The Observer, Volume LIV, Issue 23, 3/31/23

Observer The Case Western Reserve

Friday, March 31st, 2023

Volume LIV, Issue 23 Est. 1969

Colin Jost cracks up CWRU

Noah Henriques Staff Writer Shivangi Nanda Copy Editor

Classes, clubs, jobs and research— the stressors just seem to pile up at Case Western Reserve University, and sometimes we need some gut-busting laughs to help us forget about our endless responsibilities. The CWRU community got this reprieve last Friday, March 24 at the annual Spring Comedian event hosted by the University Program Board (UPB). Last year, students enjoyed a performance from famed comedian and actor Jimmy O’Yang. This year, UPB stepped up their game and brought Saturday Night Live’s (SNL) Weekend Update star Colin Jost and SNL rookies Marcello Hernandez and Molly Kearney to Severance Hall. Their unique stand-up styles made for a dynamic and entertaining show.

First up was Hernandez, a proud alumni of nearby John Carroll University and Miami, Florida native. His laid-back attitude was reminiscent of

the typical college student, with an outfit to match: a backwards hat, a shortsleeved Cleveland baseball jersey and jeans. His vibe immediately connected him with the audience, and he continued to hit it off with jokes that centered around his life as a biracial born to a “horny 5’ 6” Dominican dad” and a “hard-working Cuban mom,” a topic that resounded well with CWRU’s diverse student body. Transitioning into stories from his own college experiences, Hernandez regaled how Miami’s Hispanic neighborhoods were a far cry from the white college campus in Ohio. Two of his most memorable stories recounted a hilarious misunderstanding with his white ex-girlfriend mid-coitus and the time he showed off his native Spanish fluency in a college class. Coupled with an engaging stage presence, Hernandez’s stories packed a comedic punch like that of any seasoned professional—and he certainly didn’t give the audience a moment of rest.

Up next was Kearney, the first nonbinary comedian to be featured on SNL.

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biomedical engineering program. The collaborative efforts of these two student groups address public health concerns in Uganda through anthropological methods and sustainable engineering solutions.

GHDC currently has five ongoing projects: medical waste management, pulse oximetry for infants, a vaccine carrier and backpack for vaccine outreach and DMPA-SC packaging. Every spring break, students from both MAK and CWRU cooperatively conduct field research in rural Uganda, where design teams for each project gain feedback and exchange ideas about new directions and where to find more comprehensive solutions.

DMPA-SC, which stands for subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, is a self-injectable contraceptive that protects against pregnancy for three months. Developed by Pfizer Inc. under the brand name Sayana Press, the drug is delivered through the BD Uniject injection system, a device that was originally developed by PATH.

GHDC officially hands off reproductive health project to NGO in Uganda

ernmental organization PATH in Uganda. This was a major milestone in bringing the project to completion.

Spring break was a great week for students to take a breather before the final stretch of the semester, but it was especially momentous for one of Case Western Reserve University’s student organizations. The Global Health Design Collaborative (GHDC) officially handed over their DMPA-SC packaging project to international public health non-gov-

“This achievement is the culmination of almost five years of research and prototype development,” said second-year biomedical engineering major Saloni Baral, the CWRU team lead for the project. “I am so excited to see our design being adopted by an entity like PATH that strives to promote women’s health globally.”

Founded in 2015, GHDC is a club within the Undergraduate Student Government that collaborates with students and faculty at Makerere University (MAK) in Kampala, Uganda through a partnership known as the Engineering-Anthropology Collaboration. GHDC is advised by Dr. Janet McGrath, chair of the anthropology department, and Dr. Andrew Rollins, professor of biomedical engineering. MAK students are under the guidance of Dr. Robert Ssekitoleko, head of the university’s

Founded in 1977, PATH is a global team that works to eliminate health inequities in more than 70 countries. This NGO works in conjunction with government leaders, bilateral organizations and grassroots groups to address various issues such as malaria, maternal care and HIV/AIDS.

PATH is especially committed to advancing affordable, high-quality contraceptive technologies that empower those assigned female at birth to take control of their sexual and reproductive health. The ingenuity of DMPA-SC delivery through PATH’s device is that patients can self-inject. Most common alternatives must be administered by trained clinicians, who may be in facilities inaccessible for those living in rural areas.

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Puneet Bansal Sports Editor

Last Friday, Colin Jost, Marcello Hernandez and Molly Kearney from Saturday Night Live took the stage in Severance Hall for UPB’s annual Spring Comedian show. Grace Johnson/The Observer

In a ceremony on March 16, GHDC handed off their reproductive health project to the NGO PATH. Representing both organizations, from left to right: Dr. Janet McGrath, Benedict Mulindwa, Dr. Andrew Rollins, Dr. Robert Ssekitoleko, Dr. Robert Mutumba, Dr. Betty Mirembe, Fiona Walugembe and Allen Namagembe. Puneet Bansal/The Observer

What we know about sextortion on campus

Grace Johnson News Editor

At Case Western Reserve University, there have been a number of instances of sextortion, primarily in the first-year class. For those unfamiliar, sextortion is a form of extortion, wherein instead of demanding money through force or threats,

predators threaten to share nude or explicit content of their victim. In recent weeks, emails have been sent out to the campus community explaining this growing threat to CWRU students. One of the emails sent by Vice President of Equity Rachel Lutner stated that the “[CWRU] Police Department has received multiple reports of students falling victim to extor-

tion schemes—in particular, ‘sextortion.’” Lutner also outlined the dangers of sextortion, tips on how to avoid it and steps to take if you or someone you know is being sextorted. In addition, the email explained the prevalence of this crime in the United States, citing that “[l] ast year, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 18,000 sextortion complaints reporting that blackmailers were paid more than $13.6 million.”

Sextortion has become a pronounced issue with the rise of social media apps where taking and posting pictures and videos have become so instantaneous. Sextortion affects primarily young people, as predators tend to target them due to naiveté and lack of knowledge on how to handle these situations. The same targeting applies to students on college campuses.

Lutner’s email also acknowledged that this type of extortion is rarely

discussed; many victims do not realize what this is when it happens to them. “[At the time,] I had no idea it was a federal crime and I was too embarrassed to say anything about it,” said one victim from CWRU, who wishes to remain anonymous. However, they also said they were thankful that they did not lose any sensitive information and their perpetrator eventually left them alone. In the process, though, they were terrified and their mental health was severely impacted. To this day, they claim they have trauma related to the incident and are reluctant to trust or believe others.

Thankfully CWRU does have a number of resources available to students to ensure that perpetrators are caught and that students are adequately supported through the process. In her email, Lutner also outlined the steps students should take if they feel they are being sextorted, which includes contacting

Photos of the Week

the Office of Equity or the CWRU PD. In addition, there are various mental and emotional health resources for victims, including the Flora Stone Mather Center for Women and University Health and

Counseling Services.

If you believe you are the victim of sextortion, do not hesitate to reach out to any of the above resources. It is not something to be embarrassed about and it is not your fault.

Tyler Vu/The Observer

“[At the time,] I had no idea it was a federal crime and I was too embarrassed to say anything about it,” said one victim from CWRU, who wishes to remain anonymous.

Auden Koetters/The Observer

Shreyas Banerjee/The Observer

Shifra Narasimhan/The Observer

NGO IN UGANDA from page 1

To begin using DMPA-SC, a healthcare worker would teach the patient how to administer the injection. The patient would then be given three more units which can be self-administered over the rest of the year.

In roll-out studies of the injectable, PATH immediately encountered the issues of privacy and discretion. At the time, they would hand the patient the three units in a white, plastic, cylindrical container that was bulky and attracted unwanted attention.

When student teams from both CWRU and MAK first met with PATH in 2017, the NGO described the DMPA-SC program, including the need for more discreet packaging that women could easily use. At that very meeting, another issue was identified.

“So we’re examining the injectable unit. It’s a cool little device that women can self-inject discreetly,” reflected Dr. Rollins. “When we asked them what would happen to the device after it was used, the people at PATH smiled and looked at each other. This was the very problem that was currently vexing them.”

Medical waste disposal is a significant challenge in Uganda. Those who use DMPA-SC in the home often dispose of the used injectable by throwing it into a latrine pit. This is not only a biosafety hazard primarily due to the device’s needle component, but there is concern about the hormones potentially disrupting the soil ecosystem and polluting groundwater.

Thus in 2018, a new GHDC project was born. The DMPA-SC team would work in parallel on two subprojects that addressed both concerns. The design team was responsible for creating a small, discrete, biodegradable pouch that women could use to store and later safely dispose of the injectable, either at a healthcare clinic or in a latrine. The modeling team was tasked with determining the risk associated with latrine disposal and drinking water contamination.

Over the next four years, the modeling team conducted numerous experiments for the risk assessment using the MATLAB-based software Hydroscape to examine the extent of water contamination. In addition to this, MAK’s modeling team collected and analyzed soil samples to examine fraction organic compound, a factor that influences hormone concentration in the soil.

In a research report that the DMPA-SC team plans to publish soon, the modeling team concluded that there is minimal risk of harmful accumulation of the DMPA hormone under most environmental scenarios. High organic content was found to sequester the DMPA hormone, thus reducing its mobility and preventing its accumulation at hazardous levels. The only areas where DMPA-SC should not be disposed of in the ground is where there is sandy soil with low organic matter, or in an area where there is a well or drinking water source less than five meters away from the latrine.

Ideally, patients would return the used DMPA-SC units to a health center for proper disposal, but most common practice is to throw the units into a latrine pit. This research report shows that DMPA-SC units can be safely discarded in pit latrines along with organic matter, such as food or other biodegradable materials without posing any real health risk. If there is a water source near the pit, DMPA-SC users are advised to safely store the units until the

sharps can be returned to a healthcare facility.

The CWRU design team, meanwhile, had pared down their design alternatives to a sleek pocket size package. The final version makes use of strong, white cardboard-like material similar to that used for durable envelopes and is biodegradable, puncture-proof, light-weight and inexpensive to manufacture. Once the DMPA-SC is placed inside, the package’s flap can be slid into a slit to close it, effectively containing the injectable needle.

In early 2022, the MAK students, led by biomedical engineering student Alex Mugerwa, began the search for a local manufacturer in Uganda for the pouches.

“Nasser Road [in Kampala] is known for its skill in all stationary material, so finding a manufacturer of such products was not so hard,” said Mugerwa. “All I had to do was to know where to start from and who to ask.”

The MAK students went back and forth with four companies, trying to find a compromise between low

agembe, deputy project director for family planning. Walugembe and Namagembe were especially instrumental in helping GHDC and MAK students with the modeling and design process. Representing the Ugandan Ministry of Health was Dr. Robert Mutumba, principal medical officer of the Reproductive and Infant Health Division at the Ministry. Representing the university collaboration were Dr. McGrath and Dr. Rollins from CWRU, while Dr. Ssekitoleko and biomedical engineer Benedict Mulindwa were there for MAK.

Dr. Mutumba addressed the room and celebrated the achievement of PATH’s partnership with the universities.

“When you look at this little envelope, it doesn’t look like much,” said Dr. Mutumba while holding the white DMPA-SC packages. “However, it’s really quite innovative, you never really think of it… I’ve worked in many NGOs during my career and the most successful ones always have the magic of academia behind them.”

Although PATH has taken over

off ceremony, the team leads for the vaccine carrier, second-year biomedical engineering majors Mau Koishida and Layasri Ranjith, presented their prototype to Dr. Mutumba.

“We weren’t expecting to have the honor of speaking with Dr. Mutumba, so it was honestly quite stressful at first,” said Ranjith. “However, he was extremely attentive as we explained all of our design changes… [He even provided suggestions] and urged us to meet with members from his office.”

The vaccine carrier team sought feedback regarding how easy their prototype was to use compared to the commercial one most health centers in Uganda used. Unlike the standard carrier, from which vaccines were accessed from the top, the prototype allowed for vaccine access from the side. The top of the container functioned instead as a workstation that had dedicated holders for vaccine vials and a platform to place miscellaneous supplies.

“During remote outreaches where healthcare workers are administering vaccines on the side of the road,

price and high quality.

“It took a few weeks to find the right manufacturers. Many were not familiar with the design we were showing them… [They] found it hard to replicate the same features or modify the design to our liking,” added Mugerwa. “[Eventually], it all came down to price.”

Dynamo Ltd., which mainly produces envelopes for different organizations and events, agreed to produce the packaging that met the specifications GHDC was looking for. GHDC delivered 20,000 units to PATH, who—in partnership with the Ministry of Health in Uganda— will be training healthcare workers to handle the DMPA-SC and the packaging from March to April.

“It was my great pleasure to see that someone out there is going to be benefitting from all the toil we were putting in,” said Mugerwa. “[This is] pushing me to work harder knowing that at the end of it all, I am helping and improving something in our health sector and our country.”

On Thursday, March 16, members from CWRU and MAK traveled to PATH offices in Kampala for the official handoff meeting. Present from PATH were Dr. Betty Mirembe, the country director and head of the PATH office in Uganda, Fiona Walugembe, project director for family planning and Allen Nam-

the operational and implementation parts of the DMPA-SC project, the work for GHDC is not entirely finished.

“We would like to collect feedback once the product has been in circulation for a while,” said Baral about the project’s future. “[Healthcare workers and patients] can provide valuable insight… about what works and what could be improved upon in the design, and we can use that feedback to amend our designs if needed.”

In addition to those already mentioned, many MAK and GHDC members over the years contributed to the success of the DMPA-SC project. From MAK, biomedical engineering students Brenda Nakandi, Kanyeete Polyn and all other students who were key parts in the testing, modeling and design components. On the CWRU side, Dr. Kurt Rhoads from the Department of Civil Engineering and Lynn Rollins from the Center of Engineering Action were important advisors in the collaboration. The efforts of past DMPA-SC team leads and CWRU alums Rhea Krishnan, Elizabeth Schubert, Katherine Steinberg along with all other past students involved with the project were crucial to bringing this project to fruition.

As for the GHDC’s future with PATH, the collaboration will continue for years to come. After the hand-

this dual functionality becomes extremely important,” said Koishida. “The suggestions we received were very mixed…Healthcare workers were used to accessing vaccines from the top versus our side-loading strategy [and thus] were hesitant about the new design.”

In general, however, the feedback across the board was encouraging.

“Many of our features [are meant] to reduce work for the nurses and thereby reduce human error and we received positive feedback on them,” added Ranjith. “Dr. Mutumba asked about the carrier’s thermal capabilities, cost and weight but was impressed with our rack design and the multiple door system.”

Following the data collection and field testing conducted in Uganda, the vaccine carrier team plans on testing the thermal capabilities of their prototype in comparison to the commercial one. Additional points of exploration include manufacturing costs and a complete design review.

To learn more about GHDC and join one of the project teams, visit their CampusGroups page or email ghdc-exec@googlegroups.com. If you are interested in the study abroad trip to Uganda over spring break, reach out to Dr. McGrath (jwm6@case.edu) or Dr. Rollins (amr9@case.edu).

GHDC’s new vaccine carrier (right) is designed to be a more discrete way for women to self-administer birth control while also being biodegradable to combat against the medical waste disposal challenges in Uganda. Puneet Bansal/The Observer

Masego delivers saxophone solos and soul at the Agora

Joey Gonzalez Life Editor

Coming fresh off the release of his full-length album, Masego embarked on his nation-wide “You Never Visit Me Tour,” captivating crowds across the country. To be frank, I had only heard of him through TikTok but, despite liking his music, I never re ally sought anything more than those digestible snippets. Despite my lim ited knowledge of Masego, my friend convinced me to put my name in for the University Programming Board (UPB) raffle and just like that, we won.

The show took place at the Agora Theater and Ballroom on March 28, which was arguably the perfect venue for this type of concert. Ogi, a Nige rian singer and song writer, opened for Masego, bringing a refreshing energy to the stage that is rarely seen at concerts. Throughout her set, she kept the au dience engaged with her powerful songs and the compelling stories be hind them.

In connecting with the crowd, she even told a story about a friend in a toxic relationship who refused to leave the relationship. Ogi went on to reveal that they ended up getting engaged, to the shock of the audi ence, but a few moments later she clarified that they did in fact call it off. In addition to her personality, I loved her R&B music style with effortlessly smooth vocals. But it wasn’t just her musical talent that drew the audience in; Ogi re ally knew how to engage with the audience, proving to be the perfect opener for such a memorable artist.

With a warm-up like that, I knew I was in

sweet potato. Popularized by the 2022 Fetty Wap cover, everyone in the audience was singing along with the very familiar lyrics. He ended his set with “King’s Rant” before leaving the stage, saxophone in hand. But the ing for an encore that Masego happily provided. His encore included hits like “Eternal Sunshine” and “Tadow,” much welcomed additions to the

On March 28, Masego and his famed saxophone ignited the Agora Theater with a soulful blend of R&B and jazz. Courtesy of Marissa McDowell/Cleveland Scene

COLIN JOST from page 1

Their outfit was a perfect depiction of their energy—a comfy black jumpsuit and hat that screamed laid back and fun. If the outfit wasn’t enough of a tell, they opened their set with the question “Who here smokes weed?” This was enough to capture the audience’s attention. They were able to keep them entertained by poking fun at students’ career prospects, telling humorous childhood stories and acknowledging the awkwardness of being different. Their set was made special by honest and easy-going storytelling about growing up and the mishaps that occurred when they came out to their family. While not all students may have been able to relate to their experiences, they were

successful in drawing out smiles and making people laugh.

With the audience successfully warmed up by the SNL newcomers, Jost took the stage.

As a writer, actor and comedian, Jost is a stand-up veteran. He walked onto stage with a calm confidence and took on a chaotic and improvised performance style that starkly contrasted from Hernandez and Kearney. Without missing a beat, Jost dug into some not-sofun CWRU fun facts, mocking our “AI chatbot-generated name,” our “...great academics [that] come [with a] mediocre social life” and questioning our campus pride for a “notoriously committed D1 Ultimate Frisbee team.” Student’s re-

sponded in an uproar of laughter, which seemed to only encourage Jost to keep going. He asked audience members to yell out their majors, proceeding to politely but cruelly make fun of each and every one of them—neuroscience majors were hit the hardest. At the half hour mark he seemed to be losing steam, creating uncomfortable silences between jokes. However, the audience took this as an opportunity to call out their burning questions and comments. Jost’s experience as a comic shone through as he swiftly incorporated otherwise awkward heckles from the audience into lighthearted jokes. One audience member even handed him an orange “Tippit Tea” hat, which he

Masego’s blend of soul, R&B and jazz struck a chord with the audience and made for such a memorable evening. His style countered before, and I really enjoyed hearing something simultaneously moving and

The saxophone solos were arguably my favorite part, and based on the crowd’s reaction every time he brought it out, I would say it was theirs too. This is all to say, if you have the chance to see Masego in concert, or even just stream

And, if you see a UPB raffle for an artist that you’ve never heard of, don’t be afraid you never know when you’ll discover your new favorite artist.

graciously accepted to uproarious applause. Despite the awkward moments of his set, Jost ended strong with some out-of-pocket and morally questionable SNL sketches that didn’t make it to the live shows, along with new jokes he was “testing out.”

With that, this year’s Spring Comedian event drew to a close. Starring some serious SNL talent, the performances garnered endless applause and laughs. Even though Jost was the headliner of the event, we believe newbies Hernandez and Kearney definitely gave him a run for his money. Regardless, this event proved to be the perfect comedic relief, and we are eager to see which performer UPB can secure next.

Auden Koetters/ The Observer

Fun

Tarun’s LOLs

Horoscope

The signs as Hippocampus songs

Sun Veins

Way It Goes

Baseball

Weekly Tarot

Four of Swords (Upright)

Now is a time of rest for you. Recharge yourself.

Ace of Coins (Upright)

Time is money and the time to get money is now!

Four of Wands (Reversed)

Harmony is within you and with it you will go forth to make more milestones.

What we’ve been listening to

Robert Glasper Trio

Lexy Jensen

COLUMBIA AG Club

Sara Khorshidi

Superpowers Dismemberment Plan

Kate Gordon Golden bb blue

Rachel Alexander

It’s Too Late Carole King

Sophia Popkin

Fall of '82

The Shins

Clay Preusch

Simulation Swarm Big Thief

Beau Bilinovich

Everybody Needs Love

Marvin Gaye

Shreyas Banerjee

Western Kids Buttercup

Two of Cups (Upright)

You’re about to meet someone new!

Why Even Try Simple Season South Warm Glow Bad Dream Baby Mistakes

Eight of Coins (Reversed)

You may be working hard on a project but may not be seeing the fruits of your labor.

Ace of Coins (Reversed)

Your attempts at making money may be falling short.

Strength (Reversed)

You need to stop choosing violence and work things out more peacefully.

Seven of Cups (Upright)

There are many opportunities coming your way.

Ace of Wands (Upright)

There may be a new hobby which will attain your interest.

The Lovers (Reversed)

You have a special person in your life but you haven’t been making them feel that way as of late.

Nine of Swords (Upright)

Nightmares plague you but warn you of possible danger.

Bambi

Three of Coins (Upright)

You have a lot of support for your endeavors!

Crossword

ACROSS

1 Accessory across the front of a Girl Scout uniform 5 The "m" in Einstein's E = mc^ 2

9 Own (up)

13 Excessively promote

14 Car

15 Airline once said to be "ready when you are"

16 12 months

17 Let ___ a secret

18 Consumed

19 "Does the name contain an animal?" YES. "Is it a band fronted by Adam Duritz?" YES!

22 Peaks of waves

69 "Sick!"

70 Sarcastic "I bet!"

71 Region

72 Flatten, as a fly

DOWN

1 Like toddlers when meeting strangers, often

2 Sailor's "yes"

3 Cold War contest featuring Sputnik and Apollo

4 Sandwiches that may save the day?

5 Ship's primary canvas

6 Mother's sister, e.g.

7 Uncomplaining, say sun"

8 One of Shakespeare's begins "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun"

9 Dread

10 John who sang "Rocket Man"

11 This-and-that dishes

12 Stark daughter on "Game of Thrones"

15 Joltless javas

20 Jazz player's state

21 Bearded grazer

22 Prices

Word Search: Word Search

24 Wrestler/actor John

25 U.S. intelligence

grp.

26 Rower's blade

27 Smallish batteries

29 Cluster of feathers

31 With 45 -Across, "Does the name contain a vegetable?" YES.

"Is it a band fronted by Billy Corgan?" YES!

34 Seaweed-wrappe d rolls

38 Silicon Valley field, informally

39 Alpaca lookalike

accompaniment, often

36 Winnie-the-Pooh' s craving

37 Possible response to "Who's there?"

40 Closemouthed

41 Food of the gods

46 Big nuisance

48 Max's opposite

49 Buddhist temple

52 Brazilian actress

42 Opening for a coin

43 Mean, mocking smile

45 See 31 -Across

47 Moist

50 Entrepreneur's deg.

51 Rep.'s opponent

52 Garment that may have an underwire

55 "Adios!"

57 Premium cut of steak

59 "Does the name contain a mineral?" YES. "Is it a band fronted by Mick Jagger?" YES!

62 One might arrive on a saucer

63 Soul icon Redding

64 [I'm about to speak ...]

67 Portable preparedness kit

68 Sandwich shop

Sonia

53 Fez-shaped chocolates

54 Suspect's "out"

56 Kitchen appliance brand

58 Necklace decorations

60 Part of the Apple logo

61 Mahjong piece

65 Org. with pollution solutions

66 Rendezvoused

"Crossword"

ACROSS

2 a jester

3 . One of the twelve months of the year

6 . The esteemed president of Case Western Reserve

7 . Case Western Reserve students, generally

8 . Diamond birthstone month

9 . The team who designed the new Safe Ride app

10 . A lot of Aries lay claim to this month

11 . Noted for its showers

12 exclamations

DOWN

1 . Rhymes with school, where you probably are

4 Something best said while pointing to a camera

5 . Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream

7 . Sitting in bed and staring at the wall, is best done ___ thing in the morning

8 gotcha

11 . Ludgate's first name

CWRU’s sports success should not be overlooked

Editorial Board

When the Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University were separate universities, not only were they rival institutions but they also had a heated sports rivalry. Between 1891 and 1969 the Case and Reserve teams went head-to-head in an annual Thanksgiving football game which not only captured campus life for both universities but also drew crowds of spectators from the Cleveland community as a whole. The games were so popular that they often filled the 70,000-seat Cleveland Stadium, and even eventually led to the Ministerial Association of Cleveland pleading to move the timing of the game because it was interfering with church attendance on Thanksgiving. The two schools refused, however, as the games were too profitable and much of student life at Case and Reserve revolved around the game.

With the federation of the university, the fervent football rivalry also ended and Case Western Reserve University students’ fascination with their collegiate sports seemingly evaporated. The student populace of CWRU, with our primarily academic and nerdy outlook, scarcely attends games at Nobby’s Ballpark or DiSanto Field. Other than a Homecoming football game at the beginning of the year, CWRU students barely even know when games are happening.

That’s a shame, especially because so many CWRU sports teams are currently doing the best they ever have.

We are a NCAA DIII university, competing against other primarily academic schools like the University of Chicago, New York University and Carnegie Mellon University, so it’s very unlikely that we’ll ever be a sports-crazed campus on par with DI schools. That being said, we should still support our student athletes and their efforts in fighting for CWRU across the nation, and they’re doing so tremendously.

For the second year in a row, our men’s basketball team made it to the NCAA tournament after getting out of University Athletic Association (UAA) conference play. In fact, this year, for the first time ever, they were crowned champions of the UAA. The women’s soccer team also were UAA champions this year for the first time and made it all the way to the NCAA championship game after making it to the round of 16 last year.

The men’s tennis team are backto-back ITA Indoor National Champions this year and competed in the NCAA championship match last year for the second year in a row. Whether they will repeat that performance remains to be seen but so far they are starting strong out of the gate as they had a 15-game win streak earlier this season and are currently on another 4-game win streak. The women’s tennis team also competed in the NCAA tournament last year for the first time ever and currently have an 11-3 record. The softball team is also having a historic season after starting with a 14-game win streak, leading to a current 15-2 record.

Across the board, the Spartans have been firing at all cylinders.

AI’s threat to writing

Carsten Torgeson Staff Writer

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI)—specifically OpenAI’s Chat GPT—may improve the quality of life for some, but it is also a weighty source of concern for many others. Though its potential to streamline many menial tasks is certainly impressive, I fear that AI is swiftly becoming the preferred method of shortcutting what makes education worthwhile: the process of learning. It is natural to avoid unnecessary struggle, but eventually we must contend with the fact that struggle itself is the impetus for learning. By removing that struggle and allowing AI to take over some of the less interesting components of education, we may be ushering in an era of academic stagnation.

As I write this, I am well aware of my perspective as an English major. I likely have a greater-thanaverage appreciation for language and a simultaneous awareness of my major’s perceived inutility in the modern world. I concede that my perspective may be more pessimistic than is warranted. Undoubt-

edly, AI is being used in creative and worthwhile ways. It is also true that even prior to the development of AI—which might make students feel that the skill of writing is not as important as it once was—the decline of the English major’s popularity was well documented.

Nevertheless, AI’s arrival should be cause for concern for more than just English majors. AI is threatening to take over the quintessentially important craft of basic writing. Already, students are using AI to write their essays—and they’re getting away with it. Additionally, Google has already developed a new AI for similar purposes, which has cheekily been named “Bard.” Google has no delusions about its AI’s role, and neither should we.

I recognize that not everyone can have the same appreciation for writing that English majors do. For students whose fondness for the study of English is average or even nonexistent, AI does not seem like a threat. Instead, it is a useful tool. I am not so much of an alarmist that I cannot recognize its potential for utility. In careful hands, we, in fact, can put AI to admirable use.

Continue reading on page 9

They deserve recognition. And it isn’t just our proper varsity sports that are doing well, but also our club sports. Club men’s volleyball will soon be going to compete in their national tournament in April after becoming national champions last year. The CWRU rowing team has been competing at regional and national regattas all year and soon will be competing in the Mid-America Collegiate Rowing Association Championship regatta.

The CWRU rugby team also competes on a regional and national level. Last year, the club ice hockey team were playoff champions, and the club badminton and fencing teams both placed first place in their competitions.

The efforts our student athletes make day in and day out is worthy of acknowledgement and support as such, but going to games and following our teams can also improve our own college experiences. It is an understatement to say that CWRU cur-

rently lacks school spirit. Without consistent widespread traditions, events and opportunities to rally together, we often don’t feel part of a cohesive community. However, by paying more attention to the efforts of our sports teams and creating a greater sports culture, we can have something that binds us all together and have pride in.

So start reading our Sports section. Start following our Spartan win streaks. Most importantly, start going to games. Both DiSanto Field and Nobby’s Ballpark are right next to the North Residential Village, and Horsburgh Gymnasium and the Veale Natatorium are right next to the South Residential Village, so you have no excuse. Scores and schedules are consistently posted both within The Observer’s print editions and at athletics.case.edu. We may never be the most sports-obsessed campus, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start taking pride in the CWRU name and our Spartans.

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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 via e-mail at observer@ 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.

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And why, as a result, writing might actually improve

AI from page 8

Nevertheless, I worry that for people who do not intrinsically believe in the importance of writing, AI’s path of least resistance may be far too tempting. This is to say that the same people who bemoaned having to write essays before AI will be quick to throw academic integrity out of the window—all to avoid engaging in the dull task of linking words together.

This would be a sad reality, for writing is essential regardless of your area of study. Writing is more than just linking words together— it is the manifested facilitation of thought. Good writers understand that to write is to solidify a thought in the world, where it can be contested by others. Because of this, good writing requires the consideration of more than just one’s own position—and in the process of discovering other perspectives, the writer begins to understand their own perspective better. Its worth is found just as much in its process as in its product. John Stewart Mills famously writes that “He who

knows only his own side of the case knows little of that.” Those that utilize AI to write essays are not only taking the path of least resistance and development, but are also depriving themselves of opportunities to understand others and themselves better.

Though a future where writing and subsequent critical thought done by AI is bleak, there is nevertheless cause for hope. Even before the birth of AI, there has been a decline in skilled writing that coincides with the shift in the job market from humanities to specialized majors—such as engineering. This is perhaps most visible at research and tech universities, including Case Western Reserve University, where the majority of students choose a STEM field to major in. While humanities departments have upheld the importance of writing, rigorous writing instruction seems to have been discarded in many other subjects. The soonto-be obsolete SAGES courses, a requirement for all students, cur-

rently have both humanities and STEM students. This inherently leads to a mixture of students more passionate about writing and others who are frankly uninspired by their non-STEM classes. This results in classes spread thin, simultaneously trying to assist those with little basic writing skills and providing in-depth instruction for those with more advanced writing abilities. In an effort to keep grading consistent and fair, writing standards lower toward the worst student—which can often be the student putting in the least effort.

With this in mind, the rise of AI may in fact be a good thing—an opportunity to raise the bar again when it comes to writing. If AI can easily produce basic writing assignments that can pass as the writing of an uninspired student, perhaps grading will become more stringent. And if this happens, students will be forced to work on their writing ability to meet newly elevated standards. Furthermore, as a result of greater effort and better writ-

ing, classes can foster a greater appreciation of writing for those who haven’t experienced satisfaction in the subject.

CWRU’s English department chair Dr. Walt Hunter recently published an article in The Atlantic about the shortcomings of AI poetry. Part of his argument is that a human’s lived and embodied experience in this world distinguishes a human’s writing from that of an AI. And it is true: AI—even the one ambitiously named Bard—cannot write in a rhetorically sound or literarily appealing manner. However, it is my cautious hope that with AI able to produce poor writing—which is nonetheless currently accepted as adequate—written language will become elevated by leaning into the lived experience that an AI can never have. In this way, perhaps AI will usher in an era of uniquely descriptive and literary writing across the board, as humans seek to differentiate their work from the manufactured writing of AI.

CWRU, what the “Heck” is your problem?

Heckling and why it’s obnoxious

Enya Eettickal Staff Writer

On March 24, I and evidently more than 1800 other Case Western Reserve students went to watch the Spring Comedian, Colin Jost. As a passive viewer of Saturday Night Live (SNL) but a big fan of “Weekend Update,” I was excited to see what Jost had in store. The show started wonderfully with openers Marcello Hernandez and Molly Kearney, who did a good job of warming up the crowd before the main act. When Jost first came on, the show’s trajectory seemed great.

But then, the heckling began. At first, there were just a few interruptions—one or two screams that caught Jost’s attention. However, they continued and seemed to be out of place and invasive. “What bar are you going to afterward?” “How does your wife feel about her portrayal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?”

”How’d you bag Scarlet?” That’s only the half of it. There were a couple of other things that were yelled loud enough to create awkward pauses in the show, but quiet enough that no one could understand what was being said. However, it was more than enough to actively ruin the second half of the show for me and the rest

of the audience.

I don’t know if what happened at the show was because some CWRU students don’t know what heckling is, or rather if they simply don’t care. Regardless, I’m here to put our student body on blast for it.

Heckling is the act of interrupting a public speaker by harassing them with “questions, challenges, or gibes,” according to Webster’s dictionary. More often than not, I’ve heard of, and even seen footage of, comedians being ruthlessly heckled by audiences. This may be because comedy exists on the premise of interaction—comedians using audience laughter and response during their performances. However, heckling goes beyond simple audience interaction and crowd work—it has the impact of inhibiting the performer or disrupting their set, as opposed to aiding them in the way they intend for audience interaction to be. Heckling is uninvited, hostile and uncomfortable. If the performer is not the one in control of the interaction, it’s probable that audience interaction is heckling.

The big question is why? Why the heck would anyone heckle? There are a couple of reasons, the obvious one being attention. If you’re trying to compete for the spotlight with a comedian who’s on stage with 1,800

eyes on them, you have to be interrupting either for the attention of the speaker or the audience—paired with a lack of self-awareness. Unsurprising to most, the average CWRU student isn’t on the cutting edge of comedy. While hecklers may find their interruptions hysterical, there’s a solid chance nobody else does. It’s just annoying. There’s also the possibility that someone isn’t interrupting with the purpose of being perceived as comedic but rather just for attention, following the “no press is bad press” mentality. Lastly, it’s also possible that someone may be heckling because they do not understand comedy etiquette. During the Spring Comedian event, Jost stopped to consult his notes, and someone asked “Do you have any advice for us?” I truly don’t think the question was malicious, but there are two things that ran through my mind when I heard it. One, a pause doesn’t mean that a comedian doesn’t know what to say, but rather needs a moment to think, and asking questions like that hurts more than it helps. Two, a comedian who does political satire is here to make us laugh, not give advice. But if I didn’t know those two things, I could see why someone may ask that question.

So the question becomes, how do we stop it? For the most part, as audi-

ence members, our hands are tied— unless you’re a heckler, because then, please just stop. It’s embarrassing for you and (secondhand) for me. However, as a performer, there are two ways to deal with it. One is to embarrass or roast the heckler into silence, or at least discourage others from heckling—and Marcello did a good job of that and for an audience similar to CWRU, that may work well. On the other hand, the option is to not entertain them at all. If they’re looking for attention, don’t give it to them. Ignore them, and in most circumstances, they’ll ideally stop or go away—and that goes for any time in life when someone defers to harassment to gain attention. I have a sneaking suspicion that Jost was trying to be nice, and didn’t want to roast a bunch of college kids, but there was a trade-off involved where the heckling continued.

If you take away nothing else from this article, just remember that with performances, interaction is not an invitation for harassment. Comedians often have pre-planned sets, and the audience is there for them rather than for you. Although, if anyone has ideas on how an audience member can help diffuse a heckler situation, let me know. In the meantime, I will be watching “Weekend Update” if anyone wants to join along.

Are sports stars and celebrities really overpaid?

Catherine Choi Layout Designer

Athletes and celebrities earn a fortune each year for all the work they do. Although only the top 1% of athletes and actors enjoy such prosperity, the public often questions whether they deserve that much pay. It only takes a short period of time to earn a fortune that will take other people more than a lifetime. Does Tom Brady, despite his skill, deserve to earn more than 10 times what general surgeons make? Does Taylor Swift deserve to charge thousands of dollars for her concert tickets? According to the rules of capitalism, the answer is yes, and most

celebrities and athletes deserve every cent they make. Under capitalism, the private sector and the individual hold power over the industry and the economy. It is up to the individual to evaluate a product or service’s worth and find the sweet spot on the supply and demand graph and the optimal price where both the supplier and the consumer are happy. In this case, the public decides how much famous celebrities and athletes will earn. The public will determine if the services people provide are worth their money. Football is highly popular in the United States, and the NFL makes billions of dollars each year with sponsorships, tickets, merchandise

and broadcasting revenues. Players would like to get paid as much as possible—they are the ones who bring the money to the team. Further, teams will want to keep the players they need to make revenue, win trophies and attract sponsorships. They will negotiate a proper salary based on the monetary value that the player brings to the team so that both parties can be happy.

The same applies to Taylor Swift’s concert tickets. If the public determines that the cost of the tickets is outrageous to the point where they won’t purchase the tickets, Swift would potentially reduce the ticket prices to a generally acceptable point while still making profit. However,

the public agreed that the prices are fair enough to buy tickets, which is shown by the number of tickets and albums she sells, and she gets to keep the prices the way they are. Another example is hiring a famous actor/actress for a film to elevate its quality, making it easier to attract sponsorships, ticket sales and views. Hiring a famous celebrity for an advertisement will increase sales by bringing more publicity and media exposure to the product. If the public didn’t care about celebrity appearances, then sales would stagnate and the value of their work would plunge, decreasing their own salary.

Continue reading on page 10

It is the same logic of a company trying to keep a skilled employee in their company instead of letting them leave for a better term, only the capital involved is much bigger. A more specific example is the case of FC Barcelona. FC Barcelona was the top team in European soccer for many years with its numerous titles. However, the team has been in financial ruin since 2017 due to poor management and failure to replace its retiring legends. In 2021, Lionel

Messi, a living legend and the most expensive player in the world, left the team to go to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) because Barcelona could not afford his salary. Due to the transfer, Barcelona experienced a drop in sponsorships and wins. In contrast, PSG gained eight more sponsors and Nike and Coca-Cola extended their partnership with larger capital. Messi increased PSG’s revenue by 15-20% in his first season with his new team. Their social media platform also grew

and attracted more people. In 2021, he was paid $75 million USD, but the revenue that he brought proved that he was worth the price. In this case, PSG is paying Messi not only to score goals and win matches; they are paying him to bring revenue and media exposure to the team.

Apparently, the world determined an athlete’s performance and a celebrity’s media appearance to be worth more than a surgeon’s life-saving surgery. Those people aren’t earning

that high amount of money because they are “better than other people”; instead, it’s because of their ability to bring profit, and that profit is made by the public. If hospitals made more money than movie studios, record companies and sports clubs, doctors would be in a position to demand higher wages. The degree of contributions to society plays little work in determining the worth of a service. Supply and demand make the decisions in our world.

Abigail Wilkov excels on and off the diving board

Paola Van der Linden Costello

Staff Writer

In the short time that she has been a diver at Case Western Reserve University, second-year Abigail Wilkov has made program history multiple times. She became the first ever female diver to earn an All-America status in program history and the first CWRU diver to finish in the top eight at NCAA championship in the 20212022 season. She recently earned her third career All-America honors at the 2023 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships, finishing seventh-place and matching her own program record from the year prior. Her passion and performance extends well beyond her performance as an athlete, being deeply involved in her academics and extracurriculars.

Wilkov is from Solon, Ohio—a Cleveland suburb—and is completing her degree in neuroscience and cognitive science. She started diving competitively in high school, after quitting gymnastics. She was a four-year member of the Solon High School swimming and diving team and served as team captain her senior year.

Wilkov tells us that her favorite part about diving is “being able to push myself to do new things that I didn’t think were possible. I also love competing and training to perfect my skills.”

At a school like CWRU, being a student athlete is difficult, but Wilkov

always makes sure that she can “put aside time for self-care and for having fun.” She chose CWRU because the university gave her the opportunity to “study neuroscience at a high level and compete in diving.” The school was also “perfect-sized and in an amazing location,” which for her means close to home.

Apart from diving, Wilkov works as an undergraduate research assistant at the Broihier lab, which studies neurodevelopmental disorders with the Drosophila fly model. As a neuroscience major, Wilkov enjoys “learning about the brain and how it is a vital part in everything we do.” After graduating from college, she hopes to continue her education and eventually “study neurodevelopmental disorders and help improve the quality of life of [the] individuals impacted.”

She is also part of the Case Association of Student Athletes (CASA) and on the executive board of the Hidden Opponent. She is “really grateful for being part of the Hidden Opponent as it is an amazing organization that supports athlete mental health. I have learned so much about the importance of taking care of mental health and [the] ways that good mental health can enhance performance.”

Wilkov is the first CWRU diver to earn multiple First Team All-America honors—an accolade she is proud to have.

“It is crazy to be able to have this honor. I love representing CWRU at

the national level and am grateful I can leave a lasting mark on athletics here.”

Being such a highly accomplished student athlete is difficult, but Wilkov is an extremely hardworking and passionate student. She is also very deter-

CWRU Film Society

Friday, March 31, 2023

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

Down Periscope (1996)

Cosponsored by Case Amateur Radio Club

Rated PG-13 (92 min.)

Director: David S. Ward

With Kelsey Grammer, Lauren Holly, Rob Schneider

Lt. Cmdr. Tom Dodge is assigned as Captain to the USS Stingray, an old dieseldriven submarine that has seen better days, to prove himself before he may take command of his own nuclear vessel. He must win a war game against his old rival to do so, but his crew consists of the Navy’s worst misfits and troublemakers.

mined and makes sure to finish what she started. This is what makes her a great athlete, student and peer.

Wilkov tells us, “I am always trying to be better than I was the previous day, which drives me to always [do] my best.”

Saturday, April 1, 2023

7:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m.

Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit

Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan (2006)

Cosponsored by The Athenian Rated R (85 min.)

Director: Larry Charles

With Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, Luenell

Borat Sagdiyev is sent to America from his home in Kazakhstan by his government to make a moviefilm about American society and culture. He discovers how beautiful the women are and decides to go on a cross-country road trip to California to make Pamela Anderson his wiiife. On his journey, Borat and his producer encounter strange and wonderful Americans, real people in real chaotic situations with hysterical consequences. Very nice!

Abigail Wilkov breaks program records with three All-America honors and a top eight finish at the 2023 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships, held March 15-18. Courtesy of CWRU Athletics

Men’s and women’s track and field finish top 5 at CMU Invitational

Tanishka Mhaskar Staff Writer

Case Western Reserve University’s track and field teams made their mark at the Carnegie Mellon University Invitational in Pittsburgh last weekend, with the mens and women’s teams placing fifth and third, respectively. The women’s team totaled 76.50 points and the men’s team totaled 51.0 points. Duquesne University, an NCAA Division I team, finished in first place for the women while CMU’s men’s team finished in first.

The Spartans had their fair share of participants end the two-day affair on the podium: among the women, fourth-years Victoria Zhao and Melissa Phung-Rojas both won their events. Zhao championed the pole vault with a 3.25-meter mark, which is tied for fourth on the school’s alltime record. Phung-Rojas, a distance runner, crossed the finish line at a time of 10:48.34 in the 3,000-meter run, a school record. Additionally, fourth-year Shelby Cooper also had a top-three finish, placing third in the pole vault, clearing 3.10 meters.

Among the men, two graduate students finished in the top three in their events. Sprinter Juan Perez placed third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.613 seconds, earning eight place on the school’s all time record. Anthony Hart finished third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:28.47, placing second on the school’s all-time record.

Another important performance came from third-year thrower Adrienne Watchtman, who had top eight finishes in three different events. She finished second in the javelin throw (37.67 meters), third in discus (38.27 meters) and sixth in shot put (11.83 meters).

The Spartans also had other performers finishing high with throwing events: Second-year Lauren Roskuszka finished fourth in the javelin throw (35.72 meters) and third-year Ailean Duffie finished in seventh place on the

Track & Field

CWRU

Men’s

5/14 (51 pts)

Women’s team: 3/16 (76.5 pts)

hammer throw (42.63 meters).

The women’s team put up solid performances in the jump events as well. Third-year hurdler Emily Hopkins finished sixth in the triple jump (10.58 meters) while fourth-year jumper Mia Vargo cleared 1.51 meters on the high jump, earning a sixth place finish.

With running events, fourth-year Danielle Sarno finished seventh in the 400-meter dash, and first-year sprinter Grace Misiunas put up an eight place finish in the 100-meter hurdles.

The men’s team had a series of high placing performances from their runners. In addition to Hart’s third place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:28:47, fourthyear Liam O’Reilly finished seventh in the same event, crossing the finish line at 9:54.10. Also, a group consisting of Perez, first-year Aaron Brula, third-year Yusuf Shaaban and firstyear Josh Bates ran the 4x400 meter relay and finished fourth with a time of 3:32.81.

The men also had high quality performances with jumping events: second-year Andrew Qi finished fourth in the long jump (6.16 meters) and first-year Connor Evans finished eighth (5.92 meters). Moreover, firstyear sprinter Bryce Hodge placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles (15.36 seconds) and fourth-year hurdler Peculiar Nzegbuna placed seventh (15.72 seconds).

Second-year Hans Holst, fourthyear Kenny Suen and fourth-year Pierce Boucher all earned sixth place finishes in their respective events. Holst was sixth in the 800-meter run at 1:55.95, Suen was sixth in the triple jump of 12.71 meters and Boucher was sixth in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 57.56 seconds. Fourthyear Ben Pinkowski and second-year Joshua Berman were two of the other top eight finishers that led to the men’s team finishing in fifth place.

This upcoming weekend, the track and field teams will head 30 minutes west to Oberlin, Ohio to compete in the Oberlin College Spring Opener.

Men’s Tennis

Women’s Tennis

Fourth-year vaulter Victoria Zhao placed first in the pole vault with amazing skill, earning 10 points for the women’s team. Courtesy of CWRU Athletics

VS CMU Invitational (3/24-25)

team:

CWRU vs Bob Kahn Invitational (3/31 - 4/1)

CWRU vs Marv Frye Invitational (4/8)

CWRU vs Bison Outdoor Classic (4/14 -15)

CWRU vs Outdoor All-Ohio Championships (4/15)

CWRU vs UAA Outdoor Championships (4/22-23)