Volume XLIV, Issue 24: Apr. 5, 2013

observer the

volume xliv, issue 24

friday, 04/05/13

Your Government, your vote Polls open Monday and Tuesday for USG elections; $100,000 rollover one of top concerns in election.

The Observer endorses a USG presidential candidate for the first time in over 10 years, see page 6 For a look at all the candidates for the executive board races, see pages 2 and 3

Make your voice heard.

Fill out a ballot at usg.case.edu/ elections.

Polls will be open 8:00 a.m. on April 8 until 11:59 p.m. on April 9.

Finance, advocacy dominate USG presidential debate >>nooraSOMERSALO student.affairsREPORTER<<

The Undergraduate Student Government elections are quickly approaching, and the campaigns for executive positions are in full swing. On Wed., Apr. 3, dozens of students gathered in the Jolly Scholar at the presidential debate to get to know the candidates better and see who has what it takes to be the next head of the student body.

After introductions, the candidates were immediately put on the spot as they had to define the role of USG for Case Western Reserve University students. Out of all the questions asked on Wednesday night, this was one of the only questions that prompted diverse responses from the candidates.

Matt McKee, the current speaker of the assembly, highlighted the role of USG as a supporter of student organizations.

Taryn Fitch, who currently serves as vice president of academic affairs, emphasized the importance of USG as a means to help students develop their leadership skills. Dan Gallo, vice president of public relations, and Colin Williams, vice president of finance, underlined USG’s role as a liaison between students and the university administration.

All of the four candidates seemed to share similar ideas and opinions on a majority of the topics. Throughout the debate, the relationship between students and USG was mentioned multiple times. All of

the candidates swore to ensure that – were they elected – the students’ voices would be better heard in the future.

On many occasions, the candidates also stressed the importance of internal management.

Williams especially illustrated his plans on working closely with the vice presidents of the committees and strongly encouraging efficiency in policymaking.

USG’s external issues were also among the underlying themes of the debate. The candidates specifically addressed the topic of caucus outreach.

Fitch stated that encouraging the representatives to seek out students and advertise their respective caucuses would be a major improvement over the current situation.

In terms of the organization’s retention, which was one of the questions posed by the audience, Gallo discussed his ideas to improve USG’s cohesiveness by encouraging its members to interact with each other outside official meetings.

McKee, in turn, advocated for increased focus on open discussion during General Assembly meetings to make USG representatives feel more included in the organization.

Perhaps one of the most important questions concerned the most recent budget, which was passed on Tuesday at the General Assembly meeting.

According to the current estimates, the new budget includes a rollover of approximately $100,000. The audience members wanted to know what the

shannon snyder / observer USG presidential candidate Dan Gallo speaks during Wednesday’s debate with Colin Williams, Matt McKee and Taryn Fitch. Election day is quickly approaching with polls opening on Apr. 8. presidential candidates had to say about the rollover and what their plans would be as the president to reduce the amount of rollover funds.

All of the four candidates agreed that the current rollover situation is a significant problem. However, there were discrepancies among them about whether USG would still continue spending money as it has been before. McKee and Fitch both stated that the rollover money should be returned to the students, the former noting further that more risks should

Cleveland National Air Show cancelled for 2013 >>juliaBIANCO contributingREPORTER<<

While most of the debate may be in Washington, the effects of the Mar. 1 federal budget sequester are beginning to take hold locally. Cleveland city officials recently announced that this year’s Cleveland National Air Show is cancelled.

Although the air show is not funded directly by the federal government, the military provides most of the planes for the event.

The sequester has halted aerial

and jump performances at civilian shows and military open houses.

When air show coordinators were told that they would not be able to use the popular Air Force Thunderbirds or the Army’s Golden Knights this year, they decided to cancel the show.

“This is a very regrettable but rational step,” Chuck Newcomb, executive director of the Cleveland Air Show since 1975, said in an interview with The Plain Dealer.

This is the first year that the show hasn’t been held since 1964. The show is a great economic success

for Cleveland annually. On average, the event draws between 60,000 and 100,000 guests, generating $7.1 million alone in revenue for the city, not to mention additional profits for local restaurants, hotels, and other attractions. Without the use of the military jets, officials estimate that attendance for the show would drop up to 25 percent.

According to Kim Dell, the airshow’s spokesperson, even if a budget deal were to be reached before Labor Day weekend, it would be unlikely that the show would be held this year. However,

Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald says that he is looking for a way to fund the show locally to make sure that the event does not disappear.

“We are going to explore all of our options,” he noted in an interview with Fox Cleveland.

Representatives from the Cleveland National Air Show Board of Executives say that the 2014 Air Show, featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, is still scheduled to go on as planned, tentatively scheduled Aug. 30 and Sept.

1, 2014.

be taken with funding.

Gallo and Williams diverged from this argument, both agreeing that even though the amount of funds is too high, it should not be wastefully spent and that any risks should be calculated.

Gallo further suggested that the money could perhaps be used for the student life improvement grants.

Voting for all USG executive positions begins on Mon., Apr. 8 at 8 a.m. and lasts until the end of Tues., Apr. 9. All CWRU undergraduate students are eligible to vote.

Dhama Kapella’s Spring Invitational, CWRU Swing Club, and our thoughts on Bioshock Infinite.

See Arts & Entertainment section

index 1 6 8 12 18

news opinion A&E fun page sports

news

04/05/13

2

USG Election Guide:

An overview of the vice presidential and parliamentarian candidates

VP of Student Life

VP of Academic Affairs

Unnati Amin My name is Unnati Amin, and I would like to ask for your support to become Vice president of academic affairs.

Academic Affairs is a unique committee on USG that allows students to help engage in conversation with faculty about university academic policy.

As a freshman representative this past year, I have gained experience within the committee and learned to communicate effectively with faculty. Having developed various skills, I believe I can use them to make university policy changes such as the course repetition change more transparent and also advocate effectively on behalf of the student body.

I look forward to working with all of you this next year.

Thank you for your support and time.

Peter Choi My name is Peter Choi and I am running to be your vice president of academic affairs. This year, I’ve served as an elected speaker of the First-Year Representative Assembly, a member on the Academic Affairs Committee, and a member of the USG Judicial Board.

Next year, I plan to establish new initiatives and continue old ones, including: supporting funding for new lab equipment, getting club sports approved for academic physical education credit, reintroducing our annual undergraduate-graduate research collaboration symposium at Veale Center, and creating midsemester course evaluations (so that your opinions matter while you take the course!)

Feel free to approach me (or any of the other candidates) with any questions that you have. We are all excited and passionate about USG. So if you want more details or if you would like to get involved in USG yourself, then please ask away!

Meghna Srikanth I am running for vice president of student life so that I can improve the campus experience for all of our community members. I plan on accomplishing this by strengthening the communication between the Student Life Committee and the students.

As a member of the committee, I have found that we focus on big problems on campus and work hard to improve the campus to benefit the student body. However, I feel that by improving the communication with the student body, the committee members will be able to work on problems that are more prevalent in our community. In addition, students will be able to provide feedback on the committee’s initiatives.

If elected, I would work on this communication by creating different venues for community members to interact with the committee so that the voices of the students can be heard more clearly.

Aditya Rengaswamy Service will always define my life. Ever since I started Kids Against Hunger Cleveland last year and being a USG representative for nearly four semesters, helping others has energized me. I am running for vice president of student life to continue serving students in larger capacity. In previous semesters, I have been able to improve CWRU meal plan options, create a public meal plan cost breakdown, develop strategies for housing, run and re-energize CWRU’s Pizzalympics, and look into issues with the quad bike lanes. Additionally, I currently serve as a representative in the faculty senate committee on student life. This vast array of experiences with administrators and students has allowed me to more successfully advocate for student interests.

Your vote allows me to continue my impact, and among many initiatives, I particularly wish to confront problems with dining hall crowding and housing in collaboration with RHA next year.

VP of IT Running Unopposed

VP of Finance Running Unopposed

VP of Public Relations Running Unopposed

Parliamentarian

Michelle Kaumeyer I understand that working technology is essential for students’ success in the class and to enjoy life outside of school.

As vice president of information technology (IT), I would attempt to improve student life by addressing issues with the Nord computer lab and CaseWireless.

I will also continue work on the campus-wide calendar that would have all university events on one calendar. This will make it easier to find out everything that is going on and would be a great way for groups to advertise their events.

Justin Beckman If elected, I will work to make USG Finance a more accommodating and easier process for everyone involved. I want to work more closely with student groups, hear their immediate feedback, and make constant improvements.

Additionally, I would like to make updated information available to student organizations about the finance process and how the committee makes its decisions. USG Finance is headed in a positive direction, but my fresh perspective will continue this growth and ensure all changes best serve the students of CWRU.

Andrew Torres

Emily Assaley

Xiaoyu Li

My name is Andrew Torres, and I want to be your vice president of public relations for the Undergraduate Student Government. This past year, I served in USG as a first-year representative for the residents of Clarke Tower. During this time, my position on the USG Public Relations committee helped me recognize the many responsibilities of USG. I believe the Public Relations committee is specifically charged with the duty of maintaining an effective line of communication between the undergraduate students and USG. If elected, I plan on continuing current initiatives such as the USG Moderator and USG Newsletter to make undergraduates fully aware of the business of USG. While I have very much enjoyed this past year serving as a USG representative, I need your support to continue working for you. I have the experience and vision necessary to help move our USG forward—the only part missing is your vote.

My name is Emily Assaley, and I am a freshman biomedical engineering major running for the position of parliamentarian. I have served as a freshman representative, a finance committee liaison, and as secretary in USG. After being appointed the position of secretary at the beginning of this semester, I have helped the Executive Committee re-write the USG funding bylaws. As parliamentarian, I would ensure that USG abides by its Constitution and Bylaws, and that all proceedings of the USG are fair. My goals include making the governing documents more accessible to members of the USG and of the student body.

I especially hope to help student organizations understand the new changes to the funding bylaws.

Hi, everyone! My name is Xiaoyu Li, and I am asking for your support in running to be your next parliamentarian for USG. The parliamentarian is the individual responsible for making sure that the general assembly of USG is staying on track with our bylaws. This position requires familiarity with the organization itself, which I strove to achieve these past two semesters with my active participation in the Academic Affairs Committee, Freshman Caucus, Faculty Senate, and Judicial Board. Other than ensuring that we are fulfilling our roles in USG as fairly as possible, as parliamentarian and a member of the Executive Committee, a goal of mine would be to improve communications between the administration and students, making policies more transparent, accessible, and easy to understand. I’m always open to feedback, so feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions!

Your Vote Does Matter The 2012 vice president of public relations was decided by 16 votes Less than 25 percent of last year’s students voted in USG’s election

Taylor Gladys I would be so honored to serve as the vice president of student life for this student body.

I have worked in USG the past two years; first on Student Life Committee itself and then as Parliamentarian on the Executive Committee. Firsthand, I have seen the struggles and successes of USG, and I am committed to making it better.

On the Student Life Committee last year, I absolutely loved the opportunity to hear feedback from students about changes that they wanted to see at CWRU. After all, it is the entire undergraduate student body that should be the focus of USG. Just this last year while working as parliamentarian, I dealt only with internal USG projects.

I realize that while this is important, I think too much attention is spent on this; we oftentimes forget our main purpose, which is to do all in the interest of the students.

observer.case.edu

news

3

Meet the USG Presidential Candidates: Taryn Fitch

Dan Gallo

Matt McKee

Colin Williams

If elected president, my main goals would be to improve USG’s relationship with other Student Executive Council groups, to better advocate for students, to work with the vice president of finance to cut down on rollover, and to work with the internal development chair to improve morale and build stronger leaders.

At the end of the day, I feel that making an impact is a pursuit that takes the best of my qualities, works with other people’s abilities, and creates a movement that collaborates to create change. I have been the undergraduate representative on the Faculty Senate, where I have worked with administrators. I have also chaired events around campus including Pizzalympics 2011 and Thwing Study Over for the past two semesters. I intend to be a catalyst that improves the Case Western Reserve University environment.

Thanks for your vote, and if you have any suggestions please email me at tif4@ case.edu.

Being the vice president of public relations this past year has exposed me to the inner workings of USG and what makes the organization great. However, it has also made me aware of what needs to be improved in USG. I believe that as awesome as USG is, it still has a vast amount of untapped potential. By staying true to my pillars of strategy development, performance management, and public relations, I will be able to tap into that potential and help USG flourish.

Specifically, I want to increase the understanding among students of what USG does, successfully implement the new funding by-laws, and work with students to pursue big projects they value as being the most important (smoking policy, academic advising, labs, etc.)

This would benefit not only the current students of CWRU, but everyone in its future classes.

I have experience and a strong vision for the presidency and USG as a whole. USG needs to continue to become more responsive to student needs, as well as make sure that student voices are part of large discussions, such as the tobacco free policy and housing decisions.

Additionally, I would continue my work to improve the efficiency of USG by working on representative retention and meeting efficiency. I would continue to support changes in progress that allow for the finance committee to reduce the turnaround time of funding requests. I could never fully explain all of my views in this short section, so please read my letter at “usg.case. edu/elections” and email me at mattforusg@case.edu.

Over the past three years, I have had the pleasure of working with the many student organizations on the campus. As the current vice president of finance, I have worked hard to ensure that the USG finance process is more accessible than ever. I have introduced innovations such as the finance committee liaison program and the dynamic rolling funding process, which has allowed for more money to be available to organizations than ever before. As president, I want to make our student organizations a priority so that they can hold the best events possible. Additionally, I want to help create stronger connections between CWRU students and administration to effectively create a more positive campus experience for everyone. Issues such as the potential campus-wide ban on tobacco and improving course evaluations will require lots of cooperation and communication between USG, the students, and the administration.

news

4

04/05/13

Outside the Circle >>sarahGROFT national.newsREPORTER<<

courtesy dal.ca President Barack Obama plans to invest $100 million towards the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN), which aims to map the human brian. This project will allow researchers to develop new technologies, which hopes to open doors to understanding how the brain works.

Obama invests in further neurotechnology research On Tuesday, Apr. 2, President Barack Obama described his plan to invest $100 million towards the 2014 plan to map the human brain. According to Time magazine, the project, called the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN), aims to develop technologies that would record interactions between nerve cells and the complex network of circuits that make up the human brain.

Hopefully, the information gathered from this research will assist scientists in learning about the mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease, Epilepsy, Autism, traumatic brain injury, and many more, allowing for the creation of new treatments.

The $100 million being donated to this

project will come from the National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the National Science Foundation. The White House press secretary said, “The BRAIN initiative will accelerate the development and application of new technologies that will enable researchers to produce dynamic pictures of the brain that show how individual brain cells and complex neural circuits interact at the speed of thought.

These technologies will open new doors to explore how the brain records, processes, uses, stores, and retrieves vast quantities of information, and shed light on the complex links between brain function and behavior.”

Tensions between North and South Korea escalates On Tuesday, North Korea announced that all of its nuclear facilities, including its operational uranium-enrichment program and its reactors, will be used to increase its nuclear weapons arsenal. According to The New York Times, the announcement came from North Korea’s General Department of Atomic Energy two days after Kim Jongun, the leader of North Korea, said that he wished to expand the country’s nuclear arsenal in “quality and quantity.”

It is believed that the nuclear reactor in Yongbyon will be restarted. The reactor used to be the main source of plutonium bomb fuel for North Korea until it was shut down in a nuclear disarmament deal with Washington in 2007. In the past, the reactor was known to generate enough plutonium for six to eight bombs.

Hong Lei, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said that China, North Korea’s main ally, was concerned about the North’s announcement. “We have noticed the statement made by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and feel regretful about it.”

However, China also encourages all parties

involved “to remain calm and restrained.”

Kim’s speech was published in “Rodong Sinmun,” North Korea’s newspaper. According to The New York Times, the goal behind this action was to make the country’s possession of self-defense nuclear weapons permanent. In part of his speech, the leader of North Korea said, “Now that we have become a proud nuclear state, we have gained a favorable ground from which we can concentrate all our finances and efforts in building the economy and improving people’s lives based on the strong deterrent against war. We must not focus all our resources on building an economically strong nation.”

The Supreme People’s Republic, North Korea’s form of Parliament, created a law on Monday that aimed to “take practical steps to bolster up the nuclear deterrence and nuclear retaliatory strike power both in quality and quantity to cope with the gravity of the escalating danger of the hostile forces’ aggression and attack.” The law also states that North Korea may consider “nuclear proliferation” if relations with hostile nuclear weapons states improve.

“Buckwild” star Shain Gandee dies 21-year-old Shain Gandee, reality television star, passed away last Tuesday. Gandee was found dead with two other individuals in a vehicle that had been partially submerged in mud in the Sissonville area of West Virginia. Thirty-one hours prior to the vehicle being found, Shain Gandee, along with his uncle, David Gandee, were reported missing. The two told family members that they were going four-wheeling in Shain Gandee’s 1984 Ford Bronco at

3 a.m. Sunday morning.

MTV, producer of the show “Buckwild,” said, “we are waiting for more information, but at this time, our main concern is for the Gandee family and their friends.

Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

Shain had a magnetic personality, with a passion for life that touched everyone he met and we will miss him dearly.” The exact reason behind the Gandee deaths is still unknown.

courtesy guardian.co.uk Richard Griffths passed away Mar. 29 due to complications from heart surgery. Griffiths had starred as Vernon Dursley in “Harry Potter” and Uncle Monty in “Withnail and I.”

Actor Richard Griffiths dies Richard Griffiths, the actor who starred as Vernon Dursley in the “Harry Potter” movie adaptations, passed away Mar. 29 due to complications from a heart surgery.

Griffiths was 65-years-old. Griffiths also played Uncle Monty in the movie “Withnail and I” and acted in the play “The History Boys.” The play achieved two Tony Awards and was turned into a movie in 2006.

Griffiths was born in North Yorkshire.

After his primary education, he studied in the Royal Shakespeare Company. From there, he started a television career in series such as “Minder,” “The Sweeney and Bergerac,” “Chariots of Fire,” “Superman II,” and “Gandhi.” Sir Nicholas Hytner, director of the National Theatre, said, “Richard Griffiths wasn’t only one of the most loved and recognizable British actors – he was also one of the very greatest.” Hytner continued, “His anecdotes were legendary.

They were, literally, endless. They would

go on for hours, apparently without destination, constantly side-splitting.”

Griffiths is fondly remembered by everyone who knew him. His sudden death was devastating for not only his friends, but his many fans. Daniel Radcliffe, who played the Boy Who Lived in the “Harry Potter” movies, said, “Richard was by my side during two of the most important moments of my career. In Aug. 2000, before official production had even begun on ‘Potter,’ we filmed a shot outside the Dursleys’, which was my first ever shot as Harry. I was nervous and he made me feel at ease.

Seven years later, we embarked on ‘Equus’ together. It was my first time doing a play but, terrified as I was, his encouragement, tutelage, and humor made it a joy,” said Radcliffe. “In fact, any room he walked into was made twice as funny and twice as clever just by his presence. I am proud to say I knew him.”

Two prisoners escape from East Texas jail Two prisoners, one of whom is awaiting trial on a capital murder charge, broke out of an East Texas jail on Tuesday morning.

The two escapees, Brian Allen Tucker of Sulphur Springs and John Marlin King of Cumby, escaped the Hopkins County jail by fleeing through a recreation yard used by female inmates. CBS affiliate KYTX, reported that both men’s striped prison uniforms were recovered on the ground

near the jail.

Tucker was supposed to go on trial for the murder of Bobby Riley of Mahoney.

Riley was strangled in his home, and some of his personal belongings were stolen.

Tucker was being held on $1 million bail for the 2011 murder. King was being held on an evading arrest charge. All schools in the Sulphur Springs area, where the prison is located, have been locked down.

>>police blotter

Write

03/25 to 4/1

March 25 - Burglary- Items taken from unlocked suite, NRV-2.

March 25 - Petty theft-Unattended backpack taken, Sears Library March 28 - Suspect in Lot 1 thefts from auto arrested, E. 123 Street.

March 28 - Theft of motor vehicleParked auto stolen off street, Cedar Avenue and E. 107 Street.

March 28 - Petty theft- Unattended cell phone taken between 9:30-10 p.m., Starbucks, NRV-3A. March 28 - Felony theft- Unattended wallet taken between 6:30-7 p.m., basketball courts, Veale Center.

Send feedback to On the Beat at policecolumn@case.edu.

for

news

contact mrm141@ case.edu

observer.case.edu

news

5

USG Brief >>nooraSOMERSALO student.affairsREPORTER<<

At the start of the General Assembly meeting on Tuesday, Apr. 2, Case Western Reserve University’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) welcomed special guest President Barbara R. Snyder. In her speech, President Snyder addressed some issues considered by the members of USG as important topics for students.

She first spoke about the new tobaccofree policy that is currently on the agenda of the university administration and was discussed among the GA last week. Snyder emphasized that the policy is still in its draft phase and is currently circulating among both undergraduate and graduate students for feedback. She noted that CWRU is one of nine universities in the Association of American Universities that still has not implemented the policy.

President Snyder also brought up the strategic planning process and some of its highlights. The new strategic plan focuses on providing students with better learning spaces, which involves renovating select rooms in Nord, Mather Memorial, Bingham, and Glennan. Other reforms brought by the plan would include improved small group tutoring opportunities, experiments with online learning, and emphasis on student research and innovation.

President Snyder then addressed international learning, discussing the possibility of making study abroad programs more affordable and more focused. With the new strategic plan, it would be easier for students to transfer credits acquired abroad, and these credits would fit the students’ curricula better.

A student asked President Snyder to elaborate on CWRU’s West Campus expansion. She responded by describing the ongoing projects at the future Milton and Tamar Maltz Performing Arts Center. She explained that an architect has been hired, and after some parts of the building have been taken down, the fa-

cilities needed for performing arts can be developed further.

Vice president of student life Patrick Vaughn introduced Bill B. 22-28, a bill to amend the USG constitution to represent undeclared students. At last week’s meeting, concerns were voiced about students with undeclared majors, who are currently not represented by a specific caucus. If passed, the bill could go into effect next year.

Some members of the GA argued that the bill was hastily put together and should perhaps be referred to the Executive Committee for further contemplation. However, this suggestion was turned down by a majority vote. The proponents of the bill noted that undeclared students need to be able to vote for people that will represent them specifically.

The bill was passed with 85 percent affirmation and will be on the ballot during elections next week.

There was also another amendment proposal on the agenda, Bill B. 22-29, a bill to restore the title of chief judicial officer, which would replace the title of parliamentarian. It was noted that the current title does not properly indicate that one of the parliamentarian’s tasks is to ensure that the members of the USG are on track and seeing to their responsibilities. The bill was passed with 94 percent affirmation.

After President Snyder finished her presentation, the GA moved on to Bill B. 22-25, which would establish the USG budget for fall 2013. According to the budget, the USG would receive an estimated $164,000 in income from the student activities fee funds with an internal rollover of $7,000 and a student organization rollover of $93,000. The budget was passed with 94 percent affirmation.

In addition, the GA voted on Bill B. 22-30, which recognized three student organizations, and Bill B. 22-31, the rolling funding bill. The rolling funding bill allocated $2,235.41 out of the $2,248.41 requested. Both bills were passed unanimously.

Relay For Life continues fundraising efforts through new engagement initiatives >>suneilKAMATH civic.engagementREPORTER<<

One of Case Western Reserve University’s biggest events, Relay For Life, is just around the corner.

Founded in 1985, Relay For Life is a fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. Participants camp out in teams, and members take turns walking around a track throughout the night. As stated by the American Cancer Society, the mission of Relay For Life is to celebrate those who have won their battle against cancer, remember those who have lost their lives to cancer, and help fight cancer through research funding. Since 1985, Relay for Life has grown into an international fundraising event in which over four million people participate every year.

Last year, CWRU was able to raise over $70,000 for the American Cancer Society and approximately 1200 students participated. Many project this year’s event will raise even more money due to increased participation and creative fundraising efforts. The CWRU Relay For Life committee, for example, started Mustache March this year. In Mustache March, a person or a team submits a picture of themselves with a real or fake mustache. The photos are then posted to the Relay For Life’s Facebook page and people vote for their favorite picture. The top three photos then get to compete in a fundraising challenge.

During the event, there will also be lots of food, music, and games to help keep

participants’ energy up throughout the event. This year there will be a midnight pizza party, a wing eating contest sponsored by the Class Officer Collective, a male beauty pageant, and much more.

In addition, for the first time this year there will also be Relay Cup. Teams will participate in various competitions, and the team who gets the most points will win a party at the Jolly Scholar.

“Relay For Life is the biggest on-campus fundraiser at CWRU. To see students show up for a common cause is really great, and with all the food and entertainment, it is a lot of back-to-back fun.

Students will not want to leave,” said Shruti Srinavas, CWRU sophomore and entertainment co-chair for Relay For Life.

One of the biggest and most important traditions at Relay For Life is the Luminaria ceremony. During the ceremony, bags are decorated by people to commemorate a loved one who has lost their battle against cancer. Each bag will contain a candle which will then be lit and lined up along the track. Some of the bags will form the word “Hope” and during the ceremony it will be changed to “Cure.”

This year, the guest speaker at the Luminaria Ceremony will be Mary Step, a researcher at CWRU. The ceremony will conclude with reciting a list of names that each bag is dedicated for, and participants will walk around the track for a silent lap.

Relay For Life will be on Apr. 20 from 1 p.m. to 7 a.m. Students can register with a team to fundraise, or they can come individually just the day of the event.

courtesy ettore fantin Members of Delta Tau Delta construct a nine-hole miniature golf course every year to raise money for the Chris Thibodeau Memorial Fund. Above is one of their holes from last year’s event.

Delta Tau Delta house to become miniature golf course On Apr. 6 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the brothers of Delta Tau Delta will host the annual Caddyshack event at their house on Magnolia Drive (behind Leutner Dining Hall). The entire house will be transformed into a nine-hole mini golf course, designed by the brothers themselves. The brothers also will serve as caddies, carrying participants’ clubs around the house and keeping track of scores.

During presale, individual tickets will cost $4 while tickets for groups of four cost $15. Afterwards, individual tickets will be sold for $5 and a group of five will be $20. In addition, the brothers will be selling T-shirts and providing food at the event.

The tradition will benefit the Chris Thibodeau Memorial Fund, which was set up to honor their brother who passed away in a helicopter crash while serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. Thibodeau’s memorial fund helps provide scholarships to students who have lost loved ones in combat.

Campus group working to create irrigation system in Nicaragua >>tanviPARMAR special.assignmentsREPORTER<<

Members of Engineering Without Borders (EWB) have gotten a step closer in bringing clean water to Nicaragua.

The group has settled on the village it will be installing an irrigation system in but still needs to decide what specific project would benefit the community best.

“We are in a critical pivot point with our project in Nicaragua,” said Jacob Kupas, the project leader.

For the project, the club will be working in Aragon, Nicaragua. EWB must choose if it wants to build a water distribution system, a water filtration system, a water storage system, or a combination of these mechanisms.

Students from EWB will be working with professional engineers and construction firms to design the system.

The groups say that when communities are unclean, families are vulnerable to infectious diseases and other health problems. Households also end up spend more time trying to obtain clean water to fulfill basic needs, often preventing women and girls from getting an education and working.

As stated by their website, the club is committed to the pursuit of communitybased development through the design and implementation of sustainable engineering projects. Essentially, their goal is to allow for everyone to have access to basic needs.

The Engineers Without Borders Case Western Reserve University group has worked on similar projects in the Dominican Republic, Thailand, and Cameroon. One example is their gravity fed water system for the village of Cruce de Blanco in the Dominican Republic, which they recently finished so that they

could focus on Nicaragua.

The system is made up of eight kilometers of transport and distribution pipes. 100 taps have been installed in homes designated to benefit from the project. Members have taught the community all of the information needed to help the system continue to run in the future.

EWB-CWRU also worked with the community to build point-of-use slow bio-sand filters. After the students returned home, members of the community would still be able to make these water purification units that will eventually provide clean water to the community.

In addition to creating the irrigation system, members formed a relationship with the local primary school. They have been able to visit the school and educate the students about hygiene, hand washing, dental health, respiratory health, and science. By providing this knowledge, they hope to help the community improve the general health and the quality of life.

They have also worked on projects locally and researched methods of water treatment intended to supply fresh clean water and basic sanitation needs for the community.

On Saturday, Apr. 6, the organization will be holding its Salsa for Water event in Nord 310 from 7 to 10 p.m. in order to promote their project in Nicaragua and raise awareness on campus. At the event, students will learn how to Salsa dance and be able to enjoy a nacho bar.

EWB’s public relations chair Anjana Rao said, “With more members, EWB can gain new insights and innovative ideas. At the event this Saturday, attendees can not only learn about our many projects, they can meet current EWB members and have a good time.”

opinion

Page 6

04/05/13

Students speak out against victim blaming >> CWRU House Mafia | FROM THE MAFIA On Friday, Mar. 22, a group of students decided to brave the cold and show their support for the Jane Doe of the Steubenville rape case that has been the center of much public attention lately.

These students did not represent any one student organization and encompassed varsity athletes, honor society members, and student activist groups. The protest attracted much attention as they stood by the Spitball statue between morning classes along the path from Strosacker Auditorium to Sears Library Building.

Many passersby stopped to discuss the case and shared their opinions on the media’s perspectives, and members of relevant student organizations such as S.A.V.E. and Case VOX all responded positively.

It’s nice to see that members of our community openly express their individual opinions outside of student groups as well.

CWRU House Mafia is a blog beyond The Daily that strives to engage and develop a deeper sense of community at Case Western Reserve University. They’re only a click away at cwruhousemafia.tumblr.com.

courtesy cwruhousemafia.tumblr.com

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.

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.

Editorial

The Observer endorses Colin Williams for USG president Forthcoming year necessitates finance expertise, balanced approach The position of Undergraduate Student Government (USG) president is arguably one of the most important roles a Case Western Reserve University undergraduate could fill.

From channelling the voice of undergraduate students in meetings with campus administrators to leading an umbrella organization that supports more than 150 student groups, the USG president must move seamlessly from chief advocate to chief operator.

Given the importance of the position and the wide-reaching impact it has on our readership, the editorial board of The Observer marks a new annual precedent this year by endorsing a candidate for USG president.

Leveraging our reporting and editorial staff, this past week a diverse subset of The Observer’s editorial board interviewed each candidate seeking the USG presidency. While the overall field of choices appeared lackluster at times, each candidate brought a unique set of qualifications and specializations to the table.

Following the interviews, the editorial board believed these lackluster feelings were symptomatic of USG’s structural difficulties, in which key issues like financing are isolated and many students – such as humanities and undeclared majors – are largely underrepresented.

The editorial board scored each of the candidates on several criteria, including his or her ability to advocate on behalf of students, represent USG to the greater campus community, and manage the internal operations of one of the university’s largest organizations.

Following exclusive meetings with each of the candidates and undergoing significant internal debate, The Observer unanimously endorses current USG vice president of finance Colin Williams for USG president. *** Williams outpaced the other candidates in areas regarding advocacy, USG’s role in the greater university context, priorities management, and financial expertise.

According to Williams, USG is the organization that serves to bridge the gap between undergraduate students and CWRU administration. He stated the role of USG is to “support the students,” which differed from some other candidates who said USG’s role is to “support the administration.”

Each of the candidates were asked to cite two issues affecting students that they would have to address as USG president. All of the candidates referenced the university’s proposed smoking ban as a future area of work but varied greatly on their second choice. Of all of the candidates, however, Williams was the only individual to cite the transition of CWRU’s next vice president of student affairs as an issue facing the next USG president.

Undergraduates frequently mention to The Observer they feel campus administrators are out of touch with the student body, and Williams’ statement signifies that he understands the reality of this disconnect. He stated USG needs to play a proactive role in acclimating the next vice president of student affairs, which would help ensure the student voice is heard and understood by a key university official.

Williams also expressed a finite understanding that USG is one of several umbrella organizations on campus, such as the Residence Hall Association, University Program Board, and Class Officer Collective. He noted USG should serve to bridge the gap between students and administrators, while emphasizing it needs to do a better job of cooperating and communicating with its fellow umbrella organizations. “USG is not good at everything,” he said.

Concerns surrounding USG’s internal operations, particularly financing, ultimately led The Observer to endorsing Williams as the next student government president. Many of the candidates had the potential to be a great USG president – if the organization was not once again emerging with a massive rollover.

With his experience as vice president of finance playing into his favor, Williams was the only candidate to offer tangible ideas on how to reduce the organization’s rollover.

From decreasing restrictions on student groups to allocating more money with the expectation it won’t all be used, Williams brought options to the table. Williams also voiced support for the organization’s new dynamic rolling funding model while being openminded to new solutions.

Put simply, Williams represents the best choice for undergraduate students at this moment in school history. The student body needs a president – and student government – that can balance the priorities of external visibility and advocacy with the necessities of internal management and accountability.

the observer

established in 1968 by the undergradute students of case western reserve university executive editor & publisher TYLER HOFFMAN director of design MEL SAYRE website manager KYLE PATTERSON opinion editor, training & recruitment manager LISA VIERS

news layout MEILYN SYLVESTRE a&e layout AMBER ALBERGOTTIE sports layout SURHIN SCHIN opinion layout CHANISARA NETSUWAN

photographers ANQI LI, ARIANNA WAGE, AUSTIN STING

business manager JAMES VELETTE ad manager MORGAN BULGER news editor MIKE MCKENNA a&e editor SHEEHAN HANNAN sports editor PETER COOKE photography editor SHANNON SNYDER copy editors JACK BEHREND, KATY WITKOWSKI JENIECE MONTELLANO distributors VICTORIA ZAGORSKI, GRACE LIU advisor BERNIE JIM

opinion

observer.case.edu

7

Court is in session on marriage equality >> evan WILSON | FAIRLY UNBALANCED If you follow politics, watch the news, or even check Facebook, you’ve probably heard the big news from Washington last week: the Supreme Court is deciding on gay marriage. Everyone rejoice and change your profile picture, we’re almost there! Except not really.

While the courts are hearing not one, but two cases related to samesex marriage, neither is set to determine whether or not marriage equality should be a civil right around the nation.

The first case, Hollingworth v. Perry (2013), is set to decide the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8 that overturned a California Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage. In this case, it is possible that the Justices could issue a sweeping decision and give the right to marriage to every citizen of this nation, but it looks increasingly unlikely following the oral arguments last week.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, the undisputed swing vote, said that the court was entering “uncharted waters” and has questioned whether or not they should even hear the case. Since the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had previously declared Prop. 8 unconstitutional, same-sex marriage would return to California if the court decides to abandon the case.

While it is likely that Hollingworth will be a victory for marriage equality, it likely won’t have any federal impact

unless Justice Kennedy joins the conservative Justices and upholds the legality of Prop. 8.

The second case addressing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) came to the Supreme Court as United States v.

Windsor (2013). In this case, Windsor challenges that defining marriage under federal law as existing only between one man and one woman is unconstitutional, as it denies federal benefits to same-sex couples legally married in their jurisdiction.

A lower court ruled section 3 of DOMA to be unconstitutional, which is similar to Hollingworth. However, the Republican majority in the House of Representatives challenged the ruling and paid for the lawyers to argue that DOMA was legal. From the oral arguments on Mar. 27, Justice Kennedy appears to side with the liberal justices, but for different reasons.

Justices such as Ginsberg and Sotomayor argue that its discrimination against gay and lesbian couples violates the 14th Amendment, while Kennedy believes that under federalism, the government has no right to regulate marriage. While the case may not be decided from a civil rights perspective, it still will likely have the outcome of striking down DOMA, which would federally recognize same-sex marriages performed in states that have found them to be legal. However, this ruling would not protect the rights of a same-sex couple that is legally married and lives in a state that does not recognize that marriage.

Breaking the universal speed limit >> aditya Rengaswamy | WEIRD SCIENCE Anyone who has read up on the special theory of relativity knows that the speed of light is considered the speed barrier of the universe. You would need an infinite amount of energy to make a particle with mass travel at this speed. Yet, there are still some farfetched ideas out there ranging from wormholes to warp tunnels theorizing that we can defy this barrier. What has mainly been a sci-fi dream for decades may actually be gaining some traction in reality.

In 1994, physicist Miguel Alcubierre suggested that a device doesn’t need to travel at the speed of light by itself to break this speed barrier. Rather, his idea suggests that bending space-time in front of and behind a vessel, rather than propelling it, could result in highspeed travel. Theoretical calculations have shown this hypothetical idea is possible without breaking the current understanding of relativity, but just like wormholes, you would need some exotic matter to distort space-time.

Plus, the amount of energy needed to power this mechanism would be equal to the mass-energy of Jupiter. This sort of requirement makes this warp travel practically a dream. However, NASA’s Harold White recently released his idea to lighten up the process.

White argues that the massive energy requirement for the field doesn’t need to be this flat halo shape that requires ridiculous amounts of energy.

If you make it into something thicker and curvier, the energy requirement should settle under 1600 pounds. Additionally, if you can oscillate or vibrate this warp field at a consistent speed, the warp may require even less energy.

His findings were presented at the 100 Year Starship 2012 Public Symposium, and leaders from around the world are watching to see if this technology can be field-tested within the century.

Instead of taking decades or centuries of travel to visit neighboring stars like Alpha Centauri, a location that is four light years from us, it would take just a few weeks or months. The journey would involve a craft leaving Earth, reaching a safe distance away from civilization, and then turning on its warp speed. Once the craft hits a point close to its destination, it stops and propels its way to reach the final target.

Even though the practical application of this technology is years away, it is still amazing to hear about the potential inventions that the future will hold. All of those science fiction classics ranging from “Star Trek” to “Dr. Who” reveal the imagination and potential of our future. As Doris Lessing once said, “Space or science fiction has become a dialect for our time.” Inventions that were once considered dreams are already coming to fruition, and as the journey of Earth through time matures, the scientific conversations we have will be held on intergalactic scales. Reaching new stars will only be the start of a new future—perhaps galaxy exploration will eventually become reality, too.

courtesy slate.com So while it appears that LGBT advocates will see a victory in both of these cases, neither will have the sweeping effect à la Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that people were hoping to see. In a not-so-shocking way, the outcomes of these cases will likely reflect the trepidation and hesitance with which anything is accomplished in the modern American political system.

If you really want to do something for marriage equality, call or write your local and national legislators instead of changing your profile picture. Gay mar-

riage obviously has the popular support of the nation, but politicians need enough pressure to actually stand for anything. Go online to find out who represents you and how to contact them.

Evan Wilson is a junior studying Cognitive Science and Biology. For him, politics is akin to watching a car crash... you know something awful is about to happen, but you can’t really do much now, so you might as well enjoy the show.

State Your Case Do you believe that the Supreme Court should declare bans on samesex marriage as unconstitutional?

Aditya Rengaswamy is a sophomore accounting student at Case Western Reserve University. He enjoys doing various service projects like Kids Against Hunger, serving on Undergraduate Student Government, and hanging out with his brothers in Theta Chi.

For the newest State Your Case poll, visit observer.case.edu and voice your opinion!

Page 8

arts & entertainment 04/05/13

(L-R) Kate Hodge, Elizabeth Rich & Denny Dillon appear in Cleveland Playhouse’ production of “Good People.”

courtesy cleveland playhouse

“Good People” at Cleveland Playhouse >>josephVERBOVSZKY theatreCRITIC<< Who are “Good People?” This is what Margie Walsh calls her one time friend and lover, Mike Dillon just after “busting balls” about how he has become “lacecurtain.” A phrase that describes parvenu middle-class Irish who want to assimilate into mainstream American culture to distance themselves from their working class roots, the term is also the ultimate insult in Southie, the blue-collar Boston neighborhood home of the characters.

Word choice is important in Good People, easily Cleveland Playhouse’s best and funniest play of the whole season.

It’s a play about personal relationships between people struggling in a time of high unemployment in a tough neighborhood and the relationship between the rich and the poor. But thankfully, it doesn’t hammer the audience with a message. Instead, as it tells its story, the play develops a delightful ambiguity about who the good people really are in the show.

Without exception, the characters are deeply flawed. It’s not that their actions are good or bad, but rather that the decisions they make and the circumstances in which they live force them to take a position and defend it somewhere in the vast gray sea between black and white.

This makes the characters very dynamic and quite funny; not every justification the characters use makes sense, and they don’t care. The flawed nature of the characters

also makes them incredibly sympathetic and reveals just how human they are.

The play follows the story of Margie Walsh (Kate Hodge), a tough blue-collar woman from Southie who takes care of her 20-year-old mentally disabled daughter Joyce. When the play begins, she has just been fired from her job at the dollar store by Stevie (Patrick Halley) for being late almost every morning. Margie is late because her unreliable and greedy landlord Dottie (Denny Dillon) won’t get up on time to watch Joyce.

The interplay and antagonism between the characters in these early scenes are hilarious. Margie’s friend Jean (Elizabeth Rich), partly out of revenge for firing Margie and partly out of spite, tells Margie that Stevie is “gay” for going to bingo, even telling him to his face at the next opportunity when he shows up at the bingo hall.

Meanwhile, if Dottie’s not trying to squeeze another buck out of Margie, she’s trying to foist homemade craft rabbits, made out of Styrofoam balls and plant pots, onto any unsuspecting victim unlucky enough to sit down at her table at bingo. The interplay between Dottie and Jean is some of the funniest in the play, and Jean’s exasperation at Dottie’s behavior is palpable across the stage.

The second part of the play focuses almost exclusively on Margie’s relationship to Mike Dillon (David Andrew MacDonald). Margie hears that Mike is in town through Jean and, on account of

their former relationship, thinks he might be able to help her find a job.

But it’s clear from the first moment we get a glimpse of him that Mike is no saving angel. He sits smugly behind his desk, proud to the point of arrogance of his achievements and how far he has come from his humble beginnings in Southie.

When he stands up to put on his doctor’s coat (that sacred article of clothing that signifies the glory and status of physicians, which goes beyond that of a healer and which some doctors are so attached to that they will not even remove it to use the bathroom), it’s as if he is a military officer, waiting to receive his distinction.

It’s not that Mike is a bad person. In fact, he’s a generally kind fellow who works as a doctor, specialized in fertility treatments, has a family, and gives to charity. Macdonald does an excellent job of portraying these two conflicting sides of Mike’s character and in the scenes with Margie, the audience can see how the pride and arrogance of achievement bubbles just underneath the surface of middle-class politeness.

It’s clear right away that Margie makes Mike uncomfortable. She is a living reminder of Southie, the real Southie, and not the one that Mike has re-imagined for himself. This comes to a head when Margie meets Mike’s wife Kate (Zoey Martinson).

Kate is the most pitiable character but not the most sympathetic. She’s a very

nice person (certainly more welcoming to Margie than Mike when Margie shows up uninvited) but she’s also a snob, which is clear when she asks Margie if the wine tastes “cork.” She asks Margie what life in Southie was really like with a typical bourgeois curiosity that wants to observe but never really get close to real danger.

When Margie tells her how Mike got into a serious fight, Kate is disgusted. As the play goes on, it becomes clear that Mike has gotten further and further away from his identification to Southie and wants nothing to do with Margie.

The play ends with a brilliantly executed climax that captures the realistically awkward confrontation between two former lovers who are now truly worlds apart. It also serves as a shattering indictment of the hypocrisy of the bourgeois class. In the end, it may not be clear who the “good people” are, but it is clear that Mike is not one of them.

Finally, the set of Good People deserves maybe as much praise as the story. It’s not so much the individual set pieces that are amazing, as it is the way they appear and the seamlessness of the transitions. A wall slides up in a back alley to reveal a naturalistic rendition of Margie’s small blue-collar abode. Later, a larger section slides up and continues sliding until it has revealed the palatial home of Mike and his wife. When this set piece was revealed, it was the first time I had ever heard of the audience clapping just for the scenery, but it was more than well deserved.

It’s here: “Bioshock Infinite”

ality tearing superpowers that the game >>owenBELL exactly the way you want. If you want and have heard about many others.

The balance problems are not helped sends you to find. After rescuing her to fight from a distance, you can disgames&techREPORTER<<

The giant is here. Ever since Irrational Games released “Bioshock” in 2007, gamers everywhere have been waiting to see what the company was going to make next. That game has arrived, and it has some big shoes to fill.

“Bioshock Infinite” takes the player back to 1912, putting them in the role of Booker Dewitt, a man deep in gambling debt. With the promise of having his debt wiped away, Booker is sent to the flying city of Columbia to find a girl named Elizabeth and bring her back to New York.

It plays a lot like a first-person shooter. You run and gun your way through the game, fighting off numerous different enemies using a variety of weapons and supernatural powers called Vigors (“Infinite’s” equivalent of the original’s Plasmids). With these Vigors, you can possess enemies, summon flocks of murderous crows, or do a variety of other crazy things.

Combined with the different weapons, the Vigors let you play the game in

tract enemies, stun them, or turn them against each other while you pick them off with a sniper rifle. If close combat is more your thing, you can use super speed to get in close and blast enemies away with a shotgun. It’s a lot of fun to experiment with new combinations and immensely satisfying when you find a new, powerful combo. Guns and Vigors can even be upgraded to further customize your play-style.

There are some balance issues, though some combinations are downright broken. Quite early in the game, I found a Vigor called Bucking Bronco, which let me suspend enemies in the air.

Soon after, I got an upgrade for it that caused the effect to refresh and jump to new targets every time I killed a suspended enemy. After that, fights became an exercise in knocking enemies into the air and killing them one by one as the resets left them suspended endlessly. There were still some challenges now and then, but most fights were a joke. I found several of these broken combinations during my play-through

by the game’s ease. Playing on medium, I probably died less than ten times in the entire game. If you want a challenge, hard difficulty is much more satisfying.

Gameplay issues aside, the thing that any fan of the original “Bioshock” is going to care about is the story, and “Infinite” delivers. The game is about American exceptionalism gone wrong.

A self-proclaimed prophet called Comstock built the floating city of Columbia. A haven for the “true American,” the city seems like a utopia, but racism, classism, and xenophobia boil just under the surface. Unlike many other games, these are not issues that “Infinite” shies away from. Instead, the game tackles them head on. It is not afraid to force the player to do things and make decisions that will make them uncomfortable. If anything, the story in “Infinite” thrives on that discomfort. The game wants to leave an emotional impact.

Another thing that is going to leave an impact is Elizabeth, the girl with re-

from her prison, Elizabeth becomes your constant companion and the focal point. She is totally unlike any AI companion in any videogame. She does the standard stuff like helping you out in combat, but it’s the stuff that happens outside of fighting that really makes the difference. When you watch her explore the world around her, smelling a flower, admiring a painting, or mourning over a dead body, Elizabeth seems like a real person. She doesn’t behave like the robotic AI’s tied to your hip in so many other games; her emotions are real. You keep playing “Infinite” because you want to help her solve her problems, because you want to see her happy.

The best thing I can say about “Infinite” is that it sticks with you. The story twists and turns, and by the end, everything you thought you knew about the game has been turned on its head.

A day hasn’t gone by since I beat the game that I haven’t thought about it, and I’ll still be thinking about it for a long time to come.

a&e 9

observer.case.edu

Dhamakapella pictured above, will be hosting the first ever Spring International on Apr 6.

Dhamakapella hosts spring invitational >>anneNICKOLOFF musicREPORTER<< Case Western Reserve University’s South Asian a capella group, Dhamakapella, will be hosting their first ever Spring Invitational tomorrow, Apr. 6.

The concert is historic for the group. “It’s the biggest event I think Dhamakapella’s ever had,” said freshman member Andrew Santin.

Held at Harkness Chapel, appetizers will be served at 6:30 p.m. followed by the muchanticipated performance at 7:00 p.m.

“Our goal is to pack as many people as possible, legally, into Harkness chapel,” said Dhamakapella music director Sahaana Sridhar.

After this week’s ticket sales, any student who happened to stroll by Dhamakapella’s ticket-selling table at Nord Hall is sure to know about the event. However, many students do not really know what Dhamakapella is, other than a singing group that has something to do with Indian culture.

The label “South Asian a capella” seems at first discriminative, but the group itself is incredibly diverse. “When CWRU sees ‘Dhamakapella,’ they see ‘that brown group,’” said Dhamakapella president Jeff Wexler. “We pride ourselves on diversity. It’s intimidating.”

“Especially when we win,” added Sridhar.

Dhamakapella has competed in two different competitions this past year: one in Philadelphia and one in Iowa. At the Philadephia competition, Dhamakapella competed against Michigan State University’s Spartan Sur, a group that will also be singing at the Spring Invitational tomorrow.

Other performing groups are Georgia Technical University’s Taal Tadka and CWRU’s own Speakeasy. Sridhar is especially excited about the new a capella groups that will be performing at the event.

“We’re the only South Asian a capella group CWRU has heard,” said Sridhar, who is very excited about bringing some new singing groups to CWRU’s campus. “The four teams performing are all fun and great to watch on

stage.”

One aspect of Dhamakapella’s energetic shows that sets them apart from other groups is their choreography. With synchronized movement grooving along with Dhamakapella’s fused American and South Asian tunes, the show is sure to keep the audience entertained.

Members, who choose songs that they think the crowd will respond well to, arrange all the songs the group performs. Santin joked, “It’s a little tough for my Italian self to get a solo in all these Indian songs.”

Swaying in and out of different musical realms, the fused songs are meant to do more than just create a catchy piece for competitions and shows. “It’s about bridging two completely different cultures and mashing them together,” said Wexler.

Wexler joined Dhamakapella because of its uniqueness from other groups he had heard before. “It was the best decision in my life,” he mentioned.

Now president of the group, there is no question in Wexler’s dedication to Dhamakapella. “It’s like a big family,” he said.

Santin echoed the family-like qualities of the group. Earlier in his freshman year, Santin applied for many different singing groups on campus but decided to ultimately follow through with Dhamakapella. “I stuck with it because I formed such a connection with the

courtesy jeff wexter

group,” he said.

“I’ve heard fusion music and thought it would be fun,” said Sridhar, who joined the group for its unconventional tunes.

As far as leading the group goes, Sridhar believes she and Wexler are well suited to take on their positions as Music Director and President, respectively. “We were the people for the jobs,” she said.

The show tomorrow features several new mashups, including “Hips Don’t Lie/ Sheila Ki Jawani” and “ Pushing Me Away/ Woh Lamhe,” along with “a couple of other surprises,” according to Sridhar.

Dhamakapella will honor its supportive alumni by dedicating a song to graduated members, and any alumni in attendance will join in with the group to sing as well.

The concert has taken on another meaning, becoming a reunion for the tightly knit singers.

Many plans are in store for tomorrow’s performance, including an after party at the Jolly Scholar immediately following the concert. The party includes drink specials for those of age and celebration with the a cappela groups. “The ticket [to the performance] is your ticket to the Jolly Scholar after party,” said Wexler.

Pre-sale tickets for undergraduates from the Nord table are $5 and $7 at the door. Graduate students can get in for $8, while the cost rises slightly for community members to $10.

From the weird files: Japanese teenagers reenact “Dragon Ball” moves, prepare to save earth’s future >>drewSCHEELER film&televisionCritic<< A set of photos circulating around the Internet this past week shows an assortment of Japanese schoolgirls reenacting moves and poses popularized by Akira Toriyama’s “Dragon Ball” manga.

Originally appearing on 2channel – the same Japanese Internet bulletin board that previously alerted the world to the plight of the socially-awkward otaku and the existence of body pillows – the girls featured in these photos are observed reenacting the Kamehameha wave and other powerful energy blasts that characters like Goku, Krillin, and Piccolo use to purge the Earth of series of progressively more powerful warrior beings.

But unlike the auras and the energy blasts that radiate from characters in the source material, the only thing these girls

seem to be firing from their hands is an invisible beam of their dignity.

Perhaps this recent trend is a clever ploy to keep students distracted from their exams, allowing North Korea to overtake Japan in math and science by the next century.

Or maybe this trend was inspired by the mysterious youth Trunks, who has traveled back in time to warn of a pair of deadly androids prepared to conquer the world.

Most likely, these photos are in response to the recent release of “Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods” in Japan, the first theatrical release for the series in 17 years.

An English-language dub has not been announced yet but is eagerly anticipated by an entire generation of American children who thought that they too could shoot energy waves from their hands before coming to the same sad realization these Japanese girls will in a few weeks.

Training to save the future of humanity replaces previous youth trends in Japan like planking, buying bizarre items from vending machines, and giggling while coyly covering your mouth with your hands.

Despite a nationwide search of vending machines they have been unable to locate any of the seven title magical balls that can grant immortality or revive their fallen comrades.

courtesy gawker

advertisement 10

04/05/2013

observer.case.edu

advertisement

11

fun page

Page 12

04/05/13

easy Follow @cwruobserver for the latest news and updates!

Sudoku

45. Opp. of fem.

46. Some urban transit 47. Period or woman’s nickname 48. This 19th century visitor to the U.S. was aghast at the site of Senators spitting tobacco juice onto the carpeting, ignoring their spittoons 54. Alias 55. Greek letter 56. “_____ in the Sun” 57. German article 58. French refusal 59. Put back in the icebox 60. Chicago-bound luggage ticket inscriptions __________________ Down

hard(er)

*Crossword*

__________________ Across 1. Brit. mil. branch 4. Sound produced within wool 7. Tape recorder speed initials 10. Compare (abbr., pl.)

13. Natural or congenial surroundings 15. Thumbs-down vote 16. Am, _____, is, ...

17. _____ one (retains all employees) 18. Original or deadly follower 19. Fate 20. Only U.S. Presidential candidate to be endorsed

by Karl Marx 23. We, in Roma 24. Part of i.e.

25. ____ bene 27. Political orientation of Francis Bellamy, the 1892 author of the Pledge of Allegiance 32. Veto again, slangily 33. Maple genus, pl.

34. Ex-mayor of NYC and family 35. This composer was commissioned a work for the U.S. Centennial celebration 38. Cuts off pedal digits 39. French town 40. Long stories 41. On July, 4, 1776, he wrote in his diary, “nothing of importance happened today.”

1. _____ the flames (stirs things up again 2. Ghost’s excuse?

3. Containing iron 4. Interlock 5. King of Siam’s companion 6. Powerful particle 7. Refuse to take “No” for an answer 8. Vandal’s weapon 9. Agreement, casually 10. “I’m at your service.”

11. Edge of civilization 12. Gel 14. _____ culpa 21. What burlesque house patrons want to see 22. The first step in a poker game 26. Belonging to pianist Emmanuel 28. Businessman/author 29. Flu symptoms 30. Meadows 31. Kind of vb.

32. Silence again 34. Wagnerites’ Mecca (abbr.)

35. One who puts things back in their boxes 36. ____ to believe...

37. Press one’s suit 38. Non-Rep. 41. Gathers bit by bit 42. ____ March 43. What a salt will do in water 44. Advertising come-on 46. John of songdom 49. Splitsville 50. Child’s challenge 51. Angers 52. Half of the title of a recent [at least it was in 1988] movie with Jack Palance 53. Subtly colorful drink 54. Fuss __________________

a&e 13

observer.case.edu

The Observer’s playlist of the week 04.5.13

>>jasonWALSH musicCRITIC<<

Active Child - “Evening Ceremony” In 2010, Active Child put an EP called “Curtis Lane” that was the best thing I’d heard in awhile. His fulllength 2011 follow-up “You Are All I See” was a little bit of a disappointment, but still a solid effort. His new single “Evening Ceremony” continues in the slow-harp-melodies-and-falsetto direction of “You Are All I See,” but it’s still worth a listen.

Alex Bleeker and the Freaks “Leave on the Light” Alex Bleeker is a member of Real Estate, a band that’s gotten a ton of critical acclaim over the last couple years (for reasons I’ve never quite understood); I’ve always thought his side project Alex Bleeker and the Freaks is better. “Leave on the Light” is a rambling, alt-country-rock song and the new single from their upcoming album “How Far Away,” due out May 28.

Hudson Mohawke - “Pleasure” Hudson Mohawke has been around producing for a while. I still go back to his 2009 album Butter every now and then. Lately he’s been working in a duo

called TNGHT with Lunice, churning out trap-inspired electronica. “Pleasure” is his remix of Janet Jackson’s “Pleasure Principle,” and it doesn’t disappoint.

When Saints Go Machine - “Love and Respect ft. Killer Mike” When Saints Go Machine put out a pretty good electro-pop album called “Konkylie” in 2011. “Love and Respect” is single from the follow-up album. The song bizarrely features the gruff Atlanta rapper Killer Mike, but the guest spot works out surprisingly well for them.

Beyonce - “I Been On (Remix) (ft.

Bun B, Z-Ro, Scarface, Willie D, Slim Thug, Lil Keke)” In the original version of “I Been On,” Beyonce does a little shout out to Houston: “Hold up, Texas trill, H-town going down.” In response, Bun B et al decided to release this remix, probably the most Houston song of all time. You can’t get much more Texas trill than Bun B (formerly of UGK), Scarface and Willie D (formerly of Geto Boys), and Z-Ro. The only way for it to get more Houston would be for OG Ron C to do a chopped and screwed remix of this remix.

The Observer’s app of the week

Field Trip >>sheehanHANNAN of Pisa located, of all places, in the parking arts&entertainmentEDITOR<< lot of a YMCA in Morton Grove. For me, In elementary school, there were two things that I enjoyed more than anything else: recess and field trips. Even to this day, the things I enjoy most come from wandering off the beaten path and finding something random, new, or challenging. Field Trip from Google seeks to both fulfill and encourage that wanderlust.

Field Trip is essentially a guidebook app, seeking to bring interesting tidbits to the eyes of users based on geographic location. The app offers a truly diverse cross section of interesting stuff, ranging from locations used in movies to Zagat rated restaurants. All suggestions are based on your phone’s GPS location, with the option to map out local attractions.

The suggestions are generally interesting and are sourced from a diverse range of providers. Though the diversity is refreshing, Field Trip does a poor job of offering suggestions tailored to individual user’s interests. The app does have an option to select specific areas of interest like architecture and restaurants, but it doesn’t learn based on what locations you actually visit and offer similar suggestions. Perhaps that’s asking too much, though Google has the resources and expertise to do so and is already doing something similar with Google Now. For instance, on a trip to Chicago over spring break, Field Trip offered up some things that were interesting and others that were something less so. One such location was a scale model of the Leaning Tower

it was the perfect piece of kitschy Americana to visit, and I would have completely missed it if not for Field Trip’s suggestion engine. However, my Chicago trip also illustrated the weaknesses of the app, as it was unable to find restaurants that were reasonably priced. The app is best used to find something completely random and interesting, and is less than satisfactory when searching for attractions based on specific interests.

In terms of design, Field Trip exhibits the lack of attention that Google pays to its products that are largely outside the spotlight. It hasn’t been touched by the aesthetic design revolution that has affected other Google apps like Gmail or Google Maps.

Perhaps most tellingly, the app’s mapping capabilities use an Apple Maps frame. It’s not clear whether this is due to laziness or Apple’s maniacal need to isolate individual apps, thus boxing out the far superior Google Maps interface. Either way, Field Trip suffers immensely from its use of Apple mapping solution with extremely slow load times for basic maps and an interface that is beyond lacking.

Despite its design shortcomings, Field Trip is still worth the download for those seeking interesting things off the beaten path. It far outpaces other competing services like Facebook’s Graph Search and the suggestions engine component of Foursquare. Though you may have to sift through the ridiculous results, there’s a chance you might find gold. It’s a chance that should be taken.

Charleston, Blues, and Balboa: CWRU Swing Club >>elainaLIN theatre&danceREPORTER<< From afar, echoes and sounds from the 1920’s pull one along to the wide-open space of the Nord Atrium. The upbeat music takes hold, swinging the day away.

The Case Western Reserve University Swing Club offers swing dancing lessons to not only CWRU students, but the Cleveland Institute of Art and Cleveland Institute of Music community as well.

Swing dancing developed with the style of jazz music, which was mostly popular in the 1920’s through 1950’s. Those who stop

by Carlton Commons on Thursday nights will learn Lindy Hop, Charleston, East Coast Swing, Blues, and Balboa.

Footsteps bounce along the vast surface of the floor, with the dancers’ energy swirling about. Lessons range from beginner to advanced levels, and those with different dance background and experiences are welcome to stop by.

“Whoever shows up, we give them the basics,” said Derek Ye, current president of the CWRU Swing Club. “Our purpose is to spread this dance, as it’s not very well known. It’s a social exercise, a good thing to experience at least once.”

With the upbeat tempo and vibrant music, members agree that this type of dancing is good exercise as well. Though the dance may seem fast-paced and overwhelming for beginners at first, new members are taught the fundamental elements of swing dancing step-by-step.

Rocking along to the beat, sophomore member Devon Kaufman shared, “I don’t have any previous dance experience, but I like to say I’m kind of an old soul, and this kind of dance really interests me. It’s a nice way to interact with people and do something that is different from what everybody else does.”

The swing students not only dance the swing style, but also dress the part. With bright pink flowy dresses swishing to the side, it certainly adds to the whole vibrancy of the dance.

Kaufman said, “It’s my way of letting go and relaxing at the end of the week too.

It’s a way for me to let go, express myself, and smile. You can’t be sad when you’re dancing with people.”

Practices at CWRU Swing Club are not just structured, but definitely serve as a social gathering. With all types of interaction from dancing to teaching others how to dance and have fun, it’s also a convivial way to get to know others.

“What drew me in were the people. I really developed deep connections through the people with the dance. What I’m trying to show people is that it’s not just the dancing, but it’s about the experience as well,” said Ye. With upbeat jazz music in the background, it certainly builds up the lively atmosphere. Stepping into the room during Swing Club’s practice sessions really provides a trip back to the 1920’s through 1950’s.

“It’s very fun and energetic. There’s a kind of a classic elegance about it. It’s kind of like in the old movies, you see all the dances, and you’re like wow, they still do that. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s amazing,” said Courtney Sich, a CIA student who’s enjoyed being a part of the swing culture at CWRU. So if you’re looking for a workout session, social gathering, or an opportunity to be exposed to a unique and dynamic culture, then the CWRU Swing Club is for you.

Club member Michaela Epperson added, “There’s a very friendly atmosphere in the club. The energetic dance, it’s a good outlet for stress. It liberates you.”

sports

14

04/05/13

65 Spartans named to UAA 25th Anniversary Team >>courtesyOF case.sportsINFORMATION<

A combined 65 former and current student-athletes from Case Western Reserve University have been named to University Athletic Association 25th Anniversary Teams in their respective sports.

The teams consist of UAA Most Valuable Players as well as studentathletes that accumulated five or more points, with two points awarded for AllAssociation First Team recognition and one point given for second-team honors.

Spartan football and wrestling produced the most silver anniversary selections, while baseball senior Matt Keen and football senior Dan Calabrese were the only two current student-athletes to be named to the 25th Anniversary Teams in their respective sports.

Graduate students Dale English in football and Vinny Bell in men’s soccer competed in sports outside of their 25th Anniversary Teams this academic year.

Of the 65 Spartans named to silver anniversary teams, 27 earned an automatic spot by virtue of being named a UAA MVP during their career.

In addition, 11 of the 65 members are current members of the Spartan Club Hall of Fame or are included in this year’s induction class.

chen bai / observer Wrestler Isaac Dukes was one of the programs top athletes and became the fourth Spartan to win an individual National Championship with a win in the 149-pound weight class in 2010.

UAA 25th Anniversary Members MVP – earned most valuable player, honors, or individual championship in respective sport HOF – current member or 2013 inductee of the Spartan Club Hall of Fame BASEBALL Scott Feskanich – MVP - HOF Marshall Hampton Matt Keen Chad Mullins - MVP Lance Sparks – MVP MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Steve Cullen - HOF Matthew Finnerty Aaron Johnston-Peck - MVP WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Kristen Bowhers Esther Erb - MVP Justine Jeroski Andrea Park VOLLEYBALL Tricia McCutchan FOOTBALL Bobby Bott - MVP Joseph Brenner Tom Brew - MVP Jeff Brown - MVP Dan Calabrese - MVP Brian Calderone Corey Checkan Sam Coffey Tom Courtad - MVP Dale English - MVP Ken Holloway Zach Homyk David Kallevig - MVP Marcus Kluczynski Santo Maimone - MVP Mark Massman Brandon McDowell - MVP Jeremy Nawyn Shaun Nicely

Tony Opperman John Tiemeier Ed Trebets – MVP Josh Trook Mike Tuertscher Dan Whalen – MVP Rich Zdrojewski – MVP - HOF MEN’S SOCCER Vinny Bell - MVP Mark Ruegsegger WOMEN’S SOCCER Nancy Moon - HOF Sandra Oh Sue Waniewski - HOF WRESTLING Travis Cox Isaac Dukes - MVP Drew Gardella - MVP Andy Horrigan - MVP Derek Messmer - HOF Scott Miller - HOF Desi Molina Chris Nader – MVP - HOF Chris Ricklic – MVP - HOF Mike Sanchez Josh Schmidt - MVP Men’s Basketball Carson Oren Ed Saxon Women’s Basketball Erin Hollinger JeNine Nickerson - MVP Erin Rogalski - HOF Ashleigh Tondo Softball Adrienne Douglass - MVP Carla Kinyon Becky Palmer – MVP - HOF Melanie Simpson

online content | State Your Case voting | Twitter and Facebook links | and more

Go to observer.case.edu for the latest updates

sports

observer.case.edu

15

Rochester’s John DiBarolomeo named 2013 D3hoops.com men’s basketball player of the year

courtesy rochester sports information Rochester’s John DiBartolomeo was named the D3Hoops.com player of the year and a first team All-American after finishing his final season with a career best 22.6 points per game. >>courtesyOF rochester.sportsINFORMATION<

University of Rochester senior guard John DiBartolomeo has received the top two honors given out by D3hoops.com.

He was named the D3hoops.com Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and a First Team All-American.

It is his second national player of the year honor and his fourth First Team All-America honor. He was named the DIII News Player of the Year earlier this week. He has been named a First Team All-American by four groups: the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), D3hoops.com, DIII

News, and the U.S. Basketball Writers’ Association.

The Westport, Conn. native (Staples HS) is the fourth Rochester player to earn All-America honors from D3hoops. com, just the second man named to the First Team. Jeff Joss was accorded Honorable Mention All-America status in 2002. Seth Hauben was named a First Team All-American in 2005. Mike Chmielowiec was named a Second Team All-American in 2009.

D3hoops.com started naming AllAmerica teams in the 1997-98 season.

This is the eighth straight year that the website has chosen a Player of the Year.

DiBartolomeo was joined on the

Home Team Realty Apartments for rent! $450 - $550/month Corner of Euclid Ave. and E. 116th St. 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom Efficiency Units Students Welcome! To schedule a showing.

Please call Carnegie Group at (216) 252-6580

D3hoops.com First Team by Aaron Toomey of Amherst University, Colton Hunt of Randolph College (Va.), Landon Gamble of North Central College (Ill.), and A.J. Matthews of Farmingdale State University. D3hoops.com named four All-America teams consisting of five players each plus a five-person Honorable Mention All-America team.

DiBartolomeo finished his senior campaign with a career-best 22.6 points per game scoring average. He led Rochester in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals.

He was named Player of the Year by the University Athletic Association and the Eastern College Athletic Conference

(for Upstate New York). He was named the East Region Player of the Year by D3hoops.com and the NABC. DiBartolomeo was a First Team honoree by the UAA, ECAC Upstate New York, the NABC, and D3hoops.com.

He was selected to play in the Reese’s NABC Division III All-Star Game in Salem, Va. last Saturday. Previously, he was named a finalist for the Josten’s Trophy, given by the Salem Rotary Club.

During the regular season, he was named to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week five times. He was a Second Team Pre-Season All-American by D3hoops. com entering the 2012-13 season.

from BASEBALL | 18

Pakan drove in another run as he singled up the middle before coming home to score on Winemiller’s first career triple.

In the bottom of the inning, the Tomcats were able to respond, scoring three runs on five hits. Trent Smith provided the key hit with a two-run double as the Tomcats ended Spartan freshman starter Neal Krentz’s career-opening streak of no earned runs through 10.2 innings pitched.

Thiel got their first lead of the day in the fourth following an RBI double by Doug Farely, but the Spartans regained the advantage when Cain hit a two-run double to right in the top of the sixth.

Refusing to back down, Thiel tied the score in the bottom of the inning on an RBI triple by Eric Steininger. However, the Spartans would clinch the sweep two innings later as Ossola led off the eighth with a walk and eventually came around to score on a pinch-hit sacrifice fly by junior pinch hitter Andrew Frey. Ossola added some insurance in the ninth with a two-out, RBI single.

The Spartans improve to 12-6 overall and are back in western Penn. on Saturday, Apr. 6, for a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Westminster College in New Wilmington. Case will then return home on Sunday to host their first home game at Nobby’s Park for a doubleheader against Wooster.

in game two. The Spartans total 20 runs on 33 hits in the doubleheader sweep.

In game one, the Spartans broke a scoreless tie with four runs on six straight singles to open up the third inning. Center fielder Pakan, first baseman Ossola, and catcher Winemiller all drove in runs during the rally. Thiel put one on the board in the bottom of the inning thanks to a single and an error, but Case starter Jamie Hora got out of the jam with a double play and a strikeout. The fourth started off in a similar fashion when shortstop Keen and right fielder Gronski led off with back-toback singles. Pakan then drove Keen home with a double, and Ossola plated two more runs with an opposite-field single. Swisher, who was the designated hitter, and freshman third baseman Mike Ilacqua accounted for the fourth and fifth runs of the inning with backto-back RBI singles. The remaining four runs would cross the plate in the eighth due to Gronski’s two-run RBI double and Pakan’s RBI single.

The last game of the weekend got off to another great start as the Spartans continued to play strong with three runs in the first on three hits. Leftfielder Meador singled, stole second, and scored on an error. Three batters later,

sports

16

04/05/13

Football announces ambitious 2013 season >>courtesyOF case.sportsINFORMATION<

Five states, three time zones, and roughly 6,800 miles of road will be covered for the Case Western Reserve University football team during the fall of 2013.

With the University Athletic Association-North Coast Athletic Conference scheduling agreement having ended last season, and the Spartans’ affiliate membership in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference not beginning until the 2014 season, 10thyear Head Coach Greg Debeljak had to search across the nation to fill the team’s schedule in 2013.

“Without a doubt, this was our most difficult year for scheduling,” said Debeljak, who is 67-27 in his nine seasons. “Conference obligations for a lot of our traditional opponents as well as other programs we were interested in playing didn’t leave a lot of open dates. This will be the first time since 1987 where our program hasn’t scheduled 10 regular season games.

At the same time, this will be the most unique schedule we’ve played, and it will provide us with great opportunities along the way.”

All told, the team’s round trip will be around 3,650 miles more than twotime defending Bowl Championship Series National Champion University of Alabama.

“We’re going to embrace the opportunity to play in cities we’ve never visited before and the opportunity to play several perennially strong programs,” noted Debeljak. “We fly out for our west coast trip, and the two back-to-back road swings we have don’t require a ton of travel.”

The Spartans open the season with a pair of games in the Buckeye state, including a Sept. 7 home opener versus Marietta College at 7:00 p.m. at Case Field. Traditional opponent Oberlin College will be the team’s first road game on a non-traditional day for college football – Sunday, Sept. 15. That game has been moved from Saturday to Sunday in observation of Yom Kippur.

The following week, the team makes the first of its long road trips to Frostburg, Md. to play Frostburg State University, who along with

anqi li / observer The Spartans will have an ambitious 2013 season this fall competing against teams from Ohio, Maryland, Missouri, Illinois, Oregon, Washington, and Pennsylvania.

Marietta was a first-time opponent last season.

Sept. 28 will serve as Homecoming in University Circle with Linfield College of McMinnville, Ore. as the opponent. The Wildcats, 2004 NCAA Champions, have compiled a 100-19 overall record since 2000, with eight trips to the NCAA Playoffs.

October will then provide plenty of opportunity for rest as the team plays only two games – each at the end of the month. The Spartans’ longest trip will take place on Oct. 19 with a 1:00 p.m. (PDT) game in Tacoma, Wash. versus the University of Puget Sound.

The squad then returns home to host Trinity University of San Antonio, Texas on Oct. 26. Trinity has had eight playoff appearances since 2000

and was national runner-up in 2002.

Linfield, Puget Sound, and Trinity are all first-time opponents.

“There are obviously two schools of thought with our schedule in October,” said Debeljak. “As a coach, you worry that your team might lose its rhythm by having two-consecutive weeks off in the middle of the year.

However, we’ve got to view it as an opportunity to rest up and prepare for the UAA schedule.”

November will take on a similar identity to years past with threestraight weeks of UAA competition.

The University of Chicago will visit Case Field to open league play on Nov. 2 at 1:00 p.m. The Spartans then make one more long road trip to Washington University-St. Louis for

a 12:00 p.m. (CDT) kickoff on Nov. 9. Rival Carnegie Mellon University is the final opponent of the season for the 28th Annual Academic Bowl on Nov. 16 at 6:00 p.m. in Pittsburgh.

“Our guys are going to be put to the test with the amount of travel and the number of quality opponents on the schedule,” said Debeljak. “But, we’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us, and we won’t deviate at all from our goals of winning the UAA and reaching the NCAA Playoffs.”

The Spartans finished the 2012 season at 6-4 overall and 2-1 in the UAA. Over the last six seasons, Case football has produced an overall record of 54-10 with four UAA Championships (2007-09, ‘11) and three NCAA Playoff berths (2007-09).

Football Schedule DATE

SCHOOL

TIME

09/07 09/14 09/21 09/28 10/19 10/26 11/02 11/09 11/16

vs. Marietta at Oberlin at Frostburg St vs. Linfield at Puget Sound vs. Trinity vs. Chicago at Washington at Carnegie Mellon

7 p.m.

TBA TBA TBA 1 p.m. (PDT) Noon 1 p.m.

Noon (CDT) 6 p.m.

austin sting / observer Sophomore right fielder Gena Roberts is one of the top scorers for the Spartans, plating 21 RBIs so far this season, twice as many as her nearest teammate.

online content | State Your Case voting | Twitter and Facebook links | and more

observer.case.edu

from SOFTBALL | 18 Case will pray for good weather has they attempt to host their home opener for the fifth time. The Spartans will

take on Big Red of Denison University.

The game is scheduled to begin on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mather Field. The second game of the twinbill is set to begin at 3 p.m.

sports

observer.case.edu

17

Spartans look to open at Mather Field Saturday against Denison

Team looks for warm weather, clear skies after four postponed homeopneers >>peterCOOKE sportsEDITOR<

After postponing their home opener four times so far this season, the Case Western Reserve University softball team will pray for good weather in Cleveland, Ohio as they host Denison University this Saturday, Apr. 6, at 1 p.m. The Spartans (9-12, 3-5) will take on the Big Red (11-5, 3-1) as part of a double header and will be the first games the team has played at Mather Field this season.

The Spartans have had a string of bad luck weather wise, as three possible home opener dates were canceled within one week of each other right after the UAA Championship. The Spartans would hit the road again for a pair of doubleheaders before their most recent attempt, a game against Geneva College, was canceled on Monday, Apr. 1. Right now it looks like the weather will hold off for the Spartans with a forecast for Sunday of 53 degrees and mostly sunny.

Most importantly, the chance of rain is only 10 percent for Saturday, though it does increase to 30 percent on Sunday.

The Spartans will kick off their home portion of the schedule looking back to last year’s impressive 12-6 record at home. Case currently sits at 9-12 so far this season and the team will look for some home spun inspiration before a six game road trip next week.

Case will have their work cut out for them against the Big Red. Denison is currently 11-5 overall and are coming into the game on a three game winning streak. Denison has been exceptional defensively with the largest margin of defeat coming from a 4-0 loss against Allegheny College. The good news for the Spartans is that the Big Red lack fire power at the plate, run ruling their opponents just twice. Denison averages just over 4.3 runs per game but is lights out defensively, allowing just 2.38 runs per game.

The two teams matchup well offensively with the Spartans averaging 4.25 runs per game but are allowing 4.3 runs per game.

The Spartans will need to rally around their sophomore pitcher Rebecca Taylor.

She has been dominating on the mound, leading the UAA in strikeouts per game with 7.30. Although she has a middling ERA of 3.76, when Rebecca Taylor is on her game, it’s incredibly hard for the opposing batters.

Offensively, the Spartans will be led by Rebecca Taylor and sophomore second baseman Molly O’Brien. The second-year duo has been exceptionally consistent at the plate: O’Brien with a batting average of .397 and Rebecca Taylor with an average of .390.

Further down the lineup, the Spartans get their offensive pop from sophomore

austin sting / observer The Spartans will look to inch closer to .500 as they host their first games of the season at Mather Field this weekend. right fielder Gena Roberts. Roberts leads the team in home runs with four and RBIs with 21, twice as many as the next closest Spartan. Case also has three players tied for second with 10 RBIs as freshman Erin Dreger, junior Amy Taylor, and sophomore Ashley Parello all are in the double digits.

The Big Red will be led offensively by senior Jess Robertson who is batting .391 for the season and leads the team

with 17 RBI. Behind Robertson is junior Rachel Laughlin, who is second in RBIs with nine and batting average with .356.

Sharing pitching duties for Denison will be juniors Kelsey Hager and Rebecca Dyer. Both players have been exceptional on the mound and Dyer leads the team with 9.04 strikeouts per game to go along with a 1.91 ERA. Hager has an excellent 2.42 ERA and strikes out 4.31 batters per game.

Spartans prep for home opener at Nobby’s Ballpark Case kicks off nine-game homes stand against Wooster on Sunday >>peterCOOKE sportsEDITOR<

anqi li / observer Senior pitcher Jamie Hora is 1-1 in five games started. Hora has an ERA of 3.97 and is averaging 7.15 strikeouts per game.

After their first home opener was postponed two weeks ago, the Case Western Reserve University baseball team will open its home schedule with a nine-game home stand at Nobby’s Ballpark. The Spartans will begin the home portion of their season by hosting the College of Wooster on Sunday, Apr. 7 in a doubleheader. The first pitch will be thrown at 1 p.m. and the second game will begin at 4 p.m.

The Spartans will begin their home schedule as UAA Champions for the first time. The Spartans finished 5-3 in the UAA and shared the conference title with the Washington University Bears.

The Spartans will enter the weekend on a three game winning streak that saw the team sweep Thiel University and split with Ohio Wesleyan University last weekend. Case will hope that the squad will be able to repeat last year’s impressive 8-2-1 record at home.

Wooster enters the Sunday with a 10-6 record overall and is currently on a tear after an up-and-down start to the season. The Fighting Scots began the season 2-3, and since then have gone 8-3 and are 3-1 in their past four.

The two teams faced off three times last year, twice at Wooster and once on a neutral field. Case took the first two games 3-2 and 8-4, but the Fighting Scots would steal a 5-4 win in the teams’ final meeting.

The Spartans are led by freshman Andrew Gronski at the plate. Gronski began his rookie season unremarkably but has flourished in the past 10 games to be one of the team’s best hitters, batting 20-for-30. The recent hot streak puts Gronski at the top of the Spartans

lineup with a .386 batting average and 12 RBIs. Seniors Paul Pakan and Matt Keen have provided the brute of the team’s offensive production. Pakan is batting .360 and leads the team with 27 hits, 19 RBIs and three home runs. Keen is hitting .312 and is third on the team in hitting with 24 hits and is second with 16 RBIs and two home runs.

Case will have their work cut out for them against the explosive Wooster offense. The Fighting Scots have three starters batting above .420 percent.

Sophomore Ian Vernier is batting a remarkable .462 in limited action this year. Vernier has two doubles on six hits and has accounted for three RBIs. Junior Shane Gallagher is batting .429 this season in 11 games. Gallagher has six hits and six RBIs. Sophomore Jarrod Mancine has been the team’s workhorse at the top of the lineup. Mancine averages .421 at the plate and leads the team with 24 hits. Mancine also has six RBIs and is a base running threat with six stolen bases.

Juniors Eddie Reese and Zac Mathie may not be batting above .400, but their batting averages of .377 and .352, respectively, are nothing to shirk at. Reese is second on the team in hits with 23 and has a remarkable 13 doubles and 16 RBIs. He leads the team with a slugging percentage of .672. Mathie is fourth on the team in hits with 19 but leads the team in RBIs with 18.

The Fighting Scots also have a solid starting rotation that is anchored by senior Keenan White. White leads the rotation with an ERA of 2.45 and has an outstanding 11.57 strikeouts per game.

Juniors Matt Felvey, Steve Hagen, and Kyle Koski round out the rotation and they each have ERAs of below 4.30.

sports

Page 18

04/05/13

Bats stay hot, Spartans win 3 of 4 over the weekend >>shinichiINOUE asst.sportsEDITOR<

Coming off a week of rest due to the ever-changing Cleveland weather, the Case Western Reserve Spartans went on a road trip over the weekend. On Friday, Mar. 29, the Spartans visited Ohio Wesleyan University and split the doubleheader.

A day later, they drove out to Thiel College in Greenville, Penn. for another doubleheader.

The Spartans offense stayed hot as they outscored Thiel 20-6 over the two contests for the sweep.

In the first game against Ohio Wesleyan, the Spartans surrendered an extra-inning lead and fell 6-5. After scoring three runs in the third inning, Case wasn’t able to subdue Battling Bishops as they chipped away the lead. Heading into the ninth inning with the game tied, the Spartans scored two runs to pull ahead. Senior shortstop Matt Keen drove in a run with an RBI double and sophomore right fielder Andrew Gronski brought home another run thanks to a fielder’s choice.

However, the home team refused to quit. In the bottom of the ninth, Aaron Caputo doubled to center field to score two runs and tie the game at five apiece. During the next at-bat, Sean Vollenweider singled to left field to drive in the gamewinning run.

The second half of the double

anqi li / observer Senior shortstop Matt Keen has been one of the top offensive producers for the Spartans. Keen is batting .312 and has 16 RBIs this season, second on the squad. header saw the Spartans strike first again with two runs in the second inning thanks to a pair of Bishops’ errors. Sophomore designated hitter Robert Winemiller and sophomore catcher Jordan Swisher each picked up RBIs during the inning. Once again the Battling Bishops cut into its deficit with a run in the bottom of the second off of an

RBI double by Steven Moore.

With the score 2-1 heading into the fourth inning, the Spartans offense came alive as Case put up eight runs on a mere three hits. After walks to sophomore centerfielder Kerrigan Cain and senior first baseman Brett Ossola loaded the bases, Swisher came to bat and delivered a two-run single up the middle.

Two at-bats later, sophomore leftfielder William Meador added to the lead with a tworun double down the right field line. After two more got on base, senior center fielder Paul Pakan finished off the rally with a three-run homer to center. The Battling Bishops could only put across a single run in the bottom of the inning, but

picked up three additional runs in the seventh when Steele hit a three-run homer to left center.

After splitting the double header with Ohio Wesleyan, the Spartans traveled to take on Thiel. Case made quick work of the Tomcats with a 13-1 victory in game one and a close 7-5 win

see BASEBALL | 15

Softball splits with No. 5 Trine Sluggers improve to 9-10 overall >>peterCOOKE sportsEDITOR<

austin sting / observer Sophomore pitcher Rebecca Taylor has been a force to be reckoned with on the mound for the Spartans. At 9-8 overall, Taylor leads the UAA in strikeouts with 91, nine more than the next pitcher.

Behind a strong pitching performance by sophomore Rebecca Taylor in the opener, the Case Western Reserve University softball team handed No. 5 nationally-ranked Trine University only its second loss of the season as part of a doubleheader split on Saturday at TU Softball Field. The Spartans won game one, 2-1, before the Thunder captured game two, 9-3.

The Spartans move to 9-10 overall and will return to Cleveland to open the home portion of the schedule this Monday, Apr. 1 versus Geneva College at 3:30 p.m. at Mather Park.

The Thunder, ranked fifth by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, sits at 16-2.

In game one, the Spartans wasted little time getting on the board when sophomore second baseman Molly O'Brien led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a grounder by freshman first baseman Erin Dreger. Freshman third baseman Rachel Komar, who followed O'Brien with a walk and a steal, came around later in the inning on a grounder by sophomore right-

fielder Gena Roberts.

Both starting pitchers shut out the opposition from there until the Thunder finally cracked the scoring column in the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer to left by Kaitlyn Clark. Undaunted, Taylor retired the next six batters in order to preserve the shutout.

In her ninth complete game of the season, Taylor surrendered just four hits and a walk while striking out two.

Trine starter Andi Gasco (72) held the Spartans to just two hits after the first inning but only struck out one in the loss.

In game two, another O'Brien lead-off single and an error set the table for junior catcher Amy Taylor, who knocked a two-run single through the left side of the infield. Trine got one in its half of the first via a Clark RBI single, but the Spartans countered with a single score in the second when O'Brien hit a sacrifice fly to plate freshman outfielder Kristen Klemmer.

However, the Thunder took over in the third with five runs on seven hits. Carly Searles got the ball rolling with an RBI triple and came home on a runscoring single by Clark. Gasco then followed with a two-run homer to left center before

Lauren Harris hit a solo shot down the left field line.

The hosts put the game away one inning later when Gasco hit a bases-loaded triple to make the score 9-3.

On the mound, freshman Rebecca Molnar started but only lasted 2.1 innings in the loss. Rebecca Taylor also struggled in an inning of relief, while freshman Marissa Kohley made her collegiate debut and retired the first five batters she faced in 2.2 scoreless innings.

Klemmer finished the game at 2-for-3 with a run scored, while O'Brien was 1-for-3 with her team-best 14 stolen bases.

The second-year Spartan now has 30 steals in her career - just four shy of tying the school record.

At the plate for Trine, Gasco was 2-for-4 with five RBI. Justine Robles didn't allow an earned run in four innings on the mound.

The Spartans headed back out on the road for a pair of games on Wednesday, Apr. 3 at Otterbein University. They lost 2-0 in the first game, the second game was ended too late for inclusion in this week’s edition.

see SOFTBALL | 16

observer.case.edu

advertisement

19

advertisement 20

04/05/13