Volume XLV, Issue 15: Jan. 17, 2014

the

volume xlv, issue 15 friday, 1/17/2014

Observer CLOSING CWRU When the campus shuts down, it’s not a vacation for everyone

pg. 4 Anne Nickoloff Staff Reporter

Heather Hargrow/Observer

English professor talks of addiction in novel As a doctoral student in English and American Literature at Johns Hopkins, Michael Clune lived a double life. To those who knew him professionally, Clune was an academic. To a few others in his life, Clune was a heroin addict.

As an addict, Clune says, there were two types of reality: what was actually going on and his personal, skewed sense of reality.

Clune has scrutinized every memory from that time period in order to write his memoir, “White Out,” about his life as an addict.

While writing, Clune would show passages of his book to people in his life to fact-check the events. The memoir was published earlier this year.

Clune said he wouldn’t have thought about writing a book about his addiction without having been clean for a substantial period of time. Clune alluded that a newly clean perspective would have incorporated aspects of his previously distorted reality. Clune began writing in 2006, four years after quitting, but set the project aside. The temporal distance added not only a narrator inline with the world, but also a narrator who has made sense of his

past. Clune likened recovery to grieving; he had to go through the process of fitting pieces together into a narrative of his former self.

Piecing together the narrative proved difficult. At first, Clune used the familiar, academic style. Something was missing.

“Academic style is good at telling you what you know,” Clune said, but it didn’t allow him to tease emotion of those experiences.

Clune switched to creatively writing about past experiences with the intent of capturing how addiction felt. Literary language, he said, captures the mental state in a way that academic writing cannot. While writing innovatively, there is a subconscious exploratory process that allowed him to better explain the sensory experience of addiction.

For example, Clune said, think about hearing your favorite song for the first time.

Specific images, like white powder for Clune, trigger that same feeling of excitement. For most of us, that favorite song gets less exciting the more frequently it blasts through the radio. But, according to Clune, that sensation of exhilaration never dulls when an addict sees triggering images. This type of metaphor, Clune says, would have been unable to carry the same weight in academic writing.

The next literary challenge Clune faced was to depict the split reality in a way that the reader can relate to. Experimenting with various tones, Clune tried tragedy. “In a weird way, the tragic tone is selfish, it’s egocentric,” he says. The self-centered tone would depict the narration with a “Look at what I had to deal with” feeling. A tragic tone, Clune says, is inept at capturing the ridiculousness of his life as heroin user.

What worked, Clune said, was dark humor, which depicts absurdity. The bleak playfulness exposes the gap between Clune’s then-perception of events and what was actually happening: “White Out” tells of a time Clune went to teach a class with a black eye and blood on his notes, fresh from a fight with a drug dealer.

Once there, his fabricated tale, free of whitetopped vials and thugs, coercers his students to believe their teaching assistant is a hero. The moment doesn’t lose its poignancy, yet the bizarre—cry for help?—remains amusing.

After coming clean, Clune struggled to maintain creative thinking without drugs.

Creative thinkers, Clune said, are often on the periphery. The distance from a society’s “normal” gives the artist a perspective from which to create. Now, Clune uses different methods

of interrupting the habits of the mind, which, Clune hints, inhibit creativity. To “wrench the mind out of a rut,” Clune does unguided meditation and “avidly [devours]” art and literature, in order to expose his mind to different angles.

Being open about his addiction, Clune said, hasn’t hurt him professionally. Instead, his creative endeavors opened a number of opportunities. Uncovering the grip of triggering images while writing “White Out,” Clune looked toward neuroscience research.

Permanent novelty has already been the topic of neuroscience research. But, the sensation of newness has not been linked to triggering images in addiction research. Clune breached the subject of novelty in addiction with teams of neuroscience researchers at the University of Michigan and University of Nebraska— Lincoln. The researchers also gave him clues, Clune said, where his writing might uncover other neuroscience phenomena as it relates to addiction. This dialogue prompted Clune to write a literature review on permanent novelty and triggering images for a prominent neuroscience journal. The interplay between creative discovery and academic feasibility interests him, Clune said, and is something he will continue to pursue.

News

A&E

Opinion

Sports

pg. 3 Start-up founders visit Las Vegas

pg. 9 West Wing of CMA opens

pg. 14 Predicting expansion

pg. 19 Snowshoes, skates and sleds

Maureen O’Reilly Staff Reporter

news Spotlight on Research

Graduate student identifies new way of understanding genetic influence on common autoimmune diseases Kushagra Gupta Staff Reporter While many students on campus are just beginning their research, one who is about to leave recently made an important discovery. Olivia Corradin, a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Medicine, discovered new ways of understanding the genetic influence on common autoimmune diseases.

Working under genetics professor Dr. Peter Scacheri, Corradin’s lab focuses on genomic regulation. She looks at the 98 percent of DNA that isn’t in genes but instead controls the genetic material that makes up a gene. She was looking through data on enhancers—a protein that regulatory DNA uses to control and assist gene expression— to help with another project when she came across some odd information.

So, she started comparing this data to Genome-Wide Association Studies, which looks for links between parts of a gene and a disease.

It was only after going through these studies that she realized what the discovery meant and that she had come across her next project.

“I just randomly came across a weird pattern. My boss came by, and I said ‘Hey, I found something strange. Want to see?,’” she said.

What she found was that persons tend to inherit multiple variants in regulatory DNA that make it more likely to contract a certain illness. After some backtracking, she decided to focus specifically on autoimmune diseases due to the plethora of DNA sequences available from previous studies.

The finding could lead to the development of new medication and therapy to treat these illnesses. To accomplish this, researchers do a pathway analysis, which involves looking at

how regulatory DNA affects more than one gene at once and how multiple genes interact and result in a disease. This is opposed to many rare diseases, in which a change in a single base pair, and that of one itself in a gene, promotes an illness.

Unlike many students, Corradin knew she wanted to study genetics since grammar school.

“When I was little, I wanted to be an inventor. It was funny. A modern day scientist is an inventor; I just didn’t know what [a scientist] was. Eventually, I figured out genetics is more of what I meant than an inventor,” Corradin explained.

She worked in a lab with fruit flies at Marquette University, where she did her undergraduate studies as a biochemistry major. She liked it, but eventually found genomics to be more interesting, something at the opposite end of the continuum in terms of being hands on. As a Ph.D. Candidate, she has already completed all of her required coursework and is strictly doing research now.

Laughing she said, “Some weeks I work 80 hours, some weeks I work 40. It just depends.”

Sometimes, however, she can’t contain her curiosity and comes in on the weekends to check on the results of her experiments. Outside of being a researcher, Corradin is also a dancer. She takes ballet classes and teaches a dance class over the summer.

She joked, “There was a ‘dance for Ph.D.’ competition, where you dance to describe your Ph.D. work. I made my lab join in.”

But her favorite part about lab is the social life.

She says, “It’s a whole group of 23- to 28-year-olds and we work random hours. It’s really fun.”

Arianna Wage/Observer Ph. D. candidate Olivia Corradin’s lab focuces on the impact the 98 percent of DNA that isn’t in genes has on controlling genetic expression.

New pita bar opens in Uptown Wrapz restaurant offers Mediterranean cuisine Ellie Rambo Staff Reporter

Observer/Arianna Wage Wrapz Pita Bar recently opened at 11454 Uptown Avenue.

As students returned to campus, Wrapz Pita Bar opened its Uptown location to welcome them. The restaurant serves Mediterranean food with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and fast service.

David Jaber, the managing partner of Wrapz, said that preparing the restaurant for its opening was a complicated process, but that it was now ready to meet the lunch rush.

Before a restaurant can open, everything from health inspections to recipe planning must be organized, and Jaber admitted that the process was still not complete. “There are always going to be obstacles,” he said.

“When you manage a restaurant the work is never ending.”

The work put into preparing Wrapz seems to be paying off, as Wrapz is getting many repeat customers. “Being consistent is very important to us,” said Jaber. “We want a customer to get the same flavor every time they order our food.”

Ingredient quality is also very important to Jaber, who uses organic chicken and natural beef in the restaurants’ sandwiches.

“There’s no filler in our gyro sandwiches, and we marinate our rotisserie chicken for 24 hours,” said Jaber. Many of the menu items are customizable, as the customer chooses ingredients while the sandwich is made. “We believe in playing with your food.”

The restaurant serves salads and vegetarian platters in addition to pita sandwiches and Poutine, a Canadian dish made with french fries, cheese curds and gravy.

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Editor’s Choice

International trade show in Las Vegas highlights CWRU student innovators Julia Bianco Staff Reporter

Courtesy Elliott Pereira CWRU Presidential Fellow Dr. William M. Doll’s with his public-speaking book.

SAGES guidebook “SPEAK” to be published by the Oxford University Press Gabrielle Buffinton Staff Reporter Dr. William M. Doll’s award-winning guide to public speaking, the spiral-bound “SPEAK: How to Talk to Classmates and Others” is set to be made nationally available this February in an updated edition published by the Oxford University Press.

The primer details essential do’s and don’ts of presenting to an audience, displaying the tips in an easily-accessible manner. The layout, optimized for easy reading, relatable text and eye-catching design have resulted in a relevant reference tool any student could use in a jiffy.

It’s often used in the Seminar Approach to General Education and Scholarship (SAGES) classes.

The guide appeals to the college student who needs some simple advice after hearing enough academic jargon to make his or her head spin..

“I remembered I used this in my first seminar,” noted senior student Sierra Coleman. “It’s really good for those who are trying to give oral presentations. You know, when you’re in your first class, everything is kind of quiet. It’s kind of hard to talk to people when you don’t know if they’ll be interested in what you have to say, but “SPEAK” gives you a game plan.

It breaks it down for the nervous crowd.”

The effectiveness of the text results from Doll’s background in Communications. He has served as a writer for most of his career—whether he was maneuvering as a journalist and theater critic at Cleveland’s Plain Dealer, or operating as a professional speechwriter for his very own Bill Doll & Company.

His expertise in speech and public relations led to his appointment as a Presidential Fellow at CWRU. “SPEAK” can be ordered for $9.95 on the Oxford University Press website.

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Over winter break, a group of student entrepreneurs had a chance to present their work at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, a technological trade show that showcased more than 3,200 exhibitors and attracted over 150,000 visitors.

Case Western Reserve University students, along with students from Pennsylvania State University, the University of Texas at Austin, Columbia University and a few other select schools, were able to participate in the first Academia Tech Zone, which highlighted student innovations.

CWRU presented seven different student companies, covering a wide range of needs.

The projects were sponsored by Blackstone LaunchPad, a program which helps students through the process of starting a business: assessing the validity of the idea, securing funding and marketing the product.

Carbon Origins, a rocket company founded by undergraduate engineering student Amogha Srirangarajan, received particular attention at the show for designing rockets that help measure environmental information, such as atmospheric data. The company plans to launch their first commercial payload into space by the fall of 2015.

EcoSpinners, led by senior chemical engineering student Jean Zhao, along with chief engineer Chris Daroux, was well-received by international representatives for helping to build environmentally friendly electric bicycles that could

travel for long distances.

EveryKey, designed by computer science major Chris Wentz and marketing major Alex Chen, provides a convenient Bluetooth wristband that unlocks phones, tablets, bike locks and other personal property within a certain range. Many people were impressed with the convenience and ease of the program, as well as the security that it provides.

Kudoala, a social networking app designed by junior business management major Matt Strayer, also received a lot of attention, particularly from corporations. The app provides a way for people to publicly congratulate their friends for doing amazing things.

Other projects included Disease Diagnostic Group LLC, which developed a handheld malaria detector for use in third-world countries, Sprav Water LLC, which created a Bluetooth-enabled smart water meter to help measure water used when showering and Widdle, a social network that allows people to “widdle” away posts they don’t want to see without unfollowing people.

Bob Sopko, director of the program, says that the International CES was extremely beneficial for the students.

“They found that there was a tremendous need for their ideas,” he said. “They were able to identify partners to help build and distribute their products.”

“I was very impressed at how the students prepared and really stepped it up. They got to speak to potential investors from around the world, and I was impressed with how professionally they handled themselves.”

President Snyder stands with AAU, speaks out against proposed academic boycott of Israel Mike McKenna News Editor Over break, Case Western Reserve University President Barbara R. Snyder released a statement to all university members via email, which denoted that both she and Provost W.A. “Bud” Baeslack III oppose the American Studies Association’s (ASA) academic boycott of Israeli academic institutions.

According to the group’ s website, the ASA is the “nation’s oldest and largest association devoted to the interdisciplinary study of American culture and history.” Open to both individuals and institutions, the organization is 3,853 members strong. However, less than a third of the association’s members participated in the 10-day online referendum that called for the boycott of Israeli universities and other higher education institutions, but not individual Israeli scholars.

The rationale behind the ASA’s resolution was the lack of “effective or substantive academic freedom for Palestinian students and scholars under conditions of Israeli occupation,” calling Israeli academic institutions “a party to Israeli state policies that violate human rights and negatively impact the working conditions of Palestinian scholars and students.”

66.1 percent of the 1,252 members who voted endorsed the boycott, while 30.5 opposed it, and 3.4 abstained.

This boycott is part of the larger Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a global campaign created in 2005 by 171 Palestinian non-governmental organizations who seek to pressure Israel through economic and political means to end the Israeli occupation of Arab land.

The Association of American Universities, an organization made of 62 of the leading research universities in the United States and Canada, of which CWRU is a member institution, issued a statement opposing such sanctions believing that such action violates “academic freedom”.

“Efforts to address political issues, or to address restrictions on academic freedom, should not themselves infringe upon academic freedom,” its Executive Committee emphasized in a press release. Later, it added “The boycott of Israeli academic institutions therefore clearly violates the academic freedom not only of Israeli scholars but also of American scholars who might be pressured to comply with it.”

Dr. Gary Coleman, Executive Director of Cleveland Hillel Foundation, was happy to hear about Snyder’s position on the boycott, calling academic boycotts “counterproductive.” He noted that a university is supposed to be a “marketplace of ideas,” and that while Israel isn’t perfect it is being singled out in such actions.

“We believe that Israel as a democracy is the wrong country to be boycotting in the Middle East,” Coleman noted. “It seems to be that Israel is always the country that is brought up even though according to everyone’s standards it is the most democratic country in the region.”

Coleman believes that a two-state solution is necessary, but the “whole BDS movement is clouding that reality from happening” and that Israel shouldn’t be considered the sole cause of of all the problems.

There are no explicitly pro-Palestinian advocacy groups funded by the Undergraduate Student Government.

In a conference with college journalists, U.S. Department of State spokesperson Jen Psaki noted that the State Department does not have an official view on the ASA boycott but did offer the following statement.

“Israel is feeling the pressure internationally from countries or, it sounds like, institutions, who are making statements about what they want to see moving forward,” she said.

The United States Secretary of State John Kerry is currently attempting to broker peace talks between Israeli government and Palestinian Authority officials.

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CWRU students work to improve poverty housing in Habitat for Humanity trip Jeniece Montellano Staff Reporter This past winter break, while many students were eating holiday cookies to a level of gluttony and making up for their lack of sleep from this past semester, 12 Case Western Reserve University students went on the Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge trip. An 18-hour car ride brought them to Sebring, Florida to work for four days with Habitat for Humanity.

The entire trip spanned Jan. 4-11.

Even though most of them had never done work with Habitat for Humanity before, many say the trip was unforgettable.

“Overall, this trip has turned out to be one of the most inspiring weeks of my life,” said Kate Mrofcza. “I will never forget the amount of appreciation the Sebring Habitat for Humanity chapter had for us.

They often told us that we went above and beyond their expectations with the amount of work we could get done in a day. It made me feel like I was making a difference.”

The group painted houses, did landscaping for a family’s new home, tore down the walls of a burned down house and translated for a Puerto Rican family. However, it was not just experiencing and seeing the work Habitat for Humanity does that made this trip memorable for students.

Daniel Ryave, who also went on the trip, was inspired by Darren, a construction manager who worked with the students.

“Darren was actually an ex-convict who had completely reformed his life,” said Ryave. “Not only was he able to teach us about how to complete our daily work, but he also had a wealth of information to keep our lives on the right path and create worthwhile lives.”

Students had the opportunity to explore

the surrounding area in their downtime.

They traveled to Downtown Disney and visited Anna Maria Island, and many nights were filled with games of Cards Against Humanity. Sebring, Florida was only an hour and a half drive from Downtown Disney, and Anna Maria Island is about the same distance, located on the coast.

According to their website, the Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge trip has been around for almost 25 years.

They have 200 local affiliates throughout the country, allowing those 16 years of age or older to participate in groups of at least five. The goal of these trips is to have college students work with the local Habitat for Humanity group, community and partner families to eliminate poverty housing.

Poverty housing is anything that is considered as housing that poses a risk to the health, safety or well-being of those living there as well as the neighbors.

These homes are often associated with an increased risk of disease, crime and social isolation, and a decrease in mental health. Many owners just don’t have the means to repair their houses. Habitat for Humanity exists to completely remove the presence of these houses through repair or demolishing and rebuilding them.

This service project taught many students about all the work a house needs for its upkeep, and appeared to provide a new experience for each student.

“The trip was an amazing experience that gave me a new outlook on life and a new determination to make the world a better place,” said Ryave.

Mrofcza had a similar takeaway. “I will always incorporate what I learned over the past week into my everyday life. Whenever an opportunity like this arises, I would suggest people take it. You never know who you will meet or how inspiring it will be.”

Ohio Department of Health declares this winter’s flu activity to be “widespread” Tara Tran Staff Reporter The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has recently released information to the public stating that influenza activity is rampant in the state. This flu season is projected to continue into the spring.

Since October, 833 hospitalizations have been reported to the ODH. Two regions have been attributed to having the highest number of hospitalizations: northeast and east central Ohio.

This unfortunately includes Case Western Reserve University.

“Because the flu virus is now widespread throughout Ohio, immunization is all the more essential,” noted ODH Director, Dr. Ted Wymyslo in a statement to the media. “Immunization is the safest and most effective way to fight the flu so I encourage all Ohioans who have not already done so to get vaccinated today.”

Immunizations are available at Case Western Reserve University’s University Health Services at 2145 Adelbert Road.

Students can make appointments at healthservice@case.edu or 216.368.2450.

The 2013-2014 vaccination given at

“Because the flu virus is now widespread throughout Ohio, immunization is all the more essential,”- Dr. Ted Wymyslo University Health Services will defend against two influenza A viruses: an H1N1 strain and an H3N2 strain as well as one influenza B virus, noted University Health Services officials. These were determined by research that indicated that these three strains would be the most common during this season. The ODH website projects that on average over 3,000 people in America die of pneumonia or influenza annually. While not all of these deaths are directly due to the flu, many could have possibly been prevented with an influenza vaccination.

Although immunization is the most effective means of protection against the flu, other steps can be taken to keep from being impacted by the flu. These include washing hands often, cover coughs with tissues, avoiding touching eyes and staying home or reaching out for help when one is sick.

“Immunization is the safest and most effective way to fight the flu so I encourage all Ohioans who have not already done so to get vaccinated today.”- Dr. Ted Wymyslo

from Front | 1 Case Western Reserve University was closed on Jan. 7, but for essential employees like Sarah Zavaleta, a day of work began as usual at 8 a.m.

Zavaleta, a customer service assistant (CSA) for the North Area Office, arrived for her second day of work to an otherwise empty office. “Essentially, the only training I’d had up to that point was reading through the training manuals once and logging a few packages,” she said.

On her way to work, she only spent a minimal amount of time outside while walking back and forth between the office and her car.

Even so, Zavaleta got a taste of the storm.

“Turns out that when it is that cold outside, you don’t feel chilled. I just felt pain,” she said.

“The sidewalks were sheets of ice, so I had this really classic wipe out. I had my Starbucks in hand and everything. My coffee froze the moment it spilled onto the ground—Jack Frost was in his prime.”

Once she made it into Wade Commons, her responsibilities included opening the North Area Office, distributing keys and logging packages. Zavaleta was not originally scheduled to be working alone that day, but because of the subzero temperatures and dangerous road conditions, she was the only student able to take over during the morning shift.

The plummeting temperatures of Jan. 7 broke records that stood for more than 130 years, according to a WKYC report. The day started out with the temperature of minuas 11 degrees Fahrenheit, and a whopping minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit including wind chill.

Cleveland’s deadly weather was not an isolated problem. Many other areas and events were cancelled in Ohio due to the extreme cold as well. This list included the House of Blues, the Cleveland Museum of Art and, ironically, Boston Mills and Brandywine Ski Resorts.

Flights were cancelled all over the U.S. “Due to the extreme cold temperatures and the wind chill factor, we did have a few broken

water pipes that led to flooding in the residence halls,” said Loretta Sexton, the interim associate director for housing.

Included in the housing damage were broken pipes in Storrs House, Sherman House and a duplex on Fairchild Avenue. Only five students were affected, all from the Fairchild apartments. They were temporarily relocated during plumbing repairs.

These repairs didn’t take long, due to the work of other essential staff members. Maintenance, custodial staff and an outside cleaning company responded to the problems immediately. Cleanup began on Tuesday and was mostly finished on Wednesday.

“A round of applause should go out to all the maintenance staff that had to traverse the cold several times that day, and every day, to keep the dorms functional and the campus running safely!” said Zavaleta.

However, damage continued to occur.

“As the weather warmed up the rest of the week, the potential for additional broken pipes increased as the pipes which were previously frozen, warmed up,” said Sexton.

Soon, leaks occurred in Storrs and Pierce, and a pipe broke in Staley.

Maintenance staff members came to the North Area Office to sign out keys from Zavaleta, in order to gain access to the specific areas that were experiencing problems.

“I ended up seeing several people needing help from the Wade Office. Mostly though, I just logged packages, which turned out to be a pretty zen way to spend my time,” she said.

CWRU Housing wasn’t the only part of campus affected by the storm, though. Other buildings across the university also experienced issues due to the low temperatures on Jan. 7.

According to a CWRU Alert sent out in the morning of the same day, weather also caused pipe problems in Kent Hale Smith building and DeGrace Hall.

Thanks to maintenance staff, the broken pipes did not interfere with the start of the spring semester.

CWRU may have been closed, but the work never ended.

The 39th Annual

Science Fiction Marathon in Strosacker Auditorium

Friday, January 17

8:00 p.m.

10:30 p.m.

After Earth (2013) The Iron Giant (1999)

Saturday, January 18

12:30 a.m.

Surprise I 2:30 a.m.

Men In Black III (2012) 4:30 a.m.

Mysterious Island (1961) 6:30 a.m.

Brazil (1985) 9:00 a.m. Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) 11:00 a.m.

Primer (2004) 12:30 p.m.

Children of Men (2006) 3:15 p.m.

Dune (1984) 6:00 p.m.

Surprise II 8:30 p.m.

Monsters, Inc. (2001) 10:30 p.m.

The World’s End (2013)

Tickets are $4 per movie or $30 for the entire event Visit films.cwru.edu for more information

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On the Beat

Back where we started The Case Western Reserve University Police Department (those of us that survived the polar vortex) would like to say welcome back to all our students, staff and faculty returning from winter break. Whether you travelled to an exotic location, took your laundry back to your parent’s basement or simply curled up like a bear and caught up on a semester’s worth of missed sleep, hopefully you had a good break and come back rested and recharged.

The spring semester can be all about getting back into routines—this can include safety routines as well. So here are a few reminders about things you probably knew but may have forgotten in the holiday haze.

While the winter solstice passed on Dec. 21, this is still the time of year when it seems to get dark shortly after lunch.

Darkness can provide cover to bad guys, so continue to walk with friends, stick to well-lit paths and use services such as shuttles and Safe Ride. If you have suggestions about lighting issues on campus, send us feedback at policecolumn@case. edu or call 216-368-3333 to report burntout lights.

Keep an eye on your stuff—don’t leave

valuables like electronics or backpacks (which could contain electronics) unattended, especially in public access areas.

Keep an eye on your surroundings; don’t bury yourself so deeply in the above mentioned electronics that you are unaware of your surroundings or of oncoming traffic.

University Circle didn’t get any less busy while you were gone.

Remember the saying of all things in moderation. January is often a month when we wind up having to take a number of students to the hospital for intoxication issues. While it may look like Siberia outside, that is not a good reason to consume huge amounts of vodka or other spirits.

Remember that you are once again part of the larger CWRU community, and that we need to look out for each other. If you see something out of place, observe suspicious behavior or see one of your fellow community members sinking into a vast snowdrift, call x-3333 or other appropriate campus authority. Let’s have a great semester.

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.

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Inside the Circle

University Circle

University Circle building connections University Circle has made a place for itself in Cleveland with its educational and medical centers, which eventually led to the many programs that help it to be more engaged with its neighboring communities.

Cleveland Foundation President and CEO Ronald B. Richard first noticed that University Circle was isolated from the nearby neighborhoods a decade ago, and he determined that he needed to connect University Circle to the surrounding areas.

Richard asked people in the nearby neighborhoods if they thought they could find work in the Circle, but many answered that jobs at the institutions within the area seemed unattainable. This led to Richard’s decision to create the Greater University Circle Initiative (GUCI). GUCI consists of the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University and many other Circle institutions, and its partners include University Circle Inc., the City of Cleveland and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. The communities involved are

Fairfax, Wade Park-Glenville, Hough, Little Italy and the Buckeye-Shaker area.

Neighborhood Connections, the Evergreen Cooperatives, Evergreen Energy Solutions, Green City Growers and Project Uptown are all GUCI programs that have done their part to help University Circle.

The Evergreen Cooperatives and Evergreen Energy Solutions provide jobs to residents of the area. Neighborhood Connections has increased interaction between residents within their own communities and with University Circle. Neighborhood Connections has given out $6.5 million in small grants ($500 to $5,000) to help citizens with their own projects since its creation in 2003.

Project Uptown has used $44 million as it continues to develop Uptown with the goal of attracting more people to the area, especially college students.

As a result of programs such as these, University Circle is seeing an increase in both the number of people working in the area and its residents.

University Circle movie to be shown again “University Circle: Creating a Sense of Peace,” created by Nina Gibans and Jesse Epstein, will be on WVIZ ideastream, Cleveland’s primary Public Broadcast Station (PBS), on Jan. 26 at 2:00 p.m. The documentary focuses on the public art, history and architecture of University Circle. It first reached Cleveland audiences Sep. 30, 2013 via WVIZ ideastream with the help of the channel’s Senior Host/Producer Dee Perry, who narrated part of the film.

Gibans and Epstein went through many steps when beginning the three-year project that would become their documentary, the least of which was finding the resources and

funding they needed. The final budget was $67,000, raised by the Ohio Humanities Council, Kickstarter and foundation grants.

As for resources, Gibans herself called over 80 people in resources.

The final project is a little less than an hour and a half and broken into two parts. The first, “Creating a Sense of Place,” is an hour, followed by the 20 minute coda “Our Common Ground,” but the two parts will be shown together. The movie includes information about University Circle from the 19th century until present day, and though parts of the film give viewers small tours of area landmarks, most of it is devoted to commentary about the Circle.

CWRU Campus: MLK essay contest deadline this Sunday Jan. 20 is Martin Luther King Day, but students can submit essays for the annual MLK Essay Contest any time before 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 19. The essay gives undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty and staff the chance to win a $500 or $1,000 dollar prize—a winner and runner up is chosen from each group—while discussing King’s ideas. Submissions can be submitted online.

The goal of the contest, which began in 1992 when it was a part of the Share the Vision program, is to promote the discussion of King’s ideas in a contem-

porary light. Those who submit an essay can choose from many prompts that show King’s stance on a variety of issues and are free to argue against, further explain or interpret for themselves King’s philosophy.

Essays are graded on originality and creativity, pertinence for contemporary policy discourse, relevance/connection to prompts and grammar and mechanics. The word limit ranges from 500-1,000, and the winners will be announced at the MLK Convocation in Amasa Stone Chapel on Jan. 24.

Questions, ideas or stories for the editor?

Email mrm141@case.edu

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Adventure abroad Members of the Health Care Costa Rica Bioethics Class spent ten days this winter break in Costa Rica’s capital city, San Jose, and learned about the country’s innovative health care system. They visted a national hospital and smaller health care facilities in neighboring towns, all while seeing other sites that the country had to offer.

-Photos courtesy of Kristen Klemmer

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Crossword Puzzle Across 1. Not false 5. Portion 10. A muscle of the thigh 14. Desire 15. What we pay to the govt.

16. Desire 17. Desperate 19. Cain’s brother 20. 12 in Roman numerals 21. Overweight 22. Russian tsar’s edict 23. Ten times as much 25. Ascended 27. Utilize 28. A star-shaped character 31. Seize 34. Overgrown with ivy 35. 2,000 pounds 36. Ancient units of liquid measure 37. Sweep 38. Greek territorial unit 39. Frozen water 40. Mahogany color 41. A friction match

13. Expunge 42. Tracts 18. Perch 44. An unskilled actor 22. Utilized 45. Bacteria 24. Bother 46. Fiasco 26. Bit of gossip 50. Set straight 52. Something to shoot for 28. Declares 29. A few 54. Regulation (abbrev.)

30. Leg joint 55. Bum around 56. Mixed with impurities 31. Iota 32. Type of cereal grass 58. Ends a prayer 33. Stimulates 59. Female ruff 34. Men of great strength 60. Rectum 37. The top edge of a vessel 61. A musical pause 38. Russian parliament 62. Daisylike bloom 40. Farm building 63. Cried 41. A short moral story Down 43. A monarch’s substitute 1. Between 44. Fastball (baseball slang) 2. Bog hemp 46. Look closely 3. Remove the pins from 47. Long-necked wading 4. French for “Summer” bird 5. Horse barn 48. Abatement 6. Despised 49. Excrete 7. Allies’ foe 50. Winglike 8. Lapsing 51. Disabled 9. East southeast 53. A song for 2 10. Religious Society of Friends 56. Genus of macaws 11. City dwellers 57. Uncooked 12. How old we are

Clock Tower

Chuck Jones is a vengeful god.

By xkcd

by Kevin Yong

And given how much of my stuff they go through, they definitely know where I live. By xkcd

8 | fun page

1/17/14

Philosofish

Kate Hart Ray Krajci

Horoscopes

...The things you learn here may be very important so I want you to take this class very seriously.

No late homework will be accepted - just like industry...

Aries

You’re not the Belieber you used to be. Mostly because Biebs retired while you were on break.

Pfft, we can handle that.

Taurus

Your break is a great representation of your love life: no problems, no obligations, and too much Netflix.

...Please keep in mind that the final exam is worth 60% of your grade...

Gemini

Although the semester has only just begun, you’ve already reconnected with your long lost friend, Starbucks. It is possible to have too much of a good thing.

I‛ve had worse.

Cancer

Against your roommate’s objections, you may find yourself in a situation in which you need some privacy.

Follow the wind and find the right place, don’t make others accommodate you.

...And before you ask, there will be no curve.

Leo

Much like Chris Christie, you’ll be caught in the middle of a scandal you can’t quite wiggle out of without getting your hands dirty. Ride it out; the news cycle is almost over.

We‛re screwed.

PhilosofishComics@gmail.com

xkcd

Virgo

Na

Sochi seems like a winter wonderland, but Cleveland has its own sparkle and class as well. You may feel as though you returned too soon. But that just means you haven’t gotten to visit the hole in the wall places you’d love.

Libra

Your computer’s hard drive may need some maintenance.

Clean up last semester’s poorly executed papers and assignments and start anew.

I hear that there are actual lyrics later on in Land of 1,000 Dances, but other than the occasional ‘I said,’ I’ve never listened long enough to hear any of them.

Scorpio

Shake things up this semester. This is your time to shine, and no one’s seen how bright you are… Yet.

Sagittarius

learn liver lumber mate medium meter puzzle reverse safety stark stick trajectory trick trot unity waste

Wordsearch

beach boats choice coarse collision deflect depth drama engagement explosive fountain fragrant hand horse known late

Once in a while, it’s true: your hair does look fantastic.

Especially today. Rock it.

Capricorn

Make your intentions clear for the semester. Without doing so, you may find yourself aimlessly reading hundreds of pages you never needed to.

Aquarius

Keeping up a healthy lifestyle is very important. Especially when you have the time to at the beginning of the semester. You should give it a shot!

Pisces

You may find yourself in an odd situation this weekend.

However, it’s not as peculiar as the men who met in a Taco Bell parking lot to practice sword fighting.

arts & entertainment

00

Editor’s Choice

Cleveland Museum of Art completes 8-year renovation project

Maria Fazal Staff Reporter The Cleveland Museum of Art started 2014 by opening a curtain that has kept a large portion of the museum out of view.

The museum has also, in the past, revealed 33 percent of gallery space, a 76-seat restaurant and lounge, a 12,000-squarefoot interactive learning center and a glass atrium of 39,000-square-feet (also known as Cleveland’s largest free public space).

These massive additions to the museum are the result of an 8-year expansion project that cost $350 million and is the largest cultural project in Ohio’s history.

The original 1916 building has also been updated and restored, and the museum reports it will endure the next 100 years.

The mastermind behind the expansion project is acclaimed architect Rafael Viñoly, whose works span six continents and vary extensively in nature, ranging from hospitals to stadiums to hotels. The museum explains that Viñoly was the perfect candidate for this project due to his “elegant and expressive use of structural form and modern materials such as glass and steel…and intuitive understanding of how to respond to a specific site.”

Viñoly’s incomparable contemporary style certainly shows through in his work on the CMA. Despite this, he decided that the original 1916 building should re-

West Wing opens Jan. 2

main the heart of the museum, or as he tastefully described, the “beautiful jewel set within a new ring.”

Perhaps the most astounding feature of the expansion project is the Ames Family Atrium, which creatively unites the classical marble 1916 building with Viñoly’s modish metal, glass and wood building.

The unification takes place in this massive and uplifting room, an artificial nirvana that is strikingly illuminated with an effective combination of artificial and natural light. The atrium has become an immensely popular site for events and provides a serene escape for visitors.

Former museum director David Franklin has even described the area as a place “to take you out of your daily life, surrounded by beautiful works of art, beautiful architecture, and you have a different feeling, almost sublime.”

The atrium was one of the final aspects of the project to be completed, having been opened in late 2012. However, the closing act to the colossal building project was the recent completion of the West Wing.

The West Wing showcases an exotic collection from China, India and Southeast Asia. The wing, which contains six galleries, opened to the general public on Jan. 2, revealing artworks that had been hidden from view for the past 8 years.

While the pieces are flawless, the arrangement and layout of the galleries is also masterful. Each work is highlighted carefully, and shown through the use of artistic lighting. The walls of the muse-

um itself appear to conform and contort to fit the art, the rooms having been built specifically to cater to the pieces rather than the other way around.

One of the new galleries is particularly striking, containing a room that is composed of three glass walls and a glass ceiling. The room has been appropriately dubbed the “glass box” and features gorgeous stone and bronze sculptures.

Curator of Indian and Southeast Asian Art Sonya Quintanilla explains the pieces are showcased in a similar manner to how they would have been displayed on the streets during a special occasion. Additionally, the darker inner galleries provide for an almost religious experience, flanking the viewer on all sides with impressive Buddhist statues.

A highlight of the Indian gallery is “Nataraja, Shiva as the Lord of Dance,” the first piece that captures the eye upon entering the “glass box.” The massive bronze sculpture depicts Shiva, the all powerful creator divinity, with his excessive limbs positioned in a surprisingly graceful arrangement.

He is blatantly omnipotent, surrounded by an imposing ring of fire and crushing an “ignorant figure” with each step. His power is only highlighted by the statue’s placement against a window, which provides a picturesque backdrop and often allows for the sun’s alignment directly behind the creator god.

The Chinese collection is equally impressive.

Curator of

Chinese Art Anita Chung explains that, while the collection is relatively small, it contains pieces that are the peak of artistic achievement. The pieces not only demonstrate the evolution of Chinese art, but also show the development of Chinese technology over the span of thousands of years.

Some stunning highlights in the collection include ancient bronze vessels covered in fantastic creatures and beautifully intricate designs, an extensive ceramics collections, and an 11-foot, 3-inch long scroll that will be displayed at its full length for the first time in the museum’s history (thanks to the gallery’s 16-foot ceilings).

Interestingly, a 2004 landscape painting by the talented Li Huayi is also displayed amid the ancient art. Chung states this is the first time the museum is displaying a contemporary piece alongside ancient pieces.

This distinctively unifying result is also evident in the overall expansion project. The completion of the expansion project has not only brought a unification of two buildings, but has also helped to more effectively join artistic history from thousands of years and countless locations. But perhaps most importantly, through its many new facilities, the now whole museum will help to better unite our community.

Mary Kate Macedonia/Observer

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Willoughby Brewing Company Not a bad brew in the bunch

Mike Suglio Contributing Reporter

On a sunny, winter afternoon I decided to check out Willoughby Brewing Company, located in Willoughby, Ohio.

This brewery is near and dear to my heart as the very first brewery I visited.

My grandpa used to pick me up from school and take me to the rejuvenated 115-year-old trolley car repair building where I would take very small sips of his after-work beer.

Upon parking you cannot help but stare at the old industrial building the brewery is housed in, where the phantom sounds of clanging hammers emit.

The entrance door’s handles are two large beer taps. You grab these handles to open the door and it feels like you are already pouring yourself a drink. Patrons immediately feel like they are part of the most important part of the beer making process—drinking it.

Travelling the small tracks above the bar and seating area, a small toy train engine greeted me as I entered with a small whistle.

The bar is large and wooden and surrounds the copper brew kettles. Sitting down in a large wooden chair I glanced at the giant chalkboard above, which displayed the six beers on tap and one collaboration-brew with Brew Kettle.

A bartender with a big smile handed me an extensive beer menu, which

elaborately described their beers. Accompanying this was an equally elaborate food menu with some rather exotic items, such as building your own Mac + Cheese with tons of different toppings and cheese to choose from.

I couldn’t decide on one beer so I decided to get all of them (as a flight of course). I followed the beer with a fried green tomato melt.

The first beer I sampled is the only beer they continue to serve since their opening in 1998, the Railway Razz. Sipping this brought back plenty of wonderful memories with my grandfather.

The Railway Razz is truly an excellent fruit beer with a clear raspberry taste that is not overpowering or too sweet, but just right. The beer is a stunning ruby red color and resembles wine in both taste and color.

I followed this with Willoughby’s staple beer and Cleveland favorite, the Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter. Quite possibly one of the best porters I have ever had, the beer has rich coffee and peanut butter flavors that shock your taste buds with every sip. The brew definitely tastes like beer, but the coffee flavor is so present you sometimes question what you are actually drinking.

The next beer on the flight was the Gutterpup; a traditional non-coffee flavored porter. (The Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter is actually made by combining the Gutterpup with local coffee

beans.) The Gutterpup was a very flavorful dark porter, but disappointing after drinking the Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter. I decided it would be fun to go back and forth sipping both porters and tasting the difference between the two.

That game ended rather quickly due to the extreme amount of deliciousness.

The Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter can be found at several other bars around Cleveland and is the only beer the brewery exports. I personally had this gem at Town Hall in Ohio City and the infamous Happy Dog in Gordon Square.

I took a break from the beer and enjoyed my mouth-watering fried green tomato melt. The tomatoes were cooked just right and the cheese dripped from the bread. This traditional, southern dish was made just right up in the good ole Midwest.

Returning back to beer, I decided to sample the Kaiserhof Kolsch. I personally am not a huge fan of light beers, but this was incredibly drinkable and smooth and would be a perfect summer beer to drink on the porch. It was a gorgeous yellow color and I drank my sample in seconds.

Following the Kolsch I had an American Pale Ale, the Perfidia and an IPA, the Cosmic. Both were rather hoppy and were not as exceptional as the other beers I had tasted. They were great ales; just not as impressive as the other beers

I had that evening.

I finished the night strong with the Collaborator (a collaboration with Brew Kettle) that was a huge slap in the face. This strong doppelbock clocks in at a nine percent ABV with an equally strong flavor. I was not expecting this rush of hops to the head so I immediately downed some water.

Speaking with Don Trivisonno, brewmaster, he revealed that the brewery is a 20 barrel system where they can brew 31 gallons per barrel and on average brew 500 gallons of beer a year. Trivisonno mentioned to me that the brewery has live music every Friday and Saturday and has a ladies night and a nightclub feel on Thursdays.

This of course surprised me because I was at a brewery and not at a bar in downtown Cleveland. Trivisonno explained that the brewery strives to have “a touch of downtown, but away from downtown.”

I went back on a weekend night and was amazed by how many people were there. The brewery feel was not as present, but did offer a bar feel to patrons and was quite packed.

Every brewery is different, but what truly amazes me is the diversity of Willoughby Brewery. From afternoon to evening it can transform itself from a quiet brewery filled with train whistles to a hopping bar filled with laughter and music.

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observer.case.edu

“Our music is for everyone.

Just like ice cream.”

A conversation with Man Man’s Ryan Kattner

Known for its wacky, lively shows, Man Man created its own eccentric style through five albums and lengthy tours. And on Jan. 23, their tour will stop by at the Grog Shop. When The Observer called him to chat about Man Man’s upcoming concert, singer Ryan Kattner (AKA: Honus Honus) told us about the band’s lifestyle, and what to expect next week. on numerous occasions. It’s a nice little spot. I mean, my only complaint with that place is that we couldn’t get our piñata through the doors, it just wouldn’t fit. We tried so hard, too.

AN: What’s your favorite thing about performing?

RK: I like perspiration. I like the connection you can make with the audience when they’re feeling it… and it’s our job to initiate, sustain and follow through on that connection.

AN: Why should a college kid come see the show?

RK: If you’re a guy, there’s probably some pretty cool ladies there, and if you’re a girl, then, you know there will be a handful of guys there as well. It’s just fun, you know, it’s just a good time.

AN: Piñatas aside, what’s the craziest thing to ever happen to Man Man as a band?

RK: We went on CNN a couple times at the end of last year. Anderson Cooper, we made it onto his “RidicuList.” Defi-

Anne Nickoloff: I’ve heard that your shows are pretty crazy. Could you tell me a little bit about that?

Ryan Kattner: We start out the show in a giant piñata, and then we give a baseball bat to the weakest person there. And we just let them go at it. Then, our set is actually played off of an iPod. I mean, that’s kind of the trick because it’s extremely thick, the construction of the paper mache, so… hopefully it’ll work out so the baseball bat doesn’t really penetrate the walls, until our iPod playlist is completed… and then, you know, that’s our show.

AN: Really?

RK: No… that’s all a lie. Yeah, we play a high-energy show. And it helps when an audience reciprocates the energy that we exert.

AN: If you had to define your music, what would you say?

RK: Our music is for everyone. Just like ice cream.

AN: Have you played at Grog Shop before?

RK: Yeah I’ve played at Grog Shop

to Man Man | 13

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Independent Summer Study Abroad Options Programs all around the world

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Make an appointment with a study abroad advisor at studyabroad@case.edu.

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Reflecting a tumultuous past, “Community” season five struggles to find its rhythm Lily Korte Staff Reporter Television shows with cult followings frequently have tumultuous existences, but the season-by-season fight for the continuation of “Community” deserves attention as a phenomenon all its own. From struggling to maintain viewership numbers to secure season renewals from NBC, to recurrent public squabbles amongst certain members of its cast and crew, the fact that the show has even managed to have a fifth season at all, let alone one with controversycourting creator Dan Harmon returning as writer/show runner, seems nothing short of miraculous. It admittedly has become increasingly difficult to ignore the background drama while trying to appreciate the show on its own merits, but after the ongoing tension throughout season four, the earliest episodes of the fifth season seem to indicate that the show is more than willing to adapt itself to some changes while managing to mitigate the effects of others.

Within the world of the show itself, the graduation of Jeff at the end of the last season presented a problem: How do the main members of the cast remain in the context of community college when they aren’t students anymore? The problem was conveniently, if somewhat unrealistically, solved by having Jeff return as a teacher, and by having everyone else continue taking classes. (It’s not as if anyone is watching “Community” for a realistic depiction of anything anyway.)

Outside of the show’s universe though, the departures of certain actors will likely have a more dramatic impact on the season as it progresses. The death of Chevy Chase’s character was announced in the third episode, more or less confirming what everybody had suspected about his future with the show (although he did return for an extremely brief cameo in the first episode). More concerning is Donald Glover’s imminent departure, as Troy is one of the more notable characters, particularly through his interactions with Abed, so the fact that his departure might impact another character’s role in the dynamics of the ensemble is also worth considering. All of this still lies in the future, but the episodes that have recently aired can at least be assessed in the meantime.

“Repilot” functioned essentially as its title suggests—a way to effectively reboot the show for the current season without upsetting the status quo—but it also hinted at the impending changes

ahead. The iconic table that the characters sat at was burned and symbolically replaced with a new one at the end of the episode, and much of the meta-commentary revolved around the ninth season of the show “Scrubs,” which was notable primarily for having an almost entirely different cast and location. At least “Community” still seems fundamentally rooted at Greendale, for better or for worse. As this episode indicates, Greendale Community College has almost certainly worsened the lives of all who have set foot in it, but they inevitably seem attached to it and the people they meet there regardless. While Jeff is initially upset after realizing that, as a teacher, he will have to actually teach his students, he soon falls in with the rest of the professors in the second episode (“Introduction to Teaching”) and learns some convenient shortcuts from his similarly lazy co-workers. Jonathan Banks, better known as Mike from “Breaking Bad”, makes a welcome addition to the cast as the comically-named Buzz Hickey, a jaded forensic science teacher who draws cartoons of ducks in his spare time.

A set-up involving Abed and others taking a class on the films of Nicholas Cage initially seemed promising, but wound up being the worst part of the episode, culminating in a lengthy, cringe-inducing impersonation of the, for lack of a better word, infamous actor. The third episode, “Basic Intergluteal Numismatics,” is part riff on crime procedurals, part extended butt joke. I had a hard time warming to it at first, mainly because the main premise was ridiculous even by this show’s standards, but the genre pastiche bits were well done. It was nice to see John Oliver return to the show after several years’ absence, and the guest appearance by Ben Folds was also a pleasant surprise.

I haven’t always been the biggest fan of “Community,” as I find it to frequently be the sort of program that thinks it’s much wittier than it actually is, but I still have to admire the tenacity of everyone involved for hanging in there through all the drama while still maintaining relatively high standards for the show itself.

Most sitcoms would’ve crumpled long ago under the pressures this show has faced, and yet, buoyed by an ardent fanbase and a talented cast and crew, it has managed to soldier on and seems in no immediate danger of cancellation. While the loss of central cast members will certainly be felt, the show’s ensemble is large enough that the transition should be handled with relative ease. Still it may be best to withhold judgment on that particular issue until the season has finished.

Want to write for Arts & Entertainment?

Email observer@case.edu

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New Spartan Spartan Challenge Challenge entrepreneurship entrepreneurship New New Spartan Challenge entrepreneurship competition offers offers more more than than $20,000 $20,000 in in prizes prizes competition competition offers more than $20,000 in prizes

FPB undergraduate students are invited to join students from Case Western Reserve FPB undergraduate students are invited to join students from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Institute of Art and the Cleveland Institute of Music to participate FPB undergraduate areArt invited to join students from Case Western Reserve University, Clevelandstudents Institute of and the Cleveland Institute of Music to participate in the inaugural Erony Spartan Challenge, a mentored entrepreneurship competition.

University, Cleveland Institute Art and the Cleveland entrepreneurship Institute of Music to participate in the inaugural Erony SpartanofChallenge, a mentored competition. in the inaugural Erony Spartan Challenge, a mentored entrepreneurship competition.

The top three teams from the Business Planning and Mentorship stage The top three teams from the Business Planning and Mentorship stage will be awarded funding ($10,000, $5,000, $2,500) toand enable them to begin Thebe topawarded three teams from the Business Mentorship will funding ($10,000, $5,000,Planning $2,500) to enable them tostage begin implementation of$5,000, the business concept. will be awardedimplementation funding ($10,000,of $2,500) to enable them to begin the business concept. implementation of the business concept.

Letter of of Intent Intent Letter Letter ofinIntent Teams interested applying to the

Teams interested in applying to the 2014 Spartan Challenge are asked Teams interested in applying to the 2014 Spartan Challenge are asked to register and submit aare “Letter 2014 Spartan Challenge asked to register and submit a “Letter of register Intent” electronically to: Colin to and submit ato: “Letter of Intent” electronically Colin Drummond in the School of Nursing of Intent” in electronically to:Nursing Colin Drummond the School of at colin.drummond@case.edu Drummond in the School of Nursing at colin.drummond@case.edu at colin.drummond@case.edu

Due: Midnight Midnight Saturday, Saturday, Due: Due: Midnight Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014 Jan. Jan. 18, 18, 2014 2014

Contest Information Information Contest Contest Information Session Session Session Those students interested in Those students interested in

participating should plan on attending Those students interested in participating should plan on attending participating should plan on attending 1:00pm on Monday, Jan. 20

1:00pm on Monday, Jan. 20 1:00pm on Monday, Jan. 20 Room 400, Nord Hall Room Room 400, 400, Nord Nord Hall Hall More information information is is available available More More information is available at http://bme.case.edu/ http://bme.case.edu/ at at http://bme.case.edu/ SpartanChallenge SpartanChallenge SpartanChallenge

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observer.case.edu

Colorful personalities come together to create Musical Rainbows Anne Nickoloff Staff Reporter “Let’s listen, let’s see if we can find a flute!” says Maryann Nagel excitedly, putting a hand to her ear.

Children hush, searching through the rows of seats in the Reinberger Chamber Hall, tugging at their parents’ sleeves.

George Pope appears in the back of the auditorium, a colorful cape full of red, green, blue and yellow flurrying around him. Completing the costume is a brimmed hat with a long feather: the child-friendly Zorro.

He whips out a silver flute, which matches a small, discrete hoop earring in his left ear, and flows down the steps in long strides, his red cowboy boots lightly stepping on the old carpet.

The children gasp, their eyes widening.

Nagel’s expression exaggerates those of the children. Once Pope joins her on the small stage, Nagel, the host of the Cleveland Orchestra’s Musical Rainbows, says excitedly, “He’s the Pied Piper!” *** Nagel remembers her first show, “The Pied Piper.” Just a kid, she wasn’t exactly a born star, and didn’t get the lead in the play. Instead, Nagel was a mouse.

“I was chronically shy,” she admitted.

Standing on the small community theater stage and performing for the play, she breathed in her first gulp of inspiration for her future career. “It was a way for me to be somebody else that’s not myself,” she said. “I kind of hide in characters.”

Growing up, she was involved with Singing Angels, a children’s choir. Later, she studied acting in St. Louis.

Now 58 years old, Nagel is an experienced local actor and the struggle of getting by is all the more real. She knows that her job is not what the glamorous stereotype suggests. “Let me tell you, you can’t be a diva, that’s for sure, because people will talk,” says Nagel.

The last kind of performer the Musical Rainbows program would want is a diva. With 10,000 preschool children attending on a yearly basis, the hostess has the important duty of staying patient during the show.

Ultimately, the Musical Rainbows program’s goal is to make people feel comfortable in Severance Hall, according to Joan Katz Napoli, the director of education and community engagement.

However, the motivation for Musical Rainbows goes beyond just advertising.

According to a PBS article by Laura Lewis Brown, music education enhances all other forms of learning. Research has suggested that music education also raises IQ and test scores.

This could only help the majority of Cleveland’s public schools. Only six out of 27 Cleveland schools were even close to Ohio’s average test scores in math and reading this past year, according to U.S. News & World Report rankings.

The Cleveland Orchestra developed its Musical Rainbows program to give back to the community and aid in education. In the nearly 18 years that Nagel has worked as the host of the concerts, she considers the greatest success of the shows to be when former Rainbow kids take their children to see the performances, which Nagel claims “happens a lot!”

Nagel herself came from a big, middle-class family. Bright blond hair frames her features, and small crows feet deepen around her young blue eyes as she talks about her childhood. She understands now better than ever the monetary struggles of raising a family off of little money. “The hassle is, you live from job to job… you have to be very frugal.”

It’s similar to her childhood life.

Back then, her family would save money where they could.

In “The Pied Piper,” Nagel’s mother sewed her mouse costume. *** “My mom made it,” said Pied Piper George Pope, tying his colorful cape around his neck.

He plays piercing flute notes, trilling behind the curtains before the Nov. 8 show, while other Musical Rainbows employees sit in a small lounge.

Backstage becomes a clubhouse for the grownups.

Donnie, a husky tech man, sits in an old beat-up chair quietly. As a member of the Teamsters union, he was hired by the Cleveland Orchestra to help operate today’s “Funtastic Flute” concert. He’s gruff, and a little grumpy when he says, “It’s been a long week already. And I’ve got two more shows.”

Sandy Jones, manager of education and family concerts, sits next to Nagel, with a pair of orange glasses dangling around her neck. She chats with her friend like they are teenagers.

Nagel sits nearest to the door, giggling over her cup of tea. The tea steam winds upwards, spreading the smell of a halfpeeled orange into the rest of the dimly lit room.

Still peeping away at his flute, Pope stands near a coat rack, his businesscasual garb hidden underneath the Pied Piper costume.

Years ago he performed in the same building, but a different music hall: Pope perched himself in a row of flutists in Severance, playing with the full Cleveland Orchestra. He’s built quite the resume, having performed with over 10 other orchestras. His flute playing was hailed by Fanfare magazine as “clean, arrestingly vigorous and beautiful.” But here at Musical Rainbows, the toddlers wouldn’t have words like that to describe his rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” *** Costing only about $500 per performance, the Musical Rainbows shows are of a low price to the Cleveland Orchestra, endowed by the Pysht Fund and sponsored by PNC. Because of its low maintenance but valuable service to local communities, Musical Rainbows has served as a model for other orchestras’ children’s programs.

“The Funtastic Flute” is a part of concerts which feature different instruments including: “The Triumphant Trumpet,” “The Cheerful Cello and Vibrant Violin,” “The Cool Clarinet” and “Heavenly Harps.”

Out of those, only the clarinet and harp-themed shows remain for the season.

On Nov. 8, there were two back-toback performances of “The Funtastic Flute.” The first one was open to anyone for the price of $7 per ticket, and the audience consists primarily of families, day cares and some schools. The second show was free, underwritten by PNC, and

is part of the Grow Up Great program. In this show, inner-city Cleveland schools receive free tickets and bus passes. According to Joan Katz Napoli, the Grow Up Great concert had an audience where “the vast majority is kids who might not otherwise have gotten here.”

“The profile of the crowd is different at 11 o’ clock,” Katz Napoli said, talking about the second show.

It wasn’t hard to see the difference.

The first show’s audience consisted of mainly families, their children dressed in their Sunday’s best. The second show was performed in front of children and their teachers, mainly wearing jeans and t-shirts. “Honestly, we don’t care,” said Katz Napoli, about the students’ clothes.

“We’re the lucky ones who get to come down and see the kids experiencing music for the first time,” she says later.

“It’s such a happy tradition.” *** It’s almost 10 a.m., and the audience files down the steps. A girl with cheetah print leggings and a red cardigan stands near a row of seats. A little boy lumbers down with a too-large yellow flannel shirt tucked into black dress pants.

A tiny infant crawls around on the steps towards the front, wearing a brown and pink beanie.

“Big steps! Big steps!” says a parent patiently waiting for her daughter’s little legs to cross the span of a single stair.

Volunteer ushers, who work at PNC, compliment the children’s outfits on their ways to being seated. Nagel and Pope work tirelessly on stage to keep the children captivated.

When Pope picks up a piccolo, Nagel asks, “Anyone want to guess what that is?”

“Flute! FLUTE!” the children yell.

“It’s a tiny flute, called a piccolo,”

says Pope.

Close enough, for a toddler.

Nagel has the children stand up and dance to “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” wiggling their fingers above their heads.

It’s a wonder how the woman on stage, so far away from the rows of kids, can keep everyone interested.

“There’s more dancing and silliness going on,” she explains before the show.

“That’s acting.”

As with all of her roles, Nagel finds a way to hide in the character she creates for Musical Rainbows.

Yet, here at Severance Hall, she doesn’t seem struggle with hosting thousands of children.

“You don’t talk down to them,” says Nagel, about the children in attendance.

“You sort of bring them up to a level, but you also have to make it fun.” *** There’s one more song left in the concert. “Show me with your eyes you’re listening!” says Nagel.

The kids look at her, and the sounds of background conversation get quieter.

“We have one more piece.”

Pope reprises “Yankee Doodle,” and the children march in place, none of them able to keep time like Nagel does on stage. When the show is over, the majority of the audience leaves. Toddlers and infants stumble across the steps, their puffy winter coats serving as crash pads for when they inevitably fall to the ground.

A clear block of students, seated on the left side of the room, stay in their rows and wait for the next Grow Up Great per-

formance, which will begin soon.

These children wear jeans and t-shirts instead of Sunday dresses. They were noticeably quieter than the other children, and had teachers looming just a few seats away.

Most are busy absorbing every grandiose detail of Reinberger Chamber Hall.

These kids, on their Grow Up Great field trip, are amazed and a little intimidated by the building surrounding them.

“These are kids whose parents will probably never be able to afford to take them to an orchestra,” said Nagel.

Outside, school buses begin to line up in rows near the parking garage.

Wrapped in her bright and cheery Musical Rainbows host character, Nagel waits for the audience to fill for the next and final show, joining her friends in the clubhouse backstage. But this isn’t just another gig to help pay the bills.

Even when she sings “Mary Had a Little Lamb” to the children, her blue eyes light up. Despite the fact that she claims to be taking on another role, there’s a quality to her smile that says something else.

from Man Man | 11 nitely Youtube-worthy. You should look it up. It’s pretty surreal. It’s for a song of ours called “End Boss.” Wolf Blitzer, the CNN anchorman [and] host of “The Situation Room,” we imagined as a house-breaking babyeater.

AN: Where did that come from?

RK: It came from drinking too much lead paint when I was a child, I suppose.

AN: Do you have anything in store as a band for the future?

RK: We’re doing this tour, and then we’re gonna shut our things up for a while and start working on the next record. No rest for the weary.

AN: What bands inspire you?

RK: Beethoven. But not Beethoven Beethoven, and not Beethoven the dog. No no, I’m talking about Beethoven from “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” which is a movie… it’s on cable all the time; you should look it up. It’s not a bad hour and a half to waste, on a hangover. On a post-Man Man show hangover.

AN: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

RK: Come out and see us play.

We’re gonna work pretty damn hard to either make you fall in love with us, make you fall in love with us all over again or really hate us with all of your might; it’s gotta be one of those things. We love Cleveland, you’re beautiful. Kyrie Irving, come out to our show! Unlikely.

AN: Yeah, probably.

RK: Well, if someone wants to give me a Kyrie Irving jersey, I’ll rock that shit on stage.

Who: Man Man, Xenia Rubinos, Stems Where: Grog Shop When: Jan. 23, 8:30 p.m. (7:30 door) Tickets: $14

opinion Editorial

New year, new expectations As the new semester is slowly picking speed, we at The Observer are tempted to see what this year has in store for the Case Western Reserve University community.

The biggest issue of the upcoming year will be CWRU’s quest for growth. The undergraduate applications for the class of 2017 shot up to 118,000 last year—a 150 percent increase from 2008. This year, it is probably safe to suggest that those numbers will at least reach the same numbers, if not surpass them by an even larger margin.

In December, CWRU reported that it had received applications from 8,871 prospective students for early action admission. This, according to the university, is a 50 percent increase from 2012. In an article on the university home page, Director of Undergraduate Admissions Bob McCullough says that the increase in applications last year most likely contributed to the growing number of early action applications.

The flood of applications raise the question of whether CWRU is attempting to become a bigger school or whether the university is trying to lower its acceptance rates in an attempt to market exclusivity. As of now, it is not clear what CWRU’s strategy is, but the answer may be found in the profile of the class of 2018. Once the size and acceptance rate of this year’s entering class come to light, we are a step closer to seeing the university’s long-term recruitment goals.

The early action applications also demonstrated that student diversity just kept on growing. Last fall, there was more variation in the geographic regions and demographics represented. It seems that the reputation of CWRU is reaching a very large number of high school students from various backgrounds. This trend already shows up in the increased diversity of the past few freshman classes and there is no reason to believe that the class of 2018 will be the exception. If the trend holds, they will be more diverse than its predecessors—hopefully in underrepresented minorities, a group that constituted only 13 percent of Fall 2013 enrollees.

Over the past few years, CWRU and University Circle have undertaken several construction projects around campus. There is no doubt that this trend of fast development will continue further this year, which is exciting news. While seeing new facilities like the Tinkham Veale University Center and the Cleveland Institute of Art student apartments materialize creates a net positive, there is also a flipside to the construction. On top of cool new buildings around campus, we are also anticipating a significant amount of frustration triggered by detours, closed sidewalks and non-existent parking spots.

At this rate, it would also not be entirely unexpected if CWRU announced new such projects in 2014. The university’s development momentum won’t be halted any time soon.

But as we march toward future buildings, let’s not forget our campus’ rich history. For example, it still isn’t clear how Thwing Center will be repurposed. Though the issue remains unresolved, we expect some action necessitated by the rapid progress on the Tinkham Veale University Center.

We are also expecting solidified plans to emerge concerning the new apartmentstyle housing planned for the north side of campus. So far, it has been reported that the administration is expecting a finishing date of fall 2015, in time to accommodate the current first and second-year classes. As of last fall, no date for groundbreaking had been set.

Some minor changes in university policies are also possible in the year stretching ahead. The tobacco-free policy, which would ban all tobacco products, on CWRU campus has been looked into since last year. Beyond the endless waiting for the actual policy, the current policy doesn’t address e-cigarettes, a national trend creeping onto campus. Perhaps this year the university will make the final decision as to whether it will undergo the change and how it will be enforced – or if it will be enforced at all.

We are looking forward to find out what the new year will bring to the CWRU community. Be sure to follow The Observer to keep up with the goings-on around campus and don’t forget to share your thoughts with us at observer@case.edu and @cwruobserver.

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.

Editor’s (tech) Note Part One: Making email work for you Managing email at Case Western Reserve University is kind of like managing the relationship you have with your significant other. Think about it: Both need time and attention, both leverage all of your devices to reach you and neither take kindly to being ignored. The difference lies in options.

Your better half would never encourage you to explore other avenues, but email will embrace both you and your wandering eyes. Because unlike many aspects of life, email management is conducive to choice. The challenge emerges when you must pick the right platforms for you.

The members of The Observer’s editorial board are no strangers to email. In fact, observer@case.edu, the primary email account of The Observer and its executive editor, receives more than 300 messages a day. These messages include correspondence with potential advertisers, obnoxious press releases (the amount of nursing homes newsletters we receive is startling) and coverage-worthy alerts. Everything needs to be read, because the message we ignore today might be the headline we lack tomorrow.

I’m not pretending to be an expert. But, having been embedded in the CWRU email environment for nearly four years and having received copious amounts of email for almost as long, I’ve learned enough to give a few tips and recommend a few apps. And this is exactly what several readers have asked me to do.

After all, there are many reasons to explore email management at this time of year: Maybe you unwrapped an iPad Air on Christmas morning; maybe you committed to a New Year’s resolution rooted in productivity; maybe you just decided that your inbox is out of control. Regardless of your rationale, the paragraphs that follow aspire to help bring order to the madness and put a tidy inbox within arm’s reach.

Committing to a process While linking commitment to email may seem a bit strong, the comparison becomes more palatable once you consider CWRU students receive their email account once they are accepted to the university and hold it for life. CWRU began hosting its enterprise email and other collaboration services with Google in 2010, and students since have enjoyed access to one of the world’s most popular email services.

One of the many benefits of Google Mail is its ability to adapt to a wide array of email management techniques; however, this flexibility is only beneficial if the user adheres to the process they pick.

One of the more common systems is to file email into folders. In Google-speak, this method is achieved by making a label in the place of each folder and tagging messages reactively as they reach the inbox. Then, when you’re done with a message, simply press the archive button to move it to its assigned label.

This process has positive merits, and it’s the method I used for the majority of my undergraduate career. After all, from academics and campus jobs to extracurriculars and casual conversations, you can tag emails with all of the categories of your life.

There are even labs—experimental features—that Google offers to support this process. One example is the “multiple inboxes lab,” which divides the inbox into customizable segments. Each segment can be configured to display a certain kind of email message, such as messages of a particular label or a particular status (e.g., unread and starred).

This method isn’t without shortcomings. Often, messages encapsulate several topics and subsequently require multiple labels. You can run the risk (as I did) of spending so much time tagging messages that just pressing the archive button—with no labels attached—becomes tempting.

But, this impatience isn’t a bad thing; in fact, it segues into an arguably better strategy that relies on two labels only: “Awaiting Response” and “Action Required.” The method operationalizes the concept of “inbox zero,” which champions treating the inbox as a triage site where individual emails briefly reside. Messages requiring no action are sent to “All Mail,” Google Mail’s default archive site. Task-containing messages that require more than two minutes to complete are tagged “Action Required” and removed from the inbox. The same process applies to messages necessitating a response from others, except they are tagged “Awaiting Response.”

After drowning in more than 50 labels and an endless barrage of new messages, I began to adopt the inbox zero concept, and the results have been promising. The powerful search capabilities of today’s desktop and mobile email apps make finding messages quick and easy; perusing folders has become irrelevant. Now when I get an email—unless it requires something of me or somebody else—it is moved out of sight. Next week, we will explore the apps that can help you execute this process.

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 BENCE TAMAS advertising & marketing manager COLE MORRIS account manager ERIC HAUFLER digital publicity & communications manager VINCENZO VOLPE a&e layout AMBER ALBERGOTTIE sports layout HEATHER HARGROW opinion layout EDWIN LO distributors SAGE SCHAFF

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

opinion 15

observer.case.edu

What makes Change is the college worth side effect of coping while?

The meaning of Spartan life Jacob Martin It’s a little after 10 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 12, and the fact that I will be in class in 12 hours is a bit surreal. While this will not be published until Friday and the reality that winter break has come to an end will have set in, I am experiencing something very peculiar: I am not worried, excited, nervous, confused, happy, upset or [insert emotion here] about the spring 2014 semester. The best word to describe my mental state right now is content.

So I’ve asked myself why I am so at peace with the impending advent of 15 weeks spent traversing campus in the Cleveland elements and long hours in the library working on an unnecessarily obscene amount of homework and conclude that it’s because I am ready to return to the amorphous schedule of college life.

My schedule over breaks is always very rigid and within a few short days, the happy prospect of accomplishing a vast number of tasks becomes a bit bleak behind forty-plus hour work weeks.

Nonetheless, I went to the gym, read almost ten novels, finished a paper revision and put a dent in my to-do-over-break list during this winter.

Now before I continue, I feel obliged to tell you I am not trying to advertise anything I’ve accomplished this winter break. Rather, my hope is that I ultimately highlight the beauty of using one’s time in college in such a way that elicits reflection on one’s own experience.

College is a juggling act. Some of us take 21 credits a semester, budget in a few extracurricular activities, and then choose what we are going to do in our unstructured free time, things from video games to working out, barhopping to television shows. We choose who we let into our worlds, friends and romantic partners, acquaintances and colleagues.

Finally, we set some time aside for imperatives like sleep and travel.

With all of these goings-on filling our calendars it gets easier to go through our weeks with increasing unawareness to the surroundings and situations we find ourselves in. For example, if you’re reading these words we are at least one week into the spring semester already. Honestly, ask yourself, do you recall Monday?

Personally, I can barely remember all that I did yesterday much less four days prior, so I try to be mindful of the myriad of things I see and do every day.

And yet, I crave the frantically chaotic schedule of college. I see it as an oppor-

tunity to push myself and function on a level I never thought possible because there is never a shortage of things to do and I am always flexible somewhere in my agenda. The adult world is typically not like this: it is mundane and tiresome and at times absurdly repetitive. This is why we must enjoy our college experiences for good or bad.

“So let’s talk about the single most pervasive cliché in the commencement speech genre, which is that a liberal arts education is not so much about filling you up with knowledge as it is about ‘teaching you how to think’. If you’re like me as a student, you’ve never liked hearing this, and you tend to feel a bit insulted by the claim that you needed anybody to teach you how to think, since the fact that you even got admitted to a college this good seems like proof that you already know how to think.”

The above passage is an excerpt from the late David Foster Wallace’s commencement address to Kenyon College in 2005. In my Dec. 6, 2013, installment of this column I wrote, “I like to think of myself as a student of life where college is the catalyst to learning how to think.”

After rereading Wallace’s speech for the eighth or ninth time last month, I revisited the question of why am I in college, but that question evolved into something different.

I am in college and I will continue to pursue a degree, so the “why” is superfluous. However, the question of what I do with the time I am in college is not, and that is why mastering the juggling act that is college can yield great success and contentment in all areas of life.

If we can accept and immerse ourselves in our insane schedules, perhaps we can truly use all the time we have while studying here in University Circle.

Acceptance of and immersion in our everyday lives coupled with a positive disposition and a commitment to learning is one of the many recipes for success in college and beyond.

In “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” John Belushi exclaims, “Christ.

Seven years of college down the drain,” upon his expulsion from Faber College.

For some students graduating college today, this cry summarizes their sentiment of failure and despair toward their education. Yet, assuming I graduate from Case Western Reserve University, if I do not feel like Belushi when I do, I have succeeded. Welcome back.

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” —William Butler Yeats

@CWRUObserver observer.case.edu f cwruobserver

What CWRU is really teaching Abby Armato After I woke up from my week-long nap over break, my sister approached me with a very legitimate concern. Note that by “approach,” I mean ripped into me during a dinner with my parents and boyfriend in attendance. She went on a long rant about how much I’ve changed and how bad that change is. Pictures of me dressed up for Rocky Horror Picture Show, stories of my experiences with jungle juice and a new nose piercing were all used as evidence to support her thesis which basically boiled down to “You changed and it’s wrong.”

Granted, her delivery was comical enough, but the message stung. Honestly, what did she expect? I had been away at school, dealing with new circumstances, friends and situations. She couldn’t possibly believe that I would go off to college and come back exactly the same person I was before I left.

As frustrating as her comments were, they have me thinking about newness, change and how I cope with these things. There is no doubt about this.

Whether you are one to fully embrace it or lovingly pretend it doesn’t exist, any substantial change is inevitably taxing.

For me, an unfortunate creature of habit, this second semester has already caused enough havoc. And we’ve only been studying for a few days. Having to let go of my first semester classes, classes with people I knew, professors I liked and topics I loved, was painful.

And, while I dealt with that change over winter break, I don’t think I was mentally prepared for a second semester. New dorm, new schedule, new people. I’m all for forcing myself to try new things, and honestly I usually end up enjoying them. However, all this new so quickly was not what I would consider a good time.

Like any decent introspectionist, I had been closely watching what I did during first semester and my attempts to cope with college. What’s even more interesting is that I feel myself going through a very similar process again during second semester changes. That is what I am offering to you today: the various phases of my coping abilities.

And now, without further ado, Abby’s Cognition and Cranium proudly presents “Attempting to Deal Despite Really Not Wanting To: A Memoir.”

Phase 1: F.T.F.O. This phase includes, but is not limited to, a ceaseless barrage of “What if…” situations, lots of lists, and constant stress-dreams.

This all happens behind the elegant mask of “Yeah man no it’s totally chill I love change.”

Phase 2: Overly giddy. An overcompensation to cover up Phase 1. This phase includes me being very loud, friendly and outgoing. However, it’s exhausting and quickly leads to Phase 3.

Phase 3: Withdrawn. It’s a lot like death only I’m still going to class. This phase mainly consists of me not eating or sleeping and getting easily distracted.

Complete with a constant dramatic faroff gaze into the distance.

Phase 4: Reluctant acceptance. When I eventually get tired of being mopey, I come to accept that life is the way it is, and there’s nothing left to do about it except come to terms with the change.

I don’t think my process of coping is especially unique. While we are all special snowflakes, most of us go through a series of phases to eventually get to accepting our new reality. But one of the biggest parts of finally coming to terms with the change that is often forgotten is the way that acceptance can change us.

Of course, we don’t necessarily see it, but, as my sister pointed out, the change is there. Submerged in newness ranging from routines, ideas, people and experiences, our understanding of the world expands. And while we certainly don’t have to agree with every new perspective we encounter, the very fact that we must confront it means we are forced to make a choice: to agree, disagree or find a middle ground.

So yes, I have changed exponentially since leaving home and coming to Case Western Reserve University. And maybe the outfit I wore to the Rocky Horror wasn’t quite what my sister thought I should be parading around campus in.

But it is vital that when we measure our change, we do so by looking at both the positive and negative ways we move forward. The form change takes is a direct byproduct of our coping process, and, in processing, we are bound to grow.

Abby Armato is a first-year student currently majoring in English and anthropology. When she is not freaking out about impending adulthood, she enjoys various strokes of creativity, determination and passion.

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16 opinion

01/17/14

Moving toward willingness The elephant in the room Andrew Breland As classes began this week, everyone had the experience of meeting someone with whom they have never before had a class. These people make up one of the most interesting and intriguing parts of the syllabus week experience, as they break the monotony of cliques, friend groups and isolation that is so common at this university. Putting aside the improbability of having never seen them before, we converse about our reviews of other classes, the amount of reading assigned by our newest professor and the stark realization that no matter our effort, we will all still get Bs. Sometimes these conversations are spurred on by professors—the SAGES instructor who asks you to “define SAGES in three words,” for example. Or perhaps information just spills out while introducing yourself. “Hi, I’m Andrew and I spent my break reading because I’m writing a capstone this semester.”

In some exceedingly rare cases though, these conversations begin between two students.

This week, in one such conversation, I was told by a student, “In one of my SAGES classes, everyone complained about the reading. There wasn’t even a lot of it. People just didn’t want to read.

In class, everyone would play along and answer questions after not reading the books. But after the class, everyone

complained.” Of course, the class being referred to was a SAGES First Seminar. And I, knowing the professor and course, understand that it might, in some interpretations, be a stark and quick introduction to the increased workload of college. Nevertheless, I question if those students understand what coming to a university means. I have to question their resolve, their goals and their sense of learning.

Now, I cannot begin to say that I have never complained about readings. Regular readers of this column will remember a much talked about piece written earlier this year, that did exactly that. However, the difference is in lamenting the amount of reading as compared to whining about the task of reading. Simply put, one can complain about reading while remaining willing to read. These students, it is apparent, were not even that.

And therein lies the fundamental problem with education. Previously in this space, I have written about the lack of any real education on this campus. I have alleged that a real college education would force us (permit us) to read the greatest books in history. Through this knowledge, we gain a deeper understanding of the world we live in and are better equipped to tackle the challenges ahead. It is no coincidence, for example, that George Santayana’s quote expressing the same has become clichéd. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” And to these assertions I still stand. A real university, responsible for creating not

workers but thinkers, the leaders of our generation, would insist on an education not only in marketable skills and job preparation, but in knowledge and the ability to vocalize one’s own opinion, based on fact, philosophy and works of our forefathers.

But that goal is apparent utopianism.

Will the student unwilling to read “Antigone” be able to grasp the deeper argument in Aristotle’s “Ethics” or Plato’s “Republic?” Will they even be willing to try?

And thus the naysayers begin. They will argue that I am unsympathetic to the strife of the engineer or chemist.

They will say that my grandiose idea of a liberal education is inapplicable in the modern world. But they would be patently wrong. In a recent survey by Georgetown University, the unemployment rate for recent humanities majors was 9 percent, almost equal to that of computer science and math at 9.1 percent. Remember that humanities majors specialize in reading old books, while the latter category is supposed to be one of the hottest fields.

That last sentence is only partially sarcastic. When you factor in underemployment, the humanities are in a better situation than biology, economics, anthropology and business majors. The latter have a nearly 10 percent likelihood to be underemployed. And recently, CEOs and upper management from Google, IBM, Verizon and Logitech have spoken about the advantages of a humanities education. They cite that students with a

background in books and classical learning can write, read and speak more efficiently, making them better candidates for management positions.

Remarkably, the value of the liberal arts education is apparent. The only people who fail to realize this, are the students themselves. And that is where the college comes in. A report released earlier this year by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences stated, “At a time when economic anxiety is driving the public toward a narrow concept of education focused on short-term payoffs, it is imperative that colleges, universities and their supporters make a clear and convincing case for the value of Liberal Arts Education.”

And beyond this, it’s time students themselves should become willing to explore new frontiers and embrace the readings and knowledge they are presented in the classroom. No longer should the mentality toward education be one of disgust and resentment. Instead, students should value the opportunity to experience everything, and be willing and eager to explore new horizons. Class shouldn’t begin with complaints, but rather with the catchphrase of everyone’s favorite television president, an eager “What’s next?”

Andrew Breland is a double major in political science and English, Vice President of the Phi Alpha Delta PreLaw Fraternity and former Chair of the Case Western Reserve Constitution Day Committee.

College fosters a better outlook on weight and nutrition Heard from a first-year Maia Delegal However you rang in the New Year— watching the ball drop on television, spending time with relatives, making questionable decisions with friends— you probably had some run-ins with “resolutions.” Some people resolve to do broad and unquantifiable things, like to be nicer to people. But certain resolutions require stricter self-monitoring and a high level of discipline. The most common resolution (and the prime example of one in the latter category) is to lose weight. And so good old-fashioned American capitalism prospers yet again.

It’s not a new concept: Companies profit off of the public’s insecurities.

‘Tis the season. The pressure to achieve a certain body image plagues almost everyone, especially women. Society influences women to think that their worth is contingent on beauty, the parameters of which are defined by the narrow representation of women in media. Advertisers propagate the belief that the “ideal” woman uses whichever make-up, hair care or weight loss product they’re selling. By now we’re conditioned to seeing pretty much only one female body type in media: thin.

That pressure on women culminates in epidemic rates of girls who suffer from eating disorders, depression and

self-harm. Some other mechanisms for achieving weight loss goals include over-exercising and neglecting balanced nutrition for the sake of reducing caloric intake. These techniques are much more widely accepted than those directly affecting mental health, but can be just as harmful to the body and mind. Fortunately, college can direct our attention away from trying to look runway-ready and towards more substantial life goals without forcing us to neglect our health.

Case Western Reserve University shines a refreshing light on conscious eating. The dining halls consistently offer healthy options (though “consistently” might also refer to Leutner commons offering the same food day after day). They’re well-stocked with ample options from every vital group on the pyramid. Vegetarians never go without much-needed protein since things like tofu, bean curd, vegetarian chili, eggs and even nuts are regular menu items.

Regardless of whether you always approve of the dining hall food, you can’t deny that CWRU makes balanced nutrition possible for every student.

While having balanced nutrition and eating healthily are admirable goals, shaming yourself for occasionally indulging does very little good. Sometimes life gets in the way of perfection.

You may find yourself studying all day for a final and realize that you’ve skipped a meal or two. It’s late at night,

and the only thing open is Denny’s. I obviously would never recommend eating at Denny’s more than absolutely necessary (you don’t want to see how many calories are in their burgers, trust me).

But what’s the harm in having a basket of fries once a week? Deciding against food commonly known as “bad for you” doesn’t necessarily speak to your level of discipline. It could instead indicate your willingness to deprive yourself ease and pleasure in the name of some supposedly sacred attempt at owning a model’s body. There’s that saying, “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.”

Well you know what tastes better than skinny feels? The satisfaction of finishing that A+ paper which will warrant a stellar recommendation from your professor, landing you in the graduate school or job of your dreams. If the only fuel available for that night’s work is a chicken guacamole wrap with extra onion rings, why turn it down?

Since you might be thinking about needing to work off the fried stuff, engaging in regular physical activity should be a priority for everyone at every age. But it’s important to choose an activity that fits your lifestyle and level of comfort, even if that means forgoing exercise for a while in order to accomplish life-changing feats. Choice is key.

Luckily, CWRU has a variety of sports teams, clubs and classes to help students shape their routines. And that’s all exer-

cise should be, a routine. There’s more to life than gaining ab muscles. And compulsively checking your weight every day after working out for hours isn’t healthy, nor is it feasible with such a strong academic focus at CWRU. It’s almost as if we’re being taught to invest more in boosting our brains than maintaining a “bikini body.” Maybe that’s radical, but that’s college for you.

CWRU freshmen understand that Veale Athletic Center is worlds away from our living spaces, that walking through the deep snow only to have your sweat freeze to your face after your workout sucks and that L3 pizza tastes really awesome after a late night lab or rehearsal. Hopefully in the same way we all can accept image as a secondary concern to crafting our lives through learning. Who cares what you look like if you’re engineering the future, anyway? So if you feel like tweaking your New Year’s resolution, I suggest you resolve to be healthy and happy above all else. Don’t give in to the fads.

Maia Delegal is a first-year student from Jacksonville, Florida. She is planning to double major in music performance and either cognitive science, psychology, neurobiology, political science or women’s and gender studies. In her free time she likes to read, write and have jam sessions with the talented musicians in Taft.

observer.case.edu from Men’s | 20 is the charm; this game finally followed through, as the first two games scheduled against Muskingum this season had to be canceled, the most recent due to bad weather. In their final non-conference game of the season the Spartans looked strong handing the Muskies a decisive 75-64 loss.

Chung led the team in points yet again and Thompson recorded his eighth straight double-double. Chung hit a triple with 9:48 left to play in the game to start a 9-0 streak and the Spartans never looked back.

The Spartans now looked to their UAA season and started strong against Carnegie Mellon. “Our guys know that there are no nights off in the UAA—everyone is good.

We need to play our best every game to get a win,” said McDonnell.

The buzzer sounded, and the ball rattled off the rim. The Spartans pulled off a comeback last Saturday night, and started their UAA conference play with a thrilling victory over rival Carnegie Mellon. A 13-1 run in the final minutes catapulted Case Western to an 84-81 win. With all five starters racking up double digit scoring tallies, the Spartans dug deep and pulled out a strong victory at home over the rival Tartans.

The Spartans came out strong hitting five from behind the arc and led by as many as 11, midway through the first half.

Carnegie Mellon stormed back, however, following a 21-8 to grab a 43-39 lead at the half. The Tartans were quick out of the locker room following the half and

the

sports | 17 rode their momentum to a 13-2 run and an eventual 16-point lead. The Spartans refused to go away with a 19-7 run to cut the lead to four with just under eight to play.

Carnegie Mellon jumped back ahead but then had no response for the 13-1 Spartan run with only 3:27 left to play. A steal by Chung set-up Jimmy Holman for the go ahead bucket with 1:11 remaining.

The ability for the Spartans to battle their way back into games as served them well over the break. The ability to stay confident and calm, combined and the expert use of a deeply talented bench has been vital for the team. The Spartans improve to 9-3 for the first time since the 2005-06 season. “We had a great comeback in Saturday’s UAA win over Carnegie Mellon,” McDonnell said. “ We were down nine with 3:27 to go and our player kept competing. I’m very proud of them for that effort.”

The Spartans return to action with their first UAA weekend road trip of the season beginning at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17. The team then flies south to battle Emory University (Ga.) at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19.

The trip marks the first of many road trips the team will make this season and will only be the latest challenge for them to face. However, the team is prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. “Everything needs to be done at a higher level when playing on the road,” said McDonnell “We need to show more focus in preparation, more attention to detail when executing, and more togetherness when facing adversity.”

Observer

from Winter | 19 Fortunately, there is a skating rink right on Wade Oval, the only free outdoor rink in Cleveland (but if you don’t have your own skates, it costs three dollars to rent). This fantastic opportunity is open to you only on weekends, though. But fear not! There are other winter escapades.

If you’d prefer something slower and without stainless steel, than perhaps you’d enjoy snowshoe hiking. Luckily, we have the Penitentiary Glen Reservation snowshoe trails. Snowshoes can be rented for an hour or the whole day and there are 8.5 miles of ungroomed forest trails to explore. For beginners, there is the Peppermint Trail, a quarter mile loop trail that rewards all who finish with a peppermint stick. Delicious! The trails are open until March.

Perhaps you just finished an internship this summer, have a little extra cash in your pocket that you need to get rid of or you’re just from an overly affluent family.

Either way, for the members of our university with a little more money to spend, there are two ski resorts nearby. The Alpine Ski Resort is just 10 miles outside of Cleveland, and offers downhill skiing all winter long. As long as it’s below 28 degrees, snow is manufactured on the slopes.

There is also the Xtreme park for the more adventurous skiers and boarders who are looking to find the ‘gnar. It has Ohio’s largest halfpipe, a rail trail and a separate lift for snowboarders. If you’re not into the Alpine Ski Resort, there are also Boston

Mills and Brandywine Ski Resorts. Not only does it share a name with the favored river from Lord of the Rings, it also has snow tubing. If you’re not coordinated enough to ski or board, hop on that tube and blast down the slopes.

If you’re looking for a warmer option, but the thought of a treadmill workout makes you want to hibernate for the next three months, the Case Cycling Club hosts a regular spinning class in the Veale group exercise room. There are two to three classes per week available for a cost of $30 for unlimited sessions guided by USA Cycling certified coach Ryan Pierce. Look to get the best bang for your buck by attending all the classes starting later this month and lasting until it’s warm enough to pedal your way to the great outdoors. More information on the schedule will be available on the Cycling Club’s Facebook page.

As you can see, there is so much waiting for you outside your dorm that’s not just frigid temperatures. So log off of LoL, quit telling yourself “One more block” or close that textbook; put on a heavy jacket and get to exploring! However, if you still don’t want to go into the icy fringes of civilization, but you want to do something sporty, go watch a Cleveland Cavaliers game; enjoy a nice hotdog in a warm stadium. Winter is here, and it’s not as bad as the Starks predicted—instead of snow zombies, there is fun out there.

For more information on all of these options, visit observer.case.edu for links and contacts.

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Spartan swimmers enjoy mid-season hiatus before championship meets 250 yards down, 250 to go Skyler Phillips Contributing Reporter After the Wooster invitational this winter, the Spartans are just a little over halfway done with their season, with only six meets to go. These meets consist of three dual meets, a conference meet, the NCAA championships and an invitational.

The Spartans have been busy outside of the pool during the long holiday hiatus. The team headed down to Tampa Fla. for winter training sessions. During the trip, several members of the team volunteered their time to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore project in the area. Coach Doug Milliken has instilled a strong sense of community in the involvement in the team, which was demonstrated by

this student-motivated experience. The team was training to prepare for the long season still ahead.

The three dual meets will be against Allegheny, Ohio Northern and Baldwin Wallace. Two of the meets will be away meets with the Allegheny meet taking place at the Mellon Pool in Meadville, PA and the Ohio Northern meet taking place at the ONU Sports Center in Ada, Ohio.

The meet against Baldwin Wallace will be a home meet, taking place in the Veale Natatorium like all other home meets.

The Allegheny meet will be Jan. 18, the Ohio Northern Jan. 25 and the Baldwin Wallace Feb. 1.

After the three dual meets comes the three-day UAA Conference Championship meet, spanning from Feb. 13 to 15.

It will be happening at the Woodruff P.E. Center in Atlanta, Ga. and will be hosted

by Emory University. The team is looking to improve on last year’s showing at the meet where the men’s team ended up in fourth place and the women’s team ended their conference season in sixth.

Following the UAA Championship, the Spartans will participate in a twoday Midwest Invitational hosted by the University of Chicago on Feb. 21 and 22 which will serve as a gauge of the Spartans’ skill versus area schools.

The last meet that will take place is the Division III NCAA championship meet.

Any Spartans who have made NCAA cuts will get to compete. So far, that list includes Sara Tillie and Maggie Dillion.

Dillion has made cuts in the 100 and 200

butterfly, and Tillie in the 200 and 400 individual medley. This year, the championships are taking place at IUPUI, in Indianapolis on March 19.

These last few meets will be both a pain and a joy for the Spartans in the practice pool, as yardage will be ramping up one final bit for the dual meets, and then dropping off as they taper down to rest for their conference and championship meets. After that, it’s the sweet, sweet joy of offseason, where swimmers can pretend to have normal lives for a short while and be chlorine-free. Some may even get to take the summer off if they don’t participate in club swimming, but others might be going right into long course season, meaning a switch from 25 yard pools to 50 meter pools. Until then, good luck Spartans!

Spartan wrestling team continues steady improvement David Hoffman Staff Reporter The Spartan wrestling team didn’t take much of a break.

Instead, it took the opportunity to make improvements and showcase significant positive strides in their tournaments and matches.

The improvement actually began on Dec. 7, at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The RIT Invitational in Rochester, New York provided plenty of hope for the Spartans, who placed eighth in the tournament out of 11 schools. The big highlights came from Eric Sullivan and Luke Marcelli, who both finished third in their respective weight class brackets.

Four members of the team placed in the tournament. Marcelli dominated the consolation bracket to the tune of a 4-0 record, including a 12-4 major decision over Abubakarr Sow, from State University of New York at Oswego, to cement his third place standing in the 149 pound weight class. Sullivan performed just as well, going 3-0 in his consolation bracket to finish third in the 197 pound weight class. Freshman Conor Driscoll also made a strong showing, ending in sixth and leading a strong freshman class with three additional members winning at least two bouts. It was an overall encouraging showing for the Spartans. It was an overall encouraging showing for the Spartans.

A few weeks later, the Spartans were right back at it in the Citrus Invitation-

al down in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The team was lifted yet again by a pair of top five finishes from Luke Marcelli and David Brunk, finishing seventh in the nine school tournament. Brunk went 3-2 in his bracket, with two of those victories coming via pins of his opponents. He ultimately finished fourth in his weight class.

Marcelli went 4-2 to finish fifth in his respective bracket, including a 4-1 mark in the consolation portion. It was yet another display of improvement for the team, a potential sign of good things to come.

Finally, the team headed to Lycoming College in Pennsylvania this past weekend to participate in the Budd Whitehill Duals. The event saw the Spartans pick up their first two team victories of the season, defeating the United States Coast Guard Academy and the State University of New York at Oswego.

Four Spartan wrestlers went 2-0 for the day between both triumphs. Josh Hall went 3-0 for the weekend, continuing his excellent season. Although the Spartans finished the weekend 2-3, they managed to stay competitive in their matches. Once again, they proved to both themselves and their opposition that they are improving.

The Spartans will look to continue their ascension next weekend when they host Washington & Jefferson College in their home opener. Even though they’ve already gone out and proved themselves in tournaments and matches, there’s nothing like a good performance in front of the home crowd.

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sports | 19

Spartan women hoop it up to start conference season Team starts out 1-0 versus first UAA opponent

Katie Wieser Sports Editor The women’s basketball team made good use of their pre-conference season, bringing their season record to 6-5 and preparing to face off against tough University Athletic Association rivals during the rest of their season.

During the 11 early games, the Spartans had some growing pains, often showing inconsistency in the performance of the team with individual players putting up career-high numbers while others failed to make an impact.

This lack of balance showed in the record up until this point, just barely over .500. Head coach Jennifer Reimer sees the progress made in the team so far as well as the ground that still needs to be covered. “Our team worked incredibly hard in the pre-season; we’ve grown by leaps and bounds from the beginning of the year. That being said, we still have room to grow.”

It looks as if the Spartans are really getting serious with a definitive win over Carnegie Mellon University last Saturday at home to bring their record to 7-5. The women had five players obtain double-digit point totals and showed a marked improvement in three-point shot conversion with a season high of 11 three-point shots scored.

On the defensive side, the Spartans captured 52 rebounds compared to the 43 obtained by the Tartans, resulting in a higher number of shots attempted.

Overall, the Spartans made a strong showing in the 77-54 victory over last year’s fifth place team. Reimer is very

pleased with the showing, and said, “I felt we executed our game plan, we were aggressive and worked hard. It was a total team win, everyone contributed with great energy and enthusiasm…Saturday’s performance is what I’ve expected each day from this team.

We expect our players to work hard and have fun doing it. “ Leaders on the team included junior Brooke Orcutt with a double-double 21 points and 12 rebounds and Berit Eppard who also obtained a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Junior Amanda Germer also contributed to the win with 15 points and 50 percent threepoint shooting.

Last year, the Spartans ended their season in fourth place behind Emory University, the University of Rochester and Washington University. The women will be tested against these tough opponents early as they head on the road for their first road weekend of the season.

Last year’s second place team, the University of Rochester, is currently at 6-6 for their season with a harsh 43-74 loss to Emory last week leaving them hungry for their first conference win. The Spartans will then face off against last year’s UAA champion, Emory University. Emory is currently undefeated and looking for a repeat win in the conference.

Reimer and the team are up for the challenge. “Rochester and Emory are both great teams we have a lot of respect for. We will need to play great basketball to have a chance to win and I like our chances. We have great balance in our scoring that, combined with great energy, will give us a chance against anyone.”

Harsha Chandupatla/Observer Senior Julie Mooney works to get the ball in play versus Kenyon University during their November match up.

Editor’s Choice

Snowshoes and skating and sleds, oh my!

Winter activities to keep you active during the snowy months ahead Skyler Phillips Contributing Reporter Many amazing natural phenomena happen during winter, especially in Cleveland. As the temperature drops, the world outside our residence halls transforms.

The trees lose their leaves, small ponds freeze and the rain turns to snow, blanketing the ground. While the dead trees at first seem grotesque and pathetic, a nice inch or two of snow quickly transforms this sadly scene into a winter wonderland, in which snowmen and igloos soon take

up residence (thanks to the efforts of both small children and college students).

However, many students see the lowering temperatures on their weather apps as an unfortunate turn of events, and retreat into the heated buildings. Oh, the tragedy!

These students are missing out on all the wonderful winter activities taking place around them.

For example, tobogganing. Among the winter joys, sledding is a most revered form. Tobogganing takes sledding to the next level by adding a pinch of adrenaline to this peaceful hillside won-

der. And guess what! If one felt the desire to take their need for speed to the icy realm of sledding, one can visit the Mill Stream Run Reservation, and sled down one of two 1,000 foot toboggan chutes for three dollars!

This also grants them access to an indoor clubhouse that comes with a snack bar and television. Instead of drinking hot chocolate in your cramped dorm room (freshmen and sophomores), you could drink hot chocolate in a swanky clubhouse! For less than ten dollars, you could spend the whole day there, stuffing

your face with snacks, watching TV and racing your colleagues on wooden sleds.

And you can do this whether or not there is snow on the ground, as the chutes are kept in refrigerated conditions, and are open until March.

Let’s say you find the idea of those metal blades on the bottom of the toboggans attractive, yet you can’t bring yourself to experience 1,000 feet of speeding ice.

You’re in luck! There’s one more activity that involves sleek metal blades—skating.

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sports

Men’s basketball makes strides in early season

Javi Alvarez works against the defense versus Anderson during the season opener.

JP O’Hagan Staff Reporter While the rest of the CWRU student body awoke late and rolled out of bed from their holiday food comas, the men’s basketball team was hard at work. The work paid off as the team has gone 5-2 since the last day of classes last semester.

The team’s dedication is easily seen in the Spartan’s 9-3 record, despite having to shake off the rust and work hard on developing a consistent defensive presence.

The tools are in place for a great UAA season. “We lost our first game after 20 days off but bounced back the next day for our best non-UAA win of the season,” said head coach Sean McDonnell, “Our guys worked hard over break and we are ready for UAA play.”

Back on Dec. 9 the Spartans ended the semester on a strong note with a 78-68 win over Oberlin College at home. The Spartans were led by senior Tim Chung who scored a career high 24 points. The Spartans led from the midway through the

first half and never led by less than five after claiming the lead. Chung received help from center David Thompson who posted his third double-double of an eventual eight game streak.

Case Western Reserve was handed its second loss of the season by Heidelberg University as the Spartans tried to battle back from a 36-21 deficit at the half.

Thompson posted his fourth double-double and Chung led both teams with 21 points but the leading Spartans could not boost the team to a victory. Heidelberg started with a 7-0 run and would not give up the lead heading into the half. A strong 19-2 rally by the Spartans eliminated their deficit early in the second half but Heidelberg held on and took back control with a 4:43 left to play.

Four different Spartans reached the second scoring column with double digit games against Bethany College in the consolation of the Bill Sudeck Holiday Tournament. The game was strong turnaround from the team’s first game back from break. The Spartans started off with a 14-0

sprint out of the locker room to start the game. Bethany remained unfazed, however, and would come back to be down by only one at the half. Bethany grabbed its own first lead quickly, but multiple lead changes and strong play resulted in a 61 all tie when the final buzzer rang.

The Spartans broke a 63-63 tie in overtime with a five point run and in the extra frame, the Spartans broke a 63-63 tie with five points in a row as junior guard Julien Person hit a vital triple with just under three to play. Bethany wasn’t down, however, and scored six straight points to grab a 69-68 lead, but a jumper

by Jimmy Holman following a steal by Chung swung the game back into Case’s favor and was sealed with free throws in the final seconds.

Following the Bill Sudeck Tournament, the Spartans got even better as they edged out John Hopkins University 81-77 in the opening game of the Juniata College Holiday Tournament. Down 37-35 at the half the Spartans would eventually go down by 10 before battling back with a 18-8 run.

Arianna Wage/Observer

The two teams battled with out a clear momentum shift until the final minutes when Thompson connected with the three-point play to give the Spartans the win.

Thompson was the Spartan leader again with his seventh straight double-double despite the Spartans loss to Juniata College 74-64 in the Championship game of Juniata’s Holiday Tournament.

Strong defense dictated the game as the Spartans were held to a mere 37.7 percent from the floor and only 18.5 percent from three point range. Juniata took control early with and led 41-28 by the end of the half.

The Eagle’s lead would grow to as many as 16 as they easily handed the Spartan’s their third loss of the season. Despite the tough loss, Thompson and Dane McLoughlin were named to the all-tournament team for their strong play.

Later on in the team’s busy winter break, the Spartans finally had the chance to play Muskingum University. Third time really

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