and diving as Jacobson and Dillone both qualified for a NCAA “B” cut, showing excellence in their events compared to Division III rivals. However, the full team struggled in many races.

Coach Doug Milliken chalks up the loss to nerves by the swimmers heading into the new season. “It’s always tough the first meet of the year,” said Milliken, “I think we had a lot of first-meet jitters.

Moving forward we should be much better in terms of the whole team performance.”

Milliken is hoping to use this meet as a stepping stone for the team to move forward through the season. With many returning swimmers, the team can continue to improve on last year’s progress.

The next meet takes place at home and Milliken is looking for quick improvement. “It’s at home, which is always great. I’m looking for people to be a little more fired up. Looking at it on paper, it should be a good meet.”

The team will be on display this Saturday at the Veale Center versus John Carroll University and Notre Dame College.

11/1/13

sports Spartan football makes up for early struggles with two straight wins Team heads to conference play this weekend

Harsha Chandupatla/Observer The Spartans get to the line during game versus Linfield.

JP O’Hagan Staff Reporter The Case Western football team returned to .500 with a strong win on Saturday over Trinity University (Texas). The win continues to build momentum for the teams as they prepare for UAA play.

Decimated by injuries early in the season, the Spartans looked to be in great form against Trinity. A very good team on both sides of the ball, Trinity provided a challenge for the Spartans.

However, the two-week bye allowed for healing and work with some of the younger players by the coaching staff.

“We were as healthy as we have been,” said head coach Greg Debeljak, “After having eight starters out at one point it was great to have two bye weeks to heal.”

The healing and work showed as the Spartans beat Trinity by a score of 21-17 on Saturday. It was the first time Case has ever played Trinity and Debeljak’s 100th game as head coach for the Spartans. Led by running back Kenny Riordan’s 96 rushing yards and two touchdowns, the Spartans appeared

healthy and ready to win. Riordan had 15 carries and quarterback Erik Olson completed 16 out of 21 passes. Of Olson’s 143 yards, 56 went to wide receiver Sean Lapcevic.

The Spartans scored first off of an 80-yard drive that was capped by a three yard touchdown pass from Olson to fullback Adam Hochman with 45 seconds left in the first quarter. Trinity responded early in the second quarter tying the game with a 23-yard touchdown pass with 13:08 left to play in the half. The Tigers struck again with a 24yard field goal to end the first half after multiple possession changes including a crucial interception by Spartan cornerback Mike O’Donnell to stop a strong Trinity drive.

The opening drive of the second half resulted in Riordan’s first touchdown, a 35-yard run. The ensuing extra point gave the Spartans a slim 14-10 lead with 11:28 left in the third quarter. Trinity answered on the following drive however on a trick play when the Tigers looked to be going for a field goal and instead took the snap, rolled out, and floated a pass into the endzone. The Spartans weren’t finished, however, as Riordan

pounced on a fumble in the endzone to give Case Western back the lead. Safety Austin Webb helped shut down Trinity when he intercepted a pass at the Spartan 25, which he returned 32 yards ensuring a Case Western victory.

Kenny Riordan’s efforts lead to him being named UAA player of the week.

Being named player of the week is a big honor for a player who came into this season off a season-ending injury last year. The Spartans will look to him to lead them into UAA success beginning on Saturday. The team looks to win the conference championship, a goal still in reach. Should the Spartans win the three remaining games against University of Chicago, Washington University and Carnegie Mellon, Case would win their fifth UAA title in seven years. “[A championship] is special to the guys,” Debeljak said, “We can still obtain it. They will be low scoring clashes and will come down to a couple key plays. We can’t have any mistakes.”

The Spartans play at home for the final time in 2013 on Seniors’ Day versus the University of Chicago next Saturday, Nov. 2 at 1:00 p.m. at DiSanto Field.