If you’ve walked through the campus of Case Western Reserve University over the past few weeks, odds are you’ve been told a few choice things by someone dubbed the “Euclid Preacher” by students. For example, that you’re going to hell, that you’re going to burn in a lake of fire or that God will crush you and send you to your damnation. All of these provocative statements have been hurled at CWRU students as they walk past the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Adelbert Road by a group of open-air preachers occupying the area. Armed with a sign that proclaims “WARNING: Drunkards, Pot Smokers, Homoseuxals, Fornicators, Liars, Thieves, Immodest Women, Atheists, ‘Coexist’ Idola ters, Porn Watchers, JUDGE MENT DAY IS COMING FOR YOU!!” and yelling through a microphone and attached boombox, these street preach ers have been mak ing their controversial views widely known while verbally attack ing CWRU students for their perceived im morality. In their crusade to spread their extreme views, they’ve been making the case that unless CWRU students accept Jesus into their hearts they will drown in pools of blood, become des olate and ultimately be judged as wicked, condemned to eter nal torment.
The time has come for students at Case Western Reserve University to vote.
While most here are primarily concerned with academics, our life as students goes beyond our classes. Much of our experience while at this university is dictated by amenities such as the number of events available to go to each weekend, club meetings, dining hall options, the availability of SafeRides and much more. These are all things our Undergraduate Student Government (USG) has a hand in. USG also works as a link between our student body and the CWRU administration, bringing our concerns about tuition costs, overpopulation, diversity, disability resources, housing and food options to the forefront. While they cannot directly control these things, USG is meant to ensure
clid preachers, who would only reveal his name to be Omar, he admitted that he’s gotten “mostly negative reception” at CWRU, but he’s not bothered by it because “Jesus got a very negative reception.”
“College campuses have a very small percentage of Christians on this college campus compared to the general population. So it’s a great place to preach the Gospel, because not as many people are saved.”
When asked what students were taking the most offense to, he replied that women didn’t seem to like it when he said “they have to submit to their husbands
… and the female role is subordinate to the male role.” Though he says he himself is married, his wife appar ently “loves” his views on marital roles because “she loves the righ teousness of God.”
Omar also believes that college education is sinful and that we should instead learn from Je sus, that gay and mentally ill people are possessed by the devil, that children are the fa ther’s possessions and that he would have sex with kids—in cluding his own—and that slavery is morally permis sible.
“I get my moral standards from God, rather than making up what I think is right and wrong … I take God’s word as it’s plainly written,” he said. While he doesn’t support the form of slavery that historically oc curred in the United States, Omar explained, “there is
Friday,
April 14, 2023 Volume LIV,
The Euclid preachers’ (bottom right) approach to spreading Gospel has stirred campus-wide discussion about faith and bigotry and the rise of counter-compaigns (above) wanting to overcome the atmosphere of negativity. Shreyas Banerjee/The Observer
a form of slavery that’s not so vicious,
that’s not so evil that the Bible never endorses, but it doesn’t explicitly prohibit it.”
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Candidate endorsements for the 2023 USG elections
that administrators remain aware of the problems the student body faces. Our own peers work throughout the academic year to advocate for the student body and make our time here on campus the best it can be. This makes it vitally important that the right students, dedicated to service, become leaders within USG.
Students have the ability to vote for USG candidates between April 14-15 at vote.case.edu. To help CWRU students make an informed decision, The Observer traditionally hosts a debate between candidates and endorses the ones we believe would be the best fits for their jobs. This practice was put on pause during the pandemic; however, there was non-interest last year, and ultimately, these debates were more or less Q&A sessions. Therefore, USG and The Observer jointly decided to transition the debate to one-on-one interviews. This change allowed for
each candidate to more thoroughly explain their platform with more nuance. To ensure that these conversations are still publicly available, video recordings of all the interviews will be available on our YouTube channel. These interviews helped inform our endorsements, which were made after a vote by our Editorial Board. While we commend all candidates for stepping up and running for student leadership positions, we believe that the following candidates will be the best fits in their positions.
Vote Basil Yaseen for President
The president of USG is the most influential position within the CWRU student body, guiding the overall direction of our student government and acting as the main point of correspondence between the student body and CWRU administration, including President Kaler. For such a vitally important position, we are
confidently endorsing third-year Basil Yaseen, the current Vice President of Finance.
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USG spring 2023 candidate preview
Zachary Treseler Staff Writer
With elections for officers of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) occurring April 14-15, The Observer is profiling all the candidates running for executive positions. Students can vote at vote. case.edu.
President
The President of USG is the most direct leader to undergraduates at CWRU. The president represents, at all times, the best interests of the students and works to ensure student representation to other administrative and governmental bodies at CWRU. They are responsible for guiding and directing all USG matters, including issues brought forth by undergraduate students, faculty, staff and USG representatives to the USG as a whole.
Basil Yaseen
Basil Yaseen is a third-year student studying economics and biology on the pre-med track. Beginning his tenure in University Student Government as a first-year representative, he served as a treasurer during his second year and the Vice President of Finance this academic year. In this role, Yaseen has rebuilt relationships with the Student Executive Council (SEC) and streamlined the process for club funding. Now he is proposing increasing requirements for new clubs in order to avoid non-active clubs from taking up USG time and funding. His platform is focused on fixing USG’s communication with the student body along with the administration through greater conversation with President Kaler and bimonthly emails to the students about progress in USG. Yaseen also aims to limit tuition costs through indexed tuition, wherein scholarships increase at the same rate tuition does. Such an idea, while “not a 100% fix” is still “a reasonable fix.”
Gauri Srikumar
Gauri Srikumar is a third-year biomedical engineering student at Case Western Reserve University. Her tenure in USG started as a General Assembly (GA) representative, before serving on the Academic Affairs committee as an engineering representative and then becoming VP of Academic Affairs, where she worked to change the Navigator program and increase peer mentorship on campus. She has “experience talking to admin[istration]” which can support the “bidirectional relationship between admin[istration] and USG.” Srikumar’s platform is to increase transparency between USG and the student body. For example, she hopes to host meetings where representatives can talk to their constituent students. She believes this will translate into greater communication between committees in USG. In all, her pitch is that “regardless of where or what the initiative is, the goal is for every student to feel like they belong here… and proud to be a [CWRU] student.”
VP of Academic Affairs
The VP of Academic Affairs is elected to gather the academic issues of the undergraduate student body and to resolve them by work-
ing with the appropriate CWRU administrators, deans and faculty. Additionally, the VP of Academic Affairs chairs the Academic Affairs committee. They are the sole undergraduate voice at the Faculty Senate.
Hayley Latta
Hayley Latta is a third-year classics and cognitive science student, currently studying abroad in Rome, but returning back to Cleveland next semester. She was previously a representative of the College of Arts and Science on the Academic Affairs committee, serving on the Faculty Senate Committee on Undergraduate Education, which was involved in the SAGES overhaul. She previously served as the VP of Academic Affairs in fall 2021, which is when she created a comprehensive list of humanities courses. She hopes to create a syllabus archive to increase transparency, especially regarding the Faculty Senate. Latta also hopes to oversee CWRU’s transition from SAGES to the Unified General
ity of serving as the chief marketing and morale officer of the USG. The VP of Communications’ purpose is to bring transparent, relevant and up-to-date information to the student body, and to facilitate the receiving and processing of student body feedback. This individual must supervise the efforts of the Communications committee.
Tasfiqur Rob
Tasfiqur Rob is a second-year student majoring in computer science and political science. His previous experience in student government has been as a USG Engineering Representative on the Communications committee and sitting on the SEC Allocations Committee. His main platform is to bring back transparency, saying, “everyone and their grandmother says that I want to bring transparency,” and he seeks to achieve this by being more active on USG’s Instagram. He cited his own experience in digital marketing, saying, “I run a charity right now with 500 volunteers … I’ve
the administration, campus offices and student organizations. The VP of Diversity and Inclusion leads the committee in pursuing this advocacy and facilitates the collaboration between all mentioned entities. The VP’s role centers around gathering feedback from the student body and pursuing advocacy as it relates to this feedback.
Chize Ogbogu
Chize Ogbogu is a first-year representative serving on the USG Diversity and Inclusion (DNI) committee. She got involved in the DNI committee at the first few USG GA committees, where she spoke passionately about keeping the DNI committee as a committee, against proposals that would give all duties to a single Chief of DNI Officer. During her year at USG, Ogbogu worked on creating a “Student Advocacy Group,” working on greater “community standards” and an initiative to create a thrift store on campus known as the “Swap Shop.” She aims to use her voice as the VP of DNI to advocate for greater accessibility for physically impaired students and to urge the university to increase hiring of minority faculty. Further, Ogbogu is in favor of adding a residential community aimed at housing students of color. Ogbogu enourges “having more ways where people can learn about other people’s cultures … and also having the administration be a part of going to those types of events” as ways to increase awareness of other people’s backgrounds.
Fatima Sagier
Educational Requirements, and redevelop the relationship between Navigators, advisors and students.
Hyunjung Koo
Hyunjung Koo is a third-year nursing student at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.
She started last year as a nursing representative on the Academic Affairs committee. Her platform is centered around improving “equity and inclusion in our campus [and] in our classrooms.” She wishes to include diversity, equity and inclusion segments in course evaluations, create safe spaces for students and allocate new accommodated testing spaces. Further, she believes “professors and staff and faculty have a responsibility to be held to a standard.” She is also worried about the increasing class sizes, and its impact on both lab and lecture space, as well as dining halls and study areas.
Syed Sudman Zaman
Syed Sudman Zaman is a secondyear psychology student. He has been in USG for the past two years, mostly involved in the Academic Affairs Committee and the Student Life Committee. He hopes to increase mental health resources on campus, the diversity of the student body and improve the Navigator program. He also wishes to increase communication between the administration and the student body.
VP of Communications
The VP of Communications is given the challenging responsibil-
done various things in the digital marketing space, including creating social media accounts to thousands of followers and managing digital marketing firms.” He also wants to increase cooperation between other board organizations, and also advocate for diversity, whether through administration or through initiatives like the USG Video Competition. He further promises “a working Public Access Drive” and “a way that people can stay up to date with the initiatives that these representatives and these committees are working on.” Rob believes in contacting students via social media, the USG website, email and through Feedback Fridays, which he is a big supporter of.
Zeynep Bastas
Zeynep Bastas is a second-year student majoring in electrical engineering and computer science. She has been highly involved in creating the current email newsletters and tabling at Feedback Fridays. She aims to increase transparency through increased feedback surveys, events engaging the student body and a more detailed newsletter. She also wishes to have more USG clubs have “social media takeovers” so people learn about all the great student organizations here.
VP of Diversity and Inclusion
The Diversity and Inclusion committee serves to seek, advocate for and resolve concerns of marginalized students and promote an inclusive campus. They work closely with
Fatima Sagier is a first-year student hoping to join USG for the first time. She aims to increase the diversity of organizations such as sororities on campus, have more inclusive cultural celebrations on campus and create greater connections between CWRU and Cleveland. As a Cleveland resident herself, she especially hopes to create a pamphlet of great Cleveland neighborhoods for students to go to in order to break CWRU’s image of the city it resides in.
Aizah Kamal
Aizah Kamal is a first-year student running for her first position in USG. She previously was the president of her high school’s Student Diversity Leadership Club. She hopes to increase accessibility for disabled students and promote a more inclusive campus culture.
VP of Finance
The VP of Finance is given the responsibility of serving as liaison to the USG-recognized student organizations. They serve as the chief financial officer of the USG. This individual supervises the efforts of the USG treasurers and corresponds with the department assistant in the Student Activities and Leadership Office to ensure club funding.
Marlee Yancey
Marlee Yancey is a second-year student in the College of Arts and Sciences, currently serving as a representative on the Finance Committee. Yancey is running because she feels it will be “really enjoyable to lead the committee” under the platform of increasing efficiency of the club funding process.
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CANDIDATE PREVIEW from page 2
She also hopes to continue improving USG’s relationship with the Allocations Committee and increasing the size of the Finance Committee to speed up the reimbursement process, while also “pruning out” clubs that are no longer active or holding major events. When asked about the increased amount of the Student Activity Fee that USG will be receiving, she aims to split it between rolling and mass funding, with a little allocated to co-sponsorships, though that is not the primary focus of her position.
VP of Student Life
The Vice President of Student Life serves as one of the primary liaisons between students and administration on all matters related to campus life. This VP is the head of the Student Life committee, which works to ensure that all students on campus have the best possible experience at CWRU. Examples of Student Life initiatives include campus safety and security, student health and wellness, campus transportation, school spirit and campus food, among many other topics.
PREACHERS from page 1
He also admits that his approach hasn’t changed many minds on campus but he believes his efforts have caused more people to talk about religion, which is a net positive for him.
CWRU students are definitely talking about the “Euclid Preachers,” but mainly with ridicule and contempt. With their amplified hateful rants against the LGBTQIA+ community, sexual positivity and nonbelievers, they have not received a positive reception from our student population. Multiple students on the anonymous-posting app Sidechat have been expressing their disdain for the “Euclid Preacher,” though there seems to be at least two of them, each standing for three hours a day, multiple days a week. Jokes have been made about throwing eggs at them while others have just expressed their annoyance at being accosted.
Starting Monday April 10, a group of CWRU students started gathering on the other side of Euclid to spread pride and positivity on cam-
pus in contrast to the bigotry and hate from across the street. Waving rainbow pride flags, giving out written affirmations and doling out hugs and fist bumps, the students said they organized due to the negative atmosphere that was building on campus.
“We are here because we just love spreading love and
Mikhail Goldenburg
Mikhail Goldenberg is a rising third-year student and the incumbent VP of student life on USG, where he championed greater information about on-campus transportation, adjusting hours and menus of dining facilities and adding more vendors that accept CaseCash. As to why he is running for the same position, he is hoping to serve as a resource for new representatives joining, as “there’s such a big learning curve in the beginning, because there are so many administrators you need to meet.” He hopes that
this will mean he can update the “onboarding and new membership orientation.” In addition, he hopes to keep USG at the forefront of student life discussions, especially as CWRU gets a new VP of Student Affairs, replacing the retiring Lou Stark. In terms of vital issues for student life, he identified food and health and counseling services. Through the legislative process he emphasized the importance of USG seeking “out students who are struggling and to hear them out,” especially regarding issues related to accessibility and disability resources on campus.
positivity,” said first-year student Sam Faria-Rosenbaum. “I think that there was a lot of negativity being spread on campus for a lot of reasons, and from a lot of different directions. So we just want to be positive for everybody in every way.” The group organized initially among first-year students over a Discord server, which now numbers over 70 participants. There were around 15 students amassed midday on Monday, though a total of roughly 40 people go in shifts depending on everyone’s respective class times.
Aside from this group, a non-affiliated individual wearing an alien mask and an
“Among Us” blue crewmate inflatable costume was seen standing by the preacher. Though the individual would not speak or say their affiliation, they were holding a pride flag along with a sign that said “Vote the Preacher. I saw him vent,” referring to the action of kicking out a suspicious outsider in the video game “Among Us.”
All this has created more excitement and incredulity than is usually on CWRU campus, but has also raised important discussions surrounding faith, bigotry, hate and support of marginalized groups. While the Euclid Avenue preachers’ approach may not have changed many minds, it has brought attention to the discrimination often faced by members of the CWRU community and beyond.
When asked what message CWRU students should take to heart from this entire state of affairs, FariaRosenbaum said “Spread love and love everybody.”
Eight songs perfect for spring Playlist week of 4/14/23
Kate Gordon Copy Editor
Even though it’s technically been spring for weeks now, it’s only just begun to feel like it. Temperatures are spiking into the 70s, trees and flowers are in full bloom and walking across campus now feels like a treat rather than a chore. My ideal soundtrack for one of these walks features a variety of songs: some upbeat, some contemplative and some that you can’t help but sing along to. None should be overwhelmingly sad or slow—save those for the colder months. I also like to cycle through a variety of genres and decades, and tried to incorporate this diversity into this playlist so that there’s truly something for everyone. Happy listening!
“I
British indie singer-songwriter Billie Marten dropped her latest album, “Drop Cherries,” last Friday, and this track is my favorite of its singles. It’s slower than some of the other songs on this list, but still feels happy, albeit in a quieter way. Its message of being surprised by another person’s goodness is a pleasant change from the darker themes that can sometimes dominate the indie scene.
“These
This is one of the playlist’s sadder songs, but because its sadness errs more on the side of reflective than debilitating, I think it’s still seasonally appropriate. The fingerpicking guitar sounds fresh and stripped-back, complementing Nico’s deep voice well. This is definitely another “walk in the park” type of song, or maybe one to “stay inside and watch the rain.” Either way, I’d save it for mellower days.
There’s a tweet I saw the other day that reads, “the [C]octeau [T]wins are in 2023 what [J]oy [D]ivision was in 2013.” In other words, the Scottish rock band—who produced music mainly in the ‘80s and ‘90s—are having a major resurgence in popularity right now, and one akin to Joy Division’s in the early 2010s. “Those Eyes, That Mouth,” like all Cocteau Twins songs, sounds otherworldly and ethereal, almost like you’re walking on air. It’s one of my favorites by them, alongside “Sugar Hiccup,” another track that I love to listen to during warmer weather.
“Champagne Coast”Blood Orange
All Music Guide described this song as “fashionably slick, altogether tragic, and deceptively beautiful.” Uncut opted for “tropical.” The synth in “Champagne Coast” flows like water and is probably best listened to at the beach, but if you can’t make it out to Edgewater, the benches by Wade Lagoon work just as well in a pinch.
“Strong Enough” - Sheryl Crow
I only listened to this song after learning that Boygenius’ “Not Strong Enough” was inspired by it, but I think the original more than holds its own. Another song by Sheryl Crow that would work equally well in a spring playlist is her more famous “Soak Up the Sun,” but I prefer the acoustic guitar and twangy voice of Crow on “Strong Enough.” There’s something about it that just sounds warm and summery—a perfect fit for spring.
Most people our age probably know this song from TikTok, but unlike other songs that have blown up on the app, this one’s popularity has yet to annoy me. Even if you don’t speak Spanish fluently, the repetition of “me gustas tú”—“I like you” in English—is pretty much impossible not to pick up on. The other things the singer likes are equally approachable, including airplanes, the morning and Guatemala. Basically, you have no excuse not to sing along. And if you took French instead of Spanish in high school, you’re in luck—the song’s chorus features a refrain in French as well as Spanish.
“April Come She Will” - Simon & Garfunkel
I had to end the playlist with this song—it’s a spring classic, and mentions April by name. Although a close listen reveals that “April Come She Will” is actually quite pessimistic, the song has always sounded hopeful to me, for whatever reason. Its lyrics are sweet and deceptively simple, as is its acoustic guitar part. I like that you can choose to read as much or as little into the song as you like. Other good springtime picks from “Sounds of Silence” include “Leaves That Are Green” and “Kathy’s Song.”
“Feels Like Summer” - Sing-Sing
“Feels like Summer,” while released in 1998, sounds more like a lost ‘60s classic than anything else. Its titular chorus and lines like “Baby you’re in my way and you’re spoiling the view” give the song a carefree, adventurous feel, and will get you counting down the days until the end of the semester.
“Love is Blind” season 4 is serving up drama with a side of romance
Shivangi Nanda Copy Editor
In a world where first impressions and physical appearances reign supreme, ”Love is Blind” asked the question: What if love was truly blind? In search of answers, producers took a group of singles looking for love and put them through an unconventional experiment. Locked in pods, freed from distractions of the outside world for 10 days, contestants were asked to form connections “sight unseen.” As contestants navigated the challenges of falling in love based solely on emotional connection, ”Love is Blind” challenged our notions of finding love in a society that values the superficial.
On March 24, 2023 the fourth season of this popular reality TV show hit Netflix, and people can’t seem to get enough. The chaotic cycles of drama, romance and breakups are back as hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey introduce 30 new hopeless romantics looking for “the one.” Several love triangles, tears and long talks later, five couples emerged engaged and ready to start their new life together.
While it would be nice to believe these success stories are genuine, critics have shown time and again how “Love is Blind” chooses good entertainment in lieu of vulnerable human interaction—but this isn’t news to us. Fans crave the drama that comes from big reveals and grand gestures, knowing they would never occur in real-life. Additionally, research shows that these
unrealistic depictions fuel equally unrealistic expectations and stereotypes about actual relationships. This aside, “Love is Blind” uses its platform to promote a wholesome and hopeful message—that compatibility and emotional connection can trump the superficiality of modern dating culture—and I am here for it!
In this most recent installment, audiences seemed drawn to three couples that highlighted the struggle of finding love and the fragility of relationships. The cautionary tale this season is of criminal defense lawyer Zack Goytowski and his ex-fiance, business owner Irina Solomanova. In the pods, the pair sparked an instant connection, bonding over shared perspectives on life and growing up feeling misunderstood and misheard. Even when their relationship was put to the test by Zach’s other love interest Bliss Poureetezadi, Solomanova and Goytowski chose each other and made it official with a musical proposal. After the engagement, however, issues arose. Upon the big reveal, it was immediately clear that Solomanova was underwhelmed by Goytowski’s appearance, a fact she made clear could not be overlooked. Their eventual breakup led to yet another twist when producers invited former-love interest Poureetezadi back onto the show to reignite her flame with Goytowski.
Facing similar turmoil were Jackie Bonds and Marshall Glaze, who at first seemed to be a perfect match in the pods and in the first couple days following their engagement. In the recent
episodes we saw Bonds feel herself becoming dissatisfied by Glaze’s personality and short temper, leading her to rethink the relationship and her love for Glaze. This uncertainty was heightened by the return of Bond’s other love interest on the show, Josh Demas, who confessed he still has feelings for her.
But all hope is not lost. Like Cameron Hamilton and Lauren Speed in season one, Tiffany Pennywell and Brett Brown emerged as the couple everyone has been rooting for. Despite an unsteady start when Pennywell fell asleep during Brown’s confession, the pair came to recognize that their love for each other was sacred and special. In my mind, their understanding and
deep respect for one another makes them the only couple with potential to leave the altar married.
Just like past seasons, “Love is Blind” holds its own in the realm of reality TV, taking audiences on a journey filled with laughter, tears and cheers every step of the way. While not every couple will make it to the altar, viewers are undoubtedly left with a newfound appreciation for the importance of emotional connections and good conversation. Hated and loved contestants alike are pivotal in pushing forth this message. In the end, the show helps demonstrate that love is beautiful, love is uncertain and love can even be found blind.
THIS BIKE!
Fun
Tarun’s LOLs
What we’ve been listening to
June in January
Wes Montgomery
Lexy Jensen
BLOSSOM Aries
Sara Khorshidi
painty paint pots
800 cherries
Kate Gordon
Moonlight
Kali Uchis
Karuna Lakhiani
why don't you
cleo sol
Sophia Popkin
Falling Down The Stairs Of Your Smile
The New Pornographers
Clay Preusch
Bitter Sweet Symphony
The Verve
Beau Bilinovich
lullaby for you
greer
Shejuti Wahed
Gee, Officer Krupke
Russ Tamblyn
Shreyas Banerjee
Suspirium
Thom Yorke
Shifra Narasimhan
Not Dead Yet
Lord Huron
Tarun Sepuri
Horoscope
The signs as "sins" according to the Euclid Preacher
"Coexist" idolators
Atheists
Fornicators
Pot smokers
Catholics
Immodest women
Drunkard
Liars
Thieves College students
Porn watchers
Homosexuals
Crossword
ACROSS
1 Smartphone downloads
5 Read electronically, as a U.P.C.
9 City-related
14 Daytime TV drama, informally
15 "Actually, you're way off ..."
16 Gumption
17 One of the Starks on "Game of Thrones"
18 "The rules apply to everyone," redundantly
20 Considers to be appropriate
DOWN
1 Carne ___ (taco choice)
2 Studied carefully, with "over"
3 Money order recipient
4 Tony-winning musical with the song "Knights of the Round Table"
5 Added at the end, like the "-ness" in "kindness"
6 Fragrant spiced teas
7 "West Side Story" role for Rita Moreno and Ariana
8 Neither's partner
purportedly fiddle while Rome burned
19 "Yeah, right ..."
21 Spills messily
24 Viggo Mortensen and Hans Christian Andersen, by nationality
27 Run ___ (go berserk)
28 Rational
29 Card that beats a deuce
30 Q-tip, e.g. 31 "Hold your horses!"
22 "May that happen," in Shakespeare
23 "Stick to the agreement," redundantly
25 Salmon topping for a bagel
26 Minimally
30 Descended swiftly, like a hawk
35 Tarnish
36 "There can be no changing things now," redundantly
40 Fine and dandy
41 It opens all doors
42 British brew with a red triangle logo
46 Utter
32 Sturdy trees
33 Tops of many cathedrals and temples
34 Like peas ___ pod
37 "They just want to see how we'll react"
38 Plane assignments
39 Evaporating
43 O'Connor with the 1990 hit "Nothing
Word Search: Greek Week Activities
47 "We'll just have to adapt," redundantly
53 Novelist Charlotte, Emily or Anne
56 Snarled-up mess of debris
57 "We all deserve to have our intimate relationships honored," redundantly
59 Swanky bash
60 Shaquille of the N.B.A.
61 Beehive State collegians
62 Computer operator
63 Sykes of comedy
64 Fellow
65 Annoying sort
Compares 2 U" 44 Fifthcentury leader of the Huns
45 Untruths
48 Jotted down
49 Sanctuary
50 Poke fun at
51 St. Croix Thomas,
52 Set into motion
53 Erupt
54 Novelist Jaffe
55 Pizzeria fixture
58 Galoot and St. for two
Pictures of the Week
EDITORIAL ENDORSEMENTS from page 1
As VP of Finance, Yaseen has done much to streamline the club funding process—the aspect of USG that directly impacts the most students. He was also able to bring USG into compliance with the Student Executive Council regarding their finances and made the case for increasing USG’s budget by 18% so that they may fund even more clubs. As president he has committed to working to increase transparency at USG, make club funding more sustainable and work with the administration towards a model of indexed tuition, where scholarships increase as tuition does. Yaseen’s deep understanding of the issues facing USG and the student body make him an ideal candidate for president.
spectives being essential to a proper education. CWRU is likely one of the most diverse environments that many students have ever experienced, but there will always be room for improvement—especially with affirmative action likely coming to an end and the Ohio state legislature moving to restrict diversity and inclusion-related training within universities.
First-year Chize Ogbogu is a great candidate to face these issues and create a more accepting campus culture at CWRU. Having been a part of the Diversity and Inclusion committee, she worked to create the Student Advocacy Group (SAG)—a new initiative on campus that focuses on shortterm crisis intervention and advocacy for students who experience sexual harassment. As VP she has committed to create new opportunities for minority students to meet each other, whether it be in a specialized residential community or at events for CWRU students to meet high schoolers from underrepresented communities. She has also focused on the need to have a more diverse faculty population, press the university on disability resources and create a thrift store-style resource for CWRU students to get essential goods for cheap. With her experience and ideas, Ogbogu would be a good fit for the position.
Vote
Second-year Mikhail Goldenberg is running unopposed this year and
served in this same position last year, but is nonetheless deserving of your vote. Over the past year, the Student Life committee has worked to increase hours and change menus for dining options, increase student awareness of transportation options and expand mental health resources under Goldenberg’s leadership. With CWRU getting a new head of Student Affairs, it’s even more important that the USG VP of Student Life is experienced and able to properly convey the campuslife issues the student body is facing. As he would be in the position for a second year, Goldenberg would be adept at communicating with CWRU administration—allowing him to hopefully guide the new Student Affairs administration in an effective way and make progress on his initiatives.
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The Case Western Reserve Observer
Established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of Case Western Reserve University
Shreyas Banerjee Executive Editor & Publisher
Sara Khorshidi Director of Print
Grace Johnson News Editor
Joey Gonzalez Life Editor
Karuna Lakhiani Opinion Editor
Puneet Bansal Sports Editor
Beau Bilinovich Development Editor
Shivangi Nanda Copy Editor
Lexy Jensen Copy Editor
Rachel Alexander Copy Editor
Elie Aoun Copy Editor
Kate Gordon Copy Editor
DIGITAL MEDIA
Joce Ortiz Director of Digital Media
While second-year Marlee Yancey is running unopposed to be the new VP of Finance, we still enthusiastically endorse her. With USG receiving 18% more funding next year, having a VP of Finance who will work to ensure that funding is distributed to clubs equitably is crucial. Thankfully Yancey understands this, having been on the Finance Committee for two years and seen recent efforts to increase flexibility and ease the burden on club treasurers. She has also mentioned new rules that would make it harder for clubs that don’t plan on having long-term presences on campus from taking up funding from other student organizations. All this makes Yancey a great candidate to be the steward of finances for so many students at CWRU.
Vote Hayley Latta for Vice President of Academic Affairs
This year features multiple great and deserving candidates for the position of VP of Academic Affairs, all with many ideas to improve the CWRU classroom experience. In this case we have to give our endorsement to the most qualified candidate: thirdyear Hayley Latta. Latta has been part of the Academic Affairs committee for three years and was, in fact, previously the VP of Academic Affairs in fall 2022, but due to her studying abroad, she was required to resign.
However, in her short time as VP, Latta worked on multiple initiatives that have come to fruition already— including creating a comprehensive list of humanities classes at CWRU and advising the Faculty Senate on the upcoming overhaul of the SAGES program.
Sophia Popkin Social Media Editor
Clay Preusch Photo Editor
Shejuti Wahed Video Editor
Collin Wong Web Editor
DESIGN
Tarun Sepuri Director of Design
Shifra Narasimhan Layout Designer
Auden Koetters Layout Designer
Catherine Choi Layout Designer
Tyler Vu Graphic Designer
BUSINESS
Khushali Desai Director of Business Operations
Matthew Chang Business Manager
Ryan Chang Business Manager
Vote Chize Ogbogu for Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion are vitally important aspects of universities, with exposure to others with different backgrounds, experiences and per-
This time around she is focusing on aspects of the academic experience that CWRU students care most about, including making course registration easier, creating an archive of syllabi, advising on changes to the advisor and Navigator system and finding the right balance of new sections of classes and workload on professors as student populations increase.
Her extensive experience in Academic Affairs and comprehensive understanding of students’ academic concerns all make Latta worthy of your vote.
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.
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ENDORSEMENTS from page 1
The Editorial Board could not come to a consensus for Vice President of Communications
While USG does much great work for CWRU, much of the time the student body is completely unaware. Transparency from USG has been inadequate this past year, with the Public Access drive containing all USG
agendas, minutes and resolutions being inaccessible to the student body due to an accidental deletion. Additionally the “Initiative Tracker” listed on the USG website has not been updated since 2021, making it tough for CWRU students to actually know what their representatives are working on. However, the Editorial Board
was split between the candidates Tasfiqur Rob and Zeynep Bastas and were unable to make a decisive endorsement for the best future VP of Communications. We hope whoever is elected is able to address these concerns and build a better relationship between USG and the student body. All in all, student elections are a crucial component of the daily lives of students here at CWRU. They pro-
vide an opportunity for us to actively participate in the democratic process and shape the direction of our institution. This is our chance to choose the representatives who will advocate for us and make a meaningful impact in our campus community. We hope that you will vote for candidates that you believe in and that our endorsements help guide you in making that decision.
Tech(no)logical advancement in the House of Representatives
Hannah Johnson Contributing WriterIn high school, I read the novel ”Next” by Michael Crichton. The book is a wild ride, following multiple characters and plots of talking chimpanzees, humanoid parrots and shapeshifting animals. The storyline closest to reality, though, follows a man named Frank. Frank’s cancer-fighting cells are stolen and sold by a university without his knowledge (similar to the historical figure Henrietta Lacks) to a biotech startup. He decides to sue and ends up in an extremely complex situation in which the ruling court remains fully unable to grasp the gravity of the situation because they don’t understand the technology. In fact, they don’t even understand how cells could be stolen in the first place. The same thing is happening with TikTok today. What is the connection between stolen cancer cells and TikTok you may be asking? Well, the United States government.
Typically, older generations don’t stay up to date with newer technology. Our parents constantly ask us for help with how to use their computer, how to download a file or how to print something properly. It makes sense then that the younger generation should be calling the shots when it comes to legal management of technology in the United States. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
On March 23, TikTok CEO Shou
Zi Chew was interrogated for roughly five hours by the House Energy and Commerce Committee about the app’s safety and security for the American population. The U.S. government has concerns about unauthorized data sharing with the Chinese government as well as teen addiction and misinformation, among other issues. These concerns about TikTok are far from new, but after hearing the questions some of the representatives asked during the interrogation, it’s clear why Congress has been unable to act for years now.
A viral video features North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson questioning CEO Chew on whether TikTok “access[es]” the home Wi-Fi network,” to which the CEO responded, “Only if the user turns on the Wi-Fi”—an answer which essentially any teenager in America would know.
After some clarification, Chew patiently explained that TikTok has to access the network to get a connection to the Internet—although it is clear he was still unsure about exactly what the representative was asking. When Georgia Rep. Buddy Carter had the mic, he said, “Can you tell me right now … with 100% certainty that TikTok does not use the phone’s camera to determine whether the content that elicits a pupil dilation should be amplified by the algorithm?”—which is already a highly confusing question. Chew responded by essentially relaying that the platform doesn’t collect feature-
identifying data, except for certain filters needing such information. Carter was utterly perplexed, asking “Why do you need to know where the eyes are if you’re not seeing if they’re dilated?”
Despite their intent to better understand the collection and use of personal data, these questions actually seem to be turning the very demographic that uses TikTok against the House of Representatives. It makes our government look uniquely uninformed about the very thing they are concerned about. Genuine concerns about data usage are, thus, belittled in the public eye. In fact, Chew has even gained a fair amount of support and adoration from American citizens for maintaining an informed and respectful visage. The adoration is only heightened as the members of the House can be seen continually disrespecting Chew by referring to him as a Chinese citizen (when he is Singaporean), speaking over him and getting defensive when it is clear they do not understand a key aspect of data collection.
This brings up the question of who should be gathering information in a hearing, particularly one that should include technologically-informed individuals. It is absurd to rely on the same people who struggle to print a two-sided document to be able to thoroughly question a trained professional on the specifics of data collection. As a result, we receive uninformed hysteria on the part of the older generation and disbelief at the
ineptitude of our government from the younger.
Circling back to my initial example, “Next,” although ridiculously chaotic and dystopian, mirrors the present disconnect between the reality of expanding technology and our outdated governmental system. The inability of those chosen to rule our country to connect to the younger generation often is because older generations do not make an effort to stay up to date with new developments, instead immediately sensationalizing and demonizing its users or creators. This generally ends up hurting the average citizen’s perception of legal rule and America’s reputation for seriousness.
There is also something to be said about media distortion of technological advancements. “Next” focuses on just how quickly the ignorant public’s opinion can be swayed to think negatively or positively about some new technology and the lack of desire to quell rising hysteria if it serves what the ruling class aims to achieve. It makes sense, then, that some bad representation can convince the public to challenge the people who are supposed to express our concerns.
Instead of concentrating our efforts on condemning what we do not understand, we should aim to appoint informed, younger people in the tech field to educate those with the power to enforce our laws. If not, then maybe those people should be enforcing our laws themselves.
CWRU needs to improve its women’s health services
Caroline Kuntzman Staff WriterOn June 28, 2022, Case Western Reserve University President Eric W. Kaler sent an email to the student body affirming the university’s commitment to “women’s rights to reproductive health.” In the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, CWRU made noticeable changes to campus health services to better meet the needs of students. While these recent developments are positive and valuable for meeting the health needs of female students, there are several ways in which CWRU’s health services are still lacking and are having a disproportionately negative effect on female students.
The most noticeable and perhaps significant change to CWRU’s health services after Dobbs is that the university reconfigured the vending machines once used solely for distributing COVID-19 tests into general “wellness vending machines.” Located in buildings across campus such as Wade Commons and Fribley Commons, the vending machines provide students with easy access to a variety of health products. Many of these are helpful for students capable of becoming pregnant, such as emergency contraceptive
pills and pregnancy tests. The vending machines are also stocked with menstrual hygiene products—an important resource given that 21% of women find it financially difficult to access them.
While condoms could be picked up from certain campus offices prior to Dobbs and bathrooms often had free period products available, the shift towards the vending machine model provides several advantages—especially in regards to meeting reproductive health needs. As journalist Annalise Knudson describes, students may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed picking free condoms offered by their college or university. By placing them in vending machines, students can get condoms more discreetly than before, reducing the potential for embarrassment. Moreover, placing them in a vending machine that also includes medical supplies such as cough drops and ibuprofen makes getting condoms a normalized part of healthcare. Given that approximately a quarter of college students acquire an STD during their education, encouraging barrier use should be a priority.
Making emergency contraception accessible on campus is also important and valuable for students capable of becoming pregnant. While it can be acquired as an over-the-counter medication at stores such as CVS and Wal-
greens, placing it in vending machines across campus makes it more convenient for students. The proximity of emergency contraception to students encourages them to take it sooner during times when it is the most effective.
Despite the benefits gained by using the vending machine system, women’s health services at CWRU are still lacking in several ways. One noticeable limitation of the wellness vending machines is that they only include condoms. Dental dams, while available in offices such as the LGBT Center, are much harder to find in other places on campus. Prioritizing condom distribution over dental dams makes a heteronormative assumption about students’ protection needs. Furthermore, it fails to account for the fact that multiple types of barrier methods are needed. Given that the vast majority of college students do not consistently use protection for oral sex, providing easy access to protection for that scenario should be a priority.
Having access to in-person appointments is also an important part of healthcare for students. This is severely lacking at the women’s health center at University Health and Counseling Services. When navigating the appointment menu on MyHealth to make a women’s health appointment, the only option offered is an online appoint-
ment. It is only after this appointment that the provider will determine if an in-person appointment is necessary. For certain services, this may be a reasonable option if there is no need to do an exam. However, there are certain situations, such as STD testing, where an initial in-person appointment is clearly necessary.
What is perhaps most disconcerting is that the men’s health clinic has very different practices for students getting in-person appointments. When navigating through the appointment process for men’s health, students are given the option to have an online appointment, an in-person appointment or an urgent in-person appointment. There is no requirement for male students to meet with a provider online to have their need for an in-person appointment assessed; they can simply choose whichever option is best for their situation. This discrepancy raises an even greater concern about the university’s commitment to women’s health.
CWRU claims to be committed to women’s health and has taken certain steps in the past academic year to improve the resources available on campus. However, there is still a need for significant improvement. Addressing the gaps in female health at CWRU is vital to improving equity for health on campus.
Track and field teams win Marv Frye Invitational
CWRU’s track and field teams took home the victory this weekend in the Marv
and 170 points, respectively. Pictured are fourth-year sprinter/jumper Keith
contributed to their respective teams’ success. Courtesy of CWRU Athletics
Tanishka Mhaskar Staff WriterCase Western Reserve University’s men’s and women’s track and field teams had a weekend to remember, winning their respective titles in last weekend’s Marv Frye Invitational in Delaware, Ohio. The men’s team led a pack of nine teams, putting up 193 points while the women’s team led a pack of eight teams with 170 points.
The men’s team placed first in six different events, while the women’s team placed first in four events. It’s safe to say the Spartans dominated this meet from top to bottom, with runners placing first and second in the men’s mile run, women’s triple jump, 400-meter hurdles, 3,000-meter steeplechase and pole vault.
For the men’s team, second-year runners Nate Gilbert and Hans
Holst were the first two to finish in the mile run, with Gilbert winning the event in 4:18.37 and Holst placing second in 4:23.62. First-year hurdler/sprinter Josh Bates finished first in 56.16 seconds in the 400-meter hurdle while third-year sprinter/ hurdler Yusuf Shaaban was the second place finisher with a time of 57.60 seconds. Further, a pair of second-year runners, Luke Kishna and Victor Nash, were first and second in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Second-year vaulter Quaylen Lamarre and first-year vaulter Anthony DeCarlo cleared 4.45 meters in the pole vault, with Lamarre placing first by clearing the mark in fewer attempts.
More first-place finishes among the Spartans men’s team included fourth-year runner Will Dehmler, who won the 800-meter race in 1:56.57, and Dehmler, Bates, thirdyear sprinter Brett Callow and fourth-year sprinter/hurdler Pierce
Boucher, who finished first in the 4x400-meter relay, completing the event in 3:23.43.
The Spartans also had more podium finishes, including Holst finishing third place in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:57.86. Bates, Callow, fourth-year sprinter/jumper Keith Cartwright and first-year sprinter/ thrower JD Weaver teamed up for a third place finish in the 4x100-meter relay in 43.12 seconds. Callow also finished third place in the 100-meter dash in 11.00 seconds. To finish off the men’s impressive run, first-year Bryce Hodge placed second in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.26 seconds and fourth-year jumper Kenny Suen recorded 12.60 meters in the triple jump for second place as well.
On the womens’ side, third-year Adrienne Wachtman finished first in the javelin throw, recording a mark of 40.58 meters, which is just 0.46 meters behind the school
record. The women also won the 4x400 meter relay, where first-year Melanie Taylor, third-year Jessica Kwasny, fourth-year Danielle Sarno and fourth-year Melissa PhungRojas finished teamed up to earn a time that ranks as the fastest among CWRU women since 2017. Fourthyear runner Julia Kocherzat also finished first in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 18:31:23.
On top of this, the Spartan women also had a series of second place finishes to add to their impressive display. First-year Grace Misiunas in the 100-meter hurdles, fourthyear Victoria Zhao in the pole vault, fourth-year Mia Kilroy in 400-meter hurdles and third-year Grace Jackson in the mile all finished as runner ups.
The Spartans travel back to Delaware, Ohio this weekend to compete in the All-Ohio Outdoor Championships.
A Cavs
Nicholas CraneContributing Writer
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a storied history in the NBA playoffs, having made 23 appearances in the postseason since the team’s inception in 1970. In recent years, however, the Cavs have struggled to maintain the level of success they enjoyed during the legendary LeBron James era, with the team missing the playoffs in each of their last four seasons. But this year, for the first time since the 1997-98 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers will be headed to the postseason without James on their roster. With their 108-91 win over the Houston Rockets on March 26, Cleveland officially clinched a postseason berth, their first since the 2017-18 campaign.
This playoff run will look and feel a little different for Cavs fans. The familiar faces of their most recent playoff runs–Lebron James, Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson—that brought a championship back to Cleveland, are gone. Instead, the Cavs boast an exciting crop of new talent and potential that has galvanized the city and brought the Cavs back to relevancy.
With the regular season having ended this past Sunday, the Cavs 51-31 regular season record ranked them at fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs won two of their last three games despite a final loss against the Hornets. Securing home court advantage was key for the Cavs who were dominant at home (31-10) but struggled on the road (20-21). While the team is still relatively inexperienced compared to some of the other playoff contenders, the Cavs have shown flashes of brilliance throughout the year and have the potential to make some noise in the postseason.
Their opponent will be the New York Knicks, a team that gave the Cavs trouble this season and beat them in 3 out of 4 matchups. The final matchup was on March 31, which was a 130-116 Knicks win with 48 points from their star point guard, Jalen Brunson. In addition
to Brunson, the Cavs’ must also be wary of All-Star forward Julius Randle, averaging 25.1 points and 10 rebounds per game; guard RJ Barrett, averaging 19.6 points and 5 rebounds per game; guard Immanuel Quickley, the leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year; center Mitchell Robinson, elite shot blocker and rim protector; as well as guard Quentin Grimes and guard Josh Hart.
It is no secret that regular season success does not necessarily translate to a deep playoff run, but if the Cavs want to make it past the first round, they are going to need an answer for stopping Brunson and Randle, specifically. Brunson’s talents were on full display at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on March 31, but some could argue Randle has been the better player of the two this season. Having arguably the best season of his career, Randle recently set a career-high in points, dropping 57 points in a loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 20. However, Randle sat out with an injury in the most recent matchup versus the Cavs and is expected to sit out at least two weeks with a left
Women’s Tennis
(12-3)
CWRU vs CMU (4/8) - W 5-4
CWRU at Oberlin (4/13)
CWRU vs UAA Championship (4/20-22)
Men’s Tennis
CWRU vs Kalamazoo (4/16)
CWRU vs Ohio Wesleyan (4/16)
CWRU vs UAA Championships (4/21-23)
ankle sprain. His playoff status is uncertain.
The Cavs’ elite perimeter defender, Isaac Okoro, and two-way big man, Jarrett Allen, both missed the most recent Knicks game as well, and their absences definitely showed. With those two returning to the lineup, the Cavs are definitely a top defensive team in the NBA. They will need these two players healthy to stop Brunson, Randle and the Knicks as a whole.
While there is plenty of ability up and down the Cavs lineup, Donovan Mitchell has been the go-to guy. Acquired from the Utah Jazz this past offseason, Mitchell has more than lived up to everyone’s expectations. Averaging 28.3 points per game and a little over 4 assists and 4 rebounds, he has been the superstar the Cavs desperately needed to take them back to the playoffs. His incredible season, highlighted by a 71-point outburst on Jan. 2 in a win against the Bulls, have made the Cavaliers a feared opponent heading into the playoffs. The upcoming series against New York will bring Mitchell full circle with Knicks fans. On the trade block this past summer, the
Track & Field
CWRU vs Marv Frye Invitational (4/8) :
Men’s Team: 1st / 9 (193 pts)
Women’s Team: 1st / 8 (170 pts)
CWRU vs Outdoor All-Ohio Championships (4/15)
CWRU vs Bison Outdoor Classic (4/15-16)
CWRU vs UAA Outdoor Championships (4/22-23)
Knicks were viewed as the heavy favorite to acquire Mitchell. However, the deal between the Jazz and Knicks never came to fruition, opening the door for the Cavs. Given the year he’s had, Cavs fans sure are grateful that it worked out the way that it did. If Mitchell can continue his success in the playoffs and eliminate the Knicks, it will certainly be a tough pill to swallow for their fanbase, who has been desperately awaiting a star of his caliber for years.
When asked about the series, Mitchell responded, “It’s full circle. You wouldn’t want it any other way. What kid wouldn’t want to play against his hometown team in the playoffs?”
For the Cavs, it would take a complete playoff disaster for this season not to be considered a success. The jump the team has made this season has been remarkable, introducing what should be a competitive roster for years to come. A deep playoff run is a feasible goal, something Cleveland grew accustomed to in the last decade. They will begin their playoff journey against the Knicks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 15 at 6 p.m.