The Observer, Volume LIV, Issue 14, 12/9/22

friday, december 9, 2022 volume LIV, issue 14 estd. 1969

Puneet Bansal Sports Editor

Last Sunday Dec. 4, the Case Western Reserve University women’s soccer team was one win away from their first NCAA Division III title. In their way stood the formidable second-ranked Johns Hopkins University (JHU), also seeking their first championship in program history. Unfortunately for the fourth-ranked Spartans, the Blue Jays tenacity and offensive pressure proved too much for CWRU. The Spartans fell

2-1, claiming the runner’s up trophy to cap off the most legendary season in CWRU women’s soccer history.

When CWRU arrived in Salem, Virginia on Friday Dec. 2, they first had to go through Virginia Wesleyan University in the semifinals.

The Spartans made quick work of their opponents and scored in the 17th minute of the first half. Graduate student forward Camryn Hartman received a pass at the top of the box to

the left. After some quick dribbling past her defender, Hartman lasered in an angled shot to the top right corner of the net for the 1-0 lead. With her 14th goal, she became the second highest singleseason scorer in program history.

“I was looking to go one-on-one for the goal and she was giving me my left foot, which is the foot I like to use,” said Hartman of her goal in an interview with the NCAA DIII press. “I saw a little bit of an angle so I just took the chance and it went in.”

In the final four minutes of the first half, fourth-year midfielder Anika Washburn made her presence known. After receiving a pass well above the box, she juked past her defender and sent a rather relaxed, bouncing shot just past the goalie’s fingertips to secure the 2-0 lead.

Fourth-year forward Helina VanBibber finished off the Spartans’ scoring in the 63rd minute. She got a cross in the middle of the 18-yard box, dribbled around her defender and lasered it into the upper right corner for the 3-0 advantage and for her 10th goal of the season.

Instrumental in the 3-0 win as always was third-year goalkeeper Maggie Storti, who forced her eighth shutout of the season after saving four shots from the Marlins. Fourth-years Lexi Gomez, Elizabeth White, Merry Meyer

and second-year Katie Rishel anchored the Spartan defense for almost the entire game and allowed only a dismal 10 shots, a testament to CWRU’s stringent back line.

The Spartans were in control of the possession for much of the game, outshooting the Marlins 22-10. Hartman and VanBibber each recorded five shots. With the three goals, CWRU’s goal total increased to 22 over the five NCAA postseason games thus far, setting a new record for most goals scored by a team in the tournament in NCAA DIII history. The previous mark was 21.

“I think it’s really a testament to the culture of the team,” responded Washburn when asked about the explosive offensive growth the Spartans have seen over her five-year career. “It started with [recent] alumni and each year we brought in a great group of girls who’ve been able to raise the level each year. We’ve gone through a couple coaches, we’ve got different aspects of soccer all together and we’ve been able to put the pieces together finally and come away with more goals and just better soccer overall.”

This season, the NCAA DIII implemented a new tournament schedule where the two teams get one day of rest in between the semifinals match and the championship game.

Continued on pg. 16

What to expect for closing: tips, tricks and guidelines for leaving your residence hall for break

Shreyas Banerjee Executive Editor

Quotes are lightly edited for clarity.

Much has changed at Case Western Reserve University since July 1989, but there has been one constant: Colleen Barker-Williamson. Having started her time at CWRU as the assistant Director of Programs of the Thwing Center and now working as Director of the Office of Student Activities and Leadership (SAL), Barker-Williamson has dedicated all her time here in service of student groups and leaders. She has been a consistent pillar of support for students and through her work has ensured that CWRU students have the guidance and resources they need to create the most vibrant student life and campus culture possible. Her era of mentorship towards generations of students will come to an end this January as she retires.

It’s easy to take many of the institutions we have surrounding student life for granted, whether they be the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), the University Programming Board (UPB), the Class Officers Collective (COC), the Hudson Relays, Legacy Week, Springfest and Thwing Study Over, but none of them really existed in their current form when Barker-Williamson arrived at CWRU in 1989. It was due to her presence and influence that we have many of the structures that govern our student experience today.

For decades, the University Undergraduate Student Government (UUSG) had been the only umbrella organization responsible for all student activi-

ties, whether it be funding all clubs or organizing all programming, BarkerWilliamson arrived at a time where that was suddenly no longer the case. Due to misspending from UUSG on a concert for Atlanta Rhythm Section in 1982 that left them and all other student organizations strapped for cash, UUSG was split up in 1984 into various boards, such as UPB, to make sure that certain areas of interest would get guaranteed funding each year. To bail out the student body, groups received a financial windfall the year before Barker-Williamson arrived. Now in charge of making sure programs happened, and with a new system and some cash to work with, she was able to guide students towards restructuring how programming was done at CWRU and building new traditions on campus. In addition, longstanding campus traditions had to be adjusted to bring them in line with modern times, such as the Hudson Relays.

“My very first year, I was given the task of bringing [the Hudson Relays] to campus. Talk about a nightmare,” Barker-Williamson said. Previously a 26-mile relay race where students ran from Hudson, Ohio to Cleveland in order to commemorate the campus move of Western Reserve University, the race was retrofitted in 1990 to be a loop around campus because of safety issues. This was not taken well by many in the CWRU community due to the longstanding nature of the tradition, having been in place since 1910.

Continued on pg. 2

Whether you are a first-year or fourth-year living in the residence halls, moving out for break looks a little bit different each year. This article offers a little bit of guidance, no matter which residence hall you live in. While each community is a little bit different, some guidelines remain consistent. Below is a compilation a list of things to do when leaving for break, as well as some short explanations as to why:

1. Clean up after yourself. This seems like a very straightforward and intuitive part of moving out for the break, but you may be surprised about how often Resident Assistants end up having to throw things out. Once, a full turkey exploded in a garbage can over break so the whole carpet had to be replaced, and students had to be moved while this cleaning process took place. Don’t be the one that left a turkey in a garbage can.

2. Close your windows. Again, this seems pretty straightforward, but it does add an extra step for RAs and other staff when they check out your rooms. If windows are left open, the rooms could be ruined because of pipes freezing and then exploding. This tiny step saves a huge headache.

3. Take out your trash. Residence hall staff don’t want more exploding turkeys, nor do they want vermin or bug-infested living spaces. Furthermore, members of the custodial staff in each community do a lot to ensure that these spaces remain clean and

comfortable, so take out your trash to the dumpsters outside each residential community to make the lives of our custodial staff a little bit easier.

4. Remove or switch laundry from laundry rooms in a timely manner. Even though this is preached throughout the semester as an important part of being a good resident, now more than ever we must be extra cognizant of others’ time. Many students are flying home or have big trips where they want clean laundry packed, so be kind and set yourself a timer.

5. Unplug, clean out and defrost your minifridge. Many people, especially if they are a first year, do not know the proper steps to defrost a minifridge. Here I will provide a brief guide for how to do that. First, unplug the fridge a couple of days before you plan on leaving—10 hours beforehand at least. Open the door and place a towel in the freezer, if it has one, or on the top shelf if it does not have a freezer. While the fridge defrosts, the ice melts and there is a good bit of liquid that comes with that. Keep the door open and the towel inside, and once it is fully defrosted, make sure the towel is washed, or at least dried, so no mold makes its way into your room. Next, it is also important to make sure there is no food left in the fridge, whether that be in your own private minifridge or the one in a common space.

The Student Newspaper of Case Western Reserve University

Women’s soccer falls to JHU 2-1 in NCAA DIII championship game, concluding historic season

Colleen Barker-Williamson, student leadership advisor, retires after three decades of service

Team captains Lexi Gomez, Anika Washburn, Merry Meyer and Elizabeth White (left to right) hold up their NCAA National Runnerup trophy after a season full of new records and accomplishments.

Courtesy of CWRU Athletics

Grace Johnson News Editor

BARKER-WILLIAMSON continued from pg. 1

“I remember meeting in the Cleveland Room [of the Thwing Center] where the alumni were screaming at me, and I’m like, ‘Why are you shooting the messenger?’ But the reality was there were 16 townships that this race ran through and each of those townships required completion of security measures, completion of all these forms and procedures, and chances are the police didn’t show up to help students pass some pretty difficult roads.”

But now the Hudson Relays, however truncated, remain a beloved campus tradition. Other initiatives overseen by Barker-Williamson included CWRU students getting RTA passes through USG advocacy, the creation of Springfest and Thwing Study Over, the establishment of COC, the start of Legacy Week and just the overall increase of student clubs and events on campus that has happened under her tenure. However, she is quick to give most of the credit to the students at CWRU.

“The [CWRU] student has this incredible grassroot initiative drive,” Barker-Williamson remarked. “They see something that is either broken, that they want to fix, or is in existence elsewhere, and they want to bring it here. So my office, and I hope under my direction, has devoted 100% of our time to helping students do that.”

“People have always asked me, ‘How can you say anywhere that long?’ I mean it’ll be 34 years … I tell them, it’s because I have had this robust, incredible love affair with the [CWRU] student. When I got here … I couldn’t believe how quintessential the student experience was for [CWRU]. I mean, we’re talking about high achievers, incredibly motivated, incredibly intense at times … I was so intimidated, right, I got there, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, these people are 10 times more brilliant than I’ll ever be.’ And then I realized they needed me, because I made them laugh. And because I helped them put things in perspective in terms of the things that they really wanted to get done, the things that they really loved that they were passionate about.”

She also noted that when she arrived here, CWRU was struggling to find its identity as an institution and as a student body. After the federation between Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University, many of the old-standing traditions and school spirit were no longer in place. Now she hopes that due to the newfound legacies, events and traditions student groups have developed over the past 30 years, CWRU school spirit is stronger than ever.

“I’ve never seen more celebrations, larger numbers at events, more willingness to get out there and have fun. I hope that continues,” she said. She also commented that class identity was lacking at CWRU before her time, but with the creation of COC that has hopefully improved.

“Being a focused mission on certain things—that’s why I created the COC. I needed class unity, and identifying oneself as a fourth-year student, or as a first-year student, I needed it to be special.”

As the advisor for USG she commented that her main job there was to make sure that USG did not get in its own way, often leading to disagreements with USG leaders, but de-

spite that she always had to be there for them and whatever decisions they made.

“It was my job to pick them up where they got shot down, you know, it was my job to make sure that they felt that they had made the best decision possible and to own it just to own it,” she said. “I took a lot of hits from my colleagues about USG. But you know what, I don’t care, I love doing

The Observer has also collected comments from past USG presidents and a current colleague to celebrate

each on our way.

Something which is not publicly heralded, Colleen is a woman of deep and beautiful faith, a faith that she and I happen to share. The first few months of my USG presidency were difficult. @cwru.survivors had just come online, we were in the midst of [COVID-19] and the killing of George Floyd had just occurred. The student body, rightly, was distraught regarding all of this—as was I. Yet, the work does not stop. In one of our regular meetings, I shared my difficulties with Colleen. Roughly 10 minutes into our call, she interrupted my disorganized and emotional filibuster to say: ‘Yes, but did you pray about it? God has seen all of these difficulties before.’ Just that gentle reminder was so incredibly calming. Without it, I know I wouldn’t have had the strength needed to stay in the role.

It’s quite rare that a person finds a great mentor. But a mentor in whom you can confide your deepest concerns, who always seeks to bring the best out in you, with whom you can passionately disagree and rapidly reconcile, who will tell you the blunt truth, and, on top of it all, with whom you can share a delightful meal every once in a while is a mentor that you only find once in a lifetime. I thank Colleen for all she has done and continues to do.”

it. I love doing it. I loved having those conversations … So there’s really two roles here as the director: an advocate for the student body and an advocate for the student government.”

USG will be passing a resolution next semester to thank her for her years of support early next semester at their next General Assembly.

Beyond just advising USG and other student organizations, BarkerWilliamson also oversaw the creation of student leadership development programs including the Emerging Leaders program, the Second Year Institute, the Graduate Student Coaching Program and sending students to leadership conferences. All this helps students come back to CWRU with more knowledge and experience in order to guide their own initiatives and see them to fruition.

Though Barker-Williamson may be leaving CWRU, her impact will be felt here for decades to come. She explicitly said she had done everything she had ever wanted to do at CWRU, and she surely has done quite a bit. In retirement she hopes to spend more time focusing on her home, her kids and her granddaughter, but also hopes to remain busy.

Hunter Stecko (CWR ‘21), president of USG from 2020-2021:

“Working with Colleen will always be one of the greatest highlights of my time at CWRU. To say she is a phenomenal mentor would be an understatement. To work with Colleen is to love her, as, in working with her, she truly makes you a part of her family. It goes without saying that Colleen is incredibly emotionally intelligent, phenomenal at helping people to become the best version of themselves, and dedicated to loving and supporting all those around her. But, I would like to share two stories that highlight elements of Colleen that aren’t always so publicly seen.

Colleen and I did not always agree on everything—in fact, we had our share of passionate disagreements. One time, when I was sitting in her office, we were engaged in one of those disagreements about a topic I can no longer recall. After going back and forth for about 20 minutes, she finally looked me in the eye and said “So… you might be right, but can you just stop being so stubborn and do this for me?” The two of us laughed hysterically for a minute, we got up from the table, gave one another a hug and went

Sophie Vilamara (CWR ‘22), president of USG from 2021-2022: “Colleen has been the rock of USG for several decades. It takes a truly patient and loving individual to show up so fully every day to mentor students who find novel reasons to be stressed essentially every day. One of Colleen’s most special abilities is her ability to foster leadership qualities in anyone and everyone; she persistently seeks to find the best in people and help them reach their full potential, expecting nothing but a willingness to learn in return. It is incredibly evident that Colleen found her calling at CWRU; she is immensely skilled at helping individuals tap into their innate strengths in order to flourish. I would say that Colleen was as in tune with the student body as a staff member could be, and she devoted hours upon hours beyond what she was expected to work per week. Colleen consistently went out of her way to appreciate the great feats that CWRU community members achieved, and I hope that we can all return that gratitude towards her as we take time to reflect on her prosperous career. I think I speak on behalf of all USG alumni lucky enough to have a relationship with her when I say that Colleen’s presence in our lives has left us all significantly better off. Colleen is so adored and valued by the USG community and we will all miss her dearly. At my times of need, she was always there for me, juggling many hats as a mentor, mother and most trusted friend. While her departure from CWRU saddens us all, I am so glad that Colleen will finally receive the well-deserved opportunity to take a breather and dedicate all of her time towards her family and faith.”

Janice Gerda, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs:

“Colleen’s energy is contagious and her laugh fills a room. Her big heart has fueled CWRU student spirit and leadership for over three decades. She might be leaving for new adventures, but she will always be a part of CWRU history.”

“I’ll probably look at some ways in which to use the skills that I’ve been blessed with … Because I’m still young, I still want to give back to another entity.”

Barker-Williamson’s many years of dedicated service.

Retiring this year, Colleen Barker-Williamson leaves a long legacy in student programming at CWRU, even putting her mark on the annual Hudson Relays. Courtesy of Janice Gerda

RHA forum brings transparency and information about housing situation on campus

Cameron Ward Staff Writer

If you’ve been around campus recently, you’ve probably seen or heard news about developments in Case Western Reserve University’s residential life. From the construction happening around the South Residential Village (SRV) since the beginning of the semester, to the uncertainty last semester regarding the availability of upperclassman housing, campus living is on the forefront of students’ minds.

In an effort to improve transparency, hear feedback and answer any questions about the many ongoing programs that impact residential life, the Residence Hall Association (RHA) hosted an open forum in mid-November. Run panel-style, this event featured Vern Rogers, executive director of the Office of University Housing; Loretta Sexton, associate director of the Office of University Housing; and Skip Begley, director of the Office of Residence Life. This array of speakers allowed students both to ask questions about pertinent issues on campus and put some names to faces within campus departments for future direction and insight.

Khushali Desai, a third-year student living on campus who went to the event, said that it was very informative, and was looking forward to more events like it in the future to help build “transparency and greater connection between students and housing administrators.” By merely

looking over the summary flier, which reviewed the topics of conversation for the event, it can be seen that some valuable insight was achieved.

The summary is divided into five sections covering the experience of the panelists, some general RHA reminders, current projects happening in residential life on campus, future goals and RHA’s final input on the panel. Multiple topics were discussed within this framework.

For upperclass on-campus housing, the reselection process, which allows students to pick the rooms they are already staying in—and was suspended due to COVID—may be coming back next academic year. It will feature some updates, with more information to come out in January.

For upperclass off-campus housing, due to the new Southside construction, as well as the upcoming construction to replace Yost Hall, it is unlikely that more housing will be constructed within the immediate future due to lack of funds. To help students who will be living off-campus, though, the Housing Office is also expanding to include a new position of off-campus coordinator, who will provide tips and insight, help upperclass students look for housing and overall coordinate a smooth process to transition to living off campus. In addition to this, it was reaffirmed that all first and second-year students will have guaranteed housing.

Current projects in the offices focus on renovation, improvement and sustainability. This includes replacing furniture and locks with updated versions, improving aesthetics and creating sustainable energy systems. Energy conservation is being built into newer buildings, but for older buildings, smaller changes such as lightbulb replacement is the focus. These projects are often fluid, which means advanced warning for students living in spaces receiving improvements are limited. This inconvenience is acknowledged by the offices, who are working on improving communication with students impacted by developments in their building. Notably, plans are developing to renovate the first-year dorms in the North Residential Village (NRV) following the completion of the new SRV dorms in fall 2024. The difficulty lies in finding a place for first-year students to live while renovations are completed. While originally there were plans to cycle through first-year students in the new SRV dorms while NRV dorms are being renovated, the planned increase in size of the student body due to President Kaler’s new policies has made that more difficult as all dorms will now be filled to capacity. General safety on campus was touched on, in light of increased motor vehicle accidents on campus. RHA said that they may send out more information regarding motor vehicle

CLOSING continued from pg. 1

6. Do your sheets and vacuum your room. While this is definitely not a required step, it is recommended to leave your room in pristine condition for when you arrive back on campus. There are few things nicer than coming home to a clean room, ready for you to dive back into schoolwork. Plus, if you want to vacuum, there are vacuum cleaners available in each residential community that you can sign out if you don’t own one yourself.

7. Clean things out of common rooms. This tip applies primarily to members of the first-year community, whose common spaces are perhaps used more than they are in secondyear or upperclass housing. RAs are required to clean out whatever is left over, and I know you don’t want your

PlayStation 5 or Wii to get thrown in a dumpster—believe it or not, it has happened before.

8. Tell your RA you left. While this process does vary community to community, most do have checkout processes in place. For example, in the Murray Hill community, this means checking a box on a paper taped to your suite door to tell the RA you have left for the semester.

9. Leave on time. Residence halls close at 3:00 pm on Dec. 22, and, regardless of whether you leave or not, your key card will be deactivated until the university reopens in mid-January. If you have to stay during break for some particular reason, contact your RA and they will help you with any further questions you may have.

safety soon.

Future plans include increasing access to information about disability accommodations, housing over break, meal kits and plans and a general improvement of the residential experience. The summary ends with the statement that COVID-19 and budget issues have reduced flexibility within the housing departments, but plans are back in motion, and the office is listening to student and community needs.

And finally, for anyone wondering why on-campus living is required for two years rather than one, the reason is historical and lies in the core of the undergraduate experience. Studies show that living on campus for two years improves student performance and helps cultivate a better college experience and community.

The summary flier was sent to all those living on campus. If you live off campus and wish to see the flier, it can be accessed by emailing RHAexec@case.edu. If you missed this event but are interested in the insight it provided, be on the lookout for future events like this, as RHA continues to work with the Office of University Housing and the Office of Residence Life to provide transparency, increase sustainability and overall improve campus housing situations for students. As always, information about housing can be found at case. edu/housing.

The residential villages will soon be emptied out for the month as students move out for winter break.

Shreyas Banerjee/The Observer

Home for the holidays

Playlist of the Week 12/9/22

TJ Disabato Staff Writer

Soon, most of us will depart from campus to head home to see loved ones for the holidays. This return for the holidays can bring mixed emotions for many people, with the joy of seeing loved ones countered with the stress of buying presents and interacting with family members on a daily basis. A staple of any experience during the holiday season, whether it be going to a store, watching a TV commercial or simply hearing it on the radio, is the saturation of holiday-themed music. Most of us grew up singing them in firstgrade music classes, with “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman” and an occasional “Comin’ Down the Chimney” forming some of our earliest memories. From there, we got to experience more pop numbers from artists like Mariah Carey and George Michael. I have compiled a list of my favorite holiday classics, from songs that can be found in traditional Christmas movies to those I remember listening to on the radio in my mom’s car.

Another favorite holiday movie of mine is “The Year Without a Santa Claus.” This pick is not just one, but two songs about dueling opinions from the Heat Miser and Snow Miser. I sympathized with the plights of the Snow Miser more when I was younger, but have shifted my viewpoints towards the Heat Miser since starting college only a few miles from Lake Erie.

“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” – Perry Como, The Fontane Sisters and Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra

“Christmas Wrapping” – The Waitresses

A popular new-wave seasonal classic, I will always think of it playing over the speakers on a loop while working at Rite-Aid in high school. I love a good saxophone solo, and this song certainly checks all my boxes.

Truly nothing beats a song that contains both a saxophone solo done in the rockabilly style. And that’s exactly what this classic provides, combining these elements to create something entirely unique and instantly recognizable.

“(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays” – Perry Como, The Ray Charles Singers and Mitchell Ayres & His

Orchestra

There has always been a close association between the musical greatness of Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, but Perry Como is not given enough recognition for his work. His fantastic crooning voice tells of going back home to family with the personallysignificant line of “he was heading for Pennsylvania and some homemade pumpkin pie,” and is carried in equal part by powerful backup vocals from The Ray Charles Singers.

Yes, Como deserves two spots on this list. This song’s strength is delivered in great numbers by the whimsical feelings of folly and merriment, delivered by the backup singers and orchestral arrangement. And even though it’s one of those songs with several recorded versions, this one is truly the best.

“Little

Brian Wilson certainly proved his worth on the 1964 release, “The Beach Boys’ Christmas album,” which immediately garnered him respect in the music industry.

“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” – Darlene Love

My most cherished Christmas memory growing up was watching one of my favorite movies, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Delivered in one of the sparse sentimental scenes in the film, it evokes the remembrance of traditions being passed down the years, and recalling the former memories shared with loved ones.

“Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” – Bruce Springsteen

Perhaps the only man who could ever challenge Santa Claus for the title of “Boss of Christmas” is Springsteen. This song is a classic on anyone’s holiday playlist so of course it has to make an appearance on this one.

“A Holly Jolly Christmas” – Burl Ives

For me, this song is associated with my favorite holiday decoration, a toy polar bear who would sing “A Holly Jolly Christmas” that my mom would put out every year. And yes, I still have him.

“Have

A

ly

They Know It’s Christmas?”

– Band Aid

This song was written in 1984 to raise money for the 1983-1985 famine in Ethiopia. The personnel consisted of many musical giants of the time, including Bono, Phil Collins and George Michael, and serves as another catchy political Christmas song after John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).”

An underrated gem driven by strong lead vocals and a catchy chorus, this romantic tale is sure to give you a feeling of resilience against all the emotions of the season. Featured on “Late Show with David Letterman” as an annual beloved tradition from 1986 until 2014—the year before Letterman’s retirement—this song serves as Love’s most well-known song but didn’t gain its reputation on the late night until 23 years after its initial release in 1963.

“Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas)” – Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters

This is another song I look forward to hearing every year in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” playing during the classic swimming pool scene. The hilarious scene alternates between the grotesquely underdressed Cousin Eddie and an attractive salesperson using a diving board in Clark Griswold’s backyard.

“I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” – The Ronettes

A catchy, upbeat story of romantic holiday polygamy with Kris Kringle, this may be the best Christmas song of them all.

Saint Nick” – The Beach Boys

Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – Frank Sinatra

beautiful holiday classic original-

performed by Judy Garland in “Meet Me in St. Louis,” this song is sure to leave you feeling warm inside.

“Jingle Bell Rock” – Bobby Helms Bobby Helms belts out one of the most well-known rockabilly songs of the holiday season in this catchy 1957 tune, covered by many but surpassed by none.

“Snow Miser”/“Heat Miser” –Maury Laws and Jules Bass

“Wonderful Christmastime” –Paul McCartney

Apologies to Phil Spector and The Ronettes, but this is actually the greatest Christmas song of them all.

“Do

“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” – Brenda Lee

“That Spirit of Christmas” – Ray Charles

The return of the Addams Family with Netflix’s “Wednesday”

Joey Gonzalez Life Editor

If you’ve been on TikTok in the last week, you’ve definitely encountered the scene of Wednesday Addams dancing to “Bloody Mary” by Lady Gaga. And if you haven’t, you’ve probably seen popular influencers recreating the iconic dance. This isn’t the only discourse that has been circulating about Netflix’s latest series, with Twitter and Instagram also getting a piece of the action. Fans have taken to social media to hail Jenna Ortega for her incredible performance as Wednesday in the eponymously named show, “Wednesday.” Her commitment to the role, specifically her refusal to blink in any of the shots, only further proves the actress’ status as a newly emerging powerhouse in the industry, and people are taking notice.

On Nov. 23, Netflix released yet another record-setting series, titled “Wednesday,” with 341.23 million hours viewed since its release, making it the most viewed hours in a week for an English-language TV show on Netflix. The show itself follows Wednesday Addams, the oldest child in the Addams family with a predilection for torture, as she is sent to a boarding school for outcasts. Her journey in the show begins with her releasing live piranhas into a high school pool to get back at the bullies who hurt her younger brother Pugsley. In response, she is sent away to Nevermore, a school for supernatural children including werewolves, sirens, telekinetics and, of course, Wednesday. Although she is resistant to the idea at first, she begins to warm up to her classmates—in her own Wednesday fashion. The surrounding town of Jericho, Vermont has recently experienced a series of at-

tacks by an unknown monster, which seems to leave Wednesday alone, at least unless she gets too close. As the series progresses, the monster seems to keep killing more people in the town and after a classmate is killed, Wednesday discovers that there is a coverup; however, this is only the beginning. She unlocks a psychic ability that allows her to see into the past and future, enabling her to realize that there is much more to the story than people are letting on. The show has continuous plot twists with that signature Addams family feel, making it a show worth discovering for yourself.

Overall the show was really entertaining, constantly keeping me on my toes with red herrings and plot twists. Oftentimes, I found myself wanting to get in a few more minutes of watch time, even if I was forsaking other parts of my life. Despite the obviousness of one of the plot twists, I was still constantly second-guessing myself, making the reveals still satisfying. Afterward, the show slammed me with yet another plot twist that honestly had me take a step back and revisit everything I had previously watched. It was genuinely such a shock, but the show gives the viewer just enough information to keep them hooked but never knowing exactly what would happen next. That’s the real beauty of the show, and I certainly plan on rewatching to see if I can spot any more hints the next time through.

The acting in the show also contributed to how successful it has been, between Ortega as Wednesday Addams, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams or Christina Ricci as Mari-

lyn Thornhill—the original actress for Wednesday in the 1991 “The Addams Family.” Each performance paid an undeniable homage to the original film, while simultaneously bringing something new to the table. Ortega nailed Wednesday’s creepy yet quirky mannerisms, even displaying her signature walk. And she completed her performance with the character’s iconic deadpan stare. Her ability to effortlessly deliver her lines, all while not blinking, really brings that character to life in the modern era. Additionally, I found Zeta-Jones’ Morticia to be one of my favorite characters, despite not appearing as often as I’d hoped. She perfectly replicated the well-known physical mannerisms and speech patterns from the original. The

Nevermore classmates—and many of the other side characters—also gave amazing performances, but they were outshone by the kookiness of the Addams family themselves and their respective cast members whom we have all come to love. In the end, each actor was able to bring their supernatural character to life in a way that really made the show special.

Netflix’s latest hit “Wednesday” is just that: a hit. And what’s not to love about the creepy and kooky Addams family, characters many of us grew up with. If you’re looking for your next binge-worthy show—unfortunately with only eight episodes—then I highly recommend checking out “Wednesday.” You never know, you might be inspired to film a TikTok dance or two.

Stolen orders: An exploration of the issue of meal swipe stealing at CWRU

Grace Johnson News Editor

Students on the meal plan at Case Western Reserve University know that swipes at certain campus locations are a necessity here. For example, meal swipes at The Jolly Scholar and The Den by Denny’s are vital for when students must attain meals after regular dining hall hours.

The convenience associated with using the order-ahead system on the GrubHub app for these locations is notable, as students can just submit an order and pick it up when it’s ready without having to wait in physical lines. This was especially useful when COVID-19 was at its peak.

However, once these meals are ready, they are set out in the open to be picked up by the person who ordered them. While this makes it quick and easy for the students and employees of these restaurants, it has also made it incredibly easy for those not ordering from a meal plan to steal meals.

Some students take advantage of the convenience provided by the GrubHub meal swipe system and have taken to stealing other students’ meals from these locations. Those who actually ordered meals are then left waiting for an inordinate amount of time, wasting both their time and the time of those preparing the food.

Jolly Scholar server Ellianna Wade stated, “It’s really frustrating seeing customers wait an unacceptable amount of time for their food because with all of the orders, it takes a while to notice it’s stolen.”

I have seen this happen firsthand, as many of my own meals have been

Vu/The Observer

stolen from The Jolly Scholar and The Den over the last few weeks of the semester. At one point I actually watched a student steal a meal from The Jolly Scholar—they scurried in and took it, giggling, then scurried out quickly before they could be caught.

Many members of the CWRU community have noticed that stealing meals has become common. According to Wade, these frustrations spill

onto the employees as well: “Most of the time, [students] don’t have the time to wait because they’re grabbing a quick bite between classes or meetings, so making them wait even longer is simply unfair just because of someone else’s selfishness.”

Many times it seems like students simply take others’ orders out of convenience, so they don’t have to pay for their own meal. There is an ar-

gument to be made that food costs too much at CWRU and perhaps it’s a matter of need for some students. However, even if that were the issue at hand, there are several other resources for CWRU students to use rather than resorting to thievery. The Swipe Out Hunger program, sponsored by our Undergraduate Student Government, allows students to donate meal swipes from their own meal plan to help other students who can’t afford it. According to the CWRU Food Resources website, “Students who are struggling with food security or consistently accessing nutritious foods may request up to three meal swipes per semester that can be used at Leutner Commons or Fribley Commons.”

In addition to Swipe Out Hunger, a number of other organizations exist to help combat food insecurity, including the Physical Resource Center, the Free Little Food Pantry and the Lunch Box Initiative, among others. These organizations exist so that students do not have to resort to stealing other students’ food. Stealing meals costs other students money from their own meal plans, but with these resources, theoretically no money needs to be wasted.

Students should not have to steal to eat—if you or someone you know is dealing with food insecurity, know that these resources exist to help. On the other hand, students stealing food simply for sport should not be tolerated, otherwise we may lose the conveniences we so value.

Jenny Ortega has been highly praised for her performance as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s new show “Wednesday.” Courtesy of Netflix.

Tyler

“Yellowstone”: Your next bingeworthy show

Alivia Cook Contributing Writer

Have you ever wanted to experience the rough-and-tumble of Midwestern ranches and to explore the conflict between land developers, ranchers and Native American tribes? Well, Paramount certainly provides all this and more in their TV series “Yellowstone,” which premiered in 2018. While the first season only aired nine episodes, viewers were instantly hooked. With its action packed plot and incredibly talented cast—starring Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly and Kevin Costner— “Yellowstone” is incredibly appealing. Now, season five is in the midst of being released and the drama just keeps unraveling.

The show centers around the Dutton family: the sixth generation to own and operate the largest ranch in Montana, the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. Running near the ranch is the Native American reservation Broken Rock, which recently elected a new high chief, Thomas Rainwater, who is determined to reclaim their entire land. Additionally, big land developers from the city of Bozeman want to expand their housing developments onto the Dutton’s land and decide to take them to court. However, the Duttons have a lawyer in the family, Jamie, protracting the conflict. Despite their legal battle, both parties continue their illegal businesses behind the scenes.

The first season opens with a car accident where you meet John Dutton, the Livestock Commissioner of the

Montana Livestock Association and the head of the Dutton family. During the opening scene, John is forced to shoot his dying horse to put it out of its suffering—the first but certainly not last instance of violence in the show. The episode continues to show the conflicts between the Native Americans and the Duttons. After some of the Dutton’s cattle wander onto Broken Rock land, the Native residents refuse to allow the ranchers onto their land to retrieve them. At the same time, John has a much larger problem to deal with, as John’s son Kayce is married to

Monica Long-Dutton, a Native American woman, and the two have a son together. A conflict begins to arise due to the unwelcome presence of Kayce on the reservation. As the episode continues, viewers begin to meet more of the Duttons and discover their roles within the family, on the ranch and in the conflict against Bozeman.

As the show progresses, it becomes increasingly violent. If you’re not a fan of murders, beatings or just violence in general, then “Yellowstone” might be a show to pass on. However, this show has more to watch than

just violence. The drama between the family, the Native American tribe and the outside developers, each trying to lay claim to the land, completely engrosses the viewer. Each hour-long episode entices you to binge an entire season in one night.

A couple of spinoffs have been created from the initial “Yellowstone” story line, the first of which, “1883,” premiered in December 2021. The series is the prequel to “Yellowstone” and shows the origin story of the Duttons, specifically how they flee Texas in poverty, come to power and acquire their signature ranch in Montana. Only comprising ten episodes, “1883” ended in February of this year. The second spinoff, “1923,” will be a sequel which follows another generation of the Dutton family, however this time, they are fighting the Great Depression, the end of the West and prohibition. Filming for this began in August of this year, set to air Dec. 18, 2022. It is reported that this show will have two seasons of eight episodes each. Lastly, another planned spinoff titled “6666” will be set in the present day on the Four Sixes ranch in Texas, with no production or premiere date yet.

If you’re looking for a show that is full of drama, violence and the quintessential Western aesthetic, delve into “Yellowstone” and watch as it becomes your newest binge-worthy show. Get to know the Duttons and experience the fight for the ranch.

National Geographic’s “America the Beautiful” reminds us about the good in America

Kronenberg Staff Writer

If you’re anything like me, Thanksgiving break couldn’t have come soon enough. The combination of the typical second-half of the semester anxiety alongside the major midterm election created a stressful few weeks that I honestly needed some relief from. So, over the break, I finally got some time to reflect on both the state of my semester and that of our country. Amidst of all of this, I stumbled across a surprising new series that helped me think about these things through a new lens.

“America the Beautiful” is an original series released this past July on Disney+, the parent company of National Geographic’s commercial ventures. Given its title, this docuseries explores the natural beauty of the United States and the greater North American continent, with a specific focus on the wildlife that inhabits these areas.

Narrated by Hollywood star Michael B. Jordan, the six-episode series traverses America’s landscapes and displays how truly diverse our continent is—I mean, where else can you find deserts, swamps, mountain ranges, ice caps, coastal regions and prairies on the same mainland?

Each episode focuses on different geographical regions and includes coinciding titles, such as “Waterland” (referring to the Southeastern U.S.), “Northland,” “Wild West” and “Heartland.” But in all cases, the show produces some of the best landscape cinematography that I have ever seen. The introduction to the show and many of the transitions between storylines utilize spectacular flyover shots of our continent’s numerous lands, ranging from the snow-capped mountains in Alaska to the pristine shores along the Atlantic Ocean, and everything in between. These sequences are also surprisingly intense because they’re so fast-paced that you feel like you’re being pulled into each terrain being shown, which further establishes

the particular story or message to the viewer. In addition to this, the show uses fantastic time-lapse technology and 360-degree panoramic views to show incredible shots like New England’s beautiful transition from fall to winter or the grandeur of the mountain region surrounding Denali, the tallest peak in North America.

The wildlife filmmaking is also incredibly well done, owing to the fact that many of those who worked on the series have experience on the BBC and “Disneynature” documentaries. Things like close-up 4K shots of the fur on a white wolf, wide-lens tracking shots of a grizzly bear hunting down a newborn caribou calf and strategically-placed cameras capturing a raccoon family raiding an alligator nest are just some of the amazing visuals captured in this show. But it’s also the way in which the wildlife is filmed that makes each scene compelling, since the viewer follows specific animals in each location. Whether it’s a herd of musk ox braving the arctic conditions in Northern Alaska, a tiny red squirrel in the

Grand Teton mountains dealing with much larger thieves raiding his pinecone stash or a pod of dolphins hunting fish so close to the coast of Los Angeles that the Hollywood sign can be seen in the background, each setting feels more like a place than just a landscape. The series also captured rare and never-before-seen footage like the elusive Florida panther, a half-dozen male Alaskan brown bears feeding on the same whale carcass and a mountain lion in the Grand Canyon—I think it’s safe to say that this docuseries ranks up there with some of the best nature filmmaking to date on American wildlife. Perhaps my favorite part of the “America the Beautiful” series is the final episode, a “Brave New World,” which focuses on the humans working to protect America’s wild animals and natural spaces. The episode emphasizes that everyone can be advocates for change and that any kind of help will make a difference. As long as you’re passionate about what you’re doing and have a vision for improving our natural world, then it is certainly

achievable to help combat the climate crisis and enhance conservation efforts. That’s what the people featured in the series finale are doing; whether it be an organization dedicated to rewilding the Northern Great Plains, a fatherdaughter duo in California cleaning up our oceans and restoring kelp or an indigenous community in Alaska fighting to keep sacred spaces free of oil companies. In each case, there are people dedicated to their respective causes who will stop at nothing to help ensure a better future for America’s diverse natural wonders.

I could go on at length about how awe-inspiring this docuseries actually is, but I hope that I’ve inspired you to check it out for yourself. There’s something incredibly magical about how the cinematographers captured America’s wildlife and landscapes; I think anyone can find beauty in it. But most importantly, I think the show offers us a reminder that no matter how divided we are or how bad things may get, there is a magnificence to this land that we can all appreciate as being truly American.

Caribou living in the Talkeetna Mountains of Alaska are just one of the many wild species documented in National Geographic’s “America the Beautiful.” Courtesy of National Geographic.

The Dutton Family, portrayed by Luke Grimes, Wes Bentley, Kevin Costner and Kelly Reilly (pictured left to right), defends their Montana ranch in the midst of a three-way generational battle for land in Paramount Network’s acclaimed series “Yellowstone.” Courtesy of Paramount Network.

Alan

opinion

opinion

EDITORIAL

friday, february 18, 2022 volume LIII, issue 20 estd. 1969

We need accessible grocery stores in our community

Editorial Board

The closing of Dave’s Market near the Southside of campus garnered much annoyance for the Case Western Reserve University community. While Dave’s wasn’t the most convenient grocery store, as you had to go up a large hill to get there, it was still walkable. While there are other grocery stores near or on-campus, none of them are conventional grocery stores, often lacking many necessities students require. Plum Market and Murray Hill Market only offer a small number of expensive grocery options without a requisite amount of items like toiletries; a different Dave’s Market, past the Cleveland Clinic, can only be accessed by a 5 to 10-minute car ride or a 20-minute bus ride. Transportation timing is very similar for ALDI, too. Clearly, there needs to be a more accessible and affordable grocery store for CWRU students and our surrounding communities.

It is important that we also consider this issue in the context of the food and grocery scene in Cleveland as a whole. Food deserts, or areas that lack

access to affordable and nutritious food, are widespread in Cleveland— according to Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, 59% of Cleveland residents live in food deserts. Communities that live in food deserts are often largely impoverished and lack not only access to nutritious food, but also infrastructural resources like reliable and widely accessible public transportation. In Cleveland, many of the communities that are highly impacted by food deserts are on the east side—the side CWRU is on.

This phenomenon is no accident; the history of Cleveland’s racist redlining practices is highly prevalent today. The practice of redlining was utilized by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation throughout the mid-20th century to “grade” neighborhoods in the United States based on their perceived mortgage-lending risk. The practice graded the majority of minority—especially Black—neighborhoods as “hazardous,” and it essentially promoted the segregation of cities and limited the wealth and op-

portunities available to Black populations. Despite the practice of redlining being banned in 1968 with the Fair Housing Act, redlined neighborhoods still heavily face these effects in the United States today—especially in Cleveland. As a result, many of the majority-Black east side communities surrounding our campus suffer from food deserts, and this is paired with a historical lack of transportation.

It’s easy for us to complain about the added inconvenience of trying to access grocery stores, but we have to be mindful of the bubble of privilege that most of us live in. The majority of us are able to order groceries online as we can afford the delivery costs. Additionally, we have free shuttles that drive students directly to Target and Walmart, many of us have cars and a lot of us are able to afford the often overpriced items of Plum Market on Northside. However, with all of this taken into consideration, it is still important that we fight to replace the old Dave’s Market with another grocery store—this would at least some-

what help to ameliorate both our own problem of affordable grocery accessibility and the issue of food deserts in the area. Furthermore, while many students may wish for it to happen, it is important to clarify that Trader Joe’s is not an accessible option with its less-than-affordable products; advocating for one to replace Dave’s Market showcases the ignorance of the community we reside in. And while there is a Meijer’s coming to the Fairfax neighborhood, near the Cleveland Clinic and on the CWRU shuttle route, it is not an accessible option for many at CWRU, at least compared to the former Dave’s.

Overall, there is a visible need for CWRU students to have an accessible and walkable grocery store. Our current options are not great, and Dave’s Market on Southside was the closest real, accessible option we had. It is imperative that we fight for a more sustainable alternative not just for the CWRU community, but also for the impoverished and disadvantaged neighborhoods we are surrounded by.

the observer

established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of case western reserve university

The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer reports news affecting students and provides an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are typically written by the opinion editor but reflect the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. Opinion columns are the views of their writers and not necessarily of The Observer staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer at (216) 302-4442 or e-mail observer-ads@case.edu.

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

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

executive editor & publisher SHREYAS BANERJEE

PRINT

director of print SARA KHORSHIDI news editor GRACE JOHNSON life editor JOEY GONZALEZ opinion editor KARUNA LAKHIANI sports editor PUNEET BANSAL development editor BEAU BILINOVICH engagement editor MULAN MA copy editor SHIVANGI NANDA copy editor LEXY JENSEN copy editor RACHEL ALEXANDER copy editor ELIE AOUN copy editor KATE GORDON copy editor CHARLOTTE GOYAL

DIGITAL MEDIA

director of digital media JOCELYN ORTIZ social media editor SOPHIA POPKIN photo editor CLAY PREUSCH web editor COLLIN WONG

DESIGN

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BUSINESS

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Open letter to President Kaler from CWRU’s Students for Justice in Palestine

SJP CWRU

Dear President Eric Kaler, Case Western Reserve University’s Students for Justice in Palestine, alongside 13 different cosigning organizations, would like to issue a formal response to the email you sent to the campus community in regards to the Undergraduate Student Government passing Resolution 31-15. In your campus-wide address on Nov. 9, 2022, you declared the efforts of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) in passing Resolution 31-15 as “hateful,” “naive,’’ and “anti-semitic.” Resolution 31-15 seeks only to investigate CWRU’s investment in companies and institutions that are potentially contributing to the death and suffering of minorities within Israel and its occupied territories, the global military industrial complex, and the global prison industrial complex. Resolution 31-15 was debated through open, respectful dialogue and ultimately passed by individuals who have been democratically chosen to represent our undergraduate student body. The members of SJP seek to foster an open dialogue with you in hopes of reaching an understanding. The students of CWRU

have shown support for Resolution 31-15 and we urge the administration to implement the outlined conditions.

Students for Justice in Palestine and its allied organizations recognize and acknowledge the concerns of Jewish students on this campus. We validate the fears expressed by our Jewish peers and we are intent on taking a stand against the very real and growing threat of anti-Semitism in this country and world. The requests of Resolution 31-15 do not seek to spread hate nor are they inherently antisemitic. Resolution 3115 asserts a legitimate criticism of the actions of the Israeli government, and does not target the Jewish community as a whole. The argument that a vote against Israel is one against the Jewish members of our community makes an extremely nuanced conversation morally impenetrable. We must be able to acknowledge when atrocities occur, and we reserve the right as students to request that our university investigate their financial support of said atrocities.

Your statement lacked consideration for the impact your words would have on the students whom you have been appointed to care for.

It is evident that you have only prioritized the safety and concerns of the Jewish members of our community, as shown in your meeting with Cleveland Hillel. While you are not at fault for supporting a group of students—who have expressed concern for their safety and well-being on this campus–you have simultaneously chosen to neglect a community who has also conveyed concerns for their safety. This one-sided sympathy is further emphasized by your failure to meet with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the Muslim Student Association (MSA) or the Middle Eastern Cultural Assocation (MECA).

It is thus imperative that the voices of students are respected and taken into full consideration. Your desire to ensure that CWRU should be a “welcoming place for all” is contradicted by the fact that this statement draws negative attention to other voices. As the university president, you have power and influence on this campus, and to so rashly dismiss the voices of students acting in a democratic manner is irresponsible. This abuse of power has caused irrefutable harm and has placed a target on the backs of Palestinian students, members of

USG, and every student standing in solidarity. In the interest of student wellbeing, we expect a communitywide statement addressing the concerns this letter has outlined. Furthermore, we would like to request a public meeting with you and representatives of Students for Justice in Palestine. We make these requests with the desire to educate people on all sides of the issue, alleviate student concerns and pursue the investigation outlined in Resolution 31-15.

Signed,

Students for Justice in Palestine

The African Students’ Association Exec.

The Black Student Union

The Brotherhood CWRU African American Society

First CWRU

Global Ethical Leaders Society La-Alianza

The Middle Eastern Cultural Association

Muslim Law Students Association

Muslim Student Association Pakistani Students Association Student Sustainability Council Western Reserve Abolition Project

In response to “Kaler’s email puts CWRU and USG in national spotlight”

David Singer Professor of Mathematics

To the editors:

The Nov. 18 issue of The Observer makes it appear that the campus is completely united behind the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) resolution and offended by President Kaler’s response. The lead headline accuses President Kaler’s email of “bringing risk to students,” followed by page after page of editorials and letters from faculty and students, every single one criticizing the president.

Perhaps there is room for a more nuanced treatment of the subject. I and many other members of the Jewish community deplore some of the actions of the right-wing Netanyahu government and strongly believe in the right of students to express their views. I am nevertheless profoundly dismayed and disappointed by the one-sided coverage of what could have been a meaningful discussion.

The main defense of the resolution seems to be that it is not antiIsrael, but against particular policies, especially “Israeli apartheid.” That extremely inflammatory phrase is

intended to delegitimize the State of Israel. The branding of Israel as an apartheid state is part of the 75-year attempt to deny its right to exist, and is anti-Israel, regardless of the intent of the supporters of the resolution.

Writing useful resolutions requires restraint. The cascade of “whereas” clauses in the USG resolution is a litany of dubious statistics and illresearched finger-pointing, and the structure of the resolution asks supporters to agree with all of those clauses.

The resolution intersperses lists of military suppliers and prison operators with random civilian companies that it claims “facilitate ... Israeli settlements … on occupied Palestinian territory.” It objects to the provision of “security systems,” suggesting that Israel should not be allowed to defend itself, despite decades of rocket barrages and bus bombings aimed at civilians in its cities.

In one of the more egregious “whereas” clauses, the resolution claims that B’tselem “CONCEDED that Israel practices apartheid” (em-

phasis mine). In fact, B’tselem is an Israeli organization that was founded, as they state on their website, for the purpose of documenting “human rights violations committed by Israel in the Occupied Territories.” They state, “The essence of the apartheid regime in place between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea is to promote and perpetuate the supremacy of one group over another. B’Tselem works to change this reality.”

B’tselem also takes note of the context of the conflict. They write: “Since the beginning of the second intifada, Palestinians have killed hundreds of Israeli civilians inside Israel proper and in the Occupied Territories.” The resolution ignores this reality.

The USG resolution offers no suggestions for improving the situation for Palestinians or Israelis. What it does is exploit the goodwill of students who want to defend the underdog. In doing so, it also inflames the currents of antisemitism that have been rising in this country. The lead article claims that President Kaler’s

email brought “risk to students.” The real risk to students is the divisiveness and hatred that are spreading in this country, which President Kaler was attempting to highlight.

Signing on to this resolution entails agreeing with its long list of “whereas” clauses. If defending the idea of disinvestment in Lockheed Martin means defending disinvestment of Sodastream; if attacking a resolution that I believe is misguided is interpreted as attacking the right of students to make decisions I disagree with; if criticizing the settlement policies of the current government requires condemning the State of Israel, whose legislature was recently led by a coalition that included two Israeli Arab parties; then honest dialogue is impossible.

David Singer

Professor of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Statistics

College of Arts and Sciences

Case Western Reserve University

The Earthshot Prize: A hope for combating climate change

Aambar Agarwal Social Media Manager

Florida’s Hurricane Ian, Europe’s summer drought exacerbated by heatwaves and the Pakistan floods stand out the most prominently in the multi-billion dollar climate disasters of 2022. However, many other climate-related disasters this year cannot be overlooked, including Hurricane Fiona, flooding in Australia and ongoing droughts and fires. The consequent loss of life, livelihood, crops and property has been unprecedented. Although initiatives

such as rebuilding, increased funding, crawling government interventions and thoughts and prayers have been enacted, they are not enough to truly combat climate change. Cue the Earthshot Prize Awards, a serious attempt to tackle climate change in the next decade.

Taking inspiration from President John F. Kennedy’s “Moonshot” challenge of the 1960s, which aimed to land humans on the moon within a decade, Prince William and the Royal

Foundation established the Earthshot Prize in 2020. It is supported by several global organizations committed to conserving the environment and is a stellar attempt at repairing the planet at a scale and speed not seen before. It provides a uniform platform for eco-innovation at any scale and selects five winners each year that meet the prize’s priorities. Each winner is provided with funding, partnerships and an organization to rapidly improve the innovations and,

therefore, their impact. This year, the Earthshot Prize Awards partnered with the John F. Kennedy Foundation and came to Boston, Massachusetts, Kennedy’s birthplace. Amid all the furor surrounding other news coverage, the Earthshot Prize Awards did not receive the spotlight—or rather, floodlight—that the event deserved. There are several factors that may have contributed to this.

news letter to the editor news

letter to the editor

CLIMATE CHANGE continued from pg. 10

First and foremost, the awards ceremony happened on Dec. 2, but people could only view the taped version on PBS, MultiChoice channels, YouTube or BBC beginning on Dec. 5. It was not a live event, unlike other award shows, nor were there channels announcing the event. As movie or music awards garner so much publicity and media mention, it was rather tragic that the Earthshot Prize Awards barely received airtime. Even Taylor Swift’s concert tickets fiasco seemed to be much more important than fixing the ongoing climate crisis.

Then, there was the small matter of the royal family itself. Prince William’s Boston visit was overshadowed by the race row that erupted at Buckingham Palace when William’s godmother, Lady Susan Hussey, was accused of repeatedly asking a Black charity boss, Ngozi Fulani, where she was “really” from. Lady Hussey has since resigned, and the royal family issued a statement denouncing racism. But the damage was done—Prince William’s Boston itinerary was rarely mentioned in the news without details of the race row. And if that wasn’t enough, Netflix also released the trailer for its

docuseries “Harry and Meghan.” The timing was most inconvenient, considering it happened on the second day of Prince William’s Boston visit. While the docuseries might amount to little more than providing material for future episodes of Netflix’s “The Crown” or funding for Harry and Meghan’s lifestyle, it did manage to take oxygen out of Prince William’s visit, causing the focus to shift to family dynamics rather than climate change.

Furthermore, some other uncomfortable moments were covered in the media from Prince William’s Boston trip. Prince William met President Joe Biden briefly outside the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, where both men were booed by protesters with some colorful language, again taking away from the main issue that Prince William was there to address. References to colonialism and racism were also made by Reverend Mariama White-Hammond in a speech at Boston City Hall before the onset of the Earthshot Prize event. While such issues are critical to address, the timing of her remarks was a questionable choice.

In addition, there were other im-

portant aspects of Prince William’s trip that deserved more coverage in the media. Instead of flying in a private jet typical of royals, they flew commercial, reducing their carbon emissions. They walked the walk and didn’t just talk the talk about climate change. There was also the harborside walk in Piers Park, where they got to see the work that will be done by one of last year’s Earthshot Prize finalists, Living Seawalls, in collaboration with Stone Living Lab in an attempt to improve biodiversity and flooding in the Boston Harbor. The awards event itself was complete with a green carpet at the MGM Music Hall and a smattering of celebrities such as Billie Eilish, David Attenborough and David Beckham. The attendees were urged to make sustainable fashion choices and wear consignment, vintage or sustainably created clothing, with the Princess of Wales dressed in a green rental gown as example.

However, there should have been more support for the awards from both politicians and celebrities. Al Gore, John Kerry and Bernie Sanders could have brought in their political prowess. And there’s nothing like ce -

lebrities bringing the glitz and glamor to shine a light on an event and boost sustainable fashion.

Even with everything else going on, the finalists and winners were the true stars of the show. The Earthshot prize is divided into five categories: “Protect and Restore Nature,” “Clean Our Air,” “Revive Our Oceans”, “Build a Waste-Free World” and “Fix Out Climate.” This year’s winners, were Kheyti from India with their Greenhouse-in-a-Box, Mukuru Clean Stoves from Kenya, Australia’s Indigenous women of the Great Barrier Reef, NOTPLA from the United Kingdom and 44.01 from Oman which removes carbon dioxide by mineralizing it in rock, respectively.

It is an amazing lineup of human innovation, potential and creativity and an exciting glimpse into where these innovative ideas could lead us. And it is heartening to know that there is so much hope to combat climate change. Meanwhile, we can all do our part to help. Little choices every day, like reducing our waste, recycling, reusing items and making sustainable choices, can go a long way in conjunction with choosing leaders that make climate change a priority.

Post-COVID mentality has changed how we think about and handle sickness

Enya Eettickal Staff Writer

It’s almost the end of 2022, and as much as I’d like to pretend that the horrors of the COVID era are over, I’m periodically presented with rude awakenings, and this last week reminded me of that era as I came down with the flu. Although it was the flu and not COVID-19, how my situation was handled was significantly different from how I dealt with the flu my freshman year.

For one, I reacted differently when I was told I had to be in quarantine. Though the idea of going into quarantine wasn’t as daunting as it’d been in the past, I was thrown by the idea of having to go into quarantine for the flu, not because it doesn’t make sense—I rather think it makes quite a bit of sense given the nature of the sickness—, but because I wasn’t expecting it.

The way the university handles illness on campus has obviously shifted after the COVID outbreak. But the way the Case Western Reserve University community itself deals with illness is not necessarily consistent, and that may have consequences of its own—especially if another outbreak were to occur.

The first issue is that we underestimate illness. Quarantine effectively minimizes how much we get sick, which is great, but at the same time it also puts distance between us and the way we remember being sick. When I was told I had the flu, my first reaction was, “at least it’s not COVID.” Still, what I wasn’t prepared for was the flu being way worse than my experience with COVID. I forgot how much pain and constant fatigue paired with other symptoms when it came to the flu, and

I was completely out of commission for a few days. So after finally healing, I reflected on how exactly I might have gotten sick.

That’s when I realized that I, like many others, had gotten relaxed about protocols to prevent illness. Masking is infrequent and parties and gatherings are back at full pace. Furthermore, social distancing and updates on the spread of illnesses aren’t at the forefront of conversations anymore.

In one way, that’s all great because it shows that we overcame what was generally a horrible and insufferable time period for the majority of the population. But simultaneously, swinging back to “it never happened” is a risky mentality. Rather than staying in a position where we are ready for a potential surge again, we risk scrambling and panicking if we have

Hustle culture wants your soul

Sarah Karkoff Staff Writer

Hustle culture—defined as a lifestyle that reinforces long work hours and short periods of personal time— has become a part of the workplace zeitgeist. As we collectively enter into finals season, many of us must work for longer hours and neglect our personal well-being. While working hard is a virtue, the rhetoric around hustle culture can be harmful.

Hustle culture promises that overworking oneself will be rewarded with success. When cramming for a test or attempting to finish an essay before a tight deadline, anecdotal evidence proves that this can be true. However, the relief that washes over students once break hits proves that humans cannot and should not keep functioning at consistently high levels.

This philosophy of work also plays into meritocratic morals. Meritocracy is “the idea that people get ahead based on their own accomplishments.” Claiming that anyone can be

ultra-successful if they just work constantly puts a moral value on successes and failures. If any individual can truly get ahead through hustle culture, then those who choose not to hustle are choosing to fail. Inherently, this reinforces the capitalistic mindset that you must be productive to have worth.

Once you play into these ideas, it gets harder to rationalize taking time for yourself. Suddenly, finals season is your everyday life; the sweet relief of a long break will be a thing of the past. Therefore, buying into hustle culture removes the mental safeguards that come with well-regulated breaks.

Ultimately by identifying with this philosophy, you are centering work in your life above other things—even yourself. Essentially, you live to work instead of working to live. Hustle culture wants to convince you that prioritizing work and success over your mental well-being is in your best interest. The “all-work-no-play” mind-

set makes a moral statement that the “play” aspect is unimportant when that is far from the truth.

Even further, the meritocratic ideals are only true for certain populations. When financially disadvantaged families struggle to “move up” in life but cannot despite their hard work, hustle culture and those that idealize meritocratic values put the onus on the individual instead of the system. Author and Yale Law professor Daniel Markovitz states, “meritocracy adds a kind of a moral insult to this economic exclusion because it frames what is in fact structural inequality and structural exclusion as an individual failure to measure up.”

In the end, hustle culture promises us two distinct outcomes. You either find that financial success at the expense of yourself, or you are disadvantaged, leading to fewer opportunities for the same amount of work. Hustle culture wants your soul, body

to adjust to a sudden increase in illness.

The university has done a pretty solid job finding new ways to adapt in post-COVID circumstances. Professors are more understanding of illness, and I’ve seen an increased use of online media to make learning accessible to those who are ill. But in general, some more awareness wouldn’t hurt around campus. If you haven’t gotten your vaccines yet, I recommend going to get them. Be wary of sickness spreading around now, especially with finals on the horizon. And if you do get sick, give yourself the time and opportunity to heal. While it might be scary to miss out on work or social events—especially after having to take a break from them for over a year—your body will thank you for giving it the rest it needs.

and spirit. Therefore, committing yourself to this framework guarantees you leave your non-material wants behind in favor of production.

While this type of dedication is virtuous in small doses, you should not give your all to a job that does not have your best interests in mind. Hustle culture’s overwork can lead to a lot of unpaid labor. So called “quiet quitting”—refusing to go above and beyond in the workplace—might be in your best interest. This is not to say that you shouldn’t do what your job entails, but rather that you should only do your specific responsibilities and nothing more unless you are being compensated for it.

I am not saying that diligence and labor are meaningless, but rather that there is importance in moderation. So, do not overindulge in productive endeavors or you will burn out, and take time for yourself.

Work hard, but not too hard.

Think beyond the “possible”

Avi Horwitz Staff Writer

I never intended to write for The Observer—I submitted a one-time column in December 2019 in an effort to promote the climate strike Sunrise CWRU was co-hosting with Ohio Climate Strike (now Ohio Youth for Climate Justice) in the KSL Oval. Fast forward three years, and here I am writing my 20th column and set to graduate at the end of the semester.

If there’s one overarching message I’ve hoped to convey through my columns, it is simply that a better world is possible—and it’s ours to demand and build together. In many cases, I’ve drawn on my experiences as an organizer, primarily as a leader within Sunrise CWRU. I thought it would be fitting for my final column to call on them one last time to share some of the important things I’ve learned about advocating for change on our campus. Most are invaluable lessons given to me by more experienced organizers, and a couple I’ve picked up on my own along the way.

The first thing to remember is that no single individual on this campus—or anywhere for that matter—has the power to create change on their own. This is a job for collective action, and the best way to take such action is by starting or joining an organization. While more is usually better, an organization doesn’t always need to have a ton of members to make a huge impact—just people who are enthusiastic and committed to doing what they can. However, starting a new organization is tough, especially when many others are already doing the work you’re interested in. Seeking out an organization that matches your interests, values and goals is always the first and best bet.

When you start trying to engage individuals with decision-making power, you’ll probably hear them tell you to stop and instead use “proper channels” at some point. The most dangerous “proper channel” known to man is the “committee.” Why, you might ask? Well, it might seem like a win when administrators offer to set up a committee—it’s easy to get excited when someone with power finally seems to be listening to your demands. In reality, committees give administrators a way to stifle the momentum of a campaign by keeping the pressure at arm’s length until the most experienced leaders in a campaign graduate and much of the work has to begin anew.

The first time I was advised to use “proper channels” was in February 2020 as part of my efforts relating to Sunrise CWRU’s fossil divestment campaign. I had just used the Q&A session of one of the Entrepreneurship Speaker Series events to ask CWRU’s Chief Investment Officer, Tim Milanich, some very direct questions about the university’s investments in fossil fuels. Yet, it was only after taking this action that I first felt administrators began to take the renewed calls for divestment seriously. It turns out that direct confrontation and public pressure pay dividends.

Another example from the same campaign is President Kaler’s statement publicly committing to divestment, which was finally released in November 2021 after a year-long wait. This happened only after I had sidestepped the “proper channel”—the Undergraduate Student Government (USG)—and directly emailed the president and his chief of staff. Jon Stone, a correspondent for the Independent, sums up my

point perfectly in his tweet: “One reason people insist that you use the proper channels to change things is because they have control of the proper channels and they’re confident it won’t work.”

Some people will tell you that direct confrontation tactics will cause those you need on your side to oppose your work, regardless of its merit. But in my experience, those who claim to be repelled by more aggressive tactics are simply using this as cover when, in reality, they wouldn’t have supported you under any scenario. A fair share of the time, no amount of facts or benefits will overrule the determination to preserve the status quo.

You can be aggressive while still being strategic and disciplined—this is where having an escalation arc comes in. An escalation arc is a key tool to use in mapping how you will carry out a campaign, including doing your own research, educating others, making demands and, eventually, winning. Keeping in mind Frederick Douglass’ refrain of power conceding nothing without demand, it’s essential to be clear-headed and aware that you are not going to simply make the perfect argument that convinces someone in authority to meet your demands. They will only take action when doing so becomes more convenient than their continued inaction, and your escalation arc should reflect this. Therefore, demand, don’t plead.

Early on in joining the Sunrise Movement, I also learned the importance of having a vision of what you are fighting, which is the idea behind the concept of a Green New Deal (GND): a 10-year plan to combat the climate crisis on a national scale by creating jobs and facilitating a just transition for frontline

CWRU Film Society

communities. We often find ourselves stuck in a pattern of using our energy to oppose harmful policies. However, constant opposition can be incredibly tiring unless the possibility of a better alternative underpins it. In Sunrise CWRU, our continuous critiques of the university’s climate action plan have been combined with our vision of a GND for CWRU, a framework inspired by the federal GND resolution specific to our campus meant to show how taking necessary climate action would benefit our community. Knowing and motivating myself with what I’m fighting for has always been the biggest key to keeping me motivated when the work invariably gets overwhelming and discouraging.

My final and most important piece of advice is never to listen if anyone, regardless of their position, tells you something that is just and necessary is “impossible.” I’ll never forget the people who said fossil fuel divestment would never happen, or the members of USG’s executive committee whose advice—ignored, of course—was to drop an ask for CWRU to transition to a 100% electric fleet from our resolution, labeling it to be too ambitious in the short term. Of course, as of today, CWRU has made commitments toward both of these.

What’s “possible” is simply a question of whether you’ve built enough collective power at any particular moment to make your demands a reality. It’s okay to admit that you don’t have the influence to make something happen at a given point in time. However, the answer is not to give up on your demands. The path forward should always continue to build your power and come back again and again until you win.

Friday, December 2, 2022

7:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m.

The VelociPastor(2018)

Not Rated (75 min.)

Director: Brendan Steere

With Greg Cohan, George Schewnzer, Janice Young

After losing his parents, a priest travels to China, where he inherits a mysterious ability that allows him to turn into a dinosaur. At first, he is horrified by this new power, but a hooker convinces him to use it to fight crime. And ninjas.

Saturday, December 3, 2022

7:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m.

The Hebrew Hammer (1975)

Rated R (85 min.)

Director: Jonathan Kesselman

With Adam Goldberg, Andy Dick, Judy Greer

Mordechai Jefferson Carver, a.k.a. the Hebrew Hammer, is an orthodox Jewish stud who goes on a mission to save Hanukkah. When Santa Claus’s evil son Damian is pushed over the edge by his father’s liberal policies, he does away with the Christian symbol. Subsequently stepping into his father’s role, Damian launches a campaign to eradicate the Jewish holiday. The Hammer joins forces with Esther Bloomenbergensteinenthal, the gorgeous and dangerous daughter of the leader of the Jewish Justice League, and his brother-in-arms Mohammed Ali Paula Abdul Rahim, the head of the Kwanzaa Liberation Front, to topple Santa’s evil progeny and to save Hanukkah for future generations of Jews.

FREE ADMISSION THIS WEEKEND Strosacker Auditorium, CWRU Campus Quad Free Parking: Lot 44 at Adelbert Rd and Murray Hill FILMS.CWRU.EDU

Cavaliers impress with efficient scoring and tough defense in blowout win vs 76ers

Gaurav Hardikar Staff Writer

On Nov. 30, the Cleveland Cavaliers hosted the Philadelphia 76ers in a highprofile Eastern Conference showdown. Nearly 20,000 fans filled the seats at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to watch the young Cavs squad, led by point guard Darius Garland and recently acquired superstar shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. Though the 76ers were without legendary scoring threat James Harden, Cleveland’s defense still had their hands full, facing formidable big man Joel Embiid without their own all-

star center, Jarrett Allen.

Though the Sixers got off to a 9-2 run, the Cavaliers rallied with several unanswered shots to go up to 169. Early victims of a 14-point swing, Philadelphia tried to right the ship, but the Cavs made their opponents earn every point, sending Embiid to the free throw line and closely guarding the perimeter. Cleveland briefly trailed by a point before shooting guard Caris LeVert drained a 3-pointer to give the Cavs a 21-19 lead. With just over

a minute remaining in the first quarter, the 76ers would not see a lead for the remainder of the game.

The Cavaliers took the second quarter by storm, outscoring the visitors 44-27 with brilliant performances on all fronts. Mitchell poured on nine points and three assists, accounting for over a third of Cleveland’s points in the second. Up by 21 at the half, the Cavs relaxed a bit and still outscored the 76ers 21-18 in the third quarter. Garland stole the show this time, with a 10-point effort that included a pair of 3-pointers and two assists from Mitchell.

Despite the large lead entering the fourth quarter, the Cavs refused to take their foot off the gas, adding insult to injury with each bucket until the final whistle mercifully blew and sealed the 113-85 home victory for Cleveland. Garland (21 points, nine assists) and Mitchell (18 points, six assists) performed admirably, but it was LeVert who lit up the stat sheet. The 28-yearold came off the bench to record 22 points on 8-for-11 shooting along with six rebounds and four assists.

While the scoring efforts were distributed, with half of the Cavaliers scoring in the double digits, it was the defense that continued to shine brightly. The big men filled in nicely for Allen, holding Embiid to just 19 points, considerably less than his season average. The perimeter defense frustrated

Philadelphia, as they shot a pitiful 23.1% on 3-pointers. Meanwhile, the Cavs offense scored nine more 3-pointers with an impressive 51.7%.

The Cavaliers followed up the late November victory with a home win over the Orlando Magic, a road loss to the New York Knicks and a win in Cleveland over the Los Angeles Lakers. As of Dec. 5, the Cavs sit in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference. Though the team ranks 18th in points per game, efficiency on offense has been the key, as their field goal percentage and 3-point percentage are 10th and 8th in the league, respectively.

On defense, the team has the No.1 defensive rating, pulling their lowscoring offense up for a net rating that ranks 5th in the league. The team’s league-best net bench rating is also a testament to its depth, as highlighted by LeVert’s big performance against the 76ers.

It is easy to imagine Cleveland making a deep playoff run given their successful start. Yet with the menacing MVP favorites Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks leading the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, the Cavs have a ways to go on offense if Cleveland is to see the NBA Finals once again.

The 16-9 Cleveland Cavaliers resume their campaign on Dec. 9 at home against the Sacramento Kings.

CWRU Pickleball Club competes in first ever collegiate nationals

Puneet Bansal Sports Editor

Pickleball is on the rise around the country across all age groups. That’s true here at Case Western Reserve University whose very own Pickleball Club sent representatives to compete in the inaugural 2022 DUPR Pickleball Collegiate National Championships.

The event, held in Austin, Texas from Nov. 18-19, was hosted by Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR), the only global rating system in pickleball, and presented by GAMMA Sports. The company rates all players, regardless of age, gender or location, on a scale of 2.00-8.00 depending on their play results.

To qualify for the tournament, collegiate groups had to show proof of at least 40 club members with a valid DUPR rating, compete in at least one intercollegiate tournament and host a fundraising event using the DUPR platform.

The Pickleball Club attended a tournament in late October hosted by the Ohio State University, where Zach Karlsen and club president Jonathan Stevens won the doubles tournament. In early November, the club hosted the University of Michigan, where the same duo earned a 3rd place finish. Earlier in the semester, CWRU Pickleball Club had also hosted a fundraising tournament alongside 20 other teams. With the requirements satisfied, the CWRU club earned an all-expenses-paid trip for four representatives to compete in the nationals.

The CWRU group included Stevens (4.52 rating), Gabriel Doree (3.93), Melina Peshoff (4.00) and McKenna Gross (3.76). All four competed in the doubles and were seeded 9th in the country with

an average DUPR rating of 4.05 and a team DUPR of 16.21. The top three schools were Utah Tech University (4.65, 18.60), James Madison University (4.62, 18.48) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (4.59, 18.37).

The team was set to arrive on Nov. 17 and stay through the 20th with the

tournament held at Dreamland Dripping Springs. The first two rounds began on Nov. 18 and the semifinals and finals were conducted on Saturday Nov. 19. For the robin round, teams of four were placed in four pools of equal team DUPR distribution. Following the first two rounds, the winners of each pool com-

first ever championship and a $10,000 scholarship prize.

“[O]verall, we performed pretty well, especially since we had to forfeit our first game,” answered Stevens, reflecting on the team’s performance at their first ever championship. “Although the outcome wasn’t exactly what we wanted, we all saw it as a great experience and will use it to better prepare our club for future tournaments.”

When reflecting on the Pickleball Club’s season, Stevens added “[I]t’s been really cool to see how much our club has grown. We began last year with about 15 members, and now we have over 200 total members, with 40-50 showing up at every practice.”

Stevens emphasized the club’s determination to send as many players as possible to the national championships for years to come. The club will also focus on funding to ensure members will not have to worry about travel and registration fees.

peted in the semifinals and finals.

CWRU had to forfeit their first match against Utah Tech due to flight cancellations.

Additionally, they were scheduled to play against Penn State University for their second match, but the latter dropped out of the tournament, and CWRU instead played against “Gamma University,” which consisted of two men from the University of Florida and two women from the University of South Carolina. CWRU lost the total match but won the

women’s doubles 21-18. Against Loyola Marymount University, CWRU lost 1621 in men’s doubles, won 21-17 in women’s doubles and lost 21-23 and 18-21 in mixed matches.

CWRU’s championship journey ended on Friday, Nov. 18. Utah Tech, UNC, James Madison and Texas Christian University competed for the trophy the following day. For the championship round, it came down to Utah Tech and UNC. In the end, the underdog UNC squad pulled off the upset, winning the

The club is currently looking to partner with local tennis centers, such as Western Reserve Racquet and Co. and Spire Academy as options to hold indoor practices during winter months to sharpen each other’s skills. There are also plans to bring CWRU alumni and professional pickleball athletes to the practices.

Looking ahead to the final weeks of the semester, the Pickleball Cub will be hosting a Holiday Tournament on Dec. 9 at 12 p.m. at the Veale Recreation Center. To register for the doubles tournament, interested duos should do so through the DUPR website.

Shooting guards Caris LeVert (left) and Donovan Mitchell (right) go in for a high-five after leading the Cavs to victory against the 76ers. Courtesy of NBA

CWRU Pickleball Club sent team members to the Pickleball Collegiate National Championships free of charge thanks in part to competing against The Ohio State University. Courtesy of @cwrupickleball

CWRU LIFT hosts deadlift competition, brings together university’s weightlifting community

Saturday mornings are pretty quiet around campus. The Veale Recreation Center usually has a few people coming in to do their workouts, but on Nov. 19, the Veale rack room was packed with members of the Case Western Reserve University LIFT club in anticipation of the deadlift competition.

CWRU LIFT, the university’s graduate weightlifting club, held the inaugural event with two goals in mind: to have fun and lift heavy. The club was founded over the summer and formally recognized this October by the Graduate Student Council. The board is led by president Amy Kurr alongside the leadership team of CJ Bowes, Adam Ketchum, Aja Leatherwood, Cedric Levi and Joe Ferrari. Their mission is “to support CWRU competitive lifters and strength sport enthusiasts in achieving their goals by providing information, financial support, and a network of like-minded individuals.”

LIFT doesn’t hold regular meetings like most clubs. Instead, it brings together the weightlifting community via events and competitions that are co-hosted with other campus organizations. This semester, the club hosted a Weightlifting Clinic alongside Medicine in Motion, in which participants were taught proper squat, bench and deadlift form by LIFT volunteers.

They also hosted an introductory powerlifting meet seminar, which was held over Zoom and explained in detail the process of signing up for, preparing, attending and competing in powerlifting competitions for newcomers.

The Deadlift Competition ran from around 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with an after-party hosted in the White Building student lounge until 5 p.m. Outside the rack room, the event’s sponsors had laid out smoothies and protein shakes from Beyond Juicery and Eatery, bagels and breakfast items from Panera Bread and energy juices and drinks from Garden of Flavor.

Inside the competition room, LIFT

set up a scores table alongside a constructed deadlifting platform with a slick deadlift poster as a backdrop. Rows of seats were set up behind the judges’ area for the more than 150 spectators and participants to relax in. Smelling salts, chalk and warmup bands were purchased and provided for those who wanted to use them.

The competition started promptly at noon. With 29 competitors participating, there were three flights total with nine or 10 lifters per flight. Each competitor got three attempts, with the weight becoming progressively heavier with each attempt. LIFT advisors Ben Parks and Curts Bickham, who also work at One-to-One Fitness, helped orchestrate transitions between each lifter and the judging alongside other LIFT volunteers.

At the conclusion of the competition, Adam Ketchum lifted the heaviest weight for the men’s competition. He had two successful attempts of 680 and 725 lbs, and attempted a 750 lbs lift. Ryan Joy, Xavier Wiemken and William Kerr had the next highest successful attempts of 605 lbs, 605 lbs and 600 lbs, respectively.

Lucas Sheuermann, a graduate student studying accounting, talked about his appreciation for such an event being held after successfully lifting 435, 465 and 500 lbs.

“It’s cool because I’ve been here for nine semesters and we never really had events like this,” Lucas said. “It was hard to meet people with similar hobbies and was kind of isolating. So, it’s nice to finally have a place where we can meet people with similar weightlifting interests.”

On the women’s side, Annika Minotti led the charge with successful lifts of 320, 350 and 355 lbs. Gabrielle McBroom followed with successful 230, 280 and 300 lbs lifts. Belinda Chen almost hit the 300 lbs mark, coming in just shy with 295 lbs.

Minotti, a second-year double major in political science and economics, is not entirely new to the powerlifting scene. After getting into

lifting late in high school, she made her mark earlier in October at her first powerlifting competition in Columbus, Ohio where she broke the state deadlift record for her age and weight class.

“I just thought the [CWRU LIFT] competition would be fun and I would be able to watch all of my friends deadlift,” Minotti said. “I thought the event went really well [and] the turnout was great! The energy was super high and everyone cheered each other on.”

When asked about the strong showing of female competitors at this event, Minotti was especially supportive.

“There was a total of [seven] women who competed… [and they] ranged greatly in level, which was super cool to see! It seemed that they all had fun at the competition, along with myself. So I hope this can inspire other women to lift heavy because it’s fun!”

The event made waves all over the CWRU campus, according to the LIFT leadership team, as the club expects the organization to double in size at both the member and leadership levels.

“I can honestly say that the feat our small leadership team accomplished in the span of a few months is truly incredible,” said Kurr, LIFT’s president and a master’s student in macromolecular science and engineering.

“There’s an inner energy that burns in an athlete when they step on to the platform to execute a lift in the hopes of demonstrating that they are stronger today than they ever have been. However, the energy that dwells within an event director on competition day is extraordinary and indescribable. To know your work fueled the personal records and camaraderie of the community you love is better than competing.”

After the event, LIFT received much positive feedback from students in the School of Engineering, the Health Education Campus and the School of Law. GSC’s commitment

to helping advance the lifting community in CWRU has also helped the club gain recognition from CWRU Recreation and Athletics.

“The deadlift competition is being talked about across campus as the pivotal point to launch CWRU into the competitive lifting arena both locally and nationally,” said Kurr. “CWRU’s support in CWRU LIFT to bring our vision for the deadlift competition to life is deeply appreciated on behalf of the CWRU LIFT leadership team, advisor team and members.”

LIFT plans to host annual competitions like this one, but the lifts themselves may change. There are also conversations about including small semesterly competitions such as bench and squat meets and even strongman-style competitions.

To close out 2022, LIFT is holding an end-of-semester dinner and socializing party. They will also be discussing plans for the spring semester. Future event ideas the club hopes to pursue are squat form sessions, a group trip to the Arnold Sports Festival held in March in Columbus, Ohio and competitive events with nearby universities. LIFT is particularly interested in working with the undergraduate Women’s Weightlifting Club to host an event to empower women who hope to pursue a career in the sports and fitness industry.

“The CWRU LIFT leadership team […] wanted to build a community that felt like home, built each other up, and pushed one another to accomplish our goals,” reflected Kurr about the essence of LIFT. “We started small, but word about the club spread faster than we anticipated. I am extremely proud of the team for how far we have come as a club, and I am outright honored to call them my friends.”

To learn more about CWRU LIFT, visit the links below:

Website: https://community.case. edu/cwrulift/club_signup Instagram: @cwrulift LinkedIn: @CWRUlift

Puneet Bansal Sports Editor

Students celebrate the inaugural CWRU LIFT competition, striking various poses, including the Zyzz pose, as the successful event came to a close. Courtesy of CWRU LIFT.

Browns defeat Buccaneers in overtime thriller

Jack Martin Staff Writer

On Nov. 27, the Cleveland Browns faced off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their legendary quarterback Tom Brady at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns, prior to that Sunday, had lost six of their last seven games and sat at the bottom of the AFC North with a dismal 3-7 record.

Per usual, the Browns looked terrific on the opening drive as quarterback Jacoby Brissett and running back Nick Chubb led the team down the field. The possession was capped off with an exciting 31-yard rushing touchdown by wide receiver Anthony Schwartz. Cade York then knocked in the point after touchdown to give the Browns an early 7-0 lead.

The Buccaneers matched the Browns’ energy early. On their first possession, Tampa Bay running back Rachaad White ran a crowd-silencing 35-yard dash. Tom Brady tied the game after targeting Chris Godwin, who ran a 10-yard touchdown.

Cleveland answered with a 51yard field goal from York to take a 10-7 lead. Following the impressive kick, things began to go downhill for the Browns.

After trading a few possessions, the Browns had an opportunity to take the lead after a six-minute possession in the second quarter. Following a tough red zone situation, Coach Kevin Stefanski sent out York for a 39-yard field goal. His kick sailed wide left of the goalpost, leaving Browns fans clutching their heads in disbelief.

With four minutes left in the half, the Buccaneers sent out Brady to do what he does best: beat the clock. The 45-year-old quarterback completed six passes for 55 yards, putting the team in range for a game-tying field goal by Ryan Succop. The teams entered halftime tied 10-10.

After halftime, during which the Cleveland Browns honored local service members, Brady came out just as hot as he ended the first half. He passed the ball five times for 64 yards, eventually connecting with tight end Ko Kieft for a touchdown to give the Buccaneers a 17-10 lead.

The game was rather uneventful for a bit, as the two teams punted back and forth seven times. After receiving the ball from punter Jake Camarda with only two minutes left in the game, the Browns, losing by a touchdown, hoped to send the game into overtime.

Browns fans made it clear that they wanted Stefanski to put the ball in the hands of his star running back, as the stadium roared with chants for Nick Chubb. Stefanski heard them, calling three straight rushes in which Chubb ran for 35 yards.

After two incomplete passes, the team faced another fourth-and-long situation. With the clock winding down, quarterback Brissett threw to tight end David Njoku, who made a leaping one-handed touchdown reception, sending the game into overtime.

The Browns defense roared to life in the extra period, holding the Buccaneers’ offense to two punts, giving them the ball again with two minutes left in the game.

In what might have been his final possession as the team’s starting quarterback, Brissett immediately looked to star receiver Amari Cooper. The two connected for a quick 17yard gain, followed by a deep strike for 46 yards, in which Cooper was knocked out of bounds at the 3-yard line.

The stadium again roared with chants of “Chubb” as the team lined up in their offensive formation. With

In his last game as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, Jacoby Brissett helped secure the win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Courtesy of Jason Miller/Getty Images

only 19 seconds left in the game, Brissett handed the ball off to Chubb, who dove between his offensive linemen for the game-winning touchdown.

The defense, which has struggled all season long under heavily-criticized defensive coordinator Joe Woods, kept the Browns’ chances alive in the second half. The pass rush played its best game in weeks, as Myles Garrett had a terrific game, recording 1.5 sacks along with several quarterback pressures.

On the other side of the football, the Browns got enough out of its dynamic offensive trio to hold off the Buccaneers. Chubb rumbled for 116 yards and a score, while Cooper caught seven passes for 94 yards.

In what was admittedly his final game as a starter—Deshaun Watson

returns to action next week following his suspension for sexual misconduct—Brissett completed 23 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown. In his 11 games as starting quarterback, Brissett recorded a respectable 2,600 yards passing, along with 12 touchdowns.

Regardless of his numbers, he was a leader who left it all on the field, and Cleveland Browns fans could not have asked for more. It is safe to say that Brissett has been one of, if not the most, loved and respected quarterback that the team has seen since its return to Cleveland in 1999.

On the next Sunday Dec. 4, the Browns, with Watson, under center for the first time since the end of his suspension, faced off against the Houston Texans, improving their record to 5-7.

Browns defeat Texans in Watson’s rusty debut

Jack Martin Staff Writer

The Cleveland Browns (4-7) faced off against the Houston Texans (19-1) on Dec. 4 at NRG Stadium in Houston. Coming off of an exciting overtime win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Browns were looking to win their second game in a row for the first time this season. Though Cleveland was without star tight end David Njoku, Deshaun Watson was under center for the first time this season.

After receiving the opening kick, the Texans’ ambitions for an early lead were snapped on the first play,

as quarterback Kyle Allen immediately threw an interception to Browns safety John Johnson III.

Following an exchange of punts from both teams, the Browns received the ball for the second time on their own thirty yard line. After a 5-yard run by Nick Chubb to set up a 2nd-and-short situation, Watson made a 12-yard pass to wide receiver Anthony Schwartz, who fumbled the ball, much to Browns fans displeasure.

The Texans took advantage of this error, as Allen and rookie running

back Dameon Pierce led the team down the field. The Browns’ defense managed to hold the team to a 44yard field goal from kicker Ka‘imi Fairbairn to give Houston a 3-0 lead with eight minutes left in the first quarter.

The Browns stormed back, as Watson marched the team down the field. He connected with running back Kareem Hunt twice for nearly 20 yards and threw a 27-yard strike to receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. Looking to score, Watson targeted receiver Amari Cooper in the endzone, but the pass was intercepted by Texans’ Jalen Pitre. The Browns gave up a safety on their next possession, giving Houston a 5-0 lead early in the second quarter.

After another series of punts, the Browns pinned the Texans on their own 16-yard line. On 4th-and-2, Houston punter Cameron Johnston punted to Peoples-Jones, who returned the ball 76 yards to score. It was the team’s first punt return touchdown since 2015. Needless to say, Browns punt-return legend Josh Cribbs was smiling somewhere.

The second half of the game contained more excitement for Cleveland fans, as the Browns’ defense and special teams helped carry the struggling offense. On their opening drive, the Texans gave up the ball on an Allen fumble that was recovered and returned for a touchdown by cornerback Denzel Ward, giving the Browns a 14-5 lead. Following the touchdown by Ward, the teams exchanged field goals, making it a 17-8

ballgame.

With 10 minutes left in the game, Allen threw his second interception of the game, this time being for a touchdown by Cleveland’s Tony Fields II. This was the second defensive touchdown of the game for the Browns.

Browns’ kicker Cade York went on to hit another 42-yard field goal, extending their lead to 19. Though the Texans scored once more, the Browns were victorious for the second week in a row, this time with an awkward 27-14 win over what is indisputably the worst team in football.

Watson struggled in his first game back from his lengthy suspension. Whether it was jitters from the hostile Houston environment or the rust of not having played in 700 days, it is safe to say that the quarterback did not look like his $230 million form.

Watson completed 12 of 22 passes for 131 yards and finished with an underwhelming passer rating of 53.4.

Watson was not alone because the entire offense struggled. They undisputedly got bailed out by the great performances of the defense and special teams units. Running backs Chubb and Hunt combined for only 136 yards on the ground and failed to score a touchdown for the first time in weeks. Peoples-Jones had three receptions for 44 yards, and Cooper tagged along with four for 40 yards.

The Browns will face off against one of their division rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, next weekend. This is a big game for the Browns, who look to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Deshaun Watson, a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, returns to play against his former team, the Houston Texans, following a staggering 700day hiatus after being suspended for serial sexual assault. Courtesy of Eric Christian Smith/AP Photo

SOCCER continued from pg. 1

Puneet Bansal Sports Editor

“The last few weekends it’s been back-to-back so a day off is nice because you can recover and prepare a little more for Johns Hopkins University,” said Head Coach Abby Richter “Either way we’re going to be ready to play. It’s the national championship so we’ll be ready to go.”

On Sunday afternoon, the Spartans battled through the most intense 90 minutes of soccer this season. JHU and CWRU went back and forth, and it seemed like neither team had full control. In the end, however, the Blue Jays capitalized on what few mistakes the Spartans made.

JHU got on the board quickly in the 14th minute. Blue Jays’ Breukelen Woodard took advantage of a rare Spartan defensive mishap and managed to get set up in a one-on-one situation against CWRU goalkeeper Storti. With Storti unable to make the save, JHU took the 1-0 lead.

Against one of the most difficult defenses they’ve seen this year, the Spartans kept attacking and struck back in the 34th minute. Fourth-year midfielder Aniya Hartzler’s initial shot was deflected but she collected the rebound and sent in a successful second attempt to tie it 1-1. They also extended their tournament record of goals made to 23.

At the 50th minute, JHU’s Katie Sullivan lasered in a shot past Storti

for the 2-1 lead. Despite the Spartans’s best attempts, including multiple saves from Storti to keep the game within reach, CWRU was unable to tie it again. The buzzer sounded and JHU was crowned with their first NCAA DIII Women’s Soccer Championship in history, finishing with a 22-1-2 record.

JHU outshot CWRU 21-12, including a 10-5 advantage in shots on goal. The Blue Jays also held the advantage in corner kicks with 5-3.

“Obviously we’re on the wrong end of this, but I’m so proud of the team and the effort they gave today and all season,” said Coach Richter after the game. “We wish it turned out a different way, but congrats to JHU. They’re a really good team and it’s just unfortunate for us today.”

“This has obviously been what we’ve been preparing for all season,” added Gomez. “We’ve tried to not focus too hard on results and major goals like the national championship but this has always been where we wanted to be… Last two days [we knew we’d be] facing a good opponent and doing our best to prepare. I think we did that, but… that’s what we wanted to do, is play against the best of the best and that’s what we did.”

Gomez, Hartman, Washburn and first-year midfielder Jamie Goldfarb were named to the All-Tournament

team following the game.

With this being their only loss, the Spartans finished the season with a 20-1-1 record overall. The national second place finish matches the best finish by any CWRU team in school history and is the best finish in school history for any CWRU women’s team. The Spartans also set the program record for wins in a season (20) and the longest winning streak (13). Additional achievements include a 6-01 record in the UAA play as well as their first conference championship in history.

This was the final match for the 2022 class, which consisted of Gomez, Hartman, Hartzler, Washburn, Meyer, VanBibber, White, forward Samantha Cramin, defender Laura Gorjanc, goalie Anna Gurian and forward Maia Sethi. Together, they represent the most successful graduating class in women’s soccer history with a four-year record of 50-8-4.

“This senior class has really turned this program around from going no wins in the UAA for our super seniors in our first year to winning the UAA for the first time in program history and making the deepest run into the NCAA tournament,” reflected Gomez. “They’re just some of the strongest people I’ve ever met and it’s been such a privilege to play alongside them, learn from them and contribute

Scores and Upcoming Games

to this team any way I can. I couldn’t be more proud, more honored to be here today on the field with them.”

Prior to the beginning of the final four matches, White was named the recipient of the Elite 90 Award, which recognizes the athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating at the site of the finals.

White was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America First Team, Washburn was named to the Second Team and VanBibber was selected to the Third Team. It was the fourth Academic AllAmerica honor for Washburn, the first CWRU athlete to be named to four teams in one sport in university history. It was the second honor for White and the first for VanBibber.

Of the 79 CWRU athletes that were inducted to the 2022 Van Horn Society, which honors athletes with a GPA of 3.8 or higher with a junior or senior academic status, eight represented women’s soccer: Gomez, Gurian, Sethi, VanBibber, Washburn, White, third-year defender Sumera Sandhir and student coach Grace Bratter.

wHartman and Gomez were named the UAA Offensive and Defensive Athletes of the Week, respectively. Gomez was named the Spartan Club Athlete of the Week for her defensive performance through the championship weekend.

CWRU

Baldwin Wallace (11/19)5th / 94.5 pts

CWRU vs RIT Invitational (12/3)9th / 74.5 pts

CWRU at Ohio Northern University (1/7) CWRU vs Manchester University (1/7)

CWRU vs Penn St. Behrend (1/10) CWRU at Thiel College (1/10)

Men’s Basketball

CWRU vs La Roche (11/16) - W 88-81

CWRU at Capital (11/29) - W 89-71

CWRU vs Adrian (12/3) - W 89-61

CWRU at Kalamazoo (12/10)

CWRU at Medaille (12/12)

CWRU vs Earlham (12/18)

CWRU vs Hilbert (1/1)

CWRU at Buffalo State (1/4)

CWRU vs CMU (1/7)

Swimming / Diving

Men’s vs Magnus Cup (11/17-19)4th / 703.5 pts

Women’s vs Magnus Cup (11/17-19)9th / 193 pts